Thursday 2 November 2017
White: I. Lappin (118) - Black: K. Nevols (157)
My opponent for this game is a very difficult prospect. I have never played anyone with this style. Earlier in this blog I referred to shadow boxing - he will make seemingly innocent moves, develop calmly, then slowly advance. Although I won our two games last year, I was very fortunate - in the first, he missed some wins, in the second, he walked into a mate in one.
The plan was to do likewise - don't get involved in tactics - build advantages - and see what happens.
1. c4
The English Opening - to which I reply with a system which I had known as the 'Dutch with e5'
1. ... e5
2. a3
Is he planning a St Georges Defence in reverse - with b4 and Bb2? I briefly considered 2. .. a5 to prevent that, but brought myself back to earth.
2. .... d6
3. g3 f5
4. d3 Nf6
5. Bg2 Be7
6. b3 O-O
7. Nc3
So White is playing a double fianchetto, delaying the development of the king's knight and keeping me guessing as to what he will do with his king. 7. .. c6 is recommended to protect d5 and the long diagonal but I wanted to stabilise the queenside first.
7. .... a5
8. Nd5 Nxd5
I decided to exchange his one active piece and assumed he would now play 9. cxd5 to which I was considering replying with Bf6 and Na6. White took with the bishop which, as we will see, helps me as the King is now safely tucked away.
9. Bxd5+ Kh8
10. Bg2 Nc6
Still developing nicely, I was satisfied so far.
11. e3 Qe8
I thought maybe White was now considering advancing his central pawns and so I prepared for the opening against his king.
12. Bb2 Bf6
13. Nh3
13. Ne2 might have been more solid as this knight is out of the way. I thought he was preparing f4.
If 13. Nf3 then 13. .. e4 14. Nd4 Ne5 gets the advantage for Black. (15. dxe4 fxe4 16. Bxe4?? Nxc4 17. bxc4 Qxe4 18. Rg1 c5).
13. .... Qg6
A favourite square for my queen which puts White off castling kingside.
14. Qd2 Bd7
The immediate 14. .. Rb8 might have been better. I feared 15. Bxc6 bxc6 16. Qxa5 completely overlooking that 16. .. Rxb3 was now possible and the threat of f4 against the undefended knight is deadly.
The computer recommendation is the sequence which begins 14. ... f4 and then 15. exf4 Bxh3 16. Bxh3 exf4 17. Bxf6 Qxf6 18. O-O Qh6 19. Bg2 fxg3 20. Qxh6 gxf2+ 21. Rxf2 gxh6. But this looks like a draw to me - Black is a pawn up but his king is open, he has the knight against a bishop, and the extra pawn is doubled.
Delaying Rb8 may have meant my opponent had not seen the forthcoming manoeuvre. 14. ...Rb8 15. Ke2 might have been interesting although a future f4 could have tried to open lines again.
15. O-O-O Rab8
Other interesting moves are 15. .. a4, 15. .. Qh6 and 15. .. Qh5 - the latter two forcing either Ng1 or f4. I expected 16. d4 and indeed the computer confirms that the position would then be equal. I tried to work out the complications when White surprised me by going the other way.
16. f4
Although this ends any ideas I had of f4 (although now the king has gone off to the queenside, I had already given up on f4 ideas), I was pleased to see this. I had feared the prospect of his knight getting to f4 and then on to d5.
16. .... b5!
And now the attack is on. I figured that 17. Qc2 was now essential to avoid the opening of the b-file.
17. Rhg1?!
This allows the possibility of Bxc6 without worrying about Bxc6 in return, and White could think about ideas based around g4. However it allows Black to open the b-file - and an open file with a rook in the general direction of the other king always seems to be a good idea.
Had White played 17. Qc2 then Black should play 17. .. e4 and then double the rooks on the b-file.
17. .... bxc4
18. bxc4
I gave a lot of thought about that pawn on a5 and whether I should let it go and, if I did, what advantage could I get. For example, 18. . Rb7 19. fxe5 dxe5 20. Bxc6? Bxc6 21. Qxa5 - overlooking that Black could now play 21. .. Qh6 with advantage. Moving the queen to the h-file was a possibility I continually overlooked.
