1984-01-14 - Mordue, Tyson 0-1 Williams, Howard
One of a pair played within a week of each other. The Welsh IM ventures 5...gxf6 in the Caro-Kann. Opposite-wing castling ensures a sharp game. Remarkably both players strip away all the defensive Pawns in front of the opposing Kings without losing any of their attacking Pawns! They each have 4-0 Pawn majorities and all the heavy pieces are still on the board! Tyson misses an instructive draw. Loads to study here.
[Event "CARDIFF OPEN"] [Site "?"] [Date "1984.01.14"] [Round "2"] [White "Mordue, Tyson"] [Black "Williams, Howard"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B16"] [Annotator "Mordue,Tyson"] [PlyCount "82"] [EventDate "1984.01.01"] {From BCT issue 43, May-June 1984. The first game of a pair in an article entitled "I Got A Second Chance!". The opponent here is Welsh IM Howard Williams. Original notes by myself.} 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6 5. Nxf6+ gxf6 {"As in Karpov-Miles in the Master Game at Bath, final round. Miles won a complicated game with Karpov(!) in time trouble."} 6. Nf3 Bf5 7. c3 Qc7 {"Karpov-Miles went 7...Nd7 8 Bf4 Qb6 9 b4!? e5!? I wanted to play 8 g3 and 9 Bf4 but was worried by ...e7-e5 as a reply. In retrospect I should have played it in any case." Indeed 8 g3 is the most common continuation after 7... Qc7.} 8. Be3 Nd7 {The game Wu-Fuentes Inzunza, Women's Olympiad, Baku 2016 went 9 Bd3 Bg6 10 Rc1 e6 11 h3 Rg8 12 Bxg6 hxg6. White failed to castle and her King was caught in the centre after Fuentes sacrificed a piece to open it up. Wu could have resigned around move 30 easily but played on to mate at move 45.} 9. b4 $5 {"A la Karpov. A useful waiting move to see where Black wants to put his e-Pawn."} e6 10. Be2 a5 $5 {"Trying to slow White's Queenside advance, but making Queenside castling dangerous for him."} 11. a3 Bd6 12. O-O Rg8 13. Kh1 Be4 14. c4 $5 {"An extremely sharp move. The idea is to open as many lines as possible leading to Black's King. Williams thought I had just blundered a Pawn which he took immediately. Better is 14...axb4 15 c5 Bxh2 16 axb4 Rxa1 17 Qxa1 Bf4." Deep Rybka is okay with the move but prefers to recapture 14... axb4 15 axb4, and after 15...Rxa1 16 Qxa1 Bxb4 chooses 17 Qb2 with an interesting position. The evaluation is a mere +0.14 to Black. In the line in previous paragraph it says Black is about +0.5 after 17...Bf4.} Bxh2 15. Bd3 $1 {"Black has no time to play 15...axb4, and if he plays [first] 15...Bxd3 16 Qxd3 then 16...axb4 17 axb4 Rxa1 18 Rxa1 White threatens 19 Qxh7 and 19 Ra8+." A correct note but failing to add that White also not only threatens 19 Nxh2 as well but could actually play it on move 17! The evaluation by Deep Rybka at the end of the above line is close to +1 for White so he certainly has compensation for his Pawn. Obviously if 15 Nxh2?? Bxg2+ 16 Kg1 Bf3+! is mate in another two moves.} Bxd3 16. Qxd3 Bf4 {The evaluation here is also a mere +0.16 to Black.} 17. d5 $5 {"Apparently it was here that Williams realised that there was still a game going on. If 17 Qxh7 0-0-0! and Black has a strong position." Deep Rybka also considers 17... Ke7 to keep the f7 Pawn guarded.} O-O-O $5 {After quite a long think if I recall correctly. Taking on d5 with either Pawn just opens up lines that White pieces are better poised to use than Black's. Deep Rybka endorses castling and says Black still has a small plus here, but put the Black Pawn on a5 back to a7 then the plus increases slightly and the engine decides on castling much more quickly! So the assessment is that we have a messy position where the stronger, more experienced player has an advantage according to the computer, but the game simply becomes more random and messier to the point that it is difficult to believe what is going on!