The JR Chess Report (May 30): Kamsky win US Championship; Chinese Championships begin in Xinaghua

[Jack Rabbit]

Gata Kamsky Wins US Championship



Gata Kamsky, a Soviet-born American of Tatar descent, won his first US national championship since the early 1990s Tuesday when he defeated his friend and training partner Yuri Shulman in a rapid Armageddon game in St. Louis.

Shulman, who was also born in the old Soviet Union, drew Kamsky the day before in the final round of the quadrangular championship to tie Kamsky for first place.

In Tuesday's game, the players started with a base time of 60 minutes, but put in bids of time for the right play Black with the odds of draw (meaning that for Black a draw would be as good as an outright victory). Shulman, not noted for his speed chess skills, all but conceded Black to Kamsky by bidding 40 minutes while Kamsky bid 25, which some commentators thought very low. Shulman played a solid Queen's pawn opening which morphed into a Slav-Grünfeld Defense and appeared to have the upper hand by about the thirtieth move. However, an inaccuracy allowed Kamsky to equalize if not get the better game. On the 66th move Shulman, seeing he could not win the game, agreed to a draw.

Kamsky last won the US Championship in 1991.



Chinese Championships Begin in Xinghua



The annual Chinese National Chess Championships began Monday in Xinghua in Jiangsu province.

The defending champion in the general group is Ding Liren, who last year was untitled but this year competes as a grandmaster. The leaders after six rounds are Bu Xiangzhi and Zhou Jianchao with 4½ points each. Ni Hua and Li Shilong are tied for third with 4 point each.

As last year, it is indeed improper to refer to the general group as the "men's group," as Hou Yifan is again playing with the guys.

Shen Yang is the defending women's champion. The leaders after six rounds are Huang Qian and Ju Wenjun with five points each, a point and a half ahead of Wang Yu in third place.

The event ends after the eleventh round Friday.



Beginning this week

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


Calendar

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.


Games will be posted tomorrow (Memorial Day)

[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
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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. Chinese National Championships, Xinghua

The Great Wall of China
Photo by Samuel Li in Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike]

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Bu Xiangzhi - Lu Shanglei, General Group, Round 5

As of today (Monday, May 31), Bu Xiangzhi is in first place clear after seven rounds.



Bu Xiangzhi
Photo: ChessBase.com


Bu Xiangzhi - Lu Shanglei
Chinese National Championships, General Group, Round 5
Xinghua, 28 May 2010

Semi-Slav Queen's Gambit: Marshall Opening

1.c4 c6 2.e4 e6 3.d4 d5 4.Nc3 dxe4

• If 4...Bb4 then:
• 5.Bd2 dxc4 6.Bxc4 Qxd4 7.Qe2 e5 8.0-0-0 Qc5 9.Kb1 Nf6 10.a3 Bxc3 11.Bxc3 a5 12.Nf3 b5 leaves Black with an extra pawn (Ezat-Mamedyarov, World ChT, Bursa, 2010).
• If 5.cxd5 exd5 6.e5 Ne7 7.Nf3 then:
• If 7...c5 8.a3 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Nbc6 10.Be2 0-0 11.0-0 Bg4 12.Rb1 then:
• 12...b6 13.dxc5 bxc5 14.Rb5 is equal (Krush-Izoria, Foxwoods Op, Mashantucket, 2007).
• 12...Qc7 13.h3 Bh5 14.a4 Bg6 15.Bd3 is equal (Khalifman-Galkin, IT, Hoogeveen, 2007).
• 7...0-0 8.Be2 Ng6 9.0-0 Na6 10.a3 Be7 11.Be3 gives White a very slight edge in space (Lautier-Zhukova, Geller Mem Rpd, Odessa, 2006).
• If 5.exd5 exd5 6.cxd5 cxd5 then:
• 7.Bd3 Nc6 8.Nge2 Bg4 9.0-0 Nge7 10.Qb3 Qd7 11.Nf4 Rd8 12.Na4 0-0 13.Nc5 Bxc5 14.dxc5 Rfe8 15.Bd2 Ng6 16.Rfe1 is equal (Kouatly-Bacrot, French Ch, Meribel, 1998).
• 7.Bb5+ Bd7 8.Bd3 Ne7 9.Qf3 Qc8 10.Nge2 Bf5 11.0-0 Bxd3 12.Qxd3 0-0 is equal (Pashikian-Bacrot, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2009).

5.Nxe4 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Qxd4 7.Bxb4 Qxe4+ 8.Be2 Qxg2

• If 8...Na6 then:
• If 9.Ba5 then:
• 9...f6 10.Qd8+ Kf7 11.0-0-0 e5 12.Bd3 Qf4+ 13.Kb1 Nc5 14.Ne2 Qg4 15.h3 is equal (Yermilinsky-Kaidanov, US Ch, Stillwater, 2007).
• 9...b6 10.Qd6 Bd7 11.Bc3 f6 12.Nf3 Ne7 13.0-0-0 Qxe2 14.Qxd7+ Kf7 15.Qd4 Rhd8 16.Qg4 Kf8 17.Rde1 Qd3 18.Nd4 Rxd4 19.Qxd4 Nb4 20.Qxd3 Nxd3+ 21.Kc2 Nxe1+ 22.Rxe1 e5 gives Black an extra pawn (Volkov-Frolyanov, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2008).
• If 9.Bd6 then:
• 9...Qxg2 10.Qd2 Nf6 11.Bf3 Qg6 12.Ne2 e5 13.0-0-0 Bg4 14.Rhg1 0-0-0 15.Qe3 h5 16.h3 Rxd6 17.Rxd6 Nb4 18.Qb3 Qh6+ 19.Kd1 Bxf3 20.Qxf3 Qh7 21.Nc3 Qc2+ 22.Ke1 is equal (van Wely-Pavasovic, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• 9...e5 10.Nf3 Bg4 11.0-0 0-0-0 12.Bd3 Qf4 13.Bxe5 Qxe5 14.Nxe5 Bxd1 15.Bf5+ Kc7 16.Nxf7 Nh6 17.Nxh6 Bh5 18.Bg4 Bxg4 19.Nxg4 Rd2 20.b3 gives White an extra pawn (Bacrot-Tregubov, KO, Corsica, 2005).
• 9.Bc3 Ne7 10.Nf3 0-0 11.0-0 f6 12.Re1 e5 13.Bd3 Qg4 14.Re4 Qe6 15.b4 Qf7 16.Nh4 g5 17.Nf3 Bf5 18.Re3 Rad8 19.Qe2 Bxd3 20.Rxd3 Qxc4 21.Nxe5 Qe6 22.Rxd8 Rxd8 23.Qg4 Qxg4 24.Nxg4 Nd5 25.Nxf6+ Nxf6 26.Bxf6 is equal (Marshall-Schrader, US Ch, St. Louis, 1904).

9.Qd6 Nd7 10.0-0-0 Qxf2!?

• 10...Qg5+ 11.Rd2 Qe5 12.Qd3 Ngf6 13.Nf3 Qf4 14.Bd6 Qe4 15.Qc3 b6 16.Rg1 Bb7 17.Ne5 Nxe5 18.Bxe5 Nd7 19.Rxd7 Kxd7 gives Black a material advantage equivalent to four pawns (Skurikhin-Yazhakov, City Op, Moscow, 2007).

11.Bf3

• Black is three pawns to the good.

11...Qe3+ 12.Kb1 Qe5 13.Qd3 Ngf6 14.Nh3

• If 14.Ne2 c5 15.Bc3 Qf5! 16.Qxf5 exf5 17.Ng3 then:
• 17...0-0 18.Nxf5 Re8 19.Rhg1 g6 20.Nd6 Re3 is equal.
• After 17...f4 18.Rhe1+ Kf8 19.Bxf6 gxf6 20.Nf5 Rg8 Black is still three pawns to the good, but his atrocious pawn structure detracts from that advantage.

14...c5 15.Bc3 Qf5 16.Qxf5 exf5 17.Rhe1+

• If 17.Rhg1 Rg8 18.Rge1+ then:
• 18...Ne4 19.Bxe4 fxe4 20.Rxe4+ Kf8 21.Rde1 Nf6 gives Black the material edge.
• 18...Kf8 19.Bxf6 gxf6 20.Bxb7 Bxb7 21.Rxd7 Be4+ leaves Black two pawn to the good.

17...Kf8 18.Nf4 h5!?

• Black, three pawns up, misses the opportunity make his pieces more active.
• 18...Ne4 19.Bxe4 fxe4 20.Rxe4 b6 21.Re3 Rb8 22.Rg1 gives Black the initiative.

19.b4 Rh6!?

• Again, Black misses the best continuation.
• 19...cxb4 20.Bxf6 gxf6 21.Bxb7 Bxb7 22.Rxd7 Be4+ leaves Black three pawns to the good.

20.bxc5!?

• White, in his turn, misses a chance to balance the game.
• If 20.Bxf6! then:
• If 20...Rxf6 21.Nd5 Re6 22.Nc7 Rb8 23.Nxe6+ is equal.
• 20...gxf6 21.bxc5 Rb8 22.Bxh5 Ne5 23.Rd8+ Ke7 24.Rg8 is equal.

20...Ne4?!

• Black loses his advantage altogether.
• If 20...g5 21.Bb4! Kg7 22.Nd5 Ng4 23.Bc3+ f6 24.Re7+ is equal.

BLACK: Lu Shanglei
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WHITE: Bu Xiangzhi
Position after 20...Nf6e4

21.Bxe4!

• Wanting for space, White exchanges minor pieces.

21...fxe4 22.Rxe4 g5?

• The text allows White the time to double Rooks on the e-file.
• If 22...f5 23.Re3 Nxc5 24.Rd8+ Kf7 25.Ree8 then:
• If 25...Ne6 26.Nxe6 Rxe6 27.Rg8 then:
• If 27...Rb6+ 28.Kc2 g5 29.Rdf8+ Ke6 30.Re8+ Kf7 31.Rxc8! gives White a piece for two pawns; Black can fight for a draw.
• 27...Rc6 28.Rxg7+ Ke6 29.Re8+ Kd6 30.Bb4+ wins the exchange by force.
• 25...Rb6+ 26.Kc1 Ne6 27.Nxe6 Rxe6 28.Rg8 Ke7 29.Rxc8 gives White a piece for two pawns.

23.Rde1!

• Black turns the e-file into the road to victory.

23...Nf6

• 23...Kg8 24.Re8+ Nf8 25.Nd5 Bf5+ 26.Kc1 Rxe8 27.Rxe8 gives the White Rook access to Black's back rank, and now he will get very fat.

24.Bxf6 Bf5

• 24...Rxf6 25.Re8+! Kg7 26.Nxh5+ wins the exchange.

25.Bxg5 Rc6

• If 25...Rh7 26.Be7+ Kg7 27.Kc1 Bxe4 28.Rxe4 then:
• 28...Re8 29.Re5 Rh6 30.Rg5+ Kh8 31.Nd5 wins for White.
• If 28...Kg8 29.Rd4 f5 30.Rd7 Rb8 31.h4 a6 32.Nd5 wins.

26.Be7+ Kg8

• If 26...Ke8 27.Bd6+ Kd7 28.Nxh5 Rh8 29.Nf6+ then:
• 29...Kd8 30.Rf1 Bxe4+ 31.Nxe4 Rh4 32.Ng5 Rh5 33.Nxf7+ wins for White.
• 29...Kc8 30.Ka1 Bxe4 31.Rxe4 b6 32.Re7 bxc5 33.Be5 wins.

BLACK: Lu Shanglei
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WHITE: Bu Xiangzhi
Position after 26...Kf8g8

27.Kb2!!

