R6 Ong of Singapore

3rd ASEAN Primary School Sport Olympiad
Jakarta, Indonesia
R6 Standard Event G/90
W: Calvin ONG [Singapore]
B: Rhal SOL CRUZ [Philippines]
Scotch Game

1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4
This is Rhal's close encounter of the third kind with the Scotch Game (vs NM Andrew Vasquez in MERALCO Summer Workshop in May 2009 and Jesca Docena in Shell NCR in June 2009). However, those games have not been analyzed prior to this tournament. Mea culpa.

3... exd4 4 Bc4 - Scotch Gambit

4... g6
If you are a Two Knights Defence player, then your obvious choice against the Scotch Gambit is 4...Nf6.This gives you the same position as you would get after 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Nf6 4 d4 exd4, with White’s options being 5 e5, 5 0-0 and the less reliable 5 Ng5. On the other hand, if you prefer to defend 3 Bc4 by 3...Bc5 then you will probably meet the Scotch Gambit by 4...Bc5. The alternatives for timid souls are 4...Be7 and 4...d6 when a Hungarian Defence position will arise if White now recaptures on d4. The Kibitzer, http://www.chesscafe.com/text/kibitz74.pdf

So the bottom line of the Scotch Gambit , 4 Bc4, is that 4... Bb4+?! is to be avoided, 4...Nf6 is the safe choice and 4... Bc5 is the most double-edged. Transpo Tricks in Chess

GM Bong notes that 4... Bc5 maybe dangerous, but after the small combination by White, Black gains the initiative; 5.Ng5 Nh6 6.Nxf7 Nxf7 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Qxc5 d6.


IM Rico Mascarinas, the coach of the Singapore Team, recommends the simple 4... d6 to control the center and release the B.

NM Efren Bagamasbad assessed 3... g6 as passive move but playable. The fianchetto is my instruction to Rhal whenever he meets an opening he is not familiar with.

5 Nxd4 Bg7 6 Be3 Nge7 [6... Nf6] 7 Nc3 O-O 8 a3

8... a6? [10... d6]
Always seek to control the center so that your pieces can more easily move around the board and switch attacks from side to side. Chess Fundamentals 

NM Bagamasbad rates a6 as a wasted move and recommends d6 - center play and opening the diagonal for the B.

9 Qd2 b5 10 Bb3 Re8 [10... d6] 11 O-O-O Bb7 [11... Na5] 12 f3 Na5 13 Ba2 

13... c5? [13... d5]
A timely undermining move, an attack on the opponent's pawn chain with our own pawn, enables us to open lines for our pieces and to weaken or altogether eliminate the strong enemy pawns. Strategic Play

14 Nde2 Rc8??
[14... b4 15 axb4 cxb4 16 Na4 with advantage for White but if 16 Nd5 Bxd5 or 16 Nb1 Nec6 with advantage for Black]
 
15 Qxd7
The precious d-pawn falls to the hand of Gollum.

15... Qxd7 16 Rxd7 b4 17 Nb1

17... Rcd8??
GM Bong Villamayor: 17... Bc6 could have created counter-play. Black's development compensates for the pawn.

18 Rxd8 +-

Result: 1-0