A.J. Goldsby I  (2200) - Adam Caveney (2175) 
[C42]
 30th Southern (Chess) Congress {Open} 
Atlanta, GA  (Rd. # 3)  17.04.1999

[A.J. Goldsby I]

A game I played in 1999.

Here will concentrate primarily on the ending. 

This is not a flawless game - far from it! But yet ... repeated study with many Internet students ... 
has convinced me there is enough  <meat>  here for the average player to learn from.  

This (also) is not a bad ending. It is a real game - as opposed to a  <contrived>  composed, 
study. And Adam is a strong player, today I believe he is a Master. 

Unfortunately, this game was played in the third round, when I suspect both parties were 
a little tired and somewhat punch-drunk. 

  (We both had had a very long day. I had played - and defeated - two FIDE Masters earlier 
    in the day;  while Adam had also been playing very stiff competition.) 

1.e4 e5;  2.Bc4!?, {Diagram?}  
The Bishop's Opening. 

While a bit out of the norm, it is a perfectly legitimate opening. Many GM's - to me, 
most noticeably was GM Bent Larsen - used to use this particular line quite a bit. 

Larsen was quite feared with it, regularly trashing world-class competitors.

I was in the midst of a dilemma ... (at the time this game was played); having used to play 
my beloved Giuoco Piano for something like 30 years ... in tournament play! 
(But now I was giving it up.)

During this period, I was ...  <trying out>  ... several new openings. 

     [ More usual is:  2.Nf3, {Diagram?} when for practically my whole tournament career, 
        I followed with the Giuoco Piano. (2...Nc6; 3.Bc4, Bc5; 4.c3!?)

        [ See the book, "Winning With The Giuoco Piano, and the Max Lange Attack," 
          (Revised 2nd Edition)  by  GM Andrew Soltis. 
           See also Chapter Four (#4) page # 59 ... for the GOLDSBY Variation. ]  ].  

2...Nf6; ('!') {Diagram?} 
The best move according to most opening books here.  

 Of course, Black can play just about ANY reasonable developing move at this point, as well.   

     [ Black can also play: 2...Nc6!?;  or 2...d6!?;  or even 2...Bc5!?  ].  

3.Nf3!?, {Diagram?} 
A sharp line, leading to great complexities. 

*******

  (The following is a BRIEF opening survey of the possibilities here.) 

     [  The main line could be: 3.d3 Nc6;  {Diagram?}  
         Probably the most solid move. 

         ( Black can play: 3...c6!?; {Diagram?} as well.    
           (Many books give ...c6; an exclam in this position.)     
           4.Nf3! d5!?;  5.Bb3! Bd6;  {Diagram?} This is probably best.    
             ( Not 5...dxe4?!;  6.Ng5!, "+/=" )    6.Nc3 dxe4;  7.Ng5 0-0;  8.Ncxe4,    
           8...Nxe4;  9.Nxe4 Bf5!?;  10.0-0 Na6!?; {Diagram?} The end of the column.     
           GM Nick de Firmian  -   in MCO  -  appraises this position as equal.  ("=")    
           [ See MCO-14; page # 144, column # 1, and see also notes     
              # (a.) through note # (e.) ]. )      

        (Returning to my main line here, in this game.)  
        4.Nf3 Be7;  5.0-0 0-0;  6.Re1, "+/=" {Diagram?}  
         with a very tiny edge for White in this position. 

        [This position has occurred nearly 800 times (!) at the master level, 
         according to a position search of the ChessBase {on-line} database.] 

        One of the best games for this line would have to be: 
        GM V. Tkachiev  -  L. Fressinet;  Cap d'Agde K.O. / 2002. 
        (Drawn in under 30 moves.);

***

       Another  VERY  sharp line is:  3.d4!? exd4;  4.Nf3!? Nxe4!?;  5.Qxd4! Nf6!;  
       6.Bg5 Be7;  7.Nc3 c6!;  8.0-0-0 d5;  9.Rhe1, "comp"  {Diagram?} 
       with White having GREAT play for the Pawn.  
       This is a line from ...  "THE URUSOFF GAMBIT."   

       This is yet another very sharp and difficult line for Black to meet  ... 
        in  The Bishop's Opening.

       GM A. Karpov  once lost from the BLACK side of this line!  ].  

*******

We now leave the opening survey, and return to the actual game.  
3...Nxe4!?;  {Diagram?} 
A slightly risky pawn grab ... but one that is approved by all the books.  

     [ By playing:  3...Nc6;  4.d3,  {Diagram?} 
        we could transpose to the line that was given above. ].  

4.Nc3!?; ('!')  {Diagram?} 
The sharpest and most enterprising move. 

     [ 4.d3!? Nc5; 5.Nxe5, "=" ].  

