31 January 2019 - Swale Club Championship - Round Eleven

Swale Club Chess Championship - Round Eleven

Thursday 31 January 2019

White: Keith Nevols (163) Black: Andrew Gillard (105)

Sicilian Defence

1. e4 c5

2. Nc3 Nc6

3. f4 d6

4. Nf3 e6

5. Be2 Bd7

6. O-O g6

Black adopts a different set-up to our last game but once again delays castling.

7. Qe1 Bg7

8. d3 Qb6

9. Kh1 Nd4

10. Bd1

A similar set-up to the positions I have had before, and remembering to tuck the king away.

10. ....   Nh6

The engine prefers 10. .. Ne7 but declares this position to be equal.

11. Ne2 O-O-O

So Black prepares to attack on the kingside.

12. Nd2 d5

13. c3 Nxe2

14. Bxe2 Rdg8

Now I know where the black king is, I can prepare to set up an attack and point my pieces towards the left of the board.

15. Bf3 Bc6

16. Nb3

Zoning in on the c5 pawn.

16. ........  Bf8

17. Be3

The engine recommends 17. exd5 but I did not want to free the f5 square for the Black knight, and after the text, 17. ... dxe4 18. dxe4 would have kept the knight on the rim looking dim.

17. .....  f5

The Black knight now cannot get to f5, so it is safe to exchange with the added bonus of winning a pawn.

18. exd5 exd5

19. Qf2 Qc7

20. Nxc5 Bxc5

21. Bxc5 Qxf4!?

Black instead decides to sacrifice the exchange, and, in return, gets a strong attack.

22. Bd4 Ng4

23. Bxg4?

The first mistake. 23. Qg1 is best to consolidate. The key to the Black counterattack is that bishop on c6. At the moment, it is blocked by the pawn on d5, and is opposed by the bishop on f3. My next two moves remove my own obstacles.

23. .....   Qxg4

The fearless engine would now grab a pawn with 24. h3 Qg5 25. Bxh8 Rxh8 26. Qxa7!?

24. Bxh8 Rxh8

There is nothing wrong with 25. Qxa7 but I wanted to consolidate the position, perhaps try to swap queens off. If 25. d4 I was concerned with 25. .. Bb5 26. Rfe1 Bd3 and whether I could win around a bishop planted on e4. I also wanted to get the other rook into the game.

25. Rae1? d4!

But this is a very good temporary pawn sacrifice, which opens up the bishop on c6, presents White with a backward isolated pawn, and opens up some squares for the queen.

26. cxd4 Rd8

Here 27. d5 is recommended. 27. .. Bxc5 28. Rc1+ Kb8 29. b3 or 27. .. Rxd5 28. Re7.

27. Qe2 Qxd4

28. Qe6+ Rd7

29. Qg8+ Rd8

30. Qb3?

Chickening out of 30. Qxh7 Qg4 31. Rf2 Rxd3, in the hope that 30. .. Qxd3 31. Qxd3 Rxd3 32. Rd1 with a difficult ending still to win.

30. ....   Qg4

No such luck! 

31. Rg1?! h5!

31. Rf2 would have been more accurate as now I have boxed the king in on a diagonal facing the strong bishop on c6. I cannot move the g-pawn, the h-pawn, the king nor the rook on g1. The final curtain threatened.

32. Qe6+ Kb8

33. Qe5+ Ka8

The queen is better positioned and now it is time for 34. Re3! h4 35. h3, or 34. Qf6.

34. Qc3?

Now the h-pawn gets through.

34. ....   h4

35. Qc2 h3

36. Re2

With White now completely tied down, Black could play 36. .. Qd4. Instead he decides to recoup the material.

36. ... hxg2+

37. R1xg2 Bxg2+

37. .. Qh3 or 37. .. Qd4 would have ended up with the d3 pawn falling and Black a pawn up in the ending.

