The JR Chess Report (July 19): Nakamura is the Pride of the Yankees

[Jack Rabbit]

Nakamura Wins Donostia-San Sebastián after Blitz Playoff



Reigning US champion Hikaru Nakamura defeated resurgent Ukrainian GM Ruslan Ponomariov in a two-game blitz playoff Thursday to win the grandmaster tournament in San Sebastián (Donostia in Basque).

Nakamura won four of his first five game to open up a one-point lead on the field, but settled for draws in each of the remaining four rounds. Meanwhile, Ponomariov won two of his last three games, including his last round game against Spanish GM Paco Vallejo, to catch Nakamura with 6½ points.

The playoff began minutes after the completion of the final round. Nakamura, a premiere blitz player, won both games.

Reigning Russian champion Peter Svidler took third prize with 5½ points.

For Nakamura, the victory is the latest streamer in a banner year. He finished second in Gibraltar in February, won the US Championship in St. Louis in May, tied for first in the World Open in Philadelphia over the Fourth of July weekend and now is the winner of the category 18 tournament in San Sebastián. His Elo rating has climbed unofficially to 2730, making him the 17th ranked chess master in the world and surpassing Gata Kamsky as the ranking American player and also passing Cuban GM Leinier Domínguez as the number one player in the western hemisphere.

San Sebastián, the site of two historic tournaments in the early twentieth century, is located in the Basque region of Spain in the far northeast of the country, near where the Franco-Spanish frontier meets the Bay of Biscay.


Bluvshtein and Porper win Canadian Open



Nine players started today's final round of the Canadian Open in Edmonton, Alberta, in first place with 6½ points each, but when the day was finshed two Canadians, Mark Bluvshtein and Edward Porper, shared the top honors.

The nine players who started today in first place after eight rounds were, in addition to Bluvshtein and Porper: Alexei Shirov of Spain, the tournament's top seed; Eugene Perelshteyn of the United States; Mickey Adams of England; Irina Krush of the United States; Jonathan Tayer of Canada; Surya Shekhar Ganguly of India; and Theo Hammeles of Holland.

Bluvshtein, playing Black, defeated Hammeles in 50 moves while Porper, a mere international master, defeated Ganguly, a strong Indian grandmaster. All other games involving first place contestants today ended in draws.

In addition to Porper, several other players who started the day in first where not grandmasters. Ms. Krush is also an IM while Hammeles and Tayer are federation masters.



42nd Biel Chess Festival Opens; Moro Draws First Blood



The 42nd annual Biel Chess Festival began today in Switzerland with Alexander Morozevich defeating defending champion Evgeny Alekseev in the first round of the grandmaster tournament.

The grandmaster tournament is a double round robin amoung six players (ten rounds altogether). In other action today in the grandmaster tournament Boris Gelfand of Israel, this year's top seed, drew with Italian national champion Fabiano Caruana and reigning French champion Maxime Vachier Lagrave drew with Ukrainian GM Vassily Ivanchuk.

An 11-round open tournament begins tomorrow as part of the event.


Calendar

Pan-American Continental Championship, São Paulo 25 July-2 August.

Mainz Chess Classic 27 July-2 August.

US Open, Indianapolis 1-9 August.

FIDE Grand Prix, Yerevan 8-24 August.

Howard Staunton Memorial, London 8-17 August. Played at historic Simpson's Divan.

International Festival d'échecs, Montreal 27 August-7 September. Grandmaster Tournament will include Bacrot, Onischuk, Shulman, Naiditsch and Maze; more to be added.

Grand Slam Final, Bilbao 2-15 September. Topalov, Karjakin, Grischuk and Shirov qualify.

Second Pearl Spring Tournament, Nanjing 27 September-9 October. Topalov, Anand, Carlsen, Radjabov, Jakovenko and Wang Yue.

World Junior Championship, Mar del Plata (Argentina) 16-29 October.

European Club Cup (Team Championship), Novi Sad (Serbia) 21-31 October.

World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk 28 November-15 December.

London Chess Classic 7-16 December.

Corus Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 15-31 January 2010. Nakamura has been invited to play in group A.

Anand-Topalov Match for the World Title, Site TBA c. April 2010.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. This week's games

Your humble hare acknowledges the assistance of Fritz 6.0 on analysis.

Diagrams on the Jack Rabbit Chess Report are made with Chess Mérida, a true type font that can be downlaoded free here.

BLACK
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White to move
(This position is a theoretical draw)

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Donostia Chess Festival, San Sebastián

San Sebastián (Donostia)
Photo: Mikelo, Wikipedia

[Jack Rabbit]

4. San Segundo - Nakamura, Round 5

Hikaru Nakamura
Photo: ChessBase.com


Pablo San Segundo - Hikaru Nakamura
Donostia Chess Festival, Round 5
San Sebastián, 12 July 2009

Petit Orthodox Queen's Gambit: Cambridge Springs Defense

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 c6 5.Bg5 Nbd7 6.e3 Qa5

• This move was played several times in the international tournament at Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania in 1904, where US champion Frank Marshall finished first ahead of David Janowsky and the legendary Dr. Emanuel Lasker. The opening met with only modest success in Cambridge Springs, but later became a favorite of Capablanca, Alekhine and Bogolyubov. By the time the second World War began, it had been analyzed to death.

7.cxd5

• If 7.Nd2 then:
• If 7...Bb4 8.Qc2 0-0 9.Be2 then:
• If 9...e5 10.0-0 exd4 11.Nb3 then:
• 11...Qc7 12.Nxd4 dxc4 13.Bxc4 Bxc3 14.bxc3 Qe5 15.Nf3 Qc5 16.Bd3 h6 17.Bh4 Nd5 18.Rac1 N7b6 19.Nd4 Bd7 20.Rfe1 Qa3 21.e4 Nf4 22.Bf1 Rfe8 23.f3 Qa4 24.Qd2 Ng6 25.Bg3 is equal (Sasikiran-Sriram, Indian Ch, Nagpur, 2002).
• 11...Qb6 12.exd4 dxc4 13.Bxc4 a5 14.a4 Qc7 15.h3 h6 16.Bh4 Nb6 17.Bd3 Nbd5 18.Bc4 Qf4 19.Bg3 Bf5 20.Bd3 Bxd3 21.Qxd3 Qg5 22.f4 Qg6 23.f5 Qg5 24.Rf3 Rfe8 25.Be5 Rad8 26.Rg3 Qh4 gives Black the advantage in space (Irwanto-Pelletier, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• 9...c5 10.0-0 cxd4 11.Nb3 Qb6 12.exd4 dxc4 13.Bxc4 Qc7 14.Qe2 Bxc3 15.bxc3 Ne4 16.Qxe4 Qxc4 17.Rae1 Re8 18.Qf3 f6 19.Bf4 Nb6 20.Nd2 Qd5 21.Qg3 Nc4 22.Nxc4 Qxc4 23.h4 Bd7 24.h5 Qxa2 25.h6 g6 gives Black an extra pawn (Sulypa-S. Atalik, Mediterranean Ch, Antalya, 2006).
• If 7...dxc4 8.Bxf6 Nxf6 9.Nxc4 Qc7 then:
• 10.Rc1 Be7 11.Be2 0-0 12.0-0 Rd8 13.Qc2 Bd7 14.Ne5 Be8 15.Bf3 Rac8 16.g3 Nd7 is equal (Solomon-Garbett, TT, Auckland, 1997).
• 10.g3 Be7 11.Bg2 0-0 12.0-0 Rd8 13.Rc1 Bd7 14.Qb3 Be8 15.Rfd1 Rac8 16.e4 b5 17.Ne3 Qb6 is equal (Reshevsky-Horowitz, US Ch Match, Lakewood, 1941).

7...Nxd5 8.Qd2 Bb4 9.Rc1 e5

• If 9...h6 10.Bh4 c5 11.a3 Bxc3 12.bxc3 b6 then:
• 13.Bd3 Ba6 14.0-0 cxd4 15.Bxa6 Qxa6 16.Qxd4 0-0 17.e4 Nf4 18.Qxd7 Ne2+ 19.Kh1 Nxc1 20.Rxc1 Qxa3 21.Qd2 Rac8 22.Nd4 a6 23.f3 draw (Khalifman-Dreev, Russian Ch Qual, St. Petersburg, 2004).
• 13.c4 Qxd2+ 14.Nxd2 Ne7 15.f3 Nf5 16.Bf2 Ba6 17.Bd3 Ke7 18.0-0 Rhd8 19.Rfd1 Rac8 20.a4 Nd6 is equal (Carlsen-Ivanchuk, Rpd Trmt, León, 2009).

10.a3 Bxc3

• 10...Bd6 11.dxe5 Nxe5 12.Nxe5 Bxe5 13.b4 Bxc3 14.Qxc3 Nxc3 15.bxa5 Ne4 16.Bf4 0-0 17.f3 Nf6 18.e4 with chances about equal (Kasparov-Smyslov, Candidates' Match, Vilnius, 1984).

11.bxc3 h6!?

• 11...Qxa3 12.e4 N5b6 13.Be2 h6 14.Bh4 0-0 15.0-0 Re8 16.Bd3 Qf8 17.Bg3 f6 18.Nh4 c5 19.f4 exd4 20.cxd4 cxd4 gives Black two extra pawns, but completing his development will be awkward (Stocek-Kozlov, First Saturday, Budapest, 1996.04).

12.Bh4

• The game is equal.

12...Qxa3 13.Bd3!?

• White sacrifices the pawn (by forgoing resapture) to gain time for development. This is similar to White's plan in the game cited in the note to Black's eleventh move.
• 13.Nxe5 Nxe5 14.dxe5 0-0 15.e4 Nc7 16.Be2 Re8 remains equal.

