One more game from the recent Schenectady Geezers versus Uncle Sam CDCL match. The Uncle Sam Club had to forfeit on the first board because their player, Odunayo Ogundipe was not available. This led to attention to focus on the second board match up; John Phillips and Phil Thomas. Mr. Thomas has been quite successful of late. You may remember last month he went undefeated in the AACC speed tournament cleanly winning the event. On this occasion, Phil had to call on his prowess at faster chess again. He was delayed in arriving for the 7:45pm start and lost about 30 minutes of his allotted time before making his first move. That turned out to be significant.
Thomas, Phillip - Phillips, John [B38]
SCC A v Uncle Sam Schenectady, NY, 31.03.2011
Board 2
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6
Mr. Phillips has adopted the Hyper-Accelerated Dragon Sicilian as a primary weapon versus 1 e4, in this year‘s campaign. Accelerated Dragons come in several flavors; the Accelerated line with 4..., g6; the Semi-Accelerated with 5..., g6; and the Hyper-Accelerated with 2..., g6. In all there are chances to both sides go into unique positions and to transpose into other Dragon lines. The primary reason for taking up one or another form of Accelerated Dragon is to avoid the Maroczy Bind according to the chess writers.
To make things more complicated, Black sometimes agrees to the Bind, and the game can arrive at normal Maroczy positions by way transposition. Such is the case in this game.
3.c4 Bg7 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nc6 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nc3 d6
The game has reverted to a normal position from mainstream theory of the Maroczy Bind. White has to begin to give thought to what he will do with his f-pawn. The disposition of forces will be as usual in the Maroczy; a Rook to c1, the b-pawn on b3 to support c4, maybe the Queen and the other Rook on the d-file. The open question is; does the f-pawn step forward one box to f3 reinforcing e4, or is something more active contemplated with f2-f4?
8.Be2 0–0 9.0–0 Bd7 10.Rc1 Ne5 11.h3 Rc8 12.b3 a5?
I dislike this move. It gives up control of b5 permitting White to take the initiative with threats on the Q-side.
13.f4 Nc6 14.Ndb5 Nb4 15.a3 Na6 16.Bf3,..
Here White could have tried for a material plus with16 e5!?, then 16..., Nea8 17 Nd5 dxe5 18 fxe5 Bxe5 19 Nb6, when the threat on the Bd7 picks up the Exchange. Black does get a pawn as compensation but that hardly looks to be sufficient. White wants to increase the tension apparently.
6..., Bc6 17.Na7?!,..
A change of heart so soon? Continuing development with 17 Qd2, is more in tune with the intention of move 16.
17..., Rb8 18.Nxc6 bxc6 19.Qc2 Qc7
Most of the tension in the position there at move 16 is now gone, and Black approaches equality.
20.Rfd1 Nd7 21.Rb1 Ndc5 22.Bxc5 dxc5?
This anti-positional move hands White the advantage. Possibly Mr. Phillips thought 23 b4 axb4 24 axb4 Na6 25 b5, was not favorable. However, he may not have looked far enough. With 25..., cxb5 26 Nxb5 Qc5+ 27 Kh2 Rfc8; Black has a favorable position; his pawn structure is better than is White’s. John may have shunned this line because the Bishops of opposite color does increase the likelihood of a drawn outcome. The pathway taken leaves him with the weaker pawns. It could be the decision was influenced by the time trouble that Mr. Thomas was now entering.
23.e5 Rfd8 24.Rxd8+ Rxd8 25.Rd1 Rd7 26.Bg4 Rd4 27.Ne2 Rxd1+ 28.Qxd1 f5 29.exf6?!,..
As time dwindles White must believe open lines will help him. Here it is better to play 29 Bf3, returning his focus to the very weak pawn on c6 and keeping the Black Bishop under wraps. The upshot of the text move is Black’s Bishop can run free.
29..., Bxf6 30.Be6+ Kg7 31.Qd7 Qxd7 32.Bxd7 Bb2 33.a4?!,..
Missing the finesse; 33 Bc8, then 33..., Nb8 34 a4, keeps the Knight from the useful post on b4.
33..., Nb4 34.Kf2 e5 35.fxe5 Bxe5 36.Ke3 Kf6 37.Ke4 Bb2 38.Bxc6??,..
Giving up a whole piece for almost nothing. My guess is; short of time Phil Thomas miscalculated. Simply 38 Nf4, maintains equality.
38..., Nxc6 39.Kd5 Nd4
This is the move Mr. Thomas just didn’t see, or he undervalued it. Maybe he thought 40 Nxd4 had to be answered by 40..., Bxd4; when 41 b4, springs the a-pawn for a run to the 8th rank making a Queen with some chance of a perpetual check. Unfortunately for Thomas, Black can play the superior 40..., cxd4; and the White c-pawn can’t get through because Black has after 41 c5 d3 42 c6, the stopper 42..., Be5.
40.Nf4 Nxb3 41.Kc6 Bd4 42.Kb5 Ke5 43.Nd5 Ke4
White now will lose something more because he is running out of moves with which to defend his K-side pawns. If 44 Ne7, Kf4; and the butchery of the White K-side spells the end. Alternatively, 44 Kc6 Kd3; leads to similar ends by a longer road.
0–1
This was the board on which the Uncle Sam had to win, they were down 0-1 due to the forfeit on board 1. For sometime I thought Mr. Thomas had an advantage, but against a worthy opponent giving up more than thirty minutes on the clock is a big burden to undertake, and the win went by the boards in time trouble.
More soon.
1 comment:
One interesting point is that at move 24 or 25, Phillips had offered Thomas a draw, which was declined. Given your point about the forfeit, I wonder if that played a role in Phil's decision to play on. At the time that offer was made, Phillips had quite an advantage on the clock. Of course, that isn't necessarily a decisive factor.... :)
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