The Goal Line Push

Submitted by GM vbhat on Tue, 11/17/2009 at 8:30pm.

Going into the last round of the SPICE Cup in Texas, I was tied for 2nd place with GM Eugene Perelshteyn and IM Ray Robson with 5.0/8. IM Ben Finegold was leading with 6.0/8, and was playing Eugene in the last round. Ray had black against FM Daniel Rensch, while I had the black pieces against IM Dean Ippolito. Thus, a four-way tie for first was not unimaginable. But first, I would have to win my game.

Question 1: What would you play as Black here, after 16.Qb3?

Question 2: What would you play as Black here, after 21.Qe5?

Question 3: What would you play as Black here, after 29.Rc2?

And here's the entire game in one viewer:

This win, coupled with Eugene's win over Finegold, brought about a 3-way tie for first with 6/9. Finegold got his final GM norm. Ray had a chance for his final GM norm as well, but his draw with Rensch ended that dream in this event (he made it soon afterwards). That draw, though, did give Danny his final IM norm!

» posted in Strategy

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Comments:

by GM vbhat - 2 years ago
Richmond, CA United States

Member Since: Jan 2009
Member Points: 233

Thanks for the comments.

@wdygml - Con09 has it right. With b5/...a5 inserted before Rac1, White can play Ra8 at the end of the variation and win the a5-pawn. However, if he starts with 24.Rac1, then after 24...Rxc1 25.Rxc1 Rxf4 26.Rc7 Rf7 27.Rc8+ Kg7 (27...Rf8 28.Rc7 doesn't really help Black), he doesn't have a weak pawn to attack. If now 28.b5, Black won't play 28...a5 (allowing 29.Ra8), but he'll play 28...axb5, and if 29.Bxb5 then 29...Nd6 is good.

@QueensRight - Well, exchanging queens wasn't a great option for him, but he was short on good ideas. The e3-pawn was under attack and the only way to save it was with Qd4 or with 22.Rf3 (but then, as in the note, 22...Rc3 forces Qd4 anyways). Exchanging queens made sense since Black's advantages are all essentially static ones - they're not going to go away. Taking the queens off, then, makes them stand out a little more since White will have less tactical ideas. And I didn't see the knight finish until he played 35.Bd1.

@gxtmf1 - You're right that ...c6-c5 is a tempo loss there, but the idea is that White's queen is misplaced on c2. With Black's knight ready to go to c6, the queen will be exposed to ...Nb4 threats as well as ...Bf5 threats after the exchanges on d5. It's not a normal idea in 1.d4 d5 positions to spend a couple moves to play ...c5 like that, but in this specific instance, it makes some sense.

by gxtmf1 - 2 years ago
Mundelein United States

Member Since: Sep 2008
Member Points: 1309

Very well played! I have a small question about the opening, mostly because I usually don't fare well as Black after 1. d4 ...d5. Your 6th. move was c6-c5, which seemed like a waste of tempo, but was very important in the position. What made you decide on this move?

by tanmay_chakrabarti - 2 years ago
Uttarpara India

Member Since: Jul 2007
Member Points: 2093

End game is Interesting one.

by Cavalierlibre - 2 years ago
Ariana Tunisia

Member Since: Aug 2007
Member Points: 655

Nice and strong game! the end is dramatic for White

by SaintPedronik - 2 years ago
United States

Member Since: Sep 2009
Member Points: 120

Congrats on first in the tournament! Very solid game your played there!

by thegreensamurai - 2 years ago
Durango United States

Member Since: Jun 2008
Member Points: 4

Very Sharp

I like the Loyalty of the Knight

by xpsmiley - 2 years ago
Canada

Member Since: Oct 2008
Member Points: 11

Wonderful Finish. Great Game.

by sumehrain - 2 years ago
Philippines Philippines

Member Since: Mar 2008
Member Points: 48

I love the finish. Awesome.

by thegesvijg - 2 years ago
chennai India

Member Since: Aug 2009
Member Points: 3

Nice game...!!!

by chalaco - 2 years ago
Callao Peru

Member Since: Mar 2009
Member Points: 123

Buena partida !!!

by Gerik - 2 years ago
Camping in the United States

Member Since: Mar 2009
Member Points: 777

extremely nice game. congratulations.

by Con09 - 2 years ago
United States

Member Since: Nov 2009
Member Points: 10

wdygml - read the note to 24. Rac1. Essentially, after black has played a5 in response to white's b5, white can play Ra8 to target the weak a-pawn. This is contrasted with the position where the black a-pawn is still protected on a6.

by wdygml - 2 years ago
Delhi India

Member Since: Oct 2007
Member Points: 788

your comment on move 24. b5 was a little confusing for me , can you explain please?

by Evasan - 2 years ago
Johannesburg South Africa

Member Since: Jun 2009
Member Points: 211

congrats on your tournament position. I wish I had the analysis capability and depth as a GM!

by Jpatrick - 2 years ago
Pennsylvania United States

Member Since: Jul 2008
Member Points: 1233

This game required incredible judgment and at times remarkable accuracy. There were several points in the early middle game where one slip by Black and White's pair of Bishops would reverse the fortunes.