GAME 028 - Mike Lambshire

Edward Davies - Mike Lambshire

Solent Rapidplay (1.2), 06.06.2008.

I have done some research and found that my opponent - who has returned to chess after a break - was last rated ECF 196, and this explains why I had such difficulty and also why my opponent was so fast and insightful in the after-game analysis.

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nf3 e5 Rare. [3...Bg4 4.Be2 e.g. 4...Nc6 5.d4; 3...Nc6 4.d4 (or 4.Nc3 Qa5 (4...Qh5 5.Nb5) 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.0–0) ; 3...Nf6 4.Nc3 Qa5 can transpose to main line, however there are interesting independent lines 5.d4 (5.Be2 c6 6.h3; 5.Bc4 c6 6.d4; 5.g3 c6 6.Bg2) ] 4.Nc3 Qa5 [maybe 4...Qd6 is perhaps better.] 5.Be2 A tad passive. [We looked at 5.Bc4 after the game, and decided it was strong.; 5.d4 can't be bad. 5...Bg4 (5...exd4 6.Qe2+ Probably the most interesting. (6.Nxd4 Bb4 7.Bd2 Qe5+ 8.Qe2 Qxe2+ 9.Bxe2) 6...Be7 7.Nxd4 c6 8.Bf4 Na6 9.0–0–0) 6.Be2 Nc6 7.0–0] 5...Nc6 6.0–0 Bg4?! Tactically dubious. 7.Nxe5 It takes Fritz surprisingly long to decide on this. First it suggests Re1 but then changes to this after a while. I could see that whatever happened I'd be at least equal so I gave this a try, especially as it may shock my opponent a bit. [7.d4 After a couple of minutes, Fritz changes to this move. 7...0–0–0 8.Nxe5 Bxe2 9.Qxe2 Nxd4 A complicated position, e.g.: 10.Qh5 Bb4 11.Qh3+ f5 12.Nf7 Nf6 13.Nxh8 Rxh8 14.Bd2 Bxc3 15.Bxc3 Ne2+ 16.Kh1 Nxc3 17.bxc3 Ne4 This must be significantly better for white.] 7...Bxe2 [7...Nxe5 8.Bxg4 Nxg4 9.Qxg4 Good pawn up and prevents castling.; 7...Qxe5 8.Bxg4 Good pawn up and threatening Re1, (also bishop pair).] 8.Qxe2 Qxe5 [8...Nxe5 9.d4 e.g. 9...Ne7 10.dxe5 0–0–0 A good extra pawn. 11.Bg5 Kb8 Crushing for white according to Fritz.] 9.Qxe5+ Nxe5 10.Re1 f6 During the game I thought there may have been a better move for black. [10...0–0–0 11.Rxe5 Ne7 12.d3 Nc6 might be better, with the knight heading for d4, e.g. 13.Rf5 Nd4 14.Rxf7 Nxc2 15.Rb1 Rd7 16.Rxd7 Kxd7 17.Bd2 a6 18.a3 Be7 19.g3 Rf8 I'm not sure what's going on here but white is a pawn up.] 11.d4 0–0–0 12.dxe5 fxe5 [12...Bb4 This definitely looks to be black's best defence. 13.Bf4 The alternatively are too weak. (13.e6? a poor decision 13...Ne7 14.Bf4 g5 15.Bg3 Rhe8; 13.exf6 better than 13.e6, but doubtful the best 13...Nxf6 14.Bg5 Bxc3 15.bxc3 Rd5 16.Be3 White's material advantage looks negligible now that his structure is severely weakened.; 13.Re3?? trying to protect the q-side pawn structure fails 13...Bxc3 with Rd1# threatened.) 13...Bxc3 14.bxc3 fxe5 15.Rxe5 Nf6 16.Rae1] 13.Rxe5 It was pleasant to play quite a long forcing variation (starting on move 7) probably unexpected to my opponent. This final detail - with Nf3 covering d1 was however not forseen and was a nice surprise. 13...Nf6 [Again, 13...Bb4 appears to be better. The idea is very good; threatening to remove the guard against back rank mate, and threatening a major weakening of the white q-side pawns. 14.Be3 Nf6 (14...Bxc3 this seems more logical to me 15.bxc3 Nf6 16.Bd4 Rhe8 17.Rae1 Rxe5 18.Rxe5 b6 preparing c5 (not 18...c5?? immediately since 19.Rxc5+) 19.Kf1 c5 20.Be3 Ng4 21.Re7 Nxe3+ 22.fxe3 (22.Rxe3 less active rook) 22...Rd2 23.Rxg7 Rxc2 24.Rxh7 Rxc3 25.g4 Rxe3 26.g5 Re6 27.Rxa7 c4 28.Ra3 Kd7 29.h4 Obviously white is the one with winning chances.) ] 14.Bg5 Bd6 15.Re6 I didn't want to give anything back by playing passively, but a rook in a place like this is in danger of being trapped if white is stupid enough, as happened in the game. [15.Re2 Rhe8 16.Bxf6 gxf6 17.Rxe8 Rxe8 liquidating.. however there is some concern that the bishop will be superior to the knight in this wide open position. 