The Jack Rabbit Chess Report (April 2): Four-way tie ends Euro Championship

[Jack Rabbit]

Four finish Aix-les-Bains on 8½/11; Potkin has best tiebreak


Stefan64, Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

Four grandmasters finished tied for the 12th European Championship general competition in Aix-les-Bains in Savoy, southeastern France with 8½ points in eleven rounds at the conclusion of the tournament earlier today.

Russian grandmaster Vladimir Potkin was awarded the title of European Champion with a performance rating, used as the first tie break in Aix-les-Bains, of 2849. Thother three first-place finishers, in order of performance rating, are Radoslaw Wojtaszek (Poland), Judit Polgar (Hungary) and Alexander Moiseenko (Ukraine).

Potkin, Wojtaszek and Ms. Polgar entered the day tied for first with 8 points each in ten rounds. Wojtaszek and Ms. Polgar played each other on the top board and settled for a short draw, while on board 2 Potkin drew with tournament top seed Peter Svidler of Russia. Moiseenko began the day a half point back with nine other players. He won the only decisive game among the, defeating British GM Luke McShane in a 38-move King's Indian Defense.

Ms. Polgar, who played some of the best chess of her legendary career in Aix-les-Bains, is now responsible for another crack in chess' glass ceiling after being personally responsible for so many others as she becomes the first woman to finish in the top three in a continental championship.


COMING ATTRACTIONS

Dubai Open 9-19 April.
Asian Championships, Mashad, Iran 1-11 May.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. This Week's Games

Music for the occasion by the great classical composer, Marlon Merrick

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. 12th European Championship, Aix-les-Bains

Lac du Bourget and Aix-les-Bains
Xtrasystole, Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Potkin - Jobava, Round 10

Vladimir Potkin
Photo by Stefan64 from Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)


Baadur Jobava, - Vladimir Potkin
12th European Championship, Round 10
Aix-les-Bains, 1 April 2011

Slav Queen's Gambit: Tikhi Opening

1.c4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Qb3

• For the more usual lines of the Tikhi Opening, see see Jakovenko-Vitiugov, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2009.

4...e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4

• 6...Nbd7 7.e3 Be7 8.Nc3 0-0 9.Bd3 b6 10.cxd5 cxd5 11.0-0 Bb7 12.Rfc1 a6 13.Na4 b5 14.Nc5 gives White a slight initiative and more space (van Wely-Gelfand, Amber Blind, 2007).

7.Qxc4 b5 8.Qc2 Bb7 9.Nc3

• If 9.e3 Nbd7 then:
• If 10.Bd3 then:
• 10...Rc8 11.Qe2 a6 12.a4 c5 13.0-0 c4 14.Bc2 Qb6 15.axb5 axb5 16.Nc3 b4 is equal (Bologan-Grigoryan, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2011).
• 10...a6 11.a4 Bb4+ 12.Nbd2 c5 13.Bxf6 Nxf6 14.axb5 Bxf3 15.gxf3 gives White a small advantage in space (M. Gurevich-Grischuk, World Rpd Cup, Cannes, 2001).
• 10.Nbd2 Rc8 11.Be2 Be7 12.0-0 c5 13.d5 exd5 14.Bxb5 0-0 is equal (Delchev-Galkin, FIDE Knock Out, Tripoli, 2004).

9...Nbd7 10.e4 Qb6 11.Be2 (N)

• This novelty is good for equality.
• 11.Bd3 a6 12.0-0 c5 13.d5 c4 14.dxe6 Qxe6 15.Be2 Bc5 16.Rad1 0-0 gives Black a slight advatage (Stocek-Kniest, Op, Barcelona, 2003).

11...Nh5

• 11...b4 12.Na4 Qa5 13.Nd2 c5 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Nxc5 remains equal.

12.d5

• The game remains equal.
• 12.0-0-0 Nf4 13.Bf1 b4 14.Ne2 Ng6 15.Bg3 Nf6 is also equal.

12...Nf4?!

• 12...g5 13.dxe6 fxe6 14.Bg3 Nxg3 15.hxg3 Bc5 remains equal.

