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Stormin Norman versus Brighouse !

The First Game

[Event "Brighouse v Holme Valley Board 4 Handicap"]

[Date "12/11/01"]

[Board "4"]

[White "R. Grandage 94 grade"]

[Black "Norman Battye 64 grade"]

[Result "0-1"]

[TimeControl "35moves in 1h 10mins"]

[ECO "B00"]

Our hero is outgraded by 30 points and hence has a 20% chance in this game, but that does not stop our hero !

1. e4

... Nc6;

2. d4

... d5; {Excellent ! - The Nimzovitsch defence}

3. e5

... Bf5;

4. Bd3

... Qd7;

5. c3

... f6;

6. Bxf5 ( 6 Qh5+ g6 7 Bxf5 Qxf5 8 Qxf5 gxf5 9 Bf4 {unclear /=} )

6. ... Qxf5;

7. exf6

... Nxf6; ( also exf6 and O-O-O Black would have no problems )

8. Nf3

... O-O-O; {Already Black is ahead !}

9. O-O

... e6; ( e5 to get rid of the e6 weakness was a possibility, though risky. )

10. Re1

... Re8;

11. Ne5 ( 11 Nh4 to embarrass the queen was a possibility)

11. ... Nxe5;

12. Rxe5

... Qg6;

13. Qe2

... Qf7; {Too passive, 13.... Bd6 ! was playable if 14 Rxe6 Ng4

{and White is in trouble} 15 Rxe8+ Rxe8 )

14. Na3 ( 14 Qd3 or Qf3 giving the rook a drop back to e2 looks better.)

14. ... Bd6; ( Ne4 {attempting to trap the rook was interesting}

( 15 Nc4 Qxf2+ {unclear} )

( 15 f3 Bxa3 ( 16 bxa3 Nxc3 17 Qc2 Nb5 )

( 16 fxe4 Bd6 17 Rg5 h6 18 Rg4 {unclear} ) ) )

15. Re3

... a6; ( c6 {seems more logical.} )

16. Rf3 ( 16 Bd2 {and c4 etc looks preferable to messing about

on the K-side} )

16. ... Qh5; {a good move} (but e5 {also looks juicy !} )

17. g3 ( 17 h3 {is surely better.} )

17. ... Ng4; ( Also e5 {would be positionally and tactically good !} )

18. h4

... Nf6; ( e5 {Now and white would be in big trouble} )

19. Re3

... Qf7;

20. Bd2 ( 20 b4 {and b5 was an alternative} )

20. ... h6;

21. Re1

... Kd7;

22. c4 {At last white has drudged up some play.}

... c6;

23. c5 {achieves nothing and closes up Black's king safe.}

( 23 b4 {with the idea of b5 springs to mind.} )

23. ... Bc7;

24. b4 {White is hitting his head on the brick wall of b5}

... g5; {Now dangerous lines are about to be opened on the

K-side (unlike the q-side !)}

25. Qf1

... gxh4;

26. gxh4 {this loses} ( 26 Rf3 {looking for counterplay was the

only chance} )

26. ... Rhg8+;

27. Kh1

... Ng4; ( Ne4 { ! is also a killer !! f4 is forced.} 28 f4 Rg4

29 Rh3 Nxd2 {White can resign.} )

28. R3e2

... Nh2; ( Qf3+ {and pick off the Qknight on a3 would be many a

patzer's choice !} )

29. Qh3

... Nf3;

30. Rd1

... Rg7; {a mistake and gives White breathing space.

Perhaps time trouble ?} ( Nxd4 {is the greedy patzer's choice} )

31. Bxh6

... Rg6; ( Rh7 32 Re3 {is unclear} )

32. Bc1 ( 32 Re3 {Now is white's last chance for survival.} )

32. ... Nxh4; {Stormin Norman strikes in his own way !!

