Brief Update

Just a brief update this time of the latest results in the Dyfed Online League. Aberystywyth won the match against Aberystwyth University on Tuesday 1st December by 3½-½. Surprisingly, the half point was conceded by Rudy van Kemenade on top board. In a King's Indian Attack French, Rudy created and attacked a weakness on Black's kingside but his own queenside-castled king was also vulnerable, and Dan was able to force a draw by perpetual check. The other game given here is Sam Holman's in a Sicilian against Kieran Judge; Sam's persistent pressure down the c-file led to a convincing win. James Cook won against Kieran Rafferty and the other game was a default.

[Event "DyfedLonline Aberystwyth-AberystwythSU"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2020.12.01"] [Round "3.1"] [White "Van Kemenade, R."] [Black "Hardman, Daniel"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C00"] [WhiteElo "1500"] [BlackElo "1937"] [Annotator "lichess.org"] [PlyCount "65"] [EventDate "2020.??.??"] [TimeControl "2700+15"] 1. e4 e6 2. d3 {C00 French Defense: King's Indian Attack} d5 3. Qe2 {Bl seemed surprised at this, though Rudy is on the record with this idea.-R The lichess commentary has been kept- -R signals other input.} dxe4 4. dxe4 Nc6 $6 { (0.00 ? 0.54) Inaccuracy. e5 was best.} (4... e5 {main- R} 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Nc3 Nf6 7. a3 h6 8. Be3 Be6 9. h3) 5. Nf3 (5. e5 Nge7 {is ok for Bl, 1-2}) 5... e5 {The problem for the French Defence player is that they are now in an e4-35 position ( & one where Wh has good prospects on the wh squares-R} 6. c3 Bd6 { this could turn out a bad B, which was what Wh was hoping for} (6... Nf6 { main-R} 7. Qc2 Bc5 (7... Be7 8. Bb5 Bd6 9. O-O O-O 10. h3 a6 11. Bxc6 bxc6 12. Rd1 Qe7 13. Nbd2 {Van Kemenade-Goodwin, GBR ch 65+, Llandudno 2017,1-0 [ the previous encounter bwteen these players had been Manchester 1977,1/2-1/2}) 8. Bb5 Bd7 9. Nbd2 O-O 10. h3 Qe7 11. Nf1 $6 Nb4 $1 $15 {Van Kemenade-Van Veelen, West Wales open 2019, 1/2-1/2}) 7. Qc2 Nf6 (7... a6 8. Be2 Nf6 9. h3 O-O 10. g4 b5 11. Bg5 Qe7 12. Nbd2 Nd8 13. Nh4 Ne6 14. Nf5 Qd8 15. Bh4 Nf4 16. Bf3 b4 17. O-O-O bxc3 18. Qxc3 $11 {Zhang-Ali Marandi, Doha 2015,1-0 -R}) 8. Bg5 { 64% for Wh- getting ambitious on the K side} (8. Nbd2 {main} O-O 9. Nc4 { 68% for Wh-R}) 8... h6 9. Bh4 {4 Wh wins, 4 draws, 1 Bl win} Bg4 (9... g5 $5 { 2-1 -R}) 10. Nbd2 $146 {Cloud Engines} (10. Be2 {2-0- R}) 10... Qe7 11. h3 Bh5 12. Bb5 (12. Bc4 g5 13. Bg3 O-O-O $14 {Stockfish12 -R}) 12... O-O 13. g4 Bg6 14. g5 {in retrospect this might be held back, but it is Stockfish12's main choice} (14. Bxc6 {considered- in retrospect this would have been an improvent on the game (where the B has to swap the N on e6 instead), but at this point Wh was loath to open up the b file as Wh needs to 0-0-0-R}) 14... hxg5 15. Bxg5 Nd8 $6 {(0.36 ? 0.90) Inaccuracy. Bc5 was best.[ the Metzner unpin is a known resource in the Four Knights game-R} (15... Bc5 16. O-O-O) 16. Nh4 Ne6 17. Nxg6 fxg6 $16 18. Bc4 (18. h4 $16 {Stockfish12-R}) 18... b5 (18... Kh8 19. h4 Qe8 20. O-O-O Nh5 21. Be3 $14 {Stockfish12-R}) 19. Bb3 $6 {(0.71 ? 0.17) Inaccuracy. Bd5 was best.} (19. Bd5 c6 20. Bxe6+ Qxe6 21. Be3 a5 (21... Rf7 $11 {Stockfish12-R}) 22. Rg1 Nh5 (22... Qxh3 23. O-O-O Qe6 24. Qb3 Qxb3 25. axb3 Kh7 $11 {Stockfish12-R}) 23. Qb3 Qxb3 24. axb3 Rf6 25. Rg4 Bc7 $14) (19. Bxe6+ Qxe6 20. Qb3 Qxb3 21. axb3 $14 {Stockfish12- playing against the d6 B-R}) 19... a5 (19... Kh8 $11 {Stockfish12-R}) 20. a3 {Wh was wary of this- aware the pawn could become a target for a B or a Bl pawn advance-R} (20. a4 bxa4 21. Rxa4 { considered, but then Nc5 will be coming-R}) 20... a4 21. Ba2 (21. Bd5 $5 { (insisted upon by lichess engine)} Rab8 22. f4 Kh8 23. Bxe6 Qxe6 24. f5 gxf5 25. exf5 Qf7 26. O-O-O Nh5 $11 {Stockfish12-R}) 21... Bc5 $2 {(0.23 ? 1.33) Mistake. Kh8 was best.} (21... Kh8 22. Be3) 22. Nf3 (22. O-O-O Bxf2 {looks dangerous} (22... Kh8 23. h4 Qe8 24. Nf3 Nh5 25. Rd3 Nef4 26. Rd2 Ne2+ 27. Rxe2 Rxf3 28. Kb1 Rb8 29. Rd1 $16 {Stockfish12}) 23. Nf3 Bc5 24. Nxe5 Qe8 25. Bxf6 Rxf6 26. Nd7 Rf2 27. Nxc5 Rxc2+ 28. Kxc2 $18 {Stockfish12-R}) (22. f4 {Julie} Kh8 23. h4 Nxf4 (23... exf4 24. e5 $18) 24. O-O-O Rad8 25. Nf3 $11 {Stockfish12 }) 22... Bd6 $6 {(1.66 ? 2.43) Inaccuracy. Rad8 was best.} (22... Rad8 23. Nxe5 {[ lichess judgement- Wh looks superior, but then the best Stockfish12 finds is a draw after} Kh7 24. Nxg6 Kxg6 25. e5+ Kxg5 26. Rg1+ Kh4 27. Qf5 Bxf2+ 28. Qxf2+ Kh5 29. Qg3 g5 30. Bxe6 Ne4 31. Qg4+ Kh6 32. Qxe4 Qxe6 33. h4 Qh3 34. Ke2 (34. hxg5+ Kg7 $19) 34... Rf2+ {perpetual} 35. Kxf2 Qh2+ 36. Rg2 Rd2+ 37. Ke3 Rxg2 38. Qc6+ Kh5 39. Qf3+ Kg6 40. Qf6+ Kh7 41. Qe7+ {Stockfish12-R}) 23. Nh4 $2 {(2.43 ? 