Christmas Break

Aberystwyth Chess Club is taking a break over Christmas and will resume on Tuesday 8 January. The last meeting of the year was a quiet one. Ian Finlay bounced back from his narrow defeat in the town versus gown match, winning a close game in the club championship when Dan Hardman's slip allowed him to break through in the centre with a mating attack. I lost a friendly game against Rudy, missing a chance to draw in the rook and pawn ending, which was not easy to see after being positionally strangled for 90-odd moves.

[Event "Aberystwyth Challenge"] [Site "?"] [Date "2018.11.12"] [Round "?"] [White "Finlay, I."] [Black "Hardman, Dan"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E14"] [WhiteElo "1363"] [BlackElo "1306"] [PlyCount "75"] [EventDate "2018.12.12"] {[%evp 0,22,19,31,14,-14,27,-4,14,16,65,19,16,10,25,16,31,38,27,31,18,26,18,-2, -1]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. Nf3 e6 4. e3 (4. d5) (4. Nc3 {main lines}) 4... b6 ( 4... d5 {main}) 5. Bd3 (5. Nc3) 5... Bb7 6. O-O cxd4 (6... Be7) 7. exd4 Be7 8. Nc3 O-O (8... d5 {main}) 9. Re1 (9. d5 {main, as Wh has a Bxh7ch should Bl take the pawn on d5}) 9... d5 10. cxd5 (10. Bg5 {alternative}) 10... Nxd5 11. Nxd5 (11. a3) (11. Ne5 {main lines}) 11... Bxd5 (11... Qxd5 {trasposes to several more games} 12. Be4 Qd7) 12. Be3 {a bit passive, blocking the important e file , where the Wh pieces need to be as compensation for the isolated pawn.There is no real threat to the d pawn anyway} (12. Bf4 {endorsed by Komodo12} Nc6 (12... Bxf3 13. Qxf3 Nd7 14. Qh3 Nf6 15. Be5 $16) 13. Rc1 (13. a3 Rc8 14. Rc1) 13... Nb4 (13... Bxf3 14. Qxf3 Nxd4 15. Qe4 f5 16. Qe3 Bc5 17. Bc4 $14 {Komodo12, rather like the game later on.}) 14. a3 Nxd3 15. Qxd3 $11) ( 12. Be4 Nc6 (12... Bxe4 $15 {Komodo12}) 13. Bxd5 Qxd5 14. Be3 Bf6 15. Qd2 Rfd8 16. b3 Nxd4 $17 {Rosmann-Rabenstein, Mittelfranken ch tm 2012,0-1}) (12. Ne5 Nd7 {transposes to 12 games, eg} 13. Qh5 f5 14. Bf4 Nxe5 15. Bxe5 Bf6 16. Re3 { Muse-Kiselev, Berliner Sommer 1994,1/2-1/2}) 12... Nc6 13. Ne5 Bd6 {a slight error that Wh could have seized upon} (13... Rc8 14. a3 f5 15. Nxc6 Rxc6 16. Qd2 Rf6 17. Rac1 