On the second day of the competition, three rounds of chess were played. The players know that it will be a tough day at the office. The key is to try to score well so most players know that any of the three results are possible on day two. The event was played on match points and not game points. In the past, I would normally go for maximum points for the team, but this time I knew that a 2.5/4 secures maximum match points. So, my strategy was clear. I needed us to secure 2.5 and once we have done so then the aim has been achieved for the round. As captain, it is my responsibility to ensure that my players are playing at the top of their game. Encouragement is needed and some words of advice. Fortunately, the players I captain love the game and need no extra motivation! My board one player was struggling a bit, but we spoke to him and told him just to do his best because we will score on the other boards! So, let’s have a look at round three!
MRL played Steinitz B and beat them 3.5 to 0.5 and Steinitz A beat MRL B 4-0. Let’s look at Craig Willenberg versus Emil Schnabel
XABCDEFGHY
8r+ltrq+k+(
7zp-vL-+p+p’
6-zp-+-+p+&
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4-+-zpN+-+$
3+P+P+-+-#
2-zPPwQ-zPPzP”
1tR-+-tR-mK-!
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There are tactics all over the place here. What did Willenberg (White) play here?
After due consideration he chose Qg5 as Rd8. Be5 and the square f6 is under attack.
(1) Willenberg,C (2001) – Schnabel,J (1722) [A00]
2019 National Club Chess Championships Groote Schuur High School, 77 (3.2), 28.09.2019
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.0–0 Bg7 5.Re1 Nf6 6.e5 Nd5 7.Nc3 Nc7 8.Bc4 0–0 9.d3 d6 10.exd6 exd6 11.Bg5 Qd7 12.Qd2 d5 13.Bb3 b6 14.Bf4 d4 15.Ne4 Na5 16.Bd6 Nxb3 17.axb3 Rd8 18.Ne5 Qe8 19.Bxc7 Bxe5 20.Qg5 f6 21.Nxf6+ Bxf6 22.Rxe8+ Rxe8 23.Qxf6 Rf8 24.Qc6 Bf5 25.Qd5+ Kg7 26.Be5+ Kh6 27.Bf4+ Kg7 28.Qb7+ Kg8 29.Bh6 1–0
- I had an interesting position against Jacques Bassoon. He defended well but then allowed me a tactic. What should Black play here?
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8-+-+-+-+(
7+pzp-+p+k’
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5+p+-+-+p%
4n+-+P+-zP$
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2-zP-sN-+-+”
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Black found Nxb2 which netted a pawn!
- Sometimes one has to try interesting moves to unbalance the position. What did Kleinsmidt (Black) play here to create some tension?
XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+-trk+(
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5+pzp-zp-zP-%
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2-zP-tRQzP-sN”
1+-+LmK-+R!
xabcdefghy
He chose to play Rf4 sacrificing the exchange to pick up the g5 pawn! Have a look at the game!
(3) Salem,A (1569) – Kleinsmidt,C (1887) [A00]
2019 National Club Chess Championships Groote Schuur High School, 77 (3.4), 28.09.2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Be7 5.Bb3 0–0 6.c3 d6 7.Nbd2 Na5 8.Bc2 c5 9.Nf1 Qc7 10.h3 Re8 11.g4 g6 12.Ng3 b5 13.g5 Nd7 14.h4 Nb6 15.Qd2 Nc6 16.h5 Be6 17.hxg6 fxg6 18.Nh2 Rf8 19.Qe2 Qd7 20.Be3 a5 21.Rd1 a4 22.a3 Rf7 23.Rd2 Raf8 24.Bd1 Rf4 25.Bxf4 Rxf4 26.Ngf1 Bxg5
27.Ne3 Qf7 28.Rg1 Bh6 29.Nhg4 Bg7 30.Qf1 Qe7 31.Qg2 c4 32.Nd5 Bxd5 33.exd5 Nb8 34.Be2 N8d7 35.Rh1 Nc5 36.dxc4 Nxc4 37.Bxc4 bxc4 38.Qh3 h5 39.Ne3 Qf6 40.Rh2 Qf8 41.Rg2 Kh7 42.Kf1 Rf3 43.Qh4 Rxe3 44.Qg5 Rh3 45.Qxg6+ Kh8 46.Rg5 Nd3 47.Rxh5+ Rxh5 48.Qxh5+ Kg8
49.Qg6 Qf6 50.Qe8+ Kh7 51.Qxa4 Qf4 52.Qd1 Qf5 53.Rxd3 cxd3 54.a4 e4 55.Ke1 Qh3 56.f4 Qg3+ 0–1
- In the next game of Bruce Masama versus Jamie Geduld, Masama played Qxd2. I think there is a different move in this position. What do you think GM Reader?
