Aberystwyth Town Chess Club Has a New Website

Please see our new site here. Games from earlier blog posts are being added. The Club now meets every Thursday, 6.30 pm, at Texco's Community Room, Park Avenue, Aberystwyth. All visitors welcome. Please sign in at Customer Services in the store when you arrive.

Moving

The Aberystwyth Town Chess Blog is moving to a new site. I'll post a link soon. We also have a new venue, and there will be no club meeting in the Scholars this evening, Tuesday 14th March.

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.} * /

Dyfed League Reopens

The first match of the reincarnated Dyfed League took place at Aberystwyth University between the Town and University teams on Tuesday 10th January. Unfortunately the University team defaulted on top board, so Murray Smith didn't get a game. On second board Luis Ortiz Sanchez was in fine form, trading off against Toby Carter's Pirc to reach a superior ending, which he played with relentless accuracy to claim the win. Peter Windows played the comparatively rare Owen's Defence against Toby Bates and never quite managed to equalize. Black's pieces were tied up defending the kingside, and his attempt to gain counterplay on the queenside only opened lines for the White pieces to come in for the kill. Tom Gunn weakened Filip Zurek's kingside in a Queen's Gambit Accepted, and Black missed the best defence, allowing a quick mating attack. A winning start for the Town team, 3-1 including the defaulted game.

[Event "Dyfed League"] [Site "?"] [Date "2023.01.10"] [Round "?"] [White "Sanchez, , Luis"] [Black "Carter, Toby"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B08"] [WhiteElo "1895"] [BlackElo "1700"] [PlyCount "93"] [EventDate "2023.01.11"] [SourceVersionDate "2023.01.11"] 1. d4 d6 2. e4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Be2 {Pirc Defence} O-O 6. O-O e5 7. dxe5 dxe5 8. Qxd8 Rxd8 9. Bg5 Re8 10. Rad1 Be6 {White decides to give up the two bishops, reckoning that his next move will force Black on to the defensive. } 11. Bxf6 Bxf6 12. Nd5 Bxd5 {So Black gives the asset back.} 13. Rxd5 Nc6 14. Bb5 Rad8 (14... Rab8 $14) 15. Bxc6 bxc6 16. Rxd8 Rxd8 17. Re1 {Black's baddish bishop and queenside pawn structure are weaknesses.} Bg7 18. Kf1 Kf8 19. Ke2 Ke7 20. Rd1 Rxd1 21. Kxd1 f6 {White has a clear plan, to go after the pawns on the queenside.} 22. Ke2 Kd7 23. Kd3 Bf8 24. Kc4 {Now the Black bishop can't get to c5 and its only good diagonal, but White will still have trouble getting to the a-pawn.} Ke6 25. Nd2 f5 26. f3 Be7 27. Nb3 Bg5 {Taking another route.} 28. a4 {The advancing pawn can kick or even win the bishop when it reaches b6, and will be closer to queening if the a7 pawn falls.} Be3 29. Nc5+ Kd6 30. Nb7+ Kd7 31. Kb4 h5 32. Ka5 {The king advances.} fxe4 33. fxe4 g5 ( 33... Kc8 34. Ka6 Kb8 35. c4 c5 36. Nd8 {is hopeless.}) 34. c4 g4 35. Ka6 Kc8 36. c5 h4 37. h3 {Now the kingside pawns are safe.} gxh3 38. gxh3 Kb8 39. b3 Ka8 40. Na5 Bxc5 41. Nxc6 Bd4 42. a5 (42. Nxd4 exd4 43. e5 d3 44. e6 d2 { wins for Black - I miscounted watching the game.}) 42... Bc3 43. Nxa7 Bxa5 44. Kxa5 Kxa7 45. Kb5 Kb7 46. Kc5 Ka6 47. Kc6 {and Black resigns. A ruthless endgame by White.} 1-0 [Event "?"] [Site "?"] [Date "2023.01.10"] [Round "?"] [White "Bates, Toby"] [Black "Windows, Peter"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B00"] [WhiteElo "1700"] [BlackElo "1366"] [PlyCount "99"] [SourceVersionDate "2023.01.11"] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 b6 3. Nf3 Bb7 {Owen's Defence.} 4. Bd3 c5 5. c3 h6 {To play Nf6 without getting pinned. But Black is conceding a big lead in development.} 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Nbd2 Qc7 8. Rc1 Ng4 9. O-O {White doesn't mind losing the two bishops - he continues quick development and has an open f file to attack on.} Nxe3 10. fxe3 d6 11. e5 Nd7 12. exd6 Bxd6 13. Nc4 Be7 14. Nfe5 Nxe5 15. Nxe5 Bf6 (15... O-O {looks safer.}) 16. Bb5+ Ke7 17. Qh5 Raf8 (17... g6 18. Rxf6 $1 {leads to wild complications.} gxh5 19. Rxf7+ Kd8 20. Rd1 a6 (20... Qd6 21. Rxb7 {and Black is losing more material.}) 21. dxc5+ Bd5 22. Rxc7 Kxc7 23. Ba4 $14) 18. Nd3 a6 19. Ba4 b5 20. Bc2 $16 g6 21. Qxc5+ Qxc5 22. Nxc5 Bc8 23. a3 Bg5 24. Rce1 h5 25. e4 h4 26. h3 Bh6 27. e5 g5 28. Bd1 Bg7 29. Bg4 Rh6 { Black has done his best to build a fortress, but White has all the play.} 30. Re3 a5 31. Ref3 b4 {Black understandably seeks to create counterplay, but with all his pieces tied down only White can take advantage of the open lines.} ( 31... f5 32. exf6+ Rhxf6 33. Rxf6 Bxf6 {holds on, though White is still much better.}) 32. axb4 axb4 33. Ra1 f5 34. exf6+ Rhxf6 35. Ra7+ Kd8 36. Rxg7 Rxf3 37. Bxf3 bxc3 38. bxc3 e5 39. Rxg5 (39. dxe5 Re8 40. Bg4 Rxe5 (40... Bxg4 41. Nb7+ Kc8 42. Nd6+ Kd8 43. Nxe8) 41. Rg8+ {is quicker.}) 39... exd4 40. cxd4 Rf6 41. Rh5 Rf4 42. d5 Ke7 43. Kf2 Rc4 44. Ne6 Rb4 45. Ke3 Kf6 46. Be4 Kf7 47. Rxh4 Rb3+ 48. Kf4 Bxe6 49. dxe6+ Kxe6 50. Rh6+ {and Black resigns.} 1-0 [Event "Dyfed League"] [Site "?"] [Date "2023.01.10"] [Round "?"] [White "Gunn, Tom"] [Black "Zurek, Filip"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D26"] [WhiteElo "1398"] [BlackElo "1300"] [PlyCount "45"] [SourceVersionDate "2023.01.11"] 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 e6 4. c4 dxc4 5. Bxc4 {Queen's Gambit Accepted.} c5 6. O-O Nc6 7. Nc3 cxd4 {Accepting an isolated queen's pawn.} 8. exd4 Be7 9. Re1 O-O 10. a3 a6 11. b4 b5 12. Bb3 Bb7 $11 13. Bb2 Re8 14. d5 {The IQP disappears. } exd5 15. Nxd5 Nxd5 16. Bxd5 Bf6 $6 {This allows White to weaken his opponent's pawn structure.} 17. Rxe8+ Qxe8 18. Bxf6 gxf6 19. Nh4 Rd8 $2 (19... Qe5 $1 20. Qg4+ Kf8 21. Rd1 $11) 20. Qg4+ Kf8 $4 (20... Kh8 21. Nf5 Qg8 $16) 21. Nf5 {Now there's no excape for the king.} Qd7 22. Qg7+ Ke8 23. Qg8# 1-0 /

Online Friendlies

As part of the continuing preparations for the return of the Dyfed League in January, members of Aberystwyth Town Chess Club too part in some individual online friendly matches against similarly rated players from other clubs on Wednesday 30 November. In the strongest match-up, Murray Smith conjured up a strong attack against Lluis Navarro in the usually quiet Exchange Variation of the Caro-Kann. In a high-quality encounter, White's pressure eventually led to the gain of a pawn and a winning ending. Peter Windows walked into a fierce attack from Mark Paffard with his English Opening. Black's imaginative play culminated anticlimactically in a missed mate, and Peter was able to force a draw an exchange down. Against a player only identified as Josh, I sprung a familiar trap with my Vienna Gambit, and was relieved when he not only fell into it, but missed my error that could have let him right back into the game, after which the win was comfortable. Sam Holman got a strong position with advanced passed pawns against Filip Zurek, in a Sicilian Defence, but blundered a rook. Samuel Raybone was another player who fell into an opening trap, in a Caro-Kann against Ewan Ferguson; it didn't lose material as White only regained a gambited pawn, but Samuel lost the right to castle and the defence of his position ultimately proved too difficult. Mixed fortunes for the Club, and bad luck for Luis Sanchez and Tom Gunn, whose opponents didn't show up.

