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Study Your Games

"The problem I had to acknowledge was the stagnation of my development.  I was simply going nowhere.  It's not that I lacked experience - I was 28 years old then, and I had been playing chess for some 20 years up to that point - it was a rather sad realization that my game was not improving.  In search for inspiration I decided to follow the most common advice one can find in the works of Alekhine (my favorite player) and Botvinnik (one of my least favorite ones) which can be put into simple words - study your games.  Ever since, every game I played has been extensively annotated."
- Alex Yermolinsky (The Road To Chess Improvement, Gambit 1999)

Wise words from Yermolinsky who raised his game from being an also-ran to one of the strongest players in the world.  Yet despite this, and the fact that two of the greatest champions have recommended this form of study, how many people actually do it?  They persist in the belief that there is some short cut to success, such as buying a book or video on a particular opening.

Rather than procrastinate about the benefits of these studies, I feel I should do something myself to set an example.  I have not been analyzing my games much during the last few years, but I think it would be good to start doing so again.  So here are my games from the 2002 Chorley Open.

If you examine the notes carefully you may be surprised at how many mistakes I made; yet this is the ugly reality of most chess games when you look closely enough.

The previous week I had a disastrous tournament in the Blackpool Quickplay, probably because of rust more than anything else.  The following week I played quite a lot of blitz on the internet, but even at Chorley I started quite shakily.  How could I have played this game better?  The first step might be in playing an opening which is more ambitious and threatens to gain some space.  My poor attempt to avoid a draw later in the game could easily have resulted in disaster....

Peacock,M - Davies,N
Chorley Open, 2002 Rd 1

1.c4 e5 2.g3

I did not know anything about my opponent, but when he played this it occurred to me that he might want to play like Lund. The Preston school.....

2...c6 3.d4 Bb4+

Aiming for a kind of Old Indian set-up but without the dark-square bishop which is how Khenkin played against me some years ago.

The alternative is 3...exd4 which the books I've seen claim is slightly better for White after 4.Qxd4 d5 5.Bg2 Nf6 6.Nf3 Be7 7.cxd5 cxd5 8.0-0 0-0 9.Be3 Nc6 10.Qa4 etc.  It probably isn't that easy.

4.Bd2 Bxd2+ 5.Qxd2 d6 6.Nc3 Qe7 7.Bg2 Nf6

8.e3

Against Khenkin I played 8.e4.  The set up White adopts here was recommended in Kosten's "Dynamic English".

8...0-0 9.Nge2 Re8 10.0-0

In view of Black's reply, it may be slightly premature to castle.  Kosten recommended 10.h3 Nbd7 which transposes into Dorfman - Razuvaev, Burgas 1992.  The game continued 11.g4 Nb6 12.b3 a5 13.0-0 a4 14.Rae1 axb3 15.axb3 d5 16.c5 Nbd7 17.Ng3 Nf8 18.g5 N6d7 19.f4 e4 20.Nf5 Qd8 21.Nd6 with a crushing position.

10...e4 11.h3

And here the immediate 11.Rae1 is probably better in order to try and play f3 without first going h3.  In the game White's king is weak, a nagging factor in the subsequent play.

11...Nbd7 12.Rae1 Nf8 13.f3 exf3 14.Rxf3 Ne6 15.e4 h6 16.Nf4 Ng5 17.Rfe3

Reaching an 'ideal' position, the only problem with this ideal being that it cannot easily be improved.  Black meanwhile can do quite a lot.

17...Bd7 18.Kh2

Trying to improve his pieces, but they are already on the best squares.  He should play 18.e5 which looks fairly equal after 18...dxe5 19.Rxe5 Qb4 20.Rxe8+ Rxe8 21.Rxe8+ Nxe8 22.b3 etc.

18...Rad8 19.Qe2 Bc8 20.Nd3

White is unable to take the required central action and his 'ideal' pieces start to move back.  He should still play 20.e5 after which 20...dxe5 21.Rxe5 Qf8 is still fairly even.

