The Jack Rabbit Chess Report (June 4): Morozevich takes Sarajevo

[Jack Rabbit]

Morozevich storms the field in Sarajevo

Gramdmaster Alexander Morozevich of Russia, who may rise to number three in the FIDE rankings due out at the end of this month, won the annual international tournament sponsored by the Bosna Chess Club of Sarajevo with 7½ points out of ten rounds in competition completed Sunday.

Morozevich finished a point and a half ahead of his nearest rivial, Cuban grandmaster Lenier Domínguez, the highest ranking Latin American player. Moro, as he is known to his fans, came into the final round already assured of a clear first prize.


Three-way tie in Chicago Open

American grandmasters Var Akobian and Hikaru Nakamura and Armenian GM T. L. Petrosian tied for first place with 5½ points out of seven rounds in the Chicago Open completed May 26.

The two top finishers by tie break point, Akobian, who hails from Armenia, and Petrosian, played a blitz playoff that came down to an Armageddon Game, which was won by Akobian.


Calendar

This week:

The National Open in Las Vegas, Nevada, begins Friday. The top seed is US grandmaster Gata Kamsky.

The third annual Aerosvit International Tournament, Foros, Ukraine begins Sunday and runs 11 rounds through June 19. This years participants are Magnus Carlsen (Norway), Peter Svidler (Russia), the red-hot Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine), Alexei Shirov (Spain), Sergey Karjakin (Ukraine), Dmitry Jakovenko (Russia), Evgeny Alexseev (Russia), Pavel Eljanov (Ukraine), Andrei Volokitin (Ukraine), Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu (Romania), Loek van Wely (Holland) and Alex Onischuk (United States). Ivanchuk won last year's event with 7½ points, a half-point ahead of Karjakin.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. Games of the Week

Special assistant to Mr. Rabbit for game analysis is Fritz 6.0.

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

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

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Morozevich - Movsesian, Round 3, Sarajevo

Alexander Morozevich
Photo: ChessBase.com


Alexander Morozevich - Sergei Movsesian
Bosnia Sarajevo Tournament, Round 3
Sarajevo, 25 May 2008

Slav Queen's Gambit: Chameleon Defense

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 a6

• The Chameleon Defense has become quite popular in recent years, albeit it has drawish tendancies.

5.e3

• If 5.c5 then:
• If 5...Bf5 6.Bf4 Nbd7 7.e3 e6 8.Be2 then:
• If 8...Be7 9.Nd2 then:
• If 9...h6 10.b4 then:
• If 10...0-0 11.0-0 Re8 12.Bg3 Qc8 13.Bf3 Bd8 14.e4 dxe4 15.Bxe4 Nxe4 16.Ndxe4 Bxe4 17.Nxe4 Be7 gives White a solid advantage in space (Piket-Zagrebelny, Ol, Istanbul, 2000).
• 10...Qc8 11.a4 b6 12.a5 b5 13.g4 Bg6 14.h4 Bd8 15.h5 Bh7 16.Qb3 Bc7 17.Bxc7 Qxc7 18.f4 Ng8 19.Rf1 gives White the advantage in space (Najer-I. Popov, Russian Ch FL, Krasnoyarsk, 2003).
• 9...Bg6 10.b4 Qc8 11.0-0 0-0 12.h3 Re8 13.Bg3 Bd8 14.f4 Bc7 15.a4 Kh8 16.Bh4 Ng8 17.Nb3 Ngf6 18.Bd3 b6 19.cxb6 Bxb6 20.a5 Bd8 21.Bxf6 Nxf6 22.Nc5 Bxd3 23.Qxd3 Nd7 24.N5a4 Rb8 is equal (Akobian-Adu, Op, Philadelphia, 2006).
• 8...Ne4 9.Nxe4 Bxe4 10.0-0 Be7 11.Nd2 Bg6 12.b4 0-0 13.Nb3 Re8 14.a4 Bf6 15.Bg3 Bf5 16.Qd2 e5 17.b5 axb5 18.axb5 Qe7 19.Bf3 Rxa1 20.Rxa1 exd4 21.Nxd4 Nxc5 22.Nxf5 gives White the advantage in space (Arutinian-Kayumov, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• 5...Nbd7 6.Bf4 Nh5 7.e3 g6 8.Bd3 Bg7 9.0-0 0-0 10.Bg5 Re8 11.Nd2 Bf6 12.Bxf6 Ndxf6 13.f4 Ng7 14.Nf3 Bf5 15.Ne5 Nd7 16.Nf3 e6 17.Rc1 Qc7 18.Bxf5 exf5 19.Qd3 is equal (Evdokimov-Volkov, Russian Ch FL, Krasnoyarsk, 2003).
• If 5.a4 e6 6.Bg5 Nbd7 then:
• If 7.e3 Qa5 8.Nd2 Bb4 9.Qc2 c5 then:
• 10.Be2 cxd4 11.exd4 dxc4 12.Bxf6 Nxf6 13.Nxc4 Qc7 14.Qb3 Bd6 15.a5 0-0 16.Qb6 Rd8 17.Bf3 Rb8 18.0-0-0 Nd5 19.Qxc7 Bxc7 20.Rhe1 Nb4 21.Nb6 Bxb6 22.axb6 Rd6 23.d5 Rxb6(Beliavsky-Piket, Madrid, 1997).
• 10.Nb3 Qc7 11.dxc5 0-0 12.Bxf6 Nxf6 13.cxd5 Nxd5 14.Bd3 h6 15.0-0 Nxc3 16.bxc3 Bxc5 17.Nxc5 Qxc5 18.Rfd1 Qc7 19.Bh7+ Kh8 20.Be4 Bd7 21.Qb3 Bc6 22.Qc4 Rac8 23.Bxc6 Qxc6 24.Qxc6 Rxc6 25.Rd7 b5 draw (Vaganian-Movsesian, Bundesliga, Cologne, 2005).
• 7.cxd5 exd5 8.e3 a5 9.Bd3 Be7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Qc2 Re8 12.Rae1 Nf8 13.Ne5 Ng4 14.Bxe7 Rxe7 15.f4 f6 16.Nxg4 Bxg4 17.h3 Bh5 18.g4 Bf7 19.Qf2 Qd6 20.Re2 Rae8 is equal (Ponomariov-Movsesian, IT, Karlsbad, 2007).
• If 5.cxd5 cxd5 6.Bf4 Nc6 then:
• If 7.e3 Bg4 8.Be2 e6 9.0-0 then:
• If 9...Be7 then:
• 10.Rc1 0-0 11.h3 Bh5 12.Ne5 Bxe2 13.Qxe2 Nd7 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.Na4 Qa5 16.b3 Rfc8 17.Rc2 gives White the advantage in space (Vijayalakshmi-Sasikiran, GM Trmt, Hyderabad, 2000).
• 10.h3 Bh5 11.Ne5 Bxe2 12.Qxe2 Rc8 13.Rfc1 0-0 14.Nxc6 draw (Vorobiov-Najer, Russian Ch FL, Krasnoyarsk, 2003).
• 9...Bd6 10.Bxd6 Qxd6 11.Rc1 0-0 12.Na4 Nd7 13.Qd2 Rac8 14.a3 e5 15.dxe5 Ndxe5 16.Nxe5 Nxe5 17.f4 Bxe2 18.fxe5 Qd7 19.Nb6 Rxc1 20.Rxc1 Qe6 21.Qd4 gives White a small advantage in space (Amanov-Goh, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• 7.Rc1 Bf5 8.e3 Rc8 9.Be2 e6 10.0-0 Bd6 11.Bxd6 Qxd6 12.Na4 0-0 13.Nc5 Rc7 14.Qa4 Rfc8 15.Rc3 Ne4 16.Nxe4 Bxe4 17.Rfc1 h6 18.Rc5 is equal (Voiska-Butuc, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).

5...b5 6.c5

• If 6.b3 Bg4 7.Be2 e6 8.0-0 Nbd7 9.h3 then:
• If 9...Bh5 10.Bb2 Bd6 11.Ne5 Bxe2 12.Nxe2 then:
• If 12...Qc7 13.cxd5 cxd5 14.Rc1 Qb8 15.Nxd7 then:
• 15...Nxd7 16.e4 dxe4 17.d5 0-0 18.dxe6 Nc5 19.Nf4 Ra7 20.Nh5 Nxe6 21.Nf6+ gxf6 22.Qg4+ Ng5 23.Bxf6 h6 24.Rc6 Bh2+ 25.Kh1 Be5 26.h4 Bxf6 27.Rxf6 Qc8 28.Qg3 Qb8 29.Qg4 draw (Morovic-Leitão, Santos, 2004).
• 15...Kxd7 16.f3 Qb7 17.Qd3 Ke7 18.Nc3 b4 19.Na4 Qb5 20.Qd2 Rac8 21.Nc5 Rhd8 22.a4 bxa3 23.Bxa3 Ke8 24.Rc3 Nd7 is equal (Avrukh-Arlandi, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• 12...bxc4 13.bxc4 0-0 14.Qc2 Rc8 15.Nxd7 Nxd7 16.c5 Bc7 17.Qa4 a5 18.Kh1 Bb8 19.Bc3 Qh4 20.Qxa5 e5 draw (Gallego-Pia Cramling, Spanish ChT, Vila Real, 2001).
• 9...Bf5 10.Bd3 Bb4 11.Bb2 Bxd3 12.Qxd3 0-0 13.Rfc1 bxc4 14.bxc4 Qe7 15.Rc2 dxc4 16.Qxc4 c5 17.Rac1 cxd4 18.Nxd4 Ne5 19.Qe2 Ba3 20.f4 Ng6 21.Nc6 Qd6 22.Rd2 Qxc6 23.Bxa3 Rfc8 24.Kh2 Qb7 is equal (Aronian-P. Smirnov, FIDE Knock Out, Tripoli, 2004).
• If 6.cxd5 cxd5 7.Bd3 then:
• 7...e6 8.Ne5 Bb7 9.0-0 Nbd7 10.f4 Bd6 11.Bd2 0-0 12.Be1 Ne4 13.Qh5 Ndf6 14.Qh3 Nxc3 15.bxc3 Ne4 16.a4 Qc7 17.axb5 axb5 18.Rxa8 Rxa8 19.Bxb5 Nxc3 20.Bd3 Ne4 is equal (Ivanchuk-Kasparov, IT, Prague, 2002).
• 7...Bg4 8.h3 Bh5 9.a4 b4 10.Nb1 e6 11.Nbd2 Bd6 12.b3 0-0 13.Bb2 Bg6 14.Qe2 Bxd3 15.Qxd3 Nc6 16.Rc1 Qd7 17.Ne5 Bxe5 18.dxe5 Ne8 19.0-0 f6 20.Nf3 fxe5 21.Nxe5 Nxe5 22.Bxe5 gives White the advantage in space (Wornath-Jirka, IT, Griesheim, 2002).

6...Nbd7

• If 6...g6 then:
• If 7.Bd3 Bg7 then:
• If 8.h3 8...0-0 9.0-0 then:
• If 9...a5 10.Re1 Nbd7 11.a3 Qc7 12.e4 dxe4 13.Nxe4 Nxe4 14.Rxe4 e5 15.Nxe5 Nxe5 16.Bf4 f6 is equal (Kozul-Jankovic, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• 9...Nbd7 10.Re1 Re8 11.e4 b4 12.Na4 dxe4 13.Bxe4 Nxe4 14.Rxe4 a5 15.Bf4 Nf6 16.Re1 Nd5 17.Be5 Ba6 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.b3 is equal (Ivanchuk-Bacrot, Rapid, Odessa, 2007).
• If 8.b4 Bg4 9.Bb2 Nbd7 10.Ne2 Qc7 11.a4 0-0 then:
• 12.Ra2 Ra7 13.h3 Bxf3 14.gxf3 Rfa8 15.f4 e6 16.0-0 gives White the advantage in space (Aronian-Volkov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2005).
• 12.Ra3 Rfb8 13.Qa1 Bxf3 14.gxf3 Qc8 15.Bc3 Ne8 16.f4 Ndf6 is equal (Vallejo-Shirov, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2005).
• If 7.Ne5 Bg7 8.Be2 0-0 9.0-0 then:
• 9...Be6 10.f4 Qc7 11.Bd2 Ne4 12.Nd3 a5 13.Be1 Nd7 14.Bh4 draw (Eljanov-Malakhov, Areoflot Op, Moscow, 2006).
• 9...Nfd7 10.f4 f5 11.Nd3 a5 12.Bd2 Nf6 13.Be1 Nbd7 14.Bh4 Kh8 15.Kh1 Ne4 16.h3 is equal (Moiseenko-Ni Hua, World ChT, Beer Shiva, 2005).

