Hello everyone.
I'm busy updating my career games, changing them from CMG to PGN format and
selecting games for annotation along the way. There will be several games
posted in the near future with themes that link them. More on that in a moment.
We had a recent thread on Borgs and Grobs. I did rediscover the only game in
which someone played 1 g4 against me. I quickly made use of a weak square on f4
after my opponent had played e4 as well, but the advantage petered out. I did
eventually win in 39 moves after my opponent had blundered in time-pressure,
but I don't think that the game was appropriate for inclusion here.
The game below has been selected for several reasons. First the opening is
instructive, right from the first move! Just as I said that I'd only had one
game where I'd faced 1 g4 then this is the only serious game with 1 e3. White's
problem is that on move 8 he plays e3-e4 so losing a whole tempo on database
openings. The next game that I intend to post will also feature a similar tempo
loss so that's the basic common theme.
Secondly White tries to mix it at moves 9 and 10, which is an acceptable thing
to do against a much stronger opponent. However, he then gets move 13 wrong and
concedes the initiative for material gain. After Black's 18th White had a bit
of a think and then conceded. This could be construed as a brilliant
resignation seeing as Black only has one piece within four squares of the White
King! I'll leave the reader to determine that. What is intriguing is how
quickly distant Black pieces get to grips with the White King.
I certainly don't suggest that this is one of my own best games. Some of the
stronger players on this group may regard this as a completely routine win, but
there is a discussion point about how much risk should you take against both
stronger and weaker players. We look at both sides point of view here.
Happy analysing!
Tyson
Text begins:
CONNOR, M vs MORDUE, AT [A02]
SOMERSET LEAGUE, KEYNSHAM, 29.03.1989
[Mordue, Tyson}
1. e3
This is the Van't Kruijs opening. I suspect that this is the only serious game
that I've had where an opponent has played 1 e3. It's not an auspicious move
but there's plenty of scope for going into various different opening systems.
For example after 1...e5 2 c4 is a Reversed Sicilian, or after 1...e5 2 e4 !?
f5!? we have a Reversed King's Gambit. Okay, so this is bit of fantasy but it
pays to have an open-minded approach to such a first move.
One of my first thoughts here was to recall a game Hug vs Karpov from the 1977
BBC TV series The Master Game. Hug began with 1 Nf3 and 2 e3 and Karpov
immediately targeted e3 as a weak square! Just to prove that he wasn't being
pretentious here's the score of the game:
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. e3 b6 3. Be2 Bb7 4. O-O e6 5. b3 d5 6. Bb2 Nbd7 7. c4 Bd6 8. d3
O-O 9. Nbd2 c5 10. Qc2 Re8 11. Rfe1 Rc8 12. a3 e5 13. cxd5 Nxd5 14. Rac1 Bb8
15. Ne4 Qe7 16. Nfd2 f5 17. Ng3f4 18. Ngf1 fxe3 19. fxe3 N5f6 20. Bf3 e4 21.
Nxe4 Nxe4 22. Bxe4 Bxe4 23. Qc4+ Qe6 24. dxe4 Qxc4 25. bxc4 Rxe4 (and e3 is a
clear weakness!) 26. Red1 Nf8 27. Rd3 Rce8 28. Kf2 Be5 29. Bxe5 R4xe5 30. Nd2
Ng6 31. Nf3 Re4 32. h3 h6 33. Rcc3 Ne7 34. Rd7 Nf5 35. Nd2 R4e6 36. Rcd3 Nxe3
37. Rxa7 Nd1+ 38. Kg1 Rg6 39. Nf3 Ne3 40. Nh4 Rg5 41. Rdd7 Nxg2 42. Nf3 Rg6 43.
Kf2 Nf4 44. Re7 Nxh3+ 45. Ke3 Re6+ 0–1.
I adopted the most flexible approach - a Kingside fianchetto.
1...g6
2. f4
Now we transpose into Bird's Opening, usually signified by 1 f4.
Exponents of the Bird's have to be wary after 1 f4 of the From Gambit with
1.... e5. Exponents of the From Gambit have be familiar with the King's Gambit
after 2. e4. King's Gambit enthusiasts need to know the Falkbeer Counter-Gambit
after 2... d5. Aren't chess openings wonderful!?
