This was the first of my three (so far) encounters with Paul Thompson of Columbus, and the only one complete as of this writing. I have ongoing games with him in the 1998 U.S. Absolute and in the 13th U.S. Championship. He and I have been habituees of the excellent but now-defunct Columbus "Y" Chess Club, but he in the 1950s, I in the 1960s. Thompson and I live about two miles from each other, but we have never met.

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.Qc2 g4 10.Ne5 Qxd4

Position after 10...Qxd4

11.Rd1

A major alternative is 11.Be2 but I'm not sure that White can afford to play so slowly.

A) 11...Bb7 12.Nxg4 (similar is 12.Rd1 ) 12...Nxg4 13.Bxg4 Nd7 14.Rd1 Qb6 Schmitzer-Pachman, Bad Woerishofen 1991. 15.0-0 with compensation for White; and my opponent shared with me that there is a memorial to the great explorer in Genoa's

B) 11...Bb4 12.0-0 Bxc3 13.bxc3 Qxe4 14.Qd2 Nbd7 15.Rad1 with compensation for White, who intends f3. (15.Nxg4 Nd5 16.Rfe1 -, Petrosian-Neikirkh, Portoroz 1958) ;

C) 11...Nbd7! 12.Rd1 Qb6 13.Nxg4 (13.0-0?! Pedersen-Madsen, corr 1968, but after 13...h5! I can't see much for White) 13...Nxg4 14.Bxg4 h5 (The chances appear to be balanced after 14...Rg8 15.Bf3)

C1) 15.Bf3 h4 16.Bf4

C1a) 16...h3 17.gxh3 Rxh3 18.Bg2 Rh4 19.Bg3 Rg4 20.Bf3 Rg6 21.e5 and White seems to have reasonable compensation;

C1b) 16...b4 17.Na4 Qb5 18.Be2 Ba6 19.Qd2 and White has compensation, for example, 19...Nf6 20.Qd4 Be7 (20...Bg7? 21.Nc5) 21.b3 Rd8 22.Qxa7 Rxd1+ 23.Kxd1 Nxe4 24.Bxc4 Qh5+ 25.Ke1 with excellent prospects for White;

C1c) 16...Bg7! Black controls the key squares of the center. 17.0-0 h3 with the better game for Black;

C2) 15.Bh3 b4 16.Nb1 Ba6 17.0-0 (similarly 17.Nd2 Qc5 18.0-0 Bg7!) 17...Bg7! with a good game for Black;

C3) 15.Be2!?

11...Qc5!

11...Qb6 removes the queen a little too far from the scene of action. 12.h3 This relatively unexplored move, a suggestion of Borisenko, looks to me like White's best chance for winning play. (The straightforward 12.Be2 was tried by Spassky and is treated in the theory books. Black should be safe enough.) 12...gxh3 13.Rxh3

Position after 13. Rxh3

A) 13...Bb4 14.Be2

A1) 14...Bb7 15.Qd2 Nxe4 16.Qf4 Ng5 (16...Bxc3+? 17.bxc3 Ng5 18.Qf6) 17.Qf6

A1a) 17...Rf8 18.Rxh6 Be7 (18...Ne4 19.Qxe6+! fxe6 20.Rxe6+ Be7 21.Bh5+ Rf7 22.Bxf7+ Kf8 23.Nxe4 and though White has only a piece for his queen, his attack is overpowering) 19.Qf4 Qc7 (or 19...Rg8 20.Bh5) 20.Bh4 and Black can mount little further resistance;

A1b) 17...Rh7 18.Rxh6

A1b1) 18...Ne4 19.Qf3 Nxc3 (also losing is 19...Ng5 20.Qh5) 20.Rxh7 Nxd1+ 21.Kxd1 and White's attack is overpowering, for example, 21...Qd4+ 22.Bd3;

A1b2) 18...Be7 19.Qxg5!! Bxg5 20.Rxh7

Analysis postion after 20. Rxh7

White has a powerful attack in spite of his missing queen.;

A2) 14...Nbd7 15.Qd2 Qc5 16.Rxh6 Rxh6 17.Qxh6 Bxc3+ 18.bxc3 Qf8 19.Qe3 White's two bishops and active pieces compensate for his material deficit (White might also consider 19.Qd2 ) ;

B) 13...Nbd7 14.Be2

B1) 14...Bg7 15.Bf4

B1a) 15...Qc5 16.Qd2

B1a1) 16...b4? 17.Na4! Qa5 18.Nxc4! Qxa4 19.b3 Nxe4 20.Qc2 and Black loses his queen;

