While David Finnerman and Michael Kline are clearly in contention for first place in the Schenectady Consolation Swiss, just behind them are some players with visions of moving up in the race. Two with ambitions are David Connors and Matthew Clough. They met last week in a short, sharp fight that could have gone either way.
Clough, Matthew - Connors, David [B00]
Consolation Swiss Schenectady, NY, 17.02.2011
1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Bd3 Nf6
Shades of my computer! An old “Chessmaster” program I had some years back played this way as Black against 1.e4, every time. I don’t think there is some colorful name for the line, but it can work well enough. Objectively, White is better already, but there are many ways for Black to press the big center White is building and obtain counter-play.
4.Nc3 e6 5.Nge2 Bb4 6.0–0 0–0 7.Bg5?!,..
What I learned from playing the CM program is White must take his chances when presented. If he does not do so, Black can often get away with his restrained and provocative treatment of the opening. Here it is logical for White to take the space offered with 7 e5, then a) 7..., Nd5 8 Nxd5 Bxd5 9 Nf4, and the White pieces gathering on the K-side are a problem for Black, or b) 7..., Ne8 8 a3 Be7 9 Be3, and White is ahead in development while the Black forces cut a sorry picture notwithstanding the excellent sweep of the Bb7. The problem for Black is none of his other pieces are placed to support the Bb7. After the text White has no more than the edge expected from the first move.
7..., Be7 8.f3?!,..
Mr. Clough is being very cautious by building a pawn barricade along the long diagonal to blunt the action of the Bb7.
8..., d5 9.e5 Nfd7 10.Bxe7 Qxe7
The result of 7 Bg5, and the blocking of the long diagonal by pawns is the latent K-side attacking possibilities in the White position are much reduced. The game is dead level.
11.Nb5 Rc8
Black could have made White worry some by trying 11..., a6!? If then 12 Nxc7 Ra7; and White will have to surrender the Knight for two pawns. I think the game move is just as good as my suggestion and maybe a bit safer. If Black offers with 11..., a6; and White agrees with 12 Nxc7, to the material imbalance, White has a very nice layout of his forces while Black still has to untangle his pieces on the Q-side. There are then certainly opportunities for White to gain space in the center preparing an onslaught on the Black King.
12.f4 a6 13.Na3 c5 14.c3 Nc6 15.Rc1 cxd4 16.cxd4 Nb4 17.Rxc8+ Rxc8 18.Bb1 f6
Here Black should consider also 18..., f5; making White decide whether to capture on f6, or to allow the K-side to be blockaded. Black would not be upset at all by White taking in passing on f6. He could recapture with the pawn an d be ready to play ..,e6-e5; trying to free the Bb7.
An aspect of the struggle in chess is putting such decisions on your opponent’s plate. Some players can fight effectively against direct threats but are not so good if they are repeatedly faced with longer term kinds of choices.
19.Rf3 fxe5?
Handing some small immediate advantage to White. Opening lines on the K-side is not recommended by the opposing layouts of forces: White has his pieces aimed at the Black King. Black should be thinking of ways to do something positive with the Bb7 all the while maintaining a watchful eye on what sort of activity White has in mind on the K-side. A natural plan is; 19..., f5 20 Nc2 Nc6 21 Rc3 a5 22 Ne1 Ba6 23 Bd3 Ndb8 24 Bxa6 Nxa6; and White has some advantage because of his edge in space, but with careful play Black can hold the game. After the text, Black must be ever watchful about some sudden assault on his King.
20.fxe5 Nxe5?
This apparently a miscalculation by Mr. Connors. One has to admire David’s bold imagination in seeking a combinative solution here. The conception is flawed but it can cause White real problems. Much more prosaic and correct is something like 20..., Rf8 21 Nf4 g5 22 Nh5 Rxf3 23 Qxf3 Nc6; and if 24 Nf6+? Nxf6 25 exf6 Qf8. Then if White gets too ambitious with 26 Qh5?, Black has balancing counter-play in the tactical interlude; 26..., Qxf6 27 Qxh7+ Kf8 28 Qxb7 Qxd4+, and White will find it very difficult not to avoid some kind of draw by repeating some position. In this line a too adventurous march of the White King will end in mate on some unlikely square.
The last few moves of the game have a couple of largish oversights.
21.dxe5 Qc5+ 22.Kf1?..,
With 22 Qd4, white would have refuted Black’s idea decisively. Even 22 Kh1, is superior to the text.
22..., d4 23.Rh3 g6?
Escaping from danger and taking control of the game with 23..., Rf8+!; is best. It seems to win in all variations. After 24 Ke1 Bxb2!, devalues the move 25 Bxh7+, because any discovered check is answered by capturing the checking Rook on h3. If White plays alertly 25 Qb3, then Black continues his aggression with 25..., Rf1+ 26 Kd2 Nd5 27 Bxh7+ Kf8; and the looming threat of the Black Queen checking from a5 leaves White in great trouble. White now sees things clearly.
24.Qxd4 Qc6 25.Qg4 1–0
Black is down a full piece, and so the resignation is not without justification, but worth a try is 25..., Rf8+ 26 Ke1 Qxg2; hoping for 27 Qxg2
Bxg2; and Black can fight on a little while longer. Of course, if White finds the superior 27 Qh4!, then Black has less reason to carry on with 27..., Qf1+ 28 Kd2 Rf7 29 Bxg6 Rd7+ 30 Bd3 Rxd3 31 Rxd3 Nxd3 32 Qd8+ Kg7 33 Qxd3, and the White King is relatively secure from harassment by the Black Queen.
An International Master recently gave a video lecture on ICC. In it he commented on the phenomenon of mistakes in chess games coming pairs; first on side errs and the other responds with his own mistake. Neither the IM in the lecture, nor me here and now, have any firm idea of the why behind such happening, but this was one more example.
This was quite an entertaining game. Matthew Clough has only one other win in this year’s tournaments at SCC, a rather pretty win from John Barnes, a Class A player in the Preliminaries. He shown well in that contest as he did here, both against higher rated, more experienced opponents. The mystery is why hasn’t Matt won more games? Maybe next year he’ll gain consistency and advance his rating to his actual strength.
More soon.
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