7.Bd2

• If 7.b4 a5 8.bxa5 Qxa5 9.Bd2 b4 10.Nb1 Ne4 11.a3 then:
• 11...Nxd2 12.Nfxd2 Qa4 13.Qxa4 Rxa4 14.Nb3 Kd8 15.Kd2 bxa3 16.Rxa3 Rxa3 17.Nxa3 e5 18.Nc2 is equal (Polak-Kritz, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• 11...Rb8 12.Ra2 Nxd2 13.Qxd2 Ra8 14.Be2 e5 15.0-0 Be7 16.Rb2 bxa3 17.Qxa5 Rxa5 18.Ra2 Ba6 19.Bxa6 Rxa6 20.Rxa3 draw (Aronian-I. Sokolov, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).

7...a5 8.Rc1!?

• If 8.a3 Qc7 9.b4 e5 then:
• If 10.bxa5 e4 11.Ng1 Rxa5 12.Nge2 h5 13.Nc1 Be7 14.Nb3 Ra8 15.h3 0-0 16.Be2 h4 17.a4 bxa4 18.Rxa4 Bb7 is equal (Bareev-Jakovenko, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2005).
• 10.Nxb5 cxb5 11.Bxb5 exd4 12.exd4 Be7 13.0-0 0-0 14.Bg5 axb4 15.axb4 Rxa1 16.Qxa1 Bd8 17.Bd3 Ne4 18.Bxd8 Rxd8 19.b5 Ndxc5 20.dxc5 Qxc5 21.Qe5 is equal (Belov-Jakovenko, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2005).

8...Ba6!

• This ia a good response to the novelty. Black threatens 9...b4.

9.a3

• White plays a prophylactic againt 9...b4.

9...Qc7

• Black could also develop in a straightforward way with 9...g6 10.Ra1 Bg7 11.b4 when
• 11...axb4 12.axb4 0-0 13.Bd3 is a satisfactory game for both sides.
• 11...a4 12.Bd3 0-0 13.0-0 is equal.

10.b4

• White puts a stop to 10...b4 once and for all.

10...axb4 11.axb4 g6 12.Bd3 Bg7 13.0-0 0-0

• The game is equal. White has an advantage in space, but no ready way to exploit it.

14.Ne2 Bb7 15.h3!?

• If 15.Bc3 Ra4 then:
• 16.Bc2 Ra3 17.Qd3 Ne4 18.Ra1 Rxa1 19.Bxa1 Ra8 is equal.
• 16.Ra1 Rfa8 17.Bc2 Rxa1 18.Bxa1 is equal.

15...Ra3

• 15...Ra4 16.Bc2 Ra3 17.Bc3 Rfa8 18.Ra1 is equal.

16.Bc3 Rfa8 17.Bb2

• White challenges the Rook's presence in a way to preserve rather than exchange Rooks.
• If 17.Ra1 Rxa1 18.Bxa1 Ne4 19.Qc2 then:
• 19...Ndf6 20.Nc3 Nxc3 21.Bxc3 gives White a slight advantage.
• After 19...Ra4?! White wins a pawn by 20.Bxe4 dxe4 21.Qxe4 Nb8 22.Rb1.

17...R3a6 18.Qb3 Ne8 19.Rfe1!?

• Again, White refuses to exchange Rooks.
• 19.Ra1 Nef6 20.Rxa6 Rxa6 21.Ra1 Rxa1+ 22.Bxa1 Nf8 23.Nf4 gives White the advantage in space, but Black can fight back with counterplay.

19...e5 20.e4 dxe4 21.Bxe4 Ndf6?!

• Black's game deteriorates after this.
• Better is 21...exd4 22.Nexd4 Ndf6 23.Bc2 Nd5 24.Ra1 with equality.

22.Ng3 exd4 23.Nxd4 Rd8

• Black is forced to abandon hopes of penetrating White's camp on the a-file.
• If 23...Nxe4 24.Nxe4 Ra2 25.Rcd1 Qf4 then:
• 26.Nd6 Nxd6 27.cxd6 Bf8 28.d7 gives White the tactical advantage.
• 26.Bc1 Qc7 27.Ng5 Bxd4 28.Rxd4 Ra1 29.Red1 gives White a decisive advantage in mobility.

24.Bf3 Raa8

• Black's previous move was made because the d7 square was vulnerable (se the red lin in the note to Black's 23rd mov3). Obviously, this move just makes it vulerable agian.
• However, Black has more vulnerablile squares offering White some spectacular tactical opportunities.
• Correct is 24...Qd7 25.Rcd1 Nd5 26.Ne4 h6 27.Nc2 Bxb2 28.Qxb2 giving White a small advantage in space, but still a position in which Black can fight.

BLACK: Sergei Movsesian
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WHITE: Alexander Morozevich
Position after 24...Ra6a8

25.Ndf5!?

• Black left the f5 square vulnerable; he thought the pawn was sufficient to guard from this move (and so does Fritz). The sacrifice of the Knight weakens Black's kingside pawn structure considerably, allowing White to penetrate decisively.
• Better is the sacrifice 25.Nxb5!! cxb5 26.Be5 Qc8 27.c6 Ba6 28.c7 (Fritz saw this one).

25...gxf5 26.Nxf5 Rd7 27.Nxg7!

• White will work on getting his piece back. The exchange removes a defender of the Knight at f6.

27...Kxg7 28.Qc3

• 28.Qe3 h6 29.Bg4 Rd5 30.Qe7 Qxe7 31.Rxe7 is equal.

28...Qf4

• White is threatening 29.Rxe8 Rxe8 30.Qxf6+ Kf8 31.Qg7+ Ke7 32.Bf6+ Ke6 33.Re1+ Kf5 34.Qg5#.

29.Re4 Qd2 30.Qe5!

• White occupies the pivot point with the most flexible piece. From e5, the Queen can be redeployed to whatever square she best aides the attack.

30...Ra2?

• If 30...Rd5! 31.Qg3+ Kf8 32.Re2 Qg5 then:
• 33.Qxg5 Rxg5 34.Rce1 Nd5 is equal.
• 33.Bxd5 Qxg3 34.fxg3 Nxd5 35.Rf1 Bc8 is equal.

31.Re2 Qh6

• White has a vicious attack after 31...Rxb2 32.Rxd2 Rbxd2 33.Qg5+ Kf8 34.Re1.

BLACK: Sergei Movsesian
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WHITE: Alexander Morozevich
Position after 31...Qd2h6

32.Rce1!

• This move assures that White will maintain his grip on the e-file in all contingencies,

32...Rxb2

• White wins after 32...Qg6 33.Bh5 Rxb2 34.Bxg6 Rxe2 35.Rxe2.
• After 33...Qd3 34.Qg5+ Black must either submit to make or surrender his Queen.

33.Qxb2 Nc7 34.Bg4

• Stronger is 34.Re7 Kf8 35.Rxd7 Ncd5 36.Rxb7.

34...Rd3

• Black puts up a more stubborn defense after 34...Ne6 35.Bxe6 fxe6 36.Rxe6 Rf7, but after 37.Qe5 Bc8 38.Rxc6 White wins.

35.Re7 Ncd5 36.Rxb7 Rd2 37.Qe5 1-0

• Black's best try is 37...Qf4, after which White maintains his winning advantage by 38.Qxf4 Nxf4 39.Ree7.
• Grandmaster Movsesian resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Akobian - Zapata, Round 7, Chicago

Var Akobian
Photo: ChessBase.com


Var Akobian - Alonso Zapata
Open Tournament, Round 7
Chicago, 26 May 2008

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

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Bg5

• The usual Sämisch move order is 5.f3 0-0 when:
• If 6.Be3 then:
• 6...e5 7.d5 c6 8.Bd3 cxd5 9.cxd5 Ne8 gives White the advantage in space and development.
• 6...Nc6 7.Qd2 a6 8.Nge2 Rb8 is equal.
• 6...c5 7.d5 e6 8.Qd2 exd5 9.cxd5 a6 transposes into a variation of the Tal Indian Defense (aka the Modern Benoni).
• If 6.Bg5 then:
• If 6...h6 then:
• 7.Be3 c5 8.d5 e6 9.Qd2 exd5 10.cxd5 Re8 11.Nge2 Nbd7 12.Nc1 h5 13.Be2 a6 14.a4 Nh7 15.Nd3 Ne5 16.Nf2 g5 17.0-0 Qf6 18.f4 gxf4 19.Bxf4 Qg6 20.Kh1 Bd7 21.Nd3 Nc4 22.Qd1 Bg4 23.Bxg4 hxg4 24.Qb3 Bxc3 25.Qxc3 draw (Moiseenko-Damljanovic, Serbian ChT, Zlatibor, 2006).
• 7.Bh4 transposes into the text.
• 6...Nc6 7.Nge2 a6 8.Qd2 Bd7 9.h4 h5 10.0-0-0 b5 11.Bh6 e5 12.Nd5 Bxh6 13.Qxh6 bxc4 14.g4 Nxd5 15.exd5 Nb4 16.Ng3 c3 17.Nxh5 gxh5 18.gxh5 Bg4 19.Rg1 f5 20.fxg4 f4 21.bxc3 Nxa2+ 22.Kc2 Qxh4 23.Qg6+ Kh8 24.Bd3 Qe7 25.Qh6+ Kg8 26.Qe6+ Black resigns (Sadler-Nunn, Op, Hastings, 1992-93).

5...h6 6.Bh4 0-0 7.Bd3 e5!?

• 7...Nc6 8.Nge2 Nd7 9.Bc2 Nb6 10.b3 Nb4 11.0-0 g5 12.Bg3 e5 13.dxe5 dxe5 14.Rc1 Be6 15.a3 Na6 16.Qxd8 Rfxd8 gives Black the advantage in space (Briel-Paoli, IT, Arlesheim, 1961).
• 7...c5 8.d5 Qa5 9.Nge2 b5 10.cxb5 a6 11.bxa6 Nxa6 12.0-0 Nb4 13.h3 Nxd3 14.Qxd3 Ba6 15.Qc2 Rfb8 16.Rab1 Bc4 gives Black a small advantage in space (Golz-Vukcevich, Sofia, 1958).

8.d5 a5

• 8...Nbd7 9.h3 a5 10.g4 g5 11.Bg3 Re8 12.Nge2 Nf8 13.Qd2 Ng6 14.0-0-0 Nd7 15.f3 Nc5 16.Bc2 Bd7 17.Bf2 b6 18.Ng3 gives White a small advantage in space (Gheorghiu-Holaszek, World ChU20, The Hague, 1961).

9.f3 Na6 10.Nge2 Qe8!?

• 10...Bd7 11.0-0 g5 12.Bf2 Nh5 13.Rc1 Nf4 14.Re1 Nxd3 15.Qxd3 f5 16.exf5 Bxf5 17.Ne4 gives White a small advantage in space (Lujambio-Mariani, Op, Rosario, 2002).

11.Qd2

• 11.0-0 Nd7 12.Qd2 Ndc5 13.Bb1 a4 14.Bc2 Bd7 is equal.

11...Nh5

• 11...Nb4 12.Bb1 Qe7 13.Bf2 Re8 14.0-0 gives White a small advantage in space.

12.Bf2

• 12.g4 Nf4 13.Nxf4 exf4 14.g5 hxg5 15.Bxg5 f5 16.0-0-0 gives White a small advantage in space.

12...f5 13.exf5 gxf5 14.0-0-0 Nc5

• 14...Nb4 15.Bb1 Nf6 16.a3 Na6 17.Bc2 Bd7 18.Ng3 gives White a comfortable advantage in space and mobility.

15.Bc2?!

• Better is 15.Bxc5 when White still has the upper hand after 15...dxc5 16.Rhe1 Qe7 17.Kb1 Qg5 18.g3 Qxd2 19.Rxd2.

15...e4?

• White is superior in space and mobility; Black should not open the center.
• The loss of a pawn is now certain.
• 15...b6 16.g3 Nf6 17.Be3 Qh5 18.Rdf1 Qh3 19.f4 e4 gives Black the advantage in space.

16.Rde1 Bd7

• If 16...Nd7 17.fxe4 Ne5 18.Nd4 then:
• 18...fxe4 19.Nxe4 Nf4 20.Bg3 Qf7 21.Qxf4 Qxf4+ 22.Bxf4 Rxf4 23.Nb5 gives White an extra pawn.
• 18...Nxc4 19.Qe2 fxe4 20.Qxc4 Rxf2 21.Nxe4 Rxc2+ 22.Nxc2 gives White the exchange.

BLACK: Alonso Zapata
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WHITE: Var Akobian
Position after 16...Bc8d7

17.Bd4!

• 17.Bxc5 dxc5 18.fxe4 fxe4 19.Nxe4 Qe5 20.Bd3 gives Black enough extra space to compensate for the pawn minus.

17...Qg6

• 17...exf3 18.gxf3 Qd8 19.Bxg7 Kxg7 20.Rhg1+ Kh7 21.Nd4 gives White a commanding advantage in space.

