Weak.ie An Irish beginner's chess blog

The last game of the season for the Bodley and the victim of an unfortunate timing mishap – our opponents, Blanchardstown chess club, had several games back to back in a short span of days and their organiser forgot our game on the original day, so this game was rescheduled for the following week after a few phone calls to sort things out. C’est la vie.

In the end it became the longest game of my Bodley season at an odd 65 moves but as the graph shows, it was also the biggest turnaround of the season for me (and it had the most interesting (read “utterly crazy and never should have worked”) hail mary play as well):

Here’s the game, with annotation:

[pgn eo=t autoplayMode=none pieceFont=alpha ss=64 ps=64 h=800 commentsDisplay=newline]
[Event “Bodley 2013”]
[Site “St.Benildus”]
[Date “2014.03.20”]
[Round “9”]
[White “Vinayak Unnithan”]
[Black “Mark Dennehy”]
[Result “0-1”]
[BlackElo “700”]
[ECO “B10o”]
[EventDate “2014.03.20”]
[Annotator “Stockfish 210214 64”]

1.e4
{+0.31

Okay, we’re playing a Caro-Kann then…}
1…c6
{+0.62}
2.Nf3
{+0.65}
2…d5
{+0.54

Ha! The apocolypse variation!}
3.d3
{+0.17

…or not…}
3…dxe4
{+0.09}
4.dxe4
{+0.08}
4…Qxd1+
{+0.08}
5.Kxd1
{+0.08

Hey, if you’re going to give me a queen exchange that loses you
castling rights, don’t expect I won’t take it…}
5…Bg4
{+0.16}
6.Be2
{-0.05}
6…Nf6
{-0.13}
7.e5
{-0.19}
7…Ne4
{+0.20

I’ll grant you, we’re out of the mainline Caro Kann by a few
kilometres at this stage, but that’s too nice a square to pass up for
the knight…}
8.Be3
{+0.39}
8…e6
{+0.27}
9.h3
{+0.13}
9…Bh5
{+0.13}
10.g4
{+0.02}
10…Bg6
{+0.01}
11.h4 D
{-0.56}
11…Nd7?? +/-
{+2.61 / -0.56}
11…h5 12.gxh5 Rxh5 13.Rg1 Bc5 14.Bd3 Bxe3 15.fxe3 Nf2+ 16.Ke2 Nxd3
17.cxd3 Nd7 18.d4
12.h5
{+2.66}
12…Bc5 D
{+2.64}
13.Nd4? += D
{+0.99 / +2.64}
13.Bxc5 Ndxc5 14.Ke1 Nxf2 15.Kxf2 Bxc2 16.Nbd2 Nd3+ 17.Ke3 Nb4 18.
Rac1 h6 19.Nc4 Rb8 20.Nd6+ Ke7 21.Bc4 Bh7 22.a3 Nd5+ 23.Bxd5 exd5 24.
Kd4 f6 25.Nf5+ Bxf5 26.gxf5 fxe5+ 27.Nxe5 +/-
13…Nxf2+?! +/-
{+2.41 / +0.99

This is messy play, but I’d rather lose the knight than the bishop…}
13…Nxe5 14.c3 O-O-O 15.hxg6 hxg6 16.Rxh8 Rxh8 17.Kc2 Rh1 18.b4 Bb6
19.Bf4 Bc7 20.Bxe5 Bxe5 21.Bf3 Re1 22.Bxe4 Rxe4 23.Nf3 Bd6 24.Nbd2
Rxg4 25.Rh1 Rf4 26.Rh7 +=
14.Bxf2
{+2.26}
14…Be4
{+2.36}
15.Rf1
{+2.30}
15…O-O-O D
{+2.94

Haven’t castled long in a Caro Kann ever, but his queenside is so
broken up that it seemed to make sense.}
16.Nc3? +=
{+1.31 / +2.94}
16.Nd2 Bg2 17.Rg1 Nxe5 18.Nxe6 Bxf2 19.Rxg2 fxe6 20.Rxf2 g6 21.c3
Rhf8 22.Rxf8 Rxf8 23.Kc2 Rf2 24.Re1 Kc7 25.a3 gxh5 26.gxh5 Rg2 27.h6
Kd6 +/-
16…Nxe5
{+1.41}
17.Nxe4
{+1.50

