ODT130430

=**Dive achieves North Island Championship shutout**=




 * Problem:** White to play and win.

The North Island Championship was held in Wellington over Easter, and was dominated by local IM Russell Dive. Dive was the only titled player in the field of 28 and top seed by some margin. The question was not so much who would win, as whether Dive would concede any points along the way. Dive proved equal to the challenge and duly won all eight games to finish first, ahead of Norwegian vistor Joachim Berg-Jensen in second place on 7 points and Christchurch junior, Edward Rains who placed third on 5½.

Today's game from round four turned out to be the critical matchup between the two highest scorers. Berg-Jensen, playing White, launches a dangerous attack from the opening, but Dive's cool defence prevails. media type="custom" key="25104970" The Trompovsky Attack frequently leads to relatively uncharted waters after only a few moves. Here we have a position like the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit, but with the extra move Bf4 for White. This helps explain Black's last move – to rule out a quick attack on c7 via Nb5 and reserve his other options. Seeking to exploit Black's lack of kingside development with a fast attack. Allowing a dangerous attack, which could have been avoided by 10... Nbd7 with a sound position for Black. An important intermezzo for the defence – not just to preserve Black's extra pawn, but to divert the queen from the defence of the d-pawn. This brave piece sacrifice comes up just short against Black's accurate defence. Unpromising are the pawn-down ending after 13 Bc7 Bxd1 14 Bxd8 Rhxd8 15 Raxd1 as the e6 pawn is less vulnerable than it looks, and the immediate recapture 13 Qxc2 Qxd4+ 14 Kh1 Qxc4 with insufficient compensation for the two pawns. Best was the calm 13 Qe2! Qxd4+ 14 Kh1 Raxb8 15 Bxe6+ Ke8 16 Qxc2 with an enduring attack against the exposed black king. The direct attack on the king down the c-file doesn't quite work: 16 Qe6+ Kc7 17 Rac1 Bg6 (17... Qxd4+ 18 Kh1 Bc5! 19 Rxc2 Rhe8 20 Qf5 Qxc4 21 Nd1 Qd5 22 Rxc5 Qxf5 23 Rcxf5 Re2 also leads to an advantageous endgame) 18 Rxf6! Qxd4+ 19 Kh1 and either capture on f6 loses the queen (19... Qxf6? 20 Nd5+ !or 19.... Bxf6? 20 Nb5+!), but 19... Rbe8! 20 Rff1 (20 Nxb5!? cxb5 21 Bxb5+ Kb8 22 Bxe8 Rxe8 is fine for Black) 20... Bc5 forces off queens with a much better endgame. So White tries to turn the d4 liability into an asset, however the loss of time is critical. But 16 Qxg7! undermining the knight on f6 would set Black the most difficult problems: e.g. 16... Qf8! 17 Qg5 Re8 18 Rf2! Bg6 19 Raf1 and White is winning back some material with chances against the exposed black king. The black king is now safe – and White's further attempts to continue the attack only succeed in leaving his own king hopelessly exposed. There is no defence to the coming invasion with the white queen and knight misplaced on the queenside. Looking for swindling chances, but Dive calculates accurately to the end. White resigns, as 31 Kxf1 Qh1+ 32 Kf2 Qxc1 defends the mate on c6 since the bishop is pinned, and if 32 Ke2 Rbe8+ 33 Kd2 Qh6+ 34 Kd1 Rd8+ and the rook on c1 falls with check.
 * 1.d4 Nf6**
 * 2.Bg5 Ne4**
 * 3.Bf4 d5**
 * 4.f3 Nf6**
 * 5.e4 dxe4**
 * 6.Nc3 exf3**
 * 7.Nxf3 c6**
 * 8.Bc4 Bf5**
 * 9.Ne5!? ---**
 * 9.--- e6**
 * 10.0-0 Be7**
 * 11.Nxf7! Kxf7**
 * 12.Bxb8 Bxc2!**
 * 13.Qg4!? ---**
 * 13.--- Rxb8**
 * 14.Qxe6+ Ke8**
 * 15.Qf7+ Kd7**
 * 16.d5? ---**
 * 16.--- Qf8**
 * 17.dxc6+ bxc6**
 * 18.Qe6+ Kc7**
 * 19.Rac1 Bg6**
 * 20.Qe5+ Kb7**
 * 21.Na4 Bd6**
 * 22.Qa5 Ka8**
 * 23.Qa6 Qc8**
 * 24.Qa5 Qc7**
 * 25.Qa6? Rhf8**
 * 26.Be2 ---**
 * 26.--- Bxh2+**
 * 27.Kh1 Ne4**
 * 28.Bf3!? ---**
 * 28.--- Ng3+!**
 * 29.Kxh2 Nxf1+**
 * 30.Kg1 Qh2+**


 * 0-1**


 * Solution:** 1 Qc4+ Kh7 2 f3! Qb1 3 Rb2 Qa1 4 Nc2 wins the queen.