The JR Chess Report (March 13): Reykjavik Underway

[Jack Rabbit]

Music for reading the JR Chess Report.

Reyjavik Open Begins

The annual Reykjavik Open began last Wednesday and as of today (Sunday), after six rounds, young Ukrainian GM Yuriy Kuzubov is alone on top with 5½ points.

Kuzubov is followed in the standings by four grandmaster on 5 points each: Luke McShane, the top seed, and Simon Williams, both of Britain; American Robert Hess; and Stelios Halkios of Greece.

The action can be followed on the official website of the Icelandic Chess Federation beginning at 2:30 pm local time (9:30 am PDT).



Ivanisevic, Damljanovic Share Serbian National Championship

The Serbian National Championship ended today after 13 rounds in Kragujevac with 33-year-old Ivan Ivansevic and 50-year-old veteran Branko Damljanovic sharing first place with 10½ points each.

Both men have won the title twice before.

Milos Perunovic finished in third place with 9 points.



THIS WEEK

Melody Amber Rapid/Blindfold Tournament, Monte Carlo Sadly, this is the last edition of the unique and just-for-fun event.


COMING ATTRACTIONS

European Championships, general group, Aix-les-Bains, France 21 March-3 April. The women's event will be played later this year
Dubai Open 9-19 April.
Asian Championships, Mashad, Iran 1-11 May.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. This week's games

Your humble hare acknowledges the assistance of Rybka 4 and Fritz 6.0 on analysis.

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

Diagrams and other images are hosted on imgur.com.

BLACK



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


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

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Reykjavik Open

Reykjavik
Photo by Arndís Þórarinsdóttir (Haukurth) in Wikipediia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

[Jack Rabbit]

4. I. Sokolov - Hess, Round 4

Robert Hess, 19, was a star linebacker at Stuyvesant High School in New York. In September he begins studying at Yale University. In the following game, he makes excellent use of his Bishop.

He's the best, our man Robert Hess
A geek, a nerd, an athelete, a jock
In any field, he stands like a rock
He's the best, our man Robert Hess
He plays football, he plays chess.



Robert Hess (foreground, playing White)
Photo taken with a cell phone by Willkie1940 for Wikipedia (Public Domain)


Ivan Sokolov - Robert Hess
MP International Open, Round 4
Reykjavik, 12 March 2011

East India Game: Nimzo-Indian Defense (Rubinstein Opening/Hübner Variation)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5 5.Bd3 0-0

• For notes on the Rubinstein Opening, see Grischuk-Glefand, IT, Linares, 2010. For notes pretaining to the Hübner Variation, see the blue notes following White's fourth move.

6.Nge2

• 6.Nf3 d5 7.0-0 dxc4 8.Bxc4 Nbd7 9.Qe2 a6 10.a4 cxd4 11.exd4 Nb6 12.Bd3 Nbd5 13.Nxd5 Nxd5 14.Qe4 gives White a slight advantage in space (Grischuk-Gelfand, IT, Linares, 2010).

6...cxd4 7.exd4 d5 8.cxd5

• If 8.0-0 dxc4 9.Bxc4 Nc6 10.a3 then:
• If 10...Bd6 then:
• If 11.Qd3 b6 12.Rd1 then:
• 12...Bb7 13.Qh3 Na5 14.Ba2 Rc8 15.Bg5 Be7 16.Nf4 gives White a comfortable advantage in space (K. Georgiev-Short, ITZ, Lvov, 1984).
• 12...h6 13.Ne4 Bb7 14.Nxd6 Qxd6 15.Bf4 Qd7 16.Qh3 Nd5 17.Bxh6 gxh6 18.Qxh6 Nce7 is equal (Korchnoi-Ivanchuk, Rpd, Yalta, 1995).
• If 11.h3 b6 12.Bg5 Be7 13.Qd3 then:
• 13...h6 14.Bh4 Bb7 15.Rad1 Nd5 16.Bg3 Bf6 is equal (Korchnoi-Salov, IT, Madrid, 1996).
• 13...Bb7 14.Bb3 Ne5 15.Qc2 Ng6 16.Rad1 Rc8 gives Black a small advantage in space (I. Sokolov-Timman, Dutch Ch, Amsterdam, 1996).
• If 10...Be7 11.Qd3 then:
• If 11...a6 12.Bg5 b5 13.Ba2 then:
• 13...b4 14.Bb1 g6 15.axb4 Nxb4 16.Qf3 Bd7 17.Rd1 Bc6 18.Qh3 Re8 is equal (Sulypa-Haba, Op, Swidnica, 2000).
• 13...Bb7 14.Rad1 Re8 15.Qh3 b4 16.Na4 Qa5 gives Black more activity and fewer pawn weaknesses; too many of White's pieces are floundering on the flanks (Grigoriants-Timoshchenko, IT, Kiev, 2001).
• If 11...b6 12.Bg5 Bb7 13.Rad1 then:
• 13...Rc8 14.Ba2 Nd5 15.Bb1 g6 16.Bh6 Re8 gives White a little more space and Black strongerr pawns (Logunov-V. Filippov, RRussian Ch, Krasnoyarsk, 2003).
• 13...Nd5 14.Bc1 Nxc3 15.bxc3 Qc8 16.Rfe1 Na5 17.Ba2 Ba6 gives Black a clear initiative (Bagirov-Zaitshek, Yaroslav, 1982).

8...Nxd5 9.Bc2

• If 9.0-0 Nc6 10.Bc2 then:
• If 10...Re8 11.Qd3 g6 12.Rd1 Bf8 13.Qf3 Bg7 then:
• 14.Be4 Nxc3 15.bxc3 Bd7 16.Rb1 Qc7 17.Bg5 gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Fedorowicz-Whitehead, US Ch, Estes Park, 1987).
• 14.Ne4 h6 15.Bd2 Nce7 16.N2g3 b6 17.Bb3 Bb7 18.Re1 gives White more space, but it also gives him an isolated d-pawn (Shirov-Ulibin, Soviet Union, 1988).
• If 10...Bd6 11.Ne4 Be7 12.a3 then:
• If 12...Qc7 13.Qd3 Rd8 14.Ng5 g6 15.Bb3 then:
• If 15...Bf8 16.Qh3 Nf6 then:
• 17.Nf3 Qb6 18.Ba2 Bg7 19.Qh4 Nd5 20.Nc3 Nce7 is equal (Milov-Karpov, IT, Biel, 1997).
• 17.Rd1 Bg7 18.Qh4 Qb6 19.Ba2 Ne7 20.Nxh7 Nxh7 21.Qxe7 gives White a small advantage in space (Milov-Weeks, Op, Suncoast, 1999).
• 15...Nf6 16.Rd1 Bf8 17.Bf4 Qe7 18.Qe3 Nd5 is equal (Kamsky-Karpov, FIDE World Ch, Elista, 1996).
• If 12...b6 13.Qd3 g6 14.Bh6 Re8 then:
• If 15.Rad1 Bb7 then:
• 16.Rfe1 Rc8 17.N2c3 a6 18.Qg3 Bh4 19.Qh3 Be7 20.Rd3 f5 is equal (Shirov-Lautier, World Youth, Timisoara, 1988).
• 16.Bb3 a6 17.Rfe1 Rc8 18.Ba2 Ncb4 19.axb4 Nxb4 20.Qg3 Bxe4 is equal (Milov-Arnold, World Op, Philadelphia, 2008).
• 15.Rac1 Bb7 16.Ba4 Rc8 17.Rfd1 a6 18.Bxc6 Rxc6 19.Rxc6 Bxc6 20.Qxa6 gives White an extra pawn (Gelfand-Anand, FIDE Knock Out, Shenyang, 2000).

9...Nc6

• Black can develop his Bishop on the flank, but first he musgt be certain that his Rook can safely leave a8 if threatened.
• 9...b6 10.Qd3 Nf6 11.a3 Ba6 12.Qf3 Bxc3+ 13.Nxc3 Nbd7 14.Bg5 gives White a slight advantage in space (Milov-Macieja, Euro ChT, Batumi, 1999).

10.Qd3 g6

• If 10...Be7 11.0-0 Nf6 12.a3 b6 13.Bg5 g6 then:
• If 14.Rad1 Bb7 15.Rfe1 Re8 then:
• 16.h4 Nh5 17.Qe3 Na5 18.Be4 Nc4 is equal (Bagirov-Aseev, Soviet Ch semif, Sebastopol, 1986).
• 16.Nf4 Nd5 17.Bxe7 Ncxe7 18.Nfxd5 Nxd5 19.Qg3 Rc8 is equal (Wright-Tindall, Op, Canberra, 1997).
• 14.b4 a6 15.Rfd1 Bb7 16.Bb3 Re8 17.Rac1 gives White a slight advantage in space.

11.0-0 Be7 12.Bb3

• 12.a3 Nxc3 13.bxc3 e5 14.Bh6 Re8 15.Bb3 Bg5 16.Bxg5 Qxg5 17.f4 exf4 18.Nxf4 gives White more activity, but mainly as a result of his lead in development (Bernal Moro-Mancini, Op, Montpellier, 1997).

12...Nxc3 13.bxc3 Na5 14.Bh6 Re8 15.Ng3

• 15.Rfd1 Bd7 16.Ng3 Bc6 17.c4 Bg5 18.Bxg5 Qxg5 19.Ne4 gives White a slight advantage in space (F. Portisch-Nagy, Op, Ajka, 1998).
• 15.Rac1 Bd7 16.Ng3 Nxb3 17.axb3 Bc6 18.c4 is equal (Tisdall-Ashley, IT, San Francisco, 1995).

15...Bd7 16.Rad1 b5

• The game is equal.

17.d5 Nxb3 18.axb3!?

• If 18.d6 Nc5 19.Qd4 Bf6 20.Qxc5 Qb6 remains equal.

18...exd5!

• Black has a small advantage.

19.Qxd5?!

• This dog looks impressive, but it won't hunt.
• 19.Rfe1 Qb6 20.Qxd5 Bc6 21.Qd2 Bf6 22.Be3 Qb7 continues to give Black a small advantage owing to the pressure he puts on White's pawn at g2.

BLACK: Robert Hess



WHITE: Ivan Sokolov
Position after 19.Qd3d5:p

19...Bg4!

• This powerful move leaves White no choice but to exchange Queens, taking the wind out of his counterplay.

20.f3?!

• This is another flashy move that looks better than it is.
• If 20.Qxd8 then:
• If 20...Bxd8 21.Rde1 Be6 22.Re5 then:
• 22...Bf6!! 23.Rxb5 Bxc3 24.Ne4 a6 25.Rb6 Bd4 gives Black the initiative and greater activity from his pieces, especially the Bishops.
• If 22...a6 23.b4 f6 24.Re3 Kf7 then:
• If 25.Ne4 Bc7 26.Rf3 Bf5 then:
• 27.Nxf6 Kxf6 28.g4 Re4 29.gxf5 gxf5 30.Rh3 Rg8+ gives Black command of an open file and more active Rooks.
• If 27.Nc5 Bg4 28.Rd3 g5 29.h3 then:
• 29...Bf5 30.Rd5 Kg6 31.f4 g4 32.Bg5 gxh3 wins a pawn because White's Bishop must flee.
• 29...Be2!? 30.Rd7+! Kg6 31.Re1 Bb6 32.Bf8 gives Black serious drawing chances.
• 25.Rfe1 Bb6 26.R3e2 f5 27.Be3 Bc7 28.Bd4 Bc4! forces at least one set of opposing Rooks to come off, leaving Black with an active Bishop pair.
• 20...Rexd8!? 21.Rxd8+ Rxd8 22.b4! Be6 23.Ra1 gives Black nothing more than a small advantage.
• 20.Rd4 Qxd5 21.Rxd5 a6 22.b4 Be6 23.Re5 Bf6 gives Black the kind of Bishop pair that would make Tarrasch proud.