[Event "Dyfed Online Friendly"] [Site "https://lichess.org/EM5mAz17"] [Date "2022.11.29"] [Round "?"] [White "Smith, Murray"] [Black "Navarro, Lluis"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B13"] [WhiteElo "2188"] [BlackElo "1970"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/FrogCDE"] [PlyCount "103"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] [TimeControl "3600+25"] [WhiteClock "0:43:33"] [BlackClock "0:13:52"] 1. e4 {[%emt 0:00:25]} c6 {[%emt 0:00:25]} 2. d4 {[%emt 0:01:10]} d5 {[%emt 0: 00:03]} 3. exd5 {[%emt 0:01:15]} cxd5 {[%emt 0:00:23]} 4. Bd3 {[%emt 0:00:07] The Caro-Kann Exchange Variation.} (4. c4 {is the Panov-Botvinnik Attack.}) 4... Nc6 {[%emt 0:02:16]} 5. c3 {[%emt 0:00:11]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 6. Bf4 { [%emt 0:01:47]} Bg4 {[%emt 0:02:58]} 7. Qb3 {[%emt 0:03:17]} Na5 {[%emt 0:00: 09]} 8. Qc2 {[%emt 0:01:27]} e6 {[%emt 0:00:45]} 9. Nd2 {[%emt 0:02:23]} Bd6 { [%emt 0:00:28]} 10. Bxd6 {[%emt 0:01:10]} Qxd6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 11. Ngf3 { [%emt 0:01:10]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:00:37]} 12. O-O {[%emt 0:01:12]} O-O $11 {[%emt 0: 00:16] White will attack on the kingside, but Black's position is solid.} 13. Rae1 {[%emt 0:02:47]} Rac8 {[%emt 0:00:25]} 14. Qb1 {[%emt 0:00:36] To evade the threats of Nxd4 (after the f3 knight moves) and Nb4.} g6 {[%emt 0:02:44]} 15. Ne5 {[%emt 0:08:30]} Bf5 {[%emt 0:04:46]} 16. f4 {[%emt 0:03:54]} (16. Bxf5 gxf5 17. Qd3 Kh8 18. Qg3 Qe7 {and Black controls the g file.}) 16... Nd7 { [%emt 0:03:48]} 17. g4 {[%emt 0:04:33]} Bxd3 {[%emt 0:00:11]} 18. Qxd3 { [%emt 0:00:05]} f5 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 19. Nxd7 {[%emt 0:01:33]} Qxd7 {[%emt 0:00: 04]} 20. g5 {[%emt 0:00:29] The backward e pawn and open kingside are targets, but the engine still shows the position as equal.} Qd6 {[%emt 0:00:32]} 21. Qe3 {[%emt 0:02:44]} Kf7 {[%emt 0:00:23] It seems a bit unnatural to use the king as a defender. Black is planning to evacuate the kingside, but it has a long way to go before it's safe.} (21... Rfe8) 22. Nf3 {[%emt 0:02:03]} b5 {[%emt 0: 01:06]} 23. a3 {[%emt 0:04:56]} a6 {[%emt 0:01:04]} 24. Rf2 {[%emt 0:00:28]} Rfe8 {[%emt 0:02:13]} 25. h4 {[%emt 0:01:06]} Re7 {[%emt 0:00:30]} 26. Rh2 { [%emt 0:00:35]} Ke8 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 27. h5 $14 {[%emt 0:00:36] The attack begins.} Kd7 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 28. hxg6 {[%emt 0:01:34]} hxg6 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 29. Kf2 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Kc7 {[%emt 0:00:16]} 30. Rh6 {[%emt 0:00:19]} Rg8 { [%emt 0:00:02]} 31. Kg3 {[%emt 0:04:22]} a5 {[%emt 0:04:40]} (31... Qd8 32. Nh4 Qe8 {holds both weak pawns.}) 32. Nh4 {[%emt 0:00:56] Now one of them has to go.} b4 {[%emt 0:00:34]} (32... Reg7 33. Qxe6 Qxe6 34. Rxe6 Ne7 $19) 33. axb4 { [%emt 0:00:08]} axb4 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 34. Nxg6 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Ree8 {[%emt 0: 00:16]} 35. Ne5 {[%emt 0:00:29]} Nxe5 {[%emt 0:00:14]} 36. Qxe5 {[%emt 0:02:13] } Qxe5 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 37. Rxe5 {[%emt 0:00:07]} bxc3 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 38. bxc3 $18 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Kd7 {[%emt 0:00:20]} 39. Kh4 {[%emt 0:01:13] The passed pawn and more advanced pieces ensure a won ending for White.} Re7 { [%emt 0:00:10]} 40. g6 {[%emt 0:00:51]} Rc8 {[%emt 0:00:27]} 41. Re3 {[%emt 0: 00:05]} Kd6 {[%emt 0:00:24]} 42. Kg5 {[%emt 0:00:25]} Rec7 {[%emt 0:01:45]} 43. Rh7 $1 {[%emt 0:01:48] The c pawn doesn't matter.} Rxc3 {[%emt 0:00:18]} 44. Rxc3 {[%emt 0:00:09]} Rxc3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 45. Kf6 {[%emt 0:01:15]} Rg3 { [%emt 0:00:30]} 46. g7 {[%emt 0:00:10]} Kc6 {[%emt 0:00:17]} 47. Rh8 {[%emt 0: 00:19]} e5 {[%emt 0:00:32]} 48. dxe5 {[%emt 0:00:22]} d4 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 49. g8=Q {[%emt 0:00:07]} Rxg8 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 50. Rxg8 {[%emt 0:00:04]} d3 { [%emt 0:00:00]} 51. Rd8 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Kc5 {[%emt 0:00:16]} 52. Rxd3 { [%emt 0:00:04]} 1-0 [Event "Dyfed Online Friendly"] [Site "https://lichess.org/T5JA2Rmm"] [Date "2022.11.29"] [Round "?"] [White "Windows, Peter"] [Black "Paffard, Mark"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A25"] [WhiteElo "1705"] [BlackElo "1608"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/FrogCDE"] [PlyCount "103"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] [TimeControl "3600+25"] [WhiteClock "0:08:50"] [BlackClock "0:10:08"] 1. c4 {[%emt 0:00:25]} e5 {[%emt 0:00:25]} 2. g3 {[%emt 0:00:12]} g6 {[%emt 0: 00:03]} 3. Bg2 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Bg7 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 4. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:10]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:00:42]} 5. e3 {[%emt 0:01:23]} d6 {[%emt 0:01:17]} 6. a3 {[%emt 0: 00:20]} a5 {[%emt 0:01:05]} 7. Nge2 {[%emt 0:01:09]} Be6 {[%emt 0:03:01]} 8. d3 {[%emt 0:00:14] English Opening, Staunton System.} f5 {[%emt 0:00:33]} 9. O-O { [%emt 0:00:15]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:01:42]} 10. b3 {[%emt 0:07:36]} Rb8 {[%emt 0:02: 33]} 11. Rb1 {[%emt 0:03:26]} O-O {[%emt 0:00:31]} 12. Bb2 {[%emt 0:00:53]} Ne7 {[%emt 0:04:18]} 13. Qc2 {[%emt 0:02:05]} c6 {[%emt 0:02:02]} 14. d4 {[%emt 0: 06:03]} e4 {[%emt 0:03:02]} 15. Nf4 {[%emt 0:00:58]} Bf7 $11 {[%emt 0:00:19]} 16. Rfd1 {[%emt 0:01:50]} d5 {[%emt 0:02:16]} 17. cxd5 {[%emt 0:03:01]} cxd5 { [%emt 0:02:56]} 18. a4 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Rc8 {[%emt 0:00:56]} 19. Qd2 {[%emt 0: 00:20]} Re8 {[%emt 0:01:47]} 20. Ba3 {[%emt 0:00:17]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:01:58]} 21. Nb5 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Bf8 {[%emt 0:00:43] Forced, to keep the knight from d6. The bishop had no future on the long diagonal anyway.} 22. Bxf8 {[%emt 0:00:55] } Rxf8 {[%emt 0:00:56]} 23. Rdc1 {[%emt 0:00:31]} Qd7 {[%emt 0:04:46]} 24. Bf1 {[%emt 0:00:13]} g5 {[%emt 0:01:07]} 25. Ng2 {[%emt 0:00:32]} Bh5 {[%emt 0:08: 07] White's kingside pieces are looking awkward as Black starts an attack there.} 26. Ne1 {[%emt 0:00:21]} Ne8 {[%emt 0:01:14]} 27. Nc2 {[%emt 0:01:52]} f4 {[%emt 0:02:20]} 28. b4 {[%emt 0:02:38]} Bg4 {[%emt 0:03:54]} 29. bxa5 { [%emt 0:02:31]} Bh3 {[%emt 0:03:30] The white-square weaknesses invite a mating attack, though White can still defend successfully.} 30. exf4 {[%emt 0: 06:13]} gxf4 {[%emt 0:00:23]} 31. Rb3 {[%emt 0:09:17]} Bxf1 {[%emt 0:02:33]} 32. Rxf1 {[%emt 0:00:35]} Qh3 {[%emt 0:00:50]} 33. Ne1 {[%emt 0:00:36]} Nxa5 $1 {[%emt 0:01:43] The knight joins in the attack.} 34. Rb1 {[%emt 0:02:38]} (34. Qxa5 Rc6 $1 (34... Rc1 {is tempting but doesn't work.} 35. Nd6 $1 Rxe1 36. Qxd5+ Kh8 37. Rxe1 f3 38. Rxf3 $3 exf3 39. Nf7+) 35. Qd2 Rg6 {and White can't resist Black's attacking ideas of f3 and N to f6 to g4.}) 34... Nc4 $19 { [%emt 0:00:21]} 35. Qa2 {[%emt 0:00:48]} fxg3 {[%emt 0:02:13]} (35... f3 $1 { and White is helpless.}) 36. hxg3 {[%emt 0:00:34]} Ne3 $5 {[%emt 0:00:26] Another pretty idea, though the humdrum Nf6 is even stronger.} (36... Nf6 37. Rb3 Ng4 38. f4 exf3 39. Rfxf3 Nce3 {threatening Qf1+!}) 37. f3 {[%emt 0:03:38]} Qxf1+ {[%emt 0:01:02]} 38. Kh2 {[%emt 0:00:14]} Ng4+ {[%emt 0:00:26]} 39. fxg4 {[%emt 0:00:12]} Rf2+ {[%emt 0:00:10]} 40. Ng2 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Rxa2 $4 { [%emt 0:00:08] What a shame, after such a brilliant attack!} (40... Qxg2#) 41. Rxf1 {[%emt 0:00:06] Black is still winning.} Rxa4 {[%emt 0:00:20]} 42. Rf5 { [%emt 0:01:05]} Rc2 {[%emt 0:00:36]} 43. Kg1 {[%emt 0:02:45]} Ra1+ {[%emt 0:00: 20]} 44. Rf1 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Raa2 {[%emt 0:00:26]} (44... Rxf1+ {keeps it simple.}) 45. Ne3 {[%emt 0:00:26]} Rcb2 {[%emt 0:00:18]} 46. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00: 06]} Ra5 {[%emt 0:00:49]} 47. Ncxd5 {[%emt 0:00:13]} Nd6 $15 {[%emt 0:00:18]} 48. Nf6+ {[%emt 0:00:49]} Kg7 {[%emt 0:00:20] Black can still play for a win with:} (48... Kh8 49. Nh5 Ra8 50. Rf6 Rb1+ 51. Kg2 Ra2+ 52. Rf2 Rxf2+ 53. Kxf2) 49. Nh5+ {[%emt 0:00:19]} Kg8 {[%emt 0:00:27]} 50. Nf6+ {[%emt 0:00:16]} Kg7 { [%emt 0:00:07]} 51. Nh5+ {[%emt 0:00:07]} Kg8 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 52. Nf6+ { [%emt 0:00:05] Drawn by repetition.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "Rated Classical game"] [Site "https://lichess.org/Xav3Tk9G"] [Date "2022.11.30"] [Round "?"] [White "Francis, Matthew"] [Black "Josh"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C29"] [WhiteElo "1648"] [BlackElo "1500"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/FrogCDE"] [PlyCount "51"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] [TimeControl "3600+25"] [WhiteClock "1:04:33"] [BlackClock "1:02:34"] 1. e4 {[%emt 0:00:25]} e5 {[%emt 0:00:25]} 2. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Nf6 { [%emt 0:00:05]} 3. f4 {[%emt 0:00:02] Vienna Gambit.} exf4 $2 {[%emt 0:00:05] A well-known trap.} 4. e5 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Ng8 {[%emt 0:00:12]} (4... Qe7 5. Qe2 Ng8 6. Nf3 d6 7. Nd5 {is even worse.}) 5. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:02]} f6 {[%emt 0: 00:03]} (5... d5 {is probably best.}) (5... d6 6. d4 dxe5 7. Qe2 {is what I've encountered most often.}) 6. d4 {[%emt 0:00:12]} fxe5 {[%emt 0:00:20]} 7. Nxe5 $2 {[%emt 0:02:02] A rush of blood. I was sure I was winning already.} Bd6 $2 { [%emt 0:00:37]} (7... Qh4+ 8. Ke2 {and White's advantage has gone.}) 8. Qh5+ $18 {[%emt 0:00:14]} g6 {[%emt 0:00:10]} 9. Nxg6 {[%emt 0:00:07]} hxg6 { [%emt 0:00:02]} 10. Qxh8 {[%emt 0:00:12]} Qh4+ $4 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 11. Qxh4 { [%emt 0:00:03]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:00:11]} 12. Bxf4 {[%emt 0:01:00]} Nxd4 {[%emt 0: 00:12]} 13. O-O-O {[%emt 0:00:09]} Nf5 {[%emt 0:01:03]} 14. Qf2 {[%emt 0:00:33] } Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:32]} 15. Bxd6 {[%emt 0:00:07]} cxd6 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 16. Bd3 {[%emt 0:00:36]} Ng4 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 17. Qe2+ {[%emt 0:00:15]} Nfe3 {[%emt 0: 00:08]} 18. Rde1 {[%emt 0:00:23]} Kf7 {[%emt 0:00:33]} 19. h3 {[%emt 0:00:08]} Nxg2 {[%emt 0:00:44]} 20. Qxg4 {[%emt 0:00:40]} Nxe1 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 21. Qxg6+ {[%emt 0:00:02]} Ke7 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 22. Rxe1+ {[%emt 0:00:03]} Kf8 {[%emt 0: 00:02]} 23. Qe8+ {[%emt 0:00:18]} Kg7 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 24. Qe7+ {[%emt 0:00:11] } Kh6 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 25. Qf6+ {[%emt 0:00:10]} Kh5 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 26. Rg1 { [%emt 0:00:17]} 1-0 [Event "Dyfed Online Friendly"] [Site "https://lichess.org/Idss9w4Y"] [Date "2022.11.29"] [Round "?"] [White "Zurek, Filip"] [Black "Holman, Sam"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B51"] [BlackElo "1386"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/FrogCDE"] [PlyCount "103"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] [TimeControl "3600+25"] [WhiteClock "1:00:41"] [BlackClock "1:06:19"] 1. e4 {[%emt 0:00:25]} c5 {[%emt 0:00:25]} 2. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:04]} d6 {[%emt 0: 00:16]} 3. Bb5+ {[%emt 0:00:02] The Moscow Variation of the Sicilian Defence.} Nd7 {[%emt 0:00:38]} 4. c4 {[%emt 0:00:05]} a6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 5. Ba4 { [%emt 0:00:02]} g6 {[%emt 0:00:35]} 6. d4 {[%emt 0:00:12]} cxd4 {[%emt 0:00:04] } 7. Qxd4 {[%emt 0:00:05]} Ngf6 {[%emt 0:00:10]} 8. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:13]} Bg7 { [%emt 0:00:01]} 9. Qd3 {[%emt 0:00:15]} O-O $6 {[%emt 0:00:05] Offering Black the two bishops.} 10. O-O {[%emt 0:00:16]} Nc5 {[%emt 0:04:12]} 11. Qd1 $2 { [%emt 0:00:51]} (11. Qc2 {keeps the e pawn.}) 11... Ncxe4 {[%emt 0:03:10]} 12. Nxe4 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Nxe4 $17 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 13. Bc2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 { [%emt 0:00:14]} 14. Rb1 {[%emt 0:00:16]} Bg4 {[%emt 0:00:12]} 15. b3 {[%emt 0: 00:38]} b5 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 16. cxb5 {[%emt 0:00:15]} axb5 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 17. a3 {[%emt 0:00:27]} Qc7 {[%emt 0:00:18]} 18. Bb2 {[%emt 0:00:29]} Rfc8 { [%emt 0:00:17]} 19. Bd3 {[%emt 0:00:44]} Qb7 {[%emt 0:00:34]} 20. Re1 {[%emt 0: 00:18]} e5 {[%emt 0:00:25]} 21. h3 {[%emt 0:01:43]} Bxf3 {[%emt 0:00:11]} 22. Qxf3 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Qxf3 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 23. gxf3 $15 {[%emt 0:00:01] Now it's White who has the two bishops, but a ruined pawn structure and one pawn less.} b4 {[%emt 0:01:28]} 24. a4 {[%emt 0:01:27] The remote passed pawn could be useful.} Nd5 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 25. Red1 {[%emt 0:00:51]} Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 26. Bxc3 {[%emt 0:00:12]} bxc3 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 27. Rdc1 $17 {[%emt 0:00:24] But Black's is a more immediate threat.} (27. Bc2 {blockades the c pawn and prevents the immediate advance of the d pawn in support.}) 27... d5 {[%emt 0: 00:07]} 28. Kf1 {[%emt 0:00:57]} d4 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 29. Ke2 {[%emt 0:00:02]} h5 {[%emt 0:00:18]} 30. Kd1 {[%emt 0:00:07]} Bh6 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 31. Rc2 { [%emt 0:00:04]} Ra6 $4 {[%emt 0:00:09] Black wants to swing the rook over to the f file, but puts it en prise.} 32. Re2 $4 {[%emt 0:00:09] Missing it.} Bg7 $4 {[%emt 0:00:10] Still missing it.} 33. Bxa6 $18 {[%emt 0:00:07]} Rc6 { [%emt 0:00:15]} 34. Bd3 {[%emt 0:00:17]} Rf6 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 35. Rxe5 { [%emt 0:00:15]} Rf4 {[%emt 0:00:03]} (35... Rxf3 36. Re8+ Kh7 37. Ke2 $18) 36. Re8+ {[%emt 0:00:11]} Kh7 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 37. Be2 {[%emt 0:00:17]} Rh4 { [%emt 0:00:12]} 38. Re7 {[%emt 0:00:08]} Rxh3 {[%emt 0:01:07]} 39. Rxf7 { [%emt 0:00:11]} h4 {[%emt 0:00:49]} 40. Kc2 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Rh2 {[%emt 0:00: 03]} 41. Rf4 {[%emt 0:00:22]} Kg8 {[%emt 0:00:28]} 42. Rf1 {[%emt 0:00:15]} h3 {[%emt 0:00:20]} 43. Rg4 {[%emt 0:00:07]} Kf7 {[%emt 0:00:17]} 44. a5 {[%emt 0: 00:07]} Be5 {[%emt 0:00:10]} 45. a6 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Bb8 {[%emt 0:00:10]} 46. Bd3 {[%emt 0:00:13]} Ba7 {[%emt 0:01:13]} 47. Rxg6 {[%emt 0:00:25]} Bc5 { [%emt 0:00:17]} 48. b4 {[%emt 0:00:20]} Ba7 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 49. b5 {[%emt 0: 00:02]} Rg2 {[%emt 0:00:27]} 50. Rxg2 {[%emt 0:00:01]} hxg2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 51. Rg1 {[%emt 0:00:01]} Ke6 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 52. Rxg2 {[%emt 0:00:09]} 1-0 [Event "Rated Classical game"] [Site "https://lichess.org/eRYkFIoA"] [Date "2022.11.30"] [Round "?"] [White "Ferguson, Ewan"] [Black "Raybone, Samuel"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D00"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/FrogCDE"] [PlyCount "83"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] [TimeControl "3600+25"] [WhiteClock "0:39:50"] [BlackClock "1:05:53"] 1. e4 {[%emt 0:00:25]} c6 {[%emt 0:00:25]} 2. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:32]} d5 {[%emt 0: 00:09]} 3. d4 {[%emt 0:00:02]} dxe4 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 4. Bc4 $5 {[%emt 0:00:01] Caro-Kann Defence, Von Hennig Gambit.} Nf6 {[%emt 0:01:11]} 5. f3 {[%emt 0:00: 13]} exf3 {[%emt 0:01:01] Giving White the quick development he wants.} (5... b5 $1) 6. Nxf3 {[%emt 0:00:21]} Bg4 $2 {[%emt 0:00:47] Walking into a well-known trap in many openings.} 7. Bxf7+ {[%emt 0:00:04]} Kxf7 {[%emt 0:00: 45]} 8. Ne5+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} Ke8 {[%emt 0:00:26]} 9. Nxg4 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Nxg4 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 10. Qxg4 $16 {[%emt 0:00:01]} Qd7 {[%emt 0:02:24]} 11. Qf4 {[%emt 0:00:29]} Qe6+ {[%emt 0:01:40]} 12. Be3 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Qf6 { [%emt 0:01:52]} 13. Qg3 {[%emt 0:00:25]} Nd7 {[%emt 0:02:28]} 14. Rf1 {[%emt 0: 00:56]} Qd6 {[%emt 0:01:03]} 15. Qf2 {[%emt 0:02:53]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:03:32]} 16. O-O-O {[%emt 0:00:37]} e6 {[%emt 0:00:39]} (16... Qxh2 {looks too risky. Note that Black can't castle because the king has moved.}) 17. Bg5 {[%emt 0:01:56]} Be7 {[%emt 0:06:32]} 18. Bxf6 {[%emt 0:00:12]} Bxf6 {[%emt 0:00:34]} 19. Ne4 { [%emt 0:00:08]} Qe7 {[%emt 0:00:47]} 20. Nxf6+ {[%emt 0:00:08]} gxf6 {[%emt 0: 00:27]} 21. Qxf6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} Qxf6 {[%emt 0:00:30]} 22. Rxf6 {[%emt 0:00: 02] Black has had to settle for a double-rook ending a pawn down.} Ke7 { [%emt 0:01:24]} 23. Rdf1 {[%emt 0:00:08]} Raf8 {[%emt 0:01:10] An understandable decision but Black must keep the rooks on as the pawn ending is definitely lost.} (23... Kd6) 24. Rxf8 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Rxf8 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 25. Rxf8 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Kxf8 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 26. Kd2 {[%emt 0:00:01]} Ke7 { [%emt 0:00:09]} 27. Ke3 {[%emt 0:00:01]} Kd6 {[%emt 0:00:55]} 28. Ke4 {[%emt 0: 00:03]} b5 {[%emt 0:00:16]} 29. g4 {[%emt 0:00:07]} c5 {[%emt 0:01:31]} 30. c3 {[%emt 0:00:11]} cxd4 {[%emt 0:00:31]} 31. cxd4 {[%emt 0:00:02]} a5 {[%emt 0: 00:10]} 32. h4 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Ke7 {[%emt 0:01:17]} 33. g5 {[%emt 0:00:39]} Kf7 {[%emt 0:00:19]} 34. Ke5 {[%emt 0:00:06]} a4 {[%emt 0:00:24]} 35. h5 { [%emt 0:00:12]} b4 {[%emt 0:00:14]} 36. g6+ {[%emt 0:00:04]} hxg6 {[%emt 0:00: 09]} 37. hxg6+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kxg6 {[%emt 0:00:36]} 38. Kxe6 {[%emt 0:00:16]} b3 {[%emt 0:00:29]} 39. a3 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Kg7 {[%emt 0:00:10]} 40. Ke7 { [%emt 0:00:02]} Kg6 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 41. d5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kf5 {[%emt 0:00: 02]} 42. d6 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 1-0 /

