(Note: To play the variations located in the [variation brackets] simply click on the move with your mouse.)
GERTLER: Entering the fifth and final round of this year's Delaware State Open Chess Championship, I had 3.5 points, after drawing with IM Ed Formanek of Pennsylvania. Charlie Bouzoukis had 3 points, having taken half-point byes in the two morning rounds. If Charlie (the defending state champion) could beat me, he would retain his title, but if I won or drew, it would be mine.
GERTLER: This was my fifth tournament game against Charlie -- and my fourth with the black pieces. In three of those games, we had explored lines in the Guioco Piano. Having brushed up on my defenses to various treatments of 1.e4 e5, I felt ready for this game.
GERTLER: We shook hands, and Charlie calmly
played:
1.d2-d4
GERTLER: So much for my preparation! Well, how much could he know about Queen's pawn games, anyway?
BOUZOUKIS: My last two games with white against
Dave ended in draws after 1.e4 e5. Needing a win, I decided to try something
different.
1...Ng8-f6
2.Bc1-g5
GERTLER: Aha! He had prepared the Trompowsky Attack, one of those systems
that is fairly easy to learn and gives White reasonable chances for an advantage.
In some blitz games on the internet (about the only chess I had played for
a couple of years), I had been trying a defense to the Trompowsky that I had
seen in a magazine. Time to test it out in real life!
2...e7-e6
3.e2-e4
c7-c5
GERTLER: This is the line I had been playing. Most common is 3. ... h6, when White often plays 4.Bxf6 and then tries to establish a strong center. It seems odd to ignore the pin (as I did), but after 4.e5 h6, Black gets a decent position. Charlie now thought for about 25 minutes before deciding on his fourth move -- a large chunk of the 30/90 time control.
BOUZOUKIS: This move, which Dave played instantly, is not mentioned in any of my sources,
including ECO. They focus almost exclusively on 3...h6 4.Bf6 Qf6. What an
unpleasant surprise, and on move 3 no less!
4.d4-d5
BOUZOUKIS: Played after long thought. I also considered 4.e5, 4.Nf3, and 4.c3.
GERTLER: I didn't remember what I was supposed to do against this move,
so I spent nearly 25 minutes here myself!
4...Qd8-a5+
BOUZOUKIS: I was worried about 4...Qb6, since 5.Nc3 Qb2 6.Nb5 fails to
6...Qb4+ and 7...Qe4+. Instead, 5.Bf6 gf 6.b3 looks unclear [4...Qd8-b6
5.Nb1-c3
Qb6xb2
6.Nc3-b5
Qb2-b4+ ]
5.Bg5-d2
GERTLER: 5.Qd2 would also be good. For about the next eight moves,
we both set up a position that is similar to a main-line Benoni Defense,
except
that White has a c-pawn in this game (rather than an e-pawn as in a Benoni).
5...Qa5-c7
6.Nb1-c3
BOUZOUKIS: And so we have a Benoni - type opening with an early ...Qc7
for Black and an unusual Bd2 for White. In spite of the misplaced bishop,
I was happy to have a double-edged position.
6...a7-a6
7.a2-a4
e6xd5
8.e4xd5
d7-d6
9.h2-h3
g7-g6
10.Ng1-f3
Bf8-g7
11.Bf1-e2
BOUZOUKIS: I was tempted to play 11. Qe2+, with the idea of 11...Qe7 12.Bf4,
pressuring the d-pawn. In the postmortem Dave suggested 11...Kf8, when White's
Queen is misplaced, and attempts to untangle by 12.Qd3 or 12.Qc4 run into
12...Bf5 and 12...b5, respectively. [11.Qd1-e2+
Qc7-e7
12.Bd2-f4 ]
11...0-0
12.0-0
Nb8-d7
13.Bd2-f4
GERTLER: I expected this move, which is part of the natural plan
of putting pressure on my d6 pawn.
13...Rf8-e8
14.Be2-c4
Nf6-e4
GERTLER: Since Black is cramped in a Benoni-type formation,
he usually benefits from piece trades. After his next move,
though, my Knight is pinned,
and soon he develops pressure along the open e-file.
15.Rf1-e1
Nd7-f6
16.Nc3xe4
Re8xe4
17.Re1xe4
Nf6xe4
18.Qd1-e2
GERTLER: Winning control of this file gives White a clear advantage. I
can't grab a pawn with 18. ... Bxc3, as 19.Rb1 Nc3 20. Qe8+ wins a piece.
18...Ne4-f6
[18...Bg7xb2
19.Ra1-b1
Ne4-c3
20.Qe2-e8+ ]
19.Ra1-e1
GERTLER: I panicked a bit here, thinking that after the natural
developing move 19. ... Bd7 he could put me in real trouble with 20.Qe7.
However, I missed
the reply 20. ... Re8, when after 21.Qxd6 Qxd6 22.Bxd6 I play some combination
of the moves ... Rxe1+, ... Ne4, and ... Bxb2 (with ... b5 possibly tossed
in at some point). My pawns are not the only ones that lack protection in
this position! Since I hadn't seen that whole line, I decided to lunge forward
on the queenside in order to generate some counterplay and deflect him from
his simple scheme of domination.
