Peake GM - Richard Desmedt
Rapidplay 08 (White Hart), 2008

[Geoff Peake] [A85]


1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.d4 f5 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Bf4 c6 6.e3 Be7 7.Bd3 O-O 8.Qc2 Ne4 9.g4



! This is the exciting 9.g4 attack against the Stonewall. According to theory this gives strong attacking chances for White. - 78% White in 157 games on my database. This forcible disruption of chess balance is entirely in accordance with the style of Alekhine.
9...Nd7 only played 6 times - 9...Na6 and 9...Qa5 are the most common, but 9...Nxc3 is possibly best. The move played does have its point as Black prepares Ndf6.
[9...Nxc3 10.bxc3 dxc4 11.Bxc4 fxg4 12.Ne5 Bg5 13.Bd3 Bxf4 14.Bxh7+ Kh8 15.exf4 Nd7 16.Ng6+ Kxh7 17.Nxf8+ Kg8 18.Ng6 Nf8 19.Ne5 c5 20.O-O-O Qf6 21.Qe4 cxd4 22.Qxd4 b6 23.Nxg4 Qh4 24.Rhg1 Bb7 25.Nf6+ Kf7 26.Rxg7+ Kxg7 27.Nh5+ Kh6 28.Qh8+ Kg6 29.Qg7+ Kxh5 30.Qh7+ Kg4 31.Rg1+ Kh3 32.Rg3+ 1-0, Volzhin Alexander (RUS) 2521 - Farrell Roger, Canberra (Australia) 2001]
[9...Na6 10.a3 Nxc3 11.bxc3 dxc4 12.Bxc4 Nc7 13.gxf5 Nd5 14.Be5 exf5 15.Rg1 Rf7 16.Rg3 Be6 17.Bd3 h6 18.Rg6 Nf6 19.Bf4 Qd5 20.Ke2 Nh5 21.Bxh6 Kh7 22.c4 Qd6 23.Ne5 Qxe5 24.dxe5 Kxg6 25.Bf4 Nxf4+ 26.exf4 Bc5 27.Rg1+ Kh6 28.Rg3 g6 29.Qc1 Rg8 30.Qg1 Be7 31.Qg2 Rh7 32.h4 Rhg7 33.a4 Bd8 34.Rg5 Rf7 35.Rg3 Rd7 36.h5 Rdg7 37.hxg6 Rxg6 38.Rxg6+ Rxg6 39.Qh3+ Kg7 40.Bxf5 Bxc4+ 41.Bd3 1-0, Vypkhaniuk I - Sitnikov Anton (UKR) 2218, Kiev (Ukraine) 2001]
[9...Qe8 10.gxf5 !
(10.cxd5 exd5 11.gxf5 Bxf5 12.O-O-O Na6 13.a3 += Peake - David Firth Rapidplay 2008. I did not score this game and it is not included in the list. The game ended in a draw.)
10...exf5 11.Qb3+ / = !]
10.cxd5 most forcing
[10.gxf5 Ndf6 ! looked unclear to me
11.fxe6 Bxe6 12.Ne5 Nxc3 13.bxc3 dxc4 14.Nxc4 c5 15.dxc5 Qd5 16.Rg1 Qxc5 17.Nd2 Rac8 1/2-1/2, Lingnau Carsten (GER) 2392 - Berelovich Aleksandar (UKR) 2541, Berkel (Germany) 2003]
10...Nxc3
[10...exd5 11.gxf5 Ndf6 ! 12.Ne5 Bxf5 ? 13.f3 Nxc3 14.Bxf5+ / -]
[10...cxd5 11.gxf5+ / =]
11.bxc3 Now Black has an embarrassing choice of evils.
11...fxg4 My computer played this at first, Black doesn't have a good move.
[11...cxd5 12.gxf5 exf5 13.Bxf5]
[11...exd5 12.Bxf5]
12.Bxh7+ Black is in deep trouble.
12...Kh8 13.Ne5 with the cruel threat of Ng6+
[13.dxc6 is also good, but White may need d6 push [or d5xe6] in some lines, and Black will have to waste a tempo to recapture the pawn.]
13...Nxe5 14.Bxe5



