Game 17 - club match. Swale vs Hastings

Swale vs Hastings - Board Three
Thursday 21 January 2016
White: K. Nevols - Black: D Harvey (147)

This time our Hastings counterparts made the journey north up to our way - not a bad feat considering they did it on a dark winter's evening

1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bb5

The Ruy Lopez. I've decided to ditch the Guioco Piano and go back to an opening I know something about.

3. ....   Bc5

This is known as the Classical Defence (or Cordel Defence). Apparently 4. c3 is the most common reply when Black could go for 4. ... f5 (the Cordel Gambit) or the more solid 4. .   Nf6.
White's 4th move alternatives are 4. O-O or even 4. Nxe5.

Not knowing this I decided just to act solid but lose a tempo in the opening.

4. d3 Nge7
5. O-O d6
6. c3 O-O
7. d4

Missing the tempo but d4 has to be done in the Ruy.

7. ... exd4
8. cxd4 Bb6
9. h3

Another standard Ruy move to avoid the knight getting pinned.

9. ... Bd7
10. Nc3 Ng6

The knight looks slightly out of place here so I try to think up some ideas of a kingside attack.



11. Bg5 f6
12. Bc4+ Kh8
13. Be3

Defending the d4 point.

13. ....  Qe8

The computer thinks I now have a clear advantage (0.5) and suggests a number of ways of consolidating with a3, Rc1, Re1, Qe2 preparing d5 or Qc2 thinking about Nd5.

14. Kh1

I had given some thought to 14. h4 but Black simply has 14. ... Bg4. Instead the point of this move is to make space for the knight to retreat so I can get f4 in. (I can't retreat the knight to d2 as then the d4 pawn hangs).

14. ... Nce7
15. Ng1?

Wasting time with the knight gives away all of the advantage. Just calmly gaining space with 15. a3 or 15. Re1 is better.

15. ...  f5!

But Black counters first. This move put me off balance. If now 16. f4 then fxe4 17. Nxe4 Nf5 18. Qd3 Qxe4! winning a piece. 16. exf5 Nxf5 looks ugly but is probably better than the text. I did not like the idea of all those pieces heading towards my king. 16. exf5 is better than the move I played.

Another idea is 16. f3 with a possible line being 16. .. fxe4 17. fxe4 Rxf1 18. Qxf1 Ne5!?

16. Nf3?!

Instead I decided to waste more time and aim for the g5 square.

16. ... fxe4

If now 17. Nxe4 then simply d5.

17. Ng5?

I am now threatening Nxh7 which Black cannot retake Kxh7 because of Qh5 mate. The plan is to retake the pawn with this knight after 17. ... h6.

17. .... Nf4

For some reason I had completely overlooked this move. I now can't retake on e4 as if 18. Ngxe4 then 18...  d5.

(One line is 19. Bxf4 Rxf4 20. g3 Rxe4 21. Nxe4 dxc4 which would leave Black with two bishops for the rook - or 20 ... Bxh3 with a choice of 21. Rf1 Bg4! with Qh5 to come or 21. gxf4 Bxf1 22. Qxf1 dxe4 23. Nxe4 Bxd4 and Black is a pawn up).

Now 18. Bxf4 Rxf4 19. Nf7+ is an idea to try to make the position clearer. Then 19. .. Rxf7 20. Bxf7 Qxf7 21. Nxe4 Bc6. Material is even but the position looks uncomfortable.

(The computer recommends a bit of grovelling with 18. Qd2 d5 19. Bb3 Nd3 20. Nxd5).



18. d5

Instead, after much thought, I decided to isolate the e-pawn to pick it up later. Black now has the initiative.

18. .... Qg6
19. Bxf4 Rxf4
20. Ngxe4

Better (although not by much) is 20. g3. Now Black has the option of taking both knights for the rook but plays more conservative with his attack.

20. ..... Qh6
21. Qd3 Raf8
22. Ne2 Rf3!!



While he was thinking, I too was thinking over whether Black could play this. I could not see anything concrete and figured that, as he had the better position anyway, it was not worth it taking chances. (Going through the position afterwards, I see that this now wins by force).

