Thursday, September 28, 2006

NZ Masters Update

For a while, IM Stephen Solomon looked like he was about to suffer his first loss at the hands of local Kiwi player Nicholas Croad in the George Trundle NZ Masters event. But as is typical of Solo, and possibly aided by Croad's waivering nerves, the Australian held out to draw the game.

Relying on his favourite Morra Gambit, local player Graeme Spain, playing against Australia-based German IM Peter Froehlich, treated online spectators to an exciting encounter yesterday.

Auckland IM Tournament (NZ)
Spain, Graeme
Froehlich, Peter
B21

1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 e6 5. Bc4 a6 6. Nf3 b5 7. Bb3 Bb7 8. O-O b4 9. Nd5 exd5 10. exd5 Bd6 11. Re1+ Kf8 12. Bg5 f6 13. Bd2 Ne7 14. Nd4 Qb6 15. Be3 Qa5 16. Rc1 h5 17. Qf3 Be5 18. Bf4 Bxd5 19. Bxd5 Qxd5 20. Qxd5 Nxd5 21. Bxe5 Kf7 22. Bd6 Nc6 1/2-1/2

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hello Amiel,

Thank you for publishing Graeme's game. As another Morra gambit fan I have analyzed the position after 18. ... Bxd5 with a chess program and Rybka has found a winning continuation starts with an excellent queen sacrifice: 19.Bxe5!! Bxf3 20.Bd6 Nbc6 (or 20. ... Bd5 21.Rc8+ Kf7 22.Rxe7+ Kg6 23.Bc2+ +-) 21.Nxc6 dxc6 22.Bxe7+ Ke8 23.Bxb4+ Qe5 24.Rxe5+ fxe5 25.gxf3 +-

Peter