The best move for Black may be 18. .. e4. If then 19. Bxf6 Qxf6 20. d4 Black can play 20... Rb3! or 19. d4 Rb3 20. Qe2 Rfb8 21. Rd2 Be6. I got this far but could not see anything clear to break through, so took a brief timeout to protect the pawn just in case I needed it later on.
18. ..... a4
White should now play 19. fxe5 dxe5 20. d4. He needs to open up the centre and make some squares for his pieces. Black might have an edge but the centre is a bit fragile with an isolated pawn on c7. An interesting move in this line might be 20. .. Qh6 21. dxe5 Rxb2!? If then 22. Qxb2 Qxe3+ 23. Kc2 (23. Kb1 Rb8) Bxe5 or 22. Kxb2 Nxe5 23. Ka2 Be6.
The prospect of sacrificing the rook for bishop on b2 was one I kept in mind but I could not see how to make use of it. While White was able to close the centre, it was not possible to exploit.
19. d4? e4
The centre is now closed and the White kingside pieces are out of the game - although I did wonder if he was considering an attack based around g4. At the moment, 20. g4 can simply be answered by 20. .. Qxg4.
Black could also play 19. .. exd4 20. exd4 Rb3 but I did not want to risk any White counterplay based around the open e-file. White now sets up a defence while Black builds on the b-file.
20. Kc2 Qf7
21. Bf1
I had expected 21. Qe2 when I had planned 21. .... Na5. Black could now play 21. .. Be6 but I wanted to get that b-file.
21. ..... Rb3
22. Rb1 Rfb8
If 23. Ng5 on this or previous moves I had intended 23. .. Qg8. I now had 19 minutes to reach move 35.
23. Nf2
White continues to plan for 23. g4 as well as considering the defensive move 23. Nd1. I had planned to answer g4 with g6 so I could keep the bishop on the long diagonal. I invested some precious minutes into seeing if there was a breakthrough here - and then saw it.
23. .... Nxd4+!!
24. exd4 e3
In itself this does not immediately gain material. I saw 25. Qe1 Rxb2+ 26. Rxb2 Rxb2+ 27. Kxb2 Bxd4+ and then exf2 , so I expected 25. Qe2 exf2 26. Qxf2 - had I got here, I liked to think I would have seen 26. .. c5.
But after 25. Qe2 then 25. ... Bc6! is stronger, coming to e4 with devastation. 26. Nd3 Qxc4+ 27. Kd1 Be4 or 26. Nd1 Be4+ 27. Kc1 Bxb1 28. Kxb1 Bxd4.
White uses the third option for the queen.
25. Qd1 exf2
26. Rg2 Bc6
26. .. c5 and 26. .. Qe6 are also strong moves.
27. Rxf2 Be4+
28. Kc1
28. .. Bxb1 29. Kxb1 Rxa3 should win, and 28. .. c5 does win. But I wanted something clearer.
I noticed another combination, but needed to use the bathroom and had ten minutes left for eight moves. I dashed off while playing over the position in my head. Unfortunately I was beaten to the staircase by a large chap who ascended with the speed of a tortoise. I kept dancing behind him but could not overtake - conscious that my clock was ticking.
Eventually I got back with eight minutes left - quickly checked my sequence and then played ..
28. ... Rc3+
29. Kd2 Rc2+!?
This is not the best move. Had he noticed the error, Black should go back with 29. .. Rcb3 and then play c5.
I did not consider that White could now play 30. Qxc2 Bxc2 31. Kxc2. Black should still win but it would not be as clear cut as it could be.
30. Ke1 Rxf2
31. Kxf2 Bxb1
The position I had in my head after my 28th move. 32. Qxb1 Bxd4+ was the next move in my mind. White goes a different way.
32. Bc3 Rb3
33. Bb4 Qe7
The entrance of the queen finishes off the black king.
34. Qd2 Qe4
35. Be2 Bxd4+
36. Ke1 Qh1+
37. Bf1 Re3+
White now resigned. If 38. Kd1 Qxf1+ mates. If 38. Kf2 Rf3+ 39. Ke1 Qe1++.
A very satisfactory win against a difficult opponent - and for the club championship I was on four out of four.
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