Magazines Games 2008-2018 2015

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3?! This is a mistak e, but it probably won me the game. I just got my move orders confused and played the move I'd intended to play if he'd played 4...Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 rather than the move I'd intended to play after 4...a6 5.Nc3 Qc7, which was Bd3. However the big plus point was that he now tried to refute it, rather than just get a comfortable position, and overstepped the boundaries of acceptable risk.  6...Nf6 7.Bd3 Bb4 8.O-O Bxc3 9.bxc3 d6 10.Qf3 Nbd7 11.Qg3

Th is is probably the first critical moment. The posiition is roughly equal, with the pawn weaknesses on the queenside being balanced by my greater activity and bishop pair. Black wasn't satisified with this and went for the complications with  11...h5!? (11...O-O 12.c4 Ne5 13.Rad1 Nh5 14.Qh4 Nf6 maintains the balance ) 12.Rad1 (12.Qxg7 Rg8 13.Qh6 e5 and if I save the knight there's a perpetual attack on the queen via Rg6-g8 ) 12...h4?! (12...O-O It's still possible to castle and avoid the worst of the trouble, but it does make it hard to see the point of h5 and White does have a definite edge after  13.Bg5 b6 14.f3 Bb7 15.c4 as b6 and d6 look weaker then the c-pawns, e.g.  15...Rfc8 16.Rb1 Ne8 17.Rb2 Ne5 18.Rfb1 Nxc4 19.Rb4 Ne5 20.Rxb6 += ) 13.Qxg7 Rh7 14.Qg5

14...h3?! It was only now that he realised that the bail-out attempt with (14...Rh5 intending the perpetual on the queen doesn't work because of  15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.Qg6+ Kd8 17.Be2 (17.Bg5 was my original plan as I thought that  17...Rxg5 18.Qxg5 h3 19.e5 should be good for me, but the computer says that it's only unclear after  19...Qc5 20.Rfe1 dxe5 21.Bf5 exf5 22.Qxf6+ Kc7 23.Qg7 ~ ) 17...Re5 (17...Rh8 18.Bg5 Rf8 19.e5 now this works as the d-file is open ) 18.Bd4 Qa5 19.f4 +- this was probably his best though, as at least I have chances to go wrong. ) 15.e5 hxg2?! Oddly enough, playing four consecutive moves with the h-pawn in a sharp middlegame doesn't turn out very well. It's difficult to give good advice by this point though, as (15...dxe5 loses, e.g.  16.Nxe6 fxe6 17.Bxh7 Nxh7 18.Qg6+ Kd8 19.Qg8+ Nf8 20.Qxf8# ) 16.Rfe1 Nxe5 17.Bxh7 Nxh7 18.Qg8+ Nf8 19.Bh6 Ng6 20.Nf5

The d-pawn is falling, after which the king won't be long behind it. 1-0

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 5.Nf3 Bb7 6.Bd3 O-O 7.Qc2 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 d5 9.cxd5 exd5 10.O-O Nbd7 11.Bb2 Re8 12.c4 dxc4 13.Bxc4 Ne4 14.Rad1 Ng5 15.Qf5 Bxf3 16.gxf3 g6 17.Qg4 h5 18.Qg2 Qf6 19.f4 Nh7 20.Ba1 Qf5 21.Kh1 Rad8 22.Rg1 Ndf8 23.Bd3 Qd5 24.e4 Qxa2 25.f5 Kg7

Paul Macdonald presses home a massive kingside attack  26.Qf3 Kh6 27.h4 Qb3 28.d5 Rd6

Richard is disinclined to see the effects of Qf4+ 1-0

1.e4 c5 2.Ne2 d6 3.Nbc3 Nc6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 a6 6.Be2 e6 7.Be3 Qc7 8.Qd2 b5 9.Nxc6 Qxc6 10.a3 Ne7 11.Rd1 Ng6 12.f4 Be7 13.O-O Bb7 14.Bg4 O-O 15.Ne2 Nh4 16.Ng3 f5 17.Bf3 Nxf3+ 18.gxf3 Rad8 19.Qg2 Rf6 20.Rd3 fxe4 21.fxe4 Rg6 22.Kh1

22...Rxg3! 23.Qxg3? White can keep the game going with (23.hxg3 Qxe4 24.Rd2 Qxe3 25.Qxb7 Qxd2 26.Qxe7 Qd5+ 27.Kg1 Rf8 although Black should win ) 23...Qxe4+ 24.Kg1 Bh4!! Winning everything  25.Qh3 Qh1# 0-1

1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 c6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nc3 g6 5.d4 Bg7 6.Ne5 O-O 7.c5 b6 8.b4 a5 9.Na4 Nfd7 10.Rb1 b5 11.Nxd7 Nxd7 12.Nb2 e5 13.a3 axb4 14.axb4 e4 15.Be2 f5 16.O-O Nf6 17.f3 Bd7 18.Qb3 Kh8 19.Nd1 g5 20.Nc3 Qe7 21.Bd2 h6 22.Ra1 f4 23.Rxa8 Rxa8 24.fxe4 fxe3 25.Bxe3 Nxe4 26.Nxe4 Qxe4 27.Bf3 Qg6 28.g4 Bf6 29.h3 Qg7 30.Qb2 Be8 31.Qf2 Be7 32.Bd1 Bg6 33.h4 Bd3 34.hxg5 Bxg5 35.Bxg5 Qxg5 36.Re1 Be4 37.Rf1 Qg7 38.Kh2 Ra1 39.Be2 Ra2 40.Kh3 Rd2 41.Rd1 Rb2 42.Ra1 Kh7 43.Ra6

