Kenilworth Chess Club

NJ Knockouts Tie Baltimore Again

By Michael Goeller

In Round 9 of US Chess League action, the New Jersey Knockouts drew the Baltimore Kingfishers for the second time this season to keep their playoff hopes alive. New Jersey plays rival New York again next week in a match that will decide which of them makes the playoffs.

When New Jersey played Baltimore in Round 3 of the season, they were only able to draw due to a lucky break that turned a possible loss into a win for Dean Ippolito. This time it was Baltimore that got lucky, scoring wins in two games that seemed headed for an even result.

White was victorious in every game, even though all of the Black players were able to gain equality using rather unusual defenses. On Board 1, Benjamin reached his favored Ruy Lopez-like position out of the anti-Sicilian against Blehm and used it to gain enough of an edge to carry him through to victory in a very close game. On Board 2, Friedman used the Chigorin Defense to reach a very drawish position before he blundered badly and lost to Enkhbat’s swift tactics. On Board 3, Molner played an interesting line against Kaufman’s unusual Nimzo-French (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nc6!?) and ended up sacrificing a Bishop to gain an intuitive attack that eventually carried him to victory through some very complicated thickets. And on Board 4, Khodarkovsky seemed to gain easy equality with the Alekhine Defense only to lose to some very interesting endgame tactics by Battsetseg.

Board 1

Joel Benjamin-NJ (2651) – Pawel Blehm-BAL (2580) [B51]

ICC 90 30 u/Internet Chess Club 2007

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nd7

This move is considered inferior by the books, but Black has not done so badly with it recently.

4. c3 Ngf6 5. Qe2 a6 6. Ba4 b5

6… c4!? 7. Bc2 Qc7 8. O-O Ne5 (8… Ng4!? 9. b3! b5 10. a4) 9. Nxe5 dxe5 10. b3 cxb3 11. axb3 Bd7 12. Ba3 Rc8 13. f4!? exf4 14. e5 Ng4 15. d4 Ne3 (15… g5!) 16. Rxf4 Nxc2 17. Qxc2 g5?! 18. Rf1 Qb6 19. Qf2 Qxb3 20. Nd2! Qe6 21. c4 Rxc4 (21… Bg7 22. d5 Qg6 23. Rae1) 22. d5!! Qxd5 23. Nxc4 Qxc4 24. Rac1! Qe6 25. Qa7 Bg7 26. Qb8+ 1-0 Benjamin,J-Sarkar,J/New York 2004

7. Bc2 e5

This is the type of position Benjamin always seems to be playing for with his anti-Sicilians. The game suddenly looks like a Ruy Lopez / Spanish, where White’s strategic plans are more clear than Black’s.

8. a4

8. d4 Be7 9. O-O O-O 10. a4 Bb7 11. d5 Qc7 12. Bd2 Rfb8 13. Rc1 Nb6 14. axb5 axb5 15. Na3 Ba6 16. b4 Nc4 17. Nxc4 bxc4 18. Qe3 cxb4 19. cxb4 Bb5 20. Bc3 Qb7 21. Nd2 Bd8 22. h3 Bb6 23. Qe1 Nh5 24. Nf1 Qe7 25. g3 g6 26. Bd1 Ng7 27. Ne3 f5 28. exf5 gxf5 29. Bc2 Qg5 30. h4 Qf6 31. Qe2 Rxa1 32. Rxa1 Rf8 (32… Bd4! 33. Qd2) 33. Ra3 Qf7 34. Qf3 h5 35. Kg2 Qd7 36. Bb1 Rf6? 37. Ra8+! Kf7 38. Nxf5!! Nxf5 39. Qxh5+ Ke7 40. Rh8! (40. Qh7+ Rf7) 40… Nh6 41. Rh7+ Nf7 42. Qg5 (42. f3! Qa7? 43. Bxe5!) 42… Bd8 (42… Qb7 43. Be4! Bd4 44. Bxd4 exd4 45. Bg6 Be8 46. Kh2 Qd7 47. g4 d3 48. Bxf7 Bxf7 49. Rh6) 43. h5 Ba6 44. f4 (44. h6!) 44… Bb7 45. Be4 Qe8? (45… Bc8! 46. f5 Qa4!) 46. fxe5 dxe5 47. Bxe5 Kd7 48. Qg4+ Re6 49. dxe6+ Qxe6 50. Rxf7+ Be7 51. Rxe7+ Kxe7 52. Qxe6+ Kxe6 53. Bxb7 1-0 Benjamin,J-Lopez Ataneh,A/Bunratty 2005 — a very fascinating game!

