ODT130305

=**Otago club programme under way**=




 * Problem:** White to play and mate in 4.

The games covered in this column are usually played by top national and international masters. These are the best source of ideas for reader wishing to improve their own play, but can be daunting to some. The meticulously worked out plans and combinations are inspirational, but sadly beyond the means of most of us. For players of a more modest standard, the Otago Chess Club programme for 2013 is under way with the Allan Chang Cup competition on Wednesday evenings, while social chess is catered for on Tuesday afternoons.

The 2013 New Zealand Major Open, played alongside the New Zealand Championship in Wellington at the start of the year, catered for the bulk of chess players below the championship standard. Today's game was played in the fifth round between then co-leaders Max Chew Lee (Australia), playing White, and Tim Rains (Christchurch). These two went on to finish first and second respectively in the tournament. media type="custom" key="25142556" This is not normal in the Accelerated Dragon Siclian, where usually Black plays for a quick counterstrike in the centre after 7... 0-0 8 Qd2 d5. Neither of these young players displays awareness of the critical plan in this position of castling on opposite sides and launching an attack on the opposing king. More to the point was 11... b5, starting queenside action, since the rook has nothing to do here. Black is definitely making it up as he goes, but White misses the best move here 13 f4!, since capturing the f-pawn 13... Nxd4? 14 Bxd4 Bxd4 15 Qxd4 Nxf4? 16 Qf6 is winning for White. The exchange on c6 strengthens the Black centre and encourages him to make the strong counterthrust ...d7-d5 demanded by the position. Black could have fully equalised with the daring 15... g5!? highlighting the weakness of the pawn on e5 (16 fxg5? Bxe5 is great for Black) and gaining the two bishops after 16 Rde1 Nxf4 17 Bxf4 gxf4 18 Qxf4 Bb7 (but not 18... c5? 19 Bxd5!) with good prospects of advancing his central pawns.White now sets up a tempting sacrifice. Black is bluffed away from accepting the sacrifice 18... exd5! 19 Nxd5 Qc6 20 Nf6+ Kh8 21 Qh4 h5 when White has three danngerous-looking continuations, but none lead to advantage: a) 22 Nxe8 Bb7! 23 Qh3 Rxe8 and Black's king is safer than White's; b) 22 Rd6! Qb7! (22... Bxd6? 23 Qg5! Nf5 {else 24 Qh6+} 24 gxf5 and wins) 23 Nxe8 Nxe8 24 h5! Be7! 25 Rf6! Bxf6 26 exf6 Kg8! where White has full compensation for the piece but no more – e.g. 27 f5!? Bxf5 28 Rxf5! gxf5 29 Qg5+ Kh8 30 Qh6+ with a draw by perpetual check; c) 22 Qg5 Ne6 23 Qh4 Ng7 with a possible repetition. After the text move Black is subject to the same mating attack without the counterchances offered by an extra bishop. Winning the queen, though the fastest mate was by 28 h6! and Qg7. Perhaps resignation was, not unreasonably, expected...
 * 1.e4 c5**
 * 2.Nf3 Nc6**
 * 3.d4 cxd4**
 * 4.Nxd4 g6**
 * 5.Nc3 Bg7**
 * 6.Be3 Nf6**
 * 7.f3 e6!?**
 * 8.Bc4 a6**
 * 9.0-0 0-0**
 * 10.Qd2 Qc7**
 * 11.Bb3 Re8?!**
 * 12.Rad1 Nh5!?**
 * 13.Nxc6?! ---**
 * 13.--- bxc6**
 * 14.f4 d5!**
 * 15.e5 Bf8**
 * 16.Qf2 c5**
 * 17.g4 Ng7**
 * 18.Bxd5!? Rb8?**
 * 19.Bg2 Rxb2**
 * 20.Ne4 Rd8**
 * 21.Nf6+ Kh8**
 * 22.Qh4 h5**
 * 23.Nxh5 Rxd1**
 * 24.Nf6+ Nh5**
 * 25.Rxd1 Be7**
 * 26.gxh5 Bxf6**
 * 27.Qxf6+ Kh7**
 * 28.Rd8 ---**
 * 28.--- Qxd8**
 * 29.Qxd8 Rxa2**
 * 30.Qxc8 Rxc2**
 * 31.hxg6+ Kxg6**
 * 32.Qg8+ Kh6**
 * 33.f5+ Kh5**
 * 34.Qg5 mate**


 * 1-0**


 * Solution:** 1 Bb5+! Bc6 (1... Kf8 or Qd7 2 Rh8#) 2 Bxc6+ Qxc6 3 Rh8+ Kd7 4 Qd8#.