Magazines Games 2008-2018 2014

1.d4 This came as a surprise. But as Helen said, sometimes players in simuls vary their openings so they do not have too many similar positions.  1...Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.cxd5 Choosing a quieter continuation  6...exd5 7.Ne2 Re8 8.Bd2 c6? (8...Bd6 9.Rc1 a6 10.O-O Nbd7 ) 9.O-O Nbd7 10.f3 c5 I need to break up the centre and not allow him to get in e4.  11.a3 cxd4 12.exd4 (12.axb4 dxc3 13.Bxc3 Rxe3 += ) 12...Bd6 13.Rc1 Nf8 Not really sure where I should be putting my pieces. I'm really a poor player when I don't have the initiative. I just shuffle around....  14.Bf4 Ne6 ( not  14...Be6? 15.Bxd6 Qxd6 16.Nb5 Qd7 17.Nc7 ) 15.Be5 Nc7 Not really making much progress. Just trying to hold a few key squares  16.f4 +- Ng4 17.Qd2 (17.Qb3 Is a better move to keep pressure ) 17...f6 18.Bxd6 Qxd6 I'm sort of OK now, I felt.  19.Ng3 Bd7 20.Rf3 Re7 21.Nf5 Bxf5 22.Bxf5 Nh6 23.Bb1 Rae8 24.h3 f5 25.Rff1 g6 26.Ba2 Kg7 27.g3 Ng8 28.Rfe1 Nf6 (28...Rxe1+ 29.Rxe1 Rxe1+ 30.Qxe1 Nf6 31.Qe5 Qd7 = ) 29.Re5 Ne4 30.Qe3

Nigel was moving quickly and there were not many boards left so I couldn't get much time to think.  30...a6? 31.g4!? fxg4 32.hxg4 Nf6 33.Qf3 Qb6 I am slightly better now. I am threatening his weakened pawns.  34.Rd1 Rxe5 35.fxe5 Rxe5 36.Na4 Qa7 37.Nc5 Rg5 38.Rf1? (38.Re1! Rxg4+ 39.Kh2 Qb6 40.Re7+ Kh8 41.Kh3 Qd6 42.Rxc7 h5 ) 38...Qb6 -+ 39.Kh1 Rxg4 Here Nigel resigned. His attack has dried up and I'm about to mop up the rest of his pawns. 0-1

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.a4 e6 7.Be3 Nc6 8.Nb3 b6 9.Bd3 Bb7 10.f4 Be7 11.O-O O-O 12.Rf3 e5 13.Rh3 exf4 14.Bxf4 Ne5 15.Nd4 Ng6 16.Be3 Re8 17.Nf5 Bf8 18.Qf3 Ne5 19.Qg3 d5 20.Bd4 Ng6 21.exd5 Nxd5 22.Rf1 Nxc3 23.Bxc3 Be4 24.Qg4 Qd5

25.Qh5? A simple oversight (25.Kh1 += ) 25...Bc5+ Winning the exchange 0-1

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Be7 6.d4 d6 7.dxe5 Na5 8.Bxf7+! Nigel hoovers up a free pawn  8...Kxf7 9.Qd5+ Be6 10.Qxa5 c6 11.Qxd8 Rxd8 12.exd6 Bxd6 13.Ng5+ Ke7 14.Nxe6 Kxe6

Black's development advantage constitutes a little compensation. Richard keeps the initiative for a long time, not letting Nigel settle and assert his authority.  15.Be3 Nf6 16.f3 Bc7 17.Ke2 Nh5 18.Na3 Be5 19.Rab1 b5 20.c4 a6 21.Nc2 Nf4+ 22.Bxf4 Bxf4 23.Rbd1 Rxd1 24.Rxd1 Bxh2 25.Nd4+ Kf6 26.Nxc6 bxc4 27.Nb4 Be5 28.Nxa6 Ra8 29.Nb4 Ke6 30.Rc1 Bd6 31.Rxc4 Bxb4 32.Rxb4 Rxa2+ 33.Kf1 Nigel has liquidated to a pawn up rook ending, but Black's king and rook are both better placed. Conventional thinking is that the ending is an ideal setting for a grandmaster to outplay his opponent (and the simul provided plenty of examples), but Richard defends well, not letting Nigel's king into the game.  33...g5 34.Rb5 Kf6 35.Kg1 h5 36.Kh2 Re2 37.Kg3 Rd2 38.Rb6+ Kf7 39.Rh6 h4+ 40.Kh3 Re2 41.Rd6 Kg7 42.Rd5 Kg6 43.g3 hxg3 44.Kxg3 Re1 45.Rd6+ Kh5 46.Rf6 Re2 47.Kh3 Re3 48.Kg2

48...g4! = Winning a pawn or forcing liquidation to a drawn king and pawn ending.  49.Kf2 Rxf3+ 50.Rxf3 gxf3 51.Kxf3 Kg5 52.Ke3 Kf6 1/2-1/2

