Games from Wales & West of England Jamboree 2019

 [Event "?"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "?"] [White "Caleshu, Caleb"] [Black "NN"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B01"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "15"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {A good idea but a Bad Trap...} 1. Nf3 d5 2. e4 {Offering a pawn} dxe4 3. Ng5 Nf6 {Black defends the pawn.} (3... e5 $15 {Ignoring the pawn gives Black a small plus.}) 4. d3 {[#] Attacking the pawn.} (4. Bc4 $11 e6 5. Nc3) 4... exd3 {Black swaps, making sure to stay a pawn ahead, but helping White develop a Bishop.} (4... h6 {is good timing, getting an easy equal game.} 5. Nxe4 Nxe4 6. dxe4 Qxd1+ 7. Kxd1 e5 $11 {White can't be thrilled to reach this position.}) ( 4... Bg4 $17 {is awkward to meet, and White stands worse. If Black can get the advantage on move 4, then White should avoid this line!}) 5. Bxd3 {[#] Black's turn to develop...} h6 $4 {I expect Black thought this was playing safe, but it falls into White's trap!} (5... Nc6 6. O-O h6 7. Ne4 Nxe4 8. Bxe4 Qxd1 9. Rxd1 Bd7 $17) 6. Nxf7 $1 Kxf7 {Now there is a discovered attack, which White can make with check, but White must pick the right square.} 7. Bg6+ $1 ( 7. Bc4+ Ke8 {Has White ruined everything?} 8. Bf7+ {repairs the mistake!}) 7... Kxg6 8. Qxd8 {With an extra Queen, bought for two pieces. Is this line a good idea? Well, the idea is great, but it's not a good line to play. It's what I call a Bad Trap -- not because it doesn't work, but because both sides have to play bad moves for it to work. I don't mind your opponents playing bad moves, but if you play bad moves and your opponent finds good ones, you will be sorry! Let's look at Black's choices earlier on:} 0-1 [Event "SWWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "?"] [White "Abdalla, Suhayl"] [Black "VP"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B30"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "54"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {The discovered attack claimed several victims in Chepstow. Have another look at the ealier part of the game though: you lost control of the centre,} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 {[#]} 3. Bc4 {This isn't ever so good here, as Black can often organise a poke at the piece or at least block its view.} (3. Bb5) (3. d4) (3. c3) 3... e6 $1 {Blocking the view.} 4. O-O Nf6 5. Nc3 {[#]} Be7 6. d4 cxd4 7. Nxd4 O-O {[#] Black is poised for ...d5} 8. Nxc6 bxc6 9. e5 Ne8 {[#]} (9... Nd5 {covering d6 is better}) 10. Qg4 {That's a bit optimistic. Attacks work best when you have more attackers, more space or more development (or all three!).} (10. Bf4) (10. Qh5) 10... d5 (10... f6 $1) 11. Bd3 {That's consistent but it was best to isolate the c-pawn.} (11. exd6 $1 $14) 11... Qc7 12. Qh3 f5 13. exf6 ({-0.85 Stockfish 8 64:} 13. Qg3) (13. Re1 $11) 13... Nxf6 14. Bg5 e5 $17 {[#] TACTIC: discovery. Black has taken over the centre and White has no real hopes of attack. But Black's move also discovers an attack on the Queen...} 15. Bxf6 $4 ({-7.89 Stockfish 8 64:} 15. Bf5) 15... Bxh3 16. Bxe7 Qxe7 17. Rae1 ({-14.17 Stockfish 8 64:} 17. gxh3) 17... Qg5 18. g3 Bxf1 19. Bxf1 Qf5 20. Bd3 ({-#9 Stockfish 8 64:} 20. Re2) 20... Qxf2+ 21. Kh1 Qxe1+ 22. Kg2 e4 23. Be2 Rf2+ 24. Kh3 Rxe2 25. Nxe2 Qxe2 26. Kh4 h6 27. g4 Qxh2# 0-1 [Event "?"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "1"] [White "Abdalla, Suhayl"] [Black "Bracey, Tom"] [Result "*"] [ECO "C20"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "55"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {A fluctuating struggle! Lots to learn from the tactics and opening play.} 1. e4 e5 2. Qh5 {[#] This isn't really a serious attempt to get the advantage for White. You're really hoping Black hasn't seen it before!} Nf6 {Maybe this is one of the replies White was hoping for, but it's not bad.} 3. Qxe5+ Be7 {[#] This is how Mr Bacon likes to play for Black -- don't worry about the pawn, development and activity are better ideas for young players!} 4. d4 $2 {Looks sensible but a bit too ambitious here.} ({-0.52 Stockfish 8 64:} 4. Qf4) 4... Nc6 $1 {and Black gets back the pawn.} 5. Qb5 Nxd4 6. Qd3 Bc5 7. Nf3 (7. Be3) 7... Nxf3+ 8. Qxf3 O-O {[#]} (8... Qe7 $1 9. Nc3 d5) 9. Bc4 {'?' [#] Puts the Bishop in harm's way. White is behind in development and can't afford to have lines opened.} ({-1.43 Stockfish 8 64:} 9. Bg5) 9... Re8 (9... d5 $1 {Opening lines against the uncastled King.} 10. Bxd5 (10. exd5 Re8+ 11. Be3 Bg4 12. Qg3 Bd6 $19) 10... Bg4 11. Qd3 c6 12. Bc4 Nxe4 $1 13. Qxe4 Qd1#) 10. Nc3 ({-3.53 Stockfish 8 64:} 10. O-O $1) 10... Re7 ({1.32 Stockfish 8 64:} 10... d5 $1) 11. O-O ({0.16 Stockfish 8 64:} 11. Bg5 $1) 11... d6 12. Nd5 {[#]} Rxe4 $4 {[#] TACTIC: undermining} ({6.15 Stockfish 8 64:} 12... Nxd5) 13. Nxf6+ Qxf6 14. Qxe4 Bf5 15. Qxb7 Re8 16. Qxc7 d5 17. Bxd5 Bd6 18. Qxa7 Qe5 ({16.84 Stockfish 8 64:} 18... Bxc2 19. g3 {[%eval 724,22]}) 19. Qxf7+ Kh8 20. Bf4 Qe7 21. Rae1 ( {12.17 Stockfish 8 64:} 21. Bxd6 $1) 21... Qxe1 {[#] TACTIC: interference} 22. Qxe8+ $4 ({-0.90 Stockfish 8 64:} 22. Be3 $1) 22... Qxe8 23. Bxd6 Bxc2 {'+/-'} ({1.61 Stockfish 8 64:} 23... Qd8) 24. f4 {'-+'} ({-2.90 Stockfish 8 64:} 24. Rc1) 24... Qd7 ({0.00 Stockfish 8 64:} 24... Qe3+) 25. Re1 {'!'} Qa7+ ({1.81 Stockfish 8 64:} 25... h6 $11) 26. Kh1 h6 {[#]} ({2.97 Stockfish 8 64:} 26... Qd7) 27. Rc1 {'??'} ({-3.09 Stockfish 8 64:} 27. Re8+ $1 Kh7 28. Be5) 27... Qa6 ({1.30 Stockfish 8 64:} 27... Qd4 $1) 28. Bc5 ({0.39 Stockfish 8 64:} 28. Be5) * [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "?"] [White "NH"] [Black "Abdalla, Suhayl"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C47"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "97"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {Some interesting tactics, but you chose wrong a couple of times.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 {[#]} d6 $2 {Looks solid but you get cramped} (4... exd4 5. Nxd4 Bb4 {is safe and sound for Black}) 5. dxe5 dxe5 {Uncramped!} 6. Qxd8+ Nxd8 $2 {Abandons e5} ({1.41 Stockfish 8 64:} 6... Kxd8) 7. Bg5 $2 ({ Nothing wrong with} 7. Nxe5 $1) 7... Bc5 ({1.10 Stockfish 8 64:} 7... Ne6) 8. Nxe5 Be7 9. O-O-O O-O 10. Bc4 Ne6 {[#]} 11. Nf3 ({I would prefer to keep the Bishop with} 11. Bd2) 11... Nxg5 12. Nxg5 Ng4 {[#] A swap of two pieces for rook and pawn usually works out badly, but here White has chances to get the Rooks into play, so it's about equal.} 13. Bxf7+ ({-1.01 Stockfish 8 64:} 13. Nh3) 13... Rxf7 $2 ({Actually} 13... Kh8 $1 {is even better: White is threatened with Nxf2 and h6}) 14. Nxf7 Kxf7 15. Rhf1 ({-0.25 Stockfish 8 64:} 15. h3) 15... Bg5+ 16. Kb1 Nxh2 17. Rh1 Ng4 18. Rxh7 {[#]} Nxf2 19. Rf1 {[#]} Kg6 $4 ({3.03 Stockfish 8 64:} 19... Kg8 $11) 20. Rh8 $1 {Now Black faces two threats, and can stop only one.} b6 ({3.56 Stockfish 8 64:} 20... Be3) 21. Rxf2 Bf6 ({5.80 Stockfish 8 64:} 21... Bb7) 22. Nd5 Bb7 23. Rxa8 Bxa8 24. Nxf6 gxf6 {[#] White should win without trouble.} 25. Re2 c5 ({4.18 Stockfish 8 64:} 25... Kf7) 26. e5 {[#] Black should get rid of some pawns with} Bd5 (26... fxe5 27. Rxe5 Bxg2) 27. e6 $1 Bc4 ({48.70 Stockfish 8 64:} 27... Bc6) 28. e7 Bxe2 ({ #20 Stockfish 8 64:} 28... Bf7) 29. e8=Q+ Kf5 30. Qxe2 a5 31. Qb5 Kf4 32. Qxb6 Kg3 33. Qxf6 Kxg2 34. Qg5+ (34. Kc1) 34... Kf3 35. Qxc5 a4 36. c4 a3 37. Qxa3+ Ke4 38. c5 Kd5 39. Qc3 Kc6 40. a4 Kc7 41. Qe5+ Kb7 42. c6+ Kxc6 43. a5 Kb7 44. Qb5+ Kc7 45. Qb6+ Kd7 46. a6 Kc8 47. Qb7+ Kd8 48. a7 Ke8 49. a8=Q# 1-0 [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "2"] [White "Bracey, Tom"] [Black "NN"] [Result "*"] [ECO "C55"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "52"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {You were keen to attack but tried a bit too hard a bit too early. If you're not ahead in development, you have to build up your attacks more slowly.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bc4 {[#]} Bc5 {last book move} ({Black should take the chance to play} 4... Nxe4 $1) 5. Ng5 O-O 6. Nd5 $4 {[#] TACTIC: discovery} ({-3.59 Stockfish 8 64:} 6. d3) 6... d6 $4 (6... Nxd5 $1 {and the Queen attacks g5} 7. Bxd5 (7. exd5 Na5 (7... Qxg5 {ignores the piece and goes for the King!} 8. dxc6 Qxg2 9. Rf1 dxc6 10. Qe2 Bh3 11. f3 Qxf1+ 12. Qxf1 Bxf1 13. Kxf1) 8. Nf3 Nxc4) 7... Qxg5) 7. Nxf6+ Qxf6 8. Qh5 {[#] Defends g5, but f2 is in trouble.} ({-2.64 Stockfish 8 64:} 8. O-O) 8... h6 (8... Qxf2+ $1 {and Black should win.} 9. Kd1 h6 10. Rf1 Qxg2) 9. Nh3 Be6 ({-1.04 Stockfish 8 64:} 9... Nd4) 10. d3 ({-1.97 Stockfish 8 64:} 10. Bxe6) 10... Bxc4 11. dxc4 Nd4 { [#]} 12. Rb1 ({-2.79 Stockfish 8 64:} 12. Kd1 {is better although White stands worse}) 12... Nxc2+ 13. Kf1 Nd4 14. f3 ({-4.60 Stockfish 8 64:} 14. b3) 14... Qe6 15. Be3 $2 {Looks right but Black gets behind your defences through c4.} ({ -14.68 Stockfish 8 64:} 15. b3) 15... Qxc4+ 16. Kg1 (16. Kf2) 16... Ne2+ 17. Kf2 {[#]} Bxe3+ (17... Qc2 $1 {is killing}) 18. Kxe3 d5 {Opening lines shows good judgement. Two pieces probably won't mate, so Black tries to get the Rooks involved.} 19. Qxe5 ({-11.75 Stockfish 8 64:} 19. Rhe1) 19... Rfe8 20. Qf5 Rad8 21. Nf2 ({-16.81 Stockfish 8 64:} 21. Rhd1 g6 {[%eval -903,22]}) 21... dxe4 22. fxe4 g6 23. Qg4 Nd4 24. Rbc1 Qxa2 (24... Nf5+ $1 {is better, but White is in huge trouble either way}) 25. Rxc7 ({-18.44 Stockfish 8 64:} 25. Nd3) 25... Qxb2 {[#] White has not yet lost a piece, but the King is a helpless target.} 26. Qf4 ({-#1 Stockfish 8 64:} 26. Rhc1 Nf5+ 27. Kf3 Rd2) 26... Qe2# * [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "?"] [White "Kan, Toby"] [Black "Raine, Kieran"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B32"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "85"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {You didn't really get going in this game and White had a simple attack down the King's-side} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 a6 6. Nd6+ Bxd6 7. Qxd6 Qe7 (7... Qf6 8. Qd1 Qg6 9. Nc3 Nge7) 8. Qd1 Nf6 9. Nc3 {[#]} Qb4 {The Black Queen proves as much a target for White as a nuisance. Black should just develop. Black has three pieces developed by move 9, but doesn't move out another until move 34!} (9... d6) (9... h6) 10. a3 Qd4 (10... Qa5) 11. Qf3 (11. Be3) 11... Qc5 12. Bd3 O-O 13. O-O {[#]} Nd4 {Again, development was more important.} ({1.32 Stockfish 8 64:} 13... d5 $14) 14. Qg3 Nh5 {I like the attitude, but just once more, you have to get developed!} ({2.36 Stockfish 8 64:} 14... Ne6) 15. Qg5 ({1.66 Stockfish 8 64:} 15. Qh4) 15... Nf6 16. Be3 {[#] Connecting the Rooks. White had only one piece out on move 9, but has overtaken Black and can launch an attack when Black will be outnumbered.} Qd6 ( {2.07 Stockfish 8 64:} 16... d6) 17. f4 $1 {Opening lines.} Nc6 18. Be2 (18. Rad1 {Bringing the last piece into position was best}) 18... h6 19. Qg3 Qe6 ({ 9.83 Stockfish 8 64:} 19... Re8 $1) 20. f5 Qe7 ({17.77 Stockfish 8 64:} 20... Qd6) 21. Bxh6 $1 Qc5+ ({29.70 Stockfish 8 64:} 21... Nh5) 22. Kh1 Ne8 {[#]} 23. Be3 ({7.16 Stockfish 8 64:} 23. Bxg7 $1 Nxg7 24. f6 {mates}) 23... Nd4 24. Qf2 ({4.22 Stockfish 8 64:} 24. Nd5) 24... Qd6 25. Rad1 b5 ({6.21 Stockfish 8 64:} 25... b6) 26. Bxd4 exd4 27. Qxd4 (27. Rxd4) 27... Qh6 ({5.67 Stockfish 8 64:} 27... Qxd4) 28. Rf3 Nf6 ({10.95 Stockfish 8 64:} 28... Bb7) 29. Rh3 Qf4 30. Rf1 Qg5 31. Rg3 Qh4 ({15.39 Stockfish 8 64:} 31... Qh6) 32. Rh3 Qg5 {[#]} 33. Qe3 { Two pawns up, White swaps Queens, but the attack would have been quicker.} ({ 1.83 Stockfish 8 64:} 33. e5 $1 {is crushing; if the Knight moves,} Ne8 34. Ne4 Qd8 35. Nf6+ $3 {mates} Nxf6 (35... gxf6 36. Qh4) 36. exf6 Qxf6 37. Qxf6 gxf6 38. Rg3+ Kh8 39. Rf4) 33... Qxe3 34. Rxe3 Re8 35. Bf3 Bb7 36. Rd1 {[#] Well, you're not getting mated, but the endgame is pretty grim.} Rad8 ({2.41 Stockfish 8 64:} 36... Re5) 37. Ree1 Re5 38. Kg1 d5 ({2.85 Stockfish 8 64:} 38... Rde8) 39. exd5 Rxe1+ 40. Rxe1 Nxd5 ({6.30 Stockfish 8 64:} 40... Nd7 41. Kf2 {[%eval 334,23]}) 41. Nxd5 Bxd5 42. Rd1 Bxf3 ({20.10 Stockfish 8 64:} 42... Rc8) 43. Rxd8+ 1-0 [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "2"] [White "Smith, Ellison"] [Black "Raine, Kieran"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B22"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "49"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {I'm sorry to say this was a similar story!} 1. e4 c5 2. c3 {[#] I often recommend this for White: it's easy to play.} Nc6 {This doesn't fight for the centre.} (2... Nf6 {or}) (2... d5 {were better plans}) 3. d4 cxd4 4. cxd4 { last book move} Nf6 {With c3 cleared, this is not effective.} ({1.31 Stockfish 8 64:} 4... e6) ({It's not too late for} 4... d5 5. exd5 Qxd5 6. Nf3 Bg4 (6... e5 $5) 7. Be2 e6 8. Nc3 Qa5) 5. Nc3 (5. d5 $1 {first is even better}) 5... e5 { You're right to try and hit back, but this isn't the right move or the right time.} ({0.89 Stockfish 8 64:} 5... d5 $1) 6. d5 (6. dxe5 $1 $16) 6... Nd4 7. Nf3 Nxf3+ 8. Qxf3 {[#] Black isn't too badly off at all, now.} Bb4 (8... Bc5) 9. Bg5 Bxc3+ (9... h6) 10. bxc3 Qa5 {[#] You're keen to be a nuisance again, but without castling and completing development, you risk being outgunned.} 11. Bxf6 gxf6 12. Be2 Qb6 (12... d6) 13. O-O {Connecting Rooks: Black is at least three moves from doing the same. The Sicilian often tempts Black to risk falling behind in development, and White often benefits!} Rg8 14. Qh5 Rg7 15. Qh6 Kf8 16. Rad1 d6 ({3.09 Stockfish 8 64:} 16... Kg8) 17. Rd3 Kg8 {[#] The Queen's-side pieces can do nothing to stop Black losing material.} 18. Qxf6 Bd7 19. Bh5 ({1.37 Stockfish 8 64:} 19. Rg3) 19... Rf8 ({3.32 Stockfish 8 64:} 19... Qd8) 20. Rg3 Rxg3 21. hxg3 Qc5 ({4.30 Stockfish 8 64:} 21... Ba4) 22. Qg5+ Kh8 23. Qe7 Qc8 {[#]} 24. Bxf7 ({2.22 Stockfish 8 64:} 24. Qxd6 $1 {is even better}) 24... b5 $4 {Overlooking something important.} ({#1 Stockfish 8 64:} 24... Qd8 {avoids being mated, but the endgame looks pretty hopeless.}) 25. Qf6# 0-1 [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "3"] [White "Raine, Kieran"] [Black "Smith, Madeleine"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D40"] [PlyCount "87"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {I thought this was a great game and you deserved a better result.} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 {[#]} 3. e3 {That's a bit slow, blocking your Bc1} (3. Nc3 $1 {puts more pressure on Black.}) 3... Nf6 4. Nc3 c5 5. Nf3 Nc6 {[#] This quiet position is well-known, but most players prefer a different 6th move to you!} 6. Bd2 (6. a3 ) (6. cxd5) (6. Be2) (6. Bd3) 6... Be7 7. b3 {Not sure what your idea was: getting on with development was better.} ({-0.76 Stockfish 8 64:} 7. dxc5) 7... O-O 8. dxc5 Bxc5 9. cxd5 exd5 {[#] Against an IQP, you generally leave the d-file open, but here you can;t hold it back} 10. Bd3 (10. Na4) (10. Be2) (10. Bb5) 10... Bg4 (10... d4 $1) 11. O-O Ne5 12. Be2 Bxf3 13. Bxf3 d4 14. exd4 Bxd4 15. Bxb7 Rb8 16. Ba6 ({-2.08 Stockfish 8 64:} 16. Bf3 $11) 16... Qd6 ({0.00 Stockfish 8 64:} 16... Neg4 $17) 17. Be2 a6 ({1.07 Stockfish 8 64:} 17... Rfd8 $11) 18. Rc1 ({0.15 Stockfish 8 64:} 18. Be3 $16) 18... Rfd8 19. Bg5 Qe6 20. Qc2 ({-0.34 Stockfish 8 64:} 20. Qe1 $11) 20... Rbc8 21. Bxf6 Rxc3 $6 ({2.18 Stockfish 8 64:} 21... gxf6 $15) 22. Bxd8 $1 $18 {I'd generally back a pair of Rooks over the Queen. The key is coordination.} Rxc2 23. Rxc2 h6 ({2.32 Stockfish 8 64:} 23... Qf5) 24. Bc4 $2 {It's far from obvious, but Black can join the dots and make a little tactic work because of the loose pieces on d8 and c2.