Swale Club Chess Championship - Round Two
Thursday 20 September 2018
White: Vytautas Gedminas (116) - Black: Keith Nevols (163)
Scandinavian Defence
1. e4 d5
For the benefit of new readers, this is my favourite defence to e4. It is an unambitious but solid defence and I have a very good record with it.
For the benefit of new readers, this is my favourite defence to e4. It is an unambitious but solid defence and I have a very good record with it.
2. exd5 Qxd5
2. ... Nf6 is the other common response.
2. ... Nf6 is the other common response.
3. Nf3 Nf6
4. Nc3 Qa5
And this is my favourite place to put the queen. Qd8 is also playable. Some people like Qd6.
5. Be2 Bf5
During the game I was trying to think of what should I play after 6. Nd4 e6 7. Nb3. Probably Qb6. The queen getting pushed around is balanced by the waste of time with the knights.
6. d3
White has chosen a quiet development. Bc4 and d4 is the main line.
6. .... c6
And this is my favourite place to put the queen. Qd8 is also playable. Some people like Qd6.
5. Be2 Bf5
During the game I was trying to think of what should I play after 6. Nd4 e6 7. Nb3. Probably Qb6. The queen getting pushed around is balanced by the waste of time with the knights.
6. d3
White has chosen a quiet development. Bc4 and d4 is the main line.
6. .... c6
7. Bd2 Qc7
8. Nd4 Bg6
9. Bg5 Nbd7
10. Bg4!?
A deployment of the bishop I had not seen before. 10. Bf3 might be stronger but I think simply 10.O-O is best. I now saw a way to grab the initiative.
10. .... Qe5+
11. Be3 e6
Planning to complete development with Bc5 as White's pieces are currently somewhat not well placed.
12. Qf3?
Marks for aggression but this is a wasted move. Again castling is best. I could now see how to place some pressure on the centre with the hope of winning a pawn.
12. ...... Bc5
13. Nde2
I analysed 13. Nce2 to see if I could get anywhere with 13. .. Bb4+ but 14. c3 seemed secure enough. (14. Bd2 would be a blunder after 14. .. Bxd2 15. Kxd2 Qg5+), so 13. .. Nd5 would keep the pressure on. Now I can force the win of a pawn.
13. .... Bxe3
14. fxg3 Nxg4
15. Qxg4 Qxe3
So it was time to think of strategy - and I made what I think is the wrong strategic decision.
With all respect to my opponent, I am the better player and so I now think, should I get the queens off, go into an ending a pawn up, and be confident that I can outplay him with simple chess? Against this argument is the fact that a pawn lead is not enough to win, and my bishop on g6 is not that well placed - the pawn on d3 both blocks and limits its expansion.
I could keep the queens on, try to keep his king in the centre, and go for an attack. Against this argument is the fact that a tactical battle can go both ways, and I usually run short of time (as I do here) and thus risk losing the game.
After umm-ing and ah-ing, I opt for keeping the queens on.
16. Qb4 O-O-O
With reference to my last note, I think I should have considered 16. ... Qb6.
17. Qa5
I considered here 17. .. Ne5 but did not like 18. Nd1 (however 18. .. Qg5 is fine) and 17. ... Nc5 (which I rejected because of 18. b4 Nd7 and, at some point, b5 taking an initiative).
The computer also suggests 17. .. h6 to give the bishop a retreat square. I did not consider this. Caution won the day.
17. .... Kb8
18. Nd1 Qh6
Now I should have played 18. .. Qb6 or 18. ... Qe5 and let White decide if he wants to exchange. The queen has to go to the only possible square to avoid an exchange.
19. O-O
This move surprised me - although it is obvious really. I just did not think he would castle in front of my queen.
19. .... Nf6
19..... b6 is an option to force the White queen off the fifth rank. White could play 20. Qc3 Kb7 21. Nd4 Rc8 or 20. Qe1 Qg5. I just wanted to activate the knight.
20. Qe5+ Ka8
21. h3?!
An inaccuracy as White did not foresee my next move.
21. ..... Qd2
After a long think. White's next move is obvious but I was looking at the position after.
