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Mystery game #42: Precise defense cooled White's pawn sacs
Mystery game #42: Precise defense cooled White's pawn sacs
Here is the text of an interesting game. You can discuss the game, offer ideas on player strengths, era, setting, format, time controls, etc. I will provide all data in a few days. Enjoy!
NM Kevork Hacatoglu (2248) -- Frank Dixon (2008), Kingston 2007, Queen's University Championship (3). Time controls G/90'. Played 2007-03-29. Caro-Kann, B14. Clock times in brackets.
Kevork used 'Hacat' as his surname at that time, but has since modified to reflect his Turkish heritage, I believe. He was studying for a Master's degree in Environmental Studies at Queen's, having completed his undergrad Engineering at U of T. He hadn't been playing much chess that year, rarely making it out on Thursday nights to QUCC. Kingston community members are also eligible to play in QUCC events.
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.c4!?
[He crosses me up by transposing to a Caro-Kann Panov-Botvinnik Attack; this can be a difficult line for Black, and it is heavily analyzed.]
3...c6 4.d4 cxd5 5.Nc3 g6 6.Qb3 e6!?/?!
[I decided to get a bit quirky with 6...e6, a move which, as it turns out, rather surprisingly, has attracted other players as well! In a game between two super GMs, Gashimov -- Topalov, Nanjing 2010, White went for 7.cxd5, and the game was drawn after a long battle. 7.Nf3 has seven examples, 7.c5 has one, and 7.Bg5 has four. Interestingly, I had played it in a G/15' training game with Raja Panjwani, my student at the time, rated 2000+, circa 2003, and drew!]
7.Bg5 dxc4
[In Zhukova -- Ni, World Women's Championship, Khanty-Mansysk 2018, Black played 7...Be7.]
8.Bxc4 Be7!?/?!
[I didn't trust 8...Bg7, so with 8...Be7 we are on new ground, insofar as I have been able to find out. I knew I would have to be very precise from here, since I lag in development.]
9.Nf3 O-O 10.O-O Nc6!
[The move I was counting on, hitting the d-pawn as well as threatening ...Na5.]
11.Bb5!
[Gambits the d-pawn; I think it is best. White gets excellent compensation, and Black must be very careful.]
11...Nxd4 12.Nxd4 Qxd4 (23,12)
13.Rad1
[Here he took 31 minutes, time which could have been very useful later in the game.]
13...Qe5 14.f4 Qc5+ 15.Kh1 a6 16.Be2 b5 17.Bf3 Ra7 (69,24) 18.Bxf6
[This had to be foreseen a few moves back, since Black is left with only one move in reply at his 19th. I was concerned about the retreat 18.Bh4!?, threatening 19.Bf2! with a skewer.]
18...Bxf6 19.Ne4 Qe7 20.Rd6 Bg7 (76,26) 21.Rfd1 Rc7 22.Qd3 Re8 23.Ng3 Bxb2 (82,40)
[Kevork elects to offer a second pawn; he does have an impressive space advantage, but Black has no easy targets, so it is difficult for White to find an effective plan. I knew this sort of position was coming when I accepted the d-pawn. Also, White's time shortage is becoming a major factor, since it was a G/90' format.]
24.Bc6 Rf8 25.Ne4 Bg7 26.Ng3 h5!?
[Not the sort of move one wants to see with time running down. I wanted to sharpen the play, and give him something to think about.]
27.Re1 Qh4 (87,48) 28.Qe3 Rd8!
[Helps ease the bind, since a pair of rooks is traded.]
29.Rxd8+ Qxd8 30.Bf3 Rc3! (89,61)
[With White's flag hanging, Black is now better and takes over the initiative. Should White try f4-f5, I can simply capture with my e-pawn.]
31.Qe2 Qc7! 32.Ne4 Rc2 33.Qd3 Bb7 34.Ng5 Rc3!, 0-1. (90+,65)
[White's flag fell. He is lost on the board as well, two pawns down, with no threats. The light-squared bishops will be traded next; White will have to recapture on f3 with the knight, and then Black wins either a2 or f4, with his king safe. By chasing White's queen, I didn't give him a chance for a swindling combo such as: Rxe6, fxe6, Qxg6, with threats to my king.]
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