Secret Weapon

For the first time in several years, Aberystwyth is only fielding one team in the Dyfed League this year, due to the transport problems which affected us last season. On the plus side, we have acquired a new secret weapon in Brendan-Budok Durand-Le Leduc, whose rating of 2172 makes him the third-strongest player in the league. We were thus able to field a really strong team for the first match of the season, against Steynton B at the Emlyn Cafe, Tanygroes on Wednesday 4 October. There were no fireworks in the early stages of Brendan's top board game against John Miller; a closed Sicilian yielded a level middle-game, which lasted until White allowed a passed pawn and fell into a deadly pin in capturing it. Rudy van Kemenade played the enterprising Tennison Gambit against Gwyn Evans's Scandinavian, and quickly succeeded in disconcerting his opponent, who not only dropped the exchange but allowed a decisive queen invasion. Julie van Kemenade also won material early, picking up a piece against Jonathan Jones by a well-known trick, and then built up patiently for a crushing assault on White's king. Sam Holman's Ruy Lopez against Ray Greenwood began sharply, then reached a tense late middle-game (or early endgame?) in which he was helped by Black blundering a piece, and went on to finish neatly. A clean sweep for Aberyswyth, 4-0.

[Event "Dyfed League:AberystwythA-SteyntonB"] [Site "?"] [Date "2017.10.04"] [Round "?"] [White "Miller, John S"] [Black "Durand Le Leduc, B."] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B40"] [WhiteElo "1677"] [BlackElo "2172"] [Annotator "Rudy"] [PlyCount "64"] [EventDate "2017.10.05"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. Nc3 (3. d4 {main, but Wh prefers to head for a Closed Sicilian variant} cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Be2 Qc7 6. O-O b5 7. Be3 Bb7 8. f3 Bd6 9. g3 Nf6 10. Bxb5 Bxg3 11. Qd2 Be5 12. Bd3 d5 13. Nc3 dxe4 14. fxe4 Ng4 { Gerfault-Durand Le Ludec, Angers op 2014,0-1}) 3... a6 4. g3 b5 (4... Qc7 5. Bg2 Nc6 6. O-O Nf6 7. d3 Be7 8. Bd2 d6 9. Ng5 h6 10. Nh3 b5 11. f4 Bb7 12. Nf2 O-O 13. Be3 {Miller-Martin Jones, Dyfed League apr 2017,1-0; a strategy discussed in the pm analysis to the present game.}) 5. a3 (5. Bg2 Bb7 6. d3 { main; Wh need not worry about b4 ,which disrupts the Bl Q side pawns}) 5... Bb7 6. d3 Nf6 (6... g6 {was preferred by Bl in pm analysis, to put the bl B on a more active diagonal}) 7. Bg2 Be7 $146 (7... d5 {(Rudy) main; more active; 2-4} 8. e5 {Bl's concern, having to defend against a King's Indian Attack; but 0-2}) 8. O-O (8. e5 Nd5 9. Ne4 $14 {Komodo11}) 8... O-O 9. Bd2 (9. e5 {Cloud Engines} ) (9. Be3 {Brendan} d5 $11 {Rudy}) 9... d6 10. Qe2 (10. Ng5 h6 11. Nh3 Nc6 12. f4 {John} d5 $15 {Komodo11,open centre in response to K side attack.