[Event "Shirley and Wythall v Kenilworth B"] [Site "?"] [Date "2023.11.07"] [Round "?"] [White "Christie, G."] [Black "Donnelly, M.J"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B03"] [Annotator "Donnelly,MJ"] [PlyCount "76"] [SourceVersionDate "2008.05.10"] 1. e4 Nf6 {Possibly a small surprise as earlier games against Gordon had seen several different openings employed against 1.e4.} 2. e5 {White thought for a few minutes before playing this then very rapidly to reach a key position in this opening on move seven.} Nd5 3. c4 Nb6 4. d4 d6 5. f4 dxe5 (5... Bf5 {often used as a transpositional device by GM Baburin rather than taking on e5 now.}) ({Another interesting option is} 5... g6 {Sergeev's system recommended by Taylor in his 2013 book on the Alekhine.}) 6. fxe5 Nc6 {The long establised main line against the 4-pawns attack when Black limits the possibility of attacking White's centre with c5 and pressures the centre with pieces instead. Black generally develops the bishop to e7, as opposed to b4, which is featured in the second Alekhine Defence game of this article.} ({Again Black can wait and see how White develops with} 6... Bf5) 7. Nf3 $5 {This can lead to wild tactical play which is on occasion a feature too of the more common move} (7. Be3 {when after the usual} Bf5 {some older personal games illustrate some of the possibilities in this line:} 8. Nc3 (8. Nf3 e6 9. Nc3 Be7 10. Be2 O-O 11. O-O f6 12. exf6 Bxf6 13. Rc1 Qe7 14. Bd3 Rad8 15. Bxf5 exf5 16. Re1 Qf7 17. d5 Nxc4 $17 {Reynolds-Donnelly, British Championship Durham County Qualifying Stage 1969.}) 8... e6 9. Nf3 Be7 (9... Bg4 10. Be2 Bxf3 11. gxf3 Qh4+ 12. Bf2 Qf4 13. c5 Nd7 14. Ne4 O-O-O 15. Qa4 $16 {Donnelly-English, BCF Counties Correspondence Championship 1980.}) 10. Be2 O-O 11. O-O f6 12. Qe1 Qe8 13. a3 Rd8 14. Rd1 Bg4 15. Qg3 Bxf3 16. Rxf3 fxe5 17. Rxf8+ Bxf8 18. dxe5 Rxd1+ 19. Nxd1 Nd7 20. Bf3 $11 {Gregory-Donnelly, Teesside Individual Championship 1969.}) 7... Bg4 8. Be3 {as preferred by many Chinese and Russian players whereas} (8. e6 {was the expected move which is Illjin-Zhenevsky's sharp line. Some examples of possible play are} fxe6 9. Be2 (9. c5 Bxf3 10. Qxf3 Nd5 11. Bb5 Qd7 12. Nc3 O-O-O 13. O-O g6 14. Qf7 e5 15. dxe5 Nxc3 16. bxc3 e6 17. Qxd7+ Rxd7 $15 {Kemperman-Crowe, W-ch WS/O/848 ICCF e-mail 2015.}) 9... Qd7 $13 {defending the weak e6 pawn as in Anastasopoulos-Othoneos, GRE-ch Athens 1953.}) ({if} 8. Be2 {Kornev gives} e6 9. Nc3 (9. Be3 Bxf3 10. gxf3 Qh4+ 11. Bf2 Qf4 {note White is a move behind on the Donnelly-English game given above.} 12. Qd2 Bb4 13. Nc3 Qxd2+ 14. Kxd2 O-O-O 15. a3 Bc5 16. Nb5 Bxd4 $17 {Koetterheinrich-Kojoukhar, NRW-Tch U-18 Germany 1994.}) 9... Bxf3 10. Bxf3 Nxd4 11. Bxb7 Rb8 $11 {Bort-Bjerring, ESP-op 1997.}) 8... e6 {most common although Black has another reasonable option in the less frequently played} (8... Bxf3) 9. Nc3 {Sensible development is best here whereas other moves, surprisingly often played, are weaker:} (9. Be2 Bxf3 10. gxf3 Qh4+ 11. Bf2 Qf4 $17) (9. a3 Bxf3 10. gxf3 Qh4+ $17) 9... Be7 {the viability of Black's game is shown in that other moves such as} (9... Qd7) ({or} 9... Bb4) ({and} 9... Bxf3 {all give Black reasonable play.