The JR Chess Report (December 20): Russian Superfinal Begins in Moscow

[Jack Rabbit]

Russian Championships Begin



The "Superfinal" of the Russian national and women's championships began today in Moscow.

Ten players each are competing for the national and women's title in two single round robin competitions of nine games than runs through Wednesday, December 30.

Vying for the national title are: reigning national champion Peter Svidler, first league champion Denis Khismatullin, reigning European champion Evgeny Tomashevsky, Alexander Grischuk, Sanan Sjugirov, Artyom Timofeev, Dmitry Jakovenko, Evgeny Alekseev, Nakita Vitiugov and Alexander Riazantsev.

The ten ladies fighting it out for the women's title are: defending champion Nadezhda Kosintseva, reigning European women's champion Tatiana Kosintseva, reigning Russian girls' champion Valentina Gunina, two-time women's world champion runner-up Alisa Galliamova, new mother Natalia Pogonina, Anastasia Bodnaruk, Tatiana Stepovaia, Elena Zaiatz, Maria Romanko and Maria Manakova.

All eyes in the women's tournament are on Natalia Pogonina, who gave birth to a baby boy about a month ago.

In the first round completed earlier today in the national competition, Grischuk defeated Tomashevsky in 75 moves and Khrismatullin downed Riazantsev while all other games were drawn.

The first round of the women's competition featured a complete set of decisive games. Nadya Kosinteva took down Gunina in 54 moves; Tanya Kosintseva didn't fare as well as her sister, losing to Bodnaruk in 34 moves; Pogonina celebrated her return to chess by defeating Romanko in a spiffy 30 moves; Galliamova beat Stepovaia in 63 moves; and Zaiatz took care of Manakova in a quick 29 moves.

The action from Moscow is broadcast live on the website of the Russian Chess Federation everyday until the end of the tournament except Christmas, which is a rest day. Play begins at 3 pm Moscow time (2 am PST).


Calendar

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.

27th Ciudad de Linares 12-25 February.

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

Russian Team Championships, Dagomys 1=12 April.

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

Chess Olympiad, Khanty Mansiysk 19 September-4 October.

European Club Cup, Plovdiv 16-24 October.

[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 downloaded 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. London Chess Classic

Picadilly Circus, London
Photo by Josep Renalias for Wikipedia (Public Domain)

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Ni Hua - Carlsen, Round 5

Magnus Carlsen
Photo: ChessBase.com


Ni Hua - Magnus Carlsen
Chess Classic, Round 5
London, 13 December 2009

Spanish Sicilian Game: Rat Defense

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.d4 a6 5.Bxd7+ Bxd7

• For 5...Qxd7, see Yildiz-Severiukhina, World Jr Ch, Puerto Madryn, 2009.

6.dxc5

• If 6.0-0 cxd4 7.Qxd4 then:
• If 7...e5 8.Qd3 h6 9.Nc3 Nf6 then:
• If 10.a4 Rc8 11.Be3 Be7 12.a5 Qc7 13.Nd2 Be6 14.Rfd1 0-0 then:
• If 15.f3 Qc6 16.Nf1 Qc4 17.Qd2 Rfe8 18.Bf2 then:
• 18...Nh5!? 19.Ne3! Qc7 20.Ned5! White occupies d5 with a piece (Oral-Sobek, Moravian ChT, Czechia, 1999).
• 18...Qc6 19.Ne3 Kh8 20.Qd3 Rc7 21.Rd2 Rec8 22.Ncd5 occupies d5 with a White piece.
• 15.Nf1 Qc4 draw (Adams-Radjabov, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2009).
• 10.Nd2 Rc8 11.Nc4 Be6 12.Ne3 Be7 13.Rd1 0-0 14.Bd2 Qc7 15.Be1 b5 16.a3 Qa7 is equal as Black prevents White from occupying d5 with a piece for the time being (Petrik-Pinter, Slovakian Ch, Banska Stiavnica, 2006).
• If 7...Nf6 8.Bg5 then:
• 8...h6 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.c4 e6 11.Nc3 Rc8 12.Rac1 Be7 13.b4 Qc7 14.Nd2 h5 15.Rfe1 Kf8 16.Re3 White methodically moves to attack White's weak kingside pawns (Arngrimsson-Deepan, World Jr Ch, Yerevan, 2007).
• 8...e6 9.Nc3 Be7 10.Rfe1 0-0 11.Rad1 Bc6 12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.Qxd6 Bxc3 14.Qxd8 Rfxd8 15.Rxd8+ Rxd8 16.bxc3 Ba4 17.Nd4 e5 18.Nb3 Kf8 19.f3 draw (Lechtynsky-Mukhin, Czechoslovakian ChT, Luhacovice, 1973).

6...dxc5 7.Nc3 e6 8.Bf4

• 8.Ne5 Qc7 9.Nxd7 Rd8 10.Qf3 Rxd7 11.Bf4 gives White the advantage in space (Unzicker-Najdorf, IT, Nice, 1974).

8...Ne7 9.Ne5 Ng6!?

• 9...Bb5 10.Qh5 g6 11.Qf3 Nc6 12.Nxc6 Bxc6 13.Be5 Rg8 14.Rd1 Qg5 15.Bf6 Qh5 16.g4 gives White a huge advantage in space (Adams-Bu Xiangzhi, Asrian Mem Rpd, Yerevan, 2008).

10.Qh5

• White has the advantage in space.
• 10.Bg3!? Nxe5! 11.Bxe5 Qg5 12.Bg3 Bc6 13.Qf3 Be7 gives Black the advantage ins space.

10...Bc6 11.Bg3 Nxe5 12.Bxe5 c4

• White continues to enjoy the advantage in space.
• 12...b5 13.f3 Qa5 14.Qg5 c4 gives Black a queenside initiative.

13.0-0 Qa5 14.Qg5 h6 15.Qg3 f6

• Black opens a hole at g6, which is ready for immediate exploitation. Black would do better to protect his kingside by tactical means.
• If 15...h5 then:
• If 16.h3 then:
• 16...Rh6 17.Bxg7 Rg6 18.Qe5 Bb4 is equal.
• 16...h4 17.Qg5 Rd8 18.Rfd1 Ra8 19.Rd4 gives White the advantage in space.
• 16.Bxg7!? Rg8! 17.Qe5 Bb4 18.f3 Bxc3 19.bxc3 Qxe5 is equal.
• 15...Rg8?! 16.Rfd1! Bb4 17.a3 Bc5 18.b4 cxb3 19.cxb3 gives Black the advantage in space and control of the d-file.

16.Qg6+!

• White immediately exploits the hole.

16...Ke7 17.Bf4 Be8

• If 17...Qb4 18.Rfd1 then:
• 18...Be8 19.Qg3 Kf7 20.Rab1 Qa5 21.b3 Rc8 22.bxc4 gives White the advantage in space.
• 18...e5 19.Be3 Rd8 20.a3 Rxd1+ 21.Rxd1 Qa5 22.Bd2 gives White an excellent game.

18.Qg3 Kf7 19.Rad1!?

• White uses the wrong Rook. The Queen's Rook should stay at a1 to protect queenside pawns.
• 19.Rfd1 Bb4 20.Bd2 Rd8 21.a3 Bd6 22.Bf4 Bxf4 23.Qxf4 Ba4 is equal.

19...Bc6 20.Rd2


• If 20.a3 g6 21.Rd2 then:
• 21...Rc8! 22.Rb1 Be7 23.Qh3 Rcd8 24.Rxd8 Rxd8 is equal.
• 21...e5!? 22.Be3 Rd8 23.Rxd8 Qxd8 24.f4 gives White a small edge in space.

BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
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WHITE: Ni Hua
Position after 20.Rd1d2

20...e5!


• Black grabs a share of the center.
• 20...Bb4 21.Rfd1 e5 22.Rd7+ Bxd7 23.Rxd7+ Be7 is equal.

21.Be3 Bb4 22.f4 Rhe8


• The game is equal.
• 22...Bxc3 23.bxc3 Rhe8 24.f5 is equal.

23.f5 Bc5


• 23...Kf8 24.Rfd1 Bxc3 25.bxc3 Rad8 remains equal.

24.Rfd1 Rad8 25.Rxd8


• If 25.Kh1 Bxe3 26.Qxe3 Rxd2 27.Rxd2 Rd8 then:
• 28.b4 cxb3 29.cxb3 Rxd2 30.Qxd2 Qc5 remains equal.
• 28.Rxd8 Qxd8 29.b4 Qd4 30.Qe1 b5 remains equal.

25...Bxe3+ 26.Qxe3 Rxd8 27.Rxd8 Qxd8 28.Kf2


• 28.b3 cxb3 29.cxb3 b5 30.a3 a5 31.Kf2 Qd6 leaves Black slightly more active.

28...Qd6 29.a3 a5 30.Kf3


• If 30.Ke2 Qd4 31.Kf3 Qd7 then:
• 32.Ke2 Ke8 33.Kf1 Qd4 34.Ke2 b5 is slightly better for Black, if at all.
• 32...Qd4 33.Kf3 invites a draw by repetition.
• 32.g4 Kg8 33.Ke2 b5 remains equal.

30...Kg8 31.g3?!

• 31.Ke2 Qd4 32.Qxd4 exd4 33.Nd5 remains equal.

BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
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WHITE: Ni Hua
Position after 31.g2g3

31...b5!

• Suddenly, Black's pawn mass looks most formidable.

32.Ke2

• If 32.Qe2!? Qd4! 33.a4 bxa4 34.Qe3 then:
• 34...Qd7 35.Ke2 Qb7 36.Qc5 Qa6 37.Kf2 Be8 38.Qc7 remains equal.
• If 34...Kh7 35.Qxd4 exd4 36.Ne2 c3 37.bxc3 a3 38.Nc1 Black stands a wee bit better.

32...b4 33.axb4 axb4 34.Nd1 Ba4 35.b3!?

• In time trouble, White can't find the best defense.
• If 35.Qd2! Qd4 36.Qxd4 exd4 then:
• 37.Kd2 Bb5 38.c3 dxc3+ 39.bxc3 b3 40.Nb2 Kf7 is equal.
• If 37.b3? cxb3 38.Kd2 bxc2 39.Nb2 Bc6 40.Kxc2 Bxe4+ 41.Kb3 Bxf5 leaves White two pawns to the good.

35...cxb3 36.cxb3 Qa6+ 37.Kd2?

• Now, still in time trouble, White runs the wrong way with the King.
• 37.Ke1 Bc6 38.g4 Kh7 39.h4 Qa1 40.g5 hxg5 41.hxg5 remains equal.

BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
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WHITE: Ni Hua
Position after 37.Ke2d2

37...Bb5!

• Black takes command of the a6/f1 diagonal.

38.Qc5

• If 38.Nb2 Qa2 then:
• 39.Kc2 Bc6 40.Qd3 Qa8 41.Qc4+ Kh7 gives White more activity, mostly focused on the e-pawn.
• 39.Kc1 Qa8 40.Qc5 Bc6 41.Qxb4 Bxe4 gives Black a clear advantage.
• If 38.Nf2 then after 38...Qa2+ 39.Ke1 Be8 40.Qd3 Bf7 Black wins the b-pawn.

38...Qa2+ 39.Qc2 Qa7!

• If 39...Qa8? 40.Qc5 Bc6 then:
• 41.Qc4+! Kh7 42.Nf2 Qa2+ 43.Ke3 Ba4 44.Qxb4 Bxb3 is equal.
• 41.Qxb4?! Bxe4 42.Qc4+ Kh7 43.Ne3 Qa2+ 44.Kc3 Qb1 threatens to win material for Black.

40.Qc8+

• White makes the time control but now loses quickly.
• After 40.h3 Qd4+ 41.Ke1 Bd3 Blacvk still wins.

40...Kh7 41.Kc1 Qa1+ 42.Kc2 Qd4 0-1

• It's all over now, Baby Blue.

BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
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WHITE: Ni Hua
Final Position after 42...Qa1d4

• 43.Kc1 Bd3 44.h3 Bxe4 45.Qc4 Bxf5 leaves Black two pawns to the good.
• 43.Nb2 Qxe4+ 44.Kc1 Qe3+ wins the b-pawn on top of the e-pawn.
• Grandmaster Ni resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Nakamura - McShane, Round 5

Luke McShane didn't have a good tournament in terms of the final standings, but he turned in this gem in the fifth round



Luke McShane
Photo: Stafan64 in Wikipedia (Creative Commons Copyright, Attribution/Share Alike)


Hikaru Nakamura - Luke McShane
Chess Classic, Round 5
London, 13 December 2009
First Brilliancy Prize

West India Game: King's Indian Defense (Main Line)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 0-0 6.Nf3 e5 7.0-0

• For a survey of this opening, see Ivanchuk-Grischuk, Grand Prix, Nalchik, 2009.

