Stop All the Clocks!

Aberystwyth Town's "home" match against Carmarthen A on Monday 13th February at the Emlyn Cafe, Tanygroes, was a convivial affair like the old days of the Dyfed League, with the University team's match against Carmarthen B taking place on adjacent tables. On Board 1, Murray Smith reached a rook ending a pawn up against Ewan Ferguson's Grand Prix Attack in the Sicilian Defence. White looked able to hold for a while, but once the rooks came off the win followed quickly. In the only non-Sicilian of the match, a Scotch Four Knights, Luis Sanchez also had an extra pawn and the initiative, but Black's position looked solid until a blunder which should have cost him material. White went wrong in the complications that followed but clinched the win anyway after another error by his opponent.Peter Windows was facing the sharp Smith-Morra Gambit for the first time on Board 3, but White was too generous with his pawns and the attack didn't materialize: by the time White had recovered some material the Black passed pawns were unstoppable. I missed a chance for an advantage with my Closed Variation of the Sicilian against Grenville Brazener and the game was level until I was able to break in the centre. Both players were down to their last few minutes, with the top three boards having already finished when the team captain, Murray, came up and asked if we knew that the clocks weren't giving us the intended 20-seconds per move increment; they're new and we hadn't set them properly. Fortunately for me, I was now in control of the game if not the technology, and mate followed shortly. It was a good night for the Aber teams, less so for Carmarthen, with 4-0 whitewashes in both matches.

[Event "Dyfed League"] [Site "?"] [Date "2023.02.13"] [Round "?"] [White "Ferguson, Ewan"] [Black "Smith, Murray"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B23"] [WhiteElo "1800"] [BlackElo "2200"] [PlyCount "86"] [SourceVersionDate "2023.02.15"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 {Sicilian Defence, Grand Prix Attack.} g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bb5 Nd4 6. O-O a6 7. Be2 e6 8. d3 Ne7 9. Nb1 {Intending to kick the annoying knight with c3, but it's a loss of time.} d6 10. Nbd2 O-O 11. c3 Nxe2+ 12. Qxe2 b5 $11 13. Qe1 Nc6 14. Ng5 h6 15. Ngf3 f5 16. e5 $2 {Losing a pawn for no clear compensation.} dxe5 17. Nxe5 Nxe5 18. fxe5 Qxd3 19. Rf3 Qd5 20. Rh3 Qxe5 {The flaw in White's plan - while his rook can penetrate the kingside, he allows the queens to come off, and remains a pawn behind.} 21. Qxe5 Bxe5 22. Rxh6 Kg7 23. Nf3 Bf6 24. Rh3 Rh8 25. Rxh8 Kxh8 26. Be3 c4 27. Bd4 Kg7 28. Rd1 Bb7 29. Bxf6+ Kxf6 $16 {Black has an extra, passed pawn and a powerful long-range bishop, but there's still a lot to do to win the game.} 30. Kf2 Bd5 31. h3 g5 32. Rd4 Rg8 33. h4 Bxf3 (33... gxh4 34. Rxh4 Rd8 {keeps the bishop on the board.}) 34. hxg5+ Rxg5 35. gxf3 $15 {Rook endings are tough to win, and Black no longer has a passed pawn.