[Event "BCCC 2018"]
[Site "The Library"]
[Date "2018-04-21"]
[White "Bas van Riel"]
[Black "Kevin Perrin"]
[WhiteElo "1812"]
[BlackElo "1526"]
[Result "0.5-0.5"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Bc5 6.c3 b5 7.Bb3 O-O? { (BvR) This (-0.70) and Kevin's next few moves are not the best. For instance 7. ..d6 would have been a much safer way towards further development for black.} 8.d4 exd4? {(BvR) (-1.39) . Better (-0.67) would be 8....Be7; 9.Nxe5, Nxe5; 10.Bd5, Nf6; 11. Nxc6, bxc6; 12.Bxc6,... although still loosing a pawn.} 9.cxd4 Bb6? {(BvR) (-1.96). Instead, 9...Be7; 10.e5, Ne4; 11.Bd5, Ng5; 12.Nxg5, Bxg5; 13. Nc3 would have resulted in a pretty weak position for black (-1.40) but no material loss (yet).} 10.e5 Ne8 11.Bg5 Ne7 12.Nc3 Kh8!? {(BvR) Believing that 13.Nd5 should be prevented, I had only looked at 12...c6 or 12.. Bb7 for black. Kevin's move, preparing to play 13...f6 after 13.Nd5, took me by surprise. As a result, I solely focussed on the option to win the exchange, and I 'forgot' to look at the alternative of an (stronger and probably un-stoppable) attack through a Qd3-Bc2 setup. In that context my engine recommends 13.Nh4!, instead of 13.Nd5! A move which I probably would not have found over the board.} 13.Nd5!? f6 14.exf6 Nxf6 15.Nxf6 gxf6 16.Bh6 {(BvR) Black's rook is trapped.} Bb7 17.Bxf8 Qxf8 {(BvR) Just having won the exchange, I was initially convinced that the position was winning for white. On the other hand, I discovered only know that black's bishop pair, trained on my kings position, together with the open g-file, would not give me much room for errors. By the way, the engine shows a fairly clear winning (+1.80) line for white, which I could not find, though. I now began to use oodles of time in order to to find a good plan. It took me 12 minutes for my next move, for instance.} 18.Re1 Qg7 {(BvR) -1.91} 19.Qd3 Ng6 20.Qe3? {(BvR) 20.Qf5! would have stopped black's attacking chances, once and for all. From hereon, I started to drift without a clear plan or initiative.} Rf8 21.Rad1 Ba5!? {(BvR) An innovative idea by Kevin, which was not great, but certainly rattled me and took much of my time.} 22.Re2 Bb4 23.Kf1 {-1.78 (BvR)} Bd6 24.g3 c5 {(BvR) At the time, I believed that it was a strong move by Kevin, but my engine says it was not (ie. -2.10 after 26.Qd3)} 25.dxc5 Bxc5 26.Qd3 {(BvR) !} d6 27.Bd5 Bc8 {(BvR) With the threat of Bg4 in combination with Ne5} 28.a3? {(BvR) 28. Be6 or 28.Qd2, Bg4; 29. Kg1! are given by the engine as much better options} Bg4 {(BvR) -1.87. The engine, missed by both players, gives preference to 28...Bh3; 29.Ke1, Ne5 (-1.15) for black.} 29.b4 Ba7 30.Rc1? {(BvR) Mistake (+1.30) Stronger (+2.06) would have been 30.Qd2, in anticipation of Kevin's strong 31...,Qh6.} Ne5 31.Qc3 Qh6! 32.Kg2? {0.41/0 (BvR) overlooking Rc8. Instead, 32.R1c2 or 32. R2c2 would result in a diminished but still positive position (+1.33) for white. After the move it is more or less equal.} Qh3+ 33.Kg1 Rc8! {-0.56 (BvR)} 34.Rxe5! fxe5 35.Qd2 Rf8! {(BvR) good move. Now completely equal} 36.Qd3?? {(BvR) We both missed a clearly winning sequence for black here, starting with 36...., Bxf2;} Qh5?? (36...Bxf2+ 37.Kxf2 Qxh2+ 38.Ke1 Qxg3+ 39.Kd2 Qg2+ 40.Qe2 Bxf3 41.Qxg2 Bxg2 42.Bxg2 Rf2+ 43.Ke1 Rxg2) 37.Rc3 Bxf3 38.Bxf3 Qf7 {(BvR) Kevin's idea (sacrificing a pawn) is unsound but it has no major consequences} 39.Qxd6 {(BvR) suddenly a slight advantage for white (+0.53)} Bd4 40.Rd3 Qf5 {(BvR) It looks tricky, and complicated. Short on time, I did not want to take further risks, and I decided heading for the exit (=draw).} 41.Rxd4 exd4 42.Qxd4+ Qf6 43.Qxf6+ Rxf6 {(BvR) -0.02; draw. An interesting game, with great resilience by Kevin, after a poor opening.} {#d}