[Event "Mamhead Rd1 "] [Site ""] [Date "2025.04.12"] [Round ""] [White "P Brooks"] [Black "E Manning"] [Result "1-0"] [EventDate "2025.04.12"] 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 c5 4.d5 b5 5.Qc2 {Paul misplayed the opening here, thinking it was a Benko Gambit, when the inclusion of the knight moves makes it a Blumenfeld Gambit.} ( 5.dxe6 fxe6 6.cxb5 {is correct.} ) 5... exd5 ( 5...bxc4 {is good for black.} ) 6.cxd5 d6 ( 6...Nxd5 {doesn't work because of} 7.Qe4+ {so white is now better.} ) 7.e4 Bd7 8.Be2 Na6 9.Nc3 Qb6 10.O-O Nb4 11.Qb1 g6 12.a3 Na6 13.h3 ( 13.e5 {was very good. eg} 13... dxe5 14.Nxe5 Bf5 15.Qa2 Nc7 16.Re1 {and black will struggle to keep his king safe.} ) 13...Bg7 14.Be3 b4 15.axb4 Nxb4 16.Nd2 O-O 17.Nc4 Qc7 18.f4 {Paul has gone for a traditional setup against Ellis' Benoni structure. His next step is to prepare e5.} 18...Rfe8 19.Bf3 h5 20.Qd1 {This is played to prevent counterplay with ...Bf5. Now all is ready for e5 next move.} 20...a6 21.e5 Nh7 22.Nxd6 {with a crushing position. Ellis decides to see if he can create counterplay by sacrificing his queen. It's probably his best bet.} 22...Qxd6 23.exd6 Rxe3 24.Ra3 {A good antidote. White prepares to play Ne2 which will swap a rook and pressurise d4.} 24...Bd4 25.Kh1 Rae8 26.Ne2 Bb5 {Ellis is 'upping the ante' but he just doesn't have enough firepower.} 27.Rxe3 Rxe3 28.Nxd4 cxd4 {Unfortunately} ( 28...Bxf1 {falls to} 29.d7 {and the pawn is unstoppable.} ) 29.Re1 Nf6 30.Rxe3 dxe3 31.Qd4 {forking two pieces.} 31...Nfxd5 32.Bxd5 e2 33.Qxb4 { and the queening square is covered.} 1-0