Farnham A v Guildford A, Surrey Border League Division 1.
Time control: 80' (+10").
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3
This is a useful move order trick to avoid lines such as the Sveshnikov and Kalashnikov which are both quite popular at the moment.
3…g6
A: 3...e5 is probably the best method to avoid transpositions to the Open Sicilian, but I do slightly prefer White with the control over d5 and possible future play with f2-f4.
B: 3...Nf6 can be met by 4.d4 when we have avoided the Kalashnikov (allowing the Sveshnikov), or 4.Bb5 with a Rossomilo-type position with Black's Knight already committed to f6, which can be a bit dangerous with e4-e5.
4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Bg7
Of course the downside to 3.Nc3 is that we can no longer play the Maroczy Bind against the Accelerated Dragon, but I play Nc3 lines against that anyway so it amounts to a simple transposition.
6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bc4 O-O
7...Nxe4? Note the fork trick doesn't work here: 8.Nxe4 d5 9.Bb5+-
8.Bb3
Black has a vast array of moves here, from 8...d6 allowing a transposition back into the Yugoslav Attack against the Dragon with 9. f3 to waiting moves such as 8...a6 and 8...Re8 (trying to get ...d5 in in one go if White castles queenside) to the gambit line with 8...d5!? which is quite interesting. My opponent chooses the old main line, which is under a bit of a cloud at the moment due to the bind White gets as seen in the game.
8…a5 9.O-O a4 10.Nxa4
10.Bxa4?! Nxe4=+
10...Nxe4 11.Nb5+=
At first glance it seems that Black has successfully traded his a-pawn for the strong central e-pawn, which should be good, but with the c-pawn missing as well the squares along the b-file (b5, b6) become very weak and good outposts for White's pieces. In addition the now-semi-open central files are perfect for White's major pieces to put pressure on any centre Black manages to set up, which can be further undermined by an advance of White's c-pawn. White's play is simple: Qe2, Rad1, c4-c5 and pressure against d6.
11...d6
This was the limit of my theoretical knowledge.
11...Ra6 is normal. I was trying to figure out whether I should be "punishing" him for this omission by invading on b6.
12.Qe2
Continuing with the standard plan.
A: 12.Bb6 Qd7 13.Qe2 Nf6 didn't seem to be an improvement on the usual lines - the d7-Queen is a bit misplaced but can always come to f5.
B: 12.Nb6 Ra5 13.Nxc8 Rxb5 14.Na7 seemed wrong, and I didn't look as far as 14...Nxa7 15.Bxa7 b6 16.Qd3 Rb4∓.
12...Nf6
12...d5 13.Rad1 e6 14.c4 looked like a disaster for him.
13.Nb6
After some thought I finally decided that it was worth winning the two Bishops in return for allowing him some play.
13.c4 was the alternative. I wasn't sure whether he could get away with omitting ...Ra6, which would save a tempo.
13...Ra6
13...Rb8 14.Nxc8 Rxc8 was the line I actually looked at, but the way he played it in the game, while a little better, didn't change too much.
14.Nxc8 Qxc8
The Queen supports ...Ng4 ideas here.
15.a3
I spent a decent chunk of time here considering the various ways to maintain the two Bishops.
A: 15.c3 Na5 16.Bc2 Nc4 17.Bc1
17.Bd4 e5 loses the Bishop pair and the advantage
17...Qc5 18.a4. This felt quite nice too but I preferred not to allow so much activity. Besides, c4-c5 is a very long way away in this position, and so I would have to come up with a different plan.
B: 15.a4 I also considered, but it felt looser - the b5-Knight doesn't really need defending.
C: 15.h3 was a bailout option if needed: 15...Na5 16.Bd4 Nxb3 17.axb3 Rxa1 18.Rxa1+=
15...Qd7?
This puts the queen in harm's way on the d-file. In addition, it wastes a crucial tempo which allows White to get coordinated by developing the a1-Rook.
A: 15...Ng4 16.Bc1
16.c3 Nxe3 17.Qxe3=
16...Na5 17.Ba2 This is clearly not as good as the game for White. I thought I might be able to gradually unwind though.
