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.

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Move	N	Result	Elo

1.e4	1,162,869	54%	2421
1.d4	944,726	55%	2434
1.Nf3	280,651	56%	2441
1.c4	181,586	56%	2442
1.g3	19,663	56%	2427
1.b3	14,175	54%	2427
1.f4	5,871	48%	2376
1.Nc3	3,767	51%	2384
1.b4	1,737	48%	2378
1.a3	1,193	54%	2403
1.e3	1,064	48%	2408
1.d3	945	50%	2378
1.g4	658	46%	2359
1.h4	444	53%	2373
1.c3	422	51%	2422
1.h3	278	56%	2416
1.a4	108	60%	2468
1.Nh3	88	66%	2510
1.f3	87	45%	2429
1.Na3	40	63%	2477

Please, wait...

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 0-0 7.Bd3 7.Nf3 7...Na6 7...e6 main 8.Nge2 8.Nf3 main 8...Nc7 9.0-0 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 Komodo12 17...b5 18.Qd1 18.Bb1= 18...c4 19.Bb1 Nxa6 20.Re1 Nc5 21.Rxa8 Rxa8 22.Qd2 Nb3 Borges-Correa, Alberto de Joinville -Amateur U220,2017,0-1 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bf4 Nfe8 16.Qd2 Kh7± 17.Ra3 17.Na3 17.Rfe1 17...Na6 18.h4!? 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= 19...a6 20.Nc3 Nc7 21.Nf1 b5 22.a5 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 23...Qh4 24.Nd1 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± Wh has 2 pawns for the exchange & piece activity 18...Nb4 19.h5 19.Bb1 a6 20.Nc3 Qxh4 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-+ 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 31...Qxb5 32.Bxh6 Qd3 32...Bxh6 33.Qxf7+ Bg7 34.Re7 mating 33.Qxf7 Kxh6 34.Re3 34.Qxb7 Rf8 34...Qd1+ 35.Kh2 Bc8 36.Qf4+ Kh7 37.Qe4+ Kh8 38.Qe8+ Kh7 39.Qe4+= 39.Rg3 Bf5 40.Qxa8 Qh5+ 41.Kg1 Qd1+ 42.Kh2 Qh5+= 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 28...Bxc4 29.Rxc4 Qa1+-+ 24.Rb3 Rb8-+ 24...Bxd3 24...Qb8 25.Rb1 g5 26.Be3 Be5 27.Nf5 Bxd3 28.Qxd3 Qb3 23.b4!= 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± 39.Bxh6 Bd4= Komodo12 24.Rf3 Ra3 25.Nge2 g5 26.Be3 Komodo12 23...b4 24.Nd1 Ra1 25.e5?! 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= 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± 25...g5 26.e6?! 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-+ 30...Qxf5 31.Nxf5 Bc8 32.Rf3 Bxf5 33.Rxf5 Ng7 34.Rf6 Nxh5 35.Rxd6 Kg7 26...f5 27.e6 f4 28.Bxc5 Qa8 29.e7 Rf7 30.Ne4 dxc5 31.Nxc5+- Komodo12 prefers the centre pawns to the piece 27.Rd4 dxe5 28.Rxc4 Qxd5 29.Qxd5 Bxd5 30.Rxb4 f5 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-+ 28.dxe6 Qh4 29.e7 Rf7 30.Rxd6+ Kh8 31.Rd8 Ra8-+ 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-+ Komodo12 28.dxe6 Qc6-+ 28...Bd4-+ 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-+ 31.Nxe6 Re4 32.Rxe4 Bxe4 33.Rd2 Bxb2 34.Rxb2 Rxd1+ 35.Kh2 Rb1-+ 30.d6 Rxe4 31.Rxe4 Bxe4 32.d7 Bxd3 33.dxe8Q Rxd1+ 34.Kh2 c4 and the 3 pieces outgun the Q 30...Rxe4 31.Rxe4 Bxd5-+ 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-+ 42.f3 42.Kf1 Nf6 43.Ra8+ Kf7 44.Ra7+ Ke8 45.Ke2 Nxh5 46.Rh7 Nf6 47.Rxh6 Kf7 48.Rh8 Nd5-+ 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 c1Q 52.Rxc1 Nxc1+-+ 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-+ Komodo12 45.Ra8+ Kg7 46.Ke3 Nc6 46...Nc2+ Komodo12 47.Kd2 47.Ke2 Nb4 48.Ra7+ Kf6 49.Rb7 Na2-+ 47...Nb4 48.Kc3 Nd5+ 49.Kb2 Bd1-+ and Wh loses all the K side pawns 46...e5 supports the N , but gives the R more space 47.Rc8 Ne5 48.Ke4 Nf7 49.Kd4 Kf6-+ (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-+ 51...Nd6 52.Ke2 Ke6 53.Ke3 Bd1 54.Rc7 Kd5 55.Rh7 c3 56.Rxh6 Nc4+ 56...Bxf3 also 57.Kf2 c2-+ Komodo12 ½–½

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White	EloW	Black	EloB	Res

Van Kemenade,R	2023	Morcom,H	1919	½–½
Orton,P	1570	Watkin-Jones,A	1940	0–1
Van Kemenade,J	1755	Narayan-Taylor,R	1405	1–0
Davis,W	1364	Francis,M	1718	0–1

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