Exeter Chess Club: 100years\100y_104.htm

@@Game Richards,DJ - Thomas,ARB, Devon Championships, 1964

Unfinished symphony

In sixteen games against ARB I managed only two wins. The one I give below was particularly pleasing since it brought me the Devon County championship for 1964. — DJR

Grunfeld Defence, Exchange Variation

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 c5 7. Bc4 Bg7 8. Ne2 Nc6 9. Be3 cxd4 10. cxd4 O-O 11. O-O Na5 12. Bd3 b6 13. Qd2 Bb7 14. Rac1 Qd7

+-----------------+
|r+.+.4k+|
|0b+q0pgp|
|.0.+.+p+|
|h.+.+.+.|
|.+.)P+.+|
|+.+BG.+.|
|P+.!N)P)|
|+.$.+RI.|
+-----------------+

So far standard manoeuvres for this variation, in which White tries to attack in the centre and on the King's-side, while Black relies on his Queen's-side majority for an endgame advantage. 

15. Bh6 Rfc8 16. Bxg7 Kxg7 17. d5 Rxc1 18. Rxc1 Rc8 19. Nd4 Rxc1+ 20. Qxc1 Qc8

+-----------------+
|.+q+.+.+|
|0b+.0pip|
|.0.+.+p+|
|h.+P+.+.|
|.+.HP+.+|
|+.+B+.+.|
|P+.+.)P)|
|+.!.+.I.|
+-----------------+

21. Qg5 White's attack shouldn't succeed against the best defence, but this looked the most promising way to play for a win. 

21...Qc3 Black's threat, apart from attacking both Knight and Bishop, is of course Qe1+ (or Qa1+) followed by ...Ba6

22. Nf5+

Expecting 22... Kg8 .  While I was wondering what to play after this obvious reply, Black blundered. 

22...Kh8?? 23. Qh6 1-0

A sudden collapse — but what would have been best for White after ...Kg8? I still don't know.  Perhaps a computer could give the answer!

[Notes by David Richards]

[David Regis adds: Fritz offers variations after 22...Kg8:

[23. Bf1! f6 [23...Qc7 24. f4 f6 25. Qg4 Kf7+/= ] 24. Nxe7+ Kf7 25. Qh6 Kxe7 26. Qxh7+ Kd6 27. Qxg6+/= ]

[23. Nh6+?! Kf8 24. Qf4 f5 25. Bf1 Qd4=/+ ]

[23. Qg3?! Kf8 24. Qb8+ Bc8 25. Nd4 Qe1+ 26. Bf1=/+ ]

[23. Nxe7+ Kf8 24. Bf1 f6= is similar to lines above]

 

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This document (100years\100y_104.htm) was last modified on 13 Aug 2005 by [cool blue cat]

Dr. Dave