Game 37 - County U-140 League - Kent vs Essex

Kent vs Essex - Board Six
Saturday 29 October 2016
White: K.Nevols (134) - Black: C.Siddo (134)

This was my first appearance for the Kent Under-140 county team. The game took place at the Mick Jagger Centre in Dartford. Next door were a group of children doing some sort of Halloween dance practice which meant all sorts of music came thumping through the walls.

I was initially concerned about this but actually found it relaxing. Jigging one's feet to 'Op, op, oppa Gangnam Style' while concentrating is quite therapeutic. Maybe disco chess is a creation waiting to happen.

The time limit is much more generous than I was used to. 35 moves in 105 minutes each and then half an hour for the rest of the game - so the whole game would be no more than four and half hours.

1. e4 d6
2. d4 Nf6

The Pirc Defence. Not an opening I know well yet I often seem to face.

3. Nc3 c6
4. Nf3 Bg4
5. h3 Bh5

The idea behind the early h3 was to deflect the bishop off the diagonal - and the move is often useful after castling anyway.

6. Be2 h6!?

If Black is playing the Pirc then he usually wants to put his bishop on the g7 square. I thought this move looked a bit loosening.

Now 7. e5 could deserve some consideration. A possible line being 7. .. dxe5 8. dxe5 Qxd1+ 9. Nxd1 Nd5 10. c4 or 10. Ne3 getting some initiative. However I am a cautious player and like to ensure the king is safe before I open the centre.

7. O-O e6

Perhaps the result of his last move. Black needs to put the kings' bishop somewhere and while g6 and Bg7 are still, in the long run possible, he decides it would be quicker to go to e7. The problem is that it gives this rather odd trio of pawns in his centre.



I now had a long thought of about twenty minutes. I have an advantage in development and wanted to see if I could make an early attack while Black still has some way to go. I considered 8. e5 dxe5 9. dxe5 Qxd1+ 10. Rxd1 but after 10. .. Nd7 or Nd5 could not see anything.

Black could at some stage play d5 to secure his centre and open the diagonal for the bishop. So I decided to preempt that and play the active move to try to open lines towards his uncastled king.

8. d5!

Now if 8. .. exd5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxd5 cxd5 11. Qxd5 (or a different order of exchanges but with the same result) then White has Re1 coming and Black has a weak pawn on d6 blocking in his bishop.

If Black continues development with 8. .. Nbd7 then 9. dxe6 fxe6 seemed to be OK.

Instead Black decides to close the centre.

8. ...  e5
9. Nd2

Playing 9. Be3 might have been better. With my pawns on white squares it made sense to exchange the white squared bishop.

9. ...  Bg6

I now rejected 10. f4 because after 10. .. exf4 11. Rxf4 I did not like the position of the rook nor the weak squares around the king. The computer now recommends 10. Bd3 but I do not like 10. .. cxd5 11. exd5 Bxd3 12. cxd3 although White now has the e4 square for his knight and Black is still behind in development.

Instead I decided to secure the centre and move the knight round to the e3 square.

10. Bf3 Be7
11. Re1 O-O
12. Nc4?

A bad mistake. If I wanted to play the knight to the e3 square then Nf1 would have been a better route. I now allow Black a sharp initiative.

12. .  ....b5

Of course.

13. Nd2

Playing 13. Ne3 as per the original plan now results in 13. ... b4 winning a pawn.

13. ...  b4
14. Nb1 cxd5
15. exd5 Qc7



And now things are looking a lot more gloomy. I have a pawn stuck alone on d5, most of my pieces stuck back on the first two ranks, while Black's bishop on g6 has come to life, his pawn on b4 does a good job of restricting White's queenside and he has pressure coming down the c-file. The tide is clearly in Black's favour.

I felt 16. c3 a5 did not get anywhere and so I decide to move forwards again to block the bishop diagonal.

16. Ne4 Nxe4

Developing with 16. .. Nbd7 might have been better.

