Town and Gown

Aberystwyth were facing more familiar opposition on Thursday 25th March when we played Aberystwyth University's A team in a hard-fought match. On top board Rudy van Kemenade got an edge against Owain Davies's Vienna Game when a brief flurry of middle-game tactics left the White pawns more vulnerable. Nevertheless there was still much work to be done in a hihg-quality game before Black secured the point. Adam Watkin-Jones played cautiously against Matthew Horhey, holding back the centre pawns and fianchettoing both bishops. Nevertheless Black managed to set an unexpected trap in the opening, to win the game after only a dozen moves. Tom Gunn's Sicilian against Kieran Judge led, as so often, to a position with the players attacking each other's kings on opposite sides of the board - unusually for this opening, though, it was Black castled on the queenside and White on the kingside. When the promising White attack ground to a halt, Black was able to break through on the other wing. Sam Holman's Austrian Attack against Gabriela Griffiths's Pirc ripped open the kingside in the approved fashion, but she defended staunchly, belying her lower rating, and the game was even for a long time. Black would probably have held out for a draw but for a mistake in time trouble. The result was 3-1 to the town side.

[Event "Dyfed Online League"] [Site "Lichess"] [Date "2021.03.25"] [Round "8.1"] [White "Davies, Owain"] [Black "Van Kemenade, R."] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C25"] [WhiteElo "1762"] [BlackElo "1999"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "100"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [WhiteTeam "U. C. Aberystwyth A"] [BlackTeam "Aberystwyth"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 {avoiding the Petroff-Bl's known specialism} (2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. Nbd2 Nf6 {Davies-Pinch, Dyfed League 2020,1-0}) 2... Nc6 (2... Nf6 {main, but Rudy had no previous Vienna games by Owain, so steered away from the various theoretical lines that may have been prepared for, eg} {a} 3. f4 ({b} 3. Bc4 Nxe4 4. Qh5 Nd6 5. Bb3 Nc6 6. Nb5 g6 7. Qf3 f5 8. Qd5 Qe7 9. Nxc7+ Kd8 10. Nxa8 b6 {The Frankenstein-Dracula var, a number of Rudy's games with this are in the databases- the earliest example though is Fuller-Van Kemenade, South African Schools ch 1963,0-1}) (3. g3 Bc5 4. Bg2 h5 {another complex line- Jane Richmond-Van Kemenade,Dyfed Open 2008,0-1}) 3... d5 4. fxe5 Nxe4 {when Wh has} 5. Nf3 {or the Oxford var} (5. d3)) 3. g3 (3. f4 exf4 4. Nf3 g5 {also played at elite GM level}) 3... Bc5 (3... h5 {another GM line eg} 4. h3 Bc5 (4... h4 5. g4 Nd4 6. d3 Bb4 {Walker-Van Kemenade, Leeds League 1993,0-1}) 5. d3 h4 6. g4 Qf6 (6... Nge7 7. Bg2 d6 8. Be3 Be6 {Toczek-Van Kemenade, S Wales Autumn 2017,1-0}) 7. Nf3 Nd4 8. Nxd4 Bxd4 9. Qe2 c6 {L Cooper-Van Kemenade, Isle of Man 2003,1-0}) 4. Bg2 d6 5. Na4 (5. Nge2 {main} a6 (5... Nge7)) (5. d3 a6 6. Nd5 Nge7 7. Be3 Bxe3 8. fxe3 h5 {Pogson-Van Kemenade, Huddersfield Summer,1985, 1/2-1/2}) 5... Bb6 6. Nxb6 axb6 7. Ne2 Nf6 (7... f5 {58% for Wh}) 8. O-O O-O 9. d4 Bg4 (9... exd4 10. Nxd4 Bd7 11. b3 {4-3-1}) 10. f3 Bd7 11. d5 (11. Be3 { 1.5-0.5}) 11... Ne7 {Bl was happy to see the centre closed, which usually favours Ns rather than Bs. The position resembles a King's Indian , except that Bl is missing the B at g7 (which can land up as a bad B.Wh, though, has no possibility of the usual Q side play typical of normal King's Indians.} 12. Qd3 (12. b3 Ng6 13. Bb2 Qc8 14. Rf2 Qd8 15. Nc1 Qe7 16. Nd3 Ne8 17. Qe2 f5 18. f4 $11 {Darpan-Shah,IND AICF ch blind, 2014,1-0}) (12. c4 {Stockfish13- though here Wh does not have the early threat of c5 as in other King's Indian lines}) (12. g4 {looked interesting to Bl, holding up f5} Bb5 13. Rf2 Bxe2 14. Qxe2 Ng6 $15 {Stockfish13}) 12... Ne8 (12... b5 13. Bg5 c6 (13... Ne8) 14. Bxf6 gxf6 15. dxc6 Bxc6 16. Qd2 d5 $11 {Stockfish13}) 13. f4 f5 14. fxe5 dxe5 15. Bg5 Nd6 ( 15... h6 {is playable according to Stockfish13, as} 16. Bxe7 Qxe7 17. exf5 Nd6 18. g4 Bb5 19. Qe3 Bxe2 (19... Qh4) 20. Qxe2 e4 {gives Bl play on the bl squares, looks a bit suspicious to non-Engine eyes}) 16. Qc3 {Bl had scarcely looked at this, as this seems like a non-positional square for the Q, even though she is pawn-hunting.} (16. Nc3 {looks natural- improving the position of the N. Interestingly that lichess analysis has not offered any comments so far, it only does so at move19 when the N does go to c3,}) 16... Nxd5 {after looking a various options for a while, there are some lines where a q side pawn goes, but there looked to be good chances on a king side initiative if that happened} (16... h6 17. Bd2 (17. Bxe7 Qxe7 18. Qxc7 Rac8 (18... b5 19. Qb6 Ra6 20. Qf2 Rc8 $19 {Stockfish13 variant}) 19. Qxb6 Rxc2 {looked promising, & Stockfish13 gives it as winning for Bl after} 20. Rf2 fxe4 $19) 17... Ra4 18. Qxe5 Ng6 19. Qc3 Nxe4 20. Qe3 Re8 $11 {Stockfish13-is not one that Bl considered}) (16... Nxe4 17. Bxe4 fxe4 18. Rxf8+ Qxf8 19. Rf1 Qe8 20. Bxe7 Qxe7 21. Qxc7 Rc8 22. d6 Qe6 23. Qxb6 Rxc2 24. Qd8+ Qe8 25. Qxe8+ Bxe8 26. Nc3 Rxb2 27. Nxe4 {just looked murky, though Stockfish13 considers =}) (16... Bb5 17. Qxe5 Rf7 18. exf5 {just seemed to favour Wh, though Stockfish13 continues} h6 19. Bf4 Nexf5 20. Qe6 Bd7 21. Qg6 Rf6 22. Qh5 Nc4 23. d6 Nfxd6 24. Qd5+ (24. Bd5+) 24... Kh8 25. Qd4 $11) 17. Qxe5 {looked best for Wh to break up Bl's centre pawns} (17. exd5 Qxg5 18. Qxc7 Qe3+ {Stockfish13} (18... Qe7 19. Qxb6 Rac8 $17 {Bl's idea}) 19. Kh1 Qc5 $1 20. Qxc5 (20. Qxd7 Rf7 21. Qe6 Re8 { wins Q for R & B}) 20... bxc5 21. a3 b5 $19 {and despite equal material, Stockfish13 gives Bl as winning} 22. Rfe1) (17. Bxd8 Nxc3 18. Nxc3 Raxd8 $15 { though Wh has shed a pawn}) 17... Qxg5 18. Qxd5+ Kh8 19. Nc3 {a mistake- lichess Stockfish13 first comment of the game} (19. exf5 Bc6 (19... Rxf5 $11) 20. Qb3 Bxg2 21. Kxg2 Qd2 22. Qd3 Qxd3 23. cxd3 Nxf5 24. Kg1 $11 Kg8 25. Nc3 Rad8 {both Engines, though Wh will have to nurse the d3 pawn}) 19... Qe3+ 20. Kh1 {labelled inaccuracy by lichess} (20. Rf2 {is a little bit better, but is is very difficult working out why} fxe4 21. Qd2 Qxf2+ 22. Qxf2 Rxf2 23. Kxf2 Bc6 $19 {Stockfish13}) 20... Bc6 {lichess analysis calls this a blunder (apparently the only inaccuracy by Bl in the game)} (20... fxe4 {would be winning it seems- recapturing the pawn for Wh is not as straight forward as one would expect, mainly because of the delayed ...Bc6 move}) 21. Qd3 Qxd3 ( 21... Qc5 22. exf5 Nxf5 {preferred by Stockfish13, but is just level- with the text Wh is left with an isolated pawn that obstructs his B}) 22. cxd3 fxe4 23. dxe4 Kg8 24. b3 {4th choice Stockfish13, still =. However Bl thought this weakened the a pawn, and put another pawn on a wh square, considering} (24. a3 $11 {as better}) (24. Kg1 {improving the K position like Bl did first choice Stockfish13}) 24... Rae8 25. Rxf8+ Kxf8 26. Re1 (26. Kg1 {Stockfish13} Ke7 27. Kf2 b5 28. Rc1 Nf7 29. Ke3 b4 30. Ne2 Nd6 31. g4 Kf6 (31... Kd7 32. Ng3 Nb5 33. Rc2 Nc3 34. g5 Kd6 35. Nf5+ Ke5 36. Nxg7 Rg8 37. Nf5 Rxg5 38. Nd4 Rg6 $11) 32. Ng3 $11 {= does not mean draw here, rather that both sides have chances as there is still quite a bit of play left}) 26... b5 $15 {seeing if Wh will play a3, when the R has a target- after Ra8, Ra1 b4 comes} (26... Re5 27. b4 Nb5 28. Nxb5 Bxb5 29. Kg1 Re8 30. Rc1 c6 31. Rd1 Ke7 $15 {Stockfish13}) 27. Rf1+ Nf7 ( 27... Ke7 {Bl's first idea is a little better} 28. e5 Nf7 29. Bxc6 bxc6 30. a4 bxa4 31. Nxa4 (31. bxa4 Ra8 $17) 31... Nxe5 32. Re1 Ke6 $15 {Stockfish13}) 28. b4 {labelled an inaccuracy by lichess} (28. Nd5 Bxd5 {is what Rudy would have played, and given by Stockfish13 here} (28... Ra8 29. e5 Re8 30. Nxc7 Rxe5 31. Bxc6 bxc6 32. Rc1 Nd8 33. a4 bxa4 34. bxa4 Ke7 $11 {lichess Stockfish13-though the Bl K is still far better than its rival and could tip the edge on the Q side-Wh needs the defensive precision that Engines take for granted} 35. Na6 Ra5 36. Nb4 Kd6 37. Rd1+ Kc5 (37... Kc7 $2 38. Rxd8 Rxa4 39. Rd4 c5 40. Nd5+ $18) 38. Nd3+ (38. Rxd8 Kxb4 $17) 38... Kc4 39. Nf4 Ra8 40. Kg2 g5 41. Nd3 c5 42. Kf3 Nc6 43. Kg4 Nb4 44. Ne5+ Kb3 45. Kxg5 Rxa4 $11 {Wh's simplest course here is to give up the N for the c pawn , leaving Bl with R & N vs R}) 29. exd5 Re7 (29... Ke7 {Rudy} 30. Re1+ Kd8 31. Rxe8+ Kxe8 32. Be4 h6 {with hopes that d5 stil obstructs the B & needs defending, eg} 33. Kg2 Ke7 34. Kf3 Kf6 (34... Kd6 35. Kf4 Kc5 {is far from clear- the Engine sarts playing fancy moves} 36. Bg6 Nh8 37. Be8 Kxd5 (37... b4 38. Ke5 $18) 38. Bxb5 Ng6+ 39. Ke3 Ke5 40. Be2 $11 {and with d5 exchanged the B is now a little better than the N, but Bl has a better K position}) 35. Kf4 b4 36. Bd3 Nd6 37. Bc4 g5+ 38. Kg4 Ne4 39. Kh5 Nc3 (39... Kg7 40. Kg4 Kf6 41. Kh5) 40. Kxh6 Nxa2 41. h4 gxh4 42. gxh4 Nc1 43. Kh5 Kf5 44. d6 cxd6 45. Kh6 Kf6 46. Kh5 b5 47. Bg8 Kg7 48. Bd5 Kf6 49. Bg8 $11 {Stockfish13})) 28... Rd8 (28... Ra8 {Stockfish13, considered by Bl} 29. e5 Ke7 30. Nd5+ Bxd5 31. Bxd5 Nxe5 32. Bxb7 Rxa2 33. Rc1 Rb2 34. Rxc7+ Kf6 35. Bd5 Rxb4 $15 {Stockfish13}) (28... Ke7 {Stockfish13} 29. Kg1 Rd8 30. Rd1 Rxd1+ 31. Nxd1 Nd6 32. Nc3 Kf6 33. Kf2 Ke5 34. Ke3 {considered,} Be8 35. Nd1 Bf7 36. Nf2 Nc4+ (36... Bxa2 37. Nd3+ Ke6 38. Nc5+ Kf6 39. Kd4 {Wh's active K compensates}) ) (28... Bd7 29. Kg1 g6 $15 {Stockfish13- keeps all the tension}) 29. Nd5 Bxd5 (29... Ra8 30. e5 Re8 {transposes to a line covered in analysis above}) 30. exd5 Ke7 31. h4 $2 {given the match situation Wh was actually trying to win, but this gives Bl the kind of central blockade he was after} (31. Re1+ Kd6 ( 31... Kd7 32. Bh3+ Kd6 33. Re6+ Kxd5 {is what Bl had in mind} 34. Re7 Ne5 35. Rxc7 (35. Rxg7 c6 36. Rxb7 Kc4 37. Re7 Rd1+ 38. Kg2 Rd2+ 39. Kf1 Rxh2 40. Bf5 Kd4 41. Bxh7 Rxa2 $11 {but unbalanced, which is what Bl was after}) 35... Ke4 36. Bg2+ Ke3 37. Bxb7 Rd1+ 38. Kg2 Rd2+ 39. Kg1 {and Bl has nothing better than to accept the perpetual} (39. Kh3 {nearly gets mated, but Wh escapes} g5 40. Rc3+ Kd4 41. Rc5 g4+ (41... h5 42. Rd5+ $18) 42. Kh4 Rxh2+ 43. Kg5 h6+ 44. Kf5 (44. Kf6 $2 Nd7+ $19) 44... Nd3 45. Rd5+ (45. Rxb5 $2 Rh5+) 45... Kc4 46. a3 Ra2 47. Ke4 Re2+ 48. Kf5 Ra2 {repetition, Stockfish13})) 32. Bf1 {is the line given by both Engines} Ne5 33. Bxb5 Ra8 (33... Rf8 34. Kg2 Ra8 {is lichess, wasting a tempo, just to bring the Wh K one square nearer?!}) 34. a4 Kxd5 35. Rd1+ Ke4 (35... Ke6 36. Re1 c6 {is a more human attempt at winning} 37. Bc4+ Kd6 38. Bb3 h6 39. Rd1+ Kc7 40. Re1 Nd3 $5 (40... Re8 $11 41. a5 Re7 42. Kg2 Kd6 43. Rd1+) 41. Re7+ Kb6 42. Rxg7 Rf8 43. Rg6 Rf1+ 44. Kg2 Rf2+ 45. Kg1 (45. Kh3 Ne5 46. Rxh6 Nf3 47. Kg4 Nxh2+ 48. Kh5 Rf3 49. Bd1 Rxg3 50. Rf6 $11 {Wh's K is cut off, but so is Bl's N}) 45... Rb2 46. Be6 h5 47. h4 Rxb4 48. Rh6 Rxa4 49. Rxh5 $11 {Stockfish13-though here the B is better than the N}) 36. Re1+ Kd4 37. Rd1+ {and now Bl must repeat, as the attempt at winning is too dangerous with the liberated B} Kc3 $2 38. Rc1+ Kxb4 39. Rxc7 Rg8 40. Rxb7 $18 {Stockfish13}) 31... Ne5 $17 32. Rc1 {lichess labels this a mistake, & it makes life easier for Bl. However , its alternative of} (32. d6+ {fails to secure equality- no followup is given by lichess, but it was what Bl expected as it liberates the B} Kxd6 (32... Rxd6 33. Re1 Ke6 34. Bxb7 Rd4 35. Be4 Rxb4 36. Bxh7 c5 $15 {retains an edge for Bl- the 3 Bl pieces work together far better than Whs}) 33. Rd1+ (33. Bxb7 c6 $19 {traps the B}) 33... Ke7 34. Re1 Kf6 35. Rf1+ (35. Bxb7 Rd4 36. a3 Rd3 37. Kg2 Rxa3 38. Rc1 Rb3 39. Rxc7 Rxb4 40. Bd5 $11 {Stockish13- but in practical play Bl would have good winning chances with the extra pawn.})) 32... Kd6 $19 {from now on lichess claims four further inaccuracies by Wh, but te Wh K is still a long way off & Wh was also beginning to live on increments( Bl was down to 15 mins)} 33. Kg1 Ra8 34. Rc2 Ra4 35. Be4 {lichess inaccurate} (35. Rb2 {but Bl would have been content with} Nc4 36. Rf2 Rxb4 37. Rf7 Rb1+ 38. Kh2 Rb2 39. Kh3 Rxa2 $19 {Stockfish13- Bl pawns travel faster} 40. Be4 Ne5 41. Rxg7 h5 42. Rg5 Ng4 {threatens mate} 43. Bg2 b4 {the d5 pawn remains in Wh's way}) 35... h6 36. Kg2 (36. Rb2 {again insisted upon by lichess} Nc4 $19) 36... Rxb4 37. Bf5 Rc4 (37... Rd4 38. Be6 c5 {Stockfish13}) 38. Rb2 b4 39. Bc2 Rd4 40. Bb3 c5 (40... Nd3 41. Re2 Nc5 { Stockfish13 alternative}) 41. dxc6 bxc6 42. Rf2 c5 43. Rf8 (43. Rf4 {insisted upon by lichess, but just looks like surrender to non-Engine eyes} Rxf4 44. gxf4 Nc6 45. Bf7 Na5 46. Kf2 c4 {and Bl will win a B, or, at the very least win both Wh's K side pawns}) 43... c4 44. Rd8+ Kc5 45. Rc8+ Kd5 46. Ba4 { and , finally, lichess calls this inaccurate as it insists that Wh must play .. ....} (46. Kh3) 46... Rd2+ 47. Kh3 Rxa2 48. Rd8+ Ke4 49. Bb5 b3 (49... h5 { threatening a mate was considered, but pushing the pawns looked simplest}) 50. Rd1 c3 {a very complex game, against very stiff Wh resistence, with a drawn outcome possible at various points.