The JR Chess Report (December 5): Final Four in Khanty Mansiysk

[Jack Rabbit]

World Cup Final Four Begins Tomorrow



The World Chess Cup concluded its quarter-final playoff rounds today in Khanty Mansiysk, Russia, setting the four players who go through to the semi-fianl round which begins tomorrow (Sunday).

The Final Four of Chess are:

• Boris Gelfand of Israel, who began the World Cup as the top seed and who defeated Russian GM Dmitry Jakovenko in rapid games today to advance;
• Ruslan Ponomariov (Ukraine), who also went to rapid games to vanquish Vugar Gashimov of Azerbaijan;
• Vladimir Malakhov of Russia, who upset reigning Russian national champion Peter Svidler 1½-½; and
• Sergey Karjakin, still listed as Ukrainian although his is now living in Moscow and has taken Russian citizenship, who defeated Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan, 1½-½.

Congratulations to all.

The World Cup is a bi-annual knock out tournament of seven rounds, with each round except the last consisting of two chess games under standard time control and a set of rapid and blitz playoffs if the standard games produce no winner; the final round consists of four standard games and a day of rapid and blitz playoffs, if necessary. The loser of each match is eliminated from further competition. If Linares is the Wimbledon of chess, then the World Cup is March Madness in November and December.


Young Ladies Defeat Old Men in Czech Coal Team Match



Indian grandmaster Koneru Humpy led the Snowdrops, a team of four women between the ages of 19 and 27, to victory in an eight round team over the Old Hands, a team of four veterans of world championship cycles between the ages 58 and 78, in an event completed yesterday in Marianske Lazne, Czechia.

The final score of the 32 game was Snowdrops 16½, Old Hands 15½. The match was actually not that close, as the Snowdrops had a three-point lead after five rounds and coasted the rest of the way.

In addition to Koneru Shahibah, other Snowdrops were Jana Jackova of Czechia, Anna Muzychuk of Slovenia and Katya Lahno of Ukraine, who is expecting her first child with her husband, French grandmaster Robert Fontaine, early next year.

The Old Hands were: Jan Timman, who played in candidates' matches in 1986, 1990 and 1993; Robert Hübner, who played in candidates' matches in 1971, 1980 and 1983; Vlastimil Hort, who played in a candidates' match in 1977; and Viktor Korchnoi, long considered one of the greatest maters never to be world champion, who competed in every candidates' event from 1962 to 1993 and twice (1978 and 1981) emerging to challenge the world title then held by Anatoly Karpov.



The Players in Marianske Lazne
(l/r): Katya Lahno, Jan Timman, Koneru Humpy, Viktor Korchnoi, Vlastimil Hort, Jana Jackova, Dr. Robert Hübner and Anna Muzychuk
Photo: From the official website of the Czech Coal Chess Match, 2009

Koneru Shahibah, the second strongest woman chess master of all time or currently active behind Judit Polgar, scored 5½ points for the Snowdrops. Mh. Timman was the only Old Hand to finish above 50% with 4½ points.


Calendar

This week:

World Chess Cup, Khanty Mansiysk Semi-final Round Sunday, Monday and playoff Tuesday. Final Round (4 standard time control games) Thursday thru Sunday, December 13 and any necessary playoffs Monday, December 14.

London Chess Classic 7-16 December. Adams, Carlsen, Howell, Kramnik, McShane, Nakamura, Ni Hua and Short.

European Union Championship, Alicante (Spain) 9-20 December.

Other future events:

Hastings Chess Congress 26 December 2009-5 January 2010.

Rilton Cup, Stockholm 27 December 2009-5 January 2010.

Reggio Emilia Tournament 27 December 2009-4 January 2010.

Corus Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 15-31 January 2010. Group A: Anand, Carlsen, Caruana, Dominguez, Ivanchuk, Karjakin, Kramnik, Leko, Nakamura, Shirov, Short, Smmets, Tiviakov and van Wely.

Gibraltar Chess Festival 26 January-4 February.

Moscow Open 29 January-8 February.

Aeroflot Open, Moscow 9-17 February.

European Individual Championships, Rijeka (Croatia) 5-19 March.

Anand-Topalov Match for the World Title, Sofia 23 April-10 May.


Games will be posted later today or tomorrow.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. 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
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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]

2. Third World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk

Church of the Resurrection of Christ, Khanty Mansiysk
Photo by vow for Wikipedia (Public Domain)

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Svidler - Malakhov, Round 5

The board rumbles and quakes . . .



Vladimir Malakhov
Photo: ChessBase.com


Peter Svidler - Vladimir Malakhov
World Cup, Round 5/Game 1
Khanty Mansiysk, 3 December 2009

Slav Queen's Gambit: Chameleon Opening

1.d4!?

• The puncuation is not because there's anything wrong with this move per se, but because Peter Veniaminovich seldom plays it. Building a reputation for a certain opening or kind of opening and then playing something else has the benefit of surprising one's opponent and forcing him to abandon his home preperatin, but it also has the disadvantage of playing an opening with which one is not familiar. Why Peter Veniaminovich should choose to play 1.d4 in the quarter final round of a knockout tournament is something I would very much like to hear from him.

1...d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 a6 5.e3

• For a brief survey of the Chameleon Defense, see Kazhgaleyev-Volkov, Chigorin Mem, St. Petersburg, 2009.

5...b5 6.c5 g6 7.Bd3

• If 7.Ne5 Bg7 8.Be2 Nfd7 9.f4 then:
• If 9...Nxe5 10.fxe5 f6 11.exf6 exf6 12.e4 then:
• 12...b4 13.Na4 dxe4 14.Nb6 Ra7 15.Qb3 Re7 16.Nxc8 Qxc8 17.Bf4 gives Black an extra pawn and White more space (Eljanov-I. Sokolov, IT, Sarajevo, 2009).
• 12...f5 13.exd5 Qh4+ 14.g3 Qxd4 15.Qxd4 Bxd4 16.Bf4 cxd5 17.Nxd5 Bb7 gives White a slight advantage in space (Cmilyte-Houska, OlW, Dresden, 2008).
• If 9...0-0 10.0-0 then:
• 10...f5 11.Nd3 a5 12.Bd2 Nf6 13.Be1 Nbd7 14.Bh4 Kh8 is equal (Moiseenko-Ni Hua, World ChT, Beer Shiva, 2005).
• 10...a5 11.Bf3 Nxe5 12.fxe5 f5 13.exf6 Bxf6 14.Ne2 Bg7 15.Bd2 Bf5 16.Ng3 e6 is equal (Kempinski-Rustemov, Bundesliga 0809, Berlin, 2009).

7...Bg4

• If 7...Bg7 then:
• If 8.h3 0-0 9.0-0 Nbd7 10.a3 a5 11.e4 dxe4 12.Nxe4 Nd5 13.Nc3 N7f6 14.Re1 Qc7 15.Bd2 Rd8 16.Re5 Ra6 17.Qe2 Bb7 18.Ng5 h6 is equal (Bellaiche-Benitah, Op, Guingamp, 2007).
• 8.b4 a5 9.bxa5 Nfd7 10.Bd2 e5 11.Be2 e4 12.Ng1 b4 13.Nb1 Na6 14.a3 Qxa5 15.Ra2 is equal (San Segundo-Pilaj, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).

8.h3 Bxf3 9.Qxf3!?

• 9.gxf3 Nbd7 10.f4 a5 11.f5 gxf5 12.Bxf5 e6 13.Bc2 e5 14.Qf3 Bh6 15.Bd2 exd4 16.exd4 Qe7+ 17.Be3 Bxe3 18.fxe3 0-0 19.0-0-0 Rae8 20.Rhg1+ gives White the advantage in space and a good Bishop (Ponomariov-Grischuk, Tal Mem, Moscow, 2006).

9...Bg7!?

• With the text move, White takes the advantage in space and has a good Bishop.
• Better for Black is 9...e5 when:
• 10.Qg3 Nbd7 11.0-0 Bg7 12.Rd1 0-0 13.Bc2 is equal.
• 10.dxe5!? Nfd7 11.Bc2 Bxc5! 12.Qg3 Qe7 13.e4 d4 gives Black the initiative.

10.g4!?

• White's plan is to develop on the kingside behind pawn shelter. The drawback is that White weakens his kingside to do so.
• 10.Qg3 Nbd7 11.a3 Nh5 12.Qg4 e5 13.0-0 0-0 gives White the advantage in space.

BLACK: Vladimir Malakhov
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WHITE: Peter Svidler
Position after 10.g2g4

10...e5!

• White takes the edge in space.
• 10...Nfd7 11.a4 b4 12.Ne2 e5 also gives White the edge in space.

11.Qg3 Nfd7 12.Ne2 Qe7 13.0-0 h5!

• Black goes to work on White's weakend kingside.

14.f3!

• This will give Black pause before exchanging on g4. White can now retake with the f-pawn, keeping the h-file closed to Black's Rook and opening the f-file to his own.
• 14.gxh5!? Rxh5! 15.f4 e4 16.Bc2 a5 maintains Black's advantage in space with good winning chances.

14...Nf8 15.a4 b4 16.Bd2 a5 17.e4 dxe4

• If 17...exd4!? 18.exd5 then:
• 18...hxg4 19.Rae1 Be5 20.Bf4 Rxh3 gives Black an extra pawn.
• 18...Qxc5? 19.dxc6! Be5 20.Rac1 Bxg3 21.Rxc5 suddenly gives White the more active game.

18.Bxe4 Ne6

• 18...exd4 19.g5 Ne6 20.Rae1 0-0 21.f4 Nxc5 gives Black two extra pawns and maintains the initiative.

19.Rae1 h4!?

• Rather than closing the kingside, Black should keep the option to open to h-file when the moment is more opportune than now.
• 19...g5 20.f4 exf4 21.Qd3 hxg4 22.hxg4 Qd7 opens lines for Balck's heavy pieces and demands of White that he do something about his d-pawn.

20.Qf2!

• White's d-pawn is protected.

20...0-0 21.f4!?

• This will cost White a pawn or two.
• 21.Be3! f5 22.Bd3 fxg4 23.hxg4 Na6 24.f4 equalizes.

21...exd4 22.f5?

• White could not keep the pawn at c5 in any case
• 22.Nc1 Ra7 23.Nd3 Nd7 24.Bxc6 Ndxc5 25.Nxc5 Qxc5 leaves White down only one pawn instead of two.

22...Nxc5 23.Bb1 d3!

• Black sticks a bone into White's throat.

24.Nc1

• The White Knight was holding down d4. Moving it to c1 opens the floodgates for Black.
• If 24.Nf4 Qd6! 25.Qxh4 Bf6 26.g5 Bxb2 then:
• If 27.Be3 d2! then:
• 28.Rd1 Bd4 29.Bf2 Bxf2+ 30.Rxf2 Qe5 31.Rfxd2 gives Black an extra pawn.
• If 28.fxg6? fxg6 29.Bxg6 Ra7 30.Rd1 Bd4 then:
• 31.Bxd4 Qxd4+ 32.Rf2 Nxa4 33.Rdxd2 Qe3 is an easy win for Black.
• If 31.Qg3 then after 31...Re7 32.Bxd4 Qxd4+ Black threatens to win material.
• 27.Rf3 Nbd7 28.Nxd3 Qd4+! 29.Qxd4 Bxd4+ 30.Kg2 Nxa4 Black is still two pawns to the good.
• If 24.f6 Qxf6 25.Qxf6 Bxf6 26.Rxf6 Ne4 then:
• 27.Rf4 Nxd2 28.Bxd3 Rd8 29.Nc1 Ra7 leaves Black two pawns to the good.
• 27.Rf3 Nxd2 28.Rxd3 Nxb1 29.Rxb1 leaves Black two pawns to the good.

BLACK: Vladimir Malakhov
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WHITE: Peter Svidler
Position after 24.Ne2c1

24...Qd6!

• Black plays the optimum move that gives him the most options.

25.Ba2

• If 25.f6! then:
• If 25...Bxf6! 26.Qxf6 Qg3+ 27.Kh1 Qxh3+ 28.Kg1 then:
• 28...Qxg4+! 29.Kh2 Qg3+ 30.Kh1 Nbd7 31.Qxc6 Rae8 gives Black the material edge.
• White still has winning chances and should eschew the draw by perpetual check: 28...Qg3+ 29.Kh1 Qh3+ etc.
• 25...Bh8!? 26.Bf4! Qd8 27.Qxc5 d2 28.Bxd2 Qxd2 29.Nd3 is equal.

25...Bd4 26.Be3 Ne4 27.Qxh4

• If 27.Qh2 Qc5 28.Qf4 d2 then:
• 29.Nd3 dxe1Q 30.Rxe1 Qd6 31.Qxe4 Qg3+ gives Black a prohibitive material advantage.
• 29.Nb3 dxe1Q 30.Rxe1 Bxe3+ 31.Rxe3 Qc2 32.Rxe4 Qxb2 leaves Black up by the equivalent of four pawns.

27...g5 28.Qh5 d2 29.f6

• If 29.Qg6+ Qxg6 30.fxg6 dxe1Q 31.Bxf7+ Rxf7 32.gxf7+ Kf8 33.Rxe1 Bxb2 gives Black an extra piece.
• 31.gxf7+ Kh7 32.Rxe1 Bxe3+ 33.Rxe3 Nc5 34.Re8 Nbd7 leaves Black with an extra Rook.

29...Qxf6 30.Bxd4 Qxd4+ 31.Kg2

• If 31.Kh2 then:
• 31...Qd6+ 32.Kg1 Qg3+ 33.Kh1 Nf2+ 34.Rxf2 dxe1Q+ 35.Rf1 Qxf1#.
• If 31...Qe5+ 32.Kh1 Qf6 33.Rxf6 dxe1Q+ then:
• 34.Kg2 Qd2+ 35.Kf3 Qf2+ wins for Black.
• 34.Kh2 Qd2+ 35.Ne2 Qxe2+ 36.Kh1 Ng3+ wins the Queen.

BLACK: Vladimir Malakhov
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WHITE: Peter Svidler
Position after 31.Kg1g2

31...dxe1N+!! 0-1

• This illustrates the power of underpromotion, when less is more.
• 31...dxe1Q? loses to 32.Bxf7+! Rxf7 33.Qxf7+ Kh8 34.Qf8+ Kh7 35.Rf7+ Kg6 36.Qg8+ Kh6 37.Rh7# and the entire world would praise Peter Veniaminovich for his brilliant victory.
• However, if after the text 32.Kh2 then 32...Qxb2+ 33.Kh1 Qg2#.
• Peter Veniaminovich resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Karjakin - Mamedyarov, Round 5

Sergey Karjakin
Photo: ChessBase.com


Sergey Karjakin - Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
Third World Cup, Round 5/Game 1
Khanty Mansiysk, 3 December 2009

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Gothic Defense (Open Defense)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4

• This defense to the Spanish has been favored by Dr. Tarrasch, Rubinstein, Dr. Euwe and in more recent times Viktor Korchnoi.
• For a survey, see Grandelius-I. Sokolov, IT, Malmø, 2009.

6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.Nbd2 Nc5 10.c3 Be7

• If 10...Bg4 11.Bc2 then:
• If 11...Ne6 12.Re1 Bc5 13.Nf1 Bh5 14.Ng3 Bg6 15.h4 then:
• 15...Ne7 (
• If 15...d4 then:
• 16.Bg5 Qd7 17.cxd4 Ncxd4 18.Nxd4 Qxd4 19.Be3 Qxd1 20.Bxd1 0-0 21.h5 Bd3 22.Bxc5 Nxc5 23.Rc1 gives White the more active game (Karjakin-G. Flear, IT, Hastings, 2002-03).
**16.h5 Bxc2 17.Qxc2 h6 18.Be3 Bxe3 19.Rxe3 0-0 is equal (Grandelius-I. Sokolov, IT, Malmø, 2009).
• 16.Bb3 dxc3 17.bxc3 Qxd1 18.Rxd1 h6 19.h5 Bh7 20.a4 0-0 21.Bd5 Rad8 22.axb5 Ne7 23.Bb3 Rxd1+ 24.Bxd1 axb5 is equal (Jakovenko-I. Sokolov, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 3005).
• If 11...Be7 12.Re1 then:
• If 12...Qd7 13.Nf1 Rd8 14.Ne3 Bh5 then:
• If 15.b4 Ne6 16.g4 Bg6 17.Nf5 0-0 18.a4 Rfe8 19.axb5 axb5 20.Bd3 Rb8 21.Qe2 Ncd8 then:
• 22.Ra7 d4 23.cxd4 Bxf5 24.gxf5 Nxd4 25.Nxd4 Qxd4 26.Rxc7 gives White the advantage in space (Shabalov-Sorin, Op, Beil, 1992).
• If 22.Ra5 then:
• 22...c6 23.Be3 Bf8 24.Rea1 Nc7 25.h3 Nde6 26.Qa2 c5 27.bxc5 Nxc5 is equal (Costantini-Naumkin, Op, Estensi, 2001).
• 22...d4 23.Rd1 c6 24.N3xd4 Bg5 25.Nxe6 Nxe6 26.Bc4 Qc7 27.Bxe6 Bxc1 28.Rd7 Qb6 29.Bxf7+ Bxf7 30.Raa7 Ra8 31.Rxa8 Rxa8 32.e6 Black resigns (Khalifman-Marin, Ol, Istanbul, 2000).
• 15.Nf5 0-0 16.Nxe7+ Nxe7 17.Be3 Na4 18.Qd3 Ng6 19.e6 fxe6 20.Ne5 Nxb2 21.Nxd7 Nxd3 22.Nxf8 Nxe1 23.Bxg6 Bxg6 24.Nxg6 Nc2 Black will come out an exchange to the good (Marjanovic-Korchnoi, IT, Belgrade, 1987).
• If 12...0-0 then:
• If 13.Nb3 Ne6 14.Qd3 g6 15.Bh6 Re8 16.Rad1 Bf5 17.Qd2 Bxc2 18.Qxc2 Qd7 then:
• 19.Rd3 Rad8 20.h3 Bf8 21.Qd2 gives White a small advantage in space (Geller-Unzicker, Bad Worishofen, 1992).
• 13.Nf1 Re8 14.h3 Bh5 15.Ng3 Bg6 16.Nf5 then:
• 16...Ne4 17.Nxe7+ Rxe7 18.Bf4 Qd7 19.Nh4 Nc5 20.Nxg6 hxg6 21.Be3 Ne6 22.f4 d4 23.Be4 Rd8 24.Bc1 is equal (Timman-van den Doel, Dutch Ch, Rotterdam, 1997).
• 19.Qd3 Rad8 20.Rd2 Na7 21.Red1 c6 22.h4 is equal (Zlatdinov-Mikhalevski, IT. Caerleon, 2005).
• 16...Bf8 17.Bf4 Qd7 18.N3h4 Rad8 19.Nxg6 hxg6 20.Nd4 Nxd4 21.cxd4 Ne6 22.Bg3 c5 23.dxc5 Bxc5 24.Bd3 draw (Svidler-Jussupow, Bundesliga 0304, Germany, 2003).
• 13...Bh5 14.Ng3 Bg6 15.Be3 Qd7 16.h4 Rad8 17.h5 Bxc2 18.Qxc2 Ne6 19.Rad1 f6 20.exf6 Bxf6 21.h6 g6 22.Ne4 Qf7 23.Neg5 Bxg5 24.Nxg5 Nxg5 25.Bxg5 Rd7 26.Qe2 gives White a small advantage in space (Anand-E. Torre, Ol, Thessaloniki, 1988).
• If 10...d4 11.Bxe6 Nxe6 12.cxd4 Ncxd4 13.a4 Be7 14.Nxd4 then:
• 14...Qxd4 15.axb5 Qxe5 16.bxa6 0-0 17.Qa4 Nc5 18.Qc4 Rfb8 19.Ra5 Qd6 20.Ne4 Nxe4 21.Qxe4 Qb4 22.Qxb4 Bxb4 23.Ra4 Rb6 24.a7 Bc5 25.Rd1 h6 26.b4 Rxb4 27.Rxb4 Bxb4 28.Be3 Kf8 29.Rb1 Black resigns (Topalov-Korchnoi, IT, Madrid, 1996).
• 14...Nxd4 15.Ne4 0-0 16.axb5 Nxb5 17.Be3 Qc8 18.Qc2 Qe6 19.f4 Rad8 20.Ra4 Rd7 21.Rfa1 Qd5 22.h3 f6 23.exf6 Bxf6 24.Nxf6+ Rxf6 25.Rxa6 Rxa6 26.Rxa6 Nd4 27.Qa4 gives White a huge lead in space (Adams-Jussupow, Op, Hastings, 1989).

