Order Restored

Rudy has now had a chance to analyse the match between the A and B teams played at Brynamlwg on Tuesday 24 January, so order is restored in this blog. On top board for the A team, Robbie Wright was always ahead after Ian Finlay's miscalculation in a Sicilian Defence cost him a piece, and the end was not long coming. Adam Robinson had a complex struggle in a Modern Defence against Sam Holman, but emerged ahead after a series of exchanges and was able to push a passed pawn for the win. I caught Conor McEwan in an opening trap in the London System that I was familiar with from the internet, winning quickly. James Corrigan couldn't make headway against Kieran Judge's unusual but sound anti-Sicilian line; he might have had a significant endgame advantage at the moment he agreed a draw, but the result was a fair reward for Kieran's strong performance against a much higher-rated player. The A team won the match 3½-½.

[Event "DyfedLeague:AberystwythB-AberystwythA"] [Site "?"] [Date "2017.01.24"] [Round "?"] [White "Wright, Robert"] [Black "Finlay, I."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B23"] [WhiteElo "1876"] [BlackElo "1372"] [Annotator "Rudy"] [PlyCount "59"] [EventDate "2017.02.15"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 d6 3. f4 Nf6 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Bb5 (5. Bc4 {also, now that Bl has played d6, then an e6-d5 sequence by Bl loses a tempo.}) 5... Bd7 6. O-O e6 7. d3 a6 8. Bxc6 Bxc6 9. e5 (9. Qe1 {alternative}) 9... Nd7 (9... dxe5 10. fxe5 Nd7 $11 {has been played, is a slightly more open position where Wh has chances against f7}) 10. Ne4 (10. exd6) (10. Qe2) (10. f5 {more frequent}) 10... Be7 $2 (10... d5 11. Ng3 Qc7 12. Rb1 Be7 13. Qe2 g6 14. a3 O-O $15 { Jaiswal-Apaydin, Wld ch U20 Gaziantep 2008,0-1}) 11. exd6 $16 Bxe4 $2 (11... Bf8 12. Ne5 Bxe4 13. dxe4 Nf6 14. Qe2 Bxd6 (14... Qxd6 15. Nxf7 Kxf7 16. e5 $16 ) 15. Rd1 Qc7 16. Nc4 Be7 17. e5 Nd7 18. f5 $16 {Komodo10; best try}) 12. dxe7 Qxe7 13. dxe4 $18 {just a piece up} O-O 14. Be3 Rad8 15. Qe2 Nf6 16. Bf2 Qc7 17. Ne5 (17. Bh4) 17... b5 18. Rad1 Rc8 19. Kh1 (19. Bh4 Rfd8 20. Ng4 {Komodo10 }) 19... c4 20. c3 Qb7 21. Rd4 g6 22. Rfd1 Kg7 23. Nd7 (23. Bh4) 23... Nxd7 24. Rxd7 Qb8 25. Bd4+ (25. f5) (25. Qg4 {Wh has several winning ways}) 25... Kg8 26. Be5 Qa8 27. Bf6 Qb8 28. Qg4 Qa8 29. Qh4 Qxe4 (29... h5 30. Qg5 Kh7 31. f5 { mating soon}) 30. Qh6 1-0 [Event "Dyfed League:AberystwythB-AberystwythA"] [Site "?"] [Date "2017.01.24"] [Round "?"] [White "Holman, Sam"] [Black "Robinson, Adam"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B06"] [WhiteElo "1334"] [BlackElo "1768"] [Annotator "Rudy"] [PlyCount "79"] [EventDate "2017.02.15"] 1. e4 g6 2. Nf3 Bg7 3. c3 (3. d4 {is simpler}) 3... d5 4. e5 c5 5. Bb5+ $146 ( 5. d4 {main}) 5... Bd7 6. Bxd7+ Qxd7 7. O-O Nc6 8. Re1 e6 9. a3 Nge7 10. d4 { at last} cxd4 11. cxd4 O-O $11 12. Nc3 a6 13. b4 (13. Na4 $5 {Rudy} Qc7 14. Bf4 h6 15. Rc1 b6 