1988-02-27 - Burgess, Graham 0-1 Hodgson, J
Another Graham Burgess against the Benko. This time it's Julian Hodgson on the receiving end and once again Graham gets an advantage out of the opening. A flippant move costs him most of his advantage and he settles for a draw by repetition. However, the future GM and British Champion has other ideas.
[Event "ARC YOUNG MASTERS"] [Site "?"] [Date "1988.02.27"] [Round "4"] [White "Burgess, Graham"] [Black "Hodgson, J"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A57"] [Annotator "Mordue,Tyson"] [PlyCount "68"] {Originally annotated by Graham Burgess (GKB) in BCT issue 71, May 1988. This was played two rounds after Graham's loss to John Fedorowicz at the same event. The game can also be found on this webpage. Graham had a very strong position against Fedorowicz out of the opening so "Undaunted, I decided to try the same thing on Julian Hodgson." Hodgson was to gain the GM title later that year.} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. Nc3 axb5 6. e4 b4 7. Nb5 d6 8. Bc4 g6 $6 {"This instantly leaves Black on the edge of an abyss. Neither of these illustrious players [including Fedorowicz - see note prior to move 1. TM. ] seemed at all impressed by 8...Nbd7." GKB.} 9. e5 $1 dxe5 10. d6 Na6 $5 { "After 10...exd6 11 Bg5 Black may well disappear into the afore-mentioned abyss, e.g. 11...Na6? 12 Qf3 Bf5 13 Qb7 brings the house down, while on 11... Ra5 12 Nf3 (threat 13 Nxe5) looks best, rather than 12 Qb3 as in Burgess-Beaumont, Bristol League Congress {also on this webpage. TM)." GKB. 10...Na6 is the only major alternative on the databse to 10...exd6 11 Bg5. However, after 11...Ra5 White's percentage score isn't that great, despite what Graham's games have done for the line!} 11. Qb3 {The obvous try. Both 11 Bg5 and Nf3 feature on the database with 2/4 and 4/4(!) respectively, with some seriously bad defending in most games!} exd6 $5 {"This made me think! The fantastic game Labarthe-Baudry, Clichy Open 1986-7 went 12 Bg5 Bg7 13 Nf3 h6 14 d7+ Bxd7 15 Nd6+ Ke7 16 Nxf7! Kxf7 17 Nxe5+ Ke8 18 Qd3! Kf8 19 Bxf6 Bxf6 20 Nxd7+ Ke7 21 O-O-O Bd4 22 Nxc5! Bxc5 23 Qxg6 Qg8 24 Qe4 Qc8 25 Rhe1 Nc7 26 Qe5 Nd5 27 Qxd5 1-0." GKB. Later Graham in his Kingpin column said that the above " was the game that started it all [the Nescafe-Frappe Attack - TM] ; screams out for at least ten Oscars:" Impressive stuff by White but Black folds under heavy pressure. The text move is not in the database and does rather look like a red rag to a bull!} 12. Bxf7+ Ke7 13. Bg5 Rb8 {"White was threatening 14 Rd1 and 14 Qf3." GKB.} 14. Na7 {"Forced since 14...Bd7 15 Nc6+ Bxc6 16 Qe6 is mate." GKB. It turns out that 14...Qd7 is a more accurate move. After 15.Nxc8+ Rxc8 16.Nf3 Nc7 17.Rd1 Bg7 18.0-0 (but not 18.Nxe5, presumbably the reason why Hodgson turned down putting the Queen on d7, because of 18...Qf5 19.Nf3 Ne6 20.Bxe6 Qxe6+ 21.Qxe6+ Kxe6 when although White has recovered his Pawn Black has a slightly better endgame.) 18...Qf5 19 Rfe1 White still has pressure for his gambit Pawn.} Qc7 {"Forced since 14...Bd7 15 Nc6+ Bxc6 16 Qe6 is mate." GKB. It turns out that 14...Qd7 is a more accurate move. After 15.Nxc8+ Rxc8 16.Nf3 Nc7 17.Rd1 Bg7 18.0-0 (but not 18. Nxe5, presumbably the reason why Hodgson turned down putting the Queen on d7, because of 18...Qf5 19.Nf3 Ne6 20.Bxe6 Qxe6+ 21.Qxe6+ Kxe6 when although White has recovered his Pawn Black has a slightly better endgame.) 18...Qf5 19 Rfe1 White still has pressure for his gambit Pawn.