11.Bc2 d4 12.Nb3

• If 12.cxd4 Nxd4 13.Nxd4 Qxd4 14.Nf3 Qxd1 15.Rxd1 0-0 then:
• If 16.Nd4 Rfd8 17.Be3 Bd5 18.Nf5 Bf8 19.Bg5 Rd7 20.Ne7+ Bxe7 21.Bxe7 then:
• 21...Rxe7 22.Rxd5 Ne6 23.g3 g6 24.f4 gives White the advantage in space (Shirov-Ivanchuk, IT, Sodia, 2009).
• 21...Ne6 22.Be4 c6 23.Bxd5 Rxd5 24.Rxd5 cxd5 is equal (Svidler-Caruana, TMatch, Amsterdam, 2009).
• If 16.Ng5 h6 17.Bh7+ Kh8 18.Nxe6 Nxe6 19.Be4 Rad8 20.Be3 Bg5 21.Bxg5 hxg5 then:
• 22.Kf1 g6 23.Rac1 Kg7 24.g3 g4 is equal (Anand-Greenfeld, IT, Haifa, 2000).
• 22.g3 Rfe8 23.Bc6 Re7 24.Rd5 Rxd5 25.Bxd5 is equal (Timofeev-Movsesian, IT, Sarajevo, 2007).

12...d3 13.Bb1

• If 13.Nxc5 dxc2 14.Qxd8+ Rxd8 15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.Be3 Rd5 then:
• 17.Rfc1 Nxe5 18.Nxe5 Rxe5 19.Rxc2 0-0 20.g3 Bf6 21.a4 Rd5 22.axb5 axb5 23.Kg2 c5 draw (Wells-Golod, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• 17.Rac1 Nxe5 18.Nxe5 Rxe5 19.Rxc2 c5 20.c4 Kd7 21.Rfc1 Rc8 is equal (Rowe-Elarbi, Ol, Calvia, 2004).

13...Nxb3 14.axb3 Bf5 15.b4

• If 15.Be3 0-0 16.Bd4 Qd5 17.Re1 then:
• 17...d2 18.Re2 Bxb1 19.Rxb1 Nxd4 20.Nxd4 Bg5 is equal (Stellwagen-Svetushkin, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• 17...Rfd8 18.Re3 Nxd4 19.cxd4 c5 20.Bxd3 cxd4 is equal (Svidler-Motylev, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2004).

15...0-0 16.Re1 Qd5 17.h3!?

• 17.Be3 Rfd8 18.Ba2 Qd7 19.Nd4 Nxd4 20.Bxd4 Bxb4 21.e6 Bxe6 22.Rxe6 fxe6 23.Qg4 Kh8 24.Bxe6 Qe7 25.cxb4 Rxd4 draw (Robson-S. Ernst, Op, Hoogeveen, 2008).

17...Rfd8

• The game is equal.

18.g4!?

• This is probably part of Karjakin's home preparation. There are safer, quieter lines, but they will probably end in a draw.
• Safer is 18.Ba2 Qd7 19.Ng5 when:
• 19...Bxg5 20.Bxg5 Re8 21.Qf3 h6 22.Bd2 Be6 23.Bb1 remains equal.
• 19...d2? 20.Bxd2 Nxe5 21.Rxe5 Bxg5 22.Rd5! Qe7 23.Qf3 gives White the initiative.

BLACK: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
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WHITE: Sergey Karjakin
Position after 18.g2g4

18...Be6!?

• Black fails to find the best re
• 18...Bg6 (the Bishop remains in communication with the d-pawn) 19.Ba2 Qd7 20.Bf4 Rf8 21.e6 Qd8 remains equal.

19.Re3!

• White takes aim at the advanced passer.

19...h5

• Black can do nothing to save the pawn at d3.

20.Qxd3 Qxd3 21.Bxd3 hxg4 22.hxg4 Bd5

• If 22...Bxg4 23.Be4 Bd7 24.Re1 then:
• If 24...a5 25.Rd1 then:
• 25...Ra6 26.Rd5 f6 27.Bd3 Nxe5 28.Nxe5 fxe5 29.bxa5 leaves White standing quite a bit better.
• 25...Be8? 26.Rxd8! Rxd8 27.bxa5 Nb8 28.Be3 gives White an extra pawn, a remote passer and centralized pieces.
• 24...Kf8 25.Bf4 Ra7 26.Be3 Raa8 27.Red1 Ke8 28.Kg2 opens the back rank for the Rooks to transfer to the h-file.

23.Bc2 Bxf3 24.Rxf3 Nxe5 25.Rh3 g6

• If 25...Nxg4!? then 26.Bh7+! Kf8 27.Be4! (White threatens 28.Rh8#) 27...Kg8 28.Bxa8 Rxa8 29.Bf4 leaves White an exchange to the good.

26.g5 Re8 27.Bf4 Bf8 28.Re3

• If 28.Be4 then:
• If 28...c6 then after 29.Kf1 Re7 30.Bxe5 Rxe5 31.Bxc6 White wins a pawn.
• If 28...Rad8 29.Rxa6 Bd6 30.Ra7 c5 31.Bd5 then:
• 31...Bb8 32.Bxe5 Rxe5 33.Bxf7+ leaves White two pawns up.
• 31...Rc8? 32.Bxe5 Rxe5 33.Bxf7+ leaves White two pawns to the good.

28...Bd6 29.Bb3 Nc4

• If 29...Kg7 30.Bd5 then:
• 30...Rad8 31.Rxa6 f6 32.gxf6+ Kxf6 33.Bg3 g5 34.b3 givwes White an extra pawn and more freedom.
• 30...Rac8 31.Rxa6 f6 32.Ra7 Rcd8 33.Ra5 Bxb4 34.Rxb5 gives White an extra pawn and a strong initiative.

30.Bxc4 Bxf4 31.Rf3

BLACK: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
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WHITE: Sergey Karjakin
Position after 31.Re3f3

31...Bh2+!?

• Black wants to avoid a configuration where White's Rook is at f4 aiming at a weak Black pawn at c4, but he can't.
• If 31...bxc4!? 32.Rxf4 Re5 then:
• 33.Rxc4! Rxg5+ 34.Kf1 Rh5 35.Ra5 Rxa5 36.bxa5 gives White the active game.
• 33.Ra5!? Rxa5! 34.bxa5 Rb8 35.Rf6 Rb5 36.Rxa6 Rxg5+ is equal.

32.Kxh2 bxc4 33.Rf4

• If 33.Ra5 Re2 34.Rf4 Rxb2 35.Rxc4 Rxf2+ 36.Kg3 then:
• 36...Rf1 37.Rxc7 Kg7 38.b5 leaves Black with a clear advantage.
• If 36...Re2 37.Rxc7 then:
• 37...Re3+ 38.Kf2 Re6 39.b5 Rae8 40.Rxa6 Re2+ 41.Kf3 R2e3+ 42.Kg2 Re2+ 43.Kh3 R2e3+ draws by perpetual check.
• If 37...Rae8!? then White escapes perpetual check after 38.Rc4! R8e3+ 39.Kf4 Re6 40.Kg4 R2e3 41.Rd5 with a slight advantage.

33...Re5 34.Rxc4 Rxg5 35.Ra5 Rxa5

• 35...Rh5+ drops a pawn to 36.Rxh5 gxh5 37.Rxc7.

36.bxa5 Ra7 37.Kg3 Kf8 38.Kf4 Ke7

• 38...Rb7!? only improves White's position after 39.b4! Ke7 40.Rc6 Ra7 41.Ke5 Kd7 42.Rc5.

BLACK: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Sergey Karjakin
Position after 38...Kf8e7

39.b4!

• The text move is the best way to keep the game alive.
• If 39.Rc6 Kd7 40.Rf6 Ke7 41.Ke5 Rb7 42.Rxa6 Rxb2 43.f3 Rb5+ 44.Kd4 Rf5 45.Ke4 is drawish.
• If 41...Kf8!? then after 42.b4 Ke7 43.c4 Ra8 44.Rc6 Kd7 45.Kd5 gives Black extremely limited mobility.

39...Kd7 40.Ke5 Rb7 41.Rd4+

• Winning quicker is 41.Rf4! when:
• If 41...Ke7 42.Kd5 Ra7 43.Kc6 then:
• If 43...Ke6 44.Rd4 f5 45.Rd7 g5 46.Rxc7 then:
• 46...Rxc7+ 47.Kxc7 g4 48.b5 wins.
• If 46...Ra8 then 47.Kb7 wins the a-pawn and clears the way for White' connexcted passers.
• If 43...g5 then White wins with the same Rook manuveuer after 44.Rd4 Ke6 45.Rd7 etc.
• 41...Rb5+ 42.Kf6 Ke8 43.Kg7 c5 44.Rxf7 cxb4 45.cxb4 g5 46.Ra7 leaves White a pawn to the good.

41...Kc8 42.Kf6 Rb5 43.Rf4 Rd5

• No better is 43...Kb7 44.Kxf7 g5 45.Rf3 g4 46.Rf4 Rg5 47.Kf6.

44.Kxf7 g5 45.Rf6 Rd3

• Black can resist longer with 45...Kb7 46.Kg6 g4 47.Rf4 Rd3 48.Rxg4 Rxc3 49.Rf4, but White still has an extra pawn.

BLACK: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Sergey Karjakin
Position after 45...Rd5d3

46.c4!?

• White makes his win a little more difficult.
• 46.Rxa6! Rxc3 47.Rg6 Rf3+ then:
• 48.Rf6 Rb3 49.Kg6 g4 50.Rf4 liquidates the kingside pawns.
• 48.Ke6? Rxf2! 49.Rxg5 Kb7! 50.b5 Ra2 51.a6+ Kb6 equalizes.

46...Rd4 47.c5 Rxb4 48.c6?

• This should open the door for Black to fight back.
• Even after the better 48.Rxa6 Kb7! 49.Rg6 g4 50.Ke7 Rd4 51.a6+ Ka7 White must deal with Black's counterplay.

48...Kd8?

• Things are again set right for White. The observant reader will note that in the variations presented, Black always plays to the queenside to improve his chances.
• 48...Kb8! 49.Kg6 Ra4 50.Kxg5 Rxa5+ 51.Kg6 Rc5 gives Black some counterplay.

49.Rf5!

• Also good is 49.f3! Kc8 50.Ke7 Kb8 51.Rf8+ Ka7 52.Rc8.

49...Rb2

• 49...g4 50.Rd5+ Kc8 51.Rg5 Kb8 52.Rg8+ Ka7 53.Ke7 would make White work harder.

50.f4 Rf2 51.Rd5+ Kc8 52.Ke7 1-0

• If 52...Re2+ then after 53.Re5 Rc2 54.fxg5 Rxc6 55.Re6 the g-pawn is home free.
• Grandmaster Mamedyarov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Shirov - Svidler, Round 4

Peter Svidler
Photo: ChessBase.com


Alexey Shirov - Peter Svidler
Third World Cup, Round 4/Game 1
Khanty Mansiysk, 30 November 2009

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

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5

• For 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 c5 see Shulman-Kudrin, US Ch, Tulsa, 2008.

4...Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4

• If 7.Be3 c5 8.Qd2 Qa5 9.Nf3 0-0 10.Rc1 Nd7 11.d5 Nf6 then:
• 12.Bd3 c4 13.Bb1 Ng4 14.Bd4 e5 is equal (Sakaev-Morozevich, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2008).
• 12.c4 Qc7 13.Bd3 e5 14.Bh6 Bxh6 15.Qxh6 Ng4 16.Qd2 f5 17.0-0 Nf6 18.Qc2 f4 19.Qb2 Re8 20.Rb1 Rb8 21.Bc2 Bd7 22.Rfe1 h6 23.Qa3 a6 24.Red1 Qd6 25.Qa5 b5 26.Nd2 Rec8 draw (Kachiani-Baramidze, German Ch, Koenigshofen, 2007).

7...c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 0-0 10.0-0 Qc7

• If 10...Bg4 11.f3 Na5 then:
• 12.Bd3 cxd4 13.cxd4 Be6 14.d5 Bxa1 15.Qxa1 f6 then:
• 16.Qd4 Bf7 17.Bh6 Re8 18.Bb5 e5 19.Qf2 Re7 20.Bd3 Rc8 21.f4 Nc4 is equal (Topalov-Shirov, IT, Morelia-Linares, 2008).
• If 16.Bh6 then:
• 16...Qb6+ 17.Nd4 Bd7 18.Rb1 Qc5 19.Rc1 Qb6 20.Bxf8 Rxf8 21.h4 4 gives the advantage in space to White (Bronstein-Boleslavsky, Candidates' Trmt, Budapest, 1950).
• 16...Re8 17.Kh1 Rc8 18.Nf4 Bd7 19.e5 Nc4 20.e6 Ba4 21.Nxg6 hxg6 22.Bxg6 Ne5 23.Be4 Bc2 24.Bxc2 Rxc2 25.Qd1 Kh7 26.f4 Kxh6 27.fxe5 Qc8 28.exf6 Rg8 29.f7 is balanced and, after some more moves, the players agreed to a draw (Korotylev-Timofeev, Russian Ch Qual, Tomsk, 2004).
• 16.Rb1 Bd7 17.Bh6 Rf7 18.e5 fxe5 19.Qxe5 b5 20.Be3 Qb8 21.Qc3 Qd8 22.Qe5 Qb8 23.Qc3 Qd8 draws by repetition (Kavalek-Timman, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1978).
• If 12.Bxf7+ Rxf7 13.fxg4 Rxf1+ 14.Kxf1 cxd4 15.cxd4 e5 then:
• 16.Kg1 Rc8 17.d5 Nc4 18.Bf2 Nd6 19.Ng3 Bh6 20.h4 Bf4 21.g5 Qd7 22.Qf3 White still has the extra pawn.(Jussupow-Sutovsky, IT, Essen, 2001).
• 16.d5 Nc4 17.Bf2 Qf6 18.Kg1 Rf8 19.Qe1 Bh6 20.Ng3 Qa6 21.Kh1 Qa4 22.Qe2 b6 23.h4 Bf4 24.Nf1 Nd6 25.Re1 Rc8 26.g3 Rc2 27.Qf3 Qxa2 gives Black a huge advatage in space (K.Georgiev-Ivanchuk, IT, Reggio Emilia, 1989).
• If 10...Bd7 11.Rb1 then:
• If 11...Qc7 then:
• If 12.Bd3 Rad8 then:
• If 13.Qc1 Bc8 14.Rd1 b6 15.h3 Bb7 then:
• 16.f4 cxd4 17.cxd4 e6 18.Rb3 Qd6 19.Bb1 Ba6 20.e5 Qd7 21.Ng3 Ne7 22.Ne4 Nd5 23.Bf2 Rc8 gives Black the initiative (Aronian-Vachier Lagrave, TMatch, Paris, 2009).
• 16.dxc5 bxc5 17.Qa3 Na5 18.f3 c4 19.Bc2 Rxd1+ 20.Rxd1 Be5 21.Qc5 Nc6 22.Qxc4 wins a pawn for White (Ponomariov-Vachier Lagrave, IT, San Sebastián, 2009).
• 13.Qc2 b6 14.Rfd1 Na5 15.Qb2 c4 16.Bc2 e5 17.h3 Rfe8 18.Rd2 Bc6 19.Rbd1 Nb7 20.Qb1 Qe7 is equal (Sargissian-Vachier Lagrave, IT, Paks, 2008).
• 12.Bf4 Qc8 13.d5 Na5 14.Bd3 e5 15.Bg3 c4 16.Bc2 b6 17.f4 exf4 18.Bxf4 Qc5+ 19.Kh1 Bg4 20.h3 Bxe2 21.Qxe2 Bxc3 22.Qf3 Bg7 23.e5 c3 gives Black an extra pawn (Krush-Ushenina, ITW, Istanbul, 2008).
• 11...a6 12.dxc5 Qc7 13.Nd4 Na5 14.Bd3 Rfd8 15.Qe2 e6 16.f4 Bf8 17.f5 Bxc5 18.Qf2 exf5 19.exf5 gives White the advantage in space (Hillarp Persson-Hermansson, Swedish Ch, Gothenborg, 2006).

11.Rc1 Rd8 12.Bf4

• If 12.Qd2 Qa5 13.Rfd1 then:
• 13...Bd7 14.Bh6 cxd4 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.Qf4 Be8 17.cxd4 e5 18.dxe5 Rxd1+ 19.Rxd1 Qxe5 20.Qxe5+ draw (Polugaevsky-Vaganian, IT, Linares, 1985).
• 13...Bg4 14.f3 Ne5 15.Bd5 Rxd5 16.exd5 Nc4 17.Qd3 Nb2 18.Qb1 Nxd1 19.Qxb7 Rd8 20.Rxd1 Bc8 21.Qxe7 Bf8 22.Qf6 gives White the advantage in space (Ftacnik-Stohl, IT, Trnava, 1984).

12...Be5

• If 12...Qd7 13.d5 Na5 14.Bd3 e5 then:
• 15.Bg5 Re8 16.c4 b6 17.Qd2 Nb7 18.Bh6 f6 19.Bxg7 Qxg7 20.f4 Nd6 21.Kh1 Bd7 22.Ng1 Qh6 23.Rce1 f5 24.Qc3 fxe4 25.fxe5 exd3 26.exd6 Rxe1 27.Rxe1 d2 28.Rd1 Qf4 29.Rxd2 draw (Balashov-Ftacnik, Trnava, 1988).
• 15.Be3 Qe7 16.Qd2 b6 17.f4 c4 18.Bc2 exf4 19.Bxf4 Nc6 20.Nd4 Nxd4 21.cxd4 Ba6 22.Rf3 gives White the advantage in space (Jussupow-Kamsky, Tilburg, 1992).