20...Qxd5?!

• Black misses an opportunity to all but put the game away.
• 20...Qb6+ 21.Kh1 Be6 22.Qd2 Bxb3 wins a pawn for Black.

21.Rxd5 Be6 22.Rxb5 a6 23.Ra5

• In order to reverse the trend of the game, White must stop the a-pawn.
• If 23.Rb7 Bd5 then:
• 24.Rc7 Bd6 25.Rd7 Bc5+ 26.Kh1 Bxb3 Black is still better, but the actvity of White's Rook is ample justification for fighting on.
• If 24.Rxe7?! Rxe7 25.c4 then:
• 25...Bc6! 26.Bg5 Rd7 27.Ne2 a5 28.Kf2 Rb8 gives Black more activity and the exchange.
• Less good is 25...Bb7!? but after 26.Bg5 Rd7 27.Kf2 Rd3 28.Rb1 Kg7 Black still has the exchange and a comfortable advantage with the active Rook.
• If 23.Re5?! then after 23...f6! (freeing the King from the back rank) 24.Ra5 then after 24...Bxb3 25.Rb1 Bc4 26.Be3 f5 Black's game is still greatly superior owing to his active Rooks and Bishops.

23...Bxb3 24.Ne4?!

• The Knight can become vulnerable in this spot.
• Better is to cover the c-pawn with 24.Rc1 Bd8 25.Ra3 Bb6+ 26.Kh1 Bd5 when:
• 27.c4 Bxc4 28.Ne4 Red8 gives Black a significant advantage thanks to his active Bishops.
• If 27.Ra4?! fails to improve White's lot after 27...a5 28.Rb1 Re6 29.Ne4 Bc6 when:
• 30.Ra2 Bxe4 31.fxe4 Bd8 32.Be3 Rxe4 gives Black an extra pawn.
• If 30.Nf6+?! then after 30...Rxf6 31.Rxb6 Bxa4 32.Rxf6 Bb3 Black's a-pawn gos on the march and it will be very difficult to stop.

24...Bd8 25.Ra3 Bd5 26.Nd2

BLACK: Robert Hess



WHITE: Ivan Sokolov
Position after 26.Ne4d2

26...a5!?

• Black should marshall his forces with a design to push the a-pawn.
• If 26...Bb6+ 27.Kh1 a5 28.Rb1 a4 then:
• 29.Ne4 Re6 30.c4 Bxe4 31.fxe4 Bd8 32.Be3 Rxe4 gives Black an extra pawn.
• If 29.Raa1?! Bf2! 30.Rd1 Bc5 then:
• 31.Nf1 Bc6 32.Bf4 Re6 33.h3 a3 34.c4 Rae8 leaves Blackl very close to winning.
• 31.h3 Bc6 32.Nc4 a3 33.Bf4 Ra4 the end is near.

27.c4 Bb6+ 28.Kh1 Bc6 29.Rd3?!

• White entertains hopes of causing problems with 30.Rd6.
• If 29.Nb1 Bc5 30.Ra2 Reb8 31.Bf4 Rb3 32.Nd2 Rc3 gives Black a much better game, but the c-pawn will not be taken easily and that still gives White hopes of counterplay.

29...Red8!?

• Black should not be so anxious to exchange Rooks. Between the Rook and the two Bishops, the a-pawn has more than enough help on its way to promotion to be at all concerned about either of White's Rooks.
• Better is to just push the pawn, 29...a4! 30.Rd6 Rec8 then:
• 31.Bg5 Bc5 32.Rd3 a3 leaves White barely in the game.
• 31.Ne4 Bd8 32.Nf6+ Bxf6 33.Rxf6 a3 leaves White in the game becuase of the threat of mate should either of Black's Rooks leave the back rank.

30.Rxd8+ Rxd8!

• The Knight won't be taken, but it makes a good target,
• Less effective is 30...Bxd8 31.Be3 Bf6 when:
• 32.Bc5 a4 33.Nb1 Rc8 34.Ba3 Bb7 35.c5 Rd8 gives Black the active game.
• If 32.Nb1 then Black's Bishop pair continue to dominate after 32...a4 33.Na3 Rb8 34.Bc5 Bd7 35.Rf2 Be6.

31.Bg5?

• Since the early stages of the game, the Bishop has caged the Black King in a way that left the specter of a backrank mate lurking about the board. Now, for no apparent reason, White removes the pressure.
• If 31.c5 Bxc5 32.Rc1 Bb4 33.Rxc6 Bxd2 34.Bxd2 Rxd2 gives Black an extra pawn. Although it is a remote passer, White will be able to get his Rook behind the pawn and that is enough to keep fighting.

BLACK: Robert Hess



WHITE: Ivan Sokolov
Position after 31.Bh6g5

31...f6!

• Now the White King cannot be caught in a backrank mate.

32.Bh6 g5 33.Ne4

• If 33.Nb1 Rd4 34.Nc3 Rh4 then:
• 35.Nd5 Bxd5 36.cxd5 Rxh6 leaves Black a whole piece to the good.
• If 35.Re1 Kf7 36.Bxg5 fxg5 then:
• If 37.Ne4 Bxe4 38.fxe4 Bc7 then:
• 39.e5 Rxc4 40.e6+ Ke7 41.g3 a4 leaves Black with an extra piece and a passed pawn that cannot be stopped except at a very high price.
• 39.h3 g4 40.Re3 gxh3 41.gxh3 Ke6 42.Kg2 Ke5 43.c5 Rxe4 gives Black an easy win after the exchange of Rooks.
• 37.Nd5 Bc5 38.h3 Rxc4 39.Ne3 Rc3 40.Ng4 Bd5 the Bishops will guide the pawn home our take whatever stands in the way.

33...Bxe4 34.fxe4 Bd4 35.h4 a4 0-1

• The pawn just keeps on going and going.
• Mh. Sokolov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Tiller - McShane, Round 2

Luke McShane
Photo by Stefan64 from Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)


Bjorn Tiller - Luke McShane
MP International Open, Round 2
Reykjavik, 10 March 2011

Bird Game: Polar Bear Opening

1.f4

• This debut owes its existence to Henry Edward Bird, a 19th century British master with a taste for eccentric openings.

1...d5

• This is the usual reply. Others are 1...c5 (the English Bird), 1...e5 (the Staunton Gambit) and 1...f5 (the Dutch Bird). 1...Nf6 usually transposes into the text.

2.Nf3 g6

• If 2...Nf6 3.e3 then:
• If 3...g6 4.Be2 Bg7 5.0-0 0-0 then:
• If 6.d3 c5 7.Qe1 Nc6 8.Qh4 then:
• If 8...b6 9.Nbd2 Ba6 10.Rf2 then:
• 10...Ne8 11.c3 e5 12.Qxd8 Rxd8 13.fxe5 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 Bxe5 15.a4 Bb7 16.d4 Bg7 gives White more space and Black more freedom (Larsen-W. Schmidt, Euro ChT prlim, Aarhus, 1971).
• 10...Qc7 11.g4 e5 12.f5 e4 13.Ne1 h6 14.g5 hxg5 15.Qxg5 Ne7 gives Black the advantage in space and more freedom (Riumin-Lisitsin, Soviet Ch, Leningrad, 1934).
• If 8...Qc7 9.Nc3 d4 10.Nd1 dxe3 then:
• If 11.Nxe3 (
• 11.c3 Nd5 12.Ng5 h6 13.Ne4 Qb6 14.Ng3 e6 gives Black a small advantage in space (the pawn at e3 is deadwood).
Nd4 12.Bd1 Nf5 13.Nxf5 then:
• If 13...gxf5 14.Bd2 Nd5 15.c4 then:
• 15...Nb4 16.Bc3 Nc6 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.Qg5+ gives White a huge advantage in space (Pelikan-Menchik, IT, Podebury, 1936).
• 15...Nf6 16.Bc3 Rd8 17.Ne5 a6 18.Bf3 gives White more space and freedom.
• 13...Bxf5 14.h3 Nd5 15.g4 Bd7 16.f5 gxf5 17.Kh1 fxg4 18.hxg4 Bc6 gives Black a slight advantage in space and an extra pawn (Skalicka-L. Steiner, IT, Podebury, 1936).
• If 6.d4 c5 7.c3 b6 then:
• If 8.Qe1 Ba6 9.Bxa6 Nxa6 10.Nbd2 then:
• 10...e6 11.Ne5 Ne4 12.Qe2 Qc8 13.Nxe4 dxe4 14.Bd2 f6 15.Nc4 Rd8 16.a4 Bf8 17.g4 Nc7 18.g5 f5 19.h4 Qa6 draw (Prybl-Haba, Op, Padubice, 2001).
• 10...Qc7 11.Qh4 Qb7 12.Ne5 Nc7 13.Rf3 Nb5 14.g4 Nd6 15.Rh3 e6 16.Nf1 h6 17.Bd2 Nfe4 18.Qe1 b5 gives Black the advantage in space (Davila-Minero Pineda, Sub-ZT, Managua, 2001).
• 8.b4 cxb4 9.cxb4 Bf5 10.Nc3 Nc6 11.a3 a5 12.b5 Na7 13.Bb2 Qd6 14.Ne5 Ne4 is equal (Frometa-J. Polgar, Ol, Thessaloniki, 1988).
• If 3...e6 4.b3 c5 5.Bb2 then:
• If 5...Nc6 6.Bb5 Bd7 7.0-0 Be7 8.d3 then:
• If 8...0-0 9.Bxc6 Bxc6 10.Ne5 Rc8 11.Nd2 then:
• If 11...Nd7 12.Qg4 Nxe5 then:
• 13.Bxe5 Bf6 14.Rf3 Bxe5 15.fxe5 Qc7 16.Qh5 is equal (Nimzovich-Spielmann, IT, New York, 1927).
• 11...Ne8 12.e4 dxe4 13.dxe4 Nf6 14.Qe2 Qc7 15.Rae1 Rfd8 is equal (Nimzovich-Roselli del Turco, IT, Semmering, 1926).
• 13.fxe5 Bg5 14.Rae1 d4 15.Nc4 b5 16.Nd6 Bxe3+ is equal (Belotti-Holmsten, Euro ChT, León, 2001).
• 8...Qc7 9.Qe2 0-0 10.Nbd2 a6 11.Bxc6 Bxc6 12.Ne5 Rfe8 13.Rf3 d4 14.Rh3 Rad8 is equal (Tartakover-Alapin, IT, Karlsbad, 1911).
• If 5...Be7 6.Bb5+ Bd7 then:
• If 7.Be2 0-0 8.0-0 Nc6 9.d4 Rc8 then:
• 10.c3 Qb6 11.Bd3 c4 12.Bc2 cxb3 13.axb3 Ne4 14.Bxe4 dxe4 15.Nfd2 gives White a slight advantage in space (Sargac-Aginian, OlW, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2010).
• 10.a3 Qc7 11.Kh1 a6 12.Ne5 Ne4 13.Bd3 f5 14.c4 Nxe5 15.dxe5 Bc6 gives Black a slight advantage in space and a lead in development (Castro Rojas-Fierro Baquero, ZT, Guayaquil, 2005).
• 7.Bxd7+ Nbxd7 8.0-0 0-0 9.d3 Rc8 10.Qe1 b5 11.a4 a6 12.Nbd2 c4 13.bxc4 bxc4 14.Bd4 cxd3 15.cxd3 Bb4 is equal (Bird-Fenton, IT, London, 1891).