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.Nf3 d6 5.cxb5 a6 6.e3 g6 7.Nc3 Bg7 8.a4 O-O 9.Ra3 Nbd7 10.Be2 axb5 11.Bxb5 Ba6 12.O-O Nb6 13.Bxa6 Rxa6 14.b3 Qd7 15.e4 Rfa8 16.Qd3 c4 17.bxc4 Nxa4 18.Nxa4 Rxa4 19.Rxa4 Qxa4 20.Be3 Nd7 21.h3 Rc8 22.Rc1 Qa6 23.g3 Nc5 24.Bxc5 Rxc5 25.Kg2 Qa2 26.Rc2 Qb1 27.Nd2 Qb4 28.Qb3 Qxb3 29.Nxb3 Rc8 30.c5 dxc5 31.Rxc5 Rxc5 32.Nxc5 Kf8 33.f4 Bd4 34.Nd3 h5 35.Kf3 Kg7 36.e5 f5 37.g4 hxg4+ 38.hxg4 Kh6 39.Nb4 Kg7 40.Nc6 Bc5 41.Kg3 Kh7 42.Kh4 Kh6 43.Nd8 Bf2+ 44.Kh3 Kg7 45.Ne6+ Kf7 46.Kg2 Be1 47.Kf3 Bh4 48.Nd4 fxg4+ 49.Kxg4 Bf2 50.Nc6 Be3 51.Kg5 Ke8 52.Nb4 Kf7 53.Nd3 Bd4 54.Ne1 Be3 55.Ng2 Bf2 56.Nh4 Bxh4+ 57.Kxh4 Kg8 58.Kg5 Kg7

59.e6 1-0

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.e4 d6 4.d4 Bg7 5.Nge2 O-O 6.Ng3 c5 7.d5 e6 8.Be2 h5 9.Bg5 e5 10.O-O Qb6 11.Qd2 Nh7

12.Bxh5! Nigel explained in the interview that he couldn't resist the temptation to play real chess, even though a safety first approach is more normal simul strategy. It's a correct sacrifice, White gets two pawns and huge positional compensation.  12...gxh5 13.Nxh5 f6 14.Be3 (14.Bh6! is objectively stronger, but Nigel prefers a slower approach, White's compensation is enduring ) 14...Rf7 15.h3 Qd8 16.f4 Qe7 17.f5 Bd7 18.Rf3 Na6 19.Rg3 Kh8 20.Rg4 Rg8 21.Rh4 Bf8 22.Kh2 Nc7 23.a4 a6 24.a5 Be8 25.Ne2 Qd8 26.b4 cxb4 27.Qxb4 Rd7 28.g4 Bxh5 29.Rxh5 Na8 30.Nc1 Qc8 31.Nd3 Rc7 32.Rc1 Qd7 33.Kg2 Rg7 34.Kf3 Kg8 35.h4 Be7 36.Rg1 Qe8 37.Qb3 Qf7 38.Nb2 Qe8 39.Na4 Qf7 40.Qb4 Qe8 41.Rh6 Qc8

Nige l cannot improve his position further and finally undertakes direct action  42.c5! dxc5 43.Qc4 Kf8 44.g5! fxg5 45.hxg5 Nxg5+ 46.Bxg5 Bxg5 47.Rh8+ The point, White regains his piece with an undiminished initiative  47...Rg8 48.Rxg8+ Kxg8 49.Rxg5+ Kh8 50.d6 Completely decisive  50...Rh7 51.Qe6 Qd8 (  To avoid mate 51...Qxe6 52.fxe6

is necessary, that would have been a very aesthetic end. ) 52.Qxe5+ 1-0

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nxf7 Kxf7 5.d4 Qe7 6.Nc3 c6 7.Bd3 Nxe4 8.Nxe4 d5 9.Bg5 Qe6 10.Qe2 Nd7 11.Ng3 Nf6 12.Qxe6+ Bxe6 13.O-O Bd6 14.c3 h6 15.Bd2 Rae8 16.Rae1 Bd7 17.Nf5 Bc7 18.f3 Rxe1 19.Rxe1 Re8 20.Rxe8 Nxe8 21.g3 h5 22.Kf2 Kf6 23.Ne3 Nd6 24.h4 Nf5 25.Nxf5 Bxf5 26.Bg5+ Ke6 27.Be2 Bb8 28.a3 Bc2 29.g4 hxg4 30.fxg4 Be4 31.h5 Bh2 32.Bf3 Bxf3 33.Kxf3 Bd6 34.Bf4 Be7 35.Be5 Kf7 36.Kf4 Bf8 37.Kf5 b5 38.g5 a5

39.g6+ Ke7 40.h6 1-0

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.exd5 Nxd5 5.Nf3 Bb4 6.Bd2 O-O 7.Bd3 h6 8.Qe2 Bxc3 9.bxc3 Nd7 10.c4 Ne7 11.O-O Nf6 12.Rad1 c5 13.dxc5 Bd7 14.Ne5 Nc6 15.Bc3 Qe7 16.Nxd7 Nxd7 17.Be4 Rac8 18.Bf3 Nxc5 19.Qe3 b6 20.Rd2 Rfd8 21.Rfd1 Rxd2 22.Rxd2 Na4 23.Ba1 Na5 24.Qd4 e5

25.Qxe5? After this White's weak queenside pawns become the most important factor. Richard now surprises Nigel with a whole series of accurate endgamemoves  25...Qxe5 26.Bxe5 Nxc4 27.Re2 Nxe5 28.Rxe5 Kf8 29.Be4 Nc3 30.Bf5 Rd8 31.h4 Nxa2 32.Re4 Nc3 33.Rc4 Ne2+ 34.Kf1 Nd4 35.Bg4 f5 36.Bh3 g5 37.hxg5 hxg5 38.f3 a5 39.Kf2 f4 40.Bg4 Ke7 41.g3 fxg3+ 42.Kxg3 Rd5 43.c3 Nf5+ 44.Kf2 Nd6 45.Rc7+ Kf6 46.Rc6 b5 47.Ra6 a4 48.c4 bxc4 49.Rxa4 Ke5