} (24. Bh4 $18) 24... Qg6 $2 (24... Qd6 $1 25. Bh4 Qg6 $1 {hitting c2 and pinning g2} 26. Re2 Nf3+ 27. Kh1 Nxh4) 25. Re2 Qd6 26. Bh4 Ng4 $2 ({3.39 Stockfish 8 64:} 26... Nxc4 $14 {with rough equality}) 27. Bg3 Be5 ({4.29 Stockfish 8 64:} 27... Qd7 28. Rd2 Qa7 29. Rfd1 Be5 30. Rd8+ Kh7 31. R1d7 {and Black should give up the Queen to avoid a mating attack.} Qb6 $2 32. Bd3+ g6 33. Rxf7+ Bg7 34. Rdd7) 28. Bxe5 ({1.76 Stockfish 8 64:} 28. Rxe5 $1 {picks up two pieces for the Rook, increasing your advantage} Nxe5 29. Re1 $18) 28... Nxe5 29. h3 Ng6 ({4.62 Stockfish 8 64:} 29... Nxc4 $16) 30. Re8+ Kh7 31. Bxf7 Nf4 32. Rc1 (32. Rfe1 $1 {keeping the Rooks coordinated}) 32... Qd7 33. Bg8+ Kg6 34. Rce1 h5 35. Kh2 ({2.27 Stockfish 8 64:} 35. h4) 35... h4 ({3.70 Stockfish 8 64:} 35... Qd2) 36. R1e4 Qc7 37. g3 $2 {No need for that} (37. Bc4 Qd6 38. Kg1 Kf5) 37... hxg3+ 38. Kxg3 Nh5+ 39. Kh4 $4 (39. Kg2 $1 $18 {and you're still winning} Nf4+ 40. Kh2 Nh5+ 41. R4e5) 39... Nf6 $1 {This fork doesn't win material but it should spell the end for White's hopes} 40. R8e6 ({ -5.33 Stockfish 8 64:} 40. R8e5) 40... Qc5 ({0.10 Stockfish 8 64:} 40... Qh2 $1 {and White can't hold on}) 41. Rg4+ Kh6 42. Bf7 $4 {allows mate in two!} ({-#2 Stockfish 8 64:} 42. Kg3 $11 {and my computer says Black should go for a perpetual}) 42... Qxf2+ 43. Rg3 Kh7 {Black missed it!} ({0.00 Stockfish 8 64:} 43... g5# {[%eval -32765,127]}) 44. Bg6+ (44. Bg6+ Kh6 45. a3 Qf4+ 46. Rg4 Nxg4 ) 0-1 [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "?"] [White "Ng, Nathan"] [Black "NN"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B18"] [PlyCount "134"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {The game gradually slipped out of your control -- not because of any huge mistakes, just a few smaller ones.} 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 { [#]} 5. Nc3 (5. Ng3 {doesn't lose time because of the attack on the Bishop} Bg6 6. h4 (6. Nh3) 6... h6 7. h5 Bh7 8. Bd3 Bxd3 9. Qxd3) 5... e6 6. Nf3 a6 7. Bd3 Bxd3 8. Qxd3 Bb4 9. O-O c5 {[#]} ({1.03 Stockfish 8 64:} 9... Nf6 10. Ne4 Nbd7 11. Nxf6+ Nxf6 12. Qb3 Qe7 13. Bg5 Bd6 14. Rad1 Rb8 15. Ne5 h6 16. Bxf6 Qxf6 17. Rfe1 Qf4 18. Qd3 O-O 19. Qh3 Qf5 20. Qxf5 exf5 {[%eval 35,19]}) 10. a3 {if Black wants to take on c3, fine, but don't waste time asking!} (10. d5) (10. Bg5) 10... Bxc3 11. Qxc3 $11 (11. bxc3 $16 {the doubled pawns support your centre [#]}) 11... cxd4 12. Qxd4 Qxd4 13. Nxd4 Nf6 {[#] There's not a lot in it! White has a Queen's-side majority which can yield a passed pawn, so that's the plan to get on with.} 14. Rd1 (14. c4) 14... O-O 15. Rd3 h6 {[#]} 16. Rg3 {This one-move threat is easy to deal with and tempts you to play on the wrong side. Without a Queen you are unlikely to mate.} Kh7 17. f4 (17. Rb3 ) 17... Rd8 18. c3 Nc6 19. Be3 Rd7 20. f5 (20. Nxc6 bxc6 21. Bd4) 20... Nxd4 { [#]} 21. cxd4 (21. Bxd4 $1 exf5 22. Bxf6 gxf6 23. Rf1 {and while it's still equal, this is better than the game continuation.}) 21... exf5 {This is much better for Black.} 22. Rd1 Rc8 23. Bf4 ({-2.79 Stockfish 8 64:} 23. Rf3) 23... Rc2 24. b4 Ra2 25. Rgd3 Nd5 {[#]} 26. h3 $4 {missing something!} ({-7.35 Stockfish 8 64:} 26. Rf3 g5 27. Bc1 Rc2 28. Bd2 Kg6 29. b5 axb5 30. Rb3 Nf6 31. Ba5 Rd5 32. Rdb1 Ne4 33. h3 b4 34. Bxb4 Rxd4 35. Re1 Ra2 36. Rbe3 h5 37. g4 hxg4 38. hxg4 Nd6 39. Bxd6 Rxd6 40. gxf5+ Kxf5 {[%eval -235,22]}) 26... Nxf4 27. Rf3 Nd5 28. Kh2 Re2 29. Ra1 Rd2 30. Rb3 Rxd4 31. b5 axb5 32. Rxb5 Rc4 ({-5. 35 Stockfish 8 64:} 32... Rd2) 33. a4 ({-7.00 Stockfish 8 64:} 33. Rd1) 33... Rc6 34. a5 Ra6 35. Kg3 Kg6 36. Kf3 b6 37. axb6 ({-9.70 Stockfish 8 64:} 37. Kf2 ) 37... Rxb6 (37... Rxa1 38. b7 Ra3+ 39. Kf2 Ra2+ 40. Kg3 f4+ 41. Kf3 Nf6 { with a mating net that allows Black to get the Knight to d7 if need be} 42. b8=Q Rd3+ 43. Kxf4 Rf2+ 44. Ke5 Rf5#) 38. Rxb6+ Nxb6 39. Ra6 Rd6 {[#] White walks into a discovered attack, but Black ignores the chance.} 40. Kf4 $4 ({ -59.00 Stockfish 8 64:} 40. Ra5) 40... Re6 $4 ({-6.64 Stockfish 8 64:} 40... Nd5+ 41. Ke5 Rxa6) 41. h4 ({-#15 Stockfish 8 64:} 41. Ra2) 41... Kh5 (41... Nd5+ 42. Kf3 Rxa6) 42. Kg3 Nd5 43. Rxe6 $2 (43. Ra4 {It might not make a difference, but swapping Rooks gives up any chance of getting back into it.}) 43... fxe6 44. Kf3 f4 45. Ke4 Kg6 46. Kf3 ({-#16 Stockfish 8 64:} 46. Ke5) 46... Kf5 47. g3 fxg3 48. Kxg3 e5 49. Kf3 e4+ 50. Kg3 e3 51. Kg2 Kg4 52. Kf1 Kxh4 53. Ke2 Kg3 54. Kf1 Kf3 55. Ke1 e2 56. Kd2 Kf2 57. Kd3 e1=Q 58. Kd4 Qd1+ 59. Ke5 Ne7 60. Ke6 Kf3 61. Kxe7 h5 62. Kf7 h4 63. Kxg7 h3 64. Kg6 h2 65. Kg5 h1=Q 66. Kg6 Qg2+ 67. Kh5 Qdh1# 0-1 [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "2"] [White "NN"] [Black "Ng, Nathan"] [Result "*"] [ECO "C50"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "44"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {You made steady progress on the King's side.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 {Oh dear, not very exciting.} Bc5 (4... d5 {is the move I would like to recommend, but it's probably a little better for White because of the pressure on the Black centre.} 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. O-O Bc5 7. Re1 f6 8. d4 $1 $14) 5. Bg5 d6 6. Nc3 (6. c3 {keeps the idea of playing d3-d4 on the table}) 6... h6 7. Bxf6 Qxf6 8. Nd5 Qd8 {last book move} 9. O-O Bg4 10. h3 Bh5 11. Re1 Nd4 12. Qd2 $2 ( {-2.95 Stockfish 8 64:} 12. g4) 12... Nxf3+ (12... Bxf3 {looks good but White has an intermezzo} 13. c3 $1 Ne6 14. gxf3 Qh4) 13. gxf3 {[#] This is terrific for Black.} Qh4 ({-0.23 Stockfish 8 64:} 13... a5) 14. Nxc7+ {Greedy! White doesn't have time for this...} ({-4.17 Stockfish 8 64:} 14. Kg2) 14... Kd7 15. Nxa8 ({Not too late for} 15. Kg2) 15... Qxh3 ({-0.50 Stockfish 8 64:} 15... Qg3+ {forces mate}) 16. Bb5+ $2 {Doesn't help! Or rather, doesn't help white.. .} ({-1.72 Stockfish 8 64:} 16. Re3 $1 {staves off the worst}) 16... Ke7 17. Re3 $1 {Still best, but now Black is attacking the Knight on a8} Bxe3 18. Qxe3 $4 (18. fxe3 $1 {covers some key squares around the King}) 18... Rxa8 19. f4 Qg4+ (19... Bf3 $19) 20. Kf1 ({-8.57 Stockfish 8 64:} 20. Qg3 $1) 20... exf4 21. Qd2 $2 ({-#3 Stockfish 8 64:} 21. Qd4) 21... Qh3+ 22. Ke1 (22. Kg1 Bf3 { still mates}) 22... Qh1# * [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "3"] [White "Ng, Nathan"] [Black "Wygett, Sophie"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C50"] [PlyCount "48"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {I don't know if White was lucky or unlucky! A draw may be a fair result, therefore...} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Bc5 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. d3 {[#] I would like you to have something punchier as White! There's not much chance of Black going wrong here.} O-O 6. Bg5 {last book move} d6 $2 {But there's a mistake!} (6... h6) 7. Nd5 Nb4 ({1.85 Stockfish 8 64:} 7... Be6 $14) 8. Nxf6+ gxf6 9. Bh6 Be6 10. Bxe6 fxe6 11. Bxf8 Qxf8 12. c3 Nc6 {[#] White is well ahead on material, but needs to get the Rooks into play.} 13. Nh4 {This is the right idea only if you follow it up by opening a file.} f5 14. b4 Nxb4 $2 ({3. 72 Stockfish 8 64:} 14... Bb6) 15. cxb4 Bb6 (15... Bxb4+ {Black might as well.} ) 16. Qh5 {[#]} fxe4 {Discovering an attack on f2.} 17. dxe4 ({-5.16 Stockfish 8 64:} 17. O-O $18) 17... Qxf2+ 18. Kd1 Qd4+ 19. Kc2 Qxe4+ 20. Kb3 Qd5+ {Black draws by perpetual check; White's Rooks, still on their start squares, watch uselessly.} ({0.00 Stockfish 8 64:} 20... Qd3+ {wins in short order} 21. Kb2 ( 21. Ka4 Qc2+ 22. Ka3 a5) 21... Bd4+ 22. Kc1 Qc3+ 23. Kd1 Qxa1+ 24. Kd2) 21. Ka4 Qc6+ 22. Kb3 Qd5+ 23. Ka4 Qc6+ 24. Kb3 Qd5+ 1/2-1/2 [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "?"] [White "Lewis, Tom"] [Black "NN"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C47"] [PlyCount "92"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {An early blunder was a shame. Keep pieces on when you're losing, you don't stand a chance with just a King!} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4 {[#]} 6. f3 {You've spotted the problem but this isn't the best solution.} (6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. Bd3) 6... d6 (6... O-O) 7. Bd2 $4 {Oh dear! I remember Ed Kelly making an exactly parallel mistake a few years ago...} ({-3. 64 Stockfish 8 64:} 7. a3 Bxc3+ 8. bxc3 O-O 9. Nxc6 bxc6 10. Bd3 Bd7 11. O-O c5 12. Be3 Re8 13. Rb1 Bc6 14. Qd2 h6 15. Bf2 Rb8 16. Rfe1 Rxb1 17. Rxb1 Qe7 { [%eval -7,21]}) 7... Nxd4 {Well, there's not much to do here but keep going and hope!} 8. Bc4 Be6 9. Nd5 Bxd2+ 10. Qxd2 Bxd5 11. Qxd4 Bxc4 12. Qxc4 d5 13. exd5 Qe7+ {[#]} 14. Qe2 {Ah, no. You need to Queen to make mischief.} (14. Kf2 O-O-O 15. Rhe1 Qd6 16. Rad1 {and you can try to get something organised.}) 14... Qxe2+ 15. Kxe2 Nxd5 16. Rad1 Nf6 17. Rhe1 O-O 18. Kf2 Rad8 19. Rd3 Rxd3 20. cxd3 Re8 21. Rc1 c6 22. Rc3 Nd5 23. Ra3 a6 24. Rb3 Re7 25. Ra3 Kf8 26. Ra4 c5 27. Ra5 ({-6.39 Stockfish 8 64:} 27. Rc4) 27... Nb4 28. Ra3 Re6 29. Rc3 Ke7 30. a3 Nc6 31. Rxc5 Rd6 32. Ke3 Kf6 33. Rc1 Re6+ 34. Kf2 Re7 {[#]} 35. Rd1 {It makes sense to get behind your passed pawn, but your Rook loses activity.} ({ -4.56 Stockfish 8 64:} 35. Rc4) 35... Nd4 36. Rd2 Rc7 37. Ke3 Rc2 38. Rxc2 (38. Rd1 {looks like a way to keep the Rooks on but it leads to disaster} Nf5+ 39. Ke4 Re2+ 40. Kd5 Ne3+) 38... Nxc2+ 39. Kd2 Nd4 40. Ke3 Nc6 41. d4 ({-5.12 Stockfish 8 64:} 41. Ke4) 41... Ke6 42. Ke4 f5+ 43. Ke3 Kd5 44. Kf4 Nxd4 45. g4 ({-9.29 Stockfish 8 64:} 45. h3 b5 {[%eval -676,23]}) 45... fxg4 46. fxg4 Kc4 { (I think a move was missed out on the score sheet but I couldn't guess what it was!)} 0-1 [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "2"] [White "NN"] [Black "Lewis, Tom"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C00"] [PlyCount "77"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {An up and down game where both sides missed chances. In the Bishop endgame, White was allowed to make a decisive invasion.} 1. e4 e6 2. d3 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. Ngf3 c5 (4... Bc5) (4... b5) 5. g3 Nc6 6. Bg2 Be7 7. O-O Qc7 (7... O-O 8. Re1 b5 {is the big main line, where each side tries for a touchdown on opposite sides of the board. Black has a bigger target but White is going for the King! } 9. e5 Nd7 10. Nf1 a5 11. h4 b4 12. N1h2 Ba6 13. Bf4 a4 14. a3 bxa3 15. bxa3 Rb8 16. h5 Rb2 17. h6 g6 18. Ng4 Nd4 19. Bc1 Rb8 20. Be3 Nf5 21. Bf4 Rb2 22. Qc1 Qb6 23. c4 dxc4 24. dxc4 Nd4 25. Bg5 Rc2 26. Qe3 Bxg5 27. Qxg5 Qd8 28. Qe3 Rxc4 29. Red1 {[#] White's has let the Queen's-side fall apart without getting very far on the other wing. Black now has a smart idea...} Rc3 30. Qxc3 Ne2+ 31. Kh2 Nxc3 {But now it's White's turn!} 32. Rxd7 $1 Qb8 33. Nf6+ Kh8 34. Ng5 Nd5 35. Bxd5 {1-0 (35) Black can't prevent checkmate for long. Aguero Jimenez, L (2473)-Perez Mitjans,O (2399) Barbera del Valles 2018}) 8. c3 (8. Re1 O-O 9. e5 Nd7 10. Qe2) 8... O-O {last book move} 9. Qc2 b6 10. a3 Bb7 11. c4 ({-0.89 Stockfish 8 64:} 11. Re1 $11) 11... Rfd8 ({-0.27 Stockfish 8 64:} 11... d4) 12. b3 ({-1.12 Stockfish 8 64:} 12. cxd5 exd5 13. Re1 $15) 12... Rac8 (12... dxe4 13. dxe4 Nd4 $17 14. Qd3 e5 15. Re1) 13. Bb2 d4 14. Rae1 Ne5 ({0.08 Stockfish 8 64:} 14... Nd7) 15. Nxe5 Qxe5 16. f4 Qh5 17. Nf3 Ng4 18. Bc1 f5 ({2.16 Stockfish 8 64:} 18... f6 $14) 19. exf5 Qxf5 $2 (19... Bxf3 20. Bxf3 Qxf5 21. h3 Ne3 22. Bxe3 dxe3 23. Bg4 Qf6 24. Rxe3 {is also very good for White}) 20. Ne5 $2 $16 ({1.12 Stockfish 8 64:} 20. Nh4 $1 Bxh4 21. Bxb7 $18) 20... Bxg2 21. Kxg2 Re8 22. Nxg4 Qxg4 23. Qe2 ({0.30 Stockfish 8 64:} 23. Re4 $16) 23... Qxe2+ 24. Rxe2 Rc6 (24... Kf7 25. f5 exf5 26. Rxf5+ Bf6 27. Ref2 Re1 28. Bg5 Rc6 $11) 25. f5 $14 Rf8 ({1.06 Stockfish 8 64:} 25... exf5) 26. Rxe6 ({0.28 Stockfish 8 64:} 26. h4 $16) 26... Rxe6 27. fxe6 Rxf1 28. Kxf1 Bf6 (28... g5) ({2.31 Stockfish 8 64:} 28... Bd6) 29. Ke2 (29. Bf4 $1) 29... Kf8 30. Kf3 (30. Bf4) ({ 0.62 Stockfish 8 64:} 30. Bf4 Ke7 31. Bb8 Kxe6 32. Bxa7 Bd8 33. b4 cxb4 34. axb4 Bc7 35. Kf3 Ke5 36. c5 b5 37. Bb6 Bb8 38. Bd8 Kd5 39. Bg5 Be5 40. h4 Bc7 41. h5 Be5 42. g4 Bc7 43. Bh4 Be5 44. Bg3 Bf6 45. Bc7 Be7 {[%eval 167,24]}) 30... Ke7 31. Ke4 Kxe6 32. a4 $11 {This is equal, but White has one big threat which must be stopped.} g6 $2 (32... Be5) 33. Bf4 $1 {Step 1...} Bg7 $2 ({1.16 Stockfish 8 64:} 33... Bd8 $11) 34. Bb8 $16 {Step 2, and White is on top.} a5 $2 {One last mistake} (34... Kd7 35. Bxa7 Kc6) ({5.79 Stockfish 8 64:} 34... a6 35. Bc7 h5 36. Bxb6 Bf8 {and Black has some hopes of holding the game}) 35. Bc7 Kd7 36. Bxb6 Kc6 37. Bxa5 Bf8 38. Ke5 Kd7 39. Bb6 ({6.02 Stockfish 8 64:} 39. Kd5 $1 {is better}) 1-0 [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "3"] [White "NN"] [Black "Lewis, Tom"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C10"] [PlyCount "56"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {White missed their big chance and you didn't miss many of yours!} 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nc3 {Unusual, as the Knight doesn't have anywhere to go next.} (4. Bd3) (4. Nf3) 4... Nf6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Bb5 {last book move} Qd6 {This is a bit early to get the Queen out. We see a good example of why you are advised to hold back the Queen in this game!} ({0.91 Stockfish 8 64:} 6... Bd6) 7. O-O Bd7 ({1.87 Stockfish 8 64:} 7... a6) 8. Re1+ Be7 9. g3 ({0.90 Stockfish 8 64:} 9. Ne5) 9... O-O-O ({3.83 Stockfish 8 64:} 9... Bg4) 10. Bf4 Qb4 {[#] The Black Queen is being bothered by the White pieces, and it should give White a win!} 11. Ne5 ({0.32 Stockfish 8 64:} 11. Bxc6 $1 Bxc6 12. a3 $1 Qxb2 13. Rxe7 $1 Qxc3 $2 14. Rxc7+ Kb8 15. Rxc6+) 11... Nxe5 12. dxe5 Ne4 ({0.67 Stockfish 8 64:} 12... Bxb5 $11) 13. Nxd5 Qxb5 (13... Nxf2) ({3.68 Stockfish 8 64:} 13... Nxf2 14. Nxb4 Nxd1 15. Bxd7+ Rxd7 16. Nd3 Rxd3 17. cxd3 Bc5+ 18. Kg2 Nxb2 19. Be3 Nxd3 20. Red1 Bxe3 21. Rxd3 Bc5 22. Rad1 Re8 23. Rd7 Be7 24. Kf3 c6 25. a4 g6 26. R1d3 h5 27. Ke4 h4 28. Rd1 hxg3 29. hxg3 {[%eval 71,23]}) 14. Nxe7+ Kb8 15. Rxe4 Rhe8 16. Bg5 h6 17. Nc6+ ({-1.71 Stockfish 8 64:} 17. c4 $1 $18) 17... Bxc6 18. Bxd8 Bxe4 19. a4 $2 ({-3.26 Stockfish 8 64:} 19. Be7) 19... Qxb2 ({-2.31 Stockfish 8 64:} 19... Qxe5 {is a better capture, dominating the centre.}) 20. Ra2 $4 ({-10.33 Stockfish 8 64:} 20. Rb1) 20... Qxa2 21. f3 ({ -15.04 Stockfish 8 64:} 21. f4) 21... Qxc2 22. Qxc2 Bxc2 23. Bh4 g5 24. Bxg5 ({ -58.83 Stockfish 8 64:} 24. f4) 24... hxg5 25. f4 gxf4 26. gxf4 Rg8+ 27. Kf2 Bxa4 28. f5 Rg5 0-1 [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "?"] [White "Holland, Bradley"] [Black "Choudhury, Anish"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D35"] [PlyCount "46"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {That was a shame: after a decent opening and some positive early middlegame play, you walked into a deadly pin and a deadlier back rank mate.} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bf4 (4. Nf3 Bb4 5. Bg5) 4... Bb4 {last book move} 5. Qa4+ ( 5. e3) 5... Nc6 6. Rc1 dxc4 7. e3 a6 ({0.22 Stockfish 8 64:} 7... Nd5 $15) 8. Bxc4 Bd7 9. Qc2 Nh5 10. Nge2 (10. Bg3) 10... Nxf4 11. Nxf4 O-O 12. O-O e5 13. dxe5 Nxe5 14. Ncd5 (14. Be2) 14... Nxc4 ({0.93 Stockfish 8 64:} 14... Bd6 $11) 15. Qxc4 ({-0.28 Stockfish 8 64:} 15. Nxb4 $16) 15... Bd6 16. Nxc7 $4 ({-3.50 Stockfish 8 64:} 16. Rfd1) 16... Rc8 $1 $19 17. Nfd5 ({-4.41 Stockfish 8 64:} 17. Qd4 Bxc7 {[%eval -347,22]}) 17... Bb5 18. Qc3 Bxf1 19. Kxf1 f5 ({-3.61 Stockfish 8 64:} 19... Bxc7) 20. h3 ({-5.18 Stockfish 8 64:} 20. Qb3) 20... Bxc7 21. Nxc7 Rf7 22. Qe5 ({-9.11 Stockfish 8 64:} 22. Qb3) 22... Rfxc7 23. Rxc7 ({-#1 Stockfish 8 64:} 23. Re1) 23... Qd1# 0-1 [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "2"] [White "Eze, Maria"] [Black "Holland, Bradley"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B30"] [PlyCount "34"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {An attractive attack! White's vague opening play left you free to develop quickly and dominate the centre. Under these conditions, opening up the King to attack was quickly fatal.