MEMBERS' GAMES

Stephen Wright of Vancuver, BC is one of our representatives in the NAICCC VIII tournament, which started in December 1996. He has graciously taken the time to submit the following two games for our enjoyment. He has also included a brief bio.

Stephen writes: "Born England, 1961; emigrated to Canada in 1961. Started playing chess seriously shortly thereafter; played my first otb tournament in 1980 and began CCCA play two years later; stopped playing from 1989-1996. I am trained as a music librarian, but am currently pursuing a PhD in musicology at the University of British Columbia."

White: Stephen Wright
Black: Jean Pouliot
K-43 1986-1987
Catalan E01

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 c5 4.Nf3 cxd4 5.Nxd4 d5 6.Bg2 e5 7.Nf3 d4 8.0-0 Nc6 9.e3 d3 10.Nc3 Bb4 11.Nxe5 Nxe5 12.Qa4+ Nc6 13.Bxc6+ bxc6 14.Qxb4 Bh3 15.Re1

A long forcing sequence has led to this sharp position. At the time 'theory' considered that White had sufficient compensation for the piece after 15...d2 16.Bxd2 Qxd2 17.Rad1, but I've no idea how the line is viewed today. I also recall a game between Roman Pelts and Brian Hartman from a Canadian otb Championship in the early 1980s in which White simply gave up the exchange by playing 15.Bd2, but I don't remember how the game ended.

(Eric Schiller in his book, Catalan,gives: 15.Rd1 Bg4 16.Re1 d2 17.Bxd2 Qxd2 18.Rad1 Bxd1 19.Rxd1 Qc2 20.Qd6 Rc8 21.Qe5+ Kf8 22.Qd6+ = {Zagorovsky}.

On 15.Bd2 Bxf1 {15...Qd7 & 15...h5 - Hartman.} 16.Rxf1 Qe7 17.Na4 Qxb4 18.Bxb4

and at this point Roman Pelts considered the position slightly better for White - 18...0-0-0 19.Bc5 Rd7 20.Bd4 Ne4 21.Rd1 f6 22.f3 Ng5 23.Kf2 Ne6 24.Bc3 h5 unclear, Schiller, Pelts-Hartman, Canadian Champ 1984; 21.Bxg7 Rg8 22.Bc3 d2 23.Rd1 Rd8 unclear - Hartman. Unforturnately I too do not know how the Pelts-Hartman game ended. Perhaps a reader does. )

15...Qd7 (?)

In hindsight, perhaps Black can only justify his pawn sac by playing 15...d2 and hoping to survive the complications. The move played threatens mate, so White's next few moves are forced.

16.e4 Qg4?!

(Black's best option is 16...d2 17.Bxd2 Qxd2 18.Rad1, although Whita still retains the advantage.) 17.Re3 0-0-0 18.Bd2 Rhe8

18...h5!?

19.f3 Qg6?

An aggressive Queen placement, but 19...Qd7 was necessary to help defend the queenside.

20.Nb5!(see diagram)

20...cxb5 21.Qc5+ Kb8

21...Kd7 dosen't help: 22.Rxd3+ Ke6 23.Qc6+ leads to mate.

22.Qxb5+ Ka8

22...Kc7 23.Ba5+ Kd6 [23...Kc8 24.Qc6+, etc.] 24.Rxd3+ with play similar to the last note.

23.Qc6+ Kb8 24.Rxd3! 1-0

The sting at the end of the combination; mate by either Rb3+ or Bf4+ is unavoidable.