BLACK: Vladimir Potkin



WHITE: Baadur Jobava
Position after 12...Nh5f4

13.dxe6 Nxe6 14.0-0-0!?

• White gets overconfident and castles to the wrong side.
• If 14.0-0 g5 15.Bg3 h5 then:
• 16.Rad1! h4 17.Bd6 h3 18.g3 a6 19.e5 fives White a powwerful advantage.
• 16.Ne5!? Nxe5 17.Bxe5 Rh6 18.Kh1 h4 19.f4 gives White a slight advantage in space

14...Bb4!

• The game is equal.

15.Kb1 Ndc5 16.Rd6 0-0 17.Nd5?!

• White thinks he's taking advantage of the pin at c6.
• Better is 17.Ne5 Qa5 18.Bh5 Rae8 19.Bxf7+ Rxf7 20.Nxf7 Kxf7 giving Black a slight advantage based on threats on the queenside that will weaken White's position (for example, 21...Bxc3 22.bxc3).

BLACK: Vladimir Potkin



WHITE: Baadur Jobava
Position after 17.Nc3de5

17...cxd5!!

• Black sacrifices his Queen for White's most active piece.

18.Rxb6 axb6 19.a3?

• The straw breaks the camel's back.
• If 19.Be7 Rfc8 20.Bxc5 bxc5 21.Bxb5 dxe4 gives Black the advantage: Black's minor pieces are more active, his advanced pawns well protected and his defense is solid.

19...dxe4!

• Black wins easily.

20.axb4 exf3 21.bxc5

• If 21.Bxf3 then Black wins after 21...Bxf3 22.bxc5 Bh5! 23.Re1 Bg6!.

21...fxe2 22.c6 Nd4 23.Qd3

• A better defense is 23.cxb7 Ra1+ 24.Kxa1 Nxc2+ 25.Kb1 e1Q+ 26.Rxe1 Nxe1 but it no longer makes any diference.

23...Nxc6 24.f3 Ra4 25.Qd7

• If 25.Qxe2 then Black wins after 25...Rxh4 26.Qxb5 Rb4 27.Qd3 Ra8 28.Rd1 Rba4.

25...Rxh4 26.Qxb7 Rd4

• 26...Rd4 27.Qxc6 Rd1+ 28.Qc1 Rfd8 29.Re1 Rxe1 30.Qxe1 Rd1+ wins the Queen and all else.
• 27.Kc2 Nb4+! 28.Kc3 Rd1! wins.
• Jobava resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Nisipeanu - Wojtaszek, Round 9

Radoslaw Wojtaszek
Photo by Michal Miroslaw in Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)


Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu - Radoslaw Wojtaszek
12th European Championship, Round 9
Aix-les-Bains, 31 March 2011

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

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 h6

• The usual move order is 7...Qb6 8.Qd2 Qxb2 9.Rb1 Qa3 10.e5 dxe5 11.fxe5 Nfd7 12.Ne4 transposing into either the text or, after 12...h6 13.Bh4 Qxa2, to the note to Black's twelfth move.
• See Gashimov-Grischuk, Wolrd ChT, Bursa, 2010.

8.Bh4 Qb6 9.Qd2 Qxb2 10.Rb1 Qa3 11.e5 dxe5 12.fxe5 g5?!

• 12...Nfd7 13.Ne4 Qxa2 14.Rd1 Qd5 15.Qe3 Qxe5 16.Be2 Bc5 17.Bg3 Bxd4 18.Rxd4 Qa5+ 19.Rd2 0-0 20.Bd6 Nc6 21.0-0 Re8 22.Qg3 Qd8 23.c4 Ne7 24.Bc7 Nf5 25.Rxf5 Qe7 26.Bd6 Qd8 27.Bc7 Qe7 28.Bd6 draw (Shabalov-Ehlvest, US Ch, Stillwater, 2007).

13.exf6

• 13.Bf2 Ng4 14.Bg3 Nd7 15.Be2 Ngxe5 16.0-0 Bg7 17.Nxe6 fxe6 18.Ne4 Rf8 gives White an extra piece and a huge advantage in space (Anand-Nepomniachtchi, Rpd, Mainz, 2009).

13...gxh4

• Black has a fair advantage in space.