B1a2) 16...a6 17.Nxd7

B1a21) 17...Nxd7

B1a211) 18.Rh5 Qb4 (18...Qf8 19.e5) 19.e5 Ra7 20.Bf3 c5 21.Ne4 Qxd2+ 22.Rxd2 with compensation;

B1a212) Also worth considering is 18.Bxh6 18...Be5 19.Be3 (19.f4!?) 19...Qf8 20.f4 Bf6 21.Bf2;

B1a22) 17...Bxd7 18.Bxh6 Bxh6 19.Rxh6 Rxh6 20.Qxh6 Ke7 21.Qh4 with a dangerous initiative for White, for example

B1a221) 21...Be8 22.Kf1! (22.f4 Qg1+ 23.Kd2 Rd8+ 24.Nd5+ Rxd5+ 25.exd5 Qd4+ 26.Ke1 is equal) 22...b4 (22...e5 23.Qg5 threatening f4) 23.Na4 Qe5 24.Nb6;

B1a222) 21...Rd8 22.f4 e5 23.Qg5 Qg1+ 24.Kd2 Bg4+ 25.Nd5+ Rxd5+ 26.exd5 Qd4+ 27.Kc1;

B1a3) 16...Rg8 17.Nxd7 Nxd7 18.Rh5 Qb6 19.e5 with good compensation;

B1b) 15...Bb7 16.Rg3 Nxe5 (16...Rh7? 17.Nxc4 bxc4 18.e5) 17.Rxg7 Nfd7 (17...Ng6? 18.Rxg6 fxg6 19.e5) 18.Qd2 b4 (18...Rd8 19.Qd6 b4 20.Bh5 and White wins) 19.Bxe5 Nxe5 20.Qd6 bxc3 (20...Qa5 21.Bh5 Bc8 22.Nb5 cxb5 23.Qxe5 b3+ 24.Kf1 and White has a crushing attack) 21.Bh5 Bc8 22.Qxe5 and White's attack is hard to stop;

B2) 14...Be7 15.Nxf7! Kxf7 16.e5

B2a) 16...Nd5?? 17.Bh5+ Kf8 18.Qg6;

B2b) 16...Ne8?? 17.Bh5+ Kf8 18.Qg6;

B2c) 16...Ng8?? 17.Bh5+ Kf8 18.Qg6;

B2d) 16...Nh7?? 17.Bh5+ Kf8 18.Qg6 Ng5 19.Rh4;

B2e) 16...Nxe5? 17.Bxe5 Bb7 (17...Rg8 18.Rxh6) 18.Bh5+;

B2f) 16...Rg8 17.exf6 Nxf6 18.Rxh6 with a strong attack, for example,

B2f1) 18...Bb7 19.Rxf6+! Kxf6 (19...Bxf6 20.Qh7+ Bg7 21.Rd7+) 20.Bh4+;

B2f2) 18...Qc5 19.Ne4 Qb4+ 20.Kf1;

B2g) 16...a5 17.exf6 Nxf6 18.Be5 with excellent play for White.

12.Rd8+ Kxd8 13.Nxf7+ Ke8 14.Nxh8 Qg5 15.e5 Nd5 16.Be2 Qf5

Thompson's play is admirably solid. The alternatives are complicated:

I. 16...Nxc3 17.bxc3

A) 17...Qf5 18.Qxf5 exf5 19.Ng6 Bg7 20.f3

Analysis position after 20. f3

A1) 20...Na6 21.fxg4 fxg4 22.0-0 Nc5 23.e6! Bxe6 (23...Nxe6 24.Bxg4 and White has more than enough for his pawn) 24.Be5 Bxe5 25.Rf8+ Kd7 26.Nxe5+ Kd6 27.Nf7+! Bxf7 28.Rxa8 with an unclear ending;

A2) 20...Kf7 21.Nh4 h5 22.0-0 Kg8 23.fxg4 fxg4 24.Nf5 with good play for White;

B) 17...Bg7 18.Ng6

Analysis position after 18. Ng6

B1) 18...Nd7 19.0-0 Kf7 20.f3 Qxg6 (20...Bf6 21.fxg4 Qxg6 22.Bd1 Qxc2 23.Bxc2 Bb7 24.exf6 with an unclear ending) 21.fxg4+ Nf6 22.Bd1 with advantage to White;

