East Cheshire Chess Club Blog » Uncategorized

A victory for persistence

Graham J Ball — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 21:53:00 +0000

East Cheshire got thumped but at least I won my game, a game that was drawn throughout really against an evenly matched opponent. Make of it what you will, an interesting game to play

1. d4 e6 2. e4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. Be2 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bb4+

(usually play 7. … Nh6, this is alright too)

8. Nc3 Nge7 9. a3 Bxc3+ 10. bxc3 Bd7

FEN/PGN

White to move

Initially its all about that c pawn

11. OO Rc8 12. Bd2 Na5 13. Rb1 Qc7 14. Qc2 b6 15. Rfc1 Nc4

16. Bxc4 Qxc4 17. Rb4 Qc7 18. c4?

FEN/PGN

White to move

Sometimes my cautious chess gets the better of me, 18. …. a5 probably wins a pawn immediately but white gets somer counterplay against my pawns so I keep it solid

18. … dxc 19. Rxc4 Qxc4 20. Qxc4 Rxc4 21. Rxc4 Nd5 22. Ng5

Thought this might come, looking for Ne5 then Nd6, its a bit of a nuisance if it gets there

22. … f5 23. exf gxf 24. Ne4 Ke7 25. Nc3 Nxc3 26. Rxc3 Rc8

27. f3 Rxc3 28. Bxc3 Kd6 29. Kf2 Kd5 30. Ke3 a5 31. Kd3 Bb5+

However you look at it this is with correct play a drawn ending but the clock will come into play, my plan is to use the dual threat of penetrating with the king on either the king or queen side. My active Bishop and king can drive a path for that pawn if the defence is not accurate.

32. Kd2 f5 33. g3 Kc4 34 Bb2 Bc6 35. f4 b5 36. Bc3 b4

Time control an extra 15 minutes each, my opponent ends up with a total of 17, I have got 58, these are good odds

37. axb4 axb4 (think … a4 here is actually best, not sure though, maybe the pawn is better on the b file giving the king the option of running down the a file)

38. Bb2 Kb3 39. Kc1 Kc4 40. Kd2 Be4 41. Kc1 Kd3 42. Kd1 Bf3+

43. Kc1 Ke2 44. Kcc2 Bd5

FEN/PGN

White to move

I think this position is still drawn, yes I can win the h pawn but if his king simply follows me accross what then.

45. h3? Kf3 White Resigns

Graham J Ball — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 12:08:00 +0000

She is in Dubai so I will have to do this. Here is last nights game against DB, another tight one hinging on small decisions.

1. d4 e6 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 Bxc3 5. bxc3 b6 6. Bf4

FEN/PGN

White to move

(The game Explorer on chess.com gives ….6 …. OO here, but only one game and a white win so Bf4 seems largely untested, cant be bad)

6 …. Bb7 7. e3 d5 (maybe 7 …. d6 is more solid)

8. Nf3 OO 9. Qc2 Nbd7 10. Bd3 ( probably 10. cxd5 first is more accurate)

10. … dxc 11. Bxc4 Be4 12. Bd3 Bxd3 13. Qxd3

FEN/PGN

White to move

My thoughts on this positionin the game :-

1. Its pretty level

2. Dont get check mated on h7

3. Best winning chance is the c and d files

4. a Knight for bishop exchange would be useful

13 ….. h6 14. OO Nh5 15. Bg3 Nxg3 16. hxg3 (think I would have played fxg3 here)

16. …. Nf6 17. c4 c5 18. Rfd1 cxd 19. exd Rac8. Reasonably happy now as have achieved 1-4 above

20. a4 Qc7 21. Ne5 Rfd8 22. Qf3 (stopping my planned Nd7)

22. …… Nh7 23. Qe3 f6 24. Nf3 ( and the game swings slightly my way, I had wondered if Ng6 might happen but its hard to see what it might do from there)

24. ….. Qxc4

FEN/PGN

White to move

I am a pawn up but all the heavy artillery is still on, dificult win if it stays on, if the artillery comes off then the end game is won, so was not too unhappy when DB started offering exchanges

25. Rdc1 Qd5 26. Rxc8 Rxc8 27. Rc1 Rxc1 28. Qxc1 Qd7 29. Qc4 Nf8

30. Nd2 Qd5 31. Qc3 Kf7 32. f3 Ke7 33. Kf2 Nd7 34. Qb4+ Qd6

35. Qc3 e5 36. Nb3 a5

DB had less than a minute left at the time control, I think time has been significant in both our games

37. dxe fxe. (this broke up my pawns a bit but I felt it was important to keep Dave’s horse off d4)

