Democratic Underground - Petrosian (Armenia) - Li Chao (China), Round 11

Tigran Levon Petrosian
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)

T. L. Petrosian (Armenia) - Li Chao (China)
38th Olympiad (General Competition), Round 11/Board 4
Dresden, 25 November 2008

Open Sicilian Game: Rat Dragon Defense (Yugoslav Opening)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6

Magnus Carlsen is responsible for the recent upsurge of interest in the Rat Dragon Defense.

6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3

This is the starting point of the Yugoslav Opening.

7...Nc6

If 7...0-0 8.Qd2 Bd7 9.0-0-0 Nc6 10.Bc4 then:

If 10...Rc8 11.Bb3 Ne5 12.Kb1 then:

If 12...Nc4 13.Bxc4 Rxc4 14.g4 then:

If 14...b5 15.b3 Rc8 16.Ndxb5 Qa5 17.a4 a6 18.Nd5 Qxd2 19.Nxe7+ Kh8 20.Rxd2 Rce8 then:

21.Nxg6+ fxg6 22.Nxd6 Re6 23.Bc5 Bc6 24.Nc4 Rb8 25.Rd6 Rxd6 26.Bxd6 gives White four pawns for a minor piece (Bologan-Fedorov, IT, Calcutta, 1999).
21.Nf5 gxf5 22.Nxd6 fxg4 23.Nxe8 Rxe8 24.Bd4 Bc6 gives White a theoretical extra pawn in an asymmetical material balance (Timoshenko-Rogozenko, Op, Cappelle la Grand, 1998).

If 14...Qa5 15.g5 Nh5 16.Nd5 Qd8 17.Ne2 Be6 18.Bxa7 Bxd5 19.Qxd5 Qc7 20.c3 then:

20...Ra4 21.Bd4 Ra5 22.Qb3 Rxg5 23.h4 Rg2 24.Bxg7 Kxg7 25.Nd4 Ra8 is equal (Negi-Hakki, Op, Dubai, 2004).
20...Rc8 21.Qb5 Rc6 22.Be3 Ra6 23.Nc1 Ra5 24.Qb4 leaves White a pawn to the good (Kovacevic-Torres, Op, Mallorca, 2000).

12...Re8 13.h4 h5 14.Bh6 Nc4 15.Bxc4 Rxc4 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.Nd5 e5 18.Nxf6 Qxf6 19.Nb3 Rec8 20.Qxd6 Be6 21.c3 R4c6 22.Qb4 gives White the advantage in space (Leconte-de Blasio, cyberspace, 2002).

If 10...Qa5 11.Bb3 Rfc8 12.h4 Ne5 13.Kb1 then:

13...Nc4 14.Bxc4 Rxc4 15.Nb3 Qc7 16.Bd4 Be6 17.h5 a5 18.hxg6 hxg6 19.a4 b5 20.Nxb5 Qb8 21.Nc3 Rb4 22.Rh4 Qb7 23.Rdh1 Rb8 24.Nd5 Bxd5 25.exd5 Rxa4 26.g4 Rxd4 27.Qxd4 Qxd5 28.g5 Qxg5 is equal, but the material balance is asymmetrical (Gara-Gaponenko, Ol, Bled, 2002).
13...b5 14.Ncxb5 Qxd2 15.Rxd2 Rab8 16.Nc3 a5 17.a4 Nc4 18.Bxc4 Rxc4 19.Rd3 Rcb4 20.Ndb5 Bxb5 21.Nxb5 Rxa4 22.Rb3 Nd7 23.Rd1 Rc4 24.Nd4 Rxb3 25.cxb3 Rc8 26.Rc1 Nc5 is equal (Hossain-Rahman, Op, Calcutta, 1999).