It's find a defence time} ( But Rh8! {instead is an absolute screw-baller ! white can forget it !} )

33. Rg1 ( 33 Qxh4 Qf3+ {mate O U C H !!} )

33. ... Reg8; ( Rh8 ! {and the queen's a gonner.} )

34. Rxg6

... Nxg6; ( Qxg6 ! {is better . Again, forget it for white.} )

35. Qg4 ( 35 Bh6 Rh8 36 Re3 Nf4

( 37 Qh4 Qg6 {wins} )

( 37 Rf3 Qh7 {wins} ) )

35. ... Nf4; ( Qh7+ ! 36 Kg1 Nf4 {and Norman is stormin !!} )

36. Qh4 {Now Black has a forced mate in 5 at most}

... Nxe2;

37. Be3 ( 37 f4 Rg1+ 38 Kh2 Qg6 39 Qf2 Qh6+ 40 Qh4 Qxh4+ mate )

37. ... Rg1+; {WOW good stuff Norman !}

The Second Brighouse Epic Game

Sometimes you come across a sixty odd move epic that swings back and forth , lost then drawn then won then lost etc. Sometimes a jewel comes out of an unlikely morass. Sometimes a match is decided on the bottom board ...and sometimes a whole league is decided on bottom board in the last minute of a quickplay finish... but hey that's how the Gods of Chess have deemed it should be.

Brighouse and Holme Valley had only lost one match each when they met on 9/12/03. After all the games had finished attention turned to the struggle between Norman Battye (HV) versus Adrian Lister (Brighouse). HV needed a draw on this board to win the match.

Lister crouched over the board in a hunch of pained concentration and bewilderment at Norman's tortuous opening moves, with frequent quick glances at his clock which was approaching vertical at alarming speed. Norman laid back, relaxed, blinking slowly, revolving side to side in his revolving chair, only having won one league game in two years, with just 2 draws and 16 losses. To the consternation of the spectators, but not Norman, Norman lost both his Rooks on the 49th and 50th moves. "He could have taken his Rook," spluttered Stewart. I surveyed the position. Yes it's won for Black I realised ... but it's not easy. I looked at the body language of the two players and the clock. I whispered " There's no way Norman's going to lose this game". The Gods and Goddesses of chess work in mysterious ways.

Lister ran out of ideas despite being a Rook up and ran out of time. His flag dropped.

"What was that opening?" snarled Herriot to his team mates, his fat frame heaving in disgust, as they went out the door.

I smiled. I knew of Petrosian v Spassky, game 17 World Chess Championship 1966,

I remembered the immortal game Fischer Andersson, Siegen 1970,

and I remembered Rubinetti Spassky Toluca 1982.

Yes Norman's fingers had placed his pieces in exactly the same position as Spassky had , and Fischer had years ago. There's something strangely eerie about that.

Tigran Petrosian

Boris Spassky

Game 17 World Chess Championship 1966

White : Rubinetti

Black: Boris Spassky

Toluca 1982

THE 61 move epic GAME

[Event "HV v Brighouse Exam Hndcp Bd 5"]

[Site "HV Fire Station"]

[Date "2003.12.09"]

[Round "1"]

[White "Norman Battye"]

[Black "Adrian Lister"]

[Result "1-0"]

[TimeControl "?"]

[ECO "A00"]

1-0

1. g3 {Norman plays the Ujtelky or "hippopotamus" variation}

... e5;

2. d3

... Nf6;

3. Bg2

... Nc6;

4. e3

... a6;

5. b3

... Bc5;

6. Bb2 {The double fianchetto and a wall of centre pawns is part of the Ujtelky variation.}

... d6;

7. h3 {a preventative move, taking g4 away from the Black minor pieces.}

... h5; {White is not worried about this as the advance h4 can be answered by g4.}

8. Nd2

... Bd7;

9. c3 {Black's h5 advance means he will castle Q-side and Norman prepares a Q-side pawn expansion.}

... Qe7;

10. a3

... O-O-O;

11. b4 {White is now better as the Q-side attack is more impressive than Black's K-side play.}

... Ba7;

12. Ne2

... Bf5;

13. e4

... Bd7;

14. Qc2 {White quietly continues the build up.}

... g5; {Black lashes out - but it is easily blocked. He is struggling for a plan.}

15. a4

... g4; {Of course White will block this attack.}

16. h4

... a5; {Black is unable to block the White Q-side advance.}

17. bxa5 {b5 is also strong but now White ensures open lines against the Black King.} ( 17 b5 {was also possible} Nb8 18 Nb3 ( b6 {White is better. Black is cramped, White can either play c4+ Nc3+Nd5 or prepare a central advance with d4.} ) ( Bb6 19 c4 {and Bc3 will eat the a5 pawn}) )

