Horsham Chess Club Knockout 2022-23: Mansson – McDonald

   [Event "Horsham Chess Club Knockout"]  [Site "Horsham"]  [Date "2022.11.29"]  [Round "2.1"]  [White "Mansson, James C"]  [Black "McDonald, Robert"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "D36"]  [WhiteElo "2091"]  [BlackElo "1798"]  [Annotator "Mansson,James"]  [PlyCount "149"]  [EventDate "2022.09.01"]  [EventType "k.o."]  [EventCountry "ENG"]  [SourceVersionDate "2022.09.07"]   1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 (3... Bb4 {leads to the Nimzo-Indian. Black  prefers the Queen's Gambit Declined, even though White is able to play the  most favourable version of the Exchange Variation.}) (3... c5 {instead  transposes to the Modern Benoni after} 4. d5 {Then} exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7.  Nge2 {was played in the previous game between the two players, which resulted  in a quick win for White.}) 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 {This is the best version of  the Exchange Variation, as White has not committed his king's knight  prematurely; this means that Black cannot develop his bishop on c8 easily.} Be7  6. e3 O-O 7. Bd3 c6 8. Qc2 {The general rule of thumb is that White plays this  move in response to ...c6, as it as at that point Black is looking to bring  out his queen's bishop.} Nbd7 9. Nge2 h6 {This is perhaps a weakening and best  omitted, especially as Black plays ...Re8 and ...Nf8 in any case; this would  cover the h-pawn if it stayed on h7.} (9... Re8 10. O-O Nf8 11. f3 {is the  classic main line.}) 10. Bh4 Re8 11. O-O Nf8 12. f3 {White is looking to push  e4 with a strong pawn centre; Black needs to counter this plan promptly.} Ne6  13. Bf2 {While this is a reasonable move, it is not necessary yet.} (13. Rad1 {  at once is recommended by Schandorff.}) 13... c5 $5 {This is a reasonable way  to create counterplay. If White takes on c5, then the weak pawn on e3 balances  the isolated pawn on d5.} 14. Rad1 (14. dxc5 Nxc5 (14... Bxc5 15. Rad1 $14) 15.  Bb5 Bd7 16. Bxd7 Ncxd7 17. Nf4 Qa5 18. Rfd1 Nb6 19. Qb3 Rad8 $13) (14. Bb5 Bd7  15. Bxd7 Qxd7 16. dxc5 Bxc5 17. Rfd1 Rad8 $13) 14... cxd4 (14... c4 $6 15. Bf5  $14 {is promising for White, who can prepare e4.}) 15. exd4 {White hopes in  this fixed pawn structure to demonstrate that the Black light-squared bishop  is bad. However, the Black position is very solid and his other pieces are  active.} Bd7 16. Qb3 Bc6 17. Bf5 Bd6 18. Bg3 Nh5 19. Bxd6 Qxd6 20. g3 Re7 {  Black's position is fairly promising now, given that White cannot put further  pressure on d5, while Black can gain counterplay by doubling on the e-file.}  21. Bb1 $6 {This proves to be a little passive, as Black can counter White's  kingside attack easily enough.} (21. Bg4 Nf6 22. Bxe6 Qxe6 23. Nf4 Qf5 24. Rde1  Rae8 $11) 21... Rae8 22. Qc2 g6 23. Qd2 (23. f4 f5 $1 $17 {and now} 24. g4 $2 {  is bad because of} Nexf4 $1 25. Nxf4 (25. gxh5 Rxe2 26. Nxe2 Rxe2 27. Qb3 Nd3  $1 $19) 25... Nxf4 26. gxf5 Re2 27. Nxe2 Rxe2 28. Qc3 Nd3 $1 $19) 23... Kg7 24.  f4 Nf6 $2 (24... f5 $1 $17) 25. f5 $1 {I thought this was a mistake after the  game, but actually it is probably the best try.