Claremont Open Round 6

Results from Round 6:

James Gaylard ½ - ½ Neil Horne
John van Ryneveld 0 - 1 Oaitse Wally
Andrew Fereday 1 - 0 Sam Milner
Daniel Russouw 1 - 0 Andrew McInnes
Jean-Paul du Plessis 1 - 0 Jean Kimbona
Ben van Bruggen 0 - 1 Errol Batthurst
Keith Breedske 1 - 0 Arao Antonio


Standings after Round 6: (# games played in brackets)

Neil Horne 5½ (6)

Oatse Wally 4 (4)

James Gaylard 3½ (6)

Jean-Paul du Plessis 3 (3)
Ian Broughton 3 (3)
Ingo Holland 3 (5)
John van Ryneveld 3 (6)
Daniel Russouw 3 (6)
Andrew Fereday 3 (6)

Andre van Reenen 2½ (5)

Imraan Banderker 2 (2)
Keith Breetzke 2 (3)
Otto Marte 2 (3)
Andrew McInnes 2 (5)
Georges Torres 2 (5)
Sam Milner 2 (6)
Errol Batthurst 2 (6)

Garry Jolly 1½ (5)
Rodney T Daniels 1½ (5)

Jacob Rochoene 1 (2)
Emmanuel Morutwa 1 (4)
Jean Kimbona 1 (5)

Daniel Barrish 0 (1)
Arao Antonio 0 (2)

Dale Green 0 (2)
Ben van Bruggen 0 (5)

Here's James managing to end Neil's winning streak. His unbeaten streak is still intact, though.

James Gaylard – Neil Horne
C43 Petroff defence
[Analysis by James Gaylard, Neil Horne and Fritz 6]

1.e4 C43: Petroff Defence: 3 d4 1...e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4?! [4.e5 is more common. The text is good for Black assuming accurate play to follow; but also presents Black with numerous opportunities to make subtle yet fatal errors.]




4...d5? [Black has a selection of good moves here 4... Nxe4; 4.... Nc6; 4...Bc5; 4....Bb4+ would each give Black a slight lead, the move played allows white to open the e-file with advantage]

5.exd5 Nxd5 6.0–0 Be7? [ this allows a tremendous build-up of pressure by white, 6...Nb6 seems the best way to blunt white’s initiative]

7.Qxd4±.Nf6 8.Qxd8+ Bxd8 9.Re1+ Be7 10.Nc3 Nc6




11.Bf4? [White resists the immediate Nb5 and instead strives to maintain his lead in development, safe in the knowledge that the c7 pawn is there for the taking, however this is an opportunity missed. 11.Nb5 0–0 (11..Kd8 would be suicidal) 12.Nxc7 Rb8 and black’s position is very unpleasant]

11...0–0 12.Nb5 Bf5 13.Nfd4 ?! [ this appears on face value to be a killer move forcing the Black bishop to a pinned position on d4, but should be prefaced by c3 ]




13...Nxd4² 14.Nxd4 [14.Rxe7?! Nxb5 15.Bxb5 Be6 16.Bxc7 Nd5 17.Rxe6 fxe6 is interesting]

14...Be4 [the pin ensues, but how can white exploit it in the face of Black’s powerful resource of Bc5? Note that Black cannot avoid the pin. Any other move loses a piece E.g. 14…Be6 15 Nxe6 fxe6 Rxe6 is devastating]




15.Be5 [15.Bg5 seems better ] 15...Bd5 16.Bxc7? [White despairs of his dissipating initiative and snatches the pawn in a vain attempt to extract some reward from his pressure up to this point. But this is a mistake, giving Black a forced draw. 16.BxB NxB 15.c4 would have maintained some advantage for white] 16...Bxc4 17.Rxe7 Nd5 18.Rd7 Nf6 ½-½ [white must repeat the position or lose the c7 bishop e.g. 19.Rd6 Ne8]