Roseller Navarros's 36th Birthday Tournament

Game annotations by USCF Life Master Arthur Braden

[Because of the excessive time it takes to do this, come back to this page later when I will only have analyzed other games in a cursory way.]

I am first examining this game as it decided the tournament winner.

Underlined moves were the ones actually played in the game.

White: Steve G Ross [2200] Black Brendan Jose (Joe) Birt [1911]

1. d4 e5

I believe Joe wanted to try and take Steve out of his comfortable positional 1. d4 lines where more of his experience lies, and by this move I would guess that Steve and Joe have played each other several tournament games. This opening is the Englund Gambit named after one of the opening practitioners, Swedish player Fritz Carl Anton Englund (1871-1933). If black wants to play an early e5 then better is either the Budapest 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5 or the Albin Counter Gambit 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5, but both are often avoided by playing 2. Nf3.

2. dxe5 Nc6

An interesting alternative here is to try the Blackburne-Hautlaub Gambit with 2. ... d6. This no-opening-pawns gambit is certainly a better one than 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 e6.

3. Nf3 Qe7

I don't know why, but I seriously cringe every time I see this position for black. Although I find no serious games where it has been tried, 3. f4 to accept the gambit is playable and likely favors black. One possible follow up might be 3. … d6 4. exd6 Bxd6 5. e4 Qh4+ 6. g3 Qe7 7. Nc3 [7. e5? Nh6 8. Ne2 Bc5 and white’s position is full of weaknesses while black is completing development.] 7. … Bb4 8. Bd2 Bf5 9. Bg2 Nf6 10. e5 Bxc3 11. Bxc3 Nb4! and white has trouble holding the position (12. Bxb4 Qxb4+ 13. c3 Qxb2!).

4. g3

True to Steve's positional style he chooses an very conservative approach and suggests that Steve doesn’t mind a King’s Indian setup with the central pawns exchanged. However, black should have easy equality here. Compare this position to the very similar Budapest lines! 4. Bf4 is one alternative, and is suppose to be part of the "trap" in the Englund Gambit. However, this move is perfectly playable. For example,

4. ... Qb4+ 5. Bd2

[5. Nc3 is an interesting but risky alternative to 5. Bd2, but may be a refutaion to the England Gambit. However, this move is very muddy, i.e. 5. ... Qxf4 (5. …Qxb2 6. Bd2 transposes back to the main line) 6. Nd5 Qe4 7. Nxc7+ Kd8 8. Nxa8 Nxe5 9. Ng5!? (or 9. Qd2 is more solid with less risk 9. … b6 10. Nxb6 axb6 11. O-O-O with a clear edge for white) 9... Qb4+ 10. c3 Qxb2 11. Rc1 Qxa2 12. e3 Nf6 13. Be2 and again white has an edge, but still very unclear in my opinion.]

5... Qxb2 6. Nc3 !

[6. Bc3?? This is the trap in all its glory. Now white is genuinely lost as Bb4 7. Nfd2 ( 7. Qd2 ?? Bxc3 8. Nxc3 [[ 8. Qxc3 ?? Qc1 mate]] 8... Qxa1+) 7... Bxc3 8. Nxc3 Qxc3 and white is gone]

6... Bb4 One of the main lines here.

[Another main line here is 6... Nb4 7. Nd4 c6 (7. … c5 8. Rb1 Qa3 9. Rb3 Qa5 10. Nd5! wins or 7... Bc5 8. Rb1 Qa3 9. Ndb5 Qa5 10. a3 Qb6 [[if 10. …Nc6 11. Nd5 wins) ]] 11. e3 Na6 12. Nd6+ and takes the Q.) 8. e3 Qa3 (8. … Bc5? 9. Na4 wins) 9. Rb1 and it is unclear what black has hope for.]

7. Rb1 Qa3 8. Nd5 Ba5 9. Rb5!! Bxd2+ 10. Qxd2 Kd8 11. c3 and white is winning.

Also 4. Qd5 is another good alternative that really tests the Englund Gambit and is reminiscent of the Budapest lines [1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 Ng4 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Bf4 Bb4+ 6. Nc3 Qe7 7. Qd5 is an old classic line and is far better for black than the Englund Gambit] 4. … f6 5. exf6 Nxf6 6. Qb3 and although black has the two files, e an f, for compensation it is clear that white is solid and better.

