In the final round of the NYS Championship, Under 2000 section, two of the highest rated participants met. Both had a chance for a share of first place. A tense fight ensued.
Busygin, Stanislav (1994) - Campbell, Robert (1999) [E04]
133d NYS Championship, U2000 Section, Albany, NY, 05.09.2011
1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 c5 3.Bg2 Nc6 4.d4 e6
Officially the Catalan System, E04 in the ECO, or it could be called a reversed Grunfeld Defense. From a lifetime ago here is an example of how this line may be played:
Alatortsev, Vladimir - Lisitsin, Georgy [E04]
Trade Unions Leningrad (12), 1938
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 c5 4.Bg2 Nc6 5.0–0 d5 6.c4 dxc4 7.Qa4 Bd7 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.Qxc4 Be7 10.Nc3 0–0 11.Rd1 Qa5 12.Bd2 Rac8 13.Ne4 Qh5 14.Nxf6+ Bxf6 15.Qb3 Rc7 16.Rac1 Rfc8 17.Qa3 Qb5 18.b4 Qxe2 19.Re1 Qa6 20.Qxa6 bxa6 21.Bf1 Nb8 22.Rxc7 Rxc7 23.Bf4 Rb7 24.Rd1 Bc6 25.Rc1 g5 26.Nxg5 e5 27.Bd2 Kg7 28.a3 h6 29.Nh3 Bb5 30.Be3 Rd7 31.Bxb5 axb5 32.Rc8 Na6 33.Rc6 Nb8 34.Rc8 Na6 35.Rc6 Nb8 36.Bxh6+ Kxh6 37.Rxf6+ Kg7 38.Rf3 Nc6 39.Rc3 Nd4 40.Kf1 a5 41.bxa5 Ra7 42.Ng1 Rxa5 43.Nf3 Ne6 44.Nxe5 b4 45.Nc4 bxc3 46.Nxa5 Nd4 47.Ke1 Nc2+ 48.Ke2 Nxa3 49.Kd3 Nb5 50.Nc4 f5 51.f4 Kf6 52.Ne3 Ke6 53.Kc4 Nd6+ 54.Kxc3 Ne4+ 55.Kd3 Nf6 56.Ke2 1–0
The principles in the above game were well known in their day, and in today’s world would be Grandmasters. That title was much more redistricted in use in 1938. In common with the game Busygin - Campbell, a White Knight ends up on h3, and the White K-side pawns are the main source for counter-play for White.
5.0–0 Nf6 6.c4,..
The most usual reply in Grandmasters games.
6..., dxc4 7.Ne5 Nxe5
This move gives White a relatively easy path to a small advantage. More standard and useful is 7..., Bd7. Black shouldn’t care if his light squared Bishop is taken off, it does not have particularly great future.
8.dxe5 Qxd1 9.Rxd1 Nd5 10.Na3 Be7?!
Going slow and doing something suggested by general principles; developing(?), that is getting his pieces off the back rank. Concrete calculation would find 10..., c3; is a better choice. Play could go on; 10..., c3 11 Nb5 cxb2 12 Bxb2 Bd7 13 Bxd5 Bxb5 14 Bxb7 Rb8; and Black has kept the game level.
11.Bxd5?,..
In a single move White throws away a great deal. Best is 11 Nxc4, hanging on to an advantage based on having a bit more space and some initiative. White would have to figure out how to develop his Bc1. It may go to b2, and he wants to correctly time dropping his Knight into d6 to get the maximum benefit. All things considered, the future looks bright for White if he takes on c4. Conversely, the hasty capture on d5 results in creating a position where Black has the edge.
11..., exd5 12.Nb5 Kd7 13.Rxd5+ Kc6 14.Nc3 Be6 15.e4,..
This has to be the trump White was counting upon. He must been thinking of the possibility of obtaining a massive pawn roller in the center. Black, however, is under no obligation to capture on d5.
15..., Rad8
A pretty good move. Better still is 15..., b5; beginning to threaten to displace the White Knight.