• The exchange sacrifice is the fastest route to victory.
• If 27.Nxh5 Re8 28.Ng3 Bxe4+ 29.Rxe4 then:
• 29...Kh7 30.Kb2 Rh6 31.Re2 wins for White, but with more difficulty than the text.
• If 29...Rh6 30.Nf5 Rxh2 31.Rg4+ then:
• 31...Kh7 32.Rg7+ Kh8 33.Rxf7 gives White a material advantage equivalent to two pawns.
• 31...Kh8 32.Bf6+ Kh7 33.Rg7+ Kh8 34.Rg2+ wins/

27...Bxe4 28.Rxe4 Re8 29.Nd5 b6 30.Re5 1-0

• 30...bxc5 31.Kc3 Kg7 32.Rxh5 Rec8 33.Rg5+! wins for White.
• Lu resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Lu Shanglei - Zhou Jianchao, General Group, Round 4

Zhou Jinachao
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Lu Shanglei - Zhou Jianchao
Chinese National Championships, General Group, Round 4
Xinghua, 27 May 2010

Open Sicilian Game: Scheveningen Defense (Keres Opening)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.g4 h6

• If 6...e5 7.Bb5+ Bd7 8.Bxd7+ Qxd7 9.Nf5 h5 then:
• If 10.gxh5 Nxh5 then:
• If 11.Nd5 g6 12.Ng3 then:
• 12...Bg7 13.Qf3 Nc6 14.Be3 Nf4 15.Bxf4 exf4 16.Qxf4 gives White the advantage in space (Diamant-Robson, Pan-American Junior Ch, Montevideo, 2009).
• If 12...Be7 then:
• 13.Be3 Na6 14.Qd3 Nc7 15.Nxc7+ Qxc7 16.0-0-0 a6 17.Kb1 Rc8 18.f3 Qc4 is equal (Adams-Suba, IT, London, 1989).
• 13.Qf3 Na6 14.h4 Nc7 15.Nxe7 Qxe7 16.Bg5 Qd7 17.0-0-0 Ne6 18.Qa3 is equal (Tseshkovsky-Panchenko, Soviet Ch FL, Minsk, 1985).
• If 11.Bh6 Nc6 12.Qxh5 Ne7 then:
• 13.Nxe7 Bxe7 14.0-0-0 Rxh6 15.Qe2 0-0-0 16.Kb1 Kb8 17.Nd5 Rdh8 18.f3 gives White a slight advantage in space (Ye Jiangchuan-Minnebo, Op, Geneva, 1997).
• 13.Qg5 Nxf5 14.exf5 Rxh6 15.Nd5 Qa4 16.Nc7+ Kd7 17.Nxa8 Qe4+ 18.Kd2 Qd5+ 19.Ke2 Qc4+ 20.Kd2 draw (Hamdouchi-Relange, French ChT, Montpellier, 2007).
• If 10.Bg5 Nh7 11.Bd2 hxg4 12.Qxg4 g6 13.Ne3 then:
• 13...Bh6 14.0-0-0 Nc6 15.Qxd7+ Kxd7 16.Nc4 Bxd2+ 17.Rxd2 Nd4 18.f4 Ke6 19.Rhd1 Rhd8 20.fxe5 dxe5 21.Nd5 Rdc8 22.Nf4+ Kf6 23.Nd5+ Ke6 24.Nf4+ Kf6 25.Nd5+ draw (van der Wiel-Ree, Holland, 1986).
• 13...Qxg4 14.Nxg4 Nc6 15.0-0-0 0-0-0 16.h4 f5 17.Nh6 Bxh6 18.Bxh6 fxe4 19.Rhg1 Rhg8 20.Nxe4 Nd4 21.Kb1 d5 22.Nc3 Nf3 23.Rh1 Nf6 24.Bg5 Nxg5 25.hxg5 d4 26.gxf6 dxc3 draw (Ljubojevic-J. Polgar, Sicilian Theme, Buenos Aires, 1994).

7.g5

• If 7.h4 Nc6 8.Rg1 then:
• If 8...h5 9.gxh5 Nxh5 10.Bg5 Nf6 then:
• If 11.Qd2 Qb6 12.Nb3 a6 then:
• 13.0-0-0 Bd7 14.Rg3 Qc7 15.Bg2 Rc8 16.Qe2 Be7 is equal (Santo-Roman -Adorjan, IT, Cannes, 1986).
• If 13.Be2 then:
• If 13...Bd7 14.h5 Nxh5 15.Rh1 g6 16.0-0-0 then:
• 16...Qc7 17.Bxh5 gxh5 18.Nd4 Ne5 19.Nf5 Nf3 20.Qf4 Nxg5 21.Qxg5 Qc5 22.Rhe1 Bh6 draw (T. Pähtz Sr-W. Schmidt, IT, Trnava, 1986).
• 16...Qxf2 17.e5 Qf5 18.Bxh5 Rxh5 19.Rxh5 gxh5 20.exd6 Ne5 gives Black an extra pawn (Lautier-Akesson, Euro ChT, Batumi, 1999).
• 13...Qc7 14.0-0-0 b5 15.a3 Bb7 16.h5 Ne5 17.Qd4 Rc8 is equal (Macieja-Antoniewski, Polish ChT, Kynica, 1997).
• 11.Be2 transposes to T. Pähtz Sr-W. Schmidt, above in this variation.
• If 8...d5 9.Bb5 Bd7 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.Nxd5 exd5 12.Be3 Be7 then:
• 13.Qe2 Qa5+ 14.c3 0-0-0 15.Nb3 Qc7 16.0-0-0 Bxh4 17.Rxd5 Be6 18.Rxd8+ Rxd8 is equal (Pruijssers-Babula, Bundesliga 0809, Emsdetten, 2008).
• 13.Qd2 Nxd4 14.Bxd7+ Qxd7 15.Qxd4 Bf6 16.Qb4 a5 17.Qa3 Qe7 18.Qxe7+ Bxe7 19.0-0-0 0-0-0 20.h5 gives White the advantage in space (Hracek-Movsesian, Czech ChT, Czechia, 2005).
• If 7.h3 Nc6 8.Be3 then:
• If 8...Bd7 9.f4 then:
• If 9...Nxd4 10.Qxd4 then:
• If 10...Bc6 11.0-0-0 Be7 12.Be2 Qa5 13.g5 e5 14.Qc4 Nxe4 15.Nxe4 d5 is equal (Schöne-Babula, Bundesliga 0910, Munich, 2010).
• 10...Qa5 11.0-0-0 Bc6 12.Bg2 e5 13.Qd2 Be7 14.Kb1 Qc7 15.Bf3 b5 16.h4 gives White the advantage in space (Li Ruofan-Yan Zhong, Chinese ChTW, Suzhou, 2001).
• If 9...a6 10.Bg2 Qc7 11.Qe2 Be7 12.0-0-0 Rc8 13.Qf2 b5 then:
• 14.Nb3 g5 15.e5 dxe5 16.fxg5 hxg5 17.Rhf1 Nd8 18.Bb6 gives Black an extra pawn and White more space (Cardelli-Glaser, Corres, 2001).
• 14.g5 hxg5 15.fxg5 Nh7 16.Nxc6 Bxc6 17.h4 b4 18.Ne2 Ba4 19.Nd4 e5 20.Nb3 is equal (Rosen-Hort, Bundesliga 8081, Germany, 1981).
• If 8...a6 9.Bg2 Ne5 10.Qe2 g5 11.0-0-0 then:
• If 11...Qc7 12.Nf3 Ng6 13.h4 Nxg4 14.hxg5 Bd7 15.Bd2 Rc8 16.Nd4 then:
• 16...Qc4 17.Qxg4 Qxd4 18.Be3 gives White the advantage in space a strong initiative (T. Kosintseva-Vachier Lagrave, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2007).
• 16...h5 17.f3 N4e5 18.f4 Nc4 19.f5 gives White a slight advantage in space.
• 11...Bd7 12.f4 gxf4 13.Bxf4 Rc8 14.Rhf1 b5 15.Nf3 Nc4 16.e5 gives Black the advantage in space (Haznedaroglu-Navara, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).

7...hxg5 8.Bxg5 Nc6 9.Qd2 Qb6 10.0-0-0

• If 10.Nb3 a6 11.0-0-0 Bd7 12.h4 then:
• 12...Qc7 13.Be2 Be7 14.f4 0-0-0 15.h5 Kb8 16.Bf3 Bc8 17.Kb1 Ng8 18.Rdg1 gives White the advantage in space (Karpov-Andersson, IT, Scara, 1980).
• 12...Be7 13.f4 0-0-0 14.Be2 d5 15.exd5 Nxd5 16.Nxd5 exd5 17.Bxe7 Nxe7 18.Qc3+ Qc7 19.Qxc7+ Kxc7 is equal (Daniildis-Adorjan, Ol, Thessoloniki, 1988).

10...Qxd4 11.Qxd4 Nxd4 12.Rxd4 a6 13.h4 Bd7 14.Bg2

• 14.f3 Rc8 15.a4 Be7 16.Rg1 d5 17.Rd3 dxe4 18.fxe4 Bc6 is equal (Fritz-Lindberg, Politiken Cup, Helsingør, 2009).

14...Bc6 15.Re1!?

• White doesn't need to overportect this pawn more than it already is. Instead, he should strike at Black's pawn weaknesses.
• If 15.Rhd1 Be7 then:
• If 16.f4?! Ng4 then:
• 17.Rg1? e5! 18.Rd2 f6 19.Bh3 Ne3 20.fxe5 fxg5 21.exd6 Rxh4!! 22.Be6 Bf6 gives Black a quick victory (Maksimovic-W. Schmidt, IT, Nis, 1983).
• 17.Bxe7 Kxe7 18.Rh1 Raf8 19.h5 f5 is an uphill fight for White, but playable.
• 16.Bf3 Rc8 17.a4 e5 18.Rc4 remains equal.

15...0-0-0

• White has the advantage in space.
• 15...Rc8! 16.Kd2 Be7 17.Rh1 b5 18.a3 Ng4! gives Black the initiative.

16.a4 Kb8 17.f4!?

• The Bishop at g5 is protecting both this pawn and the pawn at h4. It's overloaded.
• Black would do better to play on the opposite wing.
• If 17.b4 Be7 18.b5 then:
• 18...e5 19.Rd3 Bd7 20.Kd2 Be6 21.Nd5 Nxd5 22.exd5 Bxg5+ is equal.
• 18...Bd7 19.Rd3 axb5 20.axb5 then:
• 20...e5! 21.Kd2 Be6 22.Rg3 Bc4 23.b6 d5 is equal.
• 20...d5? 21.exd5! Nxd5 22.Bxd5 Bxg5+ 23.hxg5 exd5 24.Rxd5 gives White an extra pawn.

17...Re8!?

• It's Black's turn to bee overly cautious. Better is to play for the open file.
• If 17...Rc8! 18.Bxf6 gxf6 then:
• 19.Rh1 f5 20.h5 Bh6 gives Black good chances of winning a pawn.
• 19.f5 Rxh4 20.Rh1 Rxh1+ 21.Bxh1 Bh6+ gives Black an extra pawn.

18.Rf1 Nh7 19.f5

• The game is equal.

19...Nxg5 20.hxg5 Be7 21.f6!

• Other moves cede the advantage to Black.
• 21.Kd1 Bxg5 22.fxe6 Rxe6 23.Rxf7 Be8 24.Rf1 Rf6

21...gxf6 22.gxf6 Bf8 23.Rf3!?

• White drops the exchange.
• 23.Kd1 Rh2 24.Bf3 Kc7 25.Rd2 Rh6 26.Bh1 Rh5 remains equal.

23...Bh6+!?

• But Black doesn't see it.
• 23...Rh2 24.Bf1 d5 25.exd5 exd5 26.Rfd3 Bc5 wins the exchange for Black.

24.Kb1!?

• It's counterintuitive, but the White King would be safer in the center behind active pieces.
• 24.Kd1 Reg8 25.Bf1 Bg5 26.Rxd6 Kc7 27.Rdd3 Rg6 remains equal.

BLACK: Zhou Jianchao
""""""""#
$ L +t+ T%
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WHITE: Lu Shanglei
Position after 24.Kc1b1

24...Reg8!

• Black seizes the initiative on the kingside.

25.Bf1 Bf8!?

• Black takes some pressure off the dark squares in White's position.
• A more efficient way of protecting the d-pawn is 25...Kc7 26.Rd1 then:
• 26...Rg6! 27.b4 Rg4 28.Rfd3 Bxe4 29.Rxd6 Bf3 Black will win at least a pawn.
• If 26...Rg1 27.Rh3 Rg6 28.b4 Rxf6 then:
• 29.Bd3 then after 29...d5 30.e5 Rf4 31.b5 axb5 32.Rdh1 Rb4+ Black has converted a space advantage into a fierce attack.
• 29.b5 axb5 30.Nxb5+ Bxb5 31.axb5 Rf4 Black is a pawn to the good.

26.b4!

• The game is equal.

26...Bd7 27.b5

• 27.Rh3!? Kc7! 28.a5 Bh6 29.b5 e5 30.b6+ Kb8 31.Rdd3 remains equal.

27...a5 28.b6 Bc6 29.Bb5

• 29.Kb2 Rh1 30.Bd3 e5 31.Rc4 Rgg1 32.Be2 remains equal.

