1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3

All according to plan for me so far...

3... f5

This was a big surprise, but it absolutely felt wrong! I was thinking about all sorts of ways to attack the f7 square already.

4. d4

After some consideration. I couldn't allow her to build a big centre after ef d5.

4... fxe4 5. Nxe5 Nxe5 6. dxe5

I definitely felt in good shape here. Her King's Knight is restricted and Qh5+ is tempting, but it's not quite time for it yet!

6... Bb4 7. Bd2

Qd4 or Bc4 were the moves but I had only considered Bc4 followed by Qd5 eyeing f7. I didn't like the possibility of Bxc3+ doubling my pawns on the c file. I hadn't considered Qd4 at all.

7... d5 8. exd6

I also considered 8. Nxd5 Qxd5 9. Bxb4 Qxe5 staring at b2 but I just didn't like it. Of course, 10. Bc3 at the end of that line makes everything OK! Surely taking en passant was the only way forward!

8... Qxd6 9. Nxe4 Qe7 10. Qe2

10. Bb5+ was killer here, but I just didn't see it. I saw the liquidation after Qe2 and thought it was safe enough to be a pawn up getting into the endgame.

10... Bxd2+ 11. Nxd2 Qxe2+ 12. Bxe2 Bf5 13. O-O-O Ne7

I was pretty sure she was going to castle queenside here...

14. Nb3 O-O 15. Rhe1

Hoping for her to forget her Knight and run into Bc4+ and Rxe7!

15... Ng6 16. Nc5 b6 17. Na6 Ne5

I had expected 17... Rac8 18. Bc4+ Kh8 19. Bd5 and Bb7 then exchanging at least one pair of Rooks.

18. f3

Only after did I start thinking 18. f4 was probably better!

18... Ng6 19. Bc4+ Kh8 20. Bd5

I did consider 20. g4 Bc8 21. Nxc7 but I didn't like leaving the f3 pawn backwards!

20... Rad8 21. Be4 Rxd1+

Surely every liquidation was playing into my hands...

22. Rxd1 Bxe4 23. fxe4 Nf4 24. g3 Ne6

I was getting worried about ...c5 at this stage, leaving my Knight a bit stuck!

25. b3 h6

I had hoped for 25... Rf2 26. Nxc7 Nxc7 and 27. Rd8+ with a back rank mate coming!

26. Rd7 Rf1+ 27. Kb2 Re1 28. Nxc7 Rxe4 29. Nxe6 Rxe6

I was quite sure I was completely winning now.

30. Rxa7 h5 31. Rd7

I had also considered 31. Ra6, but I thought this was more clever and also safer.

31... Re2 32. h4 Re3 33. Rd3 Re6 34. Rd5

Black resigns. I was expecting her to play on with 34... g6 35. Rg5 and then I'd push my Queenside pawns. Tense game! I had a splitting headache all through it! Time remaining 33 minutes for me and 51 for Alice.

1-0

Annotator(s): Edward Loane.

Source(s): Edward Loane, via Craig DuBose.

Event information: Tournament report.