This game is bitter-sweet for me. Sweet because I obtained a very nice position out of the opening with serious chances. Bitter because a fairy-tale outcome did not ensue and goes to show that not all chess lessons are on the board.  1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ gxf6 6.Nf3 Bf5 7.Bd3 Bg6 8.O-O Qc7 9.c4 Nd7 10.Be3 O-O-O 11.Rc1 e5 12.Qc2 Kb8 13.Rfd1 c5 14.d5 Nb6

Black will be able to get the ideal piece to blockade my passed pawn by re-routing the knight to d6 but I wasn't too worried as my knight goes to f5 easily and I had planned b4 even after the knight goes to d6 which would help me open some lines for black's king.  15.Nh4 Nc8 16.Nf5 Re8?! Brian tries to be sneaky  17.Qa4 (17.h3 If white does nothing then  17...e4 18.Bxe4 Rxe4 19.Qxe4 Nd6 ) 17...Bd6 18.Nxd6 Nxd6 Brian took an unusual long pause despite the fact that his hand gestured he was already going to capture d6 with the Knight. I assume he only just realised White's following move.  19.b4 b6 (19...cxb4 20.Qxa7+ Kc8 21.c5 is of course a no no ) 20.bxc5 bxc5 21.Rb1+ Ka8 22.Bxg6 hxg6 23.Qc6+ Qxc6 24.dxc6 I was quite sure that the queen exchange was going to provide me with a nice plus as the passed c pawn proves to be a bit of a nuisance  24...Rb8 25.Bxc5 ( Of course not 25.Rxb8+ Rxb8 26.Rxd6 Rb1+ ) 25...Nxc4 26.Rbc1 Nb6 27.g3 I thought it would be smart to get rid of the back rank mate threat but (27.Rd6 f5 28.c7 Rbc8 29.Bxb6 axb6 30.Rxb6 is not bad for white ) 27...Rhe8 28.Bxb6 Rxb6 29.Rd7 Rc8 30.c7 Kb7 By now, Brian is running short on time which is ironic as the result of this game will show  31.Rxf7 f5 32.Rg7 e4 33.h4 Rb2 (33...Rc6 34.Rxc6 Kxc6 35.Rxg6+ Kxc7 36.Rf6 and black's pawn falls off with the threat of passed h pawn difficult to deal with ) 34.a4 Rb4 35.Rxg6 Rxa4 36.h5 e3 37.fxe3 Rg4?

Brian was down to his last minute but this was a fatal exchange for black (37...Rxc7 38.Rxc7+ Kxc7 39.h6 Ra1+ 40.Kg2 Ra2+ 41.Kh3 Ra1 42.Rg7+ Kb6 43.Kh4 Rh1+ 44.Kg5 +- ) 38.Rxg4 fxg4 39.h6 a5 40.h7 a4 41.e4!? Not wrong but the immediate (41.Rb1+! Kxc7 (41...Kc6 42.Rb8 Rxc7 43.h8=Q ) 42.Rc1+ Kd7 43.Rxc8 wins. Looks like that redbull I drank during the game did nothing but turned me into a zombie. ) 41...a3 42.Kf2?! Lazy chess at its finest. Don't want to think? Stick to old chess wisdom such as "develop your king for end game". As Brian said after the game, black can't do anything about the e pawn running down to e8 then when the black rook moves away, c8Q, swap rook and h pawn queen with ease or the same idea of (42.Rb1+ Kxc7 (42...Kc6 43.Ra1 Kb7 44.Rxa3 +- ) 43.Rc1+ Kd7 44.Rxc8 ) 42...Rf8+ 43.Ke3 Kc8 Because of Kf2, black has now replaced the blockade with the ideal king  44.Kd4 By now I know that we were both short on time but somehow I never took this factor seriously as I was ahead by time for the most part of this game... and because it was close to midnight and way past the bedtime my mum usually set for me  44...Rh8 and White lost on time. A Houdini escape for Brian and painful lesson for me. (44...Rh8 Ed: Spectating I saw that  45.Ra1! wins easily for White because  45...Rxh7 46.Rxa3 Rxc7? (46...Kxc7?? 47.Ra7+ ) 47.Rc3 swaps to a winning pawn ending so White remains two pawns up. It's amazing how easy it is if you are only watching! ) 0-1

1.d4 d6 2.e4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3 c5 6.Bb5+ Bd7 7.e5 Ng4 8.e6 Bxb5 9.exf7+ Kf8 10.Nxb5 Qd7 11.Qe2 Na6 12.Ng5 cxd4 13.Nxd4 Bxd4 14.Ne6+ Kxf7 15.Nxd4 Nf6 16.O-O Rac8 17.c4 Qg4 18.Nf3 h6 19.Bd2 Nc5 20.Bc3 Qe6 21.Rae1 Rhe8 22.Ne5+ dxe5 23.fxe5 Nd7

24.exf6 (24.Qd2! Is devastating -It's a computer move but it is also very logical - just maximising the harmony of the White pieces - Black is hogtied and White has multiple threats. For example  24...Qc6 Black absolutely must get the Queen out off the open e file  25.exf6 exf6 26.Rd1 avoiding exchanges  26...Ne5 27.Qxh6 Kg8 28.Bxe5 fxe5 29.Rf3! And transferring the rook to the h file wins ) 24...Qxe2 25.Rxe2 Now Anthony escapes into an ending where his skill is second to none in NZ  25...exf6 26.Rxe8 Rxe8 27.Re1 Ne5 28.b3 Ke6 29.Rd1 Rc8 30.Bb4 Rc6 31.Kf2 a5 32.Bxa5 Ra6 33.Rd5 b6 34.Bc3 Rxa2+ 35.Kg3 Ra3 36.Bxe5 Rxb3+ 37.Kf4 fxe5+ 38.Rxe5+ Kd6 39.Re4 Rb2 40.Kf3 Rc2 41.h4 (41.Rg4! and the kingside pawns fall ) 41...Kc5 42.g4 After this it's one way traffic (42.Re5+ Kxc4 43.Re6 b5 44.Rxg6 b4 45.Rc6+ Kd3 46.Rxh6 is a bit scary but is good enough to draw ) 42...Rc3+ 43.Kf4? The final mistake - White absolutely cannot allow Black an extra passed pawn AND a forced rook exchange.  43...Rxc4 44.g5 hxg5+ 45.hxg5 b5 0-1

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bg5 Bf5 4.Bxf6 gxf6 5.e3 e6 6.Nge2 c5 7.Ng3 Bg6 8.Bb5+ Nc6 9.O-O h5 10.e4 a6 11.Bxc6+ bxc6 12.Re1

12...h4! Black's strategy in this game is to 'creep' up the board, gradually stealing White's space and oxygen. It's rather aesthetically pleasing - well if you think a python squeezing a goat to death is aesthetically appealing.  13.Nf1 Rh5 14.dxc5 Bxc5 15.Qf3 Kf8 16.Rad1 Kg7 17.Na4 Ba7 18.Qc3 Qd6 19.Rd3 Rb8 20.Rf3 Re5 21.exd5 cxd5 22.Rxe5 Qxe5 23.Qxe5 fxe5 24.b3 Bxc2 25.Rc3 Bg6 26.Rc7 Bd4 27.Nd2 e4 28.Nc5 Rb6 29.Kf1 Be5 30.Rc8 Bxh2 31.Nd7 Rb4 32.Rc6 Rd4 33.Ke1 Bh5 34.Rc2 Bf4 35.Nc5 a5 36.a4 Bd6 37.Na6 Kf6 38.f3 exf3 39.Nxf3 Rd3 40.Nc5 Bxc5 41.Rxc5 Bxf3 42.gxf3 Rxf3 0-1

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e5 Nfd7 6.Bxe7 Qxe7 7.f4 a6 8.Bd3 c5 9.Qg4 f5 10.Qg3 cxd4 11.Nce2 Qb4+ 12.Kf2 O-O 13.Nf3 Nc6 14.Qh3 Nc5 15.a3 Qb6 16.g4 Ne4+ 17.Kg2 Bd7 18.g5 Be8 19.Ng3 Bg6 20.b3 Rac8 21.Ne1 Ne7 22.Ne2 Nc6 23.Qf3 Nc5 24.h4 Ne4 25.h5 Be8 26.Qh3 Qa5 27.Nf3 Qc5 28.Rhc1 Nc3 29.Ng3 Ne4 30.Ne2 b5 31.h6 g6

Black has been on top for some time - it is now clear that White can't make progress on the kingside and Black owns the queenside right?  32.Qh1 Nc3 Up until now Black has acted a bit like the rich man who doesn't know what to do with his money - he just likes rolling around in a big pile of banknotes. Mike has a beautiful knight on e4 - but what can it do? He keeps moving it away and then back, without achieving anything.  33.Qg1 Nxe2 Running out of patience, Mike exchanges the super knight  34.Bxe2 a5 35.c3! Restoring material equality - watch how White steals the queenside in broad daylight.  35...Qb6 36.Nxd4 Na7! Allowing a simple winning tactic  37.Nxe6! Qxe6 38.Qxa7 Rf7 39.Qxa5 Bc6 40.Bf3 Ra8 41.Qb4 Rfa7 42.Rd1 Rd7 43.Qd4 Qe7 44.b4 Rc8 45.Rd2 Bb7 46.Be2 Rdc7 47.Rc2 Bc6

Alan Aldridge whispered to me during the game that for long periods White had a simple tactic to win even more pawns  48.Bd3 (48.Bxb5 ! ) 48...Ra8 49.Kh2 Rca7 50.Rca2 Ra4 51.Bc2 R4a7 52.Bb3 Qe6 53.Qd1 Rc7 54.Rd2 Rd8 55.Rd3 Rcd7 56.Rd4 Bb7 57.a4 Qc6 58.Qd3 Kf8 59.axb5 Qb6 60.Rd1 Qa7 61.Rd2 Qa1 62.Rd1 Qa7 63.Qc2 Qb6 64.Qe2 Qe6 65.Qd3 Qb6 66.Qe2 Qe6 67.Qd3 Qb6 68.Ra1 Ra8 69.Rxa8+ Bxa8 70.Qd2 Qxb5 71.c4 Qb6 72.cxd5

After an extended period of dithering, White finally gets on with the job of wrapping things up.  72...Qa7 73.e6! I must admit that as a spectator I thought this was a little anti-positional - I missed the main idea - it opens the long Black diagonal  73...Rd6 74.Qc3 Qb7 75.Rc4 Rd8 76.Qh8+ Ke7 77.Qg7+ Kd6 78.Rc6+ 1-0

1.e4 c5 2.c3 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 e6 6.a3 Nc6 7.Be3 cxd4 8.cxd4 Be7 9.Nc3 Qd6 10.Bd3 O-O 11.O-O b6 12.Qe2 Bb7 13.Rad1 Rad8 14.Rfe1 Qb8 15.Bc2 Rfe8 16.Qd3 g6 17.Bb1 Ng4 18.Ba2 Bf6 19.h3?

19...Nxd4! 20.Bxd4 Rxd4 21.Qe2 Bxf3 22.Qxf3 Qh2+ 23.Kf1 Rf4 24.hxg4 Rxf3 25.gxf3 Bxc3 26.bxc3 h5 27.gxh5 Qxh5 28.Re3 Qb5+ 29.c4 Qb2 30.Bb1 Kg7 31.Kg2 Rh8 32.Be4 Rh2+! 0-1

1.Nf3 d6 2.d4 f5 3.c4 Nf6 4.Nc3 g6 5.g3 Bg7 6.Bg2 O-O 7.O-O c6 8.Re1 Ne4 9.Qc2 d5 10.Bf4 e6 11.Rad1 Nd7 12.Ne5 Nxe5 13.Bxe5 Bxe5 14.dxe5 Qc7 15.f4 Qf7 16.Bxe4 fxe4 17.e3 Bd7 18.Rd2 b5 19.c5 b4 20.Ne2 Bc8 21.Qa4 g5 22.Qxc6 Bd7 23.Qd6 Rac8 24.Nd4 gxf4 25.exf4 Rfd8 26.Rc1

I have been willing to embed my Queen in Black's position on the basis that hopefully the cavalry would arrive before Black could organise his pieces well enough to trap the queen. Now that I am threatening c6 winning material AND bringing my rooks powerfully into the game - I was confident my judgement had been vindicated.  26...e3!? Fortunately when this move arrived on the board I had time for one more decent think. During this time I went through the full gamut of chess emotions. My first thought was that the move is crazy, the advanced pawn becomes hopelessly weak and can't survive. Then I saw Andrew's devious idea and became depressed - if I move my rook to any sensible square, I give the bishop the opportunity to make a useful discovery by hitting the rook. This will mean I won't have time to capture on e6 - something I'd been relying on to keep my Queen alive. Finally I realised that in this position losing my Queen was actually a good thing - it works fine as a sacrifice. So the ! in !? is for winning the Queen. The ? is because winning the Queen loses the game. And the ! comes ahead of the ? as a tribute to Andrew's resourcefulness (and because he was lost anyway).  27.Re2 Bb5 ( The comp recommends an exchange sac. After 27...Bc6 28.Qxe6 Qxe6 29.Nxe6 d4 30.Nxd8 Rxd8 White should win ) 28.Nxb5! Rxd6 29.exd6! Much better than the superficially appealing Nxd6, since the fork is a chimera whereas the advanced connected passers are monstrous   29...Rc6? Black can't really hope to survive here - the pawns are going to cost him his rook. But this idea hastens the end  30.Nd4 Qh5? This is the idea Black is hoping for a rook exchange and then some counterplay with a strong Queen and advanced pawn. Unfortunately I can simply capture the advanced pawn first - but just in time I saw an even better move   31.d7! There is no way back for the Queen so unusually White gets a new Queen in broad daylight. 1-0

