Game 95 - club match. Hastings v Swale

Hastings vs Swale - En Passant Cup - Board Two

Saturday 25 February 2018

White: H. Cove (170) - Black: K. Nevols (157)

Another trip to the south coast. Although my opponent is rated higher than I, my record of one win and one draw against him is not too bad.

1. d4 f5
2. Nf3 Nf6
3. g3 e6
4. Bg2 Be7

As Black is delaying his c-pawn, and hence a White d5 is not yet possible, then maybe I should have taken the opportunity to play Nc6.

5. O-O O-O
6. c4 d6
7. Nc3 a5

So by way of a slightly different move order, we have reached the standard Leningrad Dutch.

8. b3

This is considered to be the new main line - and I could not remember what comes next.
The recommendation by GM Simon Williams is 8. ... Ne4 9. Bb2 Nxc3 10. Bxc3 Qe8 preparing to come to h5. Or 9. Qc2 Nxc3 10. Qxc3 Bf6 is also a possibility.

Instead I choose to get the attack rolling.

8. ....  Qe8
9. Ba3!?

An interesting move - the point of which I did not understand. Presumably White is thinking of a future pawn to c5.

9.....       Qg6?!

Not a good square for the queen. 9. .. Qh5 would have been better but I was worried about it being exposed. The best move would have been 9. ... Ne4.



We both overlooked the cunning 10.Ne5! exploiting the pin created by White's last move. As 10. ... Qh5 11. e3 and 10. .. Qh6 11. Bc1 favoured White then Black would have to play 10. ... Qe8 after which 11. Nd3 and White is better.

10. Qc2 Nc6

As now 11. d5 can be answered with 11. .. Nb4.

11. Rad1 Nb4

After a big think I decided to play this anyway. I now had 53 minutes left for 24 moves (the limit is 35 moves in 75 minutes and then 15 for the rest).

12. Qb1

And now another big think. The time really flies when you are concentrating. I was considering 12. .. Ng4 with maybe e5 and/or Bf6. Instead I went for the other option - this time I got the better move - but was now down to 30 minutes for 23 moves.

12. ........Ne4

I thought that 13. Nxe4 fxe4 14. Nd2 d5 would be in my favour. White agrees and decides to accept that he wasted a move earlier.

13. Bb2 Bf6
14. a3 Nc6

And now I have twenty minutes left for 21 moves.

15. Nxe4

The computer says that this gives away White's advantage and instead recommends 15. Nh4 Bxh4 16. gxf4 Nxc3 17. Bxc3 and then if White plays 17. .. Qg4 to try to round up the h-pawn there is 18. Qb2! threatening d5.

With the minutes ticking by, I was glad to see 15. Nxe4 as it did not look quite right and gave me some play while White tried to now undermine the centre.

15. ...  fxe4
16. Ne1

Now on 16. Nh4 Bxh4 17. gxf4 Black would have 17. ... Rf4 followed by .... e5.

16. ......  d5
17. f3 e5?!

Well, I had to go for it. This opens up the centre for the cost of a pawn.



18. dxe5 Nxe5
19. Rxd5

If 19. exd5 then Black's best would be 19. .. exf3 20. Nxf3 (not 20. Qxg6?? Nxg6) Nxf3+ 21. Bxf3 Bf5 and try to get compensation for the pawn.

19.. .....Be6?

Developing a piece with tempo seemed obvious but I am gambling that White will not play 20. Rxe5! Bxe5 21. Bxe5 where he will have two pieces for the rook and be much better.

20. Rb5

... and the gamble works.

20. ...... Nd7

20. .. exf3 21. Nxf3 Qxb1 22. Rxb1 Bf5 is an alternative which White could meet with 23. Nxe5 Bxb1 24. Bxb7 Rad8 25. Bd5+.

21. fxe4

So now I am two pawns down, his pieces were very active, and the clock was rapidly running out of time. On the other hand, White is also very short of time, and I have some very good bishops, which I try to put one to use.

21. ....  Bg5
22. Nf3

White could have played 22. Rxf8+ Rxf8 23. Rxb7 - but is still well ahead.

