Game 27 - Swale Club Championship 2015-16 - Final Group - Round Two

Swale Club Championship - Final Group - Round Two
Thursday 28 April 2016
White: K. Nevols (132) - Black: K. Hyde (170)

Any real chances I had to catching up the top two were now gone - but with four games left I needed to consolidate third place. This game was a rematch with the club champion and highest graded player. In a sense, I felt more relaxed as I assumed it would be a defeat (!) and so I had nothing to lose.

1. e4 c5

Time for another Closed Sicilian, but this time I decided to delay the development of the king's bishop.

2. Nc3 Nc6
3. f4 g6
4. Nf3 Bg7
5. Be2

I decided to try the bishop on this square, behind the d3 pawn, for a change. Unambitious perhaps but adds to the defence and avoids the possibility of Black gaining tempi on the queenside by attacking it.
Playing 5. g3 with Bg2 is another possibility to be tried one day.

5. ... d6
6. O-O e6
7. d3 Nge7

Black decides to deploy his knight so as to not disrupt the bishop's diagonal and keeps firm control of the d4 square.

8. Qe1 O-O
9. Qh4

This is a standard manoeuvre of the system that I play. Pieces are moved generally in the direction of Black's king. Learning from my last game, however, I was intent on avoiding a pointless sacrifice on the f5 square.

9. ....   Nd4
10. Bd1 d5!

The standard counterplay. I read somewhere that if Black can play d5 in a Sicilian defence then he is doing well. I decide to create a small weakness and redeploy the knight out of range of his d4 counterpart.



11. Ng5 h6
12. Nh3 Nec6

The move that had concerned me was 12. .. b5 grabbing the initiative with ideas such as b4 and maybe later Bb7. Now I decide to try to blunt Black's play with exchanges.

13. Qxd8 Rxd8
14. Ne2

Now Black, clearly ahead, has the possibility of 14. .. b6 with one line being 15. c3 Nxe2+ 16. Bxe2 Ba6 with pressure in the centre.

14. ...   dxe4
15. dxe4 e5!

Breaking in the centre and opening up the diagonal of the queen's bishop. I was now getting concerned with the familiar feeling of slowly being outplayed.

16. c3



16. .... Nf3+

I did not see this until just after I played c3. This move exploits the overwork of the rook on f1. While Black thought about the move, I could not see any immediate danger.

17. gxf3 Bxh3
18. Re1

Now Black has a pleasant choice of plans. He could try 18. .. Bf6 with the idea of coming to h4. He could try Rd3. Or, as here, redeploy the bishop.

18. ...  Be6

Although I am slightly worse, it is not yet in the disaster phase, and I felt slightly better than a few moves ago. Time for the bishops to do some work.

19. Be3 b6

One alternative idea is 19. .. Rd3 20. Bxc5 b6 21. Bf2 Rxf3

20. Ba4 Rac8!?



This is an interesting pawn sacrifice which I now spent some time looking at. 21. Bxc6 Rxc6 22. fxe5 Bxe5 23. Bxh6. I decided against it, as it seemed wrong by instinct to bring both his bishops to the centre and open the h-file for a Black rook to beam down towards the h2 square.

Black told me afterwards that he was thinking of ideas revolving around playing g5 - which I had not considered. One line could be 23. ... Bc4 24. Kg2 g5!? 25. Bxg5 Rg6 with f6 coming up. I think 24. Kh1 puts an end to those ideas - had I seen the g5 possibility.

Instead I just decide to play safe and improve the king's position.

21. Kg2 Kh7

Defending the pawn - the computer thinks 21. .. Rd3 is a useful try exploiting the fact that White still lacks some co-ordination.

22. Bb5

To defend the c4 square.

22. ...  Na5
23. fxe5 Bxe5
24. Nf4 Bc4

But Black plays it anyway. I did not like 25. Bxc4 Nxc4 26. Rb1 with Black strong down the d-file so decide to move the bishop back to a better square. I had to find some counterplay against Black's dominance of the d-file and mobile queenside pawns.

25. Ba4 b5
26. Bc2 b4
27. Ne2 Bxe2
28. Rxe2 bxc3
29. bxc3



The recommended move is now 29. .. Nc4! with the threat of Nxe3 and Rd2+. So 30. Bc1 Rb8 and White is really struggling to move.

29. ...  Bxc3

Now a pawn down - my hope is to get some active play by use of the rooks and bishops. First, I grab an open file.

30. Rb1 Bd4

Again 30. ... Nc4 is better.

31. Bf4!

I was pleased with this. By hitting the b8 square, my rook can't be challenged and I have chances now to exploit down the b-file.

31. ...   Nc6?

The best move is, not easy to see, 31. ... Kg7 then if 32. Rb5 Nc4 remains a good square for the knight. There is the upcoming possibility of g5 which forces the white bishop back to the c1 square (if Bg3 then Nh3+). There is also the prospect of bringing the knight back to the d6 square where it defends the f7 pawn and the b7 invasion square.

On c6 the knight goes off astray. Now I can invade the seventh rank and win the pawn back.

32. Rb7 Kg7
33. Bb3 c4

The computer claims 33. .. g5 34. Bg3 Ne5 is a better defence with 35. Bxe5 Bxe5 36. Rxf7+ Kg6 37. Rxa7 c4 38. Ba4 Ra8. Black is a pawn down but the c-pawn is very well advanced.

34. Bxc4 Ne7



At the time I was impressed at this ingenious defence. But now I completely miss 35. Bc7! - an equally ingenious move. The rook has to move off the d-file (34. ... Rd7 35. Be5+) and then White could follow with Rc2 (defending the white squared bishop) and threaten Bd6 - and Black's seventh rank looks woeful.

