[Event "WDCL Div 1"] [Site "?"] [Date "2022.10.19"] [Round "?"] [White "Smith, Jonathan"] [Black "Vout, Tom"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A07"] [Annotator "McCarthy,Damian"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "r2qkb1r/pp1npppp/2p2n2/3p1b2/8/2PP1NP1/PP2PPBP/RNBQ1RK1 b kq - 0 6"] [PlyCount "68"] [WhiteTeam "Culcheth A"] [BlackTeam "Culcheth B"] {[%evp 0,68,-53,-22,-58,-40,-30,-20,-75,-44,-53,-47,-12,3,-16,48,41,45,56,71, 79,80,48,37,-4,-27,-13,56,33,26,38,39,21,26,26,53,51,81,62,132,62,102,41,230, 212,522,150,173,172,263,268,284,156,215,215,319,284,404,415,397,390,390,409, 423,420,591,544,711,1225,1276,851] [#]} {We join the game as Tom has just begun an attempt at central expansion with 6...,e5} 6... e5 7. Qc2 h6 ({ Tom was probably correct to refrain from expanding further} 7... e4 8. Nh4 Be6 9. dxe4 Nxe4 10. Bxe4 dxe4 11. Qxe4 {I doubt Jonathan would want to give up the importent bishop in exchange for the central pawn.}) 8. Nbd2 Be7 9. Nh4 Bh7 10. e4 dxe4 11. dxe4 O-O 12. Nf5 Bc5 13. b4 Bb6 14. Nc4 {The d6 square is a weakness, how important this will become remains to be seen} a6 15. Rd1 Qc7 16. Nxb6 {Black's dark squares may now become even weaker after this exchange} Nxb6 17. Qe2 Rad8 18. Be3 Rd7 19. Rxd7 Nbxd7 20. c4 Re8 21. a4 c5 22. b5 a5 23. Rd1 Nb6 24. Qc2 Nfd7 25. Qd2 {Black now cannot defend the a5 pawn without making a very passive move, therefore Tom decides to let it go.} Nf8 26. Qxa5 ({ Stockfish 15 thinks there is an even bigger advantage after} 26. Qd6 Qxd6 27. Nxd6 Rd8 {but here you have to see the calm} 28. Rd2 $1 {Jonathan's move simply winning the a5 pawn outright is also good for an advantage}) 26... Ne6 ( 26... Bxf5 {Is given as Black's only chance to stay in contention here} 27. exf5 Ra8 28. Qc3 Rxa4 $16 {regaining the pawn for now, but Black will still face the new problem of 2 knights v 2 bishops, with the bishops seemingly better placed.}) 27. Rd6 {The d6 square which was highlighted earlier has finally been invaded, to devastating effect!} Nxc4 28. Qxc7 Nxc7 29. Rd7 Nxe3 30. Nxe3 Ne6 31. Nc4 {Jonathan prefers to bring his Knight over to support the queenside pawns advance rather then immediately grabbing the b7 pawn} Ra8 32. a5 Ng5 33. f3 f5 34. h4 Nf7 35. Rxb7 {The 2 connected passers cannot be stopped } fxe4 36. fxe4 Kf8 37. a6 Nd8 38. Nb6 Nxb7 39. Nxa8 Nd8 40. Nb6 {Black resigns } 1-0