16. Qd3 Qb7 17. Rc2 Na5 18. b3 Rfc8 $11 {Komodo10}) 13... Rac8 14. Qd3 (14. Na4 {Rudy, Komodo8 & Komodo10}) 14... Rc7 15. Bd2 b5 {preventing Na4-c5, but Wh can bring it to c5 via e2-c1 & b3. In the meantime Bl can play a similar game with Nc8.b6,c4. The position is quite blocked , so slow manouevres are quite ok} 16. Reb1 Rfc8 (16... f6 {Komodo10; extends the range of Bl's B which currently bites on granite}) 17. a4 {looks the right kind of thing to do; even though it weakens b4; Komodo10} Na7 18. h3 {ruling out any backrank surprises} Rc4 19. Rb3 (19. axb5 axb5 20. Ne2 $11) 19... Nf5 (19... Nec6 $15 {Komodo10}) 20. g4 Ne7 21. axb5 axb5 22. Rba3 {again looks sensible, as it seems b4 can be protected comfortably} (22. Rxa7 $1 {is Komodo10's solution, setting up a dangerous passed pawn} Qxa7 23. Nxb5 Qb8 24. Nd6 R8c7 25. b5 (25. Nxc4 $2 dxc4 $19) 25... Nc8 26. b6 (26. Ne8 Rb7 27. Nxg7 Kxg7 28. Qe3 Nb6 29. Qh6+ Kh8 30. Ng5 Qg8 31. Nxh7 Qxh7 32. Qf8+ Qg8 33. Qh6+ {Komodo10; is an interesting way to gain a draw}) 26... Nxb6 27. Ba5 R7c6 28. Kg2 Bf8 29. Bxb6 Rxb6 30. Rxb6 Qxb6 31. Nxc4 Qb5 (31... dxc4 32. Qxc4 $11 {& Wh has won a pawn}) 32. Nfd2 Bb4 33. Qb3 dxc4 34. Qxc4 Qxc4 35. Nxc4 Bc3 36. f4 Bxd4 $11 { Komodo10}) 22... Nec6 23. Ne2 (23. Nd1 {prepares to chase the R away from c4where it is a nuisance}) 23... Bf8 $15 24. h4 (24. Qb1 {Komodo8 & 10} Rc7 25. Rb3 Nc8 26. Kg2 Nb6 $15) 24... Bxb4 (24... Rc7 {both Komodos, is safer, the b4 pawn can wait}) 25. Bxb4 Nxb4 (25... Rxb4 26. Qd2 Qe7 27. Qh6 {threat Ng5} Qf8 28. Qxf8+ Kxf8 29. Rxa7 Nxa7 30. Rxa7 h6 31. Nf4 Rb3 32. Kg2 Rb8 33. h5 g5 34. Nh3 Kg8 {and Wh has just enough going on the K side before Bl can organise a triumphal march of the b pawn} 35. Nhxg5 hxg5 36. Nxg5 Rf8 37. h6 b4 38. Rb7 Rb2 39. Kg3 b3 40. h7+ Kh8 41. Kg2 $11 {as Bl will run out of constructive moves} (41. Nxf7+ Kxh7 42. Ng5+ Kh6 43. Nxe6 Rfxf2 44. Nf4 Rf1 45. Rb6+ Kg7 46. Nxd5 Rd2 47. Rxb3 Rxd4 48. Ne3 Rg1+ 49. Kf2 Rdxg4 50. Nxg4 Rxg4 $11 {the extra p in the centre is easily held}) 41... Rd2 (41... Kg7 42. Nxe6+ $18) 42. Rxb3 Rxd4 43. f3 Ra4 44. Rb7 Ra6 45. Kg3 d4 46. Rd7 d3 47. f4 d2 48. Rxd2 Ra3+ 49. Kh4 Ra4 50. Rf2 $11 {Komodo10}) 26. Rxa7 $2 {a miscalculation} (26. Qd2 $1 $18 {Both Komodos; will win because of the weakness on the bl squares around the Wh K , after the departure of its protector B} Nbc6 27. Qh6 Rf8 28. Ng5 f6 ( 28... f5 29. h5 Qg7 30. Qxg7+ Kxg7 31. Nxe6+ Kg8 32. Nxf8 Kxf8 33. Rxa7 Nxa7 34. Rxa7 $18) 29. Rf3 $1 {difficult to foresee a sudden switch for human calculations} f5 30. h5 Nxd4 31. Nxd4 Rxd4 32. hxg6 Rxg4+ 33. Kf1 Rxg5 34. gxh7+ Qxh7 35. Qxg5+ Qg7 (35... Kh8 36. Rxa7 $1 {luring the Q offside to mate}) 36. Qxg7+ Kxg7 37. Rxa7+ $18) 26... Qxa7 {a desperado, winning material} 27. Qxg6+ hxg6 28. Rxa7 Nd3 $19 {Wh is an exchange down , and facing a menacing passed pawn} 29. Ng5 R4c7 (29... b4) 30. Ra3 Nc1 31. Nxc1 Rxc1+ 32. Kg2 b4 33. Rb3 Rb8 34. Nf3 Rc3 35. Nd2 Rxb3 36. Nxb3 