Searching for the (postal) IM title
In the September En Passant I reported that Jerry Meyers had qualified for the
ICCF (postal chess) IM title. By now he has gotten his certificate and medal
from the ICCF. Congratulations!
Here are two games against players rated in the 2450-2575 range, in the
tournament in which Jerry qualified for the title. If you have watched
Jerry's games in the League or in his rare appearances in tournaments, you
may think of him as a specialist in off-the-beaten-track openings, such as
various lines starting with 1 g3. But in both these games he outplays his
opponents at the leading edge of modern opening theory.
White: Libor Danek (Czech Republic)
Black: Jerry Meyers (USA)
ICCF World Championship XIX Semi-Finals, Section 8
11/15/91 - 3/17/94
Sicilian Defense, Najdorf variation, B90
1. e4 c5
2. Nf3 d6
3. d4 cd
4. N:d4 Nf6
5. Nc3 a6
6. Be3
Many moves have been tried here; mainly 6 Be2, 6 Bg5, and 6 Bc4, but also
6 f4, 6 a4, 6 g3, and 6 h3 have all earned their little niches in the
opening books. Now, 6 Be3 is fashionable, and can be found in some of
Anand's recent games. White's setup in this game is familiar from the
Dragon Sicilian, where it is very dangerous. But can it be transplanted to
the Najdorf?
6. ... e5
7. Nb3 Be6
8. Qd2 Be7
Black used to aim for ... b5 as soon as possible, for instance by
8 ... Nbd7 9 f3 b5. But since White hasn't castled, he can play 10 a4! b4
11 Nd5 Bxd5 12 ed Nb6 13 Bxb6 Qxb6 14 a5! Qb7 15 O-O-O, with Black's
queenside neutralized.
9. f3 O-O
10. O-O-O Nbd7
Here again Black has tried 10 ... b5. After 11 g4 b4 12 Na4 Nc6 13 h4 Rb8
a double-edged position is reached. But why not simply finish development?
11. g4 b5
12. g5
12 h4 Nb6 gives Black no problems. 12 Nd5 Bxe6 13 ed Nb6 14 Bxb6 Qxb6
is interesting, but likewise doesn't give Black enough to worry about.
12. ... b4
13. Nce2
Jerry cites a game Mnatsakanian-Vaulin, Katowice Open, Poland 1992, which
continued 13 Na4 Nh5 14 Qxb4 d5 15 Qa5 Bxg5 16 Bxg5+ Qxg5+ 17 Kb1 de
18 fe Nf4, with a fine game for Black. In this line if White stops to
consolidate with 14 Rg1, then 14 ... a5 leaves him with his knight in a
tight spot on a4, and no attacking chances on either side.
Perhaps the position after 13 gf bc 14 Qxc3 Nxf6 15 Na5 offers White some
chances.
13. ... Ne8!
14. Ng3 a5
15. Kb1 Nc7
16. Nf5 a4
17. Nc1 d5
It's easy to see that White's opening has failed. He is on the defensive
on the queenside and in the center, and he doesn't have anything started on
the kingside. Where did he go wrong? The hard part, however, comes now.
Both sides must make difficult choices as Black tries to convert his
advantage to a win.
18. Rg1 b3!
This is the logical attacking continuation. The critical test of it is if
White tries to remove the pawns without weakening his own. Let's look at
a few variations:
19 ab a3! -- Black will open the a-file and double on it.
19 cb ab 20 Nxb3 Rxa2! 21 Kxa2 Nc5 22 Kb1 Bxb3 23 Re1? (Something like
23 Be2 isnecessary but after 23 ... Bxd1 24 Bxd1 N7e6 Black is still
winning.) 23 ... Qa8!! 24 Nxe7+ Kh8 25 Qb4 Qa2+ 26 Kc1 Qa1+
27 Kd2 Qxb2 mate.
And so White elects to leave some Black pawns in place, hoping they will
shield him from the Black pieces. Another way to do this, which looks
more stubborn in hindsight, was 19 cb ab 20 a3.
