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Rebel and Chess Tiger at the Dutch Open
The road to victory
Dutch Open 2001, Leiden by Jeroen Noomen.
In the weekends 27/28 October and 3/4 November the annual Dutch Open was played in the city of Leiden. Amongst the participants were Chess Tiger 14.6 and the brand new Rebel Century 4. Both programs were counted amongst the favourites, as did Fritz by Frans Morsch and The King by Johan de Koning.
Chess Tiger defended its title, that it won last year by the very good score of 10 points in 11 games. Tiger didn't lose a single game, won 9 and drew 2. It was very nice to see Rebel back in the Dutch championship this year. It has been some time ago since Rebel participated for the last time and many people welcomed Rebel back to the national arena. And Rebel didn't disappoint its supporters!
From the beginning both Rebel and Chess Tiger took an early lead. After day 1 both programs were in first place, scoring three wins in a row. Especially Rebel showed some teeth: It beated The King and Fritz with very good play. In the fourth round Rebel had to play Tiger as white and the last one was able to win this game. After the second day, though, things were running less smoothly and after that day there were 4 leaders, all on 4,5 out of 6: Rebel, Chess Tiger, Fritz and The King.
The second weekend saw Rebel drawing Kallisto II-X and Chess Tiger beating Diep after a hardfought game. Then came the sensational game between Chess Tiger and Fritz. After a slow start Fritz sacrificed a piece for 3 pawns and added another exchange to this. In return Fritz received no less than 6 (!!) pawns for the rook deficit. But Tiger defended as a lion (sic!) and after some mistakes by Fritz it won the game by picking up all the black pawns. A sensational win, giving Tiger the sole lead.
In the 9th round Tiger looked winning against Sjeng, but a 'winning combination', netting a piece, proved to be insufficient. Rebel won against Crafty, which meant that with one day and two rounds to go, Rebel and Chess Tiger were in shared first place with 7 points. Third on 6,5 points was Fritz.
In the last 2 rounds nothing special happened, with the 3 top programs winning all their games. As a result of this, Chess Tiger 14.6 and Rebel Century 4 were both on 9 points in 11 games, Fritz having 8,5. Chess Tiger was declared winner on tiebreak. It would have been more fair to have a tiebreak decision, although people argued that Tiger deserved to win because it won against Rebel.
Needless to say I was very pleased with this result! Rebel showed some great chess, apart from the game against Tiger it was never in danger, won 8 good games and was a bit unlucky that it only drew Diep and Kallisto. Tiger had to fight in quite a few games, but showed that it is very well capable to do so. All in all Tiger also played a very good tournament and I was happy to see it play some very attractive games (against Isichess, Tao, Fritz and Crafty f.e.).
I have analysed all games played by Tiger and Rebel in this tournament. To give you an idea how these two guys are playing: Just play through the game below. I hope you'll enjoy it!
Chess Tiger 14.6 - Isichess X
21st Open Dutch CC Ch./Leiden NED (1) 2001
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f4 e6 7. Be2 Be7 8.
O-O O-O 9. Be3 Nc6 10. Kh1 Qc7 11. Qe1 Bd7 12. Qg3 b5 13. e5 Ne8 14. Bd3 f5 15. a3 dxe5 16. fxe5?! Nxe5 17. Bf4 Bd6 18. Bxb5 Ng6 19. Bxd6 Nxd6 20. Ba4 Rfe8?Wrong rook! Rae8 is good for Black
21. Bb3 Kh8 22. Nf3 f4 23. Qh3 e5 24. Qh5 Bc6 25. Nd5 Qb7 26. Ng5 Nf8 27. Rad1 g6 28. Qh3 Bd7? 29. Qh4 Bb5 30. Nxf4! Nf5 31. Qh3 Bxf1 32. Nf7+? Kg7 33. Rxf1 Qe4 34. Ng5 Qc6 35. Bd5 Qxc2 36. Nh5+ gxh5 37. Be4 Qc8 38. Bxf5? Qc4 39. Qf3 Rad8 40. Be4 Rd6 41. b3 Qc7 42. h4!?
Very risky, but the position is already unlcear
42... h6 43. Nf7?! Rde6 44. g4 Ng6 45. g5 Nf4!
