Accept no substitute

Well, the last couple of posts were pleasant diversions, but what about some real chess? Top-level play seems increasingly like a circus, with the performing animals forced to suffer at quick time controls to entertain the masses, but really we should have more respect for the intellectual challenge of our game and give it the depth of thought it deserves. So it was only with this game that I felt like I was playing the real thing once more; evening league play isn't really classical chess, but at this point it's close enough that I'm not going to split hairs.

Epsom Chess Club has done better than most out of the pandemic and has built up a solid base of players who only know the game in its online form. Now the challenge is to bring them into the OTB fold, which seems to be happening based on the entrants to the club championship. It's a straightforward six-round Swiss; I'm seeded number three and there is an IM playing, so I doubt I can win outright, but I've beaten him before...  My first opponent, Mark Sheridan, was one of those OTB neophytes, who unlike me had been very active in Surrey's online competitions. In the past I found it hard to readjust to playing slowplay games after a few weeks, and my last game like this was in March 2020! I went in with more nerves than I should have done, but was able to produce a striking reminder of what we've all been missing:

[Event "Epsom Club Championship"] [Site "?"] [Date "2021.10.18"] [Round "1.3"] [White "Young, Daniel J"] [Black "Sheridan, Mark"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C42"] [WhiteElo "2005"] [BlackElo "e1450"] [Annotator "Young,Daniel J"] [PlyCount "41"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] [SourceVersionDate "2021.10.18"] {After a few more months of pointless online games following the ChessFest rapidplay, the opportunity for my first game at a serious time control (75 minutes for all moves + 10 seconds/move) in 19 months finally arose when I entered the Epsom club championship. As one of the top seeds against someone who started playing during lockdown I would normally be expected to win comfortably, but I had no real idea how I would readjust.} 1. e4 {(1:15)} e5 { (1:14)} 2. Nf3 Nf6 {Whilst I had an inkling this was coming based on some Surrey Online League games I'd looked at beforehand, for now I wanted to follow my muscle memory and stick with king's pawn openings. Make no mistake though - I had travelled to Epsom on a dark and rainy night to play chess, not the Petrov.} 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 {Obviously I chose the most imbalancing move, allowing my pawn structure to be damaged for the sake of free development. Sheridan's games consisted largely of Londons and Stonewalls, so I reckoned an open position would offer the best chance of outplaying him. And it should be said that 5. Nc3 has scored quite well in the last few years, including at master level.} Nxc3 {(No-one ever talks about 5... Nf6!?, arguing that Black's position is solid enough to give White a free developing move, but I think it's not as stupid as it looks)} 6. dxc3 Bg4 {It's hard to say this is wrong, but ...Bxf3 is largely an empty threat so Black usually prefers more direct development with 6... Be7 or 6... Nc6. For 6... d5?! see Young-Neale, Major Open 2017.} 7. Be3 Nc6 8. Qd2 {An important idea in this line: White doesn't object to doubled f-pawns, since he was castling long anyway and will get the g-file as well as the bishop pair for his troubles. Therefore he can continue developing his pieces naturally.} Be7 (8... Bxf3 $143 $6 {Let's look at a couple of variations to illustrate the point. After the obvious} 9. gxf3 Be7 10. O-O-O {Black must make the important strategic decision of where to put his king. It will be safer on the queenside, however this takes longer to arrange and leaves the kingside with few defenders. White's position doesn't look very attractive, but with so many open lines he can cause trouble whatever Black chooses.