1967 Metropolitan Masters

 

Dr. Neil McKelvie

     The 1967 Metropolitan Masters was held at the Henry Hudson Hotel from June 16th to the 18th and attracted 24 current or former National Masters. Besides the Masters' event there were six lower sections. Future IM Norman Weinstein won the Experts section. The hotel was the scene for many NY events, including a number of US championships.

     Dr. Neil McKelvie won the tournament on tiebreaks over the American Open champion Larry Kaufman and the US Junior Champion Walter Browne. 

     McKelvie was born in Welwyn Garden City, England in 1930. His grandfather David was one of the best world draughts players in Scotland. At the age of four McKelvie was taught to play chess by his father. 

     In 1940 he was sent to the United States as were other children because of World War II. He was raised by his aunt and uncle in in the US and at age 13 one of his friends showed him a copy of Chess Review and he learned notation from a family friend. 

     He returned to England after the war and won a scholarship to Cambridge and continued to excel in chess, playing first board on the university's chess team. At that time he still had not read a chess book or studied openings! 

     He returned to the US in the Fall of 1954 to earn a doctorate in Chemistry at Columbia University. While studying at Columbia he won the Connecticut State Championship in 1962 which was his first serious chess since returning to the US! He also won the Manhattan Chess Club Championship in 1975 and was co-champion in 1979.

Dr. Neil McKelvie - Steven Grant

Result: 1-0

Site: Metropolitan Masters, New York

Date: 1967

Sicilian: Sozin Attack

[...] 1.e4 c5 2.♘f3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.♘xd4 ♘f6 5.♘c3 d6 6.♗e3 ♘c6 7.♗c4 Introduced by Veniamin Sozin in the 1930s, this was a favorite of Bobby Fischer. 7...♗e7 8.f4 This seldom seen move does not seem to fare any worse that the more popular 8.Qe2 and 8.Bb3 8...O-O 9.♗b3 Usual is 9...a6, but the text is not bad. 9...♘a5

9...d5 10.e5 ♘d7 11.O-O ♘c5 12.♕e1 f6 13.exf6 ♖xf6 14.♖d1 ♕f8 with equality. Manea,A (2399)-Lupulescu,C (2631)/Baile Govora ROU 2017

10.♕f3 ♘xb3 11.axb3 a6 12.g4 This aggressive play seems warranted as black has been slow to get his Q-side counterplay underway with ...b5

12.O-O-O ♕c7 13.g4 b5 14.g5 ♘d7 15.h4 with equal chances. Backe,H (2078)-Moser,K (2285)/Moehnesee Koerbecke 2002

12...e5 Black has to strike back in the center, but this is the wrong P.

12...b5 This is now too slow. 13.♘c6 ♕c7 14.♘xe7+ ♕xe7 15.g5 with good attacking chances.

12...d5 This is the correct way to counter white's play. 13.e5 ♘d7 14.g5 ♗b4 15.h4 ♘c5 and white has only a slight advantage.

13.♘f5 ♗xf5

13...b5 14.g5 ♘d7 15.♘d5 ♖e8 16.♘dxe7+ ♖xe7 17.♘xe7+ ♕xe7 18.f5 White has what should be a winning attack.

14.gxf5 The open g-file looks inviting, but capturing with the e-Pawn packed a harder punch.

14.exf5 exf4 15.♗xf4 d5 16.O-O-O ♕a5 17.♔b1 ♖fd8 18.g5 with a very strong attack.

14...d5 As Fritz out it, strolling merrily down the path to disaster.

14...b5 was his best chance. 15.♖g1 b4 16.♘a4 ♔h8 17.♘b6 ♖b8 18.♘c4 ♕c7 19.fxe5 dxe5 20.♕g3 ♖g8 21.♕xe5 and white is better.

15.fxe5 ♘xe4

15...dxe4 does not solve anything 16.♕g2 ♘h5 17.O-O ♕c7 18.♕xe4 with a crushing position.

16.♖g1

16.O-O-O was even better. 16...♘xc3 17.bxc3 ♕c7 18.♗d4 ♖fe8 19.♖hg1 ♗f8 20.h4 with a strong attack.

16...♗b4 17.f6 This logical looking move should have allowed black to nearly equalize.

17.♕g4 would have been much more difficult to meet. 17...g6 18.e6 ripping apart the Ks position.

17...g6 18.♕f4 ♖e8 19.♖a4 ♗xc3+ 20.bxc3 ♖e6 21.♖xe4 dxe4 22.♖g3 This R-lift turns out to give black enough time to launch an equalizing counterattack.

22.h4 would have been much more dangerous. 22...♖c8 23.♗d4 ♖c7 24.h5 and white is slightly better.

22...♕f8 White king safety improved 23.♖h3 ♖ae8 24.♗d4 Now black commits a grave tactical error. He could have equalized with 24...e3! 24...h5

24...e3 25.♖xe3 a5 followed by ...b5 and there is no way for white to make progress.

25.♖xh5 ALert play! Black is now lost. 25...gxh5 White now has a puzzle-like finish. (25...b5 26.♖h3 a5 27.♕h4 mates) 26.♗c5 Decoying the Q...brilliant! 26...♖6e7 Hopeless. (26...♕xc5 27.♕g5+ mates next move.) 27.♗xe7 ♖xe7 28.♕g5+

28.fxe7 is much less good. 28...♕xe7 29.♕xe4 and black can fight on in the Q+P ending.

28...♔h7 29.♕xh5+ ♔g8 30.♕g5+ ♔h7 31.fxe7 In this line the e-Pawn is protected. 31...♕e8 32.♕f6 ♔g8 33.♕d6 Black resigned. A beautiful finish by McKelvie.

33.♕d6 ♔g7 34.♕d8 ♕c6 35.e8=♕ ♕xe8 36.♕xe8 e3 37.h4 e2 38.♕e7 a5 39.♕f6+ ♔g8 40.h5 ♔f8 41.e6 ♔e8 42.♕xf7+ ♔d8 43.♕d7#

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