13...exd4 14.cxd4 Qb4 15.Bg3

• 15...Qxd2+ 16.Kxd2 g5 17.Bg3 a5 18.Ra1 N7b6 gives Black the initiative.

15...0-0 16.0-0 a5 17.Ra1

• If 17.Qc2 then after 17...Qe7 18.Ra1 Nb4 19.Qc3 Nxd3 20.Qxd3 a4 Black's extra pawn becomes dangerous.

17...a4 18.Qc2 Qa5 19.Bd6 Rd8 20.Rfb1

• This is a good move. White seizes an open file, attacks a backward pawn and immobilizes the Bishop that protects it, in turn giving Black difficulty completing his development.
• The game is equal.

20...N7f6 21.Ba3 Qc3

BLACK: Hikaru Nakamura
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WHITE: Pablo San Segundo
Position after 21...Qa5c3

22.Qxc3!?

• The Queen exchange, bringing Black's Knight to c3, is a mistake.
• 22.Qd1 b5 23.Ne5 Bb7 24.Qf3 Ra6 remains equal.

22...Nxc3 23.Rc1 Nb5 24.Bxb5 cxb5

• Black now has three passed pawns on the queenside and all impediments to developing the Queen's Bishop are removed.

25.Rab1 Bd7

• If 25...Rd5 26.Rc7 b6 then:
• 27.Kf1 Be6 28.Ne5 b4 29.Bxb4 Rb5 30.Rcc1 a3 gives Black a dangerous passed pawn.
• 27.Ne5 Be6 28.Rb7 Rc8 29.Rxb6 Rc3 30.Ra1 Rc2 gives Black the active game.

26.Ne5 Be8 27.f3!?

• This unnecessarily weakens e3.
• 27.Be7 Rd5 28.Bxf6 gxf6 29.Nf3 Rdd8 gives Black an extra pawn, but White can fight back.

BLACK: Hikaru Nakamura
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WHITE: Pablo San Segundo
Position after 27.f2f3

27...Nd5!

• Black immediately uses the weak pawn at e3 to take the initiative.

28.Kf2 f6 29.Nd3 Nb6

• After 29...Rac8 30.Rc5 b6 31.Rcc1 Rc4 32.Nb4 Nc7 Black continues to enjoy the more active game.

30.Rc7 Nd5!?

• This move is active, but White already has the threat to e3 covered and the Rook can easily retreat to deal with the second.
• 30...Bc6! puts the White Rook in an awkward spot and if now 31.Nb4 then 31...Nc4 32.Ra1 f5 33.g3 Rac8 gives Black more activity and freedom.

31.Rc2

• If 31.Rcc1 f5 32.Ke2 Rac8 then:
• 33.Rxc8 Rxc8 34.Kd2 f4 35.Nxf4 Nxe3 36.Kxe3 Rc3+ Black retains his extra pawn with three passers on the queenside.
• 33.Kd2 Rxc1 34.Rxc1 Bc6 35.Bc5 Re8 Black has three passed pawns on the queenside and threats elsewhere.

31...Rac8 32.Rbc1 Rc4 33.Ke2

• 33.Rd2 Rxc1 34.Bxc1 Nb6 35.Nc5 b4 36.Nxb7 Rc8 gives Black the initiative.

33...Nb6 34.Nb2 Rxc2+ 35.Rxc2 Bg6!?

• White this move demands that White respond, it does little to prevent White from accomplishing his immediate goals.
• 35...Nc4! 36.Nxc4 bxc4 37.Kd2 b5 leaves Black strong on the queenside.

BLACK: Hikaru Nakamura
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WHITE: Pablo San Segundo
Position after 35...Be8g6

36.e4!

• White responds and still has command of the c-file.

36...f5 37.Rc5 fxe4 38.Rxb5 Nd5 39.Rxb7

• Black has recovered the pawn.

39...Rc8 40.Bc5 Nf4+!?

• 40...exf3+ 41.gxf3 Ra8 42.Ba3 Be8 43.Nd3 Bc6 gives Black the initiative.

41.Ke3 Nd5+ 42.Ke2 Ra8 43.Nc4

• White prevents the advance of Black's a-pawn for the time being.

43...Nf4+ 44.Kd2

• 44.Kf2 exf3 45.gxf3 Bd3 46.Nb6 Ra6 47.Ba3 is equal.

44...Nxg2 45.fxe4 Bxe4 46.Re7 Bc6 47.Bd6?

• This will allow a double attack by Black's Knight.
• 47.Nb6 Re8 48.Rc7 Bf3 49.Nxa4 Re2+ 50.Kc3 is equal.

47...Nh4 48.Kc3

• White shortens his agony.
• 48.Rc7 Be4 49.Ke3 Bd5 50.Ba3 Rb8 is better, but Black should win.

BLACK: Hikaru Nakamura
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WHITE: Pablo San Segundo
Position after 48.Kd2c3

48...Nf5!

• Black simply allows the fork.

49.Re1

• If 49.Rc7 Nxd6 50.Nxd6 a3 then:
• 51.Rc8+ Rxc8 52.Nxc8 Ba4 53.Nb6 a2 54.Kb2 Bb3 gives Black a winning advantage.
• 51.Nf5 a2 52.Rxg7+ Kf8 wins for Black.

49...Nxd6 50.Nxd6 a3 51.Nc4

• A more stubborn defense is 51.Kc4 Bf3 52.Ra1 Ra6 53.Nf5 g6 54.Ne3 Ra4+.

51...a2 52.Ra1 Bd5 53.Nb6 Ra3+ 54.Kd2 Bf7 0-1

• 55.h4 Ra7 56.d5 Ra6 57.Nc4 Bxd5 58.Ne3 Bf7 leaves Black up by two pawns.
• El señor San Segundo resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Ponomariov - Vachier Lagrave, Round 7

Ruslan Ponomariov
Photo: ChessBase.com


Ruslan Ponomariov - Maxime Vachier Lagrave
Donostia Chess Festival, Round 7
San Sebastián, 14 July 2009

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

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

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

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

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

7...c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 0-0 10.0-0 Bd7

• If 10...Bg4 11.f3 Na5 then:
• 12.Bd3 cxd4 13.cxd4 Be6 14.d5 Bxa1 15.Qxa1 f6 then:
• 16.Qd4 Bf7 17.Bh6 Re8 18.Bb5 e5 19.Qf2 Re7 20.Bd3 Rc8 21.f4 Nc4 is equal (Topalov-Shirov, IT, Morelia-Linares, 2008).
• If 16.Bh6 then:
• 16...Qb6+ 17.Nd4 Bd7 18.Rb1 Qc5 19.Rc1 Qb6 20.Bxf8 Rxf8 21.h4 4 gives the advantage in space to White (Bronstein-Boleslavsky, Candidates' Trmt, Budapest, 1950).
• 16...Re8 17.Kh1 Rc8 18.Nf4 Bd7 19.e5 Nc4 20.e6 Ba4 21.Nxg6 hxg6 22.Bxg6 Ne5 23.Be4 Bc2 24.Bxc2 Rxc2 25.Qd1 Kh7 26.f4 Kxh6 27.fxe5 Qc8 28.exf6 Rg8 29.f7 is balanced and, after some more moves, the players agreed to a draw (Korotylev-Timofeev, Russian Ch Qual, Tomsk, 2004).
• 16.Rb1 Bd7 17.Bh6 Rf7 18.e5 fxe5 19.Qxe5 b5 20.Be3 Qb8 21.Qc3 Qd8 22.Qe5 Qb8 23.Qc3 Qd8 draws by repetition (Kavalek-Timman, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1978).
• If 12.Bxf7+ Rxf7 13.fxg4 Rxf1+ 14.Kxf1 cxd4 15.cxd4 e5 then:
• 16.Kg1 Rc8 17.d5 Nc4 18.Bf2 Nd6 19.Ng3 Bh6 20.h4 Bf4 21.g5 Qd7 22.Qf3 White still has the extra pawn.(Jussupow-Sutovsky, IT, Essen, 2001).
• 16.d5 Nc4 17.Bf2 Qf6 18.Kg1 Rf8 19.Qe1 Bh6 20.Ng3 Qa6 21.Kh1 Qa4 22.Qe2 b6 23.h4 Bf4 24.Nf1 Nd6 25.Re1 Rc8 26.g3 Rc2 27.Qf3 Qxa2 gives Black a huge advatage in space (K.Georgiev-Ivanchuk, IT, Reggio Emilia, 1989).
• If 10...Qc7 11.Rc1 Rd8 then:
• 12.Bf4 Qd7 13.d5 Na5 14.Bd3 then:
• 14...e5 then:
• 15.Bg5 Re8 16.c4 b6 17.Qd2 Nb7 18.Bh6 f6 19.Bxg7 Qxg7 20.f4 Nd6 21.Kh1 Bd7 22.Ng1 Qh6 23.Rce1 f5 24.Qc3 fxe4 25.fxe5 exd3 26.exd6 Rxe1 27.Rxe1 d2 28.Rd1 Qf4 29.Rxd2 draw (Balashov-Ftacnik, Trnava, 1988).
• If 15.Be3 Qe7 16.Qd2 b6 17.f4 c4 18.Bc2 exf4 19.Bxf4 Nc6 20.Nd4 Nxd4 21.cxd4 Ba6 22.Rf3 gives White the advantage in space (Jussupow-Kamsky, Tilburg, 1992).
• If 12.Qd2 Qa5 13.Rfd1 then:
• 13...Bd7 14.Bh6 cxd4 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.Qf4 Be8 17.cxd4 e5 18.dxe5 Rxd1+ 19.Rxd1 Qxe5 20.Qxe5+ draw (Polugaevsky-Vaganian, IT, Linares, 1985).
• If 13...Bg4 14.f3 Ne5 15.Bd5 Rxd5 16.exd5 Nc4 17.Qd3 Nb2 18.Qb1 Nxd1 19.Qxb7 Rd8 20.Rxd1 Bc8 21.Qxe7 Bf8 22.Qf6 gives White the advantage in space (Ftacnik-Stohl, IT, Trnava, 1984).

