Club Night - 30th May 2022

Crawford Macnab

30 May 2022

Two graded games were played on Monday 30th May 2022.

Maciej got the better of Euan, and Eric’s run of form continues with a second win against Charles.

Potential new club members Mathew and his son Isaac came along to the club and played 10 minute games against Gerry, Crawford, Allan and Stuart. Isaac had used his initiative to find our club online which as a bonus is within walking distance. (It seems that the effort to register the club properly with Google Maps has hopefully paid off!)

Both Mathew and Isaac played well, hopefully enjoying a chance to play over the board chess.

My one game against Isaac was a Morra Gambit declined where I (with white) netted material in the opening at the cost of exposing my king on d3 with major pieces still on the board. Eventually with material returned in order to survive the middle game, we reached a king + pawn ending which was played out in a mad time scramble where Isaac ran out of time when I had just one second left on the clock! (and was about to checkmate with a newly promoted queen)

31st May 2022

Charles with the white pieces against Eric offered an exchange of queens that resulted in doubled f pawns. With a different move order the doubled pawns could have been avoided with an easier endgame.

Position shown was reached with white to play.

Possibly with best play White could have held this. However some weaker moves by Charles were punished by Eric who played the endgame very well.

Gunn-Russell, Charles

Smith, Eric

0-1

1. d4 e6 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 O-O 7. cd5 Nd5 8. Be7 Qe7 9. Nd5 ed5 10. Bd3 Nf6 11. O-O

 

[11. Qc2 More accurate and gives possibility to avoid Bg4 pin]

 

11... Bg4 12. h3 Bh5 13. Be2 c6 14. Qc2 Ne4 15. Rfc1 a5 16. Rab1 f5 17. Ne5 Be2 18. Qe2 f4 19. ef4 Rf4 20. Nd3 Rf7 21. Re1 Qf6 22. Ne5 Re7 23. Rbd1 Rae8 24. Qf3

 

Desire to swap queens but this is a mistake [24. Qc2 Nd6 25. Qd2 Ne4 26. Qc2]

 

24... Qf3 25. Nf3 Nd2 26. Re7

 

This allows doubled pawns which makes it more difficult for white in the rook ending [26. Rd2 Re1 27. Ne1 Re1 only slight edge to black]

 

26... Nf3 27. gf3 Re7 28. Rd2

 

[28. Kf1 Kf7]

 

28... Kf7

 

[28... Re1 29. Kg2 a4 30. a3]

 

29. Kg2

 

[29. Kf1 was better]

 

29... Kf6 30. Kg3 Kf5 31. b4??

 

Blunder. a4 was best [31. a4 g5 32. Kg2 h5]

 

31... a4 32. b5 Re6 33. bc6 Rg6 34. Kh2 Rc6 35. Kg3 b5

 

[35... Rg6 36. Kh2 Kf4 37. Rd3 b5 38. a3 Rc6]

 

36. Re2 Rg6 37. Kh2 Kf4 38. Re5 Rg5 39. Re8 Kf3 40. Rb8 Ke4

 

[40... Rg2 Exploits weak white king position 41. Kh1 Rf2 42. Rb5 Kg3 43. Rb1 Ra2]

 

41. Rb5 Kd4 42. Rb4

 

[42. Ra5 Kc3 43. f4 Rh5]

 

42... Kc3 43. Ra4 d4

 

pawn will prove decisive

 

44. Ra7 d3 45. Rc7 Kb2 46. Rd7 Kc2 47. Rc7 Kd1 48. a4 d2 49. f4 Rd5 50. Rg7 Ke2 51. Rg1 d1Q 52. Rd1 Kd1 53. Kg3 Ke2 54. Kg4 Ke3 55. f5 Ke4