1. f4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. e3 g6 4. Bb5 Bg7 5. O-O a6 6. Bxc6 bxc6 7. Nc3 Nf6 8. d3 Rb8 9. e4 O-O 10. Ne2 d6 11. h3 c4 12. e5 cxd3 13. Qxd3 Nd5 14. c4 Nb4 15. Qc3 c5 16. a3 Nc6 17. Rd1 Qb6 18. Kh2 Be6 19. Ng3 Na5 20. Nd2 dxe5 21. fxe5 Rfd8 22. b4 cxb4 23. axb4 Nc6 24. Re1 Qxb4 25. Qxb4 Nxb4 26. Re2 Rd3 27. c5 Nc2 28. Rxa6 Nd4 29. Re1 Rc8 30. Ra7 Rxc5 31. Nde4 Rc2 32. Rf1 Bxe5 33. Rxe7 Kg7 34. Bf4 Bxf4 35. Rxf4 Nf3+ 36. Rxf3 Rxf3 37. Kg1 Rb3 38. Nh1 Bxh3 39. Nef2 Be6 40. Ra7 Rbb2 41. Ra1 Bc4 42. Re1 g5 43. Re3 Kg6 44. Ra3 h5 45. Re3 g4 46. Rg3 f5 47. Ra3 h4 48. g3 Rc1+ 49. Kh2 h3?

49... Bd5! and it would soon be over. Now Black must tread carefully to evade stalemate.

50. Ra6+! Kf7 51. Rf6+ Ke7 52. Re6+ Kd7 53. Rd6+ Kc7 54. Rc6+ Kb7 55. Rc7+ Kb8??

Now the win is gone. The only way was 55... Ka8! and the king escapes, e.g., 56. Ra7+ (56. Rc8+ Rb8) 56... Kb8 57. Ra8+ Kc7 58. Rc8+ Kd6 59. Rd8+ Kc5 60. Rc8+ Kd4 61. Rd8+ Kc3 62. Rd3+ Kc2 63. Rc3+ Kb1.

56. Rc8+ Kb7 57. Rb8+ Kxb8

1/2-1/2

Annotator(s): Seán Coffey, From the 2011 Irish championship, IRLchess, July 14, 2011.

Event information: Tournament report.