Standing Room Only

The capacity of the small function room at the Brynamlwg Tavern was tested to the full on Tuesday 7 March, when the A and B teams had matches at the same time. With the addition of another table, we were able to fit everyone in, and it is at any rate a cosier venue than the St David's Club was in its latter days. News of the B team match will follow in the next post. Cardigan were once again visiting, this time to play the A team. On top board Rudy van Kemenade had prepared carefully for his Leningrad Dutch against Howard Williams, but seemed to lose patience in the middle game, loosening his kingside in search of an attack that was not really there; instead it was White who broke into his opponent's castled position. Robbie Wright tried for pressure on the queenside in his London System against Iolo Jones, but ended up getting his rook pinned and losing the exchange, resigning rather prematurely when he still had some play. Adam Robinson also seemed to have pressure for a while against Tony Haigh's Trompowksy, but apparently missed a chance of an advantage just before the draw was agreed. I got a free gift from Awne Osinga when he dropped a piece on move 5 - not the first time that mistake has been made in the same postion in rated games, according to Rudy's database - after which I had no real problem clinching the win. As with last week's match, the top two boards secured victory for Cardigan, 2½-1½.

[Event "Dyfed League:AberystwythA-Cardigan"] [Site "?"] [Date "2017.03.07"] [Round "?"] [White "Williams, AH."] [Black "Van Kemenade, R."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A87"] [WhiteElo "2342"] [BlackElo "2009"] [Annotator "Rudy"] [PlyCount "61"] [EventDate "2017.03.08"] 1. Nf3 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 g6 4. d4 Bg7 5. c4 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nc3 c6 8. Rb1 a5 9. b3 (9. Qb3 Kh8 10. Rd1 Ne4 {Williams-Zeidler, WCPL 2016,1-0; which Bl had prepared against,but Wh had forgotten this & reverted to an earlier line against Sven}) 9... Na6 10. Bb2 Qe8 (10... Bd7 11. d5 Nc5 12. Nd4 cxd5 13. cxd5 Rc8 14. e3 Qe8 {Williams-Zeidler, WCPL 2015, 1/2-1/2}) (10... Qc7 {main} 11. d5 e5 12. dxe6 Bxe6 13. Ng5 Bd7 14. Qd2 Rad8 15. Rbd1 Bc8 16. Na4 h6 17. Nh3 Ne4 { Williams-L.Roberts, Dyfed Open 2016,1/2-1/2}) 11. d5 Bd7 (11... Nc7 {sideline}) 12. Nd4 Nc5 {transposes back into a main line from 7...Qe8 rather than 7...c6} (12... Nc7 {alternative, but better results for Wh, as in this line the a5 move doesn't help Bl}) 13. e3 (13. a3 e5 {main} (13... Rc8) 14. dxe6 Nxe6 15. Nxe6 Qxe6 16. Qd2 Rad8 17. Rbd1 Bc8 18. e3 Qe7 19. Rfe1 Ne4 {Ralphs-Fathallah, S