“John Villamin, a stalwart of the Saipan chess association in the 1990s and early 2000s, is now residing in the land of maple leafs. Having been away from competitive chess for almost 10 years, he embarks on his quest to gain a FIDE title.
“Inspired by the brightest Filipino chess grandmaster Wesley So, Villamin started his quest this year by joining the B.C. Junior New Years Chess Tournament held last Jan. 15-16, 2011 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This is in preparation for the Keres Memorial in March in which John will compete in the Open Section.
“Below is one of his outstanding games in the tournament of 23 participants. This is from the last and fifth round of the Swiss system event. The final standings of the top seven are: first place, Butch Villavieja 4.5 points; tied for second with 3.5 points each are Tanraj Sohal, Dan Erichsen, John Villamin, John Doknjas, Jack Cheng, and Ryan Lo.”
Game of the week. Mon Morales annotates.
White: Daniel Salcedo (2091)
Black: John Villamin (2056)
King’s Indian Defense
Vancouver 2011
1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 g6
3. Nc3 Bg7
Villamin avoids playing the Gruenfeld with 3…d5 and opts for the King’s Indian Defense.
4. e4 d6
5. Be2 c6
Up to white’s 5th everything is standard King’s Indian Defense developmental moves. With 5… c6 Villamin makes a slight deviation. The most common 5th move for black is 0-0 but Villamin decides to delay castling and see how white will reply. Interestingly, the position is also achieved via the Caro-Kann: 1.e4 c6 2.c4 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 g6 5.Be2 Bg7.
6. Bg5 …
Perhaps surprised by Villamin’s c6, Salcedo decides to try something different himself. Common 6th moves for white here are Nf3 and f4.
6. … Qa5
A triple threat move: develops the queen in support of possible pawn advances in the queenside, attacks the g5 bishop, and threatens Nxe4.
7. Qd2 h6
8. Be3 Ng4
Also playable here is 8…c5 9.Nf3 cxd5 10.Nxd5 Nc6 11.f3 Nxd5 12.Bxd5 0-0 13.0-0 Be6, etc. With 8… Ng4 black wants to trade his developed knight with white’s dark colored bishop. If this is achieved then black’s own dark colored bishop becomes more powerful and will allow 0-0 without worrying about his h6 pawn.
9. Bxg4 …
White denies black his plan and decides to trade his light-colored bishop instead. This move further delays castling by black because of the threat to black’s h6 pawn.
9…. Bxg4
10. f3 Be6
11. d5 Bd7
12. Ngf2 Na6
13. 0-0 …
Here black can castle: 13… 0-0 14.Bxh6 Qc5+ 15.Kh1 Qxc4 with interesting play on both sides of the board.
13… c5
14. Rab1?
14. a3 followed by Rfb1 is a better plan.
14… Qb4
15. b3 …
15. Again, a3 is the better move here followed by Rfb1.
15… Rb8
16. Qc1 … Now white moves his queen to support the a3.
16… Qa5
17. a3 b5?
Black is now struggling for space in the queenside but 17… b5, an attempt to free himself, allows white greater activity on the queenside: 18.cxb5 Bxb5 19.b4 cxb4 20.Nxb5 Qxb5 21.Nd4 Bxd4 (forced, else the knight finds a haven in c6 where it can do a lot of damage) 22.Bxd4 f6 23.Bxa7 Ra8 24.Bd4. Black faces a lot of problems with his king still in the middle of the board and his b4 pawn about to fall in the next move. Thus, a better move for black in the position is 17… Rc8. But white misses this chance and instead moved
18. b4? cxb4
19. axb4 Nb4
20. Ra1 Qc7
21. cxb5 Nd3
This knight is headed for c5.
22. Qd2 Nc5
23. Rfb1 …
Nd4 is a better move. It protects the b pawn and heads for c6 which is an ideal outpost for the knight. Practically losing all his chances in the queenside white now starts some kingside activity with
23… h5
24. Bd4 …
Nd4 is still the preferred move here
24… 0-0
Castling at last!
25. Bxg7 Kxg7
26. Nd4 …
This is the critical position of the entire game. Let’s look at white’s advantages: he controls more space especially on the queenside and threatens to plant his knight on c6, his rooks dominate the a and b files, and he can attack the a7 pawn. Material is even but black has a bishop for a knight. If this bishop becomes active then some counterplay for black may be possible. Now how will black proceed from here? Villamin tries a move that could free his position:
26… e5!?
27. Nc6? …
c6 was a desirable outpost for the knight several moves back but not in this position. 27. Nc6 may as well be the losing move in the game. What an irony! The correct plan for white is dxe6 e.p. then exert pressure on the d file with Rd1. With 27.dxe6 e.p. white can maintain his initiative and winning chances.
27… Rb7
The position calls for 27… Qb6 and if 28.Nxb1 then Nxe4 discovered check wins the queen.
28. Ra3 Qb6
29. Kf1 …
Kh1 is also playable but Qf2 would have been better and prevents any discovered check sortie. Putting the king in the same file as the rook enables black to bring out the potent power of the f8 rook with
29… f5
30. Ke2? …
This is another inaccuracy which allows black to open the f file. The king can actually go back to g1 and the rook can swing back to f1. Initiative has shifted to black and now white suddenly is on the defense.
30. … fxe4
31. Rba1 exf3
32. gxf3 Bf5
Now black’s bishop is unleashed! Bg4 attacks the f3 pawn and if 33.fxg4 Rf2+ 34.Kxf2 Ne4+ discovered check wins the queen.
33. Qe3 Bd3+
34. Kd1 …
Black is now winning. It is interesting to note how Villamin shifted his play from the queenside to the kingside
34. … Bxb5
35. Rxa7 Bxc6
36. R1a6 Qb3
37. Ke1 Nxa6
38. dxc6 Rxa7
38… Qb3+ is curtains for white.
39. Qxa7 Rf7
40. Qe3 Nb4
41. Qd2 …
And white resigns.
Puzzler.
White: Ka5, Nb5, Qc1, Bd3, pawn on d4
Black: Kd5, Ne5, pawns on a6 and f3
White to play and mate in three moves.
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