1986-12-06 - Lamford, P ½-½ Burgess, Graham
An interesting Caro-Kann, Bronstein-Larsen variation that was trendy at the time. This is a good example of defence by active play. Graham,takes a few risks but is always able to hold the balance.
[Event "CAMBS V MIDDLESEX"] [Site "?"] [Date "1986.12.06"] [Round "?"] [White "Lamford, P"] [Black "Burgess, Graham"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B16"] [Annotator "Mordue,Tyson"] [PlyCount "80"] [EventDate "1986.??.??"] {Originally annotated by Graham Burgess (GKB) in BCT Issue 63, February 1987.} 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6 5. Nxf6+ gxf6 6. c3 Bf5 7. Nf3 Nd7 8. Bf4 {"8.g3 Qa5 9.Bg2 Qa6 10.Nh4 Bg6 is OK for Black e.g. 11 f4 f5!" GKB. I can't say that I like the conclusion of this line which seems better for White. Instead the game Popovic vs. Damljanovic, Yugoslav Championship, Novi Sad 1985 featured 10...Bd3 and then the wonderfully messy 11.b3 e6 12.c4 Ne5!? 13.f4 O-O-O!? 14.Be3 Bc5 15.fxe5 Bxd4 16.Bxd4 Rxd4 17.Qd2 fxe5 18.O-O-O Bxc4. White won in 36 moves.} Qb6 9. Bd3 {"9 b4 e5 10 Bg3 0-0-0 11 Be2 h5 12 0-0 was the famous game Karpov-Miles, Master Game Final, Bath 1983. Now 12...Bg4 13 Bh4 Bxf3 14 Bxf3 exd4 was unclear according to Miles. The text is Karpov's later attempt to improve." GKB. The Karpov-Miles game does not appear on the database although I can confirm it was real. I was in the audience! Also not appearing in the database are any games with either 9 b4, even though I've played it myself, or 9 Bd3 so I'll just have to go with what Deep Rybka says.} Bxd3 10. Qxd3 Qxb2 11. O-O {"11 Rb1 Qxa2 12 Rxb7 Qe6+! and Black can organise Kingside castling." GKB. Deep Rybka continues this line with 13 Be3 Rg8 14 0-0 Rxg2+ 15 Kxg2 Qg4+ 16 Kh1 Qf3+ 17 Kg1 Qg4+ with a draw by perpetual check. A taste of things to come methinks.} Qa3 $1 {Getting off the b-file before a Rook arrives and this is the best, most irritating (for White) square available, despite Deep Rybka preferring other moves.} 12. Rfb1 Nb6 13. Bc7 Bh6 {Choosing to return the Pawn and get castled is a sensible and practical approach.} 14. Bxb6 axb6 15. Rxb6 Ra7 16. Rab1 O-O 17. Rxb7 Qxa2 {"Thus far the same as Karpov-Miles, Oslo 1984 which continued 18 g3 e6 19 Kg2 and now Karpov gives 19...Rxb7 20 Rxb7 Qd5 as equal." GKB. This sounds like a case of a strong player trying to lure future opponents into a poor position. Every single White piece is better than it's counterpart - White can shift the Black Queen with c3-c4 - and he has the better Pawn structure. Deep Rybka says White is better by 0.75 here which is a significant plus.} 18. Rxa7 {"Hardly a bombshell, but an interesting new attempt. White's idea is to transfer his pieces to the Kingside and ot give his King some 'luft' only when forced to do so." GKB.} Qxa7 19. Qe4 Qd7 {"19...Rb8 was unappealing due to 20 Rxb8+ Qxb8 21 Qxe7 Qb1+ 22 Qe1 Qxe1+ 23 Nxe1 Bd2 24 Nf3 Bxc3 when White can torture Black in the endgame." GKB. We don't need an engine to tell us that a practical player will avoid this sort of thing.} 20. Qh4 Kg7 {"The meek 20...Bg7 looks safer, but if Black can get away with the text it must be preferable." GKB. Deep Rybka says there is little difference in evaluation between the two moves, but the practical difference is that the Bishop is more active. However, other than g5 the Bishop doesn't go anywhere.} 21. Re1 Ra8 {"White's back rank gives Black counterplay." GKB.} 22. h3 Qd6 23. Qg4+ Kh8 24. Qh5 Kg7 25. Qg4+ Kh8 26. Qh5 Kg7 27. g3 {White turns down the draw by repetition with 27 Qg4+. Black couldn't claim one last move because at the start of the sequence the White Queen was on h4.} e6 28. Re4 Qd5 29. Rg4+ Bg5 30. h4 {"The Bishop appears doomed, but White's Queen and Rook have deserted their King. Delay was inadvisable: 30 Kg2? Ra3 31 h4 Rxc3." GKB. Deep Rybka says this position is level but Black doesn't want to fall into 30...Qxf3?? 31 Rxg5+ losing his Queen.} Ra1+ 31. Kg2 Qb5 32. Nd2 {"32 Nh2 is the only real [winning] try: 32... Qd5+ 33 Kh3 Rg1! 34 Nf3 Kf8!! 35 Rxg5! (if 35 hxg5 Qxf3 wins) 35...fxg5 36 Nxg1 Qh1+ (if 36...g4+ 37 Kxg4 f5+ 38 Kg5) 37 Kg4 Qxg1 and the ending is drawn since neither King has much shelter and there are deciduous Pawns of both colours, but Black must play precisely e.g. 38 Qxg5 Qxf2 39 Qe5 Qc2!." GKB. An accurate piece of analysis according to Deep Rybka. The only thing worth adding is that right at the end 40 Qc5+ Kg7 41 Qxc6?? is met by 41...Qf5 mate.} Qd5+ 33. Ne4 Qb5 34. Nd2 Qd5+ 35. Ne4 Qb5 36. c4 {Again turning down a repetition and playing to win. Deep Rybka says there is no difference between in evaluation between 36...Qxc4 and the move Graham played. It looks like the latter gives Black more options.} Qb1 37. Rxg5+ fxg5 {"37...Kh8 forces White to take a perpetual check with 38 Qxh7+! Kxh7 39 Nf6+ Kh6 (if 39...Kh8 40 Rg8 mate) 40 Ng8+ Kh7 41 Nf6+ etc." GKB. According to Deep Rybka 37...Kf8 it's mate in eight moves after 38 Qh6+. The text also forces White to take a perpetual check.} 38. Qxg5+ Kf8 39. Qd8+ Kg7 40. Qf6+ Kg8 1/2-1/2
The games viewer used here was developed by
http://chesstempo.com
and is licensed under
CC BY 2.0.