8… Rb8 9. d4 Be7 10. O-O O-O 11. axb5 axb5 12. Na3 c4 13. Bd2 Re8 14. Rfb1!?

14. d5 Nc5 15. Rfb1 Bg4!

14… d5!

White’s mode of queenside play is familiar from the Ruy Lopez, and Black reacts correctly in the center.

15. dxe5 Nxe4 16. e6!

16. Bf4 Bxa3! (16… Rb6?! 17. Rd1 Bb7 18. Bxe4 dxe4 19. Nd4 Bg5 20. Bg3 Nxe5 21. Ndxb5) 17. Rxa3 b4! e.g.: 18. cxb4 Rxb4 19. Bxe4 dxe4 20. Qxe4 Nc5 21. Qc2 Bb7

16… Ndf6

a) 16… fxe6? 17. Bxe4 dxe4 18. Nd4

b) 16… Bxa3?! was a very interesting possibility, which likely made Benjamin very wary about opening up the e-file in subsequent side-lines: 17. exf7+!? (17. exd7 Bxd7 18. Rxa3 Nxc3 19. Qxe8+ Bxe8 20. bxc3) 17… Kxf7 18. Rxa3 Nxc3 19. Ng5+ Qxg5 20. Qf3+! Qf6 21. Qh5+! Kf8 22. Rxc3

17. Bf4!?

This at least keeps the position from getting out of control while retaining some of White’s positional plus.

It’s easy to see why Benjamin ended up in time trouble in this game, since the lines he rejected get quite complex. For example: 17. exf7+ Kxf7 18. Ne5+ Kg8 19. Bxe4! (19. Nc6 Qc7 20. Nxb8 Bxa3! 21. Rxa3 Nxc3!) 19… Bd6! (19… Qc7!? 20. Bxd5+ Nxd5 21. Qh5 Rf8) 20. Nc6 Bxh2+ 21. Kh1 Qd6 22. Bxd5+ Kh8!

17… Bd6 18. Bxd6 Qxd6 19. Nd4!

19. exf7+?! Kxf7 20. Nd4? Nxc3!

19… Bxe6 20. f3 Nc5 21. Naxb5 Qb6 22. Qf2 Bd7 23. Na3 g6?!

Black creates some luft for his King, but also weakens the dark squares long term. Interestingly, this weakening will come back to haunt him in the end.

24. b4 Ne6 25. Rd1 Ra8 26. Ra2 Ra6 27. Ne2 Qc7

Black is reluctant to enter the endgame with White’s outside passer a potential problem.

27… Qxf2+ 28. Kxf2 Rea8 29. Rda1 Ba4 30. Nc1 Bxc2 31. Nxc2 Rxa2 32. Rxa2 Rxa2 33. Nxa2 and White’s outside passer might be trouble.

28. Rda1 Rea8 29. Bb1 Nf4 30. Nc2 Rxa2 31. Rxa2 Re8

White has escaped the pin on the a-file and now can pursue his slight edge due to control of the d4 square, better pieces (especially the Bishop), and his outside passed pawn.

32. Ncd4 Nd3 33. Qg3 Qb6 34. Qg5 Kg7 35. Qd2 Bf5 36. Bxd3 Bxd3 37. Nf4 Bf5

Black has been driven from his most valuable square at d3, and now White can begin a kingside attack.

38. g4! Bd3!?

Blehm decides to surrender a pawn rather than sink into passivity due to his bad bishop.

38… Be6 39. g5 Ng8 40. Qe3

39. Nxd3 cxd3 40. Qxd3 Nd7 41. Kg2 Ne5 42. Qb5 Qd8 43. Re2 Re7 44. Qa5 Qd7 45. Qc5 h5 46. g5

In time pressure, Benjamin plays it safe.