38. Rxg2 Qf3

39. Kg1 Re8

If 39. .. Qxd3 40. Qxd3 Rxd3 41. Rxg6 a6 42. Rg2 and an interesting but even rook ending.

Black threatens Re1 mate.

40. Qd2 Qc6

With the offer of a draw. It is hard to see how White could defend the d-pawn and his king is much less safe than Black's so, with relief, I accepted the draw.

This was my sixth draw in the championship and I was aware that, along with my one loss, I was dropping too many points to be in contention.

10 January 2019 - Swale Club Championship - Round Ten

Swale Club Chess Championship - Round Ten

Thursday 10 January 2019

White: Robert Lamb (-) - Black: Keith Nevols (163)

Giuoco Piano

My first game against a new member and I make one of the most basic errors of all. I underestimated him. I thought I would have a comfortable win and so set out not to demolish him. Instead I could not have been more wrong.

1. e4 e5

Departing from my usual 1. .. d5 as I wanted an open game and not a defensive set-up.

2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bc4 Nf6?

OK, this is not a mistake in itself, but I should have played 3. .. Bc5.

My very first opening invention was at the age of 10 when, in this position, I would play 3. .. h6!? The reason was I did not know how to counter Ng5 and an attack on f7. The move also had the useful extra purpose of preventing a future Bg5. I should have rolled back the years and taken the advice from my youthful self.

4. Ng5

Cripes, I think to myself. I desperately try to remember the theory.

4. ....  d5
5. exd5 Na5

If 5. .. Nxd5 then White gets a good attack with 6. d4 or could play, what is known as 'The Fried Liver Attack' with 6. Nxf7 Kxf7 7. Qf3+ Ke6 8. Nc3 which does not look like a great deal of fun.
I stick to the only line of theory I can remember.

6. Bb5+ c6
7. dxc6 bxc6

And this is where my theory ran out. White could play 8. Be2 h6 but instead he goes for the other main option.

8. Qf3

So I am a pawn down, with my king in the centre, a knight stuck over on a5, and White's pieces in the centre. I had badly underestimated my opponent and now sunk into a big think as to how I can rescue this wreckage of a position.



Unknown to me, this is theory, apparently played by the Soviet GM Efim Bogoljubov. Black's usual replies are 8. .. h6, 8. .. Rb8 and 8. .. Be7, although the latter two just seem to lose a second pawn to me. Presumably Black hopes to get compensation with those bishops.

I also briefly looked at 8. .. cxb5? 9. Qxa8 Qc7 but decided that was a daft idea.

8. .....   Bb7

Another option, which is not as good as 8. .. h6, but I am aiming to just see if I can hold the position together and see where we go from there.

9. Ba4

9. Be2 consolidating might be more accurate.

9. ......  Qd4

I was glad to spot this move, activating the queen and hoping to exchange off some of his attacking pieces. After 10. Nc3 I was considering 10. .. Be7 and then a quick castling.

10. Bb3

Now I can exchange an active bishop for a 'dim' knight.

10. ....   Nxb3
11. Qxb3

11. axb3 planning Ra4 is interesting.

11. .....   Qd7

The engine now says that the game is level, with White a small edge, which was not my impression at the time. I could not see how I could get the pawn back or salvage something from the queenside pawns.

12. O-O Bd6
13. Re1

13. Na3!? looks good, intending to come to c4 with pressure on e5 and a possible Na5.

13. ..... O-O

Phew, made it.

14. Nc3 Bc5?



A cheapo. Of course, 15. Rxe5 is met by 15. ... Bxf2+ (16. Kxf2 Ng4+). The reason that this is a bad move is because it blocks the c6 pawn which itself blocks the b7 bishop.

With this in mind, 14. . c5 would have been better. If 15. Nb5 then Qc6 16. Nf3 c4! 17. Qa4 a6 18. Nc3 Qxa4 19. Nxa4 Nd7 and Black's pieces are looking happier.

