Sussex League (Division 1) 2025-26: Horsham 1 – East Grinstead 2

   [Event "Sussex League Division 1"]  [Site "Horsham"]  [Date "2025.12.01"]  [Round "4"]  [White "Mansson, James C"]  [Black "Granzelius, Eric"]  [Result "1/2-1/2"]  [Annotator "Mansson,James"]  [ECO "C41"]  [WhiteElo "2070"]  [BlackElo "1814"]  [WhiteFideId "-1"]  [BlackFideId "-1"]  [PlyCount "79"]  [GameId "2250437576910712"]  [EventDate "2025.09.01"]  [EventType "swiss"]  [EventRounds "10"]  [EventCountry "ENG"]  [WhiteTeam "Horsham 1"]  [BlackTeam "East Grinstead 2 II"]  [WhiteTeamCountry "ENG"]  [BlackTeamCountry "ENG"]   {In this video I am going to look at a game I played on Monday last week in a Sussex League match for Horsham 1 against East Grinstead 2. The match was played at East Grinstead.  I was on board three. I had the White pieces and was up against Eric Granzelius.  I started with} 1. e4 {not sure as to what defence my opponent would choose.} {He played} d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 e5 {with a Philidor Defence. This was a fortunate choice from my perspective, as I have plenty of experience playing against it, in particular against fellow club member, Anthony Higgs. Amusingly, Anthony was playing on the board below me that night, and smiled when he saw the opening that had appeared on my board.} {I chose to go down the main line with} 4. Nf3 Nbd7 5. Bc4 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Re1 c6 8. a4 {This is a key decision point for Black.} {He decided to play} a5 {which stops me gaining further space on the queenside, but does weaken the b6 square.} {I now played the generally useful} 9. h3 {and Black developed his queen with} Qc7 {This is where it tends to sit most comfortably in the Philidor.} {White now played the prophylactic} 10. Bb3 {anticipating ...exd4 followed by ...Nb6 and ...d5. When I played this, I immediately wondered whether a2 was a better square, on account of the game continuation. However, that proves fine for White, so perhaps the move deserves credit for provoking a dubious response from the opponent!} {However, Black decided on the more forcing} exd4 $6 {but this is premature as Black doesn't have a follow up.} ({Now} 10... h6 {was a solid way to continue.}) {Play went} 11. Nxd4 Nc5 12. Bf4 Nxb3 13. cxb3 {This is not a problem for White as he can use a rook on c1 to exert awkward pressure against the Black queen.} Rd8 14. Rc1 {Now Black always has to reckon with a knight jump to b5 or d5, exploiting the pin on the c-pawn.} {However he chose the strange} Qd7 $6 $16 {This is a very awkward place for the queen.} ({Now} 14... Be6 $14 {was necessary. Black should not be worried about giving up the light-squared bishop, as he has already swapped off its counterpart.}) {White continued with the natural} 15. Nf5 {now that Black is not in a position to swap this knight off with the bishop on c8.} {However, he played} Bf8 $6 $18 {in order to preserve the bishop, but White has a strong response.} ({Black should have prevented Bg5 with} 15... h6 {although he is still under pressure after} 16. Qf3 $16) {However, White did not consider that move and instead went for the inferior} 16. g4 $2 $14 {He wanted to support the knight on f5, so the e-pawn could move.} ({Now he should have exploited the situation of the knight on f6 at once with} 16. Bg5 $1 {threatening Bxf6, shattering Black's kingside pawns.} {After} Be7 17. Qf3 $18 {White has a tremendous attacking position.}) {Instead, Black tried to break out with} 16... d5 $2 $18 {but with his pieces poorly placed, this should have backfired.} ({Now} 16... Ne8 {was best, avoiding Bg5 and covering d6, although White was still better after} 17. Be3 $14) {So I decided on} 17. e5 $2 $14 {instead, but this put Black under less pressure.} ({My opponent was worried - correctly - about} 17. exd5 $1 {because of some potential back rank problems.} {I had thought that Black could avoid these by playing} cxd5 {with a situation where the bishops and White's pawn weaknesses compensate for the isolated pawn.