7...Na6

• If 7...Nbd7 then:
• If 8.Be3 c6 then:
• If 9.d5 c5 10.Ne1 Ne8 then:
• 11.Nd3 f5 12.f4 b6 13.Qd2 Qe7 14.Bf3 g5 15.fxg5 f4 16.Bf2 Qxg5 17.b4 Ndf6 is equal (Batchuluun-Li Shilong, Asian Ch, Manila, 2007).
• 11.g4 f5 12.gxf5 gxf5 13.exf5 Nb6 14.Nf3 Bxf5 15.Ng5 Nf6 16.Kh1 Qe7 17.Rg1 Kh8 18.Rg3 e4 19.Qd2 Nfd7 is equal (Shen Yang-Li Shilong, Asian Ch, Manila, 2007).
• If 9.Qc2 Ng4 10.Bg5 f6 then:
• 11.Bd2 f5 12.exf5 gxf5 13.dxe5 dxe5 14.Ng5 Ndf6 15.Rad1 Qe7 16.c5 Kh8 17.b4 gives White a small advantage in space (Uhlmann-Knaak, IT, Halle, 1981).
• If 11.Bh4 Nh6 then:
• 12.dxe5 dxe5 13.b4 Nf7 14.Nd2 Qe7 15.c5 Re8 16.Nb3 gives White the advantage in space (Kotronias-Skalkotas, Op, Athens, 1988).
• 12.Rad1 Qe7 13.b4 Nf7 14.dxe5 dxe5 15.c5 Re8 16.Nd2 Nf8 17.f3 Ne6 18.Nb3 gives White the advantage in space (W. Schmidt-Ingo, Op, Dresden, 1993).
• If 8.Qc2 c6 9.Rd1 Qe7 10.d5 c5 then:
• If 11.Bg5 h6 then:
• 12.Bh4 g5 13.Bg3 Nh5 14.Nd2 Nf4 15.Nf1 Nf6 16.Ne3 Nxe4 17.Nxe4 f5 18.Nc3 Nxe2+ 19.Qxe2 f4 20.Nf1! fxg3 21.Nxg3 Bd7 22.Nge4 Bf5 is equal (SWmagin-Kochyev, Voronez, 1987).
• 12.Bd2 Ne8 13.g3 Nb6 14.Nh4 Kh7 15.a3 Bh3 16.b4 Nd7 17.Rab1 Rc8 18.Be3 Bf6 19.Nf3 Bg7 20.Nh4 draw (Scho-Hitselberger, Cyberspace, 1997).
• 11.g3 Ne8 12.Nh4 Bf6 13.Ng2 Ng7 14.h4 h5 15.Rb1 b6 16.a3 Ba6 17.Qa4 Bb7 18.b4 Rfc8 19.Be3 Ne8 is equal (Hertneck-Vogt, Austrian ChT, Vienna, 2004).
• If 8.Re1 c6 9.Bf1 then:
• 9...Re8 10.d5 c5 11.a3 Rf8 12.g3 Ne8 13.b4 h6 14.Nh4 Ndf6 15.bxc5 dxc5 16.a4 a5 17.Rb1 Nd6 18.Ba3 b6 19.Qb3 Ra6 20.Qc2 Nh7 21.Nb5 Ng5 22.Kh1 Nxb5 23.cxb5 Ra7 24.Bb2 Qd6 25.Qd2 Re7 is equal (Christoffel-Boleslavsky, IT, Gronigen, 1946).
• 9...exd4 10.Nxd4 Re8 11.Rb1 Nc5 12.f3 a5 13.Be3 Nfd7 14.Qd2 Ne5 15.Red1 Qe7 16.Nb3 a4 17.Nxc5 dxc5 18.Rbc1 Be6 19.Qc2 Bxc4 20.Nxa4 b5 21.Nb6 Rxa2 22.Nxc4 bxc4 23.Bxc4 Rxb2 gives White an extra pawn (Filip-Tolush, IT, Bucharest, 1953).
• If 7...exd4 8.Nxd4 Re8 9.f3 then:
• If 9...c6 10.Kh1 Nbd7 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bh4 Ne5 then:
• 13.Nc2 Qe7 14.c5 dxc5 15.f4 Ned7 16.e5 Nxe5 17.fxe5 Qxe5 18.Bf3 Be6 19.Qd2 Nd5 20.Rae1 Qf4 is equal (V. Samigin-Gligoric, TMatch, Rijeka, 1963).
• 13.Qc2 g5 14.Bf2 c5 15.Nf5 Bxf5 16.exf5 Nc6 17.Rad1 Re5 18.Rd2 is equal (O'Donnell-Jones, Corres, 1991).
• If 9...Nc6 10.Be3 Nh5 11.Qd2 then:
• 11...Nf4 12.Rfd1 Nxd4 13.Bxd4 Bxd4+ 14.Qxd4 Nxe2+ 15.Nxe2 b6 16.Nc3 Bb7 17.Nd5 Bxd5 18.cxd5 Qg5 19.Rac1 Re7 20.Qd2 Qh5 21.g4 Qh4 22.Qf2 Qg5 23.Qd2 Qh4 24.Kh1 Rf8 25.Rg1 h5 26.Rc3 gives White more activity (Jakovenko-Volokitin, IT, Foros, 2008).
• 11...f5 12.Nxc6 bxc6 then:
• 13.exf5 Bxf5 14.Bd4 Nf6 15.Rfe1 c5 16.Bf2 Qd7 17.Rad1 Qf7 18.b3 a6 19.Bf1 Bd7 20.Rxe8+ Bxe8 21.a3 is equal (Kramnik-Glek, EU Cup, Berlin, 1996).
• 13.c5 d5 14.Bg5 Qd7 15.Rad1 Rb8 16.g4 Nf6 17.exd5 Nxd5 18.Bc4 Bb7 19.h3 Kh8 20.b3 gives White the advantage in space (V/ Popov-Plenkovic, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).

8.Be3

• If 8.Re1 c6 9.Bf1 then:
• If 9...Bg4 10.d5 then:
• 10...c5 11.h3 Bd7 12.Bg5 Kh8 13.a3 Qb8 14.Qc2 Ng8 15.Bd3 f6 16.Bh4 Nh6 17.Rf1 Qd8 18.Nd2 Nf7 19.Bg3 Bh6 20.Ne2 Qe7 21.Rae1 Rae8 gives Black a small edge in space (Miles-Cramling, IT, Malmø, 1996).
• If 10...Nb4 11.Be2 a5 12.Bg5 then:
• 12...h6 13.Be3 c5 14.g3 Bd7 15.Nh4 Kh7 16.a3 Na6 17.Bd3 Ng4 18.Bd2 Bf6 19.Ng2 h5 20.Qc1 Bg7 21.f3 Nh6 22.Nd1 Nc7 23.a4 Na6 24.Nf2 Nb4 is equal (W. Schmidt-Kempinski, Polish Ch, Gdansk, 1994).
• 12...Na6 13.h3 Bd7 14.Nd2 Kh8 15.a3 Qb6 16.Be3 c5 17.Nb5 Ng8 18.f4 Bh6 19.Rf1 Rae8 20.Qb3 is equal (Kransenkow-Kozul, Ol, Bled, 2002).
• If 9...exd4 10.Nxd4 Ng4 11.h3 Qb6 12.hxg4 Qxd4 13.g5 then:
• 13...Qxd1 14.Rxd1 Be5 15.Be3 Nc5 16.f3 a5 17.Rac1 a4 is equal (Carlsen-Stokke, Norwegian Ch, Moss, 2006).
• 13...Nc5 14.Bf4 Qxd1 15.Raxd1 Be5 16.Bh2 Re8 17.Rxd6 Bxd6 18.Bxd6 b6 19.b4 gives White the initiative (Sakaev-Kokarov, Russian Ch HL, Krasnoyarsk, 2007).

8...Ng4 9.Bg5 Qe8 10.c5

• If 10.dxe5 dxe5 11.h3 then:
• If 11...f6 12.Bd2 Nh6 13.c5 then:
• 13...c6 14.Bxa6 bxa6 15.Bxh6 Bxh6 16.Qa4 Rb8 17.b3 Rf7 18.Rfd1 Bf8 19.Qa5 Be6 20.Rd3 Rd7 21.Rxd7 Qxd7 22.Qxa6 Bxc5 23.Rd1 Qc8 24.Qxc8+ Rxc8 is equal (Pentala-Moradiabadi, Op, Dubai, 2004).
• 13...Nxc5 14.Qc1 Nf7 15.Nd5 Ne6 16.Nxc7 Nxc7 17.Qxc7 Nd8 18.Rfc1 Be6 19.b4 Rf7 20.Qc3 Bf8 21.Qb2 a6 draw (Ris-Bromberger, Bundesliga 0809, Tegernsee, 2009).
• If 11...h6 12.Bd2 Nf6 13.Be3 Qe7 then:
• 14.a3 c6 15.b4 Nh5 16.Re1 Nf4 17.Bf1 Qf6 18.Ra2 Rd8 19.Rd2 Rxd2 20.Qxd2 Be6 21.b5 Nc7 22.bxc6 bxc6 23.Qd6 Rc8 24.Bxf4 exf4 25.e5 Qd8 26.Ne4 Ne8 27.Qb4 Bf8 28.Qa4 gives White the advantage in space (Yevseev-A. Zhigalko, Op, Cappelle la Grande, 2006).
• 14.Nd5 Qd8 15.Nxf6+ Qxf6 16.c5 Nb8 17.b4 Nc6 18.b5 Rd8 19.Qc1 Nd4 20.Bxd4 exd4 21.Bd3 Be6 is equal (Gustafsson-Polzin, Austrian ChT, Graz, 2002).

10...exd4 11.Nd5 Be6!?

• If 11...Qxe4 12.Ne7+ Kh8 then:
• If 13.cxd6 Nc5 14.Bc4 d3 then:
• 15.Rc1 Ne5 16.Re1 Nxf3+ 17.gxf3 Qd4 18.dxc7 Qd7 19.b4 Ne6 20.Bxe6 fxe6 21.Re3 d2 22.Rc2 is equal (Marzolo-Motylev, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• 15.Bd5 Qe2 16.dxc7 Ne6 17.Nxc8 Raxc8 18.Bxe6 Qxe6 19.Bd8 Ne5 20.Re1 Qd5 21.Nxe5 Bxe5 22.Qd2 is equal, but after 22...Bxc7?? 23.Bf6+! Black cannot parry the threat of mate and resigns (Giri-ruijssers, Corus C, Wijk aan Zee, 2009).
• If 13.Bc4 d3 14.Bd5 Qe2 15.cxd6 then:
• 15...Nc5!? 16.dxc7! f6 17.Nxc8 fxg5 18.Nd6 gives White activity in Black's that more than balances Black's threats with the Queen and d-pawn (Mikhalevski-Bennet, Op, Queenstown, 2009).
• 15...Nb4! 16.Qa4 Nxd5 17.Nxd5 Ne5 gives Black a strong passed pawn and paly in White's camp.
• 11...Nxc5 12.Nxc7 Qxe4 13.Re1 Rb8 14.Bc4 Qf5 15.Be7 gives White enough activity to compensate for the pawn minus (Navara-McShane, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).

12.Be7!?

• White misses the opportunity to get a much better game the he does.
• 12.Ne7+ Kh8 13.Bxa6 bxa6 14.cxd6 cxd6 15.Nxd4 gives White a fine game with weak pawns to target on the queenside.

12...Bxd5! 13.Bxf8 Qxf8 14.exd5 dxc5

• Material is theoretically equal and so is the game.

15.Qb3

• If 15.Bxa6 bxa6 16.Qa4 Qd6 17.Rac1 Rb8 18.Qa3 Rb5 remains equal.

15...Rb8 16.Rfe1!?

• In an attempt to take control of the e-file, White falls into passivity.
• 16.Rac1 Nf6 17.a3 Qd8 18.Bc4 Nd7 19.Qd3 Qf6 remains equal.

BLACK: Luke McShane
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WHITE: Hikau Nakamura
Position after 16.Rf1e1

16...Qd6!

• Using the move order chosen, Black gets White to weaken the king's palace guard ever so slightly.
• 16...Nf6 17.a3 Qd6 18.Rac1 Qb6 19.Qc2 reamains equal.

17.h3

• See? Just like that.

17...Nf6 18.Bxa6 Qxa6

• White's 16th move reaps another benfit: White cannot weaken Black's queenside by the exchange on a6.

19.Rac1 Bf8!?

• Black gives away a tempo; the Bishop is not as effective in protecting the c-pawn as the Queen.
• 19...Qb6 20.Qa3 Nxd5 21.Qxc5 Qxc5 22.Rxc5 c6 maintains White's advantage.

20.Ne5!

• White equalizes.

20...Qb6 21.Qf3 Qd6 22.g4!?

• Without reason, White gives back the tempo he was justed handed.
• 22.Nd3 puts pressure on the c-pawn and forces 22...Nxd5 23.Rxc5 Rd8 24.a3 c6 when the game reamains equal.

BLACK: Luke McShane
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WHITE: Hikau Nakamura
Position after 22.g2g4

22...Bh6!

• Black immediate reposts his Bishop to a more active square.

23.Rc2

• White's chances of holding the game are better after 23.Rcd1 Re8 24.Nc4 Rxe1+ 25.Rxe1 Qf4 26.Kg2 b5.

23...Re8 24.Rce2 Rf8

• Better is 24...Bg5! 25.b3 h6 26.Nd3 Rxe2 27.Rxe2 Nxd5, winning a pawn.

25.Nc4 Qxd5 26.Qxf6 Bg7 27.Qh4?

• White voluntarilyh offsides his Queen.
• White's game is difficult but playable after 27.Qf4 Qxc4 28.Qxc7 d3 29.Rd2 Qb5 30.Re7 c4.

BLACK: Luke McShane
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Hikau Nakamura
Position after 27.Qf6h4

27...Qxc4!

• White now has a material advantage.

28.Re8

• Not any better is 28.b3 Qa6 29.Rd2 Qa5 30.Red1 Re8.

28...Qd5

• Black keeps his center strong.
• Black could win two more pawns by 28...Qxa2 29.Rxf8+ Bxf8 30.Qd8 when:
• If 30...Qa6 then after 31.Qxc7 Qb5 32.Qb8 Qxb2 White gets some counterplay.
• 30...Qxb2? 31.Re8! Qc1+ 32.Kg2 Qh6 33.Qxc7 b6 34.Qxa7 equalizes.

29.Rxf8+ Bxf8 30.Re8 Kg7

• If 30...Qd6 then after 31.Rd8 Qe6 32.g5 Qe7 33.Rc8 d3 Black's d-pawn is deadly.

31.g5 Qd6

• 31...Kg8 32.Qh6 Qd6 33.Qh4 d3 34.Qg4 d2 ties up White with stopping the d-pawn.

32.Kf1 b5 33.Ke1 c4 34.Qe4 c5 35.h4

• 35.f4 fails to stop the advance of Black's queenside pawn mass after 35...b4 36.Qe5+ Qxe5+ 37.fxe5 a5.

