25 October 2018 - Swale Club Championship - Round Five

Swale Club Chess Championship - Round Five

Thursday 25 October 2018

White: Keith Nevols (163) - Black: Rob Woolacott (132)

Pirc Defence

1. e4 d6

2. d4 Nf6

3. Nc3 Nbd7

4. Nf3 g6

5. Bg5 Bg7

6. Qd2

My usual system against the Pirc defence, keeping open the options of castling either side and also attacking on the kingside.

6. .....  O-O

7. Be2

7. e5 dxe5 8. dxe5 Ng4 9. e6!? is an interesting pawn sacrifice. 9. .. fxe6 10. O-O-O with Bc4 to follow and Black might find it difficult to develop. An ides to keep in reserve.

7. ....  e5?!

7. ... c5 is more in the spirit of the opening. Now I could see a way to get an initiative.

8. dxe5 Nxe5

If 8. .... dxe5 then I had a choice of 9. Rd1, 9. O-O-O or just 9. O-O.

9. Nxe5 dxe5

10. Qxd8 Rxd8

11. Nd5

Black could consider here an interesting exchange sacrifice in 11. ... Rxd5!? 12. exd5 Nxd5

11. ......  Rd6

12. Nxc7 Rb8

So I am a pawn up, but the e4 pawn is weak, my knight is slightly offside and my king has not yet castled. I sought to retrieve the knight with tempo to defend the e4 pawn. But Black has a cunning plan ....

13. Nb5 Rc6

14. Nc3

The computer recommends 14. O-O-O. Black cannot play 14. ... Nxe4 because of 15. Rd8+ Bf8 16. Bh6 (a point I had not noticed). Black has to play 14. ... Be6. If 15. Nc3 then 15. .. Rxc3 16. Bxf6 Rc6 17. Bxg7 Kxg7.

I never considered castling as I thought 14. Nc3 was good enough. It defends the e4 pawn and I can castle on the kingside the next move.



14. ......... Rxc3!!

Wow! A shock that nearly blew me off the chair. A brilliant move. I gave a big thought as to how I could cobble together a defence.

15. Bxf6 Rxc2 did not look much fun but after 16. Bxg7 Kxg7 17. Rb1 Be6 18. Bc3 Rc5 19. a3 I am just about hanging on. There is a possible line 19. .. Rd8 20. Ke2 Bc4 21. Bxc4 Rxc4 22. Ke3 (not 22. f3?? Rc2+ and Rdd2) Rc2 23. Rhc1 and an exchange of rooks. Black would be better but perhaps not enough to win.

Instead I decided to trust in my defensive skills - not always a good idea.

15. bxc3 Nxe4

16. Be3

If 16. Bd2 Nxd2 17. Kxd2 Bh6+ 18. Ke1 Bf5 and I am under heavy pressure. I decide to let a pawn go to activate the bishop and try to get the other rook out.

16. ....  Nxc3

17. Bc4

This was to stop a Black Be6 and defend the a2 pawn as well as hopefully get the king to e2 and release the king's rook.

17. ....  b5

18. Bb3 a5

19. a3?

This was the position I had foreseen as move 15, but 19. Kd2 is a better defence.  19. .. e4 20. a4!? Nxa4 21. Bxa4 Bxa1 22. Rxa1 bxa4 23. Rxa4 and White should be able to round up the a5 pawn to get an equal position. Or if 19. ... Ne4+ 20. Ke1.

19. a4 is not possible as after 19. ... bxa4, White cannot play 20.Bxa4 due to 20. .. Nxa4 21. Rxa4 Rb1+.

19. ...  a4

20. Ba2 e4

Now if 21. O-O then 21. .. Nxa2 22. Rxa2 Be6 wins the exchange, but I should not have been concerned about this, as it would have been worth it to get rid of one of those bishops.



21. Bd2 Bg4

22. h3 Nxa2

23. Rxa2 Be6

The difference now is that I cannot sacrifice the exchange, a whole rook looks to be taken.