Return Match

The second of our pair of friendly matches against the University team was played in the Hugh Owen Building of the University on Thursday 24th November. Playing his first match for the Club, Luis Ortiz Sanchez had Black on top board againt his compatriot Lluis Navarro. Appropriately the opening was a Catalan, though I suppose a Spanish would have been still more so. White took advantage Black's loose queenside to penetrate the position and was soon able to work his way over to the kingside and force mate. In another Catalan (by transposition from the English), Peter Windows won a piece in the opening and was always winning but had to be patient in the face of some awkward Black counterplay before it finally fizzeld out. Sam Holman's King's Indian soon became blocked; Harry Fox's position looked better, but he had no way through. Samuel Raybone reached a level ending against Patrick Bourne in a Queen's Gambit Declined. Black dropped a pawn and White missed a chance of a winning advantage but the eventual ending with rook and pawn against rook was a clear draw. Once again the result was a friendly 2-2.

[Event "Aberystwyth Town vs Aberystwyth Univers"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/XlJ"] [Date "2022.11.24"] [Round "?"] [White "Navarro, Lluis"] [Black "Ortiz Sanchez, Luis"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D78"] [WhiteElo "1970"] [BlackElo "1892"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/pwbourne"] [PlyCount "63"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] 1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Nd7 3. c4 c6 4. d4 Ngf6 5. Nbd2 g6 6. Bg2 Bg7 7. O-O O-O { The opening has elements of the Catalan and the Grunfeld.} 8. b4 $5 {White decides that his natural area of expansion is the queenside, with the possibility of a minority attack supported by the fianchettoed bishop.} Re8 9. Bb2 Ne4 $6 {Looks unwise because of the vulnerabilty of the pawn after it recaptures the knight.} 10. cxd5 cxd5 11. Nxe4 dxe4 12. Ng5 e5 (12... f5 $4 13. Qb3+ $18) 13. Nxe4 Qb6 {This must be the point of Black's 9th move, attacking the b and d pawns.} 14. d5 Qxb4 {Black has recovered the pawn, but the queen comes under attack.} 15. Bc3 Qa3 16. Qd2 b5 17. Rab1 Rb8 18. Ba5 {Penetrating on the weak dark squares.} Bf8 19. Rb3 Qa4 20. Bc7 Rb7 21. Rc1 $16 b4 22. Rc6 Rb5 23. Bh3 f5 24. Re6 Kf7 $2 (24... Re7 25. Nd6 Rxe6 26. dxe6 Rc5 27. Nxc8 Rxc7 28. Bxf5 $1 $16 {and if} gxf5 29. Qg5+ {winning.}) 25. Ng5+ {and the rook falls.} Kg8 26. Rxe8 Nc5 27. Bd6 Nxb3 28. Rxf8+ Kg7 29. Rf7+ Kh8 30. Ne6 Bxe6 31. Qh6 Bxf7 32. Qf8+ 1-0 [Event "Aberystwyth Town vs Aberystwyth Univers"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/XlJ"] [Date "2022.11.24"] [Round "?"] [White "Windows, Peter"] [Black "Zurek, Filip"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E02"] [WhiteElo "1713"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/pwbourne"] [PlyCount "89"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] 1. c4 e6 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 d5 4. d4 dxc4 5. Nc3 {The Open Catalan.} Bb4 $4 { A blunder, losing a piece.} 6. Qa4+ Nc6 7. Bxc6+ bxc6 8. Qxb4 Nd5 9. Qxc4 O-O 10. Nf3 Qd7 11. Ne5 Qe8 12. O-O (12. Qxc6 {winning a pawn and offering a queen trade looks natural, but of course this is fine, too.}) 12... Bb7 13. Nxd5 exd5 14. Qd3 a5 15. Qc2 f6 16. Nd3 Qe4 17. Be3 Rfe8 18. Qd2 {Threatening Nc5.} Bc8 19. Nc5 Qg6 20. Nd3 Ba6 (20... Qe4 21. Rfc1 Bh3 22. Ne1 {defends the mate threat, but White is a bit uncomfortable for the time being.}) 21. Rfe1 Bb7 22. b3 Re7 23. Nc5 Bc8 24. Rac1 Bh3 25. Qd3 Bf5 26. Qd2 Rae8 27. Nd3 Be4 28. Nf4 Qf5 29. Rc3 g5 30. Ng2 Qh3 31. f3 {At last White is able to play this defensive move...} Bg6 32. Bf2 h5 33. Rxc6 {...and has time to take this pawn and penetrate the Black position.} Kg7 34. Rc5 Kh8 35. Rxd5 Re4 36. Rc5 (36. fxe4 Bxe4 37. Ne3 Bxd5 38. Nxd5 {and White's troubles are over.}) 36... h4 37. Rc6 hxg3 38. Bxg3 g4 39. Rxf6 gxf3 40. Rxf3 {threatening to win the queen.} Rd8 $2 {Black misses it, but the contest is over anyway.} 41. Be5+ Rxe5 42. Rxh3+ Bh7 43. Qf4 Red5 44. Qf6+ Kg8 45. Rg3+ 1-0 [Event "Aberystwyth Town vs Aberystwyth Univers"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/XlJ"] [Date "2022.11.24"] [Round "?"] [White "Fox, Harry"] [Black "Holman, Sam"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E61"] [BlackElo "1386"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/pwbourne"] [PlyCount "81"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] 1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Bg5 O-O 5. e3 {Black's Modern Defence has become a King's Indian.} d6 6. Nc3 Re8 7. Be2 Bg4 8. O-O Nc6 9. h3 Bf5 10. Bxf6 {Giving up the two bishops to attack in the centre.} (10. d5 Ne5 11. Nd4 { gains space.}) 10... Bxf6 11. e4 Bd7 12. Rc1 e5 13. d5 Ne7 {The position has become blocked, and White looks to attack on the queenside.} 14. b4 Bh8 15. a4 f5 {The natural counter.} 16. Nd2 f4 $6 {But this releases the tension and allows White to block the advance.} 17. Bg4 Rf8 18. Bxd7 Qxd7 19. f3 g5 20. b5 $6 (20. c5 $1 {looks much better.}) 20... b6 {Now both advances are blocked.} 21. Kf2 Ng6 22. Na2 h5 23. Rg1 Bf6 24. Ke2 a6 25. Nb4 a5 26. Nc6 Ne7 27. Nxe7+ Qxe7 $11 {Black has a bad bishop, but there's no clear way through for White.} 28. g4 fxg3 29. Rxg3 h4 30. Rg4 Rf7 31. Qg1 Rg7 {White was threatening to take the h pawn.} 32. Qg2 Rf8 33. Qf2 Kf7 34. Rg2 Ke8 35. Nf1 Kd7 36. Ne3 Qd8 37. Nf5 {The knight looks powerful here, but there's nowhere for it to go.} Rgf7 38. Qg1 Kc8 39. Nh6 Rh7 40. Nf5 Rhf7 41. Nh6 1/2-1/2 [Event "Aberystwyth Town vs Aberystwyth Univers"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/XlJ"] [Date "2022.11.24"] [Round "?"] [White "Raybone, Samuel"] [Black "Bourne, Patrick"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D30"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/pwbourne"] [PlyCount "117"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. cxd5 exd5 {Queen's Gambit Declined, Exchange Variation.} 5. Bg5 c6 6. Qc2 h6 7. Bxf6 Qxf6 8. e3 Bd6 9. Be2 O-O 10. Nc3 Bf5 11. Bd3 Bxd3 12. Qxd3 Nd7 13. O-O Rac8 14. Rfe1 Nb6 15. b3 c5 16. e4 dxe4 17. Nxe4 Qd8 18. Nxd6 Qxd6 19. Rac1 Rfd8 20. Red1 cxd4 21. Rxc8 Nxc8 22. Qe4 (22. Qxd4 {leads to exchanges and a likely draw.}) 22... Qd5 23. Qxd5 Rxd5 24. Rxd4 Rc5 {Threatening mate.} 25. g4 (25. g3 {looks safer.}) 25... Kf8 26. Rd2 b5 27. b4 Rc4 28. Ne5 Rc1+ {The rook can't leave the c file because of the threat of Rd8+.} 29. Kg2 Nb6 30. Nd7+ Nxd7 31. Rxd7 Rc4 32. a3 $6 {The g pawn will fall with check.} (32. h3 $1) 32... a5 $1 (32... Rxg4+ 33. Kf3 Rc4 34. Rxa7 $11) 33. bxa5 Rxg4+ 34. Kf3 Ra4 35. Ra7 Rxa3+ {Now Black has the upper hand, but these rook endings are notoriously hard to win, and this one is probably drawn anyway.} 36. Ke2 g5 37. a6 Kg7 38. Rb7 (38. Ra8 b4 39. a7 Kf6 40. Kf1) 38... Rxa6 39. Rxb5 Ra3 $1 {Taking this valuable defensive rank away from the White rook.} 40. Rb4 $2 Kg6 $2 (40... Rh3 $1 $18) 41. h4 f6 42. hxg5 hxg5 (42... Kxg5 {gives Black a passed pawn, and the king can shelter from check behind the other one.}) 43. f4 Kf5 44. fxg5 fxg5 {The ending is drawn.} 45. Kf2 g4 46. Kg2 Kg5 47. Rc4 Kh4 48. Rb4 Ra2+ 49. Kg1 Kh3 50. Rb1 Rd2 51. Rc1 g3 52. Rb1 Rg2+ 53. Kh1 Rf2 54. Kg1 Rf5 55. Rc1 g2 56. Rb1 Kg3 57. Rc1 Rf1+ 58. Rxf1 gxf1=Q+ 59. Kxf1 1/2-1/2 /div>

Back in Business

The last couple of years have been difficult for chess in the area. Not only were we forced to move to online competitions because of the Covid pandemic, but three popular players and energetic supporters of Dyfed chess have sadly died: FM Iolo Jones, organizer of the Dyfed League and one of the pioneers of modern Welsh chess, Tony Haigh, Treasurer of the Dyfed Chess Association, and David Pinch, who kept chess going by organizing online matches and torunaments when over-the-board play was impossible. They are all much missed.

For Aberystwyth Town Chess Club, the problems were compounded by factors which had been apparent even before the pandemic, the erosion of our membership and the lack of a suitable place to meet. Two valued members, Rudy and Julie van Kemenade moved away from the area earlier this year, leaving us down to four active players, Adam Watkin-Jones, Tom Gunn, Sam Holman and myself - and, now Adam is unable to play for the time being due to pressure of work. In the circumstances, I thought it would be necessary to dissolve this historic club.

But, unexpectedly, things have begun to revive, both for the club and Dyfed. Several new players have moved into the Aberystwyth area, and at the same time FM Howard Williams, the Secretary of the Dyfed Chess Association, has begun the process of reviving the Dyfed League, which is due to start as a hybrid online / OTB event in January. As we look for a permanent meeting place, the Town club has been generously welcomed by our sister club at the University to their Wednesday afternoon sessions in the Arts Centre bar, and we have celebrated having enough players for a team by organizing some friendly matches.

The first of these was played between the University and the Town at the Arts Centre bar on Thursday 17 November. On top board for the Town, Peter Windows couldn't make progress with his kingside attack against Toby Carter's Pirc, and a misjudged exchange left him down in material, with a lost game. I built a defensive stronghold with my Caro-Kann against Toby Bates, and was eventually able to break out with a winning counterattack. Tom Gunn turned the win of a piece into a speculative queen sacrifice in an irregular Queen's Pawn Game against Harry Fox, and gained a decisive advantage in the ensuing complications. Samuel Rayburn also played a Caro-Kann against Rufaro Chisiwenga but lost a pawn to a neat tactic and was unable to get back into the game. A 2-2 draw seemed an appopriate result for this celebratory friendly.