Rg6 18. Bf1 Bd6 19. g3 $11 {Komodo12}) 14. Qh5 (14. Nxc6 Bxc6 15. Bxh7+ Kxh7 16. Qc2+ Kg8 17. Qxc6 $14 {its not the pawn so much as the slight weakening of Bl's K position. Though Wh is left with an inferior B}) 14... f5 {gains space on the K side, but leaves e6 potentially weak} (14... g6 15. Nxc6 Bxc6 16. Qh6 Qf6 $11) 15. Bg5 (15. Nxc6 {Komodo112} Bxc6 16. Bc4 (16. Bg5 Qd7 17. Bc4 Be4 $11) 16... Qe8 17. Qxe8 Rfxe8 18. Rac1 Kf7 $11 {both sides have a weak pawn to nurture}) 15... Qe8 {simplest} (15... Nxe5 16. Bxd8 Nxd3 17. Bg5 (17. Red1 Nf4 $19) 17... Nxe1 18. Rxe1 Rac8 $11 {Komodo12, but few humans would go down this track, even though the B on d5 is very powerful}) 16. Qh3 (16. Qh4 {guards the d pawn, but} Nb4 17. a3 (17. Bb1 Rc8 18. a3 Nc2 19. Bxc2 Rxc2 $17) 17... Nxd3 18. Nxd3 Qg6 19. f3 Rac8 $15 (19... Bxf3 20. gxf3 h6 21. f4 hxg5 22. Qxg5 Qxg5+ 23. fxg5 Kf7 $11)) (16. Qxe8 {Komodo12} Rfxe8 17. Bb5 Bxe5 18. dxe5 h6 19. Bf4 $11) 16... Nxd4 $17 {Wh retains attacking chances, but Bl's centre should hold firm & be an advantage in an endgame} 17. Nc4 Be7 ( 17... Bb4 {Komodo12} 18. Red1 e5 {looks good, but the centre is in danger of overextending} 19. a3 Bc5 (19... Be7 20. Be3 e4 21. Bf1 Nc2 22. Rxd5 Nxa1 23. Bf4 $11 {Wh has lost an exchange, but has very active pieces} Rd8 24. Rxd8 (24. Rxf5 Rxf5 25. Qxf5 Qg6 26. Qe5 Qf6 (26... Bf6 27. Qb5 {looks better} Nc2 $17) 27. Qxe4 Rd4 28. Qa8+ Qf8 29. Qxf8+ Kxf8 30. Bb8 Rd7 $15) 24... Qxd8 25. Ne5 Qd1 {humans would be worried about this possibility} 26. Qc3 g5 27. Nc6 Bf6 28. Be5 {and only now does Komodo12 decide that the whole variation is unsound & not drawn!} Nb3 $1 $19 29. Qc4+ Kg7 30. Qe6 Nd2 31. Bxf6+ Rxf6 32. Qe7+ Kg8 33. Qd8+ Rf8 34. Qd5+ Kg7 35. Qb5 Qxf1+ 36. Qxf1 Nxf1 37. Kxf1 Rc8 $19) 20. b4 Qe6 21. Ne3 Bd6 22. Nxd5 Qxd5 23. Bxf5 $14) (17... Qg6 18. Qe3 Bc7 19. Qxd4 Qxg5 20. Ne3 Bb7 21. Qd7 Qf4 22. Qxe6+ Kh8 23. Nf1 Rad8 $15 {Komodo12- relying on Bl piece activity & the 2 powerful Bs}) 18. Bf4 Nc6 {retreating a wellplaced N. If control over e5 was wanted then} (18... Bf6 {seems better}) 19. Re3 (19. Ne3 {eliminates the pesky B} Nb4 20. Nxd5 Nxd5 21. Be5 Rd8 $15 {but