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nd4 4.Bc4 e6 5.Nge2 Be7 6.d3 a6 7.Nxd4 cxd4 8.Ne2 e5 9.O-O Nf6 10.f4 d6 11.Qe1 Qc7 12.fxe5 dxe5 13.Bg5 O-O 14.Qh4 Qc6 15.Ng3 h6 16.Bxf6 Bxf6 17.Qh5 Be6

18.Rxf6!! gxf6 19.Qxh6 The threat of Nh5 and Qg7 mate is unstoppable.  19...Bg4 20.Qg6+ Kh8 21.Qxg4 f5 22.Qh5+ Kg8 23.Nxf5 Qf6 24.Rf1 1-0

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 d4 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.a3 a5 6.b3 Bf5 7.Bb2 Bc5 8.g3 Nge7 9.Bg2 Ng6 10.O-O Qd7 11.Qc1 Qe7 12.Rd1 Rd8 13.b4 axb4 14.axb4 Bxb4 15.Nxd4 Nxd4 16.Rxd4 Rxd4 17.Bxd4 O-O

18.Bxb7? c5! Whoops  19.e4 Bh3 20.Bd5 cxd4 21.f4 Qc5 22.Ra2 d3+ 23.Kh1 d2 24.Nxd2 Qf2 25.Qg1 Qe2

A rather piteous final position - note that Black can choose between winning a second piece or even better winning White's Queen with Bc5 0-1

57.b5? Missing his chance (57.Kxf4!! e2 58.Bxe2 g2 59.Bf3+ Check! From now on Black makes sure his king only goes to black squares ) 57...Kc5! A surprising draw - the engine gives White a big plus but cannot make progress.  58.Be2 Kb6 59.Bd3 Kc5 60.Be2 Kb6 1/2-1/2

Notes by Ian Sellen  1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Bg4 4.cxd5 cxd5 5.h3 Be6 6.g3 h6 7.Bg2 Nf6 8.Nf3 Nc6 9.O-O Qd7 10.Kh2 g5 11.Na4 b6 12.Nc3 Bg7 13.Ne5 Nxe5 14.dxe5 Nh7 15.f4 Rd8 16.Bd2 f6 17.f5 Bxf5 18.Nxd5 e6 19.e4 Bg6 20.exf6 Bf8 21.f7+ Bxf7 22.Bc3 Rg8 23.Rxf7 Qxf7 24.Qa4+ Qd7 25.Nc7+ Kf7 26.Rf1+ Kg6 27.Qc4 Rc8 28.Qxe6+ Qxe6 29.Nxe6 Re8 30.Nc7 Re7

31.Nd5 ( White had a brilliant win here 31.e5!! h5 (31...Rxc7 32.Be4+ Kg7 33.e6+ Rxc3 34.Rf7+ Kh8 35.Rxh7# ) 32.Be4+ Kg7 33.Nd5 Re6 34.Bf5 Rc6 35.e6+ Rxc3 36.bxc3 Bd6 37.Bxh7 Kxh7 38.Nf6+ ) 31...Rf7 32.e5 Rxf1 33.Bxf1 Kf7 34.Bd3 Rg7 35.e6+ Kxe6 36.Bxg7 Kxd5? 37.Bxh6? (37.Bc3 and the knight is trapped ) 37...Bxh6 38.Bxh7 a5 39.Kg2 b5 40.Kf3 b4 41.Kg4 Bg7 42.b3 (42.Kxg5 Bxb2 43.Bc2 looks like a better winning chance ) (42.h4? gxh4 43.gxh4 ) 42...Bf6 43.h4 gxh4 44.gxh4 Kd4 45.h5 Kc3 46.Kf4 Bd4 47.Ke4 Bg7 48.Kf5 Kb2 49.Kg6 Bd4 50.h6 Kxa2 51.Bg8 1/2-1/2

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.cxd5 cxd5 4.Bf4 Nc6 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.Nc3 Bf5 7.a3 e6 8.e3 Be7 9.Be2 O-O 10.O-O Nd7 11.Rc1 Rc8 12.Re1 Bg6 13.b4 a6 14.Bg3 b5 15.Qb3 Nb6 16.Nd2 Nc4 17.Nxc4 bxc4 18.Qa4 Qb6 19.Red1 Ra8 20.Rd2 a5 21.b5

21...Nb4! Black starts a series of purposeful attacking moves  22.Ra1 Nd3 23.Kf1 Rfc8 24.Bd1 Ra7 25.Ke2 Bh5+ 26.f3 Bd6 27.Bxd6 Qxd6 28.g3 e5! Thematically opening the position to exploit White's weakened kingside  29.b6 Qf6! Black ignores the attack on the rook, and spends the rest of the game having a lot of fun I'm sure.  30.g4 Bxg4 31.Kf1 Bh3+ 32.Kg1 Qg5+ 33.Kh1 Qxe3 34.Be2 Rd7 35.Bf1 Qxd2 36.Bxh3 Nf2+ 37.Kg2 Nxh3+ 38.Kxh3 Rd6 39.b7 Rh6+ 0-1

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 Nc6 5.Bc4 d6 6.Nf3 e6 7.O-O Be7 8.Qe2 Bd7 9.Rd1 a6 10.a4 Qc7 11.Bf4 Ne5 12.Bxe5 dxe5 13.Rac1 ( Computer suggested 13.Rxd7 Kxd7 (13...Qxd7 14.Bb5 axb5 15.Nxe5 Qc8 16.Qxb5+ Kf8 17.Nd7+ Ke8 18.Nb6+ Qc6 19.Nxa8 Qxb5 20.Nc7+ Kd7 21.N7xb5 White comes out ahead ) 14.Rc1 Rd8 but I wasn't that brave ) 13...Nf6

14.Bxe6 fxe6 (14...Bxe6 15.Nd5 Qb8 16.Nc7+ Kf8 with complications ) 15.Nd5 Nxd5 16.Rxc7 Nxc7 with two pieces and a rook for a queen, black has material advantage. However, I thought after  17.Nxe5 I had plenty of play for the material deficit  17...O-O-O

Confession here, when I played 14.Bxe6, I calculated up till 17.Nxe5 and thought that 18.Qh5+ was inevitable and white had devastating play. I seriously did not consider 17... 0-0-0 was an option!  18.Nf7 Luckily I get some material back  18...Bxa4 19.Rc1 Computer seem to think swapping off both rooks is slightly better than my move here but I wasn't keen playing Queen vs 3pieces  19...Rhf8 20.Nxd8 Rxd8 (20...Kxd8 21.Qd2+ Kc8 22.Qc3 Bc6 23.Qxg7 +- ) 21.Qg4

I was a bit glad after this move as I was going to be able to mop up some pawns while the black pieces still have a bit of untangling to do  21...Bc6 22.Qxg7 Bc5 23.h4 (23.Rxc5 Rd1# ) 23...Bd4 24.Qxh7 Bxb2 25.Rc2 Be5 26.g3 Kb8 27.f4 Rh8 28.Qg6 Bd4+ 29.Kh2 e5?! 30.Kh3?! (30.f5 Bxe4 31.Rxc7 Kxc7 32.Qg7+ ) 30...exf4 31.gxf4 Re8 32.e5 Bd7+

33.Kh2? I was scared of (33.Kg3 Be6 With threat of Rg8 but of course  34.Rxc7 Rg8 35.Rg7 ) 33...Be3 34.Kg3 I did finally see the above variation after Ian played Be3  34...Rf8? (34...Ne6 35.Rc4 b5 36.Re4 Bc5 Still advantage to white but black has bit of fight left ) 35.Rxc7 Bxf4+ 36.Kg2 Bc8 (36...Kxc7 37.Qd6+ ) 37.Qd6! Ed: Threatening the rook and a devastating discovery and of course giving check doesn't help (37.Qd6 Rg8+ 38.Rg7+ ) 1-0

1.e4 c5 2.a3 Nc6 3.Nf3 d6 4.b4 cxb4 5.axb4 Nxb4 6.d4 Qc7 7.c3 Nc6 8.Bd3 Nf6 9.O-O e5 10.Na3 Bd7 11.Nc4 Be7 12.Ba3 Bg4 13.d5 Nd8

14.Ne3 !? (14.Qa4+ !  14...Bd7 15.Qb4 O-O 16.Nfxe5 !  16...b6 17.Nxd7 Nxd7 18.e5 !  18...Nc5 19.exd6 Bxd6 20.Nxd6 Qxd6 21.Rfe1 [Advantage for White] ) 14...O-O 15.Nxg4 Nxg4 16.Qb3 Nf6 17.Rfb1 Nd7 18.Ne1 ?! [too slow]  18...b6 19.Ba6 Nb7 20.Nd3 f5 !? (20...Na5 !  21.Qd1 f5 22.exf5 Rxf5 23.Bb4 Nb7 (23...Raf8 24.Bxa5 e4 25.Bb4 exd3 26.Bxd3 R5f7 [unclear] (26...Rxf2 27.Qh5 g6 (27...Nf6 28.Qh3 !  28...Rd2 29.Qe3 Rxd3 30.Qxd3 [White is slightly better] ) 28.Bxg6 hxg6 29.Qxg6+ Kh8 30.Qh6+ = ) ) 24.Qa4 (24.f3 Nbc5 25.Nxc5 Nxc5 26.Bb5 Raf8 27.Bc6 e4 28.Bxc5 dxc5 29.fxe4 R5f6 !  30.g3 Bd6 31.Qe1 c4 ! [Black is clearly better] ) 24...Nbc5 25.Nxc5 Nxc5 26.Qc6 Qxc6 27.dxc6 Nxa6 28.Rxa6 Rff8 29.Rba1 Rfc8 30.Rxa7 Rxa7 31.Rxa7 Kf8 32.Kf1 Rxc6 33.Ke2 Kf7 34.Kd3 Ke6 35.f3 [Black is a pawn up, but it is hard to make progress. He is slightly better] ) 21.f3

White is already short of time, and plays this move quickly (21.exf5 [analysis that follows, if you can follow it, is courtesy of Houdini]  21...Rxf5 (21...e4 22.Nf4 Nbc5 23.Bxc5 Nxc5 24.Ne6 Nxb3 25.Nxc7 Nxa1 26.Nxa8 Rxa8 27.Rxa1 = ) 22.Qb5 Na5 23.Bb4 e4 24.Bxa5 exd3 25.Qc6 Qd8 26.Bxd3 Rf7 27.Bb4 Rc8 28.Qa4 a5 29.Bb5 Bh4 30.Bxd6 Bxf2+ 31.Kh1 Nf6 32.Ba3 h5 33.d6 Ng4 34.d7 Rxc3 35.Rb3 Rxb3 (35...Qh4 ?  36.Qxg4 hxg4 37.Rxc3 ) 36.Qxb3 Qc7 37.d8=Q+ Qxd8 38.Bc4 Kh8 39.Bxf7 Qc7 40.g3 Qe5 41.Qb1 Bxg3 42.Bd6 Qxd6 43.Qf5 [unclear] ) 21...fxe4 22.fxe4 Bg5 ? (22...Nbc5 23.Bxc5 Nxc5 24.Nxc5 Qxc5+ 25.Kh1 Rf2 [Black has an advantage, but no concrete way of realising it] ) 23.Bxb7 Qxb7 24.Bxd6 [White's ahead again]  24...Rfe8 25.Rf1 [good, but (25.Bxe5 is better and is close to winning] ) 25...Be3+ 26.Kh1 Nf6 ? (26...a5 ) 27.Rae1 ? (27.Bxe5 is winning  27...Nxe4 (the move White anticipated) is met by  28.d6+ !  28...Kh8 29.Rf7 hitting the Queen and g7 ) 27...Nxe4 =  28.Rxe3 Nxd6 29.Rxe5 ?! (29.Nxe5 is preferred ) 29...Rxe5 (29...Qa6 ! puts White under some pressure ) 30.Nxe5 Re8 31.Nc6 Qa6 32.Qd1 Qb7 33.Re1 Qd7 34.Rxe8+ Nxe8 35.Qe2 Nf6 36.c4 a5 37.h3 Qe8 38.Qf2 (38.Qxe8+ ?! [not generally a good idea to swap queens when the opponent has the outside passed pawn, but here White can hang on]  38...Nxe8 39.c5 bxc5 40.Nxa5 Kf8 41.Kg1 Ke7 42.Nb7 c4 43.Kf2 = ) 38...Nd7 39.Qf4 a4 40.d6 Nf6 41.Ne5 (41.Ne7+ is an efficient way to draw,  41...Kf8 (41...Kh8 42.Qf3 Qf8 43.Qc6 a3 44.Qa4 Ne4 45.Nd5 to stop the check on f4 after  45...Qf1+ (45...Nxd6 46.Qxa3 Kg8 47.Qd3 Qe8 = ) 46.Kh2 Qf8 47.Qxa3 h6 = ) 42.Qe3 Qh5 = ) 41...a3 42.d7

