Another double post. Aberystwyth entered the last round of the Dyfed Online League on Tuesday 20 April needing a win against Steynton A to secure the championship. Top board Rudy van Kemenade probably knows the Petroff better than anyone, at least below grandmaster level, but Martin Jones had prepared well, and a complex theoretical struggle ensued. Black's two bishops and better pawns gave him an edge, but the result was far from clear until White blundered, losing an exchange. Adam Watkin-Jones dominated throughout in a Closed Siclian against Mark Paffard, who unwisely opened the position without having castled. The middlegame had only just started when White forced a decisive win of material. On Board 4, Tom Gunn was a pawn up for much of the game against Scott Hammett's Hippopotamus, but went a pawn down as the game transitioned to an ending. It was still difficult for Black, and Tom had a chance of saving the game at the very last moment. Everything then depended on my Board 3 game against Rob Lovegrove, which was the last to finish. After a good opening with my O'Kelly Sicilian, I allowed White to break in the centre and win a pawn, and spent most of the game trying in vain to undermine his dominant queenside pawns. But as time began to run out, both of us made errors - first White allowed a knight fork, then I returned the favour, then, in trying to clinch the win, he let me escape with my extra material. The 3-1 win to Aber gained us the title. Thanks to David Pinch for organizing a very successful and enjoyable league, and, as always, to Rudy for his analysis and captaincy.
Next week we were in action again, this time in the Welsh Chess Union Open Online against Pontyfenni. Rudy's aggressive early h4 against John Waterfield's Grunfeld only led to delayed development, with White's knight stuck on g1 until well into the middlegame, but Black wasn't able to take advantage and the game simplified to a drawn king-and-pawn ending. Adam got a level position against Ian Jones's Glek Four Knights, but went wrong in the complex rook ending which followed. They say all rook endings are drawn, and he missed a chance to draw this one, just before the end. Tom seemed slightly worse in a Dutch against Anthony Hughes, but the position was very blocked and soon became impassable. The game of the round was on Board 4, where Sam Holman's Sicilian came under fierce attack from Justin Morgans. Both players missed chances in the complications but White emerged an exchange and a pawn ahead. He was well behind on the clock, though, and had problems dealing with Sam's active minor pieces. Eventually he dropped a bishop, but Sam found it equally difficult to finish him off, till White made one last blunder and resigned. The result was a 2-2 draw.
[Event "Dyfed Online League"]
[Site "lichess.org"]
[Date "2021.04.20"]
[Round "10.1"]
[White "Jones, Martin C"]
[Black "Van Kemenade, R."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C42"]
[WhiteElo "1725"]
[BlackElo "1999"]
[Annotator "kemen"]
[PlyCount "74"]
[EventDate "2021.??.??"]
[TimeControl "2700+15"]
{[%evp 0,74,80,48,5,56,30,25,45,30,30,30,55,18,19,24,29,-9,-9,0,0,-26,-20,-28,
-5,6,-12,0,10,10,14,-32,32,-1,46,-9,12,-4,-7,-7,26,26,26,39,44,43,39,27,27,-15,
2,-44,34,3,-1,-59,-59,-59,-53,-66,-66,-66,-59,-59,-50,-50,-42,-74,-23,-23,-23,
-10,32,-38,-20,-379,-379]} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Qe2 {
a notorious drawing line; many early agreed draws result from this} Qe7 6. d3
Nf6 7. Bg5 Be6 {a line stemming from Frank Marshall, keeping Qs and much less
fashionable these days} (7... Qxe2+) (7... Nbd7 {main lines}) 8. d4 {Wh's
prepared variation on the previous game played in 2017. Bl had not relooked at
this as there many other opening lines Wh might have followed, and didn't
think taking on a Petroff would be one of them.} (8. Nc3 {main} Nbd7 (8... c6
9. Nd4 h6 10. Bh4 g5 11. Bg3 Bg7 (11... Nh5 {Suba}) 12. O-O-O O-O 13. Nf5 {
Suba-Van Kemenade, Scarborough 1990,1-0}) 9. O-O-O h6 10. Bh4 g5 11. Bg3 Nh5 (
11... Bg7 12. Re1 Nh5 13. Nd5 Qd8 $15 {J Cast-Van Kemenade, 4NCL 2002,1/2-1/2})
12. Nd4 Nxg3 13. hxg3 Bg7 14. Nxe6 fxe6 15. Nb5 Nb6 16. d4 a6 17. Na3 Rf8 18.
c3 O-O-O {Jones-Van Kemenade,Dyfed League 2017,0-1 ( on move 71 after a N vs
bad B , becoming K & P ending)}) 8... Nbd7 9. Nc3 h6 (9... O-O-O {3 draws}) 10.
Bh4 (10. Bxf6 Nxf6 11. O-O-O {1-3}) 10... g5 11. Bg3 Nh5 {Bl follows the
advice of Suba given in pm to cited game above} (11... Nd5 {a plan given in
Forintos & Haag 1991 & supported by Jusupov 1999} 12. Nxd5 Bxd5 13. c4 (13.
O-O-O O-O-O 14. Qb5 Nb6 $15 {O'Donnell-Basanta, Vancouver inv 1987, 1/2-1/2} (
14... c6 15. Qa5 f5 $17 {McDonald-Briggs, Hastings Masters 1995,1-0})) 13...
Bxf3 14. gxf3 f5 15. f4 O-O-O {Swainston-Van Kemenade,Bradford A-Undercliffe A,
1994,1/2-1/2}) (11... O-O-O 12. O-O-O Nb6 13. Qb5 {contested in the 1920's
with mixed results}) 12. O-O-O O-O-O (12... Nxg3 {at once can become tricky}
13. hxg3 g4 (13... Bg7 {Stockfish13}) 14. Nh4 d5 15. Qb5 O-O-O 16. Qa5 $1 (16.
Nxd5 $2 Bxd5 17. Qxd5 Qg5+ 18. Qxg5 hxg5 {loses a N}) 16... a6 17. Bxa6 $16 {
Lasker-Marshall, St Petersburg 2014,1-0}) 13. Kb1 (13. Qd2 Nxg3 14. hxg3 g4 15.
Nh4 d5 16. Bd3 Qb4 17. Bf5 Be7 {Owesson-Juhl, Nordic Congress 1916,0-1}) 13...
Nxg3 (13... Nb6 14. Qd2 Bg7 15. Be2 f5 16. h3 Nxg3 17. fxg3 Rde8 {
Botalova-Gileva, Urals Ch (women) 2012,0-1}) 14. hxg3 d5 (14... g4 {keeps the
N away from e5 after the coming ...d5, but Bl wished to retain the option of
pushing the h pawn through at some later date}) 15. Qb5 {Wh-s idea behind the
early d4} Nb6 {lichess dislikes this, suggesting that} (15... c6 $17 {be
played, yet Wh gets attacking chances, which Engines with their precise
defences are happy to wade into, but humans are wary of. Bl was reluctant to
weaken the K position, remembering something of the Lasker-Marshall debacle}
16. Qa5 Kb8 17. Na4 Re8 18. Rd3 Bg7 (18... Qb4 {looks safer}) 19. Be2 (19. Rb3
g4 {wins a pawn}) 19... g4 20. Nh4 Nf6 21. Rb3 Qc7 22. Qb4 Bf8 23. Nc5 Bxc5 24.
dxc5 Ne4 25. Rf1 a5 26. Qd4 Bc8 {and Stockfish13 declares this position is
winning for Bl-probably because c5 must fall? Otherwise the position still
looks obscure to these human eyes.}) 16. Ne5 Qb4 {Bl is content with swapping
Qs, now that he has obtained the Two Bs; similar games have occurred after 8.
Nc3, Nc6} 17. Bd3 (17. Qxb4 Bxb4 18. a3 {is given by Stockfish13} Bxc3 19. bxc3
Na4 20. Rd3 Rdg8 21. Rf3 g4 22. Rf4 Nxc3+ 23. Kb2 Ne4 24. Nxf7 Bxf7 25. Rxf7 c6
26. Bd3 Rf8 27. Rxh6 Rxf7 28. Rxh8+ Kd7 29. Bxe4 dxe4 30. Rb8 $11 {one supposes
}) 17... a6 (17... Qxd4 {grabbing a pawn would lose to} 18. Nxf7 $1 {winning
exchange, since taking the N loses the Q}) (17... Qxb5 18. Bxb5 c6 19. Bd3 Nd7
$11 {Stockfish13}) 18. Qxb4 Bxb4 19. Ne2 Nd7 20. f4 Nxe5 21. fxe5 h5 22. Rdf1
Rdf8 23. c3 Be7 24. Kc2 (24. Bf5 {expected by Bl} Kd7 25. Nc1 b6 26. Nd3 c5 $11
{but Wh would have to careful- in the event of open files Bl's Rs could
suddenly switch into action}) 24... Kd7 (24... f6 $15 {Stockfish13, but Bl had
an eye on opening the c file}) 25. b3 b6 (25... f6 $15) (25... a5 $15) 26. a4
a5 27. Bb5+ (27. Bf5 $11 {looks better}) 27... c6 28. Bd3 f6 29. exf6 Rxf6 30.
Rxf6 Bxf6 31. Ng1 (31. Rf1 Be7 $15) 31... c5 (31... Kd6 32. Nf3 h4 33. gxh4
gxh4 34. Rf1 Rg8 35. Ne1 Ke7 $17 {Stockfish13}) 32. Nf3 Kd6 33. Re1 c4 {
disliked by lichess analysis- but Bl hoped to be able to weaken the a4 pawn, &
, in an ending, have a b5 possibility, creating a passed a pawn ( which
happens to the pawn that won the Petroff encounter for Bl. Bl had assessed
that b6 would not be easily attacked by Wh} (33... Rc8 {lichess} 34. Kd2 h4 $17
{Stockfish13}) (33... Bd7 {threatening c4, leads nowhere after} 34. Ne5) (33...
Rf8 {a Stockfish13 line} 34. Rf1 (34. Rh1 $2 cxd4 35. Nxd4 (35. cxd4 g4) 35...
Bxd4 36. cxd4 Rf2+ 37. Kc3 Rxg2 38. Rxh5 Rxg3 $19) 34... Be7 35. Bg6 h4 36. Nd2
(36. gxh4 gxh4 $19) 36... Rf6 37. Rxf6 Bxf6 38. gxh4 gxh4 39. Nf3 Bd7 $15) 34.
bxc4 dxc4 35. Bf1 Bd5 (35... Bd7 {considered, the Stockfish13 analysis shows
it is doubledged} 36. Bxc4 Bxa4+ 37. Kd3 Bd7 38. Ne5 b5 39. Ba2 Re8 40. Nxd7
Rxe1 41. Nxf6 a4 (41... Rg1 42. Ne4+ Ke7 43. d5 Rxg2 44. d6+ Kd7 45. Bd5 Rg1
46. Kd4 {still unclear- the Engine's equality sign here means that both sides
have chances})) 36. Ne5 (36. Nd2 {looks better, as it gives Wh that extra Ne4
threat. On e5 the N can become a target} Rc8 (36... Kc7 37. Nxc4 Bc6 38. Kb3
Re8 39. Rxe8 Bxe8 $11) 37. Ne4+ Ke7 38. Nxg5+ Kd7 39. Ne4 Rf8 40. Nd2) 36...
Rc8 37. Rb1 $2 {the R attacks, but it has left a square undefended. Bl had
seen the threat to b6, but had planned a strike against the N. Instead, Bl
realised what could be played instead} (37. Kd2 {should hold} g4 38. Rb1 Bxe5
39. dxe5+ Kc5 40. Rb5+ Kc6 41. Ke3 Re8 42. Kd4 Rd8 (42... Be6 43. Be2 Rf8 44.
Rb1 Rf2 45. Bxc4 Bxc4 46. Kxc4 Rxg2 47. Re1 Kd7 48. Rh1 Rxg3 49. Rxh5) 43. Ke3
Rf8 44. Be2 $11) 37... Be4+ {Normal} (37... Bxe5 {was planned by Bl} 38. dxe5+
(38. Rxb6+ Kc7 39. Rb5 Be4+ 40. Kd2 Bxg3 $19) 38... Kc6 39. Re1 Re8 40. Kd2 Kc5
{and Wh is running out of moves-Bc6 is a real threat}) 0-1
[Event "Rated Classical game"]
[Site "lichess.org"]
[Date "2021.04.20"]
[Round "10.2"]
[White "Watkin-Jones, Adam"]
[Black "Paffard, Mark"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B40"]
[WhiteElo "1918"]
[BlackElo "1608"]
[Annotator "kemen"]
[PlyCount "39"]
[EventDate "2021.??.??"]
[TimeControl "2700+15"]
{[%evp 0,39,80,4,128,109,115,92,134,74,39,35,113,99,82,76,68,79,79,66,69,47,82,
44,111,136,136,100,194,194,370,379,379,379,376,373,367,371,378,341,634,627]} 1.
e4 (1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 b6 4. e4 d6 5. d4 Bb7 6. Bd3 Be7 7. O-O O-O {
Watkin-Jones vs Paffard, Dyfed League 2019,1/2-1/2}) 1... c5 2. Nc3 e6 (2...
Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 d6 6. Be3 e6 7. Qd2 Rb8 8. Nf3 b5 9. d4 c4 {
Watkin-Jones vs Buttell, Dyfed League 2017,1-0}) 3. Nge2 (3. f4 Nc6 4. Nf3 Nge7
5. Be2 a6 6. O-O d6 7. Qe1 b5 8. d3 Bb7 9. Nd1 {Horrell-Paffard, Dyfed Open
2019,1-0}) 3... a6 4. g3 Nc6 5. Bg2 g6 {a little slow, and after the centre
opens up, all of Bl's pawns are left on wh squares} (5... Nf6 6. O-O Be7 7. d4
{main}) 6. d4 {main} cxd4 7. Nxd4 Bg7 8. Be3 Nge7 9. Qd2 (9. O-O {main}) 9...
Ne5 (9... O-O 10. O-O {62 % for Wh} (10. O-O-O {1-0})) 10. Qe2 {2.5 -1.5} d5 {
this feels wrong, Bl seeks to mask some of his bl square weaknesses,but ,
behind in development & with the K in the centre, opening up is always
dangerous.} (10... Qc7 $11 {though 2-0}) 11. O-O-O (11. exd5 {Stockfish13
considers that Wh can already make material gain in the centre} Nxd5 12. Bxd5
exd5 13. Bh6 Bxh6 14. Qxe5+ Qe7 15. Qxe7+ Kxe7 16. Nxd5+ $16) 11... Qa5 $6 {
too ambitious- there are now many ways for Wh to obtain the upper hand} (11...
O-O {has to be played}) 12. Nb3 (12. exd5 Nxd5 13. Bxd5 exd5 14. Nb3 {and
Stockfish13 now concludes that the best Bl can hope for is to give up the Q
with} Qxc3) (12. f4 Nc4 13. Nb3 Qc7 14. Bc5 Na5 15. Qf2 Nxb3+ 16. axb3 O-O 17.
Bb6 Qc6 18. Rhe1 $18 {Stockfish13-the Bl pieces have scarcely any sensible
moves}) 12... Qc7 13. Bc5 {Wh spent a bit of time on this and came up with
what Stockfish13 considers strongest} (13. exd5 exd5 14. Nxd5 (14. Bf4 O-O 15.
Rhe1 f6 16. Nxd5 Nxd5 17. Bxd5+ Kh8 18. Kb1 {lets Bl off too lightly}) 14...
