Sunday, 18 November 2018

Touch Wood

Chess-players should know all about touching wood, but I have been guilty of hubris in my last couple of posts and omitted the usual supernatural prophylaxis. The crunch match of the early part of the season for Aberystwyth, as so often in the Dyfed League, was against Cardigan A, at the Emlyn Cafe, Tanygroes, on Monday 12th November, and, though we arrived feeling competitive, it did not end well for the club. On top board, Rudy van Kemenade played a sharp variation against Howard Williams's Sicilian and went on to open the centre on the principle that Black hadn't castled yet. It turns out that there was a winning line for him in the complications that ensued, but it was very hard to see, and he came out of them an exchange down, a deficit from which he was unable to recover. Adam Watkin-Jones was bamboozled by Iolo Jones's hypnotic manoeuvres in an English Opening, and allowed White a grip on d6, after which he, too, lost the exchange and the game. Against Tony Haigh, I found myself playing the White side of a French MacCutcheon, for only the second time in a rated game. Afterwards we both discovered that we only knew the theory as far as move 8. I cautiously exchanged out of danger, arriving at a knight-versus-bad-bishop endgame, which, according to Rudy's analysis, was winnable, but I could only find a draw. Finally, James Cook, after his good start to the season, had the worst of a Bogo-Indian against the rapidly improving Ben Brewer, dropping a pawn and allowing White's passed pawn to advance deep into his position for the win. Cardigan A's 3½-½ victory means they are now clear leaders of the League.

The club championship continued next day with a game between me and Sam Holman. Emerging from an O'Kelly Sicilian with a dangerous looking central passed pawn, Sam daringly sacrificed the exchange to foil my attempt to force a draw by repetition. In the difficult ending that resulted I failed to find the best defence and lost a tense and interesting game.

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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d3 Nc6 4.g3 g6 5.Bg5 a move championed by Gawain Jones, played by Morozovich, Glek & McShane 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.0-0 Nge7 7.c3 main 5...Qc7 5...Qb6 6.Nbd2 6.Qc1 Bg7 7.c3 h6 8.Be3 d5 9.exd5 9.Nbd2 9...exd5 10.Bg2 Nge7 11.Nbd2 Nf5 12.Nb3 d4 13.cxd4 cxd4 14.Bd2 0-0 15.0-0 Glek-Triapishko,RUS ch tm rapid, Sochi 2015,1-0 6...Qxb2 eg 7.Nc4 Qg7 8.Rb1 d6 9.Bg2 Be7 10.e5 G Jones-Snape, BCF ch, Scarborough 2001, 1-0 6.Bg2 Bg7 7.c3 e5 7...Nge7 main 8.0-0 d5 9.Na3 0-0 10.Re1 h6 11.exd5 Nxd5 12.Bd2 b6 13.Qc1 Kh7 14.Re4 f6 15.d4 Glek-Short, Cap D'Agde rapid 1996,1-0 