ODT110503

= **Wansink's Rapid return** =



**Problem:** Black to play and mate.

The second event of the Otago Chess Club calendar for 2011 was the Swiss Rapid. The eight-round event at the relatively fast time-limit of 30 minutes each for the whole game was a resounding success for Robert Wansink, who scored the maximum 8 points. Robert, who first rose to prominence by winning the North Island and South Island Championships as a teenager in 1974, has made something of a comeback in returning to club play.

Today's game, however, comes from the Doeberl Cup tournament just completed in Canberra, Australia. The event was won by Russian GM Andrei Deviatkin on 7½/9 ahead of GMs Dejan Bojkov (Bulgaria) and Sune Berg Hansen (Denmark) on 7 points. The game from the fifth round has a New Zealand flavour in that former Otago club champion Tony Dowden is White against young FM Bobby Cheng. Cheng was a top New Zealand junior prospect until emigrating to Australia and winning the world under-12 title under that flag. media type="custom" key="25848982" **1.c4 b6** **2.e4 Bb7** **3.Nc3 e6** **4.Nge2 c5** **5.g3 Qc7** **6.Bg2 a6** **7.O-O Nf6** **8.d4 cxd4** **9.Nxd4 d6** By transposition a Hedgehog position has been reached, with the slightly unusual feature of a White kingside bishop fianchetto. **10.Be3 Nbd7** **11.Re1 Be7** **12.Rc1 Rc8** **13.b3 O-O** **14.f4 Qb8** **15.Bf2 Qa8** Black's strategy in the Hedgehog is to restrain his forces on the back three ranks in readiness to counterpunch effectively if White over extends. White's bishop on g2 makes the slow plan of suppressing the b7-b5 break by Black more difficult, so he launches an all-out assault on the black kingside. **16.g4!? g6** **17.Qe2 ---** The immediate 17 g5 Nh5 18 Qg4 would have prevented Black's defensive bishop maneouvre to g7 as here 18 ...Rfe8? is met by 19 Nxe6! **17.--- Rfe8** **18.g5 Nh5** **19.Qg4 Bf8** **20.Na4!? Bg7?!** Missing a chance for the thematic break 20...b5! 21 cxb5 Rxc1 22 Rxc1 Bxe4 23 Bxe4 Qxe4 24 bxa6 Ne5! 25 Qe2 Qxf4 and Black's three centre pawns should outweigh White's three queenside pawns. **21.Rcd1 Rc7** **22.f5! Ne5?!** A move-order slip that weakens b6. Instead 22... exf5 23 exf5 Ne5 24 Bxb7 Qxb7 25 Qh4 b5! 26 Nb2 f6 is ok for Black while here 23 Nxf5!? gxf5 24 Qxh5 b5 25 Nb6 Nxb6 26 Bxb6 Rc6 27 Bf2 Rc7 28 Rxd6 bxc4 29 Bb6 Rce7 30 bxc4 Bxe4 also holds. **23.Qh4 exf5?!** Here 23...b5! 24 cxb5 exf5 25 Nb6 Qb8 26 Nd5 Bxd5 27 exd5 axb5 is better than the game continuation. **24.Nxb6 Qb8** **25.Nd5 ---** Slightly clearer was 25 Nxf5! while the d-file is still open, so 25 ... gxf5 is forced, then 26 Nd5! Bxd5 27 exd5 and the knight on h5 can't be saved. **25.--- Bxd5** **26.exd5 f4** **27.Nf5 ---** Again slightly better was 27 Nc6! planning to exchange off Black's best minor piece, leaving White with two bishops against a poor bishop and knight. The text would be great if Black was forced to accept the temporary sacrifice, but he finds a better move. **27.--- Bf8!** **28.Bd4!? Qc8** **29.Bxe5 Qxf5!** Black plays to preserve his defensive bishop at all costs. Instead 29...dxe5 30 Nh6+ Bxh6 31 gxh6 leaves the knight totally dominated. White's plan of exchanging bishop for the e5 knight would have been vindicated, but his next is a blunder allowing the black queen to infiltrate. Instead 30 Be4! Qc8 31 Bxf4 Nxf4 32 Qxf4 keeps the advantage. **30.Bh3? Qc2!** **31.Bxf4 Rxe1+** **32.Rxe1 Qxa2** **33.Re3 Qa1+** **34.Kg2 Qd4** **35.Kf3? ---** Under severe pressure White buckles. 35 Rf3 preserving the lynch-pin of the defence was necessary. White is lost, though the end is hastened by a couple more errors. **35.--- Re7!** **36.Rxe7 Bxe7** **37.Qg4 Qd1+** **38.Ke4 f5+** White resigns. A strongly played attack against a formidable opponent, but only one slip was needed to throw away the win.

**0-1**

**Solution:** 1 ... Rxf4+!! 2 gxf3 (2 Ke3 Qxg3+ 3 Ke2 Bg4+ and 2 Nf3 Rxf3+ also lead to mate) 2 ...e3+! 3 Rxe3 Qg2+ 4 Ke1 Rxe3+ 5 Kd1 Qe2#.