based on the (erroneous) idea that White can either achieve a perpetual check, or win the a-pawn with a cross check on the third rank (42.Kh2 = ) (42.Qd4 = ) 42...Nxd7 43.Nxd7 Qxd7 ?? (43...a2 !!  44.Qf1 (44.Qd4 Qe1+ 45.Kh2 a1=Q 46.Qd5+ Kh8 ) 44...Qxd7 45.Qa1 Qa4 [Black wins] ) 44.Qb8+ Kf7 45.Qf4+ (45.Qxb6 h6 46.Qf2+ (46.Kg1 Qe7 47.Qa5 Qe3+ 48.Kh1 Qc1+ 49.Kh2 Qb2 50.Qd5+ Ke7 51.Qc5+ Kd7 52.Qd5+ Kc7 53.Qa5+ Kb7 54.Qd5+ Ka6 55.Qd8 and it will be difficult for Black to make progress, because, after  55...a2 56.Qa8+ Kb6 57.Qb8+ the Queen is lost ) 46...Kg8 47.Qa2 Qd1+ 48.Kh2 Qd6+ 49.g3 Kh8 50.Qg2 Qa6 51.Qa2 Qa5 52.Qe2 Qa4 53.Qf2 Qb4 54.Qf5 Qb2+ 55.Kh1 Qb7+ 56.Kh2 a2 -+ ) 45...Kg8 (45...Ke8 !  46.Qe4+ ! (46.Qb8+ ?  46...Qd8 47.Qe5+ Kf7 48.Qf4+ Kg8 49.Qf2 Qd1+ 50.Kh2 Qd6+ 51.Kh1 h6 ) (46.Qe3+ ?  46...Qe7 47.Qxb6 Qe1+ 48.Kh2 Qe5+ 49.Kh1 a2 (49...Qa1+ 50.Kh2 a2 51.Qe6+ Kf8 52.Qd6+ Kf7 53.Qd7+ Kg6 54.Qd3+ = ) 50.Qc6+ Kf7 51.Qb7+ Qe7 52.Qd5+ Qe6 53.Qf3+ Kg6 54.Qg3+ Kh5 55.Qxg7 Qe1+ 56.Kh2 = White must not queen the pawn  56...a1=Q ??  57.g4+ Kh4 58.Qxh7+ ) 46...Qe7 47.Qc6+ Kf7 48.Qxb6 (48.Qd5+ Kg6 49.g4 (49.Qd3+ Kh6 50.Qd2+ g5 ) 49...Qc5 wins ) 48...Qe1+ 49.Kh2 Qe5+ 50.Kg1 and it appears Black cannot make progress ) 46.Qb8+ Kf7 [Ian offered a draw, which was accepted, since by this stage he was also down to under a minute on the clock] 1/2-1/2

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Nf3 g6 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Qb3 Nxc3 9.bxc3 (9.Bc4 ) 9...Bg7 10.Be2 O-O 11.O-O Na5 (11...Qc7 ) 12.Qb4 b6 (12...Be6 ) 13.Bg5 Qc7 !?  14.Bxe7 Nc6 15.Bd6 (15.Qd6 Qxe7 16.Qxc6 Bb7 17.Qb5 Rfe8 (17...Rac8 ) (17...Rae8 ) ) 15...Nxb4 16.Bxc7 Nd5 17.Be5 Nxc3 18.Bc4 b5 !?  19.Rac1 (19.Rfc1 ) 19...b4 (19...Be6 20.Bxg7 Kxg7 21.Rxc3 Bxc4 22.Rb1 Rac8 23.Re3 Rfe8 ) 20.Bd6 Be6 21.d5

(21.Bxe6 fxe6 (21...Rfd8 = ) 22.Bxf8 Ne2+ 23.Kh1 Nxc1 24.Bxg7 Nxa2 25.Bh6 a5 26.d5 !  26...exd5 27.Re1 g5 28.h4 !  28...Ra6 (28...Nc3 29.Re7 +- ) 29.hxg5 Kf7 30.Ne5+ +/- ) (21.Bxb4 Rfc8 22.Rxc3 Rxc4 23.Rxc4 Bxc4 24.Ra1 a5 25.Bc5 Rc8 26.Bb6 a4 = ) 21...Rfc8 22.Ba6 (22.Bxb4 Rxc4 23.Bxc3 (23.dxe6 Ne2+ ) 23...Bxd5 24.Bxg7 Kxg7 25.Rxc4 Bxc4 26.Ra1 Rb8 ) 22...Bxd5 =+ 23.Bxc8 ? (23.Bxb4 Rc6 24.Bxc3 (24.Bb7 ??  24...Ne2+ 25.Kh1 Rxc1 26.Rxc1 Bxb7 ) 24...Rxa6 (24...Rxc3 ) 25.Bxg7 Kxg7 =+ ) 23...Rxc8 24.Kh1 ?! (24.Rc2 a5 ) 24...a5 -+ 25.Be5 Bh6 ? (25...Bxa2 ) 26.Rc2 Be4 (26...Bxa2 ) 27.Rb2 Bd5 ? (27...Na4 ) 28.Ra1 Rc5 ?  29.Bd4 Rc4 30.Be3 ?! (30.Bf6 Rf4 =+ ) 30...Bg7 31.Nd2 Rc6 32.Rc1 h5 33.h3 Ra6 34.Rbc2 Bxa2 35.Nf3 (35.Rxa2 Nxa2 36.Rc8+ Kh7 37.Ne4 g5 ! ) 35...a4 ??  36.Bd4 ?? (36.Rxa2 a3 (36...Nxa2 37.Rc8+ Bf8 38.Bc5 b3 39.Rxf8+ Kg7 40.Ng5 f6 41.Rf7+ Kg8 (41...Kh6 ??  42.h4 ) 42.Rf8+ = ) 37.Rd2 Bf6 38.Bd4 = ) 36...Bb3 37.Bxg7 Kxg7 38.Rd2 a3 -+

39.Nd4 Be6 40.Nxe6+ fxe6 41.Rd7+ Kf6 42.Rb7 a2 43.Ra1 Nd5 44.Kg1 Ke5 45.Rb5 Kd4 46.Kf1 Kc4 47.Rb8 Kb3 48.Rc8 Nc3 0-1

Another day, another chess game. I'd actually spent 5 minutes more time than usual preparing. In other words I'd spent 5 minutes. But I thought I was Black. Oh well, never mind, what to do?  1.Nf3 I have found myself playing this first move more than any other, basically because playing it is a non-decision. Let's just develop something!  1...c5 Roger signals that he expects some kind of a subtle positional English/Reti type struggle.  2.b4?! Played on a complete whim I don't even know if this is a move  2...cxb4 Well yes, to be honest I'd hardly considered this response, thinking that White could then maybe play some kind of Benko Gambit (or something) with a move in hand  3.a3 I'll try the Benko idea  3...e6 At this stage I changed tack completely. Against Arthur Pomeroy I recently had a bad experience that started 1.Nf3 c5 2.e4 d6 3.b4??! (a similar over the board inspiration - a delayed Sicilian Wing Gambit) 3...Nf6! and I had no convenient way to defend e4, and spent the rest of the game grovelling for a draw. Remembering that ugly episode in my chess praxis, I decided that ...e6 meant I could instead go for a French Wing Gambit, not allowing Black to develop comfortably with ...Nf6. (The French Wing Gambit normally starts as 1.e4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e5 c5 4.b4?! ).  4.e4 d5 5.e5 Nc6 6.axb4 Bxb4 7.Ba3 Nge7 8.c3 Bxa3 9.Nxa3 This is the basic structural idea of the French Wing Gambit. It's a bit like an advance French, but Black doesn't have a c5 pawn to pressure d4.   9...a6 I didn't immediately understand this move, since it doesn't stop me playing Nb5 with the idea of Nd6  10.d4

Played reluctantly but (After 10.Nb5 O-O 11.d4 (11.Nd6? Nxe5! ) 11...Nf5 12.Bd3 Bd7 I don't get to d6 after all ) 10...Bd7! Damn, there's another potential source of pleasure cut off, as Basil Fawlty would say.. No Nb5 for me.  11.Bd3 b5! Now I understand 9...a6, Black is going to play ...b4 at some stage and undermine my structure  12.Ng5? Too hasty. This signals that White is not a natural attacking player. Skilful gambiteers know not to rush, that the initiative conferred by a good gambit lasts a long time. (12.Nc2 restrains Black with a view to a more controlled kingside build-up ) 12...h6 13.Qh5 g6 14.Qh3 Nf5 15.f4

15...b4! I'd sort of forgotten that Black has this available, imagining that I had time to castle and play g4 in peace.  16.Nc2 Oh well clearly I am going to have to sacrifice (i.e. lose) more material.  16...bxc3 17.O-O Ncxd4 18.Nxd4 Nxd4 19.g4

My one and only idea is to play Nxf7 and then open all lines with f5  19...Qc7 For a moment I was excited a) I can play f5 without sacrificing/losing my knight and b) maybe Black is preparing to castle queenside! Then I can switch over starting with Bxa6 check followed by a devastating attack down the open a and b files. But then I saw the subtle point of Roger's move...   20.Nxf7? ( After 20.f5 Qxe5 21.Rae1? black has the devastating  21...hxg5! However if I play something else at move 21, this would have been better than my Neanderthal move ) 20...Kxf7 21.f5 This is the whole point of my play - I have sacrificed/lost a bunch of stuff -will this breakthrough be sufficiently devastating to justify it? Of course objectively the answer is no - Houdini is saying -6 now, i.e. White has zero compensation!  21...exf5 I hadn't even calculated correctly the answer to the basic question of what happens if Black just decides to capture repeatedly on f5. While it's true I have four defenders to match his four attackers - unfortunately my 3rd and 4th defenders are a rook and a queen whilst his 3rd and 4th attackers are a knight and a bishop. Instead of winning material or at least coming out even this means I am going to lose another exchange!  22.gxf5 Nxf5 23.Bxf5 Bxf5 24.Rxf5+ gxf5

Part way through the exchanging sequence (i.e. later than a good player) I realised what was happening, but I decided there is still hope - A queen and a rook constitute a devastating attacking force against a naked king. Black still has a storm to weather.  25.e6+ Seeking even more nakedness. ( I rejected 25.Qxf5+ because of  25...Ke8 and I couldn't see a good follow up ( but in the post mortem Roger immediately revealed that even after 25...Kg8 my intended  26.Kh1 fails to  26...Rh7! ) ) 25...Kxe6 After the game Andrew Stone pointed out this is unnecessarily greedy. Houdini remains completely unconcerned however.  26.Re1+ Kd6 27.Qg3+ Now however Black has only one move available to squelch the attack, and it's the far from obvious 27...f4!!  27...Kc6? Understandable, given that Roger was basically out of time (27...f4!! ) 28.Qxc3+ Kd6? After this it's over. ( Black can still stay alive but only with the counter-intuitive 28...Kb7 29.Rb1+ Qb6+!! 30.Rxb6+ Kxb6 with a likely draw due to Black's continuing exposure and lack of co-ordination ) 29.Qf6+

It's a horrible feeling when a move like this arrives on the board. I seem to have spent half my life at Wellington Chess Club being ripped to shreds by natural attacking players like Mark van der Hoorn and Gavin Marner even whilst enjoying a nominal material advantage. I know exactly what it feels like. Still it was nice to dish it out for once.  29...Kd7 30.Re7+ Kd8 31.Rh7+ Kc8 32.Qxh8+ Qd8 33.Qxd8+ ( It's a pity I missed 33.Qc3+ and a quick mate, but with Black's extra pawns isolated and not far advanced an extra rook is amply sufficient ) 33...Kxd8 34.Rh8+ 1-0

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 Has Borg seen an advance copy of Scott's Openings column from NZ Chess Mag ? The Open Sicilian is possibly the most important of all openings but is a comparitively rare visitor to club chess in New Zealand  4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Be2 g6 7.Be3 Bg7 8.f3

This might look like a standard Dragon position, but actually it's not because White is mixing plans. An early Be2 normally signals kingside castling, but f3 inevitably presages a more bloodthirsty approach with queenside castling. In fact if we replace Bf1-e2 in this position with Qd1-d2 instead, we get a position that occurs 25 times more often in my database, from which White scores a healthy 58%. From the position that actually occurred in the game White scores an anaemic 50%, indicating that Black has already equalized.   8...O-O 9.Qd2 a6 10.g4 Bd7 11.h4 h5 12.g5 Ne8 13.Nd5 e6 14.Nxc6 Bxc6? After this White gets a little more play than he deserves (14...bxc6! is more dynamic and better, with accelerated play towards b2 ) 15.Nb6 Rb8 16.O-O-O Qc7 17.Rhf1 Rd8 18.Nc4 Qb8 ( The computer immediately spots 18...b5! 19.Bb6 Qb8 20.Bxd8 bxc4 threatening mate and forcing  21.Bf6 Nxf6 22.gxf6 Bxf6 when Black has huge compensation for the exchange ) 19.Bb6 Rd7

We might have expected mutual king side attacks but instead White's main trump has been the bone-in-the throat on the other side of the board at b6, which Black has had to play around. Black's manoevring has been a little more purposeful however and he has achieved a compact setup with dynamic potential - the pawn break d5 could be painful for White  20.Ne3 Nc7 21.Ba5 d5!! Sproink! (this is the sound an umbrella makes when you open it in case anyone is confused)  22.Bxc7 Qxc7 23.exd5 Bxd5 24.Nxd5 Rxd5 25.Qb4 Rc8 26.Qb3 Rc5