} Qd7 {If Black wants to go long then he must put his queen on this square - it's not comfortable, but that's what cramp does, and White can very pointedly emphasise what Black has lost on the light squares with} (10... O-O 11. h4 Bxh4 $2 {is really asking for it.} (11... Re8 {is more prudent; after} 12. h5 Bf6 13. Bd3 Qe7 14. Be4 $14 {there are no immediate threats, but Black's only route to counterplay - the e-file - is sealed and White's open lines persist.}) 12. f4 {(so that White's next move can't be answered by ...Bg5)} Re8 13. Qd5 {is far too much for a pawn, with Black's bishop left hanging in the wind and another open line to his king. The immediate threat is Qh5, so} h6 {, but they keep coming. A sample variation from the computer is} 14. Bc4 Qf6 15. Qg2 Kf8 {Otherwise the next move would have won right away, overloading the queen. Even so, ugly concessions are demanded to stay above water now.} 16. Rdg1 g5 17. Bd2 $1 $18 {A clever prophylactic move: White removes his bishop from the e-file with the idea of 18. fxg5 and 19. f4. If} gxf4 {White now wins by force with} 18. Rxh4 $1 Qxh4 19. Qg7+ Ke7 20. Bxf7 Qf6 21. Bxe8+ Qxg7 22. Rxg7+ {winning a piece, for if} Kxe8 $2 23. Rg8+) 11. h4 O-O-O 12. Bh3 {, forcing a weakening of the kingside.} f5 13. Qd5 Rhf8 (13... g6 $144 14. h5 Bf6 15. f4 $16 {fixes a new weakness on the g-file}) 14. h5 {Now Black is just babysitting, and it's hard to find an active idea at all. For example,} Kb8 15. f4 Rde8 16. Bg2 Bf6 17. c4 $16 { , preparing to turn the screws on the d-file.}) 9. O-O-O Be6 $6 {A better square for the bishop, but is this worth a tempo with all of the heavy pieces on their starting squares? Probably not. The threat to a2 is illusory (10... Bxa2? 11. b3) however my king stands better on b1 anyway, defending a2 directly and avoiding any checks on the c1-h6 diagonal, so I decided to humour him.} 10. Kb1 {(1:10)} (10. h4 $144 {I also considered proceeding directly with my plan, but opted not to give him an information advantage: I didn't want to spook him into castling queenside, which although not objectively better leads to less dynamic positions. White can still get a good game if Black goes down that path, for example} Qd7 11. Ng5 Bf5 (11... O-O-O $6 { concedes a static weakness on e6 that White can target with} 12. Nxe6 fxe6 13. g3 $16) 12. Qd5 Bf6 {- wisely not being goaded into capturing on g5 and opening the h-file -} 13. f3 $14 {, taking control of e4 and preparing to expand on the kingside.}) 10... a5 $6 {(1:08) The cloak-and-dagger approach bears fruit! Black dreams of starting an attack, however he isn't playing with enough pieces to achieve this. In the meantime the move just weakens b5 whilst effectively ruling out long castling.} (10... Qd7 $142 {is less committal.} 11. Bd3 (11. Bb5 a6 12. Ba4 $6 {is a plan I've used successfully in the past, but it loses its point in a position where Black hasn't yet castled - the simple} b5 13. Bb3 Bxb3 14. axb3 O-O $11 {neutralises a useful attacker whilst gaining time for Black's own offensive.}) (11. h4 {comes with a small trap, but Black certainly doesn't have to fall for it. Instead I think he should play} Bf6 { , transposing a tempo down to Young-Wilson, Major Open 2019. In that game Black should have equalised, but here I think White retains some pressure.} ( 11... O-O-O $6 {is the mini-trap: White has} 12. Nd4 $16 {, breaking up Black's position with either Nxe6 or Bb5, since the usual solution} Nxd4 { allows} 13. Qxd4 {forking a7 and g7. If only Black had that extra tempo to get his bishop to f6...}) 12. Ng5 Bf5 13. Bd3 {(removing Black's only active piece after it has burnt so many moves)} Bxd3 14. Qxd3 h6 15. Ne4 Qe6 16. Rhe1 O-O-O 17. h5 $14 {Black has reached safety but his kingside is now fixed, and White can continue to nag. That this might be the best White can do after Black gives away a free move shows just how solid the Petrov is, though...}) 11... O-O-O {Once Black gets this move in White should switch his focus to the kingside, which is slightly vulnerable with Black's pieces on the other flank. After} 12. Nd4 Nxd4 13. Bxd4 Bf8 {, the a-pawn may be off the menu in view of 14. Bxa7?? Qa4, but} (13... f6 $6 {creates a hole on e6 whilst shutting in the dark-squared bishop.