The Henner v Le Cours Game Decides the Match

The last game to finish in the Albany A - Geezers CDCL match was on board 3.  There two solid Class A and sometime Expert players had the fate of both teams in their hands.  Alan Le Cours by this point understood only a win would salvage a result for the Geezers.  A drawn match would have solidified the Geezers lead in the League competition.  Such was not to be, and Albany A’s victory has to be credited to Mr. Henner’s good effort.

Henner, Peter - Le Cours, Alan [A05]
CDCL Match; Albany A versus Geezers, Guilderland, NY, 25.04.2012

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.d3 d6 5.e4 c5

In my youth this was very popular.  It is classified as the Reti Opening, but the formation, with a Black pawn on c5, is also related to the Closed Variation of the Sicilian Defense.

Some classically oriented writers back in the 1950s said playing this way was a sort of rearrangement of the pieces before getting on with the game. It may be called a kind of Fischer-Random chess long before Bobby floated his idea about refreshing chess.

The position can be reached by various move orders:

(67532) Botvinnik, Mikhail - Van den Berg, Carel Benjamin [A05]
Noordwijk (6), 1965
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d3 g6 4.g3 Bg7 5.Bg2 Nf6 6.0–0 0–0 7.c3 Nc6 8.Nbd2 Rb8 9.Re1 b5 10.d4 b4 11.d5 bxc3 12.bxc3 Na5 13.Bf1 Nd7 14.Qc2 Nb6 15.Nb3 Nac4 16.a4 a5 17.Nfd2 Nxd2 18.Bxd2 Bd7 19.Nxa5 Nxd5 20.exd5 Qxa5 21.Rxe7 Rb7 22.Ree1 Rfb8 23.Ra2 h5 24.h4 Be5 25.c4 Qd8 26.Bc3 Bxc3 27.Qxc3 Rb3 28.Qa1 Bf5 29.Rae2 Rb1 30.Qc3 Rxe1 31.Rxe1 Rb4 32.a5 Ra4 33.Ra1 Rxa1 34.Qxa1 Qa8 35.Qa4 Kg7 36.a6 Qa7 37.Qc6 Bd7 38.Qb7 1–0

In the above game, the Sicilian move order led to the same position as in our game.  The former World Champion Botvinnik elected to proceed thematically by preparing the center expansion with 7 c3.  Black countered with a standard plan; an attempted Q-side space grab via 9..., b5.

The following game tracks more closely to today’s game.  Black obtains a better central position out of the opening and converts that to a win.

(229485) Averbakh, Yuri L (2470) - Gruenfeld, Yehuda (2530) [A05]
GMA Baleares Open, Palma de Mallorca (4), 1989
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.g3 Nf6 4.d3 g6 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.0–0 0–0 7.e5 dxe5 8.Nxe5 Nfd7 9.Nc4 Nb6 10.Ne3 Nc6 11.Nc3 f5 12.f4 Be6 13.Bd2 Qd7 14.b3 Bf7 15.Rb1 Rad8 16.Kh1 h5 17.Ne2 Bf6 18.Ng1 Kg7 19.Nf3 Rh8 20.Be1 Nd5 21.Qe2 Qc7 22.Nxd5 Bxd5 23.Bf2 Nd4 24.Bxd4 cxd4 25.Rfe1 Rc8 26.Rbc1 Qa5 27.a4 Rc7 28.Rcd1 Rhc8 29.Rd2 Rc3 30.Ne5 Rxc2 31.Nc4 Rxd2 32.Qxd2 Qxd2 33.Nxd2 Bxg2+ 34.Kxg2 Rc3 35.Kf2 Rxd3 36.Ke2 Rc3 37.b4 h4 38.gxh4 Bxh4 39.Rh1 g5 40.fxg5 Re3+ 41.Kf1 Bxg5 0–1

In the following game, Black tries fortifying the center with a stonewall-like pawn formation.  White attacks it head-on and destroys it.  The wreckage of the Black center left weak pawns.  This allowed White to find a transaction leading to the material imbalance of two Rooks plus a pawn versus a Queen.  Sometimes a Queen can do very well in such situations.  This time the Queen had too many weaknesses to defend and the Rooks were well coordinated.

