[Event "BCCC 2017"]
[Site "Central Highland Library"]
[Date "2017-06-03"]
[White "Rodney Jacobs"]
[Black "Bas van Riel"]
[WhiteElo "1695"]
[BlackElo "1872"]
[Result "0-1"]

{500MB, Bas-PC} 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.c3 {(=anti-Sicilian)(BvR) After my bad experiences with the Morra gambit =(anti-Sicilian setup) in games against Michael Tausz in last year's BCCC2016 and this year's Rapid against Rodney (both them I lost), I had done some homework and prepared an 'antidote-opening' !?, declining the pawn sacrifice after 4...dxc3} Nf6 5.e5 {(BvR) the best move, (RJ). I didn't know this line. This is the move most commonly used (90% of the time) on Chessbase. But, ominously, it only has a 40% success rate. Bas had done his homework.} Nd5 6.Qxd4 {(BvR) When it was played, my first thought was that it was a weak move, because it would make white's queen vulnerable in the centre. Moreover, I had not noticed this move in my preparation. After the game Rodney told me that it was a good/ the most usual move, and he was right I discovered back home. My assessment gave me confidence, albeit for the wrong reason, that I was travelling OK. (RJ) I didn't know it at the time, but, while not that common, the move has as good a success rate as any. cd is vastly more popular, but has an inferior success rate. Chess is a funny game.} e6 {(RJ) The move, according to Chessbase.} 7.Bd3?! {(BvR) A poor decision in view of my next move. Strangely enough, because Rodney was familiar with this line, and yet he had already spent 25 minutes for his 7 moves. (RJ) (My question mark.) No, I'm very familiar with the Morra, but not this line. Hence this clanger after 13 minutes thought. It's not among the (8) reasonable alternatives appearing on Chessbase. The reason is the queen is going to be embarrassed on the very next move. Nbd2 or ed are usual. Interestingly, Stockfish 7 doesn't mind Bd3.} Nc6 8.Bb5 {(RJ) Admitting the innacuracy on the previous move. Qe4 was also possible.} Bd7 9.Bxc6 {(RJ) Now that White has gone down this road, this is best.} Bxc6 10.O-O {(RJ) Despite White's awkward play, the engines say it's pretty much even - about -.2.} Qc7 {(RJ) Stockfish 7 prefers f6, Deep Shredder the odd-looking Ne7} 11.Bg5 {(BvR) The intention of this move is clear, i.e. developing his black bishop and obstructing black's queen side castling. However, the move seemed very artificial to me, and I spent 22  minutes for my reply. 11...f6 followed by 12...e5 was quickly rejected. 11...Bb5; 12.c4, dxe5; 13.Nxe5, Bd6 looked messy and too complicated for me. So, I settled for 11...dxe5, and 12.f6, accepting the loss of my pair of bishops. (RJ) Yes, Bg5 is not the best. One reason for the move is that I wanted to get the bishop out and couldn't think of anywhere else to put it. The engines give Nbd2.} dxe5 {(RJ) Best.} 12.Nxe5 f6 13.Nxc6 Qxc6 14.Bh4? {(BvR) While Rodney was in deep thought where to withdraw his bishop, I began to realise that my earlier optimism was misplaced and that I would have only a microscopic advantage if he was to play his bishop back to f4, e3 or d2.Hence, my question mark, as I now have not only a tangible (+0.5) advantage, but also a clear target. Which was easy to play.(RJ) Yes, I completely underestimated Black's kingside attacking possibilities. With the benefit of hindsight (i.e. having been crunched) it's easy to see; In the race of advancing pawns, Black has two free tempi. After this, Deep Shredder gives Black a .74 advantage, but the super-strong Stockfish 7 puts it at - 1.44, with a note that Black now has the upper hand.} Bc5 {(RJ) Both my engines prefer the immediate h5.} 15.Qd2? {(RJ) Another critical error, placing the queen on a square where, following Black's castling, it will be on the same square as Black's rook, effectively giving Black another free tempo. Stockfish 7 now puts it at -2.} O-O-O {(BvR) The threat is 16...Ne3} 16.Qc1 g5 17.Bg3 h5 {(BvR) Here we come...} 18.b4 {(BvR).While Rodney took 7 minutes for this move, I could not understand why he did not play the obvious (imo) 18. h3 or h4, instead, saving his bishop and weakening his queenside. But then I realised that after 18.h3, h4; 19.Bh2, Rdg8; and 20...g4 I would have a strong attack. (RJ) Yes, b4 is best. But Stockfish 7 now puts it at -7.44!} Bb6? {(BvR) I overlooked the brilliancy 18...Bxf2+; After 19.R or Kxf2, h5. Or after 19.Bxf2, Nf4 a forced checkmate on g2. (RJ) Yes, Bb6 is a bad mistake. But the engines indicate Bxf2 would also have been an error, giving 19.Rxf2  h4. 20. Bxh4. Far stronger is simply h4! maintaing their -7 assessment. Now it's back to about -2.} 19.a4? {(BvR) This tactic is faulty. (RJ) Yes, b5 is better, while still losing.} h4 20.a5? {(RJ) b5 holds out a little longer.} hxg3? {(RJ) Nf4! forces mate. But this is pretty good! (BvR)  After 20....Nf4? follows 21.Bxf4..} 21.axb6 Nf4! {(BvR) The checkmate threat on g2 must have come as a surprise to Rodney. (RJ) no, it's not pretty now.} 22.Qxf4 gxf4 23.bxa7 Kc7 {(RJ) A nice display of attacking skill by Bas, punishing severely White's middle game inaccuracies.} {#R}