} 14. Rhe1 $16) 14. c4 $14 {revives the threat whilst blunting the e6 bishop. Black remains passive, but at least he is alive.}) 11. h4 h6 $6 {As we will see, this move is more consequential than it appears, even if it does stop Ng5. Pawns don't move backwards!} (11... Bg4 $142 $5 { Believe it or not, I was most worried about the bishop moving yet again... and Stockfish is prepared to agree! This prevents Ng5 more subtly, but all those lost tempi don't come for free and after} 12. Bc4 O-O 13. h5 Bf6 14. Rde1 $14 { White's attack is moving faster. That said, Black has managed to develop his pieces and his king shelter has no weaknesses, so he can certainly play the game. Even so, it takes a lot of courage for a human to do this.}) (11... Qd7 $6 {is less effective now that b5 belongs to me, especially since castling queenside is not what Black wants to do.} 12. Bb5 O-O (12... Bf6 {The bishop is unable to get to an active post owing to} 13. Bg5 Bd8 14. Nd4 O-O 15. f3 $16 {when Black is tied down on both sides of the board.}) 13. h5 a4 14. h6 g6 15. Nd4 Bf6 16. a3 $16 {Black's 'attack' is stopped in its tracks, whereas White's grip on the kingside remains. If Stockfish is right and 16... Bxd4 really is the best move here then he is in trouble.}) 12. Bb5 Bd7 {I thought he might go in for this; in fairness it's hard to suggest anything better. My idea was to borrow a trick from Black's book:} 13. Bc4 $6 {, putting the bishop on a more active diagonal. For ...h6 didn't just give me something to latch onto, it also weakened the kingside light squares. More to the point, I wanted to see what Black would do next.} (13. Nd4 $143 $2 {was my initial plan, but I was right to reject this - less for ...Nxd4 as I thought, but rather} Ne5 (13... Nxd4 $143 $6 14. Bxd7+ Qxd7 15. Bxd4 O-O {doesn't get Black out of danger even with three pairs of minor pieces gone - I overlooked that} 16. g4 $16 { promises him trouble since the pawn clearly can't be taken.}) 14. Be2 Ng4 $11 { and he is able to simplify.}) (13. Rde1 $142 {is a refinement of my big conception that Black needs to move something, but all the committal moves are bad. Now the e7 bishop must stay on its post in view of potential discoveries along the e-file.} a4 14. a3 Na5 {A computer idea which doesn't really achieve anything. But what else?} 15. Bd3 Nc6 16. Bf4 $16 {White can mass his heavy pieces on the e-file, and Black can't keep his king there forever. But...}) 13... O-O $2 {Bingo! This was what I was hoping for, of course. In an open position where he is passive and I have developed all of my pieces this is simply incompatible with his 11th move.} (13... Ne5 $143 $4 {Importantly, Black is not able to force trades. I intended} 14. Nxe5 dxe5 {and then 15. Bxf7+ Kxf7 16. Qxd7 winning a pawn, but the engine points out a refinement in} 15. Qd5 $1 Be6 16. Qb5+ Bd7 {and only now} 17. Bxf7+ Kxf7 18. Rxd7 Qc8 19. Rhd1 $18 {, activating my rooks and blocking Black's queenside out of the game into the bargain.}) (13... Be6 $6 {Simple solutions will no longer work - here too we see the importance of the weakened light squares after} 14. Bxe6 fxe6 15. Qd3 Kf7 16. h5 Kg8 17. Nd2 Rb8 18. f4 b5 19. g4 $16 {: Black has to play without one of his rooks, and White's attack will hit home much faster.}) ( 13... Bf6 $142 {seems relatively best - this is what Stockfish's improvement on move 13 is intended to prevent. Even so, Black has a miserable position after} 14. Qd3 Qc8 (14... O-O $4 {still fails thanks to} 15. Ng5 $1 {- ...g6 is impossible (that bishop again!) but} Bxg5 16. hxg5 Ne5 17. Qd4 Nxc4 18. gxh6 $1 {forces a quick decision.} Ne5 19. hxg7 Re8 20. f4 $18 {, pinning the knight against Rh8+ and emerging with a material advantage as well as a continuing attack.}) 15. Qe4+ Kf8 16. Rhe1 Bg4 17. Bd5 Qd7 18. Qc4 $16 { when he lacks active pieces, co-ordination and a plan: he is so knotted up that the engine evaluation is higher with Black to move than with White!