17. Bxe4 f5
18. Bf3 Na6

Black brings his knight the other way but I think this is slightly inaccurate. 18. ...a5 would have kept the pressure on with Na6 behind the a-pawn or Nbd7. As played, I now get the chance to exchange off the restrictive pawn on b4.

19. a3 bxa3
20. Nxa3

Now I was a little more content. The knight on a3 defends the c2 point well, Black has an isolated a-pawn and my pieces are beginning to find some activity. However the d-pawn was still concerning me, as was Black's central pawns.

20. ...   Qb7

The computer does not like this move which it states gives away Black's advantage. It prefers an idea of playing f4 and then Be8. To me, this move was to stop White moving the queen's bishop.

21. Rb1

This is to allow the queen's bishop to move. However 21. Nc4! is better, seizing the initiative, with the intention being to come to a5 and then possibly c6.

Black could now play 21. .. Nb4 to threaten e4 winning a pawn. Then 22. c4 e4 23. Be2 f4 and Black is on the march again. The knight is quite OK on the b4 square and will await the opportunity to jump it d3. (24. Nc2 e3!). Fortunately Black's knight chooses a less secure square.

21. .      Nc5
22. b4 Na4
23. Rb3 Nb6



The knight's journey has resulted in the threat to the d-pawn forcing the next move. On the plus side, my rook had been forced to move to a square where it could consider moving across to the kingside.

24. c4

At the board I was now concerned about 24. .. Be8 with the intention of Ba4. However White can get back on the attack with 25. c5! But I cannot guarantee I would have seen this move.

24. . ..   e4
25. Bh5

I played this because of my concern noted earlier. I did not want the black bishop to reach the a4 square and so decided to swap it off to ease some pressure on the centre and see if I could make anything of those white squares in front of his king.

25. . ....  Bxh5

To my surprise, my opponent offered a draw. I say I was surprised because I had spent the last hour under the cosh trying to grovel out of the mistake made earlier with Nc4 and my mind had been set on survival. The computer rates the position now as '0' - dead level.

But I turned it down! Why? Did I think I was better? No, I certainly did not. Black still has the potential for operations on the queenside. The answer is that I was not ready yet to go home. I wanted to play on and see what happened.

26. Qxh5 Rf6

To defend against the threat of Bxh6. I now gave a lot of thought to 27. Rg3 renewing the threat to h6. If then 27. .. Kh8 then 28. Bb2 is strong. Black can counter attack with 27. ... Rf7 28. Bxh6 Rc8! 29. Rc1 f4 30. Rg6 Nxd5.

I could not see anything definite after this move and decided on the other way to attack.

27. Bb2 Rf7
28. f3

This is the best move but as soon as I played it I was regretting it. It makes perfect sense to open up the centre and bring the other rook into the attack but after 28. .. exf3 29. Qxf3 my hopes of an attack have gone again and I have too many pieces stuck over on the left hand side.

At the time, I thought I should be moving the knight into the middle with beautiful squares for it to sit on - such as c6, e6 and possibly f5 - so the d4 square is where it must go.

28. ...   Nd7

Black re-routes the knight. Now the threat is Nc5 with the wonderful square d3 in sight. And Nf6 might also be a useful defensive move. The best way to meet this threat is with 29. Bd4 when Black might then consider 29. .. Bf6.

29. Nb5?

Mistake! Black can now counter attack against the c-pawn with 29. .. Rc8 30. Rc1 Nb6 31. Na3 Bg5 32. Rc2 Qa6 and White is all of a jumble once again.

29. ....  a6?

Fortunately Black makes a mistake in return forcing the White knight to go where it was intending to go anyway.

30. Nd4

A lovely square for a knight and I was feeling happier with the world. How is Black going to defend the pawn on f5? I expected 30. . exf3 when I had to choose between 31. Nxf3 Nf6 (of 31. .. Nb6), 31. Qxf3 Ne5 or 31. gxf3 which just looked ugly.

30. ...  Ne5

Not no. Black too gains an impressive knight in the centre. I decided to exchange my c-pawn for his e-pawn.



31. fxe4 Nxc4?!

