Let's Take A Look

Lets Take A
Look...
Nigel Davies


by Bruce Alberston
We invite you to submit games to be considered by Nigel in this column. For
all games submitted, please provide the following information: (1) Names of
both players; (2) Ratings of both players; (3) When and where the game was
played; (4) The time control used in the game; and (5) Any other information
you think would be helpful for us to know. Please submit the games (in PGN
or CBV format if possible) to: nigeldavies@chesscafe.com. Who knows,
perhaps you will see the game in an upcoming column, as Nigel says to you,
Lets take a look...
It's a Blunderful Life
Well, things have certainly livened up in the chess world recently. Danny
Gormallys attack on Levon Aronian in a Turin nightclub got the kind of
publicity we havent seen since Bobby Fischers day. What do you mean it
wasnt good publicity? All publicity is good! And the nature of this particular
incident makes chess players seem a little bit desperate and dangerous, rather
than boring and nerdy. Weve got a pulse!
Im not sure its dawned on Gormally that there could be a career in this for
him. The first step is to get a manager (probably the guy who takes care of
Nasty Nick Hornby) and get on Big Brother. If all goes well he could have
his own chat show within a year or two. I understand that Nick Leeson is also
doing very nicely for himself.
I must admit to being slightly envious. Its been a long time since I considered
committing a violent act because of sexual jealousy, another sign of age
creeping up on me. And the brain doesnt seem to be quite what it was either;
Im just not that sharp any more. I find Im missing things in my games
right, left and center.
As growing old gracefully isnt for me, I decided to do some research into the
matter and I discovered that there are some really neat designer drugs that can
probably stem the decay. Unfortunately, the government of my fair land
doesnt want us taking anything that might raise our self esteem (its on the
banned list together with Viagra), just in case a self-confident population
decide they could do with a little less government. But if anyone knows how I
can get hold of some of this stuff, then please let me know, c/o ChessCafe,
Behind the Water Pipes, Connecticut, USA.
In the meantime, Im stuck with rather lame methods of trying to claw it back,
like giving up beer and coffee, drinking green tea, listening to Mozart and
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Let's Take A Look
eating eggs, oily fish, soy, lentils, various herbs (Gingko Biloba, Rosemary,
Sage), fruit and vegetables and vitamin-B. But it is, lets say, rather dull. Like
many other people, I much prefer the things that are bad for me.
So meanwhile its a blunderful life, and I console myself with the thought that
Im not the only one. Many GMs start falling apart at the seams once they hit
their mid-forties, and it doesnt seem to get any better. Victor Korchnoi is the
exception, and he seems to put his chess longevity down to driving into a
police car in the Soviet Union and deciding to walk everywhere thereafter.
And come to think of it maybe thats also an option. Sorry officer, but I had to
do something to improve my chess.
On the subject of blunders, this months game is wild and woolly effort
played in Beirut in 1985. Here are the winners comments:
I would like to submit the following game, in the hope it will be
considered for one of your articles. It was a friendly match, but I
considered it as my best effort. I would like to understand the basic
theoretical lines, showing both sides major mistakes. Thank you so
much for your consideration. Best regards, Walid Chaar
Tabib,D (2000) - Chaar,W (1800)
Beirut, 1985
Caro-Kann [B12]
1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 e5 Bf5 4 g4
Sharpening the struggle considerably. Usually White plays this plan after 4
Nc3 e6 and only then 5 g4.
More recently the positional 4 Nf3 has come into the limelight, thanks mainly
to the efforts of Nigel Short. Still, its hard to believe this can be the refutation
of the Caro.
4...Bg6
The safest move is 4...Bd7, ducking out the way of Whites pawn advances.
Bronstein - Petrosian, USSR Ch., Tbilisi 1959 continued 5 c4 e6 6 Nc3 Ne7 7
c5 b6 8 b4 a5 9 Na4 Nc8 10 Rb1 axb4 11 Rxb4 bxc5 12 dxc5 Qc7 13 Nf3 and
now Petrosian sacrificed the exchange with 13...Rxa4 14 Qxa4 Bxc5 and
achieved excellent compensation.
Black has also played 4...Be4 5 f3 Bg6, reaching the same position as the
game, but with White having played f2-f3. Here, too, White can play 6 h4 h5
(6...h6) 7 e6; for example, 7...Qd6 8 exf7+Bxf7 9 g5 Qg3+10 Ke2 Nd7 11
