Schenectady: the Rotter - Mockler Game

We’ll open today’s post with a tidbit, just a short game that illustrates a number of points.

Consolation Swiss 09-10
Date: 4/8/2010
White: Stanley, M
Black: Capitummino, J

Mike Stanley and Jeff Capitummino are two of the contestants fighting not to end up as the “tail ender” in the Consolation Swiss event. Jeff had some problems Thursday as all home owners do from time to time; plugged toilets, etc., the domestic disasters the plague those of us who pursue chess as an avocation while our living comes from other endeavors. For the non-professional chess player the game should be a distraction that removes us from the worries of day-to-day aggravations. Chess did not do that successfully for Jeff Thursday evening.

1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 e6
3. Nc3 Bb4
4. Qc2 c5
5. dxc5 Bxc5
6. Bg5?! ….
An interesting mistake. I did the same thing against Philip Sells recently and lost the game.

6.… Be7?!
Best is 6..., Bxf2+; when White gets some initiative after 7 Kxf2, Ng4+; 8 Kg3, Qxg5; for the pawn lost, but it does not seem to be sufficient for the material given and positional problems associated with a weakened pawn structure. The loss of the castling privilege is not too critical if White is careful. I don’t know if 6 Bg5?!, is just a blunder, or is considered a dubious sacrifice. In my game with Sells it was an oversight. There are a few examples of players in the 2400-2450 range in my databases trying out the move. The best these good players could do was eke out a draw or two, most lost.

When I first looked at this game the text move struck me as just wrong. If Black doesn’t see, or for a lack of confidence, does not want to capture at f2, more useful is 6..., Nc6; developing a piece.

7. Nf3 b6?
Too slow. Again 7..., Nc6; working to stay close in development makes sense.

8. e3 …..
Tactically OK, but more forceful is 8. e4, taking space in the center.

8.… Nc6
9. a3 Ba6
10. b4 Bb7
11. Bd3 h6
12. Bh4 g5
13. Bg3 Nh5?
In a general sense we have a kind of Sicilian position where White has some advantages; rather than the c-pawn setting on c2 to be a target, it is standing on c4 where it contributes to the fight for d5, Black has embarked on a questionable expansion on the K-side with …., h6; and …., g5; leaving the natural short castling unappealing for Black. Jeff could have passed on the K-side expansion and tried to take up a Hedgehog kind of formation with …, d6; …, a6; and …, Qb8; if required. After doing so, Black crouches waiting the make a sharp counter-stroke should White become ambitious and overextend his formation. To play in that fashion requires confidence in one’s positional judgment and the willingness to undergo prolonged tension. Such is beyond Jeff’s state of chess skill at the moment. As a consequence, what might be suggested as an alternative? Within Jeff’s current skill level is 11..., h6; 12 Bh4, 0-0; 13 0-0, a6; 14 b5, axb5; 15 cxb5, Na5; and the possibility of …, d5; gives Black a reasonable middle game to play. That, a reasonable middle game, should be the goal of opening play for the club-level player. Seeking ultra-sharpness in the opening is dangerous to us club players; our sense of danger and calculating accuracy is not as good as it needs be for that approach.

14. O-O Nxg3
15. hxg3 Bf6
16. Rad1 Bg7?
Up to here Black had not played particularly well. He, however, avoided a serious deficit. The text move changes that. White has his pieces deployed to control the center squares. Black has a somewhat overextended his K-side pawns, which would make sense if the other Black forces were ready to support a pawn storming attack on the White King’s field, but they are not ready to do so. A judicious plan is to make a virtue of the advanced K-side pawns to coordinate his pieces with 16..., g4; 17 Nd2, d6; 18 Be4, Be4; and while White certainly is for choice, Black can keep the material balance and hope to see some exchanging of minor pieces to reduce the White control of the center squares.

The distractions off the board now seem to have really spoiled Jeff’s concentration. He is just not seeing anything on the board, and I suspect his heart is just not in the game anymore.

17. Be4 Bxc3?
Just 17..., Rc8; keeps the game going. The text opens the door for the White pieces to slip in to the holes in Black’s K-side.

18. Qxc3 Qc7??
Overlooking the hanging Rook. Jeff’s position was lost in any case. Even if Black saved Rook with 18..., Rf8; there is not much Black can do to oppose White doubling Rooks on the d-file. That will lead to the loss of material at the very least.