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6p+-+p+-+&
5+p+p+-+-%
4-+-vL-zP-+$
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xabcdefghy
Does Bxh7+ not work followed by Rh3+ and possibly Bxg7. It reminds me of that famous double Bishop sacrifice where Qd7 was the final move in the combination. Here I think the Rf3 gives mating possibilities as well! What do you think?
- Leatin Booys (White) loves his chess. He played a wonderful game against Mangoro. What did he play in this position?
XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+-+rmk(
7+-+-tr-+p’
6p+-tR-+-zp&
5+p+-zPp+-%
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2PzP-vL-mKP+”
1+-+-tR-+-!
xabcdefghy
Booys decided on Rxe4 and followed this up with Ke3 shepherding the pawns to victory!
(5) Booys,L (1302) – Mangoro,R (1389) [A00]
2019 National Club Chess Championships Groote Schuur High School, 77 (3.4), 28.09.2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 b5 5.Bb3 Nf6 6.0–0 Be7 7.Re1 Bb7 8.c3 0–0 9.d3 d6 10.Nbd2 Na5 11.Bc2 c5 12.Nf1 Rc8 13.Ng3 c4 14.d4 exd4 15.Nxd4 Nc6 16.Ndf5 Ne5 17.f4 Neg4 18.Nxe7+ Qxe7 19.Nf5 Qc7 20.Qxd6 Rfe8 21.Qxc7 Rxc7 22.h3 Nh6 23.Nxh6+ gxh6 24.e5 Kh8 25.Kf2 Rce7 26.Bd2 Nh5 27.Be4 Bxe4 28.Rxe4 f5 29.Rd4 Rg8 30.Rd6 Ng3 31.Re1 Ne4+ 32.Rxe4 fxe4 33.Ke3 Rxg2 34.Kxe4 Rg6 35.Kd5 Kg7 36.f5 Rxd6+ 37.Kxd6 Re8 38.Be3 Rd8+ 39.Ke7 Rc8 40.Bd4 Rc7+ 41.Kd6 Rc8 42.Kd7 Rb8 43.e6+ Kg8 44.f6 Rb7+ 45.Kc8 1–0
6. What did Paul K play here to finish Remo Andrews?
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8-+r+-+-+(
7+p+kzpp+-‘
6p+-zp-snp+&
5+-+P+-+p%
4-+-+-+-zP$
3+N+Q+-zP-#
2PzPP+-+q+”
1+K+-+R+-!
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He essayed 28. Rxc2 forcing 29.Qxc2 and then Qxf1 netted a second pawn and after 30. Nc1 Qb5 netted a third pawn!
(6) Andrews,R (1565) – Khuphwathea,P (1829) [A00]
2019 National Club Chess Championships Groote Schuur High School, 77 (3.5), 28.09.2019
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.f3 g6 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.Be3 Qa5 8.Qd2 d6 9.Nb3 Qc7 10.Bh6 Bxh6 11.Qxh6 Be6 12.Qd2 a6 13.Be2 Qb6 14.Nd5 Bxd5 15.exd5 Ne5 16.0–0–0 Rc8 17.Kb1 Kd7 18.h3 Rc7 19.f4 Nc4 20.Bxc4 Rxc4 21.Rhe1 h5 22.Qe2 Re4 23.Qd3 Rxf4 24.Rf1 Rf2 25.g3 Rc8 26.Rxf2 Qxf2 27.Rf1 Qg2 28.h4 Rxc2 29.Qxc2 Qxf1+ 30.Nc1 Qb5 0–1
7. What did Daud Amini play in this position against Hommes?
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8-+r+-+k+(
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5+-+p+-+-%
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1+-tRR+-mK-!
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He played Nxa6 netting the pawn as a back rank mate is being threatened.
