(1) Khojandi,Aryan (2064) - Brownell,Landon (2246) [C18]
Game of the Month: April National HS Championship (6)
20.04.2008 [Brownell,L]
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In a very busy month of April, choosing the Game of the Month was a little difficult. ACE held a Master Trek, Pre-Trek, and Valley Challenge, while the Junior High Nationals, High School Nationals, and Arizona State Championship all had great candidate games as well. Although I was unable to make the journey north to Flagstaff, I did review my students games and hear good things about the event that make me look forward to States next year here in the Valley.
So who did win this month's award? Well, during this extremely busy month for scholastic chess there was one result that stood above the rest head and shoulders: Catalina Foothills winning their second of back-to-back National Championships in Atlanta, Georgia. A full description from the "ACE Perspective" can be found in the Newsletter "Desert Dynasty" on the main page. With that in mind, I asked Coach Robby Adamson to suggest one of the more critical games that helped his team on their way to victory. He chose a game between his top board, Landon Brownell, and one of the top seeds from their cheif rival during the tournament, Thomas Jefferson High. Here it is...
(Note that Mr. Brownell's analysis is in Italics.)
1.e4
e6
2.d4
d5
3.Nc3
Bb4
4.e5
c5
5.a3
Bxc3+
6.bxc3
Ne7
7.Qg4
7...Kf8
I've done quite well with this line in the past, although I hadn't played it for a long time.
The "practical value of surprise" with a variation like 7...Kf8 is enough to make up for some of its slightly "questionable" lines. Not to give the impression that this line is losing for Black (theoretically this line has yet to run into a clear-cut route to an advantage for White) but with that being said, the risk of a move like this is that against a prepared opponent, Black will find himself with the permanantly akward king position and uncoordinated development. Most White players under 2200 would likely make the mistake of trying to get "too much" against Black's king; however, an experienced Master would focus on handling the positional issues on the queenside, allowing the position to open up naturally, and lastly, let Black's akwardness on the kingside expose itself over time.
[The more popular move
7...Qc7
leads to the extremely sharp variations known as the "Poisoned Pawn". The main line continues
8.Qxg7
Rg8
9.Qxh7
cxd4
10.Ne2
Nbc6
11.f4
Bd7
12.Qd3
dxc3
where White's choices begin to branch off with either 13.h3, 13.Qxc3, 13.Nxc3 and others.; and another "Main Line" continuation is
7...0-0
8.Bd3
f5
(8...Nbc6
is also interesting.
) 9.exf6
Rxf6
10.Bg5
Rf7
11.Qh5
g6
12.Qd1
Nbc6
13.Nf3
with slightly better chances to white.]
8.Nf3
This move is the most popular because it is the most natural and easy move to make. However, I find that 8.Bd2 may be the most accurate. White immediately prepares for the coming threat of Qa5. 8.Ph4 and 8.Pa4 are also interesting.
[
8.Bd2
may be the most accurate, but as I mentioned above there is still no "exact science" to handling the interesting 7...Kf8 Variation.]
8...Nbc6?
As I said, I hadn't played it for a long time. 8...Qa5-a4 is the correct move order.
Landon is right. Generally, the pressure Black's queen exerts on the c2-pawn as well as the d4-pawn is critical to this variation's success.
[
8...Qa5
9.Bd2
Qa4
is main line.]
9.a4
Qa5
10.Bd2
Now I realized my problem. With the knight on c6 and the queen on a5, the only way to get any play is to trade off the light-squared bishops. Oh wait, now my queen's trapped.
The queen is not exactly trapped, but the idea of Pc4 with the discovery on the queen and liquidating the queenside pawns might favor White.
10...b6?!
[
10...Qc7
is a move that seems to be a waste of time, but in hindsight, it might have been better than trapping the queen with b6.]
11.Bd3
11.Bb5 is stronger. I probably have to play c4 there, but locking up the center would completely crush any chances I might have on the queenside. [
11.Bb5!
11...c4
(11...Ba6
12.c4
Nb4
13.0-0!
leaving black with a very badly jumbled queenside. White will most likely be winning material shortly.
