He finished two points clear of second-placed Roy Hughes (Broadland, Norfolk), in part thanks to the following game.
Ian Snape (2161 ECF/2090 Fide) - Roy Hughes (2112 ECF/2020 Fide)
Semi-Slav
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 e6 4.e3 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bd6 6.Qc2 Nbd7 7.Bd3 0-0 8.0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, reaching a position occurring 6,087 times in Mega26, who stands better? |
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Stockfish19 and Dragon1 reckon the game is equal.
8...Qe7!?
But the engines are not keen on this, preferring 8...dxc4 or 8...e5!?
9.e4
The engines reckon 9.c5!? Bc7, and now 10.e4, gives White a slight edge.
9...dxc4 10.Bxc4 e5 11.Be3 dxe4 12.Bxd4 Ne5 13.Bxe5!? Bxe5 14.Bd3!?
This may be a novelty. The known move is 14.Nxe5.
14...h6!? 15.Rae1 Bd7?!
The engines do not like this, reckoning 15...Nd7!? and 15...Rd8 keep the balance.
16.h3?!
White has the upper hand after 16.Nxe5 Qxe5 17.f4, according to the engines.
16...Rad8 17.Ne2!? Bc8
The engines prefer keeping the bishop-pair with 17...Bc7 or 17...Bb8.
18.Nxe5 Qxe5 19.f4 Qa5
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| The attacking chances White gets with his kingside pawn-majority give at least a slight edge, according to the engines |
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20.Kh2!
The engines agree this is best.
20...Rfe8
If 20...Qxa2!?, then 21.e5 Nd7 22.Ng3 gives a promising attack.
21.Ng3 Rd4?!
Possibly best is Stockfish19's 21...h5!?, intending to follow up with 22...h4.
22.e5 Nd5 23.Bh7+
This is Dragon1's top choice, at least for a while, but Stockfish19 prefers 23.Be4, and if 23...Rd2, then 24.Qc1, eg 24...Qb4 25.b3 Kh8!? 26.Bxd5 Rxd5 27.Ne4, claiming White has the upper hand.
23...Kh8 24.Bf5?
White is slightly better after 24.Be4, according to the engines.
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| How should Black proceed? |
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24...Qd2??
This allows White a winning combination, whereas 24...Rxf4 picks up a pawn for nothing.
25.Qxd2 Rxd2 26.Bxc8?
Missing 26.Ne4! Rxb2 27.Nd6 Bxf5 28.Nxe8, when White is up the exchange for a pawn, and if 28...Rxa2, then 29.Ne7 is strong, eg 29...g6 30.Nxf7+ Kg7 31.Nd6, with an advantage worth a rook (Stockfish19), or at least more than a minor piece (Dragon1).
26...Rxc8 27.Re2 Rxe2 28.Nxe2 Kg8 29.Nd4 Ne3
26...Rxc8 27.Re2 Rxe2 28.Nxe2 Kg8 29.Nd4 Ne3
The engines suggest 29...g6 or 29...Re8, in both cases impeding White's majority.
30.Rf3 Nd5 31.Nf5 Rc7 32.Kg3 Ne7 33.Nd6 Nc8
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| How should White proceed? |
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34.Nxc8!?
The engines prefer keeping knights on the board, but they agree White is better in the coming rook-and-pawn ending.
34...Rxc8 35.Rd3
Even stronger, according to the engines, is 35.Ra3 a6 36.Kf3!?, and if 36...Rd8, then 37.Rb3.
35...Rc7?
35...Rc7?
Instead of abandoning the back rank, Black should start pushing the queenside pawns to gain counterplay.
36.Rd8+ Kh7 37.f5 c5
Everything loses.
38.Kf4 c4 39.e6 g6 40.Rd7 1-0
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