After all that messy play earlier… but I couldn’t find a nicer way
out.}
17…Bxd4
{+1.50}
18.Kc1 D
{+1.53}
18…Rhf8?! +/-
{+2.80 / +1.53}
18…f5 19.c3 Bxf2 20.Nxf2 Rhf8 21.Kc2 g5 22.Rae1 h6 23.Bd3 Nxd3 24.
Nxd3 fxg4 25.Rxf8 Rxf8 26.Rxe6 g3 27.Rxh6 g2 +/-
19.Bxd4
{+2.82}
19…Rxd4 D
{+2.84}
20.Nc3? += D
{+0.64 / +2.84

Whoops, there goes his advantage.}
20.Ng5 Rd6 21.Nxh7 Rfd8 22.Ng5 Rd2 23.Re1 R2d4 24.b3 Rf4 25.Kb2 Rf2
26.a4 Kc7 27.Ne4 Rf4 28.Nc5 a5 29.Rf1 Rxf1 30.Rxf1 Rd2 31.Nd3 Rxe2 32.
Nxe5 Rxe5 33.Rxf7+ Kd6 34.Rxg7 +/-
20…Nc4?! +/-
{+1.96 / +0.64

Yeah, I could have swiped the g pawn, but I was going for blood at
this point.}
20…Nxg4 21.b3 Ne5 22.Kb2 Rh4 23.Rae1 Rh2 24.Rf4 Kb8 25.Rg1 Rg8 26.
Re4 f6 27.Bg4 Re8 28.Re2 Rxe2 29.Bxe2 g6 30.hxg6 hxg6 +=
21.Rd1 D
{+1.23}
21…e5? +-
{+3.27 / +1.23

Should have just doubled the rooks…}
21…Rfd8 22.Rg1 f6 23.b3 Ne5 24.g5 f5 25.Kb2 Rh4 26.Raf1 Rh3 27.Rh1
Rg3 28.h6 g6 29.Rhg1 Rxg1 30.Rxg1 Kc7 31.Rf1 Rd2 32.a3 Kd6 +=
22.Rxd4
{+3.29}
22…exd4
{+3.35}
23.Bxc4
{+3.35}
23…dxc3
{+3.32

Yeah, that just about blew that attack out of the water.}
24.bxc3
{+3.40}
24…g6
{+3.53}
25.hxg6
{+3.33}
25…fxg6
{+3.57}
26.Kb2
{+3.67}
26…Rf4
{+3.71}
27.Be6+
{+3.64}
27…Kc7 D
{+3.96}
28.Rd1?! +/-
{+2.70 / +3.96

Not sure why he’s going after the check here instead of the h-pawn.}
28.Rh1 Kd6 29.Bb3 Rxg4 30.Rxh7 b5 31.Rxa7 g5 32.Rg7 Ke5 33.c4 Rg2 34.
cxb5 cxb5 35.Rb7 g4 36.Rxb5+ Kf4 37.Rb4+ Kf5 38.Rb8 g3 39.Rg8 Kf4 40.
Kc3 Rf2 41.Bc4 Rh2 42.Bd5 +-
28…Re4 D
{+2.65}
29.Rd7+? += D
{+1.13 / +2.65}
29.Bg8 h5 30.gxh5 gxh5 31.Bh7 Rg4 32.Rd4 b5 33.Bf5 Rxd4 34.cxd4 Kd6
35.Kc3 c5 36.Kd3 a5 37.dxc5+ Kxc5 38.Ke4 h4 39.Kf4 Kb4 40.Kg5 Ka3 +/-
29…Kb6? +/-
{+2.77 / +1.13}
29…Kc8 30.Re7+ Kd8 31.Rxb7 Rxe6 32.Rxh7 Re7 33.Rh8+ Kc7 34.Rg8 Re6
35.Kb3 Kd6 36.a4 Kc5 37.g5 a6 38.Rg7 Kb6 39.Kb4 Re4+ 40.Ka3 Re6 41.Rg8
Kc5 42.Kb3 a5 43.Rg7 Kb6 44.Kc4 Re4+ 45.Kd3 +=
30.Bg8
{+3.00}
30…Rxg4
{+3.38}
31.Bxh7
{+3.69}
31…g5
{+4.12