} 18. dxc6 Ne5 $1 {Laying a imaginative trap. You have to ask yourself why is he allowing me to take on b7 ane expose his King further? The answer is 19 cxb7+? Qxb7 20 Qe2 Rxg2! 21 Kxg2 (if 21 Bxf4 Nxf3 is bad as well) 21...Rg8+ (Deep Rybka says 21...Nxf3 first is even stronger.) 22 Kh3 Nxf3 24 Bxf4 Nd4 25 Qg4 (what else? 25 Rg1 Rxg1 first before taking the Queen.) 25...Rxg4 26 Kxg4 Qf3+ 27 Kh4 Nf5 mates. So White doesn't want to play cxb7+ too quickly. Of course after he moves his Queen he'll get another chance. The f4 Bishop will be en prise because Black just blocked off the Queen's defence. The engine simply expected him to recapture with 18...dxc6.} 19. Qe4 $1 {The alternative 19.Bxf4 Nxd3 20.Bxc7 Kxc7 21.cxb7 Kxb7 22.bxa5 leads to a slightly better endgame for Black. White's Queenside Pawns are rather exposed and the Black King is handy for attacking them,} Bxe3 20. cxb7+ $2 {Poor is 20 fxe3 Nxc6 and Black has an extra Pawn and a clear advantage. Best is simple 20 Nxe5. The text has a very subtle drawback.} Kb8 $2 {"Rejecting 20...Qxb7 21 Qxb7+ Kxb7 22 fxe3 Nxc4 in favour of looking for more, but leaving White with a Pawn on b7 which proves to be very double-edged," The right move is the recapture 20...Qxb7. Should White swap Queens 21 Qxb7+ Kxb7 then his next recapture is a problem. If 22 Nxe5? Bd4! wins material - 23 Nxf7 Rd7 24 Nh6 Rg6 and h6 and a1 are en prise - while 22 fxe3 Nxc4 and Black has a much better ending. So on those grounds does White has to avoid a swap? After 21. Qxe3 Black can try 21...Rxg2 again. The difference is 22.Kxg2 Rg8+ 23.Kh3 Nxf3 24.Qc5+! Kb8 25.Qb5 and this time White wants to and does trade Queens. However, after 20...Qxb7 21 Qxe3 Black has a significant improvement with 21... Rd3. The triple threat to f3 forces 22.Qc5+ Kb8 23.Qb5 but after 23...Nxf3 24. Qxb7+ Kxb7 White has lost a piece. If he recaptures then he gets trivially mated after 25.gxf3 Rxf3 26.Kh2 Rf5 and 27...Rh5! However, this is an easy line to miss because three of Black's attacking pieces are exchanged and it's easy to assume that there's nothing left with the remaining pair. The conclusion is that after 20...Qxb7 White should go into the line given at the beginning of this note.} 21. Nxe5 fxe5 22. Qxe3 {Now White has a plus of 0.63 according Deep Rybka. Black's King looks more exposed but for the moment he has the more active pieces. A very tricky balance for both players to get to grips with.} Rd4 $1 23. f3 $2 {"Played to rule out ...R4g4 and also to answer . ..e5-e4 with f3-f4 which can no longer be taken en passant. It was better, however, to await a direct threat and counterattack with 23 bxa5 threatening a5-a6, Ra1-b1 followed by a6-a7 mate, e. g. 23...R4g4 24 a6 Rag2 25 a7+ Kxb7 26 Rab1+ Ka8 27 Rb8+! Rxb8 28 axb8=Q+ and 29 Kxg2. Naturally there are other continuations, but undoubtedly this is White's best practical chance." This is a very complicated position with some strange resources for both sides. The above line is accurate but Deep Rybka spots that after 23 bxa5 Qxb7 is playable because 24 Rab1?? Rh4+ 25 Kg1 Rxg2 is mate, and 24 Rfb1? Rh4+ 25 Kg1 Rxg2+ 26 Kf1 Rh1+ 27 Ke2 Rxb1 costs a Rook! Naturally White has other 24th moves including 24 Qxe5+ Ka8 25 f3 which Deep Rybka says is equal despite White's two Pawn advantage. Other moves suggested by the engine are 23 Rab1 and 23 c5. In both cases after 23...Rh4+ 24 Kg1 e4 25 g3 it says that White has an advantage, particularly after the former move. Once again there are choices for Black. I still think that 23 bxa5 is the best practical chance because even if 23... Qxb7 forces f2-f3 on move 24 or 25 after 24 Qxe5+the Black Queen is probably on a worse square than c7.} f5 {Deep Rybka prefers the move-order 23...Rh4+ 24 Kg1 f5. After 25.bxa5? (25.Ra2 is better finally giving this Rook something to do while the engine says 25 Qe1 is equal which I don't understand.) 