The JR Chess Report (May 1): Anand holds narrow lead halfway thru Title Match

[Jack Rabbit]

Anand Leads Championship Match at Half Time



Reigning world champion Vishy Anand of India pulled out a miracle draw in the sixth game of his title match with Bulgarian GM Veselin Topalov today and continues to hold a narrow lead of one victory after six rounds of the scheduled 12-game match taking place in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Anand leads the match by a score of 3½-2½.

The match began last Saturday with Topalov winning the first. Anand, who still appeared tired for the opening round after traveling 40 hours by car from Frankfurt to Sofia when his flight was canceled along with thousands of others due to ash from the eruption of the the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull. However, Anand recovered and won the second round game and then, after the third game was drawn, scored an extremely impressive victory in round 4. Games 5 and six both ended in draws.

Most observers, including your humble hare and his staff, were particularly impressed with games 1 and 4, saying that they will go down with some of the finer world championship match games in the last 125 years. It is the opinion of your humble hare and his staff that they are the best world championship games since the tenth round of the Kasparov-Anand match in 1995.

Tomorrow (Sunday) is a rest day. Anand, who had White in even numbered rounds during the first half of the match, will have White for the seventh game when the match resumes Monday and will have White in the odd numbered games for the remainder of the event. The first player to score 6½ points (a full point for a win, a half point for a draw) wins the match. The twelfth and final round is scheduled for Tuesday, May 11, with the following Thursday set aside for rapid and blitz tie breaks should the match end in a 6-6 tie.

Games will be broadcast live on the Official match website. All games begin at 3 pm Eastern European Summer Time (5 am PDT).


Tanya Kosintseva Leads Women's GP in Nalchik after Five



Russian grandmaster Tatiana Kosintseva leads the field in the third leg of the 2009-10 FIDE Women's Grand Prix by a widening margin with 4½ points from the first five rounds in Nalchik, the capital of the Russian Republic of Kabardino-Balkar.

Four players are currently tied for second with 3 points each, two of whom Tatiana Anatolyevna has alredy defeated. They are 16-year-old Chinese GM Hou Yifan (Tatiana Anatolyevna's first round victim), Nana Dzagnidze of Georgia (who fell to Tatiana Anatolyevna yesterday), Russian WGM Baira Kovanova and the reigning European women's champion, Pia Cramling of Sweden.

Today is a rest day for the 12 players. Action resumes tomorrow with the sixth round. The eleventh and final round is scheduled for Friday.

Games are broadcast live on the official website of the Nalchik Grand Prix beginning at 3 pm Moscow Summer Time (4 am PDT).


Ni Hua, Atousa Win Asian Continental Championships



Chinese grandmaster Ni Hua won the general group of the ninth annual Asian Continental Championships yesterday in Subic Bay, the Philippines, with 7 points out of a possible 9 while WGM Atousa Pourkashiyan of Iran won the women's group with the same score.

Mr. Ni took a share of the lead in round 7 when he defeated 16-year-old Filipino GM Wesley So, who had held the lead from the early going. Ni then defeated his compatriot Li Chao in the eighth round to take sole possession of first place. Young Mr. So, former world junior champion Abhijeet Gupta of India, Chinese GM Zhou Jianchao and top seed Le Quang Liem of Vietnam tied for second at 6½ points each.

Ms. Pourkashiyan came from behind to overtake Chinese international master Wang Yu in the late rounds after losing to Ms. Wang in the second round. Ms. Pourkashiyan's key victories were her sixth round win over WFM Ding Yixin of China, who finished tied for second with Ms. Wang with 6½ points, and a stunning tactical tour-de-force from the Black side of the board against tournament top seed Ju Wenjun in just 22 moves in round 7.

The website of the Asian Chess Federation has been slow to put up games. So far, only games through round 6 in the general group and round 7 in the women's group are available.


Other tournaments starting this week:

Bosna 2010, Sarajevo 5-14 May.


Calendar

Grand Prix, Astrakhan (Russia) 9-25 May.

US Championship, St. Louis 13-25 May.

Chicago Open 27-31 May.

Karpov International Tournament, Poikovsky 31 May-14 June. Bacrot, Bologan, Jakovenko, Motylev, Onischuk, Rianzantsev, Rublevsky, Shirov, Ivan Sokolov, Sutivsky, Svidler and Wang Hao.

45th Capablanca Memorial Tournament, Havana 9-22 June. Alekseev, Bruzón, Domínguez, Ivanchuk, Nepomniachtchi and Short.

Kings Tournament, Banza 14-24 June. Carlsen, Gelfand, Nisipeanu, Ponomariov, Radjabov and Wang Yue.

Women's Grand Prix, Jermuk 23 June-6 July.

World Open, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania 29 June-5 July.

Sparkassen Chess Meeting, Dortmund 15-25 July. Kramnik, Le Quang Liem, Leko, Mamedyarov, Naiditsch and Ponomariov.

Women's Grand Prix, Ulan Bator (Mongolia) 29 July-12 August.

World Junior Championships, Chotowa Czarna (Poland) 2-17 August.

Mainz Chess Classic 6-8 August. The world economic crisis reduces the festival to three days in 2010, with the rapid open and simultaneous exhibitions by Vishy Anand and Alexandra Kosteniuk being the only featured events.

Chess Olympiad, Khanty Mansiysk 19 September-4 October.

Pan-American Women's Championship, São Paulo 10-21 October.

European Club Cup, Plovdiv 16-24 October.

Women's Grand Prix, Vina del Mar (Chile) 27 October-9 November.

World Youth Championships, Halidiki (Greece) 19-31 October.

FIDE Women's Knock Out (Women's World Championship), Turkey 2-25 December.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. This week's games

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

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

BLACK
!""""""""#
$tMvWlVmT%
$OoOoOoOo%
$ + + + +%
$+ + + + %
$ + + + +%
$+ + + + %
$pPpPpPpP%
$RnBqKbNr%
/(((((((()
WHITE
White to move
(This position is a theoretical draw)


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

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Match for the World Title, Sofia

Sofia
Photo by podoboq, flickr (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Topalov - Anand, Round 1

Veselin Topalov
Photo: ChessBase.com (Spanish Language)


Veselin Topalov - Vishy Anand
Match for the World Title, Round 1
Sofia, 24 April 2010

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

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 0-0 10.0-0 Na5

• For moves up to here, see Zhukova-Cmilyte, Russian ChT, Dagomys, 2010.

11.Bd3

• 11.Bb5 Bd7 12.Bd3 b6 13.Rb1 e5 14.dxc5 Ba4 15.Qd2 Qd7 16.cxb6 axb6 17.Nc1 Rfc8 18.Rxb6 gives White two extra pawns (Ivanchuk-Morozevich, Tal Mem, Moscow, 2008).

11...b6 12.Qd2

• If 12.Rc1 cxd4 13.cxd4 e6 14.Qd2 Bb7 then:
• If 15.Bh6 Qe7 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 then:
• 17.Rc3 Rac8 18.Rfc1 Qd7 19.f3 Rxc3 20.Qxc3 Rc8 21.Qb2 f6 22.Rxc8 Qxc8 23.Kf2 Kf7 is equal (Saric-Sebenik, IT, Brno, 2006).
• 17.Rc2 Qd7 18.Qb4 Rac8 19.Rxc8 Qxc8 20.f3 Ba6 21.Bxa6 Qxa6 22.Kf2 Qd3 23.Qc3 Qxc3 draw (Minescu-Giemsa, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• 15.h4 Qd7 16.Bh6 Bxh6 17.Qxh6 Nc6 18.Bb5 a6 19.Bxc6 Bxc6 is equal (Cramling-Andersson, IT Heninge, 1989).

12...e5 13.Bh6

• 13.dxe5 Be6 14.Rfd1 Nc4 15.Bxc4 Bxc4 16.f4 Qe7 17.Qc2 Rfd8 gives White an extra pawn, but Black's pawns are stronger (Gozzoli-Safarli, 200th Anniversary of ZCC, Zürich, 2009).

13...cxd4 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.cxd4 exd4 16.Rac1

• If 16.f4 f6 then:
• 17.f5 Bd7 18.Nf4 Nc6 19.Bb5 Ne5 20.Qxd4 g5 21.Ne6+ Bxe6 22.Qxd8 Rfxd8 23.fxe6 Ng6 24.Rac1 pits White's greater activity against Black's stronger pawns (Najer-Safarli, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2010).
• 17.Rac1 Bg4 18.Ng3 Bd7 19.h4 Rc8 20.Rxc8 Bxc8 maintains an extra pawn for Black, but White has the advantage in space (Cheparinov-Kamsky, Grand Prix, Sochi, 2008).
• 17.e5 Bd7 18.exf6+ Qxf6 19.Ng3 Kh8 20.f5 gxf5 21.Bxf5 Bxf5 22.Rxf5 Qd6 23.Raf1 Nc6 doesn't promise either player very much and ended in a draw after another dozen moves (Topalov-Kamsky, Candidates' Match, Sofia, 2009).

16...Qd6!?

• 16...Bb7 17.f4 Rc8 18.Rxc8 Qxc8 19.f5 Nc6 20.Rf3 Ne5 is equal (Karjakin-Carlsen, IT, Foros, 2008).

17.f4

• The position is unclear; Black has an extra pawn, but White has better development and more activity.
• 17.Rfd1 Rd8 18.Bb5 a6 19.Bc4 balances Blak's extra pawn with White's development and space.

17...f6!?

• This move weakens Black's kingside pawns.
• If 17...Rd8 18.e5 Qd5 19.Ng3 then:
• 19...Bb7 20.Ne4 Nc6 21.Nd6 Rxd6 22.exd6 Qxd6 is equal.
• If 19...Rb8 20.Rc7 Bb7 21.Ne4 then:
• 21...Rbc8 22.Rfc1 Rxc7 23.Rxc7 Rc8 24.Nf6 Qe6 remains unclear
• If 21...Rdc8!? 22.Rxc8! then:
• 22...Rxc8 23.Nd6 Rb8 24.Rc1 White's extra space more than compensates for the pawn.
• If 22...Bxc8? 23.Nd6! Be6 24.f5! then:
• 24...Qxa2 25.Qg5! Bd5 26.fxg6 hxg6 27.e6 Bxe6 28.Qe5+ puts Black in a mating net; White is more than compensated for three pawns.
• 24...Qxe5 25.fxe6! fxe6 26.Rf7+ gives White a piece for three pawns and a strong attack on the Black King.

18.f5

• White fixes a Black pawn weakness at f6. Compare with the notes to White's 16th move especially the game Najer-Safarli.
• 18.Bc4 Rd8 19.Bd5 Bb7 20.Qxd4 is equal.

18...Qe5 19.Nf4 g5 20.Nh5+

• 20.Nd5 Rf7 21.Rb1 Bb7 22.Rb5 Bc6 23.Rb4 Rd7 remains unclear with Black holding an extra pawn and White the advantage in space.

20...Kg8?

• Black should play his King to h8 to make room for the Rook to go to g8. This would give Black a much better defense.
• 20...Kh8! then:
• If 21.h4 Rg8 22.hxg5 Rxg5 then:
• If 23.Nf4 Bb7 24.Ne6 Rg3 25.Rc7 then:
• If 25...Rc8! 26.Rd7 Bxe4 27.Bxe4 Qxe4 28.Rxd4 then:
• 28...Nc4 29.Qf2 Qe3 30.Re1 Qc3 31.Kh2 Rcg8 gives Black a tremendous game that he should win.
• 28...Qa8?! 29.Rf2 Nc6 30.Rc4 Ne5 31.Rxc8+ Qxc8 is equal.
• If 25...Rag8?! 26.Rf4 then:
• If 26...Rc8 27.Rd7 Bc6 28.Rh4 Bxd7 29.Qh6 Rc1+ then:
• If 30.Kf2 Rxg2+ 31.Kxg2 Rg1+ 32.Kxg1 Qg3+ 33.Kh1 Qf3+ then:
• If 34.Kg1 Qg3+ 35.Kf1 Qxd3+ then:
• 36.Kf2 Qc2+ 37.Kf3 Qd1+ 38.Kg2 Qe2+ 39.Kh1 Qf3+ etc. draws.
• 36.Kg2 Qe2+ 37.Kh1 Qf3+ 38.Kh2 etc. draws.
• 34.Kh2 Qf2+ 35.Kh3 Qf3+ 36.Kh2 etc. draws.
• 30.Bf1 Rxf1+ 31.Kxf1 Qb5+ 32.Kf2 Rxg2+ 33.Kxg2 Qe2+ 34.Kh1 Qf3+ 35.Kh2 Qf2+ etc. draws.
• 26...Rxg2+? 27.Qxg2 Rxg2+ 28.Kxg2 h5 29.Kh3 b5 30.Rh4 wins for White.
• If 23.Be2 Bb7 24.Bf3 Ba6 then:
• If 25.Be2 d3 26.Bf3 Re8 then:
• If 27.Rfd1 Qd4+ 28.Qf2 then:
• 28...Qd6! then after 29.Qb2 Rf8 30.Qc3 Nb7 31.Qc7 Qd4+ 32.Kh1 Nd6 Black remains a pawn to the good.
• 28...Qxf2+ 29.Kxf2 Rxh5 30.Bxh5 Rxe4 31.Rc7 is equal.
• 27.Qc3 d2 28.Qxd2 Bxf1 29.Kxf1 Nb7 30.Qc3 Rf8 31.Qxe5 fxe5 32.Rc7 Nd6 33.Rxa7 Nxe4 34.Bxe4 Rxh5 leaves Black an exchange to the good.
• If 25.Rf2 Rd8 26.Qf4 Nc4 then:
• 27.Qxe5 fxe5 28.f6 Kg8 29.Ng7 Rxg7 30.fxg7 Kxg7 Black has more pawns and stronger pawns.
• 27.Rfc2 b5 28.Qxe5 fxe5 29.Kf2 Bb7 30.Rh1 Rd6 Black still has an extra pawn and White has no counterplay.
• If 21.Qc2 Nb7 22.Qc6 Rb8 then:
• 23.Qc7 Qxc7 24.Rxc7 Nc5 25.Rd1 Bb7 26.Re7 a6 remains unclear with White having more space and Black continues to hold an extra pawn.
• 23.Qa4 a5 24.Qc2 Nc5 25.Rb1 Rd8 26.Ng3 Rd6 give Black the advantage in space as well as an extra pawn.

BLACK: Vishy Anand
!""""""""#
$t+v+ Tl+%
$O + + +o%
$ O + O +%
$M + WpOn%
$ + +p+ +%
$+ +b+ + %
$p+ Q +pP%
$+ R +rK %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Veselin Topalov
Position after 20...Kg7g8

21.h4!

• This is the beginning of a subtle plan. White will open the kingside and directly attack the Black King.

21...h6

• The less subtle point to White's plan comes into high relief after 21...gxh4? 22.Qh6! Rf7 23.Rc6!! when:
• If 23...Bd7 24.Rxf6 Raf8 25.Rf4 then:
• if 25...Qe7 then after 26.Rg4+ Kh8 27.Rxf7 Rxf7 28.f6 Rxf6 29.Nxf6 Bxg4 30.Nxg4 White has a piece for two pawns and maintains a strong attck on the Black King.
• 25...Qc5 26.Rg4+ Kh8 27.Rg7 leads to mate.
• 23...Nxc6 loses to 24.Bc4 Qg3 25.Bxf7+ Kxf7 26.Qxf6+ etc.
• No better than that is 21...g4? 22.Qh6 Rf7 23.Rf4 Kh8 24.Rxg4 when:
• If 24...Qe7 25.Nf4 Rg7 26.Nd5 then:
• If 26...Qf8 then after 27.Rxg7 Qxg7 28.Qxf6 Qxf6 29.Nxf6 Rb8 30.e5 the advance of the passer duo is decisive.
• If 26...Qd7 then 27.Qxf6 Qf7 28.Rc7 Qxf6 29.Nxf6 wins easily.
• If 24...Qe8 loses immediately to 25.Rg7 Rxg7 26.Qxg7#.

22.hxg5 hxg5 23.Rf3?!

• White misses the winning line.
• If 23.Kf2 Bb7 24.Rh1 then:
• If 24...Rac8 then:
• If 25.Nxf6+!! Qxf6 26.Rxc8 Rxc8 27.Rh5 then:
• 27...Kf7 28.Rh7+ Ke8 29.Qd1 g4 30.Qxg4 Kf8 31.Qh5 wins for White.
• 27...g4 28.Rh6 Qg7 29.Rg6 Qxg6 30.fxg6 Kg7 31.Qb4 is an easy win for White.
• 25.Ng3? Rxc1 26.Qxc1 Rc8 27.Qd2 Nc4 28.Bxc4+ Rxc4 leaves Black with an extra pawn and a more active position.
• If 24...Rad8 then:
• If 25.Nxf6+!! Qxf6 26.Rh5 Rfe8 then:
• If 27.Rxg5+! then:
• If 27...Kf7 28.Rc7+ Re7 29.Qf4 then:
• 29...Bxe4 30.Rxe7+ Qxe7 31.Bxe4 Qd6 32.Qh4 is an easy win for White.
• If 29...Rh8 then 30.e5 Qh6 31.e6+ wins.
• 27.Qxg5+? Qxg5 28.Rxg5+ Kf8 29.Rh5 Kg7 30.Rc7+ Kf6 leaves Black a piece to the good.
• 25.Kg1? Rf7! 26.Nxf6+ Qxf6 27.Rh5 Rg7 leaves Black a piece to the good.

23...Kf7?


• Black, in turn, misses the chance to get back in the game.
• If 23...Bb7 24.Rh3 Rac8! then:
• If 25.Nxf6+!? Qxf6 then:
• If 26.Rh5 Rxc1+! 27.Qxc1 Rc8 then:
• If 28.Rxg5+! Kf7 29.Qf4 Qc6 then:
• If 30.Kf2 Qc1 31.Rg7+ Kxg7 32.Qe5+ Kg8 33.Qe6+ then:
• 33...Kf8 34.Qf6+ Ke8 35.Qe6+ Kd8 36.Qd6+ etc. draws.
• 33...Kh8 34.Qf6+ Kh7 35.Qg6+ Kh8 36.Qf6+ etc. draws.
• If 30.Qh4!? Rh8 31.Qxh8 Qc1+ then:
• 32.Kh2 Qxg5 33.Qxd4 Nc6 34.Qd5+ Kf8 35.Bc4 is equal.
• 32.Bf1? Qe3+! 33.Kh2 Qxg5 wins for Black.
• 28.Qxg5+? Qxg5 29.Rxg5+ Kf8 30.Rh5 Rc3 leaves Black a piece to the good.
• 26.Rxc8? Rxc8 27.Rh5 Kf7 28.Rxg5 Qh6 29.Qf4 Rc5 leaves Black a piece to the good.
• 25.Qd1 Rxc1 26.Qxc1 Rf7 27.Qd2 Black continues to enjoy an extra pawn, but has no way to exploit it.

BLACK: Vishy Anand
!""""""""#
$t+v+ T +%
$O + +l+ %
$ O + O +%
$M + WpOn%
$ + Op+ +%
$+ +b+r+ %
$p+ Q +p+%
$+ R + K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Veselin Topalov
Position after 23...Kg8f7

24.Nxf6!!

• The sacrifice of the Knight nails down the victory.
• 24.Rh3 Rh8 25.Bc4+ Nxc4 26.Rxc4 g4 27.Rh1 is equal.

24...Kxf6

• Black is hopeless.
• If 24...Qxf6 then:
• If 25.Rh3! Ke8 26.e5 then:
• If 26...Qd8 27.Rh7 Rf7 28.Bb5+ then:
• If 28...Bd7 29.Rxf7 Kxf7 30.Bxd7 then:
• 30...Nb7 31.Qxd4 Nc5 32.e6+ Kg8 33.f6 White's passer duo triumphs.
• If 30...Qxd7 then 31.e6+ wins immediately.
• 28...Rd7 loses immediately to 29.Rh8+.
• If 26...Qg7 27.f6 then:
• If 27...Rxf6 then 28.exf6 Qxf6 29.Rf1 Qg7 30.Rh7 wins.
• 27...Qg8 fails against 28.Qb4 Rf7 29.Bg6!.
• Too slow is 25.Rg3?! Rg8! when:
• 26.Rc7+! Ke8 27.Bb5+ Kd8 28.Rh7 Rg7 29.Rgh3 a6 is equal.
• 26.Bc4+? Nxc4 27.Rxc4 Rd8 28.Rc7+ Rd7 29.Qc1 Rxc7 leaves Black a piece to the good.

25.Rh3 Rg8 26.Rh6+ Kf7

• If 26...Kg7 White forces mate: 27.Qxg5+ Kf8 28.Rf6+ Ke8 29.Bb5+ Qxb5 30.Qxg8+ Kd7 31.Qe6+ Kd8 32.Qd6+ Qd7 33.Rf8#.

27.Rh7+ Ke8 28.Rcc7

• Also good is 28.Bb5+ Qxb5 29.Qxd4 Nc4 30.Rxc4 when Balck has no way out,

28...Kd8 29.Bb5 Qxe4

BLACK: Vishy Anand
!""""""""#
$t+vL +t+%
$O R + +r%
$ O + + +%
$Mb+ +pO %
$ + Ow+ +%
$+ + + + %
$p+ Q +p+%
$+ + + K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Veselin Topalov
Position after 29...Qe5e4:p

30.Rxc8+!! 1-0

• Also good is 30.Rce7!! Qf4 31.Qe1! Be6 32.Rxe6 when mate cannot be avoided.
• After the text, if 30...Kxc8 then after 31.Qc1+ Black must lose gobs of material or submit to mate.
• 30...Rxc8 31.Rd7+ Ke8 32.Rxd4+ wins the Queen.
• World champion Anand resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Anand - Topalov, Round 2

Vishy Anand
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Vishy Anand - Veselin Topalov
Match for the World Title, Round 2
Sofia, 25 April 2010

Open Queen's Gambit: Catalan Opening

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 a6

• For other moves, see Anand-Topalov, World Ch Match Rd 4, Sofia, 2010, below in this thread.

6.Ne5 c5 7.Na3!?

• The text commits to a pawn sacrifice.
• If 7.Be3 Nd5 8.dxc5 Nd7 then:
• 9.Bd4 Nxe5 10.Bxe5 f6 11.Bd4 Bxc5 12.Bxc5 Qa5+ 13.Nd2 Qxc5 14.Rc1 b5 gives Black an extra pawn (Ivanchuk-Kuporosov, Soviet Union, 1986).
• 9.Nxc4 Nxe3 10.Nxe3 Bxc5 11.Nc4 0-0 12.0-0 Rb8 13.Nc3 b5 14.Nd6 Nf6 15.Nxc8 Qxd1 draw (Onischuk-Aronian, Bundesliga 0001, Wattenscheid, 2001).

BLACK: Veselin Topalov
!""""""""#
$tMvWlV T%
$+o+ +oOo%
$o+ +oM +%
$+ O N + %
$ +oP + +%
$N + + P %
$pP +pPbP%
$R BqK +r%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after 7.Nb1a3

7...cxd4

• Black needn't accept the pawn.
• If 7...Ra7 8.Be3 b5 9.dxc5 Nd5 10.Naxc4 then:
• 10...f6? 11.Bxd5! exd5 12.Nd6+ Bxd6 13.cxd6 Rb7 14.d7+ Nxd7 15.Nc6 Qc7 16.Rc1 gives White the advantage in space (Naumann-Kveinys, Bundesliga 0708, Germany, 2008).
• If 10...bxc4 11.Qa4+ Bd7 12.Nxd7 Qxd7 then:
• 13.c6 Nxc6 14.Bxa7 Bb4+ 15.Kf1 Nxa7 16.Qxa6 c3 gives Black better development and more space.
• 13.Qxc4!? Nxe3 14.fxe3 Qc7 15.Rc1 Nd7 16.b4 a5 gives Black better pawns and a material advantage.

8.Naxc4 Bc5

• 8...Ra7 9.Bd2 b6 then:
• If 10.0-0 Bb7 11.Bxb7 Rxb7 12.Rc1 Bc5 then:
• If 13.b4 Be7 then:
• 14.Qb3 0-0 15.Rfd1 Rc7 16.Bf4 b5 leaves Black a pawn to the good (And. Volokitin-Navara, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2009).
• If 14.Be3 then:
• 14...0-0 15.Bxd4 Bxb4 16.Bxb6 Qxd1 17.Rfxd1 is equal (van Wely-Robson, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2009).
• If 14...dxe3? 15.Qxd8+! then:
• 15...Bxd8 16.Nd6+ Ke7 17.Nxb7 gives White the material advantage.
• 15...Kxd8 16.Nxf7+ Ke8 17.Nxh8 exf2+ 18.Kxf2 Bxb4 19.Ne5 gives White the material advantage.
• If 13.Na5 Rc7 14.b4 Bd6 15.Nac6 Nxc6 16.Nxc6 Qd7 17.Nxd4 0-0 gives Black more space and stronger minor pieces (Wang Yue-van Wely, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2009).
• 10.Qb3 Bb7 11.Bxb7 Rxb7 12.Na5 Re7 13.Rc1 Rc7 14.0-0 Bc5 15.Nd3 0-0 16.Nxc5 bxc5 is equal (Zhu Chen-Zhao Xue, ITW, Istanbul, 2008).

