While many Australian tournaments are finding it hard to increase their numbers, the 1998 Doeberl Cup was a clear exception to the rule.

The record field of 204 players came a surprise to the organisers who had only expected between 140 and 160 entries. The increase of 60 players from last year made organising the event far harder, but at the same time helped secure the finances of the event for a few more years yet.

The field was not only large, but strong with 1 GM and 6 IM’s taking part. Of the leading titled Australian players only Rogers (overseas commitments), West, Jamieson, and Hill were missing.

Over the last few years the tournament has been shared between GM’s Rogers and Johansen but this year IM Mikhail Gluzman was the winner, albeit in tie-break. Gluzman, who had to be persuaded by the organisers to stay for prize giving ceremony, recovered from a disastrous 14 move loss to Johansen in round 4, to finish on 6/7, equal with Daryl. With the title to be decided by Sum of Opponents Scores, Johansen looked to be home, until Sam Piscopo pulled off an unlikely last round win to put Gluzman half a point in front.

Johansen could consider himself a little unlucky, going through the event undefeated, and reaching a score that would have won outright in previous years.

Mirko Rujevic, tipped by some to be the tournament dark horse, finished outright third on 5.5, defeating IM’s Solomon and Davidovic, drawing with IM Ben Martin, and only losing to Johansen.

Of the other leading players, Solomon, Wohl and Chapman shared 4^th with 5 points with Martin in a group of players on 4.5. Davidovic scored 4/7 while Wallace had to withdraw for medical reasons, after winning his first two games.

Due to the strength of the event many players use the tournament as a chance to impress the selectors and as a result there were a high number of decisive games.

Unlike last year there were very few upsets in the first round with the higher rated players keeping the games under control until their opponents self destructed.

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. e4 d6 4. d4 Bg7 5. Be2 0-0 6. Bg5 h6 7. Be3 e5 8. d5 Na6 9. Qd2 Nc5 10. f3 a5 11. 0-0-0

11. Bxh6 Nfxe4 12. fxe4 Qh4+ 13. g3 Qxh6 is an often seen combination

11. ... h5 12. h4 Bd7 13. Nh3 Qe7 14. Nf2 Rfc8 15. g4 c6?! 16. Bg5 b5? 17. dxc6 Be6 18. Nd5 Nxd5 19. cxd5 1-0

Rujevic has been in good form over the last 12 months and this win over tournament top seed Solomon signalled his determination to do well in this event.

This variation has been analysed heavily over the last few months by none other than Stephen Solomon.

With the benefit of hindsight castling may have been more circumspect.

Although White is now two pawns to the good the pin along the e file is very difficult to deal with.

14. Bb5 Nh5 15. g3

If White really wanted to mix it up he could go for 15. g4 Bxg4 16. fxg4 Qe4 17. Rf1 Qxd4 18. Bd2 [18. gxh5 Bb4+ forces 19. Qxb4 Qxb4+ 20. Kd1] 18. ... Qxg4

Putting the king into safety with 20. Kg1 was probably better.

23. h3?

Now the advantage swings to Black 23. Nc6 Ng4+ 24. Kg2 Ne3++ 25. Kf2 Ng4+ is still equal.

24. Ke2 Nxd2 25. Kxd2 Bb4+

White's pawns provide easy targets for Black's pieces.

The following game seemed to be a smooth win for Wallace, but it appears both players overlooked a serious blunder by Black. Wallace’s judgement may have been affected by ill health as after this game he withdrew from the tournament on medical grounds.

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 c6 4. d3 Bg4 5. Nbd2 Nbd7 6. 0-0 e5 7. e4 Bd6 8. h3 Bh5 9. Qe1 0-0 10. Nh4 Re8 11. Nf5 Bf8 12. Nf3 a5 13. Bg5 a4 14. exd5 cxd5 15. Qd2 Qb6 16. c3 Rad8 17. Qc2 Qa6 18. Rfe1 b5 19. a3 h6 20. Be3 Bg6 21. N3h4 Bh7 22. g4 Nc5 23. Kh1 Nb3 24. Rad1 g5 25. Nf3 Bxf5 26. gxf5 Qc8 27. Rg1?

27. d4 e4 28. Ne5 Qxf5 29. f3

A desperate attempt to expose Black's king, but Wallace should have it all covered.

28. ... hxg5 29. Bxg5 Bg7 30. Bh6 Nh5 31. Qe2 Rf8

31. ... Nf4

32. Be3

32. d4 exd4 33. Bxg7 Nxg7 34. Qxb5 at least allows White to confuse the position.

34. ... e4?

Over the board this looked good for Black but it simply hangs the knight on f4

35. Qg4??

but White allows Black off the hook. 35. Qxf4 Be5 36. Bxe4+ Kh8 37. Bxf5 Bxf4+ 38. Bxf4 loses not 1 but 2 pieces!

35. ... Qxg4 36. hxg4 Rh6+

Now White gets mated whatever he does.

Paul Broekhusse was an Australian Junior Champion in the early eighties and 15 years later he has returned to the fray. After a first round win over IM Alex Wohl he tried an opening normally associated with school chess, against South Australian Mark Chapman.

