Play Chess Openings: Grob Win by Sheldrick vs Master

Monday, October 7, 2019

Grob Win by Sheldrick vs Master

Kevin Sheldrick defeated an FM in a tournament. Sheldrick wrote: "Here is a win I had with the Grob against an FM I thought you might be interested in. Have fun! Bye, Kevin"

Wow! That looked like a wild Sheldrick win. FM Bill Jordan does not lose often. Twenty years ago I played the Grob 1.g4 and the Borg 1...g5 from each side, including four vs the infamous Claude Bloodgood. Lifetime as Black I'm +84% in 300 games. Strong players rarely choose 1.g4, but I'm always uncomfortable playing those games.

Sheldrick (2004) - Jordan (2158), Hosworth Foundation Tournament Adelaide, Australia, 05.10.2019 begins 1.g4 c5 2.Bg2 Nc6 3.h3 [3.e4!=/+] 3...g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.c4 e6 6.Nc3 Nge7 7.d3 d5 8.Bd2?! [8.Bf4! e5 9.Bg5=] 8...b6 9.Qc1 h6 10.0-0 Bb7 11.e4 dxc4 12.dxc4 Nd4 13.Nxd4 cxd4 14.Ne2 Rc8 15.b3 f5? ["risky and unnecessary" as Bill later mentioned and suggested instead 15...h5 intending 16...0-0, as better, which the computer also much prefers to the game continuation] 16.exf5? [16.Nf4 Qd7 (16...Qd6 17.e5!+/=; 16...Kf7? 17.exf5+-) 17.exf5 exf5 18.Bxb7 Qxb7 19.Bb4!+-] 16...Bxg2 17.Kxg2 gxf5!? 18.Nf4 Kf7 19.Qa3 Qd7 20.f3 Rhe8 [20...Ng6=/+] 21.Rae1 Nc6?! [21...e5=] 22.Re2?! [22.Nh5+/=] 22...e5 23.Nh5 Bf8 24.Qc1 f4??+/- [another risky move but it was difficult for Black to adequately defend his h-pawn and the computer thought best was the tricky 24...d3 25.Ree1 Rcd8= intending 26.Bxh6?? d2-+] 25.Bxf4! exf4 26.Qxf4+ Kg6 27.Rfe1 Rxe2+ [no better is 27...Qf7 28.Rxe8 Rxe8 29.Rxe8 Qxe8 30.Qf5#] 28.Rxe2 Bg7

29.Qe4+ Kf7 30.Qh7 Kf8 31.Re4 Rc7 32.Rf4+ Qf7 [32...Ke8 33.Qg8+!+-] 33.Qxg7+! Ke8 34.Rxf7 Rxf7 35.Nf6+ Ke7 36.Nd5+ Ke8 37.Qg8+ and Black resigned [Game notes by Sheldrick] 1-0