ODT080408

=**Attacking flair from Dowden**=


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

Former Otago Daily Times chess columnist Dr Tony Dowden has kept ties to New Zealand chess since moving to Launceston, Tasmania a couple of years ago. The now three-time Tasmanian Champion was one of the competitors in the New Zealand Championship in Auckland in January. Ranked in the lower half of the field, Dr Dowden's finishing score of 5/11 was quite respectable given his relative lack of recent competition at that level.

Today's game from the seventh round of the championship shows some highly imaginative attacking play with the white pieces against FM Bruce Watson of Auckland. The notes incorporate some of Dr Dowden's own comments. media type="custom" key="26612004" White avoids the doubling of his c-pawns – often a feature of the English Opening giving Black long term counter-chances. Needlessly weaking his own kingside pawn structure, when either 10 ... Bg4 or 10 ... Nxd5 were feasible. Not about to allow f5-f4 by Black, who would thereby justify his earlier move with some kingside attacking chances. The game now enters a manouvring phase where central pawn exchanges are hindered by the desire to either fix or dissolve the weak black doubled pawns. The !! are for bravado, since having finally enticed 21 ... e5-e4 White could have played 22. Bg2, with the idea of 23. g4 fxg4 24. Nxe4 and an attack similar to the game with less risk. “Unfortunately the whole concept seems to be unsound. But I must say it was a lot of fun playing the attacking side!” This investment of a second piece is the only way to make sense of the first. The black king will come under fire from the white bishop, queen and rooks while his two extra pieces temporarily block his escape. Otherwise White wins back a piece and three pawns with a continuing attack: e.g. 25 ... Kf5 26 cxd5 Bxd5 (else 27 Qb1+ mates) 27 Rxd5+ Ke6 (27 ... Nxd5? 28 Qxd5 mates) 28 Rxa5 etc. or 25 ... Ke6 26 Qg4+ Nf5 27 cxd5+ Kd7 28 Qxf5+. “I had seen this far and the possibilities looked so enticing I could resist saccing. In particular after the apparently logical 26...Qc8 or 26...Rg8 White can continue 27 Rxd4!! Q/Rxg4 28 Rad6+ Kf5 29 e4 is mate!” Playing for the win – other moves allow perpetual check starting with 30 Qf6+. “Black finally goes astray (In the game I felt that Bruce had defended depressingly well up to here). Here the relatively simple 31...Ng7 32 Re7 Rd7! defends - but in time trouble both sides overlooked that Rd7 defends the g7 square and shields the queen from the Re7 attack.” Not 33 ... Qxe2? 34 Rxg6+ Kf7 35 Qxf5+ Ke8 36 Re6+ Kd7 37 Qxh7+ Kc8 38 Rxe2. But Black can give up his queen with 33 --- Rxf6! when after 34 Rxe7 Nxe7 35 Bxf6 he has the astonishing 35 ... h6! 36 Qxg6+ (forced) Nxg6 37 Bxd8 a4! and Black's extra piece should beat the pawns. “White's rook sac takes black by surprise and Black's stern defence suddenly collapses.” “Black is about to suffer catastrophic material loss.”
 * 1. c4 e5**
 * 2. g3 Nf6**
 * 3. Bg2 Nc6**
 * 4. Nc3 Bb4**
 * 5. Nd5 ---**
 * 5. --- Bc5**
 * 6. e3 O-O**
 * 7. a3 a5**
 * 8. Ne2 Ba7**
 * 9. O-O d6**
 * 10. d3 Ne7?!**
 * 11. Nxf6+ gxf6**
 * 12. Nc3 f5**
 * 13. f4! ---**
 * 13. --- f6**
 * 14. Kh1 c6**
 * 15. b3 Be6**
 * 16. d4 Qc7**
 * 17. Ra2 Rad8**
 * 18. Re1 Bf7**
 * 19. Bf3 Qb8**
 * 20. d5 Kg7**
 * 21. Rd2 e4**
 * 22. Bxe4!!? ---**
 * 22. --- fxe4**
 * 23. Nxe4 cxd5**
 * 24. Nxf6! ---**
 * 24. --- Kxf6**
 * 25. Bb2+ d4**
 * 26. Qg4 ---**
 * 26 --- Bg6!**
 * 27. exd4 Nf5**
 * 28. d5+ Kf7**
 * 29. Qg5 Kg8!**
 * 30. Re6 Qc7**
 * 31. g4 Qf7?**
 * 32. Rf6 Qe7**
 * 33. Re2! Be3?**
 * 34. Rxe3! Qg7**
 * 35. gxf5 Rxf6**
 * 36. Bxf6**


 * 1-0**


 * Solution:** 1 Nf6+! gxf6 2 Qxf6 and after Black gives up the queen, 4 Rh8#.