White: Dr. Paul Chadwick
Black: Stephen Wright
D23 1985-1987
QGD/Chigorin's Defense D07

1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.Nc3

(More aggressive is 4.cxd5 eg: 4...Qxd5? {best is 4...Bxf3! 5.dxc6 Bxc6, transposing with equality to a mainline Chigorin Defense} 5.Nc3 Qd8 {5...Qa5 6.d5 0-0-0 7.Bd2 +/-, ECO} 6.d5 Bxf3 7.gxf3 Nb8 8.e4 c6 9.Bf4 Nf6 10.Qa4 e6? {10...g6!? ) 11.dxe6! fxe6 12.Rd1 Nbd7?! 13.Qb3! Kf7 14.Bh3 Qe8 15.Qxb7 Qc8 16.Qb3 Nc5 17.Qc4 Be7 18.Ne2 Nfd7 19.Bd6 Qe8 20.b4 1-0, Marconi-Sampieri, Canada-Italy Match, Bd11, 1984-85.)

4...e6 5.e3

(5.cxd5!?)

5...Bb4 6.Bd2

6.Qb3!

6...Nge7 7.cxd5

7.Bd3 was played in Steinitz-Chigorin, Havana 1889; 7.Qb3 Bxf3 8.gxf3 0-0 9.f4! would transpose back into the unclear mainline [yes, even Chigorin's defense has its mainlines!]

7...exd5 8.Be2 0-0 9.0-0 Qd7 10.Rc1 a6 11.a3 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Rfe8

White's unduly passive handling of the opening has allowed Black to equalize. The White Queen should still probably go b3, to allow the option of Bb4 at some point.

13.Qc2 Bf5 14.Bd3 Rac8

Countering the pressure down the c-file, while if White exchanges on f5, the Black knight gains a move to locate to d6.

15.b4?!

A reasonanle idea if the pawn is heading for b5, but since it never gets there this only serves to entomb White's bishop.

15...f6!

Depriving White the use of the e5 and f5 squares, and already envisaging the coming knight manoeuvre.

16.Nh4?

Forcing the exchange of bishops, but the knight will have to scurry back to protect the c4 sqaure. White should develop his king's rook or play 16.Nd2, intending a quick Nb3-c5.

16...Bxd3 17.Qxd3 Nd8 18.Bb2 Nf7 19.Nf3 Nd6 20.Nd2 c6 21.Rc2 Rc7!

Freeing the c8 for a knight and preparing to double rooks on the e-file.

22.Rfc1 Nec8 23.Nb3

Since White cannot prevent a knight from reaching c4 after Nb6, he decides to go for his own outpost.

23...Nc4 24.Nc5 Qf7 25.h3 N8d6 26.Re1 Rce7 27.Bc1 f5

White is essentially tied up, so Black feints in the centre.

28.Rce2 Ra8 29.f3 a5 30.e4?(see diagram)

The logical continuation to White's last move, losing material because of the precarious position of the knight on c5. White should have sat tight with 29.Nb3 or 29.Bb2, forcing Black to find a way in.

30...fxe4 31.fxe4 b6 32.e5 bxc5 33.exd6 Rxe2 34.Rxe2 cxb4 35.Re7 Qf6 36.Qe2 Nxd6 0-1

Robert Bowerman from Whitehorse, Yukon submits the following two games from the First Candidate Master Tournament started in 1995 along with a short introduction. Robert writes: "I am a 48 year elementary school teacher. I have been playing CC for about 5 years. I have just completed M-95 and am currently playing in K-52. My goal is to become a correspondence master and eventually I would like to play internationally. I also play OTB and I have won the Yukon Championship 6 times. I hope you enjoy the games."

White: Robert Bowerman
Black: Valer Eugen Demian
Candidate Master Tournament M-95 1995
OGD/ Slav/Exchange variation D13

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.cxd5 cxd5 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Nf3

(5.Bf4; 5.Bg5 are alternatives, RPM)

5...Nc6 6.Bf4 Bf5

6...e6. (It's interesting to note that Valer's father IM Valer Vasile Demian, continued with 6...a6 in his game against I. Topan in the 1992 Rumanian Team Ch, eg: 7.e3 Bg4 8.Be2 e6 9.Qb3 {9.0-0, ECO} 9...Bb4 10.Ne5 Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 Bxe2 12.Kxe2 Nxe5 13.Bxe5 0-0 14.f3 b5 15.a4 Qb6 =, Demian, and drawn in 26. CCYB 10/269.)

