Major difficulties with minor pieces

Despite the bright start which I covered a few posts ago, Epsom's 4NCL campaign gradually fizzled out over the rest of the season. Though we managed some good results here and there, and were outside contenders for promotion as late as the penultimate weekend, ultimately our small squad proved too much of a limitation. Nevertheless, it was good to play some longer games, and in fact I would have been virtually inactive after Christmas without them. I made a modest plus score but was dragged down by a couple of horrible reverses in the later rounds. However, I'm going to cover two of my wins, partly to cheer myself up but also because I think they have the most instructional value.

First up, this game from the sixth round, which I came into having inexplicably let an FM escape with a draw the day before. Epsom had lost as a result, so we were playing the Sussex Martlets third team - quite a come-down from the many battles with their first team in my KJCA days. I had black against the veteran Timothy Woods (1641), and despite supposedly giving up the Sicilian I found myself pining at the Najdorf's balcony once again in the search for winning chances. The old flame was rekindled, and the first quarter of the game is a model of how to meet the forgotten 6. f4 sideline. But then White offered (or lost) a pawn for attacking chances, and the battle flared up anew...

[Event "4NCL Div. 4"] [Site "?"] [Date "2025.02.16"] [Round "6.2"] [White "Woods, Timothy J"] [Black "Young, Daniel J"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B93"] [WhiteElo "1641"] [BlackElo "2063"] [Annotator "Young,Daniel J"] [PlyCount "122"] [EventDate "2025.??.??"] [SourceVersionDate "2025.02.16"] [WhiteTeam "Sussex Martlets 3"] [BlackTeam "Epsom"] {This game turned out to be much more of a struggle than the ratings would suggest. Having fallen just short against a much stronger team in the last round, for Sunday we had what ought to have been a very winnable match. I shuffled down to board 2 so that our now-top board didn't have a double black.} 1. e4 {(1:30)} c5 {(1:30) I do consider 1... e5 my main move at the moment, but from this season's games it probably doesn't seem like it! This was partly influenced by the ratings, but I would take a Najdorf over a Bishop's Opening against most people.} 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f4 {The Amsterdam Variation. Woods's repertoire is completely fixed, and I wouldn't be surprised if he's been playing this ever since Nunn recommended it in "Beating the Sicilian" in 1984... This move has been out of fashion for decades, but it's still curious that I never had occasion to seriously prepare it when I was a 'full-time' Sicilian player. After a lot of work overnight and into the morning, I settled on a plan which plays against a downside of this move: White's e-pawn can now only be protected by pieces.} e5 {The direct reaction in the centre is the most popular response, and we proceed to follow the book for some time. As always in this structure, Black is confident that his activity and control of the central dark squares will compensate for the weaknesses on d5 and d6.} 7. Nf3 Nbd7 8. a4 {Taking care to deny Black ...b5-b4 undermining the defence of e4.} Be7 9. Bd3 O-O 10. O-O {(1:34)} Nc5 {(1:32) In connection with the next move, the knight belongs on c5 in this variation to put the heat on e4. In passing, Black also invites White to lose immediately since taking twice on e5 runs into ...Qd4+ at the end, but I knew he wasn't going to fall for that.} (10... exf4 {is played very nearly as often, with an eye to snatching a pawn on b2. But besides transposing with 11. Kh1, White can also consider calling Black's bluff with} 11. Bxf4 $5 Qb6+ 12. Kh1 Qxb2 13. Qe1 Qb6 14. Rb1 Qd8 15. Be3 $44 {, with active pieces and a significant lead in development for the pawn. I wasn't interested in giving up the fight for the initiative so lightly.}) 11. Kh1 exf4 $1 {I was feeling a bit stumped in preparation until I grasped why Black plays this move - earlier I'd dismissed it as anti-positional and had looked fruitlessly for alternatives. And indeed, at first sight Black surrenders his central bastion whilst developing the c1 bishop with tempo. What he also does though is open the e-file, and in concert with the following bishop manouevre this gives him counterplay against the newly-isolated e-pawn.