En Passant - Tunbridge Wells vs Swale
Thursday 24 October 2019
White: Jerry Anisted (172) - Black: Keith Nevols (157)
Bird's Opening
A long journey down to somewhere where traditionally I had not done too well. Tunbridge Wells are a strong team and I was with the Black pieces facing a higher graded opponent.
1. f4
Already lost. I have never faced this before and had no idea how to play it, so just started with some normal developing moves.
1. ..... Nf6
2. Nf3 d5
3. b3 c5
4. e3 Nc6
5. Bb2 Bg4
Too committal. 5. ...e6 or 5. ...Bd7 were better for development.
6. Be2 e6
7. O-O h5?!
Part of an early plan. More usual would be 7. .. Bd6 or 7. .. Be7 but I came up with an idea to try and place his king under pressure. He told me afterwards that, in all his years of starting f4, no-one had attempted h5.
8. d4?!
White plays an inaccuracy in return. Black should now go 8. ... cxd4 9. Nxd4 (9. exd4 Qb6 and White's centre is under pressure) Rc8 and then Bc5. White's pawn on e3 would look awkward.
8. ........Rh6?
But I am carrying on with the plan. This moves off the Bishop b2 diagonal as well as thinking about h4-h3 and Rg6.
9. a4 h4
10. Ne5 Bxe2
11. Qxe2 Ne4
Continuing to miss the opportunity to play cxd4.
12. Nd2 Nxd2
13. Qxd2 f6
14. Nxc6 bxc6
We can say that the Black idea has not worked. The rook on h6 has nothing to do, while Black has a worse pawn structure. Having said that, all is not lost as, although White is better, it is only a small edge.
15. Ba3 cxd4
16. Bxf8 Kxf8
17. Qxd4 Qd6
Consolidating and preparing to move in the centre.
17. .... h3 would have been interesting. 18. gxh3 Rxh3 or 18. g3 Qe7 and the engine gives the position as even.
18. Rad1
18. b4 Kg8 would prepare e5.
18. ........ c5
19. Qd3 Rb8
To prevent Qb5 and think about Rb4. White hits the centre.
20. f5
I thought this was a good move but the engine disagrees - preferring 20. h3 or 20. e4.
20. ......... Rh5
21. e4 d4
22. Qf3 Rg5
23. Qf4?
An error - I was certainly pleased to see the queens go. 23. Qh3 hits the h4 and e6 squares.
23. ....... Qxf4
24. Rxf4 exf5
Black should play 24. .. Ke7 bringing the king forward. 25. Rxh4 exf5 26. exf5 Rxf5 27. Re1 Kd6 and Re5 next move and Black is better.
25. Rxh4 Re8?
And White errs in return. The simple 25. .. Kf7 keeps the eighth rank.
26. Rh8+ Kf7
27. Rxe8 Kxe8
28. exf5 Rxf5
So who is better? A rook and five pawns each. So far my unorthodox play had kept an even game but rook endings are famously complicated and my instincts, having been on the back foot, told me that I was worse.
29. Rd3 Re5
30. Kf2 Ke7
31. c3 dxc3?
31. .. Re4 32. cxd4 cxd4 and Black has a passed pawn with the White king cut off.
32. Rxc3 Ke6?
I regretted this as soon as I played it as White can now force the rooks off. g5, a5, or a6 were better just edging forwards or moving the king with Kd6.
33. Re3 Rxe3
34. Kxe3 Ke5
Opposition! I thought this might now be lost as White can force a passed pawn down the h-file. Time for some grim defence.
35. Kd3 Kd5
36. a5 a6
37. g4
37. ........g6??
Big mistake. 37. .. g5 would keep the opposition and hold the draw. Now White can win.
38. h4!
Zugswang! If 38. ... g5 39. h5 - if 38. .. f5 39. gxf5 gxf5 40. h5. After a long think and some counting, I go after the kingside pawns and have to hope that White goes wrong.
38. ........ Ke5
39. Kc4 Kf4
40. h5 gxh5
41. gxh5 Kg5
42. Kxc5 f5
43. Kd4 Kxh5
44. Ke3??
My luck is in. 44. b4! would win in a few moves.
44. ........ Kg4
45. Kf2?
45. b4 was again better and would lead to a queen and pawn v queen ending.
45. ........ Kf4
46. b4
Better late than never. I was contemplating resignation.
46. ........Ke5
47. b5 Kd6
48. b6 Kc6
49. Kf3 Kb7
Wait a minute. Can I hold this?
50. Kf4 Kc8
51. Kxf5 Kd7
52. Ke5 Kc6
53. Ke6 Kb7
I have worked out how to hold. If I stick to b8 and b7, the king keeps White at bay. Even on a8, the white king can't come to c7 or c8 as that is stalemate.
54. Kd7 Kb8
55. Kc6 Kc8
56. b7+
After a think, White realises the draw.
56. ......... Kb8
57. Kb6
Stalemate. Phew.
Tunbridge Wells v Swale
Jerry Anstead (172) 1/2-1/2 Keith Nevols (157)
Russell Goodfellow (146) 1/2-/1/2 Keith Hyde (149)
Hugh Tassell (138) 0-1 David Page (144)
David Tidmarsh (130) 0-1 Rob Woolacott (141)
Stephen Bond (112) 0-1 Vytautas Gedminas (117)
James Robertson (106) 0-1 Tyrone Jefferies (114)
Tunbridge Wells 1-5 Swale
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