Chess (April): Jakovenko, Gunina win Euro Championships; Caruana, Hou still hot

[Jack Rabbit]

Last edited Thu Apr 5, 2012, 06:20 PM - Edit history (1)

The JR Chess Report and Gloat Free Scores theme music: Merrick, The Look Sharp, Be Sharp March (From a broadcast of The Gillette Cavalcade of Spots).

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[font size="4"]Jakovenko wins European General Championship[/font]


[font size="1"]Photo by http://www.flickr.com/photos/karpidis/ karpidis modified from http://www.flickr.com/photos/8022405@N02/1795364276/ flickr in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jakovenko_Dmitry.jpg Wikimedia Commons (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
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Russian GM Dmitry Olegovich Jakovenko won the European general championship yesterday in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, when he defeated grandmaster Lauren Fressinet of France in 42 moves to take first prize away from the Frenchman.

Dmitry Olegovich finished the tournament in a clear first place with 8½ point out of 11 rounds. M. Fressinet, who started the day in alone first place with 8 points, was awarded second place. Russian grandmaster Vladimir Malakhov, who is a physicist in his day job, also scord 8 points took thrid place on tie break over eleven other players who scored 8 points.

There were 348 players participating in Plovdiv. The women's championship was held seperately this year.


[font size="4"]Valentina Gunina takes European Women's Title[/font]


[font size="1"]Photo by http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Nevit Nevit Dilmen in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Antep_1250575.jpg Wikimedia Commons (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
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Russian international master Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina won the European Women's Championship when she defeated Slovenian GM Anna Olegivna Muzychuk in the 11th and final round in Gaziantep, Turkey, on March 14.

Valentina Evgenyevna, Anna Olegivna and Russian grandmaster Tatiana Anatolyevna Kosintseva all finished wit 8½ points out of a possible 11. Valentina Evgenyevna took first on tie brask, followed by Tatiana Anatolyevna in second and Anna Olegivna in third.

Anna Olegivna entered the final round alone in first place by a full point, needing only a draw to secure the championship. She struggled during her game with Valentina Evgenyevna and, from an inferior but not lost position, blundered into allowing checkmate on her final move. Meanwhile, Tatiana Anatolyevna with Black defeated grandmaster Nana Dzagnidze of Georgia.


[font size="4"]Fabiano Continues Winning Ways in Reykjavik[/font]


[font size="1"]Photo by http://www.flickr.com/people/39649493@N00 Ted Cross from http://www.flickr.com/photos/39649493@N00/2307926939 flickr (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
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Nineteen-year-old grandmaster Fabiano Caruana won the 2012 Reykjavik Open in Iceland with 7½ points in nine rounds on March 13.

Fabiano entered the final round alone in first place, a half point ahead of reigning world women's champion Hou Yifan, Ivan Sokolov of Holland, and Israeli GM Boris Avrukh. Fabiano's last round opponent was Hou Yifan, who after some early difficulties took the advantage over Fabiano and had a winning position momentarily before faltering and having to settle for a draw. Mh. Sokolov and Mr. Avrukh also played to a draw.

For Hou Nushi, it was the second strong international open that she come within a hair of winning. In January, she lost a blitz playoff for first place to British GM Nigel Short in Gibraltar.

For il signore Caruana, it continues his red hot streak which started in Wijk aan Zee and continued into the Aeroflot Open in Moscow.


[font size="4"]Harikrishna takes top pize in Cappelle-la-Grande[/font]


[font size="1"]Photo by http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Samson1964 Frank Hoppe in http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category entala_Harikrishna Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)
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Indian grandmaster Pentala Harikrishna, who won the B Group in the Tata Steel Tournament in January, won the 28th International Open in Cappelle-la-Grande, France, near Dunkirque, with 7 points out of nine rounds.

Sri Harikrishna was awarded first place by tiebreaks over for other grandmasters who scored 7 points. There were Sri Harikrishna's compatriot, Parimarjan Negi, Tornike Sanikidze of Georgia, French GM Tigran Gharamian and Martyn Kravtsiv of Ukraine.


[font size="4"]Chinese Championships Underway[/font]


[font size="1"]Photo by http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Nicolas_M._Perrault Nicolas Perrault in http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Great_Wall_of_China Wikipedia (Public Domain)
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The Chinese Championships began March 27 in Xinghua, with a general group and a women's group of twelve players each.

Two-time champion Ding Liren, who won the title a year ago, is currently in fist place in the general group with 4½ points in five rounds. Yun Yangyi is currently in second place with 3½ points. Reigning world women's champion Hou Yifan is palying in the general again this year, hoping to improve on her recent successes in Gibraltar and Reykjavik. She is currently on 2 points.

In the women's group, Qi Guo is leading with 4 points out of five, a half point ahead of ratings favorite Ju Wenjun, Zhang Xiaowen and Huang Qian.

Both groups will play eleven rounds. The tournament will end April 7. The games may be followed live on the website of China Qiyuan beginning at 2:30 pm in Xinghua (11:30 pm the previous evening PDT) except for the last round, which begins at 9 am (6 pm the previous day PDT).


[font size="3"]April Events[/font]

Chinese Championships, Xinghua 27 March-7 April
Philadelphia Open 4-9 April
Bundesliga Final Weekend, Baden-Beden, Berlin (König Tegel), Dortmund, Mülheim 14/15 April. Baden-Baden going for another championship. They will be at home against Eppingen on Saturday and Hockenheim Sunday.
International Seniors Cup, Bad Wiessee, Germany 21-29 April. Wolfgang Uhlmann is the top seed.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. March Games

Your humble hare acknowledges the assistance of Rybka 4 and Fritz 13 on analysis.

Diagrams on the Jack Rabbit Chess Report are made with Aquarium, a commercially available interface for Rybka.

Diagrams and other images are hosted on imgur.com.
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BLACK



WHITE
White to move
(This position is a theoretical draw)
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I would like to thank my impressive and loyal staff: Buccaneer, Spitfire, Desperado, Swashbuckler, Pancho and Robin Hood.

[Jack Rabbit]

2. European General Championship, Plovdiv

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[center]Roman Amphitheater, Plovdiv, Bulgaria[/center][font size="1"]Photo: Club der am Montag Vormittag vom Wahnsinn getriebenen Schüler http://www.cdamvvwgs.ch.vu/ in Wikimedia Commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RomanTheaterPlovdiv.jpg (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
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[Jack Rabbit]

3. Jakovenko - Fressinet, Round 11

Last edited Sun Apr 22, 2012, 03:13 PM - Edit history (2)

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[center]Dmitry Jakovenko[/center][font size="1"]Photo by http://www.flickr.com/photos/karpidis/ karpidis modified from http://www.flickr.com/photos/8022405@N02/1795364276/ flickr in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jakovenko_Dmitry.jpg Wikimedia Commons (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
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Dmitry Jakovenko - Laurent Fressinet
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1662531
13th European Championship, Round 11
Plovdiv, 31 March 2012

Orthodox Queen's Gambit: Nimzo-Ragozin Defense (Exchange Variation)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 Nf6

• The usuual move order is 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Bb4

[center]BLACK[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE[/center][center]Orthodox Queen's Gambit: Nimzo-Ragozin Defense[/center][center]Position after 4...Bb4[/center]

5.cxd5

• The text is the exchange variation.
• [font color="red"](Main Line)[/font] If [font color="red"]5.Bg5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]5...h6 6.Bxf6 Qxf6 7.e3 0-0 8.Rc1 dxc4 9.Bxc4 c5 10.0-0 cxd4 11.exd4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]11...Nc6 12.Ne4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]12...Qf4 13.Qe2 Rd8 14.g3 Qg4 15.Rfd1 Bd7 16.a3[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]16...Be7 17.Qe3 Be8 18.b4 a6 19.Be2 Qh3 20.Nc5 Bxc5 21.dxc5[/font] gives White the advantage in space (Gelfand-Piket, FIDE Knock Out, New Dehli, 2000).
• [font color="burgundy"]16...Bf8 17.Qe3 Be8 18.b4 Qh5 19.Be2 Qf5 20.Nh4 Qh7 21.Nc5 g5 22.Nf3 Rab8 23.Bc4 Qg7 24.d5 exd5 25.Bxd5 Ne7[/font] gives White excellent winning chances (Magai-Mitkov, Ol, Istanbul, 2000).
• [font color="darkorange"]12...Qd8 13.a3 Ba5 14.Qd3 Bb6 15.Rfd1 Qe7 16.Bb5 Bd7 17.Nc5 Be8 18.Qc3[/font] gives White the advantage in space (Topalov-J. Polgar, IT, Madrid, 1997).
• [font color="magenta"]11...Rd8 12.Ne4 Qe7 13.Qe2 Nc6 14.Rfd1 Ba5 15.Bb5 Bd7 16.Ne5 Rac8 17.Bxc6 Bxc6 18.Nxc6 Rxc6 19.Rxc6 bxc6[/font] is equal (Cebalo-Dizdar, Croatian Ch, Vukovar, 2005).
• If [font color="darkred"]5...dxc4 6.e4 c5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]7.Bxc4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Qa5 10.Bb5+[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]10...Nbd7 11.Bxf6 Qxc3+ 12.Kf1 gxf6 13.h4 a6 14.Rh3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]14...Qa5 15.Be2 Nc5 16.Nb3 Nxb3 17.Qxb3 b6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]18.Rb1 Bb7 19.Re3 Rc8 20.Kg1 b5 21.a4 Bc6 22.Rc3 0-0 23.Qb2 Bxe4 24.Rg3+ Bg6 25.h5[/font] wins the Bishop (Nielsen-Sargissian, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• [font color="burgundy"]18.Rd1 Bb7 19.Qb2 Qe5 20.Qxb6 Bxe4 21.Rg3 f5 22.Kg1 h6 23.Qb4 f4 24.Rg4 Rb8[/font] is equal (Topalov-van Wely, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2001).
• [font color="darkorange"]14...Qb4 15.Be2 Ne5 16.h5 Qd6 17.Kg1 Bd7 18.Rb1 Rd8 19.Rc3 b5 20.Rbc1 b4 21.Rg3 Ke7 22.f4 Be8 23.fxe5 fxe5 24.Qe1 exd4 25.Bd3[/font] gives Black excellent winning chances (Shulman-Naiditsch, IT, Montreal, 2009).
• If [font color="magenta"]10...Bd7 11.Bxf6 gxf6[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]12.Bxd7+ Nxd7 13.0-0 a6 14.Rb1 Qc7 15.Qh5 Nc5 16.Rb4 Qe5 17.Qh4 Qg5 18.Qh3 Qe5 19.Qh4 Qg5 20.Qh3 Qe5 21.Re1 Rd8 22.Qe3 Rg8[/font] is equal (Gelfand-Jakovenko, Tal Mem, Moscow, 2007).
• [font color="darkorange"]12.Qb3 a6 13.Be2 Nc6 14.0-0 Qc7 15.Qa3 Rc8 16.Rad1 Na5 17.Qc1 Ke7 18.Qh6 Bc6 19.Nxe6 Qe5 20.Nd4 Rcg8 21.f4 Qc5 22.Kh1 Rg6 23.Qh3 Bxe4 24.Bf3 Bxf3 25.Rxf3 Qc7 26.Nf5+ Kf8 27.Rfd3 Nc6 28.Rd7[/font] Black resigns (Piket-Topalov, FIDE Knock Out, Groningen, 1997).
• If [font color="magenta"]7.e5 cxd4[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]8.Nxd4 Qa5 9.exf6 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 Qxg5 11.fxg7[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]11...Qxg7 12.Qd2 0-0 13.Bxc4 Rd8[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]14.Qe3 Bd7 15.0-0 Nc6 16.Nf3 Ne7 17.Ne5 Ng6 18.f4 Nxe5 19.fxe5 Bc6 20.g3 Rd7 21.Rf6 Rad8 22.Be2 Rd2 23.Rf4 Kh8 24.Rd4[/font] is equal (Onischuk-Jakovenko, IT, Foros, 2007).
• [font color="hotpink"]14.Qb2 Qe5+ 15.Be2 Nc6 16.Nc2 Rd3 17.Na3 Qxc3+ 18.Qxc3 Rxc3 19.Nb5 Rc2 20.Rd1 Rxa2 21.Bf3 Ra5 22.Nc7 Re5+ 23.Kf1 Rb8 24.h4 Kf8[/font] gives Black two extra pawns (Halkias-Gyimesi, Rueo ChT, Crete, 2008).
• [font color="purple"]11...Rg8 12.g3 Qd5 13.Rg1 Rxg7 14.Qe2 Nd7 15.Qxc4 Qxc4 16.Bxc4 Nb6 17.Bb5+ Bd7 18.Bxd7+ Kxd7 19.0-0-0 Ke7 20.f4 Rc8[/font] is equal (Browne-Su. Polgar, Op, Reykjavik, 1988).
• [font color="darkorange"]8.Qa4+ Nc6 9.0-0-0 Bd7 10.Ne4 Be7 11.exf6 gxf6 12.Bh4 Rc8 13.Kb1 Na5 14.Qc2 e5 15.Nxd4 exd4 16.Rxd4 Qb6 17.Rxd7 Kxd7 18.Be2 Ke8 19.Qc3 Rc6 20.Rd1 Rg8 21.Bf3 Re6[/font] gives Black the initiative (Kamsky-van Wely, Euro ChT, Antalya, 2007).


[center]BLACK[/center]

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[center]WHITE[/center][center]Orthodox Queen's Gambit: Nimzo-Ragozin Defense (Main Line/Open Variation)[/center][center]Position after 5...dc4:p[/center]


• [font color="darkred"](Open Variation[/font] conventionally called the [font color="darkred"]Vienna Variation)[/font] If [font color="darkred"]5...dxc4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]6.e4 c5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]7.Bxc4 cxd4 8.Nxd4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]8...Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Qa5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]10.Bb5+[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]10...Bd7 11.Bxf6 gxf6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]12.Qb3 a6 13.Be2 Nc6 14.0-0 Qc7 15.Rab1 Na5 16.Qa3 Rc8[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]17.c4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]17...Nxc4 18.Bxc4 Qxc4 19.Rfd1 Qc3 20.Qd6 Qc7[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]21.Qb4 Rg8 22.Qd2 Rg5 23.h3 Ba4 24.Rdc1 Rc5[/font] is equal (Kramnik-van Wely, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2000).
• [font color="burgundy"]21.Qa3 Qc3 22.Qd6[/font] draw (Lputian-Lautier, IT, Poikovsky, 2003).
• [font color="darkpink"]17...Qc5 18.Qc3 e5 19.Nb3 Nxb3 20.axb3 a5 21.Rfd1[/font] gives White a safer King and stronger pawns(Khalifman-J. Polgar, FIDE Knock Out, Las Vegas, 1999).
• If [font color="magenta"]17.Rfd1 Qxc3[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]18.Qd6?! Qc7![/font] (the game is equal) [font color="magenta"]19.Nf5 exf5 20.Qxf6[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]20...0-0? 21.Rd3 f4 22.Rd5 h6 23.Qxh6 f5 24.Rb6 Bc6 25.Rxa5 Qh7 26.Qxf4[/font] Black resigns (Kasparov-Hjartarson, IT, Tilburg, 1999).
• If [font color="darkorange"]20...Rg8 21.Bh5 Bc6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]22.Rd4? Bxe4 23.Rbd1 Nc6 24.Qe6+ Kf8 25.Qh6+ Ke7[/font] leaves Black with an extra piece (Shulman-Yakovich, Op, New York, 1998).
• [font color="purple"]22.Rbc1 Kf8 23.Rd5 Rg7 24.Rxf5 Kg8 25.Rg5[/font] remains equal.
• [font color="#C08000"]18.Nb3 Nxb3 19.Rxb3 Qc5 20.Qxc5 Rxc5 21.Rxb7[/font] continues to give White a fair advantage in space.
• If [font color="magenta"]12.Bxd7+ Nxd7 13.0-0[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]13...a6 14.Rb1 Qc7 15.Qh5 Nc5[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]16.Rb4 Qe5 17.Qh6 Rc8[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]18.Nf3 Qxc3 19.Rd4 Ke7 20.e5 Nd7 21.Qh4[/font] is equal (Kramnik-Naiditsch, IT, Dortmund, 2009).
• [font color="burgundy"]18.a4 Qxe4 19.Qxf6 Rg8 20.Qf3 Rg4 21.Qh3 h5[/font] is equal (Leko-Naiditsch, IT, Dortmund, 2009).
• [font color="darkpink"]16.Rfe1 0-0-0 17.Re3 e5 18.Nb3 Nxb3 19.axb3[/font] gives White a safer King, stronger pawns and a slight advantage in space (Anand-Naiditsch, Rpd, Mainz, 2009).
• If [font color="darkorange"]13...Qxc3 14.Qa4 0-0[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]15.Nxe6 Nb6 16.Qd4 Rfc8 17.Qxc3 Rxc3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]18.Nf4 Rc5 19.g4 Kf8 20.Nh5 Ke7 21.Ng3[/font] gives White stronger pawns and a slight advantage in space (Ponomariov-Morozevich, IT, Saratov, 2011).
• [font color="purple"]18.Nd4 Rc4 19.Rfd1 Na4 20.Nf5 Rxe4 21.Rac1 Re5[/font] is equal (Gajewski-WojtaszekPolish Ch, Warsaw, 2012).
• [font color="hotpink"]15.Qxd7 Rad8 16.Qxb7 Qxd4 17.Rab1 Rd7 18.Qc6 Rfd8[/font] is equal (Leitão-Morozevich, World ChT, Bursa, Turkey, 2011).
• If [font color="magenta"]10...Nbd7 11.Bxf6 Qxc3+ 12.Kf1 gxf6[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]13.h4 a6 14.Rh3[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]14...Qb4 15.Be2[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]15...0-0 16.Rb1 Qd6 17.Rg3+ Kh8 18.Qd2[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]18...Rg8 19.Rbb3 Rxg3 20.Rxg3 b6 21.Bh5 Bb7 22.Bxf7[/font] gives White the better center and more space (Werle-Wells, Staunton Mem, London, 2008).
• If [font color="burgundy"]18...b5?[/font] then White wins after [font color="burgundy"]19.e5! Qxe5 20.Bf3 Rb8 21.Nc6[/font] when he takes the exchange (Shestoperov-Acs, Op, Pardubice, 2001).
• If [font color="darkorange"]15...Ne5 16.Rc1 Qd6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]17.Rb3 b5 18.a4 bxa4 19.Rbc3 Bd7 20.h5 Rb8[/font] is equal (Piket-van Wely, IT A, Wijk aan Zee, 2000).
• [font color="purple"]17.Rc2 Bd7 18.Rd2 Qc7 19.Rc2 Qd6 20.Rd2 Qc7 21.Rc2[/font] draw (Grischuk-Kramnik, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2011).
• If [font color="darkorange"]14...Qa5 15.Be2[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]15...Nc5 16.Nb3 Nxb3 17.Qxb3 b6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]18.Rb1 Bb7 19.Re3 Rc8 20.Kg1 b5 21.a4[/font] puts pressure on Black's b-pawn (Nielsen-Sargissian, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• If [font color="burgundy"]18.Rd1[/font] then:
• If [font color="burgundy"]18...Bb7 19.Qb2 Qe5 20.Qxb6 Bxe4 21.Rg3 f5 22.Kg1 h6 23.Qb4 f4 24.Rg4 Rb8[/font] then:
• [font color="burgundy"]25.Qa3 a5 26.Bf3 Rb4 27.Qc1 Ke7 28.Rxf4 Bxf3[/font] is equal (Topalov-van Wely, IT A, Wijk aan Zee, 2001).
• [font color="darkpink"]25.Qa4+ Ke7 26.Bf3 Bf5 27.Rd7+ Kf6 28.Rxf4[/font] gives White stronger pawns and the initiative (Olsen-Kalinichenko, Corres, 1999).
• [font color="purple"]18...Bd7 19.Qb2 Qe5 20.Qxb6 Bb5 21.Kg1 0-0 22.Qe3[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Bu Xiangzhi-Aronian, World Jr Ch, Goa, 2002).
• [font color="hotpink"]15...Ne5 16.Qb3 b5 17.Rd1 Bd7 18.f4 Nc4[/font] leads to virtually identical draws (Greenfeld-Gyimesi, IT, Tel Aviv, 2001, San Segundo Carillo-Wells, Euro ChT, Plovdiv, 2003 and Jones-Pallister, IT, Hereford, 2006).
• [font color="darkorange"]13.Rc1 Qb4 14.h4 a6 15.Be2 0-0 16.Rh3[/font] gives White a small advantage in space; Black's is vurnerable to attack (Wagener-Khalifman, IT, Hamburg, 1991).
• If [font color="magenta"]10.Bxf6 Qxc3+ 11.Kf1[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]11...gxf6 12.Rc1 Qa5[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]13.h4 Ke7 14.Rh3 Nc6 15.Nxc6+ bxc6 16.Rd3[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]16...Rb8 17.Kg1[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]17...Rd8 18.Rxd8 Qxd8 19.Qh5 Qd4 20.Bb3[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]20...Bd7 21.Rd1 Qe5 22.Qxh7 Be8 23.h5 Rb5 24.h6[/font] is equal (Dreev-Komarov, Soviet ChU20, Borzhomi, 1988).
• [font color="burgundy"]20...Rb4 21.Rxc6 Bd7 22.Rc7 Qd6 23.Rxa7 Rxe4 24.Qa5[/font] is equal (Dreev-Yusadin, Soviet Ch Prelim, Simferopol, 1988).
• If [font color="darkorange"]17...Rb7 18.Bb3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]18...Bd7?! 19.Qg4! Rc8 20.f4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]20...Qd8?! 21.e5 Qh8 22.Re1 fxe5 23.fxe5 Rg8 24.Qd4[/font] gives White greatly more active pieces (Dreev-Giorgadze, Soviet Ch Prelim, Barnaul, 1988).
• [font color="purple"]20...h5 21.Qg3 Qb4 22.e5 fxe5 23.fxe5[/font] gives White a great deal more than enough activity for his pieces in compensation for a pawn.
• [font color="hotpink"]18...Rd7 19.Rxc6 Rhd8 20.Rxd7+ Rxd7 21.Qc1[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space.
• If [font color="darkorange"]16...Rd8 17.Rxd8 Qxd8 18.Qh5 Qd4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]19.Be2 Rb8 20.Qa5 Rb7 21.Kg1 Bd7 22.Qa3+ Ke8[/font]gives Black a slight advantage (Dreev-Jinighava, Soviet Jr Ch, Vilnius, 1988).
• [font color="purple"]19.Qxh7! Rb8 20.Bb3 Ba6+ 21.Kg1 Bd3 22.Qg7 Bxe4[/font]gives Black a slight advantage (Karpov-Dr. Hübner, IT, Skelleftea, 1989).
• If [font color="darkorange"]13.Bb5+ Ke7 14.e5 fxe5 15.Qh5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]15...Nd7 16.Qg5+ Kf8[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]17.Rxc8+ Rxc8 18.Bxd7 Qd8 19.Nxe6+ fxe6 20.Qh6+ Kf7 21.Qxe6+ Kf8 22.Qh6+ Kf7 23.Qe6+[/font] draw (Eljanov-Jakovenko, IT, Foros, 2007).
• [font color="burgundy"]17.Qh6+ Ke7 18.Qg5+ Kf8 19.Qh6+ Ke7[/font] draws by repetition (Bu Xiangzhi-Wang Hao, Chinese Ch, Xinghua, 2009).
• If [font color="hotpink"]15...f6[/font] then:
• [font color="hotpink"]16.a4?! Qd8! 17.Ne2 a6 18.Bc4 Nc6[/font] gives Black two extra pawns against White's advantyage in space (E. Agrest-H. Olafsson, Ol, Istanbul, 2000).
• [font color="purple"]16.Bc4 Nc6 17.Nf5+ Kd8 18.Nd6 Kc7[/font] remains equal.
• If [font color="darkorange"]11...Qxc4+ 12.Kg1[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]12...Nd7 13.Bxg7 Rg8[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]14.Rc1! Qa6 15.Bh6 Nf6 16.e5 Nd5 17.h4[/font] gives White command of the c-file, the initiative and more space (Stahlberg-Sefc, IT, Trencianske Teplice, 1949).
• [font color="purple"]14.Bh6!? Ne5! 15.Be3 Bd7 16.h3 Bc6 17.Rc1 Qd3[/font] is equal (Goormachtigh-Lips, Op, Haarlem, 1997).
• If [font color="hotpink"]12...0-0 13.Qg4 g6[/font] then:
• If [font color="hotpink"]14.Qf4 Nd7 15.e5 Nxf6 16.exf6 Kh8 17.Rc1[/font] then:
• If [font color="hotpink"]17...Qb4 18.h4 e5 19.Qh6 Rg8 20.Nf3[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space (Rautenberg-Schlensker, German Ch, Weidenau, 1947).
• [font color="burgundy"]17...e5? 18.Qh6! Qxc1+ 19.Qxc1 exd4 20.h4 Bf5[/font] draw?? (Trifunovic-Gligoric, IT, Mar del Plata, 1953). Fritz says that White wins after21.h5 Rac8 22.Qf4 Rfd8 23.Kh2 Rd5 24.Re1
• [font color="darkpink"]14.e5 Nc6?? 15.Nf5![/font] Black loses his Queen and resigns (Dr. Alekhine-Muñoz, IT, Spain, 1945).
• If [font color="magenta"]8...Qa5 9.Bd2 Qc5 10.Bb5+[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]10...Bd7 11.Nb3 Qe7 12.Bd3 Nc6 13.0-0 0-0 14.a3 Bd6[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]15.f4 e5 16.f5 Nd4 17.Bg5 Bc6[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]18.Bc4 Qd8 19.Nd5 Bxd5 20.Bxd5 Be7 21.Bxf6 Bxf6 22.Kh1[/font] is equal (Wang Yue-Gelfand, IT, Medias, Romania, 2010).
• [font color="burgundy"]18.Nd2 Rfd8 19.Kh1 Bc7 20.Bc4 Qd6 21.Bd5 Rd7[/font] is equal (Bacrot-Fressinet, French ChT, Meribel, 1998).
• If [font color="hotpink"]15.Kh1 Ne5 16.Be2 Ng6 17.f4 e5 18.f5 Nf4[/font] is equal (Le Quang Liem-Shulman, IT, Texas Tech U, 2011).
• If [font color="darkorange"]10...Nbd7 11.Nb3 Qb6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]12.Qe2 a6 13.Bd3 Ne5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]14.0-0 Bd7 15.Rac1 0-0 16.Be3 Qd6 17.Rfd1[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Gelfand-Khalifman, TM, Moscow, 2002).
• [font color="burgundy"]14.Bc2 Bd7 15.f4 Ng6 16.e5 Bxc3 17.bxc3[/font] gives White the initiative and a small advantage in space (Catalino Sadorra-Xu Jun, Asian Ch, Cebu, 2007).
• If [font color="purple"]12.0-0[/font] then:
• If [font color="purple"]12...Bxc3 13.Bxd7+ Bxd7 14.Bxc3 Nxe4 15.Bxg7 Rg8 16.Bd4 Qb5 17.Be3[/font] then:
• [font color="purple"]17...Nf6 18.Rc1 Qd5 19.f3 Qxd1 20.Rfxd1 Ba4 21.Rd4[/font] is equal (Grischuk-Morozevich, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2009).
• [font color="darkpink"]17...Bc6 18.f3 Nf6 19.Qc2 Nd5 20.Bd2 Rg6 21.Rf2[/font] gives White the advantage in space with the availability of c5 (Moiseenko-Romanov, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2010).
• If [font color="hotpink"]12...a6?! 13.Bxd7+ Bxd7 14.Rc1 Bc6 15.e5 Bxc3 16.Bxc3 Nd5 17.Ba5[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space (S. Ernst-Jonkman, IT, Groningen, 2002).
• If [font color="magenta"]7.e5 cxd4[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]8.Qa4+ Nc6 9.0-0-0[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]9...Bd7 10.Ne4 Be7 11.exf6 gxf6 12.Bh4[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]12...Rc8 13.Kb1[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]13...Na5 14.Qc2 e5 15.Nxd4 exd4 16.Rxd4 Qb6[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]17.Rd6 Rc6[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]18.Rxc6 Qxc6 19.Be2 f5 20.Bxe7[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]20...Qxe4 21.Bf6 Rg8[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]22.Re1 Qxc2+ 23.Kxc2 Be6 24.Rd1[/font] gives White the initiative (a mating threat), stronger pawns and a small advantage in space; Black has an extra pawn (Koneru-Galyas, Op, Budapest, 2005).
• If [font color="burgundy"]22.Bf3 Qxc2+ 23.Kxc2 Rg6 24.Re1+[/font] gives White stronger pawns a slim advantage in space (Grischuk-Gelfand, Amber Blind, Nice, 2010).
• If [font color="darkpink"]20...Kxe7 21.Ng3 Qc5 22.Qc3 Rc8 23.Nh5 Rc6 24.Bf3[/font] gives White the advantage in space; White need only play Rd1 and Nf4 to gain a grip on the d5 square (Sanikidze-K. Georgiev, Euro Club Cup, Plovdiv, 2010).
• If [font color="darkorchid"]18.Bxf6!? Rxd6! 19.Bxh8 Bf5 20.Be2 Re6 21.Bf3 Kf8[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space (S. Atalik-Xu Jun, FIDE Knock Out, Moscow, 2001).
• If [font color="darkorange"]17.Rd5 Be6 18.Rh5 Bg4 19.Qa4+ Nc6 20.Rb5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]20...Qa6 21.Qxa6 bxa6 22.Rb7 Bf5 23.f3 Bc5 24.Bxf6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]24...Rf8? 25.Bxc4! Na5 26.Bxa6!! Nxb7 27.Bb5+ Bd7 28.Nd6+[/font] Black resigns ahead of a forced mate (Shen Yang-Zhu Chen, Grand Prix W, Nanjing, 2009).
• If [font color="purple"]24...0-0 25.Bc3 Bd4 26.Kc2 Bxc3 27.bxc3 Ne5 28.Be2[/font] gives White somewhat better pawns and a small advantage in space.
• If [font color="hotpink"]20...Qd4?! 21.f3! Be6 22.Rxb7 0-0 23.Bf2[/font] gives White stronger pawns, an evil-looking initiative and more space; Black's Queen will be knocked around like a pinball.
• If [font color="burgundy"]13...b5?! 14.Qxb5! c3? 15.Nxd4 a6 16.Qb3 Na5 17.Qc2[/font] wins for White (Lemaire-Olsen, Corres, 1956).
• If [font color="darkorange"]12...a6 13.Qxc4 e5 14.Nxe5 Nxe5 15.Qxd4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]15...Qc7+ 16.Kb1 Bf5 17.Qa4+ Kf8 18.f3[/font] is equal (Zhou Jianchao-Wang Hao, Chinese Ch, Xinghua, 2010).
• If [font color="purple"]15...Rc8+ 16.Kb1 0-0 17.Be2 Bf5 18.Qxd8 Rfxd8[/font] is equal (van Wely-Morozevich, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2002).
• If [font color="darkorange"]9...h6 10.exf6 hxg5 11.fxg7 Rg8[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]12.Nxd4 Bxc3 13.bxc3 Qa5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]14.Qxc4 Bd7 15.Nb5 Rxg7 16.Nd6+ Ke7 17.Nxb7 Qa3+ 18.Kc2[/font] is equal (Nikolic-Ljubojevic, IT, Tilburg, 1987).
• [font color="burgundy"]14.Nxc6 Qxc3+ 15.Kb1 bxc6 16.Qxc6+ Ke7 17.Qxa8 Qb4+[/font] draws by repetition (García-Tal, SX, Barcelona, 1988).
• If [font color="hotpink"]12.Ne4!?[/font] then:
• If [font color="hotpink"]12...Be7 13.h4 gxh4 14.Nxd4[/font] then:
• [font color="hotpink"]14...Bd7?! 15.Nxc6! bxc6 16.Qxc4 Rxg7 17.Qd4 Rg8 18.Rh3[/font] gives White more piece activity and a substantial advantage in space (Beliavsky-Chandler, IT, Linares, 1988).
• [font color="darkpink"]14...Qb6! 15.Nxc6 Qxc6 16.Nd6+ Bxd6 17.Qxc6+ bxc6 18.Rxd6[/font] White cleans up Black's loose pawns, but gets only a small advantage.
• [font color="purple"]12...d3! 13.Ne5 f5 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.Qxb4 fxe4 16.Qxc4[/font] is equal.
• If [font color="darkorange"]8.Nxd4 Qa5 9.exf6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]9...Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 Qxg5 11.fxg7 Qxg7[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]12.Qd2 0-0 13.Bxc4 Rd8 14.Qe3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]14...Bd7 15.0-0 Nc6 16.Nf3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]16...Ne7 17.Ne5 Ng6 18.f4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]18...Rac8 19.Be2 Bc6 20.g3 Rd5 21.c4 Ra5 22.Nxc6 Rxc6 23.Qd2[/font] is equal (Kasimzhanov-Khenkin, Bundesliga 0708, Germany, 2008).
• [font color="burgundy"]18...Nxe5 19.fxe5 Bc6 20.g3 Rd7 21.Rf4 Kh8 22.Raf1[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Dreev-Xu Jun, TM, Shanghai, 2001).
• [font color="darkpink"]16...Rac8 17.Rad1 Ne7 18.Ne5 Bc6 19.g3 Bd5 20.Bd3[/font] is equal (Kempinski-Landa, Op, Hamburg, 2007).
• [font color="#C08000"]14...Nd7 15.0-0 Ne5 16.Bb3 b6 17.f4 Bb7 18.Qe2[/font] is equal (Hoffmann-sulkis, Euro Club Cup, Ohrid, Macedonia, 2009).
• If [font color="purple"]12.Qf3[/font] then:
• [font color="purple"]12...Nd7 13.Bxc4 0-0 14.Be2 Ne5 15.Qe3 Ng6[/font] is equal (Polugaevsky-Inkiov, IZT, Zagreb, 1987).
• If [font color="hotpink"]12...0-0 13.Bxc4 Bd7 14.Qe3 Nc6 15.Nf3 Ne7 16.Ne5[/font] is equal (Sasikiran-Ghaem Magami, Mindsports Rpd, Beijing, 2008).
• If [font color="purple"]9...Qxg5? 10.Qa4+! Nc6 11.Nxc6 Bxc3+ 12.bxc3 Bd7 13.Qb4 Qxf6 14.Nd4[/font] gives White an extra piece; Black resigns (Piket-Karolyi, IT, Lvov, 1988).
• If [font color="magenta"]a) 6.Qa4+ Nc6[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]7.e4 Bd7 8.Qc2 h6 9.Bd2[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]9...b5 10.Nxb5 Bxd2+[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]11.Nxd2 a6 12.Na3 Nxd4 13.Qxc4 Bb5[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space (Malaniuk-Beliavsky, Soviet Ch, Odessa, 1989).
• [font color="burgundy"]11.Qxd2?! Nxe4! 12.Qf4 Nd6 13.Nxd6+ cxd6 14.Qxd6 Qa5+[/font] gives Black a substantial advantage as White's King is now caught in the open (Dr. Vidmar-Bogoljubow, IT, Bad Naugiem, 1936).
• If [font color="darkorange"]9...Na5 10.Be2[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]10...c5 11.dxc5 Bc6 12.0-0[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]12...Nd7?![/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]13.Nb5!? Bxc5 14.Nbd4[/font] gives White a better center, more freedom and the initiative (Löfler-Hölzl, Austrian ChT, Mörbisch, 2001).
• [font color="burgundy"]13.Nb1! Bxc5 14.b4 cxb3 15.axb3 Nxb3 16.Qxb3[/font] gives White a piece for two pawns.
• [font color="hotpink"]12...0-0 13.Rad1 Qe7 14.e5 Nd7 15.a3 Bxc5 16.Ne4[/font] is equal.
• [font color="purple"]10...Bc6 11.Rd1 Bxc3 12.Qxc3 b6 13.d5 exd5 14.exd5 Bxd5[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space (Szuhanek-Axelrod, IT, Jerusalem, 2005).
• If [font color="darkorange"]7.e3 Qd5 8.Bxf6 gxf6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]9.Nd2 Bxc3 10.bxc3 b5 11.Qc2[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]11...Bb7 12.Rb1 Rb8 13.e4 Qd7 14.Be2[/font] is equal (I. Rabinovich-Ragozin, IT, Moscow, 1935).
• [font color="purple"]11...Ne7 12.Be2 Qf5 13.Qxf5 Nxf5 14.Rb1 Bd7[/font] gives Black a slight advantage in space (Napolitano-Stähelin, Ol, Warsaw, 1935).
• [font color="hotpink"]9.Qxb4 Nxb4 10.Nxd5 exd5 11.Kd2 Be6 12.Kc3 Nc6[/font] gives Black a fair advantage in space (Rosenberger-Grünfeld, IT, Vienna, 1934).
• If [font color="magenta"]b) 6.e3!? h6! 7.Bh4 b5 8.Be2 Nbd7 9.a4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]9...c6 10.0-0 Qb6[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]11.Qc2!? Bb7[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]12.b3 cxb3 13.Qxb3 Bxc3 14.Qxc3 b4 15.Qb2 a5[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space (Janowski-Tartakover, IT, New York, 1924).
• If [font color="darkorange"]12.Rfd1 a6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]13.e4!? 0-0 14.h3 c5 15.dxc5 Qxc5[/font] gives Black an extra pawn and a fair advantage in space (Arab-Aleksandrov, Ol, Bled, 2002).
• [font color="purple"]13.Ne5! 0-0 14.Ne4 Qc7 15.Nxd7 Nxd7[/font] continues to give Black a slight advantage.
• If [font color="darkorange"]11.Na2![/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]11...Be7[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]12.b3?! cxb3 13.Qxb3 a6 14.Nd2 0-0 15.Nc1 Bb7[/font] gives Black an extra pawn and White more space and a pin at f6 (Vasilyev-Taimanov, Soviet Ch ½-final, Leningrad, 1947).
• [font color="burgundy"]12.axb5! cxb5 13.b3 cxb3 14.Qxb3 a6 15.Rfc1 Bb7[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space
• If [font color="hotpink"]11...Bd6!? 12.Nc3 Bb7 13.axb5 cxb5 14.b3[/font] then:
• [font color="hotpink"]14...cxb3 15.Nxb5 Bd5 16.Nd2 Bb8[/font] is equal.
• [font color="purple"]14...Bxf3 15.Bxf3 Rc8 16.bxc4 Rxc4[/font] is equal.
• If [font color="darkorange"]9...Bb7 10.0-0 a6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]11.Ne5 Nbd7 12.f4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]12...Qc7 13.Na2 Be7 14.b3 cxb3 15.Qxb3 0-0[/font] gives Black an extra pawn and White a small advantage in space (Trifunovic-Bronstein, IT, Belgrade, 1964).
• [font color="purple"]12...Qb6 13.Nxd7 Nxd7 14.f5 exf5 15.Rxf5 0-0 16.Bh5 c5[/font] gives Black an extra pawn, stronger pawns and more freedom; White has more space, but cannot execuate a capture without helping Black's cause (Makogonov-Ilyin Zhenevsky, Soviet Ch, Tbilisi, 1937).
• [font color="hotpink"]11.Qc2 Be7 12.e4[/font] then:
• If [font color="hotpink"]12...Nbd7 13.e5 Nd5 14.Bxe7 Qxe7 15.Ne4 0-0 16.Nd6[/font] then:
• If [font color="hotpink"]16...N7b6[/font] then:
• If [font color="hotpink"]17.Nd2 f5[/font] then:
• [font color="hotpink"]18.Kh1?! Nc8![/font] then:
• [font color="hotpink"]19.Nxc8? Raxc8! 20.g4 c5 21.Bf3 fxg4 22.Bg2 Nf4[/font] White resigns (Stolarczyk-Chivari, OlW, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2010).
• If [font color="#C08000"]19.Nxb7 Qxb7 20.Nb1 Nce7 21.Qd2 c5[/font] doesn't offer Black a lot of hope, but she's still fighting.
• If [font color="burgundy"]18.Bf3 Nb4 19.Qc3 N6d5 20.Bxd5 Nxd5 21.Qg3 Kh7[/font] gives Black an extra pawn and White a fair advantage in space.
• [font color="#C00080"]17.a5 Nc8 18.Ne4 Qc7 19.Nc5 Nce7 20.Qd2 Rfd8[/font] gives Black an extra pawn and White a fair advantage in space (Iotov-Bordi, Euro Youth BU14, Halidiki, Greece, 2001).
• If [font color="darkpink"]16...Rab8 17.axb5 cxb5 18.Qd2 N7b6 19.g3 Rfd8[/font] gives Black an extra pawn and White more space (Bokhout-Martchenko, Op, Toronto, 2009).
• If [font color="darkorchid"]12...0-0 13.e5 Ne8 14.Bxe7 Qxe7 15.Ne4 Nd7[/font] gives Black an extra pawn and White a fair advantage in space (Almgren-Fine, US Ch, New York, 1944). /* end Open Variation

