1986-02-16 - Mordue, Tyson 1-0 Burgess, Graham
Two of our Versus annotators clash in a critical 4th round game from the 1986 Bristol League Congress. In another Sicilian Scheveningen Graham wrests the initiative. He has the chance to go several Pawns up with a simple combination but plays for mate instead. Tyson's own out-of-the-blue combination forced mate in four moves!
[Event "BRISTOL LEAGUE CONGRESS"] [Site "?"] [Date "1986.02.16"] [Round "4"] [White "Mordue, Tyson"] [Black "Burgess, Graham"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B83"] [Annotator "Mordue,Tyson"] [PlyCount "69"] [EventDate "1986.??.??"] {Originally annotated by Graham Burgess (GKB) in BCT Issue 56, April 1986.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 Nc6 7. Be3 Be7 8. O-O Bd7 {"The most precise move-order since 8...0-0 9 f4 Bd7 10 Nb3 is unpleasant for Black - 10...Na5? 11 e5!" GKB. This comment is specific to a variation that includes ...Bc8-d7-c6 and the omission of ...a7-a6. Several games have followed the above line with a 4-1 result for White. The most high-profile was Lein-Kuzmin, Soviet Team Champs 1968 where Black struggled throughout and lost in 40 moves.} 9. f4 Nxd4 10. Bxd4 Bc6 11. Bf3 {"11 Bd3 and 11 Qd3 are both sharp, well-studied continuations which give equal chances e.g. Mordue-Burgess WECU champs 1986 went 11.Qd3 0-0 12.Qg3 g6 13.f5 e5 14.Be3 Nxe4 15.Nxe4 Bxe4 16.Bh6 Qb6+ 17.Kh1 Qxb2 18.Bxf8 Rxf8 19.Bd3 Bd5 20.fxg6 hxg6 21.Bxg6 fxg6 22. Qxg6+ drawn. Tyson's move is somewhat unnatural but leads to original play." This move appears on the database in 26 games and White doesn't have a great record with it. However, after 11...0-0 12 e5 scored 2/2.} O-O 12. Qe2 Qa5 $5 { "At the Hanham Folk Centre Rapidplay I had chosen 12...Nd7 against Tyson and after 13 Rad1 Qc7 14 Kh1 e5 15 fxe5 dxe5 16 Nd5 Bxd5 17 exd5 Bd6 18 Bg1 f5 obtained excellent attacking chances. In spite of this I decided to vary." GKB. } 13. e5 {13 Kh1 and 13 a3 are in the database but this is original. White gains space at the cost of a potentially weak Pawn on e5.} dxe5 14. fxe5 Bc5 15. Bxc5 Qxc5+ 16. Kh1 Bxf3 17. Rxf3 {"Black has no real problems following the exchanges and his Knight will eventually take up an excellent post on f5." GKB. Deep Rybka says the position is roughly equal.} Ng4 18. Re1 Rad8 19. Rf4 Nh6 20. Rc4 {"An attempt to transfer play to the Queenside where Black is outnumbered but the Black Queen gains time by attacking White's weak Pawns." GKB. Deep Rybka does agree with this move, but only after looking at 20 a3 and 20 Na4, neither of which I would regard as constructive.} Qb6 21. b3 Nf5 22. Ne4 Rd4 23. c3 Rxc4 24. Qxc4 Rd8 25. h3 $2 {"Now Black is considerably better. 25 b4 secures the c5 square and gives a roughly level position." GKB. This is probably correct. Black must be wary of Nxe6 tactics while his Knight is on f5 so Deep Rybka comes up with 25...Qc6. Black has an edge in the ending because of his control of the d-file and his broken Pawns on the Queenside aren't currently vulnerable. The engine also considered 25...Qe3!? to which the reply should be 26 Qf1. Here White is starting to look passive and it could be that I saw 25...Qe3 so played 25 h3 to relieve the back rank.} Qa5 $1 {Attacking two Pawns, Subsequently White struggles to defend numerous existing and potential targets.} 26. Nc5 Qc7 $1 {"26...Qxa2 27 Nxe6 wins but this subtle retreat leaves White's pieces in a tangle." GKB. The text is the better move. However, 26...Qxa2 doesn't lose. After 27.Nxe6 Qf2! 28.Nxd8 Qxe1+ 29.Kh2 Qxe5+ 30.Kh1 Qe7 31.Qc8 Qe8 Black has an extra Pawn but White has active pieces. The Queen ending after 32 Qxf5 Qxd8 33 c4 would be very difficult to win although White is not obliged to trade Knights..} 27. Qb5 h6 28. Ne4 Rd5 29. Qe8+ {Deep Rybka prefers the miserable 29 Qf1. One doesn't become Bristol Champion by playing moves like this, which probably explains why this engine has never won that title!} Kh7 30. Nd6 {Acknowledging that things are going downhill and trying to confuse matters.} Qxc3 31. Rb1 Qd3 32. Rg1 Rxe5 {Taking on d6 is much simpler. Now White has some practical swindling chances.} 33. Nxf7 Re3 34. Rc1 {"Now I'd intended 34...Rxh3+ 35 gxh3 Qxh3+ 36 Kg1 Qe3+ winning easily, but I thought I could force mate by bringing my Knight into the attack." GKB.} Nh4 $4 {After this move I knew immediately that I had a perpetual check so banged out my reply quickly. Then I recalled that my Rook had gone to the only other open file and Black was vulnerable on the back rank. So not a drawing swindle but a winning one!} 35. Ng5+ $1 {"There was indeed a mate, but not for Black. 35...hxg5 36 Qh5+ Kg8 37 Rc8+ mates. One of my worst blunders ever." GKB.} 1-0
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