The JR CHess Report (October 3): Magnus Magnificent in Nanjing

[Jack Rabbit]

Magnus Magnificent in Nanjing at Halftime



Eighteen-year-old grandmaster Magnus Carlsen of Norway is running away at the half-way point with the second annual Pearl Spring Tournament in Nanjing with 4½ points out of five rounds to lead his nearest rival by two points.

Magnus is the only player to win a game in the first half of the tournament. He's won four games.

Chinese grandmaster Wang Yue, the only player to hold Magnus to a draw in the first half, is in second place with 2½ points. Wang has drawn all of his games.

Today was a rest day for the players. Action will resume tomorrow at 3 pm Nanjing time, which is tonight at Midnight PDT. The games will be broadcast live at the official tournament website.


Nana Leads Women's Grand Prix



Georgian grandmaster Nana Dzagnidze leads a field of 12 players in the second leg of the Women's Grand Prix in Nanjing with 4 points in the first five rounds.

Ms. Dzagnidze won her first four games in a row before losing to French grandmaster Marie Sebag in yesterday's fifth round.

Former world women's champion Xu Yuhua of China is second with 3½ points. Like Ms. Dzagnidze, Ms. Xu was without a loss until the fifth round when she fell to Mongolia's Batkhuyag Munguntuul.

As in the Pearl Spring Tournament, which is also being played at the Pearl Spring Holiday Resort in Nanjing, today was a rest day for the players with the action resuming tomorrow at 3 pm Nanjing time (tonight at Midnight PDT). The games will be broadcast live at the official website of the twin Nanjing tournaments.


SPICE Cup Ends with 3-Way Tie

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Q0lTtPVTG40/Sqlz4zfpsTI/AAAAAAAA7_o/FabWgEut9uc/S217/2009+SPICE+Cup+TTU+Cover+2.tif.jpg

Rauf Mamedov of Azerbaijan defeated Norway's Jon Ludvig Hammer in the final round Thursday to join Ukrainian GM Yuriy Kuzubov and Dmitry Andeikin of Russia as co-champions of the 2009 SPICE Cup at Texas Tech University in Lubbock.

Jon Ludvig had been leading the tournament with Kuzubov and Andeikin most of the way. but dropped each of his last two games to fall back.

The event saw a number of fighting draws but few decisive game. Mamedov, Kuzubov and Andeikin each won only one game while drawing nine to share first place.




Calendar

World Junior Championship, Mar del Plata Puerto Madryn (Argentina) 16-29 October.

European Club Cup (Team Championship), Novi Sad (Serbia) 21-31 October.

Tal Memorial Tournament, Moscow 5-14 November. Anand, Aronian, Carlsen, Gelfand, Ivanchuk, Kramnik, Leko, Morozevich, Ponomariov and Svidler.

World Youth Chess Championship, Antalya (Turkey) 11-23 November.

World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk 28 November-15 December.

London Chess Classic 7-16 December.

Corus Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 15-31 January 2010. Nakamura has been invited to play in group A.

Anand-Topalov Match for the World Title, Site TBA c. April 2010.


On Edit

Games will be posted later. I have to go to the store and get a bag of cat food for my impressive staff.

[madinmaryland]

1. So I will have to stay up until 3:00am edt??

:wtf:

I'll be long gone by then. Can I dvr a webcast?

:D

[Jack Rabbit]

14. Don't worry about it.

I'll watch the opening moves of Magnus' game for both of us. He's playing Black against Leko tonight. Or tomorrow afternoon. Or whenever.

You can get up in the morning and watch the ending for both of us.

[Jack Rabbit]

2. This week's games

Your humble hare acknowledges the assistance of Fritz 6.0 on analysis.

Diagrams on the Jack Rabbit Chess Report are made with Chess Mérida, a true type font that can be downlaoded free here.

BLACK
!""""""""#
$tMvWlVmT%
$OoOoOoOo%
$ + + + +%
$+ + + + %
$ + + + +%
$+ + + + %
$pPpPpPpP%
$RnBqKbNr%
/(((((((()
WHITE
White to move
(This position is a theoretical draw)


I would like to thank my impressive and loyal staff: Buccaneer, Spitfire, Swashbuckler, Pancho and Robin Hood

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Second Pearl Spring Tournament, Nanjing

City Wall of Nanjing, Ming Dynasty
Photo by Godofnanjing, Wikipedia under Creative Commons License (Attribution and ShareAlike)

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Jakovenko - Calrsen, Round 4

Magnus Carlsen in Nanjing
Photo: ChessBase.com


Dmitry Jakovenko - Magnus Carlsen
Pearl Spring Tournament, Round 4
Nanjing, 1 October 2009

Open Sicilian Game: Najdorf-Boleslavsky Defense (Opocensky Opening)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2

• This is the characteristic move of the Opocensky Opening, named for a Czech master who crossed swords with Capablanca and Alekhine.

6...e5

• Also playable is 6...e6 (the Najdorf-Scheveningen Defense).
• If 6...e6 7.0-0 Be7 8.a4 Nc6 9.Be3 0-0 10.f4 Qc7 11.Kh1 Re8 then:
• If 12.Bf3 then:
• If Bf8 then:
• 13.Qd2 Rb8 14.Qf2 e5 15.fxe5 dxe5 16.Nb3 Nb4 17.Ba7 Ra8 18.Bb6 Qe7 gives White the advantage in space (Carlsen-Grischuk, IT, Linares, 2009).
• If 13.Nb3 b6 14.a5 then:
• 14...Nd7 15.axb6 Nxb6 16.Nb5 axb5 17.Bxb6 Qb8 18.Rxa8 Qxa8 19.Qe2 b4 20.Ra1 Qb7 21.Be3 gives White the advantage in space (Kovacevic-Stojanovic, Serbia and Montenegro ChT, Herceg Novi, 2005).
• 14...bxa5 15.e5 dxe5 16.fxe5 Rd8 17.Nd4 Nxd4 18.Bxd4 Bb7 19.exf6 e5 20.fxg7 Bxg7 21.Bxb7 Qxb7 22.Ne2 exd4 23.Ng3 Rd5 24.Nf5 gives White the initiative for the pawn (Kovacevic-Jakovljevic, Op. Ljubljana, 2005).
• If 12...Rb8 then:
• If 13.Qd2 Bd7 14.Nb3 b6 then:
• 15.g4 Bc8 16.g5 Nd7 17.Bg2 Na5 18.Qf2 Nc4 19.Bc1 Bf8 20.Nd4 Na5 21.f5 Ne5 22.Nce2 Nac6 23.c3 exf5 24.exf5 Nxd4 25.Nxd4 Bb7 26.Bf4 b5 is equal (Jansa-Ftacnik, IT, Prague, 1989).
• 15.Bf2 Bc8 16.Bg3 Nd7 17.e5 dxe5 18.Rae1 Bb7 19.fxe5 Ncxe5 20.Bxb7 Rxb7 21.Qe2 f6 22.Qxa6 is equal (Anand-Topalov, IT, Linares, 1999).
• 13.g4 Nd7 14.g5 Bf8 15.Bg2 b6 16.Qh5 Bb7 17.Rf3 g6 18.Qh4 Bg7 19.Rd1 Nf8 20.Qf2 Ba8 21.Nxc6 Bxc6 22.Bd4 e5 23.fxe5 Bxe5 24.Bxe5 Rxe5 25.Qd2 Ne6 is equal (Bachmann-Leitão, Pan-American Ch, Buenos Aires, 2005).
• 12.Bd3 Nb4 13.a5 Bd7 14.Qe1 Rac8 15.Qg3 Nh5 16.Qf3 Nf6 17.Qg3 draws.

7.Nb3 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Be3

• If 9.Kh1 b6 10.Be3 Bb7 11.f3 b5 12.a4 b4 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.exd5 then:
• 14...Nd7 15.c3 bxc3 16.bxc3 Bg5 17.Bf2 f5 18.Rb1 is equal (Jakovenko-Alekseev, Karpov Trmt, Poikovsky, 2007).
• 14...f5 15.a5 Nd7 16.Ra4 Nf6 17.Bc4 Qd7 18.Rxb4 Rfc8 19.Bg5 gives White an edge in space (Shen-Karavade, World Jr Ch, Yerevan, 2006).

9...Be6 10.Qd2

• If 10.Nd5 Nbd7 11.Qd3 Bxd5 12.exd5 then:
• 12...Rc8 13.c4 a5 14.Kh1 Re8 15.Rad1 Bf8 16.Nd2 g6 gives White the advantage in space (Short-Cheparinov, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2008).
• 12...Nc5 13.Qd2 Nfe4 14.Qb4 a5 15.Qb5 Qc7 16.Rfd1 b6 17.f3 Nf6 18.Qc4 with White enjoying slightly better chances.(Areshchenko-Efimenko, Ukrainian Ch, Rivne, 2005).

10...Nbd7 11.a4 Nb6

• 11...Rc8 12.a5 Qc7 13.Rfc1 Qc6 14.Bf3 Bc4 15.Qd1 Rfd8 16.Nd2 d5 17.exd5 Bxd5 18.Nxd5 Nxd5 draw (Beliavsky-Ribli, IT, Bugojno, 1984).

12.a5 Nc4 13.Bxc4 Bxc4 14.Rfd1 Rc8

• 14...h6 15.Nc1 Rc8 16.Nd3 Be6 17.Bb6 Qe8 18.f3 Nd7 19.Be3 f5 20.exf5 Rxf5 21.Nb4 Nf6 22.Nbd5 Nxd5 23.Nxd5 is equal (Karpov-Quinteros, Ol, Lucerne, 1982).

15.f3

• If 15.Nc1 Qc7 then:
• 16.N1e2 Bxe2 17.Qxe2 Qc4 18.Qf3 h6 19.Ra4 gives White the initiative (Tal-Rodríguez, IZT, Moscow, 1982).
• 16.Bb6 Qc6 17.f3 h6 18.Nd3 Bxd3 19.Qxd3 Qc4 20.Be3 Rc6 21.Qxc4 Rxc4 gives White the advantage in space (Karpov-Ostermeyer, IT, Hannover, 1983).

15...Rc6 16.Kh1!?

• 16.Bb6 Qc8 17.Qe1 Bd8 18.Bf2 b5 19.Na2 Be6 20.Nb4 Rc4 21.Nc1 Be7 is equal (Motylev-Nepomniachtchi, Russian Ch HL, Novokuznetsk, 2008).

16...Qc8

• The game is equal.

17.Rac1
BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
!""""""""#
$ +w+ Tl+%
$+o+ VoOo%
$o+tO M +%
$P + O + %
$ +v+p+ +%
$+nN Bp+ %
$ PpQ +pP%
$+ Rr+ +k%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Dmitry Jakovenko
Position after 17.Ra1c1

17...Rd8!?

• A more flixible approach is to overprotect the pawn with the Queen.
• 17...Qd7 then:
• If 18.Qf2 then:
• 18...Bxb3 19.cxb3 Rfc8 20.b4 Rc4 21.b5 remains equal.
• 18...Rfc8 19.Nd2 Be6 remains equal.
• 18.Nd5 Nxd5 19.exd5 Rc7 remains equal.

18.Nd5 Bxd5

• As a consequence of his previous move, Black is forced to recapture with the Bishop.
• If 18...Nxd5? then White wins the exchange after 19.exd5 Rc7 20.Bb6.

19.exd5 Rc4 20.Qd3 e4 21.fxe4 Rxe4 22.c4 Re8 23.Bg1

• If 23.Nd2!? Rh4 24.Re1 Ng4 then:
• 25.h3 Bd8 26.Bd4 Bxa5 27.Rxe8+ Qxe8 remains equal.
• 25.Kg1!? Rxh2 26.Nf3 Rh5 27.b4 Bf6 28.Qb3 Qf5 gives Black the advantage in space.

23...Bf8 24.Nd4 g6 25.Rf1 Bh6 26.Qf3 Rf4!?

• After some fine strokes to equalize the game, Black begins to falter.
• 26...Bxc1 27.Qxf6 Bxb2 28.Qxf7+ Kh8 remains equal.

BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
!""""""""#
$ +w+t+l+%
$+o+ +o+o%
$o+ O MoV%
$P +p+ + %
$ +pN T +%
$+ + +w+ %
$ P + +pP%
$+ R +rBk%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Dmitry Jakovenko
Position after 26...Re4f4

27.Qd3!

• White has a clear andvantage in space.
• 27.Qa3 Ne4 28.Rxf4 Bxf4 29.Rf1 remains equal.

27...Ng4!?

• 27...Rfe4 28.Rc2 Bg7 29.b4 Qg4 30.h3 gives White less of an advantage in space.

28.Nf3!?

• White, on the other hand, fails to take full advantage of the inaccuracy. The game remains equal for now.
• 28.Rxf4 Bxf4 29.Rf1 Ne5 30.Qc3 Bh6 31.b3 gives Black more mobility than he gets from the text.

28...Rfe4!

• White cannot prevent the Knight from coming to e3.

29.Rc3 Ne3!

• The Knight is on a fine outpost.

30.Re1 Qg4!?

• Black concedes a small advantage in space to White.
• 30...Qc5 31.Rb3 f5 32.Bxe3 Bxe3 33.Rxb7 Qc8 34.Qb3 is equal.

31.Re2 Qh5 32.Bxe3 Rxe3 33.Rxe3 Bxe3!?

• The young Norwegian looks for ways to keep moving forward and believes, probably wrongly, that capturing with the Bishop is better to that end that capturing with the Rook.
• Safer is 33...Rxe3 34.Qb1 Re8 35.b4 Qg4 with equality.

34.Qe2 Qh6

• Black has secured an outpost for the Bishop.

35.c5!

• This is far and away White's best shot. A pawn is sacrificed to gain an advanced passer.

35...dxc5 36.d6

• In spite of White's initiative with the passed pawn, there is no way he can keep the game from decending back to equality without Black making a mistake.
• 36.Rxc5 Qf8 37.Rc4 Bh6 38.Qc2 Rd8 is equal.

BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
!""""""""#
$ + +t+l+%
$+o+ +o+o%
$o+ P +oW%
$P O + + %
$ + + + +%
$+ R Vm+ %
$ P +q+pP%
$+ + + +k%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Dmitry Jakovenko
Position after 36.d5d6

36...Re6!

• Black begins a defensive regrouping of his pieces for which to execute he has just enough time.
• Any other moves puts Black in a bad spot.
• If 36...Qf4 37.d7 Rd8 then:
• If 38.g3 then:
• If 38...Qf5 then after 39.Qxe3 Rxd7 40.Rxc5 Qb1+ 41.Kg2 Qxb2+ 42.Kh3 nothing will stop White from attacking the King.
• 38...Qh6 39.Rxe3 Rxd7 40.Re8+ Kg7 41.Qe5+ wins for White.
• 38.Rxe3 Rxd7 39.Re8+ Kg7 40.h3 gives White a piece for two pawns and excellent winning chances.

37.d7 Bg5 38.Qd1

• White puts his heavy piece behind the passed pawn.

38...Bd8

• The pawn is blocked on the seventh rank. Black has completed his regrouping.

39.Rxc5 Qf8 40.Rd5

• Completely wrong is 40.Rc8? Rd6! 41.Qf1 Rxd7 when Black still has the extra pawn and White has lost his compensation.

40...Qb4 41.b3

• 41.Qd4 Qxd4 42.Rxd4 Kf8 equalizes.

41...Re3 42.Nd2 Qc3 43.Nf3

• 43.Qf1!? Re5 44.Rxe5 Qxe5 45.Qd3 Qe1+ 46.Nf1 Qxa5 makes Black's extra pawn an advantage.

