[Event "El Chessico"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/3xOWz1wn/ZUtAZ7Jk"] [Date "2018.11.06"] [White "Adam Cranston"] [Black "Ted Udale"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "136"] [WhiteTeam "Hammersmith"] [BlackElo "150e"] [BlackTeam "Battersea"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D00"] [Opening "Queen's Pawn Game: Accelerated London System"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Check_M88"] [StudyName "All my OTB Games"] [ChapterName "Cranston v Udale"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/3xOWz1wn/ZUtAZ7Jk"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 d5 2. Bf4 Nf6 3. e3 Bf5 4. c4 c6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Qb3 Qb6?! { gifting the open a-file } (6... Qc8 { Grischuk, A. - Wang Hao, 1/2-1/2, SportAccord Blitz 2014, https://lichess.org/J3vzNHLJ }) (6... b6 $14) 7. c5 Qxb3 8. axb3 Nbd7 9. Be2 Be7 10. h3 O-O { Now it's necessary to prevent ...a5 } 11. b4 Ne4 { not actually posing much of a threat } 12. Nxe4?! { unnecessary } (12. Nf3 Nxc3 13. bxc3 Be4 14. O-O $16 { White's pawns and pieces are far better placed }) 12... Bxe4 13. Nf3 f6 14. O-O g5 15. Bh2 h5 16. Nd2 Bg6 17. f4? (17. Nb3!? { was my original plan. Apparently it's much better } 17... e5 18. Na5 Rab8 $18 { a possible continuation: } 19. b5 Rfc8 20. b4 a6 21. b6 Re8 22. Bxa6 bxa6 23. Nxc6 Rbc8 24. Na7 Rb8 25. dxe5 fxe5 26. Nc6 $18) 17... f5 18. g4 (18. fxg5 Bxg5 19. Bf4 Bxf4 20. exf4 Nf6 21. Nf3 $18 { The bad bishop and weakness on e6 will prove decisive }) 18... hxg4 19. hxg4 fxg4 20. Bxg4 Bf5 21. Bxf5 exf5 22. fxg5 Bxg5 23. Rf3 { Other options were also available, and apparently more accurate. But this innocuous defensive move has a sting its tail } 23... Rae8?? 24. Rg3! { crumbs } 24... Rxe3 25. Rxg5+ Kh7 26. Rxa7 f4 27. Rxb7 Kh6 28. Rg4 Kh5 29. Rxf4 Rg8+ 30. Kf2 Rh3 31. Rxd7?! (31. Nf3 { No need to be so quick to swap off material. The d7 knight has barely any squares anyway. }) 31... Rxh2+ 32. Ke3 Re8+ 33. Kd3 Rhe2 34. b5 Kg5 35. Rff7 R8e3+ 36. Kc2 cxb5 37. Rxd5+ Kg6 38. Rdd7 b4 39. b3 Re1 40. Rf2 Rc3+ 41. Kb2 Rec1 42. Nc4 Rd1 43. Rc2 Rh3 44. c6 Rhh1 45. Nd2 Rh8 46. Ra7 Rc8 47. c7 Kf6 48. d5 Ke7 49. Nc4 Rf8 50. d6+ (50. c8=Q+ { #4 }) 50... Kd7 51. Ne5+ 1-0