Overview

Over the Eight Hours Day long weekend the Hobart Chess Club, on behalf of the Tasmanian Chess Association, hosted the Tasmanian Chess Open and Tasmanian Lightning Championships at Launceston College. With an experimental schedule of 7 rounds, played over Friday night, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, competitors met over the board with the slower time control of 90 +30.

The event attracted several inter-state players and several new players from around the local area. The broad field was diverse enough and large enough for the TCA to be able to award all advertised prizes without having to combine them in any fashion. Second seed Kevin Bonham and German UTAS student Martin Friebe tied for first on 6 out of 7. Martin was set in the field as an unrated player before we found out (too late to change) that his FIDE rating is 2071, making him the unofficial top seed.

Martin shook off a bumpy start to the tournament to claim 6 wins, with his only loss coming at the hand of fellow winner Kevin Bonham. Kevin shook off illness on the first 3 days to come out undefeated with 5 wins and 2 draws to claim his 10th Tasmanian Open win.

In the Lightning Championship top seed (official this time) Martin Friebe won the event with a picket fence, while defending champ Denis McMahon took out the title of Tasmanian Lightning Champion as the best of the rest on 8 from 10.

PGN

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Featured Games

Tasmanian Open

Round 1

Round 1 saw Aidan Cox topple Charlie Rolph in one of two major upsets for the round, the other being William Rumley getting up over Denis McMahon. David Rolph got down to the dying seconds in his game against Martin Friebe but was unable to clinch the victory. At one stage Martin had an 82 minute advantage over David with clocks standing at 84 minutes vs 2 minutes. David pegged some of that back so that the clocks read 46 each, though Martin's was in minutes, and Dave's was in seconds.

ROLPH,Charlie (1689) - COX,Aidan [B01]

Tasmanian Open 2016 Launceston College, Tasmania (1.5), 11.03.2016

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd8?!

not a mistake, but not in the spirit of the opening either. White has a lead in development and has retained the right to move. It is true that this was once the main line, but theory has moved on and practice shows this is generally a little too slow if white can grab the initiative.

3...Qa5 is the mainline reply when recapturing with the queen, with black getting a fair game after some standard developing ideas from both sides. 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 c6 6.Bc4 Bf5 (6...Bg4 7.h3 Bh5 8.g4 Bg6 9.Ne5) 7.Bd2 e6 (7...Qc7 8.Ne5 e6 9.g4 Bg6 10.h4) 8.Qe2 Bb4 9.0–0–0 (diagram right).

3...Qd6 is also a newer way to play the position.

4.Bc4 Nf6 5.d4 a6 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 b5

white's pieces have sprung out of the box, and while it's true the bishops are getting chased around a little, white should be able to consolidate his development advantage and have an easier game.

8.Bb3 Bb7 9.f3?!

not the best choice, white should have stuck to his original plan of developing quickly. 9.Nf3 when white can develop the queen and stand ready to castle either side in response to black's play.

9...c5 (diagram left)

a good practical move. While a computer will tell you this is not the best, it's a move that asks white some serious questions about his plans. White may want to castle on the queenside as is thematic in the Scandinavian, but this move puts the breaks on that plan.

10.dxc5

taking is all but forced here.

10...Qxd1+ 11.Rxd1 Nbd7

the recent captures have taken the sting out of the position. Black is ready to play e6 with tempo, castle and be super solid with even a slight initiative.

12.Nd5

12.Nge2 development is key 12...e6 13.0–0 (13.c6 Bxc6 14.Nd4 Bb7 15.0–0= is perhaps the most accurate, but a little too GM.) 13...Bxc5+ is the safest way for white to play.

12.a4 is an ambitious computer-esk plan, but it does help solve the issue of black's queen-side play. 12...Nxc5 13.axb5 Nxb3 14.cxb3 axb5 15.Nxb5 (diagram above) black has some long-term static advantages in his pawn structure and bishop pair, but this position is playable for white if he's prepared to work for many moves to slowly improve his position.

12...Nxd5 13.Bxd5 Bxd5 14.Rxd5 e6 (diagram below)

all the exchanges here favoured black, but white can retreat the rook, give back the pawn and go into a standard 3 and 3 vs 4 and 2 pawn structure that is certainly playable. White has some development issues, but if he can solve them an consolidate the game will be equal.

15.Rxd7?

this move is a clear blunder, but it has an air of frustration about it, as if white was annoyed with his play and just forced the issue too much. Objectively this just loses an exchange and initiative.

