Saturday, September 03, 2005

Stoyko-Cole, New Jersey Open 2005

White to play and begin his attack.

I decided some time this week not to play in the New Jersey Open as I had originally planned. I have been so busy with the beginning of school that I am simply too exhausted to play my best. I have also had no time to prepare. Besides, it is sometimes more fun to visit a tournament than to play in it.

I stopped by to observe Round 1 this afternoon, just as Steve Stoyko was showing his game with David Cole (which you can play over online or download as a PGN or get below).


Steve showing his game in the lobby.


I hope to have a chance later to annotate it more fully and post it as a java applet, since it is a wonderful example of a well-developed and sustained kingside attack. Black's only mistake is that he plays a bit too passively. And there are really no stunning moves in White's assault. He simply builds up on the kingside--first posting his Knight powerfully there, then advancing his pawns, then bringing over his Rooks, then opening up lines, and finally invading. And there appears nothing that Black could do to stop him. In fact, Black became so discouraged by his inability to generate counterplay that he resigned before Steve had secured a material advantage. Black's position is surely lost and it is just painful to continue.

[Event "New Jersey Open"]
[Site "Somerset, NJ USA"]
[Date "2005.09.03"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Stoyko, Stephen"]
[Black "Cole, David"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C41"]
[PlyCount "63"]
[TimeControl "40/2"]

1. Nf3 d6 2. e4 e5 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. g3 $5 (5. Bc4) 5... Be7 6. Bg2 c6 7. a4 O-O 8. O-O b6 $6 (8... Qa5) 9. Re1 Qc7 10. h3 Bb7 11. Be3 (11. Nh4) 11... a6 12. Nh4 Rfe8 13. Nf5 Bf8 14. g4 (14. d5) 14... Kh8 (14... d5) (14... h6) 15. g5 Ng8 16. d5 g6 17. Ng3 c5 18. b3 (18. h4) 18... Bg7 19. h4 Ne7 (19... f6) 20. Bh3 $1 Nf8 21. h5 Kg8 22. Kg2 Rad8 23. Rh1 Bc8 24. Qe2 f5 25. gxf6 Bxf6 26. Rag1 Kf7 $2 27. Qf3 Bxh3+ 28. Rxh3 Ng8 29. hxg6+ hxg6 30. Rgh1 Rd7 31. Rh8 $1 Qd8 32. Bg5 1-0

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