Online Chess
Stalemate | Centre Game: Normal Variation
November 2025
1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6 4. Qd1 d6 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Nf3 Bg4 7. Bc4 Be7 8. Bxf7+ Kf8 9. Bc4 h6 10. Qd3 Nb4 11. Qd2 c6 12. a3 Bxf3 13. gxf3 Na6 14. e5 dxe5 15. Qxd8+ Rxd8 16. f4 b5 17. Be6 Nc5 18. Bf5 Kf7 19. fxe5 Nd5 20. Be3 Nxe3 21. fxe3 g6 22. Bg4 Bg5 23. O-O+ Ke7 24. e4 Rhf8 25. Rxf8 Kxf8 26. Rf1+ Ke7 27. e6 Bf6 28. e5 Bxe5 29. Rf7+ Ke8 30. Rxa7 Bb8 31. Rh7 Bf4 32. Rg7 Rd2 33. Rxg6 Bxh2+ 34. Kh1 Be5 35. Rxh6 Kd8 36. Rh5 Bg3 37. Rxc5 Rd4 38. Rxc6 b4 39. axb4 Be5 40. Rc5 Bf6 41. Nd5 Rxg4 42. Nxf6 Rf4 43. Nh5 Re4 44. Ng7 Rh4+ 45. Kg2 Rg4+ 46. Kf3 Rxg7 47. Re5 Rg8 48. e7+ Kd7 49. Ke3 Re8 50. Kd4 Rxe7 51. Rxe7+ Kxe7 52. Kc5 Kd8 53. Kc6 Ke7 54. b5 Kd8 55. b6 Kc8 56. b3 Kb8 57. c3 Ka8 58. c4 Kb8 59. b4 Kc8 60. b7+ Kb8 61. b5 Ka7 62. c5 Kb8 63. Kb6 1/2-1/2
Game Analysis
Opening
The opening got sharp straight away after I took on d4 with the queen. Bringing the queen out early wasn't the best idea, because Black gained tempo with their pieces. The Bxf7+ check was mainly a chance to pull the king out and make things messy, but I didn't really have a follow-up planned. After the queens came off, the position became calmer, but I could've developed more normally instead of jumping into tactics so early.
Middlegame
The middlegame turned into a scramble, with both of us making threats and trying to stay active. I liked getting my bishops and rooks into the game, but a few moves were played without a clear plan. When I got moves like Ra7 and Rxg6, it felt like I had real chances, but I wasn't sure how to turn it into something solid. Black kept fighting back with counterplay, so the game swung around and stayed fairly balanced.
Endgame
The endgame became a pawn race, with my b-pawn pushing hard up the board. I had some pressure, but Black's rook stayed active and made it hard to coordinate anything. With both kings open and no clean way forward for either side, the draw made sense in the end.