The Jamaica Chess Federation

“OLYMPIC SQUAD”

The National Jamaica Chess Teams are in its final preparations to represent Jamaica at the Chess Olympiad in Norway August 1 – 14, 2014. The team, which is leaving the island on July 30 have been in training for the past two months. The squads are being lead by Technical Director FM Warren Elliott and NM Russell Porter, coach and captain of the female team. Both come with considerable experience locally and internationally and are confident the teams can do well this year.
“JUNIOR CHESS”

The future of Junior chess no doubt lies in the hands of young Jamaican talents like Tewana Mellace who was recenly very successful in the Miami Orange Bowl tournament, held earlier in 2007. At only eight years of age, Tewana captured the Under-10, Under-12 and Under-14 chess titles at the National Junior Age Group Chess Champs hosted by the Jamaica Chess Federation in 2004.. The youngest participant in the event, Mellace emerged victor over seven of the best players from across Jamaica between the ages of eight and 14, after beating last year’s U-12 champion, Brian Ewbank, to capture the U-14 title.

Recently Played at the Third National Qualifier

[Event “3rd Natl Qualifier, JOA, Jam”]

[Site “?”]

[Date “2014.12.20”]

[Round “3.3”]

[White “Sheanel Gardner”]

[Black “Ian Wilkinson”]

[Result “0-1”]

[ECO “C01”]

[Annotator “Wilkinson, I”]

[PlyCount “96”]

“REVENGE” FOR THE “OLDSTERS”

