Dean Howard Takes the Lead at AACC

There was only a single game played Wednesday in the Albany Area Chess Club event. It was a scheduled make-up round. Two of the higher rated contestants met; Jon Lack and Dean Howard. Lack was striving to get into the mix for the top spot and Howard trying to close in on the leaders; Magat and Henner. They played an Alekhine’s Defense, the Four Pawns Attack, a debut frequently seen in AACC Championships when Matt Katrine won his several titles in years past, but so much of late. White made a determined effort to win the game. The theoretical sideline he chose has chances to be successful, but it requires a certain amount of reckless abandon to carry it off. Mr. Lack tried to keep things under control, and that did not turn out well for him.

Lack, Jonathan - Howard, Dean [B03]
AACC Championship Guilderland, NY, 22.12.2011

1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.c4 Nb6 4.d4 d6 5.f4 dxe5 6.fxe5 Nc6 7.Nf3!?,..

The standard move here is 7 Be3, delaying putting a Knight on f3 early. The move 7 Nf3, gives Black a place for his Bc8 on g4. The standard 7 Be3, makes Black decide between playing 7..., e6; and 7..., Bf5. Here are a couple examples from when Alekhine’s Defense was fairly new.

(17317) Ilyin Zhenevsky, Alexander - Levenfish, Grigory [B03]
Leningrad Championship, 1936
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.c4 Nb6 4.d4 d6 5.f4 dxe5 6.fxe5 Nc6 7.Nf3 Bg4 8.e6 fxe6 9.c5 Nd5 10.Bb5 Qd7 11.Nbd2 g6 12.Qa4 Bg7 13.Ne5 Bxe5 14.dxe5 Ne3 15.Qe4 Qd4 16.Bxc6+ bxc6 17.Qxd4 Nc2+ 18.Kf2 Nxd4 19.Nb3 Nc2 20.Rb1 Bf5 21.Bd2 Rf8 22.Kg3 0–0–0 23.Rbf1 Rd5 24.Bc3 Rfd8 25.h3 Ne3 26.Re1 Nd1 27.Bd4 Bc2 28.Rxd1 Bxb3 29.axb3 Rxd4 30.Rxd4 Rxd4 31.Rf1 Rb4 32.Rf7 Rxb3+ 33.Kh2 Re3 34.Rxh7 Rxe5 35.Rg7 g5 36.Kg3 Rxc5 37.Kg4 Kd7 38.Rxg5 Rxg5+ 39.Kxg5 e5 40.Kf5 Kd6 41.h4 Kd5 42.h5 e4 43.Kf4 e3 44.Kxe3 Ke5 45.h6 Kf6 46.g4 a5 47.g5+ Kg6 48.Ke4 c5 49.Ke5 c4 50.Ke6 c3 51.bxc3 a4 52.h7 Kxh7 53.Kf7 a3 54.g6+ 1–0

(26903) Szabo, Laszlo - Tsvetkov, Alexandar K [B03]
Hilversum Zonal (11), 1947
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4 dxe5 6.fxe5 Nc6 7.Nf3 Bg4 8.e6 fxe6 9.c5 e5 10.cxb6 e4 11.d5 exf3 12.Qa4 Qxd5 13.Qxg4 Qe5+ 14.Kd1 Rd8+ 15.Nd2 g6 16.bxc7 Qxc7 17.Bb5 Bh6 18.Qxf3 Rf8 19.Bxc6+ bxc6 20.Qe2 Rf5 21.Kc2 Qd7 22.Ne4 Bg7 23.Bd2 Qe6 24.Rhe1 Rfd5 25.Rad1 Kf8 26.Nc3 Qxe2 27.Rxe2 Bxc3 28.bxc3 Kf7 29.Rf1+ Rf5 30.Rxf5+ gxf5 31.Re5 Rd5 32.Rxd5 cxd5 33.Be3 a6 34.Kb3 e5 35.g3 h5 36.Kb4 h4 37.Ka5 hxg3 38.hxg3 Kg6 39.Kxa6 Kh5 40.Kb5 Kg4 41.Kc5 Kxg3 42.Kxd5 Kf3 43.Kxe5 Kxe3 44.Kxf5 Kd3 45.a4 Kc4 46.Ke6 Kc5 47.Kd7 Kb6 48.c4 1–0

The move 8 e6, offers a pawn creating some wild complications. The very imbalanced positions resulting from the sacrifice oddly enough are resolved only in the endgame. Such may have been a better chance for victory.

7..., Bg4 8.Be3 e6 9.Be2 Bb4+?

As later play shows, Black has in mind the capture on f3 and the Queen sortie to h4. He’d be better served to execute this plan now. Play could continue; 9..., Bxf3 10 gxf3 Qh4+ 11 Bf2 Qf4 12 c5 Nd5; when Black is solidly ahead. White has the same problem as in the game; defending d4, as well as concerns about a comfortable place for his King.

10.Nc3 Bxf3 11.gxf3 Qh4+ 12.Bf2 Qh6 13.Qc1?!,..

Somewhat better is 13 a3, to force a decision about the Bb4; does it retreat to e7? If so, White plays c4-c5, and if the Nb6 goes to d5, the Nc3 captures it, and Black has to retakes with the e-pawn. Alternatively, Black might take on c3, but that strengthens the White center.

13..., Qxc1+ 14.Rxc1 0–0–0 15.a3 Be7 16.c5?!,..

