The Jack Rabbit Chess Report (September 28): Russia-China Match Ends in Mixed Results

[Jack Rabbit]

Russia-China Team Match Yields Mixed Results



The fifth annual Russia-China Team Match ended yesterday in Ningbo, one of the oldest still-functioning cities in the world, with mixed results.

Overall, the Russians won the tournament, but the Chinese men won the most important events, the men's standard time control (14½-10½) and the combined standard time control (26-24).

The Russian men gave their cause a boost by handily taking the rapid event held Wednesday through Friday 13-7 while the women fought to a 10-10 tie. Yestrday, the Russian men crushed the Chiese men in the men's blitz event while the Chinese woman won the blitz event 11-9.

SPICE Cup Ends in Four-way Tie



The second annual SPICE Cup Tournament ended today in a four-way tie among grandmasters Var Akobian (USA), Leonid Kritz (Germany), Alex Onischuk (USA) and Pentala Harikrishna (India) with 5½ points each.


The four winners with Tournament director Susan Polgar
(Left to Right: Akopian, Pentala, Onischuk and Kritz
Monroi

Pentala was given the title of tournament champion by virtue of his superior tie-break score.

The nine-round tournament was held the campus of the Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.

The event was sponsored by the Susan Polgar Institute for Chess Excellence (SPICE).


Calendar

Commonwealth Chess Championship, Nagpur, Maharashtra (India) 27 Septemper-6 October.

Anand-Kramnik World Championship Match, Bonn 14 October-2 November. Twelve rounds.

European Club Cup, Kallithea (Greece) 16-24 October.

Asian Championships, Tehran 21-30 October.

Chess Olympiad, Dresden 12-25 November.

Topalov-Kamsky World Championship Semifinal Match, Lvov 26 November-15 December. Eight Rounds.

FIDE Grand Prix, Doha 13-29 December.

Corus Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 16 January-1 February 2009.

[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)


Note: All games for the Russia-China Team Match were played in the standard time control events.

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Kosteniuk - Cramling, FIDE Knock Out, Nalchik, Semi-Final Round

A last look at Nalchik with one of the new women's world champion's best games of the the event.



Alexandra Kosteniuk
Photo: Website of the 2008 Women's World Chess Championship


Alexandra Kosteniuk - Pia Cramling
FIDE Women's Knock Out Championship, Semi-Final Round/Game 1
Nalchik, 10 September 2008

Closed French Game: Four Knights' Opening

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nc6

• This is one of the less traveled roads in the French. Usually, Black likes to keep an eventual ...c7c5 in reserve.
• More common are the "classical" French (3...Nf6), the Winawer Defense (3...Bb4) and the Open French (3...dxe4).

4.Nf3 Nf6 5.e5

• 5.Bg5 Be7 6.e5 Ne4 7.Bxe7 Qxe7 8.Bd3 Qb4 9.Bxe4 dxe4 10.a3 Qxb2 11.Nxe4 Qb5 12.Ned2 Na5 13.c4 Qd7 14.0-0 b6 15.Rc1 Bb7 16.Nb3 Qa4 17.Nxa5 Qxa5 18.Ng5 h6 19.Qh5 0-0 20.Nh3 Rad8 21.Qg4 c5 gives Black more activity, but space is equal (Keres-Lein, Soviet Ch, Baku, 1961).

5...Ne4 6.Bd3

• If 6.Ne2 f6 7.Ng3 fxe5 8.dxe5 then:
• 8...Be7 9.c3 Nc5 10.Bb5 0-0 11.Be3 Bd7 12.b4 Ne4 13.Bxc6 bxc6 14.Qc2 c5 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.Qxe4 cxb4 17.0-0 a5 18.Rac1 Qc8 19.cxb4 axb4 20.Bc5 Bxc5 21.Rxc5 Rxa2 22.Qxb4 gives White more activity (B.Ivanovic-Z. Nikolic, ugoslav Cup, Becici, 1993).
• 8...Bc5 9.Nxe4 dxe4 10.Qxd8+ Nxd8 11.Ng5 Bd4 12.Nxe4 Bxe5 13.Bd3 Bd7 14.0-0 0-0 15.Re1 Bd4 16.c3 Bb6 17.Be3 Bxe3 18.Rxe3 b6 19.Ng5 gives White the aggressive game (N. Kosintseva-Michna, Euro ChW, Dresden, 2007).

6...Bb4 7.Bd2 Nxd2 8.Qxd2 f6 9.a3 Bxc3

• 9...Be7 10.exf6 Bxf6 11.Bb5 0-0 12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.0-0 c5 14.dxc5 c6 15.Rfe1 Re8 16.Ne5 d4 17.Na2 a5 18.c4 dxc3 19.Qxc3 gives White an extra pawn and better pawn structure (Shirov-Rozentalis, IT, Tilburg, 1993).

10.Qxc3 fxe5 11.dxe5

• If 11.Bb5 then:
• 11...0-0 12.Bxc6 exd4 13.Nxd4 bxc6 14.Nxc6 Qf6 15.Qxf6 gxf6 16.Ne7+ Kf7 17.Nxc8 Rfxc8 18.0-0-0 Rg8 19.g3 c5 gives Black a small advantage in space (Babula-Matlak, Team M, Trinec, 2005).
• 11...exd4 12.Bxc6+ bxc6 13.Qxc6+ Bd7 14.Qc5 Qe7 15.Qxc7 0-0 16.Qe5 Rf5 17.Qxd4 Bb5 18.Qb4 Qe8 19.Nd4 Re5+ 20.Kd2 Re4 21.Rae1 gives White an extra pawn and Black more space (Ibragimov-Peric, Foxwoods Op, Mashantucket, 2005).

11...Qe7 12.h4 Bd7 13.b4!?

• 13.0-0-0 0-0-0 14.h5 h6 15.Qd2 Rhf8 16.Rde1 Be8 17.Rh3 Nb8 18.g4 c5 gives White a slight advantage in space (Jakubowski-Szymanski, Polish Ch U18, Zakopane, 2001).

13...a6

• White has the advantage in space.
• The test move is to restrain any further advance by White on the queenside.

14.h5 0-0-0

• 14...0-0 15.h6 g6 16.Be2 Rf4 is equal.

15.Qd2 Kb8 16.c3 Rdf8 17.Qe3 Na7

• 17...Nd8 18.h6 gxh6 19.Rxh6 Rf7 20.Qg5 Qe8 21.Qh4 gives White the advantage in space.

18.a4 c5?!

• Black's real difficulties begin with this pawn sacrifice. This allows White to open the b-file and apply pressure to Black's King by placing a Rook at b1.
• If 18...Nc8 19.Qg5 Qe8 20.b5 axb5 then:
• After 21.a5 Qf7 22.Qg4 White has the advantage in space.
• 21.axb5 Bxb5 22.Bc2 Ba6 23.Nd4 gives White a considerable advantage in space.

19.bxc5 Rc8 20.Rb1!

• This is a key move. The b-pawn is pinned in the event the a-pawn is taken.

20...Qxc5?

• Black is expecting to recover the pawn and put pressure on White's weak pawn at c3, but instead drops a pawn.
• After 20...Ka8 21.Rh4 Rxc5 22.Rhb4 Bc6 23.Qd4 White continues to enjoy an advantage in space.

21.Qxc5 Rxc5
BLACK: Pia Cramling
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WHITE: Aleksandra Kosteniuk
Position after 21...Rc8c5:Q

22.Bxa6!

• White has won a pawn.

22...Rc7

• Now Black must save the b-pawn.

23.Kd2 Bxa4 24.Rb4

• Although Black has regained the pawn, White will have enormous pressure on the b-file.

24...Bd7 25.Rhb1!

• See previous note.

25...Bc8

• If 25...b5 26.Nd4 Rc5 27.Bxb5 Nxb5 then:
• 28.Nxb5 Bxb5 29.Rxb5+ Rxb5 30.Rxb5+ leaves Black a pawn to the good with the active Rook in a Rook and pawn ending.
• 28.f4 Kc7 29.Nxb5+ Bxb5 30.Rxb5 Rxb5 31.Rxb5 leaves White a pawn up with the active Rook.