For the past few years Sheanel Gardner has been one of Jamaica’s promising junior players, winning many honours locally and overseas. I had beaten her in our maiden encounter just a week ago in the first round of the 2014 Frederick Cameron Open. Then I had the white pieces and she fought hard. Her confidence was high as she had beaten the great Robert Wheeler in the previous round with Black. I was proud of how she acquitted herself against the experienced master and six-time Jamaican champion. She appeared very focused, poised and self-assured. I knew that I was in for a battle but after my hard-fought draw against CM Malaku Lorne in the previous round I was determined to do well and get some revenge for Bob Wheeler, my fellow “oldster”!} 1. e4 e6 {The French Defence! My “secret” weapon for juniors as I invite the endgame!} 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 {The exchange variation that poses little, if any, problems for Black.} exd5 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Nf3 Bb4 6. a3 ({A legend drew with a fighting Grandmaster after -} 6. Bd3 Qe7+ 7. Qe2 Qxe2+ 8. Kxe2 O-O 9. Re1 Bg4 10. h3 Re8+ 11. Be3 Bh5 12. g4 Bg6 13. Ne5 c5 14. Kf1 Nc6 15. Nxc6 bxc6 16. dxc5 Nd7 17. Bxg6 hxg6 18. Rad1 Bxc5 19. Bxc5 Nxc5 20. Ne2 {1/2-1/2 (20) Hort,V (2483)-Prusikin,M (2541) Switzerland 2012}) 6… Bd6 $5 {Keeping the pieces on the board to complicate matters.} (6… Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 O-O 8. Bd3 Re8+ 9. Be3 Ng4 10. O-O Nxe3 11. fxe3 Nc6 (11… Rxe3 $6 {is dubious as White has the powerful riposte -} 12. Ne5 $1 {and Black is forced to give up the exchange.} Rxe5 ({Black is crushed after the woeful} 12… Be6 $4 13. Bxh7+ $1 Kf8 14. Nxf7 Bxf7 15. Qh5 $18 Qe8 16. Bg6 $1 {Much stronger than 16.Rxf7+ which is still winning.} Re7 17. Qh8#) 13. dxe5 Be6 $14) 12. Re1 Bg4 13. Rb1 b6 $11) 7. Bg5 Be6 $146 {I also considered 7…c6.} ({In a fairly recent game, White was the victor as Black emerged from the opening with the advantage but went astray after -} 7… c6 8. Bd3 O-O 9. O-O Bg4 10. h3 Bh5 11. b4 Nbd7 12. Be2 b5 13. Nh2 Bxe2 14. Nxe2 a5 15. c3 Nb6 16. Qd3 Nc4 17. Ng4 Be7 18. Bxf6 Bxf6 19. Ng3 Bg5 20. Ne5 Nxe5 21. dxe5 Bf4 22. Qf5 Qh4 $6 (22… Bxg3 $1 23. fxg3 Qe7 $11) 23. Ne2 Bg5 24. f4 Be7 25. Kh2 Qh6 26. Ng3 Qe6 27. Rfd1 Bh4 28. Qxe6 fxe6 29. Rf1 axb4 30. cxb4 g5 31. Nh5 Rf5 32. Nf6+ Kg7 33. g3 Bxg3+ 34. Kxg3 gxf4+ 35. Rxf4 Rxe5 36. Kh4 Re3 37. Rg1+ {Griciute, R-Mickus,B Plunge 2012 1-0}) 8. Bd3 Nbd7 (8… O-O 9. Nb5 Be7 10. O-O a6 11. Nc3 Nbd7 $11) 9. O-O (9. Nb5 O-O (9… Be7 $6 {is not good due to -} 10. Bf4 $1 $16 {when the c7-real estate comes under serious pressure.}) 10. O-O Be7 {Now this retreat of the holy man is better.} 11. Bf4 Ne8 12. Re1 c6 13. Nc3 Nd6 $11 ) 9… h6 10. Be3 O-O (10… c6 $5 $11) 11. h3 {A useful prophylactic move to prevent both Bg4 pinning the steed and Ng4 attacking the Be3.} Re8 {Again c6 came in for attention.} 12. Qd2 {Diagram [#]} Bf8 $5 {Thwarting any plans to sacrifice on h6.} (12… c5 13. Nb5 Bf8 14. Bf4 c4 15. Be2 Ne4 16. Qe1 Re7 17. Bxc4 dxc4 18. Qxe4 Nf6 19. Qe2 Bd5 20. Ne5 Qb6 21. a4 a6 22. Nc3 Qxd4 23. Nxd5 Nxd5 24. Bg3 Qxb2 (24… f6 $2 25. Rfd1 $1 Nf4 26. Qxc4+ Qxc4 27. Nxc4 Ne2+ 28. Kh2 Rc8 29. Ne3 Nxg3 30. Kxg3 Re5 $16) 25. Qxc4 Rd8 $11 (25… Nc3 $5 $11)) 13. Ne5 {Diagram [#]} c5 $1 ({The immediate capture of the enemy steed also worked -} 13… Nxe5 $5 14. dxe5 Nd7 15. f4 (15. Bf4 $5 c6 16. Ne2 Qc7 $11) 15… Nxe5 $1 16. fxe5 d4 17. Bf2 dxc3 18. Qxc3 c6 {with a roughly equal game.