[Event "Mamhead Cup"] [Site "Newton Abbot Courtenay Centre"] [Date "2024.04.20"] [Round "1"] [White "Brusey, Alan W"] [Black "Pope, Sean"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2054"] [BlackElo "1800"] [ECO "A00"] [EventDate "2024.04.20"] [Board "2"] [PlyCount "99"] [EventRounds "2"] [EventCountry "ENG"] 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.cxd5 cxd5 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Bf4 Nh5 7.Bd2 e6 8.e3 Bd6 9.Bd3 f5 10.O-O O-O 11.a3 Nf6 12.b4 b6 13.Qb3 Bb7 14.Rfc1 Rc8 15.Rc2 Kh8 16.Rac1 Qe8 ( 16...Ne4 {is the main idea here. Black plays passively and allows Alan to build an advantage.} ) 17.Ne2 Qg6 18.b5 Ne7 19.Bb4 Bxb4 20.Qxb4 Qe8 21.Rc7 Ng6 22.Qd6 Rxc7 23.Qxc7 Rf7 24.Qg3 Ne4 25.Qh3 Qd8 26. Qh5 Nf6 27.Qh3 Ne4 28.g3 Ng5 29.Nxg5 Qxg5 30.f4 {Here white is better mainly because black's white-squared bishop is so poor.} 30...Qf6 31.Kf2 Nf8 32.Ng1 Qd8 33.Nf3 Rc7 34.Qf1 Qc8 35.Rxc7 Qxc7 36.Qe1 Bc8 37.Ne5 Bd7 38.Qb4 Kg8 ( 38...Ng6 {is mandatory.} 39.Nxg6+ hxg6 40.Qf8+ Kh7 41.a4 {is better for white, but it would be hard to win.} ) 39.Qe7 {The penetration by the queen is decisive.} 39...Qc8 40.Qf7+ Kh8 41.Nxd7 Nxd7 42.Qxe6 g6 43.Qxd5 Qc3 44.Be2 Nf8 45.Qe5+ Kg8 46.d5 Qxa3 47.Bc4 Qc5 48.Qd4 Qd6 49.Bb3 Nd7 50.Bc2 {and white eventually won.} 1-0

[Event "Mamhead Cup"] [Site "Newton Abbot Courtenay Centre"] [Date "2024.04.20"] [Round "1"] [White "Smith, Jack"] [Black "Thynne, Trefor F"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "1634"] [BlackElo "1913"] [ECO "A00"] [EventDate "2024.04.20"] [Board "7"] [PlyCount "18"] [EventRounds "2"] [EventCountry "ENG"] 1.e4 c5 2.c3 d5 3.e5 Nc6 4.d4 Bf5 5.Be3 e6 6.Be2 Qb6 7.Qd2? {Jack doesn't sense the danger.} ( 7.Qb3 {is forced, although after } 7...cxd4 8.cxd4 Qxb3 9.axb3 {black is better.} ) 7...cxd4 8.Bxd4 Nxd4 9.cxd4 Bxb1 {White can't recapture as he would lose his queen to 10...Bb4. Trefor's shortest ever win!} 0-1

[Event "Mamhead Cup"] [Site "Newton Abbot Courtenay Centre"] [Date "2024.04.20"] [Round "1"] [White "Howells, Miles"] [Black "Brooks, Paul"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "1718"] [BlackElo "1818"] [ECO "A00"] [EventDate "2024.04.20"] [Board "10"] [PlyCount "126"] [EventRounds "2"] [EventCountry "ENG"] 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Bb4 5.e5 h6 6.exf6 hxg5 7.fxg7 Rg8 {This variation of the MacCutcheon defence tends to be quite comfortable for black.} 8.Qh5 Qf6 9.Ne2 Bd7 10.O-O-O Nc6 11.h4 gxh4 12.Qxh4 Be7 13.Qg3 O-O-O 14.Nb5 {Threatening mate, but black has an easy escape.