}) (10. Re1 Nbd7 11. e5 $11 {Komodo11} (11. d4 cxd4 12. Nxd4 Ne5 $15)) 10... Nc6 11. Nd1 ( 11. Rae1) 11... Nd4 (11... d5 $15 {Komodo11}) 12. Nxd4 cxd4 13. c3 dxc3 14. Bxc3 $11 Qb6 (14... d5 {Komodo11}) 15. h3 {not necccessary} (15. Ne3) (15. Qe3) 15... a5 16. Qe3 Nd7 17. Qxb6 Nxb6 18. Ne3 (18. Bd4 {Komodo11} Nd7 (18... Na4 19. Nc3 (19. b4 Rfc8 $15) 19... Nc5 (19... Nxb2 20. Nxb5 Nxd3 21. Rfd1 Ne5 22. a4 {Komodo11 considers = as Wh has play for the pawn})) 19. Ne3 $11) 18... Na4 19. f4 (19. d4 Nxc3 20. bxc3 Bc6 21. c4 $11 {Komodo11}) (19. Rab1 $11 {Komodo11 }) 19... Nxc3 20. bxc3 Rac8 $15 {the position now has that slight imbalance in pawn structure that favours the higher rated player in practice} 21. Rfc1 Ba6 22. Bf1 (22. d4 $5) (22. Kf2 $5 {both Komodo11}) 22... Rc7 (22... g6 {creates an escape square for the K}) 23. a4 $11 {eyeing the back rank} Ra8 24. d4 b4 25. Bxa6 Rxa6 {Komodo11} 26. c4 {gives Bl a passed pawn, but maybe Wh gets chances in the centre} (26. Kf2 $11) 26... Rb6 (26... Bf6 27. Rd1 (27. e5 dxe5 (27... Bd8 $17 {Komodo11}) 28. fxe5 Bg5 29. Kf2 f6 $17) 27... e5 28. fxe5 dxe5 29. d5 Be7 $15 {& the Wh centre advance is blocked;Komodo11}) 27. Rab1 b3 { this could wait; the advance can cause disruption in the Wh side,but the pawn might be lost .} (27... h5 {bolt hole for K}) 28. d5 {gives the B a good diagonal,however} (28. e5 dxe5 29. fxe5 f6 $17) (28. Rc3 Rcb7 29. c5 dxc5 30. dxc5 Rb4 31. c6 Rc7 32. Rbxb3 Rxc6 33. Rxc6 Rxb3 34. Rc8+ Bf8 35. Kf2 Rb4 36. Nc4 Rxa4 37. Ne5 Rd4 38. Ke3 Rd1 39. Ke2 Rd4 40. Ke3 $11 {repetition; Komodo11} Rd6 41. Ra8 $11) (28. Kf2 g5 29. Rc3 gxf4 30. gxf4 Rcb7 31. c5 dxc5 32. dxc5 Rc6 33. Kf3 Bxc5 34. Nd1 Rcc7 35. Rbxb3 Bd4 36. Rxb7 Rxb7 37. Rc4 Bg1 38. f5 $11 {Komodo11}) 28... Bf6 29. Nd1 (29. e5 $1 {Komodo11 Bl thought that Wh ought to have tried this- looked at in pm analysis. Wh can get 2 dangerous advanced centre pawns & Bl has to keep a watchful eye on the backrank.} dxe5 ( 29... Be7 30. Rc3 (30. c5 Rxc5 31. Rxc5 dxc5 32. d6 Bd8 33. Kf1 Rb4 34. Ke2 g5 35. Kd3 gxf4 36. gxf4 Kf8 $15) 30... b2 31. Rc2 $14) 30. c5 Rb8 31. c6 Rb6 32. Nc4 Rb8 33. Nd6 $1 exd5 34. Nb5 Re7 35. Rxb3 h6 36. Rc5 exf4 37. gxf4 Rc8 38. Kg2 $16 d4 39. Nd6 Rd8 40. Nf5 Rc7 41. Rb7 Rdc8 42. Rxc7 Rxc7 43. Kf3 $16) 29... Bd4+ $19 30. Kf1 b2 (30... exd5 31. exd5 b2 $19 {Komodo11}) 31. Rc2 (31. Nxb2 