38. Ke2 Nc5 39. Nxa5? bxa5 40. Qxa5 Qa6+ 41. Qxa6 Nxa6 42. Kd3 Kd6

43. Ke4 g6 44. f4 Nc5+ 45. Kf3 exf 46. gxf Nxa4 47. g4 Nc5

White Resigns

Graham J Ball — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 11:05:00 +0000

Dave Broadbent V Graham Ball
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Bd3 Qb6 6. OO (6. cxd is probably best)
6 ……. cxd 7. Nbd2

I have forgotten how to insert a board but here is the crux of the matter, White has sacrificed a pawn for some play, not much play yet in practise so far its played 3 won 3 for Graham so it must have something

7 ….. Bd7 (7. …..Nge7 or 7. …….f6 according to the chess.com database)
8 Nb3 f6?
9. Re1 (I think getting the Queen to e2 and the Rook to d1 is more accurate in the main line but
after 8…. f6 simply Nbxd4 equalises at least)
9. …… OOO
10. a4 fxe 11. Nxe5 Nxe5 12. Rxe5 Bd6 13. Rh5 Nf6 14. Bg5 Nxh5 15. Bxd8 Qxd8 16. Qxh5 Qf6 17. Bb5 Rf8 18. BxB KxB 19. Qe2 Kc8 20. f3 Qh6
21. g3 Qf6? ( 21….Qe3+ leaves Black with a clear advantage)
22. Kg2 e5 23. Rf1 h5 24. Qb5 Qf7 25. Qd3 g5?! (maybe 25….h4)
26. a5 h4 27. a6 b6 28 Qb5 e4 ?! (better moves available)
29. Nxd4 h3? (time trouble swings the game White’s way)
30. Kg1 (must not just take the h pawn)
30. …….Bc5
31. Qe6+ Qc7? ( 31 …. Kb8 maybe better)
32. Qa8 + Qb8
33. Qxd5 exf
34. C3?! ( 34. Qe6+ needs looking at)
34. ………Qc7
35. Qxg5 Qd7
36. Qd2 Qd5 37. Kf2 Re8 38. Re1 Rxe1 39. Kxe1 Qe4+ 40. Kf2 Qb1 41. Kxf3 Qf1+
42. Qf2 Qd3+ 43. Kg4 Qg6+ 44. Kxh3 Qh7+ 45. Kg2 Qe4+ 46. Qf3 Qb1 47. Qf5+ 1-0

Dutch Treat

Graham J Ball — Sun, 03 May 2009 18:57:00 +0000

This is Graham’s last game of the season against Stockport. I think Graham would admit he was not particularly motivated about this game, not much to play for really, this was until his opponent chuckled when Graham played his opening move 1…..f5. To be fair to his opponent this was not a chuckle at the move but more circumstance. Grahams opponent had prepared 1. Nf3 on the basis he might get White against Dave Newell’s Dutch. Apparently Stockport chess club keep a database and Dave is on it, seems to me this is taking chess a mite too seriously. So having not got Dave he abandoned the Nf3 preparation, played 1. c4 then got the Dutch anyway, bit of a bugger life sometimes.

Anyway on with the game.

1. c4 f5
2. Nc3 d6 (supporting e5, anf if White plays d4 then we are back into main line Dutch Leningrad)
3. g3 e5
4. d3 Nf6
5. Bg2 g6
6. Nf3 c6
7. O-O Bg7
8. Rab1 O-O
9. b4 Nh5
10. Qb3 f4

So the opening has gone OK, its not too far off a Leningrad structure, not sure if the pawn on e5 is strong or exposed but it turned out OK.

11. c5+ d5
12. e4 fxe3

Is the Ne4 then Nd6 manouvre good or not?

13. fxe3 Kh8
14. e4 half a question mark maybe
14. … d4
15. Na4 Qe8
16. Bd2 Be6
17. Qa3 cheap trick or best available?
17. … Na6
18. Ng5 Rxf1 I think this is best although other tries are available, the Queen is probably best if it can remain on e8 for the time being, lots of options from there
19. Bxf1 Bg8
20. Be2 Nf6
Wonder if immediate h6 is better, not much in it maybe, don’t believe White will want to exchange the White squared bishop for the knight, probably needs it to defend those white squares around the King if necesary

21. Bd1 h6
22. Nf3 g5
23. Nb2 Nc7
24. Bb3? Nb5
25. Qa4 (a long way from being in the game)
25. … Qh5
26. Kg2 (Graham clearly up here, Nxe5 is an interesting try)
26. … Rf8 (26. …Nf4 worth a look)
A new experience for Graham this season, bit of time trouble having been treading very carefully over the past few moves
27. Rf1 Ng4
28. h3 Ne3+
29. Bxe3 dxe3
30. g4 Qg6

31. Bd1 Nd4
32. Re1? Nxf3
Graham with not much time analized one sequence of moves giving him a position of safety and probably a win, 32…. Nxf3 is OK, but there is a winner.

