La petite histoire du grand début

Jorden van Foreest – Erwin l’Ami
72nd Dutch Chess Championship; Amsterdam, August 22, 2016
Scotch Game C45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. e5 Qe7 7. Qe2 Nd5 8. c4 Nb6 9. Nc3 a5 10. Bd2 a4. Grandmaster John van der Wiel just didn’t like Black’s advance ... a7-a5-a4; “Black cannot afford to waste so much time in such a sharp position”, he said. 11. Qe4 g6 12. Bd3 Bg7 13. 0-0 0-0 14. Rae1 Bb7. However, after 14. ... d5 15. exd6 Qxd6 16. Qf3 Bf5 everything seems okay for Black, M. G. Chandler – Hebden, 2nd Redbus Knockout Tournament, Southend-on-Sea 2000. 15. Bf4 Rae8 16. Qe2 Qb4. Indeed, both this and Black’s next move appear very suspect. 17. Ne4 Re6. The Rook is particularly badly placed here. Erwin might have (previously) considered 17. ... Ba6 18. b3 d5 19. exd6 f5 just to realize (now) that 20. Qd2 leaves White a clear Pawn ahead. 18. Qe3 Ba6.

19. b3! A very difficult and brilliant move. Black was probably hoping for 19. Nc5 Bxc4 20. Nxe6 Bxe6 with a quite good compensation for the Exchange. 19. ... axb3 20. axb3 d5. 20. ... d6 makes no difference, since White would equally continue 21. exd6. 21. exd6 Rfe8. If 21. ... f5 then 22. Qh3! with an easy win. 22. Bh6. White’s attack is overwhelming. The rest is a matter of taste. 22. ... Bc3 23. Qc1 Bxe1 24. Rxe1 Nd7. An unpleasant “must” since on 24. ... cxd6 25. Qa1 wins outright. 25. dxc7 f6 26. Qa1 Bc8 27. Re3 Qe7 28. c5 Ne5 29. Nd6. What a tragedy. 29. ... Nxd3 30. Nxe8 Rxe3 31. fxe3. Obviously not 31. Nxf6+?? Qxf6! and Black wins! 31. ... g5 32. Nxf6+ Kf7 33. Bxg5 Kg6 34. Ne4 Qe6 35. Qd4 Ne1 36. Bf4 1 : 0. Thus Jorden van Foreest, 17, made his grand début at the Dutch Chess Wonderland.

Jorden van Foreest vs. Erwin l’Ami
Photo: nkschaken.nl