18.Kf1 inviting the Fischer blunder 18...Be5 (18...Bxh2? 19.g3 Rd8 20.Ke2 Fritz sees no hurry in capturing the bishop, since Rh1 will do the job, and this keeps the black rook out of the 7th rank. However, in a practical situation I would probably use the king to capute the bishop to prevent anything silly from potentially happening. 20...Re8+ 21.Kf3 Rd8 22.Rh1 Rd2 23.Rxh2 Rxc2 24.Nd1 Rd2 25.Rh1 Rd5) ] 15...Rde8 [15...Rhe8 similar 16.Rxe8 Rxe8 17.Kf1 Kd7 18.Bxf6 gxf6 19.Nd5 Be5 20.Rd1 Kc8 21.c3 c6 22.Nb4] 16.Rae1 Rxe6 17.Rxe6 Ng4 The next move took a while to decide. I'd like to kick the knight back but h3 allows Nh7 or Bh7+, but now that I look at it, these both seem bad. [Objectively 17...Kd7 may be better, but my oppoenent's move is more potentially trappy. 18.Re1 Rf8 19.g3 h6 20.Bd2 There doesn't seem to be scope for black tricking the opponent.] 18.g3 this isn't a bad decision, removing any back rank problems. [18.h3 in retrospect there was no threat of Nh2 or Bh2, but Ne5 proves problematic leaving white unlikely to be able to win. 18...Nh2?? This has many refutations. a) 18...Ne5! threatening Kd7. The rook looks in trouble. 19.Bf4 Nf3+ (19...Kd7? is no good 20.Rxe5) 20.gxf3 Bxf4; b) 18...Bh2+?? 19.Kh1 winning a piece.; 19.g3?? (19.Rxd6 cxd6 20.Kxh2 +-; 19.f4 this also refutes the move 19...h6 20.Bh4 Bxf4 21.Ne2 Bd6 22.Bg3 Bxg3 23.Nxg3 Ng4 24.hxg4; 19.Nb5 the strongest refutation according to Fritz 19...Bc5 20.Kxh2 +-) 19...Nf3+ 20.Kg2 Nxg5; 18.Re4 Fritz marginally prefers this, e.g.: 18...Nf6 19.Re2 Kd7 20.Nb5 Bc5 21.Bxf6 gxf6 22.Nc3 c6 23.g3 Bd6 white definitely has some good winning chances in this endgame.] 18...Rf8 I was getting concerned about the pressure on f2 which was one of the main motivations of my hasty next move, (I spent a while deciding on it but played it too hastily without checking forced variations). [18...Ne5 fritz is torn between this and the game continuation. This seems logical, imprisoning the rook, but it doesn't seem to lead to much. 19.Bf4 Nf3+ 20.Kg2 Nd4 21.Re4] 19.Ne4?? [19.Re2 is absolutely fine. 19...Be5 20.Kg2 Bxc3 21.bxc3 h6 22.Bd2 Kd7 23.c4 Rf5 24.Bc3 ...] 19...Kd7 I instantly knew I was lost, but spent a minute or two looking again and again for any unexpected escape, such as Nc5+ or Rxd6, but nothing works so I resigned. A very frustrating loss, although my strong, (or very strong), opponent had me under some pressure trying to not squander my advantage in the technical stage. After the game it became clear very quickly that my opponent was much stronger than I am used to and corrected me instantly on any suggestions I made that were wrong, (and I could see he was right every time, tactically and positionally). Therefore it is a shame I didn't win this since I get the feeling my opponent was very strong and that I did well to find the earlier forced variation from move six that gave me the advantage. (I was very tired from exams and out of practice for the same reason, so hopefully this lack of technical strength in this game and others on the same day was a product of this factor). 0–1

GAME 027 - Bob Treloar

Bob Treloar VS Edward Davies

Portsmouth Club Championship 07–08, Round 1.