Black is steadily converting his extra pawn. This phase of the game feels like Nigel versus a fellow GM not a simul game  50.Ke3 c3! This pawn can't be stopped!   51.f4+ gxf4+ 52.Rxf4 c2 53.Rf1 Nc4+ 54.Kf2 Rd2+ 55.Be2 Ke4 56.Rc1 Kd4?? A shame, only a couple more accurate moves were required ( eg 56...Nb2 57.Ke1 Ke3 and White is completely overwhelmed ) 57.Ke1! Nigel grabs the get out of jail free card  57...Kc3 58.Bxc4 Rh2 59.Be2 Rh1+ 60.Bf1 Kb2 61.Rxc2+ Kxc2 62.Ke2 Kc3 63.Bg2 Rh2 64.Kf3 Rxg2 65.Kxg2 1/2-1/2

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.Nc3 Be7 7.h3 O-O 8.e4 Nbd7 9.Be2 b6 10.O-O Re8 11.a4 Bb7 12.Re1 a6 13.Bf4 h6 14.Bh2 Nh7 15.Nd2 Bg5 16.Bxd6 Qf6 17.Bg3 Bf4 18.Bxf4 Qxf4 19.Nc4 Qf6 20.Qd2 Ne5 21.Nxe5 Qxe5 22.Bf1 Rad8 23.f4 Qd4+ 24.Qf2 Qxf2+ 25.Kxf2 Nf6 26.Rad1 Nh7 27.e5 Rd7 28.Bc4 Kh8 29.d6 Nf8 30.Nd5 Bxd5 31.Bxd5 Kg8 32.Bc6 Rdd8 33.Bxe8 Rxe8 34.f5 Rd8 35.e6 fxe6 36.fxe6 Ng6

37.e7 Nxe7 38.dxe7 Rxd1 39.e8=Q+ Kh7 40.Rxd1 b5 41.Rd6 bxa4 42.Qg6+ Kg8 43.Rd8# 1-0

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6 Bxa6 6.Nc3 g6 7.f4 d6 8.Nf3 Bg7 9.e4 Bxf1 10.Rxf1 Nbd7

Nbd7 is often unwise in Benko positions where White has already got in f4, because it deprives the other knight of a safe retreat square.  11.e5! Uncompromising and effective.  11...dxe5 12.fxe5 Ng4 13.e6 fxe6 14.Ng5 Bxc3+ 15.bxc3 Ndf6 16.Nxe6 Qa5 17.Bd2 c4

White's position is certainly pregnant with possibilities. What is the best way to increase the pressure ?  18.Qe2! Winning. The retreat of the unstable knight on g4 is cutoff, and a devastating threat of Rxf6 if the g4 knight moves is setup. Black has no way of dealing with both these factors.  18...Rc8 Liberates the queen from defending against Nc7+ at least  19.h3 Nh6 20.Rxf6! ( Even stronger than the alternative 20.Bxh6 which would at least allow Black some respite with  20...Qxc3+ ) 20...Nf5 If Black wants to continue the game he cannot allow Bxh6 as well (  The hanging knight on h6 limits the defensive options after 20...exf6 ensuring a rout  21.Nc5+ Kf7 22.Qe6+ Kg7 23.Qd7+ Nf7 24.Ne6+ ) 21.Nf4 White is happy to keep the extra piece as well as a continuing attack. Black should really resign but fortunately for us he chooses to let Ortvin complete a devastating demonstration of attackingprowess  21...Kd8 22.Re6 g5 23.Nh5 h6 24.g4 Nh4 25.Nf6 Qa7 (25...exf6 allows a simple mate after  26.Rd6+ Kc7 27.Qe7+ Kb8 28.Rb1+ ) 26.Be3! Qb8 27.Bb6+ Rc7

28.Rxe7! A final elegant touch (28.Rxe7 Qxb6 29.Re8+ Rxe8 30.Qxe8# ) 1-0

1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.O-O e6 6.Nc3 Nge7 7.d3 d5 8.cxd5 exd5 9.a3 O-O 10.Rb1 a5 11.Bd2 b6 12.Qa4 Bb7 13.Rbc1 Rc8 14.Bf4

14...d4 Sometimes you have to give (squares) to get.  15.Ne4 Nd5 16.Bg5?! (16.Nd6 Nxf4 17.Nxb7 Nxe2+ 18.Kh1 Qe7 19.Rce1 Nxg3+ 20.hxg3 Qxb7 ) 16...Qd7 17.Bd2 h6 White's Bd2 and Ne4 are tripping over each other.  18.Nh4 Kh7 19.f4 f5 20.Bh3?! Qe7 21.Qb3 Rcd8 22.Nf2 Qxe2 23.Bxa5?? (23.Rc2 Qe7 24.Re1 Qc7 with the idea of ...Ne3-+ ) 23...Nxa5 24.Qa2 (24.Qb5?? Bc6 25.Qa6 Ra8 ) 24...Nc3

25.Qa1 Nb3 An ignominious end for her majesty.  26.Rce1 Nxa1 (26...Nxa1 27.Rxe2 Nxe2# ) 0-1

1.e4 Nc6 2.d3 Nf6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nbd2 Bg4 5.Be2 Bxf3 6.Bxf3 e6 7.c3 dxe4 8.dxe4 Bc5 9.Qc2 Ne5 10.Be2 Nfg4 11.Bxg4 Castles looked risky at the time with Qh4 coming attacking f2 and h2  11...Nd3+ Totally missed by me at the time and it looked like big trouble  12.Ke2 Maybe better is Kf1 but still in shock from the sac, no idea how to play as well might have been myproblem  12...Nxf2 13.Nb3 Nxh1 14.Nxc5 Qh4