And now I start to dream of Alekhine ! Most of his games were decided in the opening - not of an opening advantage, but of the opponent's position being destroyed !
14...exd5 ? losing move, but Black may already be lost.
[14...Bd6 seems the best try, but Black is still in trouble.
15.Qg6 Bxe5 16.Qh5 ! Bf4 !
(16...Rf3 17.h3 Rxh3 18.Rxh3 gxh3 19.Bg6+ Kg8 20.d6 Qxd6 (20...Bxd6 21.Qh7+ Kf8 22.Qh8+ Ke7 23.Qxg7#) 21.dxe5 Qd7 22.Rd1)
17.exf4 Qxd5 18.Bf5+ Kg8 19.Qh7+ Kf7 20.Bg6+ Kf6 21.Be4 with attack.]
[14...Qe8 is another try
15.dxc6
(15.h3 is countered by
15...g3)
15...bxc6
(15...Qxc6 16.Rg1)
16.Bg6 Qd8 17.Qe4 Bh4 18.Bg3 Qg5 19.h3 Bxg3 20.fxg3 with attack]
[14...Qxd5 White has the same reply
15.Qg6 !! Qxh1+ 16.Kd2 Rxf2+ 17.Kd3 wins]
[14...Qa5 15.O-O Bf6 16.Qg6 Bxe5 17.Qh5 Bxh2+ 18.Kxh2 Qc7+ 19.Kg2 is hopeless for Black]
15.Qg6 ! Bf6
[15...Rf6 16.Qh5 Ba3 17.Bg6+ Kg8 18.Qh7+ Kf8 19.Qh8+ Ke7 20.Qxg7+ Ke6 21.Bh7 ! Rf8 22.Qxg4+ Ke7 23.Qg7+ Ke6 24.Rg1 wins]
16.Qh5 ! Re8
[16...Rf7 Losing a whole Rook is the only move to avoid mate according to my computer.
17.Bg6+ Kg8 18.Bxf7+ Kf8 19.Bg6 Be6]
17.Bg6+ Kg8 Only Alekhine. Yes, said Teichmann, if you wanted someone to play a King side attack against the Devil for your life - You would choose Alekhine. Only Alekhine. Tartakower said 'Morphy was the poet, Steinitz the fighter, Lasker the philosopher, Capablanca the wonder-kid of intuition, Alekhine the seeker of ultimate chess truth. Capablanca had the title, Lasker the results, only Alekhine had the style.' Alekhine surveyed the scene - or rather the position, as his eyes never moved from a fixed gaze on the Black King side. His body was slightly hunched forward, but he was completely relaxed. His senses did not notice the lingering smell of cigar smoke, or the odd cough or fidget from the spectators. His nerves were at ease. Only variations and positions were filtering through his mind. Total concentration - Alekhine was in the zone. Well he would be - he was in his element. Yes Alekhine lived for chess, but most of all he lived for the attack against the King. That is when he became totally alive. Then nothing else existed. Life was simple. Fischer said of Alekhine "I've never understood him. He always wanted a superior centre, he manoeuvred his pieces towards the king side, and around the 25th move he began to mate his opponents ! ... His play was fantastically complicated and he once beat World Champion Lasker in 24 moves [and Nimzowitsch in 19 moves! After which Nimzowitsch exclaimed in a fit of temper 'He deals with us like inexperienced fledglings !' "]. He played gigantic conceptions, full of outrageous and unprecedented ideas. He had great imagination; he could see more deeply into a situation than any other player in chess history." Kasparov said " I tried as far as possible to imitate his furious attacking style, with its sudden and thunderous sacrifices." Well it was only the 18th move, but consternation was written on the faces of Bogoljubov's supporters. How could it have happened ? Bogoljubov's Stonewall lay in ruins. How could the "Stonewall" array of pawns lie smashed on the board, when many a mortal player has died, lying prostate upon its mountainous edifice. How could Bogoljubov's King be cowering in the corner ? Well the attack was furious alright ! Only one pawn on g7 was left of the pawn cover in front of the Black King, Alekhine's Bishops were both like lances seeking to penetrate the Black King side. White's Queen lay in wait like a monster ready to gobble up the Black King, and White's King Knight had come galloping to e5. Yes it was said of Alekhine that his pieces converged on the King side, and the game ended with a sudden death blow ! Now Alekhine was going to win the World Chess Championship 8 - 3. Everybody knew that - even Bogolyubov. And everybody's eyes were fixed on Alekhine. His eyes were sparkling, well they were twinkling. He was happy. There was a child-like innocence about him - He wanted to be loved as an artist. Not for him the aimless wood pushing of ordinary mortals. He wanted to produce beautiful creations that would live forever in the annals of chess. That is why the Chess Gods loved him. Then I came to my senses with a start and came out of my dream. Well okay - This is not Alekhine Bogoljubov, it's not 1934, the Rapidplay clock's ticking, and I'm not Alekhine, and so I took the Rook.
18.Bxe8
[18.Bd6 !! As Alekhine picked up his Bishop the audience froze. For a mini second no-one breathed. All eyes were on Alekhine's hand. Realisation slowly dawned like a ripple. Heads started to nod, men started to smile. A feeling of euphoria came. Even Bogolyubov's supporters gave grudging respect. And then thunderous applause for the sudden death blow - the thunderous surprise.
18...Qxd6 19.Qh7+ Kf8 20.Qh8+ Ke7 21.Qxe8#]
18...Be6 19.Bg6 Qa5 20.O-O
[20.Bd6 Qxc3+ 21.Kf1 forces mate.]
20...Rd8 21.Bxf6 gxf6 22.Qh7+ Kf8 23.Qh8+ Ke7 24.Qg7+ Kd6 25.Qxf6 and White won.


