An addition to the Schenectady Chess Club’s roster this year are the Calderon’s father and son. Zack, the son took my scalp a few weeks ago. His dad, Herman, has done well also. In today’s game, Herman had chances to upset John Barnes, one of the contenders for a spot in the finals.
Barnes, John - Calderon, Herman [B40]
SCC Ch Prelim B Schenectady, NY, 08.12.2010
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bd3!?,..
A quirky line that is not as bad as first impressions might lead us to believe.
3..., g6!?
Baffled by the White setup, Herman makes a move that weakens his K-side formation. If he wants to play there, more pointed is 3..., g5; threatening to dislocated the Nf3 and provoking White to make a defensive move such as 4 h3. If White plays something like 4 Nc3, ignoring the aggression, Black then can probably safely chase the White pieces with pawn advances.
4.c3 Bg7 5.Bc2 Nc6 6.d3 Nge7 7.Be3 b6 8.Nbd2 0–0 9.g4?!,..
If White really wants to get in his own aggressive actions on the K-side, it may well be better to begin with 9 h4. Putting the pawn on g4 carries with it the obligation for a follow-on move if Black reacts correctly by advancing his d-pawn.
9..., d5
The correct answer. We can see now that 10 exd5, is less than tempting because 10..., exd5; and the g-pawn is hit by the Bc8 with play continuing 11 h3 f5; threatening 12..., f4; and suddenly things are sticky for White. He has his King in the center with a couple moves to be made before the King can castle long, or he can castle short into a very airy fortress because of the early advance of the pawns. If opening the center is not a good idea, what then? Not much apparently, we see the Nd2 soon sent to b3, dismal post for a gallant horseman and the c-file open making any notion of the Q-side as a refuge for the White King doubtful, and Black has the initiative in hand.
10.Nb3 e5 11.Rg1 Be6
This move can not be labeled an error, it is however, not quite the best either. 11..., Ba6; is more active. Black should not be angling for a locking up of the center while the safety of the White King is open to question.
12.h4 d4 13.cxd4 cxd4 14.Bd2 a5?!
Move order matters more often than not. An approach that pays attention to defensive needs whilst preparing for further aggression is 14..., Qc8; threatening the pawn on g4, then 15 Nh2, a posting that is less dangerous for Black than at f3, and following with 15..., a5; planning to put the Queen on a6 and the Knight on b4 to pressure d3. Playing this way Black would have given White much to think about. Black threatens to occupy the c-file and wants to use c2 for a Knight or a Rook.
15.h5,..
Black is somewhat better and White thinks to create some counter-play with direct threats on the Black King.
15..., h6?!
This move has long term consequences. It leads to some weaknesses around the King. Better is 15..., Nb4; giving White something to be concerned about on the Q-side and retaining an advantage. Jeremy Silman, the IM and noted chess teacher, on John Watson’s ICC show “Chess Talk” recently commented more or less as follows: One of the differences between better players and more ordinary players is their attitude towards threats made by the opponent. The better players seem to react by saying to themselves “BS - that can’t be a serious threat” and set about proving the opponent wrong. More ordinary players take the threats seriously and react to them. Here Mr. Calderon reacts when he could have made his own threats. After the game move the edge goes to White.
16.g5 hxg5 17.Nxg5 Qd7 18.Nxe6?!..,
Mr. Barnes could have tried a more imaginative approach. Here the sacrificial line; 18 hxg6 fxg6? 19 Nc5! Bxc5 20 Nxe6, and if 20..., Qxe6 21 Bb3 wins. If Black can not recapture on g6 with the f-pawn, he must take with the Knight, so; 18..., Nxf6 19 Qh5, and White is making progress in building his attack.
18..., Qxe6 19.Qf3 Qf6!?
Black does not see that he needs an escape route for his King. Better 19..., Rfc8; or 19..., a4; driving the Knight followed by 20..., Rfc8.
20.Qh3,..
White is thinking about a sequence where the h-pawn is pushed to h6, then to h7 with check leading to mate on h6 by the Queen . Herman sees the same thing but he does not think about other ways to counter other than playing minor pieces to obstruct the g-file.
20..., Nb4?
This the resource Calderon has been counting on, but it is not quite right.
21.Bb1?
Much better is 21 Bxb4, then the required 21..., axb4 22 h6 Bh8 23 h7+ Kg7 24 Nd2, leads to a marked advantage for White. The problem with the text is Black can play 24..., Qc6; and if 25 h6 Bf6; removes much of the sting from the charging h-pawn. Had Herman taken advantage of this chance, John would have had to return to maneuvering and searching for an opportunity.
21..., gxh5?
One more time missing the idea of an escape square for the King. Necessary is 21..., Rfc8.
22.a3 Nbc6 23.Qxh5 Nd8
It is an unnecessary quibble to be critical of this move. Some better is 23..., Ng6 right away. In either case White has an strong attack.
24.Ba2 Rc8 25.Nxd4!,..
After a bit of uncertainty in the beginning, John Barnes got his pieces into very active play, he then took advantage of the errors his opponent made.
25..., exd4 26.Bh6 Ng6?
The better alternative is 26..., Rc5; then 27 Bxg7 Qxg7 (If 27..., Rxh5 28 Bxf6+ and 29 Bxe7 leaves White up a minor piece and a pawn.) 28 Rxg7+ Kxg7 29 Qg4+ when the Queen is more than a match for the R&N compensation, but there are certainly some technical difficulties for White to deal with. GM Har-Zvi pointed out frequently to us in his Saturday group that, when there is no choice, accepting a disadvantage that sets technical problems is the correct way to proceed.
27.Rxg6 Black resigns 1-0.
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If now 27..., Rc5 28 Qg4 Rg5 29 Qxg5 Qxg5 30 Rxg5, and Black will be at a great material disadvantage, too great for the game to long continue.
More tomorrow.
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