[Event "BCCC 2017"]
[Site "Jamie's flat"]
[Date "2017-04-24"]
[White "Jamie Brotheridge"]
[Black "Bas van Riel"]
[WhiteElo "1527"]
[BlackElo "1872"]
[Result "0.5-0.5"]

{500MB, Bas-PC} 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.a3 d5 4.Nf3 c5 5.dxc5 Bxc5 6.Nc3 O-O 7.e3 a6 8.cxd5 exd5 {The role of blacks d5-pawn will be interesting and important: as it is unsupported by a 'fellow'-pawn, is inherently weak, and a target for white. On the other hand, being in the centre of the board it has lots of potential power. He is supported by open lines of the black bishops, and a somewhat underdeveloped white position. In the next 10 or so moves, we will see white attacking the pawn, and white trying to improve his position and increase the pressure. (BvR)} 9.Be2 Bf5 10.O-O Nc6 11.b4 Bd6 {black's d-pawn is still (indirectly) protected because of Bxh2+ (BvR)} 12.Qb3 h6 {to prevent white playing Ng5 after 13.Rd1, Be6 (BvR)} 13.Rd1 Be6 14.Qb2 Rc8 15.h3 Qe7 16.Qd2 Rfd8 17.Bb2 Ne5 18.Rac1 Nc4 19.Qc2 Ne4!? {Increasing the pressure, especially on white's queen...} 20.Qb1 a5?? {..and also pressure on me obviously: overlooking the simple 20...Nxa3; 21.Bxa3, Nxc3, winning the exchange and a pawn. Harder to see but still winning for black is: 20...Qa1; Bxb4; 21.Nxe4, dxe4; 22.Bxg7, exf3; for instance 23.Bxh6, f6 etc (BvR)} 21.Nd4? {Missed it again!! Enbarrassing!!(BvR)} Nxb2?? {Missed it again!! (BvR)} 22.Qxb2 Nxc3 23.Rxc3 Rxc3 24.Qxc3 axb4 25.axb4 Bxb4 26.Qb3 {after all this, black is a pawn up, plus the advantage of the bishop's pair. However, the position now is drastically simplified (BvR)} Bd6 27.Rb1 Rd7 28.Bd3 Qg5 29.Nf3 Qd8 30.Nd4 {jostling to improve positions again (BvR)} Be5 31.Nf3 d4?! {The obvious move, allowing to activate black's bishops. But perhaps too impatient?} 32.Qb5 Bf6 33.exd4 Bxd4 {Overlooking Jamie's strong reply. Instead, 33....Bd5 would have been the harmonious solution to protect black's b-pawn, as well as recapturing the pawn on d4 a little later (BvR)} 34.Be4 Ba7 35.Bxb7 Rd1+ 36.Kh2? (36.Rxd1 Qxd1+ 37.Qf1 Qc2 38.Ba6 Bc5 39.Qe2 Qb1+ 40.Qf1 Qa2 41.Bd3 g6) 36...Rxb1 37.Qxb1 Bxf2?? {A blunder, overlooked by both of us. After 37..Qb8+ and 38..Bd5 black wiould have won a piece (and the game) (BvR)} 38.Be4 Qd6+ 39.Kh1 Bg3 40.Qd3 Qxd3 41.Bxd3 Bd5 42.Nd2 Kf8 43.Kg1 Ke7 44.Nf1 Bd6 45.Kf2 Bc5+ 46.Kg3 Kf6 47.Nd2 Ke5 48.Nf3+ Kf6 49.Nd2 Bb4 50.Be4? {With 2 bishops, black would have better chances to win the endgame with a plus-pawn} Bxe4 51.Nxe4+ Ke5 52.Kf3 f5 53.Ng3 g6 54.Ne2 Bd2 55.h4 g5 56.hxg5 hxg5 57.g4 f4 58.Ng1 Be3 59.Nh3 Kf6 60.Ke4 Kg6 61.Kf3 {Jamie has kept a cool head all along this very long and difficult game (close to 5 hours). Very soon after the opening untile the very end of the game he was ( and had to) on the defensive. He did this very well and patiently, whereas Jamie is known to be an attacking and impulsive player.(BvR)} {#d}