Well, that’s the focus of the game suddenly shifted…}
32.Rg7
{+4.09}
32…Rg1
{+4.27}
33.Bf5
{+4.35}
33…a5
{+4.50}
34.Bc8
{+4.58}
34…c5 D
{+5.57}
35.Rxb7+?! +-
{+4.31 / +5.57

Awkward, but not yet fatal…}
35.Bxb7 Rg4 36.Bd5 c4 37.Bf3 Rf4 38.Rg6+ Kc7 39.Bd5 Rg4 40.a4 Kd8 41.
Rg7 Ke8 42.Ra7 Rf4 43.Rxa5 g4 44.Ra6 Kd7 45.Rg6 Ke7 46.Kc1 +-
35…Kc6
{+4.62}
36.Ra7
{+5.00}
36…g4
{+5.41}
37.Rxa5
{+6.51}
37…g3 D
{+6.99

Getting dangerous now, this pawn…}
38.Bg4?? += D
{+0.86 / +6.99}
38.Ra6+ Kc7 39.Bh3 Rh1 40.Bg2 Rh2 41.Bd5 Rh5 42.c4 Rg5 43.Rc6+ Kd7
44.Bg2 Rg4 45.Kc3 Rg5 46.a4 Re5 47.Rg6 Re3+ 48.Kb2 Kc7 49.Bd5 Kc8 50.
a5 Kb8 51.Rg7 Kc8 52.a6 +-
38…Kd6?? +- D
{+5.09 / +0.86}
38…g2 39.Bf3+ Kb6 40.Ra8 Rb1+ 41.Kxb1 g1=Q+ 42.Kb2 Qe3 43.Bd5 Qd2
44.Bc4 Kc7 45.Ra6 Kd7 46.a4 +=
39.a4?? += D
{+1.13 / +5.09}
39.Ra6+ Ke5 40.Rg6 Kf4 41.a4 Rh1 42.Be6 Rh7 43.Kb3 Rb7+ 44.Kc4 Ra7
45.Kxc5 Ra6 46.Kb5 Rd6 47.c4 g2 48.Rxg2 Rxe6 49.c5 Kf3 50.Rg7 +-
39…Rg2?? +-
{+6.13 / +1.13

Some sloppy play there from both sides.}
39…g2 40.Ra6+ Ke5 41.Bh3 Rb1+ 42.Kxb1 g1=Q+ 43.Kb2 Qh1 44.Bd7 Qb7+
45.Bb5 Qc7 46.Rc6 Qa7 47.Ka3 Kd5 48.Kb3 Ke5 49.Rc8 Qf7+ 50.Kb2 Qa7 51.
Rc6 Ke4 52.Re6+ Kf5 53.Ra6 Qb8 54.Kb3 Ke5 55.Rg6 Qa7 56.Rg5+ Ke4 57.
Bd3+ Kf4 58.Rf5+ Kg4 59.Rf6 Qb8+ 60.Kc4 Qa7 61.Rg6+ Kh5 +=
40.Ra6+
{+6.96}
40…Kc7
{+7.74}
41.a5
{+7.33}
41…Rxc2+
{+93.44

Sacrificing a rook for enough time to try to queen the g-pawn.
Stockfish does not agree with this at all, neither does common sense,
but according to the club analysis, it’s the most practical move given
that it’s the Bodley!}
42.Kxc2
{+93.46}
42…g2
{+93.46}
43.Ra7+
{+98.52}
43…Kb8 D
{+141.33}
44.Rg7?? =
{+0.00 / +141.33

Ouch! Massive blunder right there. I couldn’t believe it when I saw
the move on the board, I’d been close to resigning after the rook
sacrifice hadn’t worked.}
44.Ra8+ Kxa8 45.Bf3+ Kb8 46.Bxg2 c4 47.Bf1 Kb7 48.Bxc4 Kc6 49.a6 Kb6
50.Kd3 Ka5 51.a7 Kb6 52.a8=Q +-
44…g1=Q
{+0.00

