[Event "World U16 Olympiad (Chonqing)"] [Site "?"] [Date "2013.07.28"] [Round "?"] [White "Shixuan Xue"] [Black "Theo Slade"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C12"] [Annotator "Theo Slade"] [PlyCount "98"] [EventDate "2013.??.??"] {In July 2013 Theo Slade (Bude) went to Chongqing in China to represent England at the World Under 16 Olympiad. Here is one of his games from that event.} 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 {I/^m quite comfortable in the MacCutcheon Variation as I understand the structures that emerge from this opening.} 5. e5 h6 6. Bd2 Bxc3 7. Bxc3 {My opponent was using a lot of time on these opening moves and her last proves that she is inexperienced in this line. } (7. bxc3 {is the main move and} Ne4 8. Qg4 g6 9. Bd3 Nxd2 10. Kxd2 {is what usually follows.}) 7... Ne4 8. Nf3 c5 9. Nd2 Nxc3 10. bxc3 Qa5 {My last highlights the weakness on c3. Usually White has a well-placed King on d2 to accommodate for that.} 11. Qf3 c4 {I spent about twenty minutes on this move and I/^m not sure it is best.} 12. Qg3 ({I/^m sure my opponent also missed the amazing tactical shot} 12. Bxc4 dxc4 13. Nxc4 Qc7 14. Nd6+ Kf8 15. O-O) 12... O-O 13. Be2 Qa4 14. Bd1 {The awkwardness of this retreat shows the lack of harmony among the White pieces.} Qa3 15. O-O Qb2 16. Rb1 Qxa2 {Even though I have wasted numerous tempi on winning a pawn, White does not have sufficient counterplay to claim equality.} 17. f4 Nc6 18. Qh3 Ne7 {Although this manoeuvre wasn/^t completely necessary, it does add one more defender to the Kingside which is useful in some lines.} 19. g4 a5 20. Rf3 a4 {My counterplay doesn/^t seem like much but the coming shot finishes my opponent off.} 21. Qh5 (21. g5 {was a lot better, getting on with it straight away.} hxg5 22. Qh5 g4) 21... a3 22. g5 Qxb1 23. Nxb1 a2 24. Nd2 a1=Q 25. gxh6 {White/^s counterplay looks to have made progress but in reality nothing has been achieved.} Qxd1+ 26. Nf1 (26. Kg2 Qxd2+ {is obviously worse for White.}) 26... g6 27. h7+ Kg7 28. Qg4 Ra1 (28... Kxh7 29. Rh3+ Kg7 30. Qh4 Qh5 31. Qf6+ Kh7 32. Rxh5+ gxh5 33. Qxe7) 29. h4 Nf5 {This move underlines the weaknesses of the White Kingside at the critical moment. Now White will fall victim to many tactics.} 30. Kh2 Qe2+ 31. Kh3 Rxf1 32. Rxf1 Qxf1+ ({I hasten to add that I did see} 32... Qxg4+ 33. Kxg4 Ne3+ {but turned it down due to mating opportunities (and for the sake of simplicity).}) 33. Kh2 Qf2+ 34. Kh3 Qxh4+ (34... Rh8 {with a forced mate in 7, my silicon friend tells me!}) 35. Qxh4 Nxh4 36. Kxh4 Kxh7 37. Kg5 Bd7 38. Kf6 Ra8 39. Kxf7 Ra2 40. Ke7 Bc8 41. Kd8 Rxc2 42. Kxc8 Rxc3 43. Kd7 Re3 44. Kxe6 c3 45. Kxd5 c2 46. e6 c1=Q 47. Kd6 Qc6+ 48. Ke7 Rxe6+ 49. Kf8 Qe8# {As you can probably tell, I am very particular in the way I finish off games and I always like to find the fastest mate or the most aesthetically pleasing. I hope you enjoyed my game and my conversion of Queenside pressure.} 0-1