(517) Purton,Ben (2062) - Shaw,David A (2178) [C01]
4NCL/Div3/3CS2 vs. SLO2 Telford ENG (7.4), 12.04.2003
[Annotations by Charlie Linford]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Bd6 5.Bd3 h6 6.0-0 Ne7 7.b3 0-0 8.Bb2 Bf5 9.c4 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 Hardly the most aggressive system against the French, but the aim is to draw, not to overpress with the white pieces. 10...c6 11.Na3 Nd7 12.Nc2 Ng6 13.Rfe1 Nf4 14.Qd2 Qf6 15.g3 Qg6 Shaw tries to stir something up, but without the light-squared bishops, calm defence is all that is required. 16.Rad1 Nh3+ 17.Kg2 (=) The first of many draw offers, and certainly black can claim no advantage here. 17...Ng5 18.Nxg5 hxg5 Again attempting to unbalance the position, and again to no avail. 19.Qd3 Qxd3 20.Rxd3 Rfe8 21.Rde3 Kf8 22.Rxe8+ Rxe8 23.Rxe8+ Kxe8 Diagram
The minor piece ending requires some precision to hold the balance, but black's attempt to unbalance the game by doubling his g-pawns is only a hinderance in this ending. 24.f3 Be7 25.Ne3 (=) Some would say that you need not offer the draw too often, but here the offer is entirely justified. 25...dxc4 26.Nxc4 b6 27.Kf2 f6 28.Ke3 Kf7 29.Ke4 Ke6 30.g4 g6 31.Ne3 (=) Three of four... 31...f5+ 32.Kd3 Nf6 33.a3 Bd6 34.h3 Be7 35.Bc1 Nd7 36.Bb2 Bf6 37.Bc3 a5 38.a4 f4 39.Ng2 Bd8 40.h4 Nf6 41.hxg5 Nd5 42.Bd2 Bxg5 Black has suceeded in eliminating his doubled pawn and leaving white with an isolated d-pawn, but at the cost of leaving his f-pawn over-exposed, a factor now exploited to secure a draw by repetition. 43.Ke4 Nf6+ 44.Kd3 Nd5 45.Ke4 Nf6+ 1/2-1/2
