(574) Harborne,Matthew (2081) - Hawkins,J Nick (2063) [B22]
4NCL/Div3/SLO2 vs. MIN Telford ENG (8.5), 13.04.2003
[Annotations by Charlie Linford]
1.e4 c5 2.c3 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.d4 e5 5.dxe5 Qxe5+ 6.Be2 Be6 7.Nf3 Qd5 8.0-0 Qxd1 9.Rxd1 Be7 10.Bf4 Nf6 11.Nbd2 0-0 12.Nc4 Nd5 13.Bg3 Rd8 14.Nfe5 f6 15.Nf3 Nc6 (=) A slow opening may have led Matthew's lower rated opponent to believe he would be able to get away with a draw, but anyone who knows the Harborne style of play would have put money on him not taking it. 16.Nfd2 b5 17.Na3 a6 18.c4 Nd4 19.Bf1 bxc4 20.Bxc4 Ra7 21.Nb3 Nf5 22.Rac1 Nxg3 (=) The elimination of the bishop pair prompts another draw offer, but Harborne has split the queenside pawns, and reckons he can extract a win from that alone. 23.hxg3 Bf7 24.Nb1 a5 25.Nc3 Nxc3 26.Rxd8+ Bxd8 27.Bxf7+ Kxf7 28.Rxc3 Diagram
More mass exchanges bring Harborne closer to the ending he is seeking. 28...Be7?! 28...Rb7! was the right way to hold the balance, after which finding a way through would be nigh-on impossible. Now the advantage becomes material. 29.Nxc5 Rc7 30.Nb3 Rxc3 31.bxc3 Removing the rooks only makes white's task easier. 31...Ke6? An understandable decision, as white's king would be faster to the centre after 31...a4 32.Nd4, but this had to be allowed, as the a-pawn dropping will be too much for the bishop to handle. 32.Kf1? Curiously Matthew doesn't take it, and his opponent doesn't now play ...a4, where Nd4 would have no longer been effective. Certainly Harborne doesn't leave it more than one move before snaffling it. 32...Kd5? 33.Nxa5 Bd8? Another error, allowing Matthew to force the king away. 34.c4+ Ke4 35.Nc6 Bb6 36.Ke2 g5 37.a4 Bc5 Black decided to throw in the towel at this point, and not before time. 1-0