[[Event "Aberystwyth Town vs Aberystwyth University"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/VLj"] [Date "2022.11.17"] [Round "?"] [White "Windows, Peter"] [Black "Carter, Toby"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B07"] [WhiteElo "1713"] [BlackElo "1891"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/pwbourne"] [PlyCount "68"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] 1. e4 d6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d3 g6 4. Nc3 Bg7 5. h3 O-O 6. Be3 c6 7. Qd2 e5 8. Be2 {With the pawn on d3, it would be more usual to fianchetto the bishop, King's Indian Attack style.} Re8 9. Bh6 Bh8 10. Nh2 d5 $11 {Black's counterthrust in the centre at least balances White's kingside prospects.} 11. Bf3 Be6 12. Ng4 {Hoping to eliminate a defender and / or open the h file.} Nbd7 13. Bg5 Qc7 14. Nh6+ Kf8 15. Ng4 d4 16. Ne2 Ng8 { Guarding h6. White's attack still doesn't amount to much.} 17. Bh4 {Presumaby Peter isn't castling queenside because of} (17. O-O-O Bxa2 18. b3 a5 19. Kb2 a4 {with unclear complications.}) 17... Bg7 $15 18. Bg3 Qd8 19. Nc1 {Heading for b3 to allow queenside castling, but it takes a piece away from the kingside.} f5 $17 20. Nxe5 $2 {A miscalculated exchange, but Black was looking better.} Nxe5 21. Bxe5 Bxe5 22. Nb3 fxe4 23. Bxe4 Nf6 24. f4 Nxe4 25. dxe4 Qh4+ 26. Qf2 Qxf2+ 27. Kxf2 Bxb3 28. axb3 Bxf4 29. Kf3 Be5 30. Rab1 Kg7 31. Ke2 Rf8 32. Kd3 Rf2 33. g4 Raf8 34. Rhf1 $2 {Ending the game quickly.} Rxf1 0-1 [Event "Aberystwyth Town vs Aberystwyth University"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/VLj"] [Date "2022.11.17"] [Round "?"] [White "Bates, Toby"] [Black "Francis, Matthew"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B15"] [WhiteElo "1563"] [BlackElo "1648"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/pwbourne"] [PlyCount "56"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6 5. Nxf6+ exf6 {The Tartakower variation of the Caro-Kann.} 6. Nf3 Be6 {Murray Smith, our strongest player, thinks the bishop is misplaced here. I was aiming at a formation I'd seen online, with bishops at e6 and d6, a rook at e8 and a knight at f6, but it seems more logical to develop the kingside first.} 7. Bd3 Bd6 8. Be3 O-O 9. h4 Re8 10. h5 (10. Ng5 fxg5 11. hxg5 g6 {and White's sac hasn't achieved anything. }) 10... Nd7 11. Nh4 Nf8 {Black's defensive plan is complete.} (11... Bf4 12. Bxf4 $2 (12. O-O $1) 12... Bg4+ {looks tempting, but White doesn't have to capture the bishop.}) 12. Kf1 $5 {Avoiding pinning ideas on the e file.} Qd7 { Guarding f5.} 13. c3 Rac8 {Preparing the typical c5 break in this opening.} 14. Qc2 c5 15. Nf5 cxd4 16. Bxd4 Bc5 $14 17. Rh4 Qc6 18. Rg4 {Sacrificial ideas on g7 or f6 don't work.} Bxf5 19. Bxf5 Rcd8 20. Rd1 $11 {Black's defence has held and the pieces start to come off.} Bxd4 21. Rdxd4 Rxd4 22. Rxd4 h6 {Planning to let the knight out at last, though it never happens.} 23. Qd2 $6 (23. Qd3) 23... Qb5+ 24. Qd3 (24. Bd3 Qxh5 25. Kg1 {looks better.}) 24... Qxb2 25. Kg1 $2 {The losing move. After Qc2 White could fight on.} Re1+ 26. Kh2 Qxf2 27. Qf3 ({ There's no defence, eg,} 27. Qc4 Qg1+ 28. Kg3 Re3+ 29. Kf4 Qf2+ 30. Kg4 Qg3#) 27... Qg1+ 28. Kg3 Re3 0-1 [Event "Aberystwyth Town vs Aberystwyth University"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/VLj"] [Date "2022.11.17"] [Round "?"] [White "Gunn, Tom"] [Black "Fox, Harry"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D35"] [WhiteElo "1422"] [BlackElo "1504"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/pwbourne"] [PlyCount "53"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d5 $6 {The Marshall Defence, which is considered dubious.} 3. e3 (3. cxd5 Nxd5 4. Nf3 {threatening 5.e4 with a dminant position.}) 3... b6 $6 {Premature and weakens the queenside. Black shoud transpose into the QGD with 3.e6.} 4. Nf3 (4. cxd5 $1) 4... e6 5. Nc3 Bb4 $2 {Losing a piece.} 6. Qa4+ Nc6 7. Qxc6+ Bd7 8. Qxa8 $2 (8. Qb7 {saves the queen.}) 8... Qxa8 $19 9. Bd2 O-O 10. Bd3 a5 11. Ne5 Qa6 $2 {Putting the queen on a vulnerable square.} 12. cxd5 $15 Bb5 $2 (12... Qc8) 13. Bxb5 $18 Qb7 14. Bc6 Qa6 15. O-O-O Bxc3 16. Bxc3 exd5 17. g4 Ne4 18. Be1 {Defending against the fork.} f6 $2 19. Bxd5+ Kh8 20. Nf7+ Kg8 21. Ng5+ Kh8 22. Nxe4 c6 23. Bb3 a4 24. Bc2 Re8 25. Bd3 Rxe4 { Desperation.} 26. Bxa6 Rxg4 27. d5 1-0 [Event "Aberystwyth Town vs Aberystwyth University"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/VLj"] [Date "2022.11.17"] [Round "?"] [White "Chisiwenga, Rufaro"] [Black "Raybone, Samuel"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B12"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/pwbourne"] [PlyCount "65"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nf3 e6 5. Bd3 { 5.Be2 is the Short variation.} Bxd3 6. Qxd3 c5 $11 7. Qb5+ Qd7 8. Qxd7+ Nxd7 9. Be3 {White has played the opening unambitiously. Now 9...cxd4, weakening White's hold on the centre, looks good.} Ne7 10. Nc3 ( 10. dxc5 Nc6 {and White can't hang on to the extra pawn.}) 10... Nf5 11. Nb5 Kd8 (11... cxd4 12. Nc7+ Kd8 13. Nxa8 dxe3 {and Black gets two pieces for the rook.}) 12. Ng5 Ke7 13. dxc5 Nxe3 14. fxe3 Nxc5 $11 15. O-O (15. Nd6 f6) 15... f6 16. Nh3 a6 17. Nd4 Ne4 (17... fxe5 18. Nf3 Nd7 $17) 18. exf6+ gxf6 (18... Nxf6 $1 {defends the d-pawn so that the e-pawn can advance when attacked.}) 19. Nf4 Bh6 20. Nxd5+ $1 exd5 21. Nf5+ Ke6 22. Nxh6 $17 Rac8 23. Rac1 b5 24. Nf5 Rhg8 25. Nd4+ Ke5 { Trying to stay active, but the king is moving into danger.} 26. c3 Rg6 27. Rcd1 Rcg8 28. g3 h5 $2 {Losing another pawn.} 29. Rf5+ Kd6 30. Rxh5 Nxg3 {Desperation.} 31. hxg3 Rxg3+ 32. Kh1 Rxe3 33. Nf5+ 1-0

Pieces Against Pawns

It was not really to be expected that Aberystwyth would continue the exceptional results of the last couple of matches, but we have undoubtedly been competing well in the Open Section of the Welsh Chess Union Online League this time, and came close to drawing our latest match, against Pontyfenni. Rudy van Kemenade's attacked on the kingside in a Bird's Opening against Mark Adams, but a flurry of exchanges left Black with the initiative enabling him to grab several pawns, leading to a winning endgame. Adam Watkin-Jones's Owen's Defence gave him a good position against Ian Jones, but he went wrong in the middlegame allowing an attack that should have been decisive. White's miscalculation gave Adam a piece, but stopping the enemy pawns was a challenge, and he eventually resigned in a position where a draw was still in fact possible. I emerged an exchange up against John Waterfield from a series of complications in a Modern Defence, but then hung a rook. Black was now a piece up, but again the ending needed some care, and his return error gifted me a lucky draw. Sam Holman's kingside attack against Anthony Hughes's English Opening was a bit premature. White was able to counter in the centre, and when he won a piece with a pawn fork the end followed quickly. A 3½-½ defeat could have been an impressive 2-2 draw if Adam and I had taken our chances.

Tom Gunn's Queen's Gambit game against Bence Szakmany in the U-1800 match between Cardigan and North Cardiff Panthers was yet another example of a difficult ending between an extra piece and extra pawns. This time it was Tom with the extra piece and after long manoeuvring he managed to bring home the win.