A missed opportunity  43...Qc7? (43...Rb3+! 44.Kh2 Qc7+ 45.Kg1 Rh3 46.Qe3 Rh1+ 47.Kf2 Qh2# ) 44.Rxc6 Rb3+ 45.Kh4 Qxc6 46.Qf7+ Kh8 1/2-1/2

1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 c6 4.d4 exd4 5.Qxd4 d5 6.cxd5 cxd5 7.e3 Nc6 8.Qa4 Bc5 9.Ne2 O-O 10.O-O Qb6 11.Nd2 Bd7 12.Qf4 Nb4 13.Nb3 Bd6 14.Qd4 Qa6 15.Qd1 Bb5 16.Nbd4 Bd3 17.Bf3 Rac8 18.Re1 g5 19.Nc3 Ne4 20.Bxe4 dxe4 21.Qg4 Be7 22.Nxe4 Qg6 23.Nf5 Bf6 24.Nxf6+ Qxf6 25.Nh6+ Qxh6 26.Qxb4 Rfd8 27.e4 Qg6 28.Be3 b6 29.Rac1 Bxe4 30.Rxc8 Rxc8

White spots an opportunity to grab an apparently free pawn  31.Bxb6? Bb7! But Don Eade turns the tables, exploiting a well known property of opposite-coloured bishop middlegames. Attack and the initiative is doubly valuable because the attacker's bishop is unopposed.  32.Be3 White cannot prevent Qc6 and save his bishop.  32...Qc6 33.Kf1 Qg2+ 34.Ke2 Rd8 (time) 0-1

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 d6 4.Nf3 g6 5.Bc4 Bg7 6.d3 e6 7.O-O Nge7 8.Qe1 O-O 9.f5 exf5 10.Qh4 a6 11.Bh6 b5 12.Bb3 c4 13.dxc4 bxc4 14.Ng5 cxb3 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.Qxh7+ Kf6

White has sacrificed a piece to drive the King into the open  17.exf5? (17.e5+! Is very logical, opening lines. The threat of Ne4 mate forces the King forward into killing crossfire.  17...Kxg5 18.h4+ Kg4 19.Qh6! and mate follows ) 17...Nxf5 18.Nxf7 Rxf7 19.Nd5+ Ke6 20.Nf4+ Kd7 21.Qxf7+ Qe7 22.Qxg6 Qe3+ 23.Kh1 Nce7 24.Qf7 Bb7

White is still on top, but has to be careful as Black now has some counterplay  25.Qxb3? (25.Rae1! ) 25...Ng3+! With mate in three 0-1

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 O-O 10.O-O Na5 11.Bd3 b6 12.Qd2 e5 13.d5 f5 14.f3 f4 15.Bf2 c4 16.Bc2 Bd7 17.Qd1 Qe8 18.a3 g5 19.Nc1 h5 20.Qe1 Bf6 21.Na2 Rf7 22.Nb4 Be7 23.Qd2 Rd8 24.Rad1 Bd6 25.Rb1 Rg7 26.Bd1 Qe7 27.Qa2 g4 28.Kh1 g3 29.Bg1 Qh4 30.Nc6

30...Bc5! 31.h3 Bxh3! For some Black players, the light square bishop exists only to make this routine winning sacrifice  32.Bh2 Bc8 0-1

1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 d4 3.g3 c5 4.Bg2 Nc6 5.d3 e5 6.O-O Bd6 7.Na3 f5 8.e3 Nf6 9.Nc2 a5 10.Nfe1 O-O 11.a3 Be6 12.Rb1 a4 13.exd4 cxd4 14.b4 axb3 15.Rxb3 Qd7 16.Nb4 Nxb4 17.axb4 f4 18.gxf4 exf4 19.Nf3 Bg4 20.Qc2

20...Bh3! This is a forced win. In what follows, White can never cope with the latent possibility of Rf8-f6-g6 or h6  21.Bxh3 Qxh3 22.Qd1 Ng4 23.Bb2 Nxh2 24.Ng5 Qh4 25.Nf3 Qg4+ 26.Kxh2

26...Rf6 27.Nh4 f3+ 28.Kh1 Qxh4+ 29.Kg1 Qh2# 0-1

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Bb4+ 4.Nd2 O-O 5.Bg2 d5 6.Nf3 c5 7.O-O cxd4 8.Nxd4 e5 9.Nc2 Bxd2 10.Bxd2 dxc4 11.Ne3 Nc6 12.Nxc4 Be6 13.Rc1 Bd5 14.Bg5 Bxg2 15.Kxg2 h6 16.Qxd8 Rfxd8 17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Rfd1 b5 19.Nd2 Nd4 20.e3 Ne6 21.Ne4 Kg7 22.Nd6 Kg6 23.f4 Ng7 24.fxe5 fxe5 25.Rc6 f6 26.Rf1 Rf8 27.Ra6 b4 28.g4 h5 29.Ne4 hxg4 30.Nxf6 Nf5 31.Nd7+ Kh5

Black is wriggling on the hook, and was no doubt hoping to fire a shot himself on the next move  32.Kg1! The only winning move in the position, stepping away from all counterplay in this way leaves Black unable to prevent material loss.  32...Rf7 33.Nxe5 Rff8 34.Ng6 Rf7 35.Nf4+ Kh4 36.e4 1-0

