Chiedu Maduekwe (191) – Ian Hunnable (165) [E12]

Wood Green v W&W1, North Circular League, 03.11.2005

Notes by Ian Hunnable

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 b6 4 a3 Bb7 5 Nc3 d5 6 cxd5 exd5 7 Bg5 Be7 8 e3 0-0 9 Bd3 Nbd7

9...Ne4 came into consideration; I felt the need to be flexible.

10 0-0 c5 11 dxc5 bxc5

“Hanging” pawns, on which the jury is still out.

12 b4

White attacks them straight away. If now 12...c4 theory says that the hanging pawns - no longer side by side - have been weakened, with the d-pawn being backward, and White having the use of the hole on d4. So now 12...Ne4 plays itself.

12...Ne4 13 Bxe7 Qxe7 14 Rc1 Rac8

Here Fritz says I could win a pawn on b4, but it looked to me like there was something nasty on the b-file.  Apparently not: 14...cxb4 15 axb4 Qxb4 16 Nb5 Ndc5 17 Rb1 Qa5=/+

15 bxc5 Ndxc5 16 Bb1

So now I have another theoretical bone of contention: the IQP.

16...Rfd8 17 Nd4 Qf6 18 f3

Kicking the knight out of e4 and perhaps guarding against …Ba6, but he has weakened e3 which may yet tell against him.

18...Nxc3 19 Rxc3 g6

Securing the f5 square against invasion, but also creating a block on the b1-h7 diagonal (Qc2 was possible) and making a flight-square for the king.

20 Rf2 Ne6 21 Rxc8

A slightly surprising choice: I thought his previous move indicated Rfc2.

21...Rxc8 22 Ba2?

After one or two indifferent moves, White makes his first error, after which Black secures a small advantage for the first time. 22 Rc2 was called for.

22...Nxd4 23 exd4?

A further error, after which Black has a clear plus. Correct was 23 Qxd4, although at the time the text move was what I expected as best.

23...Qf4

…until I found this! With the threat ...Rc1, White must lose a pawn.

24 Rf1 Qe3+ 25 Kh1 Qxa3 26 Qd2 Qa4 27 Bb1 a5 28 h4

Oh dear! A counter-attack!

28...Qb4 29 Qf4 Ba6 30 Rd1 Re8

White must now move his bishop off the back rank, or play Kh2.  He does neither. (Time control. White 1.14+ Black 57) 15m QPF.

31 h5?! Re1+ 32 Rxe1 Qxe1+ 33 Kh2 Qxb1 34 h6 Qf5

I didn't like 34...Qb6 in view of 35 Qe5. I realised that I would most probably have to return the piece in exchange for the h6 pawn, but banked on getting the d-pawn in return for the a-pawn.

35 Qb8+ Bc8

I could have held onto the piece with 35...Qc8 36 Qe5 Qf8 37 Qxd5 Qxh6+ 38 Kg3 g5 39 Kf2 a4-+ but this would have required fine calculation under pressure.

36 Qc7 Qh5+

Choosing to remove the h6 pawn in return for the bishop, going for a Q&P ending two pawns up. Again 36...Qd7 37 Qe5 f5-+ keeps the piece.

37 Kg1 Qxh6 38 Qxc8+ Kg7 39 Qc3 Qh4 40 Qxa5

Makes it easy. The rest is technique.

40...Qxd4+ 41 Kf1 h5 42 Qd8 Qd1+ 43 Kf2 Qd2+ 44 Kf1 d4 45 Qe7 Qc1+ 46 Kf2 Qb2+ 47 Kg3 d3 48 Qd6 d2 49 Kh3 Qc2 50 Qe5+ Kh7

Now 51 Qf6 is met by 51...Qf5+ so White stopped the clocks, before his flag could fall.

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