Sunday 14 January 2018

New Year Honours

Aberystwyth continued its good form in the first match of the New Year, away to Steynton A at the Emlyn Cafe, Tanygroes, on Wednesday 10 January. On top board Brendan-Budok Durand-Le Ludec quickly picked up a piece against Colin Denham's irregular defence to 1.d4, and trapped Black's queen soon afterwards. Rudy van Kemenade's win against David Pinch in a Three Knights Game was longer, but White's doubled pawns gave him a long-term disadvantage, and when Black acquired two passed pawns on the kingside the end soon followed. Julie van Kemenade's game was another irregular one, as John Miller didn't meet her King's Indian Attack with the expected ...d5. In the slow manoeuvring that followed, Black seemed to lose track of his vulnerable pawns, leading to a comfortable win for White. I have been playing the same system against Scott Hammett's Bird's Opening for some time now, with consistently mediocre results, and tonight's game was no exception, quickly fizzling out into another draw. Aberystwyth won the match 3½-½.

[Event "Dyfed League:SteyntonA-Aberystwyth"] [Site "?"] [Date "2018.01.10"] [Round "?"] [White "Durand Le Leduc, Brendan"] [Black "Denham, C."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E20"] [WhiteElo "2183"] [BlackElo "1659"] [Annotator "Rudy"] [PlyCount "33"] [EventDate "2018.01.11"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Be7 {rather passive; more frequent are} (3... b6 { Queen's Indian}) (3... d5 {Queen's Gambit}) (3... Bb4+ {Bogoindian}) (3... c5 { perhaps to Modern Benoni if} 4. d5 (4. Nc3 cxd4 5. Nxd4 {English or Sicilian, Maroczy})) 4. Nc3 b6 (4... d5 5. Bg5 {Queen's Gambit}) 5. e4 d6 6. Bd3 { Wh has a good centre grip} c5 (6... Bb7) (6... Nbd7 {are safer, but Wh still scores in the 70% bracket in these}) 7. e5 $18 {Bl is in trouble on the wh diagonal ( though a few Wh players have missed this move} cxd4 (7... dxe5 8. dxe5 {& Bl must still shed a piece, 3-0}) (7... Ng8 8. exd6 $1 Qxd6 9. dxc5 (9. Be4 Nc6 10. Bf4 Qd7 11. d5 $18) 9... Qxc5 10. Be3 (10. Be4 Nc6 11. Be3 Qxc4 12. Nd2 $18) 10... Qc7 11. Be4 (11. Nb5 Qc6 12. Bf4 Na6 13. Nbd4 Qb7 14. O-O $16) 11... Bb7 12. Nb5 Qc8 13. Bxb7 Qxb7 14. Nd6+ Bxd6 15. Qxd6 $11 {Stipancic(1809) -Hupe(2049), Niedersachsen ch, Verden 2014,1/2-1/2}) 8. exf6 Bxf6 9. Ne4 Bb7 10. Nxf6+ (10. Qa4+ Bc6 11. Qc2 Be5 12. Nxe5 dxe5 13. f3 $18 {Soeder-Martin, Oberliga Bayern 1996,1-0}) (10. O-O {Komodo11}) 10... gxf6 11. O-O (11. Nxd4) 11... e5 12. Re1 Nc6 13. Nh4 f5 (13... Ne7 14. Qh5 Qd7 15. Bh6 Rg8 16. f3 $18 { Komodo11}) 14. Nxf5 Qf6 15. Qh5 O-O-O (15... Kd7 16. Nh6 Rhf8 17. Bg5 Qg7 18. Qg4+ Ke8 19. f4 $18 {Komodo11}) 16. Bg5 Qe6 (16... Qg6 17. Ne7+ Nxe7 18. Bxg6 hxg6 {is a little better , but not much}) 17. Ng7 {The Q is lost} (17. Ng7 Qd7 18. Bf5) 1-0 [Event "Dyfed League:SteyntonA-Aberystwyth"] [Site "?"] [Date "2018.01.10"] [Round "?"] [White "Pinch, David"] [Black "Van Kemenade, R."] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C42"] [WhiteElo "1623"] [BlackElo "2015"] [Annotator "Rudy"] [PlyCount "88"] [EventDate "2018.01.11"] 1. e4 {deviating from his usual} (1. f4) 1... e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 ( 4. Bc4) (4. Nxe5 {main lines}) 4... Bxc3 5. dxc3 O-O {Bl is now a developing move up, & its as if he was playing as Wh. Also Wh needs to take care of his e pawn} (5... d6 {more frequent,Wh scores 39%}) 6. Bd3 (6. Bg5 {most frequent, Wh scores 45%}) 6... d5 {opening up the centre} 7. Bg5 {14%} (7. Qe2 {12%} dxe4 8. Bxe4 Nxe4 9. Qxe4 Qf6 $15 {De Jong-Talim, IECG email, 2004,0-1}) 7... dxe4 8. Bxf6 Qxf6 (8... gxf6 9. Bxe4 Qxd1+ (9... f5 10. Bd5 e4 11. Ng1 c6 12. Bb3 $11) 10. Rxd1 c6 (10... f5 11. Bd5) 11. Nh4 $11 {Lorenz-Balzer, Cattolica op 1992,1-0, Wh hs a doubled pawn on the Q side, & Bl has one on the K side}) 9. Bxe4 {Komodo11 assesses the position as level. However in variations of the Ruy Lopez exchange, Bl has 2 Bs and centre activity to compensate for the doubled Q side pawns. Here, though, in the absence of the B pair for Wh, Bl has in effect an extra K side pawn,} Nd7 (9... c6 10. Qd3 h6 11. O-O Nd7 12. Ne1 Nc5 13. Qc4 Nxe4 14. Qxe4 Qf5 15. Qxf5 Bxf5 {Lanfranchi-Poulain, Marseilles op 2004,0-1}) (9... Nc6 10. O-O Bg4 11. h3 Rad8 12. Qe2 Bh5 13. Qb5 Bxf3 14. Bxf3 Rb8 15. Rfe1 Rfe8 16. Rad1 a6 17. Qc4 $14 {Babaeva-Katkov, Voronezh ch 2015,0-1}) 10. O-O (10. Qe2 Nc5 11. Bd5 c6 12. Ba2 Bg4 13. h3 e4 $5 (13... Bxf3 14. Qxf3 Qxf3 15. gxf3 