Rxb2 $19 (31... Bxb2 32. e5 Rcb7 33. c5 Bxc1 34. Rxb6 Rxb6 35. cxb6 Be3 36. b7 Ba7 $19)) 31... Rb4 32. Nxb2 Rcb7 0-1 [Event "Dyfed League:AberystwythA-SteyntonB"] [Site "?"] [Date "2017.10.04"] [Round "?"] [White "Van Kemenade, R."] [Black "Evans, Gwyn"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B01"] [WhiteElo "2028"] [BlackElo "1453"] [Annotator "Rudy"] [PlyCount "57"] [EventDate "2017.10.05"] 1. e4 d5 2. Nf3 {The Tennison Gambit, a relative of the Budapest, & preceding it , dating from1891 against The first Budapest in 1899.. Also known the Lemberg or Lvov Gambit} dxe4 3. Ng5 Nf6 (3... Bf5 4. g4 Bg6 5. Bg2 Nf6 6. Nc3 Nc6 7. Ngxe4 Qd7 $5 8. Nc5 {Van Kemenade-Francis, Dyfed League 2015,1-0}) 4. Bc4 e6 5. Nc3 {the difference between the Tennison & the Budapest is that the c pawn has not adbvanced. giving Bl the possibility of Bc5 , except that this piece itself might come under attack.} Nc6 (5... Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Re1 Nc6 8. Ncxe4 Nxe4 9. Nxe4 Ne5 10. Bf1 Nd7 11. d4 Nf6 12. Ng5 {Van Kemenade-Garcia, WCPL 2016,0-1 after Wh missed early attacking chances & misplayed a near winning ending with 3 connected passed Q side pawnsfor an exchange}) 6. O-O Bd6 (6... Be7 {simpler, but Bl is responding to a gambit by posting his pices on active squares.}) 7. Re1 (7. Ncxe4 $2 {loses a key pawn} Nxe4 8. Nxe4 Bxh2+ 9. Kxh2 Qh4+ 10. Kg1 Qxe4 {a trap that Bl can also fall into in the Budapest}) 7... O-O (7... Ne5 8. Be2 (8. Bf1) 8... Nc6 9. Bb5 Bd7 10. Ncxe4 O-O 11. Bd3 Nxe4 12. Nxe4 Ne5 13. Be2 Bc6 14. Nxd6 Qxd6 15. d4 $11 {Kinsvater-Harvey,CC Va-N.C.State, 1975,0-1}) 8. Ncxe4 Nxe4 9. Nxe4 Qh4 {attacking, but its the Bl Q that gets into difficulties rather than the Wh K.} 10. g3 {the Wh B can always return to f1 to guard the g2 weakness} Qh3 (10... Qd8 11. d4 e5 12. Nxd6 cxd6 13. dxe5 dxe5 14. Bd5 Qc7 15. c3 $11 (15. Qh5 $11 {though Wh has 2 Bs & a Q side majority for the ending})) 11. Ng5 (11. Bf1 Qf5 12. d4 $14 {original idea, but the text gives Bl more chances of going wrong}) 11... Qf5 12. d4 h6 13. Bd3 Qf6 {missing the detail that attacked Ns can go forward , as well as backwards. However there are possible tactics if the Q moves away from protecting the Bl K.