Wales op Treforest 2010,1/2-1/2}) 13... e5 (13... Rc8 {main} 14. Qe2 Qf7) 14. dxe6 Bxe6 15. Nxe6 (15. Qc2 Bf7 (15... Ng4 16. Rbd1 Rd8 17. Rfe1 h6 18. a3 Bf7 19. Nb1 Ne5 20. f4 Ng4 21. Bc1 Qe7 {Fraczek-Szromba, POL ch U16, Bartkowa 2002, 0-1}) 16. Rbd1 Qe7 17. Rfe1 Qc7 18. Nde2 Rfe8 19. Nf4 Qe7 {Ehlvest-Nikolic, Erevan 1996,1/2-1/2}) 15... Qxe6 16. Ne2 (16. Qc2 Rad8 (16... Nfe4 17. Rbd1 Rad8 18. Nxe4 Nxe4 19. Bxg7 Kxg7 20. Rd4 Rfe8 21. Rfd1 Rd7 22. Bxe4 fxe4 23. Qd2 Red8 24. Qxa5 $16 {Goldenberg-Atzmon, Sydney op 2007,1-0}) 17. Rbd1 Rfe8 ( 17... Qe7 18. a3 Qc7 19. Ba1 Kh8 20. Rb1 Ne6 21. Ne2 Ng4 {Schenk=Bartel, Bundesliga 2016,0-1}) 18. Ne2 Nce4 19. Nd4 Qf7 20. f3 Nc5 21. Rfe1 Ra8 22. a3 { Safranska-Shchekachev, Bourbon Lacy op 1998,0-1}) 16... Nfe4 (16... Ng4) 17. Bd4 g5 $5 {hoping to start a K side attack, but this loosens Bl's own K side} ( 17... Be5 {Komodo10; considered} 18. f3 Nf6 19. Qd2 a4 $11 {Komodo10. similar to some pm analysis}) (17... Rfe8) 18. Qc2 (18. Bxg7 Kxg7 19. f3 Nf6 20. Qd2 Qe5 21. Nd4 Kg8 22. Rbd1 Nh5 23. a3 $18 {Komodo10}) 18... Rae8 (18... g4 { Komodo10; considered & pm analysis} 19. Nf4 Qh6 20. f3 (20. h3 $1 {Komodo10} gxh3 21. Bxh3 Be5 22. Bg2 (22. Kg2 Qg5 23. Rh1 Rae8 $14 {Komodo10}) 22... Rae8 $14) 20... gxf3 $1 (20... Nf6 21. Rbd1 (21. fxg4 fxg4 {pm analysis} (21... Nxg4 22. h3 Bxd4 23. exd4 Ne3 24. Qc3 Nxg2 25. dxc5 Nxf4 26. Rxf4 dxc5 27. Qf3 Qg7 $11 {Komodo10}) 22. Bxc5 dxc5 23. Qf5 $16 {Komodo10}) 21... Nfd7 22. Bxg7 Kxg7 23. fxg4 fxg4 24. a3 Ne5 25. b4 $14 {Komodo10}) 21. Bxf3 Be5 22. Rbd1 Rae8 23. a3 Kh8 $11 {Komodo10}) 19. Rbe1 Qg6 (19... g4) 20. Bxg7 {Komodo10} Qxg7 (20... Kxg7 21. f3 Nf6 22. Nd4 Nfd7 23. e4 fxe4 24. fxe4 Rxf1+ 25. Rxf1 Kg8 26. Nf5 Ne5 27. Qc3 b6 28. a3 $14 {Komodo10}) 21. f3 $16 Nf6 22. Nd4 $16 f4 23. Nf5 Qd7 $2 {looks at the N, but lets the B in with an extra tempo.} (23... Qg6 { Bl had intended Qg6, pinning the N, but then Wh wins an exchange.}) ({pm analysis helps control e5 to put a r there perhaps} 23... Qc7 24. exf4 gxf4 25. Qd2 (25. Bh3 fxg3 26. hxg3 d5 27. Kg2 Kh8 28. Qc3 Ne6 29. cxd5 cxd5 30. Qxc7 Nxc7 31. Nd6 Rxe1 32. Rxe1 b6 33. Re7 $18 {Komodo10}) (25. Qc3 Ne6 (25... Nh5 26. Nh6#) 26. g4 d5 27. cxd5 cxd5 28. Qxc7 Nxc7 29. Kf2 $16) 25... d5 $16 { Komodo10; protects f4; Bl is not too worried if Wh gets 2 doubled f pawnsas the Wh B then is not a very good piece}) 24. exf4 (24. Bh3 g4 25. fxg4 fxg3 26. g5 gxh2+ 27. Kxh2 {isnt that good for Bl, but why allow complications?