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I've now been on both sides of this very obscure French Winawer line.
Geoff McKay vs Frank Dixon
Kingston Whig-Standard Championship 1995, rd. 4
Kingston, Ontario, Canada
1995-10-16
Time controls: 30/90, SD/60
French, Winawer, C16
Light notes by Frank Dixon
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 Ne7 5. a3 Ba5!?
[A cousin of the better-known 4...c5 5. a3 Ba5.]
6. b4 Bb6 7. Nf3 Nd7 8. Bd3 a5 9. Rb1 axb4 10. axb4 c6 11. Ne2! f6?! 12. Nf4! Nf8 13. Nh5 Kf7 14. Nxg7! Kxg7 15. exf6+ Kg8 16. fxe7 Qxe7 17. Ne5 Qg7 18. Qh5 Ng6 19. c3 Nxe5 20. dxe5 Bd7 21. O-O Be8 22. Qe2 Bg6! 23. Bxg6 hxg6 24. Bg5 Rh5 25. Bf6 Qh7 26. h3 Kf7
[At this stage Geoff had two minutes to reach move 30, while I had more than half an hour.]
27. b5 c5 28. c4 d4 29. Qe4 Kg8 30. Ra1 Re8 31. Ra2 g5 32. Qe2 d3 33. Qd2 g4
[Black has scoured up some counterplay after having a miserable position in the early middlegame. Geoff believed he had missed something strong, but where was it? Perhaps 19. Bh6 was the win.]
34. h4 Bc7 35. Re1 Qf5 36. g3 Rh7 37. Re3 Rd7 38. Ra3 Bd8 39. Bg5 Bxg5 40. hxg5 Red8 41. f4 gxf3 42. Kf2 Qxg5 43. Kxf3 Rf7+ 44. Kg2 Rfd7 1/2-1/2.
[The draw was offered by Black. Geoff had only seven minutes left, while I had 45. White cannot capture on d3: 45. Raxd3?? Rxd3 46. Rxd3 Qxd2!]
Frank Dixon vs Arman Azroy
Kingston Autumn Open 2016, rd. 3
Kingston, Ontario, Canada
2016-11-28
Time control: G/60+15" increment
French, Winawer, C16
Light notes by Frank Dixon
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 Ne7 5. a3 Ba5 6. b4 Bb6 7. Nf3 Nf5 8. Be2 Nc6 9. Be3 a6 10. O-O f6!? 11. g4!
[A bold decision to sacrifice a pawn, but I felt Black's development lag and King in the centre would justify it. White must play precisely to exploit these factors.]
11...Nxe3 12. fxe3 fxe5 13. Na4 Ba7 14. Nc5 e4 15. Ne1! Qg5 16. Ng2 e5 17. h4! Qg6 18. dxe5 Bxc5 19. bxc5 Nxe5 20. Nf4! Qh6 21. Qxd5! Nxg4 22. Qxe4+
[Black could resign here; his King has nowhere to hide.]
22...Kf7 23. Bc4+ Be6 24. Bxe6+ Ke7 25. Bxg4+ Kf8 26. Ng6++ Kg8 27. Be6# 1-0.
[Black's rooks both failed to participate in this game.]
Feedback is appreciated! :)
Geoff McKay vs Frank Dixon
Kingston Whig-Standard Championship 1995, rd. 4
Kingston, Ontario, Canada
1995-10-16
Time controls: 30/90, SD/60
French, Winawer, C16
Light notes by Frank Dixon
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 Ne7 5. a3 Ba5!?
[A cousin of the better-known 4...c5 5. a3 Ba5.]
6. b4 Bb6 7. Nf3 Nd7 8. Bd3 a5 9. Rb1 axb4 10. axb4 c6 11. Ne2! f6?! 12. Nf4! Nf8 13. Nh5 Kf7 14. Nxg7! Kxg7 15. exf6+ Kg8 16. fxe7 Qxe7 17. Ne5 Qg7 18. Qh5 Ng6 19. c3 Nxe5 20. dxe5 Bd7 21. O-O Be8 22. Qe2 Bg6! 23. Bxg6 hxg6 24. Bg5 Rh5 25. Bf6 Qh7 26. h3 Kf7
[At this stage Geoff had two minutes to reach move 30, while I had more than half an hour.]
27. b5 c5 28. c4 d4 29. Qe4 Kg8 30. Ra1 Re8 31. Ra2 g5 32. Qe2 d3 33. Qd2 g4
[Black has scoured up some counterplay after having a miserable position in the early middlegame. Geoff believed he had missed something strong, but where was it? Perhaps 19. Bh6 was the win.]
34. h4 Bc7 35. Re1 Qf5 36. g3 Rh7 37. Re3 Rd7 38. Ra3 Bd8 39. Bg5 Bxg5 40. hxg5 Red8 41. f4 gxf3 42. Kf2 Qxg5 43. Kxf3 Rf7+ 44. Kg2 Rfd7 1/2-1/2.
[The draw was offered by Black. Geoff had only seven minutes left, while I had 45. White cannot capture on d3: 45. Raxd3?? Rxd3 46. Rxd3 Qxd2!]
Frank Dixon vs Arman Azroy
Kingston Autumn Open 2016, rd. 3
Kingston, Ontario, Canada
2016-11-28
Time control: G/60+15" increment
French, Winawer, C16
Light notes by Frank Dixon
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 Ne7 5. a3 Ba5 6. b4 Bb6 7. Nf3 Nf5 8. Be2 Nc6 9. Be3 a6 10. O-O f6!? 11. g4!
[A bold decision to sacrifice a pawn, but I felt Black's development lag and King in the centre would justify it. White must play precisely to exploit these factors.]
11...Nxe3 12. fxe3 fxe5 13. Na4 Ba7 14. Nc5 e4 15. Ne1! Qg5 16. Ng2 e5 17. h4! Qg6 18. dxe5 Bxc5 19. bxc5 Nxe5 20. Nf4! Qh6 21. Qxd5! Nxg4 22. Qxe4+
[Black could resign here; his King has nowhere to hide.]
22...Kf7 23. Bc4+ Be6 24. Bxe6+ Ke7 25. Bxg4+ Kf8 26. Ng6++ Kg8 27. Be6# 1-0.
[Black's rooks both failed to participate in this game.]
Feedback is appreciated! :)
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