White: GM Bischoff (2490) – Black GM Howell (2670)
New Zealand Open 2014
White just played 33. Rd2. This game is headed for a peaceful draw. All of a sudden, black got mated in about 10 moves!
33 Rd2 e5
34 Rd7 Bxc3
35 Bf3 Rc5
36 Bd5 Bb2
37 Rxf7+ Kg5
38 h4+ Kh6
39 Be4 c3
40 g4 c2
41 g5+ Kh5
42 Rxh7+ Kg4
43 f3# 1-0
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
What the heck?
Bishoff played his B well and Howell did not play well.
I look at it, the critical error seems to be 36. …Bb2- black seems to have had notions of promoting that c-pawn, but the attack on f7 is too quick for that. Not sure where the forced mate arises, but to my eye, it looks unavoidable after 39. …c3 40.g4, though the game is lost in my mind after move 36.
I just saw the actual game report on Chessarena below this post- Houdini reports a forced mate after black’s 36th move.
Houdini also says that black should have played 36. …Kg7 as best. It gives black the retreat to h8 from where the king is safe. As played, the king gets cut off from the last two ranks after the f7 capture, and fall victim to the moving white picket fence of pawns and the bishop.
Yes 36…e4 STILL should of drawn.