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 b6 4.Bg2 Bb7 5.O-O c5 6.e3 Be7 7.c4 O-O 8.d5 exd5 9.Nh4 Re8 10.cxd5 d6 11.Nc3 Nbd7 12.f4 b5 13.Nxb5 Ba6 14.a4 Qb6 15.Re1 Bxb5 16.axb5 c4 17.Nf5 Nc5 18.Nd4 Rac8

In this position White finds a strong and unexpected plan that is very hard for Black to deal with  19.Re2! The idea is Re2-c2xc4, it seems slow but there is no way for Black to avoid a serious disadvantage  19...Nfe4 20.Rc2 Bf6 21.Rxc4 Black seems to have used his time well with a natural and useful rearrangement of the troops, but in fact his pieces are now unstable and serious material loss is inevitable  21...Bxd4 22.exd4 Qxb5

23.Qc2! And the c file decides  23...Nb3 24.Rxc8 Nxa1 25.Rxe8+ Qxe8 26.Qxe4 1-0

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.Nf3 O-O 5.e3 d6 6.Be2 Nbd7 7.O-O c5 8.Re1 a6 9.h3 Qc7 10.b3 e5 11.d5 Re8 12.e4 Rf8 13.Be3 h6 14.Qd2 Kh7 15.Kh2 Ng8 16.Qc2 f5 17.Nh4 f4 18.Bd2 Qd8 19.Nf3 Ndf6 20.Rg1 g5 21.g4 fxg3+ 22.fxg3 Qd7 23.g4 Ne7 24.Na4 Qd8 25.Ne1 Bd7 26.Nc3 Ng6 27.Ng2 Qc8 28.Ne3 Nf4 29.Bf3 b5 30.Nf5 b4 31.Nd1 a5 32.Nxd6 Qc7 33.Nf5 Bxf5 34.exf5

34...e4! Signalling a rather charming mating combination  35.Bg2 Ne2+ 36.Kh1 Ng3+ 37.Kh2 Nf1+ 38.Kh1 Qh2# 0-1

1.c4 c6 2.e4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Nf3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 Bb7 9.Bg5 e6 10.O-O Be7 11.Re1 O-O 12.Ne5 Nc6 13.Re3 g6 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.Be4 Rc8 16.Bxc6 Bxc6 17.Qg4 h5 18.Qd1 b4 19.Ne4 Bxe4 20.Rxe4 Qd5 21.Qf3

Black to play and win  21...Bxe5! 22.dxe5 Qxa2 23.Qd1 Qxb2 24.Rb1 Rfd8!

A pretty picture  25.Qe1 Qc2 26.Rexb4 Rd2 27.R4b2 Qxb2 28.Rxb2 Rxb2 29.h3 Rcc2 30.Qe3 Rxf2 31.Qd3 Rxg2+ 32.Kf1 Rgd2 0-1

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Bb3 Nbd7 8.f4 Nc5 9.f5 e5 10.Nf3 Nxb3 11.axb3 h6 12.O-O Bd7 13.Qe2 Be7 14.Rd1 Rc8 15.Nd5 Nxd5 16.Rxd5 Bc6 17.Rd3 Qc7 18.Bd2 Ra8 19.Be1 b6 20.Bh4 Qb7 21.Re1 a5 22.Bxe7 Kxe7 23.Nh4 Bd7 24.Red1 Rac8 25.Rxd6 Rhd8 26.Qf2 Qxe4 27.f6+ gxf6 28.Qxf6+ Ke8 29.Qh8+ Ke7 30.Qf6+ Ke8 31.Rf1 Qh7 32.Qxe5+ Be6 33.Rxb6 Rxc2 34.Rxe6+ fxe6

35.Qxe6+ Qe7 36.Rf8+ (36.Rf8+ Kxf8 37.Ng6+ Kg7 38.Qxe7+ Kxg6 39.Qe4+ ) 1-0

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 d5 4.b3 Be7 5.Bg2 O-O 6.O-O a5 7.a3 Nbd7 8.Bb2 a4 9.cxd5 exd5 10.b4 Re8 11.d3 Bf8 12.Nc3 Nb6 13.h3 g6 14.Rc1 Bg7 15.e3 Bd7 16.Qc2 h5 17.Ne2 c6 18.Bd4 Nh7 19.Rfd1 Nc8 20.Qc5 Bf8 21.Qc2 Bg7 22.Qc5 Bf8 23.Qc2 Nd6 24.Bb2 Bg7 25.Bxg7 Kxg7 26.Ned4 Qf6 27.Qc3 Kg8 28.Rc2 Rac8 29.Rdc1 Ng5 30.Nxg5 Qxg5 31.h4 Qf6 32.Nb5 Qxc3 33.Nxc3 Bf5 34.Bf1 Ra8 35.Rb2 Bd7 36.Rcb1 Be6 37.Rc1 Red8 38.d4 b5 39.Bd3 Bf5 40.Be2 Re8 41.Rd2 Re7 42.Rdd1 Rae8 43.Na2 Bd7 44.Kg2 f6 45.Bd3 Kg7 46.Rh1 Rc8 47.Rc3 Kh6 48.Rcc1 Bf5 49.Bxf5 Nxf5 50.Rc3 Nd6 51.Rhc1 Nc4 52.R1c2 Rce8 53.Nc1 g5 54.hxg5+ Kxg5 55.Kf3 Rh8 56.Rd3 h4 57.Ne2 h3 58.Rc1 Rf7 59.Rh1

