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WORTHING CHESS CLUB
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Battle on Board One
After the AGM at the beginning of September the first main event of the new season was a friendly match between the Chairman's team and the Secretary's team; contrasted with the cricketing tradition of Gentlemen versus Players.
The individual and overall results are reported on later by Chris Jones. Here, we look at the complex fight on the top board between Russell Granat (for the Secretary) and Max Bennett (for the Chairman).
White: Russell Granat
Black: Max Bennett
Event: Chairman's Team v Secretary's Team, 16 September, 2024
Opening: C00: French Defence - Steiner variation
1.e4 e6
2.c4 d5
3.cxd5 exd5
4.e5 ....
Russell's preferred line against the French Defence, getting off the beaten track as soon as possible, which he also played successfully in his Sussex Individual Championship game against Luke Rutherford earlier in the year.
Here, Luke had played 4...Bf5. Another idea would be the prophylactic 4...d4, preventing White from occupying that square with a pawn. In the present game Max sought control of the Centre in another way.
4. .... c5
5.f4?! ....
A more conventional way of proceeding would be 5.Bb5+ Nc6, 6.Ne2 Ne7 (or 6....Bd7), 7.d4. Instead, the text move concedes a greater control of the Centre to Black while also weakening White's kingside.
5. .... Nh6
6.Nf3 Qa5?!
Temporarily preventing White playing d4, and also Bb5+, but at the cost of delaying proper development. At this stage Russell regarded his position as poor, and foresaw difficulty in activating his pieces.
7.Nc3 d4
Energetic, but losing control of the central white squares.
8.Ne4 Nc6
9.Bc4 ....
Russell is developing his pieces effectively and has re-established equality, but there are some tactics ahead.
9. .... Nb4!?
Position after 9. .... Nb4!?
Tempting, with its threats of ...b5, or ...d3, or ...Bf5, with the idea of a knight fork at c2, and when White's d2-pawn cannot move without allowing a powerful double check.
10.a3
Strong, and virtually forced.
10. .... Bf5
Position after 10....Bf5
The logical follow-up, which wins material but eases White's position.
11.axb4!
The only other feasible response was 11.Nfg5, with a likely continuation of 11....d3, 12.0-0 0-0-0, 13.Rb1, with a double-edged position where White's central pieces are not too stable, and Black's pawn at d3 may prove to be troublesome. But not 11.d3?? Nxd3+, 12.Kf1 Nxc1, 13.Ng3 b5!, when Black is clearly winning.
11. .... Qxa1
12.d3 ....
At last the d-pawn moves.
12. .... Bd7?
Aimed at freeing the Black Queen, which is at present trapped on the first rank; but it does not turn out well. An alternative, and apparently somewhat better method, would be 12. ....cxb4, 13.0-0 (preferable to capturing the d4-pawn) 13. ....Qa5, 14.h3 Be6, 15.g4 Bxc4, 16.dxc4 0-0-0, 17.Qd3 when White maintains an edge despite being the exchange and a pawn down.
13.0-0 ....
Also good was 13.bxc5 Be7, 14.0-0 0-0, 15.Nxd4.
13. .... a5?!
More consistent was 13. ....Qa4, 14.Qe2 Be6, allowing the Black Queen to at least see the battlefield.
14.bxc5 Bc6
Position after 14....Bc6
15.Qe2 ....
A sharp alternative was 15.e6 0-0-0 (worse would be 15. ....Qa4, 16.exf7+ Nxf7, 17.b3 Qb4, 18.Bd2 Qa3, 19.Bxf7+! Kxf7, 20.Ne5+ Ke7, 21.Nc4 Qa2, 22.Qh5 with an overwhelming position for White) 16.Ne5 Qa4, 17.Bb3 Qb5, 18.Bc4 Qa4, 19.b3 Qb4, 20.Bd2 Qa3, 21.Nxc6 bxc6, 22.exf7 when White has better development, more mobility, a safer king, with which the bishop pair and extra pawns combine to more than compensate for loss of the exchange.
15. .... Bxc5
A bold and drastic measure in a difficult position. Another way of preventing Nd6+ would be to capture the knight, but after 15...Bxe4, 16.Qxe4 the white queen will prove to be too powerful. And if 15.... 0-0-0, then 16.Nd6+ Bxd6, 17.cxd6 Nf5, 18.g4 when Black is in an equally bad situation.
16.Nxc5 Nf5
17.g4 b6
18.Ne4 ....
White was spoilt for choice. 18.e6 and 18.Nb3 were also excellent options.
18.... Nh6
19.Nxd4 ....
Also good was 19.Nd6+ Kd8, 20.Nxd4.
19.... Bxe4
20.Bb5+! ....
A Zwischenzug, which prevents castling.
20.... Kf8
21.Qxe4
Here, Black resigned.
1-0
Final position, after 21.Qxe4
By now Max had understandably had enough. His pieces are scattered around the edge of the Board and are totally ineffective - a drastic consequence of the Black Queen's early excursion, material hunting, and confinement in the corner. The Queen, being powerful, and the Knight, complementing her movement and being an agile and tricky warrior, can combine in devastating attacks. But when they are deployed at the expense of activation of the rest of the army, and they do not achieve rapid success, then they are likely to be beaten back with loss of time or otherwise neutralised, as in this game.
JK / 18.09.24
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