} Ng5 26. Nf4 Nge4 27. Bxe4 dxe4  (27... Nxe4 28. Nxe4 Rxe4 (28... dxe4 $2 29. f6+ $1 Qxf6 (29... Kxf6 30. Nh5+  Ke6 31. d5+ $18) 30. Nh5+ $1 $18) 29. fxg6 fxg6 $11) 28. d5 $5 {White looks to  take back the initiative. The resulting lines should be equal, but as both  players were now starting to run short of time, the number of errors committed  on both sides started to rise.} Bd7 (28... Qc5+ 29. Qd4 Qxd4+ 30. Rxd4 Bd7 31.  fxg6 fxg6 32. d6 Re5 $11) (28... e3 $2 29. Qd4 $1 e2 30. Nfxe2 Rxe2 31. dxc6  Qxd4+ 32. Rxd4 Rxb2 33. fxg6 bxc6 (33... fxg6 $2 34. Rd6 Rf8 35. c7 $18) 34.  Rdf4 $16) 29. Qd4 Bxf5 30. Nh5+ gxh5 31. Rxf5 Re5 32. Rdf1 $6 (32. Nb5 Qb6 33.  Qxb6 axb6 34. Nd6 Rxf5 35. Nxf5+ Kf8 36. d6 Re5 37. Rf1 Rd5 38. Rf4 Ne8 39.  Rxe4 Nxd6 40. Nxd6 Rxd6 41. Rb4 $44) (32. Rxe5 $6 Qxe5 (32... Rxe5 33. Qxa7 h4  $11 (33... e3 $11)) 33. Qxe5 Rxe5 34. d6 Re8 $15) (32. Rf4 $6 R8e7 33. Re1 e3  34. Rf3 b5 35. a3 (35. Nxb5 $2 Qxd5 $17) 35... a5 36. b4 (36. Nxb5 $2 Qxd5 $17)  36... axb4 37. axb4 e2 $15) 32... Rxf5 33. Rxf5 e3 (33... Kg6 $15) 34. Ne2 Re4  $6 (34... Kg6 35. Qd3 Qc5 $15) 35. Qc3 $2 {White misses a chance to force a  draw, which is objectively best in this position. The position now starts to  become very dangerous for him.} (35. Rxf6 $1 Qxf6 (35... Rxd4 $4 36. Rxd6 $18)  36. Qxe4 Qf2+ 37. Kh1 Qxe2 38. Qe5+ $11 {with perpetual check.}) 35... Kg6 36.  Rf3 $6 (36. Rf4 Re5 $17) 36... Nxd5 37. Qc8 (37. Qc2 Qe6 38. Rf4 f5 $19) 37...  Ne7 $2 {Black misses a clear win.} (37... Nf6 38. Qf5+ Kg7 $19) 38. Qf8 (38.  Qe8 Qe6 39. Nf4+ Rxf4 40. gxf4 Kf5 (40... e2 $2 41. f5+ Qxf5 42. Rxf5 e1=Q+ 43.  Rf1 Qe3+ $11) 41. Qb5+ Nd5 42. Qe2 Kf6 $17) 38... Qe6 39. Kf1 (39. Nf4+ $4 Rxf4  40. gxf4 (40. Rxf4 e2 $19) 40... e2 41. Rg3+ Kf5 $19) 39... Qc4 $2 (39... h4  40. gxh4 Rxh4 41. Nf4+ Rxf4 42. Rxf4 f6 $17) 40. Qh8 $2 (40. b3 Qd5 41. Rxe3  Qd1+ (41... Rxe3 $4 42. Nf4+ $18) 42. Kf2 Rxe3 43. Kxe3 Nd5+ 44. Kf2 Qa1 45.  Qa8 $11) 40... Qe6 $2 {This looks natural, but now Black has thrown away the  win.} (40... f5 $19) 41. Nf4+ Rxf4 42. Rxf4 Qa6+ 43. Ke1 Qa5+ $2 {Now Black is  worse.} (43... Qe6 $11) 44. Qc3 Qb6 $2 {Now Black is definitely losing.} (44...  Qxc3+ 45. bxc3 Nd5 46. Re4 $16) 45. Qe5 Qe6 46. Qxe6+ fxe6 47. Rb4 {This  endgame should be won for White due to Black's weak pawns. However, White was  short of time, so it was tricky to convert. Eventually, White managed to do so.  } Kf5 48. Ke2 b6 49. Ra4 a5 50. Kxe3 Nd5+ 51. Kf3 Nf6 52. Rc4 Ng4 53. Rf4+ Ke5  54. h3 Nf6 55. Rc4 Nd5 56. Re4+ Kf5 57. Rc4 Ke5 58. Rc6 Kf5 59. a3 Ke5 {  Black offered a draw, which White declined.} 60. g4 hxg4+ 61. hxg4 a4 62. Rc4  b5 63. Rc5 Kd4 64. Rxb5 e5 65. Ra5 e4+ 66. Kf2 e3+ 67. Ke1 Nb6 68. Rb5 Nc4 69.  Rb4 Kd3 70. Rxa4 Ne5 71. Rf4 Ng6 72. Rf6 Ne5 73. Rd6+ Ke4 74. Re6 Kd5 75. Rxe5+  $1 (75. Rxe5+ $1 Kxe5 {leads to a won pawn endgame for White.} 76. a4 Kd5 (  76... Kf4 77. a5 Kxg4 78. a6 h5 79. a7 h4 80. a8=Q $18) 77. b4 Kc4 78. b5 Kc5  79. Ke2 $18 {followed by Kxe3 wins easily, as Black cannot win the White  queenside pawns, since taking the a-pawn allows the b-pawn to queen.}) 1-0