22. .....Be3+
23. Kh1 Nf6
24. Bxf6 Rxf6
25. Qd3 Qh6

White has had several opportunities to take the pawn on b7 and it is my fortune that he has not taken any of them.

26. Nh4



I got lost in thought here about how to cobble together a defence and perhaps some type of counter attack. With horror, I then glanced at my clock and saw that it was approaching two minutes - for ten moves!! - I had better get on with it. The next few moves were played almost instantaneously.

26. .... Rxf1+
27. Bxf1 Rf8

Made sense to bring the last guy in.

28. Nf5 Bxf5
29. Rxf5 Re8

White too was running very low on time so I need to keep pieces on to see if I could complicate matters. I have my eyes on those e-pawns.

30. Qd5+ Qe6
31. Bg2

Defending the e4 pawn but 31. Qxe6+ Rxe6 32. Rxa5 Rxe4 33. Bg2 would be better.

31. ..... Qxd5
32. exd5 Bc5
33. e4 Bxa3
34. e5?

A mistake. White needs to play 34. Rf2 and get behind the pawns.

34. ........Bc5?

And another mistake. Simply 34. .. g6 (35. Rg5 Bc1) would have won the e-pawn.

35. e6 b6

Made it. White had one minute and eleven seconds left, while I only had seventeen seconds.

We both had time to now scrutinise what we were left with. Although I am a pawn down, I thought that if I could get all my pawns on black squares I would have a chance of holding on. That bishop on c5 is very well placed.

36. Be4 h6

This might have been a wrong calculation. Maybe I should have played Rf8 and g6.

37. Kg2 Rf8
38. Kf3 Rxf5
39. Bxf5 Kf8
40. h4



And with this move White offered a draw which, after the previous adventures, I was glad to take. It is hard to see how White could break through if Black just sits tight.


Hastings v Swale

Paul Kelly (170) 1/2-1/2 Keith Hyde (166)
Henry Cove (170) 1/2-1/2 Keith Nevols (157)
James Wheeler (159) 1-0 Vytautas Gedminas (136)
Mason Woodhams (136) 1-0 Tyrone Jefferies (116)
Keith Hossack (113) 0-1 Rob Woolacott (90)
Umberto Joe Jozwiak (90) 0-1 Barry Sawyer (90)

Hastings 3-3 Swale

Game 94 - County U-160 Championship - Kent v Surrey

Kent v Surrey - Board One

Saturday 24 February 2018

White: T. Jones (156) - Black: K. Nevols (157)

This match took place at St Justus Church near Rochester.

1. c4

The English Opening. I do not face that very often. Some years ago I learnt an aggressive system of defence which was described as 'the Dutch defence with e5'. As I am now a Dutch player myself, it makes sense to try that system.

1. ..... e5

2. Nc3 f5

The idea is to play the knights to c6 and f6, the bishops to e7 and d7, castle, and then play Qe8-h5/g6 with f4 and get an attack going - hopefully against White's castled king.

3. d3 Nf6

4. Bg5 Be7

5. g3 O-O

6. Bg2 Nc6

7. e3 Qe8?!

Now that White has blocked the bishop's retreat then 7. .. h6 is better forcing 8. Bxf6 Bxf6. Then 9. Nd5 can be answered by 9. .. e4 and 9. Bd5 Kh8 isn't much.

My move is playing a reversed closed Sicilian and thinking how I can get e4 in.

8. Nge2 d6

I had delayed .. d6 up to now in case there were opportunities for Bb4, Bc5 or d5. Now having decided to play this like a reversed Sicilian it is time to develop the queen's bishop. The computer prefers 8. ... Qh5.

9. Bxf6 Bxf6

10. Nd5 Bd8

11. b4

And so we begin. White uses a three move sequence, and delaying castling, to begin an offensive - and here I used the advantage of a longer time limit than usual (35 moves in 105 minutes and then 30 moves for the rest of the game) to have an epic think.

The reason for my thoughts was the move 11. .... f4!?

I went through 12. gxf4 exf4 13. Ndxf4 Nxb4 - where 14. Qb3 Nc6 15. c5+ Kh8 16. cxd6 cxd6 leaves me with a weak pawn saddled in the middle of the board - or 14. ... c5 15. a3 Nc6 - or 12. gxf4 exf4 13. Nexf4 Nxb4 which is much the same thing with a white knight on d5 instead of e2.

