Wouter Sipma (r.) thinks about how to respond to Jitse Slump's opening move 31-26. Photograph G. van Dijk
It is an honour for me to write
an article for Damkunst! Some wonderful analyses have already been
written (and hopefully read!). May many more follow.
My 'task' was
to analyse a game from the 2023 Dutch Championship (in Drachten,
December 2023). The choice was plenty: a strategic masterpiece by
champion Groenendijk (in fact, all his victories), a fight game by
Baliakin (especially his encounter with super-talent Boxum was epic -
a fascinating game type and more than 70 moves of tension) or
something of my own? Almost all my games were interesting, with a few
experiments here and there that turned out to be good or bad... In
the end, in consultation with the chief editor, the choice fell on my
game against Jitse Slump from the twelfth round. This because of the
rare character of the game after the opening and the fact that I can
tell it from the first-person point of view as well as an
'all-knowing analyser'.
I played my last game against Slump 36
days earlier, almost 9,000 km away in the seventh round of the World
Cup in Lishui, China. In that game, Slump saddled me with discomfort
on two wings as early as the opening, which meant I was relegated to
a mere spectator in the middle game, who had to see how I would fare
(I survived). Now I had resolved to be well prepared for the game and
had thought of an answer to all the opening moves. Except...
This move was unexpected (and with good reason,
Slump had only played this move twice before, against Mezhenin in
2018 and Van IJzendoorn in 2019, without sensational success) and I
sunk into some pondering. In China, Van IJzendoorn also confronted me
with 1. 31-26 – what would Slump have thought?
After a while, I
decided to go for a variant I had wanted to put on the board six
rounds earlier against Jan van der Star, but with white.
Van der Star chose 4...1-7 here.
5.31-27 20-24And Van IJzendoorn
continued here with 5...20-25 in the aforementioned game against
Slump. The game move is an "invitation that white cannot actually
refuse" – in Slump's words in the demonstration room after the
game.
This way of playing has been familiar to me for a
long time - I must have been about 18 years old when I had my first
experience with it in a training setting with (a much younger)
Groenendijk and Van IJzendoorn. Slump was not there yet but has more
than caught up with this (knowledge) gap.
In my database, I see
that this position has occurred 31 times, but the number of practical
examples in which white actually tries to play a constructive
strategy can be counted on one hand. Funny: the first time I count
for this is the Sharafow-Zalitis game, semi-final of the 1967 USSR
championship in Nizhny Tagil – but with build-up from 47 instead of
from 46! For me, however, the prime example is Sijbrands-Van den Hurk
(NC 2001); in terms of similarities to Slump-Sipma, however, the
relatively recent Van IJzendoorn-Pan (World Championship 2019), is
much more important! This game, which ended in a draw after a fierce
fight, will be referred several times below.
Piquant detail: since
2015, I have been to every World Championship (whether I managed to
qualify for the final is a second), except for the 2019 World
Championship – for Slump, this was precisely his first World
Championship final, and therefore he was able to watch Van
IJzendoorn-Pan up close. After reading this article, you may decide
whether this did not help him, at least subconsciously...
9...18-23 and 9...10-15 are also played. It does not seem to me that white must fear the exchange with 12-18, after which black's position is somewhat unbalanced.
10.33-29! 23x34 11.39x19 14x2311...13x24 is also possible, but is
toothless – after a development with 18-23, 12-18 white's structure
remains nicer and if black does want to develop from 5, it is better
to do so immediately. The text move is therefore more
principle.
This is a good time to reflect on the ideas of the
opening and the objectives of both players.
The position revolves
around binding on black's short wing: because of the open square 2,
black cannot play here, the white pieces on 21 and 26 (supported by
36 and 37) hold the black 'lego block' 1-6-7-11-12-17 – very
economically. Because white was able to remove the piece on 33 with
the previous exchange, the position lends itself perfectly to a
lock-up strategy: after all, black can now only force 21-16 with a
concession (18-22).
With these determinations, the goals for both
colours can be determined:
- white wants to maintain the economic
lock-up;
- white will continue to avoid square 33 for this
purpose;
- white also wants to gain control on the right wing
(square 30);
- white will try to play to the right as much as
possible;
- white will try to exchange pieces to make the lock-up
more pronounced;
- black wants to develop pieces from the
lock-up;
- black will build a strong center and push white to the
edge;
- black will want to attack from a strong center (sixth
row);
- black will try to keep the pieces on the
board.