19. a3 d4
20. Nxe7+?
From now to the end of the game it's one long combination. 20 Bf2 was
necessary.
20. ... Qxe7
21. Bf2 bc+
22. Qxc2 Rfc8
23. Qd2 Rab8
24. Ka1 Nc5
25. Re1
There isn't anything useful to do, so White prepares to push his f-pawn.
25 Bg3 Qd6 doesn't change anything.
25. ... Nb3+
26. Nxb3 Rxb3!
27. f4 Rxa3+
28. Kb1
If 28 ba Qxa3+ 29 Kb1 Rb8+ 30 Kc2 Qb3+ 31 Kc1 Qb1 mate.
28. ... Nd5!
Resigns
If 29 ed Bf5+, or if 29 f5 Nc3+, or if 29 ba Rb8+, with a gruesome end
in sight in each case.
White: Anders Eriksson (Sweden)
Black: Jerry Meyers (USA)
ICCF World Championship XIX Semi-Finals, Section 8
11/11/91 - 5/25/93
Dutch Defense, Leningrad variation
1. d4 f5
2. c4 Nf6
3. Nf3 g6
4. g3 Bg7
5. Bg2 O-O
6. O-O d6
7. Nc3 Qe8
8. d5 Na6
9. Rb1 Nc5
In the September En Passant, we looked at Schreiber-Meyers, in which the
opening was similar to this game up through move 8. Schreiber played 9 Nd4,
and after 9 ... Bd7 Rb1 I consider that Meyers' 10 ... Nc5 was ill-timed,
because 11 b4 might have given White an easy road to advantage. In the
present position, it's a different story. 10 b4 Nce4 11 Nxe4 Nxe4, or
10 b4 Nce4 11 Bb2 Nxc3 12 Bxc3 Ne4, gives White nothing (or less).
Meyers' ... Nc5 is an idea that I haven't seen before in this position.
Black usually plays 9 ... Bd7, a logical move since it supports c6, or the
immediate 9 ... c5.
10. Nd4 a5
11. e3 Nfe4
If 11 ... Bd7 12 Qc2 and Black's knights are shut out of e4.
12. Nce2?
Artificial. 12 Nxe4 Nxe4 13 Qc2 was a more serious test of Black's idea.
12. ... c6
13. b3 Bd7
14. Bb2 g5
Black has the initiative.
15. f3
White must have had this in mind when playing 12 Nce2, but it leaves his
kingside in paralysis. Perhaps it was not too soon to admit his mistake
and play 15 Nc3. Even 15 f4 can be considered, since the blockade of
Black's f-pawn is useful.
15. ... Nf6
16. Qc2?
Not a good square for the queen. 16 Nc3 was necessary.
16. ... Qg6
17. Nc3 Rc8
18. Qd2 f4!
Every Black piece is poised to play a role in the coming attack.
19. gf
19 ef gf 20 Qxf4? Bh6 21 Qh4 Bg5 traps the queen. 19 ef gf 20 g4 is
playable, probably not much better or worse than the text.
19. ... gf
20. e4
After 20 ef Bh6 White doesn't have time for 21 f5, because of 21 ... Bxd2
22 fg Be3+. By leaving a Black pawn on f4, White at least keeps Black
pieces off that square.
20. ... Nh5
21. a3
Perhaps a better defensive idea was 21 dxc6 bxc6 22 Na4!? Nxa4 23 ba. The
queenside pawns look ugly, but Black must think about his own a-pawn.
21. ... Kf7!
22. Nce2 Rg8!
Black calmly leaves his f-pawn en prise, with his king right behind it, for
a few moves. Now 23 Nxf4 would be answered by 23 ... Qg5 24 Nde2 Be5
25 Bc1 Nd3 winning a piece (26 Qxd3 Bxf4!).
23. Rf2 Bf6
Now 24 Nxf4 is met by 24 ... Nxf4 25 Qxf4 Nd3.
24. Kh1 cd
25. cd Qh6
26. Bf1 Bh4
27. Rg2 Rxg2
28. Bxg2 Bf2
29. Ne6 Be3
30. Qd1 Bb5
Resigns