Quentin Johnson (35)
has convincingly won all of the Otago Chess Club’s early season
events. Johnson came first in the Rapid Swiss with 6/6, first equal
with Richard Sutton in the Standard Swiss with 4.5/5 and first in the
Blitz with 5.5/7.
Today’s game
features Johnson with the Black pieces against Terry Duffield in the
first round of the Cleland Trophy.
1 Nf3 d5 2 c3 c6 3 d4 Bf5 4
Bf4 Nf6 5 Nbd2 Nbd7 6 Ne5 Nxe5 7 Bxe5 Nd7 8 Bg3 g6
Black has
equalized against White’s unassuming set-up
9 f3?! Bh6 10
Bf2 e5 11 g4?
White will soon regret his extravagant pawn
formation
11 — Be6 12 h4 Bg7 13 e3 0-0 14 Bd3 c5!
The
correct plan. Black wants to prise open the centre and take advantage
of the weakened squares around White’s king
15 h5 cxd4 16
hxg6?! This move helps Black carry out his intention. Most of White’s
pieces are passively placed so Black can easily repel any semblance
of an attack
16 — fxg6 17 exd4 Re8! 18 Nb3?! 18.Nf1 is a
better defensive try. For instance 18—e4?! 19 fxe4 dxe4 20 Be2!
with the idea of 21 Ne3
18 — e4!
19 Be2?
This
move loses a pawn and allows Black to force open two central files.
White should try 19.fxe4 fxe4 20 Be2. Black can continue his attack
with 20 — e3!? but White retains defensive chances.
19 —
exf3 20 Bxf3 Bxg4+ 21 Kf1 Bxf3 22 Qxf3 Nf6 23 Re1 Ne4 24 Rh4 Qd6 25
Qg2 Rf8 26 Rexe4 Admitting defeat but Black also wins after 26.Re2
Ng3+
26 — dxe4 27 Rxe4 b6 28 Ke2 Rae8 29 Kd3 Rxe4 30 Kxe4
Qf4+
0-1
Problem: Black to play and
mate
Solution: 1—Nf3+ 2.Kh3 Rh1+ 3.Kg2
Rh2+! 4.Kxf3 (4.Kf1 Rf2#) 4---Rf2#