The manoevring phase is over and the blood-letting can now commence. I think it was Bent Larsen who claimed that 3.d4 is a positional blunder - and we can see one of the ideas behind that comment here - in an opposite sides castling situation Black doesn't have to advance a wing pawn to open a file - he gets a half open c file for free.   27.Bd3 Rc6!! Quiet but absolutely deadly - the computer signals this is a +5 (game-over) move, the alternatives are merely +1 (solid Black advantage) moves.   28.Qa4 Rb6 29.c3 Rxb2! Ian wraps up the game with a nice cocktail of accurate brutality. ( For the record the computer finds an alternative that's just as good but harder to see. 29...Bxc3 30.bxc3 Qxc3+ 31.Bc2 Rb4! ) 30.Bc4 Bxc3 31.Rd3 Qf4+ 32.Kd1 Rd2+ 0-1

1.b3 d5 2.Bb2 Bf5 3.f4 e6 4.Nf3 h6 5.e3 Nf6 6.Be2 Bd6 7.O-O c5 8.Na3 Nc6 9.Ne5 O-O 10.Rc1 Rc8 11.Rf3 a6 12.d3 Bb8 13.Rg3 Nxe5 14.fxe5 Nd7 15.d4 f6 16.Bg4 fxe5 17.Bxf5 Rxf5 18.e4 Rg5 19.Rxg5 Qxg5

White has been steadily outplayed and now falls victim to an attractive finish  20.dxc5? Opening lines for Black hastens the end  20...Nxc5 This knight is heading to e4...  21.exd5 Ne4 ...even if that's not a capture. The point is that this introduces both the knight and the bishop (from a7) into the assault  22.c4 Qe3+ (22...Qe3+ 23.Kh1 Nf2+ wins both queen and king  24.Kg1 Nxd1+ 25.Kh1 Qe1# ) 0-1

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.g3 After prolonged thought at move 1 I decided to go with opening I used for my sole victory against Anthony. The idea is simply to build a solid central edifice.  4...Bg7 5.Bg2 O-O 6.Nge2 Nbd7 7.h3 c5 8.d5 a6 9.a4 b6 10.O-O Rb8 11.Be3 b5 12.axb5 axb5 I was struggling to find a plan at this stage, Houdini finds the amazing move 13.b4! disrupting Black's queenside initiative   13.Qc1? Re8 14.Bh6 Bh8 15.Ra7?! I decided that since the centre and the kingside didn't seem promising, I'll try the queenside. In general it's not a good idea to play on the side where your opponent has a space advantage, but I thought it was worth a crack Nigel.  15...Qb6 16.Qa1 b4 17.Nd1 Bb7 18.Qa2 b3?! This pawn sac is interesting, objectively Black would do better to continue the plan of driving me off the a file.  19.cxb3 Ra8 20.Ra3 Ne5 21.Ndc3 Nd3 22.Ra1

22...Nb4 ( I was happy to be threatening 22...-- 23.Rxa8 Rxa8 24.Qxa8+! Bxa8 25.Rxa8+ and mates. But now I look at it objectively, I can barely find a legal move for Black that would let me execute this threat! ) 23.Qb1 I was happy enough here. Unfortunately Anthony now starts to play with characteristic power and accuracy and I don't find the right counters  23...Ba6 24.Nc1 Rab8 25.Bf1 Bxf1 26.Kxf1

26...e6! Well timed, with White's pieces passively placed Black is going to blow the position open.  27.Nd3 ( I didn't really consider 27.dxe6! but it is the only good move, it lets me at least play Ra8 and get some of the wood (and with it Black's attacking potential) off the board ) 27...exd5 28.Nxb4 I really wanted to kill the annoying knight on b4, but I am heading for a catastrophe unfortunately   28...cxb4 29.Ra6 Qd4 30.Be3 Qe5 31.Nxd5 Nxe4 32.R1a5

32...Nxg3+!! I started worrying about this several moves ahead but when I realised I would have a knight on d5 protecting the Be3 I thought I'd be okay. Not so, Anthony shows it works as a sac  33.fxg3 (33.Kg1! Is the comps suggestion, which means White is in shtuck. ) 33...Qxg3 I need a defensive move, clearly it's got to be queen move but where? Quick the clock's ticking!  34.Qe1?? Bzzzzt. Wrong. Don't walk into another pin dipstick. Qc1 offered some hope. Maybe.  34...Qxh3+ 35.Kg1 Bd4 36.Kf2 Rxe3! Brutal and efficient  37.Nxe3 Re8

Nominally I have an extra rook, but my position is piteous, and in fact Houdini indicates mate is inevitable.  38.Ra8 Bxe3+ 39.Ke2 Qg4+ 40.Kf1 Qf3+ 41.Qf2 When it is time to resign, if mate is imminent and my opponent has played well, I prefer to allow it.  41...Qxf2# 0-1

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 e6 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.Nc3 Nc6 7.Bd3 Bb4 8.O-O O-O 9.a3 Be7 10.c5 a5 11.Bf4 b6 12.cxb6 Qxb6 13.Na4 Qa7 14.Rc1 Bb7 15.Bc7 Nd7 16.Re1 Rac8 17.Bf4 Bf6 18.Bd6 Be7?

19.Rxc6! Winning material  19...Bxc6 20.Bxe7 Bxa4! Essential  21.Bxh7+? ( The calm line is 21.Qxa4 Nb6 22.Qb5 Qxe7 23.Qxb6 and two pieces are better than one so White should win ) 21...Kh8 22.b3 Rfe8 23.Bh4 Kxh7 24.bxa4 Now after the smoke clears, Black is ahead on material  24...Qc7 25.Qd3+ g6 26.Ng5+ Kg7 27.Qf3? f6! 28.Nh3

28...Qc3! Now Black has the material and the compensation, the rest is a rout.  29.Qd1 Rc4 30.Qb1 Rb8 31.Qa1 Qxa1 32.Rxa1 Rxd4 33.Bg3 Rb6 34.f3 Rxa4 35.Nf4 g5 36.Ne2 Rc4 37.Re1 Rb2 38.Bd6 d4 39.Ng3 d3 0-1

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.Ngf3 cxd4 6.Bc4 Qd8 7.O-O Nf6 8.Nb3 Be7 9.Qe2 O-O 10.Rd1 Nc6 11.Nbxd4 Qb6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.c3 c5 14.Be3 Bb7 15.b4 Nd5 16.bxc5 Bxc5 17.Bxc5 (17.Rab1 Nxc3 -+ ) 17...Qxc5 18.Rac1? White offered a draw on making this move (18.Bxd5 Bxd5 19.Rac1 is better ) 18...Nf4

19.Qf1 Nxg2 ( flashy, but 19...Nh3+! wins the game immediately, as pointed out by Arthur after the game  20.gxh3 Bxf3 21.h4 (21.Qd3 Qg5+ 22.Kf1 Bxd1 ) (21.Rd4 Qg5+ 22.Rg4 Bxg4 ) 21...Qh5 22.h3 Bxd1 etc ) 20.Qxg2 Qxc4 21.Rd4? White should break the pin while he can, e.g. (21.Ne5 ) (21.Qg3 ) 21...Qe2 22.Rf4 Rad8 23.Nd4 Rxd4 24.Qxb7 Rxf4 0-1

1.f3 Seriously Mark?  1...e5 2.Kf2 d5 3.Kg3 Nc6 4.e3 Nf6 5.Kf2 Bf5

I am not sure what Russian Opening theory there is for this position, possibly there is something in Kasparov's laptop. Or maybe not.  6.Bb5 a6 7.Bxc6+ bxc6 8.Ne2 Bd6 9.b3 c5 10.c4 d4 11.Ng3 Bd7 12.e4 a5 13.a4 g6 14.d3 Bf8 15.h4 h5 16.Bg5 Bg7 17.Nd2 Qb8 18.Qe2 O-O 19.Rag1 c6 20.Ngf1 Re8 21.Bxf6 Bxf6 22.g4

Often Mark makes his opening work because the weaker player tries too much, possibly sacrificing material, and overreaches himself. This isn't going to work against Lawrence who rarely tries to achieve anything positive in a chess game, preferring to simply hang around in the hope something will turn up. So Mark reverts to Plan B, which is to make something happen himself, with a nicely constructed kingside attack.  22...Kf8 23.gxh5 gxh5 24.Ng3 Qd8 25.Nxh5 Bxh4+ 26.Kf1 Bg5 27.Qg2 Be3 28.Qg7+ Ke7 29.Qf6+ Kf8 30.Rg8+ 1-0

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 a6 3.c4 Nc6 4.Nc3 g6 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Bg7 7.Be3 d6 8.Be2 Nf6 9.O-O O-O 10.Rc1 Nd7 11.Qd2 Nde5 12.h3 Nxd4 13.Bxd4 Be6 14.Nd5 Nd7 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.Qd4+ f6 17.Rfd1 Bf7 18.b4 b6 19.a4 Be6 20.Bg4 Bxg4 21.hxg4 g5 22.Ne3 Ne5 23.Nf5+ Kg6 24.f3 h5 25.gxh5+ Kxh5

26.Ng7+ Winning material seems sensible, although ( The computer indicates 26.Kf2! with a winning attack down the h file ) 26...Kg6 27.Ne6 Qd7 28.Nxf8+ Rxf8 29.b5 Qb7 30.Qd5 Qa7 31.Kf2 axb5 32.Qxb5 Qc7 33.Rb1 Qa7 34.Kf1 Qc7 35.Rb4 Rb8 36.a5 Nd7 37.axb6 Rxb6 38.Qa5 Qc6 39.Rxb6 Nxb6 40.Qb5 Qxc4+

Ian's comment is "draw agreed, strangely", although it seems to me that White's advantage is small as a knight is well suited to defending a compact group of pawns, and making a passed pawn is not going to be easy. In one of his instructive articles, Cecil Purdy, the great Australian, once remarked that he always found it amusing to see amateurs look mystified when they fail to win endings an exchange up but a pawn down. It really is a small material advantage in his view. Maybe one of the really strong players will email in an opinion, which I'll add here.  1/2-1/2

Going into the last round and thinking 3.5 out of 7 so far is not a good result, even if I win I won't be happy. But heh these open tournaments are tough, objectively I haven't done anything wrong I've just been outplayed by better players! My record against Andrew is pretty good but to say I'm better than him is an overstatement. Let's see how I go...  1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5 4.d3 Bc5 inaccurate, white can keep the pawn with the simple exf or Nc3 next move  5.Qe2 d6 Nf6 best to avoid the following  6.O-O (6.exf5 Bxf5 7.d4! both e5 and knight are pinned!  7...Bb6? 8.d5! ) 6...Nf6 Eval=0.15   7.d4! yes!  7...fxe4?! mixing it up but again inaccurate  8.dxc5? (8.Nxe5! I saw this and was hoping Andrew wouldn't, yes I got some luck!  8...dxe5 9.Bxc6+ bxc6 10.dxc5 ugly, and 8.. Bxd4 is worse! ) 8...exf3 9.Qxf3 d5! My centre is very fragile but I believe I can hold  10.Qg3 Qe7 11.Re1 Ne4! 12.Qe3 O-O 13.f3 Nd4! nice tactics here which I correctly calculated  14.Bd3 (14.fxe4? Nxc2 15.Qe2 Nxe1 16.Qxe1 Qxc5+! picking up the bishop ) 14...Nf5 15.Qe2 Qxc5+ 16.Be3 Nxe3 17.Qxe3 Qxe3+ 18.Rxe3 Nc5 19.Rxe5 Nxd3 20.cxd3 d4 21.Nd2 b6 22.b4 Bf5 23.Ne4 Rae8 24.Rxe8 Rxe8 25.Rc1 Bxe4 26.fxe4

26...Re7? My first end game mistake Rc8 is required, Eval=0.68  27.Rc4 Rd7 28.b5! Picking up the a7 pawn which I missed  28...Kf7 29.Ra4 Ke6 30.Rxa7 Kd6 31.Ra3 Kc5 32.Rb3 Rd8 33.Rb2 Ra8 34.Rc2+ Kxb5 35.Rxc7 Rxa2 36.Rc4 Ra4 37.Rc2? Andrew's first mistake, Eval=-0.48 - instead Rxa4 holds the draw  37...Ra3 38.Rd2? digging a deeper hole Rc7 was the only try  38...Kc5? (38...Kb4! Eval=+1.60  39.e5 Kc3 40.Re2 Ra7 41.e6 Re7 42.Kf2 b5! breaking through and winning! ) 39.Kf2 b5 40.Ke2 b4 41.Rc2+ Rc3 42.Kd2 Kb5 43.Rc1 Ra3 44.e5 b3? 44.. Ra2+ also wins picking up the king side pawns  45.e6 Ra7 46.Re1?? a fatal blunder which I completely missed!  46...Re7?? giving white a winning advantage from here on in (46...Ra2+!! 47.Kc1 Ra1+! Game over for white ) 47.Kc1 Kc5 48.Kb2 Kd5 49.Kxb3 Rxe6? Losing quickly, ..Kc5 shouldering the white king would of prolonged the game  50.Rxe6 Kxe6 51.Kc4 Ke5 52.Kc5 g5

