Finding the Sun

Benjamin Bok – Jorden van Foreest
72nd Dutch Chess Championship; Amsterdam, August 24, 2016
Philidor Defence C41

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 e5. François-André Danican Philidor’s dogma. 4. Nf3 Nbd7 5. Bc4 Be7 6. a4 0-0 7. 0-0 exd4 8. Nxd4 Ne5 9. Ba2 Nc6 10. h3 Nb4!? This seems much more natural than 10. ... Bd7 11. Re1 a6 12. Nxc6 Bxc6 13. a5, after which Black finds it difficult to organize his own future: 13. ... Nd7 14. Be3 Bf6 15. Bd4 Be5 16. Bxe5 Nxe5 17. Qd2 Kh8 18. Bd5 Qh4 19. f4 Ng6 20. Rf1 f5 21. Rae1 Rad8 22. b4 fxe4 23. f5 Ne5 24. Rxe4 Qh5 25. Ref4 Bxd5 26. Nxd5 Qf7 27. f6 c6 28. fxg7+ Qxg7 29. Nf6 Ng6 30. Rf5 Qe7 31. Qh6 Qg7 32. Qd2 Qe7 33. Qd4 Ne5 34. c4 Qg7 35. c5 Nf7 36. Qh4 dxc5 37. Nh5 1 : 0 Tari – H. Danielsen, 6th International Open, Västerås 2015. 11. Bb3 c5 12. Nde2 Be6 13. Nf4 Bxb3 14. cxb3 Re8. Black has equalized without any difficulty. 15. f3. Generally speaking, it doesn’t make a good impression White’s weakening of the dark squares surrounding the King. 15. ... Bf8 16. Nfd5?! The White Knight’s “Goose Game” around the d5-square seems artificious, and as a beginner I’d have preferred 16. Ncd5 with a more or less even game. 16. ... Re5 17. Nxb4 cxb4 18. Nb5

18. ... Nh5! 19. f4. Not 19. g4? Qh4! 20. gxh5?? Qg3+ 21. Kh1 Qxh3+ 22. Kg1 Qg3+ 23. Kh1 Rxh5 mate. 19. ... Qb6+ 20. Kh2 Rxe4! Of course, it’s just a pseudo-sacrifice, since after ... a7-a6 White must return the Knight with interest. 21. Qxh5 a6 22. Bd2 Rae8 23. Rfe1 axb5 24. Qxb5 Qf2 25. Rxe4 Rxe4 26. Rd1 d5 27. Qf1 Qxf1 28. Rxf1 Rd4 29. Be3. This inevitably implies the loss of a Pawn. White could even survive such a loss, and, on the other hand, Stockfish’s advice 29. Bc1 isn’t so appealing, too, since after 29. ... f5! the c1-Bishop becomes very “bad” without making the White position any better. 29. ... Rd3 30. Bb6 Bd6 31. Kg1. If 31. g3 then 31. ... f6 to be followed by ... Rd3xb3 and ... g7-g5. 31. ... Rxb3 32. Rd1 Bxf4 33. Rxd5 h5? It looks like a lapsus manus, at least in respect of the h-Pawn. 34. Rd8+? Bok is very decidedly on the wrong track. 34. Rxh5 Rxb2 35. Rb5 Bd6 36. Kf1 Ra2 37. a5 actually makes it very hard to make progress for Black. 34. ... Kh7 35. Rd7 Rxb2. Now it’s simply finished for White. 36. Rxf7. 36. Rxb7 Be5! may eventually transpose into the game. 36. ... Be5 37. Rxb7 b3 38. Bc7 Rb1+ 39. Kf2 Bd4+ 40. Ke2 b2 41. Bf4 Bf6 42. g4 Rg1 43. g5 Be7 0 : 1.

Jorden van Foreest
Photo: Harry Gielen

Benjamin Bok vs. Jorden van Foreest
Photo: Harry Gielen