Sports

Wed May 2, 2012, 01:52 PM

May 2012

Your humble hare acknowledges the assistance of Rybka 4 and Fritz 13 on analysis.

Diagrams on the Jack Rabbit Chess Report are made with Aquarium, a commercially available interface for Rybka.

Diagrams and other images are hosted on imgur.com.
[center]
BLACK

WHITE
White to move
(This position is a theoretical draw)
[/center]

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

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

2. Chinese National Championships, Xinghua

Wed May 2, 2012, 01:54 PM

May 2012

[center]

The Great Wall of China
[/center][font size="1"]Photo by http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Nicolas_M._Perrault Nicolas Perrault in Wikipedia (Public Domain)
[/font]

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

3. Ding Liren - Lu Shanglei, General Group, Round 5

Wed May 2, 2012, 01:56 PM

May 2012

[center]

Ding Liren
[/center][font size="1"]Photo by http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Kgolp76&action=edit&redlink=1 Kgolp76 in Wikipedia (Public Domain)
[/font]

Ding Liren - Lu Shanglei
Chinese Chess Championships (General Group), Round 5
Xinghua, 31 March 2012

Orthodox Queen's Gambit: Ragozin Defense (Open Variation)

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.d4 d5 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.e4

We repeat: There is no such thing as a Reti Opening. The moves 1.Nf3 2.Nf6 (or any other reasonable move) 3.c4 constitute an English Opening and often transpose into a Queen's pawn opening of some kind, as it has here. This is an Open Queen's Gambit.
For [font color="red"]5.e3 a6 6.a4 c5,[/font] the main line of the Open Queen's Gambit, see Carlsen-Nisipeanu, IT, Medias, Romania, 2011.
The text is the Horseman Defense to the Saduleto Opening. The usual move order of the Saduleto Opening is [font color="blue"]1.d4 d5 2.c4 cxd4 3.e4[/font] (the Saduleto Opening) [font color="blue"]3...Nf6[/font] (the Horseman Defense) [font color="blue"]4.e5 Nd5 5.Bxc4[/font] brings us to something resembling the present game, except that White has not played either of his Knights, but simply concentrated on recapuring the pawn. For the main lines of the Saduleto Opening, which appears to be the oldest response to the Queen's Gambit, see Howell-Singerland, Op, Leiden, 2011.

5...Bb4

[font color="red"]5...c5[/font] transposes into the Gunsburg Defense. See the [font color="#008000"]green notes to Black's third move[/font] in the [font color="blue"]Howell-Singerland[/font] game cited above.

6.Bxc4

[font color="red"]6.Bg5[/font] transposes into the Open Variation of the Nimzo-Ragozin Defense. See the [font color="darkred"]Kramnik-van Wely[/font] and subordinate lines in the notes to White's fifth move in Jakovenko-Fressinet, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2012.[/font] to

6...Nxe4

Black has an extra pawn, but White has better development in compensation. Even if castling were not forced here, it's still a good idea.

7.0-0 Nxc3 8.bxc3 Be7

If [font color="red"]8...Bd6 9.Ng5 h6 10.Qh5 0-0[/font] then:

[font color="red"]11.Ne4 Nd7 12.Bxh6 gxh6 13.Qxh6[/font] is equal (Mamedyarov-Morozevich, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2009).
If [font color="darkred"]11.Re1 hxg5 12.Bxg5 Be7 13.Bd3[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]13...f5 14.Bxe7 Qxe7 15.Bxf5 Rxf5 16.Qxf5 exf5 17.Rxe7[/font] gives White an active Rook and a pawn for two minor pieces (Sulskis-Lupulescu, Euro ChT, Porto Carras, Greece, 2011).
[font color="magenta"]13...g6?[/font] drops the whole enchilada to [font color="magenta"]14.Bxg6!! fxg6 15.Qxg6+ Kh8 16.Re3.[/font]

9.Ne5

[font color="red"]9.Qe2 0-0 10.Rd1 c6 11.Bf4 Nd7[/font] is equal (Mamedyarov-Kosteniuk, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2009).

9...0-0 10.Qg4 c5?! (N)

If [font color="red"]10...Nc6[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]11.Bh6 Bf6 12.Rad1 Ne7[/font] then:

[font color="red"]13.Rfe1 Ng6 14.Bc1 c5 15.Qh5 Bxe5 16.dxe5 Qh4 17.Qxh4 Nxh4 18.Bg5 Ng6 19.h4[/font] draw (Zhou Weiqi-Sargissian, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2010).
[font color="burgundy"]13.Bc1!? c5 14.Ba3!? Qc7 15.Qh5 Bxe5 16.dxe5 b6[/font] forces White to redeploy his Bishop for a third time (Carlsen-Kramnik, Amber Bland, Nice, 2010).

If [font color="darkred"]11.Re1[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]11...f5 12.Qf3 Nxe5 13.Rxe5 Kh8 14.Bxe6 Bxe6 15.Rxe6[/font] gives White a small advantage after the Rook is driven back (Shulman-Meier, IT, Texas Tech U, Lubbock, 2011).
[font color="magenta"]11...Nxe5 12.dxe5 Kh8 13.Qh3 Bd7 14.Bd3 g6[/font] is equal (Nyback-Neubauer, Bundesliga 1112, Bremen, 2011).

11.Bh6!

White has his pieces developed and a comfortable advantage in space in compensation for a pawn.

11...Bf6 12.Bd3 Re8 13.f4?!

White strengthens the centralized Knight, but weakens his King safety. It would now be more adventageous to Black to open the center.
[font color="red"]13.Qe4 g6 14.Bb5 Bd7 15.Qxb7 Bxb5 16.Qxb5[/font] gives White greater activity.

13...g6?

Black doesn't need to worry about the attack on g7 as long as the Bishop is at f6.
The best way to exploit White's inaccuracy is [font color="red"]13...cxd4 14.Bg5 Rf8 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.cxd4 Qd8[/font] when Black still has an extra pawn fr his trouble.

[center]BLACK: Lu Shanglei[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Ding Liren[/center]
[center]Position after 13...g7g6[/center]

14.Bxg6!!

White sacrifices not one but two minor pieces in order to destroy the castle wall protecting the King.

14...fxg6 15.Nxg6 hxg6 16.Qxg6+ Kh8 17.Bg5!

The exchange opens the f-file, enhancing Black's attack.

17...Bxg5 18.fxg5

Doesn't Black King present a pitiful sight?

18...Re7

Black is toast.
If [font color="red"]18...Rf8[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]19.Qh6+ Kg8 20.g6 Rf6 21.Qh7+ Kf8 22.g7+.[/font]

19.Qh6+ Kg8 20.g6 Nd7 21.Rf3 Nf8

Black is now subject to a forced mate.
Better is [font color="red"]21...Qf8[/font] but White still wins after [font color="red"]22.Rxf8+ Nxf8 23.h4 Rg7 24.h5.[/font]

[center]BLACK: Lu Shanglei[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Ding Liren[/center]
[center]Position after 21...Nd7f8[/center]

22.Raf1 Nxg6 23.Rg3 Rg7 24.Rxg6 1-0

If [font color="red"]24...Qe7[/font] then White delivers mate soon after [font color="red"]25.Rf3 b6 26.Rh3 Kf7 27.Rxg7+ etc.[/font]
Lu resigns.

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

4. Xin Nie - Huang Qian, Women's Group, Round 3

Wed May 2, 2012, 02:00 PM

May 2012

[center][/center]

[center]There is no photo of Huang Qian available with an internet-friendly copyright[/center]
[font size="1"]Photo by Jon Sullivan from public-domain-photos.com (Public Domain)
[/font]

Xin Nie - Huang Qian
Chinese Chess Championships (Women's Group), Round 3
Xinghua, 29 March 2012

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

1.d4 d6 2.c4 e5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.d5 Nce7 5.e4 Nf6 6.Nc3 g6 7.Be2 Bg7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Ne1 Nd7 10.f3

For alternative varitions through here, see Wang Yue-A. Vovk, Op 1112, Hastings, 2012
If [font color="red"]10.Be3 f5 11.f3 f4 12.Bf2 g5[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]13.a4[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]13...Ng6 14.a5[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]14...Rf7[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]15.b4 Bf8[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]16.c5 Nf6[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]17.cxd6 Bxd6 18.Nd3[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]18...Rg7 19.Nc5 Nf8 20.Nb5 g4[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]21.Bh4 h5[/font] then:

[font color="red"]22.Bc4 Qe7 23.Kh1 a6 24.Nxc7 Qxc7 25.Bxf6[/font] gives White more activity and space (Korchnoi-J. Polgar, IT, Pamplona, 1990).
[font color="burgundy"]22.Nxd6 cxd6 23.Nd3 Ng6 24.Bg5 Nf8 25.Bxf6[/font] gives White a slight advantage in that he can seize command of the c-file (Elliott-Rosch, Corres, 1996).

[font color="darkpink"]21.Qeq Qe8 22.fxg4 Nxg4 23.Ra3 Qg6 24.Bf3 Qh6[/font] is equal (Korchnoi-Dr. Nunn, IT, Amsterdam, 1990).

[font color="burgundy"]18...h5 19.Nc5 Nf8 20.Nb5 g4 21.Bh4 Rg7 22.Qb3[/font] gives White a powerful spatial advantage on the kingside (Psakhis-Kiminski, Op, Gronigen, 1993).

If [font color="darkred"]17.c6 h5 18.Kh1[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]17...Rh7? 19.cxb7 Bxb7 20.a6 Bc8 21.Nb5 g4 22.Nxa7[/font] gives White an extra pawn, active minor pieces and a small advantage in space (Korchnoi-Xie Jun, Match, Wentzou, 1995).
[font color="magenta"]18...bxc6 19.dxc6 Be6 20.Ba6 Qe8 21.b5[/font] still doesn't give Black a lot of hope.

[font color="burgundy"]16.Nd3 h5 17.c5 Nf6 18.cxd6 cxd6 19.h3[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Sammalvuo-Hajenius,Op, Reykjavik, 2011).

If [font color="darkred"]15.c5 Nxc5 16.Bxc5 dxc5[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]17.Bc4 Kh8 18.a6 bxa6 19.Bxa6 Bf8[/font] gives White more activity and stronger pawns (Kozul-Dr. Nunn, Euro ChT, Debrecen, 1992).
If [font color="magenta"]17.a6!? b6 18.Bc4 Bf8[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]19.g4?! Bd6 20.Qe2 h5 21.h3 Rh7[/font] gives Black the advantage on the kingside (Lutz-Gelfand, IT, Munich, 1994).
[font color="darkorange"]19.d6 c6 20.Nd3 Qxd6 21.Qb3 Qe7[/font] gives Black more kingside space.

If [font color="darkred"]14...h5[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]15.Nb5 Nf6 16.Nxa7 Bd7 17.c5[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]17...g4? 18.c6![/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]18...g3 19.hxg3 fxg3 20.Bxg3 Rxa7 21.cxd7[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]21...h4 22.Bf2 Ra8 23.Nc2 Bh6 24.Ne3 Bf4 25.Nf5[/font] gives White an extra pawn (not counting the deadwood at d7), an active Knight and the Bishop pair (Korchnoi-Xie Jun, TM, Prague, 1995).
If [font color="magenta"]21...Nxd7[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]22.f4!? exf4 23.Bf2 Ra8 24.Bxh5 Nde5 25.Bxg6 Nxg6 26.Qh5[/font] gives White an extra pawn, the initiative and a comortable advantage space (W. Schmidt-G. Hernández, Ol, Moscow, 1994).
[font color="darkorange"]22.Bf2! Ra8 23.Nd3 h4 24.Qd2 Kh7 25.Qe1[/font] gives White an extra pawn and a comortable advantage space; White would profit most from attacking on the queenside.

[font color="purple"]18...bxc6 19.Nxc6 Qe8 20.Ra4 g3 21.hxg3 fxg3 22.Bxg3[/font] gives White an extra pawn (a remote passer), more active pieces and more space (Lekic-Nikolic, Yugoslav ChT Herceg Novi, 2001).

Black hangs on longer after [font color="hotpink"]17...Rxa7 18.c6 Qa8 19.cxd7 Rxa5 20.Rc1 Qd8 21.Qc2[/font] but the situation is still grim (Sakalauskas-Labuckas, Lithuanian Ch, Kaunas, 2001).

If [font color="magenta"]15.b4!?[/font] then:

If [font color="magenta"]15...Nf6! 16.c5 g4[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]17.cxd6?! cxd6 18.Nb5 g3 19.hxg3 fxg3 20.Bxg3[/font] gives White only a small advantage in space (Ftacnkk-Smirin, IT, Biel, 1993).
[font color="purple"]17.a6! bxa6 18.Bxa6 h4 19.Bxc8 Qxc8 20.fxg4 Nxg4 21.Qf3[/font] gives White the advantage in space on the queenside and checks Black's advance on the other wing.

[font color="darkorange"]15...a6!? 16.Na4 Nf6 17.c5 g4 18.cxd6 cxd6 19.Rc1[/font] gives White command of the queenside dark squares

If [font color="darkred"]13...a5 14.Nd3 b6[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]15.b4 axb4 16.Nxb4 Nf6[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]17.Nd3 h5 18.Nb5[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]18...g4[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]19.Bh4?! Qd7 20.fxg4 Nxe4! 21.Bf3 Nf6[/font] is equal and soon agreed drawn (Noomen-Hotting, Corres, 2004).
If [font color="magenta"]a) 19.Be1?![/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]19...g3?! 20.hxg3 fxg3 21.Bxg3 Ng6 22.a5 h4 23.Be1[/font] gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Ernazarov-Aleshina. Corres, 2001).
[font color="darkorange"]19...gxf3! 20.Bxf3 Ng4 21.Bd2 c6 22.dxc6 Nxc6 23.Nf2[/font] is equal.

[font color="magenta"]b) 19.Qd2 gxf3 20.Bxf3 Ng4 21.a5 bxa5 22.Rxa5 Rxa5 23.Qxa5[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space.

[font color="darkorange"]18...Ng6?! 19.a5! bxa5 20.Be1 g4 21.Rxa5 Rb8 22.Nb4[/font] gives White a queenside attack and a comfortable advantage in space (Kozul-Rogic, Op, Bled, 1997).

[font color="purple"]17.Ra3 Bd7 18.Nb5 Kh8 19.Be1 Rg8 20.g4 fxg3 21.hxg3[/font] is equal (Jussupow-Kasparov, Ol, Yerevan, 1996).

If [font color="magenta"]15.Be1 Nf6[/font] then:

If [font color="magenta"]16.Nf2 h5 17.h3 Kh8 18.Nb5 Neg8 19.b4[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]19...Rf7 20.bxa5 bxa5 21.c5 Bf8 22.cxd6 cxd6 23.Rc1[/font] gives White more piece activity and a comfortable advantage in space (Nielsen-Kotronias, IT 0304, Hastings, 2004).
If [font color="darkorange"]19...Nh6 20.bxa5[/font] then:

If [font color="darkorange"]20...Rg8 21.axb6 cxb6 22.a5 g4[/font] then:

[font color="darkorange"]23.axb6!? Rxa1 24.Qxa1 gxf3 25.gxf3 Qxb6 26.Kh2[/font] gives White an extra pawn and a slight edge in space (Stull-Schrancz, Corres, 2001).
[font color="purple"]23.hxg4! hxg4 24.Nxg4 Nhxg4 25.fxg4 Bf8 26.Bh4[/font] gives White a comfortable advantage in space and a pin agianst f6.

[font color="hotpink"]20...bxa5? 21.Bc3 Qe7 22.Qd2 g4 23.Bxa5 gxf3 24.Bxf3[/font] gives White an extra pawn and a comfortable advantage in space.

[font color="burgundy"]16.Nb5 g4 17.fxg4 Nxe4 18.Bf3 Ng5 19.Nf2[/font] gives White a small advatgae in space (W. Schmidt-Dobrowolski, Polish ChT, Krynica, 1997).

If [font color="darkred"]13.Rc1[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]13...Ng6 14.c5 Nxc5 15.b4 Na6[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]16.Nb5 Bd7 17.Nxa7[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]17...h5?![/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]18.a4 Rf7[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]19.Nb5?![/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]19...Bh6?! 20.Rc4 Rg7[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]21.Kh1 Nf8 22.g3 fxg3 23.Bxg3 Ng6 24.Nd3[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]24...Nf4 25.Bxf4 gxf4 26.Rg1[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]26...Rxg1+ 27.Qxg1+ Kh7 28.Qc1 Qg5 29.Qf1[/font] draw (Krivoshey-Golubov, Corres, 1999).
[font color="burgundy"]26...Bg5 27.Bf1 Bh4 28.Rxg7+ Kxg7[/font] is equal (S. Atalik-Timoshchenko, Romanian ChT, Timis de Sus, 1998).

If [font color="magenta"]24...Kh7 25.Rg1[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]25...Rf7?! 26.Bf2! Be8 27.Nc3 Nb8 28.Qc2[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space (Yerminisky-Kindermann, FIDE Knock Out, Groningen, 1997).
[font color="darkorange"]25...Nf4 26.Nxf4 gxf4 27.Bf2 Rxg1+ 28.Qxg1 Bh3[/font] remains equal.

[font color="purple"]21.Nd3 Qf6 22.h3 Nh4 23.Qe1 Rf8 24.Nxc7[/font] is equal.

[font color="hotpink"]19...h4! 20.h3 Nxb4 21.Qb3 Na6 22.Nd3 Bf8 23.Qc4[/font] gives Black an extra pawn and White more space.

[font color="burgundy"]19.Rb1! Qe8 20.Nb5 Qe7 21.Nc3 Nh4 22.Nd3[/font] gives White activity on the queenside.

If [font color="magenta"]18.Bxa6 bxa6[/font] then:

If [font color="magenta"]19.Qc2 Rf7 20.Qxc7[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]20...Qf8 21.Qb7 Bb5 22.Qxa8 Qxa8 23.Rc8+ Qxc8 24.Nxc8 Bf8[/font] gives Black a slight edge as he is about to go up an exchange (Kesten-Jorczik, Op, Bad Wörishofen, 2008).
[font color="darkorange"]20...Qxc7 21.Rxc7 g4 22.Nc6 Bf6 23.fxg4 hxg4 24.Nd3 Bd8 25.Nxd8[/font] wins the exchange to go with White's extra pawn (Leotard-Lexa, Corres (?), 2004).

[font color="purple"]19.Qd3 g4 20.Kh1 g3 21.Bg1 Qh4 22.Qxa6[/font] gives White a passed pawn, an attack on a backward pawn and a comfortable advantage in space (Gejendra-Vishnu, Commonwealth Ch, Nigpur, 2008).

[font color="hotpink"]17...Rf7 18.Bxa6 bxa6 19.Qc2 Be8 20.Qe2 h5 21.Qxa6[/font] remains equal (D. Gurevich-Becerra Rivero, Op, Las Vegas, 2007).

If [font color="magenta"]16.Nd3[/font] then:

If [font color="magenta"]16...Rf7 17.Nb5[/font] then:

If [font color="magenta"]17...Bd7 18.a4 h5 19.Nxa7 Bf8 20.Nb5 Rg7[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]21.Be1 c6 22.Nc3 Nc7 23.Nf2 Kh8 24.a5 Rb8 25.h3[/font] gives White the advantage in space, mostly localized on the queenside (Peralta-Inarkiev, World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2007).
If [font color="darkorange"]21.Rc4?![/font] then:

[font color="darkorange"]21...Nh8?![/font] then:

[font color="darkorange"]22.g4?! hxg4![/font] (Black has equalized) [font color="darkorange"]23.fxg4 Rh7 24.Qc2 Qf6 25.Kh1 Be7 26.Bg1 Bd8 27.Nc3[/font] draw (Zugrav-Rohde, Corres, 2002).
[font color="darkpinkpurple"]22.h3 Nf7 23.Rc2 c6 24.dxc6 bxc6 25.Nc3[/font] gives White a comfortable advantage in space

[font color="hotpink"]21...Nh4 22.Be1 g4 23.fxg4 hxg4 24.g3 Nf3+[/font] is equal.

If [font color="darkorange"]17...b6 18.Be1 h5 19.Nf2 Bf6[/font] then:

[font color="darkorange"]20.h3 Bb7 21.Rc2 Qd7 22.Qd3 Bd8 23.Bd2[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Topalov-Radjabov, IT, Nanjing, 2009).
[font color="purple"]20.a3 Qd7 21.Rc3 Bd8 22.Qc2 Nb8 23.a4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Nielsen-Livatsky, Bundesliga 0708, Germany, 2007).

If [font color="darkorange"]16...h5 17.Nb5 Bd7 18.a4 Bh6 19.Rc3[/font] then:

If [font color="darkorange"]19...b6 20.Be1 Rf7 21.Nf2[/font] then:

If [font color="darkorange"]21...Nh4 22.Nxd6 cxd6 23.Bxa6 Qe8 24.Qe2 g4 25.fxg4[/font] gives White a fair edge in space aginst Black's stronger pawns (Piket-Kasparov, IT, Linares, 1997).
If [font color="purple"]21...Bc8 22.Rc4 Nh4 23.h3 Qf6[/font] then:

[font color="purple"]24.Qc2?! g4! 25.hxg4 hxg4 26.Nxd6 gxf3 27.Nxf7[/font] is equal (Bonatti-Monacell, Corres, 2000).
[font color="hotpink"]24.Qb3! Bd7 25.Rc2 Bf8 26.Na3 Bc8 27.Nd3[/font] gives White a comfortable advantage in space.

[font color="burgundy"]19...Rf7 20.Nxa7 Rg7 21.Nb5 Nf8 22.h3 Nh7 23.Be1[/font] gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Korchnoi-Cvitan, Euro ChT, Pula, 1997).

If [font color="magenta"]a) 13...Rf6 14.Nd3 Rh6 15.c5[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]15...Qe8 16.Nb5 Qh5 17.h4 Ng6 18.g4 fxg3 19.Bxg3[/font] gives White a substantial advantage in space (Krush-Dembo, OlW, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2010).
If [font color="darkorange"]15...a6[/font] then:

If [font color="darkorange"]16.c6 bxc6 17.dxc6[/font] then:

If [font color="darkorange"]17...Nf8 18.Nb4 Qe8 19.Kh1 Ne6 20.Ncd5[/font] then:

[font color="darkorange"]20...Ng6 21.Rc3 Nh4 22.Nc2 Kh8 23.b4 Bf8 24.Qe1[/font] gives White a strong advaantage in space with good diagonals for the Bishops (Grabliauskas-Zickus, Euro Club Cup, Fügen, 2006).
[font color="burgundy"]20...Nxd5 21.Nxd5 Kh8 22.b4 Qf7 23.Qd3 Nd4 24.Bd1 Be6 25.Re1[/font] is equal (Rogovski-Radjabov, IT, Alushta, 2001).

[font color="hotpink"]17...Nxc6 18.Nxf4 Nd4 19.Nfd5 Nf8 20.Bc4 Kh8 21.Ne2[/font] gives White a better center, but Black maintains his share of it Bluvshtein-Inarkiev, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2004).

[font color="purple"]16.cxd6 cxd6 17.a4 Qe8 18.Be1 Nf6 19.Nf2 Rg6 20.a5[/font] gives White more freedom (Dambacher-Ponomariov, Euro Club Cup, Kallithea, 2008).

If [font color="magenta"]b) 13...a6 14.Nd3[/font] then:

If [font color="magenta"]14...b6 15.b4 Rf6 16.c5 Rh6 17.cxd6 cxd6[/font] then:

If [font color="magenta"]18.b5 Qe8 19.Kh1[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]19...a5 20.Na4 Rb8 21.Ndb2 Nf6 22.Nc4 Nh5 23.Qe1[/font] gives White a tremendous advantage with a plan to capture both of Black' queenside pawns (Krush-Zenyuk, US ChW, St. Louis, 2011).
[font color="hotpink"]19...Nf6 20.bxa6 Qh5 21.Bg1 Qg6 22.Nf2 Nh5 23.Nh3[/font] is equal (Berkvens-Inarkiev, Ruro Club Cup. Antalya, 2007).

[font color="purple"]18.g4 fxg3 19.hxg3 Ng6 20.Kg2 Nf6 21.Rh1 Rxh1 22.Qxh1[/font] gives White the advantage in space (Khalifman-Inarkiev, World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2005).

[font color="darkorange"]14...Rf6 15.c5 Rh6[/font] transposes into [font color="darkorange"]Grabliauskas-Zickus[/font] and its branches, above.

If [font color="blue"]10.Nd3 f5 11.Bd2 Nf6 12.f3 f4 13.c5 g5 14.cxd6 cxd6 15.Nf2[/font] then:

If [font color="blue"]15...h5 16.h3 Ng6 17.Qc2 Rf7 18.Rfc1[/font] then:

If [font color="blue"]18...g4 19.hxg4 hxg4 20.fxg4[/font] (White has won a pawn) [font color="blue"]20...Ne8 21.a4 Bf6[/font] then:

[font color="blue"]22.Ncd1 Bh4 23.Nh3 Rg7 24.Ndf2 Nf8 25.Ra3[/font] gives White an extra pawn, more freedom and more space (Sosonko-Ye Jiangchuan, IT, Hong Kong, 1989).
[font color="#0080FF"]22...Rh7? 23.Na4 Bd7 24.Nb6 Rb8 25.Nxd7 Nxd7 26.Nh3[/font] gives White a tremendous advantage in space.

If [font color="darkblue"]18...a6 19.a4[/font] then:

If [font color="darkblue"]19...Bf8 20.a5[/font] then:

If [font color="darkblue"]20...g4 21.fxg4 hxg4 22.hxg4[/font] then:

If [font color="darkblue"]22...b5 23.axb6 Qxb6 24.Na4 Qa7 25.Ba5 Rb8[/font] then:

If [font color="darkblue"]26.Bc7 Rb7 27.Bxd6 Bxd6 28.Qxc8+[/font] gives White two extra pawns (Sosonko-Rogic, Op, Bled, 1997).
If [font color="darkcyan"]26.g5[/font] then:

If [font color="darkcyan"]26...Nh7?! 27.Nb6[/font] then:

[font color="darkcyan"]27...f3? 28.Bxf3 Rxb6 29.Bxb6 Qxb6 30.Qxc8 Nxg5 31.Rxa6[/font] gives White two extra pawns (Rogers-Sznapik, Ol, Thessalonik, 1988).
[font color="slateblue"]27...Bb7 28.Bh5 Kg7 29.Qa4 Nxg5 30.Nd7[/font] barely keeps Black in the game.

[font color="steelblue"]26...Ng4! 27.Bxg4 Bxg4 28.Ra3 f3[/font] is equal (Azmapairashvili-Cvitan, IT, Tilburg, 1993).

[font color="#004080"]22.Bf3 Bh4 23.Ncd1 Bg3 24.Nh3 Qh4 25.Ndf2[/font] still, leaves Whte with an extra pawn ((Valden-Tsanas, Op, Glyfada, 2001).

If [font color="dodgerblue"]20...b5 21.axb6 Qxb6 22.Na4 Qa7 23.Ba5[/font] then:

[font color="dodgerblue"]23...Rb7 24.Kf1 Bd7 25.Ra3 Be7 26.Rc3 Bd8 27.b4[/font] gives White a slight advantage (Sosonko-Fedorowicz, Rpd TM, Cannes, 1992).
[font color="darkcyan"]23...g4 24.fxg4 hxg4 25.Bb6 Qe7 26.hxg4 f3 27.Bxf3[/font] gives White two extra pawns (Seawald-Shezer, Op, Chicago, 1993).

[font color="#8000C0"]19...b6 20.Ra3 Bf8 21.Na2 Nh4 22.Qd1 Rg7 23.Be1[/font] gives White more active minor pieces (Ree-Browne, Op, Lone Pine, 1978).

If [font color="darkblue"]15...Ng6 16.Qc2 Rf7 17.Rfc1[/font] then:

If [font color="darkblue"]17...Bf8 18.a4 h5 19.Nb5 Ne8 20.h3[/font] then:

[font color="darkblue"]20...Nh4 21.Ra3 a6 22.Rc3 Bd7 23.Na3[/font] gives White more freedom (Kozul-Srebrnic, Op, Nova Gorica, 1999).
If [font color="dodgerblue"]20...a6?! 21.Na3[/font] then:

[font color="dodgerblue"]21...Rg7? 22.Nc4 Bd7 23.Ba5[/font] gives White a powerful queenside attack (Goganov-Koushnik, World Jr Ch, Chennai, 2011).

Little better is [font color="darkcyan"]21...Rc7 22.Nc4 Rb8 23.Qb3 Bd7 24.Na5.[/font]

If [font color="dodgerblue"]17...Ne8 18.a4 h5 19.h3[/font] then:

[font color="dodgerblue"]19...Nh4 20.Qd1 Bf8[/font] then:

[font color="dodgerblue"]21.Ra3 Rg7 22.Be1 Nf6 23.Nb1 Ng6 24.Rac3[/font] gives White command of the c-file, better Bishops and more space (Sosonko-Pflichthofer, Op, San Bernardino, California, 1991).
[font color="#8000C0"]21.Nb5 Rg7 22.Rc3 a6 23.Na3 Nf6 24.Nc4[/font] gives White more active Bishops and attacking chances on the queensiode; Black is better on the kingside[/font] gives White more active Bishops (Mkrtchian-Arakahmia, Euro Club Cup W, Plovdiv, 2010).
If [font color="#0080C0"]19...h4?! 20.Ng4! Bxg4[/font] then:

[font color="#0080C0"]21.hxg4 Rc7 22.Be1 a6 23.Qd1 Nf8 24.Bf2[/font] gives White a significant advantage in space.
[font color="slateblue"]21.fxg4 Nf6 22.a5 Rc8 23.Be1 a6 24.Bf2[/font] gives White the advantage in space.

10...f5 11.exf5 (N)

[font color="red"]11.Be3 f4 12.Bf2 g5 13.a4[/font] transposes into the [font color="red"]red notes to White's tenth move.[/font]

11...Nxf5

The game is equal.

12.Ne4

The problem with this move is that if the Knight is taken at e4, then White must recapture with the pawn, not with a piece and, after an exchange of the Rooks in the f-file, the game is equal or even slightly advantageous for Black.
[font color="red"]12.Bd3 Nc5 13.Be4 Nd4 14.Nc2 Bf5 15.Bxf5 Nxf5[/font] remains equal.

12...b6!?

The object of this move is to prevent White's c-pawn from advancing, but that event was unlikely in the position anyway.
If [font color="red"]12...Nf6[/font] then:

[font color="red"]13.Nc2 c5 14.Bg5 Qb6 15.Qd2 Bd7 16.Nc3[/font] remains equal.
If [font color="darkred"]13.Bd3!? c6 14.Nxf6+[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]14...Rxf6! 15.Rf2 Rf7 16.Be4 Nd4 17.Qd3 Bf5[/font] gives Black a slight advantage in space.
[font color="magenta"]14...Bxf6!? 15.Be4 Qb6+ 16.Kh1 Nd4 17.Nd3 Bf5[/font] remains equal.

13.Nc2!?

White misses the best retort.
[font color="red"]13.Bg5! Nf6 14.Qd2 Nd4 15.Bd3 Nxe4 16.Bxe4[/font] gives White a small initiative.

13...a5 14.Bd2 Nc5!

The game is equal.

15.Qc1 Bd7 16.Bg5 Qe8

[center]BLACK: Huang Qian[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Xin Nie[/center]
[center]Position after 16...Qd8e8[/center]

17.Nxc5

This move is questionable, but by no means a serious error. White exchanges his centralized Knight for pawn strength. In the present position, the Knight is not supported by another piece.
If [font color="red"]17.Qd2 Nxe4 18.fxe4 h6 19.Be3 Nxe3 20.Qxe3 Qe7[/font] remains equal.

17...bxc5 18.Bd3!

That this move is playable now is what keeps White's 17th move from being a minor disaster. The e4 point is covered, preventing Black from opening the center to her advantage.
If [font color="red"]18.Re1?![/font] then after [font color="red"]18...e4! 19.fxe4 Nd4 20.Nxd4 Bxd4+ 21.Kh1 Rb8[/font] gives Black command of two open files and threatens to win material with the attack on b2.