3.g3

• Icelandic GM Henrik Danielsen calls this the Polar Bear. He believes it is a flexible way of meeting the various and sundry defenses used again the Bird.

3...Bg7 4.Bg2 Nh6

• If 4...Nf6 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 c5 then:
• If 7.Nc3 d4 then:
• If 8.Ne4 Nxe4 9.dxe4 Nc6 10.e3 then:
• If 10...dxe3 11.c3 Qxd1 12.Rxd1 e2 13.Re1 then:
• 13...b6 14.Rxe2 Ba6 15.Re1 Rad8 16.Be3 Na5 is equal (Trapl-Lechtynsky, Czech ChT, Czechia, 2002).
• 13...e5 14.Rxe2 Be6 15.Be3 b6 16.Nd2 Rac8 is equal (Knezevic-Dely, IT, Skopje, 1967).
• If 8.Na4 Qc7 9.c4 dxc3 then:
• 10.Nxc3 Nc6 11.Be3 b6 12.Kh1 Bb7 13.Rc1 Rad8 14.Qa4 Qb8 15.a3 Ng4 is equal (P. Wang-B. Watson, Op, Aukloand, 2003).
• 10.bxc3 Bd7 11.Ne5 Be8 12.Rb1 Nc6 13.Nxc5 Nxe5 14.Na6 Qxc3 15.fxe5 Qxe5 16.Rxb7 Nd5 is equal (J. Littlewood-Golombek, British Ch, 1959).
• If 10...e5 11.f5 then:
• If 11...gxf5 12.exf5 Bxf5 13.Nxe5 Ne7 14.exd4 cxd4 then:
• 15.Nd3 Bg6 16.Bg5 gives White the advantage in space (Ricardi-Domínguez, Ol, Bled, 2002).
• 15.Bf4 Rc8 16.Rf2 Be6 17.Bxb7 Rb8 18.Be4 Rxb2 19.a4 gives White a slight advantage in space
• If 11...b6 12.exd4 cxd4 13.Ne1 then:
• 13...Ba6 14.Nd3 Qd6 15.h4 Rac8 16.Bh3 Rc7 is equal (Stulik-Marsalek, Czechoslovakian Ch semif, Jablonec nad Nisou, 1954).
• 13...Bb7 14.Nd3 Rc8 15.Qg4 Na5 16.fxg6 hxg6 is equal.
• If 7.c3 Nc6 then:
• If 8.Na3 b6 9.Qa4 Bb7 10.e4 Qd7 then:
• 11.Qc2 d4 12.Nc4 Rad8 13.Nce5 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 Qe6 15.c4 Ne8 16.Nf3 Qd7 is equal(Danielsen-Kramer, Corres, 2000).
• If 11.Bd2 Rfd8 12.Rae1 then:
• 12...e6 13.Qb5 Ne8 14.e5 Nc7 15.Qb3 b5 16.Qd1 a5 is equal (Larsen-Piasetski, Op, USA, 1972).
• 12...Rab8 13.Bc1 e6 14.Kh1 a5 15.f5 Ne5 gives Black a small advantage in space(Danielsen-Voyna, Corres, 2000).
• If 8.Qe1 d4 9.Na3 Nd5 then:
• If 10.Bd2 e5 11.Nxe5 Nxe5 12.fxe5 Bxe5 13.Nc2 then:
• 13...Be6 14.c4 Ne7 15.b4 cxb4 16.Nxb4 Qd7 is equal (Kamsky-Sjugirov, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2010).
• 13...Bg7?! 14.c4!? Nc7 15.b4 Ne6?! 16.Qf2! gives Black tghe advantage in space and a pin at b7 (Chow-Tsyganov, IT, Shaumberg, 2006).
• 10.e4?! dxc3! 11.exd5 cxb2 12.Bxb2 Bxb2 gives Black an extra pawn (Petkovic-Stajic, Yugoslav ChW Qual, Kragujevac, 2000).

5.0-0

• 5.d3 d4 6.c3 Nc6 7.0-0 Nf5 8.Qe1 h5 9.Ng5 e5 10.Na3 0-0 11.Nc2 a5 12.Bd2 gives White a small advantage in space (van Kemenade-S. Williams, EU Ch, Liverpool, 2006).

5...0-0 6.d3 d4 7.c3

• 7.c4 Nc6 8.Na3 Bg4 9.Ng5 Nf5 10.h3 Bxe2 11.Qxe2 Nxg3 gives Black a small advantage in space (van Kemenade-Krzyzanowski, British Ch, Canterbury, 2010).

7...Nc6

• 7...c5 8.e4 dxe3 9.Bxe3 Qc7 10.Na3 Nd7 11.Re1 e6 12.d4 gives White a small advantage in space (Danielsen-C. Hansen, Politiken Cup, Copenhagen, 2005).

8.e4

• The game is equal.

8...dxe3

BLACK: Luke McShane



WHITE: Bjorn Tiller
Position after 8...de3:p

9.d4

Black should not hesitate to take the e-pawn. As long as it is at e3 it has a cramping effect on White's game, forcing White to develop the Knight through a3.
• Better is 9.Bxe3 Bf5 10.d4 Ng4 11.Qe2 Qd7 12.Nbd2 with equality.

9...Nf5!

• Black knows a good thing when he sees it and fortifies the pawn.

10.g4!?

• To maintain material equality, White accepts weaknesses in his kingside.
• If 10.Na3 Be6 11.Re1 Bd5 12.Nc2 e6 13.Nxe3 Nxe3 14.Bxe3 is equal.

10...Nd6

• Black will not be able to maintain his prize pawn, but its presence at e3 has forced White to weaken his position in ways that can be exploited later.
• If 10...Nfxd4! 11.cxd4 Nxd4 12.Nc3 Bxg4 13.Bxe3 gives Black a slight advantage; Black has three pawns and extra space for two minor pieces.

11.Ne5

• This move protects the g-pawn.
• If 11.h3 f5 12.Qb3+ Kh8 13.g5 then:
• 13...a5! 14.Bxe3 a4 15.Qc2 Nc4 16.Bf2 Qd6 continues to give Black the advantage in space.
• If 13...e2!? 14.Re1! Ne4 then:
• 15.Qc2 Ng3 16.Kh2 Nf1+ 17.Kg1 Ng3 etc. draws
• 15.Nbd2 Qd6 16.Nc4 Qd5 17.Nce5 Qxb3 18.axb3 Bxe5 is equal.

11...Na5!

• The Knight is headed for the outpost at c4.
• If 11...Qe8!? then 12.Na3 f5 13.g5 Nxe5 14.dxe5 Ne4 15.Qb3+ brings White's pieces to life.


• 11...a5!? 12.Na3 f5 13.g5 Ne4 14.Qb3+ Kh8 15.Bxe3 gives White a very significant advantage in space.

12.b4!?

• There is a certain naivite among chess players, even at the level of master and grandmaster, that one can keep a piece from going to an intended square by attacking him where he is. It doesn't work like that.
• 12.Na3! f6 13.Nd3 c6 14.Re1 Qd7 15.h3 b6 16.Bxe3 gives White a slight advantage in space and keeps the Black Knight out of c4.
• 12.b3! f6 13.Nd3 Rb8 14.Bxe3 b6 15.Qe2 then:
• 15...Qd7 16.h3 Bb7 17.Bxb7 Naxb7 18.Nd2 gives White a slight advantage in space.
• 15...Ba6!? 16.Nd2 e6 17.c4! gives White a greater command of the center.

12...Nac4

• As long a the vacancy sign is on, the Knight will stop here.

13.Qe2

• This may be White's best shot at keeping matters from getting out of hand.
• If 13.Nxc4 Nxc4 then 14.Na3 Nd6 15.Nc2 a5 then:
• 16.bxa5 Be6 17.Nxe3 Rxa5 18.a4 Bd7 19.Bd2 Qa8 gives Black the initiative against the a-pawn.
• 16.Nxe3?! Nb5! 17.Bb2 axb4 18.cxb4 Nxd4 leaves Black a pawn to the good.
• 14.Qe2?! Nd6! (preventing the White Queen from occupying b5) 15.Bxe3 a5 (if the White Queen could go to b5, this move might not have been played) 16.bxa5 Be6 17.Nd2 Rxa5 gives Black more active pieces and more spaces.

13...Nb6!

• Black wisely takes the path of least resistance. Any attempt to keep the Knight at c4 crumbles.
• If 13...Be6?! then after 14.d5! Nxe5 15.fxe5 Bxg4 16.Qxg4 Bxe5 17.Qh3 the e-pawn falls. leaving White with a great deal more piece activity.

14.Bxe3 a5 15.b5?!

• White must lose a pawn.
• 15.bxa5 Rxa5 16.Nd2 Be6 17.Nb3 Ra8 18.Nc5 Bd5 is equal.

BLACK: Luke McShane



WHITE: Bjorn Tilleric
Position after 15.b4b5

15...f6!

• If 15...Bxe5?! 16.fxe5 Ndc4 17.Bh6 Re8 18.Qf2 then:
• 18...f6 19.h3 Rb8 20.Nd2 Nxd2 21.Qxd2 Be6 22.Rae1 gives White more activity, more space and a strong initiative.
• If 18...Be6? then White wins the exchange after 19.Bxb7! when:
• If 19...Rb8 20.Bc6 then:
• If 20...a4 21.Nd2 Nxd2 22.Qxd2 a3 23.Rad1 then:
• If 23...Bxg4 24.Qf4 Bf5 25.d5 then:
• 25...e6 26.dxe6 Qe7 27.exf7+ Qxf7 28.Bxe8 wins the exchange and a pawn in the bargain.
• 25...f6 26.Bxe8 Qxe8 27.exf6 exf6 28.Qxc7 not only wins the exchange, but wins.
• If 23...Bd7 then after 24.e6 Bxe6 25.d5 Bd7 26.Rxf7 Black wins a piece.
• 20...Bd7?? 21.Qxf7+! Kh8 22.Bg7#.
• 19...a4 20.h3 Rb8 21.Bc6 Nd7 22.d5 Ndxe5 23.dxe6 wins the Bishop.

16.Nd3

• However he plays, White loses a pawn immediately.
• If 16.Nf3?! Bxg4 17.Nbd2 Re8 then:
• 18.Rac1 Nd5 19.c4 Nxe3 20.Qxe3 e6 gives Black an extra pawn and White more space that may be giving Black some mobility problems.
• 18.a4 Nd5 19.c4 Nxe3 20.Qxe3 e6 leaves Black a pawn up, but White has quite a bit more space.

