MEMBERS' GAMES

Next up is another annotated game from Len Myers.

White: Eric Kirschner (DEN)
Black: Len Meyers
ICCF WT/II/165 1975
French Defense/Classical/Steinitz Variation C11

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.dxc5

(This is Steinitz's original move. Today it is out of fashion and is considered premature, and tends to ease Black's game considerably. The prefered move these days is 6.Nf3.)

6...Nc6!

(6...Bxc5 or 6...Nxc5 are considered inaccurate according to ICCF IM Tim Harding, eg: if 6...Bxc5 7.Qg4! 0-0 8.Nf3 Nc6 9.Bd3 f5 10.Qh3 Nb4 (10...Nd4!? 11.Bd2 a6 = {Harding} Tarrasch-Marshall, match 1905 ) 11.g4! Nxd3 12.cxd3 Nb6 13.d4 Bb4 14.Rg1 Qc7 15.Bd2 Nc4 16.a3 Nxd2 17.Nxd2 +/- , {Lasker})

7.a3 Bxc5

(Considered better than 7...Nxc5)

8.Qg4 g6!?

Rather than castle into a White kingside pawn storm with no defenders on that side. The text also gives Black the option of ...h5 which challengers the White Queen and locks up the kingside at least temporarily giving Black time to persue play on the queenside.

(Harding thinks 8...g6 is better than 8...0-0 and cites: 8....0-0 9.Bf3 Nd4 10.Bd3 f5 11.Qh3 a6 12.Bd2 b5 13.0-0-0 {13.Nxd4 Bxd4 14.Ne2 Ba7 15.g4 Nc5 16.gxf5 exf5 17.0-0-0 d4! =/+, {Keres}} 13...Nxf3 14.Qxf3 Bb7 15.Ne2 Qc7! =/+ {Heidenfeld})

9.Nf3 a6 10.b4

Interesting is 10.Bd3, keeping e2 open for his Queen Knight at the same time developing a piece 10...b5 11.b4 Ba7 12.h4 h5 13.Qg3 Nd4! with play for both sides.

10...Ba7 11.Bb2 b5 12.0-0-0 Bb7 13.Ne2?!

(White) was probably looking to centralize the Knight or swing it to the kingside. However, since White has already castled queenside the Knight retreat allows me to open up the queenside, further enhancing attacking opportunities.

13...a5! 14.c3 axb3 15.cxb3 Be3+

I want b6 for my Queen, but I don't want to Block in my Bishop.

16.Kb1 Qb6 17.Ned4

This actually helps me as I can clear out some of the defenders around the White King.

17...Bxd4 18.Nxd4 Nxd4 19.Rxd4?!

On 19.Bxd4 Qa6 and Black has good attacking prospects.

19...0-0?

Playing it too safe, trying to get my King into safety while activating my kingside Rook. Better was 19...Rxa3, as I should not have had a second chance to play it.

20.h4? Rxa3!

Reprieve. Either White didn't see the move or underestimated it.

21.Bxb5

Things are heating up. White is attacking my undefended Knight. If I capture the Bishop with my Queen my Rook falls.

21...Rb3!

Now if 22.Bxd7 Qxd4. I win the exchange with a strong initiative against the exposed White King.

22.Qd1 Defending the Rook, while attacking mine.

22...Rxb2+

Removing another defender and two pieces for the Rook.

23.Kxb2 Qxb5 24.h5 Nb6 25.hxg6 fxg6 26.Qg4 Na4+ 27.Kb3 Qc6

Getting onto the open c-file at thesame time defending my King pawn.

28.Qh3 Rf7 29.f5

I believe White was clearing the 4th rank to shift his rook to h4 to attack my kingside.

29...Rc7! 30.fxg6??

Losing quickly.

30...Qc2+!! 0-1

Since after: 31.Ka3 Rc3+ 32.Qxc3 Qxc3 33.Kxa4 Qxd4 White's game is hopeless.

As mentioned in the Summer issue, former Canadian CC closed Champion (K-51), Gordon Greig, won M-95, the first Candidate Invitational tournament. The following is his game with Eugen Demian.

White: V. Eugen Demian
Black: Gordon Greig
M-95, Candidate Master Invitational 1995-97
King's Indian Defense/Säemisch Variation E84

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 0-0 6.Be3 Nc6 7.Qd2 a6 8.Nge2

(The so-called, Panno line of Saemisch variation. The thematic aim for Black is quick queenside expansion, hence the preparatory move 7...a6.)

