The Flying Dutchboy

Jan Werle – Jorden van Foreest
72nd Dutch Chess Championship; Amsterdam, August 28, 2016
King’s Indian Defence E60

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. g3 0-0 5. Bg2 d6 6. 0-0 Bf5 7. Nh4 Be4 8. f3 Bc6 9. Nc3 e5 10. d5 Bd7 11. e4

11. ... Nh5! A well-conceived novelty which emphasizes the poor position of the White Knight on h4. For 11. ... Ne8 12. Bh1 f5 13. exf5 gxf5 14. f4 e4 15. Be3 Na6 16. Ng2 Nc5 17. Bd4 Nf6 18. Ne3 Nd3 19. Ne2 b5 20. b3 h5 see van Wely – Caruana, FIDE World Rapid Chess Championship, Dubai 2014. 12. Bh1 f5! 13. exf5 gxf5 14. f4? Jan doesn’t seem to catch that the Black Knight is on h5. Stockfish recommends 14. Ng2, but also then Black can go for 14. ... f4! with interesting chances. After all, 14. Be3 was perhaps the more sound choice. 14. ... Nxf4! That’s the difference! 15. Bxf4 exf4 16. Rxf4 Na6 17. Bg2 Be5 18. Rf1 f4! 19. Nf3 Bg7 20. Qd2 Qf6 21. Rae1 Nc5. Black stands much better and, as far as I can see (indeed, not so far), White cannot avoid the loss of a Pawn. 22. Ne4 Nxe4 23. Rxe4 fxg3 24. hxg3 Qxb2 25. Qxb2 Bxb2 26. Ng5 Bf5 27. Rh4 Be5 28. Ne6 Bxg3 29. Rh5 Bg6 30. Rh3 Rxf1+ 31. Bxf1 Be5 32. Rb3 b6 33. Nxc7 Bd4+ 34. Kh1 Rf8 35. Bd3 Be5 36. Ne6 Rf2 37. Bxg6 hxg6 38. Ra3 a5 39. Rb3 Rc2. Jorden went into the ending a Pawn up, and, given his standing as a nearly new Dutch Champion, he can afford to play it for the pure sake of chess. 40. Rxb6 Rxc4 41. Rc6 Rb4 42. Nc7 Kf7 43. a3 Rb3 44. a4 Rd3 45. Ra6 g5 46. Rxa5 g4 47. Ne6 Kf6 48. Rb5 Kf5 49. a5 Ra3 50. Nd8 Kf4 51. Nc6? A selfmate, but with no regrets as 51. Kg2 Ra2+ 52. Kf1 Kg3 was totally hopeless anyway. 51. ... Kg3! 52. Rb1 Kf2! 0 : 1. Mate is unavoidable. Well done, Mr. van Foreest. Ad multos annos!

Jorden van Foreest
Photo: Harry Gielen