18.Bxg7

• White wins a pawn after 18.fxe4 Nxe4 19.Nxe4 fxe4 20.Bxg7 Qxg7 21.Nc3.

18...Qxg7

• If 18...Kxg7 19.fxe4 then:
• If 19...Rae8 20.exf5 Bxf5 then:
• 21.g4 Bxc2 22.gxh5 Nd3+ 23.Kxc2 Nxe1+ 24.Kd1 Nf3 25.hxg6 Nxd2 26.Kxd2 Kxg6 27.Rg1+ gives White two minor pieces for a Rook while Black's King is exposed in the open.
• If 21.Bxf5 Qxf5 22.Nd4 Qf4 then:
• 23.Rxe8 Rxe8 24.Kd1 a4 25.Rg1 Qxd2+ 26.Kxd2 gives White an extra pawn.
• If 23.Qxf4 Nxf4 24.Rxe8 Rxe8 25.Kc2 gives White an extra pawn.
• 19...fxe4 20.Nxe4 Nxe4 21.Qd4+ Qf6 22.Qxe4 Qg5+ 23.Kb1 gives White an extra pawn.

19.fxe4 fxe4 20.Nxe4

• White has won a pawn.

20...a4

• 20...Nxe4 21.Bxe4 a4 22.Nd4 Rae8 23.Bf3 Re5 24.Ne6 forces Black into unfavorable exchanges.

BLACK: Alonso Zapata
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WHITE: Var Akobian
Position after 20...a5a4

21.Qd4!!

• With a material advantage, even as much as a modest pawn, a good policy is to exchange. down to an ending. Trading Queens is a good start.

21...Nxe4 22.Qxg7+ Nxg7 23.Bxe4 b5

• White tries to counter on the queenside.
• The pickings are no better in the center: 23...Rae8 24.Nc3 Rf4 25.Rhf1 Ref8 26.Rxf4 Rxf4 27.Kd2.

24.cxb5 Bxb5 25.Nc3 Bc4

• After 25...Rab8 White wins another pawn with 26.Bf3 Rfc8 27.Re4 c6 28.Rh4 Nf5 29.Rh5.

26.Bf3 a3 27.b3 Ba6 28.Re4 Bd3

• If 28...Bb7 29.Rc4 Rf7 30.Nb5 then:
• After 30...Ne8 31.Re1 Kf8 32.Nd4 Kg7 33.Rb4 Black loses material:
33...Rxf3 34.gxf3 Bxd5 35.Nf5+ Kf6 36.Nxh6 leaves White ahead by a theoretical piece.
• After 33...Ba6 White wins a piece with 34.Bh5 Rf2 35.Rxe8 Rxe8 36.Bxe8 Rxa2 37.Ne6+.
• 30...Re8 31.Nxa3 Re5 32.Rd1 Nf5 33.Rg4+ Kf8 34.Nc4 leaves White two pawns to the good.

29.Rd4

• 29.Rg4 Rfe8 30.Kd2 Ba6 31.Rc1 Re5 32.Ra4 gives White greater mobility.

29...Bg6 30.Kd2

• If 30.Rc4 Rf7 31.Kd2 Ra5 32.Rc1 then:
• If 32...Bh5 33.b4 Ra8 34.Ne2 Bxf3 35.gxf3 Rxf3 36.Rxc7 then White wins:
• After 36...Rf5 37.Nc3 Ne8 38.Rg1+ Kf8 39.Rh7 White threatens another pawn.
• 36...Nf5 37.Rg1+ Kf8 38.Rg6 Re8 39.Rf6+ Kg8 40.Re6 invites an exchange of Rooks that passes a pawn at e6.
• 32...Ne8 33.b4 Ra8 34.Nb5 Re7 35.h4 Rb8 36.Nxa3 wins a second pawn.

30...Ne8 31.Re1 Nf6

• If 31...Kg7 32.Ne2 Rf5 33.Nf4 Bf7 34.g4 Re5 then:
• After 35.Rde4 Rxe4 36.Rxe4 Ra5 37.Re7 Kf8 38.Re3 White holds his advantage.
• Weaker is 35.Ne6+?! Bxe6 36.dxe6 when:
• If 36...Rxe1 then:
• After 37.Kxe1 Ra5 38.Kd2 Kf6 39.b4 Re5 40.Rd3 another pawn falls.
• 38.Bd5 Kf6 39.b4 Rb5 40.Bc6 White remains up by a pawn.
• White remains up a pawn after 36...Raa5 37.b4 Rab5 38.Rxe5 dxe5 39.Bc6.

32.Re7 Rf7 33.Rxf7 Bxf7 34.Ra4

• Also good is 34.Nb5 Ne8 35.Ra4 Rxa4 36.bxa4, when Black can get no closer to the advancing a-pawn.

34...Rxa4 35.bxa4 Nd7 36.a5 Nc5 37.Be2

• After 37...Kf8 38.a6 Nd7 39.a7 the rest is silence.
• El señor Zapata resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Becerra - Shulman, US Championships, Round 7, Tulsa

Yury Shulman
Photo: Brooklyn College Chess Club


Julio Becerra - Yury Shulman
US Championships (General Competition), Round 7
Tulsa, 19 May 2008

Closed French Game: Winawer Defense

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Qg4

• If 7.Nf3 Bd7 8.a4 Qa5 9.Bd2 Nbc6 then:
• If 10.Be2 c4 11.0-0 f6 then:
• If 12.Re1 fxe5 13.dxe5 then:
• 13...0-0 14.Bf1 Ng6 15.g3 h6 16.h4 Rf7 17.h5 Raf8 18.Bg2 Nge7 19.Rf1 Kh8 20.Qe2 Qc7 21.Bc1 draw (Ciocaltea-Uhlmann, IT, Zinnowitz, 1966).
• 13...Ng6 14.Bh5 0-0-0 15.Bxg6 hxg6 16.Nxg6 Rhg8 17.Nf4 e5 18.Ne2 Bg4 19.f3 Be6 20.Be1 Qc7 21.Bg3 Bf5 22.Qd2 Qh7 23.Ra2 Qh5 24.Rb2 Rd7 25.Rb5 Be6 is unclear: Black has more space and White better mobility (Vasiukov-Savon, Soviet ChT, Riga, 1975).
• If 12.exf6 gxf6 13.Nh4 then:
• 13...0-0-0 14.Bh5 Rhg8 15.g3 Ng6 16.Ng2 Nce7 17.Re1 Nf5 18.Bg4 Rde8 19.Bxf5 exf5 20.Rxe8+ Rxe8 21.Qh5 Re7 22.Ne3 Kb8 23.Nxf5 Bxf5 24.Qxf5 Qd8 gives White an extra pawn (Bannik-Ivkov, Soviet-Yugoslav TM, Rijeka, 1963).
• If 10.Bb5 Qc7 11.0-0 0-0 12.Re1 h6 13.Qc1 b6 14.Bd3 c4 15.Bf1 f6 16.g3 fxe5 17.Nxe5 Nxe5 18.Rxe5 Nc6 19.Re3 e5 20.Bg2 exd4 21.Bxd5+ Kh8 22.cxd4 Qd6 23.Bg2 Qxd4 24.Bc3 Qc5 25.Re7 Nd4 26.Qe3 Black resigns in the face of material loss (Suetin-Kummerow, Op, Biel, 1996).
• If 7.h4 then:
• If 7...Nbc6 8.h5 then:
• If 8...Qa5 9.Bd2 Bd7 10.Nf3 then:
• If 10...h6 then:
• If 11.Bd3 c4 12.Be2 0-0-0 13.0-0 Kb8 is equal (Ivanchuk-Dolmatov, Euro ChT, Panormo, 2001).
• If 11.a4 0-0-0 then:
• If 12.Bb5 f6 13.c4 Qc7 14.cxd5 Nxd5 15.c4 Nde7 16.exf6 gxf6 17.dxc5 e5 18.Qb3 Bg4 19.Bxc6 Nxc6 20.Be3 f5 draw (Dolezal-Marinangeli, Torneo Continental Americano, Buenos Aires, 2003).
• 12.Rb1 c4 13.g3 Qxa4 14.Bh3 Qa5 15.0-0 Kb8 16.Ra1 Qc7 17.Bc1 Nc8 18.Re1 a6 19.Ba3 N6a7 20.Qd2 a5 21.Bd6 Nxd6 22.exd6 Qxd6 23.Ne5 Rhf8 24.Rxa5 Nc6 25.Nxd7+ Rxd7 26.Rb5 Na7 27.Ra5 Nc6 28.Rb5 Na7 29.Ra5 draw (Sanchez-Barsov, Op, Elancourt, 2004).
• 10...0-0-0 11.h6 gxh6 12.Rxh6 Rdg8 13.g3 Nf5 14.Rf6 h5 15.Bh3 Nce7 16.Rxf7 Rg4 17.Kf1 gives White an extra pawn (Olszewski-Fowler, Euro Youth Ch, Herceg Novi, 2006).
• 8...h6 9.Qg4 Nf5 10.Bd3 Rg8 11.Ne2 Qa5 12.0-0 Qa4 13.Bxf5 exf5 14.Qg3 Ne7 15.dxc5 Bd7 16.Nd4 Nc6 17.Bxh6 Nxd4 18.cxd4 Kf8 19.Be3 Qxc2 20.e6 Bc6 21.Qd6+ Ke8 22.exf7+ Kxf7 23.Qg6+ Ke7 24.Bg5+ Black resigns as he is soon mated (Short-Kaminski, Op, Ottawa, 2007).
• If 7...Qc7 8.Nf3 b6 9.h5 h6 10.Bb5+ Bd7 11.Bd3 then:
• If 11...Ba4 12.0-0 Nd7 13.Re1 a6 14.Rb1 Qc6 15.dxc5 bxc5 16.c4 Nb6 17.cxd5 Nbxd5 18.Bd2 c4 19.Be4 c3 20.Bc1 Qc4 gives White more mobility (Sadvakasov-Shulman, Op, King of Prussia (Pennsylvania), 2007).
• If 11...Nbc6 then:
• If 12.Kf1 c4 13.Be2 0-0-0 14.Bf4 then:
• 14...Rdg8 15.Qd2 Kb7 16.Nh2 Ka8 17.Bf3 Qd8 18.g3 Nf5 is equal ( Lanka-Hertneck, Op, Zillertal, 1993).
• 14...Na5 15.Qd2 Ba4 16.g4 Nac6 17.Kg2 gives White a substantial advatage in space (Lintchevski-Lysyj, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• 12.0-0 0-0 13.Be3 c4 14.Be2 f6 15.exf6 Rxf6 16.g3 Raf8 17.Nh4 Be8 18.Qd2 Nc8 19.Ng2 Nd6 20.Bf4 Qd8 21.Bg4 Ne4 is equal (Dolmatov-Hertneck, Tilburg, 1992).

7...cxd4

• If 7...0-0 8.Bd3 then:
• If 8...Nbc6 9.Qh5 Ng6 10.Nf3 Qc7 11.Be3 then:
• If 11...c4 12.Bxg6 fxg6 13.Qg4 Qf7 14.Ng5 Qe8 15.h4 h6 16.Nh3 then:
• 16...Ne7 17.Qe2 b5 18.g4 a5 19.h5 g5 20.f4 gxf4 21.Bxf4 Bd7 22.Kd2 Kh7 23.Rag1 b4 24.g5 bxc3+ 25.Kxc3 Nf5 26.Bc1 Ba4 is equal (Airapetian-Abrahanyan, US Ch, Tulsa, 2008).
• If 16...b5 17.Qe2 Bd7 18.h5 gxh5 19.Nf4 Rxf4 20.Bxf4 Qf7 21.Be3 Be8 22.g4 hxg4 23.Qxg4 Qg6 24.Qe2 Ne7 25.Kd2 Qf5 26.Rag1 Bg6 27.Qd1 a5 leaves White theoretically a pawn to the good (Ruan Lufei-Mkrtchian, FIDE Knock Out, Ekaterininburg, 2006).
• If 11...Nce7 12.h4 Bd7 13.Qg4 f5 14.Qh3 cxd4 15.cxd4 Bb5 16.Bxb5 Qa5+ 17.Bd2 Qxb5 18.h5 Nh8 19.Bb4 Rfe8 20.Qh4 Qd7 21.Rh3 Nf7 22.Rg3 Kh8 23.0-0-0 Ng8 24.Ng1 a5 25.Be1 Qa4 26.Ne2 Rac8 Black should win a pawn (Delchev-Berg, Euro Ch, Kusadasi, 2006).
• If 8...f5 9.exf6 Rxf6 10.Bg5 Rf7 11.Qh5 g6 12.Qd1 Nbc6 13.Nf3 Qf8 14.0-0 c4 15.Be2 h6 16.Bc1 Bd7 17.a4 Qg7 18.Qd2 Kh7 19.Ba3 g5 20.Bd6 Nf5 21.Be5 Qg6 draw (van Loon-Steenbekkers, IT, Vlissingen, 2007).

