[Event "Hillingdon League, board 4"] [Site "Chiswick Town Hall"] [Date "2024.10.30"] [White "Andy Hayler"] [Black "Hristo Colov"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "1965"] [BlackElo "1881"] [ECO "B01"] [Opening "Scandinavian: 2...Qxd5 3.Nc3"] 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Bd2 Bg4 6.f3 {I didn't mind this weakness too much} Bf5 {6. ...Bd7} 7.Bc4 {7. g4! ... was the way} c6 8.Nge2 {8. g4! ... was still on. Then Qe2.} e6 9.O-O? {9. g4! .... and then h4 is better for White.} Qc7 {Maybe ... Qb6} 10.Ng3 Bg6 11.Nce4 {Here I looked at f4 and Qe2, both of which were better than what I played.} Nbd7 12.Qe2 Be7 13.Bb3 O-O 14.Rae1 Rad8 15.c3 {The best move but Black has not only equalised but is a touch better.} c5 {Correct.} 16.Be3 {16. Kh1 ... was an option.} Nxe4 {Not sure about this. The compute likes the wild ... h5} 17.fxe4 Bd6?! {Black provokes e5, but that seems a bad idea.} 18.e5 Be7 19.Qg4! {Now White has interesting potential kingside pressure and is a bit better.} Qc6 {19. ... cxd4 20. Cxd6 Qb6 is best} 20.h4 {Correct.} c4 {This looked a bit passive to me. 20. ... Kh8 looks best} 21.Bd1 {The bishop can quickly come back into play via f3 or g4} f5 {Black has to do something as White can play h5 etc. 21. ... f6 is the computer choice.} 22.exf6 {22. Qh3! ... was best} Nxf6 23.Qh3 Bd3 24.Rf2 Rde8 25.Bg5 {Logical and best. White definitely has the initiative now.} Bd8 26.Bf3 {Looks natural but 26. Nh5! ... was best} Qb6 {26. ... Qd6 was best} 27.h5?! {27. Nh5! ...} h6 28.Bc1 {28. Bxf6 ... was best} Nd5? {28. ... a5 and Black was at least equal,} 29.Bg4?! {29. Rxe6! ... was possible but I missed this entirely. It is not lethal but White is better after 29. ... Qxe6 30. Qxe6 Rex6 31. Bxd6 Kf7 32. Bf4 ... White will eventually be two pawns up but Black has the bishop pair as some compensation.} Nc7 {Black offered a draw here. I knew I was better but I only had 10 minutes left v 25, so playing on seemed risky. In retrospect, I should have played on. Stockfish reckons the position is +1} 1/2-1/2