Finnerman Holds a Draw Against Chi

This is the revised formatting this recent post.  In the past I was able to paste the article with formatting from a word processor intact.  The newly revised Blogger page doesn't allow that, or at least, not so simply as in the past.  Ah, the joys of technology!

More on the ongoing saga of David Finnerman. He leads a team known by several names; Saratoga B last year, Capital Region this year. It’s made up of Finnerman and three Albany Area Chess Club members, so it could possibly have been called the Albany B team. David had a big hand in organizing the team motivated by the desire to find a place where he could play in the League. He succeeded in creating a place to play, but the reward for that success was holding down first board and facing some of the toughest of the local talent. Last year he did not have much good luck on the top board. This year it has been a different story. Mr. Finnerman defeated Dean Howard in the match with Albany, came near winning from Jon Leisner of the Geezers, and here holds Schenectady A’s Patrick Chi to a draw. Nice results and a marked improvement for sure.

Chi, Patrick - Finnerman, David [E81]
CDCL Match Schenectady A versus Capital Region, Schenectady, NY, 19.04.2012

 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 0–0 6.Be3 Nbd7 7.Bd3 c5 A number of Grandmasters are partial to Samisch variation. The 5th Correspondence World Champion, Hans Berliner, is the most unequivocal of its supporters. He says the Samisch is the only way for White to meet the this line in the KID. Most other Grandmasters are not quite so convinced it is the only way, but the Samisch has an enduring popularity at the highest level.

 Here is an example from the 1960s:

 (54391) Botvinnik, Mikhail - Tal, Mihail [E81]
24th World Championship, Moscow (17), 28.04.1961

1.d4 g6 2.e4 Bg7 3.c4 d6 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.f3 Nbd7 6.Be3 0–0 7.Bd3 e5 8.Nge2 Nh5 9.dxe5 dxe5 10.0–0 c6 11.Qd2 Qe7 12.Rad1 Nc5 13.Bb1 Ne6 14.Qe1 Bf6 15.Kh1 Nhf4 16.g3 Nxe2 17.Nxe2 h5 18.Qf2 b6 19.f4 exf4 20.gxf4 Bb7 21.e5 c5+ 22.Rd5 [22.Kg1] 22...Bg7 23.Kg1 Nc7 24.Nc3 Nxd5 25.cxd5 Rad8 26.Be4 Ba8 27.Qg3 b5 28.Qf2 Qd7 29.Bxc5 Rfe8 30.Qg3 Rc8 31.b4 Kh8 32.Qf3 a6 33.Kh1 f5 34.exf6 Bxf6 35.Bxg6 Qg4 36.Qd3 Rg8 37.Be4 Rce8 38.Bf3 Qxf4 39.Ne2 Qh4 40.Bf2 Qg5 41.Ng3 Rd8 42.Be3 Qe5 43.Rd1 Rg4 44.a3 Bb7 45.Bb6 Rd7 46.Be3 Rh4 47.Nf1 Rc4 48.Bg2 Rg7 49.Qd2 h4 50.h3 Qb2 51.Qxb2 Bxb2 52.Bc5 Rd7 53.Ne3 Rc1 54.Rxc1 Bxc1 55.Bd4+ Kg8 56.Ng4 Bg5 57.Kg1 Bxd5 58.Ne5 Bxg2 59.Nxd7 Bxh3 60.Nc5 Bc8 61.Kf2 Kh7 62.a4 bxa4 63.Nxa4 Bf4 64.Kf3 h3 65.Bg1 h2 66.Bxh2 Bxh2 67.Ke4 Bd7 68.Nc5 Bb5 69.Kd5 Kg6 70.Ne4 Kf5 71.Nc3 Bf1 72.Kc5 Be5 73.Nb1 Ke6 74.Nd2 Bd6+ 75.Kb6 Bg2 76.Nb3 Bxb4 77.Kxa6 Bf1+ 78.Kb6 Kd6 79.Na5 Bc5+ 80.Kb7 Be2 81.Nb3 Be3 82.Na5 Kc5 83.Kc7 Bf4+ 84.Kd7 Kb6 85.Nb3 Bb5+ 86.Ke7 Be3 0–1

This was an interesting game and not decided until deep in the minor piece endgame. Tal played 7..., e5; where Mr. Finnerman goes for 7..., c5. Both moves have the approval of theory. Gary Kasparov used the .., c5; break in the following game:

 (233188) Psakhis, Lev (2575) - Kasparov, Garry (2800) [E81]
Murcia (1), 1990

1.c4 g6 2.e4 Bg7 3.d4 d6 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.f3 0–0 6.Be3 Nbd7 7.Bd3 c5 8.Nge2 cxd4 9.Nxd4 e6 10.0–0 d5 11.exd5 exd5 12.Bf2 Ne5 13.c5 Nfd7 14.Be2 Nxc5 15.Ndb5 b6 16.Nxd5 Bf5 17.Nd4 Bd3 18.Bxd3 Qxd5 19.Bc2 Rad8 20.Qe2 Rfe8 21.Rfe1 Nxf3+ 22.Qxf3 Rxe1+ 23.Rxe1 Bxd4 24.Qxd5 Rxd5 25.Re2 Bxb2 26.Bxc5 Rxc5 27.g3 b5 28.Kg2 Be5 29.Bb3 a5 30.Rf2 Rc7 31.Re2 Bc3 32.Re8+ Kg7 33.Rb8 a4 34.Bd5 Rc5 35.Be4 b4 36.Bc2 0–1

The Samisch is one of those opening lines that attracts the best players because is sets up a position rich in opportunities for sophisticated tactics and creative positional play. In this way it is similar to the Ruy, Sicilian and the Slav, and it is easy to understand why the Grandmasters prefer such lines. These are the places where they can display their talents to the best effect.