9.0-0 0-0 10.Bd2 Nd5 11.Rc1 Nd7 12.Nd3 Ba7

• An alternate set up employs a "hedgehog" structure.
• 12...b6 13.Qb3 Rb8 14.Nce5 Bb7 15.Nxd7 Qxd7 16.Rc4 Nf6 17.Bxb7 Rxb7 leaves Black a pawn to the good (Hendrichs-Schlosser, Op, Reykjavik, 2007).

13.Ba5

• 13.Na5 N7f6 14.Qb3 Rb8 15.Rc2 Bd7 16.Rfc1 Bb5 17.a4 Bxd3 18.exd3 Re8 19.Nc4 Qe7 draw (Vidit-Venkatesh, Commonwealth Ch, Nagpur, 2008).

13...Qe7 14.Qb3 Rb8 15.Qa3!?

• 15.Nce5 Nxe5 16.Nxe5 Qf6 17.Nd3 b6 18.Bb4 Rd8 19.Bxd5 Rxd5 leaves Black a pawn to the good; while White has more space, Black can easily turn that upside down (Gulko-Shulman, US Ch, Tulsa, 2008).

15...Qxa3 16.bxa3

• White's novelty on the 15th move is a good one that promises activity for the Rooks on the queenside; nevertheless, Black still has an extra pawn and the burden of proof is on White to show that this is enough to level the game.

16...N7f6

BLACK: Veselin Topalov
!""""""""#
$ Tv+ Tl+%
$Vo+ +oOo%
$o+ +oM +%
$B +m+ + %
$ +nP + +%
$P +n+ P %
$p+ +pPbP%
$+ R +rK %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after 16...Nd7f6

17.Nce5!

• White blockades Black's center, making his advanced d-pawn weak.

17...Re8 18.Rc2!

• White has time to double his Rooks on the c-file.
• If 18.Rfd1!? Ra8 19.Bb4 then:
• If 19...Bb6 20.Rc4 Bd7 21.Bc5 Bxc5 22.Rxc5 then:
• After 22...Bb5 23.Rdc1 b6 24.R5c2 Rad8 Black continues to enjoy an extra pawn.
• 22...Red8 23.Nc1 b6 24.Rc4 Rac8 25.Rdxd4 Bb5 gives Black a clear advantage.
• If 19...a5 20.Bxa5 Bb8 then:
• If 21.Rc5 b6! 22.Bxb6 Rxa3 23.Ra5 then:
• 23...Rxd3 24.Rxd3 Nxb6 25.Rxd4 Nbd5 is equal
• 23...Rxa5!? 24.Bxa5 Ba6 25.Nc6 is equal.
• If 21.Bd2 Rxa3 22.Rc2 b6 23.Nc6 then:
• 23...Ba6 24.Nxd4 Bxd3 25.exd3 Rxd3 gives Black again an extra pawn; White will have a difficult time with the Black Rook at d3.
• 23...Bd7 24.Nxd4 Ba4 25.Nb3 Rxb3 26.axb3 Bxb3 wins the exchange for Black.

18...b6 19.Bd2

• If 19.Nc6 bxa5 20.Nxa7 Bd7 then:
• If 21.Ne5! Ba4 22.Rd2 Rb7 23.Rxd4 then:
• 23...Nc3 24.Rxa4 Rxa7 25.Rxa5 Nxe2+ is equal.
• 23...Rxa7 24.Rxa4 Nc3 transposes.
• 21.Nc5!? Rbd8! 22.Rb1 e5 23.Rb7 Bc8 24.Rb3 Nc3 Black still has an extra pawn.

19...Bb7 20.Rfc1 Rbd8

• 20...b5!? 21.Bg5 Bb6 22.Nb4 h6 23.Bxf6 Nxf6 24.Nbc6 is equal.

21.f4!?

• This move is bad for two reasons. First, White is stronger on the queenside and he should make his aggressive moves there; second, the move converts e3 into a splendid outpost for Black's Knights.
• If 21.a4! Rd6 22.Bb4 then:
• If 22...Nxb4 23.Nxb4 Bxg2 24.Kxg2 a5 25.Nc4 Rd7 is equal.
• 22...Rdd8 23.Bd2 h6 24.h3 Rd6 25.Bb4 Nxb4 26.Nxb4 is equal.

21...Bb8!?

• Black misses best way to capitalize on White's inaccuracy. First, he needs to prevent White from using the c-file as much as possible; then he must maneuver one Knight to e3 while supporting it with another.
• If 21...b5! 22.Nc6 Bxc6 23.Rxc6 then:
• If 23...Bb6 24.a4 then:
• 24...bxa4! 25.R1c4 a3 26.Ra4 Ra8 leaves Black up by a pawn.
• 24...Ng4? fails against 25.axb5 axb5 26.Bxd5! exd5 27.Rxb6 Rxe2 28.Ba5 giving White a piece for two pawns.
• 23...Nc3 24.Kf1 Nfe4 25.Bxc3 Nxc3 26.Rxa6 Bb8 27.e3 is equal.

22.a4 a5 23.Nc6 Bxc6 24.Rxc6 h5!?

• This will cost Black his extra pawn.
• If 24...e5 25.fxe5 Bxe5 26.Bf3 then:
• 26...h5 27.R1c4 Ng4 28.h3 Nge3 29.Nxe5 Rxe5 30.Rxd4 gives White Bishops against Knights in a open center.
• 26...Bd6 27.R1c4 Re6 28.Rxd4 Bc5 29.Rxc5 bxc5 30.Nxc5 is equal.
• If 24...h6 25.R1c4 Ba7 26.a3 then:
• 26...Nd7! 27.Rc1 Nc5 28.Nxc5 bxc5 29.Kf2 Rc8 Black still has an extra pawn.
• If 26...Ne3!? 27.Bxe3 dxe3 28.Rc7! then:
• 28...Bb8 29.Rb7 Rd6 30.Rc6 Rxc6 31.Bxc6 Rd8 32.Rxb6 is equal.
• 28...b5 29.Rc1 Bb8 30.R7c5 is equal.

BLACK: Veselin Topalov
!""""""""#
$ v Tt+l+%
$+ + +oO %
$ Or+o+ +%
$O +m+ +o%
$p+ O P +%
$+ +m+ P %
$p+ Bp+vP%
$+ R + K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after 24...h7h5

25.R1c4!

• White will win back his pawn.

25...Ne3

• 25...Ba7 26.Bf3 Ne3 27.Bxe3 dxe3 28.Rc7 Bb8 29.Rb7 wins the pawn.

26.Bxe3 dxe3 27.Bf3 g6

• Black cannot save the pawn.
• 27...Rd6 28.Rxd6 Bxd6 29.Rc6 Rd8 30.Rxb6 g6 31.Nb2 equalizes for White and takes the initiative against Black's a-pawn.
• 27...Ba7 28.Rc7 Bb8 29.Rb7 Rc8 30.Rxc8 Rxc8 31.Rxb6 is equal.

28.Rxb6

• The game is equal.

28...Ba7!?

• Black leaves his Bishop undefended.
• 28...Re7 29.Rb5 Bc7 30.Ne5 Rd2 remains equal.

29.Rb3!

• Also good is 29.Ra6! Rxd3 30.Rxa7 Rd1+ 31.Kg2.

29...Rd4!?

• Black is trying to attack, but he fails to see the danger of White's activity.
• 29...Re7 30.Ne5 Rd2 31.Rb5 Ne8 32.Rxa5, but White still has an extra pawn, active Rooks and the initiative.

30.Rc7 Bb8 31.Rc5

• White continues to make good use of his active Rooks.
• If 31.Rcb7!? Bd6! 32.Ne5 then:
• 32...Bxe5 33.fxe5 Nd5 34.a3 Rxa4 35.Rd7 Rd4 gives Black an extra pawn.
• 32...Rf8!? 33.Nd7! Nxd7 34.Rxd7 Kg7 35.Kg2 h4 36.gxh4 is again equal.

31...Bd6 32.Rxa5 Rc8 33.Kg2 Rc2

• If 33...Kg7 then after 34.Ra7 Bc7 35.a5 h4 36.Rc3 Rd7 37.Nc5! White wins a pawn.

34.a3 Ra2?

• Black falters and loses all hope of saving the game. He still had an opportunity to claw his way back to an even position.
• If 34...Rdc4! 35.Ra8+ Kg7 36.a5 then:
• If 36...R2c3 then:
• If 37.Rb7 Ng4 38.h3 Nf2 39.Raa7 then:
• If 39...Nxd3 40.Rxf7+ Kg8 then:
• 41.Rg7+ Kf8 42.Rh7 Kg8 43.Rag7+ Kf8 44.Rd7 Kg8 is equal.
• 41.exd3? Rc2+ 42.Kh1 Rc1+ 43.Kh2 R4c2+ 44.Bg2 e2 wins for Black.
• If 39...Rc7?! 40.Rxc7 then:
• 40...Rxc7! 41.Rxc7 Bxc7 42.Nxf2 exf2 43.Kxf2 Bxa5 44.e3 leaves Black with a very slim chance of drawing with Bishops-of-opposite-colors.
• If 40...Bxc7? then White wins after 41.Nxf2! Bd6 42.Ne4 Rc6 43.a6 Bb8 44.Ra8.
• 37.Rxc3!? Rxc3 38.a6 Rxa3! 39.a7 Bc7 40.Nb4 Bb6 41.Nc6 leaves Black fighting for a draw.
• 36...Nd7? 37.a6 Nc5 38.Nxc5 Bxc5 39.Rb7 wins for White.

BLACK: Veselin Topalov
!""""""""#
$ + + +l+%
$+ + +o+ %
$ + VoMo+%
$R + + +o%
$p+ T P +%
$Pr+nObP %
$t+ +p+kP%
$+ + + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after 34...Rc2a2

35.Nb4!

• There are several winning moves which White can select.
• Also good is 35.Ra8+! Kg7 36.Nb4 when:
• 36...Rad2 37.Rxe3 Ng4 38.Rb3 e5 39.Nc6 Rc4 40.fxe5 gives White a won position.
• 36...Bxb4 37.axb4 Nd5 38.Bxd5 Rxe2+ 39.Kf3 wins.

35...Bxb4

• 35...Rad2 36.Rb5 Ng4 37.a5 e5 38.fxe5 Nxe5 39.a6 wins for White.

36.axb4 Nd5 37.b5 Raxa4 38.Rxa4 Rxa4 39.Bxd5 exd5

BLACK: Veselin Topalov
!""""""""#
$ + + +l+%
$+ + +o+ %
$ + + +o+%
$+p+o+ +o%
$t+ + P +%
$+r+ O P %
$ + +p+kP%
$+ + + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after 39...ed5:B

40.b6!

• White has an easily won Rook-and-pawn ending.

40...Ra8 41.b7 Rb8 42.Kf3 d4

• No better is 42...Kf8 43.Kxe3 Ke7 44.Kd4 Kd6 45.Rb6+ when:
• If 45...Kc7 then 46.Rb4 Kd6 47.h3 f5 48.Rb6+ Kc7 49.Rxg6 wins.
• 45...Kd7 loses quickly to 46.Kxd5 Kc7 47.Rb5.

43.Ke4 1-0

• If 43...d3 then White wins two pawns starting with 44.Kxe3! .
• Grandmaster Topalov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Anand - Topalov, Round 4

Vishy Anand
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Vishy Anand - Veselin Topalov
Match for the World Title, Round 4
Sofia, 28 April 2010

Open Queen's Gambit: Catalan Opening

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 Bb4+

• As he did in the second round, White declines to take back the gambit pawn.
• If 5...Nc6 6.Qa4 then:
• If 6...Nd7 7.Qxc4 Nb6 then:
• If 8.Qd3 e5 9.Nxe5 Nb4 then:
• If 10.Qd1 Qxd4 11.Qxd4 Nc2+ then:
• If 12.Kf1 Nxd4 13.Nc3 then:
• is equal(Seel-Bacrot, Bundesliga 0910, Baden Baden, 2010).
• 13...f6 14.Nd3 c6 15.h4 Be6 16.b3 0-0-0 17.Bb2 Bf5 18.Rd1 Be7 is equal (Lahno-Matnadze, EU Blitz ChW, Antalya, 2002).
• 12.Kd1 Nxd4 13.e3 Ne6 14.Nc3 f6 15.Nd3 Nc5 16.Nxc5 Bxc5 is equal (Gelfand-Ivanchuk, Soviet Union, 1986).
• If 10.Qc3 Qxd4 11.0-0 Qxc3 12.Nxc3 then:
• If 12...Bd6 13.Nf3 c6 14.Rd1 Be7 then:
• If 15.a3 N4d5 16.Nxd5 Nxd5 17.Nd4 0-0 then:
• 18.Bxd5 cxd5 19.Be3 Bd7 is equal (Yuseev-Galliamova, Russian Cup, Kazan, 1986).
• 18.e4 Nb6 19.b3 draw (Khalifman-Adams. Bundesliga 0001, Hamburg, 2001).
• 15.Nd4 0-0 16.a3 N4d5 17.Nxd5 Nxd5 18.Bd2 is equal (Beliavsky-Adams, IT, Madrid, 1998).
• 12...f6 13.Nf3 c6 14.a3 N4d5 15.Nxd5 Nxd5 16.Nd4 Bc5 17.Rd1 0-0 18.Bxd5+ cxd5 19.Be3 Bxd4 20.Bxd4 draw (Dokhoian-Gelfand, Klaipeda, 1988).
• If 8.Qb5 then:
• If 8...a6 9.Qd3 e5 10.Nxe5 Nb4 then:
• 11.Qd1 Qxd4 12.Qxd4 Nc2+ 13.Kd1 Nxd4 14.Be3 Nf5 15.Bxb6 cxb6 16.Nd2 Bd6 draw (Gyimesi-Naiditsch, Euro Ch, Rijeka, 2010).
• If 11.Qc3 Qxd4 12.0-0 Qxc3 13.Nxc3 Bd6 14.Nf3 0-0 15.Rd1 is equal (Khalifman-Landa, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2007).
• If 8...Bd7 9.Qb3 Na5 10.Qd3 c5!? 11.dxc5 then:
• If 11...Bxc5? 12.Qc3 Rc8 13.Qxg7 Bf8 then:
• If 14.Qg5?! Qxg5 15.Bxg5 Bg7 16.Nbd2 h6 17.Be3 Bxb2 18.Rb1 Nd5 gives White the initiative (Kramnik-Naiditsch, IT, Dortmund, 2006).
• 14.Qxh8 Rxc1+ 15.Kd2 Rxh1 16.Bxh1 Ba4+ 17.Qd4 leaves White up by the equaivalent of a minor piece.
• 11...Nd5 12.a3 Nc6 13.e4 Nc7 14.Bg5 Qc8 15.Qc4 gives White a healthy advantage in space.
• If 6...Bb4+ 7.Bd2 then:
• If 7...Nd5 8.Bxb4 Ndxb4 then:
• If 9.0-0 Rb8 then:
• If 10.Nc3 a6 11.Ne5 0-0 12.Nxc6 Nxc6 13.Bxc6 bxc6 14.Qxc4 then:
• 14...Rxb2 15.Rab1 Rb6 16.Qc5 h6 17.Rfd1 Rxb1 18.Rxb1 Qd6 19.Ne4 Qd5 20.Qxd5 cxd5 21.Nc5 Re8 is equal (Khalifman-S. Ivanov, City Ch, St. Petersburg, 1996).
• 14...Qd6 15.Ne4 Qd5 16.Qc2 Qxd4 17.b3 Rb5 18.Rfd1 Qb4 is equal (Hefka-van Kempen, Corres, 2003).
• If 10.Na3 then:
• If 10...0-0 11.Qb5 b6 12.Qxc4 Ba6 13.Nb5 Qd5 14.Qxd5 then:
• If 14...Nxd5 15.a4 Na5 16.Ne5 Rbd8 17.Bxd5 Bxb5 18.Bxe6 then:
• 18...Be8 19.b4 fxe6 20.bxa5 Rxd4 is equal (Grischuk-Gelfand, Grand Prix, Sochi, 2008).
• 18...fxe6 19.axb5 Rxd4 20.Nd3 Ra8 21.Rad1 Nb3 22.e3 is equal.
• 14...exd5 15.Nc3 Rfe8 16.Rfd1 Ne7 17.Rac1 Rbd8 18.a3 Nbc6 19.e3 Nb8 20.b4 gives White the advantage in space (Miton-Nakamura, Worldf Op, Philadelphia, 2005).
• If 10...a6 11.Ne5 0-0 12.Nxc6 Nxc6 13.Qxc4 Qxd4 14.Bxc6 Qxc4 15.Nxc4 bxc6 16.b3 Rb5 17.Rfc1 then:
• 17...f6 18.Nb2 Bd7 19.Na4 Kf7 20.Rc2 Ke7 21.Nc5 Bc8 is equal (Kachianai-Collas, Euro ChTW, Crete, 2007).
• 17...Rd8 18.Rc2 e5 19.f3 f6 20.Rac1 Kf7 21.Kf2 Bb7 is equal (Delchev-S. Atalik, Ol. Bled, 2002).
• If 9.a3 b5 10.Qxb5 Nc2+ 11.Kd2 then:
• If 11...Nxa1 12.Qxc6+ Bd7 13.Qxc4 c5 14.Qa2 Qa5+ then:
• If 15.Nc3 cxd4 16.Nxd4 Rd8 17.Rxa1 then:
• 17...e5 18.b4 Qb6 19.Nc2 Qxf2 20.Bd5 0-0 21.Qc4 Be6 22.Ne3 Qxh2 23.Qh4 Qxh4 24.gxh4 f5 25.Kc2 Kf7 26.Rd1 f4 27.Nc4 draw (Kasparov-Admas, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2001).
• If 17...Qc5 18.e3 e5 19.Qd5 Qxd5 20.Bxd5 exd4 21.exd4 gives White the advantage in space (Kasimdzhanov-Aleksandrov, Bosnian ChT, Jahorina, 2003).
• If 15.b4 cxb4!! 16.Qxa1 Rc8 17.Ne5 Bb5 18.Ke3 Rc2 19.Bf3 0-0 20.a4 f6 21.Nd3 Bc4 22.Nd2 Qg5+ 23.Nf4 e5 24.Nxc4 exf4+ 25.gxf4 Qf5 26.Nd6 Qe6+ White resigns in the face of further material loss (Ivanchuk-Korchnoi, IT, Tilburg, 1989).
• If 11...Bd7 12.Kxc2 Nxd4+ 13.Nxd4 Bxb5 14.Nxb5 Rb8 15.N1c3 0-0 16.Rad1 Qg5 17.Nd4 Qc5 18.e3 Qb6 19.Na4 Qa5 20.Nc3 Qb6 21.Na4 Qa5 22.Nc3 draw (P. H. Nielsen-Pelletier, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).
• If 7...Bd6 then:
• 8.Ne5 Bxe5 9.Bxc6+ bxc6 10.dxe5 Qd4 11.f3 Nd7 12.Nc3 Qc5 13.f4 0-0 14.0-0-0 a5 15.Qc2 Re8 16.h4 a4 is equal (P. H. Nielsen-Barsov, EU Blitz Ch, Panormo, 2002).
• If 8.0-0 0-0 9.Qxc4 e5 then:
• 10.d5 Ne7 11.Nc3 h6 12.Rfd1 a6 13.a4 Bd7 14.h3 Rb8 15.a5 Ne8 16.Be3 Qc8 17.Ba7 Ra8 18.Bc5 is equal (Sambuev-Tregubov, Russian Ch, Krasnoyarsk, 2003).
• 10.dxe5 Nxe5 11.Nxe5 Bxe5 12.Bc3 Qe7 13.Bxe5 Qxe5 14.Nc3 c6 15.Rfd1 Be6 16.Qb4 Rab8 17.Rd2 a5 18.Qd4 Qxd4 19.Rxd4 c5 20.Rd6 b5 is equal (Haba-Tukmakov, Cafe Cup, Koszalin, 1998).
• If 5...c5 6.0-0 then:
• If 6...Nc6 then:
• If 7.Ne5 Bd7 8.Na3 cxd4 9.Naxc4 then:
• If 9...Bc5 10.Qb3 0-0 then:
• If 11.Qxb7 Nxe5 12.Nxe5 Rb8 13.Qf3 then:
• If 13...Bd6 14.Nc6 Bxc6 15.Qxc6 Qe7 then:
• 16.Qa4 e5 17.Rb1 h6 18.Bd2 Bb4 is equal (Laznicka-Werle, EU Op, Liverpool, 2008).
• 16.Rb1 h6 17.e3 Bc5 18.exd4 Bxd4 19.Qc4 Rfd8 20.b3 draw (Eljanov-Adams, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2008).
• 13...Bc8 14.Nc6 Bb7 15.Bg5 Bxc6 16.Qxc6 remains equal.
• If 11.Bf4 Qc8 then:
• If 12.Rac1 Nd5 13.Nxd7 Qxd7 14.Ne5 Nxe5 then:
• If 15.Bxe5 Bb6 then:
• 16.Rcd1 Ne7 17.Bxd4 Bxd4 18.e3 e5 19.exd4 exd4 20.Rd2 Nc6 21.Qa4 Rad8 22.Rfd1 Qe6 23.b3 Rfe8 24.Bxc6 Qxc6 25.Qxc6 bxc6 26.Rxd4 Rxd4 27.Rxd4 Re1+ 28.Kg2 g6 29.Kf3 gives Black the more active Rook (Deep Fritz-Nimzo B, Computer Ch, Cadaques, 2001).
• 16.Rfd1 Rac8 17.Rxc8 Rxc8 18.Bxd5 Qxd5 19.Qxd5 exd5 20.Bxd4 Bxd4 21.Rxd4 Rd8 22.e4 Kf8 23.exd5 Ke7 24.Kg2 Kd6 25.Kf3 Rc8 26.Rd2 Re8 27.Kf4 Re5 28.h4 h5 29.f3 f6 30.g4 g5+ 31.Kg3 hxg4 32.Kxg4 gxh4 33.Kxh4 draw (Kharlov-A. Sokolov, Zonal, St. Petersburg, 1993).
• 15.Bxd5 exd5 16.Rxc5 Nc6 17.Rxd5 Qe6 18.Rb5 b6 19.Rc1 Rac8 is equal (Tregubov-Morozevich, Russian Ch, Orel, 1992).
• If 12.Rfd1 Rd8 13.Rac1 Nd5 then:
• If 14.Nxf7!? 14...Kxf7 15.Ne5+ Nxe5 16.Bxe5 b6 17.Qf3+ Kg8 18.Qg4 g6 19.Be4 then:
• 19...Be8? 20.b4!! Nxb4 21.Bxa8 Qxa8 22.Qxe6+ White has turned the tables (Tal-A. Sokolov, World Cup, Brussels, 1988).
• 19...Bc6! 20.Bxd4 Bxd4 21.Rxd4.
• 14.Nd3 Bf8 15.Nce5 Nxf4 16.Nxf4 Qc7 17.Nfd3 Rac8 18.Nxd7 Rxd7 19.Qa4 Rdd8 20.Rc4 Qb6 21.Rdc1 Ne7 22.Rb4 Rxc1+ 23.Nxc1 Qc7 24.Rc4 Qb8 25.Rxd4 b5 26.Qd1 draw (Korchnoi-A. Sokolov, World Cup, Brussels, 1988).
• 9...Rc8 10.Qb3 Nxe5 11.Nxe5 Bc6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.Rd1 c5 14.e3 Bd6 15.exd4 c4 16.Qc2 0-0 17.Bg5 h6 18.Bxf6 Qxf6 is equal (V. Georgiev-Ivanchuk, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).
• 7.Qa4 Bd7 8.Qxc4 b5 9.Qd3 Rc8 10.dxc5 Bxc5 11.Nc3 b4 12.Ne4 Nxe4 13.Qxe4 Ne7 14.Ne5 Bb5 15.Be3 0-0 16.Rfd1 Qb6 17.Bxc5 Qxc5 18.Nd7 Bxd7 19.Rxd7 Rfd8 20.Qd3 Rxd7 21.Qxd7 g6 22.Rd1 a5 23.Bf3 Qc7 24.Kg2 Qxd7 25.Rxd7 Nc6 26.Bxc6 draw (Haba-Volodin, Op, Pardubice, 1994).
• If 6...cxd4 then:
• If 7.Qxd4 Qxd4 8.Nxd4 a6 9.Nd2 Bc5 10.Nc2 then:
• If 10...Nd5 11.Nxc4 Bd7 12.b4 Ba7 13.e4 Nb6 14.Nd6+ Ke7 15.Nxb7 is equal (Stefanova-Zhukova, Euro ChW, Rijeka, 2010).
• 10...c3 11.bxc3 Nbd7 12.Nb3 Be7 13.Rb1 Nd5 14.Bb2 is equal (Balashov-A. Petrosian, GMT, Yerevan, 1986).
• If 7.Nxd4 a6 8.Qa4+ Qd7 9.Qxc4 b5 10.Qb3 Bb7 11.Bxb7 Qxb7 12.a4 b4 13.Nd2 Bc5 14.Qf3 Qxf3 15.N4xf3 Nc6 gives Black the advantage in space (Scheeren-van der Wiel, Dutch Ch, Hilversum, 1984).
• If 8...Nbd7 9.Qxc4 Nb6 10.Qb3 then:
• 10...e5 11.Nf3 Be6 12.Qc2 is equal (Nokolic-Movsesian, Rubinstein Mem, Polanica Zdroj, 1996).
• 10...Qxd4 11.Be3 Qc4 12.Bxb6 Qxb3 13.axb3 Nd7 14.Bc7 is equal.
• If 5...Nbd7 6.Bg2 dxc4 then:
• If 7.a4 Bb4 8.0-0 0-0 9.Qc2 Qe7 10.Bf4 then:
• If 10...a5 11.e4 b6 12.Rfe1 h6 then:
• If 13.d5 then:
• If 13...cxd5 14.exd5 Bxc3 15.d6 Qd8 16.Qxc3 Bb7 is equal (I. Sokolov-Caruana, Euro Ch, Rijeka, 2010).
• 13...e5 14.dxc6 exf4 15.cxd7 Bb7 16.gxf4 Nxd7 is equal (Tregubov-Sakaev. IT, Alushta, 1994).
• 13.Rad1 Bb7 14.Nd2 e5 15.dxe5 Ng4 16.e6 Nde5 is equal (Peto-Hmelevsky, Corres, 2007).
• If 10...Nd5 11.Bd2 a5 12.e4 N5b6 then:
• 13.Be3 h6 14.Rad1 e5 15.dxe5 Bc5 16.Bf4 Re8 is equal (Gelfand-Anand, Alekhine Mem, Moscow, 1992).
• 13.e5 Nd5 14.Rfe1 N7b6 15.Re4 f5 16.exf6 gxf6 17.Bh3 Rf7 18.Rae1 f5 is equal (Vinchev-Azevedo, Corres, 2007).
• If 10.Na2 Bd6 11.Qxc4 then:
• If 11...e5 12.Qc2 Re8 13.Nc3 then:
• 13...exd4 14.Nxd4 Nc5 15.Rd1 Be5 16.Rb1 a5 is equal (Ulibin-Sakaev, Russian Ch, Elista, 1995).
• 13...a5 14.e4 exd4 15.Nxd4 Nc5 16.f3 Na6 17.Na2 Bc5 18.Be3 Nd5 19.Bf2 Ndb4 is equal (Gleizerov-Laketic, Op, Cutro, 2000).
• 11...a5 12.Qc2 e5 13.Rd1 Re8 14.Nc3 Bb4 15.e4 h6 16.h3 exd4 17.Nxd4 Nc5 is equal (Gleizerov-Chepukaitis, Op, St. Petersburg, 1995).
• If 7.0-0 then:
• If 7...b5 8.e4 Bb7 9.e5 Nd5 10.Ng5 then:
• If 10...Be7 11.Qh5 g6 12.Qh6 Bf8 13.Qh3 then:
• 13...Nxc3 14.bxc3 Be7 15.Ne4 then:
• If 15...Qb6 16.a4 a5 17.Bg5 Bxg5 18.Nxg5 c5 19.d5 gives Black an extra pawn, but White has more space and better pawn structure in compensation (Prohaszka-Mazur, ChU16, Herceg Novi, 2008).
• 15...0-0 16.a4 a6 17.Qh6 Re8 18.Bg5 Bf8 19.Bxd8 Bxh6 20.Nd6 Rexd8 21.Nxb7 Rdc8 22.Nd6 give Black an extra pawn and Black nore space and the initiative (Moiseenko-Borovikov, Op, Kramatorsk, 2001).
• 13...h6 14.Qxe6+ Qe7 15.Qxg6 fxg6 draw (Tregubov-Fressinet, Op, Paris, 2006).
• If 10...h6 11.Nge4 Qb6 12.a4 a6 13.Qg4 0-0-0 14.Rd1 then:
• 14...g5!? 15.Qh5 c5 16.axb5 axb5 17.Nxd5 Bxd5 18.Be3 gives White the advantage in space (Dumant-Matsuura, Brazilian Ch, Americana, 2009).
• 14...b4 15.Nb1 a5 16.Be3 Nxe3 17.fxe3 h5 18.Qf4 gives Black an extra pawn and White more space.
• If 7...Be7?! 8.e4! 0-0 then:
• 9.Bf4! b5 10.d5 cxd5 11.exd5 Qb6 12.d6 Bd8 13.Be3 Qa6 14.Nxb5 Nd5 is equal (Korchnoi-Kramnik, IT, Geneva, 1996).
• If 9.a4 e5 10.dxe5 Ng4 11.Bf4 Qa5 then:
• 12.e6!? fxe6 13.Qe2 Nge5 14.Nd4 Nd3 15.Nxe6 Rf6 16.Bc7 Qb4 17.Nd4 Bc5 gives Black the advantage in space (Topalov-Kramnik, IT, Linares, 1997).
• 12.Qd4 Rd8 13.Qxc4 Ndxe5 14.Qe2 Be6 is equal.
• 5...a6 6.Ne5 c5 then:
• If 7.Na3 then:
• If 7...cxd4 8.Naxc4 then:
• If 8...Bc5 9.0-0 0-0 10.Bd2 Nd5 11.Rc1 Nd7 12.Nd3 then:
• If 12...Ba7 then:
• If 13.Ba5 Qe7 14.Qb3 Rb8 then:
• 15.Qa3 Qxa3 16.bxa3 N7f6 White's position promises activity for the Rooks on the queenside; nevertheless, Black still has an extra pawn and the burden of proof is on White to show that this is enough to level the game (Anand-Topalov, World Ch Match Rd 2, Sofia, 2010).
• 15.Nce5 Nxe5 16.Nxe5 Qf6 17.Nd3 b6 18.Bb4 Rd8 19.Bxd5 Rxd5 leaves Black a pawn to the good; while White has more space, Black can easily turn that upside down (Gulko-Shulman, US Ch, Tulsa, 2008).
• 13.Na5 N7f6 14.Qb3 Rb8 15.Rc2 Bd7 16.Rfc1 Bb5 17.a4 Bxd3 18.exd3 Re8 19.Nc4 Qe7 draw (Vidit-Venkatesh, Commonwealth Ch, Nagpur, 2008).
• 12...b6 13.Qb3 Rb8 14.Nce5 Bb7 15.Nxd7 Qxd7 16.Rc4 Nf6 17.Bxb7 Rxb7 leaves Black a pawn to the good (Hendrichs-Schlosser, Op, Reykjavik, 2007).
• If 8...Ra7 9.Bd2 b6 then:
• If 10.0-0 Bb7 11.Bxb7 Rxb7 12.Rc1 Bc5 then:
• If 13.b4 Be7 then:
• 14.Qb3 0-0 15.Rfd1 Rc7 16.Bf4 b5 leaves Black a pawn to the good (And. Volokitin-Navara, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2009).
• If 14.Be3 then:
• 14...0-0 15.Bxd4 Bxb4 16.Bxb6 Qxd1 17.Rfxd1 is equal (van Wely-Robson, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2009).
• If 14...dxe3? 15.Qxd8+! then:
• 15...Bxd8 16.Nd6+ Ke7 17.Nxb7 gives White the material advantage.
• 15...Kxd8 16.Nxf7+ Ke8 17.Nxh8 exf2+ 18.Kxf2 Bxb4 19.Ne5 gives White the material advantage.
• If 13.Na5 Rc7 14.b4 Bd6 15.Nac6 Nxc6 16.Nxc6 Qd7 17.Nxd4 0-0 gives Black more space and stronger minor pieces (Wang Yue-van Wely, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2009).
• 10.Qb3 Bb7 11.Bxb7 Rxb7 12.Na5 Re7 13.Rc1 Rc7 14.0-0 Bc5 15.Nd3 0-0 16.Nxc5 bxc5 is equal (Zhu Chen-Zhao Xue, ITW, Istanbul, 2008).
• If 7...Ra7 8.Be3 b5 9.dxc5 Nd5 10.Naxc4 then:
• 10...f6? 11.Bxd5! exd5 12.Nd6+ Bxd6 13.cxd6 Rb7 14.d7+ Nxd7 15.Nc6 Qc7 16.Rc1 gives White the advantage in space (Naumann-Kveinys, Bundesliga 0708, Germany, 2008).
• If 10...bxc4 11.Qa4+ Bd7 12.Nxd7 Qxd7 then:
• 13.c6 Nxc6 14.Bxa7 Bb4+ 15.Kf1 Nxa7 16.Qxa6 c3 gives Black better development and more space.
• 13.Qxc4!? Nxe3 14.fxe3 Qc7 15.Rc1 Nd7 16.b4 a5 gives Black better pawns and a material advantage.
• If 7.Be3 Nd5 8.dxc5 Nd7 then:
• 9.Bd4 Nxe5 10.Bxe5 f6 11.Bd4 Bxc5 12.Bxc5 Qa5+ 13.Nd2 Qxc5 14.Rc1 b5 gives Black an extra pawn (Ivanchuk-Kuporosov, Soviet Union, 1986).
• 9.Nxc4 Nxe3 10.Nxe3 Bxc5 11.Nc4 0-0 12.0-0 Rb8 13.Nc3 b5 14.Nd6 Nf6 15.Nxc8 Qxd1 draw (Onischuk-Aronian, Bundesliga 0001, Wattenscheid, 2001).