} 0-1 [Event "Dyfed Online League"] [Site "Lichess"] [Date "2021.03.25"] [Round "8.2"] [White "Watkin-Jones, Adam"] [Black "Horhey, Matthew"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A04"] [WhiteElo "1918"] [BlackElo "1550"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "24"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [WhiteTeam "Aberystwyth"] [BlackTeam "U. C. Aberystwyth A"] {[%evp 0,24,28,27,58,10,15,19,3,-18,-2,-5,-7,1,0,1,1,-3,22,1,-27,-30,-4,-151, -141,-136,-136]} 1. Nf3 c5 (1... Nf6 2. c4 {Watkin-Jones 2.5-05}) 2. b3 (2. c4 {main} g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 e5 {Watkin-Jones vs Westwood,Dyfed League 2019,1/ 2-1/2}) 2... d5 3. Bb2 (3. e3) 3... Nc6 4. g3 (4. e3 {main}) 4... Nf6 5. Bg2 g6 {also elite GM level} (5... e6 {main, also at elite GM level}) 6. O-O Bg7 7. d3 O-O 8. Nbd2 Re8 (8... Qc7 {main, the R may be needed on the f file later}) 9. e3 {feels very passive, rather hippo'ish} (9. e4 {is a natural move in this version of a King's Indian Attack}) (9. Ne5 {is the other main line, holding up Bl from occupying e5}) 9... e5 10. h3 (10. e4 {just has to be played after} d4 {the QB can just return via c1 & in the meantime Wh just gets on with organing f4, & a Kingside pawn advance, hopefully followed by pieces, results 2-2-1}) 10... Nd7 {laying a trap} (10... Qc7 11. a3 h6 12. c4 (12. Rc1 Be6 13. c4 d4 14. e4 Nh5 15. Rb1 a6 16. Bc1 Bf8 17. Ne1 b5 {Stoma-Niekras, Warsaw Najdorf memorial 2016,0-1}) 12... d4 13. exd4 cxd4 14. b4 Bf5 15. Qb3 e4 { Zoler-Vouldis, Wld ch U26, men, Rotterdam 1998,1/2-1/2}) 11. Qe2 $2 {which Wh walks straight into} (11. e4 {just has to be played}) 11... e4 $19 12. Bxg7 exf3 0-1 [Event "Dyfed Online League"] [Site "Lichess"] [Date "2021.03.24"] [Round "8.3"] [White "Judge, Kieran"] [Black "Gunn, Tom"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B40"] [WhiteElo "1217"] [BlackElo "1398"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "78"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [WhiteTeam "U. C. Aberystwyth A"] [BlackTeam "Aberystwyth"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 (2... d6 3. Bd3 {Judge 1.5-2.5}) 3. Bd3 {the Kopec System, perhaps more effective against 2..d6} Nc6 4. c3 d5 (4... Qc7 5. Bc2 d5 6. d3 Bd6 7. Be3 Nf6 8. O-O Ng4 9. e5 $5 Nxe3 10. exd6 Nxd1 11. dxc7 Nxb2 12. Nbd2 { Judge-Paffard, Dyfed League-Aberystwyth-Steynton A,,2019,1-0}) 5. e5 (5. O-O) ( 5. exd5 {more frequent}) 5... c4 {risky as Wh can open up the position with b3; though eventually Stockfish13} (5... Qc7 6. Qe2 Nge7 {0.5-4.5}) (5... Nge7 { 3-2-10}) 6. Bc2 Qc7 $15 {Stockfish13} (6... Nge7 7. O-O Ng6 8. Re1 Bd7 9. b3 b5 10. d3 cxd3 11. Bxd3 a6 12. a4 bxa4 13. c4 dxc4 14. Bxc4 Na5 15. Na3 Bb4 16. Bd2 Qb6 {Gonzalez Ruano Perez-Martin Rodriguez; Madrid Seniors ch 50+, 2020,0-1 }) (6... f6 {Cloud Engines}) 7. Qe2 (7. Ba4 Bd7 8. Bxc6 Bxc6 9. b3 Ne7 10. Ba3 Ng6 11. Bxf8 Kxf8 12. Qe2 Nf4 13. Qf1 Nd3+ {Cormier-Batista,IECC 2004,0-1}) 7... f6 8. Ba4 (8. exf6 {Cloud Engines} Nxf6 9. b3 cxb3 10. axb3 e5 11. h3 Be7 12. Na3 (12. Ba3 O-O 13. Bxe7 Qxe7 14. d3 Nh5 15. g3 Qf6 16. Nfd2 g6 { Sarwat-Wagdy, Cairo Masters 2012,1/2-1/2}) 12... O-O 13. Nb5 Qb8 14. d4 e4 { He-Kasaeva, Wld ch girls U14, Porto Carras 2018,0-1}) 8... Bd7 9. O-O (9. exf6 $15) 9... O-O-O (9... Nxe5 {wins a pawn because of the loose B} 10. Bxd7+ Kxd7 11. Re1 Nxf3+ 12. Qxf3 Bd6 $17 {Stockfish13}) 10. b3 (10. Bxc6 Bxc6 (10... Qxc6 11. d4 $11) 11. Na3 (11. exf6 Nxf6 12. d4 (12. Qxe6+ Bd7 13. Qe2 Re8 14. Qd1 Bd6 $19 {Stockfish13- Wh is woefully underdeveloped}) 12... cxd3 13. Qxe6+ Kb8 14. Qe5 Bd6 15. Qd4 Rhe8 $15 {Stockfish13})) 10... cxb3 $2 {misses gaining a pawn, & also opens up lines against his own K} (10... Nxe5 $17 {Stockfish13}) 11. axb3 $16 (11. Bxc6 $1 $18 {what else is there for the B where it is? This removes a key defender, and gains time for a later b5} Bxc6 12. axb3 Kb8 13. Na3 Ne7 14. b4 Nf5 15. d4 $18 {Wh's attack will be much faster than Bl's on the other side}) 11... Kb8 (11... Nxe5 {still Bl's best try, though far less effective now} 12. Bxd7+ Kxd7 13. Nxe5+ fxe5 14. Rxa7 Qb6 15. Ra1 Bd6 16. Na3 Ne7 17. d3 $16 {Bl has got his pieces out, but the Bl K position in the centre looks precarious}) 12. d4 $18 f5 (12... fxe5 {looks better- Bl 's K side urgently needs some development & open lines} 13. Bxc6 Bxc6 14. Nxe5 {though Wh has all the chances} Bd6 15. Nxc6+ Qxc6 16. c4 dxc4 17. bxc4 Ne7 18. Be3 $18 {Stockfish13- all 5 Wh pieces pile into the Q sidewith the Bl Rs being the usual sluggish defenders}) 13. Na3 (13. c4 $1) 13... h6 (13... a6 $5) 14. Nb5 Qc8 15. c4 (15. Ba3 $1 $18 {develops an unused piece, gets access to d6 for the N, and clears the files for the Rs}) 15... a6 16. Nc3 $18 {Do not retreat from a good position- the only way is forward- a Rudy maxim} (16. cxd5 axb5 17. Bxb5 Na7 (17... exd5 18. e6 {threat Bf4}) 18. Bd3 (18. Bxd7 Rxd7 19. d6) 18... b6 19. d6 $18 {Stockfish13}) (16. Bd2 axb5 17. cxb5 Nb4 18. Rfc1 Nc2 19. Qd1 b6 20. Rxc2 Qb7 21. Ne1 Rc8 22. Nd3 $18 {Stockfish13}) (16. Nd6 {Rudy} Bxd6 17. exd6 Nf6 18. Bd2 Rhg8 19. c5 $18 {Stockfish13, b5 is coming}) 16... Bb4 17. Bd2 (17. Na2 {lichess & Stockfish13} Be7 18. cxd5 exd5 19. Bd2 (19. e6 Be8 20. b4 { looks good as well}) 19... Be8 20. Rfc1 Qe6 21. b4 {Stockfish13- Bl's rather exposed K will not last long}) 17... Bxc3 18. Bxc3 Nge7 19. b4 $2 {gives Bl access to d5, as a marvellous blockading square , especially against the B now awkwardly on c3} (19. Bxc6 $18 {lichess analysis}) (19. Rfc1 $18 {Stockfish13}) 19... dxc4 $17 20. b5 Na7 21. bxa6 $6 (21. b6 {may be better} Nb5 22. Bb4 Nd5 23. Rfc1 c3 24. Bc5 Bc6 $17 {Stockfish13}) (21. Bb4 Nd5 22. Bd6+ Ka8 23. Rfc1 Bxb5 24. Bxb5 Nxb5 25. Rxc4 Qd7 26. Rc5 (26. Bc5 $17 {Stockfish13}) 26... Ndc3 27. Qb2 Rc8 $17 {lichess analysis}) 21... b5 {Bl's K is now sheltered by the advanced Wh pawn ( reminiscint of lines in the Cunningham var of the King's Gambit) . Wh's attack has run into the ground, so now Bl can take over on the other side} 22. Rfb1 Ka8 23. Bc2 g5 $19 (23... Nd5 $19) 24. Bb4 Nd5 25. Ba5 Rdg8 26. Rc1 Bc6 {it is now the Wh K facing 5 Bl pieces} (26... g4 {Stockfish13 }) 27. h3 $2 {moving pawns on the side where you are being attaked just gives the other side further targets- g4 was coming and this just gives it greater force} g4 28. hxg4 Rxg4 {Bl has gained a deadly open file thanks to h3} 29. Nh2 Rg7 (29... Nf4) (29... Rxg2+) 30. Ra3 Nf4 (30... Rxg2+) 31. Qd2 Rxg2+ 32. Kf1 Rxh2 (32... Nd5 33. Kxg2 c3 34. Rxc3 Ne3+ 35. Kh3 Qe8 36. Qe2 Nd5 37. Kg3 Rg8+ 38. Ng4 Nxc3 39. Bxc3 Rxg4+ $19 {Stockfish13}) 33. Qxf4 Rh1+ 34. Ke2 Rxc1 35. Qxc1 Qg8 (35... Bd5 {considered best by Stockfish13, for some obscure reason beyond me ( beginning to see why after exploring the lines that follow on from this one- it allows the N into the game, so that Bl can advance on the Q side, thus drawing Wh pieces out of line, then returning to the K side)}) (35... Qe8 {looks best to this commentator} 36. Rh3 Qg6 37. Qf4 Bd5 $19 {( probably why Stockfish13 went for this move in the first place}) (35... Qb8 36. Bb4 Bd5 37. Bd6 Qe8 38. Rh3 Nc6 39. Qa3 Qg6 40. Qg3 Qg4+ 41. Qxg4 fxg4 $19 {Stockfish13}) 36. Bd2 (36. Rg3 {holds longer} Qf7 37. Qg1 Bd5 38. Bb6 Rb8 $19) 36... Qg4+ 37. f3 Qg2+ 38. Ke1 Bxf3 39. Bxh6 Qe2# 0-1 [Event "Dyfed Online League"] [Site "Lichess"] [Date "2021.03.24"] [Round "8.4"] [White "Holman, Sam"] [Black "Griffiths, Gabriela"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B09"] [WhiteElo "1386"] [BlackElo "1000"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "127"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [WhiteTeam "Aberystwyth"] [BlackTeam "U. C. Aberystwyth A"] {[%evp 0,127,32,30,66,71,70,75,90,24,42,51,23,41,29,29,39,13,13,-1,50,-6,14,21, 51,33,80,89,61,72,109,-35,55,59,46,68,115,122,254,248,249,120,118,86,134,125, 242,161,148,148,168,164,164,38,71,78,150,51,51,63,241,168,188,92,83,-47,58,-78, -40,-119,-124,-139,16,-5,56,65,65,0,0,-168,35,8,26,-1,13,16,68,-19,103,54,295, 177,574,536,1557,2008,29987,29988,29989,29990,29991,1394,1729,1002,1025,1026, 1402,1511,2041,1049,2194,1187,1951,28028,29981,29982,29983,29984,29985,29986, 29987,29988,29989,29990,29993,29994,29997,29998,29999,-30000]} 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. f4 (4. g3 Bg7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. Be3 Nbd7 7. h3 e5 8. Qd2 Re8 9. g4 {Holman-J Greenwood, Aberystwyth ch 2016,1/2-1/2}) 4... Bg7 5. Nf3 O-O (5... c5 {alternative}) 6. e5 dxe5 (6... Nfd7 7. h4 c5 8. h5 cxd4 9. Qxd4 Nc6 10. Qf2 dxe5 {Holman-Pinch, Dyfed Online Closed 2021. 1/2-1/2 after various complications}) 7. fxe5 {main} (7. dxe5 Qxd1+ 8. Kxd1 {scores 59 % for Wh- Bl has to be careful not to run out of space for the pieces}) 7... Nd5 8. Nxd5 { 41% for Wh, brings the Q is onto a good square} (8. Bc4 {58% for Wh}) 8... Qxd5 9. Be3 (9. c4 Qe4+ {32% for Wh}) 9... Bg4 10. Be2 Nc6 {main, though 3-1-1 results} (10... e6 11. h3 Bxf3 12. Bxf3 Qb5 13. Qc1 (13. a4 Qxb2 14. Rb1 Qa3 15. Qd3 $18 {Stockfish13} (15. Rb3 $18 {Stockfish13})) 13... c5 $11 { Narmontas-Zyliene, Plunge op Platieniai 2000,0-1}) (10... c5 $11 {Stockfish13}) 11. Qd2 (11. O-O {2.5-0.5}) 11... Qa5 (11... Rad8 $14 {Cloud Engines}) 12. c3 $16 (12. Qxa5 Nxa5 13. O-O-O $14 {Stockfish13}) 12... e6 13. h3 (13. a4 Qd5 14. h3 Bxf3 15. Bxf3 Qd7 16. O-O $16 {Stockfish13}) 13... Bxf3 14. Bxf3 Ne7 15. Bh6 (15. b4 Qa6 16. a4 Qc4 17. Bxb7 Rad8 18. Ra3 $16 {Stockfish13}) 15... c6 (15... Bxh6 16. Qxh6 c5 $11 {Stockfish13}) 16. Bxg7 Kxg7 17. h4 $16 a6 (17... h6 18. h5 g5) 18. h5 $18 {breaks up the K side now} h6 19. hxg6 Ng8 20. Be4 $6 (20. gxf7 {opens up the K further} Rxf7 21. Bh5 Re7 (21... Rff8 22. Qd3 Kh8 23. Bg4 Rae8 24. Qg6 $18) 22. O-O $18 {Stockfish13}) 20... fxg6 21. a3 (21. Qd3 Ne7 22. Qe3 (22. Qh3 h5 23. Qxe6 $18) 22... Rh8 23. Qh3 Nf5 24. g4 Ne7 25. O-O-O Raf8 26. Rdf1 Rxf1+ 27. Rxf1 Qd8 28. Rf6 $18 {Stockfish13}) 21... Rf7 22. O-O-O c5 23. Bc2 (23. d5 exd5 24. Qxd5 Qb6 25. e6 Rf6 26. Qd7+ Kh8 27. e7 Qe6 28. Bxb7 $18 {Stockfish13-Wh controls the centre}) 23... cxd4 24. Qd3 (24. Qxd4 { looks more natural- Wh is in pursuit of the Bl k but there is no need to have his own K exposed in the process}) 24... Qxe5 25. Qxg6+ Kf8 26. Rhe1 (26. Rxd4 {simplest} Qg5+ 27. Qxg5 hxg5 28. Re1 Re7 (28... Re8 29. Bg6) 29. Rg4 Rg7 30. Rxe6 $18) 26... Qf4+ 27. Kb1 Rf6 (27... dxc3) 28. Qh5 (28. Qd3) 28... dxc3 29. Qc5+ Kg7 (29... Ne7 {lichess} 30. Rd7 Re8 31. Qxc3 $18 {Stockfish13}) 30. Rd7+ (30. Re4 {brings another R in, Stockfish13} Qg5 31. Rd7+ Rf7 32. Qxc3+ Nf6 33. Rxf7+ Kxf7 34. Qc7+ Kf8 35. Qd6+ Kg7 36. Re5 (36. Rxe6)) 30... Rf7 31. g3 (31. Qxc3+ {simplest- the text is too trappy}) 31... Qf6 32. Red1 $2 (32. Rxf7+ { lichess analysis}) (32. Rd4 $1 $18 {Stockfish13} Kh8 33. Rf4 Qg7 34. Rxe6) 32... Raf8 $11 (32... cxb2 $11) 33. Qc4 cxb2 34. Qg4+ Kh8 35. Qe4 Qf5 $14 ( 35... Ne7 $11) 36. Qxb7 Qf2 37. Qxb2+ Qf6 38. Qb7 Ne7 39. Qxa6 Nf5 (39... Nd5) 40. Qb7 Kg7 41. Rf1 Rxd7 42. Qxd7+ Qe7 (42... Rf7 43. Qb5 Qc3 $11 {both Engines }) 43. Qd3 $11 (43. Qxe7+ $11 {insisted upon by lichess, but there is little difference to the text}) 43... Qb7+ 44. Ka2 Rb8 (44... Qc7 $11) 45. Qc3+ (45. Rb1 {forces off Rs, so makes it easier to get the a pawn through later - Wh's B is superior to the N & the Wh K is safer as well; also there are immeditate tactics to hand} Qc8 46. Rxb8 Qxb8 47. g4 Ne7 48. Qh7+ Kf8 49. Qxh6+ Kf7 50. g5 $18 {Stockfish13}) 45... Kg6 (45... Kf7 {is better, though} 46. g4 {is still winning; Bl was now down to 2 mins to Whs 28}) 46. g4 Rc8 {lichess does not like this because it leads to a forced mate, but there is not much that Bl can do here anyway} 47. gxf5+ exf5 48. Bxf5+ Kh5 49. Qh3+ Kg5 50. Bxc8 {a natural move to make, classified as a blunder by lichess since there is a forced mate} (50. Qg3+ Kf6 51. Bxc8+ Qf3 52. Rxf3+ Ke7 53. Qe5+ Kd8 54. Rf8#) 50... Qd5+ 51. Kb1 (51. Qb3 {and it appears to be a mate in 11}) 51... Qb5+ 52. Kc1 Qc5+ 53. Kd2 Qd5+ 54. Ke2 (54. Qd3) 54... Qb5+ 55. Kf2 (55. Qd3) 55... Qc5+ 56. Qe3+ Qxe3+ 57. Kxe3 h5 58. a4 (58. Kd4 {is an alternative- getting a Q is easier to work out} Kh4 59. Rh1+ Kg5 60. Ke5 Kg6 61. Rg1+ Kh6 62. Kf6 h4 63. Rh1 Kh7 64. Be6 Kh6 65. Rxh4#) 58... h4 59. a5 h3 60. a6 Kh4 61. a7 Kg3 62. a8=Q h2 63. Qf3+ Kh4 64. Qg4# 1-0

Too Good by 3½

With a limited pool of players to draw on, Aberystwyth has entered the Open section of the Welsh Chess Union Online League this session, so that our strongest player, Rudy van Kemenade, can take part. It is going to prove a tough challenge, as the match against 3½ Men on Tuesday 16th March showed. The disarming name belies a formidably strong team, with masters on the top two boards. Against FM Jonathan Blackburn Rudy deviated from his normal line in the Nc3 variation of the Petroff to avoid opening preparation, and soon found himself under kingside pressure. He was holding his own till an error meant that he must drop a piece - games can end very suddenly at this level. Adam Watkin-Jones's pawn sacrifice in a London System against CM Tim Kett didn't produce the hoped-for advantage: he was soon going backwards, and resigned on losing material. My French against Hugo Fowler produced a horribly cramped position, with White pressure all over the board. Losing a pawn did nothing to free the position and I limped into a hopeless ending before resigning. Tom Gunn looked to be doing OK against Duncan MacDonald's dangerous Blumenfeld Gambit, but his complicated combination was miscalculated, leaving him behind on material and with Black dominating the board. A 4-0 defeat was a painful introduction to this section of the league.

