[Event "Barrow Club Championship"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2023.01.25"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Whalley, Frank"]
[Black "Mackenzie, Matthew"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C84"]
[WhiteElo "1643"]
[BlackElo "2183"]
[Annotator "Mackenzie,Matthew"]
[PlyCount "43"]
[EventDate "2023.02.07"]
[SourceVersionDate "2023.02.07"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d3 b5 6. Bb3 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. Be3
{deviating from our game earlier this season when he played this move after
getting 8 Qe2 in first - it is probably better played this way} Bb7 9. a3 {
9 Nc3 is normal here, when Black probably has nothing better than d6 in reply}
d5 10. exd5 Nxd5 11. Qe2 Nxe3 {11....Nd4 may be best here, as played later in
the game - but White can't grab a pawn here} 12. Qxe3 Bf6 {again, Black could
get in 12....Nd4 here - if White replies 13 Ne5? then Bc5! follows and he is
in trouble} 13. Nc3 Nd4 14. Nxe5 {he can try this now, though the computer
says 14 Ne4 is best) Nb3 (again, best is meant to be 14....a5! here which
gives a Black advantage, but its not at all easy for a human player to see}
Nxb3 15. cxb3 Bxe5 16. Qxe5 Re8 17. Qg3 {17 Qc5 was best, again according to
Fritz - but both here and in the game, c7 is an annoying weak spot for Black}
Re6 18. f3 Rg6 {too fast, 18....Qd4+ is superior and should be roughly equal -
but I thought my position was better than it actually was} 19. Qf4 $1 {the
best square for the Q - now Black should chase it with his R and should get at
least a draw in the end, but.....} Qxd3 $4 {instead, I commit suicide - this
"aggressive" looking move is almost a forced loss} 20. Rad1 Qc2 $2 {Black's
last chance was 20....Rf6 - he threatens mate here but once White parries this,
its over} 21. Rf2 Qxb3 22. Qxc7 {- Of course, the weak back rank caused by the
KR lift means that Black either gets mated or loses his B for nothing. To play
on a whole piece down would be disrespectful against a player of Frank's
strength, so 1-0. And well done to him!} 1-0