24. c4 bxc4

The emergence of a passed pawn, as well as the win of a pawn, ensures the game is virtually over.

25. Rc2 c3

26. Bc1

Of course, 26. Bxc3 loses straight away to 26. ... Rb1+.

26. .....  Bc4!

A very good move stopping White from castling. 26. ... Rb1 is even better though threatening Bb3. There follows 27. O-O Bc4 28. Re1 Bd3 29. Ra2 Bh6 30. Bxh6 Rxe1+ 31. Kh2 Bb1 and White can resign.

27. f3

Have to get out somehow!

27. ........  Bd3

28. Kd1

Seeing that 28. Ra2 Rb1 and Bh6 was good enough, I at last decide to return the exchange.

28. .....  Bxc2

29. Kxc2 exf3

30. gxf3

Black is now two pawns up with several ways to win. My hope was that he would get confused by the wealth of winning moves, but no such luck. I thought if I could get that a4 pawn off the board I might have a chance.



The rest of the moves do not need any comment. White's cause is hopeless.

30. ......  Re8

31. Kd3 Rb8

32. Re1 Rd8+

33. Kc2 Kf8

34. Re4 Rd4

35. Rxd4 Bxd4

36. Bf4 Ke7

37. Bc7 Bc5

38. Kxc3 Bxa3

39. Bg3 Bd6

40. Bf2 Ke6

The plan is clear. The a-pawn cannot be stopped by the bishop, and while the king goes over there, then the Black king will hoover up the kingside.

So it was time for White to resign. A very well played game by my opponent, and my third defeat in the last four.

21 October 2018 - Stevenson - Hastings v Swale

Stevenson Cup - Hastings v Swale - Board One

Saturday 21 October 2018

White: Tobias Stock (183) - Black: Keith Nevols (163)

Dutch Defence

A tough opponent at the top of a tough club.

1. d4 f5
2. g3 Nf6
3. Bg2 e6
4. c4 d6
5. Nh3!?

Well, this is interesting. White develops the king's knight to the edge of the board to avoid blocking the bishop and perhaps thinking of coming to f4.

If 5. . e5 then 6. dxe5 dxe5 7. Qxd8+ Kxd8 8. Ng5 Ke8, White could castle or play 9. Nc3 and have a comfortable game .. or even 9. Ne6!? and already Black is on the back foot. 9. .. Bd6 10. c5 (10. Nxg7+ Kf7 traps the knight).

I rejected 5. .. e5 as I did not want to exchange queens and dislodge the king so early.

5. ....   Be7
6. b3

These sort of double fianchettos can be dangerous. With Bb2 this hinders any hope I may have had of playing e5.

6. ....  O-O
7. Bb2 Qe8
8. O-O Qh5

With the odd position of White's pieces I was keen to start an attack and g5 looked attractive -perhaps with f4 but also to keep his knight away from that square.. So I gave some thought to 8. .. Nh5 here, but decided for the queen instead as you know what they say about knights on the rim.

Calmer development with 8. ..Nbd7 or 8 ... c6 (planning to follow with d5 shutting out both white bishops) were other options.



9. Nf4 Qh6
10. e3

10. h4 is another idea, hindering g5 and squeezing the queen's space.

10. ....  c6

Both to free the bishop of defensive duties on b7 and also to prepare d5 and try to limit the white bishops (although my bishop on c8 does not look too happy).

By now, we had both used up a lot of time. The limit was 35 moves in 75 minutes and then another 15 for the rest of the game. White had 33 minutes left for 25 moves and I had 36 minutes.

11. Nd2 g5
12. Nd3 Ng4

To provoke a weakness in front of the White king.

13. h3 Nf6
14. Qe2 d5

While White continued to develop, I have managed to get this move in to close the centre. I now planned to continue the attack.

15. f4 g4?

I had an eye on the g3 pawn but opening up the g-file with 15. .. gxf4 is better with 16. exf4 Qg7 and then Ne4, or 16. gxf4 Ne4.