8.Qd2 0-0 9.0-0-0

If 9.Bc4 then:

If 9...Bd7 10.Bb3 then:

If 10...Rc8 11.h4 h5 12.0-0-0 Ne5 then:

If 13.Bg5 Rc5 14.Kb1 then:

If 14...Re8 then:

If 15.g4 hxg4 16.h5 hxg4 then:

16.h5 Nxh5 17.Bh6 e6 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.Rdg1 Nxf3 20.Nxf3 gxf3 21.Qxd6 Qc7 22.Qd4+ gives White a small advatage in space (Costa-Brkic, World Youth, Oropesa del Mar, 2001).

16.f4 Nc4 17.Qe2 Qc8 18.f5 Na3+ 19.bxa3 Rxc3 20.fxg6 Rxb3+ 21.axb3 fxg6 22.Qd3 Nh5 23.Rhf1 gives Whit a small advatange in space (Motylev-Carlsson, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).

If 15.Rhe1 then:

15...Qa5 16.a3 Qa6 17.f4 Nc4 18.Bxc4 Rxc4 19.e5 Nh7 20.e6 Bxe6 21.Nxe6 Bxc3 22.bxc3 Qxa3 23.Nd4 Nxg5 24.hxg5 Ra4 draw (I. Smirin-Ju. Hodgson, Ischia, 1996).
If 15...b5 16.f4 Nc4 17.Bxc4 Rxc4 18.e5 b4 19.Ncb5 Nd5 20.Qd3 Qc8 21.e6 then:

21...Bxe6 22.Nxe6 fxe6 23.Qxg6 Nxf4 24.Bxf4 Rxf4 25.Nc7 Ref8 26.Nxe6 Rg4 27.Qxh5 Rf2 28.Rc1 Rfxg2 29.Qd5 gives White a winning attack (Barlow-Schutt, Corres, 1997).
21...fxe6 22.Qxg6 Rf8 23.Nxa7 Qe8 24.Qxe8 Rxe8 25.Nxe6 Bxe6 26.Rxe6 Nxf4 27.Rxe7 Rxe7 28.Bxe7 Nxg2 gives White an extra pawn (Barlow-Prizant, Corres, 1996).

If 14...b5 15.g4 a5 16.gxh5 a4 then:

If 17.h6 17...Bh8 18.h7+ Nxh7 19.Bd5 b4 20.Nce2 Nxg5 21.hxg5 e6 then:

22.Nf4 Bg7 23.Ndxe6 Bxe6 24.Nxe6 fxe6 25.Bxe6+ Nf7 26.Qh2 Re8 27.Rxd6 Qe7 28.Bd5 Kf8 29.Re6 Qc7 30.Rxe8+ Kxe8 31.Qd2 a3 32.Qxb4 Bxb2 33.Rh7 gives White a considerable advantage in space and the initiative (Amanatov-Le Quang Liem, Areoflot Op, Moscow, 2008).
22.Rxh8+ Kxh8 23.Nf4 Kg7 24.Bxe6 Nxf3 25.Nxf3 fxe6 26.Qxd6 Qc7 27.Qd4+ e5 28.Nxe5 Rxe5 29.Nd3 Rfe8 30.Nxe5 Rxe5 31.Qxd7+ Qxd7 32.Rxd7+ Kf8 33.b3 Rxe4 34.bxa4 gives White two extra pawns (Efimenko-Bromberger, Euro ChTU18, Balatonlelle (Hungary), 2000).

17.Bxf7+ Rxf7 18.hxg6 Nxg6 19.h5 Nxh5 20.Rxh5 Nf4 21.Rh4 Rxg5 22.Rxf4 Rxf4 23.Qxf4 e5 24.Qh4 exd4 gives Black an extra piece (V. Balogh-Dearing, First Saturday, Budapest, 2001.08).