4...Nxc3;  5.dxc3! f6!?;  {See the diagram just below.}  
Black's last move is virtually forced according to many books. 
(Several books give ...f6; an exclamation point.) 

We are now into the main line of the   BODEN-KIESERITSKY Gambit    ...   
one of the oldest known openings in all of chess!! 
(It was mentioned in the Polerio's Manuscript, the original 'Hand-Buch,' 
 and several others!) 
{Despite the fact that the opening books decry this line as unsound, from my review 
 of the databases; White seems to win the large majority of these contests.} 

This opening could have arisen from dozens of lines. (G.P. Vienna, etc.) 
But it most commonly arises from The Bishop's Opening, ... and The Petroff's Defense. 
(1.e4, e5; 2.Nf3, Nf6; 3.Bc4!?, etc.)  

     [ A common trap is:  5...d6?;  6.Ng5, "+/=" {Diagram?} 
        and White is already better. (Maybe "+/");  

        Maybe playable is:  5...c6!?;  6.Nxe5 d5; "~" {Diagram?} 
        with a fair position for Black. ].  

6.Nh4!?,  (Maybe - '!')  {Diagram?}   
The sharpest move. (White can play 0-0 here, as well.) 

     [  Another viable line is:  6.0-0, "~" {Diagram?} 
         with good play for both sides. 

        There are  NO  GM vs. GM  games in the database, 
        (that I could find); in this line. (!!!) 

        One of the first (serious) games was an encounter between 
        Paul Morphy - Thomas Barnes;  Match Game,  London/ENG/1858. 

        One of the best games was:  
        Castell - E. Palacios de la Prida;   European Corres. Champ, 1986. 

        (White won both of these encounters!)  ].  

White now must try to open some lines ... before Black can consolidate his extra Pawn.  
6...g6;  7.f4! Qe7;  8.f5!? Qg7!?;  9.fxg6 hxg6;  10.Qg4!, {Diagram?} 
Again - the sharpest move here. 
(Really, the only way of maintaining White's initiative.) 

     [ Not as good is: 10.Nf3!? e4; "=/+" {Diagram?} 
        which is already better for Black. ].  

10...g5!?; {Diagram?} 
This MAJORLY weakens a lot of squares ... and allows White to FIX just about all 
of Black's pawns on the dark-squares. (Long-term.) 

But ... it may yet be playable. 
(Several books consider this to be a good line here.) 

***

     [  The  [best]   'BOOK'    line is: 10...Kd8; ('!')  11.Qg3!, "comp" {Diagram?} 
         when White has some 'comp' ... because Black has been forced to misplace his King.  
         {White also has the initiative here, and a great amount of play.} 

         I have literally dozens of books that cover this line. Probably the BEST is the book:  
         "Winning With ... The Bishop's Opening,"  by  IM Gary Lane. {2nd Edition.}  
           [ See Chapter # 6.].  

          (Not 11.Nxg6? d5; "/+" {Diagram?} Black is clearly better.)   

        A modern game (in this variation) is:  11...g5!?;  12.Nf5 Qh7!?;  13.0-0!?, {Diag?} 
        This is sharp ... and obviously very playable.  But Bd3 is also a good move here. 
           (Interesting is: 13.Bd3!?, {Diagram?} with unclear play.)    13...c6;  14.Bd3! d5;  
        15.Nd6!! e4?!; {Diagram?}  This looks like the best move here, but it is actually a mistake. 
           (The computer says maybe ...Qh4 is forced. Maybe the best chance was ...Qxh2+!?;  
            trying for a swindle. 15...Qh4!?)    16.Rxf6! exd3;  17.Bxg5!? Be7;  
        18.Nf7+,  ("+/-")  {Diagram?}  Black resigns, his position is completely hopeless.  
         S. Rublevsky  (2550)  -  A. Scetinin; (2200)  Pardubice Open, 1992. ].  

White now leaps into f5 ... when Black might should respond with ... Qh7!?  
11.Nf5 Qg6!?;  12.h4!?, {Diagram?} 
This is nice ... it is fairly sharp ... and definitely will lead to some  <possible>  line opening.  

Yet the best move is probably Bd3! with a large initiative for the first player here.  

I also had the thought that my opponent seemed to play almost all of this opening instantly. 
In such situations, I generally like to play a reasonable move that gets my opponent OUT 
of his prepared lines!  

      [ Better was: >= 12.Bd3!, {Diagram?} with great play for White. ].  

According to several strong programs, Black's next move is pretty much forced.  
12...Qh5!?;  13.Qxh5+!?, {Diagram?} 
White heads for the ending. 
(At the time, I thought this was nearly forced.) 

     [ Maybe wiser was:  13.Qe4 c6;  14.Ng3!; "~" {Diagram?} 
        with unclear play. ]. 