It’s not game over yet at all, but we’re back in with a chance now…}
45.Rg8+
{+0.00}
45…Ka7
{+0.00}
46.Rg7+
{+0.00}
46…Kb8
{+0.00}
47.Rg8+
{+0.00

Hey, I’ll take a threefold repition here and not only will stockfish
agree with me, so will everyone else!}
47…Kc7
{+0.00}
48.Rg7+
{+0.00}
48…Kd8 D
{+0.00}
49.Rg8+? -/+
{-2.22 / +0.00

Ah, but there’s the chink in the armour!}
49.a6 Qg2+ 50.Kb3 Qd5+ 51.Ka3 Qc4 52.a7 Qxc3+ 53.Ka2 Qc2+ 54.Ka3 Qc3+
=
49…Ke7
{-2.50}
50.a6
{-2.15}
50…Qf2+ D
{-1.95

And she’s out of the trap and into play!}
51.Kb3?? -+
{-10.24 / -1.95

Ooops, wrong way to run, even though it’s the natural choice,
because…}
51.Kd3 Qf1+ 52.Ke3 Qxa6 53.Bf5 Qc4 54.Rg4 Qxc3+ 55.Bd3 Qe1+ 56.Kf3
Qd1+ 57.Be2 Qb3+ 58.Kf2 Qc2 59.Rc4 Qd2 60.Kf3 Kd6 61.Re4 Qc3+ 62.Kf2
Kd5 63.Bf3 Kd6 64.Be2 -/+
51…Qf7+
{-11.53

Bam. And now we’re pushing back hard.}
52.c4
{-77.07}
52…Qxg8
{-82.92}
53.a7
{-87.25}
53…Qa8
{-88.71}
54.Kc3
{-103.39}
54…Qxa7
{-89.09}
55.Kd3
{-138.74}
55…Kd6
{-93.23}
56.Ke4
{-138.74}
56…Qa2
{-138.74}
57.Kd3
{-327.24

And stockfish says it’s all over from here on. Practically it was over
as soon as the rook fell though.}
57…Qb3+
{-327.30}
58.Kd2
{-327.34}
58…Qxc4
{-327.28}
59.Be2
{-327.36}
59…Qd4+
{-327.38}
60.Bd3
{-327.44}
60…c4
{-327.45}
61.Ke1
{-327.45}
61…cxd3
{-327.46}
62.Kd1
{-327.48}
62…Ke5
{-327.46}
63.Kc1
{-327.47}
63…d2+
{-327.48}
64.Kd1
{-327.48}
64…Ke4
{-327.49}
65.Kc2
{-327.49

And that’s that. A fairly undeserved chance to win, but the taking of
that chance and the followup wasn’t very incompetent so I’m okay with
that… }
65…d1=Q# 0-1
[/pgn]

So a slightly odd opening (I was sure he’d been reading about the Apocalypse variation of the Caro Kann, which still looks like fun and which I’ve yet to see over the board, but no), then a quick early queen swap to keep his king from castling, a nice queenside attack that went horribly wrong in the middle of a longish swapping session, solid follow-on play from my opponent that deserved to win him the game, including handling a crazy-ass rook sacrifice play from me that had no right to be as successful as it ultimately was, a horrible blunder by him in the middle of that which threw the entire game away, a brief pause when by rights we should have agreed a draw, then a small weakness that I was able to poke at with a stick enough to break through and win the game on.

Like I said in the annotations, and as was extensively proven by Kevin and John in the skittles session afterwards when they showed that the one blunder my opponent made was the one move that didn’t checkmate me, I had no business getting the chance to come back; but I’m not hugely unhappy about the play after I got that chance. Not very happy about fumbling the initial attack, mind you…

The team report on the match is here on the Benildus website, with a nice bit on the rook sacrifice play that shows just how much of a hail mary play it really was.

This brings the Bodley to a close, and we took third place in the end, beaten by Gonzaga (who won as everyone and their aunt expected them to) and Drogheda (which was equally predictable). I was happy enough with my place in the points table for the group, joint 25th out of 80 with 3.5 out of 6 (and joint ninth of the people who played six games or fewer), even if I didn’t deserve quite a few of those points!