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. Bxc6 bxc6 { last book move} 5. Nc3 {This move is natural but not accurate; it contributes to no plan that I can see.} (5. d3) (5. e5) 5... d5 6. exd5 {Undoubles the pawns and allows Black to dominate the centre.} (6. e5) (6. d3) 6... cxd5 7. d3 Bf5 8. O-O d4 9. Na4 {With the c-pawns still doubled, it's not a bad square at all, but in this position, the Knight gets lost out here.} Qa5 (9... e6) 10. b3 e6 11. Bd2 Qc7 12. Re1 Bd6 13. c4 $2 (13. h3) ({-0.87 Stockfish 8 64:} 13. c3) 13... Ng4 (13... O-O $17) (13... Bxd3 14. Bh6 $15) 14. h3 $4 (14. g3 h5 15. Nh4 Bh7 16. Qe2 {and White is far from dead.}) 14... Bh2+ 15. Nxh2 $4 (15. Kf1 Bxd3+ 16. Re2 {and White is losing, but the game choice is worse.}) 15... Qxh2+ 16. Kf1 Bxd3+ 17. Re2 Qh1# 0-1 [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "3"] [White "Ashworth, Jaime"] [Black "Holland, Bradley"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B32"] [PlyCount "88"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {White missed a discovered check which netted you the exchange and the game.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nxc6 bxc6 {last book move} 6. c3 { Not very constructive.} d5 7. Bd3 $15 dxe4 $11 {That helps White more than Black, by exposing the weak c-pawn to attack.} ({0.17 Stockfish 8 64:} 7... Nf6 ) 8. Bxe4 Qxd1+ 9. Kxd1 Bd7 10. Nd2 Nf6 11. Bd3 Bc5 12. Re1 O-O 13. Nc4 $17 ({ -1.02 Stockfish 8 64:} 13. f3 $11) 13... Rfe8 $2 $14 ({0.32 Stockfish 8 64:} 13... e4 $1 {keeps White off-balance.} 14. Be2 (14. Bxe4 Bxf2 15. Re2 Nxe4 16. Rxe4 Rfe8 $17) 14... Bxf2 15. Rf1 Bb6 $17) 14. Be3 Bxe3 15. Nxe3 e4 16. Be2 ( 16. Bc4) 16... Rad8 17. Kc2 Nd5 18. Nxd5 {This improves the Black pawn structure.} (18. Rad1 $14 {is a whisker better for White}) 18... cxd5 19. Red1 Bf5 {Sets up a discovered check.} 20. Rd2 $4 {Makes the tactic a deadly one.} ( {-3.82 Stockfish 8 64:} 20. g4 $11) 20... e3+ 21. Bd3 (21. Rd3 exf2 22. Kd2) 21... exd2 22. Bxf5 Re2 23. Rd1 Rxf2 24. Bh3 g6 (24... Re8) 25. Kd3 Re8 26. b3 ({-4.79 Stockfish 8 64:} 26. Rxd2) 26... Re1 27. Rxd2 Rxd2+ 28. Kxd2 Ra1 29. a4 Rb1 30. Kc2 Re1 31. c4 ({-3.97 Stockfish 8 64:} 31. Bg4 Re5 32. Bf3 Kf8 33. Kd2 Ke7 34. b4 f5 35. a5 g5 36. h3 Kd6 37. Kd3 Re1 38. Kd2 Rh1 39. Kc2 Ke5 40. Kd2 Ra1 41. Kc2 Rg1 42. Kd3 Rb1 43. Kc2 Ra1 44. Kb3 Rg1 {[%eval -261,25]}) 31... dxc4 32. bxc4 Kf8 33. Kc3 Ke7 34. Kb4 {[#] I worried a little that White could make mischief with the c-pawn, but Black has it all under control} Rb1+ 35. Kc5 $19 a5 36. Kc6 ({-5.36 Stockfish 8 64:} 36. Bg4) 36... Rb4 37. c5 ({-6.64 Stockfish 8 64:} 37. Bd7) 37... Rxa4 38. Kb6 ({-9.86 Stockfish 8 64:} 38. Kb5) 38... f5 39. c6 Kd8 40. g4 ({-58.08 Stockfish 8 64:} 40. g3) (40. Kb7 Rb4+ 41. Ka6 a4) 40... fxg4 41. Bf1 ({-61.03 Stockfish 8 64:} 41. c7+) 41... Rb4+ 42. Kxa5 ({-#18 Stockfish 8 64:} 42. Kc5) 42... Rb2 43. Ba6 Kc7 44. Bf1 Rxh2 0-1 [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "?"] [White "Ashraf, Zoha"] [Black "Narayanan, Niranjana"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B01"] [PlyCount "38"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {The big story of the game was that you sadly got your Queen stuck, but there were some other things to note along the way.} 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 {This solid opening is quite a good one and stops White clogging everything up with Old Stodge.} 4. d4 c6 (4... Nf6) 5. Nf3 Bf5 (5... Nf6) 6. Bc4 (6. b4) 6... e6 7. O-O (7. Bd2 {may be more accurate.}) 7... Nd7 (7... Nf6) 8. Bf4 {That didn't look right to me but it's often been played.} (8. Bd2) 8... O-O-O $146 { That gives White a bit of a target, especially with your Queen in the war zone. } (8... Ngf6 9. Re1 Bb4 10. Bd2 O-O) ({1.10 Stockfish 8 64:} 8... Be7) 9. a3 $1 {Black's Queen is already perilously short of squares.} Qb6 $2 {That doesn't help! You need to be able to run away with the Queen to f5 or h5,} ({1.97 Stockfish 8 64:} 9... Bg4 10. b4 Qf5) 10. b4 $1 Ngf6 $6 ({7.68 Stockfish 8 64: } 10... a6 $1 {and the Queen can still hide.}) 11. a4 $2 ({-1.27 Stockfish 8 64:} 11. Na4 $1 {nets the Queen}) 11... Qc7 $4 ({8.39 Stockfish 8 64:} 11... Qxb4 $1 $17 {grabbing the pawn allows the Queen to retreat to e7}) 12. Bxc7 Kxc7 13. Ne5 $4 {Having played well so far, this is a big mistake...} ({3.95 Stockfish 8 64:} 13. b5) 13... h6 $4 {...which Black ignores!} ({10.24 Stockfish 8 64:} 13... Nxe5 $1 {gets a second piece for the Queen}) 14. h3 ({ 4.09 Stockfish 8 64:} 14. Nxf7) 14... Bd6 ({10.26 Stockfish 8 64:} 14... Nxe5 $1) 15. Nf3 ({6.72 Stockfish 8 64:} 15. Nxf7) 15... c5 ({13.60 Stockfish 8 64: } 15... Bxb4) 16. Qb1 b6 ({13.67 Stockfish 8 64:} 16... Be7 17. bxc5 {[%eval 1080,20]}) 17. dxc5 bxc5 18. bxc5 Nxc5 ({14.67 Stockfish 8 64:} 18... Bxc5) 19. Rd1 Rb8 {I couldn't follow the rest of the game.} 1-0 [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "2"] [White "Narayanan, Niranjana"] [Black "Chung, Joel"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B07"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "53"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {You played very well in the opening but didn't hit on the right idea in the early middlegame. A mistake after that was hard to put right.} 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nbd7 4. Nf3 {last book move} (4. f4 {is the sharpest line.}) 4... c5 5. d5 (5. Bc4 cxd4 6. Nxd4 {is a sort of mainstream Open Sicilian.}) 5... e6 6. Bg5 h6 ({0.97 Stockfish 8 64:} 6... exd5) 7. Bh4 ({0.17 Stockfish 8 64:} 7. Bxf6 Nxf6 8. Bb5+ Bd7 9. dxe6 fxe6 10. Qd3 $16) 7... Nb6 ({1.34 Stockfish 8 64: } 7... exd5) 8. Bb5+ Bd7 {[#] White is ahead in development and better organised, so opening lines is the right plan.} 9. Bxd7+ (9. dxe6 $1 $16 fxe6 10. e5 $1 $18 {[#] and Black is in all sorts of trouble.}) 9... Nbxd7 10. O-O Nb6 ({2.27 Stockfish 8 64:} 10... e5 {must be played to stop White's dxe6}) 11. a4 ({1.30 Stockfish 8 64:} 11. dxe6 $1 fxe6 12. e5 {and Black is full of holes. }) 11... a5 ({3.02 Stockfish 8 64:} 11... e5 $1) 12. Qe2 ({1.94 Stockfish 8 64: } 12. dxe6 $1) 12... Qd7 ({3.80 Stockfish 8 64:} 12... e5 $1) 13. Rfd1 ({At risk of being repetitive,} 13. dxe6 $1 {is best} fxe6 14. Rfd1 {and White is winning: e.g.} g5 15. Bg3 Rd8 16. Nb5 Qc6 17. e5) 13... e5 {Finally!} 14. Bg3 $6 {After this, you drift a bit and Black gets sorted out.} (14. Bxf6 gxf6 15. Nh4 $18 {[#] Here Black has a rotten structure and a bad Bishop -- just the sort of position Knights love.} h5 16. Nf5) 14... Be7 15. Qf1 $6 O-O 16. Qe2 Rac8 17. Nb5 c4 {[#] This is about equal.} 18. b3 $6 {Weakening the side where Black is attacking.} Kh8 {[#]} ({1.18 Stockfish 8 64:} 18... Qg4) 19. Nc3 $4 ({ -2.45 Stockfish 8 64:} 19. Nh4 $1) (19. Nd2 $1) 19... cxb3 {Discovering an attack on the Knight.} 20. Rd3 bxc2 21. Qxc2 {Natural enough, but should lead to worse for White.} ({-3.97 Stockfish 8 64:} 21. Qe3) 21... Qc7 $2 {Missed a chance!} ({-0.85 Stockfish 8 64:} 21... Nxe4 $1 $19) 22. Qd2 Nfd7 23. Rb1 Nf6 ( {0.00 Stockfish 8 64:} 23... f5) 24. Qb2 ({-1.50 Stockfish 8 64:} 24. Ra1) 24... Qc4 25. Re3 Ng4 26. Nd2 Qd4 27. Rf3 {White is not lost but stands rather worse and is a pawn behind.} 0-1 [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "3"] [White "Narayanan, Niranjana"] [Black "Taretsky, Fedor"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C68"] [PlyCount "37"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {A solid build-up led to a position where you had nice activity. Black left you an open goal, but you tripped instead of scoring!} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 {That's a waste of time: White often takes the Knight without being asked first.} 4. Bxc6 dxc6 (4... bxc6) 5. O-O Bg4 6. h3 Bh5 (6... h5 {is an interesting try:} 7. hxg4 $2 hxg4 8. Nxe5 $2 Qh4 9. f3 g3 10. Ng4 Qh1#) 7. g4 Bg6 {last book move} 8. Nc3 {Not sure where that Knight is hoping to go next!} ({No reason to avoid} 8. Nxe5) (8. d3) 8... f6 9. d4 exd4 10. Nxd4 (10. Qxd4 { is OK too: White has a pawn majority on the King's-side which is useful in an endgame, while Black's four Queen's-side pawns are crippled.}) 10... Bc5 11. Be3 (11. Ne6 $1) 11... Ne7 ({0.85 Stockfish 8 64:} 11... Qe7 12. Nf5 {[%eval 10,23]}) 12. Qd3 ({0.00 Stockfish 8 64:} 12. Ne6 {is still good!}) 12... Qd7 13. Qc4 Bxd4 ({0.28 Stockfish 8 64:} 13... Bd6) 14. Bxd4 O-O-O ({0.65 Stockfish 8 64:} 14... Bf7 15. Qd3 h5 16. g5 fxg5 17. Qe3 Ng6 18. Bxg7 Rg8 19. Bf6 Nh4 20. Rad1 Qe6 21. e5 Qf5 22. Qc5 Nf3+ 23. Kg2 Nh4+ 24. Kg1 {[%eval 0,21] }) 15. Rad1 Qd6 $2 ({3.21 Stockfish 8 64:} 15... Qe8) 16. Bc5 Qe5 17. f4 b5 ({ 4.92 Stockfish 8 64:} 17... Bf7 18. Qb4 Qe6 19. Bxe7 Rde8 20. Qd4 b6 21. Ba3 h5 22. f5 Qe5 23. Qxe5 Rxe5 24. gxh5 Bxh5 25. Rd2 c5 26. b3 b5 27. Bb2 Re7 28. Kh2 Rhe8 29. Kg3 Rd7 30. Rxd7 Kxd7 31. Rg1 {[%eval 267,22]}) 18. Qb3 {Oh, no!} (18. Rxd8+ Rxd8 19. fxe5 bxc4 20. Bxe7) ({-5.85 Stockfish 8 64:} 18. fxe5) 18... Qxc5+ 19. Kh1 0-1 [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "?"] [White "Bacon, Benny"] [Black "Chung, Daniel"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A34"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "58"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {A game without mistakes, but without many chances to win. A closed opening and gradual exchanges led to a draw.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 {[#]} 3. c4 {A rare try here.} (3. d4 {is the main line Open Sicilian.}) ({I like to recommend} 3. c3 {-- it's simple and safe for White and tricky for Black!}) (3. g3 {is a better line to choose if you don't want to play an open game.}) 3... Nc6 4. d3 {[#] That keeps it safe, but maybe safe from winning too!} Nf6 5. Nc3 Be7 { last book move} (5... d5 $1 $15 {and White is, if anything, slightly worse because of the backward pawn on d3}) 6. Be2 h6 {'DLRPM'} 7. Be3 d6 8. a3 {'A similar move with perhaps a similar reason! This move makes sense only if you continue with Rb1 and b4.'} Bd7 9. O-O (9. d4) 9... e5 10. Qc2 (10. b4 $1 $14 { is a fair idea here} cxb4 $2 11. axb4 Nxb4 12. Bxa7) 10... O-O 11. Rfd1 Nd4 { '!'} 12. Bxd4 exd4 (12... cxd4 $15 13. Nd5 Nxd5 14. exd5 (14. cxd5 Rc8 15. Qb3 Qc7) 14... f5) 13. Nd5 Nxd5 14. exd5 {[#] 'White's Bishop is very bad.'} Re8 ( 14... a5) 15. Re1 Bf6 16. Bf1 Bf5 17. Rxe8+ Qxe8 18. Re1 Qd7 19. b4 {'!' 'Late but still a good idea!'} b6 20. Qd2 {[#]} Bg4 {'Black should hang on to that Bishop.'} (20... g5 $15 {and Black dominates the King's-side.}) 21. Be2 Re8 22. h3 Bxf3 (22... Bf5) 23. Bxf3 {[#] 'Now both sides have a fairly duff Bishop.'} Rxe1+ 24. Qxe1 Qe7 25. Qxe7 Bxe7 {'The pawns are mostly locked and with only opposite coloured Bishops left on the board it's almost certain to be a draw.'} 26. b5 f5 27. Kf1 Kf7 28. Ke2 g6 29. g4 Kf6 1/2-1/2 [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "2"] [White "Bacon, Benny"] [Black "Kamotsky, Sasha"] [Result "*"] [ECO "C50"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "62"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {Another closed position with a bad Bishop! Here Black had a safe King and a good Knight, and you couldn't do much to open lines for your attack, and your Rooks died still in bed.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 {[#]} 3. Nc3 {You need something sharper and more interesting to play here! There are lots of nice plans using d2-d4 which can cause panic in the Black position.} (3. Bc4 Nf6 (3... Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 (6. O-O) (6. e5)) 4. d4) (3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 (4. Nxd4) ( 4. c3)) 3... Nf6 4. Bc4 {Black can equalise easily after this move.} (4. d4 $1 {is a reasonable try to get an advantage.}) 4... Bc5 (4... Nxe4 $1 {and now} 5. Nxe4 ({Mr Bacon suggests} 5. O-O {when} {Black can get an easy equal game with} Be7 (5... Nxc3 6. dxc3 {is a gambit where White has attacking ideas:} Be7 $1 ( 6... d6 7. Ng5 $16) (6... h6 7. Qd5 Qf6 $15) 7. Qd5 O-O $1 {is equal after} 8. Nxe5 Nxe5 9. Qxe5 Bf6 10. Qe4 Re8 11. Qf3 d6 $11) 6. Re1 Nxc3 7. dxc3 d6) (5. Bxf7+ Kxf7 6. Nxe4 d5 $11) 5... d5 $11) 5. d3 d6 6. Bg5 h6 {[#]} 7. Bh4 {last book move} ({The best plan in this position is still to aim for d2-d4!} 7. Bxf6 Qxf6 8. Nd5 Qd8 9. c3 $1) 7... Bb4 (7... g5 8. Nxg5 {is a fair idea but here, before Black has castled, it doesn't work} (8. Bg3 {and the Bishop is getting squashed}) 8... hxg5 9. Bxg5 Rg8 10. h4 Be6 11. Qf3 $2 Nd4) 8. a3 Ba5 9. b4 Bb6 10. h3 Nd4 11. Ne2 ({-1.30 Stockfish 8 64:} 11. Nd5) 11... Nxf3+ 12. gxf3 Qe7 13. Bb3 g5 14. Bg3 {[#] This is even worse for your poor Bishop -- it has no hope of getting out.} Be6 15. Bxe6 fxe6 (15... Qxe6) 16. c4 O-O-O 17. a4 {[#] This is the right idea -- you need some active play.} Bd4 18. Nxd4 exd4 19. a5 e5 20. a6 b6 21. Qc2 Nd7 22. h4 Rdf8 {[#]} 23. c5 {The right idea again, but the timing isn't right.} ({-1.83 Stockfish 8 64:} 23. Qa4) 23... dxc5 24. bxc5 ({-2.56 Stockfish 8 64:} 24. b5) 24... Nxc5 25. Ke2 Qf6 26. Qc4 Qxf3+ 27. Kd2 { [#]} gxh4 {This gives your Bishop some hope, but Black can use the open lines better than you.} 28. Bxh4 Qf4+ 29. Ke2 ({-5.00 Stockfish 8 64:} 29. Kc2) 29... Qg4+ 30. Kd2 Qe6 ({-1.77 Stockfish 8 64:} 30... Rf3) 31. Qc2 ({-9.83 Stockfish 8 64:} 31. Qxe6+) 31... Nb3+ {You didn't get to use your Rooks at all...} * [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "3"] [White "Stevenson, Neil"] [Black "Bacon, Benny"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C56"] [PlyCount "66"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {A really instructive game -- not much consolation for losing, I know, but exciting and well-played by both sides.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. O-O Bc5 6. e5 {Fine lively opening play from both sides! I'm sorry you don't play like this as White.} Ng8 {That's a bit too meek.} (6... d5 7. exf6 (7. Bb5 {is a line I recommend for White.} Ne4 8. Nxd4 O-O 9. Bxc6 bxc6 10. Be3 Qe8 (10... Bd7 11. f3 Ng5 12. f4 Ne4 13. Nd2) 11. Nd2 Nxd2 12. Qxd2 Qxe5 13. Nxc6 Bxe3) 7... dxc4 8. Re1+ Be6 9. Ng5 {is the famous Max Lange Attack}) 7. c3 ({1.01 Stockfish 8 64:} 7. Ng5 $1 {e.g.} Nh6 8. Re1 Be7 9. Qh5 O-O 10. Nxh7 $1 Kxh7 11. Bd3+ Kh8 12. Bxh6 g6 13. Qf3 $18) 7... dxc3 ({1.79 Stockfish 8 64:} 7... h6 8. Qb3 Qe7 9. Bd5 Bb6 10. Re1 Qf8 11. cxd4 Nxd4 12. Nxd4 Bxd4 13. Na3 c6 14. Nc4 Bxf2+ 15. Kxf2 Qc5+ 16. Be3 Qxd5 17. Nd6+ Kf8 18. Qxd5 cxd5 {[%eval 101,19]}) 8. Nxc3 $5 {Natural, but} ({1.10 Stockfish 8 64:} 8. Qd5 $1 {first is better} Qe7 9. Nxc3 h6 10. Re1 Nd8 11. Qd3 Ne6 12. b4 $1 $18) 8... Nge7 9. Be3 {A bit meek in turn. White has gambited a pawn, and can't play naturally and normally -- White has to get on with an attack before Black gets sorted out!} (9. Ne4 $1 $16) 9... Bxe3 10. fxe3 O-O ({2.89 Stockfish 8 64:} 10... Nf5 $1 $14 {and you're still fighting}) 11. Bb3 $2 { Going backwards! But going forwards could have won at once.} ({-0.42 Stockfish 8 64:} 11. Ng5 $1 Nxe5 12. Qh5 h6 13. Nxf7 $1 $18) 11... Ng6 12. Ne4 {A bit late for this.} ({-1.29 Stockfish 8 64:} 12. Qd5 $5 $15) 12... Ncxe5 $15 ({-0.62 Stockfish 8 64:} 12... h6 $1 $17) 13. Neg5 ({-1.94 Stockfish 8 64:} 13. Nxe5 Nxe5 14. Qh5 $1 $14) 13... Nxf3+ 14. Nxf3 {[#] Black has indeed got sorted out and has a comfortable two pawn lead.