8...Rb8 9.h4 e5

(9...b5!? )

10.d5 Na5 11.Ng3 c5 12.h5 Bd7 13.Bh6 Bxh6 14.Qxh6 b5 15.Be2 Qe7

(15...Nxc4 16.Bxc4 bxc4 17.0-0-0 +/-, ECO)

16.0-0-0 Kh8!?

(Black deviates from what was played in Gheorghiu-Andersson, Las Palmas 1972, which continued 16...Ne8 17.f4! exf4 18.Qxf4 Qf6 19.Rdf1 Qxf4 20.Rxf4 f6 21.hxg6 hxg6 22.Rfh4 Kf7 23.Rh7 Ng7 24.e5!! + - {Maric}, 1-0 in 31, Inf 13/705. Watch carefully how the Knight sitting on f6 makes it's way over to the queenside, finally coming to rest back on the kingside, on g3, becoming a major participant in Black's victory.)

17.hxg6

(17...f4!?)

17...fxg6 18.Rh2

(With the idea of doubling Rooks on the open h-file, a reasonable plan of attack.)

18...Nxc4 19.Bxc4 bxc4 20.Rdh1 Rf7 21.Nf1 Rg7 22.Ne3 Ng8

(The Knight starts his "walk".)

23.Qh4 Bb5 24.Qxe7 Nxe7 25.a4 Bd7 26.Nxc4 Nc8 27.Kc2 Rf7 28.Rh6 Kg8 29.b3 Be8 30.Na2 Rd7 31.Nc1 Nb6 32.Ne3 c4

(Temporarily sacrificing a pawn to pry open lines on the queenside.)

33.bxc4

(If 33.Nxc4 Nxc4 34.bxc4 Rc7 35.Kd3 Rb4.)

33...Rc7!

(Stronger than the automatic 33...Nxa4.)

34.Kd2 Rbb7

(To protect h7.)

35.c5 Rxc5 36.N1d3 Rcc7 37.Ng4 Bxa4 - +

Notice how all of Black's pieces are participating in the attack, while at the same time Black's Rooks are defending h7 from the queenside. White only has the lone knight on d3 to defend his King against the coming onslaught.)

38.Ne1 Nc4+ 39.Ke2

(Desperately trying to reach the safety of g3, but Black thwarts this plan with his next move.)

39...Rb2+! 40.Kf1 Nd2+ 41.Kg1 Rc1 42.Kf2

(Unfortunately 42.Kh2 dosen't work either because of 42...Rxe1! 43.Rxe1 Nxc3+!. )

42...Nxe4+ 43.Ke3

(43.Kf1 Ng3+, etc.)

43...Ng3! 44.Nd3 Re2# 0-1

( 44.Nf6+ just delays the inevitable. A masterful positional game played by Gordon.)

In addition to winning M-95, readers will recall that Gordon has also recently won O-90 and K-51. The following are some of his games from these events.

White: Nick Zimninski
Black: Gordon Greig
K-51 1995-97
Pirc Defense B07

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Nbd2 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.c3 0-0 6.Be2 Nc6 7.0-0 Nd7 8.b4 a6 9.Nc4 b4 10.Ne3 Nb6 11.Rb1 Bd7 12.c4 Na4 13.Qd2 e5 14.d5 Nd4 15.Bd1 c5 16.dxc6 (e.p.) Bxc6 17.Bxa4 Bxe4!

18.Nxd4 (If 18.Bc2? Bxf3! -/+)

18...exd4 19.Nc2 bxa4 20.Bb2 Qc7 21.Rfe1

(21.Rbe1!? looks better, getting rid of the annoying pin on the Knight. If then 21...Rae8 22.Na3 protecting the c-pawn, with the idea of 23.Rc1 and c5 to follow. Of course the Knight is not placed very well on a3. Perhaps Black could try 21...Bxc2!? instead, but of course this was an option for Black even with the text.)

21...Rae8 22.Rbc1 Qxc4 23.Nxd4 Qxa2

(Now Black has two passed pawns, with the advanced a-pawn being the more dangerous.)

24.Ra1 Qd5!

(Not only attacking g2, but pinning the Knight. Therefore the text indirectly protects the a-pawn on a4.)

25.f3

(If 25.Rxa4? Bxg2, and White is in serious trouble.)

25...Bc2!! (Taking advantage of the pin on the Knight.)

