Plus Ça Change

The season is now properly under way, and we are meeting in the Students' Union at Aberystwyth University. (Go through the main entrance, up the stairs and through the main room to find the meeting rooms at the back.) Club nights have been a success so far this year, with several members of the university club, which now has its own team in the Dyfed League, joining us for friendly games. Both clubs have started the League season with a win, the University beating Cardigan B 3-1, while Aberystwyth beat a weakened Carmarthen, missing strong players Gerry Heap and David Buttell, at the Emlyn Cafe, Tanygroes, on Monday, 15 October.

On top board, Rudy van Kemenade embarked on complications against Huw Morcom's Modern Defence, losing a piece, but eventually getting an exchange back, so that Black had two pieces for the rook. The Black advanced pawns were very dangerous, but Huw had used a lot of time and Rudy was glad to take his draw offer. Adam Watkin-Jones reached a level position against Paul Orton with a Pirc-like opening against the London System, but soon afterwards White allowed his queenside pawns to be split, creating weaknesses that Black was able to exploit effectively. Julie van Kemenade got strong pressure from the outset against Robert Narayan-Taylor's misplayed Scandinavian Defence. Black was able to survive till the early middle-game, but the White pressure in the centre quickly forced a win of material. I had to be patient in a Sicilian against Wilf Davis's cautious manoeuvring, but found an opportunity to give up an exchange for two powerful bishops and a pair of passed pawns, after which I had all the play. 3½-½ to Aberystwyth was an excellent start to the League season.

[Event "Dyfed League:Carmarthen-Aberystwyth"] [Site "?"] [Date "2018.10.15"] [Round "?"] [White "Van Kemenade, R."] [Black "Morcom, Huw"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E70"] [WhiteElo "2023"] [BlackElo "1919"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "98"] [EventDate "2018.10.17"] 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. c4 c5 {second} (3... d6 {main}) 4. d5 d6 5. h3 {avoiding} (5. Nc3 Bxc3+ {The Sniper}) 5... Nf6 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Bd3 (7. Nf3) 7... Na6 (7... e6 {main}) 8. Nge2 (8. Nf3 {main}) 8... Nc7 9. O-O e6 (9... a6 {main}) 10. a4 ( 10. Ng3) (10. Bg5) 10... exd5 