[Event "GBR-ch"]
[Site "Scarborough"]
[Date "2001.08.09"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Ward, Chris G"]
[Black "Hebden, Mark"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "Martin,A (game of the day)"]
[BlackElo "2550"]
[ECO "E81"]
[EventDate "2001.07.30"]
[PlyCount "80"]
[WhiteElo "2493"]

1. d4 { Notes by IM Andrew Martin } 1... Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Nge2 a6 7. Be3 c6 8. c5 b5 9. cxd6 exd6 10. Nc1 { It's true that
White has the more solid structure but he needs a few moves to unravel and
consolidate. Thus Hebden keeps Ward on the hop with intelligent,active play. } ( { RR } 10. Qd2 Nbd7 11. g4 h5 12. g5 Nh7 13. Bg2 Bb7 14. Rc1 Re8 15. b3 Qe7 16. O-O Rad8 17. Rfe1 c5 18. d5 Ne5 19. Nd1 b4 20. h3 a5 21. f4 Nd7 22. h4 a4 23. Nf2 axb3 24. axb3 Ra8 { Bischoff,K-Koscielski,J/Recklinghausen 1999/EXT 2000/1-0 (45) } ) 10... Nbd7 11. Be2 $146 ( { RR } 11. Nb3 Re8 12. Be2 Bb7 13. O-O Rc8 14. a4 $1 { I very much
like this way of playing, disjointing the Black queenside pawns. Observe the
difference between this and the main game. } 14... b4 15. Nb1 c5 16. dxc5 Nxc5 17. Nxc5 dxc5 18. Qxd8 Rexd8 19. Nd2 Ne8 20. Rab1 Nd6 21. Rfc1 f5 22. Bg5 Re8 23. Bf4 Nf7 24. Bc4 fxe4 25. Nxe4 Rxe4 { Khenkin,I-Kyhle,B/Stockholm 1991/EXT 98/1-0 (40) } ) 11... Re8 12. Qd2 c5 $1 { Very good. White never got round to playing a2-a4. } 13. dxc5 Nxc5 14. O-O Bb7 15. b4 $5 Ne6 $5 { A big moment passes. Obviously Hebden gave serious consideration to } ( 15... Nfxe4 $5 { but rejected the idea. Whether he should have done is another matter. } 16. fxe4 Nxe4 17. Nxe4 Bxa1 18. Nc3 ( 18. Ng3 Rc8 19. Bd4 Bxd4+ 20. Qxd4 Rc2 ) 18... Rc8 19. Bd4 Qe7 { It would not be easy to assess this position from a long
way off however Black's activity is dangerous. } 20. Bd3 ( 20. Qh6 f5 ) 20... Bxc3 21. Bxc3 Qe3+ 22. Qxe3 Rxe3 23. Bd4 $13 ) 16. Nb3 Rc8 17. Rac1 { Normal service
has been resumed. Hebden seeks freedom with ...d6-d5, Ward wants to settle
down with his better structure. } 17... d5 $1 $132 18. Nxd5 ( 18. e5 Nd7 19. f4 Nb6 $1 $132 ) 18... Bxd5 19. Rxc8 Qxc8 20. exd5 Rd8 21. Rc1 { He definitiely
shows an inclination to avoid complications relying on the latent strength of
the two Bishops. But Hebden keeps the game on the boil with some wonderful
dynamic play and Ward is unable to gain control. } ( 21. d6 Ne8 22. Rc1 Qd7 23. Bb6 $1 Rb8 24. Bc5 Be5 25. Rd1 Rd8 $13 ) 21... Qb8 22. Na5 Rxd5 23. Qc3 Qf8 $1 { A great move,eyeing b4 and allowing the Queens to be retained. } 24. Qc8 Rd8 25. Qxa6 Nd5 $1 26. Bf2 Nd4 $3 { This is really the move of the game,rejecting } ( 26... Nxb4 27. Qxb5 Nxa2 28. Rc2 Nc3 $36 { which was also pretty good,although there White gets his
Queen back in. The beauty of ...Nd4 is that the White Queen is left
stranded, an onlooker as Hebden builds up a ferocious initiative. In
general,when battling with two Knights against two Bishops, the Knights should
be kept as central and as aggressive as possible. Let Hebden demonstrate. } ) 27. Bf1 Nf4 $1 28. Kh1 { It would take a brave man to enter the position after } ( 28. Re1 Nh3+ 29. gxh3 Nxf3+ 30. Kg2 Nxe1+ 31. Bxe1 { but maybe Ward had to risk
it. White tries to hold on but he really is playing with fire . } ) 28... Qxb4 29. Rc8 Rf8 30. Rxf8+ Bxf8 31. Nb3 Nxb3 32. axb3 Qd2 $1 { Excellent ! } ( 32... Qxb3 33. Qxb5 { naturally leads to a draw. } ) 33. Bg1 { Maybe } ( 33. Qb6 { just to get the lady back into the game. } 33... Nd3 34. Bxd3 Qxd3 35. Qe3 Qf1+ 36. Bg1 h5 $17 { White's worse, but not yet lost. } ) 33... b4 34. Qc4 Ne6 35. Qd3 Qc3 36. Be3 Bc5 $1 { and with time-trouble rearing its ugly head Chris Ward goes under. } 37. Bd2 Qb2 38. Qd5 ( 38. h3 Bd4 39. Kh2 Be5+ 40. Kh1 Bc3 $17 ) 38... h5 39. g3 Bd4 40. Be1 Qc1 0-1