replaces it with a N}) 19... Rf6 {Bl defends against the R attack, but the Wh pices are a little tangled at the moment, so} (19... Nb4 20. Ne5 (20. Nd6 Qd7 $19) 20... Bf6 21. a3 Nxd3 22. Rxd3 Rd8 23. Re1 Qe7 $17 {Komodo12}) 20. Rae1 (20. Rg3) 20... Rg6 21. Rg3 Rxg3 22. Qxg3 Qf8 (22... Qg6 $17) 23. b3 Bc5 (23... Nb4 24. Bb1 Rd8 25. h4 Na6 26. Ne5 Bf6 27. Bg5 Nc5 $17 {Komodo12}) 24. Ne3 Bxe3 25. Bxe3 (25. Qxe3 $15) 25... Qb4 (25... e5 {again a pawn advance seems called for- but then the centre comes under fire} 26. Bd2 Rd8 27. Bc3 Rd6 28. Qh3 Rg6 29. Bf1 f4 (29... e4 30. Rd1 $11) 30. Bxe5 Nxe5 31. Rxe5 Bxg2 32. Bxg2 f3 33. Re3 fxg2 34. Qf3 Qxf3 35. Rxf3 $11 {Komodo12}) 26. f3 $6 {weakens the K side} ( 26. Rc1) 26... Rf8 (26... f4 {Komodo12} 27. Bxf4 Qd4+ 28. Re3 (28. Kh1 Qxd3 $19 ) 28... Nb4 29. Bb1 (29. Bf1 Nc2 $19) 29... Rf8 30. Bg5 h6 31. Bxh6 Rc8 32. Kf1 Bb7 (32... Rc1+ 33. Re1 Rxb1 34. Rxb1 Qd3+ 35. Kf2 Qc2+ 36. Ke3 Qd3+ 37. Kf2 Qc2+ {repetition}) 33. Qxg7+ Qxg7 34. Bxg7 Rc1+ 35. Re1 Rxe1+ 36. Kxe1 Kxg7 $17 {Komodo121}) 27. Bh6 (27. Qf2 e5 28. Rd1 Be6 29. Qc2 Ne7 30. Bf2 Rd8 $15 { Komodo12}) 27... Qd4+ $19 28. Kh1 Qf6 (28... Kh8 {leaves both Bs hanging} 29. Bxf5 Rxf5 30. Be3 Qb2 $19 {Komodo12}) (28... f4 29. Qg5 Kh8 {likewise}) (28... Rf7 29. Bb1 f4 30. Qg5 (30. Qg4 Ne5 31. Qh5 Nd3 $19) 30... Qc3 31. Rf1 Kf8 32. Bxh7 gxh6 33. Qxh6+ Qg7 $19 {Komodo12}) 29. Bd2 (29. Bf4) 29... e5 (29... Qd4 $19 {Komodo12} 30. f4 Rd8 (30... Qb2 31. Rd1 Rd8 32. Bf1 Qxa2 $19) 31. Rc1 Qxd3 32. Qxd3 Bxg2+ 33. Kxg2 Rxd3 34. Rxc6 Rxd2+ 35. Kg3 Rxa2 36. Rxe6 Rb2 $19) 30. Bc3 Nd8 $2 {Bl got tangled up in calculations & at one point touched his N before reconsidering} (30... Rd8 31. Qh3 (31. Bxe5 Nxe5 32. Rxe5 Bxb3 33. axb3 Rxd3 34. h3 Rd1+ (34... Rxb3) 35. Re1 Rxe1+ 36. Qxe1 h6 $17) 31... g6 32. f4 Qe7 33. fxe5 Be6 34. Bb5 Nb4 $15 {Komodo12}) (30... f4 31. Qh3 h6 $15) (30... Nd4 31. Qxe5 Qxe5 32. Rxe5 Bf7 33. Kg1 $16 (33. Bxd4 Rd8 34. Bxb6 axb6 35. Bf1 g6 36. Kg1 $14 {Komodo12})) 31. Bxe5 $18 Qh6 (31... Qf7 32. Bxf5 $18) 32. Bd6 Rf6 (32... f4 {last try} 33. Qh3 Qxh3 34. gxh3 Bxf3+ 35. Kg1 Bc6 36. Bxf8 (36. Bc4+ Nf7 37. Re7 {Komodo12 is even