Blocks the white attack
46. Nxh6 Rb6 47. b4 Rd8 48. Rg1 Re6 49. Nf5+ Kf8 50. Ng3 Qf7 51. Qe3 Kg8 52. Nf5 Kh8 53. Rf1 Qd7 54. Qf3 Qe8 55. Qc3 Ng6 56. Rf2 Qf7 57. Qc2 Qd7 58. Kh2 Nf4 59. Qc3 Ree8?!
Very passive
Around here things start to go wrong for Black
62. Qb2 Ng6 63. Rd2 Qf7 64. b5!
A brilliant pawn sacrifice
64... Nxh4 65. Rf2! Rf8? 66. b6 Ree8 67. b7+- Nxf5 68. Rxf5 Qc7 69. Qf2 Kg8 70. Rf6! Rxf6 71. gxf6 Kf8 72. Qg1! Qf7 73. Qc5+ Kg8 74. Bd5
1-0
Rebel Century 4 - The King
21st Open Dutch CC Ch./Leiden NED (2) 2001
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 f5 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. g3 c6 6. Bg2 Bd6 7.
O-O O-O 8. Qc2 Ne4 9. Rb1 Nd7 10. b4 a6 11. a4 Qf6 12. a5 Kh8 13. h3 e5 14. Na4 exd4 15. cxd5 cxd5 16. Qb3 Bc7 17. Bb2 Ne5 18. Rfd1 f4 19. g4 Bd7 20. Bxd4 Bc6 21. Rbc1 Rad8 22. Nc5 Nxc5 23. Rxc5 Rfe8 24. Rc2 Nxf3+ 25. Bxf3 Qf7 26. Rcd2?!Much better was Rdc1, not to let Bc6 come into play
26... Bb5 27. Qc2 Bc4 28. Rc1 Re7 29. Bc5 Re6 30. g5
Looks quite risky
30... Ree8 31. Rcd1 Qe6 32. Kh2 Bd6?
Exchanging this strong bishop turns out to be a bad idea
33. Bxd6 Rxd6 34. Rd4 Qe5 35. Qd2 Rg6 36. Qxf4 Rxg5 37. e3 Qf5?
Leads to a bad ending
38. Bxd5 Bxd5 39. Rxd5 Qxf4+ 40. exf4 Rxd5 41. Rxd5 Kg8 42. Rd7 Rb8 43. f5 Kh8 44. f6! gxf6 45. Rf7 Kg8 46. Rxf6 Rd8 47. Kg3 Rd3+ 48. f3 Rd1 49. f4 Rg1+ 50. Kf3 Rf1+ 51. Ke4 Re1+ 52. Kf5 Re7 53. Re6 Rd7 54. Ke5 Kf7 55. f5 Rd3 56. Rh6 Kg7 57. Rb6 Rd7 58. Ke6+- Rc7 59. Rd6 Rc3 60. f6+ Kg6 61. Ke7 Re3+ 62. Re6
A nice way to liquidate into a won king and pawn ending
62... Rf3 63. f7+ Kg7 64. Ke8 Rxf7 65. Re7 Rxe7+ 66. Kxe7
1-0
Fritz - Rebel Century 4 [E04]
21st Open Dutch CC Ch./Leiden NED (3) 2001
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. g3 d5 4. c4 dxc4 5. Bg2 a6 6.
O-O Nc6An interesting line, intending to keep the pawn on c4.
7. e3 Bd7 8. Nc3 Rb8 9. Ne5 Na5 10. e4 Be7 11. Bf4 b5 12. Nxd7 Nxd7 13. e5
Quite a positional decision, to play this voluntarely. Now Black gets square d5 in return for e4.
13...
O-O 14. Qg4 Kh8 15. Qh5?Fritz plays for cheap tricks instead of coming with good attacking ideas. It is clear that white lost the opening battle
15... Qe8 16. Qh3?! Nb6 17. Be4 g6 18. Bh6 Rg8-/+
White has no attack. Black is clearly better.
19. Rfd1 Rd8 20. g4 b4 21. Ne2 f5
Resolutely stopping any f2-f4-f5 ideas
22. exf6 Bxf6 23. Qg3 Qe7 24. g5 Bg7 25. Bxg7+ Qxg7 26. Rac1 Rge8 27. Qe3 e5!