43...Qb4 44.Nd2 Qf4 45.Nf3 Rc3

• Black threatens to pin and win the Queen.

46.Qe2

• The threat is parried. The game remains equal.

46...Qe3 47.Qxe3 Rxe3 48.Rd4 Kf8 49.Rb4!?

• 49.b4 Ke7 50.Kg1 Re6 51.Ng5 Rd6 52.Rxd6 Kxd6 is equal.

BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
!""""""""#
$ + V L +%
$+o+p+o+o%
$o+ + +o+%
$P + + + %
$ R + + +%
$+o+ Tn+ %
$ + + +pP%
$+ + + +k%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Dmitry Jakovenko
Position after 49.Rd4b4

49...Rd3!

• Black prepares to deliver a paralysing check.

50.Rxb7

• 50.Kg1 Rxd7 51.Ne5 Rd5 52.Nc4 Rb5 53.Rxb5 axb5 leaves Black a pawn up.

50...Rd1+!

• Because White elected to take Black's pawn and protect his own, he is now forced to retreat and de-activate his Knight.

51.Ng1 Bxa5 52.g4?

• White's King needs a luft. but it could wait while White finds a more active defense.
• 52...Bd8 53.Ra7 Bf6 54.Rxa6 Kg7 55.g4 Rxd7 gives Black the better game, but he can't win until the b-pawn is restrained.

52...Ke7!

• The d-pawn is toast.

53.Kg2 Rxd7 54.Rxd7+ Kxd7 55.Kf3

• White's King and Knight are too far awy from the b-pawn to help; also, Black has a majority on the kingside.

55...Kd6 56.Ke4 Kc5 57.Kd3

• The White King arrives in time to prevent the pawn's capture, but . . .

BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
!""""""""#
$ + + + +%
$+ + +o+o%
$o+ + +o+%
$V L + + %
$ + + +p+%
$+p+k+ + %
$ + + + P%
$+ + + N %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Dmitry Jakovenko
Position after 57.Ke4d3

57...Kd5!

• . . . Black seizes the opposition.

58.Nf3 Bd8 59.h3 h6 60.h4 h5 61.gxh5

• If 61.g5 a5 62.Ke3 f5 then:
• If 63.gxf6 Bxf6 64.Kd3 Kc5 then:
• 65.Kc2 Kb4! is Zugzwang when White must lose a pawn.
• 65.Kd2 Kb5! 66.Kc2 Kb4 Zugzwang!
• 63.Kd3 Bc7 64.Ke3 Kc5 65.Kd3 Kb4 66.Kc2 Bg3 wins for Black.

61...gxh5 62.Ke3 Kc5 63.Kd3 Kb4 0-1

• White is out of pawn moves.
• 64.Kc2 Bf6! is Zugzwang as White must lose a pawn.
• Dmitry Olegovich resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Carlsen - Leko, Round 1

Magnus Carlsen
Photo: ChessBase.com


Magnus Carlsen - Peter Leko
Pearl Spring Tournament, Round 1
Nanjing, 28 September 2009

Open Royal Game: Classical Defense (Scotch Opening)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4

• This was a favorite debut of later nineteenth century romantics, but it fell into disuse with the triumph of Steinitz' teachings. It was brought back into the mainstream by Kasparov, who won several impressive vistories starting with a win over Nigel Short in the 1993 world title match.

4...Bc5

• The text is the Classical Defense.
• (Four Knights' Opening)If 4...Nf6 then:
• If 5.Nc3 then:
• If 5...Bb4 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 d5 8.exd5 cxd5 9.0-0 0-0 10.Bg5 c6 11.Qf3 then:
• If 11...Be7 then:
• 12.h3 h6 13.Bf4 Bd6 14.Ne2 Rb8 15.b3 c5 16.Ng3 Bxf4 17.Qxf4 Rb4 18.Qd2 Qd7 is equal (Pogonina-Lahno, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• 12.Rae1 Re8 13.h3 Be6 14.Ne2 c5 15.c3 Rb8 16.Nf4 Qd7 17.Nxe6 fxe6 18.Re2 Rf8 19.Qg3 is equal (Vranesevic -Savic, Yugoslav Youth W, Obrenovac, 2002).
• If 11...Bd6 then:
• 12.Rae1 Rb8 13.Nd1 h6 14.Bxf6 Qxf6 15.Qxf6 gxf6 16.b3 Be6 17.Ne3 Bb4 18.Re2 Rfe8 is equal (Roschina-Jenni, Op, Zurich, 2005).
• If 12.Rfe1 Rb8 then:
• 13.Na4 h6 14.Bf4 Bg4 15.Qe3 Re8 16.Qd2 Be6 17.c3 c5 is equal (Herr-Read, Corres, 1999).
• 13.Rab1 h6 14.Bxf6 Qxf6 15.Qxf6 gxf6 16.Ne2 c5 17.b3 Be6 18.Rbd1 Rfd8 is equal (Sidorenko-Jenni, Ol, Bled, 2002).
• 5...Bc5 6.Be3 Bb6 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.e5 Bxe3 9.fxe3 Nd5 10.Nxd5 cxd5 11.Qxd5 Qh4+ 12.Kd1 Rb8 13.Qd4 Rb4 14.Qc5 Rxb2 is equal (Smerdon-Mastrovasilis, World Jr Ch, Goa, 2002).
• (Mieses Opening)If 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.c4 then:
• If 8...Nb6 then:
• 9.Nd2 Qe6 10.b3 a5 11.Bb2 a4 12.Qe3 Bb4 13.Be2 0-0 14.0-0 then:
• 14...d6 15.f4 a3 16.Bc3 Bc5 17.Bd4 Bxd4 18.Qxd4 f6 19.Bd3 c5 20.Qc3 Bb7 draw (Laird-Voelker, Corres, 1991).
• 14...d5 15.Nf3 Re8 16.Bd3 h6 17.Nd4 Qg4 18.h3 Qh4 19.Nxc6 leaves White a pawn to the good (Hendricks-Markus, Op, Dieren, 2001).
• 9.Nc3 Qe6 10.Qe4 Bb4 11.Bd2 then:
• If 11...Ba6 12.b3 Bxc3 13.Bxc3 d5 14.Qh4 dxc4 then:
• If 15.Be2 Nd5 16.Bxc4 g5 then:
• If 17.Qd4 Bxc4 18.Qxc4 0-0-0 then:
• If 19.Bd4 Kb7 20.0-0 then:
• 20...h5 21.Rac1 Rd7 22.a4 Rhd8 23.Qc5 Nb6 24.Be3 gives White the active game (Baklan-Piket, Bundesliga 0001, Solingen, 2000).
• 20...Rd7 21.Qc5 Nb6 22.Be3 Rd5 23.Qc3 Rg8 24.f4 gives White more space and activity (Pavasovic-Dervishi, Austrian ChT, Austria, 2003).
• 19.0-0 Nf4 20.Qxe6+ Nxe6 21.Rac1 Rd3 22.Rfd1 Rd5 23.Kf1 Rhd8 24.Re1 h5 gives Black an advantage in space (Mamedov-Karjakin, Ol, Calvia, 2004).
• 17.Bxd5 cxd5 18.Qxg5 c5 19.0-0-0 gives White the advantage in space (Sutovsky-Stefansson, Op, Reykjavik, 2004).
• 15.Rc1 0-0 16.Be2 Nd5 17.Ba1 Nb4 18.bxc4 Rad8 19.0-0 Nd3 20.Rc3 Nxe5 21.Re3 gives White a tactical initiative (Radjabov-Karjakin, IT, Dos Hermans, 2005).
• If 11...Bb7 12.0-0-0 0-0-0 13.Bd3 then:
• If 13...Bxc3!? 14.Bxc3 Na4 15.Ba5 c5 16.Qf4 then:
• 16...Rde8? 17.Bf5!! Qxe5 18.Qxe5 Rxe5 19.Bxd7+ Kb8 20.Bxa4 Black cannot recover the piece and resigns(Pedersen-Nakken, Op, Hastings, 2005).
• 16...Nb6 17.f3 g5 18.Qf6 h5 19.Rhe1 keeps the game playable for Black.
• If 13...Rde8 14.Rde1 c5 15.Qf4 g5 remains equal.
• If 8...Ba6 then:
• If 9.b3 g6 10.f4 then:
• 10...Qb4+ 11.Bd2 Qb6 12.Nc3 Bb4 13.Qf3 Nxc3 14.Bxc3 Bb7 15.0-0-0 c5 16.Qe3 Bxc3 17.Qxc3 0-0-0 18.h4 Rhe8 19.Rh3 gives White an advantage in space (Barlow-Faisst, Corres, 2000).
• 10...Bg7 11.Qf2 Nf6 12.Be2 Ne4 13.Qe3 f5 14.Ba3 Qe6 15.Nd2 Nxd2 16.Qxd2 0-0-0 17.Qa5 Bb7 18.0-0 d6 19.Qxa7 gives White an extra pawn (Rosito-Sorin, Najdorf Mem Op, Buenos Aires, 1999).
• 9.g3 g6 10.b3 Bg7 11.Bb2 0-0 12.Bg2 Rae8 13.0-0 then:
• If 13...Bxe5 14.Qxe5 Qxe5 15.Bxe5 Rxe5 16.cxd5 Bxf1 17.Kxf1 cxd5 18.Nc3 c6 then:
• 19.Na4 Rb8 20.Rc1 Kf8 21.Nc5 Re7 22.Nd3 a5 23.Rc5 Ra8 is equal (Rublevsky-Plaskett, Rubinstein Mem, Polanica Zdroj, 1996).
• 19.Rd1 Rb8 20.Bf3 a5 21.Rd4 Kf8 22.Na4 Ke7 23.Nc5 Kd6 24.Nd3 Re7 gives Black a material advantage of one theoretical pawn (J. Geller-Jakovenko, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2003).
• 13...Nb6 14.Re1 f6 15.Qe3 Qe6 16.Nd2 fxe5 17.Ne4 Qf5 18.Ng5 Bh6 19.f4 Bxg5 20.fxg5 d5 gives Black an extra pawn and more space, but White has the initiative (Areshchenko-Erwich, World Youth, Oropesa del mar, 2001).

5.Be3

• If 5.Nxc6 Qf6 6.Qd2 dxc6 7.Nc3 then:
• If 7...Be6 8.Na4 Rd8 9.Bd3 Bd4 10.0-0 then:
• 10...a6 11.Qa5 b5 12.Nc3 Bb6 13.Qxa6 Nh6 14.Be3 Bc8 15.Qa3 Bxe3 16.fxe3 Qe5 17.Be2 Rd6 18.Rad1 0-0 19.Rxd6 cxd6 20.Rd1 c5 21.Nxb5 Bg4 22.Qd3 Qxb2 23.a4 Qb4 24.Bf3 gives White an extra pawn and more activity (Kasparov-Jussupow, IT, Horgen, 1994).
• If 10...b5 11.Nc3 Ne7 12.a4 b4 13.Ne2 c5 14.Nxd4 Qxd4 15.Qf4 c4 16.Be2 then:
• 16...Ng6 17.Qxc7 0-0 18.c3 bxc3 19.bxc3 Qxc3 20.Bg5 Rd7 21.Qc5 draw (Dr. Nunn-G. Flear, Op, Isle of Man, 1994).
• 16...0-0 17.c3 bxc3 18.bxc3 Qxc3 gives Black an extra pawn (Bellaiche-Ragger, World Youth, Oropesa del Mar, 2001).
• If 7...Ne7 8.Qf4 then:
• 8...Be6 9.Qxf6 gxf6 10.Na4 Bb4+ 11.c3 Bd6 12.Be3 b6 13.f4 0-0-0 14.Kf2 c5 15.c4 Nc6 16.Nc3 f5 17.e5 Bf8 18.Nd5 Nd4 19.Rd1 c6 20.Nc3 Bg7 21.Bxd4 Rxd4 draw (Rensch-Bhat, SPICE Cup B, Texas Tech U, 2009).
• 8...Qe6 9.Bd3 0-0 10.0-0 Ng6 11.Qg3 Qe5 12.Qxe5 Nxe5 13.Be2 f5 14.Na4 Be7 15.f4 Nd7 16.e5 Nc5 17.Nc3 Be6 18.Be3 a5 19.Rfd1 Rfd8 20.a3 draw (Andreikin-Riazantsev, Russian ChU20, Nojabrsk, 2005).

5...Qf6 6.c3 Nge7 7.Bc4

• If 7.g3 d5 8.Bg2 then:
• If 8...dxe4 9.Nd2 Bb6 10.Nxe4 Qg6 11.0-0 0-0 12.Re1 Nxd4 13.Bxd4 Nc6 14.Bxb6 axb6 15.Qd2 then:
• 15...Qf5 16.h3 h6 17.g4 Qb5 18.a4 Rxa4 19.Nf6+ gxf6 20.Rxa4 Qxa4 21.Qxh6 Qa5 22.Qxf6 Qc5 23.Be4 Ne7 24.Rd1 Ng6 25.Bxg6 fxg6 26.Qxg6+ Kh8 27.Qh6+ Kg8 draw (Ivanchuk-Leko, IT, Morelia-Linares, 2007).
• 15...Ra5 16.Qf4 Ne5 17.Rad1 f6 18.b4 Ra8 19.Ng5 Bg4 20.Rd2 Rae8 21.Rxe5 Black resigns while a piece down (Rublevsky-Sasikiran, World Cup, 2007).
• 8...Nxd4 9.cxd4 Bb4+ 10.Nc3 Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 dxe4 12.Bxe4 c6 13.0-0 0-0 14.c4 Bf5 15.Bg2 Rad8 16.a4 Rd7 17.Qb3 Rfd8 18.a5 draw (Kolev-Korneev, Op, Salou, 2005).
• 8...Bxd4 9.cxd4 dxe4 10.Nc3 0-0 then:
• 11.Nxe4 Qg6 12.0-0 Be6 13.Nc3 Rfd8 14.Re1 a6 15.Rc1 Nd5 16.Ne4 Nxe3 17.fxe3 Bd5 18.Nc5 Bxg2 19.Kxg2 Ne5 20.Qc2 is equal (Smeets-Stefanova, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2005).
• 11.0-0 Rd8 12.Nxe4 Qg6 13.Rc1 Bf5 14.Nc3 Nb4 15.Qa4 Ned5 16.Qb3 Be6 17.Nxd5 Nxd5 18.Qxb7 Rab8 19.Qxa7 Rxb2 20.Qa3 gives White an extra pawn(Zhang Pengxiang-Zhong Zhang, IT, Tiayuan, 2005).

7...Ne5

• If 7...0-0 8.0-0 Bb6 then:
• 9.Na3 d6 10.Ndb5 a6 11.Nxd6 Bxe3 12.Nxc8 Bc5 13.Nxe7+ Qxe7 14.Qe1 Ne5 15.b4 Ba7 16.Be2 f5 17.exf5 Rxf5 18.Nc4 Raf8 19.Nxe5 Rxe5 20.Bc4+ Kh8 21.Qd2 Qh4 22.Bd5 Rh5 23.h3 Rd8 White resigns as he must lose a piece (Pape-Colombo, Corres, 1992).
• 9.Nc2 d6 10.Nd2 Be6 11.Qh5 Ng6 12.g3 Rae8 13.Bxe6 Qxe6 14.Bxb6 axb6 15.Ne3 Nge7 16.Rfe1 Ne5 17.Qe2 Nd7 18.Qd3 Nc5 19.Qc2 d5 20.exd5 Nxd5 is equal (Berg-Ivanchuk, Keres Mem Rapid, Tallinn, 2006).

