1985-04-05 - Mort, A 0-1 Burgess, Graham
Yet another spectacular Graham Burgess game. A Four Pawns King's Indian typically becomes a tense battle. In the time-scramble Graham shows far more resourcefulness that his opponent does.
[Event "NEWPORT OPEN"] [Date "1985.04.05"] [Round "2"] [White "Mort, A"] [Black "Burgess, Graham"] [Result "0-1"] [Annotator "Mordue,Tyson"] {Another great game by Graham in Gwent! Once again original notes by him marked GKB.} 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.e4 d6 4.d4 {"White's move order avoids the Grunfeld which I had absolutely no intention of playing." GKB. } 4...Bg7 5.f4 O-O 6.Nf3 c5 7.d5 e6 8.Be2 exd5 9.e5 {"Very sharp." GKB. A dangerous Pawn sacrifice that was in vogue at the time. Nowadays this is met by 9...Ne4 with a comfortable game for Black so it has gone out of fashion again.} 9...Ng4 10.cxd5 dxe5 11.fxe5 {"11 h3 is critical. 11...e4 12 hxg4 (or 12 Nxe4 Nf6) 12...exf3 13 gxf3 Re8 14 f5 b6 threatening ...Ba6." GKB. Probably the latest word in theory at the time that Graham wrote the notes. There are several alternatives at move 14 of which the most notable is Vaisser-Kasparov, Moscow 1981 won by the future World Champion in 41 moves.} 11...Nxe5 12.O-O Nbd7 13.Bf4 a6 {The text deviates from the only game with 13 Bf4 in the database. In Wolpert-Walther, Tel Aviv Olympiad 1964, Black played 13...Nxf3+ 14 Rxf3 Re8 14 Qf1 Bd4+ and won in 31 moves. Graham intends a Queenside Pawn advance because that is where his extra Pawn is. } 14.a4 Rb8 {A very confident move because it self-pins the e5 Knight. Deep Rybka recommended playing ...Ne5xf3+ on each of the last few moves. Graham obviously intends maintaining the Knight on e5 and expanding on the Queenside as hinted in the last note. } 15.Qd2 c4 {As the immediate 15...b5 is not protected enough times Graham cuts out the e2 Bishop's control of b5. This move is borrowed from similar positions in the Modern Benoni. } 16.d6 {The advance of the Pawn is dangerous but it does block the Bishop looking at the b8 Rook. } 16...b5 17.axb5 axb5 18.Nd5 b4? {"18...Nxf3+ and 19...Ne5 should have been considered here to free Black's congestion." GKB. Deep Rybka agrees and also points out the line 18...Nxf3 19 Bxf3 Ne5 20 Bxe5 Bxe5 21 Nc6 Qxd6! 22 Qxd6 Bxd6 23 Nxb8 Bxb8 with a small plus for Black who has two Pawns for the Exchange and a nice position. Possibly 18...Bb7 is more circumspect. The text is trying to take advantage of the tactic 19 Nxb4?? Qb6+. } 19.Nd4 {At first Deep Rybka said that 19 Nxe5 Nxe5 20 Ne7+ Kh8 21 Qd5 is also good for White. After 21...Bb7?? 22 Qxe5!! Bxe5 23 Bxe5+ f6 24 Rxf6 is apparently mate in 7! The mate is 24...Kg7 25 Rxg6+ Kf7 26 Rf1+ Ke8 27 Rxf8+ Kxf8 28 Rg8+ Kf7 29 Bc4+ Bd5 30 Bxd5 mate. Instead 21...Qb6+ 22 Kh1 Qb5 is fine for Black. } 19...Bb7 {Graham gives this an ? and comments "19...Nc5 is very interesting and gives Black plenty of counterplay. After the text White should be winning." Deep Rybka disagrees and says the text is the best move! After 19... Nc5? 20. Ne7+ Kh8 21. Ndc6 Nxc6 22. Nxc6 Qb6 23. Nxb8 Ne4+ (or 23... Nd3+ 24. Be3 or 23...Qxb8 24 d7) 24. Qe3 White comes out material up with a comfortable position. } 20.Bg5 Qe8 {Upon the immediate 20...Qc8?? 