If 7...Kf8 8.Bd2 Qc7 9.Bd3 then:

• 9...c4 10.Be2 Qb6 11.Nf3 Qb2 12.Rc1 Qxa3 13.h4 Nbc6 14.h5 h6 15.0-0 a5 16.Rb1 Qa4 is equal (Ulfarsson-Johannesson. Jonsson Mem Op, Reykjavik, 2001).
• 9...b6 10.Nh3 Ba6 11.0-0 Bxd3 12.cxd3 Nbc6 13.Nf4 Rc8 14.Nh5 Nf5 15.Ng3 Nce7 16.Bg5 c4 17.Qh3 cxd3 18.Nxf5 Nxf5 19.Rad1 h6 20.Rxd3 Kg8 21.Bc1 h5 is equal (Sagafos-Ostenstad, Norwegian Ch, Moss, 2006).

8.Qxg7 Rg8 9.Qxh7 Qc7 10.Ne2

• If 10.Kd1!? then:
• If 10...Nbc6 11.Nf3 dxc3 12.Ng5 Nxe5 then:
• If 13.f4 Rxg5 14.fxg5 N5g6 then:
• 15.h4 e5 16.h5 Nf8 17.Qg7 Bg4+ 18.Ke1 e4 19.Be3 a6 20.g6 Nf5 21.gxf7+ Qxf7 22.Qe5+ Qe6 23.Bd4 Qxe5 24.Bxe5 gives White a theoretical material advantage equal to a pawn (Rossman-Uhlmann, West German Ch, Fuerstenwalde, 1981).
• If 15.Bd3 e5 16.Rf1 Bg4+ 17.Ke1 0-0-0 18.Qxf7 e4 19.Be2 Bxe2 20.Kxe2 Qd7 21.Be3 d4 22.Qc4+ Nc6 23.Bxd4 Qxd4 24.Qxd4 Nxd4+ 25.Kf2 Nxc2 26.Rac1 e3+ (Matulovic-Pietzsch, IT, Sarajevo, 1968).
• If 13.Bf4 Qb6 14.Bxe5 Rxg5 15.Bxc3 d4 16.Qh8+ Kd7 17.Bb4 Nd5 18.Qh4 Rf5 19.Bd3 Rf4 20.Qg3 e5 21.Bd2 Qb2 22.Rc1 Nc3+ 23.Ke1 Ne4 24.Bxe4 Rxe4+ gives Black a comfortable advantage in space (Linton-Knott, British Ch, Ayr, 1978).
• If 10...Nd7 11.Nf3 Nxe5 12.Bf4 Qxc3 13.Nxe5 Qxa1+ 14.Bc1 then:
• If 14...Rf8 15.Bd3 Bd7 then:
• 16.Ke2 Nc6 17.Nxf7 Rxf7 18.Qg8+ Rf8 19.Bg6+ Ke7 20.Qg7+ Kd6 21.Bf4+ Rxf4 22.Rxa1 Raf8 23.f3 e5 24.Kd2 Na5 25.Re1 Nc4+ 26.Kc1 e4 27.Bxe4 Re8 28.Qh6+ Black resigns facing further material loss (Matulovic-Camilleri, ZT, Halle, 1967).
• If 16.Re1 Nc6 17.Nxf7 Rxf7 18.Bg6 0-0-0 19.Qxf7 e5 20.Ke2 e4 21.Kf1 Qc3 22.Bg5 Ne5 23.Qxd5 Nf3 24.Rb1 Qc7 25.Bxd8 Nd2+ 26.Ke1 Black resigns (Fuchs-Uhlmann, IT, Zinnowitz, 1966).
• If 14...d3 15.Qxf7+ Kd8 16.Qf6 dxc2+ 17.Kd2 Qd4+ 18.Bd3 Ke8 is equal (Bronstein-Uhlmann, IT, Zagreb, 1965).

10...Nbc6 11.f4 Bd7 12.Qd3 dxc3 13.Nxc3

• If 13.Rb1 0-0-0 then:
• If 14.Qxc3 Nf5 15.Rg1 d4 16.Qd3 f6 17.g4 Nh4 18.exf6 e5 19.f7 Rxg4 20.Rxg4 Bxg4 21.Bh3 Qd7 22.Bxg4 Qxg4 23.Qg3 Qh5 24.Rb3 e4 then:
• 25.Qg7 d3 26.cxd3 Nf3+ 27.Kf2 Qxh2+ 28.Qg2 Qxg2+ 29.Kxg2 exd3 draw (Barnsley-Sinka, Cyberspace, 2001).
• 25.Qg8 Qh8? 26.Qxh8 Rxh8 27.Rh3!! Nf3+ 28.Kf2 Rxh3 29.f8Q+ Kc7 30.Ng1 Rxh2+ 31.Kg3 Rxc2 32.Qf7+ Black resigns as she must lose more material (Yu Ting-Gong Qianyun, Chinese ChTW, Suzhou, 2001).
• 14.Nxc3 Na5 15.g3 Kb8 16.Nb5 Bxb5 17.Rxb5 Rc8 18.Be3 b6 19.Bc5 Nf5 20.Bh3 Nb7 21.Bf2 Qxc2 22.Qxc2 Rxc2 23.0-0 Nh4 24.Rb3 Na5 is equal (Domínguez-Shulman, Amer Cont Ch, Buenos Aires, 2005).

13...a6 14.Rb1 Na5

• If 14...Rc8 15.h4 Nf5 16.Rh3 then:
• 16...Nce7 17.Bd2 Bc6 18.h5 Nh6 19.Rg3 Rxg3 20.Qxg3 Nef5 21.Qh3 d4 22.Nd1 Qd8 23.g4 Qh4+ 24.Nf2 Qxh3 25.Bxh3 Nh4 26.f5 allows White to keep his extra pawn (Korchnoi-Nogueiras, Brussels, 1988).
• If 16...Ncd4 then:
• 17.Bd2 b5 18.h5 Kf8 19.h6 Rg6 20.a4 Kg8 21.axb5 axb5 22.Kd1 Qc5 23.h7+ Kh8 gives Black a significant advantage in space and greater mobility (Sarkar-Shulman, Op, Chicago, 2007).
• 17.h5 Qc5?! 18.Rxb7 Nb5?? 19.Ne4! Black resigns in the face of heavy material loss (Nijboer-Timman, Dutch Ch, Hilbersum, 2006).

15.h4 Nf5 16.Rh3 0-0-0 17.h5 Nc4 18.Rb4

• 18.h6 Rg6 19.h7 Rh8 20.Ne2 Rg7 21.Nd4 Nxd4 22.Qxd4 Rgxh7 23.Rbb3 Bb5 24.Rxh7 Rxh7 25.Rh3 Rxh3 26.gxh3 Kd7 27.Bxc4 Qxc4 28.Qxc4 dxc4 29.Kd2 draw (Polaczek-Sinka, Cyberspace, 2001).

18...Bc6 19.Ne2 Bb5 20.a4 Qc5 21.Ba3

• 21.Qc3 d4 22.Qb3 Na5 23.Rxb5 Nxb3 24.Rxc5+ Nxc5 25.Ng1 Rg3 is favorable to Black (Cheparinov-Grischuk, Grand Prix, Baku, 2008).

21...Bc6 22.Qc3
BLACK: Yury Shulman
!""""""""#
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Julio Becerra
Position after 22.Qd3c3

22...Rg4!

• Mr. Shulman believes this move won the US Championship.
• If 22...Qa7 23.Bc1 a5 24.Rb1 Bxa4 then:
• 25.h6 Rh8 26.h7 b5 27.g4 d4 is equal.
• 25.Qd3 Qc5 26.Nc3 Bc6 gives Black the adavantage in space.

23.h6 Rh8 24.h7 Rg7

• The position is equal.

25.Rb3 Qa7

• 25...Qa5 then:
• 26.Qxa5 Nxa5 27.Rbc3 Nc4 28.Ng3 Nxg3 29.Rcxg3 Rxg3 30.Rxg3 Rxh7 is equal.
• 26.g4 Qxc3+ 27.Rbxc3 Rxg4 28.Bc5 Bxa4 gives Black an extra pawn.

26.Bc1 Bxa4 27.Qb4?
BLACK: Yury Shulman
!""""""""#
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Julio Becerra
Position after 27.Qc3b4

• White falters. He had chances of holding on and even winning up to here.
• If 27.g4!? Rxg4 then:
• If 28.Ng3! then:
• If 28...b5 29.Nxf5 exf5 then:
• 30.Rb4 Qd7 31.Bxc4 dxc4 32.e6 Qxe6+ 33.Re3 Rxh7 34.Rxe6 Rh1+ 35.Kf2 fxe6 is equal.
• If 30.Be3 Qe7 31.Bd3 Kb7 32.Bxf5 Bxb3 33.Bxg4 Nxe3 34.Qxe3 Bxc2 is equal.
• If 28...Rxg3 29.Rxg3 Rxh7 30.Bxc4 dxc4 31.Qxc4+ Bc6 32.Be3 Rh1+ 33.Kd2 Nxe3 34.Rbxe3 gives White the exchange.
• 28.Rb4?! b5 29.Ng3 Nfe3 30.Bxc4 Nxc4 31.Nf1 Qc7 gives Black the advantage in space and an extra pawn.

27...b5!

• Black restrains White's queenside. With all respect to Mr. Shulman, this is the move that won the US Championship.

28.Rh5

• 28.Rbc3 a5 29.Qb1 Rgxh7 then:
• 30.Ng3 Rxh3 31.gxh3 b4 32.Rf3 Nfe3 leaves Black up by a pawn with his minor pieces posted aggressively.
• 30.Rxh7 Rxh7 31.Rf3 Rh1 32.c3 Qe7 leaves White with passive pieces while Black's pieces are active, moble and unassailable.

28...a5 29.Qc3 Rgxh7 30.Rxf5

• If 30.Rxh7 Rxh7 then:
• 31.Ng3 loses the exchange to Bxb3 32.cxb3 Qd4.
• 31.Rb1 Nfe3 32.Bxe3 Qxe3 33.Qxe3 Nxe3 34.Kd2 Nc4+ gives Black an extra pawn, a passed pawn, and command of open lines.

30...exf5 31.Qd3 Qc5 32.Nc3 Rh5 33.Nxa4

• If 33.Rb1 then:
• 33...Kd8 34.Nxa4 bxa4 35.Rb8+ Ke7 36.Rxh8 Rxh8 37.Qxf5 Rh1 Black remains up by an exchange with his pieces focused on the enemy King.
• If 33...f6 34.Nxd5 fxe5 then:
• 35.Nc3 exf4 36.Nxa4 Qe7+ 37.Qe2 Qh4+ 38.Qf2 Re8+ Black wins more material.
• After 35.Nf6 Rd8 36.Qf3 Bxc2 37.Qa8+ Kc7 Black maintains a theoretucal four pawn advantage,

33...bxa4 34.Rc3

• After 34.Ba3 Black pries open lines to the enemy King with 34...Qc6 35.Rc3 f6 36.exf6 Qxf6.

34...Kb8 35.Ba3

• As demonstrated by Black's reply, this move is less effective with the Rook at c3 than it is at b1. That is a trivial matter at this stage.

35...Qb5 36.Kf2 Rh1 37.Bd6+ Kb7 38.Be2

• If 38.Be7 then 38...Rg8 39.Be2 Qb6+ 40.Kf3 Kb8 41.Rxc4 dxc4 puts Black up by two exchanges.

38...Qb6+ 39.Kg3

• After 39.Kf3 Black wins with 39...R8h3+!! 40.gxh3 Rxh3+ 41.Kg2 Rxd3.

BLACK: Yury Shulman
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WHITE: Julio Becerra
Position after 39.Kf2g3

39...R1h3+!! 0-1

• After 40.gxh3 Black delivers mate with 40...Qg1+ 41.Kf3 Rxh3#.
• Mr. Becerra resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Abrahamyan - Jamison, US Championships, Round 7, Tulsa

Tatev Abrahamyan, a teenager born in Armenia, won the Fighting Chess Award from the website GoddessChess.com for her aggressive play in Tulsa.



Tatev Abrahamyan
ChessBase.com


Tatev Abrahamyan - Courtney Jamison
US Championships (Women's Competition), Round 7
Tulsa, 19 May 2008

Open Sicilian Game:Taimanov Defense (Szen Opening)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Ndb5

• This move initiates the Szen Opening, with which Kasparov once won a particularly important victory over Karpov in their 1985 world title match.
• For other variations of the Taimanov Defense, see Smith-Stellwagen, IT, Malmø, 2008.

