Buzzer-beater clinches chess title for Texas Tech SPICE

SANDS: Buzzer-beater clinches chess title for Texas Tech
By David R. Sands
The Washington Times
Tuesday, April 10, 2012

To the disappointment of basketball fans everywhere, this year’s hardwood version of the collegiate Final Four featured no buzzer-beaters, no last-minute 3-pointers to win the game. Happily, the collegiate chess version of the Final Four, won for the second straight year by the Texas Tech Knight Raiders earlier this month, offered a bit more excitement as the clocks ticked down on the decisive game.

Tied with rivals University of Texas-Dallas and the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, Tech GM Andre Diamant appeared totally busted in his last-round game against UT-D IM Conrad Holt. “In a normal game, I would resign because my position was terrible,” Diamant later admitted in Chess Life Online.

After a series of second-best moves by Holt, however, Diamant dug in and found a way to force a draw with both players just seconds away from a time forfeit.

The half-point proved the final margin of victory, giving the Raiders their second straight President’s Cup.

In a Caro-Kann Panov-Botvinnik Attack, Diamant as White is holding his own until 18. Qe2 Rfe8 19. Rad1?! (giving up the a-pawn is no big loss for now, but White shouldn’t let Black get his cramping next move in for free) d4 20. Bd2 Bxa2 21. Qe4 g6 22. Qf4 Qc5, when it might have been time for 23. Qxh6!? Nxe5 24. Bg5 Qf8 25. Qh4 f6 26. Rxe5!? fxe5 (Rxe5? 27. Bxf6 Rh5 28. Qg3 Qxf6 29. Qxb8+ and wins) 27. Bxg6 Qg7 28. Be4, with real compensation for the sacrificed exchange.

But after 23. Rc1?! Qf8 24. Qg3 Qg7, White’s attack fizzles, and by 31. Rxc6 Rxb4, Holt has a material edge and a distinct initiative. White’s game may not be resignable, but after 32. e6 (Bxb4? Qxb4 33. Qe3 [Rd1 Be4] d2 34. Rd1 Rd3 35. Qe2 Qd4+ 36. Kh1 Re3 37. Qf1 Qa4 38. Rb6 Qxd1! 39. Qxd1 Re1+ 40. Qxe1 dxe1=Q mate) Bxe6 33. Rcxe6? (trying — and failing — to change the dynamic of the position) fxe6 34. Qg4 Rb6! 35. Qxg6+ Qg7, White is on the verge of losing.

But Holt later admitted he lost the thread of the game, while Diamant made the very most of his chances: 36. … Rb2? (the solid 36. … Kh7 was better) 37. Rxe6! Rb6 (Rxd2 38. Rg6 Re2 39. Qxh6 Rd7 40. Kf1 Ree7 41. Rxg7+ Rxg7 42. Qh5 is equal) 38. Re3 Rg6 39. Qf3 Qa1+ 40. Re1 Qb2 41. Qf2 Qd4 42. Re8+!, another inspired move that makes the winning side’s chore much harder.

With 47. Qe5!, the White queen takes up a dominating central post, and when the bishop also lines up on the long diagonal, Black’s winning edge has vanished. In the final position, Black agrees to the draw because there’s no hope of an endgame breakthrough in lines such as 57. … Qg6 58. Qxg7+ Qxg7 59. Be5 h5 60. Bxg7+ Kxg7 61. Kf2 Kf6 62. Ke3 Kf5 63. Ke3 Kf5 64. Kg2 Kxf4 65. Kh2 Kg4 66. Kh1 Kg3 67. Kg1 h3 68. Kh1.

Full article here.