13...dxc4
14.dxc5
bxc5
(14...Bxb5
15.axb5
Qxb5
16.Nd4
Qxc5
17.Nxe6+!
fxe6
18.Qf3++-
) 15.Qxc4
Bxb5
16.axb5
Qb6
17.Bxb4
cxb4
18.Qxb4+-
) 12.Bxc6
(12.Qf4
Nd8!
followed by a6 trapping the bishop at some point. Note that this is a common trick to watch for when White places the bishop outside the pawn chain on b5.
) 12...Nxc6
13.0-0
where white can follow with ideas of Qh5 and Ng5. Note that on h6, the right idea is probably Nh4, f4-f5. As Landon mentioned eariler, Black made a critical mistake when he allowed the queenside to become so closed.
(13.Qh5!?
) ]
11...Ba6
12.c4
12...Nb4
Aryan started thinking really hard here, and I suddenly realized that I had a lone knight defending my king against his queen, knight, and two bishops. Fortunately, he spent over half an hour before deciding to attack me, and left himself with about 45 minutes for the rest of the game.
I believe that this is a great moment to pause and take notice of Landon's excellent point about Aryan's time management. Enough can never be said about the importance of staying out of time pressue, especially in Sudden Death time controls like this one (Game in 120 minutes). From what I have seen, Landon has always possesed great "practical skill", as I call it, in this area. What players fail to realize is that unless you are really delivering a "knock out", It doesn't always matter if you are able to find an "extremely accurate" move, especially if it means that you will now be under time pressure for the rest of the game.
This moment in the game is a perfect example. Not only was 13.0-0 a great move (you may agree that it was probably the best, after you look at my analysis) it was also a move that could be played in roughly 2 minutes. All that it would take for White to play a move that simple, is to calculate a "Blunder Check", then remind himself that Black's situation on the kingside is not getting any better, and finally just castle.
Furthermore, you will notice that once White committs to this overly aggressive move (13.Ng5 and then 14. Nxh7) he is getting involved in a storm with no end, so why not get the king out of the center first. Even 14.0-0 (as you can see below) would have been satisfactory.
13.Ng5?!
[
13.0-0
was the right thing to do. See analysis...
13...h5
(13...Bxc4?
is a bad move. As the variations below will show, Black is in quite a bind when he can't even open the center without helping White's attacking chances. The basic problem being that open files will allow White to infiltrate via the d-file.
14.Bxc4
h5
15.Qf4
dxc4
16.Ng5
Nf5
17.Qe4!
Rd8
(17...Re8
18.d5!+/-
) 18.Qb7
Ne7
19.dxc5
Qxc5
(19...bxc5
20.Rfd1!
where once again we see White taking advantage of Black's lack of communication between the rooks. Often times, this is the most under-rated aspect of a king in the center.
20...g6
21.Ne4
Qb6
22.Qxb6
axb6
23.Bh6+
Rxh6
24.Rxd8+
Kg7
25.c3+-
) 20.Bxb4
Qxb4
21.Rad1
Re8
22.Qf3
Nf5
23.Rd7
Kg8
(23...Re7
24.Qa8+
Re8
25.Rxf7+
Kg8
26.Qxe8+
Qf8
27.Qxf8#
) 24.Nxf7
Rh7
25.Ng5
Rh8
26.Rfd1+-
)
14.Qf4
Kg8
15.Ng5
Rf8
16.Rfb1
dxc4
17.Be4
Ned5
18.Qf3
c3
19.Bxc3
cxd4
(19...Nxc3
20.Qxc3
Rh6
21.dxc5
bxc5
22.Rd1+/-
) 20.Bxd4+/-
]
13...Kg8
I felt so proud of finding this defense. Unfortunately, if White just keeps the pressure with 14.0-0, black can't really unwind.
It is ok for Landon to be proud of this move, as it is an accurate find; however, he is right that if White were to castle, Black's situation would have remained a tough one. We might ask why it seems that every line is suggesting improvements for White, but the answer to that is clear: Black seriously misplayed an already sharp opening. Misplaying a sharp line with your king in the center and your queen nearly trapped, is much different than misplaying a very closed position with little attacking chances for either player (a more positional game for example). Honestly, once Black lost the opportunity for Qa4, and then created the akward situation with Pb6, he was setting himself up for a very tight middlegame. With all that being said, his opponent has not done anything impressive yet either, and when the critical moment arrives, if White doesn't continue with care, Landon will bust open the queenside and it will seem as if he planned it the whole time!
14.Nxh7?
