[Event "English Senior Championship - Over 65"] [Site "Holiday Inn Kenilworth-Warwic"] [Date "2025.04.24"] [Round "1.2"] [White "Townsend, M Paul"] [Black "Johnson, Richard J"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A42"] [WhiteElo "2149"] [BlackElo "1868"] [Annotator "MJDonnelly"] [PlyCount "51"] [EventDate "2025.04.24"] [EventRounds "7"] [EventCountry "ENG"] {[%evp 0,51,30,-12,26,17,36,31,23,45,38,28,63,32,37,12,25,30,36,32,48,3,28,31,21,29,40,32,43,40,61,96,102,71,107,86,124,145,150,81,120,109,171,147,192,144,192,150,223,320,318,306,318,308]} 1. c4 d6 {A very flexible reply to White's flexible English opening !. Black keeps open a whole range of pawn formation that may include c5, c6, e5, f5 or g6.} (1... d5 {is a more direct reply which has been played by Nakamura as well as several over 2600 Elo players. It's also the subject of an interesting very recent opening text by Marek Soszynski entitled "Play the Anglo-Scandinavian" where the basic idea is} 2. cxd5 Qxd5 {taking play away for the usual English variations and more into Scandinavian (1.e4 d5) type of play.}) 2. Nc3 g6 3. d4 {White switches from English set ups where the QP is often played just to d3 (or only much later in the opening to d4). to a regular QP opening with Black playing the so-called Modern Defence.} Bg7 4. e4 Nc6 {Keeping it "Modern" and avoiding} (4... Nf6 {and a Kings Indian Defence.}) ({whilst} 4... e5 {is the preferrance of Hillarp Persson.}) 5. Be3 (5. d5 {is one of the major alternatives but Black gets satisfactory play by reinforcing d4 via} Nd4 6. Be3 c5 7. Nge2 (7. dxc6 {is fine for Black after} Nxc6 {This exchange on c6 can be compared with the next note.}) 7... Qb6) 5... e5 6. d5 Nce7 ({If now} 6... Nd4 7. Nge2 {and Black has to exchange the advanced knight} Nxe2 (7... c5 {is inappropriate due to} 8. dxc6 bxc6 (8... Nxc6 {and Black is left with a weak d6 pawn as occured in Tica-Petrosian, Titled Tuesdayintern op Oct 3 Chess.com INT blitz 2017.}) 9. Nxd4 exd4 10. Bxd4 {Voermans-Pierecker, Arber Op Bodenmais 2023.}) ({if} 7... Bg4 {then} 8. f3 {again means Black has to exchange the advanced knight by} Nxe2 (8... Bxf3 {doesn't quite work due to} 9. Qa4+ {Agrest-Sulava, Biel MTO Op 1997.} (9. gxf3 Nxf3+ 10. Kf2 {a position played several times by Rewitz some years ago without much success.}))) 8. Bxe2 {and White has gained time and good development.}) 7. g4 {The most aggressive of White's many options in this position aiming to minimise the impact of f5 by Black. More positional play results from .} (7. c5 f5 (7... Bd7 {is not optimum as b7 is left exposed.} 8. Qb3 (8. cxd6 {is not so bad for Black} cxd6 9. Nb5 Bxb5 10. Bxb5+ Kf8 11. Qd2 {Hejberg-Stolberg Rohr, Farum 60 years Op 2003.}) 8... b6 9. cxd6 cxd6 10. Nb5 Bxb5 11. Bxb5+ Kf8 12. Ne2 Nf6 13. f3 Nd7 14. O-O Nc5 15. Qa3 $16 {Donnelly-Nixon, NCCU Individual Correspondence Ch 1986.}) 8. Bb5+ Kf8 9. f3 Bh6 10. Bf2 Nf6 11. h3 Kg7 12. Nge2 Rf8 {with a reasonable game for Black in Olafsson-Keene, Reykjavik 1972.}) 7... Nf6 {Perhaps the most rational move at Black's disposal although several others also give enough play even if the Black king is displaced.} ({for example after} 7... f5 8. gxf5 gxf5 9. Qh5+ Kf8 {and a subsequent Nf6 regains a tempo.