Help from Jason Denham and Bill Townsend made the following report of the Saratoga A - Saratoga B CDCL match possible. Saratoga A won the match 3 -1. That is no surprise. The Saratoga A team has a couple of 2100+ players to lead their side; Steve Taylor and Jonathan Fineberg and Class A players for most boards. Saratoga B is led by David Finnermen who is in the1700s with lower rated players in support on the lower boards. In that situation, a victory for the higher rated side is expected. Ratings are good predictor for the results of many games but not so good in foretelling the outcome of any single game. Today’s game illustrates the truth of that observation.
Le Cours, Alan - Denham, Jason [A31]
CDCL Sara A v Sara B Saratoga Springs, NY, 03.04.2011
1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Qb6
This is a very topical variation in the Symmetrical English Opening. Most of examples found in my databases are games between the 2500+ Grandmasters.
5.Nb3 e6 6.Nc3 Nf6 7.a3 Be7 8.Be3?!,..
Taking the game away from positions argued over by the Grandmasters. The scheme undertaken by White develops his pieces more slowly than is ideal and neglects the center.
8..., Qd8 9.Qd2 0–0 10.h3,..
White wants to secure the oddly placed Be3 in its post I guess. That is a problematic desire. If White leaves out the text and plays 10 g3, right away, there is opportunity for Black with 10..., Ne5!? 11 Qd4 Nfg4 12 c5 Bf6; with advantage to Black.
10..., b6 11.g3?!,..
A better try to keep the game under some control is 11 Bf4, making provision to defend c4 with e2-e3. The game move allows Black to take a solid edge in the game.
11..., Ba6 12.c5 Bc4 13.Qc2 Bxb3
A bit sharper is 13..., Nd5. The game move wins the pawn right away.
14.Qxb3 Bxc5 15.Bxc5 bxc5 16.Bg2 d5
The advantage Black has is very nearly a winning one. The Black pawns control the center and his King is safely away in a proper home. White on the other hand still needs to castle before he can consider the only break available, e2-e4. Black can also harass the White Queen standing exposed on b3 building up major piece pressure on the b-file.
17.0–0 Qb6 18.Qa2,..
The position after 18 Qxb6, may be marginally better than what comes about in the game, but it is none too appealing for White. The trade on b6 repairs the Black pawns structure and grants Black the half-open a-file which brings the White Q-side under great pressure.
18..., c4
Black does not look for complications with 18..., Rfb8; although it is a move worth consideration. The move played locks down the bind on the Q-side and with it a significant positional advantage.
19.e3!?,..
This move announces White idea for the next phase of the game; a stubborn holding action waiting for the lower rated player to self-destruct. More active is 19 e4, then play will likely go 19..., d4 20 Nb1 Na5 21 e5 Nd5 22 Nd2 Rfc8 23 Ne4. The resulting position favors Black heavily, but there are some complicated moments Black will have to calculate. Black now correctly sees the way to victory is to mass his heavy pieces on the b-file. Mr. Denham carries out the build-up efficiently.
19..., Rab8 20.Rab1 Na5 21.Rfd1 Rfd8 22.Ne2 Nb3 23.Nd4 Nxd4 24.exd4 Qb3 25.Qa1 Rd6 26.Kf1 Rdb6 27.Ke2?,..
In a grim situation Mr. Le Cours overlooks a killing shot to come. Marginally better is 27 Rbc1, but after 27..., Qxb2; White is lost.
27..., Ne8?
And Black returns the favor. With 27..., c3!; Black wins immediately; 28 bxc3, and either 28..., Qc2+; or 28..., Qxb1; allows him to emerge a full Rook up. Fortunately for Jason his advantage is so great even passing on the very best move does not change the result.
28.Ke1 Nd6?
Once more 28..., c3; wins now.
29.Bf1 Qa4?
The move .., c4-c3; falls outside of the view of Denham. A curious phenomenon this continuous overlooking a pretty powerful shot. I don’t know if Mr. Le Cours was aware of the specific danger and ran a poker-like bluff, or he just didn’t see it either. It is possible Jason had his mind’s eye on another path to victory, was satisfied with it and did not search further.
30.Rdc1 Qa5+ 31.Ke2?!,..
Not saving the day, but making things somewhat more difficult for Black, is; 31 b4 cxb3 e.p.+ 32 Qc3. Black is still winning, however White might hope Black would not find a winning path.
31..., Rb3 32.Bg2 Qb6 33.Rd1 Nf5
Also winning is 33..., c3; once more.
34.Kf1 Nxd4 35.Rd2 Nf5?
Could it be Black is just toying with his opponent? Again, 35..., c3; is the coup de just.
36.Bxd5,..
After about twenty moves in a really bad position White lashes out. There is nothing, not 36 Rbd1, or 36 Re1, that offers any better result.
36..., exd5 37.Rxd5 g6
Cautious, this move does conform with the principles of good technique, specifically don’t rush things when you have a win in hand. After the text there are no back rank tricks.
38.Rbd1 Nxg3+
After missing the .., c4-c3; crusher repeatedly, Black apparently sees this less easy to find finish clearly.
39.Kg2 Ne4 40.R1d4 Rxb2 41.Rd8+ Rxd8 42.Rxd8+ Kg7 43.Kf3 Qf6+ 0–1
If 44 Kxe4 Re7; is mate, and if 44 Ke3 Rb3+ 45 Qxa1, wins the Queen. Excluding the odd failure to correctly utilize the massive pin on the b-file repeatedly, Mr. Denham conducted the Black pieces very well in this defeat of a strong player. It does not happen often that Mr. Le Cours finds himself so lacking in counter chances as he did here. Kudos to Jason Denham for an important step forward in his chess career.
More soon.
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