59...Ne5+! 60.dxe5 fxe5+ 61.Nf4 e4+ 62.Ke2 exd3+ 63.Nxd3 Re7 64.Kf3 Re4 65.Nf4 h2 66.Kg2 Rc4 67.Nh3+ Kf6 68.Rxh2 Rc3 69.Rh1 Rxa3 70.Rc1 Rb3 71.Rxc6+ Ke7 72.Nf4 Ra8 73.Nxd5+ Kd7 74.Rc5 a3 75.Nb6+ Kd6 76.Rxb5 0-1

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 g6 4.Bb5 Nd4 5.Nf3 Bg7 6.O-O Nxb5 7.Nxb5 d5 8.exd5 a6 9.Nc3 Nf6 10.d4 c4 11.Ne5 Nxd5 12.Qf3 Nxc3 13.bxc3 O-O 14.Ba3 Qc7 15.Rab1 Bxe5 16.fxe5 Rb8 17.Bc1 Be6 18.Bh6 Rfd8 19.Qe3 b5 20.Rf4 Qc6 21.Rbf1 b4 22.Qf2 Qd5 23.Qh4 Rd7 24.Bg5 f6 25.exf6 exf6 26.Rxf6 bxc3 27.Qg3 Re8 28.Be3 Rf7 29.Qf4 a5 30.Bc1 Ref8 31.Rxf7 Rxf7 32.Qb8+ Kg7 33.Rxf7+ Kxf7 34.Qc7+ Ke8 35.Qb8+ Kd7 36.Qa7+ Kd8 37.Bf4 Qb5 38.Qc7+ Ke8 39.Kf2 Qf5 40.Qb8+ Kd7 41.Qd6+ Ke8 42.Qb8+ Kf7 43.Qc7+ Bd7 44.Qxc4+ Kg7 45.Ke3 Qxc2 46.Be5+ Kh6 47.Qe2 Qc1+ 48.Kf3 Bc6+ 49.Kf2 c2 50.g3 Bb5 51.Qxb5 Qd2+ 52.Qe2 c1=Q

White has a visually striking resource, but it's not enough to save him  53.Bf4+ Hitting the King and both Queens!  53...Qxf4+ 54.gxf4 Qxf4+ 55.Kg2 Qxd4 And Black eventually won  56.Qf3 Qb2+ 57.Kg3 Kg7 58.Qd5 Qc3+ 59.Kg2 Qc7 60.Qd4+ Kf7 61.Qd5+ Ke7 62.Qg8 Kd6 63.Qf8+ Kc6 64.Qg8 Kb6 65.Qb3+ Ka7 66.Qg8 a4 67.Qe6 Qc2+ 68.Kg3 h5 69.h4 Kb7 70.Qe7+ Kb6 71.Qe6+ Kb5 72.Qd7+ Kb4 73.Qe7+ Kc3 74.Qe5+ Kd2 75.Qf4+ Kc3 76.Qe5+ Kb4 77.Qd6+ Qc5 78.Qxg6 Ka3 79.Qf7 Qe3+ 80.Kh2 Qe2+ 81.Kh1 Qe1+ 82.Kg2 Qe4+ 83.Kf1 Qb1+ 84.Kg2 Qxa2+ 0-1

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.e4 d6 4.Bg5 Bg7 5.Qd2 h6 6.Bh4 Nbd7 7.f4 c5 8.e5 cxd4 9.Qxd4 Ng4 10.Nd5 dxe5 11.Qc3 Ndf6 12.Nc7+ Kf8 13.Nxa8 exf4 14.Rd1 Bd7 15.Bxf6 Nxf6 16.Nc7 Ne8 17.Qd3 Qxc7 18.Qxd7 Qxc2

White has picked off the a8 rook for a few pawns and now has an opportunity to simplify to an easily winning ending with a nice combination  19.Qd2? (19.Qxe8+! Kxe8 20.Bb5+ Qc6 21.Bxc6+ bxc6 ) 19...Qe4+ 20.Be2 g5 21.Kf2 Nd6 22.Bf3 Qf5 23.Bxb7 Qc5+ 24.Ke1 Bf6! Freeing the knight  25.Bf3 Nc4 26.Qd5 Qb4+ 27.Kf2 Qb6+ 28.Ke1 Qb4+ 29.Kf2 Ne3

Black's compensation has now reached alarming proportions and he went on to win.  30.Qb3 Nxd1+ 31.Bxd1 Qd4+ 32.Kf1 Kg7 33.Bh5 e6 34.Ne2 Qc5 35.Nc3 Rd8 36.Qb7 Qc4+ 37.Be2 Qd4 38.Qf3 Qd2 39.h4 Qxb2 40.Nd1 Qxa2 41.hxg5 hxg5 42.Qe4 Qa1 43.Qf3 a5 44.Qh5 Kf8 45.Rh3 a4 46.Qf3 Bb2 47.Kg1 Bd4+ 48.Kh2 Bc5 49.Rh7 Qd4 50.Qh5 Qg1+ 51.Kh3 Qh1+ 0-1

1.Nf3 Nc6 2.c4 e5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Bg2 Nb6 7.O-O Be7 8.d3 O-O 9.a3 Be6 10.b4 f6 11.Bb2 Qe8 12.Rc1 Rd8 13.Nd2 a6 14.Nce4 Rf7 15.Nc5 Bxc5 16.Rxc5 Nd5 17.Qc1 Nd4 18.Re1 c6 19.e3 Nb5 20.Ne4 Nb6 21.Qc2 Bd5 22.a4 Nc7 23.d4 exd4 24.exd4 Qf8 25.b5 axb5 26.Ba3 Rfd7 27.axb5 Qf7 28.bxc6 bxc6 29.Rb1 Nc4 30.Bc1 Nb5 31.Rxd5 cxd5 32.Rxb5 dxe4 33.Bxe4 g6 34.Bf3 Rxd4 35.Rb7