}) 24... gxf4 25. Bh3 Qd8 (25... Kh8 26. Qc3 b6 27. Rxe8 Qxe8 28. Nxd6 Qg6 29. Kg2 $18 { Bl has nothing for the pawn}) 26. Qc3 (26. Rd1 $18 {Komodo10; d6 is dead}) 26... h5 {trying to give the K some space ( though it takes a square away from the N} (26... Nh5 27. Nh6#) (26... Ne6 27. Nh6+ Kg7 28. Bxe6 Kxh6 29. Qd2 Nh5 30. Bg4 d5 31. Rxe8 Rxe8 32. Bxh5 Kxh5 33. Qxf4 $16 {Komodo10}) (26... fxg3 27. hxg3 Ne6 28. Nh6+ Kg7 29. Bxe6 Kxh6 30. g4 d5 31. Qe5 Kg6 32. Kg2 $18 {Komodo10 }) 27. Qd2 (27. gxf4 $18 {Komodo10}) (27. Rd1 $18 {Komodo10}) 27... Ne6 (27... Nh7 28. Rxe8 Rxe8 29. Qxf4 $18 (29. gxf4 Qf6 30. Kh1 $18 {Komodo10})) 28. Nh6+ (28. gxf4 Ng7 29. Qg2 Qc7 30. Rxe8 Rxe8 31. Qg6 Nh7 32. Kh1 $18 {Komodo10}) 28... Kg7 29. Bxe6 Kxh6 30. Qxf4+ Kh7 (30... Kg6 31. Qf5+ Kh6 32. c5 dxc5 33. Re5 Kg7 34. Qg5+ Kh8 35. Qh6+ Nh7 36. Bf5 Rf7 37. Rxe8+ Qxe8 38. Bg6 Qf8 39. Qxh5 $18 {Komodo10}) 31. Bf5+ (31. Bf5+ Kg7 32. Qg5+ Kh8 33. Qh6+ Kg8 34. Qg6+ Kh8 35. Re6 Rxe6 36. Qh6+ Kg8 37. Bxe6+ Rf7 38. Qg6+ $18 {Komodo10}) 1-0 [Event "DyfedLeague:AberystwythA-Cardigan"] [Site "?"] [Date "2017.03.07"] [Round "?"] [White "Wright, Robert"] [Black "Jones, IC."] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D02"] [WhiteElo "1876"] [BlackElo "2219"] [Annotator "Rudy"] [PlyCount "83"] [EventDate "2017.03.08"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bf4 d5 4. e3 c5 5. c3 Nc6 6. Nbd2 Be7 7. Bd3 (7. h3) 7... Nh5 (7... O-O) 8. Be5 {scores 62% for Wh, as opposed to} (8. Bg3 Nxg3 9. hxg3 {44%}) 8... Nxe5 9. Nxe5 Nf6 10. Ndf3 $146 (10. O-O {main}) (10. f4) 10... a6 11. dxc5 (11. O-O O-O 12. dxc5 Bxc5 13. c4 $11 {Komodo10}) 11... Bxc5 12. Qa4+ Nd7 13. Qg4 (13. Bb5 Bd6 14. Bxd7+ Bxd7 15. Nxd7 Qxd7 16. Qxd7+ Kxd7 17. Rd1 Ke7 18. Ke2 $11 {Komodo10}) 13... Qf6 (13... Nxe5 $1 14. Nxe5 O-O 15. Qh3 g6 16. O-O-O Qc7 17. Qg3 f6 18. Ng4 Qxg3 19. hxg3 Kg7 $15 {Komodo10}) 14. Qh5 ( 14. Qg3 Bd6 (14... Nxe5 15. Nxe5 O-O 16. O-O Qe7 17. e4 $11 {Komodo10}) 15. Nxd7 Kxd7 16. Qg4 Kc7 17. e4 dxe4 18. Qxe4 Bd7 19. Qc4+ Kb8 $11 {Komodo10}) 14... Nxe5 15. Qxe5 Qxe5 16. Nxe5 f6 $15 {Bl has 2 Bs & a centre} 17. Nf3 Bd7 18. Kd2 (18. O-O {safer}) 18... e5 (18... Kf7 {Komodo10}) 19. Ne1 O-O-O { gives Wh a target} (19... Kf7) 20. Nc2 Bc6 21. b4 $11 Bb6 22. a4 a5 23. Bb5 Bd7 24. bxa5 (24. Bxd7+ Rxd7 25. Rhb1 $11 {Komodo10}) 24... Bxa5 $15 25. Nb4 Bf5 ( 25... d4 $17 {makes the Wh Kinsecure}) 26. Bd3 Be6 27. Rab1 Kc7 (27... Rd7 $15) 28. Rhc1 (28. Ke2) 28... Rd6 (28... Rc8) 29. Ke2 Kb8 (29... e4 30. Bb5 Kb8 31. c4 $11 {Komodo10}) 30. Na6+ $1 Ka7 31. Nc5 $11 Bc8 (31... Bg4+ 32. f3 Bc8 33. Nb3 Bc7 34. c4 $14 {Komodo10}) 32. Rb5 (32. Nb3 b6 33. Rb2 Ba6 34. Nxa5 bxa5 35. Bxa6 Kxa6 36. c4 dxc4 37. Rxc4 Rb6 38. Rxb6+ Kxb6 39. h4 $11 {Komodo10}) 32... b6 $15 33. Rcb1 (33. f3 Rhd8 34. Kf2 d4 (34... h5) 35. cxd4 exd4 36. exd4 Rxd4 37. Rc2 h6 $15 {Komodo10}) 33... e4 (33... Bxc3 $19 {Komodo10} 34. a5 bxc5 35. Rxc5 Bg4+ 36. f3 Rc8 $19) 34. Bc2 (34. Rxa5+ bxa5 35. Bb5 Bg4+ 36. Kd2 (36. f3 Bf5 $19) 36... Rc8 37. Nb3 Bd7 38. Nd4 Rb8 $17 {Komodo10}) 34... Rc6 (34... Bxc3 35. Bxe4 Rc6 $19 {Komodo10}) 35. Nb3 Ba6 36. Nxa5 bxa5 $17 (36... Rxc3 37. Kd2 Rhc8 38. R5b2 bxa5 $17 {Komodo10}) 37. c4 (37. Kd2 Bxb5 38. Rxb5 Rd8 39. Rxa5+ Kb6 40. Rb5+ Kc7 41. Bb3 Rcd6 42. Kc2 Rb8 43. Rb4 f5 $17 {Komodo10}) 37... Rxc4 $19 38. Kd2 Bxb5 39. Rxb5 Rhc8 40. Rxa5+ Kb6 41. Rb5+ Kc6 (41... Ka6 42. Bb3 R4c5) 42. Bd1 {and Wh resigned, thinking Bl had Rxa4; however} (42. Ra5 {trying to activate the R} Rxc2+ 43. Kxc2 Kb6+ $19 {Iolo}) (42. Bd1 Rc5 43. Rb4 Rc7 44. Be2 Rb7 45. Bb5+ Kd6 {Bl should be winning, but its a long struggle, where Wh has holding chances. Bl will need to organise to push d4 & then get his majority moving on the K side}) 0-1 [Event "Dyfed League:AberystwythA-Cardigan"] [Site "?"] [Date "2017.03.07"] [Round "?"] [White "Haigh, A."] [Black "Robinson, Adam"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A45"] [WhiteElo "1903"] [BlackElo "1768"] [Annotator "Rudy"] [PlyCount "61"] [EventDate "2017.03.08"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 Ne4 3. Bf4 c5 4. f3 Qa5+ 5. c3 Nf6 6. Nd2 cxd4 7. Nb3 Qb6 8. Qxd4 Nc6 9. Qxb6 axb6 10. Nd4 e5 11. Nxc6 exf4 12. Nd4 {all main line so far} Nd5 (12... d5) (12... Bc5 {both more frequent, Wh scores 52% &62% against these.As opposed to 47% against the text} 13. Nh3 Nh5 {Haigh-Barnaby, Dyfed Open 2011,1/2-1/2}) 13. e4 (13. g3 {is an alternative though both} Ne3 ({&} 13... Bd6)) (13. Nh3 Bc5 {transposes}) 13... Ne3 (13... fxe3 14. Bc4 (14. Nb5) 14... Nc7 {eg} 15. Ke2 Bc5 16. Kxe3 O-O 17. Nge2 b5 18. Bb3 d6 19. Kd2 $11 { Walton-Jarmany, 4NCL op Wakefield 2016,0-1}) 14. Nh3 (14. Kf2 Bc5 15. Nge2 O-O 16. g3 (16. Nxf4) 16... Nc4 (16... d5) 17. b4 fxg3+ 18. hxg3 Be7 19. Nf4 $16 { Kulicov-Danin, RUS, Central region Tula ch 2007,1/2-1/2}) (14. g3 Nxf1 (14... Bd6) (14... d5) 15. Kxf1 Bd6 16. Nf5 Be5 17. gxf4 Bxf4 18. Nxg7+ Kf8 19. Nh5 $16 {Meszaros-Fabre, Geneve YM Masters 2010,1-0}) 14... Bc5 {Komodo8} (14... Bd6 {Komodo10} 15. Kd2 (15. Kf2 $16) 15... O-O 16. Nf2 Be5 17. Nc2 Nxf1+ (17... d5) 18. Rhxf1 d6 19. Nb4 Be6 20. Kc2 f5 $14 {Leroy-Le Quang, Bagneux op 2000, 0-1}) 15. Kd2 g5 {Komodo8} (15... Nxf1+ 16. Rhxf1 d5 17. Nxf4 dxe4 18. fxe4 O-O 19. Nd5 $16 {Komodo10}) 16. Nxg5 Rg8 (16... d6 $14 {Komodo10}) 17. Nh3 Nxf1+ 18. Rhxf1 Rxg2+ 19. Rf2 Rxf2+ 20. Nxf2 f5 (20... Ra4 {Komodo8} 21. Nd3 Bxd4 22. cxd4 Rxd4 23. Rc1 Kd8 24. Kc3 $16 {Komodo10}) (20... d5 {Komodo10} 21. exd5 Bxd4 22. cxd4 Bf5 $16) 21. exf5 Kf7 22. Nd3 (22. Kd3 $16 {Komodo10}) 22... d5 ( 22... d6 {Komodo10} 