Nxd5 15. Rxd5 Bg4 16. Qd2 O-O 17. Rc5 Nc6 18. Bf4 Qc8 19. Bxc6 bxc6 20. Be5 $18
{is a pawn & positional advantage- if Bl exchanges blsquare Bs his remaing B
still is impeded by all of the pawns on its colour}) 13... dxe4 {suicidal,
opening up with the K in the middle when Wh controls almost all the open lines}
(13... O-O 14. Rhe1 $18 {is not that wonderful either,however must be
preferred to the text}) 14. Nxe4 O-O 15. Bd6 Qc4 {everything loses material,
with more to come} 16. Qxc4 Nxc4 17. Bxe7 Bxb2+ 18. Kb1 Re8 19. Bc5 (19. Bf6) (
19. Nbd2) (19. Nf6+ {Wh is spoilt for choice}) 19... Rb8 20. Nd6 {Normal} 1-0
[Event "Dyfed Online League"]
[Site "lichess.org"]
[Date "2021.04.20"]
[Round "10.3"]
[White "Lovegrove, Robert"]
[Black "Francis, Matthew"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B28"]
[WhiteElo "1500"]
[BlackElo "1648"]
[Annotator "kemen"]
[PlyCount "88"]
[EventDate "2021.??.??"]
[TimeControl "2700+15"]
{[%evp 0,88,80,16,100,53,93,37,48,35,14,23,22,-8,20,14,38,-5,27,0,50,-11,-10,
25,93,7,99,99,90,84,98,94,145,100,118,104,130,121,104,83,114,67,88,71,96,105,
89,79,88,82,113,92,109,88,88,53,67,73,89,89,89,80,90,-11,-11,-120,-138,-145,
-58,-286,-97,-97,-101,-106,82,68,51,61,61,-387,-398,-398,-414,-413,-437,-494,
-474,-468,-475,-641,-690]} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 {the prelude to the O'Kelly var}
3. c3 (3. a4 Nc6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 e5 6. Nb3 Nf6 7. Nc3 Bb4 8. f3 d5 $17 {
Bates-Francis, Dyfed Online League rd9, 2021,0-1}) 3... d5 {main} (3... e6 4.
Be2 d5 5. exd5 exd5 6. O-O {Davis-Francis, Dyfed League 2018,0-1}) 4. exd5 {
main} (4. e5 {has been played by Caruana} Bf5 5. d4 e6 6. Be2 h6 7. O-O cxd4 8.
Nxd4 Bh7 {Greatorex-Francis, Dyfed Open 2011,1/2-1/2}) 4... Qxd5 5. Be2 (5. d4
{main} Nc6 6. Be2 cxd4 7. cxd4 e6 8. O-O Nf6 9. Nc3 Qd8 (9... Qd6) 10. Be3 Be7
11. Rc1 O-O {Ralphs-Francis, S Wales New Year Open 2018,1-0}) 5... Nf6 6. d3 {
a passive move, and we leave the elite GM world behind} (6. O-O) (6. d4) (6.
Na3) 6... e5 7. O-O Be7 8. Be3 (8. Nbd2 Nc6 9. Qb3 Qxb3 10. axb3 O-O 11. c4 $6
Bf5 {W. Davis-Francis, Dyfed League 2017,0-1}) 8... Nc6 9. Nbd2 Ng4 $6 {
the B can side step-step, so continuing development is better development} (
9... Bf5) (9... O-O) 10. Bg5 f6 {creates long term problems for Bl} 11. Bh4 (
11. h3 fxg5 12. hxg4 Bxg4 13. Nc4 e4 14. dxe4 Qxd1 15. Raxd1 $14 {Stockfish13-
Bl has 2 Bs, but Wh's pawn structure is superior}) 11... O-O (11... Be6 12. d4
$11) 12. h3 $18 {the N is driven out of play, & Wh takes control in the centre}
Nh6 13. d4 Kh8 (13... Qf7 {is a little better} 14. dxe5 Nxe5 15. Nxe5 fxe5 16.
Bxe7 Qxe7 17. Ne4 Be6 18. Qd6 Qxd6 19. Nxd6 b5 20. Ne4 Rac8 21. Rfd1 $18 {
Bl's q side pawns are under fire and the e4 isolani does not help.}) 14. Bc4 (
14. dxe5 $1 {takes advantage of hanging pieces} fxe5 15. Bxe7 Nxe7 16. Nc4 (16.
Bc4 Qd6 17. Ne4 Qg6 18. Re1 Bxh3 19. Nh4 Qc6 20. Qd6 Qxd6 21. Nxd6 b5 22. Rxe5
Nef5 23. Bd5 Nxh4 24. Bxa8 Rxa8 25. Rae1 Bd7 26. Rxc5 {is also a mess, but a
much more human one than the main Stockfish13 continuation}) 16... e4 17. Qxd5
Nxd5 18. Ng5 b5 19. Nd6 Nf4 20. Rfe1 Nd3 21. Reb1 Nxf2 22. a4 Rb8 23. axb5 axb5
24. Bxb5 {Stockfish13- an Egine sequence, but it is certainly difficult to
find good moves for Bl in all of this}) 14... Qd6 15. Ne4 Qd8 (15... Qc7 {
a little better}) 16. dxc5 $16 (16. dxe5 $1 Nxe5 (16... Nf5 17. exf6 Nxh4 18.
Nxh4 Bxf6 19. Nf3 $18 {a clear pawn up}) 17. Nxe5 fxe5 18. Qxd8 Bxd8 19. Bg3
Bf6 20. Nxc5 $18 {a clear pawn up , play against e5 & Bl's pieces unhappily
placed}) 16... Na5 (16... Bf5 $5) 17. Be2 (17. Bd5 $1 $18) 17... Qc7 18. b4 Nc6
19. Bg3 (19. Bc4 $18) 19... Bf5 20. Ned2 $18 Rfd8 21. Qc1 (21. Qb3 {is more
active, Rs not disconnected}) 21... b6 22. cxb6 Qxb6 23. a3 (23. a4) (23. Nc4)
(23. Rd1) 23... Rac8 24. c4 {gives up some control of the d file} (24. Nc4 Qb7
25. Rd1 $18) 24... Be6 (24... Qb7) 25. c5 Qa7 (25... Qb7 {feels better, rather
than staring at a brick wall. ( restrains b4, eyes along the wh squares,
perhaps the Bl K side pawns can advance, before Wh's Q side can move forward)})
26. Qc3 (26. Bc4 {Bl still has wh square problems because of the early f6})
26... Nf5 27. Bh2 Nfd4 $16 {Bl is getting some hint of play} 28. Bc4 Bxc4 29.
Qxc4 Qb7 30. Rfe1 Qb5 31. Qf7 $2 {a Q raid, unaccompanied by other pieces,
seldom achieves much; quite often just leaves her out of action when needed
elsewhere. Here it also loses an exchange} (31. Nxd4 Rxd4 32. Qxb5 axb5 33. Ne4
Rc4 34. Rad1 $18 {the protected passed pawn will win in the end. Wh needs to
bring back his B, via, Kf1, f3 & Bg1( Bl's B is not doing much at the moment
either}) 31... Nc2 $17 32. Ne4 Nxa1 33. Rxa1 Qd3 (33... Qe2 {is better as then
Wh must retreat from e4} 34. Ng3 (34. Nfd2 Rxd2 35. Nxd2 Qxd2) 34... Qb2 35.
Ra2 Qb1+ 36. Nf1 a5 $19 {Bl wins easily on the Q side, with 3 Wh pieces
tangled up on the K side}) 34. Ned2 Qd5 (34... e4 {wins a N}) 35. Qxd5 Rxd5 36.
Bg3 f5 $2 {loosens Bl's structure- Rs are bad defenders, & they themselves now
become targets} (36... Rd3 37. Kf1 Rcd8 38. Ke2 Rc3 $19) 37. Nc4 $11 e4 38. Nb6
Rcd8 {both sides were now at just over 3 mins each} 39. Bc7 $2 (39. Nxd5 Rxd5
40. Ne1 {Bl's active pieces compensate for the pawn down}) 39... Rd1+ 40. Rxd1
Rxd1+ 41. Kh2 exf3 {and Wh is a R down} 42. g3 Bd8 43. Bf4 g5 44. Bd6 Rxd6 {
Normal} 0-1
[Event "Dyfed Online League"]
[Site "lichess.org"]
[Date "2021.04.20"]
[Round "10.4"]
[White "Gunn, Tom"]
[Black "Hammett, Scott"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B06"]
[WhiteElo "1398"]
[BlackElo "1590"]
[Annotator "kemen"]
[PlyCount "106"]
[EventDate "2021.??.??"]
[TimeControl "2700+15"]
1. d4 g6 (1... f5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 e6 4. Bd3 b6 5. Nbd2 Bb7 6. O-O Be7 7. c4 (
7. a3 O-O {Gunn-Hammett, Dyfed March rapid, 2021, 1/2-1/2}) 7... O-O {
Gunn-Hammett, WCU U1800 Online 2020, 1/2-1/2}) 2. Nf3 Bg7 3. e4 {no need for
Wh's usual e3} d6 4. Nc3 e6 {Bl has been using the Hippopotamous a couple of
time recently.} (4... Nf6 {mainline Pirc}) 5. Bd3 Nd7 6. O-O Ne7 7. Re1 (7. Be3
{main}) 7... b6 (7... O-O 8. e5 b6 9. exd6 (9. Bg5 h6 10. Bh4 dxe5 11. Be4 Rb8
12. dxe5 b5 13. Qd3 Qe8 14. b4 a5 15. bxa5 b4 16. a6 Bxa6 17. Qxa6 bxc3 18. a4
$14 {Rutkus-Melhorn, RCCA , ICCF, 2018,1/2-1/2}) 9... cxd6 10. Bf4 Nf6 11. Nb5
Ne8 12. Be4 d5 13. Bd3 a6 14. Na3 b5 15. c3 $16 {Plofsson-Glowatzky, Batic Sea
tt, ICCF 2002,1-0}) 8. b3 {unusual, but countering the g7 B} (8. Bf4 Bb7 9. Qd2
{main,3-2-2 results}) 8... Bb7 9. Bb2 a6 (9... O-O 10. Qd2 Re8 11. Re2 Rc8 12.
Rae1 c6 13. Ba3 c5 (13... Qc7) 14. Nb5 Nf6 15. Nxa7 Ra8 16. Nb5 Bc6 17. dxc5
dxc5 18. Qc1 $16 {Legradi-Totos,HUN ch tm 2002,1-0}) 10. Qe2 h6 11. Nd1 {
regrouping and gaining space} O-O 12. c4 a5 (12... e5 13. d5 f5 $14 {is a
King's Indian, where both sides have gained & lost a few tempi}) 13. Nc3 (13.
Ne3 $5) 13... Ba6 {not sure of the intent of this; Stockfish13 thinks Wh can
either respond as in the text, or seek to gain extra space with e5 himself} (
13... e5) 14. Rad1 (14. e5 Bb7 15. exd6 cxd6 16. Nb5 Nf6 17. d5 e5 18. a4 $16 {
Stockfish13}) 14... c5 15. dxc5 (15. Bb1 $16 {Stockfish13}) (15. d5 e5 16. Kh1
$16 {Stockfish13}) 15... Nxc5 16. Bc2 (16. e5 d5 17. Bc2 Ra7 18. Ba3 Nc6 19.
Qe3 Rd7 $11 {Stockfish13}) 16... Qc7 17. Nb5 (17. Nd4 $16 {keeps more options ,
especially keeping b5 for a N}) 17... Bxb5 18. Bxg7 Kxg7 19. cxb5 Rfd8 $11 20.
e5 d5 (20... dxe5 21. Nxe5 Rxd1 22. Rxd1 Rd8 $11) 21. h3 (21. Nd4 $16) (21. h4
$16) 21... Rd7 22. Nh2 (22. Nd4) (22. Qe3) 22... d4 23. Ng4 d3 {not really
neccessary, but it is tricky to mobilize Wh's extra half pawn on the Q side
after this} (23... Rad8 $15) 24. Bxd3 Nxd3 25. Rxd3 Rxd3 26. Qxd3 $14 Rd8 27.
Qe2 (27. Qc4 $5) 27... Nf5 (27... Nd5 28. Qd2 g5 29. Rc1 Nf4 30. Qc2 Qxc2 31.
Rxc2 Rd5 32. a4 Rd3 33. Rc6 Rxb3 34. Rxb6 Rb4 35. Nf6 Ng6 36. Nh5+ Kh7 37. Nf6+
Kg7 $11 {Stockfish13}) 28. Nf6 Nd4 29. Qc4 Qb7 (29... Qxc4 30. bxc4 Rc8 31. Nd7
Rxc4 32. Nxb6 Rb4 33. a4 $16) 30. Ne4 $16 (30. Re4 Nf5 31. Qc3 Ne7 32. Rc4 Nd5
33. Qd4 Qb8 34. Rc6 $18 {Stockfish13}) (30. a4 Qb8 31. h4 $18 {Stockfish13-
since Bl's heavy pieces are passive (the N is OK) Wh can opt for a K side
diversion}) (30. Ne8+ {looked at by this kibitzer on the night} Rxe8 (30... Kg8
31. Nd6 $18) 31. Qxd4 $16 {Wh controls the centre with extra space , which
often leads to trouble for the opposing K} Rc8 32. Rd1 Rc5 33. Qf4 Rd5 34. Qf6+
Kg8 35. Rc1 Qb8 36. f4 Qe8 (36... Rxb5 37. Rd1 Rd5 38. Rxd5 exd5 39. e6 $18)
37. Rc3 Rxb5 38. f5 $18 {Stockfish13}) 30... Qd5 31. Qxd5 (31. Nd6 $1 $18 {
a general rule, let the other person do the exchanging ( which often results
in pieces coming forward)} Qxc4 32. bxc4 (32. Nxc4 Nxb5 33. Nxb6 Nc3 $14) 32...
Nf5 33. Rd1 $18 {the extra pawn is an improved one now}) 31... Rxd5 {the R has
been brought into play & runs riot} 32. Nc3 (32. Nd6 Nxb5 $11) 32... Rc5 33.
Na4 (33. Rd1) 33... Rxb5 34. f4 (34. Rd1 Nc6 35. Rd6 Nb4 36. Nxb6 Nxa2 37. Nc4
Rxb3 38. Nxa5 $11 {getting rid of the Q side pawns needs doing against Bl's
now active co-operating pieces}) 34... Rb4 35. Kf2 (35. Re4 $11) 35... Nf5 36.
Rc1 $2 {actitity, but no need to give away pawns that easily} (36. g3) 36...
Rxf4+ $19 37. Kg1 b5 38. Nc5 Nd4 (38... g5) (38... h5) 39. Rd1 Ne2+ 40. Kh2 Rd4
(40... Rf5 41. Nd7 h5 42. Rd2 Nc3 $19 {Stockfish13}) 41. Rxd4 Nxd4 42. Nb7 (42.
Kg3 f5 43. exf6+ Kxf6 44. Kf4 Ne2+ 45. Ke3 Nc1 46. a4 bxa4 47. bxa4 Ke5 $17)
42... Nc6 $19 43. Kg3 a4 (43... Nxe5 44. Nxa5 b4 45. Kf4 Nd3+ 46. Ke3 Nc1 47.
Nc6 Nxa2 48. Kd4 Kf6 49. Kc5 Kf5 $19 50. Nxb4 Nxb4 51. Kxb4 e5 $19 {
Stockfish13-Bl pawns travel faster}) 44. bxa4 bxa4 45. Nc5 (45. Kf4 g5+ 46. Ke4
h5 47. g3 a3 48. Nd6 Nb4 49. Nc4 Nxa2 50. Nxa3 $15 {probably drawn in the end})
45... a3 46. Nd3 (46. Nd7 $5) 46... g5 47. Kf2 Kg6 48. Ke3 Kf5 (48... f5 49.
exf6 Kxf6 50. g4 Ke7 $19) (48... h5 49. g4 h4 $15 {turns h3 into a potential
taget}) 49. g4+ $11 {the K's journey is delayed} Kg6 50. Ke4 (50. Kd2 $11 f5
51. exf6 Kxf6 52. Kc3 Ne5 (52... e5 53. Nc5 Ke7 54. Kc4 (54. Kb3 Kd6 $17) 54...
