Mystery game #52: How easy to go wrong against the English's Botvinnik System

[Frank Dixon]

Here is the text of an interesting game. You can discuss the game, player strengths, era, setting, time controls, etc. I will provide all data in a few days. Enjoy!!

1.c4 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.Nc3 c5 5.e4 Nc6 6.d3 O-O 7.Nge2 a6 8.O-O d6 9.f3 Rb8 10.a4 Ne8 11.g4 Nc7 12.Be3 Ne6 13.Rb1 Ned4 14.Ng3 Bd7 15.f4 f5 16.gxf5 gxf5 17.Kh1 Rf7 18.Nce2 e5 19.exf5 Nxf5 20.Nxf5 Bxf5 21.Bd5 Nb4 22.Bxf7+ Kxf7 23.fxe5 Ke6 24.Ng3 Bg6 25.Qg4+ Ke7 26.exd6+ Qxd6 27.Bg5+ Ke8 28.Rbe1+ Be5 29.Bf4 Nxd3 30.Bxe5 Nxe5 31.Qf4 Qc6+ 32.Kg1 Kd7 33.Rxe5, 1-0.

[Frank Dixon]

Rob Hutchison (1831) -- Richard Wing (1824), Kingston Open 2003 (2). Played 2003-02-01. Time controls 30/90', SD/60'. TD: Frank Dixon.
White essays the strategic Botvinnik System of the English, his frequent choice. Black obtains a decent position, with his knight originally on f6; he undertakes a convoluted sequence to link his knights, one occupying d4 and one supporting it. But with 17...Rf7, he invites White to open the position to use his light bishop as an attacker on d5, to win the exchange, and Black fails to either see this or properly counter it. White opens the position and wins the game in good style. This strategy can be tough for the unsuspecting opponent to sense; the position is closed, nothing is happening, and then -- BOOM!
Hutchison was active in Kingston chess for just over ten years, from 1995 to 2006, reaching a high rating of 1974. He won election to Kingston City Council in 2006, and is now in his fourth term. He is a graduate of both Queen's University and St. Lawrence College, and his main career was as a housing cooperative director manager, from which he retired a couple of years ago. Richard was an Ontario Police Force officer; I played him in this same event.