May 2013


Fri 10th: Act IV

Fri 10th: Act IV
RR was called into action for the club's final North Staffs match of the season, with our D team visiting their opposite numbers at Cheddleton. The pairings reveal I'm to play Roger Edwards for the fourth time this season. Can I stop him getting revenge for our last contest (March-Miniature).

Scene I: In the Centre

We join the game with Roger having followed RR's lead and castled. No sign of the antics of our last effort.
RR v Roger Edwards after 6 ... 0-0

rnbq1rk1/pp3ppp/2pbpn2/3p4/2PP4/3BPN2/PP3PPP/RNBQ1RK1 w
I'd like to prevent his knight coming into e4, suggesting Nc3 or Nbd2, but also feel he may wish to advance e5. Decide to oppose the latter, so
7 b3 Nbd7, 8 Bb2 Re8, 9 Ne5
As is often the case, a good way to stop an advance to is to occupy the square concerned oneself. Black cannot take the knight since doing so with the knight results in a fork with the pawn recapture, whilst bishop takes leaves his f6 knight with no retreat.
9 ... Qc7, 10 f4 I'm beginning to like my position, with clear chances on the kingside after Qf3, though whether I should then be playing f5 or Qh3 is yet to be decided. If he immediately places his knight in e4, I'll whip it off and switch attention to the queenside or centre. However Roger goes for classical stuff, countering potential play on the wing with play in the centre.

10 ... c5, 11 Nd2 dxc4, 12 Ndxc4 Nd5
RR v Roger Edwards after 12 ... Nd5

r1b1r1k1/ppqn1ppp/3bp3/2pnN3/2NP1P2/1P1BP3/PB4PP/R2Q1RK1 w
Scene II: An Attack I'm sure that the exchange on c4 helped me, but isn't this latest move suicidal? Why are we unable to consistently put our knowledge into practice, for I'm sure Roger is well aware of the typical dangers lurking here? I've been wondering how I can get his knight off f6 and he's done it for me voluntarily!

13 Bxh7+ Kf8
(... Kh8, 14 Nxf7+ Kxh7, 15 Qh5+ Kg8, 16 Ncxd6 with mate threats that can only be thwarted by giving up the queen,
or ... Kxh7, 14 Qh5+ Kg8, 15 Qxf7+ Kh7, 16 Rf3 with irresistible mate threats)

14 e4 N5f6, 15 Nxd7+ Nxd7, 16 e5 Be7, 17 Qh5 b5
18 Be4 f5
RR v Roger Edwards after 18 ... f5

r1b1nk2/p1qnb1p1/4p3/1pp1Pp1Q/2NPBP2/1P6/PB4PP/R4RK1 w
There is something about being offered a pawn en passant that clouds one judgement. Bxa8 is a trivial win of material with pressure maintained, Bf3 should make him squirm, but taking en passant does open up routes to the king. Only gave passing thought to d5, which is a pity as its probably the most powerful of the lot. But I'm a slow and not particularly accurate calculator, which means that if I'm not careful I can get into time trouble in these positions. But not yet today. Taking ep offers the prospect of winning the exchange, a pawn and taking off the queens. I can't lose from there, can I?

19 exf6 Nxf6, 20 Qh8+ Kf7, 21 Ne5+ Qxe5, 22 Qxe8+ As calculated, but in fact fxe5 better as I'd end up a whole rook up. Anyway now
22 ... Nxe8, 23 fxe5+ Kg8, 24 Bxa8 and I'm a rook, exchange and pawn up, so we're destined for
22 ... Kxe8, 23 Bg6+ Kd8, 24 Nd5 Rf7 and the g-pawn is doomed.

22 ... Kxe8, 23 fxe5 Nxe4 Naughty words! I omitted the bishop check. Now I'm left with rook and pawn for two minor pieces. And he's got the bishop pair. Very naughty words!
RR v Roger Edwards after 23 ... Nxe4

r1b1k3/p3b1p1/4p3/1pp1P3/3Pn3/1P6/PB4PP/R4RK1 w
Scene III: Muddling Through 24 Rf4 Bb7, 25 Raf1 Chess by autopilot. Double rooks on the open file. But in this case not a good idea. Re1 needed to drive the knight away.
25 ... cxd4, 26 Bxd4 Rd8, 27 Bxa7 Rd2 (... Ra8 gets the pawn straight back and still penetrates my position.)
28 Ra1 Nc5, 29 Rg4 Nd7, 30 Bd4 No depth to my thoughts here. I'd like to prevent him creating a passed e-pawn, but how do I cope with
30 ... Bxg2

30 ... Nc5 Roger elects instead to re-position his knight again.
31 h4 Ne4, 32 Bb6 Nc3, 33 Rxg7 Nd5, 34 Bf2 Nf4
RR v Roger Edwards after 34 ... Nf4

4k3/1b2b1R1/4p3/1p2P3/5n1P/1P6/P2r1BP1/R5K1 w

Scene IV: Comic Opera Somehow all this ducking and diving has left RR with three pawns and a rook for two minor pieces, though blacks pieces are clearly better placed. Now what? I'd like to be able to play Rc1, Rxe7+, Rc7+ to win both bishops for a rook, though this plan will prove to be stillborn as Ne2+ is an inconvenient fork. Kick the knight with g3? No, as Nh3+ wins my bishop. a4 perhaps. Rf1 to protect the knight? Kf1? I don't know!! Tick, tick, tick. Less than two minutes left. Play something.

35 Rc1. Did I play that? He's thinking. Why? He's got about five minutes. Maybe his mind is locked too.
35 ... Nd3 A triple fork. he's still obsessed with my e-pawn. Phew.
36 Rf1 Protect my bishop. Obvious really. Except that I'm still thinking of giving up rook for two bishops, which was shoddy analysis in the first place. Rc7 is more powerful.

36 ... Nxe5 Getting his pawn at last. But what about 36 ... Nxf2, 37 Rxf2 Bc5, 38 Rxb7 Bxf2+ with Bxh4 and Rxa2 to follow? Perhaps I haven't protected my bishop after all.
37 h5 Bd5, 38 h6 Nf7, 39 h7 Bf6 40 Rg8+ Kd7
41 Bb6 (why not e3?) Kc6, 42 Rxf6 Nh8, 43 Bf2 and the black king lacks the strength to stay upright. 1-0.

Needless to say we were the last board to finish, so had plenty of spectators. I fear the game had more entertainment than educational value.
comment on this article