Another game last Sunday in Saratoga featured Joshua Kuperman against Alan Le Cours. Joshua is the son of Max Kuperman, a long time fixture on the local chess scene. Max’s career goes back to sometime in the 1970s, but oddly I can find no record of he and I ever playing a serious game. After hanging around chess for a very long time, usually I have played a local chess player somewhere along the line. In Max’a case no such luck. Joshua’s career was short and successful in the late 1990s according to USCF records. Those were the days when I played very little in general and almost not at all locally. That is the reason why Sunday evening, first I knew his name but had to introduce myself to Joshua, and second, realized I never had laid eyes on him before.
Alan provides the first surprise, he played the French! I expected a 1..., e5; answer to Joshua’s 1 e4. Mr. Le Cours has a number of pet lines in the Two Knights and the Ruy Lopez, Schliemann variation that he knows very well and has used with success. This time Alan tries the French. Mr. Kuperman took a not usual tack for White and a short sharp interesting game came about.
Kuperman, Joshua - Le Cours, Alan [C17]
Saratoga Championship Saratoga Springs, NY, 20.11.2011
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Bd2,..
Much more common is 4 e5, when the game enters the mainlines of the Winawer variation of the French. Even so great an exponent of 1 e4, as Bobby Fischer had a hard time finding wins in the Winawer for White. On that basis alone this was my choice for thirty-five years until I converted to the Pirc.
The text is a sideline that comes up occasionally. Alexander Alekhine, the 4th World Champion, defeated one of his toughest rivals in the 4 Bd2 line many years ago:
(17662) Alekhine, Alexander - Flohr, Salo [C15]
Nottingham 1936
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Bd2 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Qxd4 6.Bd3 Bxd2+ 7.Qxd2 Qd8 8.0–0–0 Qe7 9.Nf3 Nf6 10.Rhe1 Nxe4 11.Rxe4 Nd7 12.Rg4 f5 13.Rf4 Nf6 14.Re1 Bd7 15.Rxf5 0–0–0 16.Ra5 Kb8 17.Ne5 Be8 18.g3 Nd5 19.Re4 Nb6 20.Qe3 Rd5 21.Ra3 Qc5 22.Qxc5 Rxc5 23.f4 Rd5 24.Nf3 Bd7 25.Ng5 Re8 26.c4 Rf5 27.Rd4 Rff8 28.c5 Nd5 29.Bxh7 Bc6 30.Bg6 Re7 31.Nf3 Nf6 32.Ne5 Bd5 33.Re3 Rh8 34.h4 c6 35.Bc2 Rd8 36.Bb3 Rc7 37.Nf3 Re8 38.Ne5 Rec8 39.Bc4 Ka8 40.b4 Rb8 41.g4 b6 42.g5 bxc5 43.bxc5 Nd7 44.Nxd7 Rxd7 45.h5 Rf7 46.Rxe6 Bxe6 47.Bxe6 Rfb7 48.Bb3 Rh8 49.h6 gxh6 50.g6 Rg8 51.f5 Rf8 52.Bc2 h5 53.Rd6 Re7 54.f6 Re1+ 55.Kd2 Rf1 56.f7 h4 57.Rd7 1–0
4..., Ne7 5.e5,..
Alekhine again, this time showing that the alternative idea;5 exd5, does not lead to an easy life for White.:
(7094) Speijer, Abraham - Alekhine, Alexander [C15]
DSB–17.Kongress Hamburg (3), 1910
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Bd2 Ne7 5.exd5 exd5 6.Qf3 Nbc6 7.Bb5 0–0 8.Nge2 Bf5 9.0–0–0 a6 10.Bd3 Bxd3 11.Qxd3 Na5 12.a3 Bxc3 13.Bxc3 Nc4 14.Rde1 Nc6 15.Nf4 Qd6 16.Qf3 Rad8 17.Nd3 a5 18.Qf4 Qxf4+ 19.Nxf4 b5 20.Nd3 Rb8 21.Ne5 N6xe5 22.dxe5 c5 23.b3 d4 24.bxc4 dxc3 25.Re3 b4 26.a4 Rbd8 27.Rhe1 Rd4 28.Re4 Rxe4 29.Rxe4 Rd8 30.e6 fxe6 31.Rxe6 Rd2 32.Re5 Rxf2 33.Kb1 Rf1+ 34.Ka2 Rc1 35.Rxc5 Rxc2+ 36.Kb1 Rb2+ 37.Kc1 Rxg2 38.Rb5 Kf7 39.c5 Ke6 40.c6 Kd6 41.c7 Kxc7 42.Rxa5 Rxh2 0–1
4..., c5 6.Nb5 Bxd2+ 7.Qxd2 0–0 8.dxc5 Nd7 9.b4,..
