(1) Leonard McLaren (2267) - Richard Taylor (1696) [B50]
Fairhurst Pawn - Sicilian Auckland (3), 27.05.2008



1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 e6 4.Qe2 Nc6 5.c3 Be7 6.Bb3 Nf6 7.0-0 e5 8.Na3 Be6 9.Bc2 h6 10.h3 Qd7 11.d4 cxd4 12.cxd4 exd4 13.Nb5 Ne5 14.b3 Nxf3+ 15.gxf3 Bxh3 16.Rd1 d3 17.Bxd3 0-0 18.e5 Nh5 19.Qe4 g6 20.Bxh6 Rfd8 21.Bc4 Bf5 22.Qe3 Qc6 23.Rac1 dxe5 24.Rxd8+ Rxd8 25.Bxf7+ Kxf7 26.Rxc6 bxc6 27.Nxa7 Rd1+ 28.Kg2 Bd6 29.Nxc6 Ke6 30.Nd8+ Kd7 31.Nf7 Rd5 32.Qa7+ Kc6 33.Nd8+ Kb5 34.Qb7+ 1-0

I expected 2. c3 as Leonard had played in most cases in our previous games (where I got good positions) - I had prepared for this as being a chance to beat Leonard at last, but he played 2. Nf3 and 3. Bc4 which I do know but it changed to delayed c3 Sicilian.

7... 0-0 and then d5 is an acceptable plan.

7... e5 has been played in similar positions and is not bad.

Instead of 10... Qd7 perhaps 8... a6 then ... Qc7 and ... d5 when or if possible.

11. d4 ... here I blundered - my blunder? I didn't move for 20 minutes - pondering the almost certainly unsound sacrifice 11... Bxh3. It may seem incredible BTW but it wasn't until after the game I saw that Leonard had written that time is 75 and 30 secs increments - I thought it was 90 minutes! So I was down to 22 minutes and got more and more into time deficit. On move 20 Leonard had his time 32 minutes and mine 4 - impressive by Leonard - a great NZ player and very alert to the use of time ... In the old days - in the 80s etc I was very aware of the time controls.

13. Nb5?! according to my computer 13. Rd1! is better. Now my next few moves seem right.

If 14. Nbxd4 Bc4 which we both saw as better for Black. I thought 13. Bd3 or 13. b3 were the only moves for White.

17... 0-0 Hereabouts, Black is better. It seems that here though 17... a6! 18. Bf4 Kf8! 19. Nd4 g5 20. Bh2 Rc8 21. b4 g4 etc leads to strong play for Black. The point of ... Kf8 is to avoid pins on the e-file and the a4-e8 diagonal as well as allow the R to stay on h8.

18... dxe5 allowing 19. Bh7+ gives black a small advantage. But the position is too complex for me on about 3 minutes left!

Instead of 20... Rfd8 20... d5 may have been better.

22... Qc6 now (and having missed 17... a6) my position deteriorates.

27. Nxa7 I missed this - I still thought later I was better (I gave up my Q on purpose) but my computer disagrees, and from now on I get more and more lost!!

I thought of 27... g5 but Fritz thinks that loses also.

A complex struggle - I must manage my time better!