Horsham Club Quickplay Knockout 2021-22: Mansson – Harbott

I was up against Peter Harbott in the Semi-Final of the quickplay knockout. In the end it was a fairly straightforward 2-0 win, although there were a few nervy moments in the second game in particular.
I give the games below with some notes.
   [Event "Horsham Club Quickplay Knockout"]  [Site "Horsham"]  [Date "2022.02.22"]  [Round "3.1"]  [White "Harbott, Peter"]  [Black "Mansson, James C"]  [Result "0-1"]  [ECO "D02"]  [Annotator "jmansson"]  [PlyCount "58"]  [EventDate "2021.??.??"]  [EventType "k.o. (blitz)"]   1. d4 Nf6 2. c3 d5 3. Nf3 c5 4. dxc5 $5 {White aims for an improved version of  the Slav, or possibly a reversed version of the Queen's Gambit Accepted.  However, the fact that Black has not developed his queen's knight makes the  move less effective as a version of the Slav, and a reversed Q.G.A. would not  see White have an extra move, as c3-c4 takes one move longer than ...c7-c5 as  Black.} (4. Bf4) (4. e3) 4... a5 {It may be more accurate to play ...e6 first.}  (4... e6 5. b4 a5 6. e3 {transposes to the game.}) 5. e3 (5. c4 e6 $11 {  leads to a Q.G.A. with colours reversed.}) 5... e6 6. b4 $6 {This is typical  of White's style, but it is not possible to hold on to the extra pawn, so this  proves dubious.} (6. c4 Bxc5 {leads to a Q.G.A. with colours reversed.}) 6...  axb4 7. cxb4 b6 8. Bb5+ Bd7 9. Bxd7+ Nbxd7 10. c6 $6 {This pawn will most  likely be lost.} (10. cxb6 $6 Bxb4+ 11. Bd2 Qxb6 $17) (10. a4 {is better, but  Black's position still seems preferable after} bxc5 11. b5 (11. bxc5 $6 Bxc5  $17) 11... Bd6 $15) 10... Bxb4+ 11. Bd2 Bxd2+ 12. Nbxd2 (12. Qxd2 Nb8 $17)  12... Nc5 13. Nb3 O-O 14. O-O Qc7 {The White c-pawn will now fall.} 15. Nbd4 e5  (15... Rfe8 $1 $19) 16. Nf5 $2 (16. Nc2 $17) 16... Rfe8 17. Qc2 Qxc6 18. Rfc1  Nfe4 19. a4 {This is reasonable, but perhaps best is simply ganging up on the  White a-pawn.} Qf6 (19... Rxa4 $2 {at once fails to} 20. Ne7+ $1 Rxe7 21. Rxa4  Qxa4 $4 22. Qxa4 Nxa4 23. Rc8+ Re8 24. Rxe8#) (19... Ra5 $1 $19 {followed by ..  f6 and ...Rea8 is the best way to proceed.}) 20. Ng3 Nxg3 21. hxg3 e4 22. Nd4  Nd3 23. Rcb1 $2 (23. Rf1 $17 {defending f2 gives the White queen more freedom,  as she is no longer tied to the defence of the f2 square.}) 23... Rec8 24. Qe2  Rc4 $2 {This allows White to improving things on the queenside by swapping off  a weak pawn.} (24... g6 $19) 25. a5 $1 bxa5 26. Rxa5 $1 Rac8 $1 (26... Rxa5 $4  27. Rb8+ $18) 27. g4 $4 (27. Raa1 $17) 27... Rc1+ 28. Rxc1 Rxc1+ 29. Kh2 Qh4#  0-1   [Event "Horsham Club Quickplay Knockout"]  [Site "Horsham"]  [Date "2022.02.22"]  [Round "3.2"]  [White "Mansson, James C"]  [Black "Harbott, Peter"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "C42"]  [Annotator "jmansson"]  [PlyCount "91"]  [EventDate "2021.??.??"]  [EventType "k.o. (blitz)"]   1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nxc3 6. dxc3 Bf5 $2 {This is  dubious.} (6... Be7 $14 {is more sensible.}) 7. Be3 $2 (7. Qd5 $1 $16 {is the  way to exploit the move.}) 7... Be7 8. Qd2 Nd7 9. O-O-O a6 10. Bd3 Bxd3 11.  Qxd3 Ne5 $2 {This is just bad, as the e-pawn that results is weak, and the  Black king can easilty become stuck in the centre.} (11... O-O $14) 12. Nxe5  dxe5 13. Qe4 Bd6 14. f4 $2 {This is not terrible, but much more effective is  to exploit the pin on the d-file at once with c4.} (14. c4 $18) 14... f6 $2 {  This allows White to play the move he should have played a move earlier.} (  14... Qf6 $16) 15. fxe5 fxe5 16. c4 Qe7 17. c5 Bxc5 18. Bxc5 Qxc5 19. Rd5 Qf8  20. Rxe5+ Kd7 (20... Kd8 21. Qxb7 $18) 21. Rd1+ $6 {White starts making heavy  weather of exploiting his advantage.} (21. Qg4+ {was the simplest way to win,  e.g.} Kc6 (21... Kd6 22. Qe6#) (21... Kd8 22. Rd1+ $18) 22. Re6+ Kd7 23. Rd1+  Kc8 24. Re8#) 21... Kc8 22. Re1 $2 (22. Re7 $18) 22... Qd6 $2 (22... Kb8 $1 23.  Re7 $16) 23. Re6 (23. Re8+ $1 Rxe8 24. Qxe8+ Qd8 25. h4 {intending Qf7 and Re8}  Qxe8 26. Rxe8+ Kd7 27. Rxa8 $18) 23... Qd8 24. Re7 Kb8 25. Rxg7 Ka7 26. Qe3+ b6  27. Qe7 Kb7 28. Qxd8 Raxd8 29. Ree7 Rc8 30. Rxh7 Rhf8 31. b3 Rf2 32. g4 b5 33.  g5 Rg8 34. Rxc7+ Kb6 35. h4 b4 36. Rcf7 Rh2 37. Rh6+ Kc5 38. g6 {While this is  fine for White technically, from a practical point of view in a rapid game,  White should have looked to restrict Black's counterplay with ...Re8-e2/e1.}  Re8 39. g7 Re1+ 40. Kb2 Rhh1 {This looks very dangerous for White, but he has  more than one way out. This is fortunate as White hadn't anticipated this  approach by Black!} 41. Rf5+ Kd4 42. Rf4+ (42. Rd5+ $1 {is a cute idea, based  on} Kxd5 43. g8=Q+) 42... Ke5 (42... Kc5 43. Rc4+ Kb5 44. Rh5+ Kb6 45. Rxb4+  $18) 43. Rxb4 Rb1+ 44. Ka3 Rbg1 45. Rb7 Kf5 46. Rh8 1-0
Horsham Club Quickplay Knockout 2021-22: Mansson – Harbott

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