Harrogate Major - my games w/ analysis

[Event "Harrogate Major"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2020.01.17"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Hilton, Tim"]
[Black "Tomlinson, Zak"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D00"]
[PlyCount "93"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bf4 {London System, Jobava Attack, recently made popular by some ginger guy} a6 {This move just prevents the annoying Nb5, which would force me to play Na6 then c6} 4. e3 e6 5.Bd3 c5 {The one advantage Black has in this opening is that the c-pawn can be pushed, whereas White's is blocked by a Knight} 6. dxc5 Bxc5 7. Nf3 Nc6 8. O-O Qe7 {I could have also castled, but thought I'd develop my Queen with tempo first... White has to address the threat of e5 and e4} 9. e4 d4 10. Ne2 {I expected Na4, computer's also slightly prefer it} e5 11. Bd2 {Black has pushed White back whilst gaining a favourable pawn centre, although the dark-squared Bishop has lost value} Bg4 12. Ng3 O-O 13. h3 Be6 {BxN is often not favourable in these circumstances, so accept that White has slightly weakened his King's position and retreat for now} 14. Nh4 {Eyeing f5} Qd7 15. f4 {Threatens f5, which would generally cramp Black's position} exf4 16. Bxf4 Bd6 17. Bxd6 Qxd6 18. Nhf5 Bxf5 {Creates the first imbalance in the position, a Knight for a Bishop} 19. Nxf5 Qe5 20. Qf3 Rfe8 {? g6 was considered better by engines} 21. Nh6+ {I had overlooked this move, now Black's Kingside pawn structure is ruined} gxh6 {(note: Kh8 instead fell for Nxf7+ whereas Kf8 would be met by Ng4, White wins in both cases)} 22. Qxf6 Qxf6 23. Rxf6 Re6 {I felt this was the best way to defend h6, if RxR then I can reconnect my centre pawns} 24. Rxe6 {White obliges this, which in hindsight my opponent thought was wrong (Raf1 instead was better)} fxe6 25. Rf1 Rf8 26. Rxf8+ Kxf8 {Now I'm thinking this is just a draw} 27. Kf2 Kg7 28. a3 e5 {In my efforts to not be zugzwanged again, I try to ensure my pawns are on opposite coloured squares to the Bishop} 29. Bc4 Ne7 30. Kg3 h5 31. h4 a5 32. Be2 Kh6 33. Kf2 Nc8 34. b3 Nd6 35. Bf3 b5 36. Ke2 b4 {Now White's King cannot get through} 37. a4 Kg6 38. Kd3 Kh6 {I offered a draw here} 39. g3 {Just like last time, Tim refused and played on hoping I'd screw up somehow} Kg6 40. Bg2 Kf6 41. Ke2 Kg6 42. Kf3 Kf6 43. g4 {??} hxg4+ 44. Kxg4 Kg6 {?? Black missed a win with Nc4, sacrificing the Knight to push the d-pawn, which if cxd3 then the b-pawn promotes} 45. h5+ Kf6 46. Bf3 h6 47. Bg2 {?? The Bishop on f3 is able to drop to e2 and d3 in time to defend against Nc4, but on g2 it is misplaced... unfortunately, Nc4 was missed once again by both players. White offered a draw and Black accepted.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Harrogate Major"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2020.01.18"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Tomlinson, Zak"]
[Black "Samarasinghe, Jude Ranga"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A85"]
[PlyCount "30"]

1. d4 f5 {Ah... well I'm already feeling uneasy, I haven't often played against the Dutch defense} 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 {This particular line is the Rubinstein variation... my first time ever playing it} Nf6 4. Nf3 d5 5. e3 {? Bg5 is suggested as best for White by computers, but e3 is probably not terrible} c6 {Now it's a stonewall type set up, I was alright with this at the time} 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. Bd2 O-O {Now I have two choices, either put my Queen somewhere and then long-castle, or simply short-castle immediately} 8. cxd5 { ? ... or the third option, cxd5 and strengthen Black's pawn structure by removing the backward e6 pawn} exd5 9. Qc2 Ne4 {Now White cannot long-castle because of Nxf2, so castling short is still best... but I felt uneasy, as if i would be castling into danger} 10. Bxe4 {?? This was the wrong way to allow long-castling, as White not only loses tempo by having to relocate the Knight but has also allowed Black's light-squared Bishop into the game} fxe4 11. Ng1 {This is now already losing} Qg5 12. g3 Na6 13. a3 Qf6 14. Nd1 Bg4 15. Ne2 {??} Bxe2 {Qf3 immediately would have also worked, White resigns} 0-1