8.Be2 Qg6 9.0-0 d6 10.f4

• If 10.f3 0-0 then:
• If 11.Nd2 d5 12.Kh1 dxe4 13.fxe4 Bg4 then:
• If 14.Bf4 Bxe2 15.Qxe2 Bd6 16.Rad1 Rae8 then:
• 17.Bxe5 Bxe5 18.Qb5 Bxd4 19.cxd4 Qb6 20.Qd3 Qxb2 21.Rb1 Qxa2 22.Rxb7 f5 23.e5 Nd5 24.Nb3 Rf7 25.Ra1 Qf2 26.Qb5 Rd8 27.Rbxa7 g6 28.R7a2 Qe3 draw (Rublevsky-K. Georgiev, Euro ChT, San Vincent, 2005).
• 17.Bg3 a6 18.N2b3 b5 19.Na5 Ng4 20.e5 Nc8 21.Nac6 Ne7 22.Na5 draw (Rublevsky-Kobalia, Russian Ch ½-Finals, Kazan, 2005).
• 17.Qb5 Ng4 18.e5 c6 19.Qxb7 Bxe5 20.Bxe5 draw (Rublevsky-Najer, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).
• 14.Bf3 Rad8 15.Qe2 N7c6 16.Nc4 Bxd4 17.Bxd4 Nxc4 18.Qxc4 Rd7 19.Rae1 Rfd8 20.Bxg4 Qxg4 21.Rf5 Qg6 is equal (van der Weide-Nyback, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• If 11.Kh1 d5 12.f4 Qxe4 then:
• 13.b4 Bb6 14.Bg1 Bh3 15.Rf2 Bxd4 16.cxd4 Ng4 17.Rf3 Bxg2+ 18.Kxg2 Nf5 19.Qd2 Nh4+ 20.Kg3 Qg6 21.Kxh4 Nf6 22.Re3 Qxg1 23.Bf3 Rae8 24.Re5 Ne4 25.Bxe4 Rxe5 26.dxe5 dxe4 27.a4 e3 28.Qe2 Re8 White resigns (Najer-Naiditsch, Euro ChT, Kallithea, 2008).
• 13.Bg1 Nc4 14.Bf3 Qg6 15.Qe2 c6 16.a4 the players agreed to a draw, although Black stands much better (Movsesian-Hracek, TT, Czechia, 2001).
• If 10.Kh1 Qxe4 11.Nd2 Qg6 then:
• 12.Nb5 0-0 13.Nxc7 Rb8 14.Bh5 Qf5 15.f4 N5c6 16.Nc4 Be6 17.Nxe6 Qxe6 18.Qe2 g6 19.Bxc5 Qxe2 20.Bxe2 dxc5 21.Rad1 Rbd8 22.Kg1 Kg7 23.Kf2 b6 24.Bf3 Rxd1 25.Rxd1 Rd8 26.Rxd8 Nxd8 offers very little to either side (Laznicka-K. Georgiev, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).
• 12.Bh5 Bg4 13.Bxg6 Bxd1 14.Bxf7+ Kxf7 15.Raxd1 Bxd4 16.Bxd4 N7c6 is equal (Ganguly-Khalifman, FIDE Knock Out, Moscow, 2001).

10...Qxe4 11.Bf2 Bxd4 12.cxd4 N5g6 13.g3

• 13.Nc3 Qxf4 14.Nb5 0-0 15.Nxc7 Rb8 16.d5 Qg5 17.Bxa7 Bh3 18.Rf2 Rbc8 19.Bb6 gives White the advantage in space (Dembo-Sukandar, OlW, Dresden, 2008).

13...0-0

• 13...Bh3 14.Bf3 Qf5 15.Re1 d5 16.Qb3 0-0 17.Nc3 c6 18.Qxb7 Rfb8 19.Qc7 Qf6 draw (Morozevich-Kramnik, IT, Dortmund, 2001).

14.Nc3 Qf5 15.d5 a6!?

• 15...Qd7 16.h4 h6 17.h5 Nh8 18.Re1 Qd8 gives Black an extra pawn. but White haas more space (Brunello-Naumkin, Op, Vienna, 2006).

16.Re1

• White does not appear to have enough compensation for the pawn.

16...Kh8 17.Rc1

• 17.Bf3 Re8 18.Rc1 Kg8 19.Bg2 Qd7 20.Rc2 b5 Black's extra pawn is still slightly better than White's extra space; that White's pawn at d5 is isolated has a lot to do with it.

17...Bd7

• 17...Re8!? 18.Bf3 Bd7 19.Bd4 c5 20.dxc6 Bxc6 21.Ne4! gives White sufficient compensation for the pawn to claim equality.

18.Bf3

• 18.Bd3 Qg4 19.Qxg4 Bxg4 20.Be4 Rfe8 21.Bg2 is equal.

18...Rac8!?

• Black may be trying to see if White will advance his queenside pawns, but it is difficul to believe that Black could really consider advancing his own c-pawn.

19.Qb3

• The game is equal.

BLACK: Peter Leko
!""""""""#
$ +t+ T L%
$+oOvMoOo%
$o+ O +m+%
$+ +p+w+ %
$ + + P +%
$+qN +bP %
$pP + B P%
$+ R R K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 19.Qd1b3

19...b5!?

• 19...b6 20.Re4 Rce8 21.Nd1 Rc8 22.Rec4 Nxd5 23.g4 gives White enough compensation for two pawns.

20.Ne2!?

• The game remains equal.
• 20.Qa3! Rfe8 21.Qxa6 h5 22.a3 h4 23.Qb7 gives White the advantage in space.

20...Qh3 21.Nd4 Bg4 22.Bg2 Qh5 23.h4 Ng8

• 23...Bd7 24.Rc3 Rfe8 25.Rec1 Nf5 26.Nc6 Ra8 27.R3c2 remains equal.

24.Rc6! Nf6 25.Rxa6 Bd7 26.Nxb5 Rb8 27.a4

• If 27.Ra5 then after 27...Rfe8 28.Rxe8+ Bxe8 29.Ba7 Rb7 30.Bd4 White continues to enjoy an extra pawn.

27...Ng4 28.Bf3 Qh6 29.Qc4 Nxh4?

• Black drops a piece.
• 29...Nxf2 then after 30.Kxf2 Rfc8 31.Kg2 Kg8 32.h5 Nf8 33.b4 White continues to enjoy an extra pawn.

BLACK: Peter Leko
!""""""""#
$ T + T L%
$+ Ov+pPp%
$r+ O + W%
$+n+p+ + %
$p+q+ PmM%
$+ + +bP %
$ + + B +%
$+ + R K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 29...Ng6h4:p

30.Bxg4!

• Don't stare a gift horse in the mouth.

30...Bxg4 31.gxh4

• White has won a piece; Black will not be able to get it back.

31...Bf3 32.f5 Qh5 33.Qf4 Bxd5 34.Nxc7 Bb7
BLACK: Peter Leko
!""""""""#
$ T + T L%
$+vN +oOo%
$r+ O + +%
$+ + +p+w%
$p+ + Q P%
$+ + + + %
$ P + B +%
$+ + R K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 34...Bd5b7

35.Rb6!

• Every move Black makes to attempt to extricate himself of this jam is met with another stroke from White.

35...f6 36.Bd4 Qf7 37.Ne6 Rg8 38.Kf2 Rbc8 39.Bc3 Bd5 40.a5

• White is free to advance the pawn.

40...Rc4 41.Nd4 Ba8 42.Qxd6 Qh5 43.Qf4 Rcc8 44.Rbe6 1-0

• Grandmaster Leko resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Women's Grand Prix, Second Tournment, Nanjing

Jiming Buddhist Temple, Nanjing
Photo by Godofnanjing, Wikipedia (Attribution and ShareAlike)

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Dagnidze - Zhu Chen, Round 3

Nana Dzagnidze
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Nana Dzagnidze - Zhu Chen
Women's Grand Prix, Second Tournament, Round 3
Nanjing, 28 September 2009

Semi-Slav Queen's Gambit: Meran Defense (Main Line)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.e3 Nf6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3

• There are two noteworthy alternatives to 8.Bd3..
• (Korchnoi Opening)If 8.Bb3 b4 9.Ne2 Bb7 10.0-0 then:
• If 10...Bd6 11.Nf4 0-0 12.Ng5 then:
• If 12...Bxf4 13.exf4 c5 14.Be3 Qe7 15.Re1 h6 16.Nf3 then:
• 16...Rfd8 17.Rc1 Rac8 18.Qe2 Nd5 is equal (Yurtaev-Solovjov, Russian Cup, Samara, 2002).
• 16...Bd5 17.Rc1 Rfc8 18.dxc5 Nxc5 19.Bxd5 Nxd5 20.Bxc5 Rxc5 is equal (Larsen-Jensen, Danish Ch, Aarhus, 1959).
• 12...Qe7 13.Nfxe6 fxe6 14.e4 h6 15.Nxe6 Nxe4 16.Qe2 c5 17.Nxc5+ Kh8 18.Nxb7 leaves White two pawns to the good (Petrosian-Bagirov, IT, Riga, 1975).
• 10...Be7 11.Nf4 0-0 12.Ng5 Qa5 13.h4 c5 14.Re1 Rac8 15.Nfxe6 fxe6 16.Bxe6+ Kh8 17.d5 c4 18.e4 Bc5 is equal (Tolush-Lilienthal, Soviet Ch, Leningrad, 1947).
• (Caribbean Opening)If 8.Be2 Bb7 9.0-0 then:
• If 9...a6 10.e4 c5 11.e5 Nd5 12.a4 b4 13.Ne4 then:
• If 13...cxd4 14.Bg5 Qa5 15.Qxd4 h6 16.Bd2 Qb6 17.Nd6+ Bxd6 18.exd6 Qxd4 19.Nxd4 Nc5 20.Bf3 Kd7 21.Bxd5 draw (Piket-Haba, Bundesliga 0102, Germany, 2001).
• If 13...Qc7 14.Re1 h6 15.a5 Be7 16.b3 0-0 17.Bb2 Rac8 18.Bc4 then:
• If 18...Rfd8 19.dxc5 Nxc5 20.Nd6 Bxd6 21.exd6 Qxd6 gives Black an extra pawn (Schuurman-Tisser, Gibraltar, 2007).
• 18...Qb8 19.Qd3 Nf4 20.Qe3 Nd5 21.Qd3 Nf4 22.Qe3 Nd5 23.Qd3 draw (Aleksandrov-Dreev, IT, Poikovsky, 2002).
• If 9...Be7 10.e4 b4 11.e5 bxc3 12.exf6 Bxf6 13.bxc3 then:
• If 13...c5 14.dxc5 0-0 15.Ba3 Be7 16.Qd4 Qc7 17.Rab1 Rab8 18.c6 Bxa3 19.cxb7 Bc5 20.Qd3 is equal (Volkov-Khalifman, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2007).
• 13...0-0 14.Rb1 Qc7 15.Bf4 Qxf4 16.Rxb7 Nb6 17.g3 Qf5 18.Bd3 Qa5 19.Qc2 draw (Lputian-Anand, FIDE Knock Out, New Delhi, 2000).

8...a6

• The main alternative the Main Line 8...a6 is the Wade Variation.
• If 8...Bb7 9.e4 b4 10.Na4 c5 11.e5 Nd5 then:
• If 12.0-0 cxd4 13.Nxd4 Be7 14.Re1 0-0 15.Qg4 Re8 then:
• If 16.Bb5 Kh8 then:
• If 17.Bd2 a6 18.Bc6 then:
• 18...Qc7 19.Rac1 Nxe5 20.Bxb7 Nxg4 21.Rxc7 Nxc7 22.Bxa8 Rxa8 23.Nc6 Nd5 24.Nxe7 Nxe7 25.Bxb4 Nd5 is equal (Grischuk-Shirov, Grand Slam Final, Bilbao, 2009).
• If 18...Bxc6 19.Nxc6 Qc7 20.Rac1 Qb7 21.Nxe7 Rxe7 22.b3 a5 23.Nb2 N7b6 24.Nc4 Nxc4 25.bxc4 then:
• 25...f5 26.Qh4 Nb6 27.Re3 Rf7 28.Rh3 gives White the initiative (Kramnik-Shirov, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• 25...Nb6 26.Re3 Nd7 27.Rh3 Ree8 28.Bg5 Nxe5 29.Qh4 h6 30.Bf6 Black resigns (Tarasova-Baciu, Euro ChW, St. Petersburg, 2009).
• 17.Nc6 Bxc6 18.Bxc6 Rc8 19.Bb5 Rb8 20.Qe2 Qc7 21.Bd2 Red8 22.Bd3 Nf8 is equal (Suvrajit-Sriram, Indian Ch, Mumbai, 2003).
• If 16.Bh6 Bf8 then:
• 17.Rad1 Qa5 18.Bb5 Rad8 19.Bg5 Be7 20.Nxe6 Qxb5 is equal (I. Sokolov-Predojevic, IT, Sarajevo, 2008).
• 17.Bg5 Be7 18.Bh6 Bf8 19.Bg5 draws.
• If 13.Re1 g6 14.Bg5 Qa5 then:
• If 15.Nxd4 a6 then:
• 16.Bd2 Qd8 17.Rc1 Bg7 18.Be4 Bxe5 19.Nf3 Bd6 20.Bh6 N7f6 21.Qd4 gives Black an extra pawn and White more space (Morozevich-Anand, Amber Blind, Nice, 2008).
• 16.Rc1 Bg7 17.Nc6 Bxc6 18.Rxc6 0-0 19.Bc4 h6 20.Bxd5 Qxd5 21.Qxd5 exd5 22.Bf6 Nxe5 23.Bxe5 Rae8 24.f4 f6 25.Nb6 fxe5 26.Nxd5 exf4 27.Rxe8 Rxe8 28.Rxg6 Kh7 29.Rxa6 Re2 30.Kf1 Rxb2 31.Nxf4 draw (Piket-Kramnik, Euwe Mem, Amsterdam, 1993).
• 16.a3 bxa3 17.bxa3 Bg7 18.Bd2 Qd8 19.Rb1 Rb8 20.Rxb7 Rxb7 21.Bxa6 Rc7 22.Ba5 0-0 23.Nc6 Qa8 24.Ne7+ Nxe7 25.Bxc7 Nd5 gives White the advantage in space and an extra pawn.(Bruzón-Domínguez, YM, Cuernavaca (Mexico), 2006).
• If 15.Nd2 Ba6 16.Nc4 Bxc4 17.Bxc4 Bg7 then:
• If 18.Qxd4 Qxa4 19.Bxd5 exd5 20.Qxd5 Nb6 21.Qd6 Qd7 22.Qxb4 Bf8 23.Qh4 Bg7 24.Rad1 Qa4 25.Rd4 Qxa2 26.Be7 Qe6 27.Bb4 a5 28.Red1 f6 29.Bc5 then:
• 29...Rb8 30.Rd6 Qxe5 31.Rxb6 Rxb6 32.Qa4+ Kf7 33.Qd7+ Kg8 34.Qc8+ Kf7 35.Rd7+ Ke6 36.Rd8+ Black resigns facing mate in two (I. Rajlich-Muir, Fisrt Saturday, Budapest, 2006.02).
• 29...Rc8 30.exf6 Bxf6 31.Qe4 Rc6 32.Bxb6 Bxd4 33.Qxd4 0-0 is equal.
• 18.a3 Nxe5 19.axb4 Nxb4 20.Nc3 Qb6 21.Qa4+ Kf8 22.Bb5 Nbd3 23.Bxd3 Nxd3 leaves Black up by two pawns (Kuligowski-Matlak, Polish ch, Wroslaw, 1987).
• 12.Nxc5 Nxc5 13.dxc5 Bxc5 14.0-0 h6 15.Nd2 0-0 16.Ne4 Bd4 17.Nd6 Bc6 18.Bh7+ Kxh7 19.Qxd4 f6 20.Bd2 Qd7 21.Rac1 a5 22.Qd3+ f5 23.Rc5 Ne7 24.Rfc1 gives White a tremendous advantage in space (Mamedyarov-Topalov, IT, Hoogeveen, 2006).

