[Event "Western Counties Champ"] [Site "lichess"] [Date "2021.01.10"] [Round "?"] [White "Pleasants, Allan"] [Black "Stewart, Joey"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A12"] [WhiteElo "2069"] [BlackElo "2245"] [Annotator "peter"] [PlyCount "113"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [SourceVersionDate "2019.03.01"] [TimeControl "3600+15"] 1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 c6 3. e3 Nf6 4. b3 Bg4 5. Bb2 e6 6. Be2 Nbd7 7. O-O Bd6 8. d4 O-O 9. h3 Bh5 10. Nc3 Rc8 11. Rc1 Bb8 12. Nd2 Bxe2 13. Qxe2 dxc4 14. bxc4 e5 15. Rfd1 exd4 16. exd4 Re8 17. Qf3 Qb6 18. Rb1 c5 19. Nde4 $6 {this leads to an endgame where Black is a pawn up but White has some compensation in terms of the better pawn structure} (19. d5) 19... cxd4 20. Nxf6+ Qxf6 21. Qxf6 Nxf6 22. Nd5 Rxc4 (22... Nxd5 23. cxd5 b6 24. Bxd4 {is only fractionally better for Black}) 23. Nxf6+ gxf6 24. Bxd4 (24. Rxd4 Rxd4 25. Bxd4 Kg7 26. g3 b6 $15) 24... b6 (24... Kg7 $17 25. Rxb7 $2 Rxd4 $19 {because of the back rank mate}) 25. Bxf6 $11 {The scene is set in a level but rather fiddly endgame} Rc6 26. Bd4 Be5 27. Be3 Rc2 28. a4 Ra2 29. Rb4 Re6 30. Rg4+ Rg6 31. Re4 Rd6 32. Rc1 Rd5 $2 (32... Rc2 {we will see this trick again later in the game} 33. Rxe5 (33. Rxc2 Rd1#) 33... Rxc1+ 34. Bxc1 Rd1+ 35. Kh2 Rxc1 $11) (32... Ra1 33. Rxa1 Bxa1 $14) 33. Bh6 {missing a chance} (33. Rc8+ Kg7 34. Rxe5 Rxe5 35. Bd4 f6 (35... Kf6 36. f4) 36. Rc7+ Kg6 37. Bxe5 fxe5 38. Rxa7 {should give pretty good winning chances}) 33... f5 34. Rec4 Rd4 35. Rc8+ Kf7 36. Rf8+ Kg6 37. Be3 Rd6 ( 37... Rc2 {was a cunning trick that forces the white rook from the c-file and allows the a-pawn to be taken but with accurate play White is still fine} 38. Re1 (38. Bxd4 $4 Rxc1#) (38. Rxc2 $4 Rd1#) (38. Ra1 $2 Re4 39. Re1 (39. Rb1 f4) 39... f4 40. Bd2 Rxe1+ 41. Bxe1 Rc1 42. Kf1 Bc3 43. Re8 {will reach a won king and pawn ending}) 38... Rxa4 {Black has won the a-pawn and now White will need to play very accurately to hold the balance} 39. g4 $1 {to give the king a luft } fxg4 40. Bxb6 axb6 41. Rxe5 gxh3 42. Re6+ Kg7 43. Rb8 $11) (37... Rdxa4 $4 { the pawn cannot be grabbed directly} 38. Rc6+ Kh5 39. Rh6#) 38. g4 fxg4 39. hxg4 Rxa4 40. f4 Bd4 41. Bxd4 Raxd4 42. Rc7 Rd7 43. Rc6+ R4d6 44. Rcc8 Rf6 45. Rg8+ Rg7 46. f5+ Kh6 47. Kg2 {Allan has played the last few moves extremely well and despite being a pawn down is the one creating difficulties} Rxg8 $2 { This should lose} (47... Rff7 $11) (47... Rd6 $11) 48. Rxg8 Rd6 49. Kg3 $11 ( 49. f6 $1 {was the winning move} Rxf6 (49... a5 50. f7 Rf6 51. f8=Q+) (49... Rd2+ 50. Kg3 Rd3+ 51. Kh4 Rd7 52. g5#) (49... Rd7 50. Kg3 a5 51. Kh4 Rd4 (51... a4 52. g5#) 52. f7 {etc}) 50. g5+ Kh5 51. gxf6) 49... Rd1 50. Kf4 Rf1+ 51. Ke5 a5 52. f6 a4 53. Ke6 Re1+ 54. Kf5 Rf1+ 55. Ke6 Re1+ 56. Kf5 Rf1+ 57. Ke6 1/2-1/2