20...Qc7 21.Nf2 Re7 22.Qd1 Rde8 23.h4 Ne6 24.Bh3 Qb6 25.d5 Nc5

I also considered 25...cxd5 and rejected it, but did not see that 26.Na4 Qb4 (or 26...Qd4) 27.exd5 pins the knight on e6 against the rook on e7.

26.Bxc8 Rxc8 27.dxc6 bxc6 28.b3

After 28.Qxd6?! there would follow 28...Rd7 29.Qf4 Qxb2 with White under serious pressure.

28...Re6 29.e5 dxe5 30.Rxe5 Rd8

I spent some time trying to make 30...Rxe5 31.Rxe5 Nxb3 work but after 32.Ng4 the best Black has is 32...Nxg4+ 33.Qxg4 Qf2+ with a draw by perpetual check.

31.Qc2 Red6 32.Nce4

32.Qf5 is a very reasonable alternative.

32...Ncxe4 33.Nxe4 Ng4+ 34.Kh3

34...Rg6??

This attempt to complicate matters could have ended in tears.  Objectively speaking Black should play 34...Nxe5 after which 35.Nxd6 Qd4 36.Qf5 Qxd6 37.Rxe5 is drawish.

35.Re7 Qb4

After 35...Qa5 White has 36.Ng5! as in the game, and the attempt to reinforce the knight on g4 with 35...f5 is powerfully answered by 36.c5 followed by Ne4-d6.

36.h5??

What I had missed in playing 34...Rg6 was that White could now go 36.Ng5! hxg5 37.Re8+ Rxe8 38.Rxe8+ Kh7 39.h5 winning the exchange.  Now the position becomes simplified but with White's king very weak.

36...Qxe7 37.hxg6

37...Ne5?

Another error.  Black can and should play the cold-blooded 37...f5! after which 38.Re2 (38.Qe2? Qxe4 39.Qxe4 Nf2+ wins a piece.) 38...fxe4 39.Kxg4 Qe6+ 40.Kh4 Rd3 is winning for Black.

38.gxf7+ Qxf7 39.Qe2 Qg6 40.Rf1 Re8 41.Rf4

41.Kg2 is probably better after which 41...Ng4 (41...Qe6 42.Re1) 42.Rf4 holds.

41...Kh8

42.Qd1??

Only after this is White actually losing. 42.Kg2 was correct with nothing special for Black.

42...Qe6+ 43.Kh2 g5!

Winning material.  At least I play the endgame reasonably well.

44.Nxg5 hxg5 45.Qh5+ Kg7 46.Qxg5+ Qg6 47.Qxg6+ Kxg6 48.c5 Rd8 49.Ra4 Rd7 50.Kg2 Kf5 51.Kf1 Ke6 52.Rh4 Kd5 53.b4 Rf7+ 54.Ke2 Rf3 55.a4 Rxg3 56.Rh7 Rg4 57.Rb7 a5 58.b5 Rxa4 59.bxc6 Nxc6 60.Kd2 Kxc5 61.Kc3 Ra3+ 62.Kb2 Rh3 63.Ka2 Nb4+ 0-1

After 64.Kb2 there follows 64...Kc4 65.Rc7+ Kb5 66.Rb7+ Ka4 67.Ra7 Rh2+ 68.Kb1 Kb3 etc.
 

Davies,N - Lin Chin Lee
Chorley Open, 2002 Rd 2

1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.0-0 0-0 6.d4 b6 7.cxd5 exd5 8.Nc3 Bb7 9.Qc2 Nbd7

9...Na6 is better in these positions.  The move played is rather passive.

10.Bf4 c6 11.Rad1 Re8 12.Ne5

Due to Black's passive treatment of the opening White is already threatening e2-e4.  He resolves to at least try and drive my knight from e5.