9.e4

• If 9.0-0 c5 then:
• If 10.a4 b4 11.Ne4 Bb7 12.Ned2 Be7 13.a5 0-0 then:
• If 14.Nc4 Qc7 15.Qe2 Ng4 16.e4 cxd4 17.h3 Nge5 18.Nfxe5 Nxe5 19.Bf4 Bd6 20.Bxe5 Bxe5 21.Nb6 Ra7 22.Rac1 Qd6 23.Rc4 then:
• 23...f5 24.exf5 exf5 25.Re1 Qg6 26.f3 Re8 27.f4 Bxg2 28.Qxg2 Bc7 wins for White (Dr. Alekhine-Bogolyubov, World Ch Match, Baden-Baden, 1934).
• The opening of the K's file leads, owing to Black's multiple pawn weaknesses, to a rapid catastrophe (Alekhine); 23...Rd8 24.Re1 b3 25.g3 Qb8 26.f4 Bc7 maintains Black's advantage.
• 14.Qe2 Qc7 15.Rd1 Rfd8 16.Nc4 Be4 17.b3 cxd4 18.exd4 Bxd3 19.Rxd3 Nd5 is equal (Jakobsen-Khenkin, Op, Germany, 2001).
• 10.Qe2 Bb7 11.Rd1 Qc7 12.Bd2 Bd6 13.Rac1 Qb6 14.Be1 0-0 15.Bb1 Rac8 16.e4 cxd4 17.Nxd4 Bb8 18.a3 Qc7 19.g3 Qb6 gives Black fewer pawn weaknesses (Brunoehler-Palme, German Ch, Bad Oeynhausen, 1941).

9...c5 10.e5

• 10...d5 is the Reynolds Variation.
• If 10.d5 c4 11.dxe6 fxe6 12.Bc2 Qc7 13.0-0 Bb7 14.Qe2 Bd6 then:
• 15.Ng5 Nc5 16.f4 h6 17.Nf3 Nd3 18.e5 Bc5+ 19.Kh1 Ng4 20.Bxd3 cxd3 21.Qxd3 Nf2+ wins the exchange for Black (Danner-Korchnoi, IT, Ostrava, 1994).
• 15.Nd4 Nc5 16.f4 e5 17.Nf5 0-0 18.Rd1 Nd3 19.Nxd6 Qxd6 20.Bxd3 cxd3 21.Rxd3 Qc7 22.f5 b4 23.Nd5 Nxd5 24.exd5 Rxf5 giving Black better placed heavy pieces (Koneru-Stellwagen, Corus B, 2008).

10...cxd4 11.Nxb5 axb5 12.exf6 gxf6

• 12...Qb6 13.fxg7 Bxg7 14.0-0 Bb7 15.Re1 0-0 16.Bf4 Bd5 17.Ne5 Nxe5 18.Bxe5 Bxe5 19.Bxh7+ Kxh7 20.Qh5+ Kg7 21.Qg5+ Kh7 draw (Nogueiras-Beliavsky, World Cup, Belfort, 1988).

13.Nxd4

• If 13.0-0 Qb6 14.Qe2 b4 15.Rd1 Bc5 then:
• 16.a4 bxa3 17.bxa3 Bb7 18.Be4 Ba6 19.Qe1 Rd8 20.Bd2 Qd6 21.Bb4 d3 22.Qc3 Qb6 23.Qd2 is equal (Hillarp Persson-Hector, IT, Malmø, 2004).
• 16.Bf4 h5 17.Rac1 Kf8 18.Bb5 Ra5 19.Nxd4 e5 20.Bxd7 Bxd7 21.Nb3 Bg4 is equal (Gómez-Korneev, Euro ChT, Fügen, 2006).

13...Bb7

• 13...Qb6 14.Be3 Bb4+ 15.Kf1 Bc5 16.Be2 b4 17.h4 Rg8 is equal (Malakhatko-Sturua, EU Ch, Batumi, 2002).

14.Bxb5!?

• If 14.Be3!? Bxg2 15.Rg1 Bd5 16.Bxb5 Qc7 17.Qd3 Qxh2 18.Bxd7+ Kxd7 19.Qb5+ Kd8 20.Nc6+ Kc7 21.Bb6+ then:
• 21...Kc8?? 22.Na7+! Kb7 23.Ba5+ Black resigns as he is mated on the next move (Alterman-Har-Zvi, Israel, 1993).
• 21...Kd6 22.Bc5+ Kc7 23.Qb6+ Kc8 24.Qd8+ Kb7 25.Qb6+ Kc8 draws.

14...Rg8

• The game is equal.

15.Be3 Qa5+ 16.Ke2 Rxg2

• If 16...Bxg2 17.Rg1 then:
• 17...Rg6 18.Bxd7+ Kxd7 19.Nb3+ Qd5 20.Qxd5+ Bxd5 remains equal.
• 17...Bd6 18.Bc6 Rb8 19.Rxg2 Rxg2 20.Bxg2 Rxb2+ 21.Kf1 gives White an extra piece.

17.a4 Bd5 18.Rc1 Rg4

• 18...Qb4 19.Qc2 Rd8 20.h3 Bh6 21.Qc3 Qf8 22.Qd3 remains equal.

19.h3 Rg6?

• Black thinks she will win a pawn after White saves her Rook.
• 19...Rh4! 20.f3 Qb4 21.Rc7 Qxb2+ 22.Qd2 Qxd2+ 23.Kxd2 remains equal.

BLACK: Zhu Chen
!""""""""#
$t+ +lV +%
$+ +m+o+o%
$ + +oOt+%
$Wb+v+ + %
$p+ N + +%
$+ + B +p%
$ P +kP +%
$+ Rq+ +r%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Nana Dzagnidze
Position after 19...Rg4g6

20.Nc6!

• White defends actively.

20...Qc7 21.Ne7 Qe5 22.Nxd5 exd5

• White's initiative appears to have ended with the exchange of minor pieces, while Black takes aim at an undefended pawn.

23.Qd4!

• The text is a little bit better than 23.Bc6 Rb8 24.Qxd5 Rxb2+ 25.Kd3 Qxd5+ 26.Bxd5, which isn't too shabby, either.

23...Bd6 24.Rhe1 Kd8 25.Kf1

• If 25.Qc3 Qh5+ 26.Kd2 then:
• If 26...Ne5 27.Bb6+ Ke7 28.a5 then:
• 28...Kf8 29.Be2 Nc4+ 30.Kd1 Qf5 31.Bxc4 dxc4 32.Qxc4 gives White an extra pawn.
• 28...Qg5+ 29.Kd1 Qh5+ 30.Be2 Qh4 31.Bf3 Qa4+ 32.Qc2 gives White excellent winning chances.
• 26...d4 27.Qxd4 f5 28.Qh8+ Ke7 29.Bg5#.

25...Qh5

• The obvious intent of the text is 26...Qxh3+, but it's too little and way too late.
• If 25...Qxd4 26.Bxd4 Be5 27.Be3 f5 28.Rcd1 then:
• 28...f4 29.Bc5 Nxc5 30.Rxd5+ Ke7 31.Rxc5 f6 32.Rc7+ wins another pawn.
• 28...Kc7 29.f4 then:
• 29...Bxb2 30.Rxd5 Nb8 31.Rc5+ Rc6 32.Bxc6 Nxc6 33.Rxf5 gives White a good-sized material advantage.
• 29...Kd6 30.fxe5+ Nxe5 31.b4 Rg3 32.Bc5+ leaves White with an extra piece.

BLACK: Zhu Chen
!""""""""#
$t+ L + +%
$+ +m+o+o%
$ + V Ot+%
$+b+p+ +w%
$p+ Q + +%
$+ + B +p%
$ + + P +%
$+ R Rk+ %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Nana Dzagnidze
Position after 25...Qe5h5

26.Qb6+

• White misses a beautiful forced mate starting with a Queen sacrifice.
• If 26.Qxf6+!! Rxf6 27.Bb6+! then:
• If 27...Bc7 28.Bxc7+ Kc8 29.Ba5+ then:
• 29...Kb8 30.Re8+ Kb7 31.Rc7#.
• 29...Kb7 30.Rc7+ Kb8 31.Re8#.
• 27...Nxb6 28.Re8#.

26...Ke7 27.Bc5+!

• White wins two minor pieces. Black could resign here. The rest requires no comment.

27...Kf8 28.Qxd6+ Kg7 29.Bxd7 Qf3 30.Rc3 Qg2+ 31.Ke2 Qe4+ 32.Kd2 Qh4 33.Re8 1-0

• Black is two pieces down and caught in a mating net.
• Grandmaster Zhu resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Mkrtchian - Xu Yuhua, Round 3

Xu Yuhua
Photo: ChessBase.com


:ilit Mkrtchian - Xu Yuhua
Women's Grand Prix, Second Turnament, Round 3
Nanjing, 30 September 2009

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

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 0-0 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 d5

• If 6...b6 7.Bg5 Bb7 8.e3 d6 then:
• If 9.Ne2 Nbd7 then:
• If 10.Qc2 c5 11.Rd1 then:
• If 11...cxd4 12.Rxd4 then:
• If 12...Qc7 13.Nc3 then:
• 13...d5 14.cxd5 Bxd5 15.Bd3 Rfc8 16.0-0 h6 17.Bh4 is equal (Beliavsky-Dzagnidze, Op, Gibraltar, 2009).
• 13...Qc5 14.Bh4 d5 15.cxd5 Nxd5 16.Bd3 f5 17.Bg3 Rac8 18.0-0 Qe7 19.Bc4 N7f6 20.Qb3 Kh8 21.Nxd5 Bxd5 22.Bxd5 Nxd5 23.e4 is equal (Navara-Efimenko, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2009).
• 13...a6 14.Be2 d5 15.cxd5 Nxd5 16.Bd3 N5f6 17.0-0 h6 18.Bh4 Rad8 19.Rd1 Ne5 20.Bxf6 gxf6 21.Be4 Rxd4 22.Rxd4 gives White a formidable center and better kingside pawns (L'Ami-Short, Staunton Mem, London, 2008).
• If 12...h6 13.Bh4 Qc7 14.Nc3 d5 15.Bg3 e5 16.cxd5 then:
• 16...Bxd5 17.Be2 Rac8 18.e4 Bc6 is equal (Carlsen-Leko, IT, Morelia/Linares, 2008).
• 16...Nxd5 17.Rc4 Qb8 18.Be2 N7f6 19.0-0 Ba6 20.Nxd5 Nxd5 21.Bf3 Rd8 22.Rd4 Bxf1 23.Rxd5 Ba6 24.Bxe5 Qc8 25.Rxd8+ Qxd8 26.Bxa8 Qxa8 27.Qa4 Gives Black no compensation for the pawn (Bareev-Grischuk, World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk, 2007).
• 11...Rc8 12.Nc3 cxd4 13.Rxd4 Rc5 14.Bh4 Qa8 15.Be2 d5 16.b4 Rcc8 17.0-0 dxc4 18.f3 Ne5 19.Bxf6 gxf6 20.Nb5 Qb8 21.Nd6 gives White the advantage in space (Kasimdzhanov-Grischuk, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2007).
• If 9.f3 Nbd7 10.Bd3 c5 11.Ne2 Rc8 then:
• If 12.0-0 h6 13.Bh4 then:
• 13...cxd4 14.Qxd4 Ne5 15.b4 Qc7 16.Rac1 Nfd7 17.Be7 Nc6 18.Qxd6 Nxe7 19.Qxe7 Ne5 20.Qxc7 Rxc7 21.Rfd1 Rfc8 is equal (Krush-Chandran, USCL, Cyberspace, 2005).
• 13...d5 14.cxd5 Nxd5 15.Qe1 Qe8 16.Qd2 f5 17.Bg3 Qe7 18.Nf4 Nxf4 19.Bxf4 Rfd8 is equal (Moradiabadi-Sadvakasov, City Ch, Paris, 2005).
• 12.Qd2 h6 13.Bh4 cxd4 14.exd4 Ba6 15.Rc1 d5 16.cxd5 Bxd3 17.Rxc8 Qxc8 18.Qxd3 Nxd5 19.0-0 Qb7 20.Rc1 Rc8 21.Rxc8+ Qxc8 is equal (Kelly-Ong, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• 12.Qb3 h6 13.Bh4 d5 14.cxd5 Bxd5 15.Qd1 cxd4 16.Nxd4 Ne5 17.Ba6 Rc5 draw (Kholmov-Chepukaitis, Botvinnik Mem, Tula, 2003).
• 10.Qd3 Ba6 11.Nc3 d5 12.Qc2 Bxc4 13.Bxc4 dxc4 14.Qa4 c5 15.Qxc4 cxd4 16.Qxd4 Nc5 17.Bxf6 Qxf6 18.Qxf6 gxf6 19.Ke2 Rfc8 20.Rad1 Nb3 21.Rd7 gives White the active game (Vigorito-Browne, US Ch, San Diego, 2006).

7.e3 b6 8.Nf3 Nbd7!?

• If 8...Bb7 9.b4 c5 10.dxc5 bxc5 11.Bb2 Nbd7 12.Be2 then:
• 12...Nb6 13.cxd5 cxb4 14.axb4 Nbxd5 15.Qa3 a6 16.Bd4 Ne4 17.0-0 Qe7 is equal (Kozul-Gyimesi, Croatian ChT, Sibenik, 2006).
• 12...dxc4 13.Qxc4 Ne4 14.0-0 Nb6 15.Qb5 a6 is equal (van Wely-Leko, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2006).
• 9.b3 Nbd7 10.Be2 c5 11.0-0 Rc8 12.a4 Qc7 13.Rd1 Rfe8 14.Bb2 dxc4 15.Bxc4 Ne4 16.Qc2 Ndf6 is equal (Ivanchuk-Alekseev, IT, Biel, 2009).

9.b3

• The game is equal.

9...Ba6 10.Bb2 c5

BLACK: Xu Yuhua
!""""""""#
$t+ W Tl+%
$O + +oOo%
$vO +oM +%
$+ Oo+ + %
$ +pP + +%
$PpQ Pn+ %
$ B + PpP%
$R + Kb+r%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Lilit Mkrtchian
Position after 10...c7c5

11.Rd1?

• This might have been White's last chance to move her King out of the center without difficulty. The fact that she does not castle comes back to haunt her, but one would have to be psychic to understand that now.
• 11.Be2 Rc8 12.0-0 cxd4 13.Qxd4 Nc5 14.Qd1 remains equal.

11...Rc8 12.Nd2

• If 12.Be2 cxd4 13.Rxd4 then:
• If 13...dxc4 14.Bxc4 b5 then:
• 15.Rd6 Bb7 16.Ne5 Ne4 17.Rxd7 Nxc3 18.Rxd8 Rfxd8 wins the exchange for Black.
• 15.Ne5 bxc4 16.Nxd7 Nxd7 17.Rxd7 Qg5 18.g3 cxb3 gives Black the initiative.
• 13...b5 14.0-0 e5 15.Rh4 bxc4 16.bxc4 Ne4 gives Black the initiative.