26.Nd4 Re8

• 26...Rf8 27.f3 Re7 28.Bd3 h6 29.g3 Kc7 30.f4 gives White more activity.

27.f4

• Also good is 27.Rb6 g6 28.hxg6 hxg6 29.f4 Rg8 30.Nxe6 Bxe6 31.Rxe6 winning a pawn.

27...Ree7

• After 27...g6 28.hxg6 hxg6 29.Rb6 Rg7 30.g3 White is still strong with more freedom.

28.Rb6 h6 29.g3 Re8 30.Rd6 Ree7

• If 30...Ka8 31.Be2 Nc6 32.Bb5 Nxd4 33.Bxe8 then:
• 33...Nf5 34.g4 Nxd6 35.exd6 Rc4 36.Rb4 gives White a winning position.
• 33...Nc6 34.Ra1+ Kb8 35.Ra3 Ne7 36.Rd8 leaves White up by an exchange.

31.Bf1 Bd7 32.Bh3 Nc8

• On top of the rest of her problems, Black is condemned to a cramped position.
• After 32...Rc4 33.Rdb6 Bc8 34.Bg4 Ka8 35.Be2 White is clearly more active.

BLACK: Pia Cramling
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WHITE: Aleksandra Kosteniuk
Position after 32...Na7c8

33.Bxe6!!

• White sacrifices a Rook to nail down the victory.

33...Nxd6 34.exd6 Bxe6

• 34...Rxe6 35.dxc7+ Kxc7 36.Nxe6+ wins the exchange.

35.dxe7 Bd7 36.Nf5 1-0

• 36...Be8 37.Re1 Kc8 38.Nxg7 Kd7 39.Re5 leaves White two pawns up and threatening more.
• Pia resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Li Chao - Alekseev, Ningbo, Round 1

Li Chao, 19, recently won the Dato' Arthur Tan Open in Kuala Lampur for the second year in a row. He is China's latest rising star.



Li Chao
Photo: Wikipedia


Li Chao (China) - Evgeny Alekseev (Russia)
Russia-China Team Match, Round 1
Ningbo, 18 September 2008

Spanish Petit Royal Game: Gothic Defense (Berlin Defense)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.h3

• For other moves, see Timofeev-Landa], Russian Ch HL, Novokuznetsk, 2008.

9...Ne7?!

• In spite of White needing to develop his queenside, the text assures White the advantage.
• 9...Bd7 10.Nc3 Kc8 11.b3 a5 12.Bb2 Be7 13.Rad1 gives White more harmoniuous development (Bologan-K. Georgiev, IT, Poikovsky, 2001).

10.Nc3!?

• White has the advantage in space and King safety.
• 10.b3!? Ng6 11.a4 c5 12.c4 Be6 13.Bb2 Kd7 14.Ng5 Be7 15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.f4 Nh4 17.f5 exf5 18.Rxf5 Raf8 19.Rf2 g6 draw (Moradiabadi-Kotsur, Op, Dubai, 2005).
• If 10.Rd1+ Ke8 11.Nc3 Be6 12.Nd4 then:
• 12...Rd8 13.Bg5 Bc8 14.Nf3 Rxd1+ 15.Rxd1 gives White the advantage in space.
• 12...Ng6 13.Nxe6 fxe6 14.f4 Bc5+ 15.Kh2 gives White a small advantage in space.

10...Ng6 11.Be3 Ke8

• The simple prohylactix move is better than 11...Bf5?! 12.Rad1+ Kc8 13.Nd4 Bd7 14.f4.

12.Rad1 Be7

• 12...Be6 13.a3 a6 14.Rd2 Rd8 15.Rfd1 gives White the advantage in space.

13.Rfe1 h5!?

• Black will take his chances on the kingside.
• If 13...a6 14.a3 Be6 15.Ne4 Rd8 then:
• After 16.Rxd8+ 16...Kxd8 17.Bg5 Bxg5 18.Nfxg5 White has the better center.
• 16.Nd4 Bc8 17.f4 c5 18.Ne2 gives White more freedom.

14.Nd4!

• White will set up a strong piece center with Knights supported by Rooks and the Bishop.

14...h4

• 14...Nxe5!? does not win a pawn because of 15.Bf4! f6 16.Bxe5 fxe5 17.Nf3.

15.f4 Rh5?!

• If 15...Bb4 16.Rd3 then:
• 16...Rh5 17.a3 Bxc3 18.Rxc3 Ne7 19.Rd3 Bf5 20.Rd2 gives White the active game.
• If 16...a6 then:
• After 17.a3 Bxc3 18.Rxc3 Ne7 19.Rd3 Nd5 20.Bc1 White still has more freedom.
• 17.f5? Nxe5! 18.Bf4 f6 19.Bxe5 fxe5 20.Rxe5+ Kf7 is equal.

16.Ne4 f5?

• 16...Bd7 17.a3 Rd8 18.c4 Bc8 19.Kh2 gives White a stranglehold on the center.

17.exf6 Bxf6 18.f5 Ne7

• 18...Bxf5 19.g4 Bxe4 20.gxh5 Ne7 21.Ne6 gives White an exchange and an extra pawn.

19.Bf4

• If 19.Nxf6+ gxf6 20.Bf2 Bxf5 21.Bxh4 then:
• 21...Kf7 22.g4 Bxg4 23.hxg4 Rg8 24.Bg3 gives White an extra piece.
• 21...Rxh4? 22.Nxf5 Rh7 23.Rd4 Rd8 then White wins the King and pawn ending after 24.Nxe7! Rxe7 25.Rxe7+ Kxe7 26.Rxd8 Kxd8.

19...Kf7 20.Ne6 Rxf5


• If 20...Nd5 then 21.Bxc7 Rxf5 22.Bh2 Be7 23.Nd4 Rh5 24.c4 White continues to enjoy the benefits of his strong piece center.

BLACK: Evgeny Alekseev
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WHITE: Li Chao
Position after 20...Rh5f5:p

21.Nxc7!

• White wins at least the exchange.

21...Rxf4

• If 21...Rb8 then after 22.Ne6 Ra8 23.Nd6+ Kg6 24.Nxf5 Kxf5 25.Nc7 White has a winning game.

22.Nxa8 Be5 23.Ng5+

• 23.Rd8 Rf5 24.a3 b5 25.Red1 c5 26.Nd6+ Bxd6 27.R8xd6.

23...Kf6 24.Nh7+ Ke6

• 24...Kf5 25.Rd8 Bd4+ 26.Rxd4 Rxd4 27.Rxe7 leaves White with an extra piece.

25.Rd8 Rf5 26.Nc7+ Kf7 27.Ne8!

• This move severely limits Black's options.

27...Bg3

• If 27...Be6 then White wins a piece with 28.Nd6+ Bxd6 29.Rxd6 Bxa2 30.Rd7.

28.Nd6+ Bxd6

• If 28...Kg6 then 29.Rxe7 Bxd6 30.Rxd6+ Kxh7 31.Rd8 wins a piece for White.

29.Rxd6 Rh5 30.Rf1+ Bf5 31.Rd7!

• White commits to the sacrifice of the Knight.

31...g6

• 31...Rxh7 32.Rxb7 g6 transposes into the text.

BLACK: Evgeny Alekseev
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WHITE: Li Chao
Position after 31...g7g6

32.Rxb7!!

• 32.Ng5+? Rxg5 33.Rxb7 is equal.

32...Rxh7 33.Rxa7 Kf6

• Also playable is 33...Ke6 34.Re1+ Kf6 35.Rc7.

34.c4

• Another good plan is for White to mobilize his a-pawn with 34.Rc7 Ke5 35.c4 Be6 36.b3 g5 37.a4.

34...Rh8 35.b4 Rd8

• 35...Rb8 36.a3! Rd8 37.b5 cxb5 38.cxb5.

36.Re1 Be6 37.b5 Rd2

• 37...Nc8 38.Ra8 cxb5 39.cxb5 Rd2 40.Rxe6+ Kxe6 41.Rxc8 leaves White with an outside passer in a Rook and pawn ending..

38.a4

• 38.b6 Rb2 39.b7 Nf5 40.Rd1 Bxc4 41.a4.

38...Nf5 39.bxc6 Bxc4 40.c7

• White is now clearly winning.

