The sealed move was 37. ...Qg5 - but after 38. Rh4+, black blundered straight away with 39. ... Qh5?? Necessary instead was 39. ... Qxh4 40. Qxh4+ Kg7. Then, whilst white doesn't have any immediate mating threats, he can still round up the d6 pawn with Qd4+ and Nb5 - after which he can advance his c-pawn, and maybe at the same time apply pressure on the black kingside with h4-h5. But what happened allowed Adam to finish the game off in crisp style. 39. Rxh5+ Kxh5 40. Nd5 Rde8 41. g4+! The key move. Black's king is caught in a mating net. 41. ... Kh6 42. g5+ Kh5 43. Qf3+ Kxg5 44. Qf4+, and black resigned. It's mate next move.
Jeremy meanwhile agreed his adjourned rook and pawn endgame as drawn - which brings the match score to 5½-4½ in Ilford's favour. Good luck to Angus and Alan in their adjournments - the results of which will decide the match, one way or another . . .
Jeremy meanwhile agreed his adjourned rook and pawn endgame as drawn - which brings the match score to 5½-4½ in Ilford's favour. Good luck to Angus and Alan in their adjournments - the results of which will decide the match, one way or another . . .
3 comments:
Spot on, Tom! My opponent was very gracious afterwards but I think a week later when we resumed he had still not got over his blunder at the time control (36. ...Kh6 allowing 37. Rf4 winning the Queen). I think if he had managed to sac a Rook for my Knight and then set up a blocade with his Rook on c8 and Bishop on the h3 to c8 diagonal I would have found this difficult to win.
Hi Adam!
Yes a blockade should have been his main aim. It would have been complicated by the shattered kingside pawns though - maybe if you could tie his pieces down to defending against the c-pawn in that kind of variation, you could have won his h-pawn using your king and queen.
Tough cookie to crack though - I'm not sure what the 'truth' of the situation is. . .
A further update: my opponent has resigned. I believe that makes the score 5.5 - 5.5 with Alan's game remaining...
Angus.
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