Despite the ups and downs of its exotic star Judit Polgár, Chieti hit the predictions and emerged as the winner of the 40th Italian Team Chess Championship in the Aosta Valley, ahead of the very fierce teams of Lecce’s “Salentina” and “Vimar” Marostica. Florence’s DLF (Railway Recreational Chess Club) featured an all-italian and “almost” all-Florentine representative. If “those cursed Tuscans” could not avoid relegation, at least they had the honour of playing with so much highly titled opponents... and not in a simultaneous display! Here is Doriano Tocchioni at the board with Judit Polgár:
Doriano Tocchioni – Judit Polgár
40th Italian Team Chess Championship; Arvier, May 2, 2008
Torre Attack D03
40th Italian Team Chess Championship; Arvier, May 2, 2008
Torre Attack D03
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bg5 Bg7 4. Nbd2 d5 5. c3 b6. Same beach, same sea the next round as well (in the afternoon of the same day): 5. ... 0-0 6. Bxf6 Bxf6 7. e4 c5 8. dxc5 Nc6 9. exd5 Qxd5 10. Nb3 Qe4+ 11. Qe2 Qf5 12. h3 Rd8 13. g4 Qf4 14. Qe3 Qa4 15. Bg2 Be6 16. Nfd2 ½ : ½ D. Tocchioni – Martorelli, 40th Italian Team Chess Championship, Arvier 2008.
6. Bxf6!? They both play on their own ideas.
6. ... exf6!?
6. Bxf6!? They both play on their own ideas.
6. ... exf6!?
7. e3. The Copernican 7. h4!? was here worth considering.
7. ... 0-0 8. Bb5. Definitely not the ideal destination for the light-square Bishop. 8. h4!? was still deserving of consideration.
8. ... Bb7 9. a4 c5. The impelling threat is ... c5-c4.
10. Be2. The Bishop goes almost all the way back home. However, it can be noted that after 10. a5 Na6 11. 0-0 Nc7 the Bishop should retreat to e2 anyway.
10. ... Nc6 11. 0-0 f5 12. g3. Otherwise ... f5-f4 would follow.
12. ... Rc8 13. Qb1 Qe7 Threatens ... c5xd4.
14. Bb5. Certainly the comings and goings of the Bishop constitute a leitmotif of White’s strategy.
14. ... Na5 15. Rc1 c4
7. ... 0-0 8. Bb5. Definitely not the ideal destination for the light-square Bishop. 8. h4!? was still deserving of consideration.
8. ... Bb7 9. a4 c5. The impelling threat is ... c5-c4.
10. Be2. The Bishop goes almost all the way back home. However, it can be noted that after 10. a5 Na6 11. 0-0 Nc7 the Bishop should retreat to e2 anyway.
10. ... Nc6 11. 0-0 f5 12. g3. Otherwise ... f5-f4 would follow.
12. ... Rc8 13. Qb1 Qe7 Threatens ... c5xd4.
14. Bb5. Certainly the comings and goings of the Bishop constitute a leitmotif of White’s strategy.
14. ... Na5 15. Rc1 c4
16. b4. An only move but a very easy one to play, as otherwise after ... a7-a6 the Bishop is doomed.
16. ... cxb3 17. Nxb3 Nc4 18. Nbd2 Nd6 19. Bf1. Home sweet home for the indefatigable commuter.
19. ... Ba8 20. Qb4 Rc7 21. a5 b5 22. a6 Rfc8 23. Rab1. Doriano defended himself like a lion!
23. ... Rb8 24. Nb3 Bf8 25. Ne5. If, instead, 25. Nc5 there might follow 25. ... Nc4 with better chances for Black.
25. ... Ne4
16. ... cxb3 17. Nxb3 Nc4 18. Nbd2 Nd6 19. Bf1. Home sweet home for the indefatigable commuter.
19. ... Ba8 20. Qb4 Rc7 21. a5 b5 22. a6 Rfc8 23. Rab1. Doriano defended himself like a lion!
23. ... Rb8 24. Nb3 Bf8 25. Ne5. If, instead, 25. Nc5 there might follow 25. ... Nc4 with better chances for Black.
25. ... Ne4
26. Na5?? A farewell to arms. 26. Qa5 would be playable although 26. ... Rc4! may offer Black chances for the initiative. White’s best was probably 26. Qxe7 Bxe7 27. Nc5 Bxc5 28. dxc5 f6 29. Nf3 Rxc5 30. Nd4 Nd6 31. Rb4 Rb6 32. Rcb1 with a very drawish-looking endgame.
26. ... Qe6 0 : 1. And Tocchioni resigned in disgust, as he cannot avoid the loss of a valuable Pawn (26. ... Nxc3 was also possible, if not better). Polgár’s victory was won by most economic means.
26. ... Qe6 0 : 1. And Tocchioni resigned in disgust, as he cannot avoid the loss of a valuable Pawn (26. ... Nxc3 was also possible, if not better). Polgár’s victory was won by most economic means.
Judit got the most with minimum cost. Photo: Federazione Scacchistica Italiana. |