(668262) Sutovsky, Emil (2656) - Dominguez, Lenier (2594) [A05]
10th Valle d'Aosta Open, Saint Vincent (7), 15.02.2002
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.g3 Nf6 4.d3 g6 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.0–0 Nc6 7.Re1 0–0 8.c3 e5 9.Nbd2 h6 10.a3 Be6 11.b4 a6 12.Nb3 c4 13.dxc4 Bxc4 14.Nfd2 Be6 15.c4 Nd7 16.Bb2 Rc8 17.Rc1 Nb6 18.Bf1 Nd4 19.Na5 Qd7 20.Bxd4 exd4 21.Ndb3 Na4 22.Nxd4 b6 23.Nxe6 fxe6 24.Nb3 Qf7 25.Rc2 Nb2 26.Qxd6 Nxc4 27.Bxc4 Rxc4 28.Qxf8+ Qxf8 29.Rxc4 Qf3 30.Re3 Qd1+ 31.Kg2 Qd7 32.Nc1 b5 33.Rc2 Qd1 34.Rc8+ Kh7 35.Rd3 Qe1 36.Rd7 1–0

So what does all this history mean?  Very strong players have taken both sides of the debut, and there are several different reasonable plans for both Black and White.  There are some Grandmasters that hold the early placement of a Knight on f3 is fundamentally flawed for White in openings that are Q-side oriented.  The Knight move foregoes too soon the possibility of using the f-pawn to support an eventual advance of the White e-pawn.  And, there are others that have a very different view; see the above games.  Which view is correct is very probably determined by the style of the player making the choice.  Some, those viewing an early Nf3 as a bad idea, prefer laying out their games on broad strategic lines.  The others see chess as so full of possibilities that many roads lead to rich positions.  They count on their creativity to see them through to success.

Returning to the game:    

6.e5,..

As in Averbakh - Gruenfeld.

6..., dxe5 7.Nxe5 0–0

Both sides have opened the lines of their fianchettoed Bishops.  Effectively dealing with mutual threats to the b-pawns will be a concern for both players.

8.0–0 Nbd7 9.Nc4 Nb6 10.Nxb6 Qxb6 11.Nc3 Be6 12.Qf3 Rab8 13.Bf4!?,..

White plows straight ahead.  At this point things can become tactical after; 13..., Qxb2 14 Bxb8 Rxb8 15 Qf4 Rd8 16 Qd2 Nd7; and Black has several threats for the Exchange.  One line is; 17 Nd5 Bxd5 18 Bxd5 Ne5 19 Bg2 b6; when Black has only a pawn for the Exchange, but the activity of his pieces offers hope for equality.  The line offers temptation for White.  He could easily go wrong if he is greedy with say; 19 Rfb1?  This error is answered by 19..., Rxd5!, and then 20 Rxb2 Nf6+; wins for neatly for Black.

A more careful approach for White is 13 a4, aiming to kick the Qb6, relieving some pressure on b2.    

13..., Bg4 14.Qe3 Rbd8

Black does not take the b-pawn.  Maybe he was worried about how poisonous it might be, or he was not willing to invest material for nebulous positional benefits and potential tactical tricks.

15.Na4!?,..

Sending the Knight to the “rim” is a risk.  White wants the c-pawn and he hopes for benefit if Black takes the b-pawn in return.  A direct defense of b2 with Rab1, is better.  The net result of the transaction carried out is the Knight is parked on b3 where it is not very effective for a long time.

15..., Qb5 16.Nxc5 b6 17.Nb3 Nd5

The cost of winning the c-pawn is now paid.  White has to surrender the Bishop pair.

18.Bxd5 Qxd5 19.f3 Bh3 20.Rf2 Rfe8

Not 20..., Bxb2? Because 21 c4, gives White a sizable advantage.

21.Qe2?!,..

