The “Magician” Escapes to Win Round One

“Magician” Dr. David Kistler escaped the vice like grip of Adolfo Prieto and survived round one of the 2014 Watertown Chess Club Championship to take a 1-0 lead in the four game match. Mr. Prieto had outplayed his nemesis and seemed poised to grab the early match lead. Mr. Prieto was in his usual time trouble position with under three minutes left of his allotted time of 90 minutes, when he missed 34… Qb3, which would have prevented the White Queen capture of d5 and check. White would have been left with 35. Kg1 Re2! 36. Qe6+ (White’s only move to prevent mate 36….Qxd1++.) 36….Rxe6, leaving both of White’s remaining pieces hanging.

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[Event “WCC 2014 Championship”]
[Site “Watertown, NY”]
[Date “2014.12.09”]
[Round “1”]
[White “Kistler, Dr. David”]
[Black “Prieto, Adolfo”]
[Result “1-0”]
[ECO “B14”]
[WhiteElo “2124”]
[BlackElo “1867”]
[Annotator “Klug,D”]
[PlyCount “79”]

1. e4 c6 2. c4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Bg5 Be7 7. Nf3 O-O 8.
Bd3
dxc4 9. Bxc4 a6 10. Qe2 b5 11. Bb3 Bb7 12. O-O Nbd7 13. Rad1 Nb6 14. Ne5
Nbd5
15. Nxd5 Nxd5 16. Bxe7 Qxe7 17. f4 Nf6 18. f5 Bd5 19. Bxd5 ({ interesting
that the a2 pawn is untouchable if} 19. Bc2 exf5 20. Rxf5 Bc4 21.
Qd2 Bd5 $11) 19… exd5 20. Rde1 Rfe8 21. g4 Ne4 22. Qg2 Qb4 23. Rd1 f6 24.
a3
Qa4 25. Nd7 Qb3 26. Qf3 ({It looks as if White has problems with either
move.} 26. Nc5 Nxc5 27. dxc5 Re4 28. Rc1 b4 29. axb4 Qxb4 30. h3 Rc8 31. Qf2
Rce8) 26… Qxb2 27. Nc5 Rac8 28. Nxa6 {the text is better than …} (28.
Rd3 Kh8 29.
Rfd1) 28… Rc3 29. Qg2 {keeping the big guys on the board.} (29. Rd3 Qxa3
30.
Nc5 Rxd3 31. Qxd3 Qxd3 32. Nxd3 Nd2) 29… Rc2 30. Qf3 Ra8 $1 {An excellent
move, but Black spent about half of his remaining time of 15 minutes
considering it.} 31. Qf4 Rg2+ 32. Kh1 Nf2+ $4 {in time pressure Black
misses…
} (32… Ng3+ {wins outright!}) 33. Rxf2 $2 {and now White returns the
favor…
} ({if} 33. Kxg2 Nxd1+ 34. Kh1 {White is still in the game.}) 33… Rxf2 34.
Qd6 {looks very threatening, but 34….Qb3 will hold the d pawn and finish
off White.} 34… Qe2 $4 {Black misses 34…Qb3 and White’s threat of 35.
Qxd5+ and 36.Qxa8+. The blunder gives away the win.} (34… Qb3 $1 35. Kg1
Re2 $1 36.
Qe6+ {White’s only move to prevent mate of 36….Qxd1++.} 36… Rxe6 37.
fxe6
Qxd1+ 38. Kg2 Rxa6) 35. Qxd5+ Kf8 36. Qxa8+ Ke7 37. Qb7+ Kd6 38. Qc7+
Kd5  39. Nb4+  Ke4  40. Qe7+ {Black resigns.} 1-0

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