13.Bg3 Bxg3 14.hxg3!?

• 14.fxg3 e6 15.Qd2 Rb8 16.Bb5 cxd4 17.cxd4 Qe5 18.Bxc6 bxc6 19.Qe3 gives White the advantage in space and, for now, a Knight that is better than Black's Bishop (Gozzoli-Krasenkow, Op, Nancy, 2009).

14...e5

• The game is equal.

15.Bd5 Be6

• 15...Bg4 is essentially the same plan for Black, but after 16.f3 Be6 17.Bxc6 bxc6 18.Qa4 cxd4 19.cxd4 White has a weakness at g3.

16.dxe5 Bxd5 17.exd5 Nxe5 18.c4 a6 19.Re1

• 19.f4 Nd7 20.Nc3 Re8 21.Re1 Rad8 22.Qb3 Nf6 remains equal.

19...b5 20.cxb5 axb5 21.Nc3 c4!?

• This is most likely a provokative move. The "right" move is to hit the White Knight on the nose.
• 21...b4 22.Ne4 Nd7 23.Qb3 Qb6 24.Re2 Ra5 remains equal.

22.Qd4?

• Black probably wasn't expecting such instant gratification when he made his last move, but all White gets with this move is a whole lot of trouble. Correct play would give White a slight plus.
• 22.Nxb5! Qb8 23.Rb1 then:
• If 23...Nd3 24.Re2 Qb6 25.Qc2 then:
• 25...Qc5 26.d6 Nb4 27.Qc3 Nxa2 28.Qb2 h6 29.Re5 gives White the more active game.
• 25...Rac8!? 26.d6! Rd7 27.a4 h6 28.Re4 Qc5 29.Rd1 gives White an extra pawn and more activity.
• If 23...Rxa2 24.Qd4 then:
• 24...f6 25.f4 Ng4 26.Qxc4 Qb6+ 27.Nd4 gives White an extra pawn.
• If 24...Nd3!? 25.Qxc4! Nxe1 26.Qxa2 then:
• 26...Nd3 27.Qc4 Ne5 28.Qc7 Qxc7 29.Nxc7 Kf8 30.Re1 gives White an extra pawn and more activity.
• 26...Qe5? 27.Qd2! Rxd5 28.Rxe1 leaves White a piece to the good.

BLACK: Peter Svidler
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Alexei Shirov
Position after 22.Qd1d4

22...Nd3!

• Black wins the exchange.

23.Ne4

• 23.Nxb5 Qa5 24.Nc3 Rac8 25.g4 Nxc1 26.Rxc1 Qa3 gives Black the material edge.

23...Qa7!

• White gets some initiative after this, but he can do little more get his Queen out of the way.
• 23...Nxe1? 24.Rxe1 f5 25.Nf6+! then:
• 25...Kf7 26.Re6 Rh8 27.d6! wins for White.
• 25...Kh8 26.Nd7+! Kg8 27.Re7 forces mate.

24.Nf6+ Kh8 25.Qh4 Kg7 26.Re3 Rd6

• 26...Nxc1 27.Rf3 h6 28.Ng4 h5 29.Ne5 Rf8 gives Black an extra Rook.

27.Rf3

• 27.Ne4 Rxd5 28.Qf6+ Kg8 29.Qc6 Rd4 30.Ra1 Qa6 gives Black an extra pawn.

27...h6 28.Ne4 Rxd5!

• Black starts harvesting material.
• Also good is 28...g5 29.Qh5 Rxd5! 30.Rb1 b4 31.Rf6 Rh8.

29.Qf6+ Kg8 30.Rc3

• Black did pretty well to excape with both his Rooks, but his game is completely lost.
• If 30.Rd1 then after 30...Nxf2 31.Rxd5 Nxe4+ 32.Qd4 Qxd4+ 33.Rxd4 f5 Black's mobile pawns will triumph.

30...Ne5 31.Rf4 Qxa2 32.Kh2

• 32.Qe7 Qa1+ 33.Kh2 Ra6 34.Qb7 Ng4+ 35.Rxg4 Rd1 is time to turn out the lights.

32...Qe2 33.Qh4 Ra6! 34.g4

• If 34.Re3 Qb2 35.Nf6+ Rxf6 36.Rxf6 Qa1 then:
• 37.Qf4 37...Rd1 38.g4 Nxg4+!! 39.Qxg4 Rh1+ 40.Kg3 Qxf6 leaves Black three pawns to the good.
• 37.g4 Nxg4+ 38.Qxg4 Qxf6 leaves Black up by three pawns.
• If 34.Qxh6 Ng4+ 35.Rxg4 Qxg4 then:
• 36.f3 Rh5+ 37.Kg1 Ra1+ 38.Kf2 Ra2+ 39.Kg1 Qxe4! leaves Black up by a Rook.
• If 36.Qh3 then White wins immediately by 36...Rh5!.

BLACK: Peter Svidler
!""""""""#
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Alexei Shirov
Position after 34.g3g4

34...g5!

• White must lose the Knight.

35.Nxg5 hxg5 36.Qxg5+ Rg6 0-1

• White cannot recover his lost piece.
• El señor Shirov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Kamsky - So, Round 3

Wesley So of the Philippines, a sixteen-year-old GM of whom much is expected, was one of the Cinderella stories in Khanty Mansiysk. Before being knocked out in the fourth round (the Sweet Sixteen), Wesley took the scalps of Vassily Ivanchuk and Gata Kamsky.



Wesley So
Photo by Reginjanice for Wikipedia (Creative Commons: Atteribution/Share Alike)


Gata Kamsky - Wesley So
Third World Cup, Round 3/Game 1
Khanty Mansiysk, 27 November 2009

Closed French Game: Steinitz Opening

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 Qb6

• If 7...cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bc5 9.Qd2 0-0 10.0-0-0 a6 then:
• If 11.h4 Nxd4 12.Bxd4 b5 then:
• If 13.Rh3 then:
• 13...b4 14.Na4 Bxd4 15.Qxd4 a5 16.Bb5 Rb8 17.Bd3 Qc7 18.h5 Qc6 19.h6 g6 20.b3 Ba6 21.f5 Rbc8 22.Rd2 Bxd3 23.Rhxd3 Qc7 24.Re2 Qd8 25.Kb2 Rc7 26.Rf3 Rc8 27.fxe6 fxe6 28.Rxf8+ Nxf8 29.Qa7 Qc7 is equal (L'Ami-Vaznonis, World Youth U16, Opressa del Mar, 2001).
• 13...Bb7 14.Kb1 Qc7 15.h5 Rac8 16.h6 g6 17.Re3 b4 18.Ne2 a5 19.Bxc5 Nxc5 20.Nd4 Ne4 is equal (H. Rudolf-Schaefer, Bundesliga, Neukoelln, 2001).
• 13.h5 b4 14.Na4 Bxd4 15.Qxd4 a5 16.Bb5 Rb8 17.Bd3 Bb7 18.h6 g6 19.f5 Bc6 20.fxe6 Qg5+ 21.Kb1 Qxe5 22.Qxe5 Nxe5 23.Nc5 fxe6 24.Rhe1 Nxd3 25.cxd3 d4 26.Nxe6 Rfe8 is equal (Dr, Nunn-Lputian, Ol. Manila, 1992).
• 11.Qf2 Bxd4 12.Bxd4 b5 13.Be3 b4 14.Na4 a5 15.h4 Ba6 16.h5 Qc7 17.h6 g6 18.Nb6 Nxb6 19.Bxb6 Qd7 20.g4 a4 21.Kb1 f6 22.exf6 Bxf1 23.Rhxf1 Rxf6 24.Qe3 Rb8 25.Bd4 Rf7 26.Be5 gives White the advantage in space (Melia-M. Socko, Euro Ch, Plovsiv, 2008).
• If 7...a6 8.a3 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Bc5 then:
• If 10.Qd2 then:
• 10...Bxd4 11.Bxd4 Nxd4 12.Qxd4 Qb6 13.Qxb6 Nxb6 14.Bd3 Bd7 15.Ne2 f6 16.Kd2 fxe5 17.fxe5 Ke7 18.Rhf1 Raf8 19.h4 Be8 20.Nf4 Rhg8 21.g3 g5 22.hxg5 Rxg5 23.Nxe6 Rxf1 24.Rxf1 Kxe6 25.Rf6+ Kxe5 26.Rxb6 Rg7 27.b3 Bg6 28.Bxg6 draw (Psakhis-Drasko, Moscow, 1988).
• 10...0-0 11.g3 Nxd4 12.Bxd4 b5 13.Bxc5 Nxc5 14.Qd4 Qc7 15.Bd3 f6 16.exf6 Rxf6 17.0-0 Bb7 18.Rae1 Raf8 19.Nd1 Nxd3 20.cxd3 Qf7 21.Ne3 a5 22.b4 axb4 23.axb4 Qg6 24.Ng2 Bc8 is equal (Kamsky-Esquivel, Cyberspace, 2006).
• 10.Be2 0-0 11.Qd2 Qc7 12.Bf3 Nxd4 13.Bxd4 is equal (Topalov-Ivanchuk, IT, Sofia, 2008).

8.a3

• If 8.Na4 Qa5+ 9.c3 then:
• If 9...cxd4 10.b4 then:
• If 10...Nxb4 11.cxb4 Bxb4+ 12.Bd2 Bxd2+ 13.Nxd2 b6 then:
• If 14.Kf2 Ba6 then:
• 15.Bxa6 Qxa6 16.Nf3 d3 17.Ne1 Qc4 18.Nxd3 Qd4+ 19.Kf1 0-0 20.g3 b5 21.Ndc5 Qxd1+ 22.Rxd1 bxa4 23.Nxd7 Rfc8 24.Rb1 Rc2 25.Rg1 Rxh2 draw (Chandler-Speelman, London, 1986).
• 15.Nf3 Rc8 16.Nxd4 0-0 17.Bxa6 Qxa6 18.Re1 Rc4 19.Nb2 Rb4 20.Qd2 Qa3 21.Nd1 Qa4 22.Ne2 Nc5 23.Kg1 Ne4 24.Qd3 Rc8 25.f5 Qa5 26.Rf1 Nc5 27.Qf3 exf5 28.Ne3 Black resigns (Timman-Akhmilovskaya, Lugano, 1983).
• 14.Bd3 Ba6 15.Nb2 Nc5 16.Bxa6 Qxa6 17.Qe2 Qa3 18.Qb5+ Ke7 19.0-0 Qe3+ 20.Rf2 Rhc8 21.Raf1 f5 22.exf6+ gxf6 23.Nd1 Qd3 24.Qb2 Nd7 25.Nf3 e5 26.fxe5 fxe5 27.Re2 Kd6 28.Nf2 Qc3 29.Qb1 d3 30.Nxd3 e4 31.Nf4 Rc5 32.Ng5 Re8 33.Rd1 Nf6 34.Nxe4+ Black resigns (Kamsky-Kraai, Foxwoods Op, Mashantucket, 2007).
• If 10...Qc7 11.Nxd4 Nxd4 12.Bxd4 then:
• 12...Nb8 13.b5 b6 14.Bd3 Nd7 15.0-0 Nc5 16.Bc2 Bd7 17.Rb1 Rc8 18.f5 Nxa4 19.fxe6 Bxe6 20.Bxa4 Bc5 21.Rf2 0-0 22.Bc2 g6 23.Qd2 Bxd4 24.cxd4 gives White a healthy advantage in space (Saravanan-Barua, Indian ChT, Nagpur, 2002).
• 12...Be7 13.Bd3 g6 14.0-0 b6 15.Rc1 0-0 16.Nb2 a5 17.c4 dxc4 18.Nxc4 Qb8 19.f5 exf5 20.Bxf5 gxf5 21.Rc3 Qb7 22.Rf4 axb4 23.Rg3+ Kh8 24.Qh5 Rxa2 25.Rxf5 Nf6 26.exf6 Rxg2+ 27.Rxg2 Black resigns (Rowson-Floor, Corus Reserve, Wijk aan Zee, 2000).
• If 9...c4 10.b4 Qc7 11.Be2 Be7 12.0-0 then:
• 12...f5 13.exf6 Nxf6 14.Ne5 0-0 15.Qc2 b6 16.Nb2 Bb7 17.Bf3 Nxe5 18.dxe5 Ne4 19.Bg4 Qc8 is equal (T. Kosintseva-M. Socko, World ChTW, Ekaterininburg, 2007).
• 12...0-0 13.g4 b5 14.Nc5 a5 15.a3 axb4 16.Nxd7 Bxd7 17.axb4 f5 18.gxf5 Rxa1 19.Qxa1 Rxf5 20.Bd1 Bd8 21.Bc2 Rf7 22.Qb2 Qc8 23.Ra1 Be8 24.Qb1 h6 25.Ra2 Rf8 26.Qf1 Ne7 27.Nh4 Nc6 28.Nf3 Ne7 29.Nh4 Nc6 30.Nf3 draw (Kuloats-Ivanchuk, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).

8...cxd4

• If 8...a6 then:
• If 9.dxc5 Bxc5 10.Na4 Qa5+ 11.b4 Qxa4 12.bxc5 then:
• If 12...0-0 13.c4 Qa5+ 14.Qd2 Rd8 15.Qxa5 Nxa5 then:
• If 16.cxd5 exd5 17.Rb1 then:
• 17...Nb8 18.Nd4 Nac6 19.Kf2 Nxd4 20.Bxd4 Bf5 21.Rb6 gives Black the advantage in space, but Black may have more freedom (And. Volokitin-Pelletier, IT, Biel, 2006).
• 17...Nf8 18.Bd3 g6 19.Kf2 Ne6 20.Rhc1 puts Black's queenside under restrain t(J. Geller-Grigoryan, World Jr Ch, Yerevan, 2006).
• 16.Nd2 Nf8 17.Rb1 Bd7 18.c6 Nxc6 19.Rxb7 Na5 20.Rb4 Nxc4 21.Bxc4 dxc4 22.Nxc4 gives White superiority on the queenside and in the center, while the kingside is even (Wang Hao-Grigoryan, World Jr Ch, Yerevan, 2006).
• 12...Qa5+ 13.Qd2 Qxd2+ 14.Kxd2 f6 15.exf6 gxf6 16.c4 Na5 17.cxd5 Nxc5 18.Bxc5 Nb3+ 19.Kc3 Nxc5 20.Bc4 Na4+ 21.Kd4 Nb6 22.Bb3 Nxd5 (Nasir Ahmed-bin Sattar, IT, Dhaka, 2007).
• If 9.Be2 Qa7 10.Qd2 cxd4 11.Nxd4 Bc5 12.0-0-0 0-0 13.Na4 Bxd4 14.Bxd4 Nxd4 15.Qxd4 b5 16.Nc3 Qc7 17.Bd3 Bb7 is equal (Domínguez-Nogueiras, Capablanca Mem, Havana, 2002).
• 16...Qxd4 17.Rxd4 gives White the advantage ins space (Marjanovic-Radjabov, Greek ChT, Halkidiki, 2002).

9.Nxd4 Bc5 10.Na4

• If 10.Ncb5 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 0-0 then:
• 12.b4 Bxd4 13.Qxd4 Qxd4 14.Nxd4 a5 15.b5 Nb6 16.Bd3 Bd7 17.g3 Rac8 18.h4 gives White a slight edge in space (Wedberg-Vallejo, Euro ChT, León, 2001).
• 12.Bxc5 Nxc5 13.Qd4 f5 14.h4 is equal (Wang Hao-Volkov, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2006).

10...Qa5+ 11.c3

• If 11.Nc3 Qb6 then:
• 12.Na4 Qa5+ 13.Nc3 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 Qb6 15.Na4 Qa5+ 16.Nc3 Qb6 17.Na4 draw (Granda-Korchnoi, ITZ, Zagreb, 1987).
• 12.Ncb5 Nxd4 13.Bxd4 0-0 14.Bxc5 Nxc5 transposes into Wang Hao-Volkov, above.

11...Bxd4 12.Bxd4 Nxd4 13.Qxd4 b6 14.Be2

• If 14.Qb4 Qxb4 15.axb4 then:
• 15...0-0 16.g3 Bb7 17.Bg2 Rfc8 gives White the edge in space, but Black is better developed (Zhang Jilin-Zhang Xiaowen, Chinese Ch, Singhua, 2009).
• 15...Bb7 16.Bb5 Ke7 17.0-0 Rhd8 is equal (Hort-Ruzele, Ol, Manila, 1992).

14...Ba6 15.Bd1 Qb5

• 15...0-0 16.b4 Qb5 17.Nb2 Qc6 18.Ba4 Bb5 19.Bxb5 Qxb5 20.c4 dxc4 21.Qxc4 Qxc4 22.Nxc4 g5 23.Rd1 Rfd8 24.g3 gxf4 25.gxf4 Nf8 26.Ke2 Ng6 27.Ke3 Rxd1 28.Rxd1 Rc8 29.Rd4 Kf8 30.Ke4 h5 31.a4 h4 draw (Alekseev-Ivanchuk, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2005).

16.b4!?

• White saddles himself with a backward pawn on the open c-file.
• 16.b3 Rc8 17.Rc1 Qa5 18.b4 Qb5 19.Nb2 Qc6 is equal.

BLACK: Wesley So
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WHITE: Gata Kamsky
Position after 16.b2b4

16...Rc8!

• Black goes to work immediately on the backward pawn.

17.Nb2 Qc6 18.Rc1 0-0 19.a4

• If 19.Ba4!? Qc7 20.Bxd7 Qxd7 21.c4 then:
• 21...Qe7 22.Kf2 dxc4 23.Nxc4 Qh4+ 24.g3 is equal.
• 21...Rfd8 22.c5 bxc5 23.bxc5 Qe7 24.Rc2 Rc6 gives Black the advantage because of the ability of the Bishop to move to c3 and shield the attack on White's c-pawn from defenders.

19...Bc4 20.Bg4 Bb3 21.0-0 Bxa4

• Black has taken a pawn.

22.f5!?

• White sacrifices the pawn (by not retaking), but does not get enough to justify his decision.
• White can win back the pawn by 22.Nxa4 Qxa4 23.Ra1 Qc2 24.Rxa7 Rc4 25.Qd1 with equality.

BLACK: Wesley So
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WHITE: Gata Kamsky
Position after 22.f7f5

22...Bb5!

• Black makes the win of the pawn permanent.

23.Rfe1

• If 23.Rfd1 a5 24.bxa5 bxa5 25.Ra1 Nc5 (Black prevents 26.Rxa5 with the tactical threat 26...Nb3!) then:
• If 26.Ra3 then after 26...Qc7 27.f6 Nd7 28.fxg7 Kxg7 29.Re1 Rg8 Black remains up by a pawn.
• 26.fxe6 Nxe6 27.Qxd5 Qb6+ 28.Kh1 Rxc3 maintains Black's extra pawn while the remote passer gives him good winning chances.

