[Event "New York State-ch 128th"] [Site "Colonie"] [Date "2006.09.02"] [Round "1"] [White "Weatherly, Daryll A"] [Black "Benjamin, Joel"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B04"] [WhiteElo "2088"] [BlackElo "2552"] [Annotator "Llewellyn, Alan"] [PlyCount "80"] [EventDate "2006.09.02"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "6"] [EventCountry "USA"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2006.11.03"] {Daryll Weatherly makes Joel Benjamin break sweat and play a superb game in the Alekhine Defence, Joel has been one of the top American players for years now although he has recently given way to a new generation of super grandmasters from USA. It might be expected that he win this game fairly easilly but Daryll keeps playing the right moves until what looks like a great move gets him into trouble and the genius of Joel sees a way through to a won endgame.} 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 {The Modern Variation of the Alekhine Defence.} 4. Nf3 dxe5 5. Nxe5 c6 $1 {this move allows for a retreat of the Knight to c7 incase White plays c4 or defends the Knight on d5 if White plays Bc4.} 6. Be2 g6 7. O-O Bg7 8. c4 Nc7 9. Be3 O-O 10. Nc3 Nd7 11. Nf3 b6 12. Rc1 (12. Qd2) (12. Re1) (12. h4 Bb7 13. h5 gxh5 14. Qd3 Ne6 15. Qf5 Nf6 16. Bd3 Nc5 17. Bc2 e6 18. Qg5 Ncd7 19. Rfd1 $16 {with an attack.}) 12... Bb7 13. Qd2 c5 14. d5 e5 $3 {if the Knight on c7 heads to the d6 square via e8 then Black has a great position and also if Joel plays f5 then d6 and then Ne6 looks won for Daryll surely after his next move.} 15. Ng5 $2 f5 $3 {The sheer genius of the man sees beyond the superficial to the underlieing threats.} 16. d6 $6 $11 (16. g3 $14) 16... f4 $3 17. dxc7 $6 $15 {I guess Daryll was expecting 17...fxe3} ( 17. Bf3 $1 Bxf3 18. Nxf3 fxe3 19. dxc7 exd2 20. cxd8=Q dxc1=Q 21. Qxf8+ Rxf8 22. Rxc1 $11) 17... Qxg5 $3 {luckily for Daryll the Knight is hanging on d7 else the double threat of Qxg2# and fxe3 would be winning for Joel.} (17... fxe3 $4 18. cxd8=Q exd2 19. Qxd7 dxc1=Q 20. Rxc1 $18) 18. f3 {forced.} Nf6 $3 { It these moves which are most difficult for club players to find. I guess it can be described this way- Joel has a weakness in his position and he wants to turn that weakness into a strength, so in moving the Knight to f6 the threat of fxe3 is suddenly pressing.} (18... fxe3 19. Qxd7 $15) 19. Bf2 e4 $1 { Now Daryll is totally on the back foot, ever since the ill fated 15.Ng5? White has been on the defensive.} 20. h4 $2 {threat were abounding but this is not the best move here.} (20. Nd5 Nxd5 21. cxd5 e3 22. Bxe3 fxe3 23. Qd3 Qxd5 $19) (20. Be1 $1 {this was the best move but it looks so ugly.} e3 21. Qd6 Ne8 22. Qe6+ Rf7 23. Ne4 Qh5 24. Nd6 Nxd6 25. Qxd6 Rc8 26. Qd8+ $3 $19) 20... Qe5 21. fxe4 Nxe4 22. Nxe4 Bxe4 23. Bf3 Bxf3 24. gxf3 Qxc7 {This position is now won for Joel its just a matter of technique.} 25. Qc2 Qe5 26. b3 Rae8 27. Rce1 Qh5 28. Qd3 $6 $19 (28. Kg2 {the pawn on h4 is defensible with best play.} Bf6 29. Rxe8 Rxe8 30. Rh1 $17) 28... Bf6 29. Qd5+ Qxd5 30. cxd5 Rxe1 31. Rxe1 Rd8 32. Re4 $1 (32. Rd1 Bd4 33. Bxd4 Rxd5 34. Kf2 Rxd4 35. Ra1 $19 (35. Rg1 Rd2+ 36. Ke1 Rxa2 37. Rg4 Rb2 38. Rxf4 Rxb3 $19)) 32... Rxd5 33. Rxf4 Bd4 $1 34. a3 Rf5 $3 {forcing the swap off of material to a won King and pawn endgame for Joel.} 35. Rxf5 Bxf2+ 36. Kxf2 gxf5 37. Ke3 Kf7 38. Kd3 b5 39. a4 a6 40. axb5 axb5 { The position is totally won even by a beginner, if Daryll moves his pawn forward to b4 then the c-pawn advances and is then a connected passed pawn and invincible by a lone King. Say the King takes the supporting pawn on b5 then Joels c-pawn-now on c4 simply moves to c3 and its corronation is assured. If Daryll moves his King to the kingside and defends his pawns then it will be Joel who moves his pawns forward on the Queenside thus getting a passed pawn or connected passed pawn. A grandmaster finds such positions childsplay. so Daryll resigned.} 0-1