J. Schmidt (1600) - P. McCartney (1674)
LPO
Round 5

1.e4 e6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.Ngf3 c5 5.g3 Nc6 6.Bg2 Be7 7.O-O O-O 8.Re1 b5 9.e5 Nd7 In the KIA, White usually goes for a Kingside attack, and Black counters that with a Queenside attack. Here, we will see White take an unusual route, and attack queenside 10.c3 a5 11.d4 Ba6 12.Nf1 cxd4 13.cxd4 b4 14.Qa4 Qb6 15.Be3 Bb5 16.Qd1 a4 17.Rc1 Rac8 18.N1d2 Na5 19.h4 Rc7 20.Rxc7 Qxc7 21.Qb1 Rc8 22.Nf1 Qc2 Black offers to trade Queens, figuring the spatial advantage would favor her in the endgame 23.Qa1 Nc4 24.Rc1 Qg6 The Queen may now seem slightly out of place, but by going to g6, it will quickly get back to the Queenside. Note that 24…Qb2?? Loses to 25 Qb2 Nb2 26 Rc8+- 25.b3 Ncb6 26.Rxc8 Nxc8 27.Qc1 Ncb6 28.N1d2 f6 29.Bh3 f5 30.Qc7 Qe8 31.Bg5 31 Ng5 is an interesting alternative 31...Bf8 32.Bf1 Bxf1 33.Kxf1 axb3 34.axb3 Qc8 35.Qxc8 Nxc8 36.Ne1 Na7 37.Ke2 Nc6 38.Kd3 h6 39.Be3 Be7 40.Nc2 Kf7 41.h5 Ndb8 42.f3 Na6 43.Ne1 Nc7 44.Ng2 Nb5 45.Kc2 ?! Nc3 45…Nbd4 46 Bd4 Nd4 is an alter- native that should also win for Black 46.Nf4 Bg5 ! 47.Kd3 Nd1 This was the point behind Black’s 45th move. Now White’s next move is just about forced 48.Ng2 This is the only way to prevent Black from getting a passed pawn. For example If 48 Ke2, Black has 48…Ne3 49 Ke3 Bf4 50 gf4 [50 Kf4?? Nd4-+] g6 51 hg6 Kg6 and the passed "h" pawn should lead to a win for Black. 48 Nf1 has the same basic effect 48...Nxe3 49.Nxe3 f4 50.gxf4 Forced! 50 Nf1 fg3 51 Ng3 Bd2 52 Kd2 Nd4 wins for Black 50...Bxf4 51.Ng4 ?? 51 Ndf1 is better. 51 Nc2 is even better than that, but it still loses LF 51...Bxd2 52.Kxd2 Nxd4 53.f4 Nxb3 54.Kc2 Nd4 Notes by McCartney 1-0