Sussex League Division 1 2023-24: Horsham 1 – Hastings 2

   [Event "Sussex League Division 1"]  [Site "Various"]  [Date "2024.03.19"]  [Round "9"]  [White "Mansson, James C"]  [Black "Fletcher, Martin G"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "B00"]  [Annotator "Mansson,James"]  [PlyCount "65"]  [EventDate "2023.09.01"]  [EventType "team-match"]  [EventRounds "11"]  [EventCountry "ENG"]  [WhiteTeam "Horsham 1"]  [BlackTeam "Hastings 2 II"]  [WhiteTeamCountry "ENG"]  [BlackTeamCountry "ENG"]   {Time control: 65 minutes plus 30 second increment - Match played at Horsham} 1. d4 b6 {I was uncertain what my opponent would play; based on the few games I had seen, I expected a more classical approach based on 1...d5. Fortunately, the offbeat approach he adopted is one I do have some experience facing.} 2. e4 Bb7 3. Bd3 Nf6 4. Nc3 d6 $6 {Black's best hope of counterplay is based on e6.} (4... e6) 5. Nf3 g6 $6 {This leaves Black vulnerable to an e5 thrust.} (5... e6) 6. O-O (6. e5 {at once also looks good.}) 6... Ba6 $2 {This is a serious error, which allows White to build up what should be a winning attack.} 7. Bxa6 Nxa6 8. Qe2 $1 Nb8 9. e5 $1 {Black's knight now has nowhere good to go.} dxe5 10. dxe5 Ng8 {Amusingly, both black knights have been driven back to their starting squares!} 11. Bg5 {White has a choice of strong continuations. I though for a long time here and the next few moves, with the result that I started to run short of time.} (11. e6) (11. Ng5) (11. Rd1) 11... Bh6 {Another amusing development: both black bishops have been brought out in the same fashion (...b6 and ...Ba6, ...g6 and ...Bh6).} 12. Qe4 c6 13. e6 {This is a very resonable move, although I didn't find the most incisive follow up.} (13. Qf4 {is straightforward and strong, e.g.} Bxg5 14. Nxg5 Nh6 15. e6 f6 16. Rad1 Qc8 17. Nge4 Nf5 18. g4 Ng7 19. Nxf6+ exf6 20. Qxf6 $18 {Black cannot meet all the threats.}) 13... f6 14. Bxh6 {This is again a reasonable choice, although there is a sharper and more spectacular alternative.} (14. Qf4 $1 {is again very good, introducing some neat tactics. It is a tricky choice to make, as White has to be prepared to leave a piece en prise (but immune to capture) for quite a few moves.} Bg7 (14... fxg5 $4 15. Qf7#) (14... Bxg5 15. Nxg5 Nh6 (15... fxg5 $4 16. Qf7#) 16. Rad1 Qc8 17. Nge4 $18) 15. Rad1 Qc8 16. Ne4 {and Black still cannot take the piece, while it is difficult to find him a move.} Na6 (16... fxg5 $4 17. Qf7#) 17. Rd7 Qb8 18. Nd6+ $1 exd6 (18... Qxd6 19. Rxd6 exd6 20. Qxd6 $18) (18... Kf8 19. Ne5 $1 {Now all White's minor pieces are en prise! Black has no defence to the capture on c6, e.g.} Nc5 20. Nxc6 Nxe6 21. Nxb8 Nxf4 22. Rd8#) 19. Rxg7 d5 20. Rxg8+ Rxg8 21. Qxf6 Qc7 22. e7 $18 {and Black has no defence to threats such as e5 and f4.}) 14... Nxh6 15. Qf4 {White starts to let things slip a little, although his position remains very strong.} (15. Rad1 {was the best way to continue, simply bringing pieces to strong squares.} Qc8 (15... Qc7 16. Nb5 cxb5 (16... Qc8 17. Qf4 O-O 18. Nc7 $18 {wins the exchange.}) 17. Qxa8 O-O 18. Qd5 $18 {and White is again the exchange ahead.}) 16. Nd4 O-O 17. Rd3 $18 {and White has a very strong attack.}) 15... Nf5 16. g4 Qd6 17. Qe4 Ng7 {I was a little frustrated, as it seemed that Black would now castle, but the position still looked very good for White. As I was running short of time, I decided to bring my pieces to strong squares rather than look for a forcing continuation I could not calculated properly.} 18. Nb5 $1 Qd8 (18... Qxe6 $4 19. Nc7+ $18) 19. Rad1 Qc8 20. Rfe1 {This is the practical choice under the circumstances.} (20. Nd6+ $1 {was a move I considered, but could not work out the consequences.} exd6 21. Rxd6 O-O 22. e7 Re8 23. Rxf6 {is apparently very strong, according to the computer, but it would rather challenging for a human to play in this way!}) 20... Na6 (20... O-O {could be met by} 21. Nd6 $1 (21. Nbd4 {was more sedate, and what I would probably opted for, given the clock situation.}) 21... exd6 22. e7 Re8 23. Rxd6 {which is very similar to the earlier line with d6+.}) 21. Nbd4 {White chose the safe option, although his advantage is not as clear as it might be.} (21. Nd6+ $1 exd6 22. Rxd6 {is again apparently strong.}) 21... c5 $2 {Fortunately, Black now makes things easy.} (21... Nc5 {was a better try, although after} 22. Qxc6+ Qxc6 23. Nxc6 {White is still on top.}) 22. Nc6 Nc7 (22... O-O 23. Nxe7+ $18) 23. Rd8+ Qxd8 24. Nxd8 {If Black got a rook and minor piece for the queen, resistance might be possible, but he loses the minor piece.} Rxd8 (24... Kxd8 25. Qb7 $18 {intending Rd1+ wins a piece.}) 25. Qc6+ Kf8 26. Qxc7 Rd6 27. Qxa7 Nxe6 28. g5 f5 29. h4 Kf7 30. Ne5+ Ke8 31. Nc4 Rd7 32. Qa8+ Rd8 33. Qc6+ 1-0