23. gxf3 Qxh3+
24. Kg1 Rxf3
25. Qd1

A few moves later I was kicking myself for choosing the wrong square, as the bishop is undefended and gets picked up by the follow sequence. But 25. Qc2 loses to 25. ... Bf5.

25. ...   Qg4+
26. N2g3 Rxg3+
27. Nxg3 Qxg3+
28. Kh1 Qh4+
29. Kg1 Qxc4

So Black has three minor pieces and two pawns against White's two rooks.

30. Qf3 Qg4+
31. Qxg4 Bxg4



Now outnumbered on both sides of the board, with the d5 pawn seemingly a goner, I could see that a grim defence is in prospect. I could not see how I could defend this position but now surprise myself by putting up a bit of a fight. First, I limit the options for Black's white squared bishop.

32. Re1 Ng8
33. Kg2 h6
34. f3 Bd7
35. Rad1 Nf6
36. b3 Be8
37. Re7 Kg8
38. Re2 Bf7
39. Red2 Nd7

So far so good. The staunch defence of the d5 pawn holds up Black's initiative.

40. Kg3 Kf8
41. Re2 Nf6
42. Red2 Ke7
43. Re2+ Kd7
44. Red2 Bc5
45. Kg2

I haven't really got anything else to do.

45. ... c6

And Black gives up hope of winning the pawn and decides to swap it off. (45. ... Nh5 with Nf4 and Be3 will capture the d5 pawn).

46. dxc6+ bxc6
47. Rc2 Bd5

Good positioning of the bishops although in the way of the pawns.

48. Kg3 Bb6
49. Re1 Bf7
50. Rg2




And now with less than five minutes left on my clock I stop writing down the moves. My opponent had a few extra minutes and invested some time on the moves ahead.

As the game progressed Black did manage to advance the c- and d-pawns. My rooks were buzzing to and fro trying to be a nuisance and avoiding several forks and pins while the pawns and pieces came closer, like a game of Space Invaders. I entered my last minute and began moving at lightning speed before blundering away a rook. With seconds left in a hopeless position, I resigned.

Game 16 - club match. Hastings vs Swale

Hastings vs Swale - Board One
Saturday 17 January 2016
White: T. Wheeler (156) - Black: K. Nevols

Another trip down to Hastings, and another chance to enjoy the posters and cartoons and various elements of chess history. I have to say it is a very fine place to play chess. If only they had a bar, although, as I was driving, that wouldn't have been much good.

This was a six board match but we had problems in fielding a team and, in the event we had to default three boards. So I was on top and facing a tough opponent.

1. d4 Nf6
2. Nf3

I was aware that our only chance was to win all three games so I had intended to wheel out the Benko - alas I did not get the chance. One day.

2. .... g6
3. Nc3 d6
4. e4 Bg7

So it is the Pirc defence - another opening of which I know nothing. So I had to think of it as a King's Indian without c4.

5. Be3 O-O
6. Qd2 c6

6. ..  d5 is perhaps more accurate. If 7. e5 then Ne4 with a timely c5 to follow.

7. Bd3 Bg4

Normally when White as a Qd2-Be3 set up in some openings, he also has a pawn on f3 or h3 to guard the g4 square. The computer recommends here 7. ... Ng4 8. Bf4 e5

8. O-O-O Bxf3!?

Opening the g-file with the bishops pointing in that direction might not have been a wise move. A solid developing move like Nbd7 maybe.

9. gxf3 a5

Here we go! We needed a win so let's charge.



10. Rdg1?!

White told me afterwards that he thought this was a mistake and that he should have gone with the other rook and played Rhg1. As it plays, one of his rooks is out of the game.

10. ... a4
11. a3 b5

I haven't really got any plan here but I was inspired by my last game at Hastings (Game Seven) where I went down in flames after a pawn change.

12. Ne2

Preventing b4.

12. ....  Qb6

A safe square as I was intending to answer 13. d5 with c5.

13. c3 c5

Now I was beginning to enjoy myself.

14. e5!

White finds a way to counter.