If 14.g4 hxg4 then:

If 15.f4 Nc4 16.Qe2 then:

If 16...b5 17.f5 then:

17...Qa5 18.Bxf6 Bxf6 19.Qxg4 Kg7 20.Qg3 Be5 21.Qf3 e6 22.h5 gxf5 23.exf5 exf5 24.h6+ Kh7 gives Black the advantage in space (Grabinger-Tkaczyk, Corres, 1997).
17...gxf5 18.Bxf6 Bxf6 19.exf5 Rxf5 20.Qxg4+ Rg5 21.hxg5 Bxg4 22.gxf6 Bxd1 23.Nc6 Bf3 24.Nxe7+ Qxe7 25.Rg1+ Kh8 26.fxe7 Re8 27.Nxb5 Ne5 28.Nxd6 Rxe7 29.Rf1 gives White an extra pawn (Efimenko-Areshchenko, Governor's Cup, Kramatorsk, 2001).

16...Qc8 17.Bxf6 Bxf6 18.Nd5 Rxd5 19.exd5 b5 20.h5 g5 21.fxg5 Bxg5+ 22.Kb1 f5 23.h6 Kh8 24.Rh5 Bf6 25.c3 gives Black only a pawn for the exchange (Nimtz-Tilghman, Cyberspace, 2001).

15.h5 Nxh5 16.Nd5 Re8 17.f4 Nc4 18.Qd3 b5 19.f5 Rxd5 20.exd5 Bxd4 21.fxg6 Bxb2+ 22.Kb1 Ng7 23.Bxc4 bxc4 24.Qe4 fxg6 25.Kxb2 Qb6+ 26.Ka1 Bf5 27.Qxc4 Rc8 28.Qb3 Bxc2 gives Black a clear advantage (Brkic-Babic, Op, Bizovac, 2007).

If 14.f4 then:

If 14...Nc4 15.Qd3 b5 16.e5 Ng4 17.exd6 Rxg5 18.hxg5 Nf2 19.Qe2 Nxd1 20.Rxd1 Nxd6 21.Qd3 then:

21...b4 22.Nd5 a5 23.Qa6 Kh8 24.Nc6 Bxc6 25.Qxc6 gives White a huge advantage in space (Uliban-Shirov, Borzhomi,1988).
21...Bg4 22.Rd2 Qb8 23.Qxg6 Nc4 24.Bxc4 bxc4 25.Qe4 e6 26.Nc6 Qb6 27.Ne5 Qg1+ 28.Nd1 gives White more space and an extra pawn (Klovans-Ivanchuk, Tashkent, 1987).

14...Neg4 15.Rhe1 Qa5 16.f5 gxf5 17.Nxf5 Bxf5 18.exf5 Re8 19.Nd5 Qxd2+ 20.Rxd2 Kf8 21.a4 b6 22.Kb1 Nxd5 23.Rxd5 Bf6 24.Rxc5 bxc5 is equal (Kamsky-Ivanchuk, Theme Trmt, Buenos Aires, 1994).

If 13.Bh6 Bxh6 14.Qxh6 Rxc3 15.bxc3 then:

If 15...Qc7 16.Kb1 then:

16...Rc8 17.g4 a5 18.gxh5 a4 19.Bd5 Nxd5 20.exd5 Qxc3 21.hxg6 fxg6 22.Rhg1 Bf5 23.Nxf5 Qxc2+ draw (Khalifman-Savchenko, Soviet Ch HL, Simferopol, 1988).
16...a5 17.g4 a5 18.gxh5 a4 19.Bd5 Nxd5 20.exd5 Qxc3 21.hxg6 fxg6 22.Rhg1 Bf5 23.Nxf5 Qxc2+ draw (Khalifman-Savchenko, Soviet Ch HL, Simferopol, 1988).

15...Qa5 16.Kb1 Rc8 17.g4 Nc4 18.gxh5 Qxc3 19.Bxc4 Rxc4 20.Rd3 Qb4+ 21.Nb3 Nxh5 22.Qg5 Nf6 23.Rhd1 Rc5 24.Qe3 a5 25.Qe1 Qb6 26.Kc1 Re5 is unclear: White has the exchange, but Black has a pawn and extra space in return (Schiller-Herbst, IT, Providence, 1986).