16...Nxb5

• Black is a pawn to the good, but White has more space.

17.Nc5?!

• If 17.a4 Nd6 18.Nd2 then:
• 18...e6 19.Bf2 f5 20.g5 Bd7 gives Black a small adantage in space.
• 18...Qd7 19.h3 Qe6 20.Nc5 Qf7 gives Black a slight advantage in space.

17...c6! 18.a4 Nd6!?

• If 18...Nc7! 19.f5 Nbd5 then:
• 20.Bd2 e5 21.Na3 gxf5 22.gxf5 exd4 23.cxd4 b6 still give White more space, Black still has an extra pawn and some in initiative.
• 20.c4 Nxe3 21.Qxe3 e6 22.fxg6 hxg6 then:
• 23.Nd2 e5 24.dxe5 fxe5 25.Nf3 e4 26.Rad1 Qe8 forces White to deal immediately the Black's central pawn.
• 23.Nc3 f5 24.Ne2 e5 25.dxe5 fxg4 26.Nd3 Bf5 continues to give White more space against Black's pawn. Black has numerous ways to blockade White's passer.

19.Nd2?!

• White blows a chance excellent progress, after which he game unravels.
• If 19.Na3! f5 20.g5 Nd5 21.Bd2 e6 then:
• 22.Nd3 b5 23.axb5 cxb5 24.Nc5! makes a target of Black's backward pawn at e6. Black's extra pawn and the fact that his a-pawn is a passer don't count for very now.
• 22.Rab1?! b6 then:
• 23.Nd3 Ba6 24.Qxe6+ Kh8 then:
• 25.Ne5 Bxf1 26.Rxf1 Nc7 wins the exchange, to add insult to injury, gains time on the White Queen, which must move out of harm's way.
• the alternative to losing the exchange is ugly: If 25.Qe2 then after 25...Re8 26.Qf3 Ne4 27.Rfd1 Nxd2 28.Rxd2 Re3 Black wins a piece.
• 23.Nb3 Qe7 24.c4 Ba6 25.Rfc1 Nb4 26.Bf3 Ne4 makes Blck Knight at e4 the focal point. Black's extra pawn has more weight as the two sides are about equal in space.

19...Nd5 20.c4?!

• White drops a second pawn.
• Better is 20.Ra3 b6 21.Nd3 Nxe3 22.Qxe3 Bxg4 23.Bxc6 Rc8 when White has for the moemnt stopped the bleedin, but it will be a while before he can recover from his poor 19th move.

20...Nxe3! 21.Qxe3 Bxg4 22.Ne6

• If 22.h3 Bf5 23.d5 e5 then:
• 24.dxc6 exf4 25.Qxf4 bxc6 26.Bxc6 Rc8 27.Bd5+ Kh8 gives Black an extra pawn.
• If 24.dxe6 Re8 25.Rad1 Qc7 26.Nde4 then:
• 26...Bxe4 27.Bxe4 Nxe4 28.Nxe4 gives Black an extra pawn.
• 26...Nxe4 27.Bxe4 Bxe4 28.Rd7 Qc8 29.Qxe4 b6 gives Black an extra pawn.
• If 22.d5 Qb6 23.Ra3 Rf7 then:
• If 24.Rb3 Qc7 25.Qf2 then:
• 25...e5 26.dxe6 Re7 27.Rfb1 Bf5 28.R1b2 Rae8 gives Black an extra pawn.
• 25...Bf5 26.Ne6 Bxe6 27.dxe6 Rff8 28.c5 Nf5 gives Black an extra pawn.
• If 24.Rb1 Qc7 25.Qf2 then:
• 25...e5 26.dxe6 Re7 27.Rab3 Bf5 gives Black an extra pawn.
• 25...Bf5 26.Ne6 Bxe6 27.dxe6 Rff8 28.c5 Nf5 gives Black an extra pawn.

22...Bxe6 23.Qxe6+ Kh8 24.Rab1?

• This doesn't create anything White can't handle and leaves the a-pawn unprotected.
• Better is 24.Rad1 Nf5 25.Nb3 Qd6 26.Nc5 Rfc8 27.Rd3 Rc7 leaves Black up by two pawns, but White still has plenty of fight left kin his position.
• 24.Rfb1 Nf5 25.d5 Nd4 26.Qg4 f5 27.Qd1 Qc7 defends the b-pawn and leaves Black two pawns to the good.

24...f5

• Very cool. There is no threat to to the b-pawn, and Black will overprotect it when it needs it.

25.d5

• If 25.Kh1 Bxd4 26.Qe2 e5 27.c5 Nf7!! then:
• 28.Rxb7 e4 29.Rd1 Qc8 30.Rxf7 Rxf7 leaves Black up by an exchjange plus two pawns.
• 28.fxe5 Qe7 29.e6 Nd8 30.Nc4 Bxc5 31.Rfd1 Nxe6 leaves Black three pawns to the good.
• 25.Nb3 Ne4 26.Bxe4 Rf6 27.Qe5 Rd6 28.Qc5 b6 29.Qa3 fxe4 leaves White two pawns to the good.
• If 25.Nf3 Ne4 26.d5 Qc7 then:
• If 27.Ng5 Bd4+ 28.Kh1 Rf6 29.Bxe4 Rxe6 30.Nxe6 Qd7 then:
• 31.Bg2 Ba7 32.Ng5 Rb8 33.Rfe1 cxd5 34.Bxd5 Bf2 gives Black a powerful initiative
• 31.Nxd4 fxe4 32.Rfe1 cxd5 33.cxd5 Qxd5 gives Black a prohibitve material advantage.
• 27.dxc6 bxc6 28.Ne5 Bxe5 29.Qxe5+ Qxe5 30.fxe5 gives Black two extra pawns and stronger pawns.

BLACK: Luke McShane



WHITE: Bjorn Tiller
Position after 25.d4d5

25...Rc8!?

• Black misses a win and is no longer winning.
• If 25...c5! leads to a win after 26.Rfc1 Qe8 when:
• If 27.Qe2 Qxa4 28.Qxe7 Rad8 then:
• Black wins in all variations: 29.Nf3 Qe8 30.Qxe8 Rfxe8 31.Ng5 a4 32.Ne6 Rd7 leaves White two pawns to the good with an advancing passer.
• 29.Kh1 b5 30.Nf3 bxc4 31.Ng5 Rfe8 32.Qc7 c3 leaves Black with three extra pawns, while White's remaining pawns are weak.
• 29.Bf1 Qa3! 30.Rc2 Rfe8 31.Qh4 Qe3+ 32.Qf2 Bd4 gives Black two extra pawns as material disappears from the board.
• If 27.Nf3 Bf6 then:
• 28.Qe2 Qxa4 29.Ne5 Rfc8 then:
• 30.Kh1 Qe8 31.Rc3 a4 32.Ra3 Rcb8 leaves Black with three extra pawns.
• 30.Bf1 Qe8 31.Rc2 Qg8 32.Kh1 a4 33.Qf3 Rd8 leaves Black three pawns up.
• If 28.Qe3 Qxa4 then:
• 29.Ne5 Nxc4! 30.Rxc4 Qxc4 31.Nxc4 Bd4! then:
• 32.Rxb7 Bxe3+ 33.Nxe3 a4 34.Rxe7 a3 leaves White no satisfactory way to stop the a-pawn.
• 32.Qxd4+ cxd4 33.Nb6 Ra7 34.Nc4 d3 gives Black a material advantage and two moble passed pawns.
• 29.Bf1 Qa2 30.Bd3 b5 31.cxb5 Rfc8 32.b6 Qxd5 gives Black three pawns, more space and two pssers.

26.Kh1?!

• This is a waste of time. White needs to make his queenside defensable.
• White will last longer after 26.dxc6 Bd4+ 27.Kh1 bxc6 28.Rbe1 Bf6 gives him enough pressure in the center to maintain remote chances of slavation.

26...cxd5 27.Bxd5 Rc7 28.Rfe1?

• White should first look to the safety of his queenside pawns, but it may be too late even for that/
• If 28.Rfc1 Qe8! (White cannot save the a-pawn) then:
• If 29.c5 Nf7 30.Rb5 Rd7 31.c6 Rd6 then:
• 32.cxb7 Rxe6 33.Bxe6 Nd6 34.b8Q Qxb8 35.Rxb8 Rxb8 it becomes problematic whether White has enough fight left in his position.
• 32.Qe3? loses to 32...bxc6 33.Bxf7 Qd8! 34.Rb3 Rxd2.
• 29.Nf3? Qxa4! 30.Ne5 Bf6 31.Rg1 Qe8 32.Rb3 a4 leaves Black three pawns up and ready to advance the a-pawn.

BLACK: Luke McShane



WHITE: Bjorn Tiller
Position after 28.Rf1e1

28...Qe8!

• This time Black doesn't let his opponent off the hook.
• If 28...Qc8 then:
• If 29.Qe2 Qd7 30.Qd1 then:
• 30...Rd8 31.Be6 Qe8 32.Qe2 Qxa4 leaves Black up three pawns and winning.
• If 30...Rfc8!? then:
White has chances for counterplay after 31.Be6! Qc6+ 32.Bd5 Qa6.
• If 31...Qe8 then White has counteplay after 32.Bxc8 Qxc8 33.Qe2 Qd7 34.Rec1 Qxa4 35.c5.
• 29.Qxc8 loses to 29...Rfxc8 30.Be6 Rd8 31.Red1 Bh6.

29.Nf3

• White's tardy plan is to cut the long diagonal.
• Just as futile is 29.Rb3 Qxa4 30.Rh3 Bf6 prevents White from winning back a pawn, rendering the pin at h7 harmless.

29...Qxa4

• If White needs a tempo, he has three pawns to give.

30.Ng5 Bf6 31.Qe2

• If 31.Re3 Qe8 32.Rh3 Bxg5 33.fxg5 Qf7 when:
• 34.Qxf7 Nxf7 35.Bxf7 Rxf7 36.Ra3 e5 when Black starts pushing passed pawns.
• If 34.Qe1 then after 34...Qg7 35.Qxa5 e6 36.Bxe6 Ne4 37.Rhb3 Nc5 it will cost Black a piece to take the b-pawn.

31...Rfc8!

• The c-pawn must fall, making way for Black's queenside pawns to advance.

32.Rg1 Rxc4 33.Nxh7

• If 33.Qe6 then 33...Rc2 34.Rgf1 Qd4 35.Rbd1 Qb2 wins for Black.