35...c3 36.bxc3

• If 36.b3 then 36...d3 37.f4 c4 38.f5 gxf5 39.Qxf5 c2 is enough to entice resignation.

36...dxc3 37.Qe5+

• The exchange of Queens can be read as a white flag.

37...Qxe5+ 38.Rxe5 a5 39.Kd1

• White will be able to put up a better fight after 39.Re8 Bd6 40.Kd1 b4 41.Ra8 h6 42.Rxa5 hxg5 43.hxg5.

BLACK: Luke McShane
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Hikau Nakamura
Position after 39.Ke1d1

39...a4!

• White cannot stop the pawn mass.

40.a3 b4 41.Kc2 h6

• If 41...f6 42.Re8 then:
• If 42...Bd6 43.Ra8 then:
• 43...Kf7 44.Rxa4 Ke6 45.Ra5 fxg5 46.hxg5 Be7 47.axb4 relieves White's defensive burden somewhat.
• 43...fxg5!? 44.hxg5 h5 45.gxh6+ Kxh6 46.Rxa4 Kg5 47.Ra6 is equal.
• 42...fxg5 43.hxg5 Bd6 44.Ra8 Bf4 45.Ra7+ Kf8 gives Black a material advantage.

42.Rd5 hxg5 43.hxg5 Kh7

• If 43...Be7 44.Rd7 Bxg5 45.axb4 cxb4 then:
• 46.Rb7 b3+ 47.Kxc3 Bf6+ 48.Kb4 b2 49.Kxa4 Bd4 barely keeps White alive.
• If 46.Ra7? a3! 47.Rb7 Bc1!! then:
• 48.Rxb4 Bb2 wins for Black.
• 48.Kxc1 a2 wins for Black.

44.Rd7 Bg7 45.Rxf7 b3+

• Black has a mass of three passed pawns.

46.Kb1 Kg8 47.Ra7 Bd4 48.Rxa4

• 48.Ra8+ proves to be a useless check after 48...Kf7 49.Rxa4 Ke6 50.Ra6+ Kd5 51.Rf6 c4 when White is toast.

48...Kf7 49.Ra6 Be5 50.Ra4 Ke6 51.Rh4

• 51.Kc1 Bd4 52.Ra6+ Kd5 53.Rb6 c4 54.Rb7 c2 would be a good time for White to call it a day.

51...Kd5 52.a4

• 52.Rg4 c4 53.Rg1 c2+ 54.Kc1 Kd4 55.f4 Bxf4+ wins easily for Black.

52...c4 53.Rh1 c2+ 54.Kc1 c3 55.Rh4 Bd6 0-1

• The threat of 56...Ba3# cannot be parried.
• Mr. Nakamura resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Kramnik - Short, Round 6

The former world champion was the only other player in London with a shot at catching Magnus in first place.



Vladimir Kramnik
Photo: from the website of Vladimir Kramnik


Luke McShane - Vladimir Kramnik
Chess Classic, Round 6
London, 14 December 2009

Orthodox Queen's Gambit: Nimzo-Ragozin Defense

1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Qb3

• For a more detailed look at the main lines of this opening, see Zhao Xue-N. Kosintseva, World ChTW, Ningbo, 2009.

5...c5 6.cxd5

• If 6.dxc5 Nc6 then:
• If 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bxf6 Qxf6 9.e3 then:
• 9...a5 10.a3 a4 11.Qc2 Bxc3+ 12.Qxc3 Qxc3+ 13.bxc3 dxc4 14.Bxc4 Ra5 15.Nd4 Rxc5 16.Bb5 e5 17.Nxc6 Rxb5 18.Na7 Rc5 19.Nxc8 Rxc8 is equal (L'Ami-Cheparinov, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2006).
• 9...0-0 10.Rc1 dxc4 11.Bxc4 Qe7 12.0-0 Bxc5 gives White the advantage in space (Monticelli-van den Bosch, IT, Budapest, 1929).
• If 7.e3 0-0 then:
• 8.Be2 Ne4 9.0-0 Nxc3 10.bxc3 Bxc5 11.cxd5 Qxd5 12.Rd1 Qxb3 13.axb3 Bb6 14.Ba3 Re8 15.Bd6 e5 16.b4 f6 17.Nd2 Be6 gives White the advantage in space (Müller-Breier, Bundesliga Nord, Germany, 2002).
• 8.Bd2 Bxc5 9.0-0-0 dxc4 10.Qxc4 Qe7 11.Bd3 Nb4 12.Bb1 b6 13.Qh4 Ba6 14.e4 is equal (Rabinovich-Romanovsky, IT, Moscow, 1925).

6...exd5 7.dxc5 Nc6 8.Bg5

• 8.Bd2 Be6 9.Ng5 0-0 10.e3 Nd7 11.Nxe6 fxe6 12.Bb5 Nxc5 gives White an early initiative (Kupchik-Marshall, IT, Lake Hopatcong (New Jersey), 1923).
• 8.e3 0-0 9.Be2 Be6 10.Nd4 Bxc5 11.Nxe6 fxe6 12.0-0 Qe7 13.Bd2 Kh8 14.Rad1 a6 15.a3 Rad8 16.Bc1 Na7 is equal (Karpov-Kramnik, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 1997).

8...Be6

• White has an extra pawn and better pawn structure.
• If 8...h6 9.Bxf6 Qxf6 then:
• 10.0-0-0 Bxc3 11.Qxc3 Qxc3+ 12.bxc3 Be6 13.Nd4 gives White an extra pawn.
• 10.e3 Bg4 11.Be2 Rd8 12.Rd1 Be6 13.Nd4 gives White an extra pawn and better pawn structure; Black should seek activity for his pieces.

9.0-0-0 Qa5

• 9...d4 10.Qc2 Bxc5 11.e3 Qa5 12.Bxf6 dxc3 13.Bxc3 maintains White's extra pawn.

10.Bxf6 gxf6 11.Nxd5!?

• White proffers a Knight for Black's bad Bishop.
• Instead, White could trade the same Knight for the good Bishop and maintain superiority: 11.a3 Bxc3 12.Qxc3 Qxc3+ 13.bxc3 Ne5 14.Rd2 .

11...0-0-0!?

• 11...Qxc5+ 12.Qc2 Bxd5 13.Qxc5 Bxc5 14.Rxd5 Bxf2 15.e4 gives White a Rook on the quite navigable fifth rank.

BLACK: Nigel Short
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Vladimir Kramnik
Position after 11.0-0-0

12.e4!

• White frees his game. He has a material plus, more space and better pawn structure.

12...f5 13.Bc4 Bxc5 14.Ng5 fxe4 15.Nxe4 Bd4

• If 15...Nd4 then after 16.Qc3 Qxc3+ 17.Ndxc3 Bxc4 18.Nxc5 White still has an extra pawn.

16.Ndc3

• 16.Nec3 Qc5 17.Na4 Qd6 18.Ne3 Bxc4 19.Qxc4 Qf4 is equal.

16...Rhe8!?

• 16...Bxc4 17.Qxc4 Bxc3 18.bxc3 f5 19.Ng3 Kb8 20.Qf4+ gives Black a beat on the f-pawn.

BLACK: Nigel Short
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WHITE: Vladimir Kramnik
Position after 16...Rh8e8

17.Bxe6+

• White hasn't won the game yet, but any other outcome is beginning to looke quite remote.
• 17.Nb5 Kb8 18.Rxd4!! then:
• If 18...Rxd4 19.Qg3+ Ka8 20.Nc7+ then:
• 20...Qxc7 21.Qxc7 Rxc4+ 22.Nc3 leaves White with the material advantage.
• 20...Kb8? 21.Nxe8+ Ne5 22.Bxe6 Rxe4 23.Nf6 is an easy win for White.
• 18...Nxd4 19.Qg3+ Ka8 20.Nc7+ Qxc7 21.Qxc7 Rc8 22.Qe5 gives White the material advantage.

17...Rxe6 18.f3 Ne5 19.Nb5 Rb6

• If 19...Rc6+ 20.Kb1 Qb6 21.Rhe1 then:
• 21...a6 22.Nxd4 Rxd4 23.Qxb6 Rxd1+ 24.Rxd1 Rxb6 25.Rd5 White should win.
• 21...h6? 22.Ng3 Nc4 23.Nf5 Bf6 24.Rxd8+ Bxd8 25.Rd1 gives White a won position.

20.Qc2+ Rc6 21.Nec3 Bxc3

• 21...Be3+ 22.Kb1 Kb8 23.Rxd8+ Qxd8 24.Qxh7 Nc4 25.b3 leaves White two pawns up with a winning game.

22.Rxd8+ Kxd8 23.Nxc3 Kc7 24.Rd1 a6

• If 24...Ng6 25.Qe4 Qe5 26.Kb1 then:
• 26...Qxe4+ 27.fxe4 Re6 28.b4 Kc6 29.a4 gives White an extra pawn and better pawn structure.
• 26...h6 then after 27.Nd5+ Kb8 28.Qxe5+ Nxe5 29.b3 a5 30.Kb2 White could, if he chose, win on the kingside by attacking Black's weak pawns there.

25.Qxh7 Kb8?

• Black misses his last best chance.
• 25...Qxa2 26.Qh8 Rxc3+ 27.bxc3 then:
• If 27...Qa3+ 28.Kd2 Qb2+ 29.Ke3 Qxc3+ 30.Ke2 Qc4+ 31.Ke1 Qc3+ 32.Kf1 Qc4+ 33.Kg1 Qc5+ then:
• 34.Kf1 Qc4+ draws by repetition.
• 34.Kh1?? Nd3 35.g4 Nf2+ 36.Kg2 Nxd1 wins for Black.
• 27...Qa1+ 28.Kd2 Qb2+ transposes.

BLACK: Nigel Short
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Vladimir Kramnik
Position after 25...Kc7b8

26.Kb1!

• White overprotects the a-pawn, freeing the Knight for attack duty.

26...Nc4 27.Qh8+ Rc8 28.Qd4 Qb4

• 28...Qh5 29.b3 Na3+ 30.Kb2 Nb5 31.Qf4+ Ka8 32.Nxb5 leaves White up by two pawns and winning.

29.b3 a5

• 29...Qb6 30.Qxb6 Nxb6 31.Ne4 Rh8 32.h3 leaves White up by two pawns and winning.

30.Ka1 Na3 31.Qxb4 axb4 32.Nd5

32...Rc2

• Black cannot protect the pawn at b4 and therefore seek low-hanging fruit among White's pawns.

33.Nxb4 Rxg2 34.Rh1 Ka7 35.h4!

• It will cost Black dearly to stop the pawn.

35...Kb6

• 35...Rg7 36.h5 Rh7 37.h6 Nb5 38.Nd5 Nd4 39.Nf6 leaves White two pawns to the good.

36.h5 Ka5
BLACK: Nigel Short
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Vladimir Kramnik
Position after 36...Kb6a5

37.h6!!

• The pawn can't be stopped unless White pauses to save a Knight or some trivial thing like that.

36...Kxb4 38.h7 Nc2+ 39.Kb1 Na3+ 40.Kc1 1-0

• If 40...Rc2+ then 41.Kd1 leaves Black out of checks; the h-pawn must now queen.
• Mr. Short resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Carlsen - Nakamura, Round 4

Reigning American national champion Hikaru Nakamura did us Yanks proud in London by holding the world's best player to a draw.