Whereas in a battle between attack and surrounding the
surrounding player often has the most difficult task, I think that in
this case it is precisely black who is most at risk. The piece on 1
still has a function (prevents combinations to square 1), but piece 6
is really offside. Furthermore, it is often good for an
attacker/center player to break open the position, but that doesn't
apply here either: even if piece 21 is moved to 16, it still keeps
five pieces (1-6-7-11-17) occupied. If piece 6 is on the other side
of the board, I think it is precisely white again who is more at
risk.
I was aware of the risks (especially against a formidable
opponent), but to get on the podium something special had to happen,
knowing that Baliakin awaited me in the final round. Moreover, the
same was more or less true for Slump, although he faced Boxum in the
last round. So we were both happy with battle on the board.
Van IJzendoorn played 12.37-31 But
that exchange is not as innocent as it seems: Pan could have
sabotaged the development of the white long wing with 13-19 After 13.41-37 then follows 17-22! and
black is free. However, Pan played 12...10-14 (and Van IJzendoorn
quickly 13.41-37), keeping the sides in each other's way.
12...10-14 13.45-40 14-19A more non-binding configuration with 5-10, 14-20, 10-14 and so on was also an option to keep the development with 13-19 in the position. However, chances are that this would only have led to move change with the game variant. With 13... 14-19, black takes the opportunity to 14. 41-36(?) (or also 14. 43-39(?)) to 'punish' with 17-22(!) − but white can do just fine without these moves. However, 13... 14-19 has another advantage, which I will come back to in the next move.
14.35-30 5-10It could be that 14. 35-30 is slightly inaccurate. I knew
that in his game Sijbrands immediately 'closed' white's left wing
with 13. 41-36 and 14. 37-32, but didn't see how I could take
advantage of leaving these moves out for the time being. The computer
programme Scan did propose an idea: 14...18-22!? 15.21-16* 22-27!? 16.31x22 17x28 By exchanging the white piece on 31
with it, black clears the way for developing piece 6. However, it is
not certain that this will work: under the current circumstances
11-17 is prohibited. Black can move a piece to square 20 to remove
the threat, but in the meantime white plays e.g. piece 37 to 27 to
interfere again. Therefore, it seems smart to play 17.37-31 12-18!
18.44-39
18...11-17 Now that the piece on 6 is 'liberated', so to speak, black has a much better starting position for the middle game: although white should still have play against the black center attack, the difficulty is a lot higher than in the game!
It could be that in this variant, white has better to consider a plan like 17. 38-32 and then move piece 41 to 27, to keep the position more closed. But even then black manages to continue 11-17.
The intelligent reader will wonder if black could then not have played 18-22 immediately after 12. 36-31 (13. 21-16 22-27x28). In that case, however, white is one move faster to attack piece 28 via square 33, so not entirely "free". By the way, it is always amusing to see how the two leading analysis programs of the moment −Kingsrow and Scan− differ on the value of the position. The programs each have their own preferences and traits: Scan prefers attacking positions and tempo advantage (which sometimes leads to banal −but not weak− opening play) and often gives relatively high ratings in all kinds of positions, while Kingsrow cares little about tempo relationships and in terms of value is not so quick to get excited. Where Flits used to be my only 'digital sparring partner', it is now possible in the latest versions of the unsurpassed Turbo Dambase to switch on several engines simultaneously. This way, you are sitting at the table with two super strong draught players at any given moment, so to speak! Needless to say, my Flits is now retired...
15.40-35 9-14 16.44-39 14-20 17.37-3218.44-39
18.40-34 is an option to keep hindering 11-17 for longer,
but white has thereby lost flexibility on his short wing.
18...11-17 Now that the piece on 6 is 'liberated', so to speak, black has a much better starting position for the middle game: although white should still have play against the black center attack, the difficulty is a lot higher than in the game!
It could be that in this variant, white has better to consider a plan like 17. 38-32 and then move piece 41 to 27, to keep the position more closed. But even then black manages to continue 11-17.
The intelligent reader will wonder if black could then not have played 18-22 immediately after 12. 36-31 (13. 21-16 22-27x28). In that case, however, white is one move faster to attack piece 28 via square 33, so not entirely "free". By the way, it is always amusing to see how the two leading analysis programs of the moment −Kingsrow and Scan− differ on the value of the position. The programs each have their own preferences and traits: Scan prefers attacking positions and tempo advantage (which sometimes leads to banal −but not weak− opening play) and often gives relatively high ratings in all kinds of positions, while Kingsrow cares little about tempo relationships and in terms of value is not so quick to get excited. Where Flits used to be my only 'digital sparring partner', it is now possible in the latest versions of the unsurpassed Turbo Dambase to switch on several engines simultaneously. This way, you are sitting at the table with two super strong draught players at any given moment, so to speak! Needless to say, my Flits is now retired...