If 12. exf4 exf4 13. gxf4 Nd4 looks more threatening than it actually is.

I looked at lines involving Bg4 or hitting a knight on f4 with g5, and trying to see if I could get those bishops into the action. With my pieces in the centre it is tempting to try to open up the game but I could not see any definite way to get an advantage.

The computer's best line after 11. .. f4 is 12. gxf4 exf4 13. Nexf4 Nxb4 14. O-O g5!? 15. Ne2 Na6.

But in the end I decided to remain solid. And, the last word, after 11. b4 the computer's recommendation is 11. .. a6.

11. .....  Ne7

12. Nxe7+ Bxe7

13. O-O Qg6

I am still thinking of how I can get f4 in - but perhaps 13. ... c6 is better, freeing up the bishop and blocking the long diagonal.

14. b5!

This is well timed and the grip on my queenside is to cause me many problems.

14. .....  Rb8

I gave some thought to 14. .. Bg5 here but decide I need to organise the development.

15. Nc3 Bd8

16. Qa4!

Spotting a weakness. My position is beginning to be a mess and I to think how to sort this out. For now, the only thing I could do was to admit that Rb8 was a mistake.

16. .....  Ra8

17. f4

I was pleased to see this. While it is understandable that White would seek to open the position with the Black bishops on the back row, it also opens up a diagonal which might give me some activity. Could White instead play 17. Qc2 with a4 to build up a queenside initiative?

17. .....   exf4

18. exf4 Bf6

19. Nd5

However I had overlooked this was possible. Obviously if 19. .. Bxa1??? then 20. Ne7+.
Black could play 19. .. Bd4+ 20. Kh1 Rf7 but with just 24 minutes left for 16 moves I sounded the retreat.

19. ......  Bd8?!

White can use the open e-file and his better placed pieces to build up an initiative.
 

20. Rfe1 Re8?

A blunder as both sides overlook a killer blow for White, but it is hard to advise Black.
If 20. ... Qf7 then 21. Nb6! will win material (21. .... cxb6 22. Bd5).
If 20. ... Bd7 then 21. Ne7+ Bxe7 22. Rxe7 Qf6 23. Rae1 and White is much better.
Perhaps Black should play the grovelling 20. ... Kh8.


 

21. Kf1

The winning move is 21. b6! - not the easiest to see. Black is forced to play 21. .. c6 when White cashes in with 22. Qxa7!! - then 22. .. Rxa7 23. bxa7 cxd5 24. a8 (=Q).

The computer has come up with another long line -  24. Bd5+ Be6 25. Rxe6 (25. a8(=Q)??? Bb6+) Bb6+ 26. Kf1 Kf8 27. Rxg6 hxg6 28. Rb1 Bxa7 29. Rxb7 Re7 30. Rxe7 and White is two pawns up but it would be an opposite coloured bishop ending - White should win it but it would take some work.

21. .....  Kf8

22. Rxe8+ Qxe8

23. Re1 Qh5

I'm grimly hanging on.
 

24. Kg1 Qf7

25. Qb4 a5

Phew! For the last few moves, the queenside had been a vice preventing me from activating those pieces. I now had hopes of breaking out.
 

26. Qa3 Qd7

27. d4 c6

28. bxc6 bxc6

29. Ne3

And 29. .. Bf6 makes the position level. With four minutes left for seven moves, I make a mistake.



29. ... Rb8?
30. Nxf5

I simply did not see that was possible. Obviously if 30. ... Qxf5 then 31. Qxd6+.

My mood was dark that I did not see that 30. ... c5 regains the pawn with 31. Nd3 cxd4, although the pawns get difficult to defend. Instead I advance the rook and get it trapped.

30. ....   Rb4?

31. Ne3 Bb6?
32. Qd3 Kg8

If Black had played 32. .. Rb2, to meet 33. Qxh7 with Bxd4, White gets a strong initiative with 33. Be4.

And now 33. a3 Rb2 34. Nd1 forces 34. .. Rxg2. But White finds another way to pick up the rook.

