7 February 2019 - Stevenson - Swale v Tunbridge Wells

Stevenson - Swale v Tunbridge Wells - Board One

Thursday 7 February 2019

White: Keith Nevols (163) Black: Lucjan Karpinski (172)

Ruy Lopez

1. e4 e5

2. Nf3 Nc6

3. Bb5 Nd4

This is known as the Ruy Lopez - Bird's Defence - named after the 19th century British player, Henry Bird. Not knowing anything about this I just decided to play safe, and accidentally play a good line.

4. Nxd4 exd4

5. O-O Bc5

6. d3 Ne7

This apparently is the best line, and 7. Ba4 is recommended. I did not know this but wanted to develop the queen's knight via d2 and hence needed to get the bishop out as well.

7. Qh5 is an interesting idea which I did not discover until the next move.

7. Bg5 O-O

7. ... c6 8. Ba4 d5 is an energetic advance which I might have met with 8. Re1 or 8. Nd2.

But here I saw an idea to create a weakness in the Black kingside.

8. Qh5 b6?!

Did not understand that, so on with the advance with possible ideas of Rf3-h3.

9. f4 f6

10. Bh4 c6

11. Bc4+ d5

12. exd5?

White should play 12. Bb3 with equality.

12. ....  cxd5

13. Bb3

The difference between this and playing Bb3 a move earlier, before the exchange of pawns, is that Black now has use of the f5 square for his knight. The manoeuvre Nf5-e3 is a concern. After 13. .. Nf5 14. Bf2 a5! 15. a4 Be6 Black has the advantage.

Black chooses another way.

13. ......  Be6

14. f5

Deciding to grab the f5 square myself before the Black knight can move in, but now the e5 square is available.

14. .... Bf7

15. Qg4 Nc6

16. Bg3

This was to deter 16. .. Ne5 but that is a good move anyway. 17. Bxe5 fxe5 gives Black a centre ready to advance. Other moves leave Black with a good central knight.

16. .....  a5

17. Ba4 Na7

Again missing the chance for 17. .. Ne5. By now I was down to 30 minutes for 18 moves.

18. a3 b5

19. Bb3

Both sides now miss the chance to play a4. Here Black could play 19. .. a4 20. Ba2 Nc6 with Ne5 and this piece will be very well placed. Whereas the white bishop is out of play on a2 and the knight on b1 has not yet moved.

19. ....   Qd7

And now 20. a4 is an idea for White, although after 20. ... b4 21. Nd2 Nc6, it is still difficult to see how I can get that white squared bishop into the game.

But I hit on an idea to try to round up the pawn that is on d4.

20. Nd2 Rfe8

21. Nf3 Nc6

22. Bf2 Qa7

Missing 22. .. a4! 23. Ba2 Re2! (24. Nxd4?? Rxf2 or 24. Bxd4? Nxd4 25. Nxd4 Rxc2) and Black can follow up with a range of attractive options, such as g6, h5, Rae8, b4. 

As played, the Black queen decides on a breather and sits out for the game for a while.

23. a4 b4

The engine now rates the game as level.

24. Rae1 Kf8

25. Qh4 h6

26. Qf4 Rad8

With perhaps a plan of Bd6 at some stage.

27. Rxe8+?!

Giving up control of the e-file is a strategic mistake. Just tucking the king away with 27. Kh1 or a bit of space with 27. h3 would be better.

27. ....  Rxe8

28. Nh4?

Planning a bad pawn exchange. 28. Re1 would keep the position even.

28. .....  Ne5

29. Ng6+ Bxg6

30. fxg6 Nxg6

31. Qf3

With just six minutes left for five moves, still hanging on and getting the pawn back.

31. ....  Ne7

32. Bxd5 Nxd5

33. Qxd5 Re2

I had overlooked this move, and also overlooked that White can play 34. Re1 as if 34. .. Rxc2?? then 35. Qd8+ and mate next move.

34. Qd8+ Kf7

35. Qd5+ Kg6

36. Rc1

The engine spots an interesting play in 36. c3 Rxf2!? 37. Qe4+ Kf7 38. Kxf2 dxc3+ 39. Kf3 cxb2 and Black has two pawns for the exchange.

36. ....  Qe7

A good centralisation of the queen. White should here play 37. Qf3 and follow up with Kf1 and Re1 to contest the e-file. The same colour bishop ending does not promise anything for either side.

But I was thinking about Re1 and so picked up the king with the intention to play Kf1. As I did so, my heart sunk as I saw it was a huge blunder. Helplessly waving it about in the air, I realised I had no choice but to go ahead with the gaffe.

37. Kf1??? Rxf2+

Of course. 38. Kxf2 Qe3+ 39. Kf1 Qxc1+ 40. Kf2 Qxc2+ or ..

38. Kg1 Qe3

38.  .. Rxc2 wins at once. But this is good enough. At least I get the queens off.

39. Qe4+ dxe4

40. dxe4

And now I patiently waited for 40. .. d3 after which I intended to resign.

40. ...... Rc2???

But wait, what's this? Black blunders in return. I carefully looked at the position to see if there was something I had missed. But no, this was a second sudden turn in events.

Sometimes when you calculate a variation, you can accidentally play the second move first. After 40. .. d3 41. cxd3 Rxc2 would win.

41. Rxc2

Here after 41. .. d3+ White has 42. Rxc5 and then Rd5 rounding up the d-pawn.

41. ....  Bd6

So where are we now? I am the exchange for a pawn up and must activate my rook and king and make sure the pawns are safe.

42. g3 Kh5

43. Kg2 g5

44. b3

44. Rc6 Be5 45. Rc5 d3 46. Rxa5 Bxb2 is possible but I did not want to give any chances. Black cannot easily defend that pawn on a5.

44. ....   Kg6

45. Rc6 Be5

46. Rc5 d3

47. Rd5 d2

48. Rxd2 Kf7

49. Rd5 Ke6

50. Rxa5 Kd6

First job done. Now to keep the king away and put the pawns on white squares.

51. Kf3 h5

52. h3 Kc6

53. g4 h4

Now the pawns are safe and I can concentrate on the queenside.

54. Ke3 Bc3

55. Kd3 Kd6

56. Kc4 Ke6

57. Rb5 Be1

58. a5

And Black resigned. A game where I was outplayed until the onset of mutual blunders.

Swale v Tunbridge Wells

Keith Nevols (163) 1-0 C Lucjan Karpinski (172)

Keith Hyde (162) 1/2-1/2 Jerry Anstead (171)

David Page (141) 0-1 Russell Goodfellow (151)

Rob Woolacott (132) 0-1 Hugh Tassell (145)

Dennis Simpson (120) 0-1 Peter Champion (140)

Vytautas Gedminas (116) 0-1 Stephen Bond (124)

Swale 1.5-4.5 Tunbridge Wells