Rd.3 Ethan Chen versus Kerry Corker
Ethan had already scored the bye. This was a friendly game. He at one stage had a better position. Just a few quiet moves let me get back into the game.
Ethan Chen 599 Junior Rating (The Lakes College) v Kerry Corker 2040 Fide (retired)
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Nc3 a6 5. O-O b5 (I didn’t know how strong Ethan was so I tried for the Noah’s Ark trap 6.Bb3 c4 winning a piece) 6. Bd5 (Maybe Be2, preserving the two Bishops) Nxd5 7. Nxd5 e6 8. Nc3
Bb7 9. d3 Be7 10. Re1 O-O (My kingside is a bit short on pieces.)11. b3 (I think the Queen’s bishop belongs on the Kingside with 11. Bf4. The c file may be weak for White) Nd7 12. Bb2 Bf6 13. Rb1 (Moves like this give me a chance to catch up on development. White doesn’t want his rook on b2 after recapturing the bishop.) …Ne5 14. h3 Qc7 15. Qe2 Rac8 16. a3 Rfd8 (maybe it was better on e8. By this time I had realised that this was not going to be an easy game.) 17. a4 (This provokes me into the weak b4, chasing Ethan’s knight to the good square e3. I should have left the pawn on b5 and played 17…c4)…b4 18. Nd1 Qe7 (I started to worry here. I could no longer play c4 and he was going to have two big knights on the kingside.) 19. Ne3 Nc6 20. Bxf6 Qxf6 21. Ng4 Qe7 (I looked at Qg6 and wondered if my Queen was going to be trapped. Safety first, back to e7) 22. e5 (This might be a bit early.I don’t think White is ready to attack yet) dxe5 23. Ngxe5 Nd4 (The tide is turning) 24. Nxd4 cxd4 25. Nc4 (This seals off c2 but White is a piece down on the kingside) Rc5 26. Rbc1? (26.Qd2 followed by Re5 and Rbe1 may be more solid) Rg5 27. f3 Qf6 28.Qd2 Rdd5 29. Rf1 a5 (I have time to tidy things up on the queenside) 30. Nb6 Rdf5 31. Nd7 Qh6 32. Kh2 Qh4 33. Ne5?? (33. Qf2 material is still even.) Qg3+ 34. Kh1 Qxe5 35. Rce1 Qg3 36. Rf2 Rh5 37. Ree2 Rfg5 38. f4 Rxh3+
0-1 Ethan should be looking at the Australian Junior Championships 2021. He is playing very well for his age.
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