1.e4
e5
2.Nf3
Nc6
3.Bb5
a6
4.Ba4
d6
5.Bxc6+
bxc6
6.d4
f6
7.0-0
Most players in this line arrange to castle queenside and then push the kingside pawns, but Dominic has a successful precedent to follow. [7.h3
Ne7
8.0-0
Ng6
9.Re1
Be7
10.Qd3
Be6
11.Nc3
0-0
12.b3
Kh8?!
13.Bb2
Qe8
14.Ne2
f5
15.dxe5
fxe4
16.Qxe4
Bd5
17.Qg4
Bxf3
18.gxf3
Nxe5
19.Bxe5
dxe5=
was the last round game from the 2000 Hampshire Championships between the same players that Dominic eventually won.]
7...Ne7
8.Nc3
Ng6
9.dxe5
fxe5
10.Ng5
h6
11.Qh5
Qf6
12.Nf3
[I was a bit more concerned about 12.Nh3
but after 12...Be7
13.f4
0-0
14.f5
Nh8
the black position is quite safe.]
12...Be6
13.Nh4
Qxh4
14.Qxg6+
Bf7
15.Qg3
[I think it was better to keep the queens on with 15.Qf5
Be7
16.Qf3
when it is more difficult for black to utilise his two bishops.]
15...Qxg3
16.hxg3
Be7
17.b3
Be6!?
After 20 minutes thought. [I couldn't decide whether or not is was a good idea to play 17...d5
While this might open up the position for the two bishops, it also weakens the black pawns.; I also thought about playing 17...h5
immediately, but after 18.Bb2
h4
19.gxh4
Rxh4
20.g3
Rh5
I was concerned that white could take the rooks off with 21.Kg2
Kd7
22.Rh1
Rah8
23.Rxh5
Rxh5
24.Rh1
Rxh1
25.Kxh1
This ending must still be a bit better for black although the isolated pawns on g7 and a6 don't help. Hence 17....Be6 so as to be able to check on h3 in this line.]
18.Bb2
h5
19.Ne2?!
[It is better to play 19.f4
immediately]
19...h4
20.f4?
This loses at least a pawn [Best was 20.gxh4
but after 20...Rxh4
21.f4
0-0-0
22.g3
Rh5
black is better]
20...Bg4
21.Kf2
[If 21.Rae1
Bxe2
22.Rxe2
hxg3
23.a3
(White needs to stop Bc5+) 23...0-0-0
24.fxe5
dxe5
25.b4
Rh5
26.Re3
c5
27.Rxg3
cxb4
28.axb4
Bxb4
is a lot better for black.]
21...hxg3+
22.Nxg3
Bh4
23.f5
g6
24.Rh1
gxf5
25.exf5
Rh5?
I thought this won as I had overlooked that white's next move was possible. [I should instead have moved my king - e.g. 25...Kf7
26.Raf1
Rag8
winning]
26.Ke3!
Rh6?!
[I had overlooked that after 26...Bxg3
27.Rxh5
Bxh5
28.Rh1
is rather awkward. After 28...Kf7
29.Rxh5
Rg8
30.Kf3
white is a little better if anything.; It would have been best to admit my error completely and put the rook back where it came from with 26...Rh8!
After 27.Ne4
Ke7
28.Raf1
Raf8
29.g3
Bf6
30.Nxf6
Rxh1
31.Rxh1
Kxf6
black is winning a pawn.]
27.Raf1
[Missing his chance to equalize: 27.Ne4!
Bxf5
28.g3
Bxe4
29.Kxe4
Bg5
30.Kf5
Bd2
(If black tries to avoid the repetition with 30...Rxh1
31.Rxh1
Be7
32.Ke6
Bf8
33.Rh8
0-0-0
34.Bc1
e4
(34...Bg7
35.Rxd8+
Kxd8
36.Kf7
Bh8
37.Bg5+
Kd7
38.Kg8
traps the bishop!) 35.Bg5
Be7
36.Rxd8+
Bxd8
37.Be3
winning as black will have to give up the bishop for the g pawn) 31.Bc3
Be3
32.Ke4
Bg5
33.Kf5=
]
27...Kf7
28.Kd3
[28.Ne4
Rah8
29.f6
Kg6
30.f7
Rf8
is better for black.]
