Cleanish Sweep

Aberystwyth was not quite able to raise the eight players required for the A versus B match on Tuesday 21 March, so the match took place on three boards only. Both James Corrigan and Rudy van Kemenade enjoy complex tactical positions, so it was no surprise when James, playing White for the B team, managed to conjure up an unexpected attack in a Three Knights' Game and Rudy found dangerous counterplay. Analysis reveals that James missed a couple of chances, but when the attack ran out of steam, Black had a big lead in material. I played quietly against Sam Holman's Sicilian, transposing to an English-type position, in which I was the first to break in the centre. Sam's counter with the f-pawn created a weakness on e6, allowing me to establish a knight there, which proved a decisive advantage. Damien Clarke was unable to maintain the White pawn centre against Tony Geraghty in a Slav Defence, and then compounded his difficulties by dropping a piece, leaving Black with an easy win. The unplayed game has been registered as a win for the A-team, no doubt under League regulations, so the result is a 4-0 victory for them.

[Event "DyfedLeague:AberystwythA-AberystwythB"] [Site "?"] [Date "2017.03.21"] [Round "?"] [White "Corrigan, James"] [Black "Van Kemenade, R."] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C42"] [WhiteElo "1449"] [BlackElo "2009"] [Annotator "Rudy"] [PlyCount "52"] [EventDate "2017.03.22"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. d3 d6 5. h3 (5. Be2 {main}) 5... c6 (5... h6) 6. Bd2 Nbd7 7. a3 (7. Be2 Nf8 8. O-O (8. Nh2 Ng6 9. a3 Ba5 10. b4 Bc7 11. Bg5 h6 12. Be3 O-O 13. O-O d5 {Canaviri-Cortes Orihuela, American Continental, Cochabamba 2013,0-1}) 8... Ng6 9. a3 Ba5 10. b4 Bc7 11. Bg5 h6 12. Be3 O-O { Illes-Lauk, Dos Hermanas Internet blitz 2003,0-1}) 7... Ba5 8. Be2 (8. b4 Bc7 9. d4 Qe7 10. Bd3 Nf8 11. O-O h6 12. Re1 g5 13. Bc4 Ng6 14. Be3 (14. dxe5 dxe5 15. b5 Nf4 {Mgurami-Hearthstones9, playchess.com 2012,0-1}) 14... Nf4 { simica-hearthstones9, chesscube.com 2013,0-1}) 8... Nf8 9. O-O (9. b4 Bc7 10. Nh2 h6 11. O-O g5 12. Ng4 Ng6 {J May-Van Kemenade, Arena 2016,0-1}) 9... h6 10. Re1 (10. b4 Bc7 11. Na4 (11. Nh2 {as above}) 11... g5 12. c4 Ng6 13. Nh2 Nf4 { niranjan2000-hearthstones9,chesscube, 2014,0-1}) 10... g5 11. d4 Qe7 $6 (11... Ng6 $11 {Deep Fritz13 & Komodo10;considered; looks more accurate as perhaps the Q can get to f6 in one go. Also it doesnt allow the next tactic spotted by both engines}) 12. dxe5 (12. Nd5 $1 $18 {both Engines} Nxd5 (12... cxd5 13. Bxa5 Nxe4 (13... dxe4 14. dxe5 dxe5 15. Nxe5 $18) 14. dxe5 Be6 15. Bb5+ Nd7 16. c4 O-O 17. exd6 Nxd6 18. Bxd7 Qxd7 19. Ne5 Qe8 20. cxd5 Bf5 21. Ng6 $18) 13. Bxa5 Nf4 14. dxe5 dxe5 15. Nxe5 $1 $18 Nxe2+ 16. Qxe2 Ne6 17. Qd2 O-O 18. Ng4 Kh7 19. Bc3 f6 20. e5 f5 21. Nf6+ Kg6 22. Qe3 $18 {Komodo10}) 12... dxe5 13. Bc4 (13. Nd5 $1 $18 {both Engines}) 13... Ng6 $11 14. b4 Bc7 {Komodo10} (14... Bb6 $5 {Deep Fritz13}) 15. Be3 Nh5 (15... Nd7 {considered}) 16. Bc5 (16. Nxg5 hxg5 $19) (16. Nxe5 Nxe5 $19 (16... Bxe5 $19) (16... Qxe5 $15)) 16... Qf6 17. b5 (17. Nb5 $1 {both Engines} Bb8 18. Nh2 Nhf4 19. Ng4 Bxg4 20. Qxg4 Ne6 21. Rad1 Ngf4 (21... Nxc5 22. bxc5 O-O 23. Nd6 Bxd6 24. Rxd6 Qg7 25. Rb1 Rab8 26. a4 $18 {Komodo10})) (17. Nd5 {considered by bl} cxd5 18. Bb5+ Bd7 19. Bxd7+ Kxd7 20. Qxd5+ Kc8 $19 {Komodo10; pm analysis}) 17... Ba5 (17... Bb6 {both Engines} 18. Qd6 Bxc5 19. Qxc5 Qe7 20. Qe3 O-O 21. bxc6 bxc6 22. Rad1 Nhf4 23. Ne2 $14 {Komodo10}) 18. bxc6 (18. Re3 {James; pm analysis; both Engines} Bb6 ( 18... Bxc3 19. Rxc3 $18 Nhf4 20. bxc6 bxc6 21. Rb1 h5 22. Rcb3 g4 23. Rb8 Rxb8 24. Rxb8 Ne7 25. Ne1 gxh3 26. Qd6 Qxd6 27. Bxd6 hxg2 (27... f6 28. g3 Nfg6 29. Be6 Kd8 30. Nd3 Nf8 31. Bxh3 Nd7 32. Ra8 a6 33. Nc5 $18) 28. Bxe5 Nh3+ 29. Kxg2 Rg8+ 30. Kf1 h4 31. Nf3 Rg4 32. Bd6 Rxe4 33. Bd3 Ra4 34. Bxe7 Kxe7 35. Rxc8 $18 {Komodo10}) 19. Bxb6 axb6 20. Rb1 Nhf4 21. bxc6 bxc6 22. Rxb6 O-O 23. Nd5 Qd6 24. Qd2 Rd8 25. Nxf4 Qxd2 26. Nxd2 exf4 27. Rd3 $16) (18. Bb4 {considered by both} Bxb4 19. axb4 O-O 20. bxc6 bxc6 21. Ra3 (21. b5 Nhf4 22. bxc6 Qxc6 23. Bd5 Nxd5 (23... Qxc3 24. Bxa8 Bxh3 {Komodo10 equal, briefly looked at , thought too risky; but Bl gets good chances around a weakened K side} 25. Re3 ( 25. gxh3 Nxh3+ 26. Kh2 (26. Kf1 Rxa8 27. Re3 Qc8 $17) 26... Nxf2 (26... Ngf4 27. Ng1 Nxg1 28. Re3 Qc8 29. Kxg1 Qxa8 $11) 27. Qe2 Ng4+ 28. Kg3 Nf4 29. Qa6 Nh2 30. Ra3 Qxc2 31. Ra2 Nh5+ 32. Kh3 Qc3 33. Kxh2 (33. Ra3 Qc5 34. Ree3 (34. Nxh2 Qf2 