18...Qf7

If [font color="red"]18...Qb8 19.Rb1 Qb6 20.Qe1 Nd4 21.Qd2[/font] then:

[font color="red"]21...Bf6 22.Bh6 Rf7 23.Nxd4 cxd4 24.f4 Re8 25.Rbe1[/font] remains equal.
[font color="darkred"]21...Rfb8 22.h4 Bf5 23.Rfe1 Rf8 24.Bxf5 gxf5 25.Be3[/font] remains equal.

If [font color="blue"]18...Rb8 19.Rb1 a4 20.Qd2[/font] then:

[font color="blue"]20...Nd4 21.Be4 Bf6 22.Bh6 Rf7 23.Nxd4 cxd4[/font] remains equal.
[font color="darkblue"]20...Qc8 21.Be4 Qa6 22.Qc3 Bf6 23.Bd2 Rf7 24.Qd3[/font] remains equal.

19.Be4 a4

If [font color="red"]19...Bf6[/font] then:

[font color="red"]20.Bh6 Nxh6 21.Qxh6 a4 22.g3 Qg7 23.Qd2 h5[/font] remains equal.
[font color="darkred"]20.Bxf6!? Qxf6! 21.Bxf5 Bxf5 22.Qd2 Qh4 23.Ne3 Rab8[/font] gives Black a slight advantage in space.

20.Qe1 Nd4 21.Nxd4!?

Black will get a passed pawn.
If [font color="red"]21.Qd2 Bf6 22.Bh6 Rfe8[/font] then:

[font color="red"]23.Nxd4 exd4 24.Qd3 Rab8 25.Rab1 Qe7[/font] remains equal.
[font color="darkred"]23.Ne3!? Rab8 24.Rab1 Rb4 25.Qd3 Reb8[/font] gives Black a fair advantage in space; White still has stronger pawns.

[center]BLACK: Huang Qian[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Xin Nie[/center]
[center]Position after 21.Nc2d4:N[/center]

21...exd4!

Black has a file open to her heavy pieces, a passed pawn and control of e3; Black has active Bishops.

22.Qd2 Bf5!?

Black exchanges her good Bishop.
If [font color="red"]22...Bf6 23.Bf4 Rab8[/font] then:

[font color="red"]24.Rab1 Bg7 25.Bg5 Be5 26.g3 Bf5 27.Bh6 Rfe8[/font] remains equal.
[font color="darkred"]24.Rfe1 Rb4 25.Bd3 Bh8 26.Bg5 Be5 27.Qc2 Bf5[/font] is equal.

23.Bxf5!

This equalizes, as does most any other reasonable move Black could make here.
If [font color="red"]23.Rae1 Rfe8 24.Re2[/font] then:

[font color="red"]24...Rab8 25.Rfe1 h6 26.Bf4 d3 27.Qxd3 Bxe4[/font] is equal.
[font color="darkred"]24...Be5 25.Bxf5 Qxf5 26.g4[/font] is equal.

If [font color="blue"]23.Qd3!? Rab8 24.Rab1 Bxe4[/font] then:

[font color="blue"]25.fxe4 Qe8 26.Rxf8+ Bxf8 27.g3 Qe5[/font] gives Black a slight initiative.
[font color="darkblue"]25.Qxe4?! Rbe8 26.Qc2 Qf5 27.Qxf5 Rxf5[/font] gives Black command of the open e-file with the e2 square available to her Rook.

23...Qxf5 24.Rae1 Rfe8 25.g4

If [font color="red"]25.Kf2 Be5[/font] then:

[font color="red"]26.g4 Qc8 27.h3 Qa6 28.Qc2[/font] remains equal.
[font color="darkred"]26.h3 Qd7 27.Re4 c6 28.dxc6 Qxc6 29.Rfe1 Rab8[/font] remains equal.

25...Qd7 26.Rb1?!

White wants to fortify c4, but this is a slow and unsure way of going about it.
If [font color="red"]26.Rxe8+ Rxe8 27.Qc2 d3 28.Qxd3 Bxb2[/font] remains equal.

[center]BLACK: Huang Qian[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Xin Nie[/center]
[center]Position after 26.Re1b1[/center]

26...c6!

It is well known that Nimzovich, one of the greatest of all chess theorists, was wrong to say that pawn chains should be attacked at the base. In truth, a pawn chain should be attacked at the weakest link, even if that is the formost pawn in the chain. Here, the chain is attacked at its head and totally annahilated.

27.dxc6 Qxc6 28.h4

If [font color="red"]28.Rbe1 Rxe1[/font] then:

[font color="red"]29.Qxe1 Re8 30.Qb1 Qb7 31.Kg2 d5[/font] gives Black a passed pawn at d4, command of the of the b- and e-files and a comfortable advantage in space.
[font color="darkred"]29.Rxe1?! Qxf3! 30.Qg2 Qxg2+ 31.Kxg2 Be5[/font] gives Black a passed pawn, command of the dark squares and a significant advantage in space.

28...d5 29.Qc2

If [font color="red"]29.cxd5?[/font] then Black wins after [font color="red"]29...Qxd5! 30.Rfe1 Qxf3 31.Qg2 Qf7.[/font]

29...Kh8?!

The quality of the next few moves indicate that the players are short on time.
[font color="red"]29...Qa6![/font] threatens to win a pawn, and if [font color="red"]30.b3 dxc4 31.Qxc4+ Qxc4 32.bxc4 d3[/font] Black is threatening to invade White's camp with his pieces and puch the d-pawn closer to the palace gates.

30.Rbc1?!

The weakness of this move is easily demonstrated by attacking the a-pawn.
If [font color="red"]30.Kg2! Qa6 31.Rbc1 Rab8 32.Rf2 h6 33.Bf4 Rb4[/font] leaves Black with only a fair advantage.

30...Qd6!

Black shifts to attack to the kingside.
Also good is striking on the a-pawn [font color="red"]30...a3 31.b4 cxb4[/font] when:

If [font color="red"]32.c5 Qb5 33.Rf2 b3[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]34.Qxb3[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]34...Qxb3 35.axb3 d3 36.Ra2 Re2 37.Bd2 Bb2.[/font]
[font color="magenta"]34.axb3[/font] then White wins after [font color="magenta"]34...d3! 35.Qa2 Bd4.[/font]

[font color="darkred"]32.Qd3[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]32...Qa6 33.Rf2 h6 34.Bf4 Rec8 35.Qd2 dxc4.[/font]

31.Qd2?

The text move is ineffective toward fighting off mating threats.
If [font color="red"]31.Qh2 Qe6 32.Qc2 a3[/font] then:

[font color="red"]33.b3 Qd6 34.Rcd1 h6 35.Bc1 dxc4 36.bxc4 Qg3+[/font] brings about an exchange of Queens, allowing Black a Rook on the seventh rank and a little more work to before nailing down the game.
If [font color="darkred"]33.b4? dxc4 34.Qxc4[/font] then:

White wins after [font color="darkred"]34...cxb4! 35.Qxe6 Rxe6 36.Rb1 d3 37.Rxb4 Re2.[/font]
[font color="magenta"]34...Qxc4?! 35.Rxc4 cxb4 36.Rxb4 h6 37.Bf4 d3[/font] gives Black only a fair advantage after White plays 38.Re4!.

[center]BLACK: Huang Qian[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Xin Nie[/center]
[center]Position after 31.Qc2d2[/center]

31...Rf8?!

Black relinquishes command of the open file.
Black wins after [font color="red"]31...dxc4! 32.Rxc4 d3 33.Re4 Rxe4 34.fxe4 c4.[/font]

32.Kg2!

For the moment, White's vulnerable points are covered.

32...Rab8 33.Rfe1?!

White misses a chance to get back in the game,
If [font color="red"]33.Rf2![/font] then:

[font color="red"]33...Rf7 34.cxd5 Qxd5 35.Qc2 h6 36.Bd2 Bf8[/font] gives Black a fair advantage with attacks on three different White pawns.
[font color="darkred"]33...Rb7 34.Bh6 Rfb8 35.Bf4 Be5 36.Bxe5+ Qxe5[/font] gives White a small advantage as b2 is protected.

33...Rb7! 34.b3?

The sacrifice of the pawn is of no avail.
[font color="red"]34.Qe2 Qa6 35.Rc2 dxc4 36.Qxc4 Qxc4 37.Rxc4 Rxb2+[/font] gives White some counterplay on the queenside, but Black is clearly better,

34...dxc4?!

Black has many winning moves, but she chooses this one instead.
If [font color="red"]34...h6! 35.Bxh6 axb3[/font] then:

[font color="red"]36.Bxg7+[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]36...Kxg7 37.Qe2 dxc4 38.Qxc4 b2.[/font]
If [font color="darkred"]36.axb3[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]36...Rxb3 37.Rf1 dxc4 38.Rc2 c3.[/font]

If [font color="blue"]34...axb3 35.axb3 h6 36.Bxh6[/font] then:

Black wins after [font color="blue"]36...Rxb3!! 37.Rf1 dxc4 38.Rb1 Kh7 39.Bxg7 Kxg7.[/font]
[font color="darkblue"]36...Bxh6? 37.Qxh6+! Kg8 38.h5 Rxb3 39.Qxg6+ Qxg6 40.hxg6[/font] is equal.

35.Rxc4?

This allows Black to wipe out White's queenside.
[font color="red"]35.bxc4 a3 36.Qd3 h6 37.Bd2 h5 38.g5 Rb2[/font] barely keeps White in the game; Black's pawns are more advanced and the Rook threatens havoc unless White exchanges it away, weakening the defense.

35...axb3!

White's queenside falls.

36.axb3 Rxb3 37.Be7

If [font color="red"]37.Rf1[/font] then Black wins after [font color="red"]37...Qd5 38.Qe2 d3 39.Qe4 Rb2+.[/font]
Black to play and win.

[center]BLACK: Huang Qian[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Xin Nie[/center]
[center]Position after 37.Bg5e7[/center]

37...Qd5!!

Black needs the tempo more than the Rook.

38.Bxf8 Qxf3+!

This is the only move.
[font color="red"]38...Qxc4?[/font] then after [font color="red"]39.Bxg7+! Kxg7 40.Re7+[/font] the game is equal.

39.Kg1 Qg3+ 40.Kh1 Qxh4+ 0-1

White must surrender her Queen in order to avoid a quick mate.
Xin Nushi resigns.

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

18. Yu Yangyi - Li Shilong, General Group, Round 7

Thu May 10, 2012, 01:34 AM

May 2012

[center][/center]

[center]Yu Yangyi[/center][font size="1"]Photo by Kgolp76 (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:Search/Kgolp76)Kgolp76] in Wikimedia Commons (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Chess_players_from_China) (Public Domain)
[/font]

Yu Yangyi - Li Shilong
Chinese Chess Championships (General Group), Round 7
Xinghua, 3 April 2012

Grand Spanish Royal Game: Main Line/Breyer 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 Nb8 10.d4 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Bc2 Re8 13.Nf1 Bf8 14.Ng3 g6 15.a4 c5 16.d5 c4

Form moves and variation up to here, see Kosteniuk-Koneru, Grand Prix W, Rostov-on-Don, 2011.

17.Be3

If [font color="red"]17.Bg5 h6 18.Be3 Nc5 19.Qd2[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]19...h5[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]20.Ra3 Nfd7 21.Rea1[/font] then:

[font color="red"]21...Rb8 22.axb5 axb5 23.Qd1 Bc8 24.Ra7![/font] gives White clear supremacy (Kosteniuk-Lahno, Euro ChTW, Novi Sad, 2009).
[font color="burgundy"]21...Qc7 22.Bh6 Be7 23.Rf1 Nb6 24.axb5 axb5 25.Rxa8 Rxa8[/font] is equal (Kosteniuk-T. Kosintseva, FIDE Knock Out W, Nalchick, 2008).

[font color="darkpink"]20.Bg5 Be7 21.Ra3 Rb8 22.Kh1 Nh7 23.Be3 Bf6 24.Rea1 Bg7 25.Qe2 Bc8 26.Nf1[/font] gives White a fine game (Inarkiev-Kamsky, Grand Prix, Baku, 2008).

[font color="darkorchid"]19...Bc8 20.b3 Re7 21.Bg5 Bg7 22.Qe3 Qf8 23.Qd3 Nh7 24.bxc4 Rb7[/font] draw (Balashov-Smejkal, IT, Leningrad, 1977).

17...Nc5 18.Qd2 Qc7 19.Bh6 (N)

[font color="red"]19.Ra3 Nfd7[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]20.Nh2!? h5![/font] (the game is equal) [font color="red"]21.Ne2 bxa4[/font] then:

[font color="red"]22.f3?! Nb3 23.Qd1 Ndc5[/font] gives Black a more stable advantage in space (Geo. Timoshenko-Galdunts, Soviet ChU26, Kherson, 1991).
[font color="magenta"]22.Nf3 Bc8 23.Ng3 Nb6 24.Bxc5 Qxc5[/font] remains equal.

[font color="darkred"]20.Rea1 Bg7 21.Bh6 Bxh6 22.Qxh6[/font] continues to give White a small advantage in space.

19...Bxh6 20.Qxh6

White has a slight edge in space.

20...Qe7

[center]BLACK: Li Shilong[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Yu Yangyi[/center][center]Position after 20...Qc7e7[/center]

21.Nh2!?

The best square the Knight has to go to from h2 is the one from where he just came.
If [font color="red"]21.Qg5 Nfd7 22.Qxe7 Rxe7 23.axb5 axb5 24.Rxa8+[/font] continues to gives White a slight advantage in space.

21...Kh8!

The game is equal.

22.Rf1 Rf8

[font color="red"]22...Reb8 23.Nf3 Kg8 24.Rfd1 Bc8 25.axb5 axb5 26.Qg5[/font] remains equal.

23.Ra2

[font color="red"]23.Nf3 Ng8 24.Qd2 Kg7 25.Rfd1 Rfb8 26.Ra2 h6[/font] is equal.

23...Rab8 24.axb5

White has a slight advantage in space.
If [font color="red"]24.Nf3 bxa4[/font] then:

[font color="red"]25.Nd2 Nfd7 26.Bxa4 Nxa4 27.Rxa4 f5 28.f3 f4[/font] remains equal.
If [font color="darkred"]25.Bxa4?![/font] then Black wins after [font color="darkred"]25...Ncxe4! 26.Nxe4 Nxe4 27.Bc2 Nf6.[/font]

24...axb5

If [font color="red"]24...Ng8[/font] then:

[font color="red"]25.Qe3 axb5 26.Ra5 Bc8 27.Rfa1 Bd7 28.Ra7[/font] continues to give White a small advantage in space.

[font color="darkred"]25.Qd2 axb5! 26.Ra5 Bc8 27.f4 exf4 28.Qxf4[/font] continues to give White a small advantage in space.

25.Ra5 Bc8

[center]BLACK: Li Shilong[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Yu Yangyi[/center][center]Position after 25...Bb7c8[/center]

26.Rfa1!?

White has pressure on the kingside and should not relent.
Better is [font color="red"]26.Nf3 Ng8 27.Qd2 Kg7 28.Rfa1 Nf6 29.Qg5[/font] when White still has a slight advantage.

26...Bd7!

The game is equal.

27.Ra7 Qd8 28.Nf3

[font color="red"]28.Nhf1 Ng8 29.Qd2 Kg7 30.Ne3 Nf6 31.f3[/font] remains equal.

28...Ng8

If [font color="red"]28...Rg8[/font] then:

[font color="red"]29.R1a5 Qf8 30.Qe3 Qe7 31.Qg5 Rgc8[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space.
[font color="darkred"]29.Qg5 Re8 30.R1a5 Ng8 31.h4 Qxg5 32.Nxg5 Kg7[/font] is equal.

29.Qe3 f5?

Black advances the f-pawn to a square that is weak.
If [font color="red"]29...Qb6 30.h4 Nf6[/font] then:

[font color="red"]31.h5 Ng4 32.Qd2 Rb7 33.Rxb7 Nxb7 34.Nf1 Nc5[/font] remains equal.
[font color="burgundy"]31.Qg5 Kg7 32.h5 h6 33.Qe3 Ng4 34.Qe2 Rb7[/font] gives Black a slight advantage in space.

[font color="darkred"]30.Nf1 Kg7 31.Kh1 Nf6 32.Ng3 Rh8 33.Kg1 Rhc8[/font] remains equal.
[font color="magenta"]30.R1a3 Kg7 31.b4 cxb3 32.Bxb3 Nf6 33.Nh4 Kh8[/font] remains equal.

30.exf5!

White takes the pawn and,as a results, mangles Black's kingside.

30...gxf5 31.Nxe5!!

This is probably the cause of Black's miscalculation. Perhaps he thinks that [i[32.Nxf5 is forced. It isn't.
If [font color="red"]31.Nxf5? Bxf5! 32.Bxf5 Rxf5 33.g4 Rf4![/font] immobilizes White's Queen.

31...f4

If [font color="red"]31...dxe5[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]32.Qxc5 Re8 33.Bxf5 Bxf5 34.Nxf5 Rf8 35.Nd6[/font]

[center]BLACK: Li Shilong[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Yu Yangyi[/center][center]Position after 31...f5f4[/center]

32.Qxc5!!

What? You don't want the Knight? Here, then, take the Queen.

32...dxc5

Black has nothing better than to accept the Queen. Everything else loses, too.
[font color="red"]32...fxg3 33.Qxd6 Qf6 34.Qxf6+ Nxf6 35.Nxd7[/font] leaves White a piece to the good.

33.Rxd7 Qxd7 34.Nxd7 fxg3

[font color="red"]34...Ra8 35.Rxa8 Rxa8 36.Nh5 Nh6 37.Nxc5[/font] gives White two extra pawns and two minor pieces against a Rook.

35.Nxf8 gxf2+ 36.Kxf2 Rxf8+

[center]BLACK: Li Shilong[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Yu Yangyi[/center][center]Position after 36...Rb8f8:N+[/center]

37.Ke3

The smoke clears and White has an extra pawn.
The immediate 37.Kg3 is more economic.

37...Re8+ 38.Kf3 Rf8+ 39.Kg3 Rd8

If [font color="red"]39...h6[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]40.d6! Kg7 41.Rd1 Rd8 42.Kf4.[/font]
Also winning, but more slowly, is [font color="darkred"]40.Ra7 Nf6 41.d6 Rd8 42.Ra6.[/font]

40.Rd1 Rd6

If [font color="red"]40...Nh6 41.d6 Rd7 42.Kf4[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]42...Nf7[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]43.Bf5 Rxd6 44.Rxd6 Nxd6 45.Ke5.[/font]
If [font color="darkred"]42...Rf7+[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]43.Ke5 Rf2 44.Be4 Nf7+ 45.Kd5.[/font]

41.Kf4 Nh6 42.Bf5 Rf6

If [font color="red"]42...Nf7[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]43.Be6 Kg7 44.Ra1 Kg6 45.Ra7 Nd8 46.Bf5+.[/font]

43.g4 Nf7 44.Ra1 h6 45.Ra7 Kg8 46.h4 Kf8 1-0

[font color="red"]47.Ke5 Rf8 48.Kd6 b4 49.Kxc5[/font] gives White connected passers while Black is complete tied down to the back rank.
Li resigns.

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

19. Ding Yixin - Zhang Xiaowen, Women's Group, Round 2

Thu May 10, 2012, 01:38 AM

May 2012

Defending women's champion Zhang Xiaowen lost her title to Huang Qian by tie break points.

[center][/center]

[center]There is no photo of Zhang Xiaowen available with an internet-friendly copyright[/center]
[font size="1"]Photo by Jon Sullivan from public-domain-photos.com (Public Domain)
[/font]

Ding Yixin - Zhang Xiaowen
Chinese Chess Championships (Women's Group), Round 2
Xinghua, 28 March 2012

Open French Game: Burn Defense

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Be7 6.Bxf6 gxf6

For a survey of the Burn Defense, see the [font color="blue"]blue notes to Black's fourth move[/font] in Friedel-Yang, IT, Berkeley, 2011.

7.Bc4 a6

[font color="red"]7...b6 8.Nf3 Bb7[/font] transposes into [font color="darkblue"]Christiansen-Andersson[/font] and subordinate lines in the above link.

8.Nf3 f5

If [font color="red"]8...b5 9.Bb3 Bb7 10.Qe2[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]10...Nd7 11.a4[/font] then:

[font color="red"]11...f5 12.Ned2 bxa4 13.Bxa4 0-0 14.0-0 c5 15.Rfd1[/font] gives White better pawns and a fair advantage in space (Pilalov-Pushkov, Op, Lagamsk, 2007).
[font color="magenta"]11...b4 12.0-0-0 Nb6 13.Rhe1 Bd5 14.Nfd2 Bxb3 15.Nxb3[/font] gives White better pawns and a fair advantage in space (Zawadzka-Aginian, World ChTW, Ekaterinburg, 2007).

[font color="darkred"]10...Bd5 11.Bxd5 Qxd5 12.0-0 0-0 13.a4 Nc6 14.Rfd1[/font] gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Bakre-D. Presad, Op, Calcutta, 2000).

9.Ng3

If [font color="red"]9.Nc3 b5 10.Bb3 c5[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]11.a4 b4 12.Ne2[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]12...Nc6!? 13.0-0 Nxd4 14.Nexd4 cxd4 15.Nxd4[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]15...Bf6?! 16.Qf3[/font] then:

[font color="red"]16...Bd7? 17.Rad1! 0-0 18.Nxe6!! fxe6 19.Qb7![/font] wins back the piece for White with an extra pawn and a heavy piece on the seventh rank (Bindrich-Herman, Bundesliga 0910, Trier, 2010).
[font color="burgundy"]16...Bxd4! 17.Qxa8 Qc7 18.Rad1 Bxb2 19.Rd3 0-0 20.Qf3[/font] gives White the exchange for a pawn; B lack game is defensible.

[font color="darkpink"]15...Bb7! 16.c3 bxc3 17.bxc3 0-0 18.Qh5 Qc7[/font] gives Black a small advantage.

[font color="darkorchid"]12...Bb7 13.d5 exd5 14.0-0 0-0 15.Qd2 c4[/font] is equal.

If [font color="darkred"]11.dxc5 Qxd1+ 12.Rxd1 Bxc5[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]13.a4!? b4 14.Ne2 Rg8 15.0-0 Bb7[/font] gives Black two active Bishops and a small advantage in space (Harper-Pellows, Foxwoods Op, Mashantucket, 2008).
[font color="magenta"]13.0-0 Bb7 14.Ne5 Be7 15.Rfe1 Nc6 16.Nxf7!! Kxf7 17.Bxe6+[/font] gets White sufficient compensation for the piece.

9...c5 10.Bb3 (N)

[font color="red"]10.dxc5 Qa5+ 11.c3 Qxc5 12.Qd4 Qxd4 13.cxd4 Nd7[/font] gives Black the Bishop pair while White has more space; Black should bring his minor pieces around to blockade White's isolated d-pawn (Gligoric-Ivanisevic, Yugoslav Ch, Herceg Novi, 2001).

10...b5

[font color="red"]10...cxd4 11.Nxd4 Qa5+ 12.c3 Qe5+ 13.Nge2 Rg8 14.0-0[/font] gives White stronger pawns and better development; Black has more space.

11.c3 Bb7

Space is about equal; Black's kingside is weak.

12.Qe2 c4

Black plays the best move at her disposal. White's kingside is cramped.
If [font color="red"]12...cxd4?![/font] then:

[font color="red"]13.Nxd4! 0-0 14.0-0-0 Qc7 15.Kb1 b4 16.cxb4[/font] gives White a better center, stronger pawns and more space.
[font color="darkred"]13.cxd4!?[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]13...h5! 14.h4 Bd5 15.Bxd5 Qxd5 16.0-0 Nc6 17.a4[/font] is equal.
[font color="magenta"]13...Bd5?! 14.0-0 Nc6 15.Rfd1 Bxb3 16.axb3 Qd5 17.Qe3[/font]gives White a small advantage in space.

13.Bc2 Qd5 14.0-0-0

[font color="red"]14.Qe3!? Nd7 15.0-0-0 b4 16.Rhe1 Qa5[/font] is equal.

14...b4?!

Black aims at breaking up White's queenside.
[font color="red"]14...Rg8 15.Rhg1 Nc6 16.a3 0-0-0 17.Kb1[/font] gives White a small advantage with a better center.

15.Ne5!?

White counters in the center, but this does not offer the boons that on exchanging on b4 would.
If [font color="red"]15.cxb4! Nc6 16.a3[/font] then:

[font color="red"]16...a5 17.b5 Qxb5 18.d5 Bf6 19.Bxf5 Ne7 20.Nh5[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space.
[font color="darkred"]16...Rg8 17.Nh5 a5 18.b5 Na7 19.Nf4 Qxb5 20.d5[/font] gives White better pawns and more activity.

16.bxc3

White continues to enjoy a better center and a slight advantage in space.
If [font color="red"]16.Ba4+!? Nc6![/font] then:

[font color="red"]17.Qxc4 Qxc4 18.Nxc4 cxb2+ 19.Kxb2 Rb8[/font] is equal.
If [font color="darkred"]17.Nxc6?![/font] then Black gains a strong upper hand with after [font color="darkred"]17...Bxc6! 18.Bxc6+ Qxc6 19.bxc3 Rb8![/font] when he takes command of the b-file and either the g6/c1 or the a3/c1 diagonal, both of which lead to the White King.

16...Qa5?!

This move drops a pawn and should wait. Black should first fight White's center.
[font color="red"]16...Nc6 17.Nxc4 Rb8 18.Nh5 a5 19.Bb3 20.Nd6+[/font] continues to give White a slight advantage in space, but Black's center has improved and the Knight will not stay long at d6.

17.Qxc4!

White wins a pawn.

17...0-0 18.Qd3 Rc8 19.c4?!

White weakens her d-pawn.
If [font color="red"]19.Nxf5!![/font] then:

[font color="red"]19...Ba3+ 23.Qg5+ Kh8 24.Qd8+ Kg7 25.Qxc7[/font] leaves Black the exchange and three pawns to the good.
If [font color="darkred"]19...exf5? 20.Qxf5! Ba3+ 21.Kb1[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]21...Qb5+ 22.Bb3[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]22...Rc7 (
22...Bxg2 23.Qxf7+ Kh8 24.Qf6#.[/font]

If [font color="magenta"]21...Bd5[/font] then White wins after [font color="magenta"]22.Qxc8+ Kg7 23.Qg4+ Kf8 24.Nc4 Bxc4 25.Qc8+.[/font]

[center]BLACK: Zhang Xiaowen[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Ding Yixin[/center][center]Position after 19.c3c4[/center]

19...Nc6!

Black immediately attacks d4.

20.Nxc6 Bxc6 21.Bb3 Rab8

If [font color="red"]21...Qa3+[/font] then:

[font color="red"]22.Kd2 Qb2+ 23.Ke1 Bxg2 24.Rg1 Bb4+ 25.Rd2 Bc6[/font] wins the exchange.
If [font color="darkred"]22.Kb1?[/font] then Black wins after [font color="darkred"]22...Rab8 23.Ka1 a5 24.Rb1 Bf6 25.Rhd1 a4.[/font]

22.Qd2?

White now loses quickly.
The oly chance for White is [font color="red"]22.Kb1,[/font] but the noose tightens after [font color="red"]22...Qa3 23.Ka1 a5 24.Rb1 Bf6 25.Qe3 a4.[/font]

[center]BLACK: Zhang Xiaowen[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Ding Yixin[/center][center]Position after 22.Qd3d2[/center]

22...Qa3+!?

Black should still win, but this is far from the strongest move available.
If [font color="red"]22...Rb4! 23.Kb1 Rcb8 24.Qb2 Rxc4[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]25.Rd3[/font] then after [font color="red"]25...Bd5 26.Rhd1 f4 27.Ne2 Be4[/font] Black wins the exchange
If [font color="darkred"]25.Bxc4[/font] then Black wins after [font color="darkred"]25...Rxb2+ 26.Kxb2 Qa3+ 27.Kb1 Qc3.[/font]

23.Qb2

White gets credit for putting up the most stubborn defense she can.
If [font color="red"]23.Kb1 Ba4 24.Qb2 Bxb3 25.Qxa3 Bxd1+![/font] then Black wins after:

If [font color="red"]26.Kc1 Bxa3+ 27.Kxd1 Rb2 28.Re1 Rxc4 29.Re3 Rxd4+[/font] when White is soon mated.
[font color="darkred"]26.Ka1 Bxa3 27.Rxd1 Bb2+ 28.Kb1 Rxc4[/font] when Black gives mate in a move or two.
[font color="magenta"]26.Qb2 Ba3 27.Qb3 Bxb3 28.axb3 Rxb3+ 29.Kc2 Rb4[/font] when the second Rook joins the fray by taking the c-pawn.

23...f4 24.Nh5 Qa5 25.c5 Be4 26.Qd2

What a shame. Upr to here, Black was trying to make a fight of it, but not falters badly.
If [font color="red"]26.Rd2 Rxc5+!! 27.dxc5 Qxc5+[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]28.Rc2 Qxh5[/font] then:

[font color="red"]29.Rc4 Qa5 30.Qd2 Ba3+ 31.Kd1 Bb4 32.Rxb4 Rxb4[/font] leaves Black with an extra pawn and her pieces swarming all over White's position. White cannot take the pawn on f4 because of 33...Rc7+! winning the Queen.
If [font color="magenta"]29.f3[/font] then Black wins after [font color="magenta"]29...Bxc2 30.Qxc2 Qe5 31.Rd1 Ba3+.[/font]

If [font color="darkred"]28.Kd1[/font] then Black wins after [font color="darkred"]28...Qxh5+ 29.f3 Bxf3+ 30.Ke1 Bh4+ 31.Kf1 Qb5+.[/font]

[center]BLACK: Zhang Xiaowen[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Ding Yixin[/center][center]Position after 26.Qb2d2[/center]

26...Rxc5+!!

A charming Rook sacrifice concludes the game.

27.dxc5 Qa3+ 28.Qb2 Qxc5+ 29.Kd2 Qxf2+ 0-1

White is soon mated.
Ding Nushi resigns.

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

5. Russian Team Championships, Sochi

Wed May 2, 2012, 09:39 PM

May 2012

[center][/center]

[center]Black Sea Cossacks[/center][font size="1"]Kuban Cossacks, 19th Century in Wikipedia (Public Domain)
[/font]

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

6. Jakovenko (Khanty-Mansiysk) - Karjakin (Tomsk), Round 5

Reply to Jack Rabbit (Reply #5)

Wed May 2, 2012, 09:41 PM

May 2012

[center]

Sergey Karjakin
[/center][font size="1"]Photo by http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Stefan64 Stefan64 from Wikipedia ([link:http:creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en|Creative Commons License], Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]

Dmitry Jakovenko (Khanty-Mansiysk) - Sergey Karjakin (Tomsk)
Russian Team Championships (General Group), Round 5/Board 1
Sochi, 13 April 2012

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

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 b6 3.g3 c5

If [font color="red"]3...Bb7 4.Bg2[/font] then:

[font color="red"]4...e6 5.d4 Be7 6.Nc3 0-0 7.0-0[/font] is the main line of the Catalan Queen's Indian. See Vachier Lagrave-Salgado López, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2011.
[font color="darkred"]4...c5 5.Nc3 g6 6.0-0 Bg7 7.d4[/font] transposes into the text.

4.Bg2 Bb7 5.0-0 g6 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.d4 cxd4 8.Qxd4

If [font color="red"]8.Nxd4 Bxg2 9.Kxg2[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]9...Qc8 10.b3 Qb7+ 11.f3[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]11...d5 12.cxd5 Nxd5 13.Nxd5 Qxd5[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]14.Be3 Nc6 15.Nxc6 Qxc6 16.Rc1[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]16...Qe6 17.Qd3 0-0 18.Rfd1[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]18...Bf6[/font] then:

[font color="red"]19.Qe4 Rfc8 20.Qxe6 fxe6 21.Kf2 Kf7 22.b4[/font] gives White a more active Rook and stronger pawns (Ribli-Unzicker, Ol, Buenos Aires, 1978).
[font color="burgundy"]19.Bh6 Bg7 20.Bxg7 Kxg7 21.Qd4+ Kg8 22.Qc4 Qxc4 23.Rxc4[/font] is equal and is eventually drawn (Prybl-Unzicker, IT, Tallinn, 1977).

