ODT160719

=**Cleland Trophy decided**=



 The Otago Chess Club's Cleland Trophy was decided earlier this month. Somewhat anticlimactically, tournament leader John Sutherland only arrived at the club after the final round had started and missed the draw. This allowed top seed Quentin Johnson to retain the trophy by overtaking him to finish on 5/6, having lost to Sutherland but won his other games. Naser Tamimi was the only player in a position to match Johnson, but having prepared to face Sutherland in the final round, he found he had to play third seed Leighton Nicholls. A tactical oversight forced Naser into a sacrificial attack, for which he never quite had enough compensation. Thus Nicholls joined Sutherland in second place on 4½, followed by Tamimi fourth on 4 points. Today's game is from the third round, and features instructive punishment of poor development. Leighton Nicholls is playing with the white pieces against the writer. **1. f4 e5!?** Fromm's Gambit is a combative way of meeting the Bird's Opening. White's move doesn't develop any pieces and weakens his king's position, so Black aim to exploit this by giving up a pawn for speedy development. **2. fxe5 d6** **3. exd6 Bxd6** **4. Nf3 Bg4** **5. g3?!** Creating a target on g3 allowing Black to launch an attack right out of the opening. 5. e3 allows the queen to defend if 5... Bxf3?! 6.Qxf3 and retains a slight advantage for White. **5... h5!** **6. Bg2 Nc6** **7. O-O?** Castling into the storm. After 7.d4 h4! Black also gains the upper hand, with ascarifice similar to the game, but the White king can just about survive by fleeing to the queenside. **7... h4!** **8.Nxh4 Rxh4!** **9. gxh4 Qxh4** **10. Bxc6+ bxc6** **11. Rf2** White has survived the immediate threats, but only has one rook developed, while Black can rapidly bring his entire army to bear down on the white king. It is not surprising that White is already lost with his entire queenside still in the starting position. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**11... O-O-O** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**12. d4 Nf6** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**13. Nd2 Rh8** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**14. Nf1** Defending h2 but letting the black knight into e4. The alternatives are no better: 14.Nf3 Bxf3 15.gxf3 Bxh2+ 16.Kf1 Bg1! 17.Rd2 Qh1 18.Ke2 Nd5 19.Kd3 Qh7+ 20.Kc4 (20.Ke2 Nf4+ mates) 20... Ne3+ wins the queen, while 14.Kf1 Bh3+ 15.Ke1 Ng4 16.Ne4 Bg2 wins material. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**14... Ne4** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**15. Qe1** Defending the rook which is now pinned, but 15.Rg2 Bh3 was also without hope. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**15... Bh3!** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**16. Nd2** Allowing the mate in today's diagram, but 16.Bf4 Bxf4 17.Rg2 loses too much material. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**16... Bxh2!** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**17. Kxh2** Or 17.Rxh2 Qxe1+ 18.Nf1 Qxf1#; 17.Kh1 Ng3+ 18.Kxh2 Bf1+ 19. Kg1 Qh1#. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**17... Bf1+** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**White Resigns**
 * Problem:** Black to play and mate in 4.

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**0-1**


 * Solution:** 1... Bxh2+! 2.Kh1 (2.Kxh2 Bf1+ 3.Kg1 Qh1#; 2.Rxh2 Qxe1+ 3.Nf1 Qxf1#) 2... Ng3+ 3.Kxh2 Bf1+ 4.Kg1 Qh1#.