[Event "Fletcher-Morrow 2016"]
[Site "Mechanics Institute"]
[Date "2016-08-14"]
[White "Rod Jacobs"]
[Black "Geoffrey Gill"]
[WhiteElo "1659"]
[BlackElo "1790"]
[Result "0-1"]

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 {Interestingly, in his superb book The Ideas behind the Chess Openings, Reuben Fine states of this variation - sets up the cramping Pawn chain, but there is nothing cramped, which makes the move entirely useless, unlike its analogue in the French......Black has all the advantages of the French without any of the disadvantages. After P-QB4 he will have at least equality.'(RJ)} Bf5 4.f4 e6 5.Nf3 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Bd3?! {Up until now following the main line. The engines are not too keen on this, recommending Be3, and they are right. That is the recommended move on Chessbase. The whole game pretty much revolves around the strength or otherwise of White's d pawn. White must start to overprotect it. (RJ)} Bxd3 8.Qxd3 Nh6 {Favoured by Stockfish 7 and Chessbase. Black already has an edge.(RJ)} 9.Be3 Qb6! {Again the best move - favoured by Chessbase and the engines. (RJ)} 10.Qd2 {In the post-game analysis we both thought this was a bad mistake. But Stockfish 7 and Deep Shredder indicate it's not at all. However simply b3 was better. (RJ)} cxd4 11.cxd4? {THIS is the first serious mistake, completely overlooking Black's response. Stockfish 7 gives the correct move as Bxd4!, with equality.(RJ)} Na5! {Again the best move. Black forgets about pressuring the d pawn and goes after bigger fish. Geoff plays the whole game with great accuracy. (RJ)} 12.Qf2?? {Planned beforehand and, carelessly, played immediately and without making a beginner's check. I had intended to meet Nc4 with Bc1. As pointed out by Geoff after the game, Qe2 is necessary. Black is still however under pressure. (RJ)} Ng4 {Unfortunately this tame effort put the team behind the eight ball quite early. (RJ)} {#R}