[Event "WDCL Div 1"] [Site "?"] [Date "2022.04.06"] [Round "?"] [White "Cook, Nick"] [Black "Robinson, Dan"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A80"] [Annotator "Nick Burriss"] [PlyCount "87"] [WhiteTeam "Culcheth B"] [BlackTeam "Culcheth A"] {Commentary provided by Nick B} 1. d4 e6 2. c4 b6 3. Nf3 Bb7 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Bxe7 Qxe7 6. e3 f5 7. Nc3 Nf6 8. Bd3 O-O 9. Rg1 {A mysterious Rook move; and not a good one! 9. O-O was the simple and much better alternative.} a6 (9... c5 { contasting the centre was called for}) 10. Qc2 Nc6 11. a3 d6 12. O-O-O b5 $6 { This direct attempt to open up lines and weaken the castled King at the cost of a pawn is not entirely sound, but finding a good plan for Black in this position is not easy. Preparing the central thrust e5 with moves like g6 and Re8 is the choice of Stockfish.} 13. cxb5 axb5 14. Bxb5 d5 $2 15. Bd3 ({ White could have had a clear advantage after} 15. Nxd5 Nxd5 16. Bxc6 Nb4 $1 17. axb4 Ra1+ 18. Kd2 Qxb4+ 19. Qc3 Rxd1+ 20. Rxd1 Qxc3+ 21. Kxc3 Bxc6 {But it would have required quite a feat of calculation and positional assessment on White’s part. More obvious is the fact that this pawn advance weakens two key squares, c5 and e5 and restricts the range of the Bishop.}) 15... Ne4 16. g3 Ba6 {Positionally a good idea to trade the wrong colour bishop but overlooking tactics} 17. Bxa6 $4 (17. Nxd5 {Was the correct punishment}) 17... Rxa6 18. Nh4 {“A Knight on the rim is grim” – so the saying goes. This Knight is about as grim as it gets.} Rxa3 {Very enterprising and ambitious but regrettably a mistake. Either 18……..Rb8 or 18……..Na5 give Black a big advantage.} 19. Nxe4 Ra1+ 20. Kd2 Rxd1+ (20... fxe4 {would have been better} 21. Rxa1 Rxf2+) 21. Rxd1 Nb4 $2 ({Black absolutely had to play} 21... fxe4 { after which} 22. Qxc6 Rxf2+ 23. Kc1 g5 24. Rg1 gxh4 25. gxh4+ Kf7 {is dead level}) 22. Qc5 {the winning move} Rf7 23. Qxe7 Rxe7 24. Nc5 {With an overwhelming advantage which White converted.} g5 25. Ng2 Kf7 26. Ne1 e5 27. Ned3 Nxd3 28. Kxd3 e4+ 29. Kd2 c6 30. Rc1 Ra7 31. Nb3 Ra6 32. Rc5 Ke7 33. Na5 Kd7 34. b3 Kc7 35. b4 h5 36. Kc3 h4 37. Kb3 hxg3 38. hxg3 Kd7 39. Ka4 Kd6 40. b5 Rb6 41. Rxc6+ Rxc6 42. Nxc6 Kc7 43. Ka5 Kb7 44. Ne7 {Black resigns} 1-0