NM Duane Rowe (2268) - FM Warren Elliott (2333) [B76]
Blitz:10' Kingston, Jamaica, 27.07.2003
[Wilkinson,Ian]

NM DUANE ROWE IS MASTERS K.O. KING

The Masters Knock-Out is arguably Jamaica's second most prestigious tournament after the national championships as it usually features a number of masters.

Elliott, the favourite, was Jamaica's board one representative at the 35th Chess Olympiad in Bled, Slovenia while Rowe alternated between boards 2 and 4. It is now history that Rowe defeated Elliott to win the title 2.5-1.5 after the four-game affair saw tense draws in games 1, 3 and 4. It was in the second game that there was true "fire on board" as the Kingstonian won the only decisive encounter of the match to claim the coveted title. The time control was 40 moves in two hours with 30 minutes to complete.

1.e4 c5!? The double-edged Sicilian. Warren shows that he means business and had come to fight. What variation will he play ? 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 Elliott opts for the deadly Dragon minefield where an inaccuracy by either side is usually fatal. 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 0-0 8.Qd2 Rowe prepares to castle "long" and to embark on the often exciting Yugoslav attack. 8...Nc6 9.0-0-0 Bd7 10.Kb1!?+/= The Kingston College past student decides from very early to play a very useful prophylactic move which is thematic in many variations of the Sicilian Defence when White castles queenside. 10...Rc8 Warren is still playing it by the "book". 11.g4!+/= White, slightly better, goes on the hunt. As the 13th world champion, Garry Kasparov, allegedly said during his 1995 world championship clash with Anand in New York when he deployed the Dragon with great results, White is unlikely to defeat the Dragon without going on the offensive with g4 ! 11...Ne5 Usually White's light-squared Bishop is on c4 by now and Black gains a tempo with the text. This is not so here as Rowe has strategically delayed developing the Bishop. 12.h4 Another brave footsoldier joins the fray. Rowe also had the immediate 12.g5 !? at his disposal. 12...b5!?   The Montegonian launches a counter-offensive with an interesting pawn sacrifice. 13.h5!+/- "Rowezolimo" ignores the offering and plays arguably the strongest move. If 13.Ncxb5 !? opening the file leading to the white monarch, Elliott had probably prepared 13...Rb8 ! 13...Nxf3!? Diagram Warren commits himself by sacrificing one of his noble steeds. This sacrifice can backfire if Black is not extremely precise. 14.Nxf3 Bxg4 15.e5!? An interesting choice by Rowe. In 1997 in a brusing encounter there followed: 15.Be2 b4 16.Nd5 Nxe4 17.Qxb4 Bf5 18.hxg6 e6 19.Nh4 fxg6 20.Nxf5 gxf5 21.Nf4 Rb8 22.Bb5 Qe8 23.a4 a6 24.Nh5 Be5 25.Rdg1+ Kh8 26.Nf4 Bxf4 27.Bxf4 axb5 28.Bxd6 Nxd6 29.Rxh7+: Gallagher, Joseph G./Summerscale, Aaron 1-0 (29), Cannes op, 1997. Although White has the clear advantage, Black can try and create some counterplay in the following line: [ 15.h6!? Bh8 16.Qg2 Rxc3!? 17.bxc3 Qa5 18.Bd3 Be6!?+/- with the possibility of swinging the rook into action on the "b" file and unleashing the potential energy of the Bishop on h8.] Elliott seemed surprise by this move and after close to an hour's thought played the questionable 15...Nxh5? What was wrong with the simple 15...Bxf3 ?? If 16.exf6 then 16...Bxf6 and Black is at least equal as there is compensation for the sacrificed piece. 16.Qg2! The right riposte. 16...Bxf3 17.Qxf3 b4 18.Ne4 18.Nb5 or even 18.Nd5 deserved attention. 18...Qc7 19.Bd3+- Rowe plays it "safe" and develops his Bishop to guard the delicate c2 point. Curiously the Bishop is being moved for the first time in 19 moves, an infrequent occurrence in the variation played. An appraisal of the position shows that White is clearly winning with his material superiority, superior development and his pieces taking aim menacingly at the enemy kingside. Conversely, only two of Black's pieces are meaningfully developed and his horse on the rim is looking really grim indeed. 19...d5! To his credit, the second ever Jamaican Fide Master finds the best defensive resource. Is it in vain ? 20.Rxh5! Bang !!! Correct. I remember walking by the board and feeling Alekhine-like excitement while Rowe was pondering his 20th move. I quickly went to the legendary Jamaican NM Robert Wheeler and whispered "after Rxh5 Elliott is dead" ! I dragged him to the board to get his more learned opinion and, smilingly, he concurred. The text exchange sacrifice was a tremendous blow to the solar plexus which laid bare Elliott's besieged king's territory and set the stage for the invasion by Rowe's marauding forces. 20...dxe4 Best. If [ 20...gxh5?? crushing is 21.Nf6+! exf6 22.exf6 b3 23.axb3 Qe5 24.Rg1] 21.Bxe4 Rfd8 22.Rf1 Ever tactical, Rowe finds the strongest attacking option. White is now threatening a murderous check on f7. 22.Rg1 also merited serious attention. 22...gxh5?? The last mistake. The Rook was sacro-sanct, immune from capture. Black's demise is now very swift. Probably best was 22...Qc4 providing cover for f7. Nevertheless in that event White's attack was still irrepressible after 23.Bh6. [ For example, 22...Qc4 23.Bh6 a5 24.Bxg7 Kxg7 25.Rh4 a4 26.Rf4 and f7 will crack under the weight.] 23.Qxf7+ it is all over. 23...Kh8 24.Qxh5 h6 25.Bxh6 Diagram and Elliott resigned with mate inevitable in a few moves. This was a strong performance by the "underdog" Rowe who capitalised mercilessly on his opponent's inaccuracies and continued his great run of form in 2003. 1-0