[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2023.12.04"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Ursell, Adam"]
[Black "Ornesher, Richard"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "C89"]
[WhiteElo "1966"]
[BlackElo "1788"]
[Annotator "peter"]
[PlyCount "142"]
[EventDate "2023.??.??"]
[SourceVersionDate "2019.03.01"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3
d5 {The Marshall Gambit. Black gets a lot of compensation for his pawn. GMs
regard this as analysed to death and basically drawn but at club level either
side can win.} 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Rxe5 c6 12. d4 Bd6 13. Re1 Qh4
14. g3 Qh3 15. Qf3 Bg4 16. Qg2 Qh5 17. Be3 Rae8 (17... Bf3 {is another option})
18. Nd2 Re6 19. Bd1 Rfe8 {A good move, though there are alternatives} (19...
Nxe3 {this regains the pawn} 20. fxe3 Bxd1 21. Raxd1 Rxe3 22. Rxe3 Qxd1+ 23.
Nf1) (19... f5 {this is also logical, with the idea of playing f4} 20. Bxg4
Qxg4 21. f3 Qh5) 20. Bxg4 Qxg4 21. f3 Nxe3 $2 {This is not a good swap for
Black. The knight is on an excellent square, whereas the bishop is passive. In
particular Black can be thinking of f5 followed by f4, which makes much less
sense after this swap. Would be OK if there is a concrete tactic to justify it.
} (21... Qg6 {is strongest} 22. Ne4 (22. Bf2 Qc2 23. Ne4 Bf8 $17) 22... Nxe3 {
now this does make sense because there is a concrete follow up} 23. Rxe3 f5 24.
Nxd6 Rxe3 25. Nxe8 Qxe8 26. Kf1 Qe6 {White is tied down. Black is at least =})
22. Rxe3 (22. fxg4 $2 Nxg2 23. Rxe6 Rxe6 24. Kxg2 Re2+) 22... Qg5 23. Rxe6 Rxe6
24. Qf2 Qe7 25. Kf1 {Black does not really have much, if anything, for his
pawn here. In particular the absence of the light square bishop makes it hard
to control the light squares on the queenside (c4 and b3 in particular).} Qd7 (
25... c5 $5 {probably a bad idea but worth looking at to see if Black can
reach an endgame a pawn down with the minor pieces off - it might be holdable.}
) 26. a4 (26. Re1 {Looks natural and is probably strongest.}) 26... b4 $16 {
A combative move that in the game leads to an unbalanced position} (26... bxa4
{Strongest according to the engines but you have to see quite along way to
appreciate why it is good} 27. Rxa4 (27. Ne4 Be7 28. Qc2 Qd5 29. Qxa4 Qh5 30.
Kg2 Rxe4 31. fxe4 Qe2+ $11) 27... c5 28. Ra5 (28. Rxa6 $2 Qb5+) 28... Be7 29.
Ne4 Qd8 30. Ra1 f5 31. Nd2 (31. Nxc5 Bxc5 32. dxc5 Qd3+ 33. Kg1 Re2 $11) 31...
Bf6 $11) (26... h5 $16 {A logical move with the idea of softening up White's
kingside}) 27. Ne4 Be7 28. Qd2 {This feels wrong. White should be trying to
control the light squares.} (28. Qc2 {Is a big improvement over 28.Qd2}) (28.
c4 {This keeps the position tidy but leaves the pawn on d4 as a target. White
has a clear plan: Rd1, Nd2 Nb3, d5. White is clearly better but Black may be
able to hang on.}) 28... Qd5 {Good move. Now Black has some real compensation
for his pawn.} 29. Qf4 f5 30. Nd2 bxc3 31. bxc3 Bd6 32. Qh4 Qa5 (32... Be7 {
Would have been a way to force a draw but what Richard played is more
challenging.} 33. Qf4 (33. Qh5 g6 34. Qh6 Qd8 $17 (34... Bf8 $11)) 33... Bd6)
33. Rb1 $2 {Looks active but does not do much and lets the critical c3 pawn
drop} (33. Rc1 $11 {Hanging onto the crtical c3 pawn.}) (33. Re1 $11 {Logical
- removing a dangerous black rook before letting the c3 pawn drop.}) 33... Qxc3
$19 34. Qd8+ Kf7 35. Qg5 (35. Rb7+ Be7 36. Nb3 Qxf3+) 35... Qd3+ 36. Kg1 Qxd4+
(36... Re2 {It is hard to see how White can defend at all after this} 37. Rb7+
(37. Rd1 Qc2) 37... Be7 38. Nf1 (38. Kh1 Qc2 39. Nf1 Re1 40. Kg1 Qd3) 38...