28...Rah8
29.Bc1
R6h7
30.Ne4
d5
31.Ng5+
Any other knight move allows 31....e4+ forcing the white king to a black square thus allowing a check from the bishop on h4 followed by Rxh1
31...Bxg5
32.Rxh7+
Rxh7
33.Bxg5
Rh5
34.Bd8
Bxf5+
35.Kc3
Ke6
36.Bxc7
Rg5
37.Rf2
c5
38.Bb6
Kd6
39.Kd2
d4
40.Bd8
Rh5
41.c3
Bb1?
An awful move that could have let white draw [41...e4
42.Rf4
Kd5
keeps the advantage.]
42.a4?
[42.Rf6+!
Kd5
(42...Kd7
43.Bb6
Rh2
44.Bxc5
Rxg2+
45.Kc1
Bxa2
46.cxd4
Bxb3
47.Rd6+
Kc7
48.Rb6=
) 43.cxd4
cxd4
(43...exd4
44.Bc7
Bxa2
45.Rd6+
Ke4
46.Re6+
Kf5
47.Re5+
Kg6
48.Rxh5
Kxh5=
) 44.Rxa6
Rh2
45.Ra5+
Ke4?!
46.Rxe5+=
]
42...e4
43.cxd4
cxd4
44.Rf6+
Kd5
45.Rxa6
e3+
46.Ke2
Rh2?!
Not the best, as it allows white another drawing opportunity. [46...Ke4
doesn't work either: 47.Re6+
Re5
48.Rxe5+
Kxe5
49.Be7!
Bc2
(49...Ke4
50.Ke1
d3
51.Bb4
Bc2
52.a5
Bxb3
53.a6
Bd5
54.Bd2!!=
) 50.a5
Bxb3
51.Ba3
Be6
52.g3!
(52.Bc1?
Ke4
53.Ke1
Bc8
54.Bb2
d3
55.Bc1
Kf4
56.g3+
Kf3
57.g4
Bxg4
58.a6
Bd7
59.a7
Bc6
wins) 52...Ke4
53.Ke1
Bc8
54.Kf1
d3
55.Bc1
Kf3
56.Ke1
e2
57.Bd2=
; 46...Rf5
also fails 47.Ra5+
Ke4
48.Rxf5
d3+
49.Ke1
Bc2
50.Ba5
Kxf5
51.Bd2!!=
; The right move is 46...Bc2!
which gains a crucial extra tempo to hoover up the white pawns: 47.Rb6
(47.Ra5+
Ke4
48.Rxh5
d3+
49.Kf1
d2-+
; 47.Bf6
Rh6
48.Ra5+
(48.b4
Bd1+
49.Kxd1
d3
50.Kc1
d2+
51.Kc2
Rh1
52.Ra5+
Kc4
53.Rc5+
Kxb4
54.Rd5
Rc1+
55.Kb2
e2-+
) 48...Ke4
49.Re5+
Kf4
50.Bg5+
Kxe5
51.Bxh6
Ke4
52.Bxe3
dxe3-+
) 47...Ke4
48.Re6+
Re5
49.Rxe5+
Kxe5
50.Be7
Ke4
51.Bb4
d3+
52.Ke1
Bxb3
53.a5
Bc4-+
]
47.Ra5+?
[47.Kf3!
After the game I told Dominic that I was a bit worried that he might have been able to draw with this move and I still haven't been able to find anything concrete for black. The best I can find is to reach a theoretically drawn R+B v R ending although this would have been quite tricky to defend in a quickplay finish. It would also have delayed the prizegiving somewhat! The problem is that 47...Be4+
48.Kf4
e2
49.Be7!
e1Q
50.Rd6+
Kc5
51.Re6+
is perpetual!]
47...Ke4
48.Re5+
Kxe5
49.Bc7+
Ke4
50.Bxh2
d3+
0-1