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.
[Event "Dutch Championship"]
[Site "Leeuwarden NED"]
[Date "1975.04.14"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Franciscus W M Borm"]
[Black "Philip Du Chattel"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B07"]
[Annotator "Stockfish 16"]
[PlyCount "68"]
[EventDate "1975.04.07"]
{Modern Defense, du Chattel System} 1. e4 g6 2. d4 c6 3. Nc3 d6 4. Be3 (4. f4
Nh6 5. Nf3 f5 6. e5 Nf7 {is another example of how the system can be played
although here it should be cler that white has the more active position.}) 4...
Nh6 {du Chattel's signature move.} 5. f3 (5. h3 f6 6. Qd2 Nf7 7. f4 Bg7 8. Nf3
O-O 9. g4 e6 10. f5 {White has a promising position. Georghiou,P (2218)-Van de
Berkmortel,T (2262) Sutton 1999}) (5. Qd2 Ng4 6. Bg5 Bg7 7. h3 Nf6 {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. Qd2 Nf7 {
Another signature move of the system.} (6... e5 {is an interesting alternative.
} 7. Bxh6 {This hasty grab gives black a slight advantage after} Qh4+ 8. g3
Qxh6) 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.} Bg7 8. Bc4 {White is better.} e6 9. Nge2 {Starting an
immediate attack with 9.h4 was another option.} (9. h4 O-O 10. h5 g5 11. exf5
d5 (11... exf5 {givesw hite a decisive positional advantage.} 12. Bxf7+ Rxf7
13. Bxg5 Bf6 14. Bxf6 Qxf6 15. O-O-O) 12. fxe6 Bxe6 13. h6 Bf6 14. Bb3 {
White has a very promising position.}) 9... O-O 10. O-O {It was still possible
to play 10.h4, but after the text white is still better.} d5 11. Bb3 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. Kh1 (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. Bg1 Nh8 {Repositioning the N to a more useful
square.} 14. Rae1 Ng6 15. Nc1 Nd7 16. Nd3 Nf6 17. Nc5 {White's slow
maneuvering has resulted in the dissipation of almost all of his advantage.} (
17. e5 {keeps a slight plus after} Nh5 18. Ne2 {and black is hel up on the
K-side. White will continur with c3 and Bc2 and commence Q-side operations.})
17... Nh5 18. Bf2 b6 19. Nd3 Kh8 {White should now play 20.a5. Instead, he
makes a tactical mistake.} 20. Ne5 Ba6 {...which black fails to take advantage
of.} (20... Bxe5 21. dxe5 Ba6 22. Rg1 g4 23. fxg4 Ng3+ {with a very strong
attack after 24.Bxg3, but not...} 24. hxg3 Qg5 25. Rgf1 (25. gxf4 Qh6+ 26. Bh4
Qxh4#) 25... Qxg4 26. Qd1 (26. gxf4 Nxf4 27. Bg1 Bxf1 {winning.}) 26... f3 27.
exd5 fxg2+ 28. Kxg2 Nf4+ 29. Kg1 Qh3 30. Qf3 Qxf1+ 31. Rxf1 Nh3+ 32. Kh2 Rxf3
33. Re1 (33. Kxh3 Bxf1+ 34. Kh2 Rxf2+) 33... Rxf2+ 34. Kxh3 exd5 {with a won
ending.}) 21. Rg1 {[%mdl 8192] Another tactical mistake.} (21. Nxc6 {and White
has nothing to worry.} Qd7 22. exd5 Bxf1 23. dxe6 Bxg2+ 24. Kxg2 Qxc6 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... Nxe5 22. dxe5 d4 {Again,
black fails to take advantage of his opportunity.} (22... g4 {is crushing...}
23. fxg4 Ng3+ 24. Bxg3 (24. hxg3 Qg5 25. Rgf1 Bxf1 26. Rxf1 Qh6+ 27. Kg1 fxg3
28. Qxh6 gxf2+ 29. Rxf2 Bxh6 {with a won ending.}) 24... fxg3 25. h3 Rf2 26.
Re2 Qh4 27. Rxf2 gxf2 28. Rf1 Bxf1) 23. Qxd4 {We are back to equal chances.}
Ng3+ {This is far less effective than in previous variations. The best black
had was maintaining equality by exchanging Qsd.} 24. hxg3 {Strongly
threatening Qxd8.} Qe8 {Obviously threatening 25...Qh5+ which white prevents.}
25. g4 {White now stands better.} Rd8 26. Qb4 {[%mdl 8192]} (26. Nd5 {A clever
tactical shot that keeps the advantage.} exd5 27. exd5 cxd5 28. Kh2 {White is
a P up. This clever move is made to neutralize any black threats on the h-file.
} Qe6 29. Rh1 Bc4 30. Kg1 {and white is better.}) 26... c5 (26... h5 {packed
more punch...} 27. Kh2 Bxe5 28. Rh1 hxg4 29. Kg1+ Kg7 {with a promising
position.}) 27. Qa3 {Missing another tactical shot!} (27. Bxc5 bxc5 28. Qxc5
Qg6 29. Rgf1 Bxf1 30. Rxf1 {This unbalanced position offers chances to both
sides.}) 27... h5 {[%mdl 128] Now black has the upper hand and goes for the
kill.} 28. Rd1 {A reasonable looking move, but it's a fatal error.} ({pffers
white a fighting chance.} 28. Nb5 Bxe5 29. Rd1 Qg6 30. Rxd8 Rxd8 31. c3 hxg4
32. Rd1 {Black's advantager should prove decisive.}) 28... hxg4 29. fxg4 Qg6
30. Rge1 Bxe5 {Black mates.} 31. Rxd8 Qh6+ 32. Kg1 Rxd8 33. Ne2 Bxe2 (33... Rd2
{is less effective...} 34. Bxe6 Qxe6 35. Qh3+ Kg7 36. Nc3 Rxc2 {but here, too,
black is still winning.}) 34. Rxe2 f3 {White resigned. Black missed a mate,
but it doesn't matter because white is lost in any case.} (34... Rd1+ 35. Re1
f3 36. gxf3 Qh3 37. Qxc5 Bh2+ 38. Kh1 bxc5 39. Rxd1 Bg3+ 40. Kg1 Qh2+ 41. Kf1
Qxf2#) 0-1
No comments:
Post a Comment