6.Bd2 a5

• If 6...Be7 7.Qa4+ then:
• If 7...Bd7 8.Qxc4 Bc6 9.0-0 0-0 then:
• If 10.Nc3 then:
• 10...Nbd7 11.Rac1 Rc8 12.Rfd1 h6 13.b4 Ne4 14.b5 Nxd2 15.Rxd2 Bxf3 16.exf3 c5 draw (Sebenik-Tissir, Mediterranean Ch, Beirut, 2003).
• 10...Ne4 11.Bf4 Bd6 12.Rac1 Bxf4 13.gxf4 Nd6 14.Qd3 Qf6 is equal (Asmundsson-Aaltio, World ChTU26, Reykjavik, 1954).
• 10.Bg5 Nbd7 11.Nc3 Rc8 12.Qd3 h6 13.Bxf6 Nxf6 14.e4 b6 15.Rad1 Bb7 16.a3 c5 17.d5 exd5 18.exd5 Bd6 is equal (Ushenina-Dzagnidze, Euro ChW, Chisinau, 2005).
• 7...Nbd7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Qxc4 c5 10.dxc5 Bxc5 11.Nc3 a6 12.b4 Be7 13.Qb3 Nb6 14.Rfd1 White has accomplished his development, while Black still needs to find a post for the Queen's Bishop.

7.Qc2

• If 7.0-0 Nc6 8.Bg5 0-0 9.e3 then:
• If 9...h6 10.Bxf6 Qxf6 11.a3 Bd6 12.Nc3 e5 13.d5 then:
• 13...Na7 14.Nd2 b5 15.a4 Bd7 16.Qc2 Bb4 is equal (Ragger-Blogojevic, Euro ChT, Novi Sad, 2009).
• 13...Ne7 14.Nd2 Bd7 15.Nxc4 Nf5 16.Qd3 Rfd8 17.Rac1 Qe7 18.Ne4 gives White the advantage in space (Fridman-San Segundo, Euro Ch, Rijeka, 2010).
• 9...e5 10.a3 Be7 11.dxe5 Nd7 12.e6 fxe6 13.Bxe7 Qxe7 14.Nbd2 c3 15.bxc3 e5 16.Ne4 Nb6 gives Black the advantage in space and fewer pawn weaknesses (Erdos-Landa, Bundesliga 0910, Eppingen, 2009).

7...Bxd2+

• If 7...Nc6 8.Qxc4 Qd5 then:
• 9.Qd3 Qe4 10.Qxe4 Nxe4 11.a3 Nxd2 12.Nbxd2 Be7 13.Rc1 0-0 14.0-0 a4 15.Nc4 Bd8 16.Rfd1 gives White a small advantage in space (Kouatly-Polugaevsky, ITZ, Toluca, 1982).
• If 9.Qxd5 exd5 then:
• 10.Nc3 Bf5 11.0-0 Be4 12.Bg5 Bxc3 13.bxc3 Nd7 14.Bh3 h6is equal (Reefschlaeger-Taimanov, Soviet Union, 1981).
• 10.0-0 Bg4 11.e3 Ne4 12.Bc3 Ke7 13.Rc1 Rhc8 14.Nfd2 Nf6 15.a3 Bd6 16.Nf3 Be6 is equal (Arkell-Speelman, 4NCL, Birmingham, 2001).

8.Qxd2

• If 8.Nbxd2 b5 9.a4 c6 10.b3 cxb3 11.Nxb3 0-0 12.0-0 Ba6 then:
• If 13.Rfd1 bxa4 14.Nc5 Bb5 15.Ne5 then:
• 15...Nd5 16.Be4 Nf6 17.Nxa4 Nxe4 18.Qxe4 Na6 19.Nxc6 Qe8 20.d5 Nb4 21.Nxb4 Bxa4 22.Nc2 is equal (Beliavsky-A. Veingold, Ol, Calvia, 2004).
• 15...Qd6 16.Nc4 Qc7 17.Na3 Nd5 18.Rdc1 Qe7 is equal (Romanishin-Landa, IT 0607, Reggio Emilia, 2007).
• 13.Nc5 b4 14.Rfd1 Nd5 15.e4 Nc3 gives Black the initiative (Saric-Pavlovic, IT, Rijeka, 2005).

8...c6

• 8...Bd7 9.Ne5 Bc6 10.Nxc6 Nxc6 11.Na3 0-0 12.Rd1 Qe7 13.0-0 Qb4 14.Qc1 Nd5 is equal (Damljanovic-Korneev, Kostic Mem, Vrsac, 2006).

9.a4 b5 10.Na3!?

• If 10.axb5 cxb5 11.Qg5 0-0 12.Qxb5 Ba6 then:
• If 13.Qa4 Qb6 then:
• If 14.0-0 Qxb2 15.Nbd2 Bb5 16.Nxc4 Bxa4 17.Nxb2 Bb5 18.Ne5 then:
• If 18...Ra7 then:
• If 19.Nbd3 then:
• 19...Nbd7 20.Rfb1 Nxe5 21.Rxb5 Nxd3 22.exd3 draw (Ushenina-T. Kosintseva, Euro ChW, Rijeka, 2010).
• 19...Nfd7 20.Rfb1 Nxe5 21.Rxb5 Nxd3 22.exd3 Rd8 23.Ra4 gives White a slight initiative agains the a-pawn, but his center pawns are weak (K. Georgiev-Pavasovic, IT, Valijevo, 2007).
• 19.Bf3 Nbd7 20.Nec4 Rb8 21.Rfc1 g5 22.e3 g4 23.Bd1 Bc6 24.Nxa5 Rxa5 25.Rxa5 Rxb2 26.Rxc6 Rb1 is equal as White as no way to save the Bishop (Potkin-Romanov, Russian Ch HL, Krasnoturinsk, 2007).
• 18...Ra6!? 19.Nbd3! Nbd7 20.Rfb1 Nxe5 21.Nc5!! Nc6 22.e3 Rb6 23.Bxc6 Rfb8 24.Bf3 gives White an impressive advantage in space, especially on the queenside (Meier-Wojtaszek, Euro ChT, Novi Sad, 2009).
• 14.Nbd2 Bb5 15.Qa3 Nc6 16.0-0 Rab8 17.Rfc1 Nxd4 18.Nxd4 Qxd4 19.Nf3 Qb6 20.Qxa5 Qxa5 21.Rxa5 Bc6 22.Rxc4 Bxf3 23.Bxf3 Rxb2 24.h4 draw (Leko-Kramnik, IT, Dortmund, 2009).
• If 13.Qxa5 Bb7 14.Qxd8 Rxa1 15.Qxf8+ Kxf8 16.0-0 Ra2 then:
• 17.Nc3 Rxb2 18.Rb1 Rxb1+ 19.Nxb1 Nd5 20.Ne1 draw (Blogojevic-Wojtaszek, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).
• 17.Ne5 Ba6 18.Rc1 Rxb2 19.Nc3 Nfd7 20.f4 Nxe5 21.fxe5 f6 is equal (Buhmann-Golubovic, Euro Ch, Rijeka, 2010).

10...Bd7

• As with the second match game, Black's extra pawn affords him bragging right for now.

11.Ne5 Nd5 12.e4 Nb4 13.0-0 0-0 14.Rfd1 Be8

BLACK: Veselin Topalov
!""""""""#
$tM WvTl+%
$+ + +oOo%
$ +o+o+ +%
$Oo+ N + %
$pMoPp+ +%
$N + + P %
$ P Q PbP%
$R +r+ K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after 14...Bd7e8

15.d5!?

• This move looks a little chaotic, but White feels that with heavy pieces doubled on the d-file and a Knight at e5 it is time to open the center.

15...Qd6

• Black blockades White's center.
• Our silicon sidekick likes 15...Qb6 16.d6 Nd7 17.Nxd7 Bxd7 18.e5 Rad8 , but Topalov apparently didn't like have a protected passed pawn in his thoat. We tend to agree with Topalov on this one.

16.Ng4!?

• One may wonder why White doesn't take the pawn at c6.
• 16.Nxc6 N8xc6 17.dxc6 Qxd2 18.Rxd2 bxa4 19.Nxc4 is completely equal.

16...Qc5 17.Ne3 N8a6

• 17...exd5 18.exd5 Ra7 19.Qd4 Qxd4 20.Rxd4 Re7 21.Rad1 gives Black an extra pawn and more space on the queenside, but White is building a strong center.

18.dxc6 bxa4 19.Naxc4

• 19.c7 Qxc7 20.Naxc4 Bc6 21.Nd6 Rad8 22.Rac1 leaves Black with an extra pawn and White with more space.

19...Bxc6 20.Rac1 h6!?

• 20...Rab8 21.Qd6 Qg5 22.f4 Qb5 23.Ne5 Rbc8 24.Qd4 leaves Black with an extra pawn and White with more space.
• 20...Qh5 21.Qd6 Rab8 22.Ne5 Bb5 23.f4 Qe2 24.N3c4 Bxc4 25.Nxc4 leaves Black with an extra pawn and White with more space.
• If 20...Nc7!? 21.Qd6 Qxd6 22.Nxd6 Rab8 then:
• If 23.Nec4 Nb5 24.Nxa5! Nxd6 25.Nxc6 gives White the initiative.
• If 23.e5 Bxg2 24.Kxg2 Ncd5 then:
• If 25.Nec4 f6 26.Rd2 fxe5 27.Re1 then:
• If 27...h6 28.Nxe5 Rfd8 29.Nec4 Nc7 30.Ra1 White will be able to balance the material, but Black has more freedom.
• 27...Nc6 28.Nxe5 Rbd8 29.Nec4 Nc7 30.f4 leaves Black with an extra pawn and White with more space.
• If 25.Nxd5!? Nxd5 26.Rd4 Rb4! 27.Rd2 Rfb8 28.Rc5 Rd8! then Black appears to have the better game as now:
• If 29.Rdc2 f6 30.Nc4 Rdb8 31.Re2 Nb6 32.Nxb6 R8xb6 gives Black a slightly more active position.
• 29.f4 f6 30.Re2 g5 31.fxg5 fxe5 gives Black the inititiative.

21.Nd6 Qa7!?

• If 21...Qh5 then:
• If 22.Nec4 Rad8 23.Qe3 is equal.
• 22.f4 Rfd8 23.Nec4 Bb5 24.Ne5 Be2 25.Re1 is equal.

22.Ng4 Rad8?

• Black clearly doesn't see White's reply.
• White can save himself with 22...f6! when his Queen can navigate the rank put a stop to White attack if he plays the sacrifice, so now:
• If 23.e5 Bxg2 then:
• 24.Kxg2 fxe5 25.Nxe5 Nd5 remains equal.
• If 24.Nxh6+? then after 24...gxh6 25.Qxh6 Bf3 26.exf6 Qh7! White is toast.
• If 23.Nxh6+? then after 23...gxh6 24.Qxh6 Qh7! White's attack is spent and he he has lost a piece in the misadventure.

BLACK: Veselin Topalov
!""""""""#
$ + T Tl+%
$W + +oO %
$m+vNo+ O%
$O + + + %
$oM +p+n+%
$+ + + P %
$ P Q PbP%
$+ Rr+ K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after 22...Ra8d8

23.Nxh6+!!

• White uncorks a dazzling sacrifice.

23...gxh6 24.Qxh6 f6 25.e5!

• White finds the winning move.
• If 25.Bh3? Qe7! then:
• 26.Qg6+ Kh8 27.Qh6+ etc. draws.
• If 26.Rc4 e5 27.Qg6+ Kh8 28.Qh5+ then:
• 28...Kg8 29.Qg6+ Kh8 etc. draws.
• 28...Qh7? 29.Nf7+ Kg8 30.Qxh7+ Kxh7 31.Bf5+ Kg7 32.Nxd8 wins for White.

25...Bxg2 26.exf6!!

• White is casting a mating net. The Bishop can go.

26...Rxd6 27.Rxd6 Be4

• The fat lady is back stage doing her voice exercises.
• If 27...Bd5 then 28.Qg6+ Kh8 29.Rc4 Bxc4 30.Rd4 Qh7 31.Rh4 Rf7 32.Qxf7 Qxh4 33.Qg7#.

28.Rxe6 Nd3

• If 28...Qh7 then White wins after 29.Qg5+ Bg6 30.f7+ Kxf7 31.Re7+.

29.Rc2 Qh7 30.f7+ Qxf7 31.Rxe4 Qf5 32.Re7 1-0

• If 32...Rf7 then after 33.Rc8+ Qxc8 34.Qg6+ Kh8 35.Qh5+ White mates in two.
• Challenger Topalov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. FIDE Women's Grand Prix, Third Leg, Nalchik

Nalchik Springs
Photo by Wassily in Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike]

[Jack Rabbit]

7. T. Kosintseva - Danielian, Round 3

Tatiana Kosintseva
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Tatiana Kosintseva - Elina Danielian
Women's Grand Prix, Third Leg, Round 3
Nalchik, 28 April 2010

Open Sicilian Game: Kan Defense

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6

• For a thorough look at the Kan Defense, see Munguntuul-Koneru, Grand Prix W Rd 2, Nalchik, 2010, elswhere on this threadf.

5.Bd3 Bc5 6.Nb3 Ba7 7.Qe2 Nc6 8.Be3 d6 9.f4

• If 9.0-0 Nf6 then:
• 10.Nc3 b5 11.Bxa7 Rxa7 12.Qe3 0-0 13.Rfd1 Rd7 14.h3 Bb7 15.a4 b4 16.Ne2 Qc7 17.a5 Rc8 18.Ned4 Ne5 19.Qe2 Nc4 20.Rdc1 e5 21.Nf5 d5 22.exd5 Bxd5 23.Nd2 Nxd2 24.Qxd2 Ne4 25.Qxb4 Nc5 26.Bf1 yields an extra pawn to White (Anand-Svidler, Blitz, Cap d'Agde, 2003).
• 10.N1d2 0-0 11.Bxa7 Rxa7 12.Qe3 draw (Stojanovic-Predojevic, Op, Bar, 2005).
• 9.Nc3 Nge7 10.0-0 e5 11.Bxa7 Rxa7 12.a4 0-0 13.Bc4 Be6 14.Rfd1 Ng6 15.g3 Ra8 16.Nd5 Rc8 17.c3 Nce7 18.a5 Nxd5 19.Bxd5 Qc7 20.Rac1 Ne7 21.c4 Bxd5 22.exd5 b6 23.axb6 Qxb6 24.Qe3 Rb8 25.Qxb6 Rxb6 26.Na5 f6 27.c5 dxc5 28.Rxc5 Rd8 29.Nc4 Rb5 30.Rxb5 axb5 31.Ne3 Rd6 is equal (Naumann-ConNers (computer), IT, Lippstadt, 1999).

9...Nge7 10.Nc3 b5 11.Bxa7 Rxa7 12.Qf2 0-0 13.0-0 b4 14.Ne2 a5!?

• 14...e5 15.f5 f6 16.Bc4+ Kh8 17.Rad1 Rc7 is equal (Pogats-Portisch, Asztalos Mem, Kecskemet, 1962).
• 14...Rc7 15.Rad1 Re8 16.Ng3 Kh8 17.Nh5 Ng8 is equal (Mastrovasilis-Kobalia, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).

15.Rad1

• The game is equal.

15...a4

• 15...Rc7 16.Nbd4 Bb7 17.Nb5 Rd7 18.Qe3 is equal.

16.Nd2 Qc7 17.h3 d5

• White seem reluctant to take the initiative.
• If 17...a3 18.b3 f5 then:
• 19.c3 Rb7 20.exf5 Nxf5 21.Bxf5 Rxf5 remains equal.
• 19.c4 Ra5 20.Rfe1 Rf7 21.Nf3 fxe4 22.Bxe4 Rc5 remains equal.

18.e5!?

• Tatiana Anatolyevna's style is somewhat like Korchnoi"s, which in turn harkens back to Dr. Lasker's. She will allow her opponent to take the initiative with the idea of weathering the storm and then launching a counterattack. The text move is not the objectively best one, but that style of chess is one that commits to not always making the objectively best move.
• 18.exd5 Nxd5 19.c4 bxc3 20.Nxc3 Nxc3 21.Qh4 Qb6+ remains equal.

18...Ba6 19.Nf3!?

• White follows up with another invitation to Black to take charge.
• 19.Bxa6 Rxa6 20.c4 Rd8 21.cxd5 then:
• If21...Nxd5 22.Ne4 a3 23.b3 Qe7 then:
• 24.Rd3! Ra7 25.Rfd1 Rad7 26.Nd4 Nxd4 27.Rxd4 remains equal.
• 24.Qg3 Raa8 25.Nd6 Qa7+ 26.Rf2 Ne3 27.Rd2 Nf5 gives Black the initiative.
• 21...exd5 22.Nf3 Nf5 23.Rc1 Qd7 24.Rfd1 b3 25.axb3 remains equal.

19...h6!?