23. Nxf4 Bxd4 24. cxd4 Bxf5 25. a3 Rc8 26. Rc1 $16) 23. Ne6 $2 {Wh didn't much like this move either after it had been played- the idea was to get rid of the 2 Bs} (23. Nxf4 $18 {both Engines}) 23... Be3+ $11 { saves the pawn} 24. Kc2 Bxe6 25. fxe6+ Kxe6 26. Re1 Kd6 27. a3 Rg8 28. Re2 Rg1 29. Ne1 Rf1 30. Kd1 {selfpins are always dangerous} (30. Kd3 $11) 30... Rg1 { missing a chance} (30... Bf2 31. a4 Bxe1 32. Rxe1 Rxf3 33. Re2 Rd3+ 34. Ke1 Rh3 $17 {and Bl has acquired a dangous f pawn}) 31. Kc2 {(draw?)} 1/2-1/2 [Event "Dyfed League:AberystwythA-Cardigan"] [Site "?"] [Date "2017.03.07"] [Round "?"] [White "Francis, Matthew"] [Black "Osinga, Awne"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D00"] [WhiteElo "1704"] [BlackElo "1386"] [Annotator "Rudy"] [PlyCount "61"] [EventDate "2017.03.08"] 1. d4 d5 2. Bf4 Nf6 3. e3 Nc6 4. c3 (4. c4 {now that Bl has blocked his c pawn} ) 4... Nh5 $2 {hunting down the London system B is routine, but a move too early} 5. Qxh5 $18 g6 6. Qd1 e6 (6... a6 {Combina-Verniest, Lille Luce op 2010, 1-0}) (6... Na5 {Papalini-Russo, Ivrea Autumn cup 2012,1-0; are 2 previous examples}) 7. Nf3 {Wh needs to complete development & then open the position to make his extra piece count} Bg7 8. Bd3 (8. c4) (8. h4 {the Engine ( Komodo10) goes in for the kill much earlier}) 8... O-O 9. Nbd2 a6 10. O-O Re8 11. e4 Ne7 12. exd5 Nxd5 13. Bg3 (13. Be5 $5) 13... Bf6 14. Ne5 c6 15. Ne4 Be7 16. Re1 {just centralising the pieces} f6 17. Nf3 {most humans would be content just to have forced another weakness on the K side; Engines like to exploit it immediately} (17. Nxg6 $1 {Komodo10; often when up in material, one can return some of it for a clear advantage elsewhere} hxg6 18. Qg4 Kg7 (18... Kf7 19. Nd6+ Bxd6 20. Qxg6+ Kf8 21. Qh6+ Kg8 22. Bh7+ Kf7 23. Qg6+ Kf8 24. Qg8+ Ke7 25. Qg7#) 19. Nxf6 Bxf6 20. Qxg6+ Kf8 21. c4 Nb6 22. Bd6+ Re7 23. Qxf6+ Ke8 24. Bg6+ Kd7 25. Bf7 Qf8 26. Bxe6+ Rxe6 27. Qxe6+ Kd8 28. Be7+ Ke8 29. Qg6+ Qf7 30. Bf6+ Be6 31. Rxe6+ Kf8 32. Qh6+ Kg8 33. Qh8# {Komodo10; most humans would play this last line more simply, but the Engine easily calculates mates}) 17... Rf8 18. c4 {drives Bl's best piece away} (18. h4 {further softens up the K side }) 18... Nb6 19. Bf4 Rf7 20. Be3 Nd7 21. Qc2 (21. c5) 21... Qf8 22. Nc3 { just reorganising things, no rush} (22. c5 {Komodo19}) 22... Bb4 23. a3 Be7 24. d5 {breaking open the middle} (24. Rad1 {brings the last Wh piece into the game }) 24... cxd5 25. cxd5 e5 26. d6 (26. Ne4 {Komodo10}) 26... Bxd6 27. Bc4 { transforming the piece into a R ahead} b5 28. Bxf7+ Qxf7 29. Rad1 Qf8 30. Qd3 Bc7 31. Qd5+ {and picking up another R. A winning game still has to be won.} 1-0