HA3 Vs Ashby 3

06 Feb		Heathcote Arms 3			v		Ashby 3
				1	–	3
1	B	122	Ross, Colin	0	–	1	Reynolds, David	125
2	W	94	Maconnachie, Richard	1	–	0	Worrow-Goodin, George	106
3	B	79	Beach, Ray	0	–	1	Griffiths, Mike	106
4	W	39	Milner, Gordon	0	–	1	Wilson, Andrew	97

Colin

Jim Bingham Adds Annotation To Game Below...

HA3 (0.5-3.5) Braunstone 2

23 Jan		Heathcote Arms 3			v		Braunstone 2
				½	–	3½
1	B	122	Ross, Colin	½	–	½	Bingham, James	146
2	W	92	Roberts, Bill	0	–	1	Closs, Guy	120
3	B	79	Beach, Ray	0	–	1	Steel, Martin	121
4	W	39	Milner, Gordon	0	–	1	Barlow, Steve	96

Here is my game against Jim Bingham complete with Jim's analysis which was rather more thorough than mine:

White:   J T Bingham (146)

Braunstone 2 : Board 1

drawn

Black:  Colin Ross (122)

Heathcote Arms 3 : Board 1

1

d4

e6

15

a3

a4?

29

Rbc1?

Re5?

43

g5+

Kh5

2

g3

d5

16

Qc3

Na6

30

Rxe5?

Nxe5

44

Nf8

Rf7

3

c4

Nf6

17

d5?

exd5

31

f4

Nf3+

45

Nxh7

Rxh7

4

Nf3

Nc6

18

exd5

Na7

32

Kg2

Nd2

46

Rxd5

Re7+?

5

Bg2

dxc4

19

Nd4

Rab8

33

Bd3

g6

47

Kd3

Kg4

6

Qa4

Bb4+

20

Rfe1

Qc5

34

Rc5??

Nb3

48

Rd6

Kxf4

7

Bd2

Bxd2+

21

Qxc5

Nxc5

35

Re5

Kg7?

49

Rxg6

Kf5

8

Nbxd2

Bd7

22

Rec1

Na6

36

Nd6?

Bc6+

50

Ra6??

Kxg5?

9

Qxc4

0–0

23

Ne4

Rfe8

37

Kf2?

Rd8!

51

h4+

Kxh4

10

b4

Nd5

24

Nc5

Nxc5

38

Nxf7

Rxd3

52 =

Rxa4+

11

e4

Ndxb4

25

Rxc5

Rbc8

39

Ng5

Rd2+

53

draw agreed

12

Rb1

b5

26

Bf1?

c6

40

Ke3

Rd7

54

13

Qb3

Qe7

27

dxc6

Nxc6

41

Ne6+

Kh6

55

14

0–0

a5

28

Nxb5?

Rb8

42

g4

Bd5

56

Time control :- Fischer timing; 75mins to complete the game; with 10sec increments.

Analysis

4

...Nc6 impacting on any plan I might have to play Ne5, troubled me slightly.

7

Good job I decided against Nc3 as Nd5 puts black on 0.5.

10

I thought b5 looked interesting, but Fritz gives Rc1; o-o; Nb3 as moves that put white on ~0.7.

11

o-o or a3 would have been sensible now; I liked the look of e4 - and it was playable, though Nb6 12 Qc3

would have just left us level.

12

o-o would have left me with sufficient compensation for my P, though Fritz also gives a3. I wondered if

Colin would play b5, as it seemed a bit bold; but he went for it!

13

Qc3 Nxa2 14 Qa3 etc was another interesting line that Fritz rates ~level. Colin's Qe7 was not best, but

I should then simply have played a3 when a possible line is Na6 15 Qxb5 Qxa3 16 o-o which is also ~level

15

...Na6 should have been necessary now, but I subsequently wrongly decided against Rxb5 as I didn't

think Nxd4 18 Nxd4 Bxb5 19 Nxb5 was particularly favourable. In fact, This line is good for white, and if

18...c5 is played (to disrupt matters) 19 Rb7 is fairly good; but Fritz gives the excellent Nxe6!!

Fritz regards my17  d5 as pretty grim (rating black at 0.4.); and had Colin played the Fritz preferred reply, b4,

it would have been quite good for black.