46. gxh5 Re8 47. Qb5 Qd8 48. f4

46… h4 47. h3 Re8 48. Qb5 Qc8 49. Qxd5 Qxc3? 50. Rxe5 Qb2+ 51. Kf1 Rc8 52. Ne2 Qxb4 53. Re4 Qb1+ 54. Kf2 Qh1? 55. Qe5+

Black resigns, since it smells like mate after 55,,,Kg8 56.Rxh4. A very clean game from Benjamin.

1-0

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bf4 Bg4 4. e3 e6 5. Be2 Nf6

In his book on the Chigorin, Morozevich recommends immediately challenging the Bishop with 5… Bd6 and meeting the exchange of Bishops by 6….cxd6! with good dynamic chances for Black. I think 5…Bd6 is clearly the most flexible move here, since it allows Black the options of Nge7 or pawn to f5!?

5… Bd6 6. Bxd6 cxd6 7. c3 Nf6 8. Nbd2 O-O 9. O-O Rc8 10. h3 Bh5 11. Rc1 Ne4 12. Re1 f5! 13. c4 dxc4 14. Nxc4 Bxf3 15. Bxf3 d5 16. Ne5 Nxe5 17. dxe5 Rxc1 18. Qxc1 Qb8! 19. Bxe4 fxe4 20. Re2 Qxe5 21. Qc5 Qh5 22. Rd2 b6 23. Qc7 Qf7 24. Rc2 g6 25. Qg3 Qf6 26. Rc7 a5 27. b3 e5 28. Kh2 Rf7 29. Rc2 Kg7 30. Qg4 Qf5 31. Qd1 Rd7 32. Rd2 d4 33. Kg1 d3 34. Kh2 Rc7 35. f3 exf3 36. gxf3 Rc3 37. Kg3 b5 38. Kf2 Qxh3 39. Rxd3 Rc2+! 0-1 Cocchi,A-Skembris,S/Cesenatico 2000

6. O-O Bd6 7. Bxd6

7. Bg5!? h6 8. Bxf6 Qxf6 9. c4 O-O 10. c5 Be7= Morozevich

7… Qxd6

A perfectly safe but drawish move.

7… cxd6 is more standard.

8. c4 O-O 9. cxd5

9. Nc3 Rad8 10. Rc1 dxc4 11. Qa4 Qb4 12. Qxb4 Nxb4 13. Bxc4 Bxf3 14. gxf3 c6 15. a3 Nbd5 16. Rc2 Rfe8 17. Nxd5 exd5= Weemaes,R-Meulders,R/Amsterdam 1986 (60)

9… exd5 10. Nc3 Ne4!

10… Ne7 11. a3 c6 12. b4 Ne4 13. Nxe4 dxe4 14. Nd2 Bxe2 15. Qxe2 Qe6 16. Rfc1 Nf5 17. Rc5 Nd6= 1-0 Schmidt,G-Gschwendtner,M/Germany 2000 (40)

11. Rc1 Rfe8

11… Rae8 12. Nxe4 dxe4 13. Nd2 Bxe2 14. Qxe2 f5!? 15. Qb5 Nd8 16. Nc4 Qe7 17. Ne5 c6=

12. Nxe4 dxe4 13. Nd2 Bxe2 14. Qxe2 Nb4 15. Qc4 c6 16. a3 Nd5 17. Qb3 Qe7 18. f3 exf3

18… f5? 19. fxe4 fxe4 20. Rf4

19. Rxf3 Rad8 20. Rcf1 Nf6 21. Nc4 Qe6 22. Qc2 Re7 23. Ne5 Rf8 24. Rh3 h6

24… g6! 25. Rhf3 Nd7=

25. Rhf3 Rc7?!

Up until now, Black has played perfectly well to hold a draw. But with this odd Rook move, you can see Black begin to drift or get complacent.

25… Nd7=

26. b4 a6 27. h3 Nd7??

Diagram # An absolute blunder.