(7) Amini,D (2040) – Hommes,W (1878) [A00]
2019 National Club Chess Championships Groote Schuur High School, 77 (3.8), 28.09.2019
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 b6 5.Bg5 Be7 6.e3 0–0 7.Bxf6 Bxf6 8.cxd5 exd5 9.b4 c5 10.bxc5 bxc5 11.Rc1 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Be6 13.Be2 Qa5 14.0–0 Bxd4 15.Qxd4 Nc6 16.Qa4 Rac8 17.Ba6 Rb8 18.Bb5 Qxa4 19.Bxa4 Nb4 20.Bb3 Rfd8 21.Rfd1 Rbc8 22.Nb5 a6 23.Nc7 Rd7 24.Nxa6 Rb7
25.Rxc8+ Bxc8 26.Nxb4 Rxb4 27.Rxd5 1–0
8. What did Siyo (Black) play here against Tom?
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He found Qc2+ which picked up the Bc5 and allowed him to survive his wandering King!
(8) Tom,T (1510) – Siyo,S (1592) [A00]
2019 National Club Chess Championships Groote Schuur High School, 77 (3.10), 28.09.2019
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3 dxe4 4.fxe4 e5 5.dxe5 Qh4+ 6.Ke2 Qxe4+ 7.Be3 b6 8.Nf3 Nd7 9.Nbd2 Qf5
10.Bd4 Ne7 11.Kf2 Nd5 12.Bd3 Qe6 13.Ne4 h6 14.Re1 Kd8 15.c4 Nf4 16.Bf1 Qg6 17.Qa4 Kc7
18.c5 bxc5 19.Qa5+ Kb7 20.Nxc5+ Nxc5 21.Bxc5 Qc2+ 22.Kg1 Qxc5+ 23.Qxc5 Bxc5+ 24.Kh1 Be6 25.b4 Be7 26.a4 Bxb4 27.Re4 Nd5 28.Rb1 a5 29.Nd2 Ka7 30.Nb3 Nc3 31.Rxb4 axb4 32.Rb2 Nxa4 33.Rb1 Bxb3 34.Rxb3 c5 35.Bc4 Rhe8 36.Re3 Re7 37.Kg1 Rd8 38.Kf2 Nb6 39.Bd3 c4 40.Be4 Rxe5 41.Re1 c3 42.Kf3 b3 43.Kf4 f6 44.Ra1+ Kb8 45.Ra6 Kc7 46.Ra7+ Kd6 47.Rb7 Nd5+
48.Kf3 c2 0–1
9. What did Greg Baker play in this position against Thando Hlakula?
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8-+-+r+k+(
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3+-+-+-+-#
2-+-+-+-zP”
1+-+-+RmK-!
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He found Ne7+ winning the house!
(9) Baker,G (1625) – Hlakula,T [A00]
2019 National Club Chess Championships Groote Schuur High School, 77 (3.10), 28.09.2019
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.c4 Ne7 6.b4 dxc4 7.Bxc4 Nd5 8.a3 a5 9.b5 Bxb1 10.Bxd5 Qxd5 11.Rxb1 Qc4 12.Qb3 Qxb3 13.Rxb3 c5 14.dxc5 Bxc5 15.0–0 h6 16.a4 Nd7 17.Be3 b6 18.Bxc5 Nxc5 19.Rc3 Rd8 20.Rc4 Ke7 21.Nd4 Rd5 22.f4 Re8 23.g4 h5 24.f5 hxg4 25.Nc6+ Kf8
26.Rxg4 Nd3 27.Rh4 Kg8 28.f6 Nxe5 29.Ne7+ 1–0
Round four started late the Saturday afternoon. The tough matches were now upon all the teams!
- In the following position Craig Willenberg (Black) played a great move which netted the exchange against former SA Olympiad player CM Maxwell Solomon. What did he play?
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8-+rtr-+k+(
7zpp+-zppvlp’
6-+n+-+p+&
5+-+-+-+-%
4-+RzPP+l+$
3+-mK-vLN+-#
2P+-+LzPPzP”
1+-+R+-+-!
xabcdefghy
The White king is not comfortable on the long diagonal. Willenberg played b5 which forced Rxc6 as Rc5 would be answered by Nxd4!
(10) Solomon,M (2043) – Willenberg,C (2001) [A00]
2019 National Club Chess Championships Groote Schuur High School, 77 (4.1), 28.09.2019
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Nf3 c5 8.Be3 0–0 9.Be2 Nc6
10.Rc1 cxd4 11.cxd4 Qa5+ 12.Qd2 Qxd2+ 13.Kxd2 Rd8 14.Rc4 Bg4 15.Kc3 Rac8 16.Rd1 b5
17.Rxc6 Rxc6+ 18.Kb3 Rdc8 19.Rd2 Be6+ 20.Kb2 Bc4 21.Bd1 Bf1 22.Ne1 a5 23.g3 e6 24.Nc2 Rc3 25.Be2 Bxe2 26.Rxe2 Rd3 27.Kb1 Rc4 28.Kb2 b4 29.e5 a4 30.Re1 Bf8 31.Ra1 a3+ 0–1
- In the next position Andreas De Jager (White) had sacrificed a rook and here in a time scramble Eliot blundered with Bc6. What did he miss?
