ODT120626

=**Otago/Southland Interschool Teams' Championship**=




 * Problem:** White to play and mate in 3.

The annual Otago/Southland Interschool Teams' Chess Championships were held in Dunedin earlier this month. An excellent turnout of 34 teams of four players entered the three sections.

The Primary section saw Maori Hill Red make no contest of the event with a final result of 25½/28. Retaining three players from the team that were runners-up last year made for a formidable team, as evidenced by the distance back to the next two teams, Enrich@ILT D and Enrich@ILT E from Invercargill on 17½.

The Intermediate section was much closer and resulted in the first winner in this competition from outside Dunedin. The Southland Boys High School (year 7 and 8 students only) improved considerably on their first outing last year, to win the event with 21½/28, two points ahead of last year's winners, Tahuna Normal Intermediate.

As happened last year, the Secondary section was decided by a final round contest between Otago Boys' High School A and Logan Park High School. The OBHS team comprised the same members that won last year, and they proved superior once again, scoring 30/32 to Logan Park's 24 points for second place.

Today's game is from the Otago Chess Club's recent Cleland Trophy tournament. A lively final-round win over Geoff Aimers, playing Black, enabled the writer to finish first. media type="custom" key="25333672" The 'Modern' variation of the Modern Benoni. White prevents black pieces using g4 before developing quitely. Playable, but less common than the alternatives (c4, a6, Na6) as the d-pawn presents a tempting target for White's bishop. A new move. Black can play 13...b5!? here as after 14 Nxb5 Nfxe4 15 Bxe4 Nxe4 16 Qc2 Ba6 Black is fine. Consistent with his last move but misplacing the queen – better is 14...Qb6. White could have taken advantage now by 15 Nb5! when either d6 falls or 16 Nc7 forks the black rooks, though the thematic e4-e5 push is also strong. All captures on e5 are good, but White is tempted to sacrifice the exchange. Unwisely self-pinning the rook. 17 d6! Ne6 18 Nd5 Qd8 19 Rxh5! gxh5 20 Ne5! leads to a crushing position. White simply overlooked this move attacking the vulnerable point b2. Best is now 18 Rb1 when 18...Bxe5 19 Nxe5 still gives adequate compensation for the exchange. Taking in the wrong order sets up a nasty trap. Instead 18... Qxb2! 19 Rae1 Bxe5 is better for Black. Overlooking an unusual tactic. 19...Rac8 would have retained the balance between Black's extra material and White's passed pawn and attacking chances. Similar to double-check, attacking the queen with two pieces makes each of them immune to capture and the queen is forced to move. Unfortunately for Black the constellation of pieces means he can only save his queen by 20... Qb5 (If 20...Qa3 21 Bb2! traps the queen) losing a piece to 21 Qxc5. Looking for back rank tricks, but the tactics favour White.
 * 1.d4 Nf6**
 * 2.c4 c5**
 * 3.d5 e6**
 * 4.Nc3 exd5**
 * 5.cxd5 d6**
 * 6.e4 g6**
 * 7.h3 ---**
 * 7.--- Bg7**
 * 8.Nf3 O-O**
 * 9.Bd3 Re8**
 * 10.O-O Nbd7**
 * 11.Bf4 c4**
 * 12.Bc2 Nc5**
 * 13.Re1 Nh5!?**
 * 14.Bh2 Qf6?**
 * 15.e5 dxe5**
 * 16.Rxe5!? ---**
 * 16.--- Bd7**
 * 17.Qd4?! ---**
 * 17.--- Qb6!**
 * 18.Qxc4? Bxe5?!**
 * 19.Bxe5 Qxb2?**
 * 20.Na4! ---**
 * 20.--- Qxa1+!?**
 * 21.Bxa1 Nxa4**
 * 22.Bxa4 Rac8**
 * 23.Qd4 Rc1+**
 * 24.Kh2 Rxa1**
 * 25.Bxd7 Ree1**
 * 26.Nxe1 Rxe1**
 * 27.g4 Resigns**


 * 1-0**


 * Solution:** 1 Qe8+! Bxe8 2 fxe8=Q+ Rxe8 3 Bxd6#.