25...e4 26. f4 Rxg2+! 27.Kxg2 Qg7+ 28.Qg3 (not 28.Kf2 Rh2+ 29.Ke1 Qxa1+ mates) 28...Rg4 29. Qxg4 Qxg4+ 30.Kh1 Kxb7 and Deep Rybka says Black is +1 here. I say Black is probably winning just by advancing his h-Pawn. If I'm not right then I'll settle for ...e6-e5 and the combined advance of the centre Pawns. There's no doubt who's got the safer King and better options.} 24. Rfe1 $2 {"Even now 24 bxa5 is good. The text loses the f-Pawn." After 24 bxa5? Rh4+ 25 Kg1 e4 we have transposed into the line given in the last note - 26 f4 Rxg2+ etc. So better are the immediate 24 Kg1 and 24 Ra2. The text does drop the f-Pawn because White loses control of f4.} Rh4+ 25. Kg1 e4 {"25... Rxg2+ 26.Kxg2 Qg7+ 27.Kf1 (27 Kf2?? Rh2+ loses) is unclear." We didn't have a computer 36 years ago but now we do so let's analyse. After all the engine will clear everything up! Deep Rybka is saying +4 or so for White. As White is apparently threatening 28 Qxe5+ Black starts with 27...e4 28.Qg1 Qh6 29.Qg8+ Kxb7 30.Qf7+ and at this point the engine still says +4 or so. However, the extra White Rook is still doing nothing. The engine sees that it has loads of Queen checks and that it can pick up the a5 Pawn with check eventually and then Her Majesty comes back to the Kingside to help out with the defence. Let's go with the main line: 30...Kc8 (Both 30...Kb6 and 30...Ka6 allow a combination of c4-c5+ and b4-b5+ respectively and the King either takes one of these or goes to d5 whereupon White has checks with his Rooks and should be winning.) 31. Qe8+ Kc7 32.Qe7+ Kc8 33.Qc5+ Kb7 34.Qb5+ Kc7 35.Qxa5+ Kc8 36. Qa6+ Kc7 37.Qa7+ Kc8 38.Qc5+ Kb7 39.Qb5+ Kc7 40.Qe5+ Kb7 and with the Queen on its optimum square it plays 41.Kg2 only to declare after 41...Qd2+ that the position is equal! Given that there are lots of alternatives here for both sides I think the original evaluation of unclear after 25...Rxg2+ 26.Kxg2 Qg7+ 27.Kf1 can stand. The point is that sometimes the engines don't make things clearer. Instead they just add to the number of possibilities in a position and when certain resolutions are beyond their horizon they get the evaluation wrong. I would just like to add that 27...e4 is not forced because after (say) 27... h6 28.Qxe5+ Qxe5 29.Rxe5 Black has 29...Rh1+ 30.Kg2 Rxa1 although Deep Rybka says White is +2 in the ending after 31.Rxa5. Incidentally 27...axb4 - to avoid 31 Rxa5 at the end of the last variation loses to 28 axb4 because White now has Qa7+ and/or Ra8+. Back to the game between two human beings.} 26. f4 {"Else 26...Qxh2+ wins. 26...Rxg2+ still does not win so Black takes on f4 and manoeuvres for more."} Rxf4 27. Ra2 {A tad late to the party but participating nevertheless.} Rh4 28. Rf2 Qh2+ 29. Kf1 Rhg4 {"Now all appears to be up with White, but he finally gets in on the other side. The remainder of the game was watched by a crowd od spectators literally breathing down our necks, perhaps due to Williams having to make 14 moves in three minutes."} 30. bxa5 {The only alternative is 30.Qh3 but after 30...Qxh3 31.gxh3 Rg1+ 32.Ke2 Rxe1+ 33.Kxe1 axb4 34.axb4 Kxb7 (even better is 34...Rg1+ first) Black is probably winning the ending and certainly has less to worry about with Queens off and five moves nearer the time control. The main thing would be to get the Rook behind White's passed Pawns - the point of 34...Rg1+ first - before advancing his own central pasties.} Rxg2 {And now we have the remarkable circumstance of all the defensive Pawns in front of both Kings eliminated without any of the offensive Pawns being captured!} 31. a6 {"Black cannot take a Rook + Pawn ending because White would tie him down [by threatening] back rank checks." The accurate move is 31 Qf4+ swapping Queens but Black is winning that ending. By playing the text Black is given some practical problems. Deep Rybka says that White is winning the Rook + Pawn ending after 31...Rxf2+ 32.