14. .. Rab8 is another idea with 15. Qc4 Ba8 or Bc8 and possibly developing the rook down the b-file.

Now if White can develop his other bishop, and get the queen's rook into the game, he can consolidate his pawn advantage. So 15. d3 is worth a thought.

15. Nce4 Nxe4
16. Nxe4 Bb6

To keep pointing in the direction of the White king, protecting the bishop from the line of sight of the queen, and planning c5.

17. d3 Kh8

I have to counter attack to make up for the pawn deficit and so this move is necessary to prepare f5.

18. c4?

At the time, I thought this was a mistake. The plan is to come to c5 to keep a cramp on the two bishops, but the d3 pawn now looks backward and lonely and a potential target. My spirits lifted.
18. Be3 stopping a Black c5 is better and not fearing the bishop exchange. White would have very good chances of winning an ending.

18. .....  Bd4?!

To avoid the bishop being cut off after c5, but I should have kept to the original plan. 18. .. f5 19. Nc3 f4! (19. ... Qxd3??? 20.Rd1) is good with 20. Rxe5 Qxd3 (21. c5? Qd4) - although White would do well if he spots 20. c5! Bxc5 21. Rxe5 Bd6 22. Ra5!? intending to come to a4 or h5.

19. Be3 Rab8
20. Qa3 Ba8
21. Nc5!

With some accurate moves, White now has a big advantage - +1.6 up according to the engine.



21. ......  Bxc5
22. Bxc5 Rfe8
23. Re4?!

I am not sure what is wrong with 23. Bxa7.

23. .....  f5
24. Rh4

Another move that mystified me. The rooks are now not connected and the White back rank is slightly weaker.

24. ....... Rbd8

24. ... Rb7 would have defended the a7 pawn but for some reason White does not want it.

25. Rd1 Qe6

Again offering the a7 pawn. A counter attack is my only chance to save the game, and now I am threatening e4.

26. d4?

At last White makes a mistake. 26. Re1 was better.

26. .....   exd4

With the threat of Qe1+ mating, although 26. .. Qxc4 is also a nice move.

27. f3

27. Qd3 centralising the queen is better, meeting 27. .. Qe1+ with 28. Qf1.

27. .....  Qxc4

Always tempting to grab a pawn but 27. .. d3! would have given some winning chances.

28. Rhxd4 Rxd4
29. Bxd4 a6

Safe at last.

30. Qd6 Qe2
31. Bc3 Qe3+



32. Kf1?!

32. Kh1 tucks the king away nicely. 32... Qe2 33. Qd4 and White has beaten off the Black attack and has threats all over the board.

32. .....  Qe2+
33. Kg1 Qe3+
34. Kf1?

To my surprise, White essentially offers a truce.

34. .....  Qe2+

... which I gladly accept, with an almighty sigh of relief. Agreed draw.

A lesson to us all. Never be over-confident. 

9 January 2019 - Harvey - Rainham v Swale

Harvey- Rainham v Swale - Board One

Wednesday 9 January 2019

White: Keith Nevols (163) - Black: Robert Springett (134)

French Defence

1. e4 e6

2. Qe2 Be7

To allow d5 to be played next move - so I quickly move to the closed Sicilian.

3. Nc3 c5

3. .. d5 4. exd5 exd5 5. d4 is harmless for both sides.

4. f4 d5

5. Nf3 Nf6

I had planned to meet 5. .. dxe4 with 6. Nxe4 although 6. Qxe4 Nf6 7. Bb5+ (7. .. Kf8!?) could be interesting.

6. g3 Nc6

The engine likes 6. .. Nd4 7. Qf2 Nxf3 8. Qxf3 d4 9. Nd1/Nb1 O-O with Black comfortable and White still virtually at home.

7. d3 O-O

8. Bg2 d4

9. Nb1

This is always my plan, to re-route the knight via a3 or d2.

