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(1) Study Group Team - Slater,D (2134) [A55]
MCC Study Group Match Metrowest CC (1), 20.10.1998
[D Slater/H Reed]
A55: Old Indian Defense HR: Round 1 of Study Group Match against MCC Experts and Masters. Round 1 has Derek Slater playing Black. The Study Group Team was Tim Newman (Captain), John McLaughlin, James Almeida, and Elliott Kaplan. [Slater] Kudos! - the group played a very reasonable and solid game and really didn't make any major errors until they started running short of time. Watch out though - Joel is much more dangerous!!!
1.d4
Nf6
2.c4
d6
3.Nc3
Nbd7
4.e4
e5
5.Nf3
Be7
6.Be2
0-0
7.0-0
HR: This is the starting position. The Captain explained the position to the Study Group Team. The Study Group Team is now on their own.
7...c6
8.Bg5
DS: This is logical in some respects - White is trying to increase the pressure on Black's center - but it also introduces tactical elements since the bishop is underprotected on g5. I considered ...Nxe4 here but I wasn't sure of the tactics and didn't want to spend a lot of time figuring it out.
8...exd4
9.Nxd4
DS: I was more concerned about Qxd4, since Black has no immediate way to kick the Queen off this powerful central post.
9...Nc5
10.Bf3
Ne6
11.Nxe6
Bxe6
12.Qe2
Qa5
13.Bd2
Qc7
DS: A goof-up on my part. I think 13... Qb6 is much better, with potential pressure on b2 as well as the idea of 14. Be3 Qb4, hitting the c4 pawn.
14.Rfd1
Rad8
15.Bf4
Nd7
16.Rd2
Ne5
17.Bxe5
dxe5
18.Rad1
Bb4
HR: The Study Group Team managed to achieve this position. Not bad. However, the series of exchanges that follow allow Black to breach White's defences.
19.Rxd8
Rxd8
20.Rxd8+
Qxd8
21.Qd1
DS: This is the culprit. Black's ownership of the open file may look a little threatening, but remember that an open file is no good unless you can use it to penetrate into the enemy position. I thought that although White's minor pieces are a little passive compared to Black's (neither White piece attacks a useful square), White should have a fairly easy draw here. He can just play 21. Bg4, I believe, and after 21...Bxg4 22.Qxg4 the Black queen has to stick around to keep her counterpart out of c8.
21...Qxd1+
22.Nxd1
Bxc4
DS: Now White is a pawn down and Black has the two bishops. This is a very hard endgame to hold. White's best idea generally would be to try to somehow engineer a trade of his knight for Black's light-squared bishop, resulting in Bs of the opposite color, which is notoriously drawish even when one side is down a pawn (or sometimes two!). I'm not sure how he could have attempted this.
23.b3
Bd3
24.Nb2
Bb1
25.Nc4
Bxa2
26.Nxe5
Bxb3
27.Bg4
a5
28.Nd7
a4
HR: The flood waters rush in... The Study Group Team resigns... 0-1
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