} Rh5 36. Kg2 Ke7 37. a4 $6 {Too committal. White should stay put and wait.} Rh8 38. axb5 axb5 39. b3 Rc8 40. bxc4 Rxc4 41. Rxc4 $2 (41. Rd3 $1 {is White's only chance.}) 41... bxc4 42. f4 e5 43. fxe5 Ke6 {and White resigns.} 0-1 [Event "Aberystwyth Town vs Carmarthen A: Board"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/BlN"] [Date "2023.02.13"] [Round "?"] [White "Sanchez, L.."] [Black "Narayan-Taylor, R.."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C45"] [WhiteElo "1950"] [BlackElo "1422"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/pwbourne"] [PlyCount "72"] [EventDate "2023.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 d6 4. d4 {Scotch Four Knights.} exd4 5. Nxd4 Nxd4 $6 {Generally regarded as an inaccuracy. White's centralized queen can't be easily driven away.} 6. Qxd4 Be6 7. Bd3 Ne7 8. O-O Nc6 {Black gets to play the thematic counter to the central queen, but at a cost of extra time.} 9. Qe3 Qd7 10. f4 f6 11. a3 O-O-O 12. Bb5 Kb8 13. Bd2 d5 14. exd5 Bxd5 15. Be1 Re8 16. Qf2 $11 Qf5 17. Bd3 Qd7 18. Rd1 Ne7 $2 (18... Bf7 $1 {White has no useful discoveries, but moves like this are hard to play.} 19. Bxh7 Qg4 20. Bd3 Qh5 { with good compensation for the pawn.}) 19. Bd2 c6 20. Be3 Nc8 21. Bc4 (21. Bb5 cxb5 22. Rxd5 $16) 21... Qf5 (21... Qe6 $1 22. Rfe1 Bxc4 23. Bxa7+ Nxa7 24. Rxe6 Bxe6 $15) 22. Bxd5 cxd5 23. Rxd5 Qe6 {Too late!} 24. Re1 Qc6 25. Qd2 Be7 26. Rd1 Nb6 27. Bxb6 Qxb6+ 28. Kh1 Rd8 29. Qc1 g5 30. f5 Rhe8 31. h3 h5 32. R1d3 $14 {White has the extra pawn, but Black's position looks solid.} Bc5 $4 33. Na4 Be3 34. Nxb6 Bxc1 35. Rxd8+ Kc7 36. Rd1 $2 (36. Na8+ $1 Kc6 37. Rc3+ Kb5 38. Rd5+ Ka6 39. Nc7+ Kb6 40. Rb5#) 36... Bxb2 $4 {and Black resigns. Na8+ as before is the best way for White to win.} (36... Rxd8 $1 37. Nd5+ Kb8 38. Nc3 Rxd1+ 39. Nxd1 $14) 1-0 [Event "Aberystwyth Town vs Carmarthen A: Board"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/BlN"] [Date "2023.02.13"] [Round "?"] [White "Hopkins, M.."] [Black "Windows, P.."] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B21"] [WhiteElo "1400"] [BlackElo "1700"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/pwbourne"] [PlyCount "118"] [EventDate "2023.??.??"] 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 {Sicilian Defence, Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted.} e6 5. Nf3 Bb4 6. Be2 $6 {White must play aggessively after gambiting a pawn.} (6. Bc4 $1) 6... d6 7. O-O Nc6 8. Be3 Nf6 9. Nb5 $5 { The engine thinks this is not too bad,} Nxe4 10. Nfd4 (10. a3 $15) 10... d5 11. a3 Be7 $17 {Now White is two pawns down with no real compensation.} 12. Bh5 Nf6 13. Be2 a6 14. Nc3 O-O 15. Nf3 Bd6 (15... e5 $1 $19) 16. Bg5 h6 17. Bh4 Ne5 18. Ne1 Ng6 19. Bg3 Bxg3 20. fxg3 b5 (20... d4 21. Na4 e5 $19) 21. b4 Bb7 22. Nd3 { At last White has a target, c5, but Black dominates the centre.} Ne4 (22... d4 $1 23. Nb1 Nd5 24. Nc5 Ne3 25. Nxb7 Qb6 $1 26. Qc1 Nxf1 $19) 23. Nxe4 dxe4 24. Nc5 Qxd1 25. Raxd1 Bd5 $17 26. Rxd5 $2 {White is being extravagant with material.