Volume 40 , Number 1 Colorado Chess Informant January 2013
Page 22
Going Berserk by Jeffrey Baffo
Colorado Open , Sept . 1 , 2012 , Round 1 White : Jeffrey Baffo ( USCF 1866 ) Black : Robert Ramirez ( USCF 2154 ) Game / 90 ; 30 ” Increment Queen ’ s Knight Attack ( QNA ) NIC VO 15.1 ECO A00 Novosibisk Opening 1
My only other game with Robert was about a thousand years ( and rating points ) ago . Don ’ t remember much except I slopped my way to victory in a game that isn ’ t fit to line the bottom of a bird cage . Since then he has risen to become one of the premier tournament players in the Rocky Mountain region . He is rightly respected for his awesome tactical prowess , letter perfect opening preparation , and overall strategic knowledge . Of course I knew what I was going to play and was curious to see his interpretation of how to fight against it .
1 . Nc3 c5 This was predictable as Robert is a passionate advocate ( as am I !) of the Sicilian defense . I ’ ve not hidden my opinion about this move , but even so , I ’ ll state it again ; one of the very best ways of meeting 1 . Nc3 . I think everyone knows I play 1 . Nc3 !, but ( as Chris Petersen said 2 ) it still seems to cause people considerable hesitation once they actually see it on the board . 1 ... c5 is starting to crop up more and more in my games and the increased frequency it appears is at least partially my fault . I just can ’ t stop my own big mouth and have sung it ’ s praises in multiple published articles , not to mention many casual conversations .
2 . d4 Not the main line , at least not in the Chess Opening Theory world . I ’ ve done my own research and analysis and prefer it to the established lines . It is certifiably insane ( as am I !) and no rational tournament player should even bother studying it , let alone play it 3 . So , at least until the crazy wears off , I ’ ll play this way . In my world it ’ s just one of the many independent main lines of the QNA 4 , but to be fair it does have it ’ s own name ; Novosibisk . With my poor language skills and penchant for mispronunciation , it comes out sounding like “ No-vo-berserk ”. In any case it sure leads to berserker style positions .
2 … cxd4 3 . Qxd4 Nc6 4 . Qh4 Right about here my opponents almost always go into a deep think . If the game is a live tournament , a lot of them start looking at their score sheets . Already the battle lines are drawn ; Black seeks to prove her Ladyship to be on a frivolous , if not downright dangerous , adventure . I want a Sicilian position but only because the ideas will all have Sicilian themes , with key differences that I understand much better than my opponent 5 .
4 ... d6 Sound reaction , but 4 ... d5 is the critical test .
5 . Nf3 Nf6 6 . Bg5 A kibitzer said , loud enough for me to hear , “ So are we getting a normal position here , or what ?” That made me smile despite myself . I wanted to “ shush !” the person , but couldn ’ t , it was all I could do not to bust out laughing . In any case the kibitzer has / had a point . Are we about to see a transposition here , maybe to a recognizable Rauzer or Dragon Sicilian ? Good question .
6 ... Be6 7 . e4 Qa5 8 . Bd3 a6 9.0-0 Nfd7 10 . a3 6 f6 !? Nope . I think all chance at normalcy is right out the window here . Good . Just the way I like it . Mass confusion , but with the experience edge heavily tilted my way . Robert wins his games like most strong players do ; staying relevant in and around the center , complicating the game and then out playing his opponent when , as the young people say these days 7 , “ the sh * t gets real ”. Consequently , he has a healthy dislike for simplified positions . His move show just how committed he is to that method .
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11 . Be3 Bf7 O . K ., Robert ’ s motif is starting to become clear . He will hunker down behind his barricades , gather his strength , and when his banner men are all assembled , unleash hell .
12 . b4 Qh5 13 . Qxh5 Bxh5 It seems as though Robert has arranged things with great skill . All he need do is keep lines closed for a little while longer , finish his development and then exploit the organic weakness in White ’ s position ; the backward c-pawn on the half open file .
14 . Nd2 Nce5 ? A beautiful post for the knight , but it can ’ t stay there . Wait a minute ! Robert isn ’ t thinking of snagging the two bishops , is he ? He is ! And I ’ m just the kind of nutball who ’ ll help him do it !
15 . f4 ! Nxd3 16 . cxd3 Thing start to go south for Robert from here on out . The reasons are worth noting ; he has opened lines ( handing me the c-file ) for the better developed player AND transformed the weakling on c2 to a central bulwark on