Adolfo Prieto upset Expert player Dr. David Kistler with a four-game match tie, 2-2, to win the 2019 Watertown Chess Club Championship in December. Mr. Prieto had finished the 2019 Tournament Season standings in first place and received the top seed for the Club Championship match. Mr. Prieto won game one of the match, drew game two despite a superior position that saw him very short on time and lost game three to set up the deciding game four. A win or draw would allow Mr. Prieto to claim the club title, the same position he found himself during game four in 2018 when he was upset by class ” B” player Bob Kratzat. In this 2019 game four, it appeared as if Dr. Kistler had found the winning line with 30. Rxd5, and the audience was wondering if a repeat of the 2018 loss was to be repeated. Mr. Prieto looked long and hard to find an answer with the success to hold the draw and claim his fourth club championship since 2008. The game score follows:
Kistler, David (2099) – Prieto, Adolfo (1910)
WCC 2019 Championship Match Game 4, Dec. 10,2019
1.e4 c6 2.Ne2 d5 3.e5 Bg4 4.f3 Bh5 5.Nf4 Bg6 6.Nxg6 hxg6 7.d4 e6 8.c3 c5 9.Be3 Qb6 10.Qd2 Nc6 11.Qf2 cxd4 12.cxd4 Bb4+ 13.Nc3 Qa5 14.Bd2 a6 15.a3 Be7 16.Bd3 Qb6 17.Be3 Nh6 18.Rd1 Nf5 19.Bxf5 gxf5 20.0–0 Rc8 21.Na4 Qb3 22.Nc5 Bxc5 23.dxc5 Nxe5 24.Bd4 f6 25.Qg3 Kf7 26.Bxe5 Qe3+ 27.Rf2 fxe5 28.b4 Qxa3 [28…g5 29.h3 g4 30.Qh2 gxf3 31.gxf3 Rcg8+ 32.Kf1 f4 33.h4 Qxa3] 29.Qxe5 Qxb4 [At this juncture, it appeared that Black had an edge, however, Dr. Kistler, playing White found…]30.Rxd5!
White has at least two threats; If Black captures the white rook, a possible checkmate exists or white may recapture a black rook with the advantage. Black elects not to immediately capture the rook with…]
30…Qb5 [Black missed 30…Rhd8 31.Re2 Qb1+ 32.Kf2 exd5 33.Qe6+ Kf8 34.Re5 Qc2+ 35.Kf1 Qd1+ with perpetual check.; If Black takes the rook on d5, White will have a very good chance to win the game and match! 30…exd5 31.Qxf5+ (31.Qxd5+?? Kg6 32.Qe6+ Kh7 33.Qxf5+ g6 34.Qd7+ Kh6 35.Qh3+ Kg7 36.Qd7+ Kf6 37.Qd6+ Kg5 38.Qe5+=) 31…Kg8 (31…Ke7?? 32.Re2+ Kd8 (32…Qe4 33.fxe4 Rxc5 34.Qg5+ Kf7 35.exd5 Rc1+ 36.Qxc1) 33.Qxd5+ Kc7 34.Qd6#) 32.Qxc8+ Kh7 33.Qf5+ g6 34.Qxd5 Rf8 35.g4 Qe1+ 36.Kg2 Qe7 37.h4 Rf7] 31.Rd6 [31.Rfd2 exd5 32.Qxd5+ Kf6 33.Qd6+ Kf7 34.Qd5+ Kf6=]
31…Rhe8 32.Rb2 Qxc5+ 33.Qxc5 Rxc5 34.Rxb7+ Kf6 35.Rxa6 Re7 36.Rbb6 g5 37.h3 Rc4 38.Kh2 g4?!±
[38…Re8 39.Ra2 Rc3 40.Re2=]
39.Kg3 [the alternative… 39.fxg4 fxg4 40.h4 g3+ 41.Kh3 Re8 42.Rc6 Rb4 43.Kxg3 Rg8+ 44.Kh3 Rb3+ 45.Kh2 Re3 46.Kg1 Re2 47.Kf1 Rgxg2 48.Rxe6+ Rxe6 49.Rxe6+ Kxe6 50.Kxg2, draw] 39…gxh3 40.gxh3 Rg7+ 41.Kf2 Rc2+ 42.Ke3 Re7 43.Kf4 Rc4+ 44.Kg3 Rg7+ 45.Kf2 Re7 […playing it safe. Black only needs to draw to claim the 2019 Club Championship.] [… the mate threat 45…Kg5 46.Rxe6 Kf4 47.Rec6 Rd4 48.Rd6 forces White to trade rooks.] 46.Rb2 [46.Kg3 Re8 (46…Rg7+ 47.Kf2 Rc2+ 48.Ke3 Rc3+ leads to the draw.) ]46…Rec7 [continuing play it safe] [… the optional 46…Rh4 47.Rb8 Rxh3 48.Rf8+ Kg7 49.Raa8 Rb7 50.Kg2 Rh6 may lead to a possible Black win.] 47.Re2 R7c6 48.Rxc6 Rxc6 49.f4 Rc3 50.Kg2 Rc5 51.Kf3 e5 52.fxe5+ Rxe5 53.Rh2 Re7 54.h4 Rh7 55.Kf4 Ra7 56.h5 Ra4+ [Now the game is drawn and the match is over. White is unable to stop the checks.] 57.Kf3 Ra3+ 58.Kf4 Ra4+ 59.Ke3 Ra3+ […a draw, leaving the match tied at 2–2, giving the higher seed, although the lower rated player, the 2019 club championship.]
Game ½–½, Match 2-2.
Watertown Chess ClubAdmin