} c6 (14... Qe7) (14... d6) 15. e4 d6 16. e5 ({-2.82 Stockfish 8 64:} 16. Kh1 $19) 16... d5 17. Bc2 Qb6+ 18. Rf2 Be6 (18... Bg4) 19. Bb1 ({-3.12 Stockfish 8 64:} 19. Qd2 Bg4 20. Re1 Rae8 21. Bxg6 hxg6 22. Kh1 Bf5 23. Ref1 Qa6 24. b3 Be4 25. Qe3 Bxf3 26. gxf3 Qb6 27. Qxb6 axb6 28. f4 f6 29. exf6 {[%eval -233,19]}) 19... Rad8 20. h4 h5 21. Qc2 Rfe8 22. Ng5 {White is doing their best to get an attack organised, but it's all too late.} d4 (22... Qd4 $1) 23. Nxe6 ({-4.54 Stockfish 8 64:} 23. Qe2 d3 24. Bxd3 Bg4 25. Qc2 Nxe5 26. Bf1 Be6 27. Be2 g6 28. Ne4 Kg7 29. Qc3 Bg4 30. Nf6 Re7 31. Nxg4 hxg4 32. a4 a5 33. Raf1 Qd4 34. Rd1 Qxc3 35. bxc3 Rxd1+ 36. Bxd1 f6 37. Rf1 Rd7 {[%eval -289,22]}) 23... Rxe6 24. Qd3 Nf8 ({-2.61 Stockfish 8 64:} 24... Qc7 $1 {is the best way to cover White's threats.}) 25. Qf5 ({-3.67 Stockfish 8 64:} 25. Qf3) 25... Rd7 ({-2.43 Stockfish 8 64:} 25... Qc7) 26. Qxh5 Rh6 27. Qg4 ({-4.31 Stockfish 8 64:} 27. Qf3 Qc7 28. Bf5 Re7 29. Qf4 Qxe5 30. b4 b6 31. Qxe5 Rxe5 32. g3 Rf6 33. Bc8 Rg6 34. Kg2 c5 35. Raf1 Re3 36. bxc5 bxc5 37. Rxf7 Rgxg3+ 38. Kh1 Ng6 {[%eval -245,20]}) 27... d3 28. a4 d2 29. Ba2 {[#] Black is very much better here, but a bit uncoordinated.} ({-5.40 Stockfish 8 64:} 29. Bf5) 29... d1=Q+ $4 {The game turns on a sixpence!} (29... Qxb2) ({1.79 Stockfish 8 64:} 29... Qxb2 30. Rff1 Ne6 31. Bxe6 Rxe6 32. Qf4 c5 33. Rfd1 Rxe5 34. Kf1 b6 35. g3 Qc3 36. a5 bxa5 37. Rab1 Qd3+ 38. Kg1 Qe2 39. Qf1 Qe3+ 40. Kh2 Kh7 {[%eval -540,17]}) 30. Rxd1 Rxd1+ 31. Qxd1 $18 {I guess this backwards move was what Black missed. Now White is better: Black has given up the strong d-pawn and the vital defender of the second rank, so f7 must fall.} Rxh4 ({3.77 Stockfish 8 64:} 31... Kh8) 32. Bxf7+ ({1.57 Stockfish 8 64:} 32. Qf3 Qc7 33. g3 Rh6 34. Qxf7+ Qxf7 35. Rxf7 Ng6 36. e6 b6 37. e7 Nxe7 38. Rxe7+ Kf8 39. Rf7+ Ke8 40. Rxa7 Rd6 41. Bf7+ Kf8 42. b3 b5 43. a5 c5 44. Rc7 Ra6 45. Bd5 Rxa5 46. Rc8+ Ke7 {[%eval 377,21]}) 32... Kh8 33. Bc4 ({0.00 Stockfish 8 64:} 33. Qd6 $18 {wins}) 33... Qe3 $11 {These are all the moves we have; after all the adventures, this position is equal! But White won in the end.} 1-0 [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "?"] [White "Paul2, Aritra"] [Black "Austin, Bakhary"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D00"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "86"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {'You had some good chances in this game but in the end missed too many and went down in the endgame. I'd like to see you play the opening with lot more system and aggression -- easily achieved by playing a proper opening with a name. The Colle or Colle-Zukertort System are closest to the one you chose.'} 1. d4 d5 2. Nc3 (2. c4) 2... Nf6 3. Nf3 {last book move} (3. Bg5 {'is the best way to continue, after starting with 2.Nc3.'}) 3... Nc6 {'A Queen's-side version of Old Stodge, with most of the same problems. Both sides now block in the Queen's-side Bishops.'} 4. e3 (4. e4) 4... e6 5. Be2 Bd6 {[#]} 6. h3 { 'Pointless here. In the game, it's only significance is that it becomes a target for attack!'} O-O 7. O-O Qe7 8. a3 {'Oh dear...'} (8. Nb5 $1 $14) 8... Ne4 {'?'} 9. Nxe4 dxe4 10. Nd2 e5 {'?' 'Black is playing actively but is being careless with their pawns.'} ({1.30 Stockfish 8 64:} 10... f5 11. c4 Qg5 12. b4 a6 13. c5 Be7 14. Qb3 Rf6 15. Bb2 Rg6 16. g3 Qh6 17. Kh2 Bf6 18. Bc4 Be7 19. a4 b6 20. h4 bxc5 21. dxc5 Rb8 {[%eval 53,20]}) 11. d5 {'!'} Nd8 12. Nxe4 c6 13. Nxd6 Qxd6 14. e4 {'A loose pawn, which Black makes use of.'} (14. c4) 14... Qg6 {'!' 'Creating threats against e4 and h3.'} 15. Bg4 {'!?'} (15. Re1 Bxh3 16. Bf3 {needs steady nerves but is +/-}) 15... Qxe4 16. Bxc8 Rxc8 17. Re1 Qf5 ({ 0.28 Stockfish 8 64:} 17... Qxd5 18. Qxd5 cxd5 19. Rxe5 d4 20. c3 dxc3 21. bxc3 b6 22. Re1 Ne6 23. a4 Rfd8 24. a5 b5 25. Be3 a6 26. Rad1 f6 27. Rxd8+ Nxd8 28. Rd1 Nb7 29. Rd7 Nxa5 {[%eval -41,19]}) 18. Be3 a6 {'?' 'Just ...h6 is missing from this sad collection of pointless pawn moves.]'} ({1.14 Stockfish 8 64:} 18... cxd5 19. Qxd5 Nc6 (19... Rxc2 $10) 20. c3 Rfd8 21. Qb5 Qe6 22. Rad1 b6 23. f4 f6 24. Rxd8+ Rxd8 25. f5 Qd5 26. Qxd5+ Rxd5 27. Kf2 Rb5 28. Re2 Rb3 29. Kf3 Kf7 30. Kg4 g6 31. fxg6+ hxg6 32. Kf3 {[%eval -4,21]}) 19. Bb6 ({-0.04 Stockfish 8 64:} 19. d6 {'+/-!' 'looks awkward for Black'} Qd7 20. c4 Ne6 21. c5 f6 22. Qb3 Rcd8 23. Rad1 Qf7 24. Qc3 Rd7 25. b4 h5 26. a4 g5 27. Rb1 Re8 28. b5 Rdd8 29. bxc6 bxc6 30. Qb4 {[%eval 114,20]}) 19... Re8 ({1.07 Stockfish 8 64:} 19... cxd5 {'='} 20. Qxd5 Qe6 21. Qb3 Qxb3 22. cxb3 f6 23. Rad1 Ne6 24. Rd6 Kf7 25. Rd7+ Kg6 26. Red1 Rf7 27. Rxf7 Kxf7 28. Rd7+ Kg6 29. Rxb7 Rc1+ 30. Kh2 Rc2 31. Ra7 Nd4 32. b4 Rxf2 33. Rxa6 Rxb2 34. Bxd4 exd4 35. Rd6 Rb3 36. Rxd4 Rxa3 {[%eval -4,24]}) 20. d6 {'+/-!'} Rf8 {'??'} ({3.20 Stockfish 8 64:} 20... Qd7 21. c4 c5 22. Qd5 Rc6 23. Bc7 b5 24. Rac1 Nb7 25. Rxe5 Rxe5 26. Qxe5 Nxd6 27. Bxd6 Rxd6 28. cxb5 f6 29. Qg3 Rd1+ 30. Rxd1 Qxd1+ 31. Kh2 axb5 32. Qb8+ Kf7 33. Qb7+ Kg6 34. Qxb5 Qd4 35. Qe8+ Kh6 36. Qe3+ Kg6 37. Qg3+ Kf7 { [%eval 81,20]}) 21. Qe2 (21. d7 $18 {'+-!'} Ra8 22. Bc5) ({1.06 Stockfish 8 64: } 21. d7 Ra8 22. Bc5 f6 23. Bxf8 Kxf8 24. Qd2 g5 25. Rad1 a5 26. h4 g4 27. b4 a4 28. b5 cxb5 29. Qd5 Kg7 30. Qc5 Qh5 31. Rd5 Qxh4 32. Qe7+ Kg6 33. Rxb5 { [%eval 320,20]}) 21... Re8 ({2.29 Stockfish 8 64:} 21... f6 22. Qc4+ Nf7 23. Rad1 Qd7 24. Qb3 Rce8 25. c4 Ng5 26. Be3 Nf7 27. c5 f5 28. f3 Re6 29. Bd2 Rfe8 30. a4 e4 31. fxe4 Rxe4 32. Bc3 Rxe1+ 33. Rxe1 Rxe1+ 34. Bxe1 {[%eval 106,21]}) 22. Rad1 ({1.45 Stockfish 8 64:} 22. Qg4 {'+-!' 'takes out the defender of d7'} Qxg4 23. hxg4 Re6 24. d7 Ra8 25. Rad1 h6 26. Kh2 a5 27. a4 f6 28. f4 c5 29. Bxc5 Kf7 30. fxe5 Rxe5 31. Rxe5 fxe5 32. Bb6 Ke7 33. Kg3 Ra6 34. Bc7 Rc6 35. Bxe5 Rxc2 36. Bxg7 {[%eval 229,22]}) 22... Re6 23. Qd2 Qf6 24. Qa5 (24. d7 {'!' } Ra8 25. Re4 $18) ({0.23 Stockfish 8 64:} 24. d7 Ra8 25. Qb4 Qg5 26. c3 Rg6 27. g3 Re6 28. h4 Qe7 29. Qxe7 Rxe7 30. f4 e4 31. g4 g6 32. g5 Kg7 33. Rd6 Re6 34. Rxe6 Nxe6 {[%eval 207,18]}) 24... Rxd6 25. Rxd6 Qxd6 {'White's advantage has vanished, and with your next move, you fall behind.'} 26. f3 (26. Qxe5 $11) ({-0.75 Stockfish 8 64:} 26. Qxe5 Qxe5 27. Rxe5 Ne6 28. f4 g6 29. f5 gxf5 30. Rxf5 Kg7 31. Kf2 Kg6 32. Rf3 Re8 33. Rd3 Re7 34. Rd6 f6 35. Bd4 Nxd4 36. Rxd4 Kf5 37. Kf3 h5 38. b3 Kg6 39. g3 Kf5 40. a4 Kg5 41. a5 Kf5 42. Rf4+ Kg6 43. b4 {[%eval 25,25]}) 26... f6 $17 27. f4 Nf7 28. fxe5 Nxe5 29. Qa4 c5 30. Ba5 b5 31. Qe4 Qd4+ 32. Qxd4 cxd4 33. c3 $2 $19 {'Allowing the d-pawn to slip past'} ( {-4.21 Stockfish 8 64:} 33. Bb6 Rxc2 34. Bxd4 Kf7 35. Bxe5 fxe5 36. Rxe5 Rxb2 37. Rc5 a5 38. a4 bxa4 39. Rxa5 Ra2 40. Kf1 Ra1+ 41. Ke2 a3 42. Kd2 a2 43. Kc3 Rc1+ 44. Kb2 Rg1 45. g4 Rh1 46. Rxa2 Rxh3 47. Ra7+ Kf6 48. Ra5 Rg3 49. Ra6+ Ke5 50. Ra7 Rxg4 {[%eval -147,23]}) 33... d3 (33... Nc4 34. Bb4 a5 35. Be7 d3) ({ -1.40 Stockfish 8 64:} 33... Nc4 34. Bb4 a5 35. Bxa5 d3 36. Rd1 Nxb2 37. Rd2 Nc4 38. Rxd3 Nxa5 39. Rd5 Nc4 40. Rxb5 Nxa3 41. Rb3 Nc4 42. Kf2 Kf7 43. Ke2 Kg6 44. Rb4 Ne5 45. Kd2 Ra8 {[%eval -421,21]}) 34. Rd1 ({-5.00 Stockfish 8 64:} 34. b3 Kf7 35. Rd1 Kg6 36. Kf2 Kg5 37. Ke3 h5 38. Re1 Rc6 39. Rd1 Kh4 40. Kf2 Rc5 41. Bb4 Rc8 42. Ba5 Kg5 43. Ke3 Re8 44. Kf2 Re7 45. Bb6 Kf5 46. Bd4 Ke4 47. Re1+ Kf4 48. Rd1 {[%eval -140,24]}) 34... Nc4 35. Bb4 Nxb2 36. Rd2 Nc4 (36... Rd8 37. Rxb2 $2 d2) 37. Rxd3 a5 38. Be7 Kf7 39. Rd8 {'?' 'When you're losing, keep pieces on.'} ({-11.15 Stockfish 8 64:} 39. Rd7 Ne5 40. Rb7 Ke6 41. Bxf6 Kxf6 42. Rb6+ Rc6 43. Rxb5 a4 44. Ra5 Rc4 45. Kf2 Nd3+ 46. Ke2 Nc5 47. Ke3 Ke5 48. Kd2 Kf4 49. Ra7 Ne4+ 50. Kd3 Rxc3+ 51. Kd4 Rxa3 52. Rxg7 Ng5 53. Kc4 h5 54. Ra7 Ra2 {[%eval -333,22]}) 39... Rxd8 40. Bxd8 Ke8 (40... a4 $1) 41. Bc7 Kd7 42. Bh2 Nxa3 43. g4 ({-18.77 Stockfish 8 64:} 43. Kf2 a4 44. Bf4 Nc4 45. Bc1 Kc6 46. Ke2 a3 47. Bxa3 Nxa3 48. Kd2 Kc5 49. Kc1 Nc4 50. Kd1 Ne5 51. Kc1 Nd3+ 52. Kd2 Kc4 53. h4 h5 54. g3 Ne5 55. Kc2 Kd5 56. Kb3 Kc5 57. Kc2 Kc4 58. Kb2 Nd3+ 59. Kc2 Nf2 60. g4 hxg4 61. Kd2 Ne4+ 62. Ke1 Nxc3 {[%eval -1042,27]}) 43... Nc4 0-1 [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "2"] [White "Paul2, Aritra"] [Black "Sapsford, Oliver"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D05"] [PlyCount "74"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {You never really got going in this game.} 1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 ({I like} 2... c5 {but you may have to play a Sicilian after} 3. e4 cxd4 4. Nxd4) 3. c3 c5 4. e3 Nc6 5. Nbd2 Nf6 {last book move} 6. Be2 (6. Bd3 Bd6 7. Qe2 {is Colle's more active plan, aiming at e3-e4}) 6... b6 7. h3 {Again, a pointless pawn move.} ( 7. O-O) 7... Bb7 8. Bb5 {Wastes a bit of time.} (8. O-O) (8. b3) 8... Bd6 9. Bxc6+ Bxc6 10. O-O O-O {[#] Black has the Bishop pair and no problems.} 11. Ne5 ({-1.13 Stockfish 8 64:} 11. b3 Ne4 12. Bb2 Nxd2 13. Qxd2 f6 14. Rfe1 Qe8 15. dxc5 Bxc5 16. Nd4 Bb7 17. b4 Bd6 18. Qd3 Bb8 19. Qe2 a5 20. Nb5 Qg6 21. a4 axb4 22. cxb4 {[%eval -50,20]}) 11... Qc7 ({Black should play} 11... Bb7 {and hold on to the two valuable Bishops}) 12. Nxc6 Qxc6 13. Nf3 Qc7 (13... Rfe8 {and Black is better, ahead in development and looking to open a file.}) 14. Re1 Ne4 15. Rf1 Qe7 {Black keeps fidgeting with pieces that are already on good squares -- it was time to post the Rooks and open a file.} (15... Rac8) 16. Nd2 Qh4 {Ah, now I see Black's idea, but Black is attacking with too few pieces.} 17. Nf3 Qh6 18. Nd2 Qg6 19. f3 {Forcing Black to make a threat!} ({-1.10 Stockfish 8 64:} 19. Nxe4 dxe4 20. b3 $11) 19... Ng5 (19... Ng3 $17 {is also good}) 20. h4 $2 {[#] Ignoring the threat!} (20. Kh1 {was necessary}) 20... Nh3+ 21. Kh1 Qg3 22. f4 Nf2+ 23. Rxf2 Qxf2 {[#] White's pieces on the Queen's-side have been snoring loudly all game so far!} 24. Nf3 cxd4 25. cxd4 Qg3 26. Bd2 f6 27. Be1 Qg4 28. Bf2 e5 $2 (28... Rac8 $1) ({-0.37 Stockfish 8 64:} 28... Rfc8 $1) 29. Nh2 (29. dxe5) ({-4.99 Stockfish 8 64:} 29. dxe5 $1 { [#] puts White right back in the game.} Be7 30. Qxd5+) 29... Qxd1+ 30. Rxd1 Rfe8 ({-2.93 Stockfish 8 64:} 30... exf4 {keeps control}) 31. b3 {I don't see the point of this move.} (31. dxe5 fxe5 32. Rxd5 {isn't great for White but is better than the game!}) 31... exd4 ({-3.45 Stockfish 8 64:} 31... exf4) 32. exd4 ({-5.64 Stockfish 8 64:} 32. Rxd4 $1 {gets your Rook into play. You need some activity to make a threat that Black might miss -- 'playing safe' when you are losing on material is nearly always hopeless.}) 32... Re2 33. Bg1 Bxf4 34. Nf3 Bg3 35. Bh2 Bxh2 36. Nxh2 Re4 37. Nf3 b5 {... and Black won.} 0-1 [Event "WWOE"] [Site "?"] [Date "12.01.12"] [Round "3"] [White "Davies, Milo"] [Black "Paul2, Aritra"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B22"] [PlyCount "121"] [EventDate "12.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {An early mistake lost you a piece, but you kept your head up, fighting hard until the end, and at some points you were even better. Deserved a better fate!} 1. e4 c5 2. c3 {White announces that they want to set up a perfect pawn centre with pawns on d4 and e4. You should do something against this plan!} Nc6 (2... d5) (2... Nf6) 3. d4 e6 4. Nf3 {[#] White has what they wanted.} d6 5. Bb5 Bd7 6. O-O a6 7. Bc4 Nf6 8. Bg5 Be7 9. Re1 h6 10. Bf4 O-O 11. e5 {[#]} d5 $2 {Counterattacking is the trickiest way to defend.} ({2.59 Stockfish 8 64: } 11... dxe5 $1 12. dxe5 Nd5 13. Bxd5 exd5 14. Qxd5 Bf5 {and Black has some compensation for the lost pawn.}) 12. exf6 {White is now attacking your Bishop, so you lose a piece.} Bxf6 13. Bd3 ({1.87 Stockfish 8 64:} 13. Bb3 $1) 13... c4 ({3.27 Stockfish 8 64:} 13... cxd4) 14. Bc2 Re8 15. b3 cxb3 16. Bxb3 Na5 17. h3 Rc8 18. Nbd2 ({2.15 Stockfish 8 64:} 18. Bc2) 18... Rxc3 {[#] Black has a second pawn to make up for the missing piece, but White should still win.} 19. Rc1 ({1.46 Stockfish 8 64:} 19. Bc2) 19... Rxc1 20. Qxc1 b5 ({2.68 Stockfish 8 64:} 20... Qb6) 21. Bc7 Nxb3 22. Nxb3 Qa8 23. Nc5 Bc6 24. Qa3 ({2.17 Stockfish 8 64:} 24. Qf4) 24... Be7 25. Qxa6 Qxa6 26. Nxa6 Ra8 27. Nc5 Rxa2 $16 {[#] White has swapped off into an endgame where the Black pawns are more important. } 28. Ne5 ({1.31 Stockfish 8 64:} 28. Nxe6) 28... Be8 29. Rd1 Rb2 ({2.42 Stockfish 8 64:} 29... Bxc5) 30. Kh2 ({1.22 Stockfish 8 64:} 30. Ra1) 30... b4 31. f4 ({0.87 Stockfish 8 64:} 31. Ra1) 31... Bxc5 32. dxc5 b3 33. Rd3 ({0.19 Stockfish 8 64:} 33. Ra1) 33... Rb1 {That looks right, of course, but} ({1.11 Stockfish 8 64:} 33... Bb5 $1 $11 {is better, activating the other Black piece. } 34. Rd1 (34. Rd4 Bf1 $1 35. Rb4 Rxg2+) 34... f6 35. Nd3 Rc2 36. Ne1 Rxc5) 34. c6 ({0.35 Stockfish 8 64:} 34. Bd6 $1 $16) 34... f6 35. Nd7 $6 ({-0.74 Stockfish 8 64:} 35. Nf3) 35... Bg6 $6 ({1.02 Stockfish 8 64:} 35... Rc1 $1 $15 {and finally Black is better.}) 36. Rd2 $6 ({-0.38 Stockfish 8 64:} 36. Rc3 $1 $18) 36... Rc1 $1 {Now Black is off the ropes.} 37. Nb8 Be8 ({0.53 Stockfish 8 64:} 37... Rc2 $1 $15) 38. Rb2 Bxc6 39. Nxc6 Rxc6 {Black picks up another pawn, and White is no longer winning.} 40. Ba5 Ra6 41. Bd2 Ra2 $1 42. Rxa2 $2 ({-2. 17 Stockfish 8 64:} 42. Bc3 $11) 42... bxa2 {[#] Black has three pawns against a piece, and in the endgame, back the pawns! The important thing is the centre pawns can work together.} 43. Bc3 Kf7 $1 44. Kg3 e5 $4 {dropping an important pawn} ({2.21 Stockfish 8 64:} 44... g5 $1 $19 {and Black is winning! Now the e-pawn can start moving.}) 45. fxe5 fxe5 46. Bxe5 {[#] Now White is winning again.} g6 47. Kg4 Kf8 48. Kf4 g5+ ({60.91 Stockfish 8 64:} 48... Ke7 $1 {is better}) 49. Kf5 Kg8 50. Bd4 Kh7 51. Ke5 h5 52. Kxd5 Kh6 {[#] White is at a crossroads.} 53. h4 $4 ({0.00 Stockfish 8 64:} 53. g4 $1 $18 {is the only way to be sure of winning for White}) 53... g4 ({#20 Stockfish 8 64:} 53... gxh4 $1 {and White is too stretched to do anything on the King's-side, for example} 54. Ke4 Kg5 55. Kf3 Kf5 56. Ba1 Kg5 57. Ke4 Kg4 58. Be5 h3 59. gxh3+ $11) 54. g3 Kg6 55. Ke5 Kg7 56. Kf5+ Kh6 57. Ke6 Kh7 58. Kf6 Kg8 59. Kg6 Kf8 60. Kg5 Kg8 61. Kxh5 {That's such a shame!} 1-0 [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "?"] [White "Gilbert, Harri"] [Black "Paul, Aarv"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B30"] [PlyCount "78"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {Black won a piece, lost a piece, won a piece... Showing, I guess, how important tactics are!} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 {[#]} 3. Nc3 {White has lots of choice here: this move is uncommon.} (3. d4 {is the main line}) (3. c3) (3. Bb5+) 3... Nc6 4. Bc4 Nf6 {last book move} 5. d3 g6 6. O-O Bg7 {[#]} 7. Be3 { White is getting pieces out in Old Stodge style, which is not very effective in any position! It just leaves Black alone too much.} O-O 8. Qd2 a6 9. d4 { A move that could have been played earlier!} cxd4 10. Nxd4 Ne5 11. Be2 Bd7 12. Bf4 Nc6 ({Carrying on with development by} 12... Rc8 {is a little better}) 13. Nxc6 Bxc6 {[#]} 14. f3 $2 {exposes the King} Qb6+ 15. Kh1 Nh5 16. Be3 Qxb2 17. Rab1 $4 {losing a piece} ({-5.09 Stockfish 8 64:} 17. Bd4) 17... Qxc3 18. Qxc3 Bxc3 19. Bh6 Bg7 20. Be3 f5 (20... Rac8) 21. Bc4+ Kh8 22. exf5 Rxf5 {[#] Is this a mistake?} 23. g4 {Looks like a shot...} Bxf3+ (23... Rxf3) 24. Kg1 Bxg4 {...but Black scoops up two pawns.} 25. Rxf5 Bxf5 26. Rxb7 Bf6 27. Bd5 {White lines up a discovered attack...} Bxc2 {...which Black helps!} ({-2.76 Stockfish 8 64:} 27... Rc8) 28. Rc7 $1 {Attacking a8 and c2} Rb8 29. Rxc2 {[#] So, White wins back a piece, but Black's extra pawns should win.} Rb1+ 30. Bc1 $4 {Stepping into a pin: ...Bg5 wins a piece.} ({-5.52 Stockfish 8 64:} 30. Kg2 ) 30... Bd4+ 31. Kh1 Nf6 32. Rc8+ ({-6.83 Stockfish 8 64:} 32. Bc4) 32... Kg7 33. Be6 Be3 {Finally pouncing on c1.} 34. Kg2 Rxc1 {Black is a piece ahead again.