ODT101214

= **Otago club championship shared** =



**Problem:** White to play and mate in 5.

The Otago Chess Club finishes its 2010 programme tomorrow with a new name as joint club champion. Iain Lamont closed the second leg of the championship with a win over defending champion John Sutherland to match the latter's combined score of 8/10 and thus share the Senior Champion title for the first time. Lamont had previously won the Intermediate championship in 2009 and 1988 with a long period of inactivity in between. However his playing level had not suffered in the 20 year interval and the vestiges of rust soon disappeared. Third was another returning member and former champion, Bob Wansink, who only played in the second leg of the event, matching Lamont's 4/5 score.

The Intermediate Championship for 2010 went to Brent Southgate, who impressively dispatched the B-grade after suffering in the A-grade in the first leg. The Junior Championship went to Charlie Ruffman, who finished a long way clear of Elliot Munro and new member Leighton Nicholls in joint second place.

Today's game is from the second leg of the A-grade and features South Island Champion Hamish Gold playing White in a wild King's Gambit against Geoff Aimers. media type="custom" key="25993342" **1.e4 e5** **2.f4 Bc5** This method of declining the King's Gambit exploits the fact that capturing on e5 by White allows ...Qh4+ and Qxe4 thanks to the early advance of the f-pawn. Black is trying to avoid the violence that typically accompanies accepting the gambit. **3.Nf3 d6** **4.Bc4 Nf6** **5.d3 Nc6** **6.fxe5?! ---** In the hundred-plus years history of this variation, the two moves normally played here are 6 c3 or 6 Nc3, both aiming to increase White's central control. By contrast this exchange gives the black pieces more scope and a lead in development. **6.--- Nxe5!** **7.Nxe5 dxe5** **8.Bg5? ---** Necessary was 8 Qf3 defending f2, when 8 ... Qd4 9 c3 Qd6 10 Rf1! holds the balance as 10 ...Bg4?! 11 Qg3 achieves little for Black due to the pressure on his kingside pawns, and 10 ...Be6 is about equal. **8.--- Qd4** **9.Rf1 Bg4?** Inexplicably Black returns the favour, allowing White to defend his weak points and retain equal chances. 9...Qxb2! 10 Bxf6! gxf6! (not 10... Qxa1? 11 Bxg7 and White is winning due to the threats on f7) 11 Nd2 Rg8 12 Rb1 Qd4 13 g3 Bg4 14 Nf3 Qd6 and Black has an extra pawn and the superior position. **10.Qc1 O-O-O?!** Surprisingly this natural move gives White the initiative. 10... Be7 supporting f6 and retreating the bishop would have defused the potential danger in the advance of White's queenside pawns. **11.c3! Qd6** **12.b4! Bb6** **13.a4! a5** **14.Na3! ---** Lacking a safe haven for his king, White recognises that his only defence is attack! Hamish is never afraid to invest material in such situations. **14.--- axb4** **15.Nb5 Qc5** Cramping the bishop, but after 15 ... Qe7 16 a5 Bc5 17 a6 bxa6 18 Rxa6 Bb6 19 Be3! White's attack still rages. **16.a5! c6?!** Black's chances of holding on were slightly better after 16 ... Ba7 17 Nxa7+ Qxa7 18 cxb4 Be6, but 19 Be3! Qa8 20 a6! should see a fatal breakthrough. **17.axb6! cxb5** **18.cxb4! Qxb4+?** The pawn on b6 had to be eliminated, but only at the cost of a piece after 18 ... Qxb6 19 Bxf6 gxf6 20 Be6+ Kb8 21 Bxg4. **19.Bd2 Qxd2+** It's all over – since 19 ... Qd6 gets mated as in today's diagram: 20 Be6+! Kb8 21 Ra8+! Kxa8 22 Qa1+ Qa3 23 Qxa3+ Kb8 24 Qa7 mate. Other moves are no better. **20.Kxd2 Kb8** Allowing another pretty mate in 5: 21 Ra8+! Kxa8 22 Qa1+ Kb8 23 Qxe5+ Rd6 24 Qxd6+ and mate next move. But White sees no reason to calculate sacrifices when all roads lead to Rome. **21.Bxb5 Nxe4+** **22.Ke3 Rc8** **23.Qa3 Resigns**

**1-0**

**Solution:** 1 Be6+! Kb8 2 Ra8+! Kxa8 22 Qa1+ Qa3 23 Qxa3+ Kb8 24 Qa7#.