RIZAL'S CHESS TRADING: May 2011

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

BEATING THE SICILIAN

I had participated in the recent Ampang Open Chess Tournament. I brought along my eldest son, Akmal to participate in this event. Despite scoring only2 points out of 7 rounds, I think it is a good start for him.

My own achievement is quite modest, 5.5 out of 7. I lost to one of my bete noire, Kamaluddin Yusof when he surprised me with his new defence, the French Mac Cutcheon when I had no special preparation agains it. I think I need to revise this specific variation as I have a bad record against this line, only 1 victory (against NWM Nurul Huda) and 3 losses (against Faizul Zakaria along long time ago, Ian Udani and this one Kamaluddin)

One of my victories against Muhammad Syazwan reminds me a disastrous defeat which I had suffered 6 years ago in the hand of Jax Tam Thick Hong.

[Event "National Closed"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2006.??.??"]
[Round "5.8"]
[White "Rizal A Kamal"]
[Black "Jax Tham Thick Hong"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B40"]
[PlyCount "55"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "3"]
[EventCountry "MAS"]

1. e4 e6

The game began with a French move order, but soon, Jax transposes to the Sicilian pin variation

2. d4 c5 3. Nf3 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. e5!

This is the move recommended by GM John Nunn in his famous books BEATING THE SICILIAN 2 and 3. In fact the latest recipe devised by another GM Jesus de la Villa Garcia in his DISMANTLING THE SICILIAN

After this historical defeat, I also discovered another viable alternative as in the game {Mikenas-Dreiburg, Kemeri 1939 1-0} beginning with 6. Ndb5!

6... Ne4!?

The most intriguing and challenging reply. If 6... Nd5 simply 7. Bd2

7.Qg4 Nxc3

and now in the game against Jax Tham, I blundered horribly with 8. bxc3?? 8... Bxc3+ 9. Kd1 Bxd4! 10. Qxg7 (10. Qxd4 Nc6 11. Qe4 ) 10... Rf8 11. Ba3 d6!! and suddenly I realised that 12.Bxd6 is unplayable because 12...Qxd6! wins The game continued in futile (for me) when I resigned after executing my 28th move.

The correct continuation is actually....

8. Qxg7 Rf8 9. a3!

This is the most important nuance in this specific line which I completely forgotten when facing Jax Tham.

Only after 5 years, I manage to correct my previous error.

9...Nb5+

This is what had been played by Muhammad Syazwan and in fact highlighted by GM John Nunn as the best line. Frankly speaking, over the board, I could not remember the recommended continuation. Fortunately I was capable of analysing it on my own and I played exactly according to the theory

The alternatives also leads to white's advantage

i) 9... Ba5 10. Bh6 Qe7 11. Nb3 Bc7 12. bxc3)

ii) 9... Qa5 10. Nb3 Nd5+ (10... Qd5 11. Bd3 Be7 12. bxc3 d6
(12... Nc6 13. Bf4 b5 14. a4) 11. axb4 Qxb4+ 12. Bd2 Qb6 13. Bd3)

10. axb4 Nxd4 11. Bg5

11.Bh6 is in fact also giving white the advantage.

11... Qb6 12. Bh6 Qxb4+ 13. c3 Nf5 14. cxb4 Nxg7 15. Bxg7 Rg8 16. Bf6

This is the exactly where John Nunn's analysis in his BTS3 (page 196) ended and he concluded: "but White's dark-square pressure gives him a very favourable ending" . This game confirms his conclusion.

16...Nc6

Probably 16... Rg4 at once gives black the better chances. (I am not sure)

17. b5 Nb4 18. O-O-O Nd5 19. Bh4

I wanted to keep this important Bishop.

19...Rg4 20. g3 Rb4

The Rook managed to come to the Queenside after all

21. f4 Ne3

This wins a Bishop, but

22. Rd6

I manage to create an important bind on Black's King.

22...Nxf1 23. Rxf1 Rxb5 24. Bf6 b6 25. f5 Bb7 26. Rf4 Rc5+ 27. Kb1 exf5 28. Rh4 Be4+ 29. Ka2 Bc2!?

For a moment, I thought I was busted, Suddenly I saw an outrageous reply

30. b4!!

and I was confident that White is now totally winning

30...f4

Otherwise 31.Rxh7 and Rh8 mate

31. bxc5 fxg3 32. hxg3 bxc5 33.Rc4 Bf5 34. Rxc5 a5 35. Ka3 Be6 36. Ra6 Rb8 37. Rcxa5 1-0

(

Sunday, May 08, 2011


CHESS ITEMS ON SALE CHESS DEMO BOARD (NON MAGNETIC) - IDEAL FOR A TEACHER TO TEACH A GROUP OF STUDENTS REPRESENTING THE SCHOOL. PORTABLE AND FOLDABLE. ONLY 2 UNITS LEFT RM 250.00 LATEST RECORDED GAMES FROM THE LATEST CATUR MAKSAK 2010 EVENT - WITNESSED THE LARGEST NUMBER OF PARTICIPATING STATES AND HIGHEST NUMBER OF GAMES PLAYED! RM25.00 IDEAL FOR THE BASIC OF PREPARATION OF MAKSAK PLAYERS PARTICULARLY FOR THIS COMING CATUR MAKSAK 1ST- 3RD JULY 2011 CHESS BULETIN FOR SUKAN MENTERI KEWANGAN CARNIVAL. THIS YEAR, THE ROYAL MAYSIAN CUSTOMS SHALL HOST THIS EVENT WHICH AMONG OTHERS FEATURE CHESS. THIS BULETIN CONTAINS ALL THE RECORDED GAMES IN THE PREVIOUS CARVIVAL - IDEAL FOR ALL CHESS PLAYERS WHO WISH TO PEEP THROUGH THEIR POTENTIAL RIVALS' STRATERGY AND AS A BASIS FOR A BLUE PRINT CHESS STRATEGY IN THE NEXT COMING 16-20 NOVEMBER 2011 CATUR SUKAN KEWANGAN 2011. RM 25.00 CHESS SET (WITH 2 QUEENS FOR EACH COLOUR) - ONLY 5 UNITS AVAILABLE IN MY STOCK. A BASIC TOOLS NEEDED FOR EVERY TOURNAMENT PLAYERS. SET CHESS + TOURNAMENT SIZE CHESS BOARD + POUCH = RM30.00

CATUR MAKSAK IS ON 1-3 JULY 2011

I discovered that, Catur MAKSAK shall be competed on the 1st auntil 3rd of July 2011. The event would be hosted by MAKSAK Perak. Further details shall be revealed very soon.