[Event "Wales Open Online 2"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2021.03.16"] [Round "1.1"] [White "Blackburn, Jonathan LB"] [Black "Van Kemenade, R."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C42"] [WhiteElo "2327"] [BlackElo "1999"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "53"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [TimeControl "2700+15"] {[%evp 0,53,16,28,38,44,40,-21,73,36,44,33,33,31,41,12,10,-15,16,22,18,21,26, -14,1,27,22,15,14,6,6,6,29,-26,-25,-41,14,6,16,8,84,84,79,92,90,72,77,76,77,99, 231,231,220,209,209,209] Jonathan is an overwhelmingly 1 d4 player, though has ventured 1 e4 in some recent Titled Tuesday blitz chess.com events.} 1. e4 {FM} e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nxc3 (5... d5 {is what Wh had examined , noticing that Bl regularly played this in the Quarantine League on lichess, where both play for Welsh Dragons. In the chat he disclosed he had also looked at Bujnoch-Van Kemenade, Gibraltar Masters 2017,1-0.} 6. Qe2 Be7 7. Nxe4 dxe4 8. Qxe4 O-O 9. Bc4 Bd6 10. O-O Re8 11. Qd3 Qf6 12. Qc3 Qg6 13. d4 Nc6 14. h3 (14. Ng5 Rf8 15. Bd3 Bf5 16. Bxf5 Qxf5 17. a3 Rad8 18. Nf3 Qh5 { Hickman-Van Kemenade,S Wales International 2012,0-1})) 6. dxc3 Be7 7. Be3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nd7 {Bl decided to follow some other lines, avoiding specific prrepared analysis, & rely on general experience with the Petroff.} (8... b6 {also examined by Wh, when} 9. h4 Bb7 10. h5 Nd7 11. Bd3 Nc5 12. Rh3 {turned disastrous for Bl in V Sivarajasingham-Van Kemenade,WCPl 2018,1-0}) 9. O-O-O Nf6 (9... Ne5) (9... c6 {other elite GM lines}) 10. Bd3 Be6 (10... c5 {main}) ( 10... Re8) 11. Nd4 Bd5 (11... Bd7 12. c4 Re8 13. f3 d5 {Caruana-Duda,Chess.com speed chess blitz, nov 2020,1/2-1/2. In the chat Jonathan indicated that he, as well as Rudy, had looked at some recent Caruana-Duda games}) (11... c5 12. Nf5 Rc8 13. Nxe7+ Qxe7 14. Bg5 Qd8 15. c4 b5 {Anonuevo-Siegrist, California State ch , 2003,1-0}) (11... Bxa2 12. b3 a5 {works in some earlier versions, but not in this one} 13. Kb2 a4 14. Ra1 $1 (14. Kxa2 axb3+ 15. Kxb3 d5 $11 { Bl regains the piece}) 14... axb3 15. cxb3 Bxb3 16. Nxb3 $18) 12. c4 (12. Nf5 Ne4 13. Qe2 Bf6 14. Qh5 (14. Nh6+ gxh6 15. Qg4+ Bg5 16. Bxe4 Bxe4 17. Qxe4 Bxe3+ 18. Qxe3 Qf6 19. Rd4 $16 {Stockfish13}) 14... Bc6 15. h4 g6 16. Nh6+ Kh8 17. Qg4 Qe7 18. h5 d5 19. Qh3 $18 {Cuccarini-Esposito,ITA CIN 18, ICCF 2018,1-0 }) 12... Be4 (12... Bxg2 {looks far too dangerous, though an Engine might survive} 13. Rhg1 Be4 14. Bh6 g6 (14... Bg6 15. Bxg7 Kxg7 16. Bxg6 hxg6 17. Nf5+ Kg8 18. Qh6 Ne8 19. Rxg6+ fxg6 20. Qxg6+ Kh8 21. Qh6+ Kg8 22. Rg1+) 15. Bxf8 Bxf8 16. Bxe4 Nxe4 17. Qf4 $16 {Stockfish13}) 13. f3 Bxd3 14. Qxd3 Nd7 ( 14... Re8 15. Nf5 Bf8 16. Bg5 g6 17. Nh6+ Bxh6 18. Bxh6 Nd7 19. Kb1 Qf6 20. Bc1 Re6 $14 {Stockfish13}) 15. Nf5 Bf6 (15... Ne5 {half expected by Wh; Bl was wary of then being kicked by f4} 16. Qd5 Bf6 17. f4 Ng6 18. g4 Ne7 19. Nxe7+ Qxe7 20. Rhe1 Bh4 21. Bf2 Qf6 22. Bg3 h6 23. Kb1 $16 {Stockfish13}) 16. f4 Re8 (16... Nc5 $5 {considered by both}) 17. g4 g6 18. Nh6+ Kf8 19. g5 Qe7 (19... Bg7 {is forced according to Stockfish13} 20. c5 Bxh6 21. gxh6 Qf6 22. cxd6 cxd6 23. Rhe1 Re6 24. Qd2 Rae8 25. Bd4 Qh4 26. Bg7+ Kg8 27. Rxe6 Rxe6 28. Kb1 Qh5 $14 {Stockfish13}) 20. Rhe1 $18 (20. Bd4 Bxd4 21. Qxd4 Qe3+ $15 {hoped for by Bl}) 20... Bg7 21. Bf2 Qd8 (21... Nc5 22. Bxc5 Qxe1 23. Rxe1 Rxe1+ 24. Kd2 $18) 22. Qh3 (22. Rxe8+ Qxe8 23. Re1 Qd8 24. Bd4 {demanded by lichess analysis} Bxh6 25. gxh6 Qh4 26. Qe4 Kg8 27. Bc3 Qxh6 28. Qxb7 Rf8 29. Qxc7 $18) 22... Rxe1 23. Bxe1 (23. Rxe1 Nc5) 23... Qe7 (23... f5 {considered by both players- to prevent Ng4} 24. Bc3 {and Bl has to give ip the N}) (23... Bxh6 24. Qxh6+ Kg8 25. f5 Qf8 26. Qh3 Nc5 27. Bc3 Re8 28. Rf1 gxf5 29. Qxf5 Ne4 30. Bf6 Re6 31. Rg1 Qe8 32. b3 Nc5 33. Qh3 Re1+ 34. Rxe1 Qxe1+ 35. Kb2 Qe8 36. Qh6 Qf8 37. Qh3 Qe8 38. a4 $16 {Bl is holding on, but finding it difficult to find active moves }) 24. Bc3 Qe6 {Bl missed something, seeing it too late} (24... Re8 {appears to hold} 25. Bxg7+ Kxg7 26. c5 {Stockfish13} (26. Qc3+ f6) 26... f6 (26... Nxc5 27. Ng4 Ne4 (27... Nd7 28. Qc3+ f6 29. Qxc7) 28. Re1 h5 29. Nf6 $18) 27. cxd6 cxd6 28. Qc3 Qe4 29. Qd2 Re6 30. h4 Kf8 31. b3 $14) 25. Bxg7+ Kxg7 26. Qc3+ f6 27. Re1 {Normal- the Q has no squares, so a N must go} 1-0 [Event "Wales Open Online 2"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2021.03.16"] [Round "1.2"] [White "Watkin-Jones, Adam"] [Black "Kett, Timothy"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D02"] [WhiteElo "1918"] [BlackElo "2246"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "46"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [TimeControl "2700+15"] 1. d4 d5 {FM} 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bf4 c5 {new to both in my databases} 4. e3 Nc6 5. c3 Nf6 6. Bd3 (6. Nbd2 {main}) 6... Bd6 7. Bg3 Qe7 (7... O-O {main}) 8. Ne5 (8. Nbd2 {transposes to 65 games}) 8... Bxe5 9. dxe5 Nd7 10. O-O {an interesting pawn sac, but Wh does not quite get enough for it} (10. f4 {looks fine for Wh, 5-1-2}) 10... Ndxe5 11. f4 Nxd3 12. Qxd3 O-O $19 (12... f5 $19 { Stockfish13-prevets any Wh ideas}) 13. Nd2 (13. f5 {never quite works for Wh} exf5 (13... f6) 14. Qxd5 Be6 (14... Rd8 15. Qf3 Rd3 16. Qf2 Be6 17. Nd2 Rad8 18. Nf3 h6) 15. Qf3 Bc4 16. Rd1 Rad8 17. Nd2 Bd3 {Bl controls the board}) 13... b6 14. Nf3 (14. e4 {may be best try, though Bl has several good responses} dxe4 (14... d4 $19) (14... f6 15. exd5 Rd8 16. Rfe1 Rxd5 17. Qe2 Bb7 18. Nc4 Re8 $19 (18... Ba6 $19)) 15. Nxe4 Rd8 $19) 14... f6 15. Rfe1 Bb7 16. f5 Rad8 17. Bf2 { instead of feeling liberated, the B insists on being bad} (17. fxe6) 17... e5 18. Nd2 e4 19. Qe2 Ne5 20. Nb3 Bc8 21. g4 (21. Qh5 $5 Qf7 22. Qxf7+ Rxf7 23. Nc1 Bxf5 {and Bl has an all=powerful centre}) 21... Nf3+ (21... h5 {going for the K- Stockfish13 considers the N a better piece than a Wh R}) 22. Kh1 Nxe1 23. Rxe1 Bb7 {Normal} 0-1 [Event "WCU Open Online 2"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2021.03.16"] [Round "1.3"] [White "Fowler, Hugo"] [Black "Francis, Mathew"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C02"] [WhiteElo "1921"] [BlackElo "1648"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "97"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [TimeControl "2700+15"] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Nge7 (5... Qb6) (5... Bd7 {main lines}) 6. Be3 {looks a bit clumsy} (6. Bd3) (6. Na3) (6. a3 {main lines}) 6... Nf5 7. Bd3 cxd4 {main} (7... Nxe3 {lichess analysis insists this must be played } 8. fxe3 Be7 {40 % for Wh in 27 games} (8... Qb6 {1-2-3})) 8. cxd4 {53% for Wh } Bb4+ (8... Be7) (8... Nxe3 {main lines, 51 % & 58% for Wh}) (8... Qb6 {48 %}) 9. Nc3 Qa5 (9... Nxe3 10. fxe3 O-O 11. O-O $14 {when} f6 12. exf6 Rxf6 $14 { 2 draws, 1 Bl win} (12... Qxf6 $11 {preferred by Stockfish13})) 10. Qd2 (10. Qb3 O-O 11. O-O Bxc3 12. bxc3 Nxe3 13. fxe3 a6 14. Bxh7+ $18 {Niecko-Miodonski, POL cup blind,Dzwirzyno 2019,1-0}) 10... O-O 11. O-O Bd7 12. Rac1 f6 (12... Nce7 13. a3 Bxc3 14. Rxc3 Bb5 15. b4 Qa6 16. Bxb5 Qxb5 17. Bg5 h6 $11 { Boudreau-Fecteau,Montreal Montcalm op 2003,1-0}) (12... Nxe3 13. fxe3 Be7 $14 { Stockfish13}) 13. exf6 (13. Bxf5 exf5 14. a3 Bxc3 15. Rxc3 Qd8 16. exf6 Qxf6 17. Bf4 $18 {Stockfish13}) 13... Rxf6 14. a3 Bxc3 (14... Nxe3 15. fxe3 Be7 16. e4 dxe4 (16... Rxf3 17. gxf3 Nxd4 18. Rcd1 $16) 17. Nxe4 Qxd2 18. Nxf6+ Bxf6 19. Nxd2 Bxd4+ 20. Kh1 Ne5 21. Be2 Bxb2 22. Rc7 Bc6 23. Nc4 Nxc4 24. Bxc4 Re8 25. Rc8 $16 {Stockfish13}) 15. Rxc3 $18 Qb6 16. b4 Rff8 17. Rc5 (17. b5 Na5 18. Ne5 $18 {Stockfish13}) 17... a6 18. Rfc1 Rac8 19. h3 (19. Bf4) 19... Nce7 20. Ne5 Bc6 {the B is now a big pawn, waiting for wh to decide on when to exchange for a breakthrough} (20... Rxc5 21. bxc5 Qc7 22. Rb1 $18 {Stockfish13}) 21. Qe2 Nd6 22. Qg4 (22. Bg5 Rce8 23. Bxe7 Rxe7 24. Nxc6 bxc6 25. Rxc6 Qd8 26. Rxa6 { Stockfish13-is an immediate forcing line}) 22... Ndf5 23. Bg5 Rfe8 24. Bxe7 ( 24. Qh5 {to tempt} g6 25. Qg4 $18 {Stockfish13- the advance of the h pawn will be fatal}) 24... Rxe7 25. Bxf5 (25. Rxd5 $18 {Stockfish13} Rf8 26. Nxc6 exd5 27. Nxe7+ Nxe7 28. Qh5 g6 29. Qe5 Nc6 30. Qe6+ Kg7 31. Rc5 Rf7 32. Rxd5 $18) 25... exf5 26. Qxf5 {Wh is just a pawn up with a wonderful N vs a terrible B} Rf8 27. Qg5 (27. Nxc6 bxc6 28. Rxc6 Rxf5 (28... Qxd4 29. Rc8 Ref7 30. Rxf8+ Rxf8 31. Rc8 Rxc8 32. Qxc8+ Kf7 33. Qxa6 $18 {which the Engine reckons as simple, though humans would be concerned at the speed of the d pawn, since Qs can assist their advanced pawns forward quite rapidly} Qa1+ 34. Kh2 Qe5+ 35. g3 d4 36. a4 Qd5 37. Qd3 Qd6 38. a5 Qxb4 39. a6 Qc5 40. Qf3+ Ke6 41. Qb3+ Kf6 42. Kg2 Qa5 43. Qf3+ Ke6 44. Qc6+ Ke5 45. Qb7 d3 46. Qxg7+ Kd6 47. Qh6+ Kc7 48. Qxh7+ Kb6 49. Qxd3 {everything under control- & very simple})) 27... Re6 28. Qg3 (28. R1c3 Ref6 29. Rg3 Qc7 30. Nxc6 bxc6 31. Qxd5+ Kh8 32. Qe5 $18 { Stockfish13}) 28... Ref6 29. R1c2 Rf4 {at this point , Bl looked to getting a bit of counterplay against the pawns and Wh's rate of play had slowed} 30. Nf3 (30. Re2 {Stockfish13 relies on piece activity} Rxd4 $2 31. Nxc6 bxc6 32. Re7 Rf7 33. Re8+ Rf8 34. Rxf8+ Kxf8 35. Qd6+ Kf7 36. Qd7+ Kf8 37. Rxc6 $18) 30... Qd8 31. Rd2 Bb5 (31... Re4 $5) 32. Qg5 {a good, practical decision- also Stockfish13} R4f5 33. Qxd8 Rxd8 34. Rc7 (34. Ne5 {even stronger}) 34... Bc6 ( 34... Rd7 35. Rdc2 Rxc7 36. Rxc7 Rf7 37. Rc5 {wins d5 &/0r Q side pawns, as} Rd7 $2 38. Rc8+ Kf7 39. Ne5+) 35. Ne5 Rf6 36. Nxc6 (36. Rc2) 36... bxc6 37. Ra7 Rff8 (37... Re8 38. f3 Re1+ 39. Kf2 Rc1 40. Rxa6 $18) 38. Rxa6 Ra8 39. Rxa8 Rxa8 40. Ra2 (40. Rd3 Kf7 41. Re3 {Stockfish13- & Wh's K goes to support the a pawn}) 40... Kf7 (40... Ra4 {was worth a try, though inadequate in the end}) 41. Kf1 Ke6 42. Ke2 Kf5 43. Kd3 g5 {if Bl does nothing on the K side, Ww just advances on the Q side. If there is a K side demonstration, then it just opens lines for Wh} 44. a4 h5 45. a5 g4 (45... Ra6 46. Re2) 46. hxg4+ hxg4 47. a6 Ke6 48. Ke3 Kf5 49. a7 {Normal} (49. a7 Re8+ 50. Kd3 Ra8 {one of the problems with Engines is they like sitting on an advantage & looking for some miniscule extra, without moving in for the kill- unless there is a forced mate available. Her, showing 12+ we have to nudge the Engine into actually coming to a conclusion rather than just moving the R & K up and down} 51. Ra3 Kf4 52. Kc2 Ke4 53. Kc3 Kf4 54. b5 cxb5 55. Kb4 Ke4 56. Kc5 b4 57. f3+ gxf3 58. gxf3+ Kf4 59. Kxb4 Kg3 60. Kc5 {Stockfish13 nudged}) 1-0 [Event "WCU Open Online2"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2021.03.16"] [Round "1.4"] [White "Gunn, Tom"] [Black "MacDonald, Duncan"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E10"] [WhiteElo "1398"] [BlackElo "1849"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "52"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [TimeControl "2700+15"] {[%evp 0,52,28,26,21,27,38,4,13,42,25,28,19,23,65,39,47,53,42,42,44,18,27,36, 42,42,49,44,50,35,32,-187,-170,-198,-198,-199,-177,-203,-190,-242,-212,-225, -253,-305,-232,-272,-215,-239,-72,-151,-141,-237,-249,-558,-685]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 c5 4. d5 b5 5. dxe6 {accepting the Blumenfeld gambit can be risky-Bl gets a lovely centre foar a half pawn investment ( the 2 to 1 Q side majority is of less significance, as the ending is a long way away} (5. Bg5 { main}) 5... fxe6 6. cxb5 Be7 {not the most common, but it gives Bl a plus score } (6... d5 7. e3 {main} (7. Nc3 Nbd7 8. e4 {56% for Wh})) (6... a6 7. e3 (7. bxa6 Bxa6 {gives Bl a good Benko type position})) (6... Bb7 7. e3 {main, but} ( 7. g3 {scores 75% for Wh})) 7. e3 (7. g3 $5) 7... Bb7 {Alburt used to start with6...Bb7} 8. Nc3 (8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O {developing without disclosing where the QN will go , as yet}) (8. Nbd2 {Karpov-Rogers, Cap D'Agde rapid 1998,1-0}) 8... O-O 9. Be2 d5 10. O-O Qc7 (10... Nbd7 {when} 11. b3 {1 draw, 3 Bl wins} ( 11. a4 {1-0}) (11. Ng5 {1-0}) (11. Qc2 {1-0})) 11. b3 (11. Qc2 Nbd7 12. b3 a6 { Guerrero-Gonzalez Vargas, Bogota McGregor op 2013,1/2-1/2}) 11... Nbd7 12. Bb2 Ng4 (12... Rad8 13. Qc2 (13. Rc1) 13... Ng4 (13... d4 $15) 14. h3 Ngf6 15. Rfd1 Ne4 16. Nxe4 dxe4 17. Nd4 Rxf2 18. Kxf2 (18. Nxe6 $18) 18... Qh2 $19 { Gryniakow-Niemiec, POL ch tm 2009,1/2-1/2}) 13. g3 Bf6 14. Rc1 $16 Rad8 (14... Nge5) 15. Ng5 $2 {a tactic that rebounds on Wh} (15. Ba3 $18 Bxc3 16. Rxc3 Nge5 17. Nxe5 Qxe5 18. Qc2 d4 19. f4 Qd5 20. Bf3 Qd6 21. exd4 Qxd4+ 22. Kg2 Bxf3+ 23. Rfxf3 $18 {Stockfish13}) (15. b4 c4 16. Nd4 Bxd4 17. Qxd4 Ngf6 18. f4 Rf7 19. a4 $18 {Bl's centre is immobilized}) 15... Nxe3 (15... Nxf2 $19 {is also possible} 16. Nxe6 Nxd1 17. Nxc7 Nxb2 18. N3xd5 Ne5 19. Rxc5 Nbd3 20. Nxf6+ Rxf6 21. Rxf6 gxf6 22. Ne6 Nxc5 23. Nxd8 Bd5 $19 {Stockfish13}) 16. Nxe6 Nxd1 17. Nxc7 Nxb2 18. Ne6 (18. N3xd5 Be5 19. Rc2 Nf6 20. Ne7+ Kf7 21. Nc6 Bxc6 22. bxc6 Bxc7 23. Rxb2 Rd4 $19) 18... d4 19. Nxf8 dxc3 (19... Kxf8 20. Nb1 d3 21. Bd1 Bd4 $19 {Stockfish13}) 20. Nxd7 (20. Ne6 Re8 21. Rfe1 Rxe6) 20... Rxd7 $19 {Bl's pieces control the board} 21. Rfe1 Kf7 (21... Rd2) 22. Bg4 Rd6 23. Re3 Bg5 (23... Rd3 $19) (23... Nd3 24. Rc2 Bg5 $19) 24. f4 (24. Rexc3 Bxc1 25. Rxc5 Nd3 26. Rc7+ Kf6 27. Rxb7 Ba3 28. Rxa7 Bc5 29. Rd7 Rxd7 30. Bxd7 Bxf2+ 31. Kg2 $17 {Wh has some survival chances-Bl has few pawns, & the Bl h pawn is the wrong colour. The Wh Q side pawns will not be able to advance crossing the bl squares, but it will be tricky for Bl to actually get rid of them}) 24... Bf6 25. Kf1 (25. Rcxc3 Bd4) (25. Rexc3 Nd3 26. R1c2 Nb4 27. Rxc5 Nxc2 28. Rxc2 (28. Rc7+ Kg6 29. Rxb7 Rd2) 28... Bd8) 25... Nd3 26. Rd1 c2 {Normal} 0-1

Quick, March!

Four Aberystwyth players entered the Dyfed Rapidplay competition for March on Tuesday 9th. Rudy van Kemenade, as in the February competition, came first with a perfect score of 5/5. Tom Gunn scored 2½/5, I scored 2/4 (plus a full-point bye), and Sam Holman had a disappointing tournament with 0/4 and a full-point bye. Steynton's David Pinch and Scott Hammett were second and third respectively.