}) 14. Nxd7 Nxd7 (14… Bxd7 $2 15. dxc5 $16) 15. dxc5 Bxc5 16. Bxc5 Nxc5 $11 17. Bb5 { Diagram [#]} Ne4 $1 {Chosen after 4 minutes. Black saves the exchange by exploiting the position of the enemy queen.} 18. Nxe4 ({I expected} 18. Qd4 { when I planned to continue} Nxc3 19. Qxc3 (19. Bxe8 $4 {is, of course, dreadful due to} Ne2+ $19) 19… Re7 $11) 18… dxe4 19. Qxd8 $6 {A dubious capture.} ({I thought Sheanel would have played something like -} 19. Qe3 { when I had prepared} Re7 20. Rad1 ({If White snacks on the pawn with -} 20. Qxe4 {I had planned} Bxh3 {and in one variation -} 21. Qd3 Be6 22. Rad1 Qb6 { there is roughly equal play.}) 20… Qc7 21. c3 a6 (21… f5 22. Rfe1 a6 23. Ba4 Rd8 24. Rxd8+ Qxd8 25. f3 Bf7 26. Bc2 Bd5 27. Qc5 Bc6 $11) 22. Be2 f5 $11) 19… Rexd8 $15 {Black’s control of the d-file gives him a slight advantage.} 20. Rfe1 {We were both moving fairly quickly and Gardner now had 59 minutes left of her original 90.} a6 {I decided to displace the enemy bishop or, at the very least, exchange on b3, double White’s pawns and reduce the effect of my opponent’s queenside pawn majority. I now had 69 minutes. Black had another promising continuation that merited serious thought -} (20… Rac8 $5 21. Rac1 Rd4 22. Bf1 (22. c3 Rd2 23. Rxe4 Rxb2 24. Rb4 Ra2 (24… Rd2 $5 25. Ra4 a6 26. Bf1 Bd5 27. c4 Bc6 28. Rb4 Ra2 $15) 25. Ra4 a6 26. Bd3 g6 $17) 22… Rc7 $15 ( 22… Rd2 $5 $15)) 21. Bf1 f5 $13 22. Rad1 Kf7 $1 {Diagram [#] Activating the monarch in the endgame is crucial and will eventually prove decisive.} 23. c3 $6 Bb3 $1 {Immediately exploiting the drawback of White’s last move. Curiously, as I was about to make this move GM Maurice Ashley popped up in my head as I remembered a lecture he gave to the Jamaican team preparing for the 2008 Dresden Olympiad. One of the things he emphasized was looking at the negatives of the opponent’s moves.} 24. Rd4 Rxd4 {I was glad to create this weakness and break up White’s queenside majority.} 25. cxd4 Rc8 $1 $17 {This move cost me 6 of my remaining 65 minutes.} ({I also considered} 25… Rd8 $5 {but was wary of allowing White any counterplay with Rc1. Black, however, wins in the following line -} 26. Rc1 Ke6 27. Rc3 Ba2 28. Rc7 Rd7 29. Rxd7 (29. Bc4+ Bxc4 30. Rxc4 b5 31. Rc6+ Rd6 32. Rc7 g6 33. Kf1 Rxd4 34. Rg7 Kf6 35. Ra7 Rd6 36. Ke2 Kg5 37. g3 h5 38. h4+ Kg4 $19) 29… Kxd7 30. f3 e3 31. Bd3 f4 32. Kf1 g5 33. Ke2 Kd6 34. Be4 Bc4+ 35. Ke1 b6 36. Bb7 a5 37. Be4 Bb5 38. Bb7 Bc6 39. Ba6 Kd5 40. Ke2 Kxd4 $19) 26. Re3 Bc4 27. Rc3 Be6 $1 ({When I played 26…Bc4 inviting the exchange of bishops I thought that if Gardner refused it and played the rook move in the game I would respond with} 27… b5 {. This was the reason I did not play Be6 at once. My “spider sense” kept tingling and I felt that something was wrong with that plan and then I saw the powerful pawn thrust} 28. d5 $1 {when White seems to solve her problems. For example,} Rd8 29. Bxc4 bxc4 30. Rxc4 Rxd5 $13) {A pivotal moment had arrived.} 28. Rxc8 $6 { Played after just 1 minute, leaving her with 45. I was relieved as I felt that Sheanel had to keep the rooks on the board and hope that I would capture on c3 (which I would not have done!) so that when she recaptured the d4-pawn would be defended. Although her position was cheerless, perhaps a move such as 28. Be2 should have been played, preparing f3 and also clearing f1 for the king to draw closer to the heart of the action.