Rochester Championship - Round One
Thursday 26 July 2018
White: S. Woolacott (161) - Black: K. Nevols (163)
A new summer four round tournament - and a bad start. With my new highest ever grade, and now top grading player in the club, I entered this game underestimating my new opponent.
1. d4 f5
2. Nc3
A Dutch sideline with which I was, at the time, not familiar. The recommendation from Simon Williams is now 2... d5 to prevent a White e4 and to meet 3. Bf4 with 3. .. a6.
2. ... Nf6
3. Bg5 e6
4. e4
Black has gone wrong already by allowing White the very move that the defence is supposed to prevent.
4. ...... fxe4
5. Nxe4 Be7
6. Bxf6 Bxf6
7. Nf3 O-O
Despite starting badly, Black is equal and must adjust to the new situation.
8. Bd3 Nc6
8. .. Be7 retaining the bishop pair was better.
9. c3 d5?
And this is simply bad. Again Black should have dropped back with 9. .. Be7, keeping the bishop pair and a solid defence.
This move is a shocker, making the e-pawn weak and a target. The purpose was to follow up with pawn to e5 and open up the centre while his King was still there.
This move is a shocker, making the e-pawn weak and a target. The purpose was to follow up with pawn to e5 and open up the centre while his King was still there.
10. Nxf6 Qxf6
11. Qe2!
Of course. This prevents e5 and ensures the pawn stays on e6, thus blocking in the queenside bishop. White can now finish his development and wait for a chance to build up on the pawn.
11. ... Bd7
12. O-O Be8!?
The plan here is to get rid of the weakness on e6 pawn by exchanging it for a kingside pawn.
13. Rae1 Bh5
14. Qxe6 Qxe6
15. Rxe6 Bxf3
16. gxf3 Rxf3
So what have we achieved? Not a lot. White has a well placed rook and a good bishop v knight game. However the f-pawn is isolated and could be a target.
17. Bb5
17. ..... Nd8?
17. ..... Nd8?
Another big mistake. I simply did not see 17. .. Rf6 which is essential. 18. Rxf6 gxf6 19. Re1 Kf7 20. Bd3 h6 and White is better but Black can just about hang on. Also 18. Rfe1 Raf8.
White now gains a dominant position.
18. Re8+ Rf8
19. Rfe1
19. Re7 c6 20. Bd3 is another way to keep Black tied up in knots.
19. ... Nf7
20. Rxa8 Rxa8
21. Re7 Nd6
22. Bd3
22. Be2 and Bf3 was something I was concerned about, but 22. Bd3 aiming at h7 is better.
22. .... Rc8
This was the position I had foreseen when playing 17. .. Nd8. It was now time for some grovelling.
23. Kg2 Kf8?
Sacrificing a pawn to escape the bind. 23. .. h6 would have saved it, for now, but White could have kept the squeeze with 24. Rd7.
24. Re5 c6
25. Bxh7 Kf7
26. Bd3 b5
My plan is now to try to advance on the queenside and aim for some counterplay. If I could somehow swap all the pawns off the queenside, then, with the White kingside pawns split, I might be able to hold the draw.
27. b3 Rb8
28. a3 a5
29. Kg3 a4
30. b4 Rh8
With the option of Nc4 in place, and keeping the bishop on d3, I now seek to improve the position of the knight.
White could play the showy 31. Bg6+ here, with 31. .. Kxg6 32. Re6+ Kf7 33. Rxd6 Rh6 34. Rxh6 gxh6 and a won king and pawn ending. Black might reply 31. .. Kf6 and then 32. h4. But there is nothing wrong with the move that White played.
31. h4 Rh6
32. Kg4 Ne8?
Another poor move but the position is lost anyway. 32. .. Rf6 is better.
33. h5 Nf6+
34. Kh4
The threat of Bg6+ forces the loss of another pawn.
34. .... Ne4
35. Bxe4 dxe4
36. Rxe4 g6
37. Re5 gxh5
38. Rxh5 Rf6
39. Kg4
Clever. 39. .. Rxf2 40. Rf5+ forces a winning king and pawn ending.
39. ..... Ke6
40. f4 Rg6+
41. Rg5
Time to give up. Here I resigned.
A disappointing performance to end a run of eight undefeated games.
A disappointing performance to end a run of eight undefeated games.
