Rochester Championship - Round Two
Thursday 2 August 2018
White: K.Nevols (163) - Black: R. Woolacott (135)
1. e4 d6
2. d4 Nd7
Now here is an unusual opening, but it soon turns into a King's Indian.
3. c4 Ngf6
Now here is an unusual opening, but it soon turns into a King's Indian.
3. c4 Ngf6
4. Nc3 g6
5. Nf3 Bg7
6. e5?!
Well, why not? But 6. Be2 would have been a sensible way to play. I had seen a line where I could force an advantage .. or thought I could.
6. ... dxe5
Well, why not? But 6. Be2 would have been a sensible way to play. I had seen a line where I could force an advantage .. or thought I could.
6. ... dxe5
7. dxe5 Ng4
8. e6?!
The second part of my plan commencing on move 6. This cut off the defence of the knight on g4 and I hoped to have some chances of attacking the king in the centre.
8. ... fxe6
The second part of my plan commencing on move 6. This cut off the defence of the knight on g4 and I hoped to have some chances of attacking the king in the centre.
8. ... fxe6
9. Ng5 Nde5
10. Qxd8+ Kxd8
11. f4
This is the position I had foreseen at move six. The knight moves on e5 and I then play Nf7+. But I did not foresee the next move.
11. .... h6
D'oh! Obvious when you think about it. After some more thought I had to concede into going in the middlegame remaining a pawn down. His extra pawn is however doubled and weak and so the computer rates this position as equal, but only if White now plays 12. Nf3. I did not consider this, as I did not like 12. .. Nxf3 13. gxf3 but while the position is messy, there are chances for both sides.
This is the position I had foreseen at move six. The knight moves on e5 and I then play Nf7+. But I did not foresee the next move.
11. .... h6
D'oh! Obvious when you think about it. After some more thought I had to concede into going in the middlegame remaining a pawn down. His extra pawn is however doubled and weak and so the computer rates this position as equal, but only if White now plays 12. Nf3. I did not consider this, as I did not like 12. .. Nxf3 13. gxf3 but while the position is messy, there are chances for both sides.
12. Nge4 Nc6
13. Bd3
Black could play 13. .. Nb4 14. Bb1 Rg8! with an X-ray defence of the g-pawn and then take a grip on the centre. But the move played also gives me concerns.
13. .... Bd4
Black could play 13. .. Nb4 14. Bb1 Rg8! with an X-ray defence of the g-pawn and then take a grip on the centre. But the move played also gives me concerns.
13. .... Bd4
14. Ke2 e5
Freeing the c8 bishop. By now, I was getting quite uncomfortable with Black's pieces developing and my king lacking cover.
Freeing the c8 bishop. By now, I was getting quite uncomfortable with Black's pieces developing and my king lacking cover.
15. h3 Nf6
I could win the pawn back but did not like the look of 16. Nxf6 exf6 17. Bxg6 Rg8 18. Be4 Be6 with a lot of play. 19. fxe5 Bxc4+ 20. Kd1 Bxe5 21. Bxh6 and then perhaps 21. .. Ke7 or 21. .. f5 22. Bxf5 Rxg2.
Still with a lack of confidence after overlooking the earlier defence for Black, I decided to play safe and try to get pieces into the game.
16. Rd1 Bf5
I could win the pawn back but did not like the look of 16. Nxf6 exf6 17. Bxg6 Rg8 18. Be4 Be6 with a lot of play. 19. fxe5 Bxc4+ 20. Kd1 Bxe5 21. Bxh6 and then perhaps 21. .. Ke7 or 21. .. f5 22. Bxf5 Rxg2.
Still with a lack of confidence after overlooking the earlier defence for Black, I decided to play safe and try to get pieces into the game.
16. Rd1 Bf5
17. Nxf6 Bxd3+
18. Rxd3 exf6
19. Be3 Nb4
20. Rd2 c5
20. .. Kc8 is not easy to see but would keep some advantage as after 21. Bxd4 exd4 White would be unable to play 22. Rxd4 because of 22. .. Nc2 winning the exchange.
Instead, however, there is 22. Nd5! Nxd5 23. cxd5 Re8+ 24. Kf2 Re4 25. Re1! Rxe1 26. Kxe1 heading for a draw. Black could try for more with 22. .... Nc6!? 23. Nxf6 Rf8 24. Nd5 Kd7 and the rook is coming to the e-file.
But 20. .. c5 makes sense, strengthening the centre and developing the queen's rook. However it is a loose pawn.
21. Ne4
I am going to get the pawn back and Black has to think about which way for his king to go.
The computer recommends 21. .. Ke7 22. Nxc5 Rac8 23. Bxd4 exd4 24. Nxb7 Rxc4. There is a danger that the White knight could get trapped and Black's pawn on d4 remains strong.
21. ... exf4
20. .. Kc8 is not easy to see but would keep some advantage as after 21. Bxd4 exd4 White would be unable to play 22. Rxd4 because of 22. .. Nc2 winning the exchange.
