McArthur Cup 2012-13: Horsham – Brighton

   [Event "McArthur Cup"]  [Site "Horsham"]  [Date "2013.1.15"]  [Round "1"]  [White "Kirk, Ezra G (Brighton)"]  [Black "Mansson, James C (Horsham)"]  [Result "0-1"]  [Eco "D43"]   1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.g3 Nbd7 6.Bg2 dxc4 7.a4 Bb4 8.O-O O-O 9.Bf4 Nd5 10.Bg5 f6 11.Bd2 Nxc3   {11...Qa5 keeping up the pressure on c3 is perhaps best.}   12.bxc3 Bd6   {12...Ba5 may be stronger, discouraging Bc1 and Nd2xc4.}   13.Bc1 Qe7   {?! This is not a good square for the queen, as it leaves Black exposed to Nd2xc4xd6 and Ba3. 13...Qa5 is more sensible.}   14.Nd2 Re8   {?! This places the rook on a bad square. 14...Qf7 is better, intending 15.Nxc4 Be7}   15.Nxc4 e5   {?! This forcing move gets Black into deep trouble. 15...Bc7 16.Ba3 Qf7 17.Nd6 Bxd6 18.Bxd6 was unpleasant for Black, but clearly better than what happened.}   16.Nxd6 Qxd6 17.Ba3 Qc7   {17...Qe6? 18.d5; 17...c5? 18.Qb3+ Kh8 19.dxc5}   18.Qb3+ Kh8 19.Qf7 Rg8   {?! 19...Qd8 was necessary, to prevent Be7, but White still has a strong bind on the Black position.}   20.Be4   {This introduces a nasty tactical threat. However, White has a better way of bringing the bishop into the attack: 20.Bh3! Qd8 21.Be7 Qe8 22.Be6 wins the exchange.}   20...g6   {20...exd4? 21.Bxh7! Kxh7? 22.Qh5#}   21.Be7   {21.d5! looks even stronger.}   21..Rg7 22.Bxf6 Nxf6 23.Qxf6   {White has won a pawn, but still has some work to do to convert it into a win. However, having played incisively up to this point, White now starts to drift, just playing plausible moves, and Black gradually gains decent compensation for the pawn.}   23...exd4 24.cxd4 Bh3 25.Bg2 Bxg2 26.Kxg2 Re8 27.e3 Kg8 28.Qf3 Rf7 29.Qe2 Qd7 30.Qa2 Qf5 31.Kg1 Qf3 32.Rac1 Kg7 33.Qc2 h5 34.h4 Re4 35.Rfe1 Rg4   {Here the players reached the time control. Play now entered the quickplay finish, although both players had plenty of time until the end of the game.}   36.Qe2 Qe4 37.Kh2 Rf3   {White has allowed Black to deploy his pieces in the best way possible, and now needs to be very careful.}   38.Qf1   {? After this, White is lost. 38.Rc5 Rxh4+ 39.gxh4 Qxh4+ 40.Kg2 (40.Kg1? Rh3 forces mate.) 40...Qh3+ 41.Kg1 Qg4+ leads to a draw by repetition.}   38...g5 39.hxg5 h4 40.Qg2 hxg3+ 41.fxg3 Qh7+   {White resigned as he is dropping his queen after 42.Kg1 Rfxg3 or 42.Qh3 Rf2+}   0-1