Manchester Summer Congress - My games analysis

[Event "Manchester Congress"] [Site "?"] [Date "2018.8.17"] [Round "1"] [White "Patrick Sartain"] [Black "Zak Tomlinson"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteELO "119"] [BlackELO "105"] {Game 1 - Manchester Chess Congress 2018} 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 {A typical closed centre French Defence set-up} 4... Nc6 5. Be2 Bd7 6. Nf3 Be7 {? Usually the Knight goes here first, with the idea of visiting f5} 7. O-O Qc7 8. Kh1 {? My opponent said "usually in the French this g1-a7 diagonal is strong for Black" but I felt this move wasn't necessary here} 8... f6 {OK let's open things up} 9. Bf4 g5 10. Bg3 f5 {My opponent's Bf4 move allowed me a swift King-side pawn advance... I should now be thinking about long-castling} 11. h3 Nh6 12. dxc5 {Note, if Bxc5 immediately then g5 falls, so...} 12... f4 13. Bh2 Nxe5 14. Nxe5 Qxe5 15. Bh5+ Kd8 {Slightly annoying, but my King can go to c7 to free the Rook} 16. Re1 Qg7 17. b4 Kc7 18. a4 Raf8 19. Qf3 Rhg8 {I was looking at a potential g-pawn push} 20. Na3 Bf6 21. Rac1 Nf5 22. Nb5+ Kb8 23. Rxe6 {?! My opponent said he was already eyeing a Bishop sac on f4, but this pawn was stopping it, so he decided to take a risk... however this is unsound and with correct play Black is winning} 23... Bxe6 24. Re1 Qd7 {? This accomplishes nothing and allows the Bishop sac... after the game we discussed Be5 and played the game out from there (which I won)} 25. Bxf4+ gxf4 26. Qxf4+ Kc8 {?? This gives White the game now, Black needed to give a piece back with Nd6 which stunts the attack} 27. Rxe6 {This Rook sac is sound} 27... Be7 {Can you see the forced mate from Black's point of view? I didn't in the game...} 28. Nxa7+ Kd8 29. Qb8+ {My heart sank and my streak of 1st round losses continues... I resigned} 1-0

[Event "Manchester Congress"] [Site "?"] [Date "2018.8.18"] [Round "2"] [White "Zak Tomlinson"] [Black "Brian Slater"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteELO "105"] [BlackELO "75"] {Game 2 - Manchester Chess Congress 2018} 1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 {My chosen move vs. the French has served me well in the past} 2... Nf6 {This move almost turns this game into a bit of a failed Alekhine's Defence, I expected Nc6 or d5} 3. Nc3 Bb4 {? Again d5 is standard, now White gets some free tempo} 4. e5 Bxc3 5. bxc3 Nd5 6. c4 Ne7 7. d4 {And grabs the centre, with a minor cost of having doubled c-pawns} 7... h6 8. Bd3 c6 {? Part of me wanted to play c5 now (computer even suggests it is best)} 9. O-O {Instead, though, I was determined to learn from the past game and forced myself to castle} 9... b6 10. Bd2 Ba6 11. Qe2 c5 12. Be4 {A waste of tempo in hindsight, maybe Re1 or Rb1 instead} 12... Nbc6 13. c3 Rc8 14. Bd3 {Protecting c4 (after cxd4) but also proving that Be4 was a waste of tempo} 14... O-O {? Black needed to do something with the d-pawn, either d6 or d5 was playable} 15. d5 Na5 16. d6 {Why not? I've often heard this type of advanced pawn being called "a bone in the throat"} 16... Nec6 {? Nf6 or Ng5 may have been better for defensive purposes} 17. Qe4 {Now this is a mate threat, f5 is the only move here that doesn't lose material} 17... g6 {? Black plays wrong} 18. Bxh6 f5 19. exf6 Rxf6 20. Bg5 Qf8 21. Bxf6 Qxf6 22. Qxg6+ {Up an exchange and a pawn, why not cash in by exchanging Queens?} 22... Qxg6 23. Bxg6 {"I thought you might do that" said my opponent} 23... Nxc4 24. Bd3 N6a5 25. Rfe1 Bb7 26. Bxc4 Nxc4 27. Rad1 {? Ne5 was better} 27... Rf8 {? Returns the favour, Black could have played Bxf3 creating doubled isolated pawns} 28. Ne5 Nxe5 29. Rxe5 Rf7 30. Rg5+ Rg7 31. Rxg7+ Kxg7 32. h4 {Black resigns 1-0} 1-0

