[Event "MKO 2005"] [Site "Kingston, Jamaica"] [Date "2005.10.22"] [Round "1.1"] [White "Holness, Mark"] [Black "Wilkinson, Ian"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E80"] [PlyCount "80"] [EventDate "2005.??.??"] 1. c4 g6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 Nbd7 6. Be3 e5 7. d5 Nc5 8. b4 Ncd7 9. Bd3 O-O 10. Nge2 Nh5 11. c5 f5 12. cxd6 cxd6 13. O-O f4 14. Bf2 a6 15. Qc2 Qg5 16. Kh1 Bf6 17. g4 fxg3 18. hxg3 Be7 19. Kg2 Nf4+ 20. Nxf4 exf4 21. Rh1 fxg3 22. Bxg3 Ne5 23. Be2 Qe3 24. Bxe5 dxe5 25. Qc1 Qb6 26. a3 Rf4 27. Bc4 Kh8 28. Ne2 Rh4 29. Rxh4 Bxh4 30. Qg1 Qf6 31. Qe3 Bd7 32. Rf1 Rc8 33. Bd3 Bg5 34. Qf2 Rf8 35. Ng1 Bh6 36. Qg3 Bf4 37. Qf2 Qg5+ 38. Kh1 Bg3 39. Qe2 Rf4 40. Kg2 Be1+ {%02 Time} 0-1 [Event "MKO 2005"] [Site "Kingston, Jamaica"] [Date "2005.10.23"] [Round "1.2"] [White "Wilkinson, Ian"] [Black "Holness, Mark"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B01"] [PlyCount "128"] [EventDate "2005.??.??"] 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qd6 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 c6 6. Bd3 Bg4 7. Be3 Nbd7 8. h3 Bxf3 9. Qxf3 e5 10. dxe5 Nxe5 11. Qe2 Nxd3+ 12. cxd3 Be7 13. O-O O-O 14. Ne4 Qd7 15. Nxf6+ Bxf6 16. Rad1 Rfe8 17. Qc2 Qd5 18. b3 a6 19. Rd2 Re6 20. Rfd1 Rae8 21. Qc4 Qd6 22. d4 Re4 23. Qc5 Qxc5 24. dxc5 h6 25. Rd7 R8e7 26. Kf1 Kh7 27. Ke2 Bg5 28. Rxe7 Rxe7 29. Rd3 Kg6 30. Kf3 Bxe3 31. Rxe3 Rd7 32. Re8 Kf6 33. Ke3 Kf5 34. f4 Kf6 35. g4 Kg6 36. h4 h5 37. gxh5+ Kxh5 38. Rh8+ Kg4 39. h5 Re7+ 40. Kd4 Kxf4 41. h6 g5 42. Rg8 f5 43. Rg7 Re8 44. h7 Rh8 45. Rxb7 g4 46. Rg7 g3 47. b4 Kf3 48. Ke5 f4 49. Rf7 Re8+ 50. Kd6 g2 51. Rg7 Rh8 52. Kxc6 Rxh7 53. Rxh7 g1=Q 54. Rh3+ Ke4 55. Ra3 Qf1 56. Ra5 Qc4 57. a3 f3 58. Kb7 f2 59. Rxa6 f1=Q 60. Rb6 Qff7+ 61. Kb8 Qe8+ 62. Ka7 Qa4+ 63. Kb8 Qg8+ 64. Kb7 Qf7+ 0-1 [Event "Masters KO, Shirley Retreat Hotel"] [Site "?"] [Date "2005.11.05"] [Round "3"] [White "NM Mark Holness"] [Black "Ian Wilkinson"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C42"] [WhiteElo "2175"] [BlackElo "1791"] [Annotator "Wilkinson, I"] [PlyCount "129"] {LETTING THE MASTER OFF THE HOOK This was game three of our match and I had the black pieces. Holness was determined to win. He, however, arrived Forty minutes late and pushed his King's pawn two squares a la Fischer. The time control was game in ninety minutes with increments of thirty seconds per move from the first move.} 1. e4 e5 {I was tempted to play 1...c5 heading into a possible Alapin variation of the Sicilian but I wanted to surpise the Montegonian.} 2. Nf3 Nf6 {The Petroff!} 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. c4 Nc6 6. Nc3 {Diagram #Jamaica's first-ever Fide Master opted for 6.d4 against me and a truce was signed after 6...d5 7.Nc3 Bb4 8.Qb3 Qe7 9.Be3 Na5 10.Qc2 Nxc4 11. Bxc4 dxc4 12.0-0 Nxc3 13.bxc3 Bd6 14.Qa4+ c6 15.Qxc4 0-0 1/2- 1/2 (28), Gibbs, G - Wilkinson, I, National Championships Qualifier, Utech, Kingston, 2002.