[Event "Dyfed March Rapid"] [Site "Lichess"] [Date "2021.03.09"] [Round "1"] [White "Francis, Matthew"] [Black "Van Kemenade, R."] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A25"] [WhiteElo "1648"] [BlackElo "1999"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "50"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [EventType "rapid"] {[%evp 0,50,19,-13,-26,-46,-19,-50,9,-55,-56,-57,-52,-35,-12,-7,56,47,78,52,29, 22,33,31,27,-9,58,33,66,5,-22,-67,-95,-109,-109,-168,-236,-536,-288,-531,-793, -793,-843,-843,-796,-796,-796,-796,-1007,-977,-796,-1119,-1119]} 1. c4 e5 (1... g6 2. g3 Bg7 3. Bg2 d6 4. e4 Nc6 5. d3 f5 6. Nc3 Nf6 7. Nge2 O-O 8. O-O e6 9. exf5 gxf5 10. Rb1 {Van Kemenade-Francis,Dyfed Closed 2014,0-1}) 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 f5 4. e4 (4. Bg2 Nf6 5. d3 h6 6. e4 g6 7. Nge2 d6 8. O-O Bg7 9. exf5 (9. Nd5 O-O 10. Rb1 a5 {Heap-Van Kemenade, Dyfed Closed 2016,1/2-1/2}) 9... gxf5 10. d4 O-O 11. dxe5 dxe5 12. Be3 Be6 {Heap-Van Kemenade, Dyfed Closed 2014,0-1}) 4... d6 5. d3 Nf6 6. Bg2 g6 (6... Be7 {main}) 7. Nge2 Ne7 $146 {to get in c6 depriving Wh of the use of d5} (7... Bg7) 8. f4 c6 9. O-O Bg7 10. fxe5 $6 { creates a backward pawn on d3, & enables Bl a little later to occupy f4 himself } (10. b4 {is a more standard idea for Wh}) 10... dxe5 $15 11. Kh1 O-O 12. Be3 h6 (12... Ng4 13. Bg1 Bh6 {is possible}) 13. Qd2 g5 (13... Kh7) 14. h4 $2 { forces Bl to play what he wants to & also opening up his own K side to attack, rather than the hoped-for underining of Bl's K side pawn structure} (14. exf5 { had to be tried- both sides have piece play} Nxf5 15. Bc5 Re8 $11) 14... f4 $19 15. gxf4 exf4 (15... gxf4 16. Bf2 Ng4 17. Ng1 Ng6 18. Nf3 Bf6 {is an alternative, leaving the h pawn and d pawn as weaknesses}) 16. Bf2 (16. Bc5 $5 {forces the elimination of an attacker}) 16... Ng4 17. Bf3 Ng6 18. Kg2 N6e5 { all the Bl pieces threaten to come in against the K} (18... Nxf2 19. Kxf2 g4 { also looks excellent for Bl}) 19. Rh1 Nxf3 20. Kxf3 Ne5+ 21. Kg2 f3+ 22. Kf1 fxe2+ 23. Qxe2 Bg4 24. Qe3 Rf3 25. Qc5 Nxd3 (25... Qxd3+) 0-1 [Event "Dyfed March Rapid"] [Site "Lichess"] [Date "2021.03.09"] [Round "1"] [White "Gunn, Tom"] [Black "Paffard, Mark"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E60"] [WhiteElo "1398"] [BlackElo "1608"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "56"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [EventType "rapid"] {[%evp 0,56,25,34,24,26,59,18,20,13,22,20,10,3,18,6,0,-51,-52,-56,-32,-77,-29, -9,-23,-18,-25,-55,-63,-72,-55,-185,78,-91,-50,-406,-405,-536,-226,-249,-85, -303,-282,-499,-427,-608,-595,-747,-751,-751,-609,-613,-626,-689,-616,-714, -520,-526,-533]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 (2... e6 3. e3 b6 4. Bd3 Bb7 5. Nbd2 Be7 6. O-O d6 7. a3 O-O 8. b4 {Gunn-Paffard, Feb Rapid, 2021,1-0}) (2... b6 3. e3 Bb7 4. Bd3 Ne4 5. O-O d5 6. c4 e6 7. cxd5 exd5 8. a3 {Gunn-Paffard,Dyfed Major, 2020,1/2-1/2}) 3. e3 {back to the Colle, after a main line Kings Indian, against John Miller theweek before, (1-0)} Bg7 4. Bd3 d6 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 Nbd7 7. Nbd2 e5 8. dxe5 (8. Re1 Ng4 9. h3 Nh6 10. d5 f5 11. e4 f4 12. b4 { Gunn-Miller, Dyfed League 2020,0-1}) (8. b3) (8. Qc2) 8... Nxe5 (8... dxe5 {2-6 }) 9. Be2 (9. Nxe5 dxe5 10. Bc2 (10. Qc2 $11) 10... Be6 11. b3 Qe7 12. h3 Rad8 13. Qf3 e4 14. Qg3 Nh5 15. Qh2 Bxa1 {Taccani Stella-Pirrello, Milan Palladino memorial, 2014,0-1}) 9... Bf5 $15 10. Re1 (10. Nd4) 10... Nd3 (10... Re8) 11. Bxd3 Bxd3 12. Qb3 Bf5 13. Nd4 (13. Qxb7 Rb8 14. Qxa7 Ne4 15. Nxe4 Bxe4 $11 { Stockfish13}) (13. e4 Bc8 14. Nb1 $11 {Stockfish13}) 13... Bc8 14. Qc2 Re8 $17 15. b3 $2 (15. e4 b6 16. Nf1 Bb7 17. Bg5 h6 18. Bxf6 Bxf6 19. Rad1 Bg7 $15 { Stockfish13}) 15... Bf5 $2 (15... c5 16. N4f3 Bf5 17. Qd1 Ne4 $19 {Stockfish13} ) 16. e4 $2 (16. Nxf5 gxf5 17. Qxf5 $18) 16... Nxe4 (16... Bxe4 17. Nxe4 Nxe4 18. Rxe4 Bxd4 $19) 17. Nxe4 (17. Nxf5 gxf5 (17... Bxa1 18. Nh6+ Kg7 19. Nxe4 $11) 18. Bb2 Bxb2 19. Qxb2 Qf6 $17 {Stockfish13}) 17... Bxd4 18. Bg5 $19 f6 ( 18... Qxg5 $19) 19. Rad1 Bxf2+ $6 (19... c5 $19) 20. Kxf2 (20. Qxf2 $17 { gets the Q out of the pin, Bl can't take both pieces at the same time}) 20... fxg5 $19 21. c5 d5 22. c6 Bxe4 23. Rxe4 Qf6+ (23... Rxe4 24. Qxe4 dxe4 25. Rxd8+ Rxd8 26. cxb7 Rb8 {is fine for Bl as well}) 24. Kg1 dxe4 25. cxb7 Rab8 26. Qc4+ Qe6 27. Qxc7 Qb6+ 28. Qxb6 axb6 0-1 [Event "Dyfed March Rapid"] [Site "Lichess"] [Date "2021.03.09"] [Round "1"] [White "Holman, Sam"] [Black "Williams, R Gareth"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B01"] [WhiteElo "1386"] [BlackElo "1643"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "36"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [EventType "rapid"] {[%evp 0,36,41,15,32,48,37,-4,77,28,108,-34,-34,-28,6,-85,47,37,295,-37,-30, -30,-20,-45,-37,-13,-23,-42,-27,-27,34,-37,-36,-226,-228,-230,-237,-29999, -30000]} 1. e4 {Wh had to find an alternative mouse, hence lost a great deal of time before able to move} d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. c4 (3. d4) (3. Bb5+ Bd7 { Huw Jones-Williams, Feb rapid 2021,1-0}) (3. Nc3 Bg4 {Greenwood-Feb rapid 2021, 0-1}) 3... Bg4 (3... c6) (3... e6) 4. Nf3 (4. Be2 {main}) 4... c6 5. dxc6 Nxc6 6. Be2 e5 {Bl has a backward pawn to aim at as compensation} 7. O-O (7. d3 { main}) 7... Bd6 (7... Bc5 {main, the text obstructs the d file}) 8. h3 (8. Nc3 {2-0}) (8. Ne1 h5 {0-1}) 8... O-O $2 9. d4 $2 Bxf3 10. Bxf3 exd4 11. b3 (11. Nd2) 11... Be5 {playing for a tactic, but the B doesn't really belong here} ( 11... Re8) 12. Bb2 Re8 13. Re1 Bc7 14. Rxe8+ Nxe8 15. Bxc6 (15. Nd2 $14) 15... bxc6 $11 16. Qxd4 $2 (16. Nd2 {essential}) 16... Qxd4 17. Bxd4 Rd8 18. Be3 (18. Na3 {clings on longer}) 18... Rd1# 0-1 [Event "Dyfed March Rapid"] [Site "Lichess"] [Date "2021.03.09"] [Round "2"] [White "Francis, Matthew"] [Black "Holman, Sam"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A36"] [WhiteElo "1648"] [BlackElo "1386"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "65"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [EventType "rapid"] {[%evp 0,65,29,-17,20,5,36,4,11,5,17,11,11,-23,-22,-22,-15,-10,-7,-16,17,14,34, 50,56,64,59,42,54,28,33,18,-4,-9,12,32,24,0,61,25,0,-11,36,26,20,-50,-60,-37, -52,-52,67,55,232,-116,485,371,893,225,1971,2768,2768,1586,1586,1586,1938,1453, 1695,1695]} 1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 g6 (2... Nf6 3. g3 Nc6 4. Bg2 e6 5. e4 a6 6. d3 e5 7. Nge2 d6 8. O-O Be7 9. f4 {Francis-Paffard, Feb Rapid 2021,1-0}) 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 d6 5. d3 Nf6 6. e4 O-O 7. Nge2 Nc6 8. O-O a6 {main} (8... Ne8 9. a3 Rb8 10. Rb1 Nc7 11. Be3 Nd4 12. b4 b6 13. Nd5 {Francis-AH Williams, Dyfed Online Closed 2021,0-1}) 9. Rb1 (9. h3 {main}) 9... e5 (9... Rb8 {main}) 10. a3 Be6 ( 10... Rb8) (10... Bd7) 11. Nd5 Nd4 12. Nxd4 (12. b4 {is what Wh is set up to do, now the c pawn escapes}) 12... cxd4 13. f4 Nxd5 14. exd5 (14. cxd5 Bd7 15. f5 $14 {Stockfish13}) 14... Bf5 15. g4 (15. fxe5 Bxe5 16. b4 $14 {Stockfish13}) 15... Bd7 $11 16. fxe5 $11 (16. f5 $11 {Rudy prefers f5, feels more dynamic}) 16... dxe5 {gives Wh running Q side pawns} (16... Bxe5) 17. Bd2 (17. g5 $16 { Stockfish13}) 17... Qh4 18. h3 Bh6 19. Be1 $6 (19. Bxh6 Qxh6 20. Qc1 Qh4 21. c5 $16 {Stockfish13}) 19... Be3+ 20. Kh1 Qh6 $17 21. Bg3 f5 (21... Rae8) 22. gxf5 (22. Bxe5 f4 $16) 22... Bxf5 (22... gxf5 $19 {Stockfish13} 23. Bxe5 f4 24. Rg1 Kf7 25. Qf3 Rae8 26. Bc7 Rg8 27. Rgf1 Rg4 28. Rbe1 Rh4 29. Kh2 Kg7 (29... Bg4 30. Bxf4 $18) 30. Re2 Qg6 $19 {Stockfish13- now Bg4 is a real threat}) 23. Kh2 Rae8 24. d6 $11 b5 {this is the wrong side of the board for Bl to be playing on } (24... Rf7) 25. c5 $18 g5 26. c6 $2 (26. Rxf5 $1 Rxf5 27. d7 Rd8 28. Qg4 (28. Qb3+ Kf8 29. c6) 28... Rf6 29. Bxe5 $18) 26... g4 (26... Qxd6 $19) 27. d7 $18 ( 27. Rxf5 Rxf5 28. d7 Rff8 29. Qxg4+ $18) 27... Rd8 28. Bxe5 (28. Rxf5 { Stockfish13}) 28... gxh3 29. Bd5+ Rf7 30. Bxf7+ (30. Rxf5 {Stockfish13 is persistant about this}) 30... Kxf7 31. Rxf5+ Ke6 32. Rf6+ Qxf6 33. Bxf6 1-0 [Event "Dyfed March Rapid"] [Site "Lichess"] [Date "2021.03.09"] [Round "2"] [White "Van Kemenade, R."] [Black "Williams, R Gareth"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B11"] [WhiteElo "1999"] [BlackElo "1643"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "117"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [EventType "rapid"] 1. e4 d5 2. Nf3 c6 (2... dxe4 3. Ng5 {Tennison or Lemberg Gambit, an older relative of the Budapest}) 3. Nc3 Bg4 {2 Ns var of CaroKann} 4. h3 Bh5 (4... Bxf3 5. Qxf3 e6 6. d3 Nf6 7. g4 Bb4 8. Bd2 d4 9. Nb1 Qb6 10. b3 Nbd7 {Van Kemenade-Bevan, Dyfed Open 2019,1/2-1/2}) 5. g4 (5. exd5 cxd5 6. Bb5+ Nc6 7. g4 Bg6 8. Ne5 Rc8) 5... Bg6 6. exd5 cxd5 7. Ne5 Nc6 8. Nxg6 (8. d4) (8. Bb5 { main lines}) 8... hxg6 9. Bg2 {relying on this B for the rest of the game} e6 10. d4 Bb4 (10... Bd6) 11. Qd3 (11. O-O {0.5-2.5}) 11... Nge7 12. Bd2 a6 (12... Qb6 $5) 13. a3 Bd6 14. Ne2 b5 $11 15. a4 (15. b3) 15... b4 16. c3 Qb6 (16... bxc3 17. bxc3 Na5 $17 {Wh has a backward c pawn}) 17. O-O (17. c4) 17... a5 ( 17... Na5) 18. c4 dxc4 19. Qxc4 Rc8 20. Rac1 (20. Qb5 $16) 20... O-O 21. Qb5 Qxb5 22. axb5 Nb8 (22... Na7 23. b6 Nb5 24. Rxc8 Rxc8 25. b7 Rb8 26. Ra1 Nd5 27. Rxa5 Rxb7 28. Ra8+ Kh7 29. Kf1 $14 {Stockfish13}) 23. Bf4 (23. b6 Rxc1 24. Rxc1 Rc8 25. Ra1 Nbc6 26. Rc1 $16 {Stockfish13}) 23... Bxf4 24. Nxf4 Rxc1 25. Rxc1 $18 Rc8 26. Rxc8+ (26. Ra1 {picks off the a pawn, before Bl has time to get to b2} Nd7 27. Rxa5 Rc2 28. Ra7 $18) 26... Nxc8 27. Nd3 $11 Nb6 (27... g5 $11) 28. Kf1 (28. b3) 28... Kf8 29. Ke2 Ke7 30. Kd2 (30. b3) 30... Kd6 (30... Nc4+ 31. Kc2 Nd7 32. Nc5 Ndb6 33. Bf1 Nd6 34. Kb3 g5 $11 {Stockfish13}) 31. Ne5 Ke7 (31... f6 32. Nxg6 Nc4+ 33. Kc1 a4 34. Nf4 Nd7 $14 {Stockfish13}) 32. Kd3 ( 32. Kc2 $16) 32... g5 (32... a4 33. Kc2 Nc8 34. Nd3 Na7 35. b6 Nac6 36. Nc5 a3 37. bxa3 bxa3 38. Kb3 Na5+ 39. Ka2 Kd6 40. h4 $14 {Stockfish13}) 33. Nc4 Nxc4 34. Kxc4 Kd6 (34... Nd7 35. b6 Nxb6+ 36. Kb5 Nd7 37. Kxa5 b3 38. Kb4 e5 39. Bc6 Nf8 40. dxe5 Ng6 41. Kxb3 Nxe5 42. Be4 $18 {one of those lines where the B is suerior to the short-legged N, it can dedend its own pawns while shepherding the distant pawn ever forward}) 35. Kb3 {also winning, if Wh finds the correct followup} (35. b6 Nd7 36. Kb5 a4 37. Kxa4 Nxb6+ 38. Kxb4 $18 {Stockfish13}) 35... Kc7 36. d5 $5 {the (double-edged)idea is to get the K across to the K side to grab pawns, while giving up the B for the last Bl Q side pawn} (36. Ka4 Kb6 37. Bc6 $1 {the N has no moves & Bl will soon run out of pawn moves as well } f6 38. Be8) 36... Kb6 37. Kc4 (37. dxe6 fxe6 38. Kc4 Nd7 39. b3 Nf6 40. Bc6 Nd5 41. Be8 Nc3 42. f3 e5 43. Bd7 e4 44. fxe4 Nxe4 $19 {the N is more versatile than the B, since the Wh pawns are all blocked}) 37... Nd7 $2 (37... exd5+ $1 38. Bxd5 Nd7 39. b3 f6 $19 {Wh loses the b pawn, and is still far away with his K} 40. Kd4 Kxb5 41. Ke4 Nc5+ 42. Kf5 Nxb3 43. Bxb3 a4 $19 { Stockfish13}) 38. dxe6 (38. d6 $1 {considered; but unable to work out the consequences- a blocked K side appeared to help the N} Ne5+ 39. Kd4 f6 40. Bf1 a4 41. Be2 g6 42. Bc4 Nf3+ 43. Ke3 Ne5 44. Bxe6 a3 45. bxa3 bxa3 46. f4 gxf4+ 47. Kxf4 Kc5 48. h4 Kxd6 49. Ba2 Nd7 50. g5 (50. h5 {best try} Nf8 $1 (50... gxh5 $2 51. gxh5 Nf8 52. Kf5 $18) 51. hxg6 (51. h6 Kc5 52. Ke4 Kxb5 53. Kd5 Kb6 54. Kd6 Nh7 55. Ke6 f5 56. gxf5 g5 57. f6 g4 58. Bb1 Nf8+ 59. Ke7 g3 60. Kxf8 g2 61. h7 g1=Q 62. h8=Q Qxb1 $11) 51... Nxg6+ 52. Kf5 Ne7+ 53. Kxf6 Nd5+ 54. Kf7 Nc3 55. g5 Nxa2 56. g6 Nc3 57. g7 a2 58. g8=Q a1=Q 59. b6 $11) 50... fxg5+ 51. Kxg5 Ne5 52. b6 Nf3+ 53. Kxg6 Nxh4+ 54. Kg5 Ng2 55. Kg4 $11 {Stockfish13- a long way down the track- in a rapid not really enough time to work things out, one just has to trust to judgement (whatever it is)}) 38... fxe6 {the pawn looks vulnerable, but proves difficult to get at} 39. Bf1 (39. b3 $5 { Stockfish13}) 39... Ne5+ (39... Nc5 $17) 40. Kd4 Nf3+ (40... Nf7 41. b3 Nd6 42. Ke5 Nxb5 43. Bc4 Nc7 44. Kd6 Nb5+ 45. Ke5 (45. Kxe6 {looks obvious but loses} Kc5 46. Kf7 (46. Ke5 a4 $19) 46... Nd6+ $19) 45... Nc7 (45... Kc5 46. Bxe6 $11 Nd4 47. Bg8 Ne2 48. Kf5 Kd4 49. Kxg5 Nc1 50. Kg6 Nxb3 51. Kxg7 a4 52. f4 (52. h4 {normally one would use the one furthest away from the other K, but here the Queening square could come under Bl control. However it does work, The main line , though, comes up with some hair-raising intricacies ( perhaps the players could have found them ?)