(1) Hughes,Howard (2216) - James,Russell (2226) [C30]
4NCL(2), 10.04.2005
[Russ James]

I'd like to present an interesting games played at the 4NCL recently. Studying this game may sharpen your tactical ability.

1.e4 e5 2.f4 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6
[3...f5!? suggested by my captain. Looking over some old games, Ive played this once. The result? a draw in 22 moves!]

4.Nc3 Nxe4
This is an important move. It destroys white's pawn center and is thematic in many closed games.

5.Nxe4
[5.Nf3 is given by theory as best, but I don't believe it.]

5...d5 6.fxe5? dxe4
Its important to take this way. [6...dxc4 7.Nf3 ]

7.Qe2 Nxe5?
[7...Qd4! and black is a clear pawn ahead.; 7...Nd4! 8.Qf2 Be6 is also favoured by my computer, eg 9.d3 Bxc4 10.dxc4 Bc5 11.Be3 Nxc2+ 12.Qxc2 Bxe3 unfortunately I saw neither of these moves.]

8.Qxe4 Qe7 9.Bb3
this is a poor move, missing blacks next. [9.Be2! Bd7 10.d4 Nc6 11.Qxe7+ Bxe7 12.c3 0-0-0 with a small edge to black]

9...Bf5! 10.Qe3
[10.Qxf5?? Nd3+ 11.Kd1 Qe1# ]

10...Qh4+!?
This type of move can only be played with a long time limit

11.Kf1
[11.g3 Qe4 lands whie's rook in trouble.]

11...Bd6!?
Involves the sacrifice of 2 pieces.

12.d4 0-0-0 13.dxe5 Bc5!
now the rook threatens to invade

14.Nf3
[14.Qxc5 Rd1+ 15.Ke2 Qe1+ 16.Kf3 Be4+ 17.Kg4 h5+ 18.Kf4 Bxg2 I wouldn't like to be white's king]

14...Rd1+ 15.Ke2 Qg4!!
bizarrely, this seems to work, although the consequences are hard to calculate. [15...Bxe3 16.Nxh4 Rxh1 17.Kxe3 Be6 unclear; 15...Rxh1 16.Qxc5 Bg4 also hard to judge; 15...Bg4 16.Kxd1 Bxe3 17.Bxe3 white may have acquired enough pieces for his queen]

16.Qxc5
[16.Kxd1 Bxe3 17.Bxe3 Qxg2 18.Re1 Qxf3+ ]

16...Qxg2+ 17.Qf2
[17.Kxd1 Qxf3+ 18.Ke1 Qxh1+ and white's king is on the run.]

17...Qxh1 18.Qxa7
a very difficult position to defend.

18...Qf1+
[18...Rhd8?? 19.Qa8+ Kd7 20.Qxd8+! Kxd8 21.Bg5+ and white would win most of blacks pieces]

19.Ke3 Re1+
[19...Rhd8?! 20.Qa8+ Kd7 21.Qxb7 Ke8 22.Qc6+ Kf8 is a position the computer believes is better for white.]

20.Nxe1
[20.Kd2 Rd8+ and the attack is too strong]

20...Qg1+ 21.Kf4 Qxa7
well, its money in the bank. now, it is clear that white is struggling to survive as the queen bosses the game.

22.Kxf5 Qf2+
[22...Qg1 Is probably safer]

23.Bf4! g6+ 24.Kg4 h5+! 25.Kg5 f6+!
Helps to entomb the white king in no-mans-land.

26.exf6 Qg1+ 27.Bg3
forced

27...h4?!
[27...Qe3+! seems to mate after 28.Kxg6 Qe4+! 29.Kf7 Rh7+ 30.Kf8 Qg6 31.Be6+ Kb8 with 32.Be5 Rh8+ 33.Bg8 Rxg8+ 34.Ke7 Qe8# ]

28.Nf3
The following sequence was played in a desperate time scamble, and resembles a tom and jerry cartoon.

28...Qxa1?
[28...Qe3+! 29.Kxg6 Qe4+ 30.Kg5 Qxf3 31.Be6+ Kb8 32.Be5 Qe3+ 33.Kf5 Rh5+ 34.Kg6 Qg5+ 35.Kf7 Rh7+ 36.Kf8 Qxe5 ]

29.Nxh4 Qc1+ 30.Kxg6!
charge!

30...Qh6+ 31.Kf5 Qh5+ 32.Kf4 Rf8 33.f7 Rxf7+ 34.Bxf7 Qxf7+ 35.Nf5 Qc4+ 36.Kg5 Qxc2 37.h4 Qxb2 38.h5 Qxa2 39.h6 Qg8+ 40.Kf6 Kd7 41.Ng7 Qh7!
stops Kg6 intending h7.

42.Bf4 b5 43.Nh5 b4 44.Kg5 Ke6
after a long think, my opponent has 3 problems: 1) he has one less queen 2) My b pawn is likely to touchdown whilst his h-pawn isnt 3) All his team-mates are in the bar so he resigned. 0-1