} exd5 27. a4 a5 28. axb5 axb4 29. Rb1 Rfc8 30. Nd7 Ra2 31. b6 Rxe2 32. b7 Rd8 33. Rxb4 e3 $19 {White's passed pawn will win back the rook, but Black's central pawns constitute a winning advantage.} 34. Rb1 Rd2 35. b8=Q Rxb8 36. Rxb8+ Kh7 37. Rb1 f6 38. Nb6 Ne5 39. Na4 d4 40. Nc5 d3 41. Ne4 Rc2 42. Kf1 Nc4 43. Ke1 Nd2 44. Nxd2 Rxd2 45. Rb3 Kg6 46. h3 Kg5 47. h4+ Kg4 48. Rb7 g5 49. Re7 Re2+ 50. Kf1 Kxg3 51. hxg5 hxg5 52. Rd7 Rf2+ 53. Ke1 d2+ 54. Kd1 Rxg2 55. Rd3 Kf3 56. Kc2 f5 57. Kd1 Rg1+ 58. Kc2 Rc1+ 59. Kb2 d1=Q {and White resigns.} 0-1 [Event "Aberystwyth Town vs Carmarthen A: Board"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/BlN"] [Date "2023.02.13"] [Round "?"] [White "Francis, M.."] [Black "Brazener, G.."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B24"] [WhiteElo "1648"] [BlackElo "1175"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/pwbourne"] [PlyCount "61"] [EventDate "2023.??.??"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 h6 5. d3 d6 {Sicilian Defence, Closed Variation.} 6. f4 Nf6 7. Nf3 Qb6 8. O-O Be7 9. h3 Nh5 $6 {Hitting a target which is easily defended, especially with the Black queen on the other side of the board.} 10. Kh2 e5 $6 {And this is premature, allowing White to open the e file before Black has castled.} 11. fxe5 dxe5 12. Nd5 (12. Nxe5 $1 Nxe5 (12... Nxg3 13. Rxf7 $1 Nxe5 14. Rxe7+ Kxe7 15. Nd5+ {wins.}) 13. Qxh5 Qe6 14. Nd5 $16 ) 12... Qd8 13. Nxe7 $2 {throwing away the advantage.} (13. Nxe5 $1 Nxg3 14. Nxf7 Nxf1+ 15. Qxf1 Rf8 16. Nxd8 Rxf1 17. Nxc6 bxc6 18. Bxf1 $16) 13... Qxe7 14. Nh4 {Now both players have knights on the rim.} g6 $2 {Determined to prove the knight is not misplaced.} (14... Nf6 $1) 15. c3 Be6 16. Be3 O-O-O $11 17. Qc2 Kb8 18. Nf3 f6 19. Rad1 g5 {Beginning to menace the White kingside.} 20. d4 $1 {The thematic counter in the centre comes just in time.} exd4 21. cxd4 cxd4 22. Nxd4 Nxd4 23. Bxd4 Rc8 24. Qe2 Qf7 25. Qf2 Rhf8 (25... a6 {looks necessary. }) 26. Bxa7+ $16 Ka8 27. Bc5 Rg8 28. e5 {Opening the line for the fianchettoed bishop.} f5 29. Qe3 Qc7 (29... Rxc5 {postpones defeat a little longer.}) 30. Qa3+ Kb8 31. Qa7# 1-0 /

Auld Enemy

Our second match in the new Dyfed League was played against Cardigan at the familiar venue of the Emlyn Cafe, Tanygroes, on Tuesday 31st January. There were some new players involved but the rivalry between the two clubs and the setting in which it's played out remains the same. On top board, Murray Smith had a cagey draw in the Queen's Indian with Howard Williams; the tension dissipated early, leaving a level ending. Peter Windows's Sicilian against Ben Brewer was complex and double-edged; in the end, with both players short of time, White's kingside attack prevailed. Sam Holman dominated the game in a Ruy Lopez against Andre Benn; White's space advantage soon led to both material gains and a crushing attack. Samuel Raybone got back on terms in a Caro-Kann against Awne Osinga after dropping a piece early on, only to succumb in a difficult rook and pawn ending. A close match ended in a 2½-1½ wind for Cardigan.