1-0

Peake G.M. - Dave Tooley
Rapidplay HV v Hudd Blitz Boys (White Hart), 2008

[Geoff Peake] [D31]


1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.d4 I decide to play a QG, a good alternative is 3.g3 - Reti Catalan.
3...c6 the Semi Slav
4.Nc3 dxc4
[4...Nf6 is the main alternative, but it has not scored as well.]
5.a4
[5.e3 b5 6.a4 Bb4 7.Bd2 transposes]
5...Bb4 6.e3 b5 7.Bd2 Bxc3 ?! Normal is Bb7 or a5
[7...Bb7 8.axb5 Bxc3 9.Bxc3 cxb5 10.b3 a5 11.bxc4 b4 12.Bb2 Nf6 is the interesting Noteboom variation [or Abrahams variation].
13.Bd3 Nbd7 14.O-O O-O 15.Re1 55% White]
8.Bxc3 Nf6 It is now impossible to transpose into the Noteboom variation as 8...Bb7 can be answered by 9.d5!
9.axb5 cxb5 10.b3 ! This is 62% White
10...Ne4 11.Ba5 Qd5 12.bxc4 bxc4 13.Qa4+
[13.Ne5 ! is probably better.
13...Nd6
(13...Ba6 14.f3 Nf6 15.e4 Qb7 16.Rb1 Qc8 17.Qa4+ Nbd7 18.Nxc4 Bxc4 19.Bxc4+ / =)
14.Be2 Bb7 15.Bf3 Qb5 16.Bc7 Qb4+ 17.Kf1 Ne4 18.Bxe4
(18.Qc2 ! gives Black more problems.
18...Nd2+ (18...f5 19.Rb1) (18...Qe7 19.Ba5 f5 20.Qa4+ Nc6 (20...Nd7 21.Bb4 Qd8 22.Bh5+ g6 23.Nxg6 wins) (20...Kf8 21.Bb4) 21.Nxc6 Qd7 22.Bxe4 fxe4 23.Ne5 wins) 19.Ke2 Nb3 20.Bxb7 Qxb7 21.Rab1 Qxc7 22.Rxb3 O-O 23.Rc1+ / =)
18...Bxe4 19.Qg4 Bd3+ 20.Nxd3 cxd3 21.Qxg7 Rf8 22.Qe5 Nd7 23.Qa5 Qc4 24.h4 Rc8 25.Bd6 Rg8 26.Kg1 Qc6 27.Bg3 Nf6 28.Rd1 Rxg3 29.fxg3 Ng4 30.Qg5 Qe4 31.Qf4 f5 32.h5 Nxe3 33.Qxe4 fxe4 34.Ra1 d2 35.Kf2 Ng4+ 36.Ke2 e3 37.Kf3 Nf2 38.Rhf1 d1=Q+ 39.Raxd1 Nxd1 40.Rxd1 1-0, Lindinger Markus (GER) 2317 - Kuhn Gunnar, Germany 1999]
13...Bd7 14.Qxc4 Nc6 15.Qxd5 exd5 16.Bb5 O-O 17.O-O White has only a small edge.
17...Rfb8 18.Bxc6 Bxc6 19.Ne5 Be8
[19...Bb5 20.Rfc1+ / =]