About now I have no idea but it is Mark Noble and I do some crazy things so any thing is possible here  15.Kf3!! After some thinking found this really good idea and as it happens the computer agrees with me!  15...Qf6+ 16.Bf4 Looks bad fo r white but in fact he is winning all lines from here which i had seen  16...g5 17.Qa4+! c6 18.e5 Black has no good moves now and the power of the white knight is about to win the game  18...Qe7

19.Ne4! Great move keeping White's best piece, there's no hurry for the knight on h1  19...gxf4 20.Nd6+ Kf8 21.Rxh1 Not the best move but it still leads to winning lines  21...Kg7 22.Qxf4 Rhf8 23.Ne4 Time to control f6  23...Rad8 24.Re1 Rd5 25.Kg3 Rd3+ 26.Bf3 h6 27.Nf6 Rh8 28.Qe4 Rd2 29.Re2 Rxe2 30.Bxe2 Qc5?? 31.Qg4+ Kf8 32.Nd7+ Ke7 33.Nxc5 and white won 1-0

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c3 d5 This is a sneaky line, you have to be ready to play an Advance French, never a problem for me.  4.exd5 exd5 5.d4 Nc6 6.Be3 c4 This is the line I had found. Saw a game where Nunn beat Mickey Adams in about 30 moves, has to be good doesn't it?  7.b3 cxb3 8.axb3 Bd6 9.Bd3 Nge7 This is the idea for Black, isolated pawn, but good piece activity and White's game is actually not as good as it looks.  10.b4 b6 An important idea - the Knight needs to be able to get to a5 when White throws in b5.  11.Nbd2 O-O 12.Qb1 h6 13.O-O Bg4 14.b5 Na5 This position looks good for White, but in fact Black is going to be good in a few moves. One of those positions the computer struggles with.  15.Ne5 Bh5 16.f4 f6 17.Nef3 Qc7 Now White loses a pawn, the house is beginning to fall.  18.g3 Qxc3 19.Rc1 Qb4 20.Qa2 Rfc8

21.Nh4? (21.Rcb1 Qc3 22.Ne1 Kh8 23.Bf2 Qc7 Black is a safe pawn up. ) 21...Rc3! After this move the tactics are all in Black's favour and he inevitably wins more material  22.Rcb1 Qa3 23.Qc2 Rxc2 24.Rxa3 Rxd2 25.Rc3 Rxd3 26.Rxd3 What a success this opening has been, White is dead, just needs finishing off now.  26...g5 27.fxg5 fxg5 28.g4 Bxg4 29.Rb2 Nc4 30.Rf2 Bd7 31.Ng2 Bxb5 White could resign.  32.h4 Rf8 33.Rxf8+ Kxf8 34.hxg5 Nxe3 35.Rxe3 hxg5 36.Re6 Bb4 37.Ne3 Bc3 38.Rxe7 Bxd4 0-1

1.e4 c5 2.c3 Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4.Nf3 e6 5.d4 cxd4 6.cxd4 d6 7.Bc4 Nc6 8.Qe2 Be7 9.O-O O-O 10.Nc3 Nxc3 11.bxc3 dxe5 12.dxe5 Qa5 This is pretty much the main line in this variation, now Anthony goes away from the main line, not a good experiment.  13.Bd3 (13.Bd2 Rd8 14.Rfe1 Bd7 15.Bb3 Be8 16.Qe4 Qc5 17.Ng5 g6 18.Qh4 h5 19.Qf4 Bxg5 20.Qxg5 This is more in the spirit, of the line. For the damaged pawns, Black has terminal dark squares and no Bishop to help. ) 13...Rd8 14.Rd1 g6 15.Rb1 b6 16.Bg5!? Bb7 (16...Bxg5 17.Nxg5 Qxe5 18.Qxe5 Nxe5 19.Be4 Rxd1+ 20.Rxd1 Rb8 21.f4 White has compensation for the pawn. Puchen wants none of this and goes for the safe option, the pawn on c3 is the target. ) 17.Qe3 Qxc3 18.Bxe7 Nxe7 19.Rbc1 Qb4 20.Ng5 Qg4 21.Ne4 Bxe4 22.Qxe4 Qh5 (22...Qxe4 23.Bxe4 Rxd1+ 24.Rxd1 Rc8 25.f3 Rc7 Black is in no danger of losing, but a long endgame will ensue trying to Queen that extra pawn. ) 23.Be2 Qh6

24.f4 (24.Qb7 This is the way to make Black regret not swapping Queens. Look at the difference between the two pieces, White has compensation for the pawn now. ) 24...Nd5 25.g3 Qf8 26.Bf3 Rac8 The world is all good now, Puchen can go about converting the win.  27.Kg2 Rxc1 28.Rxc1 Qa3 29.Qe1 Qxa2+ 30.Kh3 Qa3 31.Bxd5

31...exd5!? (31...Rxd5 32.Rc3 Qb2 33.Qc1 Qxc1 34.Rxc1 The two pawns will win, the moved played gives White some practical chances to foozle. ) 32.e6 (32.Rc7 d4 33.e6 f6 34.e7 Re8 35.Qe6+ Kg7 36.Qd7 Kf7 37.Qd5+ Kg7 38.Qd7 And a draw, Anthony misses his chance. ) 32...Qe7 33.exf7+ Qxf7 34.Qd2 d4 White could resign now.  35.Re1 d3 36.g4 a5 37.Re3 a4 38.Kg3 b5 39.Qa5 Qd7 40.Qd2 b4 41.Qxb4 d2 42.Qc4+ Qf7 0-1