stronger}) 36... Kxf8 37. Bxh7 $18 {KOmodo12 }) 33. Re8+ Kf7 34. Rf8+ Ke6 35. Qe5+ Kd7 36. Bb5+ (36. Qe7+ Kc8 37. Qc7# (37. Rxd8#)) 36... Kc8 37. Qc3+ (37. Rxd8+ Kxd8 (37... Kb7 38. Qxd5# (38. Rb8#)) 38. Qe8#) 37... Kb7 38. Qc7+ (38. Qc7+ Ka8 39. Rxd8# (39. Qc8#) (39. Qb8#)) 1-0 [Event "Aberystwyth friendly"] [Site "?"] [Date "2018.12.11"] [Round "?"] [White "Van Kemenade, R."] [Black "Francis, Matthew"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D30"] [PlyCount "181"] [EventDate "2018.12.12"] {[%evp 0,22,27,-16,-14,-40,-30,-21,-24,-18,-1,-18,16,11,24,-33,-12,-13,-17,0, -17,-2,29,25,29]} 1. c4 e6 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 d5 4. Nf3 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. d4 (6. b3 {main}) 6... c5 (6... dxc4) (6... c6) (6... Nbd7) (6... b6 {more frequent}) 7. Nbd2 {uncommon} (7. cxd5 {main}) 7... Nc6 8. cxd5 exd5 (8... Nxd5 {a little more frequent}) 9. dxc5 Bxc5 10. Nb3 Be7 (10... Bb6 {main}) 11. Nbd4 (11. Be3) 11... Bd7 $146 (11... Qb6 $11 {main, 29% for Wh}) 12. b3 (12. Be3) 12... Rc8 13. Bb2 Re8 14. Rc1 Ne4 15. Qd3 (15. Nxc6 bxc6 16. Ne5 Bf6 17. Bxe4 Bxe5 18. Bxe5 Rxe5 19. Bg2 Bf5 $11 {Komodo12}) 15... Bf6 16. Rfd1 Qb6 17. e3 Nxd4 (17... h5 $11 {Komodo12}) 18. Bxd4 Bxd4 (18... Bb5 19. Bxb6 Bxd3 20. Rxc8 Rxc8 21. Rxd3 axb6 22. Rxd5 $16) 19. Qxd4 (19. Nxd4) 19... Qxd4 (19... Nc3 $17 { Komodo12, because of the N fork on e2}) 20. Nxd4 Bc6 (20... h6 21. Ne2 Nf6 22. Nf4 Bg4 23. f3 Be6 24. Kf2 g5 25. Ne2 Kg7 26. g4 $14 {Komodo12}) 21. Nf5 $16 ( 21. Bh3 {Komodo12} Rcd8 (21... Rc7 22. Nb5 Rce7 23. Nxa7 $18) 22. Nxc6 bxc6 23. Rxc6 g6 $16) 21... Rcd8 22. Bxe4 Rxe4 (22... dxe4 23. Rxd8 Rxd8 24. Ne7+ Kf8 25. Nxc6 Rc8 26. Rc4 Rxc6 27. Rxe4 Rc2 28. Ra4 a6 29. Rb4 Rxa2 30. Rxb7 Rb2 $16 {but the Q side pawns will exchange & 4 against 3 often draws in R endgames, but Bl must defend with care. Even Kasparov once went wrong on the defensive side.