17. ... Nxa5;

18. c4

... c5; {Black is attempting to block the White attack.}

19. Bc3

... Bb6;

20. O-O {White now has Qb2! threatening the Bishop and also threatening Nf4 ! {to d5} as the Knight cannot be taken.}

... Kc7; {Defends the Bishop, and Black decides he needs to be able to bring his Rook to the a or b file.}

21. Rfb1 {White's Rook swings to the open file.}

... Bc6;

22. Qb2

... Nd7; {Black covers just in time.}

23. Nb3 {This lets Black off the hook to a certain extent, Nf1 to e3 to f5 was better.} ( 23 Nf1 {was better.} Ra8 24 Ne3 Qd8 25 Nf5 {Black is getting positionally screwed.} )

23. ... Ra8;

24. Nxa5 {Ra3 ! was better.} ( 24 Ra3 {Best. The point is that White will play Qd2 ! for example ...} Rhg8 25 Qd2 Nxb3 26 Raxb3 Bxa4 27 Rxb6 Nxb6 28 Ba5 { is very difficult for Black.} Ra6 29 Bxb6+ Rxb6

30 Qa5 {etc.} )

24. ... Bxa5;

25. Bxa5+

... Rxa5;

26. Qc2 {Qd2 was possible as Black cannot take the a-pawn.} ( 26 Qd2 {was stronger} ( Rha8 27 Nc3 {White is better} ) ( Rxa4 27 Rxa4 Bxa4 28 Qa5+ {wins} ) )

26. ... b6;

27. Nc3

... Kb7;

28. Rb2

... Ra6;

29. Nd5 {Sooner or later Black will have to remove this monster.}

... Qd8;

30. Rba2 {I am not sure why Norman did not advance the a-pawn immediately instead.} ( 30 a5 {and the Black King is under siege !} )

30. ... Bxd5;

31. cxd5

... Qa8;

32. Qb2

... Kc8;

33. Qb5

... Kd8;

34. Bf1 {The Bishop needs reactivating.}

... Ra5;

35. Qc4

... Ke7;

36. Qc1 {White threatens to switch the attack by Qg5}

... f6;

37. Be2 { ? This is a mistake, allowing Black to advance the b pawn. Qd2, defending a2 would have prevented this.}

... b5; {The pin on the a4 pawn gives Black good counterplay.}

38. Bd1

... b4;

39. Bb3 {The Bishop rushes to blockade the pawns.}

... Qa6;

40. Bc4

... Qa7;

41. Bb5

... Nb6;

42. Qd1

... Rf8; {A sort of stalemate exists on the Q-side, but White has f3 up his sleeve.}

43. f3 {Again this asks questions of Black.}

... f5;

44. exf5 {White misses his chance. fxg4 instead was quite strong. Now Black should play Nxd5 ! with advantage}

( 44 fxg4 {was strongest.}

( hxg4 45 Bc6 {defending d5, with exf5 to follow.} )

( fxg4 45 Qd2 {Threatens unpleasant entry at g5/h6} Nd7 46 Qg5+

( Nf6 47 Rf1 {advantage White} )

( Ke8 47 Qxh5+ {+=} )

( Rf6 47 Rf1 Rxb5 48 Rxf6 Nxf6 49 Qg7+ {is unfortunate for Black} ) ) )

44. ... Rxf5; {Black misses his chance of Nxd5.} ( Nxd5 {This unleashes the discovered check by c4} 45 Bc4 Rxf5 46 Bxd5 c4+ {and Rxd5 - Black is winning.} )

45. fxg4

... Rf7;

46. gxh5

... c4; {This looks nasty but White is still okay.} ( Nxd5 { ! threatening c4+ was possible} 47 Bc4 Nc3 )

47. dxc4

... Nxa4+;

48. Kg2 { ?? This is a blunder - Kh1 ! would preclude any check with the Queen on f2 or a later Rxa2 check

48. ... Nc3; {Now Black wins, as White cannot play Rxa5, as he could have done with the King on h1.}

49. Qg4 {Norman has seen all his good work go up in smoke. He desperately tries for counterplay with Qe6ch} ( 49 Rxa5 Qf2+ 50 Kh1 Nxd1 {etc. wins} )

49. ... Rxa2+;