26.Rec1

(26.Qxc2 Bxd4+)

26. ... Rc8! 27.Kh1

(If 27.Rxc2 Bxd4+ 28.Bxd4 {28.Qxd4 Qxd4 29.Bxd4 Rxc2 - +} Rxc2 29.Qxc2 Qxd4+ - +; and if 28.Kf1 Rxc2 29.Qxc2 Bxb2 30.Qxb2 and Black has a two pawn advantage.)

27...Bb3 28.Rxc8 Rxc8 29.Qe3 Qe5 30.Qd2! Rc2! 31.Nxc2 Qxb2 32.Re1 h5 33.Re2 Bxc2! 34.g4

(If 34.Qxc2 Rxc2 35.Rxc2 a3!, with the idea of 36...Bb2!, winning. If 36.Ra2? Bb2 and the Rook is trapped with a won endgame for Black because of the passed d-pawn!

If 36.Kg1 Bb2! - + , shielding the a-pawn from capture when Black plays a2 next move.

A very nicely played game, by Black.)

34...a3 0-1

White: Gordon Greig
Black: Philip Dranse
O-90
Scotch Opening/ Steinitz Variation C-45

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Qh4 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Be2!?

(On 6.Ndb5 Ba5! 7.Bd3 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Bd2!? Nf6 10.0-0 Bxc3 11.bxc3 d6 12.f4 0-0 13.f5 Nd7 =/+ {Suetin} Zuravlev-Bronstein, USSR 1980, but Black went on to lose in 31, Inf 30/243.)

6...Qxe4 7.Nb5 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3!?

(According Gordon this is Kosten's suggestion. In compensation for the doubled c pawns White has the open b-file.)

8...Kd8!?

(Of course 8...Qe5? loses to 9.f4!)

9.0-0

(9.Be3 Nf6 10.0-0 d6 11.Bf3 Qc4 12.Rb1 Be6 13.Nxd6 cxd6 14.Qxd6+ Bd7 15.Rxb7 Qe6 16.Qc7+ Ke8 17.Bc5 Rc8 18.Bxc6 Bxc6 19.Rb8 Bd7 20.Rxc8+ Bxc8 21.Rd1 Nd5 22.Qg3 f5 23.c4 Nf6 24.Qc7 Bd7 25.Qb8+ Bc8 26.Qc7 Bd7 27.Bb4 Kf7 28.Re1 Rc8 29.Qxa7 Qxc4 30.Re7+ Kg8 31.Rxd7 Nxd7 32.Qxd7 Qxc2 33.g3 Qc1+ 34.Kg2 Qc6+ 35.Qxc6 Rxc6 with dynamic equality, Ashley-Bokan, France 1998. The game was eventually drawn in 67.)

9...a6 10.Bf3 Qc4 11.Be2 Qh4 12.Nd4 Nxd4 13.cxd4 d6

(13...d4; 13...Nf6; or 13...Nd7 appear better.)

14.Bf3 Nf6 15.Rb1 Re8?!

(9...Rb8!? or 9...Bg4!? deserve consideration.)

16.Bxb7 Rb8 17.g3!?

(The move that forces Black to give up his Queen for a Bishop and a Rook.)

17...Qh3

( 17...Qh5? is worse, eg. 18.Bf3 Bg4 { 18...Nxg4? 19.Bxg4! Bxg4 20.Rxb8+ Kd7 21.f3, winning a piece.} 19.Rxb8+ Kd7 20.Rb3!, with a full Rook ahead.)

18.Bg2 Rxb1 19.Bxh3 Bxh3 20.Re1 Rxe1+ 21.Qxe1 Kd7

(21...Ne4!?/?! The rest is just a matter of technique.)

22.c4 Bf5 23.f3 h6 24.Qc3 Rb8 25.Kf2 d5 26.cxd5 Rb6 27.Qc4 Ne8 28.g4 Bh7 29.Ba3 Nd6 30.Qa4+ Nb5 31.Bf8 g5 32.Qc4 Kc8 33.Bc5 Rf6 34.Qe2 Kb7 35.Qe7 1-0

The next game is also from O-90 and Gordon feels it was the best game overall that was played against him in this tournament. Philippe St-Amour surprised him with an interesting exchange sacrifice that Gordon thinks might still be sound. I give the game without notes.