[Event "WCU Online Open3"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2021.12.16"] [Round "6.1"] [White "Van Kemenade, R."] [Black "Adams, Mark"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A02"] [WhiteElo "1999"] [BlackElo "2001"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "84"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [TimeControl "2700+15"] {[%evp 0,84,27,-30,6,13,30,-21,13,-26,-10,-33,-11,-13,44,-20,-6,-12,29,-13,-12, -27,-21,-45,-41,-40,-48,-59,-74,-62,-38,-157,-157,-149,-126,-231,-245,-245, -280,-280,-255,-310,-288,-275,-275,-348,-348,-360,-195,-314,-180,-242,-242, -255,-280,-325,-325,-360,-360,-354,-361,-349,-344,-368,-363,-363,-377,-383, -371,-391,-334,-353,-388,-405,-414,-414,-385,-388,-385,-431,-425,-1015,-1047, -1066,-1120,-1120,-1014]} 1. f4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 d6 6. O-O Rb8 (6... e6 {main} 7. Nc3 Nge7 8. h3 O-O 9. g4 Rb8 {Van Kemenade-Afek, Monarch Assurance Isle of Man 2001,0-1}) 7. c4 a6 (7... e6 8. Nc3 Nge7 9. e4 O-O 10. g4 f5 11. gxf5 exf5 12. Nd5 Nd4 13. Nxd4 Bxd4+ 14. Kh1 b5 {Van Kemenade-Gibbons, WCPL 2016,0-1}) 8. Nc3 e6 (8... b5 9. Nh4 Bd7 10. cxb5 axb5 11. f5 Nf6 12. Bg5 Nd4 13. fxg6 hxg6 14. Rb1 Rh5 15. Bd2 Qc8 $19 { Stanke-Wippermann, Hamburg Junge op 2005,0-1}) 9. a4 Nge7 10. e3 (10. e4 O-O $15 {3 draws, 5 Bl wins}) 10... O-O 11. g4 f5 12. g5 (12. gxf5 Nxf5 13. Bd2 Nb4 14. Qe2 d5 $15 {KomodoDragon2}) 12... Bd7 13. h4 e5 14. Nd5 (14. h5 {carrying on with the pawn advance idea is a better bet} gxh5 15. Ne2 b5 16. axb5 axb5 17. Ng3 bxc4 18. dxc4 Be6 19. Nd2 h4 20. Nh5 Bh8 21. Qe1 h3 22. Bxh3 Ng6 $17 { though Wh retains Kingside play}) 14... Be6 (14... Nxd5 15. cxd5 Nb4 $17 { Stockfish14 & KomodoDragon2}) 15. e4 (15. Nf6+ {a promising pawn sacrifice according to both Engines} Bxf6 16. gxf6 Rxf6 17. b3 h6 18. Bb2 Rf7 19. d4 $14 {and the position open up for the 2 Bs}) 15... fxe4 16. dxe4 exf4 17. Bxf4 (17. Ra3 {is a lichess suggestion, backed by KomodoDragon2- Wh had underestimated the range of the Bl R coming to f4}) 17... Bxd5 18. exd5 Rxf4 $19 19. dxc6 bxc6 20. Qe2 (20. Bh3 Nf5 21. Bxf5 gxf5 22. Rb1 {suggested by KomodoDragon2, but it is a position with no prospects for Wh}) 20... Qd7 (20... Nf5) 21. Rae1 (21. Rab1 Rg4 22. Kh2 Nf5 23. Bh3 Ng3 24. Bxg4 Qxg4 25. Rg1 Be5 {KomodoDragon2, is not that appealing}) 21... Nf5 22. Qe6+ {attempting to get some R activity} ( 22. Bh3 {getting rid of the N given by Stockfish14 & KomodoDragon2} Qf7 23. Bxf5 Rxf5 {but then Wh is just going pawns down}) 22... Qxe6 23. Rxe6 Rxc4 ( 23... Kf7) 24. h5 $5 (24. Bh3 {both Engines} Rxa4 25. h5 Ng3 26. Rfe1 Rf4 27. R1e3 Nxh5 28. Rxd6 Rbf8 29. Ne5 {is a little better, but not enough}) 24... Ng3 25. Rfe1 Nxh5 26. Rxd6 {hoping to have gained some play, but} Rg4 $1 {and Wh paused for a long think} 27. Red1 (27. Re2 {is one such variation} Nf4 28. Red2 Bxb2 29. Rxc6 Bc3 30. Rc2 Rb2 31. Rxb2 Bxb2 32. Ne1 Bc3 $19 {KomodoDragon2}) 27... Rxb2 28. Rd8+ Bf8 29. R1d2 Rxd2 30. Rxd2 Nf4 31. Kh2 (31. Ne1 Rxg5 $19 ( 31... c4 $19 {KomodoDragon2})) 31... Nxg2 32. Rxg2 Bd6+ 33. Kh3 Rxg2 34. Kxg2 c4 {too many pawns & a N against a wideranging B} 35. Kf2 Bf4 36. Ke2 c5 37. Kd1 c3 38. Kc2 Bd2 39. a5 Kf7 40. Nxd2 cxd2 41. Kxd2 Ke6 42. Kc3 Kd5 {Normal- Wh's pawn sacrifices were in vain against Bl's very accurate defence} 0-1 [Event "WCU Online Open3"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2021.12.16"] [Round "6.2"] [White "Jones, Ian Robert"] [Black "Watkin-Jones, Adam"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B00"] [WhiteElo "2007"] [BlackElo "1918"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "123"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [TimeControl "2700+15"] {[%evp 0,123,80,48,83,73,60,16,14,1,42,-58,-50,-38,-53,-51,-60,-75,-63,-71,-70, -70,-63,-77,-62,-57,-31,-38,-28,-42,-28,-20,-33,-58,-58,-58,9,29,78,104,117, 125,129,118,166,118,264,276,427,295,295,245,295,274,265,88,88,134,101,111,152, 168,193,78,69,-63,-18,-167,-167,-157,-161,-192,-179,-185,-196,-192,-181,-172, -183,-183,-211,-220,-218,-235,-218,-212,-169,-180,-172,-229,-218,-218,-226, -222,-218,-226,-224,-218,-206,-224,-204,-214,-200,-202,-181,-204,-209,-195, -139,-201,-134,-137,-142,-141,-45,-141,-33,-29,0,0,41,0,0,0,0,13]} 1. e4 b6 { new to both players according to databases} (1... e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. g3 {Jones - Watkin-Jones, WCU Online Open 2, 2021,1-0}) 2. d4 Bb7 3. f3 (3. Bd3) (3. Nc3 {main lines}) 3... e6 4. Be3 c5 (4... d5) (4... Nf6 {main lines}) 5. c4 {offering a transposition to some kind of Saemisch} (5. c3 {main}) 5... cxd4 6. Bxd4 (6. Qxd4 $5) 6... Nc6 7. Be3 Bb4+ $17 {KomodoDragon2} (7... Rc8 8. Nh3 Qc7 9. Nd2 Nf6 {Jerome-Smyth,IECC 2000, 0-1}) (7... Nf6 8. Nc3 Bb4 9. Qb3 Bxc3+ 10. Qxc3 e5 11. Ne2 O-O 12. Ng3 Qc7 13. Be2 g6 14. O-O {Tukiran-Abdul Shukor, Johor International Challenge 2018, 1-0}) 8. Nd2 Nge7 9. a3 Bc5 10. Bxc5 bxc5 $17 {KomodoDragon2-Wh has a hole on d4, & Bl is better developed} 11. Bd3 Ng6 12. Ne2 O-O (12... Qg5 $1 {KomodoDragon2} 13. Qb3 Rb8 14. g3 Ba8 15. Qc3 Qe3 16. Bc2 Qxc3 17. bxc3 Na5 $19 {KomodoDragon2}) 13. O-O Nge5 14. Bc2 Ba6 15. b3 d5 16. cxd5 exd5 17. exd5 Bxe2 {but this gives away Bl's advantage, easing Wh's position by swapping off those passive pieces} (17... Qxd5 18. Rf2 Qe6 $17 {KomodoDragon2}) 18. Qxe2 Nd4 $2 {compounds matters} (18... Qxd5 $11) 19. Bxh7+ Kxh7 20. Qxe5 $18 Re8 21. Qh5+ Kg8 22. Ne4 f5 (22... f6 23. d6 Re5 24. Qg6 Re6 25. Nxc5 $18 {KomodoDragon2}) 23. Ng5 Qxd5 24. Qh7+ (24. Rae1 $1 $18 {KomodoDragon2, brings in another piece & cuts off lines of a K escape}) 24... Kf8 25. Qg6 Kg8 26. Qh7+ Kf8 27. Qh8+ Qg8 28. Qh5 g6 29. Qh4 Re7 30. b4 Kg7 {Bl has escaped the worst, but is still losing} 31. bxc5 $18 Qc4 32. Ne4 $2 {trying to gain time for the attack, but Bl's next shows up the drawback} (32. Qh7+ Kf6 33. Qh6 {the only winning move apparently} (33. Ne4+ fxe4 34. Qh4+ Kf7 35. fxe4+ Nf5 36. Qh7+ Kf6 37. Rxf5+ gxf5 38. e5+ Rxe5 39. Qh6+ Kf7 40. Qh7+ Kf6 41. Qh6+ {repetition- is one of those precise Engine calculations}) 33... Qxc5 34. Kh1 Rae8 35. Rad1 Qe5 36. f4 Qc5 37. h4 $18 {KomodoDragon2}) 32... Rf7 $19 (32... Ne2+ 33. Kh1 Rf7 $19 {is another version}) 33. Qe1 fxe4 34. Qxe4 Ne2+ 35. Kh1 Qxe4 36. fxe4 Rc8 (36... Rxf1+ {removing a pair of Rs looks simpler} 37. Rxf1 Rc8 38. Rd1 Rxc5 39. Rd7+ Kh6 40. g3 a5 $19 {KomodoDragon2}) 37. Rfe1 Nc3 (37... Rf2) 38. h3 Rxc5 39. Re3 Re7 (39... a5) 40. Rc1 Na4 41. Rb1 Rc3 (41... Nb6 42. Kh2 Rce5 43. Rbe1 Nc4 44. Rc3 Rxe4 $19 {KomodoDragon2}) 42. Rf3 Rec7 43. Rb4 Nb6 44. e5 Rxf3 45. gxf3 Rc4 (45... Rc5) (45... Nc4) 46. Rb5 Kf7 47. Ra5 Rc7 {this gives Wh hopes of holding as now the Bl R has gone over to passive defence} (47... Ra4 $1 48. Rc5 Rxa3 49. Kg2 a5 $19 {and the a5 pawn is a menace , especially with Bl's R now active-Rudy}) 48. Kg2 Ke6 49. h4 { Wh by now was living on increments} Nc4 (49... Kf5 $1 {removes the K from a timely ch by Wh.} 50. Kg3 Nc4 51. Ra4 Nxe5 $19 {KomodoDragon2}) 50. Ra6+ Kxe5 ( 50... Nb6 {repeating to go back to the Kf5 move is keeps more winning material on the board ( but Bl was now also running low on time)}) 51. Rxg6 Nxa3 $19 { but, compared to the note at move 49, the Bl forces are far more scattered rather than solidly holding the K side} 52. Kg3 Nc4 53. h5 Rh7 (53... Kf5 { the K needs to come back in defence} 54. f4 Rb7 55. Rg5+ Kf6 56. Kf3 Kf7 57. Kg4 Nd6 58. Ra5 Kg8 59. f5 Nf7 $11 {but after all, KomodoDragon2 thinks all Bl winning chances have gone, though Bl will surely not lose this}) 54. Ra6 (54. Kg4) 54... Nb6 (54... Kf5 $17) 55. Ra5+ Kf6 56. Kg4 Nc4 (56... Rg7+ 57. Kh4 Nc4 58. Ra6+ Kf5 59. h6 Rf7 60. Kh5 Ne5 61. Ra3 Re7 $17 {KomodoDragon2- but the a pawn will not be advancing against the active Wh R}) 57. Ra6+ Ke5 (57... Nb6 { keeps hopes alive,but} 58. f4 $11 {KomodoDragon2}) 58. h6 (58. f4+ Ke4 59. Kg5 $11 {but looks even more dangerous for Bl}) 58... Ne3+ 59. Kg5 Nd5 60. Kg6 Rb7 61. h7 Nf4+ 62. Kh6 {Normal, Bl esigned but actually a draw is still there, KomodoDragon2 & Stockfish14 give} (62. Kh6 Rb8 63. Ra5+ Kd6 $11 {but simpler seems}) (62. Kh6 Rxh7+ 63. Kxh7 Nh3 64. Kg6 Kf4 65. Rxa7 Kxf3 {and it should be a draw, as the Bl K is not in a corner, nor seperated from his N}) 1-0 [Event "WCU Online Open3"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2021.12.16"] [Round "6.3"] [White "Francis, Matthew"] [Black "Waterfield, John"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B34"] [WhiteElo "1648"] [BlackElo "2078"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "99"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [TimeControl "2700+15"] {[%evp 0,99,39,48,97,77,93,49,120,62,97,50,77,52,45,50,51,-9,-11,-12,-17,-26, -23,-32,-32,-32,17,-19,-4,-172,-74,-79,-30,-22,-18,-2,-81,-114,-96,-94,-94,-90, 136,-134,-132,-176,-154,-262,-133,-133,-98,-68,-59,-96,-100,-100,91,19,130,134, 142,146,144,151,134,157,155,149,162,171,172,-396,-401,-398,-404,-409,-386,-384, -341,-342,-342,-343,-337,-383,-343,-390,-474,-696,-1176,-1252,-1174,-1282, -1292,-1292,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]} 1. e4 g6 2. d4 (2. d3 Bg7 3. c4 d6 4. Nc3 e5 5. g3 Nf6 6. Bg2 O-O 7. Nge2 c6 8. O-O Be6 9. h3 h5 {Francis-Waterfield, Dyfed Open 2016,1-0}) 2... Bg7 3. Nf3 c5 {The Sniper} (3... d6 4. Bc4 c6 5. O-O Nf6 6. Qe2 O-O 7. e5 {Francis-Pleasants, WCU Online 3 rd1, 2021,0-1}) 4. Bc4 (4. Nc3 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nc6 6. Be3 {leads to a standard Dragon var}) (4. c3 cxd4 5. cxd4 d5 {to a Gurgenidze Caro-Kann}) (4. dxc5 Qa5+ 5. Nc3 (5. c3 Qxc5 6. Be3 Qc7 {main}) (5. Bd2 Qxc5 6. Bc3 Nf6 7. Bd4 Qc7 8. Nc3 Nc6 9. Nd5 { Villiers-Waterfield, BCF, Llandudno 2017,1-0}) 5... Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Qxc3+ 7. Bd2 Qxc5 8. Bd3 {53% for Wh}) 4... cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nc6 (5... Nf6 6. Nc3 O-O 7. O-O Nxe4 8. Qd3 Nxc3 9. bxc3 d5 {Poves-Waterfield, 4NCL 2019,0-1}) 6. Nxc6 (6. Be3 Nf6 7. Nc3 {is an Accelerated Dragon, with some 27,000 games}) 6... bxc6 7. O-O d6 8. Qf3 (8. Nc3) 8... Nf6 9. Nc3 (9. e5 dxe5 10. Qxc6+ Bd7 {2-3-6}) 9... O-O 10. Bg5 Qa5 {1-3} (10... Bg4 {1-1-4}) 11. Qe3 $146 (11. Qg3 $11 {Cloud Engines, 1-1}) (11. Bxf6) (11. h4) 11... Rb8 (11... Ng4 12. Qd2 Re8 13. Bb3 Rb8 14. Rad1 Ne5 $15 {KomodoDragon2}) 12. Bb3 Ba6 13. Rfe1 Rb7 14. Ne2 $2 (14. Rad1 $11) 14... Ng4 (14... Nxe4 $19) 15. Qf4 Ne5 (15... Bxb2 16. Rab1 Bf6 17. Bxf6 Nxf6 $17 {KomodoDragon2}) 16. Qh4 Qc7 (16... c5 17. Bd5 Rxb2 $17 {KomodoDragon2}) 17. f4 Nc4 18. f5 $14 Bxb2 19. fxg6 (19. Rad1 Na5 20. Kh1 Nxb3 21. axb3 Bxe2 22. Rxe2 f6 23. Bh6 Rd8 24. Re3 $16 {KomodoDragon2}) 19... hxg6 20. Rad1 Be5 ( 20... Na5 $11) 21. Bh6 (21. Rd3 $16 {KomodoDragon2}) 21... Rd8 (21... Bg7 $15) 22. Qg4 (22. Bg5 Kg7 23. Bh6+ Kg8 24. Bg5 {repetition- KomodoDragon2}) 22... d5 23. h4 Qb6+ (23... Qd7) 24. Kh1 Ne3 25. Bxe3 Qxe3 26. exd5 (26. h5 $5 Kg7 $17 { KomodoDragon2}) 26... cxd5 (26... c5) 27. Bxd5 Kg7 (27... Rb6 28. c4 Bc8 29. Qf3 Qxf3 30. Bxf3 Rxd1 31. Rxd1 Be6 $19 {KomodoDragon2- the Wh pawns easy targets}) 28. Ng1 (28. Nd4 $1 $18 {exploits the Q position} Qxe1+ (28... Qf4 29. Qxf4 Bxf4 30. Bxb7 Bxb7 31. Ne6+ fxe6 32. Rxd8 $18) 29. Rxe1 Rxd5 30. Nf5+ Kh8 31. Qf3 Rdb5 32. Nh6 Rb1 33. Nxf7+ Kg7 34. Qf2 Bf6 35. Nd8 $18 { KomodoDragon2, though the position remains tricky to play for both sides}) 28... Qg3 $2 (28... Qc3 29. Bxb7 Rxd1 30. Qxd1 Bxb7 31. Nf3 Bf6 $11 {as Tarrasch maintained years ago, 2 Bs are often the equal over the less coordinated R & N}) 29. Qxg3 Bxg3 30. Bxb7 Bxb7 (30... Rxd1 {as advocated by lichess is a little better} 31. Rxd1 Bxb7 32. Rd7 Be4 33. Rxe7 Bxc2 34. Rxa7 Bxh4 {KomodoDragon2, but the a pawn should provide a Wh win in the end}) 31. Rxd8 Bxe1 32. Rd7 Bc6 33. Rxe7 Bxh4 34. Rxa7 Bf2 35. Nh3 $2 (35. Rc7 $18) 35... Bxa7 $132 {and the cry of anguish could be heard across Aberystwyth} 36. Nf4 Kf6 (36... g5) 37. Nd3 Be4 38. Kh2 Bxd3 39. cxd3 Ke5 40. Kg3 f5 41. Kh4 Be3 ( 41... Kf4 $1 $18 {is the clearest}) 42. a4 Kd4 {Bl does not need this pawn, as the B stops both d pawn and a pawn} (42... Kf4 $1 {gets a pawn though}) 43. a5 Kxd3 44. a6 g5+ (44... Ke2 45. Kh3 g5 46. Kh2 Kf2 {will soon force a pawn through}) 45. Kg3 (45. Kh5 {lasts longer, but no need for lichess to label the text move as a blunder}) 45... Kc4 (45... Ke2 46. Kh2 Kf2 47. Kh1 Ba7 48. Kh2 Bb8+ 49. Kh1 g4 {is the exact Engine line}) 46. Kf3 f4 $2 {Bl should refrain from pawn moves, until the K position is maximised and it is clear which one needs to move first} 47. g3 $11 Kb5 48. a7 Bxa7 49. gxf4 gxf4 50. Kxf4 $11 { Normal, the reaction from Somerset is unknown.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "WCU Online Open3"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2021.12.15"] [Round "6.4"] [White "Hughes, Anthony"] [Black "Holman, Sam"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A25"] [WhiteElo "1942"] [BlackElo "1386"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "57"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [TimeControl "2700+15"] {[%evp 0,57,16,-12,-20,-8,-10,-32,16,-6,4,0,33,-34,-30,-11,18,27,41,59,49,20, 22,43,46,33,19,21,61,32,184,222,222,297,262,355,406,406,508,510,599,616,635, 507,485,513,647,502,732,724,730,701,1030,1376,1391,1186,1457,1223,29999,-30000] } 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 f5 (3... g6 {main}) 4. Bg2 Nf6 5. d3 h6 (5... Bb4) (5... Bc5 {main lines}) 6. e4 (6. e3 d6 7. Nge2 g5 8. Nd5 (8. h4 {1-2-1}) 8... Bg7 9. Nec3 O-O {Szymanski-Van Kemenade, 4NCL 2019,0-1}) 6... d6 (6... g6 7. exf5 gxf5 8. Nd5 Bg7 9. Nxf6+ Qxf6 10. Qh5+ (10. Bd5 Nd4 11. Be3 c6 12. Bxd4 cxd5 13. Qe2 O-O 14. Bc3 d4 15. Bb4 Re8 {Hughes-Van Kemenade, WCU blitz ch online ,2020,0-1}) 10... Qf7 11. Qxf7+ Kxf7 {Gibson-Van Kemenade, Wld ch Seniors, Prague 2020, 1/2-1/2}) 7. Nge2 g5 {may be a little risky if Wh has not yet 0-0} (7... g6 {Heap-Van Kemenade, Dyfed Closed 2014, 0-1; Dyfed Closed 2016,1/2-1/2}) 8. h4 Rg8 (8... g4 9. Be3 Bg7 10. Qd2 Qd7 11. Nd5 Qf7 12. Nec3 Nd4 {Kutsanyan (2272)-Sabirov (1948), Moscow open 2019,0-1}) 9. hxg5 hxg5 10. Nd5 (10. exf5 Bxf5 11. Qb3 $18 {KomodoDragon2}) 10... f4 11. Bd2 Be6 (11... Bg7 ) 12. Qb3 Rb8 13. O-O-O {looks a little dangerous as Bl has chances of opening up the Q side, but it seems Wh has enough control over the centre} a6 14. d4 Bg7 {missing the Wh threat} (14... Ng4 {looks promising but Wh makes use of superior delopment} 15. Bh3 (15. Rh7 Rg7 16. Rh8 {also promising}) 15... Bxd5 16. cxd5 Nxf2 17. dxc6 Rg7 18. cxb7 Nxh3 19. Rxh3 c5 20. dxe5 Rgxb7 21. Qg8 $18 {KomodoDragon2}) 15. Nxf6+ Qxf6 16. d5 $18 f3 17. Qxf3 Rf8 18. Qxf6 Bxf6 (18... Rxf6 $5) 19. dxe6 Nd4 (19... Nd8 $5) 20. Nxd4 exd4 21. f4 (21. Rh7) 21... gxf4 22. gxf4 Ke7 23. f5 (23. Rh7+) 23... b5 24. Rh7+ Ke8 25. Rxc7 (25. e5 $1) 25... d3 26. e5 Bxe5 27. Bc6+ Kd8 28. Ba5 Bd4 29. e7# {Normal} 1-0 [Event "WCU Online U1800 3"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2021.12.16"] [Round "6.4"] [White "Gunn, Tom"] [Black "Szakmany, Bence"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E11"] [WhiteElo "1398"] [BlackElo "1631"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "145"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [TimeControl "2700+15"] {[%evp 0,145,15,41,12,-25,-17,4,12,12,33,21,19,36,34,36,20,22,22,23,17,19,26,7, 25,23,26,29,33,13,33,33,32,10,62,-31,24,46,51,52,33,26,72,18,295,261,285,239, 229,229,219,220,220,216,219,220,217,202,193,213,211,198,208,185,197,197,202, 170,238,235,200,196,197,184,184,191,194,179,183,165,181,183,224,246,228,188, 192,180,191,147,190,176,163,170,186,180,166,194,181,228,227,181,175,181,220, 154,173,143,214,244,197,160,173,199,198,213,264,215,260,205,194,196,206,223, 293,295,300,292,300,313,350,285,541,616,626,633,667,677,687,687,1774,541,533, 962,1244,1282,1312,1312]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 (3. Nc3 Bb4 {previous games by Bl, 2-1-1}) 3... d5 (3... c5 4. d5 b5 {Gunn-MacDonald, WCU Online Open 2, 2021,0-1}) 4. Nc3 Bb4 (4... c6 5. e3 {Gunn-Boyd, WCU Online Open2, 2021,0-1}) (4... Be7 5. e3 {Gunn-Miga, WCU Online Open 2, 02021,0-1}) 5. Bd2 ( 5. Bg5) (5. cxd5) 5... O-O 6. e3 a5 (6... b6) (6... c5 {main lines}) 7. Bd3 (7. cxd5 exd5 8. Bd3 b6 {Firouzja-Carlsen, lichess bullet feb 2021,0-1}) 7... dxc4 (7... b6 {main}) 8. Bxc4 b6 9. O-O Bb7 10. a3 (10. Qe2 {GM line, 1-5-1}) 10... Be7 (10... Bxc3 {2 draws}) 11. Re1 $146 (11. Qe2 $11 {Cloud Engines ; 0-1}) ( 11. Rc1 {1-0}) 11... Ne4 (11... c5 $11 {KomodoDragon2}) 12. Nxe4 Bxe4 13. Rc1 c6 14. Be2 Nd7 15. Bc3 Nf6 16. h3 (16. Ne5 $14 {KomodoDragon2}) 16... b5 $6 { creates a potential weakness on the c file} (16... Bd5 $11) 17. Nd2 (17. Ne5) 17... b4 18. Nxe4 Nxe4 19. axb4 axb4 20. Bd2 $11 Ra2 21. Qc2 (21. Qb3) 21... c5 $2 {the wrong order} (21... Nxd2 22. Qxd2 c5 $11 {Cloud Engines}) 22. Qxe4 $18 Rxb2 23. Rc2 (23. Red1) 23... Rxc2 24. Qxc2 cxd4 25. exd4 (25. e4 $5) 25... Qxd4 26. Be3 Qd7 {Bl has 2 pawns for the piece, but they are static. On the other hand there are few weaknesses for Wh to attack , other than the b4 pawn} 27. Rd1 Qb7 28. Rb1 Rc8 29. Qb3 Rd8 30. Bf3 Qa6 31. Qc2 (31. g3 {secures Wh's K side}) 31... Qb5 32. Be2 Qe5 33. Qb2 Qb8 34. Bd2 Qc7 35. g3 Bc5 36. Kg2 Qb6 37. Be1 h6 38. Qc2 Be7 39. Qe4 Rd4 40. Qc2 Bf6 41. Qa4 Be7 42. Ra1 Bf8 43. Qa5 Qd6 44. Rb1 g6 45. Bf3 e5 46. Qa2 (46. Qa8 $5) 46... e4 47. Be2 h5 48. h4 Qc6 49. Kg1 {none of this is at all clear as to how Wh can make use of his piece ahead} Qd7 (49... e3 $5 {KomodoDragon2}) 50. Qb3 Bc5 51. Qc2 Qf5 52. Rc1 Rd5 53. Kg2 g5 {but any pawn advances on the King's wing should make it easier for Wh to find a way in.Bl looks best just sitting tight.} 54. hxg5 Qxg5 55. Rd1 ( 55. Qxe4 {should work out well for Wh according to the Engines} Qxc1 56. Qxd5 Qxe1 57. Qg5+ Kh8 (57... Kf8 58. Qxc5+) 58. Qxh5+ Kg8 59. Qg5+ Kh8 60. Qxc5 Qxe2 61. Qf8+ Kh7 62. Qxf7+ Kh6 63. Qf4+ Kh5 64. Qxb4 {and the two connected pawns should win- mate in 38 with best play}) 55... Rxd1 56. Bxd1 Qd5 57. Qd2 Qe5 58. Qh6 e3 59. Qxh5 (59. Bc2 $18 {KomodoDragon2}) (59. f4 Qe4+ 60. Kh2 e2 61. Qg5+ Kh8 62. Bb3 Bg1+ 63. Kxg1 Qe3+ 64. Kh2 Qxb3 65. Qxh5+ Kg7 66. Qxe2 $18 {KomodoDragon2}) 59... Qxh5 60. Bxh5 exf2 61. Bxf2 {with the exchange of Qs the game has clarified- Wh needs to safeguard his remaing pawn, while ganging up on the b4 pawn.} Bd6 62. Bd4 Kf8 63. Bd1 Ke7 64. g4 Ke6 65. Kf3 {bringing the K up in an endgame is usually an excellent idea} (65. Bc2 {putting the B on f5 & keeping the Bl's f pawn under restraint, looks a winning plan- Rudy}) 65... f5 66. Bb3+ Ke7 67. gxf5 {natural} (67. g5 {is an Engine preference}) 67... Kf8 68. Ke4 Ke8 69. Kd5 Ke7 70. Bc5 {mate in 12, but simplifies drastically} (70. f6+ {mate in 11 , Lomonosov}) (70. Kc6 {mate in 9, Lomonosov} ) 70... Bxc5 71. Kxc5 Kf6 72. Bc2 b3 73. Bb1 {Normal} 1-0