0.90) Mistake. Rg1 was best. [ the problem with this is that, although it attacks g6, it blocks the h file. Bl's K can now find a safe haven there, as the Wh h pawn is unable to advance to open the file up for Wh-R]} ( 23. Rg1 {[considered-R]} c5 24. Bd5 Ra6 25. Qe2 c4 26. Bxf6 Qxf6 27. Ng5 Bc5 28. O-O-O Bxf2 29. Nxe6 Rxe6 $18) (23. h4 $18 {Stockfish12 eg} Qe8 24. Be3 Kh8 25. Ng5 Nc5 26. O-O-O Ra6 27. f4 {opening up lines for the Wh Q to enter} (27. Bd5) 27... Nb3+ 28. Kb1 exf4 29. h5 gxh5 30. Bd4 Be5 31. Bxe5 Qxe5 32. Rd8 Qc5 33. Rxf8+ {giving up the Q might be best} Qxf8 34. e5 Ne4 35. Rxh5+ Rh6 36. Rxh6+ gxh6 37. Nxe4 $18) (23. O-O-O $18 {Stockfish12-R}) (23. Be3 c5 (23... Nh7 24. Qe2 Kh8 25. h4 $18 Nf4 26. Bxf4 Rxf4 27. Ng5 Raf8 28. f3 $18) 24. Nh4 $18 { Stockfish12-R}) 23... Kh7 24. Bxe6 $6 {(0.74 ? 0.00) Inaccuracy. Be3 was best.} (24. Be3 Nh5 25. Rg1 Qxh4 26. Bxe6 Nf4 27. Bd5 Rad8 28. O-O-O Qh5 29. Kb1 Nxd5 30. exd5 Qf5 {lichess stops here- Stockfish12 carries on with} 31. Rg5 $18 { though it's not immediately clear-R} Qxc2+ 32. Kxc2 Rf3 33. Rdg1 Bf8 34. R5g4 Rxh3 35. c4 bxc4 36. Rxc4 Rxd5 37. Rxa4 {Wh is half a pawn down, but his Q side ones should be winning?-R}) (24. Nf3 $16 {Stockfish12-R}) 24... Qxe6 25. O-O-O (25. Rg1 {initially given as near winning by Stockfish12- then it settles to equal-R}) 25... Qa2 26. f3 (26. Rhg1) (26. Be3 {but Wh seems to have no advantage in these either-R} Ra6 27. Nf3 Rc6 $19 {Stockfish12-R}) 26... Rad8 (26... Nh5 $19 {Stockfish12-R}) 27. Qg2 (27. Qb1 Qc4 $15 {Stockfish12-R}) 27... Be7 $6 {(-0.82 ? 0.00) Inaccuracy. Rd7 was best.} (27... Rd7 28. Qc2 { (lichess- 28...c5 Bl is winning- Stockfish12-R}) (27... b4 $1 28. cxb4 c5 $19 { Stockfish12-R}) 28. Be3 (28. Rhg1 Bc5 (28... Bxa3 {draws again}) 29. Bh6 Qf7 $17 {-R}) (28. Bh6 Qf7 29. Be3 (29. Bg5 Qa2 {invites repetition}) (29. Bd2 Nh5 {Wh's N is hanging} 30. Qg4 Bxh4 31. Qxh4 Qxf3 $19 (31... Qa2 32. Kc2 Rd6 $19)) 29... b4 $19 {Stockfish12} 30. cxb4 (30. Rdg1 g5 31. Qxg5 Nd5 32. Qg6+ Qxg6 33. Nxg6 Nxe3 34. Nxf8+ Rxf8 35. cxb4 Rxf3 $19) 30... Nh5 31. Qg4 Bxh4 32. Qxh4 Qxf3 $19 {Stockfish12} 33. Bc5 Rxd1+ 34. Rxd1 Rf4 35. Qd8 Rxe4 {and Wh's K is far less safe than Bl's- R}) 28... Bxa3 (28... g5 29. Bxg5 b4 30. cxb4 c5 31. Bh6 Rxd1+ 32. Rxd1 Qf7 33. Qxg7+ Qxg7 34. Bxg7 Kxg7 35. Nf5+ Kf7 36. Nxe7 Kxe7 37. bxc5 $11 {Stockfish12-R}) 29. bxa3 {Wh has to go for the draw- alternatives lose -R} Qa1+ (29... Qxa3+ 30. Qb2 {as envisaged would have held against the sacrifice}) 30. Kc2 Qa2+ 31. Kc1 Qa1+ 32. Kc2 Qa2+ 33. Kc1 { Normal The game is a draw.