[font color="darkpink"]18...Rac8 19.Rxc8 Qxc8 20.Qd7 Qa6 21.Rd2 e6 22.Bg5[/font] clearly gives White more activity (Polugaevsky-Smyslov, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1976).

[font color="darkorchid"]16...Qb7 17.Qd3 0-0 18.Rfd1 Rfc8 19.Qd7 Qxd7 20.Rxd7[/font] give White a comfortable game (Polugaevsky-Spassky, ITZ, Manila, 1976).

If [font color="darkred"]14.Bb2 0-0[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]15.Qd3 Rd8 16.Rfd1 Nd7 17.Rac1 Nc5 18.Qb1 Qb7[/font] is equal (Capablanca-Botvinnik, IT, Nottingham, 1936).
[font color="magenta"]15.e4 Qb7 16.Qe2 Nc6 17.Nxc6 Qxc6 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.Rac1 Qb7 20.Rfd1 Rfd8[/font] draw (Rashkovsky-Vaganian, Soviet Ch, Minsk, 1979).

If [font color="darkred"]11...0-0 12.e4[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]12...d6 13.Be3 Nbd7 14.Qd2 Rfe8 15.Nd5 a6 16.Rac1[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Andersson-Ribli, IT Reggio Emilia, 1988).
[font color="magenta"]12...Na6 13.Be3 Nc5 14.Qd2 Rfd8 15.Rfd1 Rac8 16.Rac1 Ne6 17.Kg1 Qb8 18.Nd5[/font] draw (Doanldson-Fr. Lombardy, Op, Lone Pine, 1981).

If [font color="darkred"]9...0-0 10.e4 Qc7 11.b3[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]11...Nxe4 12.Nxe4 Qe5 13.Qf3 Qxd4[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]14.Be3 Qe5[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]15.Rad1 Qc7 16.Bf4 Qc6[/font] gives Black a small advantage with the Queen and Bishop crisscrossing the board (Kapelan-Adorjan, IT, Vrsac, 1983).
[font color="burgundy"]15.c5 16.Nc6 cxb6 17.a4 Qe6 18.Rab1 Ne5[/font] gives Black the initiative and more space (Kharitonov-Gavrikov, Soviet ChU25, Jurmala, 1983).

If [font color="magenta"]14.Ba3 Nc6[/font] then:

If [font color="magenta"]15.Rad1 Qe5 16.Rxd7[/font] then:

If [font color="magenta"]16...Qa5 Qxb3! 15.c5 Nc6 16.cxb6 axb6 17.Bxe7 Ne5 18.Qd1 Nxd7 19.Qxd7 Qxa2 20.Bxf8 Rxf8[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]21.Re1!? 22.Nd6 Qc3 23.Re7 Qf6 24.Ne4 Qd4[/font] is equal (Karpov-Kasparov, World Ch Match 8485, Moscow, 1984).
[font color="burgundy"]21.Qd3! Qa5 22.Rd1 Qb4 23.h4 Qe7 24.Qd5[/font] gives White the better center and more activity (Panchenko-Srokovsky, Tenopol, 1987).

If [font color="darkorange"]a) 16...Rad8!? 17.Rfd1 Rxd7 18.Rxd7[/font] then:

If [font color="darkorange"]18...Rd8!? 19.Ng5 Bf6[/font] then:

[font color="darkorange"]20.Qxc6?! Rxd7! 21.Qxd7 Bxg5 22.Qd5 Qxd5+ 23.cxd5 Kg7[/font] draw (Keene-Adorjan, Euro ChT, Plovdiv, 1983).
If [font color="purple"]20.Bxe7! Rxd7 21.Bxf6 Qc5 22.Qe2 Rc7 23.Ne4[/font] gives White an extra pawn, superior piece coordination and the initiative.

If [font color="hotpink"]18...h6 19.Nc3 Qe6 20.Rd1 Bxc3 21.Qxc3[/font] gives White more activity.

[font color="burgundy"]b) 16...Qe6! 17.Rd5 Nd4 18.Qd3 Rac8 19.Nc3[/font] gives White a slight advantage.

[font color="darkpink"]15.Rfd1?! Qe5! 16.Rab1 Qa5 17.Bb2 Rfd8 18.Bxg7 Kxg7[/font] is equal.

[font color="magenta"]11...Nc6 12.Be3 Qb7 13.f3 Rac8 14.Qd2 Rfd8 15.Rac1[/font] draw (Gelfand-Psakhis, Soviet Ch 1st L, Kleipeda, 1988).

8...d6

If [font color="red"]8...Nc6 9.Qf4 Rc8[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]10.Rd1 0-0 11.Bd2[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]11...h6 12.Rac1[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]12...d6 13.b3 Qd7 14.Nd5[/font] then:

[font color="red"]14...Nxd5 15.cxd5 Ne5 16.Nxe5 dxe5 17.Qh4[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space (Ribli-Spassky, Candidates' Trmt, Montpelle, 1985).
[font color="burgundy"]14...g5 15.Nxf6+ Bxf6 16.Qe3 Qe6 17.Qd3 Ne5 18.Nxe5[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (I. Johannessen-S. Bjornsson, Op, Reykjavik, 2012).

[font color="darkpink"]12...e6 13.b3 g5 14.Qd6 Re8 15.h4 Bf8 16.Qd3[/font] gives White a better center and a clear advantage in space (Velickovic-Barle, Slovenian ChT, Bled, 2001).

If [font color="darkred"]11...Nh5 12.Qh4[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]12...Na5 13.b3 f5 14.Rac1 Nc6 15.Nd5[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space (Kramnik-Benjamin, Rpd IT, New York, 1994).
[font color="magenta"]12...f5 13.Rac1 Qe8 14.c5 bxc5 15.Qc4+ Kh8 16.Qxc5[/font] gives White a small advantage in space as the Queen will be deriven from c5 (Kveinys-Azarov, Euro Club Cup, 2009).

[font color="darkorchid"]10.Bd2 Na5 11.b3 d5 12.Rad1 dxc4 13.b4 Nc6 14.Qxc4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Bakin-Hera, Euro Ch, Rijeka, 2010).

9.Rd1 Nbd7 10.Be3

If [font color="red"]10.b3 Rc8[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]11.Bb2 0-0 12.Rac1 Rc5[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]13.Ne1 Bxg2 14.Nxg2 Nd5 15.Qd2 Nxc3 16.Bxc3 Bxc3 17.Rxc3 Nf6[/font] then:

[font color="red"]18.Rd3 b5 19.cxb5 Rxb5 20.Nf4 Qb6 21.Nd5[/font] is equal (Margvelashvili-Wojtaszek, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
[font color="darkorange"]18.f3 Qc7 19.e4 b5 20.Rdc1 Rc8 21.Ne3 Qa5[/font] is equal (Andersson-Portisch, World Cup, Reykjavik, 1991).

[font color="magenta"]13.Qd2 Qa8 14.Ne1 Bxg2 15.Nxg2 Ne4 16.Nxe4[/font] draw (Su. Polgar-Stohl, IT, Brno, 1991).

[font color="darkred"]11.Be3 0-0 12.Qh4 a6 13.Rac1[/font] transposes into the text.

10...Rc8 11.Rac1 a6 12.b3 0-0 13.Qh4

If [font color="red"]13.Qd2 Re8 14.Bh3 Rc7[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]15.Bh6 Rc5 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.Qd4[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]17...Kg8 18.b4 Rc7[/font] then:

[font color="red"]19.Nd5 Nxd5 20.cxd5 Nf6 21.e4 b5 22.Qe3[/font] gives White a clear advantage in space (Kramnik-Karpov, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 1994).
[font color="burgundy"]19.e4 Qb8 20.Nd2 Ne5 21.f4 Bc8 22.Bxc8[/font] gives White the better center and at least a fair advantage in space (Kuznetsov-Romanov, Corres, 2001).

If [font color="darkred"]17...Qc7!?[/font] (White has a small advantage in space) [font color="darkred"]18.e4! Kg8 19.Qe3 Qb8[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]20.Nd5!? b5! 21.cxb5 axb5 22.Nxf6+ Nxf6[/font] is equal (Gulko-Grischuk, World ChT, Beer Shiva, 2005).

[font color="magenta"]20.Na4 Ra5 21.Bxd7 Nxd7 22.Nxb6 Nf6[/font] dontionues to give White a small advantage in space.

[font color="darkorchid"]15.Nd4 Qa8 16.f3 Ne5 17.Bf2 e6 18.Na4[/font] the White more freedom and the initiative (Vukic-Plachetka, Austrian ChT, 1991).

13...Rc7 14.g4

If [font color="red"]14.Bh3 Qb8[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]15.g4[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]15...e6 16.g5 Ne8[/font] then:

[font color="red"]17.Bg2 b5 18.Ne4 bxc4 19.bxc4 d5 20.cxd5 Bxd5 21.Nc5[/font] gives White a slight advantage (Aronian-Kramnik, Euro Club Cup, Saint Vincent, 2005).
If [font color="darkred"]17.Ne4 b5 18.cxb5 axb5[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]19.Bd4?! Rxc1 20.Rxc1 Qa8 21.Bxg7[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]21...Kxg7?! 22.Nxd6![/font] (White has a fair advantage) then:

[font color="darkred"]22...Bxf3? 23.Rc8![/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]23...Qd5 24.Nxe8+ Kh8 25.Nf6 Qd1+ 26.Bf1 Bh5 27.Rxf8+ Nxf8 28.Qb4[/font] Black resigns (Sorokin-Sadvakasov, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2005).
If [font color="purple"]23...Kg8[/font] then White wins after [font color="purple"]24.Rxa8 Bxa8 25.Nc8 Ng7 26.Ne7+ Kh8 27.Qd4.[/font]

[font color="purple"]22...Nxd6 23.Qd4+ Kg8 24.Qxd6 Qd8 25.Qg3[/font] continues to give White a fair advantage.

If [font color="darkorange"]21...Nxg7 22.Nf6+ Nxf6 23.gxf6 Ne8 24.Ng5 h5[/font] gives Black a slight advantage.

[font color="magenta"]19.Nd4! d5 20.Nc3 b4 21.Nxe6 Bxc3 22.Nxc7 Qxc7[/font] gives Black a Rook and a pawn for two minor pieces.

If [font color="darkred"]15...Bxf3 16.exf3 e6 17.g5 Ne8[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]18.Bd4 Ne5 19.Qg3 Rc8 20.f4 Nc6[/font] draw (van der Werf-van der Wiel, IT C, Wijk aan Zee, 2008).
[font color="magenta"]18.Ne4 b5 19.cxb5 Rxc1 20.Bxc1 axb5 21.Ba3[/font] (Bu Xiangzhi-Z. Almasi, Mindsports Rpd, Beijing, 2008).

If [font color="darkred"]15.Bh6[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]15...b5 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.Nd5 Bxd5 18.cxd5 Rxc1 19.Rxc1 Rc8[/font] is equal (Salgado López-Karjakin, Euro ChT, Porto Carras, 2011).
[font color="magenta"]15...Rd8 16.Ng5 Nf8 17.a4 Rc5 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.b4[/font] leaves White more space, but little to do with it (Topalov-Grischuk, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2006).

14...Rc8 (N)

If [font color="red"]14...h6[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]15.h3[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]15...g5 16.Qg3 b5 17.h4 bxc4 18.hxg5 hxg5[/font] then:

[font color="red"]19.b4 Qa8 20.Bxg5 Re8 21.Be3[/font] is equal (Kramnik-Karpov, IT, Dos Hermanas, 1999).
If [font color="burgundy"]19.Nxg5 cxb3 20.axb3 Bxg2 21.Qxg2 Qb8 22.Nd5[/font] is equal (Aronian-Nyback, Euro Ch, Antalya, 2004).

If [font color="darkpink"]15...b5?! 16.Bxh6 bxc4 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.g5 Nh5 19.bxc4[/font] gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Z. Rahman-Sadvakasov, Asian Ch, Hyderabad, 2005).

[font color="darkred"]15.Bxh6 Bxh6 16.Qxh6 Nxg4 17.Qh4 Ngf6 18.Nd5[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]18...Nxd5 19.cxd5 Nf6 20.e4 a5 21.Qh6 Ng4 22.Qh4 Nf6 23.Qh6[/font] gives White the advantage in space (Bu Xiangzhi-Shchekachev, Op, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2006).
[font color="magenta"]18...Bxd5 19.cxd5 Rxc1 20.Rxc1 b5 21.b4 a5 22.Qh6[/font] is equal (Bu Xiangzhi-Sasikiran, Op, Doha, 2006).

15.Bh3

White covers the pawn at g4; while the pawn looks misplaced, it is keeping Black out of White's kingside.
Nevertheless, better is [font color="red"]15.g5! Nh5 16.Bh3 b5[/font] transposing into the notes to White's 16th move.

15...b5

White has reasonable control of space on the queenside, especially c5, and Black must fight for his share.

[center]BLACK: Sergey Karjakin[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Dmitry Jakovenko[/center][center]Position after 15...b6b5[/center]

16.cxb5!?

White just weakened his aforementioned grip on c5.
If [font color="red"]16.g5 Nh5[/font] then:

[font color="red"]17.Nd2 Be5 18.Nce4 Rc7 19.b4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space.
If [font color="darkred"](17.c5?![/font] (also weakening control of c5) [font color="darkred"]17...f5 18.gxf6 Bxf6 19.Be6+[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]19...Kh8 20.Qg4 Rxc5 21.Bxc5 Nxc5 22.Nd5 Qa8 23.Nb6 Bxf3[/font] is equal.
[font color="magenta"](19...Kg7 20.Qg4 Nxc5 21.Bxc8! Bxc8 22.Qb4[/font] gives White the exchange for a pawn.

16...Qa5!

White has a slight advantage in space.

17.Bd2 Bxf3

[font color="red"]17...axb5 18.g5 Bxf3 19.exf3 b4 20.Na4 Ne5 21.Bg2[/font] continues to give White a slight advantage.

18.exf3 axb5 19.g5

If [font color="red"]19.f4?! b4 20.Na4[/font] then:

[font color="red"]20...Rxc1! 21.Rxc1 Ne4 22.Qxe7 Nxd2 23.Qxd7 Nf3+ 24.Kg2 Qd5[/font] gives Black greater activity.
[font color="darkred"](20...Qb5?! 21.Bf1 Qb7 22.Bg2 d5 23.g5[/font] is equal.

19...b4!!

The offer of the Knight is a sham, but anything else drops a piece.

[center]BLACK: Sergey Karjakin[/center]

[center]

[/center]

[center]WHITE: Dmitry Jakovenko[/center][center]Position after 19...b5b4[/center]

20.gxf6?!

White appears to have Black in trouble now with both the Bishop and Knight under attack, but Black has a way out.
[font color="red"]20.Na4 Ne5 21.Bg2 Nh5 22.f4 Nc4 23.Qg4[/font] continues to give White a slight advantage.

20...Bxf6!

Black gets a huge initiative and the advantage in space.

21.Qe4 bxc3 22.Bxd7 Rcd8?!

White drops two pawns.
If [font color="red"]22...Rc7 23.Bxc3 Bxc3 24.Qa4 Qe5 25.f4 Qf6[/font]

23.Bxc3!

The game is equal.

23...Bxc3 24.Qxe7

White is a pawn to the good.

24...d5

The pawn advance prevents the loss of another pawn.

25.Bb5 d4

[font color="red"]25...Qxb5!? 26.Rxc3! Qa5 27.Rc2 d4 28.Rd3 Rfe8 29.Qf6[/font] gives White a small advantage in space.

26.a4 Rd5

[font color="red"]26...Kg7 27.f4 Rd5 28.Rd3 Qa8 29.Qh4 Qb8[/font] remains equal.

27.Qe4!?

Here White begins a sereies of moves that slightly diminish his strength.
If [font color="red"]27.Rc2 Qa8 28.Kg2 Rf5 29.Rd3 Qb8[/font] remains equal.

[center]BLACK: Sergey Karjakin[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Dmitry Jakovenko[/center][center]Position after 27.Qe7e4[/center]

27...Rf5!

Black has a slight advantage in space.

28.Kh1 Qb6 29.Rg1 Qf6 30.Rg3!?

Fritz suggests a line in which a kingside pawn is sacrificed in order to diminsh Black's strength on the kingside. The text move will do little to preserve all of White's kingside pawns.
If [font color="red"]30.Qc6[/font] then:

[font color="red"]30...Rxf3 31.Qxf6 Rxf6 32.Kg2 Kg7 33.Rc2 Rc8[/font] continues to give Black a slight advantage.
[font color="darkred"]30...Qxc6!? 31.Bxc6 Kg7 32.Be4![/font] is equal.

30...Rd8!

Black has a small advantage in space.

31.Bd3?!

There is no initiative gained by this move. Clearly, it won't force the Rook to move except to attack the Queen.
If [font color="red"]31.Kg2 h5 32.Rd1 Rb8 33.h3 Kh7 34.Rb1 Kg7[/font] gives Black an advanced passed pawn, stronger pawns and more freedom; White has an extra pawn and more space, but White cannot gain any more space..

31...Rf4!?

Black chooses the way to attack the Queen that gives White more options.
[font color="red"]31...Re5! 32.Qb7 Ree8 33.Qc7 Bb4 34.Qc4 Bd6[/font] gives Black the initiative.

32.Qb7!

The game is equal.

32...Qd6 33.Kg2?!

White is still paying for the weakness of his 30th move. The pawn at f3 still needs protecting, the Rook cannot retreat without abandoning the pawn and now the King blocks the Rook's retreat.
If [font color="red"]33.Bc4[/font] then:

[font color="red"]33...Kg7 34.Kg2 Rf5 35.Qe4 Qf6 36.Rd1 h5[/font] gives White a extra pawn and more space, but Black has stronger pawns, pressure on the kingside and a significant passed pawn.
If [font color="darkred"]33...Rb8[/font] then the b-pawn remains covered after [font color="darkred"]34.Qd5 Qf6 35.Bd3 Rd8 36.Qb7 Rh4 37.Kg2.[/font]

[center]BLACK: Sergey Karjakin[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Dmitry Jakovenko[/center][center]Position after 33.Kh1g2[/center]

33...Rb8!

The skewer nets Black a pawn.

34.Qa6

The difference in qualitie of the passed pawns are worth noting here.
If [font color="red"]34.Qa7 Rxb3 35.Rb1 Rxb1 36.Bxb1 Rh4[/font] gives Black a higer quality passed pawn, one that is supported from the rear by a heavy piece. White also has a passed pawn, but not supported from the rear.

34...Qxa6 35.Bxa6 Rxb3

Material is balanced, each side has a passed pawn and Black has a clear advantage in space.

36.Rg4

[font color="red"]36.Bc4 Ra3 37.Rg4 Rf5 38.Bb5 Kg7 39.Rd1 Kf6[/font] leaves Black's passed pawn better protected.

36...Rf6 37.Bb5 Kg7 38.Re4 d3!?

The pawn advances right into no man's land.
If [font color="red"]38...Rf5 39.f4 h6 40.Bd7 Rd5 41.Bb5 Ra3 42.Rd1[/font] leaves the pawn protected, but unable to advantce.

39.Rd1!?

White misses the chance to eliminate the menacing pawn.
[font color="red"]39.Bxd3! Bd2 40.Bc4 Rbxf3 41.Rf1 R3f5 42.h4 Rf4[/font] gives Black marginally better pawns, but otherwisew no advantage.

39...d2!

For a pawn, the only way out of trouble is to move forward.

40.Re3 Rd6 41.Be2 Re6 42.Rxe6?

Exchanging Rooks is not the wisest thing White can do. The Rook at e3 was preventing White from using his pieces.
[font color="red"]42.f4 Ra3 43.Bb5[/font] then:

[font color="red"]43...Rd6 44.Be2 Rd4 45.a5! Rxf4[/font] gives Black a comfortable advantage; White's best shot here is to proffer the exchange by taking the pawn at d2.
[font color="darkred"]43...Rxe3?! 44.fxe3 Kf6 45.Kf3 Ke6 46.Ke2 Kd5[/font] leaves Black's prize pawn in danger.

42...fxe6 43.Bc4

[center]BLACK: Sergey Karjakin[/center]

[center] [/center]

[center]WHITE: Dmitry Jakovenko[/center][center]Position after 43.Be2c4[/center]

43...Rb4!

With the Rook at e3, this move was not possible.

44.Bxe6 Rxa4

The a-pawn falls and most of White's potential counterplay with it.

45.Bd5 Rd4

If [font color="red"]45...Rh4 46.Be4 Kf6 47.Kg3 Kg5 48.h3 Bb4[/font] actually leaves White in a Zugzwang. His only pawn move is 49.f4+, to which Black replies 49...Rxf4 and it goes down hill for White from there. If 49...Kg2 is met by 49...Kf4! 50.Bd3 Rd4 51.Be2 Kd4.

46.Be4 Bb4 47.Kf1

If [font color="red"]47.Bc2 Bd6 48.Rb1 Rc4[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]49.Rb7+[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]49...Kf6 50.Bb3 Rc3 51.Rf7+ Ke5 52.Bd1 Rc1.[/font]
If [font color="darkred"]49.Bd1 Rc1 50.Rb7+ Bc7[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]51.Bb3[/font] then Black wins after [font color="darkred"]51...Kh8 52.f4 Bd6 53.f5 gxf5 54.Rb5 d1Q.[/font]
[font color="magenta"]51.f4 Kh6 52.Bf3 Bd6 53.f5 d1Q[/font] leaves Black a piece up for the duration.

47...Bd6 48.Ke2 Bf4 49.h3

This shortens White's agony.
If [font color="red"]49.Bc2[/font] then after [font color="red"]49...Rd8 50.Rf1 Rc8 51.Kd3 Re8 52.Rd1[/font] Black activates his King and wins.

[center]BLACK: Sergey Karjakin[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Dmitry Jakovenko[/center][center]Position after 49.h2h3[/center]

49...Kh6

Black also wins after [font color="red"]49...Rc4 50.Bd5 Rc5 51.Bb3 Re5+ 52.Kd3 Kf6.[/font]

50.Rg1 Rc4

Black threatens 51...Rc1!

51.Bd3 Rc1 52.Rd1 Kg5 53.Bb5 Kh4 0-1

If [font color="red"]54.Rxd2 Bxd2 55.Kxd2 Ra1 leaves Black up by an exchange.[/font]
If [font color="blue"]54.Bd3 Rxd1 55.Kxd1 Kxh3 56.Bf1+ Kh2[/font] White's pawns fall and Black's pawn conme foreward.
Dmitry Olegovich resigns.

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

7. Shadrina (Khanty-Mansiysk) - Zhukova (Kazan), Round 4

Reply to Jack Rabbit (Reply #5)

Wed May 2, 2012, 09:44 PM

May 2012

Ukrainian GM Natalia Zhukova, wife of former Russian national champion Alexander Grischuk, has her best outing in a long time in Sochi.

[center][/center]

[center]Natalia Zhukova[/center][font size="1"]Photo by Frank Hoppe http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Samson1964 in Wikimedia Commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Schukowa_natalja_20081119_olympiade_dresden.jpg (Public Domain)
[/font]

Tatiana Shadrina (Khanty-Mansiysk) - Natlalia Zhukova (Kazan)
Russian Team Championships (Women's Group), Round 4/Board 3
Sochi, 12 April 2012

Closed French Game: Tarrasch Opening (Morozevich Defense)

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Be7 4.Ngf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 c5 6.dxc5 0-0

For moves up to here and what follows 6...Nc6 7.Qe2 Nb4 8.Nb3, see the [font color="blue"]blue notes to Black's third move[/font] in Timofeev-Morozevich, Russian Ch HL, Taganrog, 2011.

7.b4 (N)

For what follows [font color="red"]7.Qe2 a5,[/font] see font color='darkblue"]Jens-Feibig[/font] and subordinate lines from the same blue notes in the above link.

7...a5

Black has a slight advantage in space.

8.c3!?

The better move here is 8.b5, making better use of White's queenside majority than the text.
If [font color="red"]8.b5[/font] then:

[font color="red"]8...Nbd7 10.Qe2 a4 11.c4 dxe4 12.Bxe4[/font] gives White a queenside majority and a small advantage in space.

9.0-0!

[font color="darkred"]9...Nbd7 9.c6 bxc6 10.bxc6 Nc5[/font] continues to give Black a slight advantage in space.
[font color="magenta"]9...dxe4 10.Bxe4 Nbd7 11.Bb2 Qc7 12.Qe2 a4 13.Rad1[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space.

8...b6?!

Black misses a chance to get her own passed pawn.
If [font color="red"]8...axb4! 9.cxb4[/font] (the d-pawn is passed) [font color="red"]9...Nc6[/font] then:

[font color="red"]10.Rb1 dxe4 11.Nxe4 Nxe4 12.Bxe4 Qxd1+ 13.Kxd1 Rd8+[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space.
If [font color="darkred"]10.b5? Nb4 11.Bb1 dxe4 12.Nxe4[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]12...Qxd1+ 13.Kxd1 Nxe4 14.Bxe4 f5 15.Bxb7 Bxb7[/font] gives Black a piece for two pawns and White's King is open in the center.
[font color="magenta"]12...Nxe4 13.Qxd8 Rxd8 14.Bxe4 f5 15.Bb1 Bf6[/font] wins the White Rook.

9.0-0?!

Again, White misses an opportunity to get serious play on the queenside.
If [font color="red"]9.b5! Nbd7 10.cxb6 Nc5[/font] then:

[font color="red"]11.Qc2 Qxb6 12.e5 Nfd7 13.Bxh7+ Kh8 14.Bd3[/font] gives White two extra pawns.[/li
[font color="darkred"]11.Qe2!? Bb7! 12.e5[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space.

12...Nfe4

9...axb4!

Black has a fair advantage in space.

10.cxb4

[font color="red"]10.e5?! Nfd7 11.cxb6 Nc5 12.Bc2 bxc3 13.Nb1 Ne4[/font] gives Black a comfortable advantage in space.

10...Nc6

Black has a small advantage in space.
[font color="red"]10...Na6 11.exd5 Nxd5 12.cxb6 Qxb6[/font] also gives Black a small advantage in space.

11.Rb1 bxc5 12.bxc5

White has two passed pawns, but both are weak and under attack.

12...Rxa2!?

on principle, it is better to eliminate White's more advanced passer.
If [font color="red"]12...Bxc5 13.e5 Nd7 14.Nb3[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]14...Be7 15.Re1 Ba6 16.Bxh7+ Kxh7 17.Qc2+[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]17...Kg8 18.Qxc6 Bd3 19.Ra1[/font] then:

[font color="red"]19...Qc8 20.Qxc8 Rfxc8 21.a4 Be4 22.Nbd4 Bc5[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space.

If [font color="burgundy"]19...Rc8 20.Qa4 Be4 21.Nfd2 Nxe5 22.Nxe4 Rc4[/font] gives Black the initiative and a slight advantage in space.
If [font color="darkpink"]17...g6?! 18.Qxc6 Bd3 19.Ra1 Bc4 20.Be3[/font] is equal.

If [font color="darkred"]14...Ba6?! 15.Bxa6 Rxa6 16.Ng5[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]16...g6 17.Qd3 Rb6 18.Nxc5 Nxc5 19.Qh3 h5 20.Rxb6 Qxb6[/font] is equal.
If [font color="magenta"]16...Ncxe5?! 17.Qc2! g6 18.Nxc5[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]18...Rc6 19.Rb5 Qc7 20.f4![/font] gives White a fair advantage.
[font color="darkorange"]18...Nxc5?! 19.Qxc5 f6 20.Qd4 Qa8 21.Nh3 Rxa2 22.Nf4[/font] gives White a piece for two pawns and command of the center.

13.Qb3!?

The will not be driven away in this manner.
If [font color="red"]13.exd5 Nxd5 14.Bb2 Ba6[/font] then:

[font color="red"]15.Bxa6 Rxa6 16.Ne4 f5 17.Qe2 fxe4 18.Qxa6 Ndb4[/font] is equal.
If [font color="darkred"]15.Qb3?! Bxd3! 16.Qxd3 Ndb4[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]17.Qc3 Bf6 18.Qb3 Bxb2 19.Rxb2 Rxb2 20.Qxb2 Qd5[/font] gives Black a comfortable advantage in space.
If [font color="magenta"]17.Qb3!? Qd3![/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]18.Ne5 Nxe5 19.Qxb4 Nc6 20.Qc3 Qxc3 21.Bxc3 Bxc5[/font] gives Black a comfortable advantage in space.
If [font color="darkorange"]18.Nd4 Nxd4 19.Qxb4[/font] then:

[font color="darkorange"]19...Nc6 20.Qb3 Qxb3 21.Nxb3 Rb8 22.Bc3 e5[/font] gives Black a substantial advantage in space.
If [font color="purple"]19...Ne2+?! 20.Kh1 Qc2 21.Qb3[/font] then:

[font color="purple"]21...Qxb3 22.Nxb3 Rb8 23.c6! f6 24.g3 Bd8 25.Rfd1[/font] is equal.
[font color="hotpink"]21...Qxd2 22.Qxa2! Nc3 23.Qa1 Nxb1 24.Rxb1[/font] is equal.

13...Ra5 14.Bb2 Bxc5!?

Recapturing with the Rook takes command of the c-file for Black.
If [font color="red"]14...Rxc5! 15.e5 Nd7[/font] then:

[font color="red"]16.Ba3 Ncxe5 17.Nxe5 Nxe5 18.Bxc5 Bxc5 19.Rfc1 Bd6[/font] gives Black two pawns for the exchange; White has more space.
[font color="darkred"]16.Qa4?! Ra5 17.Qxc6 Nc5! 18.Bxh7+ Kxh7 19.Bd4 Bd7[/font] forces the exchange of Queens while Black enjoys an extra pawn.

15.e5?!

This changes the complexion of the game considerably over what might-have-been. Instead of a weak d-pawn, Black has a passer.
[font color="red"]15.Rfc1! Bd7 16.exd5 exd5 17.Bc3 Ra3 18.Qc2[/font] is equal; Black's extra pawn is weak and probably not worth heroic efforts to defend..

[center]BLACK: Natalia Zhukova[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Tatiana Shadrina[/center][center]Position after 15.e4e5[/center]

15...Nd7!

It should be no surprise that with no queensiode pawns on the board, both side migrate their pieces to the queenside.
Black has an extra pawn and the initiative.

16.Rfc1

If [font color="red"]16.Ra1 h6 17.Be2 Bb4[/font] then:

[font color="red"]18.Qe3 Rxa1 19.Rxa1 Bb7 20.Nb3 Qb6 21.Qxb6 Nxb6[/font] gives White an extra pawn.
[font color="darkred"]18.Rxa5 Bxa5 19.Ba3 Re8 20.Bb5 Qb6 21.Rb1 Ba6[/font] continues to give White an extra pawn.

16...Ba6 17.Bxa6 Rxa6 18.Qd3 Nb4 19.Qe2

If [font color="red"]19.Qf1 Qe7 20.Nb3 Rfa8 21.Bd4 Bb6 22.Rc3 h6[/font] gives Black an extra pawn, but little else.

19...Ra2!?

Somewhat better is [font color="red"]19...Qb8 20.Nb3 Be7 21.Nbd4 Rc8 22.Rc3[/font] then:

[font color="red"]22...Qa8,[/font] giving Black an extra pawn and command of the a-file; White is fighting for a share of the c-file.

20.Bc3?!