 

33. Nc2 Rb2

34. Qc3 Rxc2

34. ... Rxa2 is met with 35. c5! Rxc2 36. Qxc2 Bd8 37. Qe4. I decided a central pawn would be worth more than the a-pawn.
 

35. Qxc2 Bxd4+

36. Kh1 c5

White can win with 37. Bd5+ Kh8 38. Qe4 but his position is very powerful, there is another way to win.

37. Qe4 Ba6

And now I waited for 38. Qa8+ and prepared to resign. 38. .... Bc8 39. Bc6 and Re8+.



38. Qd5+?

A let-off.This check allows me to defend the e8 square.

38. ....   Kf8

39. Qa8+ Qc8

40. Qxc8?

And I was happy to see this. With Qd5 and Re6 White would overwhelm Black. With the queens off, although White is still winning, he now has some work to do.

40. ......Bxc8

41. Bc6 Bh3

41. .. Ba6 sets a crafty trap as 42. Bb5??? walks into 42. ... Bb7 and mate - but 42. Bd5 is simple enough.

42. Re8+ Kf7

43. Ra8 Bc3

44. Bd5+ Kf6

45. Rf8+ Ke7

46. Rf7+ Ke8

47. Rb7 h6

My plan is simple. Try to keep his king locked in, put the pawns on black squares, and just defend.


 

48. Rb3 Bb4

49. a3 Bd2

50. Rd3

White can force Black's king away with 50. Rb8+ Ke7 51. Rb7+ Kf6 52. Rf7+ Kg6 53. Rf8 with Be4+ to come.

50. ......  Bc1

51. a4 Bd7

52. Rd1 Ba3

53. Be4 Ke7

54. Ra1 Bb4

55. Kg2

The king has escaped!

55. .....   Kf6

56. Kf3 g5?!

Exchanging pawns seemed an idea but not on the side where I am a pawn down. Continuing to sit tight with 56. .. Bc3 is better.
 

57. fxg5 hxg5

It might now be hard to defend the g5 pawn.
 

58. Rd1 Ke7

59. Bc2 Bc3

60. g4 Bc6+

61. Ke3 Be5



By now the entire hall - which originally had 64 players in two 16-board county matches, was empty - all the sets put away, and a crowd around our game patiently waiting for us to finish. I felt I had defended well so far - the e5 bishop is well placed. But just needed to continue to hold.
 

62. h3 Bg2?

Any king move to a black square is better. Now White has 63. Be4 which will force the exchange of the bishops (63. ... Bxh3?? 64. Kf3 and 65. Rh1).
 

63. Rb1

Here I realised that I could not take the h-pawn because of the same Kf3 - trapping the bishop.

63. ...   Bd4+

64. Ke2 Ke6

65. Kd2 Bxh3

Now it is safe.
 

66. Bf5+ Ke5

67. Rb5 Bf1

68. Bd3 Bh3

69. Be2 d5

69. .. Kf4 70. Rxa5 Bxg4 71. Bxg4 Kxg4 and White is better although still having to work. I decide to exchange off more pawns.
 

70. cxd5 Kxd5

71. Rxa5 Ke4

72. Ra8 Kf4

73. Rf8+




73. .....Ke4?

No!! After great defence I overlook the possibility of 73. .. Kg3 74. Rf5 Kh4. The position would still hinge on whether White can get that a-pawn moving, of if I could somehow sacrifice a bishop for it and get down to a rook v bishop ending.

74. Bf3+ Ke5

75. Rf5+

Not only does the g-pawn drop but the bishop remains trapped on h3. So one line is 75. .. Ke6 76. Ke2 c4 77. Rxg5 c3 78. Rh5 c2 (the only way to free the bishop) 79. Kd2 Bf1 80. Kxc2. White would be the exchange up with two passed pawns.

I could have fought on but with time running low, and my opponent did deserve the win, so I resigned. A lesson in the importance of concentrating all the way through the game.
 

Game 93 - Swale Club Championship 2017-18 - Round Eight

Swale Club Championship - Round Eight

Thursday 22 February 2018

White: K. Nevols (157) - Black: A. Gillard (115)

1. e4 c5
2. Nc3 e6
3. f4 d6
4. Nf3 a6
5. d3 Nc6
6. g3

This time in the Closed Sicilian I play a kingside fianchetto which could be useful if Black is thinking of b5. Now 6. ... d5 is level.