11.Rb1 Qc7

• 11...a6 12.dxc5 Qc7 13.Nd4 Na5 14.Bd3 Rfd8 15.Qe2 e6 16.f4 Bf8 17.f5 Bxc5 18.Qf2 exf5 19.exf5 gives White the advantage in space (Hillarp Persson-Hermansson, Swedish Ch, Gothenborg, 2006).

12.Bd3

• 12.Bf4 Qc8 13.d5 Na5 14.Bd3 e5 15.Bg3 c4 16.Bc2 b6 17.f4 exf4 18.Bxf4 Qc5+ 19.Kh1 Bg4 20.h3 Bxe2 21.Qxe2 Bxc3 22.Qf3 Bg7 23.e5 c3 gives Black an extra pawn (Krush-Ushenina, ITW, Istanbul, 2008).

12...Rad8 13.Qc1

• 13.Qc2 b6 14.Rfd1 Na5 15.Qb2 c4 16.Bc2 e5 17.h3 Rfe8 18.Rd2 Bc6 19.Rbd1 Nb7 20.Qb1 Qe7 is equal (Sargissian-Vachier Lagrave, IT, Paks, 2008).

13...Bc8 14.Rd1 b6

• This move was introduced by the young Vachier Lagrave in a game against Aronian last month.
• 14...e5 15.d5 Na5 16.c4 b6 17.Nc3 f5 18.exf5 gxf5 19.Bg5 gives White the advantage in space (Tarnopolsky-Mikhalevski, Op, Ashdod, 2006).

15.h3 Bb7?!

• This move, which cuts the line of communication between the a-pawn and the Queen that defends it, is the source of Black's early difficulties.
• 15...cxd4 16.cxd4 Qb7 17.d5 Ne5 18.Nd4 gives White an advantage in space, but little else.

BLACK: Maxime Vachier Lagrave
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WHITE: Ruslan Ponomariov
Position after 15...Bc8b7

16.dxc5!?

• Pono plays a new move in the line essayed by his opponent less than a month ago.
• 16.f4!? cxd4 17.cxd4 e6 18.Rb3 Qd6 19.Bb1 Ba6 20.e5 Qd7 21.Ng3 Ne7 22.Ne4 Nd5 23.Bf2 Rc8 gives Black the initiative (Aronian-Vachier Lagrave, TMatch, Paris, 2009).

16...bxc5 17.Qa3 Na5 18.f3!

• White must now win at least a pawn.
• 18.Qxc5 Qxc5 19.Bxc5 Rxd3 20.Rxd3 Bxe4 then:
• 21.Rbd1 Bxd3 22.Rxd3 Nc6 23.Rd7 Rc8 is equal.
• 21.Rdd1 Bxb1 22.Rxb1 Nc6 23.Nd4 Bxd4 24.cxd4 Rd8 is equal.

18...c4

• 18...Rc8 19.Rb5 c4 20.Qxa5 cxd3 21.Rxd3 gives White an extra pawn.

19.Bc2 Rxd1+ 20.Rxd1 Be5

• If 20...Rd8 21.Rxd8+ Qxd8 22.Qb4 a6 23.Kf2 then:
• 23...Bc6 24.Bb6 Qd2 25.Qxa5 Qxc2 26.Qxa6 gives White an extra pawn.
• 23...e5 24.Bb6 Qh4+ 25.g3 Qxh3 26.Bxa5 Qh2+ 27.Ke3 Bh6+ 28.f4 gives White an extra piece.

21.Qc5 Nc6

If 21...Qxc5 then White still takes a pawn after 22.Bxc5 Nc6 23.f4 Bg7 24.Rd7 Rb8 25.Ba4.

22.Qxc4 Rc8 23.Bb3 e6 24.Qc5 Ba6

• If 24...Qb8?! 25.Qa3 Rc7 26.Nd4 a6 27.f4 then:
• 27...Nxd4 28.cxd4 Bg7 29.d5 exd5 30.Bxd5 Bxd5 31.exd5 gives White a passed pawn, but one that can be stopped.
• If 27...Bg7 then after 28.Nxc6 Bxc6 29.e5 Qa8 30.Qa5 Rc8 31.Rd2 White maintains the extra pawn with more freedom.

25.Nd4 Nxd4?

• Black misses his last chance to regain the pawn in any meaningful way.
• If 25...Nd8! 26.Qxc7 Rxc7 27.Rc1 then:
• If 27...Bd6 28.a4 Bc4 29.Bc2 e5 30.Nb5 Bxb5 31.axb5 then:
• 31...Rxc3 32.Bxa7 Nb7 33.Bf2 Bf8 34.g3 Bh6! is equal.
• 31...Ba3?! 32.Rd1 Ne6 33.Bd2 Nf4 34.Kf1 maintains White's pawn.
• If 27...Bg7?! then after 28.c4 Nb7 29.Rc2 Na5 30.Nb5 Rd7 31.Ba4 White still has the extra pawn with the advantage of a passer.

BLACK: Maxime Vachier Lagrave
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WHITE: Ruslan Ponomariov
Position after 25...Nc6d4:N

26.cxd4!

• This is the only move to win.
• If 26.Qxc7? Ne2+! 27.Kf2 Rxc7 then:
• 28.c4 Nc3 29.Rd8+ Kg7 30.Ra8 Bxc4 wins a piece for Black.
• 28.Rd8+ Kg7 29.c4 transposes; Black's combination works because White must spend a tempo to cut the line of communication between the Knight and the Bishop.

26...Bf4

• 26...Qxc5 27.dxc5 Bb7 28.Rd7 Rc7 29.Rd8+ maintains White's pawn.
• 26...Bg7 27.Qxc7 Rxc7 28.d5 exd5 29.Rxd5 h6 30.Ra5 White threatens another pawn with a tremendous advantage.

27.Bxf4

• The text wins faster than 27.Bf2 Qd7 28.Qa5 Be2 29.Re1 Bc4 30.d5.

27...Qxf4 28.Qa5 Qe3+ 29.Kh2 Bc4

• A more stubborn defense is 29...Qf4+ 30.Kh1 Qd6 31.Qe5 Qxe5 32.dxe5 Bb5 33.f4.

30.Bxc4 Rxc4 31.Qe5

• Also good is 31.Qxa7 Qf4+ 32.Kh1 Qg3 33.a4 Rc2 34.Rg1 Rf2 35.Qd7 when White wins with the remote passed pawn.

31...Rb4 32.d5 Qc5 33.Qf6 exd5 34.exd5 1-0

• If 34...Rb8 then after 35.d6 Qc2 36.Re1 Rf8 37.Qe7 it will cost Balck a piece to stop the pawn.
• M. Vachier Lagrave resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Canadian Open, Edmonton

Edmonton, Alberta
Photo: International Metabolomics Society

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Shirov - Ganguly, Round 7

Alexei Shirov
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Alexei Shirov - Surya Shekhar Ganguly
Canadian Open, Round 7
Edmonton, 17 July 2009

Closed French Game: Nimzovich Defense (Winawer Defense)

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3

• If 5.Qg4 Ne7 then:
• If 6.dxc5 Nbc6 7.Bd2 then:
• If 7...Ng6 then:
• If 8.Nf3 Bxc5 9.Bd3 then:
• 9...Qc7 10.0-0-0 a6 11.h4 Bd7 12.Bxg6 hxg6 13.Qf4 f6 14.Nxd5 exd5 15.e6 0-0-0 16.exd7+ Qxd7 17.Qg3 Qf5 is equal (Negi-Kostenko, Op, New Delhi, 2009).
• 9...0-0 10.Qh5 Nb4 11.Ng5 h6 12.Nf3 Nxd3+ 13.cxd3 Qe8 14.d4 is equal; Black will try to preserve his good Bishop (al-Modiaki-Tukmakov, Op, Yerevan, 1996).
• 8.f4 f5 9.exf6 Qxf6 10.a3 Bxc3 11.Bxc3 e5 12.Qf3 d4 13.Bd2 0-0 14.0-0-0 Be6 is equal (Kepper-Bilyap, Corres, 1968).
• If 7...0-0 then:
• If 8.0-0-0 then:
• 8...f5 9.exf6 Rxf6 10.Bd3 Qf8 11.Nf3 e5 12.Qh4 h6 13.Nxe5 Nxe5 14.Qxb4 Nxd3+ Black gets some play for the two pawns, but whether it is enough is problematic (Sutovsky-C. Hansen, IT, Essen, 2000).
• 8...Ng6 9.Nf3 Bxc5 10.Qh5 Bd7 11.Kb1 Qe8 12.h4 Rc8 13.Ng5 h6 14.Nf3 f5 15.exf6 Rxf6 16.Qg4 Bxf2 gives Black an extra pawn (Movsesian-Bukal, Croatian ChT, Medulin, 1997).
• 8.Nf3 f5 9.exf6 Rxf6 10.0-0-0 e5 11.Qh5 Rf5 12.Qh4 Bxc3 13.bxc3 Qa5 14.Kb2 Ng6 15.Qg3 Qxc5 gives Black the advantage in space (Pietzsch-Uhlmann, East German Ch, East Berlin, 1963).
• If 6.Nf3 Nbc6 7.a3 then:
• If 7...Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 0-0 9.Bd3 f5 10.exf6 Rxf6 11.Bg5 Rf7 12.Bxe7 Rxe7 13.Qh4 then:
• 13...h6 14.0-0 c4 15.Bg6 Bd7 16.Rfe1 Be8 17.Bxe8 Qxe8 18.Ne5 Nxe5 19.Rxe5 Rf7 20.Qg4 Qa4 21.Qxe6 Qxc2 22.Qxd5 Qxf2+ 23.Kh1 Rc8 24.Re7 Kf8 is equal (Hjartarson-Jussupow, IT, Linares, 1988).
• If 13...g6 14.0-0 c4 15.Be2 Bd7 16.Rfe1 then:
• If 16...Qa5 17.Ne5 Rae8 18.Nxd7 Rxd7 19.Qh3 Rde7 20.Bg4 Nd8 21.f4 Qa4 22.Ra2 Qc6 23.Qe3 Nf7 24.Qh3 Nd8 25.Raa1 Qa4 26.Ra2 draw (Khalifman-Huzman, IT, Sverdlovsk, 1987).
• 16...Qf8 17.Bf1 Rae8 18.Re2 Rg7 19.Ng5 Qf6 20.g3 Ne7 21.Nxe6 Qxh4 22.gxh4 Bxe6 23.Rxe6 gives White an extra pawn (Sax-W. Schmidt, Zonal, Warsaw, 1987).
• 7...Qa5 8.Bd2 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Nxd4 10.Qxd4 Nc6 11.Qg4 d4 12.Qxg7 Rf8 13.axb4 Qxa1+ 14.Nd1 Bd7 15.Bd3 Qa4 16.0-0 0-0-0 17.c3 is equal (Hebden-Botterill, IT, Brighton, 1984).
• 6.Qxg7 Rg8 7.Qh6 cxd4 8.a3 Qa5 9.axb4 Qxa1 10.Nb5 Nf5 11.Qd2 Na6 12.Ne2 Bd7 is equal (Fazekas-Sterner, Hastings, 1957).

