Another close match, well done to all!
Board 1
[Event "EJCC vs TBGS"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2011.02.11"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Worsey, Elliot"]
[Black "Royle, James"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C44"]
[PlyCount "50"]
{Black gets his King displaced early on and it gets caught by White's busy
pieces.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 {The Scotch Opening, a good system for
White which creates an immediate clash in the centre.} 3... d6 $6 {This allows
White to upset Black's development. I think you did that in your last game
too!} (3... exd4 4. Nxd4 4... Bc5 {is probably the best system of defence,
where Black has a small lead in development.}) 4. dxe5 Nxe5 5. Nxe5 dxe5 6.
Qxd8+ Kxd8 7. Nc3 Bb4 8. Bd2 8... f5 {Black is a bit behind in development and
so should keep lines closed. After this move, White's pieces become a real
nuisance.} 9. Bd3 Ne7 10. a3 Bc5 11. Rd1 Rf8 12. Bg5 {
threatening the deadly discovery Bb5+} 12... fxe4 (12... Bxf2+ {
looks like a brilliant idea, because of} 13. Kxf2 fxe4+ 14. Ke3 14... exd3 {
but now it is White's turn to have some fun} 15. Rxd3+ Ke8 16. Bxe7 Kxe7 17.
Nd5+ Kd6 18. Nb6+ $1) (12... c6 {may be the best way of hanging on}) 13. Bxe4+
Ke8 14. Bxe7 Bxf2+ 15. Ke2 Kxe7 16. Nd5+ Kf7 (16... Kd6 17. Nb6+ {
wins just as before} 17... Bd4 18. Nxa8 Bg4+ 19. Bf3 Bxf3+ 20. gxf3 Kc6) 17.
Kxf2 Ke8+ 18. Ke3 c6 19. Nc7+ Ke7 20. Nxa8 Bg4 21. Bf3 Bxf3 22. gxf3 Rxa8 23.
Rhf1 Rf8 24. f4 Rf5 25. fxe5 25... Rxe5+ {
I couldn't follow the score from here, but White seemed to win tidily enough.}
1-0
Board 2
[Event "EJCC vs TBGS"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2011.02.11"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Nagy, Dan"]
[Black "Rosser, Jonathan"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D00"]
[PlyCount "134"]
{The advantage swings both ways in this game and both sides had chances to put
it in the net, but a draw was a fair result. Lots to learn from this game!} 1.
d4 d5 2. Bf4 Nc6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bg4 5. Be2 (5. Nbd2) 5... e6 6. O-O Bd6 7. g3
$2 {This is risky for two reasons: mostly because the Bishop may lack a
retreat, but also because it makes holes on the light squares around the King.}
7... O-O 8. Nc3 {The Knight doesn't have much of a future here. White usually
puts it on c3 only after playing c2-c4; if White is not going to play c2-c4,
then it belongs on d2.} 8... Re8 9. Ne5 Bxe2 10. Nxe2 (10. Qxe2 {is better})
10... Ne4 ({
Black had a chance to take advantage of the position of the White Bishop:}
10... Bxe5 11. Bxe5 (11. dxe5 Nd7) 11... Nd7 $1 {winning a pawn.}) 11. Nxc6
bxc6 12. Bxd6 Qxd6 13. f3 13... Nf6 {Black's pawns are messy, but White's
pieces are too far away to make any problems.} 14. Qd3 Rab8 15. b3 c5 16. c3
cxd4 17. cxd4 c5 (17... e5 {makes use of the Rook on the file.}) 18. Rab1 cxd4
19. Nxd4 Rec8 20. Rfc1 h6 21. Rxc8+ Rxc8 22. Kf2 Nd7 23. b4 {
The right plan, but Black can make a nuisance now.} 23... Ne5 24. Qe2 Rb8 (
24... Nc4) 25. a3 a5 26. Qd2 Nc4 27. Qd3 $2 {loses contact with b4.} (27. Qc3
e5) 27... axb4 28. axb4 Rxb4 29. Rxb4 29... Qxb4 {
White has reasonable chances of drawing.} 30. e4 $2 {
This loses a piece! Hard to spot I know.} 30... dxe4 $2 (30... Nb2 $1 {
and the only square to defend the Knight is} 31. Qe3 $4 {but} 31... Nd1+ $1)
31. Qxe4 Qd2+ 32. Ne2 Qb4 33. Qa8+ Kh7 34. Kg2 Ne3+ 35. Kf2 {
Now Black loses a piece instead!} 35... Qd2 $4 36. Qe4+ Kg8 37. Qxe3 Qd5 38. h4
38... g5 {Swap off pawns when you are losing.} 39. f4 $2 {This allows Black to
mess up White's Pawns, when it's looking hard for White to win. Black's Queen
can threaten the pawns and checks and even a perpetual check.} 39... gxh4 40.
gxh4 Qh5 41. Qg3+ Kf8 42. Nd4 Ke7 43. Qa3+ Kf6 44. Kg3 Qg6+ 45. Kh3 h5 (45...