11. cxd5 (11. exd5 {also played}) 11... b6 {main} (11... a6 {alternative}) 12. Ng3 (12. Bg5 {main}) 12... Ba6 (12... a6 {more frequent}) 13. Nb5 Bb7 (13... Bxb5 14. axb5 Qd7 15. Bf4 Rfe8 16. Qb3 a6 17. bxa6 (17. Rxa6 Nxa6 18. bxa6 $14 {Komodo12}) 17... b5 18. Qd1 (18. Bb1 $11) 18... c4 19. Bb1 Nxa6 20. Re1 Nc5 21. Rxa8 Rxa8 22. Qd2 Nb3 $15 {Borges-Correa, Alberto de Joinville -Amateur U220,2017,0-1}) 14. Bg5 h6 15. Bf4 Nfe8 16. Qd2 Kh7 $16 17. Ra3 (17. Na3) (17. Rfe1) 17... Na6 18. h4 $5 {trying for an immediate break turns out to be too risky, though alternatives are quite complex} (18. Re1 Nb4 19. Bb1 (19. Bf1 a6 20. Nc3 Nc7 21. Bc4 Re8 22. Be3 a5 23. Qc1 Ba6 24. Bxa6 Ncxa6 25. Nb5 Nc7 $11) 19... a6 20. Nc3 Nc7 21. Nf1 b5 22. a5 $14) (18. Be3 Nb4 19. Bb1 Nc7 20. Nc3 a5 21. f4 Ba6 22. Rf3 Kg8 23. f5 (23. e5 dxe5 24. d6 exf4 25. Bxf4 Ne6 26. Bxh6 Bd4+ 27. Kh1 Qxd6 28. Bxf8 Rxf8 29. Nb5 Qe5 $15) 23... Qh4 24. Nd1 $14) (18. Rb3 {Komodo12- looks quite promising} Nb4 19. Rxb4 cxb4 20. Qxb4 a6 21. Nxd6 Nxd6 22. Qxd6 Qxd6 23. Bxd6 Rfe8 24. Bc7 Bd4 25. Ne2 Bc5 26. Rb1 a5 27. Nc3 $16 {Wh has 2 pawns for the exchange & piece activity}) 18... Nb4 19. h5 (19. Bb1 a6 20. Nc3 Qxh4 $15) 19... Nxd3 20. Rxd3 (20. Qxd3 {alternative} a6 21. Nc3 Nf6 22. Qd1 Qe7 23. Be3 b5 24. axb5 axb5 25. Rxa8 Rxa8 26. Re1 b4 27. e5 Nxh5 28. exd6 Qxd6 29. Nb5 (29. Nxh5 bxc3 $19) 29... Qb6 30. Nxh5 gxh5 31. Qxh5 (31. Qc2+ Kg8 32. Qxc5 Qxc5 33. Bxc5 Ra5 34. Nd6 Rxc5 35. Nxb7 Rxd5 36. Re4 Rd4 37. Rxd4 Bxd4 38. b3 Kg7 $15) 31... Qxb5 32. Bxh6 Qd3 (32... Bxh6 33. Qxf7+ Bg7 34. Re7 {mating}) 33. Qxf7 Kxh6 34. Re3 (34. Qxb7 Rf8 $15) 34... Qd1+ 35. Kh2 Bc8 36. Qf4+ Kh7 37. Qe4+ Kh8 38. Qe8+ Kh7 39. Qe4+ $11 (39. Rg3 Bf5 40. Qxa8 Qh5+ 41. Kg1 Qd1+ 42. Kh2 Qh5+ $11 { Komodo12})) 20... a6 21. Nc3 b5 22. axb5 axb5 23. Re1 {this turns out to be inaccurate} (23. Nxb5 Ba6 24. Nc3 (24. Na3 g5 25. Be3 Bxb2 26. Qxb2 Bxd3 27. Rc1 c4 (27... Qa5 28. Nc4 (28. Rc3 Qb4 29. Rb3 Qe1+ 30. Kh2 c4 31. Rb7 c3 32. Qb4 Rc8 33. e5 Qd1 $17) 28... Bxc4 29. Rxc4 Qa1+ $19)) (24. Rb3 Rb8 $19) 24... Bxd3 (24... Qb8 25. Rb1 g5 26. Be3 Be5 27. Nf5 Bxd3 28. Qxd3 Qb3 $17)) (23. b4 $1 $11 {Komodo121} c4 (23... cxb4 24. Nce2 Ra4 25. Nd4 Nc7 26. Rb3 Qd7 27. Rxb4 Rfa8 28. Rfb1 Rxb4 29. hxg6+ fxg6 30. Qxb4 Nxd5 31. exd5 Ra4 32. Qxb5 Qxb5 33. Rxb5 Ba6 34. Rb6 Bxd4 35. Rxd6 Ra1+ 36. Kh2 Bxf2 37. Rd7+ Kg8 38. Rd8+ Kf7 ( 38... Kh7 39. Be5 $16) 39. Bxh6 Bd4 $11 {Komodo12}) 24. Rf3 Ra3 25. Nge2 g5 26. Be3 $14 {Komodo12}) 23... b4 24. Nd1 Ra1 $17 25. e5 $6 {but Wh needs some activity & is one of Komodo12's suggestions} (25. Nf1 {Komodo12 starts by evaluating this as definitely in Bl's favour, but changes by the end of the line} g5 26. Bh2 Nf6 (26... Ba6 27. Rf3 Kg8 28. Nfe3 Bc8 29. Nc4 Bg4 30. Nde3 Rxe1+ 31. Qxe1 Bxf3 32. gxf3 $11 {Bl has a weakness on f5 & bad pawns, that seem to compensate for the exchange down, especially as the Bl R isn't doing anything much}) 27. e5 Ng4 28. e6 Ne5 29. Bxe5 Bxe5 30. Nfe3 fxe6 31. dxe6 Qe7 32. Ng4 Qxe6 33. Nxe5 dxe5 34. Rd6 $16) 25... g5 26. e6 $6 {drifting into deep waters} (26. Be3 {probably best} c4 (26... Bxe5 27. f4 Bxf4 28. Bxf4 gxf4 29. Qxf4 Qg5 30. Qf5+ (30. Qe4+ Kh8 $19) 30... Qxf5 31. Nxf5 Bc8 32. Rf3 Bxf5 33. Rxf5 Ng7 34. Rf6 Nxh5 35. Rxd6 Kg7 $17) (26... f5 27. e6 f4 28. Bxc5 Qa8 29. e7 Rf7 30. Ne4 dxc5 31. Nxc5 $18 {Komodo12 prefers the centre pawns to the piece}) 27. Rd4 dxe5 28. Rxc4 Qxd5 29. Qxd5 Bxd5 30. Rxb4 f5 $17 {but Wh has survival chances}) 26... fxe6 27. Bxd6 (27. Qc2 {looked at in pm analysis} gxf4 (27... Kh8 28. Bc1 Bxd5 (28... c4 29. Qxc4 Ba6) 29. Ne3 Bd4 30. Rxd4 cxd4 31. Nxd5 exd5 32. Qd3 Ng7 33. Qxd4 Qf6 $19) 28. dxe6 Qh4 29. e7 Rf7 30. Rxd6+ Kh8 31. Rd8 Ra8 $19 {Komodo12}) 27... Qxd6 28. Ne4 (28. Qc2 Kh8 29. Rxe6 Qf4 30. Rf3 Qc1 31. Qxc1 Rxc1 32. Rxf8+ Bxf8 33. Rxe8 Rxd1+ 34. Kh2 Kg7 $19 {Komodo12}) ( 28. dxe6 Qc6 $19 (28... Bd4 $19)) 28... Qf4 29. Qxf4 (29. Nxc5 Qxd2 30. Rxd2 Bxd5 31. Nxe6 Bxe6 32. Rxe6 Bxb2 33. Rxb2 Rxd1+ 34. Kh2 Ng7 35. Rb6 Nxh5 36. R6xb4 Kg6 {and Wh has nothing for the piece}) 29... Rxf4 30. g3 {still trying to confuse the issue} (30. Nxc5 Bxd5 (30... Bd4 31. Nxb7 Bxf2+ 32. Kf1 Bh4+ 33. Rf3 Rxf3+ 34. gxf3 Bxe1 35. Kxe1 {Komodo12} exd5 $19) 31. Nxe6 Re4 32. Rxe4 Bxe4 33. Rd2 Bxb2 34. Rxb2 Rxd1+ 35. Kh2 Rb1 $19) (30. d6 Rxe4 31. Rxe4 Bxe4 32. d7 Bxd3 33. dxe8=Q Rxd1+ 34. Kh2 c4 {and the 3 pieces outgun the Q}) 30... Rxe4 31. Rxe4 Bxd5 $19 {the 2 Bs & running pawns should be winning for Bl} 32. Re1 (32. Re2 Bc4) 32... c4 (32... Bxb2 {simplest}) 33. Rde3 Bd4 34. R3e2 Bf3 ( 34... Nf6 {bringing in the reserves- Bl can pick up the h pawn if he wants to and just wait to see how Wh struggles to disentangle his pieces}) 35. Ne3 Bxb2 36. Rxa1 Bxe2 37. Ra4 {hoping that Bl may allow what follows} (37. Ra2 c3 