2009-10-25 - Tyrrell, G 0-1 Wood, M J

[Event "PENTYRCH"] [Site "?"] [Date "2009.10.25"] [Round "?"] [White "TYRRELL, G."] [Black "WOOD, MJ."] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C25"] [Annotator "Tyson,Mordue"] [PlyCount "66"] [EventDate "2009.??.??"] {The player of the White pieces here, one Geof Tyrrell, has a Best Game Prize named after him in Welsh chess circles.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Bc4 d6 {I'm slightly surprised that Mike didn't play 3... Bc5 here. It's the signature move in the Møller Defence to the Ruy Lopez which Mike often adopted, and that included a miniature win against me where I had an extra Queen! The text hems in the dark-squared Bishop, but Mike find an opportunity to get ...d6-d5 in and release that piece ... just after he's sacrificed his Queen!} 4. h3 $2 { Readers of my annotations will probably be aware that I am not fond of Pawn to Rook Threes. That's old descriptive notation for h2-h3, a2-a3, a7-a6 and h7-h6. I regard them as weakening, unnecessary, time-wasting, pass moves, and sometimes as a direct invitation for an opponent to attack on that side of the board. One can point out that Pawn to Rook Threes occur in lots of different opening lines. Both 3...a7-a6 and 9. h2-h3 occur in the main line of the Ruy Lopez, 5...a6 is the signature move of the Najdorf Variation of the Sicilian Defence, ...h7-h6 features in several lines of the Queen's Gambit when White has ventured Bg5, and 1. a3 Is Anderssen's Opening, classified as A00 in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings. All this merely confirms that in chess there are many exceptions to the rules as there are conformities, but that's one of the beuaties of the game. So is the text such a bad move? After all it's only move four. Yet see the position after Mike's 14th move and perhaps you'll understand what I'm getting at. I'll refrain from mentioning alternatives because there are so many other sensible moves. But please! If you get this position as White after three moves play something other than 4. h3 ... and I don't mean 4. a3.} Nf6 5. f4 $6 {My first thought about this move is why not play it at move 4? It's perfectly reasonable then. Now I'll harp on about the weakness of g3, although it may not yet be apparent why it's important. Given that White has effectively wasted a tempo with 4. h2-h3 serious consideration should be given to the classic move in this sort of scenario where White hasn't played d2-d3. That's 5...Nxe4! with the point that 6. Nxe4 d5 forks c4 and e4. After 6. Bxf7+ Kxf7 7. Nxe4 d5 8. Ng5+ Kg8 Black's King is safe, while White lags in development and has conceded the centre. Obviously the constructive alternative is 5. d3 preventing this trick.} Be6 $5 {An interesting move that obviously stalls f4-f5 after the swap of Bishops on e6 with 6. Bxe6 fxe6, but I wonder what Mike intended to play after 7. fxe5? Was it the centre-conceding 7...Nxe5 8. d4, or the sharper 7...dxe5!? intending 8.. .Bc5 and 9...0-0. Intriguing stuff. In reply White actually plays a passive retreat, but the future trade of Bishops on b3 resulting in the open a-file is a factor around which this game ultimately revolves.} 6. Bb3 Qd7 7. Nf3 Be7 { Although Black is developing a lot of pieces they don't seem to be going to effective squares. Hence he isn't punishing White for his extra Pawn moves in the opening. A critical alternative here is 7...exf4 8. d4 d5! 9. e5 Ne4 10. Bxf4 Bb4 with a roughly level position. This sort of structure is a matter of taste, and even though it can easily arise from a Vienna Game (1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4) and Mike favoured Classical games perhaps this wasn't the sort of position he fancied.} 8. Qe2 O-O-O $5 {This game has only reached move 8 yet it has been packed with interesting moves. We are long departed from theory although I doubt if either player was remotely concerned about that. This is real chess, fought out move by move and where the ideas are original and the analysis fascinating. Credit to both players for creating this wonderfully rich yet original position. Here Mike could still take on f4 with the continuation similar to the last note. However, the one move he wouldn't be playing was 8...0-0 because after 9. f5 White has a clear attacking platform on the Kingside where Black is cramped. Hence he castles on the opposite wing, even though the same forcing move by White results in an open a-file which gives him attacking prospects on that wing. However, the afternoon is young, and MIke has counterattacking ideas of his own. Then again he usually did!