29...Rg5 30.Rc4!?

• The Rook should fall back so that it will have more room to maneuver.
• 30.Rdd3 Rgh5 31.Rg3 Rh4 32.Bxc6 bxc6 33.e5 Rb4+ remains equal.

BLACK: Zhou Jianchao
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$+ N +r+ %
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$+k+ + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Lu Shanglei
Position after 30.Rd4c4

30...d5!

• Black clears away White;s central pawn and disrupts his pieces.

31.exd5 exd5 32.Rxc6 bxc6 33.Bxc6 d4!

• The little uggernaut is still on the move
• 33...Rg1+!? 34.Kb2 d4 35.Ne2 Rg4 36.Bd5! is equal

34.Nd5 Bc5 35.b7!?

• The pawn advance is just one move premature. It is definitely in need of overprotection.
• If 35.Rb3! Rg1+ then:
• If 36.Ka2! Rc1 then:
• If 37.Rb5! then:
• 37...Rxc2+ 38.Kb3 Rd2 39.Bd7 Rd8 40.Bc6 is equal.
• 37...Rh2 38.Rxa5 Rcxc2+ 39.Kb3 Rb2+ 40.Kc4 Rhc2+ 41.Kd3 is equal.
• 37.Kb2!? Rhh1 38.Rb5 Rb1+ transposes into the 36.Kb2 variation.
• 36.Kb2!? Rhh1 37.Rb5 Rb1+ 38.Ka2 Rxb5 39.axb5 Rh2 gives Black a material advantage equivalent to a pawn.

BLACK: Zhou Jianchao
""""""""#
$ L + + T%
$+p+ +o+ %
$ +b+ P +%
$O Vn+ T %
$p+ O + +%
$+ + +r+ %
$ +p+ + +%
$+k+ + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Lu Shanglei
Position after 35.b6b7

35...Rd8!

• Black threatens to exchange his Rook for two minor pieces, leaving th b-pawn wanting for protection.

36.Ne7 Re5 37.Rb3?

• Black now wins quickly.
• 37.Rf5! Re1+ 38.Kb2 Bxe7 39.fxe7 Rxe7 40.Rxa5 Kc7 gives White serious hopes of counterpaly.

37...Bxe7 38.fxe7 Rxe7 39.Rb5

• No better is 39.Kb2 Rd6 40.Bf3 Re3 41.Bg2 Rxb3+ 42.cxb3.

BLACK: Zhou Jianchao
""""""""#
$ L T + +%
$+p+ To+ %
$ +v+ + +%
$Or+ + + %
$p+ O + +%
$+ + + + %
$ +p+ + +%
$+k+ + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Lu Shanglei
Position after 39.Rb3b5

39...Rd6 40.Bf3 Rf6 41.Bg2

• 41.Bd5 Rf5 42.Rxa5 Rxb7+ is hopeless for White.

41...Re2 42.Bd5 d3 43.Rxa5 dxc2+! 0-1

• If 44.Kc1 then 44...Rf1+ leads to a quick mate.
• Lu resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Shen Yang - Ju Wenjun, Women's Group, Round 3

As of today (Monday, May 31), Ju Wenjun is in first place clear after winning her seventh round game over Zhang Xiaowen.



Ju Wenjun
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Shen Yang - Ju Wenjun
Chinese National Championships, Women's Group, Round 3
Xinghua, 26 May 2010

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

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.Nc3 0-0 5.e4 d6 6.Be2 e5 7.Be3 Ng4

• For 7...Nd7 8.0-0 and 7...Na6 8.0-0, see Ivanchuk-Grischuk, Nalchik, 2009.
• For 7...c6, see Aronian-Ivanchuk. IT, Linares, 2009.

8.Bg5 f6 9.Bh4 Nc6

• If 9...g5 10.Bg3 Nh6 11.d5 then:
• If 11...Nd7 12.Nd2 f5 13.exf5 Nf6 14.Nde4 then:
• If 14...Nxe4 15.Nxe4 Bxf5 16.Bd3 g4 17.0-0 Kh8 then:
• 18.Re1 Qe7 19.Rc1 b6 20.b4 a5 21.a3 axb4 22.axb4 Ra3 23.c5 bxc5 24.bxc5 is equal (Wang Yue-Radjabov, Grand Prix, Elista, 2008).
• 18.Qe2 Qe7 19.f3 gxf3 20.Rxf3 Bg4 21.Rxf8+ Rxf8 is equal (Prusikin-B. Socko, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• 14...Bxf5 15.Bd3 Nxe4 16.Nxe4 c6 17.0-0 cxd5 18.cxd5 Bg6 is equal (Mohota-Dembo, Mindsports Rpd, Beijing, 2008).
• 11...f5 12.exf5 Nxf5 13.Nd2 Nd4 14.0-0 Nxe2+ 15.Qxe2 Qe8 16.Nde4 gives White the advantage in space (K. Georgiev-Bologan, Op, Gibraltar, 2006).

10.d5 Ne7 11.Nd2 Nh6 12.f3 c5 13.Rb1

• 13.dxc6 bxc6 14.b4 Be6 15.Nb3 d5 16.Nc5 Bf7 17.cxd5 cxd5 18.0-0 d4 is equal (Arlandi-van Wely, TT, Bükfürdö, 1995).

13...g5

• 13...b6 14.b4 Nf7 15.0-0 f5 16.bxc5 dxc5 17.Qa4 is equal (Zhao Xue-Choisy, TMatch, Paris, 2006).

14.Bf2 f5 15.b4

• 15.h3 Kh8 16.g4 fxg4 17.hxg4 Ng6 18.Be3 Nf4 is equal (Gelfand-I. Smirin, Rpd, Haifa, 1998).

15...b6 16.a4!?

• If 16.bxc5 bxc5 17.0-0 then:
• 17...Ng6 18.g3 Kh8 19.Qa4 Ne7 gives White the advantage in space (D. Gurevich-Liberzon, IT, Beer Shi\eva, 1982).
• 17...f4 18.Nb3 Ng6 19.Nb5 Rf7 20.Be1 Bf8 gives White the advantage in space (Komarov-Hebden, EUro Club Cup, Bratislava, 1996).

16...Ng6

• The game is equal.

BLACK: Ju Wenjun
""""""""#
$t+vW Tl+%
$O + + Vo%
$ O + +mM%
$+ OpOoO %
$pPp+p+ +%
$+ N +p+ %
$ + NbBpP%
$+r+qK +r%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Shen Yang
Position after 16...Nd7g6

17.g3

• A good alternative to meeting Black's kingside initiative head on is to open a front on the other wing.
• 17.bxc5 dxc5 18.0-0 Nf4 19.a5 gives White a protected passed pawn while she demolishes Black's queenside.

17...g4 18.a5 gxf3 19.Bxf3 fxe4 20.Ndxe4 Bh3

• 20...cxb4 21.Rxb4 bxa5 22.Rb1 Bh3 23.c5 remains equal.

21.a6 cxb4 22.Rxb4 Qd7 23.Be3!?

• This gives the Bishop more scope, but White should attack the d-pawn.
• If 23.Nb5 Qf5 24.Rb3 then:
• If 24...Bg4 25.Nd2 Qd7 26.h3 Bxh3 27.Ne4 then:
• 27...Nf7 28.Nbxd6 Nxd6 29.Nxd6 Qxd6 30.Rxh3 gives White the advantage in space.
• If 27...Bg4 28.Nbxd6 Bxf3 29.Rxf3 then:
• 29...Ng4 30.Rf5 Nf6 31.Nxf6+ Rxf6 32.Rxf6 Bxf6 33.Ne4 gives White more space and some initiative.
• 29...Nf5 30.Rxf5 Rxf5 31.Qg4 Rf7 32.Qh5 Nf8 33.Be3! gives the Bishop greater scope and White the initiative.
• 24...Nf7 25.Nbxd6 Nxd6 26.Nxd6 Qd7 27.Ne4 leaves White with an extra pawn.

23...Qf5!?

• While this move looks strong, White can turn turn it to her advantage with correct paly.
• 23...Nf5 24.Qe2 Nxe3 25.Qxe3 Rf7 26.Be2 Raf8 remains equal.

24.Be2?!

• Whaite doesn't see the right move.
• If 24.Bxh6! Bxh6 25.Bh5 then:
• 25...Qc8 26.Qe2 Qxa6 27.Ra4 Qb7 28.Bg4 gives White the advantage in space.
• 25...Rad8 26.Qe2 Qc8 27.Ra4 Qd7 28.Nb5 wins the d-pawn.

BLACK: Ju Wenjun
""""""""#
$t+ + Tl+%
$+ + + Vo%
$ + O +mM%
$+ +pOw+ %
$ Rp+n+ +%
$+ N B Pv%
$ + +b+ P%
$+ +qK +r%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Shen Yang
Position after 24.Bf3e2

24...Bg2!

• Black abandons her d-pawn to carry out these kingside maneuvers.
• 24...Ng4 25.Qd2 Nxe3 26.Qxe3 Rad8 27.Rg1 remains equal.

25.Rg1 Qh3

• 25...Bh3? drops the Bishop to 26.g4! Qd7 27.Rg3 Nf4 28.Bxf4 exf4 29.Rxh3.

26.Nxd6 Qxh2 27.Kd2 Qxg3

• Black has won a pawn.

28.c5 bxc5 29.Rb7

• If 29.Bxc5 Qh2 30.Nde4 then:
• 30...Nf5 then after 31.Bxf8 Rxf8 32.Kc1 Nd4 Black has the more active game.
• 30...Rf7 31.Qb1 Bxe4 32.Nxe4 Rd8 33.Rb8 gives White the active game.

29...Qh2

• 29...Rad8!? 30.Bxc5! Nf5 31.Nxf5 Rxf5 32.Bxa7 gets the pawn back with equality.

30.Kc1?

• White should now lose.
• 30.Bxc5! Rf6 31.Qb1 Rd8 32.Nce4 Rf4 33.Rxa7 Nf7 is equal.

30...e4!?

• Black misses the opportunity to put the game away.
• 30...Rad8 31.Ncb5 Nf5 32.Nxf5 Rxf5 33.Bc4 Bh6 leaves Black with the initiative on a loose Bishop.

31.Ncxe4!?

• White fails to take advantage of the error.
• After 31.Qd2 Rfd8 32.Ncxe4 Bxe4 33.Nxe4 Nf5 34.Bc4 Qe5 Black's extra pawn counts for little.

31...Bxe4! 32.Nxe4 Nf5 33.Bxc5?

• Black's c-pawn can't run away and White needn't be in any hurry to take it.
• White gets some counterplay after 33.Bd2 Rab8 34.d6 Kh8 35.d7 Nd4.

BLACK: Ju Wenjun
""""""""#
$t+ + Tl+%
$Or+ + Vo%
$p+ + +m+%
$+ Bp+m+ %
$ + +n+ +%
$+ + + + %
$ + +b+ W%
$+ Kq+ R %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Shen Yang
Position after 33.Be3c5:p

33...Qf4+!

• In a position like this, the most aggressive move usually wins.

34.Nd2

• 34.Qd2 Qxe4 35.Bd3 Qxd5 36.Bxf8 Rxf8 leaves Black with a material advantage equivalent to two pawns.

34...Rac8 35.Qc2 Nd4!

• Black must win material.

36.Rf1

• 36.Rxg6 Nxe2+ 37.Kd1 hxg6 38.Qxg6 Nc3+ leaves Black up by a Rook.

36...Nxc2 37.Rxf4 Rxf4 38.d6

• 38.Bxa7 Ne3+ 39.Kb1 Nxd5 40.Bc4 Rcxc4 41.Nxc4 Rxc4 leaves Black up by two pieces.

38...Rxc5 39.d7 Bf6 40.Rb8+ Kg7 41.Rc8 Rd5 0-1

• Black stops the pawn in the nick of time and remains a piece to the good.
• Ms. Shen resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Zhao Xue - Huang Qian, Women's Group, Round 6

Huang Qian
Photo: ChessBase.com


Zhao Xue - Huang Qian
Chinese National Championships, Women's Group, Round 6
Xinghua, 29 May 2010

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

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 0-0 6.Nf3 e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.Nd2 a5 10.a3 Bd7 11.b3 c6 12.Ra2

• For moves and variations up to here, see see Ivanchuk-Grischuk, Grand Prix, Nalchik, 2009.
• If 12.Bb2 then:
• 12...Bh6 13.c5 dxc5 14.Nc4 cxd5 15.exd5 Nf5 16.Nxe5 Nd4 17.Bc4 Bf5 is equal (Sherbakov-Korotylev, Op, Pardubice, 1996).
• 12...c5 13.Nb5 Ne8 14.b4 axb4 15.axb4 Rxa1 16.Qxa1 Bh6 17.Nxd6 Nxd6 18.bxc5 Bxd2 19.cxd6 Nc8 20.c5 f6 21.Rb1 b6 22.c6 Nxd6 23.cxd7 Qxd7 24.Bd3 Rc8 25.Rd1 gives White a more active game (Hefka-Kazoks, Corres, 1999).

