Game 5 - Pawel Szutkowski (131) vs Zak Tomlinson (128)
An interesting story before this game starts.
In round 4, Pawel played someone named Terry Tyson on board 1, they were both also on 3/3.
I was watching the game intermittently, as they were next to my board.
They each had 6 pawns and a Knight and the game looked drawish.
At one point Terry offered a draw, which Pawel refused.
Pawel then started behaving a little bullishly, slamming pieces on the table, slamming his water bottle,
which made Terry visibly flustered, shaking his head.
Terry then made a mistake, allowing a passed pawn which led to his defeat.
The poor guy withdrew from the tournament, not playing the last game.
Then, minutes before round 5 commenced, Pawel gave someone his phone and insisted they take our picture
shaking hands over the table, which I obliged.
Perhaps it was mind games, but also could have been harmless sportsmanship... I shrugged it off.
We were the only two people on 4/4... could someone make it 5?
[Event "Blackpool Minor"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.03.10"] [Round "5"] [White "Szutkowski, Pawel"] [Black "Tomlinson, Zak"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A01"] [PlyCount "126"] 1. b3 {We get a Nimzowitch-Larsen attack, modern variation, something I have only limited experience with} e5 2. Bb2 Nc6 3. e3 Nf6 4. Bb5 {Now Black has a few choices, the top two suggestions being d6 or Bd6} d6 {Bd6 to me just looks strange, call me old fashioned but I don't like putting pieces in front of the central pawns} 5. d4 Bd7 6. Nf3 exd4 {The computer prefers e5-e4, which I did consider, but I didn't like after I push d5 White will have c4 and my centre is undermined} 7. Nxd4 Nxd4 8. Bxd7+ Qxd7 9. Qxd4 Qc6 {Looks good, hitting two unprotected pawns} 10. O-O {I now saw that if Qxc2 White has Rc1 and afterwards Rxc7, so I developed instead} Be7 11. c4 O-O 12. Nc3 Qd7 13. Nd5 { Saying "please take my Knight, oh please!"} c6 14. Nxe7+ Qxe7 15. Rfd1 Rfd8 { Now a move I didn't like the look of was Qh4, as it seems to double my pawns on the f-file by force} 16. Rac1 {This was perhaps not considered} Ne8 {I figured the Knight can hold things together here until things stabilise, then can re-enter the battle} 17. Qg4 Qe6 18. Qg3 d5 19. c5 {Probably the best move, I remember seeing this and thinking "I didn't expect that kind of move from you"} f6 20. Rd4 Qe7 {I want my Knight on e6} 21. Rg4 Nc7 {? However this was ill-timed, Rd7 was needed first, White now wins a pawn} 22. Bxf6 Qxf6 23. Qxc7 Rf8 24. Rf1 Rf7 25. Qa5 Re8 {Threatens Rxe3} 26. Rf4 Qd8 27. Qxd8 {I thought Qxa7 was perhaps playable, but this move was also the computer preference} Rxd8 28. Rxf7 Kxf7 {Now we've quickly entered a Rook endgame where I'm a pawn down.. . a test to see if I can hold on for half a point} 29. Rd1 Ke6 30. f3 g5 31. Kf2 Ke5 32. Rd4 Rf8 33. g3 {? h4 immediately was better} h5 34. h4 g4 {? A nod of the head from my opponent, but this was actually a mistake, Rf4 here is strong for White} 35. f4+ {? Mistake kindly returned, although White is still better} Kf5 {Now e3-e4 is strong, which if dxe4 then Ke3 and Rd7 is also available} 36. Ke2 {? Another missed opportunity} Re8 37. Kd3 b5 {e3-e4 is still playable and should still be very strong for White} 38. cxb6 axb6 39. Ra4 {? a2-a4 was better} c5 40. Ra6 Re6 41. Ra7 c4+ {! Black has to try stay active if it means holding on} 42. bxc4 dxc4+ 43. Kxc4 {? And White has allowed the very thing Black was after... Ke2 or Kd2 instead was better, stopping any counterplay} Rxe3 {With correct play this should still draw, but it's not easy} 44. Rg7 {? Rf7+ was preferred, moving the King away from f4} Rxg3 {Now Kd4 is necessary, where then Kxf4 would actually allow mate in 1!} 45. Rg5+ {?? This may have been White's intention earlier, but now that g3 has fallen, Black gets to have a passed pawn which can already be nearly escorted home} Kxf4 46. Rxh5 Ra3 {I was still thinking perhaps it was a draw at the time, but I soon realised the strength of my passed pawn compared to White's} 47. Rb5 Rxa2 48. Rxb6 Rh2 49. Kd3 {White is now looking for an opposition style stalemate with the Kings} Rxh4 {?? Which, with best play, is allowed by this move... g3 instead was the move} 50. Ke2 Kg3 51. Rb3+ Kh2 52. Rb2 {?? Rb4 was the move, as it impeded any advances, now this is winning again} Rh3 53. Kf1+ Kh1 54. Rb4 g3 55. Rg4 Kh2 56. Rg7 Rh6 57. Rg8 Rf6+ {Pushes the King away to allow g2} 58. Ke2 g2 59. Rh8+ Kg1 60. Rc8 Rh6 61. Kf3 Kh2 62. Rc2 Rf6+ 63. Kg4 Kh1 {White resigns} 0-1
--------------------------------------------
So in the end, I did exactly what I was hoping for and fully made up for my mistakes 2 weeks ago.
Here's the full results crosstable after 5 rounds:
http://chess-results.com/tnr416709.aspx?lan=1&art=4
Playing through the games, you could argue 3 of them certainly should have been drawn,
1 of which maybe even losing, but you have to take chances when they come.
I showed good composure, very good use of time, not moving too quickly or slowly.
For me, this feels almost like a watershed performance.
5 wins out of 5 in an ECF 135 tournament, against some good players too.
(Lovinia has been above 140, Ron Stather has periodically had a rating above 150 and even 160)
Soon I will be forced to play in Major tournaments.
I look forward to reporting my progress in the tougher sections.
As always, I hope you found the games interesting and/or instructive in any way.
Cheers all,
Zak
p.s. my next tournament will be over Easter bank holiday, a 4-day event with 7 rounds.
It will be in Stevenage, if you're reading this and live nearby then why not enter?
http://www.4ncl.co.uk/fide/information_easter19.htm
I'll be in the U1825 section, see you there!
Blackpool Congress 2019 - My games w/ analysis
12 Mar '19 22:09
Back to Top