Cory Northrup scrambled into a tie for second place in the Consolation Swiss with a win over Richard Chu last Thursday. The game began with a rather interesting piece of theory, although I am not sure either player was following some book. Towards the end of the opening phase Mr. Chu began to go wrong, not seriously so, but enough to give his position some deficits. Further mistakes in the middle game gave Black a serious advantage. The Queen + Bishop against Queen + Knight ending saw errors made by both players. Time trouble was not a real factor for either side.
Chu, Richard - Northrup, Cory [A47]
SCC Consolation Swiss Schenectady, NY, 03.03.2011
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 b6 4.Bd3 Bb7 5.0–0 c5 6.b3 Nc6 7.Bb2 Be7
A number of pretty strong international players have played both sides of this line. It is at the intersection of the London, Torre and Colle Systems. It was popular in the 1980s. Andras Adorjan, the Hungarian GM played the Black side to victory against Attila Groszpeter in the Hungarian Championship 1984. That game is a good example of how the GMs play the line. There Black went for a “hedgehog” kind of formation. White over-extended his center, and the “..hog” got another victim when the big center collapsed.
8.Nbd2 0–0 9.Re1 d5
Cory opts for his own large center rather than the “hedgehog” of Andorjan with the moves 9..., cxd5; and a later .., d7-d6. The “mighty” Rybka, while it prefers by a little bit the “hedgehog” approach, does not see anything in particular wrong with the game move.
10.c4?!,..
This move is doubtful. In the GM games looked at for this article, White most often played a2-a3 here and avoided pushing the c-pawn to c4. It is a backward way of reasoning, but experience over these many years has taught me GMs don’t often avoid moves for no real cause. Here again, Rybka says the game move is OK, just not its first choice.
10..., dxc4 11.Nxc4 Nd5 12.a3 Bf6 13.Bc2 cxd4 14.Nxd4 Nxd4 15.Bxd4 Bxd4 16.Qxd4 Qc7 17.Rac1 Rad8 18.Qh4?,..
White must have in mind to combine his Queen and Bishop against h7. This idea is easily enough met by Black. I would prefer retiring the Queen to b2 if White is uncomfortable on the d-file, or using the tempo to do something useful, say 18 h3, making a “luft” for the White King. If Black then plays 18..., Nb4? 19 Bxh7+ Kxh7 20 Qh4+, snags a pawn.
18..., Nf6 19.e4?,..
It makes no sense to block the Bishop’s diagonal with the e-pawn. Very reasonable is 19 Na5!, uncovering a potential discovered attack with check on the Black Queen leading to the elimination of the Black Bb7. If the Bb7 is gone White has fewer worries and the White Queen’s foray on the K-side looks to have logic behind it. Obstructing the line of the Bc2 just harms the coordination of the White pieces.
18..., e5!
An excellent rejoinder. The White Bishop is rendered impotent and the pawn on e4 is forever a target - a pretty big payback for a little one-step pawn move.
20.a4?,..
Necessary is 20 Ne3, heading for f5. Black is OK after 20..., Bc8; or 20..., Qe7; some material will come off and the game is leveling out.
20..., Rfe8 21.Qg5 h6 22.Qf5 Bc8 23.Qf3 Bg4 24.Qg3 Rd4 25.h3 Bh5 26.f3 Qc5
I have some doubts about leaving the Queen on the c-file where potential discovered attacks are possible. The line that is worrisome is 27 Ne3 Bg6 28 Bd3 Qd6 29 Bb5, and the White Knight wants to leap to c4 if the Re8 abandons the e-file. Sober reflection says Black is doing fine in the suggested line, however White has freer play than he does in the game.
27.Kh2 Bg6 28.Bb1 Qe7 29.Rcd1,..
A minor point: The Re1 is less well placed than the Rc1, why take a piece away from a potentially useful file when there is an alternative? Additionally, if the Re1 goes to d1, e1 is then open as a retreat for the Queen.
29..., Nh5 30.Qf2 Red8 31.Ne3?,..
White does not see the tactics inherent in the position. Better 31 Rxd4 exd4 32 Nc4.
31..., Nf6?
And, neither does Black. Better is 31..., Nf4; for then 32 g3?, is an error because 32..., Rxd1! 33 Rxd1 Rxd1, 34 Nxd1 Nxh3 35 Kxh3? Qd7+; recovering the piece with advantage. If White does not take the Nh3, and plays something else such as 35 Qe3, then simply 35..., Ng5; and Black is away with the pawn secured. Some might say White has not done too badly exchanging a flank pawn for center pawn, but getting the Rooks off the board seems to help the Black cause.
32.Nf5?,..
Black did not make the most of his opportunities and before his last move White is equal. The text offers a trade of a good White minor piece for a Bishop that has no immediate employment, not a good idea. Sound is 32 Rxd4 exd4 33 Nc4 Qb4 34 e5, leading to equality.