19. Qxh8+ Resigns.
There is a strong need for club players to fulfill our commitments to play our games as scheduled. Failing to do so can be inconvenience our club mates. There also a clear understanding within the membership that families and our lives outside of chess can prevent us sometimes from meeting those commitments. Each of us have to make a decision to play or not based on our own evaluation of our circumstances. If we believe we can not play well, it is not necessarily wrong to postpone a game.

The situation in the Finals was clarified a bit more in Thursday’s games. Mockler defeated Rotter in French Defense to bring Mockler’s score to 3-2. With Sells at 3 ½ - 1 ½ and Rotter now at 1 - 2, it seems Philip Sells has a lock on the Schenectady title to go along with his Saratoga Championship. I’m not certain, but this maybe the only time one player will have held both titles in the same year.

SCC Ch Finals 09-10
Date: 4.15.2010
White: Rotter, B
Black: Mockler, M

1. e4 e6
2. d4 d5
3. Nc3 Bb4
4. e5 b6
A somewhat rare sideline of the French Winawer, instead of the usual 4..., c5; variations. This is an interesting change of pace. Ivanchuk used it against Kasparov and won in 1995. Many from the 2600 to 2700 range of players have played so; Petrosian, Vaganian, Chernin and Beliavski to name a few.

5. Qg4 ….
Topalov, Shirov and Spassky have met Black’s plan with the early Queen sortie.

5.… Bf8
This move, that looks so opposite to what we have all been taught, was also the choice of many of the GM’s versus 5 Qg4.

6. Bg5 ….
This move looks to be a bit wasteful of time. Black’s program calls for his Queen to go to d7 soon in any event. White could have saved a move and developed the Knight to f3 here. In defense of the text stands the fact both Topalov and Shirov have used the text often. Such players do not play time wasting moves repeatedly, there must be something to this move.

6.… Qd7
7. Nge2 ….
The normal move here is 7 Nf3. It may be that Rotter did not like 7 Nf3, h5; 8 Qg3, but I believe that White has a small edge after 8..., Nh6; 9 Bb5, c6; 10 Bd3, and so does my computer. The text move takes us out of the “book” and away from the paths trod by the super-GM’s.

7.… Nc6
After 7..., c5; the game would have a more familiar pattern and not be too dissimilar from standard Winawer variations of the French. Another curious aspect of this game is both sides elect to develop their light squared Bishops unusually. Most often Black puts this cleric on a6 intending to exchange it for its counterpart on f1.

8. a3 Bb7
9. g3 h6
10. Be3 Na5
11. Bg2 Ne7
12. Nf4 Nf5
13. Nd3 c5
This is the natural, standard, normal break for Black in the Winawer. What is unusual is Black seemed to be doing something else entirely. My thought Black intended 13..., Nc4; hitting the Be3 twice and threatening, if 14 Bc1, h5; when the White Queen will either take the awkward post at f4, or retreat to d1 leaving the d-pawn hanging.

14. Ne2 Nxe3
In a position where Knights are more valuable than Bishops for the moment, Black decides to take off the less-than-exciting Be3. In doing so he opens the f-file for White to use. Still available is the sequence beginning 14..., Nc4; where White just may have to give up the d-pawn, at least temporarily, or get his Queen misplaced. I don’t understand this decision. The dark squared Bishop was White’s worst minor piece. Is the damage done to the White pawn formation enough to make the trade a good choice?

15. fxe3 Nc4
16. Qf4 Be7
17. h4 g5
18. Qf2 O-O-O
Here maybe we can see Black’s intentions more clearly. He has marked out a very active role for the Be7. If White captures on g5, the Bishop takes back bringing pressure to bear on e3, and if White tries to dispossess the Nc4, there is the neat tactic as in the game.

19. b3 Nxa3
20. Rxa3 c4
21. Nc5 bxc5
22. Rxa7 Kb8
23. Ra1 cxb3
24. cxb3 gxh4
Creating a target on h4 to worry White in the ending, a nice finesse.

25. gxh4 Rhg8
26. O-O Rg4
White has been too busy dealing with immediate problems to have time to clip the pawn on f7. Bobby could have taken it here. Either the next text move, or capturing on f7, keeps the balance. Taking on f7 to be followed by Ne2-f4 fights for the initiative by making threats on e6. Sending the Knight to f4 immediately clears the way for a quick build-up on the a-file. Both Kings lack real security and open lines are beginning show up, a one pawn plus or minus is not significant. The initiative is all important now. That, and the Bishop pair in Black’s hands, must have certainly been worries for Bobby Rotter. Those concerns were prods to look for ways to offset the future activity of the Bishops. Rotter decides going directly at the Black King is the best course.

