[Event "2022 Dorset Closed - Open"] [Site "?"] [Date "2022.06.19"] [Round "1"] [White "Jenks, Bruce"] [Black "Maul, Philip"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A29"] [Annotator "peter"] [PlyCount "95"] [EventDate "2022.06.19"] [SourceVersionDate "2019.03.01"] 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 d5 {The Reverse Dragon is considered to be one of the soundest defences to the English.} 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Bg2 Nb6 {This is the point of Black's set up. In the real Dragon with colours reversed White would never play Nb3 in the equivalent position as it would allow Black to play a quick d5 with equality. But this way round, Black is happy with equality and will be satisfied if White forces thorugh d4 to allowing a few exchanges.} 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. O-O Be7 8. a3 a5 9. d4 exd4 10. Nb5 O-O 11. Nfxd4 Nxd4 12. Nxd4 c6 13. Qd3 Bf6 14. Rd1 Qe7 15. Qb3 Nd7 16. Be3 Ne5 {the position is about level.} 17. Rac1 {A slip that went unpunished} (17. h3 $11) 17... Rd8 (17... Ng4 { Creates trouble for White} 18. Bf4 (18. Rd3 a4 $17) 18... g5 $1 {exploiting the fact that the bishop does not have a good square} 19. h3 (19. Be3 Nxe3 20. Qxe3 Qxe3 21. fxe3 {is good for Black, though chucking in 19...a4 first is probably even stronger}) 19... gxf4 20. hxg4 {is messy but favours Black e.g.} Rd8 21. Nf5 Bxf5 22. gxf5 Qxe2 $17) 18. h3 $11 {Bruce does not give Philip a second chance} Ng6 19. Qc2 Bxd4 $6 {This looks wrong. The white knight looks pretty on d4 but us not actually doing very much. On an open board like this bishops have good long term prospects and it seems odd to part with one unless there is a concrete reason to do so. Furthermore is gives the White bishop on e3 easy access to c5 and b6.} (19... a4 $11) 20. Bxd4 Be6 21. Qc3 f6 22. Bb6 Rxd1+ 23. Rxd1 a4 24. f4 Bb3 25. Re1 Qd7 26. Qd4 (26. e4 {keeping the queens on is another good option, but Bruce prefers the slight but stable advantage he gets in the endgame.}) 26... Qxd4+ 27. Bxd4 Rd8 28. Bc3 Rd1 29. Rxd1 Bxd1 { The two bishops and the potential for attacking the black squares on both sides of the board leaves White with a nice advantage.} 30. Kf2 Ne7 31. e4 Kf7 32. Ke3 Ke6 33. Kd4 b6 34. Bf1 Bb3 35. Bd3 Nc8 {This takes the knight one move further away from e5 which allows White to push forward with f5 followed by e5} (35... Kd6 {is looks natural but is strongly met by} 36. Ke3 Ke6 (36... c5 { walks into a discovered attack} 37. e5+ Ke6 38. exf6 gxf6 39. Bxh7) 37. f5+ Kd6 38. Kf4 Kd7 39. g4 {intending g5 or e5, with very strong pressure and possibly already a winning position.}) (35... c5+ {is a reasonable option, taking a bit of space, and freeing c6 for the knight.} 36. Ke3 Nc6 37. Bb5 Kd6) 36. f5+ Kd6 37. Bd2 (37. Ke3 {is a more accurate way of forcing through e5 or playing for g4 and g5.}) 37... c5+ 38. Kc3 Na7 {Natural, heading for e5} (38... Kc6 $1 39. Bf4 Nd6 40. e5 fxe5 41. Bxe5 Kd5 $1 42. Bxg7 Ne4+ 43. Bxe4+ Kxe4 {reaches a drawn opposite coloured bishop ending}) 39. Bf4+ Ke7 40. e5 Nc6 41. e6 { establishing a strong passed pawn} (41. exf6+ Kxf6 42. Bc7 Ne7 43. Bd8 $1 { appears to win} Kf7 (43... h6 44. Bc4 Bd1 45. g4) (43... h5 44. Be2) 44. Bc4+ Bxc4 45. Kxc4 Nxf5 46. g4 Ne3+ 47. Kb5 Nd1 48. Bxb6 Nxb2 49. Bxc5 $18) 41... Nd4 42. g4 h6 (42... Bd5) 43. Be3 (43. Bc7 {looks natural, forcing the black pawns forward to expose the dark squares.}) 43... Nc6 44. Bc4 Na5 $2 {Finally the pressure tells, and this mistake allows White to quickly wrap up the game} (44... Bd1 {allows Black to keep fighting. White, although clearly better, still has to find a way to penetrate the Black position.}) 45. Bxb3 axb3 (45... Nxb3 46. Kc4 {etc}) 46. Bf4 Kd8 47. Bd6 Ke8 (47... Kc8 48. Bf8) 48. Bc7 1-0