White's attack has disappeared and Rebel - already a pawn up - takes over the initiative
28. d5 Qe7 29. Bg2 Nb7 30. Ng3 Nc5 31. Ne4 Nxe4 32. Bxe4 Na4 33. Rc2 Rf8 34. Bg2 Rf5 35. h4 c3 36. bxc3 Nxc3-+ 37. Rd3 Rf4 38. a3 a5 39. Qg3 Qd7 40. Rdxc3 bxc3 41. Qxc3 Rd4 42. Qxc7 Qxc7 43. Rxc7 Rxh4 44. Re7 Rc8 45. Kf1 Rc1+ 46. Ke2 Rc2+ 47. Kd3 Rxf2 48. Be4 Ra2 49. Rxe5 Rxa3+ 50. Kd4 Ra4+ 51. Ke3 Rh3+ 52. Kf4 Rd3 53. Re8+ Kg7 54. Ke5 Re3 55. Kf4 Kf7 56. Kxe3 Kxe8 57. Bc2 Rg4 58. Bd1
0-1
Rebel Century 4 - Chess Tiger 14.6 [D27]
21st Open Dutch CC Ch./Leiden NED (4) 2001
1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6.
O-O a6 7. Bb3 b6 8. Qe2 Bb7 9. Rd1 Nbd7 10. Nc3 Bd6 11. e4 cxd4 12. Nxd4 Qb8 13. g3O-O 14. f3 Rd8 15. Be3 b5 16. Rac1 Bc5 17. a4?This gives white problems
17... b4 18. Na2 a5 19. Qf2 Qe5!=/+ 20. Bc4 Nf8 21. Bb3
Rebel has no plan and starts to move pieces
21... Ng6 22. Bc2 Rd7 23. Rd2 Rad8 24. Rcd1 Bb6 25. h3? Qc7!? 26. Kg2 h5! 27. Kh1? h4 28. gxh4? Nh5 29. Nc1 Ba6! 30. Ncb3 Ng3+ 31. Kg1 Nf4!
Winning an exchange and liquidates to a won ending
32. Qxg3 Ne2+ 33. Nxe2 Bxe3+ 34. Kg2 Bxd2 35. Qxc7 Rxc7 36. Bb1 Bxe2 37. Rxd2 Rxd2 38. Nxd2 Rd7 39. Nb3 Bd1 40. Nxa5 Rd2+ 41. Kg3 Rxb2 42. Bd3 Ra2 43. h5 b3 44. Nc4 Be2 45. Bxe2 Rxe2 46. a5 Rc2 47. Na3 b2 48. Nxc2
0-1
Diep - Rebel Century 4 [D27]
21st Open Dutch CC Ch./Leiden NED (6) 2001
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2
O-O 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 b6 7. Bg5 Bb7 8. f3 h6 9. Bh4 d5 10. e3 Nbd7 11. cxd5 Nxd5 12. Bxd8 Nxc3 13. Bh4 Nd5 14. Bf2 c5 15. e4 Nf4 16. Bb5 Rad8 17. Ne2 Nxg2+ 18. Kf1 f5 19. d5 a6!? 20. dxe6? axb5 21. e7 fxe4 22. exd8=Q Rxd8 23. fxe4 Rf8! 24. Nc3 Nf4 25. Be3 b4? 26. axb4 cxb4 27. Ra7!Gives the exchange back, to reach a drawn position
27... bxc3 28. Rxb7 cxb2 29. Kf2 Nd3+ 30. Ke2 Nc1+ 31. Rxc1 bxc1=Q 32. Bxc1 Rf7 33. h3 Kf8 34. Rc7 Nc5 35. Rc8+ Ke7 36. Rb8 Nxe4 37. Rb7+ Ke6 38. Rxb6+ Nd6 39. Ba3 Rd7 40. Ke3 Kd5 41. Rxd6+ Rxd6 42. Bxd6 Kxd6 43. Kd4 Ke6 44. Ke4 g5 45. Kf3 h5 46. Ke2 Ke5 47. Ke3 Kf5 48. Kf3 Kf6 49. Kf2 Ke7 50. Ke3 Kd6 51. Kd2 Kc6 52. Ke3 Kd5 53. Kd3 g4 54. hxg4 hxg4 55. Ke2 Ke4 56. Kf2 Kf4 57. Kg2 Kg5 58. Kh1 g3 59. Kg2 Kf4 60. Kg1 Kg4 61. Kg2 Kh4 62. Kg1 Kh3 63. Kh1 g2+ 64. Kg1 Kg3
1/2-1/2
The King - Chess Tiger 14.6 [D27]
21st Open Dutch CC Ch./Leiden NED (6) 2001
Woops, I'd rather expected e7-e5 here....