17.Qxe7 wasn't something I saw during the game in this particular instance. Black has some compensation for the pawn due to the slightly awkward queenside development after 17...Nxb3 18.cxb3
17...Ne5 18.c3+=
18.f4 Nec4∞
B: 15...Na5 16.Ba2 Ng4 17.Bc1 transposes to 15...Ng4.
16.Rad1 Ng4 17.Bc1±
Now the b2-pawn is not pinned, the a1-Rook is active and the c4-square is less well-attacked. In the postmortem he said he thought he could put pressure on the b5-Knight but everything is covered nicely.
17...Na5 18.Ba2 Rb6
18...Rc8 19.c4 Ne5 20.b3
19.c4 Rc8
This cost him most of his remaining 22 minutes, leaving him dangerously low on time.
19...Qe6 was a move I thought he might try. 20.Qxe6 fxe6 White clearly has an advantage with the better structure and two Bishops but it's not necessarily the easiest to convert. The engine points out a tactical issue: 21.b4 Nc6 22.h3 Nge5 23.Nc7! Rf6 24.c5! dxc5 25.bxc5 and the b6-Rook is trapped.
20.b4
To be honest I was a little frustrated that I couldn't find anything better here than winning the exchange for some compensation.
A: 20.b3 was an idea I considered. 20...Qe6
A1: 20...Qf5 21.Qxe7
A2: 20...Qc6 21.Na7
21.Qxe6 fxe6± White clearly still has an advantage but it's not quite so obvious how to proceed.
B: 20.a4 was another option. 20...Ra6 and here I missed 21.c5!?
21.b3± keeping the pressure on was the plan. I wasn't totally confident he wouldn't be able to get out of the bind eventually though.
21...Rxc5 22.b4 when 22...Rxc1 is another exchange sacrifice which doesn't quite give enough compensation.
20...Nc6?!
I was very surprised when I saw this, but he had a particular idea.
20...Nxc4! was what I was expecting: 21.Bxc4 Rxc4
21...Ne5 I completely missed. Fortunately it doesn't quite work: 22.Na7! Rxc4 23.f4 Rxc1 24.Rxc1 Nc6 25.Nxc6 bxc6±
22.Qxc4 Rxb5 23.h3
23.a4 Rh5 24.h3 Ne5 didn't seem so clear, although I missed the ...Nf3+ idea here too.
23...Ne5 when 24.Qe2± is probably more prudent than the move I was planning to play (see variation).
24.Qc2?? I thought from afar I had a slightly unpleasant but manageable conversion task here. Of course the computer points out 24...Nf3+! 25.gxf3 Qxh3-+ with impending doom - maybe not 24.Qc2, then!
21.c5 Nxb4!?
This was his plan, and came as a complete shock. For a few moments I thought I'd succumbed to another tactical pitfall, but fortunately things were working in my favour.
21...Ra6 22.cxd6 e5+- was what I was expecting, which is obviously no good for Black.
22.Bxf7+!
Checks and captures!
A: 22.cxb6 Nxa2
22...Rc2 23.Rd2 Rxd2 24.Bxd2 Nxa2± looks slightly worse than the simple line for Black.
23.Qxa2
A1: 23.Na7 Nc3∞
A2: 23.a4+= was my plan before I spotted the game continuation.
23...Qxb5∞ With b6 falling this is not so clear.
B: 22.axb4 Rxb5± Even this is good for White due to the trapped Rook on b5, but I missed 23.Ba3! when the best Black has is
23.Bd2? dxc5
23...Ra8 24.Bc4 Rxc5 25.bxc5 Rxa3 with yet another exchange down position.
C: 22.cxd6!? was something I was looking at too but thought didn't work: 22...Rxb5
22...exd6∞ is best, with ongoing complications.
23.dxe7 Qe8 and here I missed 24.Qxg4 which works as 24...Nxa2 25.Qxc8! is curtains.
22...Kxf7 23.cxb6+-
Now Black is much less solid without the f-pawn and so the chances of holding the exchange-down position are much lower.
23...Nc2
23...Na6 is similarly depressing.
24.h3 Ne5 25.Bb2 Rc5 26.Nd4 Nc4??
A blunder on the increment but it's over anyway.
26...Nxd4 27.Bxd4+-
27.Qxc2 Nxb2 28.Qxb2 1-0