15.Rd1 Bxc5 16.Ne2 Rc8 17.c3 Nb6 and it's still a game of chess.

15...Kxd7 16.b4 a5 17.a3 axb4 18.axb4 opening the a file was not advisable.

18...Ra4 19.c3 g5 20.Bg3 Bg7 21.Kd2 Ra2+ 22.Kd3 Rxg2 23.Ne2 Ra8 24.Rd1 Kc6 25.Nd4+? (diagram right)

a tactical blunder, but things were already terrible for white.

25...Bxd4 26.Kxd4

26.cxd4?? is not possible due to 26...Ra3+ 27.Ke4 Re2#

26...Rxg3!

and the problem with Nd4+ is revealed, white has no time to recapture as Rd8+ wins the lone white rook.

27.Ke5 Rxf3 28.Rd6+ Kc7 29.c4 bxc4 30.b5 Rf5+ 31.Kd4 Rd5+ 32.Rxd5 exd5

a rook and 2 pawns down there is no way to save this, white resigned.

0–1 (diagram left)

Round 2

After the evening round players came back for more at 9am on the Saturday morning. In a similar way to the first round, the upsets were in attendance. The 2 inter-state players Franz Oswald and Neil Mordue both recorded upset wins over Denis McMahon and Charlie Rolph respectively. This left 2 of the higher seeds in the tournament on 0 from 2. Ian Rout had no trouble defeating William Rumley, and Aidan Cox made some strategic and tactical mistakes in his game against Ian Little. All the action was on board 2 with Kevin Bonham and Martin Friebe, the 2 eventual joint winners, facing each other. The game was looking like a draw after the players exchanged down into a rook endgame with equal pawns. But it wasn't to be as Martin wanted more and played on only to lose too much material, and then the game.

BONHAM,Kevin (1858) - FRIEBE,Martin [B22]

Tasmanian Open 2016 Launceston College, Tasmania (2.2), 12.03.2016

1.e4

an unusual start for Kevin who is predominately a c4 or Nf3 player.

1...c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c3 d5 4.exd5

4.e5 Nc6 5.d4 gets the players into an advanced French.

4...Qxd5

taking advantage of the c3 move, not allowing Nc3 to hit the queen and gain a tempo to develop.

4...exd5 5.Bb5+ Nc6 6.Qe2+ Qe7 7.d4 is another way to play the position. (diagram right)

5.d4 Nc6 6.Be3 e5 7.c4 Qd6 8.d5 Nd4 9.Nc3 Nf6 10.h3 Bd7 11.Bd3 h6 12.Nd2 Qc7 13.Nde4 Nxe4 14.Nxe4 0–0–0 15.Bxd4 exd4 (diagram below)

15...cxd4 may have been the better capture, as it creates immediate pressure. f5 is a move to worry about if white castles kingside, but keeping the king in the middle too long is also dangerous.

16.0–0 f5 17.Ng3 g6 18.Re1 Bd6 19.Qf3 Rde8 20.Re2 Rxe2 21.Nxe2 Re8 22.b4 cxb4 23.Rc1 Qc5 24.h4 Bc7 25.h5 Qd6 26.g3 Rg8 27.Nxd4 Qf6 28.Ne2 gxh5 29.c5 Kb8 30.d6 Bd8 31.Bc4 Rg7 32.Bd5 f4 33.Qxf4 Qxf4 34.Nxf4 h4 35.Kh2 hxg3+ 36.fxg3 Bg5 37.Rb1 (diagram blow)

for the bulk of the middle game both players have played somewhat cautiously, and liquidated into this position with white's advanced connected pawns as compensation for black's bishop pair.

37...Bxf4?

this was potentially fatal as the following exchange doesn't only give up the bishop pair, but it relinquishes control of the dark squares, including e7, which we'll see could have been decisive.

38.gxf4 a5 39.Rf1

39.Re1 and the absence of the dark squared bishop would have been felt. 39...a4 40.Re7 Rxe7 41.dxe7 b3 42.axb3 a3 43.b4 Kc7 44.f5 Be8 45.f6 with a decisive advantage for white.

39...Bc6 40.Bxc6 bxc6 41.Re1 Kc8 42.f5 Kd7 43.f6

after some misadventures from both sides we've arrived at this dead equal position.