} ({I also saw -} 28. d5 {setting an internecine trap.} Bd7 $1 (28… Rxc3 $4 {loses as White captures the piece with check.} 29. dxe6+ Kxe6 30. bxc3 $18 {and White emerges a piece up.}) 29. f4 g5 30. g3 Ke7 $17) 28… Bxc8 {I had 45 minutes left. It might have been about this point that I resolved to win the game thinking that all the work I invested digesting endings (for example, studying the 7th World Champion’s Vasily Smyslov’s “Endgame Virtuoso”) should be put to good use.} 29. Bc4+ Ke7 $5 (29… Be6 30. Be2 $1 ({I did not want to give Gardner the slightest of chances or counterplay and, therefore, prevented} 30. d5 $2 {which really does not help White. In one sample variation,} Bc8 $1 31. a4 Kf6 32. g3 Ke5 33. a5 Bd7 34. Ba2 g5 $19) 30… Ke7 31. f4 exf3 32. Bxf3 b6 $15) 30. Kf1 Kd6 ({ Probably stronger was the immediate -} 30… Be6 $1 31. d5 Bf7 32. d6+ Kf6 { White’s d-pawn cannot reach touchdown as Black captures the Bc4 with check.} 33. Be2 (33. d7 $4 Bxc4+ 34. Ke1 Ke7 $19) 33… Bd5 34. f3 g5 35. fxe4 Bxe4 36. Bc4 Bc6 37. Bd3 Ke5 38. Kf2 f4 39. g3 Kxd6 40. gxf4 gxf4 41. h4 Ke5 42. Be2 Kd4 43. Bf1 Be4 44. Be2 Bd3 45. Bf3 b5 46. Bd1 Be4 47. Be2 Bb7 $19) 31. Ke2 f4 $1 { Played after 1 minute, leaving me with 42. Gardner did not expect this move, which cut off her king, and seemed uneasy.} 32. h4 $2 {White really has no good moves and can only wait for the end to come but the text-move only worsened her plight.} ({Black’s task is more difficult after} 32. Kd2 $1 g5 ( 32… Be6 $5 $17) 33. a4 Be6 34. Be2 Bd7 (34… Kd5 35. Kc3 Bd7 36. b3 a5 37. Bf1 h5 $17) 35. b3 Bc6 36. Bf1 b5 $1 37. a5 (37. axb5 $4 Bxb5 38. Be2 Bxe2 39. Kxe2 Kd5 40. Kd2 Kxd4 $19) 37… h5 38. g3 Kd5 $19) 32… Be6 {Now!} 33. b3 b5 34. Bxe6 Kxe6 35. Kd2 Kd5 36. Kc3 e3 $5 {This is still winning but even stronger was} (36… a5 $1 37. h5 b4+ $1 38. axb4 axb4+ 39. Kc2 Kxd4 40. Kd2 e3+ 41. fxe3+ fxe3+ 42. Ke2 Kc3 $19) ({Also crushing for Black was -} 36… g5 $5 37. hxg5 hxg5 38. a4 b4+ 39. Kd2 Kxd4 $19) 37. fxe3 fxe3 38. Kd3 e2 $1 $19 { The “only” move which was also winning.} 39. Kxe2 Kxd4 40. Kd2 {Diagram [#] Another crucial moment.} g6 $1 {This looks like the only winning try. Black can throw it all away with, for example,} (40… Ke4 $4 41. h5 $1 {Preventing Black from playing g6.} Kd4 42. Kc2 a5 43. Kd2 Ke4 44. Ke2 Kf4 45. Kd3 Ke5 ({ Black even loses after -} 45… Kg3 $4 46. Kd4 Kxg2 47. Kc5 Kg3 48. Kxb5 Kg4 49. b4 $1 (49. Kxa5 $4 {Greed is not always good! Both sides will now promote after this mistake.} Kxh5 50. b4 g5 51. b5 g4 52. b6 g3 53. b7 g2 54. b8=Q g1=Q {Both players, especially Black, have to be very careful and/or precise.} 55. a4 Qd1 56. Qb5+ Kg6 57. Qc6+ Kg5 58. Kb6 h5 59. a5 Qd8+ 60. Qc7 Qf6+ 61. Kb7 h4 62. a6 Qf3+ 63. Kc8 Qa8+ 64. Kd7 h3 65. Qg3+ Kf6 66. Qf2+ Kg7 $11) 49… axb4 50. axb4 Kxh5 51. Kc5 g5 52. b5 g4 53. Kd4 $19 {The pawn is caught as it is within White’s “square”.} g3 54. Ke3 g2 55. Kf2) 46. b4 axb4 47. axb4 Kd5 48. g4 Ke5 49. Ke3 Kd5 50. Kd3 Ke5 $11) 41. g3 Ke4 42. Ke2 a5 43. b4 axb4 44. axb4 Kd4 45. Kd2 Kc4 (45… h5 $5) 46. Kc2 Kxb4 47. Kb2 Kc4 48. Kc2 Kd4 {Diagram [#] The final move made with 33 minutes left. My young and worthy adversary extended her right hand and said “good game”. Mission accomplished Bob! I hope that Smyslov would have been proud of this effort!} 0-1 [/pgn] [/content_box][/content_boxes][fusion_text]

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