If 10...Nxd4 11.Bxd4 b5 then:

12.h4 a5 13.a4 bxa4 14.Nxa4 e5 15.Be3 Be6 16.Nb6 Rb8 17.Qxa5 Bxb3 18.cxb3 d5 19.Nxd5 Nxd5 20.Qxd5 Qxd5 21.exd5 Rxb3 22.Bc5 Rd8 23.Ba3 e4 24.0-0 draw (Liberzon-Adorjan, Team Match, Moscow, 1971).
12.a4 b4 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.exd5 Qb6 16.0-0-0 Qa5 17.h4 Bxa4 18.Kb1 Bd7 19.h5 Rh8 20.Rde1 Rae8 21.Rh4 Bf5 22.h6+ Kf8 23.Rxb4 f6 24.Ba4 Kf7 25.Bxe8+ Kxe8 26.g4 gives a comfortable advantage in space (Tairova-Malgina, Op, Moscow, 2008).
12.0-0 a5 13.a4 b4 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Bxd4+ 16.Qxd4 Rc8 17.Rfe1 Re8 18.Re2 e5 19.dxe6 Bxe6 20.Rae1 Qd7 21.Qe3 Bxb3 22.Qxe8+ Rxe8 23.Rxe8+ Kg7 24.cxb3 Qc6 25.R8e3 Qc5 gives Black's Queen more maneuverability than than White's Rooks (Rogulj-Velimirovic, Borovo, 1980).

If 9...Nxd4 10.Bxd4 Be6 11.Bb3 Qa5 12.0-0-0 then:

If 12...b5 13.Kb1 b4 14.Nd5 Bxd5 15.Bxd5 then:

15...Rac8 16.Bb3 Rc7 17.h4 Qb5 18.h5 Rfc8 19.hxg6 hxg6 20.g4 a5 21.g5 gives White the advantage in space (Fischer-Larsen, Interz, Portoroz, 1958).
15...Qb5 16.Rhe1 a5 17.Qe2 Qxe2 18.Rxe2 a4 19.Bc4 Rfc8 20.Bb5 Ra5 21.Bxf6 Bxf6 22.Bc6 gives White a small advantage in space (Tal-Larsen, IT, Zurich, 1959).

12...Rfc8 13.Kb1 b5 14.Rhe1 Bxb3 15.cxb3 b4 16.Bxf6 bxc3 17.Bxc3 Rxc3 draw Matanovic-Ivkov, Bled, 1961).

If 9...Nd7 10.0-0-0 Nb6 11.Bb3 Na5 12.Qd3 then:

12...Bd7 13.h4 Rc8 14.h5 Nbc4 15.hxg6 hxg6 16.Bg5 Nxb3+ 17.cxb3 Qa5 18.Bxe7 Ne5 19.Qc2 Rxc3 20.bxc3 Rc8 21.Kb2 Qb6 22.Bg5 Nc4+ 23.Ka1 Na3 24.Qb2 Nb5 25.Nxb5 Qxb5 26.Be3 Bxc3 27.Qxc3 Rxc3 28.Bd4 gives White a threat of immediate checkmate allowing him time to gain a second Rook for the Queen (Wedberg-Sosonko, Haninge. 1988).
12...Nxb3+ 13.Nxb3 Be6 14.Bd4 Bh6+ 15.Be3 Bg7 16.Bd4 Bh6+ 17.Be3 Bxe3+ 18.Qxe3 a5 19.Nd4 Nc4 20.Qe2 Rc8 21.a4 Qb6 gives Black a small advantage in space (Kovacevic-Markovic, Yugoslav ChT, Cetinje, 1992).

