This next game from round 9 of the Cambridge International featured one of my unusual engine ideas, a surprising exchange of minor pieces and a virulent attack along the g-file!
Camacho Collados,Marcos (2462) – Sowray,Peter J (2219) [B09]
1. d4 d6 2. e4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. f4 Bg7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Qd2 d5 7. e5 Ne4 8. Nxe4 dxe4 9. Ng5 Bf5 10. Qe3 Nc6 11. c3 Qd5 12. b3 h6 13. Nh3 Bxh3 14. gxh3 Rad8 15. Bc4 Qa5 16. Bd2 b5 17. b4 Qb6 18. Bb3 e6 19. Qxe4 a5 20. Be3 Ne7 21. a3
After a difficult opening featuring Dragon’s brilliant novelty 6.Qd2 in the Austrian Attack against the Pirc (see the videos https://youtu.be/DuFfJwBgMD8 and https://youtu.be/ETDa4bTS43U for a full analysis) Peter Sowray had fought back excellently and reached near-equality. However, his next incautious move was pounced on by his alert opponent and led to a brilliant finish. In the commentary room, Natasha and I spent a lot of time working through the lines together with English women’s international Audrey Kueh. I found it a little hard to believe that all the lines should work so smoothly for White but it seems like everything really does fit together beautifully.
21…Nd5
22. Bxd5
“What?” was my first reaction followed by “Oooh” when White whipped out his next move. It’s the type of idea that’s easy to miss as Black because there is no rational positional justification for such a move. There is however, a tactical one.
22…Rxd5
22… exd5 was Black’s best, but losing access to the beautiful d5-square and mobilising White’s f-pawn is the precise opposite of what Black is looking for. I think to be honest I would also have taken on d5 with the rook and looked to find a way to resist in the ensuing complications.
23. f5
This is White’s point: …exf5 is impossible as the rook on d5 is hanging while …gxf5 opening the g-file is obviously fraught with danger. However, allowing f6 burying the black bishop on h8 is obviously also far from a dream scenario.
23…gxf5
23… Qc6 was my sudden flash of inspiration, hitting c3 while protecting the rook on d5. If White simply protects the c3-pawn, then Black can reply …exf5 and everything is once again right with the world. I thought that 24.f6 (the engine’s preference) 24…Qxc3+ 25.Kf2 would be crucial but Natasha shocked me with 24. c4
The idea is to protect c3 with tempo with 24…Qxc4 25. Rc1 when 25…Qa2 (or 25…Qb3) 26.f6 is winning for White.
The most beautiful point however is that Black has the “Zwischenzug” (why does that always make me think of Natasha ;))} 25…exf5 avoiding the opening of the g-file with …gxf5
to which White’s reply is….
26. Qb1
trapping the black queen!
Back to the game now!
24. Qg2 Qc6
We’d also looked at this defence of Peter’s but surprisingly to me, White holds everything together with ease.
24… Kh7 25. Rg1 Rg8 26. Bxh6
is the key point 26…Kxh6 (26… Bxh6 27. Qxg8# ; 26… Rxd4 is the engine’s best line, but it’s still hopeless: 27. cxd4 Qxd4 28. Rd1 Qh4+ 29. Qg3 Qxh6 30. Ke2 and Black is horribly boxed in) 27. Qg5+ Kh7 28. Qh5+ Bh6 29. Rxg8 Threatening Qxf7+ Kxg8 30. Qxh6 Rxe5+ 31. Kd2 and the rook will finish the job from g1
24… Rxe5 We investigated a lot of disruptive ideas like this, but Audrey was fairly rigorous in mating us! 25. Rg1 Rxe3+ 26. Kd2 and g7 cannot be held.
24… f6 25. Rg1 Rf7 26. exf6
25. Rg1
25…Qxc3+ 26. Ke2
The benefit of this response to …Qxc3+ is that the path of the queen’s rook to the g-file is freed. White therefore makes gains even when just defending against aggressive queen checks!
26…Qc2+ 27. Bd2 Qe4+ 28. Qxe4 fxe4 29. Bxh6
The exchange of queens brings Black no respite and the pressure along the g-file proves decisive.
29…axb4 30. Rxg7+ Kh8 31. Rag1 f5 32. R7g5 1-0