6.   ....  Nf6
7. Bg2 Be7
8. O-O O-O

Now time for a plan. I wanted to play Be3 at some point but then Black's Ng4 can be annoying and so I decide to prevent that, as well as leave the option open for g4 and Qe1-h4.

9. h3 Rb8

Black gets the rook off the long diagonal as well as preparing b5.
9. ... Qb6 might have been an improvement which I could have answered with 10. Kh2.



10. e5?!

Not good. I should have prepared further with 10. Kh2 or 10. Qe1. The plan was to meet 10.... dxe5 11. fxe5 Nd5 with 12. Ne4 or 11...  Nd7 with 12. Qe1. I figured the e5 pawn could be a nuisance to Black and I could build up an attack around it.

10. ....   Nd7
11. Re1

Better is 11. exd6 Bxd6 12. Be3 with a small edge.

11. ........dxe5

I had  thought this move was not possible but now saw the possibility of a fork with Qd4+. I had fallen for this before. After mentally kicking myself, I resigned to losing a pawn and tried to examine ways in which I could get compensation, before noticing the possibility of Bf4 skewering against the Black rook on b8. Breathing a sigh of relief, I continued.

12. fxe5 Ndxe5??

Black should have played 12. ... Ra8 or 12. .. Qb6 where White has an advantage and I would try moves like Rb1, Bf4, perhaps some sort of kingside play. But Black has missed something.

13. Nxe5

He had intended to play 13. ... Qd4+ and 14. .... Nxe5, or 13. ... Nxe5 14. Rxe5 Qd4+ and 15. .. Qxe5 but overlooked, in the first case, 15. Rxe5 Qxe5 16. Bf4, and in the second, 16. Bf4 - both of which pick up the rook on b8 and leave White a piece for a pawn up.

13. ...... Nxe5
14. Rxe5 Qd4+
15. Kh2

So now I am material up but I still have to be careful. I have less pieces defending my king and I know that my opponent likes to attack - and to sacrifice if necessary.



15. .....  Bd6
16. Re4 Qf2
17. Bf4

My plan was to exchange off the black queen and consolidate my advantage in material

17. .....  e5
18. Bxe5 Bxh3?

There is now nothing wrong with 19. Kxh3 but I decided to be cautious.

19. Re2 Qxg2+
20. Rxg2 Bxg2
21. Bxd6 Bc6
22. Bxb8 Rxb8
23. Qd2

With a pawn for the queen, Black now resigned - and my 100% record remained intact.

Game 92 - club match. Tunbridge Wells v Rochester

Tunbridge Wells v Rochester - Stephenson Cup - Board Two

Monday 19 February 2018

White: C Lucjan Karpinski (164) - Black: K. Nevols (157)

My second visit to Tunbridge Wells Chess Club which is upstairs above Tunbridge Wells Bridge Club. The Bridge was in full action with a large room packed full of tables, lots of people, supplies of tea, coffee and biscuits, and quite refreshing to see.

1. d4 f5
2. h3

The Korchnoi system - I knew about it but had not done enough work against it. The idea is to follow with a quick g4 and, in return for a sacrificed pawn - or possibly two - get a very strong attack against the Black kingside.

Simon Williams's suggestion is to meet this with a pawn sacrifice. 2. .. d6 3. g4 e5 4. dxe5 Nc6 5. exd6 Bxd6. I might give this a try next time.

After some thought, I manage to come up with a defence which works out fine.

2. ....  Nf6
3. g4

3. .... fxg4 4. hxg4 Nxg4 can get Black into all sorts of trouble with 5. e4 or 5. Qd3.

3. .....d5

I figured this would be safer. Taking a grip on e4 and developing the queen's bishop.

4. g5 Ne4
5. Bf4 e6
6. h4 Bd6

I was satisfied now and thought I had found a good solid defence.



7. Nh3 Bxf4?!

I was too cautious about getting the knight trapped and had overlooked that 7. .. Nc6 8. f3 could simply be answered by 8. .... Ng3. As played, my move just allows White to catch up with development.