12...c5!?

• 12...Qb8 13.Rc2 Rc8 14.Ndb1 cxd5 15.cxd5 b5 16.b4 a4 17.Qd3 Nh5 18.Bxh5 gxh5 19.Bg5 Ng6 20.Ne2 gives White the advantage in space (Gelfand-Radjabov, IT, Banza, 2009).

13.Bb2

• White has a small advantage in space.

13...Nc8!?

• If 13...Ne8 then:
• 14.f4 exf4 15.Rxf4 f5 16.Bd3 Bd4+ 17.Kh1 White continues to enjoy a small advantage in space.
• 14.Bd3!? f5! 15.Bc2 fxe4 16.Ndxe4 Nf5 17.Bc1 is equal.

14.b4!

• White opens the queenside for her Rook.

14...axb4

• 14...cxb4!? 15.axb4! b6 16.b5 Qc7 17.Ra4 Ne7 18.Qc2 White still has the advantage in space.

15.axb4 Rxa2 16.Nxa2 b6

• 16...Qb6 17.b5 Ne8 18.Nc3 f5 19.Qc2 Ne7 20.Qd3 gives White the advantage in space.

17.Bc3 Ne8 18.Qc2!?

• The Bishop is better suited to protect the e-pawn.
• 18.Bd3 f5 19.exf5 gxf5 20.Re1 Qc7 21.b5 White continues to enjoy the advantage in space.

BLACK: Huang Qian
""""""""#
$ +mWmTl+%
$+ +v+oVo%
$ O O +o+%
$+ OpO + %
$ Pp+p+ +%
$+ B + + %
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$+ + +rK %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Zhao Xue
Position after 18.Qd1c2

18...f5!

• Black simply plays the standard King's Indian maneuver of advancing the f-pawn and replacing the Knight on f6.

19.Rb1

• 19.Ra1 Qh4 20.exf5 Bxf5 21.Qc1 Ne7 22.Nf3 is equal.

19...Nf6!

• Black has equalized.
• 19...Qh4! 20.Bd3 fxe4 21.Nxe4 Nf6 22.Re1 Bf5 is also equal.

20.bxc5 bxc5 21.Rb7 fxe4 22.Nxe4 Nxe4 23.Qxe4 Bf5

• 23...Nb6 24.Qe3 Bc8 25.Ra7 Qh4 26.g3 Qf6 27.f4 remains equal.

24.Qe3 Ne7 25.Qd2 Bc8 26.Ba5 Qe8

• 26...Bh6 27.Qe1 Qe8 28.Ra7 e4 29.Bd2 Bxd2 30.Qxd2 remains equal.

27.Ra7 Nf5 28.Nc3 e4 29.Nb5 e3

• 29...Qe5 30.Bc3 Nd4 31.Qe3 Bf6 32.Qh6 Be7 remains equal.

30.fxe3 Bh6

• The game remains equal.
• If 30...Qxe3+!? 31.Qxe3 Nxe3 then:
• 32.h3! Nf5 33.Bd3 Bd4+ 34.Nxd4 Nxd4 35.Bc3 gives White the more active game.
• If 32.Nxd6!? Bd4 then:
• 33.Nb5 Bg4 34.Bd3 Bf5 is equal.
• 33.Kh1? Bg4 34.Bd3 Nd1 35.Nb5 Nf2+ gives Black a winning attack.

31.Kh1 Bxe3 32.Qe1 Qe4

BLACK: Huang Qian
""""""""#
$ +v+ Tl+%
$R + + +o%
$ + O +o+%
$BmOp+m+ %
$ +p+w+ +%
$+ + V + %
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Zhao Xue
Position after 32...Qe8e4

33.Bf3?

• This error is fatal and the move was perhaps made in a spirit of carelessness. The text is followed by a string of forced moves, so the resulting position should not have been very hard to see.
• If 33.Bc3! Bh6 then:
• If 34.Ra8 Nh4 35.Bf3 Qxe1+ 36.Bxe1 Nxf3 37.gxf3 then:
• 37...Bh3 38.Rxf8+ Bxf8 remains equal.
• 37...Bd7? 38.Rxf8+! Kxf8 39.Nxd6 gives Black an extra pawn.
• 34.Rc7? Nh4! 35.Bf3 Qxe1+ 36.Bxe1 Nxf3 37.Rxc8 Nxe1leaves Black a piece to the good.

33...Qxc4!

• For starters, Black wins a pawn.

34.Nxd6 Nxd6 35.Qxe3 Qf1+ 36.Qg1

BLACK: Huang Qian
""""""""#
$ +v+ Tl+%
$R + + +o%
$ + M +o+%
$B Op+ + %
$ + + + +%
$+ + +b+ %
$ + + +pP%
$+ + +wQk%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Zhao Xue
Position after 36.Qe3g1

36...Rxf3!!

• The exchange sacrifice is the only move that sustains Black's attack.
• 36...Qd3? 37.Re7! Rxf3 38.gxf3 Qxf3+ 39.Qg2 Qd1+ 40.Re1! is equal.
• If 36...Qxg1+? 37.Kxg1 Nb5 38.Re7 then:
• 38...Bf5 39.d6 Nxd6 40.Bd5+ Nf7 41.Bb6 g5 42.Re5 wins a second pawn for White.
• 38...Nd4 39.d6 Nxf3+ 40.gxf3 Rxf3 41.d7! wins for White.

37.gxf3 Qxf3+ 38.Qg2 Qd1+ 39.Qg1 Qxd5+ 40.Qg2 Qd1+ 41.Qg1

BLACK: Huang Qian
""""""""#
$ +v+ +l+%
$R + + +o%
$ + M +o+%
$B O + + %
$ + + + +%
$+ + + + %
$ + + + P%
$+ +w+ Qk%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Zhao Xue
Position after 41.Qg2g1

41...Bb7+!

• The text leads to further liquidation of pieces that leaves Black two pawn up.
• 41...Qe2!? 42.Qxc5 Qe4+ 43.Kg1 Qb1+ 44.Kg2 Bb7+ gives White some slim chances to salvage the game.

42.Rxb7 Qxg1+ 43.Kxg1 Nxb7 44.Bc7 Kf7!

• Black activates her King.
• The text is stronger than 44...c4 45.Kf2 Nc5 46.Bb6 Nb3 47.Ke3 Kf7 48.Ke4.

45.Kf2 Ke6 46.Kf3

• 46.Ke3 Kd5 47.Bg3 c4 48.Bh4 Nc5 49.Bf6 Ne4Black begins advancing on the kingside, leaving White with no reserve pawn tempi.

46...Nd6 47.Kf4 c4 48.Ba5 h6 49.Bc3

• 49.Ke3 Kd5 50.Kd2 Ne4+ 51.Kc2 g5 52.Kd1 g4!leaves White with no reserve pawn tempi, making her susceptible to Zugzwang.

49...g5+ 50.Kg4 Ne4 51.Bg7 c3 0-1

• It will cost White the Bishop to stop the pawn.
• Ms. Zhao resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Wang Hao - Ding Liren, General Group, Round 1

The opening round featured a battle between the defending champion, Ding Liren, and last year's runner up.



Wang Hao
Photo by Datti4 in Wikipedia (Public Domain)


Wang Hao - Ding Liren
Chinese National Championships, General Group, Round 1
Xinghua, 24 May 2010

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

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 0-0 5.Nc3 d6 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.0-0 a6 8.b3 Rb8 9.Nd5 Nd7

• For moves and variation up to here, see Maiorov-B. Socko, Euro Ch, Rijeka, 2010.
• If 9...Nh5 10.Bb2 e6 then:
• 11.Ne3 Ne7 12.Qd2 b6 13.Ne1 f5 14.f4 h6 15.Nd1 Nf6 16.Nf2 Bb7 is equal (Grachev-Krylov, City Op, Moscow, 2007).
• If 11.Nc3 b5 then:
• 12.cxb5 axb5 13.Rc1 b4 14.Nb1 Na7 15.Ne1 c5 16.Rc2 Ba6 17.Nf3 Qe7 is equal (Romanishin-Nevednichy, Op, Biel, 1995).
• If 12.d5 Ne7 13.dxe6 fxe6 14.c5 then:
• If 14...dxc5 15.Qc2 Nc6 16.Rad1 Nd4 17.Nxd4 cxd4 then:
• 18.Ne4 e5 19.e3 Bf5 20.Qc5 Rf7 21.exd4 exd4 22.Rxd4 Qe7 23.Ba1 Qxc5 24.Nxc5 Bxd4 is equal (Sargissian-Nijboer, Ol, Bled, 2002).
• 18.e3 e5 19.exd4 exd4 20.Nd5 Bg4 is equal (K. Georgiev-Antic, Yugoslav ChT, Herceg Novi, 2001).
• 14...Bb7 15.Qc2 Qd7 16.Rac1 Ba8 17.Rfd1 Rbd8 18.b4 Nd5 19.Nxd5 Bxd5 20.Bxg7 Qxg7 21.cxd6 cxd6 22.Nd2 Qf6 23.Bf3 Ng7 24.Qc3 Qf7 25.Qc7 Qf6 26.Qc3 Qf7 draw (Houska-Dembo, Euro ChW, Plovdiv, 2008).

10.e4

• If 10.Bb2 e6 then:
• 11.Ne3 e5 12.dxe5 dxe5 13.Nd5 Re8 14.Nd2 Nd4 15.e3 Ne6 16.b4 c6 17.Nc3 a5 18.a3 Bf8 19.c5 Qc7 20.Nc4 gives White the advantage in space (Kharitonov-Gharamian, Op, Cappelle la Grande, 2010).
• 11.Nc3 b5 12.d5 Na5 13.Nd4 Re8 14.Qd2 bxc4 15.Na4 e5 16.Nc6 Nxc6 17.dxc6 Nb6 18.Nxb6 Rxb6 19.bxc4 e4 20.Bxg7 Kxg7 gives Black a tactical advantage (Houska-Howell, Op 0809, Hastings, 2009).
• 10.Be3 b5 11.cxb5 axb5 12.Qc1 Na5 13.Bh6 b4 gives White the edge in space (W. Schmidt-Sznapik, IT, Vrnjacka Banja, 1981).

10...e6

• The game is equal.

11.Ne3 Nc5

BLACK: Ding Liren
""""""""#
$ TvW Tl+%
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WHITE: Wang Hao
Position after 11...Nd7c5

12.dxc5!

• This move, which sacrifices the exchange, is White's best.
• If 12.e5 then after 12...dxe5 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 Bxe5 15.Rb1 Qe7 Black has won a pawn.

12...Bxa1 13.cxd6 Bc3 14.Ba3 Bb4

• 14...Re8?! 15.dxc7 Qxc7 16.Bd6 Qa5 17.Bxb8 Nxb8 leaves White a pawn to the good.

15.Bxb4 Nxb4 16.e5 Nc6!?

• 16...cxd6 17.exd6 b6 18.Qd2 Nc6 19.Rd1 gives White the advantage in space and a strong passed pawn.

17.Qd2!?

• White misses a chance turn the screw on Black and further cramp his position.
• If 17.c5 f6 18.Ng4 then:
• 18...fxe5 19.Nfxe5 Nxe5 20.Nxe5 cxd6 21.Qxd6 Ra8 22.b4 gives White a more active game for the pawn.
• 18...cxd6 19.Nxf6+ Rxf6 20.exf6 d5 21.f7+ Kxf7 22.Qe2 gives White the advantage in space, although this is mostly based on having a lead in development.

BLACK: Ding Liren
""""""""#
$ TvW Tl+%
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WHITE: Wang Hao
Position after 17.Qd1d2

17...cxd6!

• The game is again equal.

18.exd6 e5 19.Rd1 Be6 20.h4

• 20.b4 e4 21.Ne1 f5 22.c5 b6 23.Nd5 remains equal.

