Here is a game you might want to publish. It was played in the 5th round of the 1989 West Orange Club Championship.
The game is both brief and thematic, with play along the c-file and f-file and along the g1-a7 diagonal as well. White gives up his queen for three minor pieces, and the minor pieces mate cooperatively. Please note that Black played his last moves in time trouble.
Your analysis will be appreciated.
William Phelan
Madison NJ
Bill Phelan (USCF 1921) - Matt Boxer (USCF 1928), West Orange NJ 1989
[All notes by Jim West]
1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.b3 Nf6 4.g3
This move transposes into the 24th and decisive game of the Kasparov-Karpov match in 1987, with Garry playing the white pieces.
4...c5
Instead Karpov played 4...Be7 5.Bg2 O-O 6.O-O b6 7.Bb2 Bb7 8.e3 Nbd7 9.Nc3 Ne4. This seems to be a better plan of development for Black, since in the present game Black postpones kingside castling until his 21st move.
5.cxd5
There is no need to rush with this exchange. More in the spirit of the Reti Opening would be 5.Bg2 Be7 6.O-O O-O 7.Bb2 Nc6 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Nc3 Bf6 10.Qc1 b6 11.Nxd5 exd5 12.d4 Ba6 13.Re1 Nxd4 =, Flohr-Stoltz, match 1931.
The game Fischer-Filip, Palma de Mallorca 1970 continued 14.Bxd4! cxd4 15.Qa3, and now Black missed a chance to equalize with 15...Qc8! 16.Rac1 Qb7 17.Rcd1 d3 18.exd3 Rfe8 (Filip).
5...exd5
A more solid reply is 5...Nxd5.
6.d4 Nc6
If Black wants to avoid being saddled with an isolated d-pawn, he must try ...b6 now or on his next move. The isolani will be especially weak because White's fianchettoed king bishop will be ideally placed to harass it.
7.Bg2
Even though he would be delaying his kingside development, White should fianchetto the other bishop first with 7.Bb2. Already it is becoming clear that White's 5th move was premature.
7...cxd4 8.O-O?
White is unduly afraid of 8.Nxd4 Bb4+ or 8...Qa5+. But in either case 9.Bd2 is a satisfactory answer, although the white queen bishop may be misplaced on d2. Still, this is a better alternative than losing a pawn.
8...Bc5 9.Bb2 Qb6
A pawn up, Black has a clear advantage.
10.Nbd2 Bf5 11.a3 a5 12.Nh4 Be6?!
Here Black plays too timidly. There is nothing wrong with 12...Be4!, since 13.f3? fails to 13...Bc2! when 14.Qxc2?? loses to 14...d3+.
Or 14.Qc1 O-O (14...g5?! 15.Kh1) 15.Kh1 Bxb3 16.Nxb3 Qxb3 17.Qxc5 (17.Rb1 Qc4) Qxb2 18.Rb1 Qxe2 19.Rxb7 Rac8 20.Nf5 (20.Rb6 Qc4) d3 21.Rb6 d2 gives Black a winning position.
And, if after 12...Be4!, White captures with either 13.Nxe4 or 13.Bxe4, he is only helping Black correct his doubled pawns.
13.Qc2 Rc8 14.Ndf3?
This allows Black's next move. A better try is 14.Rac1 Ne7 15.Qb1 with 16.Qa1 to follow, although Black is still on top.
14...Ne4 15.Rac1 g5?
After 15...Ne7, White would face the ugly threat of 16...d3. And 16.Qd3 would lead to complications favoring Black after 16...g5 17.Nxd4 gxh4 18.Nxe6 fxe6 19.Bxh8 Bxf2+ 20.Kh1 Rxc1 21.Rxc1 Be3! 22.Rf1 Nf2+ 23.Rxf2 Bxf2. For example, 24.gxh4 Bxh4 25.Qxh7 Qxb3! leaves Black a pawn ahead.
16.Nxg5 d3
Black plays to win White's queen, but he pays too high a price.
17.exd3 Nb4 18.axb4 Bf2+ 19.Qxf2 Nxf2 20.Rxc8+ Bxc8 21.Rxf2
With three minor pieces for the queen, White has more than sufficient compensation. And Black's d-pawn is still a weakness. Moreover, his king is unsafe.
21...O-O
At long last, Black castles. But it is already too late.
22.Bxd5 Be6 23.Be4 f5 24.Nxe6 Qxe6 25.Nxf5 axb4?? 26.Bd5!
This shot wins the queen since, of course, 26...Qxd5 allows 27.Ne7#.
26...Re8 27.Nh6#.
The white knight will not be denied!
{This article originally appeared in Atlantic Chess News in 1990}