13...Rxh5;  14.Bd3!?, {Diagram?} 
A case of  <over-anticipation.>  

I also set a small trap. (Threat = Ng7+, then Bg6+,  winning the exchange.) 

But g4 was probably better. (It saves time over the game.) 

     [ Best was: >= 14.g4, "~"  {Diagram?} with an unclear position. ].  

For the next few moves, both sides develop pretty normally. 
(I also decide to give myself a passed pawn on the h-file, for the ending.)  
14...Rh8;  15.c4 Nc6;  16.Be3 d6;  17.h5! Be6;  
18.b3 0-0-0?!;  (Maybe/probably - '?')    {See the Diagram, just below.} 
Blind obedience to the <law> of castling. But Black struggles mightily in the ending ... 
and {later} works hard to get his King back over to the right-hand side of the board. 

Simply better was ... Rd8; saving many tempi over the actual course of the game. 
(When I pointed this out after the game, Adam immediately agreed with me.)  

***

Now follows a fairly complex series of moves, with both sides working to free their game.  
19.Be4 d5!?;  20.cxd5 Bb4+;  21.Ke2 Bxd5;  22.Bxd5 Rxd5;  23.a3 Bc3;  
24.Rad1 Rxd1;  25.Kxd1[] Bd4;  26.Bc1!!, {Diagram?} 
I did not feel I was quite ready for the ending. I also wanted to try and leave Black  
with his (not so great) Bishop ... for the minor piece end-game. 

     [ 26.Ke2!?;  or  26.Bxd4!? ]. 

Play continues. 
(I could tell by my opponent's face and his demeanor, he thought he was clearly on top.)  

26...Bc5;  27.b4 Nd4!?;  {Diagram?} 
Black decides to try to exchange some material ... not a bad idea really. 

***

I now fix the pawn structure ... in preparation for the ending.  
28.Nxd4 Bxd4;  29.Ke2 Kd7;  30.g4! Ke6;  31.Kf3 c6;  
32.Ke4 b5!?;   {See the diagram just below.}  
Black finds himself in the ending.  

His last move "fixed" my Queenside, giving me a 'bad' Bishop ... 
but he actually might have been better off without this move. 

I do not know when Black must have realized that he has found himself in an ending ...  
where the extra pawn is NOT really all that significant.

Now my goal is to swap the Rooks, if I can do so without worsening my position. 

     [ 32...c5!?;  32...Rh6!? ].  

33.Rh3!, {rook luft} {Diagram?}
A nice move - I head for d3. 

From here I can swap off the  'oxes'  and place myself in a pure minor-piece ending.  

     [ 33.Rf1!? ].  

33...Rd8;  34.Rd3 Bb6;  35.Rxd8 Bxd8;   {See the diagram just below.}    
Black actually could not have prevented the exchange of the Rooks, 
even if he had wanted to do so.

I have worked hard ...  very, very, VERY!  hard ...  and planned to reach this exact ending. 
 (Now I do not think I can lose.)

***

In fact ... I think I have some real winning chances ... based on the following factors: 
 # 1.)  Better minor piece; (Black's Bishop is clearly  <slightly>  bad, because of the 
          pawns fixed on the dark squares.) 
 # 2.)  Better pawn structure - especially on the King-side.  
 # 3.)  A much more actively placed King, ready to invade on the already weakened 
           light squares. 
 # 4.)  Most importantly, I have the distant, outside-passed Pawn. 
           (My opponent's passed-e-pawn is easily controlled by BOTH 
             my King and my Bishop.)

***

  The actual position in the game after Black plays:  35...Bxd8.  

   Study this ending carefully ... it is a  textbook  <same-color Bishop> ending.   

***

36.h6!, (Maybe - '!!')  {Diagram?} 
White offers to basically sacrifice his pawn as a decoy in many variations. 
While it seems easy to find now, it was hard to swallow in the pressure-packed 
 tournament environment. (In some lines, I might be TWO pawns down!)

***

     [ White could have also played:  36.c3, {Diagram?};  or even  36.Be3, {Diagram?} 
        with a fair game. I don't think White should lose from here. ].  

***

In the next few moves, I basically shift wood ... and try to figure out if I really have 
enough to try and win this ending.  (I also turn down at least one draw offer.)  
36...Kf7;  37.Kf5 Be7; {Diagram?} 
Black is just barely hanging on.  

38.Be3 a6;  ('!?')   {See the Diagram, just below.}    
Black saves his a-pawn, after the game he was very sure this was forced. 

***

  The actual position from the game after  38...a6!?  
(Black is a pawn up, but otherwise his position is not enviable.)

