Halfway through the
Otago championship, Richard Sutton, Quentin Johnson and Tony Dowden
have established a healthy lead on the rest of the field.
Nonetheless, Duncan Watts, Don Storey,
Geoff Aimers and Andrew Stone are all providing tough opposition.
Today’s game features Johnson with
the white pieces against Watts. Both players contributed greatly
towards the game’s attacking play with fantastic tactical
themes. From an artistic perspective, it is a pity that one player
has to lose. Johnson has kindly assisted with the annotations.
1
d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f3 O-O 6 Be3 e5 7 Qd2 Nc6 8 Nge2
a6 9 d5 Ne7 10 g4 b5
A typical scenario in the Saemisch variation
of the Kings Indian Defence: White attacks on the kingside while
Black counters on the queenside.
11 Ng3 c6 12 h4 bxc4 13 h5 cxd5
14 Bh6!? d4!? 15 Bxg7 dxc3?! An imaginative conception but Black has
sufficient defensive resources after the natural 15 — Kxg7!
16 Qh6 cxb2 17 Bxf6?! — White continues in the same spirit but 17 Rb1! wins immediately. For example 17 — Qa5+, 18 Kf2 or 17 — Nc6, 18 Bxc4!
17 — bxa1=Q+ 18 Kf2
Nf5? Black misses a golden chance. As will become clear in the game
continuation, he has the subtle 18 — Qd4+!!, 19 Kg2 Nf5!, which
wins because his queen can check on d2.
19 Nxf5! Qxf6 20 hxg6
Qd4+ 21 Kg3! —
If 21 Kg2? Black has access to the finesse
explained above. 21 — Qd2+!! forces 22 Qxd2 fxg6 when there is
no mate and Black is winning. Black tries another approach but White
rises to the occasion.
21 — Qg1+! 22 Rxg1! —
Not
22 Bg2? Qe1+!! when the h-file is blocked by the king or the rook is
decoyed and the Bg2 is misplaced. Now all roads lead to mate.
22 — fxg6 An alternative is 22 — Qxg6, 23 Ne7+ Kh8, 24 Nxg6+ fxg6, 25 Qxf8#.
23 Bxc4+ Rf7 After 23 —
Kh8, 24 Qxh7+!! soon mates.
24 g5! Qh8 25 Ne7# A fitting finish
to a wonderful game played in a great spirit.
1-0
Problem: White to play and win.
Solution: 1 Kg2! f4, 2 g3+ Kf5, 3 g4#.
