ODT131224

=**Wang's near-perfect run continues**=




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

The fact that top seeded IM Puchen Wang won the Merv Morrison Memorial tournament in Auckland in October was not news. The surprise, given his 100% results in his previous two events, was that his winning score of 5½/6 was less than perfect. So far since returning to play in New Zealand from the USA, Wang has scored a remarkable 19½ points from a total of 20 games in three tournaments.

Fourth seed Gino Thornton of Auckland fought well in a long endgame to eventually hold Wang to a draw in their third round match. Thornton also drew with the second seed FM Ben Hague of Auckland and won his other games to finish second on 5 points, ahead of Hague in third place on 4½.

Today's game is from the final round and features Wang with the black pieces against third seeded Hans Gao of Auckland. media type="custom" key="24883752" A combination of the Closed Siclian with the Rossolimo Variation 3 Bb5. Black has to avoid a few traps. The safest way to defend the mate threat on f7. 7... e6?! has been played a few times, when 8 Nb5 d6 9 Qa3 Ke7 is awkward for Black. Similarly 7... Nf6 8 Nb5 0-0 9 Nxd4 gives up a pawn, though Black has compensation. Previous games had seen the maneouvre 9... Ng4! bringing the knight to the centre, since 10 Qxg4? d5 11 Qf3 dxc4 is great for Black. White hurries to prevent this move, forcing Black to find another path for the knight. An alternative developing idea was 11 c3 dxc3 12 dxc3 with a slight plus for White. Accepting a cramped position. White could have crossed Blacks plans to build a big centre by 13 Bg5!, when 13... Qc7 (or 13... Qe8 14 Rae1 e5? 15 exf5 Bxf5 16 Nxd4!) 14 Nf4! highlights the weakness of e6 and d5. Not 16 Bxb5? Rb8 17 a4 a6 18 Bc4 Rxb2 leaving White defenceless on the queenside. An attempt to hold the position by securing the d5 square for his minor pieces. Another idea was 18 exf5 gxf5 19 f4 e4 20 Rac1 b4 21 Na4 a5 22 Be3 when the vulnerable squares left behind the black pawns offers counterplay to the white pieces. Understandable given the sorry position of the white queen, but weakening the kingside. The calm 22 Kh1 reserves White's options. Trapping the bishop by 23 Kf2 runs into 23... fxe4! 24 gxh4 (24 dxe4 Bxd5 25 exd5 e4! is similar) 24... Rxf3+ with a winning attack: e.g. 25 Ke2 exd3+! 26 Kxf3 Rf8+ 27 Ke4 Qxh4+ 28 Kxd3 Ba6+ 29 Kc2 Qe4+ 30 Kc1 Rxf1+ 31Bd1 Qxd5 etc. Opening the f-file, as there is no win to be found in 23... f4 24 g4 Bxd5 25 exd5 Rf7 26 Qg1 Rfc7 27 Rfc1 controlling the entry point at c2. But the move is not without risk. White misses a chance to round up the trapped black bishop by 25 Rf2! Ba6 26 Rg1 Bd3! 27 Kh1 Qh5 28 gxh4 Rxf3 29 Rxf3 Qxf3+ 30 Qg2 Qxg2+ 31 Kxg2 Bxe4+ 32 Kg3 with a piece for two pawns, although Black can draw comfortably after 32... Rf8! 33 Nc7 (33 h5? Rf3+ 34 Kh4 Rxb3!) 33...Rf3+ 34 Kh2 Rf2+ with perpetual check. An attractive move to force the final breakthrough down the f-file. Black also has a winning attack after 28... a3!? 29 bxa3 Rc3! 30 Kf2 Qf6! 31 Qh1 Bg5 32 h4! Bxe3+ 33 Rxe3 Rxe3 34 Kxe3 Qd8! breaking through on the queenside. After 29 Rxf1 Qxe3 30 Kh1 Black doesn't play 30... Bg5? allowing White to defend sucessfully by 31 Qg2, but instead plays 30... Rxf3! 31 Rfe1 Qa7! and if 32 gxh4 Qd7 wins due to the threat of ...Rxh3. The move played allows a spectacular finale. The position in today's diagram – Black to mate in 3. White resigned, though the final position after 33 Ke3 Bg5 mate would have been nice to see on the board.
 * 1.e4 c5**
 * 2.Nc3 Nc6**
 * 3.Bb5 ---**
 * 3.--- Nd4**
 * 4.Bc4 g6**
 * 5.Nf3 Bg7**
 * 6.Nxd4 cxd4**
 * 7.Qf3 Nh6**
 * 8.Ne2 0-0**
 * 9.0-0 d6**
 * 10.h3! Kh8**
 * 11.d3 ---**
 * 11.--- Ng8**
 * 12.Qg3 f5**
 * 13.f3?! ---**
 * 13.--- e5**
 * 14.Bd2 Nf6**
 * 15.c3 b5!**
 * 16.Bb3 ---**
 * 16.--- dxc3**
 * 17.Nxc3 Bb7**
 * 18.Bg5!? ---**
 * 18.--- b4**
 * 19.Bxf6 Bxf6**
 * 20.Nd5 Bh4!**
 * 21.Qh2 Rc8**
 * 22.g3!? ---**
 * 22.--- Qg5!**
 * 23.Kg2! ---**
 * 23.--- fxe4!?**
 * 24.dxe4 a5**
 * 25.Rad1? ---**
 * 25.--- Ba6**
 * 26.Rfe1 Bb5**
 * 27.Ne3 a4**
 * 28.Bd5 Bf1+!**
 * 29.Kf2 ---**
 * 29...Rxf3+!!**
 * 30.Kxf3 Rf8+**
 * 31.Nf5 ---**
 * 31.--- Rxf5+!**
 * 32.exf5 Qxf5+**
 * 0-1**


 * Solution:** 1... Rxf5+! 2 exf5 Qxf5+ 3 Ke3 Bg5#.