12...Qe7 13.Be2 dxc4 14.Nxc4

• If 14.bxc4!? cxd4 15.exd4 Bxc4 16.Nxc4 b5 then:
• 17.d5 bxc4 18.d6 Qd8 19.0-0 Nb6 20.Qg3 Nbd5 gives Black an extra pawn.
• 17.Qb3 bxc4 18.Bxc4 Rb8 19.Qa2 Nb6 20.Be2 Nfd5 gives Black more space and better pawn structure.

14...b5!

• Black takes the initiative. Over the next several move, White will have no tiem to concern herself with King safety as she must respond to Black's annoying threats.

15.Qa5 bxc4 16.Qxa6 cxd4 17.bxc4

• If 17.Bxc4 Nc5 18.Qa5 dxe3 19.fxe3 Nd5 then:
• If 20.Bxd5 exd5 21.Qc3 Ne6 then:
• If 22.Qe5 Rc2 23.Rd2 Rxd2 24.Kxd2 Qb7 then:
• 25.Rd1 Qxb3 26.Ke1 Rd8 leaves Black a pawn to the goood with excellent winnng chances.
• 25.b4 a5 26.bxa5 d4 27.Rb1 Qxg2+ 28.Kd3 dxe3 wins for Black.
• 22.Qd2 Qh4+ 23.Kf1 Qe4 24.Bc3 Rfd8 gives Black excellent winnng chances.
• If 20.Bd4? Qh4+ 21.g3 Qe4 then:
• If 22.Bxd5 exd5 23.0-0 Ne6 24.Bxa7 Ng5 then:
• 25.h4 Rc2 26.Rd2 Nf3+ 27.Rxf3 Qxf3 28.Rxc2 Qd1+ wins for Black.
• 25.h3 Rc2 26.Rd2 Rfc8 27.g4 Nxh3+ 28.Kh2 Ng5 wins for Black.
• 22.0-0 Nxe3 23.Bxe3 Qxe3+ 24.Kh1 Nxb3 gives Black excellent winning chances.

17...Nc5 18.Qa5 dxe3

• Black weakens White's pawns. They will become targets later.
• 18...d3!? 19.Bxd3 Nxd3+ 20.Rxd3 Rxc4 21.Bxf6 Qxf6 22.0-0 gives White a slight initiative.

19.fxe3 Qb7!?

• Black misses an opportunity to take immediate advantage of White's pawn weaknesses.
• If 19...Ng4!! then:
• 20.Bc1 Qf6 21.Bxg4 Qh4+ 22.g3 Qxg4 23.0-0 Qxc4 gives Black an extra pawn.
• 20.Bxg4 Qh4+ 21.g3 Qxg4 22.0-0 Qxc4 23.Qxa7 Qe2 gives Black a strong initiative.

20.Bxf6

BLACK: Xu Yuhua
!""""""""#
$ +t+ Tl+%
$Ow+ +oOo%
$ + +oB +%
$Q M + + %
$ +p+ + +%
$P + P + %
$ + +b+pP%
$+ +rK +r%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Lilit Mkrtchian
Position after 20.Bb2f6:N

20...Qxg2!

• Black finds an important Zwischenzug that leads to the win of a pawn.
• 20...gxf6 21.0-0 f5 22.g3 Qb3 23.Rf3 holds White's position with equality.
• The text move would not have been possible had White castled. See not to White's 11th move.

21.Rf1 gxf6 22.Qxa7 Qxh2

• Black wins a pawn and has excellent chances to win the game.

23.Rf2 Qe5!?

• The analysis at ChessBase.com points out that 23...Qg1+ wins, but gives no elaboration.
• 23...Qg1+ 24.Bf1 Qg3 25.Ke2 Qg4+ 26.Ke1 Rfd8 27.Rdd2 Rb8 crushes White.

24.Qe7 Ne4 25.Rg2+ Kh8 26.Rd4

• 26.Bf3 Rfe8 27.Qxf7 Ng5 28.Qh5 Qxe3+ 29.Be2 Red8 gives Black a winning game.

26...Rce8!?

• The text is good enough, but White had a faster win.
• 26...Ng3! 27.Qd6 Nxe2 28.Kxe2 Qxd6 29.Rxd6 Rxc4 leaves Black up by two pawns.

27.Qb7 f5 28.Qb5

• There is no saving White now, but there may have been no saving her any way.
• 28.Bd3 Nc5 29.Qf3 Rd8 30.Be2 Rxd4 31.exd4 Qxd4 leaves Black up by two pawns.

BLACK: Xu Yuhua
!""""""""#
$ + +tT K%
$+ + +o+o%
$ + +oW +%
$+q+ +o+ %
$ +pRm+ +%
$P + P + %
$ + +b+r+%
$+ + K + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Lilit Mkrtchian
Position after 28.Qb7b5

28...Qf6!

• Black will attack from the kingside, but her plan is flexible enough to go the other way if circumstances warrant..

29.Rxe4

• 29.Qb2 Qh4+ 30.Kf1 e5 31.Rd5 Rg8 32.Bg4 Ng3+ wins easily for Black.

29...fxe4 30.Qb1 Qc3+

• Come from the kingside still works, too.
• 30...Qh4+ 31.Rf2 Rb8 32.Qa1+ f6 33.Qc1 Rb3 34.Qa1 Rxe3 leaves White little incentive to continue.

31.Kf2 f5 32.Rh2 f4 33.Qxe4 fxe3+ 34.Kg3

• 34.Kg1 Qe1+ 35.Kg2 Qxe2+ 36.Kg3 Rg8+ 37.Kf4 Rg4+ is time to turn the lights out.

34...Rg8+

• 34...Rf5 35.Kh3 Rg8 36.Rg2 Rh5+ wins easily for Black.

35.Kh3 Rg6 36.Rg2 Rh6+ 37.Kg3 Rg8+ 38.Bg4 e2+ 0-1

• If 39.Kf2 Rh1 then:
• 40.Rh2 Rxh2+ 41.Kg1 Qg3+ 42.Qg2 e1Q#.
• 40.Rg1 Rxg1 41.Kxg1 e1Q+ 42.Qxe1 Qxe1+ 43.Kg2 Rxg4+ 44.Kf3 Rg3+ 45.Kf4 Qe3#.
• Ms. Mkrtchian resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Zhu Chen - Munguntuul, Round 2

Zhu Chen
Photo by rorkhete, Wikipedia (Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike)


Zhu Chen - Batkhyyag Munguntuul
Women's Grand Prix, Second Tournament, Round 2
Nanjing, 28 September 2009

Semi-Slav Queen's Gambit: Stoltz Opening

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.Bd3

• For 7.g4 and 7.b3, see Ivanchuk-Aronian, IT, Linares, 2009.

7...0-0 8.0-0 dxc4 9.Bxc4 e5

• If 9...b5 10.Be2 Bb7 11.Rd1 then:
• 11...Qb8 12.e4 e5 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Nd4 Neg4 15.g3 g6 16.Bf3 is equal (Koneru-Pérez, IT Merida, 2008).
• If 11...Qc7 then:
• If 12.e4 e5 then:
• If 13.g3 Rfe8 14.dxe5 Nxe5 15.Bg5 then:
• 15...b4 16.Bxf6 gxf6 17.Nxe5 Rxe5 18.Nb1 c5 19.Nd2 Bf8 20.Bg4 Rae8 21.f3 Rg5 22.Bf5 Bd6 23.Nf1 c4 gives Black the advantage in space (Szeberenyi-Pavasovic, Hungarian ChT, Hungary, 2003).
• 15...Nxf3+ 16.Bxf3 Qe7 17.Bg2 Be5 18.Ne2 Qb4 19.Rd2 Rad8 20.Rad1 Rxd2 21.Rxd2 Qa5 22.b3 c5 23.Rd1 h6 24.Bd2 Qa6 25.Bc3 Bxc3 26.Nxc3 b4 27.Nd5 Nxd5 28.exd5 Qd6 is equal (Ibragimov-Asrian, Op, Dubai, 2000).
• 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Nd4 Bc5 15.h3 Qb6 16.Be3 Rad8 17.Nf5 Bxe3 18.Nxe3 Ng6 19.Rxd8 Rxd8 draw (Parker-Thorhallsson, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• If 12.Bd2 Rfe8 13.Rac1 a6 14.b4 e5 then:
• 15.h3 h6 16.a3 exd4 17.exd4 Nb6 18.Re1 Nbd5 19.Nxd5 Nxd5 20.Bd3 a5 21.Bh7+ Kh8 22.Be4 gives White the advantage in space (Beliavsky-Pavasovic, Vidmar mem, Terme Zrece, 2003).
• 15.a3 h6 16.Bd3 exd4 17.exd4 Nb6 18.Re1 Rad8 19.Ne2 Nbd5 20.Ng3 Rxe1+ 21.Rxe1 Ng4 22.Bh7+ Kh8 23.Bf5 gives White the advantage in space (Soltau-Benejam, cyberspace, 2003).
• If 9...a6 10.Rd1 b5 11.Be2 Qc7 then:
• If 12.Ne4 Nxe4 13.Qxe4 e5 14.Qh4 Re8 15.Bd3 h6 16.Bd2 Be7 17.Qg3 Bd6 18.Qh4 Be7 draw (Burmakin-Dreev, Op, Novgorod, 1999; several games since have ended here or after one or two more moves in an agreed draw).
• 12.e4 e5 13.g3 Re8 14.a3 exd4 15.Nxd4 Be5 16.Bf3 c5 17.Nde2 c4 18.Nd5 Nxd5 19.exd5 Bd6 20.Bf4 Ne5 21.Bxe5 Rxe5 22.Nd4 g6 is equal (Bologan-Karjakin, IT, Dortmund, 2001).

10.h3

• If 10.Bb3 Qe7 11.Bd2 then:
• If 11...e4 12.Ng5 Bxh2+ 13.Kxh2 Ng4+ 14.Kg1 Qxg5 15.Qxe4 then:
• If 15...Ndf6 16.Qf4 Qxf4 17.exf4 then:
• 17...Rd8 18.f3 Rxd4 19.Rad1 Nh6 20.g4 Nhxg4 21.Bc1 Rxd1 22.Rxd1 Bf5 23.fxg4 Bxg4 24.Re1 Re8 25.Rxe8+ Nxe8 26.Be3 gives White the more active game (Horvath-Kalezic, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• 17...h5 18.Rfe1 Nh6 19.Rad1 Rd8 20.d5 c5 21.f3 b6 22.Ne4 Nxd5 23.Nxc5 Nc7 24.Re7 gives White the more active game (Ibragimov-Galashvili, Greek ChT, Kavala, 1999).
• 15...Nb6 16.Ne2 a5 17.Qf4 Qf5 18.Nc3 Qd3 is equal (Vakhidov-Barua, Asian Ch, Calcutta, 2001).
• 11...Bc7 12.h3 h6 13.Nh4 Rd8 14.Nf5 Qf8 15.Rad1 exd4 16.exd4 Nb6 17.Rfe1 Nbd5 18.Bxd5 Bxf5 19.Bxf7+ Qxf7 20.Qxf5 Rxd4 is equal (Bareev-Akopian, FIDE Knock Out, Las Vegas, 1999).

10...exd4

• If 10...Qe7 11.a3 then:
• If 11...Bb8 12.Ba2 h6 13.Nh4 Rd8 14.Nf5 Qe8 then:
• 15.Ne2 Nf8 16.dxe5 Bxf5 17.Qxf5 Qxe5 18.Ng3 Qxf5 19.Nxf5 Ne6 20.b4 Be5 21.Rb1 Ne4 is equal (Quest-Deep Junior, World Computer Ch, Maastricht, 2001).
• 15.Bd2 Nf8 16.Rfd1 exd4 17.Nxd4 Qe5 18.f4 Qe7 19.Re1 a5 20.Rad1 Ba7 21.Na4 Bxd4 22.exd4 Qc7 23.f5 Rxd4 gives Black an extra pawn (Timman-Akopian, IT, Ubeda, 1997).
• If 11...Bc7 12.Ba2 h6 13.Nh4 Re8 14.Nf5 Qf8 then:
• 15.Nb5 Bb8 16.Bd2 a5 17.dxe5 Bxe5 18.f4 Bb8 19.Nc3 Rd8 is equal (Karpov-Anand, IT, Brussels, 1991).
• 15.d5 e4 16.dxc6 bxc6 17.Nb5 Bb8 18.Qxc6 Ne5 19.Qxa8 Bxf5 20.Qb7 Re7 21.Qa6 Bc8 22.Qa5 gives White excellent chances (Stohl-Rogers, IT, Brno/Morava, 1991).

11.exd4 Nb6 12.Bb3 Nfd5!?

• If 12...Nbd5 13.Bg5 then:
• If 13...Be6!? 14.Rae1 Nb4 15.Qd1 Bxb3 16.Qxb3 gives White the advantage in space (Bonin-Weldon, Op, New York, 1989).
• 13...Nb4 14.Qe2 h6 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.a3 gives White a slight advantage in space.

13.Re1

• The game is equal.

13...h6 14.Ne5

• 14.Nxd5 Nxd5 15.Bxd5 cxd5 16.Qb3 b6 17.Bd2 Be6 remains equal.

14...Be6 15.Ne4 Nb4!?

• 15...Bf5 16.Qe2 Bb4 17.Bd2 Bxd2 18.Qxd2 Re8 remains equal.

BLACK: Zhu Chen
!""""""""#
$t+ W Tl+%
$Oo+ +oO %
$ MoVv+ O%
$+ + N + %
$ M Pn+ +%
$+b+ + +p%
$pPq+ Pp+%
$R B R K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Batkhyyag Munguntuul
Position after 15...Nd5b4

16.Qc3!

• There is nothing wrong with White's position when Black tried to disrupt it. This is almost a waiting move.

16...Bxb3

• 16...N4d5 17.Qg3 Bxe5 18.dxe5 Kh8 19.Nd6 gives White a comfortable advantage in space.

17.Qxb3 Bxe5 18.dxe5 Nd3 19.Bxh6!

• 19.Rd1!? Nxc1 20.Rxd8 Nxb3 21.Rxf8+ Kxf8 22.axb3 Nd5 is equal.

19...Qd5!

• Black's material advantage is transient. The game is equal.
• 19...gxh6? 20.Nf6+! Kg7 21.Red1 then:
• 21...Qe7 22.Qxd3 Qxe5 23.Qh7+ Kxf6 24.Qxh6+ Ke7 25.Re1 wins for White.
• 21...Qd4 22.Qxd3 Qxd3 23.Rxd3 Rfd8 24.Rad1 leaves White a pawn up with excellent winning chances.

20.Qc3 Na4 21.Qd2 f5?

• Black thinks she's chasing the Knight away. Black thinks otherwise.
• If 21...Rfd8! then after 22.Qg5 Qxe5 23.Qxe5 Nxe5 White at long last must deal with the vulnerability of the Bishop.

BLACK: Zhu Chen
!""""""""#
$t+ + Tl+%
$Oo+ + O %
$ +o+ + B%
$+ +wPo+ %
$m+ +n+ +%
$+ +m+ +p%
$pP Q Pp+%
$R + R K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Batkhyyag Munguntuul
Position after 21...f7f5

22.Bxg7!!

• White proffers the Bishop in addition to the Knight in hopes of a quick win.

22...fxe4

• White takes the Knight instead.
• 22...Kxg7 23.Qg5+ Kf7 24.Qxf5+ Ke7 25.Qg5+ Ke6 26.Qg4+ leaves the King nowhere to hide.

23.Qh6

• It's still a quick win.

23...Rxf2 24.e6!

• White threatens mate on h8. Black must lose material to prevent it.

