Hi, this is FM Ron Simpson. Ratings are usually good indicators of chess performance, but in many tournaments we see chess players winning games when their ratings are hundreds of points lower than their opponents! Recently, I faced such a situation at The Asheboro Open 39. My opponent Adam Holmes at USCF 1952 was undaunted by my 2436 standing.
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Adam and I entered into the Evans Gambit with me playing the black pieces. I made an the unusual looking move, 5...Bd6, something I had seen in many Evans Gambit games. The combination of me playing some new ideas while facing a tactical talent produced some uncontrollable fireworks!!
C51: Evans Gambit: Declined and Accepted without 5...Ba5
1.e4
e5
2.Nf3
Nc6
3.Bc4
Bc5
4.b4
Bxb4
5.c3
Bd6
SIMPSON: The idea is to overprotect the e pawn and develop normally. There are many games with the unusual looking move 5...Bd6 in the Evans Gambit. I now believe this move is poor with respect to better moves like 5....Be7. So, I wouldn't give the text move a "?" but I really don't like it. I would say white has an advantage (Fritz says black is up by .44). I would prefer to play the white side of this position.
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[Editor's note: This unusual looking move has been played by H.N. Pillsbury, Kieseritzsky (of King's Gambit fame) and other top level players. See our "Evans Bd6 database" for example games]
6.d4
Qe7
SIMPSON: I believe this move was a mistake, and 6...h6 was clearly better. I would give this move a "?" because it allowed White to pressure the f-pawn with Ng5! During the game I just didn't realize how strong Ng5 would be. Normally when someone attacks with two pieces out of the opening their attack usually fails.
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[Editor's Note: 6...Qe7 has been played before, but I can't find any example of Adam's 7.Ng5 reply. This may be a true novelty that needs further investigation.]
Black is behind in development. Black's piece can't move: c8 [6...Nf6
7.dxe5
Bxe5
8.Ba3
d6
9.Bb5
Qe7
10.0-0
0-0
11.Nxe5
Qxe5
12.Bd3
Re8
13.f4
Qa5
14.Qc2
b6
15.Bb2
Ba6
16.Bxa6
Qxa6
17.Nd2
b5
18.c4
Nd7
19.Rac1
b4
20.Rf3
Qb6+
21.Kh1
Van der Wiel,J (2526)-Sokolov,I (2690)/Leeuwarden 2004/CBM 102/1/2-1/2 (49)]
7.Ng5N
White threatens to win material: Ng5xf7 [7.0-0
Nf6
(7...h6
8.Re1
g5
9.g3
Qf6
10.Nbd2
Nge7
11.Bb2
b6
12.Bd5
Bb7
13.dxe5
Bxe5
14.Nxe5
Qxe5
15.Rb1
0-0-0
16.c4
Qd6
17.Bxh8
Rxh8
18.Bxf7
Ne5
19.Bh5
Rf8
20.Be2
g4
21.Nb3
Qg6
22.Nd2
Kosak,R (2258)-Weyrich,M (2332)/Germany 2003/EXT 2004/1-0 (45)) 8.Ng5
0-0
9.f4
exf4
(9...Nxe4
10.Nxe4
exd4
11.Nxd6
Qxd6
12.Ba3
Qf6
13.Bxf8
Kxf8
14.cxd4
Nxd4
15.Nd2
Nf5
16.Qe2
Qd4+
17.Kh1
d5
18.Bd3
Qf6
19.Rae1
Bd7
20.Bxf5
Re8
21.Bxd7
Rxe2
22.Rxe2
g6
23.f5
g5
24.Nf3
Werner,H-Kammel,R/Germany 2000/EXT 2005/1-0) 10.e5
Bxe5
11.Re1
Nxd4
12.Ba3
c5
13.Nd2
Nc6
14.Qc2
h6
15.Nge4
d6
16.Nxf6+
Qxf6
17.Ne4
Qd8
18.Rad1
Qc7
19.Bd3
Be6
20.Qd2
Ne7
21.Bb1
Rad8
Heldarskard,V-Joensen,J/Faroe 1999/EXT 2002/0-1 (45)]
7...Nh6
[Editor's note: The ugly 7...Nd8 might be a viable alternative to explore.. It leaves open the possibility of h6, kicking the knight, and a better deployment of the king
knight to the perhaps more favorable f6 square. Still, Fritzy likes Nh6 a bit better.]