12...Nh5 13.Bc1 Bd6 14.f4

Played after a long think, but inconsequential.  The natural move is 14.e4! which took a lot of analysis to wrongly reject!  My fear was that after 14...Nxe5 15.dxe5 Rxe5 the position would tend towards drawish simplifications but in fact White maintains a powerful initiative after 16.exd5 cxd5 (16...Qd7 17.dxc6 Bxc6 18.Ne4 is very strong.) 17.Nxd5 Rc8 18.Qd3 (After 18.Qb3 Black has an important resource in 18...Ba6) 18...Rc5 19.Nxb6! Bxg2 20.Qxd6 Qxd6 21.Rxd6 Bc6 22.Nc8! a5 23.Rd8+ Be8 24.Be3 followed by 25.Nd6 with a winning endgame.

During my cogitations I was even considering 14.g4?! Nhf6 15.g5 Nh5 16.Nxf7 Kxf7 17.Qxh7 but noticed that this would open lines for Black's pieces after 17...Nhf6 (the post mortem revealed 17...Rh8! 18.Qf5+ Nhf6 which is much stronger) 18.gxf6 Nxf6 19.Qf5 Rh8 with Black taking the initiative.

14...Nhf6 15.Kh1?

This may look deep, but at this stage I was confusing myself already.  If White insists on playing this position slowly, the immediate 15.e3 looks better, but once again it seems that 15.e4! is strong.  I rejected this because of 15...dxe4 16.Nxe4 Nxe4 17.Bxe4 Nf6 18.Bxc6 Rc8 (18...Qc7 19.Ba4) missing the fact that 19.Nxf7! Kxf7 (or 19...Rxc6 20.Qb3) 20.Qb3+ wins back the piece with interest.

15...Rc8

There is nothing wrong with the immediate 15...c5, for example 16.dxc5 Nxc5 (16...Bxc5 17.Nxd5 Bxd5 18.Bxd5 Nxe5 19.fxe5 Nxd5 20.Qf5) 17.Nxd5 Bxe5 18.Nxf6+ Qxf6 19.Bxb7 Nxb7 20.fxe5 Qxe5 21.Rd7 Nc5 22.Rdxf7 Qd5+ followed by ...Qxa2 is fine for Black.

16.Qf5!?

A reasonable fishing expedition that succeeds in confusing my opponent.

16...Rc7?

The rook is badly placed here as it inhibits Black's attempts to gain counter play with ...c6-c5.  The immediate 16...c5? is met by 17.Nxd7 Qxd7 (17...Nxd7 18.Bxd5 Bxd5+ 19.Qxd5) 18.Qxd7 Nxd7 19.dxc5 Rxc5 (19...Bxc5 20.Bxd5) 20.e4 etc.

But there is nothing wrong with 16...g6! 17.Qd3 (17.Qh3 Bf8 is very solid) 17...c5 when 18.Nxd7?! (18.e3 is probably the best with approximate equality) 18...Qxd7 19.dxc5 Bxc5 20.f5? is bad because of 20...d4! 21.fxg6? Bxg2+ 22.Kxg2 Qc6+ etc.

17.Qd3

Not bad, but the immediate 17.g4! looks crisper as after 17...g6 (or 17...Bc8 18.Qd3) 18.Qd3 White has a superior version of the game.

17...a6

Black no longer seems able to prevent White's kingside expansion. The immediate 17...c5 is met by 18.Nb5 Ba6 19.Nxc7 Bxd3 20.Nxe8 which wins two rooks for the queen.; and after 17...Bf8 18.g4 Black cannot snatch the g-pawn with 18...Nxe5 19.fxe5 Nxg4 because of 20.Qg3.

18.g4!? c5 19.e3 b5

During the game I intended to meet 19...Bxe5 20.fxe5 Nxg4 with 21.Qf5!? (I failed to see the simple 21.Qe2! Qh4 22.Bxd5 with a good game for White) 21...Nh6 22.Qh5 Nf8 23.e4!?, but this seems to be OK for Black after 23...cxd4 (23...dxe4 is met by 24.dxc5 Qe7 25.Bxh6) 24.Nxd5 Bxd5 25.exd5 Ng6 with counter play against e5.

20.g5

20...b4?!