16. h4 Nh5
17. Qf2 Nd7
18. Ne5

At this point, a double attack of chess blindness hit me. I had been looking at how I could make a tactic of Nxg3; Qxg3 Bh4 work - with Qh2 Bf2+, and thinking that White had to play Kh1 (whereas he can simply play Rxf2).

Even without the rook, Kh1 would have been good enough. But if I could then exchange queens, and play Rh6+ I would win material back. So I prepared to move the rook to the h-file.

18. .....Rf6?



... and as I played the move I now noticed that the rook is blocking the bishop from h4. Black should play 18. .. Nxe5 and the game is still even.

I patiently waited for when I would be able to do this and play the rook back to f8 when ...

19. e4!!

.. stunned me. The move itself is not that great, but it was the psychological effect. Running low on time, I had to work out all sorts of complications.

Straight away I saw 19. .. fxe4 20. Nxg4 but then 20. .... Qg6 21. Nxf6+ Ndxf6 and although White is the exchange for a pawn ahead, Black's active pieces make good compensation. (The computer rates this as equal).

With 19. .. dxe4 I saw 20. Nxe4 with the same idea but after ...fxe4 21. Nxg4 Qg6 22. Nxf6+ Ndxf6, this time Black has a rook and a pawn for two pieces but is unable to defend the g-pawn.

I don't know what White was preparing after 19. .. dxe4. If 20. d5 trying to break open the diagonals then 20. .. Bc5 21. Bd4 Bxd4 22. Qxd4 Nxg3. More likely, 20. Nxd7 Bxd7 21. d5 cxd5 22.cxd5 exd5 23. Bxf6 Qxf6 and Black has two pawns for the exchange. Perhaps with both of us short of time, Black thought he could outplay me in this position.

But White's bluff worked. Instead of 19. .. dxe4 I went wrong.

19. .....  Nxe5?
20. dxe5 Rf8
21. cxd5 cxd5
22. exd5 Bd8

White has a clear win - he is a pawn up with a much better position. The only problem, from his point of view, is that he has just two minutes left for the next 13 moves.

23. Bd4 b6
24. d6 Rb8
25. Nc4 Qg7

Desperately trying to cover the holes in the queenside and seventh rank.

26. Rac1 Bb7
27. Ne3 Bxg2
28. Nxg2 Qb7

With this move, and with White entering his final minute for seven moves (and no increments), I decide to try a bluff of my own and offer a draw, which naturally White ignores.



29. Rc3

Protecting the g3 pawn, preparing to double, and freeing the queen. Not bad for one move.

29. ....  Ng7
30. Qd2 Nh5

I am very low on time too.

31. Bf2 Ng7
32. Rfc1 Ne8

Definitely a back rank defence.

33. Ne1 b5
34. Nd3

Preventing the threat of Ba5.

34. ......  Bb6
35. Nc5 Bxc5

White reached the time control with eleven seconds left, and I had 2 minutes and forty seconds. White now borrowed my scoresheet to write down the moves he had missed and I surveyed the wreckage of my position. White just now needs to consolidate and finish off.

36. Bxc5 Qd7
37. b4 Rb7
38. Be3 Rf7
39. Rc6 Rb8
40. Qf2 Qb7
41. Qg2 Rd7
42. Kh2 h5
43. R1c3 Ra8
44. Ra3 Qb8



45. Rb6! Qc8
46. Rxb5

And I played 46. .... Rb8 but decided to call it a day.

The whole match was a heavy defeat.

