The last time I played Peter was in the last round of the British Under 16s in Douglas. It was a winner-takes-all fight that he triumphed in. This wasn't quite a case of revenge given how far he's come since then but, frankly, I was well up for bashing him.
Philip J. Makepeace (2074) - (2307) Peter Constantinou
1. e4 g6 2. d4 d6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. a4 Nf6 6. h3 O-O 7. Be3 Nbd7 8. a5 e5
Deviating from Adair - Constantinou, British Championship 2009, which concluded 8...Qc7 9. Bc4 Rb8 10. Ng5 b5 11. axb6 axb6 12. Bxf7+ Rxf7 13. Ne6 Qb7 14. Nd8 Qc7 15. Ne6 1/2-1/2
And rightly so! I'm no James Adair.
9. Bc4?
Losing a vital tempo. The e4 pawn will now be under siege.
9... exd4 10. Nxd4 Re8 11. Bd3 Nc5 12. f3 d5 13. Nde2 dxe4 14. fxe4 Nfxe4 15. Bxe4 Bxc3+ 16. Nxc3 Qh4+ 17. Bf2 Nxe4 18. Bxh4 Nxc3+
19. Kf2 Nxd1+ 20. Rhxd1 Bf5 21. a6!?
Peter criticised this move after the game as it gives him a target. But the
a7 pawn becomes one too.
21... b6 22. c3 Kg7 23. Rd6 Re6 24. Rad1 c5 25. Bd8!?
Rxd6 26. Rxd6 Be6 27. Ke3 Bc4 28. Ke4?!
The correct plan was to shore up
the kingside first. Despite being two pawns up, black's approach is not clear.
28... Bxa6 29. Ke5 Bf1 30. Rd2 Kg8 31. Be7 Kg7 32. Kd6 c4 33. Kd7 f5 34. Bd8 h6
35. Bc7 g5 36. Kc6 Bd3 37. g3 Re8 38. b3 Bf1 39. bxc4 Bxh3 40. Ra2!
The queenside falls. Black's kingside majority should still be decisive but
care is needed. He just needs to cool his boots for a while.
40... Re4 41.