A surprisingly quick win at World Open
The 16th annual World Open, a $200,000 event that attracted 1,281 players, was staged earlier this summer in Philadelphia. The top section, an 11-round Swiss-system comprising 64 players, was won by Grandmaster Maxim Dlugy of New York City. The 22-year-old newlywed scored 8 points to take clear first and prize money of $25,000. Grandmasters Nick deFirmian and Walter Browne, both of Berkeley, Calif., each scored 8 points to tie for second and third place, good for $9,000 each. In the tie for 4th through 6th place were Grandmasters Yasser Seirawan (Seattle), Boris Gulko (Boston), and Larry Christiansen (Modesto, Calif.). Each scored 7 points and won $1,833.34.
Today's featured game between Gulko and tournament winner Dlugy is very unusual. We do not often see a world-class player losing so quickly. It is perhaps explicable in that Gulko, who had the White pieces, was looking for a way to avoid a dull equality and a likely draw against a player of Dlugy's class. First Gulko tried a plausible pawn sacrifice; then, in for a penny, in for a point, he gave away more material. When Dlugy judiciously returned a portion of his gains, he obtained a fierce initiative that culminated in a quick victory. This unexpectedly short win may very well have given him the necessary momentum to propel him on to first place. Queen's Gambit Accepted
Gulko Dlugy 1. P-Q4 P-Q4 2. P-QB4 PxP 3. N-QB3 (a) P-QR3 (b) 4. P-K4 P-QN4 5. P-QR4 P-N5 6. N-R2 (c) B-N2 7. P-B3 P-K4 (d) 8. BxP (e) PxP 9. Q-N3 Q-K2 10. N-R3 N-QB3 11. B-KN5 (f) P-B3 12. BxN (g) PxB 13. NxKNP (h) RxB (i) 14. QxR QxN 15. Q-K6 ch Q-K2 16. Q-R3 (j) P-N6 17. N-B1 Q-N5 ch 18. K-Q1 Q-B5 19. Resigns (k)
A.Before it was considered de rigueur to play 3.N-KB3 to prevent 3.... P-K4.
B.If 3.... P-K4, White would probably reply 4.P-K3, which leads to variations in which he accepts an isolated QP in return for spatial superiority. Some recent games have yielded a small edge for White. But 4.PxP, QxQ ch leads to a perfectly satisfactory endgame for Black. Other possible third moves for the second player are 3.... P-QB3, which transposes to the Slav Defense, and 3.... P-QB4. The text can lead to more complicated play in which Black makes gestures at maintaining the gambit pawn, hoping to utilize the time White invests in recapturing the pawn to complete his development. White's actual reply accepts the challenge. He could play 4.P-K3, N-KB3; 5.BxP, P-B4, which leads to main-line Queen's Gambit Accepted positions.
C.White banks that his strong center will compensate for the ill-posted knight at R2.
D.This counterthrust is mandatory. Passive play enables White to complete his development, when his massive center yields him the advantage.
E.It is understandable that Gulko, with the White pieces, shuns 8.PxP, QxQ ch; 9.KxQ, N-Q2, which seems satisfactory for Black; but the text may already be the decisive mistake, since he never recaptures the pawn against Dlugy's dour defense.
F.This gambling move loses still more material, but the threat of 11.... N-R4 was difficult for Gulko to parry.
G.After 12.B-KB4, N-R4; 13.Q-Q3, NxB; 14.QxN, P-QB4, Black's massive center and extra pawn should be sufficient armor to shield the Black king.
H.White, probably fully aware he had a lost position, continues to throw the dice.
I.Probably 13.... QxN would also suffice in a more complicated manner, but the text is a cleaner way of dealing with the complications, as Black now usurps the initiative.
J.White retreats, since the trade of queens would be hopeless: Black's two minor pieces weigh much more heavily than White's rook. Black would only have to judiciously prepare P-QB4, when his pawn mass would roll.
K.Black's queen penetrates decisively, aided by his king bishop, which aims for QN5.
