Middlegame Lessons From Crete

IN this series I want to look at important middlegame tactical and positional decisions players faced in my games at the Amateur Chess Organization's world senior championship at the Fodele Beach Resort, Crete.

In round one I had black against Rudy Van de Wynkele, a Belgian with a Fide rating of 1908. The full game can be seen at https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2021/06/crete-round-one.html

Position after White played 19.Ne2-g3

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White threatens to plant a knight - probably the g3 knight - on f5. Black could not reply ...Nxf5?? because either pawn-recapture would trap the light-square bishop.

19...g6?!

This protects the f5 square, but the analysis engines Stockfish13 and Komodo12.1.1 are almost certainly right in preferring immediate central action with 19...d5.

Not only does this conform to the general principle of looking for central play to counter a flank attack, but advancing the d pawn gives Black more freedom of action, especially along the third rank.

After 19...d5 Komodo12.1.1 still likes 20.Ngf5, but the engines agree 20...dxe4 21.dxe4 Rd8 gives Black a large advantage (winning, according to Stockfish13).

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White has just captured on f4

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24...dxe4

This seems best, although the engines reckon 24...Qc7 is a reasonable alternative.

A mistake is 24...Bd6? 25.Rxf6 Bxg3 as White has 26.exd5. This does not completely trap the black light-square bishop as Black has 26...Qe7, but then 27.Rdf1 Bh4 28.R6f4 Bc8 29.Bxd4 cxd4 30.Rxd4 wins a second pawn.

After the text the game continued 25.Nxe4 Nxe4 26.Rxe4 Bg5 27.Qf2 Qe7, when Black was slightly better.

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White has just played 30.Qd2-d1?! (30.Bxd4 is better, according to the engines)

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30...Rad7?

This throws away Black's advantage, which would be confirmed by 30...f5. I was afraid to play the pawn push because it weakens my king's position, but the engines give best-play as 31.gxf5 Bxf5 32.Nxf5 gxf5!, when White has to either give up the exchange on d4 or try 33.Bc1 Qg3 34.Re3, when it is the white king that is in the greater danger (Black is winning after 34...Qg6 or 34...Qd6, according to the engines).

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Position after 31...Qg5-e7

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32.Nc4

This occupies a good outpost and pressurises a5, but gives Black another chance for the advantageous ...f5.

The engines like 32.Nf5!, when 32...gxf5 33.gxf5 Nxf5 34.Rxf5 is unclear but seems at least equal for White.

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Black to make his 45th move

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45...Kg7

Black is better after this, thanks mainly to White's weakness down the c file and slightly more-exposed king. However 45...Bxb3! 46.cxb3 Rc1 wins after both 47.Re1 Rxe1 48.Qxe1 Rc1 and 47.Rxf7+ Kg8.