} 9. f5 Bxb3 10. axb3 g6 $5 {This is another fascinating moment. The obvious and natural move here is 10...d5 playing in the centre of the board, given White's lack of development. The text, however, poses some interesting questions of White. It so happens that the one plus of the early 4. h2-h3 is that in this very position it permits the thematic advance g2-g4, but that is what Mike is inviting White to play. Here that wing advance lends even greater force to the central advance 11...d5 because 12. g5 is answered by 12.. .Nxe4 13. Nxe4 fxe4 14. Qxe4 gxf5. Instead 12. d3 gxf5 13. gxf5 dxe4 14. Nxe4 Nd4 and Black has a clear initiative in a position where White's King is still in the centre. I shall leave the reader to analyse this for themselves but there is much fun to be had here. Then again the game is a variation on a theme.} 11. d3 $5 {Geof could play the simple 11. fxg6 but that surrenders his Kingside space advantage, one of the two small pluses he has here - the other is the open a-file for his Rook. White would remain behind in development and either Black recapture on g6 is favourable for him. Given that Geof offered a gambit earlier he adopts the attitude that I'll just do the same on a different square. Understandable.} Nh5 $5 {Yet another fascinating moment. Given that Geof's last move gave his e4-Pawn direct support Mike eschews the ...d6-d5 break and concentrates on the Kingside instead. Objectively given that White could still safely castle Queenside this is not comepletely correct, but it makes the game a lot of fun! First White has to deal with the threatened 12... Ng3 fork.} 12. Qf2 gxf5 {Given that 13. gxf5 Qxf5?? 14. g4 wins a piece then the intended answer to 13. gxf5 must be 13...d5, whereupon Deep Rybka analyses 14. Rxa7!? b6 and says it's roughly equal. That means very complicated/unclear, and so the engine doesn't know what's going on, and probably neither do the players or your annotator!} 13. Be3 $5 {This is probably objectively worse that the continuation given in the last note, but it is consistent.} Rdg8 $5 { I know I'm giving !? to lots of moves but that's that nature of this encounter. Both players are taking an uncompromising approach and it must have been as delightful to watch as it is to annotate. There are reasonable alternatives here. Deep Rybka suggests that 13...Rhg8 is more accurate. I suspect Mike played the text so as to give his King more breathing space. Ultimately it doesn't matter. Deep Rybka also looks at 13...a6 which just seems like an invitation to White to play b3-b4-b5. I preferred 13...b6 to block out the Queen and Bishop battery. So you looks up your engines and you takes your choice. And anyway, engines weren't playing this game!} 14. Bxa7 {Natural enough, but the practical move was 14.0-0-0 ensuring that his King's Rook gets space to move into.} Ng3 {And now I can hark back to the comments I made to White's fourth and fifth moves. Naturally White now moves the attacked Rook, but we never hear from it again in this game. It may have signed the annual Christmas card though!?} 15. Rg1 f4 $6 {[This cements the steed on g3 and frees up the g8-Rook for other duties. However, the more direct line-opening 15...fxe4 followed by ...f7-f5 may be better. Deep Rybka suggests 15...b6, and every human is going to play 16. Bxb6 in reply. Okay, after 16... cxb6 17. Qxb6 Qb7 Black may not be in immediate bother with his King, but it's so easy for something to go wrong later on. The time for playing ...b7-b6 has come and gone.]} 16. Nd5 f5 {Instead 16...Bd8 is a reasonable retreat that would rule out White's forthcoming continuation. However, the only backward move of the entire game so far was 6. Bb3. Mike prefers to keep going forward.} 17. Bb6 $1 {Clearly this Bishop can't be taken because of the Knight fork on b6. So is Black's Queenside falling apart? And does Mike care?