8. Nxf4 Qd6
9. Nd3

The computer prefers 9. Qc1 but I think this move allows more flexibility, prepares a possible Ne5. and also clamps down on any Black ideas of c5. I am not brave enough to castle and think about playing f4, although that may be Black's best idea as White is still some way from full development.

9. ....  Nd7
10. e3 Qe7?!

Another backward development move when 10. .. O-O was a better option. I was nervous about castling in front of advanced kingside pawns, and also nervous about a possible h5 or Qh5+ in future. In that case, 10... b6 would have been another idea then if 11. Qh5+ g6 12. Qh6 Ba6.

The black queen is well-placed on d6 and it was foolish to move it. Now White could grab the initiative with 11. f3 Nd6 12. Nc3 or Nf4 - or 11. f3 Ng3 12. Rg1 Nxf1 13. Kxf1.

11. Nd2 Nxd2

Again castling is better although 11. .. e5 is interesting - perhaps leading to an ending after 12. dxe5 Nxe5 13. Nxe4 fxe4 14. Nxe5 Qxe5 15. Qd4 Qxd4 16. exd4 Rf8.

12. Qxd2

The computer says that Black has now lost any advantage and White has a slight edge. I must learn to play more ambitiously.

12. .....   c5

Aware that I was now behind on development I start off some exchanges to enter an ending.

13. dxc5

Back to the computer who recommends 13. O-O-O - it wants to put the knight back on f4.

13. ......  Nxc5
14. Nxc5 Qxc5
15. Qd4 Qxd4
16. exd4



My only chance of an advantage in this equal ending is to use the open c-file and advance on the queenside.

16......Bd7
17. Kd2 b5?

The first mistake. White has correctly decided to improve the position of his King and Black should have done likewise with 17. ... Kf7 before moving any pawns.

18. b4

Better is 18. Rh3 or 18. Re1.

18. ..... a5
19. bxa5 Rxa5
20. Bd3 Kf7

I considered 20. .. Ra4 - as I did not want my rook to be stuck on the a5 square - but after 21. c3 could not see anything.

My plan is now to bring the other rook over and hit the a-pawn but it is countered by an even better plan. White decides to sacrifice the a-pawn to bring his King into the centre.

21. Ke3! Rha8
22. Kf4 Rxa2
23. Rxa2 Rxa2
24. Ke5

So I am a pawn up but how do I progress further? The position of White's king cannot be bettered - but I fail to recognise that Black's rook is well placed too.



The best line is 24.... Ke7 25. Rb1 Be8! 26. Bxb5 and then not 26. ... Bxb5 but 26...... Rxc2! Then 27. Bxe8 can be answered by 27. .. Re2+ 28. Kf4 Re4+ 29. Kg3 Kxe8 and Black is a pawn up with a weak White pawn on d4.

I did not see any of this and instead made the big mistake of giving up the a-file.

24. .....   Ra6
25. Rb1 Rb6?
26. Ra1 Kg6

26. ... Ke7 holds tight.

27. Ra7

Black should play 27. ... Bc8 and White can force a draw with 28. Rc7 Bb7 29. Re7 Bc8 30. Rc7.

27. .......Be8??

The blunder! I had not seen the second move coming up.

28. Re7 Bf7

Although 28. ... Bc6 only loses a pawn, White is still clearly winning.

29. h5+

This is what I had missed. Now it is all over.

29.  ....Kxg5
30. Rxf7 Kh6
31. Re7 g6
32. hxg6 hxg6
33. Rxe6 Rb7
34. Bxf5 Resigns

A clever game played by White. He let a pawn go and gambled that Black would go wrong in a defensive ending - and he was correct in that.

The match as a whole was not a evening match as we were well beaten.


Tunbridge Wells v Rochester

Stephen Milford (167) 1/2-1/2 Keith Hyde (166)
C Lucjan Karpinski (164) 1-0 Keith Nevols (157)
Robin Wilson (163) 1-0 Vytautas Gedminas (130)
Russell Goodfellow (159) 1/2-1/2 Tyrone Jefferies (116)
David Tidmarsh (132) 1-0 Andrew Gillard (107)
Thomas Stevens (128) 1/2-1/2 Barry Sawyer (105)


Tunbridge Wells 4.5-1.5 Rochester