White "threatens" to win a piece.
If [font color="red"]20.Nb3 Ba7 21.Qd2 Qb8 22.Rc3[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]22...Qb5 23.Nfd4 Qa6[/font] then:

[font color="red"]24.Rg3 Rb8 25.Nc1 Bxd4 26.Qh6 Bxf2+ 27.Kxf2 Qa7+[/font] leaves White's King exposed.
[font color="magenta"]24.Rc7 Bxd4 25.Qxd4 Qd3 26.Qxd3 Nxd3 27.Rxd7 Rxb2[/font] gives Black an extra pawn, but White has a Rook on the seventh.

[font color="darkred"]22...Ra4 23.Nbd4 Qa8 24.Rb3 Nc6 25.Nxc6 Qxc6[/font] gives Black an extra pawn and the advantage in space.

20...Nc6!?

With no pawns on the queenside, it is important to block lines with pieces, especially minor pieces. Rather than retreat the Knight, Black should reinforce it.
[font color="red"]20...Qb6! 21.Ne1 Rb8 22.Rb3 h6 23.h3 Be7[/font] gives Black an extra pawn and a small advantage in space.

21.Rb5?

The Bishop is too sufficiently protected for this move to be effective.
Better is [font color="red"]21.Rb7! Ba3 22.Rcb1[/font] when:

If [font color="red"]22...d4 23.Nxd4 Nxd4 24.Bxd4 Nc5[/font] then:

[font color="red"]25.Bxc5 Rxd2 26.Qxd2 Qxd2 27.Bxa3[/font] gives Black the material advantage, but White's strong Rooks keep her in the game for now.
If [font color="magenta"]25.R7b2[/font] then Black wins after [font color="magenta"]25...Bxb2 26.Bxc5 Bc3 27.Bxf8 Kxf8.[/font]

[font color="darkred"]22...Nc5 23.R7b6 Qc7 24.Qb5 Na7 25.Qa5 h6[/font] continues to give Black an extra pawn.

[center]BLACK: Natalia Zhukova[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Tatiana Shadrina[/center][center]Position after 21.Rb1b5[/center]

21...Qa8!

Black increases the pressure on the a-file.

22.Qd3

If [font color="red"]22.Rcb1[/font] then Black wins after [font color="red"]22...Qa6 23.Kf1 Bb6 24.R5b2 Ra8!.[/font]

22...h6 23.Bb2

Black now wins quickly.
If [font color="red"]23.Rb2[/font] is a more stubborn defense, but after [font color="red"]23...Rxb2 24.Bxb2 Qa7 25.Qe2 Rb8 26.Ba1 Qa8[/font] Black still wins.

23...Nb4!

Also good is [font color="red"]23...Qa7 24.Rf1 Rb8 25.Qb3 Rxb5 26.Qxb5 Ndxe5.[/font]

24.Qb3 Rxb2 25.Qxb2 Nd3 26.Qb1

If [font color="red"][/font] then Black wins after [font color="red"]26...Bxf2+ 27.Kf1 Nxb2 28.Rxa8 Rxa8 29.Kxf2 Nd3+.[/font]
[font color="blue"]26.Qc3 Bxf2+ 27.Kf1 Nxc1 28.Kxf2 Qa7+ 29.Ke1 Qa6[/font] leaves Black up by two pawns.

[center]BLACK: Natalia Zhukova[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Tatiana Shadrina[/center][center]Position after 26.Qb2b1[/center]

26...Bxf2+

Black wins the exchange.

27.Kf1 Nxc1 28.Kxf2 Qa3 29.Kg3 Ne2+ 30.Kf2 Nc3 0-1

If [font color="red"]31.Qb4 Nxb5[/font] then:

[font color="red"]32.Qxb5 Nc5 33.Qe2 Rb8[/font] leaves Black up by an exchange plus two pawns.
[font color="darkred"]32.Qxa3 Nxa3 33.g3 Nc2[/font] leaves Black a Rook to the good.

Shadrina resigns.

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

20. Sergei Movsesian (St. Petersburg Chess Federation) - Alexander Motylev (Tomsk), Round 4

Reply to Jack Rabbit (Reply #5)

Thu May 10, 2012, 01:41 AM

May 2012

[center][/center]

[center]sergei Movsesian[/center][font size="1"]Photo by Stefan64 (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Stefan64) in Wikimedia Commons (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SergeiMovsesian11.jpg) (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]

Sergei Movsesian (St. Petersburg Chess Federation) - Alexander Motylev (Tomsk)
Russian Team Championships (General Group), Round 4
Sochi, 12 April 2012

Slav Queen's Gambit: Tikhi Opening

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c6 3.d4 d5 4.e3 Bf5 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nh4 Bg6

For [font color="red"]6...Be4[/font] and other variations, see Jakovenko-Vitiugov, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2009.

7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.Bd3

If [font color="red"]8.g3 Nbd7[/font] then:

[font color="red"]9.a3 Be7 10.cxd5 exd5 11.Bg2 Nb6 12.0-0 Qd7 13.Re1 0-0-0[/font] is equal (Baumann-Shirov, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
If [font color="darkred"]9.Bg2 dxc4 10.Qe2[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]10...Be7 11.Qxc4 e5[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]12.0-0 Nb6 13.Qe2[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]13...exd4 14.Rd1 0-0 15.Rxd4 Qc7[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]16.e4 Qe5 17.Rd3 Rad8 18.Bf4 Qe6 19.Rad1 Rxd3 20.Rxd3[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Tregubov-Carlsen, Op, Reyjavik, 2006).
[font color="burgundy"]16.b4 Rad8 17.Rxd8 Rxd8 18.b5 Nfd5 19.Nxd5 Nxd5 20.Bb2[/font] gives White the Bishop pair, stronger pawns and a slight initiative; Black has a slight edge in space (Inarkiev-Zakhartsov, Russian Ch, Tomsk, 2006).

If [font color="magenta"]13...Qc7[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]14.dxe5 Qxe5 15.e4?! g5! 16.h3 Bc5[/font] is equal (Stefanova-Malchonova, Russian ChT, Dagomys, 2010).
[font color="darkorange"]14.a4 exd4 15.exd4 0-0 16.a5 Nbd5 17.Bg5[/font] gives White a fair advantae in space.

If [font color="magenta"]12.Ne2!? exd4 13.Nxd4 Ne5 14.Qc2 Bb4+[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]15.Bd2 Bxd2+! 16.Qxd2 0-0 17.Rc1 Qe7 18.0-0 c5[/font] is equal (Aronian-Anand, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2007).
[font color="darkorange"]15.Kf1 Qd6 16.f4 Ned7 17.h3 0-0-0[/font] remains equal.

If [font color="magenta"]10...Nb6 11.0-0[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]11...Bb4 12.a3 Ba5[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]13.Bd2 0-0 14.Ne4 Bxd2 15.Nxd2 Qe7 16.Nxc4 Nxc4 17.Qxc4[/font] gives White athe advantage in space (Hillarp Persson-Cheparinov, IT, Malmö, 2007).
[font color="hotpink"]13...Qe7 14.Ne4 Bxd2 15.Nxd2 e5 16.dxe5 Qxe5 17.Nxc4 Nxc4 18.Qxc4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Tkachiev-Dreev, IT, Poikovsky, 2007).
[font color="purple"]13.Rd1 Qe7 14.e4 e5 15.Be3[/font] draw (Ponomariov-Shirov, IT, Foros, 2006).

If [font color="darkorange"]11...Be7 12.Rd1 0-0 13.e4[/font] then:

[font color="darkorange"]13...Nfd7 14.Be3 Qc7 15.f4 Rad8 16.h4 c5[/font] is equal (Nyback-Ragger, Bundesliga 0809, Wattenscheid, 2008).
[font color="purple"]13...Re8 14.h4[/font] draw (Citak-Atakisi, Mediterranean Ch, Antalya, Turkey, 2006).

If [font color="blue"]8.Bd2 Nbd7[/font] then:

If [font color="blue"]9.Rc1 Bd6 10.g3[/font] then:

If [font color="blue"]10...Qe7 11.c5 Bc7 12.f4[/font] then:

[font color="blue"]12...g5 13.Bg2 gxf4 14.exf4 g6 15.b4 a6 16.Qf3[/font] is equal (Campos Moreno-M. Gurevich, Op, Andorra, 2005).
[font color="steelblue"]12...Ba5 13.Nb1 Bxd2+ 14.Nxd2 Ne4 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.h4[/font] is equal (Bareev-Dreev, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2004).

[font color="slateblue"]10...0-0 11.Qb3 Rb8 12.Bg2 Bc7 13.0-0[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space (Dreev-Felgaer, IT, Dos Hermanas, 2005).

If [font color="darkblue"]9.g3 Bb4 10.Qb3[/font] then:

If [font color="darkblue"]10...Bxc3 11.Bxc3 Ne4 12.Bg2 Nxc3[/font] then:

If [font color="darkblue"]13.Qxc3 f5[/font] then:

[font color="darkblue"]14.0-0 Qe7 15.cxd5 exd5 16.b4 Nf6 17.Rfc1[/font] gives White a small advantage on the queenside (Kramnik-Topalov, World Ch Match, Elista, 2006).
[font color="steelblue"]14.0-0-0 Nb6 15.b3 Qe7 16.Kb1 a5 17.c5 Nd7[/font] is equal (Tregubov-Wang Yue, Euro Club Cup, Kallithea, 2008).

[font color="slateblue"]13.bxc3 Qc7 14.Rb1 Rb8 15.Bf3[/font] draw (Dreev-Motylev, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2008).

If [font color="dodgerblue"]10...Ba5[/font] then:

[font color="dodgerblue"]11.Bg2!? 0-0 12.0-0 Nb6! 13.cxd5 exd5 14.Rad1 Re8 15.Bc1 Qd7 16.Qc2 g5[/font] draw (Wang Yue-Wang Hao, Op, Reykjavik, 2008).
[font color="darkcyan"]11.cxd5 cxd5 12.Bd3 Qb6 13.Qa4 0-0 14.Rb1[/font] continues to give White a fair advantage in space.

8...Nbd7 9.0-0 Bd6

If [font color="red"]9...Be7 10.Bd2 0-0[/font] then:

[font color="red"]11.cxd5 exd5 12.Qf3 Nb6 13.Rad1 Bb4 14.a3[/font] gives White a small advantage (Molchanova-Gunina, Euro ChW, Gaziantep, 2012).
[font color="darkred"]11.Rc1 dxc4 12.Bxc4 a6 13.a4 c5 14.Qe2 Nb6[/font] is equal (Posedaru-Ludwig, World Youth BU18, Vang Tau, 2008).

10.h3

[font color="red"]10.f4 dxc4 11.Bxc4 g5 12.e4 Bxf4 13.Bxf4 gxf4[/font] is equal (Rassokhina-Ivakhinova, Russian ChTW, Sochi, 2012).

10...Qe7 11.c5

[font color="red"]11.Bd2 dxc4 12.Bxc4 e5 13.Qc2 Bc7 14.d5[/font] gives White the advantage in space (Gustafsson-Zhu Chen, Op, Gibraltar, 2012).

11...Bc7 12.f4 Nh5 (N)

If [font color="red"]12...Ng8 13.b4 a6[/font] then:

[font color="red"]14.e4?! dxe4 15.Nxe4 Ndf6 16.Ng5[/font] is equal (Sargissian-S. Brunello, Op, Gibraltar, 2012).
[font color="darkred"]14.a4 Nh6 15.Bd2 Nf5 16.Qf3[/font]

13.Ne2?!

White has a fair advantage in space.
[font color="red"]13.Rf3 Qh4 14.b4 a6 15.Bd2 Nhf6 16.Rc1[/font] contininues to give White a comfortable advantage in space, concentrated on the queenside.

13...f5!

[font color="red"]13...0-0 14.Bd2 g5 15.Rf3 gxf4 16.exf4 g6 17.Rc1[/font] continues to give White a fair advantage in space.

14.Bd2 Nhf6!?

Black should bring the other Knight to f6 as the one at h5 is attacking the hole at g3.
[font color="red"]14...Ndf6! 15.b4 a6 16.a4 Ne4 17.Qc2 g5 18.b5[/font] is equal.

[center]BLACK: Alexander Motylev[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Sergei Movsesian[/center][center]Position after 14...Nh5f6[/center]

15.b4!

White has a small advantage in space. Black's King safety is now an issue as the King would not be safe on either side of the board.

15...a6 16.a4 g5?!

The pawn sacrifice is unsound. White gets the initiative and an open file for his Rook. Black loses a pawn.
Better is [font color="red"]16...Ne4 17.Bxe4[/font] when:

If [font color="red"]17...dxe4! 18.b5 Kf7[/font] then:

[font color="red"]19.Nc3 Nf6 20.Qe2 Ba5 21.Nb1 Bc7 22.bxc6 bxc6[/font] is equal.
[font color="magenta"]19.b6 Bd8 20.Nc3 Nf6 21.Qe2 Nd5 22.Rac1 Qd7[/font] is equal.

[font color="darkred"]17...fxe4?! 18.b5 0-0 19.Rb1 axb5 20.axb5 Ra3 21.Ra1[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space.

17.fxg5!

White has an extra pawn, a comfortable advantage in space and a slight initiative.

17...Nh7?

White has a clear advantage in space on the queenside, leaving it absolutely necessary for Black to balance the game by taking a superior position somewhere else.
If [font color="red"]17...Ne4 18.Bxe4[/font] then:

[font color="red"]18...dxe4 19.Nf4 Nf8 20.Qb3 Rd8 21.b5 Bxf4 22.Rxf4[/font] gives White a cmomfortable advantage in space.
If [font color="darkred"]18...fxe4?! 19.Nf4 Bxf4 20.exf4 g6 21.b5[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]21...Nb8 22.bxa6 Rxa6 23.Qe2 Ra7 24.Ra3 Na6 25.Rb1[/font] gives White more activity and a comfortable advantage in space.
[font color="magenta"]21...Qg7 22.Be3 Kf7 23.bxc6 bxc6 24.Rb1 Rhb8 25.Qd2[/font] gives White more freedom and a fair advantage in space

[center]BLACK: Alexander Motylev[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Sergei Movsesian[/center][center]Position after 17...Nf6h7[/center]

18.h4!

White protects the g-pawn and takes command of the kingside. The center is basically locked.
If [font color="red"]18.g6? Ng5 19.Nf4 Qf6 20.Re1 Nf8 21.b5 Nxg6[/font] gives Black an extra pawn and White pressure on the queenside. Blask's King is slightly less safe than White's.

18...Nxg5

Black could present a more stubborn defense by getting his Knight back into action.
If [font color="red"]18...Nhf8[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]19.Be1 g6[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]20.b5 e5 21.bxa6 bxa6[/font] then:

[font color="red"]22.Rb1 e4 23.Bc2 Rb8 24.a5 Ne6 25.Ba4[/font] gives White a strong initiatiave against Black weak c-pawn.
[font color="darkorange"]22.a5 Ne6 23.Qa4 Nd8 24.Ra3 e4 25.Bc2[/font] gives Black the initiative against White's c-pawn and a small advantage in space.

[font color="magenta"]20.g4?! e5 21.Kg2 e4 22.Bc2 Ne6! 23.b5 Nxg5 24.Nf4[/font] is equal.

[font color="darkred"]19.g3!? Bxg3 20.Nxg3 Rxh4 21.Rf2 Qxg5 22.Qf3[/font] gives White a piece for two pawns, but Black has kingside activity for his pieces.

19.hxg5 Qxg5 20.Nf4 Nf6

If [font color="red"]20...Bxf4 21.exf4 Qh4[/font] then Black does not escape with perpetual check after [font color="red"]22.Qe1 Qh2+ 23.Kf2 Qh4+ 24.g3![/font]

21.Rf3 Ng4

If [font color="red"]21...Kf7 22.Rh3 Rxh3 23.Nxh3[/font] then:

[font color="red"]23...Qg6 24.Be1 e5 25.dxe5 Bxe5 26.Rc1 Rh8 27.Qf3] 22.Rh3 [22.Qe2 Kd7 23.Rh3 Rxh3 24.Nxh3 Qh4 25.Be1[/font] gives Black and extra pawn, but White has more freedom and an attack on the f-pawn.
If [font color="darkred"]23...Qh4 24.Be1 Qh6 25.Qe2 Ng4 26.Rb1 Kg8 27.Bd2[/font] gives White a tactical advantage while Black has more space.

22...Kd7

This shortens Black's agony.
A more stubborn defense is [font color="red"]22...Rxh3 23.Nxh3 Bh2+ 24.Kh1 Qh4 25.Be1 Bg3 26.Qd2[/font] when before beginning the winning plan White will have to contend with Black's play on the kingside.

23.Qf3!

Now White wins easily.
Also good is [font color="red"]23.Qe2! Rxh3 24.Nxh3 Qh4 25.Be1[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]25...Bh2+ 26.Kf1 Bg3 27.Qd2 Bxe1 28.Qxe1[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]28...Qh6[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]29.Kg1 Rh8 30.b5 Rb8 31.Qg3.[/font]
[font color="magenta"]28...Nh2+[/font] then White wins after [font color="magenta"]29.Ke2 Qh5+ 30.Kd2 Qxh3 31.gxh3 Nf3+ 32.Ke2.[/font]

[font color="darkred"]25...Bg3[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]26.Rb1 Bxe1 27.Qxe1 Qh6 28.Qg3 Qxe3+ 29.Qxe3 Nxe3 30.Re1.[/font]

23...g6 24.Rf1 Rh6

The game is hopeless. Alexander Anatolyevich graciously allows his opponent to win beautifully.
Objectively speaking, "better" is [font color="red"]24...Raf8 25.Qg3 Qe7[/font] when:

[font color="red"]26.Qe1 (\Rxh3 27.gxh3 Nf6 28.b5 axb5 29.axb5[/font] leaves White with an extra piece.
If [font color="darkred"]26.Nxg6 Bxg3 27.Nxe7 Rxh3 28.gxh3 Nh2[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]29.Rf2![/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]29...Bxf2+ 30.Kxf2 Ng4+ 31.hxg4 Kxe7 32.gxf5 exf5 33.Kf3.[/font]
[font color="magenta"]29.Nxf5? Nxf1! 30.Kxf1 Bh4 31.Ke2 exf5[/font] leaves Black up with an exchange for a pawn.

[center]BLACK: Alexander Motylev[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Sergei Movsesian[/center][center]Position after 24...Rh8h6[/center]

25.Nxe6!!

The sacrifice is the stylistic way to win.

25...Kxe6 26.e4 Qxd2

If [font color="red"]26...Rxh3[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]27.Qxh3 Qxd2 28.exf5+ Kd7 29.fxg6.[/font]

27.exf5+ Ke7 28.fxg6 Re8

[font color="red"]28...Bf4 29.Qxf4 Qxf4 30.Rxf4 Rxh3 31.gxh3 Nf6 32.Kg2[/font] leaves White with two passed pawns.

29.Qxg4 Kd8 30.Rf7 Re1+ 31.Bf1 Re7

If [font color="red"]31...Bh2+[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]32.Kxh2 Rxh3+ 33.Qxh3 Re7 34.Qh8+ Re8 35.g7.[/font]

32.Rf8+ 1-0

If [font color="red"]32...Re8[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]33.Rxe8+ Kxe8 34.g7.[/font]
Alexander Anatolyevich resigns.

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

8. Bundelsiga 1112, final rounds, various locales in Germany

Thu May 3, 2012, 09:45 PM

May 2012

[center][/center]

[center]Baden-Baden[/center][font size="1"]Photo by Ramessos in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BadenBaden.jpg Wikipedia (Public DomaIn)
[/font]

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

10. Naiditsch (Baden-Baden) - Gasthofer (Hockenheim), Round 15

Reply to Jack Rabbit (Reply #8)

Thu May 3, 2012, 09:49 PM

May 2012

[center][/center]

[center]Arkadij Naiditsch[/center][font size="1"]Photo by Pawel Suwarski in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Naiditsch_Arkadij.jpg Wikipedia (Public Domain)
[/font]

Arkadij Naiditsch (Baden Baden) - Alexander Gasthofer (Hockenheim)
Bundesliga 2011/2012 Round 15/Board 5
Baden-Baden, 15 April 2012

Hollander Game: Dutch Queen's Gambit (Stonewall Defense)

1.c4 e6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 c6 4.Qc2 f5 5.d4

The game has transposed into a Dutch Queen's Gambit, more commonly called the Stonewall Defense. For more common lines, see Gunina-Hoang, Euro ChW, Gaziantep, 2012.

5...Bd6 6.Nh3 Nf6

This position has been reached before, but never in this move order. For example, 1.d4 e6 2.c4 f5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 d5 5.Qc2 c6 6.Nh3 Bd6 has been played.

7.Bf4

[font color="red"]7.0-0 0-0 8.Bf4[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]8...Be7 9.Nd2[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]9...h6 10.Bxb8 Rxb8 11.Nf4[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]11...Qe8 12.Nf3 Bd6[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]13.Nd3 g5[/font] then:

[font color="red"]14.Nfe5 Nd7 15.b4 Bxe5 16.dxe5 Nb6 17.Nb2 Qe7[/font] gives White good prospects on the queenside; Black has stlightly better pawns and a slight initiative (Rogers-Salim, Op, Gibraltar, 2005).
[font color="burgundy"]14.b4 Qg6 15.a4 Bd7 16.Rab1 Rfc8 17.Rfc1[/font] gives White a small advantage in what could turn out to be a sharp game (Yakovich-Arencibia, IT, Santa Clara, Cuba, 1990).

If [font color="darkred"]13.Ne5 Nd7[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]14.Nfd3 Nxe5 15.dxe5 Be7 16.b4 Bd7 17.a4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Baburin-Rafjabov, Op, Torshavn, 2000).
[font color="magenta"]14.Qc3 Nxe5 15.dxe5 Be7 16.Bf3 g6 17.h4[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space (Zaitshik-Shablaov, Op, Philadelphia, 1993).

If [font color="darkred"]11...Bd6[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]12.Ng6 Re8 13.Nf3 Ne4 14.Nfe5[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]14...Qf6 15.Bxe4 dxe4 16.c5 Bxe5 17.Nxe5 Rd8 18.e3[/font] gives Black a clear advantage in space (Andruet-Dolmatov, Op, Marseille, 1988).
[font color="darkorange"]14...Ng5 15.f3 Nf7 16.e4 Nxe5 17.dxe5 Bc5+[/font] is equal (Milov-Elbilia, Rpd Op, Aubervilliers, 2002).

[font color="magenta"]12.Nd3 Bd7 13.Nf3 Be8 14.b4 g5 15.a4[/font] is equal with sharp possibilities and a strike resemblace to [font color="burgundy"]Yakovich-Arencibia,[/font] above (Kozul-Bareev, IT, Biel, 1991).

If [font color="darkred"]9...Nh5 10.Nf3[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]10...Nd7 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bxe7 Qxe7[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]13.Nf4 Nxf4 14.gxf4 Kh8 15.Rac1 g5 16.Qd2 Rg8[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space (García Ilundain-Peralta, Op, Magala, Spain, 2001).
[font color="burgundy"]13.e3 g5 14.Ne1 b6 15.f4 g4 16.Nf2 Ba6[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space (Lukacs-Radjabov, 1st Saturday February, Budapest, 1999).

If [font color="magenta"]10...Nxf4 11.Nxf4 Bd6 12.Nd3[/font] then:

If [font color="magenta"]12...Nd7 13.b4 Qe7 14.Rab1 b5[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]15.cxd5 cxd5 16.Qc6 Rb8 17.Nfe5 Rb6 18.Qc3[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Dreev-Radjabov, TM, Moscow, 2002).
[font color="purple"]15.c5 Bc7 16.a4 Ba6 17.a5 g5 18.Nfe5[/font] gives White a small advantage in sapce (Martinovic- Kuljasevic, Op, Bosnjaci Croatia, 2009).

[font color="darkorange"]12...Qe7 13.Rac1 Nd7 14.Nfe5 Bxe5 15.dxe5 Rd8 16.Rfd1[/font] gives White the advantage in space on the queenside, where it appears she is ready to open up (Hoang-Chiburdanidze, OlW, Dresdenm, 2008).

[font color="darkorchid"]8...b6 9.Nd2 Bb7[/font] transposes into the text.

7...0-0 8.Nd2

[font color="red"]8.0-0 Be7 9.Nd2[/font] transposes into the [font color="red"]notes to White's seventh move.[/font]

8...b6

This exact position has never before been seen. Black seems to be trying to bring it back to a position for which there is some theory, but that is just going to get him a bad postion.

8...dxc4 9.Qxc4 Na6 10.0-0

[font color="red"]10...Nb4 11.Bxd6 Qxd6 12.e4 fxe4 13.Ng5[/font] gives White a small advantage in space.
[font color="darkred"]10...Nc7 11.Bxd6 Qxd6 12.e4 Nd7 13.a4[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space.

9.0-0 Bb7 10.Rfc1 (N)

This position has never been reached before.
If [font color="red"]10.Rac1[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]10...Nh5 11.Bxd6 Qxd6 12.Rfd1[/font] then:

[font color="red"]12...Nd7 13.Bf3 Nhf6 14.cxd5 cxd5 15.Qc7 Qxc7 16.Rxc7[/font] gives White a Rook on the seventh rank and the initiative (Shipov-Glek, Op, Groningen, 1992).
[font color="burgundy"]12...g6 13.e3 Nd7 14.Nf3 c5 15.Qe2[/font] gives White the advantage in the center; Black dares not initiate a pawn exchange.

If [font color="darkred"]10...Qe7 11.cxd5 Bxf4 12.Nxf4[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]12...exd5 13.Nf3 Ne4 14.Ne5[/font] transposes into the text with the exception of a White Rook being at f1 rather than a1; this gives White only a fair advantage in space.
[font color="magenta"]12...cxd5 13.Qc7 Rf7 14.Qxe7 Rxe7 15.h4 g6 16.e3[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space with prospects on the kingside.

10...Bxf4?!

This is a bad exchange that gives Black a better center. For a good discussion on the subject, please watch the video in this post.
Fritz and Rybka give [font color="red"]10...Na6 11.a3[/font] then:

[font color="red"]11...Ne4 12.b4 Nc7 13.Nxe4 fxe4 14.Be3[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Fritz and Rybka agree).
Rybka suggests [font color="darkred"]11...Rc8 12.b4 Ne4 13.Nxe4 fxe4 14.Qa4[/font] and gives it as a slight advantage for White; Fritz thinks its a fair advantage for White. My staff and I agree with Fritz on the evaluation.

[center]BLACK: Alexander Gasthofer[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Arkadij Naiditsch[/center][center]Position after 10...Nh5f4:B[/center]

11.Nxf4!

White is attacking the keystone pawn in Black position.

11...Qe7 12.Nf3 Ne4 13.cxd5 exd5 14.Ne5

White has a fair advantage in space and is ready to advance on the queenside; cf. the [font color="darkred"]maroon notes[/font] to White's tenth move.

14...Rf6?!

A common theme for Black in the Dutch Queen's Gambit is to bring the heavy pieces to the kingside for a direct attack on the White King. However, White's center is too imposing for Black to begin such an undertaking and, before launching such an attack, Black might want to first unleash his kingside pawns.
If [font color="red"]14...c5! 15.e3 g5 16.Nh5 Nd7[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]17.f3 Nef6 18.Nxf6+ Rxf6[/font] then:

[font color="red"]19.Nxd7 Qxd7 20.dxc5 Rc8 21.b4 bxc5 22.bxc5[/font] gives White an extra pawn, but Black has halted White's queenside attack.
[font color="magenta"]19.f4 Nxe5 20.dxe5 Rf7 21.a4 a5 22.Qb3[/font] gives White only a small advantage; his queenside initiative is spent.

[font color="darkred"]17.Nxd7 Qxd7 18.f3 Nd6 19.dxc5 Rac8 20.Qd2[/font] gives White a small advantage, but nothing better.

[center]BLACK: Alexander Gasthofer[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Arkadij Naiditsch[/center][center]Position after 14...Rf1f6[/center]

15.Qb3!

Black continues to pound the queenside. It will now be difficult for the c-pawn to advance or for Black to complete the development of the queenside.

15...Rd6?

Tis is the right square, but the wrong piece. The text move leaves the f-pawn in the lurch.
If [font color="red"]15...Qd6![/font] (providing overprotection to the c-pawn as well as leaving the f-pawn protected) then:

[font color="red"]16.a4 Na6 17.Nfd3 Rc8 18.a5 c5 19.Qa4[/font] continues to give White a fair advantage; the Knight at h6 is poorly placed.
If [font color="darkred"]16.Nfd3[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]16...Na6 17.e3 Rc8 18.Rc2 Qc7 19.f3 Ng5 20.Rac1[/font] gives White pressure on Black's backward c-pawn and a fair advantage in space.
If [font color="magenta"]16...Nd7 17.a4 Rc8 18.a5 c5 19.axb6[/font] then:

If [font color="magenta"]19...axb6 20.Nxd7 Qxd7 21.dxc5 bxc5 22.Bxe4[/font] then:

If [font color="magenta"]22...c4 23.Ne5[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]23...Qe7[/font] then White wins after [font color="magenta"]24.Rxc4 Rxc4 25.Nxc4 Qxe4 26.Qxb7 dxc4 27.Ra8+.[/font]
[font color="burgundy"]23...Qc7[/font] then White wins after [font color="burgundy"]24.Nxc4 dxc4 25.Qxb7 fxe4 26.Qd5+ Qf7 27.Qxe4.[/font]

If [font color="darkorange"]22...fxe4 23.Nxc5 Qf5 24.Nxb7[/font] then:

[font color="darkorange"]24...Rb8 25.Rf1 Rf7 26.Ra7[/font] gives White an extra piece.
[font color="purple"]24...Qxf2+ 25.Kh1 Rxc1+ 26.Rxc1 Qd4 27.Nd6 Qe5 28.Rc8+[/font] gives White an extra piece.

[font color="darkorange"]19...c4?[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkorange"]20.bxa7!! cxb3 21.Rxc8+ Bxc8 22.a8Q.[/font]

16.f3!

The Knight is pushed back into Black's territory.

16...Ng5

Black wants to keep his third rank clear for his Rook to move to h6 at an opportune moment, but he has more critical problems to worry about now.
If [font color="red"]16...Nf6 17.e4 g5 18.Nh3[/font] then:

[font color="red"]18...Nbd7 19.exd5 Nxd5 20.f4 g4 21.Bxd5+ cxd5 22.Rc7[/font] is clearly a huge advantage for White.
If [font color="darkred"]18...Qg7?[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]19.exf5 Nbd7 20.f4 gxf4 21.Nxf4.[/font]

17.e4 Ne6

If [font color="red"]17...Nf7 18.Re1 g5 19.Nfd3[/font] then:

[font color="red"]19...fxe4[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]20.fxe4 Nd7 21.Nxc6 Bxc6 22.exd5 Qf6 23.dxc6.[/font]
If [font color="darkred"]19...f4[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]20.Ng4 h5 21.exd5 Qc7 22.Nge5 cxd5 23.Rac1.[/font]

18.Nxe6 Qxe6 19.exf5

If [font color="red"]19.Bh3 dxe4 20.Qxe6+ Rxe6 21.Bxf5[/font] then:

[font color="red"]21...Rd6 22.Bxe4 Rxd4 23.Rd1 Rxd1+ 24.Rxd1[/font] is a clear win for White.
If [font color="darkred"]21...Re7[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]22.Bxe4 c5 23.Bxb7 Rxb7 24.dxc5 bxc5 25.Rxc5.[/font]

19...Qxf5 20.f4 Kh8

Black loses a pawn, but what else is there?
[font color="red"]20...Qf6 21.a4 Na6 22.a5 b5 23.Rc3 Re8 24.Rac1[/font] gives White a tremendous advantage in space.

[center]BLACK: Alexander Gasthofer[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Arkadij Naiditsch[/center][center]Position after 20...Kg8h8[/center]

21.Qa3!

White wins material.

21...c5

[font color="red"]21...Rd7[/font] drops a Rook to [font color="red"]22.Bh3 Qf6 23.Nxd7 Nxd7 24.Bxd7.[/font]
[font color="blue"]21...Rg6[/font] drops a piece to [font color="blue"]22.Qe7 Nd7 23.Qxd7 Qxd7 24.Nxd7.[/font]

22.dxc5 Re6 23.cxb6 1-0

[font color="red"]23...Nc6 24.Bxd5 axb6 25.Qc3 Nxe5 26.Bxb7 Rd8 27.fxe5[/font] leaves White up a piece.
[font color="blue"]23...axb6 24.Qxa8 Bxa8 25.Rc8+[/font] mates in two.
Herr Gasthofer resigns.

