[Event "Sandwich v University of Kent (Steele Cup)"]
[Site "St Clement's Hall"]
[Date "2023.12.05"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Dominic Blundell"]
[Black "Mason Ridgeley"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "1691"]
[BlackElo "1350"]
[EventDate "2023.12.05"]
[PlyCount "1"]
{Anatomy of a League Match, Board 2: The Young Stallion} 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bf4 Bf5 4.c4 e6 5.Nc3 c6 6.Qb3 Qb6 $5 {The first clash of the stallions for supremacy} 7.c5 $1 Qxb3 8.axb3 Be7 $6 ( {Established theory reckons Black must play} 8...Nbd7 {now, and e.g.} 9.b4 a6 10.b5 cxb5 11.Nxb5 Rc8 12.Nd6+ Bxd6 13.Bxd6 Ne4 14.Bg3 $14 {when Black can contemplate almost any kingside pawn push.} ) 9.e3 ( {White misses a tactic to win a pawn:} 9.Bxb8 $1 Rxb8 10.Rxa7 ) 9...O-O 10.b4 Nbd7 11.Be2 b6 $2 ( {Black needs to challenge his counterpart's aggressive stance more directly and actively, but precision is required:} 11...Ne4 $1 12.b5 g5 $1 13.bxc6 bxc6 14.Ne5 $1 gxf4 15.Nxd7 fxe3 16.Nxe4 Bxe4 17.Nxf8 exf2+ 18.Kxf2 Kxf8 $10 ) 12.Ba6 $1 {The start of a series of swift hoof kicks administered by the white stallion} 12...Nh5 $6 13.Bc7 $1 {As White's bishops have quickly demonstrated, Black's position is full of holes.} 13...Bd8 $2 14.Bd6 $1 Re8 15.Bb7 $1 Bf6 16.Bxa8 {The first permanent wound is inflicted.} 16...Rxa8 17.h3 $1 g6 $2 {This is an unsatisfactory answer to the threatened fork.} ( 17...Be4 $1 {at once restrains the g-pawn.} ) 18.g4 Be4 19.Nxe4 dxe4 20.Nd2 Ng7 21.Nxe4 Bh4 22.Bg3 f5 23.Bxh4 fxe4 24.Ke2 bxc5 25.bxc5 e5 26.Rhd1 exd4 27.Rxd4 Nxc5 28.Rd8+ $1 {This is a smart way to exchange into the winning ending which awaits.} 28...Rxd8 29.Bxd8 Nge6 30.Be7 Nd3 31.b4 Nc7 32.Rxa7 Nd5 33.Bc5 h5 34.gxh5 gxh5 35.Ra8+ Kg7 36.f4 Kf6 37.Rf8+ Ke6 38.f5+ Ke5 39.Bd4+ Kd6 40.Rh8 Ke7 41.Rxh5 N5f4+ 42.exf4 Nxf4+ {Proud to the end, the sole black knight makes a defiant gesture.} 43.Ke3 Nxh5 44.Kxe4 Kf7 45.Kf3 Nf6 46.Bxf6 {Black resigns. The black king alone cannot both blockade White's f-pawn and defend his own c-pawn.} 1-0
