[Event "NA Abbots v Totnes"] [Site ""] [Date "2023.11.02"] [Round ""] [White "M Abbott"] [Black "C Collins"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [EventDate "2023.11.02"] 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.d4 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Be3 c5 8.Qd2 Nc6 9.d5 Qa5 10.Rc1 Ne5 11.h3 O-O 12.f4 Nd7 13.Nf3 Nf6 14.Bd3 e6 15.c4 Qxd2+ 16.Nxd2 b6 17.e5 Ne8 18.O-O f5 ( 18...f6 {chipping away at the centre was better. Now Mark gets a clear advantage with his passed d-pawn. } ) 19.Nf3 ( 19.d6 {immediately restricting black's knight would be even better.} ) 19...h6 20.Bc2 Nc7 21.d6 Na6 22.a3 Bd7 23.Bd3 Nb8 24.g4 Nc6 25. gxf5 gxf5 26.Kh2 Kh7 27.Rg1 Bh8 28.Nh4 ( 28.Bd2 {followed by 29.Bc3 would have avoided black's coming counterplay.} ) 28...Rg8 29.Be2 Nxe5 {A clever countersacrifice which gives black activity and disrupts Mark's slow strategic build-up.} 30.fxe5 Bxe5+ 31.Kh1 Bg3 32.Nf3 e5 33.Rcf1 ( 33.Bg5 { is suggested by the computer as a way of white regaining the advantage, but it's VERY complicated. One line is } 33...Bf2 34.Be7 Bc6 35.Rxg8 Rxg8 36.Rd1 Bd4 37.Kh2 Rg7 38.Rf1 Be3 39.Nh4 Bf4+ 40.Rxf4 exf4 41.Bf3 Be8 42. Nxf5 Rg6 43.Bg4 Re6 44.Nh4 Re1 45.Ng2 Rf1 46.Bf5+ Kg7 47.d7 {winning the bishop and eventually the game.} ) 33...Raf8 34.Bf2 Bf4 35.Rxg8 Rxg8 36. Rg1 Rxg1+ 37.Kxg1 e4 38.Nh4 Bxd6 39.Kg2 Kg7 40.Be1 Be5 41.Kf2 f4 42.Bg4 Bxg4 43.hxg4 Kf6 44.Kg2 Kg5 45.Kh3 {Now black's mobile passed pawns give him the advantage, but the next move is a mistake.} 45...f3 ( 45...h5 46. gxh5 Kxh5 {keeps black on top - he can try to create another passed pawn on the queenside. eg } 47.Nf5 b5 48.cxb5 c4 49.Bd2 Kg5 50.Nh4 c3 51.Bc1 Bd4 52.a4 Bb6 53.Ng2 e3 54.a5 Bxa5 55.Nxe3 fxe3 56.Bxe3+ Kf5 57.Bxa7 Ke4 58.Bc5 c2 59.Ba3 Kd3 60.Kg4 Kc4 61.Kf3 Kxb5 62.Bc1 Bb4 63.Kf2 Kc4 64.Ke3 Bc5+ 65.Ke2 Kb3 66.Kd3 Bb4 67.Ke4 Ba3 68.Bg5 Kb2 69.Bf6+ Kb1 70.Bg5 Bc1 71.Be7 Bh6 72.Ba3 Bg5 73.Kd3 Bf6 74.Ke4 Bb2 {and the pawn reaches its destination.} ) 46.Nf5 Bd4 47.Bd2+ Kg6 48.Kg3 h5 49.Nh4+ Kf7 50.gxh5 e3 51.Bxe3 Bxe3 52.Kxf3 Bc1 {Now white's countersacrifice has given him the advantage again.} 53.a4 Kf6 54.Ke4 Kg5 55.Nf5 Kxh5 56.Nd6 a6 57.Nc8 b5 58. cxb5 axb5 59.axb5 ( 59.a5! {wins. Black can't stop the a-pawn. For example,} 59...c4 60.a6 c3 61.Kd3 c2 62.Kxc2 Be3 63.Kb3 Bc5 64.Nd6! Kg5 65.Nxb5 Bb6 66.Kc4 Kg6 67.Nd6 Ba7 68.Nc8 Bb8 69.Kb5 Kf7 70.Kc6 Ke6 71.Kb7 Bg3 72.a7 {and the pawn queens.