Rochester Championship - Round Four
Thursday 23 August 2018
White: K. Nevols (163) - Black: A. Gillard (113)
The final game of the year .. and of this blog. And we end with another closed Sicilian, an opening which has served me well.
1. e4 c5
2. Nc3 e6
3. f4 Nc6
4. Nf3 d6
5. Be2 Bd7
6. O-O a6
7. Qe1
My favourite set up so far, just waiting to see what Black plans to do with his king.
7. ... Qc7
My favourite set up so far, just waiting to see what Black plans to do with his king.
7. ... Qc7
8. d3 h6
Still none the wiser, but Black has delayed the development of his kingside pieces which might give me a slight advantage. Now 9. Bd1 is one idea preparing e5 but I decide to go a different way.
Still none the wiser, but Black has delayed the development of his kingside pieces which might give me a slight advantage. Now 9. Bd1 is one idea preparing e5 but I decide to go a different way.
9. f5!?
The idea is to fight for the d5 square. 9. .. exf5 10. Nd5 Qd8 11. exf5 Bxf5 12. Ng5! and the Black king looks a little uncomfortable. Black instead elects to keep the e-file closed but this gives up the d5 square for nothing.
9. .... e5
The idea is to fight for the d5 square. 9. .. exf5 10. Nd5 Qd8 11. exf5 Bxf5 12. Ng5! and the Black king looks a little uncomfortable. Black instead elects to keep the e-file closed but this gives up the d5 square for nothing.
9. .... e5
10. Nd5 Qd8
11. c3
The computer recommends 11. a4 clamping down on any queenside play. The point of my move is similar - to restrict the movement of the Black knight on c6.
11. ..... Nf6
The computer recommends 11. a4 clamping down on any queenside play. The point of my move is similar - to restrict the movement of the Black knight on c6.
11. ..... Nf6
12. Nxf6+ Qxf6
13. Be3
I had to exchange off my knight go to slightly expose the black queen and now I am thinking about Bf2 and Bh4, as well as a possible d4 dissolving the centre while the king was still on e8..
13. ..... Be7
I had to exchange off my knight go to slightly expose the black queen and now I am thinking about Bf2 and Bh4, as well as a possible d4 dissolving the centre while the king was still on e8..
13. ..... Be7
14. g4!
And here we go. The threat is g5 winning the queen.
14. ..... g6
And here we go. The threat is g5 winning the queen.
14. ..... g6
15. fxg6
15. g5 would have been a mistake. 15. .. hxg5 16. Bxg5 Qg7 and Black can open the g-file and counter against the white king.
15. ......... Qxg6
15. g5 would have been a mistake. 15. .. hxg5 16. Bxg5 Qg7 and Black can open the g-file and counter against the white king.
15. ......... Qxg6
16. Nh4 Qh7
17. Nf5
A great square for the knight, even though it will not be there for long.
17. .. O-O-O
Better was 17. .... Bxf5 18. Rxf5 Bg5.
White can force an advantage here with 18. Nxe7, but does not spot it at first.
18. Qg3
The reason for this precarious positioning of the queen is to prepare d4, opening up the centre and hopefully a diagonal towards the b8 square. The downside is that the queen is now on the same file as the king.
18. ...... h5
A great square for the knight, even though it will not be there for long.
17. .. O-O-O
Better was 17. .... Bxf5 18. Rxf5 Bg5.
White can force an advantage here with 18. Nxe7, but does not spot it at first.
18. Qg3
The reason for this precarious positioning of the queen is to prepare d4, opening up the centre and hopefully a diagonal towards the b8 square. The downside is that the queen is now on the same file as the king.
18. ...... h5
19. g5 Rdg8
20. Nxe7+
At last!
20. .... Nxe7
At last!
20. .... Nxe7
21. Rf6
This was the move I had overlooked up to now. The rook is well placed staring at the d6 pawn and also the h6 square.
21. .... Be6
White has a choice of good ideas. One of them is to play 22. h4 fixing the g-pawn and making things a little more secure. Another thought is 22. b4 trying to open up files in front of the black king. The move chosen is a mistake.
This was the move I had overlooked up to now. The rook is well placed staring at the d6 pawn and also the h6 square.
21. .... Be6
White has a choice of good ideas. One of them is to play 22. h4 fixing the g-pawn and making things a little more secure. Another thought is 22. b4 trying to open up files in front of the black king. The move chosen is a mistake.
22. Rh6? Qg7?
Fortunately Black does not spot 22. .. Qxh6 23. gxh6 h4! 24. Qxg8+ Nxg8 and the White advantage has gone. But White can here gobble up a pawn.
Fortunately Black does not spot 22. .. Qxh6 23. gxh6 h4! 24. Qxg8+ Nxg8 and the White advantage has gone. But White can here gobble up a pawn.
23. Rxh5 f5!?
A characteristic counter attack. I considered 23. gxf6 e.p. Qxf6 24. Rg5 but it just looked wrong. Black can then even think of Rh3 or Ng6.
So I played safe and exchanged a pair of rooks to try to reduce the power of any Black counter attack.
