[Event "4NCL"]
[Site "Sunningdale, ENG"]
[Date "2010.05.02"]
[Round "10.12"]
[White "Emms, John M"]
[Black "Collins, Sam E"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C54"]
[WhiteElo "2484"]
[BlackElo "2401"]
[Annotator "Thomas Rendle"]
[PlyCount "56"]
[EventDate "2010.??.??"]

{Going in to the final weekend Pride & Prejudice were tied with Wood Green
Hilsmark Kingfisher on match points. Since the two teams had earlier drawn
against each other many believed that the title would be decided on game
points. However, Barbican had other ideas. In this annotation I will look at a
key game from the round 10 clash of Pride and Prejudice vs Barbican, which
went a long way to deciding the destination of the title. Board 5.} 1. e4 e5 2.
Bc4 {the Bishop's opening is slightly unusual at GM level but this clearly
demonstrates that Emms wants to 'just play' rather than get involved in a
heavy theoretical battle.} 2... Nf6 3. d3 Nc6 {
now we are back into more conventional territory.} (3... c6 {
is the major alternative here.}) 4. Nf3 Bc5 5. c3 a6 6. Bb3 Ba7 {I like this
'wait and see' approach from Collins. The Bishop is nicely placed on a7 and
Black doesn't have to worry about d4 coming with tempo now.} 7. O-O (7. Nbd2 {
is an interesting response, also looking to avoid committing to castles early
on. It could be possible to play Nf1-g3 before castles thereby gaining time in
some lines.}) 7... d6 {again Black delays castling, although it's easy to
assume that this is of no consequence as surely 0-0 will be played at some
point?} 8. Re1 (8. h3 {was a safer alternative.}) 8... Ng4 {
or not! With this move Collins signals his intention for a kingside assault!}
9. Re2 Qf6 {Normally is is seen as risky or even downright bad to develop the
Queen this early on. However Black has a few things in his favour. Firstly the
pawn on c3 prevents a quick Nc3-d5 which would otherwise be an irritating
response. White's opening thus far has been rather unambitious so Black has
been given this option to seize the initiative.} 10. Nbd2 (10. h3 Nh6 {
leaves White's pieces awkwardly placed, with possible Bxh3 ideas in the air.})
10... g5 $5 (10... Qg6 {
would've been a more cautious approachm with balanced chances.}) 11. d4 $1 {
an excellent response. Emms takes the opportunity to open the chance to open
the centre in response to a wing attack. The position is now very tense as one
mistake can quickly lead to defeat.} 11... Bd7 $5 {
Collins wastes no time in looking to bring all of his pieces into the party.} (
11... Rg8 {would've taken the sting out of an immediate h3.}) 12. Nf1 (12. h3
$5 {leads to quite a forcing variation and a position that is tough to assess.}
12... Nh6 (12... h5 $5) 13. Nc4 Rg8 14. Ne3 g4 15. Nd5 Qg7 $1 (15... Qd8 $2 {
would be an unfortunate mistake} 16. Bg5 $1 gxf3 17. Bxd8 Rxg2+ 18. Kh1 fxe2
19. Qd2 $18 {
is winning for White as Black has just too many pieces under attack.}) 16. Ne1
O-O-O 17. Qd2 gxh3 18. Qxh6 exd4 19. Qxg7 Rxg7 20. Nf6 {and it is not clear
that Black has full compensation for the piece, although the position remains
very unclear.}) 12... Rg8 ({Black would like to play} 12... exd4 {but then} 13.
e5 $1 {counterstrikes in the centre} 13... dxe5 14. h3 {and Black may be
forced to give up two pieces in return for a Rook and two pawns. e.g.} 14... d3
15. Qxd3 Nxf2 16. Rxf2 Bxf2+ 17. Kxf2 {
and it is White who has emerged with the better chances.}) 13. Ne3 O-O-O 14.
Nd5 Qh6 15. Be3 $2 {this seems to me to be the first real mistake of the game.}
15... f5 $1 {the start of an all-out assault on the white king.} (15... Nxe3 {
is also very strong - for example} 16. fxe3 (16. Nxe3 g4 17. Nd2 exd4 {
not only wins a pawn but also opens up the a7-g1 diagonal for Black'sunopposed 
dark-squared Bishop.}) 16... g4 17. Nd2 g3 18. h3 Bg4 $1 {wins an exchange as}
19. hxg4 $4 (19. Nf1 Bxe2 20. Qxe2 Qh4 $17) 19... Qh2+ 20. Kf1 Qh1# {is mate.})
16. h3 {this quickly leads to disaster but other moves were not much better} (
16. exf5 e4 17. Bxg5 Rxg5 18. Rxe4 Rxf5 19. Rxg4 Rxd5 $17) (16. Bc1 {
is an ugly move to play but was relatively best.} 16... exd4 17. exf5 Bxf5 {
is still very strong for Black}) 16... Nxe3 17. fxe3 g4 {
smashing the kingside wide open} 18. hxg4 fxe4 19. Nh2 $6 (19. g5 {
was a better try, although after} 19... Qg7 20. Nd2 exd4 {
White's position is falling apart, e.g.} 21. cxd4 Nxd4 {is crushing}) 19...
Bxg4 {now Black wins the exchange and keeps a strong attack.} 20. Qd2 (20. Nxg4
$2 Rxg4 {and there's no defence to the simple}) 20... Bxe2 21. Qxe2 Rg5 22. Rf1
Rf8 23. Ng4 Qg7 24. Nh2 Rg8 {
g2 is collapsing and there is nothing White can do.} 25. Rf2 exd4 26. exd4 Nxd4
$1 {obvious and decisive.} 27. cxd4 Bxd4 {and finally the Bishop, which has
patiently waited on a7, enters the attack to deliver the final blow.} 28. Nf4
Rxg2+ {and Emms resigned as it's mate next move. A fabulous display of
controlled agression from Collins. This victory helped Barbican to a shock 6-2
win over Pride and Prejudice and gave them a shot at the title the next day
against Wood Green. However a second shock in two days was not forthcoming as
Wood Green won the title decider 6-2.} 0-1

r a second shock in two days was not forthcoming as
Wood Green won the title decider 6-2.} 0-1