9. .. Qc7

9. ... Qa5+! puts early pressure on the White position. If 10. Nd2 then Nb4 11. Qd1 Ng4 will win material, but 11. O-O! will hold and Black can decide if he wants to risk 11. .. Nxa2!? (not 11. .. Nxc2 12. Nc4). Or 10. Bd2 Qb6 11. b3 Nb4 and White is getting tied up in knots. Maybe 10. Kf1 is safest.

10. O-O e5

11. f5

I put a lot of thought into 11. fxe5 Nxe5 12. Nxe5 Qxe5 13. Bf4 but Black has 13. .. Bg4! 14. Bf3 Qe6 which is just equal. Also 12. Bf4 Bd6 and again there is not much there.

So instead 11. f5 closes up the position and I can see if I can get a kingside attack going.

11. ... h6

I thought this might be a slight inaccuracy, weakening the pawns in front of the king and inviting g4-g5.

12. Na3

This knight is eager to get in the game - but instead it spectates for a while.

12. .....  a6

13. Bh3?!

I wanted to play g4 but could not think of the best way to support it. I considered 13. h3 but was worried about 13. ... Nh5 when I could not decide between 14. Qf2 or 14. Kh2. In any event I did not want the Black knight on h5 when I am playing g4. So instead it was 13. Bh3 with the option should I think about it or Qg2.

13. Nc4 Nd7 14. a4 was a line I did not consider but is better as it ties Black up slightly.

13. ....  b5

While he was thinking I suddenly saw 13. .. g5! - the loose bishop on h3 making the en passant capture not possible.

14. g4 just looked silly and so maybe White has to admit the error and play 14. Bg2 but then ideas like h3-Nh2-Ng4 or Kf2-Rh1-h4 seem very slow.

13. .. b5 cuts off the knight. The engine prefers a calm 13. .. Bd7.

14. g4

And they're off.

14. ..... Nh7

15. Qf2 Qd8

Bolstering the g5 square.

16. Kh1

Freeing the g1 square for the forthcoming manoeuvre.

16. .....  Ng5

17. Ng1 Nxh3

18. Nxh3 Bg5?!

18. .... Bh4 might be a pain. But this is an inaccuracy as Black has to capture on g5 with a pawn.

19. Nxg5 hxg5

20. h4!?

I liked this move, with the plan 20. .. gxh4 21. g5, but Black can react with 21. .. g6!, using the time that White will waste to pick up the pawn to launch a counterattack himself.
22. Qxh4 gxf5 23. exf5 Ne7, not only hitting the pawn on f5 but opening that dangerous long diagonal towards the White king. 

20. ..... f6

Fortunately Black allows another weakness.

21. hxg5 fxg5

So although material is equal, Black has doubled and isolated g-pawns and White has some options to attack down the h-file and on the white squares.

22. Kg2?!

I saw the option to take the g-pawn with 22. Qd2 but wanted to see if I could make anything of the h-file, as I was not sure if I could win without the queens. However, Black could now play 22. .. g6.

22. .....  Qf6

The black move I now feared was Nc6-d8-f7, where on f7 the knight does a great defensive job, guarding some vital squares.
I gave thought to 23. Rh1 but after 23. .. Nd8 decided it was too slow, so I changed my mind and decided to bag the pawn.

23. Qd2 Kf7

23. ... Be6!? exploiting the f-file pin would have been interesting, with 24. Qxg5 Bf7. Instead Black is trying to contest the h-file so I get there first.

24. Rh1 Bd7

25. Qxg5 Rh8

26. Bd2

A line here is 26. .. Qxg5 27. Bxg5 Rxh1 28. Rxh1 Nb4!? and a question as to what to do with the a2 pawn. 29. Ra1 is just silly, so maybe 29. Bd2 Nxa2 30. c3 dxc3 31. bxc3 and the game will revolve over whether White can round up the knight or whether Black can rescue it.

