ODT151222

=**Sutherland takes Richard Sutton Trophy**=




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

The final event of the Otago Chess Club calendar for 2015 was the Richard Sutton Trophy. This year it was decided to make the event rated for FIDE, the International Chess Federation, so that local players could gain international ratings or bring them up to date. Top seed John Sutherland went through undefeated on 5½/6 to take home the trophy for the first time. His only draw was to Leighton Nicholls, who also went through undefeated and finished second on 4½. Third was shared by Geoff Aimers and the writer on 4 points. Today's eventful game is from the final round, between Aimers (playing White) and Nicholls. media type="custom" key="28123261" **1.e4 e5** **2.Nf3 Nc6** **3.Bb5 a6** **4.Ba4 Nf6** **5.O-O Be7** **6.Re1 b5** **7.Bb3 d6** **8.c3 Na5** **9.Bc2 c5** **10.h3 O-O** **11.d4 Qc7** By a transposition of moves we have the Chigorin Defence to the Closed Ruy Lopez, one of the oldest and most venerable openings. White chooses to close the centre on the next move, leading to a complex strategic battle. **12.d5 Bd7** **13.Nbd2 Rfb8** **14.Nf1 b4** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**15.Ne3** Black has been seeking to open lines on the queenside while White has performed the “Spanish manoeuvre” of his knight to e3 in preparation for kingside action. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**15... bxc3** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**16.bxc3 Bb5** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**17.a4!** The start of a mini-plan aimed at avoiding exchanges and keeping the black rooks and knight on a5 out of the game. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**17...****Bd7** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**18.c4 Rb7** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**19.Bd2 Rab8** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**20.Ra3! g6** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**21.Bc3** The completion of the mini-plan sees the black rooks with no entry squares on the b-file thanks to the bishops on the c-file, and the knight kept out of c4 and b3. Meanwhile the bishops and white rook on a3 are potentially aimed at the kingside, where both players now turn their attention. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**21...** **Nh5** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**22.Nd2** Another mini-plan, aimed at evicting the strong black knight about to settle on f4. White brings his knight and king to support the h3 pawn in preparation for g2-g3. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**22...** **Nf4** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**23.f3 Rf8** Seeing no future for the rooks on the b-file, Black redeploys them in preparation for the pawn break ...f7-f5 and to rehabilitate the knight via b7. A strong alternative idea was 23... Bh4 24.Rf1 Nh5! frustrating White's plan through control of the weak dark squares on f4 and g3. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**24.Ng4 Rbb8** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**25.Kh2 f5!?** Opening the centre for the two white bishops and allowing White to carry out his plan is risky. Safer was 25... Nb7 when 26.g3? Nxh3! 27.Kxh3 h5 regaining the pinned knight is in Black's favour. An interesting alternative was the piece offer 25... Bg5!? 26 h4 Bxh4 27.g3 Bg5 28.gxf4 Bxf4+ 29.Kg2 Bxg4 30.fxg4 Bxd2 31.Bxd2 Nxc4 32.Rh3 Nxd2 33.Qxd2 Qd7 when Black has three pawns for the bishop and White's king is exposed. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**26.exf5 gxf5** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**27.Nf2 Nb7?!** Black doesn't have time for this now. It was necessary to block access to the kingside by 27... Nh5! 28.g3 f4! 29.g4 Bh4 30.Qe2 Ng3 31.Qd3 Rf7 (defending against mate) when it will take a long time for White to lift the blockade. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**28.g3 Ng6** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**29.f4!** Making way for the queen and opening the long diagonal. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**29...** **exf4** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**30.gxf4 Rbe8?** The defence crumbles after this further loss of time. Critical was 30... Bh4! 31.Qf3 (blocking the path of the rook to g3) 31... Bf6 32.Bxf6 Rxf6 when Black might hang on. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**31.Qh5 Qd8** Even after the tricky 31... Bg5!? 32.Rg1! Bxf4+ 33.Kh1 there is no defence. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**32.Rg1 Bf6** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**33.Rxg6+! hxg6** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**34.Qxg6+ Kh8** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**35.Qh6+ Kg8** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**36.Qg6+?!** Having reached the position in today's diagram, White overlooks the mate in four starting with 36.Bxf6! etc. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**36...** **Kh8** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**37.Qh6+** **Draw Agreed?** The final result can be explained by the fact that Aimers had calculated before the game he needed only a draw to overtake his opponent as leader in the club's Perpetual Handicap standings and win that trophy. Otherwise he could hardly have missed 37... Kg8 38.Bxf6! followed by 39.Rg3+ forcing mate.

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**½-½**


 * Solution:** 1.Bxf6! Qxf6 (1... Rxf6 2.Rg3+ Rg6 3.Rxg6+ Kf7 4.Qg7#) 2.Rg3+ Kf7 3.Qh7+ Qg7 4.Qxg7#