20...f6 21.c5 b6 22.d7

• 22.cxb6 Rxb6 23.Nd5 Bxd5 24.Qxd5+ Rf7 25.d7 remains equal.

22...Rf7 23.Qd6 Qxd7 24.Ng5 fxg5 25.Bxc6 Qxd6

• If 25...Qc8? 26.Qxe5! then:
• 26...gxh4 (
  
• 26...bxc5 27.Rd6! Bf5 28.Bd5 Qe8 29.Nc4 leaves White with an imposing, well-fortified center.

27.Rd6! Bf5 28.Bd5 forces Black to return the exchange when White's pieces are all over Black's position.
26.Rxd6 Re7 27.cxb6 gxh4 28.gxh4 a5!?

• The a-pawn cannot be protected here.
• 28...Bf7 gives the Rook more scope and protects the e-pawn; after 29.b7 Re6 30.Rxe6 Bxe6 31.Nc4 Bxc4 32.bxc4 the game remains equal.

29.Nc4!

• White has a very impressive queenside spatial advantage.

29...Kf8 30.Bd5 Rd7 31.Rxe6 Rxd5

BLACK: Ding Liren
""""""""#
$ T + L +%
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WHITE: Wang Hao
Position after 31...Rd7d5:B

32.Kg2!?

• The text move attends to King safety, but the e-pawn isn't poisoned and should be taken first.
• If 32.Nxe5! Rb7 33.Kg2 Rc5 34.Nc4 then:
• 34...a4 35.f4 axb3 36.axb3 Rh5 37.Kg3 gives White an advanced passer.
• 34...Kf7!? 35.Re4 Kf6 36.a3 Rd5 37.Kf3 Rd3+ 38.Re3 leaves White with an advantage owing to his advanced passer.

32...Rb5 33.Rc6!?

• Again, the pawn should be taken.
• If 33.Nxe5! Re8 34.Nd7+ Kf7 35.Rc6 then:
• If 35...Re2 36.Rc5 Rxc5 37.Nxc5 Re8 38.b7 Rb8 39.Kf3 then:
• 39...Ke7 40.Ke4 Kd6 41.Kd4 Kc6 42.Kc4 Rf8 43.a3 gives White the advantage as long as Black must return his Rook to the back ranking after checking.
• 39...Ke8 40.Ke4 Kd8 41.Kd5 Kc7 42.Na6+ Kxb7 43.Nxb8 leaves White with an extra pawn.
• 35...Re6 36.Rc8 Rd6 37.Ne5+ Rxe5 38.b7 Rb6 39.b8Q leaves White with an extra pawn.

33...Kg7!?

• The Black King is more vulnerable here than on the back rank.
• 33...Rb7! 34.Nd6 R7xb6 35.Rc8+ Kg7 36.Nxb5 Rxb5 37.Rc7+ remains equal.

34.Rc7+!

• White gains time and prepares to advance the pawn.

34...Kh6 35.Ra7!?

• It is be premature to abandon the advanced passer in order to eliminate Black's a-pawn; White should activate his King and push the pawn further.
• 35.Kf3! Rf8+ 36.Ke3 e4 37.b7 Rb8 38.Nd6 Rb6 39.Rd7 leaves Black with an uphill struggle to save a draw.

35...e4!

• Black equalizes.

36.Re7 Rb4 37.Ra7

• 37.Kf1 a4 38.a3 Rxb3 39.Rxe4 Rf3 40.Ke1 Kh5 remains equal.

37...Rb5 38.Kg3 g5

• Black feels his King is a wee bit cramped and he seeks a freeing maneuver.
• If 38...Rf5? then:
• If 39.Ne3!? Rf3+ 40.Kg2 Rbf8 41.Kg1 R3f4 42.Rxa5 Rxh4 remains equal.
• If 39.f4! Rbf8 40.b7 then:
• 40...Rb5 41.Ra8 Kg7 42.Nxa5 h6 43.Kf2 puts White on the winning track.
• If 40...Rxf4 41.Ne5! g5 42.hxg5+ Kxg5 43.Rxa5 then:
• 43...e3 44.b8Q Rxb8 45.Nf3+ Kf6 46.Kxf4 Re8 47.Rf5+ White wins with the extra piece, which he can afford to sacrifice to stop the e-pawn.
• 43...R4f5 44.Nd7 Rxa5 45.Nxf8 Rb5 46.Ne6+ Kf6 47.Nc5 gives White the advantage of two connected passers.

39.hxg5+ Rxg5+?

• As long as the King is camped, the best way to free it is to sacrifice the h-pawn and recaputure with the King.
• 39...Kxg5!! 40.Rxh7 Rf8 41.b7 Rbf5 42.Nd2 leaves Black with counterplay.

BLACK: Ding Liren
""""""""#
$ T + + +%
$R + + +o%
$ P + + L%
$O + + T %
$ +n+o+ +%
$+o+ + K %
$o+ + P +%
$+ + + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Wang Hao
Position after 39...Rb5g5:p

40.Kf4!

• White plays a double attack on the e-pawn and, because the recaptue would leafe g5 unguarded, the h-pawn.

40...Rg2

• 40...Re8 loses to 41.Rxh7+ Kg6 42.Rg7+ Kxg7 43.Kxg5 Rf8 44.b7.

41.Kxe4

• 41.Ke3 Kg6 42.Ne5+ Kf5 43.Nd7 Rh8 44.b7wins easily.

41...Rxf2 42.Rxa5 Kg7 43.Ra7+ Kg8

• 43...Rf7 44.Rxf7+ Kxf7 45.a4 Ke6 46.a5 Kd7 47.a6 wins.

44.b7 Rf7 45.Nd6 Rd7 46.Kd5 Kf8

• If 46...Rc7 47.a4 Kf8 48.a5 Ke7 49.Ra6 then:
• 49...Rbxb7 50.Nxb7 Rxb7 51.Kc5 Rxb3 52.Ra7+ Kd8 53.Rxh7 wins for White.
• 49...Rd7 50.Rb6 Rxd6+ 51.Rxd6 Rxb7 52.a6 Rb5+ 53.Kc6 is an easy win.

47.Kc6 Ke7 48.Ne4 h5

• 48...Rdd8 49.Nc5 h5 50.Na6 Rd6+ 51.Kc7 wins for White.

49.Nc5 Rd4 50.Kc7 Rbd8 51.Ra8 h4 52.Rc8 R4d5 53.b4 1-0

• Black has no move remaining that does not result in material loss.
• Grandmaster Ding resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Zhou Weiqi - Hou Yifan, General Group, Round 3

Hou Yifan
Photo: ChessBase.com


Zhou Weiqi - Hou Yifan
Chinese National Championships, General Group, Round 3
Xinghua, 26 May 2010

Grand Orthodox Queen's Gambit: Nimzo-Ragozin Defense

1.d4 e6 2.c4 d5 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.cxd5

• If 5.Bg5 then:
• If 5...h6 6.Bxf6 Qxf6 7.e3 0-0 8.Rc1 dxc4 9.Bxc4 c5 10.0-0 cxd4 11.exd4 then:
• If 11...Nc6 12.Ne4 then:
• If 12...Qf4 13.Qe2 Rd8 14.g3 Qg4 15.Rfd1 Bd7 16.a3 then:
• 16...Be7 17.Qe3 Be8 18.b4 a6 19.Be2 Qh3 20.Nc5 Bxc5 21.dxc5 gives White the advantage in space (Gelfand-Piket, FIDE Knock Out, New Dehli, 2000).
• 16...Bf8 17.Qe3 Be8 18.b4 Qh5 19.Be2 Qf5 20.Nh4 Qh7 21.Nc5 g5 22.Nf3 Rab8 23.Bc4 Qg7 24.d5 exd5 25.Bxd5 Ne7 gives White excellent winning chances (Magai-Mitkov, Ol, Istanbul, 2000).
• 12...Qd8 13.a3 Ba5 14.Qd3 Bb6 15.Rfd1 Qe7 16.Bb5 Bd7 17.Nc5 Be8 18.Qc3 gives White the advantage in space (Topalov-J. Polgar, IT, Madrid, 1997).
• 11...Rd8 12.Ne4 Qe7 13.Qe2 Nc6 14.Rfd1 Ba5 15.Bb5 Bd7 16.Ne5 Rac8 17.Bxc6 Bxc6 18.Nxc6 Rxc6 19.Rxc6 bxc6 is equal (Cebalo-Dizdar, Croatian Ch, Vukovar, 2005).
• 5...dxc4 6.e4 c5 then:
• If 7.Bxc4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Qa5 10.Bb5+ then:
• If 10...Nbd7 11.Bxf6 Qxc3+ 12.Kf1 gxf6 13.h4 a6 14.Rh3 then:
• If 14...Qa5 15.Be2 then:
• If 15...Nc5 16.Nb3 Nxb3 17.Qxb3 b6 then:
• 18.Rb1 Bb7 19.Re3 Rc8 20.Kg1 b5 21.a4 Bc6 22.Rc3 0-0 23.Qb2 Bxe4 24.Rg3+ Bg6 25.h5 wins the Bishop (Nielsen-Sargissian, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• 18.Rd1 Bb7 19.Qb2 Qe5 20.Qxb6 Bxe4 21.Rg3 f5 22.Kg1 h6 23.Qb4 f4 24.Rg4 Rb8 is equal (Topalov-van Wely, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2001).
• 15...Ne5 16.Qb3 b5 17.Rd1 Bd7 18.f4 Nc4 19.Bxc4 bxc4 20.Qb7 Rd8 21.Nc6 Bxc6 22.Qxc6+ Ke7 23.Qb7+ Ke8 24.Qc6+ Ke7 25.Qb7+ Ke8 26.Rxd8+ Qxd8 27.Qc6+ Ke7 28.Qc5+ draw (Greenfeld-Gyimesi, IT, Tel Aviv, 2001).
• 14...Qb4 15.Be2 Ne5 16.h5 Qd6 17.Kg1 Bd7 18.Rb1 Rd8 19.Rc3 b5 20.Rbc1 b4 21.Rg3 Ke7 22.f4 Be8 23.fxe5 fxe5 24.Qe1 exd4 25.Bd3 gives Black excellent winning chances (Shulman-Naiditsch, IT, Montreal, 2009).
• If 10...Bd7 11.Bxf6 gxf6 then:
• 12.Bxd7+ Nxd7 13.0-0 a6 14.Rb1 Qc7 15.Qh5 Nc5 16.Rb4 Qe5 17.Qh4 Qg5 18.Qh3 Qe5 19.Qh4 Qg5 20.Qh3 Qe5 21.Re1 Rd8 22.Qe3 Rg8 is equal (Gelfand-Jakovenko, Tal Mem, Moscow, 2007).
• 12.Qb3 a6 13.Be2 Nc6 14.0-0 Qc7 15.Qa3 Rc8 16.Rad1 Na5 17.Qc1 Ke7 18.Qh6 Bc6 19.Nxe6!! Qe5 20.Nd4 Rcg8 21.f4 Qc5 22.Kh1 Rg6 23.Qh3 Bxe4 24.Bf3 Bxf3 25.Rxf3 Qc7 26.Nf5+ Kf8 27.Rfd3 Nc6 28.Rd7 Black resigns (Piket-Topalov, FIDE Knock Out, Groningen, 1997).
• If 7.e5 cxd4 then:
• If 8.Nxd4 Qa5 9.exf6 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 Qxg5 11.fxg7 then:
• If 11...Qxg7 12.Qd2 0-0 13.Bxc4 Rd8 then:
• 14.Qe3 Bd7 15.0-0 Nc6 16.Nf3 Ne7 17.Ne5 Ng6 18.f4 Nxe5 19.fxe5 Bc6 20.g3 Rd7 21.Rf6 Rad8 22.Be2 Rd2 23.Rf4 Kh8 24.Rd4 is equal (Onischuk-Jakovenko, IT, Foros, 2007).
• 14.Qb2 Qe5+ 15.Be2 Nc6 16.Nc2 Rd3 17.Na3 Qxc3+ 18.Qxc3 Rxc3 19.Nb5 Rc2 20.Rd1 Rxa2 21.Bf3 Ra5 22.Nc7 Re5+ 23.Kf1 Rb8 24.h4 Kf8 gives Black two extra pawns (Halkias-Gyimesi, Rueo ChT, Crete, 2008).
• 11...Rg8 12.g3 Qd5 13.Rg1 Rxg7 14.Qe2 Nd7 15.Qxc4 Qxc4 16.Bxc4 Nb6 17.Bb5+ Bd7 18.Bxd7+ Kxd7 19.0-0-0 Ke7 20.f4 Rc8 is equal (Browne-Su. Polgar, Op, Reykjavik, 1988).
• 8.Qa4+ Nc6 9.0-0-0 Bd7 10.Ne4 Be7 11.exf6 gxf6 12.Bh4 Rc8 13.Kb1 Na5 14.Qc2 e5 15.Nxd4 exd4 16.Rxd4 Qb6 17.Rxd7 Kxd7 18.Be2 Ke8 19.Qc3 Rc6 20.Rd1 Rg8 21.Bf3 Re6 gives Black the initiative (Kamsky-van Wely, Euro ChT, Antalya, 2007).
• 5.e3 establishes the Nimzo-Indian Defense.

