White: Ray Ilett, Cambridgeshire
Black: John C Moore
BCF U175 Counties ¼-Final, 11th May 2003
ECO D47 Annotations by the Webmaster with the assistance of Fritz.

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 Bb7 9.0-0 b4 10.Na4

10.Ne4 Nxe4 11.Bxe4 Bd6+=

10...Be7 11.Bd2

11...c5?!

11...0-0=

12.dxc5 Nxc5 13.Nxc5 Bxc5 14.Bb5+ Ke7

14...Nd7 15.Ne5 Bc8 16.Rc1 0-0 (16...Bd6 17.Rxc8 Rxc8 18.Bxd7+ Kf8 19.Bxc8 Qxc8 20.Bc3+-) 17.Bxd7 Bd6 18.Bc6 Bxe5 19.Bxa8+- Fritz.

15.Rc1 Qb6 16.Qa4

Threatening 17 Rxc5 Qxc5 18 Bxb4.

16...a5 17.Ne5 Rhd8 18.Nc4?

White can ill-afford this diversionary action, taking his knight away from the centre.

18...Qc7 19.h3 Rd5!

Adding the rook to the attack without bothering to look to the safety of his king.

20.Rfd1 Rg5

Black now has a powerful attack while the White forces appear to have deserted their monarch.

21.e4

White could be forgiven for thinking that he has provided a robust defence, having blocked the h1-a8 diagonal and discovered an attack on the black rook, and was probably anticipating 21...Rg6 22 Be3. White's reply must have come like a thunderbolt.

 21...Qg3!!

A peach of a move, requiring fine judgement in view of the slightly exposed position of the black king.

22.Bxg5

22.Ne3 Bxe3 23.Bxb4+ axb4 24.Qxb4+ Bc5 25.Qxc5+ Rxc5 26.fxg3 Rxb5-+ Fritz.

22...Bxe4

Replacing the first mate threat with an alternative. White thought for twenty minutes over his reply, but could find no saving resource.

23.Rd7+

23.Ne3 Bxe3 24.Bf1 Bxf2+ 25.Kh1 Qxh3# is a pretty finish. 23 Bxf6+ Kxf6 delays it a move longer. The desparate throw of the text move represents White's best try!

23...Kf8 24.Rxf7+ Kxf7

Or 24...Kg8 and mate follows.

25.Nd6+ Qxd6 26.Bxf6

Relatively better was 26 Bf1.

26...gxf6

Missing the thematic 26...Qg3! with mate in three, but who will cavil?

27.Rd1 Bd5 28.Bc6 Bxc6! 0-1