[Event "Harrogate Major"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2020.01.18"]
[Round "3"]
[White "English, Andrew"]
[Black "Tomlinson, Zak"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A20"]
[PlyCount "72"]

1. c4 {And there it is, by both name and nature: the English opening} e5 {e5 is still my preferred choice} 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 c6 4. d4 Bb4+ {? exd4 is considered best} 5. Bd2 Qe7 {This is now twice I've played this exact move order OTB, the last time resulted in a win for me after White played d5} 6. dxe5 {! This is best, now White can develop with tempo, as follows} Bxd2+ 7.Qxd2 Qxe5 8. Nf3 Qe7 9. O-O O-O {White is one move away from completing development, whereas Black is at least 3 moves away} 10. Nc3 d6 11. Rad1 Rd8 12. Rfe1 Na6 13. b3 Be6 14. Qb2 {? Unsure what the intention was here, Nd4 was better} Nc5 15. Ng5 {Attacking my light-squared Bishop, but I don't mind this} h6 {In fact I encourage it} 16. Nxe6 fxe6 {With the idea to reinforce my pawn centre} 17. e4 e5 {Now d4 looks like a nice square for a Knight} 18. Bh3 {Getting on a better diagonal and potentially prepared to play Bxe6 if a Knight lands there, en route to d4} a6 {b5 is coming} 19. Qe2 b5 20. Bf5 Qf7 {Stops the annoying Bg6 and adds pressure to c4} 21. Rf1 b4 {I was intending to capture on c4 and create pawn isolation weaknesses, but this seemed better} 22. Nb1 {? Na4 was better, allowing NxN and doubled pawns, but it's hard for Black to capitalise} a5 23. f4 g6 24. Bh3 Ncxe4 {? Doing this immediately isn't right due to Bg2, I had planned on Qa7+ but after Kh1 Black would need to play d5, defending the Knight but dropping e5} 25. fxe5 {? White took immediately, so Black should simply recapture and is a full pawn up} Qa7+ {? Again this is not quite right, for similar reasons, White can win back the pawn} 26. Kh1 dxe5 27. Bg2 {?? Nd2 was necessary, to force Qd4 and favourable trade-offs leading to the eventual capture of a pawn} Rxd1 {It would have also prevented this move, where Black now wins an exchange} 28. Qxd1 Nf2+ 29. Rxf2 Qxf2 30. Bxc6 Rf8 31. Nd2 {Bf3 was better, but this is still losing for White} Rd8 32. Qb1 Kg7 {I probably didn't even need to do this, but I didn't want to calculate any check manoeuvre's} 33. Nf1 e4 {Purely to cut off the Bishop} 34. Qa1 {Pins the Knight, but that piece isn't needed} Qf3+ 35. Kg1 Rd1 36. Bxe4 Qxf1# {Checkmate, a rare treat} 0-1

[Event "Harrogate Major"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2020.01.19"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Tomlinson, Zak"]
[Black "Tarbuck, Laurence"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B00"]
[PlyCount "85"]