24...Rxg2+ 25.Kxg2 Nf4+ 26.Qxf4 Kxg7

• White has come out an exchange to the good.

27.Qxe4 Re8 28.Qxd5 cxd5 29.Rad1

• Black's d-pawn falls.

29...Nxb2 30.Rxd5 Kf6 31.Rd2 Nc4 32.Rf2+ Kg6

BLACK: Zhu Chen
!""""""""#
$ + +t+ +%
$Oo+ + + %
$ + +p+l+%
$+ + + + %
$ +m+ + +%
$+ + + +p%
$p+ + Rk+%
$+ + R + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Batkhyyag Munguntuul
Position after 32...Kf6g6

33.e7!

• Black could resign here. She is an exchange down with no compensation and now is forced to capture the pawn with the Knight, which thus moves into a self-pin.

33...Kg7 34.Re6 Nb6 35.Re4 Nd5 36.Re5 Nxe7 37.Rf3 1-0

• 37...a6 38.Re4 b5 39.Ra3 is curtains.
• Ms. Munguntuul resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

10. SPICE Cup, Texas Tech University, Lubbock

Civil Engineering Building, Texas Tech University
Photo: Wikipedia (public domain)

[Jack Rabbit]

11. Hammer - Mamedov, Round 10

Rauf Mamedov
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Jon Ludvig Hammer - Rauf Mamedov
SPICE Cup (Group A), Round 10
Texas Tech University, 28 September 2009

Moorish Game: Little Dragon Defense (Robatsch Defense)

1.d4 g6 2.c4 Bg7 3.e4 d6 4.Nc3

• The final round started with both players tied for second, half a point behind the leaders. Each needed a win to have a hope of sharing first prize.
• The opening is taking untheoretical lines. It's every man for himself.

4...e5 5.Be3 exd4

• If 5...Nc6 6.d5 Nce7 7.g4 f5 8.gxf5 gxf5 9.Qh5+ then:
• If 9...Ng6 10.exf5 Qh4 11.Qxh4 Nxh4 12.Nb5 Kd8 13.Nxa7 Bxf5 14.Nb5 Bh6 15.Kd2 then:
• 15...Be4 16.f3 Bxf3 17.Nxf3 Nxf3+ 18.Ke2 Bxe3 19.Kxe3 Nh4 is equal (Meister-Arapovic, Op, Augsburg, 1989).
• 15...Bxe3+ 16.Kxe3 Nf6 17.Bh3 Rg8 18.Bxf5 Nxf5+ is equal (Mayer-Arnold, Corres, 1992).
• 9...Kf8 10.Bh3 Nf6 11.Qf3 f4 12.Bd2 Ng6 13.Bxc8 Qxc8 14.Qd3 Qg4 15.Nf3 Nh4 16.Nxh4 Qxh4 17.Ke2 Kf7 18.Rag1 is equal (Sasikiran-Berger, Op, Pardubice, 2001).

6.Bxd4 Nf6 7.f3 0-0 8.Nge2 a6!?

• 8...Nc6 9.Be3 Ne5 10.Nf4 c6 11.h4 a6 12.h5 b5 13.c5 is equal (Cmilyte-Andreasen, Politiken Cup, Helsingør, 2007).

9.Qd2

• Black has a small edge in development, but White has more central space.

9...Nc6 10.Be3 Ne5 11.Nf4 c6 12.b3!?

• White should not waste any more time completing his development.
• Better is 12.0-0-0 g5 13.Nh3 g4 14.f4 Nxc4 15.Bxc4 gxh3 with equality.

12...b5!

• Black makes a bid for the advantage in space.

13.cxb5

• This allows Black to open up the a-file, giving scope to his Rook.
• If 13.Rd1 then:
• 13...bxc4 14.Bxc4 Nxc4 15.bxc4 Nd7 16.Bd4 Ne5 17.Bxe5 Bxe5 pushes White back to give Black the advantage in space.
• 13...Qa5!? 14.Be2! bxc4 15.Bxc4 Nxc4 16.bxc4 Rb8 17.0-0 is equal.

13...axb5 14.Rc1

• 14.Be2 g5 15.Nh3 Bxh3 16.gxh3 h6 gives Black the advantage in space and will make it very difficult for White to bring his King to safety.

14...Re8 15.Be2 d5!?

• Opening the center is a better way to fly than putting more pressure on White's pieces on weak squares.
• 15...Qa5?! 16.Qxd6! b4 17.Na4 Rd8 18.Qc5 Qxc5 19.Rxc5 solves most of White's problems.
• 15...b4 16.Na4 g5 17.Nd3 Nxd3+ 18.Bxd3 d5 19.Bxg5 is equal.

BLACK: Rauf Mamedov
!""""""""#
$t+vWt+l+%
$+ + +oVo%
$ +o+ Mo+%
$+o+oM + %
$ + +pN +%
$+pN Bp+ %
$p+ Qb+pP%
$+ R K +r%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Jon Ludvig Hammer
Position after 15...d6d5

16.0-0?!

• White would do better to create complications of which he may take advantage.
• If 16.exd5! b4 17.Na4 then:
• If 17...Nxd5 18.Nxd5 Qxd5 19.Qxd5 cxd5 20.Nb6 then:
• If 20...Nd3+ 21.Bxd3 Rxe3+ 22.Kf2 Rxd3 23.Nxa8 gives White the exchange, but Black's active Rook makes things less simple.
• 20...Rb8 21.Nxd5 Bb7 22.Nxb4 Nxf3+ 23.Kf2 Nd4 24.Rhe1 leaves White with an extra pawn.
• 17...cxd5?! 18.Nb6 Rb8 19.Nbxd5 gives White an extra pawn.

16...dxe4 17.fxe4 Qe7

• Black definitely has the better game.
• Also good is 17...Qxd2 18.Bxd2 b4 19.Na4 Bf8 when:
• 20.Nxg6 Nxe4 21.Nxe5 Nxd2 22.Rfd1 Bh6 23.Nxc6 Rxe2 gives Black an extra piece.
• 20.Nc5 Bxc5+ 21.Rxc5 Nxe4 22.Rc2 c5 gives Black an extra pawn.

18.Nd3?

• This allows Black to shut down any potential counterplay.
• Black is much better after 18.a4 bxa4 19.bxa4 Neg4 20.Bb6 Rb8, but the passed a-pawn gives White hopes of counterplay.

18...Nxd3 19.Bxd3 Ng4 20.Kh1

• White could defend more actively, but it's too late to save the geme.
• 20.Bg5 Qd7 21.Kh1 Ne5 22.Bb1 Qxd2 23.Bxd2 Ba6 24.Rfd1 Ng4 25.Re1 Rad8 gives Black a powerful initiative.
• If 22.Be2 then after 22...Qxd2 23.Bxd2 Bg4 24.Rf2 Bxe2 25.Rxe2 Nd3 Black just moves from attacking one weakness to another.

BLACK: Rauf Mamedov
!""""""""#
$t+vT +l+%
$+ + WoVo%
$ +o+ +o+%
$+o+ + + %
$ + +p+m+%
$+pNbB + %
$p+ Q +pP%
$+ R +r+k%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Jon Ludvig Hammer
Position after 20.Kg1h1

20...Rd8!

• The pin at d3 makes White's e-pawn vulnerable.

21.Bf4

• White cannot avoid losing material.
• If 21.Rf3 b4 22.Na4 Ne5 23.Bb6 Rd7 then:
• If 24.Qe2 then Black wins the exchange after 24...Nxf3 25.Qxf3 Rd6.
• 24.Rg3 Ba6 25.Nc5 Nxd3 26.Nxd3 Qxe4 wins a pawn.

21...b4 22.Na4 Ba6 23.Nc5 Bxd3 24.Nxd3 Qxe4

• Black has a hard-won pawn. White's game now deterriorates quickly.

25.Nc5

• White thinks he sees a way to win back the pawn after an exchange of Queens.

25...Rxd2 26.Nxe4 Re2 27.Rc4

BLACK: Rauf Mamedov
!""""""""#
$t+ + +k+%
$+ + +oVo%
$ +o+ +o+%
$+ + + + %
$ Or+nBm+%
$+p+ + + %
$p+ +t+pP%
$+ + +r+k%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Jon Ludvig Hammer
Position after 27.Rc1c4

27...f5!

• Thus Black refutes White's attempt to win back the pawn.

28.Ng3 Rexa2

• Black wins a second pawn.

29.h3

• 29.Rxc6 Nf2+ 30.Kg1 Nd3 31.Be3 Rb2 32.Rd1 Rxb3 maintains Black's two pawn advantage.
• If 29.Rxb4 Nf2+ 30.Kg1 Nd3 31.Rc4 then Black wins more material after 31...c5! when:
• 32.Be3 Re8 33.Bxc5 Nxc5 34.Rxc5 Bd4+ wins the Rook.
• 32.Rf3 Ne1 33.Re3 Nxg2 34.Re2 Nxf4 35.Rxf4 R2a3 maintains Black's two extra pawns and assure him of winning a third (36.Rf3 c4!).

29...Nf2+ 30.Kh2 Nd3 31.Bd6

• 31.Rxc6 Rb2 32.Rf3 Nxf4 33.Rxf4 Rxb3 maintains Black's two pawn advantage.

31...Rb2 32.Rd1 Ne5 33.Rc5 Nf3+ 34.Kh1 Rd2 35.Rcc1

• 35.Rdc1 Raa2 36.gxf3 Rh2+ 37.Kg1 Bd4+ wins for Black.

35...Rxd1+ 36.Rxd1 Nd4 37.Bxb4 Nxb3 38.Rd3

• 38.Ne2 Re8 39.Nc1 c5 40.Nxb3 cxb4 maintains Black's two-pawn advantage.

38...c5 39.Rxb3 Rb8!

• Black wins the Bishop.
• The text wins faster than 39...Ra1+ 40.Kh2 cxb4 41.Rxb4 Kf7 42.Rb7+ Kf6 43.Ne2.

40.Ne2

• If 40.Kg1 Rxb4 41.Rd3 Rb2 then:
• 42.Nf1 c4 43.Rd8+ Kf7 44.Rd7+ Kf8 45.Rd1 c3 it will cost White material to stop the c-pawn.
• 42.Kh2 c4 43.Rd8+ Kf7 44.Rd7+ Kf8 45.Rc7 Rb4 gives Black two extra pawns and majorities on both wings.

40...Rxb4 41.Rd3 Rb1+ 0-1

• If 42.Kh2 then after 42...Be5+ 43.g3 Rb2 44.Re3 Bd4! 45.Re8+ Kf7! the Rook must abandon the Knight or be taken.
• Jon Ludvig resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

12. Akobian - Kuzubov, Round 5

Yuriy Kuzubov and Var Akobian
Photos: (left): ChessBase.com; (right): International Chess Academy


Var Akobian - Yuriy Kuzubov
SPICE Cup (A Group), Round 5
Texas Tech University, 22 September 2009

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

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 c5

• If 4...d5 5.cxd5 Qxd5 then:
• If 6.e3 c5 then:
• If 7.a3 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 0-0 9.Nf3 b6 10.c4 then:
• 10...Qc6 11.Bd3 Bb7 12.Bb2 cxd4 13.exd4 Nbd7 14.0-0 Rac8 15.Rfe1 is equal (van Wely-Jakovenko, Spanish ChT, San Sebastián, 2006).
10...Qh5 11.Be2 Bb7 12.0-0 Nbd7 is equal (van Wely-Short, Staunton Mem TM, London, 2009).
• 7.Bd2 Bxc3 8.Bxc3 cxd4 9.Bxd4 Nc6 10.Bc3 0-0 11.Nf3 Rd8 12.Be2 Qe4 13.Qb3 Nd5 14.Bd2 Qg6 15.0-0 e5 16.Rfd1 e4 gives Black the initiative (Kasparov-Kramnik, Rpd M, Moscow, 2001).
• If 6.Nf3 Qf5 then:
• If 7.Qb3 then:
• If 7...Nc6 then:
• If 8.Bd2 0-0 9.e3 Rd8 10.Be2 then:
• If 10...e5 11.Nxe5 Be6 12.g4 Qxe5 13.dxe5 Bxb3 14.exf6 Be6 15.f4 gxf6 16.0-0-0 Kg7 17.Rhg1 Na5 18.b3 Nxb3+ 19.axb3 Bxb3 20.Nb5 Bxd1 21.Rxd1 Bxd2+ 22.Rxd2 Rxd2 23.Kxd2 is equal (Ivanchuk-Anand, IT, Monte Carlo, 1996).
• 10...a6 11.Rd1 e5 12.Bc4 is equal (Gagunashvili-Turova, Op, Dubai, 2009).
• 8.a3 Ba5 9.e3 0-0 10.Qb5 e5 11.Bd3 Qg4 12.0-0 a6 13.Qb3 Bxc3 14.Qxc3 e4 gives Black the initiative (Beliavsky-Short, FIDE Knock Out, Las Vegas, 1999).
• 7...c5 8.a3 Ba5 9.Qc4 Bxc3+ 10.Qxc3 Nbd7 11.g4 Qe4 12.dxc5 0-0 13.g5 Nd5 14.Qd4 Qxd4 15.Nxd4 Nxc5 16.Bg2 Rd8 17.b4 e5 18.bxc5 exd4 19.Rb1 b6 20.cxb6 axb6 21.Bxd5 Rxd5 22.Rxb6 gives White an extra pawn (Vitugiov-Tiviakov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2009).
• If 7.Qxf5 exf5 8.a3 then:
• If 8...Be7 9.Bf4 c6 10.e3 then:
• 10...Nbd7 11.Nd2 Nb6 12.Nc4 Nxc4 13.Bxc4 Be6 14.Bxe6 fxe6 15.Ke2 Kd7 16.Rac1 Rhg8 17.h3 Rac8 18.Nb1 Nd5 19.Be5 Bf6 draw (Timoshchenko-Wojtaszek, Czech ChT, Czechia, 2005).
• 10...Be6 11.Nd2 0-0 12.Nc4 Nd5 13.Bd6 draw (Psakhis-Suba, Op, Benasque, 2005).
• 8...Bd6 9.Nb5 Be6 10.e3 Nc6 11.Bd2 a6 12.Nxd6+ cxd6 13.Bd3 Ne7 14.Ng5 Bd5 15.f3 h6 16.Nh3 Rc8 17.Ke2 Bc4 18.Rac1 Bxd3+ 19.Kxd3 Kd7 is equal (Timman-Jussupow, IT, Frankfurt, 1998).
• If 4...0-0 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 b6 7.Bg5 Bb7 8.e3 d6 then:
• If 9.Ne2 Nbd7 10.Qc2 c5 11.Rd1 then:
• If 11...cxd4 12.Rxd4 then:
• If 12...Qc7 13.Nc3 then:
• 13...d5 14.cxd5 Bxd5 15.Bd3 Rfc8 16.0-0 h6 17.Bh4 is equal (Beliavsky-Dzagnidze, Op, Gibraltar, 2009).
• 13...Qc5 14.Bh4 d5 15.cxd5 Nxd5 16.Bd3 f5 17.Bg3 Rac8 18.0-0 Qe7 19.Bc4 N7f6 20.Qb3 Kh8 21.Nxd5 Bxd5 22.Bxd5 Nxd5 23.e4 is equal (Navara-Efimenko, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2009).
• 13...a6 14.Be2 d5 15.cxd5 Nxd5 16.Bd3 N5f6 17.0-0 h6 18.Bh4 Rad8 19.Rd1 Ne5 20.Bxf6 gxf6 21.Be4 Rxd4 22.Rxd4 gives White a formidable center and better kingside pawns (L'Ami-Short, Staunton Mem, London, 2008).
• If 12...h6 13.Bh4 Qc7 14.Nc3 d5 15.Bg3 e5 16.cxd5 then:
• If 16...Bxd5 17.Be2 Rac8 18.e4 Bc6 is equal (Carlsen-Leko, IT, Morelia/Linares, 2008).
• 16...Nxd5 17.Rc4 Qb8 18.Be2 N7f6 19.0-0 Ba6 20.Nxd5 Nxd5 21.Bf3 Rd8 22.Rd4 Bxf1 23.Rxd5 Ba6 24.Bxe5 Qc8 25.Rxd8+ Qxd8 26.Bxa8 Qxa8 27.Qa4 gives Black no compensation for the pawn (Bareev-Grischuk, World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk, 2007).
• 11...Rc8 12.Nc3 cxd4 13.Rxd4 Rc5 14.Bh4 Qa8 15.Be2 d5 16.b4 Rcc8 17.0-0 dxc4 18.f3 Ne5 19.Bxf6 gxf6 20.Nb5 Qb8 21.Nd6 gives White the advantage in space (Kasimdzhanov-Grischuk, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2007).
• If 9.f3 Nbd7 then:
• If 10.Bd3 c5 11.Ne2 Rc8 then:
• If 12.0-0 h6 13.Bh4 then:
• 13...cxd4 14.Qxd4 Ne5 15.b4 Qc7 16.Rac1 Nfd7 17.Be7 Nc6 18.Qxd6 Nxe7 19.Qxe7 Ne5 20.Qxc7 Rxc7 21.Rfd1 Rfc8 is equal (Krush-Chandran, USCL, Cyberspace, 2005).
• 13...d5 14.cxd5 Nxd5 15.Qe1 Qe8 16.Qd2 f5 17.Bg3 Qe7 18.Nf4 Nxf4 19.Bxf4 Rfd8 is equal (Moradiabadi-Sadvakasov, City Ch, Paris, 2005).
• 12.Qb3 h6 13.Bh4 d5 14.cxd5 Bxd5 15.Qd1 cxd4 16.Nxd4 Ne5 17.Ba6 Rc5 draw (Kholmov-Chepukaitis, Botvinnik Mem, Tula, 2003).
• 12.Qd2 h6 13.Bh4 cxd4 14.exd4 Ba6 15.Rc1 d5 16.cxd5 Bxd3 17.Rxc8 Qxc8 18.Qxd3 Nxd5 19.0-0 Qb7 20.Rc1 Rc8 21.Rxc8+ Qxc8 is equal (Kelly-Ong, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• 10.Qd3 Ba6 11.d5 Bxc4 12.Qxc4 Nc5 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Ke2 Rfc8 15.Rd1 Nb3 gives White the active game (Vigorito-Browne, US Ch, San Diego, 2006).

