1984-08-30 - Mordue, Tyson 1-0 Allison, Tim

This could have been another new junior beats experienced senior player game. It isn't. After missing a couple of difficult chances Tim fails to look a gift horse in the mouth. Instead he ends up on the receiving end of a Greek gift sacrifice by Tyson and gets mated.

[Event "D&F CLUB CHAMP 1984"] [Site "?"] [Date "1984.08.30"] [Round "?"] [White "Mordue, Tyson"] [Black "Allison, Tim"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C42"] [Annotator "Mordue,Tyson"] [PlyCount "55"] {This game was played at the same time as Binks-Garrett elsewhere on this page. Tim Allison was yet another of a continuous crop of promising juniors and had qualified for the top group of that year's Club Championship.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. O-O Be7 8. c4 Nf6 9. h3 {"9 Nc3 is better as 9...Bg4 is not to be feared." Nevertheless the text is still a theoretical move and quite a few games have continued 9...0-0 10 Nc3 anyway.} Be6 {A rare move. An alternative scheme of development is 9...Nb4 10 Be2 Bf5. The simplest reply is 11 a3 to answer 11...Nc2 with 12 Ra2 and at worst White will probably pick up two pieces for a Rook.} 10. cxd5 {With the Knight on c6 here White can play 10 c5 with a Queenside space advantage. If Black tries 10.. .b6 then White has 11 b4! - if 11...Nxb4 12 Qa4+ wins the Knight - and Black will be unable to break the White formation as White has b4-b5 and c5-c6 if necessary. Yasseen-Handoko, Doha Open 1992 and Manik-Roessler, Pardubice 2019 both continued with 10 c5 anyway. Alternatively Palkovi-Kummer, Austria 2002 went 10 b3 dxc4 11 Bxc4. The text is okay but Black's Bishop gets onto a square that is even more influential than g4!} Bxd5 {Melnik-Sergeyev, Sochi Blitz 2015 featured 10...Nxd5. I think the text is superior because of the pressure created on d4 by the threat to take on f3. This effectively makes 9 h3 a waste of time.} 11. Be3 {White shows concern over the d4 Pawn. Better is 11.Nc3 and if 11...Bxf3 12.Qxf3. Now if 12...Nxd4 13 Qxb7 is an improved variation of the game for White, while12...Qxd4 appears to win a Pawn but Deep Rybka shows that it doesn't after 13.Nb5 Qb6 14.Be3 Qa5 15.a3 0-0 16.b4 Qa6 17. Bf4 and White regains it with an advantage.} O-O {A perfectly sensible move. Deep Rybka offered 11...Bxf3 12 Qxf3 Nb4 and I tried 13 Qxb7 - with the idea 13...Nxd3 14 Qb5+ -but after 13...Rb8 14 Bb5+ c6 15 Bxc6+ Kf8 16 Qxa7 Nxc6 Black has won a piece for three not great Pawns. Interesting but not necessarily in the first player's favour.} 12. Re1 $2 {This ends up losing a whole tempo. Much better is 12 Nc3 and if 12...Bxf3 13 Qxf3 Nxd4 14 Qxb7 Rb8 15 Qa6 Rxb2 16 Rad1 - the difference - 16...c5 17 Qxa7 and White is about 0.65 better according to Deep Rybka. That's down to the two Bishops and the outside passed Pawn.} Bxf3 $5 13. Qxf3 Nxd4 14. Qxb7 {"Wrongly rejecting 14 Bxd4 Qxd4 15 Rxe7 Qxb2 16 Bxh7+! Kxh7 17 Qc3 Qxc3 18 Nxc3 when White has ample compensation for his sacrificed Pawn." Originally given an ? Deep Rybka begs to differ. First of all after the text it says the position is level. Secondly after 14.Bxd4 Qxd4 15.Rxe7 Qxb2 16.Bxh7+ Kxh7 17.Qc3 Qxc3 18.Nxc3 it says Black is slightly better. We continued the analysis with 18...Rac8 19.Rb1 b6 20.Nb5 Nd5 21.Rd7 Rcd8 22.Rxd8 Rxd8 23.Rd1 Rd7 24.Nxa7 (Not 24.Nxc7? Rxc7 25.Rxd5 Rc1+ 26.Kh2 Rc2 27.Rd7 Rxa2 28.Rxf7 a5 and Black is winning because of his passed Pawns.) 24...c5 with a small plus for Black. The position is so simplified that it is difficult to argue with this.