***

     [ Study the following variation ... it is very good ... and shows many of the ideas that 
        are very typical to this entire type of end-games.  38...Bf8?!;  39.h7 Bg7; {Diag?} 
        This is bad, as Black is now completely passive and tied up in this position. 
        40.Bxa7 Bh8;  41.Bc5! Bg7;  42.c4!!, {Diagram?} 
        A brilliant break, designed to free White's remaining pawns. 
          (42.Bb6, "+/=")    42...Bh8[], {Diagram?} This seems to be forced. 
          (42...bxc4?; 43.a4, "+/-" {Diagram?} Black cannot catch White's lone a-pawn!)   
        43.cxb5 cxb5;  44.a4!!, {Diagram?} The same idea, all over again.   (44.Bd6!?)   
        44...bxa4; {Diagram?}  This looks forced as well.   (44...Bg7?;  45.a5!, "+/-")   
        45.b5 Ke8;  46.b6 Kd7;  47.Be7!, (Maybe - '!!')  {Diagram?}   
        White finds the fastest way of destroying Black's position.   ( Also good is: 47.b7!?, "+/" )  
        47...e4;  48.Bxf6 Bxf6!?;  {Diagram?} This apparently is also forced.  
          (Worse is: 48...e3?!; 49.Bxh8 e2; 50.Bc3 a3; 51.h8Q, "+/-")    
        49.Kxf6 e3;  50.h8Q, {Diagram?} ("+/-") White is winning easily from this position. ]. 

***

39.Bb6!, {Diagram?} 
The correct move, White will reduce his opponent's position to rubble ... 
... chiefly through the use of ... ZUGZWANG! 
 (Zugzwang means:  "Move compulsion.") 

***

This is also known as the theme of ... "DOMINATION." 
(White's Bishop completely overwhelms its counterpart.) 

***

     [ Also good was:  39.h7!?, "+/=" ].  

39...Bf8; {Diagram?} 
Once again, this seems to be Black's only real move. 

     [ Not 39...Kg8??; 40.Ke6, "+/"  & White should win now. ].  

40.Bd8, ('!')  (zugzwang again)  {Diagram?}  
My opponent would love to be able to simply pass here without moving, 
but this is not possible under the rules of the game! 

     [ 40.h7!? Bg7; "~" ].  

40...Bxh6; {Box?} {Diagram?} 
This is pretty much forced. 

     [ After the move:  40...Bd6?;  41.Bxf6, "+/-"  {Diagram?} 
        Black could go ahead and resign this game. ].  

41.Bxf6 e4; {Diagram?} 
This is (also) forced. 

42.Bd4, "+/=" {Diagram?} 
The only real move for White, but it is also a good one.  

And once more, Black finds himself in Zugzwang.  

     [ Of course terrible is:  42.Bxg5?? Bxg5;  43.Kxg5 e3;  
        44.Kh6 Kg8!; "-/+" {Diagram?} and Black wins easily. ].  

***

Black - now seeing his pawn(s) are lost - decides to give them away.  

Black also thought for a VERY long time in this position, and only had about 
10 minutes to play the remainder of the game here. 

42...e3!?; {Diagram?} 
Black makes White displace his Bishop. 

     [ Maybe better was:  42...Bf8;  43.Kxg5!; "+/="  {Diagram?} 
        but White might still win. (In the long run.) ].   

43.Bxe3 Bg7; {Diagram?} 
Now Black's idea is clear here. He can track down my a-pawn. 

44.Bxg5 Bb2;  45.Be3 Bxa3;  46.c3 Bb2;  47.Bd4, "+/"  {Diagram - just below.}    
Black has managed to (re-) establish material equality. But White has the 
MUCH more active King ... and still has the better minor piece in this position. 
(The Bishop on d4 controls key squares on  BOTH  sides of the chess-board!)

 On top of all this, White has a  distant,  advanced-passed-pawn ... 
   that will carry the day for him.     

  The position in the game after  47.Bd4. "+/"  White is just about ready to finish Black off.  

***

     [ 47.Bd2?! ].  

 Now White's plan is very simple for a Master: 
 # 1.)  He will advance his Pawn to the g6-square, where it will completely tie Black up; 
 # 2.)  He will run his King over to the Queen-side and munch on all of Black's Pawns there. 
         (Which incidentally - Black cannot {now} protect ... with his now GOOD Bishop!) 

47...Bc1;  48.g5 Bd2;  49.g6+ Kg8;  50.Ke6 Bg5;  51.Kd6 Kf8;  52.Kxc6 Bd8;  
53.Kd7!, ("+/-") {Diagram?}  BLACK RESIGNS.  

After Black moves his Bishop, White will play  Kc7!-to-b6;  and capture the rest 
of Black's infantry ... after which the win is very simple.  

• This is an ending that should be studied  REPEATEDLY!! 

• The ideas and the Bishop and Pawn ending here will be seen 
   in MANY of your own tournament games! 

From a tournament where I went 5-0 in Atlanta ... and played some pretty fair chess. 

Copyright (©) A.J. Goldsby I.  Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby,  2002. 

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