A provocative move, inviting White to sacrifice on g5

While the complications arising from 12. ... Nxd5 13. Qh5 Ne7 14. Qxf7+ Kd7 15. g6 looks scary, Black holds a clear material advantage.

13. c3! Nc6 14. Qf3 and white is better.

13. ... Nxf6 14. gxf6 Qxf6 15. c3 Ne6 16. Bxe6?!

This exchange allows Black to complete his development.

22. f4 exf4 23. d4 Qg5 24. Rf2 f3 25. e5 fxg2 26. exd6+ Kxd6 Black is better.

The Doeberl Cup has become increasingly important for juniors looking to impress ACF selectors. This game sees the current Australian Junior Champion against the No 1 female junior.

10. Bxf7+ Kxf7 11. Qc4+ Ke8 12. Ng5 leaves Black facing decisive threats on e6 and f7 eg 12. ... e6 [12. ... Nb6 13. Qf7+ Kd7 14. Rd1+ Nbd5 15. Qxg7] 13. Nxe6 Nb6 14. Nxg7+ Kf8 15. Ne6+ Bxe6 16. Qxe6

11. Nxf7

A move too late. Correctly followed up, this move should only lead to equality.

Black had to find the zwischenzug 17. ... Qc6 18. f3 e5 19. Qf2 Kxg7 and black stands better.

22. ... Rf7 (only move)

24. Ree7!

There were a number of brevities in the tournament, but none more surprising than this one. With the middle game just getting started, Gluzman makes one of the greatest blunders in the history of the tournament.

The following short game demonstrates the problem of falling asleep at the wheel. After winning material White forgets where he is going and gets mated in very short order.

A variation much favoured by Ian Hosking from Belconnen Chess Club, the club where Laura played much of her early chess.

Having won the exchange, White now plays for a mate that isn't there. Finishing off his development and getting the king into safety should have been a higher priority.

13. Qg3

With the king being drawn up the board it is Black who has the mating attack.

New Zealand’s No 1 player Ben Martin currently calls Canberra home and the Doeberl Cup is one of the few opportunities that he has to face top level opposition. In this game Martin seems to have a clear advantage until Chapman complicates matters in his own time trouble.

This over ambitious move evaporates Blacks advantage and hands the initiative over to White.

Although White has picked up the knight on a5 the swarm of Black pieces around the White king gives the game a dynamic equality. If 28. Qxd4 Rxd4 29. Rxa5 Nf3+ 30. Rxf3 Bxf3 31. Bb5 Rxh2 32. Bxd3 b6 33. Rb5 Rxd3 34. Nxd3 Re2+ 35. Kf1 Rxd2 then Black is better.

White devises a stunning plan involving a queen sacrifice but taking the draw was better eg 30. Qxf3 Rxh2 31. Qe3 b6 32. Ra6 Rh1+ 33. Kf2 Rh2+ 34. Ke1=

32. Qxf3! Qxf3

In accepting the queen Black has in mind a sequence that nets him a piece 32. ... d2+ 33. Nxd2 Rh1+ 34. Kf2 Rxd2+ 35. Bxd2 Rh2+ 36. Kg3 Rh3+ 37. Kxh3 Qxf3+ 38. Kh4 Qf2+ 39. Kg5 Qxd2 leaves Black with an advantage, albeit an unbalanced one.

35. Bxc6 bxc6 36. Rc4 d2+ 37. Nxd2 Rdxd2 (Black stands better)

Black finds the neatest way to finish the game.

While not quite having the cosmopolitan flavour that last years event had, the open still attracted a few overseas players. Here Ali Uzel, an ELO rated player from Turkey gets upended by a very aggressive Laura Moylan.

Black hopes to generate a kingside attack by offering the g pawn. White ignores the poisoned gift and sets her sights on the Black king.

Rather than grabbing a pawn, White gives one up to speed her attack.

Black jumps from the frying pan and into the fire.

20. Ba7+

20. ... Ka8 21. Bxd7 Rxd7 22. Nb6+ Kxa7 23. Nxd7+ Ka8 24. Nb6+ Kb8 25. Na4 1-0

One of the risks in playing off beat openings is that you may be playing a losing variation without even realising it.

Flitney lost to David Lovejoy with this opening in Round 3 but decides to give it another try.

9. ... a6

Rather than trap the queen on the queenside, Black goes in for a sacrifice that still leaves him with a lost position.

11. Bxc6 bxc6 12. Re1+ Ne7 13. Na4 Bd6 14. Nc5 Bc8 15. Qh5+ g6 16. Qh6 Kf7 17. Re3 f4 18. Rxe7+ Bxe7 19. Qxf4+

"I have refuted the Latvian Gambit" G. Canfell 1-0

After reaching 5 from 5 Johansen still had some work if he hoped to win the tournament. IM Ben Martin seemed to take a gambling policy in this game, forcing Johansen to defend, but just as the dice rolled in his favour, Martin offered a draw.

7. ... Nxd4 8. cxd4 Qxd4 9. Nc3 Nf6 10. Be3 Qb4 11. Qe2 leaves White with a big lead in development in return for a pawn.

