Catching Up 1

Now the Christmas holidays here, I sat down to fix the game replayer problem that has prevented me from updating the blog for the last few weeks. I had thought up an elaborate work-around, and was just in the process of trying it out when I blundered on the real solution. The replayable games were not displaying properly because there was not enough room for them on the blog page. When I clicked on a blog entry, the games displayed properly because there was now only one entry on the screen. So I've set the blog to display three entries at a time instead of seven, and that seems to have solved it. Now to catch up with all the game reports I've missed. I'm going to do this a day at a time, like the twelve days of Christmas, only not so many.To save time,and because the matches were some time ago, I'll just give the match result in tabular form rather than a verbal report.

Aberystwyth B 3-1 Steynton B, Emlyn Cafe, Tanygroes

Robert Wright 0-1 John Miller

Adam Robinson 1-0 Scott Hammett

James Corrigan 1-0 Gwyn Evans

Conor McEwan 1-0 Ray Greenwood

[Event "DCL 2016-2017"] [Site "?"] [Date "2016.11.14"] [Round "?"] [White "Miller, John S"] [Black "Wright, Robert"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D02"] [WhiteElo "1621"] [BlackElo "1904"] [Annotator "Rudy"] [PlyCount "103"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bf4 d5 4. Nbd2 c5 5. c3 Nc6 6. e3 Nh5 (6... Bd6) (6... Be7 {main}) 7. Bg5 Qb6 8. Qb3 (8. Rb1 {more frequent}) 8... Qxb3 $146 (8... h6 9. Bh4 g5 10. Bg3 Nxg3 11. hxg3 Bg7 {main}) 9. Nxb3 (9. axb3 {is more usual in these Q swap positions- the a file is useful for Wh & the centre is strenthened a little}) 9... c4 (9... f6 10. g4 cxd4 11. cxd4 fxg5 12. gxh5 Bd6 13. Nxg5 e5 $11 {Komodo10}) 10. Nbd2 h6 11. Bh4 Bd6 (11... g5 12. Bg3 Nxg3 13. hxg3 Bg7 $11 {Komodo10}) 12. e4 (12. Be2 g5 13. Ng1 Nf6 14. Bg3 Ke7 $11 { Komodo10}) 12... Bf4 (12... f5 $1 {the Wh QB is in danger} 13. e5 Bc7 14. h3 f4 15. Be2 g5 16. g4 Ng7 17. Nxg5 hxg5 18. Bxg5 O-O $15 {Komodo10}) 13. e5 Bd7 14. Be2 f5 (14... g5 15. Bg3 Ke7 $11) 15. Bg3 (15. exf6 Nxf6 16. Bg3 Bxg3 17. hxg3 Ke7 $11 {Komodo10}) 15... O-O-O (15... O-O) 16. Ng1 Be8 (16... Bxd2+ 17. Kxd2 Nxg3 18. hxg3 Kc7 19. Nf3 b5 $11 {Komodo10}) 17. Nh3 (17. Nxc4 $1 dxc4 18. Bxh5 Bxh5 19. Bxf4 $14 {Komodo10}) 17... Nxg3 18. hxg3 Bxd2+ 19. Kxd2 g5 $2 (19... Bf7 {had to be tried, though Wh retains a small advantage as Bl's B is rather hemmed in by its pawns}) 20. Nxg5 $18 Bd7 $2 {and an exchange goes as well- when attacking Ns, always ensure they can't move to an even better square than the one they are on} 21. Nf7 Rh7 22. Nxd8 Nxd8 {an exchange & a pawn down, a weak pawn on h6 & a bad B makes survival seem unlikely.