I remember how it all started. Mum took me to an RJ Shield chess tournament one Sunday afternoon when I was 8 years old. I scored only 2 points! Look how far I’ve progressed…

The Oceania Zonal is a very strong chess tournament held every 2 years. The best players from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Papua New Guinea are vying win the event. The winner qualifies to the World Interzonal, which is in turn a qualifier for the World Championships.

Also on offer is the prestigious International Master title! A lot of people were fighting for the IM title. To be honest, I didn’t think I would get it. But you never know in these tournaments; 7 days, 9 rounds. It is a fitness test and only the strong get through.

I started the tournament well, scoring 1.5/2 in the first 2 games, the draw against IM George Xie, Australia’s 4th highest rated player. The next 2 games were very successful. I beat 2 experienced players; Michael Steadman from New Zealand and Moulthun Ly from Queensland. Moulthun is a former Australian Junior Champion!

I was very happy.

My win in round 5 against IM Gary Lane sent me over the moon. I was equal first in the tournament with Igor Bjelobrk! In the 6th round, I drew against World Transfer Champion Igor Bjelobrk. Then there was the rest day and boy, did I need that! I was ecstatic but also very tired. I think it showed: in Round 7 I lost to Australia’s #2 player, Grandmaster David Smerdon. I was winning, but alas…

This was difficult. I suddenly had fallen back to Earth and needed to regroup for Round 8. I was playing against IM Vladimir Feldman who would surely give his utmost to beat me. A tense struggle followed. He found himself in trouble early but played a correct pawn sacrifice to gain the initiative. I was forced to defend! I defended well and eventually won with a nice combination (see Zonal Tactics article later in the newsletter).

Other players were progressing, eager for the IM title, all on the same score as me:

Igor Bjelobrk – playing well and a win would almost certainly give him the title.

Tomek Rej – also playing at his peak and had the best tiebreak of all of us, but with the difficult task of playing Smerdon in the last round.

Bobby Cheng and Michael Steadman. After bad starts, both began to play phenomenally well. Bobby Cheng is a very talented junior and there was nothing stopping him in the last round. Michael Steadman was half a point behind but still a chance.

When I discovered my opponent I nearly fainted. IM Stephen Solomon! Solomon is the current Australian Champion. I had beaten him a month earlier, but that would just make him stronger: he was out for revenge! I have to admit, I was scared…

I went into the final round nervous and jittery. I played the opening inaccurately and found myself worse. I began to knuckle down and defend but wasn’t sure whether it would be enough. To refresh my mind I got up and looked at the other games.

Bjelobrk was playing Australia’s top rated player, GM Zhong Yuan Zhao. But when I looked, Igor was on top. Not good. Then I looked at Tomek Rej’s game. Tomek was a pawn up but his position was dangerous. If he could hold out then he wouldn’t lose. This was also bad. Then Bobby Cheng’s game. He had a nagging advantage against George Xie. Again, bad. Michael Steadman was also winning. So it didn’t look good for me at all…

But I defended very well! I even won a rook for a knight, but he had compensation and I had to give it back. It became an equal ending. I knew that without Stephen stuffing up I couldn’t win. I made a move and looked around the tournament hall again. This time it looked a lot brighter: Tomek Rej had lost against Smerdon and Bobby could only draw. Igor was also drawing. After Tomek, I had the best tiebreak so a draw would guarantee my IM title! I sat back down, looked at Stephen and offered a draw. I waited tensely for his response. But he declined! He was trying to beat me.

So I began to set up a fortress. He was trying to win my pawns on the kingside, but I stopped him. There was no way through. I saw that Igor had drawn with the GM. I only needed a draw. Which was the result! He offered me a draw when he realized that he couldn’t win. I quickly shook his outstretched hand and accepted. I had become an IM!!!

I finished equal second in the tournament, behind GM Smerdon and sharing second with GM Zhao, Bjelobrk, IM’s Xie and Solomon, Cheng and Steadman, who won his game after all. It was an incredible experience for me, which finally established my presence as a strong junior chess player.

