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Oswestry Chess Club
[Event "Shrewsbury A - Oswestry A"] [Site "?"] [Date "2025.04.03"] [Round "Bd 1"] [White "Van Kemenade, R."] [Black "Higgie, Charles L"] [Result "0-1"] [Annotator "Van Kemenade,Rudy"] [ECO "B31"] [WhiteElo "1951"] [BlackElo "1917"] [PlyCount "126"] [GameId "2162335531925665"] [EventDate "2025.04.03"] {[%evp 0,6,22,32,24,4,24,19,31]} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 (2... d6 3. Bb5+ Bd7 4. Bxd7+ Qxd7 5. O-O e5 6. c3 g6 7. d4 Bg7 8. Be3 Na6 9. dxe5 dxe5 10. Qxd7+ Kxd7 11. Na3 Ne7 12. Nc4 {Van Kemenade-Higgie, Oswestry Ch 2024,1-0}) 3. Bb5 g6 (3... e6 4. Bxc6 (4. O-O Nge7 5. b3 d6 6. Bb2 a6 7. Be2 h6 8. d4 Qc7 9. d5 Nd8 10. Nc3 e5 11. Nxe5 dxe5 12. d6 Qc6 13. dxe7 Bxe7 14. Nd5 Bd6 15. f4 Be6 16. fxe5 Bb8 17. Bg4 b5 18. Qf3 Ra7 19. Rad1 O-O 20. Bf5 Qe8 21. Nf6+ gxf6 22. exf6 Bxf5 23. exf5 Kh7 24. Qh3 Ne6 25. Bc1 Nf4 26. Rxf4 Qe2 27. Qxh6+ {1-0 Waters,C (2115)-Higgie,C BCF-chT3N 1314 (4NCL) England 2013 (5.79)}) 4... bxc6 5. e5 Ba6 6. d3 c4 7. O-O cxd3 8. cxd3 Ne7 9. Re1 Nd5 10. d4 Be7 11. Nc3 Nxc3 12. bxc3 Rb8 13. Qc2 d5 14. exd6 Bxd6 15. Ng5 h6 16. Ne4 O-O 17. Nxd6 Qxd6 18. a4 Rfc8 19. Ba3 Qd5 20. Rab1 Bc4 21. Re5 Bb3 22. Qd3 Qc4 23. Qxc4 Bxc4 24. Rxb8 Rxb8 25. Bb4 Bd5 26. h3 a5 27. Bxa5 Ra8 28. Bb4 Rxa4 29. Re2 {½-½ Cartlidge,A-Higgie,C BCF-chT3N 1314 (4NCL) England 2013 (1.79)}) 4. O-O Bg7 5. c3 Qb6 (5... Nf6) (5... e5 {main lines}) 6. Bxc6 (6. Na3) (6. Ba4 {more frequent lines}) 6... Qxc6 {main} (6... bxc6) (6... dxc6 {against which Wh has better scores than the text}) 7. Re1 d5 {SF16} (7... d6 {main;SF17}) 8. exd5 (8. e5 Bg4 9. d4 $11 {SF17} e6 10. dxc5 Bxf3 11. Qxf3 Qxc5 12. Nd2 Ne7 13. Qh3 Nc6 14. b4 Qb6 15. Nf3 a5 16. Be3 Qc7 17. Bc5 b6 18. Bd6 Qd7 19. b5 Ne7 20. c4 dxc4 21. Nd2 c3 22. Ne4 O-O 23. Qxc3 Rfc8 24. Qd4 {½-½ Burg,T (2507)-Halvax,G (2404) BL2-West 2122 Germany 2022 (4.3)}) 8... Qxd5 9. d4 {the position has some resemlance to an Alapin c3 line vs the Sicilian} Bg4 (9... cxd4 10. Nxd4 Nf6 $11 {SF17}) 10. dxc5 {Wh was content with a longterm 3 to 2 Q side majority , as well as getting some rapid development.