} a3 53. Bxb3 Kc3 54. Be6 b3 55. f4 a2 56. f5 a1=Q 57. f6 Qa7+ 58. f7 Qd4+ 59. Kg8 b2 60. Bf5 b1=Q 61. Bxb1 Qxg4+ 62. Kh8 Qxh4+ $11) 52... a3 53. Bxb3 Kc3 54. Be6 b3 55. f5 a2 56. f6 a1=Q 57. f7 b2 58. Bf5 Qa7 59. Kg8 Qa2 60. h4 Qd5 61. h5 Kd2 62. h6 Qc4 63. h7 b1=Q 64. Bxb1 Qxg4+ 65. Kf8 Qd4 $11 {Stockfish13})) 41. Ke3 $11 Nh4 42. Bc4 $6 {mis-timed it would appear, as is Bl's reply} (42. f4 {lichess Stockfish13 chooses this} gxf4+ 43. Kxf4 a4 44. Bc4 Ng6+ 45. Ke4 e5 46. Bf7 a3 47. bxa3 bxa3 48. h4 Nxh4 49. Kxe5 Kxb5 50. Kd4 $11 {Stockfish13- here}) (42. b3 Ng6 43. Bc4 Nf4 44. h4 Ng2+ 45. Kf3 Nxh4+ 46. Ke4 Kc5 47. Bxe6 Kxb5 48. f4 $11 {Stockfish13}) 42... e5 $6 ( 42... a4 43. Bxe6 Kxb5 $19 44. Ke4 Ng2 45. Bf5 (45. Kf5 Nf4 46. Bd7+ Ka5 47. Kxg5 Nxh3+ 48. Kg6 a3 49. bxa3 bxa3 50. g5 Nf4+ 51. Kf5 a2) 45... b3 46. Be6 Kb4 47. Ke5 Nf4 48. Bf5 (48. Bg8 Nd3+) 48... Nxh3 $19 {Stockfish13}) 43. Ke4 $2 (43. b3 $11 {both Engines}) 43... a4 44. Kxe5 Nf3+ 45. Kf5 a3 {a little early though it should still be winning} (45... Nd2 $1 46. Bf7 Kxb5 47. Kxg5 Nc4 48. Be8+ Ka5 49. Bxa4 Kxa4 50. Kg6 b3 51. Kxg7 Nxb2 52. f4 (52. h4 Nd3 53. h5 b2 54. h6 b1=Q 55. h7 Qb7+ 56. Kg8 Ne5 57. h8=N Qe7 $19 {Zugzwang}) 52... Nd3 53. f5 b2 54. f6 Ne5 $19 {Stockfish13- quite a few of the lines seem to depend on just that one tempo}) 46. bxa3 bxa3 47. Bd5 (47. Bg8 {both Engines is best, though the lichess recommendation of} Ng1 {is the wrong plan, when f4 only slight advantage-Stockfish13} (47... Nd4+ $1 {Stockfish13} 48. Kxg5 (48. Ke4 Ne2 (48... Nxb5 49. f4 $11) 49. Kd3 Nf4+ 50. Kc3 Kxb5 51. Kb3 Nxh3 52. f3 Kc5 53. Kxa3 Kd4 {and the doubled g pawns win for Bl}) 48... Kxb5 49. Kg6 Kb4 50. Ba2 Kc3 51. Kxg7 Kb2 52. Bf7 Nb3 53. h4 a2 54. h5 a1=Q 55. h6 Ka3+ 56. Kg8 Qf6 57. h7 Qd8+ 58. Kg7 Qd4+ 59. Kf8 Qh8+ 60. Bg8 Nc5 61. f4 Qf6+ 62. Ke8 Qg7 63. g5 Kb4 64. f5 Ne4 65. f6 Nd6+ 66. Kd8 Qf8+ 67. Kc7 Kc5 68. Be6 Qe8 69. Bd7 Qa8 70. Be6 Qb7+ 71. Kd8 Qb8+ 72. Ke7 Qe8# {all forced , of course.}) (47... Kxb5 { Komodo14 Endgame} 48. Ke4 Ng1 49. f4 Nxh3 50. fxg5 Nxg5+ 51. Kd3 (51. Kf5 Nh7 $1 $19) 51... Kb4 52. Kc2 $11)) 47... Nd4+ (47... Kxb5 $19 {simplest, Stockfish13}) 48. Kxg5 Nxb5 {this position should now be drawn; Bl was now down to 2:37 mins to Wh's 7:46} (48... Kxb5 $1 {pointed out by lichess, Gareth's Stockfish 10 & Stockfish13 forces the win (only way)} 49. Kg6 Kb4 50. Ba2 Kc3 51. Kxg7 Kb2 52. Bf7 Nb3 {and we are into the fantasy variation of Q & N vs B & 3 pawns given above to Wh's move 47 by Stockfish13}) 49. Kg6 Nd4 $2 ( 49... Kc5 {lichess-the K needs to come up to support the N, to get the pawn through} 50. Bg8 Nc3 {threat... Nd5} 51. Bb3 Kb4 52. Be6 Kc5 53. Bb3 { repetition}) (49... Nc3 50. Bb3 Kc5 51. Kxg7 Kb4 52. Bg8 Kc5 53. Bb3 { Stockfish13 leads to the same}) 50. Kxg7 Kc5 51. Ba2 {only move to win- the N is now on an unfortunate square} Kb4 (51... Ne2 52. g5 {unnatural wins , as does the equaly so} (52. f4 Nxf4 53. h4 {the N has been lured away}) (52. h4 { is the natural, automatic move, yet it would only draw!} Nc3 53. Bb3 (53. h5 Nxa2 54. h6 Nb4 55. h7 a2 56. h8=Q a1=Q+ 57. Kg8 Qxh8+ 58. Kxh8 {and the N gallops back in time!} Nd5) 53... Kb4 54. Be6 Kc5 {as above}) 52... Nc1 53. Bf7 Kb4 54. Kh7 Nb3 55. Bxb3 Kxb3 56. g6 a2 57. g7 a1=Q 58. g8=Q+ $18 { Stockfish13- neatly anticipated- the Wh K has to lose a tempoto let the g pawn pass, but then the g Q gets it back.}) 52. h4 (52. g5 {again , will regain that extra tempo when the pawn reaches g8}) 52... Kc3 53. h5 Kb2 54. h6 Kxa2 55. h7 Kb1 56. h8=Q a2 57. Qb8+ (57. Qa8 {is good enough} a1=Q 58. Qxa1+ Kxa1 59. Kf6 $18) 57... Kc1 58. Qa7 (58. Qf4+ Kb1 59. Qxd4) 58... Nc2 59. Qxa2 { Impossible within the time limit to calculate everything to its logical conclusion; the best one can hope for is to just keep the initiative.} 1-0 [Event "Dyfed March Rapid"] [Site "Lichess"] [Date "2021.03.09"] [Round "2"] [White "Leah, Howard"] [Black "Gunn, Tom"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B00"] [WhiteElo "1547"] [BlackElo "1398"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "116"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [EventType "rapid"] {[%evp 0,116,37,36,46,21,15,-6,38,54,42,30,94,79,57,38,40,25,81,59,69,69,65,12, 28,17,51,27,59,58,102,41,48,34,42,36,29,16,21,11,16,28,45,-38,-23,-22,-19,-45, 36,27,21,22,115,115,115,93,106,105,314,230,273,267,241,232,263,163,181,182,182, 178,177,177,188,169,182,141,231,199,229,217,270,155,185,157,154,160,164,113, 129,90,90,24,139,46,54,55,66,67,37,-295,46,42,43,-600,-620,-642,-703,-1044, -603,-626,-638,-697,-598,-727,-627,-695,-703,-1012,-769]} 1. e4 c5 2. c3 { new to Tom} e6 (2... d5 {main} 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. Nf3 Bg4 5. Be2 e6 $2 6. d4 { Leah-Buttell,Dyfed League 2019,1-0 (after various other adventures, involving the Wh K out running a mating attack to get to h6 & assist to mating Bl's K))} (6. Qa4+ {picks up the B on g4- found by 11 players, & missed by 8. Accidents don't just happen in rapid play.})) 3. d4 b6 (3... d5 4. e5 {is an Advance French}) 4. Nf3 Bb7 5. Bd3 d6 (5... Nf6) (5... cxd4 {main lines}) 6. O-O Nd7 7. Re1 Be7 8. Nbd2 e5 (8... Qc7 {main}) 9. d5 Ngf6 10. Nf1 O-O {It's an Old Indian, soon to become a Ruy Lopez (a6 & b5 ) are coming} (10... Qc7 11. c4 Nh5 12. Bc2 g6 13. Ba4 O-O-O 14. Ng5 Rdf8 15. Qg4 Nhf6 16. Qh3 Kb8 { Sechting-Kopisch,Hamburg ch 2009,0-1}) 11. Ng5 $5 {a bit early} (11. Ng3 Re8 ( 11... a6 12. a4 Qc7 13. Nf5 Rfe8 14. Nxe7+ Rxe7 15. Qe2 Ree8 16. Nh4 Nf8 17. c4 {Belyakov-Mamatov, Wld ch blitz, St Petersburg 2018,1-0}) 12. h3 Nf8 13. Nh2 Ng6 14. Bc2 a6 15. Nf5 Bc8 16. Ne3 b5 17. Nhg4 {Grana Lois-Estevaz Rodriguez, Burgas op, Ourense 2006,1-0 (from an Owen's Defence)}) 11... h6 (11... Nxd5 12. Nxh7 (12. Nxf7 Rxf7 (12... Nxc3 $2 13. Nxd8 Nxd1 14. Nxb7 $18)) 12... Nxc3 13. Qh5 c4 14. Bxc4 Nxe4 15. Nxf8 Qxf8 $14 {is a bit of a tactical mess}) 12. Nf3 a6 13. Ng3 Re8 14. Nf5 Bf8 {Howard has done quite well with similar positions, including a fine win against Iolo in the Dyfed League in 2014 (from an Italian via a Philidor). It doesn't matter about an opening, the Q is, can you play the kinds of position that result.)} 15. Be3 b5 (15... Nxd5 16. exd5 e4 17. Bc2 exf3 18. Qxf3 Nf6 19. Qg3 Kh8 20. c4 $14 {Wh retains good attacking chances}) 16. Qd2 (16. Bc2) 16... c4 (16... Bxd5 17. exd5 e4 18. Be2 exf3 19. Bxf3 Ne5 20. Be2 Qd7 21. Ng3 Qb7 22. Rad1 Nc4 23. Bxc4 bxc4 $17 {Stockfish13}) 17. Bc2 Ng4 18. h3 Nxe3 19. Qxe3 Qb6 20. Qd2 Bc8 21. Bd1 (21. b3 $11) 21... Nf6 22. Ng3 Bd7 $15 {Bl 's position is slightly more flexible, as there is no longer a B aimed at h6} 23. Nh4 Nh7 (23... g6 $17) 24. Nhf5 Bxf5 {but this cedes Bl's advantage} (24... Qd8) 25. Nxf5 (25. exf5 {the N goes to e4, and the Wh B returns to c2}) 25... g6 $6 {this , while desirable, needs preparation} (25... Nf6 26. g3 Kh7 27. Ne3 g6 28. Nc2 h5 29. Kg2 Bh6 30. Qe2 Nd7 $11 {Stockfish13}) 26. Nxh6+ Bxh6 27. Qxh6 $16 Qc7 28. Re3 (28. h4 $18 {Stockfish13}) 28... f5 $2 {trying to get play, but now opening up the K side should be losing quickly} ( 28... Qe7) 29. exf5 $18 (29. Rg3 g5 30. exf5 Rf8 31. h4 $18 {Stockfish13}) (29. Qxg6+ Kh8 30. Qxf5 {looks simpler- Bl has no compensation for the 3 pawns}) 29... gxf5 30. Rg3+ Kh8 31. Bh5 (31. a4 {Stockfish brings the QR into the game} ) 31... Rg8 32. Rg6 (32. Bg6) 32... Rxg6 33. Bxg6 Qg7 34. Qxg7+ Kxg7 35. Bxf5 Nf6 36. Be6 (36. a4 Nxd5 $2 37. Be4) 36... Rb8 37. Rf1 a5 38. f4 exf4 39. Rxf4 b4 40. cxb4 (40. Rxc4 {would end Bl Q side hopes}) 40... Rxb4 41. Rf2 (41. a3 Rxb2 42. Rxc4 {Stockfish13}) 41... Ne4 (41... Ra4 42. b3 cxb3 43. axb3 Rb4 44. Ra2 Rxb3 45. Rxa5 {but the 2 K side pawns will decide in the end}) 42. Rc2 Nc5 43. Bf5 (43. a3 Rb3 44. Rxc4 Rxb2 45. Rg4+ Kf6 46. h4 Nxe6 47. dxe6 Rb1+ 48. Kh2 d5 49. h5 Kxe6 50. h6 Rb8 51. Rg7 Rh8 52. h7 d4 53. Kg3 Kf6 54. Rd7 Rf8 55. Rxd4 Kg7 56. Rd7+ $18 {Stockfish13}) 43... Kf6 44. Bg4 (44. g4 Kg5 45. Kg2 Kh4 46. Rf2 Rb8 47. Kf3 Rf8 48. Rc2 $18 {Stockfish13}) 44... Ke5 45. Bf3 (45. a3 Rb7 (45... Ra4 46. Bd1) 46. Rxc4 Rxb2 47. Rc3 Kxd5 48. h4 {Stockfish13-must be winning}) 45... Nd3 (45... Kd4 {the active K would pose Wh problems} 46. h4 { Stockfish 13 is then the only move to retain an advantage!} (46. Re2 Nd3 47. h4 Rxb2 48. Rxb2 Nxb2 49. Kf2 {only move to draw- the c pawn is ultra dangerous- in endings it is not the number of pawns one has, it is how advanced they are & the relative K positions} Kd3 (49... c3 50. Ke2 $18) 50. Ke1 c3 51. Bg4 c2 52. Bf5+ Kc3 53. Bxc2 Kxc2 54. Kf2 Nc4 {looks hair-raising, but Stockfish13 reassures both sides the draw is there- home experimentation recommended}) 46... Kd3 47. Rf2 c3 48. Be2+ Ke3 49. bxc3 Rxh4 50. Bb5 Ke4 51. c4 $14) 46. b3 (46. a3 {only move to win-Stockfish13}) 46... cxb3 47. axb3 Rxb3 48. Ra2 Rb5 $11 {the B is a passive creature & Wh's K side pawns & K in arrears} 49. Kf1 $2 (49. Kh2) 49... Nf4 (49... Rb1+ {wins material} 50. Bd1 (50. Ke2 Nc1+ 51. Kf2 Nxa2 $19) 50... Rxd1+ 51. Ke2 Nc1+ 52. Kxd1 Nxa2 $19 {Stockfish13}) 50. Kf2 Nxd5 51. Ke2 $2 (51. Bxd5 Rxd5 {the R & pawn ending is drawn}) 51... Nc3+ 52. Kd3 Nxa2 $19 53. Kc4 Rc5+ 54. Kb3 Nb4 55. Ka4 Nd3 56. Bb7 Kf4 57. Bf3 Kg3 58. Be4 Ne1 {Wh's extra 2 pawns are still (barely) there, having barely moved.} ( 58... Rc4+) 0-1 [Event "Dyfed March Rapid"] [Site "Lichess"] [Date "2021.03.09"] [Round "3"] [White "Gunn, Tom"] [Black "Hammett, Scott"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A80"] [WhiteElo "1398"] [BlackElo "1590"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "56"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [EventType "rapid"] 1. d4 f5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 e6 4. Bd3 b6 5. Nbd2 Bb7 6. O-O Be7 7. a3 (7. c4 O-O 8. Qc2 Na6 9. a3 d6 10. Re1 Qe8 11. b4 Qg6 12. Bb2 Bxf3 13. Nxf3 Ne4 14. c5 Nb8 15. cxd6 (15. c6 $18) 15... Bxd6 16. Ne5 $18 {Gunn-Hammett,WCU Online U1800, 2020,1/2-1/2}) (7. Re1) (7. Qe2 {main lines}) 7... O-O (7... c5 8. Qe2 O-O 9. b3 Nc6 10. Bb2 Qc7 (10... d5 11. h3 Ne4 12. Ba6 {Buerkelbach-Riegler, Rheinland Pfalz Seniors , Neustadt, 2018, 1/2-1/2}) 11. c4 Bd6 12. Bc2 Rae8 13. dxc5 bxc5 14. h3 Ba6 15. Rfd1 Bb7 16. Rab1 {Cuniali-Foch, IECC 2001,1-0}) 8. b4 (8. c4 $11 {yet 1-2-5}) 8... Ne4 9. Bb2 d5 (9... Bf6 10. c4 Qe8 11. Bxe4 fxe4 12. Ne1 d5 13. f3 Nd7 14. fxe4 dxe4 15. Qg4 Qg6 16. Qxe6+ Qf7 17. Qxf7+ Rxf7 $16 {George-Hazzard,Michigan Senior Reserve 2005,1/2-1/2}) 10. c4 Nd7 11. cxd5 (11. c5 $16 Bf6 12. Qc2 c6 13. a4 Qe7 14. Ra2 (14. Nb3 $18) 14... a5 15. cxb6 axb4 16. a5 Nxb6 17. Rfa1 Nd7 18. a6 Bc8 19. Qxc6 $18 {Amor Alcaide-Casas Douton, Barcelona La Lira , 1995, 0-1}) 11... Bxd5 12. Rc1 Rc8 13. Bc4 c6 14. Bxd5 cxd5 15. Ne5 (15. Qa4 a5 $11) 15... Nxe5 16. dxe5 Qd7 17. f4 Rc7 18. Nxe4 dxe4 19. Rxc7 Qxc7 20. Qc1 Rc8 21. Qxc7 Rxc7 22. Rc1 Rxc1+ 23. Bxc1 {Bl's B is better than Wh's bad one. but there is no entry} g5 24. g3 gxf4 25. exf4 h5 26. Kf2 Kg7 27. Ke3 Kg6 28. h4 Kf7 $11 1/2-1/2 [Event "Dyfed March Rapid"] [Site "Lichess"] [Date "2021.03.09"] [Round "3"] [White "Osinga, Awne"] [Black "Francis, Matthew"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A80"] [WhiteElo "1343"] [BlackElo "1648"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "102"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [EventType "rapid"] {[%evp 0,102,19,9,26,6,57,49,42,33,23,7,24,13,13,1,-15,-22,-22,-54,-58,-70,-98, -98,-29,-43,-10,-74,-11,-50,-4,-41,-49,-138,-37,-116,-79,-155,-166,-232,-232, -216,-209,-275,-204,-207,-205,-197,-178,-312,-329,-322,-322,-314,-310,-314, -343,-444,-453,-454,-336,-468,-437,-831,-383,-738,-761,-761,-762,-769,-769, -774,-809,-854,-844,-861,-910,-928,-937,-995,-1170,-1094,-1325,-1442,-1442, -1570,-1629,-1765,-1872,-1945,-2110,-2471,-29980,-29991,-29992,-29997,-29990, -29991,-29992,-29993,-29994,-29997,-29998,-29999,-30000]} 1. d4 e6 2. e3 f5 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Bd3 b6 {main} (4... d5 5. O-O Bd6 6. b3 O-O 7. Ba3 {Osinga-Rafferty, Dyfed Online League, 2021,1-0 ( the week before)}) 5. b3 (5. O-O) 5... Bb7 6. O-O Be7 7. Re1 (7. Bb2 {main}) (7. Ba3 Bxa3 8. Nxa3 {0-3}) 7... O-O 8. Nc3 (8. Bb2 Na6 9. a3 c5 10. Qe2 Nc7 11. Nbd2 Rc8 12. e4 fxe4 13. Nxe4 Nxe4 14. Bxe4 d5 15. Bd3 Bd6 16. Ne5 Qe7 {Fister-Brandt,GER ch B Seniors, Magdeburg,2015,1/2-1/2 }) 8... Ne4 9. Bb2 (9. Ne2 $11) 9... Bb4 $17 10. Bxe4 fxe4 11. Nd2 Bxc3 12. Bxc3 Qf6 (12... Qh4) 13. Rf1 d5 (13... Qg6 $17) 14. Bb4 $11 (14. f3 $11) 14... Rf7 15. Qe1 c5 16. Ba3 (16. dxc5 Nc6 17. Ba3 Qc3 18. f4 bxc5 19. Nf3 Qxe1 20. Nxe1 c4 21. c3 $11 {Stockfish13}) 16... Nd7 (16... cxd4 17. exd4 Nc6 $19) 17. c4 (17. f3 $11) 17... cxd4 18. cxd5 exd5 $19 19. Rb1 Ba6 {looks simpler than} ( 19... Ne5 20. Bb2 Qg6 21. Kh1 Nd3 22. Qe2 Ba6 $19 {Stockfish13}) 20. Bb2 Bxf1 21. Bxd4 Qf5 22. Nxf1 Nc5 (22... Raf8) 23. Ng3 Qg6 24. Qd2 (24. Bxc5 $5) 24... Nd3 25. Rf1 Raf8 26. Nh1 Rc8 27. Ng3 Rfc7 28. h3 Rc2 29. Qd1 Rxa2 (29... Rc1) 30. Be5 Rcc2 31. Nh1 Qc6 (31... Rd2 {cuts the Q off from the d5 pawn}) 32. Qg4 Nxe5 33. Qf4 Qf6 34. Qxf6 gxf6 35. Ng3 Nd3 36. Nh1 Rab2 (36... d4 37. exd4 e3) 37. h4 Rxb3 38. Ra1 a5 39. Ng3 Rc1+ 40. Rxc1 Nxc1 41. Nf5 a4 42. Ne7+ Kf7 43. Nxd5 a3 44. Nf4 a2 45. h5 a1=Q 46. f3 Ne2+ 47. Kf2 Nxf4 (47... Qg1+ 48. Kxe2 Rb2#) 48. Kg3 Nxh5+ 49. Kg4 Kg6 50. g3 f5+ 51. Kh3 Qh1# 0-1 [Event "Dyfed March Rapid"] [Site "Lichess"] [Date "2021.03.09"] [Round "4"] [White "Paffard, Mark"] [Black "Francis, Matthew"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C02"] [WhiteElo "1608"] [BlackElo "1648"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "61"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [EventType "rapid"] {[%evp 0,61,80,29,9,33,37,36,16,20,22,22,13,7,7,-72,-46,-43,-49,-108,-95,-96, -98,-98,-76,-100,-36,-40,19,14,141,83,93,151,257,274,234,175,184,120,165,-65, -53,-216,161,185,241,242,365,278,498,453,494,419,399,476,501,375,508,532,1194, 