Meanwhile we have held their first AGM of the new era. We have elected the following officers: Matthew Francis (Chair); Samuel Raybone (Secretary); Peter Windows (Treasurer); Murray Smith / Luis Sanchez (Joint Team Captains). We are currently holding our club nights upstairs at The Scholars pub in Aberystwyth on Tuesdays from 6.30 onwards (all welcome).

[Event "Dyfed League"] [Site "?"] [Date "2023.01.31"] [Round "?"] [White "Smith, Murray"] [Black "Williams, Howard"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E16"] [WhiteElo "2200"] [BlackElo "2340"] [PlyCount "50"] [SourceVersionDate "2023.02.08"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 b6 4. g3 Bb7 {Queen's Indian Defence.} 5. Bg2 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Be7 7. Nc3 O-O 8. Qc2 d5 9. cxd5 exd5 10. O-O Na6 11. Rac1 c5 12. Rfd1 Qd7 13. Bf4 c4 {Black's light-squared bishop is looking bad.} 14. Ne5 $16 Qc8 15. e4 (15. Qa4 Nc7 16. b3 Bd6 17. bxc4 dxc4 18. Qxc4 Bxg2 19. Kxg2 Qe6 $16) 15... Nb4 $14 16. Qe2 Qe6 17. a3 (17. exd5 Nfxd5 18. Qxc4 Nxc3 19. Rxc3 Bd5 20. Qb5 Bxg2 21. Kxg2 Nd5 (21... Nxa2 22. Rc6 $16) 22. Rf3 $14) 17... Nd3 18. Nxd3 cxd3 19. Qxd3 dxe4 20. Qe2 Nd5 21. Nxd5 Bxd5 22. Re1 f5 $11 23. f3 {Or White's light-squared bishop has no future.} Bf6 24. fxe4 Bxd4+ 25. Be3 Bxe3+ {Draw agreed. After the bishops come off, White can cling on to the isolated d-pawn or use the time Black takes to capture it to create threats elsewhere on the board.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "Dyfed League"] [Site "?"] [Date "2023.01.31"] [Round "?"] [White "Smith, Murray"] [Black "Williams, Howard"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E16"] [WhiteElo "2200"] [BlackElo "2340"] [PlyCount "50"] [SourceVersionDate "2023.02.08"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 b6 4. g3 Bb7 {Queen's Indian Defence.} 5. Bg2 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Be7 7. Nc3 O-O 8. Qc2 d5 9. cxd5 exd5 10. O-O Na6 11. Rac1 c5 12. Rfd1 Qd7 13. Bf4 c4 {Black's light-squared bishop is looking bad.} 14. Ne5 $16 Qc8 15. e4 (15. Qa4 Nc7 16. b3 Bd6 17. bxc4 dxc4 18. Qxc4 Bxg2 19. Kxg2 Qe6 $16) 15... Nb4 $14 16. Qe2 Qe6 17. a3 (17. exd5 Nfxd5 18. Qxc4 Nxc3 19. Rxc3 Bd5 20. Qb5 Bxg2 21. Kxg2 Nd5 (21... Nxa2 22. Rc6 $16) 22. Rf3 $14) 17... Nd3 18. Nxd3 cxd3 19. Qxd3 dxe4 20. Qe2 Nd5 21. Nxd5 Bxd5 22. Re1 f5 $11 23. f3 {Or White's light-squared bishop has no future.} Bf6 24. fxe4 Bxd4+ 25. Be3 Bxe3+ {Draw agreed. After the bishops come off, White can cling on to the isolated d-pawn or use the time Black takes to capture it to create threats elsewhere on the board.