Hikaru Nakamura
Photo: ChessBase.com


Magnus Carlsen - Hikaru Nakamura
Chess Classic, Round 4
London, 12 December 2009

Slav Queen's Gambit: Karlsbad Defense

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Nh4

• If 6.e3 then:
• If 6...e6 7.Bxc4 Bb4 8.0-0 0-0 then:
• If 9.Qe2 then:
• If 9...Nbd7 10.e4 Bg6 11.Bd3 then:
• If 11...Bh5 12.e5 Nd5 13.Nxd5 cxd5 14.Qe3 Be7 then:
• 15.Ng5 Bxg5 16.Qxg5 Bg6 then:
• 17.Be2 Nb8 18.Qxd8 Rxd8 19.a5 Nc6 20.Be3 gives White a slight advantage in space (Carlsen-Bu Xiangzhi, Rpd, Cap d'Agde, 2008).
• 15.Bd2 Nb8 16.Ne1 Bg6 17.f4 Nc6 18.g4 f5 19.exf6 Bxf6 20.Bc3 Qe8 21.h3 Kh8 22.Rd1 Rc8 is equal; Black will play on the queenside where he commands an open file; White will play on the kingside where he has an advantage in space (Beliavsky-Ribli, Slovenian ChT, Bled, 2001).
• If 9...Bg6 10.Ne5 Nbd7 11.Nxg6 hxg6 12.Rd1 Qa5 then:
• 13.Qc2 Rad8 14.Na2 Bd6 15.Be2 Qc7 16.h3 c5 17.Nc3 cxd4 18.Rxd4 gives White a small advantage due maily to superior pawn structure (Li Shilong-Caruana, Corus C, Wijk aan Zee, 2008).
• If 13.Bd2 Rad8 14.Be1 e5 then:
• 15.Qc2 Nb6 16.dxe5 Nxc4 17.exf6 gxf6 18.Ne4 gives White the active game (Golubenko-Corke, WGMT, Rijeka, 2006).
• 15.dxe5 Qxe5 16.Rd4 Bc5 17.Rd3 Qe7 18.Rad1 Ne5 19.Rxd8 Rxd8 20.Bb3 Rxd1 21.Qxd1 Qd6 is equal is equal (Neverov-N. Pert, Op, Hastings, 2006-07).
• If 9.Nh4 Nbd7 then:
• If 10.f3 Bg6 then:
• If 11.e4 e5 12.dxe5 Nxe5 13.Be2 Qb6+ 14.Kh1 Rad8 15.Qc2 Qc5 16.Bf4 Nc4 is equal (I. Sokolov-Hector, IT, Malmø, 2001).
• If 11.Nxg6 hxg6 then:
• If 12.Qc2 Rc8 13.Rd1 Qe7 14.a5 then:
• 14...c5 15.Qb3 Rfd8 16.a6 bxa6 17.Bxa6 Rb8 is equal (Tukmakov-Chandler, IT, Leningrad, 1987).
• If 12.e4 e5 13.Be3 Qe7 14.Qe2 exd4 15.Bxd4 then:
• 15...Ne5 16.Kh1 Bc5 17.Bxc5 Qxc5 is equal (Morrison-Tippleston, British Ch, Douglas, 2005).
• 15...Bc5 16.Bxc5 Qxc5+ 17.Kh1 g5 is equal (Bukal-Vismara, Op, Estensi, 2001).
• If 10.Nxf5 exf5 11.Qc2 then:
• If 11...g6 12.f3 Rc8 13.Kh1 c5 14.Ba2 Qb6 15.dxc5 Nxc5 16.e4 then:
• 16...fxe4! 17.Bg5 exf3 18.Bxf6 Qxf6 19.Rxf3 Qe5 give Black a more active game (Bocharov-Rublevsky, Russian Ch, Tomsk, 2004).
• 16...Ne6 17.Bh6 fxe4 18.Bxf8 Bxf8 19.fxe4 Bg7 20.Qf2 leaves Black with nothing for the exchange (Peralta-Bu Xiangzhi, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• 11...Nb6 12.Bb3 Qd7 13.a5 Nbd5 14.f3 Rfe8 15.Nxd5 Nxd5 16.e4 Nf6 17.Qc4 Bf8 18.exf5 Rad8 19.Kh1 Qc7 20.Qc2 draw (Kramnik-Anand, IT, Linares, 2000).
• 6...e5 transposes into the game after 7.Bxc4 exd4 8.exd4 Be7 9.Nh4 Bc8.
• If 6.Ne5 then:
• If 6...Nbd7 Nc5 7.Nxc4 then:
• If 7...Nb6 then:
• If 7.Nxc4 then:
• If 7...Nb6 then:
• If 8.Ne3 then:
• If 8...Bg6 9.a5 Nbd7 10.g3 then:
• If 10...e5 11.dxe5 Nxe5 12.Qb3 Bc5 13.Bg2 0-0 14.0-0 Qe7 then:
• 15.Na4 Bb4 16.Nc3 Rad8 17.Nc2 Bc5 18.Na4 Bd6 19.Be3 a6 20.Bb6 Rde8 21.Rad1 Ned7 is equal (Jaracz-Ni Hua, Dos Hermanas, Cyberspace, 2006).
• 15.Nc4 Qe6 16.Nd2 a6 17.Qxe6 fxe6 18.h3 Ba7 19.Nde4 Nd5 20.Ng5 Rae8 is equal (Ward-N. Pert, British Ch, Great Yarmouth, 2007).
• If 10...e6 11.Bg2 then:
• If 11...Rc8 12.0-0 Be7 13.Nc4 0-0 14.e4 Bb4 15.Re1 b5 16.axb6 Nxb6 17.Ne5 gives White the advantage in space (S. Halkias-K. Georgiev, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).
• 11...Nd5 12.0-0 Be7 13.Qb3 b6 14.f4 Nxe3 15.Bxe3 Rc8 16.axb6 axb6 17.Bf2 0-0 18.e4 b5 19.Kh1 Nf6 20.Rfe1 Re8 21.Bg1 is equal (Kempinski-Babula, Bundesliga 0102, Hamburg, 2001).
• If 8...e6 9.a5 Nbd5 10.Nxf5 exf5 11.a6 b6 12.g3 Bb4 13.Bd2 0-0 14.Bg2 Qe7 15.0-0 Rac8 16.Nxd5 Nxd5 gives White better pawn structure and more activity (Hammer-So, IT, Texas Tech U, 2009).
• If 8.Ne5 a5 then:
• If 9.e3 then:
• If 9...g6 10.Bd3 then:
• If 10...Bxd3 11.Nxd3 Bg7 then:
• If 12.Qb3 0-0 13.0-0 Nfd7 then:
• 14.f4 Qc7 15.Bd2 c5 16.Nb5 gives White the advantage in space (Cramling-Pähtz, ITW, St. Petersburg, 2009).
• 14.Ne2 Qc7 15.e4 Nc8 16.f3 Rd8 gives White the advantage in space, but Black has no exploitable weaknesses (Jobava-Shirov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2007).
• 12.0-0 0-0 13.Qe2 Nfd5 14.Rd1 Nb4 15.b3 N6d5 16.Bb2 Nxd3 17.Qxd3 Nxc3 18.Bxc3 Qd5 19.Qc4 Rfd8 20.Rac1 f5 is equal (Adianto-Bu Xiangzhi, Op, Doha, 2006).
• If 10...Be6 then:
• If 11.Be2 Bg7 12.e4 Nfd7 13.Nf3 Bg4 14.0-0 0-0 15.h3 Bxf3 16.Bxf3 is equal (Grischuk-Wang Yue, Grand Prix, Elista, 2008).
• 11.Nf3 Bg7 12.h3 Nfd5 13.0-0 0-0 14.e4 Nb4 15.Be2 Qd7 16.Bf4 Rad8 17.Qc1 Bc4 18.Bh6 Bxe2 19.Nxe2 is equal (Mchedlishvili-Shaw, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• If 9...h6 10.Bd3 Bxd3 11.Nxd3 then:
• 11...e6 12.Qb3 Be7 13.0-0 0-0 14.Rd1 Nfd5 15.e4 Nb4 16.Be3 Nd7 17.d5 gives White the advantage in space (Bu Xiangzhi-Pentala, Mindsports Rpd, Beijing, 2008).
• 11...Nbd5 12.Qb3 Qb6 13.Qxb6 Nxb6 14.f3 Nfd5 15.Nxd5 cxd5 16.b3 e6 17.Ke2 Bd6 18.Bd2 f5 19.Rac1 Ke7 is equal (Topalov-Gelfand, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2005).
• If 9.g3 e6 10.Bg2 Bb4 11.0-0 0-0 12.e3 h6 13.Qe2 Bh7 14.Rd1 Nfd7 then:
• If 15.Nxd7 Nxd7 16.e4 Qe7 17.Be3 Rfd8 then:
• 18.Rac1 18...Rac8 19.Qc4 Nf6 20.f3 Qe8 21.Qb3 Rd7 22.Ne2 c5 23.dxc5 Rxd1+ 24.Qxd1 Nd7 is equal (Zhao Xue-K. Georgiev, Op, Gibraltar, 2008).
• 18.d5 Bc5 19.Bxc5 Nxc5 20.Qc4 Rac8 21.dxc6 Rxc6 22.Qb5 Rcc8 23.Rab1 Qc7 24.h4 Bg6 is equal (Xu Jun-Wang Yue, Chinese ChT, Jinan, 2005).
• If 15.Nd3 Qe7 16.e4 then:
• 16...Rfd8 17.Bf4 Bd6 18.Be3 Nc4 19.Bc1 e5 20.d5 Nf6 is equal (Jakovenko-Lastin, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2008).
• If 16...e5 17.dxe5 Nxe5 18.Nxe5 Qxe5 19.Be3 Bc5 20.Rac1 Bxe3 21.Qxe3 Nc4 22.Qd4 Qxd4 23.Rxd4 Nb6 24.Rcd1 Rfb8 25.b4 gives White the advantage in space (Eljanov-Shaw, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• If 9.Bg5 h6 10.Bh4 then:
• If 10...Nbd5 11.Qb3 Qb6 12.Qxb6 Nxb6 13.f3 then:
• 13...Nfd7 14.Nxd7 Nxd7 15.e4 Bg6 16.0-0-0 e5 17.dxe5 Nxe5 18.f4 Nd7 19.g4 Be7 20.Bg3 f6 21.Bc4 Rf8 22.Rhe1 Bf7 23.Bxf7+ Rxf7 24.Kc2 0-0-0 25.b3 gives White the advantage in space (Mkrtchian-Ruan Lufei, FIDE Knock Out W, Ekaterininburg, 2006).
• 13...Bc2 14.e4 e6 15.Bd3 Bb3 16.Bf2 Bb4 17.Ke2 Nfd7 18.Nxd7 Kxd7 19.Na2 Bxa2 20.Rxa2 Kc7 21.Bc2 Rad8 22.Bb3 Rhe8 23.Raa1 f5 24.Rac1 gives White's Bishops better potential than Black's minor pieces (P. H. Nielsen-Dziuba, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• 10...e6 11.e4 Bh7 12.f3 Be7 13.Bf2 Nfd7 14.Nd3 0-0 15.Be2 Rc8 16.0-0 c5 17.dxc5 Nxc5 18.Nxc5 Bxc5 19.Bxc5 Rxc5 20.Qxd8 Rxd8 21.Rfd1 Rcc8 22.Rab1 f5 23.Kf2 fxe4 24.fxe4 Kf8 25.Rxd8+ Rxd8 26.Ke3 e5 27.Bb5 Rd4 28.Rf1+ Ke7 29.Rf3 draw (Grigoryan-Kuzubov, Youth Stars, Kirishi, 2007).
• If 7...Qc7 8.g3 e5 9.dxe5 Nxe5 10.Bf4 Nfd7 11.Bg2 then:
• If 11...g5 12.Ne3 gxf4 13.Nxf5 0-0-0 14.Qc2 then:
• If 14...Nc5 15.0-0 then:
• 15...Ne6 16.Qe4 fxg3 17.hxg3 a5 18.Nb5 cxb5 19.axb5 Nc5 20.Qe3 Ng4 21.Qc3 Ne4 22.Bxe4 Qxc3 23.bxc3 gives White an extra pawn and more activity (Shirov-Pentala, IT, Foros, 2006).
• 15...fxg3 16.hxg3 a5 17.Rfd1 h5 18.Rxd8+ Qxd8 19.Rd1 Qf6 20.Qd2 Be7 21.Bh3 Kb8 22.Qe3 Ng6 23.Nxe7 Qxe7 24.Qxe7 Nxe7 is equal (Gelfand-Akopian, Asrian Mem Rapid, Yerevan, 2008).
• 14...Ng6 15.0-0 Kb8 16.Rac1 fxg3 17.hxg3 h5 18.Nb5 Qb6 19.Nbd4 Nde5 20.Rfd1 h4 21.a5 Qxa5 22.f4 h3 23.Be4 h2+ is equal (Banikas-Wang Yue, Op, Gibraltar, 2008).
• If 11...f6 12.0-0 Nc5 13.Ne3 then:
• 13...Bg6 14.b4 Ne6 15.b5 Rd8 16.Qb3 Nd4 17.Qb2 Bc5 18.Rfc1 Qe7 19.bxc6 bxc6 20.Ne4 Bb4 21.Nc4 Nxc4 22.Rxc4 is equal (Bacrot-Gelfand, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2006).
• 13...Be6 14.b4 Rd8 15.Qc2 Na6 16.b5 Nb4 17.Qe4 Bc5 18.bxc6 bxc6 19.Rad1 0-0 20.Nc4 Rxd1 21.Rxd1 Bd5 22.Bxe5 fxe5 23.Qxe5 Qxe5 24.Nxe5 Rxf2 25.Nxd5 Rxe2+ 26.Kh1 Rxe5 27.Nxb4 Bxb4 28.Bxc6 draw (Ftacnik-Bu Xiangzhi, Ol, Calvia, 2004).
• If 6...e6 7.f3 Bb4 8.e4 Bxe4 9.fxe4 Nxe4 then:
• 10.Bd2 Qxd4 11.Nxe4 Qxe4+ 12.Qe2 Bxd2+ 13.Kxd2 Qd5+ then:
• 14.Kc2 Na6 15.Nxc4 then:
• If 15...0-0-0 then:
• 16.Qe3 Nc5 17.Be2 Qxg2 18.Rhg1 Qxh2 19.Rxg7 Rd4 20.Qxd4 Qxe2+ 21.Nd2 Rd8 is equal (Kramnik-Shirov, IT, Dortmund, 1996).
• If 16.Qe5 f6 then:
• If 17.Qe3 then:
• 17...Kb8 18.Be2 e5 19.Rad1 Qe6 20.Qa3 Nc7 21.Qb3 Rd4 22.Rxd4 exd4 is equal (Bacrot-Mednis, TMatch, Cannes, 1996).
• 17...Nb4+ 18.Kb3 c5 19.Rc1 Nc6 20.Ka3 Nd4 21.Bd3 Kb8 22.Be4 Qd7 23.Rhd1 Qc7 24.g4 g6 is equal (Krush-Nakamura, IT, New York, 2001).
• If 17.Qxd5 cxd5 18.Na3 Nb4+ 19.Kd2 Kd7 20.Rc1 Rc8 21.Rc3 then:
• 21...b6 22.Bb5+ Kd6 23.Be2 a6 24.h4 Rhf8 25.h5 f5 26.h6 g6 27.Rhc1 Rc5 (Kramnik-Lautier, IT, Linares, 1994).
• 21...Rxc3 22.bxc3 Nc6 23.Be2 Rc8 24.Rb1 b6 25.Nb5 Ke7 26.g3 Rd8 is equal (Pachman-Donner, IT, Venice, 1967).
• If 15...0-0 16.Qe5 then:
• 16...Rfd8 17.Be2 f6 18.Qxd5 cxd5 19.Na5 Rac8+ 20.Kb1 then:
• 20...Nc5 21.b4 Ne4 22.Kb2 Nd6 23.Rac1 Kf7 24.g4 g6 25.Bf3 f5 26.g5 h6 (T. L. Petrosian-Vukovic, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• If 20...Nb4 21.Nxb7 then:
• 21...Rc2? 22.Re1! Rd2 23.Ra3 Nc2 24.Kc1! forces the win of the exchange (Kramnik-Haba, Bundesliga 9293, Germany, 1993).
• 21...Rd7 22.Na5 Rc2 23.Re1 d4 24.Bc4 Rc7 is equal.]
• 16...Rab8 17.a5 f6 18.Qxd5 cxd5 19.Ne3 Rfc8+ 20.Kb1 Nc5 21.Ra3 f5 22.Be2 Ne4 23.Rd1 Rc5 gives Black a better center (Onischuk-Grischuk, IT, Biel, 2007).
• If 14.Kc3 then:
• 14...Na6 15.Nxc4 0-0-0 16.Qe3 Qc5 17.Be2 Qxe3+ 18.Nxe3 Nc5 19.Rhd1 e5 is equal (Rajkovic-Matulovic, Yugoslav ChT, Niksic, 1997).
• 14...0-0 15.Qe3 b5 16.Be2 Nd7 17.Nxd7 Qxd7 18.Qc5 Qd8 19.Rhd1 Qf6+ 20.Qd4 e5 21.Qe4 Rfd8 Black's four pawns show supremacy over White's Bishop (S. Ivanov-Motylev, Russian ChT, Tomsk, 2001).
• If 10.Qf3 Qxd4 11.Qxf7+ Kd8 12.Bg5+ Nxg5 13.Qxg7 Bxc3+ 14.bxc3 Qxc3+! 15.Ke2 Qc2+ then:
• 16.Ke1 Qc3+ 17.Ke2 draws by repetition (Khalifman-Serper, Soviet Ch 1st League, Tashkent, 1987 and others since).
li]If 16.Ke3? then after 16...Qe4+! 17.Kd2 Qf4+ 18.Kc2 Rf8 19.Rd1+ Kc8 White escapes mate with a three-pawn advantage.

