Metro Chess Club METROPOLITAN CHESS CLUB
(Established since 1959)



Club Champions Address

2006 Club Champion's Address

2006 Club Champion's address presented by Tristan Boyd on 17 August.

A critical game from a 2005 weekender, with both players tied for the lead on 3/3. In round 3 I had beaten Tim Hare with a nice combination. Thomas (one of WA's most promising juniors) caused an upset by beating Haydn Barber after Haydn pushed too hard for a win in the endgame and blundered.

Thomas Donaldson (1822) - Tristan Boyd (2240) Willetton Open Round 4 Board 1

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c3(a) Bf5 4.Bg5 Nbd7 5.Nbd2 h6 6.Bf4 e6 7.e3 Be7 8.h3 c5 9.Rc1(b) Qb6 10.Qb3(c) c4(d) 11.Qxb6 Nxb6 12.g4 Bh7 13.Be5(e) Na4 14.b4(f) a5 15.a3 axb4 16.axb4 Nxc3(g)


2005 Willetton Open - Donaldson V Boyd


17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Rxc3 Ra1+ 19.Ke2 Bxb4 20.Rxc4 dxc4 21.Nxc4 Ra2+(h) 22.Ncd2 Be4 0-1


(a) Solid, but rather unambitious.
(b) Looks natural, but white needs this square for his queen. 9.Be2 is better, and after Qb6 10.Qc1 white is OK.
(c) After 10.b3 cxd4, with the idea of Ba3, is uncomfortable for white.
(d) This move (and the next) secures black the advantage. The Bf5 prevents white from organising a break in the centre, and also makes Na4 a strong threat.
(e) After 13.g5 Nh5 14.gxh6 Nxf4 15.hxg7 Rg8 16.exf4 Rxg7 white is a pawn up, but with horribly weak pawns, while black has the 2 bishops. Most importantly, Na4 has only been delayed, not prevented.
(f) 14.b3 Ba3 (not of course cxb3 because of Bb5+), and black wins.
(g) Now white's position collapses. 16.cxb4 would not have helped, because after Nb2 the Bxb4 tactic is still in the air.
(h) White loses another piece.

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Problem (Grigoriev, 1930)

White: Ka8, pawns b2, c3; Black: Kb6, pawn b5. White to play and win

Click here for the solution.