(1) Hamperl (FM),Fred (2101) - David (IM),Vincent (2409) [B00]
Avoine (4), 10.03.2012

Before setting out for France I had said that if I had a perfect score after 3 rounds, round 4 would be the first time I could really face the local hero IM. He had won with 6 out of 6 the previous 3 years at this tournament, so board 1 was definitely his seat.

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 a6 3.f4
[3.a4 maybe I should consider playing this in future or just go for the recommended pure closed sicilian where a6 is not so useful]

3...b5 4.Nf3 Bb7 5.d3 e6 6.Be2
This is now a reverse Dutch

6...b4
I knew Vincent had seen me play this line two rounds earlier and I now considered varying from Nb1 that I played then with Na4 but I elected to continue as before as I knew my opening went ok in the earlier game [6...d5 7.f5 b4 8.fxe6 bxc3 9.exf7+ Kxf7 10.0-0|^ ]

7.Nb1
[7.Na4 a good alternative]

7...d5 8.Nbd2 Nf6 9.e5 Ng4
This was quite surprising especially when I noticed I would lose my queen with Ne3 if I didn't act [9...Nfd7 This is what my round 2 opponent played]

10.Nf1
it looks very odd to have a knight on f1 but I felt I could regain the tempi on the g4 knight later

10...Nc6 11.Ne3 Nh6
typical senior player attempt to keep the pieces on the board but it does help White [11...Nxe3 12.Bxe3 Be7 13.0-0 0-0 fairly equal]

12.0-0 f6?!
I knew I had to play actively to punish this inaccurate move [12...Be7= ]

13.exf6 gxf6
[13...Qxf6 14.Ng5 Be7 15.Ng4 Nxg4 16.Bxg4 Bc8 17.Re1 Nd4 18.c3 h6+/= ]

14.Nh4 f5
to stop f5 by White [14...Be7 15.Bh5+ Kd7 (15...Nf7 16.f5+- ) 16.f5+- ]

15.Bh5+ Kd7
[15...Nf7 16.Nhxf5 exf5 17.Re1+- (17.Nxf5 Qf6 18.Re1+ Kd8 and the black king is getting away) ]

16.Nf3
Important to relocate the knight to the better g5 square from where it will tie the black king to the e6 pawn and therefore make it harder for it to escape from the centre

16...Bg7
[16...Be7 17.c3 (17.Ng5 Rg8 18.Nxh7+/- ) 17...Rg8 18.Bd2 Bf6 19.Rc1+/- ]

17.Ng5 Bf6 18.Qe1!
I'd seen 18...Bxg5 failed to 19.fxg5 Qxg5, 20.Nxd5 Qxh5 21.Nf6 trick [>=18.Re1+/- ]

18...Qg8?
to cover e6 and target g2 [18...Bxg5 19.fxg5 Qxg5 20.Nxd5 Qxh5 21.Nf6+ winning for White; 18...Qe7 19.c3 Kc7+/- ]

19.c3! Bxg5??
perhaps he hadn't seen he couldn't take back on g5 with his queen, or he gambled that I hadn't seen he couldn't [19...a5 20.Bd2+/- ]

20.fxg5 Nf7
[20...Qxg5 21.Nxd5 Qg7 (21...Qxh5 22.Nf6++- ) 22.Nb6++- ]

21.Ng4!!
This must have surprised him

21...Qg7
[21...fxg4 22.Rxf7+ Kc8 23.Qxe6+ Kb8 winning for White]

22.Nf6+ Kd6
[22...Ke7 23.Nxd5++- ]

23.Qg3+
[23.Bf4+?! e5 24.Bg3+- ]

23...e5
[23...Nfe5 24.d4 (24.Bf4+- I had concluded this was enough I missed the beautiful e5 Qxe5 Kxe5 Bf4 mate) 24...cxd4 25.cxd4 Nxd4 26.Qxe5+ Oh I missed that lovely (26.Bf4 Ndc6 27.Rae1 ) 26...Kxe5 27.Bf4# ]

24.Rxf5 Raf8 25.Bxf7
I elected to make this practical decision to achieve the win [25.Nxd5 One 2300 player watching saw this line 25...Kxd5 26.Rf6 a5 (pass move to show the idea) 27.Bf3+ e4 28.Bxe4# ; 25.Ne8+ I saw this earlier but missed it here 25...Rxe8 26.Rxf7 wins for White]

25...Rxf7 26.d4 Qg6
I presume he was hoping I hadn't seen Rxe5

27.Rxe5 Rxf6
[27...Nxe5 28.Qxe5+ Kc6 29.Qxd5+ Kc7 30.Bf4+ Kc8 31.Qe6+ Kd8 32.Qd6+ Kc8 33.Qb8# ]

28.Rf5+
Black resigns. He screwed up his scoresheet and threw it down. This was the first time I'd beaten an IM. I was sole leader of the touranment after this win and I got his seat on board 1. I went on to win the tournament by drawing out in rounds 5 and 6. [28.Rf5+ Kd7 29.Rxf6 Qg7 30.Qf4+- ] 1-0