38. Ra7+ Ng7 39. Rb7 Ba3 40. Rc7 b3 41. Rxc3 b2 42. Rb3 Bd3 {and Bl wins easily}) 37... Ba3 (37... Bc3 38. f4 b3 39. Ra7+ Ng7 40. Kf2 Bd3 41. Rb7 gxf4 42. gxf4 b2 {and its over}) 38. Nc2 Bd1 (38... Bxh5 {Bl may as well have this one}) 39. Ra7+ Kg8 40. Nxa3 bxa3 41. Rxa3 Bb3 {letting the h pawn survive gives Wh just a half hope of winning the h6 pawn & getting a passed pawn- enough to deter the Bl K from advancing} (41... Bxh5 $19) 42. f3 (42. Kf1 Nf6 43. Ra8+ Kf7 44. Ra7+ Ke8 45. Ke2 Nxh5 46. Rh7 Nf6 47. Rxh6 Kf7 48. Rh8 Nd5 $19) (42. Ra8 Kf7 43. Kf1 Bd1 44. Ra7+ Kf6 45. Rh7 Bxh5 46. Rxh6+ Bg6 47. Ke2 c3 48. Rh8 Kg7 49. Rh1 Nc7 50. Rc1 Nd5 {and Bl will eventually break through, maybe even on the K side}) 42... Nd6 (42... Nf6 43. g4 Nd5 44. Kf2 Kg7 45. Ke1 Kf6 46. Ra7 Ke5 47. Rh7 c3 48. Rxh6 Nb4 49. Rh8 Nd3+ 50. Ke2 c2 51. Rc8 c1=Q 52. Rxc1 Nxc1+ $19) 43. Kf2 (43. Ra6 Nf5 44. Rxe6 {looked too dangerous to Wh} c3 45. Rc6 c2 46. Kf2 Kf7 47. g4 Nd6 48. Rc3 Nc4 49. Ke2 Ke6 50. Kd3 Ke5 51. Ke2 Kf4 52. Ke1 Na3 53. Ke2 Bd5 54. Kf2 Ke5 55. Ke3 Bc4 {Zugzwang}) 43... Nf5 44. g4 Nd4 (44... Ne7 $19 {Komodo12}) 45. Ra8+ Kg7 46. Ke3 Nc6 (46... Nc2+ {Komodo12} 47. Kd2 (47. Ke2 Nb4 48. Ra7+ Kf6 49. Rb7 Na2 $19) 47... Nb4 48. Kc3 Nd5+ 49. Kb2 Bd1 $19 { and Wh loses all the K side pawns}) (46... e5 $17 {supports the N , but gives the R more space}) 47. Rc8 Ne5 48. Ke4 Nf7 49. Kd4 Kf6 $19 {(draw?) Bl was running low on time} (49... Kf6 50. Rc5 e5+ 51. Ke3 (51. Kc3 Bd1 52. Rc6+ Ke7 53. Rxc4 Bxf3 54. Kd3 Nd6 55. Ra4 e4+ 56. Kd4 Bxg4 57. Ra6 Bxh5 58. Ke5 Nf7+ 59. Kxe4 Bg4 $19) 51... Nd6 52. Ke2 Ke6 53. Ke3 Bd1 54. Rc7 Kd5 55. Rh7 c3 56. Rxh6 Nc4+ (56... Bxf3 {also}) 57. Kf2 c2 $19 {Komodo12}) 1/2-1/2 [Event "Dyfed League:Carmarthen-Aberystwyth"] [Site "?"] [Date "2018.10.15"] [Round "?"] [White "Orton, P."] [Black "Watkin-Jones, A."] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B08"] [WhiteElo "1570"] [BlackElo "1940"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "70"] [EventDate "2018.10.18"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 d6 (2... g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. Nc3 O-O 5. Qd2 d6 6. e4 Nfd7 7. Bh6 (7. O-O-O) 7... e5 {Orton-Penny, S Wales New Year, Bridgend 2018,1/2-1/2}) 3. Nf3 (3. e3 g6 4. c3 Bg7 5. Nd2 O-O 6. h3 Nc6 7. Bd3 e5 {Orton-R Van Kemenade, Dyfed League 2017,0-1}) 3... g6 4. Nc3 Bg7 5. e4 (5. Qd2 {slightly