[Event "Rated Classical game"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2023.02.07"] [Round "?"] [White "Povah, Nigel"] [Black "Lock, Gavin"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D00"] [WhiteElo "2297"] [BlackElo "2215"] [Annotator "peter"] [PlyCount "104"] [EventDate "2023.??.??"] [TimeControl "2700+15"] {I have to say I find this game very impressive. Gavin plays solidly in the opening, finds a good pawn sac to set practical problems, follows up with an excellent tactical shot and finally in a queen ending finds a very tidy way to wrap the game up.} 1. d4 d5 2. Bf4 Nf6 3. e3 e6 4. Nd2 Bd6 5. Bg3 O-O 6. Ngf3 c5 7. c3 Qc7 {A simple and solid set up for Black that has been played by Carlsen and Adams amongst others.} 8. dxc5 (8. Bxd6 Qxd6 9. Bd3 Nc6 10. O-O e5 11. dxe5 Nxe5 12. Nxe5 Qxe5 $11) 8... Qxc5 9. Bd3 Nbd7 10. e4 Bxg3 11. hxg3 dxe4 12. Nxe4 Nxe4 13. Bxe4 Nf6 14. Qe2 Rd8 15. Ne5 Nxe4 16. Qxe4 f5 {The motivation for this move is clear: to gain control of the long diagonal. Of course it leaves the e6 pawn backwards and the knight with a nice looking outpost on e5, so it is quite a committal decision.} (16... h6 {is a solid alternative}) 17. Qe2 b5 18. f4 {cementing e5 and threatening Qh5 but making it hard to castle and exposing g2.} (18. O-O Bb7 19. Rfe1 {leaves White with an edge.}) 18... h6 {This deals with the Qh5 threat} 19. Nf3 b4 20. c4 e5 $1 { Maybe this is not objectively stronger than some other moves but it seems that it sets the most practical problems for White, so in that regard is an excellent move.} (20... Bb7 21. Qxe6+ Kh8 22. Ne5 Qe3+ 23. Kf1 Bxg2+ 24. Kxg2 Qe2+ {leads to a perpetual}) 21. Nxe5 (21. fxe5 Bb7 22. b3 Re8 {looks quite pleasant for Black}) (21. Qxe5 Qxc4 {would have required strong nerves from White}) 21... Bb7 {At this point White has a number of plausible moves but the best just gives him equality. The one he chooses loses to a tactical shot.} 22. Rd1 {Quite natural but...} (22. b3 Rd4 23. Nd3 Qb6 24. O-O-O Rad8 25. Nf2 ( 25. Rhe1 Re4) 25... Bxg2 26. Rhe1 $15) (22. Qf2 Qxf2+ 23. Kxf2 Rd2+ 24. Ke3 Rxb2 $15 (24... Rxg2 $15)) (22. Qh5 {seems best} Rf8 (22... Qe3+ 23. Kf1 Rf8 24. Re1 Qxg3 25. Qh2 Qxh2 26. Rxh2 {may be a little better for White}) 23. O-O-O Bxg2 24. Rhe1 $11) 22... Bxg2 $1 $19 {Well spotted and well calculated.} 23. Qxg2 Qe3+ 24. Qe2 Rxd1+ (24... Qxg3+ {looks tempting but allows White to wriggle out}) 25. Kxd1 Rd8+ 26. Ke1 Qc1+ 27. Kf2 Qxh1 {Black emerges an exchange up. Gavin wraps the game up without any hiccups, repeating here and there to gain time on the clock.} 28. Nf3 Qb1 29. c5 Qxa2 30. c6 Qd5 31. Qc2 Rc8 32. Ne5 Qd4+ 33. Kf1 Qd5 34. Qa4 (34. Qxf5 Rf8 35. c7 (35. Qd7 Qxe5 36. c7 Qe8) 35... Rxf5 36. c8=Q+ Rf8 37. Qc7 g5 $19) (34. Kf2 {would have been a repitition which left Black with a choice of progess making moves e.g. 34...b3 or 34...a5}) 34... a5 35. Kg1 Qc5+ 36. Kg2 Qd5+ 37. Kg1 Kh7 38. Qc2 Qe4 39. Qd1 Rxc6 40. Nxc6 Qxc6 41. b3 Qc3 42. Kf2 a4 43. bxa4 b3 44. Ke2 b2 45. Qb1 Qc4+ { a very nice move to finish to the game off since it forces the exchange of queens leaving a won pawn ending.} 46. Kd2 (46. Kf2 Qd4+ 47. Kf1 Qe4 48. Qxb2 Qh1+ 49. Ke2 Qh2+) 46... Qd4+ 47. Kc2 Qxa4+ 48. Kxb2 (48. Kd2 Qb4+ 49. Kd1 Qd4+ {followed by Qe4+}) 48... Qb4+ 49. Kc2 Qxb1+ 50. Kxb1 Kg6 51. Kc2 Kh5 52. Kd2 Kg4 0-1