[Event "31st 4NCL Congress"]
[Site "Harrogate, North Yorkshire, ENG"]
[Date "2024.01.21"]
[Round "5.6"]
[White "Michael Bulford"]
[Black "Supratit Banerjee"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 c6 7. Rc1 Nbd7 8. a3
b6 9. cxd5 exd5 10. Bd3 Re8 11. O-O Nf8 $6 {It was better either to complete
his development with 11...Bb7 or ease his position with 11...e4. Instead Black
invites pressure against c6.} 12. Qa4 b5 13. Qc2 N6d7 14. Bxe7 Qxe7 15. Na2 $6
{Positionally motivated, but striking immediately with 15 e4! would have caught
Black napping.} Bb7 16. Nb4 Rac8 17. Bf5 g6 18. Bxd7 Nxd7 19. Nd3 {White has
obtained a grip on the dark squares and the Bishop on b7 looks particularly
lame.} Rc7 20. Nc5 Bc8 21. Nxd7 Bxd7 22. Qd2 Rec8 23. Rc5 f6 24. Rfc1 Qe4 25.
Ne1 h5 26. Qc2 {Also possible was the immediate 26 Nd3 to b4 increasing the
pressure.} Qe8 27. Nd3 Bf5 28. Qd2 Bxd3 29. Qxd3 h4 30. h3 f5 {I like the s
Black is playing optimistically on the kingside as if to say he has his
weaknesses on the other flank under control.} 31. Qd1 Re7 32. Qb3 Rec7 33. R1c3
g5 34. Qd1 a6 35. Qf3 Qg6 36. g4 {In principle White is right to open lines
while his opponent is distracted defending c6, but there was no rush and I
might have brought my King over to the queenside first.} fxg4 37. Qxg4 Rf8 38.
Rxd5 $4 {A losing blunder. Wite should potter around with something like 38 f3
and decide later whether to break with e4 or f4. Supratit is certainy well in
the game by now though.  In some ways this game is typical of a talented
youngster getting the better of a more experienced opponent. Michael Bulford
is a strong player with good positional understanding, but Supratit remained
tactically sharp and vigilant and was ready to pounce when the opportunity
arose. I remember 'winning ugly' many times in the early days of my chess
adventures!} Qb1+ 39. Kg2 Rxf2+ $1 {Very nice!} 40. Kxf2 Rf7+ 0-1