My personal favorite game: Round 5. The win against IM Gary Lane was astounding. He only played one dubious move and his position fell apart!

James Morris (2114) – Gary Lane (2371)

Oceania Zonal 2009 Tweed Heads, Gold Coast 22.06.2009

1. d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 The opening Black employs is known as the King’s Indian Defence. In the main line, Black tries to generate a kingside attack, while White attacks on the queenside. However, I decided before the game that I would play a sideline, as a surprise. 4. Nf3 0–0 5.e4 d6 6.Be2 Nbd7 7.0–0 e5 This is all main line; but my next move isn’t! 8. h3!? Usually White plays 8. d5 here, but by playing 8. h3 I have made it clear that I’m not going to do that! [8.d5 Ne8 9.Ne1 f5 10.f3 Nef6 11.Be3 f4 12.Bf2 is how the story usually goes.] 8…h6 9. Be3 c6 10.Qd2 Notice the quiet little threat to the h6 pawn, which moved up so innocuously earlier. 10…Kh7 To defend the pawn. 11. Rfd1 Qe7 12.dxe5 This is the main idea of this setup for White: control of the open file! [12.d5? would be bad for White, as after 12...c5! 13. a3 Ne8 14.Ne1 f5 15.f3 f4 16.Bf2 g5 and Black's attack is stronger than White's.] 12…dxe5 13.Rac1!? A mysterious rook move! The idea is to eventually play the pawn to c5, to control the d6 square. 13…Nc5! A nice move, intending to put the knight on e6, where it controls f4. It also forces me to defend my e4 pawn. 14. Qc2 Nh5 Black’s plan is orientated around the f4 square. He wants to put a knight there and play his pawn to f5. 15. b4! To kick away the knight, and play my pawn to c5. 15…Ne6 16.c5! My plan is complete! 16…Nef4 And so is his. However, putting this knight there might be wrong. Maybe 16…Nhf4 would be more accurate. 17. Bf1 f5?! But this is too early. Soon it becomes clear that it is Black’s king that is attacked, not White’s! 18. Rd6! Of course! That’s my favourite square! The rook is very powerful here, on this outpost. 18…Nf6 19.Bxf4! His knight was a strong piece, but my bishop was just getting in the way, so logically I should swap off. I also get complete control of the centre as well. 19…exf4 20.Re1! Threatening to take his pawn on f5, uncovering a discovered attack on his queen. 20…Qc7 21.e5! Now d6 is firmly secure, and I have a powerful past pawn. His knight also has to go back. 21…Ne8 22.Rdd1 Qf7 Trying to play 23…Nc7 and 24…Be6, when he is fully developed, and can try to set up a defense. But not on my watch! 23. Ne2! Attacking the pawn on f4, and preparing to move around to d4. I arrived at the decision to play this because I saw that my knight wasn’t doing anything. Every other piece could leap in to the game. But the knight on c3 was doing nothing. So I moved it. Ironically, it becomes the chief destroyer of Black’s position! 23…g5 The only way to defend his pawn, but this weakens his king. Still, giving it up was hopeless, but here he has a little more chance to hold. 24. Ned4 Preparing a nasty tactical blow. However, Black can’t stop it without losing his blockade. 24…Nc7?! [24...Kh8 was the only chance, but after 25.Bc4 Qc7 (25...Qg6 26.e6! Nc7 27.e7 Re8 28.Qb3 is winning the house) 26.e6! b5 (26...Nf6 27.Ne5) 27.Bb3 a5 28.a3 and White is crushing.]

White to Play

25.e6! Nxe6?! The only move is 25…Qg6, but it won’t be long before Black’s defences crumble. 26. Nxf5! Kh8 [26...Qxf5? 27. Bd3 wins the queen.] 27. Nd6 Qc7 28.Bc4 Nd8 29.Ne8! A pretty finish; if 29…Qb8, 30. Qg6 and Black can’t avoid mate without losing everything! 1–0