} 35. Rb8 ({-8.02 Stockfish 8 64:} 35. Rxc1) 35... Rc2+ 36. Kf3 ({-11.66 Stockfish 8 64:} 36. Kh1) 36... Bc5 37. Rb7 d5 38. Rc7 ({-51.29 Stockfish 8 64: } 38. Rd7) 38... Rf2+ 39. Kg3 Rc2 {And Black won. Better moves were} ({0.00 Stockfish 8 64:} 39... Ne4+) (39... Bd6+) 0-1 [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "2"] [White "Paul, Aarv"] [Black "Davies, Jonathan"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D32"] [PlyCount "56"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {A quiet start, but nothing wrong with where you were putting your pieces. Black handed over a pawn, but had enough activity to be enough of a nuisance to get a draw.} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 {[#] The Tarrasch Defence, which I often recommend.} 4. Nf3 {A tame reply.} Nc6 5. Bf4 dxc4 6. e3 {last book move} Nf6 7. Bxc4 Bd6 ({0.98 Stockfish 8 64:} 7... cxd4 {first is better}) 8. Bxd6 ({ 0.16 Stockfish 8 64:} 8. dxc5 $1 {is awkward}) 8... Qxd6 9. dxc5 Qxc5 10. Bd3 O-O 11. a3 Rd8 12. Qc2 e5 13. O-O {[#] Black is comfortably equal, but now throws a pawn away. It looks like a fork, but the pawn is outnumbered.} e4 $2 ({1.23 Stockfish 8 64:} 13... h6) 14. Nxe4 Qxc2 15. Bxc2 Nxe4 16. Bxe4 Bg4 17. Rac1 Bxf3 18. Bxf3 ({Actually, the odd-looking} 18. gxf3 {is a little better here}) 18... Ne5 ({2.17 Stockfish 8 64:} 18... Rab8) 19. Bxb7 Rab8 20. Be4 (20. Rc7 $1 {keeps control}) 20... Rxb2 21. Rc7 a5 {[#]} 22. Bd5 {A one-move idea which doesn't really help White.} ({1.12 Stockfish 8 64:} 22. Rc5) 22... h6 23. Be4 {[#] So the only change is that Black has been able to play the helpful ... h6.} Ra2 24. Rc5 $1 {[#]} Nd7 ({3.54 Stockfish 8 64:} 24... Re8 $1) 25. Rxa5 { [#] White is two pawns up, but until the Rf1 joins in, White isn't really winning. As it goes, Black's active pieces make a nuisance.} ({So, best of all for White is to ignore the pawn and hold down Black's pieces with:} 25. Rd5 $1) 25... Nf6 26. Bf3 ({1.17 Stockfish 8 64:} 26. Bb1) 26... Rd3 27. h3 Rdxa3 28. Rxa3 Rxa3 {[#] White has a pawn, but with all the play on only one side of the board, the chances of winning have gone down a lot.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "3"] [White "Sikara, Om"] [Black "Paul, Aarv"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B71"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "96"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {Black developed well, and was happy to pick up a pawn and then a piece after mistakes by White. Just as important, Black converted without fuss, swapping Queens and keeping control.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. f4 Nc6 7. Be3 Bg7 {[#] All well-chosen or well-learned moves!} 8. e5 { Good attitude but a bad move.} ({-0.68 Stockfish 8 64:} 8. Be2) 8... dxe5 9. fxe5 Nxe5 10. Bb5+ Bd7 11. Bf4 Nc6 12. Nxc6 Bxc6 {[#]} 13. O-O $2 {Walking into a fork.} ({-4.85 Stockfish 8 64:} 13. Qe2) 13... Bxb5 ({-1.34 Stockfish 8 64:} 13... Qb6+) 14. Nxb5 ({-4.21 Stockfish 8 64:} 14. Qxd8+) 14... Qb6+ 15. Qd4 ({-5.13 Stockfish 8 64:} 15. Nd4 {is more stubborn but still loses:} Nd5 16. c3 Nxf4 17. Rxf4 e5) 15... Qxb5 16. Rfe1 {[#]} Qb6 {Taking the opportunity to swap Queens, reducing the chances of an accident.} 17. Qxb6 axb6 18. Bd6 O-O 19. Bxe7 Rfe8 20. Bxf6 ({-5.88 Stockfish 8 64:} 20. c3) 20... Rxe1+ (20... Bxf6 ) 21. Rxe1 Bxf6 22. Rb1 Rxa2 23. c3 {[#] Black is very much in control and the rest of the game does not require comment.} Ra5 24. Re1 Rb5 25. Rb1 ({-6.95 Stockfish 8 64:} 25. Re2) 25... Bxc3 $1 26. b3 Bd4+ 27. Kf1 Rf5+ 28. Ke2 Rf2+ 29. Kd3 Bc5 30. b4 Bf8 31. Ke3 Rxg2 32. b5 Bc5+ 33. Ke4 f5+ 34. Kf3 Rxh2 35. Re1 Rf2+ 36. Kg3 Rb2 37. Rf1 Rxb5 38. Kg2 Rb2+ 39. Kh1 Rf2 40. Rxf2 Bxf2 41. Kg2 Bc5 42. Kh1 b5 43. Kg2 b4 44. Kh1 b3 45. Kg2 b2 46. Kh1 b1=Q+ 47. Kg2 Qg1+ 48. Kf3 Qf2# 0-1 [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "?"] [White "Searle, Isaac"] [Black "Sequiera, Alfie"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C00"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "89"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {'A good game from both players. In the long Rook endgame, you struggled to get your pieces to work together.'} 1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e5 {last book move} Nc6 {'It's a golden rule of the French to follow e4-e5 with c7-c5! But even if this is an exception, you shouldn't block the c-pawn altogether.'} ({One idea for White here is to meet} 3... c5 {'with a gambit:'} 4. b4 b6) (3... Bd7) 4. Bb5 Nge7 5. Nc3 a6 {'Maybe White will take your Knight, but asking wastes time. '} (5... d4) 6. Ba4 g6 ({0.27 Stockfish 8 64:} 6... b5 7. Bb3 d4 8. Ne4 Ng6 9. d3 Be7 10. O-O O-O 11. a4 Na5 12. axb5 Nxb3 13. cxb3 Qd5 14. Bg5 Bxg5 15. Nexg5 h6 16. Ne4 Nxe5 17. Nxe5 Qxe5 18. bxa6 Rxa6 19. Qc2 {[%eval -34,20]}) (6... d4 {is still good.}) (6... Ng6) 7. O-O (7. h4 $1 {might make life awkward for Black.}) 7... Bg7 8. d4 Bd7 9. Bxc6 Bxc6 10. Bg5 Bb5 (10... h6) 11. Nxb5 axb5 12. Qe2 c6 13. b3 h6 14. Bf6 ({-0.75 Stockfish 8 64:} 14. Bd2 O-O 15. g4 c5 16. Qxb5 cxd4 17. Bb4 Re8 18. Qxb7 Rb8 19. Bxe7 Rxe7 20. Qa6 Reb7 21. Qe2 Rb4 22. a4 Ra8 23. Kh1 Qb6 24. h3 Qc7 {[%eval 10,20]}) 14... Bxf6 15. exf6 Nf5 (15... Ng8 {wins the pawn on f6}) 16. Qe5 Nd6 17. Nd2 ({-1.04 Stockfish 8 64:} 17. a4 bxa4 18. Rxa4 Ne4 19. Rxa8 Qxa8 20. Qf4 Qd8 21. Ra1 g5 22. Qe3 Nxf6 23. Ra7 Qb8 24. Ra1 Ne4 25. Ne5 Qd8 26. c4 O-O 27. c5 Kg7 28. f3 Nf6 29. Ra7 Qc8 30. Qe1 Nd7 31. Qb4 Nxe5 32. dxe5 Qb8 33. Qxb7 Qxb7 34. Rxb7 {[%eval -42,23]}) 17... Ne4 ({0.49 Stockfish 8 64:} 17... b4 {'!' 'locks down two White pawns and prepares ...Nb5! to invade on the holes.'} 18. Rfe1 Nb5 19. f4 Kd7 20. Re3 Kc8 21. Rd3 Qc7 22. Qe3 Nc3 23. a4 h5 24. Nf3 Ne4 25. Ng5 Nxf6 26. Qe1 Qe7 {[%eval -104,19]}) 18. Nxe4 dxe4 19. c4 {'invites Black to undouble the pawns'} (19. Rfe1) (19. a4) 19... bxc4 20. bxc4 Ra4 21. c5 {'?'} Ra6 {'?' 'Playing safe is often dangerous!'} (21... Rxd4 {'-/+' 'and Black stands very well'}) ({0.65 Stockfish 8 64:} 21... Rxd4 22. Rab1 O-O 23. Rxb7 Qd5 24. Qxd5 exd5 25. Rc7 g5 26. Rxc6 Ra8 27. h4 gxh4 28. Rd6 Rxa2 29. Rc1 Rdd2 30. c6 Rac2 31. Rxc2 Rxc2 32. Rxd5 Rc1+ 33. Kh2 Rxc6 34. Rd4 Rxf6 35. Rxe4 Rxf2 36. Rxh4 {[%eval -43,22]} ) 22. Rfd1 Qd5 ({3.07 Stockfish 8 64:} 22... O-O 23. Rab1 Qd5 24. Rxb7 Rxa2 25. Rc7 Rd8 26. Qxd5 cxd5 27. Rb1 Rc2 28. g3 Ra8 29. h4 g5 30. hxg5 hxg5 31. Rd7 Rc4 32. Rbb7 Rf8 33. Kg2 Rxd4 {[%eval 13,22]}) 23. Qb8+ Qd8 24. Qxd8+ ({-0.31 Stockfish 8 64:} 24. Qxb7 Ra3 25. Qxc6+ Kf8 26. d5 Qxf6 27. d6 Rc3 28. a4 Kg7 29. Qxe4 Rxc5 30. a5 Re5 31. Qc2 Rd5 32. Qa4 Rg5 33. Qc6 Rb8 34. a6 Rb2 35. a7 Qxf2+ 36. Kh1 Rxg2 37. Qc3+ Kh7 {[%eval 255,20]}) 24... Kxd8 25. Rd2 {'This endgame might be quite good for Black.'} h5 (25... Kc7 26. Kf1 Ra3 27. Rb1 e3 28. Rdb2 Rb8 $15) 26. Re1 Ra4 27. h3 g5 (27... Kc7 28. Rxe4 Rd8 {'Your Rooks are now both active and working together. The d- and a-pawns are weak. The odd extra pawn for White is hard to make use of: where can White make a passed pawn?'} 29. Kf1 Rd5 30. f3 (30. g4 hxg4 31. hxg4 Rxc5) 30... Rf5 {'and you win the f-pawn after all!'}) 28. Rxe4 Rh6 29. h4 Rxf6 (29... gxh4 30. Rxh4 Rxf6 31. Rxh5 Rf4) 30. hxg5 Rg6 31. Re5 {'Black missed the chance to win a pawn and now looks a bit disorganised and short of space. You need the two Rooks to be making trouble, but they aren't really talking to each other!'} h4 32. f3 Rc4 33. f4 Rc1+ 34. Kf2 Ke7 ({2.59 Stockfish 8 64:} 34... Rg8 35. Re3 Kc8 36. Ra3 Rd8 37. Ra8+ Kc7 38. Rxd8 Kxd8 39. Kf3 Kc7 40. Re2 Rh1 41. Ke4 Rh2 42. Ke3 Kc8 43. Kf3 Rh1 44. Ke4 Rh2 45. Rb2 Rh1 46. Rf2 Re1+ 47. Kd3 Rh1 48. Ke3 Kd7 49. Re2 Kc7 {[%eval 121,24]}) 35. d5 {'?' 'Clever but not constructive.'} ({0.07 Stockfish 8 64:} 35. Rb2 Kf8 36. Rxb7 Rc4 37. Re4 Ra4 38. Kf3 Rxa2 39. Rc7 Ra6 40. Re2 Rg7 41. Rc8+ Ke7 42. Rb2 Kd7 43. Rh8 Kc7 44. Rxh4 Rg8 45. Rh7 Rf8 46. Rb3 Ra1 {[%eval 259,18]}) 35... cxd5 36. Rdxd5 Rc2+ (36... Rc4 $1 $10) 37. Kf3 Rxa2 38. g4 hxg3 39. Kxg3 Kf8 (39... Ra3+) ({1.23 Stockfish 8 64:} 39... Ra3+ 40. Kg2 Rb3 41. Re2 Rb5 42. Rd6 Rxc5 43. Rb6 e5 44. Rxb7+ Kf8 45. Rxe5 Rxe5 46. fxe5 Rxg5+ 47. Kf2 Rxe5 48. Rb8+ Ke7 49. Rb7+ Kf6 50. Rc7 Kg7 51. Rc2 Kg6 52. Kf3 Kf6 53. Rc8 Rf5+ 54. Kg2 Rg5+ 55. Kf1 Kg7 56. Kf2 Kh7 {[%eval -8,24]}) 40. Rd6 ({0.08 Stockfish 8 64:} 40. Rd8+ Kg7 (40... Ke7 41. Rb8 Ra7 42. Re1) 41. Rb8 Ra7 42. Kg4 Kh7 43. Rf8 Kg7 44. Rc8 Ra1 45. Rb8 Rb1 46. Re2 f6 47. c6 Rg1+ 48. Kf3 Rf1+ 49. Kg3 bxc6 50. Rb7+ Kf8 51. Rxe6 c5 52. Rc7 {[%eval 123,18]}) 40... Ra3+ 41. Kg4 Ra4 ({1.27 Stockfish 8 64:} 41... Rg7 42. Rd8+ Ke7 43. Rh8 Rc3 44. Rh6 Rc4 45. Kf3 Rc3+ 46. Kg4 {[%eval 0,23]}) 42. Rd7 ({0.40 Stockfish 8 64:} 42. Rd8+ Ke7 43. Rb8 f6 44. Rxb7+ Kd8 45. Kh5 fxe5 46. Kxg6 exf4 47. Kg7 Rc4 48. g6 f3 49. Rf7 Rxc5 50. Rxf3 Ke7 51. Rf7+ Kd6 52. Rb7 Rc1 53. Kf7 Rf1+ 54. Ke8 Rc1 55. g7 Rg1 56. Rd7+ Ke5 57. Kf8 Rf1+ 58. Rf7 Rg1 59. Rb7 {[%eval 127,20]}) 42... Rb4 (42... f6 {is fairly equal}) 43. Kf3 f5 {'This makes a weakness on e6.'} ({1.72 Stockfish 8 64:} 43... Rb5 44. Kf2 Rb4 45. Ke2 Rg7 46. Kd3 Ke8 47. Rd4 Rb1 48. Kc2 Rb5 49. Kc3 Ke7 50. Rde4 Kd8 51. Rb4 Rxb4 52. Kxb4 Kd7 53. Kb5 Rh7 54. f5 exf5 55. Rxf5 Ke6 {[%eval 14,22]}) (43... Rg8) 44. Rd6 Ke7 45. Rdd5 {'White is barely better here but went on to win.'} ({0.13 Stockfish 8 64:} 45. Rxf5 Rb3+ 46. Kf2 exf5 47. Rxg6 Rc3 48. Rg7+ Ke6 49. Rc7 Rc4 50. Kg3 Rc1 51. Rxb7 Rxc5 52. Kh4 Rc4 53. Rb6+ Ke7 54. Kg3 Rc3+ 55. Kf2 Rc4 56. Ke3 Re4+ 57. Kf3 Re6 58. Rb5 Kf7 59. Rxf5+ Kg6 60. Kg4 {[%eval 168,20]}) 1-0 [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "2"] [White "Hill, Charlie"] [Black "Soonphannick, Oscar"] [Result "*"] [ECO "C02"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "30"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {White missed a few tactics and it all fell apart.} 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 (3. exd5 exd5 4. c4) 3... c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 {[#] All book so far.} 6. Be3 $2 {This is one reason the French is a good defence: it can be hard for White to keep hold of all the pawns!} (6. a3 {or}) (6. Be2 {are the book moves}) 6... Qxb2 7. Nbd2 Qxc3 8. dxc5 Nxe5 ({-0.43 Stockfish 8 64:} 8... Nge7) 9. Bd4 $4 { Trying to fight back, but losing at least a piece.} ({-6.07 Stockfish 8 64:} 9. Nxe5) 9... Nxf3+ 10. Ke2 $2 {Doesn't help, sad to say.} ({-19.97 Stockfish 8 64:} 10. Qxf3) 10... Nxd4+ 11. Ke1 Bxc5 ({-14.00 Stockfish 8 64:} 11... Nc2+ { is more accurate}) 12. g3 ({-22.49 Stockfish 8 64:} 12. Rc1) 12... Nf6 ({-15. 69 Stockfish 8 64:} 12... Nc2+ {is still good}) 13. Rc1 Qb4 14. Bg2 Bd7 {[#]} 15. f4 {A last insult: Black nets the Queen.} ({-22.85 Stockfish 8 64:} 15. h3) 15... Ba4 * [Event "WWOEU18"] [Site "?"] [Date "12.01.12"] [Round "1"] [White "McMullan, Evan"] [Black "Smith, George"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B43"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "47"] [EventDate "12.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {A well-played game on either side which seemed to fizzle out, but the final position was worth playing on for White.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3 (5. c4 {or}) (5. Bd3 {are reckoned to be more promising.}) 5... b5 6. a3 (6. Bd3) (6. g3) 6... Bb7 7. Be2 {last book move} Nf6 8. Bg5 (8. Bf3 $11 {or }) (8. e5 $14 {give White a small plus}) 8... Be7 9. Qd3 (9. e5 $1 {is more accurate}) 9... O-O 10. O-O d5 11. exd5 {With exchanges, White's chances of an attack disappear.} (11. e5 {is more promising, but still equal.}) 11... Nxd5 12. Bxe7 Qxe7 13. Nxd5 Bxd5 14. Bf3 Rd8 15. Bxd5 Rxd5 16. c4 bxc4 17. Qxc4 Qc5 18. Qxc5 Rxc5 19. Rac1 Nd7 20. Rxc5 Nxc5 {[#] There's not a lot in it!} 21. Rc1 Nd3 22. Rc2 h6 23. Kf1 Rb8 24. b4 $14 {[#] White has hopes of making a passed pawn sooner than Black, which gives White the advantage.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "WWOEU18"] [Site "?"] [Date "12.01.12"] [Round "2"] [White "Leggett, Nevin"] [Black "McMullan, Evan"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C02"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "56"] [EventDate "12.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {Both sides were generous with their pieces!} 1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. e5 Nc6 4. d4 cxd4 5. cxd4 e6 {[#] Now we get a sort of French, in a version easier for White to play -- normally the pawn on c3 stops White developing with Nc3} (5... Bf5 {makes it easier to develop.}) 6. h3 {Completely pointless.} Qa5+ {Black should aim at the pawns, not risk swapping his best pieces.} (6... Qb6) (6... f6) ({0.59 Stockfish 8 64:} 6... Nge7) 7. Nc3 Bb4 {[#]} 8. Nge2 (8. Bd2 $1 $16 {and a3 gives White a plus.}) 8... Nge7 (8... f6 $1 9. f4 fxe5 10. fxe5 Nge7 11. a3 Nf5 $1) 9. a3 Bxc3+ {Black might miss this fine Bishop.} (9... O-O) 10. Nxc3 a6 (10... O-O) ({0.52 Stockfish 8 64:} 10... Nf5) 11. Be2 Nf5 {[#]} 12. Bd2 $2 ({-0.99 Stockfish 8 64:} 12. Be3) 12... Qb6 $1 {Forking two pawns.} 13. Na4 Qxd4 14. Bc3 Qe4 $2 {The Queen here is exposed and a bit in the way.} ( 14... Qa7 $1) 15. O-O d4 $5 {Good attitude, but White can take a swing at your Queen.} ({-0.03 Stockfish 8 64:} 15... Nh4 $1) 16. Bd3 Qxe5 17. Bxf5 ({-1.29 Stockfish 8 64:} 17. Re1 $1 {is better} Qf6 18. Nb6 Rb8 19. Nd5 Qh4) 17... dxc3 $1 18. Bxe6 $4 {Not sure what White was thinking about here.} ({-4.15 Stockfish 8 64:} 18. Bd3 $1) 18... Bxe6 19. Nxc3 Rd8 20. Qa4 O-O 21. Rfd1 Qg5 22. Ne4 Qg6 (22... Qf4) 23. Ng3 Nd4 $4 {Giving back the piece!} ({-0.14 Stockfish 8 64:} 23... h6) 24. Rac1 $4 ({-6.35 Stockfish 8 64:} 24. Rxd4 $1 { The chance may not come again!}) 24... Bb3 $1 25. Qb4 ({-11.45 Stockfish 8 64: } 25. Qxd4 {is the lesser of evils.}) 25... Bxd1 26. Rxd1 Ne2+ $1 27. Nxe2 Rxd1+ 28. Kh2 Qd6+ 0-1 [Event "WWOEU18"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "3"] [White "Tye, Jack"] [Black "McMullan, Evan"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B90"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "50"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {A striking sacrificial finish to a well-worked game.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nf3 (7. Nb3 {leaves the f-pawn free} Be6 8. f3 (8. f4)) 7... Be6 {[#]} 8. Qd2 {This routine developing move gives an equal game.} (8. Ng5 $1 {will give White domination of the light squares.} b5 9. Nxe6 fxe6 10. g3 $1 Be7 11. Bh3) 8... Be7 9. h3 O-O 10. g4 b5 11. g5 Nh5 (11... b4 $1 $15 {is best}) 12. Nd5 $14 Bxd5 13. Qxd5 {[#] So, White can still hope to make mischief on the light squares, but Black is well-developed.} Nd7 14. Be2 Nf4 (14... Nc5 $1) 15. Bxf4 exf4 16. h4 $14 Nb6 (16... Rc8) 17. Qf5 d5 18. O-O-O $16 {White has a clear plus.} Qc7 19. exd5 Rac8 20. d6 $6 {Simply drops a pawn.} (20. h5 $1) 20... Bxd6 $11 {[#] Opposite-side castling usually leads to opposite-side attacks.} 21. Bd3 $2 ({-0.82 Stockfish 8 64:} 21. h5) 21... g6 22. Qh3 Nc4 (22... h5 23. gxh6 Na4 $15) 23. h5 {[#] White looks to have dangerous threats, but Black has ideas too} Nxb2 $1 24. Kxb2 $2 {White can't resist, but it's fatal.} ({-#3 Stockfish 8 64:} 24. Nd4) 24... Qc3+ ( 24... Ba3+ $1) 25. Kc1 Ba3+ 0-1 [Event "WWOEU18"] [Site "?"] [Date "12.01.12"] [Round "1"] [White "McInstosh, Rachel"] [Black "Bacon, Nicky"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B12"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "49"] [EventDate "12.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {With a closed centre, play moved to the wings, with both sides making mistakes in their choice of where to pick a fight.} 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nf3 Nd7 5. Be2 e6 6. O-O c5 (6... h6) (6... Ne7) (6... Bg6) 7. c3 {last book move} cxd4 (7... Ne7 {is more common. Settling the centre lets White develop more freely and actively.}) 8. cxd4 Ne7 9. Nc3 {Not previously a free square.