35. Bb3 Bc5
36. Be3

And again missing a strong attack. 36. Rc2! (threatening Rxc5) Ba3 37. Bc7! Rf8 38. Rxa7 Ra8 39. Rb7 and White has all sorts of possibilities with attacks Rd2-d7 or Be5 and Rcc7.

Discovering this strong attack after the game against such a strong player was quite upsetting. My mood at the time was optimistic as, having regained the pawn, I thought I had good chances for the draw. I never thought I could win.

36. ....  Bxe3
37. Rxe3 Rd2+

Black now finds counterplay which concerned me greatly.

38. Kh3 Kf8
39. Rxa7 Rc1
40. Kg3 Rg1+
41. Kh3

If 41. Kf4?? then Black takes the game with g5+ 42. Ke5 Nc6.

41. ... Rh1
42. f4 Rdxh2+
43. Kg4 Rh4+
44. Kf3 R1h2

And Black offered a draw (?) which was accepted. This was a relief as I think Black could be better in this position. The best line from here is 45. e5 Nf5 46. Re1 Nd4+ 47. Ke4 Nxb3 48. axb3 Rf2 and the question is whether White can drum up enough play to counter Black's play.

Game 26 - Swale Club Championship 2015-16 - Final Group - Round One

Swale Club Championship - Final Group - Round One
Thursday 21 April 2016
White: K. Nevols (132) - Black: T. Jeffries (118)

And so into the final group. The top six of the club championship were to play each other again - with colours reversed. I was in third place but 1.5 points behind the top two.

My first game was a return of a tough match I had been involved in earlier.

1. e4 c5

The Sicilian Defence - I decide to enter the closed variation.

2. Nc3 Nc6
3. f4 e6
4. Bb5 Nd4

An unusual move threatening to play against the bishop. The computer now recommends 5. Bf1.

5. Nf3 Nxb5
6. Nxb5 Qb6

Black has made three of his six moves with a knight that is no longer there! Probably best now is 7. c4 to defend the knight and keep a bind in the centre.

7. Nc3 c4



Opening the diagonal of the queen to prevent White castling and disrupting development all round. I gave some thought here to 8. d4 cxd3 9. Qxd3 Nf6 and then see what I could do about developing the queenside. I also thought about 8. d3 just to get rid of that pawn. 8. Ne5 is also interesting with either d4 or Qe2 to follow.

Instead I decided to develop the queen and see if I could round up that pawn.

8. Qe2 Nf6!?

But Black sacrifices it for some play in the centre. This surprised me. Well, as Bobby Fischer (or someone) once said 'a pawn is a pawn is a pawn'.

9. Qxc4 Be7
10. d4

I was feeling quite confident with the position but, as I let go of the pawn, I suddenly saw 10 .. Nxe4. I pondered the position after 11. Nxe4 d5 12. Qd3 dxe4 13. Qxe4 O-O and thought, OK, I'm still a pawn up so it is not too bad once I can settle the position of the king. That queen on b6 was becoming a right pain.

10 . ...  O-O

Instead Black stays calm and castles. I decide now to prevent any Nxe4 tricks.

11. Qd3 d5
12. e5 Ne8

Although White has gained space, and has pushed Black's pieces back, Black now has chances of pawn breaks. My own mind is now looking at attacking the kingside. I considered 13. f5 here but instead decided to get the king safe and bring the rook to f1 before those sort of thoughts.

13. O-O g6

That's an end to f5. Now I have 45 minutes left for 22 moves.

Now here 14. a4! is a good move gaining some space on the queenside and following up with b3 and Ba3, or think about a5. If Black replies with a5 then the b5 square becomes free for a knight. Instead, my eyes were looking at the kingside and a desire to throw pawns forward.

14. Kh1

Moving off the queen's diagonal, improving the king's safety, and thinking of Rg1 if the g-file opens after g4 and f5.

14. ....  Ng7
15. g4 Bd7

Now the lines are set. Although White is still a pawn up. it is difficult to make progress. Black's kingside defences seem quite solid and making space on the queenside might make sense - again with a4. Black could think about a f6 break.



16. f5?

A mistake. I was thinking about a kingside attack, with opening the g-file and moves like Rg1 and Bh6.

16. ...   exf5

 ... and did not see that this was possible. I had ruled it out because of ...

17. Nxd5 Qd8

Now the computer recommends 18. g5!? . the idea being to restrain Black's kingside and then 18. .. Ne6 19. Nxe7 Qxe7 20. d5 with good play. I did not see this.

18. Nxe7 Qxe7
19. Bg5 Qb4
20. a3 Qb6

Of course 20. ... Qxb2 21. Rfb1 traps the queen.

Now I am very concerned about the c6-h1 diagonal. I could see the bishop, which I had previously kept quiet, now coming to c6. Also the pawn is still loose on g4, and Black has ideas of Ne6 and rooks coming to the c-file. It did not look good. Probably it was time to grovel with gxf5 and bringing the bishop back. Instead I decide to try to improve the position of my bishop.

21. Be7 Rfc8
22. Bc5 Qc6

Instead I've put it in harm's way. The queen is nicely placed opposite the king, and b6 is now threatened winning a pawn.

23. b4 fxg4
24. d5 Qc7
25. Ng5

With 12 minute left for 13 moves - an attempt at counterplay.

25. ...  Bf5


26. Qe2??

Better 26. Qd4. Now Black has a forced win of material with 26. ... Qd8 27. Ne4 Qxd5 28. Rae1 b6 29. Bd6 Rc4 30. Rf4 Ne6.

26. ...  b6?

Phew, my first bit of luck.

27. Bd4?

Ruined again - 27. .. Qd8 was now even stronger. 28. Ne4 Qxd5 and two pieces are under attack. 27. Bd6 would have been better.