33...Kxh7 34.Rxg6 Rc1+ 35.Rg1 Rxg1+ 36.Rxg1 Qxf4 37.Qg2 Qg5 0-1

• If 38.Qxg5 Bxg5 39.Rxg5 Rc5 then:
• 40.Be6 b5 41.Kg2 b4 42.Bb3 leaves Black three pawns to the good with a fluid game.
• 40.Bg8+ Kh6 41.Rg2 Rc1+ 42.Rg1 Rxg1+ 43.Kxg1 e5 Leaves Black three pawns to the good with four passers an no way to stop them.
• Bjorn resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Sharevich - Stefansson, Round 2

Anna Sherevich
Photo by Frank Hoppe in Wikimedia Commons (Public Doamin)


Anna Sharevich - Hannes Stefansson
MP International Open, Round 2
Reykjavik, 10 March 2011

West India Game: Tal-Indian Defense: Catalan Opening (Modern Benoni)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.Nc3 g6 7.Nf3 Bg7 8.Bg2 0-0 9.0-0 Re8 10.Bf4 Na6 11.Re1 Bg4 12.Nd2

• For moves and variation up to here, see Vallejo-Gashimov, IT, Linares, 2010.
• 12.h3 Bxf3 13.Bxf3 Qd7 14.e4 Rad8 15.Kg2 c4 16.Be3 Nb4 17.Bxa7 Nd3 draw (Kachiani-Radziewicz Rajlich, Euro ChW, Warsaw, 2001).

12...Nh5 13.Be3 Qd7 (N)

• 13...Rxe3 14.fxe3 Qe7 15.Nf1 draw (Gleizerov-Cvitan, Op, Zadar, Croatia, 2005).

14.a4

• White has a slight advaantage in space.

14...Bh3

• 14...Bf5 15.Nc4 Nb4 16.Rc1 Bxc3 17.Rxc3 continues to give White a slight advantage.

15.Bf3 Bg4 16.Bg2

• 16.Nc4 Bxf3 17.exf3 Bxc3 18.bxc3 Nc7 19.Na3 continues to give White a slight advantage.

16...Nb4!?

• White will continue to enjoy a slight advantage.
• 16...Bh3 17.Bxh3 Qxh3 18.Nc4 is equal.

17.Nc4 Bf5!?

• Again, Black misses a chance to equalize. His plan is to get hold of the e4 square with moves like ...Bxc3 and ...Re4 or ...Qe7 and ...Qe4.
• 17...Bh3 is another way of undermining White defense of e4, but after 18.Bf3 Bg4 19.Ne4 Bf8 20.Bxg4 Qxg4 21.f3 White is slightly better with her centralized Knight.

BLACK: Hannes Stefansson



WHITE: Anna Sherevich
Position after 17...Bg4f5

18.Rc1!

• White simply continues with her development. This move proposes an exchange sacrifice.

18...Qe7?!

• Accepting the sacrifice gives White more space, but it's still better for Black than pressuring e4 which he cannot control.
• If 18...Bxc3 19.Rxc3 Na2 then:
• 20.Rb3 Nb4 21.Rxb4 cxb4 22.Qd4 gives White the advantage in space to compensate for the exchange.
• 20.Bd2 Nxc3 21.Bxc3 Red8 22.e4 Bh3 23.Bf3 gives White more space and threatens to win a pawn.

19.Qd2!

• White has more freedom and a clear initiative.

19...Rad8

• 19...b6 20.Bg5 f6 21.Be3 g5 22.h3 gives White more potent tactical threats.

20.Bg5 f6

BLACK: Hannes Stefansson



WHITE: Anna Sherevich
Position after 20...f7f6

21.e4!

• White convincingly refutes Black's plans to control e4.

21...Bc8

• White is building power on the queenside, so Black will work on making his position defesible there.
• 21...fxg5?! 22.exf5 Qf8 23.Rxe8 Rxe8 24.fxg6 hxg6 25.Nb5! wins a pawn. This variation should be looked at closely, as we will see it in other variations and even in the game itself.

22.Be3 Qf8?

• This move is inadequate. Black cannot wait to strengthen his queenside or White will be jumping all over it.
• 22...b6 23.a5 Qc7 24.Nb5 then:
• 24...Qb8 25.axb6 axb6 26.Ra1 gives White a tremendous advantage on the queenside
• If 24...Qe7? 25.axb6 axb6 26.Ra1 then:
• 26...Bf8 27.Ra7 Rd7 28.Rea1 Qd8 29.Ra8 Rb7 30.Bh6 gives White a stronger pincer attack inside Black's camp.
• 26...Ba6 27.Rxa6!! Nxa6 28.Ra1 Nb4 29.g4 wins the Knight as the poor dear has nowhere to go.
• 23.e5!! dxe5 24.d6 Qf8 25.Ne4 when White has a stranglehold on the center and an advanced passer at d6.

23.Nb5!

• White wins material.

23...Na6

• This is Black's best move as it pevents White from sweeping away Black's center pawns.
• Not good is 23...f5 24.Ncxd6 when:
• 24...b6 25.Nxe8 Rxe8 leaves White up by an exchange plus a pawn.
• 24...Re7 25.Bxc5 Na6 26.Nxc8 Nxc5 27.Nxe7+ gives White a prohitive material advantage.

24.Nxa7

• White has an extra pawn.

24...f5 25.Bg5

• Also good is 25.Nxc8 Rxc8 26.exf5 gxf5 27.Bh3 when White's Bishop pair focus on the kingside.

25...Nf6 26.Nxc8 Rxc8 27.e5

• 27.exf5 wins a second pawn after 27...gxf5 28.Qf4 Ne4 29.Bxe4 Rxe4 30.Qxd6 .

27...dxe5 28.d6!

• White sticks a bone in Black's throat and threatens to win a pawn.

28...Rcd8

• Black determines, probably rightly, that the least of all evils is to let the pawn go.
• 28...e4 fails to save the pawn after 29.Bxf6 Bxf6 when White plays 30.Qd5+! Kh8 31.d7 Nb4 32.Qxb7 and wins.

29.Bxb7

• White is a pawn to the good.

29...Nb4 30.Rxe5 Rxe5 31.Nxe5 Rxd6

• 31...Qxd6 32.Qxd6 Rxd6 33.Rxc5 gives White a second extra pawn.

32.Qe2 Qe7

• The Queen attacks the Bishop, but walks into a pin.

33.Qc4+ Kf8

• No better is 33...Qe6 then 34.Qxc5 h6 35.Bc8 Qd5 36.Qxb4leaves White with lots of extra material.
• If 33...Kh8 34.Nf7+ Kg8 then:
• 35.Nxd6+ Kf8 36.Qxc5 wins easily for White.
• White also has an easy win after the lengthy string of checks: If 35.Nh6+ then:
• 35...Kf8 36.Bxf6 Qxf6 37.Qg8+ Ke7 38.Re1+ Re6 39.Rxe6+ Qxe6 40.Qxg7+ Ke8 41.Ng8 when White has a spare Bishop.
• If 35...Kh8 36.Bxf6 then:
• 36...Qe6 37.Nf7+ Kg8 38.Nxd6 Qxc4 39.Rxc4 gives White an extra Rook.
• If 36...Bxf6 then 37.Qg8# .

BLACK: Hannes Stefansson



WHITE: Anna Sherevich
Position after 33...Kg8f8

34.Qxc5!

• Aided by pins at d6 and f6, White sets up the winning move.

34...Nbd5

• If 34...Rd1+ then 35.Rxd1 Qxc5 36.Bxf6 Qa5 37.Rd8+ wins.

35.Bxd5 1-0

• The piece cannot be recaptured.
• Hannes resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Serbian National Championship, Kragujevac

Broken Wing Monument, Kragujevac
Photo by Miodrag Zivkovic in Wikipedia (Public Domain)

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Ivanisevic - Nestorovic, Round 10

Ivan Ivanisevic
Photo by Stefan64 in Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)


Ivan Ivanisevic - Lazar Nestorovic
Serbian National Championship, Round 10
Kragujevac, 10 March 2011

West India Game: King's Indian Defense (Miscellaneous Variations)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.f3 Bg7 4.e4 d6

• For 4...e6 see last week's game Koneru-Danielian, Grand Prix W, Doha, 2011.

5.Ne2

• 5.Nc3 0-0 6.Be3 e5 7.d5 transposes into the Sämisch Opening.

5...0-0 6.Be3 Nc6 (N)

• 6...c5 7.Nbc3 transposes into the Sämisch Opening.
• If 6...Nbd7 7.Qd2 c5 8.d5 Ne5 9.Na3 a6 10.Nc3 Nh5 11.Be2 e6 12.dxe6 fxe6 13.0-0 Nc6 14.f4 gives White the advantage in space and a lead in development (D. Gurevich-Mazuchowski, Pillsbury Mem, Boston, 1990).

7.Qd2

• The game is equal.

7...a6 8.Na3

• If 8.Nbc3 Bd7 9.g4 e6 10.h4 Qb8 11.b3 transposes into the Sämisch Opening that is somewhat favorable to White.

8...Rb8 9.g3 Bd7

• White protects the Knight, although it will not come under attack from a piece for some time.
• Slightly better is 9...b5 10.cxb5 axb5 11.Rc1 Bd7 12.Bg2 with equality.

10.Bg2

• White has a slight advantage in space.

10...b5 11.Rc1

• If 11.cxb5 axb5 12.0-0 then:
• 12...Qc8 13.Nc2 Ra8 14.Nc3 Qb7 15.b4 e6 16.Rfe1 continues to give White a slight advantage in space.
• 12...b4 13.Nc4 d5 14.Ne5 dxe4 15.Nxd7 Qxd7 16.fxe4 is unclear: Black has more space and fewer pawn weaknesses; Black has the Bishop pair and a central pawn duo that, while hanging, is well defended (note that Black cannot take either pawn).

11...bxc4!?

• Black assists White by opening the queenside for the Rook at c1.
• 11...b4 12.Nc2 b3 13.axb3 Rxb3 14.Na1 Rb7 15.b3 is equal.

BLACK: Lazar Nestorovic



WHITE: Ivan Ivanisevic
Position after 11...bc4:p

12.Nxc4!

• White has a fair advantage in space.

12...d5?!

• This gives White quite a bit more freedom.
• 12...Re8 13.0-0 e6 14.Rfe1 Bc8 15.Rc3 Bb7 16.Rec1 continues to give White a fair advantage in space.

13.Ne5!

• White exercizes some of that freedom. Note that Black cannot move any of his pieces beyond the frontier line.

13...Na7

• This retreat is just wrong. Better is to overprotect the Knight.
• If 13...Rb6 14.Nxd7 Nxd7 15.0-0 then:
• 15...e6 16.exd5 exd5 17.Nc3 Ne7 18.Rfe1 Re8 19.Bg5 gives White the advantage in space.
• 15...Qb8 16.b3 e6 17.exd5 exd5 18.Nc3 Ne7 19.Rfe1 gives White some initiative against the pawn at d5.

14.Nxd7 Qxd7

• Black allows White to take the initiative.
• If 14...Nxd7 15.b3 e6 16.Bg5 Qc8 17.Bf4 Rb7 18.0-0 gives White a sturdy advantage in space.

15.e5!

• White attacks the Knight at f6 and closes the long diagonal to Black's fianchettoed Bishop.

15...Ne8 16.h4

• White begins a kingside assault. The Bishop at g7 is quite vulnerable.
• If 16.0-0 Bh8 17.Nf4 then:
• If 17...Ng7 18.Bh3 e6 19.Rc2 Nf5 20.Rfc1 then:
• 20...c6 (18.Bh3 e6 19.Rc2 Nf5 20.Rfc1 then:
• 20...c6 21.Bxf5 exf5 22.Nd3 Rb6 23.Nc5 gives White a significant advantage in space and more freedom.
• 20...Rbc8 21.Bxf5 exf5 22.Qa5 c6 23.Nd3 gives White moe space and command of the c5 sqjuare as an outpost for his Knight.
• 17...Nc6 18.Rc3 Rb6 19.Rfc1 e6 20.Nd3 Ne7 21.Nc5 gives White the advantage in space; the Knight at c5 is protected four times and not even attacked once.