18

...b4 was still best when 19 Qa1 Na5 leaves white on ~0.6.

19

Rfe1 immediately is preferred by Fritz. If Qc5 then Qd3 leaves white with a nice position (rated at ~0.6).

21

As I'd been hoping for a k-side attack I was reluctant to swap off the queens. But it was best. My next

couple of moves were also correct, but we still weren't far off being level.

24

I correctly decided against Nc6, when Nxc6 25 dxc6 Bf5 would have put black on 1pt: and Nc5 was also

better than d6.

25

...Colin seemed very troubled by this position, and eventually chose the wrong R to move c8 (Fritz).

26

Fritz now gives Rbc1 (Kf8 27 h4 rated at 0.6), but I was a bit obsessed about Colin getting in check and

then following it up with the classic Bh3. In fact Fritz reckons any reply but Kf8 puts white on ~1pt. I

thought the reply c6 would be troublesome, but 27 dxc6 completely refutes this since the retake of the

pawn is hopeless. My Bf6 was actually an awful move, and Kf8 restores equality.

27

I was getting a stressed about my time now, and after spending a long time deciding whether Bxb5 was

best (it was) I played Nxb5 a bit hastily. After Bxb5 Nxd4 29 Bxd7 Rxc5 30  Bxe8 g6 31 Bxa4 Ra5 32 Rc4

leaves a pawn to the good, but still only rated at 0.4!

29

Rd1 Bg4 and then Rdc1 was a better line. But having apparently squandered my advantage my

composure was be coming increasingly suspect. However, Colin should now have moved his N (e.g.

to e5) as Re5 was a blunder which should have been met by Rxc6! When I would surely have been on

my way to a win. After My Rxe5 were ~level and remained like this until...

34

Nd4 was necessary to keep us level. Rc5 was an awful blunder because Nb3 meant my R and

consequently my N were in big trouble. And I could suddenly see a familiar pattern emerging! But then

Colin made a comparable blunder and had  played...

36

Kf2 would have got me out of jail; but I wasn't thinking clearly now. Colin needed to play Nd4 now to

maintain some advantage. After this 37 Kf2 (my best move) Rb3 38 Re7 Be6 39 Bc4 Rf3+ 40 Ke1 Rxa3

puts black in the driving seat (rated at 0.8). Colin's tempting move should have been met by Be4 keeping

us level. After my blunder Kf2 Colin came up with the body blow Rd8!!

38

It seems like my best desperado line now was Nf5+ gxf5 39 Ke3, but it's still hopeless.

40

...and now Colin's nerve seemed to be faltering despite our relative times being about 4mins to >10mins

(I think).  I suspect that he thought he was in danger of being mated or repeatedly checked. In fact after

Rxh2 (the expected move) 41 Re7+ Kh8 or Kg8 fine; but not the other k moves!

41

...Kf7 42 Ng5+ Kg8 looks a bit uncomfortable, but is in fact fine. Kh6 was slightly less good, as my g4 looks

threatening!

43

I couldn't see g5+ achieving much, but it was my obvious choice. Interestingly f5 instead could have

resulted in gxf5 44 g5+ Kh5 45 Rxd5 Rxd5 46 Nf4+! - but this still leaves black with the edge!

46

...just when I seemed to have achieved some improvement, Colin could have nullified this with Kg4!

Instead, as he was struggling to cope with time problems, he kept my a hopes alive a bit.

48

...Nc5+ 49 Kc4 Ne6 would have kept black well on top (rated at 2.8). But, instead Colin allowed me to

eliminate his last but one pawn and left us not far off level!

50

I now needed to play Rg8 to stay in the game. This seems blatantly obvious now! Instead I made the

disastrous blunder Ra6, when Colin could have demoralised me completely with Nc5+!! In the stressful

circumstances he was blinkered (I assume) into winning my gP. Shortly after this fortunate escape, I

realised the fork was available to him, and it was easily avoidable. In fact after 51 h4+ if Colin had moved

his K to h5, say, I intended Kc4 - when Fritz rates as us fairly level.

52

Anyway, with match already decided I think we were both relieved that we could agree a draw, and

free ourselves from any further stress!