Nd4 55. Kd5 Nf3 56. Ne4 Ng1 57. Kxe5 Nxh3 58. Nd2 Nf2 59. Kf5 Kf7 60. Nc4 $11 {
Stockfish13})) 50... h5 (50... f6 51. exf6 Kxf6 $19 {Stockfish13}) 51. Nf2 (51.
Ke3 Ne7 52. Nb4 $11) 51... Nb4 (51... h4 $17 {Stockfish13 & Rudy, keeps an
extra possibility}) 52. Nd3 Nxa2 53. Nc5 (53. Kd4 $1 {leads to a very elegant
dance with Ks & Ns} hxg4 54. hxg4 f5 55. exf6 Kxf6 56. Kc4 e5 57. Nc5 (57. Kb3
e4 58. Ne1 Nc1+ 59. Kxa3 Ke5 $19) 57... Nc1 58. Ne4+ Kf7 59. Kc3 Ke6 60. Nxg5+
Kd5 61. Nh3 $11 {Stockfish13}) 53... Nc1 $19 {Normal} 0-1
[Event "WCU Open Online"]
[Site "lichess.org"]
[Date "2021.04.27"]
[Round "4.1"]
[White "Van Kemenade, R."]
[Black "Waterfield, John"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A10"]
[WhiteElo "1999"]
[BlackElo "2078"]
[Annotator "kemen"]
[PlyCount "90"]
[EventDate "2021.??.??"]
[TimeControl "2700+15"]
{[%evp 0,90,19,-12,56,48,32,-10,-5,-14,16,-4,-2,-5,-15,6,1,-14,-24,-44,-29,-36,
-26,-102,-62,-46,-48,-58,-76,-78,-78,-92,-84,-41,-58,-111,-67,-70,-56,-59,-59,
-59,-50,-51,-57,-101,-57,-105,-68,-81,-84,-80,-72,-58,-25,-28,-23,-20,-3,-12,
-21,-9,-21,-25,-29,-2,2,-7,-1,1,6,7,4,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
} 1. c4 {most games between the 2 players have been with 1 e4} g6 2. Nc3 Bg7 3.
h4 (3. g3) (3. d4) 3... Nf6 4. d4 d5 (4... d6) 5. cxd5 {Wh chooses the wrong
formation for making use of the early h4 against the now Grunfeld setup ( new
to both players)} (5. h5 {64 % for Wh} Nxh5 (5... O-O {is inferior}) 6. cxd5
$14 {elite GM practice}) 5... Nxd5 6. e4 (6. h5 {64 % for Wh,eg} c5 7. e3 cxd4
8. exd4 Nc6 9. Bb5 Qa5 10. Bxc6+ bxc6 11. Nge2 Ba6 12. Bd2 Nb4 {S Williams-C
Beaumont,4NCL 1999,1/2-1/2}) 6... Nxc3 7. bxc3 c5 8. Be3 {in these lines Wh's
early h4 is less effective, just a tempo down} Nc6 9. Bb5 $146 {Wh didnt want
to leave this piece out of the game} (9. e5 {main, 0-3}) (9. Ne2 Qa5 10. Bd2
O-O 11. h5 Rd8 12. d5 $11 Ne5 13. Nf4 (13. Ng3 $11) 13... c4 $15 {Smith-Sun,
Wld ch, ICCF 2016,0-1}) (9. d5 {considered} Bxc3+ 10. Bd2 Bxa1 11. Qxa1 Nd4 12.
Qc3 Qb6 13. Bd3 Bg4 14. f3 Bd7 15. Ne2 f6 16. Be3 Nxe2 17. Kxe2 Rc8 18. h5 g5
19. e5 fxe5 20. Rb1 Qf6 {Fahnenschmidt-A Braun, Staufer op Schwaebisch Gmuend
2003,0-1}) 9... O-O 10. Bxc6 bxc6 11. Qa4 (11. Rc1) 11... cxd4 12. cxd4 c5 (
12... a5 $17) 13. Rd1 (13. Ne2) 13... Bd7 (13... cxd4 14. Bxd4 Bxd4 15. Rxd4 (
15. Qxd4 Qa5+ 16. Qd2 Qb6 17. Ne2 Ba6 18. Nc3 (18. O-O Rad8 19. Qc2 Rc8 20. Qd2
Rfd8 $19) 18... e6 $19) 15... Qb6 16. Ne2 Ba6 17. Rh3 Rac8 18. Ra3 Bb5 19. Qb3
h5 20. Qb2 Rc5 $17 {Stockfish13}) 14. Qa3 cxd4 15. Bxd4 Bxd4 (15... Bg4 16. f3
Bxd4 17. Ne2 e5 18. fxg4 Rc8 19. Nxd4 exd4 20. Qxa7 Rc2 21. O-O Qxh4 22. Qxd4
Qxg4 23. Rf2 Rxf2 24. Kxf2 Re8 $17 {Stockfish13- though with equal material,
perhaps Wh has survival chances}) 16. Rxd4 Qc7 (16... Rb8) 17. Qd3 (17. Ne2 Bb5
18. Qb2 Bxe2 19. Kxe2 Rab8 20. Qd2 Rb6 $11 {Stockfish13}) (17. Qxe7 {looked
far too dangerous} Qc3+ 18. Rd2 Ba4 $19) 17... Qc1+ (17... Rad8 18. Ne2 Bb5 $19
{Stockfish13} 19. Qxb5 Rxd4 20. Nxd4 Qc1+ 21. Ke2 Qxh1 $19) 18. Qd1 Qc3+ 19.
Qd2 Qa1+ 20. Qd1 Qxd1+ (20... Qc3+ {and draw offer expected}) 21. Rxd1 Be6 (
21... Bc6 22. f3 Rfb8 23. Ne2 Rb2 24. Rd2 Rb1+ 25. Rd1 Rab8 26. O-O R1b2 $15 {
Stockfish13}) 22. Rd2 (22. a3) 22... Rfd8 (22... Rfb8 23. Ne2 (23. a3 Rb1+ 24.
Rd1 Rab8 25. Ne2 Rxd1+ 26. Kxd1 Rb1+ 27. Nc1 Rb2 28. Nd3 Ra2 29. Re1 Bc4 30.
Re3 Rxa3 $19) 23... Rb1+ 24. Rd1 Rb4 (24... Bxa2 25. Rxb1 Bxb1 26. f3 a5 $19 {
looks simpler}) 25. Rd4 a5 26. a3 Rb2 27. Rd2 Rab8 $19 {Stockfish13- in all of
these lines Wh keeps being a tempo behind because h4 has not led to the
desired K side advance for Wh}) 23. a3 Rxd2 24. Kxd2 Rd8+ 25. Kc2 Rd4 (25...
Bc4 26. f3 Bf1 27. g3 Rd3 28. Kb2 (28. a4 Ra3 29. Kb2 Rxa4 30. Rh2 Bc4 $19)
28... Bg2 {is worse} 29. Rh2 Bxf3 30. Nxf3 Rxf3 $19 {Stockfish13}) 26. f3 f5 (
26... Ra4 27. Kb2 Rd4 28. Kc2 Rc4+ 29. Kb2 Kg7 30. Ne2 f5 31. Nc3 $11 {
Stockfish13}) 27. Ne2 $11 {and Wh finally gets to develop the N} Ra4 28. Kb2
fxe4 29. Nc3 Rd4 30. Nxe4 Bd5 31. Re1 (31. Nc3 {Stockfish13} Bb7 32. Kc2 $11)
31... Bxe4 32. Rxe4 Rxe4 33. fxe4 Kf7 34. Kc3 {initially Wh thought that this
ending favoured Wh, with the K one step ahead of Bl's. However some careful
move counting showed that Wh was not winning if he went for the a pawn} Ke6 35.
Kd4 (35. Kc4 Ke5 36. Kb5 Kxe4 37. Ka6 e5 38. Kxa7 Kf4 39. a4 e4 40. a5 e3 41.
a6 e2 42. Kb8 e1=Q 43. a7 {and Wh is lost}) 35... Kd6 36. e5+ (36. a4 h6 37. a5
a6 38. g4 e5+ 39. Kc4 Kc6 {no entry either K, other than complete blunders})
36... Kc6 37. a4 h6 38. g4 e6 39. Kc4 a5 40. Kd4 g5 41. hxg5 hxg5 42. Kc4 Kb6
43. Kd4 Kc6 44. Kc4 Kb6 45. Kd4 Kc6 {Normal} 1/2-1/2
[Event "WCU Open Online"]
[Site "lichess.org"]
[Date "2021.04.27"]
[Round "4.2"]
[White "Jones, Ian R"]
[Black "Watkin-Jones, Adam"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C47"]
[WhiteElo "2007"]
[BlackElo "1918"]
[Annotator "kemen"]
[PlyCount "95"]
[EventDate "2021.??.??"]
[TimeControl "2700+15"]
{[%evp 0,95,28,16,71,23,5,31,18,-54,-9,-18,-9,-11,0,-2,16,-19,39,35,109,65,138,
47,91,50,54,46,81,34,96,63,73,65,55,47,58,39,64,55,57,58,62,62,62,45,45,30,27,
1,39,15,21,19,22,-15,-4,10,0,0,0,-33,-7,-14,0,0,0,0,0,-3,0,9,103,103,122,53,53,
38,224,270,272,121,114,118,116,101,115,102,110,102,104,96,96,99,96,109,240,241]
} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 {offering a Petroff to avoid prepared lines} (2... Nc6 3.
Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Bc5 {Orton- Watkin-Jones, Dyfed Online League 2020,0-1
}) 3. Nc3 (3. d4 Nxe4 4. Bd3 d5 5. Nxe5 Nd7 6. Nxd7 Bxd7 7. O-O Qh4 {Jones-R
Van Kemenade,WCPL 2015,1/2-1/2 the only other Petroff in OTB for Wh}) 3... Nc6
(3... Bb4 4. d3 d5 5. Bd2 d4 6. Ne2 Bd6 7. g3 c5 {IR Jones-IC Jones, West
Wales op 1999,0-1}) 4. g3 {the Glek variation} d6 (4... Bc5 5. Bg2 d6 (5... O-O
6. O-O Re8 7. d3 h6 8. h3 d6 9. Na4 Bb6 10. Nxb6 axb6 11. a3 {Jones-Mihaylova,
4NCL online 2020,1-0 [ some resmblances to O Davies- R Van Kemenade, Dyfed
League Online 2021,0-1 , except the Wh N on e2 enabling early d4].}) 6. d3 Nd4
7. h3 c6 8. Nxd4 Bxd4 9. Qf3 h6 {Jones-Young,West Wales op 2017,1/2-1/2}) 5.
Bg2 Be7 6. h3 {Glek plays this move early to avoid pins} O-O 7. O-O Re8 (7...
h6 8. d4 {main, 82 % for Wh}) 8. Re1 $146 (8. d4 {is more active, 71% for Wh})
(8. d3) 8... Bf8 9. d4 Nd7 10. Be3 (10. d5 Ne7 11. a4 a5 12. Nb5 Nc5 13. b3 Bd7
14. Ba3 b6 $14 {Stockfish13}) 10... g6 11. Qd2 (11. Bg5 $16 {Stockfish13} f6
12. Be3 a5) 11... Bg7 12. Rad1 Nb6 13. b3 Bd7 {Stockfish13 thinks Wh is now
winning, not directly picked up in lichess analysis. Though looks unclear to
this commentator.} 14. a4 (14. dxe5 Nxe5 15. Nd4 Nc6 16. Nde2 $18 {
Stockfish13- agreed , Wh has a space advantage. But, enough for a forced win?
Karpov?}) 14... Nxd4 15. Nxd4 exd4 16. Bxd4 Bc6 17. Bxg7 Kxg7 18. f4 a5 19. g4
(19. Ne2 Kg8 20. Nd4 $18 {Stockfish13- same comments as above}) 19... h6 (19...
Qh4 {seems better, both Engines}) 20. Qd4+ (20. Ne2 Kg8 21. Nd4 Qh4 22. Qc3 $18
{Stockfish13}) 20... Qf6 21. e5 (21. Ne2 $14) 21... dxe5 22. fxe5 Qe6 $11 23.
Bxc6 bxc6 24. Qe4 Rad8 (24... Nd7 {wins the e5 pawn} 25. Qf4 Re7 26. Ne4 Qxe5
27. Qxe5+ Nxe5 $11 {Stockfish13, initially slight Bl advantage. yes, the
doubled c pawns are weak, but Bl does have an extra K side pawn}) 25. Rxd8 Rxd8
26. Re2 Nd5 (26... Nd7 $15 {both Engines}) 27. Nxd5 cxd5 28. Qd4 Qb6 29. Qxb6
cxb6 $11 30. c3 Rc8 31. Re3 f6 (31... Rc5 $11) 32. exf6+ Kxf6 33. Kf2 h5 34.
gxh5 gxh5 35. Ke2 Rc5 {timing in chess is crucial. What was best 4 moves ago,
is now losing!} (35... Rg8 $1 {Bl has opened a file & should use it, rather
than use the R to protect pawns, it needs to attack} 36. Kd3 Rg1 $11 {both
Engines}) 36. Kd3 Kg5 37. Re5+ (37. Kd4 $1) 37... Kh4 38. Kd4 Kxh3 $2 (38...
Rc6 {preferred both Engines} 39. Re3 Rg6 40. Kxd5 Rg3 41. Rxg3 Kxg3 42. Kc6 {
is losing it seems} Kxh3 43. Kxb6 Kg3 {both Kg4 & Kg2 are inferior} 44. c4 {
other moves only draw} h4 45. c5 h3 46. c6 h2 47. c7 h1=Q 48. c8=Q Qd5 {
and Lomonosov tablebases proclaim mate in 64 with best play on both sides.})
39. Rxh5+ Kg4 40. Rxd5 (40. Rh6 $1 {targets b6, & leaves d5 till later, both
players wsere down to 3 mins}) 40... Rc6 41. c4 Kf4 42. c5 {typical of lichess
, it gives the text move ?? just because Wh does not choose the more complex
maximal winning way.} (42. Rd8 Re6 43. Rf8+ {drives the Bl K further away and
makes Wh's game easier} Kg3 44. Kd5 Rh6 (44... Re3 45. Rb8 Rxb3 46. c5 $18) 45.
Rc8) 42... bxc5+ 43. Rxc5 Ra6 44. Kc4 Ke4 45. Kb5 Ra8 46. Rc6 {and yet another
?? from lichess for not going for the clearly more complex alernatives below.
In any case Lomonosov tablebases give the text as a mate in 42; terrible when
you can have a mate in 40 or even in 36 that lichess has missed as the real
best (objectively) ( but with 3 mins?)} (46. Rc3 {claimed as best by lichess-
mate in 40 Lomonosov}) (46. Kc4 {Stockfish13 best- mate in 36 Lomonosov best
both variations involve more R wriggling than the text,}) 46... Kd5 {a Q mark
from lichess, yet} (46... Kd4 {going for the b pawn is the best bet, & then Wh
has to find} 47. Rc4+ {as, almost incredibly, this is the only winning move!