} 12. Bxf4 Bg4 {Delaying the typical Nd4-f5 plan, and intending to re-route the bishop to g6 from where it hits e4 again and shores up Black's kingside (especially f5 and f7). Given this,} 13. h3 {just pushes the bishop where it wants to go, so I'm not surprised that it is a rare move even if the box is unperturbed.} (13. Qd2 $144 {is more usual, though it's worth nothing that after} Bh5 14. Nd4 $6 {may still not be the right plan, at least according to Stockfish. It would rather give up a pawn than allow Black a positional advantage to hold onto it, but if that's the choice then it's no wonder the variation is out of fashion.} (14. Rae1 $142 Bg6 15. Nh4 {is the computer way, abandoning the e-pawn but rounding up the bishop pair in return.} Bxe4 (15... Nfxe4 $143 $2 16. Nxg6 $1 Nxd2 17. Nxe7+ Kh8 18. Bxd2 Nxd3 19. cxd3 $16 {left White with three good pieces for the queen in Patterson-Maesa, Corr. 2008}) 16. Nf5 Bxf5 $8 17. Bxf5 $44 {White's bishops combined with the vulnerability of d6 offer enough play for the pawn, to the extent that the engine wants to return it by} Ne6 {. Maybe, but why would one aim to be grovelling for equality with White?}) 14... Bg6 {Now} 15. Nf5 {is met by} Bxf5 16. exf5 d5 $15 {, and the IQP is not a weakness here because the White pieces are not well placed to attack it, besides which the d3 bishop is hemmed in by the f5 pawn.}) 13... Bh5 14. Qe1 Rc8 $146 {this is a new move, although it transposes to a few earlier games. There's nothing wrong with completing development, although placing the other rook on e8 would probably be more consistent.} 15. Nd4 $6 {(1:09) As in the variation above, this does not work out too well. It does nothing to resolve the pressure on e4, allowing Black to take over the initiative.} (15. Nh4 $142 {Notwithstanding what every beginner is taught about knights on the edge, the knight belongs here so that} Bg6 {can be answered with} 16. Nxg6 hxg6 {. Now} 17. Rd1 Qc7 $11 {and White is safe for now, with two bishops that could potentially come in handy later on, though Black has nothing to complain about since the isolated central pawn remains a long-term weakness. White could try simplifying with} 18. e5 dxe5 19. Qxe5 Qxe5 20. Bxe5 {, however} Nxd3 21. Rxd3 Rfe8 {and the backward c-pawn allows Black to at least dream of pressing.}) 15... Bg6 {(1:29)} 16. Bd2 {White wants to play Nf5 only once he can recapture with a piece, however Black is in time to pull out the rug from beneath the knight's feet with} d5 $1 $15 {, opening the centre at a moment when White's pieces on the d-file are tactically vulnerable.} 17. Nf5 $6 {Woods played this after 15 minutes, so I'm not sure if it was a sacrifice or an oversight (his next move took 12 minutes). Either way, Black now moves a pawn ahead.} (17. exd5 $143 $2 {would not do because of} Nxd3 18. cxd3 Re8 {Developing this rook opposite the white queen is stronger than taking on d3.} (18... Bxd3 $143 $2 19. Nf5 Re8 20. Qg3 {obliges} Bxf5 21. Rxf5 $11 {, when the d-pawn is safe and sound}) 19. Nf5 {With the bishop still at home on g6, this time there are no threats to Black's king and so he has time for} Bf8 20. Qf2 Nxd5 $17 {and the pawn looks a lot more sickly back on d3, besides which Black has kept hold of both of his bishops.}) (17. e5 $142 {was therefore a better try, albeit after} Nfe4 {White is faced with the threats of ...Bh4 as well as ...Nxd3 so has to play the uncomfortable} 18. Bxe4 (18. Nxe4 $143 $4 dxe4 $19 {loses a piece}) 18... Nxe4 19. Nxe4 Bxe4 20. Qg3 Qb6 $15 {With weak pawns on e5, c2 and b2, as well as Black enjoying two bishops, White will need to play accurately to stay in the game.}) 17... dxe4 18. Bc4 $1 {A good practical try. White can't regain his pawn without letting Black in on the queenside, so instead reroutes the bishop to a more active diagonal, from which it will torment me almost until the end of the game.} (18. Nxe4 $144 {can't satisfy White because of his weak queenside pawns.} Nfxe4 19. Bxe4 Bf6 (19... Nxe4 $6 {My intention was to play less subtly with} 20. Qxe4 Bxf5 21. Rxf5 Qxd2 22. Qxe7 Qxc2 $15 {, however the presence of all the major pieces offers White greater drawing chances since Black is passively defending f7 for the time being.