County Match (Open) 2023-24: Sussex – Kent

   [Event "SCCU County Match"]  [Site "Various"]  [Date "2023.12.02"]  [Round "3"]  [White "Mansson, James C"]  [Black "Sugden, John N"]  [Result "0-1"]  [ECO "A79"]  [Annotator "Mansson,James"]  [PlyCount "94"]  [EventDate "2023.09.01"]  [EventType "team-match"]  [EventRounds "6"]  [EventCountry "ENG"]  [WhiteTeam "Sussex"]  [BlackTeam "Kent"]  [WhiteTeamCountry "ENG"]  [BlackTeamCountry "ENG"]   {Time control: 120 minutes plus 10 second increment - Match played at Hassocks  } 1. d4 c5 2. d5 Nf6 3. c4 {White can try try to take advantage of this move  order by not playing c4, but it seems simplest just to transposes to the  standard Benoni.} e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nf3 g6 7. Nd2 {The idea of this  move order is to avoid ...Bg4 by Black.} Bg7 8. e4 O-O 9. Be2 Na6 {Black aims  to re-route the knight to the c7 square, where it will support ...b5.} 10. O-O  Nc7 11. a4 Re8 12. f3 b6 {Black anticipates Nc4, putting pressure on d6, by  preparing ...Ba6, to be able to swap of the bishop for the knight. Black hopes  this will make it easier to play a subsequent ...a6 and ...b5.} 13. Nc4 Ba6 14.  Rb1 {This is a subtle idea. Not only is the rook is now not vulnerable to  tactics on the long diagonal, the move prepares to play b4, impeding Black's  queenside advance with ...a6 and ...b5.} Bxc4 15. Bxc4 Nd7 16. Bd2 Rb8 $6 {  This is the wrong way to go about trying to force through ...b5.} (16... a6 {  is a better try, although then White has} 17. b4 $14) 17. Nb5 $1 {This leads  to some favourable exchanges, which make it difficult for Black to achieve  active play.} Ne5 18. Be2 Nxb5 19. Bxb5 Rf8 20. f4 $1 {It is best to drive the  knight back at once; if Black gets in ...f5 before the knight retreats, then ..  .Ng4 may become possible.} Nd7 21. Bc3 $1 f5 $5 22. e5 $1 dxe5 23. d6 $5 {  This leads to interesting positions, where White has good compensation for the  pawn, but probably no more.} (23. Bxd7 {is a simpler approach.} Qxd7 24. fxe5  Rbd8 25. e6 $1 Qe7 (25... Qxd5 $2 26. e7 $1 $18) 26. Bxg7 Kxg7 27. Qf3 $14 {  Black is tied down by the White pawns, although the fact that White has been  obliged to advance one of them may allow Black to set up a blockade.}) 23... e4  $1 {It is best to keep the e-file closed.} (23... exf4 $2 24. Qb3+ Kh8 25.  Bxg7+ Kxg7 26. Rbe1 $16) 24. Qd5+ Kh8 25. Qe6 Bxc3 26. bxc3 Nf6 27. Rbd1 $5 {  This is the most ambitious approach, looking to deploy the rooks as actively  as possible, but allowing ...Ng4.} (27. Rfd1 $44) (27. h3 $44) 27... Ne8 $2 {  Black should play more actively.} (27... Ng4 $1 28. d7 $1 Qf6 (28... Ne3 $2 29.  Qe5+ Kg8 (29... Rf6 30. Qxb8 Qxb8 31. d8=Q+ $18) (29... Qf6 30. Qxf6+ Rxf6 31.  d8=Q+ $18) 30. Rfe1 Nxd1 31. Bc4+ Rf7 32. Rxd1 $18) (28... Qh4 29. h3 Qf6 $11 {  is basically the same.}) 29. Qxf6+ Nxf6 30. Rd6 Kg7 31. Rfd1 Rbd8 32. Rc6 $44 {  followed by Rc7.}) 28. Qe7 $2 {This is tempting, but White should look to  advance the d-pawn at once.} (28. d7 $1 Nf6 (28... Ng7 29. Qe5 $16) (28... Nc7  $2 29. Qe5+ Kg8 30. Bc4+ $18) 29. Qe5 Rb7 30. Rd6 Kg7 31. Rfd1 $16 {Black is  all tied up.}) 28... Ng7 $2 {This is the wrong square for the knight.} (28...  Nf6 $1 29. Qe6 Ng4 $1 $44 {transposes to the line given above.}) 29. Qxa7 Qf6  30. Rd5 $2 (30. d7 $1 {is again very strong.} Rbd8 (30... Qxc3 $2 31. Qxb8 $1  Rxb8 32. d8=Q+ Rxd8 33. Rxd8+ Ne8 34. Rxe8+ $18 {White has a clear material  advantage.}) (30... Ra8 31. Qc7 $18) (30... Rfd8 31. Qc7 $18) 31. Qc7 $18)  30... Qxc3 $1 31. d7 Qf6 $2 (31... Ne6 $1 {seems to be tenable for Black, e.g.}  32. Rd6 Qb3 33. Rxb6 Ra8 34. Qb7 Qe3+ 35. Kh1 Nxf4 36. Qc7 Nd3 37. Bxd3 Qxd3  38. Qe5+ Kg8 39. Qe6+ Rf7 40. Qe8+ Rf8 41. Qe6+ $11) 32. Rfd1 Rbd8 33. Rd6 Qc3  34. Qxb6 $2 {Both players were getting short of time now, which, along with  the complexity of the position, explains the subsequent errors on both sides.}  (34. Qc7 $16) 34... Qe3+ $2 (34... Nh5 $1 35. Rf1 (35. g3 Qe3+ 36. Kh1 Qf3+ 37.  Kg1 Qe3+ $11) 35... Nf6 36. Kh1 $14) 35. Kh1 Qxf4 36. Rf6 Rg8 37. Qxc5 Qg4 38.  Rfd6 (38. Rf1 $1 $18 {is a suprising computer suggestion, putting the rook on  a safer square. Black has nothing against Qd4 and Rf7.}) 38... f4 39. Qf2 f3 $2  {This is tempting, but shouldn't work. However, Black's position is difficult  in any case.} 40. gxf3 exf3 41. Qg3 Qe4 (41... Qf5 42. R6d3 Rgf8 43. Rf1 f2 44.  Qe3 $18) 42. Bc6 Qb4 43. Bxf3 $2 (43. Qxf3 $18 {is better, holding on to the  a-pawn.}) 43... Qxa4 44. Qe5 Rgf8 45. Bg2 $2 (45. Rf6 $18) 45... Qb3 $2 (45...  Qf4 $16) 46. Rf6 $4 {White makes a terrible oversight with both players down  to less than a minute plus 10 second increment.} (46. Qd4 $18 {followed by Rf1  or Rf6 should win.}) 46... Qxd1+ $19 47. Bf1 Qxd7 0-1