}) 14. Bxh6 $18 {I didn't calculate this very far. Perhaps that's a bad habit retained from so much online blitz, but after my next move I couldn't even see any candidate moves for Black. In truth, calculation is not required: the hard work has already been done and now the attack plays itself. Objectively Black's reply is a terrible move, hastening the end considerably, but it's churlish to criticise - with a missing pawn and a fractured kingside, he can only aspire to lose more slowly and so may as well be shown.} gxh6 15. Qxh6 { (52)} Bf5 {(1:04) A more valid criticism is that Black had only spent 4 minutes since move 10, when his position was already delicate. This is as good a try as anything, but my bishop is proving its worth on the a2-g8 diagonal by preventing any ...Bg6 defences. Now I just need to get a rook onto the g-file and Black will be mated. I saw how very quickly, but it looked a bit too cute and I needed to spend 5 minutes trying to refute it to reassure myself. Nevertheless...} (15... Ne5 $144 {loses to} 16. Nxe5 dxe5 17. Bd3 {(even more crushing than Rd3)} f5 18. Rh3 Kf7 19. Bc4+ {and there is no escape.}) 16. Rh3 $1 {The most elegant solution - "chess is an art which illustrates the beauty of logic" as Botvinnik put it. White wants to put a rook on the g-file, and by threatening to do so with one he simply outsources to Black the task of opening it for the other.} Bxh3 (16... Bg4 17. Rg3 Qd7 {I had seen that I had 18. Qg6+ and a won ending if I needed it, but if this had appeared on the board I would hopefully have seen the more direct win:} 18. Bd3 f5 19. Rxg4+ $18) (16... d5 {almost works but is a tempo short:} 17. Rg3+ Bg6 18. Rxg6+ { (the fastest, though my intended 18. Bxd5 is also a forced mate)} fxg6 19. Qxg6+ Kh8 20. Ng5 Bxg5 21. hxg5 $18 {and the rook mates along the h-file instead.}) 17. gxh3 Bg5 18. Nxg5 Qxg5 19. Qxg5+ Kh8 {Or 19... Kh7 20. Rg1 mates next move.} 20. Qh6+ {(46)} Kg8 {(46)} 21. Rg1# {Not the hardest game I will ever have (when Sheridan asked what my Lichess rating is and I told him it's around 2150, he just laughed and walked away...) but still a satisfying one: it's precisely these sorts of positions, where I weave a tapestry in the first 15 moves and then just need to convert, that I have been wrecking again and again on the internet for the last year and a half. Classical chess - accept no substitute.} 1-0

As someone who has a good understanding of the game but is weaker at attention to detail, the online era has been a painful one for me: I have always been much better at crafting winning positions than actually winning them, and trying to play entire games in a few minutes only accentuates this. How refreshing then to play a game with a clear strategic thread running through it, resolved by a little flair rather than the next-to-last mistake.

In the good old days I won a lot of games just by understanding dynamics better than my opponents, and I returned to my stock in trade with some conviction. The eventful career of Black's light-squared bishop took up a lot of moves, but 10...a5?! gave me a base on b5 whilst committing him to castling on the wrong side of the board; attacks don't happen because we want them, but because we have laid the foundations and developed our pieces. For example, think how much work my bishop is doing after the innocent-looking 13. Bc4; I hadn't seen any specifics in advance, but the magic tends to take care of itself if you put the pieces on the right squares. Also, 11... h6?! seems a sensible precaution, but it is another lost move and ultimately led to violent consequences. Little decisions can have big implications - with those two consecutive moves he made it much harder to castle on either wing.

There are sterner tests to come, it is true, but you can only beat the moves put in front of you and I think that I played quite accurately, with the computer only offering one meaningful improvement on my play. Crucially, I took my time without getting into danger on the clock, and I didn't commit any basic oversights - apart from the result, those were my two main criteria beforehand for a good performance. 16. Rh3! was a nice find, and I enjoyed the long-forgotten feeling that I had solved the position completely. Hopefully I can keep it up in the games to come - whenever they may be.