Palmerston North Club Rapid

Justin Davis the current Palmerston North Club Champion has taken a one point lead in the Palmy club rapid after defeating Wanganui Club Champion Charles Ker in round 4.

Full results to follow.

Ker,C (2002) - Davis,J (1911) [B01]Palmerston North Club Rapid (4.1), 06.2008

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.c4 An extremely sharp opening has arisen white is choosing to cling to his extra pawn for good and try and prove black's opening to be faulty. Black is relying on his superior development and the fact that white will have a hard time finding decent squares for his pieces.
3...e6 4.dxe6 Bxe6 5.d4 [5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Be2 Bc5 7.0-0 Qd7 8.d3 0-0-0 9.Nbd2 Bf5 10.Nb3 Bd4 11.Nbxd4 Nxd4 12.Nxd4 Qxd4 13.Be3 Qxb2 14.Rb1 Qa3 15.Qb3 Qxb3 16.Rxb3 Rhe8 17.h3 Nd7 18.d4 Nb6 19.Rc1 Kb8 20.Rb4 Be4 21.a4 Nc8 22.a5 Ne7 23.d5 Nf5 24.Bf4 Rd7 25.Bf1 ½-½ Onischuk,A-Minasian,A/Batumi GEO 1999 (25)]
5...Bb4+ White's development is non-existant and now black is forcing pieces out by his own choosing.
6.Bd2 Qe7 NZ's next possible GM chose a different move here [6...Bxd2+ 7.Qxd2 Qe7 8.Qe2 Nc6 9.Nf3 0-0-0 10.d5 Rhe8 11.Nc3 Bxd5 12.cxd5 Qb4 13.dxc6 Qxb2 14.cxb7+ Kb8 15.Rd1 Qxc3+ 16.Nd2 Rxe2+ 17.Bxe2 Rxd2 18.Rxd2 Ne4 19.0-0 Qxd2 20.Bf3 f5 0-1 Mc Laren,L-Wang,P/Auckland NZL 2004/]
7.Bxb4 Qxb4+ 8.Qd2 Nc6 9.Nc3 [9.Qxb4 Nxb4 Swapping queens to avoid an attack just helps black create more threats.]
9...0-0-0 10.d5 Rhe8 11.0-0-0 Bf5 12.Qg5 White now plays what appears to be a winning move removing the queen from the pin with tempo so black must loose a piece.

12...Bg6 Problem is taking the knight will lead to complete disaster as the following analysis shows.
13.Nf3 [13.dxc6? Rxd1+ 14.Nxd1 Qa4 15.cxb7+ Kb8 16.Bd3 (16.a3 Qc2#) 16...Bxd3 17.Qd2 Qxc4+ 18.Qc3 Qxc3+ 19.Nxc3 Bf1 20.h3 Bxg2 21.Rh2 Re1+ 22.Kd2 Rxg1-+]

13...Na5 14.Rd4 c5

15.dxc6? This is a serious blunder. White is a pawn ahead and should be trying to consolidate and keep the position closed. The kingside is still only partially developed and all of black's pieces are developed and ready all that was left was open lines for attack.

15.Rh4!? Perhaps surprisingly white holds his position together with this move. 15...h6 (15...Rd6 16.Qd2 Rb6 17.Be2 Bh5 18.Rd1 White is seeming to untangle and black is still a pawn down black does have some compensation but I am unsure if it is enough. 18...Bxf3 19.gxf3) 16.Qd2 Kb8 17.Be2 It is hard to suggest any move for either side, probably the position is evenly balanced but a thorough study would be needed.
15...Rxd4 16.cxb7+ Nxb7 16...Kxb7 Was also a possibility 17.Qb5+ (17.Nxd4 Re1+ 18.Nd1 Rxf1 19.Rxf1 Qxc4+ 20.Nc3 Qxf1+ 21.Nd1 Qc4+ 22.Nc3 Qxd4 23.Qxa5) 17...Qxb5 18.cxb5 Rb4] 17.Nxd4 Re1+ 18.Nd1 [18.Kd2 Rxf1! Before the knight check ensures white has even more material loss. 19.Rxf1 (19.Qb5 Qxb5 20.Ndxb5 Rxh1) 19...Ne4+]
18...Ne4 [18...Rxf1! 19.Rxf1 Qxc4+ 20.Nc3 Qxf1+ 21.Kd2 Qd3+ 22.Ke1 Qxd4]
19.Qb5?! [19.Nc2 Qd6 White cannot avoid the loss of the queen due to mate threat on d1.] 19...Qd2+
[20.Kb1 Rxd1#]
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