5...Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Qg4

• If 7.Nf3 then:
• If 7...Bd7 8.a4 Qa5 9.Bd2 Nbc6 10.Be2 c4 11.0-0 f6 then:
• If 12.exf6 gxf6 13.Nh4 0-0-0 14.Bh5 Rhg8 15.g3 Ng6 16.Ng2 Nce7 17.Re1 Nf5 18.Bg4 Rde8 19.Bxf5 exf5 20.Rxe8+ Rxe8 21.Qh5 gives White the initiative (Bannik-Ivkov, TMatch, Rijeka, 1963).
• 12.Re1 fxe5 13.dxe5 0-0 14.Bf1 Ng6 15.g3 h6 16.h4 Rf7 17.h5 Raf8 18.Bg2 Nge7 19.Rf1 Kh8 20.Qe2 Qc7 21.Bc1 draw (Ciocaltea-Uhlmann, IT, Zinnowitz, 1966).
• 7...Qc7 8.a4 b6 9.Bb5+ Bd7 10.Bd3 Nbc6 11.0-0 h6 12.Re1 0-0 13.Ba3 Na5 14.dxc5 bxc5 15.Nd2 Bxa4 16.Qg4 Bd7 17.Nf3 Rab8 18.Bc1 Kh8 19.Qh4 Ng8 gives Black an extra pawn while White has enough space and activity to compensate (Chandler-Hertneck, Bundesliga 9394, Germany, 1994).

7...Qc7

• If 7...0-0 8.Bd3 then:
• If 8...f5 9.exf6 Rxf6 10.Bg5 Rf7 11.Qh5 g6 12.Qd1 then:
• If 12...Qa5 13.Bd2 Nbc6 14.Nf3 Qc7 then:
• 15.dxc5 e5 16.Ng5 Rf8 17.c4 e4 18.cxd5 exd3 19.d6 Qd7 20.dxe7 Qxe7+ 21.Be3 Rf5 22.Nf3 Be6 23.Qxd3 Bd5 24.0-0-0 Bxf3 25.gxf3 Rxf3 gives White an extra pawn (Kasimdzhanov-Berg, Keres Mem Rpd, Tallinn, 2006).
• 15.0-0 e5 16.Nxe5 Nxe5 17.dxe5 Qxe5 18.c4 d4 19.f4 Qc7 20.Qf3 Bf5 21.Rae1 Raf8 22.g4 Bxd3 23.cxd3 Qc6 is equal (Zhukova-Hryhorenko, Euro ChW, Kusadasi, 2006).
• 12...Nbc6 13.Nf3 Qf8 14.0-0 c4 15.Be2 h6 16.Bc1 Qg7 17.a4 Bd7 18.Ba3 g5 19.Bd6 Nf5 20.Be5 Qf8 21.h3 Qe7 22.Bh2 Nd6 23.Ne5 Nxe5 24.Bxe5 gives White the advantage in space (P. Smirnov-Halkias, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• If 8...Nbc6 9.Qh5 Ng6 10.Nf3 Qc7 11.Be3 c4 12.Bxg6 fxg6 13.Qg4 then:
• If 13...Qf7 14.Ng5 Qe8 15.h4 h6 16.Nh3 then:
• 16...b5 17.h5 gxh5 18.Qe2 Bd7 19.Nf4 Rxf4 20.Bxf4 Qf7 21.Be3 Be8 22.g4 hxg4 23.Qxg4 Qg6 24.Qe2 Ne7 25.Kd2 Qf5 26.Rag1 gives White a material advantage (Ruan Lufei-Mrktchian, FIDE Knock Out W, Ekaterinberg, 2006).
• 16...Ne7 17.Qe2 b5 18.g4 a5 19.h5 g5 20.f4 gxf4 21.Bxf4 Bd7 22.Kd2 Kh7 23.Rag1 b4 24.g5 bxc3+ 25.Kxc3 gives White the advantage in space (Airapetian-Abrahamyan, US ChW, Tulsa, 2008).
• 13...Bd7 14.h4 Rf5 15.h5 gxh5 16.Rxh5 Raf8 17.Rh3 Be8 18.Ng5 Qa5 19.Kd2 Rxg5 20.Qxg5 Bg6 21.Rhh1 Qa4 22.Ra2 b5 23.Rha1 Bf5 24.g4 Be4 25.f4 gives White the advantage in space (T. Ernst-Rylander, Swedish Ch, Umea, 2003).

8.Qxg7 Rg8 9.Qxh7 cxd4 10.Ne2 Nbc6 11.f4 Bd7 12.Qd3 dxc3 13.Qxc3

• If 13.Nxc3 then:
• If 13...a6 14.Rb1 Na5 15.h4 Nf5 16.Rh3 0-0-0 17.h5 Nc4 then:
• 18.h6 Rg6 19.h7 Rh8 20.Ne2 Qc5 21.Bd2 Rg7 22.Bb4 Qb5 23.Rb3 gives White an extra pawn (Domínguez García-Muñoz Moreno, Op, Malaga, 2001).
• 18.Rb4 Bc6 19.Ne2 Bb5 20.a4 Qc5 21.Qc3 d4 22.Qb3 Na5 23.Rxb5 Nxb3 24.Rxc5+ Nxc5 25.Ng1 Rg3 is favorable to Black (Cheparinov-Grischuk, Grand Prix, Baku, 2008).
• 13...0-0-0 14.Rb1 Na5 15.g3 Kb8 16.Nb5 Bxb5 17.Rxb5 Rc8 18.Be3 b6 19.Bc5 Nf5 20.Bh3 Nb7 21.Bf2 Qxc2 22.Qxc2 Rxc2 23.0-0 Nh4 24.Rb3 Na5 is equal (Domínguez-Shulman, Amer Cont Ch, Buenos Aires, 2005).

13...0-0-0 14.Rb1 Nf5 15.Rg1 d4 16.Qd3 Na5

• If 16...f6 17.g4 Nh4 18.exf6 e5 19.f7 Rxg4 20.Rxg4 Bxg4 21.Bh3 Qd7 22.Bxg4 Qxg4 23.Qg3 Qh5 24.Rb3 e4 then:
• 25.Qg7 d3 26.cxd3 Nf3+ 27.Kf2 Qxh2+ 28.Qg2 Qxg2+ 29.Kxg2 exd3 draw (Barnsley-Sinka, Cyberspace, 2001).
• 25.Qg8 Qh8 26.Qxh8 Rxh8 27.Rh3 Nf3+ 28.Kf2 Rxh3 29.f8Q+ Kc7 30.Ng1 Rxh2+ 31.Kg3 Rxc2 32.Qf7+ Black resigns as she must lose more material (Yu Ting-Gong Qianyun, Chinese ChTW, Suzhou, 2001).

17.Rb4

• 17.g4 Ba4 18.c3 Bc2 19.Qxc2 d3 20.Qa2 Qc5 21.Rg2 Ne3 22.Bxe3 Qxe3 23.Rg3 d2+ 24.Kd1 Qf2 25.Kc2 d1Q+ 26.Rxd1 Rxd1 is equal (Hjartarson-Nogueiras, IT, Belfort, 1988).

17...Nc6?

• 17...a6 18.g4 Nh4 19.a4 f6 20.exf6 e5 21.f7 Rgf8 22.Rg3 Rxf7 23.Rh3 Bc6 is equal (Steflitsch-Poldauf, Euro ChT, Halkidiki, 2002).

BLACK: Surya Shekhar Ganguly
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Alexei Shirov
Position after 17...Na5c6

18.Rc4!

• White has an extra pawn and an impressive advantage in space.
• 18.Rb2 f6 19.g4 Nh4 20.exf6 e5 21.f7 Rh8 22.f5 gives White two extra pawns and a moble kingside (P. Smirnov-Kornev, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2006).

18...Be8

• If 18...f6 19.exf6 e5 20.c3 Be6 21.Rc5 then:
• 21...Qb6 22.Rxc6+ Qxc6 23.fxe5 Kb8 24.g4 Nh4 25.Kf2 White maintains a theoretical material edge.
• If 21...b6 then after 22.Rb5 Nd6 23.Rxe5 Bf5 24.Rxf5 Nxf5 25.Qxf5+ White has a prohibitive material advantage.

