Mystery game #103: Exchange French does have some bite!

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Mystery game #103: Exchange French does have some bite!

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

    1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Bd6 6.Nf3 h6 7.a4 Nf6 8.O-O Be6 9.Re1 Qe7 10.Na3 O-O-O 11.a5 a6 12.b4 g5 13.b5 axb5 14.Nxb5 Ne4 15.a6 bxa6 16.Rxa6 Nb8 17.Na7+ Kb7 18.Qb3+ Bb4 19.Ra4 c5 20.dxc5 Nxc5 21.Qxb4+ Kc7 22.Nb5+ Kc8 23.Ba3 Nbd7 24.Na7+ Kc7 25.Qa5+ Kd6 26.Bxc5+ Nxc5 27.Qb6+ Kd7 28.Qc6#, 1-0.

  • #2
    Ismail Ibrahim (1940) -- Dr. Peter Sibbald (2036), Kingston Open 1999 (4), played 1999-02-14. French, Exchange, C01. Time controls 30/90', SD/60'. TD: Frank Dixon, Organizer: Rob Hutchison.

    Peter is normally very strong on either side of the French Defense, as I can attest from personal experience. He defeated IM David Ross in a simul at Kingston 2001, on the White side! And Peter won the last-round game against Wayne Coppin in the 2002 Kingston Whig-Standard (see MG #...). But this Exchange line is Ismail's regular choice against it. He had tried it against me in a tournament several weeks before this game; I also castled long (as in the current game), and won a fascinating, hard-fought battle. The line doesn't have to be dull, by any means, although it certainly has that reputation. Ismail and I analyzed our game for quite some time afterwards, and he evidently gained from that experience, as he showed here, with this upset!
    Black does take a definite risk by castling long after White had already played a2-a4 on move seven. I think castling kingside would have led to a level, quieter game. Black is the higher-rated and much more experienced player, so he is playing for the win in an unbalanced castling situation. Black tries to get his own attack going on the kingside with 12...g5, but from that point on, he is mostly defending, as White's pieces infiltrate the queenside, with powerful threats. Already, by move 20, White is winning a piece, and the game is all but decided. An impressive win for Ismail, who would both serve as captain, and play board three for Queen's University's team at the 1999 PanAm Intercollegiate Team event in Toronto, where Queen's finished as the top Canadian team!

    Comment

    Working...
    X