} 15. Bg8 $5 {"Jules gave this a long hard stare! Its aim needs no explanation." GKB. There's nothing wrong with the obvious 15.Nxc8+ Qxc8 16.f4 e4 (if 16...c4 17.Bxc4 unlike the game keeps the Queens on with a plus.) 17.Ne2 Bg7 18.0-0 Rf8 19.Bd5 and once again White regains the Pawn with an advantage.} c4 {"The alternative was 15...Rxg8 16 Qxg8 Be6 17 Qxh7+ Bf7 18 Qh8 Qxa7. In a lively post-mortem Fedorowicz was successful with 19 Qxf6+ Ke8 20 Qh8, but I think 19 Nf3 is best since this cuts out Hodgson's main idea ...Na6-c7-e6-d4 (if 19...Nc7 20 Qxf6+ Ke8 21 Nxe5 dxe5 22 Qc6 mate)." GKB. In this comment Graham's analysis and judgement is essentially correct. Deep Rybka says there is little difference between 19 Qxf6+ and 19 Nf3 but has a small preference for the latter. The engine's main contention is that instead of 16...Be6 it prefers 16...Bf5 so that after 17 Qxh7+ it replies 17...Ke6! claiming that after 18 Qxc7 Nxc7 Black is better in the ending despite being an Exchange down. This is analoguous to the game except Black isn't material down. However, I think that the text shows up 15 Bg8 to be a simple loss of tempo and proves 15 Nxc8+ should have been preferred.} 16. Qxc4 {"16 Qf3 Bf5 17 Nc6+ gives Black too much compensation for the Exchange." GKB. Right conclusion but the wrong line. After 16.Qf3 Bf5 17.Nc6+ Deep Rybka chooses 17...Ke8 18.Nxb8 Nxb8 19.Bxc4 Qxc4 20.Bxf6 Rg8, and now 21.Qb3! forcing the swap of Queens takes the edge out of Black's play and just leaves him material down. However, instead the engine offers, after 16 Qf3, 16...Rxg8 17.Nc6+ Ke8 18.Nxb8 Nxb8 19.Bxf6 Bh6 and now Black really does have a lot of compensation for the Exchange.} Qxc4 17. Bxc4 Bd7 18. Bxa6 Ra8 19. Be3 Nd5 {"The last few moves have all been forced, but now I chickened out (with what I thought was a draw by repetition) of the critical line 20 Bb7 Nxe3 21 Bxa8 Nc2+ when White still has good chances." GKB. Deep Rybka says that it's equal but both sides have reasons to play on. I fancy Black because of the two Bishops in an open position.} 20. Bg5+ Nf6 21. Be3 {"Offering [a] draw. The reply - 'You should try to beat me! Don't you want to tell your friends at school that you've beaten Julian Hodgson?!' "} Nd5 22. Bg5+ $2 Ke6 $1 {"The pin, it turns out, is harmess and Black is left powerfully centralised." GKB.} 23. Bc4 Rxa7 24. Rd1 Bc6 25. Nf3 Ra5 26. Bd8 $6 {Simpler was 26 Bd2 when Deep Rybka calls it dead level. The text loses a tempo or so.} Rc5 27. b3 Bh6 {Deep Rybka suggests 27...Kd7 28 Bg5 Nc3 29 Rd2 Bg7 with Black showing a lot of useful activity, or 27...Kd7 28.Ng5 Kxd8 29.Ne6+ (29.Nf7+ Ke7 30.Nxh8 Nf4 is just bad for White) 29...Ke7 30.Nxc5 Nc3 31.Nd3 Nxd1 32.Kxd1 Bxg2 and Black is winning a Pawn.} 28. Bg5 {A better try is 28.Ng5+ Bxg5 29. Bxg5 Ra8 30.Be3 Rxc4 31.bxc4 Nxe3 32.fxe3 Rxa2 33.Rd2 Ra1+ 34.Rd1 Ra3 35.0-0 (!) b3 36.Rf2 Be4 when Black is doing very well. White's even later castling than in the game is a nice feature though.} Bxg5 29. Nxg5+ Ke7 {And now Black has a lot of active options while White has ... yet to complete development! The engine has Black at +1.25 or so.} 30. O-O Nf4 31. Nf7 {This stray horse gets cut off at the pass but what else could White do?} Rxc4 32. Nxh8 { Definitely the wrong Rook to take but even after 32 bxc4 Kxf7 33 Rxd6 Bxg2 White is losing.} Rc2 33. h3 Bxg2 34. Rfe1 Bf3 {Now 35 Rd4 Nxh3+ 35 Kh2 Nxf2 36 Kg3 may force Black to find 36...Ba8 37 Rc4 Rxa2 but worth playing on. Graham chose to resign, probably because he had little time left.} 0-1
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