1281,1480,1735]} 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Nh6 (5... a6 6. Bd3 c4 7. Bc2 {Paffard -Wardle, WCU online U1800, 2020, 1/2-1/2}) (5... Qb6 6. Bd3 Bd7 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. O-O Qc7 9. b4 Bb6 10. Bf4 {Paffard-Miller, Dyfed League 2018,1-0}) 6. Bd3 (6. Bxh6 gxh6 7. Bd3 {Talbot-Francis, Aberystwyth Ch 2014,1-0}) 6... Nf5 (6... cxd4 {main} 7. cxd4 Nf5 (7... Qb6 8. O-O Bd7 9. Bc2 f6 {Bridges-Francis, Dyfed Open 2014,1/2-1/2}) 8. Bxf5 exf5 9. O-O Be6 10. Nc3 Be7 11. Qb3 Qd7 12. Be3 O-O 13. Ne2 {\Basterrfield-Francis, Dyfed Closed 2010, 1/2-1/2}) 7. g4 (7. Bxf5 {main}) (7. dxc5 {Cloud Engines}) 7... Nh4 8. Nxh4 Qxh4 9. Bf4 $146 (9. Be3 {2-3}) (9. Nd2 $11 {Cloud Engines}) 9... cxd4 (9... h5 $19 {Stockfish13}) 10. Bg3 Qd8 11. O-O Be7 (11... Qb6 $17 {Stockfish13}) 12. Nd2 h5 (12... Bd7) 13. gxh5 $11 Bh4 $6 {this helps Wh , who is already ahead in development} (13... Bd7 {just completing development}) 14. Qg4 $14 (14. cxd4 $16) 14... Bxg3 (14... Qg5 15. Qxh4 Qxd2 16. Rad1 Qh6 17. Be2 $16 {looks very artificial for Bl}) 15. fxg3 $18 dxc3 16. Qxg7 Qb6+ (16... Rf8 {is a little bit better} 17. Bg6 Qe7) 17. Kh1 Rf8 18. bxc3 (18. h6) (18. Bg6) 18... Bd7 19. Bg6 (19. Qg5 Qd8 20. Rf6) 19... O-O-O 20. Rab1 (20. Rae1 $18 {Stockfish13}) 20... Qe3 $11 21. Bxf7 (21. Rbd1 $11) 21... Qe2 (21... Qxd2 $19 {Stockfish13}) (21... Rxf7 22. Rxf7 Qxd2 23. h6 $11) 22. Nf3 $18 Qe4 23. Rbe1 Qa4 24. Ng5 Rh8 25. Nxe6 Bxe6 26. Bxe6+ Kb8 27. Rf7 (27. Bxd5) 27... Na5 28. Rd7 (28. Bxd5) 28... Rhf8 29. Qe7 Rxd7 30. Bxd7 (30. Qxf8+) 30... Rh8 31. Bxa4 1-0 [Event "Dyfed March Rapid"] [Site "Lichess"] [Date "2021.03.09"] [Round "4"] [White "Van Kemenade, R."] [Black "Hammett, Scott"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C25"] [WhiteElo "1999"] [BlackElo "1590"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "53"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [EventType "rapid"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 {avoiding the Latvian} f5 (2... Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Bb4 5. Nge2 d5 6. exd5 Nxd5 7. O-O Nxc3 8. bxc3 Be7 9. f4 {Van Kemenade-Hammett, Dyfed Online Closed 2021,1-0}) 3. exf5 {part of Wh's preparation for the game above- it is now a King's Gambit reversed} Nf6 4. g4 Bc5 (4... h6 {is the most frequent here- shades of Martin Jones-Bates, Dyfed League Online the previous week, 2021,1-0}) 5. g5 O-O (5... Bxf2+ {the double Muzio sacrifice, is quite tricky when Wh plays it; but in the reversed situation Bl does not get enough . }) 6. gxf6 Qxf6 7. Bh3 {" It would also be sensible for White to choose here 7. Bh3" Ovetchkin & Soloviev 2015:414} (7. Qf3 {10-0; is the only move played here, even as far back as Falkbeer-Andersen, m Berlin 1851, 1-0. when Wh threatens Qd5 ch.}) 7... Qh4 (7... d6 $5) (7... d5 8. Nxd5 (8. d3 $18) 8... Bxf2+ 9. Kxf2 Qh4+ 10. Kg2 Bxf5 11. Bxf5 Rxf5 12. Nf3 Qg4+ 13. Kf2 Qh4+ 14. Ke3 Qh6+ 15. Ke2 Nc6 16. d4 $18 {Stockfish13}) 8. Qf3 Kh8 (8... d6) 9. Ne4 (9. Qg3) 9... d5 $5 10. Nxc5 e4 11. Qg3 Qf6 12. Ne2 (12. Ne6 $1 {Stockfish13}) 12... Bxf5 13. Bxf5 Qxf5 14. d4 exd3 15. Nxd3 Nc6 16. Bd2 (16. Be3 {initial idea- it invites ..d4, but then the Bl N can no longer use this square}) (16. Rg1 Rf7 17. Bf4 Re8 18. Kd2 {Stockfish13, looks smoother for Wh}) 16... Rae8 (16... Nd4 17. Bc3 (17. Nxd4 {Stockfish13} Qe4+ 18. Be3 Qxh1+ 19. Kd2 Qxa1 (19... Qe4 { looks better}) 20. Ne6 Rf7 21. Bd4 Rg8 22. Ndf4 {with a sac on g6- both BlRs & Q are scarcely defending their K}) 17... Nf3+ 18. Kd1 Rf7 19. Ne5 Nxe5 20. Bxe5 Re8 21. f4 {and Bl is not gaining anything}) 17. Rg1 Rxe2+ {well, something might give} 18. Kxe2 Nd4+ 19. Kd1 (19. Kf1) 19... Qh5+ 20. Qg4 (20. Kc1 Ne2+ { would not be the best of plans}) 20... Qxg4+ 21. Rxg4 Nf3 22. Ke2 (22. Bc3) 22... Nxh2 23. Rh4 (23. Rg5) (23. Rf4) 23... Nf3 24. Rf4 Rxf4 25. Bxf4 Nd4+ 26. Kd2 Nf3+ 27. Kc3 (27. Ke3) 1-0 [Event "Dyfed March Rapid"] [Site "Lichess"] [Date "2021.03.09"] [Round "4"] [White "Holman, Sam"] [Black "Gunn, Tom"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B43"] [WhiteElo "1386"] [BlackElo "1398"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "54"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [EventType "rapid"] {[%evp 0,54,25,17,103,84,70,37,39,36,75,36,90,61,50,10,14,25,39,-12,39,38,22, 42,75,34,81,16,29,7,65,9,12,-49,53,-185,-136,-226,-229,-226,-152,-214,-162, -203,-191,-228,-226,-295,-225,-342,-348,-454,-383,-375,-376,-397,-362]} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 (4... Nc6 5. b3 e5 6. Nf5 Nf6 7. Ba3 $2 Bxa3 8. Nxa3 O-O {Holman-Allan Williams, Dyfed Major 2017,0-1}) 5. Be3 (5. Nc3 {main } Qc7 (5... Bb4 6. Bd2 Qc7 7. Bd3 Nf6 8. O-O O-O 9. Bg5 Be7 10. Qe2 d6 { Orton-Gunn,Feb Rapid, 2021,0-1}) 6. Be2 Bb4 7. Qd3 Nf6 8. Bd2 b5 9. O-O Bb7 10. Ncxb5 axb5 11. Bxb4 Bxe4 {V Thomas-Gunn, WCU Online U 1800, 2020 , 0-1}) 5... Qc7 6. Nc3 Bb4 7. Qd2 Nf6 8. f3 O-O (8... d5 {main, 22% for Wh}) 9. O-O-O (9. a3 {looks worse, forcing Bl into giving Wh weaknesses on the c file}) 9... Bxc3 10. Qxc3 Qxc3 11. bxc3 $14 {Stockfish13, 2.5-0.5} Nc6 (11... d5 12. e5 Nfd7 13. f4 b5 14. Bd3 $11 {Xiumin-Ei, Yungtau ch Girls U 14, 2000, 1-0 (after 71 moves) }) 12. g4 (12. Nxc6 dxc6 13. e5 Nd5 14. Bc5 Re8 15. c4 Nc3 16. Rd6 $18 { Stockfish13- Bl has a very bad B}) 12... b5 (12... Kh8 13. Nxc6 bxc6 14. c4 Ng8 15. h4 (15. c5 $18) 15... Ne7 16. Bc5 Re8 17. Bh3 (17. e5) (17. Bd6) 17... Ng6 18. h5 Ne5 19. f4 Nxc4 20. Bd4 (20. e5 $18) 20... e5 {Dang-Nguyen, Vie ch U11, 2012,1/2-1/2}) 13. h4 (13. Nxc6 dxc6 14. g5 Nh5 15. Bc5 Re8 16. e5 $18 { Stockfish13}) 13... Bb7 14. h5 (14. Nb3 d5 15. Nc5 Bc8 16. Be2 $16) 14... Ne5 15. Rh4 (15. g5 Ne8 16. Bf4 d6 17. Bxe5 dxe5 18. Nb3 $16 {Stockfish13}) 15... Rac8 $11 16. Bd2 Nc4 (16... Ne8 {brings another piece to bear on c4; the doubled c pawns , in the end, are not that much of a burden because they themselves can be taken, but that they obstruct the activitiy of their pieces}) 17. Be1 (17. Bxc4 Rxc4 18. h6 g6 19. Bg5 $18 {Stockfish13-the f6 N is in trouble}) 17... Ne3 18. Bd2 (18. Rd3 Nxf1 19. Rh1 {regains the N. though it gives Bl other chances} Ng3 20. Bxg3 Nxe4 21. fxe4 Bxe4 22. Rhd1 Bxd3 23. Rxd3 Rc4 24. Bd6 Rfc8 $17 {Stockfish13-though it is quite a difficult position to play for both sides}) 18... Nxd1 19. Kxd1 Ne8 $19 20. g5 g6 (20... f6) 21. Bd3 Nd6 22. e5 Nc4 {the Wh pieces have no clear tagets} 23. Bc1 (23. f4) 23... Bd5 (23... Nxe5) 24. a3 (24. f4) 24... Nxe5 25. Bd2 Nxf3 26. Nxf3 Bxf3+ 27. Kc1 Bxh5 {White can only hang about while Bl organises the advance of his extra pawns.} 0-1 [Event "Dyfed March Rapid"] [Site "Lichess"] [Date "2021.03.09"] [Round "5"] [White "Osinga, Awne"] [Black "Holman, Sam"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A48"] [WhiteElo "1343"] [BlackElo "1386"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "63"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [EventType "rapid"] {[%evp 0,63,28,28,23,12,15,8,8,2,9,-10,-4,-20,7,-24,8,8,39,15,27,-90,-32,-119, -54,-110,-116,-107,-103,-100,-104,-95,-84,-177,-133,-140,-166,-169,-168,-188, -119,-128,-119,-137,-125,-104,26,-165,-140,-131,-19,-166,-8,4,5,-286,97,96,338, 394,414,462,497,467,29995,29996]} 1. d4 Nf6 (1... e6 2. e3 f5 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Bd3 b6 5. b3 Bb7 6. O-O Be7 7. Re1 {Osinga-Francis, March Rapid, rd3 2021,0-1}) 2. e3 g6 3. Bd3 (3. c4 d6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Nc3 O-O 6. Bd3 Nbd7 7. Rb1 c5 8. d5 a6 9. O-O {Osinga-O.Llywelyn, Dyfed League 2018,1-0}) 3... Bg7 4. Nf3 (4. f4 { main, a Dutch Stonewall Reversed}) 4... O-O 5. Nbd2 (5. O-O) 5... d6 6. Rb1 $146 (6. O-O) (6. c3) (6. b3) 6... Bg4 (6... c5 $15 {Stockfish13}) 7. b3 (7. h3 ) 7... Re8 8. Bb2 e5 9. h3 Bxf3 10. gxf3 {hoping for play down the g file, but leaving the K in the centre looks risky} (10. Qxf3 $11) 10... Nc6 (10... exd4 { Stockfish13 opens up the game} 11. Bxd4 Nc6 12. Bb2 Nb4 13. a3 Nxd3+ 14. cxd3 d5 15. Kf1 c5 $17) 11. d5 $2 (11. dxe5 Nxe5 12. f4 Nxd3+ 13. cxd3 d5 $15 { Stockfish13}) 11... Nb4 (11... Nxd5 $19 {with control over the centre , Wh's hopes of an attack on the g file will have vanished}) 12. Be2 Nfxd5 (12... Nbxd5) 13. a3 Nc6 14. c4 Nde7 15. Bd3 f5 $17 {standard in a King's Indian, maybe here slightly loosening the K position?} (15... Qd7 16. h4 h5 17. Ne4 Nd8 18. b4 Ne6 {Stockfish13}) (15... d5 {Rudy} 16. cxd5 Nxd5 17. Bc4 Nb6 18. h4 h5 $17 {Stockfish13 only rates as definite plus for Bl, but feels more positionally secure}) 16. e4 (16. h4 h5 17. Rg1 Kh7 18. Be2 {maybe a sac on h5? } Ng8 19. f4 Qxh4 20. Nf3 Qe7 21. Ng5+ Kh6 $17 {Stockfish13} (21... Kh8 $2 22. Bxh5 $18)) 16... f4 {here the Wh K is not a target after 0-0 & Bl will not get in the usual g5, h5 pawn roller.So , opening up the f file, or threatening to do so, must be the way} (16... fxe4) (16... Rf8) 17. Ke2 Nd4+ 18. Bxd4 exd4 19. Qg1 {with the centre blocked, Wh can go back to plan A, the g file} d5 (19... Nc6 20. h4 Ne5 $19 {and the N irradiates strength}) 20. h4 $11 dxe4 {although Bl is opening up the centre where the Wh K is , it can easily dodge away- in the meantime Bl has freed Wh's N & B to contribute to the attack} 21. Bxe4 (21. Nxe4 {slightly better}) 21... Nf5 22. h5 d3+ (22... g5 23. h6 Nxh6 24. Kf1 c6 25. Bd3 Re5 26. b4 Qe7 27. c5 $15 {Stockfish13- both sides have chances}) 23. Kd1 $2 (23. Kf1 $11) 23... Qf6 $19 (23... Nd4 $19 {Stockfish13} 24. hxg6 (24. Qg4 Ne2 25. Ke1 Nc3 26. Rc1 Nxe4 27. fxe4 g5 28. h6 Bf6 29. Kf1 Qc8 $19) 24... Ne2 25. Qg4 Nc3+ 26. Kc1 Qe7 27. b4 a5 28. Qf5 h6 29. Qf7+ Qxf7 30. gxf7+ Kxf7 31. b5 Nxb1 $19 {Stockfish13}) 24. hxg6 h6 (24... hxg6 $19) 25. Bxb7 (25. Qg4 Nd6 26. Ke1 Rad8 27. Kf1 $11 {Stockfish13}) 25... Rab8 (25... Rad8 $19 26. Bd5+ Rxd5 27. cxd5 Qc3 28. Rc1 Qb2 29. Qf1 Re2 $19 {Stockfish13}) (25... c6 26. Bxa8 Qc3 $19 {lichess analysis also wins}) 26. Bd5+ Kh8 27. Ne4 (27. Be4 Qc3 28. Qg5 Re5 29. Qxf4 Qc2+ 30. Ke1 Rxb3 31. Kf1 Rxb1+ 32. Nxb1 Qxb1+ 33. Kg2 Qb6 34. Bxf5 Qf6 35. Rb1 Qf8 36. Rb5 Rxb5 37. cxb5 d2 38. Qxd2 Qxf5 39. Qd8+ Bf8 40. Qd4+ Kg8 41. Qc4+ Kg7 42. Qxc7+ Kxg6 43. b6 $15 {Stockfish13- if Wh can manage a Q swap, it will be a draw as the B is the wrong colour to control the h pawn queening square}) 27... Qe7 (27... Rxe4 $1 28. fxe4 Qc3 29. Rc1 Qxb3+ 30. Ke1 Qb2 $19 31. Kf1 {fails to escape} Ne3+ 32. fxe3 Qe2# {Stockfish13}) (27... Qd4 $19 {Stockfish13}) (27... Rxb3 28. Nxf6 Rxb1+ 29. Kd2 Rxg1 30. Rxh6+ Bxh6 31. Nxe8 c5 $19 {Stockfish13}) (27... Qe5 $19 {Stockfish13}) 28. Qg4 Ne3+ $2 (28... Qe5 {better- lichess analysis, but} 29. b4 $18) 29. fxe3 fxe3 30. Qf4 e2+ 31. Kd2 {the pawns are blockaded} Rbd8 (31... Qf8) 32. Rxh6+ 1-0 [Event "Dyfed March Rapid"] [Site "Lichess"] [Date "2021.03.09"] [Round "5"] [White "Van Kemenade, R."] [Black "Paffard, Mark"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A02"] [WhiteElo "1999"] [BlackElo "1608"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "83"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [EventType "rapid"] {[%evp 0,83,28,-7,7,29,51,4,45,19,0,16,31,7,38,29,49,45,42,53,57,37,69,92,110, 44,32,37,91,18,45,-17,-7,2,18,11,71,78,65,6,16,-51,73,71,197,194,244,192,218, 230,219,211,201,184,185,196,156,157,333,270,312,234,239,254,294,233,241,119, 134,135,139,130,129,129,129,129,148,163,628,644,718,773,1139,1388,1514,1587]} 1. f4 c5 {Bl spent 2.5 mins on this.} (1... d5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 Nf6 4. g3 Bf5 5. a3 e6 6. Bg2 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. e3 h6 9. Qe2 {Van Kemenade-Paffard,Dyfed League 2019,1-0}) 2. Nf3 (2. e4 d5 3. Nf3 $5 dxe4 4. Ng5 Nf6 5. Bc4 e6 6. Nc3 Be7 7. Ncxe4 Nxe4 8. Nxe4 O-O 9. a4 Nc6 10. Ra3 {Van Kemenade-Loew (2231) Gibraltar Masters 2013,0-1}) 2... e6 3. g3 b6 (3... Nc6) (3... d5) 4. Bg2 Bb7 5. d3 Nc6 6. c4 {a set up favoured by William Lombardy, though he used to start with c4.