} (13... Qd5 14. Nf3 (14. Nh7 Rd8 15. Bxh6 {the Bl K's shelter is unsafe} Be7 (15... gxh6 16. Nf6+ $18 {wins the Q}) 16. Be4 (16. Bg5 Bxg5 17. Be4 Qxd4 (17... Bh6 $5 18. Bxd5 Rxd5 19. c4 Rxd4 20. Qh5 Kxh7 21. Qxf7 Bd7 22. Rad1 Rd8 $11 {Bl has 3 pieces for the Q}) 18. Nxg5 Qxd1 19. Raxd1 $14) 16... Bg5) 14... Qh5 (14... Nxd4 $2 15. Nxd4 Qxd4 16. Bh7+ {wins the Q}) 15. Be4 (15. Be2 Qg6 16. c3 $14) 15... Bd7 16. c4 f5 17. Bc2 f4 18. Be4 $14) (13... Qa5 14. Nh7 (14. Nf3 Bd7 15. c3 {& the Q is in danger on the Q side, so has to come back}) 14... Rd8 15. Bxh6 $1 {Komodo11; making use of the weakening of the K position & the absence of Bl protectors} gxh6 16. Qg4+ Kh8 17. Qh4 Bf8 18. Nxf8 Qg5 (18... Kg7 19. Nh7 $18) (18... Rxf8 19. Qxh6+ Kg8 20. Qh7#) 19. Qxg5 hxg5 20. Nh7 g4 21. Nf6 $16 {Komodo11}) 14. Nh7 $18 Qe7 {Bl misses that he can get extra pawn for the exchange; however Komodo11 still keeps its eye firmly on the plight of the the Bl K} (14... Qxd4 15. c3 $1 Qd5 (15... Qc5 16. Be3 Qa5 (16... Qd5 17. Nf6+ gxf6 18. c4 Qa5 19. Qg4+ Kh8 20. Bxh6 Rg8 21. Qh4 Rg7 22. Bd2+ $18) 17. Bxh6 $1 $18 Be5 18. Bg5 $1 Re8 19. Qh5 Bd7 20. Nf8 f5 21. Nxd7 $1 $18 {Komodo11})) 15. Nxf8 Kxf8 (15... Qxf8 {is a little better, though Wh will eventually open up the position for the exchange up to count.}) 16. c3 b6 17. Qf3 (17. d5 Ne5 18. Be4 Rb8 19. Bf4 Qf6 20. Bg2 $18 {and is better developed than Bl-Komodo11}) 17... Bb7 18. Be4 (18. Qe4 Qf6 {and the Bl K shelters on e7 after a Qh7}) 18... Qd7 19. b4 {threatens to win a piece} (19. Bf4 {also}) 19... Rb8 (19... a6 20. a4 Rb8 (20... Kg8 21. b5 axb5 22. axb5 Rxa1 23. bxc6 $18 {pm analysis}) 21. b5 {similar to the game}) 20. Qd3 {signalling, but Bl misses it.} (20. a4 a5 21. b5 Nd8 22. Bd2 $18 {Komodo11}) 20... e5 { trying for some activity before the Wh pieces can get going, but the opening of lines must favour Wh's Rs.} (20... Kg8 {pm analysis & Komodo11} 21. Bd2 $18 (21. Bb2 $18 {Komodo11})) 21. b5 Nd8 22. Bxb7 (22. dxe5 {wins a piece immediately, but Wh had a mindset for playing the Q to h7.}) 22... Nxb7 23. dxe5 Nc5 {guarding the Q, however} 24. Qh7 Bxe5 {the win is a matter of preference now} 25. Qh8+ (25. Rxe5 {preferred by Komodo11} f6 26. Rxc5 { the attacked R desperadoes, grabbing what it can before the Q collects the Bl R } bxc5 27. Qh8+ Kf7 28. Qxb8 Qd1+ 29. Kg2 Qd5+ 30. f3 {and Bl has no good checks}) 25... Ke7 26. Rxe5+ (26. Qxg7 Re8 27. Qxe5+ Kd8 28. Qxe8+) (26. Qxb8 Kf6 27. Ba3 Bd6 28. Bxc5 Bxc5 29. Rad1 {are alternatives- Wh wanted rid of the B as more active than Bl's R}) 26... Kf6 (26... Kd6 27. Qxg7 {Rudy} (27. Bf4 $1 {Komodo11} Ne6 28. Rd1+ Ke7 29. Rxd7+ Kxd7 30. Qxb8) 27... Qxb5 28. Qxf7 (28. Qf6+ Kd7 29. Qxf7+ Kc8 30. Re8+ Kb7 31. Qd5+ c6 32. Qf7+ Ka6 33. Rxb8) 28... Qd3 29. Qf6+ Kd7 30. Bf4 $18) 27. Qxb8 Qd1+ (27... Kxe5 {doesn't lose the Q, but again Wh has several ways ahead} 28. Bf4+ (28. Qh8 $1 {Komodo11} Qd1+ ( 