6...Bb4

• If 5...d6 then:
• If 6.c4 Nf6 7.N1c3 a6 then:
• If 8.Na3 Be7 9.Be2 0-0 10.0-0 b6 11.Be3 then:
• If 11...Bb7 12.Qb3 Nd7 then:
• If 13.Rfd1 Nc5 14.Qc2 Qc7 15.Rac1 then:
• If 15...Rac8 then:
• If 16.Nab1 Nb4 17.Qd2 Qb8 18.f3 Rfd8 19.Bg5 Bxg5 20.Qxg5 Nc6 21.Rc2 e5 22.Nd5 Ne6 23.Qe3 Ncd4 is equal (Yudasin-Lautier, IT, Pamplona, 1992).
• 16.Qd2 Qb8 17.Nc2 Ne5 18.f3 Ncd7 19.b3 Ng6 20.Kh1 Rfe8 21.Bf1 h6 22.a3 Rc7 23.Nd4 Bf8 24.b4 Nge5 25.Na4 Rec8 gives White the advantage in space, but Black's position is rock solid (Schlosser-Delchev, French League, Port Barcares, 2005).
• 15...Bf6 16.Nab1 Rac8 17.a3 Qb8 18.f3 Rfe8 19.Bf1 Ne5 20.b4 Ncd7 21.Qb3 gives White the advantage in space (Ehlvest-Zubarev, Areoflot Op, Moscow, 2002).
• 13.Rad1 Nc5 14.Qc2 Qc7 15.f3 Rac8 16.Qb1 Bf6 17.Nc2 Rfd8 18.Nd4 Ne5 19.Kh1 Qb8 20.f4 Nc6 21.f5 Re8 22.b4 Nd7 23.fxe6 fxe6 24.Qb3 Kh8 25.Bg4 Nde5 26.Bh5 Nxd4 27.Bxd4 Rf8 28.Be2 Qc7 29.Na4 Qc6 30.Rxf6 Rxf6 31.Rc1 b5 32.Nb2 Nxc4 33.Qh3 White resigns under threat of greater material loss (Sanchez-Miles, Op, Las Palmas, 1996).
• 11...Ne5 12.f4 Ned7 13.Bf3 Bb7 14.Qe2 Qc7 15.Rac1 Rac8 16.g4 h6 17.h4 Nh7 18.Qh2 Qd8 19.Bf2 g5 20.hxg5 hxg5 21.Kg2 Kg7 22.Bd4+ e5 23.Rh1 Rh8 24.fxe5 dxe5 25.Bxe5+ Nxe5 26.Qxe5+ Bf6 27.Qg3 Qd4 is equal (Brodsky-Suetin, Berlin, 1995).
• If 8.Nd4 Be7 9.Be2 0-0 10.0-0 Bd7 then:
• 11.Be3 Qb8 12.Nb3 b6 13.Nd2 Ra7 14.a3 Rc8 15.Rc1 Rb7 16.b4 b5 17.Nb3 bxc4 18.Bxc4 Nxb4 19.Na5 Rbc7 20.Rb1 Rxc4 21.Nxc4 Rxc4 22.Rxb4 Rxb4 23.axb4 Qxb4 24.Qd4 Qa5 25.Rb1 is balanced (Meetei-Jansa, Calcutta, 1986).
• 11...Nxd4 12.Qxd4 Bc6 13.Rfd1 Qb8 14.a4 a5 15.Bg5 Re8 16.Bf3 h6 17.Bh4 Rd8 18.Rac1 Qa7 19.Qxa7 Rxa7 20.Bg3 Raa8 draw (Kuzmin-Tal, Soviet Ch, Leningrad, 1974).
• 6.Bf4 e5 7.Be3 Nf6 then:
• If 8.Bg5 Be6 9.Nd2 a6 then:
• If 10.Nc3 Be7 11.Bxf6 Bxf6 12.Nc4 then:
• If 12...Nd4 13.Ne3 Rc8 14.Bd3 Bg5 15.Ncd5 0-0 16.0-0 Nc6 then:
• 17.Be2 Ne7 18.c3 Bxe3 19.Nxe3 d5 20.exd5 Nxd5 21.Nxd5 Bxd5 22.Qd2 Bc6 23.Qxd8 Rfxd8 draw (Lahno-Javakhishvili, Euro ChT, Fügen, 2006).
• 17.c3 Ne7 18.Bc2 Kh8 19.Bb3 Bxe3 20.Nxe3 Qb6 21.Qc2 Nc6 22.Bxe6 fxe6 23.Rad1 Rfd8 24.Qb3 Qxb3 25.axb3 Na5 26.b4 Nc4 27.Nxc4 Rxc4 28.f3 Kg8 draw (Bruned-Chowdhury, Op, Andorra, 2006).
• 12...0-0 13.Qxd6 Bg5 14.Bd3 Bxc4 15.Qxd8 Raxd8 16.Bxc4 Rd2 17.h4 Bh6 18.Rd1 Rxc2 19.Bb3 Rc1 20.Rh3 Nd4 21.Nd5 Rd8 22.Rc3 Rxc3 23.bxc3 Ne6 24.Nb6 Rxd1+ 25.Kxd1 Nc5 is equal (Leko-Svidler, Sparkassen, Dortmund, 2004).
• If 10.Bxf6 gxf6 11.Nc3 f5 12.exf5 Bxf5 13.Nc4 then:
• 13...Nd4 14.Ne3 Be6 15.Bc4 Qg5 16.Ncd5 Rc8 17.Bb3 Nxb3 18.axb3 f5 is equal (Adams-Chandler, Op, Hastings, 1991).
• 13...Be6 14.Ne3 Bh6 15.Ned5 0-0 16.g3 f5 17.Bg2 Kh8 18.0-0 Rc8 is equal (Spraggett-Shulman, Op, New York, 1998).
• 8.N1c3 a6 9.Na3 b5 10.Nd5 leads to the Sveshnikov Defense.

7.a3 Bxc3+ 8.Nxc3 d5 9.exd5 exd5 10.Bd3 0-0 11.0-0 Be6

• 11...Bg4 12.f3 Be6 13.Bg5 Qb6+ 14.Kh1 Nd7 15.f4 f5 16.Qf3 Qc5 17.Nb5 Rae8 18.b4 Qb6 19.Rae1 gives White the advantage in space (Matulovic-Benko, Vrnjacka Banja, 1973).

12.Bg5 h6 13.Bh4 Ne5 14.Re1 Ned7!?

• 14...Nxd3 15.Qxd3 Rc8 16.Ne2 Bg4 17.c3 Re8 18.Nd4 Qb6 19.Bxf6 Qxf6 20.Qb5 Red8 21.f3 Bd7 22.Qxd5 Bc6 23.Qe5 Qxe5 24.Rxe5 leaves White with an extra pawn (A. Nielsen- V. J. Hansen, Danish Ch, Aalborg, 1960).

BLACK: Courtney Jamison
!""""""""#
$t+ W Tl+%
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Tatev Abrahamyan
Position after 14...Ne5d7

15.Nb5

• White has the advantage in space.
• After 15.Bb5 Qc7 16.Qd2 Rac8 17.Rad1 Kh8 18.Qd4 White retains the advantage in space.

15...Qb6 16.a4 a6

• 16...a5 17.Qd2 Rfe8 18.c3 Bg4 19.h3 Bh5 20.Bf5 gives White more play.

17.a5 Qc5

• After 17...Qd8!? 18.Nd4 Nc5 19.c3 Nxd3 20.Qxd3 White still has a healthy advantage in space.

18.Nd4 Bg4

• 18...Qb4 19.Bxf6 Nxf6 20.Nxe6 fxe6 21.Rxe6 gives White an extra pawn.

19.Qd2 Rfe8 20.b4

• If 20.h3 Bh5 21.b4 Qf8 22.Bf5 Bg6 then:
• 23.Bxg6 fxg6 24.Ne6 Qf7 25.Nc7 Rxe1+ 26.Rxe1 Rc8 27.Bg3 White retains the advantage in space.
• 23.Bxf6?! Nxf6 24.Bxg6 fxg6 25.Ne6 Qf7 26.Nc5 Ne4 27.Nxe4 dxe4 is equal.
• 23.Bxd7 Nxd7 24.f4 Re4 25.Rxe4 Bxe4 26.Re1 Rc8 is equal.

20...Qc7 21.f3 Bh5 22.Nf5 Rad8

• 22...b5 23.axb6 Qxb6+ 24.Bf2 Rxe1+ 25.Rxe1 Qb7 26.Bd4 gives White a huge advantage in space and mobility.

23.Bg3 Ne5 24.Re2 Re6 25.Rae1 Rde8

• The battle for e5 has reached its maximum.

BLACK: Courtney Jamison
!""""""""#
$ + +t+l+%
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Tatev Abrahamyan
Position after 25...Rd8e8

26.Nxh6+!

• Also good is the vanilla-flovored 26.Qf4 Nfd7 27.Qd4 Bxf3 28.Nxg7 Kxg7 29.gxf3.

26...gxh6 27.Qxh6!!

• White will be content with two pawns and an attack on the exposed Black King for the piece.
• Too slow is 27.Bf5? Bxf3!! 28.Bxe6 Bxe2 29.Qxe2 when:
• If 29...Ne4 30.Bxd5 Nxg3 31.hxg3 Nf3+ 32.Qxf3 Rxe1+ gives Black the exchange for a pawn.
• 29...Rxe6 30.Bxe5 Qe7 31.Qf3 Qxb4 32.Rf1 Rxe5 33.Qxf6 Qc5+ gives Black an extra pawn.

27...Qc3

• If 27...Nxd3 28.Bxc7 Nxe1 29.Bd8 Ng4 30.Rxe6 then:
• If 30...Nxf3+ 31.gxf3 Nxh6 32.Rxe8+ gives White the exchange an an extra pawn.
• 30...Rxe6 31.Qxh5 Ne5 32.f4 gives White an overwhelming material advantage.

28.Qg5+ Ng6

• 28...Bg6 29.Bxe5 Rxe5 30.Rxe5 Rxe5 31.Rxe5 is an easy win for White.

29.Rxe6 Rxe6 30.Rxe6 fxe6 31.Bxg6 Bxg6 32.Qxg6+ Kh8 33.h4 Qd4+ 34.Kh2 Qc3 35.h5 1-0

• If 35...Qd4 36.Qg5 then:
• If 36...Nd7 37.Qh6+ Kg8 38.Qxe6+ then:
• 38...Kh8 39.Qxd7. is curtains.
• 38...Kf8 39.h6 Ne5 40.Qf6+ is finite.
• 36...Ng8 37.Be5+ is lights out.
• Ms. Jamison resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Friedel - Gulko, US Championships, Round 4, Tulsa

Josh Friedel earned his third grandmaster norm in Tulsa and is on track to be officially name an International Grandmaster by FIDE later this year.

Congratulations, Josh.



Josh Friedel
Photo: the official website of the United States Chess League


Josh Friedel - Boris Gulko
US Championships (General Competition), Round 4
Tulsa, 16 May 2008

Spanish Petit Royal Game: Neo-Classical Defense

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Bc5

• This is one of the first openings ever analyzed. It was examined by the Spanish friar and chess master, Ruy López, in the late sixteenth century.
• According to Fra López, after 4.c3 d6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Nc3 Bd7 8.Bg5 Nf6 9.Qd3 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 White has "the better game." Such was chess theory c. 1575.

4.0-0

• 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.e5 Ne4 7.0-0 d5 8.Nxd4 0-0 9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.Be3 Bd7 11.f3 Ng5 12.Nd2 f6 13.N2b3 Bb6 14.Qd2 Ne6 15.exf6 Qxf6 is equal (Gufeld-Mukhitdinov, Soviet Ch ½-final, Novosibirsk, 1961).

4...Nf6

• 4...d6 5.c3 Bd7 6.d4 Bb6 7.Bg5 f6 8.Be3 Nge7 9.a4 a6 10.Bxc6 Nxc6 11.d5 Ne7 12.Bxb6 cxb6 13.Nfd2 Qc7 14.Na3 is equal (Brynell-Hector, Swedish Ch, Orebro, 2000).
• 4...Nd4 5.Nxd4 Bxd4 6.c3 Bb6 7.d4 c6 8.Ba4 d6 9.Na3 Ne7 10.Nc4 exd4 11.Nxb6 Qxb6 12.Bf4 Be6 13.Bxd6 Rd8 14.Bxe7 Kxe7 15.Qh5 h6 16.Qh4+ g5 17.Qg3 dxc3 18.Qxc3 Qd4 19.Qa3+ draw (Vavra-Biolek, Czech ChT, Czechia, 2005).

5.c3 0-0 6.d4 Bb6 7.Bg5

• 7.Re1 d6 8.h3 Bd7 9.Na3 h6 10.Bf1 exd4 11.cxd4 d5 12.e5 Ne4 13.Nc2 f6 14.Be3 Qe8 15.b4 a6 16.Bd3 Rd8 is equal (Conquest-Ledger, 4NCL, Birmingham, 2006).
• 7.dxe5 Nxe4 8.Qd5 Nc5 9.Bg5 Ne7 10.Qd1 Ne4 11.Bh4 d5 12.Nbd2 Bf5 13.Nd4 Bg6 14.Nxe4 Bxe4 15.f3 Bg6 16.f4 c6 17.Be2 Be4 gives White a small advatage in space (Vasiukov-Hecht, World Sr Ch, Lignano, 2005).