After a long gap over Xmas thanks to work timetables and family commitments and the Xmas break in the league, I came back in on Round 8 against Portmarnock chess club in a home match against a young opponent. To be honest, while I won the game, I didn’t really get much enjoyment out of it – there weren’t many puzzling moments, I made one major blunder, but got back on top far too easily and the endgame just felt like bullying as the analysis graph shows:

Here’s the game with annotations:

[pgn eo=t autoplayMode=none pieceFont=alpha ss=64 ps=64 h=800 commentsDisplay=newline]
[Event “Bodley 2014”]
[Site “St.Benildus”]
[Date “2014.02.26”]
[Round “8”]
[White “Mark Dennehy”]
[Black “Gabor Major”]
[Result “1-0”]
[BlackElo “700”]
[EventDate “2014.02.26”]
[Annotator “Stockfish 210214 64”]

1.d4
{+0.23

Going with John’s d4 opening here.}
1…d5
{-0.23}
2.Nf3
{+0.23}
2…Nf6
{+0.32}
3.g3
{-0.20}
3…Nc6
{-0.07}
4.Bg2
{-0.19}
4…Bf5
{+0.38}
5.O-O
{+0.23

Well, that’s the inital tabia without any major issue, though
stockfish thinks I’m a bit on the back foot.}
5…e6
{-0.08}
6.c3
{-0.13}
6…Bxb1
{+0.66}
7.Rxb1
{+0.61

And now I have the bishop pair and am arguably ahead on development.}
7…g6
{+1.23}
8.Qb3
{+1.32}
8…b6
{+1.67

And now his pawn structures are a bit broken up.}
9.Ng5 D
{+0.94}
9…Bh6? +/-
{+2.88 / +0.94}
9…Be7 10.Qa4 Qd7 11.e4 O-O 12.Bf4 h6 13.exd5 Nxd5 +=
10.e4
{+2.64}
10…O-O
{+2.53}
11.Nxe6
{+2.80}
11…fxe6
{+2.58}
12.Bxh6
{+2.62

Bishops versus knights in what’s shaping up to be a reasonably open
game…}
12…Na5
{+3.10}
13.Qb5
{+2.72

Hm. Qb4 might have been smarter, attacking his rook a bit more
strongly.}
13…c6
{+2.87}
14.Qe2
{+3.31

Well, by this point the pawns are screaming kingside attack anyway…}
14…Rf7
{+3.40}
15.exd5 D
{+2.87

Probably not the best move, but I’m thinking Qe6 here after the
obvious exd, just to poke about a bit and see what happens. }
15…cxd5? +-
{+4.86 / +2.87

Oh. Okay, didn’t think he’d take that one, it’s an obvious blunder.}
15…exd5 16.Bh3 Kh8 17.Rbe1 Nc4 18.Qe6 Qe8 19.b3 Qxe6 20.Bxe6 +/-
16.Qxe6 D
{+4.19}
16…Nc4?! +-
{+5.20 / +4.19

Er, what now? I mean, you don’t even have the fork on d2 here, why
would you do this?}
16…Qd7 17.Qxd7 Rxd7 18.Rfe1 Rad8 19.Bg5 Kg7 20.Re6 Rf7 21.Rbe1 +-
17.Rfe1
{+4.65

Bxd was probably nastier here in hindsight.}
17…Qd7
{+5.00}
18.b3
{+4.30}
18…Qxe6
{+5.11}
19.Rxe6
{+5.41}
19…Na3
{+5.57}
20.Rxf6
{+6.27}
20…Rxf6
{+7.37}
21.Bxd5+
{+7.37}
21…Kh8 D
{+7.31}
22.Bxa8?? +/-
{+2.46 / +7.31

Ah feck, what was I thinking? }
22.Re1 g5 23.Bxg5 Raf8 24.Bxf6+ Rxf6 25.c4 Nc2 26.Re8+ Kg7 27.Re7+
Kf8 28.Rxh7 a5 29.Kg2 Nxd4 30.f4 Ne2 31.Kf3 Nc3 +-
22…Nxb1 D
{+2.49}
23.d5? +=
{+0.93 / +2.49

