Playing for a loss
SPRAGGETT ON CHESS
The traditional Reykjavik Open is taking place right now and is –as usual–quite a strong event with many GMs. Top rated is English star Luke McShane. Friday’s round saw him paired against fellow English GM Simon Williams. Below is the position after White’s 27th move
GM WILLIAMS
GM McSHANE
Black has quite a sound position. Infact, if anyone is to be preferred, it should be Black! He has a nice little bind over on the Queenside and some chances along the c-file. However, it is not clear what he should do or what kind of plan he must follow in order to make progress. Perhaps he should do nothing…atleast for the time being.
“The blunders are all there on the board, waiting to be made.”
GM S.Tartakower
Simon Williams instead got too ambitious and miscalculated. Worse still, he jumped into all sorts of pins:
27…Bxa3?? 28.Nxd5! exd5 29.bxa3
Oops! Now Black has trouble along the b-file. White threatens simply to play Rb2 and Bc2 winning material. Black must rush in fresh reinforcements…
29…Ba4 30.Bc2! Rc3 31.Be1!
Ouch! Talk about side-winders! Black is desperate: if 31…Rxc2 simply 32.Bxa5 is enough to win, so Williams tries one last gasp…
31…Rxf3!? 32.gxf3 Qxd4 33.Qxd4 Nxd4 34.Bxa4 Nxe2 35.Kf2
Black is not just going to soon be down a piece, but White’s 2 Bishops will soon own the board. Black resigns
1-0
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