14. ....  Nfd7
15. f4

I now had a big think and made the wrong move - as often happens after big thinks. I was concerned about f5 and considered moves such as Kh8, Rc8 and b4. I ruled out 15. .. b4 because of 16. dxc5 dxc5 17. cxb4 Rc8 18. Kb1 and I am just a pawn down.

But is White threatening f5? It just loses a pawn on the e5 square. On my scoresheet (later on) I wrote down Rc8 and think this is the best move but White gets a lot of play with 16. Be4.

(The computer recommends 15. ... cxd4 with 16. .. Nc5 and judges the position as equal).

15. .... e6?

Instead I play this with the intention of permanently ruling out f5 without realising that it blunders away a pawn.

16. exd6 Qxd6?

A second blunder which I played quickly. Had I realised that the b-pawn was loose I would have played 16. ... c4. Then 17. Be4 Ra6 18. d5 Nc5 19. Bxc5 Qxc5 20 dxe6 Rxd6 (or maybe 20 ... fxe6 straight away) 21. Nd4 (21. Qe3 Qxe3 22. fxe3 Rxe6 wins a pawn) Bxd4 22. exf7+ Rxf7 23. cxd4 Rxd4 24. Qe2 and I could be better here.

17. Bxb5 cxd4
18. Bxd4 Nc5
19. Bc4 Nc6



So White is a pawn up, has a passed pawn on the c-file, attacking chances against the black King including an open g-file and two good bishops. It don't look good. The only negative is the fact that his extra pawn is doubled.

My only chance of getting something is to try to activate my knights and rooks towards his king.

Now White forces off the exchange of queens.

20. Bxg7 Qxd2+
21. Kxd2 Kxg7
22. Ng3 Rfd8+
23. Kc2 Na5
24. Be2

My plan now is to rotate my knights to dominate the c4 square, and put a rook on b8 to aim at b2 and perhaps a3. If I can sac a knight for two of the queenside pawns I have holding chances.

24. ....  Nd7
25. Rd1 Nb6
26. Rxd8 Rxd8
27. Rd1 Rb8

On with the plan. I thought a further exchange of rooks would just increase the strength of his queenside pawns. Another line is 27. ... Rxd1 28. Bxd1 Nd5 29. Ne2 Nc4 and then activating the king.

28. Rd4 Nc6
29. Rd6 Na5

Pushed around so far.

30. Rd4 Nc6

I now expected 31. Re4 to avoid the repetition. Bb5 is now threatened so Black has to play 31. ... Na7. White then has 32. Bd1 Nc8 33. Kc1 Ra8 34. Rb4 and I am completely tied up.



31. Rd6?

But what's this? Surely he is not going to allow a repetition.

31. ....  Na5
32. Rd4

And he has! This is the third time this position has appeared so a draw it is. I breathed a big sigh of relief.

The computer comes up with the following at the above diagram. 31. Re4 Ne7 32. Bb5 Ra8 33. Rd4 Ned5 34. Bc6 Ra5. Although White is still ahead, it proves to be not easy to advance the c-pawn. With the king on the c-file Black has Rc5,and with the king on b1 or a2 there are some lines where the Black can sac his rook on c3 and get a knight fork.

Whether I would have had the skill to defend that position is another question, but I was relieved at the draw.

Game 15 - Swale Club Championship 2015-16 - Round Seven

Swale Club Championship - Round Seven
Thursday 14 January 2016
White: K. Nevols - Black: D. Marsh (103)

With two wins, two draws and two losses, I was settled in mid-table in the Club Championship with four games to go. The top five (our of eleven) would go through to the final group and so a win here was important to keep me in contention.

1. e4 c5

My first encounter this season with the Sicilian Defence.

2. Nc3

I once had a spell with the Grand Prix Attack (2. f4) but, after being influenced by some games by Boris Spassky, adopted 2. Nc3 with a closed Sicilian in mind. The advantage of this system is that the first few moves virtually choose themselves.

2. ... Nc6
3. f4 e6
4. Bb5 g6?!

This doesn't seem to go with the previous move and so perhaps Be7 is better.

