This week, I present to you an interesting game played at the recently concluded McGill Open between a McGill student David Zhou and the rising junior Zong Yang Yu. This game features a very unusual material imbalance. Enjoy.
[Event "McGill Open 2015"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2015.05.01"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Yu, Zong Yang"]
[Black "Zhou, David"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D11"]
[WhiteElo "2205"]
[BlackElo "1879"]
[Annotator "Kleinman,M"]
[PlyCount "107"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2015.05.01"]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Bf5 {Usually Black chooses to develop the Knight
first by playing Nf6.} 4. cxd5 cxd5 5. Qb3 b6 6. Nc3 e6 7. Bf4 (7. e4 {This
pawn 'sacrifice' is a good punishment for Black developping his light square
bishop too early.} dxe4 8. Bb5+ Nd7 9. Ne5 Ngf6 10. Bg5 $18) 7... Nc6 8. Rc1 (
8. e4 {definitely should have been considered. Again, the light squares near
Black's king are too weak.}) 8... Bb4 9. a3 Ba5 {By playing this move, Black
is sacrificing a piece.} 10. Qa4 Qd7 11. b4 (11. e4 dxe4 12. Bb5 Nge7 13. Ne5
$18) 11... Nxb4 12. Qxd7+ (12. axb4 Qxa4 13. Nxa4 Bxb4+ 14. Bd2 {is a better
version than the game, although white was still up a piece in the game.}) 12...
Kxd7 13. axb4 Bxb4 14. Bd2 f6 15. Nb5 Bxd2+ 16. Kxd2 a6 17. Nc3 Ne7 18. Na4 (
18. e3 Rhc8 19. Bd3 {seems like the logical way to remove the powerful f5
bishop}) 18... Rhb8 19. e3 Nc6 20. Be2 Na5 21. Rc3 Bg6 22. Rhc1 (22. Ra1 $18)
22... Kd6 {although white is up a piece, Black's position is now surprisingly
tough to penetrate.} 23. Ra3 Nc6 24. Rb3 Na5 25. Rb2 b5 26. Nc5 Nc4+ 27. Bxc4
dxc4 28. Kc3 a5 29. Nd2 Kd5 {All the sudden, Black now has three connected
past pawns, which are supported by his rooks. White misplayed his advantage.}
30. e4+ Bxe4 {Sacrificing another piece.} 31. Ndxe4 f5 32. Nd2 e5 33. Ncb3
exd4+ 34. Kc2 {We're now faced with a very non-standard position, where Black
has four(!) connected past pawns for two knights. White will try and give up a
Knight for a pawn under favourable circumstances, while Black is trying to
reclaim material or advance his pawns as fast as possible.} d3+ 35. Kb1 a4 36.
Na1 a3 (36... Kc5 {covers the b4 square, and seems to maintain the
co-ordination well. Black's idea is now to play a3, and to penetrate along the
e file. If White plays} 37. Nf3 Re8) 37. Rb4 Kc5 ({This move sacrifices a pawn
for Black, and leads to an extremely unclear position.} 37... Ra4 38. Rcxc4
bxc4 39. Rxb8 Kd4 40. Nf3+ (40. Re8) (40. Rd8+ Kc3 41. Kc1) 40... Kc3 41. Kc1)
38. Rb3 Kd4 39. Rbc3 {White is now threatening to sacrficie the Knight on c4.
Also, white is now stopping Black's pawns from advancing by preventing b4.} Ra4
40. Nf3+ Kd5 41. Re1 Rb4+ 42. Ka2 Rb2+ 43. Kxa3 Rxf2 44. Kb4 Rb2+ 45. Nb3 Rxg2
46. Re5+ Kd6 47. Rxf5 Ra2 48. Nc5 {Now that White has managed to fully
co-ordinate his pieces, the game is basically over.} d2 49. Ne4+ Kc6 50. Nd4+
Kd7 51. Rd5+ Ke8 52. Nxb5 Rd8 (52... Rb2+ 53. Kxc4 R2xb5 54. Nd6+) 53. Ned6+
Ke7 54. Nf5+ 1-0
