Late fall is the time of the annual ICCF congress, when we convene to renew old acquaintances, celebrate past achievements, and most important, set the goals for the future. It is only appropriate that at this time we feature a game by Alan Borwell, the president of the ICCF. Rumors hve been circulating for a long time that Alan’s talents are not restricted to organizational matters and the negotiation table, but that he is also a very dangerous opponent across the chess board. We present his win in the John Cleeve Memorial tournament as an example of his chess prowess.

As an introduction to this game, Alan notes:

"I was delighted to be invited by the Canadian CCA to play in the Memorial Tournament for our dear departed friend, John Cleeve, who was a tireless worker for international and North American CC. John and his wife Rae were regular, active and very popular participants at ICCF Congresses and we enjoyed many happy times together.

I have chosen a picture from the 1998 Congress in Latvia, as I would like to dedicate this game to my wife, Moira, who like many other partners of ICCF officials, has been actively supporting ICCF and correspondence chess for many years. 

Sadly, the Scottish CC Magazine, which we have produced together for 21 years, will cease to be published in printed form in early 2001, but in future, it will be superseded by a Web Magazine. It feels rather like a child leaving home and moving to pastures new, but we wish it a successful future. Many thanks to everyone who has supported the Magazine!

The toast in the picture is dedicated to supporters and friends of ICCF and correspondence chess, past, present and future" !

Alan’s win over GM Dr. Klaus Engel of Germany is a fine illustration of his tactical and positional skills. Not surprisingly, the choice of opening between these two enterprising players is the very sharp Sicilian Naidorf, with Alan being the aggressor from the start. The game hangs in the balance until a slip by Black brings a sudden end. .
.

IM Borwell, A. (Scotland) - GM Engel, Dr. K. (Germany)

John Cleeve Memorial, 1999
Sicilian Naidorf B92
[Annotated by Dr. Vytas Palciauskas]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 Nbd7 7.f4 b5

7...Qb6 is a playable alternative. 8.Nb3 (8.Bf3 g6) 8...g6; But after 7...Nc5 8.Bf3 Qb6 9.Nb3 Nxb3 10.axb3 g6 is risky 11.e5 dxe5 12.fxe5 Nd7 13.Nd5 Qd8 14.Bg5 h6 (14...Nxe5? 15.Nf6+ exf6 16.Qxd8+) 15.Bh4 g5 16.Bg3 Bg7 17.e6 Ne5 18.exf7+ Kxf7 19.Bh5+ Kg8 20.Nf6+ 1-0 Gipslis,A-Quinteros,M/Olot 1973 (20)

8.Nd5

8.Bf3 e5 9.Nf5 Qc7 10.fxe5 dxe5 11.Nd5 Nxd5 12.exd5 g6 13.d6 Qb8 14.Nh6 Bb7 (14...Ra7!?) 15.Bd5 Bxh6 16.Bxh6 Nb6 17.d7+ Ke7 18.Bg5+ f6 19.Bxf6+ Kxf6 20.Bxb7 Qxb7 21.Qd6+ Kg7 22.Qxe5+ Kh6 23.Qe3+ Kg7 24.Qe7+ 1-0 Alzate,D-Ortega,L/Bayamo 1984 (24)

8...Nxd5

Trying to improve on 8...Bb7 9.Nxf6+ Nxf6 10.e5 dxe5 11.fxe5 Nd7 12.e6 fxe6 13.Bf3 Qb6 14.Bxb7 Qxb7 15.0-0 e5 16.Nf3 Black's position is full of holes. 1-0 Kindermann,S-Tataev,M/Cuxhaven 1993/EXT 97 (39)

9.exd5 Bb7 10.Bf3 Nb6

The other choice for the Knight was 10...Nf6 11.Nb3 g6 12.Be3 Bg7 13.0-0 Qc7

11.Nf5!?

11...Qc8!? 12.Qd3 Na4 13.Qe4 Qc7 14.0-0 g6 15.Nd4 Bg7 16.f5

The threat is 17.fxg6 hxg6 18.Ne6

16...0-0-0?!

Castling Queenside seems risky as Alan demonstrates very nicely. Other possibilities were 16...Qc4 17.c3 Bxd4+ (17...Nc5 18.Qe3 b4) 18.cxd4 gxf5 19.Qh4; 16...Be5

17.Be3 Kb8

The complications after 17...Nxb2 are unclear. 18.Bg4 Kb8 19.fxg6 hxg6 20.Rxf7 Be5

18.Rab1 Rc8 19.c4!? b4

This temporarily closes the Queenside, but white will pry it open for his pieces. If 19...bxc4 20.Nc6+ Bxc6 21.dxc6 Nb6 22.Bxb6 Qxb6+ 23.Kh1

20.Rbc1 Rhe8

20...Nxb2 21.Qb1 Na4 22.Qxb4±

21.b3 Nc5 22.Qc2 Rf8 23.a3 Qa5

Trying to restrain White's pawns. If 23...bxa3 24.b4

24.axb4 Qxb4 25.Rb1 Nd7 26.Ra1

26.Qe2!? was another way to mobilize the queenside pawns. For example 26...Nc5 (26...Ne5 27.Be4) 27.Nc2 Qc3 28.b4!? with a stong initiative. But Alan has a combination in mind.

26...Nc5 27.Rfb1 gxf5 28.Ra4! Nxa4 29.bxa4 Qxc4

30.Qxc4

An interesting continuation was 30.Nc6+ Rxc6 31.Rxb7+! Kc8 32.Qb1 Rc7 (32...Rc5 33.Bxc5 Qxc5+ 34.Kh1+-) 33.Rb8+ Kd7 34.Rxf8 Bxf8 35.Qxf5+ Ke8 36.Bh5 e5 37.dxe6 Kd8 38.Bg5+ Re7 (38...Be7 39.exf7+-) 39.Qa5+ which leaves white a pawn up with winning chances.

30...Rxc4 31.Nc6+ Kc7?

The decisive error. 31...Ka8 32.Rxb7 Kxb7 33.Na5+ Kc7 34.Nxc4 Rb8 and it still would be a fight.

32.Na5

Expecting 32.Rxb7+, Black overlooks the more powerful text. 32.Na5 preserves White's rook which combined with his two bishops leaves Black helpless; so he resigns. The almost forced continuation would be 32.Na5 Rxa4 33.Rxb7+ Kc8 34.Bb6 Bd4+ 35.Bxd4 Rxa5 (35...Rxd4 36.Ra7+-) 36.Rxe7 Ra2 37.Be2 Preventing the advance of the a-pawn, Black's only chance. 37...a5 (37...Rg8 38.Kf1) 38.Ba6+ Kb8 39.Ba7+ Ka8 40.Bb5

32...Rxa4 1-0

All of the games from the John Cleeve Memorial tournament are made available for downloading at the ICCF on-line games archive.