43...Rf7 44.Kg3 a4 45.Rb1 Rxf6 46.Rxb4 Rf5 47.Rc4 a3 48.Rc3 Rd5 49.Kg4 h5+ 50.Kh4 Re5 51.Kg3 Ke6 52.Kf4 Rd5 53.Ke4 Rg5 54.Kf4 Rd5 55.Ke4 h4 (diagram left)

refusing the draw by repetition here, and pressing on for the win.

56.Kf4 Kf6 57.Kg4 Rd4+ 58.Kh3 Rd5 59.Kxh4

with black now having lost his trump card of the outside passed pawn, it's only white that can win, but this position is still holdable for black.

59...Ke6 60.Kg4 Rd4+ 61.Kf3 Rd5 62.Ke4 Kd7 63.Ke3

remarkably going backwards is the way forwards. The key being that the black king must stay in the proximity of the d7 square and the back rank to stop the d pawn from advancing.

63...Ke6?

seems fine, but allows the white rook onto the d file.

64.Rd3

and black is in Zugzwang

64...Re5+

64...Rxd3+ 65.Kxd3 is a clear win for white.

65.Kd4

and now the white king has crossed the line to the a file, it's just a matter of time before he collects the extra pawn and runs the a pawn home.

65...Rh5 66.Kc4 Kd7 67.Kb4 Rh4+ 68.Kb3

1–0 (diagram right)

Round 3

Round 3 came with no real surprises. On board 6 the battle of the juniors took place between Thomas Waddingham and Willam Rumley, while the victims of double upsets in the first 2 rounds played for pride on board 7. On the top boards wins were all recorded by Ian Rout, Kevin Bonham, Martin Friebe, and David Rolph.

On board 1, Ian Rout showed why he was one of the top seeds with an impressive miniature against Luke Stefko.

ROUT,Ian (1948) - STEFKO,Luke (1770) [A04]

Tasmanian Open 2016 Launceston College, Tasmania (3.1), 12.03.2016

1.Nf3 f5

the fireworks have started, no symmetrical Reti today.

2.d3 d5 3.c4 c6 4.cxd5 cxd5 5.g3 Nc6 6.Bg2 e6 7.0–0 Nf6 8.Bf4 Bd6 9.Bxd6 Qxd6 10.Nc3 0–0 11.e4 d4

an interesting alternative is 11...f4 12.Rc1 Bd7 (12...fxg3 13.hxg3 Bd7 14.a3 (diagram right)) 13.a3 white has a small positional advantage, but the game is basically equal.

12.Nb5 Qd7

more active is 12...Qb4 13.Nc7 fxe4 14.dxe4 (14.Nxa8 exf3 15.Bxf3 Bd7 and black has a small edge in the imbalance.) 14...Rb8 15.e5 Ng4 16.Ng5=

13.exf5 e5? (diagram left)

13...exf5 is still advantage white, but better than the game.

14.Ng5

immediately looking at the weakened light squares around the king.

14...a6 15.Qb3+ Kh8 16.Ne6 Rf7

16...axb5 17.Nxf8 Qxf5 18.Qxb5 and white is winning.

17.Nbc7

black resigned here, white is dominating the position, and will soon win decisive material or mate the black king.

1–0 (diagram right)

Tasmanian Lightning Championships

Top seed Matin Friebe (using his FIDE rating this time) was too good for everyone, taking out the Tasmanian Lightning Championship with a perfect score of 10/10. With a smaller than anticipated field, competitors unanimously voted to play 2 extra rounds (though only 1 extra game) and turn the event from the advertised 9 round Swiss into an 11 round, round robin.

Martin's crushing display earned him the prize money, but as the title of Tasmanian Lightning Champion must be awarded to a Tasmanian resident (living in Tassie for at least 12 months), that honour fell to defending champion, number 3 seed Denis McMahon. However, Martin's studies will keep him here for the next 3-4 years putting Denis on notice for next year.

Round 4

Round 4 saw the official top seeds and friendly rivals Kevin Bonham and Ian Rout fight it out on board 1. The past 9 times or so Kevin and Ian have played in an official event Kevin has played the white pieces. While their game was a draw, it drew some tea-room analysis from the crowd which turned out to be very accurate. Aidan Cox continued his run of good play scoring a win over Franz Oswald, while on the bottom board the 2 youngest players battled it out with William Rumley showing Sara Tryambake why he's state junior champ for his age.

BONHAM,Kevin (1858) - ROUT,Ian (1948) [A38]

Tasmanian Open 2016 Launceston College, Tasmania (4.1), 13.03.2016

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 c5 3.Bg2 g6 4.0–0 Bg7 5.c4 0–0 6.Nc3 Nc6

the symmetrical English, solid but equal, white has nothing here other than the right to move.