Rad8 $15 {Komodo11}) 14. hxg4 exf3 15. Qxf3 Rae8+ 16. Kf1 Qe7 17. g3 $14 {Jurisin-Klem, Strobec op 2008,0-1}) 10... Nc5 11. Qe2 c6 $6 (11... Bg4) 12. b3 {both sides miss a trick here} (12. Nxe5 $1 Re8 ( 12... Qxe5 $2 13. Bxh7+) (12... Nxe4 13. Qxe4 Bf5 14. Qe2 Rae8 15. f4 Qe7 16. Qf2 $14 {though its diddicult to exploit the extra Q side pawn}) 13. Rae1 Nxe4 14. Qxe4 Bf5 15. Qe2 h6 (15... Bxc2 16. Nd7 Qe6 17. Qxe6 Rxe6 18. Rxe6 fxe6 19. Re1 Rd8 20. Nc5 b6 21. Nxe6 Re8 22. Re2 Bd1 23. Re3 c5 24. b4 Bb3 25. Ng5 Rxe3 26. fxe3 h6 27. Ne4 $14 {now Wh has an extra K side pawn}) 16. Ng4 $14) 12... Re8 13. Rfe1 Bg4 (13... Qe7 14. b4 Nxe4 15. Qxe4 f6 16. Nd4 Qf7 17. f4 f5 18. Qe3 e4 19. Nf3 Be6 20. Ne5 Qe7 $11 {Komodo11, Wh has given Bl a bad B& blockaded the passed pawn.}) (13... Nxe4 14. Qxe4 Bf5 15. Qe2 Bg4 {looks the most exact move order}) 14. Qe3 (14. Rad1 Rad8 15. Rxd8 Qxd8 16. h3 Bd7 17. Nd2 f5 18. Bd3 e4 19. Bc4+ Be6 20. b4 Bxc4 21. Nxc4 Na4 22. Na5 Qd7 23. Rd1 Qe6 24. Qc4 Qxc4 25. Nxc4 Re7 $15 {Komodo11}) 14... Nxe4 15. Qxe4 Bxf3 16. Qxf3 Qxf3 17. gxf3 Rad8 {Wh has an additional pawn weakness & Bl seeks control over the only open file} (17... Re6 18. Rad1 Rae8 19. Rd7 R6e7 20. Rd6 f6 $11 {Wh has compensation enough with his control of the file}) 18. Re2 (18. Rad1 {Wh should contest this & gain his own R activity.} Kf8 (18... f6 19. Rxd8 Rxd8 20. f4 Rd2 21. fxe5 fxe5 22. Rxe5 Kf7 23. Kg2 Rxc2 24. Re3 $11 {Bl has allowed the trade of his good e pawn for the weakling on c2, but has a better R placement ( though this probably is not good enough for a win}) 19. Rxd8 Rxd8 20. Rxe5 Rd2 21. Kg2 Rxc2 22. Re3 b5 $15 {Bl has kept the doubled pawns on the f file for Wh, and is looking at the a pawn- but Wh can still put up a fight.}) 18... f6 19. Rae1 Kf7 $17 (19... g5 20. h4 h6 $17) 20. Kg2 (20. h4 g6 21. Kg2 h6 22. c4 g5 $17 {transposes}) 20... g5 21. Kg3 Kg6 $17 (21... Ke6 $17 {Komodo11}) 22. Rh1 Rd7 (22... Kf5 23. h4 Rg8 24. h5 Rg7 $17 {Komodo11}) 23. h4 Red8 {changing plans, getting an outside passed pawn rather than a slow squash ( which would still be the better option, as the text allows Wh counterplay)} (23... h6 24. hxg5 hxg5 25. Kg2 Red8 26. c4 Rd1 27. Ree1 R1d2 (27... Rxe1 28. Rxe1 Rd2 29. Rc1 