County Match (Open) 2022-23: Sussex – Surrey

   [Event "SCCU County Match"]  [Site "Various"]  [Date "2022.12.10"]  [Round "3"]  [White "Noyce, Robert C"]  [Black "Mansson, James C"]  [Result "1/2-1/2"]  [ECO "A22"]  [WhiteElo "2154"]  [BlackElo "2087"]  [Annotator "Mansson,James"]  [PlyCount "67"]  [EventDate "2022.10.01"]  [EventType "team-match"]  [EventRounds "6"]  [EventCountry "ENG"]  [SourceVersionDate "2022.09.07"]  [WhiteTeam "Surrey"]  [BlackTeam "Sussex"]  [WhiteTeamCountry "ENG"]  [BlackTeamCountry "ENG"]   {Time control: 120 minutes plus 10 second increment - Match played at Hassocks  } 1. e4 e5 2. c4 {White transposes into a sideline of the English Opening.} Nf6  (2... Nc6 {is an alternative approach, keeping open the option of ...f5.}) 3.  Nc3 {This position would more normally be reached after 1 c4 e5 2 Nc3 Nf6 3 e4.  } Bc5 (3... Bb4 {is the other way to develop the bishop.}) 4. g3 d6 5. Bg2 (5.  h3 {would prevent ...Ng4 on the next move, which may or may not be desirable.})  5... O-O (5... Ng4 {is possible, although whether it especially benefits Black  is not clear.}) 6. Nge2 Nc6 7. O-O {White has adopted the standard Botvinnik  formation, but Black is well-developed to counter it. White will most likely  try to attack on the kingside, while Black will look to counter in the centre.}  Nd4 {There are several ideas behind this move. There is the immediate threat  of ...Bg4, although that is met easily enough. There is also the idea of  playing ...c6, so that White has a weak square on d4, but that Black does not  have a corresponding weakness on d5. Finally, Black is able to swap a pair of  knights, reducing White's attacking forces.} 8. h3 {White needs to stop ...Bg4.  } c6 9. Kh2 {White needs to get the king off the a7-g1 diagonal in order to  advance the f-pawn.} Be6 10. d3 h6 {This prevents Bg5 and also creates a  retreat on h7 for the knight, in case of a White kingside pawn storm.} 11. f4  Nxe2 12. Qxe2 Bd4 13. f5 Bc8 14. Bd2 {White decides to bring his remaining  pieces into the game before advancing on the kingside.} (14. g4 {would be met  by} Nh7 {as in the game.}) 14... b6 15. Rad1 Bb7 16. g4 Nh7 {Black holds up  White's kingside play for the moment, and also enables the further defensive  move ...f6 at an appropriate moment.} 17. Qf3 Qh4 $5 (17... Qe7 $11) 18. Be1  Qg5 $5 (18... Qe7 $11) 19. Qg3 h5 $6 {This is tempting but seems to be flawed.}  (19... Qe7 $11) 20. gxh5 $6 {This doesn't seem to be White's best.} (20. Bd2 h4  $1 {is also fine for Black.}) (20. Ne2 $1 Bxb2 21. Rb1 Bd4 22. Nxd4 exd4 23.  gxh5 $14 {looks rather good for White.}) 20... Qxh5 21. Bd2 f6 {This is the  most solid defence.} (21... Nf6 {is also possible.}) (21... g5 $5 22. fxg6 Qxg6  {was the most double-edged approach, but does look a bit dubious.}) 22. Bf3 Qf7  23. Qh4 Rfd8 24. Bh5 Qc7 25. Rde1 d5 {Black creates counterplay in the centre.}  26. Re2 dxc4 27. dxc4 Ba6 28. b3 Bxc3 $1 {This exchange proves favourable for  Black, as after a later ...c5, White could definitely do with this knight,  while the Black dark-squared bishop would be a less valuable piece.} 29. Bxc3  Rd3 30. Rf3 Rad8 31. Qg3 Rxf3 32. Qxf3 Ng5 33. Qe3 c5 34. h4 {White offered a  draw, which Black accepted. There is no obvious way for either side to force a  breakthrough.} 1/2-1/2