[Event "Bournemouth B vs Ringwood B"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2022.11.29"] [Round "?"] [White "Miles, Daniel"] [Black "Day, Malcolm"] [Result "*"] [ECO "C54"] [WhiteElo "1733"] [BlackElo "1640"] [Annotator "peter"] [PlyCount "66"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] [SourceVersionDate "2019.03.01"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. O-O d6 5. c3 Nf6 6. d3 O-O 7. a4 a6 8. b4 Ba7 9. h3 Bd7 10. a5 Ne7 11. Re1 Ng6 12. Nbd2 Qc8 13. Nf1 h6 14. Be3 Bxe3 15. Nxe3 Nf4 {So far all standard Italian Game stuff. White should now take time to make sure his king is safe.} 16. Nd5 (16. d4 {is a good option, allowing the bishop on c4 back to f1, which pretty much defuses the threat of sacs on h3.}) 16... N6xd5 17. Bxd5 Bxh3 $1 {[#]} 18. Bxb7 (18. gxh3 Qxh3 {threatening Qg2 mate} 19. Nh4 Qxh4 20. Qf3 c6 {defends against the mate but leaves White two pawns down for no compensation.}) (18. g3 Nxd5 19. exd5 Bg4 {leaves Black a pawn up and in control, wioth f5 followed by f4 being a big threat.}) 18... Qg4 {Tempting but White can now defend OK} (18... Qxb7 19. gxh3 Qc8 {After the capture on h3 Black will be a pawn up and will have a continuing attack. This should be winning.}) 19. g3 {forced but good} Rab8 (19... Ra7 {Keeping the a-pawn is correct.}) 20. Bc6 (20. Bxa6 {There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with grabbing the pawn, leaving himself with a very strong passed a-pawn for the endgame.}) 20... Bg2 (20... Qh5 {is about level} 21. Nh2 (21. Nh4 Bg4 22. f3 Bc8 $11) 21... Qg6 $11) 21. Nh2 Qg6 22. Qg4 {with two good moves White has defended agians the attack and faces a pleasant future in the endgame} Qxg4 (22... Bh3 {is best} 23. Qxg6 Nxg6 24. Bd5 Be6 {leaves White slightly better}) 23. Nxg4 Bf3 24. Nxh6+ (24. Nh2 Nh3+ (24... Nxd3 25. Re3 $18) 25. Kf1 Bh5 26. b5 axb5 27. Reb1 {leaves Black with a very difficult endgame because of the strenght of the a-pawn and White's control of a8.}) 24... gxh6 25. gxf4 exf4 { [#] Material is level. White has a nice tidy pawn structure and can again create a strong passed a-pawn. However, Malcolm's last move, whilst weakening the his pawns, has created some active play for him based upon attacking the White king.} 26. b5 {Logical, but White should have attended to his king safety first.} (26. Kh2 Kh7 27. Rg1 {Makes White's king safe and leaves him in the driving seat. Now if} Rg8 $2 28. Rxg8 Rxg8 29. Rg1 Rxg1 30. Kxg1 {leaves Black powerless against b5 and if axb5 then a3 etc}) 26... Kh7 27. Kh2 Rg8 28. Rg1 Rg5 $1 {By getting to the g-gile first, Black has this key move up his sleeve. Now because of the threat of Rh5 mate, White has no choice.} 29. Rxg5 hxg5 {[#] Now Black's idea is simple: Kg6, Rh8+ and Rh1 mate.} 30. bxa6 $2 { The pawn never makes it the queening square.} (30. Rg1 {is the only defence and should lead to a draw.} Kg6 31. Rg2 $1 axb5 (31... Rh8+ 32. Kg1) (31... Bxg2 32. Kxg2 axb5 33. a6 g4 34. a7 Rh8 35. a8=Q Rxa8 36. Bxa8 c5 {is similar to the 32...axb5 line and may also be drawn}) 32. a6 g4 33. a7 Rh8+ 34. Kg1 Bxg2 35. Kxg2 f3+ 36. Kg1 (36. Kg3 $2 Kg5 37. a8=Q Rh3#) 36... Kg5 37. d4 (37. a8=Q Rxa8 38. Bxa8 c5 $11 {forced, otherwise Wihte plays Bc3 and wins the b5 pawn.} 39. d4 (39. Kf1 Kf4 40. Ke1 g3 41. fxg3+ Kxg3 $11) 39... cxd4 40. cxd4 b4 41. Bd5 f6 42. Bb3 Kf4 43. Bd5 g3 44. fxg3+ (44. Bb3 gxf2+ 45. Kxf2 Kxe4 46. d5 Kd3 47. Kxf3 Kc3 48. Ba2 b3 49. Bb1 $11) 44... Kxg3 45. Kf1 f2 46. Bb3 Kf4 $11) 37... f6 38. d5 Kf4 39. a8=Q Rxa8 40. Bxa8 Kxe4 41. Kh2 b4 (41... Kf4 { also draws by the same means}) 42. cxb4 Kf4 43. Bc6 Kg5 44. Kg3 f5 45. Bd7 f4+ 46. Kh2 Kh4 $11 {This is drawn as the white king can not leave the kingside (if it does then g3 wins for Black). Black just moves his king back and forth between h4 and g5.}) 30... Kg6 31. Bd7 Rh8+ 32. Bh3 g4 33. Rg1 Rxh3# *