16...Qb5!?

• Black looks for counterplay on the queenside.
• If 16...Bh8 17.g4 f6 18.b3 c6 19.h5 then:
• 19...g5 20.0-0 Nb5 21.Qc2 fxe5 22.dxe5 Bxe5 23.Qxc6 gives White a huge advantage in space.
• 19...gxh5 20.gxh5 e6 21.Rg1 Nc7 22.Bh3+ Kf7 23.Qc2 gives White more space and command of open lines leading to the kingside.

BLACK: Lazar Nestorovic



WHITE: Ivan Ivanisevic
Position after 16...Qd7b5

17.b3

• Black's thjreat is easily parried.

17...Qb4

• 17...Qd7 18.h5 c6 19.h6 Bh8 20.Nf4 Nc7 21.0-0 gives Black a firm spacial advantage.

18.h5 Qxd2+

• 18...Qb7 19.hxg6 hxg6 20.Bf1 c5 21.Rxc5 e6 22.Nf4 gives White an extra pawn and more freedom.

19.Kxd2

• The text is a little bit better than 19.Bxd2 c6 20.Bh3 Nc7 21.Bd7 when:
• If 21...Na8 22.Nf4 Rfd8 23.hxg6 then:
• 23...hxg6 24.Bxc6 e6 25.Kf2 Nb6 26.Nd3 Bf8 27.Bg5 gives White an extra pawn and more freedom.
• 23...Rxd7? 24.gxf7+!! Kxf7 25.e6+! Kg8 26.exd7 leaves White with a strong material adavantage.
• 21...Rfd8 22.Bxc6 Ne6 23.hxg6 hxg6 24.Kf2 gives White an extra pawn.

19...c6 20.h6 Bh8 21.Rc5 Nc7 22.Rhc1

• Also good is 22.Bh3 when:
• 22...Rfd8 23.Kd3 f6 24.f4 Kf7 25.Rhc1 Rb7 26.Bd2 White's active game dominates the entire board.
• If 22...Ne6? 23.Bxe6! fxe6 24.Nf4 then:
• 24...g5 25.Nxe6 Rxf3 26.g4 Rg3 27.Ra5 Rxg4 28.Rxa6 leaves Black defenseless.
• 24...Rb7 25.Nxe6 Rxf3 26.Ke2 Rxg3 27.Kf2 Rg4 28.Ra5 leaves Black a pawn to the good, but completely losing with immobile pieces.

22...f6 23.f4 g5

• If 23...Rb5 24.R5c2 Kf7 then:
• If 25.Kd3! then:
• If 25...Rb6 26.Bh3 f5 27.Ng1 a5 28.Bd2 then:
• If 28...Ra6 29.Nf3 a4 30.b4 Rb8 31.g4 e6 32.Rg1 Nab5 33.gxf5 exf5 34.Ng5+ then:
• 34...Ke7 35.Nxh7 Ne6 36.Ng5 Nxg5 37.Rxg5 Kf7 38.Be3 gives White more space, fewer pawn weaknesses and two passers.
• 34...Kg8 35.Rc5 Rbb6 36.Rgc1 Na7 37.Ra5 a3 38.Bf1 leaves White in a greatly superior position, but a win is not yet guaranteed.
• If 30...Rb6 31.g4 e6 32.Ng5+ then:
• 32...Kg8 33.Rc5 Re8 34.gxf5 exf5 35.Bg2 Rd8 36.b5 wins for White.
• 32...Ke7 33.Nxh7 Rfb8 34.Ng5 Kd7 35.gxf5 gxf5 36.Ke3 gives White and extra pawn, more space, stronger pawns and one passed pawn.
• 28...Na6 29.Nf3 Kg8 30.Bxa5 Rb7 31.Ng5 Rb5 32.Bc3 leaves White winning with more paws, a passed pawn and greater activity.
• 25...Rb4 26.Bd2 Rbb8 27.Ng1 Ne6 28.Nf3 gives White a winning game with more space and freedom.
• If 25.exf6!? Bxf6 26.Kd3 then:
• 26...a5 27.Rc5 Rfb8 28.Rxb5 Rxb5 29.Nc3 gives White the advantage in space.
• 26...e6 27.Bd2 a5 28.Rc5 Rfb8 29.Bxa5 gives White the advantage in space.

24.Bh3

• In contrast to the game I. Sokolov-Hess (elsewhere on this thread), White's Bishop pair does him very little good here.

24...Kf7

• If 24...e6? then:
• 25.exf6! g4 26.f7+ Rxf7 27.Bxg4 Bf6 28.R5c2 gives White an extra pawn.
• If 25.fxg5 fxe5 26.dxe5 Bxe5 then:
• If 27.Ra5 Ra8 then:
• 28.Nf4 Rf7 29.Nxe6 d4 30.Bf4 Bxf4+ 31.gxf4 gives White a winning position with an extra pawn and more freedom.
• 28.Bxa7 Rxa7 29.Rxc6 Kf7 30.Nf4 Re8 31.Bg4 Re7 32.b4 puts Black is something close to Zunzwang where the only pawn move he can make immediately loses a Bishop; if the King moves, he loses the e-pawn; and if the Knight moves, he loses the a-pawn.
• If 27.R5c2 Ra8 28.Bc5 then:
• 28...Rfd8 29.Nf4 Bd6 30.Nxe6 Re8 31.Nxc7 Bxc7 32.Rf1 gives Black no path to salvation.
• 28...Rf7 29.Bxa7 Rxa7 30.Rxc6 Rf8 31.Ke3 Kh8 32.Bxe6 leaves White two pawns up.

25.Bf5

• If 25.exf6! then after 25...exf6 26.Bf5 Kg8 27.Bd7 the c-pawn falls and White has a winning game.

25...e6?

• Sooner or later, Black would fall off the cliff. No position can take this kind of pounding.
• Black might last longer after 25...Kg8 26.Bd7 when:
• 26...Rfd8 Bxc6 gxf4 28.Bxf4 fxe5 29.dxe5 gives Black an extra pawn.
• 26...Rb6 27.e6 g4 28.f5 Rd8 29.Bxc6 the Bishop is perfectly safe and can return to its outpost at d7; White is a pawn to the good with a winning position.

BLACK: Lazar Nestorovic



WHITE: Ivan Ivanisevic
Position after 25...e7e6

26.Bxh7

• White has an extra pawn and a passed pawn.

26...g4 27.Bd3 f5 28.Ra5

• 28.Rh1 Kg8 29.Nc3 Ra8 30.Na4 Rfb8 31.Rcc1 White threatens 32.Nc5 with an easy win.

28...Kg6 29.Bxa6 Nxa6

• 29...Kxh6 30.Nc3 Bg7 31.Na4 Nxa6 32.Rxa6 Rf7 33.Nc5 White threatens 34.Nxe6, but if Black parries with 34...Re8 then White begins advancing the passed a-pawn.

30.Rxa6 Rf7 31.Kd3!?

• White wastes some time, but he has such a tremendous advantage that he doesn't to make the very best moves to win.
• Best is 31.Rh1! Rh7 32.Nc1 Re8 33.Rh4 Rc7 34.Nd3 Nc8 35.Nc5 Kf7 36.a4 White uses his passed pawns on either side to win.
• If 33...Rb7 then after 34.Nd3 Kf7 35.Nc5 Rc7 36.a4 White wins by advancing passers on each wing, splitting Black's defense in half.

31...Kxh6 32.Bd2 Bg7

• 32...Kg7 33.Ba5 Rfb7 34.Nc3 Kf8 35.Na4 Rh7 36.Nc5 wins for White.

33.Ba5 Rfb7

BLACK: Lazar Nestorovic



WHITE: Ivan Ivanisevic
Position after 33.Rf7b7

34.Nc3

• Somewhat better is 34.Bb4! when:
• If 34...Bf8 35.Bxf8+ Rxf8 36.Rh1+ then:
• 36...Kg6 37.Nc3 Re8 38.Na4 Nc8 39.Rxc6 Na7 40.Ra6 leaves White two pawns to the good.
• If 36...Kg7 37.Nc3 Re7 38.Na4 then:
• If 38...Rc8 39.Nc5 Ra8 40.a4 Ree8 41.a5 then:
• If 41...Re7 42.b4 Rb8 43.Nxe6+ then:
• 43...Kg6 44.Rb6 Rc8 45.Nc5 Rec7 46.a6 Re8 47.Rb7 leaves White two pawns to the good and threaten to reduce the material defending agiant the passer.
• 43...Kg8 44.Rb6 Reb7 45.Rxb7 Rxb7 46.Rh5 leaves White two pawns to the good.
• 41...Kg6 42.b4 Kg7 43.Rb6 Re7 44.a6 Kg6 45.Rb7 wins for White.
• 38...Rh8 39.Rxh8 Kxh8 40.Nc5 Kg7 41.Nxe6+ Rxe6 42.Rxa7+ leaves White two pawns to the good and a passer ready to advance on the a-file.
• 34...Rxb4 loses quickly to 35.Rxa7 Bf8 36.Rh1+ Kg6 37.Rhh7.

34...Kg6 35.Rh1

• 35.Na4 Kf7 36.Bb6 Nc8 37.Rxc6 Ne7 38.Rc1 leaves White with two connected passers on the queenside.

35...Bf8

• 35...Re8 36.Na4 Nb5 37.Rc1 Na7 38.Bb6 Nc8 39.Rxc6 leaves White with two connected passers on the queenside.

36.Na4 Ba3

• 36...Rc8 37.Bb6 Nb5 38.Bc5 Bg7 39.Bd6 leaves White with an extra (passed) pawn on the queenside.

37.Bb6 Nb5 38.Bc5 Bxc5 39.Nxc5 1-0

• If 39...Rb6 then 40.Rxb6 Rxb6 41.Nxe6 Rb8 42.a4 Na7 43.Nc5 leaves Black with fewer pieces to defend against White's passer in the a-file and the White Rook in command of the h-file.
• Nestorovic resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Damljanovic - Sedlak, Round 7

Veteran GM Branko Damljanovic began the event in Kragujevac with 6½ points in the first seven rounds.



