Taming a GM

Playing in the Stockport Chess League we don't meet many Grandmasters but new member Sean Hewitt did once hold seasoned GM Mark Hebden to a draw. Sean describes how he did it:

[Date "2008.11.24"]

[White "Hebden, Mark [246]"]

[Black "Hewitt, Sean [161]"]

[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1. d4 Nf6

2. Nf3 g6

3. Nc3 d5

4. Bf4 Bg7

5. Qd2 Ne4

6. Nxe4 dxe4

7. Ne5 Nd7

8.O-O-O O-O

9. Nxd7 Qxd7

10. Bh6 Rd8

11. Bxg7 Kxg7

12. e3

Knowing that I was playing Mark I had done some prep and seen that he had had this position before and I was quite compfortable playing into it as I have no real weaknesses. However, I had decided that being meek for the whole game would get me nowhere.

12. ... Qa4

13. Kb1 Be6

14. b3 Qa3

15. c4 c6

16. Be2 b5

17. Qb2 Qxb2+

18. Kxb2 bxc4

Although there are still 4 rooks on the board, I decided it was time to activate my king as I figured it couldn't get into trouble.

19. Bxc4 Kf6

20. Bxe6 Kxe6

21. Rc1 Rac8

22. Rc5 Rd5

23. Rhc1 Rxc5

24. Rxc5 Kd6

25. Kc3 f5

26. Ra5 Rc7

27. Kc4 Rb7

28. h4 e6

I figured this to be pretty level now. I'd be happy if I didn't have to move!

29. b4 h6

30. a4 g5

Classical he attacks on one wing, I attack on the other. If I can make my kingside majority count...

31. hxg5 hxg5

32. f3 exf3

33. gxf3 Rg7

34. e4

This puzzled me as it gives me a passed pawn. But then I saw his plan. If I push the passed pawn after we swap he plays e5+ followed by Rxa7+ and the rook on g7 bites the dust.

34. ... fxe4

35. fxe4 e5

But this clever pawn sacrifice stops all the GMs tricks! After the game, Mark told me that he had missed this move - GMs are human too. (35... g4 36. e5+ and the rook is lost after Rxa7+)

36. Rxe5 g4

37. Rh5 g3

38. Rh6+ Kd7

39. Rh1 g2

40. Rg1 Kd6

41. Kd3 Rg3+

42. Ke2 a6

43. a5 Ke6

44. Kf2 Rd3

45. Rxg2 Rxd4

46. Rg6+ Kd7

47. Ke3 Rxb4

48. Kf4 Rb5

49.e5 Rxa5

And now I have the draw. This position is drawn even if I don't have any pawns. I just have to make sure they don't get in the way, and that I don't do anything stupid. If you don't know how to draw this ending a pawn down, learn it. It will make you many draws!

Many moves later...

81. e6

Moving the pawn admits defeat, and accepts that white cannot win. The white king now has no shield from checks from the black rook.

81. ... Rb1

82. Rg8+ Ke7

83. Rg7+ Ke8

84. Rg5 Rf1+

85. Ke5 Re1+

86. Kf6 Rf1+

87. Rf5 Re1

88. Rf4 Re2

89. Rf1 Re3

90. Rd1 Re2

91. Kf5 Rf2+

92. Ke5 Re2+

93. Kd6 Re3

94. Rd5 Re1 1/2-1/2