Wheeler - Goldsby
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***
A very interesting game and quite an adventure. I have to defend the entire game.
1.d4
Nf6; 2.Nf3
g6; 3.c4
Bg7; 4.Nc3
d5!?;
The Grunfeld Defense.
(A favorite from my youth. For a
period of nearly 18 years, this was
my only defense to
the QP that
I played in tournaments.).
5.Bg5!?
Ne4!;
Just about all the books - including
MCO here - consider this the best
move.
(MCO gives it an exclam.).
To do otherwise - such as play
...c6; - gives Black an inferior
version of the Queen's
Gambit
Declined, from this position.
6.cxd5, Possibly - '!'
The best move here, according to many books, especially MCO.
[ White could also play: 6.Bh4
c5!; 7.e3
cxd4;
8.exd4
Nc6; 9.cxd5
Nxc3;
10.bxc3
Qxd5;
11.Be2
Qa5;
12.0-0
e6; "="
The position is pretty close to equal.
(See the diagram just below.)
|
Sahovic - Vaganian; Yugoslavia, 1984.
[ See MCO-14; pg.'s 633-634;
column # 34, and note # (j.). ] ].
6...Nxg5!;
Clearly the best move.
[ 6...Nxc3!?; ('?!')
I think MCO gives this move a dubious
appellation,
in this position. 7.bxc3
Qxd5; 8.e3
c5;
9.Be2
Nc6; 10.0-0
0-0;
11.Qa4
e5;
12.Bc4
Qd6;
13.Qa3!, "+/="
White is just slightly better here.
(See the diagram just below.)
|
Clement Gomez - B. Rodriguez; Spain, 1995.
[See MCO-14;
pg.'s 633-634;
column # 34, and note # (k.).] ].
7.Nxg5
e6;
According to theory, this is a
very bland position.
(One that
does not offer many chances
of an advantage for White.)
8.Qd2!?,
I did not think this was the main
line, and according to the 'Book,' I was right.
( But after further review, this line is
not even listed in many of the
newer books. But it is
apparently
now the main line, according to
MCO-14, and many other newer
books.
See MCO ... or any good book on the Grunfeld. {A.J.G.} )
[ The main line here is:
8.Nf3
exd5; 9.e3
0-0;
10.b4
c6; 11.Be2
Be6;
12.0-0
Nd7;
13.Rc1
a6;
( Maybe 13...b5!?; {A.J.G.} ).
14.Na4
f5; 15.g3
g5; "~"
(or "=")
(See the diagram just below.)
|
A. Raetsky - V. Tumakov; Biel Open, 1995. ].
8...exd5!?; Possibly - '?!'
This move looks like a mistake,
and many books, especially the
older ones(!); give this a question
mark or a dubious mark here. (I even found one old Chess Digest
pamphlet that gave this move
two
question marks!! But it is definitely
NOT that bad!)
I saw that the Queen would check
on e3 and I would also saw I would
lose my castling privileges
here.
But it also seemed that White would
have to move his Queen 3-4 times
in the first 15 moves.
This seemed
like a loss of tempo to me.
After weeks of study, I must admit
that 8...h6!; is easily the best move
here and solves most,
in not all, of
Black's problems.
**********
[ According to the "PowerBook," the main line here is:
8...h6!; 9.Nh3,
{Diagram?}
According to MCO-14
(which stops
here), this move is "worthy of consideration."
- GM N. DeFirmian. [See MCO-14;
pg.'s 633-634;
column # 34, and note # (l.).]
***
( The
MAIN LINE, according to
MCO in this position, is the
following continuation:
9.Nf3
exd5; 10.e3
0-0; 11.Be2
c6; "=" (The
end of column # 34.)
(See the diagram just below.)
|
The position is equal, according to DeFirmian.
[ See MCO-14;
pg.'s 633-634;
column # 34, and all notes.
{Mainly notes # (j.) thru (l.).}].
Although MCO does NOT quote a game here, this position has occurred quite a few times
at the master level.
The best example is probably the game:
A. Veingold -
S. Dvoirys; Tallinn, 1980. (Drawn in around 43 moves.)
***
(Returning to the main analysis/{Powerbook} line.)