4... Nxe5 5. Bg2 Nf6

This appears to be a slight oversight on Joe's part. 5. ... Nxf3+ drags the white bishop to a less attractive post [... Bh3 is one challenge white must prepare for] and exchanges off white's strong kingside knight before white can reinforce the knight [Nbd2] or reposition the knight [N-d4-f5/b5].

6. Nc3!?

Steve does not want to castle until he knows that Joe commits himself more and has not prepared a method of kingside attack, such as ... Nxf3+ followed by ... h5. However, unless Joe plays d5 [where the counter e4 is supported well by the c3 knight] the knight will not be particularly well placed on c3 and Nbd2! instead prepares to replace his N on f3 that may be exchanged and invite assault on the kingside. White could possibly follow with Nxe5 and Nd2-f3.

6. … c6!

Joe knows that e4 is unplayable for white because of the response … d5, so he can possibly look for a later ... d5 and smoothly set up a light-square blockade that limits the bishop on g2 and the N on c3. A less useful, but playable alternative would be to transpose to Budapest lines with ... d6.

7. O-O

Steve has decided that Joe has committed himself enough in the center that a kingside attack is less likely. However, I would personally prefer to keep the king in the center until black committed himself more, for instance 7. Nxe4 Qxe4 8. Bf4 Qc5 9. Qd2 when white may even castle queenside, but black is certainly less prepared for a kingside attack now. Fortunately Joe justifies the plan with an early ... d5 on move 8.

7. … Nxf3+

A couple of alternatives come to mind here. The positional approach would be to play 7. ... d6 here, followed by perhaps ... Qc7 and ... Be7. This avoids white's sham tempo-gainer with Nxe5 and Bf4. An alternative that challenges white's safety on the kingside straight away is 7. ... h5. For example:

7... h5 8. Bg5 Nxf3+ 9. Bxf3 h4! 10. Bxh4 [or 10. Qd4 hxg3 11. hxg3 (11. fxg3? is positionally ugly, isolating the e pawn on an open file and opening a diagonal through the white Q and K.) 11. … Qe6! 12. Bxf6 gxf6 13. Rfd1 Qe5! 14. Ne4! Qxd4 15. Rxd4 d5 16. Nxf6+ Kd8 ! 17. e4 ! Bg7 18. e5 Ke7 19. Rf4 Bh6 20. Rh4 Bg7 21. Rxh8 Bxh8 22. Ng8+ Kf8 23. Nf6 Ke7 24. Ng8+ =] 10... Rxh4 11. gxh4 Qe5! [Threatening Bd6 and Qxh2 and b2] 12. Qc1! Bd6 13. Qe3 Qxe3 14. fxe3 Bc5 With compensation for the exchange in the destroyed pawn structure in the kingside and center including targets on the e and h files, and in the two bishops.

8. Bxf3 d5?!

Amplifies Steve's reply. 8. ... d6 or 8. ... h5 are improvements.

9. e4!

With a clear advantage. The absence of the center pawns makes the position more drawish but Joe must solve a couple of serious problems with his Q and K. Therein lies Steve's advantage.

9. … dxe4 10. Nxe4 Nxe4 11. Bxe4 Be6 12. Re1 Rd8

More to the point is 12. ... Qd7! since he must find a way to maneuver the Q away from the e file and develop the B on f8.

13. Qf3?!

A big improvement is:

13. Qh5! Qc5

If 13... g6 14. Qe5 f6 15. Qa5 [the white queen keeps encouraging the creation of weaknesses] 15. … Bg7 [not 15... a6 16. Bf4 With a winning edge for white, for example 16. ... Kf7 (16... Bg7 17. Bxc6+ bxc6 18. Rxe6 Qxe6 19. Re1) 17. Bxc6!! bxc6 18. Rxe6 Qxe6 (18... Kxe6 19. Re1+) 19. Qxd8 with a big edge, or if instead 15... Qc5 16. Bxg6+ hxg6 17. Rxe6+ Kd7 18. Qxc5 Bxc5 19. Rxf6] 16. Qxa7 f5 17. Bg2 Bd4 18. Qa4 O-O 19. c3 Bf6 20. Bh6 with a clear edge for white]

14. Bf5 g6

Not 14... Be7 ?? 15. Rxe6 ! g6 16. Bxg6 !