5. Bxc6 bxc6
6. Nf3 Bg7
7. O-O Ne7

Playing to e7 rather than Nf6 has the advantage of not blocking the bishop, and d5 can be prepared.



8. Qe1

I usually prefer to wait until Black has castled before thinking of the Qe1-g3 or -h4 manoeuvre but decided at this stage to prepare d3 without having to worry about doubled pawns. Although perhaps I should not worry about 8. d3 Bxc3 9. bxc3 d5.

8. ... Bd4+

A surprise. Usually the king has to go to h1 anyway if Black thinks of Qb6. Maybe Black ought to castle or play Ba6.
I considered 9. Nxd4 exd4 10. Ne2 Qb6 11. d3 d5 but didn't like it much. As there are some holes in Black's position I decided to keep the knights in case they become useful (as they do!).

9. Kh1 Ba6
10. d3 d6

10. .. d5 might have been more energetic or just castling.

11. Qh4

Threatening Nxd4 cxd4; Qf6 winning a pawn. If Black castles here, White can whip up an attack with 12. Ng5.

11.     Kd7!?

An imaginative move. This connects the back rank and finds a comfortable spot for the king. So now I am thinking of how I can open some central lines.

12. Ne2 Bg7

Now 13. Ng5 is interesting. Black could meet it with Qf8 or Qg8. Is White then able to sacrifice a pawn with f5? Instead I decide to centralise the rook with a long term plan of d4.
(After 13. Ng5 the computer recommends 13. ... Ke8!? which would rather defeat the purpose of moving the king in the first place).

13. Rd1 h6
14. Qf2

Defending the knight and continuing to prepare d4.



14. .... d5?!

Black decides to get rid of his doubled pawn problem ... by sacrificing one of them! I don't know if this was an oversight or a sacrifice to ensure the exchange of queens but I get a clear pawn up.

15. Qxc5 Qb6
16. Qxb6 axb6

For his pawn, Black has two well placed bishops and straightened out pawns with possibilities of a break on the queenside. White however can now close down the position to block the bishops and try to find good squares for the knights.

17. c3 f5
18. e5 Ke8
19. b4!

I want to put a knight on the d4 square and this is to deter c5

19. ... Rd8
20. Be3 b5?



A positional mistake which blocks in one bishop and weakens more squares. 20. ... Rb8 looks ugly but holds. My plan is now to get the knights onto the c5 and d4 squares and advance on the queenside to open the a-file and get the rook into play. His bishop on the kingside is out of the game.

(After 20. .. Rb8 the computer recommends 21. a4 and then a5).

21. Ned4 Kf7
22. Nb3 Bc8
23. a4! bxa4
24. Rxa4 Bd7
25. Nc5

Knight number one is in position and the a-file is open. Going well so far.

25. ... Bc8
26. Ra7 Ke8
27. Nd4

And now his friend joins him. The e-pawn cannot be defended. If 27. ... Kf7 then 28. Nxc6.



27. ... g5

Seeking counterplay to activate the kingside pieces who have not done anything yet.

28. Ndxe6

An improvement might have been 28. Rxe7 Kxe7 29. Nxc6+ Ke8 30. Nxd8 Kxd8 31. Ra7. White is two pawns up, has a passed pawn to run with, and has ideas around Ra7 or Ra8.
28. Ncxe6 might also be more accurate so the other knight keeps an eye on c6 and f5.

28. ... Rg8
29. Nxd8 Kxd8
30. fxg5

30. g3 might be better keeping the centre together and if the g-file opens there is the Rg1 possibility.

30. ..  Bxe5
31. d4 Bd6
32. gxh6 f4

I had overlooked this move.

33. Bf2 Rh8
34. Bh4 Rxh6
35. Bxe7 Bxe7

I am the exchange and two pawns up. However I am rather worried about those two bishops. If they can take active positions in the direction of my king, things could get difficult. So my plan now is to exchange one of them.

36. Rf1 Bd6
37. Nb7+ Bxb7
38. Rxb7 f3
39. Rxf3 Rxh2+
40. Kg1 Rh6

Now I am happier. I am about to get rook activity and one more exchange should finish things off.

