Giuoco Piano  Hungarian defence

White  -    Black

Roger Tuddenham - Stewart V. Thompson

0:1

Holme Valley v Chartist match

8/4/2003

 

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3

[4. b4 is an alternative - the Evans Gambit. This has scored 60% for White.]

 

4... d6  a rather passive line that should lead to a White advantage. It has only scored 34% in 651 games.

[4... Nf6  is more usual and the main line.]

5. d4 ed

6. cd Bb4 This has only scored 27% for Black in 215 games.

7. Bd2

[7. Nc3  is considered more ambitious than Bd2 7... Nf6 8. O-O ! O-O (8... Bxc3 9. bc Nxe4 10. d5 Ne7 (10... Ne5 11. Nxe5 de 12. Re1 f5 13. Rxe4 fe 14. Qh5 Kf8 (14... Kd7 15. Bb5 c6 16. Qf7 Qe7 17. dc bc 18. Bxc6 Kd8 19. Bg5 Qxg5 20. Rd11-0) 15. Ba31-0) 11. Qd4 Nf6 12. Bg5  is advantage White.) 9. Bg5 Bxc3 10. bc h6 11. Bh4 Bg4 12. Qd3  is good for White]

7... Bxd2

8. Qxd2  Here Nbxd2 has been played more often (70% White).

[8. Nbxd2 Nf6 9. O-O O-O 10. Re1  with advantage.]

8... Nge7

[8... Nf6 9. Nc3 O-O looks more natural 10. O-O Nxe4 11. Nxe4 d5 12. Bd3 de 13. Bxe4  White is better.]

9. Nc3  White has an obvious lead in development and the better centre. 9... a6  a novelty. Stewart considered this Q-side expansion plan his brilliant new concept - his contribution to the theory of the Giuoco Piano.... GARBAGE says Geoff. In any case it can be snuffed with 10. a4. It is interesting that these two geriatrics are in company with juniors in the followiing games !

[9... O-O!? 10. h4 (10. O-O Bg4 11. Ne1 Ng6 12. f3 Bd7 13. Nc2 a6 14. a4 Nce7 15. Kh1 Be6 16. d5 Bd7 17. Be2 Kh8 18. Nd4 Ng8 19. Bd1 ...1-0, Van Eijk Sander - Van De Put Jeroen, Leiden 1999 Ch Netherlands (juniors) (under 14); 10. d5 Na5 11. Bd3 c5) 10... Bg4 11. h5 h6 12. O-O-O a6 13. Qf4 Qd7 14. Rh4 Bxf3 15. gf Na5 16. Rg1 Nxc4 17. Qxh6 Nf5 18. ef f6 19. Rhg4 ...1-0, Gara Anita 2050 - Nagy N, Hungary 1994 Ch Hungary (juniorrs)]

 

10. O-O b5

11. Bd3

[11. Be2  !? may well be better as avoids doubled pawns on f3 and a Knight attack by Nb4. 11... O-O 12. d5 Nb8 13. Nd4  White is better.]

11... Bg4  Stewart's bishops always home in on g4 or b4. They are controlled by automatic pilot !

[11... O-O!? 12. d5 Nb8 13. Rfc1 Bb7]

 

12. Bc2  ? This is possibly a mistake. Interesting was 12. Ne1 ! instead.

[12. Ne1 O-O (12... Nxd4? 13. Qg5  !  White is better.) 13. f3 Bc8 14. Nc2  White advantage.]

12... Bxf3

13. gf d5  With the King in the centre, and poorly developed this looks suicidal for Black - but it is better than it looks.

[13... O-O  !? is safer. 14. Rfd1 Qd7 15. Qg5 Qh3 =]

 

14. ed  Opening up the centre is the logical way to refute Black's play. 14... Nxd5  ?? This is a horrible blunder that should lose the game.

[14... Na5  ! is better , followed by Qd6 and Rd8 etc. The pawn is better captured late, after castling. 15. Be4 Qd6 16. Qc2 Rd8  is approximately equal.;

 

14... Nb4 is not as good. 15. Be4 Nbxd5 16. Nxd5 Nxd5 17. Rfc1+=]

15. Nxd5 Qxd5

16. Be4  ?? Too eager, Roger should have considered the check first.

[16. Rfe1  ! is the move that Geoff considered won easily -- it does ! 16... Kd7  defending the Knight is the only chance, but then .. (16... Ne7 17. Be4  ouch !; 16... Kf8 17. Be4 Qd6 18. Qc3  Now the Nxd4 move -as in the game - does not work. Black is floundering.) 17. Be4 Qd6 18. Qg5  is an extremely nasty move threatening Rc1, Bf5+ etc. 18... g6 19. Rac1  and it's find a move time ! Black is busted - caught with his pants down !]

16... Qd6

17. Rac1  ? This does not work as Black has a tactical get out of jail card.

[17. Qg5  is the best move 17... O-O 18. Qf5 g6 19. Qc5  White is a little better.;

17. Qc3  Black still has Nxd4 17... Nxd4  and the Rook cannot be taken as Black has Ne2+]

 

17... Nxd4  ! It is doubtful if Stewart saw this when he played 13...d5. Was he just lucky ? And it's better to be lucky than good !

18. Rfd1 Rd8

19. Qe3  ? A weak move, now Black can simply castle. Is Roger psychologically beaten at this stage ?

[19. Bc6  ! was the best chance 19... Kf8 (19... Nxc6 20. Qxd6 cd 21. Rxc6  and White will regain his pawn.) 20. Kh1  Black is a pawn up, but White is in the game.]

19... O-O Stewart castles at last ! He has a won position.

20. Rc2  ? Another blunder - Roger is punchdrunk - He realises that he has missed his chance . He is now in time trouble and needs a swindle.

[20. Kh1!? c5 21. b3 f5 22. Bd3 Rfe8  Black is winning.]

20... Nxc2

21. Bxc2  And Black won.

0-1

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