To mate in 41 Lomonosov tablebases.}) 47. Rb6 {now this does deserve the ?? of
lichess,as Bl can save the game with} (47. Rc3 $18) (47. Rc5+ Kd4 48. Rc4+ Kd5
49. Rc3 $18 {keeping the K cut off. R & P endings are seldom simple.}) 47...
Ra7 $2 {missing the chance} (47... Kd4 $1 $11 {Lomonsov table bases- basically
Wh gets left with an a pawn, Wh down to 2 mins, Bl at 3.}) 48. Rb8 $18 {Normal}
(48. Ra6 {also}) 1-0
[Event "WCU Open Online"]
[Site "lichess.org"]
[Date "2021.04.27"]
[Round "4.3"]
[White "Gunn, Tom"]
[Black "Hughes, Anthony"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A85"]
[WhiteElo "1398"]
[BlackElo "1942"]
[Annotator "kemen"]
[PlyCount "61"]
[EventDate "2021.??.??"]
[TimeControl "2700+15"]
{[%evp 0,61,16,28,55,56,68,54,54,25,43,33,33,20,32,22,29,20,37,39,130,58,70,48,
34,17,22,-19,9,14,23,7,9,-7,-5,-22,24,-28,-8,-39,39,-6,13,-5,-11,-25,0,-43,-48,
-45,-45,-40,-13,-16,-20,-21,-15,-27,-24,-30,-30,-33,-29,-34]} 1. d4 f5 2. Nf3
Nf6 (2... e6 3. Bg5 Be7 4. Bxe7 Qxe7 5. a3 Nf6 6. e3 O-O 7. Bd3 b6 8. Nbd2 Bb7
9. c4 d6 {Havlikova-Hughes, Wls Seniors 50 + Prague 2020,0-1}) 3. e3 (3. c4 e6
4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bf4 O-O 6. e3 d6 7. Bd3 b6 8. O-O Bb7 {Weersing-Hughes, 4NCL
2019, 1/2-1/2}) 3... e6 4. c4 (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 {Gunn-Hammett, WCU Online U1800,
2020,1/2-1/2}) 7... O-O 8. b4 Ne4 9. Bb2 {Gunn-Hammett, Dyfed March Rapid 2021,
1/2-1/2}) 4... Be7 (4... d5 {main}) 5. Nc3 b6 6. Bd3 Bb7 7. O-O O-O 8. b3 Ne4
9. Bb2 Bf6 (9... Qe8) (9... d6 {main lines}) 10. Qc2 (10. Rc1 {2-1-2 results})
10... Nxc3 (10... d5 11. Ne5 Na6 12. a3 Nac5 13. Nxe4 Nxe4 $16 {
Shubny-Prokopenko, Dvorkovich memorial, Taganrog 2014,0-1}) 11. Bxc3 Bxf3 12.
gxf3 c5 13. d5 Bxc3 14. Qxc3 exd5 (14... Qg5+ 15. Kh1 Qh5 16. Rg1 (16. Be2)
16... Qxf3+ 17. Rg2 g6 18. Qe5 Na6 19. dxe6 dxe6 20. Qxe6+ Kg7 $11 {ERwich-Ahn,
BEL ch tm 2007, 1/2-1/2}) (14... Qe7 $11 {Stockfish13}) 15. cxd5 d6 16. Kh1 Nd7
17. Rg1 Qf6 18. Qc2 $2 (18. Qxf6 Rxf6 19. f4 $11 {Stockfish13}) 18... Rae8 (
18... Ne5 $1 {gives Bl a chance, that Stockfish13 judges as winning} 19. Kg2 (
19. Qe2 f4 20. Be4 Rae8 21. exf4 (21. Raf1 Qh6 22. Rg2 g6 23. Rfg1 Rf6 {
still looks unclear}) 21... Qxf4 22. Rae1 Re7 (22... Nxf3 23. Qxf3 Qxf3+ 24.
Bxf3 Rxe1 25. Rxe1 Rxf3 $19) 23. Rg3 g6 $19 {Bl is definitelt better- the N is
far superior to the B, but there seems no clear breakthrough as yet.}) (19. f4
Nf3 {with threats to h2 & a hanging R on a1}) 19... Qg5+ 20. Kf1 Qh5 21. f4
Qh3+ 22. Ke2 Qh5+ 23. Kf1 Ng4 24. Be2 Qh3+ 25. Rg2 Nxh2+ $19) 19. f4 Kh8 20.
Rae1 {a blocked position, with neither side having much chance of a
breakthrough} g6 21. Qd2 Re7 22. Re2 Qf7 23. Bc2 (23. Bc4 $1) 23... Nf6 (23...
b5 {might give Bl some (later) Q side chances}) 24. Rd1 Ne4 $6 {in a blocked
position Ns are better than Bs (which always run the risk of being bad)} (24...
g5 {opening up the position is given by lichess analysis and Stockfish13 as
Bl's lat chance} 25. fxg5 Ne4 $1 26. Bxe4 fxe4 27. Rg1 Qf3+ 28. Rg2 Rf5 29. Kg1
Rg7 30. h4 h6 $19 {suddenly the Bl heavy pieces have become dominant}) 25. Bxe4
Rxe4 (25... fxe4 26. Rg1 $15 {but Wh can rearrange his pieces}) 26. f3 Re7 27.
Rde1 Qf6 28. Qd3 (28. Qb2 $11) 28... Kg7 29. Rf1 Qh4 30. Qd2 Rfe8 31. Rfe1 {
Normal} (31. Qe1 Qf6 32. Qd2 $15) (31. Rfe1 Qh3 32. Rf2 b5 33. a3 a5 $15 {
Stockfish13}) 1/2-1/2
[Event "WCU Open Online"]
[Site "lichess.org"]
[Date "2021.04.27"]
[Round "4.4"]
[White "Morgans, Justin"]
[Black "Holman, Sam"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B23"]
[WhiteElo "1674"]
[BlackElo "1386"]
[Annotator "kemen"]
[PlyCount "150"]
[EventDate "2021.??.??"]
[TimeControl "2700+15"]
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 d6 (2... Nc6 {Morgans 0-5-1.5}) 3. f4 Nf6 (3... e6 4. Nf3 Nc6
5. Bb5 Qc7 6. O-O a6 7. Bxc6+ Qxc6 8. d3 Nf6 9. Qe1 {Duncan Williams-Holman,
rd3 WCU Online Open 2021,1-0}) (3... Nc6 {main}) 4. Nf3 a6 5. a4 Nc6 6. Be2 (6.
Bc4 {main}) (6. d4 cxd4 7. Nxd4 e5 8. Nxc6 bxc6 9. fxe5 dxe5 10. Qxd8+ Kxd8 11.
Bc4 {Carlsen-Firouzja, Magnus-Alireza Bullet blitz 2021,1-0}) 6... Nd4 $11 (
6... e6 {main, 29 games}) 7. O-O Nxe2+ 8. Qxe2 e6 9. a5 Be7 10. d3 O-O {
both sides retain flexibility with a variety of plans available} 11. Bd2 (11.
e5 $5) 11... b6 12. e5 Nd7 13. Ne4 d5 14. Ng3 b5 {it is a relative to a King's
Indian Attack against the French} 15. f5 exf5 16. Nxf5 {Wh has a dangerous
initiative on the K side} Re8 (16... Nb8 {Bl needs to avoid Wh's next move;
and be Engine accurate in defence} 17. Nxe7+ Qxe7 18. Bg5 Qa7 19. Qd2 Nc6 20.
Bf6 Ne7 21. Rae1 h6 22. Nh4 Kh7 23. Re3 Rg8 $14 {Stockfish13}) 17. e6 $18 Nf6
18. exf7+ Kxf7 19. Ng5+ (19. Ne5+ Kg8 20. Nxg7 $1 Kxg7 21. Bh6+ $1 Kg8 (21...
Kxh6 22. Qe3+ (22. Nf7+ {picks up a Q, but the Engine keeps the K in the frame
a bit longer}) 22... Kh5 23. Nf7 Ng4 24. Qh3+ Kg6 25. Nxd8 $18) 22. Qf2 Qc7 23.
Qf4 Bf8 24. Qg3+ Ng4 25. Nxg4 Qxg3 26. Nf6+ Kh8 27. Nxe8 Bxh6 28. hxg3 $18 {
Stockfish13- not an easy variation to calculate}) 19... Kg8 20. Ne6 {looks Ok,
& yet it should lose} (20. Nxe7+ Qxe7 21. Qf2 Qe2 22. Qf4 Qe5 23. Rae1 Qxf4 24.
Rxe8+ Nxe8 25. Bxf4 $16 {Stockfish13}) 20... Bd6 (20... Bf8 $1 $19 {
Stockfish13- guards g7} 21. Nxd8 Rxe2 {and several Wh pieces are loose}) 21.
Nfxg7 $18 Rxe6 22. Nxe6 Qe7 23. Rae1 Bd7 24. Nf4 Qg7 {Bl is an exchange & a
pawn down now, but hopes that his Bs can manage something against the Wh K} (
24... Qxe2 25. Nxe2 Rf8) 25. Qf3 (25. Nh5 Nxh5 26. Qxh5 {dimishes Bl
counterplay}) 25... Rf8 26. Qg3 (26. Nxd5) (26. Nh5) 26... Rf7 27. Qxg7+ Rxg7
28. Ne6 Rf7 29. Bg5 (29. Nd8 Rf8 30. Bh6 Rxd8 31. Rxf6 {and with Wh in control
of the centre, Bl is in trouble}) 29... Ng4 30. Rxf7 Kxf7 31. Nd8+ Kg6 32. Be7
(32. h3 {saves an important pawn}) 32... Bxh2+ 33. Kh1 Bg3 34. Re2 c4 35. dxc4
bxc4 (35... dxc4 {objectively better, but Bl is seeking imbalances. Noboy ever
saved half a point by resigning, Tartakover.}) 36. Bc5 Be5 37. c3 h5 38. Bd4
Bd6 (38... Kf5 $5) 39. Ne6 Kf5 40. Ng7+ Kg6 41. Ne8 Bg3 {everything should be
winning for Wh, but which is the right plan with so many to choose from?} 42.
Re7 Bb5 (42... Bc8) 43. Re6+ (43. Nc7 $18) 43... Kf7 44. Re2 $2 {Wh loses the
thread- with 6 mins to 23 mins} (44. Ng7 {saves the piece , and the game})
44... Bxe8 $19 45. Kg1 Bd7 46. Kf1 (46. Bc5) 46... Bf5 47. Kg1 Bd3 48. Rd2 Ke6
49. Rd1 Kf5 50. b4 Bc2 $2 (50... Ne5) (50... cxb3 51. Rxd3 Ne5 52. Bxe5 Bxe5
53. Rxd5 b2 54. Rd1 Bxc3 $19 {Stockfish13}) 51. Rd2 $2 (51. Rf1+ $18 Ke6 52. b5
axb5 53. a6 Bb8 54. Rf8 $18 {Stockfish13}) 51... Ba4 52. Re2 Bd6 53. Re1 Bd7
54. Rf1+ Kg6 (54... Ke4) 55. Rf3 Ne5 {now that Bl has an advantage, it now up
to him to work out which of the many plans will ensure victory} 56. Rg3+ Bg4
57. Re3 Nc6 58. Bh8 Bd7 (58... d4 59. Bxd4 Nxd4 60. cxd4 Bxb4 $19 {the two Bs
sheperd the passed pawn through}) 59. Rf3 Be5 60. Bxe5 Nxe5 61. Rf8 Ng4 (61...
d4 62. cxd4 Nd3 {wins quickly, lichess & Stockfish13}) 62. Rd8 Nf6 63. Kf1 Kf7
64. Ke2 Ke7 65. Ra8 Bb5 (65... Ne4 66. Rxa6 Nxc3+ 67. Ke1 Ne4 {Bl's two centre
pawns, backed by the two pieces will win quicly}) 66. Ke3 Ne4 (66... Kd6 67.
Kd4 Ne8 $19 {Stockfish13}) 67. Kd4 Kd6 (67... Ng3 68. Kxd5 Ne2 69. Rh8 Nxc3+
70. Kd4 Na2 $17) 68. Rh8 $11 (68. Rd8+ $11) 68... Nf6 69. Rh6 Ke6 70. Rh8 Kd6
71. Rh6 Ke6 72. Rh8 Bc6 73. Rh6 Be8 74. g3 Kf7 75. Ke5 $2 {the final mistake,
with 2 mins leftwhen Wh was in sight of a draw} (75. Rh8 Ke7 76. Rh6 {and Bl
can make no progress}) 75... Ng4+ $19 {Normal} 0-1
This blog has been rather behindhand recently, so here are two match reports. In a match played mainly on Wednesday 7th April, Aberystwyth took on the University's B team. On top board, Adam Watkin-Jones's Bird's Opening against Marcus Perry did not yield any early advantage. With queens, dark-squared bishops and pawns on the board and time running out, Adam looked to complicate things, but it didn't quite work out and he eventually accepted the draw. I missed the win of a piece in my O'Kelly Sicilian against Toby Bates, instead losing a pawn, though the position was more or less level. Both of us went wrong in the ending, but it was still level when White blundered, losing a rook. Tom Gunn had pressure against Harry Fox's backward c-pawn in a Queen's Pawn Game, and Black's attempt to free himself was a tactical error losing a piece, after which Tom had no problems in the ending. In another Queen's Pawn Game, Sam Holman missed a number of chances to win a piece, but retained the upper hand in a minor piece ending thanks to his powerful bishops. A 3½-½ win to the town side, but it could have been very different.
Aber's opposition in the WCU Online League is formidable, and on Tuesday 13th April we took on Morriston Alekhine. Adam's Queen's Gambit Declined against Moss McCarthy developed into a battle between Black's dangerous-looking queenside passed pawns and White's attack against the kingside. White never really looked to be breaking through, but managed to exert enough pressure to get a draw. I found myself in a Queen's Gambit also, more or less by accident as I misplayed my English against Peter Bevan and couldn't think of anything better after 2...d5. Nevertheless my position was OK until I grabbed a pawn and ended up having to try to defend against Black's doubled rooks on my second rank, which was never going to end well. Tom also looked comfortable against Chris Howells's King's Indian Attack until he missed the threat posed by the White queen, which finished the game very suddenly. Sam got in trouble in a Ruy Lopez against Duncan Williams allowing a favourable version of the Marshall Attack against his Ruy Lopez, which would have been highly dangerous even for experienced players in this line. He soon lost a rook in the ensuing tactics. The result was a win to Morriston by 3½-½.
[Event "Dyfed Online League"]
[Site "Lichess"]
[Date "2021.04.06"]
[Round "9.1"]
[White "Watkin-Jones, Adam"]
[Black "Perry, Marcus"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A03"]
[WhiteElo "1918"]
[BlackElo "1428"]
[Annotator "kemen"]
[PlyCount "123"]
[EventDate "2021.??.??"]
[WhiteTeam "Aberystwyth"]
[BlackTeam "U. C. Aberystwyth B"]
{[%evp 0,123,19,-30,-24,-23,-32,-59,-25,-20,-10,-16,-3,-51,-33,-31,-27,-35,-25,
-28,40,-12,-7,-15,-13,-10,-16,-13,-4,-12,-16,-25,-22,-24,-11,-12,-8,-28,16,0,
16,19,6,-9,22,-8,-2,-54,-7,-37,-28,-28,-25,-18,-21,-33,-23,-73,-25,-26,-55,-70,
-55,-43,0,0,39,20,177,180,172,172,172,194,181,130,87,60,139,140,140,163,142,
102,115,108,113,91,113,90,74,78,166,166,144,101,103,103,156,167,167,167,167,
167,236,158,150,166,165,124,119,161,163,64,37,25,21,5,5,0,0,0,0,0,0,0] new for
both players} 1. f4 (1. c4 e5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 Bc5 4. Nc3 O-O 5. e3 Nc6 6. Nge2
d6 7. O-O a6 8. a3 Ne7 {Watkin-Jones vs Perry,Dyfed Online League, 2020,0-1})
1... d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. g3 b6 (3... g6 {main}) 4. Bg2 Bb7 5. d3 e6 6. c3 Bd6 7.