53.g4?? throwing the win away now the position is a dead draw. Black can't do anything here as his king can't be moved (53.g3! Ed: As indicated by Ian Sellen after the game is the winner here. White keeps Black's king out of f4, then waits with his king until Black's pawn moves are exhausted, then Black is in a fatal Zugzwang, eg   53...g4 54.Kc4 h6 55.Kc5 h5 56.Kc4 ) 53...Kf4! Draw!  54.Kxd4 Kxg4 55.Ke3 Kh3 56.d4 g4 57.d5 Kxh2 58.d6 g3 59.d7 g2 60.d8=Q g1=Q+ 61.Ke2 Qg4+ 62.Kf1 h5 63.Qd2+ Kh3 64.Qe3+ Qg3 65.Qxg3+ Kxg3 66.Kg1 1/2-1/2

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.O-O Bd6 6.d3 Bg4 7.h3 Be6 8.Qe1 Ne7 9.Bd2 Qd7 10.Bc3 Ng6 11.Nbd2 O-O-O 12.Rd1 f6 13.b3 Nf4 14.Nc4 Nxg2 15.Qd2 Bxh3 16.Nxd6+ cxd6 17.Kh1 Nf4 18.Rg1 Bg2+ 19.Rxg2 Qh3+ 20.Rh2 Qxf3+ 21.Kg1 g5 22.Re1 h5 23.Re3 Qg4+ 24.Kf1 Qd7 25.f3 g4 26.Qd1 g3 27.Rh4 Ng6 28.Rh1 h4 29.Be1 Nf4 30.Kg1 Rdg8 31.d4 Nh3+ 32.Kg2 Nf4+ 33.Kg1 h3

If I ever get a position like this I think I'll make a poster for the wall. I am sure Maria wouldn't mind.  34.Bxg3 Rxg3+ 35.Kf2 Rg2+ 36.Kf1 h2 37.Qe1 Rg1+ 38.Rxg1 Qh3+ 39.Kf2 hxg1=Q+ 40.Qxg1 Qh2+ 41.Qxh2 Rxh2+ 42.Kg3 Rxc2 43.dxe5 fxe5 44.a4 Rc3 45.Rxc3 Ne2+ 46.Kg4 Nxc3 47.f4 Nxe4 48.f5 Nc5 49.b4 Nxa4 50.f6 Kd7 51.Kg5 Ke8 52.Kf5 Kf7 53.Kg5 e4 54.Kf4 d5 0-1

1.c4 e5 2.g3 c6 3.Bg2 d5 4.cxd5 cxd5 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.Qb3 e4 7.d4 Nc6 8.e3 b6 9.Nge2 g5 10.Bd2 Bg7 11.Rc1 Bg4

12.Nxe4! dxe4 13.Rxc6 Rc8 14.Qc2 Rxc6 15.Qxc6+ Qd7 16.Bxe4 Nxe4 17.Qxe4+ Qe6 18.Qxe6+ Bxe6 19.b3 Kd7 20.O-O Rc8 21.Rc1 Rxc1+ 22.Bxc1 Bf5 23.f3 Bb1 24.Nc3 Bd3 25.Kf2 Bf8 26.e4 h6 27.Ke3 Ba6 28.f4 Bb4 29.Nd5 Be1 30.e5 Bb7 31.Nf6+ Ke6 32.fxg5 hxg5 33.Bd2 Bxd2+ 34.Kxd2 Bd5 35.Ke3 b5 36.Nxd5 Kxd5 37.h4 a5 38.h5 a4 39.h6 1-0

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nxd4 5.Qxd4 Nf6 6.Bg5 Be7 7.e5 Nh5 8.Be3 O-O 9.Qg4 g6 10.Bh6 Re8 11.Nc3 d6 12.Qd4 dxe5 13.Qe3 g5 14.Bd3 Nf4 15.O-O-O Nxg2 16.Qxe5 Bf6 17.Bxh7+ Kxh7 18.Rxd8 Rxe5 19.Rf8 Kxh6 20.Rxf7 Kg6 21.Rxc7 Re1+ 22.Rxe1 Nxe1 23.Nd5 Be5 24.Ne7+ Kf7 25.Rxc8 Rxc8 26.Nxc8 Bxh2 27.Kd2 Nf3+ 28.Ke3 Ne5 29.b3 Bg1 30.Nd6+ Ke6 31.Nxb7 Ng4+ 32.Kf3 Nxf2 33.Kg2 Nd1 34.Kxg1 Kf5 35.c4 Nc3 36.a4 g4 37.Kf2 Kf4 38.c5 g3+ 39.Kg2 Ne2 40.c6 Kg4 41.c7 Nf4+

Which way should the king go ?  42.Kg1?? No! This is an invitation to queen with check (42.Kh1!! is the only way  42...g2+ 43.Kh2!! And White wins by a tempo, eg  43...Kf3 44.c8=Q Kf2 45.Qg4 ) (42.Kf1? Is quite interesting and it is rather surprising that it loses  42...Kf3 43.Ke1 g2 44.c8=Q g1=Q+ 45.Kd2 Qf2+ 46.Kc3 Nd5+ 47.Kd3 Nb4+ 48.Kc3 Qc2+ ) 42...Kf3 43.Kh1? Too late (43.c8=Q is more logical and demands precise play from Black (which is a stretch given the game to date:)  43...Ne2+ 44.Kf1 g2+ 45.Ke1 g1=Q+ 46.Kd2 Qe3+ 47.Kd1 Qd3+ 48.Ke1 Nf4 49.Qc6+ Kg3 White has no checks and there are two independent mate threats ) 43...g2+ 44.Kh2 Kf2 45.c8=Q g1=Q# 0-1

1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Ne5 Bd7 5.Nc3 e6 6.e3 Bd6 7.Qd2 Ne4 8.Nxe4 dxe4 9.Nxf7 Kxf7 10.Bxd6 cxd6 11.O-O-O Qb6 12.d5 Na5 13.h4 e5 14.b4 Nc4 15.Bxc4 Bg4 16.Rdf1 Rhf8 17.f4 Ke7 18.fxe5 Rxf1+ 19.Rxf1 dxe5 20.d6+ Qxd6 21.Qxd6+ Kxd6 22.Rf7 Rc8 23.Bb3 Rc7 24.Rxc7 Kxc7 25.Kd2 Kd6 26.c4 b6 27.Ke1 a5 28.bxa5 bxa5 29.Kd2 Kc5 30.Kc3 Be6 31.a3 Bd7 32.a4 Bg4 33.g3 Be2 34.Ba2 Kc6 35.Kd2 Bd3 36.Bb3 Kd6 37.Ba2 Ke6 38.c5+ Kd7 39.Bd5 Ba6 40.Kc3 Kc7 41.Kb3

41...Bb7?? Exchanging into a lost king and pawn ending (41...Bd3! And it is hard to see White's king ever penetrating ) 42.Bxb7 Kxb7 43.Kc4 Kc6 44.g4 h6 45.h5! I am sure Mark van der Hoorn will enjoy seeing that  45...Kc7 46.Kd5 Kb7 47.Kd6! And that  47...Kc8 48.Kxe5 ( But I think Mark might have preferred to see 48.Kc6! at this point, but never mind it's over anyway ) 48...Kc7 49.Kxe4 Kc6 50.Kd4 Kc7 51.e4 Kd7 52.e5 Ke6 53.c6 Ke7 54.Kd5 Kd8 55.Kd6 Kc8 56.e6 Kd8 57.e7+ Ke8 58.c7 Kf7 59.e8=Q+ Kxe8 60.c8=Q+ Kf7 61.Qe6+ Kf8 62.Qf5+ Kg8 63.Ke6 Kh8 64.Kf7 g6 65.Qf6+ Kh7 66.Qg7# 1-0

1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 d4 3.d3 g6 4.g3 Bg7 5.Bg2 e5 6.O-O Ne7 7.Nbd2 O-O 8.Rb1 Nd7 9.b4

I put this diagram here only because of the next game...  9...a5 10.a3 axb4 11.axb4 Nb6 12.Qc2 Bd7 13.Nb3 Na4 14.Ra1 Bc6 15.b5 Bd7 16.Nbxd4 Nc5 17.Rxa8 Qxa8 18.Nb3 Qa4 19.Nfd2 e4 20.d4 Nxb3 21.Qxb3 Qa7 22.Nxe4 Bxd4

At first glance White is just a pawn up, but actually he is winning more material because of Black's loose pieces.  23.Ba3 Re8 24.Bb2! Exchanging the dark bishops gives White's queen and knight free reign on f6 and other dark squares around the Black king.  24...Nf5 25.e3 Rxe4 26.Bxe4 1-0

1.d4 c5 2.c3?! Nf6 3.Nf3 g6 4.g3 Bg7 5.Bg2 O-O 6.O-O d6 7.Na3 Nbd7 8.Bd2?! Rb8 9.Nc2 b5

At this point I got up and was encouraged to see that Russell was copying my piece placement on board 1 (see diagram above). I am pretty sure that's what was happening.  10.dxc5 Nxc5 11.Nb4 Bb7 12.Nd4 Bxg2 13.Kxg2 Rb6 14.f3 Qa8 15.Nb3 a5 16.Nd3 Nxd3 17.exd3

Layla's opening has been a little eccentric, but from now on she shows her talent, shutting down my hopes of making something of this promising position looking position  17...Nd5 18.c4 bxc4 19.dxc4 Nb4 20.Be3 Rbb8 21.Bd4 Nc6 22.Bxg7 Kxg7 23.Qd2 Rfc8 24.Nd4 Ne5 1/2-1/2

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.Nf3 g6 8.Qb3 e6 9.Bg5 Qa5 10.Bd2 Bg7 11.Bb5 Qd8 12.Ne5 Ne7 13.Be3 O-O 14.Rd1 Qc7 15.Nf3 a6 16.Be2 b5 17.a4 Na5 18.Qa2 b4 19.Ne4 Nd5 20.Rc1 Qe7 21.Bg5 Qa7 22.Nc5 Bb7 23.O-O Rac8 24.Nxb7 Nxb7 25.Bc4 Nb6 26.Bd3 Nd5 27.Be4 Rxc1 28.Bxc1 Rd8 29.Bg5 Rd6 30.Qc4 h6 31.Bd2 a5 32.Rc1 Rd8 33.Qe2 Nd6 34.Bxd5 exd5 35.Ne5 Re8 36.Qd3 Bxe5 37.dxe5 Rxe5 38.Bxh6 Ne4 39.Be3 Qd7 40.Bd4 Re8 41.f3 Nd6

Ironically this started out with White having an isolated queen pawn. Black has some compensation for his IQP, his knight looks like a good piece...  42.g4 Keeping the knight out of f5  42...Qxa4 A little greedy perhaps ( The comp likes 42...Nc4! = ) 43.Qd2 Threatening Q-h6-h8 mate, now Black is walking a tight-rope  43...Kh7?? And off he falls (43...b3! is a computer resource if  44.Qf4? Nb5 wins ) 44.Qg5 Game over  44...f6 45.Rc7+ 1-0

1.d4 e6 2.c4 Bb4+ 3.Bd2 a5 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 Nd7 6.Nc3 Ne7 7.a3 Bxc3 8.Bxc3 Ng6 9.Qd2 b6 10.O-O-O Bb7 11.Bd3 e5 12.Rhe1 O-O 13.g3 exd4 14.Nxd4 Nge5 15.f4 Nxd3+ 16.Qxd3 Nc5 17.Qc2 Re8 18.e5 d5 19.Nf5

19...Qd7?? 20.Nxg7! Alan is alert to his opportunity  20...Red8 21.Nh5 Qa4 22.Nf6+ Kf8 23.Nxh7+ Alan misses a few opportunities to win quickly, but retains and eventually converts his material advantage  23...Ke7 24.Qxa4 Nxa4 25.cxd5 Bxd5 26.Nf6 Be6 27.Rxd8 Rxd8 28.Rd1 Rh8 29.h4 Nc5 30.b4 Nb3+ 31.Kb2 c5 32.Nd5+ Bxd5 33.Rxd5 axb4 34.axb4 c4 35.f5 Rg8 36.Be1 Rg4 37.Bf2 Re4 38.Bxb6 Re2+ 39.Kc3 Rg2

40.f6+?? A really ugly move positionally that almost costs White the win (40.Bd8+! Ke8 41.Bf6 is one easy way to win ) 40...Ke6 41.Rb5 Rxg3+ 42.Kxc4 Nd2+ 43.Kd4 Rg4+ 44.Kc3 Ne4+ 45.Kc2 Rxh4 46.Bc7 Rh2+ 47.Kd3 Nf2+ 48.Kc4 Ne4 49.Rb6+ Kd7 50.Bb8 Ng5

51.Rd6+ ( Arthur Pomeroy points out that 51.e6+! is a simple winning shot here. There is some irony in Alan missing this here as he didn't miss a reflection of exactly the same tactic with the same bishop and the same pawn early in the game! 20.Nxg7! Kxg7 21.e6+ ) 51...Kc8 52.Rb6 Rc2+ 53.Kb5 Re2 (53...Nf3! Threatening Nd4+ and Ra2 mate! makes it really tough for White ) 54.Bd6 Kd7 55.Rb7+ Ke6 56.Kb6 Rc2 57.b5 Ne4 58.Re7+ 1-0

1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Bg2 Be7 I messed up my move order as early as move 6!  7.O-O ( Eval=0.63 7.Nxe5 Nxc3 8.Bxc6+ bxc6 9.dxc3 Qxd1+ 10.Kxd1 ) 7...Nb6 8.d3 g5 9.a4 g4 10.Nd2 a5 11.Nc4 Nxc4 12.dxc4 Nd4 13.e3 Nf5 14.b3