With a second draw offer - but giving up a pawn. Better would have been 31. .. fxe4 32. Rxe4 Nxc4 and maybe then offering a draw. (33. Nf5 Nxb2 34. Rxb2 Bf6 and then defending the d-pawn - if White is in the mood for some fun, he could try 33. Nf5 Nxb2 34. Qxf7+!? Kxf7 35. Rxe7+ Qxe7 36. Nxe7 Kxe7 37. Rxb2 with a rook and four pawns ending. 37. .. Rb8 38. Re2+! Kd7 39. Re4 should hold the draw).

I decided to decline this second draw offer - again not because I could see a win, but because I wanted to see if I could make anything of the extra pawn.

32. Nxf5 Nxb2
33. Nxe7+?!

I figured that removing his bishop would weaken his defence - the problem is it also weakens my attack. That knight was doing very well on f5.

33. ...   Qxe7
34. Rxb2 Rf4

Black now whips up some strong pressure on the centre.

35. Qe2 Qe5
36. Rb3 Qd4+

White should now play 37. Kh2 tucking the king away. Then perhaps 37. .. Rf2 38. Qe3 Qxe3 39. Rexe3 Rb8 and a draw is the most likely result.



37. Qe3?

And White blunders - from a pawn up to a pawn down.

37. ...   Rxe4

I simply did not see this move. The d-pawn is doomed and I am now fighting for the draw.

38. Qxd4 Rxd4

In a state of shock, I picked up my rook from the e1 square and placed it on to e6 - for some reason, I had thought after Black plays Rxd5 I could then play Rxd6. Without letting go, I immediately saw my mistake, and lifted the rook back up again with the intention of putting it back - but I had forgotten where I had picked it up from.

I hovered, waving the rook in the air, and finally saw how I might be able to draw - by placing both rooks on the seventh rank with the plan of harassing his king.

39. Re7 Rxd5
40. Rc3

The intention is 40. Rcc7. Black now gave a lot of thought ... 

40. ....    Rb8

 .... and offered the draw a third time. This time I gladly accepted to end an eventful game.



Black still has the advantage, and could not lose, so perhaps should have played on. 41. Rcc7 Rg5! 42. Ra7 Rxb4 43. Rxa6 Rb1+ 44. Kf2 Rb2+ will pick up the g-pawn after 45. Rxd6 Rgxg2. You could not say that Black has a win but it would have been hard work for White to hold.

My run of three wins had come to an end - but my roller coaster unbeaten run was continuing.

Game 36 - club match. Swale vs Medway

Swale vs Medway - Fuller Cup - Board One
Thursday 27 October 2016
White: P. Foster (126) - Black: K. Nevols (134)

First match of the season.

1. e4 d5
2. exd5 Qxd5
3. Nc3 Qa5
4. d4 Nf6

The main line for the Qa5 Scandinavian.

5. Bd2

Normally here I play 5. .. c6 but I decided to try something different. Sometimes 5. .. c6 leads to 6. Ne4 Qc7 7. Nxf6 exf6 which is OK but does not secure the d5 square like the opening usually does with pawns on c6 and e6. I asked myself, do I really need to play this so early?

5. ....   Bf5

So instead I continued with development. My intention now after 6. Ne4 was to play 6. ... Qb6 and then 7. Nxf6 Qxf6. Next could be 8. Nf3 e6 9. Bg5 Qg6 or 8. Nf3 Qb6 9. Bc3 e6. The queen moves waste time but Black could stay solid. I might try this out some time.

6. Nf3

Instead White keeps the option of the discovered attack.

6. ....  c6

I decided I had tempted fate too much and that I would note the above for a later study. If 6. .. e4 7. Ne4 Qb6 8. Nxf6+ gxf6 9. Bc3 the computer recommends 9. .. Nc6 with castling queen side.

7. Bc4 e6
8. O-O Bb4
9. a3 Bxc3
10. Bxc3 Qc7



Now we are back into a familiar position. White has the edge with 11. Ne5 and the two bishops.

11. Re1

Some time ago I looked at lines where White plays d5 before Black has castled and thus the e-pawn is pinned. But I've got to castle some time.

