Allen,John (164) - Waters,Andy (158)
Kent League, Lewis Cup Final, Lewisham v Rainham, 14.05.2017
Alekhine Defence
Annotated by Andy Waters
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1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 dxe5
The Modern Larsen variation of the Alekhine Defence. It was employed by the Danish GM in his 1965 World Championship Candidates semi-final match against Mikhail Tal. This variation also features in the opening repertoire of the Magnus Carlsen.
5.Nxe5 c6 6.c3
I've not encountered this move previously and it seems passive but an online examination shows that it has been employed by some half-decent players e.g. Ivan Sokolov.
6...Nd7 7.Bd3?
It is best to retreat the knight with 7.Nf3
7...Nxe5 8.dxe5 Qc7 9.Qe2
I was tempting white to play 9.f4
9...Be6
White now has some difficulty developing his pieces giving Black a slight edge. My plan was to apply pressure against the e5 pawn and see what transpired.
10.Na3 g6 11.0-0 Bg7 12.f4 Qd7
I decided that castling king-side would invite a pawn charge, 12...0-0 13.g4. This also prevents an immediate Rd1.
13.h3 0-0-0 14.Be4 f6
I wanted to open the centre to exploit my lead in development. This is stronger than 14...f5 15.Bc2 when my black squared bishop is shut out of play.
15.Be3 Nxe3 16.Qxe3 Kb8 17.Bc2 fxe5 18.Bb3 Bf5
Although 18...Bxb3 19.axb3 exf4 20.Rxf4 Qd2-+ is good for Black I didn't want to open the a-file for whites rook. Fritz shows the move I played to be equally strong.
19.fxe5 Qc7 20.g4?
This loses but 20.Bc2 e6 21.Bxf5 exf5-/+ and the e-pawn will drop
20...Rd3 21.Qe2
21.Qf2 Bc8-+
21...Rg3+ 22.Kh1
22.Kh2 Bxe5 23.gxf5 Re3+
22...Bd3 23.Qf2
The alternatives are offer no respite. 23.Qh2 Be4+; 23.Qe1 Bxe5 24.Rf2 (24.Nc4 Bxc3 25.Qxc3 Rxh3+ 26.Kg2 Qh2#; 24.Rd1 Rxh3+ 25.Kg1 Bd4+ 26.cxd4 Qh2#) 24...Rxh3+ 25.Kg1 Bh2+ 26.Kh1 Bg3+ 27.Kg1 Bxf2+ 28.Qxf2 Rg3+ 29.Kh2 Rf3+ 30.Kg2 Rxf2+ 31.Kxf2 Qh2+ 32.Ke3 Qe2+ 33.Kf4 Qf2+ 34.Ke5 (34.Kg5 h6#) 34...Qe3#
23...Be4+!
The bishop pair will either snare the queen or force mate which is much better than simply winning the exchange with 23...Bxf1 24.Qxg3 Bxe5
24.Kh2 Bxe5 25.Qf8+ Qd8
I had seen that by forcing an exchange on the d-file I would have two routes to mate and that the white couldn't cover them both. This wins but even quicker would have been 25...Rxf8 26.Rxf8+ Qc8 27.Rxc8+ Kxc8 28.Be6+ Kb8 29.Nc4 Rg2+ 30.Kh1 Rxg4#
26.Qxd8+ Rxd8 27.Nc4 Rd2+
The rook sacrifice removes the attack from the e5 bishop and mate in two further moves. An alternative mate was 27...Rg2+ 28.Kh1 Rxg4+ 29.Rf3 Bxf3#
28.Nxd2 Rxg4+ 29.Rf4 Bxf4#
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