Mike Splane (2205) – Abdalla Kinyariro (1761)

Kolti Chess Club      May 15, 2008

 

My losses to George Mandrusov in 2007 and Frisco Del Rosario in 2006, taught me a valuable lesson. I did not have a good opening line as White after 1. e4 e5.  I starting working on that problem in July 2007. This is the first chance I’ve had to apply what I learned.

 

1. e4 e5      2. Nc3 Nc6      3. Bb5!

 

No more side lines for me. This is my first Ruy Lopez in a tournament game in at least 20 years. I was playing this opening variation in the mid-80’s, but the main line didn’t fit my attacking style, so I abandoned it. Since then my style has changed and I think it is a better fit now.

 

3. … a6

 

I had trouble in the 80’s versus both 3. … d6 (one draw) and 3. … Nf6. (one loss).

 

4. Ba4 Nf6       5. d4

 

This is known as the Center Attack Ruy Lopez, or CARL. The variation 5. … ed  6. 0-0 Be7  7. e5 Ne4 8. Nd4 Nd4  9. Qd4 Nc5  10. Nc3 0-0 requires positional skills to handle well. Skills I didn’t have in 1985.

 

5. … b5 ?

 

This forces White’s bishop to a better diagonal and also weakens the f3-a8 diagonal  . 5. … Ne4 ? 6.  Qe2 is also bad for Black.

 

6. Bb3

 

My game with Eric DeMund on 6/19/2008 reached this same position by transposition. Eric resigned after 6. …  ed  7. e5 Bb4+?  8. c3.

 

6. … .Nd4 ?

 

This loses a piece.

 

7. Nd4 ed

 

 Black hopes I will fall into the “Noah’s Ark” trap - 8. Qd4 c5 gains a tempo for 9 . …  c4 trapping the bishop.

 

8. e5

 

Black loses material in all variations.

8. … Ne4   9. Bd5

8. … Ng8   9. Qf3

8. …  c5     9. ef c4 10. Qe2+

The best try is 8. … Qe7  9. 0-0 Ng8   10. Bg5 Qg5  when 11. Qf3 threatening Qf7 Qf8 mate wins the rook on a8 but Black gets some development as compensation.

 

8. … Bc4+      9. c3 dc       10. bc Qe7    11. 0-0

 

My opponent was playing lightning-fast up to here. He had only used a couple of minutes on his clock.

 

I thought that after 11. cb Qe5+ won the rook on a1, missing 12. Qe2. I was not seeing tactics well during the game, but fortunately I didn’t need to. Castling fits the needs of the position without taking any risks.

 

11. … 0-0      

 

During the game I was wondering what to play after 11. … Qe5 12. Re1 Ne4  but he moved so quickly that I didn’t have time to examine the idea.

 

12. Re1

 

Setting up the threat of  13. fe Qf6 14. cb Qa1 15. Qf3 Rb8  16. Qf7+ Rf7  17. Re8#.

 

12. … Ne8      13. cb c5

 

If 13. … Qb4  14. Ba3 wins the exchange.

 

I can win another pawn with 14. Qd5, but here I stopped looking for tactics and fell back on my general principles for handling won positions.

  • Do not allow counterplay,
  • You do not need to win more material when ahead in material,
  • Trade off similar pieces, like against like. (knights for knights, bishops for bishops),
  • Avoid unbalancing trades (knights versus bishops, two pieces versus rook and pawns),
  • Protect the king,
  • don’t hang anything, and
  • be patient.

 

14.  bc Qc5       15. Qd5 Qd5       16. Bd5 Rb8       17. Be3 b4       18. Nd2 ?

 

I was looking at 18. Bc5 d6 19. ed Rb5 and decided this was stupid to allow tactics when all I need to do to win the game is complete my development. So I moved the knight without calculating, missing that 18. … Rb5 wins the e-pawn.

 

18. … Nc7 ?     19. Bc4 Re8       20. Nf3  Ne6       21. Rad1 a5       22. Nd4 ?

 

I also considered 22. h3, ensuring against back row mates, which is probably the better move. Using a tempo for king safety is usually a good idea when your opponent is tied up. The knight move blocks the rook’s attack on d7, giving him the opportunity to play his bishop to c6.

 

My opponent chose to resign here. The position is hopeless, of course, unless I make a major blunder.

 

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