14.Be2 Qa5 15.0-0 Nd7 16.Kh1 Qg5!?

• 16...h3! 17.gxh3 Qg5 18.Rf4 Rg8 19.Bg4 is equal.

17.Rf4!

• Black has only a small advantage in space.

17...e5

• 17...Nxf6 18.Nf3 Qg7 19.Nxh4 Be7 20.Qe3 Rg8 is equal.

18.Nd5 exd4 19.Qxd4 (N)

• 19.Nc7+!? Kd8 20.Nxa8 (White can barely speak of winning the exchange, since there's no way for the Knight to get out) 20...d3 21.Bxd3 Bd6 then:
• If 22.Rbf1!? Bxf4! (Black has a small advantage in space.) 23.Rxf4 h3 24.gxh3 Qd5+ 25.Qg2 Qd6 then:
• If 26.Qf2?! Re8! gives White an extra pawn, but he's virtually down a Knight) 27.Qd4 Re6 then:
• 28.c4?? 28...b5! White resigns since 29.Kg1 Bb7 30.Rg4 Qe5 31.Rg8+ Re8 32.Rxe8+ Kxe8 is hopeless (Bromberger-Areshchenko, Bundesliga 1011, Munich, 2010).
• 28.Qxd6 Rxd6 29.Kg2 Nxf6 30.Be2 Be6 leaves White not beaten, but with little hope.
• 26.Rf1 Re8 27.Rd1 b5 28.Kg1 Qxf6 gives Black a comfortable advantage in space.
• 22.Rf2 Qe5 23.g4 Qd5+ 24.Kg1 Bc5 remains equal.

BLACK: Radoslaw Wojtaszek



WHITE: Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu
Position after 19. Qd2d4:p

19...Kd8

• Black has a small advantage in space.

20.Rd1 h3!?

• This inaccurate move gives White a chance to equalize.
• 20...Bc5!? 21.Qd3 Qe5 22.Re4! Qd6 23.Qh3 gives White a slight advantage in space.

21.g3!?

• White fails to capitalize on the error.
• If 21.gxh3! Bc5 22.Qa4 Bd6 23.Re4 h5 is equal.

21...Bd6!

• The game is equal.

22.Re4 Re8 23.Nb6

• 23.Rxe8+ Kxe8 24.Nb6 Bc5 25.Qe4+ Kf8 remains equal.

23...Rxe4 24.Qxe4 Qc5 25.Nxa8 Nxf6 26.Qd3 Ke7 27.Bf3 h5

• If 27...Bg4 28.c4 then:
• If 28...Bxf3+ 29.Qxf3 then:
• 29...Be5 30.a4 Kf8 31.Rb1 Qxc4 remains equal.
• 29...Qxc4?! 30.Nb6! Qc2 31.Nd5+ gives White a powerful advantage.
• 28...Be6! 29.Qd4 b6 30.Rd2 a5 remains equal.

28.Qe2+?!

• This move should put White on the brink.
• 28.Qd4 Qxd4 29.Rxd4 Bc5 30.Rd3 Ng4 remains equal.

BLACK: Radoslaw Wojtaszek



WHITE: Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu
Position after 28.Qd3e2

28...Be6!

• Black has a tremendous advantage in space.

29.Bxb7 Ng4 30.Rf1 h4 31.gxh4 Nxh2?!

• Black sweeps away the hindmost h-pawn to clear the path for his h-pawn. With White's heavy pieces in the vacinity and his Bishop in command of the long diagonal, the plan is doomed to failure.
• Better is 31...Be5! 32.c4 Bxc4 33.Qxg4 Bxf1 34.Qg5+ leaving White with very little hope of survival.

32.Rg1?!

• White fails to take advantage of Black's error, although it would have paid large dividends.
• If 32.Re1! Kf8 33.Qe3 Qb4 34.Qh6+ then:
• 34...Kg8 35.Qg5+ Kf8 36.Qd8+ Kg7 37.Qg5+ etc. draws.
• 34...Ke7 35.Rxe6+ fxe6 36.Qg7+ Kd8 37.Qg8+ Ke7 38.Qg7+ etc. draws.

32...Kf8 33.Rg5?