11. .   O-O
12. Nh4 Bg4?!

Playing 12. .. Bg6 might be better. After the text, White now has the option of 13. f3 Bh5 14. g4 Bg6 15. Nxg6 hxg6 16. Qd2! with the possibility of Bb4 or Ba5 working up an initiative while Black's queen's knight is still not yet developed.

13. Be2

Instead White undevelops the bishop which gives up some of his advantage.

13. ...   Bxe2
14. Qxe2 Nbd7

Now the position is completely equal.

15. Nf3 Nd5
16. Bd2 h6

I was a bit worried about Ng5 and everything piling up on the e6-point so decide to pre-empt this.

17. c4

Black often encourages this move because now the d4 pawn is undefended and can be attacked by a pile-up of rooks on the d-file followed by a c5 move.

17. ....  N5f6
18. Bc3 Rad8
19. Rad1 Rfe8

Securing the centre and considering operations elsewhere. White could consider playing 20. Ne5 - nothing is immediately threatened but the knight looks good there.



20. h3 Qb6

Glancing towards the queenside - however I wonder if 20. .. Qf4 is worth a thought to activate and possibly exchange the queen. 21. Bd2 Qf5 22. Nh4 Qc2 23. Bb4 Qxe2 24. Rxe2 Nb6 is one line.

21. Qd2 Qb3

Noticing the loose c-pawn and deciding to be annoying. Now if 22. Qd3 then I quite liked 22. .. Nc5.

22. Qe2 Nf8

Clearing the d-file and planning to come to g6. Although if White now plays 23. Ne5 Black does not have much better than putting either knight back on the d7 square.

At this stage, I was struggling to see now I could get an advantage.

23. Nd2

But this surprised me. White has consistently avoided playing Ne5 and now decides to rotate the knight round to the e4 square expelling the queen at the same time. However I decide to take the opportunity to either exchange queens or move the queen over to the kingside.

23. .... Qc2

If now 24. Nf3 then 24. .. Qxe2 25. Rxe2 Ng6. White will have to play 26. g3 and I could try 26.... Rd7. Then if 27. Ne5 Nxe5 28. Rxe5 Red8. Still equal but thinking of plans around a c5 move or Nh7-g5.

24. Rc1

White avoids the exchange and allows me to place the queen in a more active position.

24. ...   Qf5
25. Nf3 Ng6



I now went off to get a drink and came back for a serious ponder. I immediately saw White could not play 26. g4 and tried to think how I could build up an attack against the king. Could I play Nf4? Would h5-h4 be any good? Can I somehow get the rooks over? Is Kh8 with Rg8 and g5-g4 as daft as it looks?

White's best here is the solid 26. Qe3. If 26. .. Nf4 (with the threat of Nd3) then 27. Nh4 would be a mistake (27. .. Qg5 28. Qg3 Qxg3 29. fxg3 Nd3 or 28. g3 Nxh3+ 29. Kg2 Qxe3. 28. Nf3?? is an early nighter with 28. ... Qg2 mate). So after 26. ... Nf4 then the belated 27. Ne5 is the better option - defending the d3 square. Black may well then play 27. .. Ng6 and offer the draw.

While I was satisfied that I would be unlikely to lose from here, I was still struggling to see how I could get the advantage and unbalance things. My thoughts were interrupted when he played the move I had already ruled out.

26. g4?

Simply loses a pawn.

26. ...   Nxg4

Now White would be well advised to say 'oops' and play 27. Qe4 to exchange the queens. Black would then have to prove he could win with the extra pawn.

27. hxg4?

Instead another pawn goes - and although my knight has gone, I could see how I could get it back.

27. ...  Qxg4+
28. Kh1 Nf4

This is what White has overlooked. Black threatens the queen and also Qg2 mate. If 29. Rg1 then simply Qh3+ picking up the queen next go. To defend against the threat, White has to let the knight go and become reconciled to the fact that he is two pawns down.

