2014-11-15 - Homer, Neil ½-½ Savory, Richard

[Event "4NCL Division 3s"] [Site "Daventry Court ENG"] [Date "2014.11.15"] [Round "1.11"] [White "Homer, Neil S"] [Black "Savory, Richard"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "1702"] [BlackElo "2106"] [PlyCount "156"] [EventDate "2014.11.15"] [WhiteTeam "e2e4.org.uk 5"] [BlackTeam "Downend & Fishponds"] 1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Be3 Bg7 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O Bd7 10. f3 Qb6 11. Na4 Qa5 12. Nxc6 Bxc6 13. Nc3 Rac8 14. Rc1 a6 15. a3 Rfd8 16. Qd2 b5 17. Nd5 Qxd2 18. Bxd2 Nxd5 19. cxd5 Bd7 20. Bc3 Bxc3 21. Rxc3 Rxc3 22. bxc3 Rc8 23. Rc1 a5 24. Kf2 Kf8 25. Ke3 e6 26. dxe6 fxe6 27. Kd2 Ke7 28. Rb1 Rc5 29. g4 Kf6 30. f4 g5 31. Rf1 Bc6 32. Bd3 gxf4 33. Rxf4+ Kg5 34. Rf7 Kxg4 35. Rxh7 {So far this position is dead equal but there is potential for the h pawn to become a threat, while Black has a sound structure with chances against the weak pawns.} Kf4 36. Rh4+ Ke5 37. Rh5+ Kf4 38. Rh4+ Kg5 39. Rh8 Kf6 40. Rh6+ Ke5 41. Rh5+ Kf6 42. Rh6+ Ke7 43. Rh7+ Kd8 44. Rh8+ Ke7 45. h4 Kd7 (45... Re5 { is a better idea. The king needs to keep close to the passed pawn.}) 46. h5 Ke7 {These two tempi for the h pawn are enough to allow White to win the exchange.} 47. h6 Kf7 48. e5 $1 Rxe5 49. h7 Rh5 50. Rg8 Rh2+ 51. Ke1 Rh1+ 52. Kf2 { White has no way through on the kingside so cannot force his pawn through to queening.} Rh2+ 53. Ke1 Rh1+ 54. Kd2 Rh2+ 55. Kc1 Rh1+ 56. Kb2 Rh2+ 57. Bc2 Rxc2+ 58. Kxc2 Be4+ 59. Kd2 Bxh7 60. Ra8 ({There now follows a long period of manoeuvring around the Black pawns. It seems a little better to start with} 60. Rb8 {winning the b pawn rather than the a pawn, as then there is more distance between the pawn islands which makes them harder to defend and allows the king more space to force an entry.}) 60... Be4 61. Rxa5 Bc6 62. Ra6 Bd5 63. Rxd6 Ke7 64. Rb6 Bc4 65. Rb8 $2 ({A very poor move which allows the Black king to join in the defence. After this Black seems to have enough of a fortress to salvage the draw.} 65. Ke3 Kd7 66. Kd4 Kc7 67. Kc5 {is a very easy win.}) 65... Kd6 66. Rc8 Kd7 67. Rh8 Kd6 68. Ke3 Kc5 69. Rc8+ (69. Rh5+ Bd5 70. Kd3 Kc6 71. Kd4 Kd6 72. Rh6 Bb3 73. Rh8 e5+ {does not seem to give much hope of winning either, as White's pawns are rather weak.}) 69... Kd5 70. Kf4 Be2 71. Kg5 Ke4 72. Rd8 Bc4 73. Kf6 Bd5 74. Rc8 Kd3 75. Ke5 Bc4 76. Rc7 Kxc3 77. Ra7 Bb3 78. Ra5 Ba4 1/2-1/2

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