Loose Ends from Last Year

A problem I have been working on is how to post diagrams to this blog. So far no simple solution has turned up. I wrote the following comments the day after the Chi - Barnes game in the Schenectady Championship and delayed posting in hopes of working out how to create a diagram. Rather than delaying longer, here are the notes.

Schenectady Championship, Preliminary Section B
12/3/09
White: Chi, Patrick
Black: Barnes, John
Round 8

White pieces:
Kh2, Bg3,Qg4
Pawns; a4,b3,e5,f4,g2
Black pieces:
Kg8, Ne6, Qd4
Pawns; a6,b6,c5,f7,g5

White to move
　
The final few moves of one of the critical battles for a qualifying spot in the Finals of the Schenectady Championship had John Barnes in some time trouble. He was just at five minutes left on the clock. Patrick was in better shape. He had 23 minutes remaining.

Just before the above position came about, there was an exchange of both sets of Rooks around the d-file and d5 brought about by Barnes. I don’t have a complete game score, but it is possible John could have used a tempo spent in the trading to remove his King from the g-file. Such a removal would eliminate some tactical chances that White has in the game as played. It would be interesting to see if that was a real possibility, or were there tactical things available to Patrick that would make such a move more dangerous than the game continuation.

1. Kh3 ….
There is no real alternative to this move here. Patrick must have had this move in mind when entered the Rook trading sequence leading to this point. I wonder what his evaluation of the resulting positions were?

1.… Nxf4+
My computer likes 1..., Qe3; and playing out the line seems to lead to a Black advantage: 1..., Qe3; 2 fxg5, Qxb3; (A most important post for the Black Lady where she pins the Bg3 and guards the Ne6. This double duty is important. It costs White a tempo to get out of the pin and clipping the “button” clears the way for the pawns on the Q-side.) 3 fxg5, b5; 4 Qf5, fxg6; 5 Qxg6+, Kf8; 6 Kh2, Qd5!; and Black is a bit better than White. The Black pawns are more dangerous than the White K-side pawns. Of course, with dwindling clock time, it is not easy to see clearly to the end all the alternatives defenses for White. Playing 1..., Qe3; would be an intuitive decision. The capture on f4 is something more easily calculated - fewer choices, more forced moves -

The text should take Black to a safe haven of a draw if followed up correctly. It is clear that John understands where Black can make threats to balance the game; The underlying idea for Black is to sell off his Q-side majority to equalize.

2. Bxf4 Qxf4
3. Qxf4 gxf4
4. Kg4 Kg7?!
Taking the very narrow and dangerous path where there was an easier road to equality. By playing 4..., Kf8; and bringing the King to e6 threatening the pawn on e5 Black can hold. John decides to hold the …, b5; push back for a move or two. As long as White leaves the pawn on g2, there is no danger that the Black King will undertake the long march to snatch it off, the Black pawn on f7 is too vulnerable. It seems reasonable that Barnes thought the presence of his King on the flank would inhibit the White King from taking a dominant central position.

5. Kxf4 Kg6?
Just abut losing the game. 5..., Kf8; belatedly heading for e6 is not lost, but again there is a very narrow route to the draw. The natural 5..., b5; setting up a balancing distant passed pawn is best here.

6. Ke4 b5
7. Kd5? ….
Patrick goes wrong just as he had the chance to win the game. Best is 7 a5, putting into the bank a potential game winning pawn on the sixth. Play could continue; 7..., Kg5; 8 Kd5, c4; 9 bxc4; b4; 10 Kd4, Kf4; 11 g3+!!, (This subtlety is necessary, White wants the Black King on f5 so the White c-pawn Queens with check.) 11..., Kf5; 12 c5, b3; 13 c6, b2 14 c7, b1 (Q); 15 c8 (Q)+, Kg5; 16 Qg8+, and White will pick off the f-pawn with check eventually and soon or late the Black pawn at a6 falls also. There was enough time on Patrick’s clock for him to calculate this. He may have been caught up in John’s time pressure excitement thinking by moving quickly John will be hurried into an error. I know only too well how such play gives the opponent chances to recover. GM Har-Zvi has often said; when your opponent is in time trouble make no hasty move, enjoy his discomfort and play good moves. Make him prove he can defend.

7.… bxa4??
Patrick’s bet pays off, and Barnes errs. If Barnes had played 7..., c4!; the play is very intense but a draw is still possible. For example; 7..., c4; 8 axb5, cxb3; when Black Queens first and although a pawn down, Black can chase the White King to his heart’s content. Or, 7.., c4; 8 bxc4, bxa5; 9 Kd4, a3; 10 Kc3, Kf5; and it is clear that White will have to be extremely accurate not to lose the final phase of the ending. Barnes was moving almost instantly at this point in the game.

8. bxa4 Kf5
9. Kxc5 Kxe5
10. Kb6 Kd6
The alternative 10..., Kf4; is lost, but it does at least force Patrick to calculate some long lines if he does not know the theory of Queen and pawn endings. The game move must be based on the hope that Chi will put his King into a cul-de-sac and be run out of moves.

11. Kxa6 Kc6
12. a5 f5
13. g3 Kc7
Now the Black King has to give way and White wins easily.

14. Kb5 …..
The game ran on for a few more moves on momentum but they are little interest.

This coming Thursday is the last scheduled round in the Schenectady
tournament. There are no pairings in the Prelim Section A that seem dramatic other than Qu - Connors. This game may determine who has the honor of finishing with the best score under-1800. I am scheduled to face my good friend Richard Chu. Richard has shown some good results this year, and he always is a problem if he brings his best chess to the board. This game has the greatest potential for an upset this week.

In Prelim Section B may have more interest. Lack and Barnes are scheduled to play each other, Saran and Phillips also, and with a chance for an upset exists in the match-up of Dipre (1430) versus Cory Northrup (932). Northrup stood up well against GM Har-Zvi in a game published in Bill Townsend's column this past Sunday. If he plays that solidly against Mr. Dipre. who knows what the outcome will be. 　

Saratoga is in the midst of make-up rounds. I was unable to attend Sunday's session at Saratoga and do not have results from whatever games were played Sunday. With some luck I will get those results and hope to publish them here tomorrow or the next day.