} 14...Qg5+ 15.Kb1 Qxg3 16.Nxg3 Rxg7 17.c3 {This solidifies the centre, but Paul finds a way to profit from disrupting white's pawn structure.} 17...a6 18.Na3 Bxa3 19.bxa3 Na5 20.Kb2 Ba4 21.Re1 Bb5 {This swaps off the bad bishop and gives the knight a good outpost.} 22.Rh2 Bxf1 23.Nxf1 Nc4+ 24.Kb3 Rd6 { Ensuring that black wins a pawn.} 25.Re2 Rb6+ 26.Kc2 {The king is forced back.} ( 26.Ka4 {would be a bad mistake.} 26...Rb5! {and there is no defence to Nb6 mate.} ) 26...Nxa3+ 27.Kd3 Nc4 28.Ne3 Nxe3 29.Rh8+ Kd7 30. fxe3 Rb1 31.Rd2 Rg1 32.Rh2 f5 {Black has an extra pawn, better pawns and better pieces. Miles decides to strike out.} 33.c4 dxc4+ 34.Kxc4 Rg3 35.d5 b5+ 36.Kd4 exd5 37.Kxd5 Rxe3 {Black has won another pawn but white's rooks have chances of becoming active.} 38.Kc5+ Kc8 39.Rh8+ Kb7 40.Rdd8 {Paul has calculated that his rooks will give him sufficient counterplay.} 40... Rc1+ 41.Kd4 ( 41.Kb4 {leads to a quick mate. } 41...Rc4+ 42.Ka5 Ra4# ) 41...Re4+ 42.Kd3 Rd1+ 43.Kc3 Rxd8 {Now it should be easy.} 44.Rxd8 Re2 45.Rg8 Rxa2 46.Kd4 Re2 47.Kc5 Rc2+ 48.Kd5 a5 49.Ke6 Rc5 50.Rg5 a4 51.g4 Rc6+ 52.Kd7 Rd6+ 53.Ke7 fxg4 54.Rxb5+ Ka6 55.Rc5 Kb6 56.Rc4 Kb5 57.Rxg4 a3 58.Rg5+ Kb4 59.Rg4+ Kb3 60.Rg3+ Kb2 61.Rg2+ Kc1 62. Rg1+ Rd1 63.Rg3 a2 0-1

[Event "Mamhead Cup"] [Site "Newton Abbot Courtenay Centre"] [Date "2024.04.20"] [Round "1"] [White "Pasupulety, Shreyas"] [Black "Wills, Jack"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [BlackElo "1791"] [ECO "A00"] [EventDate "2024.04.20"] [Board "14"] [PlyCount "89"] [EventRounds "2"] [EventCountry "ENG"] 1.b3 d5 2.Bb2 c5 3.e3 Bf5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.d4 e6 6.Nc3 a6 7.Be2 Nc6 8.Na4 c4 9. Nc3 b5 10.a3 Bd6 11.Nh4 Bg6 12.Nxg6 hxg6 13.Bf3 Qc7 14.g3 Ne7 15.e4 Nxe4 16.Bxe4 dxe4 17.Nxe4 Nd5 18.Qf3 Be7 19.Nc3 Rd8 20.O-O O-O ( 20...Rh5 {was another way of activating the rook, with ideas of doubling on the d-file.} ) 21.Kg2 Bf6 22.Rad1 Qb6 23.Ne2 Rd7 24.b4 Rfd8 25.c3 {Shreyas has covered his weakness on d4, but now his bishop looks short of squares.} 25...Ne7 26.Nc1 Qc6 27.Ne2 e5 28.h4 Qxf3+ 29.Kxf3 Nf5 30.Ke4 {Shreyas bravely activates his king.} 30...exd4 31.Nxd4 Nxd4 32.cxd4 Re8+ {White has only one weakness on d4, which he can defend, and as Jack can't create another weakness, the game soon ends as a draw.} 33.Kf3 Rc8 34.Bc3 Rd5 35.Rfe1 Rf5+ 36.Kg2 Rd8 37.Re4 g5 38.g4 Rfd5 39.h5 Be5 40.Rd2 Bf4 41.Rd1 Kf8 42. Kf3 R5d6 43.Kg2 Rf6 44.f3 Rdd6 45.Kf2 1/2-1/2

