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J. Andrews (1028)-Brill (871)
American Postal
Chess League Championship 1973
Chess Player
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Sicilian Defense,
Narjdorf Variation

I was at my best playing postal chess, where you weren't limited with what you could see with a chess clock ticking. With hours of analysis, I could gain a deeper understanding of the positions and have a much better chance of finding the best move.

Here's a game where I positionally outplayed a master (at that time, the postal chess rating system didn't correspond to the standard over-the-board rating system), and zoomed in for the kill. I was playing the Narjdorf variation of the Sicilian Defense, an opening I love to play as white or black.

I submitted the annotated game to The Chess Correspondent Magazine for their Game of the Month. It didn't win the award, but they did publish it.

1. e4, c5; 2. Nf3, d6; 3. d4, cxd4; 4. Nxd4, Nf6; 5. Nc3, a6;

The long-popular Narjdorf Variation of the Sicilian Defense, sharp and complex, with chances for both sides.

6. Be3

A rarely-played line at the time, to get me out of the books.

6...e5; 7. Nf3

More active is 7. Nb3, aiming for an eventual f4. Blocking the f-pawn limits white's options.

7...b5; 8. a3?

White plays too passively for the Sicilian. Better is 8. a4!?

8...Bb7; 9. Bd3?

The bishop on d3 is no better than a pawn. It also blocks White's only semi-open file. Protecting the e-pawn with Nd2, followed by Be2 and an eventual f4 is still be best development strategy. Now black gets the better game.

9...Nbd7; 10. 0-0, Be7; 11. Re1, 0-0; 12. h3, h6; 13. Nd2

The knight should have gone here on move 9.

13...d5!

Having completed his development, Black strikes a decisive blow against the center, opening up the game and seizing the newly opened lines. In general, it's very good for black if he can play d5 in the Sicilian.

14. exd5, Nxd5; 15. Nxd5, Bxd5; 16. b4?

Stopping black's pawns from advancing on the Queenside, but creating a backwards pawn and weaknesses on the half-open C-file.

16...Rb8; 17. Nf1

Threatening 18. Bb5!

17...Be6; 18. Bc1 f5!

The game is positionally won for Black. The central pawn-roller cannot be stopped.

19. Bb2, Bf6; 20.Ng3, Be4; 21. Bxf6, Nf6; 22. Be2, Qc7

The backwards c-pawn is doomed.

23. c3, Rfd8; 24. Qc2? e6!
Andrew-Brill Diagram

The winning move. White should have played 24. Qc1, when he would have lost the c-pawn and the ending.

Now Black threatens to win the knight with 25...ef2+, 26. Kf2, Qf4+, for if 27. Bf3?? Rd2+ wins. White parries this threat and loses a rook instead. The rest, as they say, is a matter of technique.

25. Bf3 Rd2; 26. Qc1, exf2+; 27, Kh1, fxe1Q+; 28. Qxe1, Qd6; 29. Ne2, Ne4; 30. Bxe4, fxe4; 31. Nd4, Rb2; 32. Rd1?, Bh3; 33. Rd2, Rd2; 34. Qd2, Bg4; 35. Qe3, Rf8; 36. Kg1, Qf4; 37. Qf4, Rf4; 38. Nc2, Kf7; White resigns.