Sumant Subramaniam Deserves to Win

Most of Malaysian Chess Bloggers have posted the result of Petronas Technology University Chess Open Championship 2009 which was held at Petronas Technology University during last weekend (click here to see one of interesting stories about the said tournament).

There is no doubt that Sumant Subramaniam is a strong player and even Stone Master Fadli Zakaria had lost to him before. Here is the said game.

[Event "Selangor Open 2007"]
[Site "Cameron Highlands"]
[Date "2007.04.29"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "Zakaria Fadli"]
[Black "Subramaniam Sumant"]
[ECO "A20"]
[PlyCount "84"]

1. c4 e5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Nc3 Nb6 6. Nf3 Bd6 7. O-O Nc6 8. a3 a5 9. d3 O-O 10. Be3 Re8 11. Rc1 Bf8 12. Bxb6 cxb6 13. Nb5 Be6 14. d4 e4 15. Ne5 Bd5 16. Nc4 Bxc4 17. Rxc4 Rc8 18. Qa4 f5 19. e3 Kh8 20. Rfc1 Qd5 21. Bf1 g5 22. Nc3 Qf7 23. Qb5 Bh6 24. Nd5 f4 25. Nxb6 Rcd8 26. Rc5 fxe3 27. fxe3 g4 28. Re1 Rf8 29. Qe2 Rd6 30. Bg2 Rf6

Better move should be 30...Nxd4 31.exd4 Rxb6 32.Bxe4 Rf6

31. Rc2

Better move should be 31.Qc4 Re6 32.Kh1

31...Qb3 32. Nd7

Black to move.

32...Rf2

The best move which made Stone Master Fadli confused (at least during the game) and finally he made mistake.

33. Qc4?

A mistake by Stone Master which cost him the game. Better move should be 33.Qxf2 Rxf2

33...Qxc2 34. Qxc2 Rxc2 35. Nxf8 Bxf8 36. Bxe4 Rxb2 37. a4 Ra2 38. Rb1 Bb4 39. Rb3 Rxa4 40. d5 Ne5 41. d6 Bxd6 42. Bxb7 Bb4 0-1

Original Source of the game can be found here.

Stone Master or Stonewall Master!?

Fadli Zakaria is a well known chess player as well as chess coach in Malaysia. He uses nick name as Stone Master. To know more about him you may surf his website at: http://stonemaster.info/ .

I do not know why he uses nick name as Stone Master. As far as I know, the only 'stone' in game of chess is Stonewall Attack. There are not many chess masters use this kind of style in playing chess. If Fadli Zakaria is truly concentrates on this variation of playing chess, and then he is truly a Stonewall Master.

Below is a brief explanation about Stonewall Attack.

The Stonewall Attack is a chess opening; more specifically it is a variation of the Queen's Pawn Game. It is characterized by White playing 1.d4, 2.e3, 3.f4 and 4.c3, usually playing 5.Bd3 as well, even though the moves are not always played in that order (see transposition). The Stonewall is a system White sets up, rather than a specific variation. If White puts up the Stonewall formation it is called a Stonewall regardless of how Black chooses to defend against it. When Black sets up a Stonewall formation, with pawns on c6, d5, e6 and f5, it is a variation of the Dutch Defense.

General remarks

As the name implies, the Stonewall setup is a solid formation which is hard to overrun by force. If Black fails to react energetically to the Stonewall setup, White may launch a lethal attack on the Black king, typically by bringing a rook to h3, advancing the g-pawn, and making a well timed bishop sacrifice at h7. Often this attack is so powerful that White does not need to develop the knight and bishop on b1 and c1. Traditionally, chess computers have been vulnerable to the Stonewall because the positions are usually without clear tactical lines. White simply prepares for an assault by bringing pieces to aggressive posts, without making immediate tactical threats. By the time the computer realizes that its king is under attack it is often too late.

The downsides to the Stonewall are the hole on e4, and the fact that the dark squared bishop on c1 is completely blocked by its own pawns. If Black defends correctly against White's attack, these strategic deficiencies can become quite serious. Because of this, the Stonewall Attack is almost never seen in master-level chess anymore, although it is seen occasionally among club players. However, Black playing the Stonewall Variation of the Dutch Defense is seen occasionally at master level.

Black has several ways to meet the Stonewall. One choice which must be made is whether to fianchetto one or both bishops. Another is how to play the pawns in the centre. Black often meets the Stonewall with a ...b6 and ...Ba6 aiming to trade off the dangerous White bishop on d3.

Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings

Since the Stonewall system is used against a variety of Black defenses, the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings has trouble classifying it. Among the codes used are D00 (when Black has played ...d5), A45, and A03, the code for Bird's Opening.


Sample game

This sample game illustrates what can happen if Black defends poorly.

1. d4 d5 2. f4 Nf6 3. e3 e6 4. Nf3 c5 5. c3 Nc6 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. O-O O-O 8. Nbd2 b6 9. Ne5 Bb7 10. g4 Qc7 11. g5 Nd7 12. Bxh7+ Kxh7 13. Qh5+ Kg8 14. Rf3 f6 15. Rh3 fxe5 16. g6, 1-0