A Game Worthy of the Romantics!
John has had a good run of results against Breadsall opposition lately, beating Paul Madden in the Derbyshire Individual and then this game against John Molyneux. It was instrumental in Derby’s recent victory against Breadsall in the league. It also saved my blushes as I lost in that match! I am really pleased that John has annotated this exciting game for the publication on the website! - Kevin
John Molyneux (2105) - John Tompson (2071)
Derby & District League Division 1, Derby A v Breadsall, Board 1, 14/01/2025
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d4
The Scotch Gambit.
4...exd4
5.e5
5.0-0 The 'old mainline', with some tricks that have downed many chess youngsters over the decades... 5...Nxe4 6.Re1 d5 7.Bxd5! Qxd5 8.Nc3! As long as black's keeps his queen on the board, all is okay. Qh5, Qa5, Qd8, and Qd7 are all okay - followed by Be7 as necessary to protect against any nasty discovered checks from the rook on e1!
5...d5 6.Bb5 Ne4 7.Nxd4
Despite this being a so-called 'gambit', material is level and White is actually playing for positional goals. White often wants to take on c6 with the white-squared bishop and then blockade the d4 and c5 squares with a knight and his dark-squared bishop. White goes for a positional struggle of 'better structure versus the bishop pair'.
7...Bc5
A sharp response in contrast to the traditional mainline response of Bd7 and Be7 recently. It looks like black has blundered material, via exchanges on c6, but there's tactical counterplay via the f2 pawn and quick development.
8.0-0
8.Be3 is regarded as white's best response, says 'theory'.
8...0-0 9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.f3?
It looks like white is pushing back black's knight and gaining good play with f4 and Be3 - but black has a key resource.
10.Nxc6 Qd7 11.Nd4 Re8 12.f3 f6! with a small edge for Black.
10...f6!
Zwischenzug!
11.exf6??
Incredibly, after this fairly natural move, white is objectively losing.
Better is 11.fxe4 fxe5 12.Rxf8+ Qxf8 13.Be3?! exd4 14.Bxd4 Rb8! but Black still has a big advantage.
11...Qxf6 12.Be3 Ba6
Developing with tempo.
13.Re1 Qh4!?
Maybe a creative brilliancy but not actually best. I got swayed by the forcing lines but simply developing the final piece is best. 13...Rae8! 14.c3 (14.fxe4 Rxe4 also is winning) 14...Bd6 15.g3 Nxg3!! 16.hxg3 Bxg3 winning.
14.fxe4?
14.Nd2 is the only move, but white is still worse. 14...Bd6! 15.f4 Forced, or black crashes through for checkmate either via h2 or sacrificing on g3. If White played h3, black just slots the queen into g3 to renew the diagonal threat. 15...Rae8 with a clear plus for Black.I suspect this is what I might have ended up playing but perhaps after a long think...
I would have been tempted by 15...Rxf4!! a real time-burning move! 16.N2f3 (16.Bxf4? The nice finish from here I'm confident I'd have seen. 16...Bxf4 17.N2f3 Bxh2+! 18.Nxh2 Qf2+ 19.Kh1 Ng3#) However 16...Rxf3 17.Nxf3 Qh5 is the line that might have stopped me playing Rxf4. You have to have the composure to sacrifice the exchange and then calmly step back the queen. I'm not sure I'd have evaluated this correctly. Once you're at the position you can see black has all the play, two brilliant bishops, and an a8 rook that's about to join the party whilst white's pieces are hemmed in. However to see this in your mind’s eye several moves ahead is another matter!
14...Bd6!-+
The sneaky idea behind Qh4. White can't stop black crashing through.
15.g3 Bxg3!
No holding back now. Sacrificing another piece is worth it due to the exposed white king.
16.Re2
16.hxg3 Qxg3+ 17.Kh1 Rf6 is winning.
16...Bxe2!
After a long think, I was pleased to find the optimal finishing touches. The sacrifice on h2 was tempting and could win the white queen - but the risk was higher.
16...Bxh2+? 17.Rxh2 (17.Kg2 Bd6! wins) 17...Qg3+ 18.Kh1! This is what put me off.(18.Rg2 Qxe3+ wins) 18...Rf1+? (18...Qxe3 is better for Black but not decisive) 19.Qxf1 Bxf1= White has a rook and two knights for the queen and, correctly as it happens, I wasn't confident this was winning.
17.Qxe2 Bxh2+!
Deflecting the white queen to win the e3 bishop. I opted for this line because I'd end up rook for two knights, minimum, and White would be left with a hugely exposed king.
18.Qxh2 Qe1+ 19.Kg2 Qxe3
0-1
White resigned here. Qg1 saves the d4 knight but after taking the pawn on e4 with check, the f8 rook moves forward to join the party and white's queen (or king) is likely falling soon after.
John T
20th January 2025
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