more frequent}) 5... a6 (5... O-O {main}) (5... c6 6. Qd2 Nbd7 {given by Marin 2017: 329} (6... b5 7. Bd3 Bg4) (6... O-O 7. h3 Qa5 {Vachier Lagrave-Carlsen, Biel 2018,0-1})) (5... Nc6 6. Qd2 Bg4 {Ponomariov-Vachier Lagrave, Wld ch Blitz Moscow 2010, 1-0}) 6. Qd2 b5 7. Bd3 (7. a3 Nc6 8. Bh6 O-O {Cunliffe-Thomas, WLS ch , Hensol Park 2006,0-1}) 7... Bb7 8. a3 c5 (8... Nbd7 9. Bh6 O-O {main} (9... Bxh6 {next} 10. Qxh6 e5 (10... c5))) 9. dxc5 {Komodo12} (9. d5 O-O 10. O-O Re8 11. Rfe1 Nbd7 12. h3 Nb6 13. Rad1 e6 $11 {Karlsson-Arman, Deltalift op, Tylosand 2018,0-1}) 9... dxc5 10. Bh6 (10. e5 Nh5 11. Be4 Qxd2+ 12. Bxd2 Nc6 13. O-O-O f5 $11 {Komodo12}) 10... O-O (10... Bxh6 {Rudy & Komodo12, but in the long run proves too risky} 11. Qxh6 c4 12. Be2 Nxe4 13. Nxe4 (13. Qg7 Rf8 14. Nxe4 Bxe4 15. Ng5 Bxg2 16. Nxh7 Nd7 17. Rg1 Bc6 18. O-O-O $18) 13... Bxe4 14. Ng5 (14. O-O $14) 14... Bxc2 (14... Bxg2 15. Rg1 Bd5 16. Qg7 Rf8 17. Nxh7 Nd7 18. O-O-O e6 19. Nxf8 Nxf8 $18) 15. Qg7 Rf8 16. Bf3 Nd7 17. O-O $18 { Komodo12}) 11. Bxg7 Kxg7 12. Qe3 (12. e5 Nd5 $11 {Cloud Engines}) 12... Qc8 ( 12... Nbd7 {Stockfish9 & Komodo12}) 13. O-O $11 {Komodo12} (13. e5 Ng4 14. Qf4 $11 {Stockfish9}) 13... Nbd7 14. h3 c4 15. Be2 Qc5 $15 {Both Engines} 16. Qxc5 Nxc5 17. e5 Nfe4 $17 18. Rad1 {allowing the Q side pawns to be split} (18. Nxe4 Bxe4 19. Nd4 Rad8 20. c3 Na4 $15 {Komodo12}) 18... Nxc3 19. bxc3 Rfd8 $19 20. Nd2 Rd7 (20... Be4 $19 {both Engines}) 21. Nb1 Rad8 22. Rxd7 Rxd7 23. Rd1 Be4 $19 (23... Rxd1+ 24. Bxd1 g5 $19 {both Engines}) 24. Rxd7 Nxd7 25. Nd2 Bxc2 26. f4 Nc5 27. Bf3 {both Engines} f6 (27... Na4) 28. Bc6 fxe5 29. fxe5 Na4 30. Ne4 Bxe4 31. Bxe4 Nxc3 32. Bb7 a5 {Stockfish9} (32... Nb1 {Rudy & Komodo12} 33. Bxa6 (33. Kf2 c3 34. Be4 Nxa3 35. Ke3 a5 36. Kd3 b4 37. Bc6 Nc4 38. Kc2 Nxe5 $19) 33... c3 $19 (33... Nxa3 $19)) 33. Ba6 Nb1 34. Bxb5 Nxa3 35. Ba4 c3 0-1 [Event "Dyfed League:Carmarthen-Aberystwyth"] [Site "?"] [Date "2018.10.18"] [Round "?"] [White "Van Kemenade, J."] [Black "Narayan-Taylor, R."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B01"] [WhiteElo "1755"] [BlackElo "1405"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "55"] [EventDate "2018.10.18"] 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qd8 (3... Qa5) (3... Qd6 {more frequent}) 4. d4 Nf6 5. h3 (5. Nf3) (5. Bc4) 5... e6 (5... c6) 6. Nf3 Bb4 (6... Be7 7. Bd3 {main }) 7. Bd2 Nd5 {moving a piece twice in the opening while others afe still undeveloped is seldom good. The exchange on c3 leads to further loss of time by Bl, & also the K field is left a little bare} (7... Nc6 8. a3 Ba5 9. b4 Bb6 10. Be3 Ne7 11. Bd3 Ned5 12. Nxd5 exd5 13. O-O Be6 14. a4 c6 15. Bf4 Bc7 16. Bxc7 Qxc7 17. Re1 O-O 18. Qd2 $14 (18. c3 $14 {Schaetz-Schiffer, Sachsen ch Girls U12, Sebnitz 2006,1-0; the e6 B is inferior to its rival})) (7... O-O 8. a3 Ba5 9. Bd3 Bb6 10. Be3 Nc6 11. Na4 Nd5 12. c4 Nxe3 13. fxe3 e5 14. O-O $16 { Blumbergs-Gulbis,LAT ch , ICCF 2007,1-0}) 8. Bd3 Nxc3 9. bxc3 Be7 10. O-O $16 b6 {too ambitious} (10... Nd7 $16 {Rudy, brings in a N to support the K}) ( 10... O-O 11. Qe2 c5 12. Rad1 Nc6 13. Bf4 $16 {Komodo12}) 11. Be4 $18 {initial Komodo12, before preferring} (11. Ne5 $18 Bb7 12. Qh5 g6 13. Qh6 Bf8 14. Qf4 Qe7 15. Be4 c6 16. c4 Bg7 17. Bb4 c5 18. dxc5 $18 {Komodo121} Bxe5 19. Qxe5 f6 20. Qf4 Nc6 21. Bxc6+ Bxc6 22. cxb6 e5 (22... Qxb4 23. Qxf6 $18) 23. Qh4 (23. Bxe7 exf4 24. Rfe1 $18) 23... Qf7 24. Rad1 $18) 11... c6 12. Ne5 Bb7 (12... O-O {Komodo12 recommends Bl bailing out by giving up a pawn} 13. Qh5 f5 14. Nxc6 Nxc6 15. Bxc6 Ba6 16. Rfe1 Rc8 17. Rxe6 (17. Ba4 Bc4 18. Bb3 Qd6 19. Qf3 $16 { Bl is a pawn down with another one exposed at e6}) 17... Bc4 18. Rae1 Bxe6 19. Rxe6 Rf6 20. Qe2 (20. Rxf6 Bxf6 21. Qf3 $14) 20... Rxc6 21. Rxe7 Qd5 22. Rxa7 $16 {with pawns for the exchange}) 13. Qh5 $1 {creating more holes in Bl's position} (13. Qf3 O-O $16) 13... g6 14. Qf3 (14. Qh6 Bf8 15. Qf4 Qe7 16. c4 { transposes to the line after 11. Ne5}) 14... f5 15. Bh6 (15. Bd3 Qd5 16. Qg3 Bf6 17. Rfe1 $18 {Komodo12}) (15. Rfe1 O-O 16. Bd3 Bf6 17. Bc4 Re8 18. a4 $18 { Komodo112}) 15... Qc7 (15... Bg5 {Komodo12} 16. Bxg5 (16. Bxf5 $1 exf5 17. Rfe1 Be7 18. Nd3 Rf8 19. Re2 Kf7 20. Rae1 Bd6 21. c4 Kg8 22. c5 bxc5 23. Nxc5 Qb6 24. Re6 $18 {Komodo12- Bl's K remains weak even when it has got out of the centre}) 16... Qxg5 17. Rfe1 O-O 18. Bd3 Re8 19. Nc4 Qe7 20. Qg3 Rf8 21. Qe5 Rf6 22. Nd6 Nd7 23. Qf4 Nf8 24. c4 $16 {Wh retains more space & attacking chances}) 16. Bd3 (16. Rfe1 $1 {Komodo12} fxe4 17. Qf7+ Kd8 18. Bg7 (18. Qxe6 Bc8 19. Qb3 $18) 18... Bh4 19. Rxe4 $18) 16... Nd7 17. Rfe1 c5 18. Qe2 (18. Qf4 Nxe5 19. Qxe5 (19. Bb5+ Kf7 20. Rxe5 Bd6 21. Rae1 Bxe5 22. Rxe5 Rac8 23. Bc4 Rhe8 24. dxc5 bxc5 25. a4 Qd7 $11) 19... Qxe5 20. Rxe5 $14 {Komodo12}) 