23...Rfe8 24.Re3 f6 25.fxe6

• The e-pawn becomes White's best hope of salvaging the game through counterplay.
• If 25.exf6 then after 25...e5 26.Bh5 Rf8 27.f7+ Kh8 28.Qd1 Qh6 White has the pawn back, but Black enjoys a strong initiative.

25...Nxe5

• Black will do what he can to capture the e-pawn as it will go a long ways to ending White's resistance.

26.Bf5 g6 27.Bh3 Qd6 28.Rd1 Rcd8

• If 28...Bc6 29.c4 Rcd8 then:
• If 30.c5 then after 30...bxc5 31.bxc5 Qe7 32.Nd3 Nxd3 33.Rexd3 Rb8 keeps White's passers blocked, maintains Black's extra pawn and gives Black a remote passer.
• 30.b5!? Bb7 31.cxd5 Bxd5 32.Qh4 Qe7 maintains Black's advantage of the extra pawn.

29.Rd2 Qe7

• Black is determined to restrain-block-destroy the e-pawn.
• Black wins faster after 29...Nc6 30.Qh4 Qe7 31.Qf2 f5 when:
• 32.g4 fxg4 33.Bxg4 Rf8 34.Qg3 d4 opens the center for White's heavy pieces.
• 32.Nd1 Rd6 33.g4 Qg5 34.Bg2 f4 35.Re1 Ne5 brings down the e-pawn.

30.Rf2?

• Black's f-pawn is not going to fall.
• 30.Re1 Kg7 31.Kh1 Ba6 32.Kg1 Qc7 33.Rf2 Bb5 is the line in which Black has the most difficult time making progress.

30...Nc6!

• Black plays aggressively.
• If 30...Kg7 31.Qf4 a5 32.bxa5 bxa5 then:
• 33.Rxe5 may be White's best bet to stay in the game, but after 33...fxe5 34.Qxe5+ Kh6 35.Nd1 Qg5 Black still stands better.
• 33.Qh4 Nc4 34.Nxc4 Bxc4 35.Qd4 a4 36.g4 h6 leaves White out of reserve pawn tempi.

31.Qd2 d4 32.Re4

• If 32.Re1 then after 32...dxc3 33.Qxc3! Rd4 34.Rc1 f5 35.Re1 Qxb4 Black is up by two pawns with the e-pawn still still dependent on weak defenders.

32...dxc3 33.Qxc3

BLACK: Wesley So
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WHITE: Gata Kamsky
Position after 33.Qd2c3:p

33...Rf8!!

• 33...f5 would be premature.
• 33...f5?! allows White to equalize with 34.Bxf5!! when:
• 34...Rf8 35.Bg4 Rxf2 36.Kxf2.
• 34...gxf5 35.Rxf5 Qg7 36.Qxg7+ Kxg7 37.Rxb5 Re7 is also equal.

34.g4 Rd6 35.Bg2 Ne5!

• The e-pawn is doomed.

36.g5 Rxe6 37.gxf6 Rfxf6 38.Rxf6 Qxf6

• Black is now two pawns to the good with majorities on both wings.

39.Re3

• If 39.Qb3 Qf7 40.h3 a6 41.Qg3 then:
• 41...Qe7 42.Qb3 Qf6 43.Qg3 Bc6 44.Rf4 Qe7 leaves White with no active moves.
• If 41...Qf6!? then Black still stands better after 42.Rf4! Qd8 43.Qb3 Bd7 44.Nd3 Qg5 45.Qd5 but he has to win the game all over again.

BLACK: Wesley So
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WHITE: Gata Kamsky
Position after 39.Re4e3

39...Bc6!

• With pawn majorities on both wings, the best way to win is to descend into the endgame.

40.Nd1

• If 40.Bxc6 Nxc6 41.Qc4 Qg5+ 42.Rg3 Qe5 then:
• 43.b5 Na5 44.Qa2 Qe1+ 45.Kg2 Kh8 is an easy win for Black.
• 43.Nd3 Qd4+ 44.Qxd4 Nxd4 45.Rg4 Rd6 threatens 46...Nf3+!

40...Qg5 41.Rg3

• This response is forced.
• If 41.Kf1 then 41...Qxg2+ 42.Ke1 Nf3#.

41...Qf4 42.Nf2

• If 42.Qb3 Nc4 then:
• 43.Ne3 Rxe3 44.Rxe3 Qxe3+ 45.Qxe3 Nxe3 46.Bxc6 a5 yields a remote passer to Black.
• 43.Qc3 Bxg2 44.Rxg2 b5 45.h3 Qd6 46.Nf2 Re3 is an easy win for Black.

42...Bxg2 43.Kxg2

• 43.Rxg2 Nf3+ 44.Kh1 Re1+ wins for Black.

43...Nc4 44.Qd3

• 44.Qb3 a5 45.bxa5 bxa5 46.Rg4 Ne3+ gives Black a remote passer with pieces flying off the board.

44...Ne3+ 45.Kg1 Nf5 46.Qd5

• Passive defense is even worse.
• If 46.Qd1 then 46...Nxg3 47.hxg3 Qxg3+ gives Black a material advantage equivalent to a Rook.

46...Qc1+

• Also good is 46...Kf7 47.Nd3 Qe4 48.Qxe4 Rxe4 49.Rh3 h6.

47.Nd1 Kf7 48.Rc3 Qg5+ 49.Kf2

• If 49.Rg3 Qe7 then:
• 50.Rg4 Qd6 51.Qxd6 Rxd6 52.Nf2 Rd4 53.Re4 a5 gives White a remote passed pawn regardless of whther Black exchanges Rooks or not.
• If 50.Rf3 then 50...Qxb4 51.Ne3 Qe1+! wins the house.

49...Qf4+ 50.Kg2 Qg4+ 51.Kf2 Qe2+ 52.Kg1 Qe1+ 53.Kg2 Kg7 0-1

• Black has pawn majorities on both wings.
• If 54.Nf2 then Black wins the exchange by 54...Nh4+ 55.Kg3 Qxc3+
• Mr. Kamsky resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Morozevich - Laznicka, Round 2

The other big Cinderella story in Khanty Mansiysk was Czech GM Viktor Laznicka. Often underrated, Laznicka took out Alexander Morozevich and Viorel Bologan before going down to Shakhriyar Mamedyarov in round 4.



Viktor Laznicka
Photo by Brittle heaven for Wikipedia (Creative Commons: Atteribution/Share Alike)


Alexander Morozevich - Viktor Laznicka
Third World Cup, Round 2/Game 1
Khanty Mansiysk, 24 November 2009

Open Royal Game: Classical Defense (Scotch Game)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 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.Nxc6

• If 5.Be3 Qf6 6.c3 Nge7 7.Bc4 Ne5 8.Be2 Qg6 9.0-0 d6 then:
• If 10.f4 Qxe4 11.Bf2 Bxd4 12.cxd4 N5g6 13.g3 then:
• If 13...0-0 14.Nc3 Qf5 15.d5 then:
• 15...a6 16.Re1 Kh8 17.Rc1 Bd7 18.Bf3 Rac8 is equal (Carlsen-Leko, Grand Prix, Nanjing, 2009).
• 15...Qd7 16.h4 h6 17.h5 Nh8 18.Re1 Qd8 gives Black an extra pawn. but White has more space (Brunello-Naumkin, Op, Vienna, 2006).
• 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).
• 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:
• If 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 Club Cup, 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).

5...Qf6 6.Qf3 bxc6 7.Nc3

• If 7.Nd2 d6 then:
• If 8.Qg3 Qg6 9.Nb3? Qxe4+ 10.Kd2 Bb6 11.Qxg7 Bxf2 then:
• 12.Kc3 Bh4 13.Bg5 Qg6 14.Qxg6 hxg6 15.Bxh4 Rxh4 16.g3 Rh5 17.Re1+ Be6 18.Bc4 Kd7 gives Black an extra pawn, more active pieces and better king safety (Savchenko-Sargissian, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• 12.Qxh8?? Qe3+! 13.Kd1 Qe1#.
• If 8.Nb3 Bb6 then:
• If 9.Bd3 Qxf3 10.gxf3 Ne7 11.a4 a5 12.Be3 f5 13.Bxb6 cxb6 14.Rg1 fxe4 15.fxe4 0-0 16.0-0-0 Bb7 17.Rg2 Rae8 18.Nd4 Bc8 gives White a small advantage in space, but Black's Rook at f8 is more active than White's on g2 (Radjabov-Eljanov, Ruro ChT, Antalya, 2007).
• 9.Bd2 Be6 10.Bc3 Qh6 11.Ba6 Ne7 12.a4 f5 13.a5 fxe4 14.Qxe4 Bxf2+ 15.Kxf2 Bd5 16.Qe2 0-0+ 17.Kg1 Rae8 18.Bc4 Ng6 gives Black the advantage in space (Nataf-Fressinet, French Ch, Besancon, 2006).
• 9.c4 Bd4 10.Nxd4 Qxd4 11.Bd3 Nf6 12.0-0 Ng4 13.Be2 Be6 14.Rd1 Qc5 15.b3 0-0 16.h3 Ne5 17.Qc3 Ng6 18.Be3 Qe5 19.Qxe5 dxe5 gives White a considerable advantage in space (Behmardi-Hungaski, World Jr Ch, Yerevan, 2006).

7...d6 8.Qg3 Qg6 9.Bd2 Rb8 10.Bd3!?

• 10.Bc4 Ne7 11.f3 Be6 12.Bb3 h5 13.Bxe6 fxe6 14.0-0-0 Bd4 15.Qh3 c5 16.Na4 0-0 is equal (Li Chao-Sargissian, World Cup Rd 1, Khanty Mansiysk, 2009).

10...Bd4

• The game is equal.

11.Ne2 Bxb2 12.Rb1

• 12.Qxg6 hxg6 13.Rb1 Rb6 14.Ba5 Rb7 15.0-0 Kd7 remains equal.

12...Rb6 13.0-0

• If 13.Qxg6 hxg6 14.Ba5 Rb7 then:
• 15.Bxc7! Rxc7 16.Rxb2 Nf6 17.Nd4 c5 18.Nb5 gives White a small edge in space.
• 15.Ba6!? Bc3+! 16.Nxc3 Rxb1+ 17.Nxb1 Bxa6 gives Black an extra pawn.

13...Qxg3 14.hxg3 Ne7!?

• This allows White to call the tune over the next few moves.
• 14...Ba3 15.Ba5 Rxb1 16.Rxb1 Bc5 17.Bc3 f6 remains equal.

15.Ba5!

• White seizes the initiative and should win the exchange.

15...Ba3

• 15...Be5 16.Bxb6 cxb6 17.a3 b5 18.f4 Bf6 19.c4 opens the queenside to White's advantage.

16.Nc3!?

• White seems in no hurry to take the exchange. Indeed, he has a playable game even if he never takes on b6, but, of course, he has a much more playable game if he does.
• 16.Bxb6! cxb6 17.Nd4 b5 18.Rfe1 Kd7 19.e5 opens the center for White's Rook.

16...Be6

• If 16...Rxb1 17.Rxb1 Kd7 then:
• 18.Bb4 Bxb4 19.Rxb4 c5 20.Ra4 Nc6 gives Black an extra pawn.
• 18.Rb8?! Bc5 19.Bb4 Bb6! entombs the White Rook.

17.Na4

• 17.Bxb6 cxb6 18.Rfd1 Kd7 19.Ne2 Bg4 20.f3 gives White a material advantage and keeps his center in tact.

17...Kd7!

• This puts the c-pawn behind the Rook under protection, so the Rook can break the skewer at will.

18.f4!?

• Although White now has two different ways to win the exchange, he again eschews the Rook.
• 18.Nxb6+ cxb6 19.Bb4 Bxb4 20.Rxb4 Re8 21.Rd4 gives White a good game with a material advantage equivalent to a pawn.

18...f6 19.e5?

• White has waited too long to take the Rook. This was his las chance to win the exchange with advantage.
• 19.Bxb6 axb6 20.c4 d5 21.Rfd1 d4 gives White the advantage in space, but the Knight at a4 is now awkwardly placed.
• 19.Nxb6+ axb6 20.Bc3 Bc5+ 21.Kh2 Ra8 22.Ra1 b5 White continues to enjoyt the material advantage, but Black's is better poised to action.

BLACK: Viktor Laznicka
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Alexander Morozevich
Position after 19.e4e5

19...fxe5!

• White has serval ways to get the advantage here.
• If 19...Rxb1 20.Rxb1 fxe5 21.Rb7 Bxa2 then:
• If 22.Bxc7 Ke6 23.Rxa7 Nd5 then:
• 24.Bb6 Bc1 25.Bf2 exf4 26.gxf4 Nxf4 gives Black two extra pawns.
• 24.Kf1 Rf8 25.Nb6 Nxc7 26.Rxc7 exf4 27.gxf4 Rxf4+ gives Black two extra pawns.
• If 22.Rxc7+ Ke6 23.Rxa7 then:
• 23...Bc1 24.Kf2 exf4 25.gxf4 Rf8 26.g3 Bxf4! gives Black three pawns and an active game for the Bishop.
• 23...g6 24.fxe5 dxe5 25.Be1 Rb8 gives Black an extra pawn and command of the open b-file.

20.fxe5 dxe5 21.Rbd1

• White can no longer take the Rook safely.
• If 21.Nxb6+ cxb6 22.Bc3 Bc5+ then:
• 23.Kh2 Bd4 24.Bxd4 exd4 25.Be4 Kd6 gives Black the more active game.
• 23.Kh1 Bd4 24.Bxd4 exd4 25.Rbe1 c5 gives Black strength on the queenside.

21.Bxb6 cxb6 22.Rbd1 Nd5 23.Be4 Bd6 24.c4 Ne3 wins the exchange.

21...Bd6 22.Be2

• 22.Bxb6 cxb6 23.c4 Rd8 24.Nc3 Bc5+ 25.Kh2 Kc7 gives Black a much more active game and two pawns for the exchange.

22...Bf5 23.Rd2 Rb5!

• With two extra pawns, White can afford to proffer the Rook for initiative.

24.Bxb5

And initiative is what Black gets.

24...cxb5 25.Nc5+ Kc6 26.Nb3

• 26.Nd3 Re8 27.Bc3 Nd5 28.Bb2 g6 holds the e-pawn, keeps the f-file closed to White's Rook and gives Black excellent winning shances.

BLACK: Viktor Laznicka
!""""""""#
$ + + + T%
$O O M Oo%
$ +lV + +%
$Bo+ Ov+ %
$ + + + +%
$+m+ + P %
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Alexander Morozevich
Position after 26.Nc5b3

26...Bg6!

• Black plays a very subtle move worthy of Petrosian. He sees a plan for White and regroups his pieces to prevent White from executing it.

27.Bc3

• White attacks Black's e-pawn, but it is already too late.

27...Nf5 28.Rb1

• White cannot successfully attack the e-pawn and so abandons the idea.
• If 28.Re1 then 28...Re8 29.g4 Ng3! leaves White nothing.

28...Ne3 29.a4 a6 30.axb5+ axb5 31.Re2

• 31.Re1 Nc4 32.Na5+ Nxa5 33.Bxa5 b4 immobilizes the Bishop.

31...Nc4 32.Ra1 Rb8 33.g4

• 33.Na5+ Nxa5 34.Rxa5 Rf8 35.Bb2 Rf7 36.Ra6+ Kb7 shuts down White's counterplay.

33...b4 34.Be1 Rb5

• 34...Rf8 35.Bg3 Kb5 36.Ra2 Rf7 37.Ra7 h6 leaves White nothing to attack.

35.Bg3 Rd5 36.Kh2

• 36.Kf2 Na3! 37.c3 Kb5 38.cxb4 Kxb4 bottles up White in his own territory.

BLACK: Viktor Laznicka
!""""""""#
$ + + + +%
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WHITE: Alexander Morozevich
Position after 36.Kg1h2

36...Na3!

• White can still get some play in if he can get his Rook to the back rank. That hope is dashed.

37.Rc1 Kb5 38.c3

• This allows Black to take the c-pawn and push his new c-pawn forward, winning easily.
• White could hold out longer after 38.Na1 Kc4 39.Rf1 Nb5 40.Rfe1 Nd4 41.Rf2 Ra5, but the outcome is not in doubt.

38...Ka4

• If 38...Kc4 39.Na5+ Rxa5 40.cxb4+ Kxb4 then:
• If 41.Be1+ Ka4 42.Bxa5 Kxa5 43.Kg3 then:
• 43...e4+ 44.Kf2 Ka4 45.Rb2 Be5 gives Black the initiative and the material advantage.
• 43...Nb5 44.Rb2 Kb6 45.Rb3 Bf7 46.Rbb1 Ba2 gives Black the initiative.
• 41.Rb2+ Ka4 42.Rb8 Nc2 43.Rcb1 Bd3 44.Rd1 e4 gives Black the material advantage.

39.Rb2 Nc4 40.Ra1+ Kb5 41.Rba2

• White's last few moves were forced.

BLACK: Viktor Laznicka
!""""""""#
$ + + + +%
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WHITE: Alexander Morozevich
Position after 41.Rb2a2

41...bxc3!

• See note to White's 38th move.

42.Ra8 c2 43.Nc1

• No better is 43.Rb8+ Nb6 44.Nc1 Rd1 45.Rb7 Kc4 46.Bf2 Nd5.
• 43.Rb8+ Nb6 44.Nc1 Kc4 45.Bf2 e4+ 46.Bg3 Rb5 gives Black one pawn knocking at the gate and another ready to advance.

43...Rd1 44.Ne2 Rxa1 45.Rxa1 Nd2 46.Re1 Nb3

• Black, who already has a material advantage, threatens to win the exchange for a pawn.

47.Nc3+ Kb4 0-1

• 48.Ne2 Ka3 49.Bh4 Bb4 50.Rh1 Bd3 then:
• 51.Nc1 Nxc1 52.Rxc1 Bd2 allows the pawn to queen.
• 51.Ng3 Bd2 52.Bd8 c5 53.Be7 Kb2 54.Kh3 e4 wins for Black.
• Alexander Sergeyevich resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Czech Coal Team Match, Marianske Lazne

The Singing Fountain, Marianske Lazne, Czechia
Photo by Walter J.Pilsak for Wikipedia (Creative Commons: Attribution/Share Alike)

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Koneru - Timman, Round 5

Koneru Humpy
Photo: Czech Coal Chess Match (2009)

To view this game, please click here and select game 20.