• White, already is serious difficulty, plays this lemon and loses.
• If 33.c4 Bxc4 34.Qd2 Nf1 then:
• If 35.Qh6+ Ke8 36.Qg5 Qxg5 37.Rxg5 then:
• 37...Ng3+ 38.Kg1 h2+!! 39.Kf2 h1Q 40.Bxh1 Nxh1+ gives Black a tremendous advantage with two Bishop against a Rook and more piece activity.
• 37...f6? 38.Rg4 Bxa2 39.Ra4! gets White out of a big, big jam with equality.
• 35.Qg5 Qxg5 36.Rxg5 Ng3+ 37.Kg1 h2+!! gives Black a huge advantage.

BLACK: Radoslaw Wojtaszek



WHITE: Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu
Position after 33.Rg1g5

33...Qb4!

• White's minor pieces are no hinderance to Black, who now wins easily.

34.Qe4

• 34.Bc6 Bd7!! 35.Bxd7 Qb1+ 36.Rg1 Qb7+ leaves White up by an exchange, but now he must give up material just to get out of check.

34...Qb1+ 35.Rg1 Nf1 36.Qc6 Ng3+

• 36...Qd1 37.Qf3 Qd2 38.Rg2 hxg2+ 39.Qxg2 Qe1 leads to a quick mate.

37.Kh2 Nf1+ 38.Kh1 Qd1 39.Qf3 Qd2 0-1

• If 40.Rg2 then after 40...hxg2+ 41.Qxg2 Ng3+ 42.Kh2 Ne2+ 43.Kh1 Qe1+ Black mates on the following move.
• Dm. Nisipeanu resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Pantsulaia - J. Polgar, Round 7

Judit Polgar
Photo by Ygrek in Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)


Levon Pantsulaia - Judit Polgar
12th European Championship, Round 7
Aix-les-Bains, 28 March 2011

English Game: Agincourt Defense

1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6

• 2...d5 3.g3 dxc4 4.Bg2 Nd7 5.0-0 Ngf6 6.Qc2 a6 7.a4 Nc5 8.Na3 see Tomashevsky-Sjugirov , Russian Ch HL, Ulan-Ude, 2009.

3.g3 d5 4.Qc2

• 4.b3 c5 5.Bg2 Nc6 6.cxd5 exd5 7.0-0 Bg4 8.h3 Bxf3 9.Bxf3 Bd6 see Gelfand-Eljanov, Grand Prix, Nakchik, 2009.
• If 4.Bg2 d4 5.0-0 c5 6.e3 Nc6 7.exd4 cxd4 8.d3 Be7 9.Re1 0-0 10.Na3 Ne8 11.Nc2 f6 12.Bd2 see Ivanchuk-Alekseev, Grand Prix, Jermuk, 2009.
• If 4.d4 is the Catalan Queen's Gambit and then 4...c5 5.Nc3 Nc6 is the Normal (Tarrasch) Queen's Gambit.

4...c5 5.d4?!

• If 5.Bg2 Nc6 6.0-0 Be7 then:
• 7.b3 0-0 8.Bb2 d4 9.d3 e5 10.Nbd2 h6 11.a3 a5 12.e3 Bf5 is equal (Borchgrevink-Lauridsen, Nordic Ch, Bergen, 2001).
• 7.d3 0-0 8.a3 d4 9.e3 e5 10.exd4 exd4 11.Re1 Bd6 12.Bg5 h6 is equal (Gunawan-Zaw Win Lay, IT, Bali, 2000).

5...cxd4!

• 5...Nc6 6.Bg2 cxd4 7.0-0 Be7 8.Bf4 0-0 9.Rd1 Bd7 10.Nxd4 Nxd4 11.Rxd4 Bc5 12.Rd1 Ng4 gives Black a comfortable advantage in space (Kuzubov-Timofeev, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2006).

6.Nxd4 e5 7.Nb3

• 7.Nf3 Nc6 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.a3 Be6 10.Bd2 Be7 11.Nc3 0-0 12.Bg2 Rc8 13.Rd1 Nd4 14.Qb1 Bf6 15.0-0 Nxc3 16.bxc3 Nxe2+ 17.Kh1 Qc7 18.Qd3 Nxc3 19.Rc1 e4 White resigns (Takacs-Dr. Alekhine, IT, Kecskemet, 1927).

