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