Thursday 11 May 2017
White: K. Nevols (134) - Black: A. Gillard (113)
With four games to go, I was 1.5 points behind the two leaders, so this was a must-win game.
1. e4 c5
2. Nc3
Another Closed Sicilian. I had won my last four games with this opening.
2. ... e6
3. f4 d6
4. Nf3 Nc6
5. Be2
I had lost interest in the Bb5 system and now prefer to keep this bishop for the moment.
5. ... a6
If I knew anything about the Najdorf I could play 6. d4 here and try to exploit the delay in development of the king's knight. But I don't - so I stick to what I do know.
6. O-O Qc7
7. d3 Bd7
An unusual place to put the bishop. I had expected b5 and Bb7.
8. Qe1 Nf6
Now I enter that age-old question - where will Black put his king? The beauty of this system is that I can attack on either side of the board, but I did not want to start an attack if his king then disappears off somewhere else.
9. Kh1 Nb4
10. Bd1 Be7
11. Qg3
Time to get going. Not only does this threaten Qxg7 but I have some nice prospects with e5, or f5 and maybe Bf4.
11. .... Nh5
12. Qg4
12. Qh3 would be more accurate as I would then have the option of g4.
12. ... g6
13. Ng5
Basically I am trying to force Black into making a commitment with his king, so I can then think of a plan. The computer now rates 13. .. Bf6 and says the game is level.
13. ... h6
14. Nxf7!? caught my eye with 14. .. Kxf7 15. f5.
I decided not to risk it but this actually is not bad. 15. .. exf5 16. exf5 Bxf5 17. Rxf5+ gxf5 18. Qxh5+ Kg7 19. a3! Nc6 20. Nd5 Qd7 21. Bd2! with an attack for the exchange. I did not get as far as 19. a3 and could not see anything more so decided I did not need to take the chance.
14. Nh3 O-O-O
My question is answered. Time to retreat the queen.
15. Qf3 Rdg8
And Black makes his intention clear. He is going to go for me on the kingside.
16. Qf2 f5?!
This surprised me. I could now see a nice square on d5 to place my knight.
17. a3 Nc6
18. exf5 Nd4
Black sacrifices a pawn! After 18. .. exf5 19.Nd5 Qd8 the knight looked good and White could consider 20. Nxe7 Bxe7 21. Bd2 with Bc3, or even 20. b4!? launching an attack on the king.
Now I rejected 19. fxg6 Nf6 straight away as I did not want the g-file open and instead went the other way.
19. fxe6
I had 34 minutes left for 15 more moves, my opponent had 42 minutes.
19. .. Bc6
20. Be3 Nxe6
A big think now but I could not see any obvious tactics for Black. I thought I had enough defensive resources.
21. Bg4!
Pinning the knight. 22 minutes left for 14 moves.
21. ... Ng7
22. Rae1?
Grabbing the open file. However 22. d4! is more energetic, exploiting the pin on the knight and threatening d5. If 22. .. cxd4 23. Bxd4 and the multitude of pins will ensure White wins material. If 22. ..Bd7 then 23. Nd5 Qd8 24. Nxe7 Qxe7 25. Rfe1 is good followed by dxc5 and Rad1.
An interesting idea could be for Black to sacrifice another pawn with 22. . d5!? 23. dxc5 Nf5.
As played, Black is given some time to unwind.
22. ... Kb8
23. Bf3 Nf5
24. Nd5 Qd8
Black is now going to play the g5 break and arguably has compensation for the pawn. Certainly I was getting uncomfortable here. Exchanging on e7 and then c6 may have been best to remove two of the Black pieces.
25. g3 g5?
White should now play 26. Nxe7. If 26. .. Qxe7 27. Bxc6 bxc6 28. g4 and the knight is short of squares. 28. .. Nxe3 29. Qxe3 will win a piece. 28. .. Ng7 29. f5 Rf8 30. Qg3! with all sorts of threats, or 28. .. Nh4 29. f5 Rf8 30. Bd2.
A better move for Black would have been 25. .. Re8 or even 25. .. Rh7 both adding to the defence.
I did not see 26. Nxe7 and just closed the barricades.
26. Bg2 g4
27. Ng1 h5
28. .. h4 looks very uncomfortable so it is time (belatedly) to get rid of some pieces.
28. Nxe7 Qxe7
29. Bxc6 bxc6
30. Qg2?
Eight minutes left for five moves. At the time, I was quite pleased with this move, but afterwards discovered that 30 .. h4! and it is nearly all over. 31. Bf2 hxg3 32. Bxg3 Rh7. (31. Qxc6?? hxg3).
Better is 30. Ne2 or 30. Bd2.
30. ... Kc7
31. Qe4
I did not see 31. Bxc5 dxc5 32. Qe4 which looks winning but Black can bash out 32. .. Nxg3+! 33. hxg3 h4 and White must play 34. Ne2 hxg3+ 35. Kg1 (35. .. Qh4 36. Qg2 hangs on and the position is equal).
The text move just looked right - centralising the queen.
31. ... Qf6
32. Bf2
32. Bd2 might have been more accurate but I was still worried about the defence of g3 and h4.
32. .... Kd7
Again 32. .. h4! is strong.
33. Kg2
Although Black is a pawn down, and has doubled pawns, he still has a strong attack. The computer recommends 33. b4 to open up the pawn cover around the Black king but my plan here was to get the King out of the corner and get a rook to h1.
But now 33. .. Ned4! is very strong - nearly winning. The threat is Re8 trapping the queen. If 34. Bxd4 cxd4 35. Qe2 Ne3+. White's only move is to retract the last move with 34. Kh1 to free up the g2 square and after 34. .. Re8 35. Qg2 Nxc2 Black has his pawn back with a dominant position - Ne3 is coming.
33. ... h4?
There is some irony in that Black finally plays this move but too late.
34. Ne2 hxg3
35. hxg3
I made the time control with two minutes spare.
35. .... Rh6
36. Rh1
With this move, and the h-file defended, I breathed a sigh of relief.
36. .... R8h8
37. b4
Again a belated plan - to break up the pawn cover around Black's king.
37. .... Re8?
I suddenly saw 37. .. Ned4 and wondered if the queen would be in trouble but 38. Nxd4 is simple enough. Black should play 37. .. Rxh1 before any ideas of Re8. Now White can win material.
38. Rxh6 Nxh6
39. Qc4 Qf5
40. bxc5 Nf7
41. Nd4
White counter attacks in the centre and Black seeks a desperate swindle.
41. ... Nxf4
42. gxf4 Qxf4
43. Rxe8
If now 43. .. Kxe8 then 44. Qe6+ wins more material.
43. .... d5
44. Qxa6 Kxe8
45. Qxc6
Black now resigned to end a very tough game.
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