(1) Cannon,Neil - McShane,Luke [B04]
Rapidplay, 2008
[Neil Cannon, David Sandham & Fritz]

1024MB, Fritz11.ctg, ELONEX

1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 dxe5 5.dxe5
Very unusual. The book move is 5Nxe5.

5...Bf5
White's Variation 5dxe5 is full of traps. For example 5...Nc6 6.Bc4?! (better is 6.Bb5) 6...Nb6 7.Qe2 Bg4? (better is 7...Nxc4=) 8.Bxf7+! Kxf7 9.Ng5+ Kg8 10.Qxg4+/-; 5...Bg4 seems most logical, pressuring the advanced e pawn

6.Bc4 e6
Here Black must avoid the trap 6...Nb6?? 7.Bxf7+ +-

7.0-0 c6 8.Qe2 Be7 9.Rd1 0-0 10.Nc3 Nxc3
Perhaps hoping White would fall for the obvious trap 11Rxd8?? Nxe2. Black's 10...Nxc3 destroys White's queenside, where his Queen will pick up a pawn. But this is risky for Black, given White's advanced e pawn and the absence of a Black KN. Safer is 10...Qc7 11.Nd4 Nxc3 12.bxc3 Bg6=

11.bxc3 Qa5
Neil Cannon's aggressive play has gained him a promising attacking position for the pawn.

12.Rb1
Better seems12.Bd3 offering the c pawn. If 12/\Qxc3 13.Rb1 b5 14.Bxf5 exf5 15.Bb2 is dangerous for Black

12...b5 13.Bd3 Qxa2 14.Bg5 Bxd3 15.Qxd3 Qa3 16.Ra1 Qc5 17.Qe2
This is where White goes wrong. He should have continued more aggressively by 17Qe4, when the Queen eyes h7 and makes the sequence 17...BxB 18NxB h6?? impossible. After 17.Qe4! A) 17...Bxg5? 18.Nxg5 g6 19.Qh4 h5 20.Qg3 with more than enough compensation and play against the weak dark squares B) 17...h6 18.Bxe7 Qxe7 19.Rd6 Rc8 20.Nd4 and White has some play for the pawn.]

17...Bxg5 18.Nxg5 h6 19.Rd3?-/+
An unsound N sac, but White has insufficient compensation for two pawns after 19.Nf3 Qxc3

19...hxg5 20.Qh5 g6
Better is 20...Qxe5 21.Rh3 f5 22.Qh7+ Kf7–+

21.Qh6
After the game, McShane pointed out that 21.Qxg5 is better. even so, Black is still winning after the better move 21.Qxg5 Re8 22.Rad1 (22.Qf6 Qe7–+) 22...Qe7–+

21...Qxe5 22.Rh3 Qg7
The wanderer returns, and White is plainly lost.

23.Qxg5 Nd7
and Black won a few moves later 0-1