After two more moves in which black has rejected the 18-22-27 option, white now finally closes the tent.
10-14 18.41-36 4-9 19.49-44The preliminary deliberations are over, and the players have taken their positions. Now it is time to make choices. If we play 19.42-37 here and put piece 14 on 15, we have the position between Van IJzendoorn and Pan! Also, Sijbrands-Van den Hurk is not much different (move 30 on 40, 50 on 45 and 20 back on 15) − at that moment, however, Sijbrands played 18.21-16, releasing his opponent. I don't see what is against keeping the lock-up with 18. 35-30 (18.... 18-22 19. 21-16 14-20 20. 40-35(!)). In the Volkskrant article of February 24, 2001, this Sijbrands mentions this game ("about which more later this year"), but I cannot find myself when he returned to this. If anyone does know this, I would be happy to see it − and if not, we still have an analysis to look forward to! Anyway, I prefer the construction of Slump, who with 19. 49-44 deliberately leaves piece 50. Piece 50 will also play an important role in the game.
20-25Before going into the clash, I was eager to put another weakening on white − white does not have a free tempo.
20.42-37 25x34 21.39x30 14-20And so, after a short detour, we ended up right back in Van IJzendoorn-Pan!
22.47-42Van IJzendoorn chose to go after 22.43-39 18-22 23.21-16 12-18 24.44-40 9-14 and move his crown piece with
25.48-42 − more on that later.
22...18-22En garde!
Attacking again with 22...20-25 23.44-39 25x34 24.39x30 did not seem logical to me because, again, one pair of the pieces disappears and piece 50 can then be played to the center. Interestingly, Kingsrow now recommends 23-29!? followed by 19-24 − of course, there may be something in that now that white is playing without 47 and 49.
Of course, white does not allow the exchange with 12-18. The lock-up is transformed because now piece 16 will occupy the square 1-6-7-11 − at least, as long as 6 and 11 cannot get out.
22-28Played to get ahead of the capture of the fork-lock with 32-27. The intention for black now is to strengthen the center and −keep holding the dream− develop piece 6.
24.44-39 20-24With the text move, black is heading for a frontal clash.
With 24...19-24 25.30x19 13x24 black could still avoid, but I didn't see how to continue
after 26.39-34 9-13 27.43-39 ; in the position after 23-29 28.32x23 29x18 in any case, black has little to
expect. The lego block is still there.
White looks for the right attacking angle and keeps waiting − see here the usefulness of piece 50: now and the next moves, white can exchange forward with 50-45x34 after 24-29.
After a
premature 25.31-27 black is in no particular danger after
17-21 26.26x17 11x31 27.36x27 Besides defending 28 with
6-11 or 24-29, the engines also point to a third (combinative)
option: 12-18!? 28.38-33 (otherwise, black gets time for
7-11x12) 8-12! 29.33x22 7-11 30.16x7 23-28!! 31.32x14 9x20 32.30x17 1x41 33.22x13 41-46 and if black pays close
attention to his king, it becomes a draw.
And so, via move changes, we end up back at Van IJzendoorn-Pan, the only difference being that piece 47 is on 48!
8-12
In the game, I spent quite a bit of thinking time on 27...17-22 but did not see a good combination after 28.38-33? However, there is one:
During analysis,
Slump −in chorus with Van IJzendoorn, who was only too happy to stand
at our board in connection with his own failed game to reminisce−
gave a much stronger answer: 28.26-21! 8-12
28...7-12! 29.16x7 6-11! (29...23-29 or 29...24-29 followed by 30...
22-27, 31... 23-29 is too expensive) 30.7x16 23-29! 31.34x23Of
importance is that after 28...11-17 29.21x12 8x17 30.38-33 the sacrifice 24-29 31.33x24 28-33 32.39x28 22x33 is refuted by 33.48-43! 33-39 34.43-38 39-44 35.24-20! 14x25 36.34-29+-
29.32-27!! With this wonderful
configuration, white manages to restrain the black wing for a second
time. After 29.31-26? 11-17! 30.30-25 6-11! black does have what he wants.
29...11-17 is, after all, (permanently) prevented by 29...24-29 30.48-43! 29x40 31.45x34 14-20 32.38-33! etc. by no
means makes life easier for black.