8. Nb3 Be7 9. Be3 Qc7 10. c4 Ne5 11. Nc3 Nf6 12. Be2 d6 13. Rc1 b6 14. f4 Ned7

14. ... Nxc4 This pawn contains more than a drop of poison 15. Bxc4 Qxc4 16. Nd2! Qd3 17. Rf3 and White picks up the b pawn to go with his accelerated development.

15. Bf3 Bb7 16. Qe2 Rc8 17. Nd2 0-0 18. g4 h6 19. h4 Rfe8 20. g5 hxg5 21. hxg5 Nh7 22. Rf2

This slow move allows Black to fight back in the centre 22. Bh5 Forcing Black to weaken his kingside with g6 is more consistent with White's aggressive play 22. ... g6 23. Bg4 f5 24. exf5 exf5 25. Bf3 (White is better)

22. ... e5! 23. g6 fxg6 24. Bg4 Bh4 25. Rg2 exf4 26. Bxf4 g5 27. Be3 Re7 28. Bf5 Rf8 29. Rf1 Nhf6 30. Nd5 Bxd5 31. cxd5 Rfe8 32. Be6+

and in this position the game was agreed a draw. The question is "Did White offer too early?" eg 32. ... Kh7 33. Bxg5 Bxg5 34. Rxg5 and Whites attack seems to be getting stronger; 32. ... Kh8 33. Rh2 Nh7 34. Nf3 is better still ; 32. ... Kf8 33. Qh5 forces 33. ... Rxe6 34. dxe6 Rxe6 35. Bxg5 Bxg5 36. Rxg5 Kg8 37. Qh6 and again Black is in trouble; while 32. ... Rxe6 33. dxe6 Rxe6 is the best choice for Black although White still holds an edge 1/2-1/2

Just when many thought that the Gluzman Johansen clash in round 4 was the shortest game of the tournament, along comes this effort to top it. Curtis walks into trap which is not entirely fatal, but rather than play on in a hopeless position, takes the quick way out.

Daryl took a half point lead into the last round but with Wohl as his opponent anything could happen.

After an opening that could cheerfully be described as "original", White begins to make threatening gestures on the kingside.

20. ... Bf5 21. Bxf5 gxf5 22. Qe2 h6 23. Nf3 Qd5 24. Rfd1 Qe6 25. a5 b5 26. Na3 c4 27. Nc2 a6 28. Ncd4 Nxd4 29. Nxd4 Qg6 30. Qf3 e6 31. Nc6 Rfe8 32. Nb4 Bf8

And Black offered a draw which was accepted by White after some thought. If White wanted to try for more (and an undivided share of first) then 33. Rd7 Bxb4 34. cxb4 Nd5 35. Bc5 but Black should hold comfortably 1/2-1/2

Martin was undefeated up until this point and if he had accepted Gluzman’s 3^rd move draw offer he would have remained that way. Gluzman on the other hand needed to win the game to have a chance of first place. Maybe the offer was just a psychological ploy? If it was, it certainly worked.

Draw Offer.

An emphatic rejection!

Weakening the kingside

16. Bxf6 Bxf6 17. Nxf7! wins a pawn as 17. ... Kxf7 18. Qxh7+ Bg7 19. Bxg6+ Kf8 20. f5 leaves White much better.

16. ... Nh5 was Black’s last hope of salvation 17. Bxe7 Qxe7 18. Nxc6 Bxc6 19. f5 Bd7

White is now winning

Fourth place prize money and South Australian pride were riding on this game. With Davidovic returning to competition after a long lay off, Chapman had every reason to feel in with a chance, and so it turned out.

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. g3 0-0 5. Bg2 d6 6. Nc3 c6 7. 0-0 Qa5 8. e4 e5 9. dxe5 dxe5 10. Qc2

10. Qd6 Rd8 11. Qxe5 Nd5! 12. Qg5 h6 13. Qxd8+ Qxd8 14. Rd1 is a wild alternative.

Sacrificing on f7 is tempting eg 18. Nxf7 Kxf7 [18. ... cxb4 19. Nxd8 b3 20. Qc3 Rxd8 (+=)] 19. Qxc4+ Be6 20. Qxa6 and white stands better.

The last round of an event often makes the difference been a successful tournament and a waste of a weekend. For lower rated players reaching 50% is often an achievement, regardless of the field faced.

15. ... Rxc6 16. Nc5 Qxd2 17. Bxd2=

While playing aggressive openings as Black is a laudable trait in many Australian juniors, having them blow up in your face is always a risk. The Dragon has become a popular choice over the last few years but as the following game demonstrates, not being able to choose between defence and counterplay is an invitation to get torn apart.

White decides that the best strategy is to blow the Dragon out of the water.

While this sacrifice is often seen in the Dragon, it is usually an attacking move, not a defensive one.

Ripping apart Black's kingside

=1^st IM Michael Gluzman, GM Daryl Johansen 6/7

3^rd Mirko Rujevic 5.5/7

=4th IM Stephen Solomon, IM Alex Wohl, Mark Chapman 5/7