Oh, I appreciate them a great deal!
Now, if I could only understand them! <grin>
Evan
-----Original Message-----
From: Alan Dicey
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2018 2:36 PM
To: usbca_chess@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [usbca_chess] Dear Members, we are lucky to have Senior Consultants
/ Contributors International Master Tyson Mordue: and Master Chris Ross
Dear Members, we are lucky to have
Senior Consultants / Contributors:
International Master Tyson Mordue
and
Master Chris Ross
With our
United States Braille Chess Association.
I am sure you all appreciate them as much as I do.
With Best Regards,
God Bless,
Alan
Plantation, Sunny South Florida
This is our prayer
Holy God, thank you for Jesus, our Savior.
No words are adequate to express our love and devotion to you for such an
incredible gift!
Through him we give and live our thanks to you.
Amen.
----- Original Message -----
From: mordue andrew (Redacted sender "tyson.mordue" for DMARC)
To: usbca_chess
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2018 1:25 PM
Subject: [usbca_chess] Annotated game: Davis-Mordue
Hello all
As a follow-on to Chris’s recent post about playing Black against the King’s
Indian Attack, here‘s my contribution. Just castle Queenside and blast open
the Kingside where the White King is. As those pesky meerkats say,
“Simples!” Then again, maybe not.
Regards,
Tyson
Text begins:
. DAVIS, J - MORDUE,A T
SPECTRUM SHEFFIELD, 05.11.2006
This was the last round of a rare all-play-all Open section of a Spectrum
event. I was sharing the three-way lead with 2.5/4 and facing the
lowest-graded player. A win was essential to ensure at least a share of
first prize.
1. e4 c5
2. Nf3 e6
3. d3 d5
4. Nbd2 Nc6
5. g3 Nf6
6 Bg2 Be7
7. 0–0 Qc7
8. Qe2 b6
Black announces his intention of castling Queenside. If he intended playing
on the Queenside then the obvious move is 8...b5 claiming more space.
9. e5 Nd7
10 Re1 g5!?
A thematic move that clearly intends to play 11...g4 undoing White's
threefold defence of e5. Now 11 h3 is answered by 11...h5 with the same idea
in which case White would probably play 12 g4. After 12...hxg4 13 hxg4 Black
has the open h-file as an attacking avenue. It is important that White keeps
good control of h2, a theme that occurs later in the game.
11. g4 Bb7
Computers assess this position as slightly better for Black to the tune of
roughly 0.5. The suggested alternatives are the afore-mentioned 11...h5 or
11...Ba6. The latter still intends Queenside play but I wanted to attack on
the Kingside.
12. c4 d4
Normally this locking of the centre would be followed by a slow manoeuvring
game. I was confident I could prevail in that but it is not what occurs.
Here White gains the e4 square but he has to take care that the e5 Pawn
isn't lost to Black's advantage.
13. Ne4!? h6?!
Black would probably do better to take on e5. I was reluctant to enter into
complications with my King still in the centre, and I also didn't really
believe my opponent would switch his Knight to h5, but he did!
14. Ng3 0–0–0
With the Kings castled on opposite side the computers evaluate this position
as equal, but of course it's a dynamic balance. Black has ideas of rerouting
his e7 Bishop to g7 or c7 to pressure e5, while White looks to play b2-b4 in
an attempt to open Queenside lines.
15. a3 Rdg8
16. Nh5 Kb8
17. b3
A slow move that doesn't change anything tangible, but I decided that if
White wanted to be pedestrian then it was time to try some mind games.
17...Re8!?
18. Ng7 Ref8
Now the stoic reply is 19 Nh5 asking Black what the difference is between
having the Rook on e8 or f8. The answer is 19...f5 or f6 when 20 exf6 Nxf6
21 Qxe6? Nxh5 22 gxh5 Rf6 followed by 23...Rhf8 gives Black a big initiative
for White's useless extra Pawn on h5. Better after 19 Nh5 f6 (f5) 20 exf6
Nxf6 is 21 Nxf6 Rxf6 which is still to Black's advantage. His f-file
pressure is worth more than the weakness of the e6 Pawn although White can
continue 22 Nd2 and the transfer of this Knight to e4 gives White good
defensive chances. Note that his Rook aids the defence by coming to a2
around the passive Bishop on c1.
By keeping his Knight on g7 White hinders ..f6(f5) because of the fork on
e6.
19. Bd2 h5!?
This is not strictly necessary because 19...Rh7 20 Nh5 f6 or f5 also give
Black good play One difference is that White's second rank is now blocked by
his Bishop. However, the text suggests to White that he has made an error by
not putting the Knight back on h5 and preventing this advance which secures
an open file towards White's King. Strictly speaking it's a semi-open file
because White still has his h2 Pawn, but as demonstrated in the game Black's
Rook has enhanced scope.
