[Event "4NCL Div 4"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2020.09.22"] [Round "?"] [White "Merriman, Rob"] [Black "Weatherlake, John"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E81"] [Annotator "peter"] [PlyCount "64"] [EventDate "2020.??.??"] [SourceVersionDate "2019.03.01"] [TimeControl "2700+15"] 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. f3 g6 4. c4 Bg7 5. Be3 Nc6 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Bd3 a6 8. Nge2 Nd7 9. O-O e5 10. d5 Ne7 11. b4 f5 12. Rc1 c5 (12... f4 13. Bf2 g5 14. c5 { and we have a classic KID position in which white will need strong nerves to defend his kingside}) 13. bxc5 Nxc5 14. Bxc5 dxc5 15. Rb1 {an interesting position in which white has the better pawn structure but long term black square weaknesses.} g5 (15... b6 {keeping things solid looks much safer}) 16. Na4 (16. exf5 Nxf5 (16... Bxf5 17. Rxb7) 17. Bxf5 Bxf5 18. Ne4 {also looks good for white} (18. Rxb7 {is the engines choice but allows black more play})) 16... b5 17. cxb5 axb5 18. Bxb5 Rf6 19. Bc4 Kh8 20. Qc2 g4 21. Nxc5 (21. fxg4 f4 (21... fxg4 {leaves black without enough counterplay}) 22. h3 {might have made it easier for white to keep control}) 21... gxf3 22. Rxf3 f4 23. a4 (23. Ne6 {blocking out the white squared bishop seems like a good pragmatic choice for white - it will be very hard to black to generate play on the kingside now and the a-pawn should decide the game}) 23... Bg4 {White has played well up to here and an engine will tell you he is winning. However, in practice these types of positions can be hard to keep control of from the wihte side and one slip can lead to disaster.} 24. Rf2 (24. Rc3 {is better, as it avoids problems on the c-file and pins against the white king that arise after 24.Rf2}) 24... f3 (24... Qc7 {is a more accurate}) 25. Ng3 (25. gxf3 {is also playable} Qc7 ( 25... Bxf3 26. Ne6 Qg8 27. Ng3 h5 28. Rbf1) 26. Bb5) 25... Qc7 26. Bb3 (26. Bf1 {is better, helping to defend the king}) 26... Bh6 {white is still better but now must be very careful as the dark square weaknesses are beginning to make themselves felt. In this very complicated position white soon goes astray and John fiinshes the game with a series of precise moves.} 27. Re1 (27. Nd3 { best to return the exchange} Qxc2 28. Bxc2 (28. Rxc2 Be3+ 29. Kh1) 28... Be3 29. Nxe5 h5 $16 {but this is starting to get messy for white}) 27... Rc8 $11 28. Ne6 {and suddenly white is lost} (28. Nd3 {helps to defend f2 and targets e5 but most importantly defends c1} Qa7 $11 29. Qb2 Be3 30. Rxe3 Qxe3 31. Qd2) 28... Qa7 29. Qd3 (29. Qb2 Be3 30. Rxe3 Qxe3 31. Qd2 {this defence that works after 28.Nd3 now fails because c1 is unprotected} (31. Nf1 Rc1 $19) 31... Rc1+ 32. Bd1 Qxd2 33. Rxd2 f2+ $19) 29... fxg2 30. Nd4 Rxf2 31. Kxf2 Ng6 32. Ngf5 Nf4 {And here white lost on time but his position is hopeless in any case. His queen can no longer cover d4 (e.g. Qd2/e3 Nh3+) and then black plays Qd4+ and white's position collapses} 0-1