20.Rfb1 f6 21.Nd3 a6 ? a mistake, now White gains a good advantage.
[21...Rxb1+ 22.Rxb1 Rc8 23.Nf4+ / =]
22.Rxb8 ! Rxb8 23.f3 Nd6
[23...Rb3 loses to 24.Nc1]
[23...Ng5 24.Nf4 Bc6 25.Rc1 Ba8 26.Rc5+ / -]
24.Bc7 Rb3 25.Nc5 Rxe3 26.Bxd6 Bb5 27.Nxa6 ! Re6 Unfortunately for Black this doesn't work.
28.Nc7 Rxd6 29.Nxb5 Rb6 30.Nc3 Rb4 31.Rd1 Now White will pick up the d pawn and have a passed pawn. The game is effectively over.
31...Kf7 32.Nxd5 Rb2 33.Ne3 g5 34.d5 Ke7 35.Nf5+ Kd7 36.d6 h5 37.Re1 Rb7 ? hastens the end.
38.Re7+ Kc8
[38...Kc6 39.Nd4+ Kb6 40.d7 Kc7
(40...Rb8 41.Re8 Kc7 42.Rxb8)
41.Ne6+]
39.Rxb7 Kxb7 40.Kf2 Kc6 41.Ke3 Kd7 42.Ke4 Ke6 43.g4 h4 44.h3 Kd7 45.Kd5 Ke8 46.Ke6 Kd8 47.d7 Kc7 48.Ke7 Black resigns. My computer claims mate in 7 moves.


1-0

Alec Ward - Peake G.M.
Rapidplay HV v David Browns (White Hart), 2008

[Geoff Peake] [B20]


1.e4 c5 2.c4 ?! Nc6 59% Black
3.Nf3
[3.Nc3 g6 4.g3 is a more common set up, but ...
4...Bg7 5.Bg2 e6 6.Nge2 Nge7 7.O-O O-O 8.d3 d6 9.Be3 Nd4 10.Qd2 Nec6 is 63% Black.]
3...g6
[3...e6 is a good alternative, e5 is too boring.]
4.Be2 Bg7 5.Nc3 e6 6.O-O Nge7 7.Nb5 !? Interesting. White has ideas of Nd6 check, but also the Knight supports the d4 push.
7...d5 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Qc2
[9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Qa4 O-O 11.Qa3 Ndb4 12.Qb3 Be6 13.Bc4 Na5 14.Qa4 Bxc4 15.Re1 Bxb5 16.Qxb5 Nc2 17.Qxc5 Rc8 18.Qxa7 Nxa1 19.b4 Nc6 20.Qxb7 Nxb4 21.Qxb4 Nc2 22.Qb1 Nxe1 23.Nxe1 Re8 24.Nf3 Qc7 25.Ba3 Qc2 26.Qf1 Rb8 27.Ne1 Rxe1 0-1, De Mastri John - Short Damon, Internet 1994]
9...a6 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.Nc3
[11.Qe4+ Be6]
11...Bf5 12.Bd3