22. Rc1
White could also try 22. Nd4, where 22. .. Rd5 23. Qe2 Ne4!? is quite pretty (23. Qf4? Qxf4 24. Rxf4 e5). But 22. Rc1 was the move I expected.
I had tried to examine whether either 22. ... Be4 or 22. .. Ne4 were any good. After 22. ... Be4 White could play 23. Rxf6 gxf6 24. Qxe4 and have two knights for a rook and a pawn (I did not see that Black could play 23. .... Bxd3! 24. cxd3 gxf6 and then take the pawn on d3 which would leave White with two knights for a rook and three pawns). And after 22. ... Ne4 White could play 23. Ndc3 and that comes to nothing.
The best move, which I did not consider, is 22. .. Nd5! exploiting White's lack of co-ordination. Then 23. Rf2 f6 with e5 to follow, and the bishop will have some squares to go to f7, hit a2 and perhaps come to d5.
The move I played seemed the most natural to me.
22. .... Rd5
23. Qe3 Qa5
In my big think referred to, I also looked at 23. .. Qxe3 24. Nxe3 Re5 25. Rf3 and tried to see if I could exploit White's shakiness. I saw 25. ... Bh5 26. g4 Bg6 but did not see the idea of following this up with h5.
Instead I decided, once again, to keep the queens on.
24. Nec3 Re5
If 24. .. Rg5 then 25. b4 and Black must exchange queens with 25. ... Qb6.
25. Qg3 Nh5
I wanted to try to get pieces closer to the king and to focus on the g3 square. Also if 26. Qf2 then I intended to swap off a rook with 26. .. Rf5 and bring in the other one via d8.
26. Qh4 Qc7?
Poor. As I said I was focusing on the g3 square but this weakens my hold on the fifth rank and allows White to take pot shots at the rook. Retreating with 26. .. Nf6 is an improvement.
27. d4 Ra5
27. .. Rf5 28. Rxf5 exf5 and my bishop looks rather silly. 27. .. Qb6 28. Na4 Qb4 29. Ndc3 and White is improving fast.
28. a4 Nf6
28. ... Qd8 offering to exchange queens is better but this move makes a space for the rook.
29. Ne3 Rh5
30. Qf2 Rd8
Bringing my final piece in. Although I could not see a clear way to win, this seemed natural.
31. Ne2 Ne4
32. Qe1 Rg5
33. c3 Ng3
This was the point of the last few moves. I wanted to occupy the g3 square and try to build up something around it.
34. Nxg3 Rxg3?!
Black should have taken back with the queen.
35. Qe2
Missing 35. Ng4! with the threat of Ne5 cutting off the defence of the rook.
Black might have to play 35. .. Re8 (preparing f6) and then 36. Ne5 Rg5 37. g4 h5 38. Qe3 f6 39. h4 and Black will have to give up the exchange.
35. .... c5
Aiming to open up the centre to find more spaces for my pieces.
36. Rcd1 cxd4
37. cxd4 Rg5
I am running out of ideas of what to do!
38. Nc4?
This is a mistake ....
38. ..... Qg3?
..... and I overlook 38. .. Rgd5. White can save the pawn with 39. Na3 a6 40. Qf2 but then Black can add pressure with 40. .. Qa5 or 40. Qb6.
39. Rf3 Qc7
40. Rc3!
Now it is White who has the better placed pieces and he quickly whips up a dangerous initiative.
40. Qd7
41. Ne5 Qd5
I ruled out 41... Qxa4 as I did not like 42. Ra3. But then 42. ... Rxe5! wins at once.
Better for White would be 42. b3 where, two pawns down, he still has chances against the king and of trapping the black rook.
42. Rc5 Qe4
I finally decided to exchange queens, both to liberate the bishop and to reduce White's attack.
43. Qxe4 Bxe4
Here the computer recommends 44. Re1! where 44. .. Bxg2 can be met by 45. h4 forcing 45. .. Rxe5 (45. ... Rg3 46. Kh2), or 44. ... Bg6 45. Nxf7 or 44. .. f5 45. g4.
44. g4 h5?
44. .. f6 is best where the game is then equal.