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8-+-+-+k+(
7+lwqr+-zpp’
6p+-sn-zp-+&
5+-sNp+N+-%
4-+p+-+-+$
3zP-+-wQP+-#
2-zPP+-+PzP”
1+-+-+-+K!
xabcdefghy
White played Qe6+ picking up the Black pieces!
(11) De Jager,A (1656) – Elliott,M (1714) [A00]
2019 National Club Chess Championships Groote Schuur High School, 77 (4.3), 28.09.2019
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 a6 7.Be2 Nf6 8.Qd2 Bb4 9.f3 0–0 10.a3 Be7 11.0–0 b5 12.Kh1 Bb7 13.Nb3 Rfd8 14.Qe1 d5 15.Qf2 Rd7 16.exd5 exd5 17.Nd4 Na5 18.Nf5 Nc4 19.Bxc4 bxc4 20.Bd4 Ne8 21.Rae1 Bf6 22.Re2 Bxd4 23.Qxd4 Nf6 24.Rfe1 Rdd8 25.Re7 Rd7 26.Re8+ Rxe8 27.Rxe8+ Nxe8 28.Na4 f6 29.Nc5 Nd6 30.Qe3 Bc6 31.Qe6+ Kf8 32.Nxd7+ Bxd7
33.Qe7+ Kg8 34.Qxg7# 1–0
- One always has to be careful when you are developing your pieces in the opening. Black has just played Be6. What did he miss? What did Glen Willenberg find against Professor Shabangu?
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8r+-wqkvl-tr(
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6-+n+l+-+&
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4-+-zP-+-+$
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2PzP-+PzPLzP”
1tRNvLQmK-sNR!
xabcdefghy
Willenberg played pawn to d4 and after Nf6 he simply forked the two pieces thus teaching the professor about early piece development.
(12) Willenberg,G (1705) – Shabangu,Profesor [A00]
2019 National Club Chess Championships Groote Schuur High School, 77 (4.3), 28.09.2019
1.c4 d5 2.cxd5 Nf6 3.g3 Nxd5 4.Bg2 Nc6 5.d4 Be6 6.e4 Nf6 7.d5 Bxd5 8.exd5 Ne5 9.Nc3 g6
10.Bf4 Nc4 11.Qa4+ Qd7 12.Qxc4 Rc8 13.Bh3 e6 14.0–0–0 Qe7 15.dxe6 Ra8 16.Nb5 1–0
13. What did Kleinsmidt (White) play in this position which gave him an attack and pawn to boot?
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8-+-+r+-+(
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Kleinsmidt played Nf5+ forking the king and rook which forced the g pawn to capture or lose the exchange. Black obliged and after Qg5+ he was subjected to an attack!
(13) Kleinsmidt,C (1887) – Andrews,R [A00]
2019 National Club Chess Championships Groote Schuur High School, 77 (4.4), 28.09.2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.c3 Be7 7.0–0 0–0 8.Nbd2 Re8 9.Re1 Bf8 10.Nf1
g6 11.Ng3 Bg7 12.Be3 b5 13.Bb3 Na5 14.Bc2 c5 15.h3 Bb7 16.Qd2 Nc6 17.Bh6 Bh8 18.Rad1 Rc8
19.Bb3 Na5 20.Bc2 Nc6 21.Ng5 Rc7 22.Qe2 Rce7 23.Rf1 Bg7 24.Bxg7 Kxg7 25.Nf3 Qb6 26.Qe3
b4 27.Nf5+ gxf5 28.Qg5+ Kf8 29.Qxf6 Re6 30.Qxf5 Kg7 31.Ng5 Rf6 32.Qxh7+ Kf8 33.Bb3 Nd8
34.Qh5 Bc8 35.Nh7+ 1–0
- Louw from Blackjacks extracted the maximum against Makhanya in the following position. How did he do it?
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8-+-+-+-+(
7+-zp-+p+-‘
6-+-+-pk+&z
5+-zp-+-+-%
4-+P+-+-+$
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1tR-+-+-+-!
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Black already has the advantage with his rook on the seventh. He now started to march his king 42.
Kf5 which forced the Ra1 to move thus allowing the a pawn to be captured.