1.e4 c6 This was the first of eight rounds of Portsmouth Chess Club Championship 2007/8 season, which I eventually won with a score of 6.5/8 (5 wins and 3 draws). I got to a bad start, allowing a stalemate in a won position in the first round, (this game), and then overlooked a tactic against Simon in the second round, (though Simon has trapped me tactically many times so this wasn't surprising in hindsight), but managed to draw an unfavourable position. Apart from that, I won in six out of seven of the remaining rounds, drawing only to top seed Richard McMaster (ECF 158), so overall it was a great tournament for me, and of course meant a lot to be club champion. 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.h3 Bxf3 5.gxf3 I have already analysed this variation earlier on the blog so I'll focus on middlegame onwards. 5...e6 6.Rg1 Actually Fritz seems to quite like white's position, but I don't think I'd consider the open file enough compensation for the pawn structure, although in fairness both bishops can develop unimpeded. 6...Nd7 7.d4 Ne7 [7...Ngf6 I dont' really understand how Fritz can like this 8.e5 Nh5 9.Qd3 c5 10.Be3 c4 Is the h5 knight strictly bad here? g6, Ng7 suggests itself. 11.Qd2 Bb4 12.Be2 Qa5 13.f4 g6 14.a3 0–0–0 15.0–0–0 Bxc3 16.Qxc3 Qxc3 17.bxc3 Ng7 A very odd but interesting looking position. In evaluating this as equal, maybe Fritz overrates it's bishop pair. However I think white's main advantage is meant to be in the two open files for his rooks, whereas black's advantages are technically better pawn structure and knights in a closed position. In fact white's bishops look hopeless at the moment, but they can probably come into play on the kingside after f5 for example.] 8.Be3 [8.Qd3 Ng6 9.Bd2 both sides develop their pieces for a while] 8...Ng6 9.Qd2 Queen bishop battery seems natural. 9...Qc7 It seems I wanted to cover f4, but white can play f4 anyway. Therefore the queen looks more active on b6 or a5. [9...Bb4 maybe pinning knight could be useful. 10.0–0–0 Qa5 11.Kb1 (11.a3 Bxc3 12.Qxc3 Qxc3 13.bxc3 Almost the same as a recent position. The same debate applies.) 11...0–0 12.Bd3 These are all alternative lines that could result in many interesting games.; 9...Qa5 this is a lot less passive. 10.a3 (10.0–0–0 Bb4 11.a3 Bxc3 12.Qxc3 Qxc3 13.bxc3) 10...Bb4 11.0–0–0 Bxc3 12.Qxc3 Qxc3 13.bxc3 Yet again we have this odd position.] 10.f4 Fritz yellow flags this move. [10.0–0–0 0–0–0 11.Bd3 Be7 12.Kb1 Kb8 An interesting starting point.] 10...dxe4 [F1: 10...Bb4 the critical move 11.e5 (11.f5 exf5 12.exf5 Nh4 13.Qe2 (13.Be2 Nxf5) 13...Nxf5?? 14.Bf4+) 11...0–0 12.0–0–0 Qa5 13.a3 Bxc3 14.Qxc3 Qxc3 15.bxc3 This again.] 11.Nxe4 0–0–0 [11...Nb6 12.c4 Nh4] 12.0–0–0 Fritz assesses this as roughly equal. I felt I had something tangible due to white's pawn weaknesses though. 12...h6?! This gets a yellow flag from fritz. I wanted to control g5 and prevent the knight going to g5 after attacking it with f5. [12...Nf6 13.Nxf6 gxf6 14.Bc4 f5 interesting, and fritz likes this for black] 13.Bd3 [13.Kb1 Be7 14.Bd3] 13...Nh4 Aiming for f3 fork, and assuming this is covered, heading for f5 instead. 14.Qe2 Nf5 Judging by fritz's 'body language' there are several candidate moves. However my opponent's choice is not one of these and gets a yellow flag for giving away a pawn without justification. 