After a rather late work schedule change, Mariusz has played his last two Heidenfeld games on his own, and in between the rest of the team playing their games. Last night, he started our round 5 tie against Rathmines B with his first defeat of the season (though he reckons he had a draw), while last Thursday, he rounded off a 6-2 win for the club against Phibsboro with victory over Colm Fitzpatrick. Mariusz was rather pleased with the win, describing it afterwards as one of his best ever wins – and here it is.
Colm Fitzpatrick (1625) v Mariusz Lokasto (1561); Heidenfeld Trophy vs Phibsboro; 20/11/2014
Notes by Mariusz Lokasto (except where stated)
C21 Danish Gambit, Soerensen defense
1.e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3.c3 d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.cxd4
At this stage of this tricky gambit, with my queen awkwardly placed, I knew I had to try to develop my pieces, as much as possible, the way that also threatens my opponent’s pieces to gain a tempo. So, it would be me who would determine the character of the position.
5. … Nc6 6.Nf3 Bg4 7.Be2 Nf6 8.Nc3 Qd7
Probably the best square for the Black queen as it is not exposed to any attack, also allows me to play Rd8, or 0-0-0 and the queen is also defending the light squared bishop.
9.0-0 Be7 10. Be3 0-0 11. Qb3
This move looked very weak for me when it was played. I could have ignored the threat of Qxb7, and simply develop/mobilise my pieces, but I decided to harass the queen. So it went.
11. … Na5 12.Qc2 Bf5! 13. Qd2 Bb4
As you can see my opponent was forced to play three consecutive moves with his queen, which can’t be good in such an early stage of the game. At this time I used an hour, and my opponent just 10 minutes of his time allowance, but it looks like I’m getting a nice position, and also found a nice trick that I can execute soon.
14.Ne5 Qe6 15.Rc1 Ne4
Rc1 was probably a mistake as it allowed me to play my nice trick. I was also contemplating Nd5, but my preferred move proved to be more useful.
16.Qd1
Qe1 was better as now the rook on c1 has no good squares to hide.
16. … Nxc3 17.bxc3 Ba3! (D) 18.g4?!
I saw this move before, but was still surprised that my opponent was so desperate to keep the material in balance that he decided to expose his king. Very cheeky indeed!
18. … Be4 19.f3 Bxc1!
I’m the exchange up, but is it all over yet? Don’t think so.
Now, thanks to 19. f3 white can’t simply take the bishop on e4, because I can take on e3 with a check!
20. Qxc1 Qxa2!
20. … f6 was probably stronger, but I didn’t like the idea of having a queen and a king on the same diagonal especially that my opponent still had a light squared bishop.
21.Bd1 Bd5!? (D)
This is the only square that allows me to keep my bishop; however I allow my opponent to trap my queen. Is it really the case? The next 10 moves or so are a superb sequence of play keeping me in the game. It’s also worth mentioning that at that stage I only had less than half an hour left on my clock, my opponent had over 90 minutes, so he was trying to put me under pressure speed the game up, and make me blunder.
22.Rf2! Nb3 23. Rxa2 Nxc1 24.Ra5! Bb3! 25.Bxb3 Nxb3 26.Ra3! (D)
Kevin – the queen hasn’t been lost – but now the knight is!
26. … f6! 27.Nd3 Rfe8! 28.Kf2 c5!
Kevin – with the point that 29. RxN is met by 29. … c4, forking rook and knight and getting the material back.
29.dxc5 Rad8! 30.Nb2
White realised that if he decided to play Ke2 to save his knight, and capture my knight on b3, I’d be able to double rooks on e-file, and get his bishop!
30. … Nxc5! 31.Rxa7
So, finally I saved my knight, and I’m heading into a pleasant endgame. But, I still need to focus.
31…Nd3+ 32.Nxd3 Rxd3 33.Bd4 Rd2+ 34.Kg3 Rb2 35.h4
I keep my b pawn, so now it’s time for a decisive tactical blow. Especially that he decided to push his pawns in order to exchange them.
35…Kf7 36.f4 Re6!
This canny move allows to play Ra6 trapping his rook, and then after exchange it gives me a passed a pawn that would decide the game for sure. However, he spotted the threat.
37.Ra8 Rb3! (D)
Another canny trick. Let’s see if he can spot that one too.
38.Kf2? Re4!!!
This move is actually winning. He touched his king, but then realised that every move with his king is losing, so he resigned. If he stays on the second rank he’s losing his pawns, if he goes back to the third rank he has to say adios to his bishop. Simply Rxd4, and the game is over.
0-1
It was a very enjoyable, dynamic game against the opponent who refused to play a dull chess. (Kevin adds – Mariusz says his opponent resigned with a smile, having seemed to have enjoyed the game almost as much as Mariusz!)