ODT051011

=**Dowden steps down**=


 * Problem:** White to play and mate in 5.

Tony Dowden, your columnist over the last two years, has had to resign the honour in order to take up an education lectureship with the University of Tasmania in Launceston, Australia.

Dowden has been a key figure in fostering chess in the region. He served as president of the Otago Chess Club for six years in 1983,1984 and 2002-2005, and founded the Dunedin Junior Chess Academy in 2004. Not least, Dowden has been a strong player on the national scene, representing New Zealand at the Olympiads in Lucerne 1982, Bled 2002 and winning the NZ Rapid championship in 1993/1994. His consistency at this level finally culminated in Dowden earning the elusive NZ National Master title in 2003. In his early play, Dowden was regarded as a fighter allied with a renowned tactical ability. Gradually an increased positional understanding has seeped into his game taking his strength up to master level. Many thanks are due to Tony from the New Zealand chess community – our loss will be Australia's gain.

Meanwhile at the halfway stage, Bulgaria's Veselin Topalov has made no contest of the FIDE World Championship tournament in San Luis, Argentina. In scoring an astonishing 6½/7 Topalov leads by two whole points from Peter Svidler of Russia. No other player has more than 50%, nor any realistic chance of catching Topalov.

Today’s game features Dowden with the white pieces against David Weegenaar in an Otago Championship game from 1980 … notable for its memorable finish. Dowden has kindly assisted with the annotations. media type="custom" key="27156718" The MacCutcheon variation of the French Defence Theory prefers 10---Nxd2 11.Kxd2 Bd7 The knight eyes the magnificent outposts on f6 or d6. White is better due to Black’s glaring dark square weaknesses White was threatening to win instantly with 23.Nxc8 The bishop goes in search of a better diagonal Black is desperate to drum up some counter-play but this compromises his king position White is not obliged to accept Black’s pawn offer Side-stepping a knight check on c2 Black had to play 29---Kg8 but White seems to be winning after 30.Qxb6 and Ne4-f6 Black is faced with mate or the loss of his queen
 * 1.e4 e6**
 * 2.d4 d5**
 * 3.Nc3 Nf6**
 * 4.Bg5 Bb4**
 * 5.e5 h6**
 * 6.Bd2 Bxc3**
 * 7.bxc3 Ne4**
 * 8.Qg4 g6**
 * 9.h4 c5**
 * 10.Bd3 Nc6?!**
 * 11.Bxe4 dxe4**
 * 12.Qxe4 cxd4**
 * 13.Nf3 dxc3**
 * 14.Bxc3 Bd7**
 * 15.Qf4 Qe7**
 * 16.Nd2!**
 * 16. --- Kf8**
 * 17.Rb1 b6**
 * 18.Rh3 Kg7**
 * 19.Ne4 Rad8**
 * 20.Rd1 Bc8**
 * 21.Nd6 Rd7**
 * 22.Rhd3 Rc7**
 * 23.Bb2**
 * 23. --- g5?!**
 * 24.Rg3 Kf8**
 * 25.Qg4!**
 * 25. --- a5**
 * 26.Ba3 Nb4**
 * 27.Kf1!**
 * 27. --- Rxc2**
 * 28.Bxb4 axb4**
 * 29.Qxb4 Rxa2**
 * 30.Nf5!!**
 * 1-0**


 * Solution:** 1 Bxf7+! Kxf7 2 Ne5+ Kf6 (2... Ke8 3 Qh5+ g6 4 Qxg6#; 2... Ke6 3 Qb3+ Kf6 [3... Kd6 4 Qd5#] 4 Qf7#) 3 Qf3+ Ke6 (3... Bf5 4 Qxf5#) 4 Qf7+ Kd6 5 Qd5#