} fxe4 $1 {This is an inspired move, but you need a lot of imagination to play it. The engine doesn't get the point until it's almost too late.} 18. Ra8+ Nb8 {Black's first retreat of the game, but he was legally forced to make it.} 19. Bxc7 {One could well wonder why Geof didn't play 19. Ba7? There is the forced sequence 19...Qe6 20. Rxb8+ Kd7 21. Rxg8 Rxg8 22. Nxe7 Qxe7 where White is a piece up. Unfortuhately the extra piece is the Bishop on a7, and that currently doesn't have any moves because either Black controls all the retreat squares and the White pieces block the other two. Deep Rybka evaluates Black as being slightly better here! Of course the text looks stronger. It also makes this game even more memorable!} Qxc7 $1 {In the spirit of Pentyrch matches! Mike had played Geof in the original BCF KO tie in November 1984. Geof won on that occasion. This was Mike's last serious match and the following April sadly Geof died at the early age of 63. Two great sporting competitors played out this game full of sparkling ideas, not all good, it must be acknowledged! There are playable alternatives such as 19...Qb5 or e6. Black does have compensation for his piece here because of his strong Knight on g3 and White's hemmed in Rook on g1, not to mention that the White King can no longer castle out of the centre. Mike takes the point of view that this compensation still exists in the game, and by sacrificing his Queen he takes out two attacking White units and reduces the danger to himself. Of course he doesn't have a Queen any more, but the game continuation suggests that potentially he has a two pieces and a Rook for it. And if you want to get revenge for a previous defeat then why not do it in style?} 20. Nxc7 $2 {This must have been so tempting, yet it is demonstrably an error! It permits Black a zwischenzug which incredibly keeps the advantage for the second player. See the next note. Instead with his own calm zwischenzug 20. dxe4! White is guaranteed the advantage. The point is that it denies Black the counterchances given in the next note. Now after, say, 20...Qc5 21. Nxe7+ Kd7 or c7 22. Qxc5 dxc5 23. Nxg8 Rxg8 24. Nxe5 leaves White an Exchange and Pawns up in a simplified ending, and there is no doubt that he is winning. Alternatively if 20...Nxe4 then White has the crushing 21. Qa7. Black can't permit 22. Qxb8+ so he has to insist on giving up his Queen with 21...Bd8 22. Nxc7 Bxc7, but after the simple 23. Kd1 and 24. Kc1 White's King is safe and Black is 'merely' a Queen for two pieces down.} Kxc7 $4 {Ruining a beautiful idea. Here the zwischenzug (German for in-between move.) 20...e3 traps the White Queen. The only sensible line is 21. Qxg3 Rxg3 22. Nd5 Bd8 when material is even but White is badly tied down.]} 21. dxe4 Nxe4 22. Qe2 d5 {After the alternative 22...Nf6 White has 23. Nd4! exploiting the pin down the e-file. After 23... exd4 24. Qxe7 is check so Black hasn't got time to play 24. ..Re8 pinning. After 24...Nfd7, a sad retreat for a Knight that was on g3 just three moves ago, White has 25. Kf2 and all his problems are solved. If Black doesn't take on d4 then the combination of White Queen, Knight and Rook going after the Black King should be decisive.} 23. Qb5 {Not necessarily a mistake but 23. c4 undermining the e4-Knight may be more accurate. Black should reply to the text with the useful 23...Bc5! This activates his Bishop, attacks the g1-Rook, screens the d5-Pawn from the White Queen, and gives ...Bb6 as an option in reply to Qa5+.]} Nc6 $2 24. Rxg8 Rxg8 25. Qe2 $2 {The correct continuation is clear and simple. After 25. Qxd5 - forking - 25...Nf6 26. Qc4 Ra8 27. Kd2 White is perfectly okay. More difficult to see but still playable is 25. Ke2 Ng3+ 26. Kd2 Ne4+ 27. Kc1 Bc5 - here 27...Ra8 28. Kb1 gets Black nowhere. - 28. Rd1! Rxg2 29. Rxd5. In sharp, unbalanced positions like this, one can't simply give two tempi away. Mike now assumes a clear initiative.]} Ra8 {[I mentioned earlier that the open a-file played a crucial role. Now it's Black's turn to use it.]} 26. Qd1 {A miserable way to defend against the threatened 26...Bc5, 27...Ra1+ followed by 28... Ng3+ winning at least the Rook, but now there's no other viable option. Black to play.