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 A rare move for me, but wanted to try something, but Ben surprises me too.  6.a3 Nh6 7.b4 cxd4 8.Bxh6 This is the surprise, not a big problem as I play the early Nh6 at times, so the doubled h pawns are a feature of some of my games, and not a really big problem.  8...gxh6 9.cxd4 Bd7 10.Ra2 This is the new approach, White brings the Rook to c2 and leaves the Knight at home for the time being. (10.Be2 Rc8 11.O-O Bg7 12.Qd2 O-O 13.Ra2 (13.Nc3!? Nxd4 14.Nxd4 Bxe5 15.Ndb5 Bxb5 16.Nxb5 a6 17.Rad1 axb5 18.Qxh6 Bg7 ) 13...f6 14.b5 Ne7 15.exf6 Rxf6 16.Nc3 Ng6 A wild position, but shows you the ideas behind the line for Black. For the doubled pawns Black has active pieces and pressure on the d pawn, along with the 2 Bishops. Anyway, I prefer Black in these kinds of positions, but then again I am a French bigot :-) ) 10...Rc8 11.Rc2 Bg7 12.b5?

This has to be a mistake, the pawns become very weak. White missed the Knight bouncing back out to b6 too help clean up the weak pawns. (12.Nc3 O-O 13.Na4 Qd8 14.Nc5 Rc7 15.b5 Ne7 16.a4 Ng6 White is maybe slightly better, but Black will get activity with f6 again. ) 12...Ne7 13.Rxc8+ Nxc8 14.a4 Qa5+ 15.Nbd2 Nb6 The pawns begin to fall, White needs something quickly.  16.Bd3 Nxa4 17.Qc2 O-O

The h7 pawn means nothing compared to getting the other Rook active. White has no time to get his pawn back.  18.O-O (18.Bxh7+ Kh8 19.Bd3 Rc8 20.Qb1 Nc3 21.Qb2 Qa2 22.Qxa2 Nxa2 23.O-O Nc1 24.Ne1 Nxd3 25.Nxd3 Bxb5 26.Rc1 Rxc1+ 27.Nxc1 And the 2 Bishops and 2 passed pawns win easily. ) 18...Rc8 19.Qa2 Bxb5 20.Bxb5 Qxb5 21.Ra1 Qa6

The Knight is safe because of the Rc1+ and Rxa1.  22.Nb3 b5 23.h4 Qc6 24.Rc1 Nc3 25.Qd2 Qc4 Game over, the piece is lost, or an Exchange goes with the Ne2 check. A French player's dream. 0-1

1.e4 c5 2.c3 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.d4 Nc6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.dxc5 (6.Be2 cxd4 7.cxd4 e6 8.Nc3 This is easily the main line here, but dxc5 is not all doom and gloom. ) 6...Qxd1+ 7.Kxd1 e5 8.b4 a5 9.Bb5 (9.b5 Nd8 10.c6 bxc6 11.h3 Bxf3+ 12.gxf3 Bc5 13.Kc2 Ne7 14.Nd2 It might not be clear but White is better here. Pawns may be ugly, but those two Bishops are going to be monsters. ) 9...Ne7 10.Nd2 (10.Kc2 Bxf3 11.gxf3 axb4 12.cxb4 O-O-O 13.Bxc6 Nxc6 14.Bd2 Not much in this, but enough that Anthony could probably outplay William. ) 10...axb4 11.cxb4 O-O-O 12.Bxc6 Nxc6 13.a3 Nd4 14.h3 Bxf3+ 15.gxf3 g6 16.Ra2 Nxf3 (16...Bh6 17.Ne4 Nb3+ 18.Nd6+ Rxd6+ 19.cxd6 Nxc1 20.Rc2+ Kd7 21.Rxc1 Bxc1 22.Kxc1 Rc8+ 23.Kb2 Rc4 Black is better in this endagame, pawn structure is better and d6 will fall soon. ) 17.Kc2 Nd4+ 18.Kb1 Ne2 19.Ne4 Nxc1 20.Rxc1 Be7 21.Re2 Kd7 22.Nc3 Bg5 23.Rg1 Bf6 24.Ne4 Ke6 25.f4 Rd5 26.Nxf6 Kxf6 27.fxe5+ Rxe5 28.Rf1+ Rf5

29.Rxf5+? (29.Rd1 Rf3 30.Rd6+ Kg5 31.Rb6 Rxh3 32.a4 The white pawns are more advanced and he should win. ) 29...gxf5 30.Kc2 Rg8 31.Rd2 f4 32.Rd6+ Kf5 33.Rd7 f6

34.Rxb7?? (34.Kd2 Re8 35.Rd3 Rg8 36.b5 Ke4 37.c6 bxc6 38.bxc6 Rg2+ 39.Kc3 Rg1 40.Rd2 f3 41.c7 Rc1+ 42.Rc2 Rxc2+ 43.Kxc2 f2 They could agree a draw here. The move played is horrible, now his King gets cut off and the f pawn will queen. ) 34...f3 35.Kd2 Re8 0-1