3. e5 Ne4 4. Nce2 d4 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. c3 dxc3 7. bxc3
This is good for white, with his broad centre
7... Bg4 8. d4 e6 9. h3 Bf5 10. g4 Bg6 11. Bg2 h5?!
This leads nowhere. I prefer Be7, or h6
12. gxh5?!
Both sides play strange moves
12... Rxh5 13.
O-O Rh8 14. Qa4 Be7 15. Ba3 Rb8??A non-move. Anything else would be better
And after this Black can already resign
18. Nxg5 Qxg5 19. f4 Qh5 20. Rae1 Rd8 21. Qb3?
Instead of crashing through with d4-d5, The King starts pawn hunting
21... Ne7 22. Qxb7 Bd3 23. Rf2 Bxc4 24. Qxc7 Bd3?? 25. Ng3 Qh4 26. Re3 Bb5 27. Rb3!
The winning move
27... Rc8 28. Qxa7 Kf8 29. Qa3 Be8 30. f5 Qxd4 31. f6 gxf6 32. exf6 Qc5 33. fxe7+ Kxe7 34. Rb7+ Kf8 35. Qxc5+ Rxc5 36. Ne4 Rb5 37. Rfxf7+ Bxf7 38. Rxb5 Rh4
1-0
Rebel Century 4 - Kallisto II-X [C80]
21st Open Dutch CC Ch./Leiden NED (7) 2001
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5.
O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. Nbd2 Nc5 10. c3 d4 11. Ng5 dxc3?!Going for the famous Kasparov-Anand game. According to theory Qxg5 is safer.
12. Nxe6 fxe6 13. bxc3 Qd3 14. Bc2 Qxc3 15. Nb3!
Kasparov's great novelty
15... Nxb3
Going for the rook. Anand played Rd8ass="pm">27... c6 28. Rd1 Rf5 29. Be3 Re8 30. g3 Re5 31. Qa6 Nc7 32. Qb7 R8e6 33. Kg2 Rxe3!
The only move, but a very strong one
34. fxe3 Rxe3 35. Rd2 Re5 36. Qa7 h5 37. Rc2 Rb5 38. Qf2 Nd5
Black has very cleverly set up a fortress
39. Re2 Rc5 40. Qd4 g5 41. Qh8 h4 42. Qh7+ Be7 43. Qf5+ Kd8 44. Qd3 Rc3 45. Qa6 Kd7 46. Qb7+ Kd6 47. Qa7 Ra3 48. Kh1 Rc3 49. Re1 hxg3 50. hxg3=
With one pawn exchanged it is now clear that white can't make progress
50... Bf6 51. Qa8 Kd7 52. Re2 Be7 53. Qb7+ Kd6 54. Qa7 Bf6 55. Kh2 Be7 56. Kg2 Ra3 57. Kh1 Rc3 58. Rd2 Bd8 59. Kh2 Bc7 60. Qf2 Bd8 61. Kg2 Be7 62. Qa7 Ra3 63. Kh3 Bd8 64. Rc2 Rc3 65. Qb8+ Kd7 66. Rf2 Be7 67. Qb7+ Kd6 68. Rd2 Bf6 69. Qb8+ Ke6 70. Re2+ Kd7 71. Kg4 Bd8 72. Kf5 Rf3+ 73. Kg6 Rc3 74. Kh6 Be7 75. Qb7+ Kd6 76. Kg6 Bd8 77. Qa8 Kd7 78. Qb8 Rf3 79. Kh5 Rc3 80. Kg4 Nf6+ 81. Kxg5 Rxg3+ 82. Kf5 Rf3+ 83. Kg6 Nd5 84. Kg7 Rf4 85. Qb7+ Kd6 86. Qc8 Bf6+ 87. Kg8 Kc5 88. Qf8+ Kb5 89. Qb8+ Ka4 90. Qb7 Rc4 91. Kf7 Ba1 92. Qa6 Rc1 93. Rh2 Bd4 94. Rh4 Bb6 95. Qd3 Rc3 96. Qd1+ Kb5 97. Qf1+ Kc5 98. Re4 Bc7 99. Qa6 Rc2 100. Ke6 Rc3 101. Kf5 Ne3+ 102. Kg6 Nd5 103. Kg5 Bd8+ 104. Kf5 Rf3+ 105. Kg6 Rg3+ 106. Kf7 Rf3+ 107. Kg7 Rg3+ 108. Kf7
1/2-1/2
Chess Tiger 14.6 - Diep [C80]
21st Open Dutch CC Ch./Leiden NED (7) 2001
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Nxf6+ Nxf6 7. Bd3 b6 8.