6...Bc8

• If 6...Bg6 7.Nxg6 hxg6 then:
• 8.e4 e6 9.Bxc4 Bb4 10.Qd3 Nbd7 11.0-0 a5 12.Bg5 e5 13.Rad1 Qb6 14.d5 0-0 15.dxc6 bxc6 16.Bxf6 Nxf6 17.Qg3 Qc5 is equal (Alberrán-Gómez, Argentine Ch, Buenos Aires, 2004).
• If 8.e3 e6 9.Bxc4 then:
• If 9...Nbd7 then:
• 10.Bd2 Bb4 11.Bb3 Qe7 12.0-0 0-0 13.f4 c5 14.a5 cxd4 15.exd4 Bxc3 16.bxc3 Ne4 is unclear; White has two Bishops against two Knights, but his pawn structure is a disaster; White should seek piece activity and Black should exchange pieces and go pawn hunting when it is safe (Ivanisevic-Lemli, Rpd Op, Mainz, 2008).
• 10.0-0 Qc7 11.f4 Rd8 12.Qe2 Nb6 13.Bb3 g5 14.g3 gxf4 15.gxf4 a5 16.Bd2 Bb4 slightly favors White with a better center (Kashdan-Pirc, IT, Bled, 1931).
• 9...Bb4 10.0-0 Nbd7 11.f4 Qa5 12.Qb3 0-0-0 13.h3 Kb8 14.Na2 Be7 15.Qc2 c5 16.dxc5 Qxc5 gives Black more freedom (Uhlmann-Matulovic, IT, Vinkovci, 1982).
• 6...e6 7.Nxf5 exf5 8.e3 Bb4 9.Bxc4 0-0 10.0-0 Nbd7 11.Qc2 transposes to Peralta-Bu Xiangzhi in the notes to White's fourth move.

7.e3

• 7.Nf3 Bf5 gives White the option of tranposing into the notes to White's sixth move with 8.e3 or 8.Ne5 or inviting an early repetition of moves with 8.Nh4.

7...e5 8.Bxc4 exd4 9.exd4 Be7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Re1 Nd5

• 11...Na6 12.Nf3 Nc7 13.Qb3 Nfd5 14.Nxd5 Nxd5 15.Bxd5 cxd5 16.Bf4 gives White the advantage in space (Lerner-Tukmakov, Soviet Ch 1st League, Simferopol, 1988).

12.Nf3 Be6

• 12...Na6 13.Bxd5 cxd5 14.Nxd5 Qxd5 15.Rxe7 Bg4 16.h3 Bh5 17.Ra3 Rad8 18.Qb3 gives White the initiative (Lputian-Akopian, Petrosian Mem, Yerevan, 1994).

13.Qb3 Na6 14.Bd2

• 14.Nxd5 cxd5 15.Bd3 Qb6 16.Qc2 h6 17.a5 Qd6 is equal (Legky-Summerscale, French ChT, Clichy, 1997).

14...Nab4!?

• 14...Rb8 15.Ne4 Nac7 16.Neg5 Bf6 17.Qd3 g6 18.Qe4 Bg7 is equal (I. Sokolov-Deviatkin, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).

15.Ne4 Bf5 16.Ne5

• 16.Bxb4 Nxb4 17.Rad1 Bg4 18.Rd2 Bxf3 19.Qxf3 Qa5 is equal.

16...a5 17.Nc5

• An alternate plan would have White take control of the c-file.
• 17.Rac1! gives White command of an open file after 17...f6 18.Nf3 b6 19.Bxd5+ cxd5 20.Ng3.

17...Bxc5 18.dxc5 Qc7

• If 18...Bc2 19.Qf3 Qc7 20.Re2 then:
• If 20...Rfe8 21.Rae1 Bxa4 22.Bxb4 axb4 then:
• 23.b3! Bb5 24.Bxb5 Nc3 25.Bc4 Nxe2+ 26.Qxe2 gives White the advantage in space.
• 23.Bxd5 cxd5 24.Qxd5 Bc6 25.Qc4 gives White a more firm grip on the e-file.
• 20...Rad8 21.b3 Bg6 22.Bxb4 axb4 23.Nxg6 fxg6 24.Qe3 gives White a firm grip on the center.

19.Bxxb4 Nxb4 20.Qf3!?

• 20.Rac1 Rad8 21.Qf3 Be6 22.Bxe6 fxe6 23.Qe3 gives White the active game.

BLACK: Hikaru Nakamura
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 20.Qb3f3

20...Be6!

• Although this move spoils his pawn structure slightly, Black sees he will get some piece activity in compensation. This leads to an equal game.
• If 20...Bc2!? 21.b3 Rad8 22.Rac1 Rd4 then:
• 23.Qc3! Re4 24.Nxf7! Rxc4 25.Qxc4 Qxf7 26.Rxc2 Nxc2 27.Qxc2 gives White an extra pawn.
• 24...Rxf7? 25.Rxc2 Rxe1+ 26.Qxe1 Nd5 27.Re2 gives White an extra pawn and solid command of a file leading to Black's weakend King.
• 23.Re3!? Rd2 24.Qg3 Rd5 25.Bxd5 cxd5 26.Nf3 leaves White an exchange to the good.

21.Bxe6

• 21.Rad1 Rae8 22.b3 Bd5 23.Qc3 Re7 24.Nd3 Nxd3 25.Bxd3 is equal.

21...fxe6 22.Qb3

• 22.Qe2 Qe7 23.Rac1 Rad8 24.Rc4 Rd5 25.Qe3 Rf5 is equal.

22...Qe7 23.Nf3

• The game is equal.
• 23.Rad1 Rad8 24.Nf3 Rxd1 25.Rxd1 Rf5 26.Rd6 Rd5 is equal.

23...Nd5 24.Rac1 Rf4 25.Ne5

• 25.Rc4 Rxc4 26.Qxc4 Rf8 27.Qc2 Rd8 28.Qe4 remains equal.

25...Raf8 26.Nd3 Rd4!?

• Black's plan is too time consuming. If he had one more move, he might be able to pull it off. He would like to get the Queen to the f-file, then sacrifice the exchange on d3 for the time to take on f2 with check.
• 26...Rg4 27.Rc4 Rg6 28.Ne5 Rg5 29.Rc2 remains equal.
• 26...R4f5 27.Re4 Qf7 28.f3 Rg5 29.Ne5 Qe7 30.Qc4 remains equal.

BLACK: Hikaru Nakamura
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 27...Rf4d4:R

27.Rc4!

• White throws a big monkey wrench into the gears.

27...Rxc4

• For want of a move to put the Queen on the f-file before White's last move, Black's plan fails.
• 27...Qf6?! drops a pawn to 28.Rxd4 Qxd4 29.Rxe6.
• 27...Rxd3? fails to 28.Qxd3 Qg5 29.Rce4! Nf4 30.Qf3 Rf5 31.Rd1, when White takes over the initiative.

28.Qxc4

• White has the advantage in space.

28...Qf6 29.g3!?

• This is obviously a prophylaxis against a back rank mate, but that is as of now only an intermeiate concern.
• 29.Re2 then:
• If 29...Rd8 then after 30.h3 Qf5 31.Re4 Nc7 32.Re3 White still stands better, but he's got a long way to go before he's winning.
• 29...Qg6 then after 30.Qe4 Qxe4 31.Rxe4 Kf7 32.Ne5+ Ke7 33.h4 White is better.

29...Rd8!

• Black shifts his Rook to the open d-file, where his chances of penetrating look better.

30.Kg2

• 30.Ne5 Qe7 31.f4 g5 32.fxg5 Qxg5 33.Qe4 Nf6 is equal.

30...Qf5 31.Nc1

• 31.Ne5 Qf6 32.Qe2 Nc7 33.f4 is equal.

31...Rf8!

• Wth the Knight off of d3, Black renews the attack on the f-pawn. The game is equal.

32.Qe2 Nc7 33.Nd3

• White discourages Black from playing 33...Na6, attacking the c-pawn.
• If 33.Qe3 then after 33...Qc2 34.Nd3 Qxa4 35.Qe5 Qb3 36.Qd6 the game remains equal as White's activity compensates for the pawn loss.

33...Rd8

• 33...Na6 34.Qe3 Rd8 35.Ne5 Rd5 36.g4 remains equal.

34.Ne5 Rd5 35.Kg1!?

• White sacrifices a pawn hoping for the initiative.
• 35.Qe3 Na6 36.g4 Qf8 37.Nd3 e5 38.Rc1 Qf6 remains equal.

BLACK: Hikaru Nakamura
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 35.Kg2g1

35...Rxc5!

• Naturally, Black accepts.

36.Nc4!?

• White seems to want to put his Knight on d6.
• Better is to use e5 as an outpost; if 36.f4 then after 36...Nd5 37.Nc4 Qf6 38.Ne5 Nc7 39.Qe3 Qe7 Black is slightly better, but nowhere near winning.

36...Qf8 37.Rd1 Rd5

• Black keeps the White Knigyht out of d6.

38.Rxd5 exd5

• 38...cxd5 39.Qe5 dxc4 40.Qxc7 Qf3 41.Qd7 Qc6 42.Qd8+ is equal.

39.Qe5 dxc4 40.Qxc7 Qb4

• Black threatens to take a second pawn.

BLACK: Hikaru Nakamura
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 40...Qf8b4

41.Qc8+!

• White parries the threat by forcing pertetual check.

41...Kf7 42.Qf5+ Ke7 43.Qe5+ Kf7 44.Qf5+ Ke7 45.Qe5+ Kf7 ½-½

[Jack Rabbit]

3. World Cup, Final Round, Khanty Mansiysk

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

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Gelfand - Ponomariov, Final Round Tie Break, Rapid Game 2

Boris Gelfand
Photo by Galina Popova for FIDE via ChessBase.com



Third World Cup, Final Round Tie Break, Rapid Game 2
Khanty Mansiysk, 14 December 2009

Semi-Salv Queen's Gambit: Stoltz Opening

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2

• If 5.Qa4+ then:
• If 5...Nbd7 6.Nc3 a6 7.Bg5 then:
• If 7...b5 8.Nxb5 Rb8 is equal (Wang Yue-Ivanchuk, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2009).
• 7...Be7 8.Bxf6 Bxf6 9.Qxc4 0-0 10.Bg2 Rb8 11.0-0 b5 12.Qd3 c5 13.Rfd1 cxd4 14.Nxd4 Ne5 15.Qc2 Qb6 16.a4 Bd7 17.axb5 axb5 is equal (Simonenko-Malakhatko, Op, La Fere, 2005).
• If 5...c6 6.Qxc4 b5 7.Qc2 Bb7 8.Bg2 Nbd7 then:
• If 9.0-0 c5 then:
• 10.a4 b4 11.Bg5 Rc8 12.Nbd2 Be7 13.Rfc1 0-0 14.Qd3 h6 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.e3 Rc7 17.Qe2 Qc8 gives Black supremacy on the queenside (Bruzón-Anand, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2005).
• 10.Nc3 a6 11.Bg5 Rc8 12.dxc5 Bxc5 13.Rad1 Qb6 14.Qb1 h6 15.Bxf6 Nxf6 16.Nd2 Bxg2 17.Kxg2 0-0 18.Nce4 Nxe4 19.Nxe4 Rfd8 20.Rxd8+ Rxd8 21.Nxc5 Qxc5 draw (C. Hansen-Godena, Ol, Istanbul, 2000).
• 9.Ne5 Qb6 10.Be3 c5 11.Nxd7 Nxd7 12.Bxb7 Qxb7 13.0-0 Rc8 14.Rc1 c4 15.a4 a6 16.axb5 axb5 is equal (Yakovich-Brodsky, Op, Noyabrsk, 2003).
• If 5...Bd7 6.Qxc4 Bc6 7.Bg2 Bd5 then:
• 8.Qa4+ Qd7 9.Qxd7+ Nbxd7 10.Nc3 Bb4 11.Bd2 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Ne4 13.0-0 Nxc3 14.bxc3 c5 15.Rfe1 cxd4 16.cxd4 Be4 17.Rac1 Nb6 18.Ne5 Bxg2 19.Kxg2 f6 20.Nd3 Rd8 21.Nc5 Ke7 22.e3 gives White more activity (Sriram-Ninov, Op, Kalamaria, 2006).
• 8.Qd3 Be4 9.Qd1 c5 10.Nc3 Bc6 11.0-0 Nbd7 12.Bg5 Be7 13.dxc5 Nxc5 14.Qxd8+ Rxd8 15.Rfd1 0-0 16.Ne5 Bxg2 17.Kxg2 h6 is equal ()Andrianov-Furdzik, Foxwoods Op, Mashantucket, 2001.