Ra8 37. Kf1 Ra3 38. Nd2 b3 39. Ke2 b2 40. Kd1 (40. Kd1 Rd3 41. Kc2 Rxd2+) 0-1 [Event "Dyfed League:AberystwythB-AberystwythA"] [Site "?"] [Date "2017.01.24"] [Round "?"] [White "Francis, Matthew"] [Black "McEwan, Conor"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D00"] [WhiteElo "1704"] [BlackElo "1339"] [Annotator "Rudy"] [PlyCount "19"] [EventDate "2017.02.15"] 1. d4 d5 2. Bf4 {pinching one of Tony Geraghty's openings ( following on along with Carlsen & other GMs)} Nc6 3. e3 Nf6 4. c3 Bg4 {always a little dangerous in QP openings as it leaves b7 vulnerable} (4... Bf5 {though is the main line because of tactics} 5. Qb3 Rb8) (4... e6 {is more circumspect}) 5. Qb3 (5. Nf3 {main ( & transpositional)}) 5... b6 {severely weakens the wh squares} (5... Rb8 6. Nd2 e6 {has been played , with Bl winning both games!} 7. h3 Bf5 8. Ngf3 Bd6 9. Bxd6 cxd6 10. Be2 O-O 11. O-O b5 $11 {Garcia Palermo-Godena, ITA ch Sarre, 2009,0-1}) 6. Nd2 e6 $2 {cuts off the B} (6... Bd7 {had to be played} 7. Ngf3 e6 $14) 7. Bb5 $18 Qd7 8. Qa4 O-O-O {doesn't help much} 9. Bxc6 Qe7 10. Qa6+ {and the weak b7 shows up} 1-0 [Event "Dyfed League:AberystwythB-AberystwythA"] [Site "?"] [Date "2017.01.24"] [Round "?"] [White "Judge, Kieran"] [Black "Corrigan, James"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B50"] [WhiteElo "1016"] [BlackElo "1449"] [Annotator "Rudy"] [PlyCount "61"] [EventDate "2017.02.15"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bd3 {the Kopec system} Nf6 4. c3 Nc6 5. Bc2 Bg4 6. O-O ( 6. d3) (6. h3 {both anticipate Bl's next}) 6... Ne5 (6... e6) (6... g6 {main}) 7. Ba4+ (7. d4 Nxf3+ 8. gxf3 Bh3 9. Re1 {alternative}) 7... Bd7 (7... Nfd7 8. Nxe5 $1 $18 {3.5-0.5}) 8. Bxd7+ (8. Nxe5 dxe5 9. f4 Bxa4 10. Qxa4+ Qd7 11. Qc4 exf4 12. Rxf4 e5 13. Rf5 Bd6 14. Na3 $11 {Kraemer-Hoehne, Wld Ch Seniors 1998, 1/2-1/2}) 8... Nfxd7 (8... Qxd7 9. d4 Nxf3+ 10. Qxf3 Qg4 (10... Qc6 11. d5 Qc7 12. c4 g6 13. b3 Bg7 14. Bb2 O-O $11 {De Feijter-Dubbeldam, Haarlem Nova College op 2013, 1/2-1/2}) 11. Qxg4 Nxg4 12. f3 Nf6 13. Be3 e6 14. c4 $14 { Fusthy-Barczay, HUN ch tm 2000,1/2-1/2}) 9. d4 (9. Nxe5 dxe5 (9... Nxe5 10. d4 $14) 10. d4 $14) 9... Nxf3+ 10. Qxf3 e6 (10... g6 $11) 11. Be3 (11. Bf4 $14) 11... Be7 12. Nd2 O-O 13. Rfe1 Rc8 14. Nf1 Qc7 15. Rac1 (15. Rad1) 15... Nf6 16. Ng3 b5 17. a3 Qb7 18. Bd2 Rc7 19. b4 (19. Be3) 19... cxd4 20. cxd4 Rfc8 21. Qe2 (21. Rxc7 Rxc7 22. Bf4 $11) 21... Rc2 (21... d5 22. e5 Nd7 $15 {Wh has the inferior B; Komodo10}) (21... Rxc1 22. Rxc1 Rxc1+ 23. Bxc1 Qc6 24. Bg5 h6 25. d5 $11 {Komodo10}) 22. e5 (22. d5 $11) 22... dxe5 23. dxe5 Nd5 $15 24. Rxc2 Rxc2 25. Ne4 Qc6 26. h3 a6 27. Qd3 Qc4 28. Qxc4 Rxc4 29. Nd6 $6 {leaves a weak d6 pawn} (29. Kf1 h6 $15) 29... Bxd6 30. exd6 Kf8 $17 31. Rc1 $17 {(draw?)} ( 31. Rc1 Rxc1+ (31... Ke8 32. Ra1 Kd7 33. a4 a5 34. bxa5 Rxa4 35. Rxa4 bxa4 36. a6 Kxd6 37. a7 Nc7 $17 {Bl is winning, but there are technical difficulties}) 32. Bxc1 Nb6 33. f4 Nc4 34. Kf2 Ke8 $19) 1/2-1/2