? Rapidplay blunder losing a piece.
[12.Qb3 Be6 ! 13.Qxb7 ? Na5 is nasty.]
12...Ndb4 13.Bxf5
[13.Re1+ is best, but...
13...Ne7 14.Bxf5 Nxc2 15.Bxc2 O-O wins]
13...Nxc2 14.Bxc2 O-O 15.d3 Nb4 16.Bb1 Nxd3 17.Rd1 c4 18.Ne1 Re8 19.Be3
[19.Nxd3 cxd3 20.Bxd3
(20.Rxd3 Re1#)
20...Qxd3 ! 21.Rxd3 Re1#]
19...Qa5 20.Bxd3 cxd3 21.Rxd3 Rad8 22.Rc1 Rxd3 23.Nxd3 Bxc3 24.Rxc3 Qxa2 25.h3 b5 26.Ra3 ? loses more material
26...Qb1+ 27.Kh2 b4 ! 28.Rb3
[28.Nxb4 Qxb2 29.Ra4 Qb3 is hopeless.]
28...Qc2 29.Nc1 Rxe3 30.Rxe3 Qxc1 White resigns


0-1

G.M.Peake - Paddy Senior
Rapidplay Finals 2008 (West Bretton), 2008

[A86]


1.c4 f5 2.d4 g6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.g3 Bg7 5.Bg2 O-O 6.Nh3 d6 Now, of course White will play d5. It has always puzzled me that many amateurs do not seem to even consider this move. I find that I am drawn intuitively towards it. It's the first move that enters my head. The point is that e6 is chronic weak square in this variation of the Dutch defence. In fact Black is weak on all the White squares d5,c6 [b7,e4] for which White's K-Bishop is well placed to exploit, and e6,f7 [f5,g6 even] for which the K-Knight is well placed to exploit
7.d5 So far so book - exactly the same as the game Peake-Senior [also available to view on-line]
7...c6 This and Na6 are the main book moves. Paddy played 7...e5? in the league game.
8.Be3 An interesting idea. White delays castling, as he may castle Q-side. He also delays Nf4 as he wants to retain the option of Ng5. Here the Bishop may take a Knight that comes to c5, also it is able to go to d4 to oppose the Bishop on g7 in some lines.
8...e5 9.Qd2 A surprising idea that I had seen before this game. White controls f4,g5,h6, and he has the option of Q-side castling. Normally White always plays dxe6. Here Black still retains his weakness on e6. He gains a strong pawn on e5, but this does not prove to be significant.
9...Ng4 The natural move that my computer also plays.
10.Bg5 Now Black is faced with problems. The "ugly" Qd7 seems to best.
10...Qe8 This move I had not seen before. When you come across a non-book move it is best to attempt to come up with the strongest continuation, of course !
[10...Qb6 11.Be7+ / =]
[10...Qc7 11.dxc6 bxc6
(11...Nxc6 12.Nb5+ / = !)
12.Nb5 !]
11.dxc6+ / =



