[Event "4NCL"]
[Site "Birmingham"]
[Date "1998.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Nunn, John"]
[Black "Ward, Chris"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "Hartwig,Th"]
[ECO "B79"]
[EventDate "1998.??.??"]
[PlyCount "77"]

{ I decided not to show any of my other games from the World Open because frankly, on closer inspection, they weren't as interesting as I had originally thought. Instead, I want to look at a very complicated win by John Nunn. The hardest part of annotating this game is to avoid just copying the excellent analysis that has already been written by Nunn himself, which I have access to in _Understanding Chess Move by Move_. Fortunately I saved some independent analysis done with Fritz after I had first seen the game and before I saw any notes, which contained several ideas that didn't exactly follow Nunn. It is doubtful I could have been as open-minded if I had seen his analysis first. In terms of possibly significant differences between the two analyses, I can point out 17...Bxf5 followed by 19...Qb4, where I went into greater detail but ultimately agreed with Nunn, and 22...Ne8, which I think is a possible improvement. By the way, my intention in presenting this game is not to topple Nunn's analysis, which I think would be quite hard. Instead it is an attempt to expand his work that considers some lines he might have just been strong enough to dismiss offhand, and most importantly it is just an excuse to introduce an awesome game to anyone who hasn't seen it already. } 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 Nc6 8. Qd2 O-O 9. Bc4 Bd7 10. O-O-O Qa5 11. h4 Ne5 12. Bb3 Rfc8 13. g4 $5 b5 $6 { The standard move 13...Nc4, or possibly 13...Rc4!, is probably better, unless my 22... Ne8 idea actually holds up. } 14. h5 $1 Nc4 15. Bxc4 bxc4 16. Bh6 Bh8 17. Nf5 $1 Re8 ( 17... Bxf5 $2 { is a very interesting alternative which is apparently not correct: } 18. exf5 ( 18. gxf5 Nxh5 19. Rxh5 Bxc3 20. Qxc3 Qxc3 21. bxc3 gxh5 22. Rg1+ Kh8 23. Bg7+ $11 ) 18... Rab8 19. hxg6 Qb4 $5 ( 19... fxg6 { is the only move given by Nunn: } 20. Qe3 Qe5 21. Qxe5 dxe5 $16 ) 20. gxf7+ Kxf7 21. Qe3 Qxb2+ 22. Kd2 { Originally I just thought this position was very unclear and, being lazy, I wanted to leave it at that. However, a closer look reveals that white is probably winning by force. } 22... Qb4 { The best try. } ( 22... a6 $2 { reveals white's threat if black waits: } 23. Rhe1 $1 ( 23. Qe6+ Ke8 24. g5 $4 Qxc3+ { wins for black. } ) 23... Qb7 ( 23... Rc7 24. Rb1 ) 24. Qe6+ Ke8 25. g5 Nh5 26. f6 $1 { and there is almost nothing to be done about 27.f7, 27.f8=Q! } ) ( 22... Ke8 23. g5 Ng8 24. f6 $1 { is winning. Black's minor pieces are shut out and he is helpless against 25.Qe6 or 25.Rhe1. } ) 23. Bg5 $1 { Only this seems to work. 24. Rxh7+ is the main