27. ...  Qxc2

Missed again. But Black's position is now so good that it does not matter. White's only hope is to get the pawns going. It is strange how both sides have completely forgotten about the knight - stranded on g5 and continue to do so.

28. Qe1?

Should have played 28. Rae1

28. ...  Qc4!

28. .. h6 picks up the knight (it can't move because Be4 is deadly) but this is the final winning move. The d-pawn is about to fall and the rooks enter the game.

29. Qe3 Qxd5+
30. Kg1 Rc2
31. Rf2 Rac8!

White can resign now.

32. Re1 Rxf2
33. Qxf2 Rc2
34. Re2 Rxe2
35. Qxe2 Qxd4+

Well mopped up. White's position is hopeless and I resigned.

Game 25 - Swale Club Championship 2015-16 - Round Ten

Swale Club Championship - Round Ten
Thursday 31 March 2016
White: K. Nevols (132) - Black: B. Sawyer (87)

Having now secured my place in the top group, I needed to get a draw from my final game to finish the first round in third place.

1. e4 g6
2. d4 Bg7

2. .. Nf6 would take us into the Pirc. Now I decide to take us into the Kings Indian defence, an opening I know much better (although usually as Black).

3. c4 d6
4. Nc3 e6

I think I'd prefer 4. e5.

5. Nf3 Ne7

An unusual placement for the knight. The usual thoughts in this opening have to be slightly adjusted by the fact the bishop on g7 is now not blocked by the knight which usually sits on f6. I made a mental note to keep an eye out for tactics revolving around c5, Qb6 and any attacks on the b2 square.

6. Bg5

With the intention to cause a weakness around the kingside. If now 6. .. h6 my plan was to play 7. Be3.

6. ... O-O
7. Qd2

And now h6 cannot be played.

7. ... Kh8?!

A surprise. I had expected c5, Nc6 or Na6. I can only guess the plan is to play the knight to g8 and then h6 but this is too slow. The knight is still pinned at the moment.

8. h4!



I decide to punish the last move and go straight on to the attack. I was in two minds here. Part of me was saying I ought to play it safe and play Be2 and castle, while the other said go for it. I analysed both 8. .. e5 to which I planned 9. d5 closing down the centre, and 8. .. h5 to which I thought about 9. Be2 with possibly Nh2 and g4, or 9. Bh6. I also saw Black's next move and gave some thought to a piece sacrifice.

8. ... f6

The move I gave a lot of thought to was 9. h5?! - inspired by a Kasparov game many years ago. However I decided against it for three reasons - firstly, I am not Kasparov (!), secondly, there is no need to take risks at his early stage when I am (allegedly) the stronger player and, thirdly, I was not sure if it would work. 9. ..  fxg5 10. hxg6 Nxg6 11. Nxg5 h6 was as far as I got. Instead I stuck to the more sensible move.

9. Be3 Qe8

This defends against h5 but leaves the c7 pawn open. However, 10. Nb5 does nothing against 10 .. Na6 and then 11. .. c6 would show the whole idea is a waste of time.

9. .. e5 would have been better to meet 10. d5 with 10. .. Bg4 and 10. h5 gxh5 11. Rxh5 again with 11. ... Bg4. (10. dxe5 dxe5 11. Qxd8 Rxd8 and White keeps an edge in development but no danger yet).

10. Be2 Nbc6?

But this gives me the chance to now deflect the queen and get h5 in.

Computers usually like pawn pinching and this one is no exception - recommending 11. d5 Ne5 12. Nb5 Qd8 13. Nxa7. I didn't see this but I am not sure I would have gone for it - it would give Black time to play for plans involving a counterattack in the centre around f5.

11. Nb5 Qd7

Now the above sequence is improved by the blocking of the bishop. 12. d5 Ne5 13. Nxe5 fxe5 14. Nxa7 and Nxc8 to come.

12. h5 g5?

Black sacrifices a piece!! I had looked at 12. .. gxh5 13. Rxh5 planning to castle queenside and double up on the h-file.

13. h6 Ng6
14. hxg7+ Qxg7
15. O-O-O

So now I am a piece for a pawn up. The next job is to double the rooks on the h-file.

15. ... a6
16. Nc3 Kg8

Preparing to defend the h-pawn. The other option I had looked at was 16. ... Rg8 17. Rh2 Nf8.

Now I could not decide between Rh2 and Rh5. The former looked wimpy - one gets a sense of manliness when one shoves the pieces into the opponent's face! - but after Black had played Kf7 and Rh8 I knew there might be a chance of Bd7-e8 which would get a tempo. Also, on h2, the g2 pawn is defended - which might be useful.

17. Rh2 Kf7
18. Rdh1 Rh8

OK, where next? My eye went to the g5 pawn. If I could undermine it and somehow get the knight or bishop there I would further increase my advantage.



19. e5!

The variation I looked at first ran basically like this. 19. ...  dxe5 20. dxe5 Ncxe5 21. Bxg5? fxg5 22. Rxh7 Rxh7 23. Rxh7 Qxh7 24. Nxg5+ Kg7 25. Nxh7 Kxh7. That would leave my with a queen and a pawn for a rook and a knight. But I decided against that as it was giving up too much material just to get the queen. Remember - I am already a piece for a pawn up.

And then I saw the beautiful - 21. Nxe5+ Nxe5 22. Bh5+ Ke7?? 23. Bc5 checkmate! So Black would have to play 22. .. Ng6. I pondered about 23. Ne4 and also 23. Bxg6+ Kxg6 24. Qd3+ (24. .. f5 25. Bd4 e5 doesn't go very far) but then decided this was all too far into the future, I must have got something wrong somewhere, and my head was hurting.

So I decided to play e5 anyway on instinct - the worst that could happen was losing a second pawn for the piece I was up.

