Lev Zilbermintz (USCF 1945) - Steve Ferrero (USCF 1892), Westfield NJ Quad 9/9/2007
1.g4 Nc6
Two options for Black are:
a) 1...d5 2.Bg2 c6 3.h3 h5 4.g5 h4 5.e4 dxe4 6.Nc3 Qa5 7.Nxe4 Bf5 8.Nc3 e6 9.Be4 Nd7 10.Qe2 Bb4 11.Bxf5 Qxf5 12.Ne4 O-O-O 13.a3 Bf8 14.d3 Kb8 15.Bd2 Ne7 16.Nf3 Ng6 17.O-O-O +/=, Skembris-Gheorghiu, Skopje 1984;
1...e5 2.h3 d5 3.Bg2 c6 4.d4 e4 5.c4 Bd6 6.Nc3 Ne7 7.Bg5 f6 8.Bd2 O-O 9.Qb3 Kh8 10.Rc1 Na6 11.e3 f5 =/+, Basman-Kudrin, Manchester 1981.
2.Bg2 b6 3.h3 Bb7 4.Nf3 Nd4 5.e3 Nxf3+ 6.Bxf3 Bxf3 7.Qxf3 d5 8.Nc3 e6
This position is approximately equal, but Black needs to catch up in development.
9.d3 Nf6 10.Bd2 c5 11.e4 a6 12.O-O d4 13.Ne2 e5 14.Qg3 Nd7 15.f4 Bd6 16.f5 f6
White leads in development and has the better bishop.
17.Kg2 Be7 18.h4 Rc8 19.b3 a5 20.a4 Nb8 21.Kf3 Kd7 22.Rh1 Qc7 23.g5 Rcg8 24.Rag1 Qd8
Black plays passively, as though content with a draw. Perhaps he should move his knight to c6 at some point. On the other hand, maybe White should aim for the pawn break on c3.
25.Qh3 Qf8 26.Ng3 Kd8 27.Nh5 Qe8 28.Qg4 Nd7 29.Ke2 Kc8 30.Qf3 Kc7 31.gxf6 Bxf6 32.Bg5 Qf7
Now Black plays to exchange his weaker bishop.
33.Rg2 h6 34.Bxf6 gxf6 35.Rhg1 Rxg2 36.Rxg2 Rg8
Here Black offered a draw which was declined although White has no advantage.
37.Rxg8 Qxg8 38.Qg3 Qxg3 39.Nxg3 Kd6 40.Nf1 Ke7 41.Nh2 Kf7 42.Ng4 Kg7 43.Nf2 h5
This position is dead equal and could have been agreed drawn at this point.
44.Nd1 Kf7 45.Nb2 Nb8 46.Nc4 Nd7 47.Nd6+ Ke7 48.Nc4 Kf7 49.Kd2 Ke7 50.Na3 Kd6 51.Nb5+ Kc6 52.c3 Nb8 53.Kc2 Na6 54.cxd4, draw.
This rather dull and boring example of Grob's Attack does not leave me inclined to try it anytime soon!
