ODT061024

=**Otago success at South Island Championship**=


 * Problem:** White to play and mate in 3.

A small contingent of Otago players travelled to the Ashburton Licencing Trust South Island Championship held at the beginning of the month. The trip was crowned with success for two players, Quentin Johnson and Hamish Gold. The top seed, Johnson eventually shared first with second seed Bruce Donaldson of Canterbury on 6½/8, while Gold shared third place with the defending champion Andy Machdoem of Canterbury on 6.

After defeating Donaldson and Machdoem, Johnson was the clear leader at the end of round five. However, a loss to Gold in the sixth put Gold in front, but with Donaldson still to play. Donaldson won that encounter to join Johnson back in the lead, which they both held with wins in the final round. The unluckiest player was Machdoem, who in round six suffered an instant loss to Donaldson under the tournament rules, when his cellphone rang repeatedly during their game.

The South Island Rapid Championship followed and was convincingly won on 7½/8 by Ross McKerras of Canterbury, ahead of Machdoem and evergreen veteran Arie Nijman on 5½. Nijman was participating in his 50th championship.

In today's game from the South Island Championship Machdoem playing White suavely punishes Gold's naïve opening plan in a style reminiscent of Morphy dispatching European aristocrats in the 19th century. media type="custom" key="27033916" White has played circumspectly, avoiding the double-edged play that results from the Benoni or Benko after 3 d5. Black has been tempted away from the more natural g6, Bg7 and 0-0, which would now leave the bishop exposed on f5, in favour of this premature attack on c2. Even now it was not too late to develop the kingside with 7 ... e5. White's instructive response is to simply developing his remaining pieces to their most active squares. Black expects to cause White problems in recapturing the knight while he gets his pieces out. The alternative way to get rook and pawn for two minor pieces 8 ... Nxe4 9 Qxc2 Ng3 10 Qb3 Nxf1 11 Bxf1 b6 also leaves White in control. White's full mobilisation of force in contrast to Black's artifice makes a strong impression. 12 Qxa1 would have left White with the advantage, but material is no object when the opponent's king is in sight. If 12 ... Kd8 the reply would still be 13 Rb1!! Qxc3 14 Rxb7 Rc8 (else 15 Ne6+! fxe6 16 Bb6+! mates) 15 Nc6+ Rxc6 16 Qxc6 and mate cannot be prevented. This spite check makes no difference – the queen is cut off from the defence and Black's extra rook is of no consequence. Only catastrophic material loss starting with 17 ... Nb3 18 axb3 Qa1 19 exd7+ Rxd7 20 Rb8+ Kf7 21 Qxa1 could have staved off immediate mate.
 * 1.d4 Nf6**
 * 2.c4 c5**
 * 3.e3 Nc6**
 * 4.Nf3 d6**
 * 5.Be2 Bf5**
 * 6.O-O Nb4?!**
 * 7.Nc3! Nc2?!**
 * 8.e4 Nxa1**
 * 9.exf5 cxd4**
 * 10.Nxd4 Qb6**
 * 11.Be3! Qxb2**
 * 12.Qa4+! Nd7**
 * 13.Rb1!! Qxc3**
 * 14.Rxb7 Qe1+**
 * 15.Bf1 Rd8**
 * 16.Ne6! fxe6**
 * 17.fxe6 g6**
 * 18.Rxd7**


 * 1-0**


 * Solution:**1 Bh7+! Kxh7 2 Qxf7+ Bg7 3 Qxg7#.