Reply #4: J. Polgar- Bareev, Semi-Fianls, Round 1, Elista [View All]

[Jack Rabbit]

Judit Polgar and Evgeny Bareev
Photos: Global Chess

Judit Polgar vs. Evgeny Bareev
Candidates' Semi-Final Match, Round 1
Elista, May 2007

Open German Game: Lee's Defense (Caro-Kann Defense)

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nd7 8. h5 Bh7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 e6

• 10. -- Qc7 11. Bd2 e6 12. 0-0-0 Ngf6 13. Ne4 0-0-0 14. g3 Nxe4 15. Qxe4 Bd6 16. c4 c5 17. Bc3 cxd4 18. Bxd4 Nf6 19. Qe2 Qa5 20. Kb1 gives White the advantage in space(Hubner-Hjartarson, Barcelona 1989).

11. Bf4 Qa5+

• 11. -- Ngf6 12. 0-0-0 Be7 13. Kb1 0-0 14. Ne4 Nxe4 15. Qxe4 Nf6 16. Qe2 Qd5 17. Ne5 Qe4 18. Qxe4 Nxe4 19. Rhe1 Nf6 20. g4 Bd6 21. f3 b5 22. Nd3 Bxf4 23. Nxf4 Rfd8 is equal (Mkrtchian-Chiburdanidze, North Urals Cup, Krasnoturyinsk 2006).

12. Bd2 Qc7 13. 0-0-0 0-0-0 14. Ne4 Ngf6 15. g3 Nxe4 16. Qxe4 Nf6

• 16. -- Bd6 17. c4 c5 18. d5 Nf6 19. Qc2 exd5 20. cxd5 Rhe8 21. Bc3 Qd7 22. Bxf6 gxf6 23. Kb1 f5 is level (Sandpipan-Astian, Aeroflot Op, Moscow 2006).

17. Qe2 Rd5 18. Ne5

• 18. Bf4 Bd6 19. Bxd6 Rxd6 20. Ne5 Rhd8 21. c3 c5 22. dxc5 Rxd1+ 23. Rxd1 Rxd1+ 24. Kxd1 Qxc5 draw agreed (Stein-Korchnoi, Onterzonalm Sousse 1967).

18. -- Rxd4 19. Bf4 Re4 20. Qd3 Bc5 21. Ng6 Rxf4 22. Nxf4 Qa5!?

• Black breaks out of the book.
• Objectively better is 22. -- Bxf2 23. Rhf1 Bc5 24. Qf3 Bd6 25. g4 Rd8 26. Nh3 Be5 gives Black a slight edge in space as well as two pawns for the exchange. (Jakovenko-Zelcic, Eur Club Cip, Saint Vincent (Italy) 2005).

23. f3!?

• White already has problems.
• 23. Kb1 Bxf2 24. Rhf1 Bb6 25. Qe2 Qg5 Black has material equality, threatens a loose pawn and enjoys more mobility.

23. -- Qxa2 24. c3 Bb6

• Black has emerged from the opening with two pawns for the exchange, a slight advantage in space and active pieces. In addition, Black has pawn majorities on both wings, which does not bode well for White against an endgame specialist like Bareev.

25. Kc2 Qa5 26. Kb1?!

• This move accomplishes preventing the Black Queen from returning to a2, but it is now headed elsewhere.
• 26. Qc4 Qf5+ 27. Kb3 Bc7 28. Rh2 Re8 29. Ra1 a6 30. Re1 Rd8 gives Black a much more active position.

26. -- Qg5 27. Ne2 Rd8 28. Qc2?

• White drops another pawn.
• 28. f4 Qg4 29. Qc2 Nxh5 30. Rxd8+ Bxd8 31. Qd3 Be7 leaves Black with all his advantages.

28. -- Rxd1+!

• The simple plan is to divert the defender for the h-pawn and capture it.
• If White plays29. Qxd1 then Qf5+ 30. Ka1 Qxf3 still wins a pawn.

Black: Judit Polgar
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White: Evgeny Bareev
Position after 28. -- Rd8d1:R+

29. Rxd1 Qxh5 30. g4 Qc5 31. Qd3

• 31. Nd4 h5 32. gxh5 33. Qg2 g5 34. Nc2 Nd5 35. Rh1 Qg6doesn't put a dent in Black's dominace.

