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Hicks, John – Scarpa, Mario

Hicks, John (1611)
Scarpa, Mario (1355)
Result: 0-1

Metadata » Click to open.

Date: 19 February 2026
Location: Crewe Chess Club
Tournament: 2025/2026 League Season NSDCA Division 3
Round: 1.1.4
Opening: A05 Réti (1.Nf3 Nf6)
Submitted by:
Published on: 20 February 2026
Categories: game

[Event "2025/2026 League Season NSDCA Division 3"]
[Site "Crewe Chess Club"]
[Date "2026.02.19"]
[Round "1.1.4"]
[White "Hicks, John"]
[Black "Scarpa, Mario"]
[Result "0-1"]
[BlackElo "1355"]
[BlackTeam "Crewe 'G'"]
[ECO "A05"]
[EventDate "2026.02.19"]
[WhiteElo "1611"]
[WhiteTeam "Holmes Chapel 'B'"]

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.b3 Nc6 3.Bb2 e6 4.c4 Bc5 5.e3 d5 6.cxd5 exd5 7.Bb5 O-O 8.Bxc6 bxc6 9.O-O Bg4 10.h3 Bh5 11.d4 {This will turn out to be a strategic error because the white Bishop lost control of th diagonal}11...Bd6 12.Nbd2 Ne4 {This frees the black Queen's diagonal. If Nxe4 then Bxf3 forcing the disruption of the catling formation. Also, Nxd2 is an option Black has to forcibly evict the white Knight from f3.}13.Qc2 Re8 14.Qxc6 h6 15.Rac1 Nxd2 16.Nxd2 Re6 17.Qc3 Qg5 18.Kh1 Rg6 19.Rg1 Qf6 {[%cal Gf3f2]}20.f3 Rg3 21.e4 Qh4 22.Rge1 {Time is running out and Black decides to go for the jugular, sacrificing a major piece to gain positional advantage.}22...Rxh3+ 23.gxh3 Qxh3+ 24.Kg1 Bh2+ 25.Kf2 Qg3+ 26.Ke2 dxe4 {The pawn in f3 is pinned. If Nxe4, the Knight gets pinned with Re8. If the Knight doesn't take e4, then exf3+}27.Nxe4 Re8 28.Kd2 Qg2+ 29.Re2 Bf4+ 30.Kd1 Bxf3 {Pinning the Rook}31.Rc2 Rxe4 {Massive pressure on e2}32.Qe1 Bg3 33.Kc1 Bxe2 34.Rxe2 Rxe2 35.Qc3 Qf1+ {White resigns} 0-1

[Event "2025/2026 League Season NSDCA Division 3"]
[Site "Crewe Chess Club"]
[Date "2026.02.19"]
[Round "1.1.4"]
[White "Hicks, John"]
[Black "Scarpa, Mario"]
[Result "0-1"]
[BlackElo "1355"]
[BlackTeam "Crewe 'G'"]
[ECO "A05"]
[EventDate "2026.02.19"]
[WhiteElo "1611"]
[WhiteTeam "Holmes Chapel 'B'"]

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.b3 Nc6 3.Bb2 e6 4.c4 Bc5 5.e3 d5 6.cxd5 exd5 7.Bb5 O-O 8.Bxc6 bxc6 9.O-O Bg4 10.h3 Bh5 11.d4 {This will turn out to be a strategic error because the white Bishop lost control of th diagonal}11...Bd6 12.Nbd2 Ne4 {This frees the black Queen's diagonal. If Nxe4 then Bxf3 forcing the disruption of the catling formation. Also, Nxd2 is an option Black has to forcibly evict the white Knight from f3.}13.Qc2 Re8 14.Qxc6 h6 15.Rac1 Nxd2 16.Nxd2 Re6 17.Qc3 Qg5 18.Kh1 Rg6 19.Rg1 Qf6 {[%cal Gf3f2]}20.f3 Rg3 21.e4 Qh4 22.Rge1 {Time is running out and Black decides to go for the jugular, sacrificing a major piece to gain positional advantage.}22...Rxh3+ 23.gxh3 Qxh3+ 24.Kg1 Bh2+ 25.Kf2 Qg3+ 26.Ke2 dxe4 {The pawn in f3 is pinned. If Nxe4, the Knight gets pinned with Re8. If the Knight doesn't take e4, then exf3+}27.Nxe4 Re8 28.Kd2 Qg2+ 29.Re2 Bf4+ 30.Kd1 Bxf3 {Pinning the Rook}31.Rc2 Rxe4 {Massive pressure on e2}32.Qe1 Bg3 33.Kc1 Bxe2 34.Rxe2 Rxe2 35.Qc3 Qf1+ {White resigns} 0-1

White to move: find the best move... click the ? for the solution Black to move: find the best move... click the ? for the solution

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