} Nd4 7. e4 Ne7 (7... Nxf3+) 8. Nxd4 cxd4 9. O-O $16 Nc6 10. Nd2 d6 11. Nf3 (11. e5 $16 {Stockfish13}) 11... e5 12. Nh4 {during the game Wh thought this inaccurate because of Bl's possible exf4} g6 (12... exf4 { actually gives Wh good chances down the open f file} 13. Qh5 (13. Rxf4 g6 ( 13... g5 14. Rxf7 $1 {Stockfish13} Kxf7 15. Qh5+ Kg8 16. e5 Na5 17. e6 Qe7 18. Bxb7 Nxb7 19. Bxg5 Qxe6 20. Bf6 $1 Rc8 (20... Qxf6 21. Rf1 Qe6 22. Qg5+ Bg7 23. Nf5 $18) 21. Qg5+ Kf7 22. Bxh8 $18) 14. Rf2 $14 {Stockfish13}) (13. Bxf4 g5 14. Bd2 gxh4 15. Rxf7 h5 16. Qf1 (16. Rxb7 Qc8 17. e5 Qxb7 18. Qa4 Rc8 19. Re1 Kd8 20. Qb5 dxe5 21. Rxe5 a6 22. Rd5+ Ke8 23. Re5+ Be7 24. Rxe7+ Qxe7 (24... Kxe7 25. Bg5+ $16) 25. Bxc6+ Rxc6 26. Qxc6+ Kf7 $11) 16... Be7 17. e5 Nxe5 18. Bxb7 Nxf7 19. Bc6+ Kf8 20. Bd5 Bf6 21. Bxa8 hxg3 22. Bd5 gxh2+ 23. Kh1 Rg8 24. Qf5 Qe7 25. Qxh5 $11 {Stockfish13}) 13... g6 14. Qd5 h6 15. Bxf4 Qd7 16. Bd2 Ne5 $1 (16... Rd8 17. e5 dxe5 18. Qb5 Bg7 19. Bd5 Rf8 (19... O-O 20. Nxg6 $18) 20. a4 $14) 17. Qxd4 Bg7 18. Qe3 Ng4 19. Qe2 Bxb2 20. Rad1 $14 {Stockfish13}) 13. f5 ( 13. Nf3) 13... Be7 (13... g5 14. Nf3 f6 $16 {preferred by lichess & Stockfish13 }) 14. Nf3 (14. f6 $5 Bf8 (14... Bxf6 15. Qf3 $18) 15. Bd2 $16) 14... Qd7 15. g4 (15. Bd2 {preferred by both Engines}) 15... O-O-O (15... f6) 16. g5 (16. f6 Bxf6 17. Nxd4 (17. Ng5 Bxg5 18. Bxg5 Rde8 19. Bf6 Rhg8 20. g5 Kb8 $14) 17... Nxd4 18. Rxf6 h6 19. Be3 Qe7 20. Rf2 $14 {Stockfish13}) 16... gxf5 (16... f6) 17. Bh3 Kc7 (17... Kb8 {safer}) 18. Bxf5 Qe8 19. Kh1 Bc8 (19... h6 20. gxh6 Bf8 21. Ng5 Bxh6 22. Bg4 Bc8 23. Nxf7 Bxc1 24. Rxc1 Bxg4 25. Qxg4 Rg8 26. Ng5 Kb8 27. Rf3 $14 {Stockfish13}) 20. Nh4 Bxf5 {this helps Wh consolidate} (20... h6 21. Bxc8 Rxc8 22. Nf5 hxg5 23. Bd2 $11) 21. Nxf5 $18 h6 $2 (21... Rg8) 22. gxh6 Bf8 23. Qh5 (23. Bg5 Rd7 24. Qh5) 23... Qe6 (23... f6 $5) 24. Bg5 (24. Ng7 Bxg7 25. Qxf7+ Qxf7 26. Rxf7+ Rd7 27. hxg7 Rg8 28. Rxd7+ Kxd7 29. Bh6 $18 { Stockfish13}) 24... Rd7 25. a3 (25. Rg1) 25... Ne7 {allows Wh a very advantageous swap- Bl is left with a bad B, & a N is the best piece to be exploit this} (25... f6 $5) 26. Bxe7 Bxe7 27. Rf3 $18 Qg6 28. Qh3 (28. Rh3) 28... Qg5 (28... Bg5 29. Rg1 f6 {Bl is constructing a fortress}) 29. Rg1 Qd2 30. Qg2 (30. Qf1 {is even stronger according to Stockfish13, keeping Qs on for a winning attack} Qxb2 (30... Bf8 31. Rf2 Qa5 32. Ng7 Rxh6 33. Ne8+ Kd8 34. Nf6 {and something has to give}) 31. Nxe7 Rxe7 32. Rxf7 Rh7 33. Rgg7 $18 { Stockfish13}) 30... Qxg2+ 31. Rxg2 f6 {Wh could just win the f6 pawn, but wanted Bl to have to keep the now very bad B} 32. Rg7 Bf8 33. Rxd7+ (33. Rfg3) 33... Kxd7 34. Rh3 Ke8 35. Kg2 Kf7 36. Kf3 Kg6 37. b4 Bxh6 38. Nxd6 (38. Kg4 Rh7 39. Rxh6+ Rxh6 40. Nxh6 Kxh6 41. Kf5 Kg7 42. Ke6) 38... Rd8 $2 39. Rxh6+ Kxh6 40. Nf7+ Kh5 41. Nxd8 Kh4 42. c5 1-0 [Event "Dyfed March Rapid"] [Site "Lichess"] [Date "2021.03.09"] [Round "5"] [White "Gunn, Tom"] [Black "Pinch, David"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A40"] [WhiteElo "1398"] [BlackElo "1798"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "66"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [EventType "rapid"] {[%evp 0,66,28,28,93,78,69,4,40,23,44,21,25,14,37,21,21,15,22,29,6,9,7,9,49, -28,110,39,40,16,22,-21,-10,-13,-37,-35,-23,-66,152,156,147,67,84,87,94,78,97, -142,-123,-129,-127,-125,-11,6,36,2,0,0,-5,0,70,-24,256,-56,-67,-63,-60,-178, -187]} 1. d4 g6 2. Nf3 Bg7 3. e3 d6 4. Bd3 Nd7 5. c4 b6 (5... e5 {main}) 6. O-O e6 {The Hippo rises} 7. Nbd2 Ne7 8. Re1 Bb7 9. b3 c5 10. Bb2 O-O 11. Rb1 f5 { risky, destabilizes the centre, as Wh can get to e6, or threaten to} (11... d5 $11) 12. e4 (12. Ng5 Rf6 13. d5 e5 14. f4 h6 15. Nh3 (15. Ne6 {also, though Stockfish13 prefers the text} Rxe6 16. dxe6 Nf8 17. Be2 Nxe6 18. Nf1 Nc6 19. Bf3 e4 20. Bxg7 Nxg7 21. Be2 $16) 15... Qf8 16. e4 {the Bl pawn structure comes under strain} Re8 17. exf5 Nxf5 18. Qg4 h5 19. Qd1 Nd4 20. Ne4 $18) 12... d5 $2 {it appears that this should lose} (12... cxd4 13. Nxd4 (13. Bxd4 Nc6 14. Bxg7 Kxg7 15. b4 Qe7 16. Bc2 $11) 13... Nc5 14. Bc2 e5 15. N4f3 Nc6 16. a3 Kh8 17. b4 (17. exf5 gxf5 18. Nf1 Ne6 19. Ne3 e4 20. Nxf5 Bxb2 21. Rxb2 exf3 22. Rxe6 Qg5 23. Ne3 Qg7 24. Bxh7 {and it's an Engine free for all; Stockfish13 judges equal in all 4 lines-} Nd4 (24... Qxb2 25. Rh6 Kg7 26. Be4 Kxh6 27. Qxd6+ Rf6 28. Nf5+ Kh5 29. Ng3+ Kh6 30. Nf5+ $11) (24... Qxh7 25. Rd2) (24... Nd8 25. Rxd6 Qxb2 (25... Qxh7 26. Rd7 $18) 26. Bb1)) 17... Ne6 18. c5 dxc5 19. bxc5 Qc7 20. cxb6 axb6 21. Bb3 Nc5 22. Bd5 $11) 13. cxd5 (13. exd5 $1 cxd4 ( 13... exd5 14. Ng5 Rf6 15. Qe2 $18 (15. dxc5 $18)) 14. Nxd4 Nc5 15. Nxe6 Nxe6 16. Rxe6 {and Bl's centre has disappeared-Stockfish13}) (13. Ng5 fxe4 (13... Qe8 14. exd5 exd5 15. Ne6 $18) 14. Nxe6 Qe8 15. Nxg7 Kxg7 16. dxc5+ Nf6 17. cxd5 exd3 18. c6 Bc8 19. d6 $18 {Stockfish13}) 13... exd5 14. exd5 (14. e5 $18 {Stockfish13}) 14... Nxd5 15. dxc5 (15. Bc4 Kh8 16. Qc1 $16) 15... Bxb2 (15... Nxc5 16. Bc4 $14) 16. Rxb2 Qf6 17. Qc2 (17. Qc1 Nxc5 18. Bc4 $11) 17... Nb4 ( 17... Nxc5 $15) 18. Bc4+ (18. Qc4+ Kh8 19. Qxb4 Qxb2 20. Re7 Bxf3 21. Nxf3 Nf6 22. Qh4 Rae8 23. Rxa7 $11 {Stockfish13}) 18... Bd5 $2 (18... Kh8 19. Qc1 Nxc5 20. Ne5 Rac8 21. Qa1 $11 {Stockfish13}) 19. Bxd5+ Nxd5 20. cxb6 (20. Qc4 $18 { Stockfish13} Qc6 (20... Qxb2 21. Qxd5+ Kh8 (21... Rf7 22. Qxa8+) 22. Qxd7 $18 { the Ns will invade the K side}) 21. Nd4 Qxc5 22. Ne6 Qxc4 23. bxc4 $18 { Stockfish13}) (20. c6 Rac8 21. cxd7 Rxc2 22. Rxc2 Qd8 23. Ne5 Nf6 24. Rc8 Qe7 25. Ndf3 Nxd7 26. Rc7 Rd8 27. Nc6 Qd6 28. Nxd8 Qxc7 29. Re8+ Nf8 30. Rxf8+ Kxf8 31. Ne6+ $18 {Stockfish13}) 20... N7xb6 21. Nc4 $18 Rac8 22. Qd2 (22. Qc1) 22... Rfd8 23. Qd4 {returning the pawn unneccesarily} (23. Rc2 $18) 23... Qxd4 24. Nxd4 Nxc4 25. bxc4 Rxc4 (25... Nf4 $17 {Stockfish13} 26. Rd2 (26. Rb7 Rxd4 27. g3 Nh5 28. Ree7 a5 {there is no perpetual}) 26... Rxc4 27. Nb3 Rxd2 28. Nxd2 Rc2 $17) 26. Nf3 $11 Ra4 27. h3 (27. Rd2) 27... Nb4 28. Ree2 (28. Re7 $16 {Stockfish13} a5 (28... Nxa2 $2 29. Rbb7 $18) 29. Ra7 Nc6 30. Rc7 Nb4 31. Re2 $16) 28... Rd1+ 29. Kh2 Ra1 $2 {going after a pawn leaves the Bl K unprotected} (29... Rd7) 30. Ng5 (30. Rbd2 Nc6 (30... R1xa2 31. Rd8+ Kf7 32. Rd7+ Kf6 33. Rd6+ Kg7 34. Re7+ Kf8 35. Rdd7 {mating}) 31. Re6 Rc1 (31... Nd4 {Stockfish13 sheds the N to hold of greater loss of material or mate}) 32. Ng5 Nd4 33. Rd6 Rcc4 34. Rd8+ Kg7 35. R8xd4 $18 {Stockfish13}) 30... R1xa2 (30... h6 {other moves lose} 31. a3 (31. Rbd2 hxg5 32. Re7 Kf8 33. Rc7 Ke8 34. Rdd7 Rc1 35. Re7+ Kd8 36. Red7+ {perpetual})) 31. Re8+ (31. Rxb4 $18 {Bl can't take both Rs at once}) 31... Kg7 32. Rxa2 (32. Rb1 $11) (32. Rd8 Rxb2 33. Rd7+ Kg8 (33... Kf6 $2 34. f4 {mating})) 32... Rxa2 33. Re7+ (33. Rb8 Nd5 34. Rb7+ Kg8 35. Nxh7 $11 ) 33... Kf6 {and Wh resigned, but it should still be drawn} (33... Kf6 34. Rb7 Kxg5 35. Rxb4 Rxf2 (35... a5 36. f4+ (36. Rb7 Rxf2 $19) 36... Kh4 37. Rb7 h6 38. Rb6 (38. Ra7 g5 {gives Bl some slight more chances}) 38... Kh5 39. Kg3 a4 40. Ra6 {the more the pawn advances , the worse Bl's R becomes}) 36. Ra4 $11) 0-1

Opening Time

The opening can be, as the word implies, merely a way of getting into the game; at other times the struggle can begin with the very first moves The match between Aberystwyth and Steynton B in the Dyfed Online League on Tuesday 2nd March saw some heavyweight openings which dictated the course of what followed. Rudy van Kemenade, anticipating a prepared variation from Paul Orton, chose the Bishop's Opening, but in fact the game soon took on the character of a Ruy Lopez with the centre blocked and the players attacking on the flanks. The Ruy has retained its popularity because it makes for a complex battle, and both players made mistakes according to the engines, but when Rudy was able to push through his f5 advance, the Black kingside was broken and the attack crashed through. In my game against Jonathan Jones, I found myself facing an opening I had never even heard of, the sharp Orthoschnapps Gambit against the French Defence. I did my best to stick to strategic principles and somehow reached a middle game with an extra pawn without too many tactical fireworks. After further exchanges, only that extra pawn was left and it was enough to win the ending. The games on Boards 3 and 4 were both examples of the King's Indian, another opening known for its complexity. Tom Gunn, taking a break from his usual Colle System, worked up a strong kingside attack against John Miller's passive position. When he won a knight, it looked all over, but with an exposed king, and queens on the board, there were many chances for perpetual check, and he was lucky when Black went wrong and allowed him to finish the game off. In the other King's Indian, both players seemed to be attacking on the kingside. Sam Holman's attack was the more principled, since he had pressure on the White centre and his advanced pawns on the g and h files had gained space. Gwyn Evans tried to take advantage of the open f file by doubling his rooks, only to lose the exchange to a pin, and when he overlooked a threat to his queen the game was over.

[Event "Dyfed Online League"] [Site "Lichess"] [Date "2021.03.02"] [Round "7.1"] [White "Van Kemenade, R."] [Black "Orton, Paul"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C90"] [WhiteElo "1999"] [BlackElo "1612"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "55"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [WhiteTeam "Aberystwyth"] [BlackTeam "Steynton B"] {[%evp 0,55,41,18,18,41,14,13,13,18,13,13,13,1,21,-21,-24,-24,-13,-13,-13,-1, -6,-13,8,8,8,-8,20,-2,0,0,-2,-24,-24,-58,-24,-53,-53,-87,-53,-62,-26,-23,-11, -39,-2,42,42,50,63,146,146,238,238,238,779,779]} 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 {anticipating prepared analysis as Paul more frequently plays Sicilian.} Nf6 3. d3 Nc6 (3... c6 {other main line} 4. Nf3 d5 5. Bb3 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Bxd2+ 7. Nbxd2 Nbd7 8. O-O O-O 9. Re1 Re8 10. d4 {Van Kemenade- Iolo Jones, Dyfed League 2018, 1/2-1/2 after Bl defended a passive position}) 4. Nf3 Be7 (4... Bc5 5. c3 {other main line} d6 6. Bb3 O-O 7. Bg5 h6 8. Bh4 Qe7 9. Nbd2 {Van Kemenade-Iolo Jones, Dyfed League 2011, 1-0}) 5. O-O (5. a3 {by transposition} O-O 6. O-O d6 7. c3 h6 8. Bb3 Be6 9. Nbd2 Qd7 10. Bc2 {J Van Kemenade-Orton,Dyfed Open 2018,1-0}) 5... O-O 6. Re1 d6 7. c3 (7. a4 a5 8. h3 Be6 9. Bb5 Nd4 10. Nxd4 exd4 11. Nd2 { Van Kemenade-Dai James, WLS ch Rapid 2018,1-018,}) 7... Na5 8. Bb5 a6 9. Ba4 b5 10. Bc2 c5 11. Nbd2 Bb7 {still theory, but it invites a N into f5. The position resembles that of Van Kemenade-Lovegrove, Dyfed feb Rapid, 2021,1-0, except that there the Bl B was on c5,} (11... h6 12. Nf1 Nh7 13. d4 exd4 14. cxd4 Ng5 15. Nxg5 Bxg5 16. f4 Bh4 17. g3 Bf6 18. e5 dxe5 19. fxe5 Bg5 20. dxc5 $14 {Van Kemenade-Ian Jones, WLS Ch rapid 2019,0-1} (20. d5 $18 {expected by Ian & confirmed as winning by Stockfish13})) 12. Nf1 {401 games, it has transposed to a standard Ruy Lopez} (12. d4 {has been played in 14 games}) 12... Nc6 (12... Re8 {main}) 13. h3 Qc7 14. g4 {risky, but it often puts pressure on people.} (14. Ng3 {68% for Wh}) (14. Ne3 {75% for Wh}) 14... h6 ( 14... g6 15. Ng3 Rfe8 16. Kh2 Nd8 17. Nf5 $5 {a standard sac, that often works, but premature here} Bf8 (17... gxf5 $19) 18. Bg5 gxf5 $6 19. gxf5 (19. Bxf6) 19... Nh5 20. Rg1 $18 {Hapala-Feit Vienna Tchaturanga op, 2013,1-0}) (14... Rad8 15. Ng3 d5 16. Qe2 d4 17. Nf5 $15 {Stockfish13- gives Bl better counterplay}) 15. Ng3 Bc8 16. a4 b4 17. Nh2 (17. d4 $11 {preferred by Stockfish13}) (17. Nh4 {consideredis possible- Wh gets some compensation on the open g file} Nxg4 (17... Nxe4 18. dxe4 Bxh4 19. Nf5 Bxf5 20. gxf5 Qe7 21. Bb3 Bg5 22. Qg4 Bxc1 23. Raxc1 Kh7 $15 (23... Qg5 24. Qxg5 hxg5 25. Bd5 Rac8 26. Kh2 {and regains the pawn})) 18. Nhf5 Nf6 19. Kh1 Kh8 20. Rg1 Rg8) 17... Nh7 $18 (17... d5 {again, Bl does best to respond to a side attack with a centre response}) 18. f4 $5 {The Engines are very critical of both sides' choices on these and the next moves} Bh4 (18... exf4 19. Bxf4 Ng5 $19 { Stockfish13}) 19. Qf3 (19. Kg2) 19... Qe7 (19... bxc3 20. bxc3 Qa5 21. Bd2 c4 $19 {Stockfish13}) 20. Rf1 $2 (20. f5 $15) 20... g6 $2 {but this gives Wh the targets needed, f6, g6 & h6 all become delicate} (20... exf4 21. Bxf4 Rb8 $19 { Stockfish13- Wh had been concerned about a possible R entry on b2 when considering f4 in the first place}) 21. f5 $16 Ng5 (21... Bg5 {Stockfish13 shows up the draw backs to this move- Wh had looked at some of the initial possibilities, trusting that something would come up.} 22. Bb3 Kh8 23. Bxg5 Nxg5 (23... Qxg5 24. fxg6 fxg6 25. Qxf8+ Nxf8 26. Rxf8+ Kg7 27. Rf7+ Kh8 28. Raf1 Nd8 29. Rf8+ Kh7 (29... Kg7 30. Nh5+ gxh5 31. Rg8+) 30. Bg8+ Kg7 31. Bd5 $18) 24. Qg2 $18) 22. Qg2 Bd7 23. Nf3 Nxf3+ 24. Qxf3 (24. Rxf3 {preferred by the Engines; though Wh had forcing f6 in mind} Kh7 (24... g5 {is an Engine preference, but looks dreadful positionally} 25. Bb3 {and Bl's K side will collapse}) 25. Bb3 Rab8 26. Bd5 bxc3 27. bxc3 Na5 28. Be3 Bc6 29. Raf1 Bxd5 30. exd5 c4 31. g5 Bxg5 32. Bxg5 Qxg5 33. fxg6+ Qxg6 34. Rf6 Qg5 35. R6f5 Qe3+ 36. Kh2 Rg8 37. R5f3 (37. Rxf7+ {looks simpler}) 37... Qg5 38. Qf2 f5 39. Nxf5 $18 {Stockfish13}) 24... Bg5 $2 (24... Kh7 25. Bb3 {might be holding, though Wh can keep probing} (25. f6 Qe6 $11) 25... Rab8 26. Bd5 (26. f6 Qe8 27. Bd5 Rg8 28. Be3 bxc3 29. bxc3 Nd8 30. Rfb1 Ne6 31. Nf1 Bg5 $11) 26... Na5 27. Qe3 Qg5 28. Qf2 Qf6 29. Qg2 $11 {Stockfish13}) 25. f6 $18 Qe6 (25... Qd8 26. Bxg5 hxg5 27. Qe3 Kh7 28. Qxg5 Rh8 29. Nf5 Kg8 30. Ne7+ (30. h4 {Stuckfish13}) (30. Bb3) 30... Nxe7 31. fxe7 Qb6 32. a5 Qa7 33. Rf6 c4+ 34. Kg2 Be8 35. Rxd6 $18 { Stockfish13}) 26. Bxg5 hxg5 27. Qe3 b3 (27... Kh7 {holds out longer, but Wh had by now worked out} 28. Qxg5 Rh8 29. Nf5 $1 Kg8 30. Ng7 {winning the Q}) 28. Qxg5 (28. Qxg5 bxc2 29. Qh6 Qxf6 30. Rxf6 Ne7 31. Nh5 gxh5 32. gxh5 Rfb8 33. Qg5+ Kf8 34. Rh6 (34. h6)) 1-0 [Event "Dyfed Online League"] [Site "Lichess"] [Date "2021.03.02"] [Round "7.2"] [White "Jones, Jonathan"] [Black "Francis, Matthew"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C00"] [WhiteElo "1547"] [BlackElo "1648"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "108"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [WhiteTeam "Steynton B"] [BlackTeam "Aberystwyth"] 1. e4 e6 2. c4 d5 3. cxd5 exd5 4. Qb3 {The Orthoshnapp Gambit -It's a new one to Rudy too!