} Nf6 $5 {Retreated so as to complicate the game as much as possible bearing in mind Holness' deficit on the clock.} (6... Nxc3 7. dxc3 Ne5 8. Nxe5 dxe5 9. Qxd8+ Kxd8 $11) 7. d4 Be7 8. d5 Ne5 9. Be2 (9. Nxe5 dxe5 10. Bd3 O-O 11. O-O c6 $132) 9... O-O 10. O-O Ng6 (10... Re8) 11. Nd4 Bd7 12. Qc2 $5 Qc8 $1 {To prevent Nf5. } 13. Bd2 Re8 14. Rfe1 Bf8 (14... a5) 15. b3 h6 16. Bd3 Ne5 17. Bf1 Bg4 18. f4 $1 Ng6 19. Rxe8 Qxe8 20. Re1 Qc8 21. Bd3 {Diagram #} Bh5 $6 (21... Ne7 $16) 22. Nce2 $16 {Holness is developing a dangerous initiative. Meriting serious consideration was} (22. Nf5 $1 Qd7 23. h3 Nh8 24. Ne2 $1 $36) 22... Ne7 23. Ng3 Bg6 24. Ngf5 {I felt some relief as liquidation is unavoidable after this move. Mark could have tried} (24. Bc3 $1 {and there could have followed} Bxd3 25. Qxd3 Qg4 {. In this line White stands superior after the simple} 26. h3 Qg6 27. Qxg6 Nxg6 28. Ndf5 $16) 24... Nxf5 25. Bxf5 Bxf5 26. Qxf5 Qxf5 $14 {I offered H olness a draw at this point but he politely declined. He was now down to thirteen miniutes on his clock while I had fifty-three. Neverthless, the experience of the last game in our match made it clear that with the increments a lot of chess was still ahead.} 27. Nxf5 Re8 $1 {I felt that after the rooks left the board White would have an uphill task to win and, indeed, would have to hope that I blundered.} 28. Rxe8 Nxe8 29. Bc3 Kh7 30. Kf2 Kg6 ( 30... g6 $1 31. Nd4 Bg7 $14) (30... g6 $1 31. Ne3 Bg7 32. Bxg7 Kxg7 $14) 31. Ne3 Nf6 (31... Be7 32. g4 Bf6 33. Bxf6 Nxf6 34. Kf3 Nd7 35. b4 a6 { and a draw is likely.}) 32. Bxf6 Kxf6 33. Kf3 h5 34. Ke4 g6 35. Nc2 Bg7 36. Nb4 Ke7 $1 $11 { After this move I felt that there was now definitely no way through for White.} 37. f5 Bc3 {Diagram #A critical position has arisen on the battlefield.} 38. fxg6 $1 {A clever move. I had expected 38.Nd3 when a draw was still the likely outcome. I smiled at the board thinking that the steed was sacrosanct as after 38...Bxc3 39.g7 there was no stopping the pawn and then I discovered the refutation} Bxb4 $1 39. g7 f5+ $1 {The aforementioned refutation! The humble footsoldier exercises its precious option of moving two squares on its first move to deliver a telling check, simultaneously clearing the f7-square for the black liege to reach the ambitious white pawn. After the game Holness said that he missed this move and was mad at himself for giving up the knight.} 40. Kxf5 Kf7 41. Kg5 Kxg7 42. Kxh5 {After this capture I realised that what Holness thought was an error had metamorphosed into a challenging piece sacrifice and I could find no win. I was also particularly concerned with White's connected passed pawns.} Kf6 {Diagram # Played with forty-one minutes left on my clock. Holness was down to five minutes.