! This is strong. The first point is that bxc6 is strongly answered by Nb5 !
11...Nxc6 Now Black has a massive "hole" at d5. This can be used by the Bishop, Queen and Knight. In fact it will be seen that ALL these pieces use the d5 square. Also White's Knight can use b5. White has the open d file, Black has a backward pawn on d6. Are you convinced ?
[11...bxc6 12.Nb5 h6 13.Nxd6 Qe6 14.Bh4 g5 15.Bxg5 hxg5 16.Nxg5 Qf6 17.Bd5+ Kh8 18.Ndf7+ Kg8 19.h3+ / -]
12.f3 Black was threatening h6. I hardly considered taking the useless pawn on d6, as Black has e4 and Be6 etc.
[12.Nb5 looks strong, but
12...h6 13.Nc7 Qd7 14.Nxa8 hxg5 looked unclear to me.]
12...h6 13.fxg4 hxg5
[13...fxg4 was the move that I expected, but
14.Bd5+ Be6 15.Nb5 !! was the sack that I was looking at.
15...hxg5 16.Nxg5 This is an absolute killer. The computer shows this as completely won for White at +4
16...Bxd5 17.Qxd5+ Kh8 18.h3 ! Bh6 19.hxg4 Kg7 20.Rxh6 Kxh6 21.Qh1+ Kg7 22.Qh7+ Kf6 23.Ne4+ Ke6 24.Nc7#]
14.Nxg5 Bh6
[14...fxg4 I thought was okay for Black at the time, but White has...
15.Bd5+ Kh8 16.h3 ! This is losing for Black
16...gxh3 17.Nxh3 Black doesn't have a move.]
15.h4 The Knight is entrenched on g5, and if it is taken Black loses his K-Bishop and the h-file becomes open, so that the Black King is in danger.
15...Be6 16.Bd5 The struggle for White square dominance is being won by White !
16...Rf6
[16...Nd4 appears best, but
17.Bxe6+ Nxe6 18.Qd5 Bxg5 19.hxg5 Qf7 20.Qxd6 fxg4 21.Qxe5 Qf2+ 22.Kd2 Rad8+ 23.Nd5 Qd4+ 24.Qxd4 Nxd4 25.Rh6+ / -]
17.Bxe6+
[17.e3 ! it is stronger than I thought as White has Qh2...
Here I did consider
17...Bxg5 18.hxg5 Rf7 19.Qh2 wins]
17...Rxe6 18.Qd5 Bxg5 forced 19.hxg5 Nb4 20.Qd2 ? played quickly, I missed the strength of Qxb7.
[20.Qxb7 ! wins immediately as White threatens the Knight as well as h7 square !
20...Rb8
(20...Nc2+ 21.Kd2 Re7 22.Qd5+ Kg7 23.Kxc2)
21.Qh7+ Kf8 22.gxf5 gxf5 23.Qxf5+ Ke7
(23...Qf7 24.Rh8+ Ke7 25.Rh7)
(23...Kg8 24.Qh7+ Kf8 25.Rf1+)
(23...Kg7 24.Qh7+ Kf8 25.Rf1+)
24.Nd5+ Kd8 25.Nf6 wins]
20...Qc6 attacking the Rook on h1 and the c4 pawn. However White has two strong replies.
21.Nd5+ / - ! Here e4 is also strong. Remember what I said about d5 square ?
21...Qxc4 Unfortunately Black has nothing better.
[21...a5 22.a3 Na6 23.gxf5 gxf5 24.g6 ! Black can resign. [What did I say about g6 ?]]
[21...Na6 22.gxf5 gxf5 23.g6 ! wins]
22.Nxb4 Rc8 23.Kf2 connects the Rooks, threatens Rc1, defends g3 pawn.
23...Qxg4 ?? loses the Queen.
[23...Qc5+ is best but
24.Kg2 wins a5 25.Rac1 etc.]
[23...Qe4 24.Rh6 fxg4 25.Rah1 Rf8+ 26.Ke1 Qb1+ 27.Qd1 Qxd1+ 28.Kxd1 Kf7 29.Rh7+ Ke8 30.Rxb7 is hopeless.]
24.Rh4



For the second game in a row against me Paddy's Queen has run out of squares !!
24...Qxh4 25.gxh4 Kg7 26.Rc1 Rh8 27.Rc7+ Kf8 28.Qd5 Black resigns, it's mate in 5. It's fitting that the d5 square is used again !


1-0

G.M.Peake - Phil C. Clarke
Rapidplay Finals HV v Brighouse Bd 2 (West Bretton), 2008

[E81]


1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.e4 d6 4.d4 Bg7 5.Be3 O-O 6.f3 c5 7.dxc5 Karpov won many games accepting the pawn sacrifice.
7...Qa5
[7...dxc5