I played the French pretty frequently and the Winawer was a favorite line, but this stuff never came up in my games. While watching this contest I thought these guys are well out of the book. Wrong again! Turns out all this is really mainstream theory. Karpov played similarly up to this move in;
(222300) Karpov, Anatoly (2750) - Nogueiras, Jesus (2575) [C17]
World Cup Rotterdam, 1989
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 Ne7 5.Bd2 c5 6.Nb5 Bxd2+ 7.Qxd2 0–0 8.dxc5 Nd7 9.f4 Nxc5 10.Nd4 Qb6 11.0–0–0 Bd7 12.Ngf3 Rfc8 13.Qe3 Rc7 14.Kb1 Rac8 15.Rc1 a6 16.g4 Nc6 17.h4 Ne4 18.Rh2 Na5 19.Bd3 Nc5 20.c3 Na4 21.Ka1 Bb5 22.Bb1 Nc4 23.Qe1 Ncxb2 24.Rxb2 Nxb2 25.Kxb2 Be2+ 26.Ka1 Bxf3 27.Nxf3 Qa5 28.Nd4 Qa3 29.Nb3 b5 30.f5 b4 31.Rc2 Rxc3 32.Rb2 a5 33.Qd2 a4 34.Nd4 R3c4 35.fxe6 fxe6 36.Nxe6 Qc3 37.Qxd5 Kh8 38.Ng5 Rf4 39.Ne4 Qc1 40.Rxb4 a3 41.Rb3 1–0
When a former World Champion plays a line against a strong GM, it is by definition theory. During the postmortem of today’s game there was a discussion about whether or not 9 f4, was an improvement over 9 b4. Karpov played the f-pawn forward and castled long, but he by no means got an easy game out of that plan. Nogueiras built a very dangerous looking attack on the White King, and it took all of Karpov’s considerable skill to hold it off. It wasn’t until move 34, after suffering for several moves under serious pressure, did Karpov finally see Nogueiras slip. With the preternatural alertness that the very top players have, Karpov found the right moves and won the game. Given the difficulties Anatoly Karpov experienced, 9 f4, is not markedly superior to the game move.
9..., Nxe5 10.f4 N5c6 11.Nf3 b6!?
During the game I thought this to be the right move. Rybka disagrees. The computer prefers 11..., a5; and then 12 c3 axb5 13 cxb5 Ng6 14 Bd3 Qf6; wins a pawn. White can improve in this line with 14 Rd1, but then 14..., Qf6 15 g6 e5; promises much trouble for the White King. Black is a bit better than equal after the game move, but he could have had more.
12.Nd6 bxc5 13.bxc5 Rb8!?
Another move that I thought well of during play. Once again Rybka sees things differently preferring the counter-intuitive 13..., Nb8. The computer line continues; 14 Qc3 Qc7 15 Bb5 Na6!? 16 Ne8!? (Winning the Exchange because of the mate threat at g7.) 16..., Rxe8 17 Bxe8 Nxc5; and even though White can extract the Bishop from deep behind enemy lines, Black has a considerable initiative. One example of how things go is; 18 Bb5 Qb3 19 Nd4 Ne4 20 Qe3 Qa5+ 21 c3 Ba6. It seems the exposed White King gives Black enough to eventually collect the c-pawn. With two pawns for the Exchange Black has good winning chances.