[center]

[/center]

[center]Discussion on the art of exchanging pieces[/center]

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

21. Rapport (Bremen) - Tischbierek (Dresden), Round 15

Reply to Jack Rabbit (Reply #8)

Wed May 16, 2012, 01:17 PM

May 2012

Richard Rapport, a 16-year-old Hungarian, is one of the world's youngest grandmasters.

[center][/center]

[center]Richard Rapport[/center][font size="1"]Photo by Gerhard Hund (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:GFHund) from Wikimedia Commons (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rapport,Richard_2012_Deizisau.jpg) ([link:http:creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en|Creative Commons License], Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]

Richard Rapport (Bremen) - Raj Tischbierek (Dresden)
Bundesliga 2011/2012, Round 15/Board 6
Berlin, 15 April 2012

King's English Game: Catalan Opening

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2

Up to here, the opening has been called the Barcza Opening in honor of Gideon Barcza, a Hungarian master of the early Cold War period. Like the Reti, it isn't really an independent opening, but a move order that transposes into something else.

3...Bg7 4.0-0 e5

[font color="red"]4...Nf6 5.d4 0-0 6.c4 c6[/font] is a Slav-Grünfeld Defense of the Indian Queen's Gambit.

5.d3 Ne7 6.c4

This is an English Game.
[font color="red"](King's Indian Attack)[/font] If [font color="red"]6.e4 0-0 7.Nbd2 c6[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]8.Re1 d4 9.Nc4[/font] then:

[font color="red"]9...b5 10.Ncd2 c5 11.a4 b4 12.Nc4 Nd7 13.Nfd2 Nb6[/font] is equal (Wojtkiewicz-Bronstein, IT, Polanica Zdroj, 1988).
[font color="burgundy"]9...Qc7 10.c3 b5 11.Na3 dxc3 12.bxc3 Rd8 13.Qe2[/font] is equal (Movsesian-Panarin, Russian ChT, Dagomys, 2010).

If [font color="darkred"]8.b4 a5 9.bxa5 Qxa5 10.Bb2[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]10...d4 11.a4 c5[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]12.Nc4 Qc7 13.c3 Be6 14.Qb3 h6[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]15.Rac1 dxc3 16.Bxc3 Nd7 17.a5 Nc6 18.Qb5 Bxc4 19.dxc4 Nd4[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space (Tiviakov-L'Ami, Dutch Ch, Leeuwarden, 2005).
[font color="burgundy"]15.Qb5 dxc3 16.Bxc3 Nd7 17.Rfb1 Ra7 18.a5[/font] giges White a slight advantage in space (Gufeld-Bagirov, IT, Tbilisi, 1974).

[font color="darkpink"]12.Nb3 Qc7 13.a5 Be6 14.Nfd2 Nd7 15.Ba3 Rfe8[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space (Raaste-Lechtynsky, Ol, Nice, 1974).

If [font color="magenta"]10...Qc7[/font] then:

If [font color="magenta"]11.Re1 d4 12.c3 dxc3 13.Bxc3 c5[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]14.a4 Nbc6 15.Nc4 Be6 16.Qb3 Nd4[/font] is equal (Tiviakov-Motylev, IT A, Wijk aan Zee, 2007).
If [font color="darkorange"]14.Nc4 Nbc6 15.a4 Be6[/font] then:

[font color="darkorange"]16.Nfd2?! Rfd8! 17.Qb1 Nb4 18.Bxb4 cxb4 19.Qxb4 Rxd3[/font] gives White an active Rook, a better center, the Bishop pair and a slight advantage in space (Ligterink-Stohl, IT, Tilburg, 1992).
[font color="purple"]16.Qb3 Nd4 17.Qb6 Qxb6 18.Nxb6 Nc2 19.Nxa8 Rxa8[/font] gives Black a slight advantage in space

[font color="darkorange"]11.Qe2 d4 12.c3 dxc3 13.Bxc3 c5 14.Nc4 b5[/font] is equal and shortly drawn (Jansa-Kozma, IT, Stary Smokovec, 1969).

6...dxc4 7.Qa4+ c6

If [font color="red"]7...Nbc6 8.Qxc4 0-0 9.Nc3 h6 10.Bd2 Nf5 11.Na4 Ncd4 12.Nxd4 Nxd4[/font] is equal (Obukhov-Yevseev, Russian Ch, Kransnoyarsk, 2003).
[font color="darkred"]9...Be6 10.Qh4 Nf5 11.Qxd8 Rfxd8 12.Ng5 Bd7 13.Nge4[/font] is equal (Stein-Averbakh, Soviet Ch, Riga, 1970).

8.Qxc4 0-0

[font color="red"]8...Be6 9.Qc2 h6 10.Nc3 0-0[/font] draw (Sebestyen-Volosin, Hungarian ChT, Budapest, 2008). Fritz gives White a slight advantage in space.

9.Nc3 Be6?! (N)

This moves looks like it's good and aggressive, but it leaves the queenside unprotected.
If [font color="red"]9...h6 10.Qb3 Nf5[/font] then:

[font color="red"]11.Ne4 Qe7 12.Bd2 Na6 13.Rfb1 Be6[/font] is equal (Matko-Brkic, Op, Pula, 2004).
If [font color="darkred"]11.Bd2 Na6[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]12.Rab1 Qe7 13.Ne4 Rd8[/font] is equal.
[font color="magenta"]12.Ne4 Qe7 13.a4 Nd4 14.Nxd4 exd4[/font] is equal.

[font color="blue"]9...Na6 10.Bd2 Be6 11.Qa4 h6 12.Ne4 Nd5 13.Qa3[/font] is equal.

10.Qa4!?

White misses the best retort, which is to attack the most vulnerable pawn on Black's undeveloped queenside.
If [font color="red"]10.Qb4 Qd7 11.Ng5 Nf5 12.Nxe6 fxe6 13.Qg4[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space.

10...h6!

White has nothing more than a small advantage in space.

11.Bd2 Nd7 12.Rab1

If [font color="red"]12.Rac1 Re8 13.b3 a5[/font] then:

[font color="red"]14.Qa3 Nd5 15.Rfd1 Nxc3 16.Bxc3 Qc7[/font] is equal.
[font color="darkred"]14.Ne4 Nd5 15.Qa3 f5 16.Nc3 Qf6[/font] is equal.

12...a5

The game is equal.

13.Qc2 c5 14.a3 Nc6 15.e3!?

White wants to keep the Black Knight out of d4.
[font color="red"]15.Ne4 Qe7 16.Rbc1 b6 17.Qa4 Rfc8 18.Rfe1 Rab8[/font] remains equal.

15...Qe7 16.b3 Rac8

[center]BLACK: Raj Tischbierek[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Richard Rapport[/center][center]Position after 16...Ra8c8[/center]

17.Nb5!?

White takes pressure off the d5 square.
If [font color="red"]17.Be1 c4 18.bxc4 Qxa3 19.Rb3 Qd6 20.Ne4 Qb8[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space.

17...f5!?

Black overlooks a chance to win material.
If [font color="red"]17...Rfd8![/font] then:

[font color="red"]18.Bc1 Nf6 19.Nd2 Qd7 20.Nc4 Qxd3 21.Qxd3 Rxd3[/font] gives Black an extra pawn.
[font color="darkred"]18.Rfe1 Nf6 19.Red1 a4 20.bxa4 c4 21.dxc4 Bf5[/font] wins at least the exchange for Black.

18.Bc1

The game remains equal.
If [font color="red"]18.Rfe1 Nf6 19.Nh4 Kh7 20.Bc3 Nd5 21.Bb2 Bf6[/font] gives Black a slight advantage in space.

18...g5!?

Black takes his eye off d5.
Correct is [font color="red"]18...Rfd8! 19.Rd1 Nb6 20.Bb2 Qe8 21.Ba1 Qd7[/font] with equality.

19.Bb2!

White takes a slight advantage in space.

19...g4?!

Again, Black neglects the d-file.
If [font color="red"]19...Rcd8 20.Nd2 Nb6 21.Rfc1 Rf7 22.Bf1 Bf8 23.Re1[/font] continues to give White a slight advantage.

20.Nh4!

White exploits a new weakness in Black's position. and takes a fair advantage in space.

20...Kh7 21.f3 gxf3?

This climaxes a series of missteps. Black opens lines for White's Rook and Bishop.
If [font color="red"]21...Nf6 22.fxg4 Nxg4 23.Qe2 Qd7 24.Rbc1 Rcd8 25.h3[/font] continues to give White a fair advantage in space.

[center]BLACK: Raj Tischbierek[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Richard Rapport[/center][center]Position after 21...gf3:p[/center]

22.Rxf3! Rf7

If [font color="red"]22...Nb6 23.Rbf1[/font] then:

[font color="red"]23...Nd5 24.Qe2 f4 25.exf4 Nxf4 26.gxf4 Qxh4 27.Rg3[/font] more freedom, a safer king, better command of attating lanes and a small advantage in space.
If [font color="darkred"]23...a4 24.bxa4 Qd7 25.Nxf5 Bxf5 26.Rxf5[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]26...Rxf5[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]27.Rxf5 Qxf5 28.Be4.[/font]
If [font color="magenta"]26...Kg8[/font] then White wins after [font color="magenta"]27.Rxf8+ Rxf8 28.Rxf8+ Bxf8 29.Be4.[/font]

If [font color="blue"]22...Bd5 23.Nxf5 Qg5 24.h4 Qg4 25.Rbf1[/font] then:

[font color="blue"]25...Bxf3 26.Bxf3 Qg6 27.h5 Qg5 28.Nbd6 Rb8 29.Be4[/font] gives White a tactical edge, more freedom and a small advantage in space for the exchange.
[font color="darkblue"]25...Qg6 26.e4 Be6 27.Qd2 Rcd8 28.Bh3 Bxb3 29.Nbd6[/font] gives White control oef the f-file, more freedom and a fair advantage in space.

23.Rbf1 Rcf8 24.Nc7 e4 25.dxe4 Nde5

If [font color="red"]25...a4[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]26.exf5 Bxb3 27.Qb1 Nf6 28.Ne6 Qd6 29.Ng6.[/font]

[center]BLACK: Raj Tischbierek[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Richard Rapport[/center][center]Position after 25...Nd7e5[/center]

26.Nxe6!

The end now come quickly.

26...Nxf3+ 27.Rxf3 Qxe6

If [font color="red"]27...Bxb2[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]28.Nxf8+ Rxf8 29.Qxb2 Qxe4 30.Qc1.[/font]

28.exf5 Qe8 29.f6+ Kg8 30.fxg7 1-0

White has three minor pieces for a Rook.
Herr Tischbierek resigns.

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

9. Bangkok Chess Club Open, Bangkok

Thu May 3, 2012, 09:48 PM

May 2012

[center][/center]

[center]Sunset at the Temple of the Dawn (Wat Arun), Bangkok[/center][font size="1"]Photo by Yosimite (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Yosemite) in Wikimedia Commons (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wat_Arun_and_Sunset.jpg) (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

11. Short - Hou Yifan, Round 7

Reply to Jack Rabbit (Reply #9)

Thu May 3, 2012, 09:51 PM

May 2012

[center][/center]

[center]Nigel Short[/center][font size="1"]Photo by http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Stefan64 Stefan64 in Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]

Nigel Short - Hou Yifan
12th BCC Open, Round 7
Bangkok, 17 April 2012

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

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 b6 4.e3

We've seen this named for Spassky or Averbakh, but if this were a Nimzo-Indian it would be called the Rubinstein Opening. So, we believe, that is what it should be called in the Queen's Indian.

4...Bb7 5.Bd3

[font color="red"]5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Bd3 0-0 7.0-0[/font] is usually classed as a Nimzo-Indian Defense. See Bacrot-David, French ChT, Mulhouse, 2011.

5...d5

If [font color="red"]5...c5 6.0-0 Be7 7.Nc3[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]7...cxd4 8.exd4 d5[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]9.cxd5 Nxd5[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]10.Ne5 0-0 11.Qh5[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]11...g6 12.Qh3[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]12...Nc6 13.Bh6[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]13...Re8[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]14.Bb5 Rc8 15.Rad1 Nxc3 16.bxc3[/font] then:

[font color="red"]16...Qc7 17.Rfe1 Nxe5 18.Bxe8 Nf3+ 19.gxf3 Rxe8 20.f4[/font] is equal (Siebrecht-D'Costa, Euro Club Cup, Kallithea, 2008).
[font color="burgundy"]16...Bf8?! 17.Rfe1! Bxh6 18.Qxh6 Qf6 19.Ng4 Qg7 20.Qh4[/font] gives White a clear advantage in space; Black has stronger pawns (Hebden-Philippe, Op 0910, Hastings, 2010).

[font color="darkpink"]14.Nf3 Ndb4 15.Be4 Na5 16.Rae1 Bxe4 17.Nxe4 Nac6[/font] is equal (Halkias-Beliavsky, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).

[font color="darkorchid"]13...Nxd4 14.Bxf8 Bxf8 15.Nxd5 Qxd5 16.Rfe1 Bb4[/font] is equal (Werle-Naiditsch, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).

If [font color="darkred"]12...Nxc3!? 13.bxc3 Nd7 14.Bh6[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]14...Nxe5 15.dxe5 Rc8 16.Bxf8 Bxf8[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]17.Rad1!? Qc7 18.Qe3[/font] is equal (Pashikian-Cifka, World Youth BU18, Belfort, 2005).
[font color="burgundy"]17.c4 Qd4 18.Rae1 Bg7 19.Qe3[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space.

If [font color="magenta"]14...Re8 15.Bb5 Nxe5 16.dxe5[/font] then:

If [font color="magenta"]16...Qd5 17.Bxe8 Rxe8 18.Qg3[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]18...Qc5 19.Rfe1 Bd5 20.h4 Qc4 21.Bg5[/font] gives White more freedom (M. Richter-Feller, Bundesliga 0607, Bann, 2006).
[font color="purple"]18...Rd8 19.h3 Bc6 20.Rfe1 b5 21.Red1 Qc5? 22.Rxd8+!![/font] Black resigns (Cvitan-Lubczynski, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).

[font color="darkorange"]16...Qc7 17.Bxe8 Rxe8 18.Qg3 Rc8 19.Bg5 Bf8 20.Rfd1[/font] (Danielian-M. Brodsky, Op, Cappelle-la-Grande, 2006).

If [font color="darkred"]11...Nf6 12.Qh4[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]12...Ne4 13.Qh3 Qxd4[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]14.Bf4 Nf6 15.Ne2 Qa4[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]16.b3 Qe8 17.Bg5 Ne4 18.Bf4[/font] is equal (Callens-T. Schmidt, Corres, 1999).
If [font color="magenta"]16.Bg5 h6 17.Bxh6[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]17...gxh6? 18.Qxh6! Ne4 19.Rae1 Qe8 20.Bxe4 Bxe4 21.Nf4 f5 22.Re3[/font] Black resigns unable to avert mate (Braun-Petrik, Op, Brno, 2006).
[font color="darkorange"]17...Nc6 18.b3 Qb4 19.a3 Qd6 20.Bxg7[/font] is equal.

If [font color="magenta"]14.Nxf7 Rxf7 15.Bxe4 Bxe4 16.Qg4[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]16...Nc6 17.Qxe4 Qxe4 18.Nxe4 Nb4 19.Be3[/font] is equal (Jussupow-Maceija, Bundesliga 0607, Germany, 2006).
[font color="darkorange"]16...Nd7 17.Be3 Nf6 18.Bxd4 Nxg4 19.Nxe4[/font] is equal

If [font color="magenta"]12...Nc6 13.Bg5[/font] then:

If [font color="magenta"]13...g6 14.Ba6 h6 15.Bxh6[/font] then:

If [font color="magenta"]15...Nd5[/font] then after [font color="magenta"]16.Qh3 Nxc3 17.bxc3 Bxa6 18.Nxc6[/font] White wins (Jussupow-D. Gurevich, Op, Minneapolis, 2005).
[font color="burgundy"]15...Nxe5 16.Bxb7 Nfg4 17.Qh3 Qxd4 18.Bxa8 Rxa8 19.Rad1[/font] gives Black more activity and the initiative (Halkias-J. Polgar, Euro Rpd Ch, Warsaw, 2010).

If [font color="darkorange"]13...h6? 14.Bxf6[/font] then:

[font color="darkorange"]14...gxf6 15.Qxh6 f5 16.Nxc6 Bxc6 17.Bxf5!! exf5 18.Qxc6[/font] leaves White a pawn to the good (Shapiro-Yusadin, Marshall CC Ch, New York, 2003).
[font color="purple"]14...Bxf6 15.Qe4 g6 16.Nxc6 Qc7 17.d5 Rfe8 18.Nb5[/font] gives White a strong initiative (Bernal Moro-Navara, Op, Parducice, 2004).

If [font color="darkred"]10.Bb5+ Bc6[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]11.Qa4 Qd7 12.Bxc6 Nxc6[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]13.Nxd5 Qxd5 14.Be3 0-0[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]15.Rfc1 b5 16.Qa6 Nb4 17.Qa5 Nd3 18.Rc2 Nb4 19.Rcc1 Nd3[/font] draw (Szabo-Euwe, Candidates' Trmt, Zürich, 1953).
If [font color="magenta"]15.Rac1[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]15...Rfc8 16.a3 Bd6 17.Rc3 Rc7 18.Rfc1[/font] is equal (Siebrecht-Naiditsch, Rpd Op, Mainz, 2008).
[font color="darkorange"]15...b5 16.Qd1 Rac8 17.Qe2 a6 18.a4 Na5[/font] gives Black a better center, stronger pawns and a slight edge in space (Kempinski-Vasilev, Euro ChT, Plovdiv, 2003).

[font color="darkpink"]13.Bd2 0-0 14.Rac1 Rac8 15.a3 Bf6 16.Ne4 Ne5[/font] is equal (Liptay-Portisch, Hungarian Ch, Budapest, 1965).

[font color="darkorchid"]11.Bc4 0-0 12.Qe2 Bb7 13.Re1 a6 14.Qe4[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space (Balashov-Yusadin, Soviet Ch 1st League, Minsk, 1985).

If [font color="darkred"]9.Bg5 0-0[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.cxd5 exd5 12.Qb3 Na6 13.Nb5 Re8 14.Rac1[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space; each side controls an open file (Jussupow-Portisch, IT, Linares, 1990).
If [font color="magenta"]10.Re1 Nc6[/font] then:

If [font color="magenta"]11.Bxf6 Bxf6 12.cxd5 exd5 13.Ne5[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]13...Nxd4 14.Bxh7+ Kxh7 15.Qxd4[/font] gives White a ready-made blockade against Black's isolated d-pawn (Savon-Bronstein, Soviet Ch, Tbilisi, 1966).
[font color="purple"]13...g6 14.Qa4 Nb8 15.Rad1 a6 16.Be2[/font] gives White a fair advantage; in order to free his game, Black must exchange on e5 and accept the isolation of his d-pawn (Dreev-Franzoni, Ol, Manila, 1992).

[font color="darkorange"]11.Qd2 dxc4 12.Bxc4 Nb4 13.Ne5 Nbd5 14.Qd3 Rc8[/font] is equal (Galojan-Arabidze, Euro ChWm Gaziantep, 2012).

If [font color="darkred"]7...0-0 8.d5[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]8...exd5 9.cxd5 d6 10.e4 Nbd7[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]11.h3 a6 12.a4 Qc7[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]13.Bc4 Rfe8 14.Re1[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]14...Nf8 15.Nh2 Ng6 16.f4 Nd7 17.Nf3 Nh4 18.Nh2[/font] is equal (Sengupta-Ravi, Commonwealth Ch, Nagpur, 2008).
[font color="burgundy"]14...Bf8 15.Bf4 g6 16.Nd2 Ne5 17.Be2 Bg7 18.Bh2[/font] gives White more freedom; Black's position is very cramped (Phillips-Majer, Op, Isle of Man, 2007).

If [font color="magenta"]13.b3 Ne8 14.Bd2[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]14...g6?! 15.Bh6 Ng7 16.Qd2 Rae8 17.Rae1 Bc8 18.Bc4[/font] gives White more freedom and space; Black is extremely cramped (Hort-Ljubojevic, IT, Portorosz/Ljubljana, 1975).
[font color="darkorange"]14...Bf6 15.Rc1 Ne5 16.Nxe5 Bxe5 17.Ne2[/font] gives White a small advantage in space.

If [font color="magenta"]11.Bf4[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]11...a6 12.a4 Ng4 13.Rb1 Nge5 14.Bg3 Bf6[/font] is equal (Stephenson-Oswald, British Ch, Scarborough, 2001).
[font color="darkorange"]11...Nh5?! 12.Be3! Nhf6 13.Nd2 Ne5 14.Be2 Qc8 15.h3[/font] gives Black a fair advantage in space (Dr. Tarrasch-Miliani, IT, Trieste, 1923).

If [font color="magenta"]8...d6 9.e4 e5 10.Ne1[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]10...Bc8 11.h3 Ne8 12.f4 exf4 13.Bxf4 Nd7 14.Nf3[/font] gives White the advantage in space (Darga-Porat, Ol, Moscow, 1956).
[font color="darkorange"]10...Ne8 11.f4 exf4 12.Bxf4 Bf6 13.Nf3 Nd7 14.Qe1[/font] gives White the advantage in space (Chermin-Gu Gomez, Brazilian Ch, Dois Irmanos, 2008).

6.0-0 Bd6

If [font color="red"]6...Be7 7.Nc3 0-0[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]8.b3 Nbd7 9.Bb2 c5 10.Qe2[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]10...Rc8[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]11.Rfd1 Qc7 12.Rac1[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]12...Qb8 13.cxd5[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]13...exd5 14.Bf5 Rcd8 15.dxc5[/font] then:

[font color="red"]15...bxc5 16.Na4 Ne4 17.Ba3 Bc6 18.Bxd7 Bxd7 19.Nxc5[/font] gives White an extra pawn, stronger pawns and a tactical initiative (Persitz-Czerniak, IT, Tel Aviv/Haifa, 1958).
[font color="burgundy"]15...Nxc5?! 16.Nb5! a6 17.Be5 Qa8 18.Nbd4 Ne8 19.h4[/font] gives White pieces flying all over the center and a huge advantage in space (Adler-Faibisovich, Op, Pardubice, 2001).

[font color="darkpink"]13...Nxd5!? 14.Nxd5! Bxd5 15.Bb5 Rfd8 16.e4 Bb7 17.d5[/font] gives White an impressive advantage in space (Spraggett-Santos, Op, Figueira da Foz, Portugal, 2010).

[font color="darkorchid"]12...Rfd8 13.cxd5 exd5 14.Bf5 g6 15.Bh3 Ra8 16.Ne5[/font] gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Tal-Rozentalis, Soviet Union, 1985).

If [font color="darkred"]11.Rad1 Qc7 12.Ne5 dxc4[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]13.Bxc4 Rfd8 14.f4 cxd4 15.exd4 Nxe5 16.dxe5 Nd5[/font] is equal (Lutikov-Dementiev, Soviet Ch Armed Forces, Leningrad, 1968). White gets a small advantage after 16.fxe5.
[font color="magenta"]13.bxc4 cxd4 14.exd4 a6 15.f4 Bb4 16.Nb1 Rfe8[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space (Saacke-Kestler, Bundesliga 8182, Germany, 1981).

If [font color="darkred"]a) 10...Ne4[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]11.Rfd1[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]11...Nxc3 12.Bxc3 Bf6[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]13.cxd5 exd5 14.Rac1 Rc8 15.dxc5 bxc5 16.Ba6[/font] gives White a slight advantage in sapce (Darga-Eisinger, West German Ch, Höchst, 1955).
[font color="purple"]13.Ne5 dxc4 14.Bxc4 Qc7 15.Nxd7 Qxd7 16.Rac1[/font] is equal (Gerschenkron-Becker, IT, Vienna, 1934).

[font color="darkorange"]11...Rc8 12.cxd5 exd5 13.Ba6 Bxa6 14.Qxa6[/font] draw (Radulski-Iotov, Euro Ch, Antalya, 2004).

[font color="magenta"]11.cxd5 exd5 12.Rfd1 Bf6 13.Rac1 cxd4 14.Nxd4 Bxd4 15.exd4 Re8 16.Nxe4 dxe4 17.Bc4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space Pozdniakov-Antoshin, 1970).

If [font color="darkred"]b) 10...cxd4 11.exd4 Re8[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]12.Rad1 Rc8 13.Ne5[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]13...Nf8 14.Kh1 Ng6 15.f4 Nh4 16.Rf2 Nf5 17.Bb1 Bb4 18.Na4 Bf8 19.Nc3 Bb4 20.Na4 Bf8[/font] draw (Najdorf-Andersson, IT, Buenos Aires, 1979).
[font color="darkorange"]13...dxc4 14.bxc4 Bf8 15.f4 g6 16.Kh1 Qc7 17.Qe3[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Adamski-Hort, Rubinstein Mem, Polanica Zdroj, 1967).

[font color="magenta"]12.Ne5 Nf8 13.Rad1 Ng6 14.Bb1 dxc4 15.Bxg6 hxg6 16.bxc4[/font] is equal (Spielmann-Beutum, IT, Vienna, 1933).

If [font color="darkred"]8.cxd5 exd5[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]9.b3 Nbd7 10.Bb2[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]10...c5 11.Rc1[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]11...a6[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]12.Qe2 b5 13.dxc5 Nxc5[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]14.Bf5 Re8 15.Rfd1 Qb6 16.Qc2 Rad8 17.Ne2[/font] gives White stronger pawns and a small advantage in space (Portisch-Toth, IT, Reggio Emilia, 1984).
[font color="burgundy"]14.Nd4 g6 15.Rfd1 Rc8 16.Bc2 b4 17.Na4 Nxa4 18.bxa4[/font] is equal (Donchenko-Khenkin, Israeli Op, Tel Aviv, 2001).

If [font color="magenta"]12.Ne5 cxd4 13.exd4[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]13...b5 14.Qf3 Bd6 15.Rfe1 Re8 16.Nxd7 Qxd7[/font] is equal (Welling-Pakidze, Op, Oslo, 2011).
[font color="darkorange"]13...Re8 14.f4 b5 15.Bf5 Nf8 16.Ne2 Ne4 17.Ng3[/font] gives White more space and Black stronger pawns (M. Gurevich-Bareev, GMA Qual, Moscow, 1990).

If [font color="magenta"]11...Re8 12.Ne2[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]12...Ne4 13.Ng3 Rc8 14.Qe2 Nxg3 15.hxg3 Bf6 16.Bf5[/font] gives White a little more space and Black slightly better pawns (Jussupow-Dr. Hübner, IT, Munich, 1992).
[font color="darkorange"]12...a6 13.dxc5 bxc5 14.Ng3 Qb6 15.Ng5 Bf8 16.Nh5[/font] gives White more activity and better pawns (G. Pap-Klein, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2012).

[font color="burgundy"]10...Ne4 11.Rc1 Nxc3 12.Rxc3 Bd6 13.Ne5 Nf6 14.Qe2[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Charousek-Chigorin, IT, Budapest, 1896).

If [font color="magenta"]a) 9.Ne5 c5[/font] then:

If [font color="magenta"]10.b3 Nc6 11.Bb2[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]11...cxd4 12.Nxc6 Bxc6 13.exd4 Bd6 14.Qf3 Rc8 15.Rfe1[/font] is equal (Jaffe-Janowski, Match, New York, 1917).
[font color="burgundy"]11...Bd6 12.Nxc6 Bxc6 13.Rc1 Qe7 14.Nb5 Bxb5 15.Bxb5[/font] gives White a small advantage with two Bishops, a Rook waiting the for c-file to open and his dark-bound Bishop ready for action on the long diagonal (Marovic-Parma, IT, Zagreb, 1965).

If [font color="darkorange"]10.Qf3 Nc6 11.Qh3[/font] then:

[font color="darkorange"]11...Re8 12.Rd1 g6 13.Ba6 Qc7 14.Bxb7 Qxb7 15.Qf3[/font] gives White a slight advantage (Averbakh-Gulko, Trmt, Moscow, 1968).
[font color="purple"]11...Nxe5 12.dxe5 Ne4 13.f3 Ng5 14.Qg3 d4 15.Ne2[/font] gives White more activity and Black better pawns (Stefanova-Kosteniuk, Mindgames BlitzW, Beijing, 2011).

If [font color="magenta"]b) 9.Qc2 c5[/font] then:

If [font color="magenta"]10.dxc5 bxc5 11.Rd1[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]11...Nbd7 12.b3 Rc8 13.Bb2 Qc7 14.Bf5 Rcd8 15.Rac1[/font] is equal (Bylino-Hoen, World Sr Ch, Arco, Italy, 2011).
[font color="purple"]11...Nc6 12.a3 g6 13.Bc4 d4 14.exd4 Nxd4 15.Nxd4 cxd4 16.Be3[/font] gives White more piece activity and stronger pawns (Süchtung-Berger, DSB Kongress, Coburg, 1904).

[font color="darkorange"]10.b3 Nbd7 11.Bb2 Rc8 12.Rfd1 Qc7 13.Rac1 g6 14.Qe2[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space (Reshevsky-Tholfsen, IT, Syracuse, New York, 1934).

7.b3 0-0 8.Bb2 Nbd7 9.Nc3 a6 10.Qc2

If [font color="red"]10.Rc1[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]10...Qe7[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]11.Na4 dxc4 12.bxc4 Ne4[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]13.c5 bxc5 14.Ne5 Rfd8 15.Nxd7 Rxd7[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]16.dxc5 Nxc5 17.Nxc5 Bxc5 18.Bxh7+ Kxh7 19.Qh5+ Kg8[/font] then:

[font color="red"]20.Rxc5 Rd5 21.Rxd5 Bxd5 22.Qg4 f6 23.a3 Rb8 24.Qe2 c5[/font] is equal (Franco Ocampos-Bruzón, Ol, Torino, 2006).
[font color="burgundy"]20.Qxc5 Qxc5 21.Rxc5 f6 22.f3 Rb8 23.Bc3 Bd5 24.a4[/font] gives White a more active Rook and a small advantage in space (Portisch-Dautov, IT, Ter Appel, 1994).

[font color="darkpink"]16.Bxe4 Bxe4 17.Nxc5 Bxc5 18.Rxc5 Qxc5 19.dxc5 Rxd1 20.Rxd1 f6[/font] gives Black an edge in space (Jussupow-Khalifman, Bundesliga 9394, Germany, 1994).

[font color="darkorchid"]13.Qe2 f5 14.Rfd1 Rfd8 15.Rb1 b5 16.Ba1[/font] is equal (Portisch-Nikolic, IT, Tunisien, 1985).

If [font color="darkred"]11.cxd5 exd5[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]12.Qc2 Ne4 13.Ne2 Rac8[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]14.Nf4 g5 15.Ne2 f5 16.Ng3 g4[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space (Danielian-Chiburdanidze, Grand Prix W, Doha, 2011).
[font color="burgundy"]14.Ng3 f5 15.Qe2 Ra8 16.Qc2 Rf7 17.Rcd1 Re8[/font] gives Black a slight advantage in space (Solozhenkin-Norri, Finnish ChT, Finland, 2005).

If [font color="magenta"]12.Rc2 Ne4 13.Ne2 f5[/font] then:

If [font color="magenta"]14.Ng3 Rf7[/font] then:

If [font color="magenta"]15.Re1 g5[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]16.Nd2 Raf8 17.Qe2 g4 18.Bxe4 fxe4 19.Qxg4+[/font] is equal (Bruzón-Kramnik, IT A, Wijk aan Zee, 2005).
[font color="burgundy"]16.Qe2 g4 17.Nd2 Qe6 18.Ndf1 Ndf6 19.f3 h5[/font] gives Black a significant advantage in space (Borne-Tiviakov, Op, Banyoles, 2006).