7...h6 8.Bh4 d6 9.Qd3 exd4

• If 9...Qe7 10.Nbd2 then:
• If 10...Bd7 11.a4 a6 12.Bc4 then:
• 12...Kh8 13.Rfe1 g5 14.Bg3 Nh5 15.Bd5 Nf4 16.Bxf4 gxf4 17.Nc4(Stein-van Geet, Euro ChT, Hamburg, 1965).
• 12...Rad8 13.d5 Nb8 14.Bxf6 Qxf6 15.Qc2 Bc8 16.b4 Nd7 17.Bd3 Qe7 18.Nb3 c6 19.dxc6 bxc6 20.c4 Bb7 21.Rab1 Ra8 22.a5 Ba7 23.Rfc1 Rfc8 gives White a small advantage in space (Papp-Lostuzzi, Op, Pula, 2001).
• 10...Nb8 11.Rfe1 c6 12.Ba4 Nbd7 13.Nc4 Bc7 14.Ne3 Re8 15.Nf5 Qf8 16.Rad1 gives White the advantage in space (Shirov-Leko, IT, Frankfurt, 2000).

10.cxd4

• 10.Nxd4 Ne5 11.Qc2 c6 12.Be2 Ng6 13.Bg3 Re8 14.Nd2 d5 15.Bf3 Bxd4 16.cxd4 dxe4 17.Nxe4 Nxe4 18.Bxe4 Qxd4 is equal (J. Polgar-Feingold, B Trmt, Dortmund, 1990).

10...g5 11.Bg3 d5

• 11...Nh5 12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.Nbd2 Qf6 14.e5 Qg6 15.Qc3 Nxg3 16.hxg3 c5 17.dxc5 Bxc5 18.b4 Bb6 19.exd6 cxd6 20.Nc4 Bd8 21.Rad1 Bf6 22.Qa3 Be6 23.Nxd6 gives White an extra pawn (Morozevich-Leko, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2002).

12.exd5!?

• 12.e5 Ne4 13.Bxc6 bxc6 14.Nc3 Bf5 15.Qe3 c5 16.Rfd1 Nxc3 17.bxc3 cxd4 18.cxd4 Bg4 19.Rdc1 Bxf3 20.gxf3 Re8 21.f4 Qd7 is equal (Shapiro-Bulgarini, Cyberspace, 2002).
• 12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.Nc3 Nxe4 14.Nxe4 Bf5 15.Ne5 dxe4 16.Qc2 Qxd4 17.Nxc6 Qf6 18.Be5 Qe6 19.Qc3 f6 20.Bd4 Bg6 21.Rfd1 Be8 22.Na5 Rd8 23.Nb7 Rxd4 24.Rxd4 Bxd4 25.Qxd4 is equal (Brodsky-Li Shilong, Op, Wijk aan Zee, 2001).

12...Nxd5

• 12...Nb4 13.Qb3 Nbxd5 14.Bc4 c6 15.Nc3 is equal.

13.Nc3

• If 13.Bxc6 Nb4 14.Qc4 Nxc6 15.d5 g4 16.Nfd2 Na5 then:
• 17.Qd3! Nc6 18.Nc3 Ne7 19.Nc4 gives White a healthy advantage in space.
• 17.Qb5?! c6 18.dxc6 Nxc6 19.Ne4 f5 gives Black the advantage in space; White's pieces are not well coordinated.

13...Ndb4 14.Qe4

• 14.Qd1 Nxd4 15.Nxd4 Bxd4 16.Qh5 c6 17.Bc4 Qf6 gives White enough extra space to compensate for the pawn.

14...f5 15.Qe2

• 15.Qb1?! g4 16.Bxc6 Nxc6 17.Ne5 Nxd4 18.Qd3 Ne6 19.Nd5 c6 gives Black an extra pawn.

15...f4 16.Qc4+ Kg7 17.d5 fxg3
BLACK: Boris Gulko
!""""""""#
$t+vW T +%
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WHITE: Josh Friedel
Position after 17...fg3:B

18.hxg3!

• 18.dxc6 gxf2+ 19.Kh1 bxc6 20.Qxb4 cxb5 21.Rad1 Qe8 22.Nxb5 leaves Black a pawn to the good with better minor pieces.

18...Nc2 19.dxc6!

• After 19.Rac1? Black obtains a winning position by font color="red"]19...N6d4! 20.Rfd1 21.gxf3 Nxf3+ 22.Kg2 Ncd4.

19...Nxa1 20.Rd1

• If 20.Nd5 a6 21.Qc3+ Rf6 22.Bc4 g4 then:
• 23.Nd2 bxc6 24.Nxf6 Qxf6 25.Qxf6+ Kxf6 26.Rxa1 looks drawish.
• If 23.Ne5 Qd6 24.cxb7 Bxb7 25.Nxb6 then:
• 25...cxb6 26.Nxg4 Raf8 27.Nxf6 Rxf6 28.Rxa1 gives White two extra pawns.
• 25...Qxb6 26.Nxg4 Rd8 27.Rxa1 Qc6 28.Qxf6+ Qxf6 29.Nxf6 Kxf6 30.b4 yields two extra pawns to White.

20...Qf6 21.Ne4

• 21.Rxa1 Rb8 22.Re1 bxc6 23.Qxc6 Qxc6 24.Bxc6 g4 leaves Black with a material advantage.

21...Be6

• After 21...Qxb2 22.Rd2 Qb1+ 23.Kh2 Bf5 24.Qc3+ Kg8 25.Bc4+ White has repulsed Black's attack.

22.Rd7+ Rf7?

• Black maintains the edge after 22...Kg6 23.Qe2 Qf5 24.Rd1 Rad8 25.Rxa1 Kg7 26.cxb7 Bd5 .

23.Nxf6

• After 23.cxb7 Rb8 24.Nxf6 Bxc4 25.Bxc4 Rxd7 26.Nxd7 Rxb7 27.Nfe5 c6 Black has a small material advantage.

23...Bxc4 24.Nh5+

• After 24.cxb7 Rb8 25.Bxc4 Rxd7 26.Nxd7 Rxb7 Black has a small material advantage.

24...Kf8
BLACK: Boris Gulko
!""""""""#
$t+ + L +%
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$ Vp+ + O%
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Josh Friedel
Position after 24...Kg7f8

25.cxb7!

• Also winning is 25.Bxc4 Rxd7 26.cxd7 Ke7 27.Ng7 Kxd7 28.Nf5 giving White the exchange.

25...Rb8 26.Ne5 Bxf2+ 27.Kh2 Re7 28.Bxc4 1-0

• 28...Ke8 29.Rxe7+ Kxe7 30.Nc6+ Kd6 31.Nxb8 leaves White a piece up.
• Mr. Gulko resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Domínguez - Wojtaszek, Capablanca Memorial, Round 1, Havana

After a delay, the games of the 43rd Capablanca Memorial Tournament are now available.

The event was won by Cuban grandmaster Lenier Domínguez, who is now poised to become the first Latin American player to pass 2700 mark on the FIDE ratings list due out at the end of June.

¡Las felicitaciones para el señor Domínguez!



Lenier Domínguez
Photo: Official website of the 2005 Bermuda Chess Festival


Lenier Domínguez - Radoslaw Wojtaszek
Capablanca Memorial Tournament, Round 1
Havana, 8 May 2008

Open Sicilian Game: Najdorf-Boleslavsky Defense (Chandler-Nunn Opening)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5

• If 6...e6 7.f3 then:
• If 7...b5 8.g4 h6 9.Qd2 Nbd7 10.0-0-0 Bb7 then:
• If 11.h4 b4 12.Na4 Qa5 13.b3 Nc5 then:
• If 14.a3 Nxa4 15.axb4 Qc7 16.bxa4 d5 then:
• If 17.b5 dxe4 18.bxa6 Bxa6 19.Bxa6 Rxa6 20.Nb5 Qc8 21.Bf4 Nd5 22.fxe4 Nxf4 23.Qxf4 gives White a great deal more space (Ivanchuk-van Wely, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2004).
• 17.e5 Nd7 18.f4 gives White a substantial lead in space.
• 14...Rc8 15.Qxb4 Qc7 16.Kb1 d5 17.Nxc5 Bxc5 18.Qa4+ Kf8 19.Bd3 dxe4 20.Bxa6 Bxa6 21.Qxa6 Nd5 22.Nb5 gives White more space and the initiative (Lafarga-Schoonhoven, cyberspace, 2003).
• 11.Bd3 Ne5 12.Rhe1 Rc8 13.Kb1 Nfd7 14.f4 Nc4 15.Qe2 Nxe3 16.Qxe3 b4 17.Nd5 g5 18.Nf5 Rg8 gives White the advantage in space; Black should seek exchanges (Morozevich-Topalov, IT, Frankfurt, 1999).
• 7...Nc6 8.Qd2 Be7 9.0-0-0 0-0 10.g4 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 b5 12.g5 Nd7 13.h4 Qc7 14.Kb1 b4 15.Na4 Bb7 16.b3 Bc6 17.Nb2 a5 18.h5 Ne5 19.Be2 f5 is even (Leko-Svidler, IT, Morelia-Linares, 2006).
• If 6...Ng4 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Bg3 Bg7 then:
• If 10.h3 Ne5 then:
• If 11.Nf5 Bxf5 12.exf5 then:
• If 12...Nbc6 13.Nd5 e6 14.fxe6 fxe6 15.Ne3 0-0 16.Be2 then:
• If 16...d5 17.0-0 Ng6 18.c4 d4 19.Ng4 Nf4 20.Bxf4 Rxf4 21.Bd3 Nb4 22.Re1 h5 23.Nh2 Nxd3 24.Qxd3 Qf6 gives Black a comfortable edge in space. (Carlsen-Adly, Op, Reykjavik, 2006).
• 16...Qe7 17.0-0 Rad8 18.Bh5 Kh8 19.Re1 d5 20.a4 Nc4 21.Nxc4 dxc4 22.Qg4 Qb4 23.Qxe6 leaves the space count even (Kasimdzhanov-Anand, World Ch, San Luis, 2005).
• 12...Nbd7 13.Nd5 Nb6 14.c3 Nxd5 15.Qxd5 Qb6 16.0-0-0 Rc8 17.Qb3 Qc6 18.f3 b5 19.Bxe5 Bxe5 20.Bd3 0-0 21.h4 b4 22.Qxb4 Rb8 23.Qa3 Rfc8 gives Black a small edge in space and the initiative (T. Kosintseva-Korbut, Russian Ch, 2007).
• 11.f3 Nbc6 12.Bf2 Be6 13.Qd2 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 Qa5 15.a3 Rg8 16.h4 Rc8 17.hxg5 hxg5 18.0-0-0 Nc4 19.Bxc4 Bxd4 20.Qxd4 Rxc4 21.Qa7 Qc7 22.Kb1 Rc5 23.Nd5 Bxd5 24.exd5 Kf8 25.Rd2 Kg7 26.b4 b5 27.Qxa6 Rc3 draw agreed (Kasparov-J. Polgar, IT, Linares, 2001).
• 10.Be2 h5 11.Bxg4 Bxg4 12.f3 Bd7 13.Bf2 Nc6 14.Qd2 Ne5 15.b3 Qa5 16.Nd5 Qxd2+ 17.Kxd2 Rd8 18.c3 e6 19.Nb6 Kf8 gives Black a small edge in space (Abergel-Jobava, World Ch U18, Oropesa del Mar, 2000).

7.Nb3

• If 7.Nf3 Be7 8.Bc4 0-0 9.0-0 then:
• 9...Be6 10.Bb3 Nc6 then:
• 11.Bg5 Nd7 12.Bxe7 Qxe7 13.Nd5 Qd8 14.c3 Na5 15.Re1 Rc8 16.h3 b5 17.Re2 Nc5 18.Nd2 Kh8 19.Bc2 Nd7 20.a4 Bxd5 21.exd5 f5 22.axb5 axb5 23.b4 Nc4 24.Nxc4 Rxc4 Black has the edge in space Asrian-Wang Hao, Taiyuan, 2007).
• 11.Qe2 Na5 12.Rfd1 Nxb3 13.axb3 Qc7 14.Bg5 Rac8 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.Rac1 Qb6 17.Nd5 Bxd5 18.Rxd5 Rc6 19.Rcd1 Rfc8 is even (I. Smirnov-Zakhartsov, Op, Moscow, 2006).
• 9...Nc6 10.Re1 b5 11.Bf1 Rb8 12.Bg5 Ng4 13.Bc1 Qb6 14.Qd2 Nf6 15.Nd5 Nxd5 16.exd5 Na5 17.a4 is equal (Timofeev-Efimenko, Op, Moscow, 2008).

