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Comprehensive notes by IM Andrew Greet on his fine win on top board in the Lincolnshire match.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Nf3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Be7 6.Bg2 0-0 7.0-0 b67...c6 is more logical. My opponent's move gives Black a slightly dodgy version of a Queen's Indian.
This structure can be reached via a Queen's Indian, as well as a 1.Nf3/2.c4 move order. In both cases, Black usually waits for White to put his rook on e1 (threatening e2-e4) before playing ...d5 - and even then White has decent prospects for an advantage. Here I haven't had to waste time on Re1, so I was already more than content with my position.
Rather a provocative move, but not necessarily a bad one. I was expecting 11...c5 or 11...c6
12.Bxc7!? Qxc7 13.Nxd5 is tempting, and I spent a while thinking about it. The critical line continues: 13...Qd6 14.Nxe7+ Qxe7 15.Rc7 Bd5 (15...Bc8? 16.Ne5 Qd6 17.Qc2+/- was great for White in Hoareau - Hutois, Le Grand Bornand 2007) 16.Ne5 Bxg2 17.Rxd7 Qe6! 18.Kxg2 f6! (Otherwise White would be two pawns up.) 19.f4 fxe5 20.dxe5 I managed to calculate this far and thought White could be slightly better, but I wasn't convinced that it was worth simplifying to this degree when I already had a pleasant game. 12.e3!? and 12.Be5!? were interesting alternatives.
Black takes a defensive stance in the hope of freeing his position later. 12...c5 13.dxc5 Nxc5 Of course 13...bxc5? would lose the d5-pawn thanks to the misplaced knight on h5. 14.Nxd5) 14.Nd4 gives White a pleasant position playing against the IQP.; 12...f5 seems too loosening, and White can develop strong pressure with 13.b4 or 13.Ne5
This active move emphasises the misplaced knight on h5; if Black exchanges on e5, then his knight will require additional time to get back into the game via g7.
When annoting the game, I found a previous encounter which continued: 13...Nxe5 14.dxe5 g6 15.f4 Ng7 16.Bf2 Ne6 (Baumbach - Sarbok, Germany 1995.) Here I think the best plan would have been: 17.Qc2 White intends Rfd1 and, after suitable preparation, an e4 pawn break.
The computer suggests 14.f4 but humans tend to be reluctant to play such moves. After 14...Nhf6 I would be a little concerned about the long-term consequences of White's last move.
I was quite happy to see this, as it loosens Black's queenside. 14...Qe7 seems like a better way to restrain b2-b4.
15...f5!? was worth considering.
I could be wrong, but my impression is that Chris was struggling for a plan. He was spending quite a bit of time and his last move seemed a bit weird.
Having made all the obvious improving moves, White must decide how to proceed. Since Black's pieces are rather uncoordinated, I decided to strike with an exchange sacrifice.
19.f4!? is an interesting alternative, preparing to plonk the knight on e5, but I had already made up my mind about the exchange sacrifice.
19...Bxc6 20.Rxc6 gives White more than enough for the exchange. The pieces coordinate well, the light-squared bishop is powerful and the b6- and d5-pawns are weak.
The computer prefers 20.Rxd6 Qxd6 21.Nc3 ; I considered this as well, but preferred to stick with the plan of eliminating his light-squared bishop in order to target the d5-pawn.
22.Nc8 Rd7 23.Nxd6 Rxd6 24.Rxd6 Qxd6 25.Qxa5 also seems favourable to White, but I didn't want to let him get active along the c-file.
Trying to complicate the game; an understandable decision, but it may well be the decisive mistake. 22...Nxd5 23.Bxd5 Bf8 24.Bxe6 Rxe6 25.Rxe6 fxe6 26.Nf4+/= gives White two pawns for the exchange plus a better structure, but Black has decent defensive chances.
Continuing the policy of avoiding exchanges. 23...Nxf4 24.N3xf4 followed by e2-e3 maintains full control for White.
This leaves the f4-bishop short of squares, so it had to be calculated carefully. When I checked the game with an engine, I was pleasantly surprised to see that every one of my next ten moves was the best available.
If Black plays something else, I will just go h2-h3 with a dominating position.
25.Ne5 and; 25.Be5 should both be good enough, but I think my move was the most effective. Black does not have time to exploit the pin along the e-file with ...Nxd4 as the g4-knight is hanging.
This was the idea: I lose the bishop but pick up his knight in return. And thanks to my accurate Be2 move, I will soon be able to gobble up the h5-pawn as well.
27...fxe5 28.hxg4 exd4 29.gxh5 Rd7
29...dxe3? 30.Qxe3 leaves both the a7-rook and e6-knight hanging.
Rf7 31.Qg4 dxe3 32.Rxe632.fxe3 should win as well, but I saw that his counterplay would not amount to anything after I ate the knight.
There is no point in allowing 33.Nxf2 Rxe6 34.Qxe6 Bc5 - although White is still winning here too.
Black would love to try and use his queen to threaten my king, but my pieces control all the important squares. He had no real choice but to exchange queens, as I was threatening both Ne5 and Ng6+.
35.Qe3 is the engine's top choice but, considering that the endgame is clearly winning, I don't feel at all bad about the move I chose.
This was the idea behind throwing in Nf6+. The knight combines attack and defence, ensuring I will be able to eliminate the f-pawn.
38.g4 was a touch more accurate but it hardly matters at this stage.
38...g4 39.Ke2 Rf5 40.h6 Be5 41.b3 a4 42.Nxg4 axb3 43.axb3 Bc7
White can win in a few ways, but the quickest method is to focus on the black king and either develop a mating attack or force the h-pawn through.
44.Bf3 Kh7 45.Nc3 Rc5 46.Be4+ Kh8 47.Nd5 Bxg3 48.Ne7
The primary threat is Nf6, intending Ng6 mate!
I was expecting 48...Rg5 49.Ng6+ Kh7 (49...Kg8 50.Nf6+ Kf7 51.h7 ) 50.N6e5+ Kg8 51.Nf6+ Kf8 52.h7 Kg7 53.Ne8+ and wins. Or 53.Nf7
49...Kg8 50.Nf6+ Kf7 51.h7 and Black can resign.
Seeing that the h-pawn is unstoppable, Black resigned. After 50.Nf8+ the finish might have been: 50...Kg8 (50...Kh8 51.Nf6 traps the king and sets up Ng6 mate) 51.h7+ Kh8 (51...Kg7 52.Ne6+ picks up the rook) 52.Nf6 and Ng6+.
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