19.g4 Nh4 20.Rg3

• White activates the Rook.

20...f6

• 20...Rh8 21.c3 dxc3 22.Qxc3 Kb8 23.Be3 Ng6 24.Rh3 gives White an extra pawn and moble kingside pawns.

21.exf6 Bg6 22.Rxc6

• If 22.Qb3 e5 then:
• 23.g5 Rge8 24.fxe5 Rxe5 25.Rg4 Nf5 26.Bf4 White remains two pawns to the good.
• If 23.fxe5 Qxe5 24.g5 Rge8 25.c3 then:
• 25...Nf5 26.cxd4 Nfxd4 27.Qc3 Qd5 28.Kf2 Nb5 29.Qb3 White still has two extra pawns.
• 25...d3 26.Rxh4 Na5 27.Qb4 Nc6 28.Qb2 dxe2 29.Qxe2 gives White three extra pawns.

22...Qxc6 23.Nxd4 Qh1

• If 23...Rxd4 24.Qxd4 then:
• 24...Nf3+ 25.Rxf3 Qxf3 26.Qxa7 Re8 27.Qc5+ Kb8 28.Qe5+ Kc8 29.f5 wins for White.
• If 24...Kb8 then after 25.Qc4 Nf3+ 26.Kf2 Qd6 27.Rxf3 Rc8 28.Rd3 White wins easily.
• 23...Bxd3 24.Nxc6 bxc6 25.Bxd3 Rdf8 26.g5 Nf5 27.Rh3 wins for White.

24.f5 exf5 25.Bf4!

• Also good is 25.Qc4+! Kd7 26.Qe6+ Kc7 27.Bf4+ followed by mate in two.

25...Be8 26.Qc4+ Bc6 27.Qe6+ Bd7 28.Rc3+ 1-0

• White mates in two.
• Ganguly Sahib resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Zilberman - Krush, Round 8

Irina Krush
Photo: ChessBase.com


Dmitry Zilberstein - Irina Krush
Canadian Open, Round 8
Edmonton, 18 July 2009

West India Game: King's Indian Defense (Aronin Opening)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.Be3 Nbd7

• For 7...Nc6 and 7...Na6, see Ivanchuk-Grischuk, Nalchik, 2009.

8.0-0

• If 8.Qc2 c6 9.Rd1 Qe7 10.d5 c5 then:
• If 11.Bg5 h6 then:
• 12.Bh4 g5 13.Bg3 Nh5 14.Nd2 Nf4 15.Nf1 Nf6 16.Ne3 Nxe4 17.Nxe4 f5 18.Nc3 Nxe2+ 19.Qxe2 f4 20.Nf1! fxg3 21.Nxg3 Bd7 22.Nge4 Bf5 is equal (SWmagin-Kochyev, Voronez, 1987).
• 12.Bd2 Ne8 13.g3 Nb6 14.Nh4 Kh7 15.a3 Bh3 16.b4 Nd7 17.Rab1 Rc8 18.Be3 Bf6 19.Nf3 Bg7 20.Nh4 draw (Scho-Hitselberger, Cyberspace, 1997).
• 11.g3 Ne8 12.Nh4 Bf6 13.Ng2 Ng7 14.h4 h5 15.Rb1 b6 16.a3 Ba6 17.Qa4 Bb7 18.b4 Rfc8 19.Be3 Ne8 is equal (Hertneck-Vogt, Austrian ChT, Vienna, 2004).
• If 8.Re1 c6 9.Bf1 then:
• 9...Re8 10.d5 c5 11.a3 Rf8 12.g3 Ne8 13.b4 h6 14.Nh4 Ndf6 15.bxc5 dxc5 16.a4 a5 17.Rb1 Nd6 18.Ba3 b6 19.Qb3 Ra6 20.Qc2 Nh7 21.Nb5 Ng5 22.Kh1 Nxb5 23.cxb5 Ra7 24.Bb2 Qd6 25.Qd2 Re7 is equal (Christoffel-Boleslavsky, IT, Gronigen, 1946).
• 9...exd4 10.Nxd4 Re8 11.Rb1 Nc5 12.f3 a5 13.Be3 Nfd7 14.Qd2 Ne5 15.Red1 Qe7 16.Nb3 a4 17.Nxc5 dxc5 18.Rbc1 Be6 19.Qc2 Bxc4 20.Nxa4 b5 21.Nb6 Rxa2 22.Nxc4 bxc4 23.Bxc4 Rxb2 gives White an extra pawn (Filip-Tolush, IT, Bucharest, 1953).

8...Re8

• If 8...c6 then:
• If 9.d5 c5 10.Ne1 Ne8 then:
• 11.Nd3 f5 12.f4 b6 13.Qd2 Qe7 14.Bf3 g5 15.fxg5 f4 16.Bf2 Qxg5 17.b4 Ndf6 is equal (Batchuluun-Li Shilong, Asian Ch, Manila, 2007).
• 11.g4 f5 12.gxf5 gxf5 13.exf5 Nb6 14.Nf3 Bxf5 15.Ng5 Nf6 16.Kh1 Qe7 17.Rg1 Kh8 18.Rg3 e4 19.Qd2 Nfd7 is equal (Shen Yang-Li Shilong, Asian Ch, Manila, 2007).
• If 9.Qc2 Ng4 10.Bg5 f6 then:
• 11.Bd2 f5 12.exf5 gxf5 13.dxe5 dxe5 14.Ng5 Ndf6 15.Rad1 Qe7 16.c5 Kh8 17.b4 gives White a small advantage in space (Uhlmann-Knaak, IT, Halle, 1981).
• If 11.Bh4 Nh6 then:
• 12.dxe5 dxe5 13.b4 Nf7 14.Nd2 Qe7 15.c5 Re8 16.Nb3 gives White the advantage in space (Kotronias-Skalkotas, Op, Athens, 1988).
• 12.Rad1 Qe7 13.b4 Nf7 14.dxe5 dxe5 15.c5 Re8 16.Nd2 Nf8 17.f3 Ne6 18.Nb3 gives White the advantage in space (W. Schmidt-Ingo, Op, Dresden, 1993).

9.Qc2

• If 9.d5 Ng4 10.Bg5 f6 then:
• If 11.Bh4 h5 12.Nd2 Nf8 then:
• 13.Bxg4 hxg4 14.f3 gxf3 15.Qxf3 Nh7 16.Bf2 f5 17.Qg3 f4 18.Qxg6 Kh8 19.Bh4 Bf6 20.Bxf6+ Nxf6 21.Kh1gives White a fierce attack (Najdorf-Geller, IT, Moscow, 1967).
• 13.b4 a5 14.bxa5 Rxa5 15.Nb3 Ra8 16.c5 Nh6 17.f3 g5 18.Bf2 Ng6 19.cxd6 cxd6 20.Nd2 Nf4 21.Nc4 Ra6 22.Ne3 Ra8 23.Rb1 f5 24.Kh1 Qe7 25.Bd3 Rf8 26.exf5 Nxd3 27.Qxd3 Nxf5 is equal (Radjabov-Xie Jun, Najdorf Mem, Buenos Aires, 2001).
• 11.Bd2 Nf8 12.Ne1 h5 13.Nd3 f5 14.f3 Nh6 15.c5 f4 16.cxd6 cxd6 17.Nf2 g5 18.Rc1 a6 19.h3 Nh7 20.Nb1 Nf6 21.Na3 b5 22.Nc2 Kh8 23.Nb4 Rg8 24.Nc6 gives White the initiative (Tolstikh-Shulman, Op, Pardubice, 1996).

9...exd4 10.Nxd4 c6 11.Rad1 a6

• 11...Qe7 12.f3 d5 13.cxd5 cxd5 14.Ndb5 dxe4 15.fxe4 Ne5 16.Rxf6 Qxf6 17.Nc7 Bd7 18.Nxe8 Bxe8 19.Nd5 gives White a powerful initiative (Larsen-Uhlmann, IT, Aarhaus, 1971).

12.Bg5!?

• 12.Rfe1 Qc7 13.a3 b5 14.cxb5 cxb5 15.Qd2 Bb7 16.f3 d5 17.exd5 Nb6 18.Rc1 Qd7 19.Nb3 Nfxd5 is equal (Evdokimov-Bologan, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2008).

12...Qc7

• As is customary in the King's Indian, White has an early advantage in space.
• 12...Qe7 13.Rfe1 h6 14.Bf4 Ne5 15.a4 also give White the advantage in space.

13.Rd2?

• White may have in mind doubling Rooks, something that he never accomplishes. This move leaves White's pieces poorly coordinated.
• White continues to enjoy more space after 13.Rfe1 Nc5 14.f3 Ne6 15.Be3 b6 16.Qd2 Bb7.

13...b5 14.cxb5 cxb5 15.a3

• If 15.f3 d5! 16.Bd1 Bb7 17.exd5 then:
• 17...Qb6! 18.Qb3 Nh5 19.Nce2 h6 gives Black the initiative.
• 17...Qc4!? 18.Nb3 Qc7 19.d6 Qb6+ equalizes.

15...Bb7 16.f3

BLACK: Irina Krush
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WHITE: Dmitry Zilberstein
Position after 16.f2f3

16...d5!

• White undurdens herself of the isolated d-pawn and opens the position while her development is more harmonious.

17.exd5 Nxd5 18.Kh1

• No better is 18.Rf2 Nxc3 19.Qxc3 Qxc3 20.bxc3 Nb6 when:
• If 21.Rd3 Rac8 22.Bd1 Rxc3 then:
• 23.Rfd2 Bxd4+ 24.Rxd4 Rxa3 gives Black two extra pawns.
• 23.Rxc3?? Re1+! 24.Rf1 Bxd4+ 25.Be3 Bxe3+ 26.Rxe3 Rxe3 wins a piece for Black.
• 21.Bf1 h6 22.Bh4 Rac8 23.Rfe2 Rxe2 24.Nxe2 Nd5 gives Black a strong initiative.

