Scarpa, Mario – Knott, Steve

Scarpa, Mario (1338)
Knott, Steve (1307)
Result: 1-0

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Date: 25 November 2025
Location: Crewe Chess Club
Tournament: 2025/26 Club Championship Div 3
Round: 8.1.3
Opening: B20 Sicilian, including Smith-Morra Gambit
Submitted by:
Published on: 26 November 2025
Categories: game

[Event "2025/26 Club Championship Div 3"]
[Site "Crewe Chess Club"]
[Date "2025.11.25"]
[Round "8.1.3"]
[White "Scarpa, Mario"]
[Black "Knott, Steve"]
[Result "1-0"]
[BlackElo "1307"]
[ECO "B20"]
[EventDate "2025.11.25"]
[WhiteElo "1338"]

1.e4 c5 2.Bc4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Ng8 5.Nf3 a6 6.a4 Nc6 7.O-O g6 8.Re1 Bg7 9.d3 Qc7 10.Bf4 {Pressure keeps piling up on e5}10...b6 11.Re4 {This was meant to allow the Queen to pile even more pressure on e5 while not exposing her on the first line... something like Qd2 and then Rae1... but it turns out to be a blunder because of Bb7}11...Bb7 12.Bxa6 {At this point the Rook in e4 is in danger, while c4 Bishop's mobility is limited by Black's well positioned pawns, which render it useless... it might take ages before there any use for it again, so White thinks he might as well sacrifice it to gain a better position. Nb5 will threat the Queen and will eventually allow Nd6+, forcing the King to move. If 12.... Bxa6 then 13.Nb5 Bxb5 14.axb5 this can possibly lead to an exchange of Rooks but the one in e4 at least remains safe.}12...Rxa6 13.Nb5 Qb8 14.Nd6+ Kf8 {White could move Nxb7 forcing Qxb7, thus deflating pressure on e5... but since the Knight in d6 is safe and sound, White decide to keep Nxb7 for a rainy day, while exploiting the momentum to double attack f7.}15.Ng5 Nxe5 16.Ndxf7 {You take my pawn, I take yours! You threaten my Rook, I'll threaten yours! Plus, the Knight is now pinned in e4.}16...Bxe4 {Playing Nxh8 now would grant the Bishop the chance to withdraw while keep threatening f3. If Nf3+, White could only respond with either gxf3, ruining the castle, or Nxf3, which is slightly better, but the black Queen would be able to disengage either way... so the Bishop has to go.}17.dxe4 h6 18.Nxh8 Bxh8 19.Nh7+ Ke7 20.b3 {Strengthening a4 and preventing Nc4}20...Nf6 21.Qe2 Ra7 22.Nxf6 Bxf6 23.Rd1 g5 24.Be3 d6 25.f4 Nf7 26.f5 exf5 27.exf5 Be5 28.Rf1 d5 29.f6+ Kd6 30.Qh5 Qe8 31.Re1 Bd4 32.Qf3 Kc6 33.Qg3 {Protecting both Rook and Bishop}33...Bxf6 34.Bxg5 Qd8 {Leaving the Rook free to roam is a game changer for White.}35.Re6+ Nd6 36.Bxf6 Qf8 37.Be7 Rxe7 {This blunder is the final nail in Black's coffin}38.Qxd6+ Kb7 39.Rxe7+ Ka6 40.Ra7+ {Black resigns} 1-0