threat, and also the crucial response to just about everything. } ( 23. g5 Nd5 $1 24. Qe6+ Ke8 { leads to nothing. } ) 23... Nd5 ( 23... Kg8 24. Rxh7 $3 Qxc3+ $1 ( 24... Kxh7 25. Rh1+ Kg8 26. Qe6+ { is mate in four. } ) ( 24... Ne4+ 25. Qxe4 Qxc3+ 26. Ke2 { is also winning for white. } ) 25. Qxc3 ( 25. Kxc3 $4 Ne4# ) 25... Ne4+ 26. fxe4 Bxc3+ 27. Kxc3 Kxh7 28. Bxe7 { and the white passers easily win. } ) 24. Rxh7+ Bg7 25. Qe6+ Ke8 26. Qxd5 $1 Qxc3+ 27. Ke2 $1 { For some reason, white's attack simply works now and black's goes nowhere. After 27...Qxc2+ 28.Rd2, for example, black is out of checks and 29.Qg8+ is coming. } ) 18. Qg5 $1 { Nunn plays correctly, using the temporary threat of 19. Nxe7+ to set up 19. Bg7. The immediate 18.Bg7 was also tempting, but wouldn't have worked. } ( 18. Bg7 $2 { Similar to white's idea in the game, but there is a problem with this move. } 18... gxf5 $1 ( 18... Bxg7 $6 19. Nxg7 ( 19. hxg6 $2 Bxf5 $19 ) 19... Reb8 ( 19... Kxg7 $2 20. hxg6 fxg6 21. Qh6+ Kf7 22. g5 Rh8 ( 22... Nh5 $6 23. Rxh5 gxh5 24. Qxh7+ Kf8 25. Rd5 Qb6 26. g6 $18 ) 23. gxf6 exf6 ( 23... Kxf6 24. e5+ Kf7 25. exd6 exd6 26. Rxd6 { looks very good for white. } ) 24. Rxd6 Be6 25. f4 { should be good enough for white to be clear that black has better moves. } ) 20. hxg6 fxg6 21. g5 ( 21. Qh6 $4 { The queen should have stayed on d2 as long as possible. } 21... Rxb2 22. Kxb2 Rb8+ 23. Kc1 Qxc3 24. g5 Rb2 25. Rh2 Rxa2 { wins for black. } ) ( 21. Nh5 gxh5 ) 21... Qb6 22. b3 { and the position is messy but probably favors white. } ( 22. Qh2 Qe3+ 23. Qd2 Qb6 $11 ) ) 19. Qg5 ( 19. h6 fxg4 $17 ) 19... h6 $3 ( 19... Bxg7 $2 20. h6 Nh5 21. Rd5 f6 22. Qxh5 $18 ) 20. Bxh6+ Kh7 $17 ) 18... Qb6 { Ducking 19. Nxe7+, watching g1, and setting up ... Rab8, ... Qxb2+. This move is clearly the best try. } 19. hxg6 fxg6 20. Bg7 $3 { The key idea, as it is very hard to mate black without getting rid of his dark-squared bishop. Incidentally, I read a commentary by Ward (I think; it was a while ago) that he had expected the tempting 20. Nxe7+, which loses. } ( 20. Nxe7+ $2 Rxe7 21. Nd5 Nxd5 22. Qxd5+ Re6 $1 23. Qxa8+ Re8 24. Qd5+ Be6 25. Qxd6 ( 25. Qg5 Bxb2+ 26. Kd2 Qf2# ) 25... Bxb2+ 26. Kb1 Qb7 $19 ) 20... Bxg7 { White's simple threat was 21.Bxh8 and 22.Nxe7. This move seems forced. } ( 20... Rab8 21. Bxh8 Kxh8 22. Nxe7 Qxb2+ 23. Kd2 Rxe7 24. Qxf6+ Rg7 25. Rb1 $18 ) 21. Nxg7 Reb8 { 21...Kxg7 is a critical try, but it loses. } ( 21... Kxg7 22. Qh6+ { I noticed Nunn gives 22.Nd5 which no doubt wins also, but I don't think there's any problem with my old analysis. } 22... Kf7 23. Nd5 $1 Qc5 ( 23... Qb7 { Not all of the following variations are so hard to find, or even the only way to win, but they are fun in the sense that we get to see black's king running up the board to get mated, just like in the nineteenth century! } 