} Rb8 15. Qa6 {"Not 15 Qxa7 Nf3+ and White's position is a wreck." I got that bit right as Deep Rybka says that after 16 gxf3 Qxd3 despite the Pawn minus Black is better by 0.7 to 0.9. If White saves the extra Pawn with 17 b3 then the machine says Black improves to +1.52 after 17...Qg6+ and 18...Nd5. For those, like me, who need convincing the analysis continues 18 Kf1 or h1 (18 Kh2 Bd6+ giving Black a free tempo is even worse) 18...Nd5 19 Nd2 Qf5 20 Kg2 Rb6! intending ...21 Rg6+. Instead the engine slightly prefers 17 Nc3 over 17 Nd2 allowing 17...Rxb2. Ugh! I think it was at this point I spotted 15...Nf3+ and thought that I was in trouble. Actually Deep Rybka says I'm not after my choice of 15 Qa6 which defends the d3 Bishop backwards so rules out 15...Nf3+.} Rxb2 16. Rd1 {If 16 Bxd4 Qxd4 17 Rxe7?? Qxf2+ mating reveals a major drawback of 12 Re1. If 16 Nc3 Rb4 17 Qa6 Rb6 18 Qc4 Rb4 is a draw by repetition, not a good result for White. The point of the text is that the momentary threat of 16 Bxd4 Qxd4 17 Bxh7+ forces Black into 16...c5 when White can recover his Pawn. The Rook's defence of the Bishop negates the ...Nf3+ tactic, but if White had played 12 Nc3 instead of 12 Re1 then this would have been 16 Rad1 with a better position as per the note above.} c5 {A natural move fortifying the Knight. At first Deep Rybka didn't like 16...Bc5 because of 17 Nc3 with the threat of 18 Na4, then it came out with the remarkable line 17...Nf3+ 18.gxf3 Bxe3 19.fxe3 Qe7 20. Qxa7 Nd7 and now: a) 21.Ne4 Ne5 22.Qc5 Qxc5 23.Nxc5 Nxf3+ 24.Kf1 (Not 24.Kh1 Rh2 mate) 24...Nh2+ 25.Ke1 Nf3+ 26.Kf1 Nh2+ with a draw by perpetual check, or: b) 21.Kh1 Qh4 22.Bf1 Qg3 and now b1) 23.Be2 Qxh3+ 24.Kg1 Qg3+ 25.Kf1 and now b1a) 25...Qh3+ 26.Kf2 Qh2+ again with a perpetual or: b1b) 25...Ne5 26.Qxc7 Qh2 27.Rab1 Qh1+ 28.Kf2 Qxf3+ 29.Kg1 Qxe3+and Black is much better. b2) 23 Ne2 Qxf3+ 24 Kg1 Ne5 25 Qc5 Qg3+! 26 Nxg3 (26 Kh1 Nf3 anyway!) Nf3+ 27 Kh1 Rh2 mate. I'm not going to go into too much depth here, but I will point out that there are several games on this page where the attack succeeds because the defending Queen is stranded on the other wing. Other possible 16th moves for Black are 16...Rb6 which provokes 17 Qxa7 and self-pins the d4 Knight and 16...Ne4!? which is similar to the game.} 17. Qxa7 Ne4 {A fascinating move where the Knights face off the Bishops at close quarters. Obviously 18 Bxe4? Ne2+ 19 Kh2 Qxd1 20 Qxe7?? Qg1 is mate. Deep Rybka evaluates Black as about +0.3 to +0.4. An alternative is 17...Nd5 18 Bxd4 cxd4 19 Qxd4 Rb4 20 Bc4? (Better is 20 Qa7 Bf6 21 a3 with equality, but worse is 20 Bxh7+? Kxh7 21 Qxd5 Qxd5 22 Rxd5 Bf6 winning a piece.) 20...Bf6 21 Qxd5 Qxd5 22 Bxd5 Bxa1 and Black has won the Exchange. The opposite coloured Bishops are going to make winning this one interesting.} 18. Qa3 $2 {Trying to flush the Rook off the second rank. I was aware of some of the potential problems with this move but I didn't see what Deep Rybka comes up with next move. Better is 18.Nd2 Nc6 19.Qa4 Nc3 20.Qxc6 Qxd3 (Not 20...Nxd1? 21.Qe4 wins two pieces for a Rook because of the mate threat on h7.) 21.Re1 and Black stands better. However, he can't win two pieces for a Rook because of 21... Rxd2 22.Bxd2 Qxd2 23.Rxe7.} Rb8 $2 {"Stronger was 18...Bf6 when I intended 19 Kh1 or f1, but in retrospect the simple 19 Nd2 is all right." This is a very complicated position. It seems unfair to label this a mistake because Black still looks as if he stands better after this move. However, right now he misses a couple of chances. What I had seen was 18...c4 19.Qxb2 Bf6 (if 19...cxd3 20.Bxd4 is fine for White) 20.Bxe4 Nf3+ 21.Bxf3 Qxd1+ (or 21...Bxb2 22.Rxd8 Rxd8 23.Nd2 makes no difference) 22.Bxd1 Bxb2 23.Nd2 Bxa1 24.Nxc4 is a winning endgame for White. I had also seen the immediate 18...Bf6 and I was concerned. If 19.Qxb2?? Nf3+ 20.gxf3 Bxb2 picks off the a1 Rook as well, while the more sensible 19.Nd2 Nc3 20.Re1 Nc2 21.Bxc2 Rxc2 leaves White with problems - if 22.Rac1 Rxd2. It's possible that we might get an ending of two Rooks and the a-Pawn versus Rook, Knight and Bishop (plus the three Kingside Pawns each) but Black should be winning that. Not surprisingly Deep Rybka found something even better. It suggests 18...Nxf2! 