9...exd5; 10.Nf4
0-0!;
11.e3, {Diagram?}
White prepares to develop
his K-side.
(11.Nfxd5?!
c6; 12.Ne3
Qxd4; "=/+"
"Black is slightly better." Analysis. {A.J.G.})
11...c5!; {Diagram?} A very active and aggressive
continuation. (OK is: 11...c6;
"=")
12.dxc5, {Diagram?} This gives Black an isolated Pawn,
but great play.
(12.Nfxd5?!
cxd4; 13.exd4
Nc6; "=/+" Analysis. {A.J.G.})
12...d4; 13.exd4
Qxd4;
14.Qxd4
Bxd4; 15.Bc4
Kg7; Black should not allow ...Nxg6.
16.0-0,
Castling is usually never a bad
idea in the opening.
(Also
good is: 16.Na4!?
Bd7!; 17.Ne2
Re8; 18.Rd1
Bf6!; 19.Nac3
Bxc3+!;
20.bxc3
Ba4; 21.Rd2!?
Nd7; 22.0-0
Nxc5; "=" or
"=/+"
(See the Diagram just below.)
|
Analysis line. {A.J.G.} Maybe also playable is: 16.Rc1!? ).
(Returning to the main analysis
{Powerbook} line.)
16...Nc6; 17.Rac1
Bxc5;
18.Nb5
Bd7; 19.Rfd1
Rad8;
"="
(The position is about equal. ---> See
the diagram just below.)
|
Krudde - Bofill; Gronigen Open, 1988. ].
**********
9.Qe3+
Kf8; 10.Qf4
Bf6; 11.h4
Kg7!?; (Maybe -
'!')
I like this move best, given
the current circumstances.
[ According to the "Powerbook,"
the Main Line is:
11...h6; 12.Nf3
Be6;
13.e3
c6;
14.Bd3
Nd7;
15.0-0-0
Kg7; 16.g4
Qb8;
"=" This position is very finely
balanced.
(See the diagram just below.)
|
(This position is equal, according to several strong computer programs.).
This position has been reached
numerous times, seemingly with
a different result every time!!
The best game is probably: B. Spassky -
L. Stein; USSR Champ, Leningrad; 1963.
(Eventually the game was drawn
in 33 exciting moves.).
Also:
Saidy - Zuckerman, 1965. (0-1); Sahovic - Torre; 1979. (1/2-1/2.);
Lein - Denker; 1984. (1-0); Lein - Jansa; 1985. (0-1.); Fang - Yermolinsky; 1990. (0-1.);
Fang - Shahade; 1997. (1-0.)
Literally, I found something like 35
examples in the database,
with a (seemingly) different result each time!!
The latest
game in the database was:
Zontakh - Sulipa; Donetzsk, 1998.
(1/2-1/2.)
This is probably the correct result. ].
12.e3
c6!; 13.Bd3
Nd7!?;
An aggressive move. I was
playing for the win, and an
exchange of Queens did NOT
appeal to me.
My main idea here is to play: ...Nf8 to e6; ridding myself of the annoying White N on g4.
[ Many would say I should have
played the continuation:
13...h6; 14.Nf3
Be6;
15.0-0-0
Nd7; 16.g4
Qb8; "="
(The
position is equal.)
(See the diagram in the note after Black's 11th move.)
would force an exchange of Queens. The position is nearly equal, according to the
computers. (It also is a transposition to the line analyzed above.)
].
14.0-0-0
Nf8;
Continuing with my idea.
15.Kb1
h5!?;
"="
(The position is close to equal.)
This last move by Black was played to prevent White from
expanding on the King-side. (g2-g4)
(But) The move is slightly risky.
[ According to the computers,
Black should play:
15...h6!; 16.Nf3
Be7;
17.Qe5+
Kg8;
18.Qh2
Bd6;
19.Qg1
h5; "="
A detailed analysis of this position,
... and several computer vs.
computer contests;
confirms that
this is an equal position.
I did not like playing 15...Ne6, and apparently my OTB judgment was correct,
i.e.
15...Ne6!?; 16.Nxe6+
Bxe6;
17.h5,
"+/=" (White is better. Possibly - "+/")
(See the diagram just below.)
|
and White is clearly (much) better, according to all the computers. ].
