I have written about Freddie Gordon before, and I was interested to see that he has now represented the Scottish Open team at the Olympiad - remarkable achievement for a 14 year-old.
Here is a fascinating game he played recently which demonstrates his fighting qualities. His opponent is a player who is well known for his combinative acumen, so a very interesting game ensues.
Freddie Gordon - Robert Eames
Caplin Hastings Masters 2023
1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 8.Bd3 The normal continuation is 8.Be2, which gives both sides chances after 8….h6 9.Nf3 e4 10.Ne5.
8…Nd5 9.Nf3 Bd6 10.0-0 0-0 11.Re1 f5 12.Nxe5 Qf6 13.Nf3 g5 14.c4 Nf4 15.Bf1 g4 White is two pawns up, but Black has dangerous counterplay on the kingside. Freddie now makes an interesting decision to sacrifice a piece, and this leads to hairy complications.
16.d4! gxf3 17.Qxf3 Ne6 18.c5?! However, this is not the best way to proceed. Instead, 18.Qc3 Nb7 19.c5 Bc7 20.Nd2 is much better. The game could continue 20…Nxd4 21.Nb3 Ne6 22.Bd2, when White has enough compensation for the material deficit. Note that if Black makes a mistake and plays 21…Nxb3?, there follows 22.Bc4+ Kg7 (not 22…Kh8 because of 23.Qxf6+ Rxf6 24.Re8+ Kg7 25.Rg8#) 23.Re7+ Kg6 24.Qh3! h5 25.Rxc7 Nxc1 26.Qg3+ Kh6 27.Qf4+ Kg6 28.Rxc1, with a much better position for White. For example, if 28…Nxc5? 29.Qg3+ Kh6 30.Qe3+ is winning.
18….Bc7 19.b4 Qh4?! Simpler is 19…Qxd4 20.Qc3 Qxc3 21.Nxc3 Nb7, which is slightly better for Black.
20.g3 I would prefer 20.h3, so as to not allow later counterplay as in the game. Tactically this is justified, because if 20….Nxd4? then 21.Qc3 Nb7 22.Bc4+ Kg7 23.Bb2 Rd8 24.Nd2, and White is winning due to the pin on the long diagonal. Instead, after 20…Qxd4 21.Qc3 Qxc3 22.Nxc3 Nb7 23.Bc4 Rf6 24.Ne2 White has decent compensation for the material deficit.
20…Qxd4 21.Qc3 f4! 22.Bb2 Qxc3 23.Bxc3 fxg3 24.hxg3 Nb7 25.Nd2 a5 26.a3 Nbd8 27.Bc4 h5 28.Ne4 Kh7 29.Ng5+? White has developed sensibly, and has decent chances. However, he now tries to force things, but this instead allows Black to free his position. Much better was 29.Nf6+ Kg6 (29…Kh6 30.Kg2, threatening Rh1, is good for White) 30.Bd3+ Kf7 31.Nxh5 Ng5 32.Re3, which is slightly better for White.
29…Nxg5 30.Re7+ Kg6 31.Rg7+ Kh6 32.Rxc7 Nh3+ 33.Kh1 Nxf2+ 34.Kg2 Bh3+ 35.Kg1?! Better was 35.Kh2, but, no doubt in time trouble, Freddie was worried that Ng4+ at some point would cause him problems.
35…Rf3 36.Bd2+ Kg6 37.Be2 Rf8 38.bxa5 Be6?!
Instead, 38….Ne4 39.Bf4 Bg4 40.Bd3 Bf5 leaves Black clearly better.
39.Rf1 Nh3+ 40.Kh2 Rxf1 41.Bxf1 Ng5? It seems sensible to bring the knight back to help defend the position, but in fact the position is now only equal. Instead, 41…Nf2! 42.Bg2 Ng4+ 43.Kg1 Bd5 is still better for Black.
42.Bg2?! However, now White fails to find the best move. Instead, 42.Bc3 Bd5 43.Bd3+ Be4 44.Rg7+ Kh6 45.Rxg5! Bxd3 46.Rg8 is fine for White, as Black’s pieces are tied up.
42…Ra6? Black misses a chance. 42…Bg4! is much more active. I suspect that Robert may well have seen this, but he misassessed the position after 43.Bxc6 Nxc6 44.Rxc6+ Kf5 45.Bxg5 Kxg5 46.a6. Now 46…Be2! wins the pawn on a6 and leaves Black with much the better ending, although still with plenty of work to do.
43.Bf1 Ra8 44.Bg2 So after a long struggle Freddie is prepared to accept a draw, but Robert still dreams of a win. However, instead of 44…Bg4 he chooses an inferior move.
44….Rc8?! 45.Bf4 Rxc7? Now, however, Black makes a bad mistake. Better was 45…Bg4 46.a6 Ra8 47.Bxc6 Rxa6 48.Be8+ Kf5, with a tricky position which is slightly better for Black.
46.Bxc7 Ngf7? The final error, which Freddie refutes efficiently. The only chance was 46…Ndf7 47.Bxc6 Bc8 48.Bb5 Nf3+ 49.Kg2 Nd4 50.a4 Bb7+ 51.Kf2 Kf6 52.a6 Ba8, which is better for White, but not clearly winning.
47.Bh3! Bc4 48.Bc8 Ne6 49.Bb6 Now White wins back a piece because of the passed a-pawn, and is left with a winning position. I give the rest of the game with no further comment as Freddie does not let Robert off the hook.
49…Ne5 50.a6 Bxa6 51.Bxa6 Nd7 52.Bb7 Nexc5 53.Bxc5 Nxc5 54.Bxc6 Kg5 55.Kh3 Nd3 56.a4 Nf2+ 57.Kg2 Nd3 58.Bb5 Nc5 59.Kh3 Nb3 60.Bc4 Na5 61.Bd5 Kh6 62.Kh4 Kg6 63.Bf3 1-0 A tremendous tussle, in which the advantage changed hands several times. I was impressed by the way that Freddie kept on fighting and eventually came out on top.