The immediate 20...Ne4 just loses a pawn after 21.Nxe4 dxe4 22.Bxe4 but 20...cxd4 seems better.  My analysis runs 21.exd4 (and not 21.gxf6? dxc3 22.fxg7 Nxe5 23.fxe5 Bxe5 which looks winning for Black.) 21...b4! 22.gxf6 (22.Ne2?! Ne4) 22...bxc3 23.fxg7 cxb2 24.Bxb2 Nb6 intending to drive White's knight from e5 with 25...f6 with what looks like a fairly even game.

21.gxf6 bxc3 22.fxg7 cxb2?

This leads to a lost position. Black can still try to transpose into the previous note with 22...cxd4 but then he has to reckon with an additional possibility for White in 23.Nxd7 (23.exd4 cxb2 24.Bxb2 Nb6 transposes) 23...Qxd7 24.Qxd4 with a complex position in which White can point to his extra pawn.

23.Bxb2 c4

In this position 23...cxd4 24.Nxd7 Qxd7 25.Bxd4 is clearly good for White.

24.Qf5 Nf6 25.Bc3

Threatening 26.Ba5.

25...Bc8 26.Qg5 Ng4 27.Qxd8 Rxd8 28.Nxg4 Bxg4 29.Rde1

Threatening both 30.Ba5 and the pawn on d5.

29...Re7 30.Bxd5 Be6 31.Bxe6 Rxe6 32.e4 Rde8 33.e5 Bc7 34.d5 Rh6 35.Re4 1-0
 

Bentley,J - Davies,N
Chorley Open, 2002 Rd 3

1.e4 c5

I had been having some concerns that it may not be easy for Black to win games against the popular Exchange Variation. So I decided to save my pet Alekhine for another day.

2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6!?

Varying from my usual Kan Variation.  From coaching sessions and comments my opponent made before his previous (successful) game against Lund, I knew that he had only recently switched to 1.e4.  So whilst he might have prepared for my more usual choices but be quite at sea in some other lines.

5.Be3?!

My theory is confirmed.  This allows Black to take the initiative with a good old-fashioned pin.

5...Nf6 6.Nc3 Bb4 7.Bd3?!

It seems better to play 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.Bd2 which at least avoids any pawn weaknesses for the time being.

7...d5 8.exd5 Nxd5 9.Nxc6

After 9.Qg4 Black has 9...Nxe3! (9...Nxc3 10.Qxg7 Nd5+ 11.c3 favors White) 10.fxe3 (10.Qxg7 Qxd4 11.Qxd4 Nxg2+) 10...0-0 with much the better pawn structure.

9...bxc6

For a moment I considered 9...Nxe3 10.Nxd8 Nxd1 after which 11.Rxd1 Kxd8 12.Bxh7+ wins a pawn for White but leaves him under pressure after 12...Ke7 13.Bd3 Bd7.  The move chosen in the game gives Black a slight edge without giving up a pawn.

10.Bd2 Nxc3 11.bxc3 Bd6

Black has a small but clear advantage in this position due to his qualitatively superior pawn structure.  White's doubled c-pawns are held by the single pawn on c6 whilst Black's kingside pawn majority can yield a passed pawn.  Black's plan is obviously to advance his kingside pawns, but he must do this carefully lest he weakens his king.

12.0-0 0-0 13.Re1 e5

Capablanca once pointed out, it is better to advance the pawn which has no opponent.

14.f4?!

Concerned a bout Black's attacking chances in the middle game White decides to opt for simplifications in the hope of reaching a draw. But it turns out that White should be unable to regain the f4 pawn.

14...exf4 15.Qf3

15...Qc7?

A casual and stereotyped move which leads to an endgame which is difficult to win.  A much better treatment would be 15...Qf6! after which 16.Rf1 (16.Qxc6 Bg4) 16...g5 17.Qxc6 Bg4 18.Qe4 Qh6 is strong.

