County Match (Open) 2013-14: Sussex – Herts

   [Event "County Match (Open)"]  [Site "Hassocks"]  [Date "2014.01.18"]  [Round "?"]  [White "Mansson, James C"]  [Black "Rudge, Jerry F"]  [Result "1/2-1/2"]  [ECO "E89"]  [Annotator "Mansson,James"]  [PlyCount "98"]  [EventCountry "ENG"]  [WhiteTeam "Sussex"]  [BlackTeam "Herts"]   1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 e5 7. Nge2 c6 8. Qd2  Nbd7 9. d5 cxd5 10. cxd5 Ne8 {This is rather passive and leads to a miserable  position for Black after White's standard response.} (10... a6 11. g4 {is the  main line.}) 11. g4 f5 12. gxf5 gxf5 13. Bg5 {This looks natural, but perhaps  is not necessary.} (13. O-O-O f4 14. Bf2 $14) 13... Ndf6 14. O-O-O f4 15. Kb1 {  In this kind of position, White's most effective strategy is to play on both  flanks. His plan is to play Nc1-b3 and Rc1, preparing queenside action, and  Rg1, exerting pressure down the g-file.} Qd7 {Black decides to bring his queen  over to the kingside.} 16. Nc1 Qf7 {Black now threatens ...Qh5, but White can  counter this effectively with a couple of moves that fit into his overall  scheme.} 17. Rg1 Kh8 18. Qf2 $1 {This is a good square for the queen,  supporting action on both flanks.} Qh5 19. Nb3 Nd7 20. Rc1 Bf6 {Black decides  to reduce congestion in his position by exchanging his bad bishop. However,  his position remains extremely passive.} 21. Bxf6+ Ndxf6 22. Nb5 a6 23. Nc7 $1  {When playing this, White needed to be sure that his rook could not be driven  back from the seventh rank by simple means.} Nxc7 24. Rxc7 Ne8 25. Re7 {This  looks risky in view of ...Qh6-f6 trapping the rook, but White has an effective  counter to that prepared.} Qh6 26. Qg2 (26. Qb6 Qf6 27. Qd8 $16 {was also  strong.}) 26... Qf6 27. Qg5 Qxg5 28. Rxg5 {Black has managed to exchange some  pieces, but his remaining forces are horrible passive. White controls the  g-file and seventh rank. Black is most probably lost here.} b6 {Black prevents  Na5, hitting b7, but now b6 is vulnerable.} 29. Nd2 Rb8 (29... b5 30. Nb3 $16 {  followed by Na5-c6.}) 30. Nc4 Rb7 {Black could not see anything better than  going into an endgame a pawn down.} 31. Rxb7 Bxb7 32. Nxb6 Rg8 33. Rxg8+ Kxg8  34. Bh3 Kf7 35. b4 {White has more than one way to win this position. The move  play was fine, but exchanging bishops was another effective approach.  Unfortunately, I was now undisiciplined in my analysis, and soon made a  serious error, which my opponent exploited to hold the draw.} (35. Bc8 {looks  like a forced win, e.g.} Bxc8 36. Nxc8 Kg6 37. b4 Kh5 38. a4 Kh4 39. b5 axb5  40. axb5 Nc7 41. Nxd6 Kh3 42. b6 Na6 43. b7 Kxh2 44. Nf7 Kg3 45. d6 $18) 35...  Ke7 {Time control} 36. Nc4 Kd8 37. Na5 Kc7 38. Kc2 h6 39. Kd3 Nf6 40. Nxb7 $2 {  I think this throws away the win, as Black can now block penetration by  White's remaining pieces on both flanks. I should have brought up my king or  a-pawn first before making the exchange.} (40. a4 Kb6 41. Nxb7 Kxb7 42. a5 $18)  (40. Kc4 Kb6 41. Nxb7 Kxb7 42. a4 a5 43. bxa5 Ka6 44. Kb4 $18) 40... Kxb7 41.  a4 (41. Kc4 Kb6 (41... a5 42. bxa5 Ka6 43. Kb4 $18) 42. a4 a5 {transposes to  the game.}) 41... a5 $1 42. Kc4 Kb6 43. Bc8 Ne8 44. Bd7 Nf6 45. Bb5 Nh7 46. h4  Nf6 47. bxa5+ Kxa5 48. Kd3 Kb4 49. Ke2 Ka5 {Black offered a draw, which White  accepted, as there is no way for him to break through.} 1/2-1/2