31. -- Qd5 32. Kc2 Qxd3+

• Black had a considerable advantage on the clock. Starting about here, he began trying blitz White into losing on time.
• If 32. -- Bc7 33. Nd4 Kb8 34. Kb1 h5 35. c4 Qc5 36. gxh5 then:
• 36. -- Qxh5 37. Qa3 Qh7+ 38. Ka1 Qh8 39. Nb3 Qe8 000
• Black is still superior after 36. -- Kc8?! 37. Nc2 b6 38. Rh1 Bf4 39. Qa3 Qxa3 40. bxa3 but not as much so as before.

33. Kxd3

• After 33. Rxd3 Nd5 34. b4 c5 35. Kb3 g6 36. b5 h5 37. gxh5 gxh5 in addition to having three pawns for the exchange and more space, Black now has a remote passer.

33. -- h5?!

• Susan Polgar, covering the game live on her blog: I do not like this move at all. White does not have any open file for the Rook. Why create one for White? I prefer the quiet move 33. -- Bc7.
• White indeed has a healthy advantage after 33. -- Bc7 34. c4 c5 35. Nc3 Bf4 36. b3 g6 37. Ne2 Be5 38. Nc3 a6/

34. gxh5 Nxh5 35. b4 a6?!

• Black continues to play carelessly in an attempt to blitz his opponent.
• Better is 35. -- Kc7 when after 36. Rb1 Nf6 37. Ng3 g6 28. Ne4 Nxe4 39. fxe4 Kd7 Black's advantage is still in tact and his kingside pawns look dangerous.

36. c4 Bc7

• Again, Black is simply trying to make White use up clock time thinking.
• If 36. -- c5 37. b5 Bc7 38. Nc3 Nf6 then:
• 39. Ne4 Nxe4 40. Kxe4 g5 41. Rg1 axb5 42. cxb5 f6 Black's advantage is safe for the moment.
• 39. Ke2?! a5 40. Na4 b6 41. Rg1 g6 42. Rd1 Nh5! 43. Nc3 Ng3+ gives Black greater mobility; this is the kind of position he had hoped for when he began blitzing White.

37. Rh1 g6 38. c5 a5

• The text is better than 38. -- Kd7? 39. Kc4 e5 40. Nc3 when:
• After 40. -- f5 41. Rg1 Nf4 42. Rd1+ Ke7 43. Rh1 Ne6 44. Rh7+ Kf6 Black still has a superior position, but he'll have to win the game over again.
• 40. -- Ke6 41. Ne4 f6 42. Rd1 Nf4 42. Rh1 f5 44. Nc3 Kf6 45. Rh7 Ne6 46. Na4 g5 47. Nb6! gives White equality.

39. bxa5 Bxa5 40. Ra1 Bc7 41. Kc4

• Taking stock after the time control, Black did not get what he wanted out of his blitzing strategy. He is still winning or close to winning the game, but his position is not a dominant as it was eight or ten moves back.
• White must still defend tenaciously if she is to have any hopes of avoiding loss.
• After 41. Ra8+ Rb8 42. Nc3 b5 43. Ne4 Nf3+ 44. Kd2 f5 45. Nd6+ Kc7 46. Nf7 Kb7 Black still has a vastly superior position.

41. -- Nf6 42. Rh1 b6 43. cxb6

• One should be mindful of possibilities of a Zwischenzug, both on one's own part as well as one's opponent's.
• White would accompish her mission faster with 43. Rh8+! Kd7 44. cxb6 Bxb6 45. Nc3 e5 46. Rf8 ke6 47. Rc8.

43. -- Bxb6 44. Nc3 Kd7?

• This is but small inaccuracy, but enough to make a big difference.
• Black would have better chances of winning after 44. -- Kc7! 45. Na4 Bf2 46. Nc5 Bxc5 47. Kxv5 e5 48. Ral Nd7+ 49. Kc4 f5.

Black: Judit Polgar
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White: Evgeny Bareev
Position after 44. -- Kc8d7

45. Rh8!

• The Rook will do better work behind Black's position.
• The text is superior to the more direct 45. Rb1? when: 45. -- Kc7! 46. Na4 Be3 47. Nc5 Bxc5 48. Kxc5 e5 49. Kc4 e4! depriving White of her last pawn and winning for Black.

45. -- Kd6 46. Kd3 Ba5?