Koneru Humpy (Snowdrops) - Jan Timman (Old Hands)
Czech Coal Team Match, Round 5
Marianske Lazne, 2 December 2009

East India Game: Queen's Indian Defense (Catalan Opening)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6

• For survey of the Queen's Indian Catalan, see Wang Hao-Zhou Jianchao, Chinese Ch, Xinghua, 2009.[/li>

5.Qa4

• If 5.Nbd2 then:
• If 5...c5 then:
• If 6.e4 d6 7.Bg2 then:
• If 7...Nbd7 d6 7.Bg2 Nbd7 Rb8 8.0-0 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Bb7 10.Re1 a6 then:
• If 11.a4 Rb8 12.a5 Be7 13.axb6 Qxb6 14.N2b3 0-0 15.Na5 Ba8 16.b4 Rfc8 17.Be3 Qd8 18.b5 Ne5 19.Ndc6 Nxc6 20.Nxc6 Bxc6 21.bxc6 Rb4 22.Qe2 e5 23.Rxa6 draw (Sakaev-Anastasian, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).
• If 11.e5 Bxg2 12.exf6 then:
• If 12...Bb7 13.fxg7 Bxg7 14.Ne4 0-0 15.Nxd6 Ne5 16.Nxb7 Qxd4 17.Qxd4 Nf3+ 18.Kf1 Nxd4 19.Rd1 Rab8 20.Nd6 Rfd8 21.Ne4 f5 22.Nc3 Rdc8 is equal (Tregubov-Grooten, Op, Amsterdam, 2001).
• 12...Qxf6 13.Nxe6 fxe6 14.Kxg2 Nc5 15.Ne4 Nxe4 16.Rxe4 Be7 17.Rf4 Qe5 18.Be3 Rf8 19.Bd4 Qa5 20.Rxf8+ Bxf8 21.Qg4 (Browne-Burger, Op, Philadelphia, 1990).
• If 7...Bb7 then:
• If 8.0-0 cxd4 9.Nxd4 then:
• If 9...Qd7 10.a4 then:
• 10...Be7 11.a5 bxa5 12.Re1 Nc6 13.Nxc6 Bxc6 14.Nb3 Rb8 15.Nxa5 Ba8 16.b3 0-0 17.Ba3 e5 18.Qd3 Qe6 19.Red1 Rfd8 (Browne-Henley, Blitz Match, Parsippany, 1999).
• 10...Nc6 11.Nxc6 Bxc6 12.a5 Rb8 13.axb6 axb6 14.Re1 b5 15.cxb5 Bxb5 16.Nb1 Be7 17.Nc3 Bc6 18.e5 dxe5 19.Qxd7+ Bxd7 20.Rxe5 0-0 21.Rea5 Bb4 draw (H. Olafsson-Naiditsch, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• 9...Nbd7 10.Re1 a6 transposes to the text.
• 8.Qe2 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Nc6 10.Nxc6 Bxc6 11.b3 Be7 12.Bb2 Qd7 13.0-0 0-0 14.Rfe1 Rac8 15.Rad1 Qc7 16.Nb1 a6 17.Nc3 Qb7 18.Nd5! gives White the advantage in space (Karavade-Mohotam Asian ChW, Subic Bay, 2009).
• If 6.Bg2 Bb7 7.e4 cxd4 8.e5 then:
• If 8...Ne4 9.0-0 Nxd2 10.Bxd2 then:
• If 10...Qc7 11.Nxd4 Bxg2 12.Kxg2 Qxc4 13.Rc1 Qd5+ 14.Qf3 Qxf3+ 15.Kxf3 Na6 16.Nb5 Be7 17.Rfe1 f6 18.Bc3 fxe5 19.Bxe5 0-0+ 20.Ke2 d5 21.Rc6 Bf6 22.Bd6 Rfc8 gives Black excellent prospects (Van Gisbergen-van der Wiel, Op, Neremburg, 1994).
• 10...Bxf3 11.Qxf3 Nc6 12.Qxc6 dxc6 13.Bxc6+ Qd7 14.Bxd7+ Kxd7 15.Rfe1 a5 16.Kf1 f5 is equal (Salov-Karpov, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1993).
• 8...Ng4 9.0-0 Qc7 10.Re1 h5 11.h3 Nh6 12.Nxd4 Bxg2 13.Kxg2 Nc6 14.Nb5 Qb7 15.Ne4 Nf5 16.Qf3 a6 17.Nbd6+ Bxd6 18.Nxd6+ Nxd6 19.exd6 Na5 20.b3 Qxf3+ 21.Kxf3 Rc8 22.Be3 Rc6 is equal (M. Petursson-Ornstein, Corres, 1984).
• If 5...Bb4 6.Qc2 Bb7 7.Bg2 Be4 then:
• If 8.Qd1 0-0 9.0-0 Bxd2 10.Qxd2 then:
• If 10...a5 11.b3 d6 12.Bb2 Nbd7 13.Qc3 a4 then:
• 14.Bh3 c5 15.Rad1 Qe7 16.b4 cxb4 17.Qxb4 Bxf3 18.exf3 b5 19.d5 e5 20.cxb5 Nb6 21.Qc3 Nfxd5 22.Qc6 Rac8 23.Bxc8 Rxc8 24.Qxc8+ Nxc8 25.Rxd5 gives White two Rooks for the Queen (Eljanov-Izoria, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• 14.Rac1 Qb8 15.Bh3 b5 16.Nd2 axb3 17.axb3 bxc4 18.bxc4 Ra2 draw (Grachev-Bartel, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).
• 10...d6 11.b3 Nbd7 12.Bb2 Qe7 13.Rac1 Rfe8 14.Bh3 Bb7 15.Rfe1 h6 16.Rcd1 a5 17.Qc2 Rad8 18.e4 e5 19.Bg2 gives White a small advantage in space (Mamedyarov-Adams, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2007).
• If 8.Qb3 Bxd2+ 9.Bxd2 0-0 10.0-0 d6 11.Rfd1 Nbd7 12.Rac1 Qe7 13.Qa3 a5 14.Bh3 Rfe8 15.Be3 then:
• 15...h6 16.Nd2 Bb7 17.c5 dxc5 18.dxc5 Bd5 19.cxb6 Qxa3 20.bxa3 cxb6 gives Black better pawn structure and he threatens to win a pawn (Timman-Salov, World Cup, Rotterdam, 1989).
• 15...Bb7 16.Nh4 h6 17.f3 c5 is equal (Evdokimov-Eljanov, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).
• If 5...d5 6.Bg2 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 then:
• If 8.Ne5 Bb7 9.Qc2 c5 10.dxc5 then:
• 10...bxc5 11.Nb3 a5 12.cxd5 exd5 13.Bf4 Qb6 14.Rad1 Re8 15.Nd2 Bf8 16.e4 g5 17.exd5 gxf4 18.Ndc4 Qa6 19.gxf4 Nbd7 20.Rd3 Bg7 21.Rg3 Nf8 22.f5 Nh5 23.Rg4 Qf6 gives Black the material advantage and the more active game (Timman-Ivanchuk, IT, Tilburg, 1990).
• 10...Bxc5 11.cxd5 Bxd5 12.e4 Bb7 13.Nb3 Nbd7 14.Nxd7 Nxd7 15.Nxc5 Nxc5 16.Rd1 Qe7 17.b4 Na6 18.a3 Rac8 19.Qe2 Rfd8 20.Bb2 gives White the advantage in space (Nemet-Kunte, Op, Biel, 2001).
• If 8.b3 then:
• If 8...c5 9.Bb2 Nc6 10.Rc1 Rc8 then:
• 11.dxc5 bxc5 12.cxd5 exd5 13.Re1 Re8 14.e4 Nb4 15.e5 Nd7 16.e6 fxe6 17.Rxe6 Nf8 18.Bh3 Rc6 19.Nd4 Rb6 20.Rxb6 Qxb6 21.Nf5 Bf6 22.Qh5 g6 gives Black the advantage in space (Korobov-Iordachescu, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).
• 11.cxd5 exd5 12.Bh3 Rc7 13.dxc5 bxc5 14.Re1 d4 15.Ba3 Nd5 16.Ne4 Ncb4 17.Qd2 d3 18.Bxb4 Nxb4 19.Bf1 dxe2 20.Bxe2 Rd7 21.Qe3 Nd5 22.Qd2 Nb4 23.Qe3 Nd5 24.Qd2 draw (Lajthajm-Azorov, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).
• If 8...Bb7 9.Ne5 c5 10.dxc5 Bxc5 11.Bb2 Nc6 12.Nxc6 Bxc6 13.Rc1 Rc8 14.cxd5 Bxd5 15.e4 Bb7 16.Qe2 Nd7 17.e5 Bxg2 18.Kxg2 Be7 19.Nc4 b5 20.Nd6 Rxc1 21.Rxc1 Nxe5 22.Qxe5 Bf6 23.Qxb5 Bxb2 24.Rd1 Ba3 25.b4 Qb8 draw (Leitão-Jakovenko, World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk, 2005).

5...Bb7

• If 5...d5 6.Bg2 then:
• If 6...Bb4+ 7.Bd2 Be7 8.cxd5 exd5 9.0-0 0-0 10.Nc3 Bb7 then:
• If 11.Rc1 Na6 12.Ne5 then:
• 12...Re8 13.Bf4 h6 14.Qd3 c5 15.Qf5 cxd4 16.Nb5 Bc5 17.Nf3 Rxe2 18.Nfxd4 Rxa2 19.Be5 Ne4 20.h4 Qe7 21.Nc3 Rd2 22.Nxe4 dxe4 23.Bxe4 Bxe4 24.Qxe4 is unclear: Black has an extra pawn and White has more space (Hebden-Langeweg, Op, Benidorm, 1992).
• If 12...c5 13.Be3 Re8 then:
• 14.dxc5 Bxc5 15.Bxc5 bxc5 16.Nd3 Qe7 17.Na4 Rac8 18.Qd2 Qxe2 19.Qxe2 Rxe2 20.Naxc5 Nxc5 21.Nxc5 Ba8 22.a4 a5 23.Ne4 Rcc2 24.Bf3 Black resigns (Korchnoi-Diker, Beer Shiva, 1984).
• 14.Nd3 Qd7 15.Na4 cxd4 16.Bxd4 Ne4 17.Nf4 Bf8 18.Nc3 Rad8 19.e3 Nb4 is equal (Topalov-Kramnik, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2004).
• If 11.Qc2 Na6 then:
• 12.Rfd1 Qc8 then:
• 13.Bg5 Rd8 14.Rac1 Qe6 15.Qb2 c5 16.e3 h6 17.Bxf6 Bxf6 18.Qd2 Rac8 19.dxc5 bxc5 gives Black the advantage in space (K. Georgiev-Grooten, Op, Gibraltar, 2007).
• 13.Bf4 Rd8 14.Ng5 Qd7 15.Be5 g6 16.Bh3 Qe8 17.Qc1 c5 18.a4 Nh5 19.Ne6 Bc8 20.Nxd8 Bxh3 21.Nb7 Qc6 22.e4 dxe4 23.d5 Qxb7 24.d6 Bf8 25.Nd5 Be6 is equal (Kramnik-Ivanchuk, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2007).
• 12.Bf4 Re8 13.Rfd1 c6 14.Ne5 h6 15.a3 Nc7 16.e4 Ne6 17.Be3 Bf8 18.b4 Rc8 is equal (Grischuk-Gelfand, World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk, 2007).
• If 6...dxc4 7.Ne5 Bb4+ 8.Kf1 Bd6 9.Nxc4 Nd5 10.e4 Ne7 11.Bb2 Nbc6 12.Nbd2 then:
• If 12...e5 13.d5 Nd4 14.Nf3 c5 15.Kg1 Bxc4 16.bxc4 0-0 then:
• 17.h4 Nc8 18.Bh3 Re8 19.Kg2 Bf8 20.Rc1 Nd6 21.Re1 Rb8 is equal (Huzman-Kasparov, SX, Tel Aviv, 1998).
• 17.Bh3 Re8 18.Kg2 Nc8 19.a4 Bf8 20.Rc1 Nd6 21.Re1 g6 22.Nxd4 cxd4 23.f4 gives White the advantage in space (Devereaux-Jonsson, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• 12...0-0 13.Kg1 b5 14.Nxd6 cxd6 15.h4 Qb6 16.h5 h6 17.d5 Ne5 18.Nf1 b4 19.Bd4 Qa5 20.Ne3 Rac8 21.Rh4 Rc7 22.Qd2 Rc3 23.Bxc3 bxc3 24.Qd4 leaves White an exchange to the good (Kasparov-Gelfand, IT, Novgorod, 1997).
• If 5...Bb4+ 6.Bd2 then:
• If 6...Be7 7.Bg2 c6 then:
• If 8.Bc3 d5 then:
• If 9.Ne5 Nfd7 10.Nxd7 Nxd7 11.Nd2 0-0 12.0-0 then:
• If 12...f5 13.Rc1 then:
• If 13...Nf6 14.Bb2 then:
• 14...Bd6 15.Nf3 Qe7 16.Ne5 Rac8 17.Nd3 Rfd8 is equal (Kramnik-Anand, Amber Rapid, Nice, 2008).
• 14...Rc8 15.Rc2 c5 16.dxc5 Bxc5 17.Bxf6 Qxf6 18.cxd5 Rfd8 19.Nc4 Bb7 20.Rd2 Bb4 21.Rd3 b5 22.Ne3 gives White an extra pawn, but Black has more than enough of a space advantage to compensate for it.(Polaczek-Veenstra, cyberspace, 1999).
• 13...Rc8 14.Bb2 Bd6 15.a3 Qe7 16.Rc2 Nf6 17.Qc1 Kh8 18.e3 Ne4 19.Rd1 Bb7 20.b4 Bb8 21.Bf1 Qe8 22.a4 a6 gives Black a small edge in space (Karpov-Z. Almasi, IT, Biel, 1996).
• If 12...Rc8 13.e4 then:
• If 13...b5 14.Re1 dxe4 then:
• 15.Nxe4 bxc4 16.Qe2 Rb8 17.Bf1 Qc8 18.bxc4 Nb6 19.Nd2 Na4 20.Ba5 c5 gives Black a small advantage in space (Adams-Mamedyarov, IT, Sofia, 2007).
• 15.Bxe4 bxc4 16.bxc4 c5 17.d5 exd5 18.Bxd5 Bf6 19.Rc1 Bxc3 20.Rxc3 Nf6 21.Bf3 Rc7 22.Nb3 Qxd1 23.Rxd1 Bc8 24.Kg2 h6 25.Rd6 Be6 26.Na5 Rb8 27.Rb3 draw (Timoshenko-V. Gurevich, Op. Mainz, 1995).
• 13...c5 14.exd5 exd5 15.dxc5 dxc4 16.c6 cxb3 17.Re1 b2 18.Bxb2 Nc5 19.Nc4 Bxc4 20.Qg4 Bg5 21.Qxc4 Nd3 22.Be5 Nxe1 23.Rxe1 Bf6 24.Bxf6 Qxf6 25.c7 Qd6 gives Black the exchange, but White space advantage compensates for it.(Sasikiran-Shirov, IT, Foros, 2007).
• 12...Nf6 13.e4 b5 14.Re1 dxe4 15.Qc2 Rb8 16.Rad1 Qc8 17.Bf1 bxc4 18.bxc4 c5 19.Nxe4 cxd4 20.Nxf6+ Bxf6 21.Bxd4 Bxd4 22.Rxd4 Qc5 is equal (Kallai-Adams, French ChT, Montpellier, 2001).
• If 9.Nbd2 Nbd7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Re1 c5 12.e4 then:
• If 12...dxe4 13.Nxe4 then:
• 13...Bb7 14.Nfg5 cxd4 15.Bxd4 Qc7 16.Nxf6+ Bxf6 17.Bxb7 Qxb7 18.Ne4 Bxd4 19.Qxd4 Rad8 20.Rad1 Qa8 21.Qc3 Nb8 22.Nf6+ gxf6 23.Qxf6 Rxd1 24.Qg5+ Kh8 25.Qf6+ draw (Schandorff-B. Socko, Ol. Bled, 2002).
• 13...Nxe4 14.Rxe4 Bb7 15.Re3 Bf6 16.dxc5 Bxc3 17.Rxc3 Nxc5 18.b4 Qf6 19.Qd4 Ne4 20.Qxf6 gxf6 21.Rd3 Rfc8 22.Nd2 f5 23.Re1 Rab8 24.Nxe4 draw (Cu. Hansen-Timman, IT, Malmö, 2001).
• 12...dxc4 13.Nxc4 Bb7 14.e5 Nd5 15.Bb2 b5 16.Ne3 N7b6 17.dxc5 Bxc5 18.Nxd5 Bxd5 19.Qe2 b4 20.Rac1 Qe7 21.Rc2 Rfc8 22.Rec1 Qf8 23.Qb5 is equal (Boychev-Cordoba, World Youth, Belfort, 2005).
• If 8.0-0 d5 9.Qc2 Nbd7 10.Rd1 0-0 11.Bf4 Rc8 12.Nc3 then:
• If 12...Nh5 13.Bc1 f5 14.e3 Qe8 15.Bb2 g5 16.Ne2 Ng7 17.Ne5 h5 18.h3 Nf6 19.Nc1 Ne4 20.Ncd3 Bb7 is equal (Sakaev-Grigoriants, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2006).
• If 12...h6 then:
• 13.e4 dxc4 14.Nd2 b5 15.bxc4 bxc4 16.Na4 c5 17.d5 exd5 18.exd5 Nh5 19.Be3 Bf6 20.Rab1 Bd4 21.Ne4 Bxe3 22.fxe3 Qe7 23.Nac3 Nhf6 24.Kh1 Nxe4 25.Nxe4 Nb6 26.a4 Rfd8 is equal (Yevseev-Lugovoi, Muni Ch, St. Petersburg, 2004).
• 13...Nhf6 14.Bf4 Nh5 15.Bc1 Nhf6 16.Bf4 is a draw by repetition that has been played more than once.
• 13.h3 Nh5 14.Bc1 f5 15.a4 Bd6 16.a5 bxa5 17.Ba3 Bxa3 18.Rxa3 dxc4 19.Rda1 c5 20.Rxa5 cxd4 21.Nxd4 cxb3 22.Qxb3 Bc4 23.Qd1 gives White a modest advantage in space (Grischuk-Tomashevsky, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2007).
• If 6...Bxd2+ 7.Qxd2 c6 8.Bg2 d5 9.0-0 0-0 then:
• If 10.Ne5 Nfd7 11.Nxd7 Nxd7 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.Nc3 Nf6 14.Rac1 Qd6 15.Rc2 Rac8 16.Rfc1 Rc7 then:
• 17.Nb1 Rfc8 18.Rxc7 Rxc7 19.Rxc7 Qxc7 draw (Tal-Ivkov, Sarajevo, 1966).
• 17.Bf1 Qe7 18.e3 Bxf1 19.Kxf1 Qd7 20.a4 Rfc8 21.Nb5 Rxc2 22.Rxc2 Ne4 23.Qc1 Rxc2 24.Qxc2 g6 25.Ke2 Nd6 26.Nxd6 Qxd6 27.f4 draw (Bagirov-Razuvaev, Soviet Ch cycyle, Fruze, 1979).
• 10.Rc1 Nbd7 11.Qb2 c5 12.cxd5 exd5 13.Nc3 Re8 14.Rd1 Bb7 15.e3 Qe7 16.Rac1 Nf8 17.Nh4 Rxd8 is equal (Chernin-Razuvaev, Rapid, Tilburg, 1994).