is normal. This pawn sacrifice has done well for Black !
8.Qxd8 Rxd8 9.Bxc5 Nc6 10.Rd1
(10.Nd5 I would probably have played. This was prefered by Karpov
10...Nd7 11.Bxe7 Nxe7 12.Nxe7+ Kf8 13.Nd5 Bxb2 14.Rb1 Bg7 (14...Ba3 15.Nh3 b6 16.Be2 Ne5 17.Nf2 Bb7 18.f4 Nc6 19.h4 Nd4 20.Rh3 Rac8 21.h5 Bxd5 22.cxd5 Rc2 23.Bd3 Rxa2 24.Bc4 Rc2 25.Rxa3 Rxc4 26.Rxa7 b5 27.h6 b4 28.Ng4 Nc2+ 29.Kd2 Na3 30.Rf1 Rxe4 31.Nf6 Rd4+ 32.Ke3 Nc2+ 33.Kf3 Rd3+ 34.Ke2 R3xd5 35.Nxh7+ Kg8 36.Nf6+ Kh8 37.Nxd5 Rxd5 38.Rxf7 b3 39.Rb7 Nd4+ 40.Kf2 Nb5 41.Ra1 Rd2+ 42.Kg3 Ra2 43.Rd1 1-0, Karpov Anatoly 2715 - Polgar Judit 2575 , Monaco 1992 It (active)) 15.Nh3 Nc5 16.Nf2 b6 (16...Be6 17.Nd3 Rac8 18.Nxc5 Rxc5 19.Rxb7 Ra5 =) 17.h4 Ba6 18.h5 Rac8 19.Ng4 Nd7 20.hxg6 hxg6 21.Rb4 Bb7 22.Nge3 Bd4 23.Kd2 Kg7 24.Be2 Ne5 25.Rc1 f5 26.Rb3 fxe4 27.fxe4 Nc6 28.Bg4 Rb8 29.Rd3 Be5 30.c5 b5 31.Be2 a6 32.Ng4 Bb2 33.Rh1 Ne5 34.Nxe5 Bxe5 35.Bg4 Bc6 36.Ke3 a5 37.Rhd1 Re8 38.Nb6 Bb2 39.Bf3 Be5 40.Nd7 Bc7 41.e5 Bxf3 42.Kxf3 Bxe5 43.Re3 Rbd8 44.c6 Bc7 45.Rxe8 Rxe8 46.Nc5 Kf7 47.Rd5 Re7 48.Na6 b4 49.g4 Ke6 50.Rg5 Bd6 51.Rxa5 Ra7 1-0, Karpov Anatoly 2760 - Ivanchuk Vassily 2705 , Monaco 1993 It "Melody Amber" (blindfold))
10...Rxd1+ 11.Nxd1 Black has good compensation for the sacrificed pawn.]
8.cxd6 exd6
[8...Rd8 ! I expected
9.Nge2 Rxd6 10.Qa4+ / =]
9.Bd3 I knew playing this that Black Knights using e5/c5 would be annoying but I was not averse to swapping the light squared Bishop for a Knight as this Bishop gets in the way of development, and is not particularly active with white pawns on b3,c4,e4,f3. However after losing this Bishop White must guard the weak light squares d3,c2,e2
9...Nc6 10.Nge2 Ne5 11.O-O Be6
[11...Re8 12.Bd4 Be6 13.Nd5 Rac8 14.Nxf6+ Bxf6 15.b3 Bg7 16.Kh1 Bf8 17.Nf4 Nxd3 18.Qxd3 Qg5 19.Nxe6 Rxe6 20.Rad1 b6 21.Bb2 h5 22.Qd4 Qh6 23.Qd5 Rce8 24.Bd4 h4 25.Rfe1 h3 26.g3 Kh7 27.f4 Qh5 28.Qxh5+ gxh5 29.e5 dxe5 30.Rxe5 f6 31.Rxh5+ Kg6 32.Rxh3 Rd6 33.f5+ Kg7 34.Rh4 Red8 35.Kg2 R6d7 36.Kf3 Bc5 37.Ke3 Re7+ 38.Re4 Red7 39.Rd2 a5 40.h4 Kh6 41.g4 Rd6 42.Bxc5 Rxd2 43.Bd4 Rxa2 44.Re7 Rxd4 45.Kxd4 Rd2+ 46.Kc3 Rg2 47.Rf7 Rg3+ 48.Kb2 Rxg4 49.Rxf6+ 1-0, Meiser Markus (GER) 2222 - Djondras Blasko (GER) 2161, Germany 1999]
12.b3



