ODT130820

=**Smith dominates Waikato Open**=




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

The Waikato Open was held in St Paul's Collegiate School in Hamilton last month. The warm favourite on ratings among the 19 players in the A grade was top seed FM Ben Hague of Auckland. But it was second seed, FM Bob Smith of Mt Mauganui, who lead the field throughout and secured first place with a round to spare. The critical moments were his back-to-back wins over third seed FM Mark Noble in the fourth round and over Hague in the fifth. With a full point lead he was able to ensure victory with a draw against fourth seed FM Mike Steadman in the final round to finish on 5/6. Sharing second place on 4 points were Noble, Steadman, and Craig Blaxall. For Smith, a former New Zealand Champion, this result represents a welcome return to his best form.

Today's game is the incisive victory by Smith against Hague in the penultimate round. Smith is playing with the white pieces and kindly supplied the annotations. media type="custom" key="24980138" Very provocative, even for the Modern Defence. Black's plan is presumably ...e5 and ...Ne7. Possibly an extravagance too far, compared to 7... d6. Black has a passed pawn, but lags in development. This must be played. Otherwise black will play 10...f5 himself. Not 10... 0-0?? 11 f6 trapping the bishop. If 13... b6 trying to maintain a pawn on d6, then 14 a4! with the idea of a4-a5xb6 blasting open the queenside before Black is ready. When ahead in development, open the position! Black thought he had counterplay coming with ...Qh4 but... Now black is lost as he can't stop Rf7. The alternatives fare no better: 20...e4 21 Qf4! e3 22 d6 Qe6 23 Qg5+ Kd7 24 Bf5 pinning the queen, or 20...Bd7 21 Rf7 Qd6 22 Qg5+ Kc7 23 Rf6 Qe7 24.d6+ forking king and queen, or if here 22... Kc8 23 Raf1! and Black is helpless against the threat of R1f6 – e.g. 23... Rd8 24 R1f6 Qc7 25 Rxd7! Rxd7 26 Rf8+ and Black must give up the queen on d8 to avoid mate. Black can only postpone Rf7 and catasptrophic material loss. E.g. 21.... Rxf1+ 22 Rxf1 Bd7, when 23 Qh8+ wins the rook on a8.
 * 1.e4 g6**
 * 2.d4 Bg7**
 * 3.c4 Nc6!?**
 * 4.d5 Nd4**
 * 5.Ne2 e5**
 * 6.Nxd4 exd4**
 * 7.Bd3 c5**
 * 8.0–0 d6**
 * 9.f4 Nh6**
 * 10.f5! ---**
 * 10.--- f6**
 * 11.Nd2 Nf7**
 * 12.Nf3 Qe7**
 * 13.b4! Bh6**
 * 14.bxc5 Bxc1**
 * 15.Qxc1 dxc5**
 * 16.fxg6! hxg6**
 * 17.e5! ---**
 * 17.--- Nxe5**
 * 18.Nxe5 fxe5**
 * 19.Bxg6+ Kd8**
 * 20.g3!---**
 * 20--- Rf8**
 * 21.Qh6 Resigns**


 * 1–0**


 * Solution:** 1 d8=Q+! Bxd8 2 Qf7+ Kh8 3 Nxg6#.