[Event "BCCC 2018"]
[Site "Mechanics Institute"]
[Date "2018-06-28"]
[White "Heath Gooch"]
[Black "Bas van Riel"]
[WhiteElo "1839"]
[BlackElo "1789"]
[Result "1-0"]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Qg4 Nf5 8.Bd3 h5 9.Qg5 Qxg5 10.Bxg5 Nc6 11.Ne2 cxd4 12.Bxf5 exf5 13.cxd4 b6 14.c3 Ba6 15.Nf4 Bc4 16.Kd2 Kd7 17.Nd3 Bxd3 18.Kxd3 {(bas) After swapping my weak bishop, and having a small advantage from hereon, I felt moderately optimistic. Given that I needed a win to win the championship, and playing black.} Na5 19.Rab1 Rac8 20.Rhc1 Rc6 21.h4 Rhc8 22.g3 Nc4 23.Rb3 a6 24.a4 R6c7 25.Bf4 Ke6 26.Bg5 Na5 27.Rb4 Kd7 28.Bf4 Rb7 29.Bg5 Rc4 30.Bf4 Kc6 31.Rxc4+ Nxc4 32.Ra1 Re7 33.Rb1 Ra7 34.Ra1 Rb7 35.Bg5 a5 36.Rb1 b5 37.axb5+ Rxb5 38.Rxb5 Kxb5 39.Kc2 Ka4 40.Be7 Kb5 41.Bf8 g6 42.Bh6 a4 43.Bg5 Na5 44.Kb2 Kc4 45.Be7 Kd3?? {(bas) The move that spoils it all! I missed an elegant and easy opportunity to win here: 45...Nc6! (-3); 46.Bf8; (Not 46.Bc5?; Nxe5 wins immediately),.. Na7; Followed forcefully by 47.Ka3, Nb5+; 48.Kxa3, Nxc3+ and black gobbles up an additional pawn, with more to follow. The engine shows that also 45...Nb3; 46...Nd2 and 47...Ne4 is winning for black in the long run.} 46.Ka3 Nc4+ 47.Kxa4 Kxc3 48.Bc5 Nd2? {I suddenly realised here that a path to winning, if present, was hard to find. And that a draw was not enough to win the BCCC.(bas)} 49.Bb4+ Kd3 50.Bxd2 Kxd2 51.Kb4 Kd3? {Loosing a tempo and the draw. After 51...Ke2; 52.f4, Kf3; there will be a run to queening pawns by both players.} 52.Kc5 Ke4 53.f4 Kf3 54.Kxd5 Kxg3 55.e6 fxe6+ 56.Kxe6 Kxf4 57.d5 {Black resigned after another 10 or so moves.Congratulations, Heath, winning the game and with it the 2018 Club Championship.I am obviously very disapponted that I could not pull a rabbit out of head although I came close. Looking back at the Championship, your chess was very consistent throughout the tournament, Certainly better that my efforts, having luck on my side in several games. Therefore, you have most certainly deserved your Club Championship (Bas).} {#r}