15.Bd2? [15.c3 e.g. 15...Nb6 16.Kb1 Nd5 17.Ng3; 15.c4 e.g. 15...Kb8 16.Kb1 Nb6 17.Qe1 Be7 18.Qc3; 15.Nd2 Nf6 16.Nf3 Nd5 17.Ne5 Kb8 18.c4 Ndxe3 19.fxe3 Rg8 20.Kb1 g6 I would now personally say black is a bit worse.; 15.Ng3 Nxg3 16.fxg3 Kb8 17.Kb1 Nb6 The resulting positions seem to have many branches too.] 15...Nxd4 I assume my opponent didn't see I would win a pawn and attack the queen at the same time. 16.Qe3 c5?! Inaccurate according to fritz. In fact I can't entirely retrace my reason for playing this. It doesn't seem very wise to open up the pawns in front of my king and the knight can be pushed away by c3 leaving a pawn on c5. This pawn blocks my DSB. [16...Nc5 17.Nxc5 Bxc5 18.Qe5 Qxe5 19.fxe5 g6 A markedly different continuation to 16..Nb6. 20.Be3 Be7 21.f4 Kc7; 16...Nb6 the computer likes this and 16...Nc5. 17.Ba5 Nf5 18.Qf3 Rd5 19.Bxb6 Qxb6 20.Nc3 Ra5 similar to later in the game 21.Be4 I definitely prefer black here. 21...g6] 17.Nc3 [17.Kb1 Nb6 18.Ba5 Kb8 19.Bc4 Bd6 All of these lines seem complicated and with many options and could be analysed for hours.] 17...g6 I want to develop my bishop, also conveniently pointing to white's kingside where I have some potential play. [or 17...Nf6 18.Nb5 Nxb5 19.Bxb5 a6 20.Be2 Another many branched position. However I think white's very weakened queenside pawns put this in black's favour on balance.] 18.Rg3 Fritz doesn't like this, but there is no immediate problem. [18.Nb5 Nxb5 19.Bxb5 Bg7 20.Kb1 Kb8] 18...Bg7 consistent with my previous move, though at first fritz suggests Nb6. [18...Nb6 19.Kb1 Bg7] 19.Nb5 Nxb5 20.Bxb5 Qb6 this is fine. The nasty threat of mate on b2 pins the bishop. [20...Nb6 21.Be2 (21.Ba5 this pin is irrelevant after: 21...Bxb2+ 22.Kxb2 (22.Kb1 Rxd1+ 23.Kxb2) 22...Rxd1) 21...Kb8 22.Kb1 Black's long-term pawn structure advantages increasingly are factoring in.] 21.Qb3 Forced. 21...Qc7? According to Fritz this spoils everything and puts the position back to roughly equal. 22.Qa4? Returns the favour, and we are back to –1.00 approximately. [22.f5 Nf8 (22...exf5 23.Qxf7 Bd4 24.Rxg6 A disaster for black.) 23.Qa4 a6 24.Bd3 (24.Ba5?? doesn't work after 24...Rxd1+ 25.Kxd1 axb5 e.g. 26.Qxb5 Qe7 27.fxg6 Nxg6 28.Kc1 Be5 winning for black.) 24...Kb8 25.fxg6 Nxg6 26.Bxg6 (26.Ba5 b6 27.Bd2 Be5 28.Re3 a5 Not exactly to plan for black but still and interesting game.) 26...fxg6 27.Rxg6 Rd4 28.Qb3 c4 29.Qe3] 22...a6 [F1: 22...Nf6 23.Bd3 Qb6 24.Qb3 Qxb3 25.axb3 Nd5 26.c3 black is easily better; a pawn up and a better pawn structure.] 23.Bd3 [23.Ba5 is no good, losing a bishop pair for a rook 23...axb5 24.Bxc7 bxa4 25.Bxd8 Rxd8 –+] 23...Rhe8 maybe not the strongest, but ok [23...Bd4; 23...Nb6 24.Qa3 Bd4 25.Be3 Almost at every point there are numerous alternatives though.] 24.Ba5 I recall I had originally overlooked this reply and initially assumed I had blundered. It turns out not to be a problem though. 24...Nb6 25.Qe4 [25.Qb3 Qxf4+ 26.Rd2 Nd5 I wouldn't be so quick to play down an exchange like this. 27.Rg4 (27.Bxd8 Rxd8 28.Rg4 Qd6 29.Kb1 Qh2 30.c3 b5 Maybe computers like playing this way when they have the advantage, but how many humans do? 31.Qa3 Kb7 32.Be4 There are 32...Qxh3 33.Rg1 There are so many possibilities that such a position could be analysed forever practically. However this game will probably never occur again in the history of mankind so it isn't particularly relevant other than out of general interest.) ] 25...Rd4 The best move it would seem. A situation where the rook truly seems to belong on a square. [25...c4 initially fritz suggests this move, but it soon warms to 25...Rd4. 