16.Qg3
Ne6!?;
Literally daring White to sacrifice!!
[ Much safer was: >= 16...Qe7!?; (Maybe - '!') preparing ...Ne6. ].
Now White thinks for well over an
hour and plays:
17.Nxf7?!, ('?')
I thought this move was unsound,
and the computers agree with me.
They consider this position to be: "Much better for Black," or "/+".
[ Better was something like 17.f4!? ].
17...Kxf7;
A very critical position. White will
give up a piece for two pawns.
Technically the sacrifice does
not
offer much, but it does give White
some practical chances. Blacks
development lags and his
position
is uncoordinated.
18.Bxg6+,
The correct follow-up.
[ Much worse was: 18.Qxg6+?
Ke7; 19.Rde1!?,
(Or 19.Qg3
Rg8; 20.Qf3
Bd7;
21.g3
Qe8; 22.Bf5
Qf7; "/+")
19...Qg8; 20.Ne2
Qxg6;
21.Bxg6
Bd7;
"-/+"
with practically a won game
for Black. ].
18...Ke7!?;
I wanted f8 clear for my Knight.
I also thought it important to have
my Bishop on f6
protected in
some lines.
[ Later, I thought it might have been better to put my King on f8, but that is not 100% clear.
18...Kf8!?; 19.Qf3,
Seemingly the best move.
( Or 19.e4!?
dxe4!; "/+"
This seems to be the best move here, in this
position. Black is
clearly at least a little better here.
***
The alternatives {to 19...dxe4!}are interesting:
( a.)
19...Nxd4?;
20.e5, "+/" White is clearly better here.
Or b.)
19...Bxd4!?; ('?!') 20.exd5
cxd5; 21.Rhe1
Rg8!; Clearly the
best move here.
(21...Bxc3?!;
22.Qxc3
Kg8; 23.Qf3
Rh6; "~" )
22.Rd3; "~" The
position is unclear.
Or
c.) 19...Rg8!?;
20.e5, According to several computer
programs, this is the best
move
here - in this position. ( 20.exd5!?
Nxd4!; "/+" Or "-/+."
21.Rhe1?, Not
really
a great
move, but White doesn't have any good moves here!
(Or 21.dxc6?!
Bf5+!;
22.Bxf5
Rxg3
; 23.fxg3
bxc6; "-/+" with
a won game for Black.)
21...Rxg6!;
22.Qxg6??
Bf5+; "-/+"
Black has won White's Q here.)
20...Bd7!; {Diagram?}
Easily the best move.
(Not 20...Bh8??; 21.Qf3+
Bf6;
(21...Ke7??;
22.Qf7#;
Or 21...Kg7??;
22.Qf7+
Kh6; 23.Qh7# )
22.Bxh5, "+/-"
... and WHITE -
NOT Black! - is winning here!!) 21.Ne2
Be8; "=/+"
...
and Black is at least a little better here. [The end of line c.)]
***
19...Ng7; "/+" Black is much better here. (See the Diagram just below)
|
{Analysis Diagram - just above.} (End of analysis line of 18...Kf8!?.) {A.J.G.} ].
19.e4!?
Rg8!; "/+"
(Black is clearly better in this position.)
Black chooses an active defense.
I was relieved to see that this
move was also chosen by
most computer programs here.
20.exd5,
White wanted to open lines
for the attack.
[ 20.e5 Bh8; 21.f4 Qf8; "=/+" Black is just a little better here. ].
20...Nxd4; 21.Rhe1+!?,
A very risky move.
(The computer awards this move
a question mark!)
{After the game, Jerry and I argued which move was best here.}
But White was playing for the win.
[ During the game, I thought White
had to take the draw with: 21.Qe3+
Kf8; 22.Qh6+
Bg7;
23.Qf4+
Bf6; "=" and the computer agrees with me! ].
21...Kf8; 22.Qf4,
White tries to increase the pressure.
[ An unplayable alternative is:
22.dxc6?
Bf5+!; The best move.