} ) 59...Bd2 60.Kd5 c4 61.Kxc4 Be3 62.Kd5 Kg5 63.Nd6 Kf6 64.Kc6 Ke6 65.Ne4 Ba7 66.Nc5+ Ke7 67.Na6 Kd8 68.Kb7 Be3 69. Nb8 Bf2 70.Nc6+ Kd7 71.Ne5+ Kd8 72.b6 {Black will take the pawn. An epic battle of punch and counterpunch.} 1/2-1/2
[Event "NA Abbots v Totnes"] [Site ""] [Date "2023.11.02"] [Round ""] [White "M Goldschmidt"] [Black "A Brusey"] [Result "1-0"] [EventDate "2023.11.02"] 1.d4 e6 2.c4 d5 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 dxc4 5.Qa4+ Nbd7 6.Qxc4 Be7 7.Bg2 O-O 8.O-O c5 9.Nc3 a6 10.e4 b5 11.Qe2 b4 12.e5 bxc3 13.exf6 Nxf6 14.bxc3 Bb7 15.Rd1 Nd5 16.Bb2 cxd4 17.Nxd4 Qc7 18.Nxe6 {Alan missed this sacrifice - but he should still be OK.} 18...fxe6 19.Qxe6+ Kh8 20.Bxd5 Bc5 21.c4 Rae8 22.Qg4 Rxf2 23.Bd4 Bxd4 ( 23...Rfe2 {gives Alan enough counterplay. eg} 24.Qf4 Qc8 25.Qf1 Bxd4+ 26.Rxd4 Bxd5 27.cxd5 Qc3 28.Rf4 Qc5+ 29.Kh1 Qxd5+ {and if anyone has the advantage it's black.} ) 24.Qxd4 Rfe2 25.Rd2 Qd7 ( 25... Bxd5 {is still enough for equality} 26.Rxe2 Rxe2 27.Qxd5 h6 {and black's active rook ensures that white can't make progress.} ) 26.Bxb7 ( 26.Rxe2! {wins easily because of the bank rank weakness.} 26...Rxe2 27.Rf1 {and black has no defence. The best he can do is } 27...Qe8 {when } 28.Bxb7 { wins a piece.} ) 26...Rxd2 27.Qxd7 Rxd7 28.Bc6 {This keeps the extra pawn with a clear advantage. Alan decided to resign.} 1-0
[Event "NA Abbbots v Totnes"] [Site ""] [Date "2023.11.02"] [Round ""] [White "E Coulson"] [Black "C Howard"] [Result "0-1"] [EventDate "2023.11.02"] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Be3 Bb6 6.Bb5 Nf6 7.Nc3 O-O 8.O-O Re8 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.Bxb6 axb6 11.Bd3 d5 12.exd5 cxd5 13.Re1 Bb7 14.a3 Qd7 15.Qd2 Rad8 16.Rxe8+ Rxe8 17.Re1 h6 18.Rxe8+ Qxe8 19.Qe2 Qxe2 20.Nxe2 c5 21.c4 dxc4 22.Bxc4 Ne4 23.f3 Nd6 24.Ba2 Kf8 25.Kf2 Ba6 26.b4 cxb4 27.axb4 Bc4 28.Bxc4 Nxc4 29.Nc3 Ke7 30.f4 Kd6 31.Kf3 Na3 32.Ke4 Nc2 33.Nb5+ Kd7 34.g4 Nxb4 35.h4 Nc6 36.h5 Ne7 37.g5 f6 38.g6 Kc6 39.Nd4+ Kd6 40.Nb5+ Kd7 41.Nd4 Nc8 42.Kd5 Nd6 {Evan has battled really well up to here and the position is dead drawn if he makes the right move now.