50. Kh3 {Why didn't he take the Rook ? Norman has lost both Rooks in the last two moves.}

... Rxa1;

51. Qe6+

... Kd8; {Black's turn to blunder. He should go to f8.} ( Kf8 {wins - White soon runs out of checks.}

( 52 Qxd6+ Qe7 {Black wins easily.} )

( 52 Qc8+ Kg7

( 53 h6+ Kh7 {Black wins} )

( 53 Qg4+ Kh8 54 Qc8+ Kh7 {Black wins} ) ) )

52. Qe8+

... Kc7; {Now White has a perpetual check draw with Qc6 check}

53. Qxf7+ ( 53 Qc6+ Kd8 54 Qe8+ Kc7 55 Qc6+ Kb8 56 Qe8+ {etc. DRAW} )

53. ... Kb6;

54. Qf6 {This loses, Qf2 was correct.} ( 54 Qf2+ Kb7 55 Qf7+ Kb6 56 Qf2+ Kb7 57 Qf7+ Ka8 58 Bc6+ Kb8 59 Qe8+ Kc7 60 Qd7+ Kb6 61 Qxd6 {White has a fighting chance.} )

54. ... Nxb5;

55. cxb5

... Rh1+; {Qd7 ch better.}

56. Kg4

... Qd7+;

57. Qe6 {Actually Black can play Qxe6 ch and win as his b4 pawn is a trump card and his Rook can stop the White pawns.}

... Qg7+; ( Qxe6+ 58 dxe6 Rc1 {The Black Rook can stop the White d or h pawns and his b4 pawn queens - Black wins.} 59 e7 Rc8 60 Kf5 b3 61 Ke6 b2 62 Kd7 Rg8 {Black wins} )

58. Qg6 {Now Qxg6 would allow White to queen.}

... Qc7;

59. h6

... Rc1;

60. h7

... Rc4+;

61. Kh5 {Here Black lost on time. He has actually a won position with 62. Qd8}

( Qd8 62 Qg8 Rc8 {Black wins because of his trump card - the b4 pawn.} )

The Third Brighouse Epic Game

[Event "HV v Brighouse Team KO Rd 1 Bd 6"]

[Site "Holmfirth Fire Station"]

[Date "2004.03.31"]

[Round "1"]

[White "D.H.Milton 100 grade"]

[Black "N. Battye"]

[Result "0-1"]

[TimeControl "?"]

[ECO "A41"]

0-1

1. d4

... d6; {e6 first more accurate controlling d5 -Also White will worry about Bb4 and often play a3} ( e6 2 e4 b6 3 Nc3 Bb7 {is my preferred move order - d5 by White can be bypassed with e5 then if desired.} )

2. c4

... b6;

3. Nc3

... Bb7;

4. d5 {Restricts the Bishop but produces dark square holes. The Bishop can easily be regrouped to c8 h3 diagonal anyway.}

... g6; {Black will take advantage of the g7 h1 diagonal weakened by the d5 advance}

5. e4

... Bg7;

6. Nf3

... c5; {I was going to take Knight on C3, then decided on C5 expecting him to take it. Now the game has become a Benoni defence.}

7. Bd3 {Now White will not be able to use d4 (eg Nd4) for his pieces).}

( 7 dxc6 e.p. Nxc6 {Gives Black an excellent game.} )

7. ... Bxc3+; {Brave positional decision. Black cripples the pawns but weakens himself on the dark squares. Nd7/Bc8/Nf6 played in master chess.} ( Nf6 8 O-O O-O 9 Re1 Nbd7 10 h3 e6 {would be what Geoff plays - a Modern Benoni type pos. If now Bf4 then e5!+ a6 and then play for f5 or b5 break} )

8. bxc3

... Nd7;

9. O-O

... e5; {Again I expected him to take it}

10. Rb1 ( 10 dxe6 e.p. {White should take to try to open the game up for his bishops. Then the d6 pawn is backward also.} )

10. ... Qe7; {Norman already envisages Queenside castling.}

11. a4 {"threatening" a5 but it's not much of a threat.}

... a5; {weakens b6 which now has to be continually defended.} ( h6 {preventing Bh6 or Bg5} 12 a5 Ngf6 13 axb6 Nxb6 {Black will play Kf8 and Kg7, the passed a pawn may be useful. White has no entries for his minor pieces.} )