B2) 18...Kf7 19.Nh4 Nd7 20.f4 gxf3 21.0-0

B2a) 21...Nxe5 22.Nxf3 Nxf3+ 23.Bxf3 Kg8 (23...Qc5+? 24.Kh1 Kg8 25.Qg6 Qf8 26.Bd6!; 23...Ke7? 24.Bxc6 Qc5+ 25.Qf2 Qxc6? 26.Qf7+ and mates in two) 24.Rd1! with compensation;

B2b) 21...Qe3+ 22.Kh1 Kg8 (22...Nxe5 23.Bxf3 Kg8 24.Bxe5 Qxe5 25.Bxc6 and White is winning) 23.Rxf3 Qg5 24.Ng6 Qd8 25.Bh4 Qe8 26.Ne7+ Kh8 White has at least a perpetual and may try for more with 27.Qe4;

II. 16...Bb4 17.h3

Analysis position after 17. h3

17...Qg7 (17...Nd7 18.hxg4 Nxe5 19.Bxe5 Qxe5 20.Qg6+ and White's play is just enough to compensate for the pawn: 20...Kd7 21.Qh7+ Ke8 22.Qg8+ Kd7 23.Qh7+ with a perpetual; 17...Qf5 18.Kd1! Bxc3 19.bxc3 Kf8 20.Ng6+ Kg7 21.Nh4 Qxc2+ 22.Kxc2 gxh3 23.Rxh3 and White's two bishops and superior activity are adequate compensation for the pawn ) 18.Ng6 gxh3 19.Rxh3 followed soon by Bh5 with good play for White;

III. 16...Nd7 17.0-0

Analysis position after 17. O-O

A) 17...Nxc3 18.bxc3 Bg7 19.Ng6 Bb7 20.f4 gxf3 21.Rxf3 Qd8! 22.Rf2! and White has a powerful initiative;

B) 17...Bb4 18.Qh7 Nxc3 (18...Nxe5 19.Nxd5 exd5 20.Qc7 and White wins; 18...Bxc3 19.Qf7+ Kd8 20.Qxe6 Nxe5 21.Qd6+ Bd7 22.Qf8+ and White wins) 19.bxc3 Bxc3 20.Qf7+ Kd8 21.Qxe6 with a crushing attack for White;

C) 17...Nxe5 18.Bxe5 Qxe5 19.Qg6+ Kd7 20.Qf7+ Be7 21.Ng6 Qf6 22.Qh7 with complications favorable to White.

17.Qxf5

My analyses failed to justify 17.Ne4 Nd7 18.Ng6 Bb4+ 19.Kd1 Kf7 20.Nh4 Qh5 21.Nd6+ Bxd6 (21...Kg7 22.h3 Qg5 23.Ne4 with ample compensation) 22.exd6 N7f6 23.h3 e5 24.hxg4 Bxg4 25.Bxg4 Qxg4+ 26.Kc1 (26.Qe2 Qxe2+! 27.Kxe2 c3 and the endgame is excellent for Black) 26...Nb4 27.Qd2 (27.Qf5? Nd3+ 28.Kb1 Qd4) 27...Nd3+ 28.Kb1 Rd8 (28...Ke6?! 29.Nf3 Qf5 30.Ka1 with unclear chances, but I suspect White is no worse; 28...Ne4?! 29.Qxh6 with plenty of play for White) 29.Nf3 (29.Qxh6 Qd4 30.Qg6+ Ke6 31.Qf5+ Kd5 32.Qf3+ Kc5 33.Qe2 Qe4 34.Qxe4 Nxe4 and Black's has great activity to go with his extra material) 29...Qf5 30.Ka1 Ng4 and Black is much better (30...Ne4?! 31.Qxh6 is unclear) .

17...exf5 18.Ng6 Bb4 19.Kd2 Nd7 20.f3

Perhaps I should have played 20.Kc2

Analysis position after 20. Kc2

A) 20...Nc5 21.Nxd5 cxd5 22.Rd1 Be6 (22...Bb7 23.f3) 23.Bh4 (the object of this is to prevent ...Rd8) 23...Kd7 24.h3 Bf7 (24...gxh3 25.gxh3 Re8 26.Nf4 favors White, for example, 26...Kc6 27.Bf3) 25.Nf4 gxh3 26.gxh3 Kc6 27.Bf3 Ne4 28.e6 Bd6 29.Nxd5 (29.exf7 Bxf4 30.Be7 Bd6 31.f8Q Rxf8 32.Bxf8 Bxf8 and Black has more than enough compensation for the exchange) 29...Bxe6 30.Nc3 Re8 31.Bxe4+ (or 31.Nxb5 ) 31...fxe4 32.Nxb5 with equality;

