[Event "Spring League Competitors"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2022.05.03"]
[Round "?"]
[White "P Brooks"]
[Black "G Darling"]
[Result "0-1"]
[EventDate "2022.05.03"]
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.d4 e6 3.e3 b6 4.Bd3 Bb7 5.O-O Be7 6.c4 O-O 7.Nc3 c5 8.d5!
{This looks as though this loses a pawn, but there is a little trick
at the end.}
8...exd5 9.cxd5 Nxd5 10.Nxd5 Bxd5 11.Bxh7+ Kxh7 12.Qxd5
{White might not have a big advantage, but his position is easy to
play with targets on d7 and black's weakened kingside.}
12...Nc6 13.e4 g6 14.Rd1 Nb4 15.Qb3
( 15.Qd2 {was another possibility, trying to penetrate on the
kingside.} )
15...Qc7 16.Ng5+?!
{A bit premature.}
16...Kg7 17.g3
{White was hoping to play }
( 17.Qh3 {but } 17...Rh8 18.Rxd7 Rxh3
( 18...Rad8 {was worrying white, but it doesn't work} 19.Ne6+ fxe6
20.Bh6+ Rxh6 21.Qc3+ Kf7 22.Rxc7 {and white wins the queen.} )
19.Rxc7 Rd3 20.Bf4 Rad8 21.Kf1 {isn't clear.} )
17...c4 18.Qc3+ Kg8 19.b3
( 19.a3 {was better as } 19...Nd3 {is met by } 20.Rxd3 )
19...f6 20.Nf3 Rac8 21.Qxc4+?
{This loses all white's advantage.}
( 21.Bf4 {and} )
( 21.Nh4 {were both better.} )
21...Qxc4 22.bxc4 Rxc4 23.Rxd7 Rxe4 24.Bh6 Rf7 25.h4 Bc5 26.Rd8+ Kh7 27.
Bd2 Nc6 28.Rd3 Ne5 29.Nxe5 fxe5 30.Be3 Bxe3 31.fxe3 Rf3 32.Kg2 Rexe3 33.
Rxe3 Rxe3 34.Kf2?
{The losing move.}
( 34.a4 {was much better.} )
34...Ra3 35.Kg2 g5 36.hxg5 Kg6 37.Kh3 Kxg5 38.Re1 Rxa2 39.Rxe5+ Kf6 40.Re8
a5 41.Rb8 Rb2 42.Kh4?!
( 42.Ra8 {held black up and gave white chances.} )
42...a4 43.g4 a3 44.Ra8 a2 45.Ra6 Ke5 46.Kg3 b5 47.g5 b4?
( 47...Rd2 48.g6 Rd6 {was a clinical way of winning.} )
48.g6 Rb3+ 49.Kh4??
{Even at this late stage, it was possible to draw!}
( 49.Kf2 Ra3 50.Rxa3 bxa3 51.g7 a1=Q 52.g8=Q {and black should be able
to give perpetual check.} )
49...Ra3 50.g7
( 50.Rxa3 bxa3 51.g7 a1=Q 52.g8=Q Qh1+ {and black picks up white's
queen next move.} )
50...a1=Q 51.Re6+ Kf5
{It's mate in the next couple of moves.}
0-1
[Event "Spring Competitors' League"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2022.05.12"]
[Round "?"]
[White "G Darling"]
[Black "T Thynne"]
[Result "0-1"]
[EventDate "2022.05.12"]
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 d5 3.Nf3 Bf5 4.e3 h6 5.Bxf6 exf6 6.Bd3 Bxd3 7.cxd3 Bb4+ 8.
Nc3 O-O 9.O-O Bxc3 10.bxc3 f5 11.Qb3 b6 12.Ne5 Qd6 13.c4 dxc4 14.Nxc4 Qd5
15.Ne5 Rd8 16.Rfc1 c5 17.Nf3 Qxb3 18.axb3 Nd7 19.Ra6 cxd4 20.exd4 Rdc8 21.
Rc4 b5 22.Rxc8+ Rxc8 23.Kf1 Rc7 24.d5 Nb8 25.Ra5 a6 26.Nd4 g6 27.b4 Kf8
28.Ke2 Ke7 29.Ke3 Kd6 30.f4 Kxd5 31.Nxb5 Re7+ 32.Kd2 Kc6 33.Nc3 Rd7 34.Ke3
Re7+ 35.Kd4 Kb7 36.b5 Rd7+ 37.Kc4 Kb6 38.Ra3 axb5+ 39.Nxb5 Nc6 40.d4 Na5+
{This quiet game should have ended in a draw here.}
41.Rxa5??
( 41.Kb4 Nc6+ 42.Kc4 Na5+ {is a sensible repetition. George makes a big
miscalculation.} )
41...Kxa5 42.Kc5 Rb7 43.Nd6 Rc7+ 44.Kd5 Kb4 45.Ke5 Re7+ 46.Kd5 Kc3 47.Nb5+
Kd3 48.Kd6 Rb7 49.Kc6 Rxb5 50.Kxb5 Kxd4 51.Kc6 Ke4 52.g3 g5 53.fxg5 hxg5
54.h4 gxh4 55.gxh4 f4 56.Kd6 Kf5 57.Ke7 Kg4 0-1