7.Rb1

7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Qb6 9.e3 is a more active way to break the symmetry, but the position is still about equal.

7...d5 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.a3

9.Qb3 would transpose into the previous position but with colours reversed. The subtle difference would be black's ability to play Bf5 with tempo before playing e6.

9...Bf5 10.Ra1

10.d3 is the better move, but gets in the way of white's plan of b4.

10...Nc7

10...c4 is a strong prophylactic idea which grabs more space on the queen-side.

11.d3 e5 (diagram left)

black clamps down on the centre with a reverse Maroczy bind structure.

12.Be3 Nd4 13.Rc1 Rc8 14.Nh4 Be6 15.Bxb7 Rb8 16.Bg2 Rxb2 17.Bxd4

is another way to play the position, but it comes down to a matter of taste. 17.Rb1 Rxb1 18.Qxb1 c4 19.Qb7 f5 20.Qxa7 f4 21.Bxd4 (21.Bc1 cxd3 22.e3 Ne2+) 21...exd4 22.Ne4

17...cxd4 18.Ne4 Nd5 19.Rc2 Rxc2 20.Qxc2 Qe7 21.Qc5 Qxc5 22.Nxc5 Nc3 23.e3 Bg4 24.Bf3 Bh3 25.Bg2 Bxg2 26.Kxg2 Rc8 27.exd4 exd4 28.Nb3 Rb8 29.Nd2 Rb2 30.Nc4 Rb3 (diagram right)

after 30 moves we reach this very drawish position, black has had some initiative in the past moves, but both players have played it safe and avoided sharp confrontation. While black has a symbolic bishop advantage, it's not working for him at the moment.

31.Re1 Bf6 32.Re8+ Kg7 33.Ra8

33.Nf3 Nd5 34.Ra8 and black must chose between taking the d pawn, and defending his a pawn. But, either way the remaining king-side structure is symmetrical, and looking very drawish

33...Nd5 34.Rxa7 Bxh4 35.gxh4 Nf4+ 36.Kf3 Nxd3 (diagram left)

the recent exchanges have given black some pull in this position. the structural advantage is only slight, but the d pawn is passed and could be more challenging to stop than white's a pawn.

37.Ke4

37.Ke2?! saving the pawn, leads to 37...Nf4+ with Rb1 to soon follow and the king-side pawns fall

37...Nxf2+ 38.Kxd4 Rh3

the position balances on a knife edge, it's technically a draw but only with accurate play.

39.a4 Rxh2 40.a5 Rxh4+ 41.Kd5 Nd3 42.Nd6 Nb4+ 43.Kc5 Rf4 (diagram right)

in the analysis room this position drew a fair bit of attention, what happened on the game board was exactly what was analysed - which is a great rarity.

44.Rxf7+ Rxf7 45.Nxf7 Na6+ 46.Kb6 Kxf7 47.Kxa6 g5 48.Kb5 g4 49.a6 g3 50.a7 g2 51.a8Q g1Q 52.Qd5+ Kf6

in the end Ian was a gentleman and agreed a draw here, rather than trying to push on for the win.

½–½ (diagram left)

Round 5

Round 5 gave us a nearly beautiful game, the game which would have been worthy of a brilliancy prize had the result gone the other way, and if we had a brilliancy prize. After his bad start, Denis McMahon battled with Martin Friebe and played a lesser variation of the Caro-Kann in a successful bid to take Martin out of his comfort zone. This seemed to work as Denis (despite being down material) held a strong advantage for most of the middle game. That was until tragedy struck and a single blunder turned the game on its head. Kevin Bonham took Luke Stefko to the cleaners in 20 moves on board 2, and Aidan Cox scored half a point against Neil Mordue.

MCMAHON,Denis (1781) - FRIEBE,Martin [B12]

Tasmanian Open 2016 Launceston College, Tasmania (5.3), 13.03.2016

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3 e6 4.Be3 dxe4 5.Nd2 exf3 6.Ngxf3 Nf6 7.Bd3 Nbd7 8.0–0 Qc7 9.Ng5 Bd6 10.g3 Bxg3 11.Qf3 Bd6

11...Bxh2+ 12.Kh1 and white is in big trouble.

12.Nxh7?! (diagram right)

an interesting but questionable move. Bxh2+, b6, and Nb6 all lead to a large advantage for black.