(incredibly the pawn can actually be taken, this is the reason I play chess check this out... Eval=-0.94 14.Qxg4 Nxe3 15.Qh5 Nxf1 16.Qxe5 O-O 17.Nd5 Bd6 18.Qh5 Nxh2 19.Kxh2 Be6 20.Bh6 Re8? 21.Bg5!! Game over ) ( you can also get the pawn safely like this... 14.Qe2! h5? 15.Rd1 Bd7 16.Bxb7 ) 14...c6 15.Qxd8+? Dead draw for a computer here  15...Bxd8 16.Bb2 f6 17.Ne4 Kf7 18.Rfd1 Be7 19.Ba3 Bxa3 20.Rxa3 Ke7 21.Ra2 Be6 22.Nc5 Nd6 23.Rad2 Rhd8 24.Nxe6 Kxe6 25.h3 h5 26.hxg4 hxg4 27.Bf1 Black gets a tiny edge here due to a bad bishop (27.Be4 f5? 28.Bxf5+! ) 27...Ke7 28.Be2 f5 29.f3 gxf3 30.Bxf3 Nf7 31.Kf2 Rxd2+ 32.Rxd2 Rd8 33.Rxd8 Nxd8 34.g4 fxg4 35.Bxg4 Kd6 The wrong plan, I traverse my king to eat up the queen side pawns even at the expense of sacrificing my knight - major floor to the plan the bishop can effortlessly stop my pawn storm. Just about anything keeping my king on the king side draws.   36.Kf3 Kc5 37.Ke4 Kb4 38.Bd1 Nf7 39.Bh5

39...Kxb3?? Terrible. The rest isn't worth commenting on, this is where my current chess strategy fails and a new one must begin - The End Game! Incredibly this line is still a dead draw! (39...Ng5+ 40.Kf5 Nh3 41.Kxe5 Kxb3 42.e4 Kxa4 43.Kf5 Kb4 44.e5 a4 45.e6 a3 46.e7 a2 47.e8=Q a1=Q 48.Qe7+ Ka4 ) 40.Bxf7 Kxa4 41.c5 Kb4 42.Kxe5 Kxc5 43.Kf6 b5 44.e4 b4 45.e5 a4 46.e6 b3 47.e7 b2 48.Bg6 a3 49.Bb1 1-0

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 a6 3.f4 b5 4.Nf3 Bb7 5.d3 e6 6.Be2 d6 7.O-O Be7 8.Qe1 Nf6 9.h3 O-O 10.g4 d5 11.e5 Ne8 12.g5 Nc6 13.Qg3 Kh8 14.Kh2 g6 15.Qh4 Ng7 16.Qg4 Nf5 17.h4 Ncd4 18.Bd1 Nxf3+ 19.Bxf3 h5 20.Qh3 Qb6 21.Bd2 Nd4 22.Bd1 Rfd8 23.Ne2 Nf5 24.Ng3 Nxg3 25.Qxg3 c4 26.Rc1 b4 27.Be2 Rac8 28.c3 bxc3 29.bxc3 Qb2 30.Qe1 Qxa2 31.d4 Qa5 32.Bd1 Qc7 33.Ra1 Ra8 34.Bc2 Bc6 35.Qe2

White's attack hasn't really been going anywhere and Black could legitimately argue his extra passed a pawn is a winner  35...a5 36.f5! White has spent an age organising his pieces so that this is possible. Objectively Black is still okay  36...exf5 37.Bxf5 Bd7 38.Bxd7 Rxd7 39.Rxf7 Rf8 40.Raf1 Rxf7 41.Rxf7 Kg8 42.Qf3

42...Ba3? Understandably Black wants to swap rooks, but this is impossible, Black needs the bishop on e7 to cover f6 and f8 simultaneously.  ( After something like 42...Qc6 43.Qf2 Qe6 44.Rf3 Rb7 Black at least activates his rook ) 43.Rf6! Winning  43...Kg7 44.Bf4! Qb7 45.e6 Re7 46.Be5 Kh7 47.Rf8 (47.Qxh5+! mating would have been nice ) 47...Rg7 48.Bxg7 Bxf8 49.Bxf8 a4 50.e7 1-0

1.e4 c5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.f4 Nf6 4.d3 d6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.c3 Na5 7.Bb3 Nxb3 8.axb3 e6 9.O-O Be7 10.h3 Bh5 11.Be3 h6 12.b4 b6 13.Nbd2 O-O 14.bxc5 dxc5 15.d4 Qc7 16.Qe1 Nd7 17.g4 Bg6 18.f5 exf5 19.gxf5 Bh5 20.Kh1 cxd4 21.cxd4 f6 22.Qh4 Bxf3+ 23.Rxf3 Kh7 24.Rg3 Ne5

Mate in 5  25.Rxg7+! Kxg7 26.Qxh6+ Kg8 27.Rg1+ Ng6 28.Qxg6+ 1-0

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 c6 7.O-O b5 8.e5 Nfd7 9.Ne4 d5 10.Neg5 Nb6 11.Qe1 f6

12.Qh4!? A brave positional piece sac  12...fxg5 13.Nxg5 h6 14.Nf3 a5 15.g4 e6 16.Qh3 Bd7 17.Bd3 Be8 18.Nh4 White's sac is now fully justified  18...N6d7 19.Nxg6 c5 20.g5! I like this move why swap the mighty knight for a mere cowering rook?  20...Bxg6 21.Bxg6 Qe7 22.gxh6

I happened to glance at the board here and I didn't think Marany had much chance of survival!  22...Bxh6 23.Qxh6 Alistair beats himself up for this natural, very human move and it's true the comp sees that taking two moves to get a rook to the g file is instant death. I think a lot of very strong players would just play the queen capture quickly, after all White is totally winning after that too. (AN: greedy but I had no idea there was a better move - I have soooo much to learn!) ( AN: 23.Rf2!! AN: +10.45 killing...   23...Ra6 24.Rg2 Qg7 25.Bd3 Kf7 26.Rxg7+ Bxg7 27.Qh5+ Ke7 28.dxc5 Rc6 29.Qg5+ Bf6 30.exf6+ Nxf6 31.Be3 Rg8 32.Bg6 Nd7 33.Bd4 Rxc5 34.Re1 ) 23...Qg7 24.Qg5? ( If it was me, I would beat myself up more for missing the simple, logical and crushing 24.f5! here ) 24...Nc6 25.Kh1 Ne7 26.Rg1 Nxg6 27.Qxg6 Qxg6 28.Rxg6+ Kf7 29.Rg5 cxd4 Black now gets enough play to equalise  30.Bd2 Rh8 31.Rag1 Rh7 32.Kg2 Nc5 33.Be1 Ne4

Make that more than equalise  34.Rg4 Rc8 35.c3 dxc3 36.bxc3 Nxc3 37.Bxc3 Rxc3 38.Kh1 b4 39.R1g3 Rc2 40.Rg2 Rc1+ 41.Rg1 Rc2 Marany decides she has got out of jail free, so why push her luck even though the ending is obviously better for Black ( AN: +2.32 Black takes charge! 41...Rxg1+ 42.Rxg1 Rh4 43.Rf1 Kg6 44.f5+ exf5 45.Kg2 Re4 wins. ) 42.R1g2 Rc1+ 43.Rg1 Rc2 44.R1g2 1/2-1/2

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 c6 5.b3 Qb6 6.O-O Nbd7 7.d3 Bd6 8.Nbd2 h5 9.Bb2 e5 10.Qc2 Rh6 11.a3 Ng4 12.b4 Qd8

At this point White's pieces are fully deployed in a harmonious and time tested formation. Black on the other hand has wasted two tempi on Qd8-b6-d8, two more on the mysterious and ugly h5 and Rh6 and his king's knight has spent time travelling to an insecure spot. Since the centre is not blocked the logic of the game demands that Black is punished for these sins.  13.Nh4! Winning material due to the dual threats of capturing d5 and also h3 followed by Nf5 winning the exchange. There is also a nice little trap  13...d4? Addressing the lesser of the two threats, this is actually worse than falling into my trap which was;  (13...Ndf6? the natural move but then  14.h3! wins the stranded knight ) 14.h3 g5 (14...Ngf6 15.Nf5 ) 15.Nf5 Ndf6 16.hxg4 Bxf5 17.gxf5

Black has no real compensation for the piece, but he does get a kingside attack and can make a nuisance of himself for a long time due to the absense of immediate incursion possibilities for the larger White army. A good player should win from here almost every time. Let's not look at the result and draw any unpleasant conclusions, okay?  17...h4 18.Ne4 hxg3 19.Nxf6+ Qxf6 20.fxg3 O-O-O 21.e4 dxe3 22.Rae1 Rdh8 23.Rxe3 Rh2 24.Kf2 Qh6 25.Ke1 g4 26.Re2 f6 27.c5 Bc7 28.Bc1 Qf8 29.Qc4 Qd8 30.Qe4 Qg8

31.b5 I have made a certain amount of progress, but unfortunately I've used all my time. The rest of the game was played out in chaotic fashion using the increment only. There's nothing wrong with this move (it's the computer's favourite) but it introduces complications I don't need. ( The comp doesn't mention 31.Rb2! keeping the Queen out and preparing the queenside breakthrough, it is a very human solution that would have been tough to cope with. The move leaps out at me now, but not when I was playing unfortunately ) 31...Qb3 32.bxc6 Qc3+ 33.Bd2 Qxc5 34.cxb7+ Kb8 35.Qb4 Qc2 36.Be3 Qxd3

37.Qe4?? It only takes one mistake  37...Ba5+ 38.Kf2 Qxe4 This came as a nasty shock, delivered with characteristic Borg enthusiasm. I am lost, and almost resigned immediately but just in time saw I can keep the game going by  39.Bxa7+! Kxb7?? Borg let's me back in by making the wrong capture  40.Rxe4 Kxa7 41.Rxg4?? My chess reflexes let me down, spotting a free pawn I grabbed it instead of doing what my hand wanted to do which was play the natural (41.Ra4! pinning the bishop, and after  41...Ka6 42.Rb1 his pinned bishop drops off while mine survives. Now it is the other way round. ) 41...Bb6+ 42.Kf3 Rc8 43.Rg7+? Now my bishop dies (43.Ra4+ is okay ) 43...Ka6 44.Bh1 Saves the bishop but loses the king  44...Rc3+ 45.Ke4 Rd2 A nice finishing touch 0-1

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 b6 3.Bf4 Ba6 4.Nbd2 d5 5.h3 e6 6.c3 Bd6 7.Ne5 O-O 8.g4 c5 9.Bg2 Qc7 10.Rc1 Nc6 11.Qa4 Bb7 12.Ndf3 Ne4 13.Bh2 f6 14.Nxc6 Bxc6 15.Bxd6 Qxd6 16.Qb3

16...h5!? In some circles Russell has the reputation of being solely a ruthless technician. Such circles have it wrong, anyone who plays through all the Wellington club games sees plenty of examples of fantastically imaginative play in his practice.  17.gxh5 Qf4 Nimzovich would love this manoevre, relocating the queen to the kingside where it will hurt White where it counts most.  18.e3 Qh6 19.Qd1 Be8 20.h4 Bxh5

White's position is awkward, how can he unravel?  21.Bh3? Seems plausible but...  21...f5! Wins, the pinned knight cannot escape the additional attacker brooding on f8.  22.Rg1 f4 23.Bg4 fxe3 Black has too many threats, large clumps of material are falling off. 0-1

1.d4 Whoaa, what's going on. Last seen from Anthony many years ago. Is Anthony taking Mike Steadman's advice in NZ Chess ("Anthony needs to rework his openings") on board ?  1...Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.h3 O-O 6.Bg5 c5 7.d5 b5 8.cxb5 a6 9.bxa6 Bxa6 10.Bxa6 Nxa6 The position has taken on a Benko flavour  11.Nge2 Qb6 12.Rb1 Rfb8 13.O-O Rb7 14.Qd2 Qb4 15.Qd3 Qa5 16.Nc1 Qc7 17.Qe2 Qb8 18.Nd3 Nd7 19.Rfc1 Ne5 20.Nxe5 Bxe5 21.Be3 Nc7 22.b3 Nb5 23.Nxb5 Rxb5 24.Rc2 Qb7 25.Rd1 Rb4 26.f4 Bf6

27.e5 Thematic, and with a drop of poison to boot.  27...dxe5? Falling into a trap  28.fxe5 Bxe5 29.Bxc5 With a double attack, White wins the exchange   29...Bd6 30.Bxb4 Qxb4 31.Qc4 Qb6+ 32.Qd4 Qb7 33.Rdc1 f6 34.Qe4 Be5 35.b4 Ra3 36.Qc4 Qa7+ 37.Kh1 Qe3!? Arthur, raging against the dying of the light, is now getting some serious counterplay  38.Qc8+? ( The computer suggests that the only winning plan now is 38.d6+ Kg7 39.Re2 Qg3 40.Rxe5 Qxe5 41.dxe7 Qxe7 and the two remote passed pawns should prevail in the long run ) 38...Kg7 39.Qg4 Bd6 40.Rc6 Black has fantastic co-ordination  40...h5 41.Qd1 Rxa2 42.Qg1 Qe4 43.b5 Qxd5 44.b6 Rb2 45.R6c2 Rb3 46.Rc3 Rb5 47.Rd1 Qe5 48.Re3 Qc5 Black retains his nice co-ordination and is collecting the b pawn for nominal material equality (or even a little more according to some text books) but White's extra major piece in this wide open position means there is no realistic prospect of a Black win, a draw looks like the fair result. 1/2-1/2