19. ...  h6

Instead Black decides to protect the g-pawn resulting in the following sequence.

20. exf6 Kxf6
21. Ne4+ Ke7
22. Rxh6

So that 22. .. Rxh6 23. Rxh6 Qxh6 24. Bg5+ or 23. Bg5+.

22. ....  Bd7
23. Bxg5+ Kf7
24. Bf6!



I was pleased to find this move which opens the diagonal for the queen to join in. The end is nigh!

24. ... Rxh6
25. Rxh6 Qg8
26. Nfg5+ Ke8

If 26. ... Kf8 then 27. Nh7+ with Bh5 next.

27. Bh5 Nce7
28. Rh8 Resigns

A nice touch to finish off - pinning two Black pieces.

Game 24 - club match. Weald of Kent vs Swale

Weald of Kent vs Swale - Board One
Monday 21 March 2016
White: H. Cove (159) - Black: K. Nevols (132)

Back to Cranbrook Library - it really is a pleasant place to play chess but quite a drive to get there. However I was not too pleased to see I was Black against a player graded far higher than me (my record this season against players graded over 150 - two draws and five losses) and, as he sat at the board, a young chap full of confidence, I knew this would be a tough night.

1. d4 d5

After my recent disaster with the King's Indian, I decide to give up the Indian openings for a while and fight it out in the centre.

2. c4 e6
3. Nf3 Be7

The idea of playing this move before Nf6 is to avoid the pin after 3. .. Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5. It usually transposes anyway, or White could play 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bf4 with e3.

4. g3

But this takes us into the Catalan opening - another opening I know nothing about, other than Kramnik used to be fond of it. Now Black could take on c4 and spend the rest of the game trying to defend it, but I did not like the idea of the open diagonal, nor playing an unfamiliar system so instead I go into my shell.

4. .. Nf6
5. Bg2 O-O
6. O-O c6

White delays developing his queen's knight which I found unusual. Now the main problem I have is what to do with my queen's bishop.

7. Qc2 Nbd7
8. Nbd2 Re8

I could see he was now playing for an e4 break so I prepared myself to meet it.

9. e4 dxe4
10. Nxe4 Nxe4
11. Qxe4 Nf6
12. Qc2



Neither side has achieved a great deal but White has the edge on better development. Black's set up is similar to what I have often got with the Scandinavian defence but not with the bishop on c8 so a bit of shuffling is called for.

12. ... h6
13. Rd1 Qc7
14. Bf4 Bd6

Here I was worried about 15. Ne5 but 15. .. c5 seems to be an adequate reply

15. Bxd6 Qxd6

Now 16. c5 Qc7 17. Ne5 with Nc4 and Nd6 concerned me. I would have had to play Ne8 at some point and maybe I could hold.

16. Ne5 c5

So I thought I had to get this move in quick. Of course this opens up the bishop for the diagonal but I could not see much else - and the computer seems to agree with me.

17. Qc3 Rb8?

A blunder. 17. .. Qc7 would have been better. Now 18. Qa3 simply wins a pawn. Maybe then I would have played 18. .. a6 19. Qxc5 Qxc5 20. dxc5 so his extra pawn is doubled, but the position is horrible. Compare White's pieces to Black's!

18. dxc5?

Phew, he doesn't see it.

18. ...  Qxc5
19. Rd2!

Strong. White builds up his strength, preparing to double on the d-file. I decide the first thing to do is to get rid of that knight on e5.

19. ...  Nh7
20. Rad1 f6



Now White has the crushing 21. Rd8! and after Rf8 (21. .. Rxd8 22. Rxd8+ Nf8 23. Ng6) 22. Ng6! Rxd8 23. Rxd8+ Kf7 24. Nh8+ Ke7 25. Rg8! Nf8 26. Rxg7+ Ke8 27. Qxf6 it is well and truly goodnight.

Fortunately (again) he does not see this. And, to be fair when your pieces are attacked, you do tend to focus on defending them.

21. Nd7?

But I was glad to see this as I can exchange my duff bishop for his active knight.

21. ..  Bxd7
22. Rxd7 Re7
23. b4 Rxd7

A useful intermezzo - offering the queen for two rooks - but it is the only move.

24. Rxd7 Qc8

The computer favours the more active 24. .. Qf5 with Ng5 to follow, but I am in grovelling mode and wanted to keep the queen on the base line. He has 3v2 on the queenside, and very active pieces, so although I had escaped twice, it was still looking gloomy.

25. Qd3 Nf8

The knight does a great defending job on this square - holding on to the e6 pawn and guarding the d7 square as well as shielding the back rank.

26. Rd6 Qc7

Preparing my next move.

27. c5 a5
28. a3 axb4
29. axb4 Ra8

Now I have exchanged off one pair of pawns and now the a-file to at least wave in the direction of a counter attack. Swapping another pair of pawns with 29. .. b6 might have been an improvement.



30. Qd4 Qe7
31. h4 Rb8

I'm not doing anything really, just moving pieces about and giving White the question of how he will advance - which he does. The computer now suggests 32. Rb6 and then moving the queen to f3 to try to pick up the b7 pawn.

32. b5 Qc7
33. b6 Qe7

Now good for White would be to relocate the bishop via e4 or f1.

34. c6 bxc6



Now I was expecting 35. Rxc6 and thinking what should I do next. 35. .. e5 perhaps? 35. .. Rd8 maybe. Or 35. .. Qd7. But my thoughts were interrupted by ...

35. Bxc6?

Wow! For nearly three hours I had sat in my chair, defending like crazy, moving pieces around on the back line, escaped defeat on probably a dozen occasions - but I was going to get away with it. White has blundered a pawn to a one move tactic.