40...Bd5 41.Ra6+

• White wins faster with 41.Re2 Rd1+ 42.Kf2 Rc1 43.Re8 Rc2+ 44.Ke1.

41...Kg5

• If 41...Kg7 then after 42.Re2 Rd1+ 43.Kf2 Rc1 44.Ra7 Kf6 45.Re8 White wins.

42.Re5 Bb7

• More stubborn resistance comes from 42...Rxg2+ 43.Kf1 Bc4+ 44.Kxg2 Bxa6.

43.Rb6 Rxg2+ 44.Kf1 Rc2 45.Rxb7 Kf4 46.Re8 1-0

• After 46...Nd6 47.Rb4+ Kg3 48.Rb3+ Kf4 49.Rd8 Ke5 50.Rd3 Black loses the Knight.
• After 47...Kf5 White wins the Knight with 48.Rd8 Ke5 49.Rb6.
• Grandmaster Alekseev resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. T. Kosintseva - Shen Yang, Ningbo, Round 4

Shen Yang
Photo: ChessBase.com


Tatiana Kosintseva (Russia) - Shen Yang (China)
Russia-China Team Match, Round 4
Ningbo, 21 September 2008

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Zaitsev Defense

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Bb7

• This is the characteristic move of the Zaitsev Defense.

10.d4 Re8 11.Nbd2 Bf8 12.a3

• If 12.a4 h6 13.Bc2 exd4 14.cxd4 Nb4 15.Bb1 c5 16.d5 Nd7 x 17.Ra3 then:
• If 17...f5 18.Nh2 Nf6 19.Rf3 Re5 20.Rxf5 Rxf5 21.exf5 Bxd5 22.Ng4 then:
• 22...Bf7 23.Ne4 Nxg4 24.Qxg4 d5 is equal (Morozevich-Grischuk, Grand Prix, Dubai, 2002).
• 22...Ra7 23.Nxf6+ Qxf6 24.Ne4 Bxe4 25.Bxe4 Re7 is equal (Haba-Dervishi, Austrian ChT, 2003).
• 17...c4 18.axb5 axb5 19.Nd4 Qb6 20.Nf5 Ne5 21.Rg3 g6 22.Nf3 Ned3 23.Be3 Qd8 24.Nxh6+ Bxh6 25.Bxh6 Qf6 is equal (Timofeev-Inarkiev, Russian Ch HL, Novokuznetsk, 2008).
• If 12.d5 Nb8 13.Nf1 Nbd7 then:
• If 14.N3h2 Nc5 15.Bc2 c6 16.b4 Ncd7 17.dxc6 Bxc6 18.Bg5 then:
• 18...h6 19.Bxf6 Nxf6 20.Ng4 Nxg4 21.Qxg4 Bd7 22.Qf3 Rc8 23.Bb3 Be6 24.Red1 Re7 25.Qd3 Rec7 26.Rac1 Qg5 27.Rc2 d5 28.Ng3 draw (Gashimov-Inarkiev, IT, Poikovsky, 2008).
• 18...Qc7 19.Bxf6 Nxf6 20.Ng4 Nxg4 21.hxg4 Bb7 22.Re3 Be7 23.Bb3 Bg5 24.Rf3 Rf8 25.Qe2 Bc8 26.Rd1 Be6 27.Ne3 Bxe3 28.Rxe3 a5 29.Bxe6 fxe6 is equal (Carlsen-Navara, Grand Prix, Baku, 2008).
• 14.Ng3 g6 15.Be3 Nc5 16.Bc2 c6 17.b4 Ncd7 18.dxc6 Bxc6 19.Bb3 Nb6 20.Qd3 Rb8 21.Rad1 Rb7 22.Nh2 Bd7 23.Bxb6 Rxb6 24.Ngf1 Bh6 25.Ne3 Bxe3 26.Qxe3 Be6 27.Nf3 Kg7 28.Rd3 Qc7 is equal (Short-Ivanchuk, Euwe Mem, Amsterdam, 1994).
• If 12.Bc2 g6 13.d5 Nb8 14.b3 c6 15.c4 then:
• 15...Nbd7 16.a4 Qc7 17.Ba3 Rec8 18.Bd3 cxd5 19.cxd5 Qb6 20.b4 Rc3 21.Nb1 Rcc8 22.Bc1 bxa4 23.Qxa4 Qd8 24.Bg5 gives White the advantage in space (Smyslov-Gligoric, IT, Bugojno, 1984).
• 15...a5 16.dxc6 Bxc6 17.cxb5 Bxb5 18.Nc4 Na6 19.Bg5 Nb4 20.Bb1 Bxc4 21.bxc4 h6 22.Be3 Qc7 23.a3 Na6 24.Nd2 Nc5 25.Bc2 Reb8 26.Rb1 Qc6 27.Qf3 Bg7 28.Rec1 Nfd7 29.Qd1 is equal (Ljubojevic-Karpov, Euwe Mem, Amsterdam, 1991).

12...g6 13.Ba2

• 13.Bc2 Bg7 14.d5 Nb8 15.c4 c6 16.b4 Qc7 17.Bb2 bxc4 18.dxc6 Nxc6 19.Nxc4 Rad8 20.Ba4 Nxe4 21.Qc2 d5 draw (Sax-Short, Intrznl, Biel, 1985).

13...Bg7 14.b4 a5 15.d5 Ne7 16.Nb3

• The position is equal.
• 16.Bb2 Nh5 17.Nb3 axb4 18.axb4 Bc8 19.Na5 Nf4 20.c4 g5 21.cxb5 g4 22.Nh2 gxh3 23.g3 Neg6 24.Bb1 Qg5 25.Bc1 is equal (Adams-Grischuk, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2002).

16...axb4 17.cxb4

BLACK: Shen Yang
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WHITE: Tatiaia Kosintseva
Position after 17.cb4:p

17...Nxe4!

• Black sacrifices a Knight for two pawns.

18.Rxe4 Bxd5 19.Nfd2?!

• The exchange sacrifice does not seem entirely sound.
• 19.Re2 e4 20.Nfd4 c5 21.Nxb5 Bc4 22.Rxe4 Bxb5 23.Rb1 d5 restores the material balance with Black possessing the more active position.

19...f5!?

• Black looks for a faster route to advantge than the only other game that reached this position, which was also won by Black.
• 19...Bxe4 20.Nxe4 h6 21.Bb2 Kh7 22.g4 Rf8 23.Rc1 f5 24.gxf5 Nxf5 is equal (Iordachescu-Nikolic, IT, Valjevo, 2007).

20.Re1 e4 21.Na5

• 21.Rb1 Bb7 22.Na5+ Bd5 23.Bxd5+ Nxd5 24.Qb3! forces Black to cut her Bishop's scope with 24...Re5.

21...Qd7?!

• The position is equal.
• Better for Black is 21...Bxa1! 22.Nc6 Bxa2 23.Nxd8 Rexd8 with advantages in material and space.

22.Bxd5+ Nxd5 23.Ndb3

• 23.Ra2 Qf7 24.Qc2 c5 25.Ndb3 Nc3 26.Rb2 c4 gives Black a comfortable advantage in space.

23...Qf7 24.Be3 Bxa1 25.Qxa1

• After 25.Nxa1 f4 26.Bc1 f3 27.gxf3 exf3 28.Rxe8+ Rxe8 Black maintains her material advantage.

25...f4 26.Bd4

• 26.Bd2 e3 27.Bc3 f3 28.Bd4 exf2+ 29.Bxf2 fxg2 leaves Black ahead be the equivalent of an exchange.

26...f3 27.Qc1 Nf4 28.Ba1

• If 28.Qc6 fxg2 29.Re3 Rab8 then:
• 30.Ba7 Qf5 31.Bxb8 Nxh3+ 32.Rxh3 Qxh3 is lights out.
• 30.Nc1 d5 31.Rg3 Re6 32.Qc5 Qd7 33.Be3 Rf8 leaves Black the equivalent of an exchange to the good.

28...h5 29.Nd4?

• A more stubborn defense is 29.Qc3 Kh7 30.Nd4 Nxg2 31.Rc1 Rec8.

