[Event "BCCC 2026"]
[Site "Ballarat Chess Club"]
[Date "2026-05-21"]
[White "Scott Stewart"]
[Black "CM Declan Smith"]
[WhiteElo "0"]
[BlackElo "0"]
[Result "0.5-0.5"]

1. e4 { I have not enjoyed playing the Morra against Declan, so it was this that spurred me into looking for a setup to surprise him. I know he likes to play the Taimanov and I found a position where I could transpose into the Grand Prix Attack from a mainline Taimanov. } 1... c5
2. Nf3 e6
3. d4 cxd4
4. Nxd4 Nc6
5. Be3 Qc7
6. Nc3 a6
7. Nxc6 bxc6
8. Bd3 d5
9. O-O Nf6
10. f4 Be7
11. e5 Nd7
12. Kh1 { ...and now the scene is set for a fun adventure. White has attacking dreams, Black has central counterplay, and only one of these plans is right. } 12... c5
13. f5 { The best move in the position and a piece sacrifice to boot, but more importantly it is the only chance White has to force the opening of lines towards the Black king still in the centre. Sometimes you have to be brave and trust your feelings. My main goal was to not get into a positional grind with Declan, and this is unleashing chaos. } 13... Nxe5
14. Bf4 Bd6
15. Qe2 { I was of the mindset that I was going to punch through and catch the king in the centre if he got greedy and accepted the piece sacrifice. White has full compensation for the piece and a dangerous attack. } 15... O-O
16. f6 Nxd3
17. Qg4 g6
18. Bxd6 Qxd6
19. Qg5 Rd8
20. cxd3 Rb8
21. Rf4 Rb4 { Rb4 was a real cold shower to my plans and the moment I realised Declan had brushed off my aggression and taken over the board. I had missed this lift, my attack is over, I have lost most of the initiative, and Black has his dark squares covered by his queen. }
22. Raf1 Bb7 { Bb7 does a nice job of solidifying the centre and freeing up the e-pawn. If you look one move earlier, I was aware of Nxd5 if Black played e5, exploiting the overworked queen. }
23. R1f3 Rxf4
24. Rxf4 d4
25. Ne4 Bxe4
26. Rxe4 c4 { I decided here that if queens stay on the board, I am very scared of this passed pawn. So I forced the trade of queens and went into a rook ending. }
27. Qh6 Qf8
28. Qxf8+ Kxf8
29. dxc4 d3
30. Re1 Rd4
31. Kg1 Rxc4
32. Rd1 { A rook ending which is much better for Black. The f6 pawn only needs to be collected. White can activate his king easily and has a solitary plan: get a passed pawn on the queenside with the rook behind it. Playing low on time, Declan played the only mistake from him in the game and I was able to hold the draw. } 32... Rd4
33. Kf2 Rf4+
34. Ke3 Rxf6
35. Rxd3 Ke7
36. b4 e5
37. a3 Rd6
38. Rc3 h5
39. Rc5 f6
40. Rc7+ Ke6
41. h4 Kf5
42. Rc4 g5
43. hxg5 fxg5
44. a4 h4
45. b5 { I pounced and I was confident the game was now equal. } 45... axb5
46. axb5 Rb6
47. Rb4 g4
48. Ke2 Kg5
49. Ke3 Kf5
50. Ke2 h3
51. gxh3 gxh3
52. Rh4 Rxb5
53. Rxh3 { Trading passed pawns and achieving the Philidor position, a known draw. The king cannot advance to the sixth rank; if the pawn advances to the sixth rank, the white rook can fall back and check the king from a distance, making no progress possible. } 53... Rb2+
54. Ke1 Kg4
55. Ra3 e4
56. Rc3 Kf4
57. Ra3 Rg2
58. Rb3 Rg8 *