An early Doeberl Cup Game

A game from the 1966 Doeberl Cup

Shaw,T - Purdy,J [C01]
Doeberl Cup Canberra (4), 1966

IM Terry Shaw was a multiple Olympiad representative for Australia, while John Purdy was twice Australian Champion (1955, 1963). John Purdy was also the first winner of the Doeberl Cup (1963) while Terry Shaw won the Cup in 1970 (shared) and 1971. 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 While this line is considered drawish, White often generates good attacking chances on the kingside. 3...exd5 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Nf3 Be7 6.Bd3 Eyeing off the h7 square. 6...0-0 7.h3 Re8 8.0-0 Nbd7 9.Bf4 Nf8 10.Re1 c6 11.Qd2 Ne6 12.Bg3 Nh5 13.Be5 Bf6 14.Ne2! White has no problems with the exchange on e5, as the Bishop will be replaced by another attacking piece, while Black will have removed one of his defenders. 14...g6 15.g4 Nhg7 16.Ng3 Bg5 17.Nxg5 Nxg5 18.Kg2 Avoiding the fork on f3! 18...f6 19.Bf4 N5e6 20.Be3 Bd7 21.f4 c5 Black meets the attack on the kingside with a counterthrust in the centre. 22.f5 Instead of grabbing a pawn, White offers one. [ 22.dxc5 Qc7 23.Qf2 gains a pawn, but allows Black to dictate the play eg 23...d4 24.Bxd4 Nxf4+ 25.Kh2 Nge6 Objectively White has a clear advantage, but Black now has some counterplay.] 22...cxd4 23.Bf2 Nf8? [ 23...gxf5 24.gxf5 Nc5 25.Bxd4±] 24.Bxd4+- White has a number of advantages in this position in the shape of the two bishops, control of the e file (due to the weak f pawn), and extra space on the kingside. Blacks pieces are sill to emerge from the back of the board and the d pawn is a big weakness. 24...g5 25.Qb4 White begins a strategy of targeting the weak points in Black's position. 25...Bc6 26.Rxe8 Nxe8 27.Nh5 Kf7 28.Re1 Nd7 29.Re6 a6 30.Qe1 Rc8 31.h4! Having tied Black down, White now breaks into the enemies position. 31...h6 [ 31...gxh4 32.Qxh4 Bb5 33.Bxb5 axb5 34.c3 b4 35.Nf4 doesn't save Black, as his King is too exposed.] 32.hxg5 hxg5 33.Qe3 Rc7(D)
34.Nxf6! The culmination of White's play. 34...Nexf6 35.Qxg5 Now Qg6 is threatened. 35...Qg8 The only move that doesn't result in immediate loss. 36.Bxf6 Qxg5 37.Bxg5 The result of the temporary sacrifice on f6 is the gain of two pawns. 37...Nc5 38.Rh6 Kg7 39.f6+ Kg8 40.Rg6+ Kh8 41.Rh6+ Kg8 42.Rg6+ White repeats the position to move closer to the next time control 42...Kh8 43.f7 Of course Rh6?? would be a threefold repetition after Kg8 43...Rxf7 44.Bf6+ 1-0

The annotations for this game first appeared in the 2008 O2C Doeberl Cup Newsletter. If you wish to get a copy of the newsletter just go to http://www.doeberlcup.com.au/ and click on the "Subscribe to the Newsletter" button in the bottom right corner. Best of all, it's free!