35. ...  Rxb6

Now White has nothing. I did feel some sympathy for White (we've all been there - a win thrown away with a careless move) - but huge relief as well.

36. Qxb6 Qxd6
37. Qb7 Qd1+

With this move I offered a draw. Yes, I have an extra pawn but his bishop is a better piece than my knight, and it is 4v3 on one side. He is also graded far higher than me and a draw with Black would be a feather in the cap. I guessed his feelings of disappointment would make him accept straight away - but that was not quite right.

38. Kg2

He declines.

38. ..    Qd8

So back I go. And how exactly, a pawn down, do you plan to win this?

39. Be4 Qd7
40. Qb3 Qd6
41. Qb7 Qd7

And now he re-offered the draw and I accepted.

As predicted, a tough battle, but this evening, lady luck was with me.

Game 23 - Swale Club Championship 2015-16 - Round Nine

Swale Club Championship - Round Nine
Thursday 17 March 2016
White: K. Nevols (132) - Black: A Fletcher (93)

With two rounds to go in the club championship, I had calculated that a half point would be enough to see me in the top five and hence a place in the final group. I considered that I would be favourite here but grades can have a psychological effect. When you play someone of a lower grade, there is a temptation to blast them off the board - only to go down in flames.

So I aimed to play calmly, develop pieces, build up in the centre, and try to spot any weaknesses. However, for much of this game, I am fighting for the initiative.

1. e4 d6
2. d4 Nf6
3. Nc3 g6

The Pirc Defence

4. Bg5

This was a system used by the American grandmaster Robert Byrne. The idea is to put some early pressure on the kingside and follow up with a Qd2 battery.

4. ....  Bg7

Playing 4. .. h6 might be better. There are now lots of moves for White to chose from here. Qd2, e5, f4, Nf3, f3, Bc4 etc. I choose a more quiet plan of development.

5. Be2 h6
6. Bh4 Nc6?!

In these sort of positions Black usually plays 6. .. c6. Here the knight obstructs Black countering with the c-pawn.

7. Nf3 b6

Black decides to fianchetto both bishops and attack the centre from afar. I now considered 8. d5 then if 8. ... Ne5 9. Nxe5 dxe5 Black has doubled pawns and a blocked in bishop. Also if 8. ... Nb8 intending to relocate to d7 then 9. Bb5+ Bd7 10. Bxd7 Nxd7 11. Nd4 could put Black under some early pressure. And 8. .. Na5 and the knight is dim on the rim.

I rejected the move for fear of opening the diagonal and instead decided to deflect the Black bishop away from the b7 square it was intending to occupy.

8. Bb5 Bd7

Again I considered 9. d5 but then after 9. .. Ne5 10. Nxe5 dxe5 (or 10. Bxb5 11. Nxb5 dxe5 12. Nc3) 11. Bxd7 Qxd7 it all looked too equal and boring. I did not notice that now I should play 12. f3 with the aim of bringing the bishop back into the game.

9. Qd2

Instead I decide to play some pressure on the kingside and dissuade Black from castling. If now 9. O-O then 10. Bxf6 exf6 - although this does not look too bad for Black who could now base a plan around f5.

9. .....  a6
10. Be2

Job done. The bishop returns to the centre. However 10. Ba4 moving to b3 was probably more accurate.

10 ... b5

Threatening b4 with an eye on White's e-pawn.

11. a3 b4!




Black plays a plan which I underestimated. At first my eyes were immediately drawn to that pawn on a6 which will now be weak. But the knight which will now arrive on b4 proves surprisingly difficult to shift.

12. axb4 Nxb4

Black has 56 minutes left for 21 moves. The time control, as ever, is 35 moves in 75 minutes with 15 more minutes for the rest of the game.

13. O-O

I had considered 13. e5 dxe5 14. dxe5 Nh7 15. Ne4 a5 but the move that worried me was 13. e5 Bf5. I can now see it comes to nothing after 14. exf6 Nxc2+ 15. Kf1.

13. ... Qb8!

A good way to develop the queen, protect the knight and place pressure on the queenside. I had overlooked this move.

The pressure on my centre was concerning me and I could not see anything with e5 or d5 which I liked. Certainly Bf5 after e5 was very worrying. I wanted to defend my e-pawn so I could move the knight and play c3 which would both kick the knight out and strengthen d4 - and to this end the computer recommends 14. Bxf6 Bxf6 15. Nd1. However, I did not like the sight of those two bishops.

14. Bc4

I now have 40 minutes left for 21 moves. As I played this move, I saw 14. .. Nxe4!? 15. Nxe4 d5 then 16. Bxd5 Nxd5 17. c3 Bb5 and Nb6. I had a quick look at 15. Bxf7+ Kxf7 16. Nxe4 but then 16. Rc8 brings his rook into the game! And the computer suggests 16. c3 dxe4 17. Qf4!? with 17. ... f5 18. Ne5 Nc2 19. Bf7+ Kd8 20. Nxg6 Nxa1 21. Bxe7+ Kc8 22. Nxh8 - not a position I would like to play.

14. ...  Qb6

Instead Black develops the queen and hits d4.

15. Rfe1

Now with 34 minutes for 20 moves I was getting concerned over my position and the clock. But now I had achieved the first objective - the e-pawn is defended. And there are no longer any Nxe4 tricks.

15. ... g5
16. Bg3 O-O

I now gave a thought to whether I could exploit the loose bishop on d7 with 17. e5 - but could not see anything. Simply 17. ... Nh5 does the job.

17. Na2

So back to the plan. If now 17. .. Nc6 then I intended 18. c3? but I now see that 18. Na5 causes problems. If 19. Qe2 then Nxe4 and if 19. Qd3 then Qxb2. So maybe 18. Rab1 or just 18. Nc3 is better.

17. ... a5

Fortunately for me Black chooses a weaker plan.