28... Kf6 29. Bxh6 Ne6 30. Bxg7+ Nxg7 31. Qh6+ Ke7 32. Qxg7) 29. Kg2 Qd5+ 30. f3 Ke6 31. Bxh6 Kd7 (31... gxh6 32. Re1+ {mating}) 32. Qxg7) 28... Kf6 29. Qxc7 Qxb5 30. Be3 Ne6 31. Qxa7 $18) 28. Kg2 Kxe5 29. Bf4+ 1-0 [Event "DyfedLeague:AberystwythA-SteyntonB"] [Site "?"] [Date "2017.10.04"] [Round "?"] [White "Jones, Jonathan"] [Black "Van Kemenade, Julie"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C24"] [WhiteElo "1500"] [BlackElo "1752"] [Annotator "Rudy"] [PlyCount "88"] [EventDate "2017.10.05"] 1. e4 d6 2. Nc3 (2. d4 {main}) 2... e5 (2... Nf6) 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Be7 5. Bg5 ( 5. f4 {main eg Short-Strikovic, SA Open Cape Town 2015, 1/2-1/2} Nc6 6. Nf3 exf4 7. Bxf4 O-O) 5... Nbd7 (5... Nc6 {main}) (5... c6 {next}) 6. Nd5 $2 { Wh overpresses, missing a standard trick} Nxd5 $19 7. Bd2 (7. Bxe7 Nxe7) (7. Bxd5 Bxg5 {& in both cases Bl retains an extra piece}) 7... N5f6 (7... N5b6 8. Bb3 Nc5 $19 {Komodo11}) 8. Nf3 h6 (8... c6 9. Bb3 d5 {opens up the centre; Komodo11}) 9. Qe2 c6 10. O-O-O b5 (10... d5) 11. Bb3 a5 (11... Nc5) 12. a3 O-O (12... b4 13. a4 Nc5 {Komodo11}) (12... a4 13. Ba2 c5 14. Nh4 Nb8 15. c3 Nc6 16. Kb1 Rb8 17. Rhe1 b4 {Rudy & Komodo11 nudged ( ensures open lines against the Wh K, while not giving Wh anything to aim at on the K side}) 13. Rdg1 b4 ( 13... Nc5 14. Ba2 b4 {Komodo11 & Rudy} 15. Be3 bxa3 16. Bxc5 (16. bxa3 d5 17. Nxe5 Qd6 18. Bd4 Na4 $19 {Komodo11}) 16... axb2+ (16... dxc5 17. bxa3 c4 18. Bxc4 Bxa3+ $17) 17. Kb1 dxc5 18. Nxe5 Qc7 19. f4 c4 20. Nxc4 Rb8 $19) 14. a4 Nb6 (14... Nc5 {Rudy} 15. g4 Nxb3+ 16. cxb3 Nd7 17. Be3 d5 18. Kb1 Ba6 $19 { Komodo11}) 15. h3 (15. g4 {Wh must try open up lines to get anywhere} Nh7 16. h4 Kh8) 15... Nh7 16. g4 Be6 17. h4 Bxb3 18. cxb3 Nd7 19. g5 (19. h5 {to prevent Bl from closing things up with h5, allows a different barricade with} Ng5 {or} (19... Bg5)) 19... h5 20. Nh2 (20. g6 fxg6 21. Rxg6 {opens the G file after all, but then Bl gets plenty of counterplay along the f file} Nhf6 (21... Qe8 22. Rhg1 Rf7 23. Bh6 Bf6 24. Qd1 Nhf8 {and Bl has plenty of spare capacity arounfd her K})) 20... g6 {Bl has now closed up the K side, leaving Wh with few prospects especially for the B} (20... d5 {is Komodo11, who doesn't care much for caution} 21. Qxh5 dxe4 22. dxe4 Nc5 {arguing that an open centre is more than enough to resist any side attack. Humans would prefer to take away Wh counterplay & then leisurely prepare to roll forward in the centre & Q side (which is what happens here)}) 21. f4 exf4 (21... Nc5 {Komodo11} 22. f5 (22. Kc2 exf4 23. Bxf4 d5) 22... Nxb3+ 23. Kb1 Qd7 24. f6 Bd8 25. Be3 Rb8 26. Qd1 Qe6 27. Nf3 Bb6 $19) 22. Bxf4 Qb6 (22... d5) 23. Kb1 Rae8 (23... Rfe8) 24. Rc1 Qb7 25. Nf3 c5 (25... Nc5 26. Ka2 Ne6 27. Be3 c5 {Komodo11}) 26. Rhd1 Nb6 27. Qd2 Rd8 (27... c4) 28. Qe2 Rfe8 29. Nd2 Nf8 {bringing back all the pieces into play before opening up the position. Wh can only sit and wait.