24. Nxf6 exf6 ( 24... c3 25. Qxh7+ Kxf6 26. e5+ Kxe5 27. Qg7+ ) ( 24... Kxf6 25. g5+ Ke6 26. Qh3+ Ke5 27. f4+ Kxf4 28. Qh2+ Kxe4 29. Qf2 ) 25. Qxh7+ Ke6 ( 25... Kf8 26. Rxd6 ) 26. f4 Rh8 27. f5+ Ke5 28. Qe7+ Kf4 29. Qxd6+ Kg5 30. Qd2+ { mates in a couple. } ) ( 23... Nxd5 24. Qxh7+ Ke6 25. exd5+ Ke5 26. Qg7+ Kf4 27. Qh6+ Kxf3 ( 27... Ke5 28. Qg5+ Bf5 29. Rhe1+ ) 28. Rhf1+ Kg2 29. Rd2+ Kxf1 30. Qh3+ { and wins in very nineteenth century style. } ) 24. g5 Rh8 ( 24... Nh5 25. Rxh5 Rh8 ( 25... gxh5 26. Qxh7+ Kf8 27. g6 Be6 28. g7+ ) 26. Rh4 Ba4 27. Rf4+ Ke6 ( 27... Ke8 28. Qg7 ) 28. Qh3+ Ke5 29. Rf5+ Ke6 30. Rf6+ Ke5 31. Qe6# ) ( 24... Nxd5 25. Qxh7+ Ke6 26. exd5+ { is devastating. } ) 25. gxf6 exf6 26. Qh4 $1 g5 27. Qh5+ Ke6 ( 27... Kf8 28. Qh6+ ) 28. Qg4+ $18 ) 22. Nh5 $1 { Black is invited to capture b2 on every move, but somewhat surprisingly there is no follow-up, while black's king is getting murdered in his bed. Furthermore, in some variations the capture helps white, as the queen is out of play and Rb1 becomes possible. } 22... Nxh5 $2 { Here maybe I have a real improvement. The following analysis is definitely not exhaustive, but nonetheless after 22... Ne8, which is not mentioned by Nunn, I cannot find a win for white. Certainly it is logical to consider not exchanging knights, which changes the pawn-formation and solves white's possible congestion on the h-file. After the game move I am fairly certain that black is dead. } ( 22... Ne8 23. b3 ( 23. Nd5 Qxb2+ 24. Kd2 Qe5 $13 ) ( 23. Qxe7 Rb7 24. Nd5 Qxb2+ { This is an important theme. When ...Qxb2+ follows Nd5 it is a totally different scenario than if the knight remained on c3, as the queen is very helpful for defense along the long diagonal. } 25. Kd2 gxh5 26. Rb1 Qd4+ 27. Ke2 Rxb1 28. Rxb1 hxg4 29. Qxd7 gxf3+ 30. Kxf3 Ng7 $13 ) 23... Bc6 24. Nd5 Bxd5 25. Qxd5+ Kf8 ( 25... Kh8 26. Qf7 ) 26. Nf4 Qe3+ 27. Qd2 Qxd2+ 28. Rxd2 cxb3 29. axb3 Kg8 30. Rdh2 e5 31. Nd5 Rb7 { and black's position is less pleasant but I don't think that he should be lost here. } ) 23. gxh5 Be8 { The best try. Throwing in 23... Qxb2+ gives up control of g1. } ( 23... Qxb2+ 24. Kd2 Be8 25. hxg6 Bxg6 26. Rxh7 Kxh7 27. Rh1+ Kg7 28. Qxe7+ Kg8 ( 28... Bf7 29. Rg1+ ) 29. Qf6 $18 ) 24. b3 $1 { Simply threatening 25. Nd5, to which there is no acceptable defense. } ( 24. hxg6 Bxg6 25. Rxh7 $2 Kxh7 26. Rh1+ Kg7 27. Qxe7+ Bf7 28. Qg5+ Bg6 $11 ) 24... cxb3 25. axb3 Qc5 ( 25... e6 26. Qf6 d5 27. hxg6 Bxg6 28. Rdg1 { and 29.Rxg6+ will win. } ) 26. Nd5 Rb7 27. Nxe7+ { The rest is just a formality. } 27... Rxe7 28. Qxe7 Rc8 29. Rh2 gxh5 30. Rg2+ Bg6 31. Rxd6 Qe3+ 32. Rgd2 Rf8 33. Rd8 Rxd8 34. Qxd8+ Kg7 35. Qd4+ Qxd4 36. Rxd4 h4 37. Kd2 h3 38. Ke3 Kh6 39. Kf4 { From the 14th move on, white apparently played perfectly in a complex tactical position. A terrific achievement. } 1-0