Wednesday at The Abbey - captain for the night again, trapped in between two opposition players at the table, but at least I have the White pieces this time after two games with Black.
1.e4
c5
2.c3
d5
3.exd5
Qxd5
4.Bb5+
Nc6
5.f3
If my opening moves give the impression I don't have a clue what I'm doing. .. then that's pretty accurate!
5...a6
6.Ba4
Bf5
7.Na3
b5
8.Bc2
Nf6
Still playing in 'unorthodox' fashion :-)
9.Ne2
Bxc2
10.Nxc2
I feel somehow as if I have ended up in some strange kind of reverse position - Phillip's pieces are developed in an active way; mine seem to be pretty passive - in particular my black-squared bishop.
10...Ne5
11.d4
Nc6
12.Ne3
Qd7
13.0-0
cxd4
14.cxd4
I wanted to keep my knights on the board so recaptured with the pawn. By now, Phillip was way, way behind on the clock so I didn't want to simplify the position too much.
14...e6
15.Ng4
Voluntarily doubling my pawns, but freeing up my bishop and also opening up the f-file if the knight is captured.
15...Be7
16.Be3
I want to free up my queen from supporting the pawn on d4.
16...Nxg4
17.fxg4
0-0
18.g5
To stop the bishop coming to f6 and attacking my isolated pawn.
18...Rac8
19.a3
Rfd8
20.Rc1
Qd5
21.Rf2
A little trap here... 21. ... Bxg5? 22. Rc5 wins the bishop as 22. ... Rxe3 no longer gives check.
21...Na5
[21...Bxg5
22.Rc5??
Bravely submitted without recourse to Fritz. Rf2 no longer protects the Queen :-) 22...Qxc5
]
22.Nc3
Qd7
By now, Phillip was down to his last 5 minutes or so and was under extreme time pressure - I still had 30 minutes remaining.
23.Qf3
Rf8
24.Rd1
Nc4
Phillip was moving very quickly now - so I felt it was time to try and generate some threats and give him something to think about.
25.Bf4
Bd6
26.Ne4
I'd seen the possibility of a fork on f6... not easy to see when you're defending against it and you're short on time - as f6 looks well protected.
26...Bxf4
I considered going for it immediately here - 27. Nf6+ xf6 28. xf6 and Phillip has to deal with the threat of Qg4+ followed by Qg7# - I can't see any way that he can do this without relinquishing his bishop. However, the threat is still there if I recapture the bishop immediately. I felt sure Phillip would play 27. ... e5 and then capture on d4 which might buy me the chance to play Nf6+ anyway.
27.Qxf4
[27.Nf6+
gxf6
28.gxf6
e5
Fritz gleefully points out.]
27...e5
28.Qg3
Sure enough - and now the trap is set. Seconds left on the clock and still 3 moves to make.
28...Qd5
29.Nf6+
And Phillip resigned. [29. ... xf6 30. xf6+ Kh8 31. Qg7#] so he has to give up his queen. 1-0