Thursday night’s games at the Schenectady Club were surprising but not so entertaining as the Wednesday games at the AACC. Surprising because the three game played were over by 9:30 pm. The lower level of entertainment has to be laid to the way in which all the games ended.
The game first in importance was the contest between Alan Le Cours and John Barnes. They were playing their make-up game from Round 1. The outcome would have much importance in deciding the third qualifying spot for the Finals from Section B.
Le Cours, Alan - Barnes, John [A31]
SCC Ch Prelim B Schenectady, NY, 20.01.2011
These two players are close to each other in rating and in results so far in the tournament. I was interested in the game both as a spectator and as a participant in the Finals. It began with promise of a stern fight, and then the human aspect of chess made a dramatic appearance with considerable consequences.
1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nb5 d6
We have a known position from the Symmetrical English (A31). It has appeared regularly on the international scene and White has normal results in this line. After stripping out the non-master games, the results in one database was White won 4, drew 2 and lost 2. There are many more games where White played 5 Nc2. Similarly, examples where Black tried 5..., d5; are more numerous also. Deep Rybka says Black is better by some very small margin.
6.Bg5 Be7
Putting the Bishop here does break the pin, sort of. It is not entirely clear just what Black may want to do with this Bishop. Keeping options open with 6..., Be6; or even 6..., Nc6; avoid the problems experienced by Black in the game with the development of the Q-side and might be a little better.
7.N1c3 a6 8.Na3!?,..
The complicated tactical interlude 8 Bxf6 gxf6 9 Qa4 Bd7 10 Nd5 0-0 11 Qa3, brings the game to a very tense moment where White has some immediate advantage. Black has chances, if he can avoid serious compromise to his position, in any middle game or ending where his Bishop pair find gainful employment. The early retreat of the Nb5 presents Black with the opportunity to equalize.
8..., 0–0 9.g3 Nbd7?
This move just does not look right. Better 9..., Nc6 10 Bg2 Be6; when Black has completed mobilization just ahead of White. After the text however, White can claim no great advantage.
10.Bg2 Qb6 11.Na4!?,..
Not a move that changes the position much at all. It is more of a demonstration to chase the Black Queen who has comfortable quarters on c7 readily available. More active is 11 Qb3, then a) 11..., Qxb3 12 axb3; tending towards equality, or b) 11..., Qa5 12 0-0 h6 13 Bd2 Qc7; favoring White but only slightly. White has to be aware of potential dangers however. One example is the simple; 11 b3? Ng4; winning a pawn and gaining a solid positional advantage.
11..., Qa5+ 12.Bd2 Qc7 13.0–0 Rb8 14.Nc3 Nb6 15.Qb3 Bd7!?
Questionable because it takes away a square that can be useful for the Black Queen but not really a mistake.
16.Be3 Na8?!
What is the future for a Knight sequestered on a8? I don’t see anything useful to be done with “horseman” from there. At first I thought it was meant to tempt the White Bishop to a7. After looking for a moment or two that did not look so bad for Black after 17 Ba7 Rbc8 18 Bxb7 Rb8 19 Bxb8 Rxb8; the pin on the Bb7 over the Qb3 is worrisome. Only after I got the game on Rybka did I see 20 Bxa8 Rxb3 21 axb3 Qb8 22 Bg2 Qxb3; when White probably has to play 23 Ra2 to guard the b-pawn. If 23 Rab1 Bf5 forces 24 e4, closing in the White Bishop. The upshot is White will have to work very hard to find away to activate his Rooks. If Black can keep the Rooks from cooperating, the Queen’s agility and love for double attacks can swing the balance in favor of Black.
Andrew Soltis wrote in his book Rethinking the Chess Pieces, Batsford, 2004: “When a player gives up - or is forced to give up his Queen for enemy pieces, it sets up a battle between two principles: cooperation versus the double attack.” Soltis later held that the number of other pieces on the board and the number of pawns are important factors in determining whether the Queen can prevail over the Rooks. In the case before us doubling the Rooks on the a-file is not at all clear. Black has time to make a “luft”, and has threats against b2. If White tries to cover b2 with Nc3-d1 at some point, Black can play Bd7-e6 along with d6-d5 planning Qxa2 and Bxa2 leading to a two Bishops versus a two Knights ending. This seems to give Black winning chances as a result of the open position. Absent the natural plan of doubling on the a-file, I like the chances for the Queen in cooperation with her minor piece cohorts to find a way to pick up material.
17.Ba7 1–0
Black resigns?!! The only conclusion I can come to is John did not see 17 Ba7. I had a similar experience this year in the AACC qualifying event against Gordon Magat. He got in a fork I did not see, and I resigned a level game just because of the shock. That seems to be what happed to John also. Such surprises bring out the all too human reaction in chess players sometimes. In my game with Magat it took a couple of weeks before I could bring myself to even look at the game. The disgust at my silly decision was the problem. Revisiting it to analyze the game was painful.
Immediately after the game Le Cours - Barnes ended, John and I had a conversation. He asked me to pass on to Bill Townsend, the TD, his wish to withdraw from the competition. A rather important decision. Even though John lost his game to Alan, Richard Moody had been defeated by Philip Sells and John Barnes, with 5 points was the third place finisher in Preliminary B. I called Mr. Townsend from the club rooms and passed the information. Bill confirmed it in a telephone call with John later.