( My student, Abraham Nielsen and I, analyzed the following variation to a draw:
22...Rxg6?!;
23.Qxg6
Bf5+; 24.Qxf5
Nxf5; 25.Rxd8+
Rxd8; 26.cxb7
Rb8;
27.Nd5,
"~" {Unclear.} - Jan. 19th, 2001. ). 23.Bxf5
Rxg3; 24.fxg3
bxc6; "-/+"
Black is clearly
better/winning in this position. ].
22...Rxg6; "/+"
Black is very clearly better here.
The computer considers this position to be {practically} won for Black.
23.Rxd4
Qd7!?;
A seemingly risky move. But I did
not want to exchange pieces or
lose my h-pawn.
(My move may actually blow the
win, but the position is so
complicated, it is hard to be sure.
Over-the-board, I could not be
sure, and chose a line I felt was
safer.)
[ The computer (greatly) prefers:
23...Rg4!; 24.Qh6+
Bg7;
25.Rf4+
Kg8; 26.Qxh5
Rxf4;
27.Re8+
Qxe8; 28.Qxe8+
Rf8;
29.Qe3
Bf5+; 30.Ka1
Rae8;
31.Qd2
Rd8; "-/+"
Over the board, this seemed
very risky to me. (It was also extremely complex
and very hard
to calculate!! {Lots of
possible side-lines.} I
was also overly intimidated by
White's three
connected-passed
-pawns on the king-side!) ].
24.Ka1
Kg7; 25.Rde4
cxd5; 26.Re8
Rg4; 27.Qf3
Rd4; 28.Qxh5
Rxh4; "/+"
If my memory is correct, White only had about 7 minutes to make it to move 40 here!
White thought for a few more minutes and played:
29.Rg8+?,
A terrible mistake. Already down material, White exchanges further!
Plus he "wins" my Queen, but gives up two Rooks to do so.
*******
[ White very obviously had to play:
29.Qf3!
Qxe8!; {Diagram?}
This is easily the best move here,
in this position.
***
The alternatives for Black are not as attractive.
(
a.) Much too risky is: 29...d4!?;
30.Nd5
Qc6; {Diagram?} This
seems
like the best move for Black here, in this position.
( A terrible mistake is: 30...Qxe8?;
31.Qxf6+,
(Not 31.Rxe8??
Rh1+; 32.Re1,
32...Rxe1+; 33.Qd1
Rxd1#)
31...Kh7
32.Qxh4+
Kg6; 33.Qf6+
Kh7; 34.Rh1+,
34...Bh3; 35.Rxh3+
Qh5; 36.Rxh5+
Kg8; 37.Ne7#
)
31.R8e7+,
This is probably the best move here, in this position.
(31.R1e7+!?)
31...Kh6; 32.Rc7
Qe6; 33.Qxf6+
Qxf6; 34.Nxf6,
"+/"
White is better, if not clearly winning here.
(See
the diagram just below.) 
White is better, if not clearly winning here.
b.) Not so good is: 29...Rd4?!;
This is probably inferior.
30.Rf8!
Qc6; 31.Ree8
a5; 32.Qh5,
"+/-"
with a win for White!
(See
the diagram just below.)
A big turnaround, White is now winning.
***
(Returning to our main analysis line here.)
30.Rxe8
Bg4; 31.Qxg4+,
This looks pretty much forced here.
( Slightly worse for White is: 31.Rxa8?!
Bxf3; 32.gxf3
d4; 33.Nb1
d3; 34.a3
Rh5;
35.Ka2 a6!; {Diagram?} A nice
interpolation, Black saves his QRP.
(Probably not
quite as good is the line: 35...Rd5!?;
36.Rxa7
Rd7; 37.f4
d2; 38.Nxd2
Rxd2;
39.Rxb7+
Kg6; 40.a4
Kf5; "=" with an
equal game.) 36.Rb8
Rb5; "=/+"
when Black is just slightly better here. ).
(Back again to our main analysis
line.)
31...Rxg4; 32.Rxa8
d4; 33.Nd5
Rxg2; 34.Kb1
d3!; 35.Kc1
Rxf2; 36.Nxf6
Rc2+;
37.Kb1
Kxf6; 38.Rd8,
This looks forced to me.
( Definitely not 38.Rxa7?
Rc8!;
Positively the best move here.
(Not as dangerous for White is: 38...Rc7!?;
39.Ra8
d2;
40.Rf8+
Ke5; 41.Rf1
Kd4; "/+"
with an advantage to the 2nd player here.)
