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Hartman-Bailey (Brantford Active - Round 4) Notes by IM Hartman
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be2 Bg7 7.O-O O-O 8.Bg5
To my knowledge, this was first researched by Alekhine. Nickoloff and I spent many hours developing various
White schemes against Black responses, and while Bryon ultimately felt Black could equalize, I have used it
from time to time with good results.
8...Nc6
For 8...Nbd7 one reference is my game versus IM McCambridge from the 1985 Chicago International,
which Day (my roomate at the event) graciously put in his Toronto Star column at the time.
9.Nb3 Be6
There are other ideas for Black. Bryon developed a positional plan
against say ...Bd7/...b5 plans via Re1, Bf1, Nd5, attempting to pressure Black into exchanging on d5.
10.f4 b5
This was considered theory even in the 1940s...
11.Bf3 a5
This was new to me, and seemed an over-reaction.
12.a4 Bb3 13.cxb3 b4 14.Nb5
I suspect Doug only anticpated the weaker 14.Nd5 thus his earlier moves.
14...Rc8 15.Kh1 Qd7? 16.Bxf6 Bxf6 17.e5 Bg7 18.h3!?
A partially psychological move as I was originally intending the simpler 18.Bg4, with a clear advantage,
however, I couldn't see how Black could withstand the pressure and I went for a quicker invasion.
18...h5 19.exd6 Rfd8 20.f5 gxf5 21.Bxc6 Rxc6 22.Qxh5 e6 23.Qg5
The simple, but key move - White will trade along the c-file, and ultimately promote his passed pawn.
23...Kf8 24.Rac1 Rdc8 25.Rxc6 Rxc6 26.Rc1 Be5
Not wanting to lose via simply pawn promotion/domination themes, Doug pleases the audience.
27.Qe7+ Kg8
(If instead the trickier 27...Kg7, then 28.Re1 is simple enough)
28.Rd1 1-0