Hastings v Swale

Tobias Stock (183) 1-0 Keith Nevols (163)

Stephen Blewitt (162) 1/2-1/2 Keith Hyde (162)

James Wheeler (160) 1-0 Rob Woolacott (132)

John Kimber (142) 1/2-1/2 Tyrone Jefferies (119)

Adrian Cload (135) 1-0 Vytautas Gedminas (116) 

Marc Bryant (131) 1-0 Andrew Gillard (113)

Hastings 5-1 Swale

18 October 2018 - Swale Club Championship - Round Four

Swale Club Chess Championship - Round Four

Thursday 17 October 2018

White: Barry Sawyer (91) - Black: Keith Nevols (163)

Dutch Defence

1. Nf3 f5

I have always thought 1. Nf3 to be an odd first move. Many years ago I used to reply with 1. .. Nc6 and then 2. d4 would take me into strange waters. Now I can just set up the Dutch.

2. g3 Nf6

3. Bg2 e6

4. d3

4. d4 is considered more aggressive to make it difficult for Black to play Nc6.

4. ....  Be7

5. c4 Nc6

The point is that, had White played 4. d4, then he could now play d5 to dislodge the knight and get space in the centre.

6. a3 a5

Not sure why White played a3 but a Black a5 is always a useful move to prevent queenside advances.

7. Bd2 O-O

8. O-O Qe8

9. Nc3 d6

Another reason why the White pawn should be on d4 is to hinder Black from playing e5.



10. Nb5 Bd8
11. Bg5 Qh5

I gave a lot of thought to playing Qh5 or Qg6 but decided this was the more aggressive position.

12. Bxf6?! Rxf6

White has made a mistake - this exchange not only means that White loses his dark squared bishop but it also helps Black in the rook lift to put pressure against the White king. Something simple like 12. Re1, preparing e4, would have been better.

13. Qd2 Rh6

Forcing a weakness and allowing an attack to gather pace.

14. h3 e5!

The plan now is just to move pieces over to the kingside and see what happens. However I needed to sort out the queenside first. That knight can't be allowed to just sit there.

15. Nh2 Ne7

16. f4 c6!

17. Nc3 Bb6+

A great route to bring the bishop into the game.

18. e3

I had expected 18. Kh1 and wondered if White had any ideas of Rg1 and g4. The computer however agrees with White that this is the better move.

18. .....  Be6

I want to bring the other rook over. 18. .. Rg6 first would have been more accurate but I was constantly concerned over giving my pieces - in this case, the queen - a path of retreat should it become necessary.

Now if 19. Nf3 and although Black still has an edge, it is minimal.

19. h4?

I am guessing White was concerned about a Black g5 but this is a weakness which allows Black to gather momentum.

19. ...  exf4

The fact that White has to capture with the rook opens some spaces for Black.

20. Rxf4

I had originally intended to play 20. .. Bc7 with the idea of d5, but now saw something better (after ruling out 20. .. Ng6?? 21. Bf3).

20. ....  g5

21. Bf3?

I had thought, as perhaps White did, that this was forced but in fact it is a mistake. 21. Rf2 would have lost a pawn but we have both overlooked something.

21. ..... Qg6?

We have both overlooked 21. .. gxf4 22. Bxh5 Bxe3+ 23. Qxe3  fxe3 and Black is the exchange and pawn up. However Black is about to bag the exchange anyway.

22. hxg5 Qxg5

23. Kg2 Ng6

24. e4 Nxf4+

25. Qxf4 Qxf4

26. gxf4 Kf7

I was confident that I just needed to consolidate by bringing the other rook into the game to bring home the point.

27. Nf1 Rg8+

28. Ng3 Be3

29. Nce2 fxe4

30. Bxe4 Bg4

31. Bf3?

31. Rh1 but Black is still losing.

31. ....  Bh3+

32. Kh2



32. ....  Kf8

I was so worried about a White Bh5, hence dropping the king out of range, that I did not see 32. .. Rh4! which forces checkmate by 33. Bg2 (the only move to stop Bf1 mate) Bf5+ 34. Bh3 Bxh3 35. Ng1 Bf1+ 36. Nh3 Rxh3++.

But I coast home the longer way.