} 43.Nb3 ( 43.f5! { leaves Charlie with no moves which improve his position. If he moves his knight} 43...Nc8 ( 43...Ke7 44.Nc6+ {and there is nothing better than} 44...Kd7 45.Nd4 {repeating moves, or} 45...b5 46.Kc5 Ke7 47.Nc6+ Kd7 48. Nd4 {and again there is no way of making progress. eg} 48...b4 49.Kxb4 Ne8 50.Ne6 Kd6 51.Kb5 Kd5 ( 51...Ke5 {here even loses the game for black} 52. Kc6 Kxf5 53.Kd7 Ke5 54.Kxe8 Kxe6 55.Kf8 {and white will queen first.} ) 52.Kb6 Kd6 {with a repetition.} ) 44.Ne6 {wins the g-pawn and the ending is drawn. } ) 43...Nf5 44.Nd4 Nxd4 45.Kxd4 Kd6 46.Kc4 Ke6 {Hard luck, Evan.} 0-1
[Event "Autumn Swiss"] [Site ""] [Date "2023.11.02"] [Round ""] [White "J Wills"] [Black "L Jarman"] [Result "1-0"] [EventDate "2023.11.02"] 1.d4 g6 2.c4 Bg7 3.e4 d6 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 O-O 7.h3 Re8 8.O-O b6 9.Be3 Bb7 10.Qd2 e5 11.d5 Nc5 12.Bc2 a5 13.Rad1 Ba6 14.Nb5 {This loses an important central pawn. In this position white should try to advance on the queenside with 14.b3 and 15.a3.} 14...Nfxe4 15.Bxe4 Nxe4 16.Qd3 Nc5 17.Bxc5 e4 18.Qc2 exf3 19.Be3 fxg2 20.Kxg2 {Len's active play has given him a big advantage - white's king is in the open.} 20...Bc8 21.b3 Bf5 22. Qd2 Qh4 23.Rh1 Rac8 ( 23...Qe4+ 24.Kg1 Qf3 25.Nxc7 Be4 26.Rh2 Be5 {and white's position is shattered.} ) 24.Bxb6 {Jack tries a counter sacrifice but it shouldn't work.} 24...cxb6 ( 24...Be5 {focusing on the attack is better.} ) 25.Nxd6 Bh6 26.Qd4 Be4+ 27.f3 Qg5+ 28.Kf2 Qf4 ( 28...Bxf3! { rips open white's king and leads to a quick win. eg} 29.Kxf3 ( 29.Rhg1 Qh5 30.Rde1 Rxe1 31.Rxe1 Qxh3 {isn't much better.} ) 29...Re3+ 30.Kf2 Qg3+ 31. Kf1 Rf3+ 32.Ke2 Qg2+ 33.Ke1 Qxh1+ {and it's mate in a couple of moves.} ) 29.Nxe4 Qh4+ ( 29...Bg7 {keeps black in the game.} 30.Qd3 f5 31.Nc3 {and black's initiative compensates for the pawn deficit. } ) 30.Kg2 Bf4 31. Nf6+ Kf8 32.Nxh7+ Qxh7 ( 32...Kg8 {was a final chance.} 33.Nf6+ Kf8 {and if white takes the rook,} 34.Nxe8 Qg3+ {is crushing} 35.Kf1 Qxf3+ 36.Qf2 ( 36.Ke1 Rxe8+ {mates.} ) 36...Qxh1+ 37.Qg1 Qf3+ 38.Qf2 Qxd1+ {and white is massacred. So Jack would have to take the perpetual check. Now Jack gets on top and cashes in on his extra material.} ) 33.Qxf4 Re2+ 34.Kg3 Rxa2 35.Qd6+ Kg7 36.Qxb6 Qh5 37.Qd4+ Kg8 38.Rhe1 Qg5+ 39.Qg4 Qf6 40.Qxc8+ 1-0