8.0-0 d6 8...Nge7 9.Na3 0-0 10.d4 d6 10...cxd4 11.cxd4 exd4 12.Rc1 Qd8 13.Nb5= Libiszewski-Karr, FRA ch , Meribel 1998, 0-1 11.Nb5 Qd7 12.dxc5 dxc5 13.Qe2 b6 14.Rfd1 Qb7 15.Nd6 Qa6 16.Qc2+- Zakic-Vratonjic, YUG ch, NIs 1998,1-0 9.Na3 Be6 10.d4 Wh felt that with the K in the middle, the game needed to be opened up exd4 10...cxd4 Cloud Engines 11.cxd4 Nxd4 12.Nxd4 exd4 13.Qd3 13.f4± Stockfish8 & Komodo12 13...a6 14.Rac1 Qd7 15.f4 Ne7 16.f5 gxf5 17.exf5 Nxf5 18.Nc4 Bxc4 18...0-0 19.Nb6 Qb5 20.Qxb5 axb5 21.Nxa8 Rxa8 22.Bxb7 Ra7 23.Be4 Ne3 24.Rfe1 Rxa2 Komodo121 19.Rxc4 Ne3 20.Bxe3 dxe3 21.Qxe3+ Qe6 22.Qd3 0-0 23.Rh4 Ansell-Nandhidhaa, London Classic Open2011,1-0 11.Nb5 choice of Komodo12 Qd7 11...Qb6 12.Nxd6+ Kf8± Komodo12 12...Kd7 13.cxd4 13.Bf4+- 13...cxd4 14.e5+- considered by Wh & pm analtsis 14.Bf4+- Komodo12 12.cxd4± 12.Bf4 Be5 13.cxd4 cxd4 14.Nfxd4 Nxd4 15.Nxd4 Bxf4 16.gxf4 Nf6 17.Nxe6 17.Qe2 0-0 18.f5± Komodo12 17...fxe6 18.e5 Nh5 18...dxe5 19.fxe5 Nd5 20.Qf3 0-0-0 Komodo12 19.Qxd6 Nxf4 19...Qxd6 20.exd6 Nxf4 21.Be4 Kd7= Komodo12 20.Qxd7+ Kxd7 21.Rfd1+ Ke7 22.Bxb7 Rad8= Horvath-Almasi, HUN ch tm, 2010,0-1 12...Bc4 missed by Wh in earlier calculations, but Komodo12 finds the justification for Wh's decision to open up the game 12...a6 best try, Komodo12 13.Nxd6+ Qxd6 14.d5 Bd7 15.dxc6 Qxd1 16.Rfxd1 Bxc6 17.e5± 13.d5 13.Bh3!± Komodo12- not seen in pm analysis either Qxh3 13...f5 14.exf5!+- Bxb5 14...Bxf1 15.Qxf1+- Bf6 16.fxg6 Qg7 17.dxc5+- 17.gxh7+- 17.Re1+ Kf8 18.Bf4+- 14...Nf6 15.Re1+ Kf8 16.Na3 Bd5 17.dxc5 dxc5 18.Ne5 Nxe5 19.Rxe5 Rd8 20.Qe2+- Komodo12 15.f6 Qc7 16.fxg7 Qxg7 17.Re1+ Nce7 18.Qb3 a6 19.dxc5 dxc5 20.a4 Bc6 21.Ne5+- Komodo12 13...Be6 14.Bxe6 fxe6 15.dxc5 dxc5 16.Nd6+ Kf8 17.Rc1+- Komodo12 14.Nxd6+ Kf8 15.Nxc4 Bxd4 15...Nxd4 16.e5+- 16.Nd6 Qd7 17.Bf4± Komodo12 13.a4 Bxb5 13...Bxf1 14.Qxf1 Nxd4 14...a6 15.Bh3+- 15.Nfxd4 Bxd4 16.Rd1 Be5 17.f4 Bd4+ 18.Nxd4 cxd4 19.Rxd4 Komodo12 14.axb5 Nxd4 15.b6 15.Be3 Nxb5 16.e5 15...a6 16.Nxd4 Bxd4 17.Qd2 Ne7 17...Bg7 18.e5± 18.Bh6= Komodo12 13...Ne5 13...Bxb5 14.dxc6 Bxc6 15.Bf4= Komodo12 14.Nxe5 Bxe5 15.Nc3 15.Na3 pm analysis & slightly preferred by Komodo12, a bit easier to play for Wh Bxf1 16.Bxf1 a6 16...Kf8= Komodo12 17.Nc4 Rb8 18.Be3 18.Nxe5 dxe5 19.Rc1± Komodo12- pm analysis 19.d6 f6 19...h6 20.Qd5 hxg5 21.Qxe5+ Kf8 22.Qxh8 Qxd6 Komodo12 20.Be3 Rc8 21.Rc1± Komodo12 15...Bxf1 16.Bxf1 16.Qxf1 looks to be better h6 17.Be3 Nf6 18.Re1 Kf8 19.f4 Bxc3 20.bxc3 Re8 21.e5 Ng4 22.Bc1 h5 23.c4= Komodo12 16...a6 17.a4 17.Na4 Qc7 gets nowhere 17.Qe2 h6 18.Be3 Nf6 19.Bg2 b5 20.Nd1 0-0 21.Bxh6 Rfe8 22.Be3 Ng4 23.Bg5 f5 Komodo12 17...Ne7 17...Nf6 18.Bh6 0-0-0 Komodo12 17...Bg7 Howard 18.a5 Ne7 19.Na4 Nc8 20.b4= Komodo12 18.Bh6 18.a5 0-0 