[Event "4NCL: Wessex 1 v Oxford"] [Site "?"] [Date "2006.01.14"] [Round "5"] [White "Savage, Ben"] [Black "Simons, Martin"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A45"] [WhiteElo "2310"] [BlackElo "2293"] [Annotator "Martin"] [PlyCount "46"] [EventDate "2006.??.??"] {This game has been submitted mainly for its finish (especially as I am normally on the receiving end) and is possibly my favourite 4NCL game.  [Peter: If you have read Keith Gregory's bulletin on the the 4NCL you will know Martin has played a lot of 4NCL games!]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 Ne4 {I enjoy the Black side of the Tromp not because they are necessarily good for Black but they can lead to sharp unbalanced positions which suits the creative player and they can also lead to exciting sometimes wild positions.} 3. Bf4 c5 {This makes sense to exploit the early adventure of White's queen's bishop. Often Black can follow up with Qb6 putting pressure on White's b-pawn.} 4. f3 Qa5+ 5. c3 Nf6 {Black appears to have lost two tempi whilst White has lost only one. However, White's extra move is the slightly awkward f3.} 6. Nd2 cxd4 7. Nb3 Qb6 8. Qxd4 Nc6 9. Qxb6 axb6 10. Nd4 e5 {The game continues to be played in an unorthodox way.} 11. Nxc6 exf4 12. Nd4 {Both sides have weaknesses. White's weakness is the dark squares whereas Black's pawns are a shambles. So who stands better?} Nd5 13. g3 {White has to try and undermine the Black pawn on f4.} Ne3 14. gxf4 Bc5 {This sets up the threat of Bxd4 and Nc2+} 15. Kd2 Nxf1+ 16. Rxf1 Rxa2 17. Kc2 {An interesting middle game has arisen. Black has the 2 bishops but White has control of the centre and just look at Black's queenside pawns!} d5 18. e3 (18. e4 {looks more consistent but maybe my opponent did not want me to swap off my weak d-pawn.}) 18... Bxd4 $1 { relinquishing the 2 bishops for active play.} 19. cxd4 Bf5+ 20. Kc3 O-O 21. Ne2 Rc8+ 22. Kb3 {This seems to hold but White had clearly missed ...} Bc2+ $1 { White resigned. If} 23. Kxa2 Ra8# 0-1