[font color="darkpink"]15.Qe2 g6 16.Rfc1 c6 17.Ne1 a5 18.Nf1 Re8 19.f4 g5[/font] gives Black the advantage in space (Z. Mamedyarova-Chiburdanidze, OlW, Calvia, 2004).

If [font color="darkorange"]14.Qa1 Rae8 15.Ne5 Bxe5 16.dxe5 Nec5[/font] then:

If [font color="darkorange"]17.e6 Nxe6 18.Nd4 Ndc5 19.Ba3 Qf6 20.Nxe6[/font] then:

[font color="darkorange"]20...Qxa1!? 21.Rxa1! Rxe6 22.Bxc5 bxc5 23.Rxc5[/font] gives White a more comfortable game with a tactical initiative against the c-pawn, for example, if 23...Re7 then 24.Rac1 Rc8? 25.Bxf5! wins the exchange and at least one pawn (Arutinian-Olszewski, Voivoda Cup, Legnica, 2009).
[font color="purple"]20...Qxe6 21.Bxc5 bxc5 22.Rxc5 c6 23.Qd4[/font] continues to give White a fair advantage in space.

[font color="hotpink"]17.Nf4 Nxe5 18.Be2 g5 19.Nh5 a5 20.Bd4 f4[/font] gives Black the advantage in space and an extra pawn (Volkov-Bocharov, Russian ChT, Dagomys, 2008).

If [font color="darkred"]10...Ne4 11.Ne2[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]11...Qe7 12.Ne5[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]12...Bxe5 13.dxe5[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]13...Ndc5 14.cxd5 Nxd3 15.Qxd3 exd5 16.f3 Nc5 17.Qc3[/font] gives White a slight advantage with more activity for his pieces (Muse-Schlosser, IT, Altensteig, 1991).
[font color="burgundy"]13...Nec5 14.Bb1 dxc4 15.Rxc4 a5 16.Qc2 g6 17.f4 Ba6[/font] is equal (Keene-Ree, Dutch ChT, 1979).

[font color="darkpink"]12...Rfd8 13.cxd5 exd5 14.Nc6 Bxc6 15.Rxc6 Nb8 16.Rc2[/font] gives White a fair advantage as his pieces come alive after 17.Nf4! (Gligoric-Nikolic, IT, Portorosz/Ljubjana, 1985).

If [font color="magenta"]11...Qf6 12.Ng3 Qh6[/font] then:

If [font color="magenta"]13.cxd5 Nxg3 14.hxg3 exd5 15.g4[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]15...Rfe8 16.g3 g6 17.Kg2 Qf8 18.Rh1 Qe7 19.Qg1[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space (Su. Polgar-Ljubojevic, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 1993).
[font color="burgundy"]15...f6 16.g3 g6 17.Kg2 Rfe8 18.Be2 Qg7 19.a4[/font] is equal (Potisch-Chandler, ITZ, Manila, 1990).

If [font color="darkorange"]13.Ne5 Ndf6 14.Qe2[/font] then:

[font color="darkorange"]14...Qh4?! 15.cxd5! Bxd5 16.Nxe4 Bxe4 17.Bxe4 Nxe4 18.g3[/font] gives White more freedom; the Knight will be driven from e4 (Portisch-Franco Ocampos, IT, Mar del Plata, 1982).
If [font color="purple"]14...a5! 15.cxd5[/font] then:

[font color="purple"]15...Nxg3 16.hxg3 Nxd5 17.a3 f5 18.e4 fxe4 19.Qxe4[/font] is equal.
[font color="hotpink"]15...Bxd5 16.Nxe4 Bxe4 17.Bxe4 Nxe4 18.f3 Ng5 19.h3[/font] gives White a small advantage in space.

If [font color="blue"]10.Qe2 Ne4 11.Rad1 Qe7[/font] then:

If [font color="blue"]12.Qc2 f5 13.Ne2 dxc4[/font] then:

[font color="blue"]14.Bxc4 b5 15.Bd3 c5 16.Ne5 cxd4 17.exd4 Rac8 18.Qb1 Nxe5 19.dxe5 Bc5[/font] gives Black a comfortable advantage in space (Rodríguez-Smyslov, Capablanca Mem, Havana, 1967).
[font color="dodgerblue"]14.bxc4 Rad8 15.Ng3 Nxg3 16.hxg3 Nf6 17.Qb3 Ba8 18.Ng5 Ng4[/font] gives Black a slight advantage in space (Pushkov-Savon, Op, Orel, 1992).

[font color="darkblue"]12.Nb1 f5 13.Ne5 Bxe5 14.dxe5 Nec5 15.Bc2 dxc4 16.bxc4 b5 17.Ba3 Nxe5[/font] gives Black a slight advantage in space (Donner-Timman, IBM, Amsterdam, 1971).

If [font color="#008000"]10.Nd2[/font] then:

[font color="#008000"]10...c5 11.cxd5 exd5 12.Re1 Re8 13.Bf1 Qc7 14.g3 cxd4 15.exd4 Rxe1 16.Qxe1 Re8[/font] gives Black the initiative and more space (Lukov-Psakhis, Op, Cappelle-la-Grande, 2006).
[font color="#6CC417"]10...dxc4 11.bxc4 c5 12.Nde4 Nxe4 13.Bxe4 Bxe4 14.Nxe4 Bxh2+ 15.Kxh2 Qh4+ 16.Kg1 Qxe4[/font] gives Black an extra pawn (Biliskov-Kurajica, Croatian Cup, Sibenik, 2005).

10...dxc4

If [font color="red"]10...c5 11.cxd5 exd5[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]12.dxc5 bxc5 13.e4 d4 14.Nb1[/font] then:

[font color="red"]14...Re8 15.Nbd2 Bc7 16.a3 Rc8 17.Rae1 Ng4 18.Nc4[/font] is equal (I. Turova-Sambuev, Chigorin Mem Op, St. Petersburg, 2001).
[font color="magenta"]14...Ng4 15.Nbd2 f5 16.b4 cxb4 17.Bxd4 Nde5 18.h3[/font] is equal (Makarichev-S. Smagin, Tal Mem, Moscow, 1992).

[font color="darkred"]12.Rae1 Rc8 13.dxc5 Nxc5 14.Bf5 Rc7 15.Rc1 Qe7[/font] gives White stronger pawns and Black a slight edge in space.

11.bxc4 Bxf3 12.gxf3 c5 13.d5 exd5

[font color="red"]13...Ne5 14.f4 Nxd3 15.Qxd3 Qe7 16.Kh1 e5[/font] is equal (Jussupow-Timman, Dutch ChT, 2001).

14.cxd5 b5 15.Be2?! (N)

[font color="red"]15.Bf5 Re8 16.Ne4 Nxe4 17.fxe4 Ne5 18.f4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Khurtsidze-Kovanova, Euro Club Cup W, Kallithea, 2008).

]

[center]BLACK: Hou Yifan[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Nigel Short[/center][center]Position after 15.Bd3e2[/center]

15...c4!

Black has stronger pawns and the advantage in space.

16.Ne4 Nxe4 17.fxe4 Qe7

[font color="red"]17...Rc8!? 18.Bd4 Bc5 19.Qb2 Qg5+ 20.Kh1 Bxd4 21.Qxd4 Qf6[/font] gives Black just a small advantage ins space.

18.f4 f6 19.Rad1?!

White needn't worry about his center for now. A good alternative is to force weaknesses on Black's queenside.
If [font color="red"]19.a4 Nc5 20.axb5 axb5 21.Bf3[/font] then:

[font color="red"]21...Rxa1 22.Rxa1 Rb8 23.Bg2 Qe8 24.Bf3 Nd3[/font] gives Black greater activity for her pieces, stronger pawns and a small advantage in space.
If [font color="darkred"]21...Nd3?! 22.Bd4[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]22...Rfe8 23.Rab1 Nb4 24.Qg2 Ra4[/font] gives Black just a slight advantage in space.
[font color="magenta"]22...Rfb8 23.Rfd1 h6 24.Qb1 b4 25.Rxa8 Rxa8 26.Qc2[/font] is eqia;.

19...Rac8?!

Since White didn't attack, Black's queenside is secure for the moment. She should fight for a better piece of the center.
If [font color="red"]19...Rae8! 20.Bf3 Nc5 21.Rd4 Na4 22.Bc1 Qd7[/font] gives Black a an advanced passed pawn and a small advantage in space.

20.Bd4!

The game is equal.

20...Nc5 21.Bxc5?!

This exchange only helps Black activate her Bishop.
[font color="red"]21.Bg4 Rc7 22.Bxc5 Bxc5 23.Be6+ Kh8 24.Rf3 Bd6[/font] remains equal.

[center]BLACK: Hou Yifan[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Nigel Short[/center][center]Position after 21.Bd4c5:N[/center]

21...Bxc5!

Black has more activity and a small advantage in space.

22.Bg4 Bxe3+ 23.Kh1 f5?!

Now Black stumbles badly. The pawn is too vulnerable at f5 to be effective.
If [font color="red"]23...Rce8! 24.Be6+ Kh8 25.Rf3 Bc5 26.Qg2 Rd8 27.Rdf1 Bd6[/font] gives Black stronger pawns and a passed pawn that could soon be ready to advance; White has a better center.

24.Bxf5!

White completely turns the tables and gets a better center and a small advantage in space; Black still has stronger pawns..

24...Rcd8 25.e5 Kh8?

Black has less to fear to from Be6+ than from Bxh7.
Black does better with [font color="red"]25...g6 26.Be6+ Kh8 27.Qe4 Bc5 28.Rf3.[/font] She still has her kingside pawns and her position is more defensible.

[center]BLACK: Hou Yifan[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Nigel Short[/center][center]Position after 25...Kg8h8[/center]

26.Qe4!

White brings the Queen to the center where it it sits in a most flexible position. From e4, it can support a dirct attack on the Black King, support a pawn roller in the center or come back and fight against the advance of Black's queenside pawns.

26...Qc5

If [font color="red"]26...Qh4[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]27.Qxe3 Rxf5 28.d6 Qh5 29.e6 Qe8 30.e7.[/font]
If [font color="blue"]26...c3[/font] then White wins after [font color="blue"]27.Qxe3 Rxf5 28.Qxc3 g5 29.Qd4 Kg8 30.Rg1.[/font]

27.Bxh7 c3 28.Bg6 c2

If [font color="red"]28...Bd2[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]29.Rf3 Qxd5 30.Qxd5 Rxd5 31.e6 Kg8 32.e7.[/font]

29.Qg2 Bxf4 30.Bxc2 Qe7 31.d6 Qe6

If [font color="red"]31...Qd7[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]32.Qe4 Qf5 33.Qxf5 Rxf5 34.e6 Rff8 35.e7.[/font]

32.Rde1!?

White doesn't need to find the best moves to win.
The quickest win is [font color="red"]32.d7![/font] when after [font color="red"]32...g6 33.Rd6 Qg8 34.Rxg6 Qh7 35.Rg3[/font] Black's Queen has become a desperado.

32...g5 33.Rf3 g4 34.Rf2 Qh6 35.Qxg4 Bxe5

If [font color="red"]35...Bc1[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]36.e6 Rxf2 37.Qd4+ Qf6 38.e7.[/font]

36.Rxe5 Rxf2

If [font color="red"]36...Rg8[/font] then [font color="red"]37.Qh5 Qxh5 38.Rxh5+ Kg7 39.Rh7#.[/font]

[center]BLACK: Hou Yifan[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Nigel Short[/center][center]Position after 36...Rf8f2:R[/center]

37.Rh5

The rest requires no comment.

37...Rxd6 38.Rxh6+ Rxh6 39.Qc8+ Kg7 40.Qc7+ Rf7 41.Qg3+ Kf8 42.h4 Rhf6 43.Bb3 Rf1+ 44.Kg2 R7f6 45.h5 1-0

If [font color="red"]45...R1f2+[/font] then [font color="red"]46.Qxf2 Rxf2+ 47.Kxf2[/font] gives White an elementary win.
Hou Nushi resigns.

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

22. Ghane - Hou Yifan, Round 3

Reply to Jack Rabbit (Reply #9)

Wed May 16, 2012, 01:19 PM

May 2012

[center][/center]

[center]Hou Yifan[/center][font size="1"]Photo by karpidis (http://www.flickr.com/photos/karpidis/) modified from flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/8022405@N02/2750069891/) in Wikimedia Commons (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Hou_Yifan) (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]

Shojaat Ghane - Hou Yifan
12th International Open, Round 3
Bangkok, 14 April 2012

East India Game: Capablanca Opening

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 0-0 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 Qe8

For moves and varions of the Capablanca Opening up to here and what follows 6...d5, see the [font color="blue"]blue notes to White's fourth move[/font] in Bacrot-David, French ChT, Mulhouse, 2011.

7.Nf3 b6

If [font color="red"]7...d6 8.g3[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]8...a5 9.b3 a4 10.b4 b5 11.c5 Bb7 12.Bg2 Be4[/font] then:

[font color="red"]13.Qe3 Qc6 14.0-0 Qd5 15.Bb2 Nc6 16.Rfc1 Ne7[/font] is equal (Huachard-Bauer, French Ch, Narbonne, 1997).
[font color="magenta"]13.0-0 Nd5 14.Qd2 f5 15.Re1 f4[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space after White opens the c-file (Chekhov-Sjoborg, IT, Kecskemet, 1991).

[font color="darkred"]8...b6 9.Bg2 Bb7 10.0-0[/font] transposes into the notes to White's eighth move.

8.e3 (N)

If [font color="red"]8.g3 Bb7 9.Bg2 d6 10.0-0[/font] then:

[font color="red"]10...Nbd7 11.b4 Ne4 12.Qc2 f5 13.Ng5 Qg6 14.Nh3[/font] gives White a small advantage, mostly concentrated on the queenside (Korchnoi-Lerner, IT, Lugano, 1989).
[font color="darkred"]10...Ne4 11.Qc2[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Ree-Timman, Trmt, Amsterdam, 1973).

8...Bb7

The game is equal.

9.Be2 d6 10.0-0 Nbd7 11.b3

[font color="red"]11.Qc2 a5 12.b3 Be4 13.Qc3 Bb7[/font] remains equal.

11...Ne4 12.Qc2 f5 13.Ne1

[font color="red"]13.Nd2 Nef6 14.f3 h5 15.Re1 h4[/font] remains equal.

13...Rf6?!

Black wants to bring the Rook to h6, but the text move takes away the Knight's best retreat in the event it is attacked.
If [font color="red"]13...a5[/font] then:

[font color="red"]14.Nd3 e5 15.Bb2 Qe7 16.Rad1 Qg5[/font] remains equal.
[font color="darkred"]14.f3 Nef6 15.Nd3 e5 16.Bd2 Qf7 17.d5[/font] remains equal.

[center]BLACK: Hou Yifan[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Shojaat Ghane[/center][center]Position after 13...Rf8f6[/center]

14.f3!

White exploits Black's inaccuracte play. The Knight must move to g5, where it is less safe and less effective than it would have been at f6.

14...Ng5 15.e4 f4

No better is [font color="red"]15...h6 16.exf5 exf5 17.Nd3 Qe7 18.Re1 Re8 19.d5[/font] gives White more freedom

16.Nd3 e5 17.d5?!

White misses an opportunity to weaken Black's queenside.
[font color="red"]17.c5! bxc5 18.dxe5 dxe5 19.Nxc5 Nxc5 20.Qxc5[/font] gives White greater piece activity and a small advantage in space.

[center]BLACK: Hou Yifan[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Shojaat Ghane[/center][center]Position after [i17.d4d5][/center]

17...Qh5!

Black takes advantage of White's passive play to launch a kingside attack.
Also good is [font color="red"]17...Rh6! 18.Nf2 Nf6 19.Ng4 Nxg4 20.fxg4 Qg6[/font] gives White more freedom, the initiative on the kingside and a small advantage in space. White's pieces, including his good Bishop, cannot penetrate through the pawns.

18.Nf2

Suddenly, Black has a small advantage in space.

18...Rg6 19.Qd3?

White cannot see the danger to his kingside.
If [font color="red"]19.Ng4 Bc8 20.Bd2 Nc5 21.Be1 a5 22.Rb1 a4[/font] keeps White in the game, but Black has a significant advantage in space and threats to the White King position.

19...Nf6!

Black is now winning and so dominamt is her position that she has a variety of winning plance from which to choose.
A pincer attack also works: [font color="red"]19...Nc5! 20.Qc3 Bc8[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]21.Ng4 Qh4 22.Qe1 Qxe1 23.Rxe1 Nxb3[/font] then:

[font color="red"]24.Rb1 Nd4 25.Kf1 Bxg4 26.fxg4 Rh6 27.Bd1 Rxh2[/font] gives White two extra pawns.
[font color="magenta"]24.Ra2 Bxg4 25.fxg4 Nc5 26.a4 Ngxe4 27.Ra3[/font] leaves White two pawns to the good.

If [font color="darkred"]21.Re1[/font] then Black wins after [font color="darkred"]21...Rh6 22.h3 Bxh3!! 23.Nxh3 Nxh3+ 24.Kf1 Qh4.[/font]

20.Rd1

If [font color="red"]20.Re1[/font] then Black wins after [font color="red"]20...Bc8 21.c5 bxc5 22.a4 Rh6 23.h3 Bxh3!!.[/font]

20...Bc8! 21.Ra2

If [font color="red"]21.Rd2[/font] then Black wins after [font color="red"]21...Rh6 22.h3 Qh4 23.Kf1 Qg3 24.Ke1 Qxg2.[/font]

21...Rh6 22.h3

[center]BLACK: Hou Yifan[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Shojaat Ghane[/center][center]Position after 22.h2h3[/center]

22...Bxh3!!

The Bishop sacrifice on h3, which has been a possibility for several moves, is at last played.
If [font color="red"]22...Qh4[/font] then Black wins after [font color="red"]23.Kf1 Qg3 24.Nh1 Qh2 25.Nf2 Rg6.[/font]

23.gxh3

[font color="red"]23.Nxh3 Nxh3+ 24.gxh3 Qg6+ 25.Kf1 Qg3[/font] gives Black the exchange and an extra pawn; White must surrender material or submit to a quick mate.

23...Nxh3+ 24.Nxh3 Qxh3 25.Bf1 Qh1+ 26.Kf2 Rh2+ 27.Ke1 Rxa2 0-1

If [font color="red"]28.Rd2 Ra1 29.Rd1 Qh2[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]30.Qd2[/font] then Black wins after [font color="red"]30...Qg3+ 31.Qf2 h5 32.Ke2 h4 33.Qxg3 fxg3.[/font]
If [font color="darkred"]30.Bd2 Rxa3 31.Bb4 Qg3+[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]32.Ke2 Ra2+[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]33.Rd2 Rxd2+ 34.Kxd2 a5 35.Bc3 Nd7 36.Kc2 a4[/font] gives White the exchange and three extra pawns.
If [font color="darkorange"]33.Bd2 Qh2+ 34.Ke1 Nh5 35.Rc1 Ng3[/font] gives White the exchange and three extra pawns.

If [font color="magenta"]32.Kd2 Qf2+ 33.Kc3 Ra2 34.Rd2 Qe1 35.c5 bxc5[/font] wins the Bishop.

Grandmaster Ghane resigns.

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

14. 14th Dubai Open

Sat May 5, 2012, 03:05 AM

May 2012

[center][/center]

[center]Wind Tower of a Village Mosque near Dubai[/center][font size="1"]Photo by Gryffindor (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Gryffindor) in Wikiemedia Commons (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Windtower_Heritage_Village_Dubai_March_2008.JPG) (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

16. Ni Hua - Kuzubov, Round 9

Reply to Jack Rabbit (Reply #14)

Sat May 5, 2012, 03:09 AM

May 2012

[center][/center]

[center]Ni Hua[/center][font size="1"]Photo by http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Lightex&action=edit&redlink=1 Lightex in http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Ni_Hua Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)
[/font]

Ni Hua - Yuriy Kuzubov
14th Dubai Open, Round 9
Dubai, 23 April 2012

Open Sicilian Game: Minerva Opening

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.Qd3

This is not as common as 6.Bxc6, but probably better.
For for the most common lines of the Minerva Opening, see Xu Yuhua-Dzagnidze, Grand Prix W, Nanjing, 2009.

6...Nf6 7.c4 (N)

Setting up the Maroczy bind is a new idea; we'll probably see this again.
If [font color="red"]7.Nc3[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]7...e6 8.Bf4 a6[/font] then:

[font color="red"]9.Ba4 b5 10.Bb3 b4 11.Ne2[/font] is equal (Tseitlin-Stohl, IT, Rimavska Sobota, 1991).
If [font color="darkred"]9.Bxc6 Bxc6 10.0-0-0[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]10...Be7!? 11.Rhe1 Qb6 12.Bxd6 0-0-0 13.e5 Ne8 14.Nd5[/font] gives White activity, the initiative and space (Ljubojevic-Timman, Euwe Mem, Amsterdam, 1988).
[font color="magenta"]10...d5! 11.Ne5 Bb4 12.exd5 Bxd5[/font] gives White a small advantage in space.

If [font color="darkred"]7...g6 8.Bg5 Bg7[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]9.0-0-0 Ng4 10.Rhf1 h6 11.Bf4 Qa5[/font] is equal (Zelcic-Pérez Candelario, Euro Club Cup, Kallithea, Greece, 2008).
[font color="magenta"]9.0-0 0-0 10.Rad1 Qa5 11.Bxc6 Bxc6 12.Rfe1 Rfe8[/font] is equal (Vreeken-Bouwman-Shirov, Op, Moscow, 1989).

If [font color="blue"]7.Bg5[/font] then:

[font color="blue"]7...Ng4 8.Nc3 h6 9.Bxc6 Bxc6 10.Bh4 g5 11.Bg3[/font] is equal (Sebag-Bojkovic, Euro ChW, Gaziantep, 2012).
[font color="darkblue"]7...e6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Nc3 a6 10.Ba4 Nb4 11.Bxd7+ Qxd7[/font] is equal (XINIX-IsiChess, Computer Trmt, Leiden, 2006).

7...g6

With development incomplete fro both sides, the game is equal.
[font color="red"]7...Rc8 8.Nc3 a6 9.Bxc6 Bxc6 10.0-0 g6 11.Nd5[/font] gives White a very slight advantage in space.

8.Nc3 Bg7 9.0-0 0-0 10.h3

With development now complete, the game is equal.

10...a6

[font color="red"]10...Nb4 11.Qe2 a6 12.Bxd7 Nxd7 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.exd5[/font] remains equal.

11.Bxc6

The Knight has potential to make mischief on the queenside; White does well to liquidate.
If [font color="red"]11.Ba4!?[/font] then:

[font color="red"]11...Nb4 12.Qe2 Bxa4 13.Nxa4 Qa5 14.Nc3 Nd7 15.Nd5[/font] remains equal.
If [font color="darkred"]11...Rc8 12.Bd2[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]12...Be6!? 13.Bxc6! bxc6 14.Rad1[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]14...Qb6 15.b3 Rcd8 16.Qe3 Qxe3 17.Bxe3 Nd7 18.Ne2[/font] gives White a small advantage in space.
[font color="darkorange"]14...Nd7 15.Na4 Qc7 16.b3 Rb8 17.Rfe1 Qa7 18.Bf4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space.

[font color="magenta"]12...Na5 13.b3 Bxa4 14.Nxa4 Nc6 15.Be3 Nd7 16.Rad1[/font] remains equal.

11...Bxc6 12.Nd4

If [font color="red"]12.Be3! Rc8 13.b4[/font] then:

[font color="red"]13...Qc7 14.Rac1 Bd7 15.c5 Bc6[/font] then:

[font color="red"]16.Nd4 dxc5 17.Nxc6 Qxc6 18.Bxc5 Qe6 19.Rfe1[/font] remains equal.
[font color="magenta"]16.Bf4 Nh5 17.Bh2 Qd7 18.e5 dxe5 19.Qxd7 Bxd7[/font] is equal.

[font color="darkred"]13...Be8!? 14.Rac1! Qc7 15.Nd5 Nxd5 16.exd5 Ba4 17.Qd2[/font] gives White a threat to eliminate Black's fianchettoed Bishop and a small advantage in space.

12...Rc8 13.Re1 Nd7 14.b3!?

The move could have waited. Nothing can threaten the c-pawn at the moment.
[font color="red"]14.Qe3 Nc5 15.Bd2 a5 16.Rad1 a4 17.Re2 Bd7 18.Nd5 e6[/font] remains equal.

14...Nc5!?

If [font color="red"]14...b5 15.cxb5[/font] then:

[font color="red"]15...axb5 16.Ba3 Ne5 17.Qd3 Qa5 18.Bb2 b4[/font] gives Black the initiative and a slight advantage in space.
[font color="darkred"]15...Nc5 16.Qd2 Bxb5 17.Bb2 Qa5 18.Red1 Rfe8[/font] gives White a better center, Black a small advantage in space and neither side much freedom.
[font color="magenta"]15...Bxb5 16.Qe3 Qb6 17.Ndxb5 axb5 18.Nd5 Qd8[/font] gives Black the initiative; White has a slight advantage in space.

15.Qe3

The game is still equal.

15...Ne6

[font color="red"]15...b5 16.cxb5 axb5 17.Nxc6 Rxc6 18.Rb1[/font] remains equal.
[font color="blue"]15...e6 16.Rb1 Qh4 17.Ba3 b6 18.Nxc6 Rxc6[/font] remains equal.

16.Nxe6

If [font color="red"]16.Nxc6[/font] then:

[font color="red"]16...Rxc6 17.Rb1 Bxc3 18.Qxc3 b5 19.Bh6 Re8[/font] remains equal.
[font color="darkred"]16...bxc6 17.Bd2 Qc7 18.Rab1 Rb8 19.b4 Qb6 20.Qe2[/font] remains equal.

16...fxe6

[center]BLACK: Yuriy Kuzubov[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Ni Hua[/center]
[center]Position after 16...fe6:N[/center]

17.Bb2!?

The Bishop takes a post on the long diagonal, but this move leaves the queenside open for Black's pieces, especially the dark squares.
[font color="red"]17.Bd2 b5 18.cxb5 axb5 19.Rac1 Qd7 20.Ne2 Qb7[/font] remains equal.

17...Qa5!

Black takes advantag of the weakness of White's last move and has a slight advantage in space. We've all heard of a mjor league play in paseball; this is a grandmaster move in chess.

18.Re2!?

This mistake may have been planned along with the last one. The Rook comes up to protect the Bishop. A better idea is to shorten the a-file.
[font color="red"]18.a4 Be5 19.Nd1 Bf4 20.Qc3 Qxc3 21.Bxc3 Bg5[/font] continues to give Black a slight advantage.

18...Bd7!?

Black retreats the Bishop, both protecting the weak a-pawn and opening the c-file to the Rook.
Better is [font color="red"]18...b5[/font] (preventing 19.a4, thus giving the Queen pressure on the a-file) [font color="red"]19.Nd1 bxc4 20.Bxg7 Kxg7 21.bxc4 e5[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space.

19.Nd1!

White neutralizes the long diagonal. The game is equal.

19...Qc5 20.Bxg7

[font color="red"]20.e5 d5 21.Rd2 Qxe3 22.Nxe3 Bh6 23.Re1[/font] remains equal.

20...Qxe3?!

This exchange allows White to improve his position.
[font color="red"]20...Kxg7! 21.Qxc5 Rxc5 22.Rc1 b5 23.Ne3[/font] remains equal.

21.Nxe3!

White gains stronger pawns and a fair advantage in space.
[font color="red"]21.Rxe3!? Kxg7 22.a4 g5 23.f3 a5 24.Rd3 Rc5[/font] is equal.

21...Kxg7 22.e5 d5

[font color="red"]22...Rc6 23.Rd1 Bc8 24.exd6 Rxd6 25.Rc1 Rfd8 26.c5![/font] continues to give White a fair advantage.

23.cxd5 exd5 24.Nxd5 Be6

[font color="red"]24...Rc5 25.Rd1 Be6 26.Nb4 Rfc8 27.f4[/font] gives White a better center and a small advantage in space.

25.Rd1

White has an extra pawn and a better center.
[font color="red"]25.Nxe7?! Rc7![/font] (the Knight is trapped) [font color="red"]26.Nxg6 hxg6[/font] gives Black a piece for three pawns,

25...Rc5 26.Red2 Kf7 27.f4

White has an extra pawn, a better center and a small advantage in space.

27...Ke8?!

[font color="red"]27...Rxd5 28.Rxd5 Bxd5 29.Rxd5 Ke6 30.Rd4 Rc8 31.a4[/font] continues to give White an extra pawn, a better center and a small advantage in space.

[center]BLACK: Yuriy Kuzubov[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Ni Hua[/center]
[center]Position after 27...Kf7e8[/center]

28.Nb4!

White shifts the attack to Black's hanging Rook.

28...a5

[font color="red"]28...h5 29.Rf2 Bf5 30.Rd4 Ra5 31.Rc4[/font] continues to give White an extra pawn and more active pieces.

29.Nd3 Rc3 30.g4?!

The text move weakens the pawn at f4.
If [font color="red"]30.Nc1![/font] (opening the d-file to the Rooks) [font color="red"]30...Kf7 31.Ne2 Rc5 32.Rd4[/font] continues to give White more activity.

30...Kf7!?

Black misses the best retort.
If [font color="red"]30...b5! 31.Rb1 a4 32.bxa4 bxa4 33.Rb4 Kf7 34.Nf2[/font] gives White only a small advantage owing to an extra pawn; Black has as much space as White with a piece in reserve.

31.Rc1!

White has dodged a bullet and is no worse off now than after his 30th move.
If [font color="red"]31.Nf2 h6 32.Rd3 Rfc8 33.R1d2 Rxd3[/font] then:

[font color="red"]34.Nxd3 Rc3 35.Kf2 a4 36.bxa4 Ra3 37.Nc5[/font] gives White an extra pawn and the advantage in space.
[font color="darkred"]34.Rxd3!? Rc1+ 35.Kg2 Rc2 36.a3 Rb2 37.Kf3[/font] gives White an extra pawn and a slight advantage in space, but Black will soon have a remote pawn majority.

31...Rfc8 32.Rxc3 Rxc3 33.Nf2 h6

[font color="red"]33...Rf3 34.Rd4 b6[/font] then:

[font color="red"]35.Kg2 Re3 36.Rd2 Bc8 37.Nd1 Bb7+ 38.Kh2[/font] continues to give White an extra pawn and a fair advantage in space.
If [font color="darkred"]35.Kf1?! h6 36.Kg2[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]36...Rc3! 37.Rd2[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]37...a4 38.Nd1 Rc1 39.bxa4 Rc4 40.Kf3[/font] gives White an extra pawn and Black active pieces and more space.
If [font color="magenta"]37...Bc8 38.Nd1 Bb7+ 39.Kh2[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]39...Rf3 40.Rf2 Rd3 41.Nb2 Rc3 42.Nc4[/font] gives White an extra pawn; Black has the active Rook and more space.
[font color="darkorange"]39...Rc1 40.Kg3 Ke6 41.Kh4 Be4 42.Rd4[/font] gives White an extra pawn; Black has a better minor piece.

If [font color="magenta"]36...Re3 37.Rd2[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]37...a4 38.bxa4 Ra3 39.Rd4 Rxa2 40.Rb4 Bd5+ 41.Kf1[/font] gives White only a slight advantage in space.
[font color="darkorange"]37...Bc8!? 38.Nd1 Bb7+ 39.Kh2 Rf3 40.Rf2[/font] continues to give White an extra pawn; Black has more space.

34.Kg2!?

This move is too passive.
If [font color="red"]34.Nd1![/font] then:

[font color="red"]34...Rf3 35.Rd4 a4 36.Kg2 axb3 37.a4 b2 38.Nxb2[/font] leaves White with an extra pawn and Black with the advantage in space.
[font color="darkred"]34...Rc1?! 35.Kf2 a4 36.bxa4 Bxa2 37.Ne3[/font] still gives White an extra pawn.

