07 Aug '13 17:38>
I wrote this up the night the game finished. I forgot to post it. ๐
D. Ledger (2305) - P. Batchelor (2118) British Championship 2013
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 {This immediate undermining of the e-pawn is apparently theory.} 4. dxc5 Nc6 {White now plays against the c8 Bishop.} 5. f4 {If 5.Nf3 then 5...Bg4 so White risks a loose Kingside to keep the c8 Bishop out of the early middle game. Decisions and choices. Judgments v ideas.} 5... e6 {It worked. Bad news. The Bishop can and will find a role in the middle game. The f-pawn can never be moved back to f2 and the White c1 Bishop needs looking at, the f4 pawn has cut him out. Decisions - Judgement and Ideas.} 6. Be3 {Inviting the d-pawn forward so White can get a Knight to e4. Also, thanks to f4, that Bishop needs to find an active square (f2 will do) .} 6... d4 7. Bf2 Bxc5 8. Nd2 Nge7 9. a3 {With the dark squared Bishop sitting on f2 a Bb5+ could prove annoying after the coming Ne4.} 9... O-O 10. Ne4 Bb6 11. Bd3 Nd5 {White has a draw here with 12.Nf6+ gxf6 13.Bxh7+ Kxh7 14.Qh5+ etc...A line to store if ever you a need a quick draw to get home earlier or tie up a tournament win.} 12. Qh5 {No draws today. Game on.} 12... f5 13. exf6 g6 14. Qf3 {The first wave has been beaten back.} 14... Qc7 15. Ne2 Nxf6 16. O-O-O Nd5 {Now was this next move a blunder or was it meant in the pursuit of a very interesting game. You decide. Decide now, do not look to see who won and then decide.} 17. Bg3 Ne5 {If White drops the Queen back to f2 then the d5 Knight lands on e3 with the nasty threat of Nxd3+ and Qxc2 mate. White plays the only viable move.} 18. fxe5 Rxf3 19. gxf3 {White has stemmed Black's attack at the cost of a Queen for a Rook and Knight.} 19... Bd7 20. h4 {We now witness a classic opposite side attack. Both sides will try to keep the other player occupied on the side of the board where he is attacking.} 20... Ba4 21. Kb1 Rc8 22. Rc1 {Looking good for Black, the last two White moves were on his Queenside so that means his Kingside attack is slowing up.} 22... Ba5 23. h5 {White is catching up, Black keeps the pot hot on the Queenside.} 23... Bc3 {But it's not a threat so White ignores it.} 24. hxg6 Qb6 {OK now it's threat, White is forced to make more defensive moves on the Queenside.} 25. N2xc3 dxc3 26. b4 Nxb4 {Black can see the trouble coming his way on his Kingside so in goes the kitchen sink.} 27. Bf2 {The perfect answer to a threatened discovered check. As long as it's not a double check you hit the piece threatening to give the check.} 27... Qa5 28. Nf6+ {The White attack now takes over.} 28... Kf8 29. Rxh7 {Rf7 mate is the threat.} 29... Rc7 30. Rh8+ Ke7 31. Rch1 {The pieces that were on defensive duty gleefully swing across to the Kingside to join in on the attack. The threats are piling up, there are too many. Rh1-h7 mate is staring Black in the face.} 31... Qxe5 32. R1h7+ {32...Kxf6 33.Rf8+ Kg5 34.Bh4 mate. Black has to run into the Knight fork trick.} 32... Kd6 33. Bg3 {That’s it Black resigned. QxB then Ne4+ 1-0. The wrap up goes something like this.} 33... Nxd3 34. Bxe5+ Nxe5 35. Ne4+ Kc6 36. Rxc7+ Kxc7 37. g7 {So was the Queen for two bits sac planned, gambled or desperation?}
D. Ledger (2305) - P. Batchelor (2118) British Championship 2013
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 {This immediate undermining of the e-pawn is apparently theory.} 4. dxc5 Nc6 {White now plays against the c8 Bishop.} 5. f4 {If 5.Nf3 then 5...Bg4 so White risks a loose Kingside to keep the c8 Bishop out of the early middle game. Decisions and choices. Judgments v ideas.} 5... e6 {It worked. Bad news. The Bishop can and will find a role in the middle game. The f-pawn can never be moved back to f2 and the White c1 Bishop needs looking at, the f4 pawn has cut him out. Decisions - Judgement and Ideas.} 6. Be3 {Inviting the d-pawn forward so White can get a Knight to e4. Also, thanks to f4, that Bishop needs to find an active square (f2 will do) .} 6... d4 7. Bf2 Bxc5 8. Nd2 Nge7 9. a3 {With the dark squared Bishop sitting on f2 a Bb5+ could prove annoying after the coming Ne4.} 9... O-O 10. Ne4 Bb6 11. Bd3 Nd5 {White has a draw here with 12.Nf6+ gxf6 13.Bxh7+ Kxh7 14.Qh5+ etc...A line to store if ever you a need a quick draw to get home earlier or tie up a tournament win.} 12. Qh5 {No draws today. Game on.} 12... f5 13. exf6 g6 14. Qf3 {The first wave has been beaten back.} 14... Qc7 15. Ne2 Nxf6 16. O-O-O Nd5 {Now was this next move a blunder or was it meant in the pursuit of a very interesting game. You decide. Decide now, do not look to see who won and then decide.} 17. Bg3 Ne5 {If White drops the Queen back to f2 then the d5 Knight lands on e3 with the nasty threat of Nxd3+ and Qxc2 mate. White plays the only viable move.} 18. fxe5 Rxf3 19. gxf3 {White has stemmed Black's attack at the cost of a Queen for a Rook and Knight.} 19... Bd7 20. h4 {We now witness a classic opposite side attack. Both sides will try to keep the other player occupied on the side of the board where he is attacking.} 20... Ba4 21. Kb1 Rc8 22. Rc1 {Looking good for Black, the last two White moves were on his Queenside so that means his Kingside attack is slowing up.} 22... Ba5 23. h5 {White is catching up, Black keeps the pot hot on the Queenside.} 23... Bc3 {But it's not a threat so White ignores it.} 24. hxg6 Qb6 {OK now it's threat, White is forced to make more defensive moves on the Queenside.} 25. N2xc3 dxc3 26. b4 Nxb4 {Black can see the trouble coming his way on his Kingside so in goes the kitchen sink.} 27. Bf2 {The perfect answer to a threatened discovered check. As long as it's not a double check you hit the piece threatening to give the check.} 27... Qa5 28. Nf6+ {The White attack now takes over.} 28... Kf8 29. Rxh7 {Rf7 mate is the threat.} 29... Rc7 30. Rh8+ Ke7 31. Rch1 {The pieces that were on defensive duty gleefully swing across to the Kingside to join in on the attack. The threats are piling up, there are too many. Rh1-h7 mate is staring Black in the face.} 31... Qxe5 32. R1h7+ {32...Kxf6 33.Rf8+ Kg5 34.Bh4 mate. Black has to run into the Knight fork trick.} 32... Kd6 33. Bg3 {That’s it Black resigned. QxB then Ne4+ 1-0. The wrap up goes something like this.} 33... Nxd3 34. Bxe5+ Nxe5 35. Ne4+ Kc6 36. Rxc7+ Kxc7 37. g7 {So was the Queen for two bits sac planned, gambled or desperation?}