} Nb4 $2 {Right square wrong piece. Instead 26...Bb4+ 27. c3 Nxc3! 28.bxc3 Bxc3+ and now A) 29. Kf1 Ra1 30. Qxa1 Bxa1 31. Kf2 Bb2 and Black is doing well with two mobile Pawns for an Exchange. Or: B) 29. Ke2 Ra2+ 30. Nd2 (if 30. Kf1 Ra1 is a transposition to A.) 30...e4 and 31...e3 is coming and there's no defence. Or: C) 29. Nd2 Ra2 30. Rf1 and now either 30...Kd6 (my preference) or 30... Ra1 are good according to Deep Rybka. It is remarkable that Black can sacrifice a piece in this way, and only have a piece for a Queen yet he still has the advantage. The text seems to threaten 27...Ra1 28. Qxa1 Nxc2+, but it's not that good after 29. Ke2 Nxa1 30. Rxa1. However, preface it with 27... Bc5 and after 28. Rf1 then there is the smart 28...Nxc2+ 29. Qxc2 Ra1+ 30. Ke2 (if 30. Qd1 Bb4+ 31. Ke2 Ng3+ 32. Kd3 [even worse is 32. Kf2 Bc5+ 33. Ke1 Rxd1+ 34. Kxd1 Nxf1 with an extra piece.] 32...Rxd1+ 33. Rxd1 e4+ wins) 30... Ng3+ 31. Kd2 Nxf1+ 32. Ke2 Ng3+ and 33...Kd6 when Black is winning. So White needs to be careful.} 27. c3 $2 {The engine suggestion here is 27. Nxe5 which I assume Geof rejected because of 27...Re8 and mayhem down the e-file. Except it doesn't materialise after the subtle suggestion of 28. Qc1! by various engines. The engines analyse various moves here and the best line for Black seems to be 28...Bh4+ 29. Ke2 Rxe5 30. Qxf4 Bf6 31. Kd1 with an advantage for White. The material imbalance here is Queen and two Pawns for three pieces, and both sides have chances. There are alternatives with 28.. .Bc5 and 28...Bg5, and all of these are interesting to analyse. With the text perhaps Geof thought he was forcing the Knight into a retreat. Mike proves otherwise.} Ra2 $1 { [Another remarkable move. There's not really anything more one can say about this. I ran out of superlatives a while ago.]} 28. cxb4 $4 {The engines all say that it is drawn after 28. Qb1, 28. Rh1, and 28. Nxe5. This is based on Black taking on b2 and the White King coming under various forms of perpetual check. There is a lot of analysis, some of it very subtle, but the White King is short of squares. After ...Rxb2 Black has ideas of ...Nc2+, Ke2 Nd4++, Ke1 Nc2+ etc. The game goes on to prove why White shouldn't take on b4 in any line, and it may have been better to permit the perpetual.} Bxb4+ 29. Ke2 Rxb2+ 30. Nd2 {This could have been played a move earlier but it makes little difference. Upon 30. Kd3 both Nc5 and Nf2 are mate, while 30. Kf1 can also be met by two mates, either 30...Ng3 or 30...Rf2.} Bxd2 {Even simpler is 30... Nc3+ but Mike is playing for mate!} 31. Kf3 Nf6 $4 {This inaccurate move lets the win slip. Instead 31...Nc3 32. Qf1 (if 32. Qa1 Ra2 forces 33. Qf1 and it's almost a transposition.) 32...h5 (with the threat 33...e4+ 34. Kf2 Be3++ 35. Ke1 Rb1 mate.) 33. g4 e4+ 34. Kg2 f3+ 35. Kg3 Ne2+ 36.Kh4 Nxg1 37. Qxg1 f2 38. Qf1 e3 and Black is winning this. This is a lot to calculate. Instead 31...h5, with the same object as Mike's move of controlling g4 seems to be simpler. Upon 32. g4 then 32...Be3 and Black threatens 33...Rf2 and 33...Ng5 which are both mate. After 33. gxh5 Nf6 seals the escape square on g4 and now the threat is 34...e4 mate. White only has desperate moves left such as 35. Qc1+ giving up his Queen.]} 32. Rf1 $4 {White gives up his last chance by not playing 32. g3. After 32...e4+ 33. Kg2 f3+ 34. Kh1 f2 35. Rf1 e3 and Black is doing well. Then again I'd still need convincing if I was to resign as White. After all he maintains a material advantage! In the above line I'd like to find a better move than 34...f2. Yet again worth studying further.} e4+ $2 {More accurate is 32...Be3 threatening 33...e4 mate again. White's only resource is to give up his Queen with 33. Qc1+ but after 33... Bxc1 34. Rxc1+ Kd6 35. g3 Rxb3+ it's resignable. After the text White should play 33. Kf2 when after 33...Bb4+ as in the game he has 34. Kg1, the point of 32. Rf1. Instead after 33...Be3+ 34. Ke1 Black still has work to do. The Pawn snatch 34...Rxg2 restores nominal material equality!} 33. Ke2 $4 Bb4+ {Now Mike is winning a whole Queen and Geof has no choice but to resign this quite incredible encounter.} 0-1

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