34...b5?!

This move prevents White from advancing the a-pawn, but the Rook at c3 prevents that already. Better is to put additiona pressure on White's queenside.
If [font color="red"]34...a4![/font] then:

[font color="red"]35.Nd1 Rc1 36.bxa4 Rc4 37.Kf3 Rxa4 38.Ne3[/font] reduces White to a slight advantage in space.
[font color="darkred"]35.bxa4!? Rc4! 36.Nd3 Rxa4[/font] [is equal./li]

35.Nd1!

Since Black's last move is ineffective, White simply plays the more effective he should have before.

35...Rc5

If [font color="red"]35...Rc1 36.Ne3 Bc8 37.f5[/font] then:

[font color="red"]37...Bb7+ 38.Kg3 Rc3 39.fxg6+ Kxg6 40.Kf4[/font] continues tp give Black an extra pawn.
If [font color="darkred"]37...Rc5?[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]38.e6+! Kf6 39.Rd7 gxf5 40.gxf5.[/font]

36.Ne3 Ke8?

This straw appears to break the camel's back. Perhaps under the belief that the King at e8 is flexible and can to rush to whichever wing he is needed, Black moves his King to where he is too far away from any potential theater of action.
If [font color="red"]36...a4 37.Rd3 b4 38.Kf3[/font] then:

[font color="red"]38...axb3 39.axb3 Rc3 40.Rxc3 bxc3 41.Ke2 Bxb3 42.Kd3[/font] gives Black good drawing chances.
[font color="darkred"]38...Bc8 39.Rd4 axb3 40.axb3 Rb5 41.Rd8 Bb7+ 42.Kg3[/font] keeps Black in the game, although still a pawn down.

[center]BLACK: Yuriy Kuzubov[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Ni Hua[/center]
[center]Position after 36.Kf7e8[/center]

37.Rc2! Rxc2+

Black's chances are looking quite grim. Conventional wisdom would say that Black needs to maintain Rooks on the board in order to have any realistic drawing chances, but analysis of concrete cast doubt on that possibility.
If [font color="red"]37...Bd5+ 38.Kf2[/font] then:

[font color="red"]38...Rc6 39.Rxc6 Bxc6 40.Ke2[/font] then:

[font color="red"]40...Be4 41.Kd2 e6 42.Kc3 Kd7 43.Kd4 Bb1 44.a3[/font] isn't a good bet, but it is Black's best bet.
If [font color="burgundy"]40...a4[/font] then White wins after [font color="burgundy"]41.Kd3! Kf7 42.Kd4 axb3 43.axb3 Bf3 44.Kc5.[/font]

[font color="darkred"]38...Rxc2+? 39.Nxc2[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]39...Kd7[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]40.Nd4! b4 41.Ke3 g5 42.fxg5 hxg5 43.Nf3.[/font]
If [font color="magenta"]39...e6[/font] then White wins after [font color="magenta"]40.Ke3! a4 41.bxa4 bxa4 42.a3 Kd8 43.h4.[/font]

38.Nxc2 b4

Black thinks he can get counterplay by locking up the queenside and maneuvering on the other wing.
If [font color="red"]38...Bd5+ 39.Kf2![/font] then:

[font color="red"]39...Kd7 40.Nd4 a4 41.bxa4 bxa4 42.a3 e6 43.Ke3[/font] gives White an extra pawn and more freedom.
[font color="darkred"]39...e6? 40.Nd4! b4[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]40...a4 41.Ke3 a4 42.g5 h5 43.h4[/font] when Black has no good moves at all.

41.bxa4 bxa4 42.a3 Kf7 43.h4.

39.Kf3!

Black has no prospective counterplay in sight.

39...Bd5+ 40.Ke3 Bg2 41.h4 Bh3

If [font color="red"]41...Bc6[/font] then after [font color="red"]42.Nd4 Bd7 43.e6 Bc8 44.Ke4 Bb7+ 45.Ke5[/font] White wins by advantcing the f-pawn.

42.Kd4

White's plan is to eliminate White's queenside pawns and win by advancing conneced passers.
White can also win on the other wing: If [font color="red"]42.Kf3 Bf1 43.Ke4 Be2[/font] then:

[font color="red"]44.g5! hxg5 45.hxg5 Bf1 46.e6 Bh3 47.Nd4[/font] White wins easily by advancing the f-pawn.
If [font color="darkred"]44.f5 Bxg4 45.fxg6 Bh5[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]46.g7 Kf7 47.Kd5 Kxg7 48.Nd4[/font] neutralizes the kingside; White still wins on the queenside.
[font color="magenta"]46.Kf5 Be2 47.Ke6 Bd3 48.g7 Bh7 49.Nd4[/font] leaves Black's Bishop tied up defending against the the queening of the g-pawn.

42...Bxg4

The drawback is that White's kingside pawns are left slightly vulnerable.

[center]BLACK: Yuriy Kuzubov[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Ni Hua[/center]
[center]Position after 42.Bh3g4:p[/center]

43.Kc5!

Nevertheless, White sticks to his plan than now looks pretty good..

43...Kf7

Of course, a light-bound Bishop can do nothing against pawns fixed on dark squares.
[font color="red"]43...Bf3 44.Kb5 Bd5 45.Kxa5 Be4 46.Nxb4[/font] takes care of the pawns just as easily.

44.Nd4 g5

No better is [font color="red"]44...e6 45.Kd6 Bh3 46.Nc6 Kg8 47.Nxa5 Bf5 48.Ke7.[/font]

45.fxg5!

Any hope Black has of getteing counterplay on the kingside vanishes.

45...hxg5 46.hxg5 Kg6 47.Kb6

White doesn't need to find the very best moves to win.
Stronger is [font color="red"]47.Nc6 Kf5 48.Nxe7+ Kxe5 49.Nc6+ Kf5 50.Nxa5[/font] which gives White a win similar to the text, only sooner.

47...Kxg5 48.Kxa5 Kf4 49.Nc6 Bd7

[center]BLACK: Yuri Kuzubov[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Ni Hua[/center]
[center]Position after 49.Bg4d7[/center]

50.Nxe7

Black's pawns fall, leaving White with two connected passers. The final stage is set to begin.

50...Kxe5 51.Kxb4

Black's last pawn falls..

51...Ke6

Normally, Black would have resigned by now, but normally first isn't at stake.
Also good is [font color="red"]51...Kd6 52.Ng6 Bg4 53.a4[/font] when:

[font color="red"]53...Bc8[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]54.Ka5 Bf5 55.Nh8 Kc7 56.b4.[/font]
[font color="darkred"]53...Bh5[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]54.Nh4 Bf7 55.Nf5+ Kc7 56.Ne3 Kc6 57.Nc4.[/font]

52.Ng6 Kf5 53.Nf8 Be8

If [font color="red"]53...Bc6[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]54.a4 Kf6 55.a5 Kf7 56.a6.[/font]

54.Kc5! Bf7 55.Nd7 Ke4 56.Nb6 Kd3 57.Kb4

Also good is [font color="red"]57.Nd5 Ke4 58.Nc3+ Kd3 59.Nb5.[/font]

57...Kc2

If [font color="red"]57...Bh5[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]58.a4 Be2 59.Kc5 Kc2 60.b4.[/font]

58.Nc4 Be6 59.a4 Bc8 60.a5 Ba6 61.Nd6 Kd3 62.Nb5! 1-0

If [font color="red"]62...Ke4 63.Kc5 Ke5 64.Kb6 Bc8[/font] then:

[font color="red"]65.Na7[/font] then White wins easily after [font color="red"]65...Be6 66.b4 Kd6 67.b5 Bd5 68.Nc6.[/font]
If [font color="darkred"]65.b4[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]65...Kd5 66.Na7 Bg4 67.b5 Kd6 68.a6.[/font]

Yuriy Alexandrovich resigns.

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

23. Grigoryan - Iordachescu, Round 4

Reply to Jack Rabbit (Reply #14)

Wed May 16, 2012, 01:20 PM

May 2012

The grandmaster from Moldava should have lost this game, but pulls it out of the fire with a double Rook sacrifice.

[center][/center]

[center]Viorel Iordachescu[/center][font size="1"]Photo by Giorgio Gozzi in Wikimedia Commons (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Iordachescu_Viorel.jpg) (Public Domain)
[/font]

Karen Grigoryan - Viorel Iordachescu
14th Dubai Open, Round 4
Dubai, 18 April 2012

Italian Royal Game: Gothic Defense (Main Line/Steinitz Variation) (Two Knights' Defense)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 8.Be2 h6 9.Nh3

This move is how Steinitz dealt with the Italian Gothic. 9.Nf3 is to be preferred.
For a wider survey of this opening, see Kosteniuk-Duhayon, Op, Gibraltar, 2010.

9...Rb8

If [font color="red"]9...Bc5 10.d3 0-0 11.0-0[/font] then:

[font color="red"]11...Nb7 12.Nc3 Bb6 13.Kh1 Nc5 14.f4 e4 15.Nf2 exd3 16.Nxd3 Bf5[/font] gives White an extra pawn and Black more space (Hamann-Geller, Kislovodsk, 1966).
If [font color="darkred"]a) 11...Nd5[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]12.c4 Ne7 13.Kh1 Bxh3 14.gxh3 Nf5 15.f4 exf4 16.Bxf4[/font] gives White an extra pawn and Balck more space (Steinitz-Chigorin, World Ch Match, Havana, 1892).
If [font color="magenta"]12.Nc3 Nxc3 13.bxc3 Qh4 14.Kh1 Bxh3 15.gxh3 Qxh3 16.Bf3[/font] gives White an extra pawn and Black more space (Platonov-Geller, Moscow, 1969).

b) 11...Bxh3 12.gxh3 Qd7 13.Bf3 Qxh3 14.Nd2 Rad8 15.Bg2

(Fischer-Bisguier, New York State Op, New York, 1963).

10.d3 (N)

[font color="red"]10.Nc3 Nd5 11.Bg4 Ba6 12.Be2 Bc8 13.Bg4 Ba6[/font] draw (Psakhis-Beliavsky, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1983).

10...Be7

Black has a lead in development, but his pieces aren't focused on anything in particular.

11.Nd2 [11.Nc3 0-0 12.0-0] 11...0-0 12.Nb3 c5

Black has a small advantage in space; White still lags in development.
If [font color="red"]12...Nxb3 13.axb3 Bc5 14.0-0 Rb4 15.c3 Rb7 16.b4[/font] is equal.

13.0-0 Nc6 14.Kh1!?

White appears to be preparing playing f2f4.
[font color="red"]14.Nd2 Qc7 15.c3 Rd8 16.Nc4 Na5 17.Nxa5 Qxa5[/font] continues to give Black a small advantage in space.

14...Nd5!?

Black moves his Knight to a square where it is open to immediate attack.
[font color="red"]14...Qc7[/font] (protecting the e5 pawn) [font color="red"]15.Bf3 Rd8 16.Bxc6 Qxc6 17.Na5 Qa6[/font] gives Black a comfortable advantage in space; White is not helping himself by putting his Knights on the rim.

15.Ng1?!

White fails to attack.
If [font color="red"]15.c4[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]15...Nb6 16.Be3 Na4 17.Qd2[/font] then:

[font color="red"]17...Qc7 18.f3 Bxh3 19.gxh3 Nd4 20.Rg1 Rb6[/font] gives White an extra pawn; Black has stronger pawns and the advantage in space..
If [font color="magenta"]17...Qb6!? 18.f4 Rd8 19.Nf2 Bf5 20.fxe5 Nxe5[/font] gives White an extra pawn and Black the advantage in space..

[font color="darkred"]15...Nf6 16.Re1 Nb4 17.f4 Bd6 18.fxe5 Bxe5[/font] gives White an extra pawn and Black the advantage in space..

15...f5!?

The Knight at e5 is still a tempting target.
If [font color="red"]15...Be6[/font] then:

[font color="red"]16.Bg4 f5 17.Bf3 Qc7 18.c4 Nf6 19.Qe2 Bd7[/font] gives White an extra pawn, but Black's more advanced center pawns give him a small advantage in space.
If [font color="darkred"]16.Nf3 Qc7 17.Nfd2[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]17...Rfd8 18.Ne4 c4 19.dxc4 Nc3 20.Nxc3 Rxd1 21.Rxd1 Nb4[/font] greater activity for his pieces in exchange for a slight material deficit.
If [font color="magenta"]17...f5 18.Nc4 Nb6 19.Nxb6 axb6 20.c3 Rfd8 21.Qc2[/font] gives White an extra pawn and Black a substantial advantage in space.

16.Re1 Bb7

The game is equal.
If [font color="red"]16...Nf6!?[/font] then:

[font color="red"]17.c3 Be6 18.Nh3 Qc7 19.f4 e4 20.dxe4 Nxe4[/font] gives White an extra pawn and Black only a slight advantage in space.
If [font color="darkred"]17.Nf3 Qc7[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]18.Nfd2 Rd8 19.Nc4 Ne4 20.Rf1 Be6 21.Qe1[/font] is equal.
If [font color="magenta"]18.Kg1 Rd8 19.Bd2 c4 20.dxc4 a5 21.c5 Be6[/font] gives Black more space in compensation for a pawn.

17.Bf3 g5?!

Black losens his kingside in the hope of an attack.
[font color="red"]17...Qd6 18.Nd2 Rfd8 19.Ne2 Ba6 20.a3 Bf6 21.g4[/font] remains equal.

[center]BLACK: Viorel Iordechescu[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Karen Grigoryan[/center][center]Position after [i17...g7g5][/center]

18.h3!

White stops the advance of the kingside and assumes a fair advantage by attacking weak points in Black's position.
[font color="red"]18.Ne2!? g4! 19.Bxd5+ Qxd5 20.Nc3 Qe6 21.Bf4 Qd6[/font] remains equal.

18...a5

After being halted on the kingside, Black maneuvers on the other wing.
If [font color="red"]18...Qd6 19.Ne2[/font] then:

[font color="red"]19...Rbd8 20.Bd2 e4 21.dxe4 fxe4 22.Bxe4 Rxf2 23.Nc3[/font] gives White an extra pawn and Black more space; were it White's move, he'd win a piece by taking on d5.
[font color="darkred"]19...Nd4 20.Nexd4 cxd4 21.Na5 Bf6 22.Bd2 Rfc8 23.c3[/font] gives White an extra pawn and more freedom.

19.Ne2 Qd7?!

Black overprotects the f-pawn, but it really doesn't seem worth the attention.
[font color="red"]19...Ndb4 20.Nd2 c4 21.Bxc6 cxd3 22.Ba4 dxe2 23.Qxe2[/font] continues to give White a fair advantage.

20.Ng3!?

White misses an opportunity to greatly improve his position.
If [font color="red"]20.Bd2! Ndb4 21.a3 a4 22.axb4 axb3[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]23.b5! Nb4 24.Bxb4 Bxf3 25.gxf3[/font] then:

[font color="red"]25...bxc2 26.Qxc2 cxb4 27.Qc4+ Kh7 28.Qc6 Qb7 29.Ra6[/font] gives White an extra pawn, the initiative and a huge advantage in space; Black has stonger pawns.
If [font color="burgundy"]25...cxb4 26.c4 bxc3 27.Qxb3+ Kh8 28.Nxc3 e4 29.Qd5[/font] gives White two extra pawns and a small advantage in space; Black has better pawns.

If [font color="darkred"]23.c3?![/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]23...g4! 24.hxg4 e4 25.dxe4 fxg4 26.b5 Ne5[/font] wins the Bishop.
If [font color="magenta"]23...Qxd3?! 24.Nc1 Qc4 25.Bxg5 Rfd8 26.Bxe7 Rxd1 27.Bxd1[/font] gives White an extra pawn and the threat of the deadly 28.Bxb3!.

20...a4 21.Nd2 Nd4

If [font color="red"]21...Nb6 22.Kh2 Bf6 23.Rb1[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]23...Bg7 24.Nh5 Bh8[/font] then:

[font color="red"]25.b3 axb3 26.axb3 Nd4 27.Bxb7 Rxb7 28.Bb2[/font] gives White an extra pawn and more freedom; Black has more space.
If [font color="magenta"]25.Kg1 Qf7 26.b3 Nd5 27.Bb2 Nd4 28.Ng3[/font] gives White an extra pawn and Black more space.

[font color="darkred"]23...Bh8 24.b3 Nd5 25.Bb2 Nd4 26.bxa4 Nxf3+ 27.Nxf3[/font] gives White two extra pawns and a threat to take another.

22.c3 Nxf3

If [font color="red"]22...Nf4 23.cxd4 Nxd3 24.Rf1[/font] then:

[font color="red"]24...e4 25.Be2 Qxd4 26.Bxd3 exd3 27.Qh5 Qf6 28.a3[/font] gives Black an extra pawn and White more space; Black's passer is dead wood.
[font color="darkred"]24...cxd4?! 25.Bxb7! Rxb7 26.f3 Qc6 27.b3 axb3 28.axb3[/font] gives White an extra piece.

23.Nxf3 Nf4

[font color="red"]23...Bd6 24.Nxe5 Bxe5 25.Rxe5 Rbe8 26.Rxe8 Rxe8 27.Kh2[/font] gives White two extra pawns and White more space.

24.Nxe5 Qd5 25.f3 Bd6 26.d4 Ne6?

23nj

Black should lose.
If [font color="red"]26...Nxh3[/font] then:

[font color="red"]27.Kh2 Nf2 28.Qd2 Ng4+ 29.fxg4 cxd4 30.cxd4[/font] leaves White from all of Black's threats, buyt Black is still fighting.
If [font color="darkred"]27.gxh3?! cxd4! 28.cxd4 Rbd8 29.Qc2[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]29...Bxe5 30.Rxe5 Qxf3+ 31.Kh2 Rxd4[/font] is equal.
If [font color="magenta"]29...Qxd4? 30.Nxf5 Rxf5 31.Qxf5 Bxe5 32.Rxe5 Bxf3+ 33.Qxf3[/font] leaves White with an extra piece.

[center]BLACK: Viorel Iordechescu[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Karen Grigoryan[/center][center]Position after 26...Nf4e6[/center]

27.Nh5! Bc7 28.Be3 cxd4 29.cxd4?!

Apart from missing a win, White weakens his passed pawn.
If [font color="red"]29.Bxd4![/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]29...Nxd4 30.cxd4 Rbd8 31.Qc2 Bb8 32.Rad1.[/font]

29...Qb5!

Black is back in the game, but bareely.

30.Bg1

[font color="red"]30.Ng6 Rf7 31.Rc1 Bd5 32.Ne5 Rff8 33.Bf2 Qe8[/font] continues to give White two extra pawns and more space, but Black has counterplay against White's kingside.

30...Bd5 31.Ng6 Rf7 32.Ne5?!

This permits Black to escape the mating net.
If [font color="red"]32.Rc1! Bd6 33.Bh2 Bxh2 34.Kxh2[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]34...Bxa2 35.Ne5[/font] then:

[font color="red"]35...Rff8 36.Rc6 Bb3 37.Qd2 Bd5 38.Rd6 Rb6 39.Rd7[/font] gives White an irrestible attack on the Black King.
If [font color="burgundy"]35...Bb3[/font] then White wins easily after [font color="burgundy"]36.Qd2 Rd8 37.Nxf7 Kxf7 38.f4 Kg6 39.Re5.[/font]

If [font color="darkred"]34...Qxb2 35.Ne5![/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]35...Qxa2[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]36.Re2 Qb3 37.Qd2 Re7 38.Nc6 Rf7 39.Rc3.[/font]
If [font color="magenta"]35...Rff8?[/font] then White wins after [font color="magenta"]36.Nd7 Qxa2 37.Ra1 Qb3 38.Nhf6+ Rxf6 39.Nxf6+.[/font]

[center]BLACK: Viorel Iordechescu[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Karen Grigoryan[/center][center]Position after 32.Ng6e5[/center]

32...Rff8!

Black has now all the time he needs to evade mate.

33.Re2?!

White still stands better, but the Rook, while protecting the threatend b2 square, is not safe at e2.
Better is [font color="red"]33.Qc2 Kh7 34.Ng4 Kg6 35.Rxe6+ Bxe6 36.Qxc7[/font] threatens mate on g7.

33...Qe8!

Blackretreats the Queen in order to drive back one of White's attackers.

34.Ng3 Nf4!?

Black "forces" White to move the Rook to a better square.
If [font color="red"]34...g4 35.Rc1 gxh3[/font] then:

[font color="red"]36.Rxc7 Nxc7 37.Qc2 Rc8 38.Nxf5 Ne6 39.Qxc8 Qxc8 40.Ne7+[/font] leaves White two pawns to the good.
[font color="darkred"]36.gxh3 Rb7 37.Rc3 f4 38.Ne4 Bxe5 39.dxe5 Bxe4 40.Rxe4[/font] leaves White two pawns to the good.

35.Re1?!

White has thrown what winning chances he had out the window.
If [font color="red"]35.Rd2! Rd8 36.Bh2 a3 37.b4 Nxh3[/font] then:

[font color="red"]38.Rc1 Bd6 39.gxh3 Bxe5 40.dxe5 Bxf3+ 41.Qxf3 Rxd2 42.Nf1[/font] gives White the advantage as the Rook must vacate the seventh rank; if 43...Rxa2?? then White wins aftyer 43.Qd5+ Qf7 44.e6!.
[font color="darkred"]38.gxh3 Bxe5 39.dxe5 Bxf3+ 40.Qxf3 Rxd2 41.Nf1 Rd4[/font] gives White two passed pawns and two minor pieces against a Rook.

If [font color="blue"]35.Rc2 Bd6 36.Bf2[/font] then:

[font color="blue"]36...Rd8! 37.Qf1 Bxe5 38.Re1 Rc8 39.Rxc8 Qxc8 40.Rxe5[/font] continues to give White two extra pawns, but his queenside is vulnerable.
[font color="darkblue"]36...Qb5!? 37.Kg1! Rbe8 38.Ne2 Nxe2+ 39.Qxe2 Qxe2 40.Rxe2[/font] still leaves two pawns to the good.

35...Ba5!

The game is equal.

36.Re3!?

White allows Black to uncork some tactical pyrotechnics.
[font color="red"]36.Ne2 Bxe1 37.Nxf4 gxf4 38.Qxe1 Rxb2 39.Bh2 Rxa2[/font] remains equal.

[center]BLACK: Viorel Iordechescu[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Karen Grigoryan[/center][center]Position after 36.Re1e3[/center]

36...Nxg2!

Black begins a sacrificial orgy. This sacrifice is a sham as it is followed immediately by the pawn fork at f4.

37.Kxg2 f4!

Black gets his material back.

38.Re2

White keeps his Rook trained on the Black Queen.
If [font color="red"]38.Rd3!? fxg3[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]39.b3 Bc7 40.Rc1[/font] then:

[font color="red"]40...Bd6 41.Kxg3 Qe6 42.Re3 axb3 43.axb3 Rxb3[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space.[/font]
If [font color="darkred"]40...axb3!?[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]41.Rxc7 bxa2[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]42.Rc1 Be6 43.Re3 Rb2+ 44.Re2 Rxe2+ 45.Qxe2 Qh5[/font] is equal.
[font color="darkorange]42.Qc2 a1Q 43.Rb3 Qa2 44.Qxa2 Rxf3 45.Rxb8 Rb3+[/font] is equal.

[font color="magenta"]41.axb3?! Bd6 42.Qe1 Qe6! 43.Qxg3 Rf4 44.Rf1 Rbf8[/font] gives Black pressure against the center and excellent chances to dissolve White's extra pawns.

If [font color="darkred"]39.Qe2?![/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]39...Bc7 40.Rc1 Bxe5 41.Qxe5 Rxb2+ 42.Kxg3 Qf7[/font] gives White the opportunity to attack the White King position.
[font color="magenta"]39...Bc4 40.b3 Bxd3 41.Qxd3 Qe6 42.Rc1 Rfc8[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space.

38...fxg3 39.Qd3?!

White covers the f-pawn, but misses a chance to improve the position of his idle Rook.
If [font color="red"]39.Rc1[/font] (threatening 40.Rc5) [font color="red"]39...Bb4[/font] then:

[font color="red"]40.Qd3 Bd6 41.Rc5 Bxc5 42.dxc5 Qe6[/font] gives Black a fair advantage; he has a chance to win a pawn on the queenside, but White has plenty of counterplay.
If [font color="darkred"]40.Rc7?[/font] then Black wins after [font color="darkred"]40...Bd6! 41.Rc3 Qh5 42.Rec2 Rf4.[/font]

39...Bc7 40.Ng4?

White may not have calculated Black's devious combination.
If [font color="red"]40.Rf1 Qe6 41.Qc2 Bd6 42.Ng4 Rfc8[/font] gives Black the initiative.

[center]BLACK: Viorel Iordechescu[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Karen Grigoryan[/center][center]Position after 40.Ne5g4[/center]

40...Rxb2!!

Black saves his Queen by sacrificing the Rook.
If [font color="red"]40...Qc6! 41.Rf1 Rf4[/font] when:

If [font color="red"]42.Ne5 Bxe5 43.Rxe5 Rxb2+ 44.Kxg3[/font] then:

[font color="red"]44...Rf6![/font] then Black wins after [font color="red"]45.Re7 Rf7 46.Re5 Rxa2 47.Rxd5 Qxd5.[/font]
[font color="burgundy"]44...Rxa2[/font] isn't as strong, but Black still wins after [font color="burgundy"]45.Rxd5 Qxd5 46.Qg6+ Kf8 47.Qxh6+ Ke8.[/font]

If [font color="darkred"]42.Rd2 Rxf3 43.Rxf3 Rf8![/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]44.Ne5[/font] then after [font color="darkred"]Bxe5 45.dxe5 Be4[/font] Black wins material.
If [font color="magenta"]44.Be3[/font] then Black wins after [font color="magenta"]44...Bxf3+ 45.Kg1 Qc1+ 46.Qf1 Qxf1+ 47.Kxf1 Bxg4+.[/font]

41.Rxb2 Rxf3!!

Now he sacrifices the other Rook.

42.Qxf3 Bxf3+ 43.Kxf3 Qc6+

Black is technically down a piece, put must win at least one of the Rooks That would give Black the Queen and two pawns for a Rook and a Knight.

44.Ke2

If [font color="red"]44.d5[/font] then [font color="red"]44...Qxd5+ 45.Ke3 Bf4+ 46.Ke2 Qc4+ 47.Kf3 Qc3+[/font] wins a Rook.

[center]BLACK: Viorel Iordechescu[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Karen Grigoryan[/center][center]Position after 44.Kf3e2[/center]

44...Qc4+ 45.Kd2 Ba5+ 0-1

[font color="red"]46.Ke3 Qc3+[/font] wins a Rook.
P-n Grigoryan resigns.

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

15. Aronian - Kramnik Match, Zürich

Sat May 5, 2012, 03:08 AM

May 2012

[center][/center]

[center]Zürich[/center][font size="1"]Photo by MadGeographer (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:MadGeographer) in Wikimedia Commons (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Limmat.jpg) (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

17. Kramnik - Aronian, Round 3

Reply to Jack Rabbit (Reply #15)

Sat May 5, 2012, 03:11 AM

May 2012

[center][/center]

[center]Vladimir Kramnik[/center][font size="1"]Photo by steenslag http://www.flickr.com/photos/steenslag/ from flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/steenslag/3398819/in/photostream/ as resized in Wikimedia Commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Kramnik (Creative Commons License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en , Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]

Vladimir Kramnik - Levon Aronian
Match, Round 3
Zürich, 23 April 2012

Open Royal Game: Four Knights' Opening (Scotch Opening)

1.e4

Perhaps the biggest surprise of this match between two dedicated devotees of 1.d4 was that four of the six games opened with the King's pawn.

1...e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4

P-n Aronian opened 1.e4 in all of his White games. In each of those games developed into a Spanish Gothic (Berlin) Defense, of which Vladimir Boriovich is today's leading connoisseur. This was Vladimir Borisovich's only venture into 1.e4 in Zürich. This move vetoed any idea P-n Aronian had of playing the Gothic Defense himself, as he does so often against the Spanish Royal Game.

4...exd4 5.Nxd4 Bc5

For a more complete survey of the Open Royal Game, see Carlsen-Leko, IT Nanjing, 2009.

6.Be3

If [font color="red"]6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 d6 8.0-0[/font] then:

[font color="red"]8...Ng4 9.Bf4 g5 10.Bd2 Qf6 11.Qe2 Qe5 12.g3[/font] is equal (Miles-Sorin, Capablanca Mem, Havana, 1995).
[font color="darkred"]8...0-0 9.Bg5 h6 10.Bh4 g5 11.Bg3 Bg4 12.Qd2[/font] gives White a better center and stronger pawns; Black has more space, but has weakened his kingside (Ter-Sahakyan-Tamazyan, World Jr Ch, Yerevan, 2007).

6...Bb6 7.Qd2

[font color="red"]7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.e5 Bxe3 9.fxe3 Nd5 10.Nxd5 cxd5 11.Qxd5 Qh4+[/font] gives White an extra pawn, but the e-pawns are weak and can't be held; the game is equal (Smeardon-D. Mastrovalilis, World Jr Ch, Goa, 2002).

7...0-0 8.0-0-0 Re8 9.f3 d5 (N)

If [font color="red"]9...d6!?[/font] then:

[font color="red"]10.Kb1 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Be6 12.Be2 Bxd4 13.Qxd4[/font] gives White the advantage in space (Girya-Okhara, Moscow Op, 2007).
[font color="darkred"]10.g4 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Be6 12.Rg1 Bxd4 13.Qxd4[/font] (Sattar-Hebden, IT, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 1995).

10.exd5

White has a slight advantage in space.
If [font color="red"]10.Bb5 Bd7 11.exd5 Nxd4 12.Bxd4 Bxb5 13.Nxb5 Qxd5 14.Bxb6[/font] is equal.

10...Nxd5 11.Bg5

[center]BLACK: Levon Aronian[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Vladimir Kramnik[/center][center]Position after 11.Be3g5[/center]

11...Nxc3?!

This Queen sacrifice is extremely risky and extremely interesting.
If [font color="red"]11...Nde7 12.Nxc6 Qxd2+[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]13.Bxd2 Nxc6 14.Nd5[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]14...Be6 15.Nxb6 axb6[/font] then:

[font color="red"]16.a3 Ne5 17.Bc3 f6 18.Bxe5 fxe5 19.Bd3[/font] continues to give White a small advantage in space.
[font color="darkorange"]16.Bf4!? Rxa2! 17.Bxc7 Rc8 18.Bxb6 Nb4[/font] is equal.

[font color="magenta"]14...Bf5!? 15.Bc3! Be6 16.Bb5 Bxd5 17.Rxd5 a6 18.Bc4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space.

[font color="darkred"]13.Rxd2 Nxc6 14.Nd5 Re1+ 15.Rd1 Rxd1+ 16.Kxd1[/font] is equal.

12.Bxd8!

White accepts the sacrifice. Black will get a Rook and a minor piece for the Queen.

12...Nxd1

[font color="red"]12...Bxd4 13.Bg5 Nxd1 14.Qxd1 h6 15.Bd2[/font] gives Black only a Rook and a minor piece for the Queen.

13.Bxc7 Bxc7 14.Nxc6 Ne3

In order to even hope for anything out of the sacrifice, Black must maintain his forward Knight.
If [font color="red"]14...bxc6?! 15.Kxd1[/font] then:

[font color="red"]15...Be6 16.Bd3 Red8 17.Re1 a5 18.Qc3 Bd5 19.h3[/font] gives White more activity and space to go with his material advantage.
[font color="darkred"]15...Rd8 16.Bd3 Rd5 17.Re1 Be6 18.Kc1 Rad8 19.a3[/font] gives White additional space.

[center]BLACK: Levon Aronian[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Vladimir Kramnik[/center][center]Position after 14...Nd1e3[/center]

15.Bb5!

White proffers the Knight in an obvious sham.

15...bxc6?!

Black falls into the trap.
If [font color="red"]15...Bf5[/font] then [font color="red"]16.Nb4 Bf4! 17.Kb1 Red8 18.Nd3 Rac8 19.Ba4[/font] gives White a comfortable game.

