[Event "S Hams v NA"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2022.02.03"]
[Round "?"]
[White "T Hurt"]
[Black "J Allen"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[EventDate "2022.02.03"]
1.e4 e6 2.Nf3 b6 3.Bc4 Bb7 4.O-O? Bxe4 5.d3 Bb7 6.Nc3 d5 7.Bb5+ c6 8.Ba4
a5 9.Re1 b5 10.Bxb5 cxb5 11.Nxb5 Qb6 12.a4
{The opening has been a big success for black, but he still has to
develop his kingside.}
12...Bc5 13.d4 Bd6 14.Be3?!
( 14.Ng5 {gives white counterplay. eg} 14...Nf6 15.Nxe6 Bxh2+ 16.Kxh2
fxe6 17.Rxe6+ Qxe6 18.Nc7+ {and white is winning.} )
14...Ba6?!
{Developing the knight on g8 should be the priority.}
( 14...Ne7 {followed by castling would leave black well ahead.} )
15.c4
{Now 16.c5 is a threat.}
15...Bb4
( 15...dxc4 16.d5 Qd8 17.dxe6 {is a smashing breakthrough.} )
16.c5 Qd8 17.Nd6+ Kf8 18.Bd2
( 18.Nxf7 {is very strong. eg} 18...Kxf7
( 18...Qf6 {is probably best, but white still has a big advantage.
} )
19.Ng5+ Kg6 20.Qc2+ Kf6 21.Nxe6 Kxe6 22.Bg5+ {and white wins the
queen.} )
18...Nc6 19.Ng5 Nh6 20.Rxe6
{White sees that he can win the queen if the rook is captured.}
( 20.Ndxf7 {is a better way of creating the same threat.} )
20...Qd7
{White sees that he can win the queen if the rook is captured.}
21.Rxh6 gxh6 22.Ngxf7 Rg8 23.Bxh6+ Ke7 24.Qh5 Qg4 25.Bg5+?
{Now black is able to exchange pieces and the pressure disappears.}
( 25.Qxd5 {covers the g2 square and keeps the pressure on.} )
25...Rxg5 26.Qxg5+ Qxg5 27.Nxg5 Nxd4 28.Ndf7 h5 29.h4 Rc8 30.c6 Rxc6 31.
Ne5 Rc2 32.Ng6+ Kf6 33.Nf4 Ne2+ 34.Nxe2 Rxe2 35.b3 d4
{The d-pawn is going to cost white material so black is winning here.}
36.Rc1 Re1+ 37.Rxe1 Bxe1 38.g3 d3 39.Nf3 d2 40.Nxd2 Bxd2 41.Kh2 Be2 42.Kg2
Bd1 43.f3 Bxb3 44.g4 hxg4 45.fxg4 Bxa4
{In desperation, white pushes his pawns, but it should never be
enough.}
46.g5+ Bxg5? 47.hxg5+ Kxg5??
{The drawing move!! John forgot that bishop and opposite coloured rook
pawn is a drawn ending, but he still could have rescued himself with }
( 47...Ke5 {with a possible continuation} 48.Kf2 Kd4 49.Ke2 Kc3 {and
the white king can't reach a1.} )
48.Kf2 Kf4 49.Ke2 Ke4 50.Kd2 Kd4 51.Kc1 Kc3 52.Kb1 Kb4 53.Ka1 Ka3 54.Kb1
Bd1
{There is no way to force the king out, without allowing a stalemate.
A bizarre conclusion to a fighting game.}
1/2-1/2
[Event "S Hams v NA"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2022.02.03"]
[Round "?"]
[White "M Gilding"]
[Black "T Tatam"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[EventDate "2022.02.03"]
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bf4 Nf6 4.e3 Bd6 5.Bg3 O-O 6.Nbd2 c5 7.c3 Nc6 8.Bd3 c4
9.Bc2 b5 10.b4 a6 11.a4 Bb7 12.Bxd6 Qxd6 13.O-O h6 14.e4 dxe4 15.Nxe4 Nxe4
16.Bxe4 Qc7 17.Re1 Ne7 18.Ne5 Nd5 19.Qf3 f5 20.Bxd5 Bxd5 21.Qe3 Rf6 22.
axb5 axb5 23.Rxa8+ Bxa8 24.Ra1 Bc6 25.Ra6 Bd5 26.Ra5 Qb7 27.Qh3 f4 28.f3
Kh7 29.Qh5 g6 30.Qh4 Rf5 31.Qd8
{Mike has got in behind Tony's defences, and has a significant
advantage.}
31...Rg5 32.Ra8?
{At a crucial moment, Mike blunders the rook.}
( 32.Qe8 {builds the pressure and wins at least the b-pawn.} )
( 32.Rxb5 {is flashier and forces } 32...Qa7 33.Ra5 Qg7 34.Rc5 Rf5 35.
Rc7 {winning the queen.} )
32...Qxa8 33.Qe7+
{Fortunately white has a perpetual check.}
33...Kg8 34.Qf7+ Kh8 35.Qf6+ Kh7 36.Qf7+ Kh8 37.Qf6+ Kg8 38.Qf7+ 1/2-1/2