5...exd5 6.Bg5 h6

• If 6...Nbd7 then:
• If 7.Rc1 c6 8.a3 then:
• If 8...Bxc3+ 9.Rxc3 0-0 10.e3 then:
• If 10...h6 11.Bh4 g5 12.Bg3 Ne4 then:
• 13.Rc2 Ndf6 14.Bd3 Bf5 15.Ne5 Kg7 16.f3 Nxg3 17.hxg3 Bxd3 18.Qxd3 gives White the advantage in space (Zhao Xue-N. Kosintseva, World ChTW, Ningbo, 2009).
• 13.Rc1 Ndf6 14.Bd3 Bf5 15.0-0 Qe7 16.Be5 Nd7 17.Bg3 f6 18.Bb1 Nb6 19.Nd2 is equal (Huang Qian-N. Kosintseva, TMatch (Blitz Game), Sochi, 2009).
• 10...Qe8 11.Bf4 Ne4 12.Rc1 Nb6 13.Be2 f6 14.0-0 Bg4 15.h3 Bh5 16.Ne1 Bxe2 17.Qxe2 Qe7 18.Nd3 Rae8 19.Nc5 draw (Gormally-Conquest, British Ch, Liverpool, 2008).
• If 8...Bd6 9.e3 0-0 10.Bd3 Re8 11.0-0 Nf8 12.Re1 Bg4 then:
• 13.h3 Bh5 14.Bh4 Bg6 15.b4 a5 16.Rb1 axb4 17.axb4 Ra3 18.Bxg6 Nxg6 19.Bxf6 Qxf6 20.Qc1 Rea8 is equal (V. Popov-S. Atalik, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• 13.Bh4 Ng6 14.Bg3 Ne4 15.Bxd6 Nxd6 16.h3 Bxf3 17.Qxf3 is equal (Evdokimov-Aleksandrov, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2008).
• If 7.e3 c5 8.Bd3 Qa5 9.Qc2 c4 10.Bf5 0-0 11.0-0 Re8 12.Nd2 g6 then:
• If 13.Bxd7 Nxd7 then:
• 14.Rae1 Nb6 15.f3 Bxc3 16.bxc3 Na4 17.Rc1 f6 18.Bh6 b5 is equal (Romanko-Zdebskaja, World ChTW Rd 1, Ningbo, 2009).
• 14.h4 f6 15.Bf4 Bxc3 16.bxc3 Nb6 17.f3 Qa4 18.Qb2 Bf5 19.Rfe1 Qc6 20.Qa3 Bd3 21.Qxa7 draw (Aleksandrov-Malakhatko, Op, Kolkata, 2009).
• If 13.Bh3 then:
• If 13...Bxc3 then:
• 14.Qxc3 Qxc3 15.bxc3 Ne4 16.Nxe4 dxe4 17.Rfb1 Nb6 18.Bxc8 Raxc8 19.a4 Nd5 20.Rxb7 Nxc3 21.a5 a6 22.Kf1 Nd5 23.Ke1 c3 24.Kd1 c2+ 25.Kd2 Rc3 is equal (Seirawan-Sosonko, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1986).
• If 14.bxc3 Ne4 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.Bxd7 Bxd7 17.Bf4 Re6 then:
• If 18.d5 Ba4 19.Qd2 Rd8 20.d6 Qc5 is equal (Grivas-Hector, EU ChT, Haifa, 1989).
• 18.Rfb1 Qd5 19.a4 a5 20.Qb2 Bc6 is equal (Pinter-Sosonko, IT, Heninge, 1988).
• 13...Kg7 14.Rae1 Ne4 15.Ndxe4 dxe4 16.Bf4 f5 17.f3 Nf6 18.a3 Bxc3 19.bxc3 h5 20.Qf2 Bd7 21.Qg3 is equal (Grischuk-Morozevich, FIDE World Ch Trmt, San Luis, 2007).

7.Bxf6

• If 7.Bh4 then:
• If 7...g5 8.Bg3 Ne4 9.Nd2 then:
• If 9...Nxg3 10.hxg3 c6 11.e3 Be6 12.Bd3 Nd7 13.Qc2 Qe7 14.a3 Bd6 then:
• If 15.b4 Kf8 16.0-0 Kg8 17.e4 dxe4 18.Ndxe4 is equal (Rassmussen-Drozdovskij, Mindsports Rpd, Beijing, 2008).
• 15.Na4 h5 16.Nf3 0-0-0 17.b4 Kb8 18.b5 cxb5 19.Bxb5 h4 20.gxh4 gxh4 21.Qb3 gives White the advantage in space (Rambaldoni-Shengelia, Euro ChT, Novi Sad, 2009).
• If 9...Nxc3 10.bxc3 Bxc3 11.Rc1 then:
• If 11...Bb2 12.Bxc7 Qe7 13.Bd6 Qe6 14.Rb1 Bc3 15.Ba3 Nc6 16.e3 Bxd4 then:
• 17.Bb5 Be5 18.0-0 Bd6 19.Bxd6 Qxd6 20.Ne4 Qe5 21.Qxd5 Qxd5 22.Nf6+ Kf8 23.Nxd5 Ne7 24.Nc7 gives White the initiative (I. Sokolov-Onischuk, IT, Poikovsky, 2006).
• 17.Be2 Be5 18.0-0 Bd6 19.Bxd6 Qxd6 20.Ne4 Qe5 21.Qxd5 Qxd5 22.Nf6+ Kf8 23.Nxd5 gives White the advantage in space (Arencibia-Mitkov, IT, Montreal, 2006).
• 11...Ba5 12.e3 c6 13.Bd3 Bc7 14.Bxc7 Qxc7 15.0-0 f5 16.Nf3 Be6 17.Ne5 0-0 is equal (Tkachiev-Vallin, French ChT, Montpellier, 2001).
• If 7...c5 8.e3 then:
• If 8...0-0 9.Bd3 c4 10.Bc2 Nbd7 11.0-0 Qa5 12.Ne2 Re8 13.b3 Ba3 14.bxc4 dxc4 15.Rb1 b5 16.Ne5 a6 17.f4 Nxe5 18.fxe5 Nd5 is equal (K. Georgiev-Kacheishvili, Op, Dubai, 2005).
• 8...Nc6 9.dxc5 g5 10.Bg3 Ne4 11.Bb5 Nxc3 12.Bxc6+ bxc6 13.Qd4 Nxa2+ 14.Nd2 0-0 15.Rxa2 a5 16.h4 f6 17.0-0 Re8 draw (Smejkal-Tal, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1976).

7...Qxf6 8.Qb3

• If 8.Qa4+ Nc6 9.e3 0-0 10.Be2 Be6 11.0-0 a6 then:
• If 12.Rfc1 Bd6 13.Qd1 then:
• If 13...Rad8 14.Rab1 g5 15.a3 Qg7 16.b4 Ne7 17.Na4 f5 18.Nc5 gives White the advantage in space (Danielian-Hou Yifan, Grand Prix W, Nalchik, 2010).
• 13...Ne7 14.Na4 b6 15.Nc3 Rfd8 16.Qf1 c6 17.Na4 Rdb8 18.Rc3 a5 is equal (Taimanov-Kotov, 1953).
• If 12.Rac1 Bd6 then:
• If 13.Ne1 Ne7 14.Nd3 then:
• 14...Nf5 15.g3 c6 16.Qb3 Rab8 17.Na4 Rfe8 is equal (Chiburdanidze-Matveeva, OlW, Moscow, 1994).
• 14...Rad8 15.b4 c6 16.Nc5 Bc8 17.Bd3 Nf5 18.Ne2 Rfe8 is equal (Christiansen-Witt, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1977).
• If 13.Qd1 Ne7 then:
• 14.Ne1 Rad8 15.Na4 Nf5 16.g3 Rfe8 is equal (C. Hansen-S. B. Hansen, IT, Malmø, 2005).
• 14.Na4 b6 15.b4 Bd7 16.Qb3 a5 17.b5 g5 18.Ne5 Bxe5 19.dxe5 Qxe5 is equal (G. Flear-Vallin, French ChT, Montpellier, 2001).

8...c5 9.dxc5

• If 9.e3 0-0 10.dxc5 Bxc3+ 11.Qxc3 Qxc3+ 12.bxc3 then:
• If 12...Be6 13.Nd4 Rc8 then:
• If 14.c4 Rxc5 15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.cxd5 exd5 17.g3 Nd7 18.Bg2 Nf6 is equal (van Wely-Sosonko, Zonal, Linares, 1995).
• 14.Kd2 Rxc5 15.Bd3 Nd7 16.Rhb1 Rc7 is equal (Ghaem Maghami-Aleksandrov, Op, Dubai, 2010).
• 12...Nd7 13.Rd1 Nxc5 14.Rxd5 b6 15.Rd4 Be6 16.c4 Rac8 17.Be2 Rc7 18.Kd2 Rfc8 19.Rb1 leaves White with an extra pawn (Voloshin-Gerzhoy, Op, Padubice, 2001).

9...Bxc3+

• If 9...Nc6 10.e3 0-0 11.Bb5 then:
• If 11...d4 12.Bxc6 dxc3 13.Qxb4 cxb2 14.Rb1 bxc6 15.0-0 then:
• If 15...Ba6 16.Rfe1 Rab8 17.Qa3 Bc4 18.Nd4 Rfe8 19.Rxb2 Rxb2 20.Qxb2 Bxa2 21.Qxa2 Qxd4 22.Qxa7 Qd5 then:
• 23.Rc1 h5 24.Qa4 Rd8 25.h3 g6 26.Qf4 Kg7 27.Rc4 gives White an extra pawn(Ivanchuk-Shirov, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2004).
• 23.g3 h5 24.h4 Qf3 25.Qc7 Ra8 26.Qf4 Qd5 27.Rc1 gives White an extra pawn (Khenkin-Verat, Op, Paris, 2001).
• 15...Bh3 16.Rxb2 Rad8 17.Nd4 Qg5 18.f4 gives White the advantage in space (Dreev-Aleksandrov, World Cup, Shenyang, 2000).
• 11...Bxc3+ 12.Qxc3 Qxc3+ 13.bxc3 Na5 14.Nd4 a6 15.Be2 Be6 16.Nb3 Nc6 17.0-0-0 Rfc8 18.Bf3 Ne7 19.Rd4 gives White an extra pawn (Stohl-C. Hansen, EU Jr Ch, Groningen, 1981).

10.bxc3 0-0 11.Nd4 Be6 12.Qxb7!?

• 12.e3 Nd7 13.Qa3 Rfc8 14.c6 bxc6 15.Ba6 Rcb8 16.0-0 Rb6 17.Be2 then:
• 17...Qg6 18.Nxe6 Qxe6 19.Rab1 Rab8 20.Rb3 Nf6 21.Bd1 Qd7 22.Bf3 draw (Ivanchuk-Mitkov, World ChT, Yerevan, 2001).
• 17...c5 18.Nxe6 Qxe6 19.Rfd1 c4 20.Qa5 Nf6 is equal (Fernandes-Mitkov, Portuguese ChT, Barreiro, 2001).

12...Nd7

• The text is forced. White is two pawns to the good.

13.c6 Rab8 14.Qxa7

• White is now up by three pawns.

14...Ra8 15.Qc7 Ne5 16.e3

• The text is better than 16.Qd6 Qf4 17.Kd1 Rfd8 when:
• 18.Qc5 Nc4 19.Nb3 d4 20.Ke1 leaves White with three extra pawns.
• 18.g3 Qe4 19.f3 Qe3 20.Nc2 Qxc3 21.Qb4 Qxc6 leaves White a pawn to the good.

16...Rfc8 17.Qb6?!