1.c4 g6 2.g3 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Bg2 e5 5.d3 f5 6.f4 Nh6 7.Nf3 Nf7 8.O-O O-O 9.e4 Nd7 10.exf5 gxf5 11.Ng5! This move is awkward to deal with. I spent an age here but didn't find anything satisfactory.  11...Nxg5 12.fxg5 c6 13.Be3 Rf7 At least I have a plan N-d7-f8-g6, Q-f8, B-e6 and Ra8-e8 with full protection of my phalanx. How many moves is that though ?  14.d4?! Since Black needs so many moves, there was no need to rush to open the position, Black now gets counterplay  14...Qb6 15.Na4 Qb4 16.Rc1

16...Nb6! I was very fortunate to have this strong equalizer available. My queen was in a little bit of bother ( I planned 16...exd4 17.Bxd4 Bxd4+ 18.Qxd4 Qxa4 winning a pawn but just in time I saw the sneaky 17.Bd2 winning my queen and realised that forcing White to win was not the best idea! Bd2 is actually a big threat. ) 17.Nxb6 axb6

An interesting position, how should White defend his queenside?  18.Qh5?! Ian decides to sacrifice the queenside and force mate! I salute his courage and strength.  18...Rxa2 19.g6 hxg6 20.Qxg6 Qxb2 A reliable rule is that a Queen by itself does not constitute a winning attack. White's problem is that it takes too long to bring up reserves.  21.Rf2 Qa3 22.Re1 ( I was hoping for 22.Rxa2?? Qxe3+ ) 22...Rxf2 (22...Qc3! was trickier and better ) 23.Bxf2 e4! A very important move, keeping the White reinforcements in their barracks  24.h4 Even adding a pawn to the attack is dangerous for Black  24...d5? The only non-greedy move I made in the game is a mistake  25.h5? White should take his chance to escape into an ending just one pawn down ( I expected 25.cxd5 Rf6 26.Qe8+ Qf8 27.Qxf8+ Bxf8 28.dxc6 bxc6 with the hope rather than the expectation of an endgame win. ) 25...Rf6 26.Qg5 dxc4! I resume my grab anything not nailed down policy  27.Be3 Qd6 28.Ra1 Kh7 29.Qf4 Qxf4 30.Bxf4 Rf8 31.Ra8 Bxd4+ For some reason I really wanted a fourth pawn.  32.Kf1 Bg7 33.Bh3 Be6 34.Ra7 Rf7 35.Ke2 Rd7 0-1

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.Be2 e6 7.O-O Nge7 8.h3 Bxf3 9.Bxf3 Nf5 10.Be3 cxd4 11.cxd4 Qb6

Black is already assured of a material advantage  12.Nd2 Nfxd4 13.Nb3 Nxf3+ 14.Qxf3 Qc7 15.Qg3 Qxe5 16.Bf4 Qxb2 17.Bd6 Be7 18.Nc5 O-O 19.Rfb1 Qd4 20.Rd1 Bxd6 21.Qxd6 Qe5 22.Qd7 Rab8 23.Nxb7 Rbc8 24.Nd6 Rcd8 0-1

1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bc4 Bb4 5.O-O O-O 6.Re1 d6 7.a3 Ba5 8.d3 h6 9.h3 Qe7 10.Be3 Bb6 11.Ne2 Bxe3 12.fxe3 Be6 13.Nd2 d5 14.exd5 Nxd5 15.Ng3 Rad8 16.Kh2 Kh8 17.Nf3 f5 18.Bxd5 Bxd5 19.e4 fxe4 20.Nxe4 Qf7 21.c3 Qf4+ 22.Kh1 g5 23.Qc2 g4 24.hxg4 Qxg4 25.c4 Qh5+ 26.Nh2 Nd4 27.Qd1 Qxd1 28.Raxd1 Bc6 29.Ng4 Rf5 30.Rf1 Rdf8 31.Ng3 Rxf1+

32.Rxf1? Natural but fatal  32...Rg8 33.Nxe5 Rxg3 34.Nxc6 Nxc6 35.Rf7 Rxd3 36.Rxc7 Rb3 37.Rd7 Rxb2 38.Kg1 Ne5 39.Rd8+ Kg7 40.c5 Kg6 0-1

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5 4.d3 fxe4 5.dxe4 Nf6 6.Qe2 d6 7.Qc4 Bd7 8.Nc3 a6 9.Bxc6 Bxc6 10.Nd5 Nxd5 11.exd5 Bd7 12.Bg5 Be7 13.Qh4 Bxg5 14.Qxg5 O-O 15.Qxd8 Raxd8 16.Nd2 Rf4 17.c3 Rdf8 18.f3 Bb5 19.Rc1 Bd3 20.c4 e4 21.g3

The scene is set  21...Rxf3 Enterprising  22.Nxf3 Rxf3 23.Kd2 b6 24.Rc3 Andrew decides to sacrifice the exchange too!  24...Kf7 25.Rxd3 Rxd3+ Unfortunately it leaves him with a lost ending  26.Ke2 Rf3 27.Rc1 Kf6 28.b4 Ke5 29.c5 bxc5 30.bxc5 Ra3 31.cxd6 Rxa2+ 32.Ke3 cxd6 33.h4 Ra3+ 34.Kf2 0-1

1.e4 e5 2.f4 f6 Joshua Wight is also strangely fond of an early f6 in 1.e4 e5 games. I think Scott should explain that this is really not a good idea!   3.fxe5 fxe5 4.Qh5+ Ke7 5.Qxe5+ Kf7 6.Bc4+ Kg6 7.Qf5+ Kh6 8.d4+ g5 9.h4 d5 10.hxg5+ Kg7 11.Qe5+ Kf7 12.Bxd5+ Kg6 13.Qxh8 Qe7 14.Qxg8+ Qg7

15.Rh6# 1-0

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 Bb7 7.e3 c5 8.dxc5 bxc5 9.a3 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 g5 11.Bg3 Ne4 12.Rc1 Nc6 13.Nd2 Nxg3 14.hxg3 d6 15.Ne4 Ke7 16.Qf3 f5

Russell is fond of this ambitious strategy in Queen's Indian positions. Black argues that his king is well placed in the centre and undertakes action on both wings  17.Rb1 Rb8 18.Nd2 Qc7 19.Qd1 Ne5 20.f3 Bc6 21.Kf2 Qa5 22.Qc1 Rxb1 23.Nxb1 Kf6 24.Be2 Nf7 25.Rd1 Rb8 26.Bd3 Qb6 27.f4 Qb7 28.Bf1 Ba4 29.Re1 Qb2+ 30.Kg1 Qa2 31.Nd2 Rb2 32.Re2 Rc2

A very aesthetic surround and invade strategy nears its climax.  33.Qb1 Qxb1 34.Nxb1 Rc1 35.Rb2 Bc2 36.Nd2 Bd3 37.Rb3 a5 38.Kf2 Bxf1 39.Nxf1 a4 40.Rb2 Rxc3 41.Nd2 Rxa3 42.Ke2 e5 43.Nb1 Ra1 44.Nc3 a3 45.Nd5+ Kg7 46.Rc2 a2 0-1

1.d4 d6 2.c4 e5 3.e3 Nc6 4.d5 Nce7 5.e4 f5 6.Nc3 Nf6 7.Bd3 g6 8.Nf3 Bg7 9.O-O O-O 10.Be3 h6 11.h4 fxe4 12.Nxe4 Bg4 13.Nxf6+ Rxf6 14.Be2 Nf5 15.g3 Bh3 16.Re1 Nxe3 17.fxe3 Qd7 18.Kh2 e4 19.Nd2 Rf2+ 20.Kg1 Qf5

A sad final position for White. All of Black's pieces are about to descend on the defenceless White king 0-1

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nf3 Be7 5.d3 O-O 6.Bg5 d6 7.Qd2 Be6 8.Nd5 Bxd5 9.exd5 Nd4 10.h4

10...b5!? An interesting sacrifice, Al makes it work  11.Nxd4 exd4 12.Bxb5 Rb8 13.Bc4 Nd7 ( Not 13...Rxb2 14.Bb3 ) 14.O-O-O!? Mark gets into the spirit of things by sharpening the struggle further  14...a5 15.Rh3 f6 16.Bf4 a4 17.Re1 Nc5 18.a3 Re8 19.g4 Rb6 20.f3 A little slow  20...Qb8! Black's attack makes inroads first  21.Qf2 Rxb2 22.Qxd4? Losing  22...Rb1+ 23.Kd2 Rxe1 24.Kxe1 f5!! Winning  25.Kf1 Qb1+ 26.Kg2

26...Qxc2+ (26...Bxh4!! Forces the rook through to e2 and denies the queen f2, with decisive effect ) 27.Qf2 Qc3 28.Qe2 Kf8 29.Bb5 Rb8! Black takes over the game for a second time  30.Bd2 Qc2 31.Rh1 Nb3 32.Bxa4 Qxd2 33.Qxd2 Nxd2 Black is a piece up but instead of consolidating and using his piece to promote a pawn, Al finishes off by massing all his pieces including his king, in a mating attack, a fantastic game by Alan.  34.Rc1 fxg4 35.fxg4 Bxh4 36.Rxc7 Ra8 37.Bd7 Rxa3 38.Be6 Rxd3 39.Rc8+ Ke7 40.Rc7+ Kf6 41.Rf7+ Ke5 42.Rf5+ Kd4 43.Rh5 Rg3+ 44.Kf2 Rxg4+ 45.Ke2 Rg2+ 46.Kd1 Bg5 47.Rxh7 Bh6 48.Rh8 Ne4 49.Ra8 Be3 50.Bc8 Nc3+

it's mate next move 0-1

1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Qc2 Nf6 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.O-O O-O 7.b3 Bf5 8.d3 dxc4 9.bxc4 Ne8 10.Nc3 Nd7 11.Rb1 Nd6 12.e4 Bg4 13.Be3 Qa5 14.Nd4 c5 15.Ndb5 Nxb5 16.Nxb5 a6 17.Bd2 Qb6 18.Nc3 Qa7 19.Nd5 Rae8 20.f3 Be6 21.Nc7 Rd8 22.Nxe6 fxe6 23.Bh3 e5 24.Kg2 Nb8 25.Be6+ Kh8 26.Bd5

This looks like a standard Russell crush. Most members of the Wellington Chess Club have painful memories of being mercilessly monstered by Russell from a position like this.   26...b6 27.Rb3? However, there's something a little different about this position. Normally Catalan and English addicts love nothing better than planting that lovely bishop on d5 - it often signals the beginning of the end. Personally I have deep affection for such a bishop, when I get a d5 bishop I call it my Kramnik bishop. In this case though, Black has a pawn on e7 and the retreat path is blocked. This factor means White cannot take his time, and Rb3 is a bit slow.   27...Rd6! Layla is alert to her opportunity - Black threatens e6. White is forced into complications.  28.f4 e6 29.fxe5 Rxf1 30.exd6 Qf7! An excellent resource  31.Bf4 Rxf4 32.gxf4 exd5 33.Kg3? (33.Rxb6 Nd7 34.Rb7 Qxf4 35.Qf2 Qg4+ forcing Black to take a perpetual is the best White can do. This is similar to the game conclusion ) 33...g5! Layla correctly seeks to denude the White king  34.Qf2

34...Qh5 A pragmatic choice, if I ever get a chance to force a perpetual against Russell, I'll take it too. ( Objectively best is 34...dxc4! 35.dxc4 Nd7 And Black takes control of the e5 square, with advantage ) 35.Rxb6 Qh4+ 36.Kf3 Qh5+ 37.Kg2 Qg4+ 38.Qg3 Qe2+ 39.Qf2 Qg4+ Draw agreed 1/2-1/2

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 b6 4.c3 Ne7 5.Nf3

5...Ba6 Oh dear.  6.Bxa6 Nxa6 7.Qa4+ Qd7 8.Qxa6 Nc6 9.Bg5 Be7 10.Bxe7 Kxe7 11.O-O Raf8 12.Nbd2 h6 13.Rae1 g5 14.h3 Rhg8 15.Nh2 h5 16.Qe2 1-0

1.Nf3 d6 2.e4 c5 3.b4?! After a few minutes thought I decided I wanted to have fun and decided and not worry about the result. However I should have adopted that attitude from move 1 in which case I could have played an orthodox Wing Gambit. This deferred version is an unfortunate experiment.  3...Nf6! I was hoping that the pawn at d6 was a negative for Black because it would take him 2 moves to play the classic gambit de-fanging move d5. But actually denying me e5 is more important. Black is simply better already.  4.Bb5+ Bd7 5.Qe2 Bxb5 6.Qxb5+ Qd7 7.Qxd7+ Nbxd7 8.bxc5 Nxc5 9.d3

Clearly this is going to be no fun for White, and in fact I was now tortured til near midnight to get a half point. Somebody remind me of the point of this game.  9...g6 10.Nc3 Bg7 11.Rb1 O-O 12.Nd2 Rac8 Black has targets, and I have to be careful  13.Nc4 b6