29...Kh7 30.gxf3

• If 30.Qc2 c5 31.Nxb5 Qd7 then:
• If 32.Qd2 then White wins after Nxg2 33.Qxd6 Qxd6 34.Nxd6 Nxe1.
• If 32.Nc3 then after 32...Nxh3+!! 33.gxh3 Qxh3 Black mates on the next move.

BLACK: Shen Yang
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WHITE: Tatiaia Kosintseva
Position after 30.gf3:p

30...Nxh3+!

• Lights out!

31.Kf1 exf3 32.Nxf3 Qxf3 0-1

• After 33.Qxc7+ Kh6 34.Qg7+ Kg5 35.Qf6+ Qxf6 36.Bxf6+ Kxf6 37.Rxe8 Rxe8 Black is a full Rook and change to the good.
• Tatiana Anatolyevna resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Alekseev - Ni Hua, Ningbo, Round 4

Evgeny Alekseev
Photo: ChessBase.com


Evgeny Alekseev (Russia) - Ni Hua (China)
Russia-China Team Match, Round 4
Ningbo, 21 September 2008

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 Be7

• 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.Qd2 b5 then:
• If 9.dxc5 9...Bxc5 10.Bxc5 Nxc5 11.Qf2 Qb6 12.Bd3 b4 13.Ne2 a5 14.0-0 Ba6 15.Kh1 Ne7 16.Rad1 then:
• If 16...Na4 17.Qxb6 Nxb6 18.Ned4 Na4 19.Rb1 0-0 20.Kg1 then:
• 20...Rfc8 21.Kf2 Rc7 22.g4 g6 23.Ke3 Nc5 24.h4 a4 25.h5 is equal (Dr. Nunn-Glek, Bundesliga 9293, Germany, 1993).
• 20...h5 21.g3 Rfc8 22.Kf2 Nc5 23.Ke3 Rc7 24.h3 a4 is equal (Kristensen-Pasierb, Cyberspace, 1997).
• 16...h6 17.Nfd4 g6 18.Nb3 Na4 19.Qxb6 Nxb6 20.Nc5 Bxd3 21.cxd3 Nf5 22.Rc1 Ke7 is equal (Kuipers-Barsov, Op, Vlissingen, 1997).
• After 9.a3 Bb7 10.Bd3 Qb6 11.Qf2 c4 12.Be2 b4 13.axb4 Nxb4 14.Rc1 h5 15.Ng5 g6 16.g4 hxg4 17.Bxg4 Nc6 18.0-0 Ne7 19.h4 Nf5 20.h5 Be7 21.Ne2 f6 22.hxg6 White resigns before Black played fxg5, winning the Knight (Smirnov-Filippov, Euro ChT, Rethymnon, 2003).
• If 7...Qb6 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:
• I15.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 then:
• 12.Bxd4 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.Qd2 0-0 9.Be2

• 9.dxc5 Bxc5 10.0-0-0 Qa5 11.Bxc5 Nxc5 12.Kb1 Bd7 13.Bd3 Nb4 14.Nd4 Rfc8 15.g4 Ba4 16.f5 Nbxd3 17.cxd3!? Bxd1 18.f6 gxf6 19.exf6 Kh8 20.Rxd1 Na4 21.Nxa4 Qxa4 22.Nf3 Qxg4 23.Ne5 Qh5 24.Re1 Rc7 25.Rg1 Qh4? 26.Qc2! Re7 27.fxe7 Qxe7 28.Nxf7+ Black resigns as he is mated after 28.Qxf7 20.Qc3+ and so forth (Saric-M. Gurevich, Op, Cannes, 2007).

9...a6 10.0-0 b5 11.a3 Qb6 12.Nd1

• 12.Rad1 Bb7 13.Kh1 Rfc8 14.f5 cxd4 15.Nxd4 Bc5 16.Nxc6 Bxc6 17.Bxc5 Qxc5 18.Qf4 d4 19.Rxd4 exf5 20.Bd3 is equal (Ashwin-Stupak, World Jr Ch, Gaziantep, 2008).

12...a5

• 12...Bb7 13.c3 Na5 14.Qe1 f6 15.exf6 Nxf6 16.Bd3 Nb3 17.Rb1 Ng4 18.Kh1 Rae8 19.Bc2 cxd4 20.Bg1 Nc5 21.Bxd4 Qc7 is equal (Ashwin-Hou Yifan, World Jr Ch, Gaziantep, 2008).

13.c3 Ba6!?

• Black varies from a game played by his compatriot a day earlier.
Black scored a success after
• 13...a4 14.Nf2 Na5 15.dxc5 Bxc5 16.Bxc5 Nxc5 17.Qe3 Nc4 18.Bxc4 bxc4 19.Rae1 Rb8 with an advantage in space (T. Kosintseva-Xu Yuhua, Team M Rd 3, Ningbo, 2008).

14.dxc5

• The game is equal.
• 14.Rc1 c4 15.Qc2 f5 16.Ng5 Nd8 is also equal.

14...Bxc5 15.b4

• 15.Bxc5 Nxc5 16.Qe3 Rfc8 17.Rc1 a4 18.Rc2 Na5 remains equal.

15...Bxe3+ 16.Nxe3 f6?!

• Black would do better to keep the kingside closed.
• 16...Rfc8 17.Nd4 Rc7 18.bxa5 Qxa5 remains equal.
• 16...f5!? 17.Nd4 Nxd4 18.cxd4 a4 19.Rac1 Rac8 20.Qd3 gives White more space.

17.Nd4 Nxd4

• 17...fxe5 18.Nxe6 Rfe8 19.Bg4 Nf6 20.Nc5 remains equal.
• If 17...axb4 18.axb4 then:
• 18...Nxd4 then:
• 19.cxd4 Ra7 20.Bg4 Rc8 21.Ra5 f5 22.Bf3 gives White a small advantage in space.
• 19.cxd4 Ra7 20.Bg4 Rc8 21.Ra5 f5 22.Bf3 gives White a small advantage in space.
• If 18...fxe5 19.Nxe6 Rfe8 20.Bg4 then White wins a pawn after either:
• 20...exf4 21.Nxf4 Nf6 22.Be6+ or
• 20...Nf6 21.Nc5 Red8 22.fxe5 Nxe5 23.Be6+.

18.cxd4

• 18.Qxd4 Qc6 19.bxa5 fxe5 20.fxe5 Rfc8 21.Rac1 Bb7 remains equal.

18...fxe5?

• White is better prepared for the opening of the f-file.
• 18...Bb7 19.a4 fxe5 20.fxe5 Rxf1+ 21.Rxf1 axb4 22.Bxb5 gives White the advantage in space.
• 18...axb4 19.axb4 Bb7 20.Ra5 Bc6 21.Rfa1 f5 22.Qc3 gives White a great deal more activity.

19.fxe5 Nxe5

• This sacrifice proves unsound.
• If 19...axb4 20.axb4 Rxf1+ then:
• If 21.Rxf1 Nxe5 22.dxe5 d4 23.Ra1 then:
• 23...dxe3 24.Qd6 Qxd6 25.exd6.
• No better is 23...g6 24.Qd3 dxe3 25.Qd6.
• 21.Kxf1 Rf8+ 22.Kg1 Rf7 23.Ra5 Nb8 24.Bg4 Bb7 25.Qd3 also leaves White better.

20.dxe5

• Stronger is 20.bxa5 Qa7 21.dxe5 d4 when:
• After 22.Rxf8+ Rxf8 23.a4 bxa4 24.Bxa6 Qxa6 25.Ng4 White remains up a piece.
• Also good is 22.Qa2 Rxf1+ 23.Rxf1 Kh8 24.Qxe6, leaving White up a piece.

20...d4
BLACK: Ni Hua
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WHITE: Evgeny Alekseev
Position after 20...d5d4

21.Nd5!!

• The Knight is a desperado. White chooses the best way to dispose of it.
• Black has chances for counterplay after 21.bxa5 dxe3 22.Qc3 Qb7 23.Qxe3 Qc7 24.Bg4.

21...exd5 22.bxa5 Qc5 23.Rac1 Qxa3

• After 23...Rxf1+ 24.Bxf1 Qa7 25.Qd3 White maintains the edge in space.