16.Rf1 Be6 17.Bxf4 Bxf4 18.Qxf4 Qxf4 19.Rxf4 Rfd8 20.a3 Rab8 21.Kf2 Rd5 22.Rb4 Rbd8 23.Ra4 a5 24.Rb1 g6 25.Ke3 Rh5 26.h3

The immediate 26.h4 was worth considering.  White later decides that the pawn is better on this square but loses time putting.

26...Rg5 27.Kf2 Rdd5 28.h4 Rge5 29.Re1 Kg7 30.Rxe5 Rxe5 31.Rd4 h6 32.Rd8 Kf6 33.Ra8 Ke7 34.Ra7+ Kd6 35.Kf1 g5 36.hxg5 hxg5 37.Kf2 Rc5 38.Ke3 Re5+ 39.Kf2 f6 40.Kf3 Rc5 41.Ke3 Bf5

42.c4?!

After defending well for the last 25 moves, White starts to lose his patience.  After 42.Ra8 it is doubtful whether Black can make further progress.  The rook endgame that arises after 42...Bxd3 43.cxd3 Rxc3 44.Rxa5 looks like a draw.

42...Re5+ 43.Kf3??

And this just loses the c4-pawn.  43.Kd2 is a better try when I don't see a way for Black to profit from the absence of White's king from the kingside.

43...Be6 44.Rh7 Rc5 45.Rh6 Ke5 46.Rh7 Bxc4 47.Ra7 Bxd3 48.cxd3 Kd4 49.Rd7+ Rd5 50.Rc7 c5 51.Ke2 Kc3 52.Ra7 Re5+ 53.Kd1 Kxd3 54.Rxa5 c4 55.Ra6

The pawn endgame wins easily for Black after 55.Rxe5 fxe5 56.a4 c3 57.a5 e4 58.a6 c2+ 59.Kc1 e3 60.a7 e2 etc.

55...Rf5 56.Rd6+ Kc3 57.Rb6 Rf2 58.a4 f5 59.Rb5 g4 60.g3 f4 61.gxf4 g3 62.Ke1 Rxf4 63.Rg5 Kb2 64.Rxg3 c3 65.Rg8 Re4+ 0-1
 

Davies,N - Shaw,D
Chorley Open, 2002 Rd 4

1.d4

I assumed that my opponent had found a good answer to 1.e4 e6 2.Qe2 which I played with success in our previous encounter.  I have also enjoyed some good results playing White against the Dutch.

1...e6 2.g3 f5 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.c4 d5 5.Nh3! c6 6.0-0 Bd6

Seeing the speed with which my opponent was rattling out his opening moves, I did not worry about defending the c-pawn.  Actually I would expect White to have very good compensation after 6...dxc4 7.Qc2 (or 7.e3 followed by Qe2) 7...Qxd4 8.Rd1 due to the many weaknesses in Black's position.

7.b3 Qe7 8.Bf4 e5?

I do not know what Black had missed in playing this move, but it gives him a very bad game.  A better version of this concept is 8...Bxf4 9.Nxf4 dxc4 10.bxc4 e5 11.dxe5 Qxe5 12.Nd2 which was only slightly better for White in Navrotescu - Luetke, Biel 1990;

Black can also keep the position intact with 8...0-0 9.Bxd6 Qxd6 10.Nd2 b6 after which 11.Rc1 Bb7 12.Nf4 Nbd7 13.Qc2 Rac8 14.Qb2 (14.e3) 14...g5 15.Nd3 Ne4 was fine for Black in Lev - Zifroni, Ramat Hasharon 1991.

9.dxe5 Bxe5 10.Bxe5 Qxe5 11.Nd2 Ne4?

This further breach of opening principles loses by force.  Black is still on the board after 11...0-0 12.cxd5 cxd5 though admittedly his position is no oil painting.

12.cxd5 Qxd5

After 12...cxd5 13.Nf3 Qd6 14.Nf4 Be6 15.Nd4 Bd7 16.Nc2 Bc6 17.Ne3 White wins the d5 pawn.