2... Bg7
3. Nf3 d6
4. Be2 Nf6
5. O-O O-O
6. d3
6. d4 transposes to a Stonewall Attack, which is the reverse of a specific line
in the Dutch Defence. The text is in keeping with Bird's Opening although White
has to be careful about the development of his Queen's Bishop with the Black
Bishop on g7 pointing at b2.
6... Nc6
7. c3 e5
8. e4
This is the point that the openings database reaches. It should be noted that
White has taken two moves to put this Pawn on e4 so Black has in effect an
extra tempo. This is important because the database has two games with this
position where it is White to play. With an extra move played and Black to play
Deep Rybka says that Black is already slightly better - +0.09 to 0.13 which
isn't much by numerical standards but is a psychological success for a Black
player in this position.
There are two moves on the database here : 8... Bg4 and 8... Ne8.
The basic direction of White's structure is towards the Kingside and he's
certainly geared up for playing f4-f5 when convenient. The move 8... Bg4 looks
like the intention is to swap the Bishop for the Knight on f3. As White can
play 9 Nbd2 and in the event of ... Bxf3 replace it with another Knight then it
seems 8...Bg4 is a bit pointless. On the other hand 8...Ne8 has the clear idea
of ...f7-f5 meeting White head-on. The plan is right but the move is wrong -
it's too passive. That's why I went forward with my steed and I'm pleased to
see that Deep Rybka agrees with my choice.
8... Nh5!
9. f5!?
An enterprising choice. Clearly White needs to do something about his f4-Pawn
and 9 g3? is just silly and weakening, inviting the Black Bishop into the nice
square h3 with tempo. The obvious alternative is 9. fxe5 but after 9...dxe5
Black can turn his attention to the d-file and White's d3 Pawn in particular.
The text is similar to certain sacs in the Grand Prix variation of the Sicilian
Defence (1 e4 c5 2 Nc3 Nc6 3 f4) but I had knowledge of some analogous
positions and knew that I could safely take on f5. For a Kingside attack
White's pieces are very modestly placed and he is actually behind in
development. He's played five Pawn moves in the opening as opposed to Black's
three so Black should have faith in his position.
9...gxf5!
This needs to be played immediately otherwise White goes 10 g4 and his position
makes sense. The text looks anti-positional but if White fails to recapture on
f5 Black has a pleasant choice between playing ...f5-f4, or swapping on e4 and
following up with ...f7-f5, relieving himself of the backward f7 Pawn and
obtaining plenty of space for both attack and defence. If White now plays 10
exf5 the best reply is 10...Nf4. Things can get very messy very fast,
particularly after 11 g4!? h5! Black should be fine with his better development
and Deep Rybka agrees with me.
Of course there is a large 'if' hanging over the position. Now that the h5
Knight is no longer defended what happens if White desperadoes his own Knight
on e5? Well, we're going to find out!
10. Nxe5!?
This is a brave and very interesting decision.
From a practical viewpoint my opponent, a junior with a grade of about 140 (Elo
1750), has chosen to mix it against a known tactician and also someone with a
grade 60 or so points higher than him (Elo about 2200). There's a lot to be
said for playing for complications when facing a much stronger opponent rather
than waiting to be ground down positionally. It comes down to calculating
ability and although the stronger opponent should have the edge, the
probability of them missing something important in a messy position is much
greater than if they a conducting a positional grind.
From the game's viewpoint Black is shortly going to be presented with a clear
choice or drawing it immediately or going for the win. He will very much be on
the offensive, albeit material down. One wonders if White took his into account
when playing 10 Nxe5, but then if you are out to learn something from a game
then the text is the sort of move to try.
Black's first task is to determine which recapture he should make on e5.