[Event "Somerset v Devon B12"] [Site ""] [Date "2023.10.29"] [Round ""] [White "C Purry"] [Black "P Brooks"] [Result "0-1"] [EventDate "2023.10.29"] [FlipB "1"] 1.e4 c5 2.c3 e6 {This is a variation recommended by GM Daniel King - we reach a French defence.} 3.d4 cxd4 4.cxd4 d5 5.e5 Nc6 6.Nf3 Nge7 7.Nc3 Nf5 8.Bb5 Bd7 9.O-O Be7 10.Ne2 {This error shows that Chris doesn't really know the French well. Paul wins a pawn with a standard tactic.} 10...Nxe5 11.dxe5 {Of course if } ( 11.Bxd7+ Nxd7 {still wins a pawn.} ) 11...Bxb5 12.g4 Nh4 13.Nfd4 Bd7 14.Be3 O-O 15.Nf4 Ng6 16.Nxg6 hxg6 17.f4 Bc5 18.Rf3 Qh4 19.Rg3 Bxd4 20.Bxd4 {Paul swaps bishop for knight - in the endgame this could be drawish - but in the middlegame opposite-coloured bishops favour the attacker. Whose attack will prove stronger?} 20...Rac8! 21.Kg2 {It looks like white's attack down the h-file might be dangerous. Black has to find counterplay somehow.} 21...Rc4 22.b3 Rc7 23.Rh3 Qe7 {Now black's possession of the c-file gives him real prospects; Chris rushes to swap off.} 24.Rc1 Rxc1 25.Qxc1 Qb4 {In the next few moves, white really needs to swap off the heavy pieces leaving an endgame which might well be drawn.} 26.Qb2 ( 26.Qc3 { was better.} ) 26...Rc8 27.a3 Qe1 {Now the drawbacks of white's pawn advances become apparent - Paul gets in round the back of white's position. } 28.Re3 {Again} ( 28.Rc3 {trying to swap off was better.} ) 28...Qd1 29.Re2 Bb5 {The french 'bad' bishop finally comes to life in a decisive manner.} 30.Rf2 Qxg4+ 31.Kh1 Bd3! {Now there's no defence - the weak white squares will cost Chris the game.} 32.Qd2 Be4+ ( 32...Rc1+! {was quicker.} ) 33.Rg2 Bxg2+ ( 33...Rc1+ 34.Bg1 Qf3! 35.a4 Qf1 36.Qf2 Qxf2 37.h3 Qxg2# {is a mating finish.} ) 34.Qxg2 Rc1+ 35.Bg1 Qxg2+ 36.Kxg2 b6 {In this hopeless position white resigned.} 0-1
[Event "NA Abbots v Totnes"] [Site ""] [Date "2023.11.02"] [Round ""] [White "M Furnevall"] [Black "J Blackmore"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [EventDate "2023.11.02"] 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Bd2 Bg7 6.e4 Nxc3 7.Bxc3 O-O 8.Nf3 Nd7 9.Qd2 Nf6 10.Bd3 c6 11.h3 Bd7 12.O-O Qc7 13.Rac1 Rad8 14.b4 a6 15.a4 Qb8 16.Rfe1 e6 17.Rb1 Qa7 18.b5 axb5 19.axb5 cxb5 20.Ra1 Qb8 21.Bb4 Rfe8 22.e5 Nd5 23.Bd6 Qc8 24.Rec1 Bc6 25.Bxb5 Ne7 26.Bxe7 Rxe7 27.Bxc6 bxc6 28. Qc3 Rc7 29.Ra5 Qd7 30.Rc5 Rdc8 31.g4 Bf8 32.Rc4 c5 33.dxc5 Rxc5 34.Rxc5 Rxc5 35.Qe3 1/2-1/2