13.Nxe4 Qxd1 14.Raxd1 fxe4 15.Ng5 e3 16.fxe3

Not only winning a pawn but giving White a massive attack.  White's threats include 17.Rf4 followed by Re4+.

16...Na6 17.Be4 g6 18.Nxh7 Bf5

18...Rxh7 19.Bxg6+ wins the exchange.

19.Bxf5 gxf5 20.Ng5 Nb4 21.Rxf5 1-0
 

Gordon,S - Davies,N
Chorley Open, 2002 Rd 5

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4

The old way of playing it that at one time was thought to be mandatory. Only in the last 20 years has it been recognized that White can develop more naturally with Ng1-f3 because he does not need to fear the pin with ...Bc8-g4.

7...c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 0-0 10.0-0 Bg4

I have been experimenting with 10...e6 but I wanted to create as much tension as possible.

11.f3

11...Bd7!?

A favourite line of Kouatly in which has not been pounded too heavily by theory. 11...Na5 requires heavy duty preparation.

12.Rb1 a6!?

Kouatly's most recent preference. [In earlier games the 11...Bd7 maestro had played 12...Qc7 but might have been discouraged by the continuation of Lautier - Kozul, Biel 1991. In this game White played 13.dxc5 (13.Bd3 a6 transposes back into the game; but 13.Bf4 also needs considering) 13...Na5 14.Bb5 and after 14...Rfd8 (14...Bxb5 15.Rxb5 Nc4 16.Qd3 is also better for White) 15.Qa4 e5 16.Bxd7 Rxd7 17.Rfd1 Rad8 18.Rxd7 Rxd7 19.Rd1 Rxd1+ 20.Qxd1 Nc4 21.Bf2 Bf8 22.Qd5 Nb2 23.Nc1 was having trouble getting his pawn back.

12...a6!? certainly prevents White from exchanging his light square bishop, which seems to get in the way in these dxc5 positions.  In an even earlier game against Murei, Kouatly played 12...Rc8 13.dxc5 Na5 but once again White can exchange light squared bishops with 14.Bb5 Bxb5 15.Rxb5 when 15...Nc4 16.Bf2 leaves Black struggling.

13.Bd3

After 13.dxc5 Na5 White does not have b5 available for his bishop, so he must choose between d3 and b3: 14.Bb3 (14.Bd3 Qc7 15.Qc2 Rfd8 16.Nc1 e6 17.Nb3 Ba4 18.Rfd1 Bf8 19.Qf2 Rac8 20.Rd2 Bxb3 21.axb3 Bxc5 22.Bxc5 Qxc5 23.Qxc5 Rxc5 24.b4 Rxc3 25.bxa5 Rcxd3 26.Rxd3 Rxd3 27.Rxb7 Ra3 gave Black an extra pawn in the rook endgame in Abril - Fernandez Garcia, Spanish Ch., Matalascanas 1995) 14...Qc7 15.Nf4 e6 16.Qc2 Bh6 (Black is trying to prevent his opponent from establishing his knight on d3) 17.Qc1 Bb5 18.Rf2 Rac8 19.Nxe6 Bxe3 20.Qxe3 fxe6 21.Bxe6+ Rf7 22.Bxc8 Qxc8 23.Rd1 Nc4 24.Qg5 Kg7 25.Rd8 Qc6 26.Rd4 a5 when in Thorsteins - Kouatly, Reyjavik 1993, Black managed to draw but my impression is that White's chances were better in this admittedly complex position.

13...Qc7 14.Qe1

The queen is en route for the kingside.

14...b5 15.f4 cxd4 16.cxd4 e6

17.f5?

