1.e4
c5
2.Nf3
Nc6
3.d4
cxd4
4.Nxd4
g6
5.Nc3
Bg7
6.Be3
Nf6
7.Be2
[7.Bc4
Is played more often. 7...0-0
8.Bb3
d6
9.f3
Bd7
10.Qd2
etc.]
7...0-0
8.0-0
d5
9.exd5
Nxd5
10.Nxd5
Qxd5
11.Bf3
Qc4
12.Nxc6
bxc6
13.c3
Rb8
14.Qc1
a5
15.Rd1
a4
16.a3?!
Bf5
17.Rd2
Rfd8
18.Rxd8+
Rxd8
19.Qe1
Bc2
20.Qe2
Qxe2
21.Bxe2
Rb8
22.Bc1?!
Around this point, I was fearing the worst, its what the good players do well, gain a
positional edge then slowly improve their advantage. [22.Bd1
Bxd1
23.Rxd1
h6
(23...Rxb2
24.Rd8+
Bf8
25.Kf1
Kg7=/+
) 24.Bc1
Rb5-/+
]
22...e5
23.Kf1
The King takes a walk, to protect the b2 pawn simultaneously freeing the Bishop and Rook to enter the fray.
23...h5
24.Ke1
Kh7
25.Bd1
Bb3
26.Bxb3
Rxb3
27.Kd2
e4
28.Kc2
At last the Bishop is free!
28...Be5
29.h3
f5
30.Be3
f4?
A push too far by 'the hawk' It loses a pawn.
31.Bd2
f3
32.gxf3
exf3
33.Re1
Rb5
34.Re3
g5
35.Rxf3
Kg6
36.Rf8
Bf6?
[36...Rb8
37.Rxb8
Bxb8
38.f3
Kf5
39.b3
axb3+
40.Kxb3
g4
41.fxg4+
hxg4
42.hxg4+
Kxg4
43.Be3
Kf5+-
]
37.Ra8
Rf5
38.Rxa4?!
[38.Be3
Rf3
39.Rxa4
Rxh3
40.Kd2
Rf3
41.Ke2
Rf5
42.Rc4
h4
43.Rxc6
h3
44.Kf1
]
38...Rf3?!
[38...Rxf2
39.Rc4
g4!
40.hxg4
h4
41.Kd3
Rxd2+
42.Kxd2
h3
43.Re4
Bh4
44.Re2
Bg3
45.Kd3
h2
46.Rxh2
Bxh2
]
39.Re4?
Rxh3
40.a4
Rh1
41.Be1
Kf5
42.Re3
Rh4
43.b4
c5?
[43...Re4
44.Rxe4
Kxe4
45.a5
Be5
46.c4
Bb8
47.b5
cxb5
48.cxb5
Kd5
]
44.a5
cxb4
45.cxb4
Rc4+
46.Kb3
Rc8
47.b5
h4
48.b6
Bd4
49.b7
Rb8
50.Re7
h3
51.a6
g4
52.Ba5
Kf6
53.Bc7
Rh8
[53...Kxe7
54.Bxb8
Kd7
55.Kc4
Bxf2
56.Bd6
Ba7
57.Kd5
g3
58.Bxg3
h2
59.Bxh2
Game over.]
54.Re1
Ba7??
time trouble.
55.Be5+ 1-0
In the two and a half years since this game was played, 'the hawk' has improved by over 20 grading points, and is now arguably the best player in the North East of England.
I very much doubt I would get away with the full point with the position I had after 22 moves nowadays!