More than Respectable

After my last post suggesting that Aberystwyth were putting up an unexpectedly good fight in the Open Section of the Welsh Chess Union Online League, our match against Morriston on Thursday 9th December confirmed our good form. On top board, an interesting Budapest Gambit game was in prospect when Rudy van Kemande's opponent, Moss McCarthy, dropped a rook and resigned at once. It turned out that both players were too hasty: White could have trapped Black's queen after the capture, forcing her to give herself up for the second rook, leaving an unclear position, while Rudy had overlooked a winning alternative. Adam Watkin-Jones won a piece with a fork in an irregular opening against Chris Howells, who was unable to find any counterplay, and lost further material before resigning. I have recently taken up the Caro-Kann, inspired by Levy Rozman's Gotham Chess YouTube Channel: of his recommended line against the Advance Variation, he says, "You WILL win White's centre pawns, often!" and that's exactly what happened in my game against Francisco Marin, next time I'll remember to take both of them, but one was enough on this occasion. Sam Holman's game against Duncan Williams followed a line played several times in the recent World Championship match between Carlsen and Nepomniachtchi. Black won a pawn in the centre but overlooked White's threats on the kingside and Sam broke through to give mate. 4-0 to Aber was an outstanding result.

[Event "WCU Online Open3"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2021.12.09"] [Round "5.1"] [White "McCarthy, Moss"] [Black "Van Kemenade, R."] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A52"] [WhiteElo "1989"] [BlackElo "1999"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "40"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] {[%evp 0,40,16,20,33,-28,12,17,21,13,13,-22,23,-10,6,-20,-18,-12,-15,-20,-31, -24,-6,-31,-16,-21,-38,-34,-31,-47,-37,-27,-14,-27,-27,-14,-8,-39,-23,-47,-33, -243,32]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 Ng4 4. e3 (4. Bf4 Bb4+ 5. Nc3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Nc6 7. Nf3 Qe7 8. Qd5 f6 9. exf6 Nxf6 10. Qd3 d6 11. e3 O-O 12. Be2 Kh8 13. O-O {MCCarthy-J Van Kemenade,West Wales Open 2018,1-0}) 4... Nxe5 5. Nh3 ( 5. f4 Nec6 6. Nf3 Bc5 7. Nc3 O-O 8. Bd3 Re8 9. Kf2 h6 {Llewellyn-Van Kemenade, WCPL 2019,1/2-1/2}) (5. Nc3 g6 6. b3 Bg7 7. Bb2 O-O 8. Nf3 Nbc6 9. Be2 Re8 10. O-O d6 {Dudiefa-Van Kemenade,Coventry 2005,0-1}) 5... g6 (5... d6 6. Nf4 g6 7. Nc3 Bg7 8. Be2 a5 9. O-O O-O 10. e4 c6 11. Be3 Qe7 12. Rc1 f5 {Varley-Van Kemenade,S Wales International 2008,1-0}) 6. Nc3 Bg7 7. Nf4 O-O 8. Be2 d6 9. O-O (9. Bd2 a5 10. O-O Nbd7 11. Qc2 Nc5 12. f3 f5 13. Nd3 Ne6 {M Davies-Van Kemenade, West Wales Open 2007,1-0}) 9... Nbd7 10. Qc2 a5 11. b3 Nc5 12. Bb2 Bf5 $146 {Cloud Engines} (12... b6 13. Rad1 Bb7 14. Nfd5 f5 15. Qd2 Re8 16. f4 Nf7 17. e4 c6 {Llewellyn-Van Kemenade, WCPL 2009,0-1}) (12... c6 {main, 3.5-0.5 }) (12... a4 {KomodoDragon2; Lanin-Akrill, ICCF 2016,1/2-1/2}) 13. e4 Bd7 14. Nfd5 c6 (14... Nc6 $11 {KomodoDragon2}) 15. Ne3 f5 16. exf5 gxf5 17. f4 Ng6 18. Ncd1 (18. Rad1 $14 {KomodoDragon2}) 18... Qe7 19. Bxg7 (19. g3 a4 20. b4 Ne4 $14 {KomodoDragon2}) 19... Qxg7 20. g3 $2 (20. Qc3 Rf7 $11 {KomodoDragon2}) 20... Qxa1 {both players thought that Wh had just dropped a R, but matters are not that simple} (20... Qxa1 {Wh should have continued with} 21. Nc3 Qxf1+ 22. Kxf1 Rae8 23. Qd2 Rf6 24. Bf3 {KomodoDragon2 gives this as winning for Wh, but perhaps with 2 Rs for a Q, Bl should have continued till move 136 to win as in Carlsen-Nepomniachti, Wld Ch 2021,1-0}) (20... Nxf4 $1 $19 {is the correct way to exploit Wh's last, as the Engines indicate.} 21. Bf3 (21. Rxf4 Qxa1 $19) 21... Nh3+ 22. Kh1 f4 23. gxf4 Qxa1 24. Nc3 Qxf1+ 25. Nxf1 Rxf4 26. Bg2 Raf8 $19 (26... Nd3 $19 {KomodoDragon2- as compared with the immediate capture of the R, Wh's K side has been shattered})) 0-1 [Event "WCU Online Open3"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2021.12.09"] [Round "5.2"] [White "Watkin-Jones, Adam"] [Black "Howells, Chris"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A15"] [WhiteElo "1918"] [BlackElo "1835"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "67"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [TimeControl "2700+15"] {[%evp 0,67,80,62,54,-17,20,-22,0,4,40,25,30,43,34,45,42,42,31,41,90,69,70,48, 83,58,53,55,52,32,2,13,36,22,40,33,12,5,7,1,-7,-10,20,-100,-10,-29,67,1,1,5, 253,247,480,486,464,407,452,446,442,463,600,627,728,769,774,937,937,1065,1155, 1196]} 1. Nf3 Nf6 (1... d5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 Bf5 4. O-O e6 5. d3 Nbd7 { Dixon-Howells, S Wales New Year Open, 2017,1/2-1/2}) 2. c4 d6 3. e3 (3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. O-O O-O 6. Nc3 Nbd7 7. d3 e5 8. Rb1 {Watkin-Jones - Buttell, Dyfed League 2019, 1-0}) (3. d4 {main}) 3... e5 4. d4 Nbd7 5. b3 c6 6. Be2 e4 ( 6... Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. Bb2 e4 9. Nfd2 d5 10. Nc3 Re8 {2-7}) 7. Nfd2 d5 { usually Bl responds to d4 openings with e6 & d5 lines. Here the opening has transposed to a Reversed King's Indian Attack against a French.} 8. O-O (8. Ba3 Qa5 9. Bxf8 Nxf8 10. c5 b6 11. cxb6 axb6 12. Qc2 Bd7 {Morozova-Petrenko, Centracoop op, Eforie Nord 1999,1/2-1/2}) (8. a3 Bd6 9. Nc3 a6 (9... Nf8 10. f3 exf3 11. Bxf3 {Ivekovic-Bosnjak, CRO ch U17, Vukovar 2013,1/2-1/2}) 10. c5 Bc7 11. Qc2 O-O {Khaitov-Iuldachev, Tashkent Hokim Cup 2009,0-1}) 8... Bd6 9. Nc3 Bb8 $6 {trying to get in Qc7, but it is an awkward rearrangement} (9... a6 10. f3 Bb4 11. Bb2 exf3 12. Bxf3 O-O 13. cxd5 Bxc3 14. dxc6 Bxb2 15. cxb7 Bxb7 16. Bxb7 Ra7 17. Rb1 Bxd4 18. exd4 Rxb7 {Schwarz-Neumann, Wuerttemberg ch Seniors , Ellwangen 2002,0-1}) 10. cxd5 (10. Ba3 $18 {KomodoDragon2}) 10... cxd5 11. f4 exf3 (11... Bd6 $11) 12. Nxf3 O-O 13. Bd2 a6 (13... Re8 $15) 14. Rc1 b5 15. b4 Bb7 {the B looks a bit bad here, even if it does support a Ne4} (15... Nb6 $15 {KomodoDragon2}) 16. a4 bxa4 17. Nxa4 Ne4 18. Be1 Qe7 19. Bd3 Ndf6 20. Qe2 (20. Bh4 $16 {KomodoDragon2}) 20... Re8 21. b5 $6 {gives Bl's B more scopeand gets rid of a backward Bl pawn; and also lets the Engine indulge in some tactics} axb5 (21... Qa3 22. Bd2 Nxd2 23. Qxd2 axb5 24. Nc5 Bc8 25. Rb1 Bd6 $17 { KomodoDragon2}) 22. Bxb5 Rc8 $2 {Bl misjudges} (22... h6 23. Nc5 $11) 23. Rxc8+ Bxc8 24. Nb6 Ra3 25. Nxc8 Qc7 26. Bb4 $18 {the remaining Bl pieces are all on the wrong squares for cooperation} Rb3 27. Ne7+ Kh8 28. Ne5 g6 29. N7c6 Rxb4 30. Nxb4 Nc3 31. Qd3 Nfe4 32. Nxd5 Nxd5 33. Qxe4 f6 34. Qxd5 {Normal} 1-0 [Event "WCU Online Open3"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2021.12.09"] [Round "5.3"] [White "Marin Marin, Francisco"] [Black "Francis, Matthew"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B12"] [WhiteElo "1832"] [BlackElo "1648"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "88"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [TimeControl "2700+15"] {[%evp 0,88,39,37,74,74,74,64,64,46,47,38,72,-7,12,-10,28,-40,-15,-15,-12,-15, -39,-62,-63,-64,-59,-63,-57,-97,-83,-108,-110,-130,-92,-144,-107,-113,-134, -156,-107,-125,-141,-169,-180,-194,-206,-206,-144,-184,-152,-209,-199,-257, -211,-286,-286,-297,-303,-304,-259,-260,-261,-261,-247,-255,-181,-187,-187, -197,-187,-188,-200,-206,-196,-206,-185,-195,-196,-206,-221,-215,-246,-278, -288,-275,-288,-314,-323,-323,-323]} 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 (3... Bf5 4. Nf3 e6 5. Be2 (5. Bd3 Ne7 6. Bg5 Bxd3 7. Qxd3 h6 8. Be3 Nd7 9. Nc3 {Marin Marin-Keene , WCU Online Open3, rd1, 2021,1/2-1/2}) 5... Ne7 6. O-O Ng6 7. Re1 Be7 8. Be3 O-O 9. Nbd2 Nd7 10. Nf1 {Marin Marin-Southcott, 4NCL Online rd1, 2021,1/2-1/2}) 4. c3 Nc6 {main} (4... cxd4 5. cxd4 Bf5 6. Nc3 Nc6 7. Nf3 e6 8. Bg5 Qb6 9. Qd2 h6 10. Be3 Bb4 11. Be2 Nge7 12. O-O O-O {P Jones-Francis, Dyfed Online closed, nov 2021,1-0}) 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. Be2 e6 7. O-O Nge7 (7... Bxf3 8. Bxf3 cxd4 9. cxd4 Qb6 {106 games, 29 % for Wh, Bl has a good French setup minus the bad B}) 8. Bg5 (8. Nbd2 {main}) 8... Qb6 $11 {0.5-6.5, Wh's setup is rather passive} 9. Nbd2 cxd4 10. cxd4 Nf5 11. Nb3 (11. Be3 Bb4 12. Nb3 $15 { 1 Wh win, 2 draws,1 Bl win}) 11... Bxf3 12. Bxf3 Nfxd4 $19 {the key pawn has fallen} 13. Nxd4 Qxd4 14. Qb3 Qb4 15. Qxb4 Bxb4 16. a3 (16. Bf4) 16... Ba5 17. Rac1 O-O (17... Nxe5 {is quite safe}) 18. Bf4 Bc7 19. Rfe1 Rac8 (19... f6) 20. Bg3 Bb6 (20... Nd4) 21. b4 Nd4 22. Bg4 Nc2 23. Red1 Rc7 (23... Nxa3) 24. Bf4 Nxa3 25. Be2 (25. Rxc7 Bxc7 26. Ra1 Nc4 27. Rxa7 Bxe5 28. Be3 Rb8 { KomodoDragon2}) 25... Rfc8 26. Bd3 Nc4 27. h3 Nb2 28. Rxc7 Rxc7 29. Rd2 Nxd3 ( 29... Rc1+ 30. Bf1 Nc4 31. Ra2 Rb1 {ties Wh down, KomodoDragon2}) 30. Rxd3 h6 31. Kf1 Rc4 32. Bd2 Rd4 33. Rxd4 Bxd4 34. f4 f6 (34... g5 $5) 35. exf6 Bxf6 36. Ke2 Kf7 {the K entry decides} 37. Kd3 Ke7 38. Be3 a6 39. Bc5+ Kd7 40. g4 Be7 41. Bd4 g6 42. Bg7 h5 43. Bc3 hxg4 44. hxg4 Kc6 {Normal} 0-1 [Event "WCU Online Open3"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2021.12.09"] [Round "5.4"] [White "Holman, Sam"] [Black "Williams, Duncan"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C88"] [WhiteElo "1386"] [BlackElo "1752"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "63"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [TimeControl "2700+15"] {[%evp 0,63,80,4,89,-8,53,-27,45,-92,-38,-109,-3,-116,-90,-90,-18,-117,-55,-69, -20,-41,-23,-75,-63,-97,-97,-88,-72,-76,-3,-18,34,24,35,35,24,-33,-24,2,-8,-21, 9,6,-4,-6,-3,-7,22,-20,31,-131,-78,-75,-75,-105,-87,-83,-90,-90,29991,29992, 29997,29998,29999,-30000]} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. a4 {a main anti-Marshall line, that has feutured several times in the Nepomniachti-Carlsen match, with Wh gaining an edge but not enough.} (8. h3 Bb7 9. c3 $6 d5 10. exd5 Nxd5 11. Nxe5 Nxe5 12. Rxe5 Nf4 { and Bl had a boosted Marshall Gambit, Holman-Williams. WCU Online Open 2, 2021, 0-1}) 8... Bb7 9. d3 d6 10. Nbd2 (10. Nc3 {alternative}) 10... Nd7 (10... Na5) 11. Nf1 (11. c3 {main in GM practice}) 11... Nc5 12. c3 (12. axb5 axb5 13. Rxa8 {2 Wh wins, 2 draws, 2 Bl wins}) 12... Nxb3 13. Qxb3 Na5 14. Qc2 c5 15. Ne3 Re8 (15... g6 16. b4 cxb4 17. cxb4 Nc6 18. Nd5 f6 19. Be3 Rf7 {Holder-Hersvik, NOR ch tm 2002,0-1}) (15... c4 16. d4 Nb3 17. Ra2 exd4 18. Nxd4 Nxd4 19. cxd4 Bf6 20. d5 Qd7 21. Bd2 {Gruau-Chesters, 4NCL Online 2021,1-0}) (15... Qd7 $11 { several Engines}) 16. Bd2 c4 17. axb5 axb5 18. d4 (18. dxc4 Nxc4 19. Qd3 Nxe3 20. Bxe3 Bc6 21. b4 f5 $15 {KomodoDragon2- the Bs support pawn advances}) (18. Rad1 Nb3 19. Bc1 Nc5 20. dxc4 Bxe4 21. Qe2 bxc4 22. Qxc4 Ra4 23. Qe2 Qa8 $15 { KomodoDragon2}) 18... Nb3 19. Rxa8 Qxa8 20. d5 Bf8 21. Nf5 Qa2 (21... Bc8 $17 { KomodoDragon2}) 22. Be3 $11 Qa5 23. Qe2 Qc7 24. h4 (24. Nd2) 24... Nc5 (24... Bc8 25. h5 Bxf5 26. exf5 Qc8 27. f6 gxf6 28. Nh4 $16 {KomodoDragon2}) 25. h5 $5 (25. Bxc5 Qxc5 26. h5 g6 27. hxg6 hxg6 28. N3h4 $16 {KomodoDragon2- despite the exchange of Wh's usual attacking KB, Wh has promising chances on the K side with the Q & 2Ns. Bl really needs to bring his QB back into the game & swap off one of the Ns}) 25... Nxe4 26. Bb6 Qxb6 27. Qxe4 Qc5 {Bl has weakened Wh's centre, but now the Q should go back to strengthen the K side defences, and leave the d pawn till later} (27... Qd8 $17 28. N5d4 Bxd5 29. Qxd5 exd4 30. Rxe8 Qxe8 31. Nxd4 Qe1+ 32. Kh2 Qxf2 33. Qxb5 Qf1 34. Qf5 Qc1 35. Ne6 g6 36. Qf4 Qxf4+ 37. Nxf4 Bh6 38. Nd5 Bc1 $19 {KomodoDragon2}) 28. Ng5 $11 g6 29. hxg6 hxg6 (29... fxg6 {had to be played it seems, when} 30. Nxh7 Kxh7 31. Qh4+ Kg8 32. Qf6 Qxd5 33. Qxg6+ Kh8 34. Qh5+ {is a perpetual}) 30. Qh4 $18 {Bl's pieces are all on the wrong squares to protect their K} Bg7 31. Qh7+ Kf8 32. Qxg7# { Normal} 1-0

