Event: ECF English Open Championship 2025
Site: Kenilworth, Warwickshire, United Kingdom
Date: 2025-07-20
White: Merriman, James
WhiteElo: 2048
Black: Norris, Zack
BlackElo: 2032
Result: 1-0
ECO: E81
Opening: King's Indian Defense: Steiner Attack
Variant: Standard
TimeControl: G90 + 30 Secs/move

1. d4 { [%eval 0.17] [%clk 1:30:58] } 1... Nf6 { [%eval 0.19] [%clk 1:30:57] } 2. c4 { [%eval 0.18] [%clk 1:31:14] } 2... g6 { [%eval 0.28] [%clk 1:31:23] } 3. f3 { [%eval 0.22] [%clk 1:31:30] } 3... Bg7 { [%eval 0.32] [%clk 1:31:44] } 4. e4 { [%eval 0.3] [%clk 1:31:55] } 4... d6 { [%eval 0.37] [%clk 1:32:07] } 5. Nc3 { [%eval 0.26] [%clk 1:32:20] } 5... O-O { [%eval 0.29] [%clk 1:32:24] } 6. Bg5 { [%eval 0.12] [%clk 1:32:29] } 6... c5 { [%eval 0.27] [%clk 1:32:34] } 7. d5 { [%eval 0.12] [%clk 1:32:27] } 7... e6 { [%eval 0.2] [%clk 1:32:33] } 8. Qd2 { [%eval 0.38] [%clk 1:32:40] } 8... exd5 { [%eval 0.31] [%clk 1:32:32] } 9. cxd5 { [%eval 0.29] [%clk 1:32:51] } 9... a6 { [%eval 0.32] [%clk 1:32:12] } 10. a4 { [%eval 0.32] [%clk 1:33:07] } 10... Nbd7 { [%eval 0.53] [%clk 1:30:29] } 11. Nh3 { [%eval 0.49] [%clk 1:33:06] } 11... Qa5 { [%eval 0.51] [%clk 1:29:46] } 12. Ra3 { [%eval 0.38] [%clk 1:31:42] } 12... Ne5 { [%eval 0.46] [%clk 1:27:16] } 13. Nf2 { [%eval 0.37] [%clk 1:31:38] } 13... h5?! { [%eval 1.0] } { Inaccuracy. Nh5 was best. } { [%clk 1:27:01] } 14. Be2 { [%eval 1.05] [%clk 1:28:20] } 14... Re8 { [%eval 1.09] [%clk 1:25:19] } 15. O-O { [%eval 0.83] [%clk 1:28:04] } 15... Nh7 { [%eval 0.73] [%clk 1:20:12] } 16. Bh6 { [%eval 0.8] [%clk 1:16:27] } 16... Bh8 { [%eval 1.29] [%clk 1:19:19] } 17. f4?! { [%eval 0.7] } { Inaccuracy. h3 was best. } { [%clk 1:06:15] } 17... Nd7?! { [%eval 1.47] } { Inaccuracy. Ng4 was best. } { [%clk 1:08:55] } 18. Bxh5 { [%eval 1.21] [%clk 0:54:48] } 18... gxh5 { [%eval 1.21] [%clk 1:07:21] } 19. Nb1 { [%eval 1.21] [%clk 0:54:48] } 19... Qxd2 { [%eval 1.31] [%clk 1:07:09] } 20. Rg3+ { [%eval 1.2] [%clk 0:55:11] } 20... Ng5 { [%eval 1.2] [%clk 1:06:04] } 21. Nxd2 { [%eval 1.09] [%clk 0:55:30] } 21... Kh7 { [%eval 1.38] [%clk 1:05:32] } 22. Bxg5 { [%eval 1.14] [%clk 0:55:14] } 22... b5 { [%eval 1.05] [%clk 1:05:26] } 23. b3 { [%eval 0.58] [%clk 0:40:18] } 23... Bd4 { [%eval 0.56] [%clk 0:53:07] } 24. f5 { [%eval 0.6] [%clk 0:33:53] } 24... Ne5?! { [%eval 1.52] } { Inaccuracy. bxa4 was best. } { [%clk 0:35:23] } 25. Rh3 { [%eval 1.34] [%clk 