Friday, February 22, 2008

Ferrero - Dimitrijevic

In the final round of the USATE 2008, the captain of my team Insufficient Losing Chances needed one more victory for a perfect 6-0 score. Here is how Steve Ferrero accomplished it.


Round Six: Larsen's Opening

Steve Ferrero (USCF 1898) - Vesna Dimitrijevic (USCF 1916), USATE 2/18/2008

1.b3 d5 2.Bb2 c5 3.e3 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Bb5+ Nc6 6.O-O Nf6 7.Ne5 Rc8 8.d3 Bd6 9.Nd2 O-O 10.Bxc6 bxc6 11.Ndf3 Qc7 12.h3 h6 13.Rc1 a5 14.a4 Rb8

15.Bc3 Ra8 16.Kh1 Ne8 17.d4

This move is strategically incorrect for two reasons. First, it creates more light-squared weaknesses for White, who is already minus his king bishop. Second, it enables Black to exchange her doubled c-pawns.

17...cxd4 18.exd4 c5 19.dxc5 Bxc5 20.Bb2 Nf6 21.Nd3 Bb6 22.Nd4 Bg6 23.Nb5 Qd8 24.Qf3 Ne4 25.Qf4 Qg5 26.Qxg5 hxg5

Instead, Black should play 26...Nxg5 with an equal game.

27.Bd4 Bxd4 28.Nxd4 Rfc8


29.Ne5 Bh7 30.Nef3 Nc3 31.Nxg5 Bg6 32.f4 Rc5 33.Rf2 Ne4 34.Nxe4 Bxe4 35.Rd2 Rac8 36.Kg1 Kf8 37.Kf2 Ke7 38.Ke3 Rc3+ 39.Kf2 f6 40.Ne2 R3c5 41.c3 e5 42.g3 d4 43.c4 Rb8 44.Re1 f5 45.Nc1 Rd8 46.fxe5 d3


47.Re3 Rc7 48.Nxd3 Rcd7 49.Ke2 g6 50.g4 Rd4 51.gxf5 gxf5 52.Rd1 f4 53.Nxf4 Rxd1 54.Rxe4 R8d2+ 55.Kf3 Rf1+ 56.Kg4 Rg1+ 57.Kf5 Rf2 58.c5 Rg3 59.b4 Rc3 60.Kg4 Rd2 61.h4 axb4 62.Rxb4 Rxc5


63.e6 Rd8 64.Rb7+ Kd6 65.Rb4 Rg8+ 66.Kf3 Re5 67.h5 Rf5 68.Rb6+ Kc7 69.Rb4 Kd6 70.Rd4+ Ke7 71.Ke4 Rf6 72.Nd5+ Kxe6 73.Nxf6 Kxf6 74.Rd6+ Ke7 75.Ra6 Rg5 76.h6 Rh5


77.h7 Kd7 78.Ra7+

A quicker way to win is 78.Ra8.

78...Kc6 79.Kf4 Kb6 80.Kg4 Rh1 81.Re7 Ka5 82.Re5+, Black resigns.