5...c5

• If 5...Nc6 then:
• If 6.Qa4 Bb4+ 7.Bd2 Nd5 8.Bxb4 Ndxb4 then:
• If 9.0-0 Rb8 then:
• If 10.Nc3 a6 11.Ne5 0-0 12.Bxc6 Nxc6 13.Nxc6 bxc6 14.Qxc4 then:
• 14...Rxb2 15.Rab1 Rb6 16.Qc5 h6 17.Rfd1 Rxb1 18.Rxb1 Qd6 19.Ne4 Qd5 20.Qxd5 cxd5 gives Black a slight initiative (Khalifman-S. Ivanov, City Ch, St. Petersburg, 1996).
• 14...Qd6 15.Ne4 Qd5 16.Qc2 Qxd4 17.b3 Rb5 18.Rfd1 Qe5 19.Nc3 Rc5 is equal (Linna-Zugrav, Corres, 2002).
• 10.Na3 0-0 11.Qb5 b6 12.Qxc4 Ba6 13.Nb5 Qd5 14.Qxd5 Nxd5 15.a4 Na5 16.Ne5 Rbd8 17.Bxd5 Bxb5 18.Bxe6 Be8 is equal (Grischuk-Gelfand, Grand Prix, Sochi, 2009).
• If 9.a3 b5 10.Qxb5 Nc2+ 11.Kd2 then:
• If 11...Nxa1 12.Qxc6+ Bd7 13.Qxc4 c5 14.Qa2 Qa5+ then:
• If 15.Nc3 cxd4 16.Nxd4 Rd8 then:
• If 17.Rxa1 e5 18.b4 Qb6 19.Nc2 Qxf2 20.Bd5 0-0 21.Qc4 Be6 22.Ne3 Qxh2 23.Qh4 Qxh4 24.gxh4 f5 25.Kc2 Kf7 then:
• 26.Rd1 f4 27.Nc4 draw (Kasparov-Adams, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2001).
• 26.Rg1 Rd7 27.Bxe6+ Kxe6 is equal (Kasimdzhanov-van Wely, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2001).
• 17.e3 e5 18.b4 Qa6 19.Nd5 0-0 20.Ne2 Bb5 21.Nec3 Bc4 22.Qxa1 leaves White with a material advantage equivalent to two pawns (Shapiro-Furdzik, Op, Philadelphia, 2006).
• 15.b4 cxb4 16.Qxa1 Rc8 17.Ne5 Bb5 18.Ke3 Rc2 19.Bf3 0-0 20.a4 f6 21.Nd3 Bc4 22.Nd2 Qg5+ 23.Nf4 e5 24.Nxc4 exf4+ 25.gxf4 Qf5 26.Nd6 Qe6+ White resigns in the face of further material loss (Ivanchuk-Korchnoi, IT, Tilburg, 1989).
• 11...Bd7 12.Kxc2 Nxd4+ 13.Nxd4 Bxb5 14.Nxb5 Rb8 15.N1c3 0-0 16.Rab1 Qf6 17.Ne4 Qe5 18.Nbc3 leaves Black with a theoretical extra pawn (R. Akesson-Kvetoslav, Corres,2002).
• If 6.0-0 then:
• If 6...a6 7.e3 Bd7 8.Nc3 then:
• If 8...Nd5 9.Nd2 then:
• If 9...Nb6 10.Qe2 Na5 then:
• 11.Nde4 Bc6 12.Rd1 Bb4 13.Bd2 0-0 14.d5 exd5 15.Nxd5 Bxd2 16.Qxd2 Nxd5 17.Qxa5 b6 18.Qe1 Qe7 gives Black an extra pawn (Bromberger-Savchenko, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• 11.Nf3 Be7 12.Ne5 0-0 13.Rd1 Bb5 14.Bd2 Bd6 15.Nxb5 axb5 16.b4 cxb3 17.Qxb5 c6 18.Qe2 Na4 gives Black an extra pawn (Iskusnyh-Savchenko, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2007).
• 9...Nxc3 10.bxc3 b5 11.a4 Rb8 12.Qg4 e5 13.Qe4 Bd6 14.axb5 axb5 15.Ra6 f5 16.Qc2 e4 is equal (Sebenik-Zelcic, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• If 8...Bd6 9.Qe2 b5 10.e4 then:
• 10...e5 11.dxe5 Nxe5 12.Nxe5 Bxe5 13.f4 Bxc3 14.bxc3 c6 15.f5 0-0 16.Bg5 h6 17.Bh4 Qb6+ 18.Kh1 Nh7 is equal (Tkachiev-Beliavsky, Op, Enghien-les-Bains, 1999).
• 10...Be7 11.d5 Nb4 12.Ne5 exd5 13.exd5 0-0 14.a3 Nd3 15.Nxd3 Bg4 16.Qe3 cxd3 17.Qxd3 Qd7 18.Bf4 Bd6 is equal (Karpov-Gelfand, IT, Dos Hermanas, 1999).
• If 6...Rb8 7.Nc3 a6 8.e4 Be7 then:
• 9.Qe2 b5 10.Rd1 Nb4 11.d5 exd5 12.e5 0-0 13.exf6 Bxf6 14.Bf4 Bb7 15.Ne4 Re8 16.Nxf6+ Qxf6 17.Be5 Qe7 is equal (P. H. Nielsen-S. Halkias, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).
• If 9.d5 exd5 10.exd5 Nb4 11.Ne5 Bf5 12.a3 Nd3 13.Nxc4 then:
• If 13...Nxc1 14.Rxc1 0-0 15.b4 then:
• If 15...Ne8 16.Qf3 g6 then:
• 17.Ne4 Bxe4 18.Qxe4 Nd6 19.Qc2 Nxc4 20.Qxc4 Bd6 21.Rfe1 Qf6 22.Qc3 Qxc3 23.Rxc3 Rfe8 24.Rxe8+ Rxe8 25.Kf1 Kg7 draw (Bareev-Adams, IT, Dortmund, 2002).
• 17.Rfe1 Nd6 18.Nxd6 Bxd6 19.Ne4 Bxe4 20.Rxe4 Qg5 21.Rd1 Rbe8 is equal (Ruck-Tukmakov, Coatian ChT, Porec, 1998).
• 15...Re8 16.Qd4 Bd6 17.Rfe1 Qd7 18.Rxe8+ Rxe8 19.Ne3 Bg6 is equal (Haba-Arbakov, Op, Chemnitz, 1997).


• 13...0-0 14.b4 Re8 15.h3 Nd7 16.Be3 Bf6 17.Qb3 N7e5 18.Nd2 Nd7 is equal (B. Lalic-Korneev, Op, Lorca, 2001).
• If 5...Bb4+ 6.Bd2 a5 then:
• If 7.Qc2 Nc6 8.Qxc4 Qd5 then:
• 9.Qd3 Qe4 10.Qxe4 Nxe4 11.a3 Nxd2 12.Nbxd2 Be7 13.Rc1 0-0 14.0-0 Rd8 15.e3 Bd7 16.Rc2 Be8 17.Rfc1 Kf8 18.Ne1 Rdb8 19.Nd3 Bd6 20.Ne4 Ne7 21.Ndc5 Bc6 22.Ng5 h6 23.Bxc6 Bxc5 24.Bf3 Bb6 25.Ne4 c6 26.Kg2 Nd5 draw (Smejkal-Hort, Bundesliga 8990, Germany, 1990).
• If 9.Qxd5 exd5 then:
• 10.0-0 Bg4 11.e3 Ne4 12.Bc3 Ke7 13.Rc1 Rhc8 14.Nfd2 Nf6 15.a3 Bd6 16.Nf3 Be6 17.b3 Ne4 18.Be1 Nb8 19.Nc3 Nxc3 20.Bxc3 h6 21.Ne1 Nd7 22.Nf3 Kd8 23.b4 axb4 draw (Arkell-Speelman, 4NCL, Birmingham, 2001).
• 10.Nc3 Bf5 11.0-0 Be4 12.Bg5 Bxc3 13.bxc3 Nd7 14.Bh3 h6 15.Bf4 0-0-0 16.Nd2 Bh7 is equal (Reefschlaeger-Taimanov, SX, Soviet Union, 1981).
• 7.0-0 Nc6 8.e3 0-0 9.Qc2 e5 10.dxe5 Ng4 11.a3 Bxd2 12.Nbxd2 Ngxe5 13.Nxe5 Nxe5 14.Nxc4 Nxc4 15.Qxc4 c6 16.Rad1 gives White the advantage in space and the initiative (Miton-Stocek, Op, Philadelphia, 2006).

6.0-0 Nc6 7.dxc5

• If 7.Qa4 Bd7 8.Qxc4 then:
• If 8...cxd4 9.Nxd4 Rc8 10.Nc3 Nxd4 11.Qxd4 Bc5 12.Qh4 then:
• 12...0-0 13.Bg5 h6 14.Bxf6 Qxf6 15.Qxf6 gxf6 16.Bxb7 Rb8 17.Bf3 Rxb2 18.Rfd1 Be8 19.Ne4 Be7 20.Nd6 Bxd6 21.Rxd6 Bb5 is equal (Shirov-Wang Yue, IT, Sofia, 2009).
• If 12...Bc6 13.Rd1 then:
• 13...Qb6 14.Bxc6+ Rxc6 15.Bh6 Bf8 16.Rd3 e5 17.Be3 Qa5 18.Bg5 Be7 19.Rad1 0-0 is equal (Topalov-van Wely, A,ber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2003).
• 13...Qa5 14.Bd2 Be7 15.Nd5 Nxd5 16.Qxe7+ Nxe7 17.Bxa5 Bxg2 18.Kxg2 Nc6 is equal (Ftacnik-Peters, IT, Hastings, 1980).
• If 8...b5 9.Qd3 Rc8 10.dxc5 Bxc5 11.Nc3 b4 then:
• If 12.Ne4 Nxe4 13.Qxe4 Ne7 14.Ne5 Bb5 15.Be3 then:
• If 15...0-0 16.Rfd1 Qb6 17.Bxc5 Qxc5 18.Nd7 Bxd7 19.Rxd7 then:
• 19...Rfd8 20.Qd3 Rxd7 21.Qxd7 g6 22.Rd1 a5 23.Bf3 Qc7 24.Kg2 Qxd7 25.Rxd7 Nc6 draw (Haba-Volodin, Op, Pardubice, 1994).
• 19...a5 20.Rad1 Nd5 21.Qd3 Nf6 22.Rd4 is equal (Plachetka-Stohl, IT, Ostrava, 1994).
• 15...Qb6 16.Bxc5 Rxc5 17.Rfd1 0-0 18.Nd7 Bxd7 19.Rxd7 Nd5 is equal (Gulko-Renet, Op, Paris, 1986).
• 12.Nb5 0-0 13.Nd6 Nd4 14.Bf4 Nd5 15.Ng5 g6 16.Nge4 Nxf4 17.gxf4 Bb6 18.Rfd1 Rc7 19.e3 Qe7 20.exd4 f5 21.Qe3 fxe4 22.Nxe4 Qh4 is equal (Palatnik-Vladimirov, Soviet Ch ½-final, Irkutsk, 1983).
• If 7.Ne5 then:
• If 7...Bd7 8.Na3 cxd4 9.Naxc4 Bc5 10.Qb3 0-0 11.Bf4 Qc8 then:
• If 12.Rac1 Nd5 13.Nxd7 Qxd7 14.Ne5 Nxe5 15.Bxe5 Bb6 then:
• If 16.Rfd1 Rac8 17.Rxc8 Rxc8 18.Bxd5 Qxd5 19.Qxd5 exd5 20.Bxd4 Bxd4 21.Rxd4 Rd8 then:
• If 22.e4 (White has the active Rook) 22...Kf8 23.exd5 Ke7 24.Kg2!? Kd6! 25.Kf3 Rc8 then:
• If 26.Rd2?! then:
• 26...Re8! 27.Kf4 Re5 28.h4 h5 29.f3 f6 30.g4 g5+ 31.Kg3 hxg4 32.Kxg4 gxh4 33.Kxh4 draw (Kharlov-A. Sokolov, ZT, St. Petersburg, 1993).
• 26...Rc5! 27.Ke4 Rc4+ is equal (Tukmakov-A. Sokolov, Op, Biel, 1992).
• 26.Rh4! h6 27.Rb4 weakens Black's pawns.
• 16.Rcd1 Ne7 17.Bxd4 Bxd4 18.e3 e5 19.exd4 exd4 20.Rd2 Rad8 is equal (Deep Fritz-Nimzo-8, Computer Game, Spain, 2001).
• 12.Rfd1 Rd8 13.Rac1 Nd5 14.Nxf7 Kxf7 15.Ne5+ Nxe5 16.Bxe5 b6 17.Qf3+ Kg8 18.Qg4 g6 19.Be4 Bc6 20.b4 Nxb4 21.Bxg6 hxg6 22.Qxg6+ Kf8 23.Rxc5 bxc5 24.Qg7+ draw (Beliavsky-A. Sokolov, World Cup, Brussels, 1988).
• If 7...Nxe5 8.dxe5 Qxd1 9.Rxd1 Nd7 10.f4 then:
• If 10...f6 11.exf6 gxf6 12.Na3 Nb6 13.Bd2 Rb8 14.Ba5 Bd7 15.Bxb6 axb6 16.Nxc4 gives White better pawn structure, a safer King and the initiative (Nester-Diulger, Op, Kishnev, 2001).
• 10...Rb8 11.a4 Be7 12.Na3 0-0 13.Nxc4 Rd8 14.Be3 b6 15.Nd6 f6 16.exf6 Bxd6?! 17.Rxd6! gives White an extra pawn and good winning chances (Gereben-Kellner, Schlecter Mem, Vienna, 1947).

