From the match Wimbledon 1 v Guildford 1. This was my first Guildford game for some years.
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 O-O 5.O-O d6 6.b3
Aimed at restraining Black's kingside play. As a King's Indian player he wants a blocked centre and a kingside pawn storm, but it's not going to happen.
6…Nc6
Black can play 6…e5, which is double-edged, but 6…c5 is probably best.
7.Bb2 d5?!
This can't be right. Black is now playing a Grunfeld set-up a move down.
8.c4 e6
Passive. Where is Black's counterplay coming from? White's plan now is Nbd2, Re1, e4 with the initiative.
9.Nbd2 a5 10.a3
To meet …a4 with b4.
10...Rb8 11.Rc1 Ne7 12.Ne5 b5
The latest in a series of anti-positional moves.
13.cxb5 Rxb5 14.a4 Rb6 15.Rc5
Going after the weak pawn on a5.
15...Nd7 16.Nxd7 Qxd7 17.Rxa5
But this is too hasty. I overlooked that my d-pawn drops in two moves' time. Instead I should play 17.e3 to shore up the centre. Black can hold the a5 pawn with 17…Nc6 but after 18.Qc2 his queenside comes under a lot of pressure.
17...Nc6 18.Rc5 Nxd4 19.Ba3 Nxe2+ 20.Qxe2 Ba6 21.Qd1 Bxf1 22.Bxf1
Black has given up a knight and bishop for a rook and pawn. This doesn't work out well as White's minor pieces become strong.
22...Rfb8 23.Qc2 Be5 24.a5 R6b7 25.a6 Ra7 26.Rc6 Rb6 27.Rxb6 cxb6 28.Qd3 Qc6 29.b4 Qc8 30.b5
After this Black is positionally lost.
30...Rc7 31.Bb4 Rc1 32.Qe3
With a double attack on the bishop on e5 and pawn on b6.
32...Bc7?
But this is not the right way to defend. Black had to play 32…Qc7.
33.Ne4!
Exploiting the lack of communication between queen and rook arising from his last move.
33...Be5
A: 33...Rb1 loses to 34.Nf6+ Kg7 35.Ng4 with Qh6+ to follow.
B: 33...Rxf1+ 34.Kxf1 dxe4 35.a7 Qa8 36.Qh6 with the threat of Qf8+ and then queening the a-pawn.
34.Nc5!
An artistic move. Placing the knight en prise, but with a double attack on the Black rook and bishop.
34...Rxf1+ 35.Kxf1 bxc5 36.Qxc5
36.Qxe5 also wins for White.
36...Qd7
Missing White's next.
37.Qf8# 1-0