O-O Nbd7 8. a4 (8. Qc2 {main}) (8. e4 {is a standard idea in the Leningrad
Bird anyway} dxe4 9. Ng5 h6 (9... Nc5 10. dxe4 Ncxe4 11. Qa4+ Qd7 12. Qxd7+
Kxd7 13. Nxf7 Bc5+ 14. Kh1 Ng4 15. b4 Rhf8 16. bxc5 Rxf7 17. cxb6 axb6 18. Kg1
Nc5 19. Bxb7 Nxb7 $17 {Stockfish13- looks unclear according to this commentator
}) 10. Nxe4 Nxe4 11. dxe4 O-O 12. Be3 Bc5 {Sliepcevic-Kristovic,CRO ch tm 2010,
0-1- Stockfish13 claims definite plus for Bl, though Henrick Danielsen has
been happy to play such posutions for Wh for years}) 8... c5 {written off as a
blunder by lichess, because Wh has e4 as a possibility after the text} (8...
O-O 9. Nbd2 (9. e4 {certainly doesnt work, because there is no longer a ch on
a4}) 9... a5 10. Nd4 Re8 11. N2f3 h6 12. Nb5 Bf8 13. Nbd4 c6 14. e3 c5 15. Nb5
{is what lichess Engine declares best for both sides- [looks a bit artivicial]}
) 9. Na3 {inaccuracy- lichess; yet Danielsen quite often plays this useful
waiting move ( cf his The Complete Polar Bear System) & it is played in the
only game that has reached this position} (9. e4 dxe4 10. dxe4 Be7 {the B was
loose} 11. e5 Nd5 12. Qe2 O-O {and Wh has a good game, though here lichess
wants} 13. c4 (13. Na3 $16 {Stockfish13}) 13... Nb4 14. Nc3 $14) 9... a6 {
mistake says lichess, wanting} (9... Qc8 10. Re1 c4 $11) 10. Nc2 {and of
course another move labelled mistake} (10. e4 {is still fine, yet we are are
still in a previous game, with a 2282 Wh player}) 10... Qc7 11. Bd2 c4 {
this feels like a postional mistake- judgement by Rudy, who frequently plays
these kind of positions as Wh} (11... O-O 12. Nh4 {another of Danielsen's
objectives} c4 13. Be3 Ng4 14. Bd4 Bc5 15. e3 f5 16. dxc4 dxc4 17. Bxb7 Qxb7
18. Qf3 {Poulsen (2282)- Butt, Dresden ol 2008,1-0}) 12. Ncd4 (12. Ne3 {
Stockfish13}) 12... O-O 13. b4 cxb3 (13... Rfe8 {Stockfish13 - because Wh is
playing a Bl opening reversed the Engine prefers the other side- yet Wh has a
postion that retains multiple opportunities , and where the stronger player
should have greater chances of success}) 14. Nxb3 (14. Qxb3 {looking at b6
looks more natural}) 14... Nc5 15. Ne5 Nfd7 16. Nxc5 bxc5 17. Nxd7 Qxd7 18. Qc2
f5 {inaccuracy-lichess , wants} (18... c4 {but Rudy considers this would leave
Bl with a very bad QB. then tempting looks} 19. d4 {followed by f5, or if Bl
blocks, then Bc1-a3 gets rid of Wh's bad B}) 19. c4 (19. e4 {looks possible}
dxe4 20. dxe4 Bxe4 21. Bxe4 fxe4 22. Qxe4 Be7 23. Rf2 (23. Be3 Qd5) 23... Bf6
24. Be1 Qd5 25. Re2 {leaves Bl nursing weaknesses at e6 & a6- Engines like
Stockfish13 can be guaranteed to find accurate defences, but humans are
frequently another matter}) 19... d4 20. Bxb7 Qxb7 21. Rab1 Qc6 22. Rb2 Rfb8
23. Rfb1 Kf7 24. a5 (24. Ba5 $5) 24... Rxb2 25. Rxb2 Rb8 26. Rxb8 Bxb8 27. Qb2
Bc7 28. e3 {lichess dislikes this and wants instead a series of non moves} (28.
Qb1 Kg8 29. Qa1 {(ceding the file!)} g6 30. Qf1 Qb7 31. Be1 Bd8 32. Qh3 Qc6 33.
Qf1 Kf7 34. Qh3 h5 {which get precisely nowhere. The higher rated human player,
down to 5 mins vs 22, launches an ingenious way of unbalancing the position
that could well have been successful when Bl rises to the bait rather than
just keep the lid on for a draw,}) 28... dxe3 29. Bxe3 Bxa5 $17 30. Qe5 Bb4 31.
Bc1 Qf3 $6 {Bl tries to get a winning material advantage} (31... Qd7 32. Bb2
Kg6 {just defends- Stockfish13- & although Bl is an a pawn up, it will
scarcely get to a1 to Q, with Bl having to stay in place to protect his K}) 32.
Bb2 $11 Qd1+ (32... Qxd3 $11) 33. Kg2 Qc2+ $2 {lichess- blunder- Wh now can
get a win} (33... Qg4 $11 {simplest}) (33... Qh5 {also draws-Stockfish13}) 34.
Kh3 $18 Qxd3 35. Qxg7+ Ke8 36. Bf6 Qd6 37. Qxh7 {lichess- blunder, gives} (37.
Qg8+ {as winning but fails to provide any followup.} Kd7 38. Qd8+ $1 (38. Qxh7+
{is what springs to mind, gaining the h pawn with a ch; but Stockfish13 has
seen further- it wants the a pawn as well! Tricky for Wh with just over 4 mins
left}) 38... Kc6 39. Qa8+ Kd7 (39... Kb6 $2 40. Bd8+ {wins the Q}) 40. Qd8+ Kc6
41. Qc8+ Qc7 42. Qxa6+ Kd7 (42... Qb6 43. Qc8+ Qc7 44. Qxe6+ Qd6 45. Qxf5 $18)
43. Be5 Qc8 44. Qa7+ Kc6 45. Qxh7 $18 {Stockfish13}) 37... Qf8 38. Bg5 {
a further mistake-2, after which the game returns to level.} (38. Be5 {is
winning- Stockfish13 agrees- crucially it prevents the a pawn by cotrolling a1}
Qf7 (38... Ba5 39. Qb7 Bd8 40. Qxa6 $18) 39. Qh8+ Qf8 40. Qh5+ Qf7 41. Qf3 Qd7
(41... a5 42. Qa8+ Ke7 43. Kg2 {the a pawn is held & the h pawn advances}) 42.
Qa8+ Ke7 43. Kh4 $1 (43. Qxa6 Qd1 {gives Bl drawing chances, perhaps even a
forced draw.}) 43... Ba5 44. Qg8 Qe8 45. Qg5+ Kd7 46. Qg7+ Qe7+ 47. Kh5 $18 {
Stockfish13.}) 38... a5 {lichess analysis has no further comments to make,
though the action is far from over} 39. Qc7 Qh8+ 40. Bh4 Qf8 41. Qd8+ Kf7 42.
Qf6+ Kg8 43. Qxe6+ Qf7 44. Qc8+ Kg7 45. Qc6 a4 (45... Bc3 46. Qxc5 a4 47. Qe7
Bb2 48. Qe2 a3 49. c5 Bf6 50. Bg5 Bxg5 51. fxg5 a2 52. Qb2+ Kg6 53. c6 Kxg5 54.
c7 a1=Q 55. Qxa1 Qh5+ 56. Kg2 Qe2+ $11 {Stockfish13 is the way some engines do
it}) 46. Qxa4 Qxc4 47. Qd7+ Qf7 48. Qd6 Kg8 49. g4 {one last push by Wh} Qb3+
50. Bg3 fxg4+ 51. Kxg4 Qe3 (51... c4 $11) 52. Qd8+ (52. Kf5 {is a better try
for an advantage, but by now Wh was living on increments} Bc3 $1 $11 {other
moves give Wh something to play for}) 52... Kf7 53. Qd7+ Qe7 54. Qf5+ Qf6 55.
Qd7+ Qe7 56. Qxe7+ Kxe7 {Lomonosov tablebases show a draw in all lines} 57. Kf5
c4 58. Ke4 c3 59. Kd3 Ke6 60. Bf2 (60. h4 {Rudy, kibitzing, worth a try} Kf5
61. h5 Bf8 $1 {and Wh gets nothing} (61... Kf6 $2 62. Bh4+ Kf7 63. f5 $18 {
2 pawns in this position defend one another , if the K approaches one, the
other advances})) 60... Kf5 61. Be3 Kg4 62. Bd4 {Bl offered a draw & Wh
accepted} 1/2-1/2
[Event "Dyfed Online League"]
[Site "Lichess"]
[Date "2021.04.07"]
[Round "9.2"]
[White "Bates, Toby"]
[Black "Francis, Matthew"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B28"]
[WhiteElo "1366"]
[BlackElo "1648"]
[Annotator "kemen"]
[PlyCount "72"]
[EventDate "2021.??.??"]
[WhiteTeam "U. C. Aberystwyth B"]
[BlackTeam "Aberystwyth"]
{[%evp 0,72,27,28,71,58,85,40,25,36,32,27,42,-7,3,-18,-16,-92,-85,-77,-84,-84,
10,-68,-68,-48,-60,-49,-50,-319,-92,-113,-73,-69,-3,9,1,4,5,4,3,3,29,31,21,30,
22,23,18,43,59,33,194,-47,-14,-8,-11,-76,-71,-81,-86,-79,-7,-63,-63,-74,-19,
-72,-39,-44,-42,-38,-55,-750,-843]} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 a6 {preparing the O'Kelly
variation} (2... d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 b5 7. a3 Bb7 8. f3
g6 9. Be3 Bg7 10. Qd2 O-O 11. g4 {Bates-Holman, Dyfed Online League 2020,1-0})
3. a4 (3. d4 {main} cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 {the main idea, though Matthew
has not done all too well with it, 3 Wh wins & 4 draws. One of the draws in
2009 against Paul Orton , who was left with K & R vs K, but ran short of time
- not helped bty the fact that Paul was wearing the wrong glasses, having
picked up Rudy's instead. Then Matthew compoinded things by picking up Paul's
coat instead of his own, leaving Paul without keys for the night. It couldn't
happen in OTB chess.}) (3. c3 {second main line better results, Wh 1 win, 1
draw, Bl 2 wins}) (3. c4 {3rd main line. netted Matthew a draw against Gerry
Heap in the Dyfed League in 2008.} e6 {in the past yielded Matthew 1-1-1}) 3...
Nc6 {main} 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 e5 (5... Nf6 6. Nc3 e5 {more usual sequence}) 6.
Nb3 Nf6 7. Nc3 Bb4 {in this position Bl's a6 is of benefit, whereas a4 has
simply lost a tempo for Wh} 8. f3 {there are no other games with this move} (8.
Bd3 {developing a piece is preferable to further bl square weakening, though a
score of 1-4-7 tells its own story}) (8. Bg5 {insisted upon by lichess
analysis, but results give 1-1-3}) 8... d5 $17 {Stockfish13} 9. exd5 Nxd5 10.
Bd2 O-O $2 {lichess- blunder, gives Wh an opportunity} (10... Be6 $17) 11. Bd3
(11. Nxd5 Qxd5 12. Bxb4 Nxb4 13. Qxd5 Nxd5 14. O-O-O $14 {Wh has totally freed
his position}) 11... Nxc3 (11... Be6 {is what lichess insists on- perhaps it
is a little bit better than the text- though doubling the pawns on an open is
a strateic aim of the O'Kelly; which in effect leaves Bl with an extra pawn on
the K side.}) 12. bxc3 Bd6 13. O-O Be6 14. f4 $2 {blunder} f5 {this leads to a
few difficulties for Wh} (14... exf4 15. Bxf4 Bxf4 16. Rxf4 Qc7 $17 {is better,
but, as lichess points out , Bl can win a piece here}) (14... Bxb3 {since} 15.
cxb3 Bc5+ 16. Kh1 Qxd3 $19) 15. fxe5 Nxe5 (15... Bxe5 {controlling d4, is
easier to play}) 16. Nd4 Bc8 $2 {undeveloping & giving up the extra pawn} (
16... Bc5 17. Be3 Ng4 $15 (17... Nxd3 18. cxd3 Qd7 19. Bf2 {leads to equality})
) 17. Bxf5 Bxf5 18. Nxf5 Bc5+ 19. Kh1 (19. Be3) 19... Qd7 20. Be3 Qxd1 21.
Raxd1 Bxe3 22. Nxe3 Rxf1+ 23. Rxf1 $11 {Wh's extra halfpawn on the c file is
of little consequence} Rc8 (23... Re8 {preferred by Stockfish13}) 24. Nd5 Ng6 (
24... Rd8 {is safer}) 25. h4 Rc5 $2 {given as a blunder by lichess, and it is}
(25... Rc4 26. g3 h6 27. h5 Ne5 $11 28. Ne7+ Kh7 29. Rf5 Ng4 30. Nd5 (30. Ng6 {
attempting to set up a mating net just loses pawns} Nf6) 30... Rxa4 31. Kg2 $11
{Stockfish13}) 26. c4 $2 {missing it} (26. Rf5 {wins for Wh- the R is loose
and h5 foces the loss of a N due to backrank mating threats}) 26... Rxc4 $11
27. g3 h6 (27... h5 {looks better- prevents h5 by Wh, and perhaps gives Bl a
mating net if the N can get to g4}) 28. h5 (28. Rb1 Rxc2 {Stockfish13} 29. Rxb7
$11) 28... Ne5 29. Ne7+ (29. Re1) 29... Kh7 30. Rf5 Re4 $11 {disliked by
lichess} (30... Ng4 $17 {gives Bl a plus}) 31. a5 Re1+ (31... Re2 {kibitzed by
Rudy, indirect swap of Ns with Nf3}) 32. Kg2 Ng4 33. Kh3 $2 {lichess- blunder}
(33. Nd5 $11 {but Wh still after that mating net}) 33... Rxe7 (33... Ne3 {
threatens mate on h1} 34. Rf2 Rh1+ 35. Rh2 Rxh2+ 36. Kxh2 Nc4 $1 $19 {this
gives a distant runner & Ns have trouble stopping R pawns- taking the c pawn
does not deliver a passed pawn. [ Bl had some 7 mins to Wh's 14 left}) 34. Kxg4
Rc7 35. Kf4 Rxc2 36. Rf7 $2 {the person who makes the second to last blunder,
wins the game- Tartakover} (36. Rd5 $11) 36... Rf2+ 0-1
[Event "Dyfed Online League"]
[Site "Lichess"]
[Date "2021.04.07"]
[Round "9.3"]
[White "Gunn, Tom"]
[Black "Fox, Harry"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D04"]
[WhiteElo "1398"]
[BlackElo "1400"]
[Annotator "kemen"]
[PlyCount "70"]
[EventDate "2021.??.??"]
[WhiteTeam "Aberystwyth"]
[BlackTeam "U. C. Aberystwyth B"]
{[%evp 0,70,18,15,15,23,65,18,21,15,15,-2,-10,-20,-7,-11,-3,-21,27,12,27,-7,27,
27,46,46,52,46,55,51,53,46,65,63,54,53,66,72,454,446,442,442,484,508,509,470,
470,464,470,470,470,414,488,427,528,532,532,538,552,561,563,402,407,420,481,
481,589,605,894,914,915,919,939]} 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 (2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 dxc4 4. Nf3
Bb4 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 b5 {Kwan-Fox, Dyfed Online League 2020, 0-1}) 2... Bg4
(2... Nf6 3. e3 {main, Gunn 4-2-3}) 3. e3 (3. Ne5 {main, 68% for Wh}) 3... e6
4. Be2 (4. Bd3 Nf6 5. Nbd2 Nbd7 6. O-O Be7 7. c4 {Gunn- R Gareth Williams,
Dyfed Closed 2019,0-1}) (4. c4 {main, 57 % for Wh}) 4... Nf6 5. Nbd2 (5. O-O
Bd6 6. Nbd2 O-O 7. c4 c5 8. cxd5 Nxd5 9. b3 cxd4 10. Nxd4 Nc3 11. Qe1 Nxe2+ 12.