[Event "Mamhead Cup"] [Site "Newton Abbot Courtenay Centre"] [Date "2024.04.20"] [Round "1"] [White "Goldschmidt, Martin"] [Black "Blackmore, Joshua P"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "1981"] [BlackElo "1909"] [ECO "A00"] [EventDate "2024.04.20"] [Board "1"] [PlyCount "125"] [EventRounds "2"] [EventCountry "ENG"] 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 O-O 6.O-O c5 7.cxd5 Qxd5 8.Nc3 Qd8 9.e4 cxd4 10.Nxd4 e5 11.Ndb5 Nc6 12.Nd5 Be6 13.Ndc7 Bc4 14.Re1 Rc8 15. Qa4 Bxb5 16.Nxb5 a6 17.Nc3 Qd4 18.Be3 Qxa4 19.Nxa4 Nb4 20.Rec1 b5 21.Nc5 Rfe8 22.a4 Bxc5 23.Rxc5 Rxc5 24.Bxc5 Nd3 25.b4 Nxc5 26.bxc5 b4 27.Rc1 Rc8 28.c6 Ne8 29.Bh3 Rc7 30.Bd7 Kf8 31.Rc5 Nf6 32.Ra5 Nxd7 33.cxd7 Rxd7 34. Rxa6 Rb7 {Joshua has played well and reached a rook and pawn ending where he has the advantage.} 35.Rc6 b3 36.Rc1 Ra7 37.Rc4 b2 38.Rb4 Rxa4 39.Rxb2 Rxe4 {Josh has an extra pawn but it's not easy to win this ending.} 40.Rb7 g5 41.h3 Kg7 42.Kg2 h5 43.Kf3 Ra4 44.g4 Rf4+ 45.Kg3 h4+ 46.Kg2 Kf6 47.Rb6+ Ke7 48.Ra6 f6 49.Rb6 Rd4 50.Ra6 Rd6 51.Ra7+ Ke6 52.Ra5 Rc6 53.Rb5 Kd6 54. Ra5 Rb6 55.Kf3 Ke6 56.Kg2 e4 57.Rf5 Rd6 58.Ra5 Rd5 59.Ra8 Ke5 60.Re8+ Kf4 61.Re6 f5 62.Rf6 Re5 63.Rf8 {White keeps his rook on the f-file and there's nothing black can do.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Mamhead Cup"] [Site "Newton Abbot Courtenay Centre"] [Date "2024.04.20"] [Round "1"] [White "Cooper, Harvey"] [Black "Manning, Ellis"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "1813"] [BlackElo "1663"] [ECO "A00"] [EventDate "2024.04.20"] [Board "6"] [PlyCount "75"] [EventRounds "2"] [EventCountry "ENG"] 1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.f4 d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4 5.Qf3 Nc6 6.Bb5 Nxc3 7.bxc3 Qh4+ 8. g3 Qe4+ 9.Qxe4 dxe4 10.d4 Bd7 ( 10...exd3 {was better.} ) 11.Bc4 Be7 12. Ne2 g5 13.Rf1 Rf8 14.Bd5 Bh3 15.Rf2 O-O-O 16.Bxe4 h6 17.a4 Na5 18.Ba3 Bxa3 19.Rxa3 Nc4 20.Rb3 c6 21.Rf6 Be6 22.Rb4 a5 23.Rb1 Rh8 24.Nc1 Kc7 25.Nd3 Na3 26.Rc1 b6 27.Nb2 b5 28.axb5 cxb5 29.Rd1 h5 30.d5 Nxc2+ {A desperate strike from Ellis.} 31.Bxc2 Bxd5 32.Ra1 h4 33.Rxa5 hxg3 34.hxg3 Rh2 35.Rf2 Rxf2 36.Kxf2 Kb6 37.Ra3 Be6 38.Ke3 {With no compensation for the missing piece, Ellis resigns.} 1-0

