Delayed News from Schenectady

Last Thursday was a make-up round in both the Finals and the Consolation Swiss at the Schenectady Club. Two games were played; Howard - Rotter in the Finals, won by Bobby Rotter and Little - Barnes in the Swiss which was drawn.

The first game we will look at is Howard - Rotter. In it Bobby gets to play his favored Scandinavian versus 1 e4. He has been specializing in this, particularly the 2..., Nf6; variations for some while. Based on a conversation with Dean after the game, I think Bobby has a deeper and wider familiarity with these lines than does Dean. Rotter’s preparation has led to several good results against 1 e4, and this is one more.

SCC Ch Finals 09-10
Date: 3-31-2010
White: Howard, D
Black: Rotter, B

1. e4 d5
2. exd5 Nf6
3. d4 Nxd5
4. c4 Nb6
5. Nf3 Bg4
Rotter likes the Portuguese variations. This is not it exactly. The game is pretty much in the main line of the Scandinavian with just a touch of Portuguese thrown in.

6. Be3!? ….
More usual is 6 Be2. The most daring is 6 c5. If then 6..., Nd5; 7 Qb3; leads to some advantage for White. GM John Emms believes that 6..., N6d7; is best for Black and White can obtain some advantage after 7 Bc4, e6; 8 Nc3, Be7; 9 h3, Bh5; 10 Be3, Nc6; 11 a3, promises nothing great for White. In his book The Scandinavian, Everyman, London, 2004, Emms says 11 Qe2!, leads to a somewhat better game for White, plus over equals in ECO speak. The game move takes a less critical path.

6.… e6
7. Be2 Nc6
Black is counting continuing piece pressure to get some compromise of the White pawn structure. That is a slender reed upon which to craft a victory. My own excursions in the Scandinavian have often lead to draws if the player of the White pieces has even a general idea of what needs doing. White has space. That can offset even the loss of a pawn, sometimes.

8. O-O ….
Possible is 8 Nc3, getting everything developed. The pawn at c4 is really not in grave danger.

8.… Bxf3
9. Bxf3 Nxc4
10. Qa4 Nb6
11. Bxc6+ bxc6
12. Qxc6+ Qd7
13. Qc2!? …..
Emms states 13 Qf3, is best for White. It is possible Dean was concerned that after 13 Qf3, there was something is 13..., Qb5; for Black. The offer of the b-pawn in the line 13 Qf3, Qb5; 14 Nc3!, Qxb2; 15 Qc6+, Kd8; 16 d5!, is too risky to accept. In which case, White completes his development with Nb1-c3 and Ra1-c1, when he can consider bringing the Knight to e4 making threatening gestures about a direct attack on the Black King as well as looking something down the c-file. The game move is less dynamic than 13 Qf3, giving Black a chance to equalize.

13.… Bd6
14. Nc3 O-O
15. Rac1 Rac8
16. Rfd1 Rfd8
17. Ne4 Be7
Black is too interested in safety. With 17..., Nd5; he could obtain some solid initiative. It is unlikely White would capture the Be6 straightening out Black’s pawn formation and leaving the Nd5 unopposed.

18. Qc6 ….
If White has any edge at all it is in the element of space. The principles of positional play don’t recommend voluntarily exchanging Queens when you are ahead in space, it just eases the defender’s task. A reasonable try is 18 Bg5, offering to trade the Bishops. In this case, the Black Bishop is a little better than the White piece so that is a plus for White, and the Knight coming to g5 may induce …, g7-g6; leaving dark square holes for the Queen and Knight to exploit if Black is not careful. Of course, Black could play 18..., f6; avoiding the trade. Minor piece trades can then easily take place at c5 - White N and Black B, and at e3 Black N and White B; leaving a heavy piece ending with both sides defending weak pawns, a dynamically balanced game with equal chances.

18.… f5
19. Qxd7 Rxd7
20. Nc5 Bxc5
21. dxc5 Rxd1+
22. Rxd1 Nd5
Black entered the potentially inferior ending counting on the strength of the outpost Nd5 and the fact of having Rooks on changes the relationship of Bishop versus Knight with pawns on both sides of the board. The side having the Knight will not be willing to trade Rooks unless he can see a definite advantage resulting. Absent obvious targets for the Bishop and Rook to combine against, and with the Knight has a good post, the game is equal.

23. c6 ….
White elects to take on commitments in an effort to strike for victory. If he wanted to play safe, White could play here 23 Bd4; defending the pawn on c5 and covering e5 and a draw seems likely.

23.… Rb8
24. b3 Rb5
25. Rd3 a6
26. a4 Rb8
White has been relying on the tactic; if the Black Rook is off the back rank and the Nd5 moves away, White Rook checks on the d-file can win the Black c-pawn. This background tactic will only hold until Black takes steps to correct the situation. Black’s last sequence of moves seemed to be motivated by a wish to tempt White into continuing a policy of taking on commitments.

27. h3 Kf7
28. Bd2? ….
Dean now shrinks at making one more committal move, 28 f4, and if 28..., Nxe3; the complicated Rook and Pawn ending coming is likely drawn but not without some tricks. Given the usual state of Dean’s clock calculating some lengthy lines was a problem. Also playing a part was the sporting circumstances. Mockler and Sells had a half-point less in the loss column and are leading the event. In a tourney of only five rounds with such closely matched contestants a win is vital if there is the chance. This game was Dean’s last chance to put up a score. It was his last game in the event. Everyone else has at least a couple of games to play. The combination of factors persuaded Dean to avoid the minor piece trade keeping a winning chance alive. Black now gets an edge while time trouble makes White task tougher.

28... Ke7?
Better 28..., Rb6; simply winning a pawn.

29. Be3 ….
Going back is no cure for what troubles White’s game.

29.… Kd6
30. Ba7 Ra8
Dawdling a bit, but not too much. Black would have to completely lose track of the thread for the game to slip away now.

31. Bd4 g6
32. Rd1 Kxc6
33. Be5 Rb8
34. Rc1+ Kd7
35. Rb1 Rb4
36. Kf1 c6
37. Bg7 Rb7
38. Bf8 e5
39. Bc5 a5
40. Rb2 Ke6
41. Ke2? ….
With little time left to think, White makes a mistake, and the Q-side falls followed by a full piece.

41.… Nc3+
42. Ke1 Nxa4
43. Rc2 Rxb3
44. Rc4 Nb2
45. Rh4 Nd3+
46. Resigns.
The win brings Mr. Rotter up to an even score for the event, 1-1 with three games to play. If he can win them all, first, or a tie for first is possible. As Dean said right after play ended: I may not be first, but I was first to finish.” As it stands now, Mockler, Sells and Chi have two games to play and Phillips one game to play. With everyone losing at least once, visions of play-off games are dancing the TD’s head.

Some computer problems have made the time needed to write this post much longer than I anticipated. In the interest of getting something up on the blog, my game with Barnes will be posted tomorrow.