} (4. exd5 {has been frequently employed by Vachier Lagrave}) (4. Qa4+ Bd7 5. Qb3 dxe4 (5... Bc6 6. d4 {74% for Wh}) 6. Bc4 Qf6 7. Qxb7 Qc6 8. Qb3 (8. Qxc6 Nxc6 {0,5-1.5}) 8... Be6 {gets dismissed in Aagard & Ntirlis 2013: 441 after Chua-Basheer, Genting Highlands 1998, 0-1 ( 0-2 in other games}) 4... dxe4 5. Bc4 Qd7 (5... Qe7 {main} 6. Nc3 Nc6 (6... c6 {is a critical line that has featured in another Rosen game} 7. d3 b5 8. Nxb5 cxb5 9. Bd5 Be6 10. Qxb5+ Bd7 11. Qb7 Qb4+ 12. Bd2 Qxb7 13. Bxb7 Bc6 14. Bxa8 Bxa8 15. dxe4 Bxe4 16. Nf3 $11 {Rosen-WIM kaissapy, 3 +2 blitz lichess, 2020,1-0} (16. f3 $11 {0,5-1.5})) 7. Nd5 Qd6 (7... Qd7 8. Qg3 Kd8 9. Ne2 Na5 10. Qh4+ (10. d3 $11) 10... Be7 ( 10... Ne7 $19) 11. Qxe4 {Schiller-Kaland, Pinneberg,2006,1-0}) 8. d3 Nd4 (8... Ne5) 9. Qc3 c5 10. Bf4 {E Rosen IM (2456)-quicksilver2(2359)- LICHESS 3 MIN JULY 2020,1-0 (cf Youtube as well)}) 6. d3 (6. Nc3 {main} Nf6 {2 games each, 3 draws} (6... Nc6 {1 game each, 1 draw})) 6... Nf6 (6... Nc6 7. dxe4 Na5 {1-2}) 7. Nc3 (7. dxe4 Nc6 $15 {Cloud Engines}) 7... exd3 (7... Nc6 8. Bb5 {0.5-1.5} ( 8. dxe4 Na5 {1/2-1/2})) 8. Nf3 (8. Bg5 d2+ 9. Kf1 Nc6 (9... Bc5 10. Bxf6 gxf6 11. Ne4 Qd4 12. Nxc5 Qxc5 13. Rd1 Nc6 14. Bxf7+ Kf8 15. Bd5 Nd4 (15... Bf5 16. Rxd2 Rd8 $19 {Stockfish13}) 16. Qc4 $11 {Monokroussos(2257)-Hagesather(2203), Oz.com blitz 2000,1-0}) 10. Bxf6 gxf6 11. Nd5 Bg7 $18 {Schluenz-Schuette, Schleswig-Holstein ch, 2007,0-1}) 8... Bd6 9. O-O O-O 10. Bg5 Qd8 (10... Ng4 11. Rad1 Nc6 12. Bxd3 Nce5 13. Nxe5 Nxe5 14. Be4 $11 {Rau-Stotyn, Oberliga Nord 2004,1-0}) (10... Qf5 11. Rad1 Ng4 12. Bxd3 Bxh2+ (12... Qa5 13. Qc2 $14) 13. Kh1 Qa5 14. g3 $18 {Mathur (2111)-M Socko (2428) Titled Tuesday blitz jun 2020,1/2-1/2} (14. Nd5 $18)) (10... Nc6 11. Bxd3 Bxh2+ $11 {Cloud Engines}) 11. Ne4 $11 (11. Nd5 $11) 11... Be7 (11... Nbd7 $5) 12. Nxf6+ (12. Bxf6 Bxf6 13. Rad1 Nc6 14. Rxd3 Qe7 15. Re3 g6 16. Neg5 Qb4 17. Bxf7+ $11 {Stockfish13}) 12... Bxf6 13. Bxf6 Qxf6 $15 14. Rfe1 Nc6 (14... Bf5 15. Qxb7 Nd7 16. Qxc7 Rac8 17. Qf4 g5 18. Qd4 Qxd4 19. Nxd4 Bg6 20. Bb5 Nc5 $17 {Stockfish13- the usual wildness from an Engine}) 15. Bxd3 Rb8 (15... b6 16. Qc2 g6 17. Be4 Bb7 (17... Bd7 18. Rac1 $18) 18. Rac1 Nb4 19. Qc4 Bxe4 20. Qxe4 c5 21. a3 Nc6 22. b4 Nd4 23. Nxd4 Qxd4 24. bxc5 bxc5 25. Qe7 $11 {Stockfish13}) 16. Be4 Be6 17. Qc2 h6 18. a3 (18. Bxc6 bxc6 19. b3 Bd5 20. Ne5 $15 {but Bl's doubled pawns make the win tricky, especially since Wh can post a N on c5- though Bl's B on d5 is very powerful, with possible K side chances}) 18... Bg4 19. Rad1 (19. Bxc6 $11 {Stockfish13 & Rudy}) 19... Rfd8 (19... Bxf3 20. Bxf3 Nd4 21. Qxc7 Nxf3+ 22. gxf3 Qxf3 $17) 20. Rxd8+ Rxd8 21. Qb3 (21. Bxc6) 21... b6 22. Qa4 (22. Bxc6 Qxc6 23. Qxf7+ {Stockfish13} Kxf7 24. Ne5+ Kf6 25. Nxc6 Rd2 26. b4 Ra2 27. h3 Bd7 28. Ne5 Be6 29. Re3 c5 30. bxc5 bxc5 31. f4 $11 {the B is better than the N with pawns on both sides of the board, but Wh should hold}) 22... Nd4 $19 23. Nxd4 Qxd4 24. Qxd4 (24. Qxa7 $2 Qxe4 $19 (24... Qd1 $1 {Stockfish13 is even stronger, winning a R})) 24... Rxd4 25. Bc2 Be6 (25... Kf8) 26. Rc1 $2 c5 ( 26... Rc4 {wins a B}) 27. Rd1 Rxd1+ 28. Bxd1 Kf8 {Wh is now struggling in a lost endgame, even though it gets down to the last pawn} 29. Kf1 Ke7 30. Ke1 Kd6 31. Kd2 Ke5 32. g3 (32. Kc3 Bd5 33. g3 Ke4 $19) 32... Kd4 33. f4 f6 (33... b5) 34. Be2 c4 (34... Bd7) 35. Bf3 a5 (35... b5 {looks more systematic} 36. Bc6 Kc5) 36. Bc6 (36. a4 Bd7 37. Bd1 {Bl can land up with split Q side pawns} g6 38. Bc2 f5 39. Bd1 Bc6 40. h3 Bg2 41. h4 Be4 42. h5 gxh5 43. Bxh5 Bc6 44. Bd1 b5 45. axb5 Bxb5 46. Bc2 Bd7 47. Bd1 c3+ $1 {a judicious sac to create an outside passed pawn} 48. bxc3+ Ke4 49. Ke2 a4 50. Bc2+ Kd5 51. Kd3 Kc5 52. Bd1 a3 53. Bb3 Bb5+ 54. c4 Ba4 55. Ba2 Kb4 $19 {Stockfish13}) 36... Bd5 37. Bd7 Kc5 38. Be8 b5 39. Bd7 b4 (39... Bc6 40. Bc8 Kd4 41. g4 b4) 40. axb4+ axb4 41. g4 ( 41. Ke3) 41... Kd4 42. h4 c3+ 43. bxc3+ bxc3+ 44. Kc1 Be4 45. g5 fxg5 (45... f5 46. Kd1 Ke3 47. gxh6 gxh6 48. Bb5 Kxf4 {looks simpler}) 46. fxg5 hxg5 (46... h5 {keeps an extra pawn, & one more for Bl to capture while the Wh K is pinned down}) 47. hxg5 Ke5 48. Ba4 Kf4 49. Bc2 Bxc2 50. Kxc2 Kxg5 51. Kxc3 Kf4 52. Kd2 g5 53. Ke2 Kg3 54. Kf1 Kh2 0-1 [Event "Dyfed Online League"] [Site "Lichess"] [Date "2021.03.02"] [Round "7.3"] [White "Gunn, Tom"] [Black "Miller, John S"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E91"] [WhiteElo "1398"] [BlackElo "1549"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "103"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [WhiteTeam "Aberystwyth"] [BlackTeam "Steynton B"] {[%evp 0,103,19,31,14,30,50,43,32,44,41,40,64,45,67,55,72,58,100,74,96,80,96, 68,98,62,95,97,101,94,94,61,90,76,70,55,49,33,41,1,37,-9,89,7,-7,21,34,19,126, 43,269,284,497,382,420,393,490,482,418,325,347,312,394,392,391,342,389,317,342, 376,400,344,391,364,423,372,454,128,391,150,387,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,317,333,339, 328,326,184,181,189,336,189,140,31,1135,1786,1984,2081]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. c4 {Wh goes for a more active theoretical line, rather than his usual Colle} ( 3. e3) 3... Bg7 4. Nc3 O-O 5. e4 d6 6. Be2 {main} (6. Bd3 Bg4 7. O-O Nc6 8. Be3 Bxf3 9. Qxf3 Nd7 10. d5 Nce5 11. Qe2 Nxd3 12. Qxd3 c5 {Gunn-Van Kemenade, Dyfed February rapid rd5, 2021,0-1}) (6. h3 Nc6 7. Bg5 e5 8. dxe5 dxe5 9. Qxd8 Nxd8 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. Nd5 Bg7 12. Nxc7 $18 {R Van Kemenade-Miller, Dyfed League 2018,1-0}) 6... Nc6 {has been played by GMs, but provocative. Bl is prepared to spend a couple of tempi just to open the long diagonal for his B} ( 6... a6 7. O-O Ne8 8. Be3 Nc6 9. Qd2 e5 10. d5 Ne7 11. Bg5 f5 12. exf5 gxf5 13. h4 $5 {Morgans-Miller,Dyfed Open 2018,1/2-1/2} (13. Nh4 $5)) (6... e5) (6... Nbd7 {main lines}) 7. d5 {68% for Wh} (7. O-O e5 8. d5 Ne7 {goes down the lines of the Mar del Plata line, with 47,912 games in the database . Kotronias in his 5 vol series on the King's Indian devotes 2 of them to this line}) 7... Nb4 (7... Nb8) (7... Ne5 {main lines}) 8. O-O {70 % for Wh} c5 (8... a5 { leaves c5 for the N}) 9. Re1 $146 {the idea seems to be to play e5 at some point} (9. a3 {63% for Wh}) (9. h3 {71 % for Wh}) (9. Bf4 Bg4 10. h3 Bxf3 11. Bxf3 Nd7 12. Be2 Na6 13. Qd2 Re8 14. Be3 Nc7 15. Rad1 Rb8 16. g3 a6 17. a4 { Dubov-Karjakin,Lindores Abbey rapid final, may2020,1-0}) 9... Bd7 {Bl is clearly aiming for b5, but it leaves Wh with a winning initiative on the K side } (9... e5 10. Bg5 h6 11. Be3 {Stockfish13- happy to have weakened g6 -Bronstein & Kotronias concur}) 10. Bd2 (10. Bf4) 10... Na6 11. Qc1 (11. h3) 11... Nc7 12. Bh6 Nfe8 (12... e5 13. dxe6 Nxe6 14. Bxg7 Kxg7 15. Qc2 $16 { Stockfish13- but Bl needs to get some play rather than get squashed on the K side}) 13. Bxg7 Nxg7 14. Qh6 $18 (14. Qf4 $18) 14... f6 15. h4 {though it is still going to be difficult to prize open Bl's position} Be8 16. Nh2 (16. Rad1 {tries to dissuade Bl from e5, though that still has to be played to allow the BL Q to defend her K}) 16... e5 17. Kh1 (17. f4) 17... Qe7 18. Rg1 (18. g4) 18... a6 (18... f5 {the kind of move Bl just has to play in a King's Indian}) 19. Raf1 {bringing everything across} Bd7 20. f4 (20. g4 $16) 20... f5 $2 { Stockfish13 feels this is now mis-timed} (20... exf4 21. Rxf4 b5 22. g4 $14) 21. g4 (21. fxe5 dxe5 22. g4 {if Wh can take twice on f5, then d6 wins a piece} f4 23. Nf3 Nge8 24. Qg5 Qxg5 25. hxg5 Bc8 26. Nxe5 $18) 21... fxg4 22. Bxg4 Bxg4 23. Rxg4 exf4 (23... Rxf4 {eliminates some of the attackers} 24. Rfxf4 exf4 25. h5 gxh5 26. Rg5 Rf8 27. e5 Nce8 28. Nf3 $16) 24. Nf3 $18 (24. h5 $18 { Stockfish13} Nxh5 (24... gxh5 25. Rxg7+ Qxg7 26. Rg1 $18) (24... g5 25. Qxg5 Qxg5 26. Rxg5 h6 27. Rg6 Nce8 28. Ng4 $18) (24... Rf6 25. hxg6 Rxg6 26. Rxg6 hxg6 27. Rg1 Rf8 28. Nf3 Rf6 29. e5 dxe5 30. Ne4 $18) 25. Qxh5 $18) 24... Nh5 $2 {trying to prevent Wh from putting the pawn on h5} (24... Nce8 {holds on for the moment} 25. h5 gxh5 26. Rg5 Rf6 27. Qxh5 Rg6 28. Rxg6 hxg6 29. Qxg6 Qf6 30. Rg1 Qxg6 31. Rxg6 Kh7 32. Rg5 Nf6 33. e5 $18 {Stockfish13}) 25. Qxh5 $18 Kh8 26. Qg5 (26. Rxg6) 26... Qg7 27. Rxf4 (27. h5) 27... h6 28. Rxf8+ (28. Qg3) 28... Rxf8 29. Qg2 (29. Qg3 {eyes d6}) 29... Ne8 30. Nd2 Nf6 31. e5 $1 { Stockfish13-clears a path for the d pawn} dxe5 32. Nde4 Nxe4 33. Rxf8+ (33. Nxe4) 33... Qxf8 34. Nxe4 Qf5 35. Nxc5 (35. d6 {may be even stronger}) 35... Qb1+ 36. Kh2 Qf5 37. Nxb7 (37. Qe2) 37... Qf4+ 38. Kh1 (38. Qg3 Qxc4 39. Qxe5+ Kh7 40. d6 {and it will be over soon} Qxh4+ 41. Kg2 Qg4+ 42. Kf2 Qh4+ 43. Ke2 Qc4+ 44. Kd2) 38... Qc1+ (38... Qxh4+ {is a classic drawn position!} 39. Kg1 Qe1+ 40. Qf1 Qg3+ 41. Kh1 (41. Qg2 Qe1+) 41... Qh4+ 42. Kg2 Qg4+ 43. Kf2 Qf4+ 44. Ke2 Qxc4+ 45. Kf2 Qh4+ 46. Kf3 Qf4+ $11) 39. Qg1 (39. Kh2 Qxc4 40. Qxg6 Qxd5 41. Qxh6+ Kg8 42. Nd6 e4 43. Qg6+ Kf8 44. Qf6+ Kg8 45. Nf5 $18 { Stockfish13}) 39... Qf4 (39... Qxc4 {gives Bl better chances of survival} 40. Qc5 Qxh4+ (40... Qe4+) 41. Kg2 Qg4+ 42. Kf2 Qf4+ 43. Ke2 h5 44. Nd6 {but Q &N, plus the d pawn must be winning}) 40. d6 {inexact} (40. Qc5) 40... Qxh4+ { this position should now be drawn} 41. Qh2 Qe4+ (41... Qe1+ {is a little easier to play for Bl} 42. Kg2 Qe2+ 43. Kh3 Qf3+ 44. Qg3 Qh1+ 45. Qh2 (45. Kg4 $2 Qh5# {it has happened mant times in timetrouble in similar positions}) 45... Qf3+ 46. Qg3 (46. Kh4 $2 g5#)) 42. Qg2 Qh4+ 43. Kg1 Qe1+ 44. Qf1 Qe3+ $2 { Bl still had 24 mins left to Wh's 8} (44... Qg3+ $1 {Stockfish13- ensures the draw}) 45. Qf2 $18 {now the K has more space} Qg5+ 46. Kf1 Qc1+ 47. Qe1 (47. Kg2 Qg5+ 48. Qg3 Qd2+ 49. Kh3 $18 {Stockfish13}) 47... Qf4+ (47... Qxc4+ 48. Qe2 Qd5 49. d7 {Stockfish13} (49. Qxa6 {looks sensible +5 when Stockfish13 gets given time to think about it}) 49... Qxd7 50. Qxe5+ Kg8 51. Nd6 {Wh is winning but only at +3.28}) 48. Qf2 Qc1+ (48... Qxc4+) 49. Ke2 (49. Kg2 { +6 looks preferable}) 49... Qxb2+ 50. Ke1 (50. Kf1 $18) 50... Qxb7 (50... Qc1+ 51. Ke2 Qxc4+ 52. Ke3 (52. Kd2 Qd5+ 53. Kc3 Qc6+ 54. Nc5 (54. Qc5 Qf3+ { perpetual}) 54... Qxd6 $11 {Bl has 3 pawns for the piece & the Wh K is wide open, giving Wh no time to co-ordinate Q & N against the Bl K}) 52... Qd4+ 53. Kf3 Qf4+ 54. Kg2 Qg4+ {is another perpetual}) 51. Qf8+ Kh7 52. Qe7+ 1-0 [Event "Dyfed Online League"] [Site "Lichess"] [Date "2021.03.02"] [Round "7.4"] [White "Evans, Gwyn"] [Black "Holman, Sam"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A48"] [WhiteElo "1192"] [BlackElo "1386"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "52"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [WhiteTeam "Steynton B"] [BlackTeam "Aberystwyth"] {[%evp 0,52,20,34,27,19,50,30,25,18,23,13,30,21,41,19,58,47,27,35,40,-22,42, -22,1,-20,23,-85,23,-123,-156,-166,-27,-154,-9,-38,-41,-120,-29,-185,-179,-319, -336,-278,-279,-282,-266,-268,-248,-251,-251,-275,-273,-1170,-1212]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 (2. Nc3 g6 3. Bg5 Bg7 4. e3 O-O 5. Bxf6 Bxf6 6. Nf3 d6 7. h3 { Evans-Holman, Dyfed Online Closed,2021,0-1}) 2... g6 3. Bg5 (3. Nbd2 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. c3 a6 6. Bd3 O-O 7. O-O Nc6 8. Qc2 e5 9. a4 Nh5 10. dxe5 dxe5 11. Re1 Bg4 12. Bf1 Nf4 {with a comfortable position for Bl, Durno-J Van Kemenade, Khanty Mansiysk ol, Scotland-Wales 2010, 1-0}) 3... Bg7 4. Nbd2 O-O 5. c3 d6 6. e4 { this has been played by Kamsky for years & recently been further explored at elite GM level in their quest for less immediately complex lines; the way that Carlsen ( who has employed this line as well) exploits small advantages in the middle game} h6 (6... c5) (6... Nbd7) 7. Bh4 Re8 (7... c5) (7... Nbd7) (7... Qe8) (7... Nc6 8. Bd3 e5 9. O-O Qe8 10. Re1 Nh5 11. dxe5 dxe5 12. Bb5 a6 13. Ba4 Nf4 {G Smith-R Van Kemenade, 4NCL: Milton Keynes-White Rose2,2000,0-1}) 8. Bd3 (8. Bc4 {1.5-0.5}) (8. Be2 Nbd7 9. O-O {3.5-1.5}) 8... e5 9. O-O Nc6 10. Re1 (10. dxe5 Nxe5 11. Nxe5 dxe5 12. Nc4 {transposes, 2 Wh wins, 6 draws, 1 Bl win}) (10. d5 Ne7 11. Rc1 g5 12. Bg3 Ng6 13. c4 {Neumann-Ljuboschiz,Bad Bertich Seniors op 2003,1-0}) 10... Bg4 (10... g5 11. Bg3 Nh5 12. d5 (12. dxe5 dxe5 13. Qc2 Qf6 14. Nc4 $14 {Di Chiara-Fassio,Turin Epifania op 2011,0-1}) 12... Ne7 13. Nc4 f5 14. exf5 Nxd5 (14... Bxf5 $11) 15. Nfd2 {Dobrov-Aprysko, Moscow blitz 2017,1-0} (15. Qb3 $18)) (10... a6 11. a4 Qe7 12. Nc4 Qf8 13. Qb3 exd4 14. cxd4 g5 15. Bg3 Nh5 {Barbiso-Fassio, Torino ch 2010,0-1}) 11. Qc2 g5 12. Bg3 Nh5 13. Qb3 (13. dxe5 {seems called for}) 13... Bd7 (13... exd4 $17) 14. h4 (14. Bc4 Qe7 15. dxe5 dxe5 16. Qxb7 Rab8 17. Qa6 Rxb2 $11 {Stockfish13}) 14... Nxg3 15. fxg3 g4 (15... exd4 $19 {Stockfish13}) 16. Nh2 (16. d5 {escapes the worst} gxf3 17. dxc6 f2+ 18. Kxf2 bxc6 $15 {Stockfish13}) 16... h5 (16... exd4 $19) 17. Rf1 (17. d5 Ne7 18. Nc4 f5 19. exf5 Nxf5 20. Nf1 $11 {Stockfish13 }) 17... Rf8 18. Rf2 (18. Bc4 Qe7 (18... exd4 19. Bxf7+ $11) 19. d5 Na5 20. Qc2 c5 $15 {Stockfish13}) 18... Bh6 (18... exd4 $19) 19. Raf1 (19. d5 Ne7 20. Nhf1 $11) 19... Be3 $19 20. Qd1 exd4 {at last Bl takes the centre pawn} 21. Nc4 Bxf2+ 22. Rxf2 dxc3 23. bxc3 Ne5 24. Nxe5 dxe5 25. Bc4 Be6 26. Bxe6 $2 (26. Qe2 Qe7 {and Bl has the open lines his Rs need}) 26... Qxd1+ 0-1