7.e3 e6

(If 7....Qa5 8.Bb5 +/- according to ECO.)

8.Ne5 Nd7

8...Bd6 9.Bb5 Rc8 10.Bxc6 bxc6 11.0-0 0-0 12.Rc1 Qe7 13.Na4 +/=, Kasparov-Dolmotov USSR ch 1979.

9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.Rc1 Qb6

10...Be7!?

11.Qd2 Be7 12.Be2 g5?

Playing for space on the kingside. Black anticipates White's kingside castling and plays for a possible kingside pawn storm, however, Black's kingside pawns will become weak in the ending. Black equalizes with the more subdued 12...0-0.

13.Bg3 Qa5

Black tries to prepare c5.

14.a3 h5?!

4.a3 prevents c5 eg: 14...c5? 15.dxc5 Nxc5 16.b4 or 15...Qxc5 16.Nb5. Black carries on with his plan, but creates one more target in the ending.

15.h3 Kf8?

Black wants to bring his King to g7 and connect his rooksm but misses White's next (move).

16.Ne4! Qb6

16...Qxd2 17.Nxd2 Nb8 18.Nb3 +/-; if 18...a5 19.Nxa5 or if 18...Bd8 19.Nc5 Kg7 20.Na6 winning the Black c-pawn; if 17...Rc8 18.Ba6 wins.

17.Nd6 Bg6

If 17...Bxd6 18.Bxd6 Kg7 19.Qc3 Rac8 20.b4, followed by a4 is strong.

18.Qc3 Rad8 19.b4 Nb8 20.Qc5 Qxc5

20...Qc7 21.Nxf7.

21.bxc5

21...dxc5 would have been a serious error because of 21...Bf6, freeing the Black sqaured Bishop.

21...Kg7 22.Kd2 Rd7

22.0-0 would be wrong. The correct plan is to neutralize Black's best piece, the White Squared Bishop and at the same time bring the White King to the center.

23.Bd3 Bxd3 24.Kxd3 h4 25.Bh2 f6 26.Rb1 Na6

White's plan is to infiltrate b7 and to try to win the a-pawn or c-pawn, after exchanging a pair of rooks. Meanwhile Black's knight is to be a passive spectator for the next 20 moves.

27.f3

27.f3 creates the possibility of e4; 27.Rb7 immediately is also good.

27...Kg6 28.Rb7 Rhd8 29.Rhb1 e5

Played to weaken c5. Now 30.Nc8 fails to 30...Rxb7 31.Rxb7 Bxc5.

30.Rxd7 Rxd7 31.Rc1

White's last move forces Black to clarify the situation in the centre because of the threat of 32.dxe5 fxe5 33.Bxe5 Nxc5+ 34.Rxc5 Bxd6 35.Bxd6 Rxd6 36.Kd4 with the winning threats of 37.Ke5 or 37.Ra5; sooner of later the c-pawn will fall.

31...Bxd6

If 31...exd4 32.exd4 Nc7 33.a4 Ne6 34.Rb1 +/-.

32.cxd6 Rxd6

32...exd4 34.Kxd4 Nb8 35.Kc5.

33.dxe5 Re6

33....fxe5 34.Bxe5 Re6 35.Bd4 wins a pawn.

34.exf6 c5

A tough decision.....if 34....Kxf6 [34...Rxf6 35.Be5 with the idea of Bd4] 35.e4 with the strong threat of Bg1. Note how White's Bishop dominates the offside Black knight, which has no more.

35.e4 d4

The only move. If 35...dxe4+ 36.fxe4 Kxf6 37.e5+ Ke7 [not 37...Kf5 38.Rf1+ Kg6 39.Rf6+ winning] 38.Ke4 and White should win.

36.e5 Rb6

Black has succeeded in blunting White's Bishop. He hopes to mobilize his queenside pawns.