This move makes the White pawn formation very inflexible and therefore more target than asset for small benefit. I thought while watching the game 16 Rd1, was a better move. Working it over with Rybka gives a line of play that keeps the pawns more mobile; 16 Rd1, and if 16..., Na5?! 17 c5 Nd5 18 Nxd5 Rxd5 19 b4 Nc6 (Not 19..., Nb3? 20 Bc4) 20 f4, and the Bishop is going to f3 driving in the Rd5. White then has the possibility of advancing the d-pawn to d5 dissolving the d4-weakness if he so desires. The game then is opening up which favors the Bishop pair. Black could improve with 16..., g5; and then 17 h4 h6 18 c5 Nd5 19 Nxd5 Rxd5 20 Bb5, threatens to trade off the Nc6 much reducing pressure on d4 with the game tending towards equality.

White must be thinking here of keeping material on and maneuvering in hopes of finding some promising target. The wish to get into the race for a top place is stronger than the logic of the position for Mr. Lack. The path White takes offers the best chances for winning, but it has a very high burden of accurate calculation. At many points the game can quickly trade down to a R v R ending when pawn formations and King positions will make a big difference. For White, with his pawn formation stretched out more so than is Black’s, there are chances for fatal losses of pawns to occur. The more compact Black pawns will be just a bit easier to defend.

16..., Nd5 17.Rg1 g5

During the game I wasn’t too sure Mr. Howard was completely sure of all the lines in this sideline of the Alekhine’s. This move is “book” idea. It puts a roadblock in the way of f3-f4, and is not a move you would come to quickly unless there was some familiarity with theory.

18.Ne4 Nf4 19.Nxg5 Bxg5 20.Rxg5 Nxd4 21.Bxd4 Rxd4 22.Rd1 Rhd8 23.Rxd4 Rxd4 24.Rg7,..
So far so good. White has followed the line Deep Rybka recommends. His Rook is actively placed and he is slightly ahead according to my electronic friend.

24..., Rd5 25.Rxf7!?,..

A natural move a small mistake. Better is 25 c6!, and the mate threat does not allow Black time to capture on e5 with his Rook. Black has to play 25..., bxc6; then 26 Ba6+ Kd8 27 Rxf7, completes the wrecking of the Black pawns and as the board opens up the Bishop can contribute more. White is not winning by any means, but both sides certainly have plenty of targets. White is betting his coming passed h-pawn will be more significant than Black’s soon to be extra pawn.

25..., Nxe2 26.Kxe2 Rxe5+ 27.Kf2 Rxc5 28.Rxh7 Rc2+ 29.Kg3 Rxb2

Rybka sees the game as equal. I distrust the evaluation of endgames by computer programs unless the table bases are involved. Many times they are right and an equal number of times they are miss a trick because of horizon problems.

30.h4 c5

Going about making his own passed pawn a factor White has to be concerned about. A piece of standard endgame technique Experts know well.

31.h5 Rb1 32.Kf4 Re1?

This looks like a wasted move. Pushing the c-pawn to c4 may be better. It draws the White King like a magnet. Play could go; 32..., c4 33 Ke4 Rh1 34 Kd4 b5; and now White has several ideas to evaluate: a) 35 Kc5, looks unlikely because of 35..., c3; b) 35 a4 a6 36 axb5 axb5 37 h6 Rh4+ 38 Kc3 Rh3 39 Kb5 Rh5; seemingly equal; c) 35 h6 a5 36 Rg7 Rxh6 37 Rg5 Rh4+; with tricky play that just may favor Black. And, d) 35 Rxa7 Rxh6; where White fights for the draw. After the game move White is entirely equal. That is not what Jon Lack was after. He’s determined to try for more.

33.h6 Rh1 34.Ke5 c4 35.Kd6?,..

Mr. Howard was in his usual time trouble now. Jon had a goodly amount of time left. Lack has visions of the mate threats gaining him enough time to deal with the c-pawn. It turns out he can prevent it from Queening but..

35..., Rd1+ 36.Kxe6 c3 37.Rg7 c2 38.h7 Rh1 39.Rg1!,..

An only move. Lost is 39 Rg8+ Kc7 40 h8 (Q) Rxh8 41 Rg1 Kb6 42 f4 Rc8 43 Rc1 Kb5; and then to a4/b3/b2. The White King ends up too far away to make any difference and the White a-pawn is doomed.

39..., Rxh7 40.Rc1 Rc7 41.f4 0–1

By this time Dean was down to seconds on his clock and Mr. Lack still had well over a half-hour. Play became a time scramble and I was not able to record the many moves made. Eventually it was a bare pawn ending - two to one in Black’s favor. Mr. Lack had some swindling chances, but Mr. Howard’s good technique did not need more than the five second per move delay to bring home the point. With this win, our champion from last year goes into the lead. With things so closely bunched at the top any outcome is possible even yet.

I’ve been told my standings for the AACC Championship is missing one game. Glen Perry, the director of this event has not been available recently and I have not been able to verify that. After today’s game the standings as I have them are:

1 Howard 4 ½ - 1 ½
2 Magat 4 - 2
3 Henner 3 - 1 (This is where my missing point is, if so (4 - 1)
4 Alowitz 3 - 2
5 Caravaty 2 -3
6 Northrup 1 ½ - 1 ½
7 Lack 1 ½ - 2 ½
8 Wright 1 ½ - 3 ½
9 Denham 1 - 4

Once the holidays are past, I will endeavor to get the standings corrected.

More soon.