7...Nc6

• Black has a comfortable advantage in space.

8.Bg2 Nb4 9.Qd1

• If 9.Qc3!? d4! 10.Qd2 Be7 then:
• 11.0-0 0-0 12.Na3 a5 13.Nc2 Bf5 14.Nxb4 Bxb4 gives Black the advantage in space and the initiative.
• 11.a3 Nc6 12.Qd3 a5 13.0-0 0-0 14.Bg5 e4 gives Black more space, initiative and a mobile center pawn duo.

9...dxc4 10.N3d2 Bf5 11.Na3?!

• White sets himself up for Black to play a strategem of playing on the long diagonal against a vacated fianchettoed Bishop's nest.
• Better is 11.0-0 Rb8 12.Nxc4 Nc2 13.Qxd8+ Rxd8 14.Ne3 Nxa1 wins the exchange.

BLACK: Judit Polgar



WHITE: Levon Patsulaia
Position after 11. Nb1a3

11...b5!!

• See previous note.

Analysis Diagram: Timman-J. Polgar, IT, Malmø, 2000
BLACK: Judit Polgar



WHITE: Jan Timman
Position after 12.e2e4

• The above diagram is from the game Timman-J. Polgar, IT, Malmø, 2000, a textbook example of fighting against a Bishop's nest given in two of the best game collection books of the last 15 years, Instructive Modern Chess Masterpieces by Igor Stohl and Understanding Chess Move by Move by John Nunn. The Timman game is all the more remarkable because Ms. Polgar did not exchange the Bishop, but gave her opponent no time to develop it.
• Play continued 12...Qa5+ 13.Nbd2 0-0-0 when:
• 14.Rc1 f5 15.b4 fxe4 16.Qc3
• 16...Qd5?!
• 17.Ne5?! e3! gives Black a fair advantage.
• If 17.Bc4! Qf5 then:
• 18.Ba6 Qd5 19.Ne5 Bxa6 20.Qxc6 Qxc6 21.Nxc6 Bg5 gives Black a slight advantage.
• 18.g4?! Qf4 19.b5 Nxd4 20.Nxd4 Bc5 21.Qe3 Qe5 gives Black a tremendous advantage.
• If 16...Bxb4! 17.axb4 Qxb4 then:
• 18.Ng5 Qxc3 19.Rxc3 e5 20.d5 Rxd5 21.Ndxe4 h6 gives Black a sligtht advantage advantage.
• 18.Nxe4?! Qxc3+! 19.Rxc3 Nxd4 20.Ned2 Rhf8 gives Black a comfortable advantage with three connected passed pawns.
• "White must focus on his c-file counterplay, as after 14.Bg2?! f5! he again suffers along the diagonal: 15.exf5 Nxd4 16.Nxd4 Bxg2 17.Rg1 Bb7 and White's position is a wreck"(Nunn).
• "After14.0-0-0 Nxd4 15.Nxd4 Qc5+ 16.Nc4 Bf6 Black regains the piece with a big advantage"(Stohl).

12.Bxa8 Qxa8 13.Nf3 Nd3+!!

• White sacrifices a Knight in order to greater hinder White's mobility.

14.exd3 Bxd3!

• Rybka, Fritz and StockFish, the engine used on the ChessBomb website, together cannot persuade me that this move renders the game equal or superior for White, and not just because they have no soul.
• Nevertheless, I agree with Rybka that at least as good if not better is 14...Bg4! 15.0-0 Bxf3 then:
• 16.Qe1 Bxa3 17.bxa3 0-0 18.Qxe5 Re8 19.Qd4 Rd8 gives Black a comfortable advantage with her extra space and initiative more than compensating for the loss of the exchange.
• If 16.Qd2 Bc5 then:
• 17.d4 exd4 18.Qg5 Qc8 19.Qf4 Bb7 20.Re1+ Kd7 gives Black a strong advantage.
• If 17.Nc2? 0-0 18.dxc4 bxc4 19.Qg5 Ne4! then:
• If 20.Qf5 Be2 21.Ne3 f6 then:
• 22.Qe6+ Kh8 23.Qd5 Qxd5 24.Nxd5 Bxf1 25.Kxf1 Bxf2 leaves Black two pawns to the good and winning.
• If 22.h4 Qc6 23.Qh3 f5 24.Re1 Bf3 wins.
• 20.Qh4 Be2 wins.