} ({After the game, a number of players tried to show that I had a win and tried to prove it, for example with the line} 42... Bd2 43. g4 c6 44. g5 {but Fritz maintains that this is not so giving several variations where it is White who will have winning chances if Black is not careful. For example,} Bc1 45. Kg4 cxd5 46. cxd5 b5 47. a4 $1 b4 $1 48. h4 Bb2 49. h5 a5 50. Kf5 Be5 51. Ke6 Bf4 52. Kf5 Be5 $11 {when a draw looks likely.}) 43. g4 {Four minutes left for Mark.} c6 { Forty-two for me.} ({The game is still on the edge after} 43... Bc3 44. g5+ Kg7 45. h4 a5 46. Kg4 c6 47. h5 cxd5 48. cxd5 b5 49. Kf5 a4 { and neither side can progress.}) ({ On the other hand what looks like a winning attempt was} 43... Bd2 $1 { Diagram #} 44. h4 Bf4 45. g5+ Kf5 46. b4 (46. Kh6 $6 { does not provide much relief for White as Black has the timely riposte} c6 $1 { and in an exciting line both sides queen after} 47. Kg7 cxd5 48. g6 d4 49. Kh7 Be5 50. h5 d3 51. h6 d2 52. g7 d1=Q 53. g8=Q Qe2 $1 $19 { with Black having winning chances} (53... Qd2 $1 $19)) 46... Be5 $1 47. Kh6 Kg4 48. h5 Bf4 $1 {and the pin is decisive after} 49. Kg6 Bxg5 50. b5 Be3 $19 { when Black will give up the bishop for the white h-pawn and then simply march his king to munch on White's hapless queenside footsoldiers. For example,} 51. h6 Bxh6 52. Kxh6 Kf5 53. Kg7 Ke5 54. Kf7 Kd4 55. Ke7 Kxc4 56. Kd7 Kxd5 57. Kxc7 Kc5 58. Kxb7 Kxb5 {and goodnight sweet prince! FM Warren Elliott and Candidate Masters Markland Douglas and Brandon Wilson were right. I MISSED THE WIN!}) 44. g5+ $1 {Diagram #} Kg7 $1 {I spent sixteen minutes on this move looking at the alternative 44...Kf5 but deciding that option was bad as I could only see chances for White. In a number of lines I saw that I would use up too many tempi to win the white d-pawn after capturing on d5 and White's connected g and h-pawns would prove unstoppable. Indeed, I realised that I'd have to give up the bishop for one of them and the other would decide the game in White's favour.} (44... Kf5 $4 45. g6 $1 Bc3 46. Kh6 cxd5 47. cxd5 Ke4 48. g7 Bxg7+ 49. Kxg7 Kxd5 50. h4 $18 {and wins.}) ({Interesting was} 44... Kf7 $5 {when Black has to be careful after} 45. Kh6 Kg8 $1 46. h4 $1 cxd5 47. cxd5 Ba3 (47... Bc3 48. Kg6 a6 $11) 48. Kg6 b5 49. Kf6 Bb2+ $1 50. Ke6 Be5 $11) 45. Kg4 ({Definitely not} 45. dxc6 $2 {and White should lose after} bxc6 46. h4 d5 47. Kg4 d4 48. Kf3 Kg6 49. Ke2 c5 $19 (49... Kh5 $19)) 45... cxd5 46. cxd5 b5 47. Kf5 a5 48. h4 a4 49. h5 Bc3 50. Ke6 {Holness was now down to only a minute on his clock but with a vastly simplified position was not likely to lose on time. } axb3 51. axb3 ({If} 51. h6+ Kg6 52. axb3 Bb4 {holds.}) 51... Be5 52. Ke7 b4 53. Ke6 Bf4 54. Kf5 Be5 55. Ke6 Bf4 56. Ke7 {Diagram #} Bxg5+ $5 {Now down to twelve minutes I decided to make things interesting. Of course, 56...Be5 should also easily draw.