Notable opponents in the Borders League: Keith Aitchison

Keith is one of Scotland's most active players:  in the season 2018-19 he played no fewer than 79 graded games in congresses, the Borders League and the Edinburgh League - and this huge experience of competitive chess shows in his play.  Keith is a very tough opponent indeed, not only through playing standard but also through his doggedness in awkward positions, and this must have saved many a game for him over the years.  Determined on the board yes, but invariably friendly and sporting.  Here are two wins by him against myself.

06.11.2018: Selkirk B v Kelso

K Aitchison (1664) v D Bogle (1537)
Town Arms, Selkirk

One of three games I've played against Keith where I've been Black in a Two Knights (another one can be found below).  Keith's main opening speciality is playing the Caro-Kann as Black, but he knows a bit about openings from the White side too!  Here he helps Kelso ease to a 3½-½ victory over Selkirk B.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. e5

The Scotch Gambit, via a Two Knights Defence. Here 5...Ne4 and 5...Ng4 are playable, but by far the most common (and most energetic) move is 5...d5, as played here.

5...d5 6. Bb5 Ne4 7. Nxd4 Bd7 8. Bxc6 bxc6 9. O-O Bc5 10. Be3 Bb6 11. f3 Ng5 12. f4 Ne4 13. Nd2 Nxd2 14. Qxd2

Here the best move for Black would have been an immediate 14...c5, with 15. Nf3 d4 in mind. Delaying that manoeuvre allows Keith to put pressure on the c5 square, which he does very effectively over the next few moves.

14...O-O 15. Nb3 Qe7 16. Qf2 f6 17. Bc5 Bxc5 18. Qxc5 Qf7 19. Rae1 fxe5 20. fxe5 Qg6 21. Rxf8+ Rxf8 22. Qxa7

Keith knew what he had to do;  he has successfully dominated c5, and gained himself a noticeable positional advantage. However, 22. Qxa7 was over-hasty, and the following tactical point briefly brings me back from the dead.

22...Bh3 23. Re2

23...Qg4 would have put White in trouble. Unfortunately for me, I didn't see that it was winning despite thinking about my next move for quite a while.

23...Qg4 threatens the rook, and unless White sacrifices his Queen with 24. Qf2, 24...Bxg2 is deadly, for example 24. Nc1 Bxg2  25.Rxg2 Qd1 is mate.

23...Bg4 24. Rf2 Rxf2 25. Qxf2 Qe4 26. h3 Bf5 27. Nd4 Bd7 28. Nf3 h6 29. Qh4 Qe3+ 30. Kh2 Kh7 31. Qd4 Qc1 32. c4 Be6 33. c5 Bf5 34. Qf2 Be4 35. a3 Qf4+

My counterplay has been brushed aside with typical accuracy on Keith's part, and a final half hearted attempt at a perpetual was never realistically going to work.

36. Kh1 Qc1+ 37. Ne1 Qg5 38. Nf3 Qc1+ 39. Kh2 Qf4+ 40. Qg3 Qc1 41. b4 Qxa3 42. Ng5+

A sudden end to the game, but in any case Keith's queenside pawns were too strong and I could not have held out for much longer anyway.

1-0

07.01.2020: Selkirk A v Kelso

K Aitchison (1681) v D Bogle (1518)
Town Arms, Selkirk

Another Scotch Gambit, and similar play to our 2018 game.  This time Keith plays a slightly quieter game, but an effective one nonetheless, and he was never in trouble.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. e5 d5 6. Bb5 Ne4 7. Nxd4 Bc5 8. Be3 Bd7 9. Bxc6 bxc6 10. O-O Qe7

A departure from the previous game. Black supports the c5 Bishop

11. f3 Nd6 12. Bf2 Nf5 13. Nxf5 Bxf5 14. Qd2 O-O 15. Nc3

Black now wins a pawn, but it is of no great significance as the initiative gained by Keith fully compensates for the pawn, and his pieces now achieve centralisation and greater activity.

Bxf2+ 16. Rxf2 Qxe5 17. Re1 Qd6 18. Rfe2 Bd7 19. Qd4

19...a6 20. Na4 Rae8 21. Nc5 Rxe2 22. Rxe2 Bc8 23. a4 h6 24. a5 Qd8 25. Kf2 Re8 26. Rxe8+ Qxe8 27. b4 Qe7 28. c3 f6

White has achieved everything he wanted. The c5 square is firmly under his control; my a6 pawn cannot survive; and the White a-pawn will win the game. From now on, Keith does not falter.

29. g3 Kf7 30. Qd3 Qe5 31. f4 Qh5 32. h4

32...d4 33. Qxd4 Qf5 34. Qc4+ Kf8 35. Qd3 Ke7 36. Qxf5 Bxf5 37. Nxa6 Bd3 38. Nc5 1-0

Avoiding one last trap. If White had played 38. Nxc7 then 38...Kd7 would have trapped the Knight.