[Event "Bristol Congress 2023"] [Site "BGS"] [Date "2023.04.02"] [Round "4"] [White "Arkell, Keith"] [Black "Shepherd, Tom"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D35"] [Annotator "Jerry"] [PlyCount "118"] [EventDate "2023.03.31"] {[%evp 0,118,80,-17,-30,-19,1,-3,-27,-6,11,22,8,0,7,2,2,7,9,9,9,17,9,12,9,-11, -8,-10,-9,-7,-8,-8,-3,-30,7,-2,-3,0,1,-30,-38,-23,-31,-25,-10,-15,-10,-13,-12, -21,-11,-19,-12,-35,-19,-6,-5,-19,-8,-15,-5,-15,-15,-15,-12,-15,-11,-15,86,-7, -15,-66,-60,-94,-89,-154,-154,-154,-147,-180,-186,-359,-210,-213,-235,-235, -179,-179,-179,-179,-179,-179,-179,-179,-167,-147,-176,-180,-151,-140,-193, -193,-193,-194,-194,-194,-159,-157,-173,-172,-183,-146,-66,-58,-69,-66,-66,-72, -41,-30,0]} 1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. cxd5 exd5 4. d4 c6 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Bg5 Bf5 7. e3 Nbd7 8. Bd3 Bxd3 9. Qxd3 {this opening has not been at all fearsome for Black and a position of equality is established for the next ten moves} Bd6 10. O-O h6 11. Bh4 O-O 12. Rfe1 Re8 13. Qc2 Qb8 14. Bg3 Bxg3 15. hxg3 Qd6 16. b4 b5 17. a4 a6 18. Reb1 Nb6 19. a5 {closing the queenside removes a source of play for White while Black has a lot of space on the other side of the board} Nc4 { This position is advantageous for Black as he has a decent outpost and a kingside attack is in the air. For the moment he does not particularly try to pursue an active plan, and many players in their first game against a grandmaster would be happy to shut shop and just keep the position under control. Another consideration is that if White is forced to try and play for a win from a backward position the game could easily rebound against the stronger player.} 20. Ne2 Ne4 21. Nf4 g6 22. Nd3 Kg7 23. Re1 h5 24. Nfe5 Rec8 25. Ra2 Rab8 26. Qc1 Rh8 27. Nf3 Rhc8 28. Kf1 Re8 29. Kg1 Rec8 {Clearly Black has not at this stage been ambitious to press his attack so it is up to White to see if he can play for a win; however by doing so he finds that Black's threats on the kingside are in fact very dangerous.} 30. Qa1 Re8 31. Nc5 Ra8 32. Rc2 Re7 33. Ree2 Ree8 34. Ne1 Nxc5 (34... Qf6 {intending} 35. Ned3 h4 { is also possible, and Black has a great advantage.}) 35. bxc5 {a dangerous continuation that gives Black every opportunity to play for a win} (35. dxc5+ Qf6 36. Qxf6+ Kxf6 37. Nf3 {is balanced and objectively should lead to a draw, though it is possible to foresee the game going on for some time}) 35... Qc7 36. Nd3 Re4 37. Re1 h4 {Black's active pieces have the measure of the game and White must face the consequences. But obtaining a winning position is only one stage of the journey towards beating a grandmaster.} 38. gxh4 Rxh4 39. g3 Rh6 40. Ne5 Qc8 41. Qd1 Nxe5 42. dxe5 Qf5 43. f4 {somehow Keith manages to stick his position together well enough to avoid getting mated so Black has to transition into a winning ending} Rah8 44. Rg2 Qe4 45. Kf2 Rh2 46. Reg1 Rxg2+ 47. Rxg2 b4 48. Qd4 b3 (48... Qxd4 {only gives a draw after} 49. exd4 Rh1 50. Ke3) (48... Qb1 49. e6+ f6 50. e7 Kf7 {gives a win, but naturally Black will choose the rook ending as White gets little chance of counterplay}) 49. Qxe4 dxe4 50. Kg1 Rd8 51. Rb2 Rd3 52. Kf2 {the win of this ending relies on a timely ...f6 which can be played here or during the next few moves} Kf8 53. g4 Ke7 54. f5 gxf5 55. gxf5 Rc3 {and Keith can breathe a sigh of relief: he has gotten away with another half point.} (55... f6 $1 {is still the winning move here: all of White's forward pawns are vulnerable but more importantly after} 56. e6 Rd5 {the g pawn goes with check.}) 56. Kg3 Rxc5 57. Rxb3 Rxe5 58. Kf4 Rxa5 59. Rb6 Rc5 1/2-1/2