5...exd5

[center]BLACK[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE[/center][center]Orthodox Queen's Gambit: Nimzo-Ragozin Defense (Exchange Variation)[/center][center]Position after 5...ed5:p[/center]

6.Bg5 Nbd7

• If [font color="red"]6...h6 7.Bh4 c5 8.e3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]8...g5 9.Bg3[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]9...c4 10.Be2 Ne4 11.Rc1 Qa5 12.Ne5 Nc6 13.0-0 Bxc3 14.bxc3 Nxc3 15.Rxc3 Qxc3[/font] gives Black more material and space, but the shakey position of Black's King offers White chances for counterplay (Topalov-Aronian, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2011).
• If [font color="darkred"]9...Ne4 10.Bb5+ Bd7 11.Bxd7+ Nxd7[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]12.dxc5 Nxc3 13.Qd4 Nxa2+ 14.Ke2 Qf6 15.Rxa2 Qxd4 16.exd4[/font] gives White a clear advantage in space(Sargissian-Dizdar, Masters, Abu Dhabi, 2003).
• [font color="magenta"]12.0-0 Bxc3 13.bxc3 c4 14.Qc2 Qe7 15.Rab1 b6 16.Nd2[/font] is equal (E. Agrest-Zifroni, Euro Club Cup, Kemeri, 2007).
• [font color="darkred"]8...Nc6 9.dxc5 g5 10.Bg3 Ne4 11.Bb5 Nxc3 12.Bxc6+ bxc6 13.Qd4 Nxa2+ 14.Nd2 0-0 15.Rxa2 a5 16.h4 f6 17.0-0 Re8[/font] draw (Smejkal-Tal, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1976).

7.e3

• If [font color="red"]7.Rc1 c6 8.a3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]8...Bxc3+ 9.Rxc3 0-0 10.e3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]10...h6 11.Bh4 g5 12.Bg3 Ne4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]13.Rc2 Ndf6 14.Bd3 Bf5 15.Ne5 Kg7 16.f3 Nxg3 17.hxg3 Bxd3 18.Qxd3 Qe7 19.Kf2 Nd7 20.Ng4 Rh8[/font] is equal (Zhao Xue-N. Kosintseva, World ChTW, Ningbo, 2009).
• [font color="burgundy"]13.Rc1 Ndf6 14.Bd3 Bf5 15.0-0 Qe7 16.Be5 Nd7 17.Bg3 f6 18.Bb1 Nb6 19.Nd2[/font] is equal (Huang Qian-N. Kosintseva, TMatch (Blitz Game), Sochi, 2009).
• [font color="darkpink"]10...Qe8 11.Bf4 Ne4 12.Rc1 Nb6 13.Be2 f6 14.0-0 Bg4 15.h3 Bh5 16.Ne1 Bxe2 17.Qxe2 Qe7 18.Nd3 Rae8 19.Nc5[/font] draw (Gormally-Conquest, British Ch, Liverpool, 2008).
• If [font color="darkred"]8...Bd6 9.e3 0-0 10.Bd3 Re8 11.0-0 Nf8 12.Re1 Bg4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]13.h3 Bh5 14.Bh4 Bg6 15.b4 a5 16.Rb1 axb4 17.axb4 Ra3 18.Bxg6 Nxg6 19.Bxf6 Qxf6 20.Qc1 Rea8[/font] is equal (V. Popov-S. Atalik, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• [font color="magenta"]13.Bh4 Ng6 14.Bg3 Ne4 15.Bxd6 Nxd6 16.h3 Bxf3 17.Qxf3[/font] is equal (Evdokimov-Aleksandrov, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2008).

7...c5 8.dxc5

• If [font color="red"]8.Bd3 Qa5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]9.Qc2 0-0 10.0-0 c4 11.Bf5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]11...Re8 12.Nd2 g6[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]13.Bh3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]13...Bxc3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]14.Qxc3 Qxc3 15.bxc3 Ne4 16.Nxe4 dxe4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]17.Rfb1 Nb6[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]18.Bxc8 Raxc8[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]19.Rb5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]19...Rc6 20.Ra5 f6 21.Bf4 Rd8 22.Rxa7 Nd5 23.Rxb7[/font] gives White at least one extra pawn and a lot more space (Moiseenko-Ponomariov, Ukrainian Ch, Kiev, 2011).
• [font color="burgundy"]19...Re6 20.Rab1 Rd6 21.Be7 Rd7 22.Bc5[/font] is equal (Nyback-Adams, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).
• If [font color="darkred"]19.a4 Nd5 20.Rxb7 Nxc3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]21.a5 a6 22.Kf1 Nd5 23.Ke1 c3 24.Kd1 c2+[/font] is equal (Seirawan-Sosonko, IT A, Wijk aan Zee, 1986).
• [font color="magenta"]21.Rxa7 Nd5 22.Rc1 c3 23.Kf1 Nb4 24.Rb7 Rc4[/font] Gives White an extra pawn and more space (Dreev-González, Op, Santa Barbara de Casa, 1992).
• [font color="burgundy"]18.Rb5 f5 19.g4 fxg4 20.Bf1 Bd7 21.Rxb6 axb6 22.Bxc4+ Kg7[/font] gives White the exchange and more space (Sakaev-Lautier, World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2005).
• If [font color="darkred"]17.Bg4 Nb6 18.Be2 Be6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]19.Rab1 Rac8 20.Rfc1 Rc7 21.f3 Bd5 22.Kf2 Rc6 23.h4 Kg7 24.a4 Nxa4 25.Rxb7[/font] gives White a Rook on the seventh, the Bishop pair and more space; Black has a passed pawn, but it remains to be proved if it can go anywhere (Karpov-Milov, Rpd, Cap dAgde, 2002).
• [font color="magenta"]19.a4 Nd5 20.Ra3 Rac8 21.Rb1 b6 22.h3 Bd7 23.Bd1 a6 24.Bh4 b5[/font] is equal (Cebalo-Greenfeld, EU ChT, Debrechen, 1992).
• If [font color="darkred"]14.bxc3 Ne4 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.Bxd7 Bxd7 17.Bf4 Re6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]18.d5 Ba4 19.Qd2 Rd8 20.d6 Qc5[/font] is equal (Grivas-Hector, EU CHT, Haifa, 1989).
• [font color="magenta"]18.Rfb1 Qd5 19.a4 a5 20.Qb2 Bc6[/font] is equal (Pinter-Sosonko, IT, Heninge, 1988).
• [font color="burgundy"]13...Kg7 14.Rae1 Ne4 15.Ndxe4 dxe4 16.Bf4 f5 17.f3 Nf6 18.a3 Bxc3 19.bxc3 h5 20.Qf2 Bd7 21.Qg3[/font] is equal (Grischuk-Morozevich, FIDE World Ch Trmt, San Luis, 2007).
• If [font color="darkred"]13.Bxd7 Nxd7[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]14.Rae1 Nb6 15.f3 Bxc3 16.bxc3 Na4 17.Rc1 f6 18.Bh6 b5[/font] is equal (Romanko-Zdebskaja, World ChTW Rd 1, Ningbo, 2009).
• [font color="magenta"]14.h4 f6 15.Bf4 Bxc3 16.bxc3 Nb6 17.f3 Qa4 18.Qb2 Bf5 19.Rfe1 Qc6 20.Qa3 Bd3 21.Qxa7[/font] draw (Aleksandrov-Malakhatko, Op, Kolkata, 2009).
• If [font color="darkred"]11...g6 12.Bxd7 Nxd7 13.e4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]13...Nb6 14.e5 Bf5 15.Qd2[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]15...Rfe8 16.a3 Bf8 17.a4 Nd7[/font] is equal (Grischuk-Filippov, Euro Club Cup, Fügen, Austria, 2006).
• If [font color="darkorange"]15...Be4??[/font] then after [font color="darkorange"]16.Bf6! Rfe8 17.a3 Bxf3 18.axb4 Qxb4 19.Qh6[/font] Black must lose a piece and resigns (Grischuk-Savchenko, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2007).
• If [font color="magenta"]13...Bxc3 14.bxc3[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]14...dxe4 15.Qxe4 f6 16.Bh6 Rf7 17.d5[/font] White soon wins (E. L'Ami-Wantola, Dutch ChT, 2010).
• [font color="darkorange"]14...Re8 15.exd5 Nb6 16.d6 Bf5 17.Qd2 Nd5[/font] is equal (Grünfeld-Spielmann, IT, Meran, 1926).
• If [font color="darkred"]9.0-0 c4 10.Bc2 0-0[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]11.Ne2[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]11...Re8 12.a3 Bf8 13.h3 b5 14.Bf4 Bb7 15.Ne5[/font] is equal (Kursova-Zhao Xue, FIDE Knock Out W, Ekaterinburg, 2006).
• If [font color="magenta"]11.Ne5 Bxc3 12.bxc3 Qxc3[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]13.Nxd7 Nxd7 14.Qb1 Re8 15.Bxh7+ Kh8 16.Bc2[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]16...Nf8?! 17.Ba4 Re6 18.Qb5 Rg6 19.Qxd5 Qb4 20.Bc2[/font] gives White an extra pawn and a fair advantage in space (Dr. Alekhine-Dr. Vidmar, IT, New York, 1927).
• [font color="purple"]16...Re6 17.Qd1 Kg8 18.a4 g6 19.Rc1[/font] continues to give White a fair advantage in space.
• [font color="darkorange"]13.Rc1 Qa3 14.Qf3 Qd6 15.Qg3 h6 16.Bxh6 Nh5[/font] gives Black a protected passed pawn and the initiative; White has a slight advantage in space (Shirov-Dreev, Op, Riga, 1987).
• If [font color="hotpink"]11...Ne4 12.Bh4 Re8 13.a3 Bd6 14.Bxe4 dxe4 15.Nd2[/font] gives White the initiative (Harikrishna-Gajewski, Bundesliga, Meißen, 2012).

8...Qa5 9.Rc1 Bxc3+

• If [font color="red"]9...0-0[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]10.a3 Bxc3+ 11.Rxc3 Ne4 12.b4 Nxc3 13.Qa1[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]13...Qa4 14.Qxc3 a5 15.b5 Nxc5 16.Qxc5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]16...Be6 17.Qc1 Rfc8 18.Qa1 Qc2 19.Be2 Qc1+ 20.Qxc1 Rxc1+ 21.Bd1[/font] gives White two active pieces for an inactive Rook (Topalov-Carlsen, IT A, Wijk aan Zee, 2007).
• [font color="burgundy"]16...Bd7 17.Be2 Rfc8 18.Qxd5 Rc1+ 19.Bd1 Qxb5 20.Qxb5 Bxb5 21.Nd4[/font] gives White two active pieces for an inactive Rook (Wang Yue-Movsesian, IT, Pamplona, 1007).
• [font color="darkpink"]13...Qc7 14.Qxc3 Re8 15.Be2 Ne5 16.Nd4 a6 17.0-0[/font] gives White two pawns, stronger pawns and some extra space for the exchange (Kempinski-Mchedlishvili, Op, Dresden, 2006).
• If [font color="darkred"]10.Nd2 b6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]11.c6 d4 12.cxd7 dxc3 13.bxc3 Bxc3 14.Bxf6 gxf6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]15.dxc8Q Raxc8 16.Bc4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]16...Rfd8 17.Qg4+ Kf8 18.0-0 Bxd2 19.Rc2 Qg5 20.Qh3 h6 21.Rxd2 Rxd2 22.Qxc8+ Kg7 23.Qc7 Qh5 24.h3 Rc2 25.Bxf7[/font] (Tregubov-Drozdovskij, Rpd IT, Odessa, 2008).
• [font color="burgundy"]16...Rcd8?! 17.Qg4+! Kh8 18.0-0 Bxd2 19.Rc2 Bb4 20.Bb3[/font] gives White greater activity and stronger pawns; he soon wins (Miton-Battaglini, French ChT, Mulhouse, 2011).
• [font color="darkpink"]15.Bd3 Bxd7 16.Rc2 Rfd8 17.0-0 Bxd2 18.Rxd2 Bf5[/font] is equal (Bacrot-Carlsen, Rpd IT, Cap d'Agde. 2006).
• If [font color="magenta"]11.Be2 bxc5 12.0-0 Bxc3[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]13.bxc3! Qxa2[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]14.Bf3!? Ne5 15.Bxf6 gxf6[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]16.c4 Nxf3+ 17.Nxf3 dxc4 18.Qd6[/font] gives White stronger pawns and a narrow edge in space space for the sacrificed pawn (Anastasian-Pashikian, Armenian Ch, Yerevan, 2007).
• [font color="hotpink"]16.Ra1!? Nxf3+ 17.Nxf3 Qc4 18.Ra4 Qxc3[/font] is equal.
• [font color="purple"]14.c4! Ne4 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.Ra1[/font] embarrasses the Black Queen and gives White a fair advantage in space.
• [font color="darkorange"]13.Rxc3 Qxa2 14.Qc2 Rb8 15.Rb1 Qa5 16.Bxf6 Nxf6 17.Nb3[/font] draw (Grischuk-Carlsen, Tal Mem, Moscow, 2006).

10.bxc3 0-0 11.Nd4 Qxc5

• If [font color="red"]11...Ne4 12.Bf4 Re8[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]13.f3 Nexc5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]14.Be2 Ne5 15.Nb3 Nxb3 16.axb3 Ng6 17.Bg3 Rxe3[/font] gives Black a clear advantage (Giri-Kramnik, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2011).
• [font color="magenta"]14.Kf2 Ne5 15.Be2 Bd7 16.Nb3 Nxb3 17.axb3[/font] gives White active Bishops and stronger pawns; Black has for the moment more space (Rogozenko-Sjugirov, Euro Ch, Aix-les-Bains, 2011).
• [font color="darkred"]13.Be2 Qxc5 14.0-0 Nb6 15.Bd3 Bd7 16.f3[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Gustafsson-Efimenko, Euro ChT, Porto Carras, Greece, 2011).

12.Bd3 Re8?! (N)

• If [font color="red"]12...Ne4 13.Bf4 Nb6[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]14.Qc2 h6 15.f3 Nf6 16.g4 Re8 17.Kf2[/font] is equal (Nakamura-Grischuk, IT A, Wijk aan Zee, 2011).
• [font color="darkred"]14.Qh5 Re8 15.0-0 g6 16.Qh6 Qf8 17.Qxf8+[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Vitiugov-Alekseev, IT, Saratov, 2011).

13.0-0

• White has a fair advantage. Black's isolated d-pawn is more critical than White's weak pawns on the queenside.

13...Ne4 14.Bf4 Ne5?!

• Black does not see the coming tactical stroke. He needed an active defense.
• If [font color="red"]14...g5[/font] (this is Fritz' recommendation; most seasoned chess players made of flesh and blood would find a move of a pawn in front of a castled King anti-positional) [font color="red"]15.Bg3 Ndf6 16.c4 Bg4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]17.Qc2 Rac8 18.Qb2 Qb6[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]19.Qxb6! axb6 20.cxd5 Nxg3 21.Rxc8 Rxc8 22.hxg3[/font] gives White an extra pawn and a slight advantage in space.
• If [font color="darkred"]19.Qa3!? Qc5![/font] (the game is equal) [font color="darkred"]20.Qxc5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]20...Nxc5 21.Bb1 dxc4 22.Rxc4 Nce4 23.Rfc1 Nxg3 24.hxg3[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space.
• [font color="magenta"]20...Rxc5!? 21.cxd5 Rxd5 22.Rc7! Nxg3 23.hxg3 Rd7 24.Rc5[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space.
• [font color="darkorchid"]17.f3 Nxg3 18.hxg3 Bd7 19.Qb3[/font] Continues to give White a fair advantage in space.
• Counterintuitive or not, 14...g5 may be Black's best move here: If [font color="blue"]14...Ndf6!? 15.f3 Nd6 16.Qb3 Nc4[/font] then:
• [font color="blue"]17.Bxc4 dxc4 18.Qb4 Qxb4 19.cxb4 h6 20.Kf2[/font] wins Black's c-pawn.
• [font color="darkblue"]17.Qb5 b6 18.Qxc5 bxc5 19.Bxc4 dxc4 20.Nb5[/font] gives White the initiative and a small advantage in space.

15.Bxe5!

• Statically speaking, Black has the advantage in space; dynamically speaking, White is much better (see the notes through and including White's 17th move).

15...Rxe5

[center]BLACK: Laurent Fressinet[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Dmitry Jakovenko[/center][center]Position after 15...Re8e5:B[/center]

16.c4!

• The pawn lever is a game changer. Black is in trouble whether or not he takes the pawn.

16...Nf6

• If [font color="red"]16...Nd6 17.Nb3![/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]17...Qa3 18.cxd5![/font] then:
• [font color="red"]18...Qxa2 19.Rc7 Bg4 20.f3 Rc8 21.Rc2 Rxc2 22.Bxc2[/font] gives White the initiative and a comfortable advantage.
• [font color="magenta"]18...g6?! 19.Bb1 Bf5 20.Bxf5 Rxf5 21.Nc5 b6 22.Nb3[/font] gives White an extra pawn.
• [font color="darkred"]17...Qc6?! 18.cxd5! Qe8 19.Re1 f6 20.e4 Bd7 21.f4[/font] gives White the initiative and a substanial advantage in space.
• [font color="blue"]16...dxc4? 17.Rxc4! Qe7 18.Bxe4 Rxe4 19.Nc6!! bxc6 20.Rxe4![/font] leaves White is an exchange to the good; the Rook cannot be recapured due to 21.Qd8#.

17.Qb3!

• This is a critical position foreseen by White when he played his 15th move. Statically speaking, when we take little more into consideration than what is before us, Black has an advantage in space with the space count at 12-10 in his favor; dynamically speaking, the pawn lever at c4/d5 puts the whole position favor of White. If it were White's move, then 18.cxd5 Qxd5 19.Qxd5 Rxd5 20.Rfd1 puts the space count at 11-5 in White's favor. See also the note to Black's 16th move.

17...Re7

• [font color="red"]17...Qb6 18.Qa3 dxc4 19.Bxc4 Qd8 20.Qb3 Qe7 21.Rfd1[/font] gives White command of the a2/g8 diagonal and a stronger center..
• [font color="blue"]17...dxc4?! 18.Rxc4 Qb6 19.Rfc1! Re8 20.Qc3[/font] gives White a near-lethal grip on the c-file.

18.Rfd1 Bg4 19.f3 Be6?!

• Black re-enforces the defense of d5, but it is inadequate.
• [font color="red"]19...Bc8 20.Rc3 h6 21.cxd5! Qxd5 22.Rdc1 Qd8 23.Bc4[/font] still gives White a clear advantage, but he won't have as easy a time breaking down Black's kingside defense.

[center]BLACK: Laurent Fressinet[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Dmitry Jakovenko[/center][center]Position after 19...Bg5e6[/center]

20.cxd5!

• Black's Queen has become a desperado.

20...Qxd5

• [font color="red"]20...Qb6??[/font] drops a piece to [font color="red"]21.Qxb6 axb6 22.dxe6 fxe6.[/font]

21.Bc4 Qe5 22.f4

• White makes more progress after [font color="red"]22.Nxe6! fxe6 23.f4 Qf5 24.Rd6.[/font]

22...Qe4?

• Black allows White to correct his mistake.
• Better is [font color="red"]22...Bxc4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]23.fxe5 Bxb3 24.exf6 Bxd1 25.fxe7 Ba4 26.Kf2[/font] gives White the advantage owing to his passer knocking at the gate.
• [font color="darkred"]23.Qxc4??[/font] proves disastrous after [font color="darkred"]23...Qxe3+! 24.Kh1 Ne4 25.Rc2 Nf2+ 26.Rxf2 Qxf2[/font] when Black has a material advantage and an easy win.

23.Nxe6!

• White sets things right.

23...fxe6

[center]BLACK: Laurent Fressinet[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Dmitry Jakovenko[/center][center]Position after 23...fe6:N[/center]

24.Be2?!

• White open the door just wide enough for Black to get back in the game with faint hopes of a draw.
• If [font color="red"]24.Rd4 Qf5 25.Qb4![/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]25...Rf7 26.h3 Nd5 27.Qd2 Nc7 28.Rd8+[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]28...Rxd8[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]29.Qxd8+ Rf8 30.Qxc7.[/font]
• If [font color="burgundy"]28...Rf8?[/font] then White wins after [font color="burgundy"]29.Rxa8 Rxa8 30.Qd7 Nd5 31.Qxb7 Re8 32.Bxd5.[/font]
• If [font color="darkred"]25...Kf7 26.h3 Rc8 27.g4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]27...Nxg4 28.hxg4 Qxg4+ 29.Kf2 Qh4+ 30.Ke2 Qg4+ 31.Kd2[/font] leaves White with a Bishop for two pawns.
• If [font color="magenta"]27...Qg6[/font] then White wins easily after [font color="magenta"]28.Bxe6+!! Rxe6 29.Rxc8 Re8 30.f5 Qh6 31.Qc4+.[/font]

24...Nd5!

• White will have to wait for Black to make another bad mistake before winning, but White still has a substantial advantage with stronger pawns and more space.

25.Kf2 Qb4

• The text is better than [font color="red"]25...Qf5 26.Bf3 Nf6 27.Qa3 Rae8 28.Rd8 Kf7 29.Rxe8.[/font]

26.Bc4 Qxb3 27.Bxb3 Nc7 28.Rc5

• White continues to grind away. {i]Grind is an informal chess term for a situation where one side is clearly better, but has no immediate win and simply makes moves hoping his will make that small error that will prove fatal. Jakovenko is a particularly good grinder.
• The text is slightly better than [font color="red"]28.g4 g6 29.e4 Kg7 30.Kg3 Na6 31.Rd6.[/font]

28...Kf8

• [font color="red"]28...Rae8?! 29.Bc4! b6 30.Re5 Rc8 31.g4[/font] gives White a tremendous advantage in space.

29.Re5

• Also good is [font color="red"]29.e4 Ke8 30.Ke3 b6 31.Rc6 Rd8 32.Rdc1.[/font]

29...g6

• The gind also continues after [font color="red"]29...b6 30.Kf3 Rae8 31.Rd6 Kf7 32.Bc4 g6 33.g4.[/font]

30.h4 Kg7 31.h5 Rf8 32.g4 Rff7 33.Rg5!?

• White embarks on a plan to attack Black's palace guard. While not really bad, it's slow.
• Better is [font color="red"]33.Kf3[/font] when:
• [font color="red"]33...b5 34.Rc1 a6 35.Rcc5 Rf8 36.Rc6 a5 37.Bc2 a4[/font] overloads the Rook at e7, which is protecting both the pawn at e6 and the Knight at c7.


• If [font color="darkred"]33...gxh5? 34.Rg5+[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]34...Kf8[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]35.Rxh5 Rd7 36.Rxd7 Rxd7 37.Ke4 Kg7 38.Ke5.[/font]


• If [font color="magenta"]34...Kh8[/font] then White wins after [font color="magenta"]35.Rd8+! Re8 36.Rxe8+ Nxe8 37.Rxh5 Re7 38.g5.[/font]

33...Rd7?

• This leaves the e-pawn inadequately protected, allowing White to further decompose Black's position.
• [font color="red"]33...b6 34.Kg2 Rf8 35.Rd6 Kf6 36.Re5 Rfe8 37.Bc4[/font] leaves Black no reason for optimism, but it's not yet terminal as the e-pawn holds.

[center]BLACK: Laurent Fressinet[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Dmitry Jakovenko[/center][center]Position after 33...Re7d7[/center]

34.hxg6!

• White tears down the last brick in the castle wall.
• If [font color="red"]34.Rxd7? Rxd7 35.Kf3 Kf6![/font] then:
• [font color="red"]36.Bc2 Rg7 37.Ra5 a6 38.g5+ Ke7 39.hxg6[/font] gives White more activity and space.
• If [font color="darkred"]36.Ra5!? a6 37.Rg5 b6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]38.Bc2 Rg7 39.Bd3 Rg8 40.hxg6 hxg6 41.Be4[/font] gives White nothing but a fair advantage in space; Black has nothing at all.
• [font color="magenta"]38.hxg6 hxg6 39.Bc2 Rg7 40.Bd3 a5 41.Be4[/font] transposes.

34...hxg6 35.Bc2!

• The pawn in front of the King becomes a target.

35...Kf8

• If [font color="red"]35...Rxd1[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]36.Rxg6+ Kf8 37.Bxd1 Rg7 38.Rxg7 Kxg7 39.e4.[/font]

36.Rxg6 Rxd1

• [font color="red"]36...a5 37.g5 b5 38.Rc1 Rg7 39.Rh6[/font] continues to give White an extra pawn, white Black's King has no pawn cover.

37.Bxd1 Rh7 38.Bb3 Ke7

• If [font color="red"]38...Rh1[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]39.g5 Rh2+ 40.Kg3 Re2 41.Kf3.[/font]

39.f5 exf5 40.gxf5 Ne8 41.e4 Nd6 42.f6+ 1-0

• If [font color="red"]42...Kd7 43.e5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]43...Rh2+[/font] then after [font color="red"]44.Kg3 Rh1 45.Rg7+[/font] it will cost Black a piece to stop the pawn from queening.
• If [font color="darkred"]43...Nf7[/font] then White wins easily after [font color="darkred"]44.Rg7 Rxg7 45.fxg7.[/font]
• M. Fressinet resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Fressinet - Akopian, Round 10

Laurent Fressinet almost won this event, but fell into second with his last round defeat at the hands of Jakovenko, the ultimate winner.

[center][/center]

[center]Laurent Fressinet[/center][font size="1"]Photo by http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Stefan64 Stefan64 in http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Laurent_Fressinet Wikimedia Commons (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]

Laurent Fressinet - Vladimir Akopian
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1662324
13th European Championship, Round 10
Plovdiv, 30 March 2012

East India Game: Nimzo Indian Defense (Rubinstein Opening)

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 b6 4.e3 Bb7 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Bd3 0-0 7.0-0 Bxc3 8.bxc3

For more on the Nimo-India, see Bacrot-David, French ChT, Mulhouse, 2011.
8...d6

• If [font color="red"]8...Ne4 9.Ne1 f5 10.f3 Nf6[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]11.Qe2 d6[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]12.e4 fxe4 13.fxe4 e5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]14.Nf3 Nc6 15.Bg5 Qe7 16.d5 Na5[/font] is equal (Johansson-Ptacnikova, Euro Club Cup W, Rethymnon, 2003).
• [font color="burgundy"]14.c5 Nbd7 15.cxd6 cxd6 16.Ba3 Re8 17.Bxd6[/font] gives White a fair advatage in space (Reshevsky-Waxman, US Op, Somerset, New Jersey, 1986).
• If [font color="darkred"]12.Nc2[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]12...c5 13.e4 fxe4 14.fxe4 Nbd7[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]15.Bg5 Qc7[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]16.Kh1!? cxd4 17.cxd4 e5[/font] is equal (Gulko-Vyzmanavin, Soviet Trmt, Moscow, 1984).
• [font color="purple"]16.Rf2 cxd4 17.cxd4 Rf7 18.Raf1[/font] gives White a slight advantage.
• [font color="darkorange"]15.Ba3 Rf7 16.Rae1 e5 17.Ne3[/font] gives Black stronger pawns and White more space.
• [font color="magenta"]12...Nbd7 13.e4 fxe4 14.fxe4 e5 15.Bg5 Qe8[/font] gives Black stronger pawns and White more space (Petrosian-Falconer, SX, San Francisco, 1978).
• If [font color="darkred"]11.Nc2 Qe8[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]12.Ba3 d6 13.c5 dxc5 14.dxc5 Rf7 15.Nd4[/font] is equal (Gligoric-Lehmann, ZT, Madrid, 1960).
• [font color="magenta"]12.c5 Qh5 13.cxb6 axb6 14.c4 Nc6 15.Bb2 Na5[/font] is equal (Gulko-Kuzmin, ZT, Lvov, 1978).

9.Nd2 Nbd7

• If [font color="red"]9...e5 10.e4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]10...Nc6 11.Nb3[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]11...Ne7 12.Qc2 Ng6 13.g3 Re8 14.f3 c6 15.f4[/font] is equal (D. Yang-Rosen, US Jr Ch, St. Louis, 2010).
• [font color="magenta"]11...a5 12.Be3 exd4 13.cxd4 Nb4 14.f3 Nxd3 15.Qxd3[/font] gives White a better center and more space; Black has more freedom for his pieces (Polugaevsky-Kuzmin, Soviet Ch, Leningrad, 1974).
• [font color="darkred"]10...Re8 11.Re1 Nbd7[/font] transposes into the notes for White's eleventh move.

10.e4 e5 11.f3 (N)

• If [font color="red"]11.Re1 Re8[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]12.Rb1 Nf8 13.f3 Ne6 14.Nb3 Nd7 15.Be3[/font] gives White a better center and a slight advantage in space (Taimanov-Elguezabal Varela, IT, Paz e Amizade, Portugal, 1985).
• [font color="darkred"]12.f3 Nh5 13.Nb3 Nf4 14.Bxf4 exf4 15.Qd2 Qh4[/font] is equal (Gonzalez García-Panelo, Op, Barcelona, 2010).
• [font color="blue"]11.a4 a5 12.Qe2 Re8 13.d5 Nc5 14.Bc2 Nfd7[/font] is equal: Black has compenstion for White's center in his better minor pieces (Tartakover-Spielmann, Match, Vienna, 1921).