35...Ne5! Winning material or forcing mate  36.Kg2 ( The mating line is 36.Rxf7 Nxf3+ 37.Kf1 Rd1+ 38.Ke2 Ng1+ 39.Ke3 Re1+ 40.Kf4 Rd4+ 41.Qe4 Rdxe4# ) 36...Nxf3 0-1

1.f4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.O-O c5 6.d3 d4 7.Na3 O-O 8.Nc4 Nd5 9.a4 Nc6 10.Bd2 Rb8 11.Qc1 Nb6 12.Nce5 Be6 13.Nxc6 bxc6 14.b3 Nd5 15.Rb1 Qd6 16.Kh1 Bg4 17.Ng5 f5 18.Qe1 h6 19.Nf3 Bxf3 20.Bxf3 e5 21.fxe5 Bxe5 22.Bxh6 Rf7 23.Kg2 f4 24.Bxd5 Qxd5+ 25.Rf3 fxg3 26.hxg3 Re8 27.Qf2 g5 28.Kg1 Rxf3 29.exf3 Bf6 30.f4 g4 31.f5 Re7 32.Re1 Rxe1+ 33.Qxe1 Be5

A missed opportunity in the last round costs Russell Dive the chance to be sole NZ Champion.  34.Qf2 Protects the g3 pawn directly but Black soon rounded up the weak f5 pawn and drew ( Instead 34.Qe2! protects the g3 pawn indirectly and attacks the undefendable g4 pawn, collecting the second pawn leaves White with an overwhelming position ) 34...Kf7 35.Bg5 Qd6 36.Kg2 Qd5+ 37.Kh2 Qd6 38.Bf4 Kf6 39.Bd2 Qd7 40.Bf4 Qxf5 41.Bxe5+ Kxe5 42.Qe2+ Kd6 43.Kg2 Qh5 44.Qf2 1/2-1/2

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 d6 4.O-O Bd7 5.Re1 e5 6.c3 g6 7.d4 cxd4 8.cxd4 Bg7 9.dxe5 Nxe5 10.Nc3 Nxf3+ 11.Qxf3 Bxb5 12.Nxb5 a6 13.Nc3 Ne7 14.Bf4 Nc6 15.Nd5 O-O 16.Qa3 Nd4 17.Rac1 Nb5 18.Qb4 Re8

19.a4!? (19.Be3! Is a more controlled way of exploiting the weak dark squares on the queenside, but the move played initiates some very entertaining complications ) 19...Nd4 20.Nc7 Ne6 21.Nxe8 Nxf4 22.Nxg7 Qg5 23.g3

23...Ne2+! 24.Rxe2 Qxc1+ 25.Re1

Black's hopes rest on the trapped nature of White's extra piece, but rounding up that piece inevitably involves making some serious concessions  25...Qc6? This is a little submissive (25...Qc5!? 26.Qxb7 Ra7! is a surprising computer resource, Black concedes a pawn but the situation remains complicated enough for a real fight ) (25...a5!? is another idea ) 26.Qd4 (26.Nf5! ) 26...Qc5! 27.Rd1 (27.Qf6 Qe5 ) 27...Qxd4 28.Rxd4 Kxg7 29.Rxd6

The smoke has cleared. Al least Black hasn't weakened his pawn structure, but Paul has one healthy extra pawn and a half a move development advantage in an otherwise symmetrical rook and pawn ending. For a player of Paul's experience and class the result seems inevitable  29...Re8 30.f3 Rc8 31.Rb6 Rc7 32.h4 f6 33.Kf2 h5 34.Ke3 Kf7 35.f4 Ke7 36.e5 fxe5 37.fxe5 Rc6 38.Rxc6 bxc6 39.b4 Ke6 40.Ke4 Ke7 41.Kd4 Ke6 42.Kc5 Kxe5 43.Kxc6 1-0

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.b6 a5 6.Nc3 Ba6 7.Nf3 g6 8.Nd2 Qxb6 9.e4 Bxf1 10.Kxf1 d6 11.Qa4+ Nbd7 12.Qb5 Bg7 13.a4 O-O 14.Nc4 Qa7 15.Qb3 Qa6 16.Nb5 Nb6 17.f3 Nxc4 18.Qxc4 Nd7 19.Qe2 Nb6 20.Bg5 Rfb8 21.Bxe7 Nxa4 22.Bxd6 Rxb5 23.Rxa4 Rxb2 24.Qxa6 Rxa6 25.Bg3 Rc2 26.Be1 Rc1 27.Ke2 Rb6

Yes, your suspicions are correct, this exciting and double edged position did arise from the Benko Gambit. The rather bewildering complications that follow are difficult to understand even with computer assistance. Indeed the editor felt compelled to (temporarily?) abandon his beloved Houdini (old free version) and seek assistance from the up to date powerhouse that is Stockfish instead.Yes, your suspicions are correct, this exciting and double edged position did arise from the Benko Gambit. The rather bewildering complications that follow are difficult to understand even with computer assistance. Indeed the editor felt compelled to (temporarily?) abandon his beloved Houdini (old free version) and seek assistance from the up to date powerhouse that is Stockfish instead.  28.f4? This thematic move is a little too optimistic in this particular situation (28.Ra2! is prudent and correct ) 28...Rb2+ 29.Kf3 Rb3+? (29...Bc3! wins ) 30.Ke2 Rc2+ 31.Kf1 Rb1 (31...Bd4! First, threatening Rb1 and Rf2+ wins ) 32.e5!

