ODT090728

=**South Island Championship**=




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

The Otago Chess Club played host to both the 2009 South Island Chess Championship and Rapid Championship earlier this month. Wellington FIDE Master Nic Croad, a regular visitor to Dunedin tournaments, was far and away the favourite to win both events, despite not being eligible for the titles of South Island Champion or South Island Rapid Champion. But chess is not so predictable, and Croad suffered major upsets in both events, yet was still able to claw his way back to victory each time.

In the Rapid Championship, wily Canterbury veteran of over 50 championships, Arie Nijman, played a superb rook ending to beat Croad in their individual match. But Nijman also conceded two draws, so the top seed was able to catch up and share victory - Nijman taking the South Island Rapid title. In the eight-round main event, Nelson's Dan Dolejs launched a powerful attack that kept Croad so preoccupied he overstepped the time-limit. This time Nic was able to finish outright first by winning all his other games, leaving the early leader, Cantabrian Peter Fraemohs, to take the South Island Champion title after finishing second a point behind on 6/8.

Today's game is the sixth round clash from the championship that allowed Croad (playing White) to overtake Fraemohs and regain the lead. media type="custom" key="26398614" The Chigorin Defence is an unusual response to the Queen's Gambit, that emphasises active piece-play but often involves Black granting White the advantage of two bishops against two knights. The usual move is 8 Bd2 more or less forcing Black to exchange the other bishop. White's move order improves on the game Lasker – Chigorin 1895 (!) in that White prevents the manouvre 9 ... Qh5 pressuring his weak kingside pawns. Although the White position looks undeveloped, the strong central bulwark of pawns combined with the long-term potential of the two bishops puts White firmly in control, able to attack on the kingside without bothering to castle. White's last move was to immobilise the black knights – stopping 14 ... Nd5 with pressure on c3. Black should have harried the white queen with 14 ...a6, either resulting in a queen exchange or at least allowing him to activate his knights. Instead the White attack develops unimpeded. More awkward for White would have been 16...Qb2, with either a queen exchange after 17 Qb1 or counterplay after 17 Rb1 Qxa2 18 Rxb7 Rfb8! White now prevents this possibility. Attempting to assist with kingside defence across the vacant fifth rank. Despite appearances it is Black's king that is more seriously exposed of the two monarchs, especially as White now activates both heretofore dormant bishops. Creating fresh weaknesses along the a2-g8 and a1-h8 diagonals - The black king will have nowhere to hide. 21 ... Rh8 unpinning the e7 knight was better. Opening both diagonals straight to the black king. There is no defence. Substantial material loss cannot be avoided. E.g. 24...Nb8 25 Bc4! and if Black avoids the discovered check by 25 ... Rf7 then White breaks through by 26 Bb2 Kf8 27 Qh8+ Ng8 28 hxg6 hxg6 29 Rxg6 etc.
 * 1. d4 d5**
 * 2. c4 Nc6**
 * 3. Nf3 Bg4**
 * 4. cxd5 Bxf3**
 * 5. gxf3 Qxd5**
 * 6. e3 e6**
 * 7. Nc3 Bb4**
 * 8. Rg1!? ---**
 * 8. --- g6**
 * 9. f4! Nge7**
 * 10. Bd2 Bxc3**
 * 11. bxc3 O-O**
 * 12. Qe2 Qd6**
 * 13. h4! ---**
 * 14. --- Qa3**
 * 14. Qb5 a5?!**
 * 15. h5 Kg7**
 * 16. Qd3 a4?!**
 * 17. Bc1! Qd6**
 * 18. c4 b6**
 * 19. Rb1 Ra5**
 * 20. Ba3 Qd8**
 * 21. Be2 f5?**
 * 22. Qc3 Kg8**
 * 23. d5! ---**
 * 23. --- exd5**
 * 24. cxd5 Resigns**


 * 1-0**


 * Solution:** 1 Rh8+! Bxh8 2 Ne6+ Kg8 3 Nh6#.