A couple of weeks ago this short sharp game was played at the AACC. In it Tim Wright anxious to get back on the winning path faced the strong unrated Chris Caravaty. There were some big swings in the advantage highlighting the drama of the occasion; a contender for the title fighting to get back into the battle for the title, and a newcomer trying to establish a reputation.
Wright, Tim - Caravaty, Chris [E11]
AACC Championship, Guilderland, NY, 16.11.2011
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 Bxd2+ 5.Nbxd2 d5 6.e3 0–0 7.Bd3,..
White usually plays 7 Qc2, not wanting to move the Bf1 before Black captures on c4. The position is known to theory, but is not particularly popular. There virtually no games between strong players in the databases in this line.
7..., dxc4?!
White obtains an edge after this move. Better for Black is 7..., c5; then 8 dxc5 Na6 9 Nb3 Nxc5 10 Nxc5 dxc4 11 Bxc4 Qa5+; equalizes. Alternatively, 8 0-0 cxd4 9 exd4 Nc6; looks OK for Black.
8.Nxc4 Nbd7 9.0–0 c5 10.Re1!?,..
According to Rybka this move is not quite right. The computer suggests 10 Nfe5!? b5 11 Nd6 Qb6 12 dxc5 Qxc5 13 Nexf7 Rxf7 14 Rc1 Qe5 15 Bxh7+ Kxh7 16 Nxf7 Qxb2 17 Ng5+ Kg8 18 Qd6 Qe5 19 Qxe6+ Qxe6 20 Nxe6, a rather long and complicated sequence creating the material imbalance of a Rook and two versus B+N. GM Andrew Soltis addresses many important issues of theory in his book Rethinking the Chess Pieces, Batsford,2004 including the Rook versus minor pieces. He makes the points; Queens off favor the Rook, pawns on both sides favor the Rook, and maintaining the initiative is critical. In the analysis line White does not have a strong hold on the initiative, but the other two factors favor him. With the alternative long and not so clear, it is understandable that White takes a conservative path.
10..., b5 11.Ncd2 c4 12.Bc2 Bb7
The game is approximately even. Black has space on the Q-side and the possibility of making a passed pawn there. The White pieces are ready to flood onto the K-side and directly attack the Black King. Which nascent plan is best? It is hard to say. Probably the plan most efficiently carried out will prevail.
13.e4 Rc8 14.e5 Nd5 15.Ne4 b4?
A critical moment in the game. Black here has to decide how to execute his plan of Q-side pressure. I don’t know if he also considered defensive measures necessary to blunt the coming assault on his King. The choice evident from his move emphasizes Q-side activity. Rybka suggests; 15..., Nb4; and a later capture of the Ne4 by the Bb7 to reduce the attacking force.
16.Nfg5 h6 17.Qh5?,..
Ambitious and aggressive but it shouldn’t work. Much more likely to lead to an advantage is 17 Nh7!?, then Black will have to make a decision; take the Nh7, or try for complications on the Q-side that look questionable with 17..., b3. Capturing the Nh7 gives; 17..., Kxh7 18 Nd6+ Kg8 19 Nxb7 Qb6 20 Nd6 Rc6 21 b3 c3; and the tense and difficult battle rages on. If 17..., b3 18 axb3 cxb3 19 Bd3, Black is left with nothing better than 19..., Kxh7; giving White the better game.
17..., Nf4 18.Qh4?,..
White did not see what was about to happen, otherwise he would have played 18 Qg4, avoiding putting the Queen in a costly pin.
18..., Ng6?
Missing the shot 18..., Bxe4!, winning a piece because of the Knight pinned on g5. Black may have been a victim of Aagaard’s forced thinking idea. Chris assumed somewhere along the line that capturing on e4 with the Bishop was bad, and kept that assumption as part of his calculations right through to this point thereby forcing a decision without reexamination of the assumptions underlying the decision. Aagaard makes the point that unforced thinking, that is challenging all assumptions made earlier in the game, is the way avoid oversights in calculation.
19.Qh5 hxg5?
In chess as in life troubles often come not singly but in bunches. Black missed a chance to win material. He now overlooks a mating combination. With 19..., Qe7; Black would certainly be no worse than White and maybe a bit better.
20.Nxg5 Re8 21.Bxg6 fxg6?
Either Black didn’t see what was happening yet, or he gave up after the shock of the sacrifice. True enough Black is in deep trouble after 21..., Qxg5 22 Bxf7+ Kf8 23 Qxg5 Kxf7; with only two minor pieces for a Queen and two pawns, but there is no immediate mate. The text permits mate in three.
22.Qh7+ Kf8 23.Qh8+ 1–0
A game decided in the heat of a tactical battle. After White pushed his pawn to e5, the game began to look like some variations of the Slav where White attacks with the Queen and Knight as in the game. My guess is Mr. Caravaty was not familiar with that aspect of the Slav. Mr. Wright misconstrued the idea also. There is, however, in chess prejudice towards activity over caution. Wright’s not quite correct attack carried the day with a nice combination leading to mate.
More soon.
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