9...d5 10.exd5

10.Qe1 e5 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.exd5 Nxd5 13.Bc4 Be6 14.Ne4 Qc7 15.Bc5 Rfd8 16.g4 Nf4 17.Qc3 Bd5 18.g5 Ne6 19.Be3 Nd4 20.Kb1 Bxc4 21.Qxc4 Nxf3 gives Black an extra pawn (Chandran-Gashimov, Nakhchivan, 2003).

10...Nxd5 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.Bd4

12.Nxd5 cxd5 13.Qxd5 Qc7 14.Qc5 Qb7 15.Qa3 Bf5 16.Bd3 Rab8 17.b3 Rfc8 18.Bxf5 gxf5 19.Rd3 Qc6 20.c4 Qg6 21.Rhd1!? Qxg2 is equal (Vachier Lagrave-Mamedov, World Youth, Haraklio, 2004).

12...Nxc3

If 12...e5 13.Bc5 Be6 14.Ne4 Re8 15.h4 then:

If 15...h6 16.g4 Qc7 17.g5 h5 18.Bc4 Red8 19.Qf2 Nf4 20.Bxe6 Nxe6 21.Bd6 then:

21...Qa5 22.Kb1 Rd7 23.Rd2 Nd4 24.Rhd1 Rad8 25.Bc5 Rd5 26.c3 Rxc5 27.Nxc5 Qxc5 28.Qe3 Qd6 is equal (Maslak-Azarov, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2007).
21...Qb6 22.Rd2 Rd7 23.Rhd1 Qa5 24.Kb1 Rad8 25.c3 Qb5 26.Nf6+ Bxf6 27.gxf6 Qc4 28.Qe1 Qf4 (Diani-Habermehl, Corres, 1994).

15...Nf4 16.Qe1 Bd5 17.c4 Qc7 18.Bd6 Qb6 19.cxd5 cxd5 20.g3 dxe4 21.gxf4 exf4 22.Rh2 Rad8 23.Qb4 Qe3+ 24.Rhd2 Qxf3 25.Be2 Qg3 26.Kb1 e3 27.Rc2 Qxh4 28.Qxf4 Qxf4 29.Bxf4 Rxd1+ 30.Bxd1 h5 31.Re2 Bd4 32.Kc2 draw (Boll-Lecroq, Corres, 2000).

If 12...Bxd4 13.Qxd4 then:

If 13...Qc7 14.Bc4 Nb6 then:

15.Be2 Be6 16.Qc5 Rfb8 17.g3 Qb7 18.b3 Nd5 19.Rd4 Nxc3 20.Qxc3 a5 is equal (Kurnosov-Fedorov, Corres, 2003).
If 15.Bd3 Be6 16.h4 then:

16...Rfd8 17.Qe3 Nd5 18.Nxd5 Rxd5 19.h5 Qe5 20.Qxe5 Rxe5 21.hxg6 hxg6 22.Rh4 gives White a more active game (Ryan-G. Jones, EU Ch, Cork, 2005).
16...Rad8 17.Qc5 Nd5 18.h5 Qf4+ 19.Kb1 Qb4 20.Ne4 Rb8 21.Qxb4 Nxb4 22.b3 Nd5 23.Kb2 gives White more freedom (Majdan-Pogonina, OlW Rd7, Dresden, 2008).

If 13...Qb6 14.Na4 Qa5 15.b3 Bf5 16.g4 Be6 17.Qe5 Qb4 18.c4 Nf6 19.h4 Rad8 20.Be2 Nd7 21.Qe3 is equal (Fedorchuk-Evdokimov, City Ch, Paris, 2006).

13.Qxc3 Bh6+ 14.Be3 Bxe3+ 15.Qxe3 Qb6

After 15...Qa5 16.Bc4 Ba6 17.Bxa6 Qxa6 18.Kb1 Qb7 19.h4 Rfd8 20.h5 White carries the day with a kingside assault (Zawadzki-Kazmierczak, Polish ChU18, Zakopane, 2001).