18. c3 Nxa2

I think 18. ... Nc6 might have been better and asking White what is he going to do with that knight, although the computer thinks White can then take the initiative with 19. d5 Na7 20. Nd4.

19. Rxa2 Nh5
20. Qe2!

Now with 24 minutes for 15 moves, I was pleased to find this multi-functional move. It stops Bb5, defends e4 and prepares Rea1. For the first time, I was beginning to feel comfortable with the position (but our electronic friend now says Black is better).

20. ...  Nxg3
21. hxg3 c5
22. dxc5 Qxc5
23. Rea1

I felt the simplification of the position is to my benefit as I can now concentrate on attacking the weak a-pawn but 23. .. Rfb8 with a4 to come is difficult to answer.

23. .... Rfc8?

Phew! Wrong square. I now win a pawn.

24. Ba6! Rcb8
25. Rxa5

A pawn up and I was happy - although my extra pawn was the doubled g-pawn so still a lot of work to do. Now 25. .. Qb6 keeps some pressure on.



25. ..   Rxb2!?!

And this was a shock! I was blasted from my chair (not literally!) Black had chosen to play tactics with my time running out.

26. Qxb2 Bxc3

OK, so what do we do? 27. Rxc5 Bxb2 28. Rca5 Bxa1 29. Rxa1 Bc8 and Black will be a pawn up! So I must not play Rxc5 but move the queen. Where to? Qa2? But then Bxa5 28. Qxa5 Qxa5 29. Rxa5 Bc8 and again I will be a pawn down.

So the queen had to go somewhere where it was threatening something - as well as threatening Rxc5 - and there was only one square.

27. Qb7!

Now if 27. .. Bxa5 then 28. Qxa8+ and I am a rook up. I also looked at 27. ... Bc6 28. Qxa8 Bxa8 29. Rxc5 dxc5 30. Rc1 Bb4 - also a rook up.

27. ...  Qc6
28. Qxc6 Bxc6
29. Rc1

Right, I am going to get out of this alive. After 29. .. Bxa5 30. Rxc6 I will be a piece for a pawn up. But there was still a lot of work to do. I have doubled g-pawns and the opposite coloured bishops give Black chances of counter attack play against f2, for example.

However, much to my relief .... 

Black resigned.

Game 22 - Swale Club Championship 2015-16 - Round Eight

Swale Club Championship - Round Eight
Thursday 3 March 2016
White: I. Lappin (132) - Black: K. Nevols (132)

Having lost four of my last five games, my confidence was still low. However I had not been playing too badly in the club championship and, with three games to go, stood a good chance of qualifying for the final group.

This was one of my main rivals, a top club player, with an equal grading. A tough but eventful game was expected - as so it proved.

1. g4

The Grob! Many years ago I had looked at this with an old Michael Basman audio chess cassette. It is one of those openings which makes you scoff at first but get sucked into complications. It must be treated with respect.

1.  ... c6

The theory of the Grob involves a bishop on g2 and pawns hitting the centre - so I decide a cautious first move to solidify the diagonal.

2. h4

The Basman system uses 2. h3.

2. ....  d6

Playing with d5 and e5 might be more accurate but I'm being cautious against any plans of Bg2, c4 and Qb3/a4.

3. g5

Now I am not sure what is happening but was mindful of my earlier game at Hastings (Game 7) where I got squashed by pawn advances. The computer now recommends 3. .. h6 but I want to develop a piece.

3. ....   Bg4
4. d4 h6

In the Hastings game I mentioned earlier, I got in a right mess trying to develop my kingside pieces - especially the knight - and so I now aim to solve that issue. 5. Bh3 might be good for White here.

5. Bg2 Qa5+

The plan is to get my king castled as soon as possible by developing and also attempting to disrupt White's development.

6. Bd2 Qb6
7. Bc3 e6



I am now thinking of sorting out the kingside and using the e7 square to move pieces about.

8. b3

Planning to drop the bishop back to b2 and play c4 but it is noticeable that no-one's knights have yet been touched.

8. ....   hxg5
9. hxg5 Rxh1
10. Bxh1 Ne7

Planning to come to g6 to think about the h4 square.

11. Qd2 Ng6?!

White now could play 12. Ba5 where I had in mind maybe 12. ... Qb5 and then off to Qf5. However the pieces could be pushed back by a well-timed f3 and e4. So 12. .. Qa6 keeps things with White marginally better.

12. Na3 d5
13. Bb2

The computer now makes Black clearly better and agrees with my forthcoming plan to hit the kingside with Bd6-f4.

13. .    Bd6

At this stage I was quite satisfied with how things were standing. My pieces were better developed and I had in mind moves like Nbd7, Ke7, Rc8 or Rh8. White might be thinking about castling but at the moment 14. O-O-O results in 14. .. Bf4 15. e3 Bxd1.



14. f3?!

A surprise. Blocking in both knight and bishop - and also presenting me with a chance to dislodge his king before it disappears into the queenside. 14. e3 may have been better.

14. .. Bg3+
15. Kd1 Bh5

I begin to regret this and think I should have played 15 ... Bf5. The idea was to prevent White from playing 16. e4 and this is the correct plan.

16. e3

This clears the second rank for the queen to move over but I noticed it opened up the a6-f1 diagonal.

16. ...  Bd6
17. c3 Be7?

Completely overlooking White's next move. I can't explain why I didn't play 17. .. Qa6. After 18. Nc2 Nd7 I'm looking good.

18. Qh2

It was now with horror that I remembered the bishop! There is no way to protect it! I had a grim ponder and played the move I had seen earlier.

18. ...  Qa6

With the double threat of taking a piece on a3 and checking on the f1 square, which would look good if I had no forgotten that my bishop was on an undefended square with nowhere to go.