33. Bh5 Bg4

34. Rh1 Bxe2

35. Kg2 Rxh5

36. Rxh5 Bxh5

37. Kh3 Bg4+

38. Kg2 Bxf4

39. Kf2 Bxg3

40. Kxg3 Be2+

41. Kf2 Bxd3

42. b3 h5

White resigned.

10 October 2018 - En Passant - Maidstone v Swale

En Passant Cup - Maidstone v Swale - Board One

Wednesday 10 October 2018

White: George Hollands (163) - Black: Keith Nevols (163)

French Defence

1. e4 e6
2. Qe2 c5

And so we go straight into a Closed Sicilian style opening.

3. Nc3 Nc6
4. f4?!

I am now thinking that, for this move order, I ought to answer with 4. Nf3 and think about pushing the f-pawn later. I was not worried about Black's next move as I thought the waste of time with my queen is balanced by the waste of time with the knight.

4. ...  Nd4

Black also has the energetic 4. ... d5 which I think I might have met with 5. Nf3.

5. Qd1 d5
6. Nf3 dxe4
7. Nxe4 Nf6
8. d3 Nxe4
9. dxe4 Nxf3
10. Qxf3 Bd7



Black has initiated a couple of piece exchanges and a pawn exchange, and the position is equal. I thought that Black was preparing Bc6 with perhaps f5 to put pressure on the White centre, or perhaps just Be7 and then castling.

At this point, I had a long think. 11. Bd2 to come to c3 is one option. 11. Bd3 was also considered but I thought Black might meet it with 11. ... Qb6 and I was not sure how to meet that. (Probably 12. b3 and then Be3 is safe enough).

However I saw the possibility of attacking while the Black king was in the centre by way of a temporary pawn sacrifice. I examined all sorts of lines and moves but overlooked an obvious one.

11. f5? exf5
12. Bc4

This was the plan. I thought Black might play 12. .... Qe7 where I planned 13. O-O. I also looked at 12. ... Be6 with 13. Bxe6 fxe6 14. fxe5.

12. ....... Qh4+!

But this was a shock. I had not seen it at all. Now I knew I was lost. 13. g3 Qxe4+ 14. Qxe4 fxe4 and Black is a strong passed pawn up for nothing. Instead I try another line to get the king to safety and stay in the centre.

13. Kd1 O-O-O
14. Bd2 f6?!

14. .. fxe4 is much stronger. White has to play 15. Qg3 and Black has 15. .. Qf6 16. Kc1 Bd6 or 16. c3 Be6 and the game is almost over.

15. Bd5

So I manage to eliminate the centre and stay in the game for a few more moves.

15. ....  fxe4
16. Qxe4 Qxe4
17. Bxe4 Bg4+
18. Kc1 Bd6

If I can get both rooks into the centre then, with a 3v2 down on the kingside, I have a chance of hanging on.

19. h3 Bd7
20. c3 Be5
21. Be3 b6



I ought to play Kc2 and find some secure outposts for those bishops. Instead, I am still reeling from the shock of Qh4+ (poker players call it 'playing on tilt') and, distracted by the prospect of a counter attack against the black King, made a hopeless blunder.

22. a4 Bc7
23. a5??? Rhe8

Of course! The game does not last much longer.

24. axb6 Bxb6
25. Bxc5 Bxc5
26. Bxh7 Re2
27. Resigns

One of my worst games ever. I take the lesson that tactics and gambling on attacks are not my king, as there is always a line which I overlook and which my opponents nearly always find. I resolve to always ensure that my pieces and development are safe, especially when I am up against strong opposition.


Maidstone v Swale
George Hollands (163) 1-0 Keith Nevols (163)
David Heath (146) 1-0 Keith Hyde (162)
Barrington Beavis (143) 1/2-1/2 David Page (141)
Peter Dirmauskas (135) 1-0 Rob Woolacott (132)
Ian Clark (125) 1/2-1/2 Tyrone Jefferies (119)
Douglas Smith (117) 1/2-1/2 Vytautas Gedminas (116)

Maidstone 4.5-1.5 Swale