} Nc6 10. Be3 Be7 11. Ne1 (11. Nd2 Nb4 12. Nb3 O-O 13. Rc1 Nb6 14. Na5 Rb8 15. f4 Bg6 16. g4 f5 17. exf6 Bxf6 18. f5 exf5 19. gxf5 Bg5 20. Qd2 Bxe3+ 21. Qxe3 Bxf5 22. Rf2 Nc2 23. Qd2 Nxd4 24. Bf1 Qh4 25. Rd1 Ne6 26. Bg2 Bg4 27. Rdf1 d4 28. Rxf8+ Rxf8 29. Rxf8+ Kxf8 30. Nb5 Bh3 31. Nxd4 Nxd4 32. Bxb7 Qg4+ 33. Kh1 Kg8 34. Nb3 Nxb3 35. axb3 Qd7 {0-1 (35) Korovin,V-Timofeev,V (2275) Briansk 1995}) 11... a6 12. f4 h6 13. g4 Bh7 14. Bd3 Bxd3 15. Nxd3 Qc7 ({The computer says} 15... O-O $11 {but I couldn't do that without some nervousness! The example game shows a strategy of leaving the King in the middle and hurrying to make some play on the Queen's wing.}) 16. Rc1 $1 O-O-O $16 {[#] Sadly, this side of the board is no safer!} 17. f5 ({White should switch aim with} 17. b4 $1 $16) 17... Nb6 18. Nf4 Nc4 19. Qe2 Bg5 {Black is doing their best to be a nuisance.} 20. b3 ({-0.35 Stockfish 8 64:} 20. h4 $1) 20... Bxf4 ( {0.86 Stockfish 8 64:} 20... Nxe3 $1 21. Qxe3 h5 $1 $11 {and Black is at least equal.}) 21. Bxf4 Nb6 22. Qe3 (22. Qd3 $1) 22... Kb8 23. f6 $6 {Opening lines on the wrong side!} (23. h4) ({-0.23 Stockfish 8 64:} 23. Ne2) 23... g5 $1 24. Bg3 Rdg8 (24... h5 $1) 25. h3 $11 {[#] I can see why White wants a draw! This may be roughly equal but Black looks better-placed to attack.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "WWOEU18"] [Site "?"] [Date "12.01.12"] [Round "2"] [White "Bacon, Nicky"] [Black "Stubbs, Oliver"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A00"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "130"] [EventDate "12.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {Well done for trying to win this, but while the double-rook ending was worth teasing Black about, the pure pawn endgame could only be better for Black.} 1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 (3... Nf6 {is more likely to give a French centre.} ) 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Bc4 (5. d4) 5... Ngf6 6. d3 {Too tame: sitting back lets Black get sorted out.} (6. Nxf6+ Nxf6 7. d4 Be7 8. Qe2 O-O 9. Bg5 b6 10. O-O-O Bb7 11. Kb1) 6... Be7 7. O-O {last book move} O-O 8. Bf4 Nb6 9. Bb3 Nbd5 10. Bd2 b6 11. a3 c5 12. c4 {[#] That's not kind to your Bb3} Nc7 13. Bc3 Bb7 14. Nxf6+ ({-0.52 Stockfish 8 64:} 14. Qe2 {is better. Now Black takes over the initiative.}) 14... Bxf6 15. Bc2 $15 Bxc3 $1 16. bxc3 Qf6 17. d4 Bxf3 18. Qxf3 Qxf3 19. gxf3 Rfd8 $15 {Black has made a mess of White's pawns and can look forward to a better endgame.} 20. Rfd1 cxd4 21. cxd4 Rac8 22. a4 Na6 $6 { Decentralising.} (22... Ne8 $1) (22... Nd5 $5) 23. Bb3 Nb4 24. a5 bxa5 25. Rxa5 $11 {[#]} Nc6 26. Rc5 Rb8 27. Rxc6 Rxb3 28. Kg2 g6 29. d5 exd5 30. cxd5 Rb6 31. Rc7 $11 {[#] Objectively equal, but White's pawn looks better.} a6 32. Rc5 Kg7 33. Kg3 Rf6 34. Ra5 Rdd6 35. Rd3 Rf5 36. Ra4 (36. f4 {I thought this was an idea to get your King into the action, but Kf3 will be met by ...g5}) 36... Kf6 37. f4 h6 38. f3 h5 39. h4 Ke7 40. Re4+ Kf6 41. Ra4 Kg7 42. Ra5 Kf6 43. Ra4 { [#] Provoking some exchanges.} Rfxd5 44. Rxd5 Rxd5 45. Rxa6+ Kf5 46. Ra4 Rb5 47. Re4 Rc5 48. Rd4 Rc1 49. Rd5+ Ke6 50. Rd4 Rh1 51. Rd3 Rg1+ 52. Kh2 Ra1 53. Rd4 Ra3 54. Kg3 Ra2 55. Rd3 Kf6 56. Rd4 Ra1 57. Rd3 Kf5 58. Rd5+ Ke6 59. Rd4 Ra7 60. Kf2 Rd7 {Again, objectively equal, but this time White's pawns are clearly worse, so White should keep the Rooks on.} 61. Rxd7 Kxd7 {[#]} 62. Ke3 ({The paradoxical move} 62. f5 $1 $11 {saves the game:} gxf5 63. Ke3 Ke6 64. Kd4 (64. Kf4 Kf6 $19) 64... Kd6 65. f4 f6 66. Kc4 $11) 62... Ke6 63. Ke4 Kf6 64. Kd4 Kf5 65. Ke3 f6 {[#] White is in zugzwang.} 0-1 [Event "WWOEU18"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "3"] [White "Fields, Lawrence"] [Black "Bacon, Nicky"] [Result "*"] [ECO "D44"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "46"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {White never got a grip on this game and lost pawn piece and Rook while thrashing about.} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 Nf6 {We have slid across from the Queen's Gambit Accepted to a main line Slav Defence.} 5. Bg5 { White is mixing systems, probably confused by Black's move order.} e6 (5... b5 {is a more typical Slav try, asking White how they are planning to win back the pawn.}) 6. e3 b5 $1 {last book move} 7. Ne5 (7. a4 $1 {is book and had to be tried.}) 7... h6 8. Bh4 Bb4 (8... Bb7 $1) 9. Qf3 ({-0.64 Stockfish 8 64:} 9. Be2 Bb7 10. Bf3 Qc8 11. O-O Nbd7 12. Nxd7 Qxd7 13. Bxf6 gxf6 14. Ne4 Be7 15. a4 a6 16. Qc2 O-O 17. Rfd1 f5 18. Nc5 Qc7 19. b3 Bxc5 20. dxc5 cxb3 21. Qxb3 { [%eval -3,19]}) 9... g5 {[#] White is not making any impression on Black's position.} 10. Nxc6 $2 $19 {Losing a piece: at the end of this little variation, White must save the Queen and lose the Bishop.} ({-4.78 Stockfish 8 64:} 10. Bg3 h5 $1) 10... Nxc6 11. Qxc6+ Bd7 12. Qf3 gxh4 13. Be2 Nd5 ({-3.75 Stockfish 8 64:} 13... Rc8 {is better, mobilising.}) 14. Rc1 Qf6 15. Qe4 Bxc3+ 16. bxc3 Rc8 17. Bf3 Bc6 18. Qg4 Ne7 19. Bxc6+ Rxc6 20. Rb1 a6 21. Rg1 Rg8 22. Qe4 Qg6 {[#] Forcing a Queen exchange, because of the skewer?} 23. Qxh4 $4 ({ -35.50 Stockfish 8 64:} 23. Qxg6) 23... Qxb1+ * [Event "WWOEU18"] [Site "?"] [Date "12.01.12"] [Round "1"] [White "Kennedy-Bruyneels, Isaac"] [Black "Ashworth, Robert"] [Result "*"] [ECO "C50"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "43"] [EventDate "12.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {You didn't seem to have much of a plan for what to do in your chosen opening. You could learn a better plan, but I'd be happier if you chose a better opening!} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. O-O Nf6 5. d3 {[#] I really want to see something punchier than this at U18 level!} h6 6. Nc3 d6 7. h3 {last book move} Be6 8. Bxe6 fxe6 9. Qe2 O-O 10. Be3 Bb6 11. Bxb6 axb6 {[#] The two sets of doubled pawns aren't really targets, but do give Black useful half-open files, as well as keeping a Knight out of d5.} 12. a3 Nh5 13. g3 Qe8 14. Nd1 Qf7 {Already making use of the half-open f-file.} 15. Kg2 Ne7 16. Ne3 Ng6 {[#] Black has a threat.} 17. Ng4 ({White must get the Queen out of the way with} 17. Qd1) 17... Ngf4+ 18. gxf4 Nxf4+ 19. Kh2 Nxe2 20. Rae1 ({-#6 Stockfish 8 64:} 20. Ng1 {heads off mate for a little longer}) 20... Qxf3 ({ -22.36 Stockfish 8 64:} 20... Qf4+ {is faster}) 21. Rg1 ({-40.70 Stockfish 8 64:} 21. Rxe2) 21... Nxg1 22. Rxg1 * [Event "WWOEU18"] [Site "?"] [Date "12.01.12"] [Round "2"] [White "Smith, Callum"] [Black "Kennedy-Bruyneels, Isaac"] [Result "*"] [ECO "C50"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "82"] [EventDate "12.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {A poke at the centre with ...c5 left you with permanent weaknesses, and an attempt to mend them with ...d5 lost you a vital pawn.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Bc5 (4... Nxe4) 5. d3 h6 {Well well. I never thought I'd see Old Stodge twice in the U18s!} 6. Be3 Bb6 {This retreat gives nothing away, while swapping might be a concession, as we saw in the last game.} 7. Bxb6 axb6 8. d4 exd4 9. Nxd4 Ne5 {This one-move threat really just makes the Knight a target for f2-f4.} (9... d6 {Just developing is best.}) 10. Bb3 O-O $16 11. O-O {[#]} (11. f4 $1 {and White's space advantage is starting to be important.}) 11... c5 {I guess this hits back in the centre but it makes the d-pawn, and the squares in front of it, very weak.} ({1.56 Stockfish 8 64:} 11... d6) 12. Nf3 ({0.52 Stockfish 8 64:} 12. Ndb5 $1) 12... Qc7 ({1.28 Stockfish 8 64:} 12... d6) 13. Nd5 (13. Nxe5) (13. Nb5) 13... Qd6 ({1.47 Stockfish 8 64:} 13... Nxd5) 14. Nxf6+ ({0.48 Stockfish 8 64:} 14. Nxe5 $1 Qxe5 15. f4 Qxb2 16. Rb1 Qd4+ 17. Qxd4 cxd4 18. Nxf6+ gxf6 {[#] leaves Black's pawns all isolated and mostly doubled.} 19. Rfd1) 14... Qxf6 15. c3 c4 (15... Ng6 $1) 16. Bc2 Rd8 17. Nxe5 Qxe5 18. Qe2 b5 (18... d5 $5 {looks like a chance to ditch the weak d-pawn but} 19. f4 $1 Qc7 20. e5) 19. f4 Qc5+ 20. Qf2 Qxf2+ 21. Rxf2 d5 {Right idea again, but} 22. Rd2 $1 b6 ({1.30 Stockfish 8 64:} 22... b4) 23. exd5 Bb7 24. Be4 Rd6 25. Kf2 g6 26. g3 Kg7 27. h4 h5 28. a3 Re8 29. Bf3 Kf6 30. Re1 Rxe1 31. Kxe1 Kf5 ({2.18 Stockfish 8 64:} 31... Rd7) 32. Ke2 Ba8 33. Ke3 Bb7 34. Kd4 Ba8 {[#] White is completely dominating, and it's hard to suggest anything constructive for Black. White still needs to show how to break through, though, so Black doesn't have to do anything.} ({3.76 Stockfish 8 64:} 34... Kf6) 35. Re2 Rd8 36. Re5+ (36. Re7 $1 $18) 36... Kf6 37. Be4 Bc6 38. Rg5 ({2. 52 Stockfish 8 64:} 38. f5) 38... Bd7 39. Re5 ({0.00 Stockfish 8 64:} 39. f5) 39... Kg7 ({3.23 Stockfish 8 64:} 39... Bc6) 40. d6 Be6 {That looks suspiciously like doing something!} ({3.36 Stockfish 8 64:} 40... Kf6) 41. Rxb5 Rxd6+ {[#] The noted moves stop here, but White now should have an easy win.} ( 41... Rxd6+ 42. Ke5 Rd2 43. Rxb6) * [Event "WWOEU18"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "?"] [White "Wang, Andy"] [Black "Kennedy-Bruyneels, Isaac"] [Result "*"] [ECO "C50"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "78"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {Mistakes on both sides but you played with vigour and deserved a win.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bc4 (4. d4) (4. Bb5) 4... Bc5 (4... Nxe4) 5. d3 { [#]} h6 {Amazing - three Old Stodges!} 6. Qe2 (6. Be3 Bb6 7. Qd2 d6 8. h3 Be6 9. Bb3 Qd7 10. O-O-O O-O-O 11. d4 {is, apparently, the theory line.}) 6... d6 7. h3 O-O 8. Be3 Bb6 9. O-O-O Be6 ({0.12 Stockfish 8 64:} 9... Nd4 $1 $11) 10. Bxe6 fxe6 {[#] Again this exchange, which gives Black something to chew on.} 11. Qd2 Bxe3 12. Qxe3 Ne7 $2 (12... Nd7 $11 13. d4 exd4 14. Nxd4 Nxd4 15. Rxd4 a6) (12... Nh5 $1) 13. d4 exd4 14. Nxd4 $14 {The same structure as the last game, where White has more space.} Qd7 15. e5 $5 $11 (15. f4 {is right, emphasising space.}) 15... Nfd5 16. Nxd5 Nxd5 17. Qe4 Rxf2 $11 {Stealing a pawn, but White should be able to keep the balance.} 18. Rdf1 $6 (18. exd6 cxd6 19. Qxe6+ Qxe6 20. Nxe6 Re8 21. Rxd5 Rxe6 22. Rd2 $11) 18... Raf8 $15 {Good stuff from Black.} 19. Nf3 (19. Rxf2 Rxf2 20. exd6 $15) 19... Rxf1+ 20. Rxf1 $17 Qb5 $1 21. Re1 Rf4 $1 {Excellent.} 22. Qg6 Qd7 23. exd6 Qf7 $4 (23... Rf6 $1 {keeps Black on top, gaining time to eat the advanced White pawn.}) 24. Qxe6 $14 ({The awkward} 24. Ne5 $1 $18 {wins for White} Qxg6 25. Nxg6 Rf7 26. c4 Nf6 27. Ne7+ Kf8 28. dxc7) 24... Qxe6 25. Rxe6 cxd6 26. Rxd6 {[#] The game has lurched into a better endgame for White.} (26. c3 $14) 26... Ne3 27. Rd4 $15 { That throws away the game.} ({-0.33 Stockfish 8 64:} 27. Rd8+) 27... Nxg2 $1 28. Rxf4 Nxf4 {level material, but Black can make a passed pawn very quickly} 29. h4 Kf7 30. Kd2 Kf6 31. Ke3 Kf5 32. a4 ({-1.23 Stockfish 8 64:} 32. c4) 32... Ne6 ({-0.35 Stockfish 8 64:} 32... Nd5+) 33. b4 g5 34. hxg5 hxg5 35. Ne1 g4 $17 36. Ng2 Ke5 {[#] I have this result as a draw, but after almost any 37th move, Black wins if White swaps Knights} (36... Ke5 {"A6"}) 37. a5 (37. c3 Kd5 38. Nf4+ Nxf4 39. Kxf4 Kc4) (37. c4 {can't have been played because I believe Black's next move was Kd5}) 37... Kd5 38. Nf4+ ({-69.49 Stockfish 8 64: } 38. Kd3) 38... Nxf4 39. Kxf4 Kc4 $19 * [Event "WWOEU18"] [Site "?"] [Date "12.01.12"] [Round "1"] [White "MacDonald, Duncan"] [Black "Ramesh, Vignesh"] [Result "*"] [ECO "E67"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "68"] [EventDate "12.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {A scrappy game, where in a confused middlegame, the advantage went from one side to the other several times.} 1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. g3 d6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. d4 Nbd7 {Rather an old-fashioned approach to this position.} (6... Nc6) (6... Na6) (6... c6) 7. O-O e5 8. Bg5 (8. e4 $1) 8... h6 9. Bxf6 Bxf6 { last book move} 10. Nd5 Bg7 $15 {[#] White has pitched in the Bishop pair for no good return.} 11. e3 f5 12. Qb3 c6 13. Nc3 Qb6 {[#]} ({Better were} 13... e4 {and}) (13... Rf7 {or}) ({0.41 Stockfish 8 64:} 13... Kh7) 14. d5 $2 $15 (14. Nb5 cxb5 (14... d5 15. Nd6) 15. c5+) ({The amusing} 14. Nb5 {gives White a plus }) 14... Nc5 $2 ({0.72 Stockfish 8 64:} 14... Kh7 $1 $15) 15. Qxb6 $14 axb6 16. dxc6 (16. Nh4 $11 e4 (16... g5 17. Ng6 Rf7 18. dxc6 Kh7 19. Bd5 Kxg6 20. Bxf7+ Kxf7) 17. Nxg6 Kf7 18. Nf4 (18. Nxf8)) 16... bxc6 {[#]} 17. Nh4 $1 $16 { Attacking two pawns at once.} e4 18. Nxg6 Kf7 $2 ({2.18 Stockfish 8 64:} 18... Rf7 19. Nf4 {[%eval 84,21]}) 19. Nf4 $14 ({There was no reason to avoid} 19. Nxf8 $1) 19... Ba6 $16 {[#] White has a clear plus, but the next move throws it away.} 20. Bh3 $2 $17 (20. Rfd1 $1) 20... Bxc4 21. Rfd1 {[#]} Rfd8 ({Even better was} 21... Bxc3 $1 22. bxc3 d5 23. Bxf5 Ra3 $17) 22. Bxf5 Bxc3 23. bxc3 Rxa2 ({0.23 Stockfish 8 64:} 23... Ra3) 24. Rxa2 Bxa2 25. Ra1 $11 {[#] The advantage changes hands again.} Bc4 $16 (25... Ra8 $11) 26. Nh5 Be6 27. Ra7+ Rd7 28. Bxe6+ Kxe6 29. Nf4+ Ke5 30. Ra8 d5 31. Re8+ Kf6 32. Rc8 Rd6 33. Nh5+ Ke7 34. Ng7 Kf7 {[#] This is all I have of the game: White still has a plus here, but Black won!} (34... Kf7 35. Nf5 $16) * [Event "WWOEU18"] [Site "?"] [Date "12.01.12"] [Round "2"] [White "Ramesh, Vignesh"] [Black "Fowler, Hugo"] [Result "*"] [ECO "C56"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "48"] [EventDate "12.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {White's enterprising but rather home-made opening went badly wrong.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Nf6 {[#]} 5. e5 {An old variation with some modern followers!} (5. O-O Nxe4 6. Re1 d5 7. Bxd5 Qxd5 8. Nc3 Qa5 9. Nxe4 Be6 10. Neg5 O-O-O 11. Nxe6 fxe6 12. Rxe6) 5... d5 6. exf6 $2 (6. Bb5 Ne4 7. Nxd4 Bd7 8. Bxc6 bxc6 {[#] is a reasonable system, aiming at control of the dark squares.}) 6... dxc4 {[#] In the Max Lange Attack, White can take on g7 with good effect. This position is a poor version of that for White.} 7. Qe2+ (7. O-O) 7... Be6 8. fxg7 Bxg7 9. O-O Qd5 10. Na3 ({-3.91 Stockfish 8 64:} 10. Bg5) 10... O-O-O 11. Re1 Rhe8 {[#] Black has a huge advantage -- ahead in space, development and material!} ({-2.96 Stockfish 8 64:} 11... d3) 12. Qe4 Qxe4 13. Rxe4 Bd5 14. Rxe8 Rxe8 15. Bf4 d3 16. c3 Re4 17. Be3 Ne5 18. Nxe5 Bxe5 19. Re1 Bf4 20. Nb1 Re6 21. g3 ({-4.39 Stockfish 8 64:} 21. Nd2) 21... Bxe3 22. Rxe3 ({ -5.82 Stockfish 8 64:} 22. fxe3) 22... Rb6 23. Re5 Be6 24. Nd2 Rxb2 $19 {[#]} * [Event "WWOEU18"] [Site "?"] [Date "12.01.12"] [Round "2"] [White "Ramesh, Vignesh"] [Black "Fowler, Hugo"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C56"] [PlyCount "48"] [EventDate "12.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. e5 (5. O-O Nxe4 6. Re1 d5 7. Bxd5 Qxd5 8. Nc3 Qa5 9. Nxe4 Be6 10. Neg5 O-O-O 11. Nxe6 fxe6 12. Rxe6) 5... d5 6. exf6 $2 (6. Bb5 Ne4 7. Nxd4 Bd7 8. Bxc6 bxc6) 6... dxc4 {last book move} 7. Qe2+ Be6 8. fxg7 Bxg7 9. O-O Qd5 10. Na3 ({-3.67 Stockfish 8 64:} 10. Bg5 O-O 11. Qd2 Bg4 12. Nh4 Rae8 13. f3 Bf5 14. Nxf5 Qxf5 15. c3 b5 16. cxd4 b4 17. Bh6 Bxh6 18. Qxh6 Nxd4 19. Nd2 Ne2+ 20. Kh1 c3 21. Ne4 cxb2 {[%eval -213,20]}) 10... O-O-O 11. Re1 Rhe8 ({-2.76 Stockfish 8 64:} 11... d3 12. cxd3 cxd3 13. Qe4 Rhe8 14. Kf1 Qxe4 15. Rxe4 Bd5 16. Rxe8 Rxe8 17. Rb1 Bxa2 18. Ra1 Bd5 19. Nb1 Bxf3 20. gxf3 Re2 21. Nc3 Rc2 22. Be3 Rxb2 23. Ne4 f5 24. Nc5 d2 25. Rd1 { [%eval -413,19]}) 12. Qe4 Qxe4 13. Rxe4 Bd5 14. Rxe8 Rxe8 15. Bf4 d3 16. c3 Re4 ({-2.23 Stockfish 8 64:} 16... Re2 17. Nd2 a6 18. Naxc4 Bxc4 19. Nxc4 Re4 20. Be3 Rxc4 21. Rd1 b5 22. a3 Bxc3 23. bxc3 Rxc3 24. Ra1 Kd7 25. Kf1 Ke6 26. Ke1 Kd5 27. Kd2 Kc4 28. Rc1 Rxc1 29. Kxc1 Nd4 30. Bxd4 Kxd4 31. Kd2 c5 {[%eval -326,20]}) 17. Be3 Ne5 18. Nxe5 Bxe5 19. Re1 Bf4 20. Nb1 Re6 21. g3 ({-4.22 Stockfish 8 64:} 21. Nd2 Kd7 22. Nf1 f5 23. Rb1 Bd6 24. Bxa7 f4 25. Nd2 Re2 26. Rd1 b5 27. Bd4 c5 28. Bg7 Ke6 29. b3 Kf7 30. Bh8 cxb3 31. axb3 c4 32. bxc4 bxc4 33. Kf1 {[%eval -254,22]}) 21... Bxe3 22. Rxe3 Rb6 23. Re5 ({-6.30 Stockfish 8 64:} 23. b3 cxb3 24. axb3 Rxb3 25. Nd2 Rxc3 26. f3 Kd7 27. Kf2 b5 28. Re1 a5 29. Ke3 c5 30. Nb1 Rc2 31. Kxd3 Rxh2 32. Nc3 Bc4+ 33. Ke3 a4 34. Ra1 Kc6 35. Nxa4 bxa4 36. Rxa4 Re2+ 37. Kf4 Bd5 38. Ra6+ Kb5 39. Rd6 Be6 40. g4 {[%eval -495,23]}) 23... Be6 24. Nd2 Rxb2 0-1 [Event "WWOEU18"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "3"] [White "Ramesh, Vignesh"] [Black "Walker, Max"] [Result "*"] [ECO "C42"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "59"] [EventDate "12.