Branko Damljanovic
Photo by Federació d'Escacs Valls d'Andorra from flikr modified for Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)


Branko Damljanovic - Nikola Sedlak
Serbian National Championship, Round 7
Kragujevac, 7 March 2011

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

1.c4 Nf6 2.d4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bg5 Ne4

• If 4...Bg7 5.Nf3 dxc4 6.e4 c5 7.d5 b5 then:
• If 8.e5 b4?! 9.exf6 exf6 10.Qe2+ Kf8 11.Be3 bxc3 then:
• If 12.bxc3 Nd7 13.Qxc4 Qa5 14.Bd3 f5 15.Rc1 then:
• 15...Bb7 16.0-0 Rc8 17.Qb5 Qc7 18.d6 Qc6 19.Rfe1 h6 20.Bf4 Bf6 21.Rb1 gives White more space, a passed pawn and the initiative (Ward-Knott, 4NCL, Birmingham, 2001).
• 15...Bf6 16.0-0 Kg7 17.Rfe1 Rb8 18.Bg5 Rb6 19.Qf4 Black must take time out to prevent a threatened mate (20. Bh6+ Kg8 21.Re8+ etc.) (Gagarin-Jaracz, Op, Pardubice, 2001).
• 12.Bxc5+ Kg8 13.bxc3 Bb7 14.Qe7 Qxe7+ 15.Bxe7 f5 16.0-0-0 gives White a passed pawn, more space and freedom for his pieces (Kohler-Wunnik, Lost Boys Op, Amsterdam, 2001).
• If 8.d6 Bb7 9.e5 Ne4 10.Nxe4 Bxe4 then:
• 11.Qe2 Bd3 12.Qd2 Qd7 13.Bxd3 cxd3 14.Qxd3 exd6 15.0-0-0 gives White the power up the middle (Ward-Knott, 4NCL, Reading, 2011).
• If 11.a4 a6 12.Nd2 Bb7 13.Bxe7 Qc8 then:
• If 14.Nf3?! then after 14...Nc6! White's center will not hold after:
• 15.Be2 Nxe7 16.dxe7 Qc7 17.Qc2 Qxe7 with Black holding an extra pawn and prepared to take another (Lock-Knott, Masters, Hastings, 2009).
• Not appreciably better is 15.Bf6 when after 15...Bxf6 16.exf6 Qf5 17.axb5 axb5 18.Rxa8+ Bxa8 leaves White's center shattered.
• 14.f4 Nc6 15.axb5 axb5 16.Rxa8 Bxa8 17.d7+ Qxd7 gives Black the advantage in space and the initiative.

5.Bh4

• If 5.Bf4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Nf3 then:
• If 7...c5 8.e3 0-0 9.cxd5 cxd4 10.cxd4 Qxd5 11.Be2 then:
• If 11...Nc6 12.0-0 Bf5 13.Qa4 Qa5 14.Qb3 Qb4 15.Rfc1 Rac8 16.h3 a6 then:
• 17.g4 Be4 18.Qd1 Rfd8 19.a3 Qa5 20.Nd2 Bd5 21.Rc5 Qb6 22.Rb1 Qa7 23.Rbc1 gives White a fair advantage in space (Svidler-Vallejo, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• 17.Qd1 Qa3 18.Nd2 b5 19.Qb3 Qxb3 20.Nxb3 e5 21.dxe5 Nxe5(Volkov-Maslak, Russian Ch HL, Ulan Ude, 2009).
• 11...Qa5+ 12.Qd2 Nc6 13.Qxa5 Nxa5 14.Bc7 b6 15.Kd2 Bb7 16.Rhc1 Rac8 17.Bb5 gives White more freedom (Chiburdanidze-Mecking, IT, Banza, 2007).
• 7...dxc4 8.e3 Be6 9.Qb1 b6 10.Ng5 Bd5 11.e4 Bb7 12.Bxc4 gives White the advantage owing to his initiative on the f-pawn (I. Sokolov-Svidler, IT A, Wijk aan Zee, 1999).

5...Nxc3

• If 5...c5!? 6.cxd5 Nxc3 7.bxc3 Qxd5 8.e3 then:
• If 8...Bg7 then:
• If 9.Nf3 Nc6 10.Be2 cxd4 11.cxd4 0-0 12.0-0 then:
• If 12...Bf5 13.Nd2 then:
• If 13...e5 14.Bf3 Qd6 then:
• 15.Nc4 Qb4 16.Bxc6 Qxc4 17.Bxb7 Rab8 18.Qf3 exd4 19.Bd5 Qb4 20.e4 Be6 21.Rad1 Qc3 22.Qf4 Bxd5 23.exd5 Qc5 24.Bf6 Bxf6 25.Qxf6 Qxd5 26.Qxd4 Qxa2 27.Ra1 draw (Gelfand-Carlsen, Tal Mem, Moscow, 2009).
• 15.d5 Na5 16.g4 Bd3 17.Qa4 b6 18.Ne4 Bxe4 19.Bxe4 f5 20.Bg2 f4 is equal (Sargissian-Li Chao, World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2009).
• If 13...Rac8 14.Bf3 then:
• 14...Qa5 15.Bxc6 Rxc6 16.Bxe7 Re8 17.Nb3 Qd5 18.Bh4 Be4 is equal (D. Berry-Tarjan, Op, Lone Pine, 1972).
• 14...Qd7 15.Nb3 Qe8 16.Rc1 e5 17.e4 Bd7 18.d5 Nd4 19.Nxd4 exd4 20.Qb3 gives White the Advantage in space and some initiative (Bagirov-Grigorian, Soviet Ch, Baku, 1972).
• If 12...b6 then:
• If 13.Qb3 Qxb3 14.axb3 Bb7 15.Nd2 Rfc8 then:
• 16.Bf3 e5 17.Nc4 exd4 18.Nd6 dxe3 19.Rac1 Bb2 20.Rc2 e2 21.Bxe2 Ba3 22.Nxb7 leaves White a piece to the good (Timman-van der Vleit, Dutch Ch, Leewaurden, 1980).
• 16.Bg4 f5 17.Bf3 Kf8 18.Nc4 b5 19.Na5 Nxa5 20.Rxa5 Bxf3 21.gxf3 a6 22.Rfa1 Rc3 23.Rxa6 Rxa6 24.Rxa6 Kf7 25.b4 draw (Mchedlishvili-Krasenkow, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• 13.Rc1 Bb7 14.Qa4 Rac8 15.Rfd1 e6 16.Ba6 Na5 17.Bxb7 Qxb7 18.h3 Rxc1 19.Rxc1 gives White the advantage in space (Poutiainen-W. Schmidt, IT, Yerevan, 1976).
• If 9.Qf3 Qd8 10.Bb5+ Nd7 11.Ne2 cxd4 12.exd4 0-0 13.0-0 then:
• If 13...Nf6 14.Rfe1 then:
• If 14...Bg4 15.Qxb7 Rb8 16.Qa6 Nd5 17.Bg3 Rc8 then:
• 18.Qxa7 Nxc3 19.Nxc3 Bxd4 20.Qa4 Rxc3 21.Bh4 Qd5 22.Rac1 Ra8 23.Bc6 Rxa4 24.Bxd5 Be6 25.Bxe6 fxe6 draw (E. Vasiukov-Gufeld, Soviet Ch semif, Novosibirsk, 1971).
• 18.h3 Bxe2 19.Bxe2 Nxc3 is equal (Maroshczik-Bagirov, Czechoslovakia, 1973).
• 14...Qa5 15.Bc4 Qc7 16.Bb3 Bg4 17.Qe3 Bxe2 18.Rxe2 Rac8 19.Rd1 e6 20.c4 Rfe8 21.h3 gives White a small advantage in space (Taimanov-Dvoirys, Soviet Union, 1980).
• If 13...a6 14.Bd3 Qc7 then:
• If 15.Rab1 e5 16.Be4 Ra7 17.Bd5 Nb6 then:
• If 18.Be7 Qxe7 19.Rxb6 exd4 20.Nxd4 Qc5 21.Rfb1 Bxd4 22.cxd4 Qxd4 23.Qb3 then:
• 23...a5 24.Rd1 Qe5 25.h3 a4 26.Qb4 Kg7 27.a3 Rd8 is equal (Jiménez Zerquera-Ribli, Capablanca Mem, Cienfuegos, 1972).
• 23...Bf5 24.Rd1 Qe5 25.Rxb7 Rxb7 26.Qxb7 Be6 27.Bxe6 Qxe6 28.Qd5 Qxd5 29.Rxd5 Rb8 30.g3 draw (Doda-W. Schmidt, Rubinstein Mem, Polanica Zdroj, 1975).
• 18.Rxb6 Qxb6 19.Be7 Qc7 20.Bxf8 Kxf8 21.dxe5 Bxe5 22.Re1 Bxh2+ 23.Kh1 Bd6 24.Ng3 f5 25.Qe3 gives White a fair advantage as he can give check with the Queen on either d8 or h6 (Flesch-Ribli, Hungarian Ch, Budapest, 1971).
• 15.Qe3 e5 16.f4 exd4 17.cxd4 Nf6 18.Rae1 Qb6 19.h3 draw (Forintos-Witkowski, IT B, Wijk aan Zee, 1971).
• If 8...cxd4 9.Qxd4 Qxd4 10.cxd4 e6 11.Rb1 Be7 then:
• If 12.Bb5+ Bd7 13.Bxe7 Kxe7 14.Nf3 Bxb5 15.Rxb5 b6 then:
• If 16.Kd2 Nd7 17.Rc1 Rhc8 18.Rbb1 then:
• 18...a6 19.g4 h6 20.h4 b5 21.g5 h5 22.Kd3 Rab8 23.Nd2 Nb6 24.Ne4 Na4 25.Kd2 Kd7 26.Nf6+ Kd6 draw (Bobotsov-Hort, Ol, Skopje, 1972).
• 18...f6 draw (Rashkovsky-Tseshkovsky, Soviet Ch, Minsk, 1979).
• 16.Ke2 Nd7 17.Rc1 Rhc8 draw (Bagirov-Tseshkovsky, Soviet Ch semif, Baku, 1977).
• If 12.Bg3 Nc6 13.Nf3 0-0 then:
• 14.Nd2 b6 15.Bb5 Bb7 16.0-0 is equal (Hort-Scholl, IBM, Amsterdam, 1970).
• 14.Be2 b6 15.h4 Bb7 16.h5 g5 17.h6 Rac8 is equal (Beliavsky-Ribli, EU ChU20, Gronigen, 1968).

6.bxc3 dxc4 7.e3

• If 7.Qa4+ Qd7 8.Qxc4 b6 9.Bg3 c5 10.Be5 then:
• If 10...Ba6 11.Qb3 f6 12.Bxb8 Rxb8 13.Nf3 then:
• 13...cxd4 14.cxd4 e6 15.e4 Bxf1 16.Kxf1 is equal (Wang Yue-Timofeev, TM, Taiyuan, 2006).
• 13...c4 14.Qb1 b5 15.a4 b4 16.cxb4 e5 17.b5 exd4 18.g3 gives Black a small advantage in space, the Bishop pair and more freedom (Dreev-Najer, Russian Ch HL, Ulan Ude, 2009).
• 10...f6 11.Bxb8 Rxb8 12.Nf3 cxd4 13.cxd4 Bb7 14.e3 Bd5 is equal (Malakhatko-Stephan, Masters, Gibraltar, 2010).
• 7.e4 Bg7 8.Bxc4 c5 9.Ne2 cxd4 10.cxd4 Nc6 11.d5 Qa5+ 12.Kf1 Qb4 13.Rc1 gives Black a small advantage in space (Ostermewyer-Riefner, Bundesliga, Germany, 1982).

