ODT090210

=**Smerdon sprints to Queenstown victory**=


 * Problem:** White to play and win.

The second Queenstown Classic was the strongest open chess tournament to be held in Australasia to date. The field of 120 included 39 titled players, headed by nine grandmasters and four women grandmasters. But it was Australian IM David Smerdon who emerged the overall winner with score of 8/10, half a point ahead of six international GMs tied for second: Klaus Bischoff (Germany), Gawain Jones (England), Victor Mikhalevski (Israel), Eduardas Rosentalis (Lithuania), Dimitrios Mastrovasilis (Greece) and Leif Erlend Johannessen (Norway). Smerdon had assured himself of at least a share of first place with a round to go, after a scorching run of four consecutive wins put him a point clear. Although he then succumbed to Jones in the final round, his closest rivals were only able to draw their games. The New Zealand Championship went to IM Anthony Ker of Wellington, who finished equal 12th on 6½ points, just ahead of a large group of local players on 6 points. It was the 10th national title for Ker, who is only surpassed by the late great Ortvin Sarapu's 20 titles. Today's game from the 7th round at Queenstown and is the win that allowed IM Smerdon (white) to overtake the then leader GM Rosentalis (black). media type="custom" key="26458332" **1. e4 Nf6** Alekhine's Defence is a sharp choice showing Black to be in a combative mood, but risks have to be taken to win a large open. Of course the c-pawn is off-limits due to 10...Nexc4? 11 Bxc4 Nxc4 12 Qa4+. Black's move anticpates b2-b3 by White once Black has castled, so as to loosen the White queenside structure for counterplay. An alternative was to grab the two bishops by 10...Nxd3. Offering a pawn via 13 Bxb6 Qxb6 14 Nxa4 but after 14 ...Rxa4! 15 bxa4 Nxd3 16 Qxd3 Bxa1 17 Rxa1 White's weak pawns are a long term liability.White's reply threatens to take the pawn. Having drawn the white queen to the corner, Black initiates sharp central and kingside play looking to profit from her absence. The tempting pawn grab 18 exf7+?! Rxf7 19 Nxd4 rebounds after 19 .... Qh4 20 h3 Nxf2! 21 Nce2 Bxh3! 22 gxh3 Qg5+ 23 Kh2 Qh4 with a perpetual as White has nothing better than 24 Kg1. Black's energetic play has been well met so far and this sacrifice is a risky attempt to keep the initiative, rather than fall into a passive position after 19... Nf6 20 Rd1 targeting d6. White's response is better than the immediate 20 Rxf2?! Rxf2 21 Kxf2 Qh4+ 22 Ke3 Qg5+ when black gets a draw by perpetual check after either 23 Kf2 Qh4+ or 23 Kf3 Qf6+ or 23 Kd3 e5 24 Ne4 Qxg2 25 Ne2 Bf5 26 Nc3 Qxh3+ etc. Trying to complicate – 20...Qh4 21 Qe1! Nxh3+ 22 gxh3 Rxf1+ 23 Qxf1 gets too little for the piece. Effectively a piece sacrifice for a winning attack, since White could keep an extra piece by 23 Na4! when Nxa4 24 Qxa4 d3 25 Bxd3 Qxd3 24 Qe8+ is an easy win, but 23.... e5 keeps things complicated. Black finally errs. 25 ... Qd8 was a stouter defence, but 26 Nf4 Qe7 27 Nf6+ Kf8 28 Kg3! (heading for h2) and Black is in zugzwang: e.g. 28...Bd7 29 c5 Nc8 30 Nxd7+ Qxd7 31 Qh8+ Ke7 32 Qxh7+ Kd8 33 Qxg6 etc. Or 29... Kh8 30 Qe8+ Kg7 31 Qe7+ Kh6 32 Qf8+ Kh5 33 g4+ Kh4 34 Qh6#. Now the black queen is compelled to abandon its protection of the knight to stop mate. Or else 30... Kg7 31 Qe7+ Kh6 32 Nf5+! gxf5 33 Qf6+ Kh5 34 Qxf5+ Kh6 35 Qf6+ Kh5 36 g4#.
 * 2. e5 Nd5**
 * 3. d4 d6**
 * 4. c4 Nb6**
 * 5. exd6 cxd6**
 * 6. Nc3 g6**
 * 7. Bd3 Nc6**
 * 8. d5 Ne5**
 * 9. Nge2 Bg7**
 * 10. O-O a5**
 * 11. Be3 O-O**
 * 12. b3 a4!?**
 * 13. Bc2 axb3**
 * 14. axb3 Rxa1**
 * 15. Qxa1 Ng4**
 * 16. Bd4 e5**
 * 17. dxe6 Bxd4**
 * 18. Nxd4 ---**
 * 18. --- fxe6**
 * 19. h3 Nxf2!?**
 * 20. Nde2! d5!?**
 * 21. Rxf2 Rxf2**
 * 22. Kxf2 d4**
 * 23. Ne4!! ---**
 * 23. --- d3**
 * 24. Bxd3 Qxd3**
 * 25. Qe5! Bd7?**
 * 26. Nf4! Qc2+**
 * 27. Kg1 Qxb3**
 * 28. Nxe6 Bxe6**
 * 29. Qxe6+ Kf8**
 * 30. Nd6! Qd1+**
 * 31. Kh2 Qf1**
 * 32. Qe8+ Kg7**
 * 33. Qe7+ Kg8**
 * 34. Qd8+ Resigns**


 * 1-0**


 * Solution:** 1 Nxe5! dxe5 2 Qxe5 Qb7 (or a7) 3 Qxg7 Rf8 (3...Rxd1 4 Qxh8+) 4 Qg6+ Rf7 5 Rxd8+ Kxd8 6 Qxf7 and wins.