}) 20. Rd1 {Protecting the loose bishop in advance, but} Nxe4 (20... Re8 $2 21. Ba5 {and White slips away}) 21. Qxe4 Rc5 {is a bothersome pin, with the idea} 22. Be3 Rxf5 $1 23. Qxf5 Bxf5 24. Rxd8 Rxd8 25. Rxf5 Bxb2 $17 {, winning a pawn in a much more simplified position than the 19... Nxe4?! line above. Black has good winning chances with the white queenside pawns now separated.}) 18... Bxf5 {This is the right move, for the knight is too active to be left on the board, but trading away a defender of f7 is not without risk and it demands an accurate follow-up of Black. Up to this point I have played a textbook game, but, in common with many others this year, once it becomes more concrete I begin to lose my way.} 19. Rxf5 Re8 $2 {As much as the rook would like to come out of hiding and support my extra pawn, it was needed on f8 to lend support to the f-pawn. Black's priority should be to neutralise White's best piece, his light-squared bishop.} (19... Ne6 $142 {Besides blocking the a2-g8 diagonal, this also discovers an attack on the bishop and menaces a fork on d4. In the face of both threats, White has no better than} 20. Bxe6 (20. Bb3 $143 $6 {(other bishop retreats leave c2 undefended)} Nd4 21. Rf1 Nxb3 22. cxb3 Re8 $19 {leaves Black with an extra pawn and a clear positional advantage owing to White's doubled b-pawns}) 20... fxe6 21. Rf1 Qd4 $17 {Black's doubled e-pawns are not a serious issue because he is active enough to prevent them being attacked. Besides, his ability to contest the f-file and the destruction of White's light-squared bishop more than make up for this structural compromise, and he is of course still a pawn up.}) 20. Bg5 $6 {(25) Not bad, hinting at exchange sacrifices on f6 and sending me into retreat, but including his missing rook may have been stronger.} (20. Rd1 $142 Qd7 21. Qf2 Qc6 {Everything is covered for now but White can continue to patiently build the pressure with} 22. Bg5 $44 {and Black struggles to make progress because of the pressure on the f-file. For example, he can play to bag a second pawn with} Nxa4 {, but} 23. Bxf6 Bxf6 24. Nd5 $1 {leads to a forced draw following} Qxc4 25. Nxf6+ gxf6 26. Qg3+ Kh8 27. Qh4 Rc5 {(27. Rh5 was a big threat)} 28. Qxf6+ Kg8 29. Qg5+ Kf8 30. Qh6+ $11) 20... Ncd7 {(56)} 21. Bb3 Bb4 {Although it fleetingly puts me two pawns up, this is really a defensive measure, removing a dangerous would-be attacker.} 22. Qh4 Bxc3 23. bxc3 e3 {Although White will inevitably round up this pawn, the thinking was that I would still be a pawn up, I would earn some exchanges, and then... then we would see what happened.} 24. Re1 Rxc3 25. Qd4 {(20)} Qc7 {(40)} 26. Rxe3 Rcxe3 27. Bxe3 $44 {The trade of rooks has helped Black untangle, but White retains good compensation for the pawn deficit with two bishops against two knights.} Qg3 {If Black is going to win then he needs his pieces to start playing, hence this nuisance move to underline the floating e3 bishop and the slight weakness of White's king position.} 28. Rf3 Qe1+ 29. Kh2 $6 {By leaving me with a target on the e-file, White presents me with new chances. After the more cautious 29. Bg1 it would have remained to be seen how Black could make progress.} Ne5 {Suddenly White has to play precisely to keep everything defended.} 30. Rf4 {(12)} (30. Rg3 $143 $2 {allows Black to win a pawn with the simplifying combination} Neg4+ $1 31. hxg4 Rxe3 {intending} 32. Rxe3 Qxe3 33. Qxe3 Nxg4+ 34. Kg3 Nxe3 $17 {and although White still fights on even now with his active king and better minor piece, Black's two extra pawns should be enough.}) 30... Ng6 $2 {(29) Playing for an idea which doesn't work, and seriously underestimating the danger to my own king. Thankfully, as the game goes I get to try again.} (30... Neg4+ $144 $2 {doesn't work either now that the rook is on f4, because} 31. hxg4 Rxe3 {does not attack it. Therefore White is in time for} 32. g5 {, and Black needs to arrange a perpetual check before anything worse happens.} Qg3+ 33. Kg1 Re1+ 34. Rf1 Rxf1+ 35. Kxf1 Ne8 36. Qd7 Qf4+ 37. Kg1 Qe3+ $11) 31. Rf3 $2 {Missing a chance to equalise by force.} (31. Rxf6 $142 $1 {I wonder what I missed here (if I even analysed it at all) since} gxf6 32. Qxf6 {leaves Black with no choice: he has to defend f7 and it has to be with} Re7 $8 {so as to meet 33. Bh6 with ...Qe5+. But now} 33. Bd4 Kf8 34. Bc5 Ke8 35. Bxe7 Qxe7 36. Qxe7+ Kxe7 $11 {and White is in no danger with bishop against knight and pawns on both flanks.