Stewart V. Thompson HV Chess Tournament 2004 |
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Bg5
? I have 8761 Modern Benoni's on my database, only 39 played Bg5. The move is innocuous. The Bishop is misplaced.
7... h6
Correct move. White is never going to take the Knight. It would be suicide on the Black squares.
8. Bh4
?The Bishop is now in an awful position. It can no long cover Q checks or b2 or c3. It is vulnerable to g5 K-side attack with g5
8... g5
? NO, premature. Kev confuses 6.Bg5 when g5 enables fianchetto with gain of tempo. This puts White's B on a better square.
8... Bg7 I played here. 9. f4 This is just too ambitious. 9... Qa5 10. Qd2
9. Bg3
Now the Bishop is better, hitting d6 pawn. Some lines he will be able to play e5 or Nb5 etc. Also Black's f5 square is weak.
This has often been played against me by patzers on the ICC (generally after 6. Bf4) . It violates Steinitz's 2nd principle.
Qb3 has been played a few times though it has scored extremely well for Black. This move has never been played at master level
11. Qb3 hitting both d6 and b7 has been played but... 11... Qc7 12. Bxd6 (12. Bc4
11... Qb6
I played O-O in the same position.This is interesting as it enables a6 to be a threat (Bxb5 and Qxb5) and hits b2.
11...
12. Nge2
f3 was an alternative here.
12... Nh5
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Black starts to go wrong
He's obsessed with White's QB ! Of course a6! is surely better.
12... a6 Threat Bxb5 and Qxb5. 13. Bxd7+ Nbxd7 14.
a6 now is not as good as Black cannot castle as d7 no long has the defence of the f6 Knight. This is weak as White has Nxg3!
14. fxg3
Ugly. Roger remarked that Nxg3 was, of course better, as White has Nf5 to follow with advantage.
14... a6
Misses the boat. This allows White off the hook as he has a perpetual with the Rook sack. Black had Bxb5
14... Bxb5 was simple and good. 15. Nxb5 (15. Qxb5+ Nd7 is not a problem)
15...
Roger said best to go for the Rook sack as otherwise Black has the better position.
16. Rxf7
This draws.
16... Kxf7 17. Qxd7+ Kg8 18. Qe6+ Kh7 19. Qf5+
Drawn by perpetual check.
1/2-1/2 [Geoff Peake]