• The White Queen has no good escape route.
• Better is 17.Qd6! Rxc6 when:
• 18.Qb4 Rcc8 19.Qb2 Rcb8 20.Qc2 Ra3 21.Qc1 White remains two pawns to the good.
• 18.Nxc6? Nf3+! 19.Ke2 Ng1+ 20.Rxg1 Bg4+ 21.Kd2 Qxd6 gives Black the initiative.

17...Rcb8 18.Qc5 Rb2 19.f4?

• The text leaves White too weak on the light squares, allowing Black to turn the tables and win quickly.
• 19.f3 keeps the kingside light squares protected so that if 19...Qh4+ 20.g3 Qh5 21.Be2 Raxa2 22.Rxa2 Rxa2 then:
• 23.c7! Ra1+ 24.Kd2 Ra2+ 25.Kd1 Bc8 26.Qxd5 leaves Black three pawns up.


• If 23.Nxe6 fxe6 24.c7 then:
• If 24...Nxf3+! 25.Kf1 Nxh2+ 26.Rxh2 then:
• If 26...Ra1+ then:
• If 27.Kf2 Qxh2+ 28.Kf3 Qh5+ 29.Kf2 Qf5+ 30.Kg2 then:
• 30...Qe4+ 31.Kf2 Qf5+ etc. draws.
• 30...Kh7 31.c8Q Qe4+ 32.Kf2 Qf5+ 33.Kg2 Qe4+ etc. draws.
• 27.Kg2?? Qxe2+! 28.Kh3 Qh5+ 29.Kg2 Ra2+ 30.Kg1 Qd1#.
• 26...Qf5+? 27.Rf2 Qh3+ 28.Ke1 Qh1+ 29.Rf1 Ra1+ 30.Kd2 wins for White.
• If 24...Rxe2+ then:
• 25.Kd1 Qf5 26.c8Q+ Kh7 27.Kxe2 Qc2+ 28.Kf1 Qd1+ 29.Kg2 Qxf3+ 30.Kg1 Qd1+ etc. draws.
• 25.Kxe2?? loses to 25...Qxf3+!.

BLACK: Hou Yifan
""""""""#
$t+ + +l+%
$+ + +oO %
$ +p+vW O%
$+ QoM + %
$ + N P +%
$+ P P + %
$pT + +pP%
$R + Kb+r%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Zhou Weiqi
Position after 19.f2f4

19...Rxg2!!

• Black proffers her Rook and gets a completely won game.

20.0-0-0

• If 20.c7 then 20...Qh4+ 21.Kd1 Qf2 22.Be2 Qxe3 23.c4 Nf3 ensnares the White King in a mating net.
• If 20.Bxg2 then 20...Nd3+ 21.Ke2 Nxc5 22.Rhg1 Re8 23.Bf3 Bc8 gives Black the material advantage and the active game.

20...Rgxa2 21.Be2 Nc4

• If 21...Ng4 22.Bxg4 Bxg4 then:
• If 23.Qxd5 Rf2 24.Rd2 Bf3 then:
• 25.Qf5 Ra1+ 26.Kc2 Qxf5+ 27.Nxf5 Ra2+ wins a Rook.
• 25.Qe5 Qxe5 26.fxe5 Ra1+ wins a Rook.
• 23.c7 Qa6 24.Qb4 Bxd1 25.Qb8+ Kh7 26.c8Q Ra1+ 27.Kd2 Qa2+ puts the White King in a mating net.

22.Bxc4 dxc4 23.Rhg1

• 23.Qh5 Ra1+ 24.Kd2 R8a2+ 25.Ke1 Rxd1+ 26.Kxd1 Ra1+ wins a Rook.

23...Ra1+ 24.Kd2 R8a2+ 25.Nc2 Rxd1+ 0-1

• If 26.Kxd1 then after Qxc3 27.Ke2 Qxc2+ 28.Kf3 f5 Black soon delivers mate.
• If 26.Rxd1 then Black forces mate after 26...Qg6 27.e4 Qg2+ 28.Ke3 Qxc2.
• Grandmaster Zhou resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

3. US National Championships, St. Louis

St. Louis
Photo by Daniel Schwen in (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike]

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Shulman - Kamsky, Quad Group, Round 3

This was the final game of the Quad, which set up the Armageddon game for the following day.



Yuri Shulman and Gata Kamsky
Photo: ChessBase.com


Yuri Shulman - Gata Kamsky
US Championship, Quad Group, Round 3
St Louis, 24 May 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.Nf3 c5 8.Rb1 0-0 9.Be2 Nc6 10.d5 Bxc3+ 11.Bd2

• For moves and variation up to here, see Caruana-Morozevich, IT, Biel, 2009.
• If 11.Qd2 e6 12.0-0 then:
• If 12...exd5 13.exd5 Ba5 14.d6 b6 then:
• I15.Ba3 Qf6 16.Bb4 Bf5 17.Rbc1 c4 18.Bxa5 bxa5 gives Black the advantage in space (Marzolo-Brkic, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• 15.Qe3 Bb7 16.Bc4 Kh8 17.Be6 Qf6 18.Bb3 g5 19.Qe2 Qc3 20.Kh1 Qd4 21.Bc2 Rae8 gives Black a spatial edge and an attack on a loose pawn (Vokac-Stohl, Zlin, 1995).
• 12...b6 13.dxe6 Bb7 14.e5 c4 15.Bb2 Kg7 16.Qf4 gives White a comfortable lead in space (Kamsky-Razuvaev. Op. Paris, 1990).

11...Bxd2+ 12.Qxd2 Na5 13.h4 Bg4 14.Ng5

• 14.h5 Bxf3 15.gxf3 e5 then:
• If 16.hxg6 fxg6 17.d6 b6 18.Qd5+ Kg7 19.Qxe5+ Qf6 20.Qh2 h5 then:
• 21.Rd1 Nc6 22.Rg1 Nd4 23.Rd3 Ne6 24.e5 Qf5 gives Black stronger pawns (Zhou Jianchao-Vachier Lagrave, TMatch, Szenzheng, 2005).
• 21.Qg3 Nc6 22.Rd1 Kh6 23.Rd5 Rae8 24.f4 Qa1+ 25.Rd1 Qf6 26.Rd5 Qa1+ is equal (Gelfand=Stohl, IT, Tilburg, 1992).
• 16.Qc3 Re8 17.hxg6 fxg6 18.Qxc5 b6 19.Qe3 Rc8 20.Rc1 Rxc1+ 21.Qxc1 Qe7 22.Ba6 Rf8 is equal (Kamsky-Timman, IT, Linares, 1991).

14...Bxe2 15.Kxe2 h6

• If 15...e6 then after 16.h5 Nc4 17.Qc1 exd5 18.hxg6 fxg6 19.Rxh7 Qf6 Black continues to enjoy an extra pawn (Belov-Knott, Op, Hastings, 2004).

16.Nf3 Kh7 17.e5!?

• If 17.Qc3 b6 18.Ng5+ Kg8 19.h5! then:
• If 19...hxg5 20.hxg6 fxg6 21.Rh8+ Kf7 then:
• 22.Rh7+ Ke8 23.Qg7 gives White a fierce attack for the material (Vaisser-Vachier Lagrave, French Ch, Chartres, 2005).
• 22.Qf3+? Kg7 23.Qc3+ e5 24.Qxe5+ leaves Black up a piece.
• 19...Qc8 20.Nh7? Qa6+ 21.Ke1 Kxh7 22.hxg6+ fxg6 23.Qe3 h5 is an easy wins for Black (Williams-Knott, 4NCL 0708, Sunningdale, 2007).

17...Nc4!?

• Black is a pawn to the good.
• 17...Rc8 18.Rhc1 c4 19.h5 g5 20.Kf1 Rc5 Black continues to enjoy an extra pawn and a more aggressive position.

18.Qd3 Nb6

• 18...Na5? 19.h5! Kg7 20.e6 c4 21.Qd4+ f6 22.hxg6 should win for White.

BLACK: Gata Kamsky
""""""""#
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WHITE: Yuri Shulman
Position after 18...Nc4b6

19.h5!

• White sacrifices a second pawn.
• Kamsky had taken advantage of the incremeantal time control and his thorough preparation to actually have more time on the clock than with what he started, but now for the first time in the game he had to sit and think. Not only is Shulman's text move unexpected, it turns the game sharper than a diamond.
• 19.Rbd1!? Kg7 20.h5 g5! 21.d6 exd6 22.exd6 Qf6 Black continues to enjoy an extra pawn.

19...Qxd5

• + 19...Kg7 20.hxg6 Qxd5 21.Qxd5 Nxd5 22.Rxb7 fxg6 Black still has an extra pawn, but White's Rook should assure him some counterplay.

20.hxg6+ fxg6 21.Ng5+

• If 21.Qxd5 Nxd5 22.Rxb7 Kg7 23.Rc1 Rfb8 then:
• 24.Rd7 Rd8 25.Rxd8 Nf4+ 26.Ke3 Nxg2+ 27.Ke4 Rxd8 Black continues to enjoy the extra pawn.
• 24.Rxb8 Rxb8 25.Rxc5 Nf4+ 26.Kd2 Nxg2 27.Nd4 Rd8 Black has an extra pawn and more active pieces.

21...Kg7

• Any other move leaves to mate.

22.Qxd5 Nxd5 23.Ne6+ Kf7 24.Nxf8

• If 24.Nxc5? then 24...Nc3+ 25.Kd3 Nxb1 26.Rxb1 Rfd8+ 27.Ke3 b6 should win for Black.

24...Nc3+!

• Taking the Knight is a fatal mistake.
• 24...Kxf8? 25.Rxb7! h5 26.Rc1! Nf4+ 27.Ke3 Ne6 28.Rd1 gives White excellent winning chances.

BLACK: Gata Kamsky
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WHITE: Yuri Shulman
Position after 24...Ne4c3

25.Ke3!

• The King must not expose himself on the open file.
• 25.Kd3? Nxb1 26.Rxb1 b6 27.Nxg6 Rd8+! 28.Ke3 Kxg6 leaves Black with an extra pawn that is alrteady a passer.

25...Nxb1 26.Rxb1 Rxf8

• Now the game winds down after the volley of fire.
• 26...b6 27.Nd7 Ke6 28.Rd1 Rc8 29.Ke2 c4 30.Rd4 is equal.

27.Rxb7 Ke6 28.Rxa7 g5 29.Rc7 Ra8 30.Rxc5 Rxa2 ½-½

• The players agree that the game is clearly drawn. Kamsky was well prepared for this game, using almost no time at all. Shulman's technical skill was equal to the task at hand.

[Jack Rabbit]

11. Nakamura - Shulman, Quad Group, Round 2

Yuri Shulman
Photo: New York Masters


Hikaru Nakamura - Yuri Shulman
US Championship, Quad Group, Round 2
St Louis, 23 May 2010

