(1) Richards,Deborah (2022) - Elliott,FM Warren (2379) [D31]

National Championship 2004 Kingston, Jamaica (2.2), 09.04.2005

[Wilkinson,Ian]

In the 2004 National Championships Deborah Richards, Jamaica's Women's champion, competing in Jamaica's most prestigious event for the first time, clashed with the defending champion NM Shane Matthews and was on the receiving end with the Black pieces in a tactical Sicilian. It was a tabloid dream - Men's champion against Women's champion, a real "battle of the sexes. One year later, Richards, having three-peated as Women's Champion, returns for her second consecutive event and again clashes with the defending champion - this time FM Warren Elliott in the second round. Will the ambitious Richards fare any better this time around? 1.c4 Armed with the white pieces, Deborah customarily pushes her c-pawn two squares heralding her wish to commence proceedings with the English Opening. 1...e6 Elliott avoids the more usual 1... e5...which leads to a Sicilian with reversed colours. With the text-move Jamaica's highest-rated player hints, inter alia, that he is not opposed to liquidating the centre early. 2.Nc3 d5 3.cxd5 exd5 4.d4 c6 5.Bf4 Qb6 6.Qd2 Nf6 7.a3 Be7 8.Nf3 0–0 9.h3 Richards goes prophylacic to prevent her adversary dropping a piece on the g4 square. Perhaps 9.e3, hastening to complete development, was more in the spirit of the position. 9...Ne4! [9...Bf5 also came in for consideration.] 10.Nxe4 dxe4 11.Ne5 Be6 12.e3 Qd8 13.Qc2 Bd5 [13...Bd6!?] 14.Be2 Nd7 15.Nxd7 Qxd7 16.0–0

A perusal of the move order and the battlefield suggests that the game has transposed into the Queen's Gambit Declined with a whiff of the Semi-Slav. 16...Qe6 17.Rfc1 17...g5!? (See Diagram 1)

Diagram 1 (After 17..g5)

Warren, spoiling for a fight, creates an imbalance and seems ready to strive for complications. 17...a5!, establishing some control over the b4 square, was a useful alternative. 18.Be5 f6 19.Bg3 f5 20.Be5 f4! There is no turning back. 21.Bh5 Qh6 22.Bg4 Qg6 23.Be2 Both players continue to jockey for an advantage. Black is better due to his spatial advantage. 23...b5 24.Rf1 (Diagram) 24...f3!? Elliott decides on aggression and presses forward. The conservative 24...Rad8 or even 24...Bd6 would have maintained a tense equality. 25.gxf3 The resulting imbalance in the position after the exchange on f3 with the g-file being semi-opened looks more dangerous for White, especially with the Black queen and her supporting troops lurking in close proximity. [25.Bd1? was bad because of 25...g4!µ] 25...Qf5 26.Kh2! According to the Silicon Monster White has the advantage. The position, however, still looks unclear. 26...Be6 27.Rh1(See diagram

Diagram 2(After 27. Rh1)

# [A strong continuation for White was 27.fxe4!? and after 27...Qxh3+ 28.Kg1 Rac8 29.Rfc1± The first player still has the edge.] 27...exf3 Diagram # This allows White to exchange queens and eases the tension. After [27...Rac8! Black maintains the tension and the constant threat of a timely invasion of White's ruptured kingside.] 28.Qxf5! Rxf5 29.Bd3 Rff8 30.Be4!? [Richards could have increased her advantage significantly with 30.Rhc1! and in the variation 30...Rac8 31.a4! b4 (31...a6 32.axb5 axb5 33.Ra6!+-) 32.Ba6 Bd5 33.Bxc8 Rxc8 34.h4!ƒ White has nabbed the exchange and is clearing the routes to the enemy king.] 30...Bd5 31.Bxd5+ cxd5 32.Rac1 [32.Rhc1] 32...Rac8 33.Rhd1 [The variation 33.Rxc8 Rxc8 34.Kg3 Rc2 35.Rb1 a5 36.Kxf3 Kf7 looks drawish.] 33...Rc4! Elliott establishes control over the c-file. 34.Rxc4?! This seems to play into Black's hands. Better was [34.Kg3 activating the monarch when White seems better.] 34...bxc4= 35.Rc1 [35.Kg3] 35...Kf7 36.Bc7?! This is a dubious move. White continues to hold the position after [36.b3! temporarily sacking a pawn and activating the rook. 36...cxb3 37.Rb1 a5 38.Rxb3=]

36...Ke6!(See Diagram 3)

 

Diagram 3(After 36..Ke6)

37.Ba5?

This weak move immediately hands the game to Black. 37.Kg3 or 37.Be5 should have been played. 37...Kf5 Elliott was now in total charge. Even stronger than the text-move was [37...Bd6+! 38.Kg1 Rb8! 39.Rc2 h5 40.Bd2 Kf5–+ and the invasion of the Black king is decisive.] 38.Rg1 [White has better fighting chances after 38.e4+! dxe4 (38...Ke6 39.Re1 Bd6+ 40.e5 Be7) 39.Rxc4 Rb8 40.Bc3 Bd6+ 41.Kg1 Rb6 42.Ra4³] 38...h5 [38...Bd6+!–+] 39.Rh1? [39.Bc7] 39...Bd6+ After several consecutive poor moves in time trouble White is hopelessly lost. 40.Kg1 Rb8 41.Bc3 Rb3 42.h4 g4 43.Kf1 Bxa3 44.Be1 Rxb2 The Men's Champion has won another "battle of the sexes"! 0–1

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