Mid-Sussex League Division 1 2016-17: Horsham 1 – Eastbourne 1

   [Event "Mid-Sussex League"]  [Site "Horsham"]  [Date "2016.11.23"]  [Round ""]  [White "Pickersgill, Adrian O"]  [Black "Mansson, James C"]  [Result "0-1"]  [Eco "C55"]  [Annotator "Mansson, James C"]  [Source ""]   1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 {This is a gambit line that usually transposes to lines normally classified under 3 Bc4.} Nf6 {If Black is happy to play the Two Knights Defence, this is the simplest response.} ( 4...Bc5 {is the move if Black prefers the Giuoco Piano.} 5.c3 ( 5.Ng5 {?!} Nh6 6.Nxf7 Nxf7 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Qxc5 d6 {rebounds on White.} ) ( 5.O-O d6 {!} {intending ...Bg4 is fine for Black.} ( 5...Nf6 {!?} {leads to the complex Max Lange attack after} 6.e5 d5 7.exf6 dxc4 8.Re1+ {etc} ) ) Nf6 {transposes to the line where White plays c3 and d4 directly, where Black is OK.} ) 5.e5 {This line keeps the most play in the position.} ( 5.O-O Nxe4 {!} {leads to forcing lines that are fine for Black.} ( 5...Bc5 {!?} {is the Max Lange Attack again.} 6.e5 d5 7.exf6 dxc4 8.Re1+ {etc} ) 6.Re1 d5 7.Bxd5 Qxd5 8.Nc3 Qa5 9.Nxe4 Be6 {etc} ) d5 {!} {This tactical blow allows Black to establish himself in the centre.} 6.Bb5 ( 6.exf6 dxc4 {is not as effective as in the Max Lange. White has not yet castled, so Re1+ is not possible.} ) Ne4 7.Nxd4 Bd7 {!} ( {This is simpler than} 7...Bc5 ) 8.Bxc6 bxc6 9.O-O Bc5 { Both sides have chances in this complex position. White's two main ideas are to advance the f-pawn andf fight for the c5 square. Black looks to generate play with his bishops.} 10.f3 Ng5 11.f4 Ne4 12.Be3 Qe7 13.Nd2 Nxd2 14.Qxd2 O-O 15.Rae1 f5 {?!} {Up to this point Black's play has been acceptable, but this move is a mistake. Black was worried about f5, but this gives White a protected passed pawn.} ( 15...Bb6 {is more sensible.} ) 16.Nb3 $16Bb6 17.Qc3 a5 18.a4 ( 18.e6 {!} Be8 ( 18...Bxe6 {?} 19.Bxb6 cxb6 20.Qxc6 Rae8 21.Qxb6 $20) 19.Bc5 {!} $16{allows White to get control of c5.} ) Qb4 19.Qxb4 axb4 20.Nc5 {?} ( 20.e6 {!} {seems to maintain some advantage.} Bxe3+ ( 20...Be8 21.a5 Bxa5 22.Ra1 ) ( 20...Bc8 21.Bxb6 cxb6 22.Nd4 ) 21.Rxe3 Rfe8 ( 21...Be8 22.a5 ) ( 21...Bc8 22.a5 ) 22.Rfe1 Bc8 23.a5 ) Bc8 { Curiously, this position seems quite playable for Black, despite White's two passed pawns. The key factor seems to be White's lack of pawn breaks.} $13 21.b3 {?} {White overlooks a tactic...} Ra5 {?} {...which Black also fails to see!} ( 21...d4 {!} 22.Bxd4 Ra5 {wins material.} ) 22.Nd3 c5 {However, Black still has decent chances based on advancing his queenside pawns, while White lacks play of his own.} 23.Rf3 Be6 24.Bf2 Rb8 25.Nb2 c4 26.Bxb6 Rxb6 27.Rd1 c3 28.Nd3 c5 29.Nc1 d4 {Black now aimed to improve his position gradually, looking for a chance to play ...c4.} 30.Rf2 Rb8 31.h3 h5 32.h4 Rd8 33.Nd3 Rc8 34.Nc1 Kf7 35.Kf1 Rd8 36.Nd3 Bd5 37.Ke1 Be4 { Both players were now running short of time. Black passed over some chances to play ...c4, as he was unable to calculate the consequence in time trouble, but he eventually got the move in successfully.} 38.Re2 Ke6 ( 38...c4 {!} 39.bxc4 ( 39.Nxb4 cxb3 40.cxb3 d3 $21) Rxa4 $21) 39.Kf2 g6 ( 39...Bxd3 {!} 40.Rxd3 c4 41.bxc4 Rxa4 $21) 40.Ke1 c4 ( 40...Bxd3 {!} 41.Rxd3 c4 42.bxc4 Rxa4 $21) 41.Nxb4 ( 41.bxc4 Bxd3 42.Rxd3 Rxa4 $21) cxb3 42.cxb3 d3 {Here the game stopped for adjudication. It is easy enought to see that Black is winning.} 43.Z0 ( 43.Rxe4 fxe4 44.Nc6 Raa8 45.Nxd8+ Rxd8 $21) ( 43.Na2 Rb8 $21) 0-1