O-O Bb7 9. c3 Be7 10. Qe2O-O 11. Bf4 h6 12. Rad1 a5? 13. Ne5?!Now Black gets in c7-c5 anyway. Tiger first intended Bb1 and that move is a lot more to the point
13... Qd5 14. f3 c5 15. Kh1 cxd4 16. Bc4 Qd8 17. Rxd4 Nd5 18. Bd2 Qc7?! 19. Ng6 Rfd8 20. Nxe7+ Qxe7 21. Rd1 Qc7 22. Bc1 Rac8 23. Bb3 Ba8?
Another strang e move. Rd7! was expected, to play Rcd8 and Nf6. After the exchange of rooks white has only a symbolic advantage
From here on Tiger is going after a non existing attack, instead of taking control of the d-file
The rook is completely out of play here
26... Rce8 27. Qe1 Kh8 28. Ba4 Re7 29. Qf2 e5
Within a couple of moves the picture has changed completely. White's pieces do not cooperate, while black is preparing e5-e4.
30. Bb3 Rd8 31. Bc2 Rf8 32. Rg6 Kh7 33. Rg4 Bc6 34. Rc4 Qb7 35. Rh4?!
Ouch. Going back into no-mans-land
35... Ref7 36. Bb3 Rd7 37. Re1 Qc7 38. Rh5 Re7 39. Qh4
Threatening Bxh6, but white's small threats are easily repulsed
39... Re6 40. Bc2 Ref6 41. Bg5 Rg6 42. Bd2 Rgf6 43. Qc4 Kh8 44. Kg1
A clear indication Tiger is running out of ideas
44... Qd6 45. Rh4 R6f7 46. Bc1 Rd7 47. Rh5 Rdf7 48. Bb3 Re7 49. Qh4 Re6 50. Rd1 b5 51. Qf2 a4 52. Bc2 e4
There it is, the long awaited advance. Both programs show a slightly better score for Black now. On the other hand: I was glad something happened, since Diep was running into time trouble and white gets chancesaswell
Not bad, but why play this voluntarely? Rfe8 seems fine
55. bxa3 Rfe8 56. Bd2 Rg6+ 57. Kf1 Qe6 58. Bd3 Bd7? 59. Kf2 Qd6?
This definitely spoils it, but black's position has already become difficult
60. a4! b4? 61. cxb4 Re7 62. b5+-
With Tiger 2 pawns up the game is over
62... Be8 63. Rh4 Re5 64. Re1 Rxe1 65. Bxe1 Bd7 66. Bd2 Kh7 67. a5 Qe7 68. b6 Be6 69. Ba6 Qe8 70. a4 Bf7 71. Bd3 Qc8 72. Qe5 Be6 73. Rc4 Qa8 74. Rd4 Ne7 75. Qc7 Nc6 76. b7 Qa7 77. Be3 Nxd4 78. a6 Bd5 79. b8=Q Qxb8 80. Qxb8 Nc6 81. Qb7
1-0
Chess Tiger 14.6 - Fritz [C80]
21st Open Dutch CC Ch./Leiden NED (8) 2001
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Bd7 4. Bxd7+ Qxd7 5. c4 Nc6 6. Nc3 Nf6 7. d4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 g6 9. Nde2 Bg7 10. f3
O-O 11.O-O a6 12. a4 Qd8 13. Be3 Nd7 14. b3End of book for both
14... Qa5 15. Qd2 Rfd8 16. Rab1 e6
Black strives for d6-d5 in this line. If he succeeds, the game is equal. If he doesn't, white has a lasting edge. This was the reason I chose this opening variation
17. Bg5 Nf6 18. Rfd1 Rd7 19. Bh6 Rad8 20. Bxg7 Kxg7 21. Nf4 Ne5
Both programs have optimalised the position of their pieces. Now the great shuffling around starts!