16.Bxc6!

The Rooks are forked.

16...Nc4

No matter how he plays, Black remains behind in material.
If [font color="red"]16...Bf4 17.Kb1[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]17...Rb8 18.Qd4 Be5 19.Qxe3 Rxb2+ 20.Kc1[/font] then:

[font color="red"]20...Rb4 21.Bxe8 Bf4 22.Qxf4 Rxf4 23.Rd1[/font] leaves White with an extra pawn.
[font color="magenta"]20...Re6 21.Qd2 Bf6 22.Bd5 Reb6 23.Bb3[/font] gives White more freedom as Black must be wary of his back rank.

[font color="darkred"]17...Be6 18.Bxe8 Rxe8 19.Re1 g5 20.g3 Nc4 21.Qd3[/font] leaves White with two extra pawns; Black has three minor pieces for the Queen.

17.Qd4 Be6 18.Bxa8 Bb6

If [font color="red"]18...Rxa8? 19.Qe4![/font] then:

[font color="red"]19...Nb6 20.b3 g6 21.c4 a5 22.g3 Rc8 23.Rd1[/font] gives White two extra pawns and power up the middle.
[font color="darkred"]19...Rc8 20.b3 Nd6 21.Qa4 a5 22.g4 Bd5 23.Rf1[/font] gives White two extra pawns, but Black has three minor pieces for the Queen.

19.Qd3 Rxa8 20.Re1

White has two extra pawns and strength up the middle; Black has three minor pieces for the Queen.

20...Rd8 21.Qe4 g5?

Time is more important than space now. The text move has the sole virture of giving the Black King a luft in case he needs one, but the addition kingside space is meaningless.
More active and better is [font color="red"]21...Rd4![/font] when:

If [font color="red"]22.Qb7 Rd8 23.b3 Ne3 24.Qe4 24...Bd5[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]25.Qe7 Be6 26.c4[/font] continues to give White the material advantage and more activity.
[font color="burgundy"]24...Nxg2?[/font] then White wins after [font color="burgundy"]25.Re2! Bc5 26.Kb2 Bh3 27.Qe5.[/font]

[font color="darkred"]22.Qa8+?![/font] loses a critical tempo to [font color="darkred"]23...Rd8! 23.Qb7 Ne3[/font] and now:

[font color="darkred"]24.g4 Ng2 25.Re2 Nf4 26.Re5[/font] continues to give White the material advantage, but Black now has about as much activity as White.
[font color="magenta"]24.Qe4?! Nxg2! 25.Re2 Rd4 26.Qe5 Nh4 27.Re4[/font] leaves White with an extra pawn and a weakened kingside; Black with serious chances to draw.

[center]BLACK: Levon Aronian[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Vladimir Kramnik[/center][center]Position after 21...g7g5[/center]

22.c3

This is good enough to win, but even better [font color="red"]22.h4![/font] then:

If [font color="red"]22...Bf2 23.b3[/font] then:

[font color="red"]23...Bc5 24.Qb7 Ne3 25.Qc7 Rd5 26.g4 Bd6 27.Qxa7[/font] gives White three extra pawns.
If [font color="burgundy"]23...Nd6[/font] then White wins after [font color="burgundy"]24.Qe5 Nf5 25.Qf6 Rd7 26.Qxg5+ Kf8 27.Re4.[/font]

If [font color="darkred"]22...Rd4 23.Qb7[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]23...Rxh4[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]24.b3 Ne3 25.Qb8+ Kg7 26.g3 Rh3 27.c4.[/font]
If [font color="magenta"]23...Rd7[/font] then White wins after [font color="magenta"]24.Qb8+ Kg7 25.Qg3 Rd5 26.f4 Ba5 27.c3.[/font]

22...Bc5 23.Re2

This is sufficient, but stronger is [font color="red"]23.h4![/font] then:

If [font color="red"]23...h6 24.hxg5 hxg5 25.Re2[/font] then:

[font color="red"]25...Rd5 26.Qxc4 Rd1+ 27.Kxd1 Bxc4 28.Re5 Bb6 29.Rxg5+[/font] leaves White three pawns to the good.
If [font color="magenta"]25...Be7[/font] then White wins after [font color="magenta"]26.b3 Ba3+ 27.Kc2 Nd6 28.Qc6 Bd7 29.Qa6.[/font]

If [font color="darkred"]23...Rd2[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]24.Qa8+ Bf8 25.Rxe6!! fxe6 26.Qc6 Kf7 27.Qxc4[/font] when he remains up by two pawns.

23...h6 24.g3 a5 25.f4 a4

[font color="red"]25...Rd5[/font] keeps the Queen out of the queenside, but after [font color="red"]26.g4 gxf4 27.Qxf4 Be7 28.Kc2 Bg5 29.Qg3[/font] Black has no useful moves.

26.f5 Bd5 27.Qd3 Bb6

It is a credit to Black that his pieces are about as well coordinated as they can possibly be, even if that won't alter his fate.
If [font color="red"]27...Bd6 28.Qd4[/font] then:

[font color="red"]28...Be5[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]29.Rxe5 Nxe5 30.Qxe5 Bxa2 31.Qa5 Rb8 32.Qa7.[/font]
If [font color="darkred"]28...Bc7[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]29.Qf6 Bf3 30.Re1 Bb6 31.Kb1 Bg4 32.a3.[/font]

27...Bc5b6

28.b3!

White converts his queenside majority into two passed pawns.

28...axb3 29.axb3 Na5 30.Re8+

White has a quicker win after [font color="red"]30.Qb5 Bxb3 31.Re8+ Rxe8 32.Qxe8+ Kg7 33.Qe5+.[/font]

30...Rxe8 31.Qxd5 Rd8 32.Qb5 Rd6

If [font color="red"]32...Rb8[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]33.Kc2 Bc7 34.Qc5 Rc8 35.Qa7 Kf8 36.Qa6.[/font]

33.Kc2 Kg7 34.b4 Nb7 35.c4 Rf6

If [font color="red"]35...Nd8[/font] then after [font color="red"]36.c5 Rc6 37.Kb3 Bc7 38.Qd3 Kf6 39.Qd7[/font] further resistance is pointless.

[center]BLACK: Levon Aronian[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Vladimir Kramnik[/center][center]Position after 35...Rd6f6[/center]

36.g4!

Even stronger is [font color="red"]36.c5![/font] when White wins after [font color="red"]36...Bxc5 37.bxc5 Nd8 38.Qe8 Nc6 39.Kd3 Kh7 40.g4.[/font]

36...Nd8 37.c5 Bc7

If [font color="red"]37...Nc6[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]38.Qa4 Bc7 39.b5 Ne7 40.Qd4 Bxh2 41.Qd8.[/font]

38.Qd7!

The position is resignable.

38...Nc6 39.b5 Na7 40.Qxc7 Nxb5 41.Qe5!

The Rook is pinned.

41...Na7 42.Kd3 1-0

If [font color="red"]42...Nc6[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]43.Qa1 Nb8 44.Kc4.[/font]
P-n Aronian resigns.

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

24. Kramnik - Aronian, Round 1

Reply to Jack Rabbit (Reply #15)

Wed May 16, 2012, 01:23 PM

May 2012

[center][/center]

[center]Levon Aronian[/center][font size="1"]Photo by Frank Hoppe in Wikimedia Commons (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Levon_Aronia) (Public Domain)[/font]

Vladimir Kramnik - Levon Aronian
Match, Round 1
Zürich, 21 April 2012

Semi-Slav Queen's Gambit: Grand Anti-Meran Gambit

1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 Qxf6 7.e3 Nd7 8.Bd3 dxc4 9.Bxc4 g6 10.0-0 Bg7

For notes on the Grand Anti-Meran Gambit up to here, see Anand-Leko, Tal Mem, Moscow, 2009.

11.Re1

If [font color="red"]11.e4[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]11...e5 12.d5 Nb6 13.Bb3[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]13...Bg4[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]14.h3 Bxf3 15.Qxf3 Qxf3 16.gxf3 Ke7 17.dxc6 bxc6 18.Rac1[/font] then:

[font color="red"]18...Rhd8 19.Rc2 h5 20.Nd1 Rd6 21.Ne3 a5 22.a3 a4 23.Ba2 Bh6 24.Rfc1 Rc8 25.Kf1[/font] draw (Meier-Quattrocchi, Corres, 1998).
[font color="burgundy"]18...Rab8 19.Rc2 h5 20.Rd1 Rhd8[/font] is equal (Vigorito-Ippolito, US Ch, San Diego, 2006).

[font color="darkpink"]14.Rc1 0-0 15.h3 Bxf3 16.Qxf3 Qxf3 17.gxf3 Rfd8 18.Rfd1 Bf6[/font] is equal (Carlsen-Karjakin, Amber Rapid, Nice, 2009).

If [font color="darkred"]13...0-0 14.h3 Rd8 15.Qe2 Bd7 16.Rfd1 c5[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]17.Nd2 Nc8 18.Ba4 Rb8 19.Bxd7 Rxd7 20.a4[/font] gives White a passed pawn and a small advantage in space(Anastasian-Pelletier, Euro ChT, Pula, 1997).
[font color="magenta"]17.a4 c4 18.Ba2 a5 19.Nd2 Nxa4 20.Nxa4 Bxa4 21.Rdc1[/font] gives White the initiative (Nezar-V. Georgiev, Op, Differdange, 2007).

If [font color="darkred"]11...0-0 12.e5 Qe7[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]13.Qe2 b5 14.Bd3 Bb7 15.Be4[/font] then:

If [font color="darkred"]15...Rfd8 16.Rac1 Rab8 17.Rfd1 a6[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]18.h4 Ba8 19.Rc2 Rdc8 20.Rdc1 Qf8 21.a4[/font] gives White a clear advantage in space (Carlsen-Topalov, IT, Sofia, 2009).
If [font color="magenta"]18.Nb1 Rdc8 19.Nbd2 Ba8[/font] then:

If [font color="magenta"]20.Qe3 c5 21.Bxa8 Rxa8 22.Ne4[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]22...cxd4?! 23.Qxd4! Rxc1 24.Rxc1 Nxe5 25.Nxe5[/font] gives White a huge advantage in space (Peek-Godena, EU Ch, Liverpool, 2008).
[font color="purple"]22...c4 23.Nd6 Rc7 24.a4,[/font] but even that gives White a comfortable advantage in space.

[font color="darkorange"]20.Rc2 c5 21.Rdc1 Qf8 22.Bxa8 Rxa8 23.dxc5 Nxc5 24.Nd4[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space ((Vaznonis-Korneev, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).

[font color="burgundy"]15...Rab8 16.Rac1 c5 17.Bxb7 Rxb7 18.d5 exd5 19.Nxd5[/font] gives White the advantage in space (Gyimesi-Firman, IT, Miskolc, 2004).

If [font color="magenta"]13.Re1 Rd8 14.Qe2 b6[/font] then:

If [font color="magenta"]15.Rac1 Rb8[/font] then:

If [font color="magenta"]16.Ba6 c5 17.d5 Bxa6 18.Qxa6 exd5 19.Nxd5 Qe6[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]20.Nf4 Qf5 21.Nd5 Qe6 22.Nf4 Qf5 23.Nd5 Qe6[/font] draws by repetition (Mikhalevski-Dreev, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2002).
[font color="burgundy"]20.Nc7 Qc6 21.Nb5 Re8 22.Nd6 Re7 23.Nc4 Qc7[/font] is equal (Milman-Erenburg, IT, Berkeley, California, 2011).

If [font color="darkorange"]16.Bd3 Bb7 17.Be4[/font] then:

[font color="darkorange"]17...Nf8 18.g3 Rbc8 19.a3 Rc7 20.Red1 c5 21.Bxb7 Rxb7 22.Ne4[/font] gives White a significant advantage in space (Ivanchuk-Kramnik, IT, Novgorod, 1996).
[font color="purple"]17...b5 18.Red1 a6 19.Nb1[/font] transposes into [font color="magenta"]Peek-Godena[/font] and associated lines, above.

[font color="darkorange"]15.Rad1 Bb7 16.Ba6 Rab8 17.Bxb7 Rxb7 18.Ne4[/font] gives White a significant advantage in space (Pieniazek-Obsivac, Op, Olomouc, 2001).

11...0-0 12.e4

If [font color="red"]12.Qc2 Qe7 13.Rad1 Nb6 14.Bb3 c5[/font] then:

[font color="red"]15.Ne4 cxd4 16.exd4 Bd7 17.Qc7 Rab8 18.Ne5[/font] gives White a small advantage in space after 18...Rfc8 forces the exchange of Queens (Cebalo-Djuric, Montecatini Terme, 2002).
[font color="darkred"]15.a4?! c4! 16.Ba2 Qb4 17.Ra1 Bd7 18.Bb1 a5[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space (Z. Rahman-Villamayor, Op, Calcutta, 2001).

12...e5 13.d5 Rd8

If [font color="red"]13...Nb6 14.Bb3 Bg4 15.Re3 Rad8[/font] then:

[font color="red"]16.Qe2 cxd5 17.Nxd5 Nxd5 18.Bxd5[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space (Jaracz-Nyback, Euro Ch, Aix-les-Bains, 2011).
[font color="darkred"]16.h3 cxd5 17.Nxd5 Nxd5 18.Bxd5 Be6 19.Rd3[/font] is equal (S. J. Gordon-Spiess, Bundesliga 1011, Munich, 2011).

14.Re3

[font color="red"]14.h3 Nb6 15.Bb3 Bd7 16.a4 a5 17.Re3[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space (Cmilyte-Munguntuul, Grand Prix W, Shenzhen, 2011).

14...b5 15.dxc6 bxc4 16.Nd5 Qe6 (N)

[font color="red"]16...Qd6 17.cxd7 Bxd7 18.Nd2 Bb5 19.Qc2 Rab8 20.Rc3[/font] gives White stronger pawns and the initiative; Black has a slim advantage in space (Gunina-A. Muzychuk, Euro ChW, Gaziantep, 2012).

17.cxd7

The game is equal..

17...Rxd7 18.Qa4?!

This threat against the pawn is met with a strong retort.
[font color="red"]18.b3 cxb3 19.Qxb3 Bb7 20.Rd1 Bxd5 21.exd5 Qd6[/font] gives Black a slight advantage in space.

[center]BLACK: Levon Aronian[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Vladimir Kramnik[/center][center]Position after 18.Qd1a4[/center]

18...Bb7!

Black has a small advantage in space.

19.Qxc4?!

It is not to late to back out of a bad deal.
[font color="red"]19.Rae1 Bxd5 20.exd5 Rxd5 21.Qxc4 Rc8 22.Qb3 Qd6[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space.

19...Bxd5!

Black has a fair advantage in space.
[font color="red"]19...Rc8 20.Qb3 Bxd5 21.exd5 Qxd5 22.h3[/font] also gives Black a fair advantage in space.

20.exd5 Qxd5 21.Qxd5 Rxd5

Black has a clear advantage as a result of the exchanges on c4 and d5.

22.Rae1

If [font color="red"]22.Rc1 f5[/font] then:

[font color="red"]23.Ne1 e4 24.Re2 Rd7 25.g3 Rad8 26.Kf1 Rd1[/font] continbues to give Black a fair advantage in space.
If [font color="darkred"]23.Re2[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]23...Rad8 24.Ne1 e4 25.Kf1 Rd1 26.Rc6 Kf7[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space.
If [font color="magenta"]23...e4 24.Ne1 Rb8[/font] then:

[font color="magenta"]25.b3 a5 26.f3 e3 27.g3 g5 28.Ng2 Rd2[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space.
[font color="darkorange"]25.Rc6?! Rxb2! 26.Rxb2 Bxb2 27.Rxg6+ Kf7 28.Rc6 Rd1[/font] gives Black a substantial advantage.

22...Re8 23.g4 Kh7 24.g5

[font color="red"]24.Kf1 f5 25.gxf5 gxf5 26.Nh4 f4 27.Rb3 Bf6[/font] continues to gives Black a fair advantage.

24...hxg5 25.Nxg5+ Kg8 26.f4?!

White neglects the danger to his queenside.
[font color="red"]26.Ra3! a5 27.Kg2 f6 28.Ne4 f5 29.Nc3 Rd2[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space.

[center]BLACK: Levon Aronian[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Vladimir Kramnik[/center][center]Position after 26.f2f4[/center]

26...Rb8!

Black hits White's most vulnerable target.

27.fxe5 Rxb2 28.Nf3

[font color="red"]28.a4 Rdd2 29.Nf3 Rg2+ 30.Kh1 Rgf2[/font] gives Black a pair of pigs on the seventh.

28...Rxa2 29.e6 fxe6 30.Rxe6 Rf5

Black has an extra pawn and the initiative.

31.Nh4 Rf4 32.R6e4 Rf6 33.Rg4?!

If [font color="red"]33.Rf1?![/font] then Black activates the Bishop and still has the better of it after [font color="red"]33...Rxf1+ 34.Kxf1 Kf7 35.Rg4 Ra6.[/font]

[center]BLACK: Levon Aronian[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Vladimir Kramnik[/center][center]Position after 33.Re4g4[/center]

33...Kf7

Everything is safe.

34.Rc1 Bh6 35.Rc7+ Ke8 36.Re4+

If [font color="red"]36.Rc8+? Kd7[/font] then:

If [font color="red"]37.Rc3 Rd6 38.Kh1 Bf4[/font] then:

[font color="red"]39.Nf3[/font] then Black wins after [font color="red"]39...Rd1+ 40.Rg1 Rxg1+ 41.Kxg1 a5.[/font]
If [font color="magenta"]39.Rxf4??[/font] then after [font color="magenta"]39...Rd1+[/font] Black gives mate on the next move.

If [font color="darkred"]37.Rcc4??[/font] then after [font color="darkred"]37...Be3+! 38.Kh1 Rf1+[/font] Black gives mate on the next move.

36...Kd8 37.Rh7 Bf8 38.Rd4+ Kc8 39.Rc4+?

A desperate check is the final mistake.
If [font color="red"]39.Rd1 a5 40.Re1 Bc5+ 41.Kh1[/font] then:

[font color="red"]41...Kd8! 42.Rh6 Rff2 43.Nxg6 Bd6 44.Rd1 Ke8[/font] gives White slim hopes of survival.
If [font color="darkred"]41...Be3!? 42.Rg7! Rff2[/font] then:

[font color="darkred"]43.Ng2![/font] (anything else loses) [font color="darkred"]43...Rae2 44.Rg8+ Kc7 45.Rg7+ Kd6 46.Rd1+ Bd4[/font] gives White good chances of living to tell a horrendous tale.
[font color="magenta"]43...Rxg2?! 44.Rxe3 Rxh2+ 45.Kg1 Rhg2+[/font] draws.

[center]BLACK: Levon Aronian[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Vladimir Kramnik[/center][center]Position after 39.Rd4c4[/center]

39...Kb8!

White is out of counterplay.
If [font color="red"]39...Kd8 40.Rd4+ Bd6 41.Nf3 Ke8 42.Rc4 Rf7 43.Rh8+ Kd7 44.Ng5 Re7 45.Kf1 Ree2[/font] leaves White in a far superior position, but Black has enough to fight on.
[font color="darkred"]43.Rxf7 Kxf7 44.h3 a5 45.Ng5+ Kg7 46.Ne4 Bh2+[/font] gives Black an extra pawn, but he still must show he can push one over.

40.Rd7

If [font color="red"]40.Rc1[/font] then Black wins after [font color="red"]40...a5 41.Re1 Rc2 42.Rb1+ Kc8 43.Re1 Bc5+.[/font]
If [font color="blue"]40.Rc3 a5 41.Nf3 Bb4 42.Rb3 Kc8[/font] then:

[font color="blue"]43.Kh1[/font] then Black wins after [font color="blue"]43...a4 44.Rxb4 Rxf3 45.Rc4+ Kb8 46.Rb4+ Ka8.[/font]
[font color="darkblue"]43.Rh8+[/font] then Black wins after [font color="darkblue"]43...Kc7 44.h4 Rc2 45.Rh7+ Kc8 46.Rh8+ Rf8.[/font]

40...g5! 41.Ng6 Bd6 0-1

White cannot save the Knight.
If [font color="red"]42.Ne7[/font] then [font color="red"]42...Bxh2+ 43.Kh1 Rf1#.[/font]
Vladimir Borisovich resigns.

tomgat

(1 post)

12. Spam deleted by tjwmason (MIR Team)

Fri May 4, 2012, 05:51 AM

May 2012

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

13. Thank you, MIR team!!

Fri May 4, 2012, 01:01 PM

May 2012

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

25. Magnus Carlsen appears on the Colbert Report

Wed May 16, 2012, 04:43 PM

May 2012

From ColbertNation.com.

Please click here.

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

26. Updates (May 18): All games drawn thru Rd 6 in World Champ Match; Nakamura leads US Championship

Fri May 18, 2012, 07:52 PM

May 2012

[font size="3"]All Games Drawn in World Championship Match at halftime[/font]

[font size="1"]Photo of Boris Gelfand by Stefan64 (http:commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Stefan64) in Wikimedia Commons (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Boris_Gelfand) (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
Photo of Vishy Anand by Ygrek (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Ygrek) in [link:http//:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viswanathan_Anand|Wikipedia] (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]
All games have been drawn halfway through the twelve-game match for the world title between reigning champion Vishy Anand of India and his official challenger, Israeli grandmaster Boris Gelfand, after the completion of the sixth game earlier today in Moscow.

The match was expected to contain few decisive games as Gelfand is among the most cautious players today and Anand, although more dynamic, still errs on the safe side. Anand, 41, is currently ranked number four in the world while Gelfand, 43, is ranked 21st. Gelfand won the right to challenge Anand by winning a series of candidates' matched held about a year ago in Kazan, Russia, which were widely criticized for being too short to truly determine who would be the strongest challenger for Anand's title. The world's highest ranked player, Magnus Carlsen of Norway, declined his invitation to participate.

The games have been routine and unexciting. Only the thrird game, an Indian Queen's Gambit (Grünfeld Defense) in which Anand played White, was deemed interesting.

The seventh game, in which Gelfand will play White, will be played Sunday beginning at 3 pm Moscow time (4 am PDT). The official website will furnish live coverage and commentary.

[font size="3"]Nakamura defeats Kamsky, leads US Championship[/font]

[font size="1"]Photo by Daniel Schwen (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User schwen) in Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]
Hikaru Nakamura, playing Black, defeated defending champion Gata Kamsky today in the 10th and penultimate round in 50 moves in the US Championships just minutes ago to take the lead in the 2012 general group of US Championships in St. Louis.

The game was exciting, but far from perfect. Chess engines indicated that Nakamura missed winning opportunities twice before finally nailing down his victory.

The women's group, which has only ten players against the general group's twleve and thus plays two fewer rounds, had the day off. Anna Zatonskih and Irina Krush, both originally from Ukraine, are tied for first place with 6 points each, a point and a half against three ladies tied for third.

The final round in both will be played tomorrow beginning at 1 pm CDT (11 am PDT). The official website is USChessChamps.com and features and features commentary that is as alive as it is live by Ben Feingold and Jennifer Shahade.

[font size="3"]Other Results[/font]

[font size="1"]Photo: Chess by Anna Cervova from PublicDomainPictures.net (Public Domain)
[/font]
Asian Championships, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam General Group won by Parimarjan Negi (India); women's group won by Irine Kharisma Sukandar (Indonesia).

Italian Team Championship, Arvier Won by Padova, anchored by Hikaru Nakamura (USA) and Fabiano Caruana (Italy).

47th Capablanca Memorial Tournament, Havana Won by Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine).

Siegman & Co International Tournament, Malmö, Sweden Won by Fabiano Caruana (Italy).

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

27. Update (May 19): Naka wins US Titlte; Women's Playoff Tomorrow

Sat May 19, 2012, 08:27 PM

May 2012

[font size="1"]Daniel Schwen (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User schwen) in Wikipedia
(Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]
Hikaru Nakamura, the highest rated American chess master since Bobby Fischer, won the US Chess Championship today when he defeated veteran GM Yasser Seirawan in the eleventh and final round of the championship tournament in St. Louis.

Nakamura yesterday defeated the tournament runner up, defending champion Gata Kamsky, in a dramtic showdown in the penultimate round. Nakamura went into yesterday's gamd a half point behind Kamsky and came out a half-point ahead. Kamsky today drew his game with GM Robert Hess, a sophomore at Yale University.

In the women's group, IMs Anna Zatonskih and Irina Krush, one or the other of whom have held the US women's title for the last six years, both won their games today and the nine round women's tournament tied with 7 points each. They will paly a rapid playoff tomorrow beginning at noon, Central Daylight Time (10 am PDT) and will be broadcast live at the Official Website with commentary from GM Ben Feingold and WGM Jennifer Shahade.

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

28. Updates (May 20): Krush defeats Zatonskih; Gelfand draws blood

Sun May 20, 2012, 05:04 PM

May 2012

[font size="3"]Krush win US Women's Championship Playoff[/font]

[font size="1"]Photo by Frank Hoppe (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Samson1964) in Wikimedia Commons (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Irina_Krush) (Public Domain)
[/font]

International master Irina Krush took advantage of a blunder by defending champion Anna Zatonskih to win the second game of a rapid playoff today in St. Louis and take the 2012 US women's chess championship.

Ms. Krush also won the first game. Ms. Zatonskih, playing Black, had a tremendous advantage in game 2 and appeared to be on her way to forcing an Armageddon game to decide the title. Ms. Zatonskih, playing rapidly to give Ms. Krush no time to think with only seconds left on her clock, hung her Rook. Ms. Krush took the Rook and Ms. Zatonskih resigned immediately.

This is the seventh consecutive US women's title won by either Ms. Zatonskih or Ms. Krush. Rusa Goletiani, who finished third in this year's event, was the last US women's champion other than Ms. Krush or Ms. Zatonskih after winning the title in San Diego in 2005.

[font size="3"]Gelfand defeats Anand to take lead in World Title Match[/font]

[font size="1"]Photo by Stefan64 (http:commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Stefan64) in Wikimedia Commons (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Boris_Gelfand) (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]
Israeli grandmaster Boris Gelfand defeated reigning world champion Vishy Anand of India today in the seventh game of the World Championship Match in Moscow to take a one game lead in the match.

All previous games were draws, mostly uneventful ones.

[center]BLACK: Vishy Anand[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Boris Gelfand[/center][center]Position after 23.Qe2c2[/center]

Anand, playing Black, made a series of inferior moves beginning with 23...g5?! in the above position. White responded with 24.Qc7!, forcing an exchange of Queens, allowing White to penetrate into Black's position with his Rook. Characteristically, Gelfand proceeded to restraint White's position. The champion resigned on move 38.

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

29. Update (May 21): Vishy fights back, defeats Gelfand in 17 Moves

Mon May 21, 2012, 02:17 PM

May 2012

[font size="1"]Photo by Ygrek (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Ygrek) in Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]
Reigning world chess champion Vishy Anand defeated challenger Boris Gelfand in just seventeen moves today in the eighth game of the world championship match in Moscow.

Sri Anand's stunning victory comes just one day after losing the only decisive game in the match thus far.

It was the shortest decisive game in the history of the world chess championship, which officially began in 1886 with the match between Wilhelm Steinitz and Johannnes Hermann Zukertort held in various North American cities.

The ninth game of the scheduled twelve-game match will be held Wednesday with Boris Abramovich playing White.

Vishy Anand - Boris Gelfand
World Championship Match, Round 8
Moscow, 21 May 2012

West India Game: King's Indian Defense

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.f3 c5 4.d5 d6 5.e4 Bg7 6.Ne2 O-O 7.Nec3 Nh5 8.Bg5 Bf6 9.Bxf6 exf6 10.Qd2 f5 11.exf5 Bxf5 12.g4 Re8+ 13.Kd1 Bxb1 14.Rxb1 Qf6??

This move looks strong, but Black is slightly off in his calculations.
[font color="red"]14...Nf6 15.Kc2 a5 16.g5 Nh5 17.h3 Ng3 18.Rg1[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space.

[center]BLACK: Boris Gelfand[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Vishy Anand[/center][center]Position after 14...Qd1f6[/center]

15.gxh5!!

Black sacrifices a Rook.

15...Qxf3+ 16.Kc2 Qxh1 17.Qf2! 1-0

This is the move Gelfand missed.
Black must lose a piece to save the Queen: [font color="red"]17...Nc6 18.dxc6 Qxc6 19.Bd3 {[/font]then:

[font color="red"]19...Re5 20.Rf1 f5 21.hxg6 hxg6 22.Nd5[/font] gives White two pieces for two pawns.
[font color="darkred"]19...Qd7 20.Rf1 Re6 21.Nd5 Rae8 22.Nf6+[/font] wins the Queen.

Boris Abramovich resigns.

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

30. Update (May 23): Gelfand, Anand draw Game 9; Title Match still knotted

Thu May 24, 2012, 01:05 AM

May 2012

[font size="1"]Photo of Boris Gelfand by Stefan64 (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Stefan64) in Wikimedia Commons (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Boris_Gelfand) (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
Photo of Vishy Anand by Ygrek (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Ygrek) in Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
[/font]
Reigning world champion Viswanathan Anand of India and challenger Boris Gelfand of Israel drew the ninth game of the scheduled 12-game World Championship Match in 43 moves today in Moscow.

The match is tied with each player having a win, a loss and seven draws.

The tenth game will be played tomorrow beginning at 3 pm Moscow time (4 am PDT). The game will be broadcast on the Official Match Website.

Game 11 will be played Saturday and Game 12, if necessary, on Monday. If the match has not been decided after 12 games, a playoff of rapid games will be played Wednesday.

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

31. Update (May 24): Game 10 Drawn in Moscow

Fri May 25, 2012, 12:42 AM

May 2012

Reigning world champion Vishy Anand of India and his challenger, Israeli GM Boris Gelfand, drew the tenth game of their world title match in Moscow in 25 moves.

Sri Anand opened with 1.e4 for only the second time in the match. As with the first time, in game 5, Boris Abramovich responded with a Sicilian Game, 1...c5 As in game 5, Anand played 2.Nf3 and Gelfand replied 2...Nf6. The fifth game took off from to an Open Sicilian Game with Black playing the ultra-sharp Sveshnikov Defense (3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e4), Anand today vetoed any intention Gelfand had of repeating the line by playing the Spanish Sicilian, 3.Bb5.

The match remains tied with each player having a win, a loss and eight draws.

Tomorrow is a rest day. The eleventh game will be played Saturday, followed by another rest day on Sunday and the twelfth game on Monday. If the match still has not been decided after twelve rounds, a rapid playoff will take place Wednesday.

Games are broadcast on the official website beginning at 3 pm Moscow time (4 am PDT).

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

32. Update (May 28): Anand, Gelfand draw Game 12; Rapid/blitz playoff Wednesday

Mon May 28, 2012, 03:30 PM

May 2012

Reigning world champion Vishy Anand and challenger Boris Gelfand drew the twelfth and final classical game of their world title match today in Moscow in 22 moves to leave the match knotted at 6 points each, setting the stage for a rapid and blitz playoff on Wednesday to determine the possession of the title.

Like the tenth game, which also ended in a draw, today's game began with Anand as White playing 1.e4 and, after Gelfand replied 1...c5, the developed into a Spanish Sicilian. Also like the tenth game, matters were largely uneventful.

On Wednesday, the players will first play four rapid games. If that is not enough to determine the winner, then they will play five pairs of blitz games. The match will end as soon as one player or the other wins a pair. If after five pairs, no player has won, then the players will play an Armageddon game in which White will have more time and Black odds of draw.

The first rapid game begins Wednesday at 3 pm Moscow time (4 am PDT).

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

33. Correction

Reply to Jack Rabbit (Reply #32)

Tue May 29, 2012, 10:53 PM

May 2012

The first Rapid Game will begin at Noon, Moscow Time (1 am PDT). That's only five hours from now.

I'll stick my neck out and predict Vishy Anand will win the rapid games and the blitz games will not be necessary.

Follow the action here.

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

34. Update (May 30): Vishy wins rapid playoff, retains world title