I was surprised to discover that so far we had been following theory, though the move played is new and bad. In 1988 Zuger and Kouatly had a theoretical duel from the position after 17.Rc1:
a) 17...Qb6 18.Qf2 Qa5 19.Bb1 Nb4 (19...f5 is necessary) 20.Bd2 Rfc8 and now 21.Qe1! Rxc1 (21...Bf8 22.Rc5) 22.Nxc1 Bxd4+ 23.Kh1 Bc5 24.Nb3 wins for White
b) 17...Qb7!? (Apparently a suggestion of Spassky) 18.f5 exf5 19.exf5 Rfe8! 20.Qf2 Nb4 21.fxg6 (21.Bb1? Bxf5 22.Bxf5 gxf5 23.Nf4 Qe4! 24.Rfe1 Nd3 wins material) 21...Nxd3! 22.gxf7+ Kh8 23.fxe8Q+ Rxe8 and now White should have played 24.Qg3 (24.Qf3 Qxf3 25.Rxf3 Nxc1 26.Nxc1 Bc6 27.Rg3 Rxe3 28.Rxe3 Bxd4 29.Kf2 Bxg2 and Black went on to win in Zuger - Kouatly, Geneva 1988) when Kouatly gave 24...Nxc1 25.Rxc1 Qe4 26.Rc7 Bg4!?, presumably with the idea of 27.h3 Qxe3+ 28.Qxe3 Rxe3 29.hxg4 Bf6 (the pawn endgame that arises after 29...Rxe2 30.Rc8+ Bf8 31.Rxf8+ Kg7 32.Rf2 Rxf2 33.Kxf2 is drawn) 30.Kf2 Ra3 31.Rc2 Kg7. In this final position Black has whatever chances are going.

17...exf5 18.exf5 Rfe8! 19.Qf2 Bxf5 20.Bxf5 gxf5

Good, but not the best.  During the game I rejected 20...Qe7! because of 21.Ng3 (both 21.d5 Qxe3 22.Bd7 Nd4; and 21.Rb3 Na5 22.Rc3 Nc4 23.Be4 Qxe4 24.Qxf7+ Kh8 25.Ng3 Qh4 are winning for Black) 21...Qxe3 22.Qxe3 Rxe3 23.Be4 but missed the fact that after 23...Bxd4! 24.Bxc6 Re6+ Black wins back the piece with a two pawn advantage.

21.d5

After 21.Ng3 Rxe3 22.Nxf5 Rc3 White is left without any compensation for his piece.

21...Ne5 22.Qg3 Qc4 23.Bh6

After 23.Nd4 Ng4 24.Nxf5 Black wins with 24...Rxe3 25.Nxe3 Nxe3 etc.

23...Ng6 24.Bxg7

24...Rxe2!

Not worrying about the weak dark squares around the king which White is too tied up to exploit.

25.Ba1 Qxd5 26.Rbd1 Qe4 27.Rf3 Re8 28.Rdf1 Rxa2 29.Bf6 Qg4 30.Rxf5 Qxg3 31.hxg3 Ree2 32.Rd1 Rxg2+ 33.Kf1 Rgd2 34.Re1 h6 35.Re8+ Kh7 36.Bc3 Rd1+ 0-1

After 36...Rd1+ 37.Be1 Black consolidates with 37...Kg7 38.Re2 Rxe2 39.Kxe2 Rd6 followed by ...f6.
 

Davies,N - James,D
Chorley Open, 2002 Rd 6

1.Nf3

In my previous game with Dale I had played 1.c4.  It seemed sensible to vary in order to test different areas of his opening repertoire.

1...c5 2.c4 b6 3.g3 Bb7 4.Bg2

4...e5?!

The pawn structure Black obtains with this move does not work well with the bishop on b7.  White will use his advantage in development to open the centre.

5.0-0 d6 6.Nc3 g6 7.e3 Bg7 8.d4 ½-½

The final position may be quite unpleasant for Black, and he was quite right in accepting a draw.
 

GM Davies' Chessville Home Page

Read More	The Trompowsky	Play 1.e4 e5! - A Complete Repertoire for Black in the Open Games
Read More	Visit GM Davies at TigerChess	Taming the Sicilian

Copyright Nigel Davies, 2008. All rights reserved.

For more from GM Davies, see also:
The Wit & Wisdom of Nigel Davies - Part 1     The Wit & Wisdom of Nigel Davies - Part 2

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