24.Qxd4 Qxa5

• After 24...Rfd8 White sets up a vicious attack with 25.Rc7 Qa4 26.Qg4 Qxg4 27.Bxg4.

25.e6!

• Black is kaput after 25.Rxf8+ Rxf8 26.Ra1 Qc7 27.Rxa6 Qc1+ 28.Bd1.

25...Bb7 26.e7

• Also good is 26.Rxf8+ Rxf8 27.e7 Re8 28.Qc5.

26...Rxf1+ 27.Rxf1 b4 28.Qf2 1-0

• Black must surrender the Queen or submit to mate.
• Grandmaster Ni resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Huang Qian - T. Kosintseva, Ningbo, Round 5

Tatiana Kosintseva
Photo: ChessBase.com (Spanish Language)


Huang Qian (China) - Tatiana Kosintseva (Russia)
Russia-China Team Match, Round 5
Ningbo, 22 September 2008

East India Game: Nimzo-Indian Defense

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 0-0 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 d6 7.Bg5 Nbd7 8.c5

• If 8.e3 b6 9.Bd3 then:
• If 9...Ba6 10.Ne2 c5 11.Qc2 h6 12.Bh4 Rc8 13.Qa4 then:
• If 13...cxd4 14.exd4 Nb8 15.Rd1 then:
• If 15...Qd7 then:
• 16.Qb4 Nc6 17.Qd2 Ne8 18.b4 Ne7 19.b5 Bb7 20.f3 d5 is equal (Dreev-Luther, Op, Reyjavik, 2004).
• 16.Qb3 d5 17.Bxf6 dxc4 18.Bxc4 Bxc4 19.Qg3 g6 20.Qh4 Kh7 21.Nc3 Qc6 22.f3 draw (Lazarev-Stohl, Op, Lisbon, 2001).
• 15...d5 16.cxd5 Bxd3 17.Rxd3 g5 18.Bg3 Qxd5 19.0-0 Qc4 20.Qd1 Qc2 21.Nc3 Qxd1 22.Rfxd1 Rfd8 23.d5 Nxd5 24.f4 Kg7 25.Nxd5 Rxd5 26.Rxd5 exd5 27.Rxd5 gives White the active Rook (Eljanov-T. Kosintseva, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2007).
• 13...Bb7 14.0-0 Qc7 15.Rfc1 Qb8 16.Nc3 a6 17.Bg3 Rfe8 18.Qd1 Qa8 19.f3 is equal (Sarker-Milov, Op, Philadelphia, 2008).
• If 9...Bb7 10.f3 c5 11.Ne2 Rc8 then:
• 12.0-0 h6 13.Bh4 cxd4 14.Qxd4 Ne5 15.Rac1 Nxd3 16.Qxd3 d5 17.cxd5 Qxd5 18.Qxd5 Nxd5 19.Kf2 e5 20.Bg3 f6 21.e4 Ne7 22.Nc3 Ba6 23.Rfd1 Rfd8 is equal (Bareev-Karpov, Rapid, Cap d'Agde, 2002).
• 12.Qd2 h6 13.Bh4 cxd4 14.exd4 Ba6 15.Rc1 d5 16.cxd5 Bxd3 17.dxe6 Bxe2 18.Rxc8 Qxc8 19.exd7 Qxd7 20.Kxe2 g5 21.Bg3 Re8+ 22.Kd1 Qf5 23.Re1 Qb1+ 24.Qc1 Qd3+ 25.Qd2 Qb1+ draw (Lima-van der Wiel, Ol, Manila, 1992).

8...dxc5 9.dxc5 e5!?

• The novelty is good for equality.
• 9...Qe7 10.Rc1 h6 11.Bh4 e5 12.e3 Re8 13.Nf3 Nf8 14.Qc2 Ng6 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.Bd3 Nh4 17.Nxh4 Qxh4 18.Be4 c6 19.0-0 Be6 20.Rfd1 gives White better mobility (Bu Xiangzhi-Asrian, Op, Stepanakert, 2005).

10.e3

• 10.Nf3 Qe7 11.c6 bxc6 12.Qxc6 Rb8 13.Qxc7 Rxb2 remains equal.

10...Qe8 11.Qc2 e4

• 11...Qe6 12.Nf3 e4 13.Nd4 Qd5 14.h4 remains equal.

12.Rc1 Qe6

• 12...Nd5 13.c6 N7b6 14.Ne2 bxc6 15.Nd4 remains equal.

13.Ne2

• 13.b4 c6 14.Rd1 a5 15.b5 Qg4 remains equal.

13...Nd5 14.Nd4

• The game remains equal.
• 14.Nf4 Nxf4 15.Bxf4 Qc6 16.b4 a6 17.a4 Ra7 18.b5 gives White the advantage in space.

14...Qg6 15.Bh4 Ne5

• 15...N7f6 16.c6 b6 17.Bg3 Rd8 18.Nb5 Ne8 remains equal.

16.Bg3 Re8 17.Bc4

• 17.c6 Nd3+ 18.Bxd3 exd3 19.Qc4 Qe4 20.0-0 h5 21.Qb3 remains equal.

17...Nxc4

• If 17...c6 then:
• 18.Qb3 a5 19.Rd1 a4 20.Qc2 Nxc4 21.Qxc4 Bg4 remains equal.
• 18.0-0 Nxc4 19.Qxc4 Be6transposes into the text.

18.Qxc4 c6 19.0-0 Be6 20.Nxe6

• If 20.Qa4 Bg4 21.b4 Red8 22.b5 then:
• 22...cxb523.Nxb5 Be2 24.Rfe1 Bxb5 25.Qxb5 Qc6 26.Qb1 Nf6 remains equal.
• 22...Ne7 23.bxc6 Nxc6 24.Rb1 Rd7 25.Rfc1 Nxd4 26.exd4 remains equal.

20...Rxe6 21.Rfd1 Qf5 22.Rd4 h5 23.Rcd1 Rd8 24.b4 a6 25.a4 Kh7

• 25...Qf6 26.b5 h4 27.Bc7 Ra8 28.b6 h3 remains equal.

26.b5 axb5 27.axb5 Ra8!?

• Black seizes the open a-file, but her prospects look more active on the kingside.
• 27...Qg5 28.Bd6 Rg6 29.g3 f5 30.Bf4 Qg4 remains equal.

28.h3 Nf6?!

• A better follow up to Black's previous move is 28...Ra3 29.Rf1 Qg6 30.Bd6 Nc3 31.b6 Nb5 32.Qb4 with equality.

29.Rd6 Ra5 30.Rxe6!

• With this, White gets a very slight advantage of better pawn structure. This is more of an advantage here than usual, since the game could quickly descend to an ending.
• The text is better than 30.Rb1 cxb5 31.Rxb5 Rxd6 32.Rxa5 Rd1+ 33.Kh2 remains equal.

30...fxe6 31.bxc6 bxc6 32.Bd6

• The text is more active than 32.Rc1 Qd5 33.Qb4 Ra2 34.Qb6 Nd7 with equality.

32...Rb5

• 32...Nd7 33.Rc1 Ne5 34.Bxe5 Qxe5 35.Qb4 Ra2 remains equal.

33.Qc2 Nd5

• 33...Nd7 34.Rb1 Rxb1+ 35.Qxb1 Ne5 36.Bxe5 Qxe5 37.f3 gives White better pawn structure going into the endgame.

34.Rd4 Rb4 35.Rd1

• 35.Qd2 Rb1+ 36.Kh2 Rf1 37.Bg3 Rb1 38.Ra4 gives White more freedom.

35...Qf6 36.Rc1

• 36.Rb1 Qf5 37.Rb2 h4 38.Kh2 e5 39.Ra2 gives White more freedom and better pawn structure.

36...Kh6 37.Kh2?!

• This allows Black some fierce counterplay.
• 37.Qd1 allows Black to counter with 37...Rb2 38.Rc2 Nc3 39.Qd2 Rb1+ 40.Kh2, but White is still stronger.

BLACK: Tatiana Kosintseva
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WHITE: Huang Qian
Position after 37.Kg1h2

37...Rb2!