[
14.0-0+/-
Bxc4
(14...cxd4
15.Nxe6
fxe6
16.Qxe6+
Kf8
17.Rab1+-
; 14...dxc4
15.Bxh7+
Rxh7
16.Qe4!+-
) 15.Nxe6
fxe6
16.Qxe6+
Kf8
17.Bg5
Nbc6
18.Bxc4
dxc4
19.d5+-
;
14.Nxe6
fxe6
15.Qxe6+
Kf8
16.0-0|^
was also interesting. Notice that this sacrifice is made possible by Black's terrible coordination on the queenside.]
14...Bxc4
Was indeed the best move.
[
14...Rxh7
15.Bxh7+
Kxh7
16.Qh4++/=
Kg8
17.Qxe7
dxc4
was White's main idea. Although it is ironic that I don't even find this position to be that clear. If White is to castle, Black wins the exchange back with Pc3.]
15.Nf6+
Kf8
White has a draw here with Nh7+, but I guessed that he would be too disgusted with blowing a won positiion to take it. Fortunately, I was right, as a draw would've been a serious blow to our team's winning chances.
Landon is exactly right about his opponent's state of mind, although White should have taken the draw...
16.Nh5?!
[
16.Nh7+
Kg8
17.Nf6+
Kf8
18.Nh7+=
;
16.dxc5
bxc5
17.Bxc4
dxc4
and with the knight hanging on f6, we see White begin to have just as many problems as Black.]
16...g6
[Unfortunatelly, Landon missed the nice shot
16...Rxh5!
17.Qxh5
Bxd3
18.cxd3
(18.Qh8+
Ng8
19.cxd3
Nxd3+
20.Kd1
Qa6-/+
) 18...Nxd3+
19.Ke2
Qa6-/+
and Black has great attacking chances.]
17.Bxc4
[
17.Nf4
would have kept the position relatively unclear after
17...Bxd3
18.cxd3
Qa6~~
]
17...dxc4
[
17...Rxh5!?
seems to leave Black with a nice position as the coming ...Nxc2 with check will make White regret not castling.]
18.Qe4
18...Rd8
19.Nf6
Kg7
This was a good move that showed the patience his opponent lacked earlier in the game. Take the time to give the king safety!
[
19...Rxd4
20.Qa8+
Kg7
21.Bh6+!
Rxh6
(21...Kxh6
22.Qxh8+
Kg5
23.0-0+-
looked a little too scary.) 22.Ne8+
Kh7
23.Nf6+
Kg7=
]
20.c3
Nd3+
21.Ke2
Qa6
22.Bg5
22...cxd4
Although the position may still seem unclear and crazy, Black is really only a few steps away from winning. White's king will now become the center of attention. As foreshadowed earlier in my notes, White rushed the attack, got nothing, and then found that his king was the one under fire...
23.Ng4
Nd5
24.Qf3
[
24.Bf6+
Nxf6
25.exf6+
Kg8
26.cxd4
Rh5!
heading to d5 to attack the pawn.
27.Ne3
Ra5
and Black will break through.]
24...Rc8
25.cxd4
[
25.Bf6+
Nxf6
26.Qxf6+
(26.exf6+
Kg8-/+
) 26...Kg8
27.cxd4
c3-/+
with a good attack.]
25...N3b4
The march of the c-pawn is practically unstoppable. We both have about 5 minutes at this point.
26.Bf6+
Nxf6
[
26...Kf8
27.Bxh8
c3+
28.Kd1
c2+
29.Kd2
Rc3
30.Qxc3
Nxc3
31.Kxc3
Qd3+
32.Kb2
Qxd4+-+
]
27.Qxf6+
Kg8
28.Ne3
c3+
29.Kf3
c2
30.h4
[
30.Rhc1
Qd3
31.Qf4
Rh5-+
32.g3
Rf5
winning.]
30...Qd3
31.g4
Nd5
32.Qg5
Nc3
33.Rae1
Qe4+
34.Kg3
34...Qxh1
c1=Q would've won too, but I've always been a sucker for cute moves. While this was certainly not my best game of the tournament, it was definitely the most epic. Aryan had 2 seconds left when he resigned about 15 moves later. [
34...Qxh1
35.Rxh1
Ne4+
36.Kg2
Nxg5-+
]
0-1
