A Game From the Saratoga Championship

The second round of the Saratoga Championship was played Sunday evening. These early rounds have had some attendance problems. Only three of the four scheduled games were played last week and the same again this week. The results were; Steve Taylor defeated Jeff Hrebenach, Lee Battes did the same against David Connors, and I was fortunate enough to have Jonathan Fineberg do something he does rarely - misread a middle game position - granting me a winning attack.

Mr. Taylor is the early leader with wins over Hrebenach and Le Cours. There is a bunch in second with one win; Fineberg, Farrell, Little, Connors and Battes. Le Cours, Hrebenach and Alguire have yet to score. It is early days as yet, and as we get deeper into the schedule things will change. For whom and how much are the unknowns that keep us playing.
My game with Mr. Fineberg was a pretty good effort. Jonathan still has the edge in the overall score: 4 to 3 with two draws. This goes back to the early 1980s. While there are many players who are very tough opponents for me because of their fighting spirit or style, there are some that just know more about chess than I do. Jonathan Fineberg, along with Katrine, Taylor, and more recently Deepak Aaron and his father Asok, are in this group. Draws and wins from these guys are especially satisfying because they are rare for me.

Credit should be given to Michael Mockler for inspiring me to try the variation of the Slav Defense seen in the game. We both studied with GM Har-Zvi for a couple of years. A big piece of that time was given over to an in-depth review of the Slav while the GM was preparing a series of video lectures for ICC. Mr. Mockler subsequently played the variation I used here in games against strong opponents with some success. Watching how Mockler obtained good results led me to change my preference for 4..., dxc4; or 4..., Bf4; to 4..., a6. This time the choice worked out well for me.

Fineberg, Jonathan - Little, Bill [D15]

Saratoga Ch 2010, Saratoga Springs, NY, 10.03.2010

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 c6 3.d4 d5 4.Nf3 a6

I am uncertain of the correct name of this line. In ECO it is classified as D15. There are many games by the 2500-2600-2700 Grandmasters including such lights as Topalov Shirov, Mosesian and Hodgson.

5.c5..,

After the game Jonathan said this is White’s best according to a 1.d4 repertoire book he has on the shelf.

5..., g6

This move is not so popular with the over 2500 crowd. They like 5..., Bf5. The course of the middle game demonstrates why this is so.

6.h3 Bg7 7.Bf4..,

The database show White winning a large number of games from this position. In my ignorance, I liked my position thinking there must be counter-play for Black against the c5-pawn.

7..., 0–0 8.e3 b5!?

Rybka does not give this move any great attention. It is not one of Rybka’s top five suggestions. Why? It seems that White is under no obligation to capture en passant. He could ignore this advance and play 9.g4, emphasizing the White space advantage on the K-side and leaving Black to wonder how he will obtain counter-play.

9.cxb6?!..,

White can’t resist the capture maybe believing the Black c-pawn can become a target. Both players are in unfamiliar territory.

9..., Qxb6 10.Na4?..,

Rybka says White should play 10.Qb3, then if 10..., Qxb3 11 axb3, to be followed shortly by b3-b4 when Black will have the difficult task of holding a position with weak a & c-pawns. The text wastes a tempo and gives Black the time he needs to get to equality.

10..., Qa5+ 11.Nc3 Nbd7!?

Straight away 11.., c5; is probably better.

12.Nd2?!..,

Too slow. Better is 12 Bd3, then 12.., c5 13 0-0 and the position is balanced and the fight is still to crystallize.

12..., c5 13.Be2 cxd4 14.exd4 Bb7 15.0–0 Ne4 16.Nb3 Qb6 17.Nxe4 dxe4 18.Rc1 Rac8 19.Qd2 Rxc1?

Things have proceeded fairly normally if not altogether accurately. There were alternatives move-by-move but no glaring mistakes, at least according to Rybka. Here I fail to do the best thing. It was a struggle to evaluate the line: 19..., Bd5 20 Qa5 Bxb3 21 Qxb6 Nxb6 and so on leading to a decent position for Black. I could not come to a conclusion, and after using significant clock time mulling the decision, took that path I’ve often faulted; simplify rather than endure the tension.

20.Rxc1 Rc8 21.Rxc8+ Bxc8

So now instead of having equality, or maybe a slightly better game, Black is slightly worse than White. If Black wants to fight for the full point, he must look to open lines for his Bishops because it is doubtful there is any way to stop the White Q-side pawns from eventually advancing.

22.Qc2 Bb7 23.Bc7?!..,

White is tempted by the chance of pushing my Queen around. Jonathan and I agreed in the postmortem that 23 Be3, is a better try for White. That move was Rybka’s recommendation also.

23..., Qb4 24.Ba5 Qd6 25.Nc5 Nxc5 26.dxc5 Qc6 27.b4?..,

This maybe the fatal error. Better is 27 Be1, reinforcing f2. The text prevents the Ba5 from participating in the defense. Fineberg decided his charging pawns were so fast I could not do anything important elsewhere on the board. At some point in the last year I had looked at positions where a Bishop and a Queen aim at f2/f7. When there is also a pawn at e4/e5 a good deal of danger for the side under siege can be created. In the position now there are added possibilities because of my Q&B battery on the h1-a8 diagonal. Those studies triggered a search for tactics.

27..., Bd4 28.a4 Qf6

Now the danger signals are loud and persistent. If 29 Bf1 e3 30 Bc7 exf3 31 Kh2 Bxg2 32 Bxg2 Be4+! 33 Bxe4 Qxe4+ 34 Kh1 and mate is unavoidable on the next move. The combination of back rank weakness, dark square holes and the tactic of of discovered check forcing the e-pawn to make a Queen give Black many ways to carry out a mating sequence.

29.Bc4 e3 30.fxe3 Bxe3+ 31.Kh2 Qf4+ 32.Kh1 Qg3 33.c6

A forlorn hope in the truest sense of the phrase from military history describing a sacrifice of troops that can not change the outcome of the battle.

33.., Qe1+, White resigns.

Even surrendering material with 34 Bf1 Qxf1+ 35 Kn2 Bxc6! 36 Qxc6 Qg1+ 37 Kg3 Qf2+ and if 38 Kg4 Qf4#; or 38 Kh2 Bf4+ 39 Kh1 Qf1#.
I don’t know how the remainder of the tourney will turn out, but this is a good beginning for me.
A couple of reminders: Wednesday evening the Albany Area chess Club will hold their organizational for this year. While some of the agenda is the usual important but not terrible interesting housekeeping items such as setting dues, election of officers, some innovated ideas have been mentioned. One is having rated Ladder Play in place of the more common club championship event. Another is scheduling regular training sessions. These may include specific classes for beginners, openings reviews and tactical themes. Thursday evening the Schenectady Chess Club will hold a time-handicap speed tournament. This is an event where ten minutes are unevenly divided by rating and gives the lower rated participant excellent chances to win.

More soon.