11...Re8 12.Rf2

• The game is equal.
• [font color="red"]12.Re1 Nh5[/font] transposes into [font color="darkred"]Gonzalez García-Panelo[/font][/font] in the notes to White's eleventh move.

12...c6!?

• Black is apparently intending to play ...d6d5.
• [font color="red"]12...Nf8 13.Rb1 Ne6 14.Nb3 c5 15.d5 Nf4 16.Na5[/font] remains equal.

13.Nf1!

• White hits on the best plan: continue to deploy his pieces.
• If [font color="red"]13.d5!?[/font] attempting to pre-empt Black's use of d5, proves to be of little effect after [font color="red"]13...Rc8! 14.dxc6 Bxc6 15.Nf1 Nc5 16.Bc2 Qe7[/font] when the game is still equal.
• On the other hand, [font color="blue"]13.Rb1! Nf8 14.Nb3 Qc7 15.Bg5 Nh5 16.c5 dxc5 17.dxe5[/font] gives White a small advantage in space.

13...d5?!

• Day follows night.
• If [font color="red"]13...Nf8 14.Ng3 Ne6 15.Be3 g6 16.Rb1 Qe7 17.Ne2[/font] continues to give White a small advantage in space.

[center]BLACK: Vladimir Akopian[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Laurent Fressinet[/center][center]Position after 13...d6d5[/center]

14.Ng3!

• White assumes a fair overall advantage and continues developing pieces, but must give priority to protecting the e-pawn.
• If [font color="red"]14.Rb1?! dxe4! 15.fxe4 exd4 16.cxd4 Nxe4 17.Bxe4 Rxe4[/font] gives Black an active Rook and stronger pawns.

14...Qc7 15.Bg5 h6 16.Be3 Rad8 17.Nf5?!

• The Knight should remain at g3 in order to cover the pawn at e5.
• If [font color="red"]17.Rb1! Re6 18.Nf5 Rde8[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]19.Bc2 exd4 20.cxd4 dxe4 21.Qd2[/font] continues to give White a substantial in space.
• If [font color="darkred"]19.Rf1 Bc8[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]20.Rb2 Bb7 21.a4 Ba8 22.Qe1 Nh5 23.Qh4[/font] gives White the initiative and a substantial advantage in space.
• If [font color="magenta"]20.Bd2[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]20...Bb7 21.Rb3 a5 22.a4 Nh5 23.Qb1 Ba8 24.Qc1[/font] gives White a substantial advantage in space; a sacrifice of a minor piece on h6 may be at hand.
• If [font color="darkorange"]20...exd4? 21.cxd4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]21...Ba6 22.Rc1 dxe4 23.fxe4 Rxe4 24.Bxe4 Rxe4 25.Qf3[/font] White has a won position.
• [font color="purple"]21...dxe4 22.fxe4! Qd8 23.Rb3 Rxe4 24.Bxe4 Nxe4 25.Qg4[/font] Black must abandon the attack on White's Bishop and Rooks in order to defend against the threat of mate on g7.

17...dxc4?

• The pawn exchange is a mistake. It increases the scope of White's Bishop.
• The way to exploit White's misplay is [font color="red"]17...Bc8![/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]18.Qc1[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]18...dxe4 19.Bxe4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]19...Nh5 20.Bxh6 Nf8 21.Bg5 f6 22.Be3 Nf4 23.a4[/font] gives White an extra pawn and more space.
• If [font color="darkred"]19...Nxe4 20.fxe4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]20...f6 21.Bxh6 g6 22.Nh4 exd4 23.cxd4[/font] gives White a comfortable advantage in space.
• [font color="magenta"]20...exd4?[/font] loses quickly to [font color="magenta"]21.Bxh6 gxh6 22.Nxh6+ Kh7 23.Nxf7.[/font]
• [font color="darkpink"]18...h5 19.cxd5 cxd5 20.Bg5 dxe4 21.fxe4 exd4 22.cxd4[/font] gives White a substantial advantage in space.
• [font color="darkorchid"]18.Bxh6?! gxh6 19.Nxh6+ Kf8 20.Qc1 Nh5 21.Qg5[/font] when White has nothing better than a small advantage in space.

[center]BLACK: Vladimir Akopian[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Laurent Fressinet[/center][center]Position after 17...dc4:p[/center]

18.Bxc4!

• Doesn't White's light-bound Bishop look happier than he has up to now?

18...b5 19.Bb3 Nc5

• [font color="red"]19...Nf8 20.Rd2 exd4 21.Bxd4 Nh5 22.a4 c5 23.Be5[/font] gives White a clear advantage.

20.Rd2 Nxb3

• Black appears to have given up on the game. This move simply allows White to activate the Rook.
• A more stubborn defense is [font color="red"]20...exd4 21.Bxd4 Qb6 22.Qc1 Bc8 23.Qa3 Rxd4 24.cxd4,[/font] but that's still pretty grim.

21.axb3 a6

• Black is doomed.
• If [font color="red"]21...Ra8 22.dxe5 Rxe5 23.Bd4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]23...Re6[/font] then after [font color="red"]24.b4 Kh7 25.Bxf6 Rxf6 26.Rd7.[/font]
• If [font color="darkred"]23...Rae8 24.Bxe5 Rxe5 25.Rd8+[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]25...Re8[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]26.Rxe8+ Nxe8 27.Rxa7.[/font]
• If [font color="magenta"]25...Kh7[/font] then White wins after [font color="magenta"]26.Qd6 Qxd6 27.Nxd6 Rc5 28.Rxa7.[/font]

[center]BLACK: Vladimir Akopian[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Laurent Fressinet[/center][center]Position after 21...a7a6[/center]

22.dxe5 Rxd2 23.Qxd2 Qxe5 24.Bd4 Qe6 25.Nxh6+ Kh7 26.Nf5 1-0

• If [font color="red"]26...Nh5[/font] then White takes the pawn with [font color="red"]27.Qg5 Qg6 28.Qh4 c5 29.Bxg7.[/font]
• P-n Akopian resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

12. Malakhov - Timofeev, Round 7

In the following game, Vladimir Nailyevich wins one exchange and then the other, returning both for an improved position.

[center][/center]

[center]Vladimir Malakhov[/center][font size="1"]Photo by http://www.flickr.com/people/23310666@N03 Ines Goñi (Nike) as cropped from http://www.flickr.com/photos/-nike-/2808524058/ flickr for http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vladimir_Malakhov.jpg Wikimedia Commons (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en|Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]

Vladimir Malakhov - Artyom Timofeev
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1661776
13th European Championship, Round 7
Plovdiv, 27 March 2012

Symmetrical English Game: Catalan Opening

1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.g3 Nc6 6.Bg2 Nc7!?

• Black's move withdraws his presence in the center, leaving White with a free hand.
• For [font color="red"]6...e6 7.0-0 Be7 8.d4 0-0,[/font] see Vachier Lagrave-Salgado López, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2011.

7.d3!?

• Black's last move is hardly a fatal inaccuracy, so it is neither a big thing in itself nor is the fact that White doesn't make the optimum move here. White simply proceeds with plans to develop his minor pieces.
• If [font color="red"]7.Qa4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]7...Bd7 8.Qe4 g6 9.Ne5 Bg7 10.Nxd7 Qxd7 11.0-0[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]11...0-0 12.a3 Rac8 13.Rb1 Ne6 14.b4 b6[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]15.Nd5 Ned4 16.bxc5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]16...bxc5 17.e3 Ne2+ 18.Kh1 e6 19.Qd3 exd5 20.Qxe2 Rb8[/font] is equal (Smejkal-A. Sokolov, IT, Novi Sad, 1984).
• [font color="burgundy"]16...f5 17.Qe3 bxc5 18.d3 e6 19.Nc3 c4 20.dxc4[/font] is equal (Krönauer-Skeels, Corres, 1999).
• [font color="darkpink"]15.Qd5 Rfd8 16.Qa2 cxb4 17.axb4 Ned4 18.e3 Nf5[/font] is equal (Wojkiewicz-Smejkal, Rubinstein Mem, Polanica Zdroj, 1991).
• [font color="darkorchid"]11...Rb8 12.a3 0-0 13.Rb1 a5 14.Qc4 b6 15.d3[/font] is equal (Kovacevic-Zherebukh, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• If [font color="darkred"]7...Qd7 8.0-0 e5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]9.a3 f6 10.e3 Be7 11.Rd1[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]11...Ne6 12.Rb1 Rb8 13.b4 b5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]14.Qc2?! cxb4![/font] gives Black an extra pawn, the initiative and a small advantage in space (Pelletier-Dourerassou, French ChT, Clichy, 2006).
• [font color="burgundy"]14.Qb3! a5 15.bxc5 b4 16.Na4 e4 17.Ne1[/font] gives White a better defended position.
• [font color="darkpink"]11...Rb8 12.d4 exd4 13.exd4 b5 14.Qc2 cxd4 15.Bf4[/font] gives White a safer King, stronger pawns, a pin at d4 and other tactical opportuities and more space; although Black has an extra pawn, it is weak and won't survive much longer (Uhlmann-Mariotti, IZT, Manila, 1976).
• If [font color="magenta"]9.d3[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]9...Be7 10.Nd2[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]10...0-0?! 11.Nc4 f6 12.f4 Qe6 13.f5 Qd7 14.Be3[/font] gives White greater activity and can weaken Black's queenside by playing Bxc6 at will (Matulovic-Janosevic, Yugoslav Ch, Ljubljana, 1960).
• [font color="burgundy"]10...Nd4 11.Qxd7+ Bxd7 12.Nc4 0-0-0 13.Nxe5[/font] gives White an extra pawn and a small advantage in space.
• If [font color="darkorange"]9...Rb8 10.a3 b5 11.Qc2 Ne6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]12.e3?! Be7! 13.b3 0-0 14.Bb2 b4 15.Na4 f6[/font] is equal (Ozturk-Aginian, Euro ChW, Kusadasi, Turkey, 2006).
• [font color="purple"]12.Be3! Bd6 13.b4 cxb4 14.axb4 Bxb4 15.Qb2[/font] gives White the active game.

7...e5 8.0-0 Be7 9.Nd2

• If [font color="red"]9.Be3 0-0 10.Rc1[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]10...Be6 11.a3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]11...Qd7 12.Na4 b6[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]13.b4 cxb4 14.axb4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]14...Bd5?! 15.Bd2 f6 16.e4 Bf7 17.Qc2 Be8 18.b5[/font] White wins a piece no matter how Black plays; Black resigns (Tempone-Orsini, Pan-American Ch, Buenos Aires, 2003).
• [font color="burgundy"]14...Rac8! 15.Bxb6 axb6 16.Nxb6 Qd6[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space.
• [font color="darkpink"]13.Bd2 Nd5 14.Nc3 f6 15.Nxd5 Bxd5 16.Ne1 Rac8[/font] gives Black a fair advantage in space (Glyzin-Likavsky, Rpd Op, Warsaw, 2005).
• [font color="darkorchid"]11...Rc8 12.Ne4 b6 13.b4 f5 14.Neg5 Bd5[/font] is equal (Tan Zhongyi-Gu Xiaobing, ZTW, Hei Bei, China, 2001).
• If [font color="darkred"]10...Bd7 11.Nd2 Rc8 12.Nc4 f6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.Bxd5+ Kh8 15.Bg2 Be6 16.a3 Qd7[/font] gives Black a slight advantage in space (Murtez-Shomoev, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).
• [font color="magenta"]13.f4 exf4 14.gxf4 f5 15.Kh1 Kh8 16.Bg1 Be6[/font] is equal (Radulov-W. Schmidt, IT, Decin, 1976).

9...Bd7 10.Nc4 f6

• If [font color="red"]10...0-0[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]11.Bxc6 Bxc6 12.Nxe5 Be8[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]13.Be3 Ne6 14.Qb3 Bf6[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]15.Nf3! Bc6 16.Ne4 Bd4 17.Bxd4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]17...cxd4?! 18.Rac1! Kh8 19.Rfe1 Qa5 20.Qa3 Qh5 21.Qe7[/font] gives White, with his Queen smack dab in the middle of White's territory. a significant advantage in space (Suetin-Chandler, Op, London, 1990).
• [font color="burgundy"]17...Nxd4 18.Nxd4 Qxd4 19.Rac1 b6 20.Rc4[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space.
• If [font color="darkred"]15.f4?! Bxe5 16.fxe5 Bc6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]17.Nb5 Bxb5 18.Qxb5[/font] draw (Psakhis-Ehlvest, IT, Tilburg, 1992).
• [font color="magenta"]17.Qc4 Qc7 18.Rf5 g6 19.Qg4 Nd4 20.Bxd4 cxd4[/font] is equal (Gashimov-Xu Jun, Ol. Palma de Mallorca, 2004).
• If [font color="darkred"]13.Qb3 b6 14.Be3 Kh8[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]15.Rad1 f6 16.Nf3 Bf7 17.Qc2 Nd5 18.d4[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space; Black has the Bishop pair(Tomashevsky-Najer, Russian ChT, Dagomys, 2009).
• [font color="magenta"]15.Rfd1 f6 16.Nf3 Bf7 17.Qa4 Nd5 18.Nxd5 Bxd5 19.a3[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Commons-Gheorghiu, Op, Lone Pine, California, 1975).
• If [font color="darkred"]11.a4 f6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]12.f4 exf4 13.Bxf4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]13...Be6 14.Ne3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]14...Rc8 15.Kh1 Qd7 16.g4 Rfd8 17.Qe1 b6 18.Qg3[/font] is equal (Krasenkow-Tukmakov, Op, Ostend, 1990).
• [font color="purple"]14...Qd7 15.a5 Rac8 16.Kh1 Rfd8 17.Qa4 Na6[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Blau-Pachman, Ol, Munich, 1958).
• [font color="darkorange"]13...Ne6 14.Bd2 Kh8 15.Nd5 Rb8 16.Bc3 Ng5 17.h4[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space; Black has better pawns (Gulko-Yudasin, Op, Seville, 1992).
• [font color="magenta"]12.a5 Kh8 13.Be3 Ne6 14.a6 b6 15.Nb5[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (van der Sterren-Timman, Dutch Ch, Amsterdam, 1996).

11.f4 b5 12.Ne3 Rc8!?

• Black passes an opprtunity to spoil the structure of White's kingside.
• If [font color="red"]12...exf4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]13.gxf4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]13...0-0 14.Ncd5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]14...Nxd5 15.Nxd5 Bd6 16.Be3 Rc8 17.Bf2 Ne7[/font] gives Black a tactical advantage in the center; White's Knight cannot remain at d5 after Black play ...Bd7e6 (Raznikov-Kocheev, World Youth BU16, Vung Tau, Vietnam, 2008).
• [font color="burgundy"]14...Rb8 15.Nxc7 Qxc7 16.Nd5 Qd8 17.Be3 Nd4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Barbero-Pinter, Hungarian ChT, 1992).
• [font color="darkpink"]13...Rb8 14.Bd2 0-0 15.f5 Nd4 16.Kh1 Qc8[/font] gives Black a small advantage, but after 17.Nd5 Bd6??17...Bd8! 18.Bf4 he resigned (Illescas Córdoba-de la Villa García, IT, Barcelona, 1990).
• [font color="darkred"]13.Nf5 b4 14.Nxe7 Qxe7[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]15.Ne4 Ne6 16.gxf4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]16...f5 17.Ng3 0-0 18.a3 Rab8 19.axb4 Rxb4[/font] is equal (Stellwagen-Schoorl, Op, Amsterdam, 2006).
• [font color="darkorange"]16...0-0 17.f5 Ned4 18.Ng3 Rac8 19.Rf4 Rfd8[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space (Minasian-Groser, Euro ChT, Pula, 1997).
• [font color="magenta"]15.Bxf4 bxc3 16.Bxc7 Rc8 17.Bf4 cxb2 18.Rb1[/font] is equal (Akopian-Leko, IT, Ubeda, Spain, 1997).

13.a4!

• But first, White seizes the initiative by threatening to win a pawn.
• If [font color="red"]13.Ned5 Nxd5 14.Nxd5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]14...0-0 15.fxe5 Nxe5 16.Bf4 Nc6[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]17.a4 b4 18.Rc1 Be6 19.e4 Bd6 20.Be3 Na5[/font] is equal (Dr. Hübner-Smyslov, Candidates' ¼-final Match, Velden, 1983).
• [font color="burgundy"]17.e4 Be6 18.Rc1 Bd6[/font] transposes into [font color="darkred"]Laylo-Denin[/font], below.
• If [font color="darkred"]14...exf4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]15.Nxf4 0-0[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]16.e4 Be6 17.Be3 Ne5 18.b3 Qd7 19.Qd2 Kh8[/font] is equal (Laylo-Denin. Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2010).
• [font color="darkrorange"]16.a4 b4 17.e3 Bd6[/font] is equal.
• [font color="magenta"]15.Bxf4 0-0 16.e4 Be6 17.Rc1 Bd6[/font] is equal.
• [font color="blue"]13.fxe5 Nxe5 14.Nf5 0-0 15.Kh1 Re8 16.Ne4[/font] gives White a slight advantage (Illescas Córdoba-Topalov, IT, Linares, 1994).

13...b4 14.Nb5!?

• [font color="red"]14.Bxc6 Bxc6 15.Nb5 Nxb5 16.axb5 Bxb5 17.Rxa7[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space (Rybka). or a small advantage (Fritz).

14...exf4 15.Nc4

• If [font color="red"]15.Nxc7+ Rxc7 16.gxf4 Be6[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]17.Nc4!? Qd7 18.Kh1 0-0 19.b3 Nd4 20.Rb1 Re8[/font] gives Black command of more fruitful attacking lanes (Hjartarson-A. Sokolov, World Cup, Rotterdam, 1989).
• [font color="darkred"]17.f5! Bf7 18.Nc4 Nd4 19.Be4 Qd7 20.e3 Nc6[/font] gives Black a slight advantage in space.

15...fxg3!

• The game is equal (Fritz and Rybka agree).
• [font color="red"]15...Nxb5 16.axb5 Nd4 17.Rxa7 Bg4 18.Rf2 0-0 19.b6[/font] gives White a clear advantage with a Rook on the seventh rank and passed pawn on the sixth (Lautier-Leko, Euro ChT, Batumi, Georgia, 1999).

16.Nbd6+

• If [font color="red"]16.hxg3 Nxb5 17.axb5 Nd4 18.Rxa7 Bxb5[/font] gives Black an extra pawn and White an active Rook.

16...Bxd6!?

• White can reload on d6 with nothing to drive it away.
• If [font color="red"]16...Kf8[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]17.hxg3 Rb8 18.Nf5 Bxf5 19.Rxf5 Qd7 20.Rf2[/font] remains equal.
• [font color="darkred"]17.Nxc8!? gxh2+ 18.Kh1 Qxc8 19.Bf4 h5 20.Nd6 Qa6[/font] gives Black better opportunities to improve his position than White.

17.Nxd6+!

• White has a small advantage in space.

17...Ke7?!

• Black sacrifices the exchange, but gets nothing for it.
• Better is [font color="red"]17...Kf8 18.Bf4 gxh2+ 19.Bxh2[/font] when:
• [font color="red"]19...Ne6! 20.Nxc8 Qxc8 21.Bd6+ Kg8 22.Rc1[/font] gives White only a slight advantage in space.
• [font color="darkred"]19...Rb8!? 20.Qc2! Ne6 21.Qc4 Ne7 22.Bh3 Ng5 23.Bxd7[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space.

[center]BLACK: Artyom Timofeev[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Vladimir Malakhov[/center][center]Position after 17...Ke8e7[/center]

18.Nxc8+!

• White won't stare a gift horse in the mouth.
• Also good is [font color="red"]18.Bf4! gxh2+ 19.Bxh2 Ne6 20.e3 h5 21.Rc1[/font] when White's active Bishop pair and the octopus at d6 compensate for Black's two extra pawns.

18...Qxc8 19.hxg3 Nd4

• If [font color="red"]19...Ne6?![/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]20.Bf4![/font] then:
• [font color="red"]20...Qe8 21.d4 Ncxd4 22.e3 Nxf4 23.gxf4 Nf5 24.Qd5[/font] then:
• [font color="burgundy"]20...g5?! 21.Be3! Qb8 22.Qe1 Qd6 23.Bxc6 Bxc6 24.Rf5[/font] gives White the exchange for a pawn and, after 25.Qf2!, a comfortable advantage in space.
• If [font color="darkred"]20.Bd5?! Qb8! 21.Bf4 Nxf4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]22.gxf4 Qd6 23.e4 Nd4 24.Qh5 Be8 25.Qg4[/font] gives White only a small advantage with more space in compensation for the pawn.
• [font color="magenta"]22.Rxf4!? g5! 23.Re4+ Kd8 24.Qe1 Nd4[/font] is equal.

20.Be3!

• White has a comfortable advantage in space.
• [font color="red"]20.e3?[/font] gives Black serious winning chances after [font color="red"]20...Bg4! 21.Bh3 Bxh3 22.exd4 Bxf1 23.Qxf1 cxd4[/font] when he has two extra pawns.

20...Nce6 21.Rc1 Rd8

• [font color="red"]21...Qb8 22.Bxd4 cxd4 23.Qe1[/font] gives White the exchange for a pawn and the advantage in space.

22.Rc4 Bc6

[center]BLACK: Artyom Timofeev[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Vladimir Malakhov[/center][center]Position after 22...Rd8d4:B[/center]

23.Bxd4!

• The exchange on d4 dodges a bullet.
• If [font color="red"]23.Bf2?![/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]23...Qc7![/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]24.Kh2 Bxg2 25.Kxg2 Kf8 26.Rh1[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]26...g6! 27.e4 Kg7 28.Qg4 Qc6[/font] is equal.
• [font color="darkorange"]26...Kg8!? 27.Bxd4 Nxd4 28.Rh5 g5 29.e4[/font] gives White a small advantage holding the exchange for a pawn.
• [font color="magenta"]24.Bxc6 Qxc6 25.e4[/font] transposes to the [font color="red"]main line[/font] of this set of notes.
• [font color="darkred"]23...Qd7 24.Bxc6 Qxc6 25.e4 Kf7 26.Kg2[/font] gives White the exchange for a pawn.

23...Rxd4

• If [font color="red"]23...Nxd4? 24.Rxc5![/font] then:
• [font color="red"]24...Qe6[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]25.Bxc6 Nxc6 26.Qc1 Rd6 27.Rb5.[/font]
• If [font color="darkred"]24...Qc7[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]25.Bxc6 Qd6 26.Rh5 Nxc6 27.Rf4.[/font]

24.Rxd4?!

• White takes a big gamble. He'll give up much of his advantage if the dice come up snake eyes, but the payoff is huge.
• If [font color="red"]24.Bxc6 Qxc6 25.Rxd4 cxd4 26.Rf5 Nc7 27.Qb3[/font] gives White greater activity, the exchange for a pawn and a slight edge in space.

24...Bxg2?!

• Black rolls the dice and doesn't come out as well. 24...cxd4?! would be met by 25.Qc2!, but there is still a more favorable way to take the exchange.
• If [font color="red"]24...Nxd4! 25.e3[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]25...Ne6 26.Qc2 Bxg2 27.Qxg2 Qd7 28.Qc2 h5 29.Kf2[/font] gives White the exchange for a pawn, but Black's Queen is prepared to take the center while White's pieces have nowhere to go.
• [font color="darkred"]25...Bxg2 26.Kxg2 Ne6 27.e4 c4 28.Qc2 c3 29.Qb3[/font] gives Black the exchange for a pawn, but Black advanced pawn give him counterplay.

[center]BLACK: Artyom Timofeev[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Vladimir Malakhov[/center][center]Position after 24...Bc6g2:B[/center]

25.Rc4!

• White cashes in his chips. He prevents the pawn advance, returning the exchange under the most favorable conditions.
• Also good is [font color="red"]25.Rh4! Bxf1 26.Qxf1 Qc6 27.Qf5 h6 28.Re4,[/font] giving White the exchange for a pawn.

25...Bxf1 26.Qxf1

• White has the exchange for a pawn.

26...Qd7 27.Qf5

• Also good is [font color="red"]27.Re4 Kf7 28.Qh3 Qd5 29.Qh1 h6 30.Rc4[/font]

27...Qxa4

• If [font color="red"]27...g6 28.Qe4 f5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]29.Qe5! Qd6 30.d4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]30...Qxe5 31.dxe5 Ke8[/font] continues to give White with an exchange for a pawn.
• If [font color="burgundy"]30...cxd4??[/font] then [font color="burgundy"]31.Rc7+![/font] wins the Queen.
• If [font color="darkred"]29.Qh4+ Kd6 30.Qh6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]30...Qxa4 31.Kf2 Qa2 32.Qxh7 Qxb2 33.Qxg6 a5 34.Qxf5[/font] leaves White an exchange to the good.
• [font color="magenta"]30...a5 31.Kf2 Qa7 32.g4 Qf7 33.gxf5 Qxf5+ 34.Ke1[/font] gives White the material advantage.

28.Re4 Qc6 29.Qxh7 Kf7

• If [font color="red"]29...Kf8 30.Qh8+ Kf7 31.Kf2[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]31...a5 32.Qh5+[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]32...g6 33.Qh7+[/font] gives White more activity and the exchange for a pawn.
• If [font color="magenta"]32...Kf8[/font] then White returns the exchange [font color="magenta"]33.Rxe6 Qxe6[/font] and then [font color="magenta"]34.Qxc5+ Kf7 35.Qxa5[/font] wins two pawns.
• [font color="darkred"]31...Qd5 32.Qc8 a5 33.g4 a4 34.Qa6 Qd7 35.Qc4[/font] gives the exchange for a pawn and White more freedom.

30.Qh5+ Kf8

• If [font color="red"]30...g6 31.Qh7+ Ng7 32.Qh1[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]32...Qd6 33.Kf2 Nf5 34.Qh3 a5 35.g4 Ng7 36.Rc4[/font] gives White greater activity and more freedom.
• If [font color="darkred"]32...Ne6 33.Rh4 Qxh1+ 34.Rxh1[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]34...Nd4 35.Kf2 a5 36.Rh7+ Ke6 37.Ra7 Nc6 38.Ra8[/font] still gives White the exchange for a pawn, now down to the pare essentials.
• [font color="magenta"]34...a6[/font] then White wins after [font color="magenta"]35.Rh7+ Ng7 36.Kf2 f5 37.e3 Kf6 38.Kf3.[/font]

31.Kf2 a5?

• The pawn moves into the line of fire.
• [font color="red"]31...Ng5 32.Re3 Ne6 33.Qf3 Qxf3+ 34.exf3[/font] gives Black a pawn for the exchange and she could get some counterplay on the queenside.

[center]BLACK: Artyom Timofeev[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Vladimir Malakhov[/center][center]Position after 31...a7a5[/center]

32.Rxe6!!

• White returns the exchange in order to force the win of two pawns.

32...Qxe6 33.Qxc5+ Kf7

• If [font color="red"]33...Qe7[/font] then:
• White wins after [font color="red"]34.Qxa5 Qb7 35.e4 g5 36.Qd8+ Kf7 37.Qd4.[/font]
• If [font color="darkred"]34.Qxe7+?[/font] then [font color="darkred"]34...Kxe7 35.Ke3 g5![/font] gives Black serious drawing chances.

34.Qxa5

• The text is easier than [font color="red"]34.Qh5+ g6 35.Qxa5 Qd6 36.Qa7+ Ke6 37.Qa2+.[/font]

34...Qb3

• If [font color="red"]34...Qd6[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]35.Qa2+ Kg6 36.Qc4 Qb6+ 37.d4 Qb7 38.d5.[/font]

35.Qa7+ Kg6 36.Qd4 Kh6 37.g4 Kg6 38.Qe4+ 1-0

• [font color="red"]38...Kf7 39.Qc4+ Qxc4 40.dxc4 Ke6 41.e4 b3 42.c5[/font] is an easy win for White.
• [font color="blue"]38...Kh6 39.Qh1+ Kg5 40.Qh5+ Kf4 41.Qf5#.[/font]
• Artyom Vladimiryevich resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. European Women's Championship, Gaziantep, Turkey

[center][/center]

[center]Gypsy Girl Mosiac[/center][center]found in Zeugma, Gaziantep Province, Turkey[/center][font size="1"]Photo by http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Nevit Nevit Dilmen in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Antep_1250575.jpg Wikimedia Commons (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Gunina - Hoang, Round 7

[center]

[/center]

[center]Valentina Gunina[/center][font size="1"]Uploaded to YouTube by EugenePotemkin
[/font]

Valentina Gunina - Hoang Thanh Trang
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1658794
European Women's Championship, Round 7
Gaziantep, 9 March 2012

Hollander Game: Dutch Queen's Gambit (Stonewall Defense)

1.d4 e6 2.c4 f5 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 c6 5.Bg2 d5

[center]BLACK[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE[/center][center]Hollander Game: Dutch Queen's Gambit[/center][center]Position after 5...d7d5[/center]

• The text is the Dutch Queen's Gambit or Stonewall Defense. Like the Dutch Rat Defense, Black builds a solid defense at the cost of making it difficult to find a useful square for her Queen's Bishop.
• For 5...d6 (the Rat Defense, conventionally called the Illyn-Zhenevsky Variation), see Delrome-Skripchenko, French ChT, Mulhouse, 2011.
• For the Leningrad Defense, where Black plays the King's fianchetto, see Nielsen-Renner, Bundesliga 1011, Eppingen, 2011.

6.0-0 Bd6 7.b3

• If [font color="red"]7.Nc3 0-0 8.Qc2[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]8...Ne4 9.Rb1[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]9...Qe7 10.b4 Bd7[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]11.b5 Nxc3 12.Qxc3 cxb5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]13.cxd5 b4 14.Qb3 a5 15.Ne5 Na6 16.Nxd7 Qxd7 17.dxe6[/font] gives White an extra pawn (Hoang-Zimina, Euro ChW, St. Petersburg, 2009).
• [font color="burgundy"]13.cxb5 Rc8 14.Qb3 a6[/font] draw (L. B. Hansen-Gleizerov, Rilton Cup 0607, Stockholm, 2007).
• If [font color="darkred"]11.a4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]11...Be8 12.b5 Nd7 13.bxc6 bxc6 14.Rb7 Qf6 15.c5[/font] gives White the advantage of a Rook on the seventh and more freedom (Bouhallel-A. Spielmann).
• [font color="magenta"]11...a6 12.Ne5 Be8 13.f3 Nxc3 14.Qxc3 Nd7 15.Bd2[/font] is equal (J. Eriksson-Gleizerov, Rilton Cup 9798, Stockholm, 1998).
• If [font color="darkred"]9...Nd7 10.b4 a6 11.a4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]11...Qe7 12.b5 axb5 13.axb5 Nxc3 14.Qxc3 Ra4 15.Bg5[/font] gives White the advantage in space (Miton-Hoang Thong Tu, Canadian Op, Ottawa, 2007).
• [font color="magenta"]11...Ndf6 12.c5 Be7 13.b5 b6 14.Ne5 cxb5 15.Nc6[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space and the initiative (Towebsend-Shaw, 4NCL 1011, Hinckley Island, 2011).
• If [font color="darkred"]8...Bd7[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]9.Rb1 Be8[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]10.Bf4?! Bxf4 11.gxf4 Nbd7 12.cxd5 Nxd5 13.Nxd5 exd5 14.b4[/font] is equal (Forsberg-Gleizerov, Rilton Cup 1011, Stockholm, 2010).
• [font color="burgundy"]10.Ng5! Bd7 11.c5 Bc7 12.b4 Qe7 13.b5[/font] gives White more space and freedom.
• If [font color="magenta"]9.Bg5 Be8 10.Rac1 h6 11.Bxf6[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]11...Qxf6 12.Qb3 Rf7 13.Rfd1 Na6 14.c5 Bf8 15.Na4[/font] gives White the advantage in space (Hobuss-Abeln, Op, Bad Wiessee, 2003).
• [font color="darkorange"]11...gxf6 12.Nh4 dxc4 13.b3 Bb4 14.Rfd1 Nd7 15.bxc4[/font] gives White stronger pawns and a comfortable advantage in space (Arestanov-Chigvintsev, Op, Novosibirsk, 2001).
• If [font color="blue"]7.Nbd2 0-0 8.Ne5[/font] then:
• If [font color="blue"]8...b6 9.Ndf3 Ne4 10.Qc2[/font] then:
• If [font color="blue"]10...Bb7[/font] then:
• [font color="blue"]11.Nd3 Nd7 12.Bf4 Bxf4 13.Nxf4 Qe7 14.Rfd1 g5[/font] is equal (Razuvaev-Pavasovic, Pirc Mem, Maribor, 1996).
• [font color="darkcyan"]11.b3 a5 12.Bb2 Na6 13.a3 Qe7 14.Nd3 Rac8[/font] is equal (Carlsen-Kransenkow, IT, Gausdal, 2007).
• If [font color="darkblue"]10...Qe7[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]11.Nd3 Nd7 12.Bf4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]12...Ba6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkblue"]13.cxd5 cxd5 14.Qa4 Bxd3 15.Bxd6 Qxd6 16.exd3[/font] is equal (Lomineishvili-Prudnikova, Euro Club Cup, Reythymnon, 2003).
• [font color="slateblue"]13.b3 Rac8 14.Rac1 Bxf4 15.gxf4 Rfd8 16.Qb2 dxc4 17.bxc4[/font] is equal (Konca-Prokopp, Corres, 2001).
• [font color="darkcyan"]12...Bb7 13.Bxd6 Qxd6 14.b4 Ba6 15.c5 bxc5 16.bxc5[/font] gives White the initiative and a slight advantage in space (Gligoric-Sedlak, Yugoslav ChT, Budva, 2002).
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]11.cxd5 cxd5[/font] then:
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]12.Be3 Bb7 13.Rac1 Nd7[/font] then:
• [font color="dodgerblue"]14.Bf4 Rac8 15.Qa4 Nxe5 16.Bxe5 Rxc1 17.Rxc1[/font] gives White the advantage in space (Vladimirov-Gleizerov, Op, Abu Dabhi, 2004).
• [font color="slateblue"]14.Nxd7 Qxd7 15.Ne5 Bxe5 16.dxe5 Rfc8 17.Qb3[/font] is equal (Benjamin-Adamson, US Ch, San Diego, 2004).
• [font color="darkcyan"]12.Nd3 Ba6 13.Bf4 Rc8 14.Qa4 Bxd3 15.Bxd6 Nxd6 16.exd3[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space; Black has stronger pawns (Bocharov-Ulibin, Op, St. Petersburg, 2003).
• [font color="dodgerblue"]8...c5 9.Ndf3 Nc6 10.cxd5 exd5 11.Bf4 cxd4 12.Rc1[/font] gives White a narrow advantage in space (Sasikiran-Krasenkow, Op, Esbjerg, Denmark, 2003).
• If [font color="#008000"]7.Bf4 Bxf4 8.gxf4 0-0[/font] then:
• If [font color="#008000"]9.e3[/font] then:
• If [font color="#008000"]9...Qe7 10.Nbd2 Nbd7 11.Rc1 Ne4 12.Nxe4[/font] then:
• [font color="#008000"]12...fxe4 13.Nd2 Nf6 14.f3 exf3 15.Nxf3 Bd7 16.Ne5[/font] gives White a small advantage in space(Raupp-Bern, Corres, 2002).
• If [font color="#6CC417"]12...dxe4[/font] then:
• If [font color="#6CC417"]13.Nd2!? 13...c5[/font] then:
• [font color="#6CC417"]14.Nb3!? b6 15.dxc5 Nxc5 16.Nxc5 bxc5[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space (Kalinichev-Glek, Soviet Union, 1987).
• [font color="forestgreen"]14.Qb3 b6 15.f3 exf3 16.Bxf3 Rb8[/font] is equal.
• [font color="#808000"]13.Ne5 Nxe5 14.dxe5 Rd8 15.Qb3 b6 16.Rfd1[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space.
• If [font color="#6CC417"]9...Ne4 10.Nbd2 Nd7 11.Qc2 Kh8[/font] then:
• If [font color="#6CC417"]12.Rae1 Qe7 13.Nxe4 fxe4 14.Nd2[/font] then:
• If [font color="#6CC417"]14...c5!? 15.dxc5 Qxc5 16.Rc1 b6 17.cxd5[/font] then:
• If [font color="#6CC417"]17...exd5?![/font] then:
• [font color="#6CC417"]18.Nb3?! Qe7 19.Rfd1 Nf6 20.Qc7 Bd7 21.Rc3 Qe8[/font] is equal (W. Schmidt-Gleizerov, Lasker Mem, Barlinek, 2001).
• [font color="forestgreen"]18.Bxe4!! Ba6 19.Qa4 Bxf1 20.Rxc5 Nxc5 21.Qb4[/font] gives White a Queen and a pawn for two Rooks; Black must initiate the exchange minor pieces to avoid material loss.
• [font color="seagreen"]17...Qxc2 18.Rxc2 exd5 19.f3 Ba6 20.Rfc1 d4 21.exd4[/font] gives White two extra pawns and Black stronger pawns and more space; White center pawns are very weak and it is clear at least one must fall.
• [font color="#4CC417"]14...b6 15.b3 Ba6 16.f3 exf3 17.Rxf3 h6 18.Rg3[/font] remains equal.
• [font color="#808000"]12.Nxe4 fxe4 13.Ng5 Nf6 14.f3 h6 15.h4 Qe8[/font] is equal (D'Amore-Karlsson, EU ChT, Debrecen, 1992).
• If [font color="#6CC417"]9.Nc3[/font] then:
• If [font color="#6CC417"]9...Nbd7 10.Ne5 Ne4 11.Rc1[/font] then:
• [font color="#6CC417"]11...Nxe5 12.fxe5 Bd7 13.e3 Qe7 14.Ne2 Be8 15.f3[/font] gives White the advantage in space; the Black Knight must retreat via g5 (Hanley-S. Williams, Op, Isle of Man, 2001).
• [font color="forestgreen"]11...Ndf6 12.e3 Bd7 13.Ne2 Be8 14.f3 Nd6 15.b3[/font] is equal (Hebden-K. Allen, Op, Isle of Man, 2007).
• If [font color="#238017"]9...Ne4 10.e3 Nd7[/font] then:
• If [font color="#238017"]11.Rc1 Qe7[/font] then:
• [font color="#238017"]12.Ne5 Kh8 13.Ne2 Rg8 14.f3 Nd6 15.b3 Nf6 16.Qe1[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space ().
• If [font color="darkgreen"]12.Qe2 Rf6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkgreen"]13.cxd5!? exd5 14.Ne5 Rh6! 15.f3 Nxc3 16.bxc3 Qh4[/font] (Beliavsky-Radjabov, Grand Prix, Moscow, 2002).
• [font color="#808000"]13.Ng5 Nxc3 14.Rxc3 Rg6 15.Qd3 Nb6 16.b3 a5[/font] is equal.
• If [font color="darkgreen"]11.Nxe4 fxe4 12.Nd2 Qe7[/font] then:
• [font color="darkgreen"]13.f3 exf3 14.Nxf3 Nf6 15.Qb3 Kh8 16.Ne5[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (M. Socko-S. Foisor, Op, Athens, 2005).
• [font color="#808000"]13.Kh1 Nf6 14.f3 exf3 15.Nxf3 Bd7 16.Ne5 Be8[/font] is equal (Hertneck-Narciso Dublan, Op, Berlin, 1998).