Just in time, White blocks out the bishop (See diagram, next column)  32...Rb4? This sacrificial idea doesn't quite work, and as a result the tables turn, with White on top for the rest of the game. Black has many better moves, best was 32...f6! seeking to break the central phalanx. Presumably Black was playing to win and so avoided the obvious (32...Rxe1+ 33.Kxe1 Rc1+ 34.Ke2 Rxh1 Various versions of this ending are an ever- present possibility in what follows. Despite Black's extra piece the strong passed d pawn seems to guarantee White a draw in most versions, including this one. Later we will encounter some versions where White has the winning chances, signalling that something has gone badly wrong for Black. ) 33.Bxb4 cxb4

Black seems to have plenty of compensation, the b pawn is dangerous, and White's king is weak. Black has to decide whether he has time to win the h1 rook and White has to decide if he has time to protect it with g3/g4 or Rg1.  34.Rxa5 (34.d6! Is the computer's choice, although after  34...Bf8 35.g4 b3 36.Rxa5 b2 37.Rb5 f6 38.d7 Be7 39.e6 Bd8 40.Rb8 Kg7 41.f5 g5

My (old) version of Houdini signals a winning position for White but actually then fails to make progress, Black seems to have an unbreachable fortress! However that's not the end of the road after all. Stockfish does seem to find a way to break Black down, ever so slowly. I will leave this as an exercise for the reader. ) 34...b3 35.Ra8+ Bf8 36.Rg1 Kg7 (36...b2! Forces another version of the drawn piece-up ending after  37.Rb8 Rc1+ 38.Kf2 b1=Q 39.Rxb1 Bc5+ 40.Kf3 Rxg1 ) 37.d6 f6? Now this is too weakening (37...b2 38.Rb8 Rc1+ 39.Kf2 Rc2+ 40.Kf3 Rc1 41.Rxb2 Rxg1 42.Rd2 is an inferior (for Black) version of the piece-up ending - White has winning chances but at least Black is stillalive ) 38.Rb8? Missing a golden opportunity for a simple resolution: (38.exf6+! eg  38...Kxf6 39.Rxf8+ Ke6 40.Re8+ Kxd6 41.Re2 b2 42.Kf2 ) 38...fxe5 39.fxe5 b2

40.Ke1? This is the right idea, trying to get the rook to the f file, but unfortunately it allows Rc1+. In a practical game, no doubt in time trouble, White can hardly be criticised but for the record there is an accurate, subtle path to victory. First (40.Rb7+! Kg8 and then  41.g4! creating a path to h1 via g2 for the king. White now threatens Ke1, for example if Black waits with  41...Kh8 then (41...Rc1+ of course doesn't work  42.Kg2 Rc2+ 43.Kh1 ) 42.Ke1! since if  42...Rc1+ 43.Kf2 Rc2+ 44.Kf3 Rc1 45.Kg2! Rc2+ 46.Kh1 ) 40...Kf7? Falling in with White's plan, this is the final error (40...Rc1+ 41.Kf2 Rc2+ 42.Ke3 Rc1 with drawing chances ) 41.Rf1+ Ke6 42.Rfxf8 Rc1+ 43.Kf2 b1=Q 44.Rxb1 Rxb1 45.Re8+ Kd7 46.Re7+ Kd8 47.Rxh7 Rb5 48.e6 Rf5+ 49.Kg3 1-0

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Ne2 Nf6 5.e5 Nfd7 6.f4 c5 7.a3 Bxc3+ 8.Nxc3 cxd4 9.Nb5 O-O 10.Nxd4 Nc6 11.Be3 Qh4+ 12.g3 Qe7 13.Bg2 f6 14.O-O fxe5

15.Nxe6! Qxe6 This is obviously hopeless but the knight is rampaging (15...Rf5 16.Nc7 Rb8 17.Nxd5 ) 16.Bxd5 Nf6 17.Bxe6+ Bxe6 18.fxe5 1-0

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Bc5 5.Qe2 Nb4 6.Nxe5 Qg5 7.Ng4 b5 8.Bb3 d6 9.h3 Ne7 10.O-O Qh5 11.Nf6+ gxf6 12.Qxh5 Ng6 13.c3 Nd3 14.Qd5 Ngf4 15.Qxf7+ Kd8 16.Qxf6+ Kd7 17.Qxh8 Nxc1 18.Bf7 Bb7 19.Qxh7 Nce2+ 20.Kh1 Rf8 21.Bd5+ Kc8 22.Qe7 Rh8 23.Bxb7+ Kxb7 24.e5

White has a huge material advantage, but...  24...Nxh3! 25.gxh3? (  Suprisingly enough, White can still win 25.g3! Nhf4+ 26.Qh4 Rxh4+ 27.gxh4 And White still has enough extra bits to win comfortably ) 25...Rxh3+ 26.Kg2 Nf4+ 27.Kg1 Ne2+ 28.Kg2 Nf4+ 1/2-1/2

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Bd3 d6 6.c4 Nd7 7.Nc3 Ngf6 8.O-O Be7 9.Qe2 Qc7 10.f4 O-O 11.Bd2 b6 12.Rae1 Bb7 13.Kh1 Rfd8 14.b4 Rac8 15.Nf3 Bf8 16.e5 Ne8 17.Ng5 h6 18.Qh5 Nb8