27. Nf4 Rdg8
28. Qa2 Qb5
29. Qa7+!? …..
The game has been dynamically balanced, that is both sides have serious threats and it is not clear which side’s threats are stronger up to this point. It turns out the White position is somewhat less forgiving than is Black’s; the pin on the Bg2 is annoyingly restrictive, the h-pawn is fatally weak, danger looms around d4 and e3 threatening the Nf4 outpost. On the other hand, White can get three “heavies” on open files if he so wishes, while Black has more difficulty increasing the pressure down the g-file. Concentrating the heavy pieces on the open files is probably sounder than this rush to get behind enemy lines.

The alternatives that come to mind are; 29 Rc1, and 29 Qc2. If a) 29 Rc1, Rxh4; 30 Rc2, Qb6, 31 Qa3, when for the pawn given the White heavy pieces are very active, while the Black Rooks on the opposite side of the board are less immediately dangerous. White might claim a small advantage. If 29 Qc2, and then b1) 29..., Rxh4; 30 Qh7, favors White. However, b2) 29..., Rg3, sets a difficult problem for White; if b2.1) 30 Re1, cxd4; 31 exd4, Qxb3; and because White is on the way to dropping another pawn, Black is for choice. If b2.2) 30 Rfc1, Rxe3; 31 Qh7, Qe8; 32 dxc5, Rg4; 33 c6, Bxc6; 34 Rxc6, Qxc6; 35 Qh8+, Kc7; 36 Ra7+, Kb6; 37 Qb8+, Kc4; 38 Rxe7, and White is ahead significantly, maybe even winning. Note in this line, if 38 Ra4, Black has some chances with 38..., Re1+; 39 Kh2, (if 39 Kf2, Bxh4+; leads to mate.) 39..., Qxa4; eliminating mating threats, and then 40..., Rxf4. If White gets frisky trying to advance the a-pawn Black takes on h4 with the Rook and later the e-pawn falls giving Black a bunch of material, maybe enough to win. Of course White likely has perpetual check chances with his Queen because Black has to watch for some dangerous double attacks.

A position with more complications than a few. Such a position illustrates what is meant by “dynamically balanced.” I am sure all of the possibilities in this position have not been set out in my note above and would not be surprised to find a shot that overturns my opinion.

29.… Kc7
30. Ra5? ….
As they duel along the edge of a precipice, Rotter makes an error. Better is 30 Qa2, admitting the mistake.

30.… Qb6?
Black reciprocates with a mistake of his own. Leading to an advantage is 30..., Qxb3; pocketing a pawn, and the continuing threat of …, Rga8; limits White’s choices. White will likely have to keep the Queens on the board giving Black time to maybe clip the h-pawn. If Black gets the edge on material, he will have all the winning chances, while White will face a difficult defensive task.

31. dxc5 Qxa7
32. Rxa7 Bxc5
33. Rc1 Kb6
34. Rxb7+ Kxb7
35. Rxc5 Kb6
36. b4 d4
Rotter in all likelihood had calculated the foregoing sequence as did Mockler. Michael may have been convinced the text gives him an advantage. According to my trusty computer the game is even. That is also true of the alternative 36.…, Rxh4. I am inclined to like the game move because it gives White more opportunities to go wrong.

37. Kf2 dxe3+
38. Kxe3 Rxf4
39. Rc6+ ….
The reader may ask why is Bobby making things complicated when simpler methods safely maintain equality? The answer is in the tournament situation. Rotter, before this game had dropped only a single point, he still had the mathematical chance to tie, or even out score Philip Sells. A loss would rule out any chance for the title clear.

39.… Kb5
40. Kxf4 Rxg2
41. Rc7 Rf2+
42. Ke3 Rf5
43. Rb7+ Kc6
44. Rb8 ….
The game continued to about move 72 with Rotter getting in some time trouble as they played out a classic Rook and pawn ending. Bobby continued to try to win. Bit by bit the game slipped out of control and Mr. Mockler obtained the full point.

For some reason I have trouble every time I try to record games with Michael Mockler participating. Each time there is a move pair dropped in my score. This is another example of that happening. I put it down to Michael getting into interesting positions when my attention goes more to trying to understand what is going on than to making certain the record is accurate.

More to come soon.