7...Be7

• If 7...Be6 8.f3 then:
• If 8...Nbd7 9.g4 then:
• If 9...b5 10.g5 b4 then:
• If 11.Nd5 Nxd5 12.exd5 Bf5 13.Bd3 Bxd3 14.Qxd3 Be7 then:
• If 15.h4 then:
• 15...0-0 16.0-0-0 a5 17.Nd2 f5 18.gxf6 Nxf6 19.h5 Qc8 20.h6 g6 21.Rhg1 Kh8 22.f4 Ng4 23.fxe5 Nxe5 24.Bd4 Bf6 is equal (Shirov-Svidler, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1999).
• 15...a5 16.a3 gives White the advantage in space (Topalov-Ivanchuk, IT, Morelia-Linares, 2008).
• If 15.Rg1 0-0 16.0-0-0 a5 then:
• If 17.Kb1 f5 18.gxf6 Nxf6 19.f4 e4 20.Qe2 Qc8 21.Rg5 h6 22.Rg6 Rf7 then:
• 23.Nd4?! Nxd5 24.Ne6 Bf6 25.Nxg7 Ne7 26.Nf5+ Nxg6 27.Nxh6+ Kf8 28.Nxf7 Kxf7 gives Black an extra piece (Ivanchuk-Bu Xiangzhi, IT, Stepanakert (Armenia), 2005).
• 23.Qg2 Bf8 24.Nd4 a4 25.Ne6 is much better for White.
• 17.Nd2 f5 18.gxf6 Nxf6 19.f4 Nd7 20.Rg4 Rf7 21.Rdg1 exf4 22.Bxf4 Nc5 23.Qg3 Bf8 24.Be3 Rc8 is equal (Adams-Svidler, FIDE Knock Out, Moscow, 2001).
• If 11.Ne2 Nh5 12.Qd2 then:
• If 12...a5 13.Ng3 Nxg3 14.hxg3 a4 15.Nc1 Qa5 then:
• If 16.f4 g6 17.Nd3 Bg7 then:
• 18.a3 bxa3 19.Qxa5 Rxa5 20.Rxa3 0-0 21.b4 Raa8 22.Bg2 Rab8 23.Rxa4 Rfc8 24.Kd2 exf4 25.gxf4 Nb6 26.Bxb6 Rxb6 27.Bh3 Bxh3 28.Rxh3 Rbc6 29.Kd1 Rc4 30.Re3 Rxc2 is equal (Bacrot-Gelfand, Match, Albert (France), 2002).
• 18.f5 gxf5 19.exf5 Bxf5 20.Nxb4 a3 21.b3 Nc5 22.0-0-0 Rc8 23.Bc4 Ne4 24.Qe1 is equal (Karjakin-Efimenko, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2008).
• 16.Nd3 d5 17.exd5 Qxd5 18.Bg2 Qb5 19.Bh3 Bxh3 20.Rxh3 Be7 is equal (Anand-Kasparov, IT, Linares, 2002).
• 12...Be7 13.Ng3 Nf4 14.h4 h6 15.Bxf4 exf4 16.Nh5 Bxb3 17.axb3 Kf8 18.Nxf4 hxg5 19.Nd5 g4 20.f4 Bxh4+ 21.Kd1 Nf6 22.Qxb4 Nxd5 23.exd5 a5 24.Qd4 Rh6 25.c3 Bf6 is equal (Motylev-Bu Xiangzhi, IT, Taiyuan, 2005).
• If 9...Nb6 10.g5 Nh5 11.Qd2 Be7 12.0-0-0 0-0 13.Rg1 Rc8 14.Kb1 then:
• 14...g6 15.Qf2 Nc4 16.Bxc4 Bxc4 17.Na4 Be6 18.Nb6 Rc7 19.Qd2 Rc6 20.Nd5 Bxd5 21.Qxd5 Qc8 22.Rd2 Bd8 23.Nc1 draw (Adams-Grischuk, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2005).
• 14...Qc7 15.Qf2 Nc4 16.Bxc4 Qxc4 17.f4 exf4 18.Bxf4 Nxf4 19.Qxf4 a5 20.Rd4 Qc6 21.Qd2 gives White a small advantage in space (Bologan-deFermian, IT, Selfoss (Israel), 2003).
• 8...Be7 9.Qd2 transposes into the text.

8.f3

• This move, which both prepares for an eventual g2g4 and prevents 8...Ng4, is considered White's best in this position.
If
• 8.Be2 Be6 9.0-0 0-0 then:
• If 10.Qd2 Nbd7 11.a4 then:
• If 11...Rc8 12.a5 Qc7 13.Rfd1 then:
• If 13...Rfd8 14.Qe1 Qc6 15.Bf3 then:
• 15...Bc4 16.Nc1 h6 17.N1a2 Nc5 18.Nb4 Qe8 19.g3 Rc7 20.Bg2 Rdc8 21.b3 Be6 22.Ncd5 Nxd5 23.Nxd5 Bxd5 24.Rxd5 gives White a small advantage in space (Karpov-Nunn, IT, Amsterdam, 1985).
• 15...h6 16.Nc1 Qc7 17.Nd3 d5 18.exd5 Bf5 19.Bb6 Nxb6 20.axb6 Qxb6 21.Qxe5 Bxd3 22.Na4 Qb4 23.cxd3 Re8 24.Qe2 Bd6 gives Black the advantage in space (Zaw Win Lay-J. Polgar, IT, Bali, 2000).
• 13...Rfe8 14.Qe1 Qc6 15.Bf3 h6 16.Nc1 Qc7 17.Nd3 d5 18.exd5 Bf5 19.Be2 e4 20.Nc1 Ng4 21.Bxg4 Bxg4 22.N1e2 Bd6 23.h3 Bh5 24.Rd2 f5 25.Nd4 f4 26.Ne6 fxe3 27.Nxc7 exd2 28.Qxd2 Rxc7 gives Black more mobility (Asrian-Kostur, Op, Dubai, 2000).
• If 11...Nb6 12.a5 Nc4 13.Bxc4 Bxc4 14.Rfd1 then:
• 14...h6 15.Nc1 Rc8 16.Nd3 Be6 17.Bb6 Qe8 18.f3 Nd7 19.Be3 f5 20.exf5 Rxf5 21.Nb4 Nf6 22.Nbd5 Nxd5 23.Nxd5 Bf8 24.b3 Qf7 25.Nb6 Rc6 26.c4 gives White a small advantage in space (Karpov-Quinteros, Ol, Lucerne, 1982).
• 14...Rc8 15.Nc1 Qc7 16.N1e2 Bxe2 17.Qxe2 Qc4 18.Qf3 h6 19.Ra4 Qe6 20.Rb4 Rc7 21.Qe2 Rfc8 22.Qd3 Rd7 23.Nd5 Bd8 24.Qb3 Bxa5 25.Rxb7 Rxb7 26.Qxb7 Rxc2 27.Nxf6+ gxf6 28.b4 gives White a huge advantage in space, far outstripping Black's material edge (Tal-Rodríguez, Interz, Moscow, 1982).
• If 10.f4 exf4 11.Bxf4 Nc6 12.Kh1 then:
• 12...d5 13.e5 Ne4 14.Bd3 f5 15.exf6 Bxf6 16.Nxe4 dxe4 17.Nc5 exd3 18.Nxe6 dxc2 19.Qxc2 Nd4 20.Nxd4 Qxd4 21.Qb3+ Kh8 22.Qxb7 Qxb2 23.Qxb2 Bxb2 24.Rab1 Rad8 25.Rxb2 Rxf4 26.Kg1 draw (Tseshkovsky-Tukmakov, Soviet Ch, Frunze, 1981).
• If 12...Rc8 13.Qe1 Nd7 14.Rd1 Nde5 then:
• 15.Nd5 15...Bg5 16.Bg3 Kh8 17.c3 b5 18.h3 Rb8 19.Nb4 Nxb4 20.Bxe5 Nc2 21.Qg3 Ne3 22.Rxd6 Nxf1 23.Bxf1 Qe7 24.Nd4 f6 25.Rxe6 fxe5 26.Be2 Qd8 27.Qxe5 Bf4 28.Qd5 Qh4 29.Nf3 Qf2 gives Black the better game due to the focus on key squares around the White King (Zaitshik-Psakhis, Soviet Union, 1980).
• 15.Qg3 Bh4 16.Qe3 Bf6 17.a3 Re8 18.Qf2 Qc7 19.Qg3 Kh8 20.Rd2 Rcd8 21.Bg5 Bxg5 22.Qxg5 Qb6 23.Na4 gives White the advantage in space (H. Olafsson-Quinteros, IT, Buenos Aires, 1980).

8...Be6 9.Qd2 0-0 10.0-0-0 a5 11.a4

• If 11.Bb5 Na6 12.Qe2 then:
• If 12...Qb8 13.g4 Nc7 14.Ba4 Rc8 then:
• 15.g5 Nd7 16.Bxd7 Bxd7 17.Nc5 Be6 18.N5a4 b5 19.Nb6 assures White of winning the exchange (Motylev-Inarkiev, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2005).


• 15.Kb1 Rd8 16.Rhe1 d5 17.g5 d4 18.gxf6 Bxf6 19.Nc5 dxc3 20.bxc3 b5 21.Bb3 Be7 22.Rxd8+ Qxd8 23.Nxe6 fxe6 24.Bb6 is equal (Smeets-Bu Xiangxhi, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2007).
• 12...a4 13.Bxa4 Qb8 14.g4 Rc8 15.g5 Nh5 16.Bb5 Nc7 17.Kb1 Nxb5 18.Qxb5 Bc4 19.Qd7 Rc7 20.Qg4 Nf4 21.Bxf4 Be6 22.Qg1 Rxc3 23.bxc3 exf4 24.h4 gives White more space and mobility (Karjakin-Bu Xiangzhi, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2008).

11...Na6

• 11...Nc6 is more common, but transposes into the text after 12.g4 Nb4.

12.g4 Nb4 13.Kb1 Qc7!?

• 13...Rc8 14.h4 d5 15.g5 Nh5 16.exd5 Bf5 17.Na1 Ng3 18.Bh3 Bxh3 19.Rxh3 Nf5 20.f4 Bd6 21.fxe5 Bxe5 22.Bf4 Bxc3 23.Rxc3 Qd7 24.Rxc8 Rxc8 25.c3 gives White a slight advantage (Nijboer-Vachier Lagrave, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).

14.g5

• If 14.Nb5 Qc6 15.g5 Nd7 16.Nxa5 then:
• 16...Qxc2+ 17.Qxc2 Nxc2 18.Kxc2 Rxa5 19.Nxd6 Bxd6 20.Rxd6 Rc8+ 21.Kd2 gives White the advantage in space.
• 16...Rxa5 17.Qxb4 Rfa8 18.b3 gives White the advantage in space.

14...Nd7 15.f4

• 15.Nb5 Qc8 16.Nc3 Qc7 17.Nc1 Rac8 18.Nd3 Rfd8 is equal

15...exf4 16.Bxf4 Ne5?

• Up to here game was even. Knights are better suited to the position than Bishops, thus the exchange at b3 is indicated.
• 16...Bxb3 17.cxb3 Ne5 18.Bg2 Ned3 remains equal.

17.Nd4 Bg4 18.Be2

• 18.Ncb5 Qc5 19.Be2 Bxe2 20.Qxe2 Ng6 21.Bg3 d5 22.h4 gives White the advantage in space.

18...Nc4

• If 18...Bxe2 19.Qxe2 Rfe8 20.Ncb5 Qb6 21.Nf5 then:
• 21...Rad8 22.Qe3 Qxe3 23.Bxe3 White has pressure on d6.


• 21...Bf8? 22.Nbxd6 Bxd6 23.Nxd6 Re7 24.Rhf1 gives White more space and mobility.

BLACK: Radoslaw Wojtaszek
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WHITE: Lenier Domínguez
Position after 18...Ne5c4

19.Bxc4!!

• White offers the exchange in return for the initiative and a firm grip on the center.
• It should be said here, although it will become evident in the next several notes, that the text move is very sharp and not free of pitfalls for White.
• 19.Qe1 Bxe2 20.Qxe2 Qc5 21.Nb3 Qc6 22.Nd5 Rfe8 23.Nd4 gives White the advantage in space.

19...Bxd1

• Declining the sacrifice with 19...Qxc4 does nothing for Black, since 20.Nf5 Bxf5 21.exf5 Rad8 22.Rhe1 Rfe8 23.Re2 Qc6 24.Rde1 gives White palpable pressure on the e-file.

20.Bb3!