• Black finds the move that has the best chance of turning the game around.
If
• 37...Qb2 38.Bg3 then:
• 38...g5 39.h4 gxh4 40.Bxh4 Qxc2 41.Rxc2 is equal.
• 38...Qxc2 39.Rxc2 Kg5 40.Ra2 h4 41.Bd6 is equal.

38.Qxe4?!

• Black must now win a pawn.
• 38.Qa4 Rxf2 39.Qxe4 Re2 40.Rg1 Rxe3 41.Qa4 Qf2 is equal.

38...Rxf2 39.Rc4

• 39.Re1?! Rd2 40.Rg1 Re2 41.Qa4 Nxe3 42.Bf4+ g5 gives Black an extra pawn.

39...Re2 40.Be5

• The text is better than 40.Rc1?! Qf5 41.Qd4 Kg6 42.Bf4 e5 when:
• 43.Qxe5 Qxe5 44.Bxe5 Nxe3 45.Kg3 Nf5+ 46.Kf4 Rxg2 leaves Black up by a pawn.
• 43.Bxe5 Nxe3 44.Rg1 Nf1+ 45.Rxf1 Qxf1 46.Qd3+ Kh6 leaves Black up by an exchange.

40...Qf5 41.Qxf5

• 41.Ra4 Rxe3 42.Qxf5 exf5 43.Bd6 g5 44.Ra6 Nb4 leaves Black a pawn to the good, but with no immediate win in sight.

41...exf5 42.Bd4 Nxe3 43.Bxe3+ Rxe3

• Black has won a pawn, but permits White counterplay.

44.Rd4 Re6

• 44...Rc3?! just returns the pawn after 45.Rd6+ Kg5 46.Rxc6.

45.Rd6 Rg6
BLACK: Tatiana Kosintseva
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WHITE: Huang Qian
Position after 45...Re6g6

46.h4!

• This move ties up Black's kingside.

46...f4 47.Rd4?!

• White must maintian the Rooks in order to save the game. Her Rook is ideally placed at d6, since it would be suicidal for Black to take it.
• 47.Kg1 Rf6 48.Kf2 Kg6 49.Rd7 Kf5 50.Rxg7 Ke4 is equal.

47...Rf6 48.Kg1

• The text is better than 48.Re4 g5 49.Re5 gxh4 50.Kg1 Rg6 when:
• If 51.Kf2 Rg3 52.Re6+ Kg5 53.Rxc6 h3 54.gxh3 Rxh3 55.Rc8 Rc3 Black has the active postion.


• If 51.Kh2? h3 then:
• If 52.Kxh3 Rg3+ 53.Kh2 Re3 54.Rf5 Kg6 55.Rxf4 Rc3 Black wins the c-pawn.
• 52.gxh3 f3 53.Rf5 Rg2+ 54.Kh1 Rg3 55.Kh2 h4 Black is close to winning.

48...g5 49.hxg5+?

• White, a pawn down, really needs to keep her Rook active. Instead, clears the g5 square, allowing the Black King to become active.
• If 49.Re4! then:
• If 49...gxh4 50.Re5 Kg6 51.Kf2 then:
• If 51...h3 52.gxh3 Rf5 53.Re6+ Kg5 54.Rxc6 Kh4 is equal.
• 51...f3 52.gxf3 h3 53.Kg3 h2 54.Kxh2 Rxf3 equalizes.
• 49...Kg6 50.Re5 gxh4 51.Kf2 transposes.

49...Kxg5 50.Kf2

• 50.Re4 Rf5 51.Rc4 Kg4 52.Rc3 f3! 53.Kf2 fxg2+ 54.Kxg2 Kf4 55.Kh3 Ke4 56.Kh4 Kd4 wins for Black.
• After 53.gxf3+ Rxf3 54.Rc4+ Rf4 55.Rc3 h4 the h-pawn keeps on going.

50...Rf5 51.Rc4

• The activation of the Balck king has rendered the White Rook passive.

51...Rd5 52.g3 Rd2+ 53.Ke1

• 53.Kf3 loses quickly to 53...Rd3+ 54.Kg2 Rxg3+ 55.Kh2 Kg4 56.Rc2 h4.

BLACK: Tatiana Kosintseva
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Huang Qian
Position after 53.Kf2e1

53...fxg3!!

• The Rook sacrifice makes the kingside pawns more moble and deflects the White King away from the most advanced Black pawn.

54.Kxd2 g2 55.Rc1 Kf4 56.Ke2 Kg3 57.Rd1 h4 0-1

• 58.Rd3+ Kh2 59.Rd4 h3 60.Rf4 g1Q 61.Rf2+ then:
• After 61...Kg3! 62.Rf3+ Kh4 63.Rf4+ Kg5 White is out of checks.
• 61...Qxf2+?? 62.Kxf2 Kh1 63.Kf1 h2 64.Kf2 draws by stalemate.
• WGM Huang resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Stefansson - Akobian, SPICE Cup, Texas Tech U, Round 6

Tournament director Susan Polgar said this was the best game of the event, at least through six rounds.



Var Akobian
Photo: ChessBase.com


Hannes Stefansson - Var Akobian
SPICE Cup, Round 6
Texas Tech University, Lubbock, 25 September 2008

Orthodox Queen's Gambit: Normal Defense

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5

• The common name for this opeining is the Tarrasch Defense; Dr. Tarrasch himself called it the Normal Defense to distinguish it from the Orthodox Defense (3...Nf6). Since Dr. Tarrasch has many openings named for him, we will follow his suggestion in designating it. The good physician advocated this as the "correct" defense to the Queen's Gambit although in most variations Black is saddled with an isolated d-pawn, for which reason the defense has never been greatly popular. It has the benefit giving Black's pieces more activity than other defenses to the Queen's Gambit, which Dr. Tarrasch thought more than compensated for the positional disadvantage of an isolated pawn. In relatively recent times, the young Garry Kasparov was an adherant of the Normal Defense.

4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.g3 Nf6

• If 6...c4 7.Bg2 Bb4 8.0-0 Nge7 then:
• If 9.e4 0-0 10.exd5 Nxd5 then:
• 11.Bg5 Qa5 12.Nxd5 Qxd5 13.a3 Ba5 14.Ne5 Qb5 15.a4 Qa6 16.Nxc6 bxc6 17.Qc2 Be6 18.Rfc1 Rab8 19.Bf1 gives White an advantage in pawn structure (Timoshchenko-Tseitlin, Op, Palma de Mallorca, 1989).
• 11.Nxd5 Qxd5 12.a3 Ba5 13.Ne5 Qb5 14.a4 Qa6 15.Be3 Be6 16.Qh5 Rad8 17.Rfd1 Bd5 18.Nd7 Rxd7 19.Bxd5 Rfd8 20.Be4 g6 21.Qf3 f5 22.Bxc6 bxc6 23.Rac1 gives White target in Black's weak queenside pawns (Lautier-Conquest, IT, Clichy, 2001).
• If 9.Bd2 0-0 10.b3 Qa5 11.Qe1 then:
• 11...b5 12.a3 Bxc3 13.Bxc3 Qb6 14.bxc4 bxc4 15.Qd2 Rb8 16.h3 Qa6 17.g4 f5 18.gxf5 Bxf5 19.Nh4 Be6 20.f4 Qc8 21.f5 Bxf5 22.Nxf5 Rxf5 23.e4 Rxf1+ 24.Rxf1 Qe6 the advanced pawn gives Black a slight advantage (Vladimirov-Ziatdinov, Hodzhaev Mem, Tashkent, 1987).
• 11...cxb3 12.axb3 Qd8 13.Na4 Bd6 14.b4 a6 15.Nc5 b6 16.Nd3 Bf5 17.Qb1 a5 18.b5 Na7 19.Ra2 Qe8 20.Rb2 Bd7 21.Nde5 Bf5 22.Nd3 Rc8 23.Nfe5 Kh8 24.Re1 Bc7 25.e4 dxe4 26.Bxe4 Bxe4 27.Rxe4 f6 28.Nf3 Qf7 29.Bxa5 bxa5 30.b6 Nd5 31.bxa7 Nc3 32.Qe1 Nxe4 33.Qxe4 a4 gives Black a slight advantage in material (the game ended in a draw) (Taimanov-Kholmov, Soviet Ch, Kiev, 1954).