7...Qe7 8.Bb2

• If [font color="red"]8.a4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]8...a5 9.Ba3 Bxa3 10.Nxa3 0-0 11.Nc2[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]11...b6 12.Nce1 Bb7 13.Nd3 Na6[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]14.Rc1[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]14...c5 15.e3 Rac8 16.Qe2 Rfd8 17.Nf4 dxc4 18.Qxc4[/font] is equal (Umansky-Boecher, Corres, 2004).
• [font color="burgundy"]14...Ne4 15.Nfe5 Rac8 16.f3 Nf6 17.c5 bxc5 18.Nxc5[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space (Maly-Tamilin, Ukrainian ChT, Alushta, 2000).
• If [font color="darkred"]14.Nfe5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]14...c5 15.cxd5 Bxd5 16.dxc5 Bxg2 17.Kxg2 Nxc5 18.Nxc5 Qxc5[/font] is equal (Almada-Babaro, Op, Lenk, Switzerland, 1994).
• [font color="magenta"]14...Rac8 15.Rc1 c5 16.dxc5 bxc5 17.Qd2 Nb4[/font] is equal (Zaremba-Tozer, Op, Reykjavik, 2010).
• If [font color="darkred"]11...Nbd7[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]12.Ne3 Ne4 13.Qc2 Qf6 14.Qb2 Qh6 15.Rad1 Ndf6 16.Qc1[/font] is equal (Peng-Thipsay, FIDE Knock Out W, New Delhi, 2000).
• If [font color="magenta"]12.Nce1 b6 13.Nd3 Ba6 14.Rc1 Rac8 15.Nfe5[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]15...Nxe5 16.Nxe5 Nd7 17.Nxd7 Qxd7[/font] draw (Iljin-Nosov, IT, Alushta, 2008).
• [font color="darkorange"]15...Ne4 16.f3 Nef6 17.Qd2 Nxe5 18.Nxe5 c5 19.f4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Solomon-Steadman, IT, Auckland, New Zealand, 2010).
• If [font color="darkred"]8...0-0 9.Ba3 Bxa3 10.Nxa3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]10...Bd7 11.Nc2[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]11...Be8 12.Nce1[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]12...Nbd7 13.Nd3 Ne4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]14.Qc2 Nd6 15.Nfe5 Nxe5 16.Nxe5 Nf7 17.Nd3[/font] leaves White better prepared to open the center (Cvitan-Spraggett, Op, New York, 1987).
• [font color="burgundy"]14.Nfe5 Nd6 15.Rc1 Nf7 16.Nxd7 Bxd7 17.f3[/font] gives White a better center (de Abreu-D. Gluckman, Op, Gauteng, South Africa, 2011).
• If [font color="magenta"]12...Bh5 13.Nd3 Nbd7 14.Qc2[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]14...dxc4 15.Qxc4 Ne4 16.Qc2 c5 17.Rac1 cxd4 18.Nxd4[/font] gives White command of the c-file (Hort-R. Maric, IT, Vinkovci, 1970).
• [font color="darkorange"]14...h6 15.Nfe5 Nxe5 16.Nxe5 Nd7 17.Nxd7 Qxd7 18.e3[/font] gives White the better center (Gerzhoy-Wang Yue, World Youth, Heraklio, 2002).
• [font color="darkpink"]11...b6[/font] transposes into the [font color="red"]main line of this set of notes.[/font]
• [font color="darkorchid"]10...a5 11.Nc2[/font] transposes into the [font color="red"]main line of this set of notes.[/font]

8...0-0 9.Ne5

• If [font color="red"]9.Qc1 b6[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]10.Ba3 Bb7 11.Bxd6 Qxd6 12.Qa3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]12...Qxa3 13.Nxa3 Nbd7[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]14.Rac1 a5 15.Rfd1[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]15...Ne4 16.Ne1[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]16...c5 17.cxd5 exd5 18.Nd3 Rac8 19.dxc5 bxc5 20.Nf4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Sosonko-Short, Blitz IT, Brussels, 1987).
• [font color="burgundy"]16...Rfc8 17.Nd3 Ba6 18.e3 b5 19.f3 Nd6 20.cxb5[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Alatortsev-Ragozin, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1944).
• [font color="darkpink"]15...Rac8 16.e3 Kf7 17.Ne1[/font] draw (Sosonko-Tal, IT A, Wijk aan Zee, 1988).
• If [font color="darkred"]14.Rfc1[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]14...Ne4 15.Nc2 c5 16.cxd5 exd5 17.dxc5 bxc5 18.b4 c4[/font] is equal (Saric-Sedlak, Op, Pula, 2003).
• [font color="magenta"]14...Rfc8 15.Ne1 Kf8 16.Nd3 Ke7 17.Rc2 c5 18.cxd5 exd5 19.Rac1[/font] forces Black to weaken his pawns (Botvinnik-Flohr, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1955).
• [font color="darkpink"]12...c5 13.dxc5 bxc5 14.Nc3 Nbd7 15.Rfd1 f4 16.Rac1[/font] is equal (H. Olafsson-Agdenstein, Op, Reykjavik, 1987).
• [font color="darkorchid"]10.Ne5 Bb7 11.Nd3 Nbd7 12.Nd2!? Rac8 13.b4 c5 14.dxc5 bxc5 15.bxc5 Nxc5[/font] gives Black stronger pawns and a small advantage in space (Privman-Jussupow, Op, Philadelphia, 2002).

9...b6

• If [font color="red"]9...Bd7 10.Nd2 Be8 11.Qc2 Nbd7[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]12.Ndf3 Bh5 13.Nd3 Rac8[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]14.Nfe5 Rfd8[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]15.Rac1 Bc7 16.Nxd7 Nxd7 17.e3 Nf6 18.Rfe1[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Martinovic-B. Ivanovic, Yugoslav Ch, Budva, 1986).
• [font color="burgundy"]15.Rae1 c5 16.dxc5 Nxc5 17.Qb1 Nxd3 18.Nxd3 Ne4[/font] gives Black a better center and an impressive advantage in space (Medvedev-Hirtreiter, Corres, 1991).
• If [font color="darkred"]14.Rac1[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]14...Ne4?! 15.Nfe5 Nxe5 16.dxe5 Bc7 17.f3 Ng5 18.h4[/font] pushes Black's Knight back to f7, leaving White with a freer game (W. Schmidt-Haba, IT, Prague, 1989).
• [font color="magenta"]14...dxc4 15.bxc4 c5 16.e3 Ne4 17.Nd2 Ndf6 18.Nf4[/font] continues to give White a small advantage
• [font color="darkorchid"]12.Nd3 Ne4 13.Nf3 f4 14.Nfe5 fxg3 15.hxg3[/font] gives White a small advantage in space(Chernosvitov-Tseshkovsky, IT, Voskresensk, 1992).

10.a4 (N)

• If [font color="red"]10.Nd2 Bb7[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]11.Rc1 a5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]12.e3 Na6 13.Qe2[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]13...Rac8 14.Ndf3 Ne4 15.Rfd1 Nb4 16.a3 Na6[/font] is equal (Hungaski-Gevorkian, World Jr Ch, Yerevan, 2007).
• If [font color="darkred"]13...Ne4!? 14.Rfe1[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]14...c5 15.Nb1 Nb4 16.f3 Nxa2 17.fxe4 Nxc1 18.Bxc1 fxe4[/font] gives Black command of an open file and a slight advantage in space; White has a centralized Knight (van Wely-Ulibin, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2003).
• [font color="magenta"]14...Nc7 15.f3 Nxd2 16.Qxd2 a4 17.e4 fxe4 18.fxe4[/font] is equal (M. Petursson-Short, IT, Reyjavik, 1987).
• If [font color="darkred"]12.Ndf3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]12...Na6 13.Qc2 Rac8 14.Qb1 Ne4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]15.e3 Rfd8 16.Rfd1 Nb4 17.Qa1 Ra8 18.a3 [/font] gives White the initiative; Black must retreat his Knight (Porat-Boyum Fossum, World Youth, Belfort, 2005).
• [font color="darkorange"]15.Nd3 Nb4 16.Rfe1 [/font] draw (Hebden-Relange, IT 9798, Hastings, 1997).
• [font color="magenta"]12...Ne4 13.Nd3 Na6 14.Nfe5 Nb4 15.f3 Nf6 16.c5[/font] is equal (M. Bensdorp-Ouwendijk, Op, Amsterdam, 2006).
• If [font color="darkred"]11.Qc2[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]11...Nbd7 12.Rac1 Rac8[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]13.Qb1 13...Ne4 14.Nxe4 fxe4 15.Nxd7 Qxd7 16.Bh3 Rce8[/font] is equal (Zakharevich-Lastin, Chigorin Mem Op, St. Petersburg, 2000).
• [font color="burgundy"]13.Ndf3[/font] transposes into [font color="darkred"]Porat-Boyum Fossum,[/font] above.
• If [font color="magenta"]11...a5 12.Rac1 Na6[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]13.cxd5 cxd5 14.Qb1[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]14...Rfc8 15.Rxc8+ Rxc8 16.Rc1 Rxc1+ 17.Qxc1 Qc7[/font] is equal (Smyslov-Padevsky, IT, Gelsenkirchen, 1991).
• [font color="purple"]14...b5 15.a4 bxa4 16.bxa4 Nb4 17.Nb3 Nd7 18.Qa1[/font] is equal (Praslov-Moiseenko, Chigorin Mem Op, St. Petersburg, 2000).
• [font color="darkorange"]13.Rfd1 Rfc8 14.Qb1 Nb4 15.e3 Ne4 16.Nf1 Rf8 17.f3 Nf6[/font] is equal (Kadimova-Moser, Euro ChW, Plovdiv, 2008).

10...a5

• The game is equal.

11.cxd5 exd5 12.Ba3

• If [font color="red"]12.Qc2[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]12...Ba6 13.Rc1[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]13...Ra7 14.Ba3 Qe6 15.Bxd6 Qxd6[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]16.Nd2 g6 17.Ndf3 Rc7 18.Qb2 c5 19.Rc2 Rfc8[/font] is equal.
• [font color="darkorange"]16.Qxf5 Ne4 17.Qh5 Nxf2 18.Nxc6 Raf7 19.Nxb8 Rf5[/font] is equal.
• [font color="magenta"]13...Ne4 14.f3 Nf6 15.f4 g6 16.Ba3 Bb7[/font] is equal.
• [font color="darkred"]12...Be6 13.Rc1 c5 14.Qd1 Na6 15.Na3 Nb4 16.Nb5[/font] is equal.

12...Bxa3

• [font color="red"]12...Bb7 13.Bxd6 Qxd6 14.Nc3 Nbd7 15.f4[/font] remains equal.

13.Nxa3 Bb7 14.Qc2 g6

• If [font color="red"]14...Qe6 15.Nd3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]15...Na6 16.Nf4 Qd7[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]17.Qd2 Ne4 18.Bxe4 fxe4 19.f3 exf3 20.exf3 Nb4[/font] remains equal.
• [font color="burgundy"]17.Qb2 Qd6 18.Nc2 Ne4 19.Rac1 Nb4 20.Rfe1 Rac8[/font] remains equal.
• If [font color="darkred"]15...Ne4!? 16.Qb2! Nd7[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]17.Nc2! Rae8 18.b4 axb4 19.Qxb4 Rb8 20.a5[/font] gives White a small advantage in space.
• [font color="magenta"]17.Nf4!? Qd6 18.Nc2 Rae8 19.h4 c5 20.Na3 Qe7[/font] remains equal.

15.e3 Rc8 16.Qb2 Na6?!

• My staff and I are having a small disagreement with Fritz, who says the game is equal, but we see some slight opportunities for White.
• If [font color="red"]16...Nbd7! 17.f4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]17...Ba6 18.Rfe1 Ne4 19.Rec1 Qe6 20.Nb1 Ra7[/font] gives Black a slight advantage in space.
• If [font color="darkred"]a) 17...Rf8[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]18.Rfc1 Nxe5 19.dxe5 Ne4 20.Qd4 c5 21.Qb2 Bc6[/font] remains equal.
• [font color="magenta"]18.Nb1 Ba6 19.Re1 Qe6 20.Bh3 Rac8 21.Nc3 Rfd8[/font] remains equal.
• If [font color="darkred"]b) 17...Nxe5 18.fxe5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]18...Ne4! [/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]19.Rac1! Ba6 20.Rf4 c5 21.Bxe4 fxe4 22.Nb5 Bxb5[/font] remains equal.
• [font color="darkorange"]19.Bxe4?! fxe4 20.Rf6 Rf8 21.Raf1 Rxf6 22.Rxf6 Rf8[/font] is slightly better for Black, who threatens to exchange White's best piece and then activate the Bishop on a6 or c8.
• [font color="magenta"]18...Ng4 19.Nc2 Ba6 20.Rf4[/font] is slightly better for White; if attacked, Black's Knight must retreat to the less-than-stellar post h6.

[center]BLACK: Hoang Thanh Trang[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Valentina Guinina[/center][center]Position after 16...Nb8a6[/center]

17.Rac1!

• White (we say) now has a slight advantage.

17...c5 18.Nb5 Nb4 19.Rfd1 Ba6

• [font color="red"]19...Re8 20.f4 Rac8 21.Rc3 Ba6 22.Rdc1 Ne4 23.Bxe4 fxe4[/font] is equal (Fritz 13)/is slightly better for White (JR & Staff).

20.dxc5 bxc5 21.Nd3

• We would say that Fritz has come to his senses and calls this a slight advantage for White, but Fritz' body is just a collection of microchips and has no senses.
• [font color="red"]21.f4!? Bb7! 22.Na3 Qe6 23.Qd2 Ra6[/font] is equal.

21...Nxd3 22.Rxd3 Rab8?!

• Black leaves the d-pawn insufficiently protected.
• If [font color="red"]22...Bb7 23.Qd2 Qe5 24.Rdc3 Nd7 25.Rd1[/font] gives White a small initiative with the pressure on the immoble d-pawn.

[center]BLACK: Hoang Thanh Trang[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Valentina Guinina[/center][center]Position after 22...Ra8b8[/center]

23.Rxd5!!

• White breaks open the center with an exchange sacrifice.

23...Bxb5

• Black will regain a pawn, but trading one's d-pawn for the b-pawn is not really an equal trade in most cases.
• If [font color="red"]23...Nxd5??[/font] then White wins with [font color="red"]24.Bxd5+ Kf8 25.Qh8#.[/font]

24.axb5 Rxb5 25.Re5 Qg7?

• Black abandons her initiative on the queenside, which is all she has.
• [font color="red"]25...Qd6 26.Bf1 Rb6 27.Bc4+ Kg7 28.Qa1 Qd7 29.Rd1[/font] gives White command of the center and an extra pawn, but Black is still fight on White's weakened kingside.

[center]BLACK: Hoang Thanh Trang[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Valentina Guinina[/center][center]Position after 25...Qe7g7[/center]

26.Qe2!

• White immediately seizes the initiative.

26...Ng4

• 26...Rxb3 loses at once to Qc4+.
• If [font color="red"]26...Qc7 27.Rxf5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]27...Rb6 28.Rg5 Qe7 29.Qc4+ Kg7 30.Qc3 Kh6 31.h4[/font] gives White one extra pawn and a serious threat to take another.
• If [font color="darkred"]27...gxf5[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]28.Qxb5 Kg7 29.Bh3 Qe5 30.Rc4 Rb8 31.Qxa5.[/font]

27.Rxf5 gxf5 28.Qxb5 Qb2 29.Rf1

• White wins more quickly after [font color="red"]29.Bd5+[/font] (protecting the b-pawn) [font color="red"]29...Kh8 30.Rf1 Qe5 31.Bc4 Nf6 32.Rd1.[/font]

29...Qd2

• [font color="red"]29...Nf6 30.Qc4+ Kh8 31.Qf4 Rf8 32.Qxf5 Qxb3 33.Qxc5[/font] gives White two extra pawns.

30.Bb7

• Also good is [font color="red"]30.Qc4+ Kg7 31.Qe6 Rf8 32.Bd5 Nh6 33.Qe7+[/font] when White wins the Rook.

30...Rc7 31.Bd5+ Kg7

• If [font color="red"]31...Qxd5[/font] then after [font color="red"]32.Qb8+ Kf7 33.Qxc7+[/font] White wins the Rook.

32.Qb8 Qxd5 33.Qxc7+ Kg6 34.Qf4

• Also good is [font color="red"]34.Qxa5 Ne5 35.Qa6+ Kg7 36.Qa7+ Kg6 37.Ra1.[/font]

34...Qxb3 35.e4 Nf6

• This may be a hari-kari move.
• If [font color="red"]35...Qe6[/font] then after [font color="red"]36.exf5+ Qxf5 37.Qxf5+ Kxf5 38.Rc1[/font] Black would probably wait for White to take the two queenside pawns before resigning, but she couldn't possibly even look like she's trying.

36.Qxf5+ Kg7 37.e5 Nd5 38.e6 Nc3 39.Qe5+ Kh6 40.e7 1-0

• The pawn queens after Black runs out of checks.
• Kisasszony Hoang resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

11. T. Kosintseva - Stefanova, Round 10

Tatiana Anatolyevna was the second among equals among the trio who tied for first.
[center][/center]

[center]Tatiana Kosintseva
[/center][font size="1"]Photo by http://www.flickr.com/photos/karpidis karpidis in http://www.flickr.com/photos/8022405@N02/1890776861// flickr modified for http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:TKosintseva_1.jpg Wikimedia Commons (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]

Tatiana Kosintseva - Antoaneta Stefanova
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1659494
European Women's Championship, Round 10
Gaziantep, 12 March 2012

Closed Caro-Kann Game: Short Opening

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Nd7 6.0-0 Bg6 7.Nbd2 Nh6 8.Nb3 Nf5 9.a4 Be7

• For notes up to here, see Ganguly-Antonio, Asian Ch, Subic Bay, 2009.

10.a5

• If [font color="red"]10.g4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]10...Nh6 11.h3 0-0 12.Be3 Kh8 13.Qd2 Ng8 14.Ne1[/font] gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Li Chao-Rodshtein, World Jr Ch, Gaziantep, 2008).
• [font color="darkred"]10...Nh4 11.Nxh4 Bxh4 12.f4 f6 13.exf6 gxf6 14.f5[/font] gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Gharamian-Pantsulaia, Euro Ch, Aix-les-Bains, 2011).

10...0-0 11.g4

• If [font color="red"]11.c4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]11...Rc8 12.h3 Kh8[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]13.Bf4 Nh4 14.Nxh4 Bxh4 15.Qd2 Be7 16.Rac1[/font] gives a fair advantage in space (Bologan-V. Popov, Euro Rpd Ch, Warsaw, 2010).
• [font color="burgundy"]13.Bd2 dxc4 14.Bxc4 c5 15.d5 exd5 16.Bxd5 Nxe5[/font] gives Black a small advantage; after 17.Bxb7 Nxf4+, both sides will have weak pawns, but White's weak pawns will be diminishing his King safety (Nijboer-S. Pedersen, Op, Vlissingen, 2006).
• If [font color="darkred"]11...dxc4 12.Bxc4 Nh4 13.Nxh4 Bxh4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]14.Qe2 Rc8 15.Bd2 Be7 16.Bc3 b5 17.axb6[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Karjakin-Leko, Tal Mem Blitz. Moscow, 2009).
• [font color="magenta"]14.Be3 Be7 15.Qf3 Rc8 16.g3 Bg5 17.h4 Bxe3 18.Qxe3[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space; Black is cramped (Kosteniuk-Leko, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2009).

11...Nh4 12.Nxh4 Bxh4 13.f4 f5?!

• We're in the dark edges of theory, so nothing here has much of a history. This move appears to give Black trouble and perhaps should be retired.
• [font color="red"]13...f6! 14.Be3 Qe7 15.exf6 Nxf6 16.Nd2 h6 17.Nf3[/font] gives White a narrow edge in space (T. Kosintseva-Chiburdanidze, Grand Prix W, Jermuk, 2010).

[center]BLACK: Antoaneta Stefanova[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Tatiana Kosintseva[/center][center]Position after 13...f7f5[/center]

14.g5!

• White has a fair advantage in space.

14...h6 15.gxh6 gxh6 16.Be3 (N)

• [font color="red"]16.Kh1 Kh7 17.Rf3 Rg8 18.Rh3 Be7 19.Be3[/font] gives White a comfortable advantage (And. Volokitin-Nanu, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).

16...Be7

• White has a fair advantage in space.

17.Rf3 Kf7?!

• [font color="red"]17...Bf7 18.Rg3+ Kh7 19.Nd2 Rg8 20.Nf3 Qf8 21.Kh1[/font] gives White a comfortable advantage in space.

[center]BLACK: Antoaneta Stefanova[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Tatiana Kosintseva[/center][center]Position after 17...Kg8f7[/center]

18.Rh3

• White already has a significant advantage in space.

18...Rh8?!

• The pawn doesn't need protected as White can't get at it quickly.
• [font color="red"]18...Rg8[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]19.a6 b6 20.Kh1 Kg7 21.Qd3 c5 22.c4 b5 23.cxd5[/font] continues to give White a comfortable advantage.
• If [font color="darkred"]19.Rxh6?![/font] allows Black a fierce couterattack after [font color="darkred"]19...Bh4! 20.Bf2 Bxf2+ 21.Kxf2 Rh8 22.Rxh8 Qxh8 23.Qh1[/font] giving Black the more active game in compenation for her pawn minus.

19.c4!?

• White can afford a small inaccuracy at this point.
• Better is[font color="red"]19.Kh1! Rg8 20.Bh5 Kf8 21.Qe2 Be8 22.a6 b6 23.Nd2[/font] when White is on the virge of winning with greater activity and freedom.

19...Qg8?

• Black is concerned about protecting her h-pawn. It actually would not be a good idea for White to take the h-pawn, and therefore this maneuver just wastes time.
• If [font color="red"]19...Rg8! 20.Kh1 Kg7[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]21.Nd2[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]21...Bf7 22.cxd5 cxd5 23.Nf3 Rc8 24.Qb3 b6 25.Bd2[/font] gives White chances to shift the attack to the queenside and a significant adavantage in space.
• [font color="burgundy"]21...Kh7 22.Nf3 Nf8 23.c5 Be8 24.Qc2 Rg6 25.Bd2[/font] White's advancing queenside pawns increase the scope of the heavy pieces behind them.
• If [font color="darkred"]21.Rg3 Kh7[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]22.Qc2 Rc8 23.Rag1 b6 24.c5[/font] gives Black a significant advantage in space.
• [font color="magenta"]22.a6 b6 23.Qc2 Bf7 24.Rag1 Rc8 25.Rxg8[/font] gives White a comfortable advantage in space.

20.Kh1!?

• This isn't quite good enough to win.
• If [font color="red"]20.Nd2! Rc8 21.Kh1[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]21...h5 22.Qb3 Rc7 23.Rg1 h4 24.Nf3 Ke8 25.Bf2[/font] gives White the freedom to maneuver on both wings.
• If [font color="darkred"]21...Qh7 22.Qb3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]22...Rb8[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]23.Rg1 Rhg8 24.Qa4 Ke8 25.cxd5 cxd5 26.Bb5.[/font]
• [font color="magenta"]22...b6[/font] then White wins after [font color="magenta"]23.Rg3 h5 24.axb6 axb6 25.Ra7 Rhd8 26.Qa4.[/font]

20...Qh7?

• Black cannot find a way to exploit White's inaccuracy.
• If [font color="red"]20...h5! 21.Nd2 h4 22.Nf3[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]22...Rc8! 23.Qb3 Qd8 24.Ng5+ Bxg5 25.fxg5 Rc7 26.Qb4[/font] gives Black a tough but survivable game.
• If [font color="darkred"]a) 22...Ke8? 23.a6 Rb8[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]24.cxd5 cxd5 25.Ng5 Bxg5 26.fxg5 Kf7 27.Bd2[/font] gives White more freedom and a small advantage in space.
• [font color="magenta"]24.axb7!? Rxb7! 25.cxd5 cxd5 26.Ng5 Bxg5 27.fxg5[/font] could give Black chances for counterplay.
• If [font color="darkred"]b) 22...Qe8 23.Bd2[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]23...Rb8 24.cxd5 cxd5 25.Ng5+ Bxg5 26.fxg5 Rc8 27.Rb3[/font]gives White more freedom, the initiave and a comfortable advantage in space.
• If [font color="magenta"]23...Rc8 24.Ng5+ Bxg5 25.fxg5 Kg7[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]26.Rb3[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]26...Rc7 27.cxd5 cxd5 28.Rc1 Qc8 29.Rbc3 Rxc3 30.Rxc3[/font] gives White more freedom, the initiative and a significant advantage in space.
• If [font color="purple"]26...dxc4[/font] then White wins after [font color="purple"]27.Rxb7 f4 28.Bf3 Rf8 29.Rxa7 Rf7 30.Qe2.[/font]
• [font color="darkorange"]26.cxd5 cxd5 27.Rb3 Rc7 28.Rc1 Qc8 29.Rcc3[/font] denies Black access into White's territory.
• If [font color="blue"]20...Qe8 21.Nd2[/font] then:
• [font color="blue"]21...h5 22.Nf3 h4 23.Bd2 dxc4 24.Bxc4 Nf8 25.Qg1[/font] leaves Black with an uphill struggles to save a half point.
• If [font color="darkblue"]21...Rg8? 22.Qa4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkblue"]22...Rc8 23.Nf3 Kg7 24.Rg1 Nb8 25.Qb3 Qd7 26.Bd2[/font] gives White command of the g-file and an impressive advantage in space.
• [font color="dodgerblue"]22...h5 23.Nf3 Kf8 24.Ng5 Bxg5 25.fxg5 dxc4 26.Qxc4[/font] gives White a huge advantage in space.
• [font color="#008000"]20...Rc8 21.Nd2 Qh7 22.Qb3[/font] transposes into the [font color="darkred"]maroon note[/font] to White's 20th move.

[center]BLACK: Antoaneta Stefanova[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Tatiana Kosintseva[/center][center]Position after 20...Qg8h7[/center]

21.cxd5!

• White wins.
• Also good is [font color="red"]21.Qc2! Rac8 22.Rg1 h5 23.Nd2 Rhg8 24.Nf3.[/font]

21...exd5

• This considerably shortens Black's agony.
• If [font color="red"]21...cxd5 22.Nc5 Nxc5 23.dxc5 Rab8 (24.a6 h5 25.Qc2 Qh6 26.axb7 Rxb7 27.Qc1[/font] gives White an advancing passed pawn and a small advantage in space; Black has two passers, but neither is as impressive as White's one.
• [font color="darkred"]23...h5 24.a6 bxa6 25.Bxa6 h4 26.Qf1[/font] gives White the advancing passed c-pawn and more freedom; neither of Black's passers are going anywhere.

22.Nd2 a6 23.Nf3 Rab8

• If [font color="red"]23...Ke8[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]24.Qb3 Rb8 25.e6 Nf8 26.Ne5 Bd6 27.Rg1.[/font]

24.Qb3 Ke6 25.Bf2

• A quicker win is [font color="red"]25.Bd2 Qf7 26.Rg1 Bh5 27.Rxh5!! Qxh5 28.Ng5+.[/font]

25...Qf7

• If [font color="red"]25...Kf7[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]26.Rg1 Rhg8 27.Bh4 Nf8 28.Bg5 Ke8 29.Rxh6.[/font]

26.Rc1 Bh5

• Black's game is completely lost. Perhaps fully aware of it, she sets up the sacrifice for White.
• If [font color="red"]26...Qe8[/font] then White just wins after [font color="red"]27.Nh4 Bh7 28.Ng2 Rg8 29.Ne3 Kf7 30.Rxh6.[/font]/li]

[center]BLACK: Antoaneta Stefanova[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Tatiana Kostintseva[/center][center]Position after 26...Bh5[/center]

27.Rxh5!!

• White doesn't miss it a second time.

27...Qxh5 28.Ng5+!

• The Queen is a goner as the Knight must be taken. Black cannot get her King out of check by moving it.

28...hxg5 29.Bxh5 Rxh5 30.fxg5 Bxg5 31.Rg1

• White is up a Queen to a Knight. The rest requires no comment.

31...Bf4 32.Rg6+ Kf7 33.Rg2 Nxe5 34.dxe5 Bxe5 35.Ba7 Rc8 36.Qxb7+ Rc7 37.Qxa6 f4 38.Qd3 1-0

• Black must lose a Rook.
• G-zha Stefanova resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

13. Cmilyte - A. Muzychuk, Round 10

Anna Olegivna appeared to be headed for a first palce finish after winning this game from the defending European Women's Champion, but had to settle for third on tie breaks after losing to Valentina Evgenyevna in the final round the following day.

[center][/center]

[center]Anna Muzychuk[/center][font size="1"]Photo by http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Samson1964 Frank Hoppe in http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Anna_Muzychuk Wikimedia Commons (Public Domian)
[/font]

Viktorija Cmilyte - Anna Muzychuk
European Women's Championship, Round 10
Gaziantep, 12 March 2012

Semi-Slav Queen's Gambit: Grand Anti-Meran Gambit

1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.Be2 Bg7

• For notes on the grand Anti-Meran Gambit up to here and for what follows 9...Bb7, see Anand-Leko, Tal Mem, Moscow, 2009.

10.Qc2 Nh5 (N)

• [font color="red"]10...g4 11.Ne5 Qxd4 12.Rd1 Qb6 13.Nxg4 Nxg4 14.Bxg4 Nd7[/font] is equal (Avrukh-Livshits, Israeli Ch, Ramat Aviv, 2004).

11.Rd1

• Black has a small advantage in space.

11...Nxg3 12.hxg3 g4!?

• Play on the queenside is a more active plan for Black.
• [font color="red"]12...Na6 13.0-0 0-0 14.b3 b4 15.Nb1 c3[/font] gives Black a fair advantage in space.

13.Nh2!?

• As the great philosphers hold, a knight on rim is dim. Better is to bring the Knight to the center.
• If [font color="red"]13.Ne5 h5 14.b3 Qa5 15.Kf1[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]15...c5 16.Qd2 Bh6 17.Qb2 cxd4 18.Nxb5 Qxb5 19.Qxd4[/font] is equal
• If [font color="darkred"]15...Qc7[/font] then [font color="darkred"]16.Kg1 Bxe5 17.dxe5 Qxe5[/font] wins a pawn for Black, but she lags in development.

[center]BLACK: Anna Muzychuk[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Viktorija Cmilyte[/center][center]Position after 13.Nf3h2[/center]

13...f5?!

• Simpler and better is to use a flank pawn for the purpose of reinforcing g4.
• [font color="red"]13...h5! 14.e5 Na6 15.Qe4 Nc7 16.Qxc6+ Qd7[/font] gives Black more freedom after the exchange of Queens; Black should plan to castle long and exploit White's backward d-pawn; White will have to take two moves to repedloy his Knight from h2 to e3.