35. Qf1 Nf4+ 36. Kg4 Qxh2 $19) 34... Nxf3 35. Rxf3 Qg1 36. Qf1 Qxf1+ 37. Rxf1 Rxa8 $15 {Komodo10})) 25... Qc7 (25... Qc8 26. Ne1 Bxg2 27. Bd5 Bh3 28. Rxa7 Nxd5 29. exd5 Nf4 30. d6 Rd8 31. Rxe5 Qc6 $11 {Komodo10}) 26. Bd5 Bxg2 27. Ne1 Bh3 28. Rea3 Qc8 29. Rxa7 Nxd5 (29... Bg4 30. Bb7 Qe6 31. Bd5 $11) 30. exd5 Bg4 31. f3 Bf5 32. d6 Qc5+ 33. Kh1 Kg7 34. Qd2 Rd8 35. R7a6 Bc8 36. Ra8 Nf4 $15 {Komodo10}) 24. Nxd5 {pm analysis} Kh8 25. Ra3 f6 26. Rc3 Qd6 27. Rd3 Ne7 28. c4 Nxd5 29. cxd5 a5 $14 {Komodo10})) 18... Bxc3 19. c7 {considered = by Deep Fritz13} (19. cxb7 $11 {Komodo10} Bxb7 20. Rb1 $1 (20. Bb5+ Bc6 21. Qd5 Rc8 $19) 20... Bc6 21. Re3 Ba5 22. Nh2 (22. Nd4 Rd8 23. Bd5 Bxd5 24. exd5 Rxd5 25. Rb5 Bb6 26. Bxb6 Rxb5 27. Nxb5 Qxb6 28. Rb3 O-O 29. Qxh5 Qc6 30. Nxa7 Qxc2 $17 {Komodo10}) 22... Nhf4 23. Ng4 Qd8 24. Qf1 Bb6 25. Rd1 Bxc5 {other moves lose} 26. Rxd8+ Rxd8 27. Rc3 h5 28. Ne3 Bb6 29. Bxf7+ Kxf7 30. Rxc6 Rhe8 $11 { Komodo10}) 19... Bd7 (19... a6 20. Rb1 Ba5 (20... Bxe1 21. Rb6 $18) 21. Bb6 Bxb6 22. Rxb6 Qe7 23. Rxg6 fxg6 24. Nxe5 Qxc7 25. Bf7+ Qxf7 26. Nxf7 Kxf7 27. Qd5+ Kg7 28. Re3 Re8 29. Rc3 Be6 30. Qxb7+ Kg8 31. Rc7 Rab8 32. Qxa6 Bf7 33. Kh2 $11 {Komodo10}) 20. Qd5 {not the best} (20. Rb1 {both Engines} Bxe1 (20... b6 21. Re3 bxc5 22. Rxc3 Nhf4 (22... Rc8 23. Rd3 Rxc7 24. Rd6 Be6 25. Nh2 Nhf4 26. Ng4 Bxg4 27. Rxf6 Bxd1 28. Rb8+ Ke7 29. Rxf7+ Kd6 30. Rf6+ $11 {repetition, Komodo10}) 23. Rb8+ Ke7 24. Rcb3 Qc6 25. R3b7 Bc8 26. Rb3 Qxe4 27. Ba6 c4 28. Bxc8 cxb3 29. Bb7 Raxb8 30. cxb8=Q Ne2+ 31. Kh2 Qf4+ 32. g3 Rxb8 33. gxf4 Rxb7 34. Qxe2 b2 35. Nd2 gxf4 36. Nb1 $18 {Komodo10, which initially thought that b6 was best for Bl}) (20... Qc6 21. Re3 (21. Bb5 Qxc7 $19) 21... Qxc5 22. Rxc3 Ke7 23. Rxb7 Nf6 $15 {Komodo10}) 21. Rxb7 $11 {Deep Fritz13} Rc8 22. Rb8 Ne7 23. Bb5 O-O 24. Qxd7 Bxf2+ 25. Kxf2 Rxb8 26. Bxe7 Qb6+ 27. Ke2 Rbc8 28. Bxf8 Rxc7 29. Qe8 Nf6 30. Bc5+ Nxe8 31. Bxb6 axb6 32. Bxe8 Rxc2+ 33. Nd2 Kf8 34. Bb5 Ra2 35. a4 Ke7 $11 {Komodo10}) 20... Bc6 $19 21. Rad1 (21. Bb5 Bxb5 $2 { intended by Bl & seen by Wh; also pm analysis pm analysis; should actually lose} (21... Nhf4 $1 $19 {as in the game, holds everything.