Teus de Mik tournament 2023
At the end of the season the province of Utrecht usually organizes a rapid tournament in remembrance of Teus de Mik. In the last episode of this tournament the regular participant in the Dutch championship Ben Provoost played a very nice game against Arne van Mourik.
Arne van Mourik - Ben Provoost 0-2
≡ 1.34-29 19-23 2.40-34 14-19 3.44-40 20-25 4.32-28 23x32 5.37x28 10-14 6.42-37 5-10 7.50-44 19-23 8.28x19 14x23 9.37-32 17-21 10.41-37 11-17 11.47-41 21-26 12.32-28 23x32 13.37x28 26x37 14.41x32 16-21
The only time this position appears before in the TurboDambase database is in a game between Theo Schippers and Mari van Ballegooijen in 2022. Then the white player chose for the center attack ≡ 15.29-23 18x29 16.34x23.
≡ 6-11 16.34-30 25x34 17.40x29 11-16 18.46-41 18-22 19.41-37 12-18
It is a logical idea to develop the inactive piece on 35. However, the weak left wing seems like a bigger concern for the white player. So an alternative idea was ≡ 20.37-31 7-12 21.31-26. Then after 21-27 22.32x21 16x27 23.35-30 the white position seems fine. But with ≡ 9-14! 22.35-30 13-19 23.24x13 8x19 black can keep a small initiative.
≡ 7-12 21.30-25 10-14 22.24-20? 15x24 23.29x20
The black piece on 15 is the weakest black piece on the board, so Provoost will have welcomed this exchange. Moreover, white has little to no perspective for an attack on the black left wing. The formation 3/4/9/13/14 is simply too strong.
1-6 24.45-40 2-7 25.40-35 21-27! 26.32x21 17x26 27.28x17 12x21
A different plan was to play ≡ 21-27 30.32x21 16x27 here. Then white can't move the piece on 33 due to simple combinations. And after 31.35-30 11-17 32.39-34 ≡ 33.20-15 19-23 black has a promising attack.
≡ 30.33-29 13-18 31.39-33 8-13 32.44-39 21-27 33.32x21 16x27 34.20-15 11-17 35.38-32 27x38 36.33x42 17-21 37.39-33 6-11 38.35-30 11-16
The black position is almost perfect. Even though white has only minor weaknesses in his position, it is clear that he will face a tough defense.
It is quite a decision to allow black to make an exchange to square 20. But one can imagine that the white player didn't like the passive position after ≡ 39.49-43 21-27! (this move is necessary to prevent 40.43-38? with 27-31! 41.36x27 22x31) ≡ 40.42-38 14-19 41.30-24 (and certainly not ≡ 41.43-39? 27-32! 42.37x17 26-31 43.36x27 19-24 44.30x8 3x23 B+) ≡ 19x30 42.25x34.
≡ 14-20 40.25x14 9x20 41.42-38 3-9 42.48-42?
White collapses under the pressure. With ≡ 42.38-32 21-27 43.32x21 16x27 44.37-32 27x38 45.33x42 a draw was still possible.
≡ 21-27! 43.37-32 26-31!! 44.32x21 16x27
A truly unique position has emerged with all these pieces on the same diagonal. With 49 on 47 it would have been like a piece of art, although in that case it isn't winning for black.
In the position of the diagram white is lost due to the threat 27-32. The only way to neutralize this threat is ≡ 45.42-37 31x42 46.38x47, but then black wins the game using 18-23 47.29x18 20x38 48.18-12 13-18 49.12x23 27-32! 50.36-31 9-14 51.31-26 32-37 52.26-21 37-42 53.21-16 42-48.
≡ 45.49-44 27-32! 46.36x27 22x31 47.38x36 18-23 48.29x18 20x47 49.18-12 47-29
and white resigned. A very convincing strategic victory of Provoost!
© Wieger Wesselink https://10x10.org