Instead, however, there is 22. Nd5! Nxd5 23. cxd5 Re8+ 24. Kf2 Re4 25. Re1! Rxe1 26. Kxe1 heading for a draw. Black could try for more with 22. .... Nc6!? 23. Nxf6 Rf8 24. Nd5 Kd7 and the rook is coming to the e-file.
But 20. .. c5 makes sense, strengthening the centre and developing the queen's rook. However it is a loose pawn.
21. Ne4
I am going to get the pawn back and Black has to think about which way for his king to go.
The computer recommends 21. .. Ke7 22. Nxc5 Rac8 23. Bxd4 exd4 24. Nxb7 Rxc4. There is a danger that the White knight could get trapped and Black's pawn on d4 remains strong.
21. ... exf4
22. Bxd4
22. Bxf4 might have been better but I was keen to get rid of that bishop.
22. ... cxd4
22. Bxf4 might have been better but I was keen to get rid of that bishop.
22. ... cxd4
23. Rxd4+ Kc7?
Better is 23. .. Ke7 defending the f6 pawn.
Better is 23. .. Ke7 defending the f6 pawn.
24. Nxf6
Perhaps Black has overlooked that after 24. ... Nc2 I now have 25. Rd7+.
24. .... Rad8
Perhaps Black has overlooked that after 24. ... Nc2 I now have 25. Rd7+.
24. .... Rad8
25. Rad1?
I cannot explain why I did not play 25. Rxf4 banking a pawn. Perhaps I was short of time.
25. .... Rxd4
I cannot explain why I did not play 25. Rxf4 banking a pawn. Perhaps I was short of time.
25. .... Rxd4
26. Rxd4 Rd8
27. Rxd8 Kxd8
28. a3 Nc6
So here we are .. an ending. Knight and five pawns each.
So how do we evaluate this? I think White has a small advantage based on the king being one row nearer to the centre, and a thought of b4-b5 and advancing where White has the majority.
29. Kd3 g5
29. .. f3! is a neat twist with 30. gxf3 Ne5+.
30. Ne4?
Better is 30. Ke4 and then Kd5 with a very well placed king. In my haste to improve the position of the knight, I allow Black to activate his king.
30. ... Ke7
So here we are .. an ending. Knight and five pawns each.
So how do we evaluate this? I think White has a small advantage based on the king being one row nearer to the centre, and a thought of b4-b5 and advancing where White has the majority.
29. Kd3 g5
29. .. f3! is a neat twist with 30. gxf3 Ne5+.
30. Ne4?
Better is 30. Ke4 and then Kd5 with a very well placed king. In my haste to improve the position of the knight, I allow Black to activate his king.
30. ... Ke7
31. Nc5 b6
32. Ne4 Ke6
33. Nc3 Ke5
The position is now equal.
The position is now equal.
34. Nb5 a6
35. Nc7 Nd4?
A mistake. 35. .. Nb8 holds on but Black decides to sacrifice a pawn to go for a win.
36. Nxa6 f3
A mistake. 35. .. Nb8 holds on but Black decides to sacrifice a pawn to go for a win.
36. Nxa6 f3
37. gxf3 Nxf3
38. c5!
Creating a passed pawn, although the computer prefers 38. Nc7 and 39. Nd5.
38. ... bxc5
Creating a passed pawn, although the computer prefers 38. Nc7 and 39. Nd5.
38. ... bxc5
39. Nxc5 Kf4
With limited time, I was trying to calculate whether my knight and king could get back in time to stop those pawns. If I could exchange one kingside pawn, then sac the knight for the other, the Black king might be too far away to stop the queenside pawns.
40. Ne4 Ng1
With limited time, I was trying to calculate whether my knight and king could get back in time to stop those pawns. If I could exchange one kingside pawn, then sac the knight for the other, the Black king might be too far away to stop the queenside pawns.
40. Ne4 Ng1
41. a4
What the hell!! Just go for it.
41. .... Nxh3
What the hell!! Just go for it.
41. .... Nxh3
42. a5 Kf3
43. a6 g4???
Black had to play 43. ... Nf4+ 44. Kc4 Ne6. Now the knight cannot get back in time.
Black had to play 43. ... Nf4+ 44. Kc4 Ne6. Now the knight cannot get back in time.
44. a7 Nf4+
45. Kd2
Of course not 45. Kd4?? Ne6+.
45. .... Kxe4
Of course not 45. Kd4?? Ne6+.
45. .... Kxe4
46. a8 (=Q)+ Kf5
Now it is just a case of mopping up - with the b-pawn there if I need it.
47. Qa5+ Kg6
Now it is just a case of mopping up - with the b-pawn there if I need it.
47. Qa5+ Kg6
48. Qe5 Nh3
49. Qg3 Kg5
50. b4 h5
51. b5 Nf4
52. b6 h4
53. Qc3 h3
54. Qe5+
Winning the knight and Black now resigned.
Winning the knight and Black now resigned.
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