15.Nxb5

BLACK: Judit Polgar



WHITE: Levon Patsulaia
Position after 15.Na3b5:p

15...Bb4+!

• This serves to remind White that his King is in the open.
• Rybka is still calling the game equal, but in fact Black has a powerful advantage. While White is up by a Rook, Black's pieces are much more active, her King a safer, she has more space and more freedom.

16.Nc3

• This move is forced.
• If 16.Bd2?? then Black plays 16...Qe4+! and delivers checkmate on the following move.
• If 16.Nd2 then 16...Qxh1#.

16...0-0 17.Rg1 Ne4

• If 17...Nd5 18.Bd2 Rd8 then:
• 19.Rc1 Nxc3 20.bxc3 Ba3 21.Be3 Bxc1 22.Bxc1 Qd5 Black enjoys more space and freedom in compensation for her piece.
• 19.Nxd5 Qxd5 20.Ng5 Be2 21.Qxe2 Bxd2+ 22.Kf1 Bxg5 gives Black more space in compesation for her material deficit.

18.Bd2 Rd8! 19.Rc1

• 19.Ng5 Nxd2 20.Qxd2 h6 21.Nxf7 Kxf7 22.0-0-0 Kg8 gives White an exchange and Black space and freedom.

19...Nxc3 20.bxc3 Ba3!

• White is forced to return the exchange.

21.Be3 Bxc1 22.Bxc1 Rb8

• 22...Qd5 23.Be3 Qa5 24.Qa1 Rb8 gives Black space and freedom against White's extra Knight. White's defense is somewhat more solid than in the ensuing positions.

23.Nd2 Qd5 24.Qa4 a5 25.Qd1 h6 26.Qf3?

• White thinks he's going to force Black
• If 26.Qg4 Qb5 then:
• If 27.h3 Qa4 then:
• 28.f4 Re8 29.Kf2 exf4 30.gxf4 Re2+ leaves as White's best shot giving up his Queen got a Rook and a Bishop, giving Black more activity and freedom.
• 28.Qd1 Qxa2 29.f4 Qa1 30.Kf2 Qxc3 gives Black a strong game.
• 27.Qh5?! Qa4! 28.f4 e4 29.Qd1 Qxa2 30.Kf2 Qa1 gives Black activity, freedom and a passed pawn in compensation for the piece.
• 27.Qd1?! e4 28.Nf1 Qb1! 29.Qd2 a4 30.f3 a3 gives Black more space and freedom, more than compensaring her for the material deficit.
• 26.g4 e4 27.Nf1 Rb1 28.Qd2 Qb7 29.Ne3 Ra1 gives Black a strong game, but White still has plenty of fight left.

BLACK: Judit Polgar



WHITE: Levon Patsulaia
Position after 26.Qd1f3

26...Rb1!!

• Instead, Black sacrifices her Queen.

27.Kd1

• If 27.Nxb1?? then 27...Qxf3! allows Black to deliver mate on the next move.

27...e4 28.Qf4 Ra1 29.Qb8+

• This is harikari. White removes his Queen from the defense.

29...Kh7 30.g4 Qd7

• If 30...Qc6 31.g5 Qa4+ 32.Nb3 Rxc1+!! then:
• 33.Kxc1 Qa3+ 34.Kd2 Qxa2+ 35.Ke3 Qe2+ 36.Kd4 Qxf2+ wins the Rook, leaving Black three pawns to the good.
• If 33.Kd2 then 33...Rxg1 34.h4 Qxa2+ 35.Ke3 cxb3 is crushing.

31.Qe5

• If 31.Qf4 then Black wins after 31...Qa4+ 32.Nb3 e3 33.Qxe3 Qxa2 34.Nxa1 Qxa1,

31...e3

• If 31...Qa4+ 32.Nb3 then:
• Black wins easily after 32...e3! 33.Qxe3 Rxa2 34.f3 Re2.
• 32...Qxa2? 33.Qf5+ Kg8 34.Qc8+ Kh7 etc. draws.

