I recently ran across a e-book (in Italian) that was published in 2019 titled Du Chattel Defence: A Universal System. The “system” is a Pirc/Modern Defense with an early ...Nh6 by black.
One fan of the defense claims it’s a good defense for amateurs because it avoids known theory. With moves like ...Nh6, ...f5 and ...Nf7 black is clearly weakening his K-side, but at the amateur level such considerations are often unimportant and just about any opening is playable.
Here is a sample of the defense that was played in the 1975 Dutch Championship. After the closing banquet GM Jan Timman was arrested by the Dutch military police for ignoring a summons to report for military service. He reportedly spent a week and a half in jail before being released and apparently spent no time in the military.
Franciscus W M Borm–Philip Du Chattel0–1B07Dutch ChampionshipLeeuwarden NED14.04.1975Stockfish 16
Modern Defense, du Chattel System 1.e4 g6 2.d4 c6 3.c3 d6 4.e3 4.f4 h6 5.f3 f5 6.e5 f7 is another example of how the system can be played
although here it should be cler that white has the more active position. 4...h6 du Chattel's signature move. 5.f3 5.h3 f6 6.d2 f7 7.f4 g7 8.f3 0-0 9.g4 e6 10.f5 White has a promising position. Georghiou,P (2218)-Van de
Berkmortel,T (2262) Sutton 1999 5.d2 g4 6.g5 g7 7.h3 f6 is a more
normal looking position where white is ahead in development. 5...f5
This move is what can be called Part 2 of the du Chattel System 6.d2 f7
Another signature move of the system. 6...e5 is an interesting alternative.
7.xh6 This hasty grab gives black a slight advantage after h4+ 8.g3 xh6 7.a4 Just about nay reasonable move is playable here: 7:O-O. 7.h4, 7.
Bc4, 7.exf5 etc. The fact that white has so many possible good replies is an
indication that black's position is less than ideal. That may be the case in
GM play, but below that level, especially ay the below Master level the system
is obviously playable. g7 8.c4 White is better. e6 9.ge2 Starting an
immediate attack with 9.h4 was another option. 9.h4 0-0 10.h5 g5 11.exf5 d5 11...exf5 givesw hite a decisive positional advantage. 12.xf7+ xf7 13.xg5 f6 14.xf6 xf6 15.0-0-0 12.fxe6 xe6 13.h6 f6 14.b3
White has a very promising position. 9...0-0 10.0-0 It was still possible
to play 10.h4, but after the text white is still better. d5 11.b3 g5
Beginning a risky and dangerous attack which white should be able to withstand,
but he must play aggressively. Instead, he takes a passive posture and the
tables are turned. 12.h1 12.f4 Is the way to go. Black's best line is
then g4 13.e5 and with the position closed on the K-side white must
undertake positional maneuvering on the Q-side in order to try an utilize his
space advantage. 12...f4 13.g1 h8 Repositioning the N to a more useful
square. 14.ae1 g6 15.c1 d7 16.d3 f6 17.c5 White's slow
maneuvering has resulted in the dissipation of almost all of his advantage. 17.e5 keeps a slight plus after h5 18.e2 and black is hel up on the
K-side. White will continur with c3 and Bc2 and commence Q-side operations. 17...h5 18.f2 b6 19.d3 h8 White should now play 20.a5. Instead, he
makes a tactical mistake. 20.e5 a6 ...which black fails to take advantage
of. 20...xe5 21.dxe5 a6 22.g1 g4 23.fxg4 g3+ with a very strong
attack after 24.Bxg3, but not... 24.hxg3 g5 25.gf1 25.gxf4 h6+ 26.h4 xh4# 25...xg4 26.d1 26.gxf4 xf4 27.g1 xf1 winning. 26...f3 27.exd5 fxg2+ 28.xg2 f4+ 29.g1 h3 30.f3 xf1+ 31.xf1 h3+ 32.h2 xf3 33.e1 33.xh3 xf1+ 34.h2 xf2+ 33...xf2+ 34.xh3 exd5 with a won
ending. 21.g1 Another tactical mistake. 21.xc6 and White
has nothing to worry. d7 22.exd5 xf1 23.dxe6 xg2+ 24.xg2 xc6 25.d5
Black has a R vs white's P's on d5 which pretty much balances out and black's
pieces should be able to hold the Ps at bay. 21...xe5 22.dxe5 d4 Again,
black fails to take advantage of his opportunity. 22...g4 is crushing... 23.fxg4 g3+ 24.xg3 24.hxg3 g5 25.gf1 xf1 26.xf1 h6+ 27.g1 fxg3 28.xh6 gxf2+ 29.xf2 xh6 with a won ending. 24...fxg3 25.h3 f2 26.e2 h4 27.xf2 gxf2 28.f1 xf1 23.xd4 We are back to equal chances. g3+ This is far less effective than in previous variations. The best black
had was maintaining equality by exchanging Qsd. 24.hxg3 Strongly
threatening Qxd8. e8 Obviously threatening 25...Qh5+ which white prevents. 25.g4 White now stands better. d8 26.b4 26.d5 A clever
tactical shot that keeps the advantage. exd5 27.exd5 cxd5 28.h2 White is
a P up. This clever move is made to neutralize any black threats on the h-file.
e6 29.h1 c4 30.g1 and white is better. 26...c5 26...h5 packed
more punch... 27.h2 xe5 28.h1 hxg4 29.g1+ g7 with a promising
position. 27.a3 Missing another tactical shot! 27.xc5 bxc5 28.xc5 g6 29.gf1 xf1 30.xf1 This unbalanced position offers chances to both
sides. 27...h5 Now black has the upper hand and goes for the
kill. 28.d1 A reasonable looking move, but it's a fatal error. pffers
white a fighting chance. 28.b5 xe5 29.d1 g6 30.xd8 xd8 31.c3 hxg4 32.d1 Black's advantager should prove decisive. 28...hxg4 29.fxg4 g6 30.ge1 xe5 Black mates. 31.xd8 h6+ 32.g1 xd8 33.e2 xe2 33...d2 is less effective... 34.xe6 xe6 35.h3+ g7 36.c3 xc2 but here, too,
black is still winning. 34.xe2 f3 White resigned. Black missed a mate,
but it doesn't matter because white is lost in any case. 34...d1+ 35.e1 f3 36.gxf3 h3 37.xc5 h2+ 38.h1 bxc5 39.xd1 g3+ 40.g1 h2+ 41.f1 xf2# 0–1
No comments:
Post a Comment