ODT140318

=**Good start to Otago open season**=




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

The Otago Chess Club series of seasonal rapid open tournaments got off to a good start with the Autumn Rapid on Saturday 1 March. Designed as a way for players from anywhere to come and test their strength against experienced club players, the event attracted 20 players from as far afield as Invercargill, Oamaru, Christchurch and the Ukraine! Ukrainian Candidate Master, Aleksandr Nedyhalov, who was on holiday in Dunedin, started as narrow favourite. When second seed John Sutherland drew in round two with Wolfie Martin, things looked good for the top seed. In the fourth round he built up a big advantage against the writer, only to stumble in the rapid time limit and lose a piece. A last round draw with Sutherland ensured first place for the writer on 4½/5. Second was shared by Nedyhalov, Sutherland and Ben Clayton on 4 points, with Clayton (14) winning the under 1600 grade. The under 1000 grade was won by Ryan Lau (13) on 2½.

Today's game is the fourth round clash between the leaders that decided the final standings. Nedyhalov is White against the writer. media type="custom" key="25361262" Taking the game out of normal Sicilian Defence paths. A good tactic in Rapid chess. This exchange of bishop for knight looks strange, but has a sound positional basis. The other recapture 4... exf6 would have irreversibly weakened Black's control of d6 and d5. Had he realised the danger, Black would have secured h6 for his bishop by 5... h5!? White now clamps down on the kingside with an unusual early queen development, leaving Black's bishop on f8 severely limited in scope. Still not comprehending the position, this move grants White an extra tempo in the advance of his f-pawn. Reluctant to castle immediately, as the black king would come under a powerful attack while the stack of pawns on the f-file prevents the black pieces coming to its defence. White is not concerned to prevent the exchange of his remaining bishop, as in the closed position knights are more mobile than bishops. Unless Black frees the pin on his f-pawn he will be slowly crushed, so he castles anyway hoping to survive the attack. The right idea – Black must open the e-file to get some counterplay before getting mated. But 13... Qe7 was better, delaying the exchange on f5. e.g. 13. Rh3 h6 14. Nf4 exf5! 15. exf5 Qe5 activating his queen. Allowing the black queen out. White had two excellent winning continuations: 17. Re3 is simplest, driving the queen off the e-file before bringing up the reserves. The other was 17. Ncd5! Bxd5 18. Nxd5 Qe4 19 c3! and Black must lose his queen: 19... Qxc4 20. Nxf6+ Bxf6 21. Qxh6 forcing 21... Qh4; or 19... Rfc8 20. Nxf6+! Bxf6 21. Rg3+ Kf8 22. Qxh6+ Ke7 23. Re3; finally 19... Rae8 20. d3 Qe5 21.Kf2! and 22. Re3 trapping the queen mid-board! Deliberately weakening f7 hoping to lure his opponent into a trap. Seeing no defence to the threat of 20. Qxh6 (19... Kh7 20. Qxf7 or 19... Kf8 20. Qg4) White overlooks his back rank vulnerability. Not only is the queen invulnerable ( 20. Rxf4?? Re1+ mates) but h6 is defended and the rook on f1 is attacked. However, White finds a way to maintain his dangerous attack, first securing his own king. Defending against the deadly threat of 25. Qg4, which can now be met with 25... Rg8. This is the start of a precise defensive sequence required to ward off mate. The only move. E.g. 26... R5e7? 27. Rxg7+! Kxg7 28. Rg4+ Kh7 29. Rh4 mating, or 26... Rf8? 27. Rh4 followed by 28. Rxg7+! and mate follows. Again all other moves lose to 28. Rxg7+! The last of the only moves. White's attack is blunted as he is unable to bring his last piece to the kingside. Trying to open a path for the knight via h3, but losing more material. However there was no way to strengthen the attack. e.g. 33. Kh1 Re1+ 34 Kh2 Qc7 35. Qh4 Re3 with mass exchanges on g3. Or 34. Qxg3 Bd6 winning the queen. Instead the queen is pinned on the file. White continues for a few moves in the time scramble before resigning.
 * 1.e4 c5**
 * 2.b3**
 * 2...Nc6**
 * 3.Bb2 Nf6**
 * 4.Bxf6!?**
 * 4...gxf6**
 * 5.Nc3 d6**
 * 6.Qh5! Be6?**
 * 7.f4! Bg7**
 * 8.f5 Bd7**
 * 9.Bc4 Ne5**
 * 10.Nge2 Nxc4**
 * 11.bxc4 O-O**
 * 12.O-O e6**
 * 13.Rf3! exf5?!**
 * 14.Rh3 h6**
 * 15.exf5 Bc6**
 * 16.Nf4 Qe7**
 * 17.Rf1?!**
 * 17... Qe5**
 * 18.Kh1 Rfe8!?**
 * 19.Rg3?**
 * 19... Qxf4!**
 * 20.Qd1! Qxc4**
 * 21.h3 Re5**
 * 22.Kh2 Rae8**
 * 23.Rg4 Qa6**
 * 24.Rg3 Kh7!**
 * 25.Rf4 b6**
 * 26.Qh5 Qb7**
 * 27.Rh4 Rh8!**
 * 28.Qg4 Bf8**
 * 29.Rh5 Qd7**
 * 30.d3 d5**
 * 31.Nd1 d4**
 * 32.Nf2 Re3**
 * 33.h4?**
 * 33... Rxg3**
 * 34.Kxg3**
 * 34... Rg8**
 * 35.Rg5 fxg5**
 * 36.Kh2 Bd6+**
 * 37.Kg1 gxh4**
 * 38.Qxh4 Qxf5**


 * 0-1**


 * Solution:** 1... Nf3+! 2. Kf1 (2. gxf3 Rg1#) 2... Rd1+ 3. Re1 Rxe1#.