Regressing further on the last topic. | CHESS AT THE BAG OF CATS

So, continuing where I left off last: After four hours we were leading 3-2 with hopes of getting 1½ out of the last games. Thorbjörn Bromann had a splendid season on board 6 and as it turned out he got to seal our opponents’ fate:

   [Event "52nd TCh-DEN XtraCon"]  [Site "Skanderborg"]  [Date "2014.03.09"]  [Round "9"]  [White "Bromann, T."]  [Black "Boe, M."]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "D00"]  [WhiteElo "2395"]  [BlackElo "2360"]  [PlyCount "101"]   1. d4 d5 2. Bg5 {This variation was for a long time endemic to the British  Isles until it was picked up by Igor Miladinovic who has lately become its  main proponent.} c6 ({To my mind the critical line goes} 2... h6 3. Bh4 c5 {,  but there is nothing wrong with the move in the game.}) 3. Nf3 h6 4. Bh4 Bf5 5.  e3 Qb6 6. Qc1 e6 7. c4 Be7 8. Bg3 Nf6 9. Nc3 {There are seventeen games with  this position in the database, but only two with Black's next move:} dxc4 ({  This seems to leave White with the more comfortable game, but the alternative}  9... Nbd7 {, seems promising for White after} 10. c5 Qd8 11. h3 {, followed by  b4-b5.}) 10. Nd2 O-O 11. Nxc4 Qd8 12. Be2 Na6 (12... c5 13. dxc5 Bxc5 14. O-O  Nc6 15. a3 {and it is hard for Black to find a good way to deal with Rd1 on  the next move.}) 13. O-O Nc7 {This is a clearl sign that something has gone  wrong for Black.} 14. f3 $1 Nfe8 15. e4 Bh7 {We have a position that is  reminiscent of a classical Slav, although then White would have played a2-a4  at an early stage. In general the opening can be considered a success for  Thorbjorn.} 16. Bf2 (16. Qe3 $5 Nd6 17. b3) 16... Nd6 17. Ne5 f5 $6 18. Qc2 Bg5  19. Bd3 fxe4 20. fxe4 Ndb5 21. Nf3 $6 ({It was better to play} 21. Ne2 {since}  Rxf2 22. Rxf2 Be3 {doesn't work too well for Black after} (22... Nxd4 $6 23.  Nxd4 Qxd4 24. Nf3 $16) 23. Nf3 {Black has not been able to solve the problem  of the passive bishop on h7 and White's centre is still strong.}) 21... Bf6 $6  ({Here Black had the chance to play} 21... Rxf3 22. gxf3 Nxd4 23. Bxd4 Qxd4+  24. Kh1 Rf8 {with good compensation on the dark squares.}) 22. Ne2 {Now White  is in control again.} Be7 23. Rad1 a5 24. a3 Nd6 25. Ng3 {Torbjorn makes a  Karpov-like decision and overprotects the centre, making it hard for Black to  create any counterplay.} (25. Be3 {intending Ne5 or Nf4 was also quite strong.}  ) 25... Nf7 26. Bc4 Qc8 27. Be3 Nd6 28. Bd3 Nf7 29. Nh5 Qd7 30. d5 $6 ({It is  better to strengthen White's position further with something like} 30. Rf2 {  intending Rdf1, before deciding how to use the centre.}) 30... cxd5 $6 (30...  exd5 31. exd5 Bxd3 32. Qxd3 Qg4 33. Nf4 Nxd5 34. Nxd5 cxd5 35. Qxd5 Bf6) 31.  Qc3 {The night before the match we had a small "team talk" when we discussed  the importance of not thinking for too long when you are better; that it is  better to play a "good move". Possible Thorbjorn was inspired by this when he  played this move. Better was} (31. exd5 $1 Bxd3 32. Qxd3 {when White is  clearly better, since.} exd5 33. Nxg7 $1 Kxg7 34. Bd4+ Bf6 35. Bxf6+ Kxf6 36.  Ne5+ Kxe5 37. Qg3+ Ke6 38. Rde1+ Ne5 39. Qxe5# {Still, the game continuation  was simple to keep control of and leads to a clear advantage for White.}) 31...  e5 32. exd5 Bxd3 33. Qxd3 Qg4 34. Ng3 h5 $2 ({I used to love this kind of move  myself, but lately I have become more... experienced and have come to the  conclusion that these kind of moves cannot be generalized. Here it is just bad.  Better was} 34... Rad8 35. Nf5 Nxd5 36. h3 Qa4 37. Bb6 $1 Bf6 (37... e4 38. Qd4  Qxd4+ 39. N3xd4 $16) 38. Bxd8 Rxd8 39. Nd2 Nf4 {with some counterplay for  Black.}) 35. Qb3 ({Here} 35. Nf5 $1 Bf6 36. Nd2 {would have led to a faster  finish. Black cannot defend against the combined threats of Ne4, d6 and h3.})  35... h4 36. Nh1 ({I cannot say whether it was time trouble or not here. I had  finished my game and was sitting in the analysis room, (not daring to enter the  playing hall again). Now} 36. d6 $1 Bxd6 37. Nxh4 Qxh4 38. Rxd6 {ought to win  for White.}) 36... h3 $5 ({After} 36... Nd6 {White has to find the exact} 37.  Bb6 {in order to keep any pretence of an advantage.}) 37. Ng3 hxg2 38. Kxg2 Bd6  $2 ({This allows White to regain control of e4. Better was} 38... e4 39. Nd2  Nd6 40. a4 Bh4 41. Rde1 {with approximate equality.}) 39. Nd2 $1 b5 40. Nde4 a4  41. Qd3 Rad8 ({After} 41... Ne8 42. h3 Qd7 43. Nc5 Bxc5 44. Bxc5 Ned6 45. Qg6 {  it is no longer possible to defend.}) 42. h3 Qd7 43. Nf6+ $1 gxf6 44. Qg6+ Kh8  45. Qxf6+ Kh7 46. Qh4+ ({This is stronger than} 46. Rf5 Ng5 $1 47. Qxg5 Rxf5  48. Qh4+ $1 Kg7 49. Nxf5+ Qxf5 50. Qxd8 {which also wins for White, although  not as fast.}) 46... Kg8 47. Nh5 $1 {Black is defenceless:} Nh8 (47... Ne8 48.  Rf6 $1 Nh8 {leads to the game.}) 48. Rf6 $5 (48. Qg5+ Kh7 49. Rf6) 48... Ne8 ({  After the game Thorbjorn pointed out to me that} 48... Rf7 {falls on the  prosaic} 49. Rxf7 $1 {when} Ng6 (49... Qxf7 50. Qxd8+ {is hopeless for Black  and}) 50. Rg7+ Qxg7 51. Qxd8+ {wins easily for White.}) 49. Qg5+ Ng7 50. Rxd6  Qc7 51. Rc1 {1-0}

This result meant that we only needed a draw on the last board, where Nikolaj Palm was a pawn up in a rook endgame and only had to ask for it. With this draw we became the champions (and Nikolaij our top scorer which is what the next entry will be about).