39.Ra3
d2;
40.Rf3+
Ke5; 41.Rf1
Kd4; 42.Rh1
Rh8!; 43.Rg1
Kd3; 44.Rg3+
Ke2; 45.Rg2+
Ke1;
46.Rg1+
Kf2; "-/+"
with a won game for Black, in this position. ). 38...Rd2;
39.Kc1
Rc2+;
40.Kb1
Rd2; 41.Kc1
Rc2+;
"=" {Draw, 1/2 - 1/2}
(See the diagram just below.)
|
With a draw by repetition.
(A truly beautiful line, perhaps demonstrating that White's sacrifice was not totally incorrect.
{Especially the way I played the defense!} It is a a shame, that my opponent missed this chance,
but I believe this was the rather just result of the rather poor time management that White
showed during this game.)
Upon further reflection, - - -
since this line took several weeks, and many computer hours
to discover!! - - - I don't
think anyone, short of a Super-GM; could have found this line in
real, over-the-board play. ].
*******
29...Kxg8; 30.Qg6+
Bg7; 31.Re8+
Qxe8; 32.Qxe8+
Kh7;
This position is winning for Black.
("-/+.")
33.a3?!,
Some-what dangerous.
[ Best now, according to the
computer, was: 33.Qe1!?,
although I must admit that
White is still lost! (At
least that is how most programs evaluate this position.)
Or maybe 33.a4!? ].
33...Rh1+!; 34.Ka2
Rh6!; 35.a4,
This looks forced.
[ 35.f4
d4; 36.Nd5
Be6!;
37.Qxa8
Bxd5+; 38.Kb1,
The only good move?
(Or 38.b3
d3; 39.Qc8
Rh1; 40.Qf5+
Kh8; 41.Qc8+
Bg8; "-/+")
38...d3;
39.Kc1
Bxg2;
40.Kd2
Be4; 41.Ke3
Bf5;
42.Qd8
Rh3+; 43.Kd2
Rh2+;
44.Ke3
d2; "-/+"
Again - Black has a won game.
].
35...d4; 36.Nd5
Be6!;
Black gives back an exchange to
co-ordinate his remaining forces.
(The Queen and the Knight are a
dangerous combination for White!)
Besides, Two Bishops and a Rook should beat a lone Queen without too much trouble.
Now it is just a matter of technique for Black - and for once I am up to the challenge.
37.Qxa8,
This is 100% forced.
[ 37.Qb5?? Rd8; "-/+" ].
(In
the next few moves, White does not have a lot of choices.)
37...Bxd5+; 38.Ka3
a6; 39.Qc8
Bxg2; 40.f3
Rf6; 41.Qc2+
Rg6; 42.Qe4
b6;
43.Qh4+
Kg8; 44.Qd8+
Bf8+; 45.Ka2
Bxf3;
All the simplification greatly
favors Black.
46.Qxd4
Bg4!; 47.Qe4
Be6+; 48.Kb1
Bf7; 49.b4?!,
(Maybe - '?/??')
This move loses instantly. It exposes the King completely to the action of the Black pieces.
(So it is at least a dubious move.)
But White was still dead lost.
I must point out however, that the
computers still evaluate the position ...
BEFORE 49. b4?!,
... as "-/+." (Black is probably winning.)
[ Definitely much better was: >= 49.Kc2
a5!; 50.Qb7
Bc5; "-/+" (Black is winning.)
In my my database version of this game, I
analyze this game for nearly another 30+ moves.
But I will spare you that here. ].
49...Rg1+; 50.Kb2
Bg7+;
White Resigns.
(He will either be mated, or lose
his Queen ... i.e.,
Kc2, Bg6; pinning. Or Ka3, Ra1#.).
0 - 1
A fantastic game, an interesting fight ... and quite an exercise in analysis!!
***
(Code initially) Generated with ChessBase 8.0
Posted: July 23, 2002
This game is pretty much the full-fledged version, the way I
developed it in ChessBase.
(I really did not shorten it for publication.) Page
last edited on: 08/15/2007
.
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Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby I
Copyright © A.J. Goldsby, 2001 - 2006.
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