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {A careful drawn in a drawish line, but once the position had become unbalanced both sides should have been more alert to new plans.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 (5. Nc3) 5... d5 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. O-O Be7 { [#] This is the start of some very heavy Grandmaster theory.} 8. Re1 ({The heavy stuff starts} 8. c4 {with one long trodden path going} Nb4 9. Be2 O-O 10. Nc3 Bf5 11. a3 Nxc3 12. bxc3 Nc6 13. Re1 Re8 14. cxd5 Qxd5 15. Bf4 Rac8 16. Bd3 Qd7 17. Rb1 b6 18. d5 Bxd3 (18... Qxd5 19. Bb5 Qc5) 19. Qxd3 Bxa3 20. Ng5 g6 21. Ne4 Qf5 22. Bxc7 Rxc7 23. Nf6+ Qxf6 24. Rxe8+ Kg7 25. dxc6 Bc5 26. Rb2) 8... Bf5 $6 ({The best move here is} 8... Bg4 $1) 9. c3 (9. c4 $1 Nb4 {The usual approach, but White can hide the B on F1 and keep pressure down the e-file.} 10. Bf1 O-O 11. a3 Nc6 12. Nc3 Nxc3 13. bxc3) 9... O-O 10. Bf4 (10. Qc2) 10... Re8 11. Qc2 {last book move} Bg6 12. Nbd2 Nxd2 13. Qxd2 {White has a small plus, based on more active pieces. The Nc6 is particularly poor.} Qd7 (13... Bxd3 14. Qxd3 Qd7 15. Qb5 b6 16. Re3 Bf6 17. Rae1 Rxe3 18. Rxe3 h6 19. h3 a6 20. Qe2 Ne7 21. g4 Ng6 22. Bg3 Bg5 23. Nxg5 hxg5 24. Qf3 c5 25. dxc5 bxc5 26. c4 Rd8 27. cxd5 Qxd5 28. Qxd5 Rxd5 29. Ra3 c4 30. Rxa6 Rb5 31. Ra8+ Kh7 32. Rb8 Ra5 33. a3 c3 34. bxc3 Rxa3 35. Rc8 f6 36. Kg2 Ra1 37. c4 Rc1 38. Kf3 Re1 39. c5 Ne5+ 40. Kg2 Rc1 41. Bxe5 fxe5 42. Kf3 Rh1 43. Ke4 Rxh3 44. f3 Rh1 45. Rf8 Re1+ 46. Kd5 g6 47. c6 Rc1 48. Rb8 Rc3 49. Rb5 Rd3+ 50. Kxe5 Rxf3 51. c7 Re3+ 52. Kd6 Rd3+ 53. Rd5 Rc3 54. Rc5 Rd3+ 55. Kc6 {1-0 (55) Zelcic,R (2539) -Ivanov,S (2205) Zadar 2010}) 14. Bb5 (14. Bxg6 hxg6) 14... Bd6 15. Ne5 Bxe5 16. dxe5 {A change in structure and material balance: BB vs BN} a6 17. Ba4 b5 18. Bb3 Rad8 19. Rad1 Ne7 $14 {[#] The right plan: Black has a Queen'-side majority to get going, although White can hold it up.} 20. Qe2 $11 (20. Qd4 $1 $14 Nf5 21. Qxd5) 20... c6 $6 (20... c5 $1 $11) 21. e6 $6 (21. Be3 $14) 21... fxe6 22. Qxe6+ Qxe6 23. Rxe6 Bf7 24. Rd6 Rxd6 25. Bxd6 Nf5 {[#]} 26. Ba3 { White's pieces are not really working.} Bh5 27. f3 Ne3 28. Re1 Nc4 (28... Nf5 29. Rxe8+ Bxe8 $14 (29... Bxe8)) 29. Rxe8+ Bxe8 30. Bxc4 $11 * [Event "WWOEU18"] [Site "?"] [Date "12.01.12"] [Round "1"] [White "Gao, Ian"] [Black "Sturt, Ben"] [Result "*"] [ECO "B19"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "71"] [EventDate "12.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {'That was a shame: you played logically and made only few and small mistakes, but they added up to a loss.'} 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. h5 Bh7 8. Nf3 Nd7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 Ngf6 11. Bd2 e6 12. O-O-O {'White plays a well-regarded plan.'} Qc7 (12... Be7 {'is a bit better'}) 13. Ne4 Nxe4 (13... Rd8) 14. Qxe4 Nf6 15. Qe2 O-O-O 16. g3 Bd6 17. c4 {'Black is still solid, but White has the better position.'} Rhe8 18. Bc3 c5 { 'Double-edged: it exposes the King as well as hitting back in the centre.'} 19. Kb1 {last book move} Nd7 {'?'} ({1.43 Stockfish 8 64:} 19... cxd4) 20. dxc5 { 'Discovering an attack on g7.'} Bxc5 21. Bxg7 Bf8 22. Bxf8 Rxf8 23. Rh4 Nb6 24. Kc1 Rxd1+ 25. Qxd1 ({0.10 Stockfish 8 64:} 25. Kxd1 Re8 26. b3 e5 27. Kc1 f5 28. Rd4 e4 29. Nh4 Qe5 30. Qd2 f4 31. gxf4 Qxh5 32. Ng2 Qh1+ 33. Ne1 Qh5 { [%eval 147,16]}) 25... Qc5 ({1.33 Stockfish 8 64: Black should take the chance to snatch back the pawn.} 25... Nxc4) 26. Qd4 Qg5+ {'That's what it says on the score sheet, but I expect Nxg5 would have been the reply!'} ({17.68 Stockfish 8 64:} 26... Qxd4) 27. Qe3 ({0.39 Stockfish 8 64:} 27. Nxg5) 27... Qf5 ({3.35 Stockfish 8 64:} 27... Qxe3+) 28. b3 ({1.31 Stockfish 8 64:} 28. Qxh6) 28... Rd8 29. Rd4 Rxd4 30. Nxd4 e5 ({31.46 Stockfish 8 64:} 30... Qxh5) 31. Ne2 ({1.15 Stockfish 8 64:} 31. Nxf5) 31... e4 ({3.32 Stockfish 8 64:} 31... Qxh5) 32. Qd4 ({1.95 Stockfish 8 64:} 32. Qxh6) 32... Qg5+ ({2.64 Stockfish 8 64:} 32... Qxh5) 33. Kc2 ({1.96 Stockfish 8 64:} 33. Nf4) 33... f5 ({4.32 Stockfish 8 64:} 33... Qxh5) 34. Nf4 Nd7 35. Qxa7 b5 ({#8 Stockfish 8 64:} 35... Qg7 36. Nd5 {[%eval 376,22]}) 36. Ne6 {Black is in a mating net.} * [Event "WWOEU18"] [Site "?"] [Date "12.01.12"] [Round "2"] [White "Sturt, Ben"] [Black "McIntosh, David"] [Result "*"] [ECO "B19"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "46"] [EventDate "12.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {Against a solid opening, you didn't get anything going, and when trying to create some threats you got in a muddle. Have a look at the opening and compare it with your experience with Black in this line.} 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nd7 {'The main line of the Caro-Kann defence; it's solid and lacks tension, so White has to play accurately and sharply to get any winning chances.'} 8. Bd3 ({Usually White plays one more pawn poke:} 8. h5 Bh7 9. Bd3) 8... Bxd3 9. Qxd3 e6 10. Bf4 ({In these positions, White often chooses} 10. Bd2) 10... Ngf6 {last book move} ( 10... Qa5+ {'is a little bit annoying, which is why Bd2 is preferred'}) 11. O-O (11. O-O-O {tries to squeeze a little bit more out of this structure}) 11... Nd5 (11... Be7 {'continues with development'}) 12. Be5 (12. Bd2 {I'm always happy to keep Bishops}) 12... Nxe5 13. Nxe5 {'abandoning h4'} Bd6 (13... Qxh4) 14. Nc4 (14. Ne4 {'is more active'}) 14... Bc7 15. Qe4 ({-1.37 Stockfish 8 64: } 15. h5 {is better, getting it out of the way of the Queen.}) 15... Nf6 16. Qe3 Ng4 17. Qf3 Qxh4 {[#] 'Black has a big advantage here: better pieces and a pawn ahead.'} 18. Rfe1 Bxg3 19. fxg3 Qh2+ 20. Kf1 Qh5 {'Black has a big threat. White counterattacks, but in the end is faced with losing the Knight or the Queen.'} 21. Nd6+ ({-3.10 Stockfish 8 64:} 21. Kg1) 21... Ke7 ({-1.57 Stockfish 8 64:} 21... Kd7) 22. Nf5+ ({-4.10 Stockfish 8 64:} 22. Qa3) 22... Kd8 23. Nd6 ({-11.04 Stockfish 8 64:} 23. Nxg7 {'is relatively best'}) 23... Nh2+ * [Event "WWOEU18"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "3"] [White "Sturt, Ben"] [Black "Rees, Morgan"] [Result "*"] [ECO "C48"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "78"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] 1. e4 {You drifted a bit in the early middlegame but recognised when Black made a mistake and were unlucky not to get the win.} e5 2. Nf3 (2. f4) 2... Nf6 {[#]} 3. Nc3 {DrDave: 'Safe but dull.'} (3. Nxe5 {is the main line, as seen in one of Vignesh's games, but an alternative attacking idea is} d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nxc3 6. dxc3 {White has free development, and can hope to castle long and attack.}) (3. d4) (3. Bc4) 3... Nc6 4. Bb5 (4. d4) 4... Bc5 {DrDave: 'Less reliable but playable.'} (4... Bb4 {is safe}) (4... Nd4 {is a good idea, going for an unbalanced game}) 5. O-O (5. Nxe5) 5... d6 {[#]} 6. h3 (6. d4 {'!' DrDave. DrDave: 'is good here:'} exd4 7. Nxd4 Bd7 8. Nf5 {'+/=' DrDave. DrDave: 'You have to open a file one day, so take your chance early!'}) 6... Bd7 7. d3 h6 {[#]} 8. a3 (8. Na4 {aims to secure a BB vs BN or NN advantage}) 8... a6 {[#] 'The players have conspired to play all four DLPRMs. I promise, they only look safe!'} 9. Ba4 O-O 10. b4 Ba7 11. Bb3 Qe7 12. Nd5 Nxd5 13. Bxd5 {[#]} Nd4 $2 { Uncovers b7} ({1.02 Stockfish 8 64:} 13... Be6) 14. c3 $2 {Missing the chance.} ({-0.08 Stockfish 8 64:} 14. Bxb7) 14... Nxf3+ 15. Qxf3 c6 16. Bb3 Be6 17. Bc2 {[#]} d5 {DrDave: 'Black is first to advance in the centre, and can claim a whisper of advantage.'} (17... f5 $1 {is even better, embarrassing the White Queen.}) 18. Qg3 Qf6 19. Be3 Bb8 20. Bc5 Re8 21. Qe3 (21. Bb6 {stops Black's next idea}) 21... Bc7 22. d4 {[#]'This is the right sort of plan for White, but here you are a bit behind in development, and that means opening lines is going to favour Black.'} dxe4 23. Bxe4 Qf4 (23... Bc4 24. Rfe1 Re6 {'-/+' DrDave. }) 24. dxe5 Bxe5 25. Qxf4 Bxf4 26. f3 Rad8 27. Rad1 {[#]} Bg3 (27... Be5 {is more awkward for White to meet}) 28. Bf2 (28. Bb6 {is equal}) 28... Bc4 {[#] 'Counterattacking, but Black has miscounted.'} ({2.45 Stockfish 8 64:} 28... Be5 $15) 29. Bxg3 {DrDave: 'Quite right!'} Bxf1 30. Rxf1 g6 31. Bf2 f5 32. Bc2 Rd2 33. Bb3+ Kh7 {[#]'White has a clear advantage in material, but it's less clear how to make use of it.'} 34. a4 (34. Rd1 Rxd1+ (34... Ree2 35. Rxd2 Rxd2 36. a4) 35. Bxd1 a5 (35... Kg7 36. Bd4+ Kf8 37. Kf2 f4 38. h4 Ra8 39. Bb6 Kf7 40. Bb3+ Kf6 41. a4 g5 42. h5 Rc8 43. a5 Kg7 44. Bd4+ Kh7 45. Ke2 Rc7 46. Kd2 Re7 47. Bc2+ Kg8 48. Be4 Rd7 49. Kd3 Kf8 50. Kc4 Kf7 51. Kc5 Ke6 52. Bc2 Re7 53. Bg6 Rd7 54. Kb6 Re7 55. Bc5 Rd7 56. Bf8) 36. Kf1 axb4 37. cxb4 Rd8 38. Ke2 f4 39. Bb3 Rd7 40. Bc4 Rd6 41. a4 {[#] White is winning.}) 34... Rb2 35. Bc4 ( 35. Bd1 $18 {DrDave: 'keeps control. In the game, White gets bullied by the black Rooks.'}) ({0.44 Stockfish 8 64:} 35. Bf7) 35... b5 36. axb5 axb5 37. Bd3 Rd8 ({2.06 Stockfish 8 64:} 37... Rd2) 38. Bb1 ({0.00 Stockfish 8 64:} 38. Rd1) 38... Rdd2 $11 39. g4 {[#]} f4 $4 (39... f4 {DrDave: 'Black ignores the chance to pull level and also takes all the pressure off the White position! I expect White should win this, but a draw is fair enough.'} 40. Be4 Rd6 41. Bd4 Ra2 42. Re1 Ra3 43. h4 {[#] 'White dominates the board, and Black can't come up with any threats.'} Kg8 44. Be5 Re6 45. Bxf4) ({3.74 Stockfish 8 64: DrDave: Black should restore material balance with} 39... Rxf2 40. Rxf2 Rxb1+) * [Event "WWOEU18"] [Site "?"] [Date "12.01.12"] [Round "2"] [White "Sturt, Ben"] [Black "McIntosh, David"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B19"] [PlyCount "46"] [EventDate "12.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nd7 8. Bd3 (8. h5 Bh7 9. Bd3) 8... Bxd3 9. Qxd3 e6 10. Bf4 (10. Bd2) 10... Ngf6 {last book move} (10... Qa5+) 11. O-O Nd5 (11... Be7) 12. Be5 Nxe5 13. Nxe5 Bd6 14. Nc4 (14. Ne4) ({-0.69 Stockfish 8 64:} 14. Ne4 Bc7 15. g3 Qe7 16. c3 O-O-O 17. Qe2 Nf6 18. Rad1 g5 19. h5 Bxe5 20. dxe5 Nxe4 21. Qxe4 Rxd1 22. Rxd1 Rd8 23. Rxd8+ Qxd8 {[%eval 20,19]}) 14... Bc7 15. Qe4 ({-1.46 Stockfish 8 64:} 15. h5 Nf4 16. Qe4 Qg5 17. Qf3 O-O-O 18. Rfd1 Qd5 19. Qxd5 Rxd5 20. c3 Kb8 21. a4 Rhd8 22. Re1 Rg5 23. Rad1 Rg4 24. Ra1 Rh4 25. a5 Nxh5 26. Nxh5 Bh2+ 27. Kh1 Rxh5 { [%eval -70,22]}) 15... Nf6 16. Qe3 Ng4 17. Qf3 Qxh4 18. Rfe1 Bxg3 19. fxg3 Qh2+ 20. Kf1 Qh5 21. Nd6+ ({-3.17 Stockfish 8 64:} 21. Ke2 Rd8 22. c3 Qg6 23. Ne3 Nxe3 24. Qxe3 O-O 25. Rad1 Rd5 26. Qd3 Rf5 27. Rf1 Qh5+ 28. Ke1 Rb5 29. Rf2 Re8 30. Qf3 Qg6 31. Qd3 Qxd3 32. Rxd3 f6 {[%eval -170,21]}) 21... Ke7 ({-1.98 Stockfish 8 64:} 21... Kd7 22. Qa3 Kc7 23. c4 Qh1+ 24. Ke2 Qxg2+ 25. Kd1 Qf2 26. c5 Qxd4+ 27. Kc1 Rhf8 28. Rd1 Qe3+ 29. Qxe3 Nxe3 30. Re1 Nd5 31. Kc2 Rad8 32. Ne4 Ne7 33. Rad1 Rxd1 34. Rxd1 {[%eval -317,19]}) 22. Nf5+ ({-4.36 Stockfish 8 64:} 22. Qa3 Qh1+ 23. Ke2 Qxg2+ 24. Kd1 Kf8 25. Nxb7+ Kg8 26. Kc1 h5 27. Na5 Rc8 28. Nc4 h4 29. gxh4 Rxh4 30. Qc3 Nf6 31. a4 Rd8 32. b3 Ne4 33. Qe3 Ng3 34. Qd2 Qd5 35. Kb2 Qxd4+ 36. Qxd4 Rdxd4 {[%eval -198,21]}) 22... Kd8 23. Nd6 ({-10.89 Stockfish 8 64:} 23. Nxg7 Qg6 24. Kg1 Rg8 25. d5 cxd5 26. Nxe6+ fxe6 27. Rad1 Kc7 28. Qc3+ Kb8 29. Qc5 e5 30. Rxd5 Rc8 31. Qd6+ Qxd6 32. Rxd6 Kc7 33. Rd3 Rd8 34. Rc3+ Kd7 35. Rb3 b6 36. Rc3 Rac8 37. Rxc8 Rxc8 { [%eval -349,21]}) 23... Nh2+ 0-1 [Event "WWOEU18"] [Site "?"] [Date "12.01.12"] [Round "2"] [White "Bacon, Oliver"] [Black "Sockplanich, Golf"] [Result "*"] [ECO "D04"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "48"] [EventDate "12.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {You got your pieces nicely organised out of the opening but fumbled a pawn soon after.} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. e3 {[#] This system is less effective against the fianchetto.} d5 4. Bd3 ({Alternatively,} 4. c4 Bg7 5. Nc3 O-O {[#]} 6. b4 {is a one dea as an alternative system} (6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Bc4) 6... c6 7. Bb2 Bg4 8. h3 Bxf3 9. Qxf3) 4... Bg7 {[#]} 5. c3 {You shouldn't play this automatically. In reply to ...c5 or ...Nc6, it makes sense, otherwise it's a waste of time.} (5. c4) (5. Nbd2) 5... Nbd7 6. Nbd2 c5 {[#] White can sometimes play dxc5 so as not to risk an IQP, but here the recapture ....Nxc5 is awkward. The fianchetto is one of Black's best defences to the Colle, and Richard Palliser in his book on the opening mostly suggests that you try 4.c4} 7. e4 cxd4 8. cxd4 dxe4 9. Nxe4 O-O 10. O-O (10. Nc3 {If you want to attack, keep pieces on the board.}) 10... Nb6 11. Bc2 Bg4 12. Be3 Qd5 13. h3 Nxe4 $6 14. hxg4 $1 Rad8 {[#] White now has fair chances here with the Bishop pair.} 15. Qd3 (15. Re1 {puts the Ne4 on notice.}) 15... Nd6 16. Rfd1 Qe6 {[#]} 17. Nh2 $6 {This retreat is unlikely to be best.} (17. g5 $1 $11) 17... Rfe8 18. g5 Nf5 19. Nf3 Nd5 {[#] Black is taking over the initiative, but there is no need for ...} 20. Bb3 $2 {dropping a pawn.} ({-1.37 Stockfish 8 64:} 20. Bd2) 20... Nfxe3 21. fxe3 Qxe3+ 22. Kf1 Qxd3+ 23. Rxd3 Nb4 24. Rd2 e5 {and Black won.} * [Event "?"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.29"] [Round "?"] [White "Tarrasch Trap"] [Black "?"] [Result "*"] [ECO "C66"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "35"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {Just for contrast, here's a Good Trap, discovered by Tarrasch. White plays only good moves, but if Black doesn't choose correctly, White can spring a trap!} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 {The Ruy Lopez. In this line, Black goes for the most solid and safe moves they can find, hoping their strong point in the centre will provide shelter...} d6 4. d4 Bd7 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. O-O Be7 7. Re1 { [#] So far, so good.} O-O {Black plays one 'safe' move too many! White can win a pawn here, for if Black tries to hit back and win a pawn back, White wins at least an Exchange. [#]} (7... exd4 $1 $14 {is best here, but because White has been playing good moves on each turn, White can still claim a small advantage.}) 8. Bxc6 {[#] TACTIC: Undermining e5.} Bxc6 9. dxe5 dxe5 10. Qxd8 Raxd8 ({If} 10... Rfxd8 11. Nxe5 {Black can't win back the pawn by} Bxe4 12. Nxe4 Nxe4 {because of the same idea:} 13. Nd3 f5 14. f3 Bc5+ {Here White can just step aside and win a piece} 15. Kf1) 11. Nxe5 {[#] TACTIC: Finally getting around to taking the pawn on e5.} Bxe4 {e4 is outnumbered.} 12. Nxe4 Nxe4 {[#] Has Black been clever?} 13. Nd3 {[#] TACTIC: blocking the d-file and discovering an attack down the e-file -- a pin or a skewer.} (13. Rxe4 {[#] TACTIC: back rank mate} Rd1+ 14. Re1 Rxe1#) 13... f5 14. f3 {[#] TACTIC: attacking a pinned piece.} Bc5+ 15. Nxc5 $1 {With the Black Rooks on d8 and f8, there is a different way to win:} ({Sidestepping here doesn't work so well:} 15. Kf1 Bb6 16. fxe4 fxe4+ 17. Nf4 g5 18. Rxe4 gxf4 19. Ke2 Rde8 $11) 15... Nxc5 16. Bg5 {[#] TACTIC: a fork on e7 is threatened.} Rd5 17. Be7 {'1-0 (17) Tarrasch,S-Marco,G Dresden 1892 EXT 1998 [Tartakower/du Mont/Tarrasch/Reti]'} Re8 {[#] Black has fought hard to hang on, but...