18...Nxc3 19.bxc3

• Black already has a completely won game. She just needs to simplify the position.
• If 19.Qxc3 Qxc3 20.bxc3 Nb6 21.Bd3 Na4 then:
• 22.Ne2 h6 23.Bh4 Rac8 24.Rc1 Bf8 25.Ra1 Nxc3 wins a pawn.
• 22.Rc2 Rac8 23.Bd2 Nc5 24.Nxb5 Red8 25.Na7 Ra8 wins a piece.

19...Nb6 20.Bd3

BLACK: Irina Krush
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WHITE: Dmitry Zilberstein
Position after 20.Be2d3

20...Qc5!

• The end is near. Black will make threats that will force White to retreat his pieces into a chaotic heap where they will be easily picked off.

21.h4

• If 21.Bh4 Rac8 22.Bf2 Qxa3 then:
• 23.Re2 Rxe2 24.Nxe2 Na4 25.Be4 Bxe4 26.fxe4 Nxc3 leaves Black two pawns up.
• 23.Rg1 Rxc3 24.Qb1 Qd6 25.Rgd1 Qf6 26.Ne2 Nc4 continues the unmerciful pounding of White's position.

21...Qxa3 22.Ne2

• 22.Be4 Bxe4 23.fxe4 Rac8 24.Rd3 Nc4 25.Rdf3 Nd6 maintains White's advantage.

22...Rac8 23.Qb1 Qc5 24.Rc1 Nc4 25.Ra2

• White would get a more stubborn defense after 25.Bxc4 Qxc4 26.Nd4 Qc7 27.Qd3 h6, but the game is no longer in doubt.

25...h6 26.Bf4

• This is the only safe square to which the Bishop can move.

26...Rcd8 27.Ng3 g5 28.hxg5

• 28.Bd2 loses the exchange to 28...Na3 29.Rxa3 Qxa3

28...hxg5 29.Bd2 Re6 30.Nf5

• 30.Bf5 loses to 30...Rh6+ 31.Nh5 Rxh5+ 32.Bh3 Rxh3+ 33.gxh3 Bxf3+ 34.Kh2 Qf2#.

30...Nxd2 31.Rxd2 Rdd6 32.Nd4 Rh6+ 33.Kg1 Bxd4+

• Also good is 33...Rxd4 34.cxd4 Bxd4+ 35.Kf1 Rh1+ 36.Ke2 Rxc1.

34.cxd4 Qxd4+ 35.Kf1

• If 35.Rf2 then after 35...Rh1+ 36.Kxh1 Qxf2 White must give up first the Bishop and then the Queen to prevent mate on h6.

35...Qe3 0-1

• White will soon deliver mate.
• Mr. Zilberstein resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Ganguly - Hommeles, Round 6

Surya Shekhar Ganguly
Photo: ChessBase.com


Surya Shekhar Ganguly - Theo Hommeles
Canadian Open, Round 6
Edmonton, 16 July 2009

Open Sicilian Game: Najdorf-Scheveningen Defense (Rauzer Opening)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.0-0-0 Bd7

• If 8...h6 then:
• If 9.Be3 Be7 10.f4 then:
• If 10...Bd7 11.Kb1 b5 12.Bd3 then:
• 12...0-0 13.h3 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 Bc6 15.Qe3 Qc7 16.e5 dxe5 17.Bxe5 Qb7 18.Rhf1 Rad8 19.g4 b4 20.Ne2 Bb5 21.g5 hxg5 22.fxg5 Nd7 23.Bf6 Bc5 24.Qg3 Bxd3 25.Rxd3 Rc8 26.Rfd1 gives White the active game (Deep Junior-Deep Fritz, BGN Qual, Cadaques, 2001).
• 12...Qc7 13.h3 Na5 14.Qf2 b4 15.Nce2 Nc4 16.g4 Nxe3 17.Qxe3 g5 18.e5 Nd5 19.Qe4 dxe5 20.fxe5 Qc5 21.Rhf1 Rf8 22.Rf3 a5 23.Qh7 0-0-0 24.Rxf7 Rxf7 25.Qxf7 Rf8 26.Qg6 gives White an extra pawn and the active game (Tseshkovsky-Huzman, Op, Biel, 1993).
• If 10...Nxd4 11.Bxd4 b5 then:
• If 12.Qe3 then:
• 12...Bb7 13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.Bd3 Qa5 15.Kb1 b4 16.Ne2 Qc5 17.Nd4 h5 18.Qe2 a5 19.Bb5+ Kf8 20.Bc4 gives White the active game (Adams-Serper, IT, New York, 1996).
• 12...Qc7 13.e5 dxe5 14.fxe5 Nd7 15.Ne4 Bb7 16.Nd6+ Qxd6 17.exd6 Bg5 18.Qxg5 hxg5 19.Bxg7 Rh4 20.Bd4 f5 21.Bf2 Rh7 22.h4 Nf6 23.Bd3 g4 24.Rhe1 gives White an extra pawn (J. Polgar-San Segundo, IT, Madrid, 1997).
• 12.Bd3 Bb7 13.Kb1 0-0 14.e5 dxe5 15.fxe5 Nd7 16.Ne4 Bxe4 17.Bxe4 Rc8 18.c3 Qc7 19.Rde1 Rfd8 20.Qf2 Bc5 21.Rhf1 Rf8 is equal (Matulovic-Vuckovic, Serbian Ch, Sabac, 1998).
• If 9...Bd7 10.f3 b5 11.Nxc6 Bxc6 12.Ne2 Qc7 then:
• 13.Kb1 Bb7 14.h4 Be7 15.Rh3 h5 16.Bg5 Rd8 17.Rh1 g6 18.Nf4 is equal (Leko-Caruana, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• If 13.Nd4 Bb7 then:
• 14.Bd3 e5 15.Nf5 d5 16.exd5 Nxd5 17.Be4 0-0-0 18.Qf2 g6 19.Bxd5 Rxd5 20.Bb6 Qd7 21.Ne3 Rd6 22.Bc5 Rxd1+ 23.Rxd1 Qc6 24.Bxf8 Rxf8 25.Nd5 gives White more freedom i](Djukic-Lupulescu, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).
• 14.Kb1 Rc8 15.Bd3 Nd7 16.Rhe1 Be7 17.g4 Ne5 18.g5 hxg5 19.Bxg5 Bxg5 20.Qxg5 g6 21.Re2 Qd8 22.Qe3 Qb6 is equal (Sakai-Halwick, Corres, 2003).
• If 9...Nxd4 10.Bxd4 b5 then:
• If 11.f3 Be7 12.Kb1 Rb8 then:
• 13.Ba7 Rb7 14.Be3 Qa5 15.g4 b4 16.Ne2 e5 17.Nc1 Be6 18.Nb3 Qc7 19.Bxa6 Rb8 20.c4 bxc3 21.Qxc3 Qxc3 22.bxc3 d5 gives Black the initiative for his pawn (Bologan-Wang Lei, IT, Shanghai, 2000).
• If 13.Qe3 b4 14.Na4 Qc7 then:
• 15.b3 0-0 16.Bd3 e5 17.Bb2 Bd7 18.Bxa6 Ra8 19.Qe2 Bxa4 20.bxa4 Nd7 21.Qc4 Nc5 22.Bb5 Qa5 23.c3 bxc3 24.Bxc3 Qa7 25.Rc1 Nxa4 26.Qxa4 Qxa4 27.Bxa4 Rxa4 28.Rc2 f5 draw (Kasparov-Kramnik, IT, Moscow, 1996).
• 15.Ba7 Rb7 16.Bb6 Qc6 17.b3 0-0 18.Bd4 e5 19.Bb2 Bd7 20.h4 Qc7 21.g4 Bxa4 22.bxa4 Nd7 23.Bxa6 Ra7 gives Black the initiative for his pawn Anand-Serper, IT, Groningen, 1993).
• 11.f4 Be7 transposes into Adams-Serper and associated lines, above.
• If 9.Bf4 Bd7 10.Nxc6 Bxc6 then:
• 11.f3 d5 12.Qe1 Bb4 13.a3 Ba5 14.Bd2 then:
• 14...Rc8 15.exd5 Nxd5 16.Nxd5 Bxd2+ 17.Rxd2 Bxd5 18.Bd3 0-0 19.Be4 Rc5 20.Qf2 Qa5 21.Bxd5 Rxd5 22.Rxd5 Qxd5 23.Rd1 Qc6 24.Qd4 Rc8 25.c3 Qc7 is equal (Thorhallsson-Petursson, Icelandic Ch, Gardabaer, 1996).
• If 14...Qe7 15.e5 Nd7 16.Kb1 then:
• 16...Bc7 17.f4 f6 18.exf6 gxf6 19.Be2 0-0-0 20.Be3 f5 21.Bd4 Rhg8 22.Bf3 gives White the advantage in space (Boudre-Spraggett, Op, Cannes, 1992).
• 16...Bb6 17.f4 h5 18.h4 0-0-0 19.Ne2 Bb5 20.Bb4 Bc5 21.Nd4 Bxf1 22.Rxf1 gives White the advantage in space (Svidler-Levin, Op, Linares, 1994).
• If 11.Qe1 then:
• 11...Qa5 12.Bc4 Be7 13.f3 b5 14.Bb3 Qc7 15.e5 dxe5 16.Bxe5 Qb7 is equal (Christiansen-Csom, IT, Surakarta, 1982).
• 11...Be7 12.e5 Nh5 13.Be3 Qc7 14.Be2 g6 15.Bxh5 gxh5 16.Bf4 0-0-0 17.exd6 Bxd6 18.Rxd6 Rxd6 19.Qe3 Rg8 is equal (Thorsteins-Balashov, Op, Reykjavik, 1984).