Certainly 10...dxe5 comes into consideration because after 11.Bxh5 there is the
space-gaining 11...f4. White needs to undermine this as quickly as possible so
12.d4 is a strong candidate. After 12...exd4 13.Bxf4 Be6 Deep Rybka says Black
is slightly better. White can't take on d4 again because the recaptures is with
check whether it be Bishop or Queen and then b2 is loose. This means that Black
gets to maintain either a Pawn or an outpost on d4, or possibly even get to
play ...d4-d3. White also has an isolated Pawn on e4 and the combination of
that and the d4 factor slightly outweighs Black's broken ingside Pawns. Deep
Rybka says Black is better by +0.15 or so.
Nevertheless this is a fascinating position worth playing out.
10... Bxe5!?
This is the more aggressive recapture. Black targets the White King position.
White needs to take on h5 immediately as 11 d4? Bxh2+ 12 Kxh2 Qh4+ 13 Kg1 Ng3
is poor for him.
11. Bxh5 Qh4
With the threat of 13...Bxh2+ 14 Kh1 Bg3+ 15 Kg1 Qh2 mate so White needs to
move a Kingside Pawn. Which one?
12. g3!?
If White chooses 12.h3 then Black can play 12...fxe4 demolishing the White
centre. Should White jump in on King Rook six with 13.Bh6? Black follows suit
with 13...Bxh3! Now if 14 gxh3?? Qg3+ 15 Kh1 Qh2 is mate, so White can try
14.Bxf8 instead but after 14...Be6 it's going to cost him a lot of material to
avoid the mate given in the previous note.
Of course White could play the sensible 13 d4 instead of 13 Bh6?. After
13...Bg7 Black is a Pawn up with a nice position - +0.51 according to Deep
Rybka - but White is still in the game.
The text provokes a crisis.
12... Bxg3
13. hxg3?
If Black decides to play for a win then opening up the King like this is far
too big a risk.
Deep Rybka points out that there is a sensible alternative with 13 Qe2! Now
White really does threaten to take the Bishop because he has Qg2 as an
interposition. Should Black now retreat with 13...Be5 White can simply play 14
exf5 with material equality although Deep Rybka evaluates Black as still
better. After some thought it suggests 14...Kh8 to avoid 15 Qg4 swapping Queens
and after 15 Kh1 Ne7 wins the f5 Pawn. Also after 15 d4 Rg8+ 16 Kh1 the engine
likes 16...Bd7!? with the idea of 17 dxe5 Nxe5 followed by 18...Bc6+. Note that
White's Queenside are still unmoved and don't contribute to the defence, a
point that we'll come back to.
There's still plenty to investigate in this line after 13 Qe2 but once again
the game is still a contest.
After the text Black has the luxury of knowing he has a draw by perpetual check
while taking as long as he wants on the clock to investigate the position.
13... Qxg3+
14. Kh1 Qh3+
15. Kg1 Qg3+
16. Kh1 Qh4+
Decision made. Black is going to play for the win. It wasn’t a difficult
decision and it was made fairly quickly.
The only piece that Black currently has near the White King is his Queen, but
it controls a vast chunk of otherwise empty space. Also it only takes a couple
of moves for the f8 Rook and the Bishop to join in and the Knight isn't so far
away. Meanwhile the only piece White has beyond the first rank is the Bishop on
h5 which isn't doing much. In fact the White Queen is currently tied down to
defending it.
On the numbers side Deep Rybka said Black was +2.47 when I first wrote this
note, and it's now gone up to +4.4. Once again the engine takes a while to
understand that although Black needs two moves (...Kg8-h8 and ...f5xe4) to
mobilise Rook and Bishop respectively, there is nothing constructive White can
do in the meantime, while the main plank of his defence (the Bishop manoeuvre
Bh5-f3-g2) is simply not enough to hold the position. Remarkably from here to
the end of the notes the engine produces only one line in which any of the
three White pieces on a1, b1 and c1 move!
17. Kg1
After 17 Kg2 Black replies 17...Kh8 making space for the Rook on g8 anyway. The
simple threat is 18...Rg8+ 19 Kf3 Rg3+ (19...Qxh5+ gets the piece back in any
line that White plays Kf3 but Black has even better here.) 20 Kf2 (If 20 Ke2
Rg2+ 21 Ke3 Qg3+ 22 Bf3 f4 mate) 20...Rxd3+ winning the Queen.
