2012 RHP Championship - The Leader Board

1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 Bc5 3.Qxe5+ Qe7 4.Qxc7 Nc6 5.Bd3 Bd6 {White has successfully rid himself of his Queen in 5 moves. Now he can concentrate on his game.}
6.Qxc8+ Rxc8 7.Nf3 Nb4 8.Na3 Nxd3+ 9.cxd3 Qf6 {Threatening 10...Bxa3.} 10.Nc4 Bc5 11.0-0 Ne7 {"This is pointless GP. Black just castles and sails home" Russ. Wait and watch Russ. Wait and Watch.} 12.Rb1 Ng6 13.a3 a6 14.b4 Ba7 15.Bb2 Qf4 16.Bc3 {White refrains from Bxg7 which would simply open the g-file.} 16...Bb8 17.Rfe1 Nh4 18.Re3 {Now the simple 18...Nxf3 19...Qxh2+ 20....Qh1+ and QxR. Though judging from what happens White does not need this Rook. All he needs is a Bishop and a Knight. } 18...Ba7 19.Be5 Qg4 20.Nxh4 Bxe3 21.dxe3 Qxh4 22.Nd6+ Kd8 23.Nxb7+ Ke7 24.Nd6 {Threatening the Knight fork Nf5+} 24...Qh5 25.Nf5+ Kf8 26.Bd6+ {Black has now noticed that 26...Ke8 meets 27.Nxg7+ and NxQ.} 26...Kg8 27.Ne7+ Kf8 28.Nf5+ Kg8 29.Ne7+ {That's a perpetual and the game was agreed drawn here.} 29...Kf8 30.Nf5+ Kg8 31.Ne7+ Kf8 32.Nf5+ Kg8 {Incredible.}

[FEN "8/R5pk/2P2p1p/3Q4/4P3/5q2/5P2/6K1 w - - 0 1"]
{White has two clear wins 1.Qf5+ Queens off 1–0 or the cool 1.Qd7 threatening mate on g7 and preventing 1...Qd1+ and 1…Qg4+. White chooses neither.} 1.Qf7 Qg4+ {The twister. White was no doubt expecting 1...Qd1+ 2.Kh2 when Black has no more checks.} 2.Kf1 Qd1+ 3.Kg2 Qg4+ 4.Kh2 Qh4+ 5.Kg1 Qg4+ 6.Kh1 Qh3+ 7.Kg1 Qg4+ 8.Kf1 Qd1+ 9.Kg2 Qg4+ {There is no way out. Drawn.}

[FEN "1r1k4/p2n3p/1bB1RN2/8/1q6/3P2QN/PPP3PP/1K1R4 b"]
{Black is getting hammered. He rolls the loaded dice, why not? He has nothing to lose, it’s either make a move or resign. And what is it the good guys say: “Nobody ever won by resigning.}1... Bf2 {Now 2.Re8 mate is playable and in positions like this it is fully recommended.} 2. Nxf2 Qxb2+ {We have to imagine the language in White's household when he logged on and saw 'Game Lost' in his games folder.}

[FEN "8/8/8/4k3/7p/1p1RpP1P/r5P1/3K4 b - - 0 1"]
{Black wins by 1...Ra8+ 2.Ke2 b2 and White has to give up Rook to prevent a new Queen appearing on the board. Instead we saw.}2... b2 3. Rxe3+ Kf4 4. Re4+ Kg3 5. Rg4+ Kf2 6. Kc2 Kf1 7. Kb1 Ra1+ 8. Kxb2 Re1 {Now White should run the f-pawn.}
9. Re4 {The right idea, getting the Rooks off makes the win far easier but not yet, not whilst the White King is so far from the action. Fortunately for White Black played 9...Rd1 and soon lost. However, having missed a clear win, Black can draw here by chopping Rooks with 8…Rxe4}
9... Rxe4 10. fxe4 Kxg2 11. e5 Kxh3 12. e6 Kg2 13. e7 h3 14. e8=Q h2 {That is a book draw the White King is too far away. Observe...}
15. Qe4+ Kg1 16. Qe1+ Kg2 17. Qe4+ Kg1 18. Qg4+ Kh1 {It's this stalemate pattern that comes to Black's rescue. White has no time to bring his King across.}
19. Qe4+ Kg1 20. Qg6+ Kh1 21. Qc6+ Kg1 22. Qc1+ Kg2 23. Qd2+ Kg1 24. Qe1+ Kg2 25. Qe2+ Kg1 {There is just no way to win it. So, in the interest of instruction I'll make a few random moves just to allow the White King to get closer, you will see the difference it makes.}
26. Qh5 {So ignores this and the next few moves Whilst I bring the King in closer just by two files.}
26... Kh1 27. Kc1 Kg1 28. Kd1 Kh1 {Now the White win is simple.}
29. Qe2 Kg1 30. Ke1 {That is the pattern you are after. if 29...h8=Q then 30 Qf2 mate. So Black takes a Knight.}
30... h1=N 31. Qg4+ Kh2 32. Kf1 Ng3+ 33. Kf2 Nh1+ 34. Kf3 {Now 33..Nf2 34 Qg2 mate and 33...Ng3 34.QxN+ mate next move.}