Before the tournament I was telling my teammates that it would probably be the last tournament I would play in a while – after all, there are more important things in life than chess - but they said they would not allow me to if we would win the event. Unlikely as that seemed, it was worth a good laugh. To our own amazement, we kept winning. Like against Casella's very strong team, Lords of the Boards.
1.e4
c5
2.Nf3
e6
3.d4
cxd4
4.Nxd4
a6
The Kan is one of my favorite openings, because it is positionally sound and very flexible. Unlike in the Taimanov, the b8 knight can go to either c6 or d7. Although slow, it is by no means passive. Often, as soon as White attacks, he faces a ferocious counterattack. Or, as this game shows, Black may start attacking himself.
5.Bd3
Nf6
6.0-0
Qc7
7.Qe2
d6
8.c4
g6
9.Nc3
Bg7
10.Rd1
0-0
11.Nf3
Nc6
12.h3
Nd7
13.Be3
The main line of the Kan. White keeps Black confined by controlling d5, while pressuring him on the d-file and various diagonals, hoping that something will drop off. The alternative here, [ 13.Bf4
, does not make Black too unhappy after 13...Nce5
14.Rac1
b6
15.b3
Bb7
16.Bb1
f5!?
17.Nd4
Rae8
18.Qd2
Nf7
, Luther-Stefansson, 1992 (0-1,38).]
13...b6
14.Rac1
Bb7
15.Bb1
Nc5!
This logical move helps to curtail White's queenside ambitions and should thus be preferred over the premature piece exchange 15... Nce5.
16.Qd2
Rad8
Both sides have completed their development, and White has to decide what he wants in life. Van den Doel-Shaked, 1998 featured the peculiar 17.Nh2?! Qe7 18.Ne2 a5 19.b3 Nb4 20.Nc3, and Black took the lead with 20... d5! (0-1, 69). 17.Bh6 Ne5 18.Bg7 Nf3 19.gf3 Kg7 20.b4 Nd7 21.Qd6 Qc4 was Lane-Chuchelov, 1999 (1/2-1/2, 35). In last year's Southern California State Championship, Michael had tried 17.b3 Qe7 18.Bg5 against me, but after 18... Bf6 19.Bh6 Rfe8 20.Qe3 Qc7 21.Qf4 Bg7 (Bh6; Qe7) nothing bad was gonna happen (0-1,45). In this game, he wants to prevent an easy Qe7, an interesting idea.
17.Bg5
Rd7
18.b3
The slightly odd rook on d7 forces Black to think up a solid activity pattern. White may play Qe3 and double rooks on the d-file, or exchange dark-squared bishops first. For Black, playing ... d5 is always a long-term plan, but he can also start wild actions along the f-file. Moreover, he wants to have the option of playing ... e5 against Bf4, without having to worry about Nd5. There is a single move which fits into all of these plans.
18...Qb8!
... d5 is one step closer, now that the queen has left the c-file. The queen can go and support ... f5 by Qe8. After ... e5, Nd5 will not win a tempo. And finally, after 19.Bf4 Black has the tactical defense 19... Qd8! (20.Bd6? Nd4 -/+).
19.Qe3
[ 19.Bh6
would not be totally ridiculous here, with the plan 20.Bg7 Kg7 21.Qb2 and 22.b4. Black has for instance 19...Bxh6
20.Qxh6
f6
21.Rd2
Qd8
22.Rcd1
Qe7
, when I don't see how either side can make progress. In the game, instead of the preparatory move 19... Qe8, I decide to attack on the f-file without allowing this bishop exchange, and that this is even worth a pawn. I still don't know if it is correct.]
19...f5!?
20.exf5
gxf5
21.Na4
e5
22.Nxb6
Rdf7
23.Qd2
Critical is [ 23.Nd5
f4
with the variations: 24.Qe1
( 24.Qd2
e4
25.Ne1
( 25.Nh4
) 25...Nd4
transposes to (a variation in) the game; 24.Qe2
e4
25.Bxe4
( 25.Ne1
f3
26.gxf3
Nd4
with a strong attack.) 25...Re8
26.Nd2
Nd4
27.Qe1
f3
28.gxf3
Nxf3+
29.Bxf3
Rxe1+
30.Rxe1
Nd3-/+
; 24.Qc3!?
h6
25.Bh4
e4
26.Qc2
Re8
27.b4
Nd3
28.Rxd3
exf3
29.Ra3
Nd4
30.Qh7+
Kf8
31.Bg6
Ne2+
32.Kh2
Bxd5
33.cxd5
Nxc1
34.Bxf7
Kxf7
35.Rxf3
Qxb4
( 35...Ne2
36.Qf5+
Kg8
37.Qg6=
) 36.Qf5+
Kg8
37.Bf6=
) 24...e4
25.Bxe4
Re8
26.Nd2
Nd3
27.Bxd3
Rxe1+
28.Rxe1
and white is probably better. Because of this line, 23... e4 may be a better option, with a horribly incomprehensible game.]
23...e4
24.Nh4?
On e1 the knight is not misplaced.
24...Nd4
25.Nd5
Nce6
26.Be3
Qd8
27.g3?
[ 27.Bxd4
Nxd4
( 27...Bxd4
28.Qh6!
) 28.g3
is better, as the bishop is not happy on e3 anyhow. 28...Re8
29.Kg2
f4
30.Re1
is unclear then. Now Black is suddenly winning.]
27...f4
28.Bxe4
[ 28.Bxd4
Bxd4
29.Kh1
fxg3
30.fxg3
e3
31.Qd3
Qg5
and White has several problems.]
28...fxe3
29.Qxe3
Rxf2
30.Qxf2
Rxf2
31.Kxf2
Ng5
32.Bg2
Qf8+
33.Ke3
[ 33.Nf4
Be5
]
33...Qe8+
34.Kf2
Qf7+
35.Ke3
Qe6+
36.Kf2
Nxh3+
37.Bxh3
Qxh3
38.Ne7+
Kf7
0-1