15. Bxg6 fxg6 16. Qg4 and black's position is very difficult; possibly lost.

13... g6 14. Qc3

There is a challenging alternative here. Rather than expend the Qc3 move right away, interesting is:

14. Be3 Bg7

If 14... a6 15. Bb6 Rd7 16. Qc3 Rg8 17. Bxc6 bxc6 18. Qxc6 with a winning attack.

15. Bxa7 O-O

If 15... Bxb2 16. Rab1 Qf6 [16... Bg7 17. Rxb7!] 17. Qxf6 Bxf6 18. Rxb7.

16. c3 Rd2 17. Qe3 Qd7

Not 17... Rxb2 18. Bc5.

18. Re2 Rd8 19. Bc5 Rd1+ 20. Re1 and black seems to have nothing better than a perpetual threat with 20. … Rd2 21. Re2 Rd1+.

14... Rg8 15. Bf4 Bg7 16. Be5!?

16. Qa5 is an interesting alternative that keeps up some pressure. For instance:

16. … a6

If 16... Bxb2 17. Rab1 b6 18. Qa4 Bg7 19. Bxc6+ Kf8 20. Rbd1. Or 16. … Bd4 may be best, but 17. Rad1 Bb6 18. Rxd8+ Qxd8 19. Qc3 Qd4 20. Qf3 and white’s attack is still raging.

17. Bf3!

White can afford this move which adds pressure to the king file since blacks pieces there will not soon leave.

17. … Bd4

If 17... Bxb2?! 18. Rab1 Bd4 19. Bc7 Rc8 20. Rxb7.

18. Rad1 g5!? 19. Bc7 Rd7 20. Bb6 Bxb6

[or 20. … Bxb2? 21. Bc5! Qd8 22. Qb4 Bf6 23. Rxd7 Qxd7 24. Rd1 Qc8 25. Bh5 and black is getting crunched]

21. Qxb6 Rxd1 22. Rxd1 Kf8 and black is wriggling out but still alive.

16... Bxe5 17. Qxe5 Kf8 18. Rad1

Steve is playing for a draw. Instead 18. Bf3 keeps up the pressure, avoiding exchanges, and makes black decide how to organize his pieces effectively [very difficult here].

18. …Rxd1 19. Rxd1 f5?!

Perhaps Birt didn't want the game to end! 19. ... Bg4 forces off the queens.

20. Rd6??

The losing move! 20. Bf3 may keep a small edge with all the pawns on the same color as his bishop [as targets].

20. … Kf7??

Joe returns the favor. 20. ... Bf7! embarrasses white by forcing off the queens and winning a piece.

21. Bf3 Rd8

There is nothing wrong with taking the a pawn with 21. ... Bxa2 since white has no time for the trappy 22. b3.

22. Rxd8 Qxd8 23. Qc5

Guarding the f and c pawns and simultaneously attacks the a pawn. However, black should just reply 23. ... Qb6. Better seems to be leaving the queen on e5 and play 23. b3. For example:

23. b3 Qd2 24. Qb8 Qxc2 25. Qxb7+ Kf6 26. Qxa7.

23... a6 24. h4 f4 25. a4?!

25. Qb4 guards d2 and allows the transfer of the queen to the kingside [when desirable] to f4 with check [connecting to the c7 square].

25. … fxg3 26. fxg3 Qd2

26... Qf6 is more challenging for white. For example:

27. Qf2 Qxb2 28. Bxc6+ Kg8 29. Bg2 Qa1+ 30. Kh2 Qxa4 31. Qb6 Qd7 32. Bxb7 a5 33. Bg2 a4 34. Qa5 Qd4!

27. b4 Qe1+ 28. Kg2 Qd2+ 29. Qf2 Qxf2+

Also possible here is 29... Qxb4 30. Bxc6+ Ke7 31. c3 Qxc3 32. Bxb7 a5.

30. Kxf2 Ke7

White has some advantage because black pawns are situated on the same color as the white bishop [again making them targets.] But neither player wanted to continue.

Draw Agreed

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