Qxf3) 37. Kh1 g6 38. Qh6 Qh8 (38... Qg7 {Was an alternative and the resulting
endgames look promising.} 39. Qxg7+ (39. Rb7+ Re7 40. Rxe7+ Bxe7 41. Qf4 (41.
Qe3 Qb2) 41... Qc3) (39. Qg5 Be7) 39... Kxg7 40. Nc4 (40. Rb6 $2 Re1+ 41. Kg2
Re2+) 40... Bc5 41. f4 $17) (38... Kg8 {Perhaps a nerve wracking move for a
human to make as the back rank would be problematic if White could only get a
rook there. However, it is fine and leaves Black with powerful threats to the
White king} 39. Rb7 {to remove the dangerous black rook} Re7 40. Rxe7 Bxe7 $19
{Black has a simple plan of playing c5, c4 ,c3 etc}) 39. Nc4 Be7 40. Qd2 {
It is hard to see the point of this move} (40. g4 $5 {A way to try to mix
things up that requires Black to be accurate to maintain much of an advantage}
fxg4 41. fxg4 c5 42. Rf1+ Kg8 $1 43. Qf4 Rf6 44. Qb8+ Bf8 {Black is clearly
better.}) (40. f4 $15 {This should be good enough for White to hold on. White
has Be5 and Rb7 in mind e.g.} Bf6 (40... Bd6 41. Rb7+ Kg8 42. Ne5 Re7 43. Rxe7
Bxe7 44. Qh3 Bd6 45. Qf1 Bxe5 46. fxe5 Qxe5 47. Qxa6 $11) 41. Ne5+ $1 Bxe5 42.
fxe5 Rxe5 43. Qh4 $11 {with the threat of Rb7+. A perpetual is likely from
here.}) 40... Qd8 41. Qh6 Kg8 {The last two moves have clearly helped Black}
42. Qf4 Qd3 43. Rb8+ (43. Rc1 {is a logical defensive try but...} g5 {is still
winning for Black} (43... Re2 $2 44. Ne5)) 43... Bf8 (43... Kg7 {is more
accurate as the bishop keeps control of h4, which is important} 44. Kg2 {
is now unplayable because of} Qe2+ 45. Kh3 (45. Kg1 Qd1+ 46. Kg2 Re2+ 47. Kh3
Qf1#) 45... Qf1#) 44. Kg2 Qc2+ (44... Re2+ 45. Kh3 Rc2 46. Ne3 {doesn't lead
anywhere for Black} Rc3 $2 47. Qb4) (44... Qe2+ 45. Kh3 Qf1+ 46. Kh4 {in
contrast to the 43...Kg7 line - Black is still winning but there is work to do}
Qf2 (46... Kg7 $2 47. Qd4+ $11) 47. Kh3 Kg7 {now the threat is Qf1 and Be7 -
not easy to meet}) 45. Kh3 Re2 $11 {This gives White the chance to save the
game} (45... Qf2 $19) 46. g4 $1 $11 {Good move} fxg4+ 47. fxg4 (47. Kxg4 $1 $11
Rg2+ (47... Qf5+ 48. Qxf5 gxf5+ 49. Kxf5 Rxh2 50. Ra8 $14) 48. Kh3 Rxh2+ 49.
Qxh2 Qxc4 $11) 47... Qc3+ 48. Kh4 Qe1+ (48... Qg7 {is an alternative}) 49. Kh3
Re8 50. Rxe8 Qxe8 $17 51. Ne5 Bd6 (51... Qe6 $17) 52. Qc4+ Kg7 53. Nxc6 (53.
