[Event "Memphis Chess Classic"]
[Site "Memphis, TN"]
[Date "2006.10.14"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Cole, Ronnie"]
[Black "Merrill, Sanford"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C41"]
[WhiteElo "774"]
[BlackElo "1237"]
[Annotator "Fritz 9 (30s)"]
[PlyCount "58"]
[EventDate "2006.??.??"]
{C41: Philidor Defence} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 {last book move}
Bd7 {Black has a cramped position} 5. Be2 Be7 6. b3 {Black is behind in
developement} (6. Nc3 Nc6 $14) 6... c5 {Black threatens to win material: c5xd4}
7. Nf3 Bf6 8. c3 {Prevents intrusion on d4} a6 $2 {Consolidates b5} (8... Bc6
$142 $5 $14 {would keep Black in the game}) 9. Qxd6 $18 Be7 10. Qd1 (10. Qf4 $5
$18) 10... Nc6 $16 11. Bg5 $4 {gives the opponent new chances} (11. e5 $142 $16
) 11... Bxg5 $19 12. Nxg5 (12. Nbd2 Bf4 $19) 12... Qxg5 13. g3 h5 (13... Nf6 {
might be the shorter path} 14. Qc2 $19) 14. h4 (14. Qd2 Qe7 15. Na3 b5 $19)
14... Qe5 15. Bd3 (15. Qd5 {does not solve anything} O-O-O $19) 15... Bf5 (
15... Bg4 {makes it even easier for Black} 16. Qd2 O-O-O 17. Qc2 $19) 16. Nd2 (
16. f4 Qe7 17. Nd2 $19) 16... Nf6 (16... O-O-O $142 {and Black can already
relax} 17. Qc2 Nb4 18. cxb4 Qxa1+ 19. Nb1 Qd4 20. exf5 Qxd3 21. Qxd3 Rxd3 $19)
17. Nf3 (17. Qc2 {there is nothing else anyway} Nb4 $1 {Demolition of pawn
structure} 18. cxb4 Qxa1+ 19. Nb1 $19) 17... Qxc3+ 18. Kf1 (18. Ke2 {doesn't
change the outcome of the game} Bg4 19. Rc1 Qa5 $19) 18... Bg4 (18... O-O-O
$142 {and Black takes home the point} 19. Ne1 Bxe4 20. Rc1 $19) 19. Rc1 Qa5 (
19... Bxf3 $142 $5 {seems even better} 20. Rxc3 Bxd1 21. Kg2 $19) 20. e5 Nxe5
$1 {Black has to consider giving back material.} 21. Qe2 (21. Nxe5 {A pinning
theme} Bxd1) 21... O-O-O 22. Kg2 (22. Qxe5 {is one last hope} Rd5 23. Qf4 Rxd3
24. b4 Rxf3 25. bxa5 Rxf4 26. Rxc5+ Kb8 27. gxf4 $19) 22... Rhe8 (22... Bxf3+
$142 {keeps an even firmer grip} 23. Qxf3 Nxf3 24. Be2 $19) 23. a4 (23. Bf5+
Bxf5 24. Nxe5 Be4+ 25. f3 Rxe5 26. fxe4 $19) 23... Bxf3+ 24. Kg1 Bxe2 25. Bxe2
Qd2 26. Rxc5+ (26. Rc2 {cannot change what is in store for ?} Qxc2 27. Kf1 Qb1+
28. Kg2 Qe4+ 29. Kh2 Nfg4+ 30. Kg1 Qxe2 31. Kg2 Qf3+ 32. Kh3 Qxh1#) 26... Kb8
27. f4 (27. Rc2 {is not much help} Qxc2 28. Kf1 Qb1+ 29. Kg2 Qe4+ 30. Kh2 Nfg4+
31. Kg1 Qxe2 32. Rh2 Rd1+ 33. Kg2 Qf1#) 27... Qd4+ (27... Qxe2 28. Rc8+ Rxc8
29. fxe5 Rc1#) 28. Kf1 (28. Kg2 {does not improve anything} Qe4+ 29. Kf2 Neg4+
30. Kg1 Qxe2 31. Rc8+ Rxc8 32. Rh3 Rc1#) 28... Neg4 29. Rc4 (29. Rc8+ {doesn't
get the cat off the tree} Kxc8 30. Bxg4+ Nxg4 31. Rh2 Qd1+ 32. Kg2 Ne3+ 33. Kh3
Qg4#) 29... Qf2# 0-1