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3 Russell had plenty of practice with this line during the event, surely there is another line against the Petroff :-).  6...Be7 7.Be3 O-O 8.Qd2 Nc6 9.O-O-O Ne5 10.Be2 (10.Kb1 Re8 11.Nd4 a6 12.f3 c5 13.Nb3 Be6 14.Qf2 Qc7 15.h3 Nc4 16.Bxc4 Bxc4 17.Qg3 Bf8 18.Bf4 Is the best I could find for White, shows Black really has no worries against this line, Russell is onto a winner here. ) 10...Ng4 This is why Be2 scores badly, Black gets the 2 Bishops and a easy game now.  11.Bd4 c5 12.h3 cxd4 13.hxg4 dxc3 14.Qxc3 Bxg4 15.Qd3 h6 16.Nd4 Bxe2 17.Nxe2 Black is a cold pawn up and has the Bishop vs Knight endgame coming.  17...Qb6 18.Qg3 Bf6 19.c3 Rfe8 20.Rxd6 Qb5 ( Better is 20...Qa5! 21.Nd4 Bxd4 22.Rxd4 Qxa2 23.Rhd1 A hard one to convert, but White's King has a few holes around it. ) 21.Nd4 Bg5+ 22.Kb1 Qc5 23.Rd7 Bf6 24.Qf3 Rad8 25.Nb3 (  White would have saved the day with 25.Rxb7 Qg5 26.Rxa7 Qg6+ 27.Ka1 Bxd4 28.cxd4 Rxd4 ) 25...Qe5 26.Rhd1 Rxd7 27.Rxd7 b5 28.a3 Qe6 29.Qd5 a6 30.Qxe6 Rxe6 31.Kc2 g5 32.Kd1 Kg7 33.Nc5 Rc6 34.Ne4 Be5 35.Ke2 Kg6 36.Rd5 f6 37.Kd3 h5 38.f3 Kf5

White has drifted and Black's King gets active and will clean up the weak pawns.  39.b3 Kf4 40.c4 bxc4+ 41.bxc4 Rb6 42.Ke2 h4 43.c5 Rb5 44.Rd2 f5 45.Nf2 Kg3 46.Nd3 Bc7 47.a4 Rb1 48.Ne1 Ba5 49.Rd1 Rxd1 50.Kxd1 g4 51.fxg4 fxg4 0-1

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 b5 Important game this one, Russell to consolidate his lead, Ben to get into the mix. This opening is right up Ben's alley, intersting chess will unfold.  4.a4 (4.Nbd2 Bb7 5.Nb3 Be7 6.Bg2 O-O 7.O-O a5 8.a4 b4 Black has an OK position - what more could you ask for? ) 4...b4 5.Bg2 d5 6.O-O Be7 (6...Nbd7 7.Nbd2 c5 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.Nb3 Be7 10.Nfd4 Bb7 11.a5 The idea here is that the b pawn does not get supported and can fall and all endgames are winning for White. Russell plays a differnet way and allows the pawn to be swapped. ) 7.c4 bxc3 8.bxc3 O-O 9.c4 c6 10.Nbd2 Nbd7 11.Qc2 Ba6 12.Re1 c5 13.e4 Nxe4 14.Nxe4 dxe4 15.Rxe4 Bb7 Black's game is trending ever so slightly in his favour, the pawns look a little precarious.  16.Re1 cxd4 17.Bb2 Bf6 18.Nxd4 Bxg2 19.Kxg2 Qc7 20.Red1 Rab8 21.Ba3 Rfc8 22.Rac1 Qb7+ 23.Kh3 This is not a nice move to play. Black is a little better, but with Russell's time trouble issues, this is a very dangerous place to have a King, and Ben is just the kind of player that would set up nasty traps.  23...Nc5

24.Nb5? This loses because it allows Qf3 and then Nc5-e4-g5 (24.Rb1 Qa8 25.Rxb8 Qxb8 26.f3 h6 27.Bxc5 Rxc5 28.Nb3 Rc8 29.c5 The position is about equal, but still 11 moves to find in time trouble ) 24...Qf3! 25.Bb4 Ne4 26.Be1 Ng5+ 27.Kh4 h5 0-1

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Be3 a6 6.Bd3 Bg4 7.Qd2 This is th e kind of thing that Leonard plays, but it just looks planless to me (Ed: Although Leonard almost makes the direct Fischer plan of O-O-O, Bh6, h4, h5, hg then check, check and mate work), Black has easy equality and has good scores against these kind of setups.  7...Nc6 8.d5 Nb8 9.Bh6 O-O 10.h4 c6 11.O-O-O Qa5? 12.h5 Things have heated up here. White is much better now, just the place where Anthony is at his most dangerous.  12...Nxh5 13.Bxg7 Kxg7

14.Rh4 (14.Qg5 Bxf3 15.gxf3 Nf6 16.Qh6+ Kg8 17.e5 dxe5 18.Ne4 Nbd7 19.dxc6 bxc6 20.Bc4 Rfd8 21.Rdg1 Black is helpless against the threats to g6 and his King. ) 14...Bxf3 15.gxf3 Nd7 16.Rxh5 gxh5 17.Qg5+ Kh8 18.e5 Rg8 19.Qxe7 (19.Qf5 Nf8 20.exd6 exd6 21.Qxf7 Ng6 22.Qxb7 cxd5 23.Bxg6 hxg6 24.Rxd5 Qd8 25.Ne4 The computer defends as Black, but White's position is much easier to play and Black's King is permanently unsafe. The move played allows Black to consolidate. ) 19...Nxe5 20.Qxd6 Nxd3+ 21.cxd3 Qd8 22.Qe5+ f6 23.Qxh5 Rg5 24.Qf7 Rg7 25.Qh5 cxd5 26.Re1 Rc8 27.Kb1 Qg8 28.Qf5 Rc6 29.a3 Rg1 30.Rxg1 Qxg1+ Black is no w winning, typical Anthony stuff. Soak up the pressure, be losing at some stage, but win anyway.  31.Ka2 d4 32.Nd5 Qg8 33.Kb1 Qe6 34.Qxe6 Rxe6 Game over  35.Nf4 Rc6 36.Ne2 h5 37.Nf4 Rc5 38.Nh3 h4 39.b4 Rc3 40.Nf4 Kh7 41.Kb2 Kh6 0-1

