[Event "Glorney Cup 2008"]
[Site "Dublin IRL"]
[Date "2008.07.23"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Fitzsimons, David"]
[Black "Pym, Thomas"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2133"]
[BlackElo "2165"]
[ECO "B53"]
[Annotator "Fitzsimons, David"]
[ICUid "29197"]
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Qxd4 Nc6 5. Bb5 Bd7 6. Bxc6 bxc6 7. O-O
Qc7 $6 { I haven't been able to find this in the database and it doesn't
look like much of a move } (7... Qb6) (7... e5 { are both commonly played
here }) 8. Rd1 { I'm not totally sure if white should be playing for c2-c4
or Nc3 first in these positions, so I just played a flexible move } (8. e5
{ Is the computer's choice but it seemed somewhat committal to me } 8...
dxe5 (8... e6 { intending d6-d5 is best }) 9. Nxe5 Bf5 10. Bf4) 8... e5 9.
Qd3 Be6 10. Nbd2 $6 { I want c4 for my knight but this probably wasn't the
most accurate } (10. Na3 { doesn't block the d-file and is Fritz's first
choice } 10... Nf6) 10... Rd8 (10... Nf6 $11 11. Nc4 $2 d5 $1 $17) 11. b3
$2 (11. Nc4 $1 { is now very good for white }) 11... Be7 12. Ba3 (12. Nc4
d5 $1) 12... d5 13. Bb2 { I wanted to make it slightly more awkward for
black to develop as i assumed he was just going to play f7-f6 (and indeed
this would have been best). } (13. Bxe7 Nxe7 { black may even claim a
slight edge due to his powerful centre and the awkward placing of white's
queen }) 13... Bf6 $2 14. b4 $5 { I was very pleased to find this move
during the game and it looks very logical: White's knight would be ideal on
c5 and this also exploits the fact that black's bishop has left the a3-f8
diagonal. But at the moment white's worst piece isn't his knight on d2 but
the queen on d3. The simple } (14. Qe2 $1 $16 { gives white a harmonious
position with pressure on black's centre, especially the e5 pawn }) 14...
Ne7 15. Nb3 O-O (15... Nc8 { this looks like an interesting attempt to
exploit the fact that every pawn move creates a weakness and b2-b3 weakens
the c4 and a4 squares. Perhaps here it is a little slow though as white can
play } 16. exd5 { forcing a recapture with the rook or bishop in view of }
16... cxd5 $2 (16... Bxd5 17. Bxe5) 17. Qb5+ $16) 16. Nc5 { Well, the
knight does look good! But Black has completed his development and retains
good central control } 16... Bg4 { while not bad in itself, this move may
constitute the first step in the wrong direction. Black was afraid of white
exchanging knight for bishop on e6...well I wasn't so eager to get rid of
my best piece! } 17. Re1 { just side-stepping the pin and preparing to
bring the other rook into play } (17. h3) 17... Rfe8 $6 (17... Ng6 $1 18.
h3 Nf4 19. Qb3 Bh5 20. Rad1 { white can play Bc1 next, with similar play to
the game only black's light-squared bishop is better placed }) 18. h3 Bc8
19. Qb3 $1 { finally moving off the d-file, defending the bishop on b2 and
threatening to exchange on d5 } 19... Ng6 20. Rad1 Nf4 21. Bc1 (21. a3 { is
a waiting move to see how black will improve his position } 21... h6 22.
Rd2 { the position is probably just equal }) 21... h6 $2 { could be the
decisive mistake, although trading queens later was also questionable.
Black simply has no time to do this } (21... Ne6 $1 22. exd5 Nxc5 23. bxc5
cxd5 24. Rxd5 Bb7 { gives black excellent compensation }) 22. Bxf4 exf4 23.
exd5 Rxe1+ 24. Nxe1 $16 a5 { it may have been better to leave the pawns on
the board in view of the passed b-pawn white acquires further on } 25. a3
axb4 26. axb4 Qe5 (26... Bf5 27. c4) 27. c4 cxd5 28. cxd5 Qc3 $6 (28... Bf5
29. Nf3 Qc7 30. Qc4) 29. Qxc3 Bxc3 30. b5 Be6 (30... Bb4) 31. b6 (31. Rd3
Bxe1 32. dxe6) 31... Bf5 32. b7 Rb8 33. d6 Ba5 34. d7 Bd8 35. Ned3 Bxd3 36.
Rxd3 Kf8 37. Ra3 Ke7 38. Ra8 Bc7 39. Rxb8 Bxb8 40. f3 Ba7 41. Kf1 Kd8 42.
Ke2 Kc7 43. Kd3 { If black takes the knight white will queen a pawn, and
when black's king captures this, I will queen the other pawn! } 1-0