White has got to be better, a safe pawn to the good and a solid position.
12...Nxd3 13.Qxd3 Nd7 14.Rac1 safety first, Rd1 is more aggressive.
14...Ne5 15.Qd2
[15.Qxd6 Rfd8 would be stupid for White.]
15...Rfd8 16.Nd5 I am happy to go into an ending a pawn up with Black having a backward pawn on d6, a hole at d5 etc.
16...Qxd2 17.Bxd2 Rac8 ?? a Rapidplay blunder.
[17...Bxd5 18.cxd5 Nd3 gives White problems because of the Knight on d3.
19.Rcd1 Rdc8 20.Bg5 Rc2 21.Rxd3 Rxe2 22.Rd2 Rxd2 23.Bxd2 Bd4+ 24.Kh1 Rc8 25.Rc1+ / -]
18.Ne7+ Kh8 19.Nxc8 Bxc8 20.Nc3 ? Greedy for Nd5, but played too quickly, I neglected to take care of the weak d3 square. Now Black has Nd3
[20.Rfd1 ! White has a winning position.
20...Nd3 21.Rc2 Nb2 22.Bg5 f6
(22...Rd7 23.Rdd2)
23.Rxb2]
20...Nd3 Parting with the light squared Bishop has finally caused me problems.
21.Rc2 Bd4+
[21...Nb4 ! is better but
22.Rb2 Nd3 23.Rbb1 Bd4+ 24.Kh1 Nf2+ 25.Rxf2 Bxf2 26.Bg5 Rd7 27.Bf6+ Kg8 28.Nd5 and Nd5 White still has a dominating position.]
22.Kh1 Nf2+ ?!
[22...Nb4 23.Rcc1 Nd3 24.Bg5 f6 25.Rcd1 is not much better.]
23.Rxf2 Bxf2 24.Bg5 Black can resign, but it is Rapidplay.
24...Bb6 25.Bxd8 Bxd8 26.Nb5 Pouring on the agony !
26...Be7 27.Rd2 Bd7 28.Nxd6 attacking two pawns at once.
28...Bxd6 29.Rxd6 Bc6 30.b4 a6 31.Rxc6 Simplest for a quick finish.
31...bxc6 32.a4 Kg8 33.b5 Black resigns, a pawn must queen.


1-0

G.M.Peake - Martin Sheard
Rapidplay Finals 2008 (West Bretton), 2008

[B36]


1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.e4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Nxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.Be3 Bg7 9.f3 O-O 10.Qd2 Be6 11.b3 Qa5 12.Rc1 Rfc8 13.Be2



All book - but 62 % White in 339 games.
13...Qd8
[13...a6 is the main line.
14.Na4 Qxd2+ 15.Kxd2 Nd7 16.g4 White has the better ending 72 % White in 120 games.]
14.O-O Nd7 15.f4
[15.Kh1 a5 16.Rfd1 Nc5 17.Bg5 Qf8 18.Qe3 f6 19.Bf4 Re8 20.Qd2 f5 21.Nd5 Rac8 22.exf5 Qxf5 23.Be3 Bxd5 24.cxd5 b6 25.Bb5 Rf8 26.Re1 Be5 27.Rcd1 Rf7 28.Rf1 Qh5 29.Bg1 Rcf8 30.Qe2 g5 31.Rc1 Rf4 32.Rc4 Qg6 33.Rxf4 Rxf4 34.g3 Rf7 35.Kg2 Qf5 36.Rc1 Rf6 37.Rc4 Rh6 38.Rg4 Rh5 39.h4 Kh8 40.Be8 gxh4 41.Bxh5 h3+ 42.Kh2 Qxh5 43.f4 1-0, Mrdja Milan (CRO) 2313 - Vuelban Virgilio (PHI) 2314, Rome (Italy) 2005.03.16]
15...Nc5 16.f5+ / = agreed drawn [last round draw syndrome ! Our hero has peaceful intentions ! HV won the match. I was not averse to a draw with my old Barnsley buddy Martin !]


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