The Jack Rabbit Chess Report (November 29): Armenia, Georgia Win Olympic Gold in Dresden

[Jack Rabbit]

Armenian Men, Georgian Women Win Olympic Gold in Dresden; US Scores Double Bronze



The 38th Chess Olympiad concluded Tuesday in Dresden with the Armenian team defend their championship in the general competion and the Georgian women coming from nowhere in the late rounds to take the gold medal.

The United States won bronze medals in both events. Israel won the silver medal in the general division and Ukraine took the women's silver.

As in the 37th Olympiad, held in the Spring of 2006 in Torino, a heavily favored team from Russia failed to medal in the general competition. However, the Russian women won the gold in Torino, but they, too, fell short in Dresden.

In the general competition, the Armenian team, led by grandmaster Levon Aronian on the top board, appeared to be cruising to the defense of their Olympic championship after eight rounds when they were defeted by Israel behind wins by Boris Gelfand over Aronian and by 19-year-old Max Rodshtein over veteran T. L. Petrosian. Meanwhile, Ukraine put what appeared to be the last nail in Russia's coffin when the match's only decisive game saw Zahar Efimenlo upset Alexander Morozevich. Suddenly, Israel was in first place with 16 match points and Armenia was tied with Ukraine for second with 15 match points each. However, Armenia bounced back the following day in round 10 when the team defeated Serbia, which was in the nedal hunt up until them, with clutch victories on the two top boards by Aronian and Vladimir Akopian. Meanwhile, Ukraine bested Israel with a win by Efimenko over Evgeny Postny on board 3 being the difference. This sent Ukraine and Armenia to Tuesday's last round tied with Isaael in third place tied with China. In the last round, Armenia defeated China with the lone decisive game being T. L. Petrosian's win over Li Chao on board 4. Meanwhile, Israel defeated Holland when Michael Roiz won his game against Dutch national champion Jan Smeets and the United States scored a crushing upset over Ukraine, 3½-½. The gave Armenia the gold and Israel the silver. When the tiebreak points were sorted out, the United States had nosed out Ukraine for the bronze.

With the Armenians positioned to win their second gold medal in a row, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan flew to Dresden to cheer on the national team for the last round in person.


The Gold Medal-winning Armenian General Team with President Sargsyan (front),
who took the team home in the presidental plane.
Photo: ChessBase.com


After the first half of the women's compitition, it looked kike the Chinese girls (and Zhao Xue, the only team member over twenty-one), were going to win the gold in a romp, having a perfect score after six rounds. However, the women failed to win any match after that. Back-to-back losses in rounds 9 and 10 to the upstart Serbian team and the resurging women from Georgia buried China's high hopes of not only a gold medal, but any medal. China was still leading after eight rounds with 14 match points with US, Ukraine, Poland and Serbia tied for second wiht 13 match points each and Georgia tied for sixth with Armenia and Slovenia. In round 9, in addition to China losing to the surprising Serbs, Poland crushed the US, 3-1 and Ukraine marched over Romania by the same score. In round 10, Georgia defeated China with former women's world champion Maia Chiburdanize, now 47 years old, winning against one of the best young talents in the world, male or female, 14-year-old Hou Yifan. In other round 10 results, Ukraine tied Serbia, 2-2; the US crushed Uzbekistan, 3½-½; and Poland defeated Armenia behind the fourth-board victory by Johanna Majdan over Lilit Galojan. That put Poland in first place going to the last round, with Ukraine, Georgia and Serbia tied for second and the US and Russia tied for fifth, with no other teams having any practical chance at a medal. In the last round, Ukraine beat Poland, Georgia romped over Serbia, the US beat France and Russia took their match against Holland. With Georgia and Ukraine tied for first with 18 match points and the US, Russia and Poland tied for third with 17, tiebreak scores had to be calculated to determine who got a medal and which one. In the end, Georgia won gold, Ukraine silver and the United States bronze.


The Gold Medal-winning Women's Team from Georgia
Photo: ChessBase.com

The next Olympiad will take place in 2010 in the Siberian oil town of Khanty-Mansiysk.


Breaking: Former New Zealand and British Champion Wade Dies


Photo: Chessville

Robert Wade, three-time champion of New Zealand and two-time British champion, died today in a hospital in Woolwich, England. The cause of death was pneumonia. The famed master, writer and goodwill ambassador of chess was 87.


Calendar

International Tournament, Nanjing 10-22 December. This promises to be the first of a new annual elite tournament. Participants: Topalov, Ivanchuk, Aronian, Movsesian, Svidler, Bu.

FIDE Grand Prix, Doha Elista 13-29 December.

Asian Club Cup, Al Ain (UAE) 24-31 December.

Hasting Chess Tournament 28 December 2008-5 January 2009.

Rilton Cup, Stockholm 28 December 2008-5 January 2009.

Corus Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 16 January-1 February.

Gibraltar Chess Festival 27 January-5 February.

FIDE Grand Prix, Moscow 30 January-8 February.

Aeroflot Open, Moscow 16-27 February.

Topalov-Kamsky World Championship Semifinal Match, Sofia 16-28 February. Eight Rounds. Winner will challenge Anand for the world championship.

Linares Grandmaaster Tournament 18 February-8 March.

European Individual Championships, Budva (Montenegro) 5-19 March.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. Games from the Dresden Olympics, Rounds 6-11

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

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

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

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Sargissian (Armenia) - Grischuk (Russia), Round 7

Gabriel Sargissian
Photo ChessBase.de (Germany)


Gabriel Sargissian (Armenia) - Alexander Grischuk (Russia)
38th Olympiad (General Competition), Round 7/Board 3
Dresden, 20 November 2008

East India Game: Queen's Indian Defense (Bronstein Variation)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.Qc2 c5

• If 5...Bb4+ 6.Bd2 then:
• If 6...Be7 then:
• If 7.Bg2 c6 