• After sacrificing the exchange, White correctly stops exchanging as he will need his powers to force Black into submission.
• 20.Qxd1?! Qxc4 21.Nf5 Rfe8 22.Bxd6 Bxg5 23.Rg1 h6 is equal,

20...Bh5 21.Nf5

• 21.Ndb5? Qb6 22.Nxd6 Rad8 23.e5 Bxd6 24.exd6 Rfe8 gives Black the advantage in space and material.

21...Rfe8 22.Qd4!

• White threatens mate.

22...Bf8

• This is obviously forced.

BLACK: Radoslaw Wojtaszek
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WHITE: Lenier Domínguez
Position after 22...Be7f8

23.Bxd6!!

• The text is clearly better than 23.Nxd6? Bxd6 24.Qxd6 Qc6 25.Rf1 Bg6 26.Qxc6 Nxc6 when White has too little compensation for the the exchange.

23...Qd8

• This is forced. The mating threat ties the Bishop to the defense of the pawn at g2.

24.Nd5

• Also good is 24.Bd5 Nxd5 25.Nxd5 Rxe4 26.Qxe4 Bxd6 27.Nde7+ Bxe7 28.Nxe7+ Kh8 29.Qxb7.

24...Nc6 25.Qc3 Qxg5 26.Bxf8 Rxf8 27.Nf4 Bf3

• White was threatening to win the Bishop, since the Queen is tied to the g2 pawn.

28.Qxf3 Ne5 29.Qf2 g6 30.Rg1 Qd8 31.Qc5 Nf3 32.Qc3 1-0

• White wins the Knight.
• Grandmaster Wojtaszek resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Weeramantry - Petrosian, National Open, Round 1, Las Vegas

Tigran Levon Petrosian is no relation to the late former world champion, Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian. The younger man was born in Armenia a few days after the former champion's death in 1984 and named in his honor.



T. L. Petrosian
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Sunil Weeramantry - T. L Petrosian
National Open, Round 1
Las Vegas, 6 June 2008

Closed Sicilian Game: Grand Prix Opening

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4

• The Grand Prix Opening, like the Saragossa Opening (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3) and the Spanish Sicilian (1.e4 c5 2.Nf6 Nc6 or 2...d6 3.Bb5, is a popular alternative to the Open Sicilian. Master Weeramantry, who is the trainer and stepfather of US grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura, is a recognized expert in this opening.

3...g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bc4

• If 5.Bb5 Nd4 6.0-0 Nxb5 7.Nxb5 then:
• If 7...d6 8.d3 Nf6 then:
• 9.Qe1 0-0 10.Qh4 c4 11.Nc3 cxd3 12.cxd3 b5 13.f5 b4 14.Ne2 Ba6 15.Nf4 Qb6+ 16.Kh1 Rac8 17.Ng5 Rc2 18.Nd5Black resigns (Zude-Lowvitz, Nuremburg, 2006).
• 9.a4 0-0 10.Qe1 Bd7 11.Nc3 Bc6 12.Qh4 e6 13.f5 exf5 14.exf5 Nh5 15.Qf2 gxf5 16.Ne2 Bf6 17.Bh6 Re8 18.Ng3 Nxg3 19.Qxg3+ Kh8 20.Qh3 Rg8 21.Qxf5 Bd4+ 22.Kh1 Qf6 is equal (Lappage-McDonnell, British Ch, Scarborough, 2001).
• If 7...d5 8.e5 a6 9.Nc3 then:
• 9...d4 10.Ne4 Qd5 11.d3 Nh6 12.Qe1 0-0 13.Bd2 Bg4 14.Qg3 f6 15.h3 Bxf3 16.Qxf3 Rad8 17.exf6 exf6 18.b3 f5 19.Ng5 Qxf3 20.Nxf3 Rfe8 21.Ba5 Rd6 22.Rae1 Rde6 is equal (Jackson-Marks, Op, Isle of Man, 2007).
• 9...Bg4 10.d4 cxd4 11.Qxd4 e6 12.Qb4 b5 13.Be3 Bf8 14.Bc5 Bxc5+ 15.Qxc5 Rc8 16.Qa7 Ra8 17.Qf2 Bxf3 18.Qxf3 Ne7 19.Qf2 Rc8 20.Nd1 h5 21.c3 Nf5 22.Ne3 Qb6 23.Nxf5 Qxf2+ 24.Kxf2 gxf5 is equal (Jackson-Gallagher, British Ch, Scarborough, 1999).

5...e6 6.f5 Nge7 7.fxe6 dxe6

• 7...fxe6 then:
• If 8.d3?! d5 then:
• If 9.Bb3 b5 then:
• If 10.0-0? c4! 11.dxc4 dxc4 12.Qxd8+ Kxd8 13.Nxb5 cxb3 then:
• If 14.Ng5 Nd4 15.Rd1 bxc2 16.Rd3 Nec6 17.e5 Ba6 then:
• 18.Nxe6+ Ke7 19.Nexd4 Nxd4 20.Bg5+ Kf8 21.Rf1+ Kg8 22.Rxd4 Bxb5 23.Re1 h6 24.Bd2 Kh7 25.a4 Rad8 26.Rxd8 Rxd8 27.Ba5 Rd1 White resigns as the pawn must queen (Hassan-Nilsson, Politiken Cup, Copenhagen, 2001).
• 18.Rxd4+ Ke7 19.Rf4 Raf8 20.Rxf8 Rxf8 21.Nxh7 Bxb5 maintains Black's material advantage.
• 14.axb3 h6 15.Be3 Bd7 16.Nxa7 Bxb2 17.Rab1 Bf6 gives Black a pieces for two pawns.
• 10.a3 Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 c4 12.exd5 exd5 13.Ba2 Bg4 14.a4 is equal.
• 9.Bb5 d4 10.Bxc6+ Nxc6 11.Ne2 0-0 12.0-0 e5 gives Black the advantage in space.
• 8.0-0 d5 9.Be2 0-0 10.a4 is equal.

8.d3 h6

• If 8...0-0 9.0-0 Na5 10.Bb3 Nxb3 11.axb3 b6 12.Bf4 a6 13.Qd2 Re8 14.Nb5 Rf8 15.Bh6 Bb7 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.Na3 Nc6 18.Nc4 b5 then:
• 19.Nce5? Nxe5 20.Nxe5 Qd4+ White resigns as she must loose a piece (Ibrahim-García Castro, Ol, Calvia, 2004).
• 19.Qc3+ f6 20.Na5 Nxa5 21.Rxa5 is equal.

9.0-0 a6!?

• The novelty is more than a waiting move; it is also a harbinger of the advance ...b7b5.. Weeramantry had this position once before and lost that game. Petrosian is not going to see what kind of improvement Weeramantry may have in store.
• If 9...0-0 10.Qe1 Nd4 11.Qh4 Nec6 12.Qh3 Nxf3+ then:
• If 13.gxf3?! Kh7 14.Kh1 Na5 15.Bb3 b6 16.Be3 Ba6 then:
• If 17.Rg1 c4 18.dxc4 Nxc4 19.Rad1 Nxe3!? 20.Rxd8 Raxd8 21.Qg3 Rd2 then:
• 22.Qf4? Bd4 23.e5 g5 24.Qe4+ Kh8 25.Nb1 Nd1 26.Nxd2 Nf2+ White resigns as he is forced to return the Queen and give up the exchange (Weeramantry-Paschall, Op, Philadelphia, 2001).
• 22.Qe1 Bxc3 23.Qxe3 Bb4 24.e5 Re2 25.Qf4 Bc5 is equal.
• 17.Ba4 Bb7 18.Rg1 a6 19.Rg4 b5 20.Bxc5 bxa4 21.Bxf8 Qxf8 gives Black the advantage in space after 22...Rc8.
• 13.Qxf3 Ne5 14.Qf2 Nxc4 15.dxc4 is equal.

10.a4

• White moves to restrain the kingside.
An alternate plan is to shore up the center:
• 10.Be3 b5 11.Bb3 Qd6 12.e5 Nxe5 13.Ne4 Qc7 14.Bxc5 Nf5 is equal.

10...b6 11.Qe1 g5 12.Qg3

• The game is equal.
• 12.Be3 g4 13.Nd2 Nd4 14.Rc1 Ng6 15.Qg3 h5 16.Kh1 remains equal.

12...Ng6

• 12...Rf8 13.Rf2 Bb7 14.Be3 Nd4 15.Qh3 Nec6 16.Raf1 is equal.

13.Be3 Bb7 14.h3?!
BLACK: T. L. Petrosian
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WHITE: Sunil Weeramantry
Position after 14.h2h3

• The text move does nothing for White, but neither does it do anything to him.
• Better is 14.Rf2 Qd7 15.Ba2 0-0-0 16.Nd2 Be5 17.Qf3 Nd4 18.Qh5 with equality.

14...Qb8!?

• White has the advantage in space, thus Black offers to exchange Queens.
• 14...Nd4 15.Bxd4 cxd4 16.Ne2 Rc8 17.Qf2 Nf4 is equal.

15.Qg4

• If 15.Qxb8+ Rxb8 16.Rac1 Bd4 then:
• 17.Nd1 Nge5 18.Nd2 Rd8 19.Bxd4 Nxd4 20.Nc3 Ke7 is equal.
• 17.Bxd4 cxd4 18.Ne2 Nge5 19.Nxe5 Nxe5 20.Nxd4 Rd8 21.c3 gives White the advantage in space and an extra pawn.

15...Qd6

• 15...h5 16.Qxg5 Bh6 17.Qxh6 Rxh6 18.Bxh6 Nd4 is equal.

16.Nd2 Nd4 17.Qh5?

• There was no reason for White to just drop a pawn.
Correct is
• 17.Rac1 h5 then:
• 18.Qxg5 Bh6 19.Qxh6 Rxh6 20.Bxh6 f5 gives Black a small advantage in space.
• If 18.Qd1 g4 19.hxg4 h4 then:
• 20.Qe1 h3 21.Nf3 0-0-0 22.a5 b5 23.Ba2 Qc7 gives Black a small advantage in space.
• If 20.Rf2 Bc6 21.Ra1 h3 22.Nf1 hxg2 23.Kxg2 f5 then:
• If 24.Kg1 Ne5 25.Bf4 fxg4 26.Bxe5 Qxe5 27.Qxg4 Ke7! then:
• 28.Ne2 Nxe2+ 29.Rxe2 Rag8! wins for Black.
• If 28.Re1 Black wins after 28...Rag8!.
• 24.gxf5 Nxf5 25.Kf3 Rh1 26.Ke2 Nxe3 27.Kxe3 Bd4+ wins for Black.

BLACK: T. L. Petrosian
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WHITE: Sunil Weeramantry
Position after 17.Qg4h5

17...Nxc2!

• White's game collapses like a house of cards.

18.Rxf7

• If 18.Qf3 Black wins by 18...Ne5 19.Qe2 Nxe3 20.Qxe3 Ng4 21.hxg4 Bd4.

18...Kxf7 19.Rf1+ Bf6 20.e5 Qxe5 21.Nde4

• After 21.Bf2 Black continues to enjoy a strong material advantage with 21...Kg7 22.Nde4 Nf4 23.Qg4 Rhf8.

21...Nxe3 22.Rxf6+ Qxf6 23.Nxf6 Kxf6 24.Qe2

• If 24.Bxe6 then 24...Ne5 25.Qe2 Nxg2 26.Bd5 Nf4 puts the lights out.

24...Nxc4 25.dxc4 Rad8 26.a5 Nf4 0-1

• 27.Qf2 Bxg2 28.axb6 Rd4 29.Qc2 Rxc4 30.b3 Rd4 gives Black a prohibitive material advantage.

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Update: Monday, June 9

Magnus defeats Ivanchuk in opening round at Foros


Photo: ChessBase.com

Top seed Magnus Carlsen of Norway defeated Ukrainian grandmaster Vassily Ivanchuk, who is probably the hottest chess master during the Spring of 2008, in the opening round of the third annual Aerosvit International Tournament in the Crimean town of Foros, Ukraine, yesterday.

The game went 46 moves. Magnus played White. Ivanchuk met the seventeen-year-old's 1.d4 with a King's Indian Defense.

In the day's only other decisive game, Latvian-born grandmaster Alexei Shirov of Spain, playing Black, defeated former Dutch champion Loek van Wely in 41 moves.


National Open ends in six-way tie



The 2008 National Open in Las Vegas, Nevada, a six-round affair played over three days, finished in a six-way tie for first prize last night.

The six are: Gata Kamsky, the leading American grandmaster; US grandmaster-elect Josh Friedel; Laurent Fressinet of France; T. L. Petrosian of Armenia; Bulgarian GM Atanas Kolev; and American GM Ben Feingold.

Kamsky and Friedel entered the final round tied for first place on 4½ points apiece. The two fought hard against each other for 59 moves before agreeing to a draw. Eight players began the final round tied for third at 4 points each, with each of those contestants playing one other; all four game were decisive and the winners joined Kamsky and Friedel at the top.