Mike Splane (2258) – George Mandrusov (1665)

Kolti Chess Club January 25, 2007

1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. d4 e6 5. Nf3 Nc6

Black should be swapping pawns on d4 to secure control of the d5 square. I considered 6. c4 pushing him out of the center but decided to wait. That move gains force if he plays … Be7 before exchanging on d4.

6. a3

If 6. Bd3 cd 7. cd Bb4+ is awkward to meet.

6. … Qb6 7. Be2 Be7 ?

Loses a piece. He had to trade on d4 first.

8. c4 Nc7 9. d5 Nd4 10. Nd4 cd 11. d6 Bd6 12. ed Qd6

I didn’t like the looks of 13. Be3 e5 14. f4 Qg6, so I can’t challenge his center immediately. On the other hand, if he gets a pawn roller going in the center he could have compensation for the piece, so I can’t be too slow in attacking the center.

13. 0-0 0-0 14. Nd2

This worked out ok, but there may be something better here. Developing the queenside with b4 and Bb2 might be a better plan.

Before making the knight move, I saw that 14. … d3 was no threat due to 15 Ne4. Thanks to the pin, the d-pawn falls.

14. … e5 15. f4

I have to get some open lines and space for my pieces to operate. In particular I want to try and prevent f7-f5 when he has a big center. That’s why 15. Ne4 Qg6 is bad, it allows f5 with tempo.

15. … d3

This shocked me. I didn’t see it as a candidate move, since it wasn’t playable last move. My intended defense to this move, 15. f4, allows …Qd4+. I was expecting him to play 15 … f6 16. Ne4 Q-moves 17. fe fe when I have the center pawns blockaded and should win comfortably with my extra piece.

16. Bf3 Qd4+ !

This surprised me. The threat of this check is preventing development by b2-b3, so I thought he would wait to play it, hoping I would blunder. I didn’t see the key point - he gets to trade off his doubled pawn and get some development for his queenside.

17. Kh1 d6

Again I was surprised. I decided I better calm down and figure out exactly what is going on before making any more moves. The key problem is my knight is misplaced, tying up my position, preventing the development of my other pieces. But since his queen is attacking the c4 pawn I need the knight on d2 until I play b3. However, the b-pawn is pinned, so I need to play Rb1 before playing b3 and Bb2. I didn’t like this slow process - it doesn’t put any pressure on him. Also, if I move the knight I have to contend with e5-e4. What a mess! The solution? Give up the stupid c pawn. Getting the knight, rook and bishop into play is worth far more than a pawn.

18. Nb3! Qc4 19. fe de 20. Be3

I exchanged on the previous move so he wouldn’t have 20. … ef as a candidate move. Moving the c1 bishop threatens a skewer with Rc1, so I also looked at 20. Bg5, but then … Ne6 gains a tempo.

20. … Ne6

His knight is well posted on e6, but it interferes with the development of his queenside. The alternatives were no better.

If 20. … e4 21. Nd2 eliminates the key e-pawn.

I am willing to go into the endings after

A) 20. … Nd5 21 Rc1 Qb5 22. Rc5 Ne3 23. Rb5 Nd1 24. Rd1, or

B) 20. … Nd5 21. Rc1 Ne3 22. Rc4 Nd1 23. Rd1, or

C) 20. … Be6 21. Rc1 Qb3 24. Qb3 Bb3 25. Rc7 f5 26. Rb7. These endings are technical wins; he has too many weaknesses and no real counter-play.

21. Rc1 Qb5 22. Be4

Somehow I always manage to have active rooks in the middle-game, and my opponents don’t. In this position my bishops are monsters too.

22. … Bd7 ??

Loses the queen. The challenging line is 22. … Rd8. I have three continuations to look at. As it turns out, they all three are winning:

A) 23. Qh5 g6 24. Qf3 f5 25 Bh6! I didn’t see this move, it was pointed out by a kibitzer. Because I missed the bishop move, I quickly rejected this line. If 25. … fe 26. Qf7+ Kh8 27. Qf6+ Kg8 28. Rc8 Rac8 29. Qe6+ mates.

B) 23. Bh7+ Kh7 24. Qh5+ Kg8 25. Qf7+ Kh8 when I wasn’t sure how to follow up. My knight is hanging and the position is messy. I looked at and rejected 26. Rf5 Nf4 when black threatens both Bf5 and Be6, but as Digesh Malla pointed out, 27. Rc7 wins.

C) 23. Rc3 is what I intended to play, guarding the knight and threatening to shift the rook to the g or h file. He can set a trap for me with 23. … d2 24. Bh7+ Kh7 25. Qh5+ Kg8 26. Qf7+ Kh8 27. Bd2 Nf8 28. Rg3 Qd7 [Not 28. Bg5? Be6] 29. Qh5+ Kg8 30. Bh6 Ne6 31. Nc5.

If I enter this line the trap closes with 27. … Nf4! threatening both … Qf1# and … Be6. So the best move after 23. Rc3 d2 is 24. Bd2. I would still be threatening the capture on h7 and I’ve won a key pawn.

After examining these lines, George correctly concluded that the d pawn is lost. He should take this tempo to get rid of his weakness on h7 and play 22. … h6.

23. Bd3 Qa4

If. 23. … Qd5 24. Bh7+

24. Rf4 Qb5

24. … Qa6 was marginally better, to meet the rook move with Bb5, but it doesn’t matter.

24. Rh4

24. …Qd3 is forced to prevent mate in five. If 24. … Qc6 25. Bh7+ Kh8 26. Be4+ Kg8 27. Rh8+ Kh8 28. Qh5+ Kg8 29. Qh7#

0-1.