32.fxe3

• 32.Qd4 Qa4+ 33.Nb3 Qxa2!! 34.Qxe3 Qxb3+ 35.Kd2 Qc2+ leads to a quick mate.

32...Qa4+ 33.Ke1 Rxc1+ 34.Kf2 Rxg1 0-1

• 35.Kxg1 Qd1+ wins the Knight.
• Pantsulaia resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Moiseenko - McShane, Round 11

Alexander Moiseenko
Photo by Stefan64 from Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)


Alexander Moiseenko - Luke McShane
12th European Championship Round 11
Aix-les-Bains, 2 April 2011

West India Game: King's Indian Defense

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 0-0

• 4...d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 is the Main Line. See Grischuk-Ivanchuk, Grand Prix, Nalchik, 2009.

5.Bd3

• 5.Nge2 d6 6.f3 e5 7.Be3 is the Sämisch Opening. See the opening notes to Menchik-Thomas, IT, London, 1932.

5...Nc6 6.Nge2 e5 7.d5 Nd4 8.Nxd4

• If 8.0-0 d6 9.Nxd4 exd4 10.Nb5 Re8 11.Re1 then:
• If 11...Ng4 12.h3 a6 13.hxg4 axb5 14.cxb5 Qh4 then:
• 15.Bf4 Bxg4 16.Qd2 Be5 17.a4 Bd7 18.g3 Qh5 19.Be2 Bg4 20.Bxg4 Qxg4 is equal (Tempone-Roselli Mailhe, ZT, Mar del Plata, 2001).
• If 15.g3 Qxg4 16.Qxg4 Bxg4 then:
• If 17.Kg2 f5 18.a4 fxe4 19.Rxe4 Rxe4 20.Bxe4 Be2 21.Ra3 Kf7 22.f3 h5 23.Kf2 d3 24.a5 gives White a slight advantage (Jussupow-Ehlvest, Soviet Ch, Minsk, 1987).
• 17.Bf4 Bf3 18.b6 g5 19.Bxg5 Re5 20.Bh4 cxb6 21.Rac1 Rae8 22.Bb5 Rf8 is equal (Aronian-Nakamura, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2011).
• If 11...a6 12.Nxd4 Nxd5 13.cxd5 Bxd4 then:
• If 14.Qa4 c5 15.dxc6 Qb6 16.Be3 Bxe3 17.Rxe3 bxc6 18.Qc2 Be6 19.b3 a5 20.Rae1 a4 21.Bc4 draw (Zaja-Stevic, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• 14.Qc2 Bd7 15.Be3 Bg7 16.Rad1 c5 17.dxc6 draw (Seirawan-Benjamin, US Ch, Los Angeles, 1991).

8...exd4 9.Ne2 c5 10.0-0 d6 11.Bg5 Re8

• 11...h6 12.Bf4 Ng4 13.Qd2 Ne5 14.Rae1 Nxd3 15.Qxd3 g5 16.Bd2 f5 is equal (J. Ivanov-Blehm, Anibal Op, Linares, 2003).

12.f3 h6 (N)

• If 12...Qc7 then:
• If 13.Ng3 Nd7 14.f4 h6 15.Bh4 then:
• 15...b5 16.b3 bxc4 17.bxc4 Rb8 18.Rf2 is equal (Erdos-R. S. Jones, Masters, Gibraltar, 2011).
• 15...Bf6 16.Bxf6 Nxf6 17.h3 Kg7 18.Qf3 gives White a comfortable advantage with Black unable to penetrate through the advanced pawns (V. Georgiev-R. S. Jones, Euro ChT, Novi Sad, 2009).
• 13.Qd2 Nd7 14.f4 b5 15.b3 bxc4 16.bxc4 Nf6 17.Bxf6 Bxf6 18.Ng3 Bg7 is equal (Genov-van Delft, Op, Hoogeveen, 2009).

13.Bd2

• The game is equal.