[Event "Manchester Congress"] [Site "?"] [Date "2018.8.18"] [Round "3"] [White "Zak Tomlinson"] [Black "Sanjoy Banerjee"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteELO "105"] [BlackELO "122"] {Game 3 - Manchester Chess Congress 2018} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 {The Sicilian Najdorf... I remembered a win I had on the White side of this in Doncaster earlier this year, so tried to create a similar position} 6. a4 {Starting with a4, acting as a "clamp" on the Queen-side} 6... e5 7. Nf3 Be7 8. Bc4 O-O 9. O-O Nbd7 {? Nothing wrong with Nc6 here, but I guess he's looking to target e4} 10. h3 b6 11. Re1 Bb7 12. Nd5 {My other choice was Bg5 to perhaps trade my dark square Bishop for a Knight} 12... Bxd5 {? Black didn't have to take here, Rc8 was better} 13. Bxd5 Nxd5 14. Qxd5 Nf6 15. Qd3 h6 16. c4 Qc7 17. b3 {I have managed to build the exact same pawn structure in the exact same number of moves as my game in Doncaster! (see link to thread below)} 17... Nd7 18. Ba3 Nc5 19. Qe3 a5 20. Red1 Rad8 21. Rd2 f5 {Not a bad move, a traditional stab at the centre} 22. exf5 e4 {? This however is a mistake, as White can play Bxc5 and then simply pick up e4 (note if exf3 then White has Bxb6 winning the exchange)} 23. Nd4 {? This was missed by White, who now loses the exchange himself} 23... Bg5 {Albeit, for a pawn} 24. Qc3 Bxd2 25. Qxd2 Rfe8 26. Qe3 Rd7 27. Rd1 Rf7 {? Black is looking to prevent Ne6, however moving this Rook off the d-file now invites...} 28. Nb5 {Nb5, hitting the Queen and also d6} 28... Qd7 {I calculated over the board that I was able to play Nxd6, however Rxd6 instead seems more potent} 29. Nxd6 Rf6 {It looks like this Knight may be lost, as after Rd8 the Knight cannot move due to the hanging Rook on d1} 30. Bxc5 {However as mentioned before, this was calculated} 30... bxc5 31. Qxc5 Rd8 32. Qd5+ {With check!} 32... Kh8 33. c5 {Now White has 3 pawns for the exchange and a dangerous Knight} 33... Rxf5 34. Qxe4 Rf6 {? Rf8 was better purely to connect Rooks, now White can force a favourable endgame} 35. Nf7+ Rxf7 {Forced} 36. Rxd7 Rfxd7 37. Qc6 {Queen vs two Rooks with 3 additional pawns should be favourable for the Queen...... SHOULD} 37... Rd3 38. Qb6 Rc8 39. Qb7 {? White is trying to be clever, there is no Rxc5 due to Qa8+ then Qe4+ winning the Rook on d3, but...} 39... Rd1+ {The Rook can move from d3, with check, so White has just blundered a pawn} 40. Kh2 Rxc5 {Now this is much more difficult to win!} 41. f4 Rd4 42. h4 {Another cheapo attempt, Rxf4 falls to Qb8+ but I know he won't fall for that} 42... Rb4 43. Qe7 {Black resigned! My opponent thought he was losing a Rook but forgot that Rb4 was already protected, so he just needed to move the c5 Rook somewhere... he approached me the following morning to say he didn't realise this until he was on the way home!} 1-0