6.Bg2 c5

• If 6...Bb4+ 7.Bd2 a5 8.0-0 0-0 9.Qc2 then:
• If 9...h6 10.Nc3 Re8 11.Rfe1 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Be4 13.Qb2 d5 14.Bf1 then:
• 14...Bxf3 15.exf3 Nbd7 16.Bd3 a4 17.Rad1 axb3 18.axb3 Ra7 19.f4 Qa8 is equal (Polugaevsky-Anand, Roquebrune, 1992).
• 14...c6 15.Nd2 Bg6 16.a3 Nbd7 17.Rac1 Rb8 18.b4 axb4 19.axb4 Qe7 is equal (Alterman-Korchnoi, Beer Shiva, 1992).
• If 9...d6 10.Nc3 Nbd7 then:
• If 11.Rfd1 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Be4 13.Qb2 c6 14.Bf1 b5 15.Nh4 d5 16.f3 Bg6 then:
• If 17.Nxg6 hxg6 18.cxb5 cxb5 19.e3 Qb6 20.Be1 Rfe8 21.Bf2 b4 22.Rac1 White is maneuvering to restrain Black's Knights and has the better game (Kempinski-Safarli, Euro Ch, Kusadasi, 2006).
• 17.Be1 Qb6 18.cxd5 cxd5 19.Rac1 Rfc8 20.e3 Ne8 21.g4 is equal (Karpov-Istratescu, Rpd Match, Bucharest, 2005).
• If 11.Rfe1 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Be4 13.Qb2 then:
• 13...a4 14.Bf1 Bb7 15.Nd2 c5 16.b4 a3 17.Qb3 cxd4 18.Bxd4 e5 is equal (Topalov-Adams, IT, Frankfurt, 2000).
• 13...Qb8 14.b4 Bxf3 15.exf3 d5 16.Rac1 c6 17.c5 Re8 is equal (Krunoslav-Polugaevsky, IZT, Zagreb, 1987).

7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.0-0 0-0 9.Nc3 Na6

• 9...Be7 10.Bf4 Na6 11.Rfd1 Nc5 12.Qc2 Qc8 transposes into the text.

10.Bf4 Be7 11.Rfd1 Nc5 12.Qc2 Qc8 13.Rd4

• If 13.Rac1 Nce4 14.Nd4 Nxc3 15.Qxc3 a6 then:
• 16.Bf3 Ra7 17.Nb3 Bxf3 18.Qxf3 Qb7 19.Qxb7 Rxb7 20.f3 Rc8 21.e4 Ne8 22.e5 f6 23.Rc2 Kf7 24.g4 fxe5 25.Bxe5 Nf6 is equal (Dr. Hübner-Adams, IT, Dortmund, 2000).
• 16.Qb3 Bxg2 17.Kxg2 Qb7+ 18.Qf3 Ra7 19.Qxb7 Rxb7 20.f3 Rc8 21.e4 d6 22.Ne2 Rc6 23.b4 h6 gives White the advantage in space (van Wely-KarpovOp Rpd, Corsica, 2003).

13...d5 14.Rc1

• If 14.cxd5 Nxd5 then:
• 15.Bg5 Bxg5 16.Nxg5 Nf6 17.Bxb7 Qxb7 18.b4 h6 19.Nf3 Ncd7 is equal (Aronian-Leko, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2006).
• 15.Nxd5 Bxd5 16.Ng5 Bxg5 17.Bxg5 Bxg2 18.Kxg2 Qb7+ 19.Kg1 draw (B. Socko-Kempinski, Najdorf Mem, Warsaw, 2008).

14...Nce4

• 14...dxc4 15.Rxc4 a5 16.Na4 Nfd7 17.Ng5 Bxg5 18.Bxb7 Qxb7 19.Nxc5 Nxc5 20.Bxg5 is equal (Mamedyarov-Leko, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2008).

15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.Ne5 Qc5!?

• 16...h6 17.Qc3 Rd8 18.Rcd1 Rxd4 19.Rxd4 Qe8 20.h3 draw (Khaliman-Leko, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2002).

BLACK: Jan Timman
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WHITE: Koneru Humpy
Position after 16...Qc8c5

17.Rcd1

• The game is equal.

17...Rfc8

• If 17...Qa5 18.Nd7 Rfd8 19.Qb1 then:
• 19...Qf5 20.Bc7 Rxd7 21.Rxd7 Nxd7 22.Rxd7 remains equal.
• If 19...Nxd7? White wins after 20.Rxd7! Qa4 21.Rxd8+ Rxd8 22.Rxd8+ Bf8 23.Bd6.

18.a3

• If 18.Nd7 Qf5 19.Qb3 Qh5 20.R4d2 then:
• 20...Qf5 21.Qb5 Qxb5 22.cxb5 Bd5 23.Bg5 Bb4 remains equal.
• 20...Bc6 21.Ne5 Bb7 22.Qa4 Bc5 23.h3 g5 24.Be3 remains equal.

18...Qa5 19.Qc1 Qa6

• 19...Rd8 20.Rxd8+ Rxd8 21.Rxd8+ Bxd8 22.Qd2 Qxd2 23.Bxd2 remains equal.

20.b4

• White grabs space an the queenside and puts Black's Queens in an embarrassing situation.

20...Qa4

• This is forced.

21.g4 a5

• If 21...Rd8 22.g5 Nh5 23.Be3 Rxd4 24.Rxd4 then:
• 24...Rd8 25.Rxd8+ Bxd8 26.Qd2 Bc7 27.Qd4 remains equal.
• 24...f6!? 25.gxf6 gxf6 26.Ng4! e5 27.Rd2 a5 28.Nh6+ gives White the more active game.

22.g5 Nd5

• If 22...Nh5 23.Be3 then:
• If 23...Rd8 24.Nd7 then:
• If 24...axb4 25.Nxb6 Qxa3 26.Nxa8 Rxd4 27.Rxd4 Qxa8 28.c5 gives White the material advantage.
• 24...Qb3 25.Nxb6 Rxd4 26.Rxd4 Re8 27.Rd7 Bc6 28.Rc7 gives White an extra pawn and the initiative.
• If 23...f6 24.Nd7 Bd8 25.c5 then:
• If 25...Qb5 26.gxf6 Nxf6 27.Qc4 Qxc4 28.Rxc4 Bd5 29.Nxf6+ is equal.
• If 25...Bd5!? 26.Bxe4! then:
• 26...Qxd7 27.Rxd5 exd5 28.Bxd5+ Kf8 29.Bxa8 gives White two extra pawns.
• 26...Bxe4 27.Rxe4 Rc6 28.Rd3 b5 29.Qd2 f5 30.Ne5 wins for White.

23.Qd2

• White keeps her queenside pawn together.
• 23.Bxe4!? axb4 24.Qd2 Bc5! 25.cxd5 Bxd4 26.Qxd4 bxa3 is equal.

BLACK: Jan Timman
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WHITE: Koneru Humpy
Position after 23.Qc1d2

23...Qxa3?!

• Black drops a piece.
• If 23...Nxf4 then after 24.Qxf4 Qe8 25.Rd7 Rd8 26.bxa5 bxa5 27.h4 White retains the advantage in space.

24.cxd5!

• White picks it up.

24...exd5

• Black gets more resistance from 24...Bxb4 25.Rxb4 Qxb4 26.dxe6 Qxd2 27.exf7+ Kf8 28.Rxd2 when White has a small material advantage of two minor pieces for a Rook.

25.bxa5!

• White is assured of keepin the material advantage.

25...bxa5?

• Black just assured that White's advantage will be a minor piece to a pawn.
• 25...Qxa5 26.Qb2 Ba3 27.Qb1 Bc5 28.R4d2 Qa4 leaves Black up by a piece against two pawns.

26.Rxd5 Bb4

• Black is lost.
• 26...f6 27.gxf6 gxf6 28.Nd7 Qb4 29.Qxb4 axb4 30.Bxe4 leaves White up by a piece.

27.Qd4 Bc3

• No matter what Black does, White hanges on to her extra piece.
• If 27...Bxd5 28.Qxd5 Ra7 29.Bxe4 then:
• If 29...Qh3 30.Nc6 Qg4+ 31.Bg3 then:
• 31...Raa8 32.Ra1 Rxc6 33.Bf3 Qe6 34.Qxc6 White still has an extra piece and the exchange of Queens is forced.
• If 31...Rxc6 then after 32.Qd8+ Bf8 33.Bxc6 White still has the extra piece and more freedom.
• If 29...Re8 then after 30.g6 hxg6 31.Nxf7 Rxf7 32.Bxg6 White wins back the Rook and remains a piece to the good.

BLACK: Jan Timman
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WHITE: Koneru Humpy
Position after 27...Bb4c3

28.Rd8+!

• White forces the exchange of all heavy pieces.

28...Rxd8 29.Qxd8+ Rxd8 30.Rxd8+ Qf8 31.Rxf8+ Kxf8

• White is permanently up by a piece.

32.Nd7+ Ke7 33.Nc5 Bd5 34.Bxe4 Bxe4 35.Nxe4 Bb2 36.Nc5 Ba3 37.Be3 1-0

• Black cannot win back his lost piece.
• Mh. Timman resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Muzychuk - Dr. Hübner, Round 4

Anna Muzychuk
Photo: Ajedrez.com (Argentina)

To view this game, please click here and select game 16.

Anna Muzychuk (Snowdrops) - Dr. Robert Hübner (Old Hands)
Czech Coal Team Match, Round 4
Marianske Lazne, 1 December 2009

Open French Game: Burn Defense

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 dxe4

• 4...Bb4 5.e5 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 h6 is the MacCutcheon Defense.

5.Nxe4 Nbd7

• If 5...Be7 6.Bxf6 then:
• If 6...gxf6 7.Nf3 then:
• If 7...a6 then:
• If 8.Bd3 f5 9.Ng3 then:
• If 9...h5 then:
• 10.h4!? c5 11.dxc5 Qa5+ 12.c3 Qxc5 13.Qd2 Qc7 14.0-0-0 Nc6 15.Rhe1 Bd7 16.Ng5 Ne5 gives White pressure up the center and more freedom (Hou Yifan-Berces, 1st Saturday, Budapest, 2008.09).
• 10.c3 h4 11.Ne2 Nc6 12.Qb3 b5 13.0-0-0 gives White a solid center focused on d4.
• If 9...c5 10.0-0 then:
• 10...h5 11.c3 h4 12.Ne2 b6 13.Nf4 Bb7 14.Re1 Qd6 15.Ne5 Nd7 16.Qe2 Nxe5 17.dxe5 Qc6 18.f3 b5 19.c4 b4 20.a3 0-0-0 21.axb4 cxb4 22.c5 Bxc5+ 23.Kh1 gives Black a slight advantage in space (Wohl=Barua, British Ch, Torquay, 2002).
• 10...cxd4 11.Nxd4 0-0 12.c3 Nc6 13.Nxc6 bxc6 14.Re1 Kh8 15.Qe2 Bd6 16.Rad1 Qc7 17.Qh5 Rg8 18.Qh4 Be5 19.Nh5 Rg4 20.Qh3 Bb7 is equal (Tseshkovsky-Jenetl, Krasnodar, 2000).
• If 8.g3 then:
• If 8...b5 9.Bg2 Bb7 10.Qe2 then:
• 10...Nd7 11.0-0 0-0 12.Rfd1 Bd5 13.c3 f5 14.Ned2 c5 15.dxc5 Nxc5 16.Nf1 Qc7 17.Rxd5 exd5 18.Ne3 Bf6 19.Nd4 Bxd4 20.cxd4 Ne4 21.Nxd5 Qd6 22.Ne3 Qf6 23.Qh5 Rad8 24.Nxf5 gives White the advantage in space (Kasparov-M. Gurevich, IT, Sarajevo, 2000).
• 10...Bd5 11.c3 0-0 12.b3 f5 13.Ned2 c5 14.dxc5 Bxc5 15.0-0 Nc6 16.c4 bxc4 17.Nxc4 Rc8 18.Rfd1 Qe7 19.Rac1 Rfd8 20.Nce5 Ba3 21.Nxc6 Rxc6 22.Rxc6 Bxc6 23.Ne5 is equal (Shomoev-Najer, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2007).
• 8...Nc6 9.Nc3 h5 10.Bg2 h4 11.0-0 hxg3 12.hxg3 e5 13.dxe5 Qxd1 14.Raxd1 fxe5 15.Nd5 Bd6 16.Ng5 Kf8 17.Nb6 cxb6 18.Rxd6 Ke7 19.Rd2 draw (Leko-Morozevich, IT, Dortmund, 2001).
• If 8.c4 f5 9.Nc3 Bf6 10.Qd2 c5 11.d5 0-0 12.0-0-0 then:
• If 12...Bg7 then:
• 13.h4 exd5 14.Nxd5 Nc6 15.h5 h6 16.Rh3 f4 17.Rh4 b5 18.Qxf4 Nd4 19.Nxd4 cxd4 20.Rd3 Qg5 21.Rg3 Qxf4+ 22.Rxf4 Kh8 23.Rgf3 gives White an extra pawn and an advantage in space (Z. Almasi-Stellwagen, Bundesliga, Germany, 2005).
• If 13.Kb1 exd5 14.Nxd5 Nc6 15.h4 b5 16.h5 h6 17.Rh3 f4 18.Qxf4 Bxh3 19.gxh3 Kh8 gives Black the material edge (Lutz-Morozevich, IT, Biel, 2003).
• If 12...e5 13.h4 b5 14.d6 then:
• 14...Nc6 15.d7 Bb7 16.Qd6 e4 17.Nd5 Bg7 18.Ng5 Nd4 19.Ne7+ Kh8 20.Rh3 f4 21.Kb1 b4 22.Be2 f3 23.gxf3 Nxe2 24.Qxc5 Nf4 25.Qf5 Ng6 26.h5 Qxe7 27.hxg6 Black resigns (Shirov-Topalov, IT, Sarajevo, 2000).
• 14...Be6 15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.Qxd5 Nd7 17.Nd2 Bg7 18.Rh3 Qf6 19.cxb5 Rab8 20.Qc6 e4 21.Rc3 Qd8 22.Rc2 axb5 23.Qc7 Qe8 24.Nb3 Qe6 25.Nxc5 Nxc5 26.Qxc5 Qxa2 27.g4 fxg4 28.Kd2 Qe6 29.Bxb5 g3 30.fxg3 e3+! Black soon wins (Belotti-Radjabov, Op, Saint Vincent, 2001).
• 7...b6 8.Bc4 Bb7 9.Qe2 c6 10.0-0-0 Qc7 11.Kb1 Nd7 12.Rhe1 0-0-0 13.Ba6 Bxa6 14.Qxa6+ Kb8 15.Qe2 Rhe8 16.c3 Bf8 17.g3 h6 18.Ned2 Bg7 19.Nc4 f5 20.a4 Nf6 21.Nfe5 Re7 22.Qc2 Ka8 23.f3 Nd5 24.Nd3 c5 25.dxc5 bxc5 26.Nf4 Nb6 is equal (Christiansen-Andersson, FIDE Knock Out, Groningen, 1997).
• If 6...Bxf6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.Qd2 0-0 9.0-0-0 b6 then:
• 10.Bc4 Bb7 11.Qf4 Bd5 12.Bxd5 exd5 13.Nxf6+ Nxf6 14.Rhe1 Ne4 15.Ne5 Qd6 16.f3 Nf6 17.Re3 Rae8 18.Rde1 Re7 19.Nd3 Qxf4 20.Nxf4 Rxe3 21.Rxe3 gives White a small advantage in space (Galkin-Heidenfeld, Op, Dubai, 2001).
• 10.Bd3 Bb7 11.Qf4 Be7 12.h4 Nf6 13.Nxf6+ Bxf6 14.Ng5 h6 15.Nh7 Re8 16.Nxf6+ Qxf6 17.Qxf6 gxf6 18.Rhe1 f5 19.Bb5 Red8 20.Re3 Rd6 21.Rc3 Rc8 22.g3 Kf8 23.b4 a6 24.Be2 Ke7 gives White a small advantage in space (Najer-Sharavdorj, Op, Philadelphia, 2006).

6.Nf3

• 6.Nxf6+ Nxf6 7.Nf3 h6 transposes to the next set of notes.

6...Be7

• If 6...h6 7.Nxf6+ Nxf6 then:
• If 8.Bh4 c5 9.Bb5+ Bd7 10.Bxd7+ Qxd7 11.Qe2 Be7 then:
• 12.0-0-0 0-0 13.dxc5 Qc6 14.Ne5 Qxc5 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.Nd7 Bxb2+ 17.Kxb2 Qb4+ 18.Kc1 Qa3+ 19.Kb1 Qb4+ 20.Kc1 Qa3+ draw (Kindermann-Psakhis, IT, Baden-Baden, 1992).
• 12.dxc5 0-0 13.0-0 Bxc5 14.Rfd1 Qc7 15.Ne5 Be7 16.Bg3 Qb6 17.Nc4 Qa6 18.Bd6 Bxd6 19.Rxd6 b6 is equal (Ivanchuk-Bareev, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2004).
• If 8.Be3 Nd5 then:
• If 9.Bd3 Nxe3 10.fxe3 Bd6 11.e4 then:
• 11...c5 12.e5 Be7 13.Qe2 Bd7 14.0-0-0 Qc7 15.Bc4 cxd4 16.Nxd4 0-0 is equal (Nisipeanu-Akopian, Euro ChT, Novi Sad, 2009).
• 11...e5 12.dxe5 Bc5 13.Bb5+ c6 14.Qxd8+ Kxd8 15.Bc4 Ke7 16.c3 Rd8 17.a4 a6 18.Ke2 gives White the advantage in space and development (Gashimov-Akopian, Op, Gibraltar, 2009).
• If 9.Bd2 c5 10.Bb5+ Bd7 then:
• 11.Qe2 Bxb5 12.Qxb5+ Qd7 13.Qxd7+ Kxd7 14.c4 Nf6 15.0-0-0 cxd4 16.Nxd4 Rc8 17.b3 Ne4 18.Be1 Ba3+ is equal (Amonatov-Khismatullin, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2008).
• 11.Bxd7+ Qxd7 12.c4 Nb6 13.Rc1 Be7 14.dxc5 Bxc5 15.b4 Be7 16.c5 Nd5 17.Ne5 Qc7 18.Qa4+ Kf8 19.Nc4 h5 20.0-0 h4 21.h3 gives White a spatial edge on the queenside (Leko-M. Gurevich, Candidates' Match, Elista, 2007).

7.Nxf6+ Bxf6


• If 7...Nxf6 8.Bd3 then:
• If 8...b6 9.Qe2 Bb7 then:
• 10.0-0-0 0-0 11.h4 Qd5 12.Kb1 Rfd8 13.c4 Qd6 14.Rhe1 h6 is equal (Bronstein-Kan, City Ch, Moscow, 1947).
• 10.0-0 0-0 transposes into Emms-Silva, below.
• If 8...0-0 then:
• If 9.Qe2 c5 10.dxc5 Qa5+ 11.c3 Qxc5 then:
• 12.0-0 Rd8 13.Rad1 Bd7 14.Ne5 Be8 15.Rfe1 Rd5 16.c4 Rdd8 17.Qf3 Rac8 18.Qh3 gives White the advantage ins space (Pillsbury-Burn, IT, Vienna, 1896).
• 12...Bd7 13.Ne5 Rad8 14.Rad1 Bc6 15.c4 Qb6 16.Qc2 h6 17.Bh4 Rd4 is equal (Schlechter-Burn, IT, Berlin, 1897).
• If 9.0-0 b6 10.Qe2 Bb7 11.Rad1 then:
• 11...Bxf3 12.Qxf3 Qd5 13.Qxd5 Nxd5 14.Bxe7 Nxe7 15.Rfe1 Rfd8 draw (Emms-Silva, ZT, Tramandai, 1978).
• 11...h6 12.Bf4 Bd6 13.Ne5 Qe7 14.Ba6 Bxa6 15.Qxa6 Nd5 16.Bg3 Bxe5 17.Bxe5 c6 18.c4 gives White the advantage ins space (Veresov-Bondarevsky, Soviet Ch ½-final, Leningrad, 1938).

