1987-03-08 - Burgess, Graham 1-0 Hazelton, M
In a QGD, Chigorin variation Black makes a poor choice at move 4. Graham ends up well ahead in development and a denouement is not long in coming. Some amusing lines in the notes.
[Event "VARSITY FRESHERS MATCH"] [Site "?"] [Date "1987.03.08"] [Round "?"] [White "Burgess, Graham"] [Black "Hazelton, M"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D07"] [Annotator "Mordue,Tyson"] [PlyCount "35"] [EventDate "1987.??.??"] {Original notes by Graham Burgess (GKB) in BCT Issue 65, May 1987.} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 dxc4 4. Nf3 Bg4 $2 {"After this Black is already in deep trouble. Hazelton is an expert on the Chigorin so I have no idea why he played this." GKB. This appears to be a major line of the Chigorin, having been played in 148 games on the database. However, the stats are shocking, particulaly after 5 d5. White has 82% wins! I can only echo Graham's thoughts and wonder why an expert would play such a line.} 5. d5 {Deep Rybka already has White at about +1.2, which is not bad after a mere five moves!} Bxf3 6. exf3 {Now Deep Rybka has White with a plus of 1.42, while the database stats aren't far off 100% for White here. Really not a recommendation for this line. Black is playing a sort of Alekhine's on opposite wings having ceded the Bishop pair as well.} Ne5 7. Bf4 Ng6 {"7...Nd3+ 8.Bxd3 cxd3 9.Qxd3 is awkward for Black." GKB.} 8. Bxc4 { 21 games on the database with this position, and White has a 100% score. Being a statistician myself I know how they can be misinterpreted, but not in this case. One doesn't even have to know the theory here as some of the choices are easy with a little tactical calculation. This is a case in point.} Nf6 { "Black's problems are now clear. 8...Nxf4 9 Bb5+ c6 10 dxc6 wins outright, and [meanwhile] Black has no useful developing moves at his disposal." GKB. The neat finish at the end of this line is 10...Qxd1+ 11 Rxd1 b6 12 c7 mate. However, I can assure the reader that Graham has won quicker games. You can find Burgess James, Newport 1985, in the Versus section of Publications on this website.} 9. Bg3 {"Now the engine says White is +2. What is Black's next move?} a6 {Obviously played to stop 10 Bb5+. Deep Rybka did consider 9...Qc8 before realising it failed to 10 Nb5 now that Black can't play 10...Rc8. We are still in theory because 14 other unfortunates also chose this move.} 10. O-O c6 11. Re1 {A simple move that emphasises White's plus. Deep Rybka now suggests 11...h5 for Black. Clearly it wants to be back home in bed away from this nightmare.} b5 {Deep Rybka's first choice after some thought, yet White's plus goes up to 2.38. That's nearly the value of a piece! The text reminds me of the Morphy-Allies game from the opera-box. In this case White can't sac on b5. However, the Allies didn't make it to move 20 and neither does Hazelton! } 12. Bb3 Qb6 {Some suggested alternatives from Graham. "A) 12...c5 13.d6 c4 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.Qxd5 cxb3 16.Qc6+, or B) 12...b4 13.dxc6 bxc3 14.Ba4, or C) 12...cxd5 13.Nxd5 Nxd5 14.Bxd5 Rc8 15.Qb3 e6 16.Bxe6 fxe6 17.Qxe6+ Be7 18.Rad1 [wins the Queen because it's tied to the defence of the Rook. TM]." GKB. In A) Black can play 15...Ra7 but after 16 Bc2 Deep Rybka's plus for White has gone to over 3. No surprise there. In B) After 14...Qxd1+ 15 Raxd1 e6 16 c7+ Nd7 (16...Ke7 17 Bd6 mate) 17 Rxd7 White is having a field day. 17...Bb4 18 bxc3 Ba3 (18...Bxc3 19 Rd8++ Ke7 20 Bd6 mate again.) 19 c8=Q+! Rxc8 20 Rc7+ Kf8 (if 20...Kd8 21 Rd1+) 21 Rxc8+ and White has won a Rook. Alternatively 14...Qd2 15 c7+ Nd7 16 bxc3 Qxd1 17 Raxd1 f6 18 Bxd7+ also wins a Rook. Then Deep Rybka points out 18...Kf7 19 Be6+! Ke8 20 Rb1 mates, while I had 18...Kf7 19 Be6+! Ke8 20 Rd8+ Rxd8 21 cxd8=Q+ Kxd8 22 Rd1+ Ke8 23 Bc7 and 24 Rd8 mate. Note the effect of the g3 Bishop in many of these lines. White has five long-range pieces working in these lines to great effect, and this Bishop is doing as much as any of them.} 13. dxc6 e6 {"13...Qxc6 14.Bd5 Nxd5 15.Nxd5 Rc8 16.Qd2 or 13...Rd8 14.c7." GKB. Deep Rybka suggests, and I wholeheartedly agree, that after 13...Qxc6 14.Bd5 Nxd5 15.Nxd5 Rc8 16.Qd2 Black should play 16...Rd8 17 Rad1 - still with the threat of 18 Nc7+ - and then simply cede the Exchange with 17...Rxd5 18 Qxd5 Qxd5 19 Rxd5 e6 and I can't see an immediate way for a White Rook to get to the Black Queenside Pawns. Nevertheless the material deficit should tell in due course. However, White has no need to let Black off so lightly. Instead first 14 Rc1 intending 15 Nd5 is much stronger. If 14...Rd8 15 Bxf7+ picks up an Exchange and a Pawn immediately, while 14... Rc8 is met by 15 Nxb5! Qxc1 16 Nd6+ Kd7 (If 16...Kd8 17 Nb7++ Ke8 18 Ba4+ and mate in two.) 17 Ba4+ wins the Queen. In the other line the engine spots a trick, and then misses one! After 13...Rd8 14.c7 Rc8 15 Nd5 Qb7 (15...Nxd5 16 Qxd5 and 17 Rad1 is too strong, about +15.97 according to Deep Rybka!) 16 Nxf6+ gxf6 17 Qd8+! Rxd8 18 Bxf7+ Kxf7, and now the engine plays the prosaic 19 cxd8=Q instead of the lovely 19 cxd8=N+! emerging into an endgame with an extra Rook.} 14. Nd5 Nxd5 15. Qxd5 {The desparity between the different sides development could hardly be greater. Now Black develops another piece which immediately allows a quick finish and, ironically, his developed Rook becomes part of a mating net!} Rd8 16. Rxe6+ fxe6 {Any interposition is met by 17 Rxe7+ and 18 Qxf7 mate, the g3 Bishop doing a good job again.} 17. Qxe6+ Be7 18. Qf7# 1-0
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