Swale Club Championship - Round Eleven
Thursday 12 April 2018
White: D. Simpson (113) - Black: K. Nevols (157)
My main rival for the championship had drawn with my opponent here, so I was keen to win to gain a half point.
My main rival for the championship had drawn with my opponent here, so I was keen to win to gain a half point.
1. d4 f5
2. Nc3
An off shoot blocking the c-pawn but getting quick piece play.
2. .... Nf6
3. Nf3
If 3. Bf4 then Black should play 3. .. a6.
3. .... e6
4. Bg5 Be7
5. Bxf6!?
A surprise. White exchanges off the bishop in order to get e4 in.
5. .... Bxf6
6. e4 O-O
I did not like 6. .. fxe4 7. Nxe4 Be7 8. d5! with some energy. Also 7. ... O-O 8. Nxf6 Qxf6 is dead even.
If White now played 7. exf5, I was giving thought to an interesting pawn sacrifice - 7. ..d5!? 8. fxe6 Bxe6. For the pawn, Black gets an open e-file and active bishops. I don't know if it is any good but it might be fun to play.
However White decided to develop.
7. Be2 d5
8. e5 Be7
9. O-O b6
I am planning to remove the white squared bishops, as my pawns are on those squares, but this just weakens my queenside. 9. .. c5 is a better move.
10. a3 Ba6
11. Bxa6 Nxa6
12. Qe2 Nb8
White is better now and could start operations on either side.
13. b4 g5!?
Charge! I cannot play on the queenside and so decide it is time to advance on the kingside. White now does a strange manoeuvre with the knight. The computer recommends 14. h3 but it is understandable if White is reluctant to move pawns in front of the king. Perhaps 14. Qe3 and ask Black what his plan is, or 14. b5 with a4-a5 coming up.
14. Na4 Qe8
15. Nb2 Qg6
Here 16. c4 is interesting - which I had assumed was the point of White's play. I may have answered with 16. .. c6 17. cxd5 cxd5 where 18. Rac1 or 18. Rfc1 would cause Black to think. Answering 16. c4 with 16. .. g4 17. Nd2 Nc6 is perhaps an improvement.
16. Nd3?!
I was pleased to see this. White does not intend to counter but to defend.
16. .... Nc6
By now White has 32 minutes left for 19 moves whereas I had 36 minutes.
17. Qd2 g4
18. Nfe1 Bg5
19. Nf4?
The d-pawn has to be protected but 19. Qc3 Qe8 and the game is rated as equal. This self-pinning move hands Black a clear initiative.
19. .... Qh6
20. g3 Ne7
21. Neg2
21. Ned3 is an alternative which would also put the brakes on any Black ideas of c5. But placing the knight in front of the king has quite a psychological effect of strengthening the defence.
21. ..... Ng6
22. b5
With nowhere to go on the kingside, White reasons correctly that I might try something on the queenside. 22. f3 is a good little move which could reduce Black's initiative. Black would probably double up on the f-file.
22. ..... Rac8
23. Rac1 c5
23... c6 is also an option but risks 24. a4 cxb5 25. axb5 and White has the a-file half open to attack.
24. c3 Qg7
After some thought, I decide to give the h-pawn a run. The relief of the pin frees White up a little so 24. .. Rf7 planning Rc7 might have been a better idea. 24. ... cxd4 25. cxd4 leads to equality.
25. Qd1 Qe7
26. a4
The queen is unable to retake on f4, and White cannot avoid doubled pawns, so here we go!
26. ..... Nxf4
27. Nxf4 Bxf4
28. gxf4 h5
The computer rates this as dead equal, and recommends 29. Qb3 considering c4 and opening up the centre.
29. Qd3?!
... and Black could now play 29. ... cxd4 30. cxd4 Qb4! threatening Qxa4 and answering 31. Qd1 with 31. ... Rxc1.. But White would get the c-file as compensation, especially if a piece landed on c6. But I did not see this - my eyes were on the kingside.
29. .... Rf7
I was always aware that White could play c4 to open up the centre, and considered whether I should play c4 myself to shut it down.
Here 30. c4 would give me a difficult decision. I don't want to allow cxd5 where I have to retake with the pawn so 30. ... Qd8 is an option. If then 31. dxc5 Rxc5 32. cxd5 Rxd5 33. Qb3 gives Black the question of how to defend the e6 pawn. Or 31. cxd5 Qxd5 32. Qc4.
30. c4 could lead to a liquidation of tension in the centre leading to equality. Fortunately this was a decision I did not have to consider.
30. Kh1
With the king on h1, then any calculations regarding a White c4 have to include a black Qb7 and the opening of the long diagonal.
30. ... h4
31. h3
I inwardly cheered thinking this was a mistake. But it is not.
31. ... Kh8
32. Rg1 Rg8
33. Qe3 Qf8
34. f3 c4
Finally shutting down the centre and pleased with the slow gradual progress I had made. Also just wanting to make the game simpler for my now tired brain.
35. fxg4 fxg4 36. Rxg4 Rxg4 37. hxg4 Rxf6 38. Qh3 keeps equal.
35. Ra1
Time for another big think and I foresaw the following sequence and the move at the end .. which I thought was winning.
35. ..... Qh6
36. Raf1
36. a5 is probably worth a try.
36. ...... gxh3
37. Rxg8+ Kxg8
38. Rg1+ Rg7
39. Rxg7+ Qxg7
40. Qg1 Qg3!
This was it. I thought this must be winning. If 41. Qxg3 hxg3 42. Kg1 Kg7 43. Kh1 Kh6 44. Kg1 Kh5 45. Kh1 Kh4 46. Kg1 g2 47. Kh2 g1(=Q)+ 48. Kxg1 Kg3 and then mopping up the White pawns. There are other ways to win.
41. Qf1
White sees the problem and avoids the exchange. I did not like Qxf4 until I had improved the position of the king.
41. ...... Kh7
42. Qe2 Kh6
43. Qf1 Kh5
44. Qe2 Qxf4
45. Kg1 Qg3+
46. Kh1 h2
46. .. Qf4 is another way. My plan is to let the pawns go to exchange queens and infiltrate with the king.
47. f4+ Qg4
48. Qxh2 Qd1+
49. Qg1 Qxg1+
50. Kxg1 Kg4
And White resigned to end a tough fight.
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