29...14-20 30.30-25! 3-8 31.25x14 19x10 32.38-33
32.48-43 probably wins as
well, but is less logical.
32...24-29 33.33x24 11-17 and white can play with its prey: for example, capture the wing a
third time 34.42-38 17x26 35.38-32 ... and let it escape
again... 28-33 36.39x19 22-28 37.32x23 18x20 to get
there with 38.27-22 13x24 39.34-30 24-29 40.30-24 then
put an end to it anyway. See how the pieces on 16 and 22 continue to
control the wing for the fourth time! 29...3-8 and the clearest may be 30.48-43 24-29 31.30-25 29x40 32.45x34 19-24 33.37-32! 28x17 34.34-30 22x31 35.30x10+-
30.38-33! 17x26 31.27-21! 26x17 32.31-27 22x31 33.33x2+-After 31.32x23 29x47 32.45-40 follows the
same reaction
31...18x47 32.32x23 19x28 33.30x10 22-27! 34.31x33 47x4With the 6-11-17 formation out of commission, white comes into play:
28.31-27! 17-22!The logical consequence of black's previous move − other moves weaken my position.
28...14-20 29.30-25! 17-22 30.25x14 22x31 31.36x27 19x10 32.38-33! 12-17 33.33x22 17x28 is
perhaps still just playable for black, but requires the necessary
arts and crafts after 34.26-21 or 34.48-43.
29.38-33Slump chooses a clear variant with forced play.
He could
also have chosen to increase the tension even further with 29.36-31!? The spectators present, including Roel Boomstra,
occupied themselves with this position for a while, but the players
had both scarcely looked at it. It does pose a risk for white to play
without piece 36, but the threat of forming a chain lock also limits
black immensely. Let's look at a couple of variants. 11-17 30.38-33? the most logical move to then advance 42-38 with
winning chain lock. 30...23-29 is now too expensive, but black has
another arrow on his bow:
30.30-25 and now black has
a choice: 24-30 (30...6-11 can lead to the same variants
after 31.38-33, but also gives white an additional option in
31.34-30!?).
30...14-20 31.25x14 19x10 32.34-30 24-29 and black seems to have repelled the chain, but... 33.30-24!? 29x20 34.38-33 This beautiful sacrifice (which white can
even extend with 34.26-21!? 17x26 35.38-33) seems to put black in
trouble by double threat 39-34 and 26-21, 27-21 31-27. However, if
black remains calm, he will see that one of those threats is not so
bad: 20-25 35.26-21 17x26 36.27-21 26x17 37.31-27 22x31 38.33x2 13-19
38...3-8 39.37x26 1-7 40.2x11 6x17 should also be possible, despite the white piece on 16.
39.2x24 25-30 40.37x26 30x19 with an equivalent position. 30...3-8 is probably the most aggressive attempt: 31.48-43
31.35x24 19x30 hoping to pin 45 is dangerous
because of 32.38-33 Or also first 32. 48-43 and then 33.
38-33 − the threat is now 33.26-21!, 34.27-21, 35.31-27 and 33x2. 6-11* 33.48-43 (or first 33. 42-38) 30-35 34.42-38 3-9 Now 35.33-29? 13-19! 36.38-33 9-13! 37.43-38 1-6! 38.27-21
14-20 and so on is bad for white and after 35.27-21, 35...23-29 can
be done, but there is an interesting option: 35.34-30?! 35x24 36.45-40 after which black must choose from a variety
of endgames: 14-19 37.40-34 9-14 31.34-30 17-21 32.26x17 22x11 makes more room
in the 6-22 section.
31...24-29 and now white must
choose between 32.27-21x34, 32.34-30 or 32.35-30 and the game
continues. 37...24-29 38.33x24 19x30 39.25-20 30-35
In practice, this seems to me to be a difficult consideration for black: it is already difficult to value each endgame, and then you have to choose one of the three....
38.34-29 23x34 39.32x23 19x28 40.39x10 28x48 41.10-4 or
or 39...28-33 40.39x8 30x48 41.8-3
40.20-14 9x20 41.34-29 23x34 42.39x30 35x24 43.32x23 18x29 44.27x9 In practice, this seems to me to be a difficult consideration for black: it is already difficult to value each endgame, and then you have to choose one of the three....
Waiting even longer with 30.48-43 gives
black a chance: 14-20!?
Conclusion: 29.36-31 sharpens the battle and certainly gives chances for white, but black can still maintain its foothold in any variation and sometimes (as in the last variant) hit back!