• Black, on the other hand, indicates she'll take the initiative on her own terms.
• 19...Bxd3! 20.Rxd3 Rb8 21.Nfd4 Nxd4 22.Nxd4 a3 gives Black the advantage in space.

20.Ng3!?

• Objectively speaking, White should take the Bishop. She's still still trying to get Black to take the initiative.
• 20.Bxa6 Rxa6 21.c3 Rb8 22.cxb4 Nxb4 23.a3 Nc2 24.Rd2 remains equal.

BLACK: Elina Danielian
!""""""""#
$ + + Tl+%
$T W MoO %
$v+m+o+ O%
$+ +oP + %
$oO + P +%
$+ +b+nNp%
$pPp+ Qp+%
$+ +r+rK %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Tatiana Kosintseva
Position after 20.Ne2g3

20...Raa8!

• Black finally makes her move. She will bring her heavy pieces to the queenside so they will be in place when the wing opens up more.
• If 20...Rc8 21.Ne2 a3 then:
• If 22.bxa3 Bxd3 23.Rxd3 Rxa3 24.Rxa3 bxa3 then:
• 25.Qe3 Nb4 26.Qxa3 Nxc2 gives Black the initiiative and better heavy pieces.
• 25.Rb1 Rb8 26.Rxb8+ Qxb8 27.Qe3 Qb2 gives Black the initiative.
• If 22.b3 Qa5 23.Bxa6 Qxa6 then:
• If 24.c3 bxc3 25.Nxc3 Nxe5!! 26.fxe5 Rxc3 gives Black the advantage in space.
• 24.Ne1 Qa5 25.Rc1 Rac7 26.c3 bxc3 27.Rxc3 Nf5 gives Black the advantage in space.

21.Qe2

• 21.Ne2 Rfc8 22.Bxa6 Rxa6 23.Ned4 Nxd4 24.Nxd4 Qc5 gives Black the advantage in space.

21...Qb6+ 22.Kh2 g6 23.h4 Bxd3 24.Rxd3 Kh7!?

• This looks like a prophylactic move, but there is no imminent danger to ward off.
• 24...a3 then:
• 25.b3 Rac8 26.Qd2 f6 27.exf6 Rxf6 28.c4 Rcf8 gives Black the advantage in space.
• If 25.bxa3?! Rxa3 26.Rxa3 bxa3 then:
• 27.Qd2 Qb2 28.c3 Qxd2 29.Nxd2 Rb8 gives Black the advantage in space and command of the b-file.
• 27.c4 dxc4 28.Qxc4 Rc8 29.Qe2 Nd5 30.Rc1 Rc7 gives Black a better center.

25.h5 Nf5

• 25...Na5 26.c3 bxc3 27.Rxc3 Rfb8 28.Rb1 remains equal.

26.hxg6+ fxg6 27.Nxf5 Rxf5 28.Nh4 Rf7

• If 28...Rff8 29.Rh3 Qa6 30.Qg4 then:
• 30...Ne7 31.Rff3 Rf7 32.c3 bxc3 33.Rxc3 gives White supremacy on the kingside.
• If 30...Qxf1?? 31.Qxg6+! Kh8 32.Qxh6+ Kg8 33.Qg6+ Kh8 34.Nf3#.

BLACK: Elina Danielian
!""""""""#
$t+ + + +%
$+ + +t+l%
$ Wm+o+oO%
$+ +oP + %
$oO + P N%
$+ +r+ + %
$pPp+w+pK%
$+ + +r+ %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Tatiana Kosintseva
Position after 28...Rf5f7

29.Nxg6!!

• This sacrifice should have turned the game around.

29...Kxg6 30.Rh3!?

• White misses a better continuation.
• 30.Qg4+! Kh7 31.Qxe6 Rg7 32.Rh3 Rg6 33.Qf7+ wins a pawn.

30...Rf5!

• Black has the upper hand for the moment, but the position is full of surprises.

31.g4 Rf7

• The position is very sharp and there is no way to really tell who is better from one move to the next.
• If 31...Rff8 32.g5 Kf7 33.gxh6 Ke8 34.h7 then:
• If 34...Rh8 35.f5 Ke7 36.Rh6 then:
• 36...Qd4 37.Rxe6+ Kd7 38.Rh6 Nxe5 39.Kg3 remains equal.
• If 36...Rae8 then:
• If 37.Rxe6+ Kd7 38.Qh5 then:
• If 38...Rxe6 39.fxe6+! Kc8 40.Qh6 Qc5 41.e7 then:
• If 41...Nxe7 42.Qf8+ Kb7 43.Qxh8 Qxc2+ then:
• If 44.Kg1 Qg6+ 45.Kf2 Qf5+ then:
• If 46.Ke2 Qe4+ 47.Kd2 Qd4+ 48.Ke1 Qe4+ etc. draws.
• 46.Kg2 Qg6+ 47.Kh1 Qe4+ 48.Kg1 Qg6+ etc. draws.
• 44.Kg3 Qg6+ 45.Kf2 Qc2+ 46.Ke3 Qe4+ 47.Kd2 Qd4+ transposes.
• If 41...Qxe7?! 42.Qxc6+ Kb8 43.Qb6+ then:
• 43...Ka8 44.Qa6+ Kb8 45.Qd6+ Qxd6 46.exd6 Rxh7+ 47.Kg3 gives White an extra pawn, but it's not enough to win.
• If 43...Kc8 44.Qa6+ then:
• 44...Kb8 45.Qd6+ transposes.
• 44...Kd8?? loses immediately to 45.Qa8+.
• If 38...Ref8 39.Rd6+ Kc7 then:
• 40.Qg6 Qc5 41.Qg7+ Kb8 42.c3 d4 43.cxd4 Nxd4 remains equal.
• If 40.Rxd5? then Black wins after 40...Ne7 41.Rdd1 Rfg8! 42.Qh3 Rg7.
• 37...Kd8 38.Rxe8+ Kxe8 39.Qh5+ Kd7 40.f6 White wins.
• 34...Kd7 35.Rh6 Rh8 36.f5 Qd4 37.fxe6+ Kc8 38.Rf7 remains equal.

32.g5 Rh8

• If 32...Kg7 33.Rxh6 then:
• If 33...Qc5 34.Qd3 Nd8 35.c3 then:
• 35...Qc4 36.Qxc4 dxc4 37.cxb4 a3 38.bxa3 Rxa3 39.Rd1 Rd3 Black's advanced passer tilts the balance her way.
• If 35...bxc3? then White wins after 36.Qh7+! Kf8 37.Qh8+ Ke7 38.g6.
• If 33...Qd4 34.Qh5! Qd2+ 35.Kh3 then:
• 35...Nxe5 36.Rh7+ Kf8 37.Rh8+ wins for White.
• If 35...Qxc2 then White wins after 36.f5!! Qd3+ 37.Kh2 Qd2+ 38.Kh1 Kf8 39.Rh8+.

33.Qg4

• Black still has the upper hand.
• 33.f5+ exf5 34.Qh5+ Kg7 35.gxh6+ Kf8 36.e6 Rfh7 leaves Black up a piece.

33...Nxe5!?

• Both players are in a time scramble and Black does not appear to have thought this move through well.
• Black remains better after 33...Ne7 34.gxh6+ Kh7 35.Rg1 Rc8 36.Rg2 Qc6.

34.Qh5+!

• White now has the advantage in space.
• Obviously, White is kaput after 34.fxe5? Rxf1! 35.Qh5+ Kg7 36.gxh6+ Kh7 37.Qg5 Qf2+.

34...Kg7 35.gxh6+ Kh7

• If 35...Kf8 36.Qxe5 Rhh7 37.Rg1 then:
• 37...Ke7! 38.Kh1 Rf5 39.Rg7+ Kf8! is equal.
• If 37...Qf2+!? 38.Kh1 Qxf4 39.Qxe6 then:
• If 39...Qe4+ 40.Qxe4 dxe4 41.Kg2 then:
• 41...Rc7 42.Rf1+ Ke8 43.c3 a3 44.Re1 maintains a material advantage for White.
• 41...e3? 42.Rf1 e2 43.Rxf7+ Rxf7 44.Re3 White maintains her extra pawn.
• 39...Qf5? 40.Qd6+ Re7 41.Rh4 Qf3+ 42.Rg2 Ke8 43.Qxb4 leaves White two pawns to the good.

36.Qxe5

• If 36.Rg1 Qf2+ 37.Kh1 Re8 38.Rg7+ then:
• 38...Kh8! 39.fxe5 Qf1+ 40.Rg1 Rg8 41.Rhg3 Rxg3 42.Rxf1 Rxf1+ is equal.
• If 38...Rxg7?? then White forces mate: 39.hxg7+! Kxg7 40.Qxe5+ and now:
• 40...Kg6 41.Qg5+ Kf7 42.Rh7+ Kf8 43.Qg7#.
• 40...Kg8 41.Qg5+ Kf8 42.Qf6+ Kg8 43.Rh8#.

36...Rg8 37.Rg3 Rxg3!?

• Exchanging Rooks just lets the White Queen escape.
• If 37...Rf5 38.Rg7+ Kxh6 then:
• 39.Rxg8 Rxe5 40.fxe5 Qe3 41.Rh1 Qf2+ 42.Rg2 remains equal.
• 39.Qxf5 exf5 40.Rxg8 Qe3 41.Rh1 Qf2+ also remains equal.

BLACK: Elina Danielian
!""""""""#
$ + + + +%
$+ + +t+l%
$ W +o+ P%
$+ +oQ + %
$oO + P +%
$+ + + T %
$pPp+ + K%
$+ + +r+ %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Tatiana Kosintseva
Position after 37...Rg8g3:R

38.Kxg3!

• White maintains her extra pawn.

38...Qc6 39.Rf2 Qe8?!

• Not much better is 39...Qc8 40.Rg2 Qc4 41.Re2.

40.Rg2 Qe7 41.Kf3 Qf6?

• Black misses a chance to keep her hopes alive.
• 41...a3 42.bxa3 bxa3 43.c4 dxc4 wins a pawn.

42.Rg7+?

• In her turn, White misses a chance to put it on ice.
• 42.Qb8! Rf8 43.Qxb4 Kxh6 44.Qxa4 e5 45.Rg4 leaves White up by two pawns.

42...Kxh6!

• The game is again equal.

43.Qxf6+ Rxf6 44.Rb7

• If 44.Re7 then:
• 44...Kh5! 45.a3! bxa3 46.bxa3 Rh6 47.Ra7 remains equal.
• If 44...a3!? then:
• 45.b3! Kh5 46.Rh7+ Kg6 47.Rb7 e5 48.Rxb4 gives White a slight advatage.
• 45.bxa3!? bxa3 46.Ke3 Kh5 47.Rh7+ Kg6 48.Ra7 remains equal.

44...a3?

• Black advances the wrong pawn.
• 44...b3! then:
• 45.axb3 e5 46.c4 Rxf4+ 47.Ke2 dxc4 48.bxa4 may give White a small edge, but not enough to win.
• 45.cxb3 e5! 46.Rb4 d4 47.f5 d3 48.bxa4 remains equal.

BLACK: Elina Danielian
!""""""""#
$ + + + +%
$+r+ + + %
$ + +oT L%
$+ +o+ + %
$ O + P +%
$O + +k+ %
$pPp+ + +%
$+ + + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Tatiana Kosintseva
Position after 44...a4a3

45.Rxb4!

• This time White nails down the game.
• If 45.Ke3 Rg6 46.Rxb4 Rg3+ 47.Kd4 then:
• 47...Rg2 48.Rb6 axb2 49.Rxb2 gives White an extra pawn and a remote passed pawn, which needs to start rolling.
• 47...axb2 48.Rxb2 Kg6 49.a4 gives White the remote passer, but Black is still kicking.

45...axb2 46.Ke3!

• 46.Rxb2?! e5! 47.Rb4 d4 48.Ke4 exf4 49.Kf3 Rc6! has a very good chance of ending in a draw.

46...Kg6 47.Rxb2

• It's safe to do this now.

47...Kf5 48.Rb4 Rh6 49.a4 Rh3+ 50.Kd2 Rh4

• 50...Rh2+ 51.Kc3 Rh3+ 52.Kb2 transposes into the text.

51.Kc3 Rh3+ 52.Kb2 e5 53.fxe5 Kxe5 54.a5 Rh6

• 54...Rh7 55.c4 d4 56.a6 Ra7 57.Ra4 wins for White.

BLACK: Elina Danielian
!""""""""#
$ + + + +%
$+ + + + %
$ + + + T%
$P +oL + %
$ R + + +%
$+ + + + %
$ Kp+ + +%
$+ + + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Tatiana Kosintseva
Position after 54.Rh3h6

55.Kb3!

• The White King is in a flexible position can can either escort the a-pawn or help blockade Black's d-pawn.
• 55.Ra4 Ra6 56.Kc3 Rc6+ 57.Kb3 Ra6 58.Kb4 wins for White.

55...Rh3+ 56.c3 Kd6

• 56...Rh8 57.Rb5 Ke6 58.c4 dxc4+ 59.Kxc4 wins for White.

57.a6 Rh7

• If 57...Rh8 58.a7 Kc7 59.Ra4 Ra8 60.Kb4 then:
• If 60...Kb6 61.Ra2 Kc6 62.Ra5 Kd6 63.Ra6+ then:
• 63...Kd7 64.Kc5 d4 65.cxd4 Kc7 66.Rh6 Kb7 67.Rh7+ is an easy win for White.
• If 63...Kc7 then 64.Kc5 Kb7 65.Ra4 Rc8+ 66.Kxd5 wins.
• 60...Kc6 61.Ra6+ Kb7 62.Kb5 Kc7 63.Kc5 Kb7 64.Ra4 transposes.

58.Ka4 Kc6 59.Ka5 Rh1 1-0

• 59...Kc5 60.Rb8 Rh1 61.Rc8+ Kd6 62.a7 Ra1+ 63.Kb6 etc. wins for White.
• After the text move, 60.a7 Ra1+ 61.Ra4 Rxa4+ 62.Kxa4 Kb7 63.Kb5 wins.
• Ms. Danielian resigns with waiting for Tatiana Anatolyevna to reply.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Zhu Chen - Hou Yifan, Round 4

Hou Yifan
Photo: ChessBase.com


Zhu Chen - Hou Yifan
Women's Grand Prix, Third Leg, Round 4
Nalchik, 29 April 2010

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

1.d4 e6 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2

• For a detailed look at this opening, see Malakhov-Ponomariov, World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk, 2009.

4...0-0 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 Qe8 7.b4!?

• The former world women's champion wants to get her young but highly respected opponent out of the book early.
• If 7.f3 d6 8.e4 e5 9.Be3 Nfd7 then:
• 10.Ne2 c5 11.d5 Qe7 12.Ng3 g6 13.Bd3 f6 14.h4 Rf7 15.0-0-0 Nf8 16.Rdf1 gives White the advantage in space (Drasko-Tatai, Op, Saint Vincent, 1999).
• 10.Bd3 exd4 11.Bxd4 Ne5 12.Bc2 Nbc6 13.Be3 Be6 14.c5 Nc4 15.Bf2 f5 16.0-0-0 fxe4 17.Bxe4 Rd8 18.Ne2 d5 19.Bc2 Bf5 20.Bxf5 Rxf5 21.Nd4 Nxd4 22.Bxd4 Rf7 draw (Babarin-Arkhipov, Op, Oberwart, 1991).
• If 7.Nf3 d6 8.g3 then:
• 8...a5 9.b3 a4 10.b4 b5 11.c5 Bb7 12.Bg2 Be4 13.0-0 Nd5 14.Qd2 f5 is equal (Chekhov-Sjoberg, Op, Kecskemet,1991).
• 8...b6 9.Bg2 Bb7 10.0-0 then:
• 10...Ne4 11.Qc2 f5 12.d5 exd5 13.cxd5 Bxd5 14.Rd1 c6 Black has the advantage in space thanks to his centralized pieces (Ree-Timman, Amsterdam, 1973).
• 10...Nbd7 11.b4 Ne4 12.Qc2 f5 13.Ng5 Qg6 14.Nh3 e5 is equal (Korchnoi-Lerner, IT, Lugano, 1989).

7...d6

• The game is equal, but each player need to complete her development.

8.Bb2 b6

• Black appears to signal that she will develop the Queen's Bishop on the flank.
• 8...Nbd7 9.Nf3 Nb6 10.Qc2 Bd7 11.e3 Bc6 12.Be2 remains equal.

9.Qf3

• White takes advantage of the inaccuracy by attacking the immoble Rook.

9...d5

• This is the only way to deal with the problem. The game remains equal.

10.Rc1 c6 11.e3 a5 12.bxa5 bxa5 13.Qd1!?

• White Queen is not so out of place that she needs to waste time bringing back to its original square rather than continue with her development.
• 13.Bd3 Ba6 14.Ne2 Nbd7 15.0-0 remains equal.

13...Ba6!

• Black develops a piece and puts pressure on a weak pawn.

14.Nf3 Nbd7 15.Bd3 Nb6

• Black applies more pressure to the c-pawn. She clearly has the initiative.

16.Nd2 Rb8 17.Bc3!?

• This leads to the loss of a pawn.
• 17.Qe2 Na4 18.Ba1 Qe7 19.c5 Bb5 20.Rb1 gives White the advantage in space.

17...Qe7!

• Black attacks a second pawn, forcing White to defend with an overloaded piece.

18.Ra1 Nxc4!

• The c-pawn is won.

19.Nxc4!?

• White wants to preserve her Bishops, but in this situation the Knight may have a better future.
• 19.Bxc4 dxc4 20.Bxa5 Nd5 21.Ne4 Rb5 22.Bd2 remains equal.

19...dxc4 20.Be2

• If 20.Bc2 then:
• If 20...Nd5 21.Bxa5 then:
• 21...Qg5! 22.0-0 Nxe3! 23.fxe3 Qxa5 wins a pawn for Black at least temporarily.
• 21...c5!? 22.0-0 cxd4 23.Qxd4 remains equal.
• 20...c5 21.Bxa5 Rfc8 22.dxc5 Qxc5 23.Bc3 Rd8 gives Black the initiative.

20...Nd5 21.Bxa5 Rb3!?

• Black nearly blows her engine.
• Correct is 21...c5 22.0-0 Rfc8 when:
• If 23.dxc5 Qxc5 24.Bb4 Qc6 25.Bf3 c3 26.Re1 c2 Black's superiority over the queenside give her good winning chances, but White still has defensive resources.
• If 23.e4 Nf4 24.dxc5 Qg5! 25.g3 Qxc5! then:
• 26.Bb4 Qg5 27.Bd6 Nxe2+ 28.Qxe2 Rb6 29.Bf4 Qa5 makes the queenside Black's dominion.
• 26.gxf4 Qxa5 27.Qd7 Bb5 28.Qd4 c3 29.Bxb5 Rxb5 gives Black the unquestioned command of the queenside.

22.0-0

• Black's advantage, if any, is now neglegible.

22...Rxa3 23.Qc2 Ra8 24.e4?

• White commits a positional blunder allowing Black to take a decisive initiative.
• 24.Qb2 Rb3 25.Qc1 Qd6 26.Bxc4 Bxc4 27.Qxc4 remains equal.

BLACK: Hou Yifan
!""""""""#
$t+ + +l+%
$+ + WoOo%
$v+o+o+ +%
$B +m+ + %
$ +oPp+ +%
$T + + + %
$ +q+bPpP%
$R + +rK %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Zhu Chen
Position after 24.e3e4

24...Nf4! 25.Bf3

• No better is 25.Bg4 c3 26.Rxa3 Qxa3 27.Qxc3 Qxc3 28.Bxc3 Bxf1 when Black wins the exchange.

25...Rxf3 26.Bd2 0-1

• The text move loses immediately, but after 26.Kh1 Ra3 27.Rxa3 Qxa3 28.Bc3 Ne2 29.Qxe2 Qxc3 leaves Black a piece to the good.


• After the text, Black wins another pawn with 26...Ne2+ 27.Kh1 Rd3 28.Be3 Nxd4 29.Bxd4 Rxd4 giving her a material advantage equivalent to a Rook.
• Ms. Zhu resigns without waiting for Ms. Hou to reply.

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Munguntuul - Koneru, Round 2

About the same time this game was played Tuesday in Nalchik, FIDE was issuing a press release from Athens announcing that Ms. Munguntuul has earned the title of international master.

This was one of two major upsets in the first two rounds at Nalchik. The other was Turkish WIM Betul Yildiz' defeat of Chinese GM Zhao Xue in the first round on Monday.



Batkhuyag Munguntuul
Photo: ChessBase.com


Batkhuyag Munguntuul - Koneru Humpy
Women's Grand Prix, Third Leg, Round 2
Nalchik, 27 April 2010