And that’s the advantage all thrown away now. Poop. }
23.c4 Nc3 24.Kg2 Nxa2 25.Bf4 Kg7 26.Be5 Nc1 27.f4 Nxb3 28.Bd5 Nd2 29.
Bxf6+ Kxf6 30.c5 bxc5 31.dxc5 +/-
23…Nxc3
{+0.32}
24.a3 D
{-0.67}
24…Ne4? +=
{+0.84 / -0.67}
24…Rd6 25.Bf4 Ne2+ 26.Kg2 Nxf4+ 27.gxf4 Kg8 28.Kg3 Rd8 29.Bc6 Kf7
25.Bc1 D
{+0.30

Looking at pinning the rook to let that pawn past.}
25…Nxf2? +/-
{+2.54 / +0.30}
25…Kg8 26.Be3 Kf7 27.Bc6 Ke7 28.Kg2 Rf5 29.f3 Nd6 =
26.Bb2 D
{+2.80}
26…Nh3+?? +-
{+6.39 / +2.80

Well that seems weak…}
26…Ne4 27.d6 Kg8 28.Bxe4 Rxd6 29.Bc3 Kf7 30.Kf2 Ke6 31.Ke3 Rd1 32.
h3 Rg1 33.Kf4 Rf1+ 34.Ke3 Rg1 +/-
27.Kg2
{+7.54}
27…Kg7 D
{+7.81}
28.Bxf6+ +-
{+6.35 / +7.81

Stockfish says this is a blunder, but I’m thinking this way I get both
rook and knight. Not sure why stockfish thinks this approach is so
wrong.}
28.Kxh3 Kf7 29.Bxf6 Kxf6 30.Kg4 Ke7 31.Kg5 a5 32.h4 b5 33.Kh6 Kf7 34.
d6 Ke6 35.Kxh7 +-
28…Kxf6
{+7.14}
29.Kxh3
{+7.59

Yup, this is where stockfish said I’d be anway. Maybe it’s that his
king is more central but in a Bodley game I think this is splitting
hairs too much…}
29…Ke5
{+7.66}
30.Kg4
{+7.85}
30…h6 D
{+8.02}
31.h4 +-
{+6.96 / +8.02

Well, Bc6 would cause his a and b pawns more hassle I suppose, but
still…}
31.Bc6 Kd6 32.Kf4 a6 33.h3 b5 34.b4 g5+ 35.Kg4 Ke5 36.Kh5 Ke4 37.Kxh6
+-
31…h5+
{+9.46

Well that’s both his g and h pawns lost there.}
32.Kg5
{+12.34}
32…Kd6
{+13.24}
33.Kxg6
{+13.72}
33…Kc7
{+14.16}
34.Kxh5
{+20.64}
34…Kb8
{+22.18

I know he’s after the bishop, but this is just timewasting while I eat
his g and h pawns becuase he can’t stop Bc6 and after that point he
can’t touch either the bishop or the d pawn or stop me from queening
both g and h pawns. And Bc6 gives his a and b pawns hassle as well.}
35.Bc6
{+27.79}
35…Kc7 D
{+33.75}
36.Be8 +-
{+12.50 / +33.75

No, I have no idea why I did that. Seriously, makes no sense now and
didn’t make much to me ten seconds after I made it then either.}
36.Kg6 Kd6 37.h5 Ke5 38.h6 Kd4 39.h7 Kc3 40.d6 Kxb3 41.d7 Kxa3 42.
d8=Q Ka2 43.h8=Q Kb3 44.Qd3+ Ka2 45.Qdd4 +-
36…Kd6 D
{+16.34}
37.Bf7 +-
{+13.60 / +16.34}
37.Kg6 b5 38.h5 Kc5 39.Bc6 b4 40.axb4+ Kxb4 41.h6 Kxb3 42.h7 a6 43.
h8=Q +-
37…Ke7
{+20.89}
38.Kg6
{+22.97}
38…a5
{+32.48

Finally getting the endgame back in motion. Only now I’m weaker than
Bc6 would have left me. Feck it, there’s enough margin for now.}
39.h5
{+20.67}
39…b5
{+97.32}
40.h6
{+108.68

Yeah, he can see it at this point. I don’t know why he doesn’t resign
here, I think it’s just that Bodley players are generally coached not
to because Bodley opponents often blunder endgames.}
40…a4
{+108.75}
41.b4
{+97.22

