Andy Hayler (1928) vs Owen Alvares
1197222
[White "Andy Hayler"] [Black "Owen Alvares"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "1928"] [ECO "C41"] [Opening "Philidor: 3...exd4 4.Nxd4"] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 {The Philidor.} 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bd7 {A little unusual.} 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Be3 Be7 7.Qd2 Bf6 8.O-O-O {White should ideally swap on c6 before castling.} Nge7 {An odd setup. Swapping on d4 was what I had expected.} 9.Kb1 {9. Nde2! ... is the computer choice.} Ng6 {Again, swapping on d4 is best.} 10.f3 {The immediate Nf5 is even better.} a6 11.g4 {again Nf5 right now is best} h6 12.Nf5 {Better late than never} Bxf5 {12. ... Nh4 is best but White is still better} 13.gxf5 Nge7 14.Rg1 {14. f4 ... immediately is most precise.} Ne5 {14. ... Qd7 and castling queenside would be a better plan.} 15.Qf2 {or 15. Be2 ...} Nd7 16.Bd4 Kf8 {Not quite sure about this idea.} 17.f4 {Best. Now e5 is in the air.} Nc6 {Provocative} 18.Bxf6 gxf6 {Ugly but it is all a bit grim. Taking with the Queen is marginally better and then Bh3 leaves White well on top.} 19.Qg3 Nb6 {Maybe ... Ke8, which gives you an idea of how bad the position is.} 20.Qg7+ {I looked at Nd5 ... first and this is probably even better.} Ke7 21.e5 {There are a lot of threats} Qf8 {21. ... Qe8 but it is grim.} 22.Qxf6+ Kd7 23.Rg7 {Best, bringing another piece into the attack.} Kc8 {Best to run. 23. ... Nd8 loses to 24. e6 ...and e7 to follow} 24.Rxf7 Qe8 {Maybe ... Qd8 was a touch better} 25.Qg7 {White has an abundance of options. I looked at taking on d6 and that is fact optimal.} Kb8 26.Rxc7 Nd8 {Maybe ... Ra7} 27.Rxd6?! {27. Bh3! ... is most precise.} Rg8 28.Qh7 {28. Re7! ... but not 28. Qe7 Qxe7 29. Rxe7 Nc8 forking the rooks} Rg1 29.Rd1 {White has four (count 'em( extra pawns and Black's pieces are still in a mess.} Ra7 30.Re7 Qf8 31.f6 {best. The White pawn phalanx will come in handy one day.} Nc8 32.Rg7 {Obviously this is crunch time, with the rook on g1 under attack. Swapping the rooks will lead to White queening, so...} b5 {The best of a bad set of options.} 33.Rxa7 Nxa7 34.Qd7 {34. Qe7 ... was also killing} Nac6 {34. ... Nc8 was best.} 35.Nd5 {Now the White knight joins the fray and mate in two is threatened.} Qf7 {35. ... Ka8 or 35. ... Nb7 does not really help} 36.Ne7! {A simple but nice tactic. Interference.} Qe6 37.Nxc6+ Qxc6 38.Qxd8+ {It is all over now. White has another piece to add to his pawns, and a mating attack thrown in.} Ka7 39.Rd7+ {After 39. ... Qb7 40. Rxb7+ Kxb7 white can just retreat the queen to cover the back rank problem, or even pick up the rook with check if Black is careless where he puts his king.} {#r} 1-0
1-0
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