Winter Swiss Final Results

Rich Buschgans and Mike Laverty shared 1st place. Click here for the Winter Swiss tournament final standings.

Eric Mark submitted some analysis of his game against the tournament co-winner Mike Laverty.

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c4 dxc4 4.Nc3 c6 5.e4 b5 6.a4?! b4 7.e5 bxc3
8.exf6 cxb2 9.Bxb2 exf6 10.Bxc4 Bb4+ 11.Kf1 0-0 12.Qb3 Na6
13.h4 Qe7 14.h5 Rb8 15.Nh4 Re8 (threat Qe1+ and mates)
16.Kg1 Be1!? 17.Qc2 Nb4
18.Qb3

Eric rejected a nice shot here and the game later ended in a draw.



18...Nd3!! (instead of ...Bg4) wins.

19. Qxb8 Bxf2+ 20. Kh2 Qe4 21. Nf3 Qg4 22. Ng1 Nf4 followed by mate.

First point is Black can play 20...Nxb2, since the re-capture 21. Qxb2?? loses to ...Qd6+ and mates.

Even better is 20...Qe4!, threatening mate. If 21. Nf3, then 21...Qg4, or if 21. g3, then 21...Qe2. Black wins.

If White plays 19. Qxd3 instead of taking the Rb8, then simply 19...Rxb2, and f2 falls and Black wins.