}) 22. Qxb7 (22. Rab1 Bc6 23. Rxb7 Bxd5 24. Rb8+ Kd7 $19 {calculated by Bl}) 22... Qc6 (22... Bc6 23. c8=Q+ Rxc8 24. Qxc8+ Qd8 25. Qxc6+ Qd7 26. Qa8+ Qd8 27. Qxa7 Bxe1 28. Rb1 $18 {Komodo10}) 23. Qb8+ $1 Kd7 24. Red1+ Ke6 (24... Bd4 25. Nxe5+ Ke6 ( 25... Nxe5 26. Rxd4+ Ke6 27. c8=Q+ Rxc8 28. Rd6+ Ke7 29. Rxc6+ Ke8 30. Rxc8+ Kd7 31. Qb7+ Ke6 32. Qe7#) 26. Nxc6 Raxb8 27. Nxd4+ Kf6 28. cxb8=Q Rxb8 29. Rab1 a6 30. a4 $18)) 21... Nhf4 {playing safe} (21... Bxd5 {best according to both Engines} 22. Rxd5 Bxe1 23. Bb5+ Qc6 24. Bxc6+ bxc6 25. Rd8+ Rxd8 26. cxd8=Q+ Kxd8 27. Nxe1 Nhf4 {leaves Bl a R up}) 22. Qxf7+ (22. Qd8+ {Komodo10} Rxd8 23. Rxd8+ Qxd8 24. cxd8=Q+ Kxd8 25. Re3 b6 (25... Bb2 26. Rb3 b6 27. Bxb6+ axb6 28. Rxb2 Bxe4) 26. Rxc3 bxc5 27. Nd2 Ke7 {leaves Bl a piece up}) (22. Qd6 {Deep Fritz13} Qxd6 23. Bxd6 b5 24. Bf1 Bxe1 25. Nxe1 f6 $19) 22... Qxf7 23. Rd8+ (23. Bxf7+ Kxf7 {& the h8 R protects against Rd8}) 23... Rxd8 24. cxd8=Q+ Kxd8 25. Bxf7 Bxe1 26. Nxe1 Bxe4 (26... b6 27. Be3 Bxe4 {Komodo10}) 0-1 [Event "DyfedLeague:AberystwythA-AberystwythB"] [Site "?"] [Date "2017.03.21"] [Round "?"] [White "Francis, Matthew"] [Black "Holman, S."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A36"] [WhiteElo "1704"] [BlackElo "1334"] [Annotator "Rudy"] [PlyCount "61"] [EventDate "2017.03.22"] 1. e4 c5 2. c4 d6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. d3 g6 5. g3 Bg7 6. Bg2 e6 7. Nge2 Nge7 8. O-O O-O 9. Be3 b6 (9... Nd4 {occupies d4 before Wh can advance there; Bl scores close to 60% from this}) 10. Qd2 {now Wh scores 60%} Re8 (10... Bb7 11. Rae1 Nd4 {Sen-N.Jackson, Dyfed League 2013,1/2-1/2}) 11. d4 Ba6 (11... cxd4 12. Nxd4 Ba6 (12... Ne5 13. b3 Bb7 14. Rad1 a6 15. Nde2 Nc8 16. h3 Qc7 17. f4 Nc6 $14 { Faini-Marini, Viterbo op 2009,1-0}) 13. Ndb5 Na5 14. b3 d5 15. Rad1 dxc4 $11 { Stanetzek-Heedt, Lohmar 1998,0-1}) (11... Bb7 12. dxc5 dxc5 13. Rad1 Qxd2 14. Rxd2 Ne5 15. b3 Ng4 16. Bf4 e5 17. h3 exf4 18. hxg4 fxg3 19. f4 Red8 $11 { Holicky-Lecky, SVK ch, Banska Stiavnica 2015,1-0}) 12. b3 Qc7 (12... e5 13. dxe5 dxe5 14. Nd5 Nxd5 15. exd5 Nd4 $11 {Komodo10}) 13. Rad1 (13. Nb5) 13... Rad8 $11 14. Qc2 f5 {Bl needs to attack the centre, but this is the wrong pawn, as it weakens Bl's base} (14... e5 15. d5 Nd4 $11 {Komodo10}) 15. Nf4 (15. d5 $16 {Komodo10} Nd4 16. Bxd4 cxd4 17. Nxd4 Bxd4 18. Rxd4 e5 19. Rd2 $16) 