19.Bxf2 (If 19 Qxb2 Nxd1 20 Qd2 Nxe3 21 Qxe3 Bf6 is too strong) 19...Rxf2!! 20.Kxf2 c4 21.Qa7 (to keep an eye on the c5 square) 21...cxd3 22.Rxd3 Bh4+ 23.g3 (or 23.Kf1 Qf6+ 24.Kg1 Ne2+ 25.Kh1 Qxa1 or worse 23.Kg1 Ne2+) 23...Qf6+ 24.Kg2 Qc6+! 25.Kf2 Qc2+ 26. Rd2 Qf5+ 27.Ke3 (If 27.Kg1 Nf3+ or 27.Kg2 Qf3+) and after 27...Re8+ the engine announces mate in 11 moves. I'm happy enough that after 28 Kxd4 Bf6+ and 29... Bxa1 that Black is winning.} 19. Qc1 {"Not 19 Nd2 c4 wins a piece." Apparently not. After 20 Qa6 Nxd2 (if 20...cxd3 21 Nxe4) 21 Bxh7+! Kxh7 22 Rxd2 White will win the piece back. Deep Rybka throws in 22...Nf3+ to ruin White's Pawns and calls it almost level. The engine has a slight preference for my move. I was happier now that my Queen was safe, things were defended and I was about to finally develop my Knight and disrupt the Black pair.} Re8 { 19...Bf6 is slightly better but Tim is trying to tempt me into the blunder 20 Bxe4?? Ne2+ losing material after 21 Kf1 or h1 Nxc1 22 Rxd8 Rfxd8 23 Bxc1 Rd1+ or 21 Kh2 Bd6+ 22 Bf4 Bxf4+ 23 Qxf4 Qxd1} 20. Nd2 {Deep Rybka says there is little difference between this and 20 Nc3 Nxc3 21 Qxc3 but I wanted to stay off the a1-h8 diagonal because of ...Bf6.} Nxd2 21. Qxd2 Bf6 {"Black's well-posted Knight is balanced by White's pair of Bishops and his passed a-Pawn. However, Black's time-trouble was beginning so White starts running his a-Pawn to cause more problems."} 22. a4 $5 {According to Deep Rybka this is the second-best move. The first is 22 Rac1. My outside pawn feels that it would like to have a Rook behind it. So if this is the second-best move what is wrong with Black's very obvious reply? Well, in the previous notes the tactical motif that now appears in the game has already come up several times in different formats, so if you haven't looked ahead then now is the time to do so.} Nb3 $2 {"Played quickly, and perhaps encouraged by the way Richard Garrett was putting Mike Binks to the sword on the next board." Capablanca once said that an opponent "should have considered that a player of my experience and strength could never allow such a move if it were good." I may not be Capablanca but, as previously remarked, this is a very obvious move and should not be easily missed. Nevertheless given the solid-looking appearance of Black's position it is difficult to think that there would be anything wrong with it, but appearances can be deceptive. I had already worked out the refutation and I was more concerned at what would happen if Tim declined the sacrifice played next move, not whether he would play 22...Nb3 or not. There are numerous sensible moves here and Deep Rybka suggests 22...Rb4 and 22...Qc8. } 23. Bxh7+ $1 {At this point in my chess career this move had become something of a calling card. I even played Bxh7+ on one occasion when it wasn't the Bishop giving check! There is of course no sensible alternative as the a1 Rook is en prise to two Black minor pieces. Deep Rybka says White is now +1.26.