28. Rxf7 Rxf7 29. Rxf7 Qd6

29… Qxf7 30. Nxf7 Kxf7 31. Qc4+ Kf8 32. d5

30. Qb3 Kh8 31. Rxg7 Nf6 32. Nf7+

Black resigns

1-0

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nc6

A variation of the French or Nimzovich (via 1.e4 Nc6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 e6) that has received favorable treatment in Christoph Wisnewski’s “Play 1…Nc6!” and Karel van der Weide’s SOS 3 article.

4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bg5 Be7 6. Bxf6 Bxf6 7. Bb5 O-O 8. Qd2

a) 8. O-O Nb8! (otherwise White can get good play on dark squares by Bxc6, e5, Na4) 9. Re1 c5!? (9… b6 Wisnewski) 10. exd5 exd5 11. dxc5 Bxc3 12. bxc3 Qa5 van der Weide

b) 8. Bxc6 bxc6 9. O-O c5 10. exd5 cxd4 Wisnewski

8… Nb8

A rather standard solution in this opening, often followed by …b6 and …Ba6.

a) 8… Na5!? looks to me like a good way to discourage queenside castling 9. O-O c6! (9… Bd7 10. Bd3 Bc6 11. Rfe1 Nc4?! 12. Bxc4 dxc4 13. Rad1 b5 14. d5 exd5 15. e5 Be7 16. Nxd5 Bc5 17. Nf6+! gxf6 18. Qh6 Qc8 19. exf6 Qg4 20. Re5 Kh8 21. Rg5 Rg8 22. Rxg4 Rxg4 23. Ne5 Rxg2+ 24. Kf1 Bf8 25. Qh5 Be4 26. Nxf7+ Kg8 27. Ng5 Bg6 28. Qh4 1-0 Dueball,J-Schermeier/Germany 1967) 10. Bd3 Be7 11. Rfe1 a6 12. e5 b5 13. Ne2 Nc4 14. Qc1 h6 15. Ng3 a5 16. b3 Na3 17. Nh5 b4 18. Qf4 Kh8 19. Rac1 Ba6 20. h4 Nb5 21. Nxg7 Kxg7 22. Qg4+ Kh8 23. Qh5 Kg8 24. Qg4+ Kh8 25. Qh5 Kg7 1/2-1/2 Jovanovic,Z-Stupak,K/Pardubice CZE 2007

b) 8… Be7 9. exd5 exd5 10. O-O Qd6 1/2-1/2 Senff,M-Heberla,B/Barlinek POL 2002

c) 8… Bd7!? 9. exd5 exd5 10. Nxd5 Re8+ 11. Be2 (11. Ne3!) 11… Bg4 12. Nxf6+ Qxf6 13. O-O-O Qe6 14. d5 Qxe2 1/2-1/2 Friedrich,N-Bruckner,T

d) 8… a6!? 9. Bxc6 bxc6 10. Rd1 (10. O-O-O Rb8!) 10… Rb8 11. b3 Be7 12. O-O Bb4 13. Rfe1 Bb7 14. e5 c5 15. dxc5 Bxc5 16. Na4 Ba7 17. Qc3 Qe7 18. b4 c5 19. Nxc5 Rbc8 20. Rb1 Ba8 21. Nd4 Bxc5 22. bxc5 Qxc5 23. Qe3 Bc6= 1/2-1/2 Dueball,J-Atanasov,P/Ybbs 1968 (94)

9. O-O-O!?

9. O-O c6 10. Be2 b6 11. Rad1 Ba6 has worked surprisingly well in a number of games, including 0-1 Koch,J-Prie,E/Strasbourg 1992 (56)

9… b6

9… c5!? 10. dxc5 Qa5 11. e5 Be7 12. Nd4 a6 13. Bd3 Qxc5 14. f4 Nc6 15. Nb3 Qb6 16. g4 Bd7 17. Kb1 a5 18. a4 Bb4 19. Bb5 Rfc8 20. Qd3 Bxc3 21. Qxc3 Na7 22. Qd4 Qc7 23. Bxd7 Qxd7 24. f5 Nc6 (24… b5!?) 25. Qe3 Nb4 26. Nd4 Qxa4 27. Qa3 Qe8?! (27… Qxa3) 28. f6 Nc6 29. Rhe1 1/2-1/2 Schulze,M-Hallengren,B/Chessfriend.com 2003 (35)

10. Kb1 Bb7 11. Qf4 c5 12. e5 Be7 13. dxc5 bxc5 14. h4 Qb6 15. Bd3 h6

15… c4? obviously fails to 16.Bxh7+! — see updated PGN

16. Rh3 f5

15…c4 16.Rg3! see PGN for full analysis.

