Horsham Club Knockout 2025-26: Mansson – Forwood

   [Event "Horsham Club Knockout"]  [Site "Horsham"]  [Date "2025.10.07"]  [Round "1.1"]  [White "Mansson, James C"]  [Black "Forwood, Chris"]  [Result "1-0"]  [Annotator "Mansson,James"]  [ECO "B51"]  [WhiteFideId "-1"]  [WhiteFideId "-1"]  [PlyCount "55"]  [GameId "2230465526522398"]  [EventDate "2025.09.01"]  [EventType "k.o."]  [EventRounds "5"]  [EventCountry "ENG"]   {In this video I am going to look at a game I played last Tuesday in the first round of this year's Horsham Club Knockout.  I had the White pieces and was up against Chris Forwood.  The opening was the same as in my game against Rob McDonnell, which I discussed in a previous video.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nd7 4. a4 {I again played this unusual move.} Ngf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 {Now my opponent chose the same formation as Rob.} g6 7. a5 Bg7 {So far we have the same position as in the previous game, albeit with a slight difference in the move order.} 8. O-O {Instead Chris played the straightforward} O-O ({In the previous game, Rob chose} 8... Qc7 {preparing ...Nb8-c6 to attack the White a-pawn.} {After} 9. d3 O-O 10. h3 ({I should have played} 10. Nd2 {, intending both f4 and c4. For further discussion of that game, see the aforementioned video.}) 10... Nb8 11. Nd2 Nc6 12. f4 e6 13. Nc4 Bd7 14. Bf3 Rad8 15. Bd2 Nb4 16. e5 dxe5 17. fxe5 Nfd5 18. Bg5 f6 19. exf6 Bxf6 20. Bxf6 Rxf6 21. Ne4 Rff8 22. c3 Nc6 23. Qd2 Ne5 24. Nxe5 Qxe5 25. Rae1 Qc7 26. Qh6 Bc8 27. Ng5 Nf4 28. Be4 Qg7 29. Qh4 Nd5 30. Rxf8+ Rxf8 31. Rf1 Rxf1+ 32. Kxf1 Ne3+ 33. Ke2 Nf5 34. Qf4 Qf6 35. Ke1 e5 36. Qd2 Ng3 37. Bf3 Nf5 38. Ne4 Qe7 39. Qf2 Nh4 40. Be2 Qf7 41. Qxf7+ Kxf7 42. Kf2 c4 43. dxc4 Ke7 44. g4 h6 45. Kg3 g5 46. Bd3 Kd8 47. Nf6 Be6 48. b3 Kc7 49. Be4 Bf7 50. Nd5+ Kc8 51. Kf2 Ng6 52. Bxg6 Bxg6 53. Ne7+ {1-0 Mansson,J-McDonald,R Horsham Club Championship 2025 (1)}) {After} 9. d3 {he aimed for queenside counterplay with} b5 {This allowed} 10. axb6 {which weakened the Black pawn structure, although he gained the open b-file as compensation.} {After} Nxb6 {White was now out of book and had to decide on how to continue.} {However, he chose} 11. h3 {anticipating ...d5 by Black; the idea was to respond - as in the game - with e5, when ...Ng4 was not an option and the bishop could comfortably settle on f4.} ({The odd-looking} 11. Qd2 {has been the most popular choice in this position, with the idea to swing the queen over to the kingside with Qg5.}) {Black decided to play} 11... d5 {in any case and after} 12. e5 Nfd7 13. d4 Bb7 14. Bf4 e6 15. Re1 {both sides developed their positions logically, with White looking to consolidate his position in the centre and Black to create queenside counterplay.} {Instead he directed his knight on b6 towards e7 with} Nc8 $6 ({Black should now look to create queenside counterplay with something like} 15... Qc7 $11) {After} 16. Bf1 Ne7 {the Black knight was on an inferior square.} {However, he looked for play on the queenside with} 17. Na4 $6 {which worked as it provoked an error from Black.} ({Now White should probably just have connected his rooks with} 17. Qd2 $14 {and continued to build up his position.}) {However, he released the tension in the centre with} 17... c4 $2 {which just gave White a free hand.} ({Now Black should have continued} 17... cxd4 {followed by ...Qc7 with counterplay.}) {White continued with} 18. Qd2 {Instead he played the weaker} Nf5 $2 {looking for play on the kingside, but this does not work.} ({Now Black should look for counterplay on the queenside with} 18... Bc6 19. Nc3 a5 {although his position remains rather cramped.}) {Instead White chose the tempting} 19. g4 {which is also a decent move.} ({Now} 19. Bg5 $1 {looks very strong.} f6 {would be forced.} ({As} 19... Qc7 20. g4 $18 {would leave the Black knight on f5 without a retreat square.}) {After} 20. exf6 $18 {White would win a pawn with a subsequent Rxe6. In addition, the Black position would be full of weaknesses.}) {So Black just retreated with} 19... Ne7 ({Now} 19... Nh4 20. Nxh4 Qxh4 21. Bg5 $18 {leaves the Black queen in trouble.}) {Then White looked to exchange the dark-squared bishops with} 20. Bh6 {hoping to weaken Black on the dark squares.} {However, Black instead chose} f6 $2 {but this just weakens Black's position on the dark squares.} ({Now Black should look for counterplay on the queenside with} 20... Bc6 21. Nc3 a5 {although his position remains very cramped. White would then need to look for ways to improve his position.}) 21. Bxg7 Kxg7 22. exf6+ Rxf6 23. Bg2 {White's position is overwhelming. Black's pawn on e6 is weak, and there are holes on c5 and e5 which can be exploited by the White knights.} Nf8 {Black wanted to cover e6, but this allows White to occupy the holes on c5 and e5 with} 24. Nc5 Bc8 25. Ne5 {Instead Black chose} Qd6 ({Now} 25... Rb8 {avoids immediate problems on the long diagonal, but White can increase the pressure with} 26. h4 Rxb2 27. Bh3 {and Black has no defence to g5, attacking both the rook and the e-pawn.}) {but this allowed} 26. Nxc4 $1 {White exploits the pin on the long diagonal.} {So Black chose to accept the loss of a pawn with} Qb8 ({Now} 26... dxc4 27. Bxa8 {wins the exchange.}) 27. Ne5 {White now has an overwhelming position with an extra pawn, but there is no immediate win.} {However, Black now made a terrible blunder.} Nc6 $4 {He totally overlooked that this piece would now be en prise.} 28. Nxc6 {White has just won a piece for nothing, so Black resigned.} 1-0