5.dxc5 Bxc5 6.Nf3 Qb6

• If 6...Nc6 7.Bg5 then:
• If 7...h6 8.Bh4 then:
• 8...Be7 9.Rd1 0-0 10.e4 Nh5 11.Bxe7 Qxe7 12.Be2 d6 13.0-0 Rd8 14.Rd2 Nf4 15.Rfd1 e5 16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.cxd5 Nb8 18.Rc1 gives White better development and the advantage in space; on the bight side for Black, he has a good Bishop (Gagunashvili-Ibragimov, Op, Las Vegas, 2006).
• 8...Qa5 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.e3 Bb4 11.Be2 Bxc3+ 12.bxc3 b6 13.0-0 Bb7 14.Nd4 Qg5 15.g3 Qc5 16.Nb3 Qe5 is equal (Stahlberg-Grünfeld, IT, Ujpest, 1934).
• If 7...0-0 8.a3 then:
• If 8...Nd4 9.Nxd4 Bxd4 10.e3 Qa5 11.exd4 Qxg5 12.Qd2 Qxd2+ 13.Kxd2 b6 14.b4 then:
• If 14...Bb7 15.f3 d6 16.Bd3 Rfc8 17.Rhc1 Kf8 18.Ne4 Nxe4+ 19.Bxe4 d5 20.cxd5 Bxd5 21.Bxd5 draw (Cramling-Akesson, Rilton Cup, Stockholm, 1999).
• 14...d6 15.Bd3 Rd8 16.f3 h5 17.h4 Kf8 18.Rhe1 Bd7 19.Rab1 Rac8 20.Rec1 e5 is equal (Kasparov-Kramnik, IT, Tilburg, 1997).
• 8...b6 9.e3 Be7 10.Be2 Bb7 11.0-0 Rc8 12.Rfd1 h6 13.Bh4 Na5 14.b3 d5 15.Qb2 Qe8 16.cxd5 Nxd5 17.Bb5 Qd8 18.Nxd5 Bxh4 19.Nxh4 Bxd5 20.e4 Qxh4 21.exd5 is equal (M. Gurevich-Sulskis, Op, Isle of Man, 2007).

7.e3 Qc7 8.b3

• If 8.Be2 a6 9.0-0 then:
• 9...Be7 10.e4 d6 11.Rd1 0-0 12.Nd4 b6 is equal (Berry-Waters, British Ch, Scarborough, 2001).
• 9...b6 transposes into Gunawan-Razuvaev, see next note.

8...a6 9.Bb2 Be7

• 9...b6 then:
• If 10.Bd3 Bb7 11.Ne4 Be7 12.0-0 d6 13.Nxf6+ gxf6 14.Be4 Nd7 15.Rac1 h5 16.Rfd1 Rc8 17.Nd2 gives White the advantage in space (Gupta-Kotsur, Op, Dubai, 2005).
• 10.Be2 Bb7 11.0-0 Be7 12.Rad1 d6 13.Bd3 Nbd7 14.Qe2 0-0 15.e4 Rfe8 16.Rfe1 Bf8 17.Bb1 gives White a small advantage in space (Gunawan-Razuvaev, Op, Biel, 1994).

10.g4 h6 11.0-0-0!?

• If 11.Rg1 Nc6 12.h4 h5 13.gxh5 Nxh5 then:
• 14.Be2!? d5! 15.cxd5 exd5 16.Nxd5gives White the initiative (Nogueiras-Korchnoi, ITZ, Zagreb, 1987).
• 14.0-0-0 Nb4 15.Qd2 b5 16.a3 remains equal.

11...b5

• The game is equal.
• 11...Nxg4 12.Rg1 Nxh2 13.Nxh2 Qxh2 14.Rxg7 Qh5 15.Ne4 gives Black an extra pawn and White more space.

12.Nd4!?

• The long White diagonal is open for Blacks Bishop. White needs to take prophylactic measures.
• 12.cxb5 Bb7 13.Bg2 Nxg4 then:
• If 14.h3 Ne5 15.Nd5 Qxc2+ 16.Kxc2 Bxd5 then:
• 17.Rxd5 exd5 18.Nxe5 axb5 19.Kb1 Ra6 leaves Black up by an exchange, but White has the more active game.
• 17.Bxe5 axb5 18.a4 Nc6 19.Bc3 bxa4 20.bxa4 Rxa4 gives Black an extra pawn and excellent winning chances.
• 14.b6?! Qxb6! 15.Na4 Qc6 16.Qxc6 Nxc6 17.Nb6 Nxf2 wins the exchange for Black.

12...Bb7!

• Black takes advantage of White's inaccuracy.

13.Rg1 bxc4

• Better is 13...Qxh2 14.Rg3 Qh4 15.Qe2 b4 16.Na4 Ne4 when Black continues to enjoy the initiative.

14.Bxc4 Nc6 15.Nxc6 Qxc6 16.Kb1!?

16...Rc8 17.Qe2

• 17.e4 d5 18.exd5 exd5 19.Bd3 0-0 gives Black the more active game.

17...d5!?

• White will now be able to equalize the game.
• 17...Bd6 18.f3 Bc5 19.Na4 Ba7 20.Bd3 maintains Black's advantage.

BLACK: Yuriy Kuzubov
!""""""""#
$ +t+l+ T%
$+v+ VoO %
$o+w+oM O%
$+ +o+ + %
$ +b+ +p+%
$+pN P + %
$pB +qP P%
$+k+r+ R %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Var Akobian
Position after 17...d7d5

18.Bd3!

• White's open line point to Black's kingside.

18...Bb4

• 18...Nd7 19.Na4 0-0 20.f4 Rfd8 21.g5 is equal.

19.Na4 Qd6

• The game is now equal.
• 19...Rg8! 20.Rc1 Qd6 21.Rxc8+ Bxc8 is equal.

20.h4 Kf8 21.g5 hxg5 22.hxg5 Nd7 23.Rh1 Rxh1 24.Rxh1 e5 25.Bf5

• White has a small advantage in space.

25...Rd8 26.Qg4!?

• Black will have an easier time equalizing.
• If 26.f4! d4! then:
• Atfer 27.Rh7 dxe3 28.Qxe3 Qd1+ 29.Bc1 Ba3 30.Nb2 White maintains a small advantage in space.
• 27.Rh8+!? Ke7 28.Rxd8 Kxd8 29.fxe5 Qxe5 is equal.

BLACK: Yuriy Kuzubov
!""""""""#
$ + T L +%
$+v+m+oO %
$o+ W + +%
$+ +oOvP %
$nV + +q+%
$+p+ P + %
$pB + P +%
$+k+ + +r%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Var Akobian
Position after 26.Qe2g4

26...Bc6!

• Withe the Bishop at b4 cutting communications between the White Queen and the Knight, Black threatens to weaken White's queenside pawns by exchaning on a4.

27.f4!

• White has another idea.

27...Bxa4 28.fxe5!

• White sacrifices the material advantage, keeps his pawns strong and takes the initiative.
• 28.bxa4!? Bc5 29.Rh3 Ke7 30.g6 Rb8 is equal.

28...Qb6 29.e6?

• White misses 29.g6! a5 30.gxf7 Qxe3 31.Qg6!, winning with the threat of 32.Rh8+, which leads to mate can only be met surrendering the Queen.

29...fxe6

• The game is equal. White will get two pawns for the piece and keep the initiative.

30.Bxe6 Ke7 31.Bxd5 Nc5 32.Qd4 Qg6+ 33.Ka1

BLACK: Yuriy Kuzubov
!""""""""#
$ + T + +%
$+ + L O %
$o+ + +w+%
$+ Mb+ P %
$vV Q + +%
$+p+ P + %
$pB + + +%
$K + + +r%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Var Akobian
Position after 33.Kb1a1

33...Rxd5!!

• The exchange sacrifice keeps the game level.
• 33...Bb5 34.e4 a5 35.Qxg7+ Qxg7 36.Bxg7 gives White good chances with his passed pawns to beat Black's piece.
• 33...Bc6 34.e4 a5 35.Qe5+ Kd7 36.Rd1 equalizes.

34.Qxd5 Bc6 35.Qe5+ Ne6 36.Rc1 Bd7 37.Qd5

• In spite of White's material advantage, he has few chances of converting it to a win.
• 37.Rd1 Qxg5 38.Qxg5+ Nxg5 39.Bxg7 Bc6 gives White a theoretical material advantage, but his pawns are coolly restrained.

37...Qxg5 38.Qxg5+ Nxg5 39.Bxg7 Ke6

• 39...Bd2 40.Rc2 Ne4 41.Kb2 Bb5 42.Bd4 reamins equal.

40.Kb2 Bd6 41.Rg1

• 41.a3 Ne4 42.b4 Bb5 43.Rc8 Kd7 44.Rh8 Bd3 remains equal.

41...Ne4 42.Bd4 Bb5 43.a4 Bc6

• 43...Bd3 44.Rg8 Bb4 45.Rd8 Be7 46.Re8 Kd7 47.Rg8 remains equal.

44.Rg6+ Kd7 45.Rg7+ Be7 46.Kc2

• 46.Rg8 Ke6 47.Kc2 Kd5 48.Rh8 Kd6 49.Kd3 remains equal.

46...Ke6 47.Kd3 Nd6 48.Bc5 Be4+ 49.Ke2

• 49.Kd2 Bd5 50.Rg6+ Ke5 51.Bxd6+ Bxd6 52.Kc3 remains equal.

49...Bc2 50.e4 Bxe4

• If 50...Bf6 51.Ra7 Bxb3 52.Ke3 then:
• 52...Nc4+ 53.Kf4 a5 54.Ra6+ Kf7 55.Kf5 is equal.
• 52...Bc4 53.Rc7 Ne8 54.Rb7 Bd8 55.Rb4 is equal.

BLACK: Yuriy Kuzubov
!""""""""#
$ + + + +%
$+ + V R %
$o+ Ml+ +%
$+ + + + %
$p+ +v+ +%
$+p+ + + %
$ + +k+ +%
$+ + + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Var Akobian
Position after 50...Bc2e4:p

51.Rxe7+!!

• White gives back the exchange and the game quickly winds down to a draw.

51...Kxe7 52.Kd2!

• Slow and steady wins the race (or ties it, as the cawe may be).
• If 52.Ke3? Bc2 53.b4 Bxa4 then:
• 54.Kd4 Ke6 55.Bxd6 Kxd6 56.Kc3 Bc6 wins for Black.
• 54.Bxd6+ Kxd6 55.Kd4 Bb5 56.Kc3 Kd5 wins for Black.

52...Kd7

• 52...Ke6 53.Bxd6 Kxd6 54.Kc3 Kc5 55.b4+ transposes into the text/

53.Bxd6 Kxd6 54.Kc3 Kc5 55.b4+ Kb6 56.b5

• The game must end in a draw.
• If 56.Kd4 Bg6 57.b5 then:
• 57...a5 58.Kd5 Bf7+ 59.Ke4 Bb3 60.Kd4 Bg8 61.Kc3 goes nowhere.
• 57...axb5 58.axb5 Kxb5 draws.

56...axb5 57.axb5 Kxb5 ½-½

[Jack Rabbit]

13. Finegold - Antal, Group B, Round 6

America's newest grandmaster, Ben Finegold
Photo: ChessBase.com


Ben Finegold - Gergely Antal
SPICE Cup (B Group), Round 6
Texas Tech University, 24 September 2009

Queen's Pawn Game: Torre Opening

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bg5 d5

• The Torre Opening is among the Queen's Pawn Games in which White refrains from an early c2c4. Other such moves are the Colle Opening (3.e3) and the London Opening (3.Bf4)
• The fianchetto of the Black's King's Bishop is unusual in the Torre Opening. The move 3...Bg7 is seen more frequently and would be more consistant.

4.Bxf6 exf6 5.e3 Be6!?

• This position has never been reached before.

6.Nbd2 f5

• Black wants to create a bind to discourage e3e4.

7.c4

• This move could not have been delayed much further. It's the best way to break the bind.

7...c6 8.Qb3 Qb6 9.Qxb6 axb6

• White has the advantage in space an better pawn structure.

10.cxd5 Bxd5

BLACK: Gergely Antal
!""""""""#
$tM +lV T%
$+o+ +o+o%
$ Oo+ +o+%
$+ +v+ + %
$ + P + +%
$+ + Pn+ %
$pP N PpP%
$R + Kb+r%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Ben Finegold
Position after 10...Be6d5:p

11.Bc4

• 11.a3 is also playable and would preserve White's good Bishop.
• 11.a3 b5 12.Be2 Bg7 13.0-0 0-0 14.Bd3 Re8 is equal.

11...Bxc4 12.Nxc4 b5 13.Nce5 f6

• 13...Nd7 14.Ke2 Bg7 15.Rhd1 Nxe5 16.Nxe5 Ke7 17.Nd3 gives White better pawn structure and Black more freedom.