} 23. f4 {weakens g3 & blocks a square the K might want to use} (23. Rh4 b6 24. Rah1 Nf7 25. Bh5 Nd8 26. Bg6 Rg7 27. Rxh6 {simplest}) 23... Nf7 24. Rh3 (24. g4) 24... Be8 25. Rah1 Kd7 26. g4 fxg4 27. Bxg4 Ke7 28. Bh5 Rg7 29. R1h2 b5 30. a3 a5 31. Bxf7 Bxf7 32. Ke3 (32. Rxh6 {why not?}) 32... h5 33. Kf3 Kd7 34. Rg3 Rh7 35. Rg5 Kc6 36. Rh3 (36. Rh4 b4 37. g4 $18 (37. Ke3 bxa3 38. bxa3 Kb5 39. g4 Ka4 40. f5 exf5 41. gxf5 (41. gxh5) 41... Kxa3 42. Kd2 Ka4 43. e6 Be8 44. f6 $18)) 36... b4 37. axb4 axb4 38. f5 exf5 39. Rxf5 Be6 40. Rf6 Kd7 41. Rh4 Bg4+ 42. Kf4 Rg7 43. g3 (43. cxb4) 43... Ke7 44. Rh1 Rg8 45. Ra1 Bd7 46. Rh6 (46. Ra7) 46... Rg4+ 47. Kf3 Rg7 48. Kf2 (48. Ra7) 48... Be8 49. Ra7+ Kf8 50. Rxg7 (50. Rh8+ Rg8 51. Rxg8+ Kxg8 52. cxb4 {confines the Bl K to the back rank}) 50... Kxg7 51. Rd6 Bf7 (51... bxc3 52. bxc3 Kf7 53. Ke3 (53. Rxd5) 53... Ke7 54. Kf4 $18) 52. cxb4 1-0 [Event "DyfedLeague:AberystwythB-SteyntonB"] [Site "?"] [Date "2016.11.14"] [Round "?"] [White "Robinson, Adam"] [Black "Hammett, S."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B30"] [WhiteElo "1765"] [BlackElo "1468"] [Annotator "Rudy"] [PlyCount "71"] [EventDate "2016.11.22"] 1. e4 c5 {Scott has usually played the Latvian} (1... e5 2. Nf3 f5 {but found in a previous encounter, Dyfed League 2015-16,1-0 that Adam was wellprepared}) 2. Nf3 (2. c3 Nc6 3. d4 e6 4. d5 exd5 5. exd5 Nce7 $2 6. d6 {Martin Jones-Hammett, Dyfed League 2012,1-0}) 2... Nc6 3. Bb5 (3. c3 d6 4. d4 cxd4 5. cxd4 e6 6. Nc3 Nf6 {Tegwyn Jones-Hammett, Dyfed League 2014, 1/2-1/2}) 3... e6 4. O-O Be7 (4... Nge7 {main}) 5. c3 (5. Re1) 5... a6 (5... Nf6 {main}) 6. Bxc6 (6. Ba4 {main}) 6... dxc6 (6... bxc6 7. d4 cxd4 8. cxd4 (8. Qxd4 Nf6 9. e5 Nd5 10. Nbd2 O-O 11. Ne4 {Offringa-Leenhouts, Hengelo U20 open 1996,1-0}) 8... d5 9. e5 c5 10. Nc3 Bd7 11. Be3 cxd4 12. Nxd4 Rb8 13. Rb1 Bb4 14. Qg4 g6 15. Rfc1 $14 {Bartsch-Schmidtke, Steinfurt Bezirtsliga 2007,1-0}) 7. Qe2 (7. Ne5 Nf6 8. Re1 Qc7 9. d4 Bd6 10. Bf4 cxd4 11. cxd4 O-O 12. Nc3 $11 { Hoffmann-Schuffenhauer, Sachsen ch U14, Sebnitz 2007,0-1}) 7... Nf6 8. e5 (8. c4 O-O 9. e5 Nd7 10. b3 {Espinosa Arbolay-Gomez Guardo, Bolivar Province ch , Cartagena 2013,1-0}) 8... Nd7 9. d4 O-O $11 10. Nbd2 cxd4 11. cxd4 Nb6 12. Ne4 f5 $5 (12... h6 13. Bf4 Nd5 14. Bg3 a5 $11 {Komodo10}) 13. Nc3 (13. exf6 gxf6 14. Bh6 Rf7 15. Rfe1 $14 {the Bl position is a little bit loose}) 13... Nd5 14. Be3 b5 $5 {creates a problem pawn at c6} (14... Nxc3 15. bxc3 Bd7 16. Qd2 Be8 $11) 15. Rac1 Bb7 16. Qd1 (16. Qd2) 16... Rc8 (16... Nxe3 17. fxe3 c5 $17 { Bl's QB has become effective}) 17. Ne2 Nxe3 18. fxe3 Bg5 {forestalling Nf4, but hands over the iniative to Wh} (18... c5 $1 19. Nf4 Qb6 20. dxc5 Bxc5 21. Nd4 Rfe8 $15 {Wh has to be very wary about the activity of the Bl Bs}) 19. Qb3 (19. Nxg5 Qxg5 20. Nf4 Rfe8 21. Qd2 Rcd8 22. Rf3 Qe7 23. Rg3 $1 $16 {Komodo10; the B is stuck and Wh controls all the bl squares ; & can play for a K side attack} c5 24. Nh5 g6 25. Nf6+ $18) 19... Re8 (19... c5 $1 {Komodo10} 20. Qxe6+ Kh8 21. Nxg5 Qxg5 22. Nf4 cxd4 $11 23. exd4) 20. Nxg5 Qxg5 21. Rc5 (21. Nf4 Qe7 (21... c5 22. Rxc5 Rxc5 23. dxc5 Qe7 24. Rd1 Qxc5 25. Nxe6 Qc4 26. Qxc4 bxc4 27. Nc5 Be4 28. e6 $16) 22. Qc3 $16 {Komodo10}) 21... Kh8 22. Nf4 Qh6 (22... Qe7 23. Nd3 a5 24. Qc2 a4 25. Qf2 Rc7 26. Rfc1 $16 {Komodo10}) 23. Rf3 $18 a5 24. a4 (24. Rh3 a4 25. Qc2 Qg5 26. Rh5 Qd8 27. g4 $18 {Komodo10}) 24... Qh4 25. Kf1 (25. Nxe6 $18) (25. Ng6+ $18) 25... Qe7 (25... Ba6 26. Qd1 bxa4+ 27. Kg1 Qe7 28. Rh3 Qf7 29. Rxa5 Bb5 30. Qh5 Qxh5 31. Rxh5 $14 {Komodo10}) 26. Rh3 Qf7 27. Kf2 Ba6 $14 28. Qc2 Qb7 (28... bxa4 29. Rxa5 Bb5 $11 {Komodo10}) 29. Qd1 ( 29. g4 {breaking the pawn chain} g5 30. Nh5 fxg4 31. Rg3 bxa4 32. Rxg4 Rb8 33. Rxa5 Qxb2 34. Qxb2 Rxb2+ 35. Kg3 Be2 36. Rxg5 Bxh5 37. Rxh5 Ra2 38. Ra7 Rg8+ 39. Kf4 Rg7 40. Ra6 $16 {Komodo10}) (29. e4 {breaking the pawn chain} bxa4 30. exf5 exf5 31. Qxf5 h6 32. Rf3 Qxb2+ 33. Kg3 Qxd4 34. Rxa5 Bb7 35. Rd3 Qg1 36. Ng6+ Kg8 37. Rd7 Qe3+ 38. Kh4 Qg5+ 39. Qxg5 hxg5+ 40. Kxg5 Ra8 41. Rxa8 Bxa8 ( 41... Rxa8 42. e6 $18) 42. Ra7 c5 43. Rxa4 Bxg2 44. Rc4 Bd5 45. Rxc5 Be4 46. Nf4 $16 {Komodo10}) 29... bxa4 $11 30. Qh5 h6 31. Rc2 (31. Qg6 Qxb2+ 32. Kg3 Re7 33. Nxe6 Bf1 34. Rxh6+ gxh6 35. Qxh6+ Kg8 36. Qg6+ Kh8 37. Qh6+ $11 { Komodo10}) 31... Qb5 (31... c5 32. Rd2 a3 33. bxa3 cxd4 34. exd4 Qb1 35. Rd1 Qe4 $17) (31... a3 32. bxa3 Qb1 33. Qf7 $11 {Komodo10} Qxc2+ (33... Qf1+ 34. Kg3 Qe1+ $11) 34. Kg3 Rg8 35. Ng6+ Kh7 36. Nf4 {threat Rxh6, Kxh6, Qg6 mate} Kh8 $11 {Komodo10}) 32. Re2 Qb4 $2 (32... Qb7 $11) 33. Qf7 $18 Rg8 34. Qg6 (34. Qxe6 $1 Rc7 35. Ng6+ Kh7 36. Qxf5 $18 {Komodo10}) (34. Ng6+ Kh7 35. Ne7 Kh8 36. Qxe6 Qxe7 {only move to stopmate} 37. Qxe7 $18 {Komodo10}) 34... Rc7 $11 35. Nh5 Bxe2 $2 {final error} (35... Qb5 $11) (35... Qc4 $11 {both Komodo10}) 36. Nf6 $1 1-0 [Event "DyfedLeague:AberystwythB-SteyntonB"] [Site "?"] [Date "2016.11.14"] [Round "?"] [White "Evans, Gwyn"] [Black "Corrigan, James"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A46"] [WhiteElo "1398"] [BlackElo "1458"] [Annotator "Rudy"] [PlyCount "20"] [EventDate "2016.11.23"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 c5 4. dxc5 (4. d5) (4. Nc3) 4... Bxc5 5. Bg5 $2 (5. Nc3) 5... Qb6 (5... Bxf2+ 6. Kxf2 {last chance} Ne4+ 7. Ke1 Nxg5) 6. Bxf6 $146 (6. e3 Qxb2 $2) 6... Bxf2+ 7. Kd2 gxf6 (7... Be3+ 8. Kd3 gxf6 {Wh is helping Bl's pieces get active}) 8. Qc2 (8. Qb3 Be3+ 9. Kc2 {to attack the K, but places both Rs awkwardly} (9. Qxe3 Qxb2+ 10. Ke1 Qxa1 {trying to get some play for the piece down}) 9... Qxb3+ 10. axb3 Nc6) 8... Nc6 (8... Be3+) 9. Qc3 e5 ( 9... Be3+ 10. Kd1 d5) (9... d5) (9... O-O) 10. e3 Qb4 (10... Bxe3+) (10... d5 11. c5 Bxe3+ 12. Kxe3 $18 d4+) 0-1 [Event "DyfedLeague:AberystwythB-SteyntonB"] [Site "?"] [Date "2016.11.14"] [Round "?"] [White "McEwan, Conor"] [Black "Greenwood, Ray"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D07"] [WhiteElo "1300"] [BlackElo "1186"] [Annotator "Rudy"] [PlyCount "73"] [EventDate "2016.11.23"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nc6 {Obstructing the c pawn is seldom a good idea in QP openings ( pawns need a companion alongside , & since e5 is difficult to achieve; c5 is next best). As always, there are some exceptions as in the Chigorin defence[ Nc6 on move2], but then the QB needs to get out ,usually to g4} 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Bg5 h6 (5... Be7 {main}) 6. Bh4 dxc4 (6... Be7) 7. e3 g5 { weakens K side} (7... Be7 {safer}) 8. Bg3 Bb4 (8... Nh5 {2 draws}) 9. Bxc4 Ne4 10. Qc2 Nxg3 11. fxg3 (11. hxg3 {main}) 11... Qe7 (11... Qd6 12. O-O Bd7 $2 13. Nb5 $18 {Guliev-Parkhomenko, Saratov Shestoperov mem U11,2014,1-0}) 12. O-O Bd7 13. a3 $16 (13. d5 $16 {Komodo10}) 13... Bd6 14. e4 (14. b4 O-O-O 15. Ne4 $16 { Komodo10}) 14... f5 $6 {opens the centre while the K is still there} (14... g4 $11) 15. e5 (15. exf5 $18 exf5 16. Rae1 $18 {Komodo10}) 15... Bc5 16. Rad1 O-O-O $11 17. Qb3 (17. b4 Bb6 18. Na4 Kb8 $11) 17... g4 $17 18. dxc5 Qxc5+ 19. Nd4 (19. Rf2 $17) 19... Nxd4 $19 20. Qb4 Nc2+ $4 (20... Nf3+ 21. Kh1 Qxb4 22. axb4 Nxe5 $19) 21. Qxc5 $18 Kb8 22. Nb5 (22. Bxe6 {Komodo10} Bxe6 23. Nb5 $18) 22... Bxb5 23. Bxb5 a6 24. Rxd8+ (24. Ba4) (24. Qxc2) 24... Rxd8 25. Qxc2 (25. Bxa6) 25... axb5 26. Rd1 Rh8 27. Rd7 Rc8 28. a4 c6 29. axb5 cxb5 30. Qb3 (30. Qd2 {mate in 9 ; Komodo10}) 30... Rc5 31. Qxe6 (31. Qd3) 31... Rc1+ 32. Kf2 Rc2+ 33. Ke1 (33. Ke3) 33... Rxb2 34. Qb6 (34. Qd6+ Ka8 35. Qa3+ Kb8 36. Rd8+ Kc7 37. Qd6# {Komodo10}) 34... Rb1+ 35. Kd2 Rb2+ 36. Kc1 Rxg2 37. Qxb7# 1-0