Ruslan Sherbakov, writing analysis for the officil website, says: The Knight had to be kept. A Bishop has an unfortunate disadvantage -- it cannot control half the squares. 46. -- Nd5!? is more promising. Black needs the Knight to obtain connected passed pawns because the King cannot go far from the weak pawns.
• If 46. -- Nd5 then:
• 47. Rf8 Nf4+ 48. Kc4 f5 49. Na4 Be3 50. Rd8+ Ke7 51. Rc8 Kd7 52. Rh8 e5 53. Rh7+ Ke6 54. Rc7 Kd6 55. Rc8 Ne6 Black's kingside pawns are menacing.
• After 47. Rh7 Ke7 48. Ne4 Be3 49. Nc3 Bf4 50. Kc4 Nb6+ 51. Kd4 Nd7 52. Ne4 e5+ 53. Kc4 Nf8 the White Rook must retreat.

47. Ne4+ Nxe4 48. Kxe4 Bb4 49. Rb8

• White is now asssured of a draw, as long as she doesn't make a mistake.
• After 49. Rd8+?! Ke7 50. Rb8 c5 51. Rb7+ Kf6 52. Rc7 g5 53. Rc8 Kg7 Black's advantage is safe at least for the moment.

49. -- Ba3 50. Rd8+ Ke7 51. Ra8 Bc5

• 51. -- f5+ 52. Kd3 Bc1 53. Ra4 Bh6 54. Rh4 Bg7 55. Rh7 Kf7 56. Rh4 g5 57. Rc4 Be5 58. Rxc6 g4 59. fxg4 fxg4 60. Ke4 leads to a draw.

52. Rb8 f6 53. Rb7+ Kd8

• 53. -- Kd6 goes nowhere after:
• 54. Rf7 f5+ 55. Kd3 g5 56. Rg7 g4 57. fxg4 fxg4 58. Ke4 Bf2 59. Rxg4 c5 60. Rg8 Ke7 61. Rg7+ Kf6 62. Rc7 Bd4 63. Rb7 Bc3 64. Rc7 which draws.
If
• 54. Rb2 e5 55. Kd3 Kd5 56. Rb7 f5 57. Re7 g5 58. Rg7 then:
• 58. -- e4+ 59. fxe4 fxe4+ 60. Ke2 Bd6 61. Rxg5+ draws.
• 58. -- Bb4 59. Rxg4 draws.

54. f4 Be7 55. Ra7 Ke8 56. Rc7

• If 56. Ra6 Kd7 57. Ra7+ Kd6 then:
• 58. Ra1 g5 59. Rd1+ Kc7 60. fxg5 fxg5 61. Ke5 Bc5 62. Kxe6
• 62. -- Be3 63. Rd3 Bf4 64. Rc3 Kb6 Rc3 Kb6 65. Rc2 c5 66. Kd5 Bg3 67. Rxc5 drawing.
• If 62. -- Bf2 63. Rd2 Be3 64. Rb2 then:
• 64. -- Bf4 65. Rg2 Kb6 66. Rb2+ Kc5 67. Rc2+ Kb5 68. Rb2+ Kc4 69. Rc2+ Kd4 70. Rxc6 draws.
• 64. -- Bc1 65. Rb4 Bf4 66. Rb1 draws.
• 58. Ra2 g5 59. Rd2+ Kc7 60. fxg5 fxg5 61. Ke5 Bb4 62. Rd1 Bc5 transposes to the main variation after 61. -- Bc5

56. -- c5 57. Rb7

• After 57. Ra7 Kf7 58. Rc7 g5 59. fxg5 fxg5 60. Ke5 g4 61. Kf4 e5+ 62. Kxg4 Ke6 63. Kf3 Bd6 64. Rc8 Black can make no progress.

57. -- Kf8

• 57. -- Bd6 58. Rg7 f5+ 59. Ke3 e5 60. fxe5 Bxe5 61. Rxg6 Ke7 62. Kd3 Bf6 63. Rh3 Kf7 64. Kc4 Bg5 65. Rh3 Be7 66. Kd5 draws.

58. Rb8+ Kf7 59. Rb7 Kf8

• 59. -- g5 60f5 g4 61. Rd7 c4 62. Rc7 exf5+ 63. Kxf5 g3 64. Rxc4 Bd6 65. Rd4 Be5 66. Rc4 g2 67. Rg4 Ke7 68. Rxg2 draws.

60. Rb8+ Kg7

• Black avoids a repetition of moves, but it doesn't matter.

61. Rb6 Kf7 62. Rb7 Ke8 63. Rb6 ½-½

• 63. -- g5 64. Rxe6 gxf4 65. Kxf4 Kd7 66. Kf5 Bd8 67. Ra6 Kc7 68. Ra8 c4 69. Ra4 c3 70. Rc4+ draws.