8.h4

• If 8.Bxf6 Qxf6 9.Bd3 then:
• If 9...0-0 10.0-0 e5 then:
• If 11.dxe5 Nxe5 12.Nxe5 Qxe5 13.c3 Be6 14.Qc2 then:
• 14...Qh5 15.Be4 c6 16.a3 Rad8 17.Rad1 Bd5 18.Bxd5 Rxd5 19.Rxd5 Qxd5 20.Rd1 Re8 21.h3 draw (Asztalos-Dr. Vidmar, IT, Ljubljana, 1938).
• 14...h6 15.f4 Qe3+ 16.Kh1 Rad8 17.Rf3 Qb6 is equal (Tomczak-Skrzypnik, Polish ChBU18, Zakopane, 2001).
• If 11.c3 exd4 12.Nxd4 Ne5 13.Be4 c6 14.Re1 then:
• 14...Bg4!? 15.Qc2 h6 16.Re3 Bh5 17.Rae1 Bg6 18.Bf5 Bxf5 19.Nxf5 Ng6 20.Ne7+ Kh8 21.Qb3 gives White the advantage in space (Sir Geo. Thomas-B. Nielsen, Ol, Warsaw, 1935).
• 14...Re8 15.Qc2 h6 16.Re3 Bd7 17.Rae1 Rad8 18.b4 is equal.
• 9...c5 10.0-0 0-0 11.c3 cxd4 12.Nxd4 a6 13.a4 Rd8 14.Qe2 Ne5 15.Bc2 Ng6 16.f4 gives White the advantage in space (Aijala-Laiho, Op, Lahti, 2002).
• If 8.Qd2 Bxg5 9.Nxg5 Nf6 10.0-0-0 then:
• 10...0-0 11.Be2 Qd6 12.Bf3 Rb8 13.h4 Bd7 14.h5 h6 15.Ne4 Nxe4 16.Bxe4 Bc6 is equal (Kovalevskaya-Chiburdanidze, EU ChW, Batumi, 2000).
• 10...Bd7 11.Nf3 Qe7 12.Ne5 0-0 13.g3 Rad8 14.Bg2 Bc8 15.Rhe1 draw (Gheorghiu-Korchnoi, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1968).

8...b6!?

• If 8...0-0 then:
• If 9.Bd3 c5 10.Qe2 cxd4 then:
• If 11.Qe4 g6 12.0-0-0 then:
• 12...e5 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Bb5 Rd8 15.Rhe1 Qb6 16.Bc4 Nc5 17.Qxe5 Be6 18.Bxe6 Nxe6 gives White better pawn structure and a centralized Queen (Kasparov-Anand, Rpd, Reykjavik, 2000).
• 12...Qa5 13.Bxf6 Nxf6 14.Qxd4 Nh5 15.a3 Rd8 16.Qe3 gives White better development and the advantage in space (Kasparov-Shirov, IT, Frankfurt, 2000).
• 11.0-0-0 e5 12.Kb1 Re8 13.Rhe1 g6 14.Bc4 Qe7 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.Rxd4! Nb6 17.Bb3 Bd7 18.Nxe5 Rxe5 19.Qxe5 Re8 20.Qxe8+ Bxe8 21.Rxe8+ gives White the material advantage (Shirov-Herraiz Hidalgo, Spanish Ch, Ayamonte, 2002).
• If 9.Qd2 e5 then:
• If 10.Bxf6 Qxf6 11.0-0-0 h6 12.Qe3 exd4 13.Rxd4 Nc5 14.Bc4 Be6 15.g4 Bxc4 16.Rxc4 Rfe8 17.Qxc5 Qxf3 is equal (Gligoric-Porat, ITZ, Amsterdam, 1964).
• 10.0-0-0 e4 11.Bxf6 Nxf6 12.Ne5 Be6 13.Kb1 c5 14.Bc4 Qd6 is equal (Anand-Korchnoi, IT, Tilburg, 1991).
• If 8...c5 9.Qd2 cxd4 10.Nxd4 then:
• If 10...0-0 11.0-0-0 h6 12.Bxf6 Nxf6 13.Be2 e5 then:
• 14.Nb5 Qb6 15.Qe3 Qxe3+ 16.fxe3 Ng4 17.Bxg4 Bxg4 18.Rd5 a6 19.Nd6 Rfd8 20.c4 gives White the advantage of a queenside majority (Topalov-van Wely, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2001).
• 14.Nf3 Qb6 15.Nxe5 Ne4 16.Qe1 Be6 17.Rf1 gives White an extra pawn.
• 10...h6 11.Bxf6 Nxf6 12.Qb4 Nd5 13.Qa3 Qe7 14.Bb5+ Bd7 15.Bxd7+ Kxd7 16.Qa4+ Kc7 17.Rh3 a6 18.Rb3 is equal (Topalov-Bareev, IT, Dortmund, 2002).

9.Bb5

• The game is equal.

9...0-0 10.Bc6

• If 10.Qe2 a6 11.Bc6 Ra7 12.0-0-0 then:
• If 12...Nb8 13.d5 Qe7 14.Qe3 h6 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 then:
• 16.Rd3 exd5 17.Bxd5 Nc6 18.Bxc6 Qxc6 19.Re1 gives White the advantage in space.
• If 16.Ne5 exd5 17.Bxd5 c6 then:
• 18.Be4 Qe6 19.Kb1 Re8 20.f4 c5 21.g4 gives White the advantage in space.
• 18.Bxf7+!? Raxf7! 19.Nxf7 Qxf7 20.Qxb6 Nd7 21.Qxc6 Qxa2 remains equal.
• 12...h6 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Qe3 Nb8 15.Be4 Qd8 16.g4 gives White the advantage in space.

10...Rb8

• White has an advantage in space.

11.Qd2 Bb7 12.Bxb7!?

• This assures that White's advantage will be short-lived.
• Better is 12.Bxd7! Bxg5 13.hxg5 Qxd7 14.Qd3 g6 15.Ne5 gives White the initiative, which she could use to solidify her spatial edge.

12...Rxb7 13.0-0-0 Re8

• 13...c6 14.Rhe1 h6 15.Bxf6 Nxf6 16.Kb1 Rd7 is equal.

14.g4

• The game is again equal.
• 14.Kb1 h6 15.Qe3 Qc8 16.Bxf6 Nxf6 17.Rh3 c5 is equal.

14...c5 15.Be3

• If 15.d5 b5 16.Rhe1 then:
• 16...exd5 17.Rxe8+ Qxe8 18.Qxd5 Bxg5+ 19.Nxg5 Rc7 20.Ne4 gives White the more solid center.
• 16...e5 17.Re4 Qb8 18.Qe3 Re7 19.Qe1 Bxg5+ 20.hxg5 gives White the advantage in space.

15...cxd4 16.Nxd4 Ne5 17.g5 Nc4

• 17...Be7 18.Qc3 Qb8 19.Bf4 Nd3+ 20.Qxd3 Qxf4+ remains equal.

18.Qe2 Nxe3

• This move is forced. Any other move loses.

19.Qxe3 Bxd4 20.Rxd4 Qc8!?

• Black's plan is to play in the c-file, but to do that he cedes the d-file to White.
• 20...Rd7 21.Rhd1 Rxd4 22.Qxd4 Qxd4 23.Rxd4 Kf8 24.Rd7 remains equal.

BLACK: Dr. Robert Hübner
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WHITE: Anna Muzychuk
Position after 20...Qd8c8

21.Rhd1!

• This gives White complete command of the d-file.

21...e5 22.Rd5

• 22.R4d2 Qf5 23.h5 f6 24.Qb3+ Kh8 25.Qd5 Rbe7 is equal.

22...e4

• If 22...Rc7!? 23.c3 Rc5 24.Rxc5 bxc5 25.Rd5 then:
• 25...Qa6 26.Qxc5 Qxa2 27.Qa5 Qxa5 28.Rxa5 wins a pawn.
• 25...Qg4 26.h5 Qg1+ 27.Kc2 c4 28.Qd2 gives White the active game.

23.h5 Rc7 24.c3

• 24.R1d2 Rc5 25.Rxc5 bxc5 26.h6 Qe6 27.Kb1 gives White the active game with a threat againt the c-pawn.
• 24.R5d2 Qe6 25.Kb1 f6 26.g6 h6 27.f3 gives White the active game with the threat of 28.Rd8!.

24...Qe6

• If 24...Rc5 25.Rd7 Rc7 26.R7d4 then:
• 26...Rce7 27.h6 g6 28.Kb1 Qc6 29.Rd6 White begins squeezing Black out of the queenside.
• If 26...Rc4? 27.h6 Rxd4 28.Qxd4 gxh6 29.gxh6 then:
• 29...Qg4 30.Qf6 Kf8 31.Rd8 Qg1+ 32.Kc2 Qg6 33.Qh8+ is time to blow the candle out.
• 29...f6 30.Qxf6 Qg4 31.Rd5 Qg1+ 32.Kc2 e3 33.Rg5+ wins the Queen.

25.h6 Rc5 26.Rd8

• 26.Rxc5 bxc5 27.Qxc5 gxh6 28.Rg1 hxg5 29.Rxg5+ wins the a-pawn for White.

26...Rc8 27.R8d6 Qc4 28.a3 Qc5 29.R1d4 Qb5?

• If29...Qf5 30.Rd7 a6 31.R4d5 Qg6 32.hxg7 then:
• If 32...Re6 33.Qd4 Rce8 34.Rd8 R6e7 35.Qf6 gives White an extra pawn.
• 32...Kxg7 33.R7d6 Re6 34.Rxe6 Qxe6 35.Qd4+! Kf8 36.Rd6 wins a pawn.

BLACK: Dr. Robert Hübner
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WHITE: Anna Muzychuk
Position after 29...Qc5b5

30.Kc2?

• White commits the sin of passive play.
• More aggressive is 30.Rd7! Qf5 31.R4d5 then:
• If 31...Qe6 32.hxg7 then:
• 32...Rc5 33.R5d6 Qf5 34.f4 Qg4 35.Rxa7 gives White two extra pawns.
• 32...Kxg7 33.Qd4+ Kg8 34.Rxa7 Rc6 35.Rdd7 gives White an extra pawn.
• 31...Qg6 32.hxg7 a6 33.R7d6 Re6 34.Qxb6 Rxd6 35.Qxd6 gives White an extra pawn.

30...Rc4

• Black fights back, but not as hard as he could.
• Better is 30...Qf5! 31.R4d5 Qf3 32.hxg7 Qxe3 33.fxe3 when:
• If 33...Re7! 34.b3 Kxg7 35.c4 then:
• 35...Rf8! 36.Rf6 h5 37.Rh6 Rh8! is equal.
• 35...Rh8 36.Rh6 Rf8 37.Rdd6 Re5 38.Rh5 Rc8 39.Kc3 gives Black some counterplay on the queenside.
• 33...Kxg7 34.Rd7 Rc5 35.Rxc5 bxc5 36.Rxa7 Re5 37.c4 gives Black enough to hope to hold a Rook-and-pawn ending.

31.R6d5 Qa4+ 32.Kd2

• White plays her King to the center.
• An alternative that is just as good is to use the King to guard the queenside pawns: 32.Kb1 Rxd4 33.Rxd4 Qc6 34.hxg7 Kxg7 35.Qg3.

32...Rxd4+ 33.Qxd4 Qxd4+ 34.cxd4 gxh6

• If 34...Rc8? then after 35.Ke3! gxh6 36.gxh6 Kf8 37.Rd7! White wins at least one pawn.

35.gxh6 Kf8 36.Re5 Rd8

• If 36...Rxe5? 37.dxe5! then White wins the King-and-pawn ending:
• If 37...Ke7 38.Ke3 Ke6 39.Kxe4 f6 40.f4 then:
• If 40...fxe5 41.fxe5 Ke7 42.Kd5 then:
• 42...Kd7 43.b4 Ke7 44.b5 Kd7 45.e6+ then:
• 45...Ke7 46.Ke5 Kd8 47.Kf6 Ke8 48.a4! is Zugzwang.
• 45...Kc7 46.Ke5 Kd8 47.Kd6 Ke8 48.a4! is Zugzwang and White wins.
• 42...b5 43.b4 a6 44.e6 Kd8 45.Kd6 wins for White.
• If 40...b5 41.f5+ Kd7 42.e6+ Kd6 43.Kd3 then:
• If 43...Kc7 44.Kc3 a5 45.Kb3 Kc6 46.a4 b4 47.Kc4 then:
• 47...b3 48.Kxb3 Kc7 49.Kc4 Kc6 50.b3! is Zugzwang.
• 47...Kd6 48.Kb5 b3 49.Kxa5 Kc7 50.Kb5 Kd6 51.a5 wins for White.
• If 43...Ke7 44.Kd4 Kd6 45.b3! then:
• If 45...a6 46.Kc3 a5 47.a4 bxa4 48.bxa4 then:
• 48...Kc7 49.Kd3 Kd6 50.Kd4 Kc6 51.Kc4 Kd6 52.Kb5 wins for White.
• If 48...Ke5?? then 49.e7! turns out the lights.
• 45...Kc6 46.Kc3 a5 47.a4 bxa4 48.bxa4 Kd6 49.Kd4 transposes
• If 37...b5 38.Ke3 a5 39.b4 axb4 40.axb4 then:
• If 40...Ke7 41.Kxe4 Ke6 42.Kd4 then:
• If 42...Kf5 then after 43.Kc5 Kxe5 44.Kxb5 Kd5 45.Ka6 the b-pawn queens.
• If 42...Kd7 43.Kd5 Ke7 44.f4 Kd7 45.f5 Kc7 46.Kc5 then:
• If 46...Kd7 47.Kxb5 Kc7 48.Ka6 Kc6 49.b5+ Kc7 50.Ka7 wins for White.
• 46...Kb7 47.Kd6 Kc8 48.Ke7 wins for White.
• If 40...f6 41.Kxe4 fxe5 42.Kxe5 Ke7 43.Kd5 then:
• If 43...Kf7 then after 44.Kc5 Kg6 45.Kxb5 Kxh6 46.Kc4 Kg5 47.b5 White queens first.
• If 43...Kd7 44.Kc5 Kc7 45.Kxb5 Kd6 46.Kb6 then:
• 46...Ke5 47.b5 Kd6 48.f4! is Zugzwang.
• If 46...Kd7 then after 47.b5 Kd6 48.Ka7 the b-pawn queens.

37.Ke3 Rd6 38.Rh5 Rf6 39.Rh2 Ke7

• Black is down to where any further error is fatal.
• If 39...Re6? 40.d5! then:
• If 40...Re5 41.Kd4 then:
• If 41...Rg5 42.Kxe4 Ke7 43.f4 Rg6 44.a4 then:
• If 44...Kd6 45.Rh5 Rg2 46.Rf5 Ke7 47.d6+ then:
• 47...Ke6 48.Rd5 Kd7 49.Rg5 Rxg5 50.fxg5 Kxd6 51.Kf5 is an easy win for White.
• 47...Kxd6 48.Rxf7 Rxb2 49.Rxh7 Re2+ 50.Kf5 Rh2 51.Rf7! wins for White.
48.Rd5 Kd7 49.Rg5 Rxg5 50.fxg5 Kxd6 51.Kf5 is an easy win for White.
• If 44...Rg1 45.Rc2 Kd7 46.Ke5 Rh1 47.Rc6 then:
• 47...Rh2 48.Rf6 Re2+ 49.Kf5 wins for White.
• 47...Rb1 48.Kf6 Rxb2 49.Kxf7 Rb4 50.Kg7 Rxf4 51.Kxh7 wins for White.
• 41...f6 42.Rg2 Rh5 43.d6 Ke8 44.Kxe4 Rxh6 45.Rg7 wins at least a pawn.
• 40...Rd6 41.Kxe4 Ke7 42.b4 Rg6 43.Rh5 b5 44.f4 gives Black no room to maneuver.

40.Kxe4 Kd6?

• A King and pawn ending would be a likely draw, but as things stand, White has more reserve pawn tempi and good winning chances.
• Black would still have some fight left after 40...Re6+ 41.Kd3 a6 42.f4 then:
• 42...Rf6! 43.Rh4 Rg6 44.a4 Rg2 45.b3 Rg3+ 46.Kc4 gives White an extra pawn, but Black is compensated with the more active Rook.
• 42...Rg6!? 43.b3 Rg4 44.Ke4 Rg3 45.Rc2 Rxb3 46.Rc7+! still gives White good winning chances.
• The reason this works is that moving his Rook out of the way of the f-pawn Black makes the pawn moble, giving him nearly as much reserve pawn tempi as White and activating the Rook.

BLACK: Dr. Robert Hübner
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WHITE: Anna Muzychuk
Position after 40...Ke7d6

41.d5! Rg6 42.f4 f6 43.Rh3

• If 43.b4 f5+ 44.Kxf5 Kxd5 45.Rd2+ then:
• 45...Kc6 46.Rc2+ Kd7 47.Rh2 leaves White up by a pawn.
• 45...Kc4 46.Rd7 Rxh6 47.Rxa7 Rh1 48.Rc7+ gives White a winning advantage.

43...Kd7 44.a4 Kd6 45.b4 f5+

• If 45...Rg1 46.b5 Ra1 47.Kf5 then:
• 47...Rxa4 48.Kxf6 a5 49.bxa6 Rxa6 50.Re3 gives White an extra pawn and a threoretical win.
• 47...a5 48.bxa6 Rxa4 49.Rg3 Kxd5 50.Rg7 Rxa6 51.Rxh7 wins for White.

46.Kxf5 Kxd5 47.b5 Kd4

• If 47...Kd6 48.Rc3 then:
• 48...Rg1 49.Rc6+ Kd7 50.Rf6 Ke7 51.Re6+ Kd7 52.a5 bxa5 53.Ra6 wins for White.
• 48...Kd7 49.Rc6 Rg1 50.Rf6 transposes.

48.Rh1 Kd5 49.Rd1+ Kc5 50.Rc1+ 1-0

BLACK: Dr. Robert Hübner
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Anna Muzychuk
Final Position after 50.Rd1c1+

• 50...Kb4 51.Rc6 Rg8 52.Rc7 wins a pawn and the game.
• Dr. Hübner resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

11. Jackova - Korchnoi, Round 5

One may get the impression from playing over this game with its notes that Viktor Lvovovich, the Grand Old Man of Chess, should have lost this game. I concur with that judgment.