} Kh8 $2 {"Short of time and understandably shocked by the last move Black makes a fatal mistake. Obviously 23...Kxh7 24 Qc2+ g6 (or 24...Kg8) 25 Rxd8 Nxa1 26 Rxe8 (check if 24...Kg8) Nxc2 27 Rxb8 winning easily. However, 23. ..Kf8 seems to force an exchange of Queens with 24 Qxd8. If White tries 24 Qc2 Nxa1 25 Qxc5+ Qe7 is okay [for Black] or 25 Bxc5+ Bxe7 26 Rxd8 Nxc2." After 23...Kxh7 24.Qc2+ Kg8 looks more solid than 24...g6 and after 25.Rxd8 Deep Rybka prefers a capture on d8, but White has won a Queen and Pawn for a Rook and Bishop and the passed Pawn is now an even bigger asset. After 23... Kf8 24.Qxd8 is not good. 24...Rbxd8 25.Rxd8 Rxd8 and White has his Rook en prise hence 26.Re1 g6 and now his Bishop is stuck. The engine still says White has a small plus! Instead after 23...Kf8 Deep Rybka offers: a) 24.Qa2 Nxa1? (better is 24...Qa5 25.Rab1 c4 26.Bc2) 25.Bxc5+ Re7 26.Rxd8+ Rxd8 27.Bxe7+ Kxe7 28.Qa3+ with +7 for White, or: b) 24.Qe2 Bxa1 25.Rxd8 Rbxd8 26.Qc4 Rb8 27.Bc2 followed by taking on c5. Indeed Tim was reluctant to play 23...Kf8 because of a subsequent Bxc5+. There are other lines but these ones illustrate that White can keep a plus and instead of winning a whole Rook Black actually only has two Rooks and a dislocated King for a Queen and two useful Pawns.} 24. Qe2 {Going straight after the Black King. Deep Rybka says that White is already +2.63. Of course Black can always just simply play 23... Kxh7 and give his Queen up for Rook and Bishop, but shortage of time can scramble the logic circuits.} Qb6 $2 {"The best continuation was 24...Nxa1 25 Rxd8 Rbxd8 26 Qh5 Re5 27 Bf5+ Kg8 28 Qh7+ Kf8 29 a5 when White is winning as Black cannot cope with stopping the a-Pawn and defending his King." Deep Rybka doesn't disagree with the variation or the judgement, but it does improve with 27 Bd3! followed 28 Bc4 hemming the Knight in. 27...Nb3 is answered 28 Bc4 Nd4 29 Qh5+ Kg8 30 Qxf7+ Kh7/8 31 Qh5 mate. Another line that fails is 24...Bd4 25 Qh5 Qf6 26 Rxd4! cxd4 27 Bg5! taking control of e7 and threatening, if the Queen moves, 28 Bg6+ Kg8 29 Qh7+ Kf8 30 Qh8 mate. Black can give up the Queen for both Bishops but White is winning on material. Yet another poor line is 24...Nd4 - an abject retreat after the joy of move 22 - 25 Qh5 Re5 26 Bf5+ Kg8 27 Qh7+ Kf8 28 Bg4 and Deep Rybka gives White at about +2.5. At least Black has a position that looks partly sensible and he's only a Pawn down. However, one has to navigate lots of lines in time pressure while the King is under fire. A very difficult task. "The best continuation was 24...Nxa1 25 Rxd8 Rbxd8 26 Qh5 Re5 27 Bf5+ Kg8 28 Qh7+ Kf8 29 a5! when White is winning as Black cannot cope with stopping the a-Pawn and defending his King."} 25. Qh5 Bxa1 {There's a string of alternatives but none of them save Black. 1) 25...Nxa1 - this does nothing for the defence - 26.Bf5+ Kg8 27. Qh7+ Kf8 28.Qh8+ Ke7 29.Rd7 mate. This is a recurring pattern. 2) 25...g6?? - this is the fastest way down! - 26.Bxg6+ Kg7 or g8 27.Qh7+ Kf8 28.Qxf7 mate. 3) 25...Nd4 - that miserable retreat once again - 26.Bg6+ Kg8 27.Bxf7+ Kf8 28. Bxe8 Rxe8 29.a5 and Black is an Exchange, two Pawns and a position down. 4) 25...Qc7 - a sensible move but vulnerable to various tactics - 26.Bf5+ Kg8 27. Qh7+ Kf8 28.Bf4 Be5 (if 28...Qxf4 29.Qh8+ Ke7 30.Rd7 mate) 29.Qh8+ Ke7 30. Bg5+ Bf6 31.Qxg7 Bxg5 32.Qxg5+ .Kf8 (If 32...f6 33 Qg7 mate) 33.Qh6+ Kg8 34. Rd3 Nxa1 35.Rg3+ Qxg3 36.Bh7+ Kh8 37.Bg6+ Kg8 38.Qh7+ Kf8 39.Qxf7 mate. This is of course Deep Rybka showing off. I've also seen 25...Rb7 and 25...Qa7 amongst the engine's calculations, both met by 26 Rab1 and the variations being evaluated at +7, but I think we've seen enough to know that White has a tremendous game. Tim simply no longer had time to calculate anything.} 26. Bg6+ $1 {This accurate move rules out Black's ...g7-g6 stopping the mate on h8.} Kg8 27. Qh7+ {Ten moves ago the Queen was on QR7. What a journey!} Kf8 28. Rd7 { Now there is no preventing 29 Qh8 mate.} 1-0

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