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Black's piece can't move: c8 [7...Nd8!?
Fritz 9: 8.0-0
h6
9.Nf3
Nc6
10.Nbd2
Nf6
11.Nh4
Nxe4
12.Nf5
Qf6
13.Nxg7+
Qxg7
14.Nxe4
0.43/12 ]
8.0-0
0-0
9.f4
exd4
[Editor's note: It looks like this is the critical slip based on computer analysis, allowing the e5 push] SIMPSON: Agreed.
[>=9...exf4!?
must be considered 10.Qh5
Kh8=
]
10.e5+/-
SIMPSON: Adam finds a great plan and completely destroys black's position.
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White threatens to win material: e5xd6
10...Bc5
[10...Bxe5!?
SIMPSON: I failed to see this nice idea leading to an unclear position. 11.fxe5
Nxe5
12.cxd4
Nxc4+/-
]
11.Qd3+-
g6
[11...Nf5!?
12.Qxf5
g6
13.Qh3+/-
]
12.Qh3
Kg7
SIMPSON: Tactics are everywhere for Adam. At first I thought his attack would fail because he is only using three pieces and I am just a move away in getting back some control. But then 13.f5! just crushes my position. I used all of my time trying to hold but Adam's attack was just too strong and I was completely crushed. I think Fritz can show the rest of the game better then I can. But the following position would make a nice chess puzzle.
13.f5
SIMPSON: Adam is definitely a NC Chess player to be taken very seriously. I am sure this young man will be a master very soon! I am looking forward to playing Adam again in Asheboro...he finishes the game nicely.
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Demolition of pawn structure
13...f6?!
not putting up any resistance [13...Nxf5
Exploits the pin 14.Qxh7#
]
14.Nxh7!
Demolishes the pawn shield
14...g5
[14...Kxh7
Decoy theme: h7 15.Qxh6#
The nicest combinations are those leading to mate]
15.Bxg5!
Demolition of pawn structure
15...d3+
[15...fxg5
16.f6+
A double attack]
16.Kh1
fxg5
17.f6+
Kh8
SIMPSON: The queen can't be taken, but nevertheless my position can't be held and the games ends quickly.
18.Bxd3
[18.Nxg5
Qh7
19.Nxh7
Be3
20.Nxf8
d5
21.Qxe3
Kg8
22.Qxh6
Kf7
23.Bxd3
Bf5
24.Bxf5
Ke8
25.Qg6+
Kd8
26.Ne6+
Kd7
27.Nc5+
Kd8
28.Nxb7#
]
18...Qxh7
[Editor's Note: Ripley's Believe It or Not--Rybka calls this the BEST moves for black!]
19.Bxh7
Kxh7
20.Qd3+
Kh8
21.Qg6
Rf7
22.Qxh6+
Rh7
[22...Kg8
doesn't get the cat off the tree 23.Qxg5+
Kf8
24.e6
dxe6
25.Qxc5+
Ke8
26.Na3+-
]
23.Qxg5
[23.Qg6
Bf8
24.f7
Rxh2+
25.Kxh2
Ne7
26.Qh5+
Kg7
27.Rf6
Nf5
28.Qxg5+
Kh8
29.Qg8#
]
23...d5
[23...Nd8
no good, but what else? 24.Qg6
Nf7+-
]
24.f7
Bd7
[24...Bg4
25.Qf6+
Rg7
26.Qh6+
Rh7
27.f8Q+
Rxf8
28.Rxf8+
Bxf8
29.Qxf8#
]
25.Qf6+
Rg7
26.Qh6+
SIMPSON: Great game Adam!!
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SIMPSON: Looking back at the game, my play was typical in that I will play anything of interest. I like playing the white side of the Evans and I thought it would nice to see it from the black side. Adam played an outstanding game. He punished me with several really good moves. I picked up my focus after 8...0-0, but I didn't see the nice idea 10.....Bxe5. I believe the resulting position would have been unclear. There are several variations, but the main point is that Black would have about seven pawns to White's three or four.
[26.Qh6+
Rh7
27.f8Q+
Bxf8
28.Rxf8+
Rxf8
29.Qxf8#
] 1-0