20. Nxh5
Deep Rybka confirms my judgement that Black is better after 20 h3 hxg4 21
hxg4 Rfg8 22 Nh5 Rxh5! 23 gxh5 g4 24 Nh2 Ncxe5 25 Bf4 Bd6 and the threat of
26 ...Nf3+ is difficult to meet. The reader is invited to analyse further
for themselves. All the Black pieces are involved in the assault on White's
weak Kingside and the White Rooks do nothing for the defence, justifying
Black's small material investment of an Exchange.
20...Rfg8
Now Black threatens to enter the variation indicated in the last note
starting with 21...Rxh5. Hence White sidesteps but this has the drawback of
reducing control of the f4 square and Black promptly runs a Knight there.
21. Ng3
Deep Rybka approves of the text move but also suggests playing 21 Kf1 and
answering it with the remarkable 21...Ba8. I thought computers had grown out
of this sort of thing!
21...Nf8
22. b4!?
Effectively this is a gambit to open up lines on the Queenside. Certainly it
is okay after 22...cxb4 23 axb4 Nxb4 24 Nxd4, covering the intended fork on
c2 and Black has lost control of the centre. However, there's an important
difference with 22...cxb4 23 axb4 Bxb4. If 24 Bxb4 Nxb4 25 Nxd4 Bxg2 26 Kxg2
Ng6 threatens the fork 27...Nf4+ because the Bishop on d2 has been exchanged
off. Said fork is not only of the White King and Queen but also attacks d3
for a second time. Black would regain his Pawn with a big advantage.
After 22...cxb4 23 axb4 Bxb4 White's best seems to be 24 Nxg5 Bxd2 25 Qxd2
and now 25...Nxe5? is neatly met by 26 Rxe5 Qxe5 27 Nxf7 and Nxh8 remaining
a Pawn up. Instead after 22...cxb4 23 axb4 Bxb4 24 Nxg5 Bxd2 25 Qxd2 Black
should play 25...Ng6! threatening to safely capture on e5.
Deep Rybka claims that Black is better after 26 f4?! Nh4 and that seems a
sound claim if Black gets to swap off the White Bishop with his own still
bearing down. If 27 Be4 Rxg5! 28 fxg5 Nxe5 and White has big problems with
the f3 square again.
22...Ng6!?
Choosing to ignore the Queenside altogether and concentrate on the f4
square. The game proves why.
Deep Rybka looks at two alternatives here. One is 23 Nh5 - controlling f4 -
when Black can probably take on b4: 23...cxb4 24 axb4 Bxb4 25 Bxb4 Nxb4. Now
both 26 Nxg5?? or 26 Nxd4?? lose to 26...Bxg2 27 Kxg2 Rxh5 because 28 gxh5
Nf4++ wins the Queen.
The other alternative is 23 b5. This closes the Queenside which reduces
White's attacking chances on that side. Black can reply 23...Na5 intending
24...Nb3 and 25...Nxd2 eliminating the defender of f4 again. 24 Bxa5 is
answered by 24...Nf4 of course. After 23 b5 Na5 Deep Rybka analyses 24 Rab1
Nf4 25 Qf1 Ng6 26 Qe2 with a draw after 26...Nf4. Both sides have other
lines to keep the game alive of course.
White chose the natural move, and why not?
23. bxc5 Nf4!
The startled expression on my opponent's face was something to behold. Black
sacrifices a second Pawn to retain the initiative but I saw far enough ahead
to realise that I was getting one Pawn back quickly and improving my
attacking prospects. Recapturing with anything on c5 means White gets to
play 24 Nxg5 for free. Deep Rybka specifically looked at 23...bxc5 24 Nxg5
Ngxe5 25 Bxc6! - a counter-intuitive move but it works here - 25...Nxc6 26
Nxf7 Rh7 27 Qxe6 and White is three Pawns up! Here 23...bxc5 24 Nxg5 Ngxe5
25 Bxc6 Qxc6?? 26 Qxe5 is check and 26... Bd6 27 Qe4 stops the mate on g2.
Also 23...bxc5 24 Nxg5 Ncxe5 is strongly met by 25 Rab1! and the open b-file
bears fruit for White. 25...Nc6 26 Nxf7 Rh7 27 Qxe6 and White gets to take
on c6 as well because the b7 Bishop is pinned. After the text Black's King's
position looks dreadful but White never has time to exploit it in view of
the pressure his own King comes under.