Qe4 $1 {forks N and P} 46. Qd6 $1 {saves both, but then} 46... Qd3+ $1 {
with a draw by perpetual.}) 46. Qf3 46... e5 $2 47. fxe5+ (47. Qc6+ $1 {
swaps off Queens and snatches a pawn.} 47... Kg7 48. Qxg6+ Kxg6 49. fxe5) 47...
Kxe5 48. Qe3+ Kd5 49. Ne2 $2 {drops a pawn} (49. Nf3) 49... Qg4+ 50. Kh2 Qxh4+
51. Qh3 $2 51... Qg4 (51... Qf2+ 52. Qg2+ Qxg2+ 53. Kxg2 {
and only Black can win}) 52. Nc3+ Ke5 53. Qe3+ Kf5 54. Qf2+ Kg6 (54... Qf4+)
55. Nd5 f5 56. Ne7+ Kg5 57. Qe3+ 57... f4 $2 {very tempting but loses!} (57...
Qf4+) 58. Qe5+ Kh6 (58... Kh4 $2 59. Nf5+ Kg5 60. Ne3+ {picks up the Queen})
59. Nd5 (59. Qh8+ $1 {is the path to victory:} 59... Kg5 60. Qg7+ Kh4 61. Qf6+
Qg5 62. Ng6+ Kg4 63. Ne5+ Kh4 64. Nf3+) 59... f3 60. Qg3 (60. Qf6+ Kh7 61. Qf7+
61... Kh6 {is a perpetual if White wants a draw.}) 60... Kg5 61. Ne3 Qxg3+ 62.
Kxg3 h4+ 63. Kxf3 h3 64. Kg3 Kh5 65. Kxh3 Kg5 66. Kg3 Kh5 67. Ng4 67... Kg5 {
Without pawns, you usually need to be at least a Rook ahead to force checkmate.
R is easy enough NB is possible NN is only possible if Black helps! }
1/2-1/2
Board 3
[Event "EJCC vs TBGS"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2011.02.11"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Wray, Jared"]
[Black "Frey, Adam"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C50"]
[PlyCount "108"]
{White had the advantage for nearly the whole game but couldn't quite find the
way through. Well done to both players!} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. O-O
{This move is usually played with Koltanowski's idea of playing 5.d4. If not,
Black might get to play ...Bg4 in a position where White dare not chase it
away.} (4. c3) (4. b4 $5 {Evans Gambit}) (4. d4 $5 {Koltanowski Gambit} 4...
Bxd4 (4... exd4 5. O-O (5. c3)) 5. Nxd4 Nxd4 6. O-O Nf6 7. f4 (7. Bg5)) 4... f6
{Playing safe is often dangerous! Black risks getting weak on the light
squares.} (4... Nf6 $1 {Develops, controls centre squares and prepares to
castle - three for the price of one.}) 5. Nc3 5... Qe7 $6 {just invites...} 6.
Nd5 Qd6 7. d3 7... b6 {Black's Bc5 is running out of room to dodge.} 8. Be3 (8.
c3 $1 {gives Black a headache.}) 8... Bxe3 9. Nxe3 Bb7 10. Nf5 Qf8 11. Bd5
O-O-O (11... Nge7) 12. d4 12... d6 {
Now Black really is weak on the light squares, but that's not a lost cause.} (
12... Nge7 {was fine. White can't win the e-pawn without losing his own.} 13.