45. Nxf7 Rxc5
46. Nxd8 Rc2
47. Nxe6 hxg4
48. hxg4 Rg2+
49. Kf1 Rxg4
This was the position I had foreseen at move 44. But I underestimated the strength of the White d-pawn which will now put White in a winning position.
50. d5! Kb8
51. d6 Bc6
52. d7 Bxd7
53. Rxd7 a6
And now 54. b3 Rb4 55. Nb5 should win for White.
54. Rxg7 Rxa4
55. Nc5 Rb4
56. b3 Rb5
57. Rg5 Ka7
9. Bg5 Nbd7
10. Bg4!?
A deployment of the bishop I had not seen before. 10. Bf3 might be stronger but I think simply 10.O-O is best. I now saw a way to grab the initiative.
10. .... Qe5+
11. Be3 e6
Planning to complete development with Bc5 as White's pieces are currently somewhat not well placed.
12. Qf3?
Marks for aggression but this is a wasted move. Again castling is best. I could now see how to place some pressure on the centre with the hope of winning a pawn.
12. ...... Bc5
13. Nde2
I analysed 13. Nce2 to see if I could get anywhere with 13. .. Bb4+ but 14. c3 seemed secure enough. (14. Bd2 would be a blunder after 14. .. Bxd2 15. Kxd2 Qg5+), so 13. .. Nd5 would keep the pressure on. Now I can force the win of a pawn.
13. .... Bxe3
14. fxg3 Nxg4
15. Qxg4 Qxe3
So it was time to think of strategy - and I made what I think is the wrong strategic decision.
With all respect to my opponent, I am the better player and so I now think, should I get the queens off, go into an ending a pawn up, and be confident that I can outplay him with simple chess? Against this argument is the fact that a pawn lead is not enough to win, and my bishop on g6 is not that well placed - the pawn on d3 both blocks and limits its expansion.
I could keep the queens on, try to keep his king in the centre, and go for an attack. Against this argument is the fact that a tactical battle can go both ways, and I usually run short of time (as I do here) and thus risk losing the game.
After umm-ing and ah-ing, I opt for keeping the queens on.
16. Qb4 O-O-O
With reference to my last note, I think I should have considered 16. ... Qb6.
17. Qa5
I considered here 17. .. Ne5 but did not like 18. Nd1 (however 18. .. Qg5 is fine) and 17. ... Nc5 (which I rejected because of 18. b4 Nd7 and, at some point, b5 taking an initiative).
The computer also suggests 17. .. h6 to give the bishop a retreat square. I did not consider this. Caution won the day.
17. .... Kb8
18. Nd1 Qh6
Now I should have played 18. .. Qb6 or 18. ... Qe5 and let White decide if he wants to exchange. The queen has to go to the only possible square to avoid an exchange.
19. O-O
This move surprised me - although it is obvious really. I just did not think he would castle in front of my queen.
19. .... Nf6
19..... b6 is an option to force the White queen off the fifth rank. White could play 20. Qc3 Kb7 21. Nd4 Rc8 or 20. Qe1 Qg5. I just wanted to activate the knight.
20. Qe5+ Ka8
21. h3?!
An inaccuracy as White did not foresee my next move.
21. ..... Qd2
After a long think. White's next move is obvious but I was looking at the position after.
22. Rc1
White could also try 22. Nd4, where 22. .. Rd5 23. Qe2 Ne4!? is quite pretty (23. Qf4? Qxf4 24. Rxf4 e5). But 22. Rc1 was the move I expected.
I had tried to examine whether either 22. ... Be4 or 22. .. Ne4 were any good. After 22. ... Be4 White could play 23. Rxf6 gxf6 24. Qxe4 and have two knights for a rook and a pawn (I did not see that Black could play 23. .... Bxd3! 24. cxd3 gxf6 and then take the pawn on d3 which would leave White with two knights for a rook and three pawns). And after 22. ... Ne4 White could play 23. Ndc3 and that comes to nothing.
The best move, which I did not consider, is 22. .. Nd5! exploiting White's lack of co-ordination. Then 23. Rf2 f6 with e5 to follow, and the bishop will have some squares to go to f7, hit a2 and perhaps come to d5.
The move I played seemed the most natural to me.