24. Rxh8 Rxh8
A characteristic counter attack. I considered 23. gxf6 e.p. Qxf6 24. Rg5 but it just looked wrong. Black can then even think of Rh3 or Ng6.
So I played safe and exchanged a pair of rooks to try to reduce the power of any Black counter attack.
24. Rxh8 Rxh8
25. Qg2 f4
26. Bg4
I was quite proud of this move, emphasising that I could now strike at the king.
26. .... Qf7
I was quite proud of this move, emphasising that I could now strike at the king.
26. .... Qf7
27. Bf2 Rg8
28. h4 Kb8
29. Bxe6 Qxe6
OK, we are into the ending. I am a pawn up, have two passed pawns on the kingside, whereas Black has a protected passed pawn on f4. I considered I was better and decided it was time to open up the centre to hope to increase my advantage.
30. d4 Rh8
OK, we are into the ending. I am a pawn up, have two passed pawns on the kingside, whereas Black has a protected passed pawn on f4. I considered I was better and decided it was time to open up the centre to hope to increase my advantage.
30. d4 Rh8
31. dxc5 dxc5
32. Qf3!
Another move of which I was proud. This prepares Rd1 taking the d-file. Black spots a cunning move to improve the position of his knight and win the pawn back.
32. ..... Qc6
Another move of which I was proud. This prepares Rd1 taking the d-file. Black spots a cunning move to improve the position of his knight and win the pawn back.
32. ..... Qc6
33. Rd1 Nf5
D'oh! Didn't see that. I decide to let the pawn go in order to activate the rook.
34. Rd5 Nxh4
D'oh! Didn't see that. I decide to let the pawn go in order to activate the rook.
34. Rd5 Nxh4
35. Bxh4
35. Qd1 is better. The pawn will still be captured and Black's knight looks offside.
35. ..... Rxh4
35. Qd1 is better. The pawn will still be captured and Black's knight looks offside.
35. ..... Rxh4
36. Rxe5 Qb6!
This move sets a cunning trap. Fortunately for me, Black is unaware of that fact. White must play 37. Qe2 or 37. b3 but I did not want to allow the discovered check.
37. Qf2??
This move sets a cunning trap. Fortunately for me, Black is unaware of that fact. White must play 37. Qe2 or 37. b3 but I did not want to allow the discovered check.
37. Qf2??
Aware of my weakness with tactics against this opponent, I try to keep everything covered. I was keen to get the rook, especially, to a protected square. But this move is a blunder.
37. ..... Rg4+
38. Kf1
38. ...... Qd6?
38. ... Qb5+ wins.
1. If 39. Qe2 then Rg1+ 40. Kf2 Rg2+ wins the white queen.
2. If 39. Ke1 then 39. .. f3! Not an easy move to spot but it threatens 40. ...... Rg1+ (Qxg1, Qe2 mate) 41. Kd2 Rg2. White's only move is 40. Kd1 and Black then has 40. .. Rg1+ 41. Qxg1 Qe2+ 42. Kc1 f2.
I was not aware of how close I had come to defeat.
38. ...... Qd6?
38. ... Qb5+ wins.
1. If 39. Qe2 then Rg1+ 40. Kf2 Rg2+ wins the white queen.
2. If 39. Ke1 then 39. .. f3! Not an easy move to spot but it threatens 40. ...... Rg1+ (Qxg1, Qe2 mate) 41. Kd2 Rg2. White's only move is 40. Kd1 and Black then has 40. .. Rg1+ 41. Qxg1 Qe2+ 42. Kc1 f2.
I was not aware of how close I had come to defeat.
39. Rd5 Qe7
40. Qxc5
With two pawns up, I can consolidate to the win.
40. .... Qxc5
With two pawns up, I can consolidate to the win.
40. .... Qxc5
41. Rxc5 f3
42. Kf2 Rxe4
43. Kxf3 Re1
44. Rd5
Planning to come to d2.
44. ...... Rg1
Planning to come to d2.
44. ...... Rg1
45. Kf4
And Black resigned. I finished the Rochester Chess Championship with 3/4 but alas came second to Sam Woolacott with his 4/4.
This concludes my first chess blog covering the years of my 'comeback' from 2015 to 2018.
My total for 2017-2018 had been Played 43 Won 25 Draw 10 Lost 8, so I think I had passed the test at playing at the higher level.
For the full blog, the score is Played 114 Won 61 Draw 29 Lost 24 - not bad after over twenty years away.
For the next games, please go to keithnevolschess2.blogspot.com
And Black resigned. I finished the Rochester Chess Championship with 3/4 but alas came second to Sam Woolacott with his 4/4.
This concludes my first chess blog covering the years of my 'comeback' from 2015 to 2018.
My total for 2017-2018 had been Played 43 Won 25 Draw 10 Lost 8, so I think I had passed the test at playing at the higher level.
For the full blog, the score is Played 114 Won 61 Draw 29 Lost 24 - not bad after over twenty years away.
For the next games, please go to keithnevolschess2.blogspot.com
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