0:31:57] } 25... c4?! { [%eval 2.23] } { Inaccuracy. Kg7 was best. } { [%clk 0:34:59] } 26. Rxh5+ { [%eval 2.2] [%clk 0:32:20] } 26... Kg7 { [%eval 1.94] [%clk 0:35:22] } 27. Bh6+ { [%eval 2.37] [%clk 0:26:59] } 27... Kf6 { [%eval 2.46] [%clk 0:35:12] } 28. Bg5+ { [%eval 2.06] [%clk 0:25:57] } 28... Kg7 { [%eval 2.16] [%clk 0:35:36] } 29. bxc4 { [%eval 1.87] [%clk 0:26:04] } 29... bxa4 { [%eval 2.48] [%clk 0:35:49] } 30. Bh6+ { [%eval 2.59] [%clk 0:16:07] } 30... Kf6 { [%eval 2.63] [%clk 0:36:13] } 31. Bg5+ { [%eval 2.4] [%clk 0:16:30] } 31... Kg7 { [%eval 2.4] [%clk 0:36:39] } 32. Rh3 { [%eval 2.51] [%clk 0:15:49] } 32... Rb8 { [%eval 2.46] [%clk 0:36:08] } 33. Be3 { [%eval 2.25] [%clk 0:14:07] } 33... Bxe3 { [%eval 2.34] [%clk 0:34:28] } 34. Rxe3 { [%eval 2.23] [%clk 0:14:32] } 34... Rb2 { [%eval 2.02] [%clk 0:34:50] } 35. Rd1 { [%eval 2.12] [%clk 0:13:07] } 35... Bd7 { [%eval 2.41] [%clk 0:34:55] } 36. Nd3 { [%eval 2.39] [%clk 0:12:55] } 36... Rc2 { [%eval 3.04] [%clk 0:34:04] } 37. Nxe5 { [%eval 3.03] [%clk 0:13:12] } 37... Rxe5 { [%eval 3.05] [%clk 0:34:29] } 38. g4 { [%eval 2.99] [%clk 0:11:41] } 38... Re8 { [%eval 2.91] [%clk 0:33:36] } 39. Kf1?! { [%eval 2.05] } { Inaccuracy. Kf2 was best. } { [%clk 0:10:14] } 39... Rb8 { [%eval 2.58] [%clk 0:33:02] } 40. Ra3 { [%eval 2.7] [%clk 0:09:29] } 40... Rbb2 { [%eval 2.41] [%clk 0:33:17] } 41. Ke1 { [%eval 2.49] [%clk 0:09:54] } 41... Kf6?! { [%eval 3.5] } { Inaccuracy. Kh6 was best. } { [%clk 0:31:27] } 42. h4 { [%eval 3.43] [%clk 0:10:11] } 42... Kg7 { [%eval 3.33] [%clk 0:30:44] } 43. g5 { [%eval 3.22] [%clk 0:10:19] } 43... Kh7 { [%eval 3.35] [%clk 0:31:01] } 44. h5 { [%eval 3.34] [%clk 0:10:33] } 44... Be8 { [%eval 3.67] [%clk 0:31:03] } 45. Rg3 { [%eval 3.72] [%clk 0:09:03] } 45... f6?! { [%eval 5.21] } { Inaccuracy. Kg7 was best. } { [%clk 0:30:48] } 46. g6+ { [%eval 5.01] [%clk 0:09:22] } 46... Kg7 { [%eval 6.0] [%clk 0:31:12] } 47. h6+ { [%eval 5.48] [%clk 0:07:57] } 47... Kg8?? { [%eval #8] } { Checkmate is now unavoidable. Kxh6 was best. } { [%clk 0:31:10] } 48. h7+ { [%eval #7] [%clk 0:07:54] } 48... Kg7 { [%eval #7] [%clk 0:31:28] } 49. Rh3 { [%eval #6] [%clk 0:08:15] } 49... Bxg6 { [%eval #3] [%clk 0:31:43] } 50. h8=Q+ { [%eval #2] [%clk 0:08:35] } 50... Kf7 { [%eval #2] [%clk 0:32:08] } 51. fxg6+ { [%eval #1] [%clk 0:08:58] } 51... Ke7 { [%eval #1] [%clk 0:32:26] } 52. Rh7# { [%clk 0:08:47] } 1-0