Nxe2 Bxe2 13. Qxe2 Qf6 {Gunn-Parri, Dyfed Major, 2020,1/2-1/2}) 5... Nc6 (5...
c5) (5... Bd6) (5... Nbd7 {main lines}) 6. a3 (6. O-O {Nb4 is no threat}) 6...
Bd6 7. O-O (7. c4 {main, to exploit absence of B guarding b7}) 7... O-O 8. b4 {
1-2} (8. c4 {20 games, 55% for Wh}) 8... b6 (8... Ne4 {0-2}) 9. Bb2 (9. c4 $16
{Stockfish13}) 9... a5 10. c3 (10. b5 $14) 10... axb4 11. cxb4 {Stockfish13}
Bxf3 (11... Ne7 $11) 12. Nxf3 $14 Ne4 13. Nd2 Nxd2 14. Qxd2 Ne7 15. Rac1 (15.
a4) 15... Rc8 16. Bd3 c5 $6 {trying to break out, but leads to a clear Wh
advantage} 17. bxc5 bxc5 18. dxc5 Rxc5 $2 {It is a common error to be
concentrting on just one part of the board, & not seeing inter-relationships
across the whole board} (18... Bxc5 {had to be played, when Wh's outside
passed a pawn gives Wh the advantage} 19. a4 $16 {Stockfish13}) 19. Rxc5 $18
Bxc5 20. Qc3 {what Bl had missed} Nf5 21. Bxf5 Qg5 22. Bxh7+ (22. h4 Qh6 23.
Qxc5 exf5 24. a4 {even better, signals Stockfish13}) 22... Kxh7 23. Qxc5 Rb8
24. Qc3 (24. Bd4) 24... f6 25. h3 e5 26. Ra1 (26. f4) 26... Ra8 27. a4 Qf5 28.
a5 Qe6 29. Qc5 Rc8 30. Qb6 Qxb6 31. axb6 Rb8 32. Ra6 Rb7 33. Ba3 Kg6 34. Bc5
Rb8 35. Ra7 Rc8 {the a pawn become a b pawn triumphs} 1-0
[Event "Dyfed Online League"]
[Site "Lichess"]
[Date "2021.04.07"]
[Round "9.4"]
[White "Bourne, Patrick"]
[Black "Holman, Sam"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A48"]
[WhiteElo "1000"]
[BlackElo "1386"]
[Annotator "kemen"]
[PlyCount "88"]
[EventDate "2021.??.??"]
[WhiteTeam "U. C. Aberystwyth B"]
[BlackTeam "Aberystwyth"]
{[%evp 0,88,80,17,-1,11,36,17,32,29,26,-22,36,18,18,17,73,64,64,43,37,40,18,28,
56,-1,-19,-11,-9,-70,-27,-59,-6,-46,-66,-60,4,-21,-21,-113,-182,-153,-153,14,
19,21,24,13,13,12,12,6,6,-25,-17,-63,-66,-47,-41,-72,-50,-107,-117,-149,-145,
-193,-193,-254,-197,-192,-161,-330,-169,-285,-162,-245,-324,-325,-203,-210,
-204,-397,-421,-455,-471,-476,-522,-533,-534,-807,-816]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 g6 (
2... e6 3. Nf3 Be7 4. e3 b6 5. Nc3 d5 {Bourne-Evans, Dyfed Online League ,2021,
0-1}) 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. e3 (4. Nbd2 O-O 5. c3 d6 6. e4 h6 7. Bh4 Re8 8. Bd3 e5 9.
O-O Nc6 {Evans-Holman,Dyfed Online League rd 7, 2021,0-1}) 4... O-O 5. Bc4 {
not the best place for this B} (5. Bd3 {main}) 5... d6 (5... d5 {and Wh scores
30 % from 15 games}) 6. O-O Nc6 (6... Nbd7 {main}) 7. Nc3 $146 {some Engines
approve of this} (7. Nbd2 {main}) 7... e5 8. dxe5 (8. Nd5 $14 {Stockfish13})
8... dxe5 9. Bb5 (9. Qe2) 9... h6 10. Bh4 g5 11. Bg3 Nh5 {a little risky} (
11... Nd7 $11) 12. Ne4 $2 {this should just lose a piece, now & later.
Blunder- lichess. Lichess in what follows repeats blunder charge when the
players don't quite play its moves, which is too severe, But this move is a
blunder} (12. Bxc6 {threatens Bxe5 leaving h5 hanging} Nxg3 13. Bxb7 Bxb7 14.
hxg3 $16 {lichess analysis}) 12... Nxg3 {whether to call moves that that fail
to take advantage of a blunder are themselves a blunder is moot. lichess has
no such compunction, yet it depends on how clearcut the decision is.} (12... f5
13. Ned2 f4 {wins a B}) 13. Nxg3 Qe7 14. Ne4 $2 {again a similar error} Bg4 (
14... f5 $1 15. Nc3 (15. Ng3 e4 16. Nd2 Bxb2 $19) 15... a5 16. e4 g4 17. Ne1 f4
$17 {Stockfish13- but Bl's K side pawns will break through quite quickly}) 15.
h3 Bh5 (15... Bd7) 16. Bc4 (16. Bxc6 {is better}) 16... Rad8 17. Qe2 g4 $6 (
17... Bg6 $17) 18. hxg4 $6 (18. Nfd2 {would give Wh an advantage as the g pawn
is pinned}) 18... Bxg4 19. Rad1 Kh8 20. Rxd8 Rxd8 21. Rd1 $2 {Blunder , as the
pin should cost a piece} (21. Qe1 {Wh must get out of the pin, though} Bxf3 22.
gxf3 f5 $17) 21... Rxd1+ {not the best} (21... f5 {wins a piece- lichess.
Stockfish13 comes up with the hiper-refined}) (21... Rb8 22. Qf1 f5 23. Ng3 e4
24. Nh2 Bxd1 25. Qxd1 Rd8 $19) 22. Qxd1 f5 23. Nc3 (23. Qd5 $11) 23... e4 24.
Qd5 {this escape would not have worked had Rs still been on.} Qd8 25. Qxd8+
Nxd8 26. Nh2 (26. Nd4 $11) 26... Bh5 27. Nb5 {lichess has no comment} Bxb2 (
27... c6 28. Nd4 Bxd4 29. exd4 Kg7 $15 {Stockfish13}) 28. Nxc7 Bd1 29. Ne6 (29.
Nb5 Nc6 $11) 29... Nc6 {Bl has better} (29... b5 30. Bb3 Nxe6 31. Bxe6 Bxc2 32.
Nf1 a5 33. Ng3 Kg7 34. Bxf5 Bb1 35. Bd7 b4 36. Be6 a4 {lichess & Stockfish13-
winning on the Q side}) 30. Nf4 {lichess scarcely approves of any of Wh's next
moves} (30. Bb3 Nb4 31. Nd8 b5 32. Nf7+ Kh7 33. Nd6 a6 34. Nxf5 Bxc2 35. Nd6
Bd3 $17 {Wh is clinging on, but Bl must have good chances}) 30... Bxc2 $19 31.
Ng6+ (31. g4 $5) 31... Kg7 32. Nh4 Kf6 33. Kf1 Bc1 34. Ke2 Nb4 35. f4 (35. Bg8
{insisted upon by lichess, but Wh is lost on the Q side anyhow}) 35... Bb1 (
35... Bd3+ {looks better} 36. Bxd3 exd3+ 37. Kd1 Bxe3) 36. g4 Nxa2 37. gxf5 h5
38. Ng6 Kxf5 {Bl could leave this pawn, but there is not much point in
marginal extra improvements when Bl will clearly win} (38... Nc3+) (38... Bd3+)
39. Ne7+ Kf6 40. Ng8+ Kg7 41. Ne7 Nc3+ 42. Kf2 Nd1+ 43. Kg3 Nxe3 44. Kh4 Nxc4
0-1
[Event "WCU Open2 Online"]
[Site "lichess.org"]
[Date "2021.04.13"]
[Round "3.1"]
[White "McCarthy, Moss"]
[Black "Watkin-Jones, Adam"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D53"]
[WhiteElo "1898"]
[BlackElo "1918"]
[Annotator "kemen"]
[PlyCount "84"]
[EventDate "2021.??.??"]
[TimeControl "2700+15"]
{[%evp 0,84,80,63,5,-17,-3,0,15,21,22,20,22,22,33,34,25,16,21,28,28,20,15,15,
27,14,27,28,23,22,4,-4,-24,-8,-19,-50,-12,-99,-14,-6,-30,-40,9,0,25,29,30,15,
63,23,52,52,63,53,55,63,24,6,6,-109,-130,-257,-152,-184,-139,-167,-153,-239,-8,
-12,1,-7,0,-44,-40,-57,-43,-48,-37,-108,-157,-109,-49,-166,-145,-145,-49]} 1.
d4 {normally Wh plays e4} d5 {and Bl normally responds with Nf6 or g6, both
players wary of prepared analysis, so landing up in unfamiliar territory to
both.} 2. c4 (2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 g6 4. c4 Bg7 5. Nc3 {Thomas- Watkin Jones,
Dyfed League 2016,1/2-1/2}) 2... e6 (2... e5 {McCarthy-Kelly, WLS ch 1998,1-0})
3. Nc3 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bg5 O-O 6. cxd5 Nxd5 (6... exd5 {main}) 7. Bxe7 Qxe7
8. e4 (8. e3 {is more cautious}) 8... Nxc3 9. bxc3 c5 10. Qd2 (10. Bd3) (10.
Be2 {main lines}) 10... b6 11. Bd3 {1-3-1 results} cxd4 $146 {Deep Fritz14-
rather similar to positions arising from a Semi-Tarrasch} 12. cxd4 Bb7 13. O-O
Rd8 $11 14. Rfd1 {the question is whether Wh's centre pawns can be dynamic, eg
with a sudden d5 to launch a K side attack; or whether in the long run Bl's 2
to1 pawns on the Q side will be better- a sort of Grunfeld without a B on g7}
Nc6 15. Qe3 Nb4 16. Bb1 Rac8 17. Qb3 Rc7 (17... Ba6 $5) 18. h4 {K side
activities brewing} Ba6 (18... Rdc8 $17 {Stockfish13}) 19. a3 Nc6 20. e5 (20.
Qe3 {awaits events#}) 20... g6 {this can wait, it does give Wh a target &
hopes of getting a N to f6} (20... Na5 21. Qe3 Bb7 22. Qd3 g6 23. Ba2 Bxf3 24.
Qxf3 Qxh4 25. d5 exd5 26. Bxd5 Kg7 $11 {Stockfish13}) 21. Qe3 Rcd7 (21... Bc4
22. h5 $14) 22. Be4 $16 Na5 23. h5 Bb5 (23... Nc4) 24. Rac1 $18 a6 25. Rc3 Nc4
26. Qh6 Qf8 27. Qf4 (27. Qc1 $18 {also}) 27... Nxa3 28. Rdc1 (28. hxg6 hxg6 29.
Ng5 Nc4 30. Re1 Qg7 31. Rh3 Rc8 32. Rh7 $18 (32. Nh7 $18 {Stockfish13})) 28...
Be2 29. h6 {Wh wanted to keep Qs on for the atack- g7 is a target , as is the
N on a3, far away from the action. But, it gums up the works.} (29. hxg6 $1
hxg6 (29... fxg6 30. Qxf8+ Rxf8 31. Rxa3 $18) 30. Ng5 Nc4 31. Rh3 Rxd4 32. Nh7
Qg7 33. Nf6+ Kf8 34. Rh7 {and the Q is dead}) 29... Nb5 $17 30. Bc6 Bxf3 (30...
Nxc3 31. Rxc3 (31. Bxd7 Nd5 32. Qd2 Bxf3 $19) 31... Rc7 $19 {Stockfish13}) 31.
Bxb5 (31. Bxd7 Nxc3 32. Rxc3 Bd5 33. Rc7 $11 {Bl has two extra pawns on the Q
side, but they are vulnerable, since the Bl pieces don't co=operate well})
31... axb5 (31... Rxd4) 32. Rxf3 (32. gxf3) 32... Rxd4 33. Qf6 (33. Qg5) 33...
Qxh6 {Bl was down to 3 mins against 4, so plays moves in the wrong order} (
33... Rd1+ $1 $19 34. Rxd1 Rxd1+ 35. Kh2 Qxh6+ 36. Rh3 Qf8 {and Bl should win
the ending- one of the b pawns gets through, now that Wh's K side attack has
vanished}) 34. Qxf7+ Kh8 35. Qf6+ {it looks drawish now, though Bl need a bit
of care for his K} Qg7 36. Qxe6 Rd1+ {no longer winning} 37. Rxd1 Rxd1+ 38. Kh2
Qh6+ 39. Rh3 (39. Qh3 {doesn't make a great deal of difference.}) 39... Qf4+
40. Rg3 Qh4+ {Bl seeks the draw} (40... Qxf2 $15 {is possible, but takes a
while to work out, especially in time pressure.} 41. Qc8+ Kg7 42. Qb7+ Kg8 43.
Qc8+ (43. Qb8+ Qf8 44. Qxb6 Qh6+ 45. Rh3 Qf4+ 46. Rg3 Rd3 $19) 43... Qf8 44.
Qg4 Rf1 $17 {Stockfish13}) 41. Rh3 Qf4+ 42. Rg3 Qh4+ {Normal} 1/2-1/2
[Event "WCU Open2 Online"]
[Site "lichess.org"]
[Date "2021.04.13"]
[Round "3.2"]
[White "Francis, Matthew"]
[Black "Bevan, Peter M"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D36"]
[WhiteElo "1648"]
[BlackElo "1929"]
[Annotator "kemen"]
[PlyCount "110"]
[EventDate "2021.??.??"]
[TimeControl "2700+15"]
{[%evp 0,110,26,-9,-9,-9,0,-29,-6,-15,-18,-1,27,22,25,16,49,44,36,34,47,39,32,
13,15,16,13,8,8,9,24,17,34,20,13,16,8,9,11,5,10,-10,2,-2,-1,-15,-6,-16,-4,-17,
-20,0,21,9,2,7,42,0,80,58,60,-42,-27,-116,-132,-138,-151,-173,-188,-290,-233,
-206,-212,-292,-212,-220,-246,-251,-173,-168,-251,-251,-208,-253,-245,-672,
-253,-238,-219,-228,-241,-283,-262,-303,-243,-258,-258,-262,-265,-320,-298,
-342,-226,-244,-269,-289,-299,-309,-310,-315,-291,-318,-318]} 1. c4 e6 {
usually Peter has played e5.Matthew has not had this played against him.} 2.
Nc3 (2. e4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. cxd5 Nf6 5. Bb5+ Bd7 6. Bc4 Bg4 7. f3 Bc8 {
Hughes-Bevan,WCU Open Online 2020,1/2-1/2}) 2... d5 3. cxd5 exd5 4. d4 {
usually after d4,d5 Matthew has played Bf4; while Peter has gone after c4 into
a Slav with c6. So both are in unfamiliar territory.} Nf6 {47,000 games in
database} 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 O-O 7. Bd3 c6 8. Nge2 (8. Qc2 {main}) 8... Nbd7 9.