All that is very complicated, and I am not sure human beings would think that way. It does illustrate what computers can show us about chess positions and expands our view of what is possible on the board.
14.Bd3 Qa5?!
This natural looking move is a mistake. If White plays 15 Qxa5, he obtains a playable game with an edge perhaps after 15..., Nxa5 16 0-0, when Black’s slightly less developed forces need a move or two to get rolling. That is enough time for White to prepare to fight for the b-file. Notice also how difficult it is for Black to line up forces to harvest the isolated pawn at c5. Rybka suggests 14..., Na5; as a better choice for Black at this point. That suggestion by the computer leads to unclear play where White has a decent game.
15.Ng5?!,..
So, instead of a transition to a balanced ending, White creates complications. Why do we chess players go off into the high weeds like this sometimes? Occasionally it is forced upon us by the sporting circumstances; a win is the only useful result. More often it is because we don’t quite grasp all that is going on in a position. I suspect Mr. Kuperman judged the pawn at c5 doomed and went searching for counter-play. The viable alternative mentioned above would have given him an entirely playable game, but he may have undervalued the possibilities available.
15..., h6?
There was a near winning advantage to be had by indulging White in his quest for complications. Correct is 15..., Qxc5; then 16 Bh7+ Kh8 17 Nxc8 Rfxc8 18 Bd3 Kg8 19 c3 Na5; and the awkward White King gives Black a near winning advantage; or, 18 Qd3, threatening 19 Bg8, when 18..., Qb4+ 19 c3 Qxf4; and the Queen trade is forced on White ending the complications to Black’s advantage.
16.Qxa5 Nxa5
White changed his mind after expending a valuable tempo. Black now has a slight edge.
17.Nf3 Bd7 18.Ne5 Ba4 19.a3?,..
The balance has been teetering since the exchange of Queens. White could have continued the delicate struggle with 19 Kd2, solving many problems including connecting his Rooks. The square b4 from which the Black Rook can attack the pawn at f4 superficially looks worrisome, but danger around f7 keeps the doubling of the Black Rooks on the b-file at bay. Also, if Black tries to prepare for doubling of the Rooks with .., f7-f6; the Knight jumps to g6 hitting the Rf8 and the Ne7. The Knight trade brings the White Bishop to g6 ready with its compatriot Nd6 to do damage on e6. In other words playing 19..., Rb4; leads to quite a complicated battle where White has chances. Preventing that possibility while neglecting fixing a big problem in the White position was an incorrect choice.
19..., Nb7
The gift of a tempo gives Black several choices here; 19..., Nc8; 19..., f6; and 19..., Rb2; as well as the text. Long term Black wants the dangling c-pawn. All the options aim at exploiting the Nd6 to make gathering in the pawn on c5 as easy as possible.
20.Bb5?,..
Seemingly letting the c-pawn go to gain time to correct defects with 20 Nxb7 Rxb7 21 Kd2 Rc7 22 Rhb1 f6 23 Nf3, and there is an indirect defense of c5 because of the possible answer Rb1-b7, and if .., Rfc8; the shot Bd3-a6 is a reserve move. Eventually Black will probably find away to collect the pawn, but in the meantime White mobilizes his pieces to obtain counter-play. The game move pins hope on keeping the material balanced by capturing the a-pawn. This hope is flawed because White never connected his Rooks.
20..., Bxb5 21.Nxb5 Nxc5 22.Nxa7?,..
The Grandmasters tell us often in their works it takes more than one mistake to lose a chess game. This is the final error for White. Here 22 Nd4, keeps the fight going even though Black has a winning advantage. After the text extracting the Knight can not be done.
22..., Rb6 23.a4 Ra8
Since the Ra1 is undefended 24 Nb5, meets 24..., Rxb5.
24.Nd3 Nxd3+ 25.cxd3 Rxa7 26.Kd2 Rba6 0–1
An interesting game with positions not commonly met in our local arena. It was particularly satisfying to find some new ideas in lines I thought I knew well. The game was entertaining as well.
More soon.
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