And what about that other game (with 48 on 47)? There Van IJzendoorn could also do 29.36–31, and in that case, that would really be a one-way game, in which black has to work hard not to lose. Maybe that game should be looked at again...
30...24-29! 31.33x24 28-33 32.39x28 22x33 and black
wins back the sacrificed piece with great advantage. After 30...3-8 31.30-25 we are again in variant B3.
31.38-33? I know -
a white player might have to be naive to run into this combination,
but it is a very nice one! Necessary is 31.30-25 but after 24-29! 32.25x14 19x10! the
battle continues − at least white no longer manages to encircle
black.
31...23-29! 32.34x25after 32.32x25 black also always comes to 41: 29x47 33.30x8 17-21!! 34.26x28 47-15 35.8x17 7-11 36.16x7 1x41-+
32...3-8! 33.32x23 18x47 34.27x9 12-18!! 35.30x19 18-23! 36.19x28 8-13! 37.9x18 7-11! 38.16x7 1x41!! and two kings far outweigh
three pieces behind.Conclusion: 29.36-31 sharpens the battle and certainly gives chances for white, but black can still maintain its foothold in any variation and sometimes (as in the last variant) hit back!
And what about that other game (with 48 on 47)? There Van IJzendoorn could also do 29.36–31, and in that case, that would really be a one-way game, in which black has to work hard not to lose. Maybe that game should be looked at again...
Back to the game.
29...22x31 30.36x27 12-17 31.33x22 17x28 32.26-21!A nice move to leave the black block!
After 32.42-38 black can "just" play 11-17! By the way, Van IJzendoorn also had a good option here in
his game with 32.27-22(!) 18x38 33. 42x22 ( thanks to piece 47!) −
however, he played 32.30-25, and his advantage vanished. You can
replay analysis variants for that game on Toernooibase.
32...3-8 33.42-38 8-12 34.38-33This position was what both players had in mind on move 28.
23-29! 35.33x22 35.34x23?? 18x38 36.32x23 19x28 37.30x17 11x42 38.48x37 goes wrong for white.
35...29x40 36.35x44 24x35For one last time, we return to Van IJzendoorn-Pan and specifically to the analysis section in Toernooibase: there Pim Meurs indicates that white can play 37.37-31!?, with which white offers a poisoned piece. However, Slump plays another move and with that, we say goodbye for good. It's still interesting that the games shadow each other for 36 moves!
37.45-40The heavy middle game part (with this
analysis work) is over, and the game enters a new phase. Many pieces
may have disappeared from the board, but Black still cannot move the
1-6-7-11 block. I judged that black should be able to keep the
position equal because of the center formations black can
create.
Moreover, Slump's last move worked a bit like a red
rag on a bull: isn't that wing without 45 weakened? I wanted to keep
fighting on, even for more than one point. But the interesting battle
so far had taken its toll, especially on the clock: I was playing
with 7 minutes, Slump with 15 (for 37. 45-40).
To allow 32-28 no more.
38.37-31!?Slump takes full advantage of his time advantage and presents black with an interesting choice. Although at this point I can't really go wrong yet, I commit the first inaccuracy here, which is promptly followed by two errors.
12-18 38...12-17 39.21x12 7x18 40.16x7 1x12 was by far the most logical, but after 41.22-17 12x21 42.27x16 black must still be careful not to run a piece to
17. With a little policy, that should work − black can also rattle on
white's short wing.
A little trickier is 38...11-17?! 39.22x2 1-7 40.2x11 6x28 41.16-11 and now it is
tempting to win a second piece with 28-33
I realized with the game move (38...12-18) that I was burning my ships behind me −equally saying goodbye to the block 1-7-11-12− but did not immediately see what could happen to me.
39.31-26! 23-29? 41...13-18 42.11-6 23-29 is probably wiser, but even then black is not safe.
42.39x28 23x21 43.11-6 but I saw some problems here
because the white king can occupy the strong line 47-15 in
combination with the "clamp" 44-40-35. During analysis, two
grandmasters confirmed this feeling by not finding a quick draw − or
in other words, here you need thinking time, which I did not
have.
I realized with the game move (38...12-18) that I was burning my ships behind me −equally saying goodbye to the block 1-7-11-12− but did not immediately see what could happen to me.
A big mistake, effectively deciding the game. It was not too late to come up with
39...19-24 (threatens regrouping with 13-19) 40.32-28 23x32 41.27x38 18x27 42.21x32 enforce. White
stands after 11-17 somewhat better, but the pieces on
black's long wing are moving again, and in a normal course, this will
be a draw.
