ODT100824

= **Otago/Southland Junior chess thriving** =



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

The record turnout at the Otago/Southland Junior Championship this month proved the enduring popularity of chess. The 64 players competing from Dunedin, Invercargill, Queenstown and Chistchurch represented a 60% increase on last year, not including the unfortunate late entries that had to be turned away. As it was, every available board in the Otago Chess Club was employed and some chairs had to seat two players at the same time.

Once under way the event proceeded smoothly enough, with the field split into two tournaments: The under 20 and under 16 groups in one and the under 13 and under 10 groups in the other. After five rounds the clear winner in the older event was Timothy Rains (13) of CBHS in Christchurch on 5 points, followed by five players in equal second place on 4: Patrick Dawson (17), Adam Scott (18) and Charlie Ruffman (14) all of Logan Park HS, plus Elliot Munro (14) and Remi Ritchie (13) of OBHS. With Rains ineligible for the title these five became joint Otago Southland Champions for 2010. The younger event similarly saw the winner on a perfect score of 6/6: Kan Kim (12) of Balmacewen becoming under 13 champion. Second equal on 5 were John Paul Janerol (11) of Verdon College and Carlssen van Rooyen (11) of Balmacewen. Hamish Edwards (9) of Otatara School won the under 10 title on 4½.

At the halfway stage defending champion John Sutherland is leading the Otago Chess Club championship ahead of Iain Lamont. Today's game is the latter's victory over the writer with the black pieces. media type="custom" key="26136366" **1.d4 Nf6** **2.c4 c5** **3.d5 e6** **4.Nc3 exd5** **5.cxd5 d6** **6.e4 g6** **7.f4 Bg7** **8.Bb5+ Nfd7** An important move. The point the bishop check in the Taimanov Variation of the Benoni is that after 8...Nbd7? White gets an overwhelming advantage with 9 e5! dxe5 10 fxe5 Nh5 11 Nf3! etc. **9.a4 O-O** **10.Nf3 Na6** **11.O-O Nc7** **12.Bc4 ---** The first sign that White is unsure of this territory. The bishop supports the d5 pawn here, but is an easy target for the b-pawn advance or a knight to b6. 12 Bd3 is the main line. **12.--- a6** **13.Qc2 Rb8** **14.e5? ---** A rash pawn sacrifice that overlooks Black's best defence. White should have played 14 a5 so as to be able to meet 14...b5 with 15 axb6 and Black gets a weak a-pawn in return for opening the b-file. **14.--- dxe5!** Best. 14...b5?! 15 axb5 Nxb5 or 15...axb5 16 exd6 bxc4 17 dxc7 Qxc7 are both ok for White. **15.f5 Nb6!** **16.Bg5! ---** White has compensation here after either 16...Qd6 17 f6! or 16...f6 17 d6+! Nxc4 18 dxc7 Qxc7 19 Nd5 Bxf5! 20 Qxc4 Be6 21 Rad1. So how to proceed? By giving up material. **16.--- Bxf5!** **17.Bxd8 Bxc2** **18.Bxc7 Nxc4** **19.Bxb8 Rxb8** After the forced exchanges, Black's minor pieces are completely dominant, supported by mobile central pawns and restricting the white rooks. **20.Rf2 Bd3** **21.Re1 f5** **22.Ng5 e4** **23.Ne6 Bd4** **24.Nxd4 cxd4** **25.Ne2 Bxe2** **26.Rfxe2 d3** **27.b3 dxe2** **28.bxc4 Rc8** **White Resigns** There is no hope in the rook ending after 29 Rxe2 Rxc4, e.g. 30 Rb2 Rxa4 31 Rxb7 Rd4 32 Rd7 Rd2 and the overlap of connected passed pawns will eventually descend.

**0-1**

**Solution:** 1 Rxh7+! Kxh7 2 Qh3+ Kg7 3 Qh6#.