Be3 Qc7 12 f4 Be6 13 Bh3 Bxh3 14 Rxh3, which was probably about equal
in Hahn - Alekhine, Poland 1941.
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5 h4 h5 6 g5?!
I find moves like this physically painful to watch. What about your f5-square,
Mr. Tabib?
The most dangerous move is 6 e6!?; for example, 6...fxe6 7 Bd3 Bxd3 8 Qxd3
hxg4 9 Qg6+Kd7 10 Qxg4 Nf6 11 Qh3 produced a wild position in Mieses -
Speijer, Scheveningen 1923.
6...e6 7 Bd3
This seems way too compliant to be a threat to Black as well. A more
troublesome line of play is 7 Nh3, when 7...Ne7 8 Nf4 gives Black something
to think about with the weakness of his h5-pawn.
7...Ne7 8 Bxg6 Nxg6
I must admit that Id find 8...fxg6 very tempting, Black secures f5 with a huge
concentration of force and can park his king on f7. But both lines are going to
be good for Black.
9 f4
Arent databases wonderful things? Even
in this rather chaotic looking opening one
can find similar games, with J acob -
Neumann, Bad Woerishofen 2000 having
gone 9 Ne2 Qb6 10 Ng3 c5 11 c3 Nc6
with an excellent game for Black. The
problem is in knowing what to do with all
this information and separating the wheat
from the chaff.
9...c5 10 c3 cxd4
Theres usually a case for delaying such captures, so as not to give White the
c3-square for his knight. Accordingly, I suggest 10...Nc6.
11 cxd4 Bb4+
And I wouldnt be in a hurry to play this check either. 11...Ne7 looks like a
good move, bringing the knight to f5 from where it pressures d4 and h4 and
might hop into g3 at some point.
12 Nc3 Bxc3+
Here, too, it was worth considering 12...Ne7.
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13 bxc3 Qc7 14 Bd2
The immediate 14 Ne2 looks like a better idea, keeping the option of
developing his bishop on a3.
14...Ne7 15 Ne2 Nf5 16 Rh3 Nd7 17 a3?
I really dont see the point of this. In fact, it weakens yet another light square.
17...Nf8 18 Kf2?
18 Ng3 might have been better,
eliminating a Black knight before the
mutual slaughter of h-pawns leaves Black
with an open h-file.
18...Ng6 19 Ng3 Ngxh4 20 Nxh5 Qc4 21
Rb1
One of the main reasons for games being
lost is because the player with the worse
position tries to shoot his way out of
trouble. Rather than try and attack on the b-
file (and give Black a2 for his queen), White should repel borders on the
kingside. Thus, 21 Qg4 looks better, after which 21...0-0-0 22 Rah1 Ng6 23
Ke1 Qb3 24 Bc1 Rh7 followed by ...Rdh8 is clearly better for Black, though
the game still has to be won.
21...0-0-0 22 Rb4 Qa2 23 c4?
A blunder, missing 23...Rxh5. White is in a sticky situation; for example, 23
Ng3 can be answered by 23...Ne3 (23...Nxg3 is not bad either) 24 Qe2 (24
Kxe3 Nf5+25 Nxf5 Rxh3+wins the exchange) 24...Ng4+25 Qxg4 Qxd2+26
Ne2 Ng6, when Black will take over the h-file.
I think the only move was 23 Rb1, when 23...Rxh5? allows White to deliver
perpetual attack on Blacks queen via 24 Ra1.
23...g6?
Letting White off the hook, at least this time.
24 Nf6?
Allowing Black a second forced win, although this ones more difficult to see.
White should have played 24 Qc1, so as to be able to break the pin along the
second rank with Rb2.
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24...Nxd4
The right move was the spectacular 24...Nf3!; for example, 25 Rxf3 (25 Qxf3
Qxd2+26 Kf1 Nxd4 leaves Whites king too exposed) 25...Rh2+26 Ke1
Nxd4 27 Rf2 Rdh8, when Black has a winning attack.
25 cxd5
Suddenly it is White who is better. But this is far from being the end of the
story.
25...Nhf3
25...Nhf5 26 Qc1+is also better for White, though this might have been a
better try.
26 Qc1+Kb8 27 Rxh8?!
Not the best. White should play 27 d6,
when 27...Qxd2+28 Qxd2 Nxd2 29 Rxh8
Rxh8 30 Rxd4 is just a great endgame for
White because of his passed d-pawn.
27...Rxh8 28.Nd7+Ka8 29.Rb2??
And this is Tartakovers proverbial last
mistake. White should play 29 Rc4, after
which 29...Qxd2+30 Qxd2 Nxd2 31 Rxd4
Rh2+is good for White, though not
crushing as the 27 d6 variation, which
reaches the same position but with Whites passed pawn on d6 already.
29...Qxd5 30 Qc7 Rh2+0-1
White is mated after 31 Kg3 (Or 31 Kf1 Nxd2+32 Ke1 Qh1#) 31...Nf5+32
Kg4 Rh4#.
Recommended Reading
Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby (Riverhead Trade, 1998)
Solo Training: The Martial Artists Guide to Training Alone by Loren
Christensen (Turtle Press 2001)
Brain Food: The Essential Guide to Boosting Brain by Lorraine Perretta,
Oona Van Den Berg, Oona Van Den Berg (Sterling Publishing 2002)
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Let's Take A Look
Copyright 2006 Nigel Davies. All rights reserved.

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