This is doubtful.  Getting the Ra1 into play with 21 Re1, has to be a better choice.

21..., h5!?

Why not right away 21..., g5; driving back the Bf4, or 21..., Qf5; making real the threat to capture on b2?  Both alternatives are more forceful than the text.

22.Re1 g5 23.Be5 f6 24.Bc3 e5

Black is betting on some kind of pawn rush to compensate him for the pawn minus.  Three things are wrong with this idea; the Bg7 is not an active participant in the plan, carrying out the preliminaries has allowed White’s Bishop to take up a much more active post; c3 versus f4, and there is a lingering danger that the Bh3 may be surrounded if White can safely play g3-g4.  This latter nagging concern appears to be behind next sequence for Black.    

25.Qe4 Qf7

Also, 25..., Qd7; could be tried.  The text keeps the White Queen out of g6.

26.g4 f5?

This turns a level struggle into a mopping-up operation.  Keeping the fight going with 26..., Qd7; probably requires White to play; 27 gxh5, then; 27..., Bf5 28 Qc4+ Be6 29 Qa6 Bf8; and Black has not let White obtain a clear advantage.  It is true White has two extra pawns, but the Bishops are beginning to show signs of life and the White K-side will take some careful tending lest some of these scattered pawns fall.

I believe Black had decided a few moves earlier to mix things up with the f-pawn charge, probably around the time he played; 23..., f6.  Down a pawn and not liking how the game was unfolding, Mr. Le Cours may have been discouraged about his long term chances and decided going down swinging was a better option than long struggle promising only a draw with best play by both sides.  He was also aware the Geezers were trailing by a point, and a draw was not good enough to split the match point.  Playing as part of a team in chess can often put you in such circumstances; risks have to be taken to achieve a team result that might be avoided in an individual contest.  

27.Qxf5 Qxf5 28.gxf5 Bxf5 29.Rfe2!,..

Exactly!  The e-pawn is very difficult to defend.

29..., Rc8

Making a threat on the c2-pawn that is not really a threat.  If 30 Bxe5 Bxe5 31 Rxe5, there is no time available for Black to capture on c2; too many threats by White.

30.d4?,..

White believes the threat, or he is just be extra careful.  I don’t know which, but the move lets slip some of the advantage.

30..., g4 31.fxg4 Bxg4

The Black Bishop pair now have room in which to work.  Fortunately for White and the Albany A team, Peter has enough time remaining to see his way through the dangers.

32.Re3 Bf6 33.dxe5 Bg5 34.Rd3 Bh4  35.Re4,..

If 35..., Bf5? 36 Rxh4 Bxd3 37 cxd3, and the h-pawn is doomed after 37..., Rcd8 38 Nc1, making the material advantage a full three pawns.

35...,  Rf8

I had a momentary hallucination that this move threatened mate, but no, everything is covered.

36.Rd2?,..

A slip at the final moment nearly spoiling a good effort.  The move 36 Nd2, preserves the win.

36..., Bg5?

And here is a an error in return.  A reward for risk taking could be had with 36..., Bh3.  That is a mate threat now.  White would then have to play 37 Rg2+, I think.  After 37..., Bxg2 38 Kxg2, Black is just slightly better than  White.  Not much reward for all those risks taken you say?  Well, pulling up equal or a tad better is no mean feat.  The position after 38 Kxg2, offers Black some winning chances, and that was the justification for the pawn charge on the K-side I supposed.  In defense of Mr. Le Cours, it must be said he used considerable time searching for these ideas in a tough position.  His clock was now down to less than two minutes remaining.  Time for the required accuracy was no longer to be had, and White finds a tactical solution.

37.Rg2 Rf3 38.Rexg4 hxg4 39.Rxg4 Rf5 40.h4 1–0

The Bg5 is lost, and clock for Black is hanging by a thread while White has enough time left to bring the game to a finish.  This was a sparkling fight where both sides gave their best efforts for their teams.  It was an entertaining game to watch, and I am sure, a tough game to play.  We, the chess fans, appreciate such endeavors.    

More soon.