17. Rg3! Kh8 18. Rg6 c4

19. Nd4!!

A highly inspired Bishop sacrifice.

19… cxd3 20. Rxd3!?

This shows you how intuitive Molner’s sacrifice is.

20. Rxh6+! Kg8 (20… gxh6 21. Qxh6+ Kg8 22. Rxd3) 21. Rxd3 appears much stronger and probably winning, e.g.: 21… Ba3 22. Ncb5

20… Rf7 21. Rdg3 Nd7 22. Nxe6 Qa6 23. Nd1 Qe2 24. Qc1! Qxe5 25. Nxg7 Rxg7

25… f4! 26. Re6!

26. Rxg7 Qxg7?

On the basis of material alone, this sacrifice looks like a good way to simplify the position. But it turns out that White’s Queen can make Black’s poorly organized pieces and exposed King miserable.

26… f4 27. R3g6 Rf8

27. Rxg7 Kxg7 28. Qf4! Rc8 29. Ne3 Bf8 30. Nxf5+ Kh7 31. Nd6 Bxd6 32. Qf7+!

32. Qxd6 Bc6

32… Kh8 33. Qxd7 Bc7 34. a4 a5 35. g4 d4 36. Qxd4+ Kg8

37. Qd7!

Black is practica lly in zugzwang, while White has lots of useful pawn moves at his disposal.

37… Kf8 38. f4 Ba6 39. Qe6 Bb7 40. Qd7 Ba6 41. Qc6 Bf1 42. Qb7

Black resigns

1-0

1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. exd6 cxd6 5. c4 Nb6 6. Nc3 g6 7. Be3 Bg7 8. Nf3

“Chess Openings for White, Explained” recommends a solid approach with 8. Rc1 O-O 9. b3 e5 10. dxe5 dxe5 11. Qxd8 Rxd8 12. c5 N6d7 13. Bc4 , e.g.: 13… Nc6 14. Nf3 Nd4?! 15. Ng5! Rf8 16. Nce4 Nf5 17. O-O Nf6 18. Rfd1 (18. Nd6 Nxd6 19. cxd6 Bd7 20. a4 Bc6 21. Rfd1 a6 22. f3 Rad8 23. Bxa6 Nd5 24. Bf2 Bh6 25. h4 Rfe8 26. Bc4 Rxd6 27. Rd3 Rd7 28. Rcd1 Red8 29. Ne4 Kg7 30. Nc5 Rd6 31. a5 Kf8 32. b4 Ke7 33. Ne4 Ne3 34. Nxd6 1-0 Dzindzichashvili,R-Alburt,L/Parsippany 1996) 18… Nxe4 19. Nxe4 Nxe3 20. fxe3 Bh6 21. Kf2 Rb8 22. b4 Kg7 23. Nd6 Bg5 24. Rd5 Bf6 25. b5 Be6 26. Rd3 Be7 27. Bxe6 fxe6+ 28. Ke2 Bxd6 29. cxd6 Rf7 30. Rc7 e4 31. Rd1 Rd8 32. d7 b6 33. Rxa7 Kf6 34. a4 Ke7 35. Rb7 1-0 Ivanchuk,V-Palatnik,S/Odessa/Istanbul 2006

8… O-O 9. Bd3 Nc6 10. h3 Nb4 11. Be2 Bf5 12. Rc1 d5!

Black has had the most success with this move.