14.exf5!

• The game remians equal and Black will have a free hand in the center.
• If [font color="red"]14.d5! exd5 15.exd5 Qb6[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]16.Nf1 Bd4 17.Bxg4 Bxf2+ 18.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 19.Kxf2 fxg4[/font] is equal.
• [font color="darkred"]16.Nxg4 fxg4 17.Qe4+ Kf7 18.Qf4+ Kg8 19.dxc6 Nxc6[/font] is equal.

14...exf5 15.d5 Qf6

• Black should use her Queen to cover her weak queenside pawns.
• If [font color="red"]15...Qb6 16.Nf1 Bd4 17.Ne3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]17...Bxe3 18.fxe3 Qxe3[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]19.dxc6 Nxc6 20.Nxb5 Qxg3+ 21.Kf1 Qf4+ 22.Kg1 Qe3+ etc.[/font] draws by repetion.
• [font color="magenta"]19.Kf1 0-0 20.dxc6 Nxc6 21.Nd5[/font] also remains equal.
• If [font color="darkred"]17...0-0?! 18.Qd2 Bg7 19.dxc6 Nxc6 20.Nxb5 Ne5[/font] gives White a fair advantage with the initiative and more space.

16.dxc6

• The game is equal.
• [font color="red"]16.Nf1! a6 17.Ne3 0-0 18.0-0 Bb7 19.Rfe1[/font] is also equal and has the added benefit of developing the Knight.

16...Qxc6 17.0-0?!

• This will make it even more difficult to activate the Knight.
• If [font color="red"]17.Nxg4! fxg4 18.Nxb5 0-0[/font] when:
• [font color="red"]19.Rd6 Bf5 20.Rxc6 Bxc2 21.Rxc4 Bb1 22.Nc7[/font] gives White a Rook and two pawns for two minor pieces against Black's active Bishops.
• If [font color="darkred"]19.Bxc4+!? Kh8 20.Nd6 Rf6! 21.Ne4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]21...Bf5!! 22.Nxf6 Qxf6[/font] gives White the material advantage, but Black has two active Bishops in compensation.
• If [font color="magenta"]21...Rg6??[/font] then [font color="magenta"]22.Rd8+! Kh7 23.Ng5#.[/font]

[center]BLACK: Anna Muzychuk[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Viktorija Cmilyte[/center][center]Position after 17.0-0[/center]

17...a6!

• Black has an extra pawn and White more pressure on the center.

18.Nd5 Ra7 19.b3 c3 20.Rd3!?

• Of course, this does not threaten the pawn because that would leave White's centralized Knight hanging.
• If [font color="red"]20.Rfe1 0-0 21.Nf1! Raf7 22.Nfe3[/font] finally develops the Knight and remains equal.

20...0-0!

• Black has a small advantage in space.

21.Rc1?!

• One piece is all that is needed to blockade the pawn. The Rook is better deployed elsewhere.
• If [font color="red"]21.Rfd1![/font] (threatenting to take the c-pawn or develop the Knight) [font color="red"]21...Raf7 22.Nf1 Re8[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]23.Nfe3 Nd7 24.a4 Nc5 25.Rxc3 Bxc3 26.Qxc3 Bd7[/font] gives Black the exchange and stronger pawns; White has a slight advantage in space and a stronger presense in the center.
• If [font color="darkred"]23.Nxc3??[/font] then Black wins after [font color="darkred"]23...Bb7! 24.f3 Rc7 25.Ne3 Bxc3 26.Rd8 Rc8.[/font]

21...Be6!?

• Black improves her position, but not as much as she could have.
• [font color="red"]21...Rd7! 22.Rcd1 a5 23.Nf1 Qc5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]24.Nf4 Rxd3 25.Qxd3 b4 26.Qe3 Qxe3 27.Nxe3 Nc6[/font] gives Black active pieces and an extra pawn, that being a dangerous passer.
• [font color="darkred"]24.a3 b4 25.axb4 axb4 26.Nf4 Rxd3 27.Bxd3 Nc6[/font] gives Black an extra pawn, which is passed.

22.Nxc3?!

• White self-pins. Better is to allow the White Queen to hide behind the passed pawn while baockading.
• [font color="red"]22.Nf4!? Bf7 23.Re3 Qf6 24.Bd3 h5 25.Bxf5 Nc6[/font] continues to give Black a fair advantage in space.

22...Rc8

• Black has more activity, especially that of her Bishop pair, and the deadly threat of [i[23...b4! give her a fair advantage overall.
• [font color="red"]22...Rc7 23.Bd1 Qb7 24.Qd2 Nd7 25.Re3 Ne5[/font] is even more comfortable for black.

23.b4?!

• White at least puts a stop to ...b4!.
• If [font color="red"]23.Qd2 Rd7 24.a4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]24...Rxd3! 25.Bxd3 Bxc3 26.Qxh6 b4 27.Qg5+ Kf8 28.Bxf5[/font] continues to give Black a fair advantage.
• If [font color="darkred"]a) 24...Bxb3 25.axb5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]25...axb5 26.Na2 Qb7 27.Rxd7 Nxd7 28.Rxc8+ Qxc8 29.Bxb5 Nc5[/font] continues to give Black a fair advantage thanks mainly to the activity of the Bishop pair and the sorry posts for White's Knights.
• [font color="magenta"]25...Rxd3?! 26.Qxd3! Qe6 27.b6 Qxb6 28.Qxf5[/font] is equal.
• If [font color="darkred"]b) 24...bxa4?! 25.Na2 Qb7 26.bxa4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]26...Re8 27.Nf1 Rxd3 28.Bxd3 Nc6 29.Rb1[/font] is equal.
• [font color="magenta"]26...Rxd3 27.Rxc8+ Qxc8 28.Bxd3 a5 29.Nc1[/font] is equal.
• If [font color="darkred"]c) 24...b4?! 25.Na2![/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]25...Qb7 26.Rxc8+ Qxc8 27.Nxb4 Rxd3 28.Qxd3[/font] gives White a small advantage in space
• [font color="magenta"]25...Rxd3?! 26.Qxd3 Qb6 27.Rxc8+ Bxc8 28.Qc2 Bd7 29.Bc4+[/font] gives White a comfortable advatnage in space.

[center]BLACK: Anna Muzychuk[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Viktorija Cmilyte[/center][center]Position after 23.b3b4[/center]

23...Rd7!

• White has a substantial advantage in space.

24.Re3 Rdc7 25.Qd2 Nd7 26.Bd1

• Black's domination of space reaps benefits. White must take two move to force an exchange of minor pieces just in order get a little room to maneuver.
• [font color="red"]26.Nf1 Ne5 27.Qb2 Nc4 28.Bxc4 Bxc4 29.Qd2 Qd7[/font] continues to give Black a clear advantage.

26...Ne5 27.Ne2?!

• White puts the Black Queen under attack, apparently missing Black's retort.
• [font color="red"]27.Qe2 Qd6 28.Nf1 Bf7 29.Bb3 Bxb3 30.axb3 Nc6[/font] threatens to win a pawn and gives White stronger pawns.

[center]BLACK: Anna Muzychuk[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Viktorija Cmilyte[/center][center]Position after 27.Nc6e2[/center]

27...Nc4!!

• Black wins at least the exchange.

28.Qe1?

• Better is to exchange Queens.
• Nevertheless, White is barely hanging in after [font color="red"]28.Bb3 Nxd2 29.Rxc6 Bxb3 30.Rxc7 Rxc7 31.axb3 Rc2[/font] when she few defensive opportunities.

28...Qd6!

• Also good is [font color="red"]28...Qd7! 29.Rb3 Nb2 30.Rb1 Rd8 31.R3xb2 Bxb2.[/font]

29.Rb3 Nb2

• If [font color="red"]29...Nd2[/font] then Black wins after [font color="red"]30.Rxc7 Rxc7 31.Re3 Nc4 32.Nf1 Nxe3.[/font]

30.Rxc7

• White shortens her agony.
• If [font color="red"]30.Rb1 Rd8 31.R3xb2 Bxb2[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]32.Nf1[/font] then Black wins after [font color="red"]Qe5 33.Bb3 Bxb3 34.axb3 Rcd7 35.Ne3 Ba3.[/font]
• If [font color="darkred"]32.Rxb2[/font] then Black wins after [font color="darkred"]32...Qxd1 33.Qxd1 Rxd1+ 34.Nf1 Bc4 35.f3 Re1.[/font]

30...Rxc7 31.Nf4

• If [font color="red"]31.Rxb2[/font] then Black wins after [font color="red"]31...Bxb2[/font] then Black wins after [font color="red"]32.Nf1 Ba3 33.Bb3 Bxb3 34.axb3 Bxb4.[/font]

31...Rc1 32.Qxe6+ Qxe6 33.Nxe6 Rxd1+ 34.Nf1

• The Knight was on h2 for 21 moves.

34...Nc4 35.Nxg7

• If [font color="red"]35.f3[/font] then Black wins the exchange after [font color="red"]35...Nd2 36.Kf2 Nxb3 37.axb3 Kf7.[/font]

35...Kxg7 36.Rc3 Nd2 37.Rc7+ Kf8 38.Rc6 Nxf1

• Also good is [font color="red"]38...Rxf1+ 39.Kh2 Ne4 40.Rc2 Nxf2.[/font]

39.Rxh6 Nxg3+ 0-1

• Black wins the exhange after 40.Kh2 Rh1+.
• Cmilyte resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. 27th International Open, Reykjavik

[center][/center]

[center]Reykjavik[/center][font size="1"]Photo by Arndís Þórarinsdóttir in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_pond.jpg Wikimedia Commons (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Cheparinov - Caruana, Round 7

[center][/center]

[center]Fabiano Caruana[/center]
[font size="1"]Photo by http://www.flickr.com/people/39649493@N00 Ted Cross from http://www.flickr.com/photos/39649493@N00/2307926939 flickr (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]

Ivan Cheparinov - Fabiano Caruana
27th International Open, Round 7
Reykjavik, 11 March 2012

West India Game: Indian Queen's Gambit (Exchange Opening) (Grünfeld Defense)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bb5+

• More common is 7.Bc4 or 7.Nf3. See Caruana-Morozevich, IT, Biel, 2009.

7...c6 8.Ba4 0-0

• If [font color="red"]8...b5 9.Bb3 b4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]10.Qf3 0-0 11.Ne2 bxc3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]12.Qxc3 Bb7[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]13.Bg5 Na6[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]14.e5!? c5![/font] then:
• [font color="red"]15.d5?! Nb4! 16.Rd1 Qc7 17.f4 Rad8 18.d6 Rxd6 19.Rxd6 exd6[/font] gives Black an extra pawn and the initiative (Ftacnik-Adorjan, ZT, Budapest, 1993).
• [font color="burgundy"]15.0-0 cxd4 16.Nxd4 Bxe5 17.Rad1 Qb6[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space.
• [font color="darkpink"]14.Rd1 c5 15.0-0 Rc8 16.Qe3 c4 17.Ba4[/font] remains equal.
• [font color="darkorchid"]13.Rb1!? c5! 14.Bxf7+ Rxf7 15.Rxb7 cxd4[/font] gives Black an extra pawn and the initiative; White has stronger pawns and more space (Chekhov-Lingnau, TT, Germany, 1993).
• If [font color="darkred"]12.h4 h5?! 13.Qxc3! Bb7[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]14.Bg5 Na6 15.Rd1 c5 16.0-0 cxd4 17.Nxd4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Kallai-Adorjan, Hungarian ChT, 1993).
• [font color="magenta"]14.0-0 c5 15.Qxc5 Bxe4 16.Bg5 Nd7 17.Qa3[/font] gives White stronger pawns and the initiative (I. Sokolov-Timman, IT, Malmö, 1997).
• If [font color="darkred"]10.Ne2 bxc3 11.Be3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]11...0-0 12.Rc1 Nd7[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]13.e5 c5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]14.f4 cxd4 15.Qxd4 Ba6 16.Nxc3 Rc8 17.Kf2[/font] gives White the initiative (Vyzmanavin-Tukmakov, IT. Elenite, Bulgaria, 1993).
• [font color="burgundy"]14.e6 fxe6 15.0-0 Ba6 16.Bxe6+ Kh8[/font] is equal (Kiselev-Krasenkow, IT, Moscow, 1992).
• [font color="darkpink"]13.0-0 Ba6 14.Re1 c5 15.dxc5 Ne5 16.Bd5 Rc8[/font] gives Black a more freedom and White more space (Blees-Tukmakov, Op, Chania, Greece, 1992).
• If [font color="magenta"]11...Ba6 12.Rc1 Nd7 13.e5 Qa5[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]14.Qc2 c5 15.f4 cxd4[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]16.Nxd4 Rc8 17.Ba4 Rc4 18.Bxd7+ Kxd7 19.Nb3 Qc7[/font] gives Black an extra pawn; White has a slight advantage in space (Beliavsky-Tukmakov, Op, Bled, 1996).
• [font color="burgundy"]16.Bxd4 Nc5 17.Bxc5 Qxc5 18.Qxc3 Qxc3+ 19.Nxc3[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Assev-Dvoirys, ZT, St. Petersburg, 1993).
• If [font color="darkorange"]14.e6 fxe6 15.Bxe6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]15...Rd8 16.Qb3 Rf8 17.Bc4 Nc5 18.Qxc3 Qxc3+ 19.Rxc3 Bxc4 20.Rxc4 Nd3+[/font] gives Black the initiative and a small advantage in space (Oral-Kalod, Czech ChU20, Prague, 1997).
• If [font color="purple"]15...Rb8 16.0-0[/font] then:
• [font color="purple"]16...Rb2?! 17.Nxc3 Bxf1 18.Qf3![/font] gives White command of key squares around the Black King, the initiative and a small advantage in space (Gleizerov-Oral, Op, Leeuwarden, 1995).
• [font color="hotpink"]16...Rd8 17.Qc2 Nb6 18.Rfd1 Rd6 19.Bb3[/font] gives White a small advantage in space.

9.Ne2 c5

• If [font color="red"]9...e5 10.0-0 Nd7 11.Be3 Qe7[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]12.Qc2 Nb6 13.Bb3 Be6[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]14.Rad1 Rad8 15.dxe5 Bxe5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]16.Bd4!? Nc4![/font] (taking advantage of the weak square at c4) [font color="red"]17.h3 Bc7[/font] gives Black, the advantage in space (Chong Liang-Ni Hua, Chinese Ch, Wuxi, 2006).
• [font color="darkorange"]16.c4! Qb4 17.Rc1 Rfe8 18.Nf4 Bxf4 19.Bxf4[/font] gives White a slight advantage as Black has no good way to improve his queenside and must group his pieces, giving White time to take control of the d-file.
• [font color="magenta"]14.dxe5 Bxe5 15.f4 Bg7 16.Bd4 Rfe8 17.Ng3[/font] gives White a better center and more space against Black's stronger pawns (Panchenko-Stohl, Op, Pardubice, 1994).
• [font color="darkred"]12.d5 Rd8 13.c4 b5 14.d6 Qf6 15.cxb5 cxb5 16.Bxb5[/font] gives White an extra pawn, passed at d6, that demands Black's attention (Gelfand-Piket, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2000).

10.0-0 Nc6 11.Be3 Na5

• The text move avoids wekening Black's queenside pawns.
• The main alternative is [font color="red"]11...Qc7 12.Rc1 Rd8 13.Qc2 a6 14.Bxc6 bxc6 15.dxc5[/font] with equality; Black has command of the d-file and the long dark diagonal; White will take contol of the b-file and eventually gets an advantage in space (Bern-Svidler, IT, Guasdal, 1991).

12.dxc5

• If [font color="red"]12.Rb1 b6 13.Bb5 Bb7[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]14.Bd3 cxd4 15.cxd4 e6 16.Qd2 Rc8 17.Rfc1[/font] gives White the better center and more space (Lauber-Smejkal, Bundesliga 9899, Germany, 1998).
• [font color="darkred"]14.f3 cxd4 15.cxd4 e6 16.Rc1 Qe7 17.Qd2 Rfc8[/font] gives White the better center and more space (Korotylev-S. Atalik, IT, Alushta, 1999).

12...Qc7 (N)

• If [font color="red"]12...Nc4 13.Qxd8 Rxd8 14.Bg5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]14...Bd7 15.Bb3 Na5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]16.Rfd1 Kf8[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]17.f3 Bb5 18.Nd4 Ba6 19.Rab1 Rdc8 20.Be3 Kg8 21.Bf2 Bf8[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]22.c6!? Nxc6[/font] draw (Ionov-Shipov, Russian Ch, St. Petersburg, 1998).
• [font color="purple"]22.Bd5 Rxc5 23.Ne6 Rxc3 24.Be1 Ra3 25.Nxf8[/font] gives White more freedom and the Bishop pair; Black has an extra pawn.
• [font color="darkorange"]17.Rd2 Bc6 18.f3 Rxd2 19.Bxd2 Rd8 20.Be1 Bb5[/font] is equal (Ristic-Maksimovic, TT, Belgrade, 2008).
• [font color="magenta"]16.Bxe7 Re8 17.Bd6 Rxe4 18.Nd4 Nxb3 19.axb3 Bxd4[/font] draw (Topalov-Kasparov, IT, Linares, 1998).
• [font color="darkred"]14...f6 15.Bc1 Na5 16.Bb3+ Nxb3 17.axb3 e5 18.f3[/font] gives White a weak extra pawn and more space against Black's stronger pawns.

13.Bb3

• White has a weak extra pawn and more space against Black's stronger pawns.

13...Bg4!?

• This is a calculated risk.
• Objectively better is [font color="red"]13...Bd7 14.Qc2 Bb5 15.Rfd1 Bxe2 16.Qxe2[/font] continues to gives White a small advantage in space, but the hindmost c-pawn is about to be taken, leaving White to defend a weak pawn on c5.

[center]BLACK: Fabiano Caruana[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Ivan Cheparinov[/center][center]Position after 13...Bc8g4[/center]

14.f3!?

• White has an extra pawn, more space and the initiative, but no threats beyond this.
• A better try is to ignor the pin for a moment and play [font color="red"]14.Rc1 Nxb3 15.axb3 b6[/font] when:
• [font color="red"]16.f3 Rfd8 17.Qc2 Bd7 18.cxb6 axb6 19.c4[/font] when White still has an extra pawn.
• Also good is [font color="darkred"]16.h3 Bd7 17.cxb6 axb6 18.Qc2 Rfd8 19.c4[/font] when White remains a pawn to the good.

14...Bd7 15.Qb1!?

• If [font color="red"]15.Nf4[/font] then after [font color="red"]15...Bh6 16.Qc1 Bxf4 17.Bxf4 Qxc5+ 18.Be3[/font] White loses the weak extra pawn and gives Black equality.

15...e6!

• The game is equal.

16.Rd1 Rfd8 17.Kh1

• If [font color="red"]17.Qb2 Bf8 18.Qa3 b6 19.cxb6 axb6 20.Qc1 Bc5[/font] remains equal.

17...Be8 18.Qb2 Bf8 19.f4!?

• White sacrifices his foremost c-pawn.
• [font color="red"]19.Qa3 Rdc8 20.Qb2 Bxc5 21.Bg5 Nxb3 22.axb3 a5[/font] remains equal.

[center]BLACK: Fabiano Caruana[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Ivan Cheparinov[/center][center]Position after 19.f3f4[/center]

19...Bxc5!

• Blacks levels the material balance and takes a small advantage in space.

20.Nd4 Bf8!?

• Black releases the pin for no apparent reason.
• [font color="red"]20...Bb6! 21.e5 Nc4 22.Qe2 Nxe3 23.Qxe3 Bc6[/font] keeps the pin in tact.

21.f5!?

• Black, perhaps short on time, may be hoping for 21...gxf5?! 22.exf5 exf5 23.Nxf5, severely weakening Black's kingside. That's not very likely.
• Better is to restrain Black's kingside: [font color="red"]21.e5 b5 22.Rac1 Nc4 23.Qe2 Nxe3 24.Qxe3 Bc5[/font] continues to give Black a small advantage in space.

21...Nxb3!?

• Not bad, but not the best.
• If [font color="red"]21...e5! 22.Nf3[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]22...Rxd1+ 23.Rxd1 Nxb3 24.Qxb3 Be7 25.Rf1 b5[/font] gives Black stronger pawns, the Bishop pair in a reasonably open field and the ability to mobilize the queenside.
• [font color="darkred"]22...Nxb3 23.axb3 Bc6 24.Rxd8 Rxd8 25.Qc2 f6[/font] gives White the Bishop pair and command of the d-file.

22.axb3 e5 23.Nf3 f6

• If [font color="red"]23...Rxd1+ 24.Rxd1 a5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]25.f6 Rd8 26.Rxd8 Qxd8 27.c4 Qd1+ 28.Bg1 Bc6[/font] gives Black a Queen marauding White's back rank, the Bishop pair and a comfortable advantage in space.
• [font color="darkred"]25.Bg5!? Qc6! 26.fxg6 hxg6 27.Nxe5 Qxe4 28.Nf3 Bc6[/font] gives Black domination of the board; the Queen radiates power from e4.

24.c4 Bc6 25.Qc2 Rxd1+

• If [font color="red"]25...b6! 26.c5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]26...Qb7 27.Rxd8 Rxd8 28.fxg6 hxg6 29.cxb6 axb6[/font] gives Black the initiative; White has a small advantage in space.
• [font color="darkred"]26...bxc5!? 27.Bxc5! Rxd1+ 28.Rxd1 Qb7 29.fxg6 hxg6[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space.

26.Rxd1 Rd8!?

• Black challenges White for the d-file. Better is to restrain White's queenside pawns.
• If [font color="red"]26...a5![/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]27.c5 gxf5 28.exf5 Rd8 29.Rxd8 Qxd8[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]30.Nd2 Qd5 31.Qc4 Kf7 32.h3 Ke7 33.Qe2 Kd7[/font] gives Black a strong initiative with the threat to White's c-pawn and the threat of mate at g2 restricting the White Queen's options.
• [font color="burgundy"]30.h3?! Qd5 31.Kg1 Kf7 32.Kf2 Be7[/font] gives Black more freedom.
• If [font color="darkred"]27.Ra1?! Rd8[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]28.fxg6 hxg6 29.h3 Qd7 30.Ne1 Bb4 31.Bb6 Ra8[/font] gives White more freedom, command an open file and a bit more space.
• If [font color="magenta"]28.h3 Qd7[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]29.fxg6 hxg6 30.Ne1 Qh7 31.Bb6 Ra8[/font] gives Black command of more key squares, in particular h4 and b4; 32.Rxa5 only succeeds in exchanging Rooks after 32...Rxa5 33.Bxa5 Qh4! wins back the pawn.
• [font color="darkorange"]29.Ne1 Qg7 30.Kh2 Bb4 31.Nf3 gxf5 32.exf5 Bd6[/font] gives Black more activity and freedom.

[center]BLACK: Fabiano Caruana[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Ivan Cheparinov[/center][center]Position after 26...Ra8d8[/center]

27.Rxd8!

• White wins a pawn and gets back in the game.

27...Qxd8 28.fxg6 hxg6 29.Bxa7 b6 30.c5 b5

• If [font color="red"]30...bxc5 31.b4 Qa8[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]32.Qc4+ Kg7 33.Bxc5 Bxe4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]34.Qc3 Bxc5 35.bxc5 Bc6[/font] gives each side a passed pawn, but White's is blockaded and Black's is ready to advance at least to the next square.
• [font color="magenta"]34.Bxf8+ Kxf8 35.Qe6 Qd8 36.h3 Bd5 37.Qg4 e4[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space and the initiative, but White has obvious counterply thanks to his unblockaded pased pawn.
• [font color="darkred"]32.Bxc5 Bxe4 33.Qc3 Qb7 34.Kg1 Bg7 35.h3 Bd5[/font] gives Black a small advantage with a passed pawn and the Bishop pair; White also has a passed pawn.

31.b4 Bh6 32.Kg1 Kg7 33.Kf2

• [font color="red"]33.Bb6 Qa8 34.Qd3 Qa1+ 35.Kf2 Qb2+ 36.Kg3 Qxb4[/font] leaves White's e-pawn doomed; Black will soon be a pawn to the good.

33...Qa8 34.Qa2?!

• This allows Black to win a pawn right away.
• [font color="red"]34.Bb6 Qa3 35.Qd1 Qb2+ 36.Kf1 Qxb4 37.Qd6 Qc4+[/font] wins the e-pawn, leaving Black a pawn to the good.

[center]BLACK: Fabiano Caruana[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Ivan Cheparinov[/center][center]Position after 34.Qc2a2[/center]

34...Bxe4!

• The pawn count is level; the White Bishop is pinned to the Queen, and White will find that a difficult pin to break as there is nothing else to protect the Bishop and no place the Queen can protect the Bishop for at least two moves except along the a-file.

35.Qa5

• White sends the Queen to c7, the only other place where it can protect the Bishop.

35...Qb7 36.Bb6

• If [font color="red"]36.Qa3[/font] then [font color="red"]36...Bc6 37.Bb6 Qd7 38.Qa7 Bb7 39.c6 Qxc6[/font] leaves Black a pawn to the good with more freedom.

36...Qd7 37.Qa7 Bb7 38.Bd8?

• Black underestimates the strength of Black's reply.
• If [font color="red"]38.c6 Qxc6 39.Be3 Bxe3+[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]40.Qxe3! g5 41.h4 Qc2+ 42.Kg3 gxh4+ 43.Nxh4 Qe4[/font] leaves Black better, but not yet good enough.
• If [font color="darkred"]40.Kxe3? g5! 41.h3 Qc8 42.Kf2 Qc2+[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]43.Kg3 Qc7 44.Ne1 Kg6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]45.Kf2 Qd7 46.Qe3 Bd5 47.g4 Qd6 48.Qd2 Qb6+ 49.Qe3[/font] still gives Black an extra pawn, but it is clear the Queens must come off.
• [font color="darkorange"]45.Kh2 e4+ 46.g3 Qc6 47.Qe3 Qc4 48.Qd2 Qd5[/font] gives White drawing hopes after the exchange of Queens, but Black can make no further progress as long as they remain on the field.
• [font color="magenta"]43.Kg1 Qc6 44.Kf2 Qd5 45.Qe3 Bc6[/font] Black grinds Black to death.

[center]BLACK: Fabiano Caruana[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Ivan Cheparinov[/center][center]Position after 38.Bb6d8[/center]

38...e4!

• Black wins.
• Of course, [font color="red"]38...Qxd8??[/font]loses to [font color="red"]39.c6!!,[/font] immediately winning back the piece and cinching that the pawn will queen.

39.Ne1

• White has no way out and, although perhaps not intentionally, falls on his sword.
• White lasts longer after [font color="red"]39.c6 Qxc6 40.Ne1 Bf4 41.Qb6 e3+,[/font] but the result will not be changed.

39...Qd2+ 40.Kg3 Qf4+ 0-1

• If [font color="red"]41.Kh3[/font] then Black soon mates after [font color="red"]41...Qf5+ 42.Kg3 Bf4+ 43.Kf2 e3+ 44.Kg1 Bc7.[/font]
G-zh Cheparinov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

14. Hou Yifan - Bartholomew, Round 5

As she did in Gibraltar in February, the reigning world women's champion came close to winning a major open tournament outright.

John Bartholomew is an international master from Georgia (not the Caucasus republic).

[center][/center]

[center]Hou Yifan[/center][font size="1"]Photo by http://www.flickr.com/photos/karpidis/ karpidis modified from http://www.flickr.com/photos/8022405@N02/2750069891/ flickr in http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Hou_Yifan Wikimedia Commons (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]

Hou Yifan - John Bartholomew
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1658917
27th International Open, Round 5
Reykjavik, 10 March 2012

Grand Spanish Royal Game: Yates Opening

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.d4 Bg4 10.d5 Na5 11.Bc2 c6 12.h3 Bc8 13.dxc6 Qc7 14.Nbd2 Qxc6 15.Nf1 Nc4 16.Ng3 Re8 17.a4 Be6 18.Ng5 Bd7 19.b3 Na5 20.Bd2 Qc7 21.axb5 axb5 22.Qe2 h6 23.Nf3 Be6 24.Rab1 (N)

• For moves and variations up to here, see van den Doel-Nikolic, Op, Leiden, 2011).
• [font color="red"]24.Reb1 Reb8 25.Nh2 Qb7 26.Ng4[/font] is equal (Bacerro Rivero-Kamsky, US Ch, San Diego, 2006).

24...Rab8

• The game is equal.

[center]BLACK: John Bartholomew[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Hou Yifan[/center][center]Position after 24...Ra8b8[/center]

25.Nh4 Nh7!?

• This move has no point since the Knight was headed to f5 anyway and h7 is certainly an more inferior post for Black's Knight than f6.
• [font color="red"]25...d5 26.Nhf5 Rbd8 27.exd5 Rxd5 28.Nxe7+ Rxe7[/font] remains equal.

26.Nhf5!

• White has a small advantage in space.

26...Bg5 27.h4

• If [font color="red"]27.Bxg5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]27...hxg5 28.Qd3 Nb7[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]29.Qd2 g6 30.Ne3 Rec8 31.Ne2 Nf6 32.Nd5[/font] continues to give White a small advantage in space.
• [font color="magenta"]29.Ne3!? Rec8 30.Nd5 Bxd5 31.exd5 g6 32.Ne2[/font] is equal.
• [font color="darkred"]27...Nxg5?! 28.h4! Nh7 29.Qg4! g6 30.Nxh6+ Kh8 31.Qf3[/font] gives White an extra pawn and a small advantage in space.

27...Bxd2 28.Qxd2 Nf6

• White continues to enjoy a small advantage in space.
• [font color="red"]28...Nb7?! 29.Nh5 Bxf5 30.exf5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]30...Qd8 31.g3 Nf6 32.Nxf6+ Qxf6 33.b4[/font] gives White pressure on the backward d-pawn and a very heathy advantage in space,
• [font color="darkred"]30...Qe7 31.g3 Nf6[/font] transposes.

29.Re3 d5!

• This fine move gives Black a center duo and at least doesn't let things get worse; White continues to enjoy a small advantage.
• If [font color="red"]29...Rb6?! 30.Rf3! Qd8 31.Ra1 Rc6 32.Ra3[/font] leaves White targeting Black's backward pawn at d6, a fair advantage in space and all of his pawns covered.

[center]BLACK: John Bartholomew[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Hou Yifan[/center][center]Position after 29...d6d5[/center]

30.Rf3!

• White has a interest in allowing Black to maintain his center pawn majority for now.
• If [font color="red"]30.exd5?! Nxd5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]31.Rf3 Nf4 32.Qd6 Qxd6 33.Nxd6 Red8[/font] gives Black a comfortable advantage in space.
• If [font color="darkred"]31.Ree1 Qxc3 32.Rbd1[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]32...Nc6! 33.Be4 Qxd2 34.Rxd2 Ndb4 35.Bxc6 Nxc6 36.Rd6 Na5[/font] leaves Black a pawn to the good.
• [font color="magenta"]32...b4?! 33.Nxh6+ gxh6 34.Qxh6 Qxc2 35.Rxd5 Bxd5 36.Nh5[/font] is equal.

30...Nxe4 31.Nxe4 dxe4 32.Bxe4 Bxf5

• The game remains equal.
• If [font color="red"]32...Rbd8 33.Nxh6+!![/font] then:
• [font color="red"]33...Kf8 34.Qe3 gxh6 35.Qxh6+ Ke7 36.Qf6+[/font] gives White two pawns and active heavy pieces for the Knight.
• [font color="darkred"]33...gxh6?? 34.Qxh6! f6 35.Rg3+[/font] leads to mate.

33.Bxf5

• If [font color="red"]33.Rxf5 Nb7 34.Rd1 Rbd8[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]35.Bd5 Nd6 36.Rf3 e4 37.Rf4 Rc8[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]38.Ra1 Qxc3 39.Qxc3 Rxc3[/font] remains equal.
• [font color="magenta"]38.c4 bxc4 39.bxc4 Qc5[/font] remains equal.
• [font color="darkred"]35.Qe2?[/font] drops the exchange to [font color="darkred"]35...Rxd1+! 36.Qxd1 Nd6 37.Qf3 Nxf5 38.Bxf5.[/font]

33...Qd8!?

• Black removes protection from the vitally important e-pawn.
• Better is [font color="red"]33...Rbd8 34.Rd3[/font] when:
• If [font color="red"]34...Rxd3 35.Bxd3 Rc8 36.b4 Nc4 37.Qe2 Qe7[/font] remains equal.
• [font color="darkred"]34...Nb7!? 35.Rd1! Rxd3 36.Bxd3 Nd6 37.Bc2 Re6 38.Qe3[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space.
• [font color="blue"]33...Red8 34.Qc2 Rd6 35.Bh7+ Kf8 36.Bg6 f6 37.h5 Rbd8[/font] remains equal.

[center]BLACK: John Bartholomew[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Hou Yifan[/center][center]Position after 33...Qc7d8[/center]

34.Qa2?!

• White fails to find the move to shut Black's Queen out of action for the time being.
• If [font color="red"]34.Bd7![/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]34...Rf8 35.g3 e4 36.Rf5 e3 37.fxe3 Rb6 38.Rd5[/font] gives White command of the d-file and a small advantage in space.
• [font color="darkred"]34...Re7?! 35.Rd3! Qc7 36.Rd5 Nc6 37.Rd1 e4 38.Qe3[/font] gives White a significant advantage in space.
• If [font color="blue"]34.Qxd8?![/font] then:
• [font color="blue"]34...Rexd8! 35.h5 Nb7 36.Re3 f6 37.Rf1 Kf8[/font] remains equal.
• If [font color="darkblue"]34...Rbxd8!?[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]35.Re3 g6 36.Bd3 Rd5 37.b4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkblue"]37...Nc4 38.Bxc4 bxc4 39.Ra1[/font] gives White a passed pawn and command of an open file.
• [font color="darkcyan"]37...Nc6 38.Be2 Kg7 39.Ra1[/font] gives White command of an opren file
• [font color="dodgerblue"]35.Rd3 Rxd3 36.Bxd3 Rc8 37.Bxb5 Rxc3 38.b4 Nb3[/font] gives White a passed pawn and more freedom.

34...e4!

• The game is again equal.

35.Re3 Qd5 36.Bg4!?

• White may have played this inaccuracy deliberately. The objectively best move doesn't gain her objective.
• If [font color="red"]36.g4 Nb7[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]37.c4 Qd4 38.Qe2 bxc4 39.bxc4 Nd6 40.Rxb8 Rxb8[/font] remains equal.
• If [font color="darkred"]37.Qc2 Nd6 38.Rd1 Qc6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]39.Rde1! Nxf5 40.gxf5 Re5 [/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]41.c4 Rxf5 42.Rdxe4 Rc5 43.Rd4 bxc4 44.bxc4 Qf6[/font] remains equal.
• [font color="darkorange"]41.Rdxe4 Rxf5 42.Re8+ Rxe8 43.Rxe8+ Qxe8 44.Qxf5 Qc6[/font] remains equal.
• [font color="magenta"]39.Rd4 Nxf5 40.gxf5 Re5 41.Rxe4 Rxf5 42.Re8+[/font] transposes into the [font color="darkorange"]orange variation,[/font] above.