13...Nd7 14.f4 Nf6 15.Qc2 Bd7

• 15...a6 16.Ng3 Ng4 17.h3 Ne3 18.Bxe3 dxe3 19.Rf3 remains equal.

16.a4 h5 17.h3 Qe7 18.e5

• If 18.Ng3 h4 19.Nh1 then:
• If 19...Kh8 20.Rae1 Nh5 21.Be2 Ng3 22.Nxg3 hxg3 23.Bd3 is equal.
• 19...Nxe4 20.Rae1 f5 21.Nf2 Qf7 22.Nxe4 fxe4 23.Bxe4 is equal.

18...dxe5

• Black has a slight edge in space.

19.fxe5 Qxe5 20.Bf4 Qe7 21.Bg5?!

• Black relinquishes his command of an open diagonal in order to establish a pin that is easily and effectively broken.
• 21.Rae1! Qf8 22.Rf3 a5 23.Ref1 Ra6 is equal.

BLACK: Luke McShane



WHITE: Alexander Moiseenko
Position after 21. Bf4g5

21...Qd6!

• Black breaks the pin and takes a comfortable advantage in space.

22.Bxf6

• 22.Bf4 Qb6 23.b3 a5 24.Rae1 Nh7 doesn't give White quite enough compensation for Black's extra pawn.

22...Bxf6 23.Bxg6 Rxe2 24.Bh7+ Kg7!?

• Black's idea is to activate the Rook on h8.
• If 24...Kh8 25.Qxe2 Kxh7 26.Ra3 Kh6 27.Raf3 maintains a comfortable advantage in space.

BLACK: Luke McShane



WHITE: Alexander Moiseenko
Position after 24...Kg8g7

25.Qxe2!!

• White sacrifices the Bishop and gets increased activity.

25...Kxh7 26.Ra3!

• White activates the Rook on a navigable rank.
• 26.Qf2?! Bg7! 27.Qxf7 Be8 28.Qf3 Bg6 leaves Black's King cleverly defended by Rooks.

26...Re8?!

• Black neglects the h-pawn and takes a mighty fall.
• 26...Kh6 27.Raf3 Bg5 28.Rxf7 Be8 29.Rf8 is equal.

27.Qxh5+!

• Black's kingside is open for White's heavy pieces.

27...Kg7?

• Black neglects his King's safety altogether and this time it's fatal.
• If 27...Kg8 then:
• If 28.Qf3! Bg7 29.Qxf7+ Kh8 30.Qh5+ then:
• 30...Qh6 31.Qxh6+ Bxh6 32.Rf7 is equal.
• 30...Kg8?! 31.Raf3! Re7 32.Qg5 Re5 33.Qg3 leaves White with a small advantage.
• If 28.Rb3!? Re7 then:
• 29.Qf3 Be5 30.Rxb7 Bxa4 gives White a small advantage.
• 29.Rxb7 d3!! 30.Rxa7 Qg3! gives Black excellent chances of promoting the pawn.

BLACK: Luke McShane



WHITE: Alexander Moiseenko
Position after 27...Kg8g7

28.Raf3!

• The Rook comes to the kingside and joins the battle. Black is beaten.

28...Rh8

• 28...Qe5 29.Qxe5 Bxe5 30.Rxf7+ is crushing.

29.Rxf6 Rxh5

• 29...Qxf6 30.Qxh8+ Kxh8 31.Rxf6 gives White a material advantage and two passed pawns; Black's passed pawn can be stopped by White's King.

30.Rxd6 Bxa4 31.Rdf6 Be8 32.d6 Kf8 33.R1f5

• The text wins quicker than 33.d7 Bxd7 34.Rxf7+ Ke8 35.Rg7 when:
• 35...Bc6 36.Rf6 Rh8 37.Re6+ condemns Black to a slower demise.
• If 35...a5 then stick a fork in Black after 36.Ra1 b6 37.Re1+ Kd8 38.Ree7.

33...Rh4

• A more stubborn effort is 33...Rxf5 34.Rxf5 b6 35.Re5 a6 36.Kf2.

34.Rxc5 Bc6 35.Rcf5 Rh7 36.Rf4 Rg7 37.g4 d3 38.Rd4 1-0

• Mr. McShane resigns.