22. Rb2 h6 23. Rbb1 Qc7 24. Re1 Qc5+ 25. Kf1 Qb4 26. Red1 Qc5 27. Qe1 b6 28. Rd2 Kh7 29. Nd3
Now something is going to happen
29... Qd4 30. Ne2 Qe3 31. Rbd1? Nxf3! 32. gxf3 Qxf3+ 33. Qf2 Qh1+ 34. Qg1 Qf3+ 35. Ke1? Nxe4 36. Rc2 d5!
Amazing! Black sacs another exchange to collect as many white pawns as possible. Now Tiger showed a negative evaluation for white as well.....
37. Ne5 Qxb3 38. Nd4 Qxa4 39. Nxd7 Rxd7 40. Qe3 e5 41. Nb3 Qc6 42. Rb2 d4 43. Qf3 Rc7 44. Rdb1
Tiger tries to put pressure on the black b-pawn to get counterplay. If Black is permitted to move his pawns forward, white will be lost
44... Nc3 45. Qxc6 Rxc6 46. Ra1 Rxc4 47. Nd2 Ra4?!
After this move Tiger's evaluation went up. Without the black rook it is much easier for white to attack the black pawns. Besides: Black has now 6 pawns for the rook!
48. Rxa4 Nxa4 49. Rc2 Kg7? 50. Nf3 Kf6 51. Re2 Kf5 52. Rxe5+ Kf4 53. Kf2 d3? 54. Re7 f5 55. Ne5
Tiger already showed a clear plus for white
55... Ke4 56. Ke1 Kd4 57. Kd2 Nc5 58. Nxd3 Nb3+ 59. Ke2 b5 60. Re6 a5 61. Rxg6 h5 62. Rd6+ Ke4 63. Nf2+ Ke5 64. Rb6 Nd4+ 65. Kd3 a4 66. Rb8 a3 67. Kc3 a2 68. Ra8 b4+ 69. Kc4 b3 70. Nd3+ Ke4 71. Nc5+ Ke3 72. Nxb3 Nxb3 73. Kxb3 f4 74. Kc2! Ke2 75. Rxa2 h4 76. Kc1+ Ke1 77. Ra4 f3 78. Rxh4 Ke2 79. Rf4
1-0
Rebel Century 4 - Crafty 18.13 [C06]
21st Open Dutch CC Ch./Leiden NED (9) 2001
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Bd3 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. Ne2 cxd4 8. cxd4 f6 9. exf6 Nxf6 10. Nf3 Bd6 11.
O-O Qc7 12. Bg5O-O 13. Rc1 Ng4 14. Ng3 g6 15. Nd2 Nf6 16. Nb3 e5 17. dxe5 Bxe5 18. Qc2 Bf4The exchange of this bishop weakens the black squares in the black camp
19. Bxf4 Qxf4 20. Ne2 Qh4 21. f3 Nb4 22. Qb1 Qg5?!
Better was Bd7 or Qh6!?
23. f4 Qh6 24. a3 Nc6 25. Nc5 Rf7 26. b4 Ne7 27. Nb3 Nf5 28. Qb2 b6 29. Nbd4 Nxd4 30. Nxd4+/= Bd7 31. Nf3!?
An interesting pawn sac. Crafty goes for it
31... Qxf4 32. Ne5 Qe3+ 33. Kh1 Rff8 34. Rf3! Qg5? 35. Rg3 Qh4 36. Bxg6! Ng4 37. Bxh7+!+- Kxh7 38. Nxg4 Bxg4 39. Rc7+ Kg6 40. Qg7+ Kf5 41. Qd4!