12… Rc8 13. a3 Nc6 14. Bd3? (14. d5!) 14… Bxd3 15. Qxd3 Na5 16. Nd5 Naxc4 17. Nxb6 Nxb6 0-1 Tata,R-Stancil,R/Detroit 1990 (61)

13. a3

a) 13. b3 dxc4 14. bxc4 Rc8 15. a3 Nc6 16. g4 Bd7 17. c5 Na8! 18. Qb3 b6 19. Ne4?! Be6 0-1 Moeller,J-Conrad,C/Germany 1992 (36)

b) 13. c5 Nc4 14. Qb3 Nd3+ 15. Bxd3 Bxd3 16. Nxd5 Qxd5 17. Qxd3 Nxe3 18. fxe3 Qxa2 19. Qa3 Qd5 20. O-O f5 21. Qd3?! e5! 22. Qc4 Rad8 23. Rfd1 e4 24. Nd2 Rfe8 25. c6 bxc6 26. Qxc6 f4 27. Qxd5+ Rxd5 28. Rc5? Rxd4! 29. Rc3 fxe3 30. Rxe3 Bh6 31. Kf2 Red8 32. Ke2 Bxe3 33. Kxe3 Rd3+ 34. Ke2 e3 0-1 Bausch,T-Werner,B/Moehnesee 2005

13… Nc6 14. cxd5

a) 14. c5 Nc4 15. Nxd5 Nxe3 16. Nxe3 Nxd4 17. Nxd4 Qxd4 18. Qxd4 Bxd4 19. Nxf5 gxf5 20. Rc2 1/2-1/2 Roehrich,S-Reinemer,F/Dortmund 1992

b) 14. b3 e5 15. cxd5 Nxd5 16. Nxd5 Qxd5 17. dxe5 Qxd1+ 18. Bxd1 Nxe5 19. Nxe5 Bxe5 20. Bf3 Bb2 21. Rc7 Bd3 22. Bxb7 Rad8 23. f4 Bxa3= 0-1 Kayumov,S-Oswald,M/Dresden 1993 (53)

14… Nxd5 15. Nxd5 Qxd5

16. O-O Rad8

Black has emerged from the opening with a solid game, but a series of “safe” moves leads to passivity.

17. Bc4 Qd7 18. Qe2 Be4

18… Nxd4 19. Nxd4 Bxd4 20. Rfd1 e5 21. Bh6 Rfe8?! 22. Bb5

19. Ne5!? Nxe5

a) 19… Bxe5? 20. dxe5 Nxe5 21. Bh6! (21. Ba2? Bd3) 21… Nxc4 22. Qxc4 Bd3 23. Qc3 e5 24. Rfe1

b) 19… Qf5! 20. Nxc6 Bxc6 21. Rfd1 e6=

20. dxe5 Bd3 21. Bxd3 Qxd3 22. Qxd3 Rxd3 23. Rc7 Rb3?!

Black is already slipping, but this protective move leads to more passivity.

23… Bxe5 24. Rxb7 (24. Rxe7 Bxb2 25. a4 a5=) 24… a6 25. a4

24. Bd4 Rd8 25. Bc3 e6 26. Re1 Bh6 27. g3 a6 28. h4 Bg7 29. Re4 Bh6 30. Rd4 Rxd4 31. Bxd4 Bd2 32. Rc2 Ba5 33. Be3 Kg7 34. Bg5! Bb6 35. Kg2 Bd4 36. Bf6+ Kh6

Black seems destined to win White’s queenside pawns, but White has a very serious attack brewing on the kingside.

37. Rd2!

37. Rc7!? Rxb2 38. Rxf7 Rxf2+ 39. Kh3 g5 40. hxg5+ Kg6 41. Rd7! Bc5 42. Kg4 Bf8 (42… h5+ 43. gxh6 Kxh6 44. Rxb7) 43. Rxb7

37… Bxb2 38. Rd7

38. g4! Rb5 (38… Bxa3 39. Rd8!) 39. a4 Rb4 40. f3

38… Bxa3??

38… g5 39. hxg5+ Kg6 40. g4

39. Rxf7

39. g4! actually forces mate according to Fritz.

39… g5 40. Bxg5+ Kg6 41. Rf6+ Kg7 42. Bh6+ Kg8 43. Rxe6 Kf7 44. Rf6+ Kg8 45. f4

45. e6! Rc3 46. Rf4

45… a5 46. e6! a4 47. Rf7 Bc5 48. Rc7

Black resigns, as mate is inevitable. The attack with dark-squared Bishop and Rook is worth close study as these types of positions can often arise in practical play.

1-0