Bxc6 Bxc6 14. dxe5 fxe5 15. Nxe5 Bxe4) 13. Be6+ Kb8 14. d5 Nce7 15. N3h4 Nxf5
16. Nxf5 Ne7 17. c4 Nxf5 18. exf5 Bc8 19. Bxc8 Rxc8 20. Qa4 Qe8 21. Qa6 c5 (
21... Qd7 22. a4) 22. Rab1 (22. a4 $1 {would set Black a puzzle.} 22... Qd7 23.
a5 Qb7 24. axb6 axb6 25. Qb5) 22... Qd7 23. b4 Qb7 ({
At the time I was interested in} 23... cxb4 24. Rxb4 24... Rc5 {with the idea
of ...Ra5, but if Black ever manages to play it, White's Queen can just take
it} 25. Rfb1 $1 25... Rc7 (25... Ra5 26. Qxa5) 26. a4 {
and White has a strong initiative}) 24. Qb5 a6 25. Qa4 Ka7 26. b5 $2 {
Now Black can seal up the Queen's-side and the game starts to turn in his
favour.} 26... a5 27. Qd1 Qe7 (27... Qd7 $1 {light squares!} 28. Qd3 28... Rcg8
{and Black has the initiative.}) 28. a4 Rhg8 29. Qe2 g6 30. fxg6 Rxg6 31. Qh5
Qg7 (31... Rcg8 $1 32. g3 32... Rg4 $1 33. Rbc1 33... Qd7 $1) 32. g3 32... Qh6
{Oh, too keen to swap!} (32... Rf8 {threatening to run the f-pawn.}) 33. Qf5
Rc7 34. Qe6 Qg7 35. Qxd6 Qd7 (35... f5 $1 {threatens to trap the Queen.} 36.
Qd8 Kb7 37. d6 Rd7 38. Qe8 38... Rgxd6 {and Black looks in great shape}) 36.
Qxd7 Rxd7 37. Rbd1 Rd6 38. f4 h5 39. fxe5 fxe5 40. Rf7+ Kb8 41. Rdf1 (41. Re1
Rg5 42. Re7) 41... Rg8 42. R1f5 Re8 43. Rxh5 e4 44. Kf1 (44. Rhh7 $1 {
with a firm grip on the position; White's king's-side pawns should win.}) 44...
e3 45. Ke1 Rg6 46. Rhh7 46... Rg4 {Black makes a bid for activity} 47. Re7 $2 {
The doubled Rooks on the seventh are too good to give up!} (47. Rb7+ Ka8 48.
Ra7+ Kb8 49. Rhb7+ Kc8 50. d6 {is killing}) 47... Rxe7 48. Rxe7 Rxc4 49. Rxe3
Rxa4 50. d6 Kc8 51. Rd3 Kd7 52. h4 {
About time! But Black has plenty of chances now.} 52... Re4+ 53. Kf2 c4 54.
Rc3 Rd4 (54... Kxd6 {
was better: it's all about activity, and that includes the King.} 55. h5 Kc5)
1/2-1/2
Board 4
[Event "EJCC vs TBGS"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2011.02.11"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Shepherd, Levi"]
[Black "White, James"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C47"]
[PlyCount "50"]
{Both sides played positive, attacking chess after the opening - but by then
White was a piece down. White's King ran from the frying pan into the fire.}
1. e4 {I might have got the move order in the opening wrong; you had played a
few moves before I found a scoresheet!} 1... e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 3... Nf6 {
I think you should avoid these four-square positions - it's hard to set your
opponent problems without playing d4 or f4.} 4. d3 {
That's not kind to the Bishop on f1.} (4. d4 $1 {is what I recommend here.}) (
4. Bc4 {doesn't succeed very well after} 4... Nxe4 $1) (4. Bb5 {is OK}) 4... d5
5. Be2 Bc5 6. Bg5 Be7 7. Qd2 dxe4 8. Nh4 $2 {gives up a pawn for no good reason
} (8. dxe4) (8. Nxe4) 8... exd3 9. Bxd3 Nh5 10. Bxe7 Nxe7 11. Bb5+ Nc6 12. Qe3
$4 {Overlooking Black's threat.} (12. Qxd8+ Kxd8 13. O-O-O+ Bd7 14. Rd5 {
wins back the pawn}) 12... Qxh4 13. O-O O-O 14. Nd5 Bf5 15. Bxc6 bxc6 16. Nxc7
Rad8 17. Qxe5 Qg5 18. Rad1 Nf4 19. g3 Nh3+ 20. Kg2 f6 21. Qe7 Rd2 22. Ne8 ({
At the time I was interested in the fork} 22. Ne6 {
which sets up another fork after} 22... Bxe6 ({
but Black can ignore the threats because of} 22... Be4+ $1 23. Kxh3 Qh5#) 23.
Qxe6+ Kh8 24. Qxh3 {yet even in the main line Black has} 24... Qd5+ {
ganging up on d1}) 22... Nf4+ 23. Kf3 $2 {Now it's mate in three.} (23. Kh1 {
would survive longer.}) 23... Bg4+ 24. Ke3 Nd5+ 25. Ke4 Qf5# 0-1