“The game looked drawish for about 95% of the time but just when it seemed to be turning in Stephen's favour, his opponent started to play passively and allowed Stephen to build up a Q-side initiative. Soon the position was winning for Stephen (even if it had to be proved) but he went badly wrong and allowed a perpetual check.”—Colm Daly.

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 Bf5 6. Bc4 e6 7. Bd2 c6 8. Nh4 Bg4 9. f3 Qh5 10. g3 Bh3 11. Qe2 Nbd7 12. O-O-O Nb6 13. Bb3 O-O-O 14. Be1 g5 15. Ng2 Bxg2 16. Qxg2 Nfd5 17. Qe2 Nxc3 18. Bxc3 Bg7 19. Rd3 Rd7 20. Rhd1 Rhd8 21. a3 Qg6 22. Kb1 Bf6 23. Qe4 Kb8 24. Ka2 Qg7 25. Kb1 h5 26. h3 Nc8 27. g4 Nd6 28. Qe2 hxg4 29. hxg4 Nb5 30. a4 Nxd4 31. Bxd4 Rxd4 32. Rxd4 Rxd4 33. Rxd4 Bxd4 34. c3 Be5 35. Bc2 Kc7 36. Qe3 a6 37. Be4 f6 38. Kc2 Qe7 39. Qf2 Qd6 40. Qd2 Qc5 41. Qd3 Bf4 42. Qd4 Qe7 43. Qc4 Bd6 44. Qd3 Bc5 45. Qc4 Qd6 46. Qd3 Qe5 47. Bg6 Qh2+ 48. Kb3 Qe5 49. Kc2 Bd6 50. Be4 Kd7 51. Qd4 Qa5 52. Qxf6 Qxa4+ 53. Kb1 Qb5 54. Qg7+ Be7 55. Qd4+ Kc7 56. Bd3 Qd5 57. Qe4 b5 58. Qe2 Qb3 59. Qc2 Qd5 60. Be4 Qd6 61. Qf2 c5 62. Kc2 a5 63. Qe2 Kb6 64. Bd3?

64. c4=.

64... c4 65. Be4 Qc5 66. Ba8 b4 67. cxb4 axb4 68. Qxe6+ Ka7?

68... Bd6.

[RR Is Black winning with best play? It's not an easy question, but the best answer seems probably not. After 68... Bd6, best play seems to run 69. Be4 Qd4 70. Kc1 b3 71. f4!! gxf4 72. g5 Ka5 73. Qd5+ Qxd5 74. Bxd5 Kb4 75. g6 Be5 76. Be4 c3 (76... Kc5 77. Bf3 Kd4 78. Kd2, while transferring the king around via the h-file allows Bd5) (76... Bf6 77. Bd5: White needs to have the bishop on e4, d5, or c6 when Black plays ... c3) 77. bxc3+ Kxc3 78. Kd1, with a tablebase draw: the king stops the f-pawn, leaving the bishop to hold the b-pawn. How else can Black make meaningful progress?]

69. Be4 b3+ 70. Kc3 Qb4+ 71. Kd4 c3+ 72. Ke3 c2 73. Qd7+ Kb8 74. Qe8+ Kc7 75. Qc6+ Kb8 76. Qa8+ Kc7 77. Qc6+ Kd8 78. Qa8+ Kd7 79. Qc6+

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Annotator(s): Colm Daly, Irish Chess Journal, vol. 9, no. 4, August-September 1997, pp. 16-17.

Event information: Tournament report.