ODT081202

=**Strong showing by Gold**=


 * Problem:** White to play and mate in three.

The Otago Chess Club Rapid Championship was recently decided in the second of two double-round-robin legs. Top seed John Sutherland was in the box seat after the first leg, half a point ahead of the writer. However in the second leg, third seed Hamish Gold scored a notable upset victory over Sutherland and drew their other game. This allowed the writer to catch up with Sutherland to share the 2008 Senior Rapid Championship with a total of 8 points from 12 games. The unluckiest player was Gold, who was on level scoring in his games against the two winners, but because of a loss against Chris Lydiate in the first leg, only finished third, a point behind. Patrick Dawson won the Intermediate trophy on the strength of his 5 points out of 6 in the first leg, while Elliot Munro's combined total of 10 points from 12 games easily won the Junior trophy.

Today's game is Gold's typically enterprising win over Sutherland, Gold playing with the white pieces. media type="custom" key="26477560" In a slightly unorthodox opening both payers miss an interesting tactical opportunity for White here. 6 Bxf7+! Kxf7 7 Ng5+ Kg8 8 Ne6 Qe8 9 Nxc7 either winning the exchange or a rook and many pawns for two pieces. White hatches a plan to immediately exploit the weakness of the g6 square created by Black's last move, with a risky pawn sacrifice for the initiative. A better way of taking the pawn was 8 ... Nb6 9 Bb3 exd4 10 cxd4 Nxe4. Now White keeps his pawn. Closing the bishop's diagonal and threatening to capture on g6. Now 13 Nxe7+ is fine for White, but true to his aggressive instincts, Gold chooses to sacrifice the knight and play for a sharp attack based on penetrating to h7 with his queen. Although objectively the sacrifice is probably unsound, it is extremely hard at a fast time limit for the defender to find the right moves. A better alternative was 17 ... Nc4 worrying the bishop on d2 and bringing another piece back to the kingside. Now 18 Qf5+ might have lead to a draw, since Black must give up material to escape the checks, Gold senses it is time to play for more. **18. Rae1! Bc5+** Again 19 ... Nc4 offered better defensive chances, applying pressure to e5 and leaving the Black pieces more room to manouvre. White now sticks to his strong original h7 plan, but 19 b4 regaining the piece was also good and even better was the immediate breakthrough 19 f5! Rxe5 20 f6! gxf6 21 Qg6! and Black is helpless against the combined threats of 22 Rxf6+ and 22 Bxh6+. Now 20 ... Nc4 still fails to 21 f5! Rxe5 22 f6! gxf6 23 Qg6! and 20 ... Nd7 to 21 f5! Rxe5 22 f6! Nxf6 23 Bg6! forcing 23... Be6 24 Rxe5 etc. However, the move played cannot save Black from the White pawn onslaught that follows. Forcing mate in three. A stylish game by Gold..
 * 1. d4 Nf6**
 * 2. Nf3 d6**
 * 3. Nbd2 Nbd7**
 * 4. e4 e5**
 * 5. Bc4 Be7?**
 * 6. O-O? O-O**
 * 7. c3 h6**
 * 8. Nh4!? ---**
 * 8. --- Nxe4?!**
 * 9. Ng6 Nxd2**
 * 10. Bxd2 Nb6**
 * 11. Bb3 Re8**
 * 12. dxe5 d5**
 * 13. Qh5!! Bg5**
 * 14. f4 fxg6**
 * 15. Qxg6 Re6**
 * 16. Qd3 Be7**
 * 17. Bc2 Kf8?!**
 * 19. Kh1 Qe7?**
 * 20. Qh7 Qf7**
 * 21. f5 Re8**
 * 22. f6 g5**
 * 23. Qh8+ Qg8**
 * 24. Qxh6+ Kf7**
 * 25. Qh5+ Kf8**
 * 26. Bxg5 Be6**
 * 27. Bh6+**


 * 1-0**


 * Solution:** 1 Ng6+! fxg6 (1 ... Kg8 2 Re8+ Kh7 3 Rxh8#) 2 Bxg6 and 3 Re8#.