If now 19. Nc2 then Qd3+ 20. Qd2 Qf5! (not sure if I saw this move) or 20. Kc1 Bxg5 21. Qxh5 Bxe3+ 22. Nxe3 Qxe3+ 23. Kb1 Qxg1+ (or 23. Kc2 Qf2+) with Black having much the better position. White finds the best move.

19. Kc2 Bxa3

The computer spots an interesting sequence with 19. .. Nd7!? 20. Qxh5 O-O-O with Rh8 to come.

20. Bxa3 Qxa3
21. Qxh5 Nd7

Now the h-file is in my thoughts. If now 22. Qh7 then 22. .. Ke7! as 23. Qxg7 is answered by 23. .. Rh8 coming down to h2.

22. f4 O-O-O




Although both my bishops had gone, I still had the feeling I must be better here, due to a safe king, and so I intend to now open up the centre so my knights could get more involved.

23. Qd1 Rh8
24. Nf3 c5?!

Opening up the centre as planned although 24. ... Ne7 planning to come to the f5 square should be first.

25. Qc1 Qa6

No intention of exchanging queens with an attack on its way.

26. Qe1 cxd4
27. cxd4 Kb8

Opening up the c-file for the rook. However, the computer now thinks that Black has lost his advantage.

28. Kb2 Ne7
29. Bg2 Nf5
30. Bf1 Qb6
31. Bd3 Nd6

Three consecutive bishop moves has considerably improved its position.

32. Rc1

And now White is on the front foot.

32. ....  a5

I quite like this move making his king slightly less safe and displaying intentions that I have not given up playing for the win.

33. a4 Ka8

My plan now is to redeploy my pieces where they might be more useful. The king moves out of the way for the knight to reach c6. White now guards the second rank before advancing the knight.



34. Rc2 Nb8
35. Ne5 f6

Much as I loved this active defence I think 35. .. Nc6 might be better. After all, that was the whole point of Ka8.

36. Ng6 Re8
37. gxf6 gxf6
38. Rh2

38. Qh4! is stronger. If 38. .. f5 then 39. Ne5. If 38. ... Qd8 then 39. Qh7 adds to the pressure although 39. .. Qd7 might be able to hold.

38. ...   Nc6
39. Rh8?

I was pleased to see this move. By exchanging rooks and temporarily exiling the knight, Black gets a chance to counter.

39. ...  Rxh8
40. Nxh8



40. ...  f5?

And goes the wrong way. 40. ... e5! is far stronger opening up the centre and the queen's diagonal towards the e3 pawn. One line is 41. fxe5 fxe5 42. dxe5 Nxe5 with the threat of Nc4, or 41. dxe5 fxe5 42. Ng6 e4 43. Bf1 Nf5. White will not be able to defend the pawns on b3 and e3 at the same time.

This is a missed opportunity. The game is now even - but neither of us are ready to take the draw just yet!

41. Ng6 Nb4
42. Ne5 Nxd3
43. Nxd3 Ne4

Dead even! Now 44. Ne5 Qc7 45. Qc1 Qxc1+ would make it time to shake hands.

44. Qc1 Kb8
45. Nc5!?

But no! White decides to unbalance the game - and off we go again!

45. ...  Nxc5
46. dxc5 Qa6
47. Qd2 Kc7

Bringing the king into the centre to take on the advancing queen.

48. b4?!

I now thought of Yuri Averbach, the great endgame expert, and wondered if he was now turning in his grave (actually Averbach is still with us aged 94!). White provocatively sacrifices a pawn and separates his queenside pawns.

48. ...   axb4
49. Qxb4 Qe2+
50. Kb1

By now we were both very short of time. I could see that if I took the pawn on e3 White has 51. Qa5+ and I could not see if I could avoid White forcing the draw. I tried a few moves about.

50 .    Qd1+
51. Ka2 Qc2+
52. Ka1 Qc1+
53. Ka2 Qc4+?

This was based on a quick count to see if my king could advance. Actually it could very well lead to a loss. With best play Black can hold a draw but I was nearly down to my last five minutes.

54. Ka3?

Fortunate. Had White gone all in with 54. Qxc4, as I said, I am not sure if I could have held.

54. ...   Qc1+
55. Ka2 Qxe3

What the hell, I thought. Lets' grab the pawn and see what happens.

56. Qa5+ Kd7
57. Qb5+ Ke7
58. Qxb7+ Kf6

The plan. By tucking the king away, I hoped I could avoid the checks.

59. Qb2+ d4
60. Qh2

I had one free move.

60. ...   Qe4

So I decided to improve the position of the queen, where it could check White's king and hopefully block some checks.

61. Qh6+ Ke7
62. Qg7+ Kd8
63. Qh8+ Kc7



Well, dear reader, here is where we leave it. Why? My clock was now down to less than five minutes for the rest of the game, and when you get down that low, you no longer have to write down the scores.

White continued checking with the queen and my king moved forward - eventually I was able to stop the checks. My queen picked up his a-pawn with check, the c-pawn was gobbled up and eventually I forced the exchange of queens. With three pawns against one, and into the last seconds White resigned.

A happy victory after an entertaining game.

Game 21 - club match. Swale vs Rainham

Swale vs Rainham - Board One
Thursday 25 February 2016
White: D. Barnes (153) Black: K. Nevols (132)

After a bad defeat last week, and now three losses in the last four, I felt low in confidence. So I was not too pleased to find myself as Black against a player graded 153. As we waited for the game to start, I decided my tactics - to play casually and carefully, no sacrificial heroics, calm positional chess - to meet e4 with the Scandinavian d5 - and to meet d4 with the solid d5.

1. c4

Well, there goes that theory. The English Opening.

1. .... e5?!