O-O (9. Qc2 Re8 {leaves Wh with the option of} 10. O-O {or} (10. O-O-O)) 9...
h6 10. Bh4 Re8 11. Qc2 Ne4 12. Bxe7 Qxe7 13. Nxe4 (13. Rae1) (13. Bxe4 {
main lines}) 13... dxe4 14. Bc4 Nb6 (14... Nf6 15. Nf4 {5 Wh wins,2 draws}) 15.
Bb3 {6 Wh wins,4 draws,2 Bl wins} (15. Rac1 {1-0}) 15... Nd5 16. Nc3 (16. Bxd5
{preferred by Rudy, kibitzing. the aim is to get a good N vs bad B ending, as
well as immediate access to c7 for Wh}) 16... Nxc3 {Stockfish13 veers between
this and Nf6, both =} (16... Nb4 17. Qd2 Bf5 18. f3 exf3 19. Rxf3 Be6 20. Bxe6
Qxe6 21. e4 $11 {Garcia Clemente-Sanchez Esteban, Barcelona Sant Marti 2015,1-0
}) 17. Qxc3 (17. bxc3 {also possible}) 17... Qg5 18. f3 $14 (18. f4 $14) 18...
Bh3 19. Qd2 (19. Rf2 {Stockfish13-can be played} exf3 20. Bxf7+ Kh7 21. Qc5
Qxc5 22. dxc5 Re7 23. Rxf3 Bg4 24. Rf4 Rd8 $14 {Stockfish13}) 19... Be6 20. Bc2
Bd5 21. f4 Qf5 22. a3 a5 23. Qc3 b5 $11 24. Bb3 Rec8 25. Rac1 b4 (25... a4 $5)
26. axb4 axb4 27. Qc5 Qe6 28. Bxd5 Qxd5 29. Qxb4 {taking up the offer, but the
open lines require careful defence by Wh} (29. Kf2 $14 {Stockfish13} Qa2 30.
Rc2 b3 31. Re2 Qa4 32. Rc1 {Bl has to be defending his weak pawns on b3,c6, &
also e4 could be weak} Ra5 33. Qe7 c5 34. Qxe4 Raa8 35. Qf5 c4 36. Rd2 c3 37.
bxc3 Qc4 38. Qd3 $11 {given as best play by Stockfish13}) 29... Rcb8 30. Qc5 (
30. Qd2 Ra2 31. Rc2 Rb3 32. h3 Qb5 33. Rb1 g6 $11 {Wh's extra pawn just clogs
up all his pieces}) 30... Qxc5 31. Rxc5 $2 {Wh has no time for this positional
looking moves, tactical solutions are required to stay afloat} (31. dxc5 Rxb2
32. Ra1 Rd8 33. Rf2 {protecting the second rank} Rb3 34. Re2 Rc3 35. Ra7 Rxc5
36. Kf2 $11 {the active R behind the c pawn should hold, though the presence
of extra Rs may make a difference- but Wh's K is safe and Bl must make sure
that Wh can't suddenly get to double on the 7th}) 31... Rxb2 $17 32. Rfc1 $2 {
too late to cordinate Rs} (32. Kh1 {Wh needs to grovel} Ra3 33. Rxc6 Rxe3 34.
Rcc1 Ree2 35. Rg1 Rf2 36. d5 Kh7 37. h3 Rxf4 38. Rgf1 Rxf1+ 39. Rxf1 Kg6 $19 {
but Bl will win in the end because the d pawn is dead.}) 32... Raa2 $19 33.
Rxc6 (33. Rh5 $5) 33... Rxg2+ 34. Kf1 Rxh2 (34... Raf2+ 35. Ke1 Rxh2) 35. Kg1
Rhg2+ 36. Kf1 Rh2 37. Kg1 Rag2+ 38. Kf1 Rf2+ (38... Rd2) 39. Kg1 Rfg2+ 40. Kf1
Re2 41. Kg1 Rhg2+ (41... h5 42. Ra6 h4 43. Ra5 f6 44. Rh5 Reg2+ 45. Kf1 Rd2 46.
Kg1 h3 {is a mating net, that wins a R- Stockfish13}) 42. Kf1 Rgf2+ 43. Kg1 Rf3
44. Rc8+ Kh7 45. d5 Rfxe3 46. Rd1 Re1+ 47. Rxe1 Rxe1+ 48. Kf2 Rd1 49. Rc5 Rd3
50. f5 Rf3+ 51. Ke2 Rxf5 52. Ke3 Re5 53. Kd4 Re8 54. d6 e3 55. Rc1 f5 {Normal}
0-1
[Event "WCU Open2 Online"]
[Site "lichess.org"]
[Date "2021.04.13"]
[Round "3.3"]
[White "Howells, Chris"]
[Black "Gunn, Tom"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A08"]
[WhiteElo "1835"]
[BlackElo "1398"]
[Annotator "kemen"]
[PlyCount "51"]
[EventDate "2021.??.??"]
[TimeControl "2700+15"]
{[%evp 0,51,13,-26,33,32,62,12,15,18,30,-18,-14,-14,-7,-7,3,-13,-3,-12,-7,-16,
-18,-24,-24,-24,17,17,51,53,97,107,109,82,82,78,96,45,74,1,16,16,55,-17,91,91,
290,386,29995,29996,29997,29998,29999,-30000]} 1. d3 c5 (1... d5 2. Nf3 c5 3.
g3 Nc6 4. Nbd2 e5 5. e4 d4 6. Bg2 Bd6 7. Nc4 Nge7 8. Nxd6+ Qxd6 9. a4 f6 10.
Bd2 O-O 11. O-O Ng6 {Howells-Crow, 4NCL Online 2021,0-1}) 2. Nf3 e6 3. Nbd2 d5
4. e4 Nc6 5. g3 Bd6 (5... Nf6 6. Bg2 Be7 {main}) 6. Bg2 Nge7 {main} (6... Nf6 {
by transposition leads to} 7. O-O O-O 8. Re1 Bc7 9. c3 b6 10. e5 Ng4 11. d4
cxd4 12. cxd4 f6 13. h3 Nxf2 14. Kxf2 fxe5 15. dxe5 Bxe5 16. Rxe5 (16. Nf1 $16)
16... Nxe5 17. Kg1 Qd6 18. Nxe5 Qxe5 19. Kh2 Qd6 (19... Rf2 $17) 20. Nf3 Bd7
21. Bf4 Qe7 (21... Rxf4) 22. Qd4 $18 {Howells-Hewitt,4NCL Online ,2021,1-0}) 7.
O-O O-O 8. Re1 Qc7 9. c3 b6 (9... Bd7 {main}) (9... d4) (9... f6 {both less so}
) 10. Nf1 $11 {but results terible for Wh , 2 draws, 7 Bl wins} (10. Qe2 f6 $11
{main, but results 2-2-5}) 10... Bb7 {3 draws, 2 Bl wins} (10... Ba6 {2-4}) 11.
Qe2 dxe4 (11... Ng6 12. Bg5 h6 13. Be3 dxe4 14. dxe4 a5 15. Rad1 Ba6 16. Qc2
$17 {Antoszkiewqicz-Linert, DDR ch corr 1977,1/2-1/2}) 12. dxe4 e5 $6 {cedes
both d5 & f5 to Wh, playing the pawn to e5 blocks off all of Bl's pieces that
converge on this squre- the bl B in particular becomes a big pawn} (12... Ng6 {
Stockfish13} 13. Be3 Nge5 14. Qc2 Nxf3+ 15. Bxf3 Rfd8 16. Nd2 Ne5 17. Bg2 Rac8
18. f4 Ng4 $15 {Kipke-Seref,GER ch tm U14,2016,0-1}) (12... f6 {Stockfish13})
13. Ne3 $16 (13. Be3 Rfe8 14. Rad1 Bc8 15. Qc2 Na5 16. b3 f6 17. N1d2 Be6 18.
Nh4 Rac8 19. Nf5 $14 {Rodriguez Valencoso-Alonso Nadal, ESP ch U14, Oropesa
del Mar 1999,1/2-1/2}) (13. Nh4 $16 {alternative}) 13... a6 14. Nc4 (14. Nh4)
14... b5 15. Nxd6 {in this position Stockfish13 sanctions this- Rudy considers
this a strategic error, the N is far more important ( much more mobile)than a
dead B clogging up a file, the N needs to be in at either f5 or d5. Indeed
Tarrasch once observed that a N on f5 near a 0-0 .d K is better than a R (
perhaps even better if a R sac on f6 has broken up Bl's pawn structure.} Qxd6
16. Rd1 Qc7 17. Be3 c4 (17... Nd8 {to get to e6, leads to trouble in the centre
} 18. Qd3 Re8 19. Nh4 Ne6 20. Qd7 Qxd7 21. Rxd7 Bc6 22. Rd2 Rad8 23. Rad1 Rxd2
24. Rxd2 c4 (24... g6 25. f4 exf4 26. gxf4 {is dangerous}) 25. Nf5 Nc8 26. f4
$16 exf4 27. gxf4 Rd8 $16 {it may take somebody like Karpov to ensure the win
with the lressed material}) 18. h4 (18. Nh4 Rad8 $14) 18... Rad8 (18... Nd8 19.
a4 Ne6 20. Nxe5 Qxe5 21. Rd7 Bxe4 22. Rxe7 Bxg2 23. Kxg2 bxa4 $11 {Stockfish13}
) 19. Ng5 Rxd1+ (19... h6 $11) 20. Rxd1 Rd8 {this is already a mistake-
Stockfish 13 gives away a R and claims a win} (20... h6 $11) (20... Nd8 21. Qd2
Bc6 22. Bc5 Nb7 $14) 21. Rf1 {this is the problem with a single open file-
there is a tendency for all the Rs to swap off. It is why Rudy would have left
that B sitting on d6, so Bl cannot use the file , while launching an attack on
the K side ( using Rs on the f , g or h files)- this is, after all, a King's
Indian Att} (21. Qh5 $18 Rxd1+ 22. Kh2 $1 Ng6 23. Qxh7+ Kf8 24. h5 Rd6 25. hxg6
Nd8 (25... Rxg6 26. Qh8+ Ke7 27. Bc5+ Kd7 28. Bh3+) 26. Qh8+ Ke7 27. Nh7 Rxg6
28. Qf8+ Kd7 29. Bh3+ Re6 30. Ng5 Qd6 31. Qxg7 $18 {Stockfish13}) 21... Qd6 $2
{an attempt at controlling the file fails to the Wh Bs'activity} (21... h6 $11)
22. Bb6 Qd2 {however Bl misses the threat and drives Wh's Q exactly where she
was headed anyway} (22... Rd7 23. Bh3) (22... Rf8 23. Rd1 Qb8 24. Qe3 h6 25.
Nf3 Bc8 $16 {but Wh does not have clear entry squares on Bl's side of the board
}) 23. Qh5 $18 Rd6 (23... h6 {giving up an exchange may last longer ( as does
giving up Q for N), but soon useless} 24. Qxf7+ Kh8 25. Bxd8 Qxd8 26. Ne6 Qg8
27. Qxg8+ Kxg8 28. Rd1 Bc8 29. Nc7 {and Bl is running out of sensible moves})
24. Qxf7+ Kh8 25. Qf8+ Ng8 26. Nf7# {Normal} 1-0
[Event "Rated Classical game"]
[Site "lichess.org"]
[Date "2021.04.13"]
[Round "3.4"]
[White "Holman, Sam"]
[Black "Williams, Duncan"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C88"]
[WhiteElo "1386"]
[BlackElo "1725"]
[Annotator "kemen"]
[PlyCount "58"]
[EventDate "2021.??.??"]
[TimeControl "2700+15"]
{[%evp 0,58,26,34,-2,-2,10,10,25,-4,2,7,12,-18,2,-14,1,5,11,-16,-1,3,5,-82,-49,
-39,-41,-41,-76,-83,-66,-515,-623,-702,-699,-699,-712,-745,-702,-785,-687,-760,
-531,-565,-575,-576,-510,-534,-454,-448,-413,-977,-429,-987,-446,-999,-544,
-1010,-445,-1010,-1026]} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6.
Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O {an-Anti-Marshall} 8. h3 (8. c3 d5 {has netted Duncan 2
draws & a win}) 8... Bb7 (8... d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Rxe5 c6 {
78% for Wh with an edge, either after} 12. d3 {or} (12. Re1 {Wh has c3
available for the N})) 9. c3 {about the only way h3 makes sense is to play} (9.
d3 {58% for Wh Allowing Wh to open up lines "9 c3? d5 would be much better
for Black than the Marshall, since ..Bb7 isc learly far more useful than h3."
Kaufman 2019-420. So much so that he doesn't bother with any further analysis
on this.}) 9... d5 {"is most satisfactory for Black" Wade & Harding 1974:158}
10. exd5 Nxd5 11. Nxe5 {Bologan 22015:201 picks up the story " It would be
suicide to take the bait" He gives Nxe5 ? and indicates that} (11. d4 {is the
way to survive to a level game. Even so Wh scores a modest 38% with this.but
far better than the resukt of the text}) 11... Nxe5 12. Rxe5 {a mere 18% for
Wh from 85 games} Nf4 13. d4 (13. f3 Nd3 {1-7} (13... Bd6 {0-7})) 13... Nxg2
14. Qg4 (14. d5 Nh4 {0.5-9.5} (14... Bd6 {0.5-2.5})) 14... Nh4 15. Bg5 (15. Nd2
{is about the only thing that Wh should try} a5 {Stockfish13- 0-1} (15... Kh8 {
Bologan - 1-5}) (15... Bf6 {should still be winning according to stockfish13,
but in real life Bl players went horribly astray, notching up results of 4-3-2
for a deficit}) 16. Bc2 f5 $19) 15... Bxg5 16. f4 (16. Rxg5 Nf3+ {
Stoecklin-Weissen, Bern Op 1991,0-1} (16... Qxg5)) (16. Nd2 Bxd2 {Perez
Reclusa-Villares Galiano, Barcelona La Lira 1995,0-1}) 16... Nf3+ 17. Kf2 Nxe5
18. fxe5 Kh8 19. Na3 Bh4+ 20. Ke2 Qg5 21. Nc2 Qxg4+ 22. hxg4 Bg5 23. Ne3 Bxe3
24. Kxe3 Rad8 25. Rh1 Bd5 (25... Bxh1) 26. Bc2 g6 27. a3 Kg7 28. g5 Rfe8 29.
Kf4 Bxh1 {Normal} 0-1
An Aberystwyth team missing our Board 4 took on Cardiff in the second round of the second Welsh Chess Union Online League on Tuesday 30th March. The opening of Rudy van Kemenade's game against Tom Brown was the Hyper-Accelerated Dragon Variation of the Sicilian Defence, which has to be a contender for most exotic opening name in chess. The game itself was less interesting, though, as a wholesale exchange of pieces in a position with symmetrical pawns led to an early draw. Adam Watkin-Jones played a noteworthy opening variation, too, a line of the Scandinavian which was under a cloud for years after a devastating win by Fischer, but is now apparently rehabilitated. Certainly it led to a good position for Adam, whose strong fianchettoed bishop and pressure on the White centre gave him the early advantage. The pressure continued after there were just heavy pieces and pawns left, and Sam Jukes eventually blundered in time trouble. I found myself facing a fierce attack from Jake Hurley against my English opening, having castled too soon. I have never like to do too much thinking at the beginning of the game, and my defence soon fell apart. With the default on Board 4, Aber lost the match 2½-1½.
[Event "WCU Online Open 2"]
[Site "lichess.org"]
[Date "2021.03.30"]
[Round "2.1"]
[White "Van Kemenade, R."]
[Black "Brown, Thomas"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B27"]
[WhiteElo "1999"]
[BlackElo "2165"]
[Annotator "kemen"]
[PlyCount "51"]
[EventDate "2021.??.??"]
