ODT071009

=**Triumphant return for Sutherland**=


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

John Sutherand has won the 2007 Otago Chess Club championship, adding to his titles in 1999, 1997 and 1995. Returning to the club this year after several years working in England, Sutherland secured outright first place in the A grade with an unbeaten aggregate score of 9½/10. Second place will go to Quentin Johnson on 7½/9 with one game remaining while Hamish Gold's 5½/10 takes third place.

The B Grade championship was shared this year under the aggregate rules with Terry Duffield and Chris Lydiate both finishing on 6/9 ahead of Anthony Ritchie on 4½ in third place.

Today's game is from the A grade and features an accurate exploitation of advantage by the new champion, playing White against Duncan Watts. media type="custom" key="26765748" A stock position in the Queen's Gambit Accepted has been reached, with many choices for White. The move chosen should allow Black enough freedom to equalise. Equality was available in making use of the exposed White bishop with 15 ... Rac8 16 Nd5 Nxd5 17 Bxd5 Bc5+ 18 Be3 Bd7. Black accepts the weak doubled pawns in order to stay active and with hopes of a king-side counter attack using the opened f-file. Burning his boats as the doubled pawns will be an endgame liability. Simultaneously defending the key squares f3 and f4 – Black's pieces have no entry points despite the apparent weakness of the White kingside. Converting to an endgame with an extra pawn. Both players miss some tricky resources: 33... Rg7+! 34 Bg3 Nd7 holds all the Black pawns and White could have won a pawn by 33 Ra8! when if a5 then 34 Nf4 picking up the e6 pawn. The balance of the game is not significantly altered. Activating the rook but still 35 ... Nd7 36 Re8 e5, defending all the pawns held better chances. White's central passed pawns combined with rook and knight are a dangerous attacking force. Having put the knight in a trap, Black tries for counterplay rather than be tied up after 41 ... Rc3 42 Kg4 b5 43 axb5 axb5 44 f4 b4 45 f5 etc.
 * 1. d4 d5**
 * 2. c4 dxc4**
 * 3. Nf3 Nf6**
 * 4. e3 e6**
 * 5. Bxc4 c5**
 * 6. O-O a6**
 * 7. a4 Qc7**
 * 8. Qe2 Nc6**
 * 9. Nc3 Be7**
 * 10. Rd1 O-O**
 * 11. e4 cxd4**
 * 12. Nxd4 Nxd4**
 * 13. Rxd4 e5**
 * 14. Rd1 Bg4**
 * 15. f3 Bc5+?!**
 * 16. Kh1 Be6**
 * 17. Bxe6 fxe6**
 * 18. Qc4 Qe7**
 * 19. Bg5 Rac8**
 * 20. Qb3 h6**
 * 21. Bh4 g5!?**
 * 22. Bg3 g4**
 * 23. Bxe5 gxf3**
 * 24. gxf3 Nh5**
 * 25. Ne2! ---**
 * 25. --- Kh7**
 * 26. Rd3 Rcd8**
 * 27. Rad1 Rxd3**
 * 28. Qxd3 Qf7**
 * 29. Qd7! ---**
 * 29. --- b6**
 * 30. Qxf7+ Rxf7**
 * 31. Kg2 Nf6**
 * 32. Rd8 Be7**
 * 33. Rb8 Bc5**
 * 34. Bd4 Bxd4**
 * 35. Nxd4 Rd7?!**
 * 36. Nxe6 Rd2+**
 * 37. Kg3 Rxb2**
 * 38. Rb7+ Kg8**
 * 39. h3 Rb3**
 * 40. e5 Ne8?**
 * 41. Re7 b5**
 * 42. Rxe8+ Kf7**
 * 43. Nc7 bxa4**
 * 44. e6+ Kf6**
 * 45. Nd5+ Ke5**
 * 46. e7 Resigns**


 * 1-0**


 * Solution:** 1 Rh8+! Kxh8 (1 ... Kg7 2 Qh6#) 2 Qh6+ Kg8 (2 ... Nh7 3 Rc8#) 3 Rc8+ Ne8 4 Rxe8#.