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "Dyfed Online League"] [Site "Lichess"] [Date "2020.12.01"] [Round "3.4"] [White "Judge, Kieran"] [Black "Holman, Sam"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B50"] [WhiteElo "1217"] [BlackElo "1386"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "88"] [EventDate "2020.??.??"] [WhiteTeam "U. C. Aberystwyth A"] [BlackTeam "Aberystwyth"] {[%evp 0,88,19,29,40,40,86,47,47,1,1,-2,41,12,11,13,33,-4,1,-12,9,-1,38,20,31, -11,-11,-15,-19,-79,-91,-81,-73,-75,-78,-85,-81,-115,-98,-98,-80,-120,-121, -121,-103,-97,-95,-101,-73,-134,-77,-141,-127,-161,-128,-128,-147,-347,-213, -216,-107,-114,-103,-142,-107,-142,-114,-506,-405,-416,-429,-641,-642,-646, -650,-675,-669,-814,-803,-909,-960,-1000,-1402,-1440,-1428,-29995,-29996, -29997,-29998,-29999,-30000]} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bd3 {the Kopec System} g6 ( 3... Nf6 4. c3 Nc6 5. Bc2 Bg4 6. O-O Ne5 7. Ba4+ Bd7 8. Bxd7+ Nfxd7 9. d4 Nxf3+ 10. Qxf3 e6 $11 {Judge-Corrigan, Dyfed League: Aberystwyth B-Aberystwyth A, 2017,1/2-1/2}) 4. c3 Bg7 5. Bc2 e5 (5... Nc6) (5... Nf6 {main lines}) 6. O-O ( 6. h3 Nc6 7. O-O Nge7 {4 draws, 5 Bl wins}) 6... Nc6 (6... Bg4 7. h3 Bxf3 8. Qxf3 Ne7 9. d3 O-O 10. Nd2 Nbc6 11. Qe2 b5 12. a4 a6 13. Nf3 {Navorro Cabrera-Sanchez Quintero, Gran Canaria Santana Memorial, 2017,1-0}) 7. d3 Nge7 8. Nbd2 (8. Be3 O-O {3 Wh wins, 1 draw, 4 Bl wins incl Kopec-Damljanovic, Saint John op 1988,0-1}) 8... O-O 9. h3 (9. Nb3 b6 10. Re1 Ba6 11. Be3 Rc8 12. Qd2 d5 13. exd5 Nxd5 14. Bh6 {Kopec-Kaplan, USCF op 1974,1-0}) 9... Qc7 (9... b5 10. Re1 a5 $11 {Gustafson-Wu, Keres memorial 2001,0-1} (10... b4 11. Nf1 a5 $11 {Jeffery-Goutor, Victoria op 2003,0-1})) (9... f5 10. Nc4 f4 11. Bb3 Kh8 12. a4 b6 13. Ncd2 Bf6 14. Bd5 g5 $15 {Nyberg-Brockway, Gordon Hoskyn memorial rapid 2008,1-0}) 10. Re1 {the position resembles a Ruy Lopez- where Bl has gained lots of time by not having to play Be7, Re8,Bf8-Bg7 to get this kind of position} Nd8 (10... b5 11. a3 a5 12. Nf1 d5 13. Ng3 d4 {Laaman-Disque, US ch email 2016,0-1}) 11. Nf1 Ne6 12. Be3 (12. Ne3 $11 {Stockfish12}) 12... f5 ( 12... d5 $11 {Stockfish12}) 13. exf5 Nxf5 (13... gxf5 $15 {is reputedly what every Russian schoolboy would play. (& Stockfish12)}) 14. Ng5 (14. Bb3 $11) 14... Nxe3 15. Nxe6 Bxe6 (15... Qf7 16. fxe3 Qf2+ 17. Kh1 Bxe6 $15 { Stockfish12- Bl controls the centre with superior development}) 16. Nxe3 Qf7 ( 