26. ...... Rag8

I did not understand this move though.

27. Rxh8 Rxh8

28. Rh1?

28. Qxf6+ Kxf6 29. c3! is better, heading for the endgame with the initiative. This move throws that away.

28. .... Rxh1

29. Kxh1 Qxg5

30. Bxg5 Nb4

And here Black offered a draw. Although my attack has died out, I am still a pawn up, so decided to play on.

31. Bd8 Nxa2

32. Bb6?

32. Bc7 Kf6 33. g5+! Kxg5 34. Bxe5 keeps White on top. Now Black has enough play for the draw - or even win. After all, look where the kings are!

32. ....  c4

33. dxc4 bxc4??

At the board I thought 33. ... b4 was good with 34. Nb1 Ba4 - but also there is 33. .. Bc6 threatening the e4 pawn with check.

Fortunately for me, short of time, Black blunders.

34. Nxc4 Ke7

35. Nxe5 Nb4

36. Bc5+

Black now resigned. He had defended well but not taken the opportunities that my mistakes had presented him.

Rainham v Swale

Robert Springett (134) 0-1 Keith Nevols (163)

Constantine Tucker (130) 0-1 Rob Woolacott (132)

Stephen Pike (128) 1-0 Tyrone Jefferies (119)

Gary Clifford (109) 0-1 Vytautas Gedminas (116)

Aditi Agarwal 1-0 Andrew Gillard (113)

Joe Pay (75) 1/2-1/2 Anthony Fletcher (86)

Rainham 2.5-3.5 Swale

3 January 2019 - Swale Club Championship - Round Nine

Swale Club Chess Championship - Round Nine

Thursday 3 January 2019

White: Dennis Simpson (120) - Black: Keith Nevols (163)

Dutch Defence

The new venue for our chess club was the Avenue Theatre, Sittingbourne. Facilities were fine although not as nice as our last place. My opponent is a good defender and I knew this would be a tough battle.

1. d4 f5

2. Nc3

The same anti-Dutch variation he had played against me last time. I decide to try something different and set up the stonewall defence.

2. ......  d5

The point is to stop White playing e4 and hopefully grab that square for a knight myself.

3. Nf3 Nf6

4. e3 e6

5. Be2

I had planned to answer 5. Bb5+ with 5. ... Bd7. With my pawns on white squares, it seemed to make sense to exchange those bishops.

5. ....  Be7

6. O-O O-O

7. a3

This is part of White's plan, although I did not realise that at this point. 7. Ne5 Nd7 is equal.

7. ....  Qe8

Preparing the usual plan to move the queen to g6 or h5, and allowing the option of Bd8 if is necessary.

8. Na2!?

This surprised me. The plan is obviously to advance with c4. I decide to move my knights into their usual positions although 8. .. Nc6 might be better - I just could not see any future for the black knight  on this square and felt it was open to a quick b4-b5.

8. ....  Ne4

9. Bd2 Nd7

I considered 9. .. Nxd2 but exchanging a centralised knight for a bad bishop did not feel right.

I did wonder if the plan was now to play 10. Bb4 to which I considered 10. .. c5 with some initiative. But White gets on with his plan.

10. c4 Ndf6

The computer recommends 10. .. Nxd2 11. Nxd2 f4, or 11. Qxd2 c6. I just carry on with my plan to secure the e4 square for the knights.

11. Rc1

With the threat 12. dxc5 where I would have to retake with the knight. I figured if I could tempt him into 12. c5 his bishop would have even less space. So I did not want to play 11. ... Nxd2 just yet.

11. .....  Bd6

The computer now gives 12. Bb4 with equality.

12. Nc3 Nxc3

13. Bxc3 Ne4

Now if 14. Bb4 I was planning 14. .. Bxb4 15. axb4 Qe7. I was also aware of the threat of Qb3 at a bad time.

14. c5?!