Nf3 $1 {close to =}) 53... Qe3+ 54. Kg2 (54. Kh4 Qh6#) 54... Qd2+ 55. Kf3 Qxh2
56. Qd4+ Kf7 57. Qd5+ Kg7 58. Qd4+ Kf7 59. Qa7+ {White avoids the repetition,
presumably playing for the win} (59. Qd5+ Kf8 {Black could have (and should
have if it came to it) avoided the repetition like this}) 59... Kf6 60. Qd7 (
60. Qd4+ Ke6 (60... Kg5) 61. Qe4+ Kd7 $17) 60... Qg3+ (60... Qf4+ {engines
think this is a better square though it is not easy to see why} 61. Ke2 Kg5 $19
) 61. Ke2 h5 {Creating a dangerous passed pawn. With both players under time
pressure this is a good practical move. However, if White plays accurately he
can now hold} (61... Kg5 $19 {Wins. Here are some example lines...} 62. Kd2 (
62. Qxh7 $2 Qg2+) 62... Qf4+ 63. Kd3 (63. Ke1 Qe3+ 64. Kf1 Qd3+ 65. Kg2 Qe2+
66. Kg1 Bc5+ 67. Kh1 Qf1+ 68. Kh2 Bg1+ 69. Kg3 Qf2+ 70. Kh3 Qh2#) 63... Qxa4
$19 64. Qxd6 Qd1+) 62. Qd8+ (62. gxh5 gxh5 63. Qd8+ $11 Kg7 64. Qd7+ Kh6 (64...
Kg6 65. Ne7+ Bxe7 66. Qxe7 $11) 65. Nd4 {is apparently drawn}) 62... Kf7 (62...
Kg7 63. Qd7+ (63. gxh5 Qg2+ {picks up the knight}) 63... Kh6 64. gxh5 Kxh5) 63.
Qd7+ Kf6 64. gxh5 gxh5 65. Qd8+ Kf5 66. Qa5+ Ke4 (66... Kg4 {would have been
much better. (Engines say it is winning)}) 67. Qb6 {This was a strange choice
as White needs to defend his light squares, so taking one or other of the
pawns was logical from that perspective (and picking up a pawn is a bonus). In
fact, taking one of the pawns still loses but taking the other one holds.
Picking which one is almost impossible to calculate with very little time on
the clock.} (67. Qxh5 {This holds e.g.} Qe3+ 68. Kf1 Qc1+ 69. Kg2 Qc2+ 70. Kf1
$11 {White should keep his king on light squares so that the bishop cannot
join the attack. With the white queen covering f3, e2 and d1 there is no way
for Black to force the white king onto a dark square.} (70. Kg1 {this loses as
the bishop can now join in} Bc5+ 71. Kh1 Qc1+ 72. Kg2 Qg1+ 73. Kh3 Qh1+ 74. Kg4
Qg2+ 75. Kh4 Bf2#)) (67. Qxa6 {this loses} Qe3+ 68. Kf1 (68. Kd1 Qb3+ 69. Ke1
Bg3+ {etc}) 68... Qc1+ 69. Kg2 Qc2+ 70. Kf1 Qd1+ 71. Kg2 Qf3+ {now the king
must move onto a black square and it is all over e.g.} 72. Kg1 Bc5+ 73. Kh2
Qf2+ 74. Kh3 Qe3+ 75. Kg2 Qg1+ 76. Kh3 Qg4+ 77. Kh2 Bd6+ 78. Kh1 Qh3+ 79. Kg1
Bc5+) 67... Qd3+ 68. Kf2 h4 {A very nice move, calmly closing the net on the
white king.} 69. Kg2 (69. a5 Bg3+ 70. Kg2 Qe2+ 71. Kh3 Qf1+ 72. Kg4 Qf5# {
is very pretty}) 69... h3+ 70. Kh1 Qf3+ 71. Kg1 h2# *