Kf5 $17 {reduces Wh to passivity}) 28. Rc1 R8d4 29. Rhe1 g4 30. Re4 gxf3+ 31. Kxf3 Rxe4 32. Kxe4 Rxf2 $17 {Komodo11}) 24. hxg5 Kxg5 25. Rh4 (25. f4+ { expected & would have given Wh a lot of R activity} exf4+ 26. Kf3 h5 27. Re4 Rd1 (27... Rd2 28. Rg1+ Kh6 29. Re6 Rf8 30. Ke4 $1 f3 31. Kf5 Rd5+ 32. Kf4 Rf7 33. Kxf3 Re5 34. Rd6 Ra5 35. a4 Rf5+ 36. Ke2 h4 37. Rh1 Rh5 {=Komodo11, Wh has 2 active Rs, but in practical play the h pawn retains winning chances for Bl)}) 28. Rh2 Kg6 29. Kxf4 R8d5 30. c4 (30. Re7 Rf5+ $19) 30... Rf5+ 31. Ke3 Re1+ 32. Kd4 c5+ 33. Kd3 Rf3+ 34. Re3 Rexe3+ 35. fxe3 Rg3 $17 {similar to the game- the Wh K is cut off and Bl wins by advancing the h pawn}) 25... h5 (25... Re7 $1 { Komodo11, prevents f4 for a move} 26. Ree4 h5 27. f4+ exf4+ 28. Rhxf4 Rxe4 29. Rxe4 Rd2 $17) 26. f4+ exf4+ 27. Rxf4 Rd1 (27... Rd2 28. Re7 R8d7 29. Re8 Kg6 30. Rf3 Rxc2 31. Rg8+ Rg7 32. Ra8 a6 33. Rf8 Rf7 34. Rg8+ Kh7 35. Re8 Rb2 36. c4 Rd2 37. Kf4 Rfd7 38. a4 R7d3 39. Re7+ Kg6 40. Rxb7 h4 41. Rxd3 Rxd3 42. Rb8 h3 43. Ke4 Rc3 44. a5 Kf7 45. Kd4 Kg7 46. Rb7+ Kg6 47. Rb8 Rf3 48. Rh8 Kg7 49. Rh4 Rxb3 50. Kc5 Kg6 51. f4 $1 Kf5 (51... Rc3 52. Kb6) 52. Kxc6 Ke4 53. c5 f5 54. Kc7 Rc3 55. c6 Kd5 56. Rh6 h2 57. Rxh2 Rxc6+ 58. Kb7 Rc4 $11 (58... Re6 $11 {Komodo11, nudged})) 28. Rc4 {trying for Rc5 ch} (28. Re6 $1 {considered by Wh} f5 (28... Rg1+ 29. Kf3 Rc1 30. Rfxf6 Rxc2 31. Rg6+ Kf5 (31... Kh4 $2 32. Re4+ Kh3 33. Rg3+ Kh2 34. Rh4#) 32. Rgf6+ $11) 29. Re5 h4+ 30. Kf3 Rf8 31. Re7 h3 32. Rg7+ Kf6 33. Rh7 Rd2 34. Rh5 Kg6 35. Rfh4 Rxc2 36. Rh6+ Kf7 37. Rxh3 Rxc3+ 38. Kf4 Rxh3 39. Rxh3 Ke6 40. Rh6+ Kd5 41. Rh7 b5 42. Rd7+ Kc5 43. Rxa7 Kd4 44. b4 Re8 45. Rg7 Re2 46. f3 Ra2 47. Ra7 Rf2 48. Rf7 Kc4 49. Ra7 Kb3 50. Ra8 $11) 28... R1d2 (28... R8d2) 29. Rce4 Rxe2 (29... h4+ {considered by Bl}) 30. Rxe2 Rd7 {Bl considered this a forced win,Komodo11 still thinks equal. Wh has to play accurately to save the game, but, as the one under pressure. mistakes can come quite easily.} 31. f3 {a mistake , making the f pawn more vulnerable & taking a square away from his own K. Its seldom a good idea to move pawns on the side where you are under attack, as it creates openings, & pawns cannot move backwards.