Open Sicilian Game: Kan Defense

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Nc3

• (Maroczy Opening) If 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 then:
• 6...Qc7 7.a3 b6 8.Be3 Bb7 9.f3 d6 10.Be2 Be7 11.0-0 Nbd7 12.Rc1 0-0 13.b4 Rac8 14.Qd2 Qb8 then:
• 15.Rfd1 Rfe8 16.Bf1 Bd8 17.Nb3 Bc7 18.Bf4 Ne5 19.Bg3 Rcd8 is equal (Kacheishvili-Safarli, Op, Istanbul, 2006).
• If 15.Kh1 then:
• 15...Bd8 16.Rc2 Bc7 17.Bg1 Rfe8 18.Rb1 Kh8 19.Na4 Ne5 20.c5 b5 is equal (Korbut-T. Vasilevich, Euro ChTW, Crete, 2007).
• 15...Rfe8 16.Rc2 Bd8 17.Na4 Bc7 18.Bg1 Ne5 19.c5 b5 20.cxd6 Bxd6 is equal (Salov-Flores, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• If 6...Bb4 7.Bd3 Nc6 8.Nxc6 dxc6 9.0-0 e5 then:
• If 10.Bg5 h6 11.Bh4 then:
• 11...Be6 12.Qe2 Be7 13.Qc2 Nd7 14.Bg3 0-0 15.f3 Re8 16.Rfd1 Qc7 17.Bf2 Rec8 18.Rac1 Nc5 is equal (Blodig-Kustar, TT, Baviera, 2000).
• If 11...Bc5 12.Kh1 Qe7 13.f4 g5 then:
• If 14.fxe5!? Ng4 15.Bg3 Ne3 16.Qa4 Nxf1 17.Rxf1 then:
• If 17...Be6?! 18.Nd5 b5 then:
• If 19.Qc2?! cxd5 20.exd5 then:
• If 20...0-0? 21.Rf6! Bd7 22.Qe2 Kg7 23.Qe4 Rh8 24.e6 Be8 25.Be5 Qxf6 26.Bxf6+ Kxf6 27.d6 Rd8 28.Qf5+ Kg7 29.Qxc5 fxe6 30.Qe5+ Kg8 31.Qxe6+ Bf7 32.Qf6 Black resigns (Marshall-Pollard, Marshall CC Ch, New York, 1937).
• 20...Bc8 21.cxb5 Kd8 22.bxa6 Bxa6 23.d6 is equal.
• 19.Nxe7 bxa4 20.Nf5 Rb8 21.Bf2 Be7 leaves Black slightly better.
• 17...Bd7! 18.Qb3 0-0-0 19.Rf6 Be6 gives Black the upper hand.
• 14.fxg5 Ng4 15.Qa4 hxg5 16.Bg3 Qd6 Black wins.
• 10.Qc2 0-0 11.a3 Be7 12.Be2 Be6 13.Be3 Ng4 14.Bxg4 Bxg4 15.Na4 Bg5 16.Bxg5 Qxg5 17.f3 Be6 18.Nc5 Rad8 19.Rfd1 Qe3+ 20.Qf2 Qxf2+ 21.Kxf2 Bxc4 22.Nd7 Bb3 23.Rd3 Bc2 24.Rd2 Rfe8 25.Ke3 Bb3 26.Rc1 f6 is equal (Sterner-Gligoric, Op, Hastings, 1957).
• (Keres Opening) If 5.Nc3 d6 6.g4 then:
• If 6...b5 7.Bg2 Bb7 then:
• If 8.0-0 then:
• If 8...Ne7 9.f4 Nbc6 10.Be3 Nxd4 11.Qxd4 Nc6 12.Qd2 Be7 13.Rad1 Rc8 14.Qf2 Bh4 15.Qe2 Na5 16.f5 Nc4 gives Black good chances (Jakovenko-Morozevich, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2008).
• If 8...Nd7 then:
• 9.g5 Ne7 10.f4 e5 11.Nf5 Nxf5 12.exf5 Qb6+ 13.Rf2 Bxg2 14.Kxg2 Qb7+ 15.Qd5 0-0-0 16.a4 b4 17.Qxb7+ Kxb7 18.Nd5 a5 19.Be3 h6 20.g6 h5 21.Rd1 gives White the advantage in space (Ponomariov-Milov, Op, Torshavn, 2000).
• 9.a4 bxa4 10.Rxa4 Nc5 11.Ra3 Nf6 12.Re1 e5 13.b4 Ncd7 14.g5 exd4 15.e5 dxe5 16.Bxb7 dxc3 17.gxf6 gxf6 18.Qd5 Ra7 19.Rxa6 Rxa6 20.Bxa6 Rg8+ 21.Kh1 Rg4 22.Be3 Rxb4 23.Bb5 Rxb5 24.Qxb5 Qa8+ is equal (Hector-Nielsen, IT, Malmø, 2002).
• 8.Be3 Nd7 9.Qe2 Rc8 10.0-0 Qc7 11.a4 b4 12.Na2 Ngf6 13.Nxb4 Qc4 14.Nd3 Bxe4 15.Ra3 Bxg2 16.Rc3 Qxc3 17.bxc3 Bxf1 18.Kxf1 d5 gives Black two Rooks for the Queen (Timman-Zapata, Op, Amsterdam, 1987).
• If 6...Nc6 7.Be3 then:
• If 7...Nge7 8.Nb3 b5 9.f4 Bb7 10.Qd2 Na5 11.Nxa5 Qxa5 12.Bg2 then:
• 12...d5 13.Qf2 dxe4 14.f5 Nd5 15.fxe6 0-0-0 16.0-0 Nxe3 17.Qxe3 Qb4 is equal (Ponomariov-Bacrot, IT, Enghien les Bains, 1999).
• 12...b4 13.Ne2 h5 14.h3 Ng6 15.Bf2 Be7 16.g5 e5 17.f5 Nf4 18.Nxf4 Bxg5 19.Qxd6 exf4 20.0-0 Rd8 is equal (Caruana-Stellwagen, Op, Vlissingen, 2007).
• If 7...Nf6 8.g5 Nd7 9.h4 then:
• If 9...Be7 10.Qd2 0-0 11.0-0-0 Nxd4 then:
• If 12.Bxd4 b5 13.f4 b4 14.Ne2 Bb7 15.Ng3 then:
• 15...a5 16.Bg2 Qc7 17.Kb1 Nb6 18.f5 Nc4 19.Qf2 e5 20.f6 exd4 21.fxe7 Rfe8 22.Nf5 Ne3 23.Rxd4 Nxf5 24.exf5 Bxg2 25.Qxg2 Qxe7 26.f6 gives White the advantage in space and more activity (Kasperski-Svenn, Corres, 2002).
• 15...Qa5 16.Kb1 Rfe8 17.h5 e5 18.Bh3 Nf8 19.Be3 exf4 20.Bxf4 Rad8 21.Bf5 gives White the advantage in space (Abbasi-Shabalov, Op, Philadelphia, 1994).
• 12.Qxd4 b5 13.Rg1 Rb8 14.h5 b4 15.Ne2 e5 16.Qd2 Nc5 17.f3 Be6 18.Kb1 Na4 19.b3 Qa5 20.g6 assures White a material advantage (Matras-Szymanowska, Polish Ch U20W, Brzeg Dolny, 2001).
• If 9...Qc7 10.Qe2 b5 11.Nxc6 Qxc6 12.Bd4 Bb7 13.0-0-0 b4 14.Nd5 a5 15.f4 then:
• If 15...0-0-0 16.Bxg7 Rg8 17.Bxf8 exd5 18.exd5 Qc7 19.Be7 Rde8 20.Rh3 Nb6 21.Re3 Nxd5 22.Bh3+ Black resigns (I. Vasilevich-Mijovic, Euro Ch W, Plovdiv, 2008).
• 15...Ba6 16.Qe1 Rc8 17.Rd2 Bxf1 18.Rxf1 Qa4 gives Black the advantage.
• (Polugaevsky Opening) If 5.Bd3 then:
• If 5...Bc5 6.Nb3 then:
• If 6...Be7 then:
• If 7.0-0 d6 8.c4 Nf6 9.Nc3 Nbd7 10.f4 b6 then:
• If 11.Be3 Bb7 12.Qf3 Qc7 then:
• 13.Qh3 h5 14.Kh1 g5 15.fxg5 Ng4 16.Bf4 Nde5 17.Be2 0-0-0 18.Bxe5 Nxe5 19.Nd5 Bxd5 20.cxd5 Kb7 21.dxe6 fxe6 22.Nd4 Rdg8 23.Rac1 gives White an extra pawn and multiple threats (Sanikidze-Nestorovic, Euro Ch U16, Urgup, 2004).
• 13.Rae1 h5 14.Kh1 Ng4 15.Bg1 g5 16.a4 gxf4 17.Qxf4 Nge5 18.Be2 Rh7 19.a5 bxa5 20.Ra1 Rb8 21.Ba7 Rc8 22.Bg1 Rb8 23.Ba7 Rc8 24.Bg1 Rb8 25.Ba7 draw (Ushenina-Javakhishvili, OlW, Torino, 2006).
• 13.Rad1 0-0 14.Qh3 Rfe8 15.Bb1 g6 16.f5 exf5 17.exf5 Bf8 18.fxg6 fxg6 19.Nd4 Qxc4 20.a3 Qf7 21.Ba2 d5 22.Nc2 Re5 23.Bd4 Bc5 24.Ne3 Qe7 25.Bxe5 Qxe5 26.Rfe1 gives White the exchange (Del Rio-Korneev, Op, Linares, 2003).
• 11.Qe2 Qc7 12.Bd2 Bb7 13.Rae1 Rd8 14.Bb1 0-0 15.Kh1 Rc8 16.e5 Ne8 17.Bd3 g6 18.exd6 Nxd6 19.f5 Nxf5 20.Bxf5 gxf5 21.Nd5 Bxd5 22.cxd5 Qc4 23.dxe6 fxe6 24.Qxe6+ draw (Goginenni-Vachier Lagrave, YWCC U16, Belfort, 2005).
• 7.Qg4 g6 8.Qe2 d6 9.0-0 Nd7 10.Nc3 Qc7 11.Bd2 b6 12.Rae1 Bb7 13.Kh1 h5 14.Nd4 Ngf6 15.h3 h4 16.Nf3 Ne5 17.a4 Kf8 18.Bg5 Nh5 19.Bxe7+ Kxe7 20.Qe3 Nxf3 21.Qxf3 Qc5 22.Qg4 Rag8 23.Qe2 Nf4 24.Qe3 g5 25.f3 Qxe3 26.Rxe3 Rc8 27.Rd1 Rhd8 28.Kg1 d5 draw (Korneev-Epishin, Op, Reyjavik, 2004).
• If 6...Ba7 7.Qe2 Nc6 8.Be3 d6 then:
• If 9.0-0 Nf6 then:
• 10.Nc3 b5 11.Bxa7 Rxa7 12.Qe3 0-0 13.Rfd1 Rd7 14.h3 Bb7 15.a4 b4 16.Ne2 Qc7 17.a5 Rc8 18.Ned4 Ne5 19.Qe2 Nc4 20.Rdc1 e5 21.Nf5 d5 22.exd5 Bxd5 23.Nd2 Nxd2 24.Qxd2 Ne4 25.Qxb4 Nc5 26.Bf1 yields an extra pawn to White (Anand-Svidler, Blitz, Cap d'Agde, 2003).
• 10.N1d2 0-0 11.Bxa7 Rxa7 12.Qe3 draw (Stojanovic-Pforestgreenojevic, Op, Bar, 2005).
• 9.Nc3 Nge7 10.0-0 e5 11.Bxa7 Rxa7 12.a4 0-0 13.Bc4 Be6 14.Rfd1 Ng6 15.g3 Ra8 16.Nd5 Rc8 17.c3 Nce7 18.a5 Nxd5 19.Bxd5 Qc7 20.Rac1 Ne7 21.c4 Bxd5 22.exd5 b6 23.axb6 Qxb6 24.Qe3 Rb8 25.Qxb6 Rxb6 26.Na5 f6 27.c5 dxc5 28.Rxc5 Rd8 29.Nc4 Rb5 30.Rxb5 axb5 31.Ne3 Rd6 is equal (Naumann-ConNers (computer), IT, Lippstadt, 1999).
• If 5...g6 6.0-0 Bg7 7.Be3 then:
• If 7...Ne7 8.c4 0-0 9.Nc3 then:
• If 9...d5 10.exd5 exd5 then:
• If 11.Re1 then:
• 11...Ncb6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.Bc5 Be6 14.Qa4 Re8 15.Rad1 Qc7 16.h3 is equal (Timman-Davies, Staunton Mem, London, 2009).
• If 11...Re8 then:
• 12.Rc1!? Nbc6 13.Nxc6 bxc6 14.cxd5 cxd5 15.Bg5 Be6 16.Na4 Qd6 draw (Jansa-Miles, IT, Hastings, 1975).
• 12.Nxd5 Nxd5 13.cxd5 Qxd5 14.Be2 Nd7 15.Bf3 gives White a small advantage in space.
• If 11.cxd5 Nxd5 12.Nxd5 Qxd5 13.Be2 Nc6 14.Bf3 Qa5 15.Nxc6 draw (Real-Goldwaser, Pan-Am Ch, Buenos Aires, 2005).
• If 9...d6 10.Qd2 Qc7 11.Rac1 Bd7 12.Rfd1 Nbc6 13.Nxc6 Bxc6 14.Bf1 Rad8 15.Bf4 Nc8 16.c5 Be5 17.Bxe5 dxe5 18.Qg5 Kg7 19.b4 Rd4 20.Rxd4 exd4 21.Ne2 h6 is equal (Y. Gruenfeld-Fr. Lombardy, Op, Lone Pine, 1981).
• If 7...Nf6 8.c4 d6 9.Nc3 0-0 then:
• If 10.Rc1 Qc7 11.Qe2 Nbd7 12.Rfd1 b6 13.f3 Bb7 14.Qf2 Rac8 15.Bf1 Qb8 16.Nc2 then:
• 16...Rfe8 17.h3 Bf8 18.Kh1 Nh5 19.g4 Nhf6 20.Bf4 Ne5 is equal (Marjanovic-Cvitan, Op, Borgarnes (Iceland), 1985).
• 16...Ba8 17.Qd2 Ne8 18.Nd4 Nef6 19.Kh1 Rfe8 20.Nb3 Bf8 21.Qf2 gives White the advantage in space, but against no exploitable weaknesses (Acs-Kuporosov, Op, Wattens, 1999).
• 10.Re1 b6 11.f3 Bb7 12.Bf1 Nbd7 13.Qd2 Rc8 14.Rac1 Ne8 15.Qf2 g5 16.b4 g4 17.f4 Nef6 18.Bd3 Re8 19.Red1 gives White a clear advantage in space (Ulibin-Vasiukov, Voskresensk, 1990).

5...Qc7

• If 5...d6 6.g4 then:
• If 6...b5 7.Bg2 Bb7 then:
• If 8.0-0 then:
• If 8...Ne7 9.f4 Nbc6 10.Be3 Nxd4 11.Qxd4 Nc6 12.Qd2 Be7 13.Rad1 Rc8 14.Qf2 Bh4 15.Qe2 Na5 16.f5 Nc4 gives Black good chances (Jakovenko-Morozevich, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2008).
• If 8...Nd7 then:
• 9.g5 Ne7 10.f4 e5 11.Nf5 Nxf5 12.exf5 Qb6+ 13.Rf2 Bxg2 14.Kxg2 Qb7+ 15.Qd5 0-0-0 16.a4 b4 17.Qxb7+ Kxb7 18.Nd5 a5 19.Be3 h6 20.g6 h5 21.Rd1 gives White the advantage in space (Ponomariov-Milov, Op, Torshavn, 2000).
• 9.a4 bxa4 10.Rxa4 Nc5 11.Ra3 Nf6 12.Re1 e5 13.b4 Ncd7 14.g5 exd4 15.e5 dxe5 16.Bxb7 dxc3 17.gxf6 gxf6 18.Qd5 Ra7 19.Rxa6 Rxa6 20.Bxa6 Rg8+ 21.Kh1 Rg4 22.Be3 Rxb4 23.Bb5 Rxb5 24.Qxb5 Qa8+ is equal (Hector-Nielsen, IT, Malmø, 2002).
• 8.Be3 Nd7 9.Qe2 Rc8 10.0-0 Qc7 11.a4 b4 12.Na2 Ngf6 13.Nxb4 Qc4 14.Nd3 Bxe4 15.Ra3 Bxg2 16.Rc3 Qxc3 17.bxc3 Bxf1 18.Kxf1 d5 gives Black two Rooks for the Queen (Timman-Zapata, Op, Amsterdam, 1987).
• If 6...Nc6 7.Be3 then:
• If 7...Nge7 8.Nb3 b5 9.f4 Bb7 10.Qd2 Na5 11.Nxa5 Qxa5 12.Bg2 then:
• 12...d5 13.Qf2 dxe4 14.f5 Nd5 15.fxe6 0-0-0 16.0-0 Nxe3 17.Qxe3 Qb4 is equal (Ponomariov-Bacrot, IT, Enghien les Bains, 1999).
• 12...b4 13.Ne2 h5 14.h3 Ng6 15.Bf2 Be7 16.g5 e5 17.f5 Nf4 18.Nxf4 Bxg5 19.Qxd6 exf4 20.0-0 Rd8 is equal (Caruana-Stellwagen, Op, Vlissingen, 2007).
• If 7...Nf6 8.g5 Nd7 9.h4 then:
• If 9...Be7 10.Qd2 0-0 11.0-0-0 Nxd4 then:
• If 12.Bxd4 b5 13.f4 b4 14.Ne2 Bb7 15.Ng3 then:
• 15...a5 16.Bg2 Qc7 17.Kb1 Nb6 18.f5 Nc4 19.Qf2 e5 20.f6 exd4 21.fxe7 Rfe8 22.Nf5 Ne3 23.Rxd4 Nxf5 24.exf5 Bxg2 25.Qxg2 Qxe7 26.f6 gives White the advantage in space and more activity (Kasperski-Svenn, Corres, 2002).
• 15...Qa5 16.Kb1 Rfe8 17.h5 e5 18.Bh3 Nf8 19.Be3 exf4 20.Bxf4 Rad8 21.Bf5 gives White the advantage in space (Abbasi-Shabalov, Op, Philadelphia, 1994).
• 12.Qxd4 b5 13.Rg1 Rb8 14.h5 b4 15.Ne2 e5 16.Qd2 Nc5 17.f3 Be6 18.Kb1 Na4 19.b3 Qa5 20.g6 assures White a material advantage (Matras-Szymanowska, Polish Ch U20W, Brzeg Dolny, 2001).
• If 9...Qc7 10.Qe2 b5 11.Nxc6 Qxc6 12.Bd4 Bb7 13.0-0-0 b4 14.Nd5 a5 15.f4 then:
• If 15...0-0-0 16.Bxg7 Rg8 17.Bxf8 exd5 18.exd5 Qc7 19.Be7 Rde8 20.Rh3 Nb6 21.Re3 Nxd5 22.Bh3+ Black resigns (I. Vasilevich-Mijovic, Euro Ch W, Plovdiv, 2008).
• 15...Ba6 16.Qe1 Rc8 17.Rd2 Bxf1 18.Rxf1 Qa4 gives Black the advantage.

6.Be2

• If 6.Bd3 Nf6 7.0-0 then:
• If 7...Nc6 8.Be3 then:
• If 8...Ne5 9.h3 Bc5 10.Kh1 d6 11.f4 Ng6 12.Qe1 then:
• If 12...Bd7 13.f5 Ne5 14.Qh4 Qb6 15.Nce2 0-0-0 then:
• 16.Bg1 exf5 17.b4 Qxb4 18.Rab1 Qa4 19.exf5 Rhe8 20.Nc3 Qa5 is equal (Haznedaroglu-Ribli, Euro Club Cup, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• 16.b4 Qxb4 17.Rab1 Qa4 18.Rb3 Nxd3 19.cxd3 e5 20.Nc3 Qa5 is equal (Stoumbos-Javakhashvili, Anibal Op, Linares, 2005).
• If 12...0-0 13.f5 Ne5 14.Qh4 then:
• If 14...Bd7 15.Rf3!! Nxf3 16.gxf3 Qd8 then:
• If 17.Rg1! Ne8 18.Rxg7+ Nxg7 19.f6 Kh8 20.Bg5 then:
• 20...Bxd4 21.fxg7+ Bxg7 22.e5 h6 23.Qe4 f5 24.exf6 Black resigns as mate cannot be avoided (Haznedaroglu-Iotov, Euro Ch, Antalya, 2004).
• 20...Nf5 21.exf5 e5 22.Ne6 Qb6 23.Qh6 wins for White.
• If 17.e5? dxe5 18.Rg1 exf5 then:
• 19.Rxg7+?? Kxg7! 20.Bh6+ Kh8 wins for Black (Harutjunyan-Aroshidze, Ebrilidze Mem, Tbilisi, 2007).
• 19.Qh6 g6 20.Nxf5 Bxf5 21.Bxf5 Bxe3 22.Qxe3 leaves Black up by an exchange.
• If 14...b5 15.Rf3 Nxf3 16.gxf3 Ne8 17.Rg1 g6 18.Rg4 then:
• If 18...Qb7 19.Qh6 e5 20.Nd5 Bxd4 21.Bxd4 Be6 22.Rh4 f6 23.fxe6 exd4 then:
• 24.Rg4 Ng7 25.e7 Rf7 26.Qf4 Ne8 27.h4 Rxe7 leads to equality (García-Vescovi, Pan-American Ch, Cali, 2001).
• 24.e5 Qg7 25.Qxg7+ Kxg7 26.e7 Rg8 is equal.
• If 18...b4 19.Nce2 then:
• 19...e5? 20.Qh6 d5 21.Rh4! f6 22.Ne6 Bxe6 23.Bxc5 Rf7 24.fxe6 Rg7 25.Bxb4 Black resigns (Nedev-Comas, Euro ChT, Batumi, 1999).
• 19...exf5! 20.exf5 d5 21.fxg6 fxg6 22.Rf4 Rf7 wins for Black.
• If 8...b5 9.Nxc6 Qxc6 10.a3 Bb7 then:
• If 11.Qe2 Be7 12.f4 then:
• If 12...0-0 13.e5 Nd5 14.Nxd5 Qxd5 then:
• If 15.c4 bxc4 16.Bxc4 Qc6 then:
• If 17.Rac1 Bc5 18.Bxc5 Qxc5+ 19.Qf2 then:
• If 19...Qxf2+! 20.Rxf2 Rfb8 then:
• If 21.b4!? Bc6 then:
• If 22.f5 a5 23.fxe6 fxe6 24.Bxe6+ dxe6 25.Rxc6 axb4 26.axb4 then:
• 26...Ra1+! 27.Rf1 Rxf1+ 28.Kxf1 Rxb4 29.Rxe6 Rb5 30.Kf2 Kf7 31.Ra6 draw (Landa-Tregubov, Russian Ch HL, Novokuznetsk, 2008).
• 26...Rxb4 27.Rxe6 Rb1+ 28.Rf1 Rxf1+ 29.Kxf1 is equal.
• 22.Rfc2 Kf8 23.Bd3 a5 24.Rb1 axb4 25.axb4 gives White more activity.
• 21.Rd2 Bc6 22.Kf2 Kf8 23.b3 f6 24.Ke3 gives White the more active game.
• 19...Rfc8 20.Qxc5 Rxc5 21.b4 Rc7 22.Be2 Rac8 23.Rxc7 Rxc7 24.Rd1 g5 25.fxg5 Rc2 26.Rxd7 Rxe2 27.Rxb7 gives White two extra pawns (Colovic-Sjoberg, Euro Club Cup, Panormo, 2001).
• 17.b4 d6 18.exd6 Bxd6 19.Rac1 Rad8 20.Bb3 Qd7 21.Rcd1 Rfe8 22.Bb6 Rc8 23.Bd4 Qc6 24.Qg4 Bf8 25.Qg3 Rcd8 26.Be5 draw (Kotronias-Rublevsky, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• If 15.Rad1 Qc6 16.f5 f6 17.c4 bxc4 18.Bxc4 Kh8 19.fxe6 dxe6 20.exf6 then:
• 20...Rxf6! 21.Rxf6 gxf6 22.Bf4 Rg8 23.Bg3 Rd8 24.Rxd8+ Bxd8 25.Kh1 Bb6 26.b3 Bd4 then:
• If 27.Bf4!? e5! 28.Bg3 a5 29.Bh4 f5 30.Qf3 Kg7 draw (Fressinet-Rublevsky, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2003).
• 27.Be1 e5 28.Qg4 Qc8 29.Be6 Qe8 30.Bh4 is equal.
• 20...gxf6!? 21.Bf4 Rg8 22.Bg3 Rgd8 23.b4 gives White the initiative.
• 12...h5 13.e5 Ng4 14.Be4 Qc7 15.Bxb7 Qxb7 16.Bd4 g6 17.Ne4 Rc8 18.Rad1 gives White the advantage in space (Pavloskaia-Nill, Euro ChW, Kusadasi, 2006).
• 11.Re1 Be7 12.Qf3 d6 13.Qh3 h5 14.Bg5 Qc5 15.Be3 Qc6 16.f3 g5 17.a4 b4 is equal (Topalov-J. Polgar, IT, Novgorod, 1996).
• If 7...Bc5 8.Nb3 Be7 9.f4 d6 then:
• If 10.Qf3 Nbd7 then:
• 11.Bd2 b6 12.Qg3 g6 13.Rae1 Bb7 14.a4 h6 15.e5 Nh5 16.Qf2 dxe5 17.fxe5 Nxe5 18.Nb5 axb5 19.Bxb5+ Nd7 20.Qxf7+ Kd8 21.Qxe6 gives White a strong attack for a theoreticla pawn (Stojanovski-Chuchelov, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).
• 11.Be3 b5 12.a3 Bb7 13.Qg3 0-0 14.Rae1 Rfe8 15.Bd2 e5 16.f5 Kh8 is equal (Melnikova-Tsigelnitskiy, Chigorin Mem Op, St. Petersburg, 2001).
• If 10.a4 Nc6 then:
• 11.a5 b5 12.axb6 Qxb6+ 13.Kh1 0-0 14.Qe2 Nb4 15.Be3 Qb8 16.Na5 Bd7 17.Nc4 Nxd3 18.Qxd3 Bb5 19.Nxb5 axb5 is equal (Panjwani-Arencibia, Canadian Op, Kitchner, 2006).
• If 11.Be3 b6 12.Be2 0-0 13.Bf3 then:
• 13...Rb8 14.Qe2 Na5 15.Nd2 Bb7 16.g4 Nd7 17.g5 Rfe8 18.Qf2 Nc4 19.Nxc4 Qxc4 is equal (Ciocaltea-Tringov, IT, Nis, 1981).
• 13...Bb7 14.Qe2 Rfe8 15.Kh1 Nd7 16.Rad1 Rac8 17.Qf2 Nc5 18.Nxc5 bxc5 19.Ne2 Bf8 is equal (Chau-Deepan, World Youth BU18, Belfort, 2005).

