A Cheery Wave From Stranded Youngsters

After yesterday's entirely professional 43 minute exertion, I was up for some fighting. And that's just as well, given I was up against Felix Ynojosa. I went into the game with a 100% head-to-head record, having beaten him in 2007 with black. And that wasn't the only omen on my side...

Felix J. Ynojosa-Aponte (2224) - (2074) Philip J. Makepeace

So after yesterday's draw bore, I found myself on Board 27 against one of the foremost young talents in the country. Hang on. Talent. 27. Cobain, Hendrix, Jones, Joplin, McKernan, Morrison. Just some of the talents who perished at 27. The omens were on my side. Not that I wanted Felix to actually die of course.

1. e4 c6 2. c4 d5 3. cxd5 cxd5 4. exd5 Nf6 5. Bb5+ Bd7 6. Bc4 Qc7 7. Qb3??

The car is on fire and there's no driver at the wheel. 7. d3 is correct.

7... b5 8. Bxb5 Qxc1+ 9. Ke2 Bxb5+ 10. Qxb5+ Nbd7 11. b3 g6?

11...Rc8 would have kept white completely tied down. Even so, white's task ahead of him is still worthy of a superhero.

12. Qc4

"Yeah, actually, I do put my trousers on before my pants." Oops, I had assumed Qc4 wasn't possible due to 12...Rc8 but 13. Nc3! is awkward.

12...Qxc4+ 13. bxc4 Nh5 14. Na3 Nf4+ 15. Kf3 g5 16. d4 e5 17. Nb5 Rc8 18. g3 Nd3 19.
Ke2 e4 20. c5 a6 21. Nc3 f5 22. f3 Bg7 23. fxe4 Nf2

You can take the horse to water but it only thins the glue. The fewer pieces remaining, the more chances white has.

24. Kxf2 Bxd4+ 25. Kg2 Bxc3 26. Rc1 Rxc5 27. exf5 O-O?!

Natural and not necessarily bad. But given the pressure white exerts later on, the king probably belongs in the centre.

28. Ne2 Be5 29. Rxc5 Nxc5 30. g4 Rb8 31. Rc1 Ne4 32. Rc2 Nf6 33. Rc6?

I now capture Adam with tempo. Dave can wait until later.

33... Rb2 34. Kf3 Rxa2 35. d6 Ra3+ 36. Kg2 Re3 37. Ng1 a5 38. Nf3 Bf4 39. Ra6 Re2+!

I used a lot of my remaining time before the move 40 addition on this. I had to assess the position after move 43 as being good enough. White's king is now penned in and fantasy mating nets start to appear.

40. Kf1 Ra2 41. Nd4 Rd2

But I missed one! 41...Nxg4! 42. d7 Rf2+ 43. Kg1 Bxh2 44. Kh1 Bc7 45. Ra8+ Kf7 46. d8Q Rf1+ 47. Kg2 Ne3+ 48. Kh3 Rh1# would have been a sweet spot.

42. Ra8+ Kg7 43. Ne6+ Kh6 44. d7 Rxd7 45. Rxa5 Nxg4

Capturing the other pawn with 45...Bxh2?? would have walked into 46. Ra3 and a serious facepalm moment.

46. h4? Nh2+ 47. Ke2 Rd2+ 48. Ke1 Nf3+ 49. Kf1 Be3 50. hxg5+ Kh5 51. Nf4+ Bxf4 52. Ra3 Kg4 53. g6 Bg3 54. g7

When there's nothing left to burn, you have to set yourself on fire.

54...Rf2 mate