Sunday, August 26, 2007

A Rogers Classic

The great Aussie chess star's retirement has hit the pages of the Washington Times. In his latest column, David Sands features news of Rogers' sad announcement last month and also gives an analysis of Rogers - Huebner played way back in 1988 in New Zealand. That game is an Australian classic, it seems, that I, admittedly, had not previously seen. Worth examining for any student of the Sicilian.

Read Mr Sands' column here. The game should be available in any descent database but here is the PGN anyway for your convenience.

[Event "Wellington+"]
[Site "Wellington"]
[Date "1988.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Rogers, Ian"]
[Black "Huebner, Robert"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B92"]
[WhiteElo "2575"]
[BlackElo "2595"]
[PlyCount "77"]
[EventDate "1988.03.??"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "NZL"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2004.01.01"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. Be2 O-O 9. g4 Be6 10. g5 Nfd7 11. Qd2 Nb6 12. h4 N8d7 13. O-O-O Rc8 14. Kb1 Nc4 15. Bxc4 Rxc4 16. f3 Qc7 17. h5 Rc8 18. g6 fxg6 19. hxg6 hxg6 20. Nd5 Qd8 21. c3 R4c6 22. Rdg1 Nf8 23. f4 exf4 24. Nxf4 d5 25. Nxd5 Rc4 26. Bd4 Bxd5 27. Rh8+ Kf7 28. exd5 Qxd5 29. Rf1+ Bf6 30. Bxf6 Qe4+ 31. Ka1 gxf6 32. Re1 Qf5 33. Nd4 Qg5 34. Qh2 Rxd4 35. Rxf8+ Kxf8 36. Qh8+ Kf7 37. Qxc8 Qe5 38. Qxb7+ Kf8 39. Qh1 1-0

Lastly, if you've not seen it - an audio recording of Ian post his retirement announcement is available on the SACA website. With thanks to sources in Chess Chat and note, too, Jonathan Paxman's tip on how to handle the "ogg" file. (No idea if Jonathan is related to Jeremy Paxman who's been hitting the headlines in the UK yesterday).

2 comments:

The blindman said...

Jeremy is probably distantly related via a branch of the Paxmans that lived around Framlingham in Suffolk in the 1700s.

Not that you own up to being related to Jeremy Paxmans in England..

Anonymous said...

GM Ian Roger's game against Gilberto Milos at the 1992 Manila Chess Oylmpiad is sensational. Rogeres first sacrifices a piece, then the exchange and then his queen for a beautiful checkmate.