With Rxb7 no longer on the table, N(either) x e4 is now a strong threat hence  14.f3 Rfd8 15.Bb2 d5 16.Nxd5 Nxd5 17.Bxg7? I hurried to swap bishops  17...Kxg7 But the computer points out that Black can take advantage of this (17...Nxd3+ with favourable complications ) 18.exd5 Rxd5 19.Kf2 Life is a little easier now, but can Black nag away.  19...Ne6 20.Rhe1 b5 21.Ne3 Rdc5 22.Rb4 Rd8 23.a4 Nd4 24.axb5 Nxc2 25.Nxc2 Rxc2+ 26.Re2 Rc7 27.Rc4 Rb7 28.Rc3 e6 29.Ra2 Rd5 30.Rca3 Rdxb5 ( I think 30...Rbxb5 31.Rxa7 Rxd3 32.Re7 Rf5 33.Raa7 might be a better winning attempt ) 31.Rxa7 Rxa7 32.Rxa7 Rb2+ 33.Kg3 Rd2 34.Rd7 Kf6 35.f4 h5 36.h4 Ra2 37.Kf3 Ra5 38.Ke4 Ra4+ 39.d4 Ra2 40.Kf3 Ra3+ 41.Kf2 Ra5 42.Ke3 Rb5 43.Ra7 Rb2 44.Kf3 Rb3+ 45.Kf2 Rd3 46.Rd7 Ra3 47.Rb7 Ra4 48.Ke3 Ra2 49.Kf3 Ra5 50.Ke3 Rd5 51.Ra7 Rd8 52.Ke4 Re8 53.Rb7 Ra8 54.Ke3 Ra1 55.Kf2 Rh1 56.Kg3 Rf1 57.Ra7 Kg7 58.Rb7 Rd1 59.Rb4 Kf6 60.Kf3 Kf5 61.Rb5+ Kf6 62.Rb4 Rd3+ 63.Ke2 Rg3 64.Kf2 Ra3 65.Rb7 Rd3 66.Rd7 Ra3 67.Rb7 I didn't play that last move, but I did write it down and claimed a threefold repitition 1/2-1/2

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.Bb5 Bg4 6.Nc3 e6 7.h3 Bxf3 8.Qxf3 Bd6 9.O-O Qf6 10.Qe3 Ne7 11.Re1 O-O 12.Ne2 Nf5 13.Qg5 Qxg5 14.Bxg5 Nfxd4 15.Bd3 Rac8 16.c3 Nxe2+ 17.Rxe2 Ne5 18.Bb5 a6 19.Ba4 Nc4 20.Rae1 b5 21.Bd1 b4 22.b3 Nb6 23.Be3 Nd7 24.c4 dxc4 25.bxc4 Bc5 26.Ba4 Bxe3 27.Bxd7 Rc7 28.Bxe6 fxe6 29.Rxe3 Rxc4 30.Rxe6 Rc2 31.Rxa6 Rfxf2

32.Re8+ I was watching and Pat rushed this move. The computer quickly points out that White can force off one of the rooks which draws easily (32.Ra8+! Kf7 33.Rf1 Rxf1+ 34.Kxf1 with queenside liquidation and a draw ) 32...Kf7 33.Rae6 Rxg2+ 34.Kf1 h6 35.R8e7+ Kg8 36.Re2 Rgxe2 37.Rxe2 Rxe2 38.Kxe2 g5 39.Kf3 Kf7 40.Ke4 Kg6 41.Kf3 Kf5 42.Ke3 Ke5 43.Kd3 h5 44.Ke3 g4 45.h4 Kf5 46.Kf2 Ke4 0-1

1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.O-O Be7 7.d4 e4 8.Ne5 f5 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.f3 exf3 11.Rxf3 O-O 12.Nc3 Be6 13.e4 fxe4 14.Rxf8+ Bxf8 15.Bxe4 Nxc3 16.bxc3 Bd5 17.Qd3 Bxe4 18.Qxe4 Qd5 19.Qxd5+ cxd5 20.Rb1 Bd6 21.Rb7 Kf7 22.Kg2 Ke6 23.a4 a6 24.Bf4 Kd7

This should obviously be a draw. Never-the-less, I don't understand why White didn't swap bishops, Black's bishop is always going to be better than White's with pawns fixed on d4 and d5.   25.h4 Kc6 26.Rb2 Re8 27.Kf2 Kd7 28.Rb7 Kc6 29.Rb1 Kd7 Lawrence is happy to draw.  30.Bd2 Rf8+ 31.Kg2 Re8 32.Re1? As pointed out earlier, White should swap bishops not rooks.  32...Rxe1 33.Bxe1 And now Black has an easy advantage. Efrain doesn't find a way to combat the simple idea of picking off the weak a pawn  33...Kc6 34.g4 Kb6 35.g5? (35.c4! sacrificing a less important pawn was compulsory ) 35...g6 36.Kf3 Ka5 37.c4+ Kxa4 38.c5 Bh2 39.Kg2 Bf4 40.Kf3 Bc1 41.Ke2 c6 42.Kd3 Kb3 43.Ba5 Ba3 44.Ke3 Bb4 45.Bb6 a5 46.Bxa5 Bxa5 47.Kf4 Bc7+ 48.Kg4 Kc4 49.h5 Kxd4 50.hxg6 hxg6 As Steinitz once said, I may be an old man but if you stick your finger in my mouth I'll bite it off! 0-1

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Nb3 Bb6 6.Nc3 Nf6 7.Be2 O-O 8.O-O Ne5 9.Bg5 h6 10.Bh4 g5 11.Bg3 d6 12.Kh1 Kg7 13.Qd2 g4 14.Rad1 Ng6 15.f4 Nh5 16.e5 Nxg3+ 17.hxg3 Be6 18.f5 Bxb3 19.f6+ Kh7 20.axb3 Nxe5 21.Bd3+ Nxd3 22.Qxd3+ Kh8 23.Nd5 Rg8 24.Rde1 c6 25.Nxb6 Qxb6 26.Rf5 Rae8 27.Re7 Rxe7 28.fxe7 Kg7 29.Qxd6 Qe3 30.Qf6+ Kh7 31.Qxf7+ Kh8

32.Qxg8+! Not one of my engine's top four moves, but still the best move from a human perspective.  32...Kxg8 33.Rf8+ Kg7 34.e8=Q Qxe8 35.Rxe8 Kf7 36.Ra8 a5 37.Rxa5 Ke7 38.Rh5 b5 39.Rxh6 Kd7 40.Kg1 1-0

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Bc4 Bg7 5.Be3 Ng4 6.Qe2 Nxe3 7.fxe3 O-O 8.Nf3 c6 9.a4 Nd7 10.O-O e6 11.Qf2 b6 12.Qg3

I always like the idea of putting as many pawns as possible on the 3rd rank. Don't ask me why, I'm a freak probably.  12...d5 Breaking ranks!  13.exd5 exd5 14.Bd3 Nf6 15.Nd2 Nh5 16.Qf2 f5 Okay, I know why I like the hypermodern strategies - it's because when it works, and Black (it's usually Black) takes over the centre, it's very aesthetic.  17.Ne2 Bh6 18.g3 Nf6 19.Nf4 Ne4 20.Qe2 Qe8 21.c3 g5 22.Ng2 Be6 23.Bc2 Bg7 24.Rae1 a5 25.Nxe4 dxe4 26.b3 c5 27.Qb5 Lawrence figures that he's cramped so he needs to exchange pieces. Good logic, but this is a mistake and Black's advantage increases.  27...Qxb5 28.axb5 cxd4 29.exd4 Rac8

Black's control is awesome, and now something has to drop off.  30.Re3 Bxd4! 31.cxd4 Rxc2 32.Rd1 Rd8 33.Ne1 Rb2 34.Rc3 Bxb3 35.Rdc1 Bd5 36.Rc8 Rxc8 37.Rxc8+ Kg7 38.Rc7+ Kg6 39.Nc2 Rxb5 It's now pretty easy to see the magnitude of Black's advantage, just count the pawns!  40.Ne3 a4 41.Rd7 Bb3 42.d5 a3 43.Ra7 Ra5 44.Rxa5 bxa5 45.d6 a2 46.d7 a1=Q+ 47.Kf2 Qd4 0-1

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 O-O 5.O-O d5 6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.d4 Nd7 8.e4 N5b6 9.Nc3 c5 10.d5 Nc4 11.Qe2 Nde5 12.Nxe5 Nxe5 13.f4 Bg4 14.Qb5 Bd7 15.Qxc5 b6 16.Qe3 Nc4 17.Qd3 Rc8 18.e5

Only Grunfeld's mother could love Black's position  18...h5 19.h3 b5 20.Ne4 Qb6+ 21.Kh2 Bf5 22.Rd1 Rfd8 23.b3 Bxe4 24.Bxe4 Nd6 25.Be3 Qa5 26.exd6 Bxa1 27.dxe7 Rd7

28.d6! A classy finishing touch, White allows Black the option of capturing with check on a2, and also allows the bishop to escape, because maintaining the mighty central duo is crushing  28...Bg7 29.Bc6! 1-0

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nf3 h6 8.O-O Be7 9.Re1 O-O 10.h3 Be6 11.Be3 Nbd7 12.Qd2 Rc8 13.Rad1 Nc5 14.Bxc5 Rxc5 15.Bf1 b5 16.b4 Rc8 17.Nd5 Nxd5 18.exd5 Bf5 19.Bd3 Bxd3 20.Qxd3 f5 21.Qb3 Bf6 22.a4 Qc7 23.axb5 axb5

Arthur would have been right at home with this attractive Sicilian setup. Black has a big advantage.  24.Nxe5 ?????! However this move obviously came as a shock. White destroys the beautiful Black centre, presumably relying on the idea d5-d6 discovered check.  24...Qxc2?? ( Black should have called White's bluff eg 24...dxe5 25.d6+ Qc4 or Qf7 ) 25.Qxc2 Rxc2 26.Nd7 Black's advantage has evaporated and Pat holds his own nicely from here  26...Bc3 27.Nxf8 Bxe1 28.Rxe1 Kxf8 29.Re6 Rb2 30.Rxd6 Rxb4 31.Rb6 Rb1+ 32.Kh2 Rb2 33.Kg3 b4 34.Rb7 Rd2 35.Rxb4 Rxd5 36.Rb7 Draw agreed 1/2-1/2

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.g3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Bg2 e5 6.d3 Bd6 7.O-O Nb6 8.Nc3 a6 9.Bg5 f6 10.Be3 Be6 11.Bxb6 cxb6 12.Rc1 O-O 13.Nd2 Rc8 14.Nc4 Bb8 15.Ne3 Ba7 16.a4 Qd7 17.Ned5 Ne7 18.Nxe7+ Qxe7 19.Nd5 Qd7 20.Qb3 Qf7 21.Rc3 Rxc3 22.bxc3 Rd8 23.c4 Rd6 24.Rb1 h6 25.Qa3 Qd7

White has a comfortable edge with more active pieces and healthy pawns  26.Rb4?! Probably unwise  26...b5 Lawrence sniffs out an opportunity  27.axb5? White needed to withdraw and apologise, Black now gets a worthwhile material advantage  27...Bc5 28.bxa6 Rxa6 29.Qb2 Bxb4 30.Nxb4 ( Not 30.Qxb4 Ra1+ 31.Bf1 Bh3 32.Ne3 Qd4 and Black wins ) 30...Rb6 31.c5 Rb5 32.Qc3 Qd4 33.Qxd4 exd4 34.Bd5 Bxd5 35.Nxd5 Rxc5 36.Nb4 Rc1+ 37.Kg2 Lawrence has done well to liquidate to this ending. The Knight has no chance against a rook here  37...Kf7 38.Kf3 Ke6 39.Ke4 Re1 40.Kf3 Ke5 41.e3 dxe3 42.fxe3 Rb1 43.d4+ Kd6 44.Nd3 b5 45.e4 b4 46.Ke3 b3 47.Kd2 Rh1 48.Kc3 Rxh2 49.Kxb3 Rh3 50.Kc3 Rxg3 51.Kd2 Rg2+ 52.Ke3 Ra2 53.Kf4 Ke7 54.Kf5 Rg2 55.e5 g6+ 56.Ke4 fxe5 57.dxe5 Rd2 58.Nf4 g5 59.Nh5 Rf2 60.Ng3 Ke6 61.Ke3 Rf8 0-1

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.e3 e6 6.cxd5 exd5 7.Be2 Bb4 8.O-O O-O 9.a3 Bxc3 10.bxc3 Ne4 11.Bb2 Nd7 12.Rc1 Qb6 13.Ba1 Qa5 14.Bb2 Nb6 15.Re1 Qa4 16.Qd3 Qb3 17.Ne5 Bf5 18.g4 Qxb2 19.gxf5 Qxa3 20.f3 Nf6 21.Kh1 Qd6 22.Rg1 a5 23.e4 Ne8 24.Ng4 Qf4 25.Rb1 Nc8 26.Ne5

It looks like Black is going to win any endgame, but for the moment White's position is threatening. He threatens Nd7 (a typical sneaky Aldridge idea to win the exchange) and Rg4 with a massive kingside attack looming. But crucially Josh has about 30 minutes versus only 3 for Alan  26...Nf6! Snuffing out both ideas  27.exd5 cxd5 28.Rxb7 Nd6 29.Rbb1 Nxf5 30.Ng4 Nh6 And now facing a difficult fight for survival without the comfort of his big centre and potential attack, White overstepped the time limit 0-1