21 Ne7+ wins the Queen. } 21.Nc7 Qc8 22.Be7 {Deep Rybka looks at a number of moves here: 22 Bh6 Bxh6 23 Qxh6 with a tiny plus for White and 23 Qe3 with equality. Instead 22 Qxb4? Bxg2 loses an Exchange, while the text wins one but doesn't change the equality evaluation. If Black could choose any White piece for his Rook then the dark-squared Bishop would come top of the list. } 22...Nd3 {Given !? by Graham but confirmed by Deep Rybka as the best move. The evaluation is still close to equality. } 23.Ndb5 {Threatening 24 Na7 trapping the Black Queen. Black needs to create an escape square for Her Majesty. } 23...Bc6? {"If White had played Na7 at some point in the next few moves he would have had few problems."A true statement but the text is the move that gives Black problems by allowing a Na7 that swaps this fine Bishop. Instead either 23...Nd7-c5 or 23...Nd7-e5 gives the Black Queen the required space and supports the fine Knight on d3. } 24.Bxd3 cxd3 {The alternative is 24...Bxb5 25.Bxf8 Nxf8 26.Nxb5 Rxb5 27.Be2 also leaving White with an advantage of 0.52 according to Deep Rybka. This means that Black has compensation for his missing Exchange but the position is very unbalanced. } 25.Bxf8 Nxf8 26.Qf2? {"26 Na7 was still winning. White tries for tactics around the Black King, but it turns out that Black has many more tactical shots." GKB. As indicated previously Na7 was necessary to swap the c6 Bishop. Deep Rybka suggests 26. Na7 Qb7 27. Nxc6 Qxc6 28. Qxd3 Bxb2 29. Ra6 Qd7 (or 29... Qc3 30. Qd5) 30. Nd5 when White has a clear advantage. It's not clear what Mort missed but it does seem careless to leave Black with two Bishops, momentarily at least, in a position that is now wide open.} 26...Bxb5 27.Qxf7+ Kh8 28.Nxb5 Rxb5 29.Ra7 Bd4+ 30.Kh1 Rf5!! {"Taking the Rook gives White a perpetual [check on f6 and f7]. Both players have been in time trouble for a few moves." GKB. } 31.Rxf5 gxf5 {Deep Rybka says that this is the stronger recapture but I prefer 31...Qxf5. After 32.Qxf5 gxf5 33.Ra1 (if 33.d7 d2 34 Ra1 Nxd7 is easy) 33...Nd7 34.Rd1 Kg7 35.Rxd3 (if 35.b3 Nc5 36.d7 Bf6 and the d7 Pawn will fall to the Black King) 35...Bxb2 and Black is winning. Graham obviously believes in the strength of his passed Pawn and he threatens the immediate 32...Qc1+. } 32.Rc7? {This goes down quickly as it effectively loses a whole tempo. Instead 32.Ra1 d2 33.Rd1 Bxb2 (not 33...Qc1?? 34 Qxf8 mate.) 34.Qc7 Qa8 35.Qe7 (if 35 d7 Qa4 forks d1 and d7 with great effect.) 35...Bg7 36.d7 Qa4 37.Qe2 Qxd7 38.Rxd2 as given by Deep Rybka is a steady loss for White. } 32...d2! {First Graham can leave his Queen en prise.} 33.Qh5 {Upon 33 Qb3 Black has the smart 33...Qe6! as well as the prosaic 33...Qe8.} 33...Qe8!! {And now he can put it en prise! This is a nice double with the other line. 33...Qe6 is also good but this is prettier. Mort goes for his last swindle but it is easily side-stepped. } 34.Rxh7+ Kg8! 35.Qg5+ Kxh7 {"One of the most beautiful finishes I have ever played." GKB. } 0-1
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