[Event "4NCL Division 3"] [Site "Telford"] [Date "2024.03.17"] [Round "?"] [White "Richi Smith"] [Black "Andrew Boughen"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E04"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/arsenalfanrichi"] [PlyCount "65"] [EventDate "2024.??.??"] [SourceVersionDate "2019.03.01"] {The first test: Making it to the Chess board, after a typically boozy Saturday evening, getting back to the Hotel at 5am I received a pleasant surprise that I was white pieces having had Black for my previous 3 4NCL encounters. Given the less than Stellar preparation of 3am discussions with the lovely gentlemen from Gonzaga Chess Club, I figured my best chance was to avoid a sharp tactical game with 1.e4 entirely, given the likelihood that my opponent had something prepared that could exploit the brainfog I was experiencing...} 1. d4 $146 {Of course not a novelty, but rare for me.} d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 {Preferring to leave flexibility with the knight on c3, planning a less tactical game than nc3, where Bb4 can already get complicated.} (3. Nc3 Bb4) 3... Nf6 4. g3 {Opting for a Catalan type of setup, for two reasons; The positions are relatively organic for white to play, and secondly because a black player playing the Queen's Gambit declined is likely to be very stable and knowledgeable in those positions.} dxc4 {Logical and seemingly most critical.} 5. Bg2 {It's hard for black to maintain the pawn on c4, so Bg2 gives chances for black to give themselves a difficult game by attempting to maintain the material advantage. b5 a4} c5 $1 {Undermining white's central dark square control whilst trying to trade some pieces in a cramped position.} (5... b5 6. a4 $36 Bb7 7. axb5 $14 {[%csl Rc4][%CAl Gb5c6,Gb5a6,Rc7c5] Black will need to make further concessions to take the pawn on b5 and white has natural development. The central pawn on d4 creates a bind on the position and the desirable c5 break for black is not happening anytime soon, white should stand better.}) 6. Qa4+ {More concrete and avoids Queen trades that are offered in the line with Castles.} (6. O-O cxd4 7. Qxd4 Qxd4 8. Nxd4 Bc5 9. Nb5 Na6 10. Nd2 O-O 11. Nxc4 $14 {[%csl Rd7][%CAl Rc8d7] Seeing this variation after the fact it is clear that white stands somewhat better due to having extremely well placed pieces and a bind on Black's queenside development. It was difficult for me to evaluate this as enough of an advantage at the board.}) 6... Bd7 (6... Nc6 7. Ne5 {An interesting option that I wondered about at the board, but Bd7 seemed to create some practical problems for white.} Bd7 8. Nxc6 Qb6 $1 {[%csl Rc6][%CAl Gd7a4] Now white will lose his Catalan bishop and be forced to trade queens at the whim of black.}) 7. Qxc4 Nc6 8. O-O {White isn't concerned with trades in the centre now as opening the position works in his favour.} cxd4 9. Nxd4 Rc8 $1 {[%CAl Gc8c4] Rc8 made me realise that it's very questionable whether white even has an advantage now, as a tempo will be lost for white and the Rook is on its most natural square.} 10. Nc3 {A 10 minute think on nc3, deciding that if a tempo is to be lost anyway, then developing a piece is probably the most correct response to Rc8.} Nxd4 (10... Na5 $1 { na5 felt a very strong continuation for black where, Qd3 is forced and suddenly black has complete domination of the c file.} 11. Qd3 Bc5 12. Bg5 { A Natural move, if not the strongest.} h6 13. Bxf6 Qxf6 14. Nf3 Bc6 {White has absolutely nothing here.