15... Qc8 16. d5 Nd4 17. Bxd4 cxd4 18. Nce2 exd5 (18... e5 19. Ne6 b5 $1 20. Rc1 (20. Nxd8 Rxd8 21. Rc1 bxc4 22. bxc4 Rd7 23. f4 Rc7 24. fxe5 Rxc4 25. Qd2 Bxe5 26. Nf4 Rc3 27. Rfe1 fxe4 28. Bxe4 Bc4 $11 {Komodo10; Bl has activity & a passed pawn to compensate for the exchange}) 20... bxc4 21. bxc4 Rd7 $11 {Komodo10; Bl has a protected passed pawn}) 19. exd5 $16 Rd7 (19... b5 20. Rc1 bxc4 21. bxc4 Rd7 22. Ne6 Bh6 23. N2f4 Rb7 24. Qa4 Rb6 25. Nxd4 $18 {Komodo10}) 20. Nxd4 $18 b5 21. Nfe6 (21. Nde6 Be5 22. c5 dxc5 23. d6 Bxf4 24. gxf4 Bb7 25. Bxb7 Qxb7 26. Nxc5 Qc6 27. dxe7 $18 {Komodo10}) 21... Bxd4 22. Rxd4 Bb7 23. Qd2 f4 { trying to get some activity} 24. Rxf4 (24. Bh3 $18 {Komodo10}) 24... Nf5 25. Bh3 {Komodo10} (25. Re1 {Julie}) (25. Rxf5 {Rudy; Wh has 3 pawns for the exchange, a weakened K & Bl pieces all tied down. Also the KR can join in with lethal consequences} gxf5 26. Qg5+ (26. cxb5 Rf7 27. Rc1 Qd7 (27... Qb8 28. Bf3 Bc8 29. b6 axb6 30. Bh5 $18 {Komodo10}) 28. Qg5+ Kh8 29. Rc7 $18 {Komodo10}) 26... Kh8 27. Qxf5 (27. Rc1 Ree7 28. Qxf5 Qe8 29. Qf6+ Kg8 30. cxb5 (30. Bh3 { also}) 30... Qf7 31. Qh4 Re8 32. Rc4 Kh8 33. Rf4 Qe7 34. Rf6 Bc8 35. Qd4 Kg8 36. Rf4 h5 37. Rf5 {Komodo10, who considers Bl's best now is to give up the Q with} Qg7 38. Nxg7 Rxg7 39. Rxh5 $18) 27... bxc4 28. Rd1 Rg7 {Bl has to return the exchange( Komodo10)} (28... h5 {examined by Rudy in the train home, to hold up Rg4, but Wh can just prepare to take on h5, leaving the Bl K wide open. Wh has all the fun.} 29. Rd4 Rh7 30. Qf6+ Kg8 31. Qg6+ Kh8 32. Rh4 Qd7 33. Rxh5 (33. Be4 {just wins the exchange back}) 33... Rxh5 34. Qxh5+ Kg8 35. Qg6+ Kh8 36. Qf6+ (36. Be4) 36... Kg8 37. Be4 Rc8 38. Qg6+ Kh8 39. Ng5 Rc7 40. Bf5 Qg7 41. Qe8+ Qg8 42. Qh5+ Kg7 43. Qg6+ Kh8 44. Qh6+ Rh7 45. Bxh7 Qg7 46. Qh5 { wins the Q} (46. Nf7+ Qxf7 47. Bg6+ {wins Q})) 29. Nxg7 Kxg7 30. Qg5+ Kh8 31. bxc4 Qxc4 32. Qf6+ Kg8 33. Qxd6 {and Wh is comfortably ahead- extra material, powerful passed pawn & an exposed Bl K}) (25. Rc1 $1 {best, after consideration by Komodo10} b4 26. Rxf5 gxf5 27. Qg5+ Kh8 28. Qf6+ Kg8 29. c5 dxc5 30. Rxc5 Qb8 31. Qg5+ Kh8 32. Qxf5 Rc8 33. d6 Rxc5 34. Nxc5 Rxd6 35. Bxb7 $18 {Komodo10}) 25... Rxe6 (25... Rf7 {Rudy & Komodo10; Bl can cling on} 26. Bxf5 gxf5 