[Event "?"] [Site "?"] [Date "2025.10.18"] [Round "2"] [White "Stokes-Carter, Dennis"] [Black "Clancy, Martin"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B55"] [Annotator "Lc0 v0.31.2 (10m)"] [PlyCount "68"] [EventDate "2025.??.??"] {[%mdl 8192][%evp 0,68,22,26,23,-46,21,27,25,17,20,18,0,-8,-33,-52,-16,-9,-7,-69,-90,-69,-87,-106,-91,-137,-137,-129,-135,-153,-136,-156,-103,-232,-192,-195,-239,-299,-293,-386,-270,-450,-245,-301,-376,-378,-229,-145,-132,-401,-425,-439,-361,-757,-734,-700,-622,-992,-1498,-1524,-1711,-1603,-1189,-29995,-29986,-29995,-29996,-29997,-29998,-29999,-29999] B55: Sicilian: 2...d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 f3} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. f3 e5 6. Nb5 a6 {last book move} 7. N5a3 (7. N5c3 Be6 $11) 7... b5 ({Black is usually trying to play pawn to d5 in most Sicilian lines. This position is no exception. The correct plan here is} 7... d5 $5 8. exd5 Nxd5 $15 {White played Na3 to try to establish a Maroczy Bind with pawns on e4 and c4 clamping down on the d5 push by black. The move I played is not the most effective way to to prevent that but potentially offers a more tactical approach.}) 8. c4 $11 b4 (8... Be6 $142 $11 {is objectively better and back to the d5 theme. The problem for black is white can still play Nc2 and establish his bind.}) 9. Qa4+ $4 {The engine doesn't like this I imagine because Nc2 is a good bit better. On a human level, White certainly has to look at it and decide if the material he gains is worth the delay in development.The game show it probably isn't but it does lead to a fun and an interesting game.} Bd7 $17 10. Qxb4 d5 {Achieving the aim at the cost of a pawn.} 11. Qc3 Nc6 (11... d4 {is another approach. I went for Nc6 because it focused on the developmental lead, preserved the e pawn and contained a threat of Bb4. White has to waste more time preventing Bb4.}) 12. Bd2 $2 ({A better way to prevent Bb4 is} 12. Nc2 $142 dxe4 13. Bg5 exf3 14. gxf3 $17) 12... dxe4 $19 13. Nc2 exf3 {I took the pawn because developing moves like Bc5 didn't cut the mustard. As played, white has a vulnerable king and is still behind in development.} 14. Qxf3 Bc5 15. Nc3 O-O 16. Ne4 {It took me a long time to appreciate the benefit of swaping off your opponents most active piece.} Nxe4 17. Qxe4 Nd4 18. Ne3 (18. Nxd4 {is the best of a sad lot.} Bxd4 19. Bc3 $19) 18... Bc6 19. Qd3 f5 20. O-O-O Be4 21. Qc3 a5 $1 22. Nd5 Bb4 23. Qe3 Bxd5 24. Bxb4 axb4 25. Qxe5 Qg5+ 26. Rd2 Be4 (26... Nb3+ $142 $1 {is a lovely engine finish. I looked at the idea a couple of times in the game but couldn't find it.} 27. axb3 Be4 28. Kd1 Qe3 $1) 27. Qxd4 Rxa2 ({A better way to go is} 27... Rfd8 $142 28. h4 Qh6 $19) 28. Kd1 Ra1+ 29. Ke2 Qg4+ ({Stronger still is} 29... Re8) 30. Ke3 $19 Re8 31. Rg1 Qg5+ {Dennis saw what was coming but was kind enough to let me play it out.} 32. Kf2 Qf4+ 33. Ke2 Bc2+ 34. Qe3 Rxe3# {I found a lot and i missed a lot. Dennis made it hard by defending what turned into a very difficult position stoicly and well. All in all a fun game.} 0-1