Thomson - Stoyko, Kenilworth 2010

Thomson - Stoyko, Kenilworth 2010

White to play and draw.

I have annotated the game Thomson - Stoyko, Garden State Chess League 2010, played Thursday night at the Kenilworth Chess Club in the match between Summit and Kenilworth.  Steve Stoyko chose an interesting approach as Black against Simon Thomson's Tarrasch French, closing up the center and setting up a classic struggle on opposite sides of the board. Though the pawn structure gave White great potential for a kingside attack, Stoyko struck first with a queenside attack, eventually sacrificing a piece in order to create dangerous passed pawns in that region. Thomson battled back with a dangerous kingside attack (despite the exchange of Queens) and should have been able to force a draw by perpetual check (see diagram above) with the surprising 33.Bxh6! But time pressure mistakes gave Black the point. Steve said after the game that practically every move was "a study in choices." Sort of a "Stoyko Exercise" at every turn!