However, Viktor Lvovovich became the legend he is and has been since he was a teenage rising star in SOviet chess six decades ago by accepting inferior positions, defending tenaciously until his opponent's initiative is burned out, and then turning hitting with a counterattack that was always waiting somewhere.

The fact is that Korchnoi became Korchnoi by winning hundreds of games just like he won this one. This isn't luck. It is the mark of a great competitor.



Viktor Korchnoi
Photo: Czech Coal Chess Match (2009)

To view this game, please click here and select game 18.

Jana Jackova (Snowdrops) - Viktor Korchnoi (Old Hands)
Czech Coal Team Match, Round 5
Marianske Lazne, 2 December 2009

Closed French Game: Versailles Opening

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e5 Nfd7 6.Bxe7

• (Alekhine-Chatard Opening): If 6.h4 then:
• If 6...c5 7.Bxe7 then:
• If 7...Qxe7 8.Nb5 0-0 9.Nc7 cxd4 10.Nxa8 Nxe5 11.Qxd4 Nbc6 12.Qd2 Qd6 then:
• 13.0-0-0 Bd7 14.f4 Ng4 15.Nh3 Rxa8 16.Nf2 Nf6 17.g4 gives White the advantage in space (Golyak-Sarkar, Op, Saratoga Springs, 1997).
• 13.Be2 Bd7 14.h5 f6 15.0-0-0 Nf7 16.f4 Rxa8 17.Nf3 gives White the advantage in space (Khalifman-F. Levin, IT, Riga, 1988).
• If 7...Kxe7 then:
• 8.Qg4 Kf8 9.Nf3 cxd4 10.Qxd4 Qb6 then:
• 11.Qxb6 Nxb6 12.Nd2 Nc6 13.f4 Bd7 14.0-0-0 Rc8 15.Nb3 a6 16.h5 h6 17.Rh3 Ke7 18.Rg3 Rhg8 19.Bd3 gives White the advantage in space (Bogolyubov-Spielmann, IT, Baden-Baden, 1925).
• If 11.Qd2 Qxb2 12.Rb1 Qa3 13.Nb5 Qxa2 14.Qb4+ Kg8 then:
• 15.Nc3 then:
• 15...a5? 16.Qe7 Qxc2 17.Qe8+ Nf8 18.Qxc8 gives White a piece and the initiative for three pawns (Spielmann-Opocensky, IT, Vienna, 1923).
• 15...Qxc2! 16.Nd4 a5 17.Qa3 Qg6 18.Qd6 Qh5 leaves White three pawns up with the initiative.
• 8.f4 Qb6 9.Na4 Qa5+ 10.c3 b6 11.a3 c4 12.b4 cxb3 13.Qxb3 Nc6 14.Qb5 Bb7 is equal (Balzar-Schaefer, Bundesliga 0001, Baiertal, 2001).
• If 6...Bxg5 7.hxg5 Qxg5 8.Nh3 Qe7 then:
• If 9.Nf4 Nc6 10.Qg4 then:
• If 10...g6 11.0-0-0 h5 12.Qg3 Nb6 13.Bd3 Bd7 then:
• If 14.Bxg6 then:
• 14...h4 15.Bd3 0-0-0 16.Qe3 gives White the advantage in space (Townsend-D, Moore, TT, Parsippany, 2001).
• 14...fxg6 15.Nxg6 Rg8 16.Nxe7 Rxg3 17.fxg3 Nxe7 18.Rxh5 gives White the material advantage.
• 14.Nxg6 fxg6 15.Bxg6+ Kd8 16.Bxh5 Na5 17.Be2 Rf8 18.Rh4 Nac4 gives Black a piece for two pawns (Werner-Zielinska, Bundesliga W 0102, Germany, 2001).
• 10...Nxd4 11.0-0-0 Nf5 12.Nfxd5 exd5 13.Nxd5 Qxe5 14.Bb5 0-0 15.Bxd7 Bxd7 16.Qh5 h6 17.Rhe1 Qd6 18.Ne7+ Nxe7 19.Rxd6 cxd6 20.Rxe7 gives White the initiative (Aronian-Luther, Bundesliga 0102, Castrop Rauxel, 2001).
• If 9.Qg4 g6 10.0-0-0 Nc6 then:
• 11.f4 Nb6 12.Qg5 h5 13.Qg3 Bd7 14.Ng5 0-0-0 15.Qe1 Rdf8 16.g3 a6 17.Nf3 Na7 18.Kb1 Na4 19.Nxa4 Bxa4 20.Qa5 Bb5 draw (Olivera-Kerr, Ol, Havana, 1966).
• 11.Ng5 Nf8 12.Rh3 h5 13.Qf4 Nh7 14.Nxh7 Rxh7 15.Be2 Bd7 16.Qe3 0-0-0 is equal (Aijala-Penttila, Op, Lahti, 2002).

6...Qxe7 7.f4 Nb6

• If 7...a6 8.Nf3 c5 9.Qd2 Nc6 10.dxc5 then:
• If 10...Nxc5 11.Bd3 0-0 12.0-0-0 b5 13.Ne2 b4 14.Kb1 a5 then:
• If 15.Ned4!? Nxd4 16.Nxd4 Ba6 17.Bxa6 Rxa6 18.h4 Ne4 then:
• 19.Qe3? a4! 20.Ne2 b3 21.cxb3 axb3 22.Qxb3 Qa7 23.Nc1 Rb8! White resigns in the face of material loss (Khachiyan-Akobian, Op, Philadelphia, 2008).
• 19.Qd3 Rfa8 20.Rdf1 a4 21.g4 Qc5 22.Rh2 a3 leaves White with some fight.
• 15.Bb5 Bb7 16.Ng3 Rfc8 17.f5 Na7 remains equal.
• If 10...Qxc5 11.0-0-0 b5 then:
• If 12.Bd3 then:
• If 12...0-0? 13.Bxh7+!! then:
• If 13...Kxh7! 14.Ng5+ Kg8 15.Qd3 Re8 16.Qh7+ Kf8 17.Qh5 then:
• If 17...Nd8 then:
• If 18.Nh7+! Kg8 19.Rd3 then:
• 19...Qe7 20.Rh3 f6 21.Nxf6+ Nxf6 22.exf6 Black resigns in the face of heavy material loss (Chandler-Agnos, IT, London, 1989).
• If 19...Qb4 20.Ne2 then 20...Nf8 21.Nf6+ gxf6 22.Rh3 wins for White.
• 20...g6 21.Qh6 Qe7 22.Rh3 f6 23.Qxg6+ wins for White.
{/ul]
• If 18.Qh8+? then after 18...Ke7! 19.Qxg7 Bb7 20.Nh7 Qe3+ Black escapes (Ramirez Shazwani, OlW, Torino, 2006).
• 17...g6 18.Qh8+ Ke7 19.Qh4 Rg8 20.Nxe6+ Kxe6 21.Nxd5 g5 22.Qg4+ gives White a strong initiative.
• If 13...Kh8 then White should win after 14.Bd3 Kg8 15.Qe1 Rd8 16.Qh4 Nf8 17.Ng5.
• 12...Nb6 13.Kb1 Bd7 14.Rhf1 Nc4 15.Bxc4 bxc4 16.Nd4 Rb8 is equal (Tweedle-Macdonald, Scottish Ch, Hamilton, 2004).
• If 12.Ne2 then:
• If 12...b4 13.Ned4 Nxd4 14.Nxd4 0-0 15.Bd3 a5 is equal (Kovacevic-Tukmakov, Op, Basel, 2002).
• 12...Nb6 13.Ned4 Nxd4 14.Nxd4 Bd7 15.h4 Nc4 16.Bxc4 bxc4 is equal (Madl-Gencer, Euro Club Cup W, Antalya, 2007).
• If 7...0-0 8.Nf3 c5 9.Qd2 Nc6 10.dxc5 Qxc5 11.0-0-0 Nb6 12.Kb1 then:
• If 12...Bd7 13.Bd3 Rac8 then:
• If 14.Bxh7+ Kxh7 15.Ng5+ Kg8 16.Qd3 Rfe8 17.Qh7+ Kf8 then:
• 18.Qh5 Ke7 19.Nxf7 Na5 20.Nd6 draw (Sax-Timman, IT, Rotterdam, 1989).
• 18.Nce4 dxe4 draw (Romanov-Riazantsev, City Open, Moscow, 2006).
• 14.Nb5 f6 15.exf6 Rxf6 16.Nbd4 Na4 17.Nb3 Qb6 18.Rhe1 Nc5 19.Nxc5 Qxc5 20.Ne5 Nxe5 21.Rxe5 Rc6 22.c4 gives White a tactical edge (Vukovic-Riazantsev, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• 12...Nc4 13.Bxc4 Qxc4 14.Nd4 Bd7 15.b3 Qc5 is equal (Pasman-Korchnoi, IT, Beer Shiva, 1984).

8.Nf3 Bd7 9.Bd3

• If 9.Qd2 a6 then:
• 10.a4 c5 11.a5 Nc8 12.dxc5 Qxc5 13.Qd4 Qxd4 14.Nxd4 Ne7 15.Bd3 Nbc6 16.Nf3 gives White the advantage in space (Goloshchapov-Feygin, TT, Belgium, 2005).
• If 10.0-0-0 then:
• 10...Bb5 11.Nxb5 axb5 12.Bxb5+ c6 13.Bd3 Rxa2 is equal (Inarkiev-Morozevich, Russian Ch, Krasnoyarsk, 2003).
• 10...Nc6 11.h3 0-0-0 12.g4 Kb8 13.Bd3 Na7 14.f5 h6 15.Ne2 Nc4 16.Bxc4 dxc4 17.Qf4 gives White the advantage in space (Lahno-Iljushin, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).

9...a6 10.0-0 c5

• 10...Nc6 11.Kh1 h6 12.Ne2 Nb4 13.a3 Nxd3 14.cxd3 0-0-0 15.Qd2 Kb8 16.Rfc1 f6 gives White the advantage in space (Baramidze-Bischoff, GMT, Pulvermuehle, 2004).

11.Qe1 Nc6 12.Qf2 c4

• 12...cxd4 13.Ne2 Na4 14.Rab1 Nc5 15.Nexd4 h6 16.Rbe1 0-0 17.g4 Nxd3 18.cxd3 f6 offers equal chances (Sadvakasov-Iljushin, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2005).

13.Be2

13...Rc8 14.Nd1 f6 15.exf6

• If 15.Ne3 0-0 16.c3 Be8 17.Ng4 then:
• 17...fxe5 18.Nfxe5 Nd7 19.Qg3 Ncxe5 20.Nxe5 Nxe5 21.fxe5 is equal.
• 17...Nd7!? 18.Qh4! f5 19.Qxe7 Nxe7 20.Ne3 Bh5 21.Bd1 gives White a small edge in space.

15...gxf6!?

• Black breaks up his kingside pawns, making castling less advisable.
• Correct is 15...Qxf6! 16.Ne5 0-0 17.Bg4 Qh6 18.Qe3 Nxe5 with equality.

BLACK: Viktor Korchnoi
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Jana Jackova
Position after 15...gf6:p

16.c3!

• White has built a pawn formation that makes it very difficult for Black to repair his pawn weaknesses. It is almost impossible for Black to advance his e-pawn.

16...f5 17.Qg3 Kd8

• A feature of this game is Black's ability to keep his out of trouble in spite of its seeming to have nowhere to hide. Korchnoi's fabled defensive skills are well on display in this game.
• If 17...Kf8 18.Ne3 Rg8 19.Qh3 Rg7 20.b3 then:
• 20...Qa3 21.Rfb1 Rc7 22.Qh6 Kg8 23.Ng5 gives White an embryonic attack on the Black King.
• If 20...Kg8 21.bxc4 Nxc4 22.Nxc4 dxc4 then:
• 23.a4 b5 24.Rfd1 Qf6 25.axb5 axb5 26.Rdb1 gives White a good game on the queenside.
• 23.Bxc4?! drops a pawn to 23...Nxd4 24.Nxd4 Rxc4.

18.b3 cxb3

• No better is 18...Qa3 19.bxc4 Nxc4 20.Bxc4 dxc4 21.Ng5 Qe7 22.Qh4.

19.axb3 Kc7 20.Nb2

• White is preparing to play c3c4.

20...Rcg8 21.Qe1 Nc8

• If 21...Be8 22.Nd3 Nd7 23.b4 then:
• 23...Qg7 24.Ng5 Qe7 25.Bf3 Rg6 26.Rf2 h6 27.Nh3 gives White the advantage in space.
• 23...Qf6 24.Qb1 Na7 25.Nc5 Nc6 26.Ng5 Nxc5 27.bxc5 White will exploit Black's queenside pawn weaknesses to penetrate his camp.

BLACK: Viktor Korchnoi
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Jana Jackova
Position after 21...Nb6c8

22.Rf2!

• White regroups her piece so that the Bishop will protect the pawn at g2 and the Rook will be free to navigate the second rank.
• If 22.Nd3 Qg7 23.Qf2 then:
• 23...Nd6 24.Nd2 Ne4 25.Nxe4 fxe4 26.Ne5 Rf8 27.Qe3 Black still has lots of ways to slow White's momentum.
• 23...Kd8 24.Nc5 Nd6 25.Ng5 Qg6 26.Qe3 Ne4 27.Bf3 White is better, but Black still has more reserve pawn tempi than White, a sign that that he's still alive.

22...Nd6 23.Bf1 Ne4 24.Rc2 Rg7

• If 24...Kd8 then after 25.b4 Qd6 26.Nd3 Bc8 27.b5 axb5 28.Nfe5 White threatens 29.Nf7+!.

25.Nd3 Rhg8 26.c4 Kb8 27.c5 Kc7 28.Nde5 Rc8?

• White is set up to go in on the queenside. The Black King might find it safer to run the other way.
• 28...Kd8 29.Nxc6+! Bxc6 30.Ne5 Qc7 31.Qh4+! is better than the text, but it leaves Black's hold on the game looking precarious.

29.b4 Kd8

• 29...Nxe5 30.Nxe5 Kd8 31.b5 Bxb5 32.Bxb5 axb5 33.Rb2 Qe8 34.Qa5+ Ke7 35.Rxb5 leaves Black's queenside in shambles.
• 31...Be8? 32.bxa6! bxa6 33.Rxa6 Qf6 34.Qa5+ Ke7 35.Qb6 wins at least the pawn at e6.

30.b5!

• White open the a5/d1 diagonal for her Queen.

30...axb5 31.Bxb5 Nxe5

BLACK: Viktor Korchnoi
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Jana Jackova
Position after 31...Nc6e5:N

32.Nxe5!?

• White misses the opportunity to Black to his knees.
• If 32.Qa5+ Ke8 33.Nxe5 Bxb5 34.Qxb5+ then:
• 34...Kf8 35.Rb2 Qh4 36.Qf1 leaves White in control of open lines.
• If 34...Kd8? then after 35.Qb6+! Ke8 36.Ra7 Kf8 37.c6 White wins.

32...Bxb5 33.Qa5+ Ke8

• 33...Qc7 34.Qxb5 Rb8 35.Qb3 Nf6 36.Ra7 Ng4 37.Nd3 White takes aim at Black's weak pawns on b7 and e6.

34.Qxb5+ Kf8 35.Qb6 h6

• After 36.Ra7 h6 37.Rb2 Rc7 38.Ra1 White should win.

36.Rac1

• 36.Rca2 Kg8 37.Ra7 Rc7 38.R1a3 Kh7 39.Rh3 puts pressure on White's position.

36...Kg8 37.c6!?

• White loses her way in a time scramble.
• White should win after 37.Ra2 Kh8 38.Rca1 Rcg8 39.Qb3.

37...bxc6!

• Black has equalized.

38.Nxc6?

• 38.Rxc6 Rxc6 39.Qxc6 Kh7 40.Nd3 Qa7 remains equal.

38...Qa3 39.Re1

• If 39.Ne7+ Kh7 40.Nxc8 Qe3+! 41.Kh1 Nf2+ then:
• 42.Kg1 Nd3+ 43.Kf1 Nxc1 44.Qb2 Nd3 Black threatens mate on e1 and White cannot meet that, the threat to the Queen and White threat to the f-pawn all at once.
• If 42.Rxf2 then after 42...Qxc1+ Black mates on the next move.

BLACK: Viktor Korchnoi
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Jana Jackova
Position after 39.Rc1e1

39...Kh7!

• Black's King is safe and he may now commence with more aggressive plans.

40.Rce2

• 40.Qb1 Qa4 41.Nb4 Rb8 42.Rb2 Rgb7 wins the knight.

40...Qc3 41.Ne5 Rxg2+ 0-1

• If 42.Kxg2 then 42...Rg8+ 43.Kh1 Qxe1+!! 44.Rxe1 Nf2#. is a very pretty mate.
• Ms. Jackova resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

12. Update: Results of Semifinal Round, Game 1 from Khanty Mansiysk

WHITE. . . . . . . . . . . BLACK
Karjakin . . . 0-1 . . . Gelfand
Ponomariov . . ½-½ . . .Malakhov

Tomorrow's Games

WHITE. . . . . . . . . . . BLACK
Karjakin . . . . . . . . Gelfand
Malakhov . . . . . . .Ponomariov

[Jack Rabbit]

13. Update (Monday morning): Gelfand to finals, Pono and Malakhov to tie break

Israeli grandmaster Boris Gelfand, 41, defeated Ukrainian/Russian GM Sergey Karjakin, 19, today in the second of two standard time control gmaes to sweep the semifinal mini-match, 2-0, and advance to the final round in the third World Cup in Khanty Mansiysk.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Ruslan Ponomariov and Russian Vladimir Malakhov drew for the second time in two days and will determin which of them will face Gelfand in the finals in rapid and blitz game tomorrow.

Wednesday will be a rest day and the finals will begin with the first of four match games on Thursday.

[Jack Rabbit]

14. Update (Tuesday AM): Pono wins rapid playoff, advances to final

Ukrainian grandmaster Ruslan Ponomariov defeated Vladimir Malakhov of Russia today in a set of four rapid games to advance to the final round in the third bi-annual World Chess Cup in Khanty Mansiysk in central Russia.

Ponomariov lost the first of the four rapid games, but rebounded to take the next three.

Pono, as he is known to chess fans, will face Israeli GM Boris Gelfand in the final round which begins Thursday.

[Jack Rabbit]

15. Update (Tuesday): Magnus defeats Kramnik as London Classic Begins

The London Chess Classic began today with 19-year-old Norwegian GM Magnus Carlsen defeating former world champion Vladimir Kramnik of Russia in 42 moves in the match up between the tournament's top seeds.

Magnus, who has been training under another former world champion and possibly the greatest chess mater of all time, Garry Kasparov, has been torrid since his runaway win in the Pearl Springs Tournament in Nanjing in October. He is now unofficially the world's highest rated grandmaster with an Elo score of 2805.

In another game today, reigning American national champion Hikaru Nakamura and Chinese GM Hi Hua played to a 46-move draw. Two other games are both between British masters, Luke McShane (White) against Nigel Short and David Howell (White) against Mickey Adams, are still in progress.

The London Chess Classic is a eight-player single round robin. Play concludes Tuesday, December 15.