}) 10. Qd2 {The rarest move here but most aggressive. Other optons confirm Black has decent play. Examples include} (10. h3 Bxf3 11. gxf3 (11. Qxf3 Nxd4 {Bruha-Sawyers ICC 1997.}) 11... Bh4+ 12. Bf2 Qxd4 (12... Bxf2+ {is even stronger according to Sawyers eg} 13. Kxf2 Qh4+ 14. Kg2 O-O-O) 13. Qxd4 Nxd4 14. Bxh4 Nxf3+ $19 {creditordebit-Sawyers, Internet game 2012.}) (10. Be2 {is played mostly but only gives White equality following} Bxf3 11. gxf3 Qd7 ({or} 11... Bh4+ 12. Kf1 f6) ({whereas the natural} 11... O-O 12. O-O {is better for White.})) ({Similarly a few games have seen} 10. Bf2 Bxf3) ({and} 10. c5 Nd5 {when Black has a good game in each case.}) 10... f6 {This seems new and begins to complicate the game.} ({the alternative of} 10... Bxf3 {has been played in just a handful of games so far but White seems just about OK after} 11. gxf3 Bh4+ 12. Kd1 ({not} 12. Bf2 Qxd4 $19) 12... Qd7 ({or} 12... Qe7)) 11. exf6 (11. O-O-O {immediately may be met with} fxe5 12. d5 exd5 13. cxd5 Na5 14. Bxb6 axb6 $11) 11... Bxf6 12. O-O-O O-O {Natural but preferable was} (12... Qe7 13. Ne4 O-O-O 14. Qc3 $11) 13. Be2 {Continuing development is fine but a difficult to discern feature of this position is that centralising the knight with Ne4 gives White an edge as the active Bf6 may be exchanged when appropriate. For example} (13. h3 Bxf3 14. gxf3 Qe7 15. Ne4 Rad8 16. Qc3 $14) 13... Qe7 (13... Qe8 {was also considerd and is equal after} 14. c5 ({not} 14. h3 Bxf3 15. gxf3 Rd8 $15) 14... Nd5 $11) 14. h3 $6 (14. Ne4 {is again a key move when White is better after} Rad8 ({or} 14... e5 15. d5 Nd4 16. Nxf6+) 15. Nxf6+ Rxf6 16. Qc3 {with advantage.}) 14... Bxf3 ({A mistake would have been} 14... Bh5 {as White wins material by} 15. g4 Bg6 16. g5 Bxd4 17. Nxd4 {since} Rad8 {threatening e5 can be met simply by} 18. Nxc6) 15. gxf3 (15. Bxf3 {is poor due to} Nxc4 16. Nd5 exd5 17. Bxd5+ Kh8 18. Bxc4 Nxd4 $17 {winning a pawn since} 19. Bxd4 {allows} Bg5) 15... Rad8 16. d5 {Now Black is much better} ({hence moving the knight with} 16. Ne4 Bxd4 17. Bg5 Bf6 18. Bxf6 gxf6 19. Qe3 $15 {gives more hope despite the pawn deficiency as the Black king's position is open.}) 16... Kh8 (16... Bxc3 {is another promising line eg} 17. Qxc3 (17. bxc3 Ne5 18. Bxb6 (18. Bg5 Qa3+ $19) 18... axb6 $17) 17... exd5 18. cxd5 Nb4 19. Qb3 {when} N6xd5 {is feasible as after} 20. Bc4 Kh8 {leaves Black a pawn up but White the 2 bishops versus 2 knights.}) 17. Qc2 $2 {This eventually loses but only after great complications} (17. Bxb6 {keeps White in the game but at some disadvantage following} axb6 (17... Bxc3 {is now slightly better for White} 18. Qxc3 Nb4 19. Qe5 axb6 20. a3 $14) 18. f4 Nd4 $17) 17... Nb4 (17... exd5 {is also very strong but not so straightforward-a possible line is} 18. Bxb6 Nb4 {only so as if} (18... axb6 19. Nxd5 {and White is still in the game.