36...Nc6?!

• Black may be planning 37...Ne5, attacking the hanging Bishop. The idea is a bit slow.
• Better is [font color="red"]36...Ra8 37.Rd1 Qe5 38.Qc2 f5 39.Bh5 Re6[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space.

[center]BLACK: John Bartholomew[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Hou Yifan[/center][center]Position after 36...Na5c6[/center]

37.Rd1!

• White has the intiative, a small advantage in space and soon wins a pawn.

37...Qe5

• If [font color="red"]37...Qc5 38.b4 Qe7[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]39.Qd5![/font] then:
• [font color="red"]39...Qf6 40.Bd7 Rbd8 41.Bxe8 Rxd5 42.Rxd5[/font] gives White two Rooks against Black's Queen, with each Rook threatening a loose pawn.
• [font color="burgundy"]39...Qc7 40.Bd7 Rbd8 41.Bxe8 Rxd5 42.Rxd5[/font] gives White a slight material advantage (two Rooks against a Queen) and more activity.
• If [font color="darkred"]39.Rde1 Rbd8 40.g3 Qf6 41.Bf3!![/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]41...Ne7 42.Bxe4 Nf5 43.Bxf5 Rxe3 44.Rxe3 Rd1+ 45.Kg2 Qxf5[/font] leaves White a pawn to the good.
• [font color="magenta"]41...exf3?[/font] then White wins after [font color="magenta"]42.Rxe8+! Rxe8 43.Rxe8+ Kh7 44.Qd5.[/font]

38.Bd7 Red8

• Black steps around a pitfall.
• If [font color="red"]38...Rbd8?[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]39.Qe2! Rxd7 40.Rxd7 Qe6 41.Rc7.[/font]

39.Qe2!

• White steps around a pitfall.
• If [font color="red"]39.Qb1!? Qh5! 40.Rxe4[/font] not only fails to win the pawn, but leaves Black with good chances to hold a half point after [font color="red"]40...Ne5[/font] when:
• After [font color="red"]41.Red4 Nxd7 42.Rxd7 Rxd7 43.Rxd7 Qxh4 44.Qf5[/font] Black takes the wind from White's sail with 44.Qf6!
• [font color="darkred"]41.Rd6 Ra8 42.Red4 Rxd7 43.Rxd7 Nxd7 44.Rxd7 Qxh4[/font] is equal.

39...Qc7 40.Bf5 Rxd1+ 41.Qxd1 Rd8 42.Qe2

• [font color="red"]42.Qc2??[/font] hits e4 from every direction, but it drops the whole enchilada to [font color="red"]42...Nd4! 43.Bh7+ Kxh7 44.Qxe4+ f5.[/font]

42...g6

• [font color="red"]42...b4 43.Bxe4 bxc3 44.Rxc3 Nd4 45.Rxc7 Nxe2+ 46.Kh2[/font] gives White an extra pawn and a remote passer.

43.Bxe4

• The pawn fallen.

43...h5?

• This move is tantamount to surrender.
• If [font color="red"]43...Ne5 44.g3 Qb6 45.h5 g5 46.Bf5 f6 47.Kg2[/font] barely justifies Black's fighting on.

[center]BLACK: John Bartholomew[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Hou Yifan[/center][center]Position after 43...h6h5[/center]

44.Bf3 Na5

• If [font color="red"]44...Na7[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]45.g3 Rd7 46.Bxh5!! b4 47.c4 Nc6 48.Bg4.[/font]

45.Qxb5 Kh7 46.g3

• White misses the elegant finish [font color="red"]46.Bxh5!! gxh5 47.Qxh5+ Kg8 48.Qg5+ Kf8 49.Qh6+.[/font]

46...Rb8

• If [font color="red"]46...Kg7[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]47.Bd5 Rd6 48.Rf3 f6 49.b4[/font]

47.Qg5 Rxb3 48.Re7 Rb1+ 49.Kh2 1-0

• Black must lose material or submit to mate.
• Mr. Bartholomew resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

17. Navara - I. Sokolov, Round 5

[center][/center]

[center]Ivan Sokolov[/center][font size="1"]Photo by Falcongj in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ivan_Sokolov.jpg Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)
[/b ][/font]

David Navara - Ivan Sokolov
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1658918
27th International Open, Round 5
Reykjavik, 10 March 2012

Grand Spanish Royal Game: Fianchetto Defense

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6

• Mh. Sokolov is today's leading theoretician on Black's defense against the Grand Spanish Royal Game.

4.Ba4 d6 5.0-0 Nf6 6.Re1 Bd7 7.c3

• For moves up to here and the main alternatives, see van den Doel-Nikolic, Op, Leiden, 2011.

7...g6

• This is the main alternative to 7...Be7. See the [font color="red"]notes to Black's fourth move[/font] in the game cited in the previous note.

8.d4 b5 9.Bb3

• This move places the Bishop on an open file; [i[9.Bc2 gives the Bishop less scope, but overprotects the e-pawn.
• If [font color="red"]9.Bc2 Bg7[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]10.dxe5 Nxe5 11.Nxe5 dxe5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]12.Be3 0-0[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]13.Nd2 Be6?! 14.Nf3! Ng4 15.Bc5! Re8 16.h3 Nh6 17.Bb3[/font] gives White the advantage in space (Karjakin-Mamedyarov, IT A, Wijk aan Zee, 2006).
• [font color="burgundy"]12...Ng4 13.Bc5 Qh4 14.h3 Bf8 15.Be3 Nxe3 16.Rxe3 Rd8[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space (Parma-Keres, TM, Yerevan, 1971).
• [font color="darkpink"]12.Bg5 h6 13.Bh4 Qe7 14.Nd2 Rd8 15.Nf1 Bc8 16.Qe2 0-0 17.Ne3 c6 18.Red1[/font] draw (Shamkovich-Keres, Soviet ChT, Riga, 1968).
• If [font color="darkred"]10.Nbd2 0-0 11.dxe5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]11...Nxe5 12.Nxe5 dxe5 13.Nb3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]13...Qe7 14.Be3 Rfd8 15.f3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]15...Be6 16.Qe2 Nd7 17.Na5 Rdc8 18.Nc6 Qe8 19.Na7[/font] is equal (Jakovenko-Balashov, Russian Ch, Elista, 2001).
• [font color="purple"]15...Nh5 16.Qd2 a5 17.Qf2 Nf4 18.Nc5 Bc6 19.a4[/font] is equal (Jansa-B. Ivanovic, IT, Sarajeco. 1972).
• [font color="darkorange"]13...a5?! 14.Nc5! Bc6 15.a4 Qxd1 16.Rxd1[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space.
• [font color="magenta"]11...dxe5 12.a4 Qe7 13.Nf1 Na5 14.Bg5[/font] gives White more freedom (Balashov-Mokry, IT, Trnava, 1989).

9...Bg7 10.Bg5 0-0

• If [font color="red"]10...h6 11.Bh4 0-0 12.Nbd2[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]12...exd4 13.Nxd4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]13...Qb8 14.N2f3 Qb7 15.Nxc6 Bxc6 16.e5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]16...dxe5 17.Nxe5 g5 18.Nxc6 Qxc6 19.Bg3 Rad8 20.Qc2[/font] gives White the advantage in space (Z. Almasi-Sadvakasov, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2007).
• [font color="darkorange"]16...Nh5? 17.exd6! g5 18.Nxg5!! hxg5 19.Qxh5 Bxg2[/font] draw?? (Aseev-Malaniuk, ZT, Lvov, 1990); White has a huge advantage and wins after 20.Re7! Qf3 21.Qxg5 Bh3 22.Bd5!!).
• [font color="magenta"]13...Re8 14.Bc2 Qb8 15.Nf1 Qb7 16.f3 Rac8 17.Nxc6[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space (Alekseev-Mamedyarov, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2006).
• [font color="darkred"]12...Re8 13.a4 Rb8 14.axb5 axb5 15.dxe5 Nxe5 16.Nxe5 dxe5 17.Nf3[/font] is equal (So-Safarli (½-½) & Mamedov-Kravtsiv (1-0), World Jr Ch, Gaziantep, 2008).

11.Nbd2

• [font color="red"]11.h3 h6 12.Bh4 Qc8 13.a4 Nh5 14.axb5 axb5[/font] is equal (Matulovic-Keres, IT, Sarajevo, 1972).

11...Re8 12.h3 (N)

• [font color="red"]12.Rc1 h6 13.Bh4 Qb8 14.dxe5 dxe5 15.Nf1[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space(Day-Coudari, ZT, Calgary, Alberta, 1975).

12...h6

• White has a slight advantage in space.

13.Bh4 Na5 14.Bc2

• [font color="red"]14.Qe2!? Nxb3 15.axb3 exd4 16.cxd4 g5 17.Bg3 Nd5[/font] is equal.

14...c5 15.Nb3!?

• White released pressure on c4. In some variations, the Black Knight lands there.
• [font color="red"]15.dxe5 dxe5 16.Nf1 Bc6 17.Qe2 Nc4 18.Ne3![/font] continues to give White a slight advantage in space.

15...cxd4!

• Black has equalized.

16.Nxa5!?

• White takes pressure off c5. Black will make good use of this square later.
• If [font color="red"]16.cxd4 exd4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]17.Nbxd4 Nc4[/font] (see note to Black's 15th move) [font color="red"]18.b3 Ne5 19.Rc1 Rc8 20.Nxe5 dxe5[/font] remains equal.
• [font color="darkred"]17.Nfxd4?![/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]17...Rc8! 18.Nxa5 Qxa5 19.a4 Qb4 20.axb5 axb5[/font] gives White a comfortable advantage in space.
• [font color="magenta"]17...Nxb3 18.Nxb3 Qb6 19.e5 Nh5 20.Be4 Rac8[/font] is equal.

[center]BLACK: Ivan Sokolov[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: David Navara[/center][center]Position after 16.Nb3a5:N[/center]

16...Qxa5!

• Black has a small advantage in space.

17.cxd4

• [font color="red"]17.Bxf6 Bxf6 18.cxd4 exd4 19.Bb3 Rac8 20.Nxd4 Qb4[/font] gives Black more space and the initiatve; White must deal with the attack on his centralized Knight.

17...exd4 18.Nxd4?!

• Better for White is to take with the Queen, which would radiate its power from the center.
• If [font color="red"]18.Qxd4 g5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]19.Qxd6 Be6[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]20.Bg3 Rad8 21.Qa3 Qxa3 22.bxa3 Rc8[/font] gives Black stronger pawns and the initiative in compensation for his pawn minus.
• [font color="magenta"]20.Bxg5?! hxg5! 21.Nxg5 Nh7 22.Nxe6 Rxe6[/font] gives Black active pieces and the initiative; White has three pieces for a minor piece.
• [font color="darkred"]19.Bg3?! Nxe4! 20.Be5 dxe5 21.Qxe4 Rac8 22.Qh7+ Kf8[/font] gives Black an extra pawn and the initiave; White's Queen at h7 is sitting idle for now.

18...Qb6!

• Black takes command of c5 (see note to White's 16th move) and attacks d4.

19.Nf3 Be6

• [font color="red"]19...Rac8 20.Bxf6 Bxf6 21.Bb3 Bxb3[/font] fails to win a pawn after
• [font color="red"]22.Bxf7+ Kxf7 23.Qb3+.[/font]

20.Nd4

• If [font color="red"]20.Qd2 Nd7[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]21.Bg3 Bxb2 22.Rab1[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]22...Bg7 23.Bxd6 Bxa2 24.Rbc1 Rad8 25.Qf4 Rc8 26.h4 Bb2[/font] gives Black an extra pawn.
• If [font color="darkred"]22...Be5?! 23.Nxe5! dxe5 24.a4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]24...Kh7 25.axb5 axb5 26.Bd3 Ra5 27.Rec1[/font] gives Black an extra pawn that cannot be held.
• [font color="magenta"]24...Rec8 25.Bb3 Qd4 26.Qxd4 exd4 27.Bxe6 fxe6 28.Red1[/font] is equal.
• If [font color="darkred"]21.Rad1 Bxa2[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]22.Bg3 Rac8 23.Bxd6 Bxb2 24.Re2 Bc4 25.Ree1 Bg7[/font] gives Black an extra pawn.
• [font color="magenta"]22.Qxd6 Qxd6 23.Rxd6 Ne5 24.Bf6 Nxf3+ 25.gxf3 Re6[/font] gives White better pawns and the initiative.

20...Bc8?!

• White misses winning the pawn.
• If [font color="red"]20...Bc4! 21.b3 Nd5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]22.bxc4 Nc3[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]23.Qg4 Qxd4 24.cxb5 axb5 25.Bb3 d5 26.exd5 Ne2+[/font] wins the exchange.
• [font color="magenta"]23.Qd3 Qxd4 24.Qxd4 Bxd4 25.cxb5 axb5 26.Kf1 Nxa2[/font] gives Black an extra pawn.
• [font color="darkred"]22.exd5 Rxe1+ 23.Qxe1 Qxd4 24.Rb1 Qxh4 25.bxc4 bxc4[/font] leaves Black a pawn to the good.

21.Qd2!?

• This isn't the best way for White to grab needed space.
• If [font color="red"]21.f4! Bb7 22.Bf2 Bxe4 23.Ne6[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]23...Qc6 24.Rc1 Bxc2 25.Rxc2 Qd5 26.Rd2 Qxa2[/font] gives Black an extra pawn; White has partial compensation in his center.
• [font color="darkred"]23...Bxc2 24.Qxc2 Qa5 25.Nxg7! Kxg7 26.a3 d5[/font] gives Black nothing more than a slight advantage

[center]BLACK: Ivan Sokolov[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: David Navara[/center][center]Position after 21.Qd1d2[/center]

21...Bb7!

• Black takes the initiative against White's e-pawn.

22.Bxf6 Bxf6 23.Rad1?!

• White preserves his center pawn for now.
• If [font color="red"]23.Nf3 Bxb2 24.Rad1 Bg7 25.Qxd6 Qxd6 26.Rxd6 Bc3[/font] gives Black more freedom and the initiative.

23...d5!

• White can no longer directly defend the pawn.

24.Bb3 Rxe4 25.Rxe4

• If [font color="red"]25.Bxd5?[/font] then Black wins after [font color="red"]25...Rxd4! 26.Bxf7+ Kxf7 27.Qxh6 Rxd1 28.Rxd1 Qc6.[/font]

25...dxe4 26.Nf5?

• On the brink of losing, White proffers his Knight in deperation.
• Objectively better is [font color="red"]26.Ne2 Rd8 27.Qxh6 Rxd1+ 28.Bxd1 Qd6 29.Bb3 Bxb2[/font] when White survival chances are better.

[center]BLACK: Ivan Sokolov[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: David Navara[/center][center]Position after 26...Nd4f5[/center]

26...Rd8!

• It would be ill-advised to take the proffered Knight.
• If [font color="red"]26...gxf5? 27.Qxh6! Bd4 28.Qg5+ Kh8 29.Qh4+ Kg7 30.Qg5+ Kh8 31.Qh4+ etc.[/font] draws.

27.Nxh6+ Kg7 28.Qc1 Rxd1+ 29.Bxd1 e3 30.Ng4

• This is objectively White's best move, and it loses a pawn.
• [font color="red"]30.Qxe3[/font] loses quickly after [font color="red"]30...Qxe3 31.fxe3 Kxh6.[/font]

[center]BLACK: Ivan Sokolov[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: David Navara[/center][center]Position after 30.Nh6g4[/center]

30...exf2+!

• The pawn remains at f2 for the duration.

31.Kf1 Bd4 32.Qh6+

• White is toast.
• If [font color="red"]32.Qf4 b4 33.b3 Qc5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]34.Nxf2[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]34...a5 35.Qd2 Bc3 36.Qc1 Qb5+ 37.Kg1 Qe5.[/font]
• If [font color="darkred"]34.Qh6+[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]34...Kg8 35.Qd2 Bxg2+ 36.Kxg2 Qd5+ 37.Bf3 f1Q+.[/font]

32...Kg8 33.Qf4 Qc6 34.Bf3

• [font color="red"]34.Qf3 Qc4+ 35.Qe2 Qxa2 36.b3 Qxe2+ 37.Bxe2 Bc6[/font] leaves Black two pawns to the good.

34...Qc4+!

• Black wins yet another pawn.

35.Be2 Bxg2+ 36.Kxg2 Qxe2 37.Nh6+ Kh7 0-1

• If [font color="red"]38.Kg3[/font] then Black has the pleasant choice of:

1. [font color="red"]38...f1N+ 39.Qxf1 Be5+ 40.Kh4 Qh5#;[/font] or
2. [font color="darkred"]38...f1Q 39.Qxf1 Qxf1 40.Ng4 f5.[/font]

Grandmaster Navara resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. 28th International Open, Cappelle-la-Grande

[center][/center]

[center]Dunkirque (pictured) is a few kilometers from Cappelle-la-Grande[/center][font size="1"]Photo by http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:B.navez B. Navez in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File unkerque_boats_and_belfry.JPG Wikimedia Commons http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Sandipan - Harikrishna, Round 7

[center]


Pentala Harikrishna[/center][font size="1"]Photo by http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Samson1964 Frank Hoppe] in http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Harikrishna_pentala_20081119_olympiade_dresden.jpg Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)
[/font]

Chanda Sandipan - Pentala Harikrishna
28th International Open, Round 7
Cappelle-la-Grande, 8 March 2012

East India Game: Nimzo-Indian Defense (Capablanca Opening/Dory Variation)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 0-0 5.e4

• This move is somewhat unusual, but not at all bad. It was first played by an otherwise unknown Austrian master named Ladislaus von Dory in a game against the much more renowned Richard Reti at the international tournament in Vienna in 1928.
• For alternate moves and variations up to here, see Bacrot-David, French ChT, Mulhouse, 2011.

5...d6

• More common is 5...d5. See Cmilyte-N. Kosintseva, Euro ChW, Tbilisi, 2011.
• If [font color="red"]5...c5 6.dxc5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]6...Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 Qa5 8.Bd3 Qxc5 9.Be3 Qc7 10.Nf3[/font] is equal (Dory-Reti, IT, Vienna, 1928).
• If [font color="darkred"]6...Bxc5 7.Be2 Qb6 8.Na4 Bb4+ 9.Kf1 Qc7[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]10.Bg5!? Be7 11.Nc3 Nc6 12.Nf3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]12...b6!? 13.Rd1! a6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]14.Nd4?! Nxd4 15.Rxd4 Bb7 16.Rd1 d6[/font] gives Black the initiative against White's e-pawn (Teller-Reti, IT, Brno, 1928).
• [font color="purple"]14.g3 h6 15.Bf4 d6 16.Kg2 Bb7[/font] is equal.
• [font color="darkorange"]12...h6 13.Bxf6 Bxf6 14.g3 b6 15.Kg2 a6[/font] gives Black control of the d4 square.
• [font color="magenta"]10.Nf3 Nc6 11.c5 b6 12.Bg5 Bb7[/font] remains equal.

6.e5

• If [font color="red"]6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 e5 8.Bd3[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]8...c5 9.Ne2 Nc6 10.d5 Ne7 11.f3 Ng6 12.h4 Nh5 13.g3 b5 14.cxb5[/font] gives White an extra pawn and the Bishop pair; Black has more space, but not nearly enough to compensate (Ivanisevic-Nisipeanu, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• If [font color="darkred"]8...Nc6 9.Ne2 b6 10.0-0 Ba6 11.f4 Nd7[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]12.Rf3 Na5 13.c5 Bxd3 14.Rxd3 bxc5 15.dxe5 c4 16.Rd5 Nb3[/font] is equal (I. Sokolov-Bologan, IT, Sarajevo, 2004).
• [font color="magenta"]12.Be3 Na5 13.c5 Bxd3 14.Qxd3 exd4 15.cxd4 dxc5 16.d5 f6[/font] is equal (Feingold-Hess, US Ch, St. Louis, 2010).

6...Nfd7 7.Nf3

• [font color="red"]7.exd6 cxd6 8.Bd3 h6 9.Nge2 d5 10.0-0 dxc4 11.Bxc4[/font] gives White a slim edge in space (Azmaiparashvili-Postny, Greek ChT, Ermioni, 2006).

7...c5 8.exd6 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Nc6 (N)

• [font color="red"]9...Bxd6 10.Bd3 h6 11.Be3 Nc6 12.0-0-0 Nxd4 13.Bxd4[/font] gives White a comfortable advantage inss space (Laxman-Sethuraman, Indian Ch, Mumbai, 2009).

10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.Bd2!?

• White has stronger pawns and a slight advantage in space.
• If [font color="red"]11.Bf4 e5 12.Be3 Bxd6 13.0-0-0 Qc7 14.Bd3[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space.

11...Bxd6!

• White has only a slight advantage with stronger pawns and a little more space.

12.0-0-0

• [font color="red"]12.Be2 Rb8 13.0-0-0 Nc5 14.Kb1 e5 15.h4 Qb6[/font] is equal.

12...Rb8 13.Ne4!?

• This only "forces" the Bishop to go to a better square.
• If [font color="red"]13.Be3 Qc7[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]14.Kb1 Be5 15.Be2 Qa5 16.Na4 Rb4[/font]continues to give White has more space, but Black's' initiative on the queenside could net a pawn.
• [font color="darkred"]14.Bxa7 Bf4+ 15.Be3 Bxe3+ 16.fxe3 Qb6 17.Bd3 Qxe3+ 18.Kb1[/font] continues to give White a slight edge.

13...Be5!

• Black has equalized.

14.Bc3 Qc7 15.c5!?

• The pawn is weak at c5.
• If [font color="red"]15.g3[/font] (the routine defense against Black's battery on the b8/h2 diagonal) [font color="red"]15...f5 16.Bxe5 Qxe5 17.Nd6 Nc5 18.f4 Qf6[/font] remains equal.

15...Bxc3!

• Black has a small advantage in space.

16.Qxc3 Qf4+

[center]BLACK: Pentala Harikrishna[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Chanda Sandipan[/center][center]Position after 16...Qc7f4+[/center]

17.Nd2?!

• This is very careless. White leaves his f-pawn hanging.
• If [font color="red"]17.Qe3 Qxe3+ 18.fxe3 f5 19.Nd6 Nxc5 20.Rd4[/font] continues give Black a small advantage in space.

17...Qxf2!

• Of course. Black has an extra pawn and it will not be so easy for White to expel the Black Queen from his territory.

18.Nb3 Nf6!?

• Having grabbed a pawn, Black should remove the Queen from its present position before it becomes a target.
• Better is [font color="red"]18...Qf4+! 19.Kb1 Nf6 20.g3 Qc7.[/font]

19.Bc4?

• The text move does nothing for White; exchanging Queens while a pawn down may be counterintuitive, but it solves White's spatial problems.
• If [font color="red"]19.Qg3! Qxg3 20.hxg3[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]20...Bd7 21.Rd6 Rfc8 22.Nd2 e5 23.Bc4 Rc7[/font] gives Black an extra pawn asnd White a weak kingside, but Black's pieces can't exploit White's kingside from where they are; White has more space.
• If [font color="darkred"]20...Nd5?![/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]21.Na5! Bd7 22.a3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]22...Rfc8 23.b4 f6 24.Bd3 g6 25.Rhe1 Kg7[/font] gives Black an extra pawn and White a fair advantage in space.
• [font color="darkorange"]22...Rfd8 23.Ba6 Be8 24.Rhe1 Ne7[/font] leaves White with a better center and more space in compensation for the pawn.
• [font color="magenta"]21.Bc4 Bd7 22.Rd3 f6 23.Na5 Rfc8 24.a3 Rc7[/font] gives Black an extra pawn and White more space.

19...Qf4+!

• The text is stronger than [font color="red"]19...Nd5 20.Qg3 Qe3+ 21.Rd2 Rb4 22.Bxd5 Qxg3 23.hxg3 exd5[/font] gives Black an extra pawn, an active Rook on a navigable rank and more space.
• [font color="darkred"]20.Qd2 Qh4 21.Bxd5 exd5 22.Nd4 Bd7 23.g3 Qe7[/font] gives Black an extra pawn, the initiative and a small advantage in space.

20.Kb1

• The King is forced away from his Rook.

[center]BLACK: Pentala Harikrishna[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Chanda Sandipan[/center][center]Position after 20.Kc1b1[/center]

20...Nd5!

• Black creates connected passed pawns in the center. White also gets a passed pawn, but Black thinks he can restrain it properly.
• If [font color="red"]20...e5 21.g3 Qg5 22.Rhe1 Re8 23.Ka1 Bd7 24.Rd6 e4[/font] gives Black an extra pawn and a slight advantage in space, but the Rook at d6 gives White chances for counterplay.

21.Bxd5

• White's best bet is to take his chances with one weak passed pawn against Black's two strong ones.
• If [font color="red"]21.Qd4?! Qxd4 22.Rxd4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]22...e5! 23.Rd2 Bf5+ 24.Ka1 Ne3 25.Na5 Rbd8[/font] gives Black an extra pawn, the initiative and a small advantage in space.
• [font color="darkred"]22...Bd7 23.Re1 f6 24.Rd2 Rb4 25.Rd4 Rfb8[/font] gives Black an extra pawn.

21...cxd5!

• Black has connected passed pawns in the center.

22.c6

• Again, White advances the c-pawn with the effect of making it less safe.
• If [font color="red"]22.Qd2 Qa4 23.Rhe1 Ba6[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]24.Qa5[/font] then after [font color="red"]24...Qxa5 25.Nxa5 Rfc8 26.c6 Rb5 27.Nb3 Rb6[/font] the pawn falls.
• [font color="darkred"]24.Re3? Bc4 25.Rg3 g6 26.Rf3 e5[/font] gives White connected, mobile passed pawns.

22...Qc7!

• A passed pawn is a criminal who must be kept under lock and key. -- Nimzovich.

23.Rd4 Rd8

• Also good is [font color="red"]23...Rb6 24.Rc1 Rd8[/font] when:
• If [font color="red"]25.Qc5 Ba6 26.Rd2 Rc8[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]27.Nd4[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]27...g6 28.a4 Bc4 29.a5 Ra6 30.b4 Qf4[/font] when:
• [font color="red"]31.Rdc2[/font] then Black wins after [font color="red"]31...e5 32.Rxc4 dxc4 33.Nf3 Raxc6 34.Qxe5 Qg4.[/font]
• If [font color="darkred"]25.Na5[/font] then after [font color="darkred"]25...e5 26.Rb4 Bf5+ 27.Ka1 d4 28.Qd2 d3[/font] Black is threatening to win with 29...Rxb4! 30.Qxb4 d2 31.Rd1 e4!.
• If [font color="darkorange"]31.Nf3[/font] then Black wins after [font color="darkorange"]31...Raxc6 32.Rxc4 Qxc4 33.Qxc4 Rxc4.[/font]
• If [font color="magenta"]27.Na5??[/font] then Black wins immediately after [font color="magenta"]27...Rb5! 28.Qe3 Rxa5.[/font]

24.Rc1 Rb6

• [font color="red"]24...e5 25.Ra4 Rb6 26.Qa5 Ba6 27.Rb4 Bc4 28.Nd2[/font] leaves Black with an extra pawn, two connected passed pawns and White's passer under lock and key.

25.Ra4

• If [font color="red"]25.Qc5 Ba6 26.Rb4 e5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]27.Ka1 Bc4 28.Na5 h6 29.g3 e4 30.Ra4 Bd3[/font] gives Black a material advantage and two connected passed pawns in the center.
• [font color="darkred"]27.g4 Bc4 28.Na5 Bd3+ 29.Ka1 d4 30.Re1 h6[/font] gives Black a material advantage and two connected passed pawns in the center.

25...e5 26.Qa5

• If [font color="red"]26.g4[/font] then after [font color="red"]26...Ba6 27.Ra3 d4 28.Qc2 Bb5[/font] the c-pawn falls.

26...Ba6 27.Nc5 Bc4 28.Rd1

• This is a pointless move that causes White to fall deeper into the pit.
• If [font color="red"]28.Qxa7 Qxc6 29.Ra5 Rdb8[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]30.b3 Qg6+[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]31.Ka1 Qg5 32.Rb1 h5! 33.Qc7 Qe3 34.Ra7 d4[/font] White can only stop the pawn at great cost.
• [font color="burgundy"]31.Rc2 h5 32.Qe7 Rxb3+!! 33.Nxb3 Bxb3 34.axb3 Rxb3+[/font] puts White in a mating net.
• If [font color="darkred"]30.Rc2 e4! 31.b3 Qf6 32.Na4 Qf1+ 33.Rc1[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]33...Qd3+ 34.Ka1 Qd4+ 35.Rc3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]35...h6!![/font] (Black need no longer worry about a snap mate on the back rank) then:
• [font color="darkred"]36.Kb2[/font] then after [font color="darkred"]36...Rxb3+!! 37.axb3 Rxb3+ 38.Kc2 Rxc3+ 39.Nxc3 Qd3+[/font] Black pulls in the mating net.
• If [font color="purple"]36.bxc4[/font] then [font color="purple"]36...Rb1#.[/font]
• Also good is [font color="darkorange"]35...Qe5 36.Kb1 Rb5 37.Rxb5 Bxb5 38.Nb2 Re8.[/font]
• [font color="magenta"]33...Bd3+?! 34.Kb2 Qf6+ 35.Rc3 Rb4[/font] gives White some faint hopes of salvation.

[center]BLACK: Pentala Harikrishna[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Chanda Sandipan[/center][center]Position after 28.Rc1d1[/center]

28...Rdb8

• Even stronger is [font color="red"]28...Bb5! 29.Rb4 Qxc6[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]30.Rc1[/font] then Black has an easy win after [font color="red"]30...Be2 31.Re1 Bc4 32.Rxe5 Rc8 33.a3 h6[/font] leaves Black two pawns to the good.
• [font color="darkred"]30.a4 Rc8 31.Rxb5 Rxb5 32.axb5 Qxc5[/font] leaves Black two pawns up and ready to draw a mating net around the White King.

29.Nd7 Rxb2+ 30.Ka1

• Although White loses in any event, at least the text move is the technically correct one.
• If [font color="red"]30.Kc1?? Rb1+! 31.Kd2 R8b2+[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]32.Kc3 d4+ 33.Kxc4 Qxc6+![/font] is crushing.
• If [font color="darkred"]32.Ke3[/font] then after [font color="darkred"]32...Re2+ 33.Kf3 e4+ 34.Kg4 Rxg2+ 35.Kf5 g6+[/font] Black gives mate on the next move.

30...Qxc6 31.Nxb8 Rxb8 32.Qxa7

• If [font color="red"]32.Rb4[/font] then Black wins after [font color="red"]32...Rc8 33.Rb2 a6 34.Qb6 Qd7 35.Rc1 h6[/font]

32...Qb5 33.Qxb8+ Qxb8 34.Rb1

• [font color="red"]34.a3[/font] is followed by [font color="red"]34...Qb3[/font] when Black soon delivers mate.

34...Qf8 35.Rab4 Bd3 36.R1b3

• [font color="red"]36.R1b2[/font] is better defense, but it doesn't matter after [font color="red"]36...e4! 37.Rb8 e3 38.Rxf8+ Kxf8 39.Rb8+ Ke7.[/font]

36...Bc2 37.Rb2

[center]BLACK: Pentala Harikrishna[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Chanda Sandipan[/center][center]Position after 37.Rb3b2[/center]

37...Ba4!!

• Black sacrifices his Bishop to gain time to defend against a snap mate on the back rank. It's all over now.

38.Rxa4 g6

• It is indicative of Black's command of the game that he could wait this long with White's pieces active on the queenside before creating a luft for his King.

39.Ra5 Qd6 40.Rbb5 e4 0-1

• If [font color="red"]41.Rxd5[/font] then after [font color="red"]41...Qxh2 42.Rac5 Qxg2 43.Kb1 h5 44.Rc2 Qg1+[/font] it will cost White a Rook to stop a pawn from queening.
• Sri Sandipan resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

20. Negi - Wirig, Round 4

[center][/center]

[center]Parimarjan Negi[/center][font size="1"]Photo by rorkhete from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parimarjan_Negi Wikipedia (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]

Parimarjan Negi - Anthony Wirig
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1658466
28th International Open, Round 4
Cappelle-la-Grande, 5 March 2012

Closed French Game: Steinitz Defense

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bc5 9.Qd2 0-0 10.0-0-0

• For a more thorough examination of this Opening, see Karjakin-Carlsen, IT A, Wijk aan Zee, 2010).

10...Bxd4

• [font color="red"]10...a6 11.h4 Nxd4 12.Bxd4 b5 13.Rh3 b4 14.Na4 Bxd4 15.Qxd4 a5 16.Bb5 Rb8 17.Bd3[/font] gives White an early advantage in space (L'Ami-Vazonis, World Youth, Oropesa del Mar, 2001).

11.Bxd4 Qa5

• If [font color="red"]11...a6 12.Qf2 b5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]13.Be3 b4 14.Na4 a5 15.h4 Ba6 16.h5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]16...Qc7 17.h6 g6[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]18.Nb6 Nxb6 19.Bxb6 Qd7 20.g4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]20...a4 21.Kb1 f6 22.exf6 Bxf1 23.Rhxf1 Rxf6 24.Qe3[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space(Melia-M. Socko, Euro ChW, Plovdiv, 2008).
• If [font color="darkred"]20...Bxf1 21.Rhxf1[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]21...Nd8?[/font] then White get a winning position after [font color="darkred"]22.Bc5! Re8 23.Qh4 f5 24.exf6 Rc8 25.f5[/font] when White has san extra pawn and a giant advantage in space[/font] (Klein-Helledie, Euro Club Cup, Ohrid, 2009).
• [font color="magenta"]21...Rfc8 22.Bc5 a4 23.a3 bxa3 24.Bxa3[/font] gives White a small advantage in space.
• [font color="burgundy"]18.Bxa6 Rxa6 19.Nc5 Nxc5 20.Bxc5 Rc8 21.Bd6 Qb6[/font] is equal (A. Zhigalko-Luther, Op, Cappelle-la-Grande, 2006).
• If [font color="darkred"]16...Bxf1 17.Rhxf1 f6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]18.h6 g6 19.exf6 Nxf6 20.Qe2 Ne4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]21.Qb5 Rc8 22.Nb6 Rc7 23.Kb1 Qd6 24.g4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Cheparinov-Stellwagen, IT B, Wijk aan Zee, 2006).
• [font color="burgundy"]21.Qd3 Qc7 22.g4 Rac8 23.Kb1 Ne7 24.Rc1[/font] (N. Kosintseva-Brynell, IT C, Wijk aan Zee, 2007).
• If [font color="magenta"]18.exf6?! Nxf6! 19.Qf3[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]19...Ne4?! 20.h6! g6 21.Nc5 Nxc5 22.Bxc5[/font] gives White stronger pawns, the initiative and a small advantage in space (A. Zhigalko-Luther, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• [font color="darkorange"]19...h6 20.Kb1 Qb8 21.Qe2[/font] gives White a small advantage with stronger pawns.
• If [font color="darkred"]13.Bd3 b4 14.Ne2 a5 15.Kb1 Ba6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]16.Qe3 Qc7 17.h4 a4 18.Qd2 b3 19.cxb3 axb3[/font] gives Black greater activity his minor pieces (Quezada Pérez-Latorre, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• If [font color="magenta"]16.g4?! a4! 17.Qe3[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]17...Qc7?! 18.Qh3! Bxd3[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]19.cxd3? Nxd4 20.Nxd4 a3[/font] (van Weersel-Nodirjanova, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• [font color="purple"]19.Qxd3 Nxd4 20.Qxd4 Rac8 21.Rc1 Qa5[/font] gives Black the advantage in space due to his access to the c4 square.
• [font color="darkorange"]17...Bxd3 18.Rxd3 a3 19.b3 Qh4 20.g5 Rac8[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space.

