ODT051206

=Confidence aids step up= ==
 * Problem:** White to play and mate in 4.

Patrick Dawson (12) of Dunedin North Intermediate convincingly won the 2005 Otago Primary/Intermediate schools individual championship held recently at the Otago Chess Club. In scoring a possible 5 points out of 5, he headed off Alex Ming-Wong (9, Maori Hill School), Nabeelah Saib (12, Tahuna Normal Int.) and Ben Watts (12, Balmacewan School) who shared 2nd on 4 points each.

Today's game is taken from the A grade of the recent Otago club championship. Brent Southgate, playing Black, has recently risen to A grade strength. Often an improving player's understanding of the game will increase with a jump, yet it is some time before this increase in strength is reflected fully in their results against stronger opponents. It takes a step in confidence. Despite gaining a decisive advantage with some brilliant and original play, the tenacious defence from his strong opponent, Duncan Watts, tests Southgate's resolve. media type="custom" key="27135806" White has essayed the London System, a solid opening with the sound aim of developing the dark-squared bishop outside white's pawn chain. Black's last move forces the exchange of queens opening the a-file for Black's rook, giving Black the initiative on the queenside in return for a weakened pawn structure. White's last move prevented the desirable thrust b4 by Black, so he instead manouvres the knight to attack the backward pawn on b2. White in turn seeks to eliminate Black's light-square bishop which awkwardly controls the square b1. A courageous decision. Black gets 3 connected passed pawns for his bishop, but White's extra piece could easily be turned to account if they are successfully blockaded. Key to the result are several tactical ideas, including the awkward knight fork on the next move which cramps the White pieces. Too slow. White needed to exchange the dangerous Black knight and bring his dark squared bishop to the defence by 18 Nb1! Nxe2+ (or 18 --- Nxb1 19 Rxb1 Ra5 20 Bd6 Ne4 21 Bb4 and the pawns are stopped) 19 Rxe2 Rb3 20 f3! and White has chances of making his extra piece count. Now Black cuts it off from the Queenside and at the same time makes way for his other rook to join the action. A brilliant move – of the type computers still find hard to grasp. By giving up a further exchange Black advances and improves the structure of his three connected passed pawns. White's extra rook is unlikely to be enough to stop them. Missing a tactical way to accelerate the pawns with 23 --- Nxd1! 24 Rxd1 Nc3 25 Re1 (25 Rdc1? Ne2+) b5 when the b-pawn will descend like a hammer. The move played allows White to eject the annoying knight from c3 and bring the bishop to the defence. It was time for White to start returning the extra material, and Black's reply ensures he gets a whole rook for his a and b pawns. 29 --- Nxb4 was also good. If 32 Bc3 then Rb3 would have forced 33 Rxa2 anyway. Now Black, a pawn ahead, still has a winning position. But perhaps fazed by White's prolonged resistance and possibly satisfied with his efforts, he offered a draw which White accepted with alacrity. For White cannot activate his rook, since 33 Ra7+ Kd6! 34 Rxf7? c3 35 Rf1 c2 wins. In fact White must play 33 Rc2 to prevent c3 and Rc4 by Black, after which Black can win by bringing the king up to support the advance of the c-pawn.
 * 1.d4 d5**
 * 2.Nf3 Nf6**
 * 3.Bf4 c5**
 * 4.e3 Bf5**
 * 5.c3 Qb6**
 * 6.Qb3 c4!?**
 * 7.Qxb6 axb6**
 * 8.Nbd2 Nbd7**
 * 9.Be2 e6**
 * 10.0-0 b5**
 * 11.a3 Nb6**
 * 12.Ne5 Na4**
 * 13.g4 Bg6**
 * 14.Nxg6 hxg6**
 * 15.Rab1 Bxa3!**
 * 16.bxa3 Nxc3**
 * 17.Rbe1 Rxa3**
 * 18.Bf3? ---**
 * 18. --- Kd7!**
 * 19.Nb1 b4!!**
 * 20.Nxa3 bxa3**
 * 21.Ra1 Ra8**
 * 22.Rfc1 Nfe4**
 * 23.Bd1 b5?!**
 * 24.f3! Nxd1**
 * 25.fxe4 Nb2**
 * 26.exd5 exd5**
 * 27.Bg3 b4**
 * 28.Be1 Nd3**
 * 29.Bxb4! Nxc1!**
 * 30.Rxc1 a2**
 * 31.Ra1 Rb8**
 * 32.Rxa2 Rxb4**




 * Solution:** 1 Nxe6+! Ke7 (1 ... Rxe6 2 Qh8+ K any 3 Rg7#) 2 Rxg7+! Kxe6 3 Qg6+ Kxe5 4 f4#)