An Update on Last Week's Activity

At the Albany Area Chess Club last Wednesday evening there was a nice turnout although nothing more than casual games were on the docket. The Under 1800 title was decided last week during an evening of bad whether. Chris Cacaraty winning from Cory Northrup. The last game of the Championship title match between Dean Howard and Peter Henner is to be played next Wednesday. Most of the usual suspects showed up and a great many skittles games took place.

Thursday evening at the Schenectady Chess Club saw the continuation of the Consolation Tourney and some make-up games from the Finals of the Schenectady championship.

In the Consolation event; Dilip Aaron defeated Chris Caravaty, a potential challenger to Dilip’s run for first place in an up and down game. Mike Stanley lost to Matt Clough in what was looked to be an interesting contest.

In the Finals; Richard Chu lost to Zack Calderon on a blunder just when it seemed Richard was about to obtain an advantage. The game completed Mr. Chu’s schedule. He scored 2-4. The win raised Mr. Calderon’s score to 1 ½ points with one game to play. Alan Le Cours stood off a spirited assault by Carlos Varela to take the full point. The game completed Mr. Varela’s schedule and gave him a final score of 1-4. The closeness of this contest makes it today’s game. Herman Calderon won a tough fight from David Connors to complete the list of results.

Varela, Carlos - Le Cours, Alan [A48]
SCC Finals 2012 Schenectady, NY, 08.03.2012

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bf4 Bg7 4.e3 d6 5.h3 0–0 6.Bd3 c5

Until this move to played the game was in the realm of known theory. There are not tons of games between elite players in the databases. From the few found it seems that Black does pretty well if he undertakes a plan focused on striking back with .., e7-e5. Here are a couple of examples:

(58671) Morosova, Tatiana V - Ergle, A [A48]
Ussr Team Championship, Leningrad, 1962
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bf4 Bg7 4.e3 d6 5.h3 0–0 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.c3 Re8 8.Bc4 Na5 9.Bb5 Bd7 10.Bxd7 Qxd7 11.0–0 Nc4 12.Qb3 Nb6 13.Na3 Nh5 14.Bh2 e5 15.dxe5 dxe5 16.Rad1 Qe7 17.Rd2 Rad8 18.Rfd1 Rxd2 19.Rxd2 c6 20.Nc4 Nxc4 21.Qxc4 e4 22.Nd4 Be5 23.Bxe5 Qxe5 24.Nb3 Nf6 25.Qc5 Qxc5 26.Nxc5 b6 27.Nd7 Kg7 28.Rd6 Nxd7 29.Rxd7 a5 30.Kf1 Kf6 31.Rb7 b5 32.b3 Rd8 33.Ra7 Rd3 34.c4 bxc4 35.bxc4 Ra3 36.Ra6 Rxa2 37.Rxc6+ Ke7 38.Rc7+ Ke8 39.Ra7 Rc2 40.Rxa5 Rxc4 41.Kg1 Ke7 42.Kh2 Kf6 43.Kg3 h6 44.Ra6+ Kg7 45.h4 h5 46.Kf4 Rb4 47.Ra2 Rc4 48.Rd2 Rb4 49.Ke5 Ra4 ½–½

(745084) Galinsky, Timofey (2375) - Shishkin, Vadim (2404) [A48]
Kiev Championship (4), 20.01.2003
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bf4 Bg7 4.h3 0–0 5.e3 d6 6.Bd3 b6 7.0–0 Bb7 8.a4 Nbd7 9.Qe2 e5 10.dxe5 dxe5 11.Nxe5 Nxe5 12.Bxe5 Bxg2 13.Kxg2 Qd5+ 14.Qf3 Qxe5 15.c3 Rad8 16.Rd1 Qg5+ 17.Qg3 Qd5+ 18.Qf3 Qb3 19.Qe2 Qe6 20.Nd2 Rd5 21.Nf3 Rh5 22.Rh1 Nd7 23.Nd4 Qd5+ 24.Qf3 c5 25.Nc6 Rg5+ 0–1

I can find no particular reason that makes the push to e5 better than the c5 break. Deep Rybka says Black is doing fine after 6..., c5.