29. Qf1 Qxf3+
30. Kh2

I now tried hard to see if I could finish the game immediately - and simply did not see 30 .. Nd3 forking the rooks which may well have forced resignation. (If 31. Re3 then 31. ... Qf4+. Had White played 30. Kg1 then the Nd3 option would not have been possible due to 31. Re3 Qg4+ 32. Rg3).

30.  ... Qh5+?!

However I am two pawns up and now my thoughts are to consolidate that lead by exchanging pieces. I also had to beware of a possible attack by his pieces along the open g- and h-files. I settled down for what I thought would be a lengthy process to get over the line.

31. Kg3 Qg5+
32. Kf3 Ng6

Withdrawing the knight to safety and adding to the defence. I could see he was intending to run his king over to the queenside.

33. Ke2 e5!



Opening lines while his king is in the centre. 34. exd5 Nxd5 threatens a killer discovered check while 34. .. Rxd5 is even better with 35. Bxe5 Rd2+ 36. Kf3 Nh4+ 37. Ke4 f5 mate.

34. Kd1 exd4

Now three pawns up.

35. Rxe8+ Rxe8
36. Bd2

Obviously 36. Bxd4 walks into 36. .. Qg4+.

36. . ..Qf5

Although White's king is now safe, Black is three pawns up and White decided to resign.

I was quite pleased with this win - my rather dull defence placed me in no danger, always with a draw in hand, and providing White with a temptation he was not able to refuse.

Swale v Medway

Keith Nevols (134) 1-0 Paul Foster (126)
Ian Lappin (125) 1-0 Alan Evans (87)
Karl Lewis 1-0 (90) 1-0 Isaac Oluwole (87)
Ted Vidyartmi (60) 0-1 Barry Hampton (83)

Swale 3-1 Medway

Game 35 - Swale Club Championship 2016-17 - Round Five

Swale Club Championship 2016-17 - Round Five
Thursday 20 October 2016
White: B. Sawyer (83) - Black: K. Nevols (134)

1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bc4

The Italian Game, or Guioco Piano, which I defend using the Two Knights defence.

3. ....  Nf6
4. d3 Be7

4. .. d5 is considered to be best here but I am not confident with that. I just want to get the king castled.

5. a3

Don't quite understand this.

5. ..   O-O
6. O-O

Now I gave some thought to 6. .. d5. As I said, I am not confident opening up the centre in this sort of position, but with my king castled, the centre more defended, and the absence of a white knight on c3, it was quite tempting. 7. exd5 Nxd5 8. Re1 was my main concern. 8. .. Bf6 9. Qe2 Qd6 did not look quite right. White could follow up with 10. Bxd5 Qxd5 11. Nc3.

I also gave thought to 6. .. Re8 but this just seemed to waste time.

Post-match analysis reveals this is fine for Black and that 6. .. d5 is perfectly playable. But I decided to stay solid.

6. ....   d6
7. h3

Limiting the scope of the queens bishop. Now I decide it is time to think of a plan. 7. .. Be6 equalises. Instead I decide to advance on the kingside and so need to free and then unpin the f-pawn to do so.

7. ...  Ne8
8. Nc3 Kh8
9. b4 a6
10. Ne2



White decides to redeploy the knight to the defence - in effect forcing Black to get on with it. But this is in error as Black now gains the space and initiative. Continuing development with 10. Be3 might have been wiser.

10 ...  f5
11. Ng3 f4
12. Ne2 Nf6
13. Nc3 Qe8

White has spent four moves moving one knight back to where it was originally. With the gain in tempi, my plan is now to advance the attack against White's king.

14. d4 Qh5
15. d5

At the time I did not like this move for White which closes down the centre, blocks the bishop, and gives Black a free hand to advance. However it is the choice of the computer who then plans to advance on the queenside with a4, a5 and b5.

15. ...   Nd8

Not a good square but the intention is to bring it to f7 and then g5.

16. Be2 Qe8

Now it is my turn to waste time. I considered 16. ... Qg6 but after 17. Nh4 I could not see anything. (17. .. Qg5 18. Nf3).

17. Kh2 Nf7

So back to the knight - maybe it will have more luck.