} (10. Qa4+ {considered} Bd7 11. Qa3 cxd4 (11... Bc6 12. Qxc5 Qxc5 13. dxc5 Nh6 $14) 12. cxd4 Be6 13. Nc3 Qc4 14. Ne5 Qxd4 15. Nb5 Qb6 16. Qa4 Kf8 17. Bf4 $18 {SF17}) 10... Qxc5 11. Be3 (11. h3 Bxf3 12. Qxf3 Qc6 13. Qxc6+ bxc6 14. Nd2 $14 {SF17}) 11... Qc6 12. Nbd2 Rd8 (12... Nf6 13. h3 Bxf3 14. Nxf3 O-O 15. Bd4 Rfe8 $14 {SF17}) 13. h3 (13. Qb3 Be6 14. Qb4 b6 15. Nd4 Bxd4 16. Bxd4 f6 17. a4 $16 {SF17}) 13... Bxf3 14. Qxf3 Qxf3 15. Nxf3 a6 16. Bc5 (16. Rad1) (16. Bb6 Rd6 17. Bc5 Rd5 18. Ba3 e6 19. c4 Rd8 20. Rad1 Bf6 $14 {SF17}) 16... e6 17. Ng5 (17. Rad1 Rxd1 18. Rxd1 Nf6 19. Nd2 b5 20. c4 bxc4 21. Nxc4 Nd5 22. Nd6+ Ke7 23. Rd3 Ra8 24. Nf5+ Kf6 25. Nxg7 Kxg7 26. Ra3 Kf6 $11 {SF17}) 17... Ne7 (17... Rd5 18. Ne4 Nf6 19. Bd4 (19. Nd6+ Kd7 20. Rad1 Rxc5 21. Nxf7+ Ke7 22. Nxh8 Bxh8 23. f4 Nd7 $17) 19... Ke7 20. Nc5 Ne8 21. Bxg7 Nxg7 22. b4 Rc8 $11 {SF17}) 18. Ne4 Nc8 19. Rad1 b6 20. Ba3 h6 21. c4 a5 (21... f5 {given as best try by SF17 even though it gives up a pawn} 22. Nd6+ Nxd6 23. Rxe6+ Kf7 24. Rexd6 Rxd6 25. Rxd6 Rc8 {active R} (25... Rb8 $18) 26. Rd7+ (26. Rxb6 Rxc4 27. Rxa6 Rc1+ 28. Kh2 Be5+ 29. g3 Rc2 30. Kg2 Bd4 $11) 26... Kg8 27. b3 b5 28. cxb5 (28. c5 a5 $11) 28... axb5 29. Rd2 Ra8 30. Bc5 Bf8 31. Bxf8 Kxf8 32. Kf1 b4 33. Ke2 g5 34. Kd3 Rc8 35. Rc2 Rd8+ 36. Ke3 Kf7 $11 37. Rc4 Re8+ 38. Kd2 Ra8 39. Rxb4 Rxa2+ 40. Ke3 h5 $11 {a classic drawing techique with the R behind the pawnthough Wh retains some chances}) 22. b3 Bd4 {here Wh spent some time looking at 5 different continuations, before deciding on} (22... Bf8 $2 23. Nf6#) 23. Rd2 ({A]} 23. Rd3 {seen by Bl is an improvement , Wh was wary of putting the R on a loose square. Then} f5 (23... Be5 {SF17} 24. Rxd8+ Kxd8 25. Ng5 hxg5 26. Rxe5 Kc7 27. Bc1 (27. Rxg5 Rd8 $11) 27... g4 28. hxg4 a4 29. f3 $16 {SF17}) (23... Bg7 24. Red1 Rxd3 25. Rxd3 Rh7 26. Bc1 Ke7 27. c5 b5 28. c6 Nb6 29. Nd6 $18) 24. Nd6+ Nxd6 25. Rxe6+ (25. Rxd4 Nc8 26. Rxd8+ Kxd8 27. Rxe6 $18 {even better}) 25... Kf7 26. Rxd6 Bf6 27. Rd7+ Ke8 28. Rxd8+ Bxd8 29. Rd6 Rg8 30. Kf1 $18) ({B]} 23. Nd6+ Nxd6 24. Rxd4 Nb7 {SF17} (24... Nf5 25. Rxd8+ Kxd8 26. Rd1+ Kc8 27. g4 Nh4 {then SF17 continues} 28. Bb2 Rg8 29. Bf6 g5 30. f4 Rg6 31. fxg5 Nf3+ 32. Kg2 Nxg5 33. Bd4 Kb7 34. h4 Nh7 35. Kh3 $4) 25. Bb2 Rg8 26. Red1 Ke7 27. Rxd8 Rxd8 28. Rxd8 Kxd8 29. Kf1 Nc5 30. Ke2 $16 {SF17}) ({C]} 23. c5 bxc5 (23... b5 {Bl pm suggestion} 24. c6 $18 {SF17} b4 25. c7 Rd5 26. Rxd4 Rxd4 27. Bb2 Rxe4 28. Rxe4 f5 29. Rd4 $1 (29. Rxe6+ Kd7 