15 August 2019 - Rochester Championship - Round Four

Rochester Championship - Round Four

Thursday 15 August 2019

White: Keith Nevols (157) - Black: Rob Woolacott (141)
King's Indian Defence

My opponent was the only person to defeat me in this year's club championship ... and he did it twice!! My chance for some revenge.

I decided to play on the left-hand side this time.

1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 g6
3. Nc3 Bg7
4. e4 d6
5. Nf3 c5

An unusual move. Kings Indian players usually play 5. .. e5 and aim to follow with f5 and a kingside attack. The advantage of 5. .. c5 is that it blocks any early ideas White may have of a queenside attack.

One line here is 6. d5 Bg4 7. Be2 O-O 8.h3 Bxf3 9. Bxf3. The engine says that White is better but to me it looks a bit even, so long as Black can develop the queens' knight. Black can decide between Nbd7 or a6.

I choose a more conservative move.

6. dxc5 Qa5
7. Bd3 

7. Bd2 Qxc5 8. h3 is more accurate but I did not want to place that bishop on d2.

7. ..... Qxc5

7. .. dxc5 would put a grip on the d4 square, or 7. .. Nfd7 8. Bd2 Nxc5 9. Bc2 Bg4 10. Nd5 Qd8 11. Bc3 is even.

8. h3! 

I was quite pleased with this move which not only takes away the possibility of Bg4 but also prepares the next without worrying about Ng4.

8. ...... O-O

9. Be3 Qb4
10. Qd2 

A multi-purpose move, covering b2, connecting the rooks after castling, and preparing Bh6 to exchange off the King's Indian bishop. 

However, 10. a3 Qa5 (10. .... Qxb2?? 11. Na4) 11. b4 Qc7 12. Rc1 would gain space.

10. .......Qa5
11. O-O Nc6
12. Rac1 

12. Rab1 would intend b4. I overlooked that after 12. Rab1 Nd7 13. b4, Black cannot play 13. .. Nxb4? as White has 14. Nd5. The intention behind Rac1 was to beef up the c3 point.

12. ..... Bd7?!

12. . b6 would be a better deployment of the bishop and leaves the d7 square free for the retreat of the f6 knight.

13. Bh6 

Taking my chance to swap off the bishop, after which I thought I had no fears.

13. ...... Qh5?

A mistake. 13. .. Bxh6 or 13. .. Rac8 were better. This move allows me to cut the Black queen off and force a weakness.

14. Bxg7 Kxg7
15. Nd5 

Intending Nxf6 Kxf6; Qc3+ and forcing the Black king into the centre.

15. ..... Qh6

16. Qc3 would tie Black up nicely but I saw a sequence to weaken the Black structure.

16. Qxh6+ Kxh6
17. Nxf6 exf6
18. Bb1 

So I now have a target - the isolated and backward Black d-pawn.

18. ..... Ne5
19. Nd2 

White should have played 19. Nd4 as now Black can play 19. .. g5! holding up the White offensive.

19. ...... Rac8
20. Rfd1?

Better 20. f4 as Black gets another chance to play g5.

20. ... Be6
21. b3 Rc6?

Phew, it was at this stage that I finally saw the possibility of a Black g5, and relieved that Black had continued to miss it. But I did not yet see that my move would force the win of material.

22. f4 Nd7
23. Nf3? 

No. Missing 23. f5. In trying to keep everything under control, and playing positionally, it seems simple to miss obvious moves.

As Black pondered, I suddenly saw f5, and mentally kicked myself, as I expected him to move the d7 knight which would provide a retreat square for the Black bishop.

23. .....Re8?

But my luck held!

24. f5 Ne5
25. Nxe5 fxe5
26. fxe6 Rxe6

For the next few moves, I shuffled my pieces around to gradually improve my position and target Black's weak pawns.

27. Rd5 b6
28. a4 Kg5
29. Rf1 Re7
30. Bc2 f6
31. h4+! Kxh4
32. Rxf6 Rd7
33. Re6 a6
34. Rexe5 

A clear piece up, my aim was to exchange some pieces. As we have seen in previous games, I make mistakes when leading by material.

34. ......b5
35. Re6 bxa4

36. bxa4?

Believe it or not, 36. Kh2! is mate in five. White threatens g3 and Bd1, so Black's only defence is 36. .. Rf7 when 37. g3+ Kg4 38. Bd1+ Rf3 39. Kg2 and 40. Bxf3 mates.

36. .... Rxc4

37. Rd2 Rdc7
38. Bd1 Rc1
39. Rxd6 R7c4
40. R6d4 

I don't want to exchange too many pawns.

40. ...... R4c3
41. Kf2 Rc6
42. Rd7 Rf6+
43. Ke3 R1c3+
44. R2d3 Rc5
45. Rxh7+

Here Black played 45. ... Kg4 which is an illegal move. I had intended to meet 45. .. Kg5 with 46. Kd4. Rather than wait for the time penalty to be added to the clocks, Black decided to resign.

I enjoyed this game until the final section when, although there were no blunders, I got very nervous.

My final score for the Rochester Championship was 4 out of 5 and I again finished second to Sam Woolacott who had the perfect score.