9.f3

• If 9.f4 then:
• If 9...b5 10.Bxf6 gxf6 11.Kb1 Qb6 12.Nxc6 Bxc6 then:
• If 13.Qe1 then:
• If 13...Ra7 14.Bd3 h5 15.Qh4 Be7 16.f5 b4 17.Ne2 e5 18.Ng3 then:
• 18...Qf2 19.Rhf1 Qc5 20.Nxh5 leaves White a pawn to the good (Tiviakov-Neelotpal, Op, Dhaka, 2003).
• 18...Qe3 19.Nxh5 Qg5 20.Qxg5 fxg5 21.Ng3 White is a pawn up (Pokazanjev-Rombaldoni, Op, Winterthur, 2008).
• 13...Be7 14.Bd3 Qc5 15.f5 b4 16.Ne2 e5 17.Ng3 a5 18.Qe2 Rc8 19.b3 0-0 20.Bc4 Kh8 is equal (Adams-Lozul, Euro ChT, Belgrade, 1999).
• If 13.f5 Qc5 14.Bd3 then:
• 14...h5 15.fxe6 fxe6 16.Rhf1 Bg7 17.e5 f5 18.exd6 0-0-0 19.Ne2 Rxd6 20.Rde1 Bh6 21.Qa5 Bxg2 gives Black an extra pawn (Vujakovic-Kozul, Croatian ChT, Pula, 2001).
• 14...b4 15.Ne2 e5 16.Ng3 a5 17.Nh5 Ke7 18.g4 Rg8 19.Rhg1 a4 20.h4 a3 21.Bc4 Rd8 22.Bb3 Bxe4 23.bxa3 bxa3 gives Black an extra pawn (Najer-Miton, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2004).
• If 9...Be7 10.Nf3 b5 11.Bxf6 then:
• If 11...gxf6 12.Kb1 Qb6 13.f5 0-0-0 14.g3 Kb8 15.fxe6 fxe6 16.Bh3 Bc8 17.Qe1 Rhe8 18.Ne2 then:
• If 18...Bf8 19.Nf4 Bg7 20.Rf1 then:
• If 20...Qc5 21.Rf2 Re7 22.c3 d5 23.Nd4 Nxd4 24.cxd4 Qd6 25.exd5 exd5 26.Re2 Rde8 then:
• 27.Bxc8!? Rxe2 28.Nxe2 Rxc8 is equal (Leko-Timman, Op, Wijk aan Zee, 1995).
• If 11...Bxf6 12.Qxd6 Be7 13.Qd2 b4 then:
• 14.Ne2 14...Ra7 15.Kb1 Qb6 16.e5 0-0 17.Nc1 a5 18.Bd3 a4 is equal (Chiburdanidze-Kozlovskaya, Soviet ChW, Tbilisi, 1974).
• 14.Na4 Ra7 15.Qe3 Qa5 16.b3 Rb7 17.Nd2 Na7 18.Nc4 Qc7 19.Rxd7 Qxd7 20.Nc5 Bxc5 21.Qxc5 Nb5 22.e5 is equal (Psakhis-Geller, Moscow, 1986).
• 18...Ne5 19.Qc3 Bb7 20.Bxe6 Bxe4 21.Bd5 Rc8 22.Bxe4 Rxc3 23.Nxc3 Nxf3 24.Bxf3 Bd8 is equal (Leko-Groszpeter, Op, Bucharest, 1993).
• 20...Bh8 21.c3 Re7 22.Rf2 Na5 23.Nd4 Rde8 24.Bg4 Nc4 25.Bh5 gives White the advantagge in space (Adams-Timman, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2004).
• 27.Rxe7! Rxe7 28.Qf1 Bd7 29.Bxd7 Qxd7 30.Qf3 gives White an active game.

9...Rc8

• If 9...Be7 then:
• If 10.h4 then:
• If 10...h6 11.Be3 h5 12.Bg5 Ne5 13.Kb1 then:
• If 13...b5 14.Bd3 Qb6 15.Nce2 b4 16.Rhe1 a5 17.g3 Rc8 is equal (B. Socko-Manik, IT, Warsaw, 2005).
• 13...Qc7 14.Bd3 b5 15.Rhe1 b4 16.Nce2 a5 17.Nf4 Qb6 18.Bf1 a4 19.Qe3 is equal (Pdarkredojevic-Kolesar, Op, Pula, 2005).
• If 10.Be3 then:
• If 10...h5 11.Kb1 then:
• 11...Qc7 12.Bd3 Ne5 13.h3 h4 14.Bg5 b5 15.f4 Nc4 16.Bxc4 Qxc4 17.e5 b4 18.exf6 gxf6 is equal (Korneev-Swinkels, Op, Maastricht, 2007).
• 11...Rc8 transposes to Z. Almasi-Murariu, bleow in the note to White's 11th move.
• 10...b5 11.g4 then:
• If 11...Nxd4 12.Bxd4 b4 13.Ne2 e5 14.Be3 Qa5 then:
• If 15.g5 Nh5 16.Kb1 Be6 17.b3 0-0 18.Ng3 Nf4 19.h4 then:
• 19...f6 20.Qh2 Rac8 21.Bxf4 exf4 22.Nf5 Bxf5 23.exf5 Rc5 is equal (Romanian ChT, Pdarkredeal, 2006).
• 19...d5 20.Nf5 Bc5 21.Bxf4 exf4 22.Qxf4 dxe4 23.fxe4 leaves White a pawn to the good (Domínguez-Milos, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• If 15.Kb1 Be6 16.Nc1 h6 then:
• 17.g5 17...hxg5 18.Bxg5 Rc8 19.h4 Rc6 20.Bd3 Nh5 is equal (Koscielski-Krivoshey, Op, Bad Woerishofen, 2004).
• 17.Nb3 Qc7 18.Bd3 d5 19.exd5 Nxd5 20.Bf5 a5 21.Qd3 0-0 is equal (Movsesian-Miton,Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2004).
• 11...h6 12.h4 Nxd4 13.Qxd4 Qb8 14.Bh3 b4 15.Ne2 Bb5 16.Qd2 Nd7 17.Nd4 Ne5 18.b3 Nc6 19.g5 Nxd4 20.Qxd4 gives White more space and more activity (Shirov-Greenfeld, Op, Pardubice, 1994).

10.Kb1 Be7 11.Nxc6

• If 11.h4 h6 12.Be3 h5 13.Nxc6 Bxc6 then:
• If 14.Bg5 b5 15.Ne2 Qc7 16.Nd4 Bd7 17.Bd3 g6 then:
• 18.Rhf1 e5 19.Ne2 Bc6 20.Ka1 Qd8 21.g3 Nd7 22.Nc3 Bxg5 23.hxg5 Nc5 is equal (Z. Almasi-Murariu, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• 18.f4 e5 19.fxe5 dxe5 20.Rhf1 Ng4 21.Bxe7 Kxe7 22.Ne2 Be6 is equal (Blehm-Izoria, World Jr Ch, Yerevan, 2000).
• 14.Ne2 d5 15.e5 Nd7 16.f4 g6 17.Nd4 Nc5 18.Bd3 gives White more space (Grischuk-Timofeev, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2007).

11...Bxc6 12.h4 Qc7

• 12...b5 13.Ne2 0-0 14.Nd4 Bb7 15.g4 Qc7 16.Bh3 Rfe8 17.Be3 Nd7 18.g5 Ne5 19.Qe2 Nc4 20.Nxe6 fxe6 21.Bxe6+ Kf8 22.Bd4 (Santagata-Bazhenov, Cyberspace, 2004).

13.Bf4 Rd8 14.g4 h6!?

• 14...b5 15.a3 Qb7 16.Bd3 d5 is equal (Maze-Guilleix, Op, Reykjavik, 2009).

15.Qf2

• The game is equal.

15...b5 16.Bg2 Nd7 17.g5

• 17.Ne2 Bb7 18.g5 Rc8 19.Ng3 Ne5 20.Nh5 Rh7 21.gxh6 gxh6 22.Rhg1 remains equal.

17...hxg5 18.hxg5 Rxh1 19.Bxh1

• If 19.Rxh1 Nf8 20.Be3 Rc8 21.Ne2 then:
• 21...f6 22.gxf6 Bxf6 23.Nd4 Bb7 24.Qd2 g6 25.f4 gives White the advantage in space.
• 21...d5 22.Nd4 Bb7 23.Rh8 dxe4 24.fxe4 g6 25.Rh1 remains equal.

19...Rc8 20.Qd2 Ne5

• 20...b4 21.Ne2 Ba4 22.Rc1 Ne5 23.b3 Bb5 remains equal.

21.Ne2 Bb7 22.b3!?

• White dares Black to do something in hopes it won't be exactly the right thing.
• 22.Bxe5 dxe5 23.g6 f6 24.Nc1 Qc6 25.Qh2 b4 remains equal.

22...g6

• Black says "No, you first."
• 22...b4 23.Bg2 a5 24.Rh1 a4 25.Rh8+ Bf8 remains equal.

23.Bg2 Bf8 24.Be3 d5 25.Bd4 Rd8

• 25...Nd7 26.exd5 Bxd5 27.Nc3 Bc6 28.Ne4 Bxe4 29.fxe4 remains equal.

BLACK: Theo Hommeles
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WHITE: Surya Sekhar Ganguly
Position after 25...Rc8d8

26.Qc3!?

• This move is somewhat risky. White's plan is to clear away the center for an attack on the enemy King.
• 26.exd5 Bxd5 27.Qe3 Bb7 28.Rh1 Nd7 29.Rh8 Rc8 remains equal.

26...Qxc3 27.Nxc3

• 27.Bxc3?! dxe4 28.Rxd8+ Kxd8 29.fxe4 Ng4 gives Black better control of key lines and squares.

