Round 7: Riordan-Chase 1/2

White develops attacking chances against Black's king along the open h-file, but plays too passively at a critical moment and fails to exploit them. Instead, Black gives up his queen for a rook, bishop and several pawns. At the first adjournment it looks like White has few chances to survive. However, he finds a line which enables Black to queen a pawn and be up a full rook but results in a draw by perpetual check. An exciting finish to this year's Championship.

[Event "BCC Championship"]
[Site "Somerville, MA USA"]
[Date "2004.11.08"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Riordan, Charles"]
[Black "Chase, Chris"]
[Result "1/2"]
[WhiteUSCF "2258"]
[BlackUSCF "2289"]
[ECO "B90"]
[Opening "Sicilian Defense"]
[Variation "Najdorf"]
[Sub-Variation "Unusual White 6th moves, 6 Be3 e5"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f3 Nbd7 9.g4 h6 10.Qd2 Rc8 11.0-0-0 Qc7 12.Kb1 Nb6 13.h4 Be7 14.Qg2 g6 15.Qf2

[The first new move. The previous time this position was reached the game continued 15.g5 hxg5 16.hxg5 Nh5 17.f4 Nc4 18.Bxc4 Bxc4 19.f5 b5 Lobron-Quinteros, London BBC TV-A 1981 1-0 (33)]

15...Nc4 16.Bxc4 Bxc4 17.Bb6 Qd7 18.Na5 Be6 19.g5 hxg5 20.hxg5 Rxh1 21.Rxh1 Nh5 22.Qd2 Kf8

[Fritz suggests 22...Bxg5 23.Qxg5 Rxc3 24.bxc3 Qb5+ 25.Nb3 Qxb6 26.Qd2 Black has a pawn and the superior pawn structure in return for the exchange (equal?)]

23.Be3 b5 24.Nd5 Bxd5 25.exd5 Qf5 26.Qg2 Kg7 27.Nc6 Bd8 28.a3 Nf4?

[A mistake which would have been punished if White had found the correct continuation at move 30]

29.Bxf4 exf4

30.Rg1?

[Why take the rook off the h-file? Instead 30.Nd4! Qxg5 31.Qh3 Qh5 32.Nf5+! Kf6 33.Qxh5 gxh5 34.Nxd6 Rb8 35.Rxh5 and White is effectively up two pawns in the ending]

30...Qxd5 31.Qh3!?

[A risky continuation. 31.Nxd8 Rxd8 32.Qh2 Qe5 looks drawish]

31...Qxc6 32.Qh6+ Kg8 33.Rh1 Qxc2+ 34.Ka1 Qc1+ 35.Rxc1 Rxc1+ 36.Ka2 Rc5 37.Qh3 Rf5

[A good move which keeps the White queen from penetrating at d7 or c8]

38.Qf1 Bxg5 39.Qd3 d5 40.Qc3 Bf6

[At adjournment, the consensus opinion was that White would be hard pressed to draw. Charles proved the kibitzers wrong]

41.Qc8+

[Sealed move]

41...Kg7 42.Qxa6 d4 43.Qc6 Re5 44.Kb1 Re1+ 45.Kc2 Re2+ 46.Kc1 d3 47.Qxb5 Bxb2+ 48.Kb1 Re1+ 49.Ka2! Ra1+ 50.Kxb2 d2 51.Qe5+ Kh7 52.Qxf4 d1Q 53.Qxf7+

[It is a perpetual check since White can't interpose with his queen without giving up the rook]

53...Kh6 54.Qf4+ Kg7 55.Qe5+ Kf7 56.Qf4+ Ke6 57.Qe4+ Kf7 58.Qf4+ Kg8 59.Qb8+ Kh7 60.Qh2+ Kg7 61.Qe5+ [Sealed move] ½-½

[The game was agreed drawn without resuming]