[TimeControl "2700+15"]
{[%evp 0,51,5,23,128,109,140,154,186,126,116,66,62,24,64,64,64,59,61,59,74,57,
40,-5,34,37,23,4,-3,-5,-7,-4,-4,-4,-4,-2,-6,-9,-9,-9,-14,-18,-11,-11,-7,-4,15,
-4,-4,-3,9,-4,-3,-3]} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Qxd4 Nf6 5. Bb5 {
inaccurate- lichess} (5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Qa4 d6 7. e5 {is played for Wh by both
players}) 5... Nc6 {main, Bl was relying on an old book by Donaldson mistake-
lichess,this & preceding move, the only two comments it has on the game} (5...
a6 6. e5 Nh5 (6... axb5 7. exf6 exf6 8. O-O Ra6 9. Bf4 Nc6 10. Re1+ Be7 11. Qe3
O-O 12. Nc3 d6 13. Nxb5 Be6 14. Nbd4 {Van Kemenade-Waterfield, S Wales op,
Penarth 2012,0-1}) 7. Ba4 Nc6 8. Bxc6 dxc6 9. Qxd8+ Kxd8 10. Nc3 Bg4 11. Ng5
Ke8 12. h3 Bd7 13. g4 Ng7 14. Bf4 $11 {Van Kemenade-Brown,S Wales Spring blitz
2017,1-0}) (5... Qa5+ 6. Nc3 Nc6 7. Bxc6 dxc6 8. Bd2 Bg7 9. Nd5 Qd8 10. Nxf6+
Bxf6 11. Qxd8+ Kxd8 12. O-O-O Bd7 13. Bf4 Kc8 14. e5 {Van Kemenade-Thorpe, S
Wales Open, Penarth 2012,1-0}) 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. Qxd8+ Kxd8 8. Nc3 {main} (8. e5
Nd5 $11 {yet results 4-4-1}) 8... Bg7 9. Bf4 Nh5 {both main} (9... Nd7 10. e5 (
10. O-O-O Ke8 11. h3 e5 12. Be3 f6 13. Rd3 Bf8 14. Rhd1 Be7 15. a4 Kd8 16. Nd2
Kc7 {Van Kemenade-Mavreas,EU Cup, Rhodes 2013,0-1}) 10... h6 11. O-O-O g5 12.
Bg3 Ke8 13. Rhe1 Nc5 14. Nd4 Be6 15. b4 Nd7 16. Nxe6 fxe6 17. b5 {Van
Kemenade-di-Vetta, S wales New Year 2019,1-0}) 10. O-O-O+ Ke8 11. Be5 (11. Be3
Bxc3 (11... e5 {3 draws}) 12. bxc3 $11 {though 1.5-0.5}) 11... Bg4 (11... f6 {
main, & expected by Wh, 1 Wh win 6 draws}) 12. Bxg7 Nxg7 13. Rd3 Bxf3 14. Rxf3
e5 (14... Rd8 15. Rd1 {Perez Garcia-Alonso Matinez, Villa de Allbox op 2002,
draw agreed}) 15. Rd1 Ke7 16. Rfd3 Rhd8 17. Rxd8 Rxd8 18. Rxd8 Kxd8 19. Kd2 {
[draw?]} Ne6 20. Ne2 (20. Nd1 Ke7 21. Ne3 $11 {Stockfish13 in search of
symmetry}) 20... Ke7 21. g3 f5 22. Ke3 Nc5 23. Nc3 (23. exf5 gxf5 24. f4 e4 25.
Kd4 Kd6 26. h3 h5 27. Ke3 {still drawn- Stockfish13, as} Kd5 $2 28. Nd4 {
loses a pawn & the game}) 23... Ne6 24. Ne2 Nc5 25. Nc3 Ne6 26. Ne2 {Normal}
1/2-1/2
[Event "WCU Online Open2"]
[Site "lichess.org"]
[Date "2021.03.30"]
[Round "2.2"]
[White "Jukes, Sam"]
[Black "Watkin-Jones, Adam"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B01"]
[WhiteElo "1991"]
[BlackElo "1918"]
[Annotator "kemen"]
[PlyCount "96"]
[EventDate "2021.??.??"]
[TimeControl "2700+15"]
{[%evp 0,96,16,28,20,34,34,52,92,92,117,115,98,81,73,71,71,77,88,52,45,42,28,5,
5,17,16,8,17,22,25,18,14,16,31,23,27,6,6,6,5,-29,4,-29,-44,-17,-17,-39,-68,-47,
-47,-119,-119,-129,-81,-87,-30,-82,-86,-139,-139,-192,-192,-192,-142,-148,-107,
-104,-102,-149,-131,-100,-99,-116,-99,-116,-104,-135,-114,-136,-117,-143,-136,
-208,-215,-223,-238,-266,-307,-307,-328,-333,-404,-1014,-1016,-1156,-1230,
-1190,-400]} 1. e4 d5 ({has been Bl's main} 1... c5) 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qd8 4.
d4 g6 (4... Nf6 {main} 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. Be2 e6 7. O-O Be7 8. Be3 {Jukes-Zeidler,
Dyfed Open 2018,1/2-1/2} (8. h3 {Jukes-Sagues, 4 NCL 2019,1/2-1/2})) 5. Nf3 (5.
Bf4 Bg7 6. Qd2 Nf6 7. O-O-O {was Fischer-Robatsch, Varna Ol 1962,1-0 ,
deterred many from this line, but has been brought back by GMs}) 5... Bg7 6.
Bc4 Nf6 (6... Nh6 {main}) 7. h3 (7. O-O {eg by Carlsen & Caruana}) 7... O-O 8.
O-O a6 9. Bg5 {lichess he says inaccurate, instead wants} (9. Ne5 {neither
have been played before}) (9. a4 {main, 70 % for Wh, though Duda & Nakamura
have been succesful against GMs from here as Bl}) 9... b5 10. Bd3 Bb7 11. Re1
Nc6 $11 12. Ne2 Nb4 13. Nf4 h6 14. Bxf6 exf6 {appoved of by Stockfish13} 15.
Be4 Bxe4 16. Rxe4 Nd5 17. Nxd5 Qxd5 18. Re7 c5 19. c3 (19. dxc5 $11) 19... Rad8
{Bl's pieces seems a little better co-ordinated} 20. Qe2 cxd4 21. Nxd4 f5 {
Stockfish13- brings the QR into play} 22. Nc2 (22. a4 $11) 22... Bf6 $15 23.
Ra7 {given as a blunder by lichess, since it leaves the centre to Bl's heavy
pieces; looks like} (23. Re3 {was needed, though} Bg5 24. Nb4 Qa8 25. Rd3 a5
26. Nc2 Rxd3 27. Qxd3 Rd8 28. Qxb5 Rb8 29. Qe5 Rxb2 30. Ne3 Qc6 (30... Qe4) 31.
c4 Re2 $15 {is uncomfotable for Wh}) 23... Rfe8 $19 24. Qf1 Qd2 {regarded as
inaccurate by lichess,analysis which wants} (24... Qe6 25. Nb4 Qe4 (25... Bh4 {
Stockfish13}) 26. Nxa6 Rd2 27. Nc5 Qc6 28. Re1 Rxe1 29. Qxe1 Qxc5 30. Rxf7 Kxf7
31. Qxd2 $19 {However it must be pointed out that the Stockfish13 here
disagrees with every single move of this variation, starting from the first
one, & suggests that Bl has better moves available! ( and various other ideas
for Wh as well)}) (24... Qd6 {Stockfish13} 25. Nb4 (25. Re1 Rxe1 26. Qxe1 Qd1
27. Qxd1 Rxd1+ 28. Kh2 Be5+ 29. g3 Rd2) 25... Bh4 26. Rxa6 Qf4 27. Kh1 (27. g3
Bxg3) 27... Rd2 28. Nd3 Qc4 29. Rd6 Bxf2 $19 {Stockfish13}) (24... Re6 {
Rudy kibitzer idea} 25. Nb4 Qd2 26. Rxa6 Rxa6 27. Nxa6 Qxb2 28. Rb1 Qxc3 29.
Qxb5 Rd2 $19 {Stockfish13}) 25. Rxa6 Qxc2 26. Rxf6 Qxb2 $2 (26... Re2 $19 {
given by both Engines} 27. Qb1 Rxf2 28. Qxc2 Rxc2 29. Kh2 Rxb2 30. Ra6 f4 {
Stockfish13-and Wh is helpless}) 27. Rb6 $11 Re2 28. Rb1 Qxa2 29. R6xb5 $6 (29.
Re1 $11) 29... Rdd2 30. Rb8+ (30. Ra1 {is better, but Bl is winning with either
} Qe6 {or} (30... Qc2 31. Rc1 Rxf2 32. Rxc2 Rxf1+ 33. Kxf1 Rxc2 {Stockfish13}))
30... Kg7 31. Ra1 Qc2 32. Rc1 Qe4 (32... Rxf2 $19) (32... Qa2 33. Ra1 Qd5 34.
Rb4 Qe5 35. Rd4 Rc2 36. Rad1 f4 $19 {lichess & Stockfish13- usin the front
doubled pawn as a battering, with the rear one sheltering its own K} 37. R4d3
g5) 33. Rb4 Qc6 (33... Qe6 {Stockfish13}) (33... Qe5 34. Rd4 {Rudy &
Stockfish2nd line}) 34. Re1 Rxe1 (34... Rxf2 {the Engines are confident that
the Q & pawn mass is sufficient to overcome the power of 2 Rs; humans might
well hesitate} 35. Qxf2 Rxf2 36. Kxf2 Qxc3 37. Reb1 f4 38. Kg1 Qe3+ 39. Kh1 f3
40. R4b3 fxg2+ 41. Kxg2 Qg5+ 42. Kf1 Qd5 43. R1b2 g5 $19 {Stockfish13}) 35.
Qxe1 $11 Qxc3 36. Rc4 {by now Wh was living on increments} Qb2 37. Rc8 Re2 38.
Qf1 Qe5 39. Rc1 f4 40. f3 $2 {under pressure, opening up the K side} (40. Qd1 {
still holdingas} f3 (40... g5 {and Wh remains under pressure}) 41. gxf3 {
looks horrible yet survivable}) 40... Qb2 {inaccurate, though it induces a
blunder} (40... g5 $17) 41. Rb1 (41. Re1 Rc2 42. Kh1 g5 {and there is not yet
a breakthrogh, but, under incremental pressure things can easily go wrong in a
passive position}) 41... Rxg2+ 42. Qxg2 (42. Kh1 {is actually a little better,
but there is no time for lengthy calculation}) 42... Qxb1+ 43. Kh2 Qe1 44. Qb2+
Kh7 45. Qg2 h5 (45... Qg3+ {is enough, but increasing the pressure even better}
) 46. h4 Qxh4+ 47. Kg1 Qe1+ (47... Qg3) 48. Kh2 h4 {Normal; a tricky game for
both sides with all the heavy artillery on manouevres} 0-1
[Event "WCU Online Open2"]
[Site "lichess.org"]
[Date "2021.03.30"]
[Round "2.3"]
[White "Francis, Matthew"]
[Black "Hurley, Jake"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A21"]
[WhiteElo "1648"]
[BlackElo "1829"]
[Annotator "kemen"]
[PlyCount "38"]
[EventDate "2021.??.??"]
[TimeControl "2700+15"]
{[%evp 0,38,19,-16,-33,-14,36,-42,41,-17,33,32,22,1,12,17,30,6,33,80,76,35,54,
-169,36,-256,-256,-269,-298,-671,-703,-660,-812,-812,-826,-776,-886,-885,-893,
-916,-977]} 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Bc5 (2... Nc6 3. g3 f5 4. e4 d6 5. d3 Nf6 6. Bg2 g6
7. Nge2 Ne7 8. f4 c6 9. O-O Bg7 10. fxe5 dxe5 $15 {Francis-Van Kemenade,Dyfed
March rapid, 2021,0-1}) 3. g3 (3. Nf3 Nc6 4. e3 {main} (4. g3 a6 5. Bg2 Ba7 6.
O-O h5 7. d3 h4 8. Bg5 (8. Nxh4 $5 {Stockfish13 reckons that} Rxh4 9. gxh4 Qxh4
10. Nd5 {is unsound}) 8... f6 9. Be3 Bxe3 10. fxe3 hxg3 11. hxg3 d6 12. d4 Bh3
$11 {MacDonald-Hurley, WCU Online Open 2020,0-1})) 3... a6 (3... Nf6 {main}) 4.
Bg2 Ba7 {unusual, only 1 blitz antecedent} 5. e3 (5. d3 Nc6 {3 games,1 result
each way}) 5... Nc6 6. Nge2 d6 {transposing to 607 games} 7. O-O (7. d4 {
47% for Wh}) 7... h5 {181 games, 31 % for Wh} 8. h4 {15 games, 17 % for Wh} (8.
h3 {preferred by lichess, 38 games , 41% for Wh}) (8. d4 {97 games, 29% for Wh}
) (8. Nd5 {15 games, 50%}) 8... g5 9. hxg5 Qxg5 $17 (9... h4 {0-3}) 10. d4 {
mistake according to lichess, who wants instead} (10. Nd5 Qd8 (10... Kd8 11. f4
exf4 12. Rxf4 Be6 13. Qe1 Nh6 14. b3 Ne5 15. Bb2 Nhg4 {Dragnea-Negulici, ROM
ch U10, Voineasa 2010,0-1}) 11. d4 (11. f4 h4 12. f5 Nf6 13. Qe1 Nxd5 14. cxd5
Nb4 15. Be4 Rg8 {Miloradovic (2056)-N Pert (1537) EU Cup online women, rapid ,
dec 2020,0-1})) 10... h4 $17 {unanimous choice of Cloud Engines but,
inaccurate according to lichess, which insists on} (10... Bg4 {when
Stockfish13 gives} 11. Qa4 Bd7 12. dxe5 h4 (12... dxe5 13. b4 $11) 13. exd6
cxd6 14. Ne4 (14. e4 $2 Qg4 $19 (14... Qh5 $19)) 14... Qe7 15. Nf4 O-O-O 16.
Nd5 Qf8 $15 {Stockfish13}) 11. e4 {blunder says lichess} (11. Nd5 Qd8 {lichess}
(11... Bb8 12. dxe5 dxe5 13. Qd3 Nce7 14. e4 Qh5 15. Rd1 hxg3 16. Nf6+ {
Marin-(2124)-Ciungan (1772) ROM ch women Targa Mures 2014,1-0}) 12. Nec3 $17 {
Cloud Engines}) (11. f4 exf4 12. gxf4 Qg7 13. Kh2 Nf6 14. Bf3 Qh7 15. Nd5 Nxd5
16. cxd5 Nd8 17. Bd2 Bf5 {Wiwantanadate(2035)-Djokic(2227), Titled Tuesday
blitz 2021,0-1}) 11... Qg7 {mistake says lichess ( though selected by a 2500
player)} (11... Qh5 12. Nf4 {says lichess, this time supported by other Engines
}) 12. Be3 {mistake, lichess, still wants} (12. Nd5 hxg3 {Bl is still winning,
a Stockfish12 examined this position a few days ago}) (12. Bh1 Nxd4 13. Nxd4
Bxd4 14. Kg2 hxg3 15. fxg3 Bh3+ {Chen (1719)-Rychagov (2545)-PNWCC online
blitz 2020,0-1}) 12... exd4 13. Nd5 dxe3 14. Nxc7+ Kd7 15. Nxa8 exf2+ 16. Rxf2
hxg3 17. Nxg3 Qxg3 18. Qf3 Bxf2+ 19. Qxf2 Rh1+ {Normal} 0-1
Meetings every Tuesday upstairs at The Scholars, Aberystwyth, 6.30 pm. All welcome.
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