30. Rxg6 Re8 31. f4 $18) 29... O-O 30. Rd8 Kf7 31. f4 $18 {SF17}) 24. Nxc5 Bxc5 25. Bxc5 Ne7 26. Bb6 (26. Bd4 {SF17} O-O 27. Bc5 Rxd1 28. Rxd1 Re8 29. Bb6 a4 30. bxa4 Nd5 31. a5 $16) 26... Ra8 27. Re5 a4 28. Ra5 {then SF17} O-O 29. bxa4 Nd5 30. Rxa8 Rxa8 31. a5 {as above}) ({D]} 23. Rxd4 {simplest way for advantage- SF17 line 1} Rxd4 24. Bb2 {missed by Bl} Rxe4 (24... e5 25. Bxd4 exd4 26. Nd6+ Kd7 27. Nxf7 {is worse- pm analysis}) 25. Rxe4 Rg8 {SF17} (25... O-O 26. Bf6 (26. Rd4 Re8 27. Rd7 e5 28. h4 $18 {SF17}) 26... Na7 27. Rh4 h5 28. Rd4 Nc6 29. Rd6 Rc8 30. Kf1 $18 {Bl is still tied down}) 26. Rd4 g5 27. Rd3 f5 28. Kf1 Ke7 29. Ke2 Re8 30. Be5 $18 {SF17}) (23. g3 {E] a 6th continuation, SF17 line 2} g5 24. Re2 (24. Rd2 f5 25. Rxd4 Rxd4 26. Bb2 Rxe4 27. Rxe4 fxe4 28. Bxh8 $18) 24... Bg7 25. Red2 Rxd2 26. Rxd2 Be5 27. Nd6+ Bxd6 28. Bxd6 f6 29. Bc7 Ke7 30. Kf1 $18 {SF17}) 23... f5 24. Nd6+ (24. Rxd4 $1 {briefly considered by Wh, still the best plan} Rxd4 25. Bb2 e5 (25... Rxe4 26. Rxe4 fxe4 27. Bxh8 $18 {as Bl's pawn structure is worse than in the game}) 26. Bxd4 exd4 27. Nd6+ Kd7 28. Nb5 Nd6 29. Nxd4 Re8 30. Rd1 $18 (30. Kf1 $18) (30. Rxe8 $18 {SF17})) 24... Rxd6 25. Bxd6 Bc3 26. Red1 (26. Rxe6+ Kd7 27. Rde2 Nxd6 28. Rxg6 $16 {PM analysis, still better for Wh with R &2 pawns vs two minor pieces}) (26. Bf4 $1 {SF17} Bxd2 27. Bxd2 Kd7 (27... Kf7 28. Bc1 g5 29. Rd1 Ke8 30. a4 Rh7 31. g4 Rb7 32. Kg2 $18) 28. Rd1 Kc6 29. Bf4 $18) 26... Bxd2 27. Rxd2 Rh7 {missed by Wh} 28. Be5 (28. Bf4 g5 29. Be5 a4 30. g4 axb3 31. axb3 Ra7 32. Kg2 Ra3 33. Rd3 $14 {SF17}) 28... Rd7 (28... Rb7 29. h4 b5 30. c5 Rd7 31. Rc2 Rd1+ 32. Kh2 Rd5 33. Bc7 a4 34. bxa4 bxa4 35. c6 e5 $14 {SF17}) 29. Rxd7 Kxd7 30. Bg7 h5 31. h4 $14 {Wh was aiming to Q this pawn after getting the K into the K side} (31. f4 $1 $18 {SF17 stops the centre pawns while still leaving the Wh K an entry route to the K side}) 31... Kd6 32. Bd4 (32. Bf8+ $1 {SF17} Kc6 (32... Ke5 33. Kf1 Kd4 34. Ke2 Kc3 35. Bg7+ Kb4 36. Kd3 Ka3 37. Be5 Kxa2 38. Kc2 Ka3 39. Kc3 Ka2 40. b4 {Wh invades on the Q side then switches to the K side with the Bl K offside}) 33. Kf1 e5 34. Ke2 Na7 35. Kd3 Nc8 36. Kc3 Kc7 37. Bg7 Kd6 38. g3 $18 {SF17}) 32... e5 $11 33. Bc3 Na7 {[Draw?]