} (17... Nxd5 18. Nxd5 Qxd5 (18... cxd5 19. Rc7 $18) 19. Qxd5 Rxd5 (19... cxd5 20. Bc7 Rd7 21. Re8 $18) 20. Re8 $18) {However, it seems that} 18. Nb5 $1 $18 {threatening Nc7 creates insoluable problems for Black.}) {In the game, Black decided to move his knight back to a safe square with} 17... Ne8 (17... Ne4 {was more sensible, but White looks better after} 18. Nxe4 dxe4 19. Nd6 $14) ({During the game I considered} 17... Nh5 $2 {as a possible response, but this is met by the simple} 18. Bd2 $1 $18 {when Black loses a piece.}) {I now played the strong} 18. Bg5 $1 {White exploits the fact there is no safe way to block the attack on the rook, nor is there an escape square for it.} {Instead he didn't want to give up the exchange and so played} f6 $6 $18 {This looks an obvious try, but White has a strong intermezzo in response.} ({Now Black's best move seems to be} 18... g6 $1 {accepting the loss of the exchange but remaining solid with the bishop pair as compensation.}) 19. e6 $1 {Now White gains a strong passed pawn.} Qc7 {Now pushing the pawn to e7 seemed obvious, but White should have delayed this move.} {White was unable to see any of this and so went for the straightforward} 20. e7 $2 $14 ({Instead} 20. Nb5 $1 {was very strong. White drives the Black queen to an inferior square in order to increase the impact of a delayed e7. However, it was impossible - at least for a human - to calculate all the consequences of the move. Here are some sample lines to indicate Black's problems.} Qb6 (20... Qb8 21. e7 Bxf5 22. exd8=Q Qxd8 23. gxf5 fxg5 (23... cxb5 24. Be3 $18 {leaves Black's pawn structure smashed.}) 24. Rxe8 Qxe8 25. Nc7 Qd8 26. Nxa8 Qxa8 27. Qh5 $18 {followed by Re1 leaves White with a winning position.}) 21. Be3 {Now White's attack on the queen cannot be met in a satisfactory manner.} Qa6 ({Trying to block with} 21... d4 22. Bxd4 c5 23. e7 cxd4 24. exd8=Q Qxd8 25. Nfxd4 $18 {leaves White with a clear material advantage and a dominating position.}) ({Likewise} 21... c5 22. e7 d4 23. exf8=Q+ Kxf8 24. Nfxd4 cxd4 25. Bxd4 Qa6 26. Bc5+ $18 {also leads to material loss.}) {is met by} 22. e7 Bxf5 23. exf8=Q+ {White draws the Black king into the line of his remaining bishop's fire.} Kxf8 24. Bc5+ Kg8 25. gxf5 cxb5 26. Re6 {This forces} b6 {as the queen has no retreat square.} 27. Bxb6 {while after} Rd7 ({Now} 27... Rdc8 {is met by} 28. Rxc8 Qxc8 29. Qxd5 Kh8 30. axb5 $18 {and White's extra pawns and more active pieces will prove decisive.}) 28. Qe2 Nd6 29. Rc7 Rxc7 30. Bxc7 $18 {White wins the knight on d6.}) ({A simpler - and more human - solution would be to just retreat the bishop on g5 with} 20. Bd2 $1 {The idea is to play e7, but not lose the bishop on g5 in the process, as in the game.} {Now Black has no defence as} Be7 {intending to block the e-pawn, is met by} 21. Nb5 {when the queen cannot maintain its defence of the bishop on e7.} {and} Qb6 (21... cxb5 {loses the queen to} 22. Rxc7 $18) (21... Qb8 {loses the bishop to} 22. Nxe7+ $18) {likewise loses the bishop to} 22. Nxe7+ $18) (20. Bh4 $1 {was also possible with the same idea.}) {Black now played} 20... Bxf5 {and the problem was that the White bishop on g5 was attacked.} {Instead White took at once with} 21. exd8=Q $6 $11 ({Now White should have take the opportunity to drive the queen to an inferior square before taking on d8 with} 21. Nb5 $1 {which would have given him an improved version of the game.} {After} Qd7 {Black cannot play ...Qf4, which leaves him more passively placed.} {Best play for both sides seems to be} 22. exd8=Q Rxd8 23. Bd2 Bg6 24. Nd4 Ra8 25. Ne6 $14 {White's position looks more promising, but Black has a pawn for the exchange and the superior pawn structure, which gives him a solid position.}) {After} 21... Rxd8 22. gxf5 fxg5 23. Qg4 {Instead he played the more defensive} h6 $2 $18 {which allows White a strong tactical blow.} ({Black should have played actively with} 23... Qf4 $1 $11 {He ought be heading for an endgame, where his strong passed d-pawn gives him enough for the exchange.}) {Instead he chose} 24. Nb5 $2 $15 {when Black was doing fine.