}) 31... Ne5 (31... Nh4 $143 $4 {was my original idea, preparing a fork on f5, but I had to discard it as after} 32. Rxf6 $1 {, the only move to not lose, White even wins:} gxf6 33. Qxf6 $18 {, and there is no answer to the twin threats of Qxf7+ and Bh6.}) 32. Rf4 {(White draw offer) We've seen this position before, but this time I put right what was once wrong and played} Nc6 {. White's queen is attacked as well as his dark-squared bishop, but it's not as simple as winning a piece just like that since after} 33. Qc4 {White hits f7 and is still fighting!} Qxe3 $6 {This was a miscalculation that should again have led to stale equality.} (33... Re6 $142 {returns to the old idea of blocking the a2-g8 diagonal. White has time to save his hanging piece, but} 34. Bf2 Qe5 35. Bg3 Re7 36. Rf1 Qh5 $15 {and Black has at least improved one of his knights by getting it from d7 to c6. The game goes on with Black retaining his extra pawn but only problematic winning chances.}) 34. Rxf6 $4 {The right idea, but the wrong move order. This should have lost quickly, but even as the game turns out this is a poor cousin of the more obvious 34. Qxf7+ for the simple reason that Black gets to keep his f-pawn.} (34. Qxf7+ $142 Kh8 {I had foreseen} 35. Rxf6 $1 {from this move order, but I only realised after White's 35th move in the game that} Qe5+ 36. Rf4 g5 {does not win a rook because of} 37. Qf6+ Qxf6 38. Rxf6 $11 {and Black has nothing.}) 34... Qe5+ $2 (34... Ne5 $142 {wins on the spot by defending f7 with tempo, and if White tries} 35. Qf4 {then nevertheless} gxf6 $1 36. Qxe3 Ng4+ 37. hxg4 Rxe3 $19 {with an easily won ending.}) 35. Rf4 {(2) As noted above, I was disappointed to realise that 35... g5 does not decide the game, but after investing half of my time to readjust I could at least play} Nd8 $17 {(9) and keep my extra pawn. The last few moves have still turned out in my favour, for White's bishop pair is no more. There are no profound moves in the next phase; the priority for both sides is just to reach move 40.} 36. Qd4 Qe7 37. Rf1 Ne6 38. Qb6 Qd7 39. Qf2 h6 40. Qf5 {(0)} Rc8 $6 {(4)} (40... Re7 $142 {As in some earlier lines, the rook is better placed here, keeping f7 under guard and so freeing the knight to move.} 41. Qe5 Nd4 {The reward is that Black can now get rid of the hated enemy bishop, and} 42. Qb8+ Kh7 43. Qg3 Nxb3 44. cxb3 Qd5 $17 {centralises the black queen with powerful effect.}) 41. Qe5 $6 {Yet another example of a careless move straight after the time control. Having spent much of the game nursing a weakness on f7, I couldn't object to forcing a trade of queens. Woods tutted at himself when he saw my reply.} Qc7 42. Re1 $6 {Lifting the attack on f7 is not the best, even if the idea is justified by my reply.} Qxe5+ $2 {Even with queens off, the rook and bishop can be a menace on the queenside if brought into my position.} (42... Nc5 $142 {should be inserted now that f7 doesn't hang. The queen exchange isn't going anywhere, and an opportunity to swap minor pieces should not be discarded.} 43. a5 Nxb3 44. cxb3 f6 45. Qxc7 Rxc7 $17 {Black will place his rook on b5 to defend his own backward pawn and attack White's, after which the first player is reduced to passive defence.}) 43. Rxe5 Rc6 44. Kg3 $2 {Giving Black precious time to consolidate.} (44. Bd5 $142 {The black rook is hard pressed to defend the queenside on its own once the bishop gets involved - the inferiority of the static knight is particularly marked here. A good attempt is} Rc5 {but} (44... Rxc2 45. Bxe6 fxe6 46. Rxe6 Ra2 47. Rb6 Rxa4 48. Rxb7 $11 {should be a draw with only two kingside pawns each, since White can devour them too quickly for a king march to the queenside to be feasible.}) 45. c4 $8 Kf8 (45... b6 46. Rf5 {unpins whilst preventing ...Kf8.} Nd8 47. Rf1 $11 {Black's knight is frozen out once more.}) 46. Re1 Nd8 47. Rb1 Rc7 48. Kg3 Ke7 49. Rb6 $15 {and Black is pushed onto the defensive to cover his weaknesses on both flanks, and I am doubtful that he can win.}) 44... g6 45. Re3 $2 {(26) This is an unhappy square for the rook, allowing a tactical solution to my problems which I don't overlook.