18... Nxe5 19. Qxe5 (19. Bf4 O-O 20. Bxe5 Qc6 21. f3 Bh4 22. Bb5 Qc8 23. g3 Bf6 24. Bc4 Bd5 25. Bxd5 exd5 26. Bxf6 Rxf6 27. Qe5 Qc6 $11 {Komodo12}) (19. Bb5+ Kf7 ( 19... Nc6 20. Qxe6 Qd7 21. d5 Qxe6 22. Rxe6 $18) (19... Nd7 20. Qxe6 Be4 21. Bg5 Qd6 22. Rxe4 fxe4 23. Qxe4 Rc8 24. Re1 $18) 20. Bf4 Bd6 21. dxe5 Be7 22. Bc4 Rhd8 $11 {Komodo12}) 19... Qxe5 20. Rxe5 Kf7 (20... Bc8 {is slightly better } 21. Rae1 (21. dxc5 Bxc5 22. Bb5+ Kf7 23. Bc6 Rb8 24. Rae1 Rd8 $11) 21... Bf6 22. Rxe6+ Bxe6 23. Rxe6+ Kf7 24. Rc6 g5 (24... Rac8 25. Bc4+ Ke7 26. Re6+ Kd7 27. Rxf6 $18) 25. Bxf5 Rae8 26. d5 $16 {Komodo12}) 21. Rae1 Bc8 {rather than seek to defend the weakness, Bl may be better off just giving it up for some play} (21... Rae8 {brings the R into play} 22. Bc4 Bc8 23. d5 g5 24. h4 gxh4 25. Bb5 Bd6 (25... Rd8 26. dxe6+ Kg6 27. Bf4 Bb7 28. Bd3 Rhf8 29. R5e3 Rg8 30. Rh3 $16) 26. Bxe8+ Rxe8 27. R5e2 Kg6 28. Bc1 e5 29. Bf4 Kf6 30. Re3 Bb7 31. c4 Ba6 32. Rh3 Rd8 33. Bc1 Bxc4 34. Rxh4 Bxd5 35. Rd1 Bc7 36. Rxh7 Bxa2 37. Rxd8 Bxd8 38. Rxa7 $14) 22. Bc4 (22. d5 $18 {considered} Bf6 23. dxe6+ Ke7 24. Rd5 Bxc3 25. Bg5+ Bf6 26. Bxf6+ Kxf6 27. e7 Re8 28. Rd6+ Kf7 29. Bc4+ Kg7 30. Bb5 $18 (30. Bd5 Rb8 31. Rd8 $18) 30... Bb7 31. Bxe8 Rxe8 32. Rd7 $18 {Komodo12}) 22... Bd7 (22... Rd8 23. d5 (23. Bxe6+ Bxe6 24. Rxe6 Bf6 25. dxc5 bxc5 26. Rc6 Bxc3 27. Rb1 Rab8 28. Rxb8 Rxb8 29. Rxc5 Rb1+ 30. Kh2 Bd4 31. Rc7+ Ke6 32. Rxh7 Rb2 $11) 23... Bf6 24. dxe6+ Ke7 25. Rd5 $18 a6 (25... Rxd5 26. Bxd5 Rb8 27. Bf4) (25... Bb7 26. Rd7+ Rxd7 27. exd7+ Kxd7 28. Bb5+ Bc6 29. Rd1+ Kc7 30. Bf4+ Kb7 31. Bxc6+ Kxc6 32. Rd6+ Kb5 33. Rxf6 $18) 26. Rxd8 Kxd8 27. Bd5 Ra7 28. c4 Ke7 29. Bf4 Bb7 30. Re2 $18 {Komodo12}) 23. d5 $18 Rae8 (23... Ke8 24. Rxe6 ( 24. dxe6) 24... Bxe6 25. Rxe6 Kd8 26. d6 Bf8 27. Bf4 a6 28. Bd5 Ra7 29. Bc6 Bg7 30. Bg5+ $18 {Komodo12}) 24. dxe6+ Bxe6 (24... Kf6 25. exd7 Bd8 26. Rxe8 b5 27. R8e6+ Kf7 28. Re7+ Kf6 29. R1e6#) 25. Bxe6+ (25. Rxe6 {! initial idea, forces mate} b5 26. Rxe7+ Kf6 27. R1e6#) 25... Kf6 26. Bd7 (26. Bd5 {is even stronger because of the mate threats}) 26... c4 27. Bxe8 Rxe8 28. h4 {there are lots of ways} 1-0 [Event "Dyfed League:Carmarthen-Aberystwyth"] [Site "?"] [Date "2018.10.15"] [Round "?"] [White "Davis, Wilf"] [Black "Francis, Matthew"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B28"] [WhiteElo "1364"] [BlackElo "1718"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "71"] [EventDate "2018.10.18"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 3. c3 (3. d4 {main}) 3... e6 (3... d5 {main}) 4. Be2 { a little passive} (4. d4 {main}) 4... d5 5. exd5 (5. e5 {could trasposes to some kind of French}) 5... exd5 (5... Qxd5 {alternative}) 6. O-O $146 {Wh is setting up a blockade rather than opening up & going for the slight edge that Wh usually gets in the opening phase} (6. d4 {transposes to 215 games}) 6... Nf6 7. Re1 (7. d4) 7... Be7 8. d3 (8. d4) 8... O-O $11 9. h3 Nc6 $15 10. Nbd2 h6 {the difficulty for Bl is not how to gert a level game- but on how to unbalance the game in his favour} 11. Nf1 Bd6 12. d4 {at last, but Bl retains his small edge by} c4 13. b3 b5 14. bxc4 bxc4 (14... dxc4 {also, it releases the d5 square for Bl & opens the long diagonal for the QB} 15. d5 $2 Nxd5 16. Qxd5 $2 Bh2+ 17. N1xh2 Qxd5 $19) 15. N3d2 Bf5 (15... Qa5 16. Bb2 Rb8 $17) 16. Ne3 Bh7 (16... Be6 17. Bf3 Ne7 $15 {Komodo12}) 17. Bf3 Bc7 (17... Ne7 18. Nexc4 dxc4 19. Bxa8 Qxa8 20. Nxc4 $11 {Komodo12, but Bl has an unbalance to work with against a lower rated opponent}) 18. Ng4 (18. Ba3 $1 {developing} Re8 19. Nexc4 Rxe1+ 20. Qxe1 Qd7 21. Ne3 $14 {Komodo12}) 18... Nxg4 19. Bxg4 Ba5 $15 20. Ba3 (20. Bb2 {doesn't look good, but holds for the moment}) 20... Bxc3 $1 $19 {breaking the centre & gaining 2 pawns for the exchange, as well as retaining 2 powerful Bs} 21. Bxf8 Kxf8 (21... Qxf8 {might be a little better}) 22. Qc1 Bxd4 $19 {preferring to destroy the centre & get runniong pawns. However there are 2 alternatives also excellent} (22... Bxa1 23. Qxa1 Nb4 24. Qc3 Nd3 $19) (22... Qa5 {Komodo12} 23. Nf3 Bxe1 24. Qxe1 (24. Nxe1 Nxd4) 24... Qxe1+ 25. Rxe1 Re8 $19 {in this simplified scenario the protected passed c pawn will decide}) 23. Qa3+ Kg8 24. Rad1 Qb6 (24... Bc2 {also}) 25. Kh1 c3 ( 25... Bxf2) (25... Bc2) 26. Qb3 (26. Nf3 Bxf2 27. Qxc3 (27. Re2 c2 28. Rc1 Bc5 29. Qa4 Nb4 $19) 27... Bxe1 28. Rxe1 Be4 $19 {Komodo12}) 26... cxd2 27. Qxb6 ( 27. Rxd2 Qxb3 28. axb3 Bc3 $19) 27... dxe1=Q+ 28. Rxe1 Bxb6 29. Rc1 Ne5 30. Be2 Bg6 (30... Bxf2 31. Bxa6 Be4 32. Rc8+ Rxc8 33. Bxc8 d4 34. Ba6 d3 35. Kh2 d2 36. Be2 Nc6 37. Bd1 Nd4 38. a4 Bc2 39. Bg4 f5 40. Bh5 g6 {Komodo12}) 31. Kg1 Rd8 (31... d4) 32. Kf1 Bd3 33. Bxd3 Nxd3 34. Rc2 d4 (34... Nxf2 35. Rc6 Be3 36. Ke2 d4) 35. Ke2 Ne5 (35... Nxf2) 36. Kf1 {and Wh lost on time} 0-1