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 c6 This was the new Russell, gone were the Englishes, and out came mainlines. I started making it up from here, but after the miserable loss yesterday, was keen to mix it up and not go down on my knees. I get my wish : -(  3.c4 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 a6 9.a4 Thought I was going to repeat the line Gino and I had played, so was worried about whatever the chess engines had come up with, but no, here was Russell's line.  9...Bb7 10.O-O Be7 (10...b4 11.Nb1 c5 12.Nbd2 Be7 13.Qe2 O-O 14.a5 Qc7 15.Rd1 Nd5 This might be more in spirit of the line, hard to know what is happening. ) 11.Qe2 O-O 12.Rd1 Qb6 13.Bd2 Rfe8 14.e4 e5? This is just a bad move and gets rightly punished. Black needed to play the move he was preparing all game.  (14...c5 15.e5 c4 16.Bc2 Nd5 17.Ng5 Nf8 18.Qh5 Bxg5 19.Bxg5 Ng6 20.Ne4 White's game is more pleasant to play, the Knight on d5 is Black's only good piece. ) 15.dxe5 Ng4 16.e6 fxe6 17.e5 Nc5? This was all based on a faulty combinaton, Russell saw the move I missed. Shows why he's the IM and I am not. (17...b4 18.Qe4 Qxf2+ 19.Kh1 Qh4 20.Nxh4 Nf2+ 21.Kg1 Nxe4 22.Nxe4 Bxh4 23.Nd6 White is still winning, Black is doomed here. ) 18.Bc2 (18.Ne1 Nh6 19.Bxh6 gxh6 20.Ne4 Black's position is to be pitied. Would you really like to be playing Russell in this position? ) 18...b4 19.Ne4 b3 20.Bb1 Nxe4 21.Qxe4 Nxf2 22.Qxh7+ Kf8

23.Rf1! This is the move I'd missed, now my planned Philidor's smothered mate with Nh3+ Qg1+ and Nf2 mate fails because Nxg1 is a discovered check on Black's King. I can resign, mate is close at hand.  23...Bc5 24.Bg5 1-0

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e5 Nfd7 6.Bxe7 Qxe7 7.f4 a6 8.Nf3 Nb6 (8...c5 9.Qd2 Nc6 10.dxc5 Qxc5 11.O-O-O b5 12.Ne2 Nb6 13.Ned4 Bd7 14.Nxc6 Bxc6 15.Nd4 Bd7 16.h4 This is the kind of stuff White should be doing. Looks risky, but the d4 Knight is a monster and the attack will get going. ) 9.Qd2 Bd7 10.O-O-O!? This is not so good now, Black gets the chance to swap off the light squared Bishop.  10...Bb5 11.Bd3 Nc6 12.Kb1 Bxd3 13.cxd3 O-O-O 14.h4 h5

Black has fully equalised here, White should be looking to settle for a draw, something has gone wrong.  15.Rc1 f6 16.g3 Qf7 17.Ne2 Qg6 18.Ka1 Qg4 19.Rhf1 Kb8 20.Qe1 Nc8 21.Nd2 g5? A bit too optimistic, White now gets another go on top  22.hxg5

22...fxg5 23.Nb3 (23.fxg5 Rhf8 24.Nf4 Nxd4 25.Qe3 Nc6 26.Rxc6 bxc6 27.Nb3 A thematic Exchange sac, the knights are really strong and the Rooks have no files to work with. ) 23...N8e7 (23...h4 24.Rxc6 bxc6 25.Nc5 Nb6 26.gxh4 Rxh4 27.Rg1 Qf3 28.fxg5 Rh2 Unlike the last version, Black has some activity that would worry White. ) 24.fxg5 Qxg5 25.Rf6? (25.Nc5 Rh6 26.Rf7 Rdh8 27.Nf4 h4 28.gxh4 Qxh4 29.Qxh4 Rxh4 30.Nfxe6 White is a healthy pawn up and should win. ) 25...Rh6 26.Rxh6 Qxh6 27.Nc5 Rg8 28.Qc3 Ka7 29.a3 h4 30.gxh4 Rg2 31.Rc2 Qe3 32.Nc1 Rxc2 33.Qxc2 Nxd4 34.Qc3 Nb5 35.Qc2 Qxe5 36.Nd7 Qd6 37.Qc5+ b6 38.Qxd6 Nxd6 This must have been annoying, being a pawn down in a four Knight endgame and there must have been the feeling he was better. White can possibly hold, but not easy to play good endgames in these time controls.  39.Kb1 Kb7 40.Kc2 Nf7 41.h5 Nf5 42.Ne2 e5 43.Nf6 c6 44.Kd2 Kc7 45.Ng4 Kd6 46.Ke1 N7h6 47.Nh2 Ke6 48.Kf2 c5 49.b4 cxb4 50.axb4 a5 51.bxa5 bxa5 52.Nc3 Ng7 53.Nf3 Nxh5 Now it is over, 2 pawns up is too much for White.  54.Nd2 Nf4 55.Nb3 Nxd3+ 56.Ke2 Nf4+ 57.Kd2 d4 58.Nd1 Kd5 59.Nxa5 Ng4 60.Nb3 e4 61.Ke1 Ne5 62.Kf1 Nc4 63.Kf2 e3+ 64.Ke1 e2 65.Nf2 Ne5 66.Nd2

