[Event "Sandwich v Margate (Millar Cup)"]
[Site "St Clement's Hall"]
[Date "2024.04.30"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Peter McGill"]
[Black "Robert Starley"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "1908"]
[BlackElo "2151"]
[EventDate "2024.04.30"]
[ECO "C44"]
[Annotator "Robert Starley"]
[BlackTeam "Sandwich"]
[BlackTeamCountry "ENG"]
[EventCountry "ENG"]
[EventType "team"]
[WhiteTeam "Margate"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "ENG"]
{Having successfully defended his "Black-and-White" title, Robert also leads by example in Sandwich's 5-2 win at home to Margate in the Millar Cup, bravely diving into the murky waters of the Göring Gambit Accepted. Robert annotates his own play. C44: Ponziani Opening and Scotch Gambit} 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.c3 dxc3 5.Bc4 cxb2 {The best way to refute a gambit is to accept it, so I happily take both of the pawns offered.} 6.Bxb2 Bb4+ 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.O-O O-O 9.Nd5 ( 9.e5 {is the other main option here, when White has decent compensation for the sacrificed pawns, but probably not quite enough if Black plays accurately.} ) 9...Be7 ( {Not} 9...Nxe4 $2 10.Qc2 Re8 11.Bd3 $16 ) ( 9...Nxd5 $6 10.exd5 $14 {would also play into White's hands somewhat.} ) 10.e5 $6 {This is not as good as it would have been on the previous move, as now the knight can escape from the pawn by simply capturing on d5.} ( 10.Qc2 d6 $15 ) 10...Nxd5 $17 11.Bxd5 d6 12.Be4 $6 ( 12.Qb3 $142 $5 $17 ) 12...Nxe5 $19 13.Nxe5 dxe5 14.Qc2 $5 ( {Understandably, White wanted to avoid trading queens when two pawns down.} 14.Bxe5 Qxd1 15.Rfxd1 c6 $19 ) 14...Bd6 {I decided that I would rather keep the e-pawn than the h-pawn, so the long diagonal stays closed.} ( {Another option I considered was} 14...f5 $1 15.Rfd1 Bd6 16.Bd5+ Kh8 17.Rd2 $19 {which probably would have been even better, keeping all the pawns at the cost of slightly weakening the kingside and blocking in my light-squared bishop.} ) 15.Rad1 $2 {Now I can hold onto all three extra pawns without any problem.} ( 15.Bxh7+ Kh8 16.Be4 $19 ) 15...Qh4 16.Rfe1 Rb8 17.Bd5 Qh5 18.Bf3 Bg4 $5 {I decided to give a pawn back in order to complete development and trade both bishops. After all, a two-pawn advantage should be enough to easily win the endgame.} ( {It was also possible to be greedy and keep all three extra pawns with} 18...Qg5 19.Re3 $19 {but then I still haven't completed development and White would retain some initiative.} ) 19.Bxg4 Qxg4 20.Bxe5 Bxe5 21.Rxe5 Rfe8 22.Rde1 $6 ( 22.f3 Qf4 23.Red5 $19 ) 22...Rxe5 23.Rxe5 Rd8 24.Re1 Qb4 25.Rb1 Qd2 {Now the queen trade will be forced, as back rank mate is threatened if the queen moves away from guarding d1.} 26.Qxd2 ( 26.Qa4 Qd4 27.Qxd4 ( 27.Qb3 Qd3 28.Qxd3 Rxd3 $19 ) 27...Rxd4 $19 ) 26...Rxd2 {Now I have the simple task of winning a rook ending with 2 extra pawns} 27.g3 b6 28.Rc1 c5 29.a4 Ra2 30.Rc4 Kf8 31.Re4 Rb2 32.Re5 Rb4 33.a5 Ra4 34.axb6 axb6 35.Kf1 Ra7 36.Rd5 ( 36.Ke2 {would be met with} 36...Re7 $19 {forcing the rooks off.} ) 36...Ke7 37.Rd1 b5 38.Rb1 b4 39.Ke2 Kd6 40.Kd2 Kc6 41.f4 Ra2+ 42.Kd3 Rxh2 43.Kc4 Rc2+ {White resigned.} ( 43...Rc2+ 44.Kd3 Rc3+ 45.Ke4 Rxg3 $19 ) 0-1