I was pleased to see this which ends the tension.. My plan is now to get to a good knight versus bad bishop ending.

14. ...Be7

15. Ne5 Bd7

Keeping with my strategy, I want to exchange off the white squared bishops.





However White could now play 16. c6! with 16. .. Bxc6 17. Nxc6 bxc6 18. Ba5 and some strong queenside play for the pawn - so perhaps I should have played 15... Nxc3, which did not look right, but is a safer option.

16. b4 Ba4

The logic of this is that if I played 16. .. Bb5 17. Bxb5 Qxb5 White then has 18. a4 and then could think about Be1, f3 and b5. By distracting the queen, I decided to gain a little time.

17. Qe1

If 17. Qd3 I had intended 17. .. a6 with Bb5 coming next.

17. .....  Bb5

18. Qd1 Bxe2

19. Qxe2 Bf6

Keeping with the plan, I want to swap my bad bishop for this good knight.

20. f4!

I expected 20. f3 Ng5 but the text introduces the white rook into the attack and gives me something to think about. I considered 20. .. Qa4 but after 21. Bb2 could not see any progress (21. ... a5!?) and did not want the queen wandering off if White was planning Rf3-h3.

20. ....  Bxe5

21. dxe5 g5?

A bad move only because I was not expecting White's next. 22. g3 or 22. b5 were in my mind.

22. fxg5 Nxg5

23. Rf4 Qg6

Back to the plan. Keep exchanging pieces until I get to knight v bishop.

24. Rh4 Kf7

Intending to move the rooks over and expecting Qh5 where I could swap the queens off and play Kg6.

25. Kh1



25. ....Rad8?

No! 25. .. c6 is better.

The point of 25. .. Rad8 was to give an option of d4 at some stage (after Ne4) but White has two very good moves to choose from.

26. Qb5! gives Black a lot of difficulties, exploiting Black's lack of co-ordination. He would have to play 26. .. b6 and after 27. Qa4 a pawn will be going (27. .... Ra8 28. Qd7+).

White plays the second best move.

26. c6!

If 26. .. bxc6 then 27. Bd4 and coming to c5.

26. ..... b6

I saw 27. Qa6 Ra8 28. Qb7 Rfc8 which is not pretty but would keep the queen under control while I thought of what to do next.

27. b5 Ne4

28. Bd4

The position is equal again. I think White is planning a4-a5 and try to get a breakthrough on the queenside so I had better get on with my attack.

28. .....  Rg8

29. g3 Rg7

Defending the h7 pawn in order to prepare for the upcoming blunder.

30. a4



30. .....   Qxg3??

I should write 100 times 'I must not play tactics .. I must not play tactics' as I always overlook something, and once again I have done so here.

30. .. Qg5 is a better move, thinking of Qe7 and then a move to the queenside. The problem is that I think I am winning but, throughout this game, I have never had a winning position. As we have seen, White had two chances to get a clear edge, but I have not had such a chance.

Now if 31. hxg3 then Nxg3+ and I win two pawns.

If 31. Qh5+, which I had expected, then 31. .. Qg6 and I win one pawn.

But while White was thinking, my heart sunk as I saw the obvious refutation.

31. Rxe4!

Of course. Now the game is lost, but I have two main points which save the day. Firstly, I have a pawn for the piece and a strong attack down the g-file. But more important than that, my opponent was down to one minute on the clock and, even with 15 second increments, it might not be easy to find a way.

31. ....  Qg5

32. Rf4 Rdg8

33. Qf2 Qh5

Now if White had more time, he may have found 34. Rh4 Qg5 35. Bc3 preparing Bb4, or a5, and gradually take over the initiative. My only option - and I had 15 minutes left - would be to hope that I could generate enough play against the king.

Fortunately for me, White, conscious of his last minute, decides to repeat and take the draw.

34. Qf3 Qg5

35. Qf2 Qh5

36. Qf3

Draw - with relief and disappointment.