White Odondoo Ganbold, Essex
Black Alan Hanreck, Kent
Event: BCF Final, 6th July 2002
ECO B00. Annotations by the Webmaster with the assistance of Fritz.

1. e4 Nc6 2. Nc3 e6 3. d4 Bb4 4. a3 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 d6 6. f4 Nf6 7. Qf3 e5 8. fxe5 dxe5 9. d5 Ne7 10. Bd3 Ng6 11. Ne2 Bg4 12. Qf2 Bxe2

Bringing about a pair of bishops v a pair of knights.

13. Qxe2 Qd6

13...c6 14.c4 0-0 15.0-0 Qd6 16.Qf2 Nd7 17.Be3+=.

14. O-O O-O

14...Qc5+ 15.Be3 Qe7 (15...Qxc3 16.Rab1 Nf4 (not 16...b6 17.Bb5++-) 17.Bxf4 exf4 18.Rxb7 0-0 19.Rb3 Qe5 20.Qf3+-) 16.Rab1 c6 17.c4+-

15. Kh1 Nd7

16. Qh5 Ne7

16...c6 17.c4 Nc5=

17. a4 Nc5 18. Ba3 b6

19. Bxc5!

Removing Black's best placed piece when Black is forced to capture with the b-pawn. In this position with a closed centre the white bishop pair were less of a force than in an open centre. White has the open (by Nimzowitsch's definition) f-file and command of the centre. Black's doubled pawns are more of a liability to him than are White's to him.

19...bxc5 20.Rf3

White sets about building his attack without further ado. The fully open b-file would only be of use to Black if White tried to occupy it; then Black could at least exchange rooks. White can safely leave that file to Black as he can make absolutely no use of it!

By contrast, White can build on the f-file as it is open to him and not his opponent.

20...Rab8 21. Raf1 Ng6 22. Qg4!

Preserving his bishop as 22...Nf4 can now be met by 23 Bc4 followed by g3. By the same token, White prepares the menacing advance of his h-pawn.

22...Qd8?

22...c6 is a slight improvement.

23. Bc4 Qd6

The queen has immediately to return to the square it has just vacated in order to prevent a subsequent d6 disclosing trouble on f7. Not 23...f6 24.d6+ Kh8 25.Rh3 with the threat Rxh7+ followed by Qh5 mate.

24. h4 f6

At first sight, all is secured on the dark squares. But White now advances his h-pawn nemesis to undermine the f6 point with startling rapidity!

25. h5 Ne7 26. h6 g6

Fritz regards this as better than 26...Ng6 though after 26...Ng6 27.hxg7 Rf7 28.Rf5 Rb2 29.R1f2 Kxg7 there appears no quick finish.

27. Qe6+!

Forcing the queens off, after which, with a huge pawn on e6, White will drive through on the f-file and capture the 7th rank.

27...Qxe6 28. dxe6 f5 29. g4!

Clever! White forces Black's hand: either he must open the f-file for White, or close it for both players with ...f4, after which White would switch his rooks to the d-file and penetrate to d7.

29...fxg4 30. Rf7 Rxf7 31. Rxf7 Re8

Black clearly cannot move the knight in view of 32 e7 etc.

32. a5

It is now only a matter of time before Black runs out of moves.

32...c6 33. Kg2 Kh834. Kg3 Ng8 35. Rxa7 Nxh6 36. a6

A fresh menace has appeared on the other wing!

36...Ng8 37. Rf7 Nh6 38. Rb7 1-0.