7.c3 Qb6

I wondered during the game if this move was correct. My friend Rybka says yes it is.

8.Qc2 Nc6 9.Nbd2 cxd4 10.exd4 Be6 11.0–0 Rac8 12.a3 Nd5 13.Nc4 Qc7!?

The computer agreed with these moves as being best until this last one. Here it thought 13..., Qd8; is slightly better, and the game is about equal. Reaching equality by move 13 is a success for Black. Nevertheless, White has more space at the moment. That is not an unusual outcome in the KID type positions. Notwithstanding the computer calculation of equality, White should have an easier time playing the position having extra space with which to work. Black has to find a workable scheme to balance the White space advantage.

14.Bg5!?,..

Retreating the Bishop to g3 gives a dead even game. Black would then have time to try 14..., b4!?; looking for his own space on the Q-side. Play could continue; 15 Ne3 b4 16 c4 Nxe3 17 fxe3 bxa3 18 bxa3 Na5 19 c5 Qb6; with plenty of pressure for the pawn invested. All this supposes both sides are playing with only logical technical chess in mind. What must be added to our understanding of decisions made is the sporting aspect of the contest. Alan likely sees this a must win game for rating reasons at least. Giving up a draw to an opponent 300 rating points behind him will negate what has been decent performances in the Saratoga and SCC title events so far. For Carlos, with nothing intrinsically wrong with his position, there is an opportunity to upset a highly rated player and cap qualification to the Finals with a notable victory. Perhaps these thoughts inspired Mr. Varela to take some risks on the K-side.

14..., h6 15.Bh4!?,..

The question put to the Bg5 is answered again with provocation. Safe and sane is 15 Bd2, aiming to complete development and to maneuver for a bit.

15..., Nf4

Black is beginning to see some compensation for the space he gave up. The Bd3 can be taken off acquiring the long term plus of the Bishop pair for Black, although rushing to do that may not be the best choice. A possible line of play is; 16 Ne3 Qb6 17 Bg3 Nxd3 18 Qxd3 Na5; when Black is well placed to control the light squares on the Q-side. At that point, an advantage for Black is beginning to emerge. It may well be this, and similar other possibilities motivated Varela to stake everything on an attack on the Black King.

16.Ne3 Nxd3 17.Qxd3 d5 18.Rfe1 a6 19.Re2 Qd7!?

If Black was worried about an eventual Bh4-g3, he could have played 19..., f5; to prevent it. A subject that the Correspondence World Champion Hans Berliner, and before him Weaver Adams, wrote about often is board control. Here 19..., f5; would have given Black near absolute control of e4, an important square in the White camp. Both Weaver and Berliner said if your play as White yields e4 or d4, then something is wrong. They held White needs to have some say over those two squares above all others, otherwise there was an error in the opening. I don’t know if they are right. In this case however, 19..., f5; does present obstacles to the attack White gins up shortly.

20.Rae1 Rcd8 21.Ng4 g5?

This is an interesting error at a critical moment. It seems the natural 21..., Bf5; will give Black good play and maybe even an advantage after; 22 Qe3 g5 23 Bg3 Bxg4 24 hxg4 Qxg4. Black has a pawn, and after the further continuation; 25 Ne5 Bxe5 26 Bxe5 Rd7 27 Qd3 e6; White has some, but not full compensation for it. The game move presents White with the opportunity to go for victory with a sacrificial attack. It is a similar situation to his game against Philip Sells two weeks ago. There Mr. Varela launched a sacrificial assault because it was the best practical chance though not completely sound. This time the ambitious aggression is both the best practical chance and sound.

22.Rxe6!,..