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "Dyfed League"] [Site "?"] [Date "2023.01.31"] [Round "?"] [White "Brewer, B.."] [Black "Windows, P.."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B21"] [WhiteElo "1679"] [BlackElo "1700"] [PlyCount "85"] [SourceVersionDate "2023.02.08"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Bb5 {A fairly well-known anti-Sicilian line that doesn't seem to have a name.} g6 ({Avoiding the double-edged line with} 3... Nd4 $5) 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. d3 Bg7 6. f4 Nf6 7. Nf3 O-O 8. O-O Ne8 9. e5 Nc7 10. Qe1 b6 {Defending the pawn on c5, which is often a target.} 11. Ne4 Ne6 12. Be3 Nd4 13. Qd2 f6 14. Bxd4 cxd4 {Black has got rid of his doubled pawns and has the two bishops.} 15. a4 a5 16. Rae1 c5 17. Ng3 Qe8 18. b3 Qc6 19. Rf2 Be6 20. Qe2 Rae8 {"Put your rook on the line of the queen / No matter how many pieces intervene."} 21. Ne4 Bd5 22. Ned2 Bh6 {Black's bishops can't find much to do in the closed position.} 23. Nh4 Qd7 24. Ne4 $2 Bxe4 (24... fxe5 $1 25. fxe5 $2 Be3) 25. dxe4 Qc7 $2 (25... fxe5 $1) 26. Qg4 Qc8 (26... fxe5 27. f5 Be3 28. Nxg6 Bxf2+ 29. Kxf2 hxg6 30. Qxg6+ Kh8 31. Qh5+ {draws.}) 27. e6 f5 $2 (27... c4 28. f5 g5 {holds the king's position together.}) 28. Qe2 $2 (28. exf5 { and White's attack looks crushing.}) 28... Rf6 (28... Qxe6 29. exf5 Qxe2 { and Black's fine.}) 29. g4 (29. exf5 $1 gxf5 30. Nxf5 Rxf5 31. Qg4+) 29... Bg7 (29... fxg4 {Peter.} 30. Qxg4 Kh8 31. e5 Rxe6 $16) 30. gxf5 gxf5 31. Rg2 Kh8 32. Nf3 (32. exf5 $1 $16) 32... Rg8 (32... Bh6 33. exf5 Bxf4 34. Qe4 Qb8 35. Kh1 Ref8 $11) 33. Ng5 h6 34. Nf7+ Kh7 35. Kh1 Qc6 (35... Qxe6 $1 {forces the knight away and Black holds.}) 36. Qh5 Qa8 37. h3 Bf8 38. Ng5+ Kh8 39. Kh2 { Preparing to double rooks without having to worry about the pin on the long diagonal.} Qe8 40. Nf7+ Kh7 41. Reg1 Rgg6 (41... Rxg2+ 42. Rxg2 Qa8 43. Ng5+ Kh8 44. e5 $18) 42. Rxg6 Bg7 43. Rxh6+ {and Black resigns. White will win the queen next move with Ng5+.} 1-0 [Event "Dyfed LEague"] [Site "?"] [Date "2023.01.31"] [Round "?"] [White "Holman, S.."] [Black "Benn, A.."] [Result "*"] [ECO "C60"] [WhiteElo "1386"] [PlyCount "77"] [SourceVersionDate "2023.02.10"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Qf6 $6 {A very unorthodox defence to the Ruy Lopez, presumably to defend the e5 pawn. Booked-up players know that there's no danger since Black can regain it with Qd4 after the exchange and capture.} 4. Nc3 a6 5. Ba4 Bc5 6. O-O (6. Nd5 $1 {forces the queen back, giving White a dominant position.}) 6... Nge7 7. d3 h6 8. Nd5 {Now the knight can be taken.} Nxd5 9. exd5 Ne7 10. Re1 Bd6 {The bishop looks awkward here.} 11. c4 c6 12. dxc6 bxc6 (12... dxc6 {is the more natural recapture, letting the light-squared bishop out. Black's development is slow.