[Event "Manchester Congress"] [Site "?"] [Date "2018.8.19"] [Round "4"] [White "Chris Lysons"] [Black "Zak Tomlinson"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteELO "114"] [BlackELO "105"] {Game 4 - Manchester Chess Congress 2018} 1. Nf3 c5 2. d3 {? Already passive, White gives up the centre} 2... Nc6 3. Nbd2 {? White had another chance to play e4, but insists on giving the centre to Black} 3... d5 4. g3 Nf6 5. Bg2 e6 {Perhaps e5 was more principled, in fact quite often I like having a three pawn centre, but not today} 6. O-O Bd6 7. Re1 O-O 8. e4 Qc7 {I felt breaking the tension offered no benefit, so just develop with an extra eye on e5} 9. b3 b6 10. Bb2 d4 {?? A clanger, White can play e4 here and in the end will win material due to the hanging Rook on a8... Be7 was better} 11. Nc4 {?? White missed it, so we continue normally} 11... e5 {Both side's dark square Bishops are staring at rocks} 12. c3 Bg4 13. Rc1 dxc3 {With the idea of ganging up on the isolated d-pawn} 14. Bxc3 Rfd8 15. Qd2 Bxf3 {I don't mind exchanging my Bishop for a Knight in a closed position} 16. Bxf3 Bf8 {? Be7 was better in hindsight} 17. g4 h6 {Nd4 is also an option} 18. h4 Nh7 19. Ne3 Qd7 20. Nd5 Ne7 {? This was careless, dropping the pawn on e5, again Be7 was better} 21. Bxe5 Nxd5 22. exd5 Rac8 23. Kg2 Bd6 24. d4 cxd4 25. Rxc8 Rxc8 26. Qxd4 {Now Re8 or Qe7 is best} 26... Bxe5 {? Trading more material whilst being down in material is not well advised} 27. Rxe5 Nf8 28. g5 hxg5 {? Bg4 is available, winning the exchange. Ng6 was better} 29. Rxg5 {? This was missed, now f6 is best} 29... Ne6 {?? I foresaw this move, delivering a fork and stopping mate, but now Qg4 is simply crushing} 30. Bg4 {?? Unbelievable, White could have potentially won this game three times by now already} 30... Nxd4 31. Bxd7 Rd8 32. Rg4 Ne2 {? Black missed Nxb3, seeing as the Bishop is hanging} 33. Bc6 Nc3 34. Rd4 Nxa2 35. d6 a5 {? Played to allow Nb4, but Kf8 was better to address the d-pawn} 36. d7 Nb4 37. Bb5 f5 {To stop Re4, but White can simply pull the Rook back and then to e1 or e2} 38. Rc4 {? But this game has proven to be hopeless} 38... Kf7 39. Kf3 Ke7 40. Kf4 {? Rc8 was playable} 40... g6 {? A Knight check was better, aiming to take down d7 (the greater danger)} 41. Kg5 {? Again Rc8, no need to go after these pawns yet} 41... Nd3 42. f4 Kf7 {Acknowledging that White's King has placed himself in a mating net, Black makes a move} 43. Rc8 {However this ends any threat of mate and Black is now in trouble} 43... Nc5 {Only move, as Rxd8 falls for Ne6+... Kh6 now wins for White} 44. Bc4+ {?? All advantage has now been thrown away, as Black now gets a mate in 1 threat} 44... Kg7 {h4-h5 is now the only move} 45. Bd5 {? White stops mate but the d-pawn is gone...} 45... Rxd7 {... and if the Bishop moves, Black's Knight mates on either e4 or e6, so the piece is lost} 46. Rg8+ Kh7 47. Rxg6 Rxd5 48. Rxb6 Ne4+ 49. Kh5 Rd6 {Threatens mate, White must play Rb7+ to have any chances of survival} 50. Rb5 {?? The last move sums up an entire game of short-sightedness} 50... Rh6# {Mate... and at the time of shaking hands, neither player was aware of just how bad this game was} 0-1

[Event "Manchester Congress"] [Site "?"] [Date "2018.9.19"] [Round "5"] [White "Zak Tomlinson"] [Black "Julian Hawthorne"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteELO "105"] [BlackELO "119"] {Game 5 - Manchester Chess Congress 2018} 1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 Nf6 {The same as Round 2, however my opponent is a better player, so let's see where we'll deviate} 3. Nc3 d6 {? Hmmm... another player who doesn't like fighting for the centre, OK I'll take it} 4. d4 h6 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. a3 e5 {Establishes a fight in the centre but Black is a move behind} 7. Bb5 {I could have played d5 immediately but instead chose to settle for damaging Black's pawn structure} 7... exd4 8. Nxd4 Bd7 9. Nxc6 bxc6 10. Bc4 Be7 11. O-O O-O 12. Bf4 {Looking to cause more trouble with an e5 push} 12... Re8 13. e5 {I decide to do it now, with the idea to at least have the doubled pawns also be isolated} 13... Nh7 {? This drops a pawn, Black should have just taken on e5} 14. exd6 cxd6 15. Bxd6 Bf6 16. Qd2 Bf5 17. Rad1 Qb6 {? This loses tempo to Na4, helping White improve the Knight's position} 18. Na4 Qb7 19. b4 Rad8 20. Nc5 Qa8 {The lady is cornered, and short on squares} 21. Ba6 Bc8 {Defends the Queen} 22. Bd3 {A cheapo attempt, Rxd6 falls to Bxh7+} 22... Ng5 23. Rfe1 {More cheapo's! The Bishop still can't be taken due to a weak back rank} 23... Rxe1+ 24. Rxe1 {Same as before} 24... Ne6 25. Nxe6 {Ne4 was the alternative but, being a pawn up, I wanted to trade down a little} 25... Bxe6 26. Qf4 Qc8 27. Bc5 Bc3 28. Rd1 Bf5 29. h3 {Stops any back rank casualties} 29... Bxd3 {a5 was also an option} 30. Rxd3 Re8 {?? Simply bizarre, he forgot that the Bishop was en prise... the standard of this tournament has been sub-par to say the least} 31. Rxc3 Re6 32. Bxa7 f6 33. Qb8 Qxb8 34. Bxb8 Re8 35. Bd6 Rd8 36. Rxc6 Kf7 37. a4 Ke6 {Black moved and then resigned, lamenting the earlier loss of a pawn which he felt cost the game} 1-0