12...Nf8?!

not the most active reply, though a good practical move over the board. The resulting open lines to white's king could prove hard to meet.

13.Nxf6+ gxf6 14.Qxf6 Bxh2+ 15.Kf2 Bg3+ 16.Ke2 Rh2+ 17.Kd1 (diagram left)

white has fended off the black attack and despite being material down has good compensation.

17...e5 18.Ne4 Bg4+ 19.Kc1 exd4 20.Qxd4

20.Bg1 and black has some problems to solve, despite white's somewhat awkward piece placement.

20...Be6

20...Be5 getting some material off the board and into a position where black's extra pawn is a menace to white. 21.Nf6+ Bxf6 22.Qxf6 Qe7

21.Nf6+ Ke7 22.Bg5 Qe5 23.Qb4+ c5 24.Qxb7+ Nd7 25.Ne4+ Kf8 26.Qxa8+ Kg7 (diagram right)

at this point white is an entire rook up and is simply winning.

27.Qd8

white is still clearly winning here, but this move does give black one critical counter chance.

27.Bd2! a subtle but powerful move. The idea being that the rook is no longer hitting the c pawn and white's king is absolutely safe.

27...c4 28.Nxg3

28.Qxd7 Bxd7 29.Bf6+ Qxf6 30.Nxf6 cxd3 31.Nxd7 Rxc2+ 32.Kb1 while the advanced d pawn looks scary, this is actually nothing for black, white will take home the point without much trouble.

28...cxd3 29.Ne4?? (diagram left)

a heartbreaking blunder, white has gone from being +7 several moves ago, to #6.

29...Rxc2+ 30.Kd1 Bg4+

and white is seeing the bright light, he resigned here.

0–1

Round 6

First round of the last day saw the field start to stretch out a little and more of the big clashes on the top boards. Martin Friebe was in full swing and had found his stride to topple official first seed Ian Rout in under 30 moves. David Rolph held Luke Stefko to a draw to book a spot at the top table for the last round, while Ian Little blundered his hopes of finishing in the prizes against Neil Mordue.

FRIEBE,Martin - ROUT,Ian (1948) [B24]

Tasmanian Open 2016 Launceston College, Tasmania (6.1), 14.03.2016

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 e6 4.Nf3 Nge7 5.d3 g6 6.g3 Bg7 7.Bg2 0–0 8.0–0 b6 9.Ne2 Bb7 10.c3 f5 (diagram right)

10 moves in and this is not your standard Sicilian, and certainly not your standard Grand Prix Attack. Still, Martin's style lured in several players of the weekend, and Ian Rout was no exception. Black has no trouble here, the position is equal, and now it's time to try and open things up.

11.e5

11.exf5 Nxf5 and black's edge is small, but definite.

11...Rc8 12.Be3 Nd5 13.Qd2 Qe7

13...d6 14.Ng5 Qe7 was another way to approach the position.

14.Ne1 g5 15.Bxd5 exd5 16.d4 cxd4

16...Na5 is an interesting idea, but after 17.b3 g4 18.dxc5 bxc5 does nothing but hold equality, but the king-side is now blocked.

17.Bxd4 gxf4

17...g4 keeping the position closed rather than opening the king-side is a matter of taste. The structure takes on a bit of a KID appeal, with black having plans of either opening the king-side with an attack down the h file, or playing more in the centre with the d6 break.

18.gxf4 d6 19.exd6 Qxd6 (diagram left)

both kings are a little exposed here, so it's difficult to say if opening the position favoured one player more than the other. However, black's pieces on the queen-side don't make a good impression and despite the open lines, white's knights are better than black's bishops at the moment.

20.Nf3 Nxd4 21.Nexd4 Rce8 22.Rae1 Re4

22...Ba6 activating the bishop and forcing off some material. 23.Rxe8 (23.Rf2 Rxe1+ 24.Nxe1 preventing Bd3 in response.) 23...Rxe8 24.Re1 Rxe1+ 25.Qxe1

23.Ng5 Kh8?! (diagram right)

a panic move, while white's knight is imposing, black can play around it to a certain extent.

23...Bxd4+ 24.cxd4 Rxe1 25.Rxe1 leaves black a little passive but is still very playable.

24.Nde6 Bh6? 25.Rxe4

white could simply take the exchange here, with one possibly line being 25.Nxe4 Qxe6 26.Ng5 Qd7 27.Qe2 Bxg5 28.fxg5 d4 29.Qe5+ Kg8 30.cxd4 Rf7 31.Qe8+ Qxe8 32.Rxe8+ Kg7 (diagram left) with white in the drivers seat.