26.Bxb6 Bxb2+ 27.Kxb2 Qxb6+ 28.Kc1 cxd3 29.Rgxd3 Black is clearly much better here. 29...Rxd3 30.Rxd3 Rd8 31.Rc3+ Kb8 32.Qe5+ Ka7 33.Qe3 (33.Qe2 Rd5 fritz doesn't seem to know what to do 34.Qe3 Qxe3+ 35.fxe3 Kb6 36.a3 Rc5 Black should expect to win the rook ending, but only 1 pawn up it is not a foregone conclusion.) 33...Rd5] 26.Qe3 [26.Qe1 a better defence 26...c4 (26...Ra4 .. an example of some of the ridiculous tactics in this position: 27.Kb1 Bxb2 28.Bxa6 bxa6 29.Rb3 Bf6 30.Bxb6 Qxf4 31.Bxc5 Rd8 32.Rxd8+ Kxd8 33.Rb7 Ke8 34.Qh1 Qe4 There are scores of such lines.) 27.Be2 Rxd1+ 28.Bxd1 Qxf4+ 29.Qd2 Qxd2+ 30.Bxd2 Nd5 31.Be2 b5 great for black] 26...Ra4! I successful ly choose the best move in this maze of possibilities. The double threat of RxBa5 and Rxpa2 is natural enough, though usually the rook would seem offside in such a place with bishops swarming around. It all comes down to analysis in the end though. 27.Bxb6 Qxb6 White is coming under a monstrous attack, with heavy pieces and a fianchettoed bishop all openly aimed at the king's pawn cover. 28.Kd2 [no better is 28.c3 Rxa2 29.b4 Bd4 (29...Bxc3 justs leaves a totally winning endgame 30.Qxc5+ Qxc5 31.bxc5 Rxf2 32.Be4 Bf6 33.c6 b5 34.Rf3 Rxf3 35.Bxf3 Rd8 –++ Not even the opposite bishops can make up for three pawns down where the pawns are all good.) 30.Qf3 Rxf2] 28...Rd4? This is actually a bit weak, but black is still winning. I wanted to bring my rook back to the centre and also threatening c4. [28...Bd4 29.Qf3 c4 30.b3 (30.Be2 Qxb2 (30...Rd8 31.Ke1 Qxb2) 31.Ke1 Rd8 32.c3 Ra3 33.Kf1 Rxc3 34.Qe4 Rc1 35.Rxc1 Qxc1+ 36.Kg2) 30...Rxa2 31.bxc4 e5 32.Qg4+ Kc7 33.Be4 h5 34.Qg5 Qb4+ 35.Ke2 Qxc4+; 28...Rxa2 also good. 29.Ke1 Rxb2 30.Kf1 Rd8 31.Kg2 Kb8] 29.Rb1? Hopeless. But finding good defences is not easy here. This allows black to win a piece to go with his crushing attack. [29.Kc1 was a decent attempt at defence] 29...c4 This is the last recorded move I have since I was in time trouble and stopped writing down my moves in the final minutes. The game ended when I was in the process of queening a pawn in a position of with pawns on both sides where I had a rook or something of that kind, and I had about two minutes left. This was plenty to safely mate, but I rushed (perhaps I can also blame spectators for watching and putting me off :) )- and when I queened the pawn I realised I had just played a stalemate. This was early in the season and I would say remains the worst moment of my chess season, even compared to some losses. This is probably the worst and most textbook stalemate blunder I have ever played - especially in a rated longplay game - and I was anoyed with myself for weeks, (if not months), afterwards. It certainly taught me a lesson in watching out for stalemates; I thought I already knew this but I suppose you don't really learn not to play with fire until you get burnt. Generally speaking this game had a massive number of variations and starting points all the way through, perhaps due to the fact the forces weren't interlocked much and there were many options for both sides in positional and tactical situations. Sometimes it feels like a game is quite specific when analysing and there are not too many variations comparatively, whereas the analysis of this game seemed like a gulf of different variations and starting points. ½–½