1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5

Exchange variation which avoids various defences to the QG such as the Cambridge Springs.

4... exd5 5. Bg5

Main line QG Exchange variation

5... Nbd7

sets the Nxd5 trap.

6. e3

65% White in 1623 games.

6... c6 7. Qc2

No! Bd3 is the Bishop's certain square. The Q MAY go to c2, depending on Black's play.

7. Bd3 was Peake - Haigh - a game that Kev had looked at before the match. 7... Qa5 8. Nge2 Ne4 9. Bf4 Bb4 10. Qc2 Ndf6 11. O-O O-O Novelty(11... Bf5 had to be played then... 12. a3 with advantage.) 12. f3 (12. Be5 !? 12... Re8 13. a3 Bxc3 14. Nxc3 +=) 12... Nxc3 13. bxc3 Be7 14. e4 Re8 ?!(14... g6 !? 15. Qb3 Nh5 16. Bh6 Re8 +=) 15. e5 Nh5 16. Bxh7+ Kh8 17. Bd2 ?(17. Bd3 ! 17... Nxf4 18. Nxf4 Bg5 19. Ne2 +1.12 Tiger 15.0) 17... Bd7 ??(17... g6 18. Bxg6 fxg6 19. Qxg6 Ng7) 18. g4 ?!(18. Bf5 ! 18... Qd8 (18... Bxf5 19. Qxf5 g6 20. Qxf7) 19. g4 Bxf5 20. Qxf5 +4.00 Tiger 15.0) 18... b5 ??(18... g6 19. Bxg6 fxg6 20. Qxg6 Ng7 21. Nf4 Bf8 22. Rfe1 Re7 23. Qh6+ Kg8 24. Ng6 Ree8 25. Qh8+ Kf7 26. Qh7 Re6 27. Nh8+ Ke8 28. Qg8 Re7 29. Ng6 Ne6 30. Bh6 Rf7 31. Bxf8 Nxf8 32. e6) 19. gxh5 f5 20. Bxf5 Bxf5 21. Qxf5 Rf8 22. Qe6 Qc7 23. h6 Rae8 24. hxg7+ Kxg7 25. Bh6+ Kh8 26. Bxf8 Rxf8 27. Qh6+ Kg8 28. Nf4 Rf7 29. Qg6+ Rg7 30. Qxg7+ Kxg7 31. Ne6+ Kg6 32. Nxc7 Black resigns1-0, G.M.Peake - Kevin Haigh, InternetChess Club 9/1/2002 ICC 2 15 u

7... Qa5

Yup Stewart is a one trick pony. The poor deluded fool thinks he can play the Cambridge Springs against the Exchange variation.

8. Bd3 Bb4 9. Nge2

Good ! this is almost the Peake-Haigh position! This has scored 72% White in 49 games !

9... O-O

Now with 10. O-O White has scored 76% in 29 games.

KEV SELF-DESTRUCTS

10. Bxf6

??? Garbage "Fear of c5" said White. R U MAD ? c5 is garbage. This loss of the QB is a deep wound for White.

10. O-O c5 ? 11. Nxd5 Nxd5 12. a3 cxd4 13. axb4 Qxb4 14. Bxh7+ Kh8 15. Ra4 Qc5 16. Rxd4 Black is busted.

10... Nxf6 11. O-O Re8

Good move as attacks e3 and prevents f3 and e4 plan.

12. a3

a3 and b4 only lose time to drive Black's misplaced Q + B to better squares where they can attack the White King.

12... Bd6

Of course !

13. b4

White's Q-side pawn will now be vulnerable to the a5 hit

if White is not careful. This position has occurred twice -

both won by Black.

13. Bf5 Qc7 14. g3 Qe7 15. b4 Ne4 16. Bxc8 Raxc8 17. Rae1 Ng5 18. Qf5 g6 19. Nxd5 gxf5 20. Nxe7+ Rxe7 21. Nf4 Bxf4 22. gxf4 Nf3+ 23. Kg2 Nxe1+ 24. Rxe1 f6 25. Kf3 Rg7 26. e4 fxe4+ 27. Rxe4 Kf7 28. f5 Re8 0-1, Monge Suarez Jesus - Garcia Magadan Ramon, Asturia (Spain) 2001

13. Ng3 Qc7 14. e4 dxe4 15. Ncxe4 Nxe4 16. Bxe4 g6 17. Rfe1 Be6 18. Rad1 Qa5 19. Re3 Bf4 20. Red3 Rac8 21. b4 Qb5 22. Qc5 Bxg3 23. Rxg3 Qe2 24. Bf3 Qb2 25. Qg5 Bb3 26. Rc1 Qxd4 27. h3 Re5 28. Qh6 Rce8 29. Bxc6 bxc6 30. Rxb3 Re1+ 31. Rxe1 Rxe1+ 32. Kh2 Qxf2 33. Rf3 Qg1+ 34. Kg3 Re2 35. Qf4 Rxg2+ 0-1, De Freitas Jose Renato - Hanashiro Daniela, Sao Paulo (Brazil) 1998

13... Qc7

White's initiative has disappeared. His k-side is as bare as a baby's bum. He has to compromise his K-posn.

14. g3

Black's King Bishop is a monster.

14... Qd7

Plans a 3 move mate with Qh3 + Ng4, Qh2.

15. Kh1 Qh3 16. Ng1 Qh5 17. Be2 Qh6 18. Rfe1 Bg4 19. Kg2 Qh5 20. h3 Bxe2 21. Qxe2 Qg6 22. Qd2 Re7 23. Re2 Rae8 24. Rae1 Qf5 25. Qc2 Qd7 26. f3

? too weakening.

26. Qa4 is much better - Black then has a slight advantage.

26... Qc7 27. f4 a5

! a key move.

28. bxa5

? A blunder.

28. Qa4 was correct, though White has weakness at e3 and b4.

28... Qxa5 29. a4

?

29. Qb3 Qxa3 30. Qxa3 Bxa3 31. Ra1 Bb4 32. Nd1 Ne4 33. Nf3 White is a straight pawn down, but there's a long way to go .

29... Bb4 30. Qb2

?? Time trouble blunder, White is gone.

30. Rc1 Rxe3 31. Rxe3 Rxe3 32. Nge2 White is a pawn down with a poor position but at least he can play on.

30... Bxc3

0-1 The silence of despair is deafening.

0-1 [Geoff Peake]