County Match (Open) 2023-24: Sussex – Worcestershire

   [Event "Minor Counties"]  [Site "Various"]  [Date "2024.05.11"]  [Round "1"]  [White "Rastall, Joe"]  [Black "Mansson, James C"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "A11"]  [Annotator "Mansson,James"]  [PlyCount "93"]  [EventDate "2023.09.01"]  [EventType "team-match"]  [EventRounds "6"]  [EventCountry "ENG"]  [WhiteTeam "Worcestershire"]  [BlackTeam "Sussex"]  [WhiteTeamCountry "ENG"]  [BlackTeamCountry "ENG"]   1. c4 c6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. Nf3 dxc4 {This seems necessary if Black wants to develop his bishop on c8, as otherwise Qb3 is strong.} 5. a4 g6 {I couldn't remember exactly what was recommended against 5.a4. This simple developing move seemed best.} 6. Na3 Be6 {Black tries to create difficulties for White by not allowing the pawn to be regained in a straightforward fashion.} (6... Qd5 {is another way to make White's life awkward by defending the pawn.}) 7. Ng5 {This doesn't seem to achieve anything for White against Black's accurate response.} Bd5 $1 8. e4 h6 $1 9. exd5 hxg5 10. dxc6 Nxc6 11. Nxc4 Qd7 {I was unsure how best to complete my development. I considered a couple of more aggresive queen moves, but couldn't quite make them work.} (11... Qd3 12. Qe2 Qxe2+ 13. Kxe2 Bg7 $11) (11... Qd4 12. d3 Ng4 13. O-O Nxh2 14. Re1 $44 {offers White good compensation for the pawn due to Black's poor development and king safety.}) (11... Bg7 12. d4 Nxd4 13. Bxg5 (13. Bxb7 $2 Rb8 14. Bg2 Ng4 {gives Black a strong attack.}) 13... Rc8 14. Rc1 O-O 15. O-O (15. Bxb7 Rb8 16. Bg2 Nb3 17. Qxd8 Rfxd8 $44) 15... Qd7 16. Ne5 Qd6 17. Nc4 Qd7 $11) (11... Rc8 12. O-O Bg7 13. Re1 O-O $11) 12. O-O Bg7 13. d4 $1 {This seems like White's best, aiming to complete his development.} Rd8 {Black prepares to capture on d4.} (13... Qxd4 $4 14. Bxc6+ {wins the queen.}) (13... Nxd4 14. Bxg5 {seemed a bit dubious for Black as the knight on d4 is not firmly archored.} (14. Bxb7 Qxb7 15. Qxd4 Rd8 16. Qc3 Ng4 {looked strong for Black.}) {However, after} 14... Rd8 $11 {Black looks fine. This position could also have arisen in the game via a different order of moves.}) 14. Bxg5 Qf5 $2 {Black should have just taken the pawn.} (14... Nxd4 $1 15. Re1 O-O $11) 15. Bxf6 $1 {White not only retains the d-pawn, he forces it through to d5, where it is a significant problem for Black.} Bxf6 16. d5 $1 Nd4 17. Ne3 (17. h4 $1 {stops Black forcing the exchange of queens.}) 17... Qd7 (17... Qh5 $1 {would have forced queens off, which is actually preferable for Black rather than White here; the point is that the opposite-coloured bishop endgame looks fine for him, despite the pawn minus, but the middlegame is very promising for White, dues to Black's poor development.}) 18. Qg4 $6 {White should not have allowed the transition to an endgame.} (18. h4 $1 {White's advantage is most clear in the middlegame.}) 18... Nf5 $5 {This seemed the best option as with knights swapped, the opposite-coloured bishops would most likely balance up the extra pawn.} (18... Qxg4 19. Nxg4 Bg7 {was however worth considering, as the knight on d4 is a very strong piece.}) 19. Nxf5 gxf5 $2 {With queens on, White has definite attacking chances.} (19... Qxf5 $1 {was better, going for an endgame with opposite-coloured bishops, which give excellent prospects of a draw, despite the pawn down.} 20. Qxf5 gxf5 {looks tenable for Black.}) 20. Qb4 Rb8 {This seemed like a useful defensive move, to deal with the possible threat of d6 followed by capturing on b7.} 21. Rfe1 (21. Qf4 {was perhaps even stronger.}) 21... Kf8 {Black castles by hand as he wants to keep the rook on the h-file.} 22. Rad1 Kg7 $6 (22... Qd6 $1 {was necessary to stop d6, although White still looks better after something like} 23. Qd2) 23. d6 $1 {This pawn should now be a major issue for Black.