16.Rxd8 Rxd8 17.Be3 b5
Black has a four to two pawn majority on the Q-side, and White has five to three on the K-side. Both have doubled pawns in their majorities, but Black’s doubled pawns are less harmful to his cause than is White’s doubled pawns. By controlling d5, Black takes away the one good outpost for the White Knight. No good outpost and the possibility of the game opening up for the two Bishops of Black surely indicate the long term chances favor Black.
18.a3?!,..
The active alternative 18 f4, is somewhat better. Black can stay on top with either 18..., b4; or 18..., g6; but White can make a fight of it. The text hands Black a tempo.
18..., Rd3 19.Re1 Bd8
Black has a number of choices here; 19..., f6; 19..., b4; and the text. Black has in mind a simplification where his Q-side majority can run.
20.Ne2 Ba5 21.Rf1 Rb3 22.Bc1 Bh3 23.Rd1 Rd3 24.Rxd3 cxd3 25.Nf4 d2 26.Bxd2 Bxd2 27.Nxh3 Bc1 28.b3 Bxa3
Black has secured his goal; his pawns are looking very dangerous and White’s on the opposite side of the board are not even ready to roll yet.
29.Kf1 Bb2 30.f4 h6
Caution that is not strictly required. Black could play here 30..., c4; or 30..., b4; with the idea of rushing in the a-pawn, but that needs exact calculation. Taking on such a task at the end of a tournament and after two games and several hours of effort risks oversights.
31.Ke2 Bd4
Another safety-first precaution taking away a route for the Knight back into the game.
32.Kd3 a5 33.g4,..
Belatedly the White pawns begin their charge. It is not quite enough but makes Black calculate carefully lest something untoward happens.
33..., Kd7 34.g5 Ke6 35.f5+ Ke7!?
Maintaining a winning advantage but complicating things unnecessarily. More direct is; 35...Kxe5 36.f6 gxf6 37.gxh6 f5 38.exf5 Kxf5 39.h7 Kg6 40.Ng1 f5 41.Nf3 Kxh7 42.Nxd4 cxd4 43.Kxd4 a4 44.bxa4 bxa4 45.Kc4 f4 46.Kd4 a3 47.Ke4 a2 48.Kxf4 a1Q 49.h4 Kg6.
36.f6+ Kf8 37.gxh6,..
Effectively giving up the fight. White could string out the battle with; 37 e6 fxe6 38 Nf4 Kf7 39 fxg7 Bxg7 40 g6+ Kf6 (Black has to guard against Nh5.) 41 h4 e5 42 Nd5+ Kxg6 43 Nc7, and Black will have to play several more moves to carry the day. He will win in the long run.
37..., gxh6 38.Nf4 Bxe5 0–1
And now 39 Ke3 Bxf4+ 40 Kxf4 a4; is decisive. Otherwise, 39 Nd5 a4 40 bxa4 bxa4 41 h3 a3; and 39 Nd5 Bxh2 40 Nc3 c4+ 41 bxc4 b4; is equally good for Black.
This win tied Mr. Campbell with Malik Perry for first in the Under 2000 Section. Perry is a fast rising Junior from down-state. This result cemented his Expert rating. He started out in scholastic events in Georgia in 2006, relocated to the NYC area in 2007 and began playing in Brother John’s Make the Right Move tourneys. Steady progress through 2010 saw him reach the Class A level. A steady diet of tough battles with the strong opposition at the Manhattan Chess Club and other events around the capital of US chess had him close to Expert by earlier this year. We can expect to hear more of this young man in the future.
It was good to see Bob Campbell return to the ranks of the Experts which he did with this result. He and I were frequent opponents back in the days of the Studio Quads of the 1980s, and alums of the Marine Rifle company in Albany, albeit I served some years before he joined. After slipping out the Expert ranks in 1997, Mr. Campbell stayed active occasionally getting close to the 2000 level but not quite breaking through. This year, beginning with a first place (5 - 0) in the 86th Western Mass/CT Valley Championship, Mr. Campbell made steady progress capping it with the NYS Championship result.
Congratulations to both winners and newly minted Experts!
More soon.
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