16.Qxe7 Be6 17.Bd3

17.Qa3 Rad8 18.Bd3 Rd5 19.Qc3 Rc5 20.Qf6 Bxa2 21.h4 Rb8 22.Rde1 Qa5 23.Qf4 Rd8 24.Qd2 Qa4 25.Qe3 Qa5 26.Qd2 Qa4 27.Qe3 Qa5 28.Qd2 draw (Borisek-Carlsson, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).

17...c5!?

17...Rab8 18.Qf6 Bxa2 19.h4 Bd5 20.h5 Qd8 21.Qc3 Qg5+ 22.Kb1 Rfe8 23.f4 Qxf4 24.hxg6 fxg6 25.Bxg6 hxg6 26.Rh8+ Kf7 27.Rh7+ Ke6 28.Qg7 Qe4 29.Qd7+ Kf6 30.Qg7+ Ke6 31.Qd7+ Kf6 32.Qg7+ Ke6 draw (Calistri-Vachier Lagrave, Masters, Clichy, 2001).

18.Be4

White has a strong initiative.
If 18.Qh4 Rad8 19.Bc4 then:

19...Rd4 20.Rxd4 cxd4 21.Bxe6 Qxe6 22.Kb1 gives White a very small edge because Black cannot easily hold the pawn.
19...Rxd1+ 20.Rxd1 Qb4 21.b3 Kg7 22.Rd6 gives White more activity.

18...Rab8 19.Qf6

If 19.b3 c4 20.Rhe1 Qa5 21.Kb2 Qe5+ 22.Kb1 cxb3 23.cxb3 is equal.

19...Qa6?

Black misses an opportunity at a2.
19...Bxa2 20.Qxb6 Rxb6 21.b3 c4 22.bxc4 Bxc4 is equal.

BLACK: Li Chao
!""""""""#
$ T + Tl+%
$O + +o+o%
$w+ +vQo+%
$+ O + + %
$ + +b+ +%
$+ + +p+ %
$pPp+ +pP%
$+ Kr+ +r%
/(((((((()
WHITE: T. L. Petrosian
Position after 19...Qb6a6

20.a3!

Black will not get a second chance at the pawn.

20...Qc4 21.Rd6 Qa2 22.Rhd1 a5

If 22...Qa1+ then 23.Kd2 Qxb2 24.Qxb2 Rxb2 25.Kc3 maintains the initiative for White.

23.h4!

St. George advances toward the dragon's lair.

23...Qa1+ 24.Kd2 Qxb2 25.Qxb2!

White has a strong enough initiative that by trading Queens he simply removes most of Black's opportunities for counterplay.
If 25.Qc3 Rfd8 then:

26.Qxc5 Rxd6+ 27.Qxd6 Rb3 28.Qd8+ Kg7 29.Qxa5 Qd4+ White is two pawns up, but Black has counterplay.
26...Qf6 27.Ke2 Qxh4 28.Rxd8+ Rxd8 29.Rxd8+ Qxd8 gives Black hope of counterplay on the kingside.

25...Rxb2 26.Kc3 Rfb8

26...Rb5 27.Bd5 Bxd5 28.R1xd5 Re8 29.Kd2 gives White the more active Rooks.

27.Ra6 R2b5 28.Bd5 Bxd5 29.Rxd5 Re8

After 29...Kg7 30.a4 Rb4 31.Rxa5 Rxh4 32.Rb5 White has a distant passed pawn and the more active King.

30.Ra7 Re3+ 31.Kd2 Re6

Blackhas run out of good options.
If 31...Rxa3 32.Rd8+ Kg7 33.Rdd7 then:

33...Kf6 34.Rxf7+ Ke5 35.Rxh7 gives White an extra pawn.
33...g5 34.Rxf7+ Kg6 35.Rg7+ Kf6 36.hxg5+ Ke5 leaves White pawn to the good.

32.h5!