[Event "Mamhead Cup"] [Site "Newton Abbot Courtenay Centre"] [Date "2024.04.20"] [Round "1"] [White "Randhawa, Ronit"] [Black "Howard, Charles V"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "1454"] [BlackElo "1825"] [ECO "A00"] [EventDate "2024.04.20"] [Board "8"] [PlyCount "118"] [EventRounds "2"] [EventCountry "ENG"] 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.f3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.Be3 Nbd7 9.Qd2 Be7 10.O-O-O b5 11.g4 Nb6 12.h4 Nc4 13.Bxc4 bxc4 14.Na1 Qa5 15. a3 Rb8 16.g5 Nd7 17.Nd5 Qxd2+ 18.Rxd2 Bd8 {Ronit has been under some pressure but he has fought back well.} 19.Nb4 a5 20.Nc6 Bb6 21.Bxb6 Rxb6 22.Rxd6 O-O 23.Ne7+ Kh8 24.Rxb6 Nxb6 25.Nc6 a4 26.Nxe5 {Now that Ronit is 2 pawns ahead, Charlie decides to mix it.} 26...c3 27.b3 f6 28.gxf6 gxf6 29.Nd3 Rc8 30.bxa4 Nxa4 31.Nb3 Ra8 32.Kd1 Nb2+ 33.Nxb2 cxb2 34.Ke2 { Amazingly this is the losing move.} ( 34.Kd2 {keeps the king in touch with the b-pawn. eg} 34...Rxa3 35.Kc3 Ra2 36.Rb1 {and white will stay 2 pawns ahead.} ) 34...Rxa3 35.Nd2 ( 35.Rb1 {gives white a chance.} 35...Bxb3 36. cxb3 Rxb3 37.Kd2 Kg7 38.Kc2 Rxf3 39.Kxb2 Re3 40.Rg1+ Kf7 41.Rg4 {and black is only slightly better.} ) 35...Ra1 36.Rb1 Rxb1 37.Nxb1 Ba2 38.Nd2 Kg7 39.Kd3 b1=Q 40.Nxb1 Bxb1 {Now Charlie converts the endgame easily.} 41.Kd2 Kf7 42.c4 Ke6 43.Ke3 f5 44.exf5+ Kxf5 45.c5 Ba2 46.Kd4 Kf4 47.c6 Be6 48.c7 Kxf3 49.Ke5 Bc8 50.Kf6 Kg4 51.Ke5 Kxh4 52.Kf4 h5 53.Kf3 Kg5 54.Kg3 h4+ 55. Kh2 h3 56.Kh1 Kf6 57.Kh2 Ke5 58.Kg1 Kd6 59.Kh2 Kxc7 0-1

[Event "Mamhead Cup"] [Site "Newton Abbot Courtenay Centre"] [Date "2024.04.20"] [Round "1"] [White "Pasupulety, Shreyas"] [Black "Wills, Jack"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [BlackElo "1791"] [ECO "A00"] [EventDate "2024.04.20"] [Board "14"] [PlyCount "89"] [EventRounds "2"] [EventCountry "ENG"] 1.b3 d5 2.Bb2 c5 3.e3 Bf5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.d4 e6 6.Nc3 a6 7.Be2 Nc6 8.Na4 c4 9. Nc3 b5 10.a3 Bd6 11.Nh4 Bg6 12.Nxg6 hxg6 13.Bf3 Qc7 14.g3 Ne7 15.e4 Nxe4 16.Bxe4 dxe4 17.Nxe4 Nd5 18.Qf3 Be7 19.Nc3 Rd8 20.O-O O-O ( 20...Rh5 {was another way of activating the rook, with ideas of doubling on the d-file.} ) 21.Kg2 Bf6 22.Rad1 Qb6 23.Ne2 Rd7 24.b4 Rfd8 25.c3 {Shreyas has covered his weakness on d4, but now his bishop looks short of squares.} 25...Ne7 26.Nc1 Qc6 27.Ne2 e5 28.h4 Qxf3+ 29.Kxf3 Nf5 30.Ke4 {Shreyas bravely activates his king.} 30...exd4 31.Nxd4 Nxd4 32.cxd4 Re8+ {White has only one weakness on d4, which he can defend, and as Jack can't create another weakness, the game soon ends as a draw.} 33.Kf3 Rc8 34.Bc3 Rd5 35.Rfe1 Rf5+ 36.Kg2 Rd8 37.Re4 g5 38.g4 Rfd5 39.h5 Be5 40.Rd2 Bf4 41.Rd1 Kf8 42. Kf3 R5d6 43.Kg2 Rf6 44.f3 Rdd6 45.Kf2 1/2-1/2