Deep Rybka analyses (after 17 Kg2 Kh8)
A) 18 Rf4 Rg8+ 19 Kf3 Rg3 + 20 Ke2 (or 20 Kf2 Rf3++! 21 Kxf3 Qxh5+ and
22...Qxd1) Rg2+ 21 Ke3 (if 21 Kf1 Qh1 mate) 21...Qg3+ 22 Qf3 (if 22 Rf3 f4 mate
is a line already seen.) 22...Qe1+ wins the Queen again.
B) 18 Rf2 Rg8+ 19 Kf1 fxe4 20 dxe4 Bh3+ 21 Ke2 (if 21 Ke1 Rg1+ etc.) 21...Rae8
and Black has all five pieces in the attack while White has four unmoved pieces!
This is not comprehensive but enough Black ideas are illustrated for the reader
to get the picture.
The text keeps the option of covering up with pieces on g2.
17... Kh8
18. Bf3
Most other moves have already been analysed in the previous note. The text
shows the point of 17 Kg1 - to have the Bishop interpose at g2.
Deep Rybka says that now 18...Rg8+ 19 Bg2 Rxg2+ 20 Kxg2 fxe4 is even better
than what I played. The point is that 21 Rh1 - there is no other move that even
tries to stop 21...Bh3+ is met by 21...Bh3+! anyway! After 22 Rxh3 there
follows 22...Rg8+ and if 23 Kh2 - the only move that continues to defend the
Rook because any other King move lets it go with check - 23...Qf2+ 24 Kh1 Qg2
is mate.
I chose 18...fxe4 to open up the Bishop first and not risk a miscalculation,
however unlikely, in the above line.
18...fxe4
After I had played this my opponent went into deep thought for a few minutes,
and then resigned!
Deep Rybka has Black at well over +7 here so the resignation is quite
justified, even though Black has only one piece within four squares of the
White King.
At this precise point Black has three Pawns for his piece but the overriding
factor is the exposed White King. With the f3 Bishop en prise White has few
options.
A) Taking on e4 with Pawn or Bishop both run into 19...Rg8+ 20 Bg2 Rxg2+ 21
Kxg2 Bh3+. Now if 22 Kg1 Qg3+ mates next move, while on all other King moves
Black has 22...Bg4+ winning the White Queen at the very least. So White is
reduced to:
B) 19 Bg2 (if 19 Be2 Rg8+ is annihilation) 19...Rg8 and now:
B1) 20 Qe1 Rxg2+! 21 Kxg2 Bh3+ 22 Kh2 (22 Kh1 makes little difference) 22...Qh5
- threat 23...Bxf1+ - 23 Rf4 Bg4+ 24 Kg1 or g2 and now 24...Rg8. This
demonstrates a fundamental point of the attack. Black can give up one Rook for
White's light-squared Bishop and then bring the other Rook across to replace
it, but White can't replace his light-squared Bishop. After 25 Kf2 Qh2+ 26 Ke3
Qh3+ 27 Kf2 (if 27 Kd2 Qxd3 is mate.) 27...Bf3 and Deep Rybka says that it's
mate in six.
B2) 20 Qd2 Rg8 21 Qh6 (If 21 Rf2 Bxg2 22 Rxg2 Rxg2+ followed by 23...Rg8
catching a King or a Queen. This line also refutes both 20 Qc2 and 20 Qe2.)
21...Rxg2+ 22 Kh1 Qxh6 23 Bxh6 Rg6 and White is three Pawns down with two
pieces en prise.
B3) 20 Rf2 Bh3 21 Kf1 - anything will transpose to a line already considered -
21...Rxg2 22 Rxg2 Rg8 and it's one-way traffic.
There are hardly any other worthwhile lines but they all conform to the same
pattern. Black exchanges Rook and Bishop on g2 then the remaining force of
Queen and Rook, including the e4 Pawn and Knight if necessary, will finish
White off. I'll add that the Black Knight has made more moves in the game than
all of White's Queenside pieces put together! So White's resignation is quite
understandable.
0–1
TEXT ENDS