18. Rh1!?

An odd move which was a complete surprise. Maybe 18. g3 is better to challenge Black's advanced pawns. With my last game in mind, I wondered if the plan was to advance the h-pawn at some stage. In fact, it dissuaded me from any thoughts of playing g5-g4.

18. ....   Bd7

After a long think, I decided I could not see any way to progress on the kingside and turned my thoughts the other way.

19. Kg1

The drawback with White's plan is that now the rook is entombed. With White struggling with development, I decided the time would be right to open things up a little.

19. ...  c6
20. Nd2 cxd5

The first capture of the game takes place on move 20.

21. Nxd5 Nxd5
22. exd5 Rc8

Grabbing the half open file.

23. c4 Bf5

With my pieces now moving to good squares, I was feeling comfortable with the position.



24. Bg4 Qd7

I did not want to take the bishop and open the h-file - again with my last game in mind. I also wanted to keep his rook trapped in the corner and not allow it some freedom by advancing to h3 (for example) and move across to the queenside. However, 24. .. Bxg4 25. hxg4 Nh6 forces 26. f3. But then White can get counterplay with Ne4 and ideas based around a c5 advance.

25. Qe2 Rfe8

To strengthen the e-file defence against a c5 advance.

26. Bb2 Nh6

Putting the question to White. Also my knight was looking at those black squares on e3 and d4 and seeing if it could move to f5 to pressure them.

27. Bh5 Rf8

Instinct told me to dislike 27. .. g6.

28. Rc1 Bf6
29. Ne4 g6

And instinct changed its mind. With my pawns on black squares, it made sense to exchange the black squared bishop.

30. Nxf6 Rxf6
31. Bf3 Qe7
32. Be4 Kg8

To get off the b2 diagonal.

33. f3 Bxe4
34. Qxe4?!



A small mistake. 34. fxe4 solidifies the centre and keeps the knight at bay. Not sure what I would do then while White could start thinking about a queenside offensive.

34. ...  Nf5
35. Qe1 Ne3

A wonderful square for the horse and White is under pressure. I now expected 36. Qe2 when I was looking at ideas around 36. ... Nf5 or trying to get the queen on to the a7-g1 diagonal.

36. g3

Instead White sacrifices a pawn.

36. .. Rxc4

Taking with the knight may have been better but I was worried about getting pinned down the c-fie.

37. Rxc4 Nxc4
38. Bc1



And now 38. .. Qf7 which attacks the d5 pawn and strengthens the f-file pressure is best. Then 39. Qe4 Nb6 40. gxf4 Nxd5. Instead I was focusing on 38. ... fxg3 39. Qxg3 but ...

38 ...    fxg3??

 .... is a blunder because of ....

39. Bg5

Thud!! From a comfortable position, Black is now fighting to save the draw. I simply did not see this move. Grumbling darkly, I had a long ponder. I'm now going to lose the exchange but, after Qxg3 Nxa3, I will have two pawns for it. He will have weak pawns on h3, f3 and d5. If I can get my queen and knight to buzz around his king, I might be able to force a draw.

Incidentally, the computer rates this position as '-0.56' - it still thinks Black is winning!

39 .     Qf7
40. Bxf6 Qxf6
41. Qxg3 Nxa3

I did not consider anything else - but 41. .. Qf7 is an alternative as the d-pawn can't be protected and I get a passed pawn.

42. Kg2?

Better is 42. Kf2 as this walks into a fork.

42. ....  Nc2
43. Rc1 Ne3+
44. Kh1 Nxd5



OK, so now I have three pawns for the exchange. The question is - can I hold this position without queens? I decided I could not - I need to attack his weak pawns at the risk of allowing him a combined attack.

45. Rc8+ Kg7
46. Qg4 Kh6
47. Qe4 Qe6

Better would be 47. .. Nf4. If 48. Qxb7 then 48. .. Qf5 would force mate - I did not see that! If 48. Kh2, only then 48. .. Qe6.