19...b7-b5
BOUZOUKIS: Another surprise. Although this sacrifice is thematic, it succeeds
here in part thanks to my time trouble (which I realize is no excuse!) . I
expected simply 19...Bd7, with the idea that 20.Qe7 can be met by 20... Re8
21.Qd6 Re1+ 22.Ne1 Qd6 23.Bd6 Nef, regaining the pawn. [19...Bc8-d7
20.Qe2-e7
Ra8-e8
21.Qe7xd6
Qc7xd6
22.Bf4xd6
Re8xe1+
23.Nf3xe1
Nf6-e4 ]
20.a4xb5
a6xb5
21.Bc4xb5
GERTLER: For some reason, I hadn't expected this move. Maybe I
had originally thought his d-pawn was hanging here, but it's not! I
was glad
that I noticed
21. ... Nxd5?? 22. Qe8+ Bf8 23.Qxf8+! Kxf8 24.Bh6+ Kg8 25.Re8 mate. Lines
such as that one convinced me that my King needed some air, which explains
my next move.
21...h7-h6
BOUZOUKIS: Of course not 21...Nd5?? 22.Qe8+ Bf8 23.Qf8+, mating. [21...Nf6xd5
22.Qe2-e8+
Bg7-f8
23.Qe8xf8+
Kg8xf8
24.Bf4-h6+
Kf8-g8
25.Re1-e8# ]
22.c2-c4
BOUZOUKIS: The first misstep. 22.Bc4 is better, not allowing 22...Ra2
and keeping the queenside pawns flexible.
22...Ra8-a2
GERTLER: I don't have all that much play, but at least my poor Rook isn't
locked in on a8 any longer.
23.Qe2-e7
Qc7xe7
24.Re1xe7
Bg7-f8
GERTLER: Before playing 22. ... Ra2, I had looked at this position, wondering
whether 25.Bxd6 would be a strong exchange sacrifice. If he could then win
my c-pawn, he would get connected passed pawns supported by two strong bishops,
but 25. ... Rxb2 (eyeing his Bishop and thus threatening .. . Nxd5) complicates
matters immediately. Charlie probably rejected this double-edged line because
he was already a pawn ahead with a good position. However, if I can hold onto
my d6 pawn for a while, I can make it tough for him to convert that advantage.
25.Re7-c7
BOUZOUKIS: Active-looking, but the rook doesn't really accomplish much
here. 25.Re2 appears to be a sounder choice, intending something like Ne1,
f3, and Kf2, regrouping. 25.Bd6 is interesting, but after 25...Rb2 26.Rc7
(26.Bc5 Be7 27.Be7 Nd5) Bd6 (threatening mate) 27.Rc8+ Kg7 and 28...Ne4, Black
looks OK. [25.Bf4xd6
Ra2xb2
26.Re7-c7
Bf8xd6
27.Rc7xc8+
Kg8-g7 ]
25...Bc8-f5
26.b2-b3
g6-g5
GERTLER: We each had less than five minutes to reach move 30 at
this point, so I decided to make him decide where to put his bishop.
I anticipated
(and
feared) that he would play 27.Be3, keeping a solid position. Instead, he chose
a move that gave me a glimmer of hope.
27.Bf4-g3
BOUZOUKIS: 27.Be3 would have avoided the problems that follow, but it's
too passive to inspire much confidence. Perhaps the best practical choice
was to try 27.Bg5 or 27.Ng5 with three pawns for the piece.
27...Nf6-e4
GERTLER: Now his Bishop cannot avoid being traded (since 28.Bh2?? is met
by Ra1+). In addition, the base of his pawn chain (at b3) is subject to attack.
Life was getting a bit better.
28.Rc7-c6
h6-h5
BOUZOUKIS: A strong move that takes advantage of 27.Bg3.
29.h3-h4
BOUZOUKIS: After this Black can force a draw. For better or worse, 29.Ng5 Ng5 30.Bd6 had to be tried.
GERTLER: My threat of ... h4 forced his hand.
At this point, I suddenly spied a strange but wonderful tactic that could
bring me my long-sought draw. I knew I wanted to play ... Ra1+ and ... g4
on my next two moves, but did it matter which one came first? I spent nearly
all my remaining time trying to answer that question, and having failed to
reach a firm conclusion, I simply chose the check.
29...Ra2-a1+
30.Kg1-h2
g5-g4
31.Nf3-g5
BOUZOUKIS: Completely overlooking Dave's next move, which draws. It's probably just as well, though; had I seen it I might have tried 31.Ng1, which loses to 31...Ng3 32.fg Ra2 followed by 33...Be4.
GERTLER: Although we had
just reached the 30-move time control, Charlie played this move quickly. He
doesn't really have any choice, as 31.Ng1? actually loses to ... Nxg3 32.fxg3
Ra2 followed by ... Be4, breaking through on g2. Still, I was excited to see
his move, as I knew I could grab the draw. [31.Nf3-g1
Ne4xg3
32.f2xg3
Ra1-a2 ]
31...Ne4-d2
GERTLER: A shocking perpetual check arises!
He has no good way to prevent ... Nf1+, followed
by discovering a check with the Knight
and
then returning
it to f1 for another check.
32.Bg3xd6
Nd2-f1+
BOUZOUKIS: A nice drawing maneuver, bringing an abrupt end to a hard-fought game.
GERTLER: I offered a draw here, and Charlie accepted it andgraciously congratulated me on becoming state champion. I was delighted with the outcome and relieved that this stressful battle was finally over.
GERTLER: A funny thing happened the next day, though. I entered the game into the strong chess program "Fritz" for analysis. Fritz pointed out that if Charlie had played 33. Kh1 from the final position, I would have mated him by force with 33. ... g3! This move denies h2 to his King; it also frees g4 for a knight check (after I first discover check with ... Ne3). I assume that Charlie would have played the more natural 33.Kg1, leading to the immediate perpetual check, but the thought that I could win this game never crossed my mind. I guess a draw was the proper outcome. 1/2-1/2