14.Nd3 Nd7 15.h3 Bd6 16.g4

• The game is equal.
• If 16.Ke2 Ke7 17.a3 then:
• 17...Rhe8 18.Rac1 h6 19.h4 h5 20.Rhd1 Nb6 21.Rc2 is also equal.
• 17...h6!? 18.Rhc1 Rhg8 19.h4 h5 20.Rc2 b4 21.a4 gives White more pawn mobility.

16...fxg4 17.hxg4 Kf7

• 17...h5 18.Ke2 Nb6 19.gxh5 gxh5 20.e4 Nc4 21.b3 remains equal.

18.g5

• 18.Ke2 b4 19.Nd2 h5 20.gxh5 gxh5 21.Rh3 gives White a better center.

18...c5 19.dxc5 Nxc5 20.Nxc5 Bxc5 21.0-0-0!?

The game remains equal. The text move is an attempt to entice White into a time-wasting maneuver.

21.gxf6 Kxf6 22.Ke2 h5 23.e4 Bd6 24.a3 remains equal.

BLACK: Gergely Antal
!""""""""#
$t+ + + T%
$+o+ +l+o%
$ + + Oo+%
$+oV + P %
$ + + + +%
$+ + Pn+ %
$pP + P +%
$+ Kr+ +r%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Ben Finegold
Position after 21.0-0-0

21...Rxa2!?

• The pawn is not a terribly important one; the time it takes to take it and retreat the Rook to a less satisfactory square than a8 is more valuable.
• 21...Be7 22.gxf6 Kxf6 23.Kb1 h5 remains equal.

22.Kb1 Ra7

• This move is prophylactic against 23.Rd7+. It's still not as good a place for the Rook than a8.

23.Rd7+

• White has the more active game.

23...Be7 24.gxf6!?

• White is in a good position to attack and should use his move to do as little as possible. As in life and business, sometimes the best thing to do is nothing or as little as possible.
• Better is 24.Rc7! b4 25.Rh4 Ra5 26.Rxb4 when:
• 26...Rf5 27.Rbxb7 Re8 28.Nd4 gives White excellent winning chances.
• 26...Rxg5 27.Nxg5+ fxg5 28.Rbxb7 Re8 29.b4 h5 30.f3 leave White an exchange to the good and free to move his Rook to the Kingside.

24...Kxf6 25.Nd4

BLACK: Gergely Antal
!""""""""#
$ + + + T%
$To+rV +o%
$ + + Lo+%
$+o+ + + %
$ + N + +%
$+ + P + %
$ P + P +%
$+k+ + +r%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Ben Finegold
Position after 25.Nf3d4

25...Ra6!

• Black sacrifices his extra pawn to free his Rook.
• 25...h5 26.Nxb5 Ra5 27.Rxb7 h4 gives White an extra pawn.

26.Rh3 Kf7 27.Rxb7 b4 28.Nf3 Ke6 29.Nd4+ Kf7 30.Rh4 h5

• If 30...Rf6 then after 31.Re4 Re8 32.f4 h5 33.b3 Rd6 34.Nf3 White wins the b-pawn.

31.Nf3 Re8 32.Rhxb4 g5?

• With his pieces tied down to the defense of the King, Black does not have the resources to push his pawns.
• 32...Kf8 33.Rf4+ Bf6 34.Rc7 Re7 35.Rfc4 g5 36.Nd4 Rxc7 equalizes.
• If 33...Kg7? then White wins after 34.Kc2 Ra1 35.Ne5 Kg8 36.Nxg6 Bf8 37.Rff7.

33.Re4

• The best way to win is to dominate the center.
• If 33.Nxg5+!? Kg6 34.Re4 then:
• If 34...Kxg5! 35.Rexe7 Rxe7 36.Rxe7 then:
• If 36...h4! 37.f4+ then:
• 37...Kh5 38.Re5+ Kg4 39.Rg5+ Kf3 40.Rh5 Kg4 gives Black counterplay.
• 37...Kg4 38.Rg7+ Kf3 39.Rh7 Kg3 gives Black some counterplay with his passer.
• 36...Rh6 37.Rg7+ Rg6 38.f4+ Kh6 39.Re7 favors White, but he still has some work to do before he wins.
• If 34...Rh8 then White should win after 35.Rexe7 Kxg5 36.Rg7+ Kh6 37.Rg3.

33...Kf6

• If 33...g4 then:
• If 34.Nd4 Rf6 then:
• 35.Re5 Rxf2 36.Nc6 g3 37.Rexe7+ Rxe7 38.Rxe7+ leaves White a piece to the good.
• 35.b4 Rxf2 36.Nc6 g3 37.Rexe7+ Rxe7 38.Rxe7+ gives White an extra piece.
• 34.Ne5+ Kf6 35.Nd7+ Kf7 36.Nb6 Ra5 37.Rd7 gives White at least the exchange after 38.Nd4.

BLACK: Gergely Antal
!""""""""#
$ + +t+ +%
$+r+ V + %
$t+ + L +%
$+ + + Oo%
$ + +r+ +%
$+ + Pn+ %
$ P + P +%
$+k+ + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Ben Finegold
Position after 33...Kf7f6

34.Rb5!

• White wins at least another pawn.

34...Rg8

• 34...g4 35.Nd4 Kg6 36.Rbe5 Ra7 37.Nc6! wins a piece for White.

35.Ree5

• 35.Nxg5!? Rxg5 36.Rxg5 Kxg5 37.Rxe7 h4! 38.f4+ Kh5 gives Black opportunities for counterplay.

35...g4 36.Nh4 Rd6

• If 36...Rh8 37.Rxh5 Rxh5 38.Rxh5 then:
• 38...Ke6 39.Ng6 Ra4 40.Nxe7 Kxe7 41.Rh4 gives White a winning advantage.
• 38...Ra4 39.b3 Re4 40.Kc2 Bd8 41.Kd3 gives White the initiative.

37.Rxh5 Rd1+ 38.Ka2

• Also good is 38.Kc2 Rd6 39.Rh6+ Kf7 40.Rxd6 Bxd6 41.Nf5.

38...Rf1 39.Rb6+ Kf7 40.Rh7+ Rg7 41.Rxg7+ Kxg7 42.Nf5+

• Akso good is 42.Rb7 Kf6 43.Nf5 Kxf5 44.Rxe7 Kg6 45.Re4.

42...Kf7 43.Nxe7 Kxe7 44.Rb4 Rg1

• Black must hang on to the pawn long for now if he is to have any hope at all.

45.Rd4

• White cuts off the enemy King from the most remote pawn.

45...Kf6 46.b4 Rg2 47.Kb3 Ke5 48.Rd2

• 48.Kc4 Rxf2 49.Rxg4 Rc2+ 50.Kb5 also wins for White.

48...Ke4 49.b5

• The pawn may advance unhindered for now.

49...Kf3

• 49...g3 50.Rd4+ Kf5 51.fxg3 Rxg3 52.b6 Rg7 53.Kb4 is an easy win for White.

50.b6 Rh2

• This is now the only way to go through the motions of stopping the pawn.

51.b7 Rh8 52.Kc4 Rb8 53.Rb2 1-0

• 53...Kg2 54.Kc5 g3 55.fxg3+ Kf3 56.Kc6 Kxe3 57.Rb4 wins for White.
• Antil Sahib resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

15. Bonus Game: Keres - Smyslov, Candidates' Trmt, Zürich, 1953

Vasily Vasilyevich Smyslov, 88, is the oldest living former world champion. One of the two so-called "winter champions" (Tal is the other), he held the title for one year in 1957-58.

An interesting fact about Vasily Vasilyevich is that, although already recognized as one of the strongest chess masters of his time, he did not decide on a full time career in chess until 1950 when he failed an audition for the Bolshoi Opera.



Vasily Smyslov
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Paul Keres - Vasily Smyslov
Candidates' Tournament, Round 24
Zürich, 13 October 1953

Symmetrical English Game: Queen's Indian Defense

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.e3

• 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Bb4 6.Qb3 Na6 7.e3 Ne4 8.Be2 Qa5 9.0-0 Nac5 10.Qc2 Bxc3 11.bxc3 Qxc3 12.Qxc3 Nxc3 gives Black the advantage in space (Boleslavsky-Szabo, Candidates' Trmt rd 29, Zürich, 1953).

4...Be7 5.b3

• 5.d4 d5 6.a3 0-0 7.cxd5 exd5 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.Be2 Nc6 10.0-0 Be6 11.b4 Bb6 12.Bb2 Qe7 13.Na4 Bc7 14.Nc5 Ne4 15.Nxb7 Bb6 16.Nc5 Nxc5 17.bxc5 Bxc5 18.Qd2 f6 19.Rfc1 gives White the advantage in space (Dr. Alekhine-Lupi, Match, Gijon, 1945).

5...0-0

• 5...b6 6.Bb2 Bb7 7.Rc1 Bxf3 8.Qxf3 Nc6 9.Qe2 0-0 10.g3 d5 11.Bg2 Rc8 12.cxd5 exd5 is equal (Franklin-Roberts, California Chess Congress, San Francisco, 1858).

6.Bb2 b6 7.d4

• 7.g3 Bb7 8.Bg2 then:
• 8...d5 9.0-0 Nbd7 10.Qe2 Rc8 11.Rad1 Qc7 12.d3 e5 13.Nh4 dxc4 14.Nf5 Rce8 15.Nb5 Qb8 16.Bxb7 Qxb7 17.Nbd6 cxd3 18.Rxd3 gives White the initiative (Bisguer-deFirmian, Op, Lone Pine, 1981).
• 8...a6 9.0-0 Qc7 10.Qc2 d6 11.Rad1 Nbd7 12.d4 Rac8 13.Nh4 Bxg2 14.Nxg2 e5 is equal (Hinds-Nolan, Trmt, Cork, 1974).

7...cxd4 8.exd4 d5 9.Bd3 Nc6 10.0-0 Bb7

• If 10...Ba6 11.Re1 dxc4 12.bxc4 Rc8 then:
• If 13.Qa4 Nb4 14.Bf1 Qe8 15.Qb3 Nc6 then:
• 16.Nb5 Na5 17.Qa4 Bxb5 18.cxb5 Nd5 19.Rac1 Rxc1 20.Rxc1 a6 21.Ne5 Bd6 22.Nc6 axb5 23.Bxb5 Qa8 24.Nxa5 bxa5 is equal (Grünfeld-Dr. Alekhine, IT, Bad Pistyan, 1922).
• 16.Qa4 Na5 17.Nb5 Bxb5 18.cxb5 a6 19.Rac1 Rxc1 20.Rxc1 Nd5 21.Ne5 Bd6 is equal (Lange-Gilg, German Ch, Bad Oeynhausen, 1939).
• 13.Nb5 Bxb5 14.cxb5 Nb4 15.Ne5 Nd7 16.Re3 Nxd3 17.Rxd3 Nxe5 18.dxe5 gives White the initiative (Dr. Alekhine-Levenfish, Ol, Moscow, 1920).

11.Rc1 Rc8 12.Re1!?

• This was a novelty when the game was played.
• 12.Qe2 dxc4 then:
• 13.bxc4 Nb4 14.Bb1 Bxf3 15.gxf3 Re8 16.Ne4 Nc6 17.Rfd1 Nxe4 18.Qxe4 g6 19.d5 exd5 20.cxd5 Bd6 21.Qg4 Ne5 22.Rxc8 Qxc8 23.Qxc8 Rxc8 draw (Filip-Golombek, Ol, Helsinki, 1952).
• 13.Bxc4 Nb4 14.Ne5 Nbd5 15.Nxd5 Nxd5 16.f4 Bd6 17.f5 exf5 18.Rxf5 b5 19.Nxf7 Bxh2+ 20.Kxh2 Qh4+ 21.Kg1 bxc4 22.Qe6 Qe7 23.Nd8+ Qxe6 24.Rxf8+ Kxf8 25.Nxe6+ Kf7 26.Nc5 cxb3 27.Rf1+ Kg6 draw (Konstaninopolsky-Alatortsev, Soviet YM, Leningrad, 1936).

12...Nb4

• 12...Re8 13.Ne5 dxc4 14.Nxc6 Bxc6 15.bxc4 Qd7 16.Re3 g6 is equal (Keres-Darga, IT, Bled, 1961).

13.Bf1 Ne4 14.a3

• 14.Nxe4 dxe4 15.Nd2 f5 16.a3 Na6 17.b4 Nc7 18.c5 Bd5 19.Nc4 gives White the advantage in space (Ju. Bolbochán-Baufmeister, Ol, Varna, 1962).

14...Nxc3 15.Rxc3 Nc6 16.Ne5

• 16.cxd5 Qxd5 17.Bc4 Qh5 18.Qb1 b5 19.Bf1 b4 wins a pawn for Black (Kveinys-Lugovoi, Keres Mem Op, Tallinn, 2001).

16...Nxe5 17.Rxe5!?

• White is playing for a win.
• If 17.dxe5 dxc4 18.Bxc4 then:
• 18...Qxd1 19.Rxd1 Rfd8 20.Rxd8+ Rxd8 21.Rd3 Rxd3 22.Bxd3 h6 23.b4 Kf8 24.f3 Ke8 is drawish (Kekki- Nokso-Koivisto, Finnish ChT, Finland, 2000).
• 18...b5 19.Bxb5 Rxc3 20.Bxc3 Bxa3 is equal.

17...Bf6 18.Rh5 g6 19.Rch3?

• This move is clever, but bad.
• 19.Qg4 dxc4 20.Rxc4 Qd6 21.Rh3 Rfd8 leaves Black better, but White has counterplay.

BLACK: Vasily Smyslov
!""""""""#
$ +tW Tl+%
$Ov+ +O+o%
$ O +oVo+%
$+ +o+ +r%
$ +pP + +%
$Pp+ + +r%
$ B + OoO%
$+ +q+bK %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Paul Keres
Position after 19.Rc3h3

19...dxc4!!

• "Coolly and correctly played" (Sir Harry Golombek, Encylopeadia Brittannica).
• 19...gxh5? 20.Qxh5 Re8 gives White a choice of two winning lines::
• 21.Qxh7+ Kf8 22.Bc3 a5 23.Rf3 dxc4 24.d5 e5 25.bxc4.
• 21.Rg3+ Bg7 22.Qh6 Kf8 23.Rxg7 Ke7 24.Qh4+ Kf8 25.Qxh7.

20.Rxh7

• 20.Rh6 cxb3 21.Qxb3 Bxd4 22.Qb4 Bf6 23.Rxh7 e5 still leaves Black a pawn to the good.

20...c3! 21.Qc1 Qxd4

• 21...cxb2? 22.Qh6 Qxd4 23.Rh8+ Bxh8 24.Qh7#.

22.Qh6 Rfd8 23.Bc1 Bg7 24.Qg5 Qf6 25.Qg4

• 25.Rxg7+ Qxg7 26.Qe7 Ba6 27.Bxa6 Rd1+ 28.Bf1 Qd4 wins for Black.

25...c2 26.Be2

• White must guard against ...Rd1.

26...Rd4!

• Black forces open the diagonal leading to the White King.

27.f4

BLACK: Vasily Smyslov
!""""""""#
$ +t+ +l+%
$Ov+ +oVr%
$ O +oWo+%
$+ + + + %
$ + T Pq+%
$Pp+ + +r%
$ +o+b+pP%
$+ B + K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Paul Keres
Position after 27.f2f4

27...Rd1+!!

• Black sacrifices a whole Rook to force mate.

28.Bxd1 Qd4+ 0-1

• Black soon delivers mate.
• Paul Pavlovich resigns.