ODT090825

=**Australasian Match of the Decade**=




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

Earlier this month Chess Enterprises New Zealand sponsored a high profile chess event at the Auckland Grammar School Old Boys' Pavillion. Billed as the Australasian Match of the Decade, two of New Zealand and Australia's rising stars squared off in a match of six games. The local hopes rested on 19 year old IM Puchen Wang who left Auckland Grammar last year to take up a chess scholarship at the University of Texas, Dallas, studying engineering. He faced formidable opposition in the on-form 25 year old freshly qualified Australian grandmaster, David Smerdon, who had just won the Oceania Zonal to earn a place in next year's World Cup.

Though both players are known for their fluid attacking chess, each seemed to play to neutralise the other and a series of cautious closed games ensued. Smerdon prevailed with Black in the first game followed by a series of three draws. The fifth game saw an exciting Dragon Sicilian, with Smerdon's exchange sacrifice defusing Wang's attack, but the latter defended accurately to hold the draw. Today's game is the sixth and final game of the match. Wang playing Black had to win to tie the match. media type="custom" key="26384272" In closing the centre in the French Defence, Black clearly forgoes all thoughts of castling kingside, as this would merely make his king a sitting duck. Instead the pawn chains dictate a slow build-up of forces by both sides on their respective wings of advantage. They must also stay constantly alert for a tactical shot that could re-open the centre and expose one or other's king, since neither will be able to find a wholly comfortable shelter. Despite seeming rather underdeveloped, Black is not presenting any target on the kingside, so White must use his own's king's pawn protection as battering rams to open lines. Meanwhile the Black knights infiltrate deeply into the White queenside. While it is no mystery that White will eventually advance f4-f5 and target the f7 square, this move doesn't seem to address that threat, improve Black's co-ordination, nor make his king safer. But White seems unable to take advantage. The bishop finally emerges once White released the pressure on g7. Now both sides manouvre their knights to face-off over White's weak queenside pawns. A strange-looking move, in that the knight seems only able to retreat back to b3 from this square. Black has a perfectly reasonable position, but it is hard to suggest a promising plan of action. Perhaps prompted by his need to win this game, Wang's justification is tactical, not positional, and Smerdon thought for a long time before making his reply. Unfortunately this temporary sacrifice turns out to be permanent. After 28 ...Nb3 little harm would have been done. Whether Black missed that 29...Qxc3? with the idea of 30 Qxc3 Ne2+ regaining the piece fails to 30 Bxa4+! winning the black queen when he played 28...Nxc3, we can only speculate. The complications following the text move all favour White, though require some accurate play. That the pawn capture was with check allows White's pieces to get out of trouble - 32...fxe6 instead frees the g6 square for the bishop. White now exploits the exposed black king to activate all his forces. Reluctantly Wang accepts a second defeat to lose the match 2-4 to Smerdon – a worthy showing by both players.
 * 1.e4 e6**
 * 2.d4 d5**
 * 3.Nd2 Nf6**
 * 4.e5 Nfd7**
 * 5.c3 c5**
 * 6.Bd3 Nc6**
 * 7.Ngf3 Be7**
 * 8.O-O a5**
 * 9.Re1 c4!?**
 * 10.Bc2 b5**
 * 11.Nf1 Nb6**
 * 12.h4 h6**
 * 13.h5 b4**
 * 14.N3h2 a4**
 * 15.Qg4 Bf8**
 * 16.a3 bxc3**
 * 17.bxc3 Na5**
 * 18.f4 ---**
 * 18.--- Nb3**
 * 19.Ra2 Kd7**
 * 20.Qf3 Ra7**
 * 21.g4 Be7**
 * 22.Nd2 Na8**
 * 23.Nb1 Nc7**
 * 24.Be3 Nb5**
 * 25.f5 Qa5**
 * 26.Bf2 Bg5**
 * 27.Rd1 Nc1!?**
 * 28.Rb2 Nxc3?**
 * 29.Nxc3 Nd3**
 * 30.Bxd3 Qxc3**
 * 31.Rc2 Qb3**
 * 32.fxe6+ Kxe6**
 * 33.Rc3! Qb5**
 * 34.Rb1 Qa5**
 * 35.Be1 Rb7**
 * 36.Rcc1 Bd2**
 * 37.Bxd2 Qxd2**
 * 38.Bf5+ Ke7**
 * 39.Qxd5 Rd8**
 * 40.Rxb7+ Bxb7**
 * 41.Qxb7+ Kf8**
 * 42.Qb4+ Resigns**


 * 1-0**


 * Solution:** 1 Qa6+! Nxa6 2 Bxb7+ Kb8 (or Ka7) 3 Nc6#.