Julian Hodgson - Chris Ward
British Championships 2000, Round 10

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5

No big surprise here - Hodgson is the world's leading exponent of the Trompovsky Attack.

2...e6 3.e4 h6 4.Bxf6 Qxf6 5.c3 d6 6.Bd3 e5 7.Ne2 g6 8.0-0 Bg7 9.f4



9...exd4?!

This allows White to occupy e5, making it very hard for Black to activate Bg7. 9...Qe7 was probably preferable.

10.cxd4 Nc6

In keeping with Black's idea of undermining White's powerful centre, but he loses the option of breaking with c5 later on.

11.e5 Qd8 12.Nbc3 0-0 13.Rc1 dxe5 14.dxe5



14...g5?

Being a sworn devotee of the Sicilian Dragon, Ward puts a little too much faith in the potential of his black-squared bishop. This thrust creates some horrible weaknesses on the kingside and simultaneously makes it easier for White to activate his knights.

15.Nd5! gxf4

Of course not 15...Qxd5?? 16.Bh7+ Kxh7 17.Qxd5.

16.Nexf4 Nxe5

The downside of 16...Bxe5 becomes apparent after 17.Rf3, intending Rg3+ followed by Qh5 with a roaring attack.

17.Rxc7 Bg4 18.Be2 Qg5 19.Bxg4

Perfectly logical, as White will eventually want to park a knight on f5.

19...Nxg4 20.h3

On 20.Ne7+ Kh8 21.h4, Black saves himself with 21...Qb5. The point is 22.Qxg4 Qb6+ 23.Kh1 Qxc7.

20...Ne5 21.Nh5

Now Ward has to bid his treasured bishop farewell.

21...Rad8 22.Nxg7 Qxg7 23.Ne7+ Kh8 24.Qc2 Rd3 25.Rc8

A more greedy option was 25.Rxb7, since 25...Rxh3 runs into 26.Ng6+ winning the exchange.

25...Rdd8

25...Rxc8 26.Qxc8+ Kh7 27.Qf5+ Kh8 28.Rc1 Rd8 29.Rc8 Rxc8 30.Qxc8+ Kh7 31.Qxb7 should be winning for White, since he can always restore co-ordination by checking.] 26.Rxd8 Rxd8 27.Qe4



27...Rd2

27...Nc6 may have been a better try. At least if White's best is 28.Nxc6 bxc6 29.Qxc6 Rd2 30.Qe8+ Qg8 (30...Kh7 31.Rxf7 Rxg2+ 32.Kf1) 31.Qxg8+ Kxg8 32.Rf2 . Granted, White should have very good winning chances in this rook ending, but Black can still put up a struggle.

28.Nf5 Qf6 29.Nxh6 Qxh6

29...Qg7 30.Qxe5! Rxg2+ 31.Kh1 Qxe5 32.Nxf7+ Kg7 33.Nxe5 Rxb2 34.a3 Rb3 35.Rf3 and White wins.

30.Qxe5+ Qg7 31.Qe4 Rxb2



Black has managed to restore the material balance, but unfortunately for him, his king lacks sufficient protection.

32.Rf4! Rb6 33.Qe8+ Qg8 34.Rh4+ Kg7 35.Qe5+!

The Killer.

35...Kf8

35...f6 36.Qe7+ Qf7 (36...Kg6 37.Rg4+) 37.Rg4+ is the end of the world.

36.Rh8 resigns. 1-0