} 34. Kf1 {Wh still hoped to use the superior mobiity of the B vs the N} (34. c5+ Kxc5 35. Bxe5 {considered as level by Wh, but SF17 finds Bl winning} Nc6 36. Bb2 (36. Bc3 Nb4 37. a3 Nc2 38. Bb2 b5 39. Kf1 Nd4 $19) 36... Kd5 37. Kf1 Nb4 38. a3 Nd3 39. Ba1 Nc1 $19) 34... Nc6 35. a3 $2 {weakens b3} (35. Ke2 Kc5 36. Kd3 Nb4+ 37. Kd2 Nxa2 38. Bxe5 a4 39. Kc2 axb3+ 40. Kxb3 Nb4 41. Bg7 Nd3 42. Kc3 Nf4 43. g3 Ne6 44. Bh6 $11 {SF17}) 35... e4 {missing a win} (35... Kc5 36. Ke2 Nd4+ 37. Ke3 Nxb3 38. Bxe5 Kxc4 39. Kf4 Nd4 {cuts off the B from the Q side} 40. Kg5 b5 41. Bd6 Kd5 42. Be7 Ke6 43. Bf6 Nc2 44. Bb2 (44. Kxg6 Nxa3 $19) 44... Kf7 $19 {Sf17}) 36. Ke2 $11 Kc5 (36... Ne5 37. c5+ bxc5 38. Bxa5 Nc6 39. Bc3 f4 40. Kd2 Kd5 41. a4 Nd4 42. Bxd4 cxd4 43. a5 Kc6 44. b4 e3+ 45. fxe3 fxe3+ $11 {both sides have protected passed where neither side can take the rear one without the other getting through to Q}) 37. Ke3 a4 38. bxa4 Kxc4 39. Bd2 $11 (39. Bf6 $11) 39... Kb3 (39... Ne7 $11 40. Kf4 (40. a5) 40... Kd3 41. Bb4 Nd5+ 42. Kg5 f4 43. a5 bxa5 44. Bxa5 e3 45. fxe3 fxe3 46. Be1 $1 (46. Kxg6 Nc3 $19) 46... e2 47. Kxg6 Nf4+ 48. Kg5 Nxg2 49. Bb4 $11 (49. Bg3 Ke4 $19) 49... Kc2 50. a4 Kb3 51. Bd2 Kc2 52. Bb4 Nxh4 53. Kxh4 Kb3 54. Be1 Kxa4 $11 {SF17}) 40. Kf4 Kxa3 (40... Kxa4 {preserves the b pawn and expected by Wh, who now deviated from the planned invasion to 'play safe'. But there is a subtle difference in where the Bl K is as SF17 indicates why this holds and the text should lose} 41. Kg5 Ne5 42. Kf6 Ng4+ 43. Kxg6 Kxa3 {the K can now help the B pawn advance further than is possible in the variation covered in the next note} 44. Kxh5 b5 45. Kg5 b4 46. Bxb4+ Kxb4 47. Kxf5 Nxf2 48. Kf4 Kc3 49. Ke3 (49. h5 {also draws}) 49... Kc2 $1 50. h5 (50. Kxf2 $2 Kd2 $19) 50... Ng4+ 51. Kxe4 Nf6+ 52. Kf5 Nxh5 {It would be more difficult for Bl to draw this if the pawn was an h pawn, as then when chased by the K ithe N would not be able to move off in two different directions} 53. g4 Ng7+ 54. Kg6 Ne6 55. Kf6 Nf4 56. Kf5 Nh3 {this idea would not be possble if the pawn was on an h file.}) 41. Be3 {Wh's original conception in playing on after the draw offer was that the K could infiltrate on the K side and be able to give up the B to stop any advancing pawn. Meanwhile the K & N would be far away.Changing plan to eliminate the paw n at once, not only uses up tempi, it even helps Bl get the K back quicker to the K side.