} (31. a4 {takes care of a loose pawn( in some R endings) & wait. However Bl retains good chances} h4+ 32. Kg2 Kf4 (32... f5 33. Re8 Kf4 34. Rf8 Rd2 35. Rh8 Rxc2 36. Rxh4+ Ke5 37. Rh3 $11) 33. Re6 f5 34. Rh6 Rg7+ 35. Kf1 Kg5 36. Rh8 b6 37. c4 Kg4 38. Kg2 c5 39. Rh6 Rc7 40. Rg6+ Kf4 41. Rh6 Rg7+ 42. Kf1 Kg4 43. Kg2 $15 {Komodo11, but the Engine keeps going round in circles & with the R behind the h pawn Wh looks like holding, Bl needs to sacrifice the outside pawn & try to get entry with his K} Re7 44. Rg6+ Kf4 45. Rh6 Kg5 46. Rh8 Re2 47. Rh7 Rxc2 48. Rxa7 Rc3 49. Rb7 Rxb3 50. a5 h3+ (50... Rb4 51. axb6 Rxc4 52. Rg7+ Kf4 53. b7 Rb4 54. Re7 Rb3 55. Rc7 h3+ 56. Kh2 Ke4 57. Rxc5 Rxb7 58. Kxh3 $11 {Nalimov tablebases}) 51. Kh2 Kf4 52. Rxb6 Ra3 53. Rb5 Kg4 54. Rxc5 f4 55. Rb5 Ra2 56. Kg1 h2+ 57. Kxh2 Rxf2+ 58. Kg1 Ra2 59. Rc5 Kf3 60. Rb5 Ra1+ $11) 31... h4+ 32. Kh3 {(draw?)} Kf4 $17 33. Rf2 (33. Kxh4 Rh7# { would not be a good idea}) (33. Re4+ Kxf3 $19 34. Re1 (34. Rxh4 f5) 34... f5 35. Rf1+ Ke4 36. Re1+ Kf4 37. Rf1+ Kg5 38. Rg1+ Kf6 $19 {sooner or later The Wh K will need to take the h pawn & then be cut off} 39. Rf1 (39. Kxh4 $2 Rh7+ 40. Kg3 Rg7+ 41. Kf2 Rxg1 42. Kxg1 Ke5 $19) 39... Rd2 40. Rc1 f4 41. Kg4 h3 42. Kxh3 Kf5 {and Wh is close to zugzwang.as he will run out of pawn moves.}) 33... f5 $19 (33... Rd1 $1 {Komodo11} 34. c4 f5 35. c3 Ke3 36. Rh2 Kxf3 37. Kxh4 f4 { & the f pawn will cost a R} (37... Rg1 {cutting off the Wh K is a more human move} 38. Rd2 Rg7 39. b4 f4 {similar to the game}) 38. Kg5 Ke3 39. Rh3+ f3 40. Kf5 Ke2 41. Rh2+ f2 42. Ke4 Rg1 $19) 34. c4 Rg7 (34... Rd1 {Komodo11}) 35. Rd2 (35. Rf1 Ke3 36. f4 Ke2 37. Rh1 Rg4 38. Rh2+ Ke3 39. Rh1 Kxf4 $19 {Komodo11}) 35... Kxf3 36. Rd3+ Ke4 37. Rd6 f4 38. Rd8 Ke3 39. Re8+ Kf2 40. Re6 f3 (40... Rg3+ 41. Kh2 Re3 42. Rh6 f3 $19 {Komodo11}) 41. Re8 Kf1 42. Kh2 (42. Rf8 f2 43. Re8 Kg1) 42... Rg2+ {quickest} (42... f2 {Wh was hoping for this when} 43. Kh1 {thought Bl would have difficulty breaking out, However there would still be several ways for Bl to force a win. The position is fundamentally a Lucena position, but with several pawns cluttering things up} Rg3 {threatens mate} ( 43... h3 44. b4 h2 45. c5 Rg1+ {forces Wh to take the h pawn, and now the R can force the