ODT120207

=**Queenstown Classic a resounding success**=




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

The Queenstown Classic held at the Millenium Hotel Queenstown last month was an unqualified success for promoter, GM Murray Chandler. The total entry of 148 players from 19 federations, including 11 grandmasters and 35 other titled players made this easily the strongest event yet held in New Zealand and provided a rare opportunity for strong international competition.

The final result was a three-way tie for first place between GM Li Chao and GM Zhao Jun both of China and the in-form Australian Champion GM Darryl Johansen on 7½/9. Johansen took the trophy on countback for most wins. The highest placed local player was FM Mike Steadman of Auckland, who also benefited from sharpening his skills in the tough Australian Championship earlier in the month. His score of 6½ won him the New Zealand Championship and the coveted silver rook trophy for the first time.

Second seeded English GM Gawain Jones did not place highly at Queenstown, but he had the satisfaction of winning the best game prize with today's game from the sixth round. He is playing with the black pieces against WGM Irene Sukandar of Indonesia, who went on to gain an IM norm from the event. media type="custom" key="25585304" A principled move, striking on the dark squares now that White has removed her bishop from the queenside and taking the game down a relative sideline of the Modern Defence. Varying from a Ukrainian game that went 7...Bd7 8 Bxd7+ Nxd7 9 cxd6! Bxc3+ 10 bxc3 Qxc3+ 11 Kf1 exd6 12 Ne2 and White's superior development gave an advantage. Risky, but the alternative 9...Bd7 10 0-0-0 Rd8 11 Qc4 gives White a big lead in development. White reply is uncompromising, looking to cramp the black queen. The exclaimations are for spectacle, as Black has been more or less committed to this sacrifice since 9...Qb6. After a forced sequence Black has only a rook and bishop for his queen and pawn, but has been able to complete his development and mobilise all his forces. It looks as if White would be still on top if she could just castle here but 17 0-0? Nd2! 18 Re1 Rd8! sets up some very nasty threats, not least 19...Ra5 trapping the queen! After 19 Nec3, Black can win a piece by 19...Bxc3 20 bxc3 Nc4! 21 Qxc4 Rdxd1 22 f4 Rxe1+ 23 Bxe1 Rxe1+ 24 Kf2 Ra1. The key is the d-file, so White blocks the access point on d8, allowing a combination to win a pawn. Overlooking the mobilisation of Black's remaining rook via the a-file. Instead 19 Kd2! Nxh1 20 Qc5! Bxb2 21 Qg1 hunting down the knight leaves material and chances roughly level. It's too late for 20 Qc5? Bxb2! 21 Qg1 Bg4 22 Qxh1? Ra8! and the queen is lost. The strongest resistance was to hold the a-file by 20 Qa4! Bd7 21 Kf1 Ne5 22 Qa7 Bc6 23 Kg1 rounding up the knight and after 23 ...Ng4 24 Kxh1 Ne3 25 c3!? Bxg2+ Kg1 an interesting struggle is still ahead. White has tried to build a fortress and keep the h1 knight contained, but after this move Black's pieces will no longer be denied. If now say 29 g4 to attack h1, then 29...Nc4+ 30 Kc2 Bxg4! 31 Qxh1 Bf5+ 32 Kd1 (32 Kb3? Na5+ 33 Kb4 Bf8! 34 Qd1 e5+ 35 Bd6 Rxc1+!) Rb1! 33 Qxb7 Rxb2! and a king hunt is pending. Finally sacrificing the knight to misplace the white queen. The ending after 34 Nxb3 Ra2+ 35 Ke3 Rxf2 36 Kxf2 Bxc3 is a simple win. But now the White king gets caught in a mating net.
 * 1.e4 g6**
 * 2.d4 Bg7**
 * 3.Nc3 d6**
 * 4.Bg5 h6**
 * 5.Bh4 c5**
 * 6.dxc5 Qa5**
 * 7.Bb5+ Nc6**
 * 8.Nge2 dxc5**
 * 9.Qd5 Qb6!?**
 * 10.a4! a6**
 * 11.a5 axb5!!**
 * 12.axb6 Rxa1+**
 * 13.Nd1 g5**
 * 14.Bg3 Nf6**
 * 15.Qxc5 Nxe4**
 * 16.Qxb5 O-O**
 * 17.Bc7! Rxd1+!**
 * 18.Kxd1 Nxf2+**
 * 19.Ke1? ---**
 * 19.--- Nxh1**
 * 20.c3?! ---**
 * 20.--- Bd7**
 * 21.Qd5 Be6**
 * 22.Qe4 Ra8**
 * 23.Nc1 Ra5**
 * 24.Nd3 Bd5**
 * 25.Qg4 Ra1+**
 * 26.Kd2 Be6**
 * 27.Qf3 Bc8**
 * 28.Nc1 Na5!**
 * 29.b3 Bd7**
 * 30.Kc2 Bc6**
 * 31.Qe3 Nf2!**
 * 32.Qxf2 Be4+**
 * 33.Kd2 Nxb3+!**
 * 34.Ke3 ---**
 * 34.--- Rxc1**
 * 35.Kxe4 Rxc3**
 * 36.Qa2 e6!**


 * 0-1**


 * Solution:** 1 Ba6+ Kb8 2 Rb6+! axb6 3 Be5#.