Hastings Round 7 David Howell against Igor Kurnosov. Photo © Dave Clayton.

Dark day at Hastings

FM Steve Giddins reports on round 7 of the Hastings Masters

It was a black day for the white pieces in round 7 of the Hastings Masters, as the top twelve boards saw the white players register 7 draws and five losses. The most significant win for the black players came on top board, where the young Russian GM Igor Kurnosov defeated David Howell, to take his score to a tremendously impressive 6.5 / 7, a full point clear of the field.

Howell,David (2593) - Kurnosov,Igor (2606) [C54]

Hastings Masters 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3

Howell is fond of this slow Giuoco build-up, which often leads to positions similar to Steinitz's handling of the d3-Lopez.

5...d6 6.Bb3 a6 7.h3 Be6 8.Bc2 d5 9.Nbd2 0-0 10.Qe2

This is the basis of the Steinitz plan. White delays castling, and prepares to transfer the knight from d2 to the kingside, via f1.

10...Qe7 11.Nf1 b5 12.Ng3 Rad8 13.Bg5 h6 14.Bh4 d4!

I like this move, which shuts the door firmly on White's "Spanish" (actually, Italian, if one is strictly accurate!) bishop on c2. Now White will not have the constant option of exd5 and d4, opening the bishop's diagonal. Of course, Black cannot win a piece by 14...g5? in view of 15.Nxg5 hxg5 16.Bxg5 with the threat of Nh5.

15.0-0 g6 16.Kh1?!

Even though g6-g5 is not an immediate threat, it hangs over White in Damocletian fashion. Despite the computer's lack of knowledge of Greek mythology, it prefers the prudent 16.Qd2 making room for Ne2 and Bg3. Even so, the need for such cumbersome manoeuvres cannot be a recommendation of White's position.

16...Kh7

17.Nxe5?

This was clearly what Howell's previous move was designed to prepare, but it comes up short.

17...Nxe5 18.f4 Ned7 19.Qf3

One key point is that the obvious 19.e5 is refuted by 19...Ne4!

19...Qe8

Now the best White can hope for in the material stakes is a rook for two pieces, but in the event, even that does not prove possible.

20.e5 Bd5 21.Qf2?

The final error, presumably missing Black's reply. White had to try 21.Qe2 although Black is still better after 21...dxc3 22.bxc3 Be7

21...Qe6!

Threatening Qxh3+.

22.Ne4

22.Bxf6 dxc3 23.d4? Bxd4 wins.

22...Bxe4 23.dxe4 d3

Winning a decisive amount of material. Howell continues to play on, but the position is gone, of course.

24.Qf3 dxc2 25.exf6 Rfe8 26.e5 Nb6 27.Rac1 Nc4 28.Rfe1 Rd2 29.Re2 Red8 30.Rxc2 R2d3 31.Qg4 Rd1+ 32.Re1 Rxe1+ 33.Bxe1 Qxg4 34.hxg4 Ne3 35.Re2 Nxg4 36.g3 g5 37.b4 Bb6 38.f5 Re8 39.e6 Nxf6 40.c4 fxe6 41.c5 Bxc5 0-1

Draws on boards 2-4 left the players concerned still very much in the hunt, but there were shocks for two other GMs, Pavlovic and Haslinger, who both lost with White against lower-rated opposition. Pavlovic stood well early on against Simon Ansell, but the Serb GM's exchange sacrifice did not justify itself, and he eventually lost. Haslinger's defeat against the Icelandic player Kjartansson came as a result of missing a very nasty tactic:

Once again, the Pianissimo has failed to yield White any particular advantage, but he would not be worse after 25.Qd3 Instead, Haslinger underestimated the danger.

25.Qb3? f3 26.g3 Qxe4 27.Rxd6??

Missing a vicious tactic. 27.Rd4 was compulsory, although Black is clearly better after 27...Qe7

27...Rxd6 28.Rxd6 Bf7!

Winning a piece in broad daylight, since 29.Bxf7 Qe1+ leads to mate. Haslinger struggled on with 29.Qc3, but after 29...Qxc4 30.Rxh6+ Kg8 31.Qxc4 Bxc4 the young Icelandic player duly brought home the full point.

One English GM who had a better day was Aaron Summerscale. Aaron does not play much chess these days, being fully occupied teaching chess in schools, and his return to active play in this event is therefore especially welcome. Unbeaten so far, he does not seem to be too badly  affected by ring-rust, and today he advanced to 5/7, at the expense of Richard Bates. For the latter, it was a case of death by misadventure.

Bates,Richard (2387) - Summerscale,Aaron (2467) [A81]

Hastings Masters .2009

1.d4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.0-0 0-0 6.a4 d6 7.a5 Na6

Apparently a novelty. 7...c6 was played in a game Hebden-Santo Roman, 2001.

 8.d5 e5 9.dxe6 c6 10.Ng5 Qe7 11.Ra3?!

Evidently played with the follow-up in mind, but it is tactically incorrect.

11...h6

12.Nf7?

Continuing on the fatal path. 12.Nf3 had to be played.

12...Bxe6 13.Nxd6

13.Nxh6+ Kh7 also leaves the knight trapped.

13...Rfd8 14.Rd3 Nb4 15.Rd2 Bf8 16.c3 Na6

White's errant steed still has no escape, and he is forced to concede a piece.

17.Nxb7 Rxd2 18.Qxd2 Qxb7 19.Qd4 Kf7 And Black duly won.

So, with two rounds to go, Kurnosov leads with 6.5, a full point ahead of Berg and Neverov. A large 5-point group includes Jones, Howell, Houska, Conquest, Summerscale, Bergez, Kjartansson, etc. Today's penultimate round seems certain to see a bloodthirsty battle between them all!

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