27. Qd4 (27. Rh4 {Matthew} Qd7 28. Rc1 b4 29. Rh6 f4 30. Qxb4 Bc8 31. Qc3 Qb7 32. Re1 Rfe7 33. gxf4 Bxe6 34. Rhxe6 Rxe6 35. Rxe6 Qf7 36. Rxe8+ Qxe8 37. Qf6 Qe1+ 38. Kg2 Qe4+ 39. Kg3 Qd3+ 40. f3 Qf1 41. Qxd6 Qg1+ 42. Kh3 Qf1+ 43. Kg4 Qg2+ 44. Kf5 Qh3+ 45. Kf6 Qh4+ 46. Ke6 Qh6+ 47. Kd7 Qg7+ 48. Kd8 { and Wh will be able to swap off Qs}) 27... Rxe6 (27... bxc4 28. Rxf5 Rxe6 29. Rxf7 Kxf7 30. dxe6+ Qxe6 31. Qf4+ Kg7 32. bxc4 $18) 28. dxe6 Qxe6 29. cxb5 Re7 30. f3 $18 {Komodo10}) 26. Bxf5 (26. dxe6 Qc6 (26... Re7 27. Bxf5 gxf5 28. Rxf5 Rxe6 29. Rg5+) 27. f3 Rg7 28. Bxf5 gxf5 29. Rxf5 $18 {Komodo10}) 26... Re5 27. Bxd7 Qxd7 28. Re1 Rh5 29. Qe2 (29. Rfe4 {Rudy & Komodo10}) 29... Re5 30. Re4 Rf5 31. Re8+ (31. Re7 {Komodo10}) 1-0 [Event "DyfedLeague: AberystwythA-AberystwythB"] [Site "?"] [Date "2017.03.21"] [Round "?"] [White "Clarke, Damien"] [Black "Geraghty, A."] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D11"] [WhiteElo "1177"] [BlackElo "1551"] [Annotator "Rudy"] [PlyCount "58"] [EventDate "2017.03.22"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 d5 4. c5 {it may be difficult to keep the pawn supported on this square} (4. Nc3) (4. e3 {main lines}) 4... Bf5 5. Nc3 Nbd7 6. h3 (6. Bf4 {main, keeps control over e5}) 6... e6 (6... h6 7. Bf4 e6 8. e3 { transposes to quite a number of games}) 7. g4 {Deep Fritz14} (7. b4 b6 8. Ne5 Nxe5 9. dxe5 Nd7 10. Qd4 bxc5 11. bxc5 Bxc5 12. Qa4 Qb6 13. e3 O-O 14. Be2 Nxe5 {Gallo Ascensio-Poveda, Santander UDI University op U27 2012,0-1}) (7. Bf4 Be7 8. g4 {Komodo10}) 7... Bg6 8. Bg5 (8. Bg2 {Komodo10}) 8... Be7 9. Ne5 {loses a pawn} (9. b4) 9... Nxe5 10. dxe5 Nd7 11. Bxe7 Qxe7 12. b4 Nxe5 $19 13. Bg2 O-O 14. O-O Rad8 (14... a5) 15. e3 Qf6 16. f4 {trying to trap a B, but Wh's N & centre are loose} (16. Ne2 Nc4 17. Ng3 d4 $19 {Komodo10}) 16... Nc4 17. Qe2 ( 17. Qd4 {only try} e5 18. fxe5 Qxe5 19. Qxe5 Nxe5 20. Rf4 Nd3 21. Rd4 Rfe8 $19 {and Wh has several weak pawns in danger}) 17... Qxc3 18. Rac1 Qxe3+ 19. Qxe3 Nxe3 20. Rfe1 Nxg2 21. Kxg2 Be4+ (21... d4) 22. Kg1 f5 23. g5 d4 24. h4 d3 25. Rc3 Rd4 (25... Bf3 26. Rf1 Bg4 27. Rcc1 d2 28. Rcd1 Rd4 $19 {Komodo10}) (25... d2 26. Rd1 e5 {Komodo10, mobilises another passed pawn}) 26. a3 d2 27. Rd1 Rfd8 28. h5 Rd3 29. Rxd3 Rxd3 0-1