Last Tuesday I won my club championship game against Peter Harbott. Look back over the game I was rather lucky. On move 20 I gambled with a risky move that offered a piece for apparently good compensation; fortunately, my opponent did not win it, as subsequent analysis showed he was doing very well. It should be noted that a couple of moves earlier I had missed a winning move myself. In any case, following my opponent’s weak 20th and 21st moves, I soon built up a winning position, which I was able to convert.
I give the game below with some notes.
Mansson, James C – Harbott, Peter, Horsham Club Championship (Rook) 2018.05.01
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nxc3 6. dxc3 Be7 7. Bf4 Nc6
8. Qd2 Bg4 9. Be2 Qd7 10. O-O-O O-O-O 11. Kb1 Bf6 12. h3 Bf5 13. g4 Be4?!
Black starts to get into trouble after this.
13… Be6 is better.
14. Rhe1?!
14. g5! Be5 15. Nxe5 dxe5 16. Qxd7+ Rxd7 17. Bg4 Bxh1 18. Bxd7+ Kb8 19. Bxc6 Bxc6 20. Bxe5 is clearly better for White.
14… Rhe8?!
14… h6! is unclear.
15. Nd4?!
15. g5! Be5 16. Nxe5 Nxe5 17. Bxe5 Rxe5 18. f4 Ree8 19. Bg4 Bf5 20. Qd4 is clearly better for White.
15… Nxd4 16. cxd4 d5?
16… Bh4 is unclear.
17. g5 Be7 18. Bg4?
18. Qa5! threatening both Qxa7 and Bg4 is winning.
18… Bf5 19. Qa5
19. Bxc7!? seems to favour White, e.g.
- 19… Qxc7 20. Bxf5+
- 19… Bxg4 20. Bxd8 Bxd1 21. Bxe7
- 19… Kxc7 20. Qf4+ Bd6 21. Qxf5
19… Bxg4 20. Qxa7?
White failed to analyse the consequences of 20…Qf5! in reply to this move.
20. hxg4 is better, although Black’s position looks solid enough after 20… Kb8.
20… Qc6?
20… Qf5! 21. hxg4 (21. Bxc7? Bxd1 wins) 21… Qxf4 22. Qa8+ Kd7 23. Qxb7 Bd6 24. Qxd5 c6. White clearly does not have enough for the piece as the Black king is safe, while the White pawns on the kingside are weak.
21. hxg4 f6?
21… Bb4 is relatively best, although 22. Rxe8 Rxe8 23. Be5 is still good for White.
22. Re3
White threatens Rc3.
22… Bb4 23. a3 Rxe3 24. Bxe3 Be7 25. gxf6 Bxf6 26. g5 Be7 27. Rh1
White now wins another pawn.
27… b6 28. Qa6+ Kb8 29. Rxh7 Qg6 30. Rh1 Rf8 31. Rd1 Rf5 32. Rh1 Qe8 33. Rg1 g6 34. a4 Bd6 35. b3 Bb4 36. Rh1 Qf8 37. Rh6 Qg8 38. Qb5 Bf8 39. Qe8+ Ka7 40. Rxg6
White wins a third pawn.
40… Qh7 41. Qe6 Qf7 42. Qxf7 1-0
White will be three pawns up in the endgame, so Black decided to resign at last.