12.Bf2

• If [font color="red"]12.Kb1 Rb8[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]13.h4 b5 14.Rh3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]14...b4 15.Ne2 Ba6 16.Nc1[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]16...Bxf1 17.Rxf1 Rfc8 18.Nb3 Qb5 19.Qd3 a5 20.Qxb5 Rxb5[/font] gives Black the initiative and a local advantage in space concentrated on the queenside; White has more space overall and a better center (Ghate-Furtado, South African Op, Gauteng, 2011).
• [font color="darkorange"]16...Nxd4 17.Qxd4 Rfc8 18.Nb3 Qb6 19.Qxb6 Rxb6 20.Bxa6 Rxa6[/font] gives Black more space and White more freedom (Moser-Furtado, Euro ChTW, Porto Carras, Greece, 2011).
• [font color="magenta"]14...Nxd4 15.Qxd4 b4 16.Ne2 Ba6 17.h5 Rbc8 18.h6[/font] gives Black more space and White more freedom (Eric-Leconte, Euro ChW, Porto Carras, 2011).
• [font color="darkred"]13.Be3 b5 14.Ne2 b4 15.Nd4 Nxd4 16.Qxd4[/font] gives White a slender advantage in space (Svidler-Zvjaginsev, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2010).

12...Rb8 13.Bb5 (N)

• [font color="red"]13.Kb1 b5 14.Ne2 b4 15.Nd4 Nxd4 16.Bxd4 Ba6[/font] gives White a better center; Black has more space, concentrated on the queenside (Deur Saric-Furtado, World Jr ChGirls, Chennai, 2011).

13...a6

• The game is equal.

14.Bd3 b5

• Black voluntarily weakens the c6 square, where his Knight resides.
• If [font color="red"]14...d4 15.Nb1 Qxa2 16.Be4 Nc5 17.Bxc6 bxc6[/font] remains equal.

15.Kb1

• White has a fair advantage in space.

15...b4 16.Ne2 Nc5!

• White's good Bishop must be exchanged.

17.h4 Bd7?!

• The Bishop should probably be developed at b7.
• If [font color="red"]17...Bb7 18.Nc1 Nxd3 19.Qxd3 Qc7 20.Nb3 a5 21.Nc5[/font] continues to give White a fair advantage in space.

[center]BLACK: Anthony Wirig[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Parimarjan Negi[/center][center]Position after 17...Bc8d7[/center]

18.b3?!

• White weakens the control the dark squares in front of his King.
• If [font color="red"]18.Nc1 Nxd3 19.Nxd3 d4 20.h5 h6 21.g4[/font] gives White a tactical advantage owing to the pin at b4 and a better Bishop.

18...Rfc8!

• White still has a small advantage in space and a pin at b4.
• Also good is [font color="red"]18...Nxd3 19.Qxd3 Rfc8 20.g4 Ne7 21.Qd2.[/font]

19.h5 Na7 20.Bxc5

• [font color="red"]20.h6 g6 21.g4 Nb5 22.Bxb5 Bxb5[/font] continues to gives White a small advantage.

20...Rxc5 21.f5

• If [font color="red"]21.h6 g6[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]22.Rc1 Qa3 23.Rh3[/font] remains equal.
• [font color="darkred"]22.Rh3 Nb5 23.Bxb5 axb5 24.Rc1 d4 25.Nxd4 Rc3[/font] remains equal.

21...exf5! 22.h6 g6 23.Qe3

• White pins the Rook, but the pin is easily broken.
• If [font color="red"]23.Qf4! Qd8 24.Nd4 Rb6 25.Rh3 Qc7 26.Rf3 Nb5[/font] remains equal.

23...Be6?!

• White fails to break the pin; the Rook is in no danger, but for the moment it is immoble.
• If [font color="red"]23...Qc7 24.Rhe1 Nb5[/font] (breaking the pin) [font color="red"]25.Bxb5 Rcxb5 26.Qg5 Qd8[/font] remains equal.

[center]BLACK: Anthony Wirig[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Parimarjan Negi[/center][center]Position after 23...Bd7e6[/center]

24.g4!

• White prepares to open up Black's king position.

24...fxg4

• It doesn't matter whether Black takes the pawn or not. White gets a big advantage.
• If [font color="red"]24...f4 25.Nxf4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]25...Qc7 26.Rhf1 Ra5 27.Nxe6 fxe6 28.Rc1[/font] gives White more freedom and a small advantage in space; Black's best move here is 28...Nb5, forcing the exchange of minor pieces.
• If [font color="darkred"]25...Rc7 26.Ne2[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]26...Nb5 27.Qf4 Kf8[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]28.Qf6 Rbc8 29.Bxb5 axb5 30.Nf4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]30...Ke8[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]31.Nxe6 Rxc2 32.Ng7+ Kf8 33.a4 bxa3 34.e6.[/font]
• [font color="burgundy"]30...Rxc2[/font] drops a piece to [font color="burgundy"]31.Nxe6+[/font] and Black is burnt toast after [font color="burgundy"]31...Ke8 32.Ng7+ Kf8 33.a4 bxa3 34.e6.[/font]
• If [font color="darkpink"]28.Bxb5[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkpink"]28...axb5 29.Qf6 Ra8 30.Nc1 Rc6 31.Qg7+[/font] when he passes his h-pawn.
• If [font color="magenta"]26...d4? 27.Qf2![/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]27...Qxe5 28.Nxd4! Bxg4 29.Rhe1[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]29...Qd6[/font] then White wins after [font color="magenta"]30.Rd2 Re7 31.Rxe7 Qxe7 32.Qf4.[/font]
• If [font color="darkorange"]29...Qg5 30.Qg3 Rcb7 31.Bxa6 Rb6 32.Bc4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]32...Rf8[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkorange"]33.Bxf7+ Rxf7 34.Re8+ Rf8 35.Rxf8+ Kxf8 36.Rf1+.[/font]
• If [font color="purple"]32...Kh8[/font] then White wins after [font color="purple"]33.Bxf7 Rf8 34.Rf1 Qxh6 35.Qxg4.[/font]
• If [font color="darkorange"]27...Nc6[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkorange"]28.Nxd4! Qc5 29.Be4 Nxd4 30.Qf6 Qf8 31.Rxd4.[/font]

25.Qf2 f5 26.exf6 Bf7 27.Nd4?!

• If this is a deliberate attempt to catch Black off balance, then it is extremely risky. Black has an opportunity to equalize.
• A better plan is to just tako the g-pawn. [font color="red"]27.Rhg1! Rbc8 28.Rxg4 Nb5 29.Bxb5 axb5 30.Rd2[/font] sets up a strong kingside initiative for White, but he must not neglect Black's threats on the queenside.

27...Nc6?

• If White's last move is an attempt to catch Black off balance, then it works.
• If [font color="red"]27...Rbc8![/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]28.Ne6 Nb5!! 29.Nxc5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]29...Nc3+ 30.Kc1 Nxd1 31.Rxd1 Qxc5 32.Qf4[/font] is equal: Black continues to enjoy an extra pawn, but White has some activity and the initiative in compensation.
• [font color="burgundy"]29...g3?! 30.Qxg3 Nc3+ 31.Kc1! Nxa2+ 32.Kd2 Qxc5 33.Ke1[/font] gives Black only a pawn for the exchange.
• If [font color="darkred"]28.Rhe1 Nb5 29.Nxb5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]29...axb5 30.Re7 R5c7 31.Rg1[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]31...Ra8 32.Rxc7 Qxc7 33.Bxb5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]33...Be6 34.Re1 Bf7 35.Re3 Qa7 36.Ba4[/font] gives White only a small advantage.
• [font color="burgundy"]33...Rb8?! 34.Bd3 Qc3 35.Rxg4 Rb6 36.Qd4 Qxd4 37.Rxd4[/font] gives White an extra pawn, but nothing near an immediate win,
• If [font color="magenta"]31...Rxe7?? 32.fxe7![/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]32...Qc7 33.Re1 Re8 34.Qf6[/font] leads to mate.
• If [font color="darkorange"]32...Ra8 33.a4![/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]33...Qc7 34.Re1 Rc8 35.Qf6[/font]leads to mate.
• If [font color="purple"]33...bxa3[/font] then White gives mate after [font color="purple"]34.Qd4.[/font]
• If [font color="magenta"]29...g3?? 30.Qf4! axb5 31.Bxg6!![/font] then White wins after:

1. If [font color="magenta"]31...Kh8 32.Bxf7 Rxc2 33.a4 bxa3 34.Qxg3 a2+ 35.Ka1[/font] when Black must surrender his Queen or submit to mate.
2. [font color="darkorange"]31...Kf8[/font] when White soon delivers mate after [font color="darkorange"]32.Qd6+ Kg8 33.Bxf7+ Kxf7 34.Re7+.[/font]
3. [font color="purple"]31...hxg6[/font] when White soon delivers mate after [font color="purple"]32.h7+ Kh8 33.Qh6.[/font]
4. [font color="hotpink"]31...Bxg6[/font] when White soon delivers mate after [font color="hotpink"]32.f7+! Bxf7 33.Qd4.[/font]

[center]BLACK: Anthony Wirig[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Parimarjan Negi[/center][center]Position after 27...Na7c6[/center]

28.Rde1!?

• White misses a win after [font color="red"]28.Ne6! Rc3 29.Rhe1 Qb6 30.Qf4 Qa7 31.Qxg4,[/font] but the text doesn't give Black much in the way of a second chance.

28...Qb6?

• This cramps the pieces on Black's queenside.
• [font color="red"]28...Nxd4 29.Qxd4 Qb6 30.Re7 Rcc8 31.Qf4[/font]still gives White a substantial advantage.

29.Ne6!

• White moves to lift the blockade on the c-pawn.

29...Rc3

• If [font color="red"]29...Bxe6[/font] then the lights go out after [font color="red"]30.f7+ Kf8 31.Qf6 Re8 32.Rxe6 Rxe6 33.Qg7+ Ke7 34.f8Q#.[/font]

30.Qf4 a5 31.Bxg6 Bxe6 32.f7+ 1-0

• If [font color="red"]32...Kf8[/font] then after [font color="red"]33.Rxe6 hxg6 34.Qd6+ Kxf7 35.Qd7+[/font] White gives mate on the followin move.
• Herr Wiring resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

21. Shneider - Kravtsiv, Round 6

Martyn Kravtsiv of Ukraine was another of the five first place finishers at Cappelle-la-Grande. He is four days older than Magnus Carlsen.

[center][/center]

[center]Martyn Kravtsiv[/center][font size="1"]Photo by http://www.flickr.com/photos/karpidis/ karpidis modified from http://www.flickr.com/photos/8022405@N02/2761946807/ flickr in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Martyn_Kravtsiv.jpg Wikimedia Commons (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]

Alexander Shneider - Martyn Kravtsiv
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1658553
28th International Open, Round 6
Cappelle-la-Grande, 7 March 2012

Orthodox Queen's Gambit: Nimzo-Ragozin Defense

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bg5 Nbd7 7.e3 c5 8.Bd3 Qa5 9.Qc2 c4 10.Bf5 0-0 11.0-0 Re8

• For a look at the main lines of the Nimzo-Ragozin Defense, see Moiseenko-Ponomariov, Ukrainian Ch, Kiev, 2011.

12.Bh4

• If [font color="red"]12.Nd2 g6[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]13.Bh3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]13...Bxc3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]14.Qxc3 Qxc3 15.bxc3 Ne4 16.Nxe4 dxe4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]17.Rfb1 Nb6[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]18.Bxc8 Raxc8[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]19.Rb5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]19...Rc6 20.Ra5 f6 21.Bf4 Rd8 22.Rxa7 Nd5 23.Rxb7[/font] gives White at least one extra pawn and a lot more space (Moiseenko-Ponomariov, Ukrainian Ch, Kiev, 2011).
• [font color="burgundy"]19...Re6 20.Rab1 Rd6 21.Be7 Rd7 22.Bc5[/font] is equal (Nyback-Adams, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).
• If [font color="darkred"]19.a4 Nd5 20.Rxb7 Nxc3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]21.a5 a6 22.Kf1 Nd5 23.Ke1 c3 24.Kd1 c2+[/font] is equal (Seirawan-Sosonko, IT A, Wijk aan Zee, 1986).
• [font color="magenta"]21.Rxa7 Nd5 22.Rc1 c3 23.Kf1 Nb4 24.Rb7 Rc4[/font] Gives White an extra pawn and more space (Dreev-González, Op, Santa Barbara de Casa, 1992).
• [font color="darkpink"]18.Rb5 f5 19.g4 fxg4 20.Bf1 Bd7 21.Rxb6 axb6 22.Bxc4+ Kg7[/font] gives White the exchange and more space (Sakaev-Lautier, World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2005).
• If [font color="darkred"]17.Bg4 Nb6 18.Be2 Be6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]19.Rab1 Rac8 20.Rfc1 Rc7 21.f3 Bd5 22.Kf2 Rc6 23.h4 Kg7 24.a4 Nxa4 25.Rxb7[/font] gives White a Rook on the seventh, the Bishop pair and more space; Black has a passed pawn, but it remains to be proved if it can go anywhere (Karpov-Milov, Rpd, Cap dAgde, 2002).
• [font color="magenta"]19.a4 Nd5 20.Ra3 Rac8 21.Rb1 b6 22.h3 Bd7 23.Bd1 a6 24.Bh4 b5[/font] is equal (Cebalo-Greenfeld, EU ChT, Debrechen, 1992).
• If [font color="darkred"]14.bxc3 Ne4 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.Bxd7 Bxd7 17.Bf4 Re6[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]18.d5 Ba4 19.Qd2 Rd8 20.d6 Qc5[/font] is equal (Grivas-Hector, EU CHT, Haifa, 1989).
• [font color="magenta"]18.Rfb1 Qd5 19.a4 a5 20.Qb2 Bc6[/font] is equal (Pinter-Sosonko, IT, Heninge, 1988).
• [font color="burgundy"]13...Kg7 14.Rae1 Ne4 15.Ndxe4 dxe4 16.Bf4 f5 17.f3 Nf6 18.a3 Bxc3 19.bxc3 h5 20.Qf2 Bd7 21.Qg3[/font] is equal (Grischuk-Morozevich, FIDE World Ch Trmt, San Luis, 2007).
• If [font color="darkred"]13.Bxd7 Nxd7[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]14.Rae1 Nb6 15.f3 Bxc3 16.bxc3 Na4 17.Rc1 f6 18.Bh6 b5[/font] is equal (Romanko-Zdebskaja, World ChTW Rd 1, Ningbo, 2009).
• [font color="magenta"]14.h4 f6 15.Bf4 Bxc3 16.bxc3 Nb6 17.f3 Qa4 18.Qb2 Bf5 19.Rfe1 Qc6 20.Qa3 Bd3 21.Qxa7[/font] draw (Aleksandrov-Malakhatko, Op, Kolkata, 2009).

12...g6 13.Bxd7

• If [font color="red"]13.Bh3 Bxc3 14.bxc3 Ne4 15.Rfc1[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]15...Nb6 16.Bxc8 Raxc8 17.a4 Kg7 18.Ng5 Rc6[/font] is equal (Moiseenko-Aronian, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).
• [font color="darkred"]15...f6 16.Nd2 g5 17.Bg3 Nb6 18.Bxc8 Raxc8 19.Nf1 Na4[/font] is equal (Karpov-Hjartarson, World Cup, Reykjavik, 1991).

13...Nxd7 14.a3 (N)

• If [font color="red"]14.Nd2 Nb6 15.e4 Bxc3 16.bxc3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]16...Qa4 17.Qb1 Bd7[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]18.Re1 Re6 19.f3 Rae8 20.Qc1 f6 21.Bg3 Qa5[/font] is equal (Karpov-Giorgadze, Rpd IT, Villarrobledo, Spain, 1997).
• [font color="magenta"]18.f4!? Qa3! 19.Rf3 dxe4 20.Nxe4 Rxe4 21.Qxe4 Bc6[/font] gives Black the exchange and a slight advantage in space (Nickoloff-Kovacevic, IT, Toronto, 1989).
• [font color="darkred"]16...dxe4 17.Nxe4 Nd5 18.Rae1 Bd7 19.f3 Qa3 20.Qd2[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space, but White has command of the dark square conmplex around Black's King (Cramling- E. Atalik, ITW, Istanbul, 2008).

14...Bxc3

• Black has a slight advantage in space.

15.bxc3 Kg7 16.h3 Nf6

• [font color="red"]16...Nb6! 17.g4 Qa4 18.Qd2 f6 19.Bg3 g5[/font] continues to give Black a slight advantage in space.

17.Bxf6+ Kxf6 18.g4!?

• Perhaps looking to establish a pawn at g5, White weakens his control of f3 in particular and the kingside in general.
• If [font color="red"]18.Qd2 Kg7 19.Rfb1 Qc7 20.a4 Bd7 21.a5 Re7[/font] continues to give Black a slight advantage in space.
• [font color="blue"]18.a4 Qc7 19.Qb2 Bf5 20.g4 Bd7 21.Rfb1 Rab8[/font] gives Black a slight advantage in space.

[center]BLACK: Martyn Kravtsiv[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Alexander Shneider[/center][center]Position after 18.g2g4[/center]

18...Kg7!

• Black now has a small advantage in space.

19.Nh2?!

• White's kingside is safe even without this move. His queenside could use some work.
• If [font color="red"]19.a4 Qc7 20.a5 Bd7[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]21.Ne5 Be6 22.Kg2 Qc8[/font] continues to give Black a small advantage in space.
• [font color="darkred"]21.Rfb1 Rab8 22.Ne5 Be6 23.Kg2 f6 24.Nf3 Qd7[/font] threatens to open the queenside with a Bishop sacrifice on b4, forehsadowing

19...Bd7!?

• This move is good, but not sterling.
• If [font color="red"]19...h5! 20.Kg2 hxg4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]21.hxg4 Bd7 22.Rh1 Re4 23.Qd2 Rae8[/font] freezes White's center pawns in place.
• [font color="darkred"]21.Nxg4 Bxg4! 22.hxg4 Re4 23.Rh1 Rxg4+ 24.Kf3 Rg5[/font] gives Black an extra pawn.

20.Qd2?!

• White deactivates the Queen. None of White's pieces are the slightest bit active.
• Somewhat better is [font color="red"]20.Nf3![/font] when:
• If [font color="red"]20...f6 21.a4 Re4 22.Rfe1 Rh8[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]23.Rab1 b6 24.Rb4 Ree8 25.Nh4 Rhf8 26.Qd1 Re7[/font] gives Black a fair advantage in space.
• [font color="magenta"]23.Qb2?! Bc6! 24.Qa3 h5 25.g5 Qd8 26.Rab1 fxg5[/font] gives Black a weak extra pawn.
• [font color="darkred"]20...Ba4 21.Qb2 Qc7 22.Rfb1 Re7 23.Qd2 f6[/font] continues to give White a fair advantage in space.

20.a4?! h5!] 20...Re6!?

• Black brings his Rook to a navigable rank, but could have done better.
• If [font color="red"]20...h5![/font] (attacking White's weakened kingside; see the note to White's 18th move) [font color="red"]21.Rfb1 Qc7[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]22.Kg2 Rh8 23.Rh1 hxg4 24.Nxg4 Rae8[/font] gives Black an impressive advantage in space.
• [font color="darkred"]22.Qb2!? b6! 23.Kg2 Re4 24.Qe2 hxg4 25.Nxg4 Rh8[/font] gives Black more freedom and space.

21.f3?!

• White weakens the defense of his e-pawn in the hopes of advancing it.
• [font color="red"]21.Nf3 f6 22.Rfb1 Qc7 23.Qb2 b6[/font] continues to give Black a comfortable advantage.

[center]BLACK: Martyn Kravtsiv[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Alexander Shneider[/center][center]Position after 21.f2f3[/center]

21...Rae8!

• White's backward e-pawn cannot advance and thus must be protected directly.

22.Rfe1

• All other moves lose.
• [font color="red"]22.e4[/font] drops a pawn and command of the e-file to [font color="red"]22...dxe4? 23.fxe4[/font] when White wins after [font color="red"]23...Rxe4! 24.Rfe1 Qd5 25.Rxe4 Qxe4.[/font]

22...Rb6 23.e4 Rb3 24.Rac1 Rxa3

• Black wins a pawn.

25.e5

• [font color="red"]25.Re2!? Rb3 26.Nf1 Bc6 27.e5 Qd8 28.Qa2 Qh4[/font] continues to give Black an extra pawn and a fair advantage in space.

25...Ra2!?

• Black should push his queenside pawns.
• If [font color="red"]25...b5 26.Nf1 Rb8 27.Ng3[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]27...h6! 28.Ne2 b4 29.cxb4 Rxb4 30.Nc3 Rbb3[/font] gives White an extra pawn, command of the queenside and the initiative.
• [font color="darkred"]27...b4?! 28.Qg5! Be6 29.f4 Rxc3 30.Rxc3 bxc3[/font] is equal.

26.Qe3?!

• This is simply part of an inferior plan. White ignores Black's queenside initiative and seeks counterplay on the kingside.
• A better plan is to revieve his space deficit by exchanging pieces: [font color="red"]26.Rc2 Rxc2 27.Qxc2 b5 28.Rb1 Qb6 29.f4 a5[/font] continues to give Black an extra pawn.

26...Qd8!

• Black retreats the Queen in order to advance on the queenside.
• If [font color="red"]26...b5 27.Nf1 Ra3 28.Ng3[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]28...Qd8 29.Ra1 Rxa1 30.Rxa1 a5 31.Qd2 h6[/font] leaves Black with an extra pawn and moble queenside pawns.
• If [font color="darkred"]28...h6?! 29.f4! b4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]30.f5! Qb6 31.Rf1 Rxc3 32.Rxc3 bxc3 33.e6![/font] gives Black counterplay along the f-file
• [font color="magenta"]30.Rf1!? Qd8 31.Qf3 Bc8 32.f5 Rf8 33.Ne2 b3[/font] contiues to give Black an extra pawn, but White has counterplay on the kingside of center.

27.Ra1 Rxa1 28.Rxa1

[center]BLACK: Martyn Kravtsiv[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Alexander Shneider[/center][center]Position after 28.Re1a1:R[/center]

28...a5!

• White sets his queenside pawns rolling.
• The text is stronger than [font color="red"]28...f6 29.f4 a5 30.Rb1 b5[/font] when:
• [font color="red"]31.f5 gxf5 32.gxf5 fxe5 33.dxe5 Bxf5 34.Rxb5 Qh4[/font] gives Black an extra pawn and a substantial advantage in space.
• [font color="darkred"]31.Nf3 a4 32.exf6+ Qxf6 33.Ne5 Qd6[/font] give Black an extra pawn.

29.f4 b5!?

• Again, this is good, but not the strongest. Black does better to maneuver his pieces behind his queenside pawns, helping them to advance.
• [/font]If [font color="red"]29...a4! 30.Nf3 Qe7 31.Qc1 b5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]32.Kf2[/font] then after [font color="red"]32...Ra8! 33.Qc2 f5 34.exf6+ Qxf6 35.Kg3 Qd6[/font] White cannot prevent a4a3.
• If [font color="darkred"]32.Qb2?! Ra8 33.Qb1[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]33...Qf8! 34.Qe1[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]34...Ra6! 35.Kf2 Rb6 36.Rb1 a3 37.Qd2 Ra6[/font] gives Black an extra pawn running up the a-file.
• [font color="darkorange"]34...Rb8!? 35.f5! gxf5 36.e6 fxe6 37.Qe5+ Kg8[/font] gives Black three extra pawns, but the e-pawn is in danger after White's Knight plays to g5.
• If [font color="magenta"]33...Rb8?![/font] then after [font color="magenta"]34.Rxa4![/font] Black cannot recapture the pawn.

30.Nf3?

• This is a catastrophe. White's f-pawn remains weak and his pieces imprisoned behind it.
• If [font color="red"]30.f5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]30...gxf5 31.Rxa5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]31...Re6 32.gxf5 Qxa5 33.fxe6 Bxe6 34.Kg2 Qa2+ 35.Kg3 Qc2[/font] gives Black an aggressive Queen to go with his extra pawn.
• [font color="burgundy"]31...Qb6?! 32.Ra7 Bc8 33.Qg5+ Qg6 34.Qxg6+ Kxg6[/font] still gives Black an extra pawn.
• If [font color="darkred"]30...h6!? 31.Qf3 gxf5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]32.Qxd5 fxg4 33.Nxg4 Bxg4 34.Qxd8 Rxd8 35.hxg4 a4[/font] still gives Black an extra pawn.
• If [font color="magenta"]32.Rf1?[/font] then Black wins after [font color="magenta"]32...b4! 33.Qxd5 b3 34.Qxc4 Qb6 35.Qd3 Rxe5.[/font]

30...b4! 31.cxb4 axb4 32.Ra7

• If [font color="red"]32.f5 gxf5 33.Ra8[/font] then:
• Black wins after [font color="red"]33...Qb6! 34.Rxe8 f4 35.Rb8 Qxb8 36.Qxf4 Qb6.[/font]
• If [font color="darkred"]33...Qxa8?? 34.Qg5+! Kf8 35.Qh6+[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]35...Kg8 36.Qg5+ Kh8 37.Qf6+ etc.[/font] draws.
• If [font color="magenta"]35...Ke7?[/font] then White wins after [font color="magenta"]36.Qf6+ Kf8 37.Ng5!.[/font]

32...h6 33.Rb7

• If [font color="red"]33.Qe1[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]33...c3 34.Qd1 Qc8 35.Ne1 Bb5.[/font]

33...b3 34.Qc3

• If [font color="red"]34.Nh2 Qa8 35.Rb4[/font] then:
• White wins after [font color="red"]35...Qa1+ 36.Nf1 b2[/font] when it will cost Black a piese to stop the pawn.
• If [font color="darkred"]35...Rb8[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]36.Rxb8 Qxb8 37.Qc1 b2 38.Qb1 Qb3[/font] when in order to stop the pawn White must give up a piece..

34...Qc8 35.Ra7

• If [font color="red"]35.Qb4[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]35...c3! 36.Qa5 c2.[/font]

[center]BLACK: Martyn Kravtsiv[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Alexander Shneider[/center][center]Position after 35.Rb7a7[/center]

35...Bxg4!!

• The Bishop sacrifice caps it off.

36.hxg4 Qxg4+ 37.Kf2 Rb8 1-0

• If [font color="red"]38.Qe1[/font] then [font color="red"]38...Qe6 39.f5 Qxf5 40.e6 Re8 41.Qe5+ Qxe5[/font] gains another pawn for Black, giving him five pawns for a Knight.
• Alexander Borisovich resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

15. Bundesliga 2011/12, Rounds 12 and 13

[center][/center]

[center]Bronze Statue of the Town Musicians, Bremen[/center]
[font size="1"]Photo by Adrian Pinkstone in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bremen.band.500pix.jpg Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)
[/font]

[Jack Rabbit]

16. Adams (Baden-Baden) - Fressinet (Bremen), Round 12, played in Bremen

This was the only decisive game of the match between the Banden-Baden and Bremen teams played in March.

This weekend (April 14-15) is the final weekend of the Bundesliga. Baden-Baden will be playing at home and needs only a match victory or two match draws to earn the team's seventh consecutive Bundesliga title.

[center][/center]

[center]Mickey Adams[/center][font size="1"]Photo by http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Brittle_heaven Brittle Heaven in http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Adams_rd6_4thEUIO.JPG Wikimedia Commons (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]

Mickey Adams (Baden-Baden) - Laurent Fressinet (Bremen)
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1660538
Bundesliga 2011/12, Round 12/Board 3
Bremen, 17 March 2012

Petit Spanish Royal Game: Neo-Classical Defense

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxc6 dxc6 6.Nbd2

• For a discussion of the Neo-Classical Defense to the Petit Spanish Royal, see McShane-Kramnik, IT, London, 2011.

6...Bg4 7.h3

• [font color="red"]7.b3 Nd7 8.Bb2 f6 9.Nf1 Nf8 10.h3[/font] is equal (McShane-Kramnik, IT, London, 2011).
• [font color="blue"]7.Nc4 Nd7 8.Be3 Bxe3 9.Nxe3 Bxf3 10.Qxf3[/font] gives White the early advantage in space (Libiszewski-Michalczak, Op, Reykjavik, 2012).

7...Bxf3!?

• [font color="red"]7...Be6 8.0-0 Qd6 9.b3 0-0 10.Bb2 Nd7 11.Qe2[/font] gives White a small advantage with stronger pawns; Black has more space, at least temporarily.

8.Qxf3 Nd7

• [font color="red"]8...Qe7 9.0-0 Nd7 10.Nc4 0-0 11.Qg3 Rfe8 12.Kh1[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space (D. Popovic-Kryvoruchko, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2012).

9.Qg3 (N)

• [font color="red"]9.Nc4 Qe7 10.Bd2 Nb6 11.Ne3 Bxe3 12.Qxe3[/font] gives White stronger pawns and an edge in space(Zvjaginsev-Stojanovic, Euro Club Cup, Rogaska Slatina, 2011).

9...Qf6

• White has stronger pawns; neither side has completed development.

10.Nc4 0-0 11.0-0 Rfe8 12.a4

• [font color="red"]12.Bd2 Nb6 13.Na5 Rab8 14.b4 Bd6 15.Qg4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space.
• [font color="blue"]12.Bg5 Qg6 13.Kh2 b5 14.Na5 Bb6 15.Nb3[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space.

12...Nf8?!

• [font color="red"]12...a5 13.Bg5 Qg6 14.Kh2 Nb6 15.Be3[/font] gives White a small advantage in space.

[center]BLACK: Laurent Fressinet[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Mickey Adams[/center][center]Position after 12...Nd7f8[/center]

13.Bg5!

• With development complete, White has a fair advantage in space concentrated on the queenside and the initiative against the Black Queen.

13...Qe6 14.Bd2 Ng6 15.b4 Bf8!?

• The best use Black can make of his bad Bishop right now is to overprotect the e-pawn.
• If [font color="red"]15...Bd6! 16.Qf3 f6[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]17.Rfb1 a6 18.Rb3 Qd7 19.Be3 Nf4 20.h4[/font] continues to give White a fair advantage.
• [font color="darkred"]17.Na5 Rab8 18.Rfb1 a6 19.Nc4 Qd7 20.Be3[/font] a6 18.Rb3 Qd7 19.Be3 Nf4 20.h4[/font] continues to give White a fair advantage; White has control of the g1/a7 diagonal, but cannot expel Black's Knight from the outpost at f4 without weakening his kingside.

16.Qg4!?

• White misses an opportunity to exploit his spatial advantage on the queenside.
• If [font color="red"]16.Rfb1! Bd6 17.b5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]17...cxb5 18.axb5 Bc5 19.Be3 Bxe3 20.Qxe3 b6 21.Ra6[/font] gives White a substantial advantage in space.
• [font color="darkred"]17...Nf4?! 18.Qf3 Rab8 19.Rb3 Qd7 20.Be3 c5 21.a5[/font] gives White the better Bishop, stronger pawns and more space.

16...b6?!

• Black weakens his grip on c6, where his weakens pawn is posted.
• If [font color="red"]16...Nf4! 17.Qf3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]17...a6 18.Rfd1 Bd6 19.c3 Rad8 20.Na5 Rb8 21.Re1[/font] gives White the better Bishop and stronger pawns; Black has a small advantage in space.
• [font color="darkred"]17...Bd6 18.b5 a6 19.bxc6 bxc6 20.Rab1 Rab8 21.Rfe1[/font] gives White an extra pawn and Black more space.

[center]BLACK: Laurent Fressinet[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Mickey Adams[/center][center]Position after 16...b7b6[/center]

17.g3!

• White denies use of f4 to Black and gives White a comfortable advantge in space. Black cannot make any move into White's territory.

17...f6

• Black's best chance is to excahnge Queens in order to get a little breathing room.
• If [font color="red"]17...Qxg4 18.hxg4 f6 19.Kg2 Nh8 20.f4 Nf7 21.Bc3[/font] continues to deny Black access to Black territory and give White a comfortable advantage in space.

18.Bc3 Bd6 19.Ne3 Kh8 20.Kg2

• Fritz suggests a Queen exchange, but White intends to move his Queen somewhere else. The King takes over the duty of protecting the h-pawn.

20...a6

• [font color="red"]20...Qxg4 21.hxg4 a6 22.Nf5 Kg8 23.f3[/font] gives White a clear advantage in space.

21.Qf3

• White wisely moves his Queen away from the enemy Queen's line of fire. White still has a comfortable advantage in space. A Queen exchange is so strategically wrong that only a comfuter program could recommend it.

21...Ne7 22.h4 b5 23.Rfb1!

• White reinforces the Queenside.

23...Qd7?!

• The Queen should remain where it is and prevent White from making use of the light squares on either side.
• If [font color="red"]23...Reb8! 24.h5 h6 25.Bd2 bxa4 26.Rxa4 c5 27.b5[/font] gives White better pawns and a comfortable advantage concentrated on the queenside and center; Black's bad Bishop needs to be activated.

[center]BLACK: Laurent Fressinet[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Mickey Adams[/center][center]Position after 23...Qe6d7[/center]

24.h5!

• White has healthier pawns and a comfortable advantage in space. Black cannot advance any piece beyond the third rank.

24...h6

• If [font color="red"]24...c5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]25.h6 cxb4 26.hxg7+ Kxg7 27.Bxb4 Bxb4 28.Rxb4[/font] gives White stronger pawns and the threat of Qh5!.
• If [font color="darkred"]25.bxc5 Bxc5 26.h6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]26...Bxe3 27.hxg7+ Kxg7 28.Qxe3 Ng6 29.Bd2 Reb8 30.Rb4[/font] gives White battery on a vital diagonal and the advantage in space.
• If [font color="magenta"]26...Bd4?[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]27.hxg7+! Kxg7 28.Ng4 Rf8 29.Bxd4 exd4 30.Rh1 f5 31.Ne5![/font] begins a direct attack on the King.
• White also wins after [font color="darkorange"]27.Ng4! Nc6 28.axb5 axb5 29.Rxa8 Rxa8 30.Bd2 Bb6 31.c3[/font] when Black's b-pawn is in peril.

25.Qg4!

• The exchange of queens will now further White's plans.
• If [font color="red"]25.axb5!? cxb5! 26.Nd5 Nxd5 27.exd5 Rec8 28.Bd2[/font] saddles White with a weak pawn brings Black's kingside to life.


