[Event "Sandwich v Ramsgate (Steele Cup)"]
[Site "St Clement's Hall"]
[Date "2024.05.07"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Paul Worledge"]
[Black "Harry Sharples"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "1813"]
[BlackElo "1777"]
[EventDate "2024.05.07"]
[ECO "B40"]
[PlyCount "80"]
{Harry maintains his excellent record against Paul Worledge, refusing to let himself be put out of joint and then seizing upon a hasty pawn push which has fatally weakened his opponent's king.} 1.e4 e6 2.Nf3 c5 3.b4 $5 Nc6 ( {Gambits should normally be accepted:} 3...cxb4 $1 4.d4 Nf6 5.Bd3 d5 6.e5 Ne4 7.O-O Nc6 $10 ) 4.bxc5 Bxc5 5.d4 Bb6 $14 {Black's reluctance to be pulled out of shape by taking on b4 results in his conceding the centre to White.} 6.c3 d5 7.e5 f6 $1 {Black delayed playing ...Nf6 with good reason here.} 8.Bf4 Bd7 ( {Black passes on another "out-of-shape" move:} 8...g5 $1 9.Be3 g4 $1 10.Nfd2 {and now e.g.} 10...fxe5 11.Qxg4 exd4 12.cxd4 Nf6 13.Qh4 O-O $3 $15 ) 9.Bd3 Bc7 10.Qe2 fxe5 11.Bg5 Nge7 12.Nxe5 Nxe5 13.dxe5 O-O $1 14.O-O Qe8 15.Nd2 Ng6 16.Nf3 Bd8 17.Rab1 $2 b6 $2 {MIssing a nice tactic (removing a defender)} ( 17...Rxf3 $1 {wins two pieces for a rook:} 18.Qxf3 Bxg5 19.Rxb7 Nxe5 20.Qg3 Nxd3 21.Qxg5 Nc5 22.Rc7 Na6 23.Rb7 Qc8 24.Rb2 $17 ) 18.Bxd8 Qxd8 $6 {This allows White to double the pawns in front of Black's king.} ( 18...Rxd8 ) ( {The best answer of all may be to counterattack:} 18...Nf4 $5 19.Qc2 Nxd3 20.Qxd3 Qxd8 $10 ) 19.Bxg6 hxg6 20.Qe3 Rc8 21.Ng5 Rf5 22.f4 $1 $16 Rc4 23.g4 $2 ( {Paul annotates in the margin of his scoresheet the improvement} 23.Rb4 {and, indeed, things look good for White now:} 23...Qc7 24.Rxc4 Qxc4 25.Rf3 Qxa2 26.g4 $1 {Black must give up the exchange} 26...Rxg5 27.fxg5 Bc6 {and it seems} 28.Qd4 {is necessary for White to keep a small edge.} ( 28.Qf4 {is drawn, e.g.} 28...Kh7 29.Qg3 Kg8 30.Qf4 ) ) 23...Rxg5 $1 {In the game, Black willingly gives up the same exchange, since now it wins a pawn with check.} 24.fxg5 Rxg4+ 25.Kh1 d4 $2 ( {A quiet move now wins:} 25...Bc6 $1 26.Qf3 Rxg5 27.Rbd1 Rxe5 28.Qf7+ Kh7 29.Rd4 Qg5 $17 ) 26.Qf3 Rxg5 27.Rg1 $4 ( {White has to take this chance to reconnect his central pawns, which are arguably his greatest asset now, e.g.} 27.cxd4 Qe8 28.Rbc1 Rf5 29.Qg3 Bc6+ 30.Kg1 Qd7 31.Rxf5 gxf5 32.Qf4 $10 ) 27...Qe8 28.Rxg5 Bc6 {Paul's scoresheet notates this move with check, but of course the point is that it isn't - White's queen is in the way!} 29.Rf1 Bxf3+ 30.Rxf3 Qc6 31.Rg3 dxc3 $1 {White cannot take, as the rook is pinned.} 32.Kg1 c2 33.Rc3 Qd5 $2 {A slip by Black which could have cost him dear...but in fact leads to mate!} ( {Simply,} 33...c1=Q+ 34.Rxc1 Qxc1+ 35.Kg2 Qc2+ 36.Kh3 Qf5+ 37.Kg2 Qxe5 $19 ) 34.Rc8+ Kf7 35.Rgc3 Qd1+ 36.Kf2 Qd4+ 37.Kf3 Qd5+ 38.Kg4 Qe4+ 39.Kh3 g5 $1 40.Rxc2 $4 Qf3# 0-1