} (45. Bd5 {comes too late now, as} Rc3+ 46. Kh2 Rc5 {leaves White without the Rf5 resource. After} 47. c4 b6 $19 {Black continues with ...Nc7 to force simplification.}) 45... Nd4 {(29)} 46. Rd3 (46. Bd5 {White's problem is that this move, which would be his saviour if the white rook was on a neutral square, instead fails to} Rxc2 $19 47. Bxb7 $4 Nf5+) 46... Nxc2 $2 {It says something for this ending that taking the bishop is a higher priority than winning a pawn. Its superiority over the knight is instructive.} (46... Nxb3 $142 {Now} 47. cxb3 (47. Rxb3 $144 Rxc2 48. Rxb7 Rc4 $19 {wins a second pawn cleanly}) 47... Rb6 48. Kf4 h5 $19 {ought to be sufficient for Black to win, because the white rook is tied to the defence of b3.}) 47. Kf2 $2 {After this final chance passes, there is no more coming back and Black is finally able to take control without any further incident. 47. Bd5 would have kept the game very much alive.} (47. Bd5 $142 Rc7 (47... Rb6 $6 48. Rf3 $11 {picks off f7 instead; it is this ability to play on both flanks at once that gives the bishop its superiority over the knight in this position.}) 48. Rb3 {allows White to win back one of the two pawns, and the other may not be sufficient to win.} Rc5 49. Be4 $1 {(not giving Black time to set up a blockade on the b-file with ...a5 and ...Nb4)} Nd4 50. Rxb7 Nf5+ 51. Kf2 Nd6 52. Rb8+ Kg7 53. Bd3 a5 54. Rb6 $15 {We could have been there for hours if this sort of position had come to pass...}) 47... Rf6+ 48. Ke2 Nb4 $19 49. Rd8+ Kg7 50. Rd7 {(23)} b6 {(25) Black now begins to transfer his pawns to dark squares, reducing the bishop's scope.} 51. Bc4 Rf4 52. Bb3 g5 53. Rb7 Rf6 54. Bc4 a5 55. Rc7 {(16)} Rf4 {(19)} 56. Bb5 h5 57. Rc8 h4 {Now g2 is fixed as a weakness, and Black plans to transfer his knight to f4 and then invade the second rank.} 58. Rc7 Nd5 59. Rc2 Rb4 60. Kf2 {(8)} Nf4 {(12)} 61. Rc6 (61. Bc6 {The text move decides the game at once, but if White defends passively then Black can slowly bring his king in, for example} f5 62. Bb5 Kf6 63. Bc6 Ke5 64. Bb5 Rb3 $19 {, and soon set about creating a passed pawn starting with ...g4.}) 61... Rb2+ {Once the g-pawn is lost the h-pawn won't be far behind, and so White finally called it a day. A tough battle! It was indicative of Epsom's fortunes, as despite our rating advantage we slipped to a second 2.5-3.5 defeat in as many days.} (61... Rb2+ 62. Kf3 Rxg2 {White's counterattack on the queenside is far too slow, and} 63. Rxb6 Rg3+ 64. Ke4 Rxh3 65. Ra6 Rg3 66. Rxa5 h3 $19 {sends the h-pawn through in short order.}) 0-1

The opening shows again that a fixed repertoire brings diminishing returns in the database age, but thereafter Woods deserves credit for his tenacious resistance. The main reason that I chose to pick out this game was just how powerful White's 'Fischer bishop' was, right into the endgame. I knew that the bishop pair gave him some chances, but mistakenly believed that the worst was over once I captured the dark-squared one. Everyone knows that f7 is a tender point in the opening, but in common with the Sanitt game this continued even after I'd castled. The f8 rook is loathe to stay still forever.

In the RB-RN ending, Black continues to struggle with one, and temporarily even two, extra pawns. Again, I'm just reciting chess ABCs to say that the bishop is stronger than the knight in an open position with play on both flanks, but I struggle to think of any games in my own practice which illustrate the point with such clarity. My hapless knight was all-but immobilised, and only a chance tactical trick (45... Nd4) allows it out of prison. Even then, my next move is worth highlighting - trading minor pieces was more valuable than winning another pawn. White does need to be energetic to make the most of his chances though, and in the end I was given time to consolidate.

I played out the concluding stages with the depressing knowledge that I would only be scoring a consolation goal for Epsom, as we lost by the odd point. This turned out to be part of a run of five defeats in six matches, punctuated only by a win against the top seeds whilst they were fortuitously short of most of their top players. The next game will be from the other end of the streak, and is probably the only standardplay game of the year so far in which I can say I played well.