Wh K away from preventing Bl's K going to g1} 46. Kxh2 Rg2+ 47. Kh1 Rg7 48. Kh2 Rh7+ 49. Kg3 Kg1 $19) 44. Kh2 Rc3 45. c5 Rxc2 46. b4 Re2 47. Rf8 Ke1 $19 (47... Re3 $19)) 43. Kh1 Re2 44. Rf8 f2 (44... f2 45. Kh2 Re3 ( 45... Ke1 46. Kg2 f1=Q# {doublecheck & mate}) 46. b4 Ke1 47. Kg2 Rg3+ 48. Kh2 f1=Q) 0-1 [Event "Dyfed League:SteyntonA-Aberystwyth"] [Site "?"] [Date "2018.01.10"] [Round "?"] [White "Van Kemenade, J."] [Black "Miller, John S"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B21"] [WhiteElo "1740"] [BlackElo "1648"] [Annotator "Rudy"] [PlyCount "75"] [EventDate "2018.01.11"] 1. e4 e6 {French} 2. d3 (2. Qe2 c5 3. g3 Nc6 4. Nf3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. d3 Nge7 7. O-O O-O 8. c3 Qc7 9. Nbd2 {Van Kemenade-Miller, Dyfed League 2015,0-1}) 2... c5 {Sicilian} (2... d5 3. Qe2 d4 (3... Ne7 4. Nf3 c5 5. g3 Nbc6 6. Bg2 d4 7. O-O Rb8 {Van Kemenade-Miller, Dyfed League 2016,1/2-1/2}) 4. Nf3 c5 5. g3 Nc6 6. Bg2 e5 7. h3 {Van Kemenade-Miller, N,Dyfed vs S Dyfed 2014,1/2-1/2}) 3. f4 (3. Qe2 Nc6 4. Nf3 Nge7 5. g3 d5 6. Bg2 d4 7. O-O e5 8. Ne1 Qc7 9. f4 {Van Kemenade-Miller, Dyfed League 2013,1-0}) 3... Nc6 (3... d5 4. Nd2 Nc6 5. Ngf3 Nf6 6. g3 (6. c3) (6. Be2 {played})) 4. Nf3 d6 5. Be2 {Going for a position that Lakdawala Bird's Opening 2015 describes as ' the Clamp'. A related setup is} (5. g3 g6 6. Bg2 Bg7 7. O-O Nge7 8. c3 O-O 9. Be3 b6 10. d4 {transposes to R Van Kemenade-AH Williams, Dyfed League 2016, 1/2-1/2 [ game started 1f4,g6]} (10. Bf2 {delaying d4 main alternative})) 5... g6 (5... Nf6 6. O-O Be7 7. c3 O-O 8. Na3 {alternative}) 6. O-O Bg7 7. c3 Nge7 8. Nbd2 (8. Be3 O-O 9. Nbd2 (9. d4 {also played})) 8... Bd7 (8... O-O {main}) (8... b5 9. Qc2 O-O 10. a4 b4 11. c4 Rb8 12. Rb1 Nd4 13. Nxd4 Bxd4+ 14. Kh1 Nc6 15. b3 Bg7 16. Nf3 {Bernauer-N. Jussupow, Augsburg Afro op 2001,1/2-1/2}) 9. Rf2 (9. Nc4 Qc7 10. e5 Nc8 11. d4 cxd4 12. cxd4 d5 13. Ne3 Qd8 14. b3 O-O 15. Qe1 Re8 16. Qg3 N8e7 17. Qh3 Nf5 18. Nxf5 exf5 19. Kh1 h6 20. Bb2 $11 {Mbedza-Petersen, Commonwealth & RSA ch , Port Elizabeth 2013,1-0}) 9... Qc7 (9... d5 {Komodo11}) 10. Nf1 b5 11. Ng3 b4 12. Bd2 (12. d4 {Komodo11}) 12... a5 13. Qf1 (13. Rc1) 13... f5 (13... O-O) 14. Qc1 Qb6 15. Be3 Qb7 16. Bf1 (16. Bd1 