The 37th Annual Tim Just Winter Open was held during the first weekend in January 2020. The competition was fierce as 179 players competed in this year’s event. View the complete final standings at https://www.kingregistration.com/results/winteropen20. Here are two interesting puzzles taken directly from games played in the tournament. Answers to the puzzles can be found at the end of the article.
The FIDE rated Open section was led by IM George Li. He was the strong favorite. Challenging him were four FMs and master level Angel Angelov. Through the first three rounds George held his own as expected. But, in the fourth round he had a surprise quick draw with FM Tansel Turgut. This led to the possibility that someone else could take first place.
Heading into the last round FM Alexander Velikanov was the sole leader after four rounds winning all his games. Following closely behind were George Li (3.5), FM Aydin Turgut (3.5), FM Tansel Turgut (3.5), and Angel Angelov (3.5). Both Turguts took a last round bye limiting their final score to 4 points. This led to a last round showdown between the two leaders (Alexander Velikanov and George Li) with Angel Angelov still having a chance to tie for first.
The game between IM George Li and FM Alexander Velikanov was a close match. The international master found a way to break through (see puzzle #2) and prevailed clinching at least a tie first place. Angel Angelov was able to hold off expert level Jesse Allen completing the two way tie for first place.
In the under 1800 Reserve section the two highest rated players found themselves behind the leaders after four rounds. There were two players who were perfect after four rounds. Aditya Oberai with only a 1462 rating managed to defeat all his opponents this far. He faced Colin Wicks (1610) for the top prize. Aditya Oberai managed to break through and claim sole possession of first place. Three players (Margarita Tsyganova, Otis Lewis, and Slawomir Borkowski) tied for second with a near perfect 4.5 points.
The game of the tournament was an exciting fourth round game between Jesse Allen and Aydin Turgut. Both places were 3-0 going into this game. Analysis of this game follows.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0–0 8.a4 b4 9.d4 d6 10.dxe5 dxe5 11.Nbd2 Bc5 12.h3 Bb7 13.a5
Up to this point Jesse and Aydin were following a recent game played in the FIDE Grand Swiss tournament back in October 2019. The game they are following is Bjerre, Buhl (2506) vs. Sasikiran, Krishnan (2675). In that game, black elected to play 13. …Qe7 with the idea to bring the rooks to the only open file 13. …Nd4 14.Bc4 Qd6 15.c3 Ne6 16.Qc2 Nf4 17.Nb3
Here Aydin tries to use his very active minor pieces to go for an attack by trading two pieces for a rook, and creating a mate threat with Qg6. 17. …Nxe4 18.Rxe4 Qg6 Here White missed a strong continuation in (19.Bxf4 Bxe4 20.Qe2 Bxf2+ 21.Qxf2 22. exf4 22.cxb4 with a strong edge to white) 19.Ng5 Qxg5 20.Bxf4 exf4 21.Nxc5 f3 With a mate in one threat on g2. 22.Rg4 Qxc5 23.cxb4 Qh5 24.Qc3 With a mate in one threat on g6. g6 25.Re1 fxg2 26.Re5 Here black again plays for mate by offering the queen. Rad8
If white took the queen, the game would be just about over. Example 27. Rxh5 Rd1+ 28. Kh2 Rh1+ 29. Kg3 g1=Q+ 30.Kh4 Qxf2+ 31.Qg3 Qf6+ 32. Rhg5 h6. Black is winning. 27.Bb3 Qh6 28.Re3 Ba8 29.Rd4 Rxd4 30.Qxd4 Qg5 31.Qc4 Qf5 32.Bc2 Rd8. After Rd8, black is setting up the same trap as on move 26. Taking the queen here would again make quick work of the game. Ex. 33.Bxf5 Rd1+ 34. Kh2 g1Q#
33.Qxc7 Qf6 34.Be4 Bxe4 35.Rxe4 Rd2 36.Re8+ Kg7 37.Qc3 White now converts the game to a rook and pawn endgame. Rxf2 38.Rb8 Qxc3 39.bxc3 Rc2 40.Rb6 f5 41.Rxa6 f4 42.Rd6 f3 43.Rd1 Ra2. At this point, both players started to get low on time and a crowd started to form around the board to watch this exciting game. 44.b5 Rxa5 45.c4 Ra4 46.b6 Rxc4 47.Rb1 Rc8 48.Kf2 Rb8 49.b7 Kf6 50.Rb3 Kg5
This position seems double-edged but white can give up the b pawn for the f pawn making the game closer to a draw.
51.Rxf3 Rxb7 52.Kxg2 Rb4 53.Kg3 h5 54.Ra3 h4+ 55.Kf3 Rf4+ 56.Kg2 Re4 57.Kf3 Rf4+ 58.Kg2 Rf5 59.Ra4 Rb5 60.Rg4+ Kh5 61.Ra4 Rb2+ 62.Kg1 Rb3 63.Kg2 Rc3 64.Kh2 Kg5 65.Ra5+ Kf6 66.Ra4 g5 67.Rb4 Re3 68.Ra4 Re2+ 69.Kg1 Kf5 Up to this point, black has maneuvered his king and pawns up the board as white tries to hold the fourth rank with the rook, but black finds a way to press. 70.Kh1 Re4
If white takes the rook, the game goes from a drawn rook endgame to a lost king and pawn endgame. After 71.Rxe4 Kxe4 72. Kg2 Ke3 73. Kg1 Kf3 74. Kh2 Kf2 75. Kh1 Kg3 and the H pawn falls.
71.Ra3 Kf4 72.Kg2 Re2+ 73.Kh1 Re3 Black is trying to set the same trap as on move 70. 74.Ra4+ Kf3 75.Rg4 Kf2 Setting up mate on h3 if white takes the g5 pawn. 76.Rg2+ Kf1 77.Rg1+ Draw agreed. ½–½
Answers:
Puzzle 1: 1. c4 Ba6 2. Nxc6 (2. …Rb6 3. Rd8+ Rxd8 4. Rxd8#) Nxc6 3. Rxc6 Bb7 4. Rc7 Be4 5. Rdd7. White is dominating with both rooks on the seventh rank; white should make easy work of this position.
Puzzle 2: 1. Rc8 and the pin will now win the knight and simplify the game further. Example 1. …Rc1+ 2. Kg2 Ra1 3. Rcxc6
Analysis and puzzles provided by Dan Wilson.