A nice, quiet move. Re7 or Rc1 was also strong
41... Rae8 42. Rf3+ Bxf3 43. Qxh4 Be4 44. h3
The rest of the game requires no comment
44... Ke5 45. Qg3+ Kf5 46. Rc6 d4 47. Rg6 Bxg2+ 48. Kxg2 Re2+ 49. Kf1 Re3 50. Qg4+ Ke5+ 51. Kg2 Kd5 52. Rg7 Rfe8 53. Rd7+ Kc6 54. Rxa7 Re2+ 55. Kf1 R2e7 56. Qf3+ Re4 57. b5+ Kd6 58. Rb7 Kd5 59. Rd7+ Kc4 60. Rc7+
1-0
Rebel Century 4 - Sjeng [C03]
21st Open Dutch CC Ch./Leiden NED (10) 2001
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Nxf6+ Nxf6 7. Bd3 b6 8.
O-O Bb7 9. c3 Be7 10. Qe2O-O 11. Bf4 a5?!The same bad move that Diep played against Tiger
12. Ne5 a4? 13. Rad1 c6 14. Rfe1 a3
Sjeng just makes pawn moves and has no plan at all
15. b3 Re8?! 16. Qf3 Rc8 17. Bc2 Qd5 18. Qh3
With simple moves Rebel has obtained a clearly better position. A killing attack is hanging in the air
18... b5 19. Bg5 h6 20. c4 bxc4 21. bxc4 Qd6 22. Bxh6!+- gxh6 23. Qxh6
With the devastating threat Re3 BGCOLOR="#fffff9" BORDER BORDERCOLOR="black" CELLPADDING="5">
Chess Tiger 14.6 - Crafty 18.13 [C03]
21st Open Dutch CC Ch./Leiden NED (11) 2001
1. c4 e5 2. g3 Nc6 3. Bg2 g6 4. Nc3 Bg7 5. e3 d6 6. Nge2 Nge7 7. d3
O-O 8.O-O Be6 9. Nd5 Qd7 10. Rb1 Nd8Last bookmove for both Crafty and Tiger
11. Nxe7+ Qxe7 12. b3 c6 13. d4 exd4?!
Crafty releases the tension in the centre too early and gets a passive position
Another passive move. Tiger expected Ne6te deprives himself of the possibility a3 and b4. This contains a strong positional threat, because if White manages to throw in b4-b5, the square d5 comes free for a white knight
24... Rad8 25. Rd3 Rb8? 26. Ba3 Bf8 27. Re1 Red8 28. Rd1 Bc8 29. Nd4
As the knight returns to c2 in 2 moves, Ne3 was better
29... Qc7 30. Bb2 Bd7 31. Nc2 Bg7 32. Ba3 Bf8 33. Qc3 Be7
Tiger has lured the bishop from g7 to e7, where it is less able to defend its own king
To stop Ne3-g4
Finally we get some action!
36... Rf8 37. Qd2 Re8 38. h5+/- Bd8 39. Qh2 Ra7 40. Kf2? g5 41. h6!
Otherwise black can play h7-h6 himself. The h6-pawn is very valuable in attacking the black king, as white can now use the undefended square g7
41... b5
Finally Crafty goes for counterplay, it is the only reasonable thing black could do
42. axb5 cxb5 43. Qh5 a4~~ 44. Bd4 Rc7? 45. Nd5 Rc5!? 46. Bxc5 Qxc5+ 47. Kg2 axb3? 48. Rxb3 Bc6 49. Rb2 bxc4
This gives the white rooks free access, but it is hard to suggest a better move
Now the 2nd white rook is coming in as well. Qa7 was the only move to play
51. Rxd5 Qa7 52. Rdb5 c3 53. R5b7 Qa2+ 54. Be2 Kf8 55. fxg5 fxg5 56. Qf3 c2 57. Rc8+-
Wins the black c-pawn. Black is almost stalemated!
57... c1=Q 58. Rxc1 Re7 59. Rb8 Re8 60. Rf1 Kg8 61. Ra8! Qe6 62. Qc3! Qxe4+ 63. Bf3 Qe5 64. Re1!
Some powerful moves by Tiger to end the game.... and the championship! The last move is especially nice: Qxc3 allows Rxe8 mate, while Qxe1 allows Qg7 mate.
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