[Event "WDCL Div 1"] [Site "?"] [Date "2019.11.27"] [Round "?"] [White "Owens, Robert"] [Black "Maudsley, Keith"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E72"] [Annotator "Damian"] [PlyCount "74"] [WhiteTeam "Atherton"] [BlackTeam "Culcheth B"] 1. c4 Nf6 2. d4 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. Nc3 d6 6. e4 Nbd7 7. Nge2 e5 8. d5 Nh5 9. O-O f5 10. exf5 gxf5 11. f4 exf4 {I wanted to keep the position open. 11...e4 is also fine} 12. Nxf4 Nxf4 13. Bxf4 Ne5 14. Qb3 b6 {As well as defending b7, giving white the possibility of Ba6 to think about} 15. Ne2 Qf6 16. Nd4 Kh8 {Dealing with white's Ne6 possibilities} 17. Rfd1 Ng6 18. Be3 f4 19. Rf1 Qe5 20. Bf2 fxg3 21. Be3 ({or} 21. hxg3 Rxf2 {Picking up the knight on d4, Qxg3 is much the same}) 21... gxh2+ 22. Kh1 Bg4 23. Qd3 Rae8 24. Rxf8+ Rxf8 25. Re1 Qg3 26. Qd2 Nh4 27. Be4 {How best to finish the game? After my 27th move I had about 15 minutes on my clock and my opponent had about 5. I didn't want to spend 10 minutes on what didn't immediately seem a forced win with 27.. Nf3 and be left with not much time for a winning but much longer endgame So I played:} Re8 {I reckoned the pin on the e file, coupled with the threat of Bf3+, should be enough} ({How best now to finish the game ?} 27... Nf3 { looks right, but after} 28. Nxf3 Bxf3+ ({A better try is} 28... Rxf3 {where white can try either} 29. Bd4 ({White can also try} 29. Bg5 {and white is still alive after} Rf2 30. Qd3) 29... Bxd4 30. Qxd4+ Kg8 31. Bxh7+ Kf7 ({not} 31... Kxh7 32. Re7+)) 29. Bxf3 Qxf3+ {white doesn't have to oblige with} 30. Kxh2 ({but can just play} 30. Qg2 {of course black is winning, but there is no quick kill.}) 30... Be5+ 31. Kg1 Rg8+) 28. Bf2 Qh3 29. Bxh4 Qxh4 {Now White is almost in Zugzwang} 30. Nc2 ({Blocking the file with} 30. Ne6 {doesn't help as} Bxe6 31. dxe6 Rxe6 32. Qe2 ({or} 32. Qe3 c6 {with d5 to follow}) 32... c6 { again d5 will be coming next}) ({If white does nothing, i.e} 30. b3 {Black continues with} Qg3 {with the threat of Rxe4 and Qg1 mate}) 30... Rxe4 31. Rf1 (31. Rxe4 Bf3+) 31... Re2 32. Qf4 Qh3 33. Ne3 Rxe3 34. Qf7 Bf3+ 35. Rxf3 Re1+ 36. Rf1 Rxf1+ 37. Qxf1 Qxf1+ {and white resigned} 0-1