Respectable

Fears that Aberystwyth would be totally outclassed by the very strong teams in the Open Section of the Welsh Chess Union Online League haven't materialized in the matches so far. After our excellent win the previous week, we put up a fighting performance against White Knights on Thursday 25 November. Rudy van Kemenade's King's Indian Attack against Alan Young led to a blocked position in which the White pieces were getting in each other's way. Black had the initiative but couldn't find a way through with time getting short and settled for a draw by repetition. Adam Watkin-Jones played rather passively against Allan Pleasants in another hypermodern-type opening, and was soon tied down to the defence of his queenside against White's advancing pawns, resigning when the attack broke through. I took advantage of Adam May's vulnerable kingside with an unexpected tactic in a Caro-Kann Two Knights; there was only a draw there with best defence, but he didn't find the right moves and his position collapsed. Tom Gunn was comfortable in a Queen's Indian against Thomasz Miga till he allowed White's previously blocked central pawns to roll forward, when they proved to be unstoppable without material loss. A 2½-1½ defeat was a respectable result for Aber.

Playing for Cardigan against Peter Smith of De La Beche Rooks, Aberystwyth's Sam Holman managed to win his opponent's queen in a King's Indian Defence, but by that time White's attack in the centre and on the kingside was overwhelming, and mate soon followed.