Closed French Game: Nimzo-Winawer Defense

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Qa5 7.Bd2 Qa4 8.Nf3

• For moves and variations up to here, see Pähtz-Cioara, Bundesliga 0910, Eppingen, 2009.
• If 8.Qb1 c4 then:
• If 9.Ne2 then:
• If 9...f6 10.exf6 Nxf6 then:
• If 11.Ng3 Nc6 12.Be2 0-0 13.0-0 Bd7 then:
• 14.Qxb7 Qxc2 15.Bg5 Na5 16.Qc7 Qa4 17.Rae1 Nb3 18.Bf3 Rac8 19.Qd6 Rc6 20.Qb4 Ra6 21.Bxf6 Rxf6 22.Nh5 Rf7 23.Qb8+ Rf8 24.Qe5 Rf7 draw (D. King-S. Williams, GMT, Birmingham, 2000).
• 14.Re1 b6 15.Bg5 Rae8 16.Qd1 h6 17.Bxf6 Rxf6 18.Bg4 g6 19.Qd2 Kg7 20.h4 Qa5 21.h5 g5 is equal (P. Smirnov-Rustemov, Russian Ch, Krasnodar, 2002).
• If 11.g3 Nc6 12.Bg2 0-0 13.0-0 b6 then:
• 14.Bf4 Bd7 15.Qb2 Rae8 16.Rae1 e5 17.dxe5 Nxe5 18.Nd4 Nf7 is equal (Pérez-Jacimovic, Euro Club Cup, Antalya, 2007).
• 14.Qb2 Bd7 15.Rae1 Rae8 16.Bg5 Ne4 17.Bf4 e5 18.dxe5 Nxe5 19.f3 Nf6 20.Nd4 Nf7 is equal (Luther-Jacimovic, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• If 9...Nc6 then:
• 10.Ng3 Bd7 11.Nh5 g6 12.Nf6+ Nxf6 13.exf6 0-0-0 14.Be2 e5 gives Black the advantage in space (Nijboer-Visser, Dutch Ch, Hilversum, 2008).
• 10.Nf4 Bd7 11.g3 0-0-0 12.Bh3 f5 13.0-0 Nge7 14.Bg2 Rdg8 15.Qb2 Nd8 16.Rfb1 gives White the advantage in space (Feygin-Lputian, Euro Club Cup, Antalya, 2007).
• If 9.Nh3 Nc6 10.Nf4 transposes into Feygin-Lputian, above.
• If 9.h4 Nc6 10.h5 then:
• 10...Bd7 11.Nf3 h6 12.Be2 0-0-0 13.Nh4 Nge7 14.Be3 Kb8 15.f4 Nc8 16.0-0 gives White the advantage in space (Najer-Al-Modiaki, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2006).
• 10...h6 11.g3 Bd7 12.Bh3 Nge7 13.Ne2 0-0-0 14.Nf4 Kb8 15.0-0 Nc8 16.Kh2 Nb6 17.Ng2 Qa5 18.Qd1 Na4 is equal (Shabalov-Ibragimov, US Ch, Stillwater, 2007).
• If 8.Qg4 then:
• If 8...g6 9.Qd1 b6 then:
• 10.h4 h5 11.Nf3 Ba6 12.Bxa6 Qxa6 13.Bg5 Nd7 14.Qd3 Qxd3 15.cxd3 Ne7 16.dxc5 Nxc5 17.Bf6 gives White the advantage in space and thw initiative (Meszaros-Jacimovic, Euro Club Cup, Fügen, 2006).
• 10.Nf3 Ba6 11.Bxa6 Nxa6 12.h4 h5 13.0-0 0-0-0 14.Bg5 Rd7 15.Rb1 Ne7 draw (N. Kosintseva-Hoang, Euro ChW, Dresden, 2007).
• 8...Kf8 9.Qd1 b6 10.h4 Ba6 11.Bxa6 Nxa6 12.h5 h6 13.Rh4 Rc8 14.Rf4 cxd4 15.cxd4 Ne7 16.Qf3 Ke8 17.c3 Rf8 18.Nh3 Nb8 19.Qg4 Rg8 20.Qf3 Rf8 21.Qg3 Rg8 22.Qf3 draw (Cheparinov-Nikolic, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2005).

8...Nc6

• 8...b6 9.c4 Ba6 10.cxd5 Bxf1 11.Kxf1 exd5 12.dxc5 bxc5 reamins equal (Eames-Ward, British Ch, Torwuay, 2002).

9.h4

• 9.dxc5 Qe4+ 10.Be3 Nxe5 11.Nxe5 Qxe5 12.Bb5+ Kf8 13.0-0 Nf6 14.c4 a6 15.Ba4 gives White more space and terrible pawn structure (Domínguez-Rojas, Pan-American Ch, Buenos Aires, 2005).

&&
• 9.Qb1 c4 10.g3 Nge7 11.Bg2 Bd7 12.0-0 0-0-0 13.Re1 h6 14.Qc1 g5 15.h4 g4 16.Nh2 h5 17.Bg5 gives White more freedom (Vasiukov-Matskevich, Soviet Ch ½-final, Kharkov, 1956).

9...cxd4!?

• 9...Nge7 10.h5 h6 11.Rh4 c4 12.Rf4 Bd7 13.Nh4 Nf5 14.Nxf5 exf5 is equal (Khalifman-Shulman, World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk, 2005).

10.cxd4!?

• In addition to Black having an extra pawn, the text gives White a weak pawn at d4 already under attack.
• 10.h5 Nge7 11.h6 gxh6 12.Bd3 Nf5 13.Bxf5 exf5 14.Rxh6 leaves Black a pawn up, but he has many weak pawns.

10...Nge7 11.h5 Nxd4 12.Bd3 h6

• If 12...Nec6 13.Bc3 Nxf3+ 14.Qxf3 h6 15.Qg3 Rg8 16.Rh4 d4 gives Black the advantage in space to go with the extra pawn.

13.Kf1 Nxf3 14.Qxf3 b6!?

• Black may be looking for a way to free the Queen's Bishop, but this weakens the queenside.
• 14...0-0 15.Kg1 Qc6 16.Bb4 Re8 17.Rd1 a5 gives White more space and Black an extra pawn.

BLACK: Yuri Shulman
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WHITE: Hikaru Nakamura
Position after 14...b7b6

15.Qg3!

• The game is equal.

15...Ba6 16.Qxg7 Bxd3+ 17.cxd3 Rg8 18.Qxh6

• If 18.Qh7 Rc8 19.Bxh6 Rc2 then:
• 20.Re1 Qg4 21.Rh2 Rxf2+ 22.Kxf2 Qg3+ 23.Ke2 Qxh2 wins for Black
• If 20.Be3 then 20...Qg4 21.Rh2 f5 22.exf6 Nf5 23.f7+

18...Qd4 19.Re1

• If 19.Rc1 Qxd3+ then:
• 20.Kg1 Nf5 21.Qf4 Qxa3 22.h6 Rh8 remains equal.
• If 20.Ke1? then 20...Nf5! 21.Qh7 Qe4+ 22.Be3 Rf8 wins for Black.

19...Qxd3+ 20.Kg1 Rc8!? 21.Bg5?!

• The position of White's Queen now becomes perilous.
• 21.Qe3 Qh7 22.Rc1 Rxc1+ 23.Bxc1 Qc2 24.Qd2 remains equal.

21...Qf5!

• Black throws mud on the White Queen's escape route.

22.f4?

• This move compounds the problem White took on with his previous move. Before, the White would have to retreat the Bishop in order for the Queen to make an emergency exit. Now, the Queen has no way to get out if it is suddently attacked.
• 22.Bxe7 Kxe7 23.Qe3 Rg4 24.f3 Rg3 remains equal.

22...Rc2!

• White doesn't seem to realize it, but a noose has just been wrapped around the neck of his King.

23.Rh2 Qd3!

• Black tightens the noose. The Queen can either take the a-pawn, giving Black connected passers, or move the Queen to d2, threanitng mate.

24.Qf6

• White is completely lost.
• If 24.f5 Nxf5 25.Qf6 Qd4+ 26.Be3 Nxe3 then:
• 27.Kh1 Ng4 28.Qf1 Nf2+ 29.Kg1 Ne4+ 30.Kh1 Ng3#.
• If 27.Qf3 Ng4+ 28.Kh1 Qxe5 leads to mate.

BLACK: Yuri Shulman
""""""""#
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WHITE: Hikaru Nakamura
Position after 24.Qh6f6

24...Rxg5!!

• White takes the fastest and most pleasing route to victory.
• Also good is 24...Nc6 25.h6 Qg3 when:
• If 26.Rd1 then after 26...Re2 27.Rf1 Qe3+ 28.Kh1 Qf2 Black soon delivers mate.
• 26.Rf1 Qe3+ 27.Kh1 Rc1 is similar to the winning combination in the text.

25.Qxg5

• If 25.fxg5 Nf5 then:
• If 26.Qxf5 then after Qxf5 27.Kh1 Qxg5 28.Rg1 Rc4 29.Rh3 Rh4 White is kaput.
• If 26.Rh3 then Black give mate soon after 26...Qd2!.

25...Qd4+ 26.Kh1 Qe3!! 0-1

• If 27.Rxe3 then after 27...Rc1+ Black mates on the next move.
• Mr. Nakamura resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

12. Shabalov - Stripunsky, Challenge Group, Round 9

Alex Shabalov won the Challenge Group (those who did not qualify for the Quad) with this last round victory. It earned him $10,000. Gata Kamsky, who won the Armageddon game over Yuri Shulman to finish the Quad, took home the title of 2010 US national champion and $30,000.



Alex Shabalov
Photo: ChessBase.com


Alex Shabalov - Alex Stripunsky
US Championship, Challenger Group, Round 9
St Louis, 23 May 2010

Open Sicilian Game: Kan Defense (Polugaevsky Variation)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Bd3 Bc5 6.Nb3 Be7 7.Be3

• For movves and variations up to here, see Munguntuul-Koneru, Grand Prix W Rd 2, Nalchik, 2010.
• 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).
• If 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).

7...d6 8.N1d2 Nf6 9.f4 Nc6 10.c3 b6!?

• 10...e5 11.f5 d5 12.Qf3 g6 13.0-0-0 gxf5 14.exf5 Rg8 15.Bc2 Qc7 draw (Kritz-Horvath, TMatch, Budapest, 2004).

11.Qf3

• White has an advantage in space.

11...Qc7 12.0-0 Bb7 13.a4 0-0

• 13...d5 14.e5 Nd7 15.Qg4 g5 16.Nf3 h5 17.Qg3 is equal.

14.Nd4!?

• White releases some of the tension in the center.
• After 14.Nc4 Nd7 15.a5 b5 16.Nb6 Rae8 17.Nxd7 Qxd7 White continues to enjoy an small advantage in space.

14...Nd7!

• Black has equalized.
• 14...Nxd4 15.Bxd4 Rfc8 16.a5 bxa5 17.Qh3 e5 18.Be3 is also equal.

15.Qh3 Rae8 16.Rf3

• 16.Nxc6 Qxc6 17.a5 Nc5 18.Bc2 b5 19.Bd4 White still has the advantage in space.

16...Nc5 17.Bc2

• 17.Bb1!? e5! 18.Nxc6 Bxc6 19.a5 bxa5 20.Qf5 Rb8 gives Black an extra pawn as he threatens to take another.

17...e5!?

• This move attacks the Knight at d4, it allows the same Knight to occupy f5.
• Better is 17...Nd7 18.Rc1 Rc8 19.Rf2 Rfd8 20.b3 Na5 21.c4 with equality.

BLACK: Alex Stripunsky
""""""""#
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WHITE: Alex Shabalov
Position after 17...e6e5

18.Nf5!

• The text move gives Black big problems on the kingside.
• 18.Nxc6 Bxc6 19.Qf5 g6 20.Qh3 exf4 21.Bxf4 remains equal.

18...Bc8

• 18...Ne6 19.Nxe7+ Qxe7 20.f5 Ng5 21.Bxg5 Qxg5 22.Nc4 hits at the pidgeon tail (the d-pawn) while it's undefended.

19.Qh5 Bxf5

• If 19...Bf6 20.Rh3 h6 21.Rf1 exf4 22.Bxf4 then:
• 22...Ne5 23.Bxh6 g6 24.Rg3 Kh7 25.Qh3 Kg8 26.Bxf8 leaves the Black King in a mating net.
• 22...Be5 23.Bxh6 Bxf5 24.exf5 f6 25.Be3 d5 26.Bd1 wins easily for White.

20.exf5 e4?

• The text simply drives the Rook to a better square.
• 20...Nd7 21.fxe5 Ncxe5 22.Rh3 Nf6 23.Qe2 remains equal.

21.Rh3! h6 22.Bxc5 bxc5 23.Nxe4 Qd8

• If 23...c4 then after 24.Re1 Qb6+ 25.Kf1 Qxb2 26.f6!! Qxc2 27.Qg4 it's time for Black to say "Good night."

BLACK: Nezhmetdinov
""""""""#
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WHITE: Znosko-Borovsky
Position after 23...Qc7d8

24.f6!!

• White finds the fastest and easiest way to a win.
• Also good is 7 24.Rd1 c4 25.f6 when:
• If 25...Bxf6 then after 26.Qf5 Qb6+ 27.Kh1 Rxe4 28.Bxe4 White wins easily.
• If 25...g6 then 26.Qxh6 begins a quick mate.

24...Bxf6 25.Qf5 1-0

• 25...g6 26.Nxf6+ Qxf6 27.Qxf6 Re6 28.Qh4 leaves White a whole Queen to the good.
• If 25...Rxe4 then 26.Qxe4 threatens mate and wins the Knight at c6.
• Mr. Stripunsky resigns.

[ZombieHorde]

13. Oooh, chess.

I wish this was posted in the http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=248">Gaming Group. I often visit the Gaming Group, but this is my first time in the Sports Group, I only came here because I saw you had a chess link in your sig.

[madinmaryland]

14. Kicked for lack of Chess reports in the Sports Forum.

[Jack Rabbit]

15. I'm busy pursuing my summer goals . . .

Reading, writing and making love.

So far, two out of three. Not bad.