This move and 22 Nxh6+, lead to similar play favoring White. This is an inspired idea. The sacrifice effectively splits the Black forces in two with the Rd8 shut out of quick participation in the defense of the Black King.

22..., fxe6 23.Bxg5?,..

And, this move lets Black off the hook. Continuing with; 23 Nxh6+ Bxh6 24 Nxg5 Rf5 (Just about the only move that offers hope of survival.), 25 Nxe6 Rdf8 26 g4 R5f7 27 Qg6+ Rg7 28 Nxf8 Kxf8 29 Qxh6, and White is winning. This is a fairly long line to calculate. It is however more or less forced making the calculation task somewhat easier. Mr. Varela had about 30 minutes remaining on his clock. Perhaps the recollection of how time trouble in the game with Sells caused Carlos to make a hasty decision here.

23..., Rxf3!

A neat counter-sacrifice reducing the attacking forces is the best move for Black now.

24.Nxh6+ Bxh6 25.Qg6+?,..

Mr. Varela played the last few moves reasonably quickly leading me to believe the game was going as he planned. This move is an error however. Better 25 Qxf3, preserving his pawn structure. With 25..., Bxg5 26 Qg4, White will have two pawns for the piece and chances to hold the game because of Black’s less than inspiring pawn formation. I believe White decided when capturing on e6 with the Rook to go for a win at all costs. He was determined to carry the attack forward, and switching to another plan was no option in his thinking, and so, the text.

25..., Bg7 26.gxf3 Rf8 27.Bh6 Rf7 28.Rxe6 Kf8!?

This move is not quite as good as 28..., Nd8; forcing back the Rook from e6, to be followed by 29..., Qc6; forcing an exchange of Queens. Without his Queen to give weight to threats against the Black King, White has small compensation for the piece minus.

29.Qg4?!,..

White has made a determined, if slightly inaccurate effort to drive home his attack to this point in the game. Now his determination wavers. Keeping some hope of cashing in on the attack with 29 Qh7, is better. The threat is 30 Qh8#, and 29..., Ke8 30 Qg8+ Bf8 31 Qg4 Bxh6 32 Rxh6 Qxg4+ 33 fxg4, repairs the White pawn formation. Black still has the piece, but the White K-side pawns have the potential to become dangerous. There is much play left in the position notwithstanding Black’s advantage.

29..., Bxh6 30.Rxh6 Rg7 31.Rg6 Rxg6 32.Qxg6 Qxh3 33.Qg4 Qxg4+

The dust of battle has cleared and Black has a won game. Arguing that White might have tried something other than 33 Qg4, is fruitless a few moments of reflection shows.

34.fxg4 Na5 35.f4 Nc4 36.Kf2 Nxb2 37.Kf3 b5 38.f5 Nc4

White’s only idea, and the only practical one, is to trying to create some passed pawns to distract Black from Queening one or another of his Q-side pawns. The text move covers e5 the readily available route for the White King to travel to win another pawn. The Black Knight prevents the King’s entry until Black has all things ready on the Q-side. Once the stage is set, calculating the dozen or so moves required to finish the game is not difficult for a player of Mr. Le Cours’ experience.

39.Kf4 a5 40.Kg5 Kg7 41.Kf4 a4 42.g5 Nxa3 43.Ke5 Nb1 44.Kxd5 a3 45.Ke6 a2 46.Kxe7 a1Q 47.f6+ Kg6 48.d5 Qa7+ 0–1

With the Queen to help out, there is no feasible way for the White pawns to advance further without loss.

Carlos Varela has been a part of some of the most interesting games of this year’s Finals. Twice he took highly rated opponents, Sells and Le Cours, under attack that was only frustrated with difficulty. His one win in this event over the talented Zack Calderon was a neat miniature where he turned unwarranted aggression into victory in a sharp fight. Mr. Varela’s performance has to be called very good with promise of future improvement. I hope to see him in next year’s tournament.

More soon.