}) 23. Rd4 (23. Rc5 g6 24. Nd4 Rd6 25. Rdc1 $16) 23... Re6 24. Rg4 { creates a weakness, but does leave the R a little offside} g6 25. Nd4 $16 Red6 26. h4 Bd7 (26... f5 $2 27. Nxf5 $18) 27. Rf4 Kg7 (27... Rc8 {Komodo12} 28. Rxc8+ Bxc8 29. Nb5 Ra6 30. a4 Bf5 31. g4 Bd3 32. Nc3 Rd6 33. Rd4 Bc2 34. b4 f5 35. gxf5 gxf5 36. a5 Be4 37. Kh2 $16) 28. Rc7 Rb6 (28... Rb8 29. Nb5 { considered, but no more than a draw} (29. h5 a6 {seemed not to improve things much} 30. h6+ {Komodo12} Kg8 31. Nf3 f6 32. Rd4 b5 33. Rd2 Rc8 34. Rdc2 Rxc7 35. Rxc7 Kf7 36. Nd4 $16) 29... Bxb5 30. Rfxf7+ Kg8 31. Rg7+ Kh8 32. Rxh7+ Kg8 33. Rcg7+ Kf8 34. Rf7+ Kg8 $11) 29. Nc2 (29. Ne2 {original intention, to get the N to f4} h6 30. Rd4 Bc8 31. Nf4 Rc6 32. Rxc6 bxc6 33. Nd3 Bf5 34. Nc5 Rb8 35. b4 $14 {though Wh has still something to play for}) 29... Rc6 30. Rxc6 bxc6 31. Ra4 {still given as best by Komodo12} Ra8 (31... c5 {Komodo12- was a concern for Wh} 32. Rxa7 Bf5 (32... Bh3) 33. Ne1 c4 $11 {Bl suddenly gets a lot of play for the (backward a2 ) pawn}) 32. Ra5 {Now Bl has to be on the defensive for a long time} Kf6 33. b4 Ke7 34. a3 Kd8 35. Nd4 $16 Kc7 36. Nb3 ( 36. f3 {Komodo12}) 36... Kb6 37. Kf1 Rc8 38. Rc5 (38. Nc5 Rc7) 38... Re8 39. Ke1 Re6 40. Kd2 Rf6 41. f4 Re6 42. Nd4 (42. g4 $5) (42. Ra5 $5) 42... Rd6 43. Kc3 Bc8 44. Nb3 Ba6 {freedom at last? But nothing to attack} (44... Re6 45. Kd2 Re4 46. Nd4 Bd7 47. a4 a6 48. g4 h6 49. h5 gxh5 50. gxh5 Re8 51. Kd3 Rg8 52. Rc1 Rg2 53. a5+ Kb7 54. Nb3 Kc7 55. Nc5 Bc8 56. Kd4 $14 Rb2 57. Nd3 Rd2 58. Kc3 (58. Rg1 Bf5 $17) 58... Re2 59. Ne5 Bd7 60. Kd3 Rb2 61. Nxf7 Rb3+ 62. Kd2 (62. Kd4 Rxb4+ $14) 62... Rxb4 63. Nxh6 Rb2+ 64. Rc2 Rb1 65. Nf7 Rh1 66. h6 Be8 67. Ne5 Rxh6 68. Kc3 Rh3 69. Kd4 Kd6 $11 {Komodo12- Bl has to try for R sactivity}) 45. a4 Bc4 46. Nd4 f5 47. Nf3 $16 (47. h5 $16 {Komodo12- considered} Bf1 48. hxg6 hxg6 49. Nf3 Re6 50. Ne5 g5 51. a5+ Kb7 52. Kd4 gxf4 53. gxf4 Rh6 54. Rc2 $16) 47... h5 48. Ne5 Be2 49. Kd4 Bf1 50. a5+ Kb7 51. Rc1 Bb5 52. Kc5 Kc7 53. Rc3 $2 (53. Rd1 Re6 54. Rd2 Re8 55. Rb2 $14 {But Komodo12 just repeating itself }) 53... a6 (53... d4 $19 {because of the mate threat- Komodo12} 54. Nxc6 dxc3 55. Nxa7 Bd3 56. Nc8 Rc6+ 57. Kd5 c2) 54. Nf3 Re6 (54... d4 55. e4 fxe4 56. Nxd4 Rd5# {Komodo12}) 55. Nd4 Rd6 56. Nxb5+ cxb5 (56... axb5 57. Kd4 Re6 58. Kd3 Re4 59. Rb3 Kb7 {would be a draw, because Wh needs a second entry and there is none}) 