1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Bg4?! 3. e3 Nc6 4. Be2 e6 5. Nbd2 Bf5 6. c3 a6 7. Nb3?!

For some strange reason I've started off in the wrong foot and now have a type of London System with my dark squared bishop locked in behind my pawns. I wasnt feeling comfortable

7... Nf6 8. Nh4 Bg6 9. Nxg6 hxg6 10. Nc5?

Trying to rush things to attain my freedom. I saw his knight could come to e5 attacking my pawn but I glibly thought I could protect it by b5.

10... Bxc5 11. dxc5 Ne4

I now realised that his knight also attacks c3 and if I allowed that, not only would I lose a pawn but I'd also lose the 2 bishops advantage.

12. a3 Nxc5 13. b4 Nd7

I had assumed he'd move back to e4

14. Bb2 O-O 15. c4 Ne7 16. cxd5 Nxd5 17. Qd4 Qf6 18. Qxf6?!

Despite being a pawn down white is not in a bad position. I should avoid swapping pieces though. A far better move for white would be ... 18. Qd2.

18... N7xf6 19. Bxf6?!

I should probably use my pawns to attack. g4 or h4 The move I played is simply bad.

19... gxf6!

The best move by Niall. White is at least 2 points down now according to the engines.

20. Bf3 c6 21. O-O f5 22. h4 Kg7 23. g3 Rad8 24. Rac1 e5 25. e4 fxe4 26. Bxe4 f5

Niall is slowly and surely taking his time and advancing. I knew he wasnt going to let this one slip.

27. Bb1 Nb6 28. Rfe1 e4 29. Red1?! Rfe8 30. Kg2 Kf6 31. Bc2 Rxd1 32. Rxd1 Nc4 33. a4 Ke7

I half hoped Niall might try ... 33... e3...hoping for,,,, 34. fxe3 Nxe3+...and white may resign there and then..

Instead I could have played .... 33... e3 34. Kf3 e2 35. Re1 Nd2+ 36. Kg2 Nc4 37. Bd3 Nb6 38. a5 Nd5...and I might just hang on ... 39. Rxe2 Rxe2 40. Bxe2 Nxb4 41. Kf1 but it's still very tough

34. Bb3 Ne5 35. Ba2 b5 36. axb5 axb5 37. Bb1 Ra8 38. Bc2 Ra3 39. Rb1 Rc3 40. Rb2

This end is fast approaching.

40... Nd3 41. Bxd3 exd3 42. Rd2 Ke6 43. Kf3 Kd5 44. Ke3

d4 square is gone. Too late to save anything now..

44... Kc4 45. Kf4 Rc2

No matter what I do now it's an easy win for white. Well played by Niall.....Take away from the game. I rushed and was careless in the opening. Small minor mistakes were punished mercilessy by a determined opponent.

0-1

Annotator(s): Dermot Earls.

Source(s): Dermot Earls, via Craig DuBose.

Event information: Tournament report.