[Event "DancyvPalmer: Chapter 1"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/qzwWjADo/U0cCukgG"] [Result "*"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B20"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Kronberger Variation"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Chris_Beckett"] [UTCDate "2018.07.17"] [UTCTime "09:11:28"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/qzwWjADo/U0cCukgG"] [Orientation "white"] { Out of several entries for Battersea's best game prize, the game between Malcolm Dancy and Alan Palmer was the one that stood out for me. After an unusual opening by Malcolm the advantage ebbed and flowed and the game saw a good old scrap between the power of knights against bishops, as well as positional gains on the queenside versus direct aggression on the kingside. The game went through many interest passages of play with both sides duking it out until the last move. } 1. e4 c5 2. Na3!? { Only the 14th most popular move according to Chessbase but Malcolm's cheeky little knight move has a lot to recommend it. It may seem dim on the rim for now but, dependent on what Black decides to do, it can reroute - usually to c2 - when it will fit it with a variety of White set-ups. } 2... e6 3. f4 d5! { Alan replies in classical style and the position soon resembles an offbeat French Advance variation... } 4. e5 Nc6 5. Bb5?! { .... but this move doesn't quite fit in - White would be better getting his knights sorted with Nf3 and c3/Nc2 } 5... Ne7 { (...c4 is a good alternative, trying to cut across White's natural plan of bolstering his centre with c3/Nc2/d4) } 6. c3 a6 7. Bxc6+ Nxc6 8. d3 Be7 $15 9. Nc2 b5 { Natural, but ....d4 is probably better here or the following couple of moves, stopping White's own d4 advance and opening up the tasty a8-h1 diagonal. } 10. a3 O-O 11. Nf3 Bb7?! { Positionally a bit dubious. Now White can close the diagonal down and leave Alan's white-squared bishop - always a problem piece in these French structures - without a good home for a while. } 12. d4! Rc8?! { A normal developing move but one that doesn't really address the needs of the position. White is still lagging behind in development but in a closed set-up this won't matter too much - a move like ...b4 is called for to shake things up, striking in an area of the board where Black has the upper hand. } 13. Be3 cxd4 { ...c4 was also interesting with a5 and b4 as a follow-up } 14. Ncxd4 Qd7 15. O-O $14 { White has an edge owing to Black's duff white-squared bishop - over the next few moves Alan sets about trying to solve this } 15... Na5! 16. Qe1?! { Qe2 makes more sense, protecting b2 straight away } 16... Nc4 17. Rb1 a5! $10 18. Bd2 { White's drifted a little over the last few moves in the face of some strong accurate play by Alan - probably Bf2 or even g4 opening playon the kingside is more in the spirit of the position. } 18... Ba6 19. Rf2 Bc5 20. Kh1 Nxd2 21. Qxd2 $13 { An intriguing middlegame has arisen, pitting the Palmer bishop pair against Dancy's dancing knights. At first glance I'd consider Black to have a slight edge but it's actually far from clear. Queenside play is all well and good but White's pawn breakthrough is a lot closer to his enemy's king... } 21... Rb8? { An error that goes unpunished, Black shouldn't hesitate to open up with ...b4 } 22. g4? { Both sides are close to their big push but here Malcolm could have put a major spanner in the Black works with b4! reducing the a6 bishop to "tall pawn" status and giving himself a free hand to get hacking. } 22... b4! $15 { Opening things up nicely } 23. axb4 axb4 24. Rg1 { No messing around from Malcolm } 24... bxc3 25. bxc3 Kh8?! { Understandable given White's aggressive intent but, having opened up the queenside, the best way of derailing the attack is to infiltrate as quickly as possible by doubling rooks on the b file with Rb6/b7. } 26. f5! $14 { Dancy SMAAAASH! Logical and good, now Black is under a lot of pressure... } 26... exf5? { This opens up Black's position more than White's. The retreat Be7, keeping an eye on the key f6 and g5 squares, was the way to go. } 27. gxf5 $16 f6 $7 { Only move, anything else allows White to break through e.g Bxd4 is met by f6! - where g6 leads to a mate in 3 after Qh6 - and after Rg8 fxg7+ Rxg7 Qxd4 it seems only a matter of time before Black's defences crumble. } 28. e6 { A decent move but Rfg2 was even stronger, tying Alan down and leaving the threat of e6 hanging over the Black position } 28... Qd6 29. Rfg2 Rg8? { Rb7 was a much safer way to defend g7 and, importantly, allowed the Black king a flight square. } 30. Rg4?! { The right idea but Nh4! with the idea of Qe3 and Ng6+ was truly murderous e.g ...Qc7 Qe3 Rge8 e7 Rxe7 Ng6+! hxg6 Qh3+ fxg6 Re5 Qh7+ Kf8 Qh8+ Ke7 Qxg7+ Kd8 Qxf6+ } 30... Bxd4 31. Rxd4 { (cxd4 with the same Nh4 plan was a good alternative) } 31... Qe7! { Setting a trap... } 32. Nh4! { ...that White sidesteps. Rxd5 would have allowed the cool Bb7, turning the game on its head } 32... g5! { Excellent defence by Alan, this move poses Malcolm the most problems. } 33. Ng2!? { Practically a very good decision, particularly as I imagine time trouble would be starting to play a factor. Taking the g pawn was tempting but after the reply ...Qxe6 the position, while still better for White, is far more messy. Malcolm's move allows him to keep his passed-pawn trump card while the blocked structure on the kingside means the stage is set for some nifty knight work. } 33... Bb7?! { So often after a long defence it's hard to change gears but here Black needs to engineer counterplay with Rb3 or Qa3 or face falling into total passivity. } 34. Ne3 Rbd8 35. Rd1 Rd6?! { Qc5 gives her majesty a more active role, this leaves Black's strongest piece on the sidelines having to babysit Malcolm's monster e6 pawn. } 36. Kg1! $18 { Getting out of the bishop's way, there's no need for White to rush } 36... Rgd8 37. c4! { Time to break through } 37... Kg7 38. cxd5 Qc7 39. Rc4 Qxc4! { Alan's not going down without a fight, this is Black's best practical chance. } 40. Nxc4 Rxd5 41. Qb4! { To paraphrase Morrissey, some squares are better than others. This one eyes e7 as well as Black's bishop. } 41... Rxd1+ 42. Kf2 Bc6 { All roads lead to Rome at this stage } 43. Qe7+ Kh6 44. Qxf6+ Kh5 45. e7 Re8 46. Qxc6 Rxe7 47. Qf3+! { Sealing the deal. A very good game between two of Battersea's toughest and friendliest competitors. Well done to Malcolm who timed his attack very well and managed to switch between positional and more bloodthirsty chess to chalk up the win. } *