White moves to weaken the wall before the enemy King.

32...gxh5

After 32...h6 33.a4 Rb4 34.Rxa5 Rc6 35.hxg6 fxg6 36.Ra7 White has a winning advantage.

33.Rxh5 Rbb6

33...Kg7 34.g4 Rf6 35.Ke3 Re6+ 36.Kf4 Rd6 37.Rf5 puts Black's f-pawn at risk.

34.Rf5

White misses an opportunity to win a pawn.
If 34.Rxc5 Rbd6+ 35.Kc1 Re1+ 36.Kb2 Rb6+ 37.Kc3 then:

37...Re3+ 38.Kd4 Rxa3 39.Raxa5 gives White an extra pawn.
37...Re2 38.Rcxa5 Rc6+ 39.Kb3 Rexc2 40.Rg5+ gives White an extra pawn, but he will have to solve some problems to advance it.

34...Rbd6+ 35.Kc3 Re3+ 36.Kc4 Rd4+ 37.Kb5

Again, White eschews the pawn.
37.Kxc5 Rd2 38.c4 Rxg2 39.a4 h6 40.Rfxf7 leaves White a pawn to the good.

37...Kg7

37...Rd2 38.g4 Rxc2 39.a4 Rb2+ 40.Kxa5 Rbb3 41.Rfxf7 also gives White an extra pawn.
If 37...Rxa3 then:

38.Rfxf7! Rc3 39.Rg7+ Kf8 40.Rgc7 Rd8 41.Rf7+ etc. wins for White.
38.Rxa5? Rxa5+ 39.Kxa5 Rc4 40.Kb5 is equal.

BLACK: Li Chao
!""""""""#
$ + + + +%
$R + +oLo%
$ + + + +%
$OkO +r+ %
$ + T + +%
$P + Tp+ %
$ +p+ +p+%
$+ + + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: T. L. Petrosian
Position after 37...Kg8g7

38.Rfxf7+!

White reveals the method of his madness, It was never a question of not winning a pawn, but which pawn to win.
Also good is 38.Raxf7+ Kg8 39.Ra7 Rxa3 40.Rg5+ Kf8 41.Rxc5.

38...Kg6 39.Rg7+ Kh6 40.Rxh7+

Thus, White is two pawns to the good.

40...Kg6 41.Rag7+ Kf6

No better is 41...Kf5 42.Rf7+ Kg6 43.Kxc5 Ra4 44.c4.

42.Rf7+ Kg6 43.Rhg7+

Also good is 43.g4 c4 44.f4 Rg3 45.f5+ Kg5 46.Rfg7+.

43...Kh6 44.g4 Rxa3

44...c4 45.Rg8 Re5+ 46.Kc6 c3 47.g5+ Rxg5 48.Rf6+! wins a Rook, sin if 46...Kh5 then 47.Rh8#.

45.f4 Raa4 46.Rh7+ Kg6 47.f5+ Kg5 48.Rfg7+ Kf4

If 48...Kf6 49.Rg6+ Ke5 50.Re7+ then:

50...Kd5 51.c3 Re4 52.Rd7+ Ke5 53.f6 Rxg4 54.f7 wins for White.
If 50...Kf4 51.c3 Re4 52.Rxe4+ Rxe4 53.Re6 Kxg4 then:

White wins after 54.Rxe4+ Kxf5 55.Ra4 c4 56.Rxc4.
54.Ra6!? embarks on an unnecessarily difficult path to a victory, but after 54...Re3 55.c4 Kxf5 56.Rxa5 Ke6 57.Kxc5 White still wins.

49.c3 Re4 50.f6 Ra1 51.f7 1-0

After 51...Rb1+ 52.Kxa5 Ra1+ 53.Kb5 Rb1+ 54.Kxc5 the pawn queens.
Grandmaster Li resigns.

Reply #9: Petrosian (Armenia) - Li Chao (China), Round 11 [View All]