Tyson et al,
Yes, indeed, move 17 is the critical point. I didn’t want to go into any deep
lines and hence, why I left with the note that black had to be careful. At the
time, I saw the lines where white would give up the exchange, and evaluated it
that the bishop on d6, cutting the black king off from castling would be a huge
advantage. I was prepared to go into that line.
But, sadly, I have to disagree with your final sentiment. Castling late or not
at all, is still perfectly acceptable! Indeed, in my annotated game “aiming for
the zero”, I discuss the notion of not castling as black against the KIA. Sure,
there’s circumstances and context to consider, but I think the point that you
were trying to say is that not castling in the pursuit of material gain in the
early part of the game can be a very dangerous occupation!
I still find it rather curious that 17... Qc8 is objectively black’s best
retreat. It makes sense to me now, considering the pressure down the C-file,
but it didn’t occur to me at the time and clearly didn’t enter Müller’s
thoughts.
Still, I learnt a lot by discovering that 18. Bg5 is in fact white’s best way
to continue the pressure.
Cheers,
Chris
From: usbca_chess-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:usbca_chess-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of mordue andrew ;(Redacted
sender "tyson.mordue" for DMARC)
Sent: 02 December 2018 21:54
To: usbca_chess@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [usbca_chess] Re: [usbca_chess] Ross-Müller
Hello folks,
This is another entertaining game with chances for both sides.
There is a detail here that slides past the casual eye. It's in the note to
Black's 17th move. Chris writes "Black has to be very careful here. If 17...
Qc7 18. Rxe6+ is possible" on the obvious point that 18...fxe6 19 Qxc7 Black
has lost his Queen. I thought what about 18...Kd8!?. After 19 Re3 Qxg3 20 hxg3
(say) bxc4 21 bxc4 Rc8 Black is equal. Then I spotted that Black has an
improvement with 17... Qc7 18. Rxe6+ Kd8 19 Re3 Qxg3 20 hxg3 b4 winning a
piece.
However, in tactical positions certain moves reoccur in different lines. After
17... Qc7 18. Rxe6+ Kd8 19 Bf4! Qc8 20 Rxf6! is too powerful. 20...Nxf6 is met
by 21 Qxg7 winning material whilst after 20...gxf6 21 Nd5! leaves Black in
ruins.
In summary at move 17 the suggested 17...Qc7?? really is a mistake because of
the lines above. The game move 17...Qb7? deserves its question mark after
Chris's suggestion 18 Bg5! Hence 17...Qc8 is the best move.
But, just to show you can't keep a good engine (in this case Deep Rybka) down
after 17...Qc8 it still advocates 18 Bg5! and if 18...Be5 19 Bf4!? Bxd6 20 Bxd6
claiming that White, who is the Exchange down is better by 1.29!! Worth
analysing.
The moral is clear. Delay castling at your peril!
Happy analysing,
Tyson
On 30 November 2018 at 21:37 Chris Ross <c.ross@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:c.ross@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > wrote:
All,
Here's an annotated game from the Team World Cup last July in Bulgaria, which
recently appeared in the November version of the UK's BCA Gazette. I'm aware
that there are folks on the list not in receipt of this publication, so thought
that I would re-post here, with some additional comments to the original
article.
The game is between myself and International Master Oliver Müller, a very
strong player from Germany. The game was destined to be a very tense affair.
Round 3: C. Ross 2214 v O. Müller (Germany) 2291
{B52: Sicilian: Moscow Variation}
1. e4 c5
2. Nf3 d6
3. Bb5+ Bd7
4. Bxd7+ Qxd7
5. O-O Nf6
6. Qe2 Nc6
7. Rd1
{Varying from an earlier round's encounter, where 7. c3 was played by me
against a FIDE Master, where I nearly, but didn't quite, take the full point.}
7... e6
8. d4
{Since the white king's rook has landed on d1 quickly, he wishes to open up the
file, not block it with c2-c3 and then d2-d4 and recapture on d4 with the
c3-pawn. C2-c3 was played in an earlier round, where the move didn't prove to
have been a useful start to the plan. So, here, it is neglected and the plan
initiated immediately.}
8... cxd4
9. Nxd4 a6
10. c4
{Introducing a completely different structure as seen in the previous rounds.
White clamps down on the position and restricts black from breaking with either
d5 or b5. The move though is slow. White's lack of development is a point of
contention. If white is enabled to developed quickly, then, he will have a very
severe grip on the position. Black must strive to exploit that lack of
development, in order to grapple for equality.}
10... Nxd4
11. Rxd4 Qc6
{Unpinning the d6-pawn. 12. e5 was a direct threat.}
12. Nc3 Be7
13. b3
{13. a4 to restrain the black queen-side is also possible. Black has a cramped
position and doesn’t have any obvious pawn-breaks. The rook on d4 seems
slightly precarious, but is indeed holding up a lot of ground and preventing
Black from freeing himself.