33. Bxf3 Rxf3
34. Kxf3 Qf6+
35. Kxe3 Qf4+
36. Ke2 Qh2+
37. Kd1 Qxb2
38. Re2 Qa1+
39. Kd2 Qxa2

Well I think with correct play this is eventually a win for Black but its not easy against the clock and although a few more moves were played a draw was eventually agreed. Graham’s challenge for next year is to turn a few of these very good draws into wins!

Graham J Ball — Sun, 03 May 2009 17:39:00 +0000

Here is Grahams game from thursday against Stockport, after totally failing to get motivated for the game his opponent chuckled at Graham’s 1….f5 response to 1. c4, thus solving the motivation problem. Sadly he was not in fact laughing at the move, he had been preparing 1. Nf3 during the day expecting to maybe play Dave Newell and his dutch but then got Graham instead, apparently Dave has a game or two on the Stockport chess club database but Graham does not, so not realising his preperation for the Dutch would still be useful opened with 1. c4, losing any real chance to play some of the sharp and prepared 1. Nf3 lines. Bit of a bugger life sometimes.
Anyway on with the game.
1. c4 f5
2. Nc3 d6 trying for an early e5, if White plays d4 to stop this then we are back into main line leningrad
3. g3 e5 4. d3 Nf6 5. Bg2 g6 6. Nf3 c6 7. OO Bg7 8. Rab1 OO
Nice Leningrad like structure, Grham is I think at least level
9. b4 Nh5 10. Qb3 f4

11. c5+ d5 12. e4 fxe3 What do we think about 12. Ne4 here, is it a nuisance if it then goes to d6, anyway back to the game.
13. fxe3 Kh8 releiving pressure on d5
14. e4 (half a question mark)
14. d4
15. Na4 Qe8
16. Bd2 Be6 17. Qa3 cheap trick
17. ……Na6 18. Ng5 Interesting position with quite a lot going on and on the basis that the Queen is best remaining on d8 supporting the pawn on c6 against whites b5 then
18….. Rxf1 19. Bxf1 Bg8 20. Be2 Nf6? I have given it a question mark as I dont think its necesary to move it, an immediate ….h6 maybe

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Having a Ball with the French

Graham J Ball — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 13:05:00 +0000

White: McKenna Black: Graham Ball

I think Graham expected to lose this one, he had fluked a half early in the season but maybe that actually worked in his favour.

1. e4 e6
2. d4 d5
3. Nc3 Nf6
4 e5 Nfd7
5. f4 c5
6. Nf3 Nc6
7. Be3 a6
Graham likes the 7…..a6 line for no better reason than he has forgotten about the Nb5 Nd6 manouver on more than one occasion. Its also true that with a bit of cooperation from White it can produce some interesting Q side ideas. I prefer 7……cxd4

8. Qd2 b5
9. dxc Bxc5
10. Bxc5 Nxc5
11. Qf2 Qb6
12. Bd3
Not sure about this one, Graham likes to get the bits off against a better player and surely White wants to keep the light squared bishop

12. … Nxd3ch
13. cxd3 Qxf2 ch
14. Kxf2 Bd7
15. Rhc1

After 15 minutes thought. Graham gets nervous when good players start to think, mostly because he admits he can never figure out whats to think about, too much quickplay chess!

15. … Ke7
16. Ne2 Rhc8
17. a3 h6

Can’t help but think one side or the other needs to be on b4 here but haven’t sat down and analysed it.

18. h4 Ra7
19. Rc5 Rac7
20. R1c1 Kd8
21. g4 Ne7
22. RxR RxR
23. RxR KxR
24. Ng3 g6

25. h5
(25. Nd4 better maybe)
25. … Kc6

JPM has around 15 minutes left but takes 10 of them over the next mone, GB now very nervous. now I think b4 or Nd4 probably best but JPM maybe feels he should find a winning move

26. Ng5

26. … gxh

After sitting there for 10 minutes. GB would not have taken that Knight even if it were possible.

27. Nxf7 hxg
28. Nxh6 b4

Hard for JPM to win this now even with the extra pawn coming

29. axb Kb5
30. Nxg4 Kxb4

31. Ne3?

Dont like this move, think GB has an edge now

31. … Kb3
32. Nd1?

Not convinced by this either (time trouble moves.)

32. … Kc2
33. Ke2 Bb5
34. Ne3 Kxb2

35 f5?

Swapping off alright for GB, the Bishop ought to become strong.

