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By International Master Jimmy Liew

Five Passed Pawns March On!!

In the first two rounds of the 4th Dato Arthur Tan Open, I had occasion to play with two quite contrasting characters.

In the first round, I had the white pieces against an English gentleman ( and I use the word in it's finest sense) , Christopher Marshall. He shook my hand and wished me "Good luck , mate". Now that's not something you get before a game. I can't remember the last time someone said that to me, if it ever happened before. After I won the game, Chris complimented me on my middle-game play. He went on to say to the effect that he enjoyed the game and did not mind losing because I played so well. You don't often meet a gentleman like that over the board nowadays and it was really a moment I will remember for a long time.

My second round opponent was a complete contrast. In this tournament all the clocks were placed on white's right hand (normally it is on black's right). Before the start of the round, he complained that the clock was on the wrong side and called the arbiter to inform him (the arbiter) of his right to have the clock on his right (sorry for that little word play :).

Now if I were that arbiter I would have told him (my opponent) where he could put his right hand. But curiously, this arbiter actually asked me if I mind to turn the board round and switch places. I replied firmly in the negative and on that little sour note , this game started.

1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Bf5 3.f3 Nf6 4.Bg5 c6 5.Qd2 Nbd7 6.g4 

This is not so commonly played. The idea is to gain space on the 
king-side with h4-h5 and discourage Black from castling on that side 
[6.e4 dxe4 7.Qf4 Qa5 8.0-0-0 e6 9.Bxf6 Nxf6 10.fxe4 Bg6 11.Bd3 Bb4 12.Nge2 e5 13.dxe5 Nd7] 

6...Bg6 7.e3 e6 8.h4 h5

[I was expecting 8...h6 9.Bf4 and followed later with g5. By playing ...h5 immediately, 
Black forces White to give up his black squared bishop]

9.Bxf6 

Otherwise Black takes control of the central e4 square with ...hxg4. 

9...Nxf6 10.g5 Ng8 11.Nge2 Bd6 12.Bg2 Ne7 13.e4 Qb8 14.e5?! 

A bad idea , giving up the f5 square. 14. 0-0-0 was alright 

14...Bc7 15.Nd1 b6 

Black is starting the standard plan of attacking the pawn chain. But the way he does it is much 
too slow and allows me to consolidate my re-develop my pieces to better squares 

16.Ne3 c5 17.c3 Qc8 18.Nf4 b5 19.0-0 Bb6 20.Kh1 b4 21.Rac1 bxc3 22.bxc3 Qa6 23.Nxg6 Nxg6 24.f4 

Giving up the h-pawn is a small price to pay. White gets in the critical pawn break on f5 

24...Nxh4 25.f5 Nxg2 26.Qxg2 

Already planning the knight sacrifice. The other capture 
[ 26.Kxg2 cxd4 27.cxd4 0-0 28.g6 fxg6 29.fxe6 Ba5 30.Qc2 Qxe6�] 

26...Qd3 27.g6 Qxe3 28.gxf7+ Kf8? 

[28...Kxf7 29.Rce1 (29.Qg6+ Kf8 30.fxe6+ Kg8 31.Qf7+ Kh7 32.Qf5+ g6 Driving away the 
queen from covering the h3 square, giving black the check on h3 33.Qf7+ Kh6-+) 
29...Qh6 30.fxe6+ Kxe6 31.dxc5 Bxc5 32.c4 Rad8 33.Rd1 wins the d-pawn because 
if the pawn moves, Qc6 wins back the piece with a devastating position] 

29.fxe6 Qh6?? 

[During the game I felt that this was a losing move. In the heat of the battle and with less than 5 minutes left for both sides, this was a very difficult position for both players. I was ready for 29...Qe4 30.Qxe4 dxe4 31.d5 and with four passed pawns, I figured I had enough compensation] 

30.dxc5 Bc7 

[30...Bxc5 31.Qxd5 Rc8 32.Qd7 followed by a fork on c7 or c6] 

31.c4 Rb8 32.cxd5 Rb4 33.e7+ Kxe7 34.d6+ Kd7 

[34...Kf8 35.Rc4 Rxc4 36.Qa8+ and mate] 

35.Qh3+ 

Time pressure was showing me up because [35.c6+ Ke6 36.Qh3+ should be better] 

35...Rg4 

[35...Kc6 36.Qf3+ Kb5 37.Qb7+ Bb6 I had missed this move during my analysis on the board. 
However 36. e6 should still be winning with all those passed pawns.] 

36.c6+ Kc8

 [36...Ke6 37.Rce1 Rb8 38.f8Q Rxf8 39.Qb3+ Rc4 40.Qxc4#] 

37.f8Q+ Rxf8 38.Rxf8+ Bd8 

At this point both of us had some 2 minutes left on our clocks. My opponent started making a big show of fidgeting in his chair and constantly examining the clock as if he could somehow increase the time he had left just by staring at it. It was clear to me that he was hoping I forgot that my rook on c1 was under attack from the queen. 

39.Rb1 Qg5 40.c7 

And with some 2.5 minutes left, in this completely hopeless position, black waited until his flag dropped 

1-0

QUICK GLANCE 
(click on Replay Game)