ODT080617

=**Third Otago Open for Croad**=


 * Problem:** White to play and mate in 4.

Wellington's Nic Croad made it three successes from four attempts in wining this year's Otago Queen's Birthday Open trophy. Easily the top seed by nearly 200 rating points, Fide Master Croad brushed aside most challenges from the relatively strong 12 player field. Only the writer obtained a lucky draw in the fifth round, to restrict Croad to 5½/6, a point ahead of fellow wellingtonian Ross Jackson in second place. Next came a threeway tie for third between Michael Nyberg (Wellington), John Sutherland (Otago) and the writer on 4 points. The grade prize was shared by the indefatigible Arie Nijman (Canterbury) and Hamish Gold (Otago) on 3 points.

Today's game features Nic Croad with the white pieces scoring a crucial second round victory over one of his main rivals, Michael Nyberg. media type="custom" key="26567656" Transposing to the English Defence, where Black allows White to advance his e-pawn hoping to prove the centre pawns to be overextended. Playing safer than the stem game in this variation Kmoch-Yates 1930 where White chose 6 Qg4! Nxc3 7 a3 Bf8 8 bxc3 with some advantage, though Black, England's top international at the time, went on to win. Preserving the bishop for now with 8 ... Ba5!? was promising. Sometimes grabbing a centre pawn is worth it, but here it costs Black his last chance to castle. The black king's insecurity is the theme of the rest of the game. Or 17 ... Bxd5? 18 Rae1 and the pin against the king will win a piece. Having bundled the black queen out of the way White launches a direct mating attack. Black's reply is forced, leading to the fatal weakening of his king's shelter. Croad's handling of the attack is first-rate. The the check on the g-file will prove costly to Black, with the king unable to escape: e.g. 24 ... Kg7 25 Rg3+ Kh6 26 Qxf6+ etc. Black must jettison material or be mated e.g. 27 ... Rf8 28 Rd1! h6 29 Bxf7+ Qxf7 30 Rxg4+ Kh7 31 Rd7! Rhg8 (31 ... Qxd7 32 Qg6#) 32 Rxf7+ Rxf7 33 Qxf7+ Kh8 34 Qxg8#.
 * 1. d4 Nf6**
 * 2. c4 e6**
 * 3. Nc3 b6**
 * 4. e4 Bb4**
 * 5. e5 Ne4**
 * 6. Qc2 ---**
 * 6. --- Bb7**
 * 7. Nf3 c5**
 * 8. a3 cxd4**
 * 9. axb4 dxc3**
 * 10. bxc3 d5**
 * 11. Bd3 Qc7**
 * 12. O-O Nd7**
 * 13. cxd5 exd5**
 * 14. c4 Nxe5?**
 * 15. Nxe5 Qxe5**
 * 16. Bb2 Qf4**
 * 17. cxd5 Nf6**
 * 18. Rae1+ Kf8**
 * 19. Be5! Qg5**
 * 20. f4! Qh5**
 * 21. Qc7! ---**
 * 21. --- Bxd5**
 * 22. Qd6+ Kg8**
 * 23. Bxf6! gxf6**
 * 24. Re3 ---**
 * 24. --- Be6**
 * 25. Rg3+ Bg4**
 * 26. Qxf6! Re8**
 * 27. Bc4 Resigns**


 * 1-0**


 * Solution:** 1 Rxh6+! Kxh6 2 g5+ Kxg5 (2 ... Kh7 3 Rh4#) 3 Qg4+ Kh6 4 Qh4#.