(14) Makhanya,T – Louw,L (1729) [A00]
2019 National Club Chess Championships Groote Schuur High School, 77 (4.4), 28.09.2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 d6 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.0–0 Nf6 7.Bg5 Be7 8.Re1 0–0 9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.e5 dxe5 11.Rxe5 Bd6 12.Re1 c5 13.Nf3 Bc6 14.Nc3 Rb8 15.Ne5 Bxe5 16.Qxd8 Bxh2+ 17.Kxh2 Rfxd8 18.Bxf6 gxf6 19.b3 Rd2 20.Re2 Rxe2 21.Nxe2 Rd8 22.Nf4 Rd2 23.Kg3 Kg7 24.c4 a5 25.f3 a4 26.Kg4 Bd7+ 27.Kg3 Bc6 28.Kg4 Rd4 29.Kg3 a3 30.Ne2 Rd2 31.Nf4 Rd4 32.Ne2 Rd2 33.Nc3 Rc2 34.Nd1 Re2 35.Nf2 h5 36.Nd3 h4+ 37.Kh3 Bd7+ 38.Kh2 h3 39.Nf4 Rd2 40.Nxh3 Bxh3 41.Kxh3 Kg6 42.Kg3 Kf5 43.Kh3 Kf4 44.Re1 Rxa2 0–1
15. What did Aguirre (Black) play here against Parenzee to force a material advantage?
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8-+-+-trk+(
7wq-+-+pvl-‘
6l+-sNp+p+&
5+-+-zP-+p%
4-zP-zp-zP-zP$
3+-tr-+PtR-#
2L+-wQ-+-+”
1+-tR-mK-+-!
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The white king is dangerously short of oxygen. Aguirre played Re3+ and after Kd1 30. Rd3 pinned the queen.
(15) Parenzee,E – Aguirre,B (2013) [A00]
2019 National Club Chess Championships Groote Schuur High School, 77 (4.5), 28.09.2019
1.e4 g6 2.f4 Bg7 3.Nf3 c5 4.Bc4 Nc6 5.Nc3 a6 6.a3 b5 7.Ba2 Bb7 8.d3 e6 9.Be3 Nd4 10.Qd2 Ne7
11.Ne2 Nxf3+ 12.gxf3 Rc8 13.h4 h5 14.Rg1 Bxb2 15.Rb1 Bf6 16.Bf2 d5 17.c4 dxc4 18.dxc4 Qb6
19.cxb5 axb5 20.e5 Bg7 21.Nc3 Ba6 22.Na4 Qa7 23.Nc3 0–0 24.Ne4 Nf5 25.Rc1 Nd4 26.Bxd4 cxd4 27.Nd6 Rc3 28.Rg3 b4 29.axb4 Re3+ 30.Kd1 Rd3 31.f5 Rxd2+ 32.Kxd2 Bh6+ 33.Kd1 Be2+ 34.Kxe2 Qxa2+ 35.Kf1 Bxc1 36.fxg6 fxg6 37.Rxg6+ Kh7 38.Rf6 Rxf6 39.exf6 Qa6+ 40.b5 Qxd6
41.f7 Qf4 42.b6 Qxf3+ 43.Ke1 d3 44.f8N+ Kh6 45.Nxe6 Qe2# 0–1
16. What did Guy Green play here against Saunders. Green is Black!.
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8r+-+k+-tr(
7+pzp-+qzp-‘
6-zp-zp-+-+&
5+-+-zp-+p%
4-+-+Psn-wQ$
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2PzPP+-zP-+”
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Pawn to g5 forces a decision as Qxg5 lost the queen after Nh3+
(16) Saunders,M (1459) – Green,G (1662) [A00]
2019 National Club Chess Championships Groote Schuur High School, 77 (4.6), 28.09.2019
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.h3 Be6 7.Bb3 Qd7 8.Be3 Bb6 9.Qd2 Ne7
10.Bxe6 fxe6 11.Bxb6 axb6 12.d4 exd4 13.Nxd4 e5 14.Nde2 Ng6 15.0–0 Nh5 16.Qg5 Ngf4
17.Nxf4 Nxf4 18.Qg4 Qf7 19.g3 h5 20.Qh4 g5 21.Qxg5 Nxh3+ 0–1
So that ended the proceedings for the second day. Some exciting games were played all round.
Tactics abound in the tight control of 60/60 with a short increment.
Enjoy the games. Till next week when we finish the last day with the exciting two rounds!
Regards
Lyndon Bouah