37.Kc4 Rb2 38.Re1!(see diagram)

38...Rc2+

If 38...Rxg2 39.e6 Rxh2 40.f7 wins instantly; 38...Nc7 also loses to 39.e6.

39.Kd5

The King comes forward to shepard the passed e-pawn.

39...d3 40.e6 d2

If 40...Re2 41.Rd1 d2 42.f 7 Kg7 43.Be5+ Kf8 4.Bd6+ wins.

41.Rd1 Kxf6 42.Be5+ Ke7 43.f4 gxf4

Otherwise f5 wins, but now the d2 pawn falls, and still the Black knight remains helpless.

44.Bxf4 c4 45.Bg5+ Ke8 46.Rxd2 Nc7+ 47.Ke5 Rxd2

Otherwise Rd8 mate.

48.Bxd2 Nb5 49.a4 c3 50.Bg5 Na3 51.Kd4 Nc2+ 52.Kxc3 Ne1 53.Kd2 Nxg2 54.Ke2 1-0

The next game is a very sharp draw.

White: Robert Bowerman
Black: Gordon Greig
Candidate Master Tournament M-95
King's Indian Defense E70

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nge2 0-0 6.Ng3 e5 7.d5 a5 8.Be2 Na6 9.h4 c6 10.h5 cxd5 11.cxd5 Nc5 12.Be3 Qb6 13.Nb5!?

13.Qd2

13...Ng4! 14.Bxc5 Qxc5 15.0-0 Bh6

With the idea of Nxf2.

16.Bxg4

(White's best continuation seems to be 16.a4! Nxf2 17.Rxf2 Be3 18.Qe1 f5 19.Ra3 Bxf2+ 20.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 21.Kf1 Ra6 22.exf5 Bxf5 23.Rf3 with an edge. Therefore, Black must find 19...Bd7! 20.Rxe3 Qxe3 21.Qc3 Qb6 22.hxg6 hxg6 with an unclear position.) 16...Qxb5 17.Qe2 Qb6

(17...Qxe2 18.Bxe2 f5 19.hxg6 hxg6 20.Bb5 f4 21.Ne2 f3 22.Nc3 unclear, however Black seems to have an edge after 18...Bd7.)

18.hxg4 fxg4 19.Rad1 Rf6

19...Rf4 20.Be6+ unclear.

20.Rd3! Bxg4 21.Qxg4 Qxb2!? 22.Nf5!(see diagram)

22...Bf4 23.Rb3 Qd2!

If 23...Qxa2? 24.Rxb7 Raf8 25.Ne7+ Kh8 26.Nxg6+! and wins.

24.Rxb7 Raf8 25.Ne7+ Kh8 26.Qd7

(With the threat of Nxg6+, winning.)

If 26.Nxg6+ Rg6 27.Qd7 Bh2+! 28.Kxh2 Qh6+ -/+.

26...R6f7 27.Qxd6 Bg3!

(With the idea of Bxf2+, winning.)

28.Nf5!

(Of course 28.f3? loses to 28...Qe3+, quickest!; 28...Qh6 also wins, but would take one move longer.)

28...Rxf5 29.exf5 Drawn

29...Bxf2! 30.Rxf2 Qc1+ draws. (Since White cannot avoid accepting the perpetual, without losing himself!)

Peter Metelski of Calgary, Alberta submitted the following gem from a 1995 Challengers tournament. Peter writes: "My father taught me chess during the boom of the "Fischer era" when I was about 7 years old. He found found it was the ideal way to keep me quiet on our trips back and forth from our summer cabin. I joined the CCCA in 1990 when I moved to Calgary to start graduate school. I'm now at the verge of finishing my Phd. in chemistry, but I'm sure I'd have finished years ago if I didn't spend so much time playing chess!