} 30. Qf2 Ne6 31. Be3 Bf8 {improving the B position as well} 32. Rf1 Bg7 33. Nf3 {(draw?)} Re7 ( 33... Nd7 34. Qc2 Ne5 {Komodo11}) 34. Rfd1 Rc8 35. Qg3 Rd7 (35... d5) 36. Rc2 d5 {prepares a Q side breakthrough} 37. e5 Rdc7 (37... Nxa4 {Komodo11 as usual goes for an immediate break} 38. Qf2 (38. bxa4 b3 39. Rcc1 Qb4 {and Wh has to give up more material to prevent immediate mate.} 40. Nd2 Qxa4 41. Nxb3 Qxb3 $19) 38... d4 39. Bd2 Nb6 40. Be1 a4 {and the Wh K's shelter is broken open}) 38. Rdc1 Nd7 {stronger now than} (38... Nxa4 {which still works according to Komodo11}) (38... c4 {at once also breaks resistance quickly}) 39. Qf2 Rc6 { to take e5 without allowing a pin by the B, but this is also fine for Bl} ( 39... Nxe5 40. Bf4 Nxd3) (39... c4 $1) 40. Qh2 c4 {the big push has arrived} 41. dxc4 dxc4 42. bxc4 b3 43. Rc3 Qb4 44. Bd2 Qxa4 0-1 [Event "DyfedLeague:AberystwythA-SteyntonB"] [Site "?"] [Date "2017.10.04"] [Round "?"] [White "Holman, Sam"] [Black "Greenwood, Ray"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C66"] [WhiteElo "1305"] [BlackElo "1179"] [Annotator "Rudy"] [PlyCount "87"] [EventDate "2017.10.05"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6 (3... Nf6 4. O-O Ng4 5. h3 h5 6. d3 (6. c3) (6. d4) 6... Nf6 (6... Bc5 {continues the theme, as frequently played on the Internet by W. Krol.}) 7. Bxc6 dxc6 8. Nxe5 Bd6 9. Nf3 $18 {Orton-Greenwood, Dyfed League 2016,1-0}) 4. O-O Bd7 5. c3 Nf6 6. Re1 Ng4 $146 (6... Be7 {main}) 7. h3 (7. d4 $16 {Bl's 2nd move with the N may be best ignored; Komodo11}) 7... h5 {a sacrifice to enable the h file to open; similar to the Orton game & parallels in Ruy Lopez exchange lines} 8. d4 (8. hxg4 hxg4 9. g3 gxf3 10. Qxf3 Qe7 $15) 8... Qf6 9. d5 Nb8 10. Bxd7+ (10. Qb3 $1 $18 Qd8 11. hxg4 hxg4 12. Ng5 Qf6 13. Be3 (13. Ba4 b5 $11) 13... Qh6 14. Kf1 $18 {Komodo11}) 10... Nxd7 11. hxg4 {Wh may well do better by just ignoring the offered pice & waiting for it to go away} (11. Qb3 Qd8 (11... b6 12. Bg5 Qg6 13. Na3 a6 14. Qc4 Ra7 15. Nc2 $18) 12. Qxb7 $18 {Komodo11}) 11... hxg4 12. Ng5 (12. Nfd2 $1 {Komodo11} Qh4 13. Kf1 Qh1+ 14. Ke2 Qxg2 15. Rg1 Qh3 16. c4 g6 17. Qb3 O-O-O 18. Qxh3 gxh3 19. Nc3 $16) 12... Qh6 $11 13. Nh3 (13. Kf1 {Rudy} Qh5 $1 14. Be3 Be7 15. Nxf7 Kxf7 16. Ke2 g3+ 17. f3 Bg5 18. Na3 Nf6 $11 {Komodo11}) 13... Qh5 (13... Qg6 $1 { Komodo11; transposes to previos note by} 14. Ng5 Qh5 15. Kf1) 14. Re3 gxh3 ( 14... Be7 $1 15. c4 g6 16. Nc3 f5 17. Kf1 gxh3 18. Rxh3 Qxd1+ 19. Nxd1 Rxh3 20. gxh3 Kf7 $17 {Komodo11; Bl has a better pawn structure & slightly better placed pieces} 21. Nc3 Nc5 22. f3 Rh8 23. Kg2 Nd3 24. Be3 Bh4 {and Wh faces several threats}) 15. Qxh5 Rxh5 16. Rxh3 Rxh3 17. gxh3 {here Wh preferred his prospects arguing that the Bl B was an inferior piece, held in by its own pawns & hoping to be able to exchange off his B for the Bl N. However according to Komodo11 Bl can generate more active play than in the game} O-O-O {Not the best, as it removes the K far away. In the nearness of an ending, Ks, like other pieces, are better placed in the centre for activity- the diminution of pieces leaves them less likely to be caught in a mating net.} ( 17... Nc5 $1 18. f3 (18. Nd2 g6 19. b4 Na4 20. c4 a5 $17 {activates the R on the Q side}) 18... Be7 19. Na3 Kd7 20. Be3 Nd3 21. Nc4 Rh8 22. Kg2 Bh4 { is similar to the var at move 14.}) 18. Bg5 {provoking another pawn onto the colour of the the Bl B- but Bl should ignore the provocation} f6 $6 (18... Re8 19. Nd2 Be7 20. Be3 g6 21. Kg2 Rh8 22. Rg1 a6 23. a3 Rh5 $15 {similar to earlier notes}) 19. Be3 $11 b6 (19... Be7 20. Kh2 (20. Bxa7 $2 b6 {traps the B} ) 20... Rh8 21. Nd2 g6 22. Rg1 Nf8 (22... f5 23. Rxg6 f4 24. Bxa7 b6 25. Rg7 Re8 26. Nc4 Kb7 27. Bxb6 Nxb6 $15 {Komodo11; is one of those computer lines in search of a complexity most humans avoid}) 23. f4 exf4 24. Bxf4 Rh5 25. Be3 a6 26. c4 c5 27. b3 Kd7 $11 {Komodo11; & Bl brings the K to f7 when there is little real activity left for either side}) 20. b4 Be7 21. Nd2 Rg8 {a rather passive posting} (21... f5) (21... g6) (21... Rh8) 22. Kh2 g5 (22... g6 { keeps the pawn structure more cohesive & keeps a N out of f5.}) 23. Rg1 (23. Kg3 Rh8 24. Nf3 $14 f5 25. exf5 Nf6 26. c4 Ne4+ 27. Kg2 Rf8 28. Nh2 Rxf5 $11 { Komodo11}) 23... Nf8 24. b5 {closing up the Q side, however this cuts down on Wh options of perhaps a break with c5 eventually. However a5 remains a possibilty} Nd7 25. Nf3 (25. Nf1 Nf8 26. Ng3 Ng6 27. Nf5 {occupying the weak square} Kd7 28. a4 Bd8 29. a5 $14 {Komodo11}) 25... Rh8 26. a4 Kb7 (26... Nf8) 27. c4 (27. Kg3 Rf8 28. a5 bxa5 29. Ra1 Nb6 30. Rxa5 f5 31. exf5 Nxd5 (31... Rxf5 32. c4 Rf7 33. Nd2 $14) 32. Rxa7+ Kb8 (32... Kc8 33. Ra8+ Kd7 34. Rxf8 Bxf8 35. c4 $18) 33. Ra3 Rxf5 34. c4 Nf4 35. Kg4 Rf8 36. Ra2 Rh8 37. Bxf4 gxf4 38. h4 $14 {Komodo11}) 27... Nf8 28. Nd2 (28. a5 $1 Kc8 29. a6 Rh5 30. Ne1 Ng6 31. Nd3 Bf8 32. Nb4 Ne7 33. Rg4 Kd7 34. h4 Ke8 35. Nc6 $16 Nxc6 36. bxc6 Rh8 37. Kg3 gxh4+ 38. Rxh4 Rg8+ (38... Rxh4 39. Kxh4 Be7 40. Kh5 Kd8 (40... Kf7 41. Bxb6 $18) 41. Kg6 $18 {Komodo11})) 28... Ng6 29. f3 {anticipating that Bl will play Nh4, Wh tries to swap it off with his B. However all of the Wh pawns are on wh squares, where the Bl B can't take them; but nore can the Wh B protect them from the Bl N.} (29. a5 Nh4 $11) 29... Nh4 (29... a5 $11 {Komodo11}) 30. Bf2 Ng6 31. Nf1 $6 {Wh has misjudged the position, & has arranged his pieces on squares where they interfere with each other.} (31. Be3 $11) (31. Bg3 { covers both f4 & h4} Rf8 (31... a6 $11) 32. Nf1 {trying to get to f5, but Bl gets in first} f5 33. exf5 Rxf5 34. Nd2 a6 $11 {Komodo11}) 31... Nf4 {now the N can penetrate to Wh's Q side, if it wishes} 32. Rg3 Ne2 (32... Nd3 {Rudy, may be a better try for more than equality} 33. Be3 Nb2 {attacking 2 pawns} 34. Rg2 (34. Nd2 Nxa4 $15) 34... Nxc4 (34... Nxa4 35. Ng3 Nc5 36. Bxc5 dxc5 37. Nf5 Bd6 38. Ra2 Ra8 39. Ra6 $11 {Komodo11; neither side can break through}) 35. Re2 Na5 36. Ng3 Nb3 37. Nf5 Bf8 38. Ra2 a6 39. bxa6+ Kxa6 40. Ra3 Nc5 41. Kg2 $11 { again , it looks like deadlock}) 33. Rg2 Nc3 {given the above note, it looks like Bl's simplest is to force a draw with} (33... Nf4 34. Rg3 Ne2 (34... a5 { also seems drawn, but forcing wh to defend the h3 pawn is easier}) 35. Rg4 Nf4 36. Rg3 $11 (36. h4 Nd3 37. Kg1 a5 38. Ne3 Nb2 39. Nf5 Rh7 40. Kf1 Nxa4 $15)) 34. a5 $16 {fortunately for Wh, there is this resource available} bxa5 (34... Ne2 35. Be3 Nf4 36. Bxf4 gxf4 37. Rg7 Bf8 38. a6+ Kc8 39. Rf7 Kd8 40. Rxf6 $18 {although there are still major technical difficulties in forcing the h pawn through to Q}) 35. Be1 a6 $2 {missing the point of Wh's last move} (35... Na4 36. Ne3 (36. Bxa5 Nc5 37. Ne3 $16) 36... Ra8 (36... Nc5 37. Bxa5 Ra8 38. Nf5 Bd8 39. Bd2 a6 40. bxa6+ Rxa6 41. Be3 Kc8 42. Bxc5 dxc5 43. Kg3 Ra1 44. Rc2 $14 {and Wh is clearly superior, but it will take some time to establish if there really is a win.}) 37. Bxa5 a6 38. bxa6+ Rxa6 39. Be1 Nc5 40. Nf5 Bf8 41. h4 gxh4 42. Rg8 Nd7 43. Rh8 Ra4 44. Nxh4 f5 45. Nxf5 Rxc4 46. Rh7 $16) 36. Bxc3 $18 (36. bxa6+ Kxa6 37. Bxc3) 36... axb5 37. cxb5 Kb6 38. Rb2 (38. Ne3) 38... Ra8 39. Ne3 a4 40. Rb1 (40. Nc4+ Kc5 41. Rb4 a3 42. b6 cxb6 43. Nxb6 Ra7 44. Na4+ Rxa4 45. Rxa4) 40... a3 41. Nc4+ Kc5 (41... Kb7 42. Ra1 $18) 42. Nxa3 $1 Rf8 (42... Rxa3 43. Bb4+) 43. b6 cxb6 (43... c6 44. b7 (44. Bb4+ Kd4 45. dxc6)) 44. Rb5# 1-0