And that’s a and b locked up.}
41…Kd6
{+139.76}
42.h7
{+327.39

Even stockfish is saying it’s a St.Jude affair now.}
42…Ke5
{+327.42}
43.h8=Q+
{+327.44

Oh, come on, you know you’re toast, do we have to do all the steps?
(Seriously, I feel like a bully now)}
43…Ke4
{+327.44}
44.d6
{+327.45

Erm, okay, maybe if I just make it really obvious?}
44…Kf3
{+327.45}
45.d7
{+327.46}
45…Kxg3
{+327.46}
46.d8=Q
{+327.47}
46…Kf3
{+327.47

Apparently not. Well, it’s an overkill mate, but, okay.}
47.Qd5+
{+327.47}
47…Ke3
{+327.47}
48.Qhe5+
{+327.48}
48…Kf2
{+327.48}
49.Qd2+
{+327.49}
49…Kf3
{+327.49}
50.Qee3+
{+327.49}
50…Kg4
{+327.49}
51.Qdd4# 1-0
[/pgn]

It was the first time I used John’s d4 opening in an over-the-board game (I’d been using it a lot on chess.com and in friendly club games beforehand), and it just seemed to confuse my opponent because it was a bit outside the norm, but it’s not like it was some wild variation nobody’s ever seen before, and my opponent was too capture-happy too early on, leaving me with the bishop pair and him with a broken pawn structure. I did manage to throw away a rook with 22.Bxa8 which was stupid and threw away a two-piece lead in material in one or two moves, but the endgame was so awful that the blunder didn’t save him. Score one for Silman’s Complete Endgame Course I suppose. Honestly, I felt awful in the last few moves, it was almost bullying chess. Less games like that would be nice.

The team report on the match is here on the Benildus website.

The first game of the season after the xmas break, and it’s a home game against Elm Mount chess club. This game was pretty uninspiring really; there wasn’t any clear plan from either side and no major breaks to go chasing after either and it ended in the one agreed draw of my season, and while that was a bit of a gift considering where my game was, it was more because of exhaustion with the game than any real reason. So not the high point of the season really. The analysis doesn’t quite get it across, it just shows fairly solid progression for a Bodley-level game, it doesn’t quite convey the sheer stodginess of things:

Here’s the game with annotation:

[pgn eo=t autoplayMode=none pieceFont=alpha ss=64 ps=64 h=800 commentsDisplay=newline]
[Event “Bodley 2014”]
[Site “St.Benildus”]
[Date “2014.01.29”]
[Round “6”]
[White “Alex Goss”]
[Black “Mark Dennehy”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteElo “906”]
[ECO “D10i”]
[EventDate “2014.01.29”]
[Annotator “Stockfish 210214 64”]

1.d4
{+0.14

Okay, Slav time!}
1…d5
{+0.19}
2.c4
{+0.12}
2…c6
{+0.48}
3.Nc3
{+0.23}
3…Bf5
{+0.85}
4.h3
{+0.29

Not sure what that’s about…}
4…e6
{+0.24}
5.Bf4
{+0.01}
5…Nf6
{+0.27}
6.e3
{+0.11}
6…Be7
{+0.18}
7.c5
{-0.01}
7…O-O
{+0.07

Well, it’s a fairly stodgy opening and I’ve lost some ground in the
center. Should have swiped that c4 pawn before c5…}
8.Bd3
{-0.41}
8…Nbd7
{+0.15}
9.Nf3
{-0.31}
9…Be4
{+0.38}
10.Qc2 D
{-0.31}
10…Re8?! =
{+0.44 / -0.31

Stockfish’s suggested variation here might have opened things up a bit
more allright.}
10…Bxd3 11.Qxd3 b6 12.cxb6 Qxb6 =
11.Nxe4
{+0.33}
11…dxe4
{+0.41}
12.Bxe4 D
{+0.40}
12…Qa5+?! += D
{+1.25 / +0.40