It is mate in two, Just move the King to a White square (to avoid checks), then any knight move unprotects either d3 or f3 allowing mate 0-1

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd5 5.d4 cxd4 6.Bc4 Nc6 7.cxd4 d6 8.O-O Be7 9.Qe2 O-O 10.a3 a5 11.Nbd2 Nf4 12.Qe4 Ng6 13.exd6 Qxd6 14.Ba2 b5 15.Ne5 Bb7

(15...Ncxe5! 16.Qxa8 Nc6 17.a4 Qc7 18.axb5 Bb7 19.Qxf8+ Kxf8 20.bxc6 Qxc6 When there are many minor pieces on the board, the Queen is almost always stronger than the two Rooks. ) 16.Nxg6 hxg6 17.Nf3 Rad8 18.Be3 Ba8 19.Qg4 Bf6 20.Rfd1 Ne7 21.Bf4 Qb6 22.Be5 Bd5 23.Bxf6 gxf6 24.Bxd5 Rxd5 25.Rd2 Rfd8 26.Rad1 Qd6 27.Qe4 b4 28.axb4 Qxb4 29.Qc2 Rc8 30.Qb1 Nf5 31.Qa2

31...Rc4 (31...Nxd4 32.Rxd4 Rxd4 33.Nxd4 Qxd4 34.Qa1 Qb4 35.h3 Rc2 36.b3 Rc3 37.Rb1 Black can torture White for a long time. He has a simple plan, just push the Kingside pawns and see what happens. At some stage it will create a passed pawn. ) 32.g4? Ne7 (32...Nxd4 33.Rxd4 Rdxd4 34.Rxd4 Rxd4 35.Nxd4 Qxd4 36.h3 Qd2 Black again can torture White for ages. No chance of losing with every chance of victory. ) 33.Kg2 g5 34.Ne1 Ng6 (34...Rcxd4 35.Rxd4 Rxd4 36.Rxd4 Qxd4 37.Qxa5 Qxg4+ Black should win, the Queen and Knight will be a force with the White King having no shelter. ) 35.Nc2 Qb7 36.Kg1

36...Rxc2!? (36...Nh4! and Black's pieces are swarming all over White ) 37.Rxc2 Nh4 38.Kf1 Rb5 39.Qc4 Qh1+ 40.Ke2 Qe4+ 41.Kf1 Qh1+ 42.Ke2 Qf3+ 43.Kd2 Qf4+ 44.Ke2 Qe4+ 45.Kf1 Qh1+ 46.Ke2 A game where Black had many chances and White had few. 1/2-1/2

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4 Ne7 4.Nc3 Ng6 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.d4 Bb4 7.Bd2 d6 8.a3 Ba5 9.Nd5 Bxd2+ 10.Qxd2 Be6 11.O-O-O Nce7 12.h4 c6 13.Nxe7 Qxe7 14.Bxe6 Qxe6 15.h5 Ne7 16.Qxf4 Qh6 17.Qxh6 gxh6 18.Rh4 Rg8 19.Rd2 Rg7 20.Rf4 Kd7 21.Nh2 f5 22.exf5 Nd5 23.Re4 Nf6 24.Re6 Rf8 25.g4 Rff7

26.d5! c5 My opponent must have thought that nothing had changed strategically after these pawn moves. White still does not seem to have akey to open Black's fortress. Had he spotted my hidden idea, he might have looked for an alternative.  27.Rxf6! Despite the computer's scepticism, this is the clearest winning plan, not allowing Black any chance to escape. The usefulness of my d5 pawn will be revealed after just a few moves  27...Rxf6 28.Re2 Re7

29.Re6!

Caging the enemy pieces in a relatively narrow area and dooming Black to absolute passivity. Without the support of the d-pawn, this would have been impossible.  29...Rf8 30.Kd2 Bringing in one of the strongest attacking pieces in the endgame - the king! My plan was to play K-d2-e3-f4, freeing the knight to transfer to e4. After completing this regrouping, it would not take long before Black's position collapsed.  30...Rxe6 My opponent must have understood the long-term danger. By exchanging my rook, he probably hoped to create at least some feeble counterplay with his central majority.  31.dxe6+! This is of course the right way to recapture. I create two passed pawns and keep the f-file closed. Besides, Black always has to deal with the possibility of my knight transferring to the d5-sqaure  31...Ke7 32.Ke3 Kf6 33.Kf4 b5 34.Nf3 Rg8 35.Nd2 Ke7

36.Nf1 d5 37.Nd2 This continues the instructive dance of the knight, which gradually clears a path between the enemy pawns.  37...Kd6 38.Nf3 d4 39.Nd2 c4 40.Ne4+ Ke7 41.Ke5

Finally, my king and knight are on optimal squares. Facing the prospect of being crushed by my pawns, Barua resigned. This win made me feel better and the cold almost vanished as if by a miracle. 1-0