[Event "Hamilton Russell Cup"] [Site "The Athenaeum"] [Date "2019.02.19"] [White "Lee, Peter"] [Black "Emerson, Roger"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A05"] [Opening "Reti: KIA"] {Comments are by Peter Lee (PL) and Roger Emerson (RE)} 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.O-O O-O 5.d4 d6 6.Nc3 Nbd7 7.e4 e5 8.h3 c6 9.Be3 Re8 10.a4 {PL: Possibly 10 d5 cxd5 11 exd5 Nb6 12 Nd2 Bd7 is slightly better, but still about equal} Qc7 {PL: Possibly 10 d5 cxd5 11 exd5 Nb6 12 Nd2 Bd7 is slightly better, but still about equal.} 11.Re1 b6 12.Qd2 Bb7 13.Rad1 a6 14.Bh6 Rad8 15.Bxg7 {PL: 14 dxe5 is slightly better. Now Black is equal} Kxg7 16.Nh4 {PL: Not sure my moves 16 and 17 represents a sensible plan, but I was running out of ideas.} h6 17.f4 c5 {RE: 17… b5 would be better 18. axb5 axb5 19. b4 (19. f5 g5) 19… Nb6.} 18.fxe5 dxe5 19.d5 Qd6 {PL: White is minimally better here.} 20.Bf1 c4 {PL: 20 Bf1 was to allow the knight to go to g2 then e3 aiming at c4, but I had missed Roger could play 20..c4.} 21.Kh2 Qc5 {RE: 21… Qb4 22. a5 b5 23. Ra1 Nc5 24. Qc1.} 22.Qe3 Qb4 23.Rb1 Rc8 {RE: 23… Nc5.} 24.b3? {PL: 24 b3 is a mistake, opening the position for Black’s rooks. Better to wait with 24 Be2 or 24 Nf3.} cxb3 25.Rxb3 Qc5 {RE: 25… Qa5.} 26.Qxc5 Rxc5 27.Bd3? {PL: Better 27 Re3.} Rec8 28.Nd1 Ne8? {RE: I considered 28… Rxc2+ 29. Bxc2 Rxc2+ 30. Ng2 but didn’t evaluate it correctly – 30 … Nxe4 31. Rxe4 Bxd5 32. Rbb4 (32. Nde3 Bxb3 33. Nxc2 Bxc2 34. Rc4 Bb3 35. Rb4 (35. Rc7 Bxa4) 35… Be6 36. Ne3) 32… a5 33. Nde3 axb4 34. Nxd5 b3 35. Rb4 Nc5 36. Nde3 gives Black a slight advantage according to Stockfish! PL: My ancient Fritz made this quite a bit better for Black.} 29.Ne3 Nd6 30.Reb1 R8c7 {RE: 30… Rc3.} 31.Nf3 f5 32.Nd2 fxe4? {RE: I had missed White’s threat of d6 at the end of the sequence. I should have played 32… Rc3 33. exf5 gxf5 34. Rxc3 (34. Nxf5+ Nxf5 35. Bxf5 Bxd5 Bxd5 36. Rxc3 Rxc3 37. Bxd7 Rxc2) 34… Rxc3 35. Nxf5+ Nxf5 36. Nxf5 Bxd5 37. g4.} 33.Nxe4 Nxe4 34.Bxe4 Rc8? {RE: I should probably have played 34… a5 allowing 35. d6 (35. Bg2 Ba6) 35… Bxe4 36. dxc7 Rxc7 is OK for Black.} 35.Rxb6! Nxb6 36.Rxb6 R5c7 37.Rxg6+ {PL: While this is good, 37. c4 is even better.} Kf7 38.Rxh6 Rc3 39.Nf5 Rxc2+ 40.Kg1 Rc1+ 41.Kf2 R8c2+ 42.Kf3 Rc3+ 43.Kg4 {RE: Natural, but 43. Ke2 is better PL: Though what I played should be good enough with more time.} Bc8 {RE: I offered a draw. Peter was down to about a minute, so accepted. It is still very good for White but not enough time to win! Draw agreed.} {#d} 1/2-1/2