} (41. Kg5 $18 Kxa4 (41... Ne5 42. a5 bxa5 43. Bxa5 Kb3 44. Bc7 Ng4 45. Bb6 Ne5 46. Bd4 Nc6 47. Bf6 $18) 42. Kxg6 Kb3 43. Kxf5 {SF17} (43. Kxh5 {taking this pawn which was the idea behind 31h4 in the first place only draws} Kc2 44. Bf4 b5 45. Kg6 b4 46. h5 b3 47. h6 b2 48. h7 b1=Q 49. h8=Q Ne7+ 50. Kf6 Qa1+ 51. Be5 Qxe5+ (51... Nd5+ 52. Kxf5 Qf1 {is a safer line}) 52. Kxe5 Ng6+ 53. Kxf5 Nxh8 54. Kxe4 $11 {tablebases give this as drawn with best play, but Bl is the only one who can lose}) 43... Kc2 44. Bg5 b5 45. Kxe4 b4 46. Bf6 Na7 47. g4 Nb5 48. Ba1 Nc3+ 49. Kf4 Kb1 50. gxh5 Kxa1 51. h6 b3 52. h7 Nd5+ (52... b2 53. h8=Q b1=Q 54. Qxc3+ Ka2 55. Qa5+ Kb2 56. Qb4+ Kc1 57. Qxb1+ $18) 53. Kg5 b2 54. h8=Q $18 {some enterprising play demonstrated by the SF17 analysis}) 41... Kxa4 42. Bxb6 Kb5 43. Be3 Kc4 $11 44. Kg5 Ne5 45. Kf6 $2 (45. Bb6 Kd5 46. Bc7 f4 (46... Nd3 47. Kxg6 Nxf2 48. Kxh5 (48. Kxf5 e3 49. Bb6 Nd1 50. Bxe3 Nxe3+ 51. Kg5 Nxg2 52. Kxh5 Nxh4 53. Kxh4 $11) 48... e3 49. Kg5 e2 50. Ba5 Kc4 51. Kxf5 (51. h5 $2 Ne4+ 52. Kxf5 Nc3 $19) 51... Nd1 52. Be1 Ne3+ 53. Ke4 Nxg2 54. Bf2 Nxh4 55. Bxh4 $11 {SF17})) 45... Ng4+ $19 (45... Kd5 $2 46. g3 $18) 46. Kxg6 Nxe3 47. fxe3 f4 48. exf4 e3 49. Kxh5 e2 50. g4 e1=Q $19 51. f5 {Wh playing on is not entire pointless- If two of the Wh pawns can get to the 6th with the Wh K in front the Wh can draw- provided the Bl K does.t get to close. (a position Wh got in a game some 30 years ago)} Qe5 (51... Kd5 {brings the K in}) 52. Kg6 Qf4 53. g5 Qxh4 54. f6 Qe4+ (54... Kd5) (54... Qh8 {both look better}) 55. Kg7 Kd5 $2 {now is the wrong time for this move!} (55... Qe5 $1 56. g6 Kd5 57. Kf7 Kd6 58. g7 Qe6+ 59. Kg6 Ke5 $19 {SF17}) 56. f7 $11 Qe5+ 57. Kh7 Qf5+ 58. Kg8 $2 (58. g6 $2 Ke6 59. Kg7 Qf6+ 60. Kh6 (60. Kf8 Qh8#) 60... Kf5 61. Kh7 Kg5 62. f8=Q Qxf8 63. g7 Qf7 64. Kh8 Qh5+ 65. Kg8 Kf6 66. Kf8 Qf7#) (58. Kg7 $1 {is the typical drawing line with an f pawn on the 7th} Qxg5+ 59. Kh7 Qf6 60. Kg8 Qg6+ 61. Kh8 Qxf7 {stalemate}) 58... Qg6+ 59. Kh8 Qxf7 60. g6 Qf6+ 61. g7 Qh6+ (61... Qh4+ 62. Kg8 Ke6 63. Kf8 Qd8# {is quicker, but the human way is easier to play}) 62. Kg8 Ke6 63. Kf8 Kf6 (63... Kf6 64. Ke8 Qxg7 65. Kd8 Qb7 66. Ke8 Qe7#) 0-1
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Annotated by