8.Nge2 Re8

Black would be better advised to follow the former World Champion’s lead and capture on d4. That is not to say the text is an outright error, rather delay and avoidance of this capture leads to a position that is not particularly good for Black.

9.0–0 a6 10.Qd2 Qc7 11.Rac1 e5?!

 Black studiously avoided taking with the c-pawn on d4. He now insists on making White play d4-d5. The problem is; the Black pieces are not well placed to break with .., f7-f5; and that is one of the natural follow-ups in what is now a kind of Benoni-type position. The net result is what was a pretty closely balanced position shifts to White’s favor.

12.d5 Nf8 13.g4 Rb8 Since the .., f7-f5; break is not in the cards for Black, he prepares the alternative .., b7-b5. 14.Ng3,.. White has taken the opportunity to seize space on the K-side. 14..., b5?! David further insists on his Q-side break. More cautious is 14..., b6; but Mr. Finnerman is not usually willing to forego activity. White's advantage increases now.

 15.cxb5 c4 16.b6 Rxb6 17.Na4 Rb7 18.Bxc4 Qb8 19.b3,..

The net result of Black’s ill-timed aggression is White has a solid pawn in the bag. At this point I was beginning to think Patrick Chi was on his way to another victory.

19..., Bd7 20.Nb2?!,.. Caution is not an earmark of Mr. Chi’s play as a rule. Increasing tension with 20 g5, is the way to proceed at this point. Play then may continue; 20..., Nh5 21 Nxh5 gxh5 22 Bxa6 Ra7 23 Qa5! Bc8 24 Qb5 Bxa6 25 Qxb8 Rxb8 26 Bxa7 Rb7 27 Be3 Bxf1 28 Kxf1, when Black is down two pawns with two thirds of his army essentially out of play. The simplified position is clearly won for White.

20..., Bb5 21.Bxb5 axb5 22.Nd3 Qa8 23.Rc6 Qa3

White has maintained his advantage but not increased it. Black has done his utmost to obtain activity. It seemed to me White was in control with the open question being; how does White engineer some simplification which will make his advantage manifest?

24.Nb4 Ra8 25.Rfc1?,..

A routine move that is not danger free. Capturing on d6 is probably best here. It secures a second pawn and reduces the possibilities Black has in the center.

25..., Rbb8 26.R1c2?,..

White has obviously decided the pawn on d6 is not worth the tempo. This is wrong. With no pawn on d6 to support the c5 square Black has little counter-play.

26..., N8d7 27.Rc7 Nc5

This cutting off of the venturesome Rc7 should not work as well as it does. White has sought and found a position tough for both sides. It seems that Black willingly went into such, he had small choice being down material, and White enters because he is confident in his own ability to calculate through complexity. That was the kind of choice I made often when playing. GM Har-Zvi tried to break me of the habit of going for complications when simpler solutions were available. The GM had no success with me on that issue, and it looks like he did not convince Mr. Chi on that point either.

28.Bxc5 dxc5 29.Nc6 Ne8 30.Nxb8 Nxc7 31.Nc6 Bf8 32.Nxe5 Bd6 33.Nc6 c4

This move was what Mr. Finnerman may have been counting on to make a difference. If the a-file opens, the Bishop checking from c5 and potential action by the Rook down the a-file creates serious danger along the back rank for White.

34.e5!?,..

Setting up to force an exchange of Queens with 34 Qc3, is a more controlled response. The text begins a forcing sequence

34..., cxb3 35.axb3 Bc5+ 36.Kg2 Qxb3 37.d6,..

Necessary because 37 Rxc5, elicits 37..., Ra7; and the draw is likely after; 38 Qe2 Rxe2 39 Nxe2 Qe3 40 Ned4 Qd2+; when the Queen roaming behind the lines will keep White very busy.

37..., Ne6 38.Ne2?!,..

Better is 38 Ne4, maintaining a solid edge. From e4 the Knight can do much the same thing as it does from e2, but on e4 the Knight is not in the way of the White King. The game move lets go of a good deal of the advantage White obtained out of the opening because the Knight hinders the King.

38..., Ra3!

And suddenly all of the Black pieces are hugely active. The lateral threat to f3 is key. David Finnerman demonstrates a valuable lesson here; in a bad position all is not lost if you can find some way to make your pieces active. Even so strong a player as Patrick Chi sometimes relaxes too much when everything is going well. Taking advantage of that all too human kind of let-down by making the most of your opportunities is the essence of making a fighting defense.

39.Rc3,..

Patrick recognizes the danger and opts for simplification.

39..., Ra2 40.Rxb3 Rxd2 41.Kf1,..

Offering the Knight with the reckless line; 41 Rxb5?, is met by 41..., Nf4+ 42 Kg3 Nxe2+; and then Black will win one way or another. The White King is just too weakly placed.

41..., Rd1+ 42.Kg2 Rd2 ½–½

The players agreed the draw here. A disappointment for Patrick and an escape from just punishment for errors in the opening for David, sums up the game. David Finnerman’s good results so far in League play may herald the emergence of another strong player into the ranks of the best local talent. We sorely need a few more such as he to spark-plug teams for League competition.

As Bill Townsend recently reported in the Schenectady Gazette chess column; the Saratoga Club fielded no team for the League this year, and last year’s club title tourneys were smaller than expected. I put some of the fall off in participation to the ready availability of chess on-line, Before internet chess, regular play meant going to a chess club, or entering one of the Studio Quads. Alas, the Quads are gone, and it is dead easy to dial-up a chess site for all the fast chess you can handle on-line. I don’t have a solution other than to pray for more folks such as Mr. Finnerman who have the wish to make their mark in rated chess and the willingness to do the organizational work to make the opportunities to play.

More soon.