18 March 2019 - Stevenson - Weald of Kent v Swale

Stevenson - Weald of Kent v Swale - Board Two

Monday 18 March 2019

White: James Hart-Dyke (146) - Black: Keith Nevols (163)

Dutch Defence

1. d4 f5
2. c4 Nf6
3. Nc3 e6
4. Nf3 Be7

4. .. Bb4 is an idea which I might try with this move order. If 5. Bd2 O-O 6. a3 Bxc3 7. Bxc3 d6 then the bishop looks slightly out of place, or 5. Bg5 and either 5. …. O-O 6. Qb3 Bxc3 7. Qxc3 h6 or 5. .. Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 O-O.

5. g3 O-O
6. Bg2 d6
7. O-O a5

The standard Leningrad Dutch with 7. … a5 as recommended by GM Simon Williams.

8. Qc2

White chooses an aggressive option, the plan being to force through a White e4.

8. .....  Nc6

The best reply. Now 9. e4 can be met with 9. .. Nb4 10. Qe2 fxe4 11. Nxe4 Nxe4 12. Qxe4 e5 (if I could remember this far) 13. dxe5 Bf5 14. Qxb7 Rb8 15. Qa7 Be4.

9. a3



Now I tried hard to remember the theory here ….

9. ...….d5?!

.. and chose the wrong move. Williams recommends 9. .. e5 10. dxe5 dxe5 11. Rd1 Qe8 and 12. Nd5 Bd8 or 12. Nb5 Bd8 13. Be3 Rf7 intending Rd7.

But at least I am playing to the intention of delaying a White e4.

10. cxd5 exd5
11. Bf4

11. Qb3 is another way to take advantage, but this develops a piece.

11. ...…  Ne4
12. Nb5 Nd6

The opening of the c-file has given White the better position and now I have to put together a defence, ideally without the d-pawns being isolated and doubled.

13. a4 Be6
14. Ne5 Ra6

I was quite pleased with this move, although it is fairly obvious. White keeps the tension up but Black is quite solid at the moment.

The engine now recommends 15. h4 which would secure the position of the bishop on f4 as well as prevent Black's counterplay on the kingside.

15. Qd3?!

This is a wasted move and gives Black a chance to organise with 15. .. Nb4 16. Qc3 Ne8! and with c6 and maybe g5 to come.

15. ......  g5?

But Black misses the chance.

16. Nxc6 Rxc6
17. Be5 Nc4
18. b3 Nxe5
19. dxe5



White threatens Nd4 and then Nxe6 and the d5 pawn drops with loss of material. I thought my reply was forced, as well as hitting the e5 pawn by X-ray, but 19. .. Rb6 20. Nd4 Bc8 is perhaps a stronger defence.

19. .....  Rc5

The intention was to meet 20. Nd4 with 20. .. Qd7 but then 21. f4! is good for White. I was quite relieved to see the White move.

20. Rfc1 Rxc1

Eager to exchange off the oddly-placed rook, but 20. .. f4 would be a way to try to regain the initiative.

21. Rxc1 c6
22. Nd4 Qd7

Now I felt some relief that the defence had been sorted out, and the position even, so it was time to try to make some space on the kingside.

23. f4 g4?!

Thinking of h5, but 23. .. Ba3 24. Rf1 Bc5 25. fxg5 Qc7! would have been a good temporary pawn sacrifice (26. Qe3 Re8).

24. e3

With the centre now closed then 24. Kf2! with Rh1 would have been strong.

24. .....  h5
25. h4

The engine now rates the position as dead even and recommends wither Bb4, Ba3 or Kg7 with a handshake close by.

25. .....  gxh3?

… but I still want that win.

26. Bxh3 Kh8


27. Kh2?

Missing 27. Qe2 winning a pawn and, very likely, the game. But by now we were both very short of time.

27. …..  Bd8
28. Nf3

28. Qe2 is still strong.

28. ….  Qg7
29. Rg1 Qh6
30. Qd1

White has temporarily relieved the pressure from the f5 pawn, but Black must not do likewise in defending it. 30. .. c5 or 30. .. Bb6 are ways to counter.

30. .....  Rg8??

A blunder .. but my luck holds.

31. Rg2?

31. Nd4 and the Black queen is overloaded. If, for example, 31. .. Rf8 then 32. Nxe6 Qxe6 33. Qxh5+.

31. …..  h4
32. Nxh4 Bxh4
33. gxh4 Rxg2+
34. Kxg2 Qxh4

And now we have an even position and Black, without knowing it, has escaped..

35. Qe2



White looked at 35. .. d4 here, which I did not see. 36. exd4 Bd5+ 37. Kh2 Qxf4+ wins for Black so White's best is 36. e4 Qxf4 37. Qh5+ forcing a draw.

Whereas the computer recommends 35. .. Kg7 followed by .. Kg6 protecting the f-pawn, followed by d4.

35. …… Qh7

The time limit had been reached, the rest of the players had finished, and so I offered a draw which was accepted.

From my point of view, a poor game where I just hung on and then nearly lost due to over-ambition.


Weald of Kent v Swale

Adam Dakin (171) 0-1 Stefan Mocanu (158)

James Hart-Dyke (146) 1/2-1/2 Keith Nevols (163)

Richard Roots (125) 0-1 Keith Hyde (162)

Oleg Lyakh (116) 0-1 Rob Woolacott (132)

David Warwick (109) 0-1 Vytautas Gedminas (116)

Julian Squiers (86) 0-1 Andrew Gillard (113)

Weald of Kent 0.5-5.5 Swale