We’d brought a formidable team for this anticipated quarter final match, with Sam Milson (back in Sheffield) and Kieran significantly improving our chances against a strong Ecclesall. But bumping into Dave Adams in The Abbey carpark, he tells me they’ve been expecting to see Sam: intelligence from somewhere…. But still, great players if not quite the surprise factor we were counting on!
Very interesting match to watch. 3 fairly early draws: Chris v Dave Adams on board 3, Jon v Jonathan Tait on 1, then John F v Farshad on 4. But Ian (facing John Clark) and Kieran (Ewan Cormack) are better – and Sam is equal against Jim Burnett. Lots of interest in Ian’s middle game position: he’s playing extremely well against some inaccurate opening moves. But he is in bad time trouble and in the endgame his opponent is getting some threatening-looking counterplay. But still, Kieran has played very nicely on the White side of a Kings Indian Bayonet Attack: and I think we’ll probably win, with Sam now also standing better. Still, it’s quite tense, as people are crowded round the three outstanding games….. But then out of the blue Ian’s opponent resigns (he’s blundered his knight – see the full game below) and Kieran wins: we’re there. And Sam beats Jim too: 4.5-1.5 – a great result.
[Event "Ecclesall I v Nomads 1 - Bd 6"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2019.01.16"]
[Round "?"]
[White "John Clark"]
[Black "Ian Barwick"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C24"]
[PlyCount "103"]
[EventDate "2019.??.??"]
{Joint annotation by Ian and Jeremy:} 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d3 c6 {
J: a principled response to White’s setup.} 4. Nf3 d5 5. exd5 $6 {Ian: to
challenge Black’s ambitious setup White should maintain the pressure on
Black’s central pawns. Some combination of Bb3, exd5, Nc3, O-O, Re1 and Bg5
would be a better plan.} cxd5 6. Bb5+ Bd7 7. Bxd7+ Nbxd7 8. O-O Bd6 {J: Black
has come out very well from the opening.} 9. Nc3 O-O 10. Nb5 $6 Bb8 11. c4 $6
a6 12. Na3 $2 {Not a good square for the knight.} e4 $1 {Ian: exchanging on c4
would let the misplaced Knight back into the game.} 13. dxe4 dxe4 14. Ne1 Qc7
15. g3 Ba7 16. Bf4 Qc6 17. Qd6 $2 ({Better} 17. Qe2) 17... e3 $1 {J: a great
shot – 18…exf2+ is threatened and 18.fxe3 is met by 18…Bxe3+!} 18. Nd3 Qxd6
({J: this is a good move – but even better was either} 18... exf2+ 19. Nxf2 Ne4
{winning the exchange, or}) (18... e2 $1 19. Rfe1 Qf3 {Ian: I saw the idea of .
..e2 and ….Qf3 – but couldn’t see past 20.c5 – in fact 20…Ng4 is very
strong.}) 19. Bxd6 Rfe8 20. Kg2 Ne4 21. c5 exf2 (21... Ndxc5) 22. Nxf2 $2 ({J:
} 22. Rac1 {was a better try}) 22... Ndxc5 23. Nxe4 Nxe4 24. Bf4 g5 $1 {
Ian: I enjoyed this one. It’s an odd looking move and if White’e pieces were
actively placed it would be an unhappy configuration for the Black pawns. But
with the Bishop forced back to c1 the White pieces are in disarray.} 25. Bc1 ({
Ian:} 25. Bc7 Rac8 26. Ba5 Bd4 {and all Black’s pieces are set to invade.})
25... Rad8 26. Rf5 Rd1 27. Rf1 Red8 28. Rb1 Rxf1 29. Kxf1 Nd2+ 30. Bxd2 Rxd2 {
JH: Ian has kept everything nicely under control – it’s very difficult for
White now.} 31. Nc4 Rxh2 32. Rd1 Rh1+ {Ian: a lazy move. Having reached a
winning position I just wanted to simplify into what should have been an
easily winning ending. I could have saved myself a lot of later trouble by
using my dominant position to win more material. Rf2+, Rc2 or b5 were all
better moves. (J: I think 32…Rh1+ is a great move!)} 33. Ke2 Rxd1 34. Kxd1 h5
35. Ke2 Kg7 ({J: Perhaps now} 35... Bb8 36. Kf2 b5 {to keep control of the
queenside before advancing on the kingside is safest.}) 36. b4 Kf6 ({J: Black
has to be careful about White’s queenside play. Stronger was} 36... b5 {– eg}
37. Nd6 (37. Na5 Bb8 {keeps control of White’s invasion squares}) 37... Bb8 38.
Ne4 g4 39. Kf2 f5 {and if 40.Nc5 Ba7 transposing into a winning K+P ending.})
37. a4 Bb8 38. Kf3 Kf5 ({J:} 38... g4+ 39. Kf2 Bc7 {keeps everything under
control.}) 39. b5 h4 ({J: Ian had very little time by now but} 39... g4+ {
is more accurate, tying down the White king.}) 40. gxh4 gxh4 41. b6 h3 42. Na5
Ke6 43. Nxb7 Kd7 $2 ({Ian: I have definitely underestimated White’s play on
the queen side. But I believe this is the move that takes the game into a
drawn position. Better was} 43... Kd5 44. Nd8 f5 45. Nf7 Kc6 46. b7 (46. Ng5 h2
47. Kg2 Kxb6) 46... h2 47. Kg2 Kxb7 48. Nh6 Kb6 49. Nxf5 Ka5) 44. Nc5+ Kc6 45.
Nxa6 Bd6 46. a5 $2 Kb7 $2 ({J: Ian was under great time pressure at this point.
} 46... f5 $1 {forces a pawn through – eg} 47. Nc7 f4 48. Ne6 h2 49. Kg2 f3+
50. Kh1 f2) 47. Nc7 Be5 {Ian: I was pretty much resigned to a draw at this
point. Exchanging on c7 leads to a quick draw. This move gives White the
opportunity to go wrong so I thought I would see what happens.} 48. Nd5 Ka6 49.
Nb4+ Kb5 50. b7 $4 ({Ian: and White obliges.} 50. Nd3 Bb8 51. Nf2 h2 52. Kg2 {
appears to hold.}) 50... Kxb4 51. a6 Bb8 {White resigns} 52. -- ({J:} 52. a7
Bxa7 53. Kg3 f5 54. Kxh3 Kc4 {wins. A great performance by Ian, particularly
in the middle game. Ian: Thanks to Jeremy for his analysis and notes.}) 0-1
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