48. Qh4+ Kg7

I now expected 49. Qg4. Black should continue to avoid the queen swap with 49. .. Qf7 after which White might try 50. Rd8 with Qc8 to come. I was thinking that if I could get my knight on to the f4 square, then get my queen into the southern half of the board, I should have enough to at least force a draw. Instead it is White's turn to blunder.

49. Kh2??? Qxc8

Thud back! Now the game is won.

50. Qe4 Nf4
51. Kg3 Qxh3+
52. Kf2 Qg2+
53. Ke1 Qg1+
54. Kd2 Qd4+
55. Qxd4 exd4
56. Kd1 h5
57. Resigns

A poor game and a win I did not deserve.

Game 34 - Swale Club Championship 2016-17 - Round Four

Swale Club Championship 2016-17 - Round Four
Thursday 13 October 2016
White: A. Fletcher (74) - Black: K. Nevols (134)

1. e4 d5

Having got a good position in my last game as Black, I decided to give this defence another go.

2. exd5 Qxd5
3. Nc3 Qa5
4. d4 Nf6
5. Bd2 c6

This is my standard response to an early Bd2 but maybe there is nothing to fear from the discovered attach and Black should get on with development with Bf5.

6. Nf3 Bf5



Now 7. Qe2!? is an interesting pawn sacrifice although Black can get away with 7. .. Bxc2. However 7. Bc4 e6 8. Qe2!? is much stronger when 8. .. Bxc2 9. d5! and already Black is struggling to stay on the board. 8. ... Qc7 would be a safer option.

7. Be2

Instead of the usual 7. Bc4 White aims for a more quiet development.

7. ...   e6
8. a3 Qc7

With the kings' bishop limited, it is now time to redeploy the queen and pre-empt a White Bf4.

9. Nh4 Bg6
10. Nxg6 hxg6
11. h3 Nbd7
12. Bd3 Bd6

Both sides continue on their development.

13. Qf3!?

A fascinating move. White offers a pawn sacrifice, places the queen on an aggressive spot, and intends to develop an attack.



13. ....   Qb6
14. O-O-O

Now the question is - should Black take that pawn on d4? My instinct told me no. After 14. .. Qxd4 15. Be3, the queen is running short of squares, White has pieces in the centre, and my king is not yet castled. But 15. .. Qe5 is simple enough and then finding a haven on either a5 or h5. (16. Rhe1 Qa5 17. Bd4 O-O-O 18. Ne4 Be7 should be able to hold).

14. .... Nd5

But I decide not to take any risks.

15. Nxd5 cxd5
16. c3

My first thought was that this was a mistake but in fact, in the absence of Black's white squared bishop, it is a sensible move to secure the queenside.

Now I want to castle queenside but the f7 pawn would be loose so my own thoughts turned to tidying up.

16. ....  Qc7
17. Rde1 O-O?



After the game I was kicking myself for this move. When White has a queen on f3, bishops pointing towards the kingside, and a rook on h1 ready to push a pawn to create havoc, the one thing Black should not do is castle right into it. I told myself I should have played 17. ... Nf6 (18. Bg5 Be7 19. Bf4 might be tricky) or 17. .... Nb6 (the point of Qc7 and preparing to castle queenside, although White could whip up an attack with 18. a4!?).

The computer however simply states that castling kingside is Black's best move. It does not worry about havoc.

18. h4!

Oh dear! Now I knew I was in trouble. The pawn is going to come to h5, the queen over to the h-file, and I would be mated or lose material. I sank into deep thought to put together a defence.

18. ...  Nf6

Adding a piece in front of the king cannot be bad but Black could have tried 18. .. Qc6, the point being to answer 19. h5 with 19. ... e5!?.

If 20. hxg6 fxg6 21. Qh3 then 21. ... e4. 22. Qh7+ Kf7 23. Bc2 Nf6 or 23. Be2 Kf7. If 20. dxe5 Nxe5 21. Qe2 Nxd3 22. Qxd3 Bc5! (a lateral defence of the g6 pawn) 23. hxg6 fxg6 24. Qh3 Rae8! planning to exchange off one rook and weaken the attack.