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 33 Kxf2 giving White +5 here. If 33...31...Ka7 34.Rb1 Rb8 35.c5 Kxa6 36.c6 Ka7 37. c7 Rxb7 most efficient is 38 Rc1! as White mops up the Pawns quite easily. This is compared to 38 c8=Q Rxb1 and it's a difficult technical task for White but fun to analyse. So somthing else for Williams to avoid in acute time-pressure and he promptly makes a big mistake.} Rg1+ $4 {Missing a mate in three with 31...Rxf2+ 32.Qxf2 Qh3+ 33.Ke2 Qd3 mate. This was overlooked both in the post-mortem and in my original notes. The reason for the oversight is that Williams was looking right rather than left and, anyway, the route to d3 was impossible just two moves ago.} 32. Ke2 Qh5+ $2 {An obvious move that dissipates the advantage. Deep Rybka says 32...Qd6 keeps a plus. After 33.Rxg1 Rxg1 34.Qf4 e5 (possibly better is 34...Qxf4 35. Rxf4 Ra1 when taking on a3 and a6 should win.) 35.Qd2 Qxd2+ 36.Kxd2 f4 and now the Black Pawns are more dangerous than the White ones. However, to calculate and judge these lines accurately with two minutes on the clock would be a tremendous feat.} 33. Kd2 Rxe1 {Deep Rybka says 33...Rd8+ doesn't improve Black's position.} 34. Qxe1 $2 {"Played after long thought. If 34 Kxe1 Rg1+ 35 Kd2 Qd1+ is very strong. But 34 Qf4+! Ka7 35 b8=Q+ Rxb8 36 Qc7+ leads to perpetual check. If 36...Ka8 37 Qc6+ Ka7 38 Qc7+ etc. so 36...Kxa6 37 Qc6+ Ka5 (not 37...Rb6 38 Qa8 mate.) 38 Qc5+ Ka6 (not 38.. .Ka4 39 Qa7+ and 40 Qxb8+ - the move I had missed.) 39 Qc6+ Ka7 40 Qc7+Rb7 41 Qa5+ draws. Having missed this, Black finds one strong move and White is left with nothing but attempted swindles." There a few inaccuracies in here. Firstly after 34 Kxe1 Rg1+ 35 Kd2 Qd1+ 36 Kc3 Deep Rybka claims that White is +3 or so! After 36...Qa1+ 37 Kb4 Rb1+ 38 Ka4 there are no more checks. Clearly I stopped analysing the Black Queen checks too early. The engine improves after 34 Kxe1 Rg1+ 35 Kd2 with 35.. .Rb1! and says the position is equal. It is because 36 Qf4+ Ka7 37 b8=Q+ Rxb8 38 Qc7+ easily leads to a perpetual. Secondly after 34.Qf4+ Ka7 35.b8Q+? Rxb8 36.Qc7+ Kxa6 37.Qc6+ Ka7 38.Qc7+ Ka8 39.Qc6+ Rb7 there is no perpetual check. Instead White can try 39.Qa5+ Kb7 40. Qb5+ Kc7 41.Qc5+ Kd7 42.Qa7+ Kc6 43.Qa6+ Kc7 44.Qa7+ Rb7 45.Qc5+ Kd7 46.Qd4+ Kc6 and the checks run out again. After 47 Kxe1 Rb1+ 48 Kd2 Rd1+ wins the Queen. White can try capturing on e1 a move earlier with 46 Kxe1 when 46... Rb1+ 47 Kd2 Qd1+ 48 Ke3 (if 48 Kc3 Rb3 is mate. ) 48...Rb3+ 49 Kf4 Qg4+ 50 Ke5 Qg7+ 51 Kf4 Qg3 mate! This line is possible because the Black King defends e6, but the timing of Kxe1 can vary and hence so can the placement of the White Queen and the Black King. The problem here is the timing of the promotion. After 34.Qf4+ Ka7 then White should first play 35 Kxe1 and if then 35...Qh3 36 b8=Q+ does draw, while 35...Rg1+ 36 Rf1 is okay. Once again this is a lot to calculate for both sides with White having to be accurate and Black short of time. Major piece endings are often full of numerous tricky possibilities and finesses, but the Pawn placement here increases the permutations even more. Fascinating stuff.} Qh3 $1 35. Kc1 {"If 35 Qe3 Rd8+ 36 Ke2 Qg4+ wins." 35 Kc2 may be a better move but Black still plays 35...Qxa3 and, if appropriate, 36... Qxa6 as in the game. Deep Rybka has Black at +5 here and it's all down to the superior piece activity and the fact that the White Pawns screen the Black King.} Qxa3+ 36. Kb1 Qxa6 37. Rb2 {"If 37 Ra2 Qb6+! 38 Rb2 Rg1 wins." In fact 38...Qg1 is far more accurate. The Rook stays on the g-file to defend e6 or attack b7 as appropriate,"} Qa7 38. Qb4 Rg1+ 39. Kc2 Rg2+ 40. Kb1 {"If 40 Kc3 Qe3 is mate."} Rxb2+ 41. Kxb2 Qxb7 0-1
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