[Event "Culcheth/Lymm"] [Site "?"] [Date "2022.05.04"] [Round "?"] [White "RMF"] [Black "O'Rourke, Ben"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A22"] [Annotator "Furness,Robert"] [PlyCount "99"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] [Source "ChessBase"] {[%evp 0,99,19,-12,-9,-12,39,26,43,20,44,22,24,18,38,19,52,43,38,26,38,25,29, 27,35,35,41,24,44,43,67,62,111,99,145,143,153,118,183,212,246,211,202,141,193, 177,192,64,61,48,54,54,96,70,120,57,47,35,122,85,97,104,112,116,127,92,112,87, 89,67,92,65,79,71,35,49,68,0,142,141,134,155,155,170,246,129,125,111,134,77, 289,60,47,55,250,230,209,202,209,214,29999,-30000]} 1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 c6 3. Nf3 d6 4. g3 e5 5. d3 Be7 6. Bg2 Bg4 7. h3 Bc8 8. O-O Nbd7 9. a3 a5 10. Rb1 b6 { here i should have continued with the thematic plan of b4, opening up the a file with pressure along the h1-a8 diagonal. instead i lost time by switching plans and trying to play throught the centre with d4} 11. Qc2 (11. b4 axb4 12. axb4 O-O 13. Nh4 Nb8 14. b5 Ne8 15. Nf3 Bb7) 11... Bb7 12. d4 Qc7 13. b3 h6 14. Bb2 Rg8 {after this move i felt strongly that black wasnt planning on castling and my sub-optimal plan to open the centre might actually come good} 15. Rfd1 g5 16. dxe5 Nxe5 {here i had planned to recapture on e5 with my knight and take control of the open file but for some reason i suddenly prioritised keeping pieces on the board (against my lower graded opponent) and getting my N to the f5 square instead - somewhat overlooking blacks very strong knight on e5. Note: Stockfish actually slightly prefers my move over Nxe5 although both are considered very good for W} 17. Nd4 (17. Nxe5 dxe5 18. Ne4 Rg6 19. b4 axb4 20. axb4 Bxb4 21. Bxe5 Qxe5 22. Rxb4 Nxe4 23. Bxe4 Re6 24. Bf3) 17... Rd8 18. Rd2 Rg7 $6 {gives W a tempo. Kf8 or h5 would have been best} (18... Kf8 19. Nd1 c5 20. Nf5 Bxg2 21. Kxg2 Qc6+ 22. f3) (18... h5 19. Rbd1 h4 20. g4 Rg6 21. Nf5 Bc8 22. Ne4 Nxe4 23. Qxe4 Bxf5 24. gxf5 Rf6) 19. Nf5 Rg6 {Note: Stockfish slightly prefers Nd1 but both are very good for W with the long term vulnerability of the black K and better pawn structure} 20. Rbd1 (20. Nd1 c5 21. Nde3 Bxg2 22. Kxg2 Qb7+ 23. f3 g4 24. hxg4 Nexg4 25. Nxg4 Nxg4 26. Rd5 Nf6 27. Bxf6 Rxf6) {here i started to lose the thread a little and whilst not a bad move what i played temporarily blocks in one of my strong bishops. better would have been Nxe7 if i had spotted the contiuation of Na4 after Qxe7} 20... Bc8 21. e4 (21. Nxe7 Qxe7 (21... Kxe7 22. Ne4 Nxe4 23. Bxe4 Rgg8 24. Bh7 Rh8 25. f4) 22. Na4 Nfd7 23. Bxe5 Nxe5 24. Nxb6) 21... Nh5 $6 22. Ne2 Ng7 23. Bxe5 $4 {thinking i was winning material i completely throw away my big advantage by missing 24 .... Rxd2} (23. Ned4 Bf6 24. f4 gxf4 25. gxf4 Nd7 26. Nxg7+ Bxg7 27. Nf5 Bf8) 23... dxe5 24. Nxe7 {after this move, again played thinking that B's only option is to recapture the knight, Stockfish assesses the position as equal} (24. Rxd8+ Bxd8 25. b4 {would have kept a small edge for W}) 24... Rxd2 {suddenly i have to mentally adjust to the new reality, which is that B's pieces look better coordinated and my N and B are both looking quite sad. the only redeeming feature of my position being control of the open file} 25. Qxd2 Qxe7 $6 (25... Kxe7 26. Qc3 Ne6 27. Bf3 c5 {would have been best for B and the position remains equal}) 26. c5 $1 {the only move to give W the initiative} Qc7 27. b4 {better would have been cxb6} (27. cxb6 Qxb6 28. Qc3 Re6 29. b4 axb4 30. axb4 Re7 31. Nc1 f6 32. Nb3) 27... axb4 28. axb4 {now i was expecting Re6 or bxc5 and hadn't even considered what B played. now W has good long term chances once again and can play with minimal risk due to the control over the open files} b5 $2 29. Kh2 Rf6 $6 30. Ng1 $6 Ke7 31. Nf3 {i've managed to improve my pieces, and with my space advantage can start probing at B's position} Re6 32. Qa2 f6 33. Ne1 Kf8 34. Rd3 $6 {with the idea of either Ra3 or Qd2 but Bf3 straight away or Nc2-e3 would have been more accurate} (34. Bf3 Re7 35. Rd6 Ne8 36. Qa8 $1 Bb7 37. Qd8) 34... Ne8 35. Bf3 Re7 36. Bg4 {i was trying to exchange Bishops before B activates his piece via Be6-c4. Note: Stockfish likes this move upto about depth=20 then suddenly rejects altogether, with Ng2 instead. maybe i shouldn't have been worried about B bishop due to the reuslting weakness on 8th rank} Bxg4 37. hxg4 Rd7 38. Qe6 $6 (38. Ra3 $1 Qd8 39. Qe6 Rc7 40. Qf5 Qd7 41. Qf3 Ra7 42. Rd3 Qe7) 38... Re7 $2 39. Qf5 $1 Kg7 40. Ng2 Rf7 41. Ne3 Re7 $6 {end of scoresheet} 42. Qf3 $6 (42. Kg2 $1 { improving my K and at the same time B is almost in zugzwang} Rf7 43. Qe6 Kf8 44. Nf5) 42... Rd7 43. Nf5+ Kg6 44. Kg2 {allowing the exchange of R simplifies B's defensive task, would have been better to keep the pieces on the board with Ra3} (44. Ra3 Qd8 45. Ra6 Rc7 46. Qb3 Ng7 47. Qa2) 44... Kh7 45. Qd1 $4 { with the aim of trying to get my Q to h1 attacking h6 i miss the opportunity to play Nd6 and instead force the exchange of rooks which reduces W advantage to only a slight edge. still i can play on with minimal risk even with only 2 mins + increment remaining.} (45. Nd6 $1 Nxd6 46. Qxf6 $1 Qd8 47. Qxe5 Re7 48. Qf6 Rd7 49. Qxd8 Rxd8 50. cxd6) 45... Rxd3 46. Qxd3 Kg6 47. Qb3 $1 Qf7 $1 48. Qd1 $1 Qc7 49. Qh1 Qh7 $4 (49... Kf7 50. Qh5+ Kf8 51. Qxh6+ Kg8 52. Qg6+ Kf8 53. Qh5 Qf7 54. Qh8+ Qg8 55. Qh6+ Kf7 {and it's unclear if W can force a zugzwang}) 50. Qh5# {a nice finish and despite my halucination on move 23 i was happy with my overall play - something which hasn't occured very often this season!} 1-0