7...Be6 8.Be2

• If 8.Rb1 then:
If
• 8...b6 9.Nf3 then:
• 9...Bg7 10.Nd2 0-0 11.Be2 c5 12.Bf3 cxd4 13.cxd4 Nd7 14.Bxa8 Qxa8 15.0-0 gives White a slight material advantage (Moiseenko-Svidler, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2005).
• If 9...c6 then:
• If 10.a4 then:
• 10...a6 11.e4 b5 12.Be2 Bg7 13.0-0 0-0 14.Ng5 Bc8 15.f4 f6 16.Nf3 f5 17.Qe1 Bf6 18.Bd1 fxe4 19.Ng5 Qd5 20.Bc2 Bf5 21.h3 e3 22.Bxf5 gxf5 draw (Dreev-Svidler, IT, Poikovsky, 2005).
• 10...Bg7 11.Nd2 0-0 12.Be2 a6 13.Nxc4 Nd7 14.Nd2 b5 15.c4 is equal (Kasimdzhanov-Vallejo, IT B, Wijk aan Zee, 2009).
• If 10.e4 b5 11.Be2 Bh6 12.0-0 a6 13.Ng5 Bc8 then:
• 14.f4!? f6! 15.Nh3 Nd7 is equal (M. Gurevich-McShane, French ChT, Vandoeuvre, 2005).
• 14.Qc2 0-0 15.Rfd1 f5 gives Black a slight advantage in space.
• If 8...Nd7 9.Nf3 Nb6 10.a4 a5 then:
• 11.Be2 Bg7 12.0-0 0-0 13.e4 Bd7 14.Qc1 Bxa4 gives Black two extra pawns for which White has not nealy enough compensation (Akobian-Roiz, World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2007).
• 11.Ng5 Bd5 12.e4 h6 13.exd5 hxg5 14.Bxg5 Bh6 15.Bxh6 Rxh6 is equal (Hillarp Persson-Sutovsky, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• If 8.Qb1 then:
• If 8...Qd5 9.Nf3 Nd7 10.Be2 Bf5 11.Qb2 Bg7 12.0-0 then:
• 12...Nb6 13.a4 a5 14.Nd2 Bd3 15.Bxd3 cxd3 is equal (Aronian-Svidler, Tal Mem, Moscow, 2006).
• 12...Bd3 13.Bxd3 cxd3 14.Rfd1 Qe4 15.Qb1 c5 16.Rxd3 gives White a slight advantage in space (Eljanov-Svidler, Grand Prix, Astrakhan, 2010).
• 8...b6 9.Nf3 Bg7 10.Ng5 Bd5 11.e4 h6 then:
• If 12.exd5 hxg5 13.Qb5+ Qd7 14.Qxd7+ Nxd7 15.Bxg5 b5 then:
• 16.Rb1 a6 17.a4 Nb6 18.axb5 axb5 19.Rxb5 Ra1+ 20.Ke2 Ra2+ 21.Ke1 Ra1+ 22.Ke2 Bh6 23.Bxh6 Rxh6 24.Rc5 is equal (Su. Polgar-Smejkal, IT, Trencianske Teplice, 1985).


• 16.a4 Nb6 17.axb5 0-0-0 18.Kd2 Rhe8 19.Kc2 Rxd5 20.Be3 Kb8 draw (Knezevic-Ftacnik, IT, Trencianske Teplice, 1985).
• If 12.Nh3 Bb7 13.Bxc4 0-0 then:
• If 14.e5?! then:
• 14...Bd5?! 15.Bxe7 Qd7 16.Bxd5 Qxd5 17.Nf4 gives White an extra pawn (Arutinian-Sanisidze, Georgian Ch, Tbilisi, 2006).
• If 14...Kh8 15.Nf4 g5? 16.Bxg5!! then:
• 16...hxg5 17.Qf5 e6 18.Qh3+ Kg8 19.Bd3 f5 20.Nxe6 g4 21.Qg3!? Qd7 22.Nxf8 Kxf8 23.h3 wins for White (Pantsulaia-Elsness, Ol, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2010).
• If 16...Nc6 17.Bxh6!! Bxh6 18.Ng6+ then:
• 18...Kg7 19.Nxf8 Kxf8 20.Qh7 wins.
• 18...fxg6 19.Qxg6 Rf7 20.Bxf7 Qf8 21.h4 Qg7 22.Qxg7+ Kxg7 23.Bd5 wins.
• 14.Qc2 c5 15.d5 Bc8 16.Ng1 Qe8 17.Rb1 Ba6 is equal.
• If 12.Nf3 Be6 13.Qb4 then:
• 13...a5 14.Qb2 c6 15.a4 0-0 16.Nd2 f5 17.exf5 Rxf5 18.Nxc4 gives White a fair advantage in space (Paikidze-Gaponenko, OpW, Moscow, 2009).
• 13...c5 14.Qb5+ Nd7 15.Bxc4 a6 16.Qb3 Bxc4 17.Qxc4 b5 gives Black a small advantage in space (Motoc-Zaksaite, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).
• 8.Nf3 Bg7 9.Be2 0-0 10.0-0 c5 transposes into the text.

8...Bg7 9.Nf3 c5 10.0-0 0-0 11.Ng5

• If 11.Rb1 then:
If
• 11...b6 then:
• 12.Qc2 cxd4 13.Nxd4 Bd5 14.e4 Bb7 15.Bxc4 Nc6 16.Rbd1 is equal (Carauana-Nepomniachtchi, Tal Mem Blitz, 2010).
• 12.Qa4 Qd7 13.Qxd7 Nxd7 14.Bxe7 Rfe8 15.Bh4 Rac8 16.Rfe1 h6 is equal (Vitiugov-Svidler, Ol, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2010).
• 11...cxd4 12.Nxd4 Bd5 13.Qc2 Qd7 14.e4 Bc6 15.Bxc4 Bxd4 16.cxd4 Qxd4 17.Rbd1 Qxe4 is equal (Moiseenko-Kurnosov, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2009).

11...Bd5

• 11...Bf5 12.Bxc4 Nc6 13.Qb3 e6 14.Nf3 Qb6 15.Nd2 cxd4 16.cxd4 gives White a slight advantage in space (Harikrishna-Avrukh, Masters, Gibraltar, 2009).

12.e4 h6

• If 12...Bc6 13.d5 Bb5 14.a4 Ba6 then:
If
• 15.Qd2 e6 16.Nf3 Qd6 17.e5!! (sacrificing a second pawn) then:
• 17...Qxd5!? 18.Qe3 Nd7 19.Rfd1 Qc6 20.Be7 gives Black two extra pawns, for which White has in compensation a considerable advantage in space and the initiative (Gligoric-Portisch, IBM, Amsterdam, 1971).
• 17...Bxe5! 18.Nxe5 Qxe5 19.dxe6 Qxe6 20.Rfe1 is equal.
• 15.Qc2 Qa5 16.Rfc1 Nd7 17.f4 h6 18.Nf3 e5 19.dxe6 fxe6 20.e5 Rxf4 21.Qxg6 Nf8 22.Qg3 gives Black an extra pawn and White more space (Ivanisevic-Popovic, TT, Novi Sad, 2005).

13.exd5 hxg5 14.Bxg5

• The game is equal.

14...cxd4 15.Bxc4 dxc3 16.Re1

• If 16.Rc1 Qd6 17.Re1 Re8 18.Qe2 Kf8 then:
• 19.Qf3 Nd7 20.Bf4 Qc5 is equal (Harikrishna-Svidler, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• 19.Qe3 Nd7 20.Bh6 Nf6 21.Red1 a6 is equal.

16...Bf6 17.Bxf6

• 17.Bh6 Qd6 18.Bxf8 Kxf8 19.Rb1 b6 20.h4 Nd7 21.h5 gives White a slight advantage in space (Sayed-Kasimdzhanov, Asian Games, Guangzhou, 2010).
• After the text move, a draw was agreed (Banikas-Rodshtein, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).

17...exf6 (N)

• White has more space and better development, giving him a small advantage (Rybka) or a somewhat significant one (Fritz); Black's extra pawn is deadwood and can be won with the simple 18.Qd4(Rabbit).

18.Rc1 Nd7 19.Rxc3!?

• 19.Re3 Nb6 20.Bb3 Qd6 21.Rexc3 continues to give White a small advantage in space.

BLACK: Nikola Sedlak



WHITE: Branko Damljanovic
Position after 19.Rc1c3:p

19...Rc8!

• White has a slight advantage in space.

20.Ree3 Re8 21.Bb3

• White continues to enjoy a slight advantage.
• If 21.Rxe8+!? proves premature after 21...Qxe8 22.d6 b5 when:
• If 23.Re3 Ne5 then:
• I24.Bf1 Qc6 25.Qd4 Rd8 26.Rh3 Rxd6 27.Qxa7 Rd8 is equal.
• 24.d7 Qxd7 25.Qxd7 Nxd7 26.Bxb5 Rc5 27.Bf1 f5 is equal.
• 23.Bxf7+ Kxf7 24.Re3 Qd8 25.Re7+ Kf8 26.Qd2 g5 is equal.

21...Re5?!

• Black is not going to eliminate or even restrain the pawn this way.
• Better is 21...Rxe3 22.Rxe3 Ne5 23.a4 Nc4 24.Rc3 Nd6 succeeds at blockading the pawn with equality.

22.g3!?

• White has a slight advantage in space.
• 22.Rxc8 Qxc8 23.Rxe5 fxe5 24.d6 Kg7 25.h4 gives White a fair advantage with the passed pawn forcing Black on to the defensive.

22...b6?!

• Black fails to punish White for his inaccurate play.
• 22...Rxe3 23.Rxe3 Qb6 24.d6 Ne5 25.Re2 is equal.

23.Qd4!?

• Although playing inaccurately, White continues to gain ground as Black makes even more inferior moves.
• Correct is 23.Rxc8 Qxc8 24.Rxe5 fxe5 25.Qf3 Kg7 26.d6 giving White a threat against the pawn on f7.

23...Rc5?!

• Black apparently thinks the pawn can be taken. He is mistaken.
• Better is 23...Rxc3 24.Qxc3 Qe7 25.Rxe5 Nxe5 26.Kg2 leaving White with only a slight advantage.

24.Rcd3?!

• There was a better way to foil that plot.
• 24.d6! Kg7 25.f4 Re8 26.Rcd3 Rc1+ 27.Rd1 gives White a clear advantage in space. All his attacked pieces are adequately covered.

24...Rc1+!

• At long last, Black equalizes.

25.Kg2

• 25.Rd1 Rxd1+ 26.Qxd1 Rxe3 27.fxe3 Ne5 28.Kg2 Qd6 is equal.

25...Nc5!

• The game is equal.

26.Rd2 Qd6 27.Ba4 Nxa4 28.Qxa4 Rxd5??

• Black could not let White's Rooks through to the back rank. This move can only be called a blunder.
• If 28...Kg7 29.Qa3 then:
• If29...Rc5 30.Rxe5 fxe5 31.Qxa7 then:
• 31...Rxd5 32.Rxd5 Qxd5+ remains equal.
• 31...Ra5 32.Qb7 Qb4 33.Rd3 Qe4+ 34.Rf3 Qxd5 also remains equal.
• 29...Qc7 30.Rxe5 fxe5 31.d6 Qc6+ 32.Qf3 remains equal.

BLACK: Nikola Sedlak



WHITE: Branko Damljanovic
Position after 28...Re5d5:p

29.Re8+! Kg7 30.Qh4 1-0

• White threatens mate at h8.
• 30...Rh5 31.Rxd6 Rxh4 32.gxh4 leaves White up by a Rook.
• Sedlak resigns.