6...b5

• If 6...Nc6 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Be3 then:
• If 8...Bb4 9.Na4 Be7 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.Nb6 Rb8 12.Nxc8 Qxc8 then:
• If 13.Bd4 c5 14.Be5 Rb6 15.Qd3 d6 16.Bc3 0-0 17.b3 d5 then:
• If 18.exd5 Nxd5 19.Be5 Rd8 20.Qg3 then:
• If 20...Bf6 21.Bxf6 Nxf6 then:
• 22.Rfd1 Nd5 23.Rd2 Nb4 24.Rxd8+ Qxd8 25.c3 Nd5 26.Rd1 gives White stronger pawns and more freedom (Timoshenko-Mastrovasilis, Euro Club Cup, Halikidi, 2002).
• 22.Rad1 Nd5 23.Rd2 a5 24.Rfd1 Rf8 25.Bc4 Ne7 26.Qc3 Nc6 27.Bf1 Nb4 28.a3 Nd5 29.Qxa5 gives White an extra pawn and a stronger center (Zdebskaja-Pertlova, Euro ChW, Rijeka, 2010).
• If 20...f6 21.Bb2 Bd6 then:
• 22.Qf3 Qc7 23.g3 Be5 24.Bxe5 Qxe5 25.Bc4 Qc7 26.Rfe1 Qf7 27.Re2 Nc7 28.Rae1 is equal (Barua-Muhren, IT, Arnhem, 2007).
• 22.Qg4 Qc7 23.g3 Be5 24.Bxe5 Qxe5 25.Bc4 f5 26.Qe2 Qxe2 27.Bxe2 Nc3 gives Black a slight edge in space (Atoufi-Sarkar, Foxwoods Op, Mashantucket, 2007).
• If 18.e5 Nd7 19.f4 c4 20.bxc4 Rc6 then:
• If 21.Qh3 Nb6 22.Bd3 g6 then:
• If 23.Rf3 Re8 24.cxd5 Rxc3 then:
• 25.Bxg6!? hxg6 26.Rxc3 Bc5+ 27.Kh1 Nxd5 28.Rc4 Qc7 29.Rd1 Qb6 gives White a slight material edge while Black has better-placed pieces (Spoelman-van der Werf, Op, Hoogeveen, 2003).
• 25.d6 Bxd6 26.exd6 Rc6 27.Qh6 Nd7 28.f5 exf5 29.Rxf5 Rxd6 gives White the advantage in space, but his pieces are such that it will take him an eternity to exploit the advantage; the game ended in a draw in 72 moves (Lobron-Stellwagen, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2004).
• If 23.f5 exf5 24.Rxf5 then:
• 24...Nxc4 25.e6 f6 26.Rxd5 Nb6 27.Bxg6 hxg6 28.Qh6 Nxd5 29.Qxg6+ Kh8 30.Qh6+ Kg8 31.Qg6+ draw (Zigangirov-Stiri, World Youth GU18, Oropesa del Mar, 2001).
• 24...Qe6 25.cxd5 Nxd5 26.Bd2 Bc5+ 27.Kh1 Be3 28.Bxe3 Nxe3 29.Rf3 Qxh3 30.Rxh3 Ng4 is equal (Coenan-Haba, Euro Club Cup, Ohrid, 2009).
• 21.Qg3 g6 22.Ba5 Nb6 23.Bxb6 Rxb6 24.cxd5 Qc5+ 25.Kh1 Qxd5 26.Bd3 Rd8 27.Qf2 Qa5 28.Rfd1 Bc5 29.Qh4 Rbb8 30.Qe1 Qa4 31.Qf1 draw (Pruijssers-T. Zhang, Op, Amsterdam, 2006).
• If 13.e5 Nd5 14.Bc1 Bc5 15.c4 Ne7 16.b3 Qc7 17.Bb2 then:
• If 17...Ng6 then:
• 18.Kh1 0-0 19.Bd3 Rbd8 20.Qh5 d6 21.exd6 Bxd6 22.Rad1 c5 23.g3 Rfe8 24.f4 gives White the advantage in space and better minor pieces (Bouaziz-Andersson, IT, Szirak, 1987).
• If 18.Qd3 0-0 19.Qe4 d6 20.exd6 Bxd6 21.g3 then:
• If 21...Rfd8 22.Rad1 Qa5 23.Qxc6 Qxa2 24.Rxd6 Qxb2 25.Rfd1 then:
• 25...Rf8 26.Qe4 Qxb3 27.Rxa6 Qc3 is equal (Kamsky-Illescas, IT, Madrid, 1994).
• 25...Rxd6 26.Qxd6 Rxb3 27.Bh5 draw (Koch-Albarrán, Corres, 1996).
• 21...Be5 22.Bxe5 Nxe5 23.f4 Ng6 24.Bd3 c5 25.f5 exf5 26.Qxf5 Rbe8 is equal (A. Ramirez-Kasimdzhanov, FIDE Knock Out, Tripoli, 2004).
• If 17...d6 18.exd6 Bxd6 19.g3 Be5 20.Bxe5 Qxe5 then:
• If 21.Bf3 then:
• If 21...c5 22.Re1 Qc7 23.Be4 0-0 then:
• If 24.Qc2 h6 then:
• 25.Rad1 Rfd8 26.Qb2 Nc6 27.Bxc6 Qxc6 28.Rd2 Rd6 29.Rxd6 Qxd6 30.Qe5 Qxe5 31.Rxe5 Rc8 32.f4 Kf8 33.Kf2 Ke7 34.h4 f6 35.Re1 draw (J. Polgar-Milos, Match, São Paulo, 1996).
• 25.Qc3 Rfd8 26.Rad1 Kf8 27.Kf1 a5 28.Ke2 Ng8 is equal (Borriss-Miladinovic, Euro Club Cup, Panormo, 2001).
• 24.Qh5 h6 25.Rad1 Rbd8 26.Bc2 Qb6 27.Rxd8 Rxd8 28.Rd1 Rxd1+ 29.Qxd1 Qc7 30.Qd3 f5 is equal (Lindberg-Hasangatin. Op, Pardubice, 2001).
• If 21...Rd8 22.Qe1 then:
• 22...Qc5 23.Rd1 0-0 24.Qe4 Qb6 25.Rxd8 Rxd8 26.Rd1 Rxd1+ 27.Bxd1 g6 28.Bf3 c5 29.g4 Qd6 is equal (K. Tan-Delafargue, Op, Amsterdam, 2001).
• 22...Qf5 23.Be4 Qc5 24.Qc3 Rd4 25.Rad1 e5 26.Rxd4 exd4 27.Qd3 f5 28.Bg2 0-0 29.f4 Rd8 30.Re1 Qb4 is equal (Gufeld-Vasiukov, Zonal, Vilnius, 1975).
• If 21.Re1 c5 then:
• 22.Bd3 Qd6 23.Be4 Qc7 24.Qc2 f5 25.Bg2 Kf7 26.Qe2 Qb6 27.b4 Rbc8 28.a4 Ng6 29.bxc5 Rxc5 30.Rab1 Qd6 31.Rb7+ Ne7 32.Bd5 Black resigns as 32...Rxd5 33.cxd5 Qxd5 34.Ra7 g6 35.Rd1 Qb3 36.Rdd7 White wins easily (Ganguly-Mastrovasilis, World Jr Ch, Nakhchivan, 2003).
• 22.Bh5 Qc7 23.Rxe6 g6 24.Rxa6 gxh5 25.Qxh5 0-0 26.Rh6 Ng6 27.Rxh7 Qe5 28.Qxe5 Nxe5 29.Rh5 gives White four pawns for a piece and a more active game (Pierrot-Vescovi, Najdorf Mem, Buenos Aires, 2000).
• If 8...Be7 9.f4 d6 10.Kh1 0-0 11.a4 Re8 12.Bf3 then:
• If 12...Bf8 then:
• If 13.Nb3 b6 14.a5 then:
• If 14...Nd7 15.axb6 Nxb6 16.Nb5 axb5 17.Bxb6 Qb8 18.Rxa8 Qxa8 then:
• 19.Qe2 b4 20.Ra1 Qb7 21.Be3 Bd7 22.Qa6 Qxa6 23.Rxa6 Rc8 24.Kg1 g6 is equal (Kovacevic-Stojanovic, Serbia-Montenegro ChT, Herceg Novi, 2005).
• 19.Qd3 b4 20.Ra1 Qb8 21.Be3 Bb7 22.Nd2 Qc7 23.Nc4 Ra8 24.Rxa8 Bxa8 is equal (Babaev-Ulibin, Lasker Mem Op, Berlinek, 2001).
• If 14...bxa5 15.e5 dxe5 16.fxe5 then:
• If 16...Rd8 17.Nd4 Nxd4 18.Bxd4 then:
• If 18...Bb7 19.exf6 e5 20.fxg7 Bxg7 then:
• 21.Bxb7 Qxb7 22.Ne2 exd4 23.Ng3 Rd5 24.Nf5 Kh8 25.Ra3 d3 26.Rxd3 Rxd3 27.Qxd3 Qxb2 28.Nd6 Bf6 29.Qf3 Rb8 30.Qg4 Rf8 31.Qf4 Kg7 32.c3 Bxc3 33.Nxf7 Bf6 34.Ng5 Rb8 35.Qc7+ Black cannot escape mate and resigns (Kovacevic-Jakovljevic, Op, Ljubana, 2005).
• 21.Nd5 Bxd5 22.Bb6 Qxb6 23.Bxd5 Ra7 24.Ra3 Rad7 25.c4 e4 26.Rb3 Qc5 27.Qh5 Kh8 28.Rh3 h6 29.b3 Re7 30.Qg5 Qd6 31.Qe3 Qg6 32.g4 Kg8 33.Rg3 Qg5 draw (Voss-Andriulaitis, Corres, 2002).
• 21.Bxe5 Qxe5 22.Qe1 Qxe1 23.Rfxe1 Bxf3 24.gxf3 Rd2 25.Rxa5 Rxc2 26.Rg1 Kh8 27.Ne4 Bxb2 28.Ra2 h6 gives Black an extra pawn (Bach-van Wely, Op, Vlissingen, 2001).
• 18...Nd5 19.Nxd5 exd5 20.Qd2 Bb4 21.Qf2 Rb8 22.Be2 Bf8 23.e6 Bxe6 24.Bd3 Re8 gives Black an extra pawn (Stellwagen-Smeets, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2006).
• 16...Nd5 17.Nxd5 exd5 18.Qxd5 Bb7 19.Nxa5 Nxa5 20.Qxa5 Qc8 21.c3 Bxf3 22.Rxf3 Rb8 23.Qa2 Re6 24.Raf1 gives White an extra pawn and firm command of the f-file and an attack on the f7 square; Black can get counterplay in the center (Asrian-K. Georgiev, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).
• If 13.Qd2 then:
• If 13...Rb8 14.Qf2 e5 15.Nde2 b5 16.axb5 axb5 then:
• If 17.f5 Nb4 then:
• If 18.Ng3 Nxc2 then:
• 19.Bg5? Nxa1 20.Bxf6 Qc5 gives Black a material advantage equivalent to a minor piece (Jakovenko-Rublevsky, IT, Poikovsky, 2008).
• 19.Qxc2 b4 20.Ra7 Rb7 21.Rfa1 bxc3 22.Qxc3 is equal.
• 18.Bg5 Qb6 19.Ng3 Qxf2 20.Rxf2 Nd7 21.Rd2 Nb6 gives Black the advantage in space and pressure on Black's backward d-pawn (Li Chao-Wang Hao, Chinese Ch, Xinghua, 2009).
• 17.Nd5 Nxd5 18.exd5 Nb4 19.fxe5 Rxe5 20.Ba7 Rb7 21.Bd4 leaves White with the initiative, but Black has more space (McShane-Pelletier, IT, Biel, 2004).
• 13...Na5 14.Qf2 Nc4 15.Bc1 e5 16.Nde2 d5 17.fxe5 Nxe5 18.Bf4 dxe4 19.Nxe4 Nd5 20.Bg3 Qe7 is equal (Sutovsky-Kasparov, Kasparov SX, Tel Aviv, 1998).
• If 12...Rb8 13.Qd2 Bd7 14.Nb3 b6 then:
• If 15.g4 Bc8 16.g5 Nd7 17.Bg2 Na5 18.Qf2 then:
• If 18...Nxb3 19.cxb3 Nc5 20.Qc2 then:
• 20...a5 21.Rad1 Ba6 22.Rf3 b5 23.f5 bxa4 24.f6 axb3 25.Qf2 Bf8 26.g6 hxg6 27.Qh4 gxf6 28.Rh3 Bg7 29.Bh6 Nxe4 30.Nxe4 Qc2 31.Rg1 Black resigns as there is no satisfactory answer to the threat of 32.Nxf6+ (Brueckel-Alverez, Corres, 2000).
• If 20...b5 21.axb5 axb5 22.f5 b4 23.Na4 exf5 24.exf5 Bf8 25.Bf4 Ba6 26.Rfd1 then:
• If 26...Re2? 27.Qxc5 then:
• If 27...Qe7! 28.Qd4 Bb7 29.Bd5 Bxd5+ 30.Qxd5 Rb5 31.f6 then:
• If 31...Qe8! 32.Qf3 g6 then:
• If 33.Bg3? Rf5! 34.Qb7 d5 35.Nc5 Qe3 36.Rf1 Rxf1+ 37.Rxf1 Qxc5 38.Qa6 Qe3 White resigns as he must lose material or submit to mate (Palac-Ftacnik, IT, Vinkovci, 1995).
• 33.Rd4! h6 34.gxh6 Kh7 35.Qg3 Rf5 36.Kg1 leaves White up a piece and now he should win.
• 31...Rxd5? 32.fxe7 Rxd1+ 33.Rxd1 Bxe7 34.Bxd6 Bxg5 leaves White a piece to the good.
• 27...dxc5? 28.Bxc7! Bb7 29.Bxb7 Rxb7 30.Bd6 Rd7 31.Bxf8 leaves White a piece to the good.
• 26...Rbc8 27.Qxc5 dxc5 28.Bxc7 Rxc7 29.Nb6 Bb5 is equal.
• 18...Nc4 19.Bc1 Bf8 20.Nd4 Bb7 21.b3 Na5 22.Bb2 Nc6 23.Nf3 g6 24.Rad1 Bg7 is equal (Timoshenko-Lesiege, Op, Koszalin, 1999).
• 15.Bf2 Bc8 16.Bg3 Nd7 17.e5 dxe5 18.Rae1 Bb7 19.fxe5 Ncxe5 20.Bxb7 Rxb7 21.Qe2 f6 22.Qxa6 is equal (Anand-Topalov, IT, Linares, 1999).

7.0-0 b4

• If 7...Bb7 then:
• If 8.Bf3 Nc6 9.Nxc6 dxc6 then:
• If 10.a4 Bd6 11.g3 Nf6 12.Qe2 0-0 13.Bg2 e5 14.Bg5 Nd7 15.Rfd1 Nc5 16.Bh3 b4 17.Nb1 a5 18.Nd2 Ba6 19.Qh5 Be7 20.Be3 Rfd8 21.b3 g6 22.Qf3 h5 draw (Pinkas-Brodsky, Op, Swidnica, 2000).
• 10.Qe2 Bd6 11.g3 Nf6 12.Bg2 0-0 13.Nd1 a5 14.Re1 Nd7 15.Ne3 Ba6 16.f4 f5 17.Qf3 Rac8 18.exf5 exf5 19.Bd2 is equal (Nepeina Leconte-Ravot, Op, Cannes, 2007).
• If 8.Re1 Nc6 9.Nxc6 dxc6 10.e5 Rd8 11.Bd3 c5 then:
• If 12.Qg4 Ne7 13.Bg5 Rd4 14.Qg3 Nc6 then:
• 15.a4 b4 16.Ne4 c4 17.Bf1 Nxe5 18.Nf6+ gxf6 19.Bxf6 Rg4 20.Qxe5 Qxe5 21.Rxe5 Rhg8 22.Rd1 Be7 gives Black the advantage in space and command of the g-file (Kovecevic-Pavlovic, Yugoslav Ch, Herceg Novi, 2001).
• 15.Ne4 c4 16.Bf1 Nxe5 17.Nf6+ gxf6 18.Bxf6 Rg4 19.Qxe5 Qxe5 20.Bxe5 Rhg8 21.g3 Bc5 gives Black the advantage in space (Pedro-Lujan, Argentine Ch, Buenos Aires, 2004).
• 12.Qh5 g6 13.Qh3 Bg7 14.Bg5 Ne7 15.Be4 Rd4 16.Bxb7 Qxb7 17.f3 h6 is equal (Rosito-Hellsten, IT, Mendoza, 2005).
• If 7...Nc6 8.Nxc6 dxc6 9.f4 Bb7 10.Be3 Nf6 11.e5 then:
• If 11...Nd5 12.Nxd5 cxd5 13.Bd4 then:
• 13...g6 14.c3 Bc5 15.a4 Qb6 16.axb5 axb5 17.Bxc5 Qxc5+ 18.Qd4 gives White the better Bishop (Gómez-S. Chang, Itau Cup, São Paulo, 2003).
• 13...Bc5 14.c3 0-0 15.a4 b4 16.Rc1 Qb6 17.Bxc5 Qxc5+ 18.Qd4 Qxd4+ 19.cxd4 gives White the better Bishop and a more active Rook (Plasket-Fuster, Op, New York, 1979).
• 11...Rd8 12.Qe1 Nd7 13.Ne4 c5 14.Bf3 Bd5 15.Qg3 g6 16.Rad1 gives White a slight advantage in space (Pavlidis-Rasulov, Euro Ch, Rijeka, 2010).

8.Na4 Bb7 9.Re1

• 9.Bf3 Bd6 10.h3 Nf6 11.Re1 Nc6 12.Nxc6 dxc6 13.Be3 Nd7 14.c4 Rd8 is equal (Xu Yuhua-Koneru, No Urals Cup, Krasnoturinsk, 2005).

9...Bd6 10.g3 Nf6 11.Bf3 Nc6 12.Bg2

• 12.Nxc6 Bxc6 13.Nb6 Rd8 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Bb7 16.Bg5 Rb8 17.dxe6!? dxe6 18.Bxb7 Rxb7 19.Qd3 is equal (Oleksienko-Fedorchuk, Ukrainian Ch, Kharkiv, 2004).

12...0-0!?

• 12...h5 13.h3 h4 14.g4 Nxd4 15.Qxd4 e5 16.Qb6 Bc6 17.Qxc7 Bxc7 18.Nc5 d6 19.Nd3 is equal (Brenjo-Zivkovic, Bosnian ChT, Vogosca, 2007).

13.Be3

• The game is equal.
• 13.Bg5 Nd8 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Qg4+ Kh8 16.c3 gives White the advantage in space.

13...Na5 14.Nb3 Nc4 15.Bc5 e5 16.Bf1

• 16.Bxd6 Nxd6 17.Nac5 a5 18.a4 Nc4 remains equal.

16...Nxe4!?

• With this move, Black begins a slow descent into a lost position.
• 16...Bxc5 17.Naxc5 d5 18.Nxb7 Qxb7 19.exd5 Nxb2 20.Qc1 remains equal.

BLACK: Koneru Humpy
!""""""""#
$t+ + Tl+%
$+vWo+oOo%
$ + V + +%
$+ B O + %
$nOm+m+ +%
$+n+ + P %
$pPp+ P P%
$R +qRbK %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Batkhuyag Munguntuul
Position after 16...Nf6e4:p

17.Rxe4! Bxc5 18.Nbxc5 Bxe4 19.Nxe4

• White emerges with a wonderfully centralized Knight; Black has a backward d-pawn.

19...Qc6

• 19...Rfc8? 20.Bxc4 Qxc4 21.Nd6! Qxc2 22.Nxc8 Rxc8 23.Qxd7 gives White an extra piece.

20.Bxc4 Qxc4 21.Nd6 Qc6 22.c3 bxc3 23.Nxc3 Rab8 24.Rc1 Rb4 25.Ne2

• 25.Qd5 then:
• If 25...Rxb2 then:
• 26.Qxc6! dxc6 27.Nc4 Rb7 28.Nxe5 gives White the clearly more active game.
• 26.Qxe5!? Qf3 27.Qe3 Qxe3 28.fxe3 Rb6 29.Nf5 gives Black more than sufficient counterplay to defend for some time.
• 25...Qxd5? 26.Nxd5 Rbb8 27.Rc7! gives White a powerful attack.

25...Qf3 26.Qd2

• 26.Nc4! Qh5 27.Rc2 Rd8 28.Qd2 gives White a stronger initiative than the text.

26...Rb6 27.Nc3 Rc6?

• The losing move isn't a dramatic blunder, but just a straw the breaks the camel's back.
• 27...Qf6 28.Nce4 Qe6 29.Nc4 Rc6 30.Ned6 f5 31.b3 leaves Black with enough fight to hang on, although it is an uphill battle.

BLACK: Koneru Humpy
!""""""""#
$ + + Tl+%
$+ +o+oOo%
$o+tN + +%
$+ + O + %
$ + + + +%
$+ N +wP %
$pP Q P P%
$+ R + K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Batkhuyag Munguntuul
Position after 27...Rb6c6

28.Re1!

• White strengthens her center.
• Less convincing is 28.Nce4!? Rxc1+ 29.Qxc1 Qd3 30.Qf1 Qd5 31.Qxa6.

28...Qf6 29.Rd1 Qe6

• One could argue that Black still has enough fight left to not consider it totally lost yet, but instead of an uphill battle she needs to go up the face of Half Dome.
• If 29...Qf3 30.Nd5 Kh8 31.Ne7 then:
• 31...Rc7 32.b3 Rc5 33.Re1 Qf6 34.Nef5 Rc6 35.Re4 puts White's boot at Black's throat.
• If 31...Rc5 32.Re1 Qf6 33.b4 Rc7 34.Nef5 then:
• If 34...Rc6 35.a4 g6 36.b5 axb5 37.axb5 then:
• 37...Rb6 38.Nc4 gxf5 39.Nxb6 Qxb6 40.Rxe5 wins.
• 37...gxf5 38.bxc6 dxc6 39.Rc1 wins for White.
• 34...h5 35.a4! Kh7 36.b5 axb5 37.axb5 gives White a passed pawn.

30.b4!

• White fixes Black's last queenside pawn.

30...Rb8

• If 30...f5 31.a3 e4 32.Ne2 Qf6 33.Nb7 then:
• 33...Qf7 34.Qxd7 Qxd7 35.Rxd7 wins for White.
• If 33...Rf7 34.Qd5 f4 35.Nd8 then:
• 35...fxg3 36.Qxf7+ Qxf7 37.Nxf7 gxh2+ 38.Kxh2 Rf6 39.Ng5 gives White two extra pieces for two pawns.
• 35...Qxd8 36.Qxc6 e3 37.Nxf4 g5 38.Ng2 exf2+ 39.Kf1 gives White an extra piece.

31.Nce4 h6

• If 31...Rbb6 then White wins after 32.a4 Rb8 33.Nc5 Qg4 34.Qd5 Rf8 35.Nc4.

32.a4

• Also good is 32.Nc5 Qg4 33.Qd5 Rxb4 34.Qxf7+ Kh7 35.f3!.

32...Qb3 33.b5 axb5 34.axb5 Rc2

• This aggressive-looking move is purely desperation.
• If 34...Rc7 35.Qd5 then:
• 35...Qxd5 36.Rxd5 f6 37.Kg2 Rb6 38.f4 exf4 39.gxf4 clearly gives White the better game.
• 35...Qf3 36.Re1 Qh5 37.Nc5 Ra7 38.Rxe5 Qg6 39.Kg2 White is strangling Black's kingside.

BLACK: Koneru Humpy
!""""""""#
$ T + +l+%
$+ +o+oO %
$ + N + O%
$+p+ O + %
$ + +n+ +%
$+w+ + P %
$ +tQ P P%
$+ +r+ K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Batkhuyag Munguntuul
Position after 34...Rc6c2

35.Qd5! Qf3

• One need only count moves. White has the advantage in time.
• 35...Qxd5 36.Rxd5 f6 37.Nc5 Ra8 38.b6 Rd8 39.b7 it will cost Black a Rook to stop the pawn.

36.b6 Rb2 37.b7 Kf8

• 37...Rf8 38.Rf1 Qh5 39.Nc5 wins easily.

38.Rc1 Rxf2 39.Rc8+ Ke7 40.Qxe5# 1-0

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Ninth Asian Championships, Subic Bay

Subic Bay
Photo by Onat, flickr (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

[Jack Rabbit]

11. So - Megaranto, Round 5

Wesley So
Photo by Reginjanice for Wikipedia (Creative Commons: Atteribution/Share Alike)


Wesley So - Susanto Megaranto
Ninth Asian Championships (General Group), Round 5
Subic Bay, 25 April 2010

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Marshall Gambit

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5 c6 12.d4 Bd6 13.Re1 Qh4 14.g3 Qh3

• For a survey of the Marshall Gambit and variations up to here, see Shabalov-Vescovi, Pan-Am Ch, São Paulo, 2009.

15.Qe2

• 15.Be3 Bg4 16.Qd3 Rae8 17.Nd2 Re6 18.a4 Qh5 19.axb5 axb5 20.Qf1 Bh3 21.Qe2 Bg4 22.Qf1 Bh3 23.Qe2 Bg4 draw (J. Polgar-Dr. Nunn, Munich, 1991).
• If 15.Re4 g5 16.Qf1 Qh5 17.Nd2 then:
• If 17...f5 then:
• If 18.Bd1 Qh6 19.Re1 f4 20.Ne4 then:
• If 20...Bh3 21.Qe2 Rae8 22.Qh5 Qxh5 23.Bxh5 Re6 24.Bd2 White has withstood Black's aggression, remains still in possession of the gambit pawn and will now be able to assume the initiative (Shabalov-Vescovi, Pan-Am Ch, São Paulo, 2009).
• If 20...Bc7 then:
• 21.Bf3 Bh3 22.Qd3 Rf7 23.Bd2 Raf8 24.Bh1 Rg7 25.Bf3 Rgf7 26.Bh1 Rg7 27.Bf3 Rgf7 draw (Svidler-Leko, IT, Morelia-Linares, 2007).
• 21.Bd2 Bf5 22.Nc5 Bd6 23.Bf3 Kh8 24.Nb7 Bb8 25.a4 White retains the extra pawn (Galkin-P. H. Nielsen, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• 21.f3 Bh3 22.Qf2 g4 23.fxg4 Qg6 24.Qc2 Rae8 White has two extra pawns but Black has the active game (Negi-Kosteniuk, Rpd, Cap d'Agde, 2006).
• If 18.Re1 f4 then:
• 19.Bd1? f3! (Black's winning plan is to dominate the weak light square complex around the White King) 20.Ne4 Bh3 21.Qd3 Rae8 22.Bd2 Rxe4!! (White takes out the guard of the g3 pawn) 23.Qxe4 Bxg3 24.Bxf3 Bxh2+ 25.Kxh2 Bg4+ 26.Kg1 Bxf3 27.Qe6+ Kg7 28.Qe5+ Rf6 29.Qh2 Rh6 White resigns (Vachier Lagrave-Svidler, IT, San Sebastián, 2009).
• 19.Ne4 fxg3 20.Nxg3 Bxg3 21.hxg3 Bg4 22.Re5 keeps Black's threats at bay.
• 17...Bf5 18.f3 Nf6 19.Qg2 Qg6 20.Re3 Nd5 21.Re1 Rae8 22.Qf2 Nf4 23.gxf4 gxf4+ 24.Kh1 Rxe1+ 25.Qxe1 Kh8 26.Qg1 Qh5 27.Qf2 Rg8 28.Bd1 Bh3 29.Be2 Be7 30.Bd3 Bh4 31.Qe2 Qg5 32.Qe5+ Qxe5 33.dxe5 Bf2 White resigns (Shomoev-Grischuk, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2008).

15...Bg4 16.Qf1 Qh5

• 16...Rae8 17.Rxe8 Qxf1+ 18.Kxf1 Rxe8 gives White an extra pawn, but Black bewtter development and the more active game (Volokitin-Inarkiev, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).

17.Nd2

• This is the kind of unclear position that those who play the Marshall Gambit and those who allow it to be played against them love.

BLACK: Susanto Megaranto
!""""""""#
$t+ + Tl+%
$+ + +oOo%
$o+oV + +%
$+o+m+ +w%
$ + P +v+%
$+bP + P %
$pP N P P%
$R B RqK %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Wesley So
Position after 17.Nb1d2

17...Nf4!?

