DIng and Nepo (previous encounters)

1. c4 e5 2. g3 {This could go into a normal English set up but it soon swings into a Sicilian Reversed.} 2... Nf6 3. Bg2 d5 4. cxd5 {And there we are.} 4... Nxd5 {White has not played d3 (d6 in the normal Sicilian) so d4 can be played on one move} 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. O-O Be7 7. d4 {And there is d4, normally a move that has to be well prepared in a Sicilian.} 7... e4 {More bite than 7...exd4 but also a bit risky.} 8. Ne5 f5 {Holds the e4 pawn and harbours dreams of f5-f4} 9. Nxc6 bxc6 10. Qc2 {Sniffing at a pawn to hinder Black's development.} 10... Nb4 {10....Bd7 is a bit tame, this move actually adds more clout a later Bd7.} 11. Qa4 Bd7 {Now White will have to figure on c6-c5 getting played at sometime.} 12. a3 Nd5 13. Nc3 {13....c5 is held back as Nepo lays out his stall.} 13... Bd6 {Definite f4 ideas. The c6 pawn stays on c6 as King shelter because 0-0 is not going to be played.} 14. f3 {Encouraged by Blacks lack of development White opens things up.} 14... exf3 15. Bxf3 {15, exf3 kills the g2 Bishop. e4 is coming to open things up even more.} 15... Nb6 {Kicks the Queen away from the defending the d-pawn so....} 16. Qb3 Qf6 {...is played with a tempo.} 17. Be3 {17 e3 would leave White with a miserable c1 Bishop.} 17... Qg6 {With Bxg3 ideas. Easily spotted and easily prevented.} 18. Bf2 {Nice Bishops. I know from experience cracking such a set up is difficult.} 18... h5 {Black's bridges were burnt a long time ago. It has to be this. An all out attack.} 19. e4 {The usual remedy to a flank attack - action in the centre.} 19... h4 {20 e4 looks tempting but White wants an open e-file.} 20. exf5 {An open e-file v an uncastled King with tempo. This must be the correct way.} 20... Qxf5 21. Rae1+ Kd8 22. Ne4 {That dangerous d6 Bishop is coming off the board.} 22... Qg6 {Without a doubt I'd have played 22...hxg6 here. Open the cheapo h-file} 23. Nxd6 cxd6 {Suddenly Black's attack looks toothless.} 24. d5 {Trying open up yet more lines....} 24... c5 {...and desperately keeping the position closed.} 25. a4 {A no harm done luxury trap. 25....Nxa4 26.Re6 Bxe6 27.dxe6 wins a piece.} 25... Bxa4 {Again I would have played 26...hxg3 it gives one hope.} 26. Qa3 Re8 {I do not like this (it's probably the best move) but no more cheapo's down the h-file.} 27. b4 {White is determined (correctly) to open up the position.} 27... Rc8 28. bxc5 Rxe1 {This sets up a defensive idea.} 29. Rxe1 hxg3 {30.Bxg3 Rxc5 and it starts to look messy and unclear.} 30. hxg3 {Now 30...Rxc5. White cannot take it and Black is fighting.} 30... dxc5 {It appears Nepo did not like my 30...Rxc5 (perhaps 31.Bf4 - the a3 Queen holds g3.)} 31. Kg2 {All Qxg3+ swindles are off the board. White can now concentrate on the Black King.} 31... Qc2 {Holds the c5 pawn and has Qb3 ideas but...} 32. Qe3 {...here come the mate in one threats. (Qe7)} 32... Rc7 {Nothing appears to save Black 32...Kc7 33.Rc1.} 33. Qe6 {Cutting off escape squares, looking at Qg8+ and mopping up material} 33... Rd7 34. d6 {Back to mate in one threats.} 34... Kc8 35. Rh1 {I was right the main attack comes down the h-file...but it was for White. Black resigned.}

