BtM 12A: The first one

September 1988, Position A


Black to play
Ivanchuk - Norwood, European Junior Campionship 1987

Contributions are welcome in the comments box. I’ll reply with what the Masters have to say about their choice to anybody who suggests a move.

Scroll down to see some commentary from me and the Masters’ feedback.

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"Will I ever be allowed to forget my tragedies at the European Junior Championship in Arnhem?"
- David Norwood


As well as knowing the games that other people have played (BtM 11), it’s a pretty good idea to know your own.

Norwood played 18 … Rfb8 in the game against Ivanchuk and later lost after trying to win a position in which he could have forced a draw. Later he felt that Black could improve in today’s position with … Nf6. The panel might not have agreed, but according to the HIARCS opening book the position has now been played 14 times at a high level and hitting the queen is played much more frequently and scores quite a bit better.

This position, by the way, was the very first Beat the Masters I looked at when I began playing through the series after lockdown started.


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POINTS
10: … Rfb8
8:  … Nf6
5:  … Rxa2
3:  … Qc3, … Qxa2
1:  … f5

MASTERS
Rfb8: Flear, P. Littlewood, Keene, Pein, J. Littlewood, Botterill, S. Arkell, Horner
Nf6: Norwood, K. Arkell, Conchess Plymate

SOURCE

 … Rfb8 Ivanchuk - Norwood, European Junior Championship 1987

Comments

  1. Yesterday Jack chose 1 ... Rfb8.

    A few additional comments from Norwood:-
    "Whilst I hold that 18 ... Rf8 is equal, I think that 18 ... Nf6 gives Black the initiative.
    a) 19 Qe5 Rxa2 intending 20 ... Re8 with a big advantag.
    b) 19 Qf4 Re8 with gan of temp on previous analysis.
    c) 19 Qd3 Rc8!, 20 Qc4 R8b8, 21 e3 Rxa2, 22 Be2 R8b2, 23 0-0 Rxd2 and I claim to be better."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Typo: that should read, "Whilst I hold that 18 ... Rfb8 is equal ...."

      I haven’t analysed this position extensively with an engine but HIARCS seems to think that 1 ... Rfb8, 2 Qf4 (not mentioned by the BtM panel) is an extremely strong reply. In fact if HIARCS is right Black may just be lost.

      So it seems that 1 ... Nf6 is probably the better move although whether it gives Black an advantage or not is another question.

      Delete
  2. Tried to comment yesterday but failed. I went for Rfb8, though wasn't convinced after Qf4. I rejected Nf6 due to Qd3, as I missed Rc8.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Adam,

    Good to see you.

    Qf4 was a good spot, at least. And ... Rc8 is one of those moves that’s quite hard to see, I think, stopping off along the way to where you want to end up. At least they are for me.

    ReplyDelete

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