The East Cheshire B team recently had a great result against Macclesfield A, securing a draw against a higher-rated team. David Taylor’s win was a key part of that result and he has sent us the game with his comments:
White: Marc Jouannet (Macclesfield, 127) Black: David Taylor (130)
Opening: d4 d5 “unusual lines”.
1. d4 Nf6
2. Nc3 d5
3. Bf4 e6
4. Qd2 Be7 (I thought about Bd6, but it turns out that the black squares will be crucial)
5. 0-0-0 0-0
6. f3 (uh oh! He’s planning a K-side pawn storm! All his moves have been reflex actions, he’s done this before…)
Nbd7
7. g4 (here we go!) Nb6 (I better make room for the K-side knight, and Nc4 could be useful later)
8. e4 (damn! now he can take on c4)
8. … c5 (Counterattack on the Q-side must be essential; have I got time?)
9. e5 fNd7 (now my king is looking lonely)
10. h4 (as expected; note that Bxh4 11. Qh2 looks terminal)
cxd4
11. Nb5
11. a6 ( decided I don’t mind 12. Nd6 because BxN 13. exB f6 looks good for black; then he can’t take on d4 because of e5)
12. Nxd4 Nc4 (I must try and control those black squares on d2 and e3!)
13. Bxc4 dxc4
14. Nh3 (Rated poorly by Fritz, it worried me because my e6 is looking at possibly 2 knights planning to take and fork Q and R, after 15. Ng5. I could defend via Nc5, but I want to control d2 and e3 from a Nd5… so….)
14. … Nb6 (& defend e6 with my bishop)
15. Bg5 Nd5 (I got there! Now I’m thinking of ….c3!)
16. Qe2? (at last, he’s blundered!)
16. … c3!
17. b3?? (Fritz scores this position as -12. You can see why: his Q-side black squares have been abandonned)
Qa5? (Bxg5+ is better, but Qa5 is still winning)
18. a4? (Fritz score now at -22 … he had to play Rd3 when if I take on g5, he must play Kd1)
18. Qc5 (Fritz still reckons Bxg5+ should be played first)
19. Bxe7 Qxe7
and black resigned. He can’t stop mate after the impending …..Qa3+
Lessons learned: Don’t open the h-file whatever you do, if you have castled 0-0 and he has castled 0-0-0.
A castled king can be securely trapped by a pawn on the 3rd (or 6th) rank.
