[Event "Bedfordshire League Match"] [Site "Luton"] [Date "2024.03.19"] [Round "?"] [White "Patel, Daven"] [Black "Long, Elliot"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D02"] [WhiteElo "1444"] [BlackElo "1478"] [Annotator "Notes by Daven Patel"] [PlyCount "47"] [EventType "team-match"] [SourceVersionDate "2024.02.13"] [WhiteTeam "Luton B"] [BlackTeam "Open University"] 1. d4 d5 ({I had a look at Elliot's games online to see how he responds to 1.d4. There wasn't much I could find, but he has played The England Gambit} 1... e5 2. dxe5 Nc6 3. Nf3 Qe7 {with the idea of} 4. Bg5 Qb4+ {which is generally better for White.}) 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bf4 {I normally play Bb2 but haven't had much luck. I'm comfortable with a London system.} Bf5 {Mirroring my London which I was expecting.} 4. c4 e6 5. c5 a5 {I think is a mistake, because it doesn't do much for his position.} ({I thought he might try} 5... b6 {attacking the c6 pawn to get his dark squared Bishop out.}) (5... Be7 {Stockfish gives this as the strongest move, getting ready to castle.}) 6. Nc3 b6 {This opens the diagonal to his King.} 7. e3 {Sacrificing a Pawn to get the Bishop as well as the Queen on the a4-e8 diagonal.} bxc5 8. Bb5+ c6 {I missed that the pawn can block the check.} 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 {I don't mind trading off the light squared Bishops because I have a potential attack and he hasn't castled.} cxd4 11. exd4 ({I didn't want to play} 11. Nxd4 {because after} Qe7 {he can push} 12. Z0 e5) 11... Bb4 12. O-O Bxc3 13. bxc3 {connecting the centre Pawns and now the b-file is open.} O-O 14. Rab1 Na6 {This doesn't do much for Black, as the b4 and c5 squares are covered.} 15. Ne5 c5 (15... Rb8) 16. Bg5 c4 ({I was planning} 16... Z0 17. Bxf6 gxf6 18. Qg3+) 17. Qd2 $2 {This was a mistake.} ({I should have played} 17. Qe3 {maintaining cover of the Bishop on g5.}) 17... Nb8 {He's trying to re-route his Knight.} 18. Rfe1 {Planning a rook lift.} Nbd7 19. Nxd7 Qxd7 20. Bxf6 gxf6 {Black's King is now wide open. Now I'm thinkin there is mate.} 21. Qh6 Rab8 22. Rbc1 {To avoid any back rank mates.} ({I can't trade the Rooks and then go for the Rook lift because of following back rank mate.} 22. Rxb8 Rxb8 23. Re3 Rb1+) 22... Qe7 23. Re3 {Once I was able to lift my Rook, I thought I had a mate in two. But Stockfish says it's mate in 6 if Black sacrifices everything.} Kh8 24. Rh3 {After this move, it's mate in two and he resigned.} 1-0