Thursday 9 November 2017
White: K. Nevols (157) - Black: H. Cove (170)
I had played my opponent before but we were wearing different hats - it was a game between Weald of Kent and Swale (Game 24) where I was fortunate to escape with a draw.
1. e4 c5
And another game in the closed Sicilian.
2. Nc3 Nc6
3. f4 g6
4. Nf3 Bg7
5. Be2
This modest deployment of the bishop is now my preference over the more aggressive Bb5.
5. .... e6
6. O-O Nge7
If 6. .. Nf6 Black might fear 7. e5. There is an interesting pawn sacrifice after 7. .. Nd5 with 8. Ne4!? Nxf4 9. Nd6+ Kf8 10. d4 Nxe2+ 11. Qxe2 where White could get some pressure down the f-file.
7. Qe1 Nd4
8. Bd1 d5
9. d3
My preference so I can meet 9. .. dxe4 with 10. Nxe4 and follow up with c3 at some stage with perhaps Bb3.
9. ... O-O
10. Ne2 b6
11. c3 Nxf3
12. Rxf3 Bb7
The computer now gives Black a small edge with those well-placed bishops and the tension in the centre. My next move is more or less forced - as opening the centre and the diagonal with 13. exd5 would be a mistake.
13. Ng3 Qd7
13. .. h5! is more energetic and a move I was worried about. While it can be a risk to move the pawns in front of your king, White is getting slightly cramped and that knight on g3 does not have a lot of options. Perhaps best is 14. Bc2 h4 15. Nf1 Nc6 and the game is equal.
I was not sure why 13. .. Qd7 was played but now I had a big think how to continue the attack. The rook on f3 needs to be moved. I considered 14. Qf1 with the idea of pushing down the f-file. I also looked at 14. Rf2 with the idea of Rd2 or Re2. In the end I decided to go back to base.
14. Rf1? Ba6!
And I completely overlooked this move. Now admitting the mistake and going back with 15. Rf3 is an option which gives Black another chance to play 15. .. h5. But it looked weird. 15. Bc2 exd4 16. Qxe4 left me with a weak d-pawn and so I had to move the bishop the other way.
15. Be2 Rae8
Again 15. .. h5 is more aggressive and 15. .. Nc6 is also to be considered. Now I had to sort out my pieces before I could go over on to the attack. I wanted to move that knight on g3 back to the centre, so I needed to vacate the e2 square, therefore I needed to defend the d3 pawn by some other way.
I also looked at 16. a4 opening up a front on the left but after 14. .. Nc6 there is nothing there.
16. Qd1 Qc6?!
Another surprise. Nc6 and h5 are still good options but I did not understand this move which takes away a good square from the knight and gives me extra time to sort out the defence.
17. Rf2
Gives the knight a square to drop back to, and/or relocate to e3, defends the bishop on e2, and allows the bishop to move without worrying about the pin of dxe4. Not bad for one move but should have been played on move 14.White now has 17 minutes left for 18 moves (!) while Black had 22.
17. .... Rd8
18. Qc2 Rd7
So this was Black's plan all along - to double up on the d-file. Time to get moving.
19. f5?!
If now 19. .. exf5 20. exf5 gxf5 21. Nxf5 Nxf5 22. Rxf5 then Black has good play with 22.... d4 or 22. ... Qg6. But the path he takes is also fine.
19. ...... dxe4
20. dxe4 Bxe2
21. Qxe2 exf5
22. exf5
And now 22. .. gxf5 23. Nxf5 Nxf5 24. Rxf5 and the position is level. The computer suggests 24. .. Qe6 to give Black a passed pawn after 25. Qxe6 but 25. Qg4 would be better.
Then just as I thought the game was drifting to a draw - Black blunders.
22. ........Qd5??
23. f6 Qd1+
Black was relying on 24. Qxd1 Rxd1+ 25. Rf1 Rxf1+ 26. Kxf1 Bxf6 but White does not have to exchange queens.
24. Rf1
I was going to win a piece with a pawn and began to look at the position after 24. .. Qxe2 25. Nxe2 Bxf6 26. Rxf6 Rd1+ 27. Kf2 when Black decided to resign instead.
Rochester v Hastings
Keith Hyde (166) 0-1 Paul Kelly (170)
Keith Nevols (157) 1-0 Henry Cove (170)
Martin Tsatsarov (136) 1/2-1/2 James Wheeler (159)
Vytautas Gedminas (130) 1-0 Marc Bryant (136)
David Page (122) 0-1 Marc Woodhams (136)
Jerry Pol (120) 1/2-1/2 Derek Cosens (129)
Rochester 3-3 Hastings
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