1. e4 a6 {a6?? bloody a6 on move 1??} 2. Nf3 {I just played normally, shrugging it off for now} d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 b5 {Now a6 becomes clear. Part of my prep was to go for Bc4 and Qe2 stuff with an e5 push, but Black has prevented this to an extent} 5. a3 g6 6. Bd3 Bb7 7. Qe2 {I get a similar structure anyway, just my light-squared Bishop is on a worse diagonal} Nbd7 8. Bg5 {This was also part of my prep, except in this position e4-e5 immediately was stronger} e5 {? Black insists that White does not play e5, though computer's actually preferred either Bg7 or h6, White can keep up pressure here} 9. dxe5 dxe5 10. Nd5 Bg7 11. Rd1 {? My cunning plan behind this was to, say if Black plays h6, start taking on f6 and have Bxb5+ winning the Queen... it's wrong though, Black can simply play Bxd5 here} c6 {? This is bad for Black, the light-squared Bishop now looks upset} 12. Nxf6+ Bxf6 13. Be3 {I considered Bh6 but thought g5 might trap it somehow, probably another miscalculation but I took the safe option} Qc7 14. O-O O-O {Now the middle game starts, with White having a slight positional edge} 15. c4 Rfd8 16. Rc1 {Gets opposite the Queen, supports the c-pawn and enables the other Rook to come to d1} Qd6 17. Rfd1 Qf8 {The Queen has a quick word with the King, probably lambasting him for not looking after his Bishop} 18. c5 {...and any Bishop occupied by a pawn collection is a bad one} Be7 19. b4 Qg7 {Now the Queen has been fianchetto'd} 20. Rd2 Nf8 21. Rcd1 Ne6 22. Bc2 Rxd2 23. Nxd2 {? Computer's prefer RxR} Rd8 24. Nb3 {The point of NxR, eyeing a5} Qf8 25. Na5 Ba8 26. Rd2 Rxd2 27. Qxd2 Bd8 {? Qd8 was better, now best for White is to play Bb3 and allow doubled a-pawns if Black goes for BxN, replying with Bxe6} 28. Nb3 {? I did consider this but decided against it, Black now has an opportunity to start unravelling} Qe7 {Bc7 may have been better, stopping...} 29. Qd6 {Threatening to take e5, Black doesn't have to exchange Queens here, perhaps just f6 and later Kf7} Qxd6 {? Although not strictly regarded as a mistake by engines, I considered this move as the start of Black's downfall} 30. cxd6 {There is no clear and obvious way for Black to deal with this passed pawn, perhaps getting the King across quickly is best} Bb7 31. Bd1 {I'd love to get my Knight on c5, but his Knight is guarding it, so I make plans to get my Bishop to g4 to attack it} h5 {I thought perhaps f5 was the better choice, or the straight forward Bc8 may also have worked} 32. g4 h4 33. g5 {Bc8 is still playable} Bxg5 {?? This move truly does throw the game away} 34. Bxg5 Nxg5 35. Nc5 {And this is why... Black is forced to give up a piece to stop White from Queening} Bc8 36. d7 Bxd7 37. Nxd7 Nxe4 38. Bc2 {In some cases, three pawns for a piece may be fairly equal, but here White can start winning pawns back} Nd6 39. Nxe5 Kg7 40. Nxc6 Nc4 41. a4 bxa4 42. Bxa4 Kf6 43. Bd1 {Black resigns} 1-0

[Event "Harrogate Major"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2020.01.19"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Riding, Mick"]
[Black "Tomlinson, Zak"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A01"]
[PlyCount "44"]

1. b3 e5 2. Bb2 Nc6 3. e3 a6 {That takes care of that, I smiled internally when playing this} 4. Nf3 d6 5. c4 Be7 {Unfortunately, I'm not too familiar with how Black is supposed to coordinate from here, so all my moves now are made purely at the board} 6. Nc3 f5 7. d4 e4 {Whilst he was thinking, I realised that d5 might be good for him and started looking for responses} 8. Nd2 {? Computer's agree that d5 was best for White to gain a slight advantage, now it's even} Nf6 9. Be2 O-O 10. O-O Qe8 {Allows the Queen to get in the game} 11. f3 Qg6 {White wasn't too happy with the position here, plenty of head shaking... good news for me!} 12. fxe4 {? He probably didn't want to make this move, as it helps bring my light-squared Bishop in the game (shades of round 2) computer's prefer locking down with f4} fxe4 13. Rf4 {? Kh1 was better, now Black can create further weaknesses with Bh3, threatening mate and provoking g3} Bf5 {? I honestly considered Bh3 but decided it wouldn't come to anything and e4 could fall if I'm not careful} 14. Kh1 h5 15. h3 Qh7 {Gets opposite the King and allows g5} 16. Qg1 g5 17. Rf2 {I was feeling excited about my attack, but on this move I couldn't find any way for it to progress... Nb4 has been a suggestion a few times already by computer's, but I never once seriously considered it} h4 {I played h4 instead to ensure White's g-pawn couldn't move, also freeing the h5 square for my Knight one day} 18. Raf1 Bg6 19. a3 {White was also struggling to find moves... after only 19 moves, we had used roughly an hour each of our times} Rae8 20. g4 {? Bd1 was a suggested move, looking for Bc2 to attack e4, now Nxd4 is available for Black, pushing e3 if taken} hxg3 {? Instead, my thoughts were that g4 was a mistake because the h-file becomes semi-open, exposing White's King slightly} 21. Qxg3 Qh6 {Defends g5 and frees the h7 square, potentially to place a Rook on} 22. Kg2 {Well this plan could now be met with Rh1... I once again can't find a way through, engines score the game around +1.00 in White's favour now} Bd8 {I played this to defend e4 and offered a draw... Mick said he'd think for a minute, but soon shook my hand saying he had just been offered a lift home. It's likely that if this was an earlier round he would have played on.} 1/2-1/2