We now will see a playoff game between Richard Moody and Dilip Aaron, both with 4 ½ points for the third qualifying place. When and the color assignments to be announced.
The foregoing brings us quite naturally to the game Sells - Moody.
Moody , Richard - Sells, Philip [B50]
SCC Ch Prelim B Schenectady, NY, 20.01.2011
Mr. Sells had another good year to go along with winning the Schenectady and Saratoga titles last year. Going into this game he had not given up even a half point in Preliminary B thus far. The win here gave Philip a perfect 8-0 score and first place.
1.e4 c5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 d6 4.d3 e6
We have a closed kind of Sicilian that is approximately even now.
5.c3 Nf6
With the very big databases available today, it is rare to find a position in a popular opening such as the Sicilian that has not been tried out by some international player or other. So it is here. Luke McShane play so as White against Maia Chiburdanidze in 2000 in Europe. He lost in 30 moves. McShane is leading the Corus B Tournament as this is being written, so no slouch he. McShane was quite young at the time of his loss, but he was closing in on 2500 and the GM title. Those facts suggest there is logic in the White scheme.
The game McShane-Chiburdanidze went as follows:
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 e6 4.d3 Nc6 5.c3 Nf6 6.Bb3 Be7 7.0–0 0–0 8.Qe2 e5 9.Na3 h6 10.Nc2 Nh7 11.Bd5 Bg4 12.b4 cxb4 13.cxb4 Bg5 14.h3 Bxf3 15.Qxf3 Bxc1 16.Rfxc1 Qd7 17.Bxc6 bxc6 18.Ne3 Ng5 19.Qg4 Ne6 20.b5
An ill-fated pawn sacrifice. Better 20 Nf5 Kh8 21 d4 exd4 22 Nxd4, leaving White with some slight advantage. Chiburdanidze took the pawn, held it, and the pawn proved to be the winning trump on move 44.
6.0–0 Be7 7.h3 0–0 8.Re1 Qc7 9.Bb3 b5 10.a4 b4
White has taken a quiet approach to the game. Black has now grabbed some extra space on the Q-side. Letting Mr. Sells dictate the course of play is not often a good idea. He usually has something in mind that has a sting to it.
Mr. Moody is knowledgeable of much in the opening, however, no slave to theory he. Richard has some pet lines based on his own work and study. I wonder if this is one such? If so, I don’t see the idea.
11.Be3 Bb7 12.Re2?!,..
Mr. Moody embarks on a mysterious little dance with his Queen and Rook that does nothing to improve the placement of either piece. Reasonable is 12 Nbd2, getting another piece on the way into the game.
12..., Rfd8 13.Rd2 d5 14.Bc2 a5 15.Qe1,..
In effect White has “passed” two times running. It is no surprise Black can now begin action in the center soon.
15..., h6 16.Re2 Rac8
A little more dawdling by White and Black has all of his pieces deployed. Any opening of lines will be an ill thing for White.
17.exd5?,..
An act of self-destruction if there ever was one. The attempt 17 e5 Nxe5 18 Nxe5 Qxe5 19 Bxc5 Qc7 20 Bxe7 Qxe7 21 d4, makes sense. White still has a glaring weakness on c3 that will cost a pawn at the very least, but he can fight on for some good while. After the game move the game is soon dead lost.
17..., Nxd5 18.Bd2 Bf6 19.Ra2,..
Putting the Rook “in Coventry” worsens an already tough situation. The best in this bad time may be 19 Qc1, making an attacking gesture at the Black King in hopes of distracting Black.
19..., Rd7
After White demonstrated great nervousness about b2 and c3, Black tales aim at d3.
20.c4 Nf4 21.Bxf4 Qxf4 22.Re4 Qc7 23.b3,..
As I was watching the game, this move gave me hope that there was logic behind Richard’s maneuvering. There is a glimmer of a scheme; can the Ra2 swing over to the e-file? First the Nb1 goes to d2 and on to f1 and the Bishop falls back to b1 clearing the way for the Ra2. Alas, that is too many more moves to make in a situation where Black has all tings ready to do harm.
23..., Nd4 24.Nxd4 Bxd4 25.Rg4 h5 26.Rg3?
Dropping a whole Rook for naught. The only way to make a semblance of active play is 26 Rxd4, but after 26..., Rxd4 27 Nd2 Qf4 28 Ra1 e5; something will crack very soon in the White position
26..., Qxg3 0–1
With a full Rook in his pocket along with a hugely superior piece placement, Black is too far ahead, and White resigns now.
In the other game played at Schenectady Thursday Dilip Aaron blundered a pawn in the opening to David Connors. David then played a hasty move that returned the favor with interest dropping a piece. Although Mr. Connors could have collected a second pawn for the piece, I guess the material loss was a shock that had an effect similar to what Mr. Barnes felt in his game, and David resigned immediately.
Bill Townsend will let the players know when the Aaron - Moody playoff will take place. We are hoping for next week. This coming Wednesday there will be lectures on the many variations of the King's Gambit Accepted at the Albany Area Chess Club. The club meets at the Union Presbyterian Church on Route 20, Guilderland at 7:00 pm on Wednesdays.
More soon.
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