1. c4 e5 2. g3 {Here we are again.} 2... c6 {This will go in to a c3 Sicilian Reversed.} 3. Nf3 e4 {White goes into c3 Sicilian mainline a tempo up.} 4. Nd4 d5 5. cxd5 Qxd5 {5...cxd5 was OK but Black is getting some tempo back.} 6. Nc2 Nf6 7. Nc3 Qe5 {Black is OK here which does say much for the c3 Sicilian for White.} 8. Bg2 Na6 9. O-O Be7 10. Ne3 {If they are looking again at this then 10....h5 must be an option.} 10... O-O 11. a3 {Ding is going for a slow and solid set up.} 11... Re8 12. b4 Ng4 {Nepo goes for it (again) although this time he looks much better.} 13. Bb2 {In hindsight Nxg4 was better but Ding possibly suspected he was in a prepared line.} 13... Qh5 14. h4 {This a defensive concession. 14.Nxg4 looks much better.} 14... Bf6 15. Qc2 Nxe3 {The c8 Bishop wants a home on f5 to hold the under attack e-pawn.} 16. dxe3 Bf5 17. Na4 {The Knight headed for c4 to poke at the tender central square d6.} 17... Bxb2 18. Nxb2 Nc7 {This Knight has lovely looking square on d5.} 19. Nc4 Re6 {Black cannot allow Ne6 and this Rook is going to join in on the King Hunt.} 20. Rfd1 {Take the file and give the Black King some running room.} 20... Nd5 21. Rd4 {The game is balanced but Black has that h4 pawn to use as a lever.} 21... h6 {Making his intentions obvious, here comes g5.} 22. Qd2 {I'm up for 22.Rad1 with Rxd5 ideas. The Queen was OK on c2} 22... Rae8 {Full development. Now Black can start cooking.} 23. Kh2 {White is hoping for Rah1 (so that is why he never played Rd1!) to bolster the defence.} 23... Bg4 {The target is not the e2 pawn. (stay tuned.)} 24. Na5 {A try at distracting Black from the main event, the kingside attack.} 24... Rf6 {It is this move why Bg4 was played. The f2 pawn holds things together.} 25. Kg1 {Goodbye Rh1 idea. 25.Rf1 meets 25...Bxe2.} 25... g5 {At last (I would have played this ages ago - and not had the dream position that Black has.)} 26. Nxb7 {26.Qb2 stopping gxh4 due to Rxd5 may have been a shot.} 26... gxh4 {27.gxh4 Qxh4 hitting f2 and the White King is in real trouble.} 27. Nc5 {Scurrying back to get the e-pawn.} 27... h3 28. Rxe4 {A good try at deflecting an attack but Nepo allows the Rook to go with a check.} 28... hxg2 29. Rxe8+ Kg7 30. f4 {I give a great variation with 30 f3 - see the next wee bit.} 30... Qh1+ 31. Kf2 Qxa1 32. Kxg2 Bh3+ {White resigned, The mate is} 33. Kxh3 Qh1+ 34. Kg4 h5+ 35. Kg5 Qh3 {With mate on g4 or f5.}

[FEN "4r1k1/p4p2/2p2r1p/2Nn3q/1P2R1b1/P3P1P1/3QPPp1/R5K1 w - - 0 29"]
29. Rxe8+ Kg7 {30 Kxg2 Rxf2+ 31'Kxf2 Qh2 + 32 Kf1 Bh3+ mate next move but how about instead of 30 f4.} 30. f3 {I came up with...} 30... Qh1+ 31. Kf2 Bxf3 32. exf3 Rxf3+ 33. Kxf3 g1=Q+ {I found checkmate in all variations bar this one....} 34. Ke2 {There are dozens of mundane wins but no mate - I cracked and used a computer.} 34... Nf4+ {It's this, a 3rd piece sacrifice I failed to find. I had the Knight covering flight squares.} 35. exf4 {or gxf4 it does not matter the end is the same.} 35... Qgh2+ {I missed this completely - it's not often I have two Queens, my technique is rusty.} 36. Kd3 Qd5+ {Now we see why the square d5 was vacated by the Knight.} 37. Kc2 Qdxd2+ {Mate next move.}