Anthony Garrood (Guildford) v Aziz Sannie (Kingston)

Guildford 4 v Kingston 3, Surrey League division 2 match played at the Guildford Institute, Guildford on 9 December 2024

This game was played in a match between Guildford 4 and Kingston 3. Guildford had home advantage and a very experienced side, but Kingston scored a memorable victory, with Aziz Sannie (pictured) winning this game on board 4. Aziz is rated around 1550 ECF, though his true strength is probably a bit more than that. He was very pleased with this game and eager to showcase it. It is not perfect – he repeatedly overlooks the killer move g3 towards the end of the game and hands his beleaguered opponent a lifeline – but what is impressive is the control he exercises throughout. White has very little play and is reduced to shuffling queens and rooks on the back two ranks. It is a recipe for disaster, and that disaster does indeed eventually come to pass.

Anthony Garrood
Aziz Sannie
Guildford 4 v Kingston 3
December 9, 2024 – The Guildford Institute
1.e4e62.d4d53.e5c54.c3Nc65.Nf3Qb66.Qb3Bd77.Be3Nh68.Be2Nf59.O-ONxe3
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The engine suggests Black exchange queens9…Qxb310.axb3Be711.Na3cxd412.cxd4O-Oand resists the knight-for bishop trade, presumably fearing pressure down the f-file and preferring to keep the weak pawn on d4 for later assault10.fxe3h611.Qc2Be712.Nbd2Bg5?!12…O-Owas best13.Nxg5hxg514.Nf3Qd815.g4Qe716.a3?!16.Rf2was best16…Rh617.b4c418.a4f619.a5
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The engine likes this, but19.e4might be more challenging19…O-O-O20.b5Na521.Rae1Rdh822.Rf2Be822…Qd823.Bf1Nb324.Nd2Nxd225.Qxd2Qa523.exd5exd524.Qf5+Qd7with a plus for White19…Nd8? Better is19…a620.Rf2O-O-O21.e4Be822.exf6gxf623.Nd2Qh724.Bf3Na725.Qc1Nb520.Qb1?!
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It really is time to play e4 for White20.e4Nf721.a6b522.Rae1O-O-O23.Bd1Bc624.exf6gxf625.e5Rdh8
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The position is level, with Black’s pressure down the h-file counterbalanced by White’s along the e-file20…Nf721.Bd1O-O-O
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Black now has an advantage, with White faced with the task of activating his passive pieces22.Ba4?22…f5! The engine prefers an exchange of bishops, but this feels more intuitive. Hit the kingside while the defence is light and ill-coordinated23.Bxd7+Qxd724.gxf5?24.a6b525.Rf2fxg426.Ne1is the best of a bad set of options. Black is now significantly better24…exf525.Rf2g426.Ne126.Nd2is slightly preferable, though for the moment the white knight is embarrassed wherever it goes26…g6!
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Black is now winning. The black knight has good squares on f3 and e4, and the heavy artillery will blast down the h-file27.Ng2Ng528.Nf4Nh3+?28…Rdh8is better to maintain the pressure. Swapping the knights eases that pressure greatly. The black knight should now head to f3, bearing down on h2 with check29.Nxh3Rxh330.Qe1Rdh831.Raa2g5?
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Black should go for the jugular immediately31…g332.Rf132.Rg2Qh733.a6bxa634.Rae2Kb735.Qf1g536.Qb1gxh2+37.Kh1g438.Qf1Qg639.Rxh2R8h640.Rxh3Rxh3+41.Kg1Qh642.Qg2Kc6with a winning endgame32…gxh2+33.Kh1g534.a6b535.Raf2Rg336.Rg2Rxg237.Kxg2g438.Kh1Rh532.Qe2? This is a losing move, except that Black is still resisting g332…R8h4? All too fussy. Just play the obvious32…g333.Rg233.Rf1Qh734.Qc2gxh2+35.Kh1Rg336.Qg2f437.a6bxa638.exf4Rxg239.Rxg2gxf440.e6Qe441.e7Kd742.e8=RKxe843.b5Rg844.Rf2Qe1+45.Rf1Qxf1+46.Kxh2Qxg2#33…Rxh234.Rxh2Rxh235.Qxh2gxh2+36.Kh133.Qc233.Qf133…Rf3?
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Black attempts to keep White in the game. Still has a plus but now much reduced. Black has become fixated on a pawn storm, which leads him to miss the obvious killer blow with g334.Rxf334.Qb134…gxf335.Qf2?
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35.Qd1is a much better option and White’s last chance, though Black will still have a clear edge and can reduce to a winning endgame. This final error guarantees a quicker finish35…Rg4+!36.Kf1Rg237.Qxg2fxg2+38.Rxg2g439.Ra2Qh740.Kg2Qh3+41.Kg1Qxe3+White resigns0–1

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