White: Philippe St-Amour
Black: Gordon Greig
O-90 1994-96
Petroff's Defense C42

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 Nxe4 4.Bd3 d5 5.Nxe5 Be7 6.0-0 0-0 7.Nd2 f6 8.Nef3 f5 9.c4 c6 10.Re1 b6 11.cxd5 cxd5 12.Nxe4 fxe4 13.Rxe4!?

13...dxe4 14.Bxe4 Nc6 15.Bxc6 Rb8 16.Qb3+ Kh8 17.Be3 Qd6 18.Ne5 Be6 19.Qa4 a5 20.Rd1 Rbc8 21.Bb7 Rc7 22.Bf3 Bd5 23.Bxd5 Qxd5 24.Re1 Bb4 25.Ra1 Rfc8 26.Qb3 Qxb3 27.axb3 Rd8 28.Nd3 Be7 29.Ne5 Kg8 30.Kf1 Bf6 31.Nc4 Bxd4 32.Rd1 Rcd7 33.Nxb6 Bxb6 34.Rxd7 Rxd7 35.Bxb6 Rd5 36.Ke2 Kf7 37.f3 Rb5 38.Bd4 Rxb3 39.h4 a4 40.h5 Rb5 41.g4 Rb3 42.f4 g6 43.hxg6+ hxg6 44.Kd2 Rg3 45.g5 Ke6 46.Be5 Kf5! 0-1

The final game is from the 8th North American Invitational Correspondence Chess Championship, which is approaching the end of it's second year. Those of you with Internet access can visit my site to view my web pages set up for this tournament.

When this event is completed I will present more games.
White: Stephen Wright
Black: IM Zoltan Leskowsky
North American ICCC VIII ICCF 1996-97
Trompowski Attack A45

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 Ne4 3.Bf4 d5 4.f3 Nf6 5.e4 dxe4 6.Nc3 Nd5

Black avoids the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit type position after 6...exf3 and instead returns the pawn in exchange for a dominating centralized queen.

7.Nxd5 Qxd5 8.Bxc7

The other possibility is to continue in gambit style with: 8.c4 Qa5+ 9.Bd2 Qf5 10.f4 Nc6 11.Ne2 e6 12.Qb3 Be7 13.0-0-0 Bd7! 14.Qxb7 Rb8 15.Qxc7 Bd8 16.Qd6 Be7 which leads to a perpetual.

8...Nc6

Unclear, according to ECO A {second edition.}.

9.c3

White's plan is to remove Black's Queen from the dominating post by Qb3 followed, if necessary, Bc4.

9...e6

Solid, but has the drawback of shutting in the Queen's Bishop. An alternative is: 9...g6 10.Qb3 Qd7 11.Bg3 exf3 12.Nxf3 Qe6+ 13.Ne5 Qxb3 14.axb3 Nxe5 15.Bxe5 f6 16.Bg3 Be6 17.Bc4 Bxc4 18.bxc4 Kf7 19.0-0 Bh6 with a complex middlegame, Wright-Teodoro, Ontario Open 1996.

10.Qb3 Be7

Probably a little too obliging, since White now gets to develop with tempo.

11.Bc4 Qg5 12.Qc2! exf3

12...Qe3+ 13.Ne2 with the threat of Bf4.

13.Nxf3 Qh5

Perhaps 13...Qe3+ is safest.

14.0-0 b6??

Losing by force. I was expecting 14...0-0 when White, with moves such as: Rae1, Bd3, Ne5, and Rf3-g3/h3 has a nice advantage based on superior development, better central control and a straight forward target in Black's King. My opponent later stated that he had intended 14...b5, but this does not change the nature of the position; Black is hardly able to castle queenside, and may provide White with a target on the queenside as well.

15.Qa4 Bd7 16.Bb5 Rc8

16...a6 17.Bxc6 b5 18.Bxd7+ Kxd7 19.Qa5; 16...Qd5 17.c4 Qe4 18.Rae1

17.Bxc6 b5

Black's only chance 17...Rxc7 18.Bxd7+ Rxd7 19.Ne5 , but insufficient.

18.Bxd7+ Kxd7 19.Qa5 Rxc7 20.Ne5+ Kc8 21.Qa6+ Kb8 22.Rxf7 Qg5

22...Qxe5 23.dxe5 Bc5+ 24.Rf2 dosen't work either.

23.Nc6+ Ka8 24.Nxe7 Rxe7 25.Qc6+ 1-0

I am running a very low on annotated games, so I would greatly appreciate receiving some well annotated games from all of you. Thank you.