Chess Ninjas Dojo

The following games were played in the Ladder League at U Tech in 2002.
Time Limit was 40 moves in 2 hours and 30 minutes each to finish.
All notes are by Mark J.B. Bowen.

Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!








Move
   

Wilkinson, Ian - Bowen, Mark [B32]
Easter Ladder ???? [notes by Bowen]

1. e4 c5
   The best weapon for fighting against e4.
2. Nf3 Nc6
    This reply was favoured by Botvinnik and can lead into various Sicilian lines for instance the Dragon or Scheveningen.
3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5
    I figured that Wilkinson would have good ideas against a Najdorf or Dragon so I opt for a lesser known line in the Kalashnikov.
5. Nb5 a6?!
    This move enjoyed some popularity in the Eighties but will never enjoy the popularity of the lines with an immediate d6.
6. Nd6+ Bxd6 7. Qxd6
   Black lose s his bishop for a knight which is generally considered very dangerous in modern chess but it does require precision and patience from the opponent to exploit.
Qf6 8. Qd3
   The queen swap offers no problems to black as his development is then unrestricted and quick.
Nge7
    Control of the d5 square is always helpful in this type of opening.
9. c4
    White has a wide choice of plans here.
O-O 10. Nc3 d6 11. Be3 Bg4 12. f3 Be6 13. O-O-O
   Refusing the pawn sac may be prudent but the King gets under attack on this side of the board. Nd5 is a safe and strong move instead.
b5
   Extremely active play. I disliked the thought of this move being prevented later on by Bb6.
14. Nd5 Bxd5 15. cxd5 Nb4
    Opening the file to the king.
16. Qb3 Rfc8+ 17. Kb1 Nc2 18. Rc1 Nxe3
    Winning the strong bishop this way turned the game in my favour.
19. Rxc8+ Rxc8 20. Qxe3 Ng6 21. Qb6 Qg5
    This mate threat is very powerful.
22. Bxb5
   The best option.
axb5 23. Qxb5
   White must come up with something dangerous here to have any chance.
Qxg2 24. Rc1
   Logical since both QxR and Qc2 leading to mate were threatened. Qf1 is also possible.
Rxc1+ 25. Kxc1 Qh1+ 26. Kc2 Qxh2+ 27. Kb3 Qf2 28. Qb8+ Nf8 29. Qxd6 Qxf3+ 30. Kb4 Qxe4+ 31. Kb3 Qd3+
    getting out of the pawn's way.
32. Kb4
    Now the e-pawn threatens to queen with a check.
e4 33. Qc5 e3 34. Qc3
    Time trouble prevented me from seeing that Qe4+ is crushing.
Qxc3+ 35. Kxc3 h5
   my original intention was f5 which is more accurate. That allows my king to join the action.
36. b4 h4
   Amazingly Wilkinson fails to step into the square of the pawn. Note that if he had tried 36. a4 instead the fact that I can push the e2 pawn becomes useful.
37. Kd3 h3
    I'm just bringing home the bacon at this stage.
38. Kxe3 h2 39. Kd4 h1=Q 40. a4 Nd7
   Accuracy even in a completely won position is important.
41. b5 Qh4+ 42. Kc3 Qxa4 0-1










Move
   

Bowen, Mark - Wisdom, Daren [A27]
Easter Ladder ???? [notes by Bowen]

1. Nf3 Nc6 2. c4 e5 3. Nc3 Bc5 4. a3 a5 5. e3 d6
   Wisdom plays this system (with colours reversed) against the Sicilian so his moves came as no surprise to me. His system is solid and often leads to a closed game in which he keeps his king centralised so as to attack with his pawns on the kingside.
6. Be2 Nf6 7. b3 O-O
   He forgoes his patented strategy of playing h5.
8. Qc2 h6 9. Bb2 Re8 10. d3 Bf5 11. Nd2
   My first creative move. White's system looks confusing till you realize it's just the Hedgehog in reverse.
Bh7 12. Nde4
   using e4 as a jump off spot.
Bb6
    Wisdom wants to keep active so he retreats the bishop.
13. Nxf6+ Qxf6 14. Nd5
    the ideal outpost for a knight.
Qg6
    Wisdom shows that he's a good counter attacker.
15. O-O-O
    I stay true to my gambiteer nature.
Qxg2 16. Nf6+
    This fork utilising the pin on the g file is quite aesthetic.
Kh8
    I believe the position is still merely equal here.
17. Nxe8 Qxf2
    Wisdom's understanding of the initiative is remarkable.
18. Nxc7
    The knight as a desperado so I decide to grab something with it before it dies.
Bxc7
   The bishop is diverted from it's target on e3.
19. Qd2 f6
   Wisdom tries to build a fortress.
20. Bc3 Rb8 21. Rdf1 Qh4 22. Qe1
    Fritz considers the position equal if queens are exchanged at this point.
Qh3 23. Qg3 Qd7 24. Rhg1 b5
   Excellent play. Wisdom gets active.
25. Bg4 Qf7 26. Bh5 Qe7 27. Bg6
    I was in slight time trouble with less than a minute each for my remaining moves. Wisdom is the National Juniour Blitz champion and one of the fastest players in Jamaica.
bxc4 28. bxc4 d5
   This move unleashes a fierce counter attack which my forces are not well placed to deal with.
29. Qf2
   trying to reorganise a defence.The immediate Bxh7 is strong.
Bxg6 30. Rxg6
   Black has a big advantage now, Wisdom's use of the clock and shrewd counter attack got the better of me.
Qxa3+ 31. Bb2 Qxd3 32. Rxh6+
    if gxh6 I'd force a perpetual.
Kg8 33. Rxf6 gxf6 34. Qxf6 Qxe3+ 35. Kb1
   Black has huge advantage but I threaten to checkmate him or gain a perpetual if he doesn't play accurately.
Rxb2+ 36. Kxb2 Qd4+ 37. Kb1
   allowing the knight to check me would be fatal. My defence is based on Bowen's Biological Rule : The queen alone cannot mate.
Qd3+ 38. Kb2 Qd2+ 39. Kb1 Qb4+ 40. Ka1 Qc3+ 41. Kb1 Qd3+ 42. Ka1 Qd4+ 43. Kb1 Qb6+
    Instead of forcing the draw by perpetual check Wisdom decides to go for a win.
44. Ka1 Nd8
   The critical position which had the spectators frantically trying to figure out what was happening. I now had 22 minutes to complete the game.
45. Qf8+ Kh7 46. Qe7+ Kg6 47. Qe8+
   My opponent broke etiquette by offering me a draw at this point before making his move. I refused then told him I'd see what he played first.
Kh6 48. Qh8+ Kg5
    this move loses by force.
49. h4+
   The cruncher !
Kg6 50. h5+ Kg5 51. Qg7+
   Stuck between a rock and a very hard place my opponent stopped the clocks and shook my hand.
1-0







| Home | Secrets | Openings | Battles | Download | Book Store

design and concept by Mark J. Bowen