35. … exf
36. Ngxf5 Nexf5

Time control, now on a first look I would have thought black winning but have not yet found a winning line , the problem is the a pawn is queening on the wrong colour so if white gets his king in front of it even after losing the knight to stop the d pawn it’s drawn.

37. Nxf5 Kc3
38. Nd6 Bxd3ch
39. Ke3 d4ch
40. Kf4 Bc2
41. e6 Ba4
42. Ke5 d3
43. Ne4ch Kc2
44. Kd6 d2
45. Nxd2 Kxd2
46. Kc5 Kc3 draw

David Taylor’s game on Wednesday 14th Jan 2009

David Taylor — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 17:21:00 +0000

Hi all!

I thought I would try out the new Blogspot set up by Phil, and post one of my own games for your comments.

So, here goes ………….! It is a Reti Accepted, and the comments stem from me or from Fritz8.

David Taylor (104) v Evan Wood (110, Chorlton) on 14-01-2009

1. Nf3 d5
2. c4 dc
3. e4 e6
4. Bxc4 Nf6
5. Nc3 Be7
6. O-O O-O
7. d4 c6
8. a3 He was obviously thinking about b5, and I initially planned to play Ba2
8. b5 (Fritz: Nbd7 better to develop the Q-side.)
It now occurred to me that his K-side was vulnerable to attack along c2 – h7, so:
9. Bd3 a5 He has no minor piece out on the Q-side – in fact he never gets a chance!
10. Qc2 Ne8 He anticipated e5 clearing the diagonal, so plans a pre-emptive f5.
11. e5 f5
12. exf6 Nxf6
13. Ne4 g6 This caused him grief later, so h6 is probably preferable.
14. Bh6 Re8

Here I worried about ….Ng4 so I played:

15. h3 But Fritz prefers the more aggressive Neg5
15. Nxe4
16. Bxe4 Bf8 Here Fritz suggests Bf6 is better for black
17. Be3 Here Fritz considers Bg5 is best; I wanted to overprotect d4.
17. Be7

Here I was considering Bxg6 but couldn’t be certain it was going to succeed so I played:

18. Ne5 However, Fritz asserts Bxg6 at once will win. Do you all agree?

18. Ra6 Rf8 would be more sensible – I wasn’t seriously going after the c6 pawn.
19. Bxg6 At last I plucked up courage to go for it!
19. Bf6 He cannot accept the sacrifice with hxg6?
20. Bxh7+ Kh8 And now he goes the wrong way! His Q is lost.
21. Nf7+ Kg7
22. Qg6+ Kf8
23. Nxd8 and he resigned with less then 1 minute remaining on his clock!

SO the point of the posting is to ask, what is the optimal timing of Bxg6?

David Taylor’s game on Wed Jan 14th

David Taylor — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 14:57:00 +0000

Hi all! Here is my game from last Wednesday’s match against Chorlton. Please feel free to post comments!

David Taylor (104) v Evan Wood (110) Chorlton on 14th Jan 2009

Réti Accepted (analysis by Fritz8)

1. Nf3 d5
2. c4 dxc4
3. e4 e6 (3…c5 is stronger)
4. Bxc4 Nf6 (again 4…c5 is better)
5. Nc3 Be7
6. 0–0 0–0
7. d4 c6
8. a3 b5 (Fritz prefers 8…Nbd7 – it develops a piece)
9. Bd3 a5 (At this point Black has moved only 2 pieces & castled!)
10. Qc2 Ne8 (white threatens e5 followed by Bxh7+)
11. e5 f5
12. exf6 Nxf6
13. Ne4 g6 (13…h6 would avoid the later problem of Bxg6)
14. Bh6 Re8

15. h3 (Fritz likes 15. Neg5 here, but I worried about 15. Ng4)
15. Nxe4
16. Bxe4 Bf8 (Fritz suggests that 16…Bf6 puts up more opposition)
17. Be3 (Fritz prefers 17. Bg5, but I wanted to overprotect d4)
17. Be7 (17…Qf6 would be safer for black)

18. Ne5 (Fritz considers that 18. Bxg6 will win already – but is that ue?)
18 Ra6 (18…Rf8 makes white’s game harder)

19. Bxg6 At last, I thought, the capture on g6 is winning!

My question is – should I have played it earlier?

19. Bf6
20. Bxh7+ Kh8 (Fritz finds that 20…Kf8 lasts longer)
21. Nf7+ Kg7
22. Qg6+ Kf8
23. Nxd8 Resigns (he was under terrible time pressure, with only 1 min on his clock)

One obvious point to note about black’s play: two of his minor pieces never moved, and his queen’s rook played little part.

Anyway, I was happy to post a win after a series of losses, and to use it to try and learn how to post a blog!