(2) Moldovan,John (1824) - Hart,Glen (1708) [E94]
20th Kenilworth CC Championship Kenilworth, NJ (4), 04.02.2010
[Moldovan & Deep Rybka 3]

G/85 + :05 delay E94 King's Indian Defense Classical Variation This was a bad pairing for me as none of Glen's defenses fit my openings.

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.d4 0-0 6.Be2 Nbd7 With this move-order, Black avoids the Exchange & Petrosian Variations. [I expected 6...c5 heading for a Modern Benoni; or 6...e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 , tracing Nakamura's recent brilliancy against Gelfand & my 2009 GSCL loss to Hueckel.]

7.0-0 e5 8.Qc2 c6 Played after quite a long think. It would seem that I'm not the only one winging-it in no-man's land. ;-)

9.Rd1 [9.Be3 transposing into the Gligoric Variation /\9...Ng4 10.Bg5 f6 11.Bh4 was a good alternative.]

9...Qc7 10.b3 [Again 10.Be3 , etc., merited consideration.]

10...Re8 11.Ba3 Diagram

(?!) [>=11.d5 the thematic response when Black plays ...Re8 /\11...cxd5 (11...a6 seems best) 12.Nb5! Qb8 13.Ba3 (‹13.cxd5 although 13...Nc5[] 14.Be3 threatens to win a Exchange) 13...Nc5 14.Bxc5 dxc5 15.cxd5 ]

11...Nh5? [11...exd4 12.Nxd4 Nc5 13.f3 Qb6 threat : 14...Nfxe4! 14.Kh1 Nh5= was right.]

12.dxe5 dxe5 13.Bd6N [This improves upon the 13.Rd2 Nf4 14.Bf1 Ne6 15.Bd6 Qb6 16.Na4 Qa6 17.c5 Qa5 of Cornelisse - Stegeman : Soest 1996, where White should have continued 18.Bc4+/= ]

13...Qd8 14.c5 [>=14.g3+/- keeping the steed out of f4.]

14...Nf4 15.Bf1? [15.b4 /\Nxe2+ 16.Qxe2 would have retained a nice edge.]

15...Qf6 16.Na4 [>=16.Nd2 ]

16...Ne6 [>=16...Nh3+ 17.Kh1 Nf8 18.Rd3 Bg4 , getting the pieces out, but how is he to further his attack? It seems to have maxed-out. White, at least, has Nb2-c4, going after e5.]

17.Re1 Nd4 Hart thought he should've brought the N back to f4 but his move is fine.

18.Nxd4 exd4 Diagram



19.f4? [>=19.Qd2+/= was correct.]

19...Qh4? This sortie accomplishes little, if anything at all. [Black could have grabbed an Exchange, for his good B & a P, with 19...d3 20.Qxd3[] Qd4+ (20...b5 21.cxb6 axb6 22.Rac1 Ba6 is an option; but not 20...Qxa1 21.Rxa1 Bxa1 22.e5 ) 21.Kh1 Qxd3 22.Bxd3 Bxa1 23.Rxa1© ]

20.g3 Qh6 21.e5 This stops any ...Nf6-d5/g4-e3 idea & eyes Qc4-xd4.

21...Nf8 [>=21...g5 hacking at the base of White's strong chain.]

22.Bxf8? [22.Qf2 Ne6 23.Rad1 /\ Bc4-xe6 + Rxd4 would've maintained a clear plus.]

22...Kxf8 23.Qc4?! [23.Rad1 would've kept a slight advantage.]

23...Be6 [23...Rd8 24.Rad1 g5 25.Rxd4 Be6 26.Qd3 Rxd4 27.Qxd4 gxf4 28.gxf4 Qh4© /\ ...Bh6 was good, too.]

24.Qxd4 Rad8 25.Qf2 Qh5? [25...f6© , freeing the bad Bg7, was indicated.]

26.Nc3 Diagram

[>=26.Nb2+/= ]

26...Bg4?? This prevents Rad1 but allows a decisive Ne4-d6. [26...f6© ]

27.Ne4 Bf3 28.Nd6 Re7 29.Re3 Bd5 [>=29...Bg4 Now I can force a trade of l-s clerics.]

30.Bg2 Bxg2 31.Qxg2 Kg8? [31...Qg4 was a much better try.]

32.Rf1? [32.g4 Qh6 33.g5 Qh4 34.Rf1 , threatening Rh3, was correct.]

32...Red7? [32...Qg4 ]

33.g4 Qh6? [Coughing-up a 2nd P with 33...Qh4 /\ ...Qe7 34.g5 h5 35.gxh6 Bf8 (35...Bxh6? loses a piece) 36.Rh3 Qe7 was best.]

34.Rh3 Now the enemy Q is trapped. Black resigned at the same time his flag fell. Time left - Moldovan 17:00, Hart 0:00 Estimated time used - Moldovan 70:50, Hart 87:50 Longest think by White - 12 minutes for 16.Na4 Longest think by Black - 12 minutes for 8...c6 Yet another mediocre performance but I can't complain about the result. 1-0