19.Na4 Nc8 19...Rae8 20.Nb6 Qc7 21.Nc4= Komodo12 18...f6 18...Ng8 19.Be3 Nf6 Komodo12 19.Be3 19.a5 Kf7 19...g5 Feared by Wh as it cuts off the B, butthere are resources 20.Na4 Nc8 21.Be2 Kd8 22.Bg4 Qb5 23.Be6 23.Qd2 Qe8 20.Na4 Nc8 21.Be3 Kg7 22.f4 Bd4 23.Bxd4 cxd4 24.Qxd4 Re8 25.Rc1 Re7= Komodo112 19...f5 19...0-0 20.f4 Bxc3 21.bxc3 Rae8 Komodo12 20.f4 20.Bh6 0-0-0 20.a5 0-0 21.Na4 Rad8 22.Nb6 Qc7 23.Nc4 fxe4 24.Nxe5 dxe5 25.Rc1 Nxd5 26.Bxc5 Rf6 27.Qe1 Rc6 28.b4 Nf6 Komodo12 20...Bxc3 21.bxc3 at least Wh has obtained 2Bs vs R&N, which can often hold the fort in endgames fxe4 22.Qc2 0-0 22...0-0-0 also, Komodo12 23.Qxe4 Nf5 24.Bf2 looked better than 24.Bd2-+ Komodo12 concurs 24...Rae8 25.Qd3 Re7-+ the R invasion will be too powerful 25...c4 26.Qd2 considered by both & pm analysis Re4 26.a5 26.g4 Nh6 27.h3 Rxf4 28.Qd2 Rxf2 28...g5 29.Be3 Rxe3 30.Qxe3 Nf7 31.Qe6 is not as good 29.Qxf2 Nf7 30.Bg2 Ne5-+ Komodo12, the N dominates the defensive B( thus helping the other pieces gain in activity) & Bl has an extra pawn to play with on the Q side 26...Rfe8 27.Bh3 27.Rb1 Ne3-+ 27...Re4 27...Re2 28.c4 28.Rb1 Ra4 28...Qg7 28...Re2 29.Rb1 Ra2 30.g4 Nh6 31.f5 Ree2 32.Bg3 gxf5 33.gxf5 Qg7 34.f6 Qxf6 35.Rf1 Qg7 36.Be6+ 36.Kh1 Ng4-+ 36...Kh8 37.Qf3 Rxh2 38.Qf8+ Qxf8 39.Rxf8+ Kg7 40.Bxh2 Kxf8 41.Bxd6+ Ke8 42.Bxc5 Rxa5 43.Bb6 Ra1+ 44.Kf2 Nf7-+ though there are some slim hopes of a Wh survival as the Bs cooperate better than the R & N 29.Rb1 R8e7 29...h5 29...Nd4 30.Be6+= 30.Rb6 30.Rxb7 Howard & pm analysis was Wh's last chance Rxb7 31.Qxe4 Qa1+ 32.Kg2 Re7 33.Qd3 Qf6 33...Qxa5 34.Bxf5 gxf5 35.Qxf5= the Bl K will face a perpetual 34.Qb3 Re2 35.Bxf5 Qxf5 36.Qb8+ Qf8 37.Qa7 Qe7 38.Qxa6 Ra2-+ Komodo12 38...h5-+ Komodo12( provides escape routes for the Bl K as well as a source of attack) 30...Qa1+ 31.Kg2 31.Rb1 Qxa5 32.Bxf5 gxf5 33.Qf3 Qa2-+ Komodo12 31.Bf1 Re1 31...Qxa5 32.Rxb7 Rxb7 33.Qxe4 Qd2-+ a more immediate line 32.Bxe1 Rxe1 33.Kf2 33.Rb3 Ne3 33...Rd1 34.Qe2 Qd4+ 35.Kf3 35.Kg2 Rd2 35...Qc3+ 36.Kg4 Ne3+ 37.Kh3 Rd2 38.Rb3 38.Qf3 Qg7! mating 38...Qxb3 39.Qxd2 Nxf1 40.Qe2 Ne3-+ Komodo12 31.Qb1 Re1+-+ seen by both 31...Ne3+ Wh had missed that the N needed to be taken 32.Bxe3 32.Kf3 Qh1+ 33.Ke2 Nxc4+ 34.Be3 Rxe3+ 35.Qxe3 Rxe3+ 36.Kf2 Qf3+ 37.Kg1 Re1+ 38.Bf1 Qxf1# 32...Rxe3 33.Qb1 Re2+ 34.Kf3 R7e3+ 35.Kg4 Qf6 36.Rxb7 36.Bf1 Rxh2 37.f5 Rh5 38.fxg6 Qg5# Komodo12 has some other typical Engine ways of postponing the mate by giving up lots of material first 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBRes
Van Kemenade,R2030Williams,A23240–1
Jones,I2225Watkin-Jones,A19401–0
Francis,M1718Haigh,A1800½–½
Brewer,B1431Cook,J14911–0
Holman,S1327Francis,M17181–0
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