7.Bg2 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Bg5

• This is the main line of the Normal Defense.
• If 9.dxc5 Bxc5 10.Bg5 then:
• If 10...d4 11.Bxf6 Qxf6 12.Nd5 Qd8 13.Nd2 then:
• 13...Re8 14.Rc1 Bb6 15.Nc4 Bg4 16.Re1 Ba5 17.Nxa5 Qxa5 18.b4 Nxb4 19.Qxd4 Nxd5 20.Qxg4 Rad8 21.Qc4 b6 22.Bf3 Nf6 23.Red1 g6 24.Kg2 Kg7 25.Rxd8 Rxd8 26.Qb3 Qd2 27.Qa3 and after another dozen moves, the game was agreed drawn (Inarkiev-Potkin, Russian Ch, Elista, 2001).
• 13...a6 14.Rc1 Ba7 15.Nf4 Ne5 16.Nf3 Re8 17.Nxe5 Rxe5 18.e4 Bd7 19.Nd3 Re7 20.Re1 Rc8 21.Rxc8 Qxc8 is equal (Haba-Frolik, Op, Pardubice, 2005).
• If 10...Be6 11.Rc1 Be7 12.Nd4 then:
• 12...h6 13.Be3 Qd7 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.Na4 Bh3 16.Bc5 Bxg2 17.Kxg2 Rfe8 18.Bxe7 Rxe7 19.e3 Rb8 is equal (Summerscale-R. Shaw, British Ch, Scarborough, 1999).
• 12...Nxd4 13.Qxd4 h6 14.Bf4 Qa5 15.a3 Rac8 16.Bd2 Qa6 17.e3 Rfd8 18.Qa4 Qb6 19.Qb5 Qd6 20.Ne2 Qd7 21.Qxd7 Bxd7 22.Rxc8 Rxc8 23.Rc1 Rxc1+ 24.Nxc1 Ne4 25.Be1 is equal (Marchand-Scott, Bromley, 1920).
• 9.b3 Ne4 10.Bb2 Bf6 11.Na4 Re8 12.Rc1 then:
• 12...cxd4 13.Nxd4 Bxd4 14.Bxd4 Bf5 15.e3 Qe7 16.Re1 h6 17.f3 Ng5 18.Qd2 Rad8 is equal (Uhlmann-Marjanovic, IT, Sarajevo, 1980).
• 12...b6 13.dxc5 Bxb2 14.Nxb2 bxc5 15.Na4 Ba6 16.Re1 c4 17.Nd2 cxb3 18.Rxc6 Bb5 19.Nxe4 Bxc6 20.Nec3 bxa2 21.Nxa2 Qa5 22.N4c3 Rab8 23.Qd4 Rb2 24.Rc1 gives White a tactical edge (D. Gurevich-Bluvshtein, Op, Chicago, 2003).

9...c4

• If 9...cxd4 (the main main line) 10.Nxd4 h6 11.Be3 Re8 12.Rc1 then:
• If 12...Bf8 then:
• If 13.Nxc6 bxc6 14.Na4 Bd7 15.Bc5 Bxc5 then:
• If 16.Nxc5 Bg4 17.Re1 Qa5 18.h3 Bf5 19.Qd4 Rab8 20.a3 Qb5 21.b3 then:
• 21...a5 22.e3 Ne4 23.Bxe4 Bxe4 24.Rc3 Bf5 25.Kg2 Be4+ draw (Bonafont-James, British Ch, Yarmouth, 2007).
• 21...Ne4 22.b4 a5 23.Nxe4 Bxe4 24.Rc5 Qb6 25.bxa5 gives White an extra pawn and more freedom (Kasparov-Illescas, IT, Linares, 1994).
• 16.Rxc5 Ne4 17.Rc2 Ng5 18.h4 Ne4 19.e3 Qf6 20.Qd4 Qxd4 21.exd4 draw (Smejkal-Brunner, Bundesliga 8889, Germany, 1988).
• 13.Na4 Bd7 14.Nc5 Nxd4 15.Bxd4 Bc6 16.Qd3 Nd7 17.e3 Nxc5 18.Bxc5 Qa5 19.b4 Qa4 20.Bxd5 Bxd5 21.Qxd5 leaves White a pawn to the good (Vigorito-Galant, US Ch, Tulsa, 2008).
• If 13.Qa4 Na5 then:
• 14.Rcd1 Nc4 15.Bc1 Bd7 16.Qc2 Rc8 17.b3 Ne5 18.Qb2 Qa5 19.Bd2 Qc5 20.Nb1 Qb6 21.Bf4 draw (Polugaevsky-Illescas, Team M, Logrono, 1991).
• 14.Qc2 Nc4 15.Bf4 Be6 16.e4 dxe4 17.Nxe6 Rxe6 18.Nxe4 Nxe4 19.Bxe4 Nd6 20.Bd5 Rc8 21.Qd3 Rxc1 22.Rxc1 Re8 23.Qf3 Qf6 24.Rc7 Re7 25.Bxd6 Qxf3 26.Bxf3 Re1+ 27.Kg2 Bxd6 28.Rxb7 gives White an extra pawn (Hsu Li Yang-Rezaei, IT, Kuala Lampur, 1994).
• 12...Bg4 13.h3 Be6 14.Kh2 Qd7 15.Qc2 Rac8 16.Rfd1 Bc5 17.Qa4 b6 18.Nc2 Red8 19.Nd4 draw (Komarov-Ponomariov, Zonal T, Donetzk, 1998).
• If 9...Be6 10.dxc5 Bxc5 then:
• If 11.Rc1 Be7 12.Nd4 h6 13.Be3 Qd7 then:
• If 14.Qa4 then:
• 14...Bh3 15.Rfd1 Bxg2 16.Kxg2 a6 17.h3 b5 18.Qc2 Rac8 19.Qf5 Qb7 20.Nxc6 Rxc6 is equal (Korchnoi-Dr. Nunn, Op, Hastings, 1975).
• 14...Rfc8 15.Rfd1 Ng4 16.Nxc6 bxc6 17.Bd4 Nf6 18.e4 Bg4 19.Rd2 Nxe4 20.Nxe4 dxe4 21.Be3 gives White the active game (K. Georgiev-Berg, Op, Gibraltar, 2008).
• 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.Na4 Bh3 16.Rfd1 Bxg2 17.Kxg2 a6 transposes to the main blue line.
• If 11.Bxf6 Qxf6 12.Nxd5 Qxb2 13.Nc7 Rad8 14.Qc1 Qxc1 15.Raxc1 b6 16.Nxe6 fxe6 the most likely outcome is a draw.

10.Ne5 Be6 11.Nxc6

• If 11.f4 Ng4 12.Nxg4 Bxg4 13.Bxd5 Bxg5 14.fxg5 Qxg5 15.Rf4 then:
• 15...Rad8 16.Qd2 Bh3 17.e4 Be6 18.Raf1 Bxd5 19.Nxd5 Rfe8 20.Qc3 Qg6 21.Qxc4 Rxe4 22.Rxf7 Qe6 23.Qb3 b6 24.Qf3 h6 25.Rf8+ Rxf8 26.Qxf8+ Kh7 27.Nf4 Qd7 28.d5 Nb4 29.Ne6 Nxd5 Black resigns without waiting for White to reply as 30.Qf5+! wins the Rook (Christiansen-Bluvshtein, Op, New York, 2003).
• 15...Be6 16.Bg2 Rad8 17.Kh1 Ne7 18.Qg1 b5 19.a3 a5 20.e4 b4 21.Na4 Ng6 is equal (Shulman-Miton, Op, Lindsborg, 2004).

11...bxc6 12.e3

• If 12.b3 Qa5 13.Na4 then:
• If 13...Rfd8 14.e3 c5 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.dxc5 Bxc5 17.Qh5 Rac8 18.Rfd1 c3 19.Rac1 Bb4 20.Rd4 c2 then:
• 21.Rh4! d4 22.Qxh7+ Kf8 23.Rxc2 gives White two extra pawns (Savon-Kuprijanov, Cherepovets, 2002).
• 21.Bh3? Bxh3! 22.Qxh3 Ba3 23.Rg4+ Kf8 24.Qxh7 Qd2 Black goes on to win (Bagirov-Lputian, Soviet Ch, Vilnius, 1980).
• 13...Rab8 14.e3 Bf5 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.bxc4 dxc4 17.Nc5 Rb5 18.Qf3 Rxc5 19.dxc5 Qxc5 is equal (Simonet-Mallahi, Ol, Bled, 2002).

