Mid-Sussex League Division 1 2022-23: Horsham 1 – Lewes

   [Event "Mid-Sussex League Division 1"]  [Site "Various"]  [Date "2023.01.31"]  [Round "5"]  [White "Britnell, Jonathan"]  [Black "Mansson, James C"]  [Result "0-1"]  [ECO "B67"]  [WhiteElo "1924"]  [BlackElo "2084"]  [Annotator "Mansson,James"]  [PlyCount "70"]  [EventDate "2022.09.01"]  [EventType "team-match"]  [EventRounds "9"]  [EventCountry "ENG"]  [SourceVersionDate "2022.09.07"]  [WhiteTeam "Lewes"]  [BlackTeam "Horsham 1"]  [WhiteTeamCountry "ENG"]  [BlackTeamCountry "ENG"]   1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 a6 8.  O-O-O Bd7 9. f4 b5 10. Nxc6 {My opponent was obviously unfamiliar with the  theory of this line, as he spent a while deciding on this innocuous move and  its dubious follow-up.} (10. Bxf6 gxf6 {leads to the complex main lines.})  10... Bxc6 11. e5 $6 {This does not work, as is demonstrated in the game.  White should choose a less forcing move.} (11. Bd3 b4 12. Bxf6 gxf6 {  transposes to a line usually reached after 10 Bxf6 gxf6.} 13. Ne2 Qb6 $13) (11.  Qe1 Be7 12. e5 (12. Bd3 Nd7 13. Bxe7 Qxe7 14. Qg3 O-O 15. f5 b4 16. Ne2 Nc5 17.  fxe6 fxe6 $15) 12... Nd5 13. Bxe7 Qxe7 14. Ne4 dxe5 15. fxe5 O-O 16. Bd3 Nf4  17. Rf1 Ng6 18. Qg3 Qh4 $11) (11. Qe3 Be7 $13) 11... dxe5 12. Qxd8+ $6 {  This just leads to a bad endgame, as White cannot exploit the pin on the  knight.} (12. fxe5 Qxd2+ 13. Rxd2 Nd7 14. Bf4 Be7 $15 {followed by ...0-0  gives Black a preferable endgame, but less advantageous than the game, as  White is better placed to defend his weaknesses.}) (12. Qe1 Qc7 13. fxe5 Ng4  14. Bf4 Bc5 15. Rd2 Rd8 $15 {gives Black the initiative.}) 12... Rxd8 13. Rxd8+  Kxd8 14. fxe5 h6 $1 {This is why 11 e5 and 12 Qxd8+ is wrong. Black breaks the  pin on the knight.} 15. Bh4 (15. Bxf6+ gxf6 16. exf6 Rg8 {Black is temporarily  a pawn down, but will regain it because of his pressure on g2.}) (15. exf6 hxg5  16. fxg7 Bxg7 {Black has the bishop pair and strong pressure on the White  queenside.}) 15... g5 16. Bf2 (16. exf6 gxh4 {Black's pawns are split, but he  has the bishop pair. Also, White's pawns, particularly his g-pawn, are  vulnerable. Black threates ...h3, or ...Rg8 and ...Bxg2. Moving the rook to g1  can be met by ...Bc5.}) 16... Nd7 17. Bd3 Bg7 {Black decided to complete his  development before taking either the e- or g-pawn.} 18. Rd1 Kc7 {Black has a  decision where to go with the king. The move played looks to guard the  queenside.} (18... Ke7 {is the alternative, looking to support the central  pawns with the king.}) 19. Ne4 Bxe5 20. g3 f5 {Black starts to get his pawns  moving.} 21. Nc5 Nxc5 22. Bxc5 Re8 {This is a good square for the rook,  supporting the advance of the pawns in the centre.} 23. a4 $5 {White tries to  mix things up.} bxa4 24. Bxa6 Rb8 25. c3 Bd5 26. Re1 Bf6 $5 (26... Bd6 27.  Bxd6+ Kxd6 {is a simpler approach.}) 27. Ba3 Bb3 28. Bb4 e5 29. Ba5+ Kc6 30. c4  {White intends Bc3xe5 as well a the more obvious Bb5+.} g4 {This is one way to  deal with the threat, which also prepares to support the advance of the e-pawn.  } 31. Bc3 Bg5+ {This is the point; Black unpins the e-pawn, allowing it to  advance.} 32. Kb1 e4 33. Rf1 Rd8 {Black sets up the threat of ...Rd1# should  the White rook leave the back rank, e.g. by playing Rxf5. This leaves White  totally tied up.} 34. Bb5+ Kb6 {This is the most accurate as it holds up the  advance of the c-pawn.} 35. Be5 e3 {White has no defence against ...e2 and ...  Rd1+, and so resigned.} 0-1