[Event "Sandwich v Broadstairs (Millar Cup)"]
[Site "St Clement's Hall"]
[Date "2024.03.05"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Paul Carfrae"]
[Black "Harry Sharples"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "1747"]
[BlackElo "1777"]
[EventDate "2024.03.05"]
[ECO "D00"]
[PlyCount "110"]
{Here is another excellent win from our 5-2 victory at Broadstairs, all three of which were with the black pieces! This one came on Board 3 courtesy of Harry. He survives some dangerous early kingside manoeuvres from Paul and proves the value of controlling and exploiting open files with your rooks. Once White's backward e-pawn is exposed to the full strength of Black's attack, there is no coming back.} 1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Bf5 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 $1 {When Black plays symmetrically against the London System like this, it's difficult for White to find a plan.} 5.c4 c6 ( {The main move here is} 5...Bxb1 $1 6.Rxb1 {and now} 6...Bb4+ 7.Ke2 Bd6 {and White has lost castling rights for nothing.} ) 6.c5 $146 Nbd7 ( 6...Na6 $6 7.Qa4 $1 ) 7.Qb3 Qc8 ( {A viable alternative for Black is} 7...b6 $1 8.Ba6 $1 Be7 9.Bb7 $5 bxc5 10.Bxa8 Qxa8 11.O-O O-O $44 {where Black has sufficient compensation for the exchange.} ) 8.Nbd2 Nh5 $1 {Black means to remove the powerful dark-squared bishop in order to regain access to the c7- and b8-squares.} 9.g3 $6 ( {Harry feared} 9.Bd6 $5 Bxd6 10.cxd6 {which does seem unclear.} ) 9...f6 $2 10.Nh4 ( 10.Bd6 $1 Bxd6 11.cxd6 Qb8 12.h3 {and Black has trapped his own knight with the f7-f6 pawn push.} ) 10...g5 11.Nxf5 exf5 12.Be2 Ng7 $10 13.Bd6 Bxd6 14.cxd6 Nb6 $1 15.h4 g4 16.h5 h6 17.f3 $6 Qd7 ( {I can't see much wrong with} 17...gxf3 $1 18.Bxf3 Qe6 19.Rc1 Qxd6 $17 ) 18.Qb4 $6 O-O-O $1 $17 19.fxg4 fxg4 20.a4 $1 {If there's one trump in White's position, it's that he knows which side he should be attacking on. Black is better, but he must be wondering where, if at all, White intends to castle now.} 20...Qxd6 ( {It's the perfect time to play the important} 20...Kb8 $1 ) 21.Qxd6 Rxd6 22.a5 $1 Nd7 23.Bxg4 f5 24.Be2 Re6 $1 {Black prepares to pile up on the White's weak e-pawn.} 25.Kf2 Rhe8 26.Ra3 Nf6 27.b4 Ng4+ 28.Bxg4 fxg4 29.Rc3 a6 30.Rh2 Rf6+ 31.Ke2 $2 ( {While it's tempting to treat the king as an attacking piece, this is not yet an ending, and the king is safer in the corner:} 31.Kg1 $1 Rf5 $1 32.Rh4 Rg5 33.Nf1 ) 31...Nf5 $1 32.Nf1 $2 ( 32.Kd1 $1 {Run away!} ) 32...Nxd4+ 33.Kd3 {Now the white king has no choice but to try and hold on in the centre.} 33...Nf3 34.Rh1 $19 Ref8 35.Rc1 Ne5+ 36.Kd4 Nf3+ 37.Kd3 {Black is momentarily jammed. Of course White wants this repetition.} 37...Re8 38.Nh2 Nxh2 $1 39.Rxh2 Rf3 40.Re1 Re4 $1 {Now Black threatens captures on both g3 and b4.} 41.Rb1 Rfxe3+ ( {Two rooks on the sixth looks even more inviting and might have brought about a swift finish:} 41...Rexe3+ $1 42.Kd4 $4 Kc7 $1 43.Rc2 Kd6 44.Rxc6+ bxc6 45.b5 Re4# ( 45...Rd3# ) ( 45...c5# ) ) 42.Kd2 Rxg3 43.Rf1 Rxb4 44.Rf8+ Kd7 45.Rhf2 $2 Rb2+ $1 46.Ke1 Rxf2 47.Kxf2 Ra3 $6 ( {Quick win no. 2:} 47...Rf3+ $1 48.Rxf3 gxf3 49.Kxf3 c5 $1 {The pawn ending is completely winning.} ) 48.Rf7+ Ke6 49.Rxb7 Rxa5 50.Kg3 Ra4 $6 ( {And no. 3:} 50...d4 $1 {Passed pawns should be pushed!} 51.Kxg4 d3 $1 $19 {The black king is well placed to prevent the white rook from getting behind this pawn.} ) 51.Rg7 c5 $1 {Finally the passed pawns start to motor.} 52.Rg6+ Kf5 53.Rxh6 Kg5 54.Rh8 Ra3+ 55.Kg2 Rh3 $19 {Harry's notation runs out, but Black's win is clear enough.} 0-1