8 August 2019 - Rochester Championship - Round Three

Rochester Championship - Round Three

Thursday 8 August 2019

White: Sam Woolacott (176) - Black: Keith Nevols (157)
Irregular Defence

A tough opponent and the defending champion.

1. Nf3 f5
2. d3!? 

A surprise! 2. d4 goes into the regular Dutch. Now 2. .. d6 3. e4 goes into the Lisitsin Gambit which I had seen before. Once again I was on unfamiliar territory at an early point.

2. .......Nf6
3. e4 

One line appears to be 3. ... fxe4 4. dxe4 Nxe4 5. Bd3 Nf6 6. Ng5 g6 7. Nxh7 (or even 7. h4!) Rxh7 8. Bxg6+ Rf7. This does not look much fun for Black.

Or 3. .. e5?! will convert to the Latvian Gambit with 4. Nxe5 Qe7 about which I have some knowledge but only for fun games.

I go for a safer option. My logic, as with the last time I faced this system, was to get through the first opening moves and, at worst, get into an equal or slightly worse middlegame.

3. ...... d6

4. exf5 Bxf5
5. d4! 

It is rare to move a pawn to the third and then the fourth rank so early, but this releases the bishop and prevents a black e5. (5. ... e5 6. dxe5 Qe7 is too risky with 7. Bd3 or 7. Bb5+ and castles to come).

5. ..... c6

To stop a White d5 and aiming to develop the queenside to castle to safety.

6. Bd3 Qd7?

An interesting pawn sacrifice is 6. .. Bxd3 7. Qxd3 e5?!. Then 8. dxe5 dxe5 9. Qxd8+ Kxd8 10. Nxe5 Bb4+ 11. c3 Re8 12. O-O Rxe5 13. cxb4 Nbd7. But 9. Qb3! ties Black up in knots.

The main problem with 6. .. Qd7 is, after c6, taking another square away from the knight. 

So 6. .. Bg4 was probably more accurate, with 7. h3 Bxf3 8. Qxf3 Qb6.

7. O-O Bg4

Better 7. .. Bxd3 8. Qxd3 Na6.

8. Re1 Na6

The knight has to be developed and I decided that the weakness on the queenside was worth it to get rid of that bishop.

9. Bxa6 bxa6
10. Qd3 Bf5

Offering to exchange my doubled a-pawn for his central c-pawn, an offer he does refuse.

11. Qe2 h6

12. c4 O-O-O?

12. .. e6 looks odd but Black needs to be castling kingside, where there is a little more comfort. After 12. .. e6, White can take a pawn with 13. Nh4 Bh7 14. Qxe6+ Qxe6 15. Rxe6 Kf7 16. Re1 but then16. .. g5 17. Nf3 Bg7 and Black might get some compensation while White has still to develop the queenside.

13. Nc3 

13. Bd2! coming to a5 would have put Black under greater pressure.

13. ....... Re8
14. d5 

White is well on top and has a selection of so many good moves. As well as the text, the engine recommends 14. c5, 14. Bf4 or 14. Be3. Black is into familiar grovelling mode.

14. ...... e5

15. dxc6 Qxc6
16. Be3 Be6
17. Nd5 

Again there are a lot of good moves to choose from. 17. c5 and 17. Rac1 are good alternatives.

17. ......Kb7

18. Red1!

And White now sacrifices a pawn to open up some space. I decide that, as I am going to be under attack anyway, I might as well grab a pawn for the effort.

18. .....Nxd5
19. cxd5 Bxd5
20. Rac1 Bxf3
21. gxf3 Qd7
22. Rc3 

The game is won. Black just does not have enough time to put together any defence or counter attack. There is not much to say from here as White can just move pieces around at will.

22. ..... Rc8
23. Rb3+ Ka8
24. Qxa6 Be7
25. Rd5 Rc6
26. Qb5 Rc7
27. Qd3 Rb7
28. Ra3 

28. Ra5 with Qd5 is a nice finish.

28. ....Rc8
29. Rda5 R8c7
30. Qd5 Kb8

Remarkably I am still on the board, and White now goes wrong. He should play 31.Kg2.

31. b4?

I have a free unenforced move. What shall I do with it? I looked at 31. .. Qc6 and saw 32. Qg8+.

But I did not see 31. .. Qf5! which threatens perpetual check with Qb1+ and Qg6+. 

If 32. Qe4 then 32. ... Qxe4 33. fxe4 Rxb4. Or 32. Rb3 Qg6+ 33. Kh1 Qc2. Or 32. Rd3 Rxb4.

To meet 31. .. Qf5, White would have had to find 32. h3!! and Black would then need to find 32. .. Kc8! to remain with a chance. (32. ... Qb1+ 33. Kh2 Qxb4 34. Rb3). White cannot move the bishop from d3 or else Black can use the g5-f4-c1 diagonal for perpetual check again. Also 33. Qg8+ Kd7 34. Qxg7 Qxh3 is also a draw.

After 32. ... Kc8! White should play 33. Ra6! to tie the bishop to the defence of the d6 pawn, and he would still have the advantage.