12. Bg5 {A wasted move I thought? Sure is - f6 is fine for Black.}

... f6;

13. Be3

... O-O-O; {A brave attacking decision but Black must beware sacks on b6 or (later) c5.Black could have prepared K-side castling by Qf7 Ne7}

14. Ne1 {I anticipated his next 3 N moves - He's headed for b5 - but it achieves nothing except gets rid of his N which is better than B.}

... Kc7; {Overprotects b6, also allows Rb8 if needed.}

15. Nc2

... Ba6; {Ready to take off the raiding Knight.}

16. Na3

... Qf7; {Preparing Ne7 and f5 attack.}

17. Nb5+

... Bxb5;

18. Rxb5

... Ne7;

19. Qe2

... f5; {Did not understand Qe2? (Preparing Rfb1)}

20. f4 {Otherwise Black plays f4 and advances his g pawn etc.}

... h6; {May have been better e5xf4? No fxe4 !} ( fxe4 {was stronger} ( 21 Bxe4 Rhf8 {as Black does not fear the ending after fxe5 Qxf1. Against other moves Black continues Qg7 ! with a grip on e5} ) ( 21 fxe5 exd3 ) )

21. Rfb1 {weak White should play fxe5} ( 21 fxe5 Nxe5 22 exf5 gxf5 23 Bc2 {is uncomfortable for Black.} )

21. ... Rdg8; { ?? I did not like this move at all. It's unnecessary. Rab8 or fxe4 !} ( fxe4 { !} 22 Bxe4 exf4 {is the obvious continuation and White has nothing.} 23 Rf1 g5 24 g3 Nf6 {etc.} )

22. fxe5 {I did not see this, have to take with d6, Rook b8 would have been better then take with knight? YES ! but 21...fxe4 even better}

... dxe5; {Now Black is in big trouble as the c5 pawn has lost its support and the Knight has lost a wonder square on e5.}

23. Qb2 {Expected d6 here and going a piece down? Well not a piece down but a poor position.} ( 23 d6+ Kxd6 24 Rxb6+ Nxb6 25 Rxb6+ Kc7 26 Bxc5 {White has a strong attack and a pawn for the exchange sack.} )

23. ... Nc8; {Rb8 looked a lot safer to me ! Now White can crash through with the Bishop sack.}

24. Bxc5 {This has to be played to break through, it's a good move.}

... bxc5; {Forced} ( Nxc5 25 Rxc5+ bxc5 26 Qb7+ {wins for White} )

25. Rb7+

... Kd8; ( Kd6 { ! looks the best chance} 26 exf5 gxf5 27 Qb5 Rd8 28 Bxf5 Qxf5 29 Rf1 {White is better.} )

26. Qb5

... Nd6; {This loses to Qa5+} ( Qe7 {is the best defence.} )

27. Qxa5+

... Ke8; {This should have been e7? No - I thought so at first, but Qe7 loses quicker !} ( Ke7 28 Rxd7+ Kxd7 29 Qa7+ {etc. winning.} )

28. Qc7 { ? White misses the quick win . 28 Qa8+ {wins} Ke7

29 Rxd7+

( Kf6 {Only way to avoid mate.} 30 Rxf7+ Kxf7 31 Qa7+ {with an easy win.} )

( Kxd7 30 Qa7+ {leads to mate} Kd8 31 Rb8+ Nc8 32 Qxf7 {Black cannot avoid mate. ( Qb7 and Rxc8 or d6 etc.)}) )

28. ... Nxb7;

29. Rxb7

... Qe7;

30. Qc8+ {Ra7 instead is stronger.}

... Kf7; {Qd8 looked better but..} ( Qd8 31 Qc6 Rh7 32 Rc7 Qe7 {Black is just about hanging on, but now 33. a5 ! is hard to meet.} )

31. Qxd7 {White wins the Knight but he's terribly short on time !}

... Qxd7;

32. Rxd7+

... Kf6; {Here White lost on time. There's a lot of play left in this position!

Well done Norman !}

We do not have the score of Stormin Norman’s wins against Chartist and Huddersfield in the Rapidplay.

NOW SEE STORMIN’ NORMAN versus REG ATKINSON

for

Geoff Peake’s HOME Chess web site

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CHESS MATCH OF THE CENTURY

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