[Event "Sandwich v Folkestone (Steele Cup)"]
[Site "St Clement's Hall"]
[Date "2024.02.13"]
[Round "?"]
[White "David Erwee"]
[Black "Jon Hunt"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "1436"]
[BlackElo "1501"]
[EventDate "2024.02.13"]
[ECO "A01"]
[PlyCount "101"]
{Sandwich enjoyed a welcome return to form in the Steele Cup with a 3.5-0.5 win over Folkestone, who sadly had to default Board 2. I renewed my acquaintance with David Erwee on Board 3. I enjoy a good record against David, but only ever by the narrowest of margins. Not for the first time, the difference came down to the last pawn on the board...} 1.b3 d5 2.Bb2 Nc6 $5 {I'm improvising on move 2, but apparently this defence has had good results at high level.} 3.e3 e5 4.h3 ( {David didn't try the main line by a mile in this position:} 4.Bb5 Bd6 5.f4 Qh4+ 6.g3 Qe7 7.Nf3 f6 8.Nc3 Be6 {and now White can try} 9.fxe5 fxe5 10.d4 e4 11.Ne5 Bxe5 12.Qh5+ {which is best answered by} 12...Kd7 13.Qxe5 Nf6 14.O-O Rae8 15.Bxc6+ bxc6 16.Na4 Kc8 17.Nc5 Bh3 $15 ) 4...d4 5.e4 $6 ( {I was inviting the rather more obvious} 5.exd4 exd4 6.Bb5 Ne7 7.Qe2 Be6 8.Nf3 a6 9.Bc4 Bxc4 10.bxc4 Qd7 11.d3 O-O-O $10 ) 5...Nf6 6.d3 Bc5 7.g4 $6 {It's not right, but it's a challenge to be met.} 7...h6 {A prudent choice} ( {Bolder is} 7...h5 $1 8.g5 Nh7 9.h4 Bg4 10.f3 Be6 11.Nd2 Nf8 $15 ) 8.a3 a5 $1 9.Bc1 b5 10.g5 $6 {In for a penny...} 10...hxg5 $1 11.Bxg5 Be7 $1 {A good answer to White's question} 12.Bg2 Nh5 13.Bd2 Bg5 $1 14.Nf3 Bxd2+ 15.Nfxd2 $6 ( {I expected} 15.Qxd2 {since the knight stands well on f3, but White could also have considered taking with the undeveloped queen's knight.} ) 15...Nf4 $1 $17 {The black knight finds a fine outpost.} 16.Qf3 Qg5 {I hesitated about this commital move, but it's not at all bad, since it forces the play.} 17.Bf1 Rh6 {Ditto - this adds pressure upon the h3-pawn.} 18.a4 $1 bxa4 19.Rxa4 $5 {I was wondering whether David would recapture this way in a bid for counterplay. I had already identified the right antidote.} 19...Nb4 $1 20.Na3 $2 Bd7 $1 {The rook is trapped.} 21.Qg3 $1 Qxg3 $6 ( {I should have ducked this exchange:} 21...Qf6 {and now e.g.} 22.Rg1 $2 Bxa4 23.bxa4 Rg6 $19 ) 22.fxg3 Bxa4 23.gxf4 $5 {The engine doesn't approve, but White needs to create some chances, and this is the only way on offer.} 23...Bd7 24.fxe5 {Another long pause for me, as I considered how to deal with the fact that the exchange has come at the cost of an advanced pawn on e5.} 24...a4 $1 {Dynamic, and correct!} 25.Ndc4 {Stubborn defence} 25...axb3 26.cxb3 Rha6 $1 {Another excellent find} 27.Rg1 Rxa3 ( 27...Kf8 {might have been more prudent.} ) 28.Nxa3 Rxa3 29.Rxg7 Rxb3 30.Rg3 c5 $1 $19 {The engine is screaming -6.67 to Black!} 31.h4 $1 {I found this scary. White's pawn is a passer, while Black has yet to create his.} 31...c4 32.Rg8+ $1 {Bother. I thought I had an easy win, but I'd missed this zwischenzug.} 32...Ke7 33.dxc4 Re3+ ( {There is a simple win now:} 33...Rb1+ $1 34.Kf2 d3 35.Ra8 d2 36.Be2 d1=Q 37.Bxd1 Rxd1 $19 ) 34.Kd2 Rxe4 35.h5 Rxe5 36.Be2 {White is making the most of this h-pawn.} 36...Kf6 $6 ( {I also considered the better} 36...Re4 37.Rg2 Rh4 ) 37.h6 Bf5 {Thank goodness Black still has a move!} 38.Rg7 $6 Re8 {I felt a lot safer now that the back rank was secure.} 39.Bh5 Bg6 $2 ( 39...Be6 {is better.} ) 40.Bxg6 $1 fxg6 41.Rb7 ( 41.Rd7 $1 ) 41...Nc6 $1 42.h7 Ne5 43.Rb6+ Kg7 44.Rb7+ Kh6 $2 ( 44...Kh8 $1 {I immediately regretted missing this easy win.} 45.c5 g5 $1 ) 45.Re7 $1 {A moment of panic for Black - have I blown the win?} 45...Nxc4+ $1 {Fortunately not!} 46.Kd3 Rd8 $2 {My inital idea was to push my own passed pawn after the inevitable capture of my knight now.} ( 46...Nb2+ $1 47.Kxd4 Rh8 ) 47.Kxc4 Rh8 $1 {Fortunately, I changed my mind and made a better decision in the nick of time.} ( 47...d3 $2 48.Rd7 $1 Rh8 49.Kxd3 Rxh7 50.Rd4 Re7 51.Rh4+ Kg5 52.Rh1 Kf6 53.Rf1+ Kg7 54.Rg1 $10 ) 48.Kxd4 Rxh7 49.Rxh7+ $2 {This just makes it easy for Black.} ( 49.Re8 Rf7 50.Rh8+ Kg5 51.Rh1 {at least puts up a fight.} ) 49...Kxh7 50.Ke5 Kh6 51.Kf4 {White resigned. Black can hardly play anything except ...Kh5, which will give him the opposition and the game.} 0-1