Unfortunately I did not see any of this, and decided to both block the eighth rank, protect the seventh rank, and threaten a cheap tactic - which seemed a good deal for a move.

31. ........Bd8?

32. Ra6! Rb5??

The final mistake. Black should go back with 32. ... Be7 and see if he sees Qf5 next time.

33. Bxa7 Rxa7
34. Rxa7 Rxd5
35. Rxd7 Bf6

And now, after twigging that I am a rook down, it was time to resign. 

A disappointing game where I was on the ropes from move two, and so made the resolution not to meet 1. Nf3 with 1. .. f5 in future.

1 August 2019 - Rochester Championship - Round Two

Rochester Championship - Round Two

Thursday 1 August 2019

White: Tyrone Jefferies (113) - Black: Keith Nevols (157)
Dutch Defence

1. d4 f5
2. Nf3 Nf6
3. Bf4 e6
4. Nbd2 Be7
5. e3 O-O
6. Bc4

Bf4 against the Dutch seems to be quite popular. It supports an attack down the c-file with c4 and Rc1 and targeting the c7 square. 

White's set up here adding Nbd2 and Bc4 is also interesting but reduces White's potential for a queenside attack. I go by the principle that if White does not develop his bishop on the a1-h8 diagonal, then Black ought to do so.

6. ..... b6
7. c3 Bb7
8. O-O

If 8. .... c5 then, according to the engine, the game is equal.

8. ......  Ne4?!

White can take the initiative 9. Nxe4 fxe4 10. Ne5! with options of Qg4-Qh5, Rd1 and/or d5.

9. a4 a5

Better 9. .. d5 to rule out a d5 break for White. 10. Bb3 g5 then gives an initiative to Black.

10. Re1?!

The purpose of this move is revealed by the next .Again 10.Nxe4 would be an improvement, or 10. h3 to provide a retreat square for the f4 bishop. Black now wakes up and takes the initiative and material advantage.

10. ...... d5
11. Bf1 g5
12. Bg3

12. Be5 is well answered by 12. .. Nd7 and then g4.

12. ..... f4

I thought I was winning a piece, but Black can get sufficient compensation. So 12. .. Nxg3 13. hxg3 Nd7 is considered to be a more accurate way to play the position. Nevertheless, I am always reluctant to turn down the possibility of material. My logic is that, if I am going to have to defend grimly (which, more often than not, is the case) then I might as well have something for it.

13. exf4 gxf4

White must now play 14. Bd3! fxg3 15. hxg3. The point is that, for the piece, White has one pawn and is about to get a second with pressure down the e-file. 15. .. Nd7 16. Nxe4 dxe4 17. Bxe4 Bxe4 18. Rxe4 Rf6 19. Qe2 Nf8. The e6 pawn is quite weak. Or if 15. .. Nxd2? 16. Qxd2 Rf6 17. Ng5 and Black is in big trouble.

Fortunately for me, White tries a different way to get compensation.

14. Ne5 fxg3
15. Qg4+ Kh8
16. Nxe4 gxh2+
17. Kh1 dxe4
18. Qxe6 Bd5

This had been my planned defence, although the computer prefers 18. .. Qd6 19. Nf7+ Rxf7 20. Qxf7 Nd7 with Rf8 to come. Black, in this situation, would have two pieces for the rook. But giving up an exchange is never a good idea to me.

19. Qh6 Qd6

With f7 covered, it is now safe to seek the exchange of queens.

20. Qh5 Qf6

Nothing wrong with 20. .. Nd7. I need to develop that knight and rook to help with the defence.

21. Ng4 Qg5
22. Qxg5 Bxg5
23. Kxh2 Nd7

The queens have gone and I am a piece for a pawn ahead. I need to keep that e-pawn in there and activate the other pieces.

24. c4 Bb7

24. .. Be6 would have forced more exchanges. I did not want to lose the e-pawn to 25. Rxe4 but overlooked 25. .. Bf5.

25. d5 Nc5
26. Kg1 Rae8

The e-pawn is now safe.

27. Ra3 Bc8
28. Ne3 Bd7

Hitting the a-pawn and forcing White's next cutting off the a3 rook.

29. b3 Bxe3
30. Rxe3 Rf6

Now a few moves adjusting my pieces to better squares, while White can do little.

31. Ra2 Ref8
32. Rd2 Be8
33. Rb2 Bg6
34. Rd2 Nd7
35. Rc3 Ne5
36. c5

White's only chance is to get a passed pawn on the d-file. I thought I had enough to defend this.

36. ...... Ng4
37. cxb6 cxb6
38. d6 e3!

Exploiting the pin down the f-file.

39. Rd4 exf2+
40. Kh1 Bf5
41. d7 Rd8
42. Bb5

The very attractive 42. .. Bd3! would have been a lovely way to finish. 

If 43. Bxd3 Rh6 mate. 

If 43. Rxg4 Rh6 will mate next move. 

If 43. Rxd3 f1(Q) mate.

42. ......  Bxd7

The only way to stop mate is 43. Rxg4 but then 43. .. Bxb5 and the f-pawn will queen next move. If 43. g3 Rh6+ also forces mate.

43. Rc7 Rh6++