40.21-17!With a steady hand, Slump dismantled the black position, which broke into two parts. And by now, I was running out of thinking time as well...
19-24?The last mistake. On the move before, I had seen too late that after
40...18-23 the mini combination 41.17-12! 7x18 42.16x7 1x12 43.32-28 23x21 44.26x8 18x27 45.8-3+- follows. A heavy blow, because that also makes 17-12
an immediate threat.
That black can survive with 40...14-20! may be called a miracle. 41.27-21!
It looks like white simply has a king-for-1, while the black front pieces go nowhere. But as is often the case with draughts, reality is unruly. 45...7-11! 46.16x7 1x12 47.21-17
41.17-12! 13-19 41.17-12 11-17 42.12x25 17x37 43.48-42 37x48 44.39-34 48x30 45.25x23 13-18! 46.23x12 7x18 and by the finesse 18-22,
6-11, black achieves a draw.
After 41.32-28? follows surprisingly 19-23! 42.28x8 7-12!! 43.16x7 12x32 44.22x13 1x3 And suddenly, white has to fight for his
life.
41...18x38 42.39-33 (the best) 11x22 43.33x15 22-28 44.15-10 28-33 45.40-34 45.10-4 38-42 46.4x39 42-47= − this trick is black's lifeline in this endgame.
It looks like white simply has a king-for-1, while the black front pieces go nowhere. But as is often the case with draughts, reality is unruly. 45...7-11! 46.16x7 1x12 47.21-17
After 47.21-16 13-18 48.26-21 19-24 49.34-29 black really worms his way to king with 35-40 50.44x35 33-39 51.29x20 39-44 and Kingsrow really do claim it will be a
draw.
47...12x21 48.26x17 19-24! 49.10-5 24-29 50.34x23 35-40 51.44x35 33-39 52.5-10 39-43 52...39-44? 53.10-15 44-50 54.15x47 50x11 55.47-15 followed by 15-4+
52...38-43? 53.23-19! 13x24 a special sacrifice, to
ensure that a capture position is finally established that white can
use: 54.10-15 24-30 55.35x24 43-49 56.17-11 6x17 57.48-43 49x20 58.15x44+-
53.48x39 38-42 54.10-4 42-48 55.4x18 48x25 and the remaining 4x2 endgame is a draw... I don't even
begin to count how many single moves black has had to play so far to
get here (and how many more black has to find). In short: the
practical value of this variation is very small, and I consider
39...23-29? to be the decisive mistake. Because 41...18-23 42.39-34 7x18 43.16x7 1x12 44.32-28! 23x21 45.26x10 18x27 46.34x23 is totally over. I
realized by now that I was in a pinch, but thought I still had a
chance with the action from the game. However, it was exactly right
for white.
42.12x34 24-29 43.34x23 19x37Black has broken through − or so it seems. Unfortunately, the piece on 37 really can't pass because of 22-17! 11x31 26x46. And those pieces 1-6-7-11 are also not so easy to sacrifice to make the breakthrough possible...
44.40-34!Slump finishes it impeccably.
44.39-33? is a mistake: 14-19! 45.33-29 7-12! 46.16x18 37-41 and on the next move 41-47 and black can
still fight.
44...14-19 45.34-29 19-23 46.29x18 37-41 47.18-13 41-47 48.13-9Black still got to king, but it
solves nothing at all. The square 41 is still taboo, as is
29/24/20/15 (39-33+), which prevents the black king from getting out
of the corner. A brilliant picture that still does justice to the
setup of the game: the lock-up of the black short wing is still a
fact! I therefore quit the game.
Slump thus delivered his
best game of the tournament: a good opening choice, strong
continuation and above all, an excellent tactical choice not to enter
the chaos with 29.36-31!?, but to choose a variant in which white
−with pressure on the clock− can make things difficult for black, and
it showed. In a span of three meager moves, an almost equal position
turned into a lost one!
I hope you enjoyed this analysis − it was
fun to make. I look back on the game with mixed feelings: it is
always wonderful to fight such a high-level battle, but of course I
would have liked the outcome to be different. Next time I write for
Damkunst, I will try to include a win!
PS Would you like to
read more about this opening and this game type? Then I have to
disappoint you at first: I am not familiar with much material. Except
for a game you have to know about: Boomstra-Atse, World Cup 2015
(voted the most beautiful game of the tournament). Sijbrands wrote
about it in his Volkskrant article on December 24, 2015 and January
2, 2016. Look it up!