Mystery game #34: Should Black have played on!?

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  • Mystery game #34: Should Black have played on!?

    Here is the text of an interesting game. You can discuss the game, offer variations, guess as to players' strengths and identities, era, setting, time controls, etc. I will provide all the data in a few days. Enjoy!!

    1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.O-O d6 5.d4 O-O 6.c4 Nbd7 7.Nc3 c6 8.e4 a5 9.h3 Qb6 10.Qc2 e5 11.Be3 Qa6 12.b3 Re8 13.dxe5 dxe5 14.c5 b5 15.cxb6 Nxb6 16.Rfd1 Bf8 17.Nd2 Be6 18.f4 Bh6 19.Nf1 exf4 20.gxf4 Rac8 21.Qf2 Na8 22.f5 Bxe3 23.Nxe3 gxf5 24.Nxf5 Bxf5 25.Qxf5 Qa7+ 26.Kh1 Re6 27.Rf1 Qe7 28.Rae1 Kh8 29.Qxa5 Nc7 30.Qf5 Rf8 31.Re2 Nce8 32.e5 Nd7 33.Rfe1 Ng7 34.Qf4 Nh5 35.Qg4 Ng7 36.Qd4 Nf5 37.Qf4 Nh4 38.Na4 Ng6, 1/2--1/2.

  • #2
    FM Brett Campbell (2270) -- Frank Dixon (2078), PanAmerican Open, Toronto 1999 (2). Played 1999-12-27, time controls 40/120, SD/60.
    This event was held in conjunction with the 1999 PanAmerican Intercollegiate Team Championship, hosted by the University of Toronto, at the Primrose Hotel. There was also a PanAmerican Scholastic Open tournament, won by the young Stephen Glinert of Toronto, future IM. All told, this festival, which attracted over 300 players, with several sections in the Open segment, was one of the most enjoyable events I have ever participated in. Organization was top notch. I was there as coach of the Queen's University team, which wound up winning the top Canadian prize, ahead of the much higher rated U of T team. In the Open section, I played four Masters in five rounds. After a tough first round loss to FM Yuri Ochkoos (2364), when he played very well, this game with Brett was the first of two draws I scored on day 2; the second was with NM (future GM) Mark Bluvshtein (see EP April 2000 for that game).
    I played a little quirky against FM Campbell's Fianchetto King's Indian, with an early ...a7-a5, which is usually played in blocked centre positions; this was before ...e7-e5. Brett was slightly better, but I had reasonable play in a quiet position, after he exchanged d4xe5 on move 13. Brett had more space and a choice of interesting plans. I did place my queen on a6 and got ...b7-b5 in, to create some queenside space. Brett started using a lot of clock time in the early middlegame, so I had a significant lead on the clock, but an offside knight on a8 after move 21, chased there by fine positional play from Brett, was a concern for me. I decided to offer my a5 pawn for some time to bring that knight back into play, starting with move 28. It is a bit like a Benko Gambit idea, giving up the a-pawn for some time.
    Brett won the a5 pawn on move 29, but when I brought my knight back into the game, from a8 to c7 to e8 to g7, I created a strong concentration of my pieces, blockading his e5 pawn, and then I started chasing his queen around, with 34...Nh5! Brett had less than ten minutes left at move 30, for ten moves, to reach the control, in a complex position. He was under one minute when I offered the draw with 38...Ng6!; I had over 20 minutes left at that stage. I now have four attackers of the e5-pawn, so I can regain my pawn minus if I wish, although this would open lines and create many complications. I could also create some active play possibilities on the g-file by doubling rooks there, and using squares such as h4 for pressure on his king, with my queen and knights. It would be problematic for White to evaluate his passed a-pawn, with so much material on the board.
    I also wanted to spectate games from the Master section and the team event; this proved the decisive factor in my draw offer!

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