24. Bxf4
The only other move the computer considers is 24 Qf1 but now g5 is defended
so Black can comfortably play 24...Bxc5 with great compensation for his
Pawn. Once again his pieces bear down powerfully on White's weakened
Kingside.
24...gxf4
25. cxb6
This capture hits the Black Queen so Black doesn't have time to take on g3.
25...axb6
26. Ne4
Deep Rybka comes up with the interesting 26 h3. After 26...fxg3 27 fxg3
White has three Pawns for the piece. However, it's not clear that they are
three good Pawns and White's piece activity looks to be limited so Deep
Rybka still evaluates Black as better. Worth trying.
Now Black gets one Pawn back and White flails around trying to get a
constructive defensive set-up.
26...Rxg4
Threatening 27...R8g8 winning the pinned g2 Bishop. The value of the Pawn on
f4 is intriguing. It prevents Ng3 as a shield of the g-file, yet it also
blocks the Black Queen's view of the h2 Pawn.
27. Kh1
Deep Rybka suggests 27 Kf1 instead, but then analyses the same line that
comes up in the next note. I suppose there is an intuitive need to keep
defending h2 but the King is now on the same line as an enemy Rook and
Bishop.
27...Rg6?!
Deep Rybka suggests after both 27 Kf1 and 27 Kh1 the Exchange sacrifice
27...Rxg2. The line goes 28 Kxg2 Nxe5 29 Nxe5 Qxe5 (threat 30...f5 winning
the pinned Knight) 30 f3 Rg8+ 31 Kh1 f5 32 Nd2 Qe3. Black threatens
33...Qxd2 34 Qxd2 Bxf3+ 35 Qg2 Bxg2+ with two Bishops for a Rook and a
winning ending.
Alternatively 27...Rxg2 28 Kxg2 Nxe5 29 Nxe5 Qxe5 30 f3 Rg8+ 31 Kf1 Qh5 with
the threat 32...Qh3+ 33 Kf2 Bh4+ winning.
It also finds the flashy line 27...Rxg2 28 Kxg2 Nxe5 29 Nxe5 Qxe5 30 Rab1
Rxh2+ 31 Kxh2 f3+ winning the Queen.
These lines are not entirely forced but I was content with the text. The e5
Pawn is about to fall and material will be equal whilst Black maintains his
attack.
28. Ned2?
Going over to blanket defence and missing a chance to possibly create some
play. Deep Rybka suggests 28 c5! trying to reopen lines on the Queenside.
After 28...bxc5 29 Rab1 Kc8 unpins and keeps the initiative but Black now
needs to be wary of Rxb7 counter-sacrifices. Obviously ..Rxg2 will rule out
any danger but Black could have played that last move.
Deep Rybka says there is some value in giving the other Pawn back with 28
Nd6 Bxd6 29 exd6 Qxd6 to swap off a Black Bishop but that's not the
dangerous one.
The shock value of 23...Nf4 is having its effect as White is reacting
instead of acting.
28...Rhg8
29. Rg1
If 29 Bh3 Deep Rybka suggests the consolidating 29...Bc5 and, what would
have been my choice, 29...Rh8 30 Bg2 Rh5 when e5 should collapse. White
can't play 30 Nxd4 exploiting the loose Rook because of 30...Nxd4 31 Qxh5
Bxg2+ 32 Kg1 Bf3+ winning the Queen.
29...Nxe5
Now that the White Rook has gone from e1 this capture is possible because of
the line 30 Qxe5 Qxe5 31 Nxe5 Bxg2+ 32 Rxg2 Rxg2 and Black has won the
Exchange. Oddly Deep Rybka thinks that this is White's best line.
30.Bh3 Rxg1+
Here Deep Rybka thinks the immediate 30...Rh8 is better. It's right because
of the line 31 Rxg6 Rxh3! 32 Rg8+ Ka7 and the pinned Knight on f3 perishes.
I hadn't seen 31...Rxh3. After 30...Rh8 White should play the better 31 Bg2
upon which Black replies 31...Rgh6 and White hasn't swapped off his inactive
a1 Rook as in the game.
31. Rxg1 Rh8
32. Bg2 Ng4
Despite the Rook swap Black still has a great position. Ironically the a3
Pawn is now en prise although it's not clear Black wants to take it.
My plans were to either get the Queen to the h-file or advance the central
pawns to usurp the Knight on f3. The obvious way to do the first is the
switch ...Qc7-c5-h5 so maybe my opponent's next move was to prevent this.
Unfortunately it's a blunder. Maybe 33 Nf1 hangs on for a while but White's
formation does not look inspiring.
33. Nb3?? Bxf3
White can lo longer recapture with a Knight to guard h2. The mate there can
only be avoided at a huge cost in material.
34 0–1
Text ends.
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