Epsom 1 v Guildford 1, Surrey League Division 1.
Time control: 75' (+10").
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.Ngf3 cxd4 5.exd5 Qxd5 6.Bc4 Qd6 7.O-O Nf6 8.Nb3 Nc6 9.Nbxd4 Nxd4 10.Nxd4 Be7
Pretty standard theory so far.
11.Nb5
The most agressive move.
11...Qc6 12.Qe2 O-O 13.Bf4 a6 14.a4 Bd7
…axb5 was threatened and Nc3 felt ugly as my pieces lack coordination.
14...axb5 15.axb5 and White wins the rook or the queen 15...Rxa1 16.bxc6 Rxf1+ 17.Qxf1
15.Nd4 Qc5 16.c3 Rac8 17.Bd3
The only good square for the bishop other than b3, but it just felt more active and is on a more useful diagonal.
17...Rfe8 18.Rfe1
I was worried about …e5 but this move does not prevent it. Be5 was better.
18...Bd6 19.Bxd6 Qxd6 20.Nf3 e5
White cannot take the pawn.
21.Rad1
Defending the bishop and threatening Bh7+ and Rd6.
21.Nxe5 there is 21...Rxe5! and the bishop on d3 hangs.
21...Qc7 22.Nxe5?!
Tactically very risky, however I thought I would give it a try to make things interesting.
22...Bxa4?!
22...Ng4! 23.Bxh7+! The idea is if …Kxh7 there is Qd3+ getting out of the pin. 23...Kxh7?
23...Kh8! 24.Rxd7 Qxe5 25.Qxe5 Nxe5 26.Rxe5 Rxe5 27.Bd3 and Black is the exchange up. However, both of us understandably missed this.
24.Qd3+ Kg8 25.Qxd7 Now the only try is …Re5 but then Qg4 and white is up two pawns. 25...Rxe5 26.Qxg4
23.Rd2 Bd7 24.h3
Removing any …Ng4 ideas while giving my king a flight square.
24...Be6 25.Qf3
Aiming to play Qg3 and Rde2 further protecting my centralised knight.
25...Bd5 26.Qg3 Re7 27.Rde2 Rce8 28.Ng4
Although the engine says it is completely equal, I think I slightly prefer White due to the doubled f pawns and isolated h pawn.
28...Qxg3 29.Nxf6+ gxf6 30.fxg3 Rxe2 31.Rxe2 Re5 32.Kf2
Bringing in the king.
32...h6 33.Rd2
My idea with this move is to play Bf3 and Be2 trading off the bishops.
33...Bc6 34.Be2 a5 35.Bf3 Rb5
Although this is still fine for Black, they now have problems as after
36.Bxc6 bxc6
Black's pawn structure is awful and my king gets centralised first.
37.Ke3 Kg7 38.Kd3 Rg5 39.g4 f5 40.gxf5 Rxf5 41.Kc4 Rg5 42.h4
The idea behind this move is to either force black's rook off the 5th rank or release pressure on my g2 pawn. I'm not worried about …Rg4.
42...Rb5
42...Rg4+ 43.Kc5 Rxh4 44.Kxc6 and my c-pawn is a runner.
43.b3
Allowing my rook to move in the future.
43...Re5 44.Rd6 Re4+ 45.Rd4 Re3 46.Rd3 Re4+?!
A strange decision as this allows my king to get to the c pawn. Re5 cutting off the king was much better.
47.Kc5 a4??
After this move, Black does not even get the h pawn for their troubles.
48.bxa4 Rxa4 49.Rd4??
A stupid move. c4 was a lot better and simpler, as now Black's rook can get activity.
49...Ra6?
Black cannot become passive.
49...Ra2 50.g3 Ra3
50.c4 Ra2?! 51.Rg4+ Kf6 52.Kxc6
Now White has cleanly won the c6 pawn and is winning.
52...Kf5 53.Rg8 Ra4 54.Kb5 Ra2 55.c5 Ke5 56.Rd8 Rxg2 57.c6 Rb2+ 58.Ka6 Rc2 59.Kb7 Rb2+ 60.Kc8 Rb4 61.h5 f5 62.c7 f4?! 63.Kd7 Rc4 64.c8=Q Rxc8 65.Rxc8 Kf5 66.Rf8+ Kg4 67.Ke6
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