O-O 17. Ba4 $11 {Komodo11}) 16... O-O 17. Rc2 h6 (17... a4 18. e5 b3 19. Rf2 Qc7 20. exd6 Qxd6 21. axb3 axb3 22. Nd2 Na5 23. Be2 $11 {Komodo11}) 18. exf5 {the first exchange of the game} (18. e5 dxe5 19. Bxc5 Rfc8 20. d4 e4 21. Nd2 Nd5 22. Nc4 Qc7 23. Nd6 Rd8 $15 {Komodo11}) 18... exf5 19. d4 cxd4 20. Nxd4 (20. cxd4 Be6 $15 {Komodo11}) 20... a4 (20... Nxd4 21. Bxd4 Bxd4+ 22. cxd4 Rac8 23. Rxc8 Rxc8 24. Qd2 Nd5 25. Re1 Kg7 $15 { Komodo11}) 21. Nxc6 (21. Nb5 Nd5 22. Bc4 (22. Nxd6 Qb8 23. Bc5 Ra5 24. cxb4 Ncxb4 25. Rf2 Kh7 $15) 22... Be6 23. Nxd6 Qd7 24. Bxd5 Bxd5 25. Bc5 $11 { Komodo11}) 21... Nxc6 (21... Bxc6 22. cxb4 a3 23. bxa3 Bxa1 24. Qxa1 Rxa3 25. Qd4 Kh7 26. b5 Bd5 27. Ne2 Bxa2 28. Nc3 Bb3 29. Rc1 Nd5 30. Nxd5 Bxd5 31. b6 Rf7 32. Bf2 $11 {Komodo11; the advanced b pawn & the 2 Bs compensate for the exchange ( & the d6 pawn is loose)}) 22. cxb4 Rac8 (22... a3 23. b5 (23. Rb1 $11) (23. Bc4+ Kh7 24. Rb1 axb2 25. Rcxb2 Bxb2 26. Qxb2 Nd8 27. Rd1 Be6 28. Bxe6 Nxe6 29. Rxd6 Qe7 30. Qe5 Rfe8 31. Nf1 $11 {Komodo11}) 23... Nb4 24. Rc7 axb2 25. Rxb7 bxa1=Q 26. Qxa1 Bxa1 27. Rxd7 Rfd8 28. Rxd8+ Rxd8 29. a4 d5 30. Bc5 Ra8 31. b6 (31. Bxb4 Bd4+ 32. Kh1 Rxa4 33. Bd6 Ra1 $19 {Komodo11})) 23. a3 (23. Bc4+ Kh7 24. a3 $11 {Komodo11, but Wh's b4 looks like an asset}) 23... Nd4 24. Bxd4 Bxd4+ 25. Kh1 Rxc2 (25... Be3 $1 {Komodo11} 26. Qd1 Rxc2 27. Qxc2 Rc8 28. Bc4+ d5 29. Qd3 Rxc4 30. Qxe3 d4 31. Qd2 $11) 26. Qxc2 Rc8 27. Qd2 $14 Qb6 28. Ne2 (28. Rd1 Bg7 29. Ne2 Be6 30. Nc3 Bb3 31. Qxd6 Qxd6 32. Rxd6 Bxc3 33. bxc3 Rxc3 34. Kg1 $16 {Komodo11}) 28... Bf6 (28... Be3 29. Qd5+ Kg7 30. Nc3 Bxf4 31. Bc4 Rf8 32. Re1 Qd8 $11 {Komodo11, looks unclear to human eye}) 29. Nc3 $16 Be6 (29... Qd4 30. Qxd4 Bxd4 31. Ba6 Rc7 32. b5 (32. Rd1 Bxc3 $15) 32... Bxc3 33. bxc3 Rxc3 34. b6 Kf8 35. Rb1 Bc8 36. b7 Bxb7 37. Bxb7 Rxa3 38. Kg1 $16 {Komodo11}) 30. Nxa4 $18 Qd8 (30... Qb8) 31. Nc3 d5 32. a4 (32. Na4 d4 33. Nc5 {Komodo11}) 32... d4 33. Nd1 {blockading the passed pawn} (33. Nb5) 33... Bb3 34. Bd3 (34. b5 Rc2 35. Qd3 Qd5 36. Ra3 $18 {Komodo11}) 34... Qd5 ( 34... Be7 35. a5 $18) 35. b5 $18 g5 36. a5 (36. Nf2) 36... g4 37. b6 Bc4 38. a6 1-0 [Event "Dyfed League:SteyntonA-Aberystwyth"] [Site "?"] [Date "2018.01.10"] [Round "?"] [White "Hammett, S."] [Black "Francis, Matthew"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A03"] [WhiteElo "1504"] [BlackElo "1764"] [Annotator "Rudy"] [PlyCount "53"] [EventDate "2018.01.11"] 1. f4 d5 2. Nf3 Bg4 3. e3 c6 (3... Nd7 4. Be2 (4. h3 Bxf3 5. Qxf3 Ngf6 6. g4 h6 {R Van Kemenade-Francis, Aberystwyth ch 2011,0-1}) 4... Bxf3 5. Bxf3 c6 { Hammett-Francis, Dyfed League 2017,1/2-1/2}) (3... Nf6) (3... e6) (3... Nc6) ( 3... Bxf3 {more frequent than the text}) 4. Be2 Bxf3 (4... Nd7) 5. Bxf3 Nd7 6. O-O (6. b3 e5 7. fxe5 Nxe5 8. Bb2 Bd6 9. O-O (9. Qe2) 9... Nf6 10. d4 Nxf3+ 11. Qxf3 Qe7 12. Nd2 O-O 13. Rae1 Ne4 (13... Rae8) 14. Nxe4 Qxe4 15. Qxe4 dxe4 16. c4 $11 {Hammett-Francis, Dyfed League 2017,1/2-1/2}) 6... e5 7. fxe5 Nxe5 8. d4 Nxf3+ 9. Qxf3 Nf6 10. c3 (10. Nc3 Bb4 {0-3}) (10. Bd2 Qd7 11. Be1 Bd6 12. Nd2 Qe6 13. Bh4 Ne4 14. Nxe4 dxe4 15. Qf5 Qxf5 16. Rxf5 O-O 17. Bg3 Bxg3 18. hxg3 Rfe8 19. Raf1 Re7 20. c4 $11 {Van Rijn-Pilgrim, Groningen Harmonie op 2003,1-0} ) 10... Bd6 11. Nd2 O-O (11... Qe7 {Rudy} 12. Re1 Ne4 13. Nxe4 dxe4 14. Qh3 O-O 15. Bd2 f5 16. c4 Qf7 17. b3 b5 $15 {Komodo11}) 12. e4 dxe4 (12... Qb6 13. Kh1 Nxe4 14. Nxe4 dxe4 15. Qxe4 Rae8 16. Qd3 Qc7 17. g3 Qe7 18. Bd2 Qe2 19. Rf3 Qxd3 20. Rxd3 Re2 21. Re1 Rfe8 22. Rxe2 Rxe2 23. c4 $11 {Komodo11}) 13. Nxe4 Nxe4 14. Qxe4 Qc7 (14... Re8 15. Qf3 Re7 16. Bf4 Bxf4 17. Qxf4 Qd5 18. Qf5 Qxf5 19. Rxf5 Rae8 20. Raf1 $11 {Komodo11}) 15. Bf4 Rae8 16. Bxd6 Qxd6 $11 17. Qf3 Re6 18. Rae1 Rh6 19. g3 (19. Qf4 $11) 19... Qd7 20. Rf2 Rf6 (20... Re8) 21. Qg2 Rxf2 22. Qxf2 Rd8 (22... Re8 $11) 23. Qe3 Kf8 24. Qe4 g6 {a little dangerous} ( 24... Re8 25. Qxe8+ Qxe8 26. Rxe8+ Kxe8 $11) 25. Qe5 Kg8 26. Qf6 (26. Qe7 b6 27. Qxd7 Rxd7 $11) 26... Re8 27. Re5 (27. Re5 Rxe5 28. Qxe5 Qg4 $1 {passive defence might allow Wh to push his d pawn through} (28... h5 29. c4 Kf8 30. d5 cxd5 31. cxd5 Qe8 32. Qh8+ Ke7 33. Qd4 Qd7 34. Qe5+ Kd8 35. d6 Qe6 36. Qa5+ b6 37. Qxa7 Qe1+ 38. Kg2 Qe2+ 39. Kh3 Qe6+ 40. Kg2 Qe2+ $11) 29. Kg2 Qd1 30. Qe8+ Kg7 31. Qe5+ Kg8 $11) 1/2-1/2

Tuesday 9 January 2018

No chess tonight - Tuesday 9 January

There will be no meeting of the Chess Club tonight, as Brynamlwg is closed. Chess resumes for the New Year on Tuesday 16th January.