} 57. Kxd6 Kh6 58. Kc5 Bd2 59. d6 Kxh5 60. d7 Bg5 61. Kxb4 Kg6 62. Kc5 Kf7 63. Kc6 Ke6 {Grabbing the opposition is usually good.} 64. Kc7 Kd5 65. Kb6 {and Holness reluctantly accepted my extended hand as after 65. ..Kd6 or 65...Bd8+ Black clearly secures the draw. He had two minutes left to my five. A truly tense encounter. Our match was now tied 1 1/2 - 1 1/2 going into tomorrow's fourth (decisive?) game where I will have the white pieces.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "Masters KO, Shirley Retreat Hotel"] [Site "?"] [Date "2005.11.06"] [Round "4"] [White "Ian Wilkinson"] [Black "NM Mark Holness"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B01"] [WhiteElo "1791"] [BlackElo "2175"] [Annotator "Wilkinson, I"] [PlyCount "152"] 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qd6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bc4 a6 6. d4 e6 7. Qe2 Be7 8. Bg5 Nbd7 9. Rd1 c6 10. O-O O-O 11. Rfe1 b5 12. Bb3 Re8 13. Ne5 Nd5 $2 (13... Bb7 14. Bf4 $14) 14. Bxe7 Nxe7 {Diagram #} 15. Nxf7 Kxf7 16. Qh5+ $6 (16. Ne4 $1 {was crushing. For example,} Qf4 (16... Qb8 17. Qh5+ Ng6 18. Ng5+ Kf6 19. Nxe6 Ke7 20. Nxg7+ Kd8 21. Rxe8+ $18) 17. Qh5+ (17. Ng5+ $1 Kf6 18. g3 $1 $18 ( 18. Nxe6 $5 $18)) 17... Kf8 18. Ng5 Ng6 19. Nxh7+ Ke7 20. Rxe6+ Kd8 21. Rxe8+ Kxe8 22. Qxg6+ Kd8 23. Ng5 Nf6 24. Qxg7 $18) 16... Kf8 17. Rxe6 $4 Nf6 18. Qxe8+ Nxe8 19. Rxd6 Nxd6 20. Rd3 Bf5 21. Re3 Ke8 22. f3 h5 23. h3 h4 24. Ne2 Kd7 25. Nf4 Re8 26. Ne6 Bxe6 27. Bxe6+ Kc7 28. Kf2 Nef5 29. Bxf5 Rxe3 30. Kxe3 Nxf5+ 31. Ke4 g6 32. c3 Kd6 33. Kf4 Ke6 34. Kg5 Kf7 35. b3 Kg7 36. a3 Kf7 37. a4 bxa4 38. bxa4 a5 39. f4 Kg7 40. Kg4 Kf6 41. Kf3 Nd6 42. Kg4 Nf5 43. Kf3 Ke6 44. Kg4 Ne3+ 45. Kxh4 Nxg2+ 46. Kg5 Kf7 47. f5 gxf5 48. Kxf5 Ke7 49. Ke5 Kd7 50. c4 Ke7 51. d5 Kd7 {Diagram #} 52. d6 $2 (52. Kd4 Kd6 53. c5+ Kd7 54. Ke5 cxd5 55. Kxd5 Nf4+ 56. Kc4 Kc6 57. h4 Ne6 58. h5 Nxc5 59. h6 Nd7 60. h7 Ne5+ 61. Kc3 Nf7 62. Kc4 Kb6 63. Kd5 Kb7 64. Kc4 $11 {draws.}) (52. c5 cxd5 53. Kxd5 Nf4+ 54. Kc4 Kc6 55. h4 Nh5 56. Kd4 Ng7 57. Ke5 Kxc5 58. Kf6 Nh5+ 59. Kg5 Ng3 60. Kf4 Ne2+ 61. Ke5 Ng3 62. Kf4 Ne2+ $11 {is another drawing line.}) 52... Nh4 53. c5 Ng6+ 54. Kf5 Nf8 55. h4 {I felt here that I had at least a draw but harboured some winning ambitions, seeing some lines where the knight has to be sacrificed for the h-pawn.} Ke8 56. h5 Kf7 57. h6 Nd7 58. h7 Kg7 $11 59. Ke6 Nxc5+ 60. Ke7 Nb7 {Diagram #} 61. Ke6 {This still draws but even quicker was} ( 61. Kd7 c5 62. Kc6 Nxd6 63. Kxc5 Ne4+ 64. Kb5 Nc3+ 65. Kxa5 Nxa4 66. h8=Q+ Kxh8 67. Kxa4) 61... Kxh7 62. d7 $4 {After this final blunder White is lost forever. } (62. Kd7 $1 c5 63. Kc6 {and draws as just shown.}) 62... Kg7 63. d8=Q Nxd8+ 64. Kd6 Kf7 65. Kc5 Ke6 66. Kb6 Kd5 67. Kxa5 Kc5 68. Ka6 Kd5 69. Kb6 c5 70. a5 Nc6 71. Kb5 Nxa5 72. Kxa5 Kc4 73. Ka4 Kc3 74. Ka3 c4 75. Ka2 Kd2 76. Kb2 c3+ { and I brought this painful episode to an end.} 0-1