32..., Bxf5 33.Rxd4 exd4 34.exf5 Qd6+ 35.Kh1?,..
White must be thinking the Bishop versus Knight imbalance is favorable for him. In very general terms that is only true if there are no heavy pieces on the board. With Queens and Rooks on, and a passed pawn also, White should have courted a trade of Queens with 35 Qg3. Black keeps the advantage with 35..., Qb4; then 36 Qc7!?, muddies the waters. If Black plays accurately White may have to give up a pawn to keep any chances alive.
35..., Nh5?
Much better is 35..., Qb4; then 36 Bc2 d3 37 Rd1 d2; cementing a considerable edge.
36.Bd3!?,..
The blockading idea can work, but White has to be very accurate. Playing actively with 36 Qh4, is another approach. Then if a) 36..., Ng6+ 37 Kg1 d3 38 Bxd3 Qxd3 39 Qxg3 Qxf5 is equal. If b) 36..., d3 37 Bxd3 Qxd3 38 Qxh5 Qxb3 39 Qh4, and Black has a two to one pawn advantage on the Q-side but the game is by no means won for him. And, c) 36..., Nf6 37 Qf2 Qd5 38 Qb2 d3 39 Rd1 d2 40 Qc3 h5; favoring Black. Option c) is Black’s best choice in this sideline.
36..., Qd5?!
Sharper is 36..., Nf4; getting this piece into action.
37.Rb1?,..
Better 37 Bc4, when after 37..., Qd7 38 Qh4 Nf6 39 Rd1, White has organized some kind of defense against the passed d-pawn.
37...Qe5 38.g4?,..
After this ugly weakening of the dark squares near the White King I am not sure there is a way to hold the game for White. Better 38 Re1, with 39 Rd1, following, or straightaway 38 Rd1, organizing against the advance of the d-pawn.
38..., Nf4 39.Rd1 Nxh3
Black alertly gathers up the pawn on offer. White’s game is all but lost.
40.Qh4 Ng5 41.Qf2 Qf4 42.Kg2 Re8 43.Bc4 Re3 44.Rd3?,..
The move looks logical, but the position needed cold blooded concrete calculation; 44 Qg3 Rxf3 45 Qxf4 Rxf4 46 Kg3 Re4 47 Bd5, and White will finally kill off that dangerous d-pawn. Black however does keep the pawn plus, and the White K-side pawns are weak. The position favors Black.
44..., Rxd3 45.Bxd3 Nh7 46.Qc2 Nf6 47.Qc8+?!,..
It could be White lost heart here, figured the game was hopelessly lost and decided to make flashy threats to unsettle his opponent. A stubborn defense with 47 Bc4, is met by 47..., h5; and as the pawns fall the Black Knight will have more influence on the outcome of the game.
47..., Kh7 48.Bc4 Qd2+
An OK move but 48..., h5; is better.
49.Kg3 Qe1+ 50.Kg2 Qd2+ 51.Kf1,..
Why not 51 Kg3, repeating the position since Black hasn’t shown his hand yet? The text gives Black a greater edge.
51...d3 52.Qa6?,..
Handing Black a clear win. The only try to keep the game going is 52 Qa8, defending f3. Then 52..., Qe2+ 53 Kg1 Qe3+ 54 Kf1 d2 55 Be2 Qxb3, and White will soon have to give up the Bishop for the Queen d-pawn.
52..., Qe2+ 53.Kg1 Qe3+ 54.Kg2 d2 55.Bxf7 Qxf3+?
After conducting a good middle game and just as the full point was within grasp Black errs. Tension or excitement may be the culprit. This has happened before to Cory in his game with John Phillips in the Preliminaries this year. It is a flaw in his game he needs to address to improve his results.
White continues to play moves as if he has real threats in mind. Alas, it is smoke and mirrors, but this time the pretend attack convinces Mr. Northrup the danger is real. Black must have thought 56 Bg6+, and 57 Qc8+, had substance. He overlooked a resource. The line would go; 55..., d1 (Q) 56 Bg6+ Kh8 57 Qc1+ Ng8 58 Bf7 Qdg1+; and a mate in two moves follow.
56.Kxf3 d1Q+ 57.Qe2 Qxe2+ 58.Kxe2 Nxg4 0–1
White undeservedly has arrived at an ending where he could play on. There is a balancing of fortunes in chess many times. This time Richard erred shortly after this move and stepped into a fork of his King and Bishop. The game went on for a few more moves because of momentum I guess, then the inevitable resignation took place.
Richard played below his standard in this game. Cory showed some skill and seems to be improving. In the end tension first caused Cory to miss the clean win and then Richard to drop a whole piece. Not a game that makes a great impression artistically but certainly entertaining in its ups and downs right down to the finish.
More soon.
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