7...Qxd1

• 7...Bxc5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Nbd2 Ke7 10.Nxc4 Nd5 11.Bd2 Rd8 12.Rac1 Bb4 13.Bxb4+ Ndxb4 14.a3 Nd5 15.b4 Nb6 16.Ncd2 Bd7 is equal (Mikhalevski-Golod, Israeli Ch, Haifa, 2008).

8.Rxd1 Bxc5 9.Nbd2 c3 10.bxc3 0-0

• If 10...Bd7 11.Nb3 Be7 12.c4 0-0 13.Bb2 then:
• If 13...Rfd8 14.Ne5 then:
• 14...Nxe5 15.Bxe5 Rac8 16.Bxb7 Rxc4 17.Bf3 Be8 18.e3 Rxd1+ 19.Rxd1 Bc6 20.Bxc6 Rxc6 21.Bd4 a6 draw (Razuvaev-van der Sterren, Op, Prague, 1992).
• 14...Rac8 15.Nd3 Be8 16.Rab1 b6 17.c5 Nd5 18.cxb6 axb6 is equal (Speelman-Müller, Bundesliga 9899, Germany, 1999).
• 13...Rac8 14.Rac1 Rfd8 15.Ne5 Nxe5 16.Bxe5 Bc6 17.Bxc6 Rxc6 18.Rxd8+ draw (Wang Yue-Bacrot, World Cup Rd 3, Khanty Maniysk, 2009).

11.Ne1!?

• If 11.Nb3 Be7 12.Nfd4 Bd7 then:
• If 13.Bg5 Rfd8 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.Nc5 Nxd4 16.cxd4 then:
• 16...Bc8 17.e3 Rb8 18.Rac1 Be7 19.Ne4 Kf8 20.Rc7 Rd7 21.Rxd7 Bxd7 is equal (Cernousek-Bernasek, Op, Brno, 2006).
• 16...Bc6 17.Bxc6 bxc6 18.e3 Rab8 19.Nd3 gives White a slight advantage in space (Miton-G. Papp, World Jr Ch, Athens, 2001).
• 13.Nxc6 Bxc6 14.Bxc6 bxc6 15.Be3 Nd5 16.Bd4 f6 17.e4 Nc7 18.Bc5 Bxc5 19.Nxc5 Rfd8 20.Rab1 Nb5 21.Na4 draw (Doerner-Morcken, Ol, Amsterdam, 1954).

11...Be7

• The game is equal.

12.Nd3 Nd5 13.Bb2 Nb6

• 13...Rd8!? 14.c4! Nb6 15.a4 Na5 16.c5 Nd5 17.Rab1 gives White the advantage in space.

14.Rab1 Na5 15.Ba1 Rd8 16.c4

• 16.Rb5 Nc6 17.c4 Nd7 18.a4 Rb8 19.Rdb1 a6 remains equal.

16...Naxc4 17.Nxc4 Nxc4 18.Bxb7 Bxb7 19.Rxb7 Bf6!?

• 19...Ba3 20.h4 Na5 21.Rbb1 Rac8 remains equal.

20.Bxf6!

• White trades his least efective piece to give Black a handful of pawn weaknesses.

20...gxf6 21.Rc1 Nd6 22.Re7 Nb5?!

• This is a bad time for Black to have a serious case of weak pawns. The formula is to activate pieces and avoid exchanges. However, each side has only two Rooks and a Knight remaining besides five pawns each, so we have already reached the endgame.
• 22...a5 23.Rec7 then:
• 23...Rdb8 24.a4 Kg7 25.R1c6 Rb7 26.Rxb7 exchanges Black's more active Rook.
• 23...Nb5 24.R7c5 Nd4 25.Kf1 e5 26.f4 gives White command of the c-file and exploits Black's poor pawn structure.

BLACK: Ruslan Ponomariov
!""""""""#
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Boris Gelfand
Position after 22...Nd6b5

23.a4!

• White hits the piece that Black just actived.

23...Kf8 24.Rb7 Nd6 25.Rbc7 Ne8 26.R7c5 Rab8

• 26...Rd4 27.R1c4 Rad8 28.Rxd4 Rxd4 29.a5 White succeeds in exchanging Rooks.

27.R1c4

• White commands the c-file.
• 27.Kf1 e5 28.R5c4 Rd5 29.g4 a5 30.Rc5 gives White command of the queenside. He would benefit more than Black from the exchange of Rooks, since Black has serious pawn weaknesses in his posision and needs to compensate by keeping his pieces active.

27...f5 28.Kg2 Rb7 29.a5 Nd6 30.Rd4

• White takes advantage of White;s last move to pin the Knight.
• Stronger is 30.Rc2 Kg7 31.Rc6 Kf6 32.Nc5 Rb5 33.a6 when White threatens 34.Rc7!.

30...Ke8 31.f3 Nb5?

• This move sets a trap, but it doesn't really threaten anything.
• 31...Rbd7! 32.Ne5 Rb7 then:
• 33.Rd2 f6 34.Nc6 Rdd7 35.Rc1 leaves White slightly better, if at all.
• 33.a6 Rb2 34.Nc6 Rd7 35.Nxa7 Rxa7 36.Rxd6 Ke7 37.Rcc6 is equal.

BLACK: Ruslan Ponomariov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Boris Gelfand
Position after 31...Nd6b5

32.Rh4!

• White avoids the trap and instead attacks Black's weak h-pawn.
• If 32.Rxd8+!? Kxd8 33.Ne5 Ke7 34.a6 then:
• If 34...Rb6 35.Nc4 Rb8 then:
• If 36.e4 fxe4! (weakening White's pawns makes Black's game a lot easier) 37.fxe4 Nd6 38.e5 then:
• 38...Ne8 39.Nd6 Rb2+ 40.Kf3 Ra2 is equal.
• 38...Nxc4!? is bad beacuse it give White command of a navigable rank: 39.Rxc4 Kd7 40.Rh4!.
• 36.e3!? f6! 37.Na5 Kd7 38.Rc2 Rb6 is equal.
• 34...Rb8 35.f4 Kd6 36.Rc6+ Ke7 37.Rc4 Re8 38.h3

32...Kf8 33.a6 Rb6 34.Rb4!

• Also good is 34.Rxh7 Kg8 when:
• If 35.Rh5! then after 35...Nd4 36.Rg5+ Kh7 37.Rc7 Nxe2 38.Ne5 Black's f-pawn falls.
• 35.Rh4? Nd4 36.Rc7 Nxe2 37.Nb4 is equal.

34...Rd5

• 34...Nd4 35.Rxb6 axb6 36.Rc7 Ra8 37.Nb4 Nxe2 38.Rb7 makes the a-pawn very dangerous.

35.Rxd5 exd5

• Black's pawn structure is in shambles.

36.Nf4 Nc7 37.Rxb6 axb6 38.a7 d4 39.Nd5

• 39.e3 dxe3 40.Nd5 Na8 41.f4 Ke8 42.Nxe3 White wins a pawn.

39...Na8 40.Kf2 Ke8 41.e3 dxe3+ 42.Kxe3 Kd7 43.Nf6+ Ke7 44.Nxh7

• Black could have resigned here.

44...f6 45.g4 b5 46.g5 fxg5 47.Nxg5 Kf6 48.f4 b4

• This hope is too faint to be called by that name.

BLACK: Ruslan Ponomariov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Boris Gelfand
Position after 48...b5b4

49.Kd4!

• The King has just enough time to catch the pawn.

49...Nb6 50.Nf3 b3 51.Kc3 Ke6 52.h4 1-0

• Black's defense is stretched too thin:
  • If Black blocks the a-pawn, then he will be unable to defend the h-file and the h-pawn advances without interferance;
  • If Black moves his King to stop the h-pawn, White capures on b3 and then moves his King to b7, trapping the Knight;
  • Finally, if in either plan Black takes the time to take the Knight which is defending the h-pawn, then White advances the h-pawn and it cannot be stopped.
• Grandmaster Ponomariov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

11. Ponomariov - Gelfand, Final Round/Game 3

Boris Gelfand and Ruslan Ponomariov
at the start of the present game
Photo by Galina Popova for FIDE at the official website of the 2009 World Chess Cup


Ruslan Ponomariov - Boris Gelfand
World Cup, Final Round/Game 3
Khanty Mansiysk, 12 December 2009

Slav Queen's Gambit: Slav-Grünfeld Defense

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Qc2 g6 5.Bf4 dxc4

• If 5...Bg7 6.e3 0-0 7.Nc3 then:
• 7...c5 8.dxc5 Qa5 9.Rd1 dxc4 10.Bxc4 Qxc5 11.Qb3 Nc6 12.Qb5 Qxb5 13.Bxb5 Bd7 14.0-0 Rac8 15.Rd2 a6 16.Be2 Bf5 is equal (Le Quang Liem-Tkachiev, World Cup Rd 1, Khanty Mansiysk, 2009).
• 7...Be6 8.Qb3 Qb6 9.c5 Qxb3 10.axb3 Nbd7 11.h3 Ne4 12.b4 a6 13.Bd3 f5 14.Ke2 h6 is equal (Matisson-Atakisi, Corres, 2001).
• 7...Na6 8.Be2 c5 9.0-0 cxd4 10.Nxd4 dxc4 11.Bxc4 Bd7 12.Rfd1 Rc8 13.Qe2 Qb6 14.Rac1 gives White the advantage in space (Wedberg-Barbero, IT, Budapest, 1988).
• 5...Bf5 6.Qb3 Qb6 then:
• 7.e3 Bg7 8.Nc3 0-0 9.c5 Qxb3 10.axb3 Nbd7 11.h3 h6 12.b4 a6 is equal (Novikov-Zaremba, Op, Chicago, 2003).
• If 7.c5 Qxb3 8.axb3 Bxb1 9.Rxb1 Nbd7 10.b4 a6 11.h3 Bg7 12.e3 0-0 then:
• 13.g4 Ne4 14.g5 f6 is equal (Wojtkiewicz-Lukasiewicz, Op, Geneva, 1997).
• 13.Bd3 Ne4 14.0-0 Rfe8 15.Rfd1 f5 is equal (Chekhov-B. Schmidt, Op, Dresden, 1998).

6.Qxc4 Bg7 7.Nc3 Be6

• 7...0-0 8.e4 b5 9.Qb3 Qa5 10.Bd3 Be6 11.Qd1 b4 12.Nb1 Rd8 13.Nbd2 gives White the advantage in space (Zhao Xue-Makka, World Jr Ch, Goa, 2002).

8.Qd3 Nd5 9.Bg3!?

• 9.Nxd5 Qxd5 10.e4 Qa5+ 11.Bd2 Qb6 12.Bc3 0-0 13.Be2 Rd8 14.0-0 a5 15.Ng5 Bxd4 16.Nxe6 fxe6 17.Qh3 gives Black an extra pawn, but White has no pawn weaknesses and Black's isolated twin e-pawns are calling to be put out of their misery (Makogonov-Revshevsky, IT, Leningrad, 1939).

9...Nxc3

• The game is equal.
• If 9...0-0 10.e4 Nb4 11.Qd1 Qb6 then:
• 12.Qd2 Bxd4 13.Nxd4 Qxd4 14.Qxd4 Nc2+ is equal.
• 12.Bh4 Rd8 13.Bxe7 Bxd4 14.Nxd4 Rxd4 is equal.

10.bxc3 Qa5 11.e4 c5!?

• Black plays dicey and cedes the pawn center majority to White.
• 11...Nd7 12.Qc2 c5 13.Qd2 Bh6 14.Qb2 cxd4 15.Nxd4 remains equal.

12.Qb5+! Nc6

• If 12...Qxb5 13.Bxb5+ Bd7 14.Rb1 then:
• 14...b6 15.Be5 Bxe5 16.Nxe5 Bxb5 17.Rxb5 gives White the advantage in space.
• 14...Bxb5 15.Rxb5 b6 16.dxc5 Nd7 17.c6 Nc5 18.e5 gives White an extra pawn but terrible pawn structure; he should seek piece activity.

13.Qxa5 Nxa5 14.Bb5+ Bd7 15.Rb1!?

• White attacks a protected pawn.
• 15.Bxd7+ Kxd7 16.Ke2 cxd4 17.cxd4 Rhc8 18.Rhc1 gives White the advantage in space.

BLACK: Boris Gelfand
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Ruslan Ponomariov
Position after 15.Ra1b1

15...Rc8!

• Black is ready to open the center for his benefit.
• 15...cxd4!? 16.cxd4 Bxb5 17.Rxb5 Rc8 18.Kd2 b6 19.Kd3 gives White the more mobile pawn majority.

16.Ke2

• 16.Bxd7+ Kxd7 17.Ne5+ Bxe5 18.Bxe5 f6 is equal.

16...cxd4 17.cxd4 Bxb5+

• If 17...Rc2+ 18.Kd3 Rxa2 19.Rhc1 then:
• 19...Ra3+ 20.Ke2 Bc6 21.Bxc6+ bxc6 22.Ne5 0-0 23.Ra1 is equal.
• If 19...Bxb5+ 20.Rxb5 Ra3+ then:
• 21.Ke2 a6 22.Rc8+ Kd7 23.Rxh8 Bxh8 24.Rc5 Ra4 gives Black an extra pawn and the more active game.
• 21.Rc3 Rxc3+ 22.Kxc3 b6 23.Kd3 Kd7 gives Black an extra pawn.

18.Rxb5 b6 19.Rd1

• 19.Rb2 f5 20.exf5 gxf5 21.Re1 Nc4 22.Rc2 is equal.

19...0-0

• 19...Rc2+ 20.Rd2 Rc3 21.Rbb2 Kd7 22.Rdc2 is equal.

20.Rd5 Nc6 21.Rd7 Rfd8 22.Rxd8+ Nxd8!?

• 22...Rxd8 23.d5 Nb4 24.a3 Na2 25.Kf1 Nc3 is equal.

23.d5!

• White advances his "candidate."

23...Kf8

BLACK: Boris Gelfand
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Ruslan Ponomariov
Position after 23...Kg8f8

24.Nd4!