41. Rff7 Re6
42. Rh7 Re8+
43. Kf2 Re7
44. Rh8+ Re8
45. Rxe8 Kxe8
46. Kf3

Preparing to advance the g-pawn.

46. ... Bf8

47. Rc7

Picking up the c-pawn. Black now decided to call it a day and resigned.

I was very happy with this win and unusually don't think I made any mistakes. My championship record was now Played 7 Won 3 Drew 2 Lost 2 and I was in 5th place out of 11.

Game 14 - Swale Club Championship 2015-16 - Round Six

Swale Club Championship - Round Six
Thursday 7 January 2016
White: T. Owen (170) - Black: K. Nevols

My first game of 2016 and a very tough opponent to start with. There are two very highly graded players at the club - I had already lost to one and now here is the other.

1. e4 d5

My usual first move against a strong opponent. He had expected me to play 1. .. e5 as in my last club game when he was intending 2. f4 and the Kings Gambit.

2. exd5 Qxd5
3. Nc3 Qa5
4. d4 Nf6
5. Bd2 c6
6. Bd3 Bg4
7. f3

White opts for the system of f3 and Nge2 to slowly develop. Nothing wrong with this. Nf3 is considered to be more active.

7. .... Bh5
8. Nge2 e6

All standard developing moves. Now I was a little concerned about 9. Bf4 although of course there is nothing wrong with 9. ... Nd5.

9. O-O Qc7

I think this is inaccurate and 9 ... Be7 or 9. Nbd7 is more solid. For some reason I am still concerned about Bf4.

10. Ne4 Nbd7



11. b4?!

A new plan. Normally White will try to keep his advantage in development and will play something like c4 or N2c3. Black still has to develop a bishop and castle.
11. Bf4 again is also adding pressure forcing 11. ... e5 with perhaps 12. dxe5 Nxe5 13. Nxf6+ gxf6 14. Nd4 and the f5 square is just waiting for a piece to arrive. (14.... O-O-O might hold with 15. Bf5+ Kb8 and White's knight on d4 is awkward).

The plan with b4 is to start an advance on the queenside with maybe c4, Rc1/b1 and b5 but it strikes me as too slow. Here the computer recommends 11. .. Nxe4 answering 12. fxe4 with 12.  ... e5 and answering 12. Bxf4 with 12. ... Nf6.

11. ....  Be7

But I opt for development.

12. Qe1!

A multi-purpose move with the option of a kingside attack and adding to the defence of b4.

12. ... O-O
13. Rb1 Nd5
14. c4 N5b6

Normally I don't like putting the knight here in this system as it is vulnerable to a4-a5 or Ba5. However neither is possible here.

15. Bf4 e5

The standard defence. I had given it much thought and considered 16. dxe5 Nxe5 17. Qc3 f6 18. Nd4 Qd7. White has a lot of piece play but Black might have enough resources to avoid immediate disaster.

(After 16. dxe5 Nxe5 17. Qc3/g3 f6 I now see that White has 18. Ng5! with a strong attack. 17. .... Nbd7 would be a better defence).

16. Bg5!

Instead White spots a brilliant way to attack on the kingside. This was a move I had not considered. Now I should have stayed solid with 16. ... f6 with Bf7 to follow but I was worried about the weak white squares.

16. .... Bxg5
17. Nxg5 h6

If 17. ... Bg6 18. Qh4 h6 19. Bxg6 fxg6 20. Ne6 wins material.

18. Qh4!

Another move I had not seen.

18. ... Nf6

19. g4 is now a strong attack but I think 19. ... hxg5 20. Qxg5 Bg6 21. Bxg6 fxg6 22. dxe5 Nh7 23. Qxg6 Qxe5 will hold.



19. Nh3

A sensible withdrawal.

19. ... Rae8

White has 23 minutes for the next 16 moves while I have 36. Although material is equal I was very concerned abut the attack which was coming my way, so first I've got to get rid of that bishop.

