This was Epsom 1 v Guildford 1 in the Surrey League Division 1. My opponent is a strong junior – under 13 and already rated 2096. Even so he is still only 6th in the country for his age group. A sign of strength in depth.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Be7
This is a move-order finesse to avoid the QGD Exchange Variation which arises after 3…Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5.
4.cxd5 exd5 5.Qc2 c6 6.Nf3 g6
This is a typical response to Qc2 – Black wants to develop the light-squared bishop to f5, exchanging bishops if White counters with Bd3. But now White can open the position with e4, so maybe …Nf6 developing a piece was safer.
7.Bf4 Bf5 8.Qb3 Qb6
I was happy with my position at this stage. Black has a good version of the QGD having developed the bad bishop. White has no immediate attacking threats.
9.e3
White should have exchanged on b6 as now his queenside pawn structure is wrecked.
9…Qxb3 10.axb3 Nd7 11.Kd2 Ngf6 12.Ne5 Bb4 13.f3
White had to prevent …Ne4+.
13...h5 14.Bd3 Bxd3?
I played this automatically as the exchange normally favours Black, but in this position it only relieves the pressure and White now develops a strong centre. Instead 14…Be6 was safer.
15.Nxd3 Be7 16.e4
This is thematic, but actually b4–b5 was a stronger option.
16...dxe4 17.fxe4 Nb6
I played this to restrain White's centre, not liking 17...O-O 18.e5 Ne8 19.d5 cxd5 20.Nxd5 Bd8 although the computer says that Black's defensive position is sound.
18.Nc5 O-O-O
18...Bxc5 19.dxc5 Nbd7 20.b4 Ng4 is fine for Black. Long castling is more double-edged – the rook on a1 starts to take an interest in the game – but Black does now win a pawn through the twin threats to d4 and c5.
19.Ke3?
My opponent said afterwards that he simply overlooked the knight check. Instead Kc2 is a safer way to give up a pawn, and White then has some compensation.
19...Ng4+ 20.Kf3 Rxd4 21.N5a4 Nxa4
21...Nd7 is the strongest move here, where the threat of …b5 winning a piece is very hard to meet.
22.Rxa4 Rxa4 23.Nxa4 g5 24.Bd2 Rd8 25.Ke2 b5 26.Nc3 b4 27.Na4 Nf2
With a double attack on h1 and e4. Black is spoilt for choice here. Another good way to proceed was 27...Rd4 28.h3 Ne5 29.Ke3 Rd3+ 30.Ke2 Rg3 and this may be better as it leaves White without any counterplay.
28.Rf1
White can't take the piece: 28.Kxf2 Rxd2+ 29.Kf3 g4+ 30.Kg3 Bd6+ 31.Kh4 Rxg2 is terminal.
28...Nxe4 29.Be3
29.Rxf7 Rxd2+ 30.Ke3 Kd8 31.Kxe4 Rxg2 is no good for White, so he decides to preserve the bishop.
29...Bd6?
But this is careless. I should have consolidated with …f6. Now White gets back into the game.
30.Rxf7 Bxh2 31.Bxa7
Now I have to think about king safety (White is threatening mate in 1 with Nb6).
31...Bc7 32.Ke3 Re8 33.Kd4??
Played immediately, but this is the losing move. My opponent simply overlooked the tactical continuation.
33...Nd6!
Winning a piece, because of the dual threat of 34…Nxf7 and 34…Nb5+ forking king and bishop. The rest of the game is just clearing up.
34.Rh7 Nb5+ 35.Kc5 Nxa7 36.Rxh5 Re5+ 37.Kxb4 Bd6+ 38.Kc4 Kc7 39.Nc3 Rc5+ 40.Kd3 Nb5 41.Rh7+ Kd8 42.Ne4 Rd5+ 43.Ke3 Bf4+ 44.Kf3 Nd4+ 45.Kg4 Nxb3 46.g3 Bc1 47.Rg7 Nc5 48.Nf6 Rd6 49.Nh7 Rd7 50.Rg8+ Kc7 51.Nxg5 Bxb2 52.Rg6 Rg7 53.Rxg7+ Bxg7 54.Kf5 Kd6 55.g4 Kd5 56.Nh3 Nd3 57.g5 c5 58.Kg6 Be5
White resigns as he cannot prevent the c-pawn queening.
0–1