Yeah, I have no idea why I thought this would work; I think I just had
board blindness to the Nd2 move.}
12…Nxe4 13.Qxe4 Qa5+ 14.Kf1 Nf6 15.Qc2 b6 16.cxb6 axb6 17.Kg1 Rec8
18.Kh2 Qd5 19.Rhc1 Rxa2 20.Rxa2 Qxa2 21.Ne5 c5 22.b4 Qxc2 23.Rxc2 Ne4
24.bxc5 bxc5 25.f3 =
13.Nd2? =
{-0.28 / +1.25}
13.Qd2 Qxd2+ 14.Nxd2 Nxe4 15.Nxe4 e5 16.dxe5 Nxc5 17.Nxc5 Bxc5 18.Ke2
Rad8 19.Rad1 Bb4 20.f3 Rxd1 21.Rxd1 +=
13…Nxe4
{-0.28}
14.Qxe4 D
{-0.35}
14…Nf6?! +=
{+0.95 / -0.35

And throwing away the (very slim) advantage. Poop.}
14…e5 15.Bxe5 Bxc5 16.Qc2 Bb4 17.a3 Nxe5 18.dxe5 Bxd2+ 19.Qxd2 Qxe5
20.O-O Rad8 21.Qb4 Rd7 22.Rad1 Red8 23.Qb3 Qc5 24.Rxd7 Rxd7 25.Rd1 Qb5
=
15.Qd3
{+0.45}
15…Rad8 D
{+0.91

If you don’t have a plan, make your position stronger.}
16.a3?! = D
{+0.00 / +0.91}
16.Ke2 Nd5 17.Bd6 b6 18.Bxe7 Rxe7 19.Rhc1 e5 20.Nb3 Qb4 21.a3 Qa4 22.
Kf1 exd4 23.Nxd4 bxc5 24.b3 +=
16…e5? +/-
{+1.89 / +0.00

Dammit, I don’t mind missing the trick so much as missing the opening
up of the game!}
16…Qxc5 17.Qxh7+ Kxh7 18.dxc5 Bxc5 19.Ke2 e5 20.Bg3 Nd5 21.Rac1 Bb6
22.Rhd1 Bc7 23.Nc4 f5 24.Bh4 Rc8 25.g4 g6 26.gxf5 gxf5 =
17.Bxe5 D
{+1.20}
17…g6? +-
{+3.35 / +1.20

After a lot of going nowhere, that’s the first real Bodley-level break
the game’s seen and of course it goes against me. Why I even paniced
about h7 I don’t know.}
17…Qxc5 18.f4 Qb6 19.O-O Nd7 20.Nc4 Qa6 21.Rfc1 Nxe5 22.Nxe5 Qxd3
23.Nxd3 Bh4 24.Ne5 f6 +=
18.b4
{+3.32}
18…Qa6
{+3.89

Feck. I didn’t want a queen exchange, but I’ve no choice now.}
19.Qxa6
{+3.97}
19…bxa6
{+3.99

Yay. Doubled pawns on the a-file. Just… perfect.}
20.g4
{+3.81}
20…Nd5
{+3.96}
21.Nc4
{+3.99}
21…f6
{+4.21}
22.Bg3
{+4.23}
22…Bf8
{+4.26}
23.Na5
{+4.09}
23…Rc8
{+4.25}
24.Nb7
{+3.78}
24…Nc3
{+3.86}
25.Nd6
{+3.73}
25…Bxd6
{+3.54}
26.Bxd6
{+3.27}
26…Ne4
{+3.64

There’s no real plan going on here, the game is as stodgy as it gets,
and we’re about to hit a rook endgame where I’m two pawns down. In
hindsight, I should have gotten up, taken a breather and settled back
down to keep on going and try to grind out a win, but on the day I was
just exhaused by the thought of that and accepted the draw. Stockfish
(and the skittles room) think I was too slow accepting the draw and
that I should have taken his hand off while doing so!}
26…Ne4 { 14:+3.61} 27.Bf4 Kg7 28.Ke2 h6 29.Rac1 Ng5 30.Bxg5 hxg5
31.h4 gxh4 32.Rxh4 g5 33.Rh5 Re4 34.Rch1 Rxg4 35.Rh7+ Kg6 36.Rxa7
1/2-1/2
[/pgn]

The team report on the match is here on the Benildus website (and yes, that “My Arse!” comment was as funny at the time as it sounds, in both senses of the word!)