25...fxe4 26.Qd4+ Kg8 27.Rf2 Rf7??

an unfortunate oversight that sees black lose too much material, and likely get mated over the next few moves.

27...Rf5 is the computers defensive choice, but after28.Rg2 something's got to give and it won't be long before it's black giving white material. 28...Qe7 29.Nf3+ Kf7 30.Qh8 exf3 31.Nd8+ Qxd8 32.Qxd8 fxg2 33.Qd7+ Kf6 34.Qxb7 Bxf4 35.Kxg2 with 2 loose pawns and an exposed king, the white queen will mop up and take home the point.

28.Qh8+

seeing what was coming, black resigned.

0–1 (diagram left)

Round 7

The last round, and for many a relief. David Rolph held another higher rated player to a draw to deny Kevin Bonham outright victory. Martin Friebe had no trouble defeating Neil Mordue to finish on the equal top score, and Ian Little and Ian Rout finished with a quick draw that didn't alter the placings at all.

BONHAM,Kevin (1858) - ROLPH,David (1652) [B51]

Tasmanian Open 2016 Launceston College, Tasmania (7.1), 14.03.2016

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nc6 4.0–0 e6 5.Bxc6+ bxc6 6.Re1 d5 7.d3 Bd6 8.e5 Bc7 9.Bg5 f6 10.Bh4 g5 (diagram right)

despite the somewhat awkward appearance of black's pieces, with his snaking pawns and lack of development, the position is equal. Black's extra space and the closed nature of the position offset the development disadvantage.

11.Bg3 f5 12.h4

12.h3 f4 13.Bh2 Nh6 (diagram below) etc. and the bishop remains buried for some time.

12...h6

12...f4 13.Bh2 g4 14.Nfd2 Qxh4 15.Bxf4 Ne7 with another interesting but equal position.

13.Nfd2 Qd7 14.Qh5+

14.Nb3! hitting the loose c pawn 14...Bb6 15.Nc3 and black's backward development and potentially loose king is starting to show.

14...Qf7 15.Qxf7+ Kxf7= (diagram below)

taking the queens off was a strategic inaccuracy from white. Now the position is once again dead equal, but options to break through have decreased with the queens off, and black's space advantage has just increased in value.

16.hxg5 hxg5 17.f4 gxf4 18.Bxf4 Rb8 19.b3 Ne7 20.Nf3 Bd7

20...Ng6 21.Bg5 Bb6 22.Nbd2 c4+ 23.d4 c5 with black starting to take the initiative.

21.Nc3 Rb4 22.Bd2 Rg4 23.Kf2 Rhg8 24.Rg1 Ng6 25.Rae1 Ba5

25...c4 has been a decent move for the past few moves, the threat of Bb6 and/or d5 ripping up the centre and activating the bishop pair is pretty hard to meet.

26.Na4 Bxd2 27.Nxd2

the position is once again dead equal, the exchange of bishops has favoured white and despite Dave getting into time trouble, he went on to hold the game with relative ease.

27...Nf4 28.Nxc5 Bc8 29.Rc1 Rxg2+ 30.Rxg2 Rxg2+ 31.Kf3 Rxd2

31...Nxd3 32.Kxg2 Nxc1 and black has an extra pawn for his trouble. Still a drawn game, but on the long road to the ending the extra pawn could prove too much if white cracks.

32.Kxf4 Rh2 (diagram left)

white has a symbolic edge due to black's extra pawn island. Despite white's passed f pawn, which is completely blockaded, the pawns are hindering black's bishop. Furthermore as all the pawns in one area, the abilities of the bishop compared to the knight are neutered somewhat.

33.Kf3 Ke7 34.b4 Bd7 35.Rg1 Be8 36.Rg2 Rh1 37.c3 Bh5+ 38.Ke3 Bg4 39.d4 Re1+ 40.Kd3 Rd1+ 41.Ke3 Re1+ 42.Kd3 Rf1

no repetition today.

43.Rh2 Rf3+ 44.Kd2 Bh3 45.Nd3 Kf7 46.Nf2 Bg4 47.Rg2 Bh5 48.Rh2 Kg6 49.Rg2+ Kh6 50.Nd3 Bf7 51.Rh2+ Kg7 52.Rg2+ Kh6 (diagram right)

still no repetition, but a draw agreed.

½–½