} e6 (23... exd6 24. Rxd6 $18 {leaves White with obviously insurmountable problems in this open position.}) 24. Rc1 (24. Re3 {may be even stronger.}) 24... a5 $5 {A neat deflection, aiming to swap the a-pawn for White's d-pawn.} 25. Qxa5 $2 {White misses a very strong continuation.} (25. Qa3 Rhd8 26. Red1 Rbc8 27. b3 $16) (25. Rc7 $2 Qxc7 $1 26. dxc7 axb4 27. cxb8=Q Rxb8 $11) (25. Qf4 $1 Rhd8 26. Red1 Rbc8 27. Rxc8 Rxc8 28. Bf1 $1 $18 {White intends Bb5, forcing the d-pawn through to d7.}) 25... Qxd6 26. Rcd1 Qa6 $1 {Black should aim to exchange queens, as the opposite-coloured bishops are a strong drawing factor in the resulting endgame, despite the pawn less.} 27. Qb4 (27. Qxa6 bxa6 {and Black will win the pawn on b2.}) 27... b6 $1 {Black aims to swap queens with ...Qa5.} (27... b5 $6 28. a5 $1 {looks awkward for Black.}) 28. Rd7 Qa5 $5 {This is probably fine for Black, but in view of 31.Bd5 (which I saw) perhaps I shouldn't have been so anxious to force the queens off.} (28... Kg6 {seems safer. Black intends ...Qa5 on the next move.}) (28... Rhd8 {is another reasonable possibility.}) 29. Qxa5 bxa5 30. Rxe6 Rxb2 31. Bd5 {White now has some awkward threats against f7. However, Black should be able to defend with active play.} (31. Bf3 Rd8 32. Red6 Rxd7 33. Rxd7 Bc3 34. Bh5 Kf6 35. f4 Ke6 36. Rd8 (36. Rxf7 Bd4+ 37. Kh1 Rb1+ 38. Kg2 Rb2+ 39. Kh1 (39. Kh3 $2 Bg1 $1 $19) 39... Rb1+ $11) 36... Ra2 37. Kh1 Bb4 38. Bd1 Ke7 {looks tenable for Black.}) 31... Rf8 $2 {Black decided to anticipate White's threats against the f7-square. However, it allows White a strong possibility.} (31... Bd4 $1 32. Ree7 Rf8 33. Be6 $5 (33. Bxf7 Bf6) (33. Rxf7+ Rxf7 34. Bxf7 (34. Rxf7+ Kg6 {followed by capturing on f2.}) 34... Rxf2) 33... Bxf2+ 34. Kh1 (34. Kf1 Be3 35. Rxf7+ Rxf7 36. Rxf7+ Kg6 37. Rxf5 Rxh2 {should obviously be drawn.}) 34... Kf6 {looks fine for Black.}) 32. Re1 $2 (32. Re3 $1 $18 {intending Rf3 looks very strong.}) 32... Rb4 {Black took the opportunity to force the white bishop off the a2-g8 diagonal.} 33. Bc6 Rc4 $2 {This allows White a possibility to activate his rooks.} (33... Rc8 {is the better way to harass the bishop.} 34. Bb5 (34. Bd5 Rf8) 34... f4 {looks tenable for Black.}) 34. Bb5 Rc2 35. Kf1 $2 (35. Rd5 $1 f4 36. Re4 $18 {and Black won't be able to deal with the activity of White's rooks.}) 35... Rh8 (35... Rd8 $1 36. Red1 Rxd7 37. Rxd7 f4 {looks tenable for Black.}) 36. Kg2 f4 $2 {This loosen Black' control of e4.} (36... Rd8 $1 37. Red1 Rxd7 38. Rxd7 f4 {looks tenable for Black.}) 37. Red1 $2 {White misses a strong possibility.} (37. Re4 $1 f3+ 38. Kxf3 Rxh2 39. Be2 $16 {White's rooks are a lot move active now.}) 37... f3+ $2 {This is not sound as White does not have to swap the f- and h-pawns.} (37... fxg3 38. hxg3 Rhc8 {looks tenable for Black.}) 38. Kxf3 $2 (38. Kg1 $1 Rhc8 {This was my intention, but} 39. h4 $16 {seems strong for White. The white h-pawn is a potential problem, while the black f-pawn is in danger; it cannot be defended by his own bishop, but can be attacked by his opponent's.}) 38... Rxh2 39. Be2 Ra2 $4 {I had started to run short of time when I made this blunder. I had been carfully checking White's possibilities up to this point, but neglected to do so at this crucial juncture.} (39... Kf8 {looks tenable for Black.}) 40. Rxf7+ $1 Kg6 (40... Kxf7 41. Bc4+ {regains the rook, leaving White two pawns up, although the opposite-coloured bishop and poorly-placed white king should give Black some drawing chances.}) 41. Rf8 Kg7 42. Rg8+ $1 {The same tactic as before.} Kh6 $2 {Black probably had to bite the bullet and accept being two pawns down, but with some drawing chances.} (42... Kxg8 43. Bc4+ {with the same result as before.}) 43. Rd6 {Now not only is Black's bishop in trouble, his king is in danger of getting mated in short order.} Kh7 44. Ra8 Kg6 45. Raa6 Ra3+ 46. Bd3+ Kf7 47. Rxf6+ 1-0