12...Nd7 13.Bxe7 Qxe7 14.Na4!?

• If 14.b3 Nb6 then:
• 15.bxc4 Nxc4 16.Qa4 Nb6 17.Qa6 Bf5 18.a4 Qd6 19.e4 Bc8 20.Qd3 a5 21.Rfb1 Ba6 22.Qf3 Nc4 23.Qd1 gives White more activity (Matamoros-Rogers, IT, Las Palmas, 1995).
• 15.Qc2 f5 16.Rfc1 g5 17.bxc4 Nxc4 18.Na4 f4 19.e4 Rab8 20.Qe2 Qf7 21.Nc5 fxg3 22.hxg3 Rb2 23.Rc2 Rxc2 24.Qxc2 Bg4 gives Black the advantage in space (Smejkal-Rogulj, Czechoslovak Ch, Trencianske Teplice, 1979).

14...Rab8

• The game is equal.

15.Qc2 Rb4 16.b3!?

• 16.Nc3 Nf6 17.Rfd1 Rfb8 18.Rab1 Qd7 remains equal.

16...Rfb8 17.Rfd1

• The game remains equal.
• 17.Nc3?! Nb6 18.Rfd1 Qf6 19.Rac1 Bf5 20.e4 Bg6 gives Black the advantage in space.

17...g6

• If 17...Qf6 18.Rdc1 Bf5 19.Qc3 Qe6 then:
• 20.Bf1 Be4 21.Be2 Qh3 22.f3 Bg6 gives White the advantage in space.
• 20.Bf3 a5 21.Qd2 Bg6 22.Bg2 cxb3 23.axb3 Be4 is equal.

18.Qc1 Qd6 19.Rd2 Bf5

• If 19...cxb3 20.axb3 Bf5 21.Nc3 Rxb3 then:
• 22.Rda2 Qb4 23.Ra3 Rxa3 24.Rxa3 Rb7 is equal.
• 22.e4!? dxe4 23.Nxe4 Qe6 24.Re2 Nf6 25.Nxf6+ Qxf6 gies Black an extra pawn.

20.Nc3 cxb3

• If 20...Nb6 21.Rb2 a5 22.h3 then:
• 22...cxb3 23.Rxb3 Nc4 24.g4 Be6 25.Rab1 remains eaual/
• If 22...Qe6 23.g4 Be4 then:
• 24.Nxe4 dxe4 25.bxc4 Nxc4 26.Rxb4 axb4 27.Bxe4 gives White an extra pawn.
• 24.Bxe4 dxe4 25.Qc2 f5 26.gxf5 gxf5 27.Kh1 Nd5 gives Black more space.

21.axb3 Rxb3 22.Rda2 Qb4 23.Ra3 Rb2

• 23...Rxa3 24.Rxa3 Ra8 25.Ra4 Qb7 26.Qa1 remains equal.

24.Ra4 Qb3 25.R4a3

• 25.Qe1 Rc2 26.R4a3 Qc4 27.Nd1 remains equal.

25...Rc2 26.Qe1 Qb4 27.Bf3

• 27.R1a2 Nb6 28.Rxc2 Qxa3 29.Ra2 Qe7 remains equal.

27...Rb7

• The text move maintains the balance.
• Better is 27...Nb6 28.Bd1 Rc1 29.Rxc1 Qxa3 30.Be2 Qb4, giving Black more space and freedom.

28.g4 Be6 29.Na4

• 29.Bd1 Rb2 30.Rxa7 Rxa7 31.Rxa7 c5 32.Ra4 Qb8 33.Bf3 Nb6 remains equal.

29...Qe7

• If 29...Qxe1+ 30.Rxe1 g5 31.Rea1 Kg7 32.Kg2 Rb4 33.Nc3 c5 then:
• 34.Nxd5 Bxd5 35.Bxd5 Nf6 36.R1a2 Rc1 is equal.
• 34.Bxd5 Bxd5+ 35.Nxd5 Rbb2 is equal.

30.Be2 h5!?

• If 30...Qh4 31.Qd1 Rxe2 32.Qxe2 Bxg4 33.f3 Bh5 is equal.

31.Bd3
BLACK: Var Akobian
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Hannes Stefansson
Position after 31.Be2d3

31...Qh4!!

• The Rook sacrifice wins the pot.
• If 31...Rc4 32.Bxc4 dxc4 33.Nc3 then:
• 33...Bxg4 34.Qf1 Rb3 35.Rxb3 cxb3 36.Rxa7 c5 37.d5 Bf3 is equal.
• 33...c5?! 34.Rxa7 Rxa7 35.Rxa7 Qg5 36.f4 Qxg4+ 37.Qg3 gives White a material advantage.
• If 31...Bxg4 32.Bxc2 Bf3 33.Kf1 then:
• 33...Qg5 34.Qc1 Qg2+ 35.Ke1 Qg1+ 36.Kd2 Qxf2+ 37.Kc3 Qxh2 38.Rb3 gives White a Rook for four pawns, but White's position is safe.
• 33...Qh4 34.Qc1 Qxh2 35.Ke1 Qg1+ 36.Kd2 Qxf2+ 37.Kc3 gives White a Rook for four pawns.

32.Bxc2 Qxg4+ 33.Kf1 Qf3 34.Qa5

• If 34.Qc1 then after 34...Bg4 35.Kg1 Bh3 White must surrender his Queen or submit to mate.

34...Nb6!

• Black avoids 34...Qh1+?? 35.Ke2 Bg4+ 36.Kd3 Qxh2 37.Qe1! when White wins.

35.Ke1 Nc4

• 35...Bg4? 36.Bd3 Nxa4 37.R3a2 Nb6 38.Qa6 is equal.

36.Qd8+ Kg7 37.Qg5

• 37.R3a2 Nxe3 38.Nc5 Nxc2+ 39.Rxc2 Qh1+ 40.Kd2 Qxa1 leaves Black three pawns to the good.

BLACK: Var Akobian
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Hannes Stefansson
Position after 37.Qd8g5

37...Bg4! 0-1

• It's all over now, Baby Blue.
• If 38.Bd3 Qh1+ 39.Bf1 Nxa3 then:
• If 40.Rc1 then after Qxh2 41.Qe5+ Qxe5 42.dxe5 h4 it will cost White a piece to stop the h-pawn.
• If 40.Qe5+ then 40...f6 41.Qg3 Nc2+ wins the Rook.
• Hannes resigns.
• This was an intense, well-played struggle.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Update (Thursday): Topalov tops official FIDE ratings

Bulgarian grandmaster Veselin Topalov, the former FIDE world champion, tops the FIDE's official October chess rankings with an Elo rating of 2791.

As an indication that since the retirement of former world champion Garry Kasparov in 2005 that no single chess player dominates the game as Kasparov did, the first six players on the list are within 19 points of each other and the first five are separated by only eight points.

The top six are: Topalov; Alexander Morozevich (Russia), 2787; Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine), 2786; Magnus Carlsen (Norway), 2786; reigning world champion Vishy Anand (India), 2783; and former world champion Vladimir Kramnik (Russia), 2772.

Anand and Kramnik will play a match for the world championship starting October 14 in Bonn, Germany.

A further indication of parity at the top of the rankings is that during the last three months each of the first five players was in the number one position at one time or another on the unofficial Livechess rankings, which tracks current ratings as results come in from the field.

Grandmaster Judit Polgar of Hungary, far and away the strongest woman player in the history of chess, assumes her customary spot at the top of the women's rankings with an Elo rating of 2711, nearly 100 points ahead of grandmaster Koneru Humpy (India), who comes in at 2618. The number three woman in the world at 2557 is now 14-year-old Chinese prodigy Hou Yifan, whose current title is WGM but is expected to be named a full grandmaster at FIDE meetings in Dresden next month. The newly crowned women's world champion, Alexandra Kosteniuk of Russia, comes in eighth at 2525.