}) ({Also playable are} 7... f6) ({and} 7... a6) 8. f3 (8. g5 {only appears forceful as Black is fine following} Nd7 {Van Unen-Faber NED corr.ch 05 2002.}) ({Similarly following} 8. h3 h5 9. g5 Nd7 {Masic-Ciocaltea, Goglidze Memorial Tbilisi 1970.} (9... Nh7 10. Qd2 O-O {is slightly better for White as in Lengyel-Kotov, Sochi 1967.})) 8... h5 (8... O-O 9. Qd2 {is OK too but more comfortable for White to play.}) 9. g5 Nh7 10. Bh3 f5 {The best move as} (10... O-O {is too early due to} 11. Bxc8 Nxc8 12. Qd2 Nb6 13. b3 a5 {and White is for preferance (Julin-Volkov, Donetsk Rating 2000.}) 11. gxf6 ({not} 11. Qd2 {which allows} f4) 11... Bxf6 12. Qd2 Bh4+ {Black is level after this obvious move. However, whilst preventing White castling it drives the king to a still secure location. Note that Black's king is currently safe in the centre but castling kings-side may be dangerous with the semi-open g-file and weak g6 pawn.} 13. Kd1 (13. Bf2 {gains nothing for White due to} Bg5) 13... g5 {Although securing f4, for example for a Black knight, simplification with} (13... Bxh3 14. Nxh3 Qd7 {seems a safer option since the Bh4 may now end up out of the game on h4.}) 14. Qg2 Ng6 (14... Bxh3 {again seems safer since following} 15. Nxh3 Qd7 16. Bxg5 ({or} 16. Nxg5 Nxg5 17. Bxg5 Rg8) 16... Rg8 {Blacks wins.}) 15. Bxc8 Rxc8 (15... Qxc8 16. Nge2 Qd7 17. Ng3 O-O-O 18. Nxh5 Nf4 {is unclear as although White has won a pawn Black is fully developed and the White king remains in the cetre.}) 16. Nge2 Qf6 {Black focuses on control of f4. However starting to open the game, and dissuading Kc2 and connection of the White rooks, with} (16... c6 {looks a better option.}) 17. Ng3 Bxg3 {losing control of f4 a key square in the game.} 18. hxg3 h4 19. Ke2 {The king is safe in the centre as its unlikely to be opened up very soon. In addition, the move pre-guards f3, should Black play R8 at some stage, thus giving the White heavy pieces some degree of freedom.} a6 {providing for c6 and b5 but the idea is too slow as White spots that Black is weak on the White squares.} 20. gxh4 Nxh4 (20... gxh4 21. Rag1 Rg8 22. Qh3 {is awkward for Black.}) 21. Qg4 Ke7 {Connects the Black rooks and is similar to White's king position. However, the piece positions with Ke7 and Qf6 turns out surprisingly problematic.} (21... Rd8 {is more resiliant although White remains in control after} 22. Rag1) 22. Rh3 {White sets up a blockade on the white squares (g4 and h3) and can then attack g5.} Rcg8 23. Rg1 Ng6 (23... b6 {to prevent ideas such as b4 and c5 keeps Black in the game although White is still far better. The text loses to a very nice tactical line that would be easier for a Chess Problemist solver, or Problem composer,rather than an otb player to spot as it invloves a set of complex pins.}) 24. Rxh7+ Rxh7 25. Bxg5 {neatly winning the queen.} Nf4+ 26. Qxf4 {A remarkable blow that wins outright. Paul Townsend deservedly went on to win this event above several IMs, FMs and a WGM.} ({After} 26. Qxf4 {now that Qxf4 is impossible Black loses material in all lines eg} exf4 ({or} 26... Rxg5 27. Qxg5) 27. Bxf6+ Kxf6 28. Rxg8 {Note that retreating the White king is a major error as Black is fine after}) (26. Kd1 Qxg5 27. Qxg5+ Rxg5 28. Rxg5 b6 {with a strong f4 knight and potentially more active rook fully compensating for the pawn minus.}) 1-0