22. .... Rd5
23. Qe3 Qa5
In my big think referred to, I also looked at 23. .. Qxe3 24. Nxe3 Re5 25. Rf3 and tried to see if I could exploit White's shakiness. I saw 25. ... Bh5 26. g4 Bg6 but did not see the idea of following this up with h5.
Instead I decided, once again, to keep the queens on.
24. Nec3 Re5
If 24. .. Rg5 then 25. b4 and Black must exchange queens with 25. ... Qb6.
25. Qg3 Nh5
I wanted to try to get pieces closer to the king and to focus on the g3 square. Also if 26. Qf2 then I intended to swap off a rook with 26. .. Rf5 and bring in the other one via d8.
26. Qh4 Qc7?
Poor. As I said I was focusing on the g3 square but this weakens my hold on the fifth rank and allows White to take pot shots at the rook. Retreating with 26. .. Nf6 is an improvement.
27. d4 Ra5
27. .. Rf5 28. Rxf5 exf5 and my bishop looks rather silly. 27. .. Qb6 28. Na4 Qb4 29. Ndc3 and White is improving fast.
28. a4 Nf6
28. ... Qd8 offering to exchange queens is better but this move makes a space for the rook.
29. Ne3 Rh5
30. Qf2 Rd8
Bringing my final piece in. Although I could not see a clear way to win, this seemed natural.
31. Ne2 Ne4
32. Qe1 Rg5
33. c3 Ng3
This was the point of the last few moves. I wanted to occupy the g3 square and try to build up something around it.
34. Nxg3 Rxg3?!
Black should have taken back with the queen.
35. Qe2
Missing 35. Ng4! with the threat of Ne5 cutting off the defence of the rook.
Black might have to play 35. .. Re8 (preparing f6) and then 36. Ne5 Rg5 37. g4 h5 38. Qe3 f6 39. h4 and Black will have to give up the exchange.
35. .... c5
Aiming to open up the centre to find more spaces for my pieces.
36. Rcd1 cxd4
37. cxd4 Rg5
I am running out of ideas of what to do!
38. Nc4?
This is a mistake ....
38. ..... Qg3?
..... and I overlook 38. .. Rgd5. White can save the pawn with 39. Na3 a6 40. Qf2 but then Black can add pressure with 40. .. Qa5 or 40. Qb6.
39. Rf3 Qc7
40. Rc3!
Now it is White who has the better placed pieces and he quickly whips up a dangerous initiative.
40. Qd7
41. Ne5 Qd5
I ruled out 41... Qxa4 as I did not like 42. Ra3. But then 42. ... Rxe5! wins at once.
Better for White would be 42. b3 where, two pawns down, he still has chances against the king and of trapping the black rook.
42. Rc5 Qe4
I finally decided to exchange queens, both to liberate the bishop and to reduce White's attack.
43. Qxe4 Bxe4
Here the computer recommends 44. Re1! where 44. .. Bxg2 can be met by 45. h4 forcing 45. .. Rxe5 (45. ... Rg3 46. Kh2), or 44. ... Bg6 45. Nxf7 or 44. .. f5 45. g4.
44. g4 h5?
44. .. f6 is best where the game is then equal.
45. Nxf7 Rxc5
46. Nxd8 Rc2
47. Nxe6 hxg4
48. hxg4 Rg2+
49. Kf1 Rxg4
This was the position I had foreseen at move 44. But I underestimated the strength of the White d-pawn which will now put White in a winning position.
50. d5! Kb8
51. d6 Bc6
52. d7 Bxd7
53. Rxd7 a6
And now 54. b3 Rb4 55. Nb5 should win for White.
54. Rxg7 Rxa4
55. Nc5 Rb4
56. b3 Rb5
57. Rg5 Ka7
With less than five minutes left, I stopped writing down my moves. I advanced the king and almost managed to trap the knight. However I did manage to win the last White pawn and, with rooks then exchanged, forced a draw as White had to sacrifice his knight for the two black pawns and we had just the kings left.
A draw with which I was very disappointed. I had not thrown away a better position but equally I lacked a plan throughout, allowed White to improve his pieces, and I was lucky to save the game.
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