}) 11. Qxd4 Bc5 12. Qd3 {Perhaps less buccaneering than Qh4 but it has some merit. Controlling b5, defending the knight, and staying centrally posted.} (12. Qh4 {A move I briefly considered during the game, but the retreat Be7 seemed to win a tempo again for black and the position felt very solid. b7 drops but it felt that black could have a dangerous queenside initiative with the easy development of the bishop pair there. Computer says this is strong for white, but it felt difficult to play and somewhat against principles.} Be7 13. Bxb7 Rb8 14. Bg2 {[%csl Gb2][%CAl Gc1b2]} O-O) 12... Qb6 {[%csl Gf2][%CAl Gb6f2,Gf6g4]} 13. b3 $5 $146 {I spent about 20 minutes on b3, it was difficult to meet both the ng4 and Bb5 threats simultaneously. e3 created problems with sacrifices on f2, as well as giving even more venom to the Bb5 resource that black supported with Qb6. This way there was an idea with a4 forcing the win of the Bishop pair, as well as Bb2 to give the bishop a potentially prosperous diagonal to develop to.} Ng4 { The natural response, but easily parried by ne4.} 14. Ne4 {Defending f2 and setting a trap...} Bd4 $2 {As natural as this move is, it loses the game immediately, white has to find an only move to exploit it, however.} 15. Ba3 $3 $18 {Offering a rook, but it's easy to see the continuation.} Be5 {This felt like a resilient attempt, controlling the crucial d6 square that black vacated with his attempt to win the rook on a1.} (15... Bxa1 16. Nd6+ Kf8 {Losing immediately to nxc8+ where black loses the rook back immediately along with his Queen.} (16... Ke7 17. Nxc8+ Kd8 18. Nxb6) (16... Kd8 {Now white wins the house, with a very unusual windmill tactic.} 17. Nxf7+ Ke8 18. Nd6+ Kd8 19. Nxb7+ Kc7 (19... Ke8 20. Nd6+ Kd8 21. Nxc8 {[%csl Gd3,Rd7][%CAl Gd3d8] The king has to recapture on c8, setting up another tactic for white, winning material.} Kxc8 22. Qc4+ {[%CAl Gc4g4]} Kd8 23. Qxg4 $18) 20. Bd6+ {A Beautiful mating combination} Qxd6 21. Qxd6# {[%csl Gb7][%CAl Gg2b7]}) 17. Nxc8+ {[%CAl Gc8b6,Ga3f8]}) 16. Rac1 {All game white has been trying to prevent black from playing Bc6 to trade off his Catalan bishop, here is another prophylactic move to prevent Bc6, where Bc6 runs into nd6+} (16. Rad1 { The difference between Rad1 and Rac1 seems somewhat subtle, there are logical arguments for both, dominating d6 with Rad1 is the engine preference but both are completely winning.}) 16... Rd8 {Renewing Bc6 to attempt to solve some of his problems.} (16... Bc6 $4 17. Nd6+ $1 Bxd6 18. Qxd6 Qd8 {This position is hopeless.}) 17. Bc5 {Now it is white's turn to play Bc5, and finally prevent the pressure against f2, that originated with Qb6, freeing up the last piece to join the attack in the process.} Qa6 {Usually black would be content with a Queen trade in such a position, but here, it is trivially lost.} (17... Qb5 { Fails to nd6.} 18. Nd6+ Bxd6 19. Qxd6) 18. Qxa6 bxa6 19. Bxa7 {Somewhat unintuitive, but the tempo lost with Bxa7 is regained with Bc5.} O-O 20. Bc5 Rfe8 21. Rfd1 Bb5 22. Bf3 {Defending e2, but laying a little trap.} Rxd1+ 23. Rxd1 Nf6 $6 {nf6 falling into white's sneaky trap.} 24. Nxf6+ Bxf6 25. a4 $1 { Surprisingly the bishop is now trapped on a4.} Rc8 {The only move to prevent losing a whole piece, but losing an extremely valuable pawn instead.} 26. axb5 Rxc5 27. bxa6 {And now a simple conversion for white.} Ra5 28. Rd6 Kf8 29. b4 Ra1+ 30. Kg2 Be7 31. Rb6 f5 32. b5 Kf7 33. Rb7 {Black resigned} 1-0