16... d5) 17. Qe2 b5 18. b4 {hitting out, but destoying his Q structure. Since Bl is dominant here- both Bs aiming down with a space advantage. Wh has to sit and wait. Normally a Q side attack by one side leads to the other oening up on the K side, but Bl has this fully under control} cxb4 (18... c4 $17 { Stockfish12}) 19. cxb4 Bxa2 (19... a5 20. bxa5 Rxa5 21. Bb3 Bxb3 22. axb3 Rxa1 23. Rxa1 Qxb3 $15 {Stockfish12}) 20. Nd1 (20. Ba4 $1 $11 {Engines seldom miss a tactic - Stockfish12 regains the pawn}) 20... Be6 (20... e4 $19 21. Rc1 a5 22. bxa5 b4 23. dxe4 Rxa5 $19 {Stockfish12- the b pawn will eventually force the win of a piece}) 21. Nc3 a6 22. Ne4 Qd7 (22... Qe7 {eyes the b pawn}) 23. Qe3 Kh8 24. Qg3 Rfc8 (24... Qa7 $19 25. Qe3 (25. Nxd6 Qc7 $19) 25... Qxe3 26. fxe3 Rfc8 $19 {Stockfish12}) 25. Re2 Rc6 $19 (25... Bg8 $19 {protects every thing and keeps the 2 Bs-Stockfish12}) 26. Ng5 {for the second time Wh goes to swap off a N, giving up all hope of anything on the K side to counter his shattered Q side} Rac8 27. Nxe6 (27. Qh4 {leads to rapid loss} Bf6 28. Qh6 (28. Bd1 Rc1 29. Rxc1 Rxc1 30. Re1 Qe7) 28... Bxg5 29. Qxg5 Rxc2 $19 {Stockfish12}) 27... Qxe6 28. Rc1 {selfpins are seldom to be recommended, though Wh has to be very careful of his backrank} (28. Bd1 d5 29. Qg5 Qf6 30. Qxf6 Bxf6 31. Bb3 e4 32. Rd1 exd3 33. Rxd3 d4 34. Rd1 Rc3 $19 {the activity of Bl's Rs enhances the power of his B , especially because of the opposite colours}) 28... Qa2 (28... Bh6 {forces the pace} 29. f4 Qf5 30. Qf2 Qxf4 $19 {Stockfish12}) 29. Qg5 (29. Bd1 Qxe2 (29... Qe6 30. Rxc6 Rxc6 31. Rc2 Rxc2 32. Bxc2 $15 {gives Wh good survival chances}) 30. Bxe2 Rxc1+ 31. Kh2 Rf8 32. Qe3 Rb1 $19 {the Q & B don't work well together here- meanwhile the Bl Rs escort the Q side pawns}) 29... e4 (29... Qa3 30. g3 h6 31. Qd2 d5 32. Kg2 Kh7 {Stockfish12- keeps Wh tied down}) 30. dxe4 Qb2 (30... Qc4 31. Rce1 Qxb4 32. Bb1 Rc5 $19 {Stockfish12}) 31. Qd2 ( 31. Rb1 Qd4 32. e5 Bxe5 33. Be4 $17 {Stockfish12-gives Wh some reprieve because the Wh B has found a bit of play- but b4 is still doomed}) 31... Bc3 ( 31... Rc3) 32. Qh6 Qxb4 {anything to get out of the pin, though the B is still badly placed} 33. Re3 (33. Bd1 $5) 33... Bd2 (33... Bg7 {also}) 34. Rb1 Qd4 ( 34... Bxe3 {also}) 35. Rd3 Qxd3 (35... Bxh6 36. Rxd4 Rxc2 {also}) 36. Bxd3 Bxh6 37. Kh2 Bg7 38. Be2 Be5+ 39. g3 Rc2 40. Bg4 Rxf2+ 41. Kg1 Rcc2 42. Rf1 Rg2+ 43. Kh1 Rh2+ 44. Kg1 Rcg2# 0-1