A picture perfect attacking position  19.Nxf7! Qc6 (19...Qxf7 20.Bh7+ ) 20.Nd5! A nice interference move. White threatens Qg6, Nxh6+ and Qh7 mate and Black can do nothing about it  20...exd5 21.Qg6 Nf6 22.exf6 dxc4 23.Nxh6+ Kh8 24.Qh7# 1-0

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Bd3 dxe4 4.Bxe4 Nf6 5.Bf3 c5 6.Ne2 Nc6 7.Be3 e5 8.Bxc6+ bxc6 9.dxc5 Qxd1+ 10.Kxd1 Ng4 11.b4 a5 12.c3 Be6 13.Nd2 Be7 14.Kc2 O-O 15.a3 Rfd8 16.h3 Bf5+ 17.Kc1 Nxe3 18.fxe3 Bg5 19.Nf3 Bxe3+ 20.Kb2 Bd3 21.Ng3

A pair of knights on d3 and e3 are called "octupi", perhaps bishops deserve a special name? White is quickly overwhelmed.  21...Bf2 22.Nf1 axb4 23.axb4 Rxa1 24.Kxa1 e4 25.Ne5 e3 26.Nh2 Be4 27.Nhf3 e2 28.Kb2 Rd1 0-1

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 e6 3.Bg2 d5 4.c4 dxc4 5.Qa4+ c6 6.Qxc4 b5 7.Qc2 Bb7 8.d4 Nbd7 9.Nc3 a6 10.Bg5 c5 11.O-O Qb6 12.dxc5 Bxc5 13.a4 b4 14.a5

14...Qc7! Suddenly the loose c-file is costing White a piece  15.Bf4 Qc8 0-1

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bb5 Nd4 6.O-O a6 7.Bc4 e6 8.a4 Ne7 9.d3 d5 10.Ba2 O-O 11.e5 Nec6 12.Nxd4 Nxd4 13.Ne2 Nxe2+ 14.Qxe2 b5 15.c3 bxa4 16.Bb1 d4 17.Bc2 Qb6 18.Bxa4 Rd8 19.Bd2 Rb8 20.Rfb1 dxc3 21.bxc3 Qxb1+ 22.Rxb1 Rxb1+ 23.Kf2 Bb7 24.Be3 Bf8 25.Qc2 Rh1 26.Kg3 Ra1 27.Bb3 Bd5 28.Qb2 Re1 29.Bf2

An interesting positional exchange sacrifice, Black gets a pawn and a bind.  29...Bxb3 30.Bxe1 Rxd3+ 31.Kf2 c4 32.Bd2? (32.Qa1 was essential - the 'a' pawn now turns into a monster ) 32...a5 33.Bc1 a4 34.Qa1 Bc5+ 35.Ke2 Rd1 36.Qb1 a3 37.h4 Rg1 38.Kf3 a2 39.Qb2 Rf1+ 40.Kg3 h5 41.Kh3 Be3 42.Qa3 Rxc1 43.Qa8+ Kh7 44.Qf8 Rh1+ 45.Kg3 Black has only one (admittedly obvious) winning move (45...Bxf4+) but it would seem sensible to wait for that move to appear on the board beforeresigning! 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+ Kd7 10.Nxb5 Qa5+ 11.Nc3 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Bxd4 13.Qxd4 Nc6 14.Qd1 h5 15.h3 Nh6 16.Qd5 Qxd5 17.Nxd5 Nd4 18.Kd1 Rhf8 19.Re1 Rxf7 20.Be3 Nhf5 21.Bxd4 Nxd4 22.Re4 Nc6 23.Kd2 e6 24.Nc3 d5 25.Ra4 Raf8 26.Ne2 h4 27.Rd1 b5 28.Ra3 g5 29.fxg5 Rf2 30.Rf3 R8xf3 31.gxf3 Rxf3 32.g6 Ke7 33.Rg1 Kf8 34.g7+ Kg8 35.Rg6 Nd8 36.Rh6 Kxg7 37.Rxh4 Nc6 38.Rg4+ Kf6 39.Rf4+ Rxf4 40.Nxf4 Kf5 41.Ne2 e5 42.h4 a6 43.a3 Kg4 44.Nc3 Ne7 45.Kd3 Kxh4

46.Nxd5! White forces a draw by sacrificing the knight for the two central pawns. Black's offside King means he has no chance of avoiding the loss or exchange of his remaining pawns.  46...Nxd5 47.Ke4 Kg4 48.Kxe5 Ne3 49.Kd4 Kf4 50.c3 Kf3 51.b3 Nc2+ 52.Kc5 Nxa3 53.Kb4 Nc2+ 54.Ka5 Ke4 55.Kxa6 Na3 56.Ka5 Kd3 57.Kb4 Kc2 58.c4 bxc4 59.bxc4 Nxc4 1/2-1/2

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5 5.Ne2 In the Rubinstein variation of the Nimzo Indian, White aims to drove off the bishop without allowing her c-pawns to be doubled.  5...b6 6.a3 Ba5 7.Bd2 Most common is (7.Rb1 trying to exploit the position of the black bishop. ) 7...O-O 8.Nf4 Bb7 9.Bd3 d5 10.Nce2?! The start of an inaccurate phase by both players. It was necessary to exchange pawns first (10.cxd5 exd5 11.Nce2 ) 10...Nc6?! Missing a tactical chance left open by White: (10...Bxd2+ 11.Qxd2 g5! winning a piece as  12.Nh3? ( Better is 12.cxd5! gxf4 13.dxe6 fxe3 14.exf7+ Rxf7 15.fxe3 when White at least has some compensation with two pawns for the knight. ) 12...dxc4 13.Bxc4 Bxg2 forks knight and rook ) 11.Bxa5?! (11.cxd5 was better. ) 11...Nxa5?! (11...dxc4! 12.Bxc4 Nxa5 gains time. ) 12.cxd5

