[Event "Manchester League"] [Site "?"] [Date "2015.12.16"] [Round "?"] [White "Mazek, M."] [Black "Bentley, J."] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B38"] [Annotator "Phil Adams"] [PlyCount "112"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] [EventType "simul"] [EventRounds "3"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2021.01.20"] [SourceQuality "1"] {[%evp 0,112,29,35,41,54,40,12,22,15,69,23,34,32,25,20,23,30,30,30,31,27,51,42, 32,14,29,18,25,26,33,10,26,18,40,13,29,9,27,44,40,26,20,15,15,34,6,-16,-9,-9,0, 0,0,-28,0,0,0,0,16,-11,-11,-52,-31,-84,-99,-102,-62,-111,-126,-109,-116,-115, -109,-150,-158,-176,-157,-179,-179,-196,-206,-279,-281,-319,-352,-348,-381, -381,-392,-400,-383,-511,-408,-411,-431,-431,-431,-431,-466,-467,-450,-527, -605,-604,-605,-817,-757,-29989,-29990,-29991,-29992,-29995,-29996,-29997,-998] } {One of John's favourite games especially beraing in mind the opponent} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. c4 Bg7 6. Be3 d6 7. Nc3 Nf6 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O Bd7 10. h3 $6 Nxd4 11. Bxd4 Bc6 12. Bf3 (12. f3 {would be normal, but is undesirable after playing h3.}) 12... Nd7 13. Bxg7 {In Maroczy positions the exchange of the dark-squared bishops is normally in Black's favour, leaving White weak on the datrk squares and with a basd light-squared bishops. The only (fairly rare) exception is if the position offers White serious attacking chances against the black king.} Kxg7 14. b3 a5 {A normal move for Black in such positions, securing the c5-square for the black knight.} 15. g3 Nc5 16. Bg2 e5 {A surprising move if you are not familiar with such positions. Following the exchange of the dark-squared bishops, Black is able to reduce his space disadvantage in the centre without making any of his pieces bad. The weakness of the backward d6-pawn is not a serious problem, while his bishop stands ready to exchange off the white knight if it advances to d5, leaving Black with a favourable knight vs. bad bishop scenario.} 17. f4 f6 18. f5 g5 19. Kh2 Qb6 20. Rb1 Qb4 21. Nd5 Bxd5 22. Qxd5 a4 $1 {Black plays for the initiative, although defending the d-pawn is also playable.} (22... Ra6) 23. bxa4 ({After} 23. Qxd6 {Black gains dangerous play on the a-file.} axb3 24. axb3 Ra6 (24... Ra2 25. Rbd1 Rf7 $15) 25. Qe7+ Rf7 26. Qe8 Ra2 27. Ra1 Qxb3 28. Rxa2 Qxa2) 23... Qxa4 24. Qxd6 Qc6 $1 25. Qxc6 (25. Qd2 {is equal according to the computer, but in a game between humans Black's prospects are much better due to the good knights vs. bad bishop imbalance.}) 25... bxc6 26. Rb6 Rfc8 ( 26... Rxa2 27. Rxc6 Nxe4 {is also a bit better for Black, but there is no need to improve the scope of the white bishop.}) 27. Rf2 ({Maybe a better option was to seek activity with e.g.} 27. Rd1 $1 Rxa2 28. Rd6 {John thought this was White's best chance, e.g.} Ra6 (28... Nxe4 29. Rd7+ $11) (28... h5 29. Rbxc6 Rxc6 30. Rxc6 Nb3 (30... Nxe4 31. Rc7+ Kf8 32. c5 Rc2 33. c6 Nd6 34. g4 (34. Rd7 Nxf5 35. c7 Ne7 36. Kg1 Ke8 37. Rd8+ Kf7 38. Bd5+ Nxd5 39. c8=Q Rxc8 40. Rxc8 {which should probably be drawn.})) 31. Rc7+ Kf8 (31... Kh6 32. Rf7) 32. c5 Nd4 33. Kh1 Rc2 34. c6 $11) 29. Rxa6 Nxa6 30. Rd7+ Kg8 31. Rd6 {when Black appears to have nothing better than a repetition:} Kg7 32. Rd7+ {etc.}) 27... Ra4 28. Rc2 Kf7 29. g4 Ke7 30. Kg3 Kd7 31. Bf3 Kc7 32. Rb1 Rd8 33. Rd1 $2 Nxe4+ (33... Rxd1 34. Bxd1 Ra3+ 35. Kh2 Nxe4 $17) 34. Kg2 Rxd1 35. Bxd1 Ra3 $1 36. Bf3 Nc3 $1 37. Be2 Kd6 $1 38. Kf2 e4 (38... Kc5 $19) 39. c5+ $6 Kxc5 40. Ke3 Kd5 41. Rd2+ Ke5 42. Rd7 Nd5+ $1 (42... Nxe2+ 43. Kxe2 Rxa2+ {is also better for Black, but instead Black keeps the favourable minor piece imbalance on the board.}) 43. Kf2 Rxa2 (43... Rxh3 {is also good.}) 44. Kf1 (44. Rxh7 $4 Nc3 $19 ) 44... Kf4 $1 45. Rxh7 Ke3 (45... Nc3 $142 $19) (45... Kg3 $142 $19) 46. Bc4 Ra1+ 47. Kg2 Nf4+ 48. Kh2 Rc1 49. Bb3 Rb1 (49... Kf2 $19) (49... Kf3 $19) ( 49... Rc3 $19) 50. Ba4 Rb2+ 51. Kg1 (51. Kg3 Rg2#) 51... Ne2+ 52. Kh1 Nd4 { Threatening ...Nf3 and the Arabian mate with ...Rh2.} 53. h4 Nf3 54. hxg5 Rb1+ 55. Kg2 Rg1+ $1 56. Kh3 Nxg5+ $1 ({White probably resigned because he loses his rook after} 56... Nxg5+ 57. Kh2 Nf3+ 58. Kh3 Rh1+ {but Black also has the option of a quicker win with Kf4 or Kf2, with a quick mate. A very smooth win by John, who has a good understanding of the typical plans and strategems in the Maroczy structure.}) 0-1