20. Rbe1 Bg6
21. Bxg6 fxg6
22. dxe5 Qxe5

Back to the computer who recommends 22. ... g5 and then if 23. Qf2 Rxe5 intending to double rooks down the e-file.

Instead we now see some moves where White builds the attack up and I am scrambling around trying to hold something together. Although I felt I was on the ropes, the computer has me about 0.5 ahead!

23. Nd4 Qh5
24. Qf2 g5
25. Ne6 Rf7
26. f4 g4?

Better is 26. ... Qg4! and hitting the knight on e6 and also pinning the f-pawn against the White queenside pawns which now look vulnerable.

27. Re5! g5?

Bad. Grovelling with 27. ... Qg6 28. f5 Qh7 29. Nhf4 looks bad but after 29. .. Nxc4 White has to retreat his rook and the f-pawn goes.

28. Nhxg5!

I completely overlooked this too. Very briefly I considered 28. hxg5 29. Rxg5+ Qxg5 30. Nxg5 Rfe7 but a queen and a pawn for a rook and a knight seemed to be quite overwhelming. Instead it is back to scrambling mode.

28. ... Rfe7

28. ... Nfd7 is better.



29. Nh7?!

This looks spectacular but a recommended move is the difficult-to-see 29. Qc2! which keeps the Black queen on h5 for the discovered attack (it now can't go to g6 or h4) and also defends the c-pawn. One line could be: 29. ... Nbd7 30. Ne4 Qg6 31. f5 Qh7 32. Qf2! Nxe4 33. Rxe4 Nf6 34. Rd4 keeping the pressure up and remaining one pawn up.

29. ... Qf7

Better is 29. ... Qg6 because now White has 30. Neg5! Qg7 31. Nxf6+ Qxf6 32. Ne4 Qg7 33. Rxe7 Rxe7 34. Re1 - again still a pawn up and with pressure.

30. Nxf6? Qxf6
31. Nc5

Amazingly I am still on the board - the game is equal - and here comes the losing move. I should now of course play Nxc4. It is often the case that when you think you are out of danger that you make the final mistake.

31. .... Rxe5?
32. fxe5 Qxf2
33. Rxf2 Rxe5?

Another chance for Nxc4 and another mistake with Rxe5.

34. Rf4!

The winning move. White preserves his pawn lead.



But it is not over yet. Black could now play 34. ... g3!? 35. hxg3 Re1+ 36. Kh2 Rb1 harassing the pawns from behind and doubling White's extra pawn.

34. ...  Re7?!
35. Rxg4+ Kh7
36. Kf2 Nc8

My pieces are now very tied back and White advances his king and threatens a variety of forks.

37. Ne4 Rf7+
38. Ke3 Nb6
39. Kd4 Rd7+
40. Ke5 Rd8

To defend against Nf6+ and Rg8 mate.

41. Nf6+ Kh8
42. h4 Nd7+
43. Nxd7 Rxd7

The knights are gone. My opponent's only problem now is the clock - he is down to his last few minutes for all the game.

44. a4 Kh7
45. Rd4 Re7+
46. Kf6 Rg7
47. g4 Rg6+
48. Kf5 Rg7
49. g5 hxg5
50. hxg5 Kg8
51. g6 Re7
52. Kf6 Re8
53. Rd7 Rb8
54. Ke7

Now Rd8+ is the threat. If 54. .. Kg7 55. Kd6+ Kxg6 56. Kc7.

54. ..... b5

A Hail Mary!

55. axb5 cxb5
56. c5 Kg7
57. Rxa7 Kxg6
58. c6 Rc8
59. Kd7 Rf8
60. c7 Rf7+
61. Kc6 Rf6+
62. Kxb5 Rf5+
63. Ka4 Rf8
64. b5 Rf4+
65. Ka5 Rf8
66. b6 Rf5+
67. Ka6 Rf8
68. Kb7 Rf7
69. Kb8

White has 90 seconds left - which I decide is enough time to finish it off, so Black resigned.

It is no disgrace to lose to a better player, and I was pleased that I was able to survive the kingside attack, but disappointed with the game which I was never in. Clearly further work required.