7 November 2019 - Swale Club Championship - Round Seven

Swale Club Chess Championship - Round Seven

Thursday 7 November 2019

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

Dutch Defence

1. d4 f5
2. Nf3 Nf6
3. Bf4 

This seems to be a popular way to play against the Dutch.

3. .....e6
4. Nd2 Be7
5. e3 O-O
6. a3!?

The reason for this is unclear. Here I follow one of the Dutch principles that if White does not fianchetto a bishop on g2 then Black should do so on b7. 

White could still play g3 but then the bishop on f4 would look awkward.

6. ......b6
7. Bc4 Bb7
8. c3 

Time for a plan. As White has not played a pawn to c4 then Black can move a pawn to d5 and set up a stonewall defence. 

8.   ..... Ne4?!

Premature. Continuing development is a better idea. The engine likes 8. .. Na6 with c5 to follow.

9. Bd3 

9. Nxe4 fxe4 10. Ne5 d5 11. Bb5 c6 12. Ba4, and then Bc2 gives White an advantage.

9. .......   d5

10. h4!

This was a surprise but the engine rates it as the best move in this position. It prevents a Black g5 and starts an initiative against the Black king while Black is behind in development. 

I had expected Rc1 intending c4 and an offensive down the c-file which has caused me difficulties in the past.

10......... Bd6

My intention is to swap off some pieces so I do not feel so crowded.

11. Ne5 

11. h5 and 11. Qe2 with castling queenside are good alternatives.

11. ...... Nd7
12. Ndf3 Nxe5
13. dxe5?

Interesting but the other two ways of taking the piece were better. The bishop will now get boxed in and if I could get something going on the queenside, I will effectively be a piece up.

13. .....Be7
14. Bxe4 fxe4?

Missing a chance. 14. .. dxe4 15. Qxd8 Rfxd8 16. Nd4 Kf7 and Black will be taking over the initiative with ideas of c5 and doubling rooks down the d-file.

15. Ng5 Bxg5

With the white queen coming in to the attack, I could not just let the knight stay there.

16. hxg5 

Better than 16. Bxg5 Qe8 with h6 coming.

16. ...... Qe8

17. Qh5 

17. Qg4 had worried me more. I continued with my plan of exchanging pieces before focussing on the queenside to exploit the placing of the bishops.

17. .........  Qxh5

18. Rxh5 Bc6

I can see the White plan - O-O-O, Rdh1, Rxh7. I have time to move my bishop over to defend.

An interesting defence would be to give up the pawn - 18. ..... Kf7!? 19. Rxh7 Rh8 20. Rxh8 Rxh8 21. O-O-O Ba6 with Bd3 and advancing the queenside pawns and the king to f5.

19. O-O-O Be8

20. Rh4 c5

20. .... Bg6 first might be more accurate as now White can consider 21. c4 with the aim of breaking up the Black centre.

21. Rdh1 Bg6

But now I am happy! The kingside is defended and I can switch over to the queenside, always bearing in mind that the white bishop on f4 is trapped off from the action whereas, if I get the chance, I can swing my own bishop back into play via e8.

22. Kd2 b5

Finally preventing a White c4.

23. Rc1 a5
24. g4 Rfc8
25. Bg3 Rab8
26. b3 b4

I thought I had lots of good moves here that I could not decide which to pick. 

26. .. c4 27. b4 Ra8 is the best.

27. axb4 axb4

28. Ra1? 

White decides to counter down the a-file but this is a mistake. 28. Rhh1 would bring the other rook into the defence.

28. ......Rb7?

I was worried about Ra7 and also intending to double my rooks down the b-file. 

However 28. ..... bxc3+ is winning - 29. Kxc3 d4+! 30. exd4 cxd4+ (31. Kxd4 Rxb3 forces checkmate! I did not see this) 31. Kb2 Rc3 32. Ra3 e3 is overwhelming.

29. R4h1 Rcb8?

29. .. bxc3+ 30. Kxc3 d4+ also mixes the possibility of a mating net with a pawn attack.

30. Rhb1? 

30. cxb4 Rxb4 31. Rhc1 and White is back in the game.

30. ..... Be8

Time for my extra piece to emerge onto the battlefield.

31. Ra5 c4!
32. cxb4 Rxb4
33. Kc3 Kf7

A bit of tidying to move the king to a safer spot.

34. Ra7+ Kg6
35. Re7 Rxb3+
36. Rxb3 Rxb3+
37. Kc2 Bf7

Our friendly engine prefers 37. .. Bb5 but I would never have chosen this line allowing White the chance of a passed pawn in the centre of the board. it continues 38. Rxe6+ Kxg5 39. Re7 g6 40. Rxh7 Kxg4 41. e6 Kf5. My nerves would not have been able to take this.

38. Rc7 Rb6

Defending the e6 pawn with the intention of bringing the bishop into the game.

39. Bf4 

With this move, and the crisis seemingly passed, White offered a draw. However, I am a pawn up and the White bishop is still entombed so I have still much to play for.

39. ........ Be8
40. Ra7 Bb5

41. Re7 Ba4+

42. Kc1 c3
43. Ra7 Bb5?

Missing 43. .. Rb4. If 44. Ra6 c2 45. Rxe6+ Kf7 and White has Rb1 to come.

44. Rc7 

Suddenly I am hit by that all-too-familiar feeling of blowing a winning position. The c-pawn is about to fall and material will be even. The queenside is about to be extinguished.

Fuming silently, and with the clock running, I have to think of a new plan - to use the white squares on the kingside and run with the h-pawn.

44. ........ Be2

45. Rxc3 Bxg4
46. Rc7 Ra6!

A crafty little move to edge the White king slightly further away from where the new battlefield will be.

47. Kb2 Ra8

En route to h8 to support the h-pawn.

48. Rc3 h5

48. ... Kf5 preparing d4 is also possible, but I am in no mood to take more chances.

49. gxh6 gxh6

50. Rc1 h5
51. Rg1 Kf5
52. Rh1 Rc8?

Missing 52. .... d4! which would result in another passed pawn.

53. Rc1 Rh8

I did not have time to calculate whether Rxc1 wins. (Answer: it does - if Black plays correctly)

54. Rc7 Kg6
55. Kc2 h4
56. Bh2 Rf8
57. Bf4 h3
58. Ra7 Rxf4

Go for it.

59. exf4 Bf3

59. .... h2 would also be good enough.

60. Ra1 h2
61. Kd2 Kf5
62. Ke3 h1=Q
63. Rxh1 Bxh1

64. Resigns

Black can mop up the rest of the pawns. A win which I made hard work of.