Thursday 25 May 2017
White: K. Hyde (167) - Black: K. Nevols (134)
If I was going to win the club championship, I really had to win this game. My opponent, graded far higher than I, was 1.5 points ahead of me and we each had three games left.
1. d4 f5
2. g3 Nf6
3. Bg2 e6
4. Nf3 Be7
5. O-O O-O
6. c4 d6
7. Nc3
The standard position of the Leningrad Dutch. I decided to follow the recommendation of GM Simon Williams.
7. .... a5
The idea being to hold up any White queenside play.
8. Re1 Ne4
To prevent e4.
9. Nxe4 fxe4
10. Nd2 d5
11. f3 exf3
12. Nxf3
Believe it or not, this is all theory - and it s here where my memory ran out.
I considered two moves and chose the wrong one. Black should play 12. .. c5, an active move to hit the centre and meet 13. Be3 with 13. .. Nbd7. But I wanted to play the knight more directly into the centre, to hit d4 with pieces and follow with Bf6.
The computer recommends 12. .. dxc4 but this just looks ugly - opening up the bishop diagonal from g2 and leaving Black with a backward isolated pawn on e6. 13. Qc2 could regain the pawn with advantage (13. ..b5 14. Ng5) unless Black tries 13. .. Qd5 and White could consider 14. Rd1 or 14. Bf4 with Rad1, or even 14. e4 and should get enough play for the pawn.
12. ... Nc6
13. Bf4
The move 13. .. g5 attracted me with 14. Be3 g4. I will come back to this idea.
13. .... Bf6
The time limit was 35 moves in 75 minutes and then 15 more minutes for the rest of the game. By now, White had 48 minutes for 22 moves while I had 40.
14. Rc1
White is targeting the c7 point. I considered shoring up the d5 point with 14. .. Ne7 but instead decided to advance and see what happens.
14. ..... g5
I later discovered that the computer recommended this as the best move and classed the game as equal.
15. Be3 g4
16. Ne5
16. Nh4 is the main alternative, although it does keep the knight out of play.
16. ... Nxe5
17. dxe5 Bxe5
18. cxd5 Bxb2
19. Rc2 Be5
The bishop is very well placed here and we are still equal.
20. Bh6 Rf7
20. .. Re8 might have been more accurate but I wanted to keep some pressure down the f-file. The clock was becoming a major factor here - I was down to 15 minutes for 15 moves - my opponent had 30 minutes.
21. dxe6 Bxe6
22. Bxb7
22. .. Qf6? got my attention but there is nothing after 23. Bxa8 Qf2+ 24. Kh1.
22. .... Rb8
23. Bg2
With seven minutes left, do I take the queen and play for the draw - or do I go for the attack and play for the win? Well, I had to win the game so why not?
23. ... Qf6
24. Be3 Rd8
24. .. Rd7 might have been a wiser move, keeping some control of the b-file.
25. Qc1 Bd4
By now, I was thoroughly enjoying myself and wished I had more time to work out the complexities. I was convinced there was a win somewhere.
26. Rf1
After the game, a colleague asked us about the remarkable queen sacrifice - 26. ...Bxe3+ 27. Qxe3+ Qxf1+!?! 28. Bxf1 Rd1. If 29. Qxe6 then Black can force a draw with 29. .. Rxf1+ 30. Kg2 Rf2+.
White could try 29. Qg5+ Kh8 30. Qe5+ Kg8 31. Kg2 Rdxf1 32. e4 and should be able to hold off the attack and win the game.
26. ... Qe5
This is best though. Keeping up the pressure.
27. Bxd4 Rxf1+
28. Bxf1 Qxd4+
29. e3
Had White played 29. Qxf1 then he would not have had this option.
I considered 29. .. Qd1 30. Rxc7 Qxc1 31. Rxc1 Bxa2 32. Ra1 and then Rxa5. White is a passed pawn ahead and may well go on to win. Even 29. ... Qe4 keeps some pressure on to concern White.
Instead, very low on time, I blunder - a shame as I had fought quite well so far.
29. ...... Qb6???
30. Rc6
Now I knew the game was up. White comfortably finishes off.
30. ... Qb7
31. Rxe6 Qf3
32. Qc4! Kh8
33. Qe2 Qf5
34. Rc6 Rf8
35. Qb2+ Kg8
36. Bc4+ Resigns
A very well played game by my opponent who, as far as I can see, made no mistakes.
My unbeaten run of 19 games over three months had come to an end.
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