}) 13. Rb1 O-O 14. Bc2 Ng6 15. b4 Bb7 16. c5 {The light-squared bishop isn't coming out that way.} Bc7 17. Bb2 Qf4 (17... d5 $1 $14 {The queen isn't in immediate danger.}) 18. Re4 $16 Qf5 19. d4 $1 {White's position is looking formidable, and the Black queen is still a target.} exd4 (19... Qe6 {was necessary, abandoning the pawn and the centre to keep the king and queen relatively safe. Black's position is still horrible, though.}) 20. Qxd4 f6 21. Re2 Qh5 22. Qd3 f5 23. Qxd7 Be5 24. Bxe5 Nxe5 25. Rxe5 {White has won a piece, and the attack continues.} Bc8 26. Qc7 {Ignoring the free pawn to line up a battery against the king.} Kh8 27. Re7 Qg6 28. Ne5 Qf6 29. Rb3 Be6 30. Rg3 Rg8 31. h3 {A precaution. White has plenty of time.} Raf8 32. Ng6+ Kh7 33. Nxf8+ Qxf8 34. Rxe6 Kh8 35. Bxf5 {Not sure I see the point of this but White can afford the material.} Qxf5 36. Qxc6 Rf8 ( 36... Qf4 {Defending the h6 pawn.}) 37. Rxh6+ gxh6 38. Qxh6+ Qh7 39. Qxf8+ { and Black resigns.} * [Event "?"] [Site "?"] [Date "2023.01.31"] [Round "?"] [White "Osinga, A.."] [Black "Raybone, S.."] [Result "*"] [ECO "B13"] [WhiteElo "1343"] [BlackElo "1100"] [PlyCount "105"] [SourceVersionDate "2023.02.10"] 1. e4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. d4 {The exchange variation of the Caro-Kann. } Nc6 5. c3 Bg4 6. Be2 Nf6 7. h3 Bh5 8. O-O e6 9. Bf4 Bd6 10. Bxd6 Qxd6 $11 11. Nbd2 Qc7 12. Ne5 Bxe2 13. Qxe2 Nxe5 14. dxe5 Nd7 15. f4 Qb6+ 16. Kh2 O-O (16... Qxb2 17. Rab1 Qxc3 18. Rxb7 Qc6 19. Rfb1 O-O $15 {but Samuel understandably prefers to finish his development.}) 17. b3 f6 18. c4 Rae8 19. Nf3 dxc4 20. Qxc4 Rc8 21. Qd3 f5 $4 22. Qxd7 Rfd8 (22... Rcd8 23. Qe7 Rde8 24. Qh4 h6 25. Qe1 Qc7 26. Kg3 Rc8 27. Rf2) 23. Qe7 Re8 24. Qh4 h6 25. Qe1 Rc2 26. Kg3 Rec8 27. Rf2 Qa6 28. Rxc2 Rxc2 29. a4 Qd3 30. b4 g5 31. Kh2 $4 {Giving the material back.} (31. fxg5 hxg5 32. Qd1) 31... Qxf3 32. Qg3 Qxf4 33. Qxf4 gxf4 {Now it's rook ending, where Black seems to have the advantage.} 34. Kg1 Re2 35. Rc1 b6 { Looks a bit slow.} (35... Rxe5 36. Rc8+ Kf7 37. Rc7+ Kf6 38. Rxb7 a5 {and Black is more active than in the game..}) 36. Rc8+ Kf7 37. Rc7+ Kg6 38. Rxa7 Rxe5 39. Rb7 Re1+ 40. Kf2 Ra1 41. Rxb6 Rxa4 42. Rxe6+ Kf7 $2 (42... Kg5 $1 { The king must go forward.}) 43. Rb6 Ra2+ 44. Kf3 Ra3+ $2 {Instead, Black invites the enemy king to advance. The rook on the second rank was threatening the g2 pawn, but now it's doing nothing.} (44... Rb2) 45. Kxf4 Ra2 46. Kxf5 Rxg2 47. Rb7+ Kf8 48. Kf6 Re2 $2 (48... Rf2+ 49. Kg6 Rg2+ 50. Kh5 {and Black is still in the game.} (50. Kxh6 Rh2 $11)) 49. Rb8+ Re8 50. Rxe8+ Kxe8 51. Kg6 h5 52. Kxh5 Kd7 53. Kg6 {and Black resigns.} * /