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The Campbell Report
Hard Chess
with USCF Master Mark Morss
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Castaldo - Morss, USCF-92CM96 [C58]

The White pieces were commanded by Angelo Castaldo of Sunnyvale, California.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 8.Qf3

This very sharp idea has lately been championed by Van der Weil.

8...Rb8! 9.Bd3

9.Bxc6+ Nxc6 10.Qxc6+ Nd7 11.d3 Be7 12.Nf3 0-0 13.Qe4 Rb4 14.Qe2 e4 15.dxe4 Nc5 16.Nc3 Ba6 17.Qd1 Qa5 was extremely promising for Black in Ziherl-Krzisnik, Yugoslavia 1956.

9...h6 10.Ne4 Nd5 11.Nec3

This is unbooked, and appears to be inferior to the theoretical moves.

11.Nbc3 Nf4 12.Bf1 f5 13.Ng3 g6 14.d3 Bg7 favored Black in Paoli-Kruger, Buchurest 1954;

11.0-0 Nb4! favors Black;

11.b3 Van der Wiel's move. 11...Nf4 12.Bf1 f5 13.Nec3 Bb7 14.d3 c5 15.Qg3 Qf6 16.Bxf4 exf4 17.Qxf4 Bd6 18.Qa4+ Nc6 and Black seems to have good compensation for the two pawns. Spiegel-Mari Arul, Goodricke 1997.

Castaldo-Morss(a)
Game position after 11. Nec3

11...Bd6

11...g6!? 12.0-0 Bg7 with compensation.

12.a3?

White simply does not have time for this.

12.Nxd5 cxd5 13.Qxd5 (13.Nc3 e4 14.Qe3 0-0 15.Be2 Bb7 is unclear) 13...0-0

A. 14.Qe4 f5 15.Qe3 Bb7 with unclear prospects but seemingly not unfavorable for Black (15...Rb4!? is another idea);

B. 14.Qf3 f5 is also unclear but probably good for Black;

C. 14.0-0 Bb7 is very good for Black.

12...0-0 13.b4?

Worse and worse.

13.Nxd5 cxd5 14.Qe3 (14.Qxd5 Bb7 is great for Black) 14...Nc6 with ample compensation;

13.0-0 f5 with good play for Black.

13...f5 14.Nxd5 e4 15.Qe2 exd3

15...cxd5 is also highly favorable to Black, but I wanted to open the e-file.

16.Qxd3 cxd5 17.Qxd5+ Kh8 18.Qxa5 Re8+ 19.Kd1

19.Kf1 Qe7 and there is no defense.

19...Qg5 20.Re1 Qg4+

This is an important finesse, as will be seen.

21.f3 Rxe1+ 22.Kxe1 Qxg2 23.Qd8+ Kh7 24.Qxd6 Ba6 0-1

Castaldo-Morss(b)
Game position after 24...Ba6

A position fraught with irony. White resigned.

Copyright © 1999 by Mark F. Morss

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