} 18. c4 {[#] TACTIC: undermining the defence of c5. Tarrasch's clever line is like a little course in tactics, all by itself. Another notable thing about it: Tarrasch published this line in a magazine, explaining why Black couldn't safely castle on move 7, before winning this game against Marco!} * [Event "?"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "1"] [White "Abdalla, Suhayl"] [Black "Bracey, Tom"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C20"] [PlyCount "55"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] 1. e4 e5 2. Qh5 Nf6 3. Qxe5+ Be7 {I've heard Mr Bacon recommend this approach and I don't disagree. Activity and development will get you further in chess than fussing about pawns!} 4. d4 $2 Nc6 5. Qb5 Nxd4 6. Qd3 Bc5 7. Nf3 (7. Be3) 7... Nxf3+ 8. Qxf3 O-O (8... Qe7 $1 9. Nc3 d5) 9. Bc4 $2 Re8 (9... d5 $1 10. Bxd5 Bg4 11. Qd3 c6 12. Bc4 Nxe4 $1 13. Qxe4 Qd1#) 10. Nc3 Re7 (10... d5 $1) 11. O-O (11. Bg5 $1) 11... d6 12. Nd5 Rxe4 $4 13. Nxf6+ Qxf6 14. Qxe4 Bf5 15. Qxb7 Re8 16. Qxc7 d5 17. Bxd5 Bd6 18. Qxa7 Qe5 19. Qxf7+ Kh8 20. Bf4 Qe7 21. Rae1 (21. Bxd6 $1) 21... Qxe1 22. Qxe8+ $4 (22. Be3 $1) 22... Qxe8 23. Bxd6 Bxc2 $16 24. f4 $19 Qd7 25. Re1 $1 Qa7+ 26. Kh1 h6 27. Rc1 $4 Qa6 (27... Qd4) 28. Bc5 1-0 [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "?"] [White "Bacon, Benny"] [Black "Chung, Daniel"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A34"] [PlyCount "58"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 (3. d4) (3. c3) (3. g3) 3... Nc6 4. d3 Nf6 5. Nc3 Be7 (5... d5 $1 {and White is, if anything, slightly worse because of the backward pawn on d3}) 6. Be2 h6 {DLRPM} 7. Be3 d6 8. a3 {A similar move with perhaps a similar reason! This move makes sense only if you continue with Rb1 and b4.} Bd7 9. O-O (9. d4) 9... e5 10. Qc2 (10. b4 $1 $14 {is a fair idea here} cxb4 $2 11. axb4 Nxb4 12. Bxa7) 10... O-O 11. Rfd1 Nd4 $1 12. Bxd4 exd4 (12... cxd4 $15 13. Nd5 Nxd5 14. exd5 (14. cxd5 Rc8 15. Qb3 Qc7) 14... f5) 13. Nd5 Nxd5 14. exd5 {White's Bishop is very bad.} Re8 (14... a5) 15. Re1 Bf6 16. Bf1 Bf5 17. Rxe8+ Qxe8 18. Re1 Qd7 19. b4 $1 {Late but still a good idea!} b6 20. Qd2 Bg4 { Black should hang on to that Bishop.} (20... g5 {and Black dominates the King's-side.}) 21. Be2 Re8 22. h3 Bxf3 (22... Bf5) 23. Bxf3 {Now both sides have a fairly duff Bishop.} Rxe1+ 24. Qxe1 Qe7 25. Qxe7 Bxe7 {The pawns are mostly locked and with opposite coloured Bishops it's almost certain to be a draw.} 26. b5 f5 27. Kf1 Kf7 28. Ke2 g6 29. g4 Kf6 1/2-1/2 [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "?"] [White "Theodor von Scheve"] [Black "Austin, Bakhary"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D00"] [PlyCount "86"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {You had some good chances in this game but in the end missed too many and went down in the endgame. I'd like to see you play the opening with lot more system and aggression -- easily achieved by playing a proper opening with a name. The Colle or Colle-Zukertort System are closest to the one you chose.} 1. d4 d5 2. Nc3 (2. c4 {now or later is the best way to put pressure on Black.}) 2... Nf6 3. Nf3 (3. Bg5 {is the best way to continue, after starting with 2. Nc3.}) 3... Nc6 {A Queen's-side version of Old Stodge, with most of the same problems. Both sides now block in the Queen's-side Bishops.} 4. e3 (4. e4) 4... e6 5. Be2 Bd6 6. h3 {Pointless here. In the game, it's only significance is that it becomes a target for attack!} O-O 7. O-O Qe7 8. a3 {Oh dear...} (8. Nb5 $1 $14) 8... Ne4 $2 9. Nxe4 dxe4 10. Nd2 e5 $2 {Black is playing actively but is being careless with their pawns.} 11. d5 $1 Nd8 12. Nxe4 c6 13. Nxd6 Qxd6 14. e4 {A loose pawn, which Black makes use of.} (14. c4) 14... Qg6 $1 { Creating threats against e4 and h3.} 15. Bg4 $5 (15. Re1 Bxh3 16. Bf3 {needs steady nerves but is +/-}) 15... Qxe4 16. Bxc8 Rxc8 17. Re1 Qf5 (17... Qxd5) 18. Be3 a6 $2 {Just ...h6 is missing from this sad collection of pointless pawn moves.]} (18... cxd5 19. Qxd5 Rxc2 $10) 19. Bb6 (19. d6 $1 $16 {looks awkward for Black}) 19... Re8 (19... cxd5 $10) 20. d6 $1 $16 Rf8 $4 21. Qe2 ( 21. d7 $1 $18 Ra8 22. Bc5) 21... Re8 22. Rad1 (22. Qg4 $1 $18 {takes out the defender of d7}) 22... Re6 23. Qd2 Qf6 24. Qa5 (24. d7 $1 Ra8 25. Re4 $18) 24... Rxd6 25. Rxd6 Qxd6 {White's advantage has vanished, and with your next move, you fall behind.} 26. f3 (26. Qxe5 $11) 26... f6 $17 27. f4 Nf7 28. fxe5 Nxe5 29. Qa4 c5 30. Ba5 b5 31. Qe4 Qd4+ 32. Qxd4 cxd4 33. c3 $2 $19 {Allowing the d-pawn to slip past} d3 (33... Nc4 34. Bb4 a5 35. Be7 d3) 34. Rd1 Nc4 35. Bb4 Nxb2 36. Rd2 Nc4 (36... Rd8 37. Rxb2 $2 d2) 37. Rxd3 a5 38. Be7 Kf7 39. Rd8 $2 {When you're losing, keep pieces on.} Rxd8 40. Bxd8 Ke8 (40... a4 $1) 41. Bc7 Kd7 42. Bh2 Nxa3 43. g4 Nc4 0-1 [Event "WWoE"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "?"] [White "Searle, Isaac"] [Black "Sequiera, Alfie"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C00"] [PlyCount "89"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {A good game from both players. In the long Rook endgame, you struggled to get your pieces to work together.} 1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e5 Nc6 {It's a golden rule of the French to follow e4-e5 with c7-c5! But even if this is an exception, you shouldn't block the c-pawn altogether.} ({One idea for White here is to meet} 3... c5 {with a gambit:} 4. b4 b6) (3... Bd7) 4. Bb5 Nge7 5. Nc3 a6 {Maybe White will take your Knight, but asking wastes time.} (5... d4) 6. Ba4 g6 (6... b5 {is consistent.}) (6... d4 {is still good.}) (6... Ng6) 7. O-O (7. h4 $1 {might make life awkward for Black.}) 7... Bg7 8. d4 Bd7 9. Bxc6 Bxc6 10. Bg5 Bb5 (10... h6) 11. Nxb5 axb5 12. Qe2 c6 13. b3 h6 14. Bf6 Bxf6 15. exf6 Nf5 (15... Ng8 {wins the pawn on f6}) 16. Qe5 Nd6 17. Nd2 Ne4 (17... b4 $1 {locks down two White pawns and prepares ...Nb5! to invade on the holes.}) 18. Nxe4 dxe4 19. c4 {invites Black to undouble the pawns} (19. Rfe1) (19. a4) 19... bxc4 20. bxc4 Ra4 21. c5 $2 Ra6 $2 {Playing safe is often dangerous!} ( 21... Rxd4 $17 {and Black stands very well}) 22. Rfd1 Qd5 23. Qb8+ Qd8 24. Qxd8+ Kxd8 25. Rd2 {This endgame might be quite good for Black.} h5 (25... Kc7 26. Kf1 Ra3 27. Rb1 e3 28. Rdb2 Rb8 $15) 26. Re1 Ra4 27. h3 g5 (27... Kc7 28. Rxe4 Rd8 {Your Rooks are now both active and working together. The d- and a-pawns are weak. The odd extra pawn for White is hard to make use of: where can White make a passed pawn?} 29. Kf1 Rd5 30. f3 (30. g4 hxg4 31. hxg4 Rxc5) 30... Rf5 {and you win the f-pawn after all!}) 28. Rxe4 Rh6 29. h4 Rxf6 (29... gxh4 30. Rxh4 Rxf6 31. Rxh5 Rf4) 30. hxg5 Rg6 31. Re5 {Black missed the chance to win a pawn and now looks a bit disorganised and short of space. You need the two Rooks to be making trouble, but they aren't really talking to each other!} h4 32. f3 Rc4 33. f4 Rc1+ 34. Kf2 Ke7 35. d5 $2 {Clever but not constructive.} cxd5 36. Rdxd5 Rc2+ (36... Rc4 $1 $10) 37. Kf3 Rxa2 38. g4 hxg3 39. Kxg3 Kf8 (39... Ra3+) 40. Rd6 (40. Rd8+ Ke7 41. Rb8 Ra7 42. Re1) 40... Ra3+ 41. Kg4 Ra4 42. Rd7 Rb4 (42... f6 {is fairly equal}) 43. Kf3 f5 {This makes a weakness on e6.} (43... Rb5) (43... Rg8) 44. Rd6 Ke7 45. Rdd5 {White is barely better here but went on to win.} 1-0 [Event "WWOEU18"] [Site "?"] [Date "12.01.12"] [Round "1"] [White "Gao, Ian"] [Black "Sturt, Ben"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B19"] [PlyCount "70"] [EventDate "12.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. h5 Bh7 8. Nf3 Nd7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 Ngf6 11. Bd2 e6 12. O-O-O Qc7 (12... Be7) 13. Ne4 Nxe4 14. Qxe4 Nf6 15. Qe2 O-O-O 16. g3 Bd6 17. c4 Rhe8 18. Bc3 c5 19. Kb1 Nd7 20. dxc5 Bxc5 21. Bxg7 Bf8 22. Bxf8 Rxf8 23. Rh4 Nb6 24. Kc1 Rxd1+ 25. Qxd1 Qc5 26. Qd4 Qg5+ 27. Qe3 Qf5 28. b3 Rd8 29. Rd4 Rxd4 30. Nxd4 e5 31. Ne2 e4 32. Qd4 Qg5+ 33. Kc2 f5 34. Nf4 Nd7 35. Qxa7 b5 1-0 [Event "WWOEU18"] [Site "?"] [Date "12.01.12"] [Round "2"] [White "Sturt, Ben"] [Black "McIntosh, David"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B19"] [PlyCount "46"] [EventDate "12.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nd7 8. Bd3 (8. h5 Bh7 9. Bd3) 8... Bxd3 9. Qxd3 e6 10. Bf4 (10. Bd2) 10... Ngf6 (10... Qa5+) 11. O-O Nd5 (11... Be7) 12. Be5 Nxe5 13. Nxe5 Bd6 14. Nc4 (14. Ne4) 14... Bc7 15. Qe4 Nf6 16. Qe3 Ng4 17. Qf3 Qxh4 18. Rfe1 Bxg3 19. fxg3 Qh2+ 20. Kf1 Qh5 21. Nd6+ Ke7 22. Nf5+ Kd8 23. Nd6 Nh2+ 0-1 [Event "WWOEU18"] [Site "?"] [Date "12.01.12"] [Round "2"] [White "Sturt, Ben"] [Black "McIntosh, David"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B19"] [PlyCount "46"] [EventDate "12.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nd7 8. Bd3 (8. h5 Bh7 9. Bd3) 8... Bxd3 9. Qxd3 e6 10. Bf4 (10. Bd2) 10... Ngf6 (10... Qa5+) 11. O-O Nd5 (11... Be7) 12. Be5 Nxe5 13. Nxe5 Bd6 14. Nc4 (14. Ne4) 14... Bc7 15. Qe4 Nf6 16. Qe3 Ng4 17. Qf3 Qxh4 18. Rfe1 Bxg3 19. fxg3 Qh2+ 20. Kf1 Qh5 21. Nd6+ Ke7 22. Nf5+ Kd8 23. Nd6 Nh2+ 0-1 [Event "Berlin"] [Site "Berlin GER"] [Date "????.??.??"] [Round "1"] [White "Gao, Ian"] [Black "Sturt, Ben"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B19"] [PlyCount "71"] [EventDate "1907.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] {That was a shame: you played logically and made only few and small mistakes, but they added up to a loss.} 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. h5 Bh7 8. Nf3 Nd7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 Ngf6 11. Bd2 e6 12. O-O-O {White plays a well-regarded plan.} Qc7 (12... Be7 {is a bit better}) 13. Ne4 Nxe4 (13... Rd8) 14. Qxe4 Nf6 15. Qe2 O-O-O 16. g3 Bd6 17. c4 {Black is still solid, but White has the better position.} Rhe8 18. Bc3 c5 {Double-edged: it exposes the King as well as hitting back in the centre.} 19. Kb1 Nd7 $2 20. dxc5 {Discovering an attack on g7.} Bxc5 21. Bxg7 Bf8 22. Bxf8 Rxf8 23. Rh4 Nb6 24. Kc1 Rxd1+ 25. Qxd1 Qc5 ({Black should take the chance to snatch back the pawn.} 25... Nxc4) 26. Qd4 Qg5+ {That's what it says on the score sheet, but I expect Nxg5 would have been the reply!} 27. Qe3 Qf5 28. b3 (28. Qxh6) 28... Rd8 29. Rd4 Rxd4 30. Nxd4 e5 31. Ne2 e4 (31... Qxh5) 32. Qd4 Qg5+ 33. Kc2 f5 34. Nf4 Nd7 35. Qxa7 b5 36. Ne6 {Black is in a mating net.} 1-0 [Event "Berlin"] [Site "Berlin GER"] [Date "????.??.??"] [Round "2"] [White "Sturt, Ben"] [Black "McIntosh, David"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B19"] [PlyCount "46"] [EventDate "1907.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nd7 {The main line of the Caro-Kann defence; it's solid and lacks tension, so White has to play accurately and sharply to get any winning chances.} 8. Bd3 ({Usually White plays one more pawn poke:} 8. h5 Bh7 9. Bd3) 8... Bxd3 9. Qxd3 e6 10. Bf4 ({In these positions, White often chooses} 10. Bd2) 10... Ngf6 (10... Qa5+ {is a little bit annoying, which is why Bd2 is preferred}) 11. O-O (11. O-O-O { tries to squeeze a little bit more out of this structure}) 11... Nd5 (11... Be7 {continues with development}) 12. Be5 (12. Bd2 {I'm always happy to keep Bishops}) 12... Nxe5 13. Nxe5 {abandoning h4} Bd6 (13... Qxh4) 14. Nc4 (14. Ne4 {is more active}) 14... Bc7 15. Qe4 (15. h5) 15... Nf6 16. Qe3 Ng4 17. Qf3 Qxh4 {Black has a big advantage here.} 18. Rfe1 Bxg3 19. fxg3 Qh2+ 20. Kf1 Qh5 { Black has a big threat. White counterattacks, but in the end is faced with losing the Knight or the Queen.} 21. Nd6+ Ke7 22. Nf5+ Kd8 23. Nd6 (23. Nxg7 { is relatively best} Qg6 24. Kg1) 23... Nh2+ 0-1 [Event "WWOEU18"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.01.12"] [Round "3"] [White "Sturt, Ben"] [Black "Rees, Morgan"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C48"] [Annotator "DrDave"] [PlyCount "78"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 (2. f4) 2... Nf6 3. Nc3 {Safe but dull.} (3. Nxe5 {is the main line, as seen in one of Vignesh's games, but an alternative attacking idea is} d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nxc3 6. dxc3 {White has free development, and can hope to castle long and attack.}) (3. d4) (3. Bc4) 3... Nc6 4. Bb5 ({I prefer} 4. d4 {getting an open game}) 4... Bc5 {Less reliable but playable.} (4... Bb4 {is safe}) (4... Nd4 {is a good idea, going for an unbalanced game}) 5. O-O (5. Nxe5) 5... d6 6. h3 (6. d4 $1 {is good here:} exd4 7. Nxd4 Bd7 8. Nf5 $14 {You have to open a file one day, so take your chance early!}) 6... Bd7 7. d3 h6 8. a3 (8. Na4 {aims to secure a BB vs BN or NN advantage}) 8... a6 {The players have conspired to play all four DLPRMs. I promise, they only look safe!} 9. Ba4 O-O 10. b4 Ba7 11. Bb3 Qe7 12. Nd5 Nxd5 13. Bxd5 Nd4 14. c3 Nxf3+ 15. Qxf3 c6 16. Bb3 Be6 17. Bc2 d5 {Black is first to advance in the centre, and can claim a whisper of advantage.} (17... f5 {is even better, embarrassing the White Queen.}) 18. Qg3 Qf6 19. Be3 Bb8 20. Bc5 Re8 21. Qe3 (21. Bb6 {stops Black's next idea}) 21... Bc7 22. d4 {This is the right sort of plan for White, but here you are a bit behind in development, and that means opening lines is going to favour Black.} dxe4 23. Bxe4 Qf4 (23... Bc4 24. Rfe1 Re6 $17) 24. dxe5 Bxe5 25. Qxf4 Bxf4 26. f3 Rad8 27. Rad1 Bg3 (27... Be5 {is more awkward for White to meet}) 28. Bf2 (28. Bb6 {is equal}) 28... Bc4 {Counterattacking, but Black has miscounted.} 29. Bxg3 {Quite right!} Bxf1 30. Rxf1 g6 31. Bf2 f5 32. Bc2 Rd2 33. Bb3+ Kh7 {White has a clear advantage in material, but it's less clear how to make use of it.} 34. a4 (34. Rd1 Rxd1+ (34... Ree2 35. Rxd2 Rxd2 36. a4) 35. Bxd1 a5 (35... Kg7 36. Bd4+ Kf8 37. Kf2 f4 38. h4 Ra8 39. Bb6 Kf7 40. Bb3+ Kf6 41. a4 g5 42. h5 Rc8 43. a5 Kg7 44. Bd4+ Kh7 45. Ke2 Rc7 46. Kd2 Re7 47. Bc2+ Kg8 48. Be4 Rd7 49. Kd3 Kf8 50. Kc4 Kf7 51. Kc5 Ke6 52. Bc2 Re7 53. Bg6 Rd7 54. Kb6 Re7 55. Bc5 Rd7 56. Bf8) 36. Kf1 axb4 37. cxb4 Rd8 38. Ke2 f4 39. Bb3 Rd7 40. Bc4 Rd6 41. a4) 34... Rb2 35. Bc4 (35. Bd1 $18 {keeps control. In the game, White gets bullied by the black Rooks.}) 35... b5 36. axb5 axb5 37. Bd3 Rd8 38. Bb1 Rdd2 $11 39. g4 f4 $4 (39... f4 {Black ignores the chance to pull level and also takes all the pressure off the White position! I expect White should win this, but a draw is fair enough.} 40. Be4 Rd6 41. Bd4 Ra2 42. Re1 Ra3 43. h4 {White dominates the board, and Black can't come up with any threats.} Kg8 44. Be5 Re6 45. Bxf4) ({Black should restore material balance with} 39... Rxf2 40. Rxf2 Rxb1+ 41. Kg2) 1/2-1/2 [Event "Berlin"] [Site "Berlin GER"] [Date "1907.10.??"] [Round "9"] [White "Theodor von Scheve"] [Black "Richard Teichmann"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C53"] [PlyCount "34"] [EventDate "1907.??.??"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Qe7 5. O-O d6 6. d4 Bb6 7. a4 a6 8. a5 Ba7 9. h3 Nf6 10. dxe5 Nxe5 11. Nxe5 Qxe5 12. Nd2 Bxh3 13. gxh3 Qg3+ 14. Kh1 Qxh3+ 15. Kg1 Ng4 16. Nf3 Qg3+ 17. Kh1 Bxf2 0-1 [Event "Berlin"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/9l0"] [Date "1907.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "von Scheve"] [Black "Teichmann"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C53"] [Annotator "Chernev"] [PlyCount "36"] [SourceDate "2019.01.15"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 {[%cal Gc5f2]} 4. c3 {[%cal Gd2d4]} Qe7 5. O-O d6 6. d4 Bb6 7. a4 a6 8. a5 Ba7 {[%cal Gh2h3]} 9. h3 Nf6 10. dxe5 Nxe5 11. Nxe5 Qxe5 12. Nd2 {[%cal Gf6e4] [#]} Bxh3 (12... Nxe4 13. Nxe4 Qxe4 14. Re1) 13. gxh3 Qg3+ 14. Kh1 Qxh3+ 15. Kg1 Ng4 {[%cal Gh3h2]} 16. Nf3 {[%cal Gf3h2]} Qg3+ {[%cal Gf2g3,Ga7f2]} (16... O-O-O) 17. Kh1 Bxf2 {[#] Threat ...Qh3+} (17... Nxf2+ $1) 18. Rxf2 (18. Bxf7+ {!} Kf8 19. Bf4 $1 Qxf4 20. Bh5 Nf6) 18... Nxf2# 0-1