[Event "WCU Online Open3"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2021.11.25"] [Round "4.1"] [White "Van Kemenade, R."] [Black "Young, Ala J"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A08"] [WhiteElo "1999"] [BlackElo "2144"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "64"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [TimeControl "2700+15"] {[%evp 0,64,19,29,23,-8,10,-10,-10,2,0,-10,-6,-4,-6,-4,-13,-25,-35,-27,-8,-11, -7,-31,-34,-10,-10,-10,10,0,9,-60,-51,-38,-43,-144,-161,-143,-152,-143,-97, -164,-114,-143,-68,-117,-117,-152,-102,-112,-52,-86,-64,-64,-92,-89,-31,-32, -37,-29,-34,-34,-31,-33,-31,-39,-47]} 1. Nf3 (1. f4 d5 {Van Kemenade-Young, 0. 5-1.5}) 1... d5 2. g3 c5 3. Bg2 Nc6 4. O-O e5 5. d3 Nf6 6. e4 dxe4 7. dxe4 { the central swap is anodyne for Wh in the King's Indian, and here the KID player has an extra move. Though, as an e4 player, Alan has not faced a full King's Indian Defence before} Bg4 (7... Qxd1 8. Rxd1 Nd4 (8... Bg4 9. c3 { and it is possible for Wh to exploit the holes on d5 and f5 before Bl's K B can get active, 64% for Wh}) 9. Nxd4 cxd4 10. c3 {2 Wh wins, 4 draws}) 8. c3 Be7 9. h3 (9. Nbd2) 9... Bh5 10. Qe2 O-O 11. Rd1 (11. Nbd2 Qc7 $14 {5-3-2} 12. g4 Bg6 13. Nh4 {is better than Wh got later- 2.5-0.5}) 11... Qc7 12. Na3 a6 13. Nc4 Rad8 14. Rxd8 (14. Bg5 $16 {KomodoDragon2}) 14... Rxd8 15. g4 (15. a4 b5 16. axb5 axb5 17. Ne3 c4 (17... Nxe4 18. Qxb5 $18) 18. Nf5 Bg6 19. N3h4 Bc5 20. Bg5 Ne7 21. Bxf6 gxf6 22. Nxe7+ Qxe7 23. Bf3 Rd3 $11 {KomodoDragon2}) 15... Bg6 16. Nfd2 Qd7 17. Bf1 {too defensive- Wh wished to preserve Qs for a K side attack, but the Wh pieces now get in each other's way} (17. a4 $14 Qd3 18. Qxd3 Rxd3 19. Bf1 Rd8 20. f3 $16 {KomodoDragon2}) (17. Ne3 Na5 (17... Qd3 18. Qxd3 Rxd3 19. Bf1 Rd8 20. f3 Nd7 21. a4 $16 {KomodoDragon2})) 17... b5 $17 18. Na3 ( 18. Nb6 Qc7 19. Nd5 Nxd5 20. exd5 Rxd5 21. Bg2 Rd3 22. Ne4 c4 $17) 18... c4 19. Nc2 h6 (19... h5 $19 {KomodoDragon2}) 20. f3 (20. a4 {liberates the R}) 20... Nh7 {threatening to invade on f4} (20... Bc5+ 21. Kh1 h5 $17 {KomodoDragon2}) 21. Ne3 Nf6 (21... Ng5 $19 22. Nd5 {is no real threat} Bc5+ 23. Kh1 Ne7 $19) ( 21... Bc5 22. Kh1 Ng5 {transposes}) 22. Kh1 (22. b4) 22... Bc5 23. Nf5 (23. a4) (23. Bg2) 23... Bxf5 24. exf5 e4 {opening up the position for Bl's better developed pieces} 25. Nxe4 (25. fxe4 Re8 26. b3 (26. Bg2 Ne5 {Wh's pieces are very badly placed}) 26... Nd4 $1 27. Qg2 Nc2 28. Rb1 Ne3 29. Qf3 Nxf1 30. Nxf1 Nxe4 31. Be3 Bxe3 32. Qxe3 cxb3 33. axb3 Ng5 $19 {Wh's position is just too porous}) 25... Nxe4 26. fxe4 (26. Qxe4 Re8 27. Qc2 Re1 $19) 26... Qd1 {Bl was happy to play this} 27. b4 Be3 {the B becomes a target here} (27... Be7 28. a4 Bf6 29. Qxd1 Rxd1 30. Bb2 Rd2 31. Bc1 Rc2 32. axb5 axb5 33. Bxh6 Bxc3 34. Ra8+ Kh7 35. Be3 Bxb4 $19) 28. Qxd1 Rxd1 29. Bb2 (29. Bxe3 {gets 2Bs for R&N, which often can hold- but here the Bs , especially the wh one, are passive} Rxa1 30. Kg2 Rxa2+ 31. Kf3 Rc2 $19) 29... Rd2 (29... Rd8 $1 {KomodoDragon2} 30. Bc1 Bxc1 31. Rxc1 Rd2 32. a4 bxa4 33. Ra1 Ne5 34. Bg2 Rc2 35. Ra3 f6 $19 {is a very dispiriting position for Wh to defend} 36. Kh2 Kf8 37. Kg3 Ke7 38. Bf3 Rd2 39. Bg2 Kd8 40. Bf1 Rc2 41. Rxa4 {maybe} Rxc3+ 42. Kf2 Rb3 43. Rxa6 c3 44. Ra8+ Kc7 45. Ra7+ Kb6 46. Ra6+ Kb7 47. Ra1 Nc6 {Wh's B is close to useless}) 30. Bc1 Rd1 31. Bb2 Rd2 (31... Rd8 {though Bl was running short of time, so went for the repetition}) 32. Bc1 Rd1 {Normal} 1/2-1/2 [Event "WCU Online Open3"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2021.11.25"] [Round "4.2"] [White "Pleasants, Allan J"] [Black "Watkin-Jones, Adam"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A04"] [WhiteElo "2088"] [BlackElo "1918"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "43"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [TimeControl "2700+15"] {[%evp 0,43,16,16,56,0,47,24,35,19,19,41,25,10,6,6,7,18,7,3,42,30,34,7,45,44, 62,69,68,56,52,52,69,68,64,47,47,73,154,140,150,153,153,188,180,87]} 1. Nf3 c5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. d4 (4. O-O Nc6 {Pleasants 1-1-1}) (4. c4 Nc6 5. Nc3 e5 6. O-O Nge7 7. Ne1 {May- Watkin-Jones,WCPl 2017,1-0} (7. d3 d6 8. Rb1 O-O 9. a3 Rb8 {B Brewer- Watkin-Jones, Dyfed League 2018,1/2-1/2})) 4... cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nc6 6. Nxc6 (6. Nb3 {is an alternative plan}) 6... bxc6 7. O-O Nf6 (7... Rb8 8. Nd2 Nf6 9. Nb3 Qc7 10. Bd2 d6 11. Ba5 Qb7 {4 draws, 1 Bl win}) 8. c4 O-O 9. Nc3 Ba6 (9... Rb8 {main} 10. Qc2 c5 11. Bf4 d6 {5 wins each}) 10. Qa4 Qc8 {3-3-3} ( 10... Bb7 {3-4-4}) 11. Rd1 (11. Rb1) 11... Bb7 (11... Rb8 12. Bf4 Rxb2 13. Qa3 Rc2 {Fernandez Gil-Lopez Heras, Tres Cantos op 2010,0-1}) (11... e6 12. e4 Ne8 13. Bf4 f5 14. Rd2 Bxc3 15. bxc3 fxe4 16. Bxe4 d5 {Strom Engdahl-Bellon Lopez, Gothenburg Kvibergspelen 2018,0-1}) 12. c5 $16 {KomodoDragon2} Qc7 (12... Rd8 13. Bf4 Nh5 14. Be3 a5 15. Rac1 $16 {KomodoDragon2}) 13. Bf4 $18 e5 (13... Qc8 $5) 14. Be3 a5 15. Rd2 h6 (15... Ng4 {an idea of Rudy fails to} 16. Qxg4 $2) 16. Rad1 Rfd8 17. h3 (17. Qh4 g5 18. Qa4 Re8 19. h4 $18 {KomodoDragon2}) 17... Rab8 18. g4 Nd5 (18... Ne8 19. Ne4 Ba6 20. a3 Qb7 21. h4 Bb5 22. Qc2 Qa6 23. g5 h5 24. Rxd7 Rxd7 25. Rxd7 Bxe2 26. Nd6 $18 {KomodoDragon2}) 19. Nxd5 cxd5 20. Bxd5 Bxd5 21. Rxd5 Rxb2 22. c6 {Normal} (22. Rxd7 Rxd7 23. Rxd7 (23. Qxd7 Qxd7 24. Rxd7 Rc2 {the c pawn must be stopped} 25. Rd2 Rc4 26. Rd8+ Kh7 27. Rc8 e4 28. Rc7 a4 29. Rxf7 $18) 23... Rb4 24. Qxb4 Qxd7 25. Qb8+ Kh7 26. Qd6 $18 { KomodoDragon2}) (22. c6 d6 23. Rxa5 Rc8 24. Rc1 e4 25. Ra7 Qd8 26. Qxe4 Be5 27. Rd7 Qf8 28. a4 $18 {KomodoDragon2- is not much fun for Bl}) 1-0 [Event "WCU Online Open3"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2021.11.25"] [Round "4.3"] [White "Francis, Matthew"] [Black "May, Adam J"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B11"] [WhiteElo "1648"] [BlackElo "2004"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "81"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [TimeControl "2700+15"] {[%evp 0,81,29,18,70,70,59,40,24,28,28,17,26,32,23,23,36,39,43,45,17,12,48,36, 36,15,15,-11,-15,-15,72,-2,25,17,37,-37,4,-55,20,-106,-120,-120,-149,-161,-90, -75,413,413,457,451,459,451,560,666,879,915,1059,1088,1073,1046,1021,1037,1038, 907,907,1026,1026,1021,1070,676,896,866,960,1110,1159,1153,1227,1314,2076, 29054,29983,29984,29987,29986]} 1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3 dxe4 {avoiding prepared lines against} (3... Bg4 {main, 1-2 May}) 4. Nxe4 Nf6 5. Qe2 (5. Nxf6+ {main}) 5... Nxe4 6. Qxe4 Nd7 7. Bc4 Nf6 8. Ne5 {keeps the QB in} e6 9. Qe2 b5 10. Bb3 {43% for Wh} (10. Bd3 {55% for Wh}) 10... Qc7 11. d4 Bd6 12. O-O O-O 13. h3 $146 {may not be necessary and could be a useful square for a R to go to in a little while} (13. c3) (13. Bf4) (13. Re1 {main lines, playing moves that part of a K side build-up}) 13... Bb7 (13... c5 14. c3 a5 $11 { KomodoDragon2}) 14. c3 (14. Nd3 {is possible}) 14... Kh8 15. Bc2 a6 (15... c5 { is more dynamic} 16. Bg5 (16. Qxb5 cxd4 17. cxd4 Bxg2 18. Kxg2 Qxc2 $17) 16... Rac8 17. Bd3 Ba8 18. Bxb5 Ne4 19. Be3 Bxe5 20. dxe5 Qb7 21. Ba6 Nxc3 22. Qg4 Qxa6 23. bxc3 Bd5 $11 {KomodoDragon2}) 16. Bg5 c5 17. f4 Rac8 (17... Ng8 18. Bxh7 Kxh7 19. Qh5+ Nh6 20. Ng4 f6 21. Bxh6 Qf7 22. Qh4 gxh6 23. Qxh6+ Kg8 24. Rae1 cxd4 25. f5 exf5 (25... Qg7) 26. Rxf5 Qg7 $11 {KomodoDragon2}) (17... cxd4 18. cxd4 Rac8 19. Rac1 Qb6 20. Rcd1 Qc7 $11 {KomodoDragon2}) 18. Rac1 (18. Rae1 cxd4 19. Qd3 Ne4 20. Rxe4 Bxe4 21. Qxe4 f5 22. Qe2 dxc3 23. bxc3 b4 24. c4 Bxe5 25. fxe5 $18 (25. Qxe5 $16 {KomodoDragon2})) 18... Bd5 (18... cxd4 19. cxd4 Qb6 $11 {KomodoDragon2}) 19. b3 (19. f5 $11) (19. Bxf6 gxf6 20. Bxh7 Kxh7 21. Qh5+ (21. c4 $1 bxc4 22. Qh5+ Kg7 23. Qg4+ Kh8 24. Qh4+ Kg7 25. Qg3+ Kh7 26. Ng4 Be7 27. Qh4+ Kg8 28. Rc3 $18 {KomodoDragon2}) 21... Kg7 22. Qg4+ $11) 19... cxd4 20. cxd4 Ba3 (20... Ng8 $17) (20... Qc3 21. Kh2 (21. Qf2 Nh5 22. f5 Qg3 $19) 21... Qb2 22. Bd3 Qxe2 23. Bxe2 Kg8 $17 {KomodoDragon2}) 21. Bxf6 gxf6 (21... Bxc1 22. Bxh7 gxf6 23. Qh5 Be3+ 24. Kh1 Bxg2+ 25. Kh2 Kg7 26. Qg4+ Kxh7 27. Qh5+ $11 {KomodoDragon2}) 22. Qh5 f5 (22... Qxc2 $1 {KomodoDragon2 claims a hold} 23. Rxc2 Rxc2 24. Nf3 Bc1 25. Ne1 Be3+ 26. Kh1 Rxa2 27. Qh6 Rg8 28. Qxf6+ Rg7 29. Qd8+ Rg8 30. Qf6+ $11) 23. Bxf5 $1 $18 {clearly missed by Bl} exf5 24. Rxc7 Rxc7 25. Qxf5 Be6 (25... f6 26. Nd7 Rf7 27. Nc5 Bc6 28. Re1 $18 { KomodoDragon2}) 26. Qf6+ Kg8 27. Rf3 Rc1+ 28. Kh2 Rfc8 29. Rg3+ Kf8 30. f5 Rf1 (30... Bd5 31. Re3 $1 Ke8 (31... Kg8 32. Qg5+ Kh8 (32... Kf8 33. Nd7#) 33. Rg3 {mating- KomodoDragon2})) 31. Qg7+ (31. Nc6 $1 {KomodoDragon2} Ke8 32. Rg8+ Kd7 33. fxe6+ Kxc6 (33... fxe6 34. Qg7+) 34. Rxc8+ Kb7 35. Qd8 Rc1 36. Rb8+ Kc6 37. Rb6# (37. Qd7#)) 31... Ke7 32. fxe6 Rcc1 33. Rf3 Rxf3 34. Nxf3 (34. gxf3 Rc2+ 35. Kg3 Kd8 36. exf7 {is quicker}) (34. exf7 $1 {KomodoDragon2} Ke6 35. gxf3 Kd5 36. Qg4 Rc2+ 37. Kg3) 34... Bd6+ (34... Kxe6 35. Ng5+ Kd5 36. Qe5+ (36. Qxf7+) 36... Kc6 37. d5+ Kb7 38. d6 $18 {KomodoDragon2}) 35. Ne5 Bxe5+ 36. Qxe5 (36. dxe5 Rf1 37. exf7 Rxf7 38. Qh6 $18 (38. Qxf7+ Kxf7 39. Kg3 Ke6 40. Kf4 $18 {is fine as well})) 36... f6 37. Qf5 (37. Qc5+ Rxc5 38. dxc5 b4 39. Kg3 Kxe6 40. Kf4 {is another easy K & P game, should Wh feel inclined}) 37... Rd1 38. d5 (38. Qd5) 38... b4 39. Qxh7+ Kd6 40. Qd7+ Ke5 41. e7 {Normal} 1-0 [Event "WCU Online Open3"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2021.11.25"] [Round "4.4"] [White "Miga, Thomasz"] [Black "Gunn, Tom"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E16"] [WhiteElo "1815"] [BlackElo "1398"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "81"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [TimeControl "2700+15"] {[%evp 0,81,19,31,14,30,28,4,27,14,14,9,12,13,24,29,29,26,26,32,35,23,29,23,33, -1,11,-15,6,-25,-4,-50,-7,-46,-37,-17,-12,-29,-3,-11,-24,-29,-26,-65,21,8,-8, -3,-3,0,-7,-12,-14,-15,37,25,29,25,33,24,27,0,8,-21,0,13,21,30,30,0,38,27,27, 22,44,48,64,43,217,256,241,250,467,461]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 (3. a3 Be7 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d6 6. Nbd2 Nbd7 7. e4 e5 8. c3 Re8 {Thacker-Gunn,Dyfed Major 2020,0-1}) 3... b6 4. g3 Bb7 (4... Ba6 5. b3 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Be7 7. Bg2 c6 8. Qc2 d5 9. O-O O-O {Miga-Coles, 4NCL Online 2020,0-1}) 5. Bg2 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 c5 (6... Bxd2+) (6... Be7 {main lines}) 7. Bxb4 (7. O-O) 7... cxb4 8. O-O O-O 9. Nbd2 d6 10. Qc2 (10. Re1) (10. Qb3) 10... Nbd7 11. e4 e5 12. d5 Qc7 (12... Rc8 13. Ne1 a5 14. a3 bxa3 15. bxa3 Ba6 16. a4 Qc7 17. Rc1 b5 {Krajewski-Misiuga, POl ch tm 2002,0-1}) (12... Nc5 13. Ne1 Qe7 14. Nb3 Nfd7 15. Nd3 Nxd3 16. Qxd3 Rae8 17. Qe3 Bc8 18. Bh3 Qd8 19. Rae1 a5 20. Nd2 Nc5 {Mitchenko-Kononenko, Rodatychi op 2006,0-1 The control over c5 restrains Wh's centre}) 13. Rac1 ( 13. a3 $14 {Stockfish14 & KomodoDragon2}) 13... a5 14. Ng5 h6 (14... Nc5 $15 { both Engines}) 15. Nh3 {the N is a little out of play here} (15. Ngf3) 15... Nc5 16. Nb3 (16. f3 {both Engines}) 16... Nxb3 17. axb3 Rac8 (17... Qc5 $17) ( 17... Nd7 $17) 18. f4 $11 exf4 19. Nxf4 {puts the N on a better square than h3, but it does not appear to have that many good squares to go to. In the meantime Wh has ceded control over e5, which Bl can occupy, thus keeping Wh's B as a rather bad one. Wh might have to sacrifice a pawn on e5 in order to activate it. Hence, Bl must put a piece onto e5 to keep the Wh pawns immobile} (19. gxf4 $11 {both Engines}) 19... Rfe8 20. Rce1 (20. Rfe1) 20... Qc5+ (20... b5 $1 $19 {both Engines; Wh needs the B to be able to come to f1 to support c4} 21. Rc1 bxc4 22. bxc4 Ba6 23. b3 a4 $19) 21. Kh1 Qc7 (21... b5 $19) 22. Qf2 ( 22. Ne2 $11 {the N will have some threats when it gets to the outpost at f5}) 22... Re7 23. Nd3 Rce8 24. Qd4 Nd7 25. Qf2 Ne5 (25... Bc8 $17 {both Engines}) 26. Nxe5 dxe5 $2 {a positional error} (26... Rxe5 $15 {has to be correct, to keep the Wh pawns barricaded}) 27. Rd1 (27. Bh3 $16 {KomodoDragon2}) (27. Rc1 $16 {Stockfish14}) 27... Qd6 28. Rc1 Rc8 29. Qe2 (29. Bh3 {both Engines}) 29... Rf8 (29... Rc5 $14 {both Engines}) 30. c5 {in turn Wh mixes things unnecssarily } (30. h4 {keeps more control}) 30... bxc5 $15 31. Rf5 Bc8 (31... Rc7 $15 { prevents invasion -both Engines}) 32. Rf2 f6 (32... Rc7 $15) 33. Qb5 $11 Rc7 34. Qxa5 Bd7 (34... f5 35. exf5 Bb7 36. Rd1 Ra8 37. Qb5 Ba6 38. Qa4 Bb7 39. Qb5 Ba6 $11 {both Engines}) 35. Rfc2 Rfc8 (35... f5 36. Rxc5 Rxc5 37. Qxc5 Qxc5 38. Rxc5 fxe4 39. Bxe4 Bf5 40. Bxf5 Rxf5 $11 {both Engines} 41. Rb5 Rf2 42. Rxb4 Rd2 43. Re4 Rxb2 44. Rxe5 Rxb3 45. Kg2 Kf7 {a centre paw is more easily blocked sas the K remains near to its own pawns, and Bl's R is active}) 36. Bf1 Kf8 37. Ra1 Ke7 (37... f5) 38. Qa6 $18 {Bl finds out that the d5 pawn is insufficiently barricaded- life would be very different if Bl had a N rather than a B} Be8 (38... Qxa6 39. Rxa6 Kd8 40. Rc1 $18 {best try- but the Bl pieces are huddled to gether kept in check by that protected passed pawn}) 39. Qxd6+ Kxd6 40. Ra6+ Ke7 41. d6+ {Normal- punishment for moving his own pawn from d6 earlier.} 1-0 [Event "WCU Online U1800 B"] [Site "Lichess"] [Date "2021.11.25"] [Round "4.4"] [White "Smith, Peter"] [Black "Holman, Sam"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E70"] [WhiteElo "1485"] [BlackElo "1386"] [Annotator "kemen"] [PlyCount "55"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [WhiteTeam "De La Beche Rooks"] [BlackTeam "Cardigan"] {[%evp 0,55,20,20,28,-8,45,43,32,59,59,48,42,66,49,55,111,87,81,52,82,50,72,64, 112,103,162,167,170,157,184,182,216,142,315,263,238,238,377,470,470,449,712, 907,980,621,583,696,707,445,518,562,702,718,845,1281,29999,-30000]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 O-O {this is playable, but in some lines Bl must be prepared to give up a pawn or two to break up the Wh centre before it rolls over the defences.} (4... d6 {main}) 5. e5 (5. Nf3 {main}) 5... Ne8 6. f4 d6 7. Nf3 b6 {this is too slow} (7... c5 $1 8. dxc5 Nc6 {or} (8... Qa5 {are how Bl needs to use his lead in development, when Wh must play carefully to stay afloat at about the 50% level})) 8. Bd3 {4 Wh wins, 2 draws, 1 Bl win} Bb7 9. O-O (9. Be4 {2 draws, 1 Bl win}) (9. h4 $16 {KomodoDragon2}) 9... Nd7 (9... c5 10. d5 $18 {2-0}) 10. Qe2 (10. Re1 $16 {KomodoDragon2}) 10... c5 (10... Bxf3 11. Rxf3 c5 {is a better attempt at breaking up the centre- Cloud Engines} 12. d5 dxe5 13. f5 $14) 11. d5 $18 dxe5 12. fxe5 {the central pawns are very powerful- they have several ways of advancing to dislocate the Bl position} Qc7 13. Bf4 Qc8 14. Rae1 (14. Ng5 $1 {Stockfish14 & KomodoDragon2, virtually force Bl to create further weaknesses with} h6 {before Wh can sling in an e6 as well} 15. Nf3 $18 {Bl has scarcely any good moves}) 14... Nc7 15. Qe3 (15. e6 fxe6 16. Bxc7 Qxc7 17. Qxe6+ Kh8 18. Nb5 Qc8 (18... Qd8 19. Ng5) 19. Qxe7 {there are too many Bl pieces stuck on the Q side, while Wh has several ways of breaking open Bl's K position even further}) 15... Re8 16. Ng5 (16. e6 $1) 16... b5 17. e6 Bd4 {Bl wins the Q, but at a ruinous cost} 18. exf7+ Kh8 19. fxe8=Q+ Qxe8 20. Bxc7 b4 21. Qxd4+ (21. Rf7 $1 {KomodoDragon2}) 21... cxd4 22. Nb5 (22. Rf7 $1) 22... Nc5 23. Be5+ (23. Rf7 {still prefered by the Engine, but Wh is comfortably ahead, with all his pieces joining in ( as opposed to the Bl stays on the Q side}) 23... Kg8 24. Be2 (24. Nc7) (24. Bxd4) (24. Bd6) 24... d3 25. Bg4 (25. Nc7) (25. Rf7) 25... Bxd5 26. Nc7 (26. cxd5 {also fine}) 26... Qa4 27. Nxd5 b3 (27... Qe8 {best- when KomodoDragon2 gives a mate in 8} 28. Bd4 e6 29. Bxe6+ Nxe6 30. Rxe6 Qxe6 31. Nxe6 h5 32. Ne7+ Kh7 33. Rf7+ Kh6 34. Be3+ g5 35. Bxg5#) 28. Nxe7# 1-0