27...Nc6?!

• If 27...dxe4 28.Bxe5 exf3 then:
• 29.Rxd8+ Kxd8 30.Bf6+ Be7 31.Bh3 is equal.
• 29.Bh1 Be7 30.Rf1 b4 is equal.

28.Bb6! Rc8? 29.exd5 Nb4

• If 29...Nb8 then White has his pieces in position for an assault of the Black King after 30.Ba5 Be7 31.Bh3 Bxg5 32.dxe6.

BLACK: Theo Hommeles
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Surya Sekhar Ganguly
Position after 29...Nc6b4

30.d6!!

• White proffers the Knight to get a mating attack.

30...Bxd6

• The Knight is taboo.
• 30...Rxc3 31.d7+ Ke7 32.d8Q#.

31.Rxd6 Rxc3 32.Ba5!

• White must win a piece.

32...Rxc2 33.Rd8+ 1-0

• 33...Ke7 34.Bxb4+ Kxd8 35.Kxc2 leaves White a piece to the good.
• Mh. Hommeles resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Zhao Xue - Mackinnon, Round 6

Zhao Xue
Photo: ChessBase.com


Zhao Xue - Kieth Mackinnon
Canadian Open, Round 6
Edmonton, 16 July 2009

West India Game: Tal-Indian Defense (Benko Gambit)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6 g6 6.Nc3 Bxa6 7.Nf3 d6 8.g3

• White will keep the pawn at e2 for now.
• 8.e4 Bxf1 9.Kxf1 Bg7 10.g3 0-0 11.Kg2 Nbd7 12.h3 Ra6 13.Re1 Qa8 then:
• 14.Re2 Rb8 15.Qc2 Ne8 16.b3 Nc7 17.Bb2 White retains the extra pawn (Shen Yang-Pogonina, TMatch, Ningbo, 2008).
• 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bd2 e6 16.dxe6 fxe6 17.Qc2 g5 18.a4 d5 19.Ra3 Rf7 20.exd5 exd5 White retains the pawn, which is well-overprotected (S. Atalik-Khalifman, IT, hastings, 1996-97).
• 12.Re1 Ng4 13.Qe2 Nge5 14.Nd2 Nb6 15.f4 Ned7 16.a4 Ra7 17.a5 Qa8 18.a6 Qc8 19.Nb5 Ra8 20.Nf3 White retains the pawn (Vaisser-Degreave, French Ch, Narbonne, 1997).

8...Bg7 9.Bg2 Nbd7 10.Rb1 Qa5 11.Bd2 0-0 12.0-0 Nb6

• if 12...Rfb8 13.Qc2 Ng4 then:
• 14.a4 Nge5 15.Nxe5 Bxe5 16.Rfe1 Qd8 17.b3 Rb7 18.h3 Rab8 19.Na2 White still has an extra pawn and is attempting to mobilize her queenside majority (Turova-Pogonina, Euro ChW, Kusadasi, 2006).
• 14.b3 Nge5 15.Nxe5 Nxe5 16.a4 Qd8 17.Rfe1 Ra7 18.h3 Rab7 19.Na2 Qc8 20.f4 gives White the initiative (Kramnik-van Wely, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2003).

13.b3 Qa3

• 13...Nfd7 14.Qc2 c4 15.b4 Qa3 16.e4 Bb7 17.Rfc1 Rfc8 18.Qd1 White retains his pawn with a strong center (Zueger-Gicov, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).

14.Ne1 Bb7 15.Nc2 Qa6 16.e4 Ne8

• 16...e6 17.dxe6 fxe6 18.Re1 Rad8 19.a4 d5 20.exd5 exd5 21.Nb5 gives White the advantage in space with the extra pawn (Kruppa-Krivoshey, Kiev, 2001).

17.Re1 Nc7 18.a4 e6

• 18...Rae8?! 19.b4 Nd7 20.Nb5! Rc8 21.Bh3 f5 22.Bg5 gives White a strong initiative (van Wely-Carlsen, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2008).

BLACK: Keith Mackinnon
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WHITE: Zhao Xue
Position after 18...e7e6

19.Ne3!

• The Knight has found a splendid post where it remains for the rest of the game serving as the main support for the keystone of White's position, the pawn at d5.

19...exd5?

• 19...Rab8 20.h4 exd5 21.exd5 Qa8 22.Ne4 Rfd8 Black redeems the gambit pawn and equalizes..

20.Ncxd5 Ncxd5 21.exd5 Qd3

• This is what Black wanted when he eschewed the equalizing line.

22.Rc1!

• White doesn't fall for it.
• Also good is 22.a5! Nxd5 23.b4 c4 24.b5 then:
• 24...Rab8 25.Nxd5 Bxd5 26.Qe2 Qxe2 27.Rxe2 Bxg2 28.Kxg2 White's two strong queenside pawns assure her victory.
• If 24...c3 then White retains an extra pawn with a winning position after 25.Bxd5 cxd2 26.Re2 Bxd5 27.Rxd2 Qe4 28.Rxd5.
• Black may have been hoping for 22.Bf1? Qd4 23.a5 Nxd5 24.a6 Bxa6 25.Nxd5 Qxd5 with equality.

22...Rfe8

• if 22...Nxd5 then:
• 23.Nc4! Ra6 24.Na5 Bc8 25.Bf1 Qf5 26.g4 disrupts Black's forces.
• 23.Nxd5? Bxd5 24.Bxd5 Qxd5 25.Bf4 Bd4 is equal.

23.Bc3 Qxd1 24.Rexd1!

BLACK: Keith Mackinnon
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WHITE: Zhao Xue
Position after 24.Re1d1:Q

• The pawn at d5 is now stronger than ever. It is overprotected by three pieces.

24...Bxc3 25.Rxc3 Ra5

• If 25...h6 26.f4 f5 27.Kf2 then:
• 27...Kf7 28.Re1 Re7 29.h3 Ra5 30.g4! takes away Black's remaining pawn tempi.
• 27...Ra6 28.Re1 Kf7 29.h3 Rea8 30.g4! accomplishes the same thing.

26.Bf1

• Stronger is 26.f4 f6 27.Kf2 Kf7 28.Re1 h5 29.Rcc1.

26...Ba6

• The exchange of Bishops leaves Black weak on the light squares.
• 26...Re7 27.Bb5 f5 28.Bc6 Kf7 29.Bxb7 Rxb7 30.Re1 allows for some compensation on the light squares by the pawn advance on the kingside.

27.Bxa6 Rxa6 28.f3 Rb8 29.Ra1 Kf8 30.Kf2 Ke7 31.g4

• White seeks to restrain Black's kingside pawns.

31...h6 32.h4 Kd7

• If 32...Re8 33.g5 Kd7 34.gxh6 then:
• 34...Rh8 35.a5 Rxh6 36.b4 Rh5 37.b5 wins for White.
• 34...Re5 35.a5 Nxd5 36.h7! gives White the initiative.

BLACK: Keith Mackinnon
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WHITE: Zhao Xue
Position after 32...Ke7d7

33.f4 c4

• If 33...Re8 34.Kf3 f6 35.h5 then:
• If 35...gxh5 36.gxh5 then:
• 36...Re7 37.Rd3 Rh7 38.Rg1 c4 39.bxc4 Rxa4 40.Rc3 Black cannot prevent the White Rook from going to g6.
• 36...Rxe3+ 37.Rxe3 Nxd5 38.Re2 Ne7 39.Rg2 Kc6 40.a5 stretches Black's defense to the snapping point.
• 35...g5 36.Rd3 gxf4 37.Kxf4 Ra5 38.Nf5 Re5 39.Nxh6 gives White an advanced passer.

34.a5 cxb3 35.Rxb3 Rba8 36.Re1 Nc8 37.Rb7+ 1-0

• 37...Ke8 38.Nf5+ Kf8 39.Nxh6 gives White at least another pawn.
• 37...Kd8 38.Rxf7 Rxa5 39.Rh7 g5 40.hxg5 hxg5 41.f5 sets White up with a passed pawn to add to her already potent threats.
• Mr. Mackinnon resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Cool Chess Set

Black


White


Name: Alice in wonderland chess set number 8 of 1st edition

Code: Alice chess set

The price, according to the blurb at the link, is $10,000.

Start saving now, especially if your wife likes all things Lewis Carroll and you yourself don't know the right name for the city that is the jewel of the Pacific Coast.

[Condem]

11. Hey, Jack Rabbit

What happened to the baseball scores. I miss them.

[Jack Rabbit]

12. OK, I'll go back to doing those tomorrow

Thank you for the popular demand.

[madinmaryland]

13. Anything happening in the DC area?

[Jack Rabbit]

14. Here's what I can find out . . .

Please click here.

[Jack Rabbit]

15. Update (Tuesday): 3-way tie half way thru Politiken Cup

Peter Heine Nielsen (Denmark)m Vladimir Malakhov (Russia) and Jonny Hector (Sweden) are tied with perfect scores half way through the ten-round Politiken Cup, the annual open tournament taking place in Helsingør, Denmark, as part of the Copenhagen Chess Festival.

Nine players are tied for fourth at 4½ points each: Evgeny Agrest (Sweden), Stellan Brynell (Sweden), Viktorija Cmilyte (Lithuania), Alexei Dreev (Russia), Jon Ludwig Hammer (Norway), Tiger Hillarp Persson (Sweden), Parmerian Negi (India), Evgeny Postny (Israel) and Gabriel Sargissian (Armenia).

Nearly 300 chess players are taking part in this year's tournament.

Helsingør, about 25 miles from Copenhagen, is better known to Shakespeare buffs as Elsinore, the setting of the tragedy Hamlet.



Kronberg Castle, Helsingør (Elsinore)
Wikipedia