[Event "Team Handicap Knockout Cup Final"] [Site "?"] [Date "2016.05.17"] [Round "?"] [White "Frank Pittman"] [Black "Richard Ursell"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D30"] [WhiteElo "161"] [BlackElo "133"] [Annotator "Martin"] [PlyCount "94"] [EventDate "2021.03.21"] {A game of missed opportunities! Weymouth came so close but, in the end it did not quite make it, thanks to some brave defence.} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 e6 3. e3 d5 4. Nf3 Be7 5. Nbd2 Nbd7 6. c4 c6 7. Qc2 Nf8 8. Bd3 Ng6 9. c5 Qc7 10. h3 Ng8 11. Bxg6 hxg6 12. Bf4 Qd8 13. Ne5 Bf6 14. O-O Ne7 15. Ndf3 Nf5 16. b4 Nh4 17. Nxh4 Rxh4 18. Bg3 Rh6 19. f4 Bh4 20. Bh2 f5 21. Rf3 Bd7 22. Bg3 Qe7 23. a4 Bf6 24. Qe2 Bxe5 25. fxe5 a6 26. Rff1 O-O-O 27. Rfb1 Kb8 {We pick up the game after Black's 27th move. Richard Ursell, playing Black only needs a draw. Frank Pittman, playing White is conscious of this and goes all in with the sacrifice of the exchange for an irresistible and sound attack.} 28. b5 $1 axb5 29. axb5 cxb5 30. Rxb5 Bxb5 31. Qxb5 Qe8 32. Qa5 Qd7 33. Qa7+ $6 {This is still winning but} (33. c6 $3 {would have ended the game on the spot.} Qxc6 (33... bxc6 34. Qb6+ Qb7 35. Qxd8+ Qc8 36. Rb1+ Ka7 37. Qxc8) 34. Qxd8+ Qc8 35. Ra8+ Kxa8 36. Qxc8+ $18) 33... Kc7 34. Rb1 (34. Qb6+ $1 Kb8 35. c6 $1 $18 Qc7 36. Ra8+ Kxa8 37. Qxc7 $18) 34... Rb8 35. Rb6 $1 Rhh8 36. c6 $1 {The chess engines say its mate in 15!} Qc8 37. Be1 $1 Kd8 {Richard desperately tries to run with his king. The crucial draw required appears to slipping away from Highcliffe.} 38. cxb7 $6 (38. Rxb7 $1 {when Black has no decent moves. White is simply threatening Rxb8 and if} Rxb7 39. cxb7 {and the pawn queens.}) 38... Qc7 39. Qa6 $6 {This offers Black a grain of hope but it's only that.} (39. Bb4 { looks killing as the final piece enters the fray.}) 39... Qc1 {A perpetual seems like Richard's only chance.} 40. Rd6+ $6 (40. Rb1 $1 {is an amazingly brilliant winning move. If} Qxb1 41. Qd6+ Ke8 42. Qxb8+ Kf7 43. Qc7+ Kg8 44. b8=R+ Qxb8 45. Qxb8+ {winning.}) 40... Ke7 41. Rxe6+ {This is the obvious move but things are now a little less clear.} (41. Kh2 $1 {is best but you can hardly blame Frank for missing this.}) 41... Kf7 42. Rxg6 Qxe1+ {Richard grabs the bishop more in hope!} 43. Kh2 Rhe8 {Can Black's 2 rooks adequately protect the Black king?} 44. Rd6 $2 {And here Frank misses his final opportunity.} (44. Rg5 $1 {is the only winning move as after} Kg8 45. Qg6 Re7 46. Rh5 Rexb7 (46... Rbxb7 47. Qh7+ Kf7 (47... Kf8 48. Qxf5+ Rf7) 48. Qxf5+ Kg8 49. Qc8+ Kf7 50. Rh8 Qb1 51. Rf8+ Kg6 52. Qg4+ Kh6 53. Rh8+ Qh7 54. Qh4+) 47. Qh7+ Kf8 48. Rxf5+ Rf7 49. Qh8+ Ke7 50. Qxb8 Rxf5 51. Qd6+ Ke8 ({If} 51... Kf7 52. e6+ Kg8 53. e7 Qxe3 54. Qb8+ Kh7 55. e8=Q {wins.}) 52. Qe6+ Kd8 53. Qxf5 {White is winning but this would have been difficult to see.}) 44... Qxe3 45. Rd7+ Kf8 46. Qg6 Qf4+ 47. Kg1 Qe3+ {and Black has his perpetual check. Well played Richard for hanging on in there but also a brilliant effort by Frank especially spotting the exchange sacrifice. What a final!} 1/2-1/2