• White would compromise the value of his pawn center if he advances it too far too fast..
• 24.e5!? Ke8! (White has a center majority, so the King will be needed in the center to block the potential passer) 25.a3 h5 26.h3 a6 27.d6 Rc2+ is equal.

24...Rc4

• 24...Ke8 25.Kd3 a6 26.a3 b5 27.Rb1 Kd7 28.Rb4 is equal.

25.Ke3 Ke8 26.Nb5 Nb7 27.d6

• If 27.f3 then after 27...Nc5 28.d6 Bh6+ 29.Bf4 Bxf4+ 30.Kxf4 Rc2 Black wins a pawn.

27...exd6 28.Bxd6 a6!?

• This is a very slight inaccuracy that adds some last-minute melodramtics to the game, but doesn't really change anything.
• 28...Nc5! 29.Nc7+ Kd7 30.Bxc5+ Kxc7 31.Bd4 Bh6+ is equal.

29.Nc7+ Kd7 30.Bg3+ Kc6

• Since White is going to win a pawn on the queenside, Black may as well run the other way use his King as a defensive piece in the center.
• If 30...Ke7 31.Nd5+ Ke6 32.Nxb6 then:
• 32...Rc3+! 33.Ke2 Rc2+ 34.Rd2 Rxd2+ 35.Kxd2 leaves White a pawn to the good, but the Black King is in the right place to minimize its effect.
• 32...Bh6+!? 33.Kf3 Rc3+ 34.Kg4 Rc6 35.Nd5 Black can stop the e-pawn and the White King cannot pass to the fifthe rank.

31.Nxa6 Ra4 32.Nb8+ Kb5 33.Rb1+!

• White's best move is one that would allow his opponent to make a mistake.
• 33.Rd7 Bh6+ 34.Kf3 Nc5 35.Rxf7 Nxe4 is equal.

BLACK: Boris Gelfand
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Ruslan Ponomariov
Position after 33.Rd1b1+

33...Kc4!

• Black avoids the last pit, which be to allow his King to wander too far from the center.
• If 33...Ka5? 34.Nc6+! Ka6 35.Bc7 then:
• 35...Ra3+ 36.Rb3 Rxb3+ 37.axb3 Nc5 38.Nd8 Nxb3 39.Nxf7 gives White an extra pawn.
• If 35...b5 36.Nb8+ Ka7 37.Rxb5 then:
• 37...Rc4 38.Bf4 Rc3+ 39.Kd2 Ra3 40.Nc6+ Ka6 41.Rb1 gices White an extra pawn while Black's king is marooned on the other side of the board.
• 37...Rxa2 38.Nc6+ Ka8 39.e5 Bh6+ 40.Kf3 gives White an extra pawn while Black's king is trapped on a8.

34.Rc1+ Kb5 35.Rb1+

• White elects to draw the game now rather than play 35.e5 Nc5 36.Rb1+ Kc4 37.Rxb6 Ra3+ 38.Ke2 Rxa2+ 39.Kf3 when he stands better but not nearly well enough to wins.

35...Kc4 36.Rc1+ Kb5 37.Rb1+ ½-½

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Bonus Game: Lilienthal - Capablanca, Hastings, 1934-35

Andor Lilienthal of Hungary, 98, is the world's oldest living grandmaster. He was born in Moscow to a Hungarian Jewish family, grew up in Hungary and went to live in the Soviet Union when Nazi activity made things dangerous for Jews in Hungary. He returned to Budapest in the 1970s.

Although not one of the immortals, he can boast of having defeated several of them. He played ten different world champions, including Dr. Lasker, and beat most of them at least once. He played in a number of the early Soviet Championships and was ranked in the world's top ten in the late thirties.

The following game, in which he makes quick work of former world champion José Capablanca, is considered his best. It contains one of the most spectacular Queen sacrifices on record.



Andor Lilienthal as a young man
Photo: ChessHistory.com


Andor Lilienthal - José Capablanca
Christmas Tournament, Round 5
Hastings, January 1935

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

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.a3 Bxc3+ 5.bxc3 b6

• If 5...d5 6.f3 c5 7.cxd5 then:
• If 7...Nxd5 8.dxc5 Qa5 9.e4 then:
• If 9...Ne7 10.Be3 0-0 11.Qb3 Qc7 then:
• 12.a4 Nec6 13.f4 Na5 14.Qa3 Nd7 15.Nf3 b6 16.cxb6 axb6 17.Nd2 Ba6 18.Bxa6 Rxa6 19.0-0 Rfa8 20.Qb4 Nb7 21.Ra2 Qc6 is equal (Khalifman-van der Wiel, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1991).
• 12.Nh3 e5 13.Nf2 Nec6 14.Rb1 Na5 15.Qa4 Be6 16.Be2 Nd7 17.Rb5 b6 18.0-0 Rfb8 19.Rfb1 h6 20.g3 bxc5 21.Rxb8+ Rxb8 22.Rxb8+ Nxb8 23.Qe8+ gives White a clear advantage (Arencibia-Lobron, IZ, Manila, 1990).
• 12.Bb5 Nec6 13.Rd1 e5 14.Qa2 Na5 15.Qd5 Bd7 16.Bxd7 Rd8 17.Qd6 Qxd6 18.Rxd6 Nxd7 19.Kf2 Nc4 20.Rd5 Nf6 21.Rxd8+ Rxd8 22.Ne2 Rc8 23.Rb1 gives White an extra pawn and a small advantage in space (Timman-Karpov, IT, Linares, 1990).
• 9...Nf6 10.Be3 0-0 11.Qb3 Nfd7 12.a4 Qc7 13.Qa3 b6 14.a5 bxc5 15.Nh3 Ba6 16.Bxa6 Nxa6 17.Qa4 Ne5 is equal (Milov-Razuvaev, Op, Biel, 1994).
• If 7...exd5 8.e3 0-0 9.Bd3 b6 10.Ne2 Ba6 then:
• If 11.0-0 Re8 12.Ng3 Bxd3 13.Qxd3 Nc6 then:
• 14.Ra2 Qd7 15.Re2 Rad8 16.Bb2 Re6 17.Rd1 g6 18.e4 dxe4 19.fxe4 h5 20.Ree1 Qe7 21.Qf3?! h4 22.Nf1 Nxe4 gives Black an extra pawn (Borg-Kunte, Ol, Istanbul, 2000).
• If 14.Bb2 Rc8 15.Rae1 then:
• 15...Na5 16.e4 Nc4 17.Bc1 b5 18.Bg5 Qb6 19.Bxf6 Qxf6 20.exd5 cxd4 21.cxd4 a6 is equal (Miedema-Hort, Op, Hoogeveen, 2008).
• If 15...cxd4 16.cxd4 Qc7 17.e4 Ne7 18.e5 gives White more freedom (Gligoric-Damjanovic, IT, Sarajevo, 1969).
• If 11.Bxa6 Nxa6 12.0-0 then:
• 12...Nc7 13.Ng3 Re8 14.Qd3 Ne6 15.Bb2 Qd7 16.e4 cxd4 17.cxd4 dxe4 18.Nxe4 Nxe4 19.Qxe4 Nc7 20.Qd3 Nd5 21.Rae1 Rxe1 22.Rxe1 Re8 23.Re5 f6 24.Rxe8+ Qxe8 is equal (Tomic-Szabo, IT, Vinkovci, 1970).
• 12...Re8 13.Qd3 Nb8 14.Ng3 Nc6 transposes into Borg-Kunte, above
• If 5...0-0 6.f3 then:
• If 6...Nh5 7.Nh3 f5 then:
• If 8.e4 then:
• 8...c5 9.e5 Nc6 10.f4 g6 11.Be2 b6 12.0-0 Ng7 13.Be3 gives White the advantage in space (Bronstein-Szabo, IZ, Budapest, 1950).


• If 8.e3 d6 then:
• 9.Nf2 9...e5 10.f4 Nf6 11.fxe5 dxe5 12.c5 Nc6 is equal; White is already paying a price in lagging development for not being able to develop his Knight to f3 (Volkov-Izoria, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• 8...fxe4 9.Be2 e5 10.0-0 d6 11.fxe4 Bxh3 12.Bxh5 Be6 13.Rxf8+ Qxf8 14.Ra2 Nd7 15.Rf2 gives White the advantage in space (Berkes-Dzagnidze, Op, Gibraltar, 2009).
• 9.Bd3 e5 10.0-0 Nc6 11.f4 Qe8 12.fxe5 dxe5 13.Ra2 e4 14.Be2 Nf6 15.a4 is equal (Geller-Pogats, IT, Schiavno Zdroj, 1950).
• If 6...Ne8 7.e4 b6 8.Bd3 Ba6 9.Nh3 Nc6 then:
• If 10.0-0 Na5 11.Qe2 c5 12.e5 f6 then:
• 13.Bf4 cxd4 14.cxd4 Rc8 15.Rac1 Qe7 16.Rc3 d5 17.exd6 Nxd6 18.c5 Bxd3 19.Qxd3 bxc5 20.dxc5 Nf7 21.Qa6 gives White the advantage.
• 13.Be3 Rc8 14.Rac1 d5 15.Nf4 Nc7 16.exf6 Qxf6 17.cxd5 Bxd3 18.Qxd3 cxd4 19.cxd4 Nxd5 20.Nxd5 exd5 21.Bf2 Nc4 gives Black more activity (Topalov-Leko, IT, Dortmund, 2002).
• 10.e5 Na5 11.Qc2 Qh4+ 12.Kd1 Bxc4 13.Bxc4 Nxc4 14.Qe2 d5 15.Bg5 Qh5 16.Be7 c5 17.Nf4 Qf5 18.Nd3 Nc7 19.Bxf8 Rxf8 20.a4 f6 21.Ke1 cxd4 22.cxd4 fxe5 23.Nxe5 Nxe5 24.Qxe5 Qc2 25.Kf1 Qd3+ 26.Kf2 Qd2+ 27.Kf1 Qd3+ 28.Kf2 Qd2+ 29.Kf1 Qd3+ 30.Kf2 draw (Vasilevich-Yakovich, Op, Isle of Man, 2006).

6.f3 d5 7.Bg5 h6

• 7...Ba6 8.e4 Bxc4 9.Bxc4 dxc4 10.Qa4+ Qd7 11.Qxc4 gives White the advantage in space (Veresov-Yudovich, Soviet Ch, Leningrad, 1934).

8.Bh4 Ba6 9.e4!

• White assumes the advantage in space.

9...Bxc4

• 9...g5 10.Bg3 dxc4 11.Nh3 Nbd7 12.Qa4 Qc8 13.Bxc4 maintains White's advantage in space.

10.Bxc4 dxc4 11.Qa4+ Qd7 12.Qxc4 Qc6!?

• 12...Nc6 13.Ne2 Na5 14.Qd3 Qc6 15.0-0 0-0-0 16.Rab1 g5 17.Bg3 Nh5 18.f4 gives White the advantage in space (Dr. Alekhine-Eliskases, IT, Hastings, 1933-34).

13.Qd3

• White has the advantage in space and a superior center.
• 13.Qxc6+ Nxc6 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Ne2 Rg8 16.Rg1 also gives White the advantage in the center.

13...Nbd7 14.Ne2 Rd8!?

• True to his style, Capablanca plays directly against the enemy center.
• Somewhat better is to play on the queenside, where Black has a local advantage, with 14...b5 15.0-0 0-0 16.Rfc1 a5 17.c4 b4 18.e5, although White would still have the best of it for now.

15.0-0 a5 16.Qc2 Qc4 17.f4

• 17.Rab1!? Rb8 18.Nc1 0-0 19.Qd3 Qc6 20.e5 Nd5 is equal.

17...Rc8 18.f5

• 18.Rad1 c5 19.f5 cxd4 20.Rxd4 Qc6 21.Bxf6 Nxf6 22.e5 maintains White's advantage in the center.

18...e5!?

• If only on principle, Black should get his King out of the center before taking up aggressive operations there.
• 18...0-0 19.e5 Nd5 20.fxe6 fxe6 21.Qg6 Ne3 equalizes.

19.dxe5 Qxe4?

• The former world champion, one of the greatest of all time, doesn't see what's about befall him.
• Better is 19...Qc5+ 20.Nd4 Qxe5 21.Rae1 0-0 22.Bg3, when White has the advantage in space.

BLACK: José Capablanca
!""""""""#
$ +t+l+ T%
$+ Om+oO %
$ O + M O%
$O + Pp+ %
$ + +w+ B%
$P P + + %
$ +q+n+pP%
$R + +rK %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Andor Lilienthal
Position after 19...Qc4e4:p

20.exf6!!

• White's combination is difficult to see, but once found it is incredibly easy to calculate. Black's next few moves are forced,after which he's just plain beaten.

20...Qxc2

• 20...Nxf6 21.Qxe4+ Nxe4 22.Rf4 Nd6 23.Rd1 leaves White up by a piece.

21.fxg7 Rg8 22.Nd4 Qe4

• No better is 22...Qd2 23.Rae1+ Ne5 24.Rxe5+ Kd7 25.Rd5+ Ke8 26.Re1+, when Black must give up the Queen.

23.Rae1!

• White pins and wins the Queen.

23...Nc5

• 23...Qxe1 24.Rxe1+ Ne5 25.Rxe5+ Kd7 26.Re7+ Kd6 27.f6 wins for White.

24.Rxe4+ Nxe4 25.Re1 Rxg7

• There is nothing better. Black is like an animal in shock.

26.Rxe4+ Kd7 1-0

• A plausible follow up is 27.Re7+ Kd6 28.f6 Rh7 29.Bg3+ Kc5 30.Bxc7 when Black is crushed.
• El señor Capablanca resigns without waiting for Lilienthal to reply.

Andor Lilienthal
Born 5 May 1911, is the world's oldest living grandmaster
(Photo taken in 2006)
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)

[madinmaryland]

8. How many arrests in the Chess world this week, jack?

:shrug:

[Jack Rabbit]

12. One that I know of

Congratulations to East Texas' Team for winning last night.