Kistler Repeats As 2011 WCC Champion

Kistler’s Rules Stop Stubborn Prieto

Kistler repeats as Watertown

Chess Club Champion

Dr. David Kistler was not about to let a stellar 36 game season slip away from him with a repeat game 3 loss to former club champion Adolfo Prieto in the Watertown Chess Club Championship Match. Dr. Kistler had outscored Mr. Prieto 7 ½- ½ during the tournament season and was now tied at 1 ½- 1 ½ in the match. He needed only draw game 4 to repeat his 2010 championship title. Mr. Prieto had other thoughts, but Kistlers “rules” prevailed.

Mr. Prieto spent 21 minutes of the game 90-time control on his 13^th move and another 14 on move 20. The resulting time deficit left him vulnerable to Dr. Kistler’s late game aggressiveness. The result was that he succumbed to the will of expert Kistler.

With less than 6 minutes to complete the game, Mr. Prieto could not take the time to look at the line 29.Rg3 Bf4 30.Rg4 Rf7 31.Rhg1 Be3 32.Rg7+.  Had he the time White would have held a small edge, but Mr. Prieto would still have had to find the win. The resulting trade led to Black’s counter attack and crumbled White’s position. By move 34….Rxc4, Black held an extra pawn and the championship. Mr. Prieto graciously resigned and congratulated Dr. Kistler.

[pgn autoplaymode=none]
[Event “2011 WCC Championship Rd. 4”]
[Date “2012.01.04”]
[Round “4”]
[White “Prieto, Adolfo”]
[Black “Kistler, Dave”]
[Result “0-1”]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Be2 O-O 6. Bg5 h6 7. Be3 e5 8. d5
Nbd7 9. Qd2 Kh7 10. g4 Nc5 11. f3 Ng8 12. h4 f5 13. exf5 gxf5 14. gxf5 Bxf5 15.
Bxc5 dxc5 16. Bd3 Ne7 17. h5 Qd7 18. Be4 Bf6 19. Qf2 b6 20. Nge2 Bxe4 21. Nxe4
Nf5 22. O-O-O Qa4 23. Qg2 Qe8 24. Rdg1 Qf7 25. Qh3 Nd6 26. N2c3 Bg5+ 27. Kb1
Nxe4 28. Nxe4 Qf5 29. Qxf5+ Rxf5 30. Rf1 Raf8 31. Rh3 Rf4 32. Nxg5+ hxg5 33.
Re1 R8f5 34. Re3 Rxc4 35. Re4 Rd4 36. Kc2 Rxd5 *[/pgn]

Analysis

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 0–0 6.Bg5 h6 7.Be3 e5 8.d5 Nbd7 9.Qd2 Kh7 10.g4 Nc5 11.f3 Ng8 12.h4 f5 White spent 21 minutes assessing the position before making this move, leaving just 51 minutes for the balance of the game. 13.exf5 gxf5 14.gxf5 Bxf5 15.Bxc5 dxc5 16.Bd3 Ne7 17.h5 Qd7 18.Be4 Bf6 19.Qf2 b6 Black spent 15 minutes of clock time before making this move. White has 37 minutes left  to Black’s 47 minutes on their respective clocks. 20.Nge2² White lingered for 14 minutes deciding on this move, leaving just 23 minutes for the game. Fritz sees White with a slight advantage. [under consideration was 20.d6 Nc6 21.Qc2 Bd8 22.dxc7 Bxc7 23.Nd5 Bd8 24.Ne2=] 20…Bxe4 21.Nxe4 capturing with the “f” pawn would strand the White King in the middle of the board. 21…Nf5! 22.0–0–0 White needs a win for the championship. Queenside castling connects the Rooks.  [Fritz suggests: 22.Qg1 Bh4+ 23.Kd2 Rg8 24.Qh2=] 22…Qa4 Black finally attacks, but  23.Qg2! counters Blacks Queen move. 23…Qe8 [Black need only draw to win the championship. A continued attack could be risky. 23…Qxc4+ 24.N2c3 Kh8 25.Qg6 Bg5+ 26.Kb1²] 24.Rdg1 Qf7 25.Qh3? White has only 12 minutes left and the alternative seems to look very drawish. [25.Qg6+ Qxg6 26.hxg6+ Kg7 27.N2g3 Nxg3 28.Rxg3 Rad8²] 25…Nd6 26.N2c3? behind on time and under pressure White is moving quickly and misses:  [26.Nxd6 cxd6 27.Qf5+ Kh8 28.Qg6 the Queen MUST move. 28…Bg5+ 29.Rxg5 hxg5 30.Qh6+ Qh7 31.Qxd6=] 26…Bg5+ [Fritz suggests: 26…Nxc4 27.Qf1 Nd6 28.Qd3 Nxe4 29.Nxe4 Kh8=] 27.Kb1 With only 6:09 left on the clock White makes the right move.  [Fritz looked at  27.Nxg5+ hxg5 28.Qg4 Qxf3 29.Qxg5 Qf4+ 30.Qxf4 Rxf4 31.b3 Raf8  but the sequence is a draw at best.] 27…Nxe4 Black has been eyeing the end game pawn structure and anticipates the White “h” pawn as a target. [the alternative sequence favors White 27…Be3 28.Nxd6 cxd6 29.Rg6 Rad8 30.Qg4] 28.Nxe4 Qf5 Black forces the Queen trade and with less than 6 minutes White is unable to find the correct move. 29.Qxf5+ the Queen trade looses the match for White. [29.Rg3 Bf4 30.Rg4 Rf7 31.Rhg1 Be3 32.Rg7+ and White still would have an edge.] 29…Rxf5 30.Rf1 Raf8 31.Rh3 Rf4 32.Nxg5+ hxg5 and black is now in control of the game and match. 33.Re1 R8f5 34.Re3 Rxc4 35.Re4 Rd4 36.Kc2 Rxd5 White resigns 0–1