White: David Narzarian
Black: Peter Metelski
D-9503 1995-96
Queen's Pawn Game D04

1.d4 Nf6 2.e3 d5 3.Bd3 c5 4.c3 Nc6

Historically, White has had the worst of this opening. Usually, White fianchettos his bishop on b2, or plays his f-pawn to to f4 in order to prevent Black from playing e5 with complete domination of the middle. Verlinsky, playing Black, defeated Capablanca (Moskva 1925) in a similiar game which contiuned 5.dxc5 a5 6.Nd2 e5 7.Bb5 Bxc5 8.Ngf3 Qc7 9.Qa4 0-0 10.Bxc6 bxc6 11.b3 Ba6 12.Bb2 d4 13.c4 and Black eventually won.

5.dxc5 a5 6.Bb5 e5 7.Nf3 Qc7 8.b4 Be7 9.Qc2 0-0 10.Bxc6 bxc6 11.a4 Rb8 12.Ba3 Ba6!

Black stops the advance of White's b-pawn and prevents White from castling. In addition, Black has ensured control of d3 and prepared for the maneuver ...e4...Ne7-e5-d3.

13.Qf5 Nd7 14.Nbd2 e4 15.Ng5(see diagram)

Black has two attractive options here. The first is to eliminate the threatening knight eg:

15...Bxg5 16.Qxg5 Ne5 17.Kd1 [to avoid the bloodbath after 17...Nd3+] 17...Nd3, threatening 18...Nxf2. On 18.Qh4 Qe5; on 18.Qg3 Qxg3; on 18.Rf1 Qxh2; on 18.Kc2 Nxf2 19.Rg1 Qxh2. The second option goes: 15...g6 16.Qf4 Qe5 17.Qxe5 18.Nh3 Nd3+ 19.Kd1 Bf6 and White is helpless to prevent the invasion. For example: 20.bxa5 Bxc3 21.Rb1 Rxb1 22.Nxb1 Bxa5 followed by 23...Rb8

15...g6 16.Ne6?

expecting 16...fxe6 17.Qxe6+ Kh8 18.Qxe7.

16...fxe6 17.Qxe6+ Rf7 18.b5 Bxc5 19.bxa6 Bxa3 20.Rxa3 Nc5 0-1

Since 21.Qg4 [or 21.Qh3] Nd3+ 22.Ke2 [22.Kd1 Nxf2+] 22...Rxf2+ 23.Kd1 Rb2 -/+.

Although, this column is titled "Members Games" from time to time I will be featuring interesting games from non-members. The following game was submitted to our Editor William Roach, by Simon D. Smith of the British Postal Chess Federation (BPCF). The game was awarded the Best Game prize in a BPCF tournament. I am afraid I do not know the name of the tournament, aside from it's code number.

White: Simon D. Smith
Black: D. Humphreys
BPCF Tournament S-67 1995-6
King's Indian Defense E97
Notes by Simon D. Smith

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.Nd2 Ne8

An uncompromising move! Black gets on with his kingside attack without investing a tempo with a5 to hold up White's advance on the other side of the board.

10.b4 f5 11.c5 f4 12.Nc4 g5 13.f3 Nf6 14.a4 Ng6 15.Ba3 Rf7

A standard KID manoeuvre to utilize the King' s bishop more effectively via f8 and to clear g7 for possible occupation by the King's rook.

16.b5 Bf8 17.b6

White must seek to make rapid progress on the queenside, even at the cost of a pawn.

17...cxb5 18.cxd6 Bd7 19.Nb5 Ne8 20.Bb2 a6!

Putting the question to the Knight: if 21.Nc7 Nxc7 22.dxc7 Bc5+ 23.Kh1 Qxc7 and Black has a pawn and the initiative.

21.Nba3 Bxd6 22.Qb3?

The dangerous bishop should have been eliminated by 22.Nxd6 Nxd6 23.Nc4.

22...Bc5+ 23.Kh1 Qf6 24.Bc3

The power of the dark squared bishop is graphically illustrated by the line 24.g4?? fxg3 25.hxg3 Nf4!