• This sacrifice, introduced by Hebden agains Kurnosov a couple of years ago, appears to be unsound.
• If 17...Rae8 then:
• If 18.f3 Rxe1 19.Qxe1 Bxf3 20.Nxf3 Qxf3 21.Bd2 then:
• 21...Qg4 22.Qd1 Qd7 23.Qf3 Nb6 24.Rf1 Nc4 25.Bc1 c5 26.Bxc4 bxc4 is equal (Volokitin-Kurnosov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2008).
• 21...h5 22.Qd1 Qf5 23.Bc2 Qh3 24.Qf3 g6 25.Bh6 Re8 26.Rf1 is equal (Caruana-Negi, Corus C, Wijk aan Zee, 2008).
• Our silicon sidekick recommends the untested 18.Ne4 Re6 19.Bd2 Bf4 then:
• If 20.Bxf4 Nxf4 then:
• 21.Bxe6 Nh3+ 22.Qxh3 Qxh3 23.Bxg4 Qxg4 24.Nc5 gives White more than sufficient compensation for the Queen.
• 21...Nxe6! 22.Qd3! f5 23.Nd2 f4 24.Re5 Ng5 25.Kh1 leaving White up by the equivalent of a minor piece.
• If 20.gxf4 Rxe4 then:
• 21.Rxe4 Bf3 22.h3 Bxe4 23.Re1 Nf6 is equal.
• 21.Qg2? Be2! 22.Qg3 Re6 23.Bc2 f5 24.Bd1 Rff6 gives Black a powerful attack.
• 18.Rxe8 Rxe8 19.f3 Bf5 20.Ne4 Bc7 21.Bd2 Qg6 22.Re1 Bxe4 23.Rxe4 Rxe4 24.Bc2 f5 25.fxe4 fxe4 26.Qg2 Nf6 is equal (Svidler-Leko, World Ch Trmt, Mexico City, 2007).

18.gxf4!

• Steinitz said, "When in doubt, take the pawn," so if there's any doubt at all, take the Knight.

18...Bxf4 19.h4

• The text is better than19.Qg2!? Bh3 when:
• 20.Qf3 Rae8 21.Re5 Rxe5 22.dxe5 Bxh2+ 23.Kh1 Bg4 is equal.
• If 20.Bd1 Qh6 21.Qf3 Rae8 then:
• 22.Ne4 Bxc1 23.Rxc1 Qxc1 24.Qxh3 Rxe4 25.Rxe4 Qxd1+ is equal.
• 22.Be2 Bxh2+ 23.Kxh2 Bg4+ 24.Kg1 Bxf3 25.Nxf3 Qg6+ Black's Queen trumps White's three minor pieces.

19...Qxh4!?

• This is the Indonesian grandmaster's attempt to improve on Hebden's play.
• If 19...Rae8 20.Ne4 Bb8 21.Qg2 Kh8 22.Bg5 f6 then:
• After 23.Nxf6!? Rxe1+ 24.Rxe1 gxf6 25.Re4 fxg5 26.Rxg4 White survives with his extra pawn (Kurnosov-Hebden, Op 0809, Hastings, 2008).
• 23.Be3! Bf3 24.Bd1 Bxg2 25.Bxh5 Bxe4 26.Bxe8 leaves White an exchange to the good.

20.Qg2 Rae8?!

• This is a poor move. It permits White to take the wind out of Black's sails by exchanging pieces.
• 20...Bh3 21.Qxc6 Qg5+ 22.Kh1 Bxd2 23.Re5 Qh4 24.Qe4 is equal.

21.Rxe8 Rxe8 22.Nf1 Bh3?

• After this, White maintains the extra piece indefinitely.
• 22...Re1 23.Bxf4 Rxa1 24.Qxc6 Qd8 25.Bg5 giving White two minor pieces for a Rook amd his pieces have come to life.

BLACK: Susanto Megaranto
!""""""""#
$ + +t+l+%
$+ + +oOo%
$o+o+ + +%
$+o+ + + %
$ + P V W%
$+vP + +v%
$pP + Pq+%
$R B +nK %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Wesley So
Position after 22...Bg4h3

23.Qxc6!

• That White is able to take the pawn is indicative of the deterrioration of Black's attacks.

23...Bh2+ 24.Kh1 Rc8 25.Qb7!

• This is still a Marshall position. White's King is in the open and Black has three hungry pieces staring at his crown. It would be easy to slip up and snatch a draw or even defeat from the jaws of victory.
• 25.Bxf7+? Kf8 26.Qb7 Rb8 27.Qf3 Bg4 is equal.

25...Bc7 26.Kg1 Qg4+ 27.Ng3 Bxg3

• Black is a piece down and his attack is spent.
• No better is 27...h5 28.Qe4 Bxg3 29.Qxg4 when:
• If 29...Bxf2+ then after 30.Kxf2 Bxg4 31.a4 White remains a piece up and wins.
• If 29...Bxg4 then White wins after 30.fxg3 Re8 31.Bf4.

28.fxg3 Qxg3+ 29.Kh1 Bg4

• Black threatens 30...Bf3+, winning White's Queen.

30.Qxf7+!

• The threat is easily parried.

30...Kh8 31.Bd5 Qe1+ 32.Kh2 Re8

• Black has nothing better than attacking the White King with no hope of success.
• 32...b4 33.c4 Qh4+ goes nowhere after 34.Kg1 Qg3+ 35.Bg2 Bh3 36.Qf3!.

33.Bg5!

• The Rook at a1 is safe because of 34.Qxe8#.

33...Qe2+

• 33...Re2+ 34.Bg2 Qf2 35.Qxf2 Rxf2 36.Kg3 leaves White a piece to the good.

34.Bg2 Bh5 35.Qf4 Qxb2

BLACK: Susanto Megaranto
!""""""""#
$ + +t+ L%
$+ + + Oo%
$o+ + + +%
$+o+ + Bv%
$ + P Q +%
$+ P + + %
$pW + +bK%
$R + + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Wesley So
Position after 35...Qe2b2:p

36.Re1!

• Standing a piece to the good, White will be content to simply down to a won endgame.

36...Qxa2 37.Rxe8+ Bxe8 38.d5 1-0

• If 38...Kg8 then 39.Be7 h6 40.Qf8+ wins a second piece.
• Grandmaster Megaranto resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

12. Ju Wenjun - Pourkashiyan, Round 7

Atousa Pourkashyian
Photo: ChessBase.com


Ju Wenjun - Atousa Pourkashiyan
Ninth Asian Championships (Women's Group), Round 7
Subic Bay, 27 April 2010

Open Queen's Gambit: Royal Defense (Chigorin Defnese)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nc3 dxc4 4.d5 Ne5 5.Bf4

• If 5.f4 Nd7 6.e4 Nb6 7.a4 a5 8.Be3 e6 then:
• If 9.Nf3 Bb4 10.Bxb6 cxb6 11.Bxc4 Nf6 then:
• 12.Bb5+ Bd7 13.dxe6 fxe6 14.Bd3 Qc7 is equal (Nikolic-Rabiega, Bundesliga 0910, Berlin, 2010)
• If 12.0-0 then:
• 12...exd5 13.Nxd5 Bc5+ 14.Kh1 0-0 15.Nxf6+ Qxf6 16.Ng5 h6 17.e5 Qe7 18.Nxf7 Rxf7 19.f5 Black resigns (Tregubov-Rabiega, Bundesliga 0607, Germany, 2007).
• 12...0-0 13.dxe6 Bxe6 14.Bxe6 fxe6 15.Qb3 Kh8 16.Ng5 Ng4 17.Nxe6 wins the exchange for White (Ivanchuk-Morozevich, Grand Prix, New York, 1995).
• 9.Bxb6 cxb6 10.Bxc4 Bc5 11.Bb5+ Bd7 12.dxe6 fxe6 13.Qb3gives White the advantage in space (Conquest-Lyell, British Ch, Liverpool, 2008).
• If 5.Qd4 Ng6 then:
• If 6.Qxc4 a6 7.Qb3 Nf6 8.Nf3 then:
• 8...b5 9.e4 e5 10.dxe6 Bxe6 11.Qc2 Bd6 12.Be2 0-0 13.0-0 h6 14.a3 Re8 is equal (Mamedyarov-Morozevich, Amber Blind, Nice, 2008).
• 8...Nd7 9.Be3 Nge5 10.0-0-0 g6 11.Nxe5 Nxe5 12.Bd4 Bh6+ 13.f4 f6 14.e3 Nf7 15.Be2 0-0 16.h4 gives White the advantage in space (Najer-Maze, Eredo Ch, Warsaw, 2005).
• 6.e4 e5 7.Qxc4 a6 8.Nf3 Bd6 9.Be2 Nf6 10.0-0 0-0 11.a3 Qe7 12.Re1 Bd7 is equal (Umansky-Dey, TT, Byern, 2003).

5...Ng6 6.Bg3 e6

• 6...e5 7.e4 Bd6 8.Bxc4 a6 9.f3 Nf4 10.Qd2 b5 11.Bb3 Ne7 12.Bh4 h6 is equal (Onischuk-Kharlov, Russian ChT, Tomsk, 2001).

7.e4 Nf6 8.dxe6!?

• 8.Bxc4 exd5 9.exd5 Bd6 10.Bb5+ Kf8 11.Nf3 a6 12.Be2 b5 13.Nd4 b4 14.Nc6 Qd7 15.Na4 Bxg3 16.hxg3 Nxd5 gives Black an extra pawn and White more space (Tukmakov-Kupreichik, GMT, Kislovodsk, 1982).

8...Bxe6

• The game is equal.

9.f4 Qxd1+ 10.Rxd1 Bg4 11.Rc1?

• White is neglecting her kingside and leaving her King too long in the center.
• 11.Be2 Bb4 12.f5 Bxe2 13.Ngxe2 Ne7 remains equal; White has caught up in development.

11...Bb4!

• Since White is underdeveloped, Black attacks her few developed pieces.

12.e5

• This does nothing for White's game at all. Such a move should be made with great caution with so many piece still standing on their original squares.
• It may already be too late, as after 12.a3 then Black is dominating the board after 12...Bxc3+ 13.bxc3 Nxe4 14.Bxc4 Rd8.

12...Nd5

• Again, Black strikes at the Knight.

13.h3

• This still does nothing for White's development, but she's already lost.
• If 13.Bxc4 then after 13...Bxc3+ 14.bxc3 Ndxf4 15.Bxf4 Nxf4 16.Kf1 0-0-0 White is busted.

13...Bf5

• Even stronger is 13...Be6 when:
• 14.Nge2 Rd8 15.Rd1 c6 16.Kf2 Bc5+ assures that the White King will remain under fire in the center.
• 14.Bxc4 Ndxf4 15.Bxe6 fxe6 16.Bxf4 Nxf4 17.Rc2 0-0 gives Black a won position.

14.Nge2

• Better is 14.Bxc4 Ndxf4 15.Bxf4 Nxf4 16.g3 Nd3+ 17.Bxd3 Bxd3 but Black has two active Bishops in an open center and an extra pawn.

14...0-0-0

• Black has completed her development. White still has a long way to go for that.

BLACK: Atousa Pourkashiyan
!""""""""#
$ +lT + T%
$OoO +oOo%
$ + + +m+%
$+ +mPv+ %
$ Vo+ P +%
$+ N + Bp%
$pP +n+p+%
$+ R Kb+r%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Ju Wenjun
Position after 14...0-0-0

15.a3 Ba5 16.Bf2

• Black has nothing better than to attack an unimportant pawn.

16...Ndxf4 17.Nxf4 Nxf4 18.Bxc4

• If 18.Bxa7 then Black punishes White for her lagging development with 18...Rhe8 19.Bxc4 Rxe5+ 20.Kf2 Rd2+ 21.Kg3 g5.

18...Bd3

• Also good is 18...Nxg2+ 19.Kf1 Bxc3 20.Rxc3 Nf4 21.Be1 Rhe8.

19.Bg3

• If 19.Bxd3 then after 19...Nxd3+ 20.Ke2 Nxc1+ 21.Rxc1 Rhe8 22.Bxa7 Rxe5+ gives Black a material advantage equivalent to a minor piece.

BLACK: Atousa Pourkashiyan
!""""""""#
$ +lT + T%
$OoO +oOo%
$ + + + +%
$V + P + %
$ +b+ M +%
$P Nv+ Bp%
$ P + +p+%
$+ R K +r%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Ju Wenjun
Position after 19.Bf2g3

19...Nxg2+!!

• The sham sacrifice nails down the win.

20.Kf2 Bxc4 21.Kxg2 Bxc3 22.Rxc3 Bd5+! 0-1

• Black is already two pawns to the good and now wins the exchange.
• Ms. Ju resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

13. Wang Yu - Kiran, Round 5

Wang Yu
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Wang Yu - Manisha Mohanty Kiran
Ninth Asian Championships (Women's Group), Round 5
Subic Bay, 23 April 2010

Open Sicilian Game: Boleslavsky Defense

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nf3 h6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Re1 0-0 10.h3

• For details about the Boleslavsky Defense and variations up to here, see Unzicker-Taimanov, ITZ, Stockholm, 1952.

10...Be6

• If 10...a6 then:
• If 11.Bf1 then:
• If 11...b5 then:
• If 12.a3 Bb7 13.b3 then:
• If 13...Rc8 14.Bb2 then:
• 14...Rc7 15.Nb1 Qa8 16.Nbd2 Nd8 17.Bd3 Ne6 18.Rc1 Rfc8 is equal (Unzicker-Taimanov, ITZ, Stockholm, 1952).
• 14...Nb8 15.Bd3 Nbd7 16.Nh2 Qc7 is equal (Jessel-Greenfeld, Irish Ch, Dublin, 2008).
• 13...Qc7 14.Bb2 Nb8 15.Nh4 g6 16.Qd2 Kh7 17.Bc1 Ng8 18.Nf3 Nd7 19.a4 gives White the advantage in space (Smyslov-Popovic, ITZ, Subotica, 1987).
• 12.a4 b4 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.exd5 Na5 15.Bd2 Rb8 16.c3 b3 17.c4 gives White a slight edge in space (Taimanov-Ilivitsky, IT, Leningrad, 1948).
• If 11...Qc7 12.Be3 Na5 13.Qd2 Be6 14.b3 then:
• 14...b5 15.Rac1 Rac8 16.Nd5 Bxd5 17.exd5 Ne4 is equal (Narcisco-Dreev, IT, Barcelona, 2008).
• 14...Rac8 15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.exd5 Ne4 17.Qb4 Nc3 18.Bd2 is equal (Vasiukov-Kotronias, Op, Athens, 1989).
• If 11.a4 Be6 then:
• 12.b3 Rc8 13.Ba3 Qa5 14.Qd2 Nd4 15.Bb2 Nxe2+ 16.Rxe2 Qc5 17.a5 Bd8 is equal (Broadbent-Unzicker, Staunton Mem, Birmingham, 1951).
• 12.Bf1 Qc7 13.b3 Nb4 14.Bb2 Rfd8 15.Qe2 Rac8 16.Rac1 Qc5 is equal (Jessel-Glek, Euro Club Cup, Kallithea, 2008).

11.Bf1 Nb8 12.Na4

• If 12.a4 Nbd7 13.a5 a6 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Bf5 16.c4 then:
• 16...Bg6 17.b4 Rc8 18.Bb2 e4 19.Nd2 f5 20.Nb3 gives White the advantage in space (Asrian-Yegiazarian, Op, Yerevan, 1996).
• 16...Re8 17.b4 e4 18.Nd4 Bg6 19.Be3 Bf6 20.Ra3 gives White the advantage in space (Beshukov-Aseev, Op, Helsinki, 1992).
• If 12.b3 a6 13.a4 Nbd7 14.Bb2 then:
• 14...Qc7 15.Nd2 Qc6 16.Nc4 Nc5 17.Qf3 b5 18.Na5 Qb6 19.axb5 axb5 20.b4 Na6 is equal (I. Smirin-Korotylev, Aeroflot Op, 2007).
• 14...Rc8 15.a5 Qc7 16.Nd2 Nc5 17.Nc4 Ncxe4 18.Nxe4 Nxe4 19.Rxe4 d5 20.Bxe5 gives White the initiative (Kramnik-Grosar, IT, Sochi, 1989).

12...Qc7 13.b3 Qc6!?

• 13...Bd7 14.Nh4 Re8 15.c4 Bxa4 draw (I. Smirin-Aseev, Soviet Ch ½-finals, Daugavpils, 1989).

14.Qd3

• The game is equal.

14...Nfd7 15.Ba3 Na6

• 15...f5 16.Nc3 Nc5 17.Bxc5 Qxc5 18.b4 fxe4 19.Rxe4 remains equal

16.Rad1 Nac5 17.Nxc5 Nxc5

• 17...dxc5 18.Bb2 Rfd8 19.Qe3 Qc7 20.Bc4 Bxc4 21.bxc4 remains equal

18.Qe3 Rac8!?

• Black uses the wrong Rook. It is usually a good idea for Black in the Open Sicilian to place both Rooks on the queenside in a bid for a local advantage.
• 18...Rfc8 19.c4 a5 20.Rd2 Bf6 21.g3 Be7 remains equal

19.c4

• White shortens the open c-file.

19...f5!?

• Black allows White to open the position for her heavy pieces.
• 19...Rfd8 20.b4 Nd7 21.Qxa7 Ra8 22.Qe3 Qa4 23.Bc1 remains equal.

BLACK: Manisha Mohanty Kiran
!""""""""#
$ +t+ Tl+%
$Oo+ V O %
$ +wOv+ O%
$+ M Oo+ %
$ +p+p+ +%
$Bp+ Qn+p%
$p+ + Pp+%
$+ +rRbK %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Wang Yu
Position after 19...f7f5

20.exf5!

• White seizes the initiative.
• 20.Bxc5 f4 21.Qd3 Qxc5 22.Be2 a5 23.Nh2 Bf7 remains equal.

20...Bxf5 21.b4 Nd7

• The text is better than 21...Ne6!? 22.b5 Qc7 23.Qxa7 when:
• 23...e4 24.Nd4 Ra8 25.Nxe6 Rxa7 26.Nxc7 Rxa3 27.Re2 leaves White a pawn to the good.
• If 23...Ra8 then after 24.Qe3 b6 25.Rd5 White is a pawn up.

22.c5 dxc5

• Black rids herself of her backward pawn.

23.b5 Qc7

• If 23...Qb6!? 24.Nxe5 Nxe5 25.Qxe5 then:
• 25...Bh4 26.g3 Qg6 27.Rd6 Bf6 28.Qd5+ Kh7 29.Qxb7 leaves White a pawn up.
• If 25...Rce8?! then 26.Qd5+ Kh7 27.Rxe7 Rxe7 28.Bxc5! wins the exchange.

24.Nxe5!

• White regains the pawn and gains dominance in the center.
• If 24.Bc4+!? Kh7 25.Nxe5 then:
• 25...Bg5! 26.Qc3 Nxe5 27.Qxe5 Bg6 28.Be6 Qxe5 29.Rxe5 is equal.
• If 25...Qxe5? then White wins a pawn with 26.Qxe5! Nxe5 27.Rxe5 Rc7 28.Rdd5 Bg6 29.Bxc5.

24...Nxe5 25.Qxe5

BLACK: Manisha Mohanty Kiran
!""""""""#
$ +t+ Tl+%
$OoW V O %
$ + + + O%
$+pO Qv+ %
$ + + + +%
$B + + +p%
$p+ + Pp+%
$+ +rRbK %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Wang Yu
Position after 25.Qe3e5:N

25...Qxe5?!

• White will emerge from the ensuing skirmish a pawn to the good.
• If 25...Bg5! 26.Rd5 b6 27.Bc4 Kh7 then:
• 28.Qc3 Bh4 29.Re2 Bg6 30.Bc1 Bf6 is equal.
• 28.Qe2 Rcd8 29.Bb2 Rxd5 30.Bxd5 Qf4 31.Bc1 Qd6 is equal.

26.Rxe5 Rc7

• 26...Bg5 27.Bxc5 Bf4 28.Red5 then:
• 28...Be6 29.Bxf8 Bxd5 30.Rxd5 Rxf8 31.Rd7 gives White a clearly superior position.
• 28...Rf7 29.Bxa7 Be6 30.Rd8+ Rf8 31.Rxc8 Rxc8 32.g3 leaves White two pawns up and on her way to winning.

27.Rxe7 Rxe7 28.Bxc5 Rc7 29.Bxf8 Kxf8 30.a4

• Also good is 30.g4 Be6 31.Bg2 Bxa2 32.Ra1 Rc2 33.Bxb7 when White remains a pawn up.

30...b6 31.g4 Be6 32.Bg2 Bb3 33.Ra1

• Not as effective is 33.Rd4? Rc4! 34.Rd7 Rxa4 when White will have to win the game all over again.

33...Rc5?

• Black hand White the initiative on a silver platter.
• 33...Rc4 34.a5 Ba4 35.axb6 axb6 36.Rb1 g5 37.Bf1 leaves White clearly better, but Black has enough resources to keep up a fight.

BLACK: Manisha Mohanty Kiran
!""""""""#
$ + + L +%
$O + + O %
$ O + + O%
$+pT + + %
$p+ + +p+%
$+v+ + +p%
$ + + Pb+%
$R + + K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Wang Yu
Position after 33...Rc7c5

34.Ra3!

• White finds the most active in reply.

34...Bd1 35.Bf3 Bc2 36.Be2 Be4

• If 36...g5 37.Kg2 Ke7 38.Kg3 Rd5 39.a5 then:
• 39...Bd1 40.axb6 axb6 41.Rd3 Rxd3+ 42.Bxd3 White still has an extra pawn.
• 39...Re5?! 40.Bf1 Bg6 41.f4! gxf4+ 42.Kxf4 Kf6 43.a6 White still has an extra pawn and a more active game.

37.f3 Bd5 38.Kf2 Rc2 39.Ke3 Bc4

• No better is 39...g5 40.a5 Rc7 41.axb6 axb6 42.Ra6 Re7+ 43.Kd4.

40.Bd3 Bxd3 41.Kxd3

• White wins faster after 41.Rxd3! Ra2 42.Rd4 g5 43.Ke4 Re2+ 44.Kf5.

41...Rc5 42.Rc3

• If 42.f4 h5 43.f5 Rc1 44.Rc3! then:
• If 44...Rg1 then after 45.gxh5 Kf7 46.Rc7+ Kf6 47.Rxa7 White will soon have majorities on both wings.
• If 44...Rd1+ then White wins by using her kingside majority.

42...Rd5+ 43.Ke4 Rd7 44.h4

• If 44.Rc8+ Kf7 45.f4 Re7+ 46.Kd5 then:
• 46...g6 47.Kc6 Re6+ 48.Kb7 Re4 49.Kxa7 Rxa4+ 50.Kxb6 leaves White a pawn up with the b-pawn under escort to the queening square.
• If 46...Kf6 then after 47.Rc6+ Kf7 48.h4 Rd7+ 49.Ke5 Re7+ 50.Kf5 White wins by making use of her pawn majority.

44...Kf7 45.h5 Ke7 46.f4 Kf7 47.g5 hxg5 48.fxg5 Re7+

• If 48...Ke6 then White wins easily after 49.Rc6+ Kf7 50.Ke5 Re7+ 51.Kd6 Re6+ 52.Kd5.

49.Kf5 Rd7 50.g6+ Ke7 51.Ke5 Rb7

• If 51...Kd8 52.h6 then:
• If 52...Re7+ then White wins after 53.Kf5 gxh6 54.Rg3 Re8 55.g7 Rg8 56.Kg6.
• If 52...gxh6 then 53.Rg3 Rg7 54.Kf6 Re7 55.g7 wins.

52.Rc8 Rd7

BLACK: Manisha Mohanty Kiran
!""""""""#
$ +r+ + +%
$O +tL O %
$ O + +p+%
$+p+ K +p%
$p+ + + +%
$+ + + + %
$ + + + +%
$+ + + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Wang Yu
Position after 52...Rb7d7

53.h6!! 1-0

• Black cannot prevent a pawn from queening.
• Ms. Kiran resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

14. So - Ni Hua, Round 7

The Asian Chess Federation got the rest of the games up last night, so I spend the day doing this game.

Here is the decisive game from the General Group between 16-year-old Filipino grandmaster Wesley So, who was leading the pack at the start of the seventh round, and Chinese GM Ni Hua, who eventually won first place clear.

Young Mr. So took second prize.



Ni Hua
Photo: ChessBase.com


Wesley So - Ni Hua
Ninth Asian Championships (General Group), Round 7
Subic Bay, 27 April 2010

Slav Queen's Gambit: Tikhi Defense

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3

• 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 is more common. See Jakovenko-Vitiugov, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2009.

3...Nf6 4.e3 a6 5.Nf3 b5 6.b3

• If 6.c5 g6 7.Ne5 Bg7 8.Be2 0-0 9.0-0 then:
• If 9...Nfd7 10.f4 f5 then:
• If 11.Nd3 a5 12.Bd2 Nf6 13.Be1 then:
• 13...Be6 14.b4 a4 15.Ne5 Nfd7 16.a3 gives White the advantage in space (Carlsen-Malakhov, World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk, 2005).
• 13...Nbd7 14.Bh4 Kh8 15.Kh1 Ne4 16.h3 h6 17.g4 b4 18.Nxe4 dxe4 is equal (Moiseenko-Ni Hua, World ChT, Beer Shiva, 2005).
• 11.b4 Nf6 12.a4 Bb7 13.Qb3 Nbd7 14.Nf3 e6 15.Bd2 Ne4 16.Ra2 Ndf6 17.Rfa1 Nxc3 18.Bxc3 gives White the advantage in space (Wojtaszek-Grabarczyk, Polish Ch, Krakow, 2006).
• If 9...Be6 10.f4 Qc7 then:
• 11.Bd2 Ne4 12.Nd3 a5 13.Be1 Nd7 14.Bh4 draw (Eljanov-Malakhov, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2006).
• If 11.g4 Ne4 12.Bf3 f5 13.Bd2 Nd7 then:
• If 20.h3 Rf8+ 21.Kg1 Bf5 gives Black the advantage in space (Gelfand-Bareev, World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk, 2005).
• 20.Bxe6+ Qxe6 21.Kg1 Bg7 22.Qe2 Rf8 also gives Black the adavntage in space.
• 14.Nxd7 Qxd7 15.g5 Bf7 16.b4 is equal.

