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A Portent of Things To Come . . .

Vancouver's Stephen Pick traveled to Spokane to play in the 5th Annual Dave Collyer Memorial Chess Tournament, consisting mostly of adult chess players. While at the tournament, Stephen turned twelve years old. A look at the below game shows that Stephen is playing chess that is far above average for someone his age!

FRENCH DEFENSE; Exchange Variation

White	Black
1. e4	e6
2. d4	d5
3. exd5	exd5

 

Black plays the French Defense, and Stephen declares its course by playing the "exchange variation". In this variation, white relieves the tension in the center for a few moves by exchanging central pawns. This also opens the position and will almost certainly make for wide-open piece play.

4. Nf3	Bd6
5. c4	c6
6. Nc3	Ne7
7. Bd3	dxc4
8. Bxc4	O-O
9. O-O	Bg4
10. Ne4	Bc7

 

Black wisely prefers to keep his dark-squared Bishop, and why not? It sits on a good diagonal--one that looks down menacingly on White's King. Also, by moving the Bishop off the d-file, he uncovers a threat against White's d-pawn with his Queen. With his next move, Stephen sets a subtle trap.

11. Bg5

So far, this game follows G. Kuzmin--Y. Kruppa (Berlin, 1997), which continued: 11. ... Kh8 12. Bh4 f6 13. Qb3 Nd7 14. Bg3 Nb6 15. Nc5 Nxc4 16. Qxc4 Rb8. After some tense moments, the game was later drawn. With Stephen's last move, playing his Bishop to g5, he makes an invitation for Black to "win" the d-pawn--an invitation that Black dare not accept! White gets a heavy attack in any line. For example, after: 11. ... Bxf3 12. Qxf3 Qxd4 13. Bxe7. If Black now plays 13. ... Qxc4 14. Qg4! and Black better make sure his insurance is paid up! 14. ... Qe6 15. Nf6+ Kh8 16. Bxf8 Qxf6 17. Bxg7+ Qxg7 and 18. Qc8+ gives White a won game. So Black wisely chose to develop his Knight, and mobilize his forces.

11.   ---	Nd7
12. Re1	Nb6

 

Black moves his Knight to a good square, where it can both attack White's Bishop and support putting a Knight on d5. With Black's rooks connected, he can breathe easier, right? Not really, as White now moves to exploit weaknesses in Black's position.

13. Nc5

--------

 

Unleashing complications. Complications flow naturally from "open" positions, where pieces range freely over the board.

13.  -----

Re8

 

14. Nxb7

------

 

Here White also had the option of playing 14. Bb3, preserving the Bishop on a great diagonal. Also, White could have tried the enterprising 14. Bxf7+ Kxf7 15. Bxe7 Rxe7 16. Ng5+ Kg8 17. Qxg4, attacking Black's white squares.

14. ----	Qb8
15 Rxe7	Rxe7
16 Bxe7	Nxc4
17. Qb3	Bxf3
18. gxf3	Nd2
19. Qd3	Qxb7
20 Qxd2	Bxh2+
21 Kxh2	Qxe7
22. Rg1!	-------

 

White prefers a more active defense. He knows Black will attack his d-pawn, so the question arises--how to defend the pawn? White could play Rd1, but why not put the rook where it can defend the pawn and take an active role in defending the unsheltered white King at the same time? In addition, a white Rook on the g-file exerts pressure on Black's King.

22. ------	Rd8
23. Rg4	g6
24. Re4	Qd6+
25. Kg2	c5
26. d5	-------

White is hoping Black will fall for the trap, and take his d-pawn immediately. If 26. ... Qxd5?? 27. Re8+ Kg7 28. Rxd8 nets a Rook!

26. -----	Kg7
27. Rh4	h5
28. Ra4

Do you see how much more active White's Rook is than it would have been if it had been moved to the d1 square back on move 22? A good chessplayer always tries to create problems for his or her opponent.

28. -------	Rd7
29. Qc3+	Kh7
30. Ra5	Rc7
31. Qd3	Kg7
32. Ra6	Qd8
33. Qc3+	Kg8
34. Qe5

White now commands the board. Besides having an advanced passed pawn, White's pieces are in Black's territory, and threats are looming against the black King. White will now create too many problems for Black to solve.

 

34. -----	Qe7
35. Qf4	Rd7

Black had to stop White from playing d6, forking the Rook and Queen.

36. d6	Qe6
37. b3	------

White pauses his attack to check his "back door", potentially stopping the Black Queen from taking the a-pawn if White moves his Rook off the a-file, or from taking the b-pawn if Black's Queen should move to the a1-h8 diagonal.

37. ------	Qd5
38. Qf6	Qd3
39. Rc6	Qd4
40. Rc8+	Kh7
41. Rh8       Mate

White succeeded in winning this game because he was alert to weaknesses in Black's position, and looked deeply to find ways to penetrate his opponent's camp. White developed his pieces quickly and harmoniously, and continually avoided making mistakes. The moral: give every move 100% of your effort.

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