Now this move is not dubious in itself. But I enter an aggressive line against the English - a mistake having just decided to play calmly and positionally. Looking back I should have played 1. .. c5 and aim to play symmetrically.

2. g3 d6
3. Bg2 f5

This is it - the system is similar to the Dutch where Black has already played e5. The first few moves are straight forward and the plan is for Black to get some aggression on the kingside.

4. Nc3 Nf6
5. d3 Nc6
6. e4

Blocking the diagonal. 6. Nf3 might be a better way to play for an advantage.

6. ....  Be7
7. Nge2 O-O
8. O-O



So now for a plan. As I said, this system for Black demands aggression and so I head my queen off in that direction.

8. ....  Qe8
9. Nd5 Bd8

If 9. ... Nxd5 10. cxd5 Nb8 11. Qb3 is annoying. However White will have to do something about the second d-pawn so might consider 11. d4 with some complications in the middle.
Or 9. ... Nxd5 10. exd5 Nb8 11. Nc3 and White is better.
Of course Black does not have to drop the knight back to b8 and could go for Nb4 or Nd4.
With complications not on my agenda, I decided on some passive defence - as well as freeing up the e7 square for the knight - and the computer agrees that Bd8 is the best move.

10. Rb1

I didn't really understand this. Presumably preparing b4 but Bd2 might be a better way to seek that objective.

10 ....  Qg6

A probe towards the king and threatening to win a pawn on e4 - although exchanging pawns beforehand to clear the bishop diagonal might have been better.  10 ... fxe4 11. Nxf6+ Bxf6 12. Bxe4 Bg4 or 11. dxe4 Qg6.

If now 11. N2c3 I was considering 11. ... Nd4.

11. f3

Solid but slightly loosening and making me think of sacrificial ideas around the king but everything is covered. Here 11 .. f4 is nothing. 12. gxf4 Bh3 13. Rf2 or 12. g4 h5 13. h3. And it is not too late to take on e4 with 11. .. fxe4 12. dxe4 Be6 or 12. fxe4 Bg4.

11. ...  Ne7?!

Instead I decide that it is about time that knight on d5 was evicted. The problem with this move is that it blocks the bishop's defence of the knight on f6 and hence the White knight will have to be retaken with the rook.

12. Be3!

A good move - developing the bishop towards the queenside, blocking any ideas of c6 and Bb6,  and giving an option of an initiative with Rc1 and c5.

12. ...  c6
13. Nxf6+ Rxf6
14. d4 Rf8

A bit of reorganising but I thought 14. ... Bb6 might have been better where the bishop takes a more active square and Black could think about putting a rook on the d-file.

(The computer points out that 14. ... Bb6? is a mistake. It gives the line 15. c4 exd4 (15. ... Bc7 16. cxd6 Bxd6 17. dxe5 Bxe5 18. Qd8+ Kf7 19. f4 with a strong initiative - in this line, that Rb1 move has come in very useful) 16. Bxd4 Bxc5 17. Bxc5 dxc5 18. Qd8+ Kf7 19. e5! Re6 20. Nf4. It thinks 14. ... Be6 is an improvement - although my move 14. .. Rf8 is not the end of the world).

15. Qd2 Be6

Wanting to close the centre but giving White some initiative. Maybe grovelling with 15. .. Bc7.

16. d5 Bd7

White now has 50 minutes for 19 more moves and I have 31. The time control was the usual 35 moves in 75 minutes and then 15 minutes for the rest - a fast control which I seem to struggle with.



17. dxc6?!

Interestingly, our electronic friend thinks this gives up White's advantage - it prefers either 17. Qb4 or keeping things very complicated with 17. f4.

17. ....  Nxc6?!

And it thinks I return the favour - preferring 17. ... Bxc6 - but I wanted to get the knight into the game.

18. c5 Be7?

A mistake. 18. ... Be6, activating the bishop by countering against the a-pawn is better. After 19. a3 or b3 then dxc5 20. Bxc5 Bb6 and a rook is coming to the d-file.

19. Rbd1!

A good move which I had overlooked. White builds up pressure on the d-file.

19. ...   fxe4
20. cxd6 Bd8
21. fxe4 Ba5

Taking up a more active position. I now have 20 minutes left for 14 moves.

22. Nc3! Bg4
23. Rxf8+ Rxf8
24. Rf1 Rd8

I felt I was defending quite well here. I am surrounding the d-pawn - his bishop on g2 is not doing anything - and my pieces are seeing some activity.

25. Bc5 Nd4?

But now I start to go wrong. The upcoming knight manoeuvre completely escaped me. The move I glanced at was 25. .. Bc7 which I rejected because of 26. Nb5 Bb8 - not seeing the simple fact that White wins at once with 26. dxc7! (26. .. Rxd2 27. Rf8 mate). 25. .. Bb6 would be better.

26. Qf2! b6??

Afterwards we looked at 26. .. Bxc3 27. bxc3 Ne6 but White still gets a huge advantage with 28. Bxa7. 26. ... Be6 is another possibility but again 27. Bxa7. Maybe Black is already lost here - but my move loses a lot quicker.



27. Nd5!

Crunch!! Didn't see that. It's all over. The knight is coming to e7 with deadly force. I play a few more moves but the end is inevitable.

27. ...  Ne2+
28. Kh1

28. ... Qe8 would have at least extended the game by a few moves. 29. Ba3 then 29. ... Be2 30. d7! or 29. ... b5 30. h3 picking up the knight or 29. .. Nd4 30. b4. But in any event I was now resigned to resigning.

28. . ...  Nxg3+
29. Qxg3 Qe6
30. Ba3 Bd2
31. Qf2 Resigns

White is coming out of this a piece up and, with my clock reaching the last minute, I decided it was time to call it a day.