6...Bg4 7.h3

• If 7.Be2 e6 8.0-0 Nbd7 9.h3 Bh5 10.Bb2 then:
• If 10...Bd6 11.Ne5 Bxe2 12.Nxe2 then:
• If 12...Qc7 13.cxd5 cxd5 14.Rc1 Qb8 15.Nxd7 then:
• If 15...Kxd7 16.f3 Qb7 17.Qd3 Ke7 then:
• If 18.Nc3 b4 19.Na4 Qb5 20.Qd2 Rac8 21.Nc5 Rhd8 then:
• 22.Rfd1 h6 23.Rc2 Rc6 24.Rdc1 Rdc8 25.a4 bxa3 26.Bxa3 Nd7 27.Nxd7 Bxa3 28.Rxc6 draw (Zhou Weiqi-Rodshtein, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2009).
• 22.a4 bxa3 23.Bxa3 Ke8 24.Rc3 Nd7 25.Rfc1 Nxc5 26.Bxc5 Bxc5 27.dxc5 Rc6 28.Qd4 f6 is equal (Avrukh-Arlandi, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• 18.Rc2 Rhc8 19.Rfc1 Rxc2 20.Rxc2 Kd7 21.Bc1 Rc8 22.Bb2 draw (Chuchelov-Fressinet, Op, Cappelle la Grande, 2001).
• If 15...Nxd7 16.e4 dxe4 17.d5 0-0 18.dxe6 Nc5 19.Nf4 Ra7 20.Bd4 Bxf4 21.Bxc5 Bxc1 22.Bxa7 Qxa7 23.exf7+ then:
• 23...Rxf7 24.Qxc1 Qb6 25.Qd2 Qe6 26.Re1 h6 27.Qd4 Re7 is equal (L. B. Hansen-B. Kelly, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• 23...Qxf7 24.Qxc1 h6 25.Qe3 Qd5 26.Re1 Rc8 27.Qf4 Rc2 28.Rxe4 Rxa2 is equal (Kharlov-Leitão, FIDE Knock Out, Tripoli, 2004).
• 12...bxc4 13.bxc4 0-0 14.Qc2 Qc7 15.Nd3 Ne4 16.Rfc1 Rfc8 17.c5 Be7 18.Bc3 Rcb8 19.Be1 Bh4 is equal (Pelletier-Millet, Op, Nancy, 2010).
• If 10...Be7 11.Ne5 Bxe2 12.Nxe2 Nxe5 13.dxe5 then:
• If 13...Nd7 14.cxd5 cxd5 then:
• If 15.Nf4 0-0 16.Qg4 then:
• 16...Kh8 17.Rfd1 Nc5 18.Rac1 a5 19.Bd4 Rc8 is equal (Papadopoulou-Ziaziulkina, Euro ChW, St. Petersburg, 2009).
• 16...Re8 17.Rac1 Bf8 18.Rc6 Rc8 19.Rxc8 Qxc8 20.Rc1 Qb8 21.Nd3 Rc8 is equal (Fridman-Muse, Cyberspace, 2005).
• 15.Rc1 0-0 16.Rc6 Rc8 17.Rxa6 Bc5 18.Qd3 Rb8 19.Rc6 gives White an extra pawn and more space (Browne-Christiansen, US Ch, Seattle, 2003).
• 13...Ne4 14.Nd4 Qd7 15.cxd5 cxd5 16.Rc1 0-0 is equal (Onischuk-D. Gurevich, US Ch, San Diego, 2006).

7...Bxf3 8.Qxf3

• If 8.gxf3 Nbd7 9.f4 e6 10.c5 Ne4 then:
• If 11.Nxe4 dxe4 12.Bg2 f5 13.f3 exf3 14.Bxf3 Rc8 15.Qe2 Nf6 16.Bd2 then:
• 16...Qd7 17.Rg1 Kf7 18.0-0-0 g6 19.Kc2 Be7 draw (Gustafsson-Ni Hua, IT 0809, Reggio Emilia, 2008).
• 16...Nd5 17.e4 Qh4+ 18.Kd1 Nxf4 19.Qe1 Ng6 20.exf5 Qxd4 21.Qxe6+ Ne7 22.Ke2 gives White the advantage in space (Vallejo-I. Sokolov, IT, Selfoss, 2003).
• 11.Bd2 Nxc3 12.Bxc3 a5 13.Bd3 f5 14.h4 Nf6 15.h5 Ne4 16.Bd2 Be7 is equal (Ivanchuk-Gelfand, Ol, Dresden, 2008).

8...e5 9.dxe5 Bb4 10.Bd2 Bxc3 11.Bxc3 Ne4 12.Bb4 bxc4 13.Qg4 c5 14.f3 cxb4

• If 14...Nc6 15.fxe4 Nxb4 then:
• If 16.exd5 Nc2+ 17.Kf2 Nxa1 18.Qxg7 Rf8 19.Bxc4 Nc2 20.d6 Qh4+ 21.g3 Qe4 22.d7+ Kxd7 23.Rd1+ Ke8 doesn't quite give White enough compensation for the material, although he won the game in 82 moves (Ragger-Laylo, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2010).
• 16.Qxg7 Rf8 17.exd5 Qh4+ 18.Ke2 Qe4 19.Kf2 Nc2 20.Qh6 Qg6 then:
• If 21.Qf4! Nxa1 22.Bxc4 Nc2 23.d6 Rg8 24.g4 then:
• 24...Ra7 25.Rd1 Nb4 26.Qf3 h5 27.a3 is equal.
• 24...Nb4 25.Rd1 Ra7 26.Rd2 h5 is equal.
• 21.Qxg6!? fxg6+! 22.Kg3 Nxa1 23.Bxc4 Nc2 24.e4 Nd4! gives Black the material and spatial advantages, but White's center pawns give him some compensation.

15.fxe4 0-0 16.exd5 Qxd5!

• Ni varies from a game he lost in December which continued 16...cxb3!? 17.Qd4! Nd7 18.axb3 Qg5 19.Qf4 Qxe5 20.Qxe5 Nxe5 21.Bxa6 giving White an extra pawn (Kramnik-Ni Hua, IT, London, 2009).

17.Bxc4 Qxe5 18.0-0 Nc6 19.Qf3

• The game is equal.

19...Qc7

• 19...Qe8! 20.Bd5 Ne5 21.Qe4 Rd8 22.a3 bxa3 23.Rxa3 remains equal.

20.Qe4

• 20.Rac1 Ne5 21.Qe4 Qa5 22.Bd5 Rad8 23.Rcd1 Rfe8 remains equal.

20...Ne5 21.Rac1 Qb8

BLACK: Ni Hua
!""""""""#
$tW + Tl+%
$+ + +oOo%
$o+ + + +%
$+ + N + %
$ ob+q+ +%
$+p+ P +p%
$p+ + +p+%
$+ R +rK %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Wesley So
Position after 21...Qc7b8

• Black must be especially careful in this phase of the game.
• If 21...Nxc4!? 22.Rxc4! then:
• 22...Qa5 23.Rxb4 Qxa2 24.Rb7! h6 25.Qf3 f5 26.Qd5+ gives White the initiative.
• 22...Qg3 23.Rxb4 Rae8 24.Qf3 Rxe3 25.Qxg3 Rxg3 26.Re1 gives White more freedom.

22.Bd5

• If 22.Rf5 Nxc4 23.Rxc4 then:
• 23...a5 24.Qf3 Ra7 25.Rg4 Re8 remains equal.
• If 23...Re8!? 24.Qf4! Qxf4 25.exf4 then:
• 25...Rab8 26.Rc7! f6 27.Ra5 Ra8 28.Rc4 Reb8 29.Rc6 wins a pawn.
• 25...a5 26.Rc7! f6 27.Rb5 Reb8 28.Rbc5 a4 29.Rd5 gives White the initiative.

22...Ra7 23.Rf5

• 23.Qf5 Re7 24.Be4 Ng6 25.Rfd1 Rfe8 26.Bc6 Rc8 remains equal.

23...Re7

• If 23...Nd7 24.Rc4 a5 25.Rc6 then:
• 25...g6 26.Rf4 Ne5 27.Rc5 remains equal.
• 25...Nf6? 26.Rcxf6!! gxf6 27.Rh5 Re8 28.Qg4+ Kf8 29.Rxh7 gives White a decisive attack.

24.Rc5 Rfe8!?

• Black finally makes a slightly careless move.
• 24...Ng6 25.Qg4 Rd7 26.Rc4 Qb6 27.Qd4 Qxd4 28.Rxd4 remains equal.

25.Qf4 Qd6

• 25...Kh8!? 26.Bxf7 Nxf7 27.Rxf7 Rxf7 28.Qxf7 Rxe3 29.Rg5 gives White a clear initiative.

26.Qd4 Kh8

• 26...Qd8 27.Rxe5! Rxe5 28.Bxf7+ Kxf7 29.Qxd8 Rxd8 30.Rxe5 leaves White with an extra pawn.
• 26...Rd8 27.Rh5 h6 28.Rxe5 Rxe5 29.Bxf7+ Kxf7 30.Qxd6 Rxd6 31.Rxe5 gives White an extra pawn.

27.Bc6!?

• White falters just as he was ready to take the upper hand.
• 27.Bb7! Qxd4 28.exd4 Rxb7 29.Rfxe5 Rd8 30.Red5 forces the back rank Rook into a passive position.

27...Qxd4!

• Black begins his counterattack.

28.exd4 Nxc6 29.Rxc6

BLACK: Ni Hua
!""""""""#
$ + +t+ L%
$+ + ToOo%
$o+r+ + +%
$+ + +r+ %
$ O P + +%
$+p+ + +p%
$p+ + +p+%
$+ + + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Wesley So
Position after 29.Rc5c6:N

29...g6!!

• Black sacrifices a pawn for attack as a way out of his present jam.

30.Ra5

• White takes the bait.

30...Re1+ 31.Kh2 R8e2 32.Raxa6

• White takes the pawn.

32...Rd2 33.Rf6!?

• 33.Rc4 Ree2 34.Ra8+ Kg7 35.Kg3 Rxg2+ 36.Kf4 Rde2 remains equal.

33...Kg7!

• This is a well-timed waiting move. They also serve who wait.

34.Rf4

• No better is 34.Rf3 when:
• 34...f5! 35.a4 (the best try) 35...bxa3 36.Rxa3 Ree2 37.Ra7+ Kh6 gives Black the advantage in that his Rooks are behind White's weak pawns.
• If 34...Ree2!? 35.Rg3 Rxd4 36.a3 bxa3 37.Rxa3 f5 remains equal.
• If 34.Rfd6!? Ree2! then:
• 35.Kg3 Rxg2+ 36.Kf4 g5+ 37.Ke4 Rxa2 wins a pawn.
• If 35.h4? then 35...Re4! wins a pawn.

34...f5!

• After this move, White's Rooks will have much difficulty re-establishing a communication link.

35.Ra7+

• If 35.Rb6 Ree2 then:
• 36.Rxb4 Rxg2+ 37.Kh1 Rh2+ 38.Kg1 Rdg2+ 39.Kf1 Rxa2 wins a pawn for Black as White will be given no time to cover the h-pawn.
• 36.Kh1 Rxg2 37.Rxb4 Rh2+ transposes.

35...Kf6!?

BLACK: Ni Hua
!""""""""#
$ + + + +%
$R + + +o%
$ + + Lo+%
$+ + +o+ %
$ O P R +%
$+p+ + +p%
$p+ R +pK%
$+ + R + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Wesley So
Position after 35...Kg7f6

• Black misses a possible win here.
• 35...Kh6! 36.d5 Ree2! (Black must one one or the other pawn on the second rank) 37.Kg3 Rxg2+ 38.Kf3 Rgf2+ puts Black on the road to victory.

36.Rf3!

• The game is again equal.
• If 36.Ra6+!? Kg5 37.Rf3 Ra1 then:
• if 38.Ra7 Rdd1 39.Re7 then:
• If 39...h5! 40.Re2 h4 41.g3 Rxd4 then:
• 42.Rg2 Kf6 43.gxh4 Rxh4 44.Rfg3 Rh6 45.Rc2 Re1 gives Black more freedom.
• 42.Ref2 hxg3+ 43.Rxg3+ Kh5 44.Rgf3 Rad1 45.Rf4 Re4! gives Black a clear advantage.
• 39...Kh6!? 40.Re6! Rxd4 41.Rxf5 Rxa2 42.Rf3 is equal.
• If 38.Rg3+ Kf4 39.Rf3+ Ke4 40.Kg3 Raxa2 41.Re6+ Kxd4 gives Black an extra pawn.

36...Ree2 37.Rg3 f4

• 37...Re7 38.Ra4 Rxd4 39.a3 f4 40.Rf3 Ree4 remains equal.

38.Rg4 f3 39.Rf4+ Kg5 40.Rg4+

• The game is level, but White muct be especially careful not to fall into a pit.
• If 40.Rxf3 Rxg2+ 41.Kh1 Rxa2 42.Rxh7 Rgb2 then:
• 43.Rg3+ Kf6 44.Rh6 Ra1+ 45.Rg1 Rxg1+ 46.Kxg1 Rxb3 gives Black the more advanced passed pawn.
• 43.Kg1 Rb1+ 44.Rf1 Rxb3 45.Rf2 Rxf2 46.Kxf2 Rd3 gives Black the more advanced passer.

40...Kf6 41.Rf4+ Ke6 42.Ra6+ Kd7

• If 42...Kd5 43.Ra5+ Kc6 44.Rf6+ Kb7 45.Rxf3 Rxg2+ 46.Kh1 then:
• If 46...Rge2 47.Rg5 Re1+ 48.Rg1 Rxg1+ 49.Kxg1 then:
• If 49...Rxa2 50.Rf2 Ra3 51.Rb2 Ra1+ then:
• 52.Kg2 Rd1 53.Re2 Rd3 Black's well-placed Rook gives him the more active game.
• 52.Kf2 Rh1 53.Kg2 Rd1 54.Re2 Rd3 transposes.
• 49...Kc6 50.Rf7 Rxa2 51.Rf6+ Kd5 is equal.
• If 46...Rh2+ 47.Kg1 Rdg2+ 48.Kf1 Rc2 49.Kg1 then:
• 49...Rhg2+ 50.Kf1 Rgd2 51.Re5 Rd1+ 52.Re1 Rxd4 gives Black a small advantage.
• 49...Rhd2!? 50.Rb5+ Ka6 51.Rxb4 Rxa2 52.h4 Rg2+ is equal.

43.Ra7+ Kc6

• 43...Kd6 44.Ra6+ Kd5 45.Ra5+ Kc6 46.Rf6+ transposes into the previous note.

44.Rxf3 Rxg2+ 45.Kh1 Rh2+!?

• Black throws away a good part of his hard-won gains.
• If 45...Kd5 46.Rff7 Rh2+ 47.Kg1 Rxh3 48.Rf4 Rg3+ then:
• If 49.Kf1 Rc3 50.Ra5+ Kc6 51.Rf6+ Kb7 52.Rf7+ Kb6 assures Black of getting a remote passed pawn.
• If 49.Kh1 Rc3 50.Ra5+ Kc6 then:
• 51.Rf6+ Kb7 52.Rb5+ Kc7 53.Rc5+ Rxc5 54.dxc5 Rxa2 55.Rb6 Rc2 gives Black a remote passer duo.
• 51.Kg1 Rc1+ 52.Rf1 Rxf1+ 53.Kxf1 Rxd4 54.Ke2 Rd5 gives Black a remote passer duo.

46.Kg1 Rdg2+ 47.Kf1 Rc2

• 47...Kd5! 48.Rff7 Rd2 49.Kg1 Rxh3 50.Rf4 Rg3+ transposes into the note to Black's 45th move.

48.Kg1 Rhg2+ 49.Kf1 Rh2!?

• Black loses the rest of his advantage.
• If 49...Rxa2 50.Rxa2 Rxa2 51.Rf7 then:
• If 51...Rb2 then:
• 52.Rxh7 Rxb3 53.h4 Kd5 54.Rb7 Kxd4 leaves Black with an extra pawn.
• 52.Rf3? drops a pawn to 52...Kd5 53.Ke1 h5 54.Rg3 Rh2.
• If 51...Kd5!? then the struggle continues after 52.Rxh7! Kxd4 53.Rc7 Ke4 54.Rc4+ Kf3 55.Ke1

50.Kg1! Kd5 51.Rg3

• The text is better than 51.Rd7+ Ke4 52.Rg3 Rhd2 when:
• 53.Rg4+ Kf5 54.Rd5+ Ke6 55.Re5+ Kd6 56.Rge4 Rc1+ forces the exchange of Rooks putting Black on the winning track.
• 53.Re7+ Kxd4 54.Rd7+ Kc5 55.Rxd2 Rxd2 56.Rg5+ Kb6 gives Black more freedom
• 53.Kh1 Rxa2 54.Rxh7 Ra1+ transposes into the text.

51...Rhd2 52.Kh1?! Rh2+?!

• 52...Rxa2! 53.Rd7+ Ke4 54.Rxh7 Ra1+ transposes into the text.

53.Kg1 Rhd2 54.Kh1?!

• This waiting move, perhaps made in the hope of getting a draw by repetition, turns out to be a harbinger of disaster. Whit has an active defense at his disposal that provides much better chances.
• If 54.Rg5+ Kxd4 55.Rd7+ Ke4 56.Rg4+ then:
• If 56...Ke5 57.Rxd2 Rxd2 58.Rxb4 Rxa2 59.Rb7 h5 60.Rg7 is still a fight.
• If 56...Kf3!? 57.Rf7+ Ke3 then:
• If 58.Re7+! Kd3 59.Rd7+ Kc3 60.Rc7+ Kb2 then:
• 61.Rxc2+ Kxc2 62.Rxb4 gives White two connected passer and some winning chances.
• If 61.Rf7? then Black wins after 61...Rc1+! 62.Rf1 Rxf1+ 63.Kxf1 Ka3 64.Rh4 h5.
• 58.Rg3+!? Kd4 59.Rd7+ Kc5 60.Rxd2 Rxd2 gives Black better chances, but it's a long way from being a decisive advantage.

BLACK: Ni Hua
!""""""""#
$ + + + +%
$R + + +o%
$ + + +o+%
$+ +l+ + %
$ O P + +%
$+p+ + Rp%
$p+tT + +%
$+ + + +k%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Wesley So
Position after 54.Kg1h1

54...Rxa2!

• This time, Black plays the position correctly and wins back the pawn.
• 54...Rc1+ 55.Rg1 Rxg1+ 56.Kxg1 Kxd4 57.Rxh7 with equality.

55.Rd7+ Ke4 56.Rxh7

• The pawn is no longer important as White's d-pawn is too weak to survive and his b-pawn isn't much better.

56...Ra1+!

• Black forces the exchange of White's more effective Rook.

57.Rg1 Rxg1+ 58.Kxg1 Rd3!

• This does more to shut down White's potential counterplay than 58...Rb2 59.Rh4+ Kd5 60.Rg4 Rxb3 61.h4 Rb1+ 62.Kg2.

59.Rd7?

• After this, Black gains two passed pawns and wins.
• White would last longer after 59.h4 Rxb3 60.Rg7 Rb1+ 61.Kg2 b3 62.Rxg6.

BLACK: Ni Hua
!""""""""#
$ + + + +%
$+ +r+ + %
$ + + +o+%
$+ + + + %
$ O Pl+ +%
$+p+t+ +p%
$ + + + +%
$+ + + K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Wesley So
Position after 59.Rh7d7

59...Rxh3!

• The text is obviously better than 59...Rxb3 60.h4 Rb1+ 61.Kg2 b3 62.Rb7 Kxd4 63.Rd7+ Ke5 when Black must be content with only one passer.

60.d5 Rxb3 61.d6 Kd5 62.Kf2 Kc6!

• Also good is 62...g5 63.Rd8 g4 64.Kg2 Kc6 65.Rg8 Kxd6.

63.Rd8 Rd3 64.Rc8+

• Short of a blunder by Black, Black is hopeless.
• If 64.Rb8 b3 65.Ke2 Rh3 66.Kd2 Rh2+ then:
• 67.Kc1 b2+ 68.Kb1 Rg2 White's last pawn is toast and there's no way White can take a pawn without exchanging Rooks or simply losing his Rook.
• 67.Kc3 b2 68.d7 Kxd7 69.Kd4 Kc6 leaves Black with an easy win.

64...Kd7 65.Rb8 b3 66.Ke2 Rh3 67.Kd2 Kc6

• The text is stronger than 67...Kxd6 68.Rb6+ Kd5 69.Rxg6 Kc4, but Black still wins.

68.Rd8 b2 69.Kc2 Rh2+ 70.Kb1

BLACK: Ni Hua
!""""""""#
$ + R + +%
$+ + + + %
$ +lP +o+%
$+ + + + %
$ + + + +%
$+ + + + %
$ O + + T%
$+k+ + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Wesley So
Position after 70.Kc2b1

70...Rg2!

• This is why grandmasters don't resigns sooner than they do.
• If 70...g5? then:
• 71.Rg8! Rg2 72.Rg6 g4 73.Rf6 White rises from the ashes with a defensible position.
• 71.d7? Rg2 72.Ka2 g4 73.Rb8 Kxd7 wins easily.

71.Ka2 g5 72.Kb1 g4 73.Ka2 g3 74.Kb1 Rf2 0-1

• If White needs more convincing, then 75.Rg8 g2 76.Rg6 Rf1+ is all that should be required.
• If 75.Ka2 then Black wins after 75...g2 76.Rg8 Kxd6 77.Rg6+ Ke5 78.Kb1 Rf1+.
• Young Mr. So resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

15. Update (Monday): Game 7 drawn in Sofia; Vishy still leads by a point

Reigning world champion Vishy Anand of India and challenger Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria drew the seventh game of their world title match today in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia.

As with all the games thus far where the champion has played White, the game began as Catalan Opening. The endgame held interest of chess fans as Anand struggled to hold off Topalov's Queen and extra pawns with a Queen and Knight.

Anand continues to lead the match by one victory. The score now stands at 4-3.

Topalov will have White tomorrow in round 8.

[Jack Rabbit]

16. Update (Tuesday): Topa takes round 8, Title Match deadlocked; Tanya still leads Nalchik by 1½

Topalov knots Championship Match with Victory in Rd 8



Challenger Veselin Topalov defeated defending world champion Vishy Anand in the eighth game of their world championship chess match in Sofia to knot the match at 4 points apiece.

Each player has two victories and two losses. Four games have ended in draws.

Tomorrow is a day off for the players. The ninth round of the scheduled 12-game match will be played Thursday with Anand playing White.


Tanya Kosintseva holds commanding lead in Nalchik



Russian Grandmaster Tatiana Kosintseva continues to hold a commanding point and a half lead over the field after eight rounds of the third leg of the 2009-2010 FIDE Women's Grand Prix in Nalchik, the capital of the Russian Republic of Kabardino-Balkar in the Russian Caucasus.

Tatiana Anatolyevna, now with 6½ points out of a possible 8, has drawn two games in a row and appears to be costing to a win in the eleven round tournament. Four players are tied for second with 5 points each: Hou Yifan, Nana Dzagnidze, reigning European champion Pia Cramling and former world women's champion Zhu Chen.

The ninth round will be played tomorrow with Tatiana Anatolyevna playing White against Zhu Chen.

[Jack Rabbit]

17. Updates (Thursday): Match still even after Game 9 drawn; Tanya wins Nalchik with a round to spare

Round 9 drawn in Sofia; Match remains deadlocked



Reigning world champion Vishy Anand, who dropped a full point Tuesday when he blundered in a drawn endgame, today missed several winning opportunities and had to settle for a draw with challenger Veselin Topalov in the ninth game of their title match in Sofia.

The match remains deadlocked at 4½ points each. Each player has two victories with five games going to the cat.


Tanya Kosintseva wins Nalchik in penultimate round



Russian grandmaster Tatiana Kosintseva defeated reigning European women's champion Pia Cramling of Sweden today to secure first place clear in the third leg of the FIDE Women's Grand Prix in Nalchik, the capital of the Russian Republic of Kabardino-Balkar in the Caucasus Mountains.

Tatiana Anatolyevna entered today's tenth round a point ahead of her nearest rivals, Pia and 16-year-old Chinese grandmaster Hou Yifan. While Tatiana Anatolyeva was beating Pia in 62 moves, Ms. Hou battled the world's second ranked woman, India's Koneru Humpy, to a draw in 75 moves. This gives Tatiana Anatolyevna a lead of a point and a half with only one round remaining.

In another game today, Georgia GM Nana Dzagnidze defeated Armenian IM Elina Danielian to move into a second place tie with Ms. Hou. Tatiana Kosinseva thus wins the tournament a day early because she scored wins over he three nearest rivals: Pia Cramling today, Nana Dzagnidze in Round 5 and Hou Yifan in the opening round.