• [font color="blue"]25.Ng4?! Rf8 26.Rb2 Rad8 27.axb5 axb5 28.Ra5[/font] leaves White all dressed up with no targets to strike.

25...Qxg4 26.Nxg4 Nc8?!

• Black takes pressure off the center.
• If [font color="red"]26...Rab8[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]27.Bd2[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]27...c5 28.axb5 axb5 29.bxc5 Bxc5 30.Be3 Bd6 31.Ra5[/font] gives White a comfortable advantage in space.
• [font color="magenta"]27...f5?! 28.Ne3! fxe4 29.dxe4 c5 30.axb5 axb5 31.Ra6[/font] gives White stronger pawns and a substantial advantage in space; Black is cramped.
• Also good is [font color="darkred"]27.axb5 axb5 28.Bd2 c5 29.bxc5 Bxc5 30.Be3 Bd6[/font] gives White a comfortable advantage in space.

27.Bd2!

• White applies more pressure to the flanks.
• If [font color="red"]27.axb5!? cxb5![/font] (27...axb5?? is clearly out of the question) [font color="red"]28.Be1 Nb6 29.Ne3 Na4 30.Nf5[/font] gives White a small advantage in space concentrated on the kingside.

27...Nb6 28.a5 Nd7 29.c4 c5?!

• With White's Rooks supporting the queenside, this move is a fundamental mistake. White will open the queenside to his advantage.
• If [font color="red"]29...Kg8 30.c5 Be7 31.Ne3 Nf8 32.Bc3[/font] gives White a huge advantage in space.

[center]BLACK: Laurent Fressinet[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Mickey Adams[/center][center]Position after 29...c6c5[/center]

30.cxb5!

• White sweeps away Black's queenside pawns.

30...axb5 31.bxc5 Nxc5 32.Rxb5 Nxd3 33.Ra4!?

• White has a passed pawn, command of the b-file and a significant advantage in space.
• A better way to cover the e-pawn is 33.f3.
• If [font color="red"]33.f3 Bc5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]34.Ne3 c6 35.Rbb1 Reb8[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]36.Nf5 Rb5 37.Rxb5 cxb5 38.Rb1 b4 39.Rb3[/font] gives the Black Knight no safe quarter, forcing the Black Rook to play to d8 and abandon the defense against White's passer.
• The main line is better than [font color="burgundy"]36.Rxb8+ Rxb8 37.Kf1 Bd4 38.Ra3 Nc5 39.Ke2[/font] when Black has opportunities for counterplay.
• If [font color="darkred"]34.Be3!? Bd4! 35.Bxd4 exd4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]36.a6 Ra7 37.Nf2 Ne5 38.f4 Nc6 39.Rb7[/font] leaves White's passed pawn safe.
• If [font color="magenta"]36.Rd1!? c6! 37.Rb6 Ne5[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]38.Nxe5 Rxe5 39.a6 Rxh5 40.Ra1 Rb5 41.Rxc6[/font] leaves both sides with passers, but it won't be a walk in the park to push either one over.
• [font color="darkorange"]38.Ra1? Nxg4 39.fxg4 Rxe4 40.Rxc6 Re2+[/font] is equal.

33...Ra6!?

• White's last move wasn't a huge mistake, and neither is this.
• If [font color="red"]33...Nc5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]34.Rc4 Ne6 35.Ne3 c6 36.Rb2 Bc7 37.Ra2[/font] continues to give White an advanced passer and more space.
• [font color="darkred"]34.Ra2?! Nxe4! 35.Ne3 Kg8 36.Kf3 c6 37.Rbb2[/font] is equal.

[center]BLACK: Laurent Fressinet[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Mickey Adams[/center][center]Position after 33...Ra8a6[/center]

34.Rc4!

• White has a passed pawn, a Rook commanding the b-file and a comfortable advantage in space.

34...c5

• If [font color="red"]34...Rea8!? 35.Rd5! Nb2 36.Rc2[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]36...Rb8 37.Kf1 Na4 38.Ne3 Rb1+ 39.Kg2 Rb3 40.Nf5[/font] gives White more freedom and space.
• If [font color="darkred"]36...Na4 37.Kf3 Rd8 38.Ne3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]38...Rb8 39.Rc1 Rb3 40.Kg4 Kg8 41.Be1 Kf8 42.Nf5[/font] gives White more freedom and space.
• [font color="magenta"]38...Kg8 39.Nf5 Rb8 40.Rc4 Nb2 41.Rc1 Rb3+ 42.Ke2[/font] gives White more freedom; White's a-pawn is better protected that Black's c-pawn.

35.Ne3

• [font color="red"]35.Rc3 Nb4 36.Ne3 Rea8 37.Nc4 Be7 38.Ra3[/font] gives White a substantial advantage in space.

35...Rea8 36.Rc3

• If [font color="red"]36.Rb6 Bf8 37.Rc3 Nb4 38.Nc4 Kg8 39.Rb3[/font] gives White a healthy advantage in space.
• [font color="darkred"]36...Be7 37.Rc3 Nb4 38.Rb3 Nc6 39.Nc4[/font] transposes into the text.

36...Nb4 37.Nc4 Be7

• [font color="red"]37...Bf8 38.Rc1 Kg8 39.Kf3 Be7 40.Kg4 Kf7 41.Rb1[/font] gives White a substantial advantage in space.

38.Rb3 Nc6 39.Rb6 Nb4

• [font color="red"]39...Kg8 40.Rxa6 Rxa6 41.Rb6 Rxb6 42.Nxb6[/font] makes it difficult for Black to stop the pawn.

40.Kf3 R6a7 41.Be3 Kg8 42.Rb2 Rc7

• White has the a-pawn under restraint for the moment, but White can also advance his King up the light squares on the kingside.
• If [font color="red"]42...Kf7![/font] (keeping the White King from coming no further than f5) when [font color="red"]43.Kg4 Rd7 44.Kf5 Rad8 45.Rb1 Nc2 46.Rb7[/font] gives White a clear advantage, but after 46...Nb4! the a-pawn is restrained.

43.Kg4 Kf7?

• Black needs to make sure that the a-pawn is restrained. Right now, it isn't.
• If [font color="red"]43...Nc6! 44.Ra2 Bd8 45.Bd2 Nd4 46.Rab2 Raa7 47.Rd6[/font] gives White counterplay in the center.

[center]BLACK: Laurent Fressinet[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Mickey Adams[/center][center]Position after 43...Kg8f7[/center]

44.Rb1!?

• This doesn't assist in the progress of the a-pawn.
• Better is [font color="red"]44.f4! exf4 45.gxf4 Rd8 46.Rb1[/font] when:
• If [font color="red"]46...Rd3 47.Rc1[/font] forces Black to bring his forward Rook back home for blockade duty

1. If [font color="red"]47...Ra7?[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]48.Bg1 Na6 49.e5 Ra8 50.e6+.[/font]
2. If [font color="darkred"]47...Rc8?[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]48.Rb7 Ke8 49.Bg1 Rc6 50.Ne3 c4 51.Rxc4.[/font]
3. [font color="magenta"]; 47...Rd8! 48.Bg1 Kf8 49.Kf5 Nc6 50.a6 Ra8 51.Rb7[/font] stops the pawn by 51...Rxb7 52.axb7 Rb8 53.Rb1.
4. If [font color="darkred"]46...Ra8 47.e5! fxe5 48.fxe5[/font] (White now has two passed pawns) then:

• If [font color="darkred"]48...Nd5 49.e6+ Ke8 50.Rb8+[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]50...Rc8 51.Rxc8+ Rxc8 52.Rb7 Ra8 53.Kf5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]53...Nxe3+ 54.Nxe3 c4 55.Nd5 Bf8 56.a6 Bd6 57.Rxg7 c3 58.Rg8+ Bf8 59.e7[/font] Black is soon mated.
• [font color="purple"]53...Bf8 54.Bf2 Be7 55.Ke5 Nf6 56.a6!! Rxa6 57.Rb8+ Bd8 58.Bxc5 Nd7+ 59.exd7+[/font] gives White an extra piece.
• [font color="darkorange"]50...Rxb8 51.Rxb8+ Bd8 52.a6 Nb4 53.e7 Kxe7 54.a7[/font] when Black must allow the pawn to Queen or submit to the loss of the Rook by 54...Rxa7 55.Bxc5+!.
• If [font color="magenta"]48...Rd8[/font] then White wins after [font color="magenta"]49.e6+ Ke8 50.Bf4 Ra7 51.Be5 Bf8 52.Kf5.[/font]

44...Nc6

• If [font color="red"]44...Rca7!?[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]45.Kf5! Rd7 46.Rb2 Rad8 47.Rd2 Rxd2 48.Bxd2 Nc2 49.Bc3[/font] gives White a moble passed pawn and a substantial advantage in space.
• If [font color="darkred"]45.Rb5 Rc7 46.Rc1 Rca7 47.Rc3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]47...Rc8 48.Nb6 Rcc7 49.f4 exf4 50.gxf4 Na6 51.Nc4[/font] gives White an overwhelming advantage in space that can easily be converted into tangible winning advantages.
• If [font color="magenta"]47...Nc6?[/font] then White wins after [font color="magenta"]48.Bxc5 Bxc5 49.Rxc5 Nxa5 50.Nb6 Rb8 51.Nc8.[/font]

45.R1b5

• [font color="red"]45.Bd2!? Nb4 46.f4 exf4 47.gxf4 Rca7[/font] gives White the advantage, but he is not yet assured of converting it.

45...Nd4 46.Rb1 Nc6 47.R6b5

• If [font color="red"]47.Bd2 Rd8 48.Rc1[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]48...Nd4 49.Be3 Ra7 50.f4 exf4 51.gxf4[/font] White is much better, but must continue to grind down Black's defenses.
• If [font color="darkred"]48...Rb8? 49.Rxb8 Nxb8 50.Rb1[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]50...Na6 51.Rb6 Nb4 52.f4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]52...exf4 53.gxf4 Ra7 54.e5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]54...Bd8[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]55.Rb5 Ke6 56.Rxc5 f5+ 57.Kf3 Nc2 58.Nb6.[/font]
• [font color="burgundy"]54...Ke8[/font] then White wins after [font color="burgundy"]55.e6 Na6 56.Ne3 Kd8 57.Nd5.[/font]
• [font color="darkpink"]52...Nc6[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkpink"]53.fxe5 Nxe5+ 54.Nxe5+ fxe5 55.a6 Rb7 56.Bc3.[/font]
• If [font color="magenta"]50...Nc6 51.Rb6 Nd4[/font] then:
• White wins after [font color="magenta"]52.f4! exf4 53.Bxf4 Rc6 54.Rxc6 Nxc6 55.a6.[/font]
• [font color="darkorange"]52.a6!? Ra7 53.Ne3 Ra8 54.Nf5 Bf8 55.f4[/font] gives Black a repieve for now.

47...Nd4 48.Rb7

• If [font color="red"]48.R5b2[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]48...Nc6 49.Bd2 Nb4 50.Kf5 Rca7 51.f4 exf4 52.gxf4[/font] gives White a substanstial advantage in space; e4e5 will secure a passed pawn for White.
• [font color="darkred"]48...Rca7 49.Rb7 Rxb7 50.Rxb7 Ke6 51.f3 Rd8 52.Ra7[/font] gives each side a passed pawn, but White's is moble and Black's is not.

48...Rxb7 49.Rxb7 Ke6 50.Bd2 Ra6?

• Black goes past the tipping point.
• [font color="red"]50...f5+ 51.exf5+ Nxf5 52.Kf3 Ra6 53.Rb6+ Rxb6 54.Nxb6![/font] will make it difficult, but not impossible, for Black to stop the a-pawn.

51.Bc3

• This is good enough.
• Best is [font color="red"]51.f4![/font] when:
• If [font color="red"]51...exf4[/font] then if [font color="red"]52.Bxf4[/font] then after [font color="red"]52...Nc6 53.Rb6 Rxb6 54.axb6 Nd8 55.Na5[/font] it will cost Black a piece to stop the pawn.
• If [font color="darkred"]51...Nc6? 52.Bc3 Ra8 53.Rc7 Ra6 54.Nb6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]54...Kd6 55.Rb7 exf4 56.gxf4 Ke6 57.Nc8![/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]57...Kf7[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]58.Rc7 Ke8 59.Nxe7 Nxe7 60.Rxc5.[/font]
• [font color="darkorange"]57...Ra8[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkorange"]58.Rc7 Ra6 59.Nxe7 Nxe7 60.Rxc5.[/font]
• If [font color="magenta"]54...Nxa5[/font] then White wins after [font color="magenta"]55.Nd5 Nc6 56.Rxe7+ Nxe7 57.Nc7+.[/font]

51...Bf8

• This pawn is passive and loses a pawn. Black's options are limited, however, to moves that lose and those that are just bad.
• [font color="red"]51...Ne2 52.Bb2 Nd4 53.f4 exf4 54.gxf4[/font] leaves White with an extra pawn, more freedom and the initiative.
• [font color="blue"]51...Kf7 52.Nb6! Kf8 53.Nd7+ Ke8 54.Nb8 Ra8 55.a6[/font] immobilizes the Rook.

[center]BLACK: Laurent Fressinet[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Mickey Adams[/center][center]Position after 51...Be7f8[/center]

52.f4!

• White takes the pawn.

52...exf4 53.gxf4 f5+ 54.exf5+ Kd5

• [font color="red"]54...Nxf5 55.Rb6+! Rxb6 56.Nxb6 Ne3+ 57.Kf3 Nd5 58.Be5[/font] leaves little Black can do about the a-pawn that doesn't allow White the freedom to shift the attack elsewhere.

55.Ne5 Ne2 56.Be1 Bd6 57.Rxg7

• A quicker win is [font color="red"]57.Nf7 c4 58.Nxd6 Rxd6 59.Re7 Nd4 60.Bc3[/font]

57...Nxf4 58.Nf7 Nd3

• If [font color="red"]58...Ra7[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]59.Bg3 Nxh5 60.Kxh5 Bxg3 61.f6 Ra6 62.Rg6.[/font]

59.Nxd6

• Better is [font color="red"]59.Rg6![/font] when:
• If [font color="red"]59...c4[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]60.Bc3 Nf2+ 61.Kf3 Ne4 62.Nxd6 Rxd6 63.Rxd6+ Nxd6.[/font]
• [font color="darkred"]59...Nxe1 60.Rxd6+ Rxd6 61.Nxd6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]61...Nd3 62.a6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]62...Ne5+[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]63.Kf4 Nd7 64.Nc4 Kxc4 65.a7 Nb6 66.f6.[/font]
• If [font color="darkorange"]62...Kxd6[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkorange"]63.a7 Ne5+ 64.Kf4.[/font]
• If [font color="magenta"]61...Kxd6[/font] then White wins after [font color="magenta"]62.a6 Nc2 63.a7 Ne3+ 64.Kf3.[/font]

59...Nxe1

• Black can make White work harder for the victory after [font color="red"]59...Ne5+ 60.Kf4 Nd3+ 61.Kg3 Nxe1 62.Nc8 Rxa5.[/font]

60.Ne8 Rxa5 61.Rd7+ Kc6 62.Rd6+ Kb5

[center]BLACK: Laurent Fressinet[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Mickey Adams[/center][center]Position after 62...Kc6b5[/center]

63.f6!

• White now wins comfortably.
• Greed makes the win more difficult: If [font color="red"]63.Rxh6!? Ra4+[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]64.Kg3! Ra3+ 65.Kf2 Nd3+ 66.Ke3 Nb4+ 67.Ke4[/font] gives White time to make the progress he needs.
• If [font color="darkred"]64.Kg5? Nf3+ 65.Kf6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]65...c4 66.Rh8 Ra6+ 67.Ke7 Ra7+ 68.Kd6 c3 69.Nc7+ Ka4[/font] is equal.
• After [font color="magenta"]65...Ra6+ 66.Kg7 Ra7+ 67.Kg8 Ra8 68.Re6 Nd4 69.Re5[/font] Black wins the f-pawn, leaving a drawish poistion.

63...Ra7

• If [font color="red"]63...Ra4+[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]64.Kf5 Ra7 65.Rd8 Ra3 66.Nd6+.[/font]

64.Re6 Nd3 65.f7 Ra4+

• If [font color="red"]65...Rxf7[/font] then [font color="red"]66.Nd6+![/font] wins immediately.

66.Kg3 1-0

• If [font color="red"]66...Rf4[/font] then the pawn queens after [font color="red"]67.Nf6.[/font]
• M. Fressinet resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

22. Grandmaster Invitational Team Match, University of Texas at Dallas

[center]

[/center][font size="1"]Uploaded to YouTube by Dhani Carlo
[/font]

[Jack Rabbit]

23. Robson - Pavlovic, Round 9

And now a little American chess.

The Grandmaster Invitational was a team match held at the University of Texas at Dallas. One team was the UTD varsity chess team, while the other was recruited by the Turner Construction Company of Dallas, the sponsor of the match. The Turner team won the event, with Turner's Ray Robson, age 17, finishing as the high scorer on either team with 7 points (+6 -2 =2).

[center][/center]

[center]Ray Robson[/center][font size="1"]Photo by http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Stefan64 Stefan64 in http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Ray_Robson Wikimedia Commons (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]

Ray Robson (Turner Construction) - Milos Pavlovic (UT Dallas)
Grandmaster Invitational Team Match, Round 9
Univesity of Texas at Dallas, 15 March 2012

Open Sicilian Game: Najdorf-Scheveningen Defense (Rauzer Opening)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.0-0-0 Bd7 9.f4 Be7 10.Nf3 b5

• For other variations, see Ganguly-Hommeles, Canadian Op, Edmonton, 2009.

11.Bd3

• If [font color="red"]11.Bxf6[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]11...gxf6 12.Kb1 Qb6 13.f5 0-0-0[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]14.g3 Kb8 15.fxe6 fxe6 16.Bh3 Bc8[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]17.Qe1 Rhe8 18.Ne2[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]18...Bf8 19.Nf4 Bg7 20.Rf1[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]20...Qc5 21.Rf2 Re7 22.c3 d5 23.Nd4 Nxd4 24.cxd4[/font] gives White a safer King and more space; Black has stronger pawns (Leko-Timman, Op, Wijk aan Zee, 1995).
• If [font color="burgundy"]20...Bh8 21.c3 Re7 22.Rf2 Na5 23.Nd4 Rde8 24.Bg4 Nc4 25.Bh5[/font] gives White the initiative and a fair advantage in space (Adams-Timman, IT A, Wijk aan Zee, 2004).
• If [font color="darkred"]18...Ne5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]19.Rf1 Nc4 20.Nf4 Bf8 21.Qf2[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]21...Qb7!? 22.Rfe1! Bh6 23.Bg2[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Jakovenko-Saleh Salem, World Cip, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2011).
• [font color="burgundy"]21...Qxf2 22.Rxf2 d5 23.exd5 e5 24.Bxc8 Kxc8 25.Nh5[/font] is equal.
• If [font color="magenta"]19.Qc3?! Bb7! 20.Bxe6[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]20...Bxe4 21.Bd5 Rc8 22.Bxe4 Rxc3 23.Nxc3 Nxf3 24.Bxf3 Bd8[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space (Leko-Groszpeter, Op, Bucharest, 1993).
• If [font color="darkorange"]20...b4?! 21.Qd4![/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]21...Qxd4 22.Nfxd4 Bxe4 23.Rhf1 d5 24.Nf4[/font] wins the d-pawn after 25.Nb3.
• [font color="purple"]21...Qb5 22.Qe3 Nc4 23.Bxc4 Qxc4 24.Rd4 Qb5 25.Nf4[/font] gives White an extra pawn and more space.
• [font color="burgundy"]17.Qh6 Qc5 18.Rhf1 a5 19.Ne2 d5 20.exd5[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Beliavsky-Tal, IT, Leningrad, 1977).
• If [font color="darkred"]14.Bd3 Kb8 15.Ne2[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]15...Rc8 16.Nf4 Ne5 17.Qe2 a5[/font] is equal (Timoshchenko-Arkhipkin, Soviet ChT, Ordzhonikidze, 1978).
• [font color="magenta"]15...Bc8 16.Nf4 Ne5 17.Qe2 Rhe8 18.Rhe1 Qc5 19.a4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space owing to the combination of the pawn lever at a4/b5, the battery on the f1/a6 diagonal and the Rook on teh semi-open d-file (A. Popovic-Cabrilo, TT, Obrenovac, 2010).
• If [font color="darkred"]11...Bxf6 12.Qxd6 Be7 13.Qd2 b4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]14.Ne2 15.Qe3 Qa5 16.b3 Rb7 17.Nd2 Na7 18.Nc4[/font] gives Whie a fair advantage in space (Psakhis-Geller, Moscow, 1986).
• [font color="magenta"]14.Na4[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]14...Ra7 Ra7 15.Kb1 Qb6 16.e5 0-0 17.Nc1 a5[/font] is equal (Chiburdanidze-Kozlovskaya, Soviet ChW, Tbilisi, 1974).
• If [font color="darkorange"]14...Nb8?! 15.Qd4! Qc7 16.Nb6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]16...Qxf4+? 17.Kb1 Bf6 18.e5! Qxd4 19.Rxd4 Nc6 20.Rxd7 Nxe5 21.Nxe5 Bxe5[/font] Black resigns without waiting for White to reply (Tseshkovsky-D. Gurevich, Op, Moscow, 1989).
• [font color="purple"]16...Ra7 17.Qxg7 Qxf4+ 18.Rd2 Bf6 19.Qg3[/font] allows Black to fight an uphill battle for a draw.
• If [font color="blue"]11.e5 b4[/font] then:
• If [font color="blue"]12.exf6 bxc3 13.Qxc3 gxf6 14.Bh4 d5 15.Kb1[/font] then:
• If [font color="blue"]15...Rc8 16.Nd4[/font] then:
• If [font color="blue"]16...Ne5 17.Qg3 Ng6 18.f5 Nxh4 19.fxe6 fxe6 20.Qxh4[/font] then:
• [font color="blue"]20...0-0 21.Qg4+ Kf7 22.Bd3 f5 23.Qh5+ Kg7 24.g4[/font] White goes on to win (Rachels-Shirazi, US Ch, Durango, Colorado, 1992).
• [font color="steelblue"]20...Qb6 21.Qh5+ Kd8 22.g3 Ba3 23.Nb3 Bd6 24.Bh3[/font] is equal (Holzke-Tischbierek, Bundesliga 9899, Solingen, 1998).
• [font color="slateblue"]16...Qb6 17.Nxc6 Qxc6 18.Qd2 Rb8 19.Ka1 Qa4 20.b3[/font] gives White the initiative; space is approximately equal (Adams-Christiansen, IT, Biel, 1991).
• [font color="darkcyan"]15...Nb4 16.Nd4 Rc8 17.Qb3 Qa5 18.Be1 Ba4 19.Qa3[/font] gives White the advantage owing to his pins, so that 19...Nc6 20.Qxe7+ Kxe7 21.Bxa5 Nxa5 leaves Black with his King in the center and his Knight offside. In the actual game, Black played 19...0-0? and after 20.b3! e5 21.fxe5 fxe5 22.Nf5 soon lost (Matanovic-Jansa, IT, Lugano, 1968).
• If [font color="darkblue"]12.exd6 bxc3 13.Qxc3 Bf8[/font] then:
• [font color="darkblue"]14.f5 Qa5 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.fxe6 fxe6 17.Qxf6 Rg8[/font] is equal (Burger-Mednis, US Ch, New York, 1970).
• [font color="dodgerblue"]14.Bc4 Rc8 15.Rhe1 Na5 16.Ne5 Nxc4 17.Nxc4 h6[/font] is equal.

11...b4

• [font color="red"]11...h6 12.Bh4 b4 13.Ne2 Qb6 14.Rhf1 Ng4[/font] is equal (Paoli-Troianescu, Asztalos Mem, Balatonfured, Hungary, 1958).

12.Ne2 Qc7

• [font color="red"]12...0-0 13.Ng3 Qa5 14.Kb1 h6 15.Bh4 Rab8 16.Rhe1[/font] is equal (Jansa-Matera, IT, Houston, 1974).

13.Kb1 0-0 14.e5! (N)

• [font color="red"]14.Ng3 Rfb8 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.e5 dxe5 17.Nh5[/font] is equal (Barczay-B. Ivanovic, IT, Sochi, 1979).

[center]BLACK: Milos Pavlovic[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Ray Robson[/center][center]Position after 14.e4e5[/center]

14...dxe5 15.fxe5

• White has a small advantage in space; young Mr. Robson's novelty is a good one.

15...Nd5 16.Nf4 Nc3+

• [font color="red"]16...Qb6?! 17.Bxe7 Ncxe7 18.Bxh7+!! Kxh7 19.Ng5+ Kg8 20.Qd3[/font] gives White a powerful initiative.
• If [font color="blue"]16...Qb7 17.Ka1 Rfc8 18.Be4 h6 19.Bxh6[/font] then:
• If [font color="blue"]19...Nc3 20.bxc3 bxc3 21.Qxc3 gxh6 22.Rb1[/font] then:
• [font color="blue"]22...Qc7 23.Nh5 Rab8 24.Rxb8 Rxb8 25.Nf6+ Bxf6 26.exf6[/font] gives White greater activity and a substantial advantage in space.
• [font color="dodgerblue"]22...Qa7?[/font] then White wins after [font color="dodgerblue"]23.Nh5 Rab8 24.Nf6+ Bxf6 25.exf6.[/font]
• [font color="darkblue"]19...gxh6?[/font] then White wins after the crushing [font color="darkblue"]20.Nxe6! Bxe6 21.Qxh6 Nf6 22.Ng5[/font]

17.bxc3! bxc3 18.Qxc3 Rab8+

• If [font color="red"]18...Rfb8+[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]19.Ka1! Bb4 20.Qc4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]20...Qa5 21.Ne2 Nxe5 22.Nxe5 Qxe5+ 23.c3 Qxg5 24.cxb4[/font] gives White a piece for a pawn.
• If [font color="darkred"]20...h6 21.Bh4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]21...Qb6 22.Rb1 Na5 23.Qxb4 Qxb4 24.Rxb4 Rxb4 25.Ne2[/font] gives White two minor pieces for a Rook.
• If [font color="magenta"]21...g5?[/font] then White wins after [font color="magenta"]22.c3! Ba5 23.Be1 Nxe5 24.Nxe5 Qxe5 25.Ne2[/font]
• [font color="darkred"]19.Kc1?! Bb4![/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]20.Qc4 Ba3+ 21.Kd2 Qa5+ 22.Ke2 Rb4! 23.Qc3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]23...Re4+ 24.Bxe4 Qxc3 25.Rxd7 h6 26.Bxh6 Nxe5[/font] then if White plays 27.Nxe5, Black gets the advantage in space after 27...Qxe5 28.Bxg7 (the Bishop is a desperado) 28...Kxg7.
• If [font color="magenta"]23...h6 24.Bxh6 Re4+ 25.Bxe4 Qxc3[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]26.Rxd7 Nxe5 27.Nxe5 Qxe5 28.Kf3 Rb8 29.Bxg7 Kxg7[/font] gives Black a Queen to a Rook, minor piece and pawn, and more freedom; White has more space, statically speaking.
• [font color="darkorange"]26.Bg5?[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkorange"]26...Ra7! 27.Nd3 Qxc2+ 28.Rd2 Qa4 29.Nf2 Bb4.[/font]
• If [font color="magenta"]20.Bxh7+?! Kxh7![/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]21.Qc4 Kg8 22.Nd3 Qa5[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]23.Nxb4 Nxb4 24.Rxd7 Nxa2+ 25.Kd1 Rb1+ 26.Ke2 Nc3+[/font] wins the exchange.
• [font color="purple"]23.Rdf1? Rb5! 24.Kd1 Rc8 25.a4 Nxe5[/font] wins the Queen.
• [font color="darkorange"]21.Qe3 Na5 22.Rxd7 Qxd7 23.Qd3+ Qxd3 24.Nxd3 Nc4[/font] gives Black a Rook for a minor piece and a pawn, command of the b-file and more space.
• If [font color="blue"]18...Bb4 19.Qc4[/font] then:
• [font color="blue"]19...Rab8 20.Kc1 g6 21.a3!![/font] (the pawn sacrifice allows White's King to run to the other side) [font color="blue"]21...Bxa3+ 22.Kd2 Qa5+ 23.Ke2[/font] gives White an extra piece, but the position is complicated and require careful play on both sides.
• If [font color="darkblue"]19...Rfb8 20.Ka1! Qa5 21.Ne2[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkblue"]21...Nxe5 22.Nxe5 Qxe5+ 23.c3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkblue"]23...Qxg5 24.cxb4 a5 25.Qc5 Qf6+ 26.Qd4 axb4 27.Be4[/font] gives White a strong initiative and a comfortable advantage in space.
• If [font color="darkcyan"]23...Ba3[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkcyan"]24.Bc1 Bxc1 25.Rxc1 Bb5 26.Qf4 Qc5 27.Be4[/font]
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]21...Ba3?[/font] then White wins after [font color="dodgerblue"]22.Bc1 Bxc1 23.Rxc1 Nb4 24.c3 Nd5 25.Rb1[/font]

19.Kc1?!

• White hits a speed bump on the way home.
• If [font color="red"]19.Ka1! Bb4 20.Qc4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]20...Qa5 21.Ne2 Nxe5 22.Nxe5 Qxe5+ 23.c3 Ba3 24.Bc1[/font] gives White more freedom and the initiative.
• [font color="darkred"]20...h6 21.Bh4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]21...Qa5 22.Ne2 Nxe5 23.Nxe5 Qxe5+ 24.c3 Ba3 25.Rd2[/font] gives White more activity, more freedom and the initiative.
• If [font color="magenta"]21...Qb6[/font] then after [font color="magenta"]22.Rb1 Na5 23.Rxb4 Qxb4 24.Qxb4 Rxb4 25.Ne2[/font] Black must deal with the threat of 26.Be7, forking the Rooks.

19...Bb4 20.Qc4 Qa5

• If [font color="red"]20...g6[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]21.Nh5! gxh5 22.Qe4 f5 23.exf6 Rf7[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]24.Rdf1 Bd6 25.Qc4 Nb4 26.Qxc7 Bxc7 27.Bc4[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space.
• [font color="burgundy"]24.Bf4?! Qa5! 25.Rdf1 e5[/font] is equal.
• If [font color="darkred"]21.c3?! Qa5 22.Ne2[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]22...Rfc8 23.Qxa6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]23...Qc5 24.Qc4 Qa5 25.Qa6 etc.[/font] draws by repetition.
• [font color="darkorange"]23...Qxa6??[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkorange"]24.Bxa6 Rc7 25.cxb4.[/font]
• [font color="magenta"]22...Ba3+? 23.Kd2 Rb2+ 24.Ke1 Nxe5 25.Nxe5 Qxe5 26.Qf4![/font] gives White a Knight for a pawn; theoretically, Black does not want to exchange Queens here, but the concrete features of the position demand that he make the exchange.

[center]BLACK: Milos Pavlovic[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Ray Robson[/center][center]Position after 20...Qc7a5[/center]

21.Bxh7+!!

• White proffers the Bishop.

21...Kxh7?

• At first sight, this looks like a no-brainer, but Black has just made progress in digging his grave.
• If [font color="red"]21...Kh8! 22.Rxd7 Nxe5 23.Qc7[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]23...Qa3+ 24.Kd1 Nxd7 25.Qxd7 Kxh7 26.Qd3+[/font] gives White only a small advantage after the exchange of Queens.
• If [font color="darkred"]23...Ba3+?! 24.Kd1[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]24...Qxc7 25.Rxc7 Nxf3 26.gxf3 Rb1+ 27.Ke2 Rxh1 28.Bd3[/font] gives White two minor pieces for a Rook and pawn and a healthy advantage in space.
• [font color="magenta"]24...Rb1+ 25.Ke2 Qxc7 26.Rxc7 Rxh1 27.Nxe5 Kxh7 28.Nxf7[/font] gives White two minor pieces and a pawn for a Rook.

22.Rxd7!

• The White King now has a clear escape route if he needs it.

22...Ba3+ 23.Kd1 Rb1+

• White's King simply runs away from the queenside,
• If [font color="red"]23...Nxe5[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]24.Qe4+ Kg8 25.Nxe5 Rb1+ 26.Ke2 Rxh1 27.Nfd3.[/font]

[center]BLACK: Milos Pavlovic[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Ray Robson[/center][center]Position after 23...Rb8b1+[/center]

24.Ke2

• The Rook on h1 is not important.

24...Nxe5

• If [font color="red"]24...Rxh1[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]25.Qxc6 Qb5+ 26.Qxb5 axb5 27.Nd3.[/font]

25.Qe4+ f5

• This may be a harikari move. Black's game is hopeless.
• If [font color="red"]25...Kg8 26.Rxb1 Nxd7 27.Nh5 Rb8 28.Rxb8+ Nxb8 29.Qb7[/font] leaves White with an extra piece.

26.Qxe5 1-0

• If [font color="red"]26.Qxe5 Qxe5+ 27.Nxe5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]27...Rb5 28.Nc4 Bb2 29.Rb1[/font] leaves Whie two pieces to the good.
• If [font color="darkred"]27...Rxh1[/font] then [font color="darkred"]28.Nh5 Rxh2 29.Rxg7+ Kh8 30.Ng6#.[/font]
• Pavolovic resigns.

[El Supremo]

18. ...

[Jack Rabbit]

19. Meet the former world women's champion . . .

[center]
Alexandra Kosteniuk[/center][font size="1"]Photo by http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Stefan64 Stefan64 in http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Alexandra_Kosteniuk Wikimedia Commons (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]

[bluedigger]

24. Middle School wins national HS championship!

The classroom at Intermediate School 318 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, was filled on Tuesday with the thumping and clattering of a half-dozen high-speed chess matches, played with a rambunctious energy more reminiscent of a hockey game than of Garry Kasparov and Deep Blue.

The school’s conquering heroes — its chess players — were blowing off steam. On Sunday, in Minneapolis, they became the first middle school team to win the United States Chess Federation’s national high school championship. The team, mostly eighth graders, beat out top high schools like Stuyvesant in Manhattan and Thomas Jefferson in Alexandria, Va.

The victory burnishes what is already a legend in the chess world. At I.S. 318, more than 60 percent of the students come from families with incomes below the federal poverty level. Yet each stairwell landing bristles with four-foot chess trophies, and the school celebrities are people like James A. Black Jr. A 13-year-old with twinkly eyes and curly eyelashes, James is not a football hero or a valedictorian, but a certified chess master who gently corrects his teachers on the fine points of strategy.

Watching over a particularly raucous game on Tuesday, James, wearing a black sweatsuit and a huge book bag, took notice of the moment when only kings and pawns were left. “Automatic draw,” he declared. “Insufficient mating material.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/18/nyregion/at-brooklyns-is-318-the-cool-kids-are-the-chess-champs.html?_r=1

[Jack Rabbit]

25. Way to go, guys.

Since you mentioned Stuyvesant High, US grandmaster Robert Hess is an alumnus of that institution. He was also a linebacker on the Stuyvesant football team. He now attends Yale University.