(387) Cumbers,Paul (2040) - Richmond,Robert J (2219) [A26]
4NCL/Div3/SLO2 vs. WRO2 Telford ENG (4.2), 19.01.2003
[Annotations by Charlie Linford]
1.c4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 g6 4.Nc3 Bg7 5.d3 d6 6.e4 Nc6 7.Nge2 0-0 8.0-0 e5 9.Nd5 Ne7 10.Rb1 c6 11.Nxf6+ Bxf6 12.Bh6 Rf7 13.Nc3 Kh8 14.Qd2 Be6 15.Bg5 Bg7 16.exf5 gxf5 A position surprisingly reminiscent of the previous game, but this time with Robert on the other side of the board! 17.Rfe1 Qf8 18.Qe2 Ng6 19.Qh5 Re8 20.Bd2 White's slightly conservative approach does not appear to have come up trumps - black appears ready to blast away at the kingside or centre, whilst a couple of white's pieces stare at the empty queenside. 20...Rd7 21.Re2 d5 22.b3 e4 23.cxd5 cxd5 24.dxe4 dxe4 25.Nxe4?! Diagram
This gung-ho sacrifice sets the tone for the rest of the game - neither side appears particularly interested in material considerations, preferring instead to "play on instinct". 25...fxe4 26.Bxe4 Bf7 27.Bg5 Rxe4 Returning material to get back the comfortable position he had before the initial sacrifice, but black was cruising to victory after simple moves like 27...Re5 or 27...Rd4. 28.Rxe4 Bd5 Again, there were simpler alternatives, this time in the shape of 28...Rd5, but the text is ok as well. 29.Ree1?! 29.Rd1 was necessary, prompting ...Bxe4. Now white is back in real trouble. 29...Ne5 30.Rxe5 In this case the exchange sacrifice was very much better than the alternatives, but playing through the game quickly does give a rather care-free impression. 30...Bxe5 31.Bh6 Bg7 32.Bxg7+ Qxg7 33.Qe8+ Bg8 34.Re1 Qd4 35.h4 The position has simplified, and now that there is no perpetual check coming, black can go on the offensive. 35...Rf7 36.Qe2 Rf8 37.Rd1? Making the black task a little easier. 37...Rxf2! 38.Qxf2 Qxd1+ Now that the rooks are off, what follows is a long grind as black slowly penetrates his king into the position. 39.Kh2 Qg4 40.Qxa7 Qe2+ 41.Kg1 Qe4 42.Qf2 Kg7 43.Qb2+ Kg6 44.Kf2 Bd5 45.Qc3 Qg2+ 46.Ke1 Qf3 47.Qc7 Qe3+ 48.Kd1 Bf3+ 49.Kc2 Be4+ 50.Kb2 Qf2+ 51.Ka3 Qf5 52.Qc3 Kh5 53.Qg7 Qg6 54.Qe5+ Kg4 55.Qf4+ Kh3 56.h5 Qg4 57.Qe5 Bf3 58.h6 Kh2 59.Qb2+ Kxg3 60.Qe5+ Kh3 61.Qc7 Be4 62.Qd8 Qf5 63.Qd2 Kg4 64.Qh2 Kg5 65.Qd6 Qf4 66.Qe6 Qe3 67.Qd6 b6 68.Qh2 Qc1+ 69.Kb4 Qc5+ 70.Ka4 Bc6# 0-1
