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Start Back 5 Back 1 Forward 1 Forward 5 End Flip Auto Variations controls



 
O'Brien, Richard W.   –   Clarke, Tom
2090 2230
 
A40 Irish Championship 1996 (2) 1996.07.07

1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. c4 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 a5 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. d5 O-O 7. a3 Bc5 8. e3 c6 9. Na4 Ba7 10. dxe6 dxe6 11. Bc3 Nbd7 12. Bd3 Ne4 13. Qc2 Nxc3 14. Nxc3 Nc5 15. O-O-O Qf6 16. e4 Bb8 17. Rhe1 Bd7 18. e5 Qh6+ 19. Kb1 Be8 20. Na4 Nxa4 21. Qxa4 c5 22. Qc2 Bc6 23. Be2 Be4 24. Bd3 Bxf3 25. gxf3 Qxh2 26. Qe2 Qf4 27. Bc2 Bc7 28. Rd7 Rf7 29. Qd3 Bxe5 30. Rxf7 Kxf7 31. Qd7+ Kf6 32. Qb5 b6 33. Rd1 Qxf3

So White is three pawns down with no compensation. Somehow Black fails to convert.

34. Qd7 Rb8 35. Rg1 Rg8 36. Qd2 Qf4 37. Qe2 Qd4 38. Ba4 Qe4+ 39. Qxe4 fxe4 40. Bc2 h5 41. Bxe4 g5 42. Kc2 g4 43. b3 Bd4 44. Rf1 Ke5 45. Bh1 Rf8 46. f3 g3 47. Bg2 Kf4 48. Re1 Be3 49. Rh1 Rd8 50. Rd1 Bd4

50... Rxd1 51. Kxd1 Bc1 is the simplest of many winning continuations.

51. Re1 e5 52. Re4+ Kg5 53. Kc1 a4 54. bxa4 h4 55. Kc2 Rf8 56. Rg4+ Kh5 57. Re4 Rg8 58. Re2 Rg5 59. Kd3 Bf2 60. Ke4

Black has made it all much tougher than it needed to be. It was essential to turn back via 60... Bd4, e.g. 61. Re1 Rg8 62. Rb1 Ra8 63. Rxb6 Kg5 (63... Rxa4? 64. f4!=) and the win should still be there.

60... h3? 61. Bxh3 g2 62. Bxg2 Rxg2 63. Rb2 Kg5 64. Rxb6 Bd4 65. Rb3 Rh2 66. a5 Rh8 67. a6 Rh6 68. a7 Ra6 69. Rb7 Rxa3 70. Rf7 Ra6 71. Kd5 Kg6 72. Rc7 Kf5 73. Rf7+ Kg5 74. Ke4 Kh4 75. Rg7 Kh3 76. Kd5 Bf2 77. Rh7+ Kg2 78. Kxe5 Kxf3 79. Kd5 Ke2 80. Ke4 Bd4 81. Rh2+ Kd1 82. Rh7 Kc2 83. Rf7 Kc3 84. Kd5 Kd3 85. Rf3+ Ke2 86. Rf7 Ke3 87. Re7+ Kf4 88. Rf7+ Kg5 89. Rc7 Be3 90. Rf7

1/2-1/2


Event information: Tournament report.