13. Bd2 is the more secure, but slower way to play the position. As can be
seen, the loose nature of the c3-knight is a point of tactical combat.}
13... b5
{Black takes the opportunity to break. The pin on the c4-pawn prevents White
from capturing on b5.}
14. e5
{White attempts to create tension since Black is somewhat behind in development
(due to the b7-b5 break instead of castling). The open diagonal from a1-h8
becomes a point of focus and with the white heavy pieces ranging along it, both
sides have to tread very carefully not to lose material.
14. Bd2 and 14. a3 were the calmer routes.}
14... dxe5
15. Qxe5 Nd7
{Black aims to place his dark-squared bishop along the long diagonal as quickly
as possible, since all of the white heavy pieces are lined up there. White is
now threatening to take on b5, as the knight on c3 is indirectly defended by
the queen on e5, since Rd8+ tactics would be available. White would have to be
careful of his back-rank though, so this would have to be timed carefully.
15... Rc8 would avoid all of those tactics and keep the pressure down the
C-file.}
16. Qg3
{Defending the loose knight on c3.
16. Qxg7 isn’t possible due to 16... Bf6 17. Qg4 Bxd4 18. Qxd4 Rg8 and Black’s
winning.}
16... Bf6
17. Rd6 Qb7
{Black has to be very careful here.
17... Qc7 18. Rxe6+ is possible.
17... Qc8 18. Bg5 O-O 19. Rxd7 Bxg5 is fine for Black.
White now has a very strong response.}
18. Bf4
{Preventing any forks with Be5. Annoyingly, White fails to appreciate that the
threatened fork is not a threat!
18. Bg5! Puts Black in a really awkward position and should win a clear
queen-side for White.
18... Be5 19. Rxd7! Gaining tempo on the misplaced black queen (had she been
on c8, this wouldn’t be possible.)
18... Bxg5 19. Qxg5 and both g7 and b5 are attacked. b5 will fall giving White
a clear advantage.}
18... b4
{Exploiting the pin on the c3-knight. Things will now get somewhat messy and
it all depends on who can hold their nerve the best!}
19. Rad1
{Messy, but not playable is 19. Nd5 Bxa1
(19... exd5 20. Re1+ Kf8 21. Qg4 and the knight on d7 can’t move due to Rxf6
and Bh6+ tactics.)
20. Nc7+ Qxc7 21. Rxe6+ fxe6 22. Bxc7 O-O and black has too much for the
queen.}
19... bxc3
20. Rxd7 c2
{A very scary position for White, but seemingly tenable due to the dark-squared
bishop on f4 controlling the queening square. This advanced pawn on c2 can be
a huge asset, or a weakness in an end-game.}
21. R1d3 Qe4
{White’s back-rank still proves to be a problem, but intriguingly, both the
dark-square bishop and queen can defend backward to cover the all-important
squares. IF White can survive the tactics, the end-game looms well for him.
Unfortunately, there was a twist here, as Black had an unstoppable winning
plan.
21... Qb4 with the simple intension of Qa3 and supporting the pawn home. White
doesn’t have time to protect the back-rank threat on e1 and stop Qa3 at the
same time. 22. Qe3 Bb2 is crushing.}
22. f3 Qe2
23. Bc1
{By this retreat, White has just about solved all of the tactics. The queening
square is blocked and with Qf2 coming in, the pawn on c2 will soon fall, giving
White a clear end-game advantage. Black only has one way to salvage the
position now.}
23... Rd8!
{By this sneaky exchange, Black removes all White’s defensive opportunities.
The rook on d3 will prove too loose to hold. White can’t defend the back-rank
and stop the penetration of both the black queen and black dark-squared bishop
without losing significant material. White has no option now apart from cash
out in a perpetual.}
24. Rxd8+ Bxd8
25. Rxd8+ Kxd8
26. Qd6+ Ke8
27. Qb8+
{27. Qc6+ is the cleanest way to obtain the perpetual. Nevertheless, Black
refrains from venturing into the middle of the board, where he would be cut
down by the joint efforts of the white queen and dark-squared bishop.}
27... Kd7
28. Qb7+ Kd8
29. Qb8+ Kd7
30. Qb7+ Kd8
31. Qb8+ Kd7
32. 1/2-1/2