57. Kd4+ Kd7 58. Rc5 Ke6 (58... Re6 {Komodo12- R activity stands a better chance of survival than just defensive measures} 59. Rxd5+ Kc6 60. Re5 Rd6+ 61. Kc3 Kd7 62. e4 Rc6+ 63. Kb3 fxe4 64. Rxe4 Rc1 65. Re5 Rb1+ 66. Kc3 Rc1+ 67. Kd3 Rc6 68. f5 gxf5 69. Rxf5 Rc4 70. Rxh5 Rxb4 71. Rg5 $16 { Komodo12 changes it to a Wh win after some further reflection- the Wh pawns are much further advanced}) 59. Rc8 (59. Rc7 $1 {is more accurate} Kf6 60. Kc5 Rd8 61. Rc6+ Kf7 62. Rxa6 Re8 63. Kxb5 Rxe3 64. Rd6 {and again Bl's counterplay is too slow}) 59... Kd7 60. Ra8 Ke6 (60... Rc6 {R activity- Komodo12} 61. Kxd5 Rd6+ 62. Kc5 Rc6+ 63. Kd4 Rd6+ 64. Kc3 Rc6+ 65. Kd3 Rd6+ 66. Ke2 Ke6 67. Rb8 Kd5 68. Rb7 (68. Rb6 Rxb6 69. axb6 Kc6 70. e4 fxe4 71. g4 a5 72. gxh5 gxh5 73. bxa5 b4 74. f5 b3 75. f6 b2 76. f7 b1=Q 77. f8=Q Qd3+ $11 { perpetual})) 61. Rg8 $18 (61. Kc5 $18) 61... Kf7 62. Rb8 Re6 63. Rb7+ $1 { drives the K to the backrank so that a pawn will Q with ch in some future scenarios} Ke8 64. Rb6 Re4+ 65. Kxd5 Rxb4 (65... Rxe3 66. Re6+ $18) 66. Rxa6 ( 66. Rxg6) 66... Rb3 (66... Ra4 67. Kc5 b4 68. Kb5 Ra1 69. Kxb4 $18) 67. Ke6 ( 67. Kc5 Ra3 68. Kxb5 Rxe3 69. Rxg6) (67. Rxg6) 67... Rxe3+ 68. Kf6 Rxg3 69. Rb6 Rb3 70. a6 Ra3 (70... Kd7) 71. Kxg6 b4 72. Kxf5 (72. Kxh5) 72... b3 73. Kg5 Ra5+ 74. f5 b2 75. Rxb2 Rxa6 76. Rb7 {Lomonosov tablebases. as good as the text } (76. Kxh5) 76... Kf8 77. Kxh5 Kg8 78. Kg5 Rc6 79. h5 Ra6 80. h6 (80. f6 { is a little faster- Nalimov tablebases}) 80... Ra1 81. Kg6 (81. h7+ Kh8 {draws} 82. Kg6 Rg1+ 83. Kf6 Rg6+) (81. f6 {best} Rg1+ 82. Kf5 Rf1+ 83. Ke5 Re1+ 84. Kd6 (84. Kd4) 84... Rd1+ 85. Ke7 Re1+ 86. Kd8 Rf1 87. h7+ Kh8 88. Ke7 Re1+ 89. Kf7 {the only move to win- Nalimov} Rc1 90. Rb5 Rh1 91. Kg6 Rh6+ 92. Kg5 Rg6+ 93. Kf5 Rg1 94. Rb8+ Kxh7 95. f7 Rf1+ 96. Ke6 Kg7 97. Rg8+ Kh6 98. f8=Q+ $18) 81... Rg1+ 82. Kf6 Rh1 83. Rb8+ (83. Rg7+ Kh8 84. Re7 Rxh6+ 85. Kf7 Ra6 86. f6 {quickest- Nalimov}) 83... Kh7 $11 {Nalimov tablebases} 84. Kf7 Rxh6 (84... Ra1 $1 {Draws}) 85. f6 (85. Rb1 {1 move quicker}) 85... Rh1 86. Rb2 $18 Kh6 87. Rg2 (87. Rf2 {1 move quicker}) 87... Ra1 88. Rh2+ Kg5 89. Kg7 Ra7+ 90. f7 Kf5 91. Kg8 1-0