}) 19. Qb3 axb6 20. cxd5 Bxc3 21. bxc3 Qxe2 22. cxb4 Rxf3 {and Black is winning.}) 18. Qe4 (18. d6 {is no better due to} cxd6 19. Qb3 Bxc3 20. bxc3 Na6 21. Bxb6 axb6 22. Qb5 Nc5 23. Qxb6 {recovering the pawn leaves the White king too open following} Qg5+ $19) 18... Bxc3 19. bxc3 Nxa2+ 20. Kc2 (20. Kb2 {loses quickly to} Na4+ 21. Kxa2 (21. Kb3 N4xc3 22. d6 Rxd6 23. Qe5 Rxd1 24. Rxd1 Qb4+ $19) 21... Nxc3+ $19) 20... Qa3 $6 {Not the most decisive and a move that allows White a difficult chance to survive. Most accurate was} (20... Nxc3 {a very strong sacrifice exposing the king to a winning attack. For instance,} 21. Kxc3 Qa3+ 22. Kc2 Qa2+ 23. Kc1 exd5 24. cxd5 Rfe8 $19) 21. Bd4 {This should hold for White but in a practical game tests the analytical ability of each player.} exd5 22. Bxg7+ {This looks strong but is somewhat premature hence ends up losing.} ({Instead} 22. Qh4 {a quiet and apparently innocuous move renews the now more powerful threat of Bxg7+ and could have forced a draw.} Qa4+ (22... dxc4 {grabs material but allows White to save the game with} 23. Bxg7+ Kxg7 24. Qg5+ Kf7 ({a blunder is} 24... Kh8 25. Qe5+ $18) 25. Qh5+ {and draws by perpetual check.}) 23. Kb2 Rd7 {defending g7 may be met by the threat reinforcing} 24. Rhg1 {when} Nb4 {and its Black that forces a draw by perpetual check via} 25. cxb4 Qxb4+ 26. Kc2 Nxc4 ({but not} 26... dxc4 {when White wins with} 27. Rxg7 $18) 27. Bd3 Qa4+) 22... Kxg7 {The sacrifice must be accepted. Declinng with} (22... Kg8 {loses to} 23. Qe6+ ({or} 23. Qg4 Rf7 24. Bh6+ Kh8 25. Qd4+) 23... Rf7 (23... Kxg7 24. Rhg1+ Kh8 25. Qe5+) 24. Rhg1 {with a crushing attack.}) 23. Rhg1+ Kf7 24. Qe5 ({Amazingly the Black king can run even to c6 safely for example} 24. Qxh7+ Ke8 25. Qh5+ Kd7 26. Qg4+ Kc6 27. cxd5+ Nxd5 28. Qg6+ Rf6 $19) ({and} 24. Qf5+ {allows Black to keep the extra material by using the two knights to guard each other and by the fact the bishop on e2 is loose.} Ke8 25. Qe6+ Qe7 26. Qxe7+ Kxe7 27. Kb3 Na4 28. Kxa2 Nxc3+ 29. Kb2 Nxe2 30. Rge1 dxc4 31. Rxe2+ Kf7 {leaving Black 3 pawns to the good.}) 24... Qxc3+ {The sting in the tail-returning the piece to neutralise the attack and leave Black several pawns up.} ({But not} 24... Rg8 25. Qf5+ Ke7 {and either Black or White forces a draw after} 26. Qxh7+ (26. Qe5+ Kd7 27. Rxd5+ Nxd5 28. Qxd5+ Kc8 29. Qe6+ Kb8 30. Rxg8 Qxc3+ 31. Kb1 Qb4+ 32. Kxa2 Qa4+ $11) 26... Kd6 27. Rxg8 Qxc3+ 28. Kb1 Rxg8 29. Qxg8 Qb3+ 30. Ka1 Nc3 31. Qf8+ $11) 25. Qxc3 Nxc3 26. Kxc3 dxc4 {Each player had only 3 or 4 minutes left on the clock but this is enough for Black to win comfortably.} 27. Ra1 a6 28. Ra5 Rfe8 29. Rf5+ Ke6 30. Rgg5 Nd5+ 31. Kb2 (31. Rxd5 {doesn't help White due to} Rxd5 32. Bxc4 c6 33. Bxd5+ cxd5 34. Kd4 Rd8 {with two passed pawns extra. If now} 35. Rg7 Rd7 36. Rxd7 Kxd7 37. Kxd5 b5 38. f4 Ke7 {is a simple K+P win.}) 31... Ne3 32. Re5+ Kd6 33. f4 b5 34. Rh5 c6 35. Kc3 Nd5+ 36. Kd2 Nf6 37. Rh6 Rxe5 38. fxe5+ Kxe5+ {and White resigned just before losing on time whilst Black now had about 4 minutes in hand.} 0-1