An immediate 20. Qh3 might be stronger with 20. .. e4 21. Be2 and then it depends if Black can find 21. ... Rfe8! because otherwise the pawn move to h6 threatens the end. (22. h6 Bf8).

I didn't see 18. .. Qc6 and thought I would try to hold up the h5 move.

19. h5!

But without success. Now I saw 19. .. Nxh5 20. Rxh5 gxh5 21. Qxh5 g6 22. Bxg6 fxg6 23. Qxg6+ Qg7 24. Qxe6+ Rf7 25. Qxd6 (but did not go one move further to 25. .. Qxg2). White is the exchange down for two pawns and Black's king is in the open. A difficult ending.

Another line is 19. .. Nxh5 20. Rxh5 gxh5 21. Qxh5 f5 22. Rxe6 where White has a pawn for the exchange and is about to round up the second. Here one defence is 22. .. Bf4 23. g3 Qf7! forcing the queens off. After 24. Qxf7 Kxf7 25. Bxf5 Bxd2+ (better is the immediate 25. .. Rae8 forcing 26. Rxe8 Bxd2+) 26. Kxd2 Rae8 another difficult task awaits Black. White will try to round up the loose pawn on d5.

So having ruled out 19. .. Nxh5 I grimly had another long think. By now, we were both running low on time.

In the end I decided to sacrifice a pawn to gain time to set up a defence..

19. .... g5?!

The point is that after 20. Bxg5 Nh7, the h-file stays blocked and I can answer a future h6 with g6. All the same Black's best move would be to take the pawn. After 21. Bd2 I still needed to think of what to do next and White could think about advancing the g-pawn.

20. h6

White decides to push on nonetheless.

20. ....  g4



This was another point to the g5 move. This gets a tempo against the queen and stops it getting to the h-file. 20. ... Bf4 is another option might forcing some exchanges. After 21. Bxf4 Qxf4+ 22. Qxf4 gxf4 23. hxg7 Kxg7 24. Rf4 White will be a pawn up.

Now as I went off to get another drink, I pondered what to do after 21. Qe3 g6 22. Qg5. Playing 22. .. Qe7 23. Bxg6! did not look like a lot of fun and so I decided to grovel with 22. .. Nh7 23. Qxg4. I would be a pawn down but still on the board. What to do next? No idea. That was my next problem.

(The computer suggests 23. .. Rac8 daring White to try 24. Bxg6 fxg6 25. Qxg6+ Kh8 and then either 26. Rxe6 Rxf2 or 26. f3 Rf6. If not, Black could play Rfe8, move the queen about and see what White intends. Maybe Black has a chance of counterplay with a plan based around e5).

White could also try 21. h7+ Kh8 22. Qe3 but I could not see any immediate problem with that, and I glanced at 21. Bh7+ and saw that was nothing.

As I came back to the board, I could see to my surprise a white bishop nearly in the corner.

21. Bh7+??

Doesn't this just lose a piece? And an attacking piece too? What am I missing? I decided to find out.

21. ...  Nxh7
22. Qxg4 g6

Well, this looked fine to me now. I decided if I could force some exchanges, I could use the extra piece and round up the pawn. To my additional surprise, it is White who goes for exchanges.

23. Qf3 Qd8
24. Bf4 Bxf4
25. Qxf4 Qf6
26. Qxf6 Nxf6
27. Re3 Kh7



Now everything is covered. Ng4 taking on h6 and walking into Reh3 would not be very clever. So instead I decide to advance the kingside pawns and take the h-pawn with the rook. And then my extra piece should decide.

28. Rf3 Ne4
29. Rf4 g5
30. Rf3 f5
31. Re3 Rf6
32. Re2 Re8
33. f3

The final mistake but White is now lost anyway.

33. ...  Ng3

White now resigned and I breathed a sigh of relief. My opponent said he was surprised that I castled kingside and indeed I should have not have done so as up to then I thought I was in control.

I went back to the position after 20. .. g4 and then played 21. Qe3 and tried all sorts of defences - all of which led to a very unpleasant position but not a clear win.