12...c4 Interesting was (12...g5!? 13.Nh3 (13.b4!? gxf4 14.Nxf4 c4 15.Bc2 Nb3 with a piece for three pawns and highly complex play. ) 13...Qxd5 14.Rg1 cxd4 15.exd4 Rfd8 stranding the white king in the centre. The text gains a queenside pawn majority but relieves pressure on White's centre. ) 13.Bc2 Nxd5 14.Nxd5 Qxd5 15.Nf4 Qg5 16.h4!? Qe7 White's last prefigured aggressive kingside action. (16...Qb5 would have denied the white queen access to h5. ) 17.Qh5 g6 18.Qh6 e5! A timely central counter stroke.  19.dxe5 Qxe5 20.O-O-O! Be4 21.h5 g5? Allowing a winning combination. Black's most convincing defence was (21...Nb3+ 22.Kb1 (22.Bxb3? cxb3 and White's king will quickly perish ) 22...Bxc2+ 23.Kxc2 Qe4+ 24.Kc3 Qe5+ with perpetual check after  25.Kc2 ( as 25.Kxc4?? Qxb2 will end badly for White's king ) ) 22.Rd5!

22...Nb3+ 23.Kb1 Bxc2+ 24.Ka2! The key - White will regain the piece with a winning attack. Not (24.Kxc2? Qe4+ 25.Kc3 f6 holding it together. ) 24...Qg7 25.Rxg5 Bg6 26.hxg6 hxg6?! After (26...Qxh6 27.gxf7+ Kh8 28.Rxh6 Rxf7 29.Rh4! the threat of 30.Ng6+ wins more material. White is happy to keep queens on. ) 27.Qh4! Rfd8 28.Nh5 Qh8 29.Qxc4 Nc5 30.Rxg6+ Kf8 31.Rf6

31...Qh7 After the sterner (31...Rd7 White regroups to win the black queen:  32.Rf5! Rad8 33.Ng3 Qg8 34.Rfh5 Rd1 35.Rh8 etc. ) 32.Nf4 Qg7 33.Ng6+ Ke8 34.Rh8+ Kd7 35.Rxf7+ Resigns 1-0

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bf5 5.Nf3 e6 6.Nh4 Bg4 7.f3 Bh5 8.g3 Bb4 Not the most popular, certainly does not look like the right move either. To me the Bishop belongs on d6.  9.Bd2 O-O 10.Ng2 Bd6 11.Nf4 Bxf4 12.gxf4 Ne4

13.h4 This can't be right. White needed to remove the annoying Knight. (13.Nxe4 dxe4 14.Be2 Qh4+ 15.Kf1 Qh3+ 16.Kf2 Black can take a draw (White never wants to play Kg1), or can try for more:  16...Nd7 17.fxe4 Nf6 18.Bxh5 Nxe4+ 19.Kg1 Nxd2 20.Qxd2 Qxh5 This will probably end up a draw as well... ) 13...Ng3 Wrong way (13...Nxd2 14.Kxd2 c5 15.dxc5 d4 Black has an obvious advantage, just open lines to the White King. ) 14.Rh3 Nxf1 15.Kxf1 dxc4 16.Kf2 b5 17.Qg1 f6 18.Ne4 a5 19.Rg3 Qe7 20.Rc1 Kh8 21.b3 cxb3 22.axb3 a4 23.Ra1 Nd7

24.bxa4 Rxa4 25.Rxa4 bxa4 26.Qc1 f5 27.Nc5 Nxc5 28.dxc5

Although a pawn up, Black has to be careful to not end up with a horrible Bishop...  28...Rf6 29.Rg5 h6 30.Rg3

30...Rf7 (30...e5 31.fxe5 Rg6 32.Rxg6 Bxg6 33.Qc4 Qxe5 34.Bc3 Qh2+ The key point in this is White's unprotected King. Thing about opposite coloured Bishops, they give the attacker an extra piece.  35.Ke1 f4 36.Qxf4 Qg1+ 37.Ke2 Qg2+ 38.Ke1 Bd3 White has to sacrifice his Bishop to stay in the game, but is lost. ) 31.Bc3 Kh7 32.Qa3 Qa7 33.Rg1 Rd7 34.Ra1 Rd3 35.Qb4 Qe7 36.Rh1 Qd7 37.Rg1

37...g6? Black has lost his way, he needs to open up the game. White now proceeds to convert. (37...e5 38.Bxe5 (38.fxe5 Qd5 39.Qf4 Qa2+ 40.Kg3 Rxc3 41.Qxf5+ Bg6 ) 38...Rd2+ 39.Kg3 Qd5 40.Rf1 Qa2 ) 38.Bd4 a3?? Mistakes follow mistakes - Black has lost the thread.  39.Ke2 Rxd4 40.Qxd4 Qb7 41.Rd1 Qb2+ 42.Qxb2 axb2 43.Rb1 g5 44.hxg5 hxg5 45.Rxb2 g4 46.fxg4 fxg4 47.Kf2 Bg6 48.Kg3 Be4 49.Kxg4 Kg6 50.Rd2 Kf6 51.Rd6 Kf7 52.Kg5 Ke7 53.Rd4 Bf3 54.Ra4 e5 55.fxe5 Ke6 56.Kf4 Be2 57.Rd4 1-0