B) 20...Bxc3 21.bxc3 Kf7 22.Nf4 Nxf4 23.Bxf4

B1) 23...Ke6 24.h3 Nxe5 (24...g3 25.fxg3 Nxe5 26.Re1 favors White; 24...h5? 25.hxg4 hxg4 26.Rh6+ Ke7 27.Bg5+ Kf8 28.e6) 25.hxg4 and the ending offers good play for White;

B2) 23...h5 24.h3 Nf8 25.Be3! Be6 26.hxg4 hxg4 27.f3 Ng6 (27...a5 28.fxg4 fxg4 29.Rf1+ Kg7 30.Rf6 favors White) 28.fxg4 Nxe5 29.Rh7+ Kg6 30.Rh6+ Kf7 31.Rh7+ draws by repetition;

C) 20...N7b6! 21.Nf4 (21.Nxd5 cxd5 22.Rd1) 21...Nxc3 (21...Be7! 22.h3 Bg5 23.Nfxd5 Nxd5 24.Nxd5 cxd5 25.f4 gxf3 26.Bxf3 Be6 27.Rd1 Rd8 28.Bf2 Rd7 29.Bd4 and White lacks full compensation for the pawn, though he may be able to draw) 22.bxc3 Be7 23.h3 and White has compensation.

20...Ba5

20...Nc5! 21.Nf4

Analysis position after 21. Nf4

A) 21...Na4 22.Nfxd5 cxd5 23.Kc2 Nxc3 24.bxc3 Be7 25.Bf4 h5 26.h3 Be6?! (26...gxh3 27.g3 Kf7 28.Rxh3 Kg6 29.Rh1) 27.hxg4 hxg4 28.Rh8+ Bf8 29.Bh6 Ke7 30.Rh7+ Ke8 (30...Bf7 31.fxg4 fxg4 32.Bxg4) 31.Bxf8 Kxf8 32.fxg4 fxg4 33.Rh8+ Bg8 34.Bxg4;

B) 21...Bb7 22.Nfxd5 cxd5 23.Kc1 Bxc3 (23...a6 24.Rd1 Bxc3 25.bxc3 h5 26.h3 and though White is a pawn down, the ending is roughly even) 24.bxc3 gxf3 25.gxf3 Ne6 and Black is better.

21.fxg4 Nc5 22.Bf3 fxg4 23.Bxd5 cxd5 24.Ke3

Position after 24. Ke3

24...Ne6

24...Nd3 25.Nxb5 Bb6+ 26.Kd2 Nxb2 27.Rf1 Kd7 28.Rf6 with advantage to White;

24...Be6 25.Rf1 Bf7 26.Nf4 Bxc3 27.bxc3 and White stands well enough;

24...Bf5 25.Nf4 Bxc3 26.bxc3 Rd8 27.Rd1 Nd3 28.Nxd3 Bxd3 29.Kd4 and for Black to win may not be so easy.

25.Nxd5 Bb7 26.Rd1 Rd8

This looks quite good, but it permits White to force a drawn ending.

A better try for the full point was 26...Kf7 27.Ngf4 Rd8 28.Rf1 Nxf4 29.Nxf4 Bd2+ 30.Ke2 Ba5 31.e6+ Ke8 32.Be1 Bxe1 33.Rxe1 Rd4 34.g3 but the game is roughly even.

27.Nf6+ Kf7 28.Rxd8 Bb6+ 29.Kd2 Bxd8 30.Nf4 Bxf6

Similar is 30...Nxf4 31.Bxf4 Bxf6 32.exf6 Kxf6 33.g3

31.Nxe6 Kxe6 32.exf6 Kxf6

Position after 32...Kxf6

This is a dead draw.

33.Bf4 h5 34.g3 Ke6 35.Kc3 Kd5 36.b3 cxb3 37.Kxb3 Ke4 38.Bg5

38.Kb4?? h4 39.Kxb5 h3

38...Bd5+ 39.Kb4 Bc4 40.a4 a6 41.axb5 Bxb5 42.Ka5 Kf3 43.Kb4 Kg2 44.Bh4 Kxh2 45.Ka5 Kg2 1/2-1/2