} ({However, White overlooked that after} 24. Nxd5 $1 Rxd5 {the Black knight on e8 was hanging so he could just win with} 25. Rxe8 $18) {Instead Black played the reasonable, but not as challenging} 24... Qb6 $6 $11 ({Now most incisive was} 24... Qf7 $1 25. Nd4 Nf6 26. Qd1 Bb4 $15 {which would have given Black the initiative.}) {White chose} 25. Qd4 {as it seemed less complicated, which was a factor as he was now starting to run short of time.} ({Now White could have tried} 25. Nd4 {but this doesn't seem any better than the game continuation. Black seems to have a couple of decent replies.} {The other Black possibility is} Nf6 ({One is} 25... Bc5 26. Qh5 $1 {is better} ({Now} 26. Rxc5 $2 {is bad because of} Qxc5 27. Ne6 Qe7 $1 $17 {with an extra pawn.}) {but after} 26... Nf6 27. Qg6 Bxd4 28. Re7 Ne4 29. Re8+ Rxe8 30. Qxe8+ Kh7 31. Qg6+ $11 {the game would have ended in perpetual check.}) {which is met by} 26. Qd1 {Instead} Rd7 $11 {is fine for Black.} ({when} 26... Bc5 $2 {is bad because of} 27. Rxc5 $1 Qxc5 28. Ne6 Qe7 29. Nxd8 Qxd8 30. b4 axb4 31. Qd4 $16)) {Instead he chose} 25... c5 $2 $18 {assuming he should keep queens on, but he was wrong.} ({Now Black should have gone into an endgame with} 25... Qxd4 $1 26. Nxd4 Bb4 27. Re6 Nc7 28. Re2 Kf7 $11 {Here his strong passed d-pawn and superior pawn structure compensates for the exchange.}) {Instead, White put the queen in front of the rook with} 26. Qe5 $6 $16 ({Now} 26. Qc3 $1 $18 {intending Re6 was the strongest way to continue, when White would seize control of the e-file. He would be well-placed to attack with his major pieces, and the extra exchange would be a real factor.}) {After} 26... Nf6 {Instead, running short of time and unsure what to do, he chose} 27. Qe6+ $2 $11 {wrongly going into an endgame where Black had no problems and indeed White needed to be careful.} ({He should again play} 27. Qc3 $1 {intending Re6} Ne4 {could be met by} 28. Qf3 $16) 27... Qxe6 {White therefore chose} 28. Rxe6 {looking to penetrate via the e-file.} ({Now} 28. fxe6 {would have been met by} Be7 $11 {when the e-pawn was never going to advance.}) {However Black chose} 28... d4 $2 $16 {which was more ambitious, going after the f-pawn with ...Rd5xf5. However, there is a subtle flaw in this move in that it gives up control of the c4-square.} ({Now} 28... Rd7 $11 {was the most solid defensive move, when White lacks an entry point.}) {However, White was a bit too nervous about the Black d-pawn advancing and so went for the inferior} 29. Re5 $2 $11 {keeping the other rook back.} ({Now White had the chance to seize the e-file with} 29. Rce1 $1 $16 {intending to follow up with Na3-c4. Black will be unable to prevent White penetrating his position.}) {Play went} 29... Nd5 30. Rd1 Nf4 {Instead he chose the passive} 31. Kh2 $2 $17 {and Black started to take over.} ({Now White should have taken the opportunity to eliminate his weak h-pawn with} 31. h4 $1 gxh4 32. Re4 Nd5 33. Rde1 Kf7 34. Rxh4 $11) {Black brought up his king with} 31... Kf7 {Instead White started to shuffle his pieces around with} 32. Ree1 $6 $19 {hoping to keep everything defended and to stop Black breaking through. However, Black now had a real advantage and every reason to play for the win.} ({Now White should again have looked to eliminate his weak- h-pawn with} 32. Re4 $1 Rd5 33. h4 $1 {although Black was now better after} Rxf5 34. hxg5 hxg5 $17 {as he would have had two pawns for the exchange.}) {Black now took a second pawn with} 32... Rd5 33. Re4 Rxf5 {and continued to press.} {Play went} 34. Kg3 g6 35. Rd2 Nh5+ 36. Kg2 Nf6 37. Re1 Nd5 38. Re4 Nf6 {It now became obvious that Black was unsure how to continue as he started to repeat the position.} 39. Re1 Nd5 40. Re4 $19 {White offered a draw which Black accepted. Black could have easily played on, but could not see how to make progress. However, there was surely no reason not to, as he still had 12 minutes on the clock, as opposed to White's 2, in addition to the 30 second increment. This was a lucky escape for White and - as it proved - important in the context of the match, as Horsham could only manage one win and two draws on the other boards.} 1/2-1/2