24...Rc8 25.Qb2 Re7 26.Nc2 b5 27.Na5 Nd6 28.axb5

Nothing is going right for White at the moment. The orignal intention of 28.Nb3 loses to 28...bxa4 29.Nxc5 Rxc5 30.Bb4 Rc8 31.Bd3 Be8! 32.Qa3 Rec7 33.Bd6 Rxc3.

28...Bxb5 29.Bxb5 Nxb5 30.Bb4

Belatedly seeking to exchange the danger piece.

30...Rec7 31.Rfd1 Bxb4 32.Nxb4 Qb6 33.Nd3 Rc2 34.Rdc1 Rxc1+

Naturally not 34...Rxb2 36.Rc8+ Kg7 37.Nb2 when the passed d-pawn provides counterplay.

35.Nxc1 g4

Black has held back playing this until he secured control of the queenside; now White's defenses are stretched to the limit.

36.Nd3 Qe3 37.Ne1 gxf3 38.gxf3 Nd4

White's position is on the critical list! 39.Qxb7? is impossible because of 39...Rc2! 40.Nxc2 Qf3+ 41.Kg1 Ne2 mate! Somewhere about here there may even be a clear win for Black, but now the fight begins.

39.d6 b5

Instead, 39...Rc2 is met by 40.d7, whereas now after 40.d7 Black calmly plays 40...Rd8, rounds up he d-pawn and resumes his attack.

40.Nb7 Nxf3 41.Ng2 Qd3 42.Qa2+ Kg7 43.Qe6 Qc3 44.Qd7+! Kh8 45.Rd1 Nf8

Meeting the threat of 46.Qxc8.

46.Qg4 Qb3 47.Rf1 Rb8

A critical decision. 47...Rc2 also leads to great complications after 48.h3!! Qf7

[or 48...Nd2 49.Qf5] 49.d7! Rxg2 [49...Qd7 50.Qxd7 Nxd7 51.Rxf3] 50.Qxg2

[50.Kxg2? Qd7 51.Qxd7 Nh4+.] 51...Qd7 51.Nc5.

48.Nxf4!!(see diagram)

An amazing counter-punch, and much stronger than 41.d7 Nd2 when Black is on top: eg

49.Rd1 Nxe4.

48...exf4

The only move to retain winning chances. 48...Rxb7 is unplayable because of 49.Qc8 Rf7 [49...Qf7 50.Ne6.] 50.d7. The counter-sacrifice 48...Nxh2 leads to a draw after: 49.Kxh2 exf4 [49...Rxb7? 50.Qc8 Qf7 51.Ng6+] 50.Qxf4 Nd7! 51.Qd2 Qe6 52.Qd4+ Ne5 53.Rf5 Qh6+ 54.Kg1 Rg8+ 55.Kf1.

49.Qxf4 Nd7 50.Rxf3 Qe6

Material is level, but the (Knight on b7 is out of the game). The solution to the problem is to sacrifice again.

51.Rc3! Rxb7 52.Rc8+ Kg7 53.Qg5+ Qg6

If 53...Kf7 54.Qh5+ Kg7 [54...Kf6? 55.Re8; 54...Qg6? 55.Qd5] 55.Qg5+ repeats.

54.Qe7+

Not 54.Qd5? Rb8 55.Qg8+ Kf6 56.Rb8 Qe4+ 57.Kg1 Nb8 58.Qb8 Ke6 59.Qc8+ Kd6 60.Qa6 Kc5 with a winning Queen & pawn ending.

54...Kh6 55.Rc3 Qf6!

a last try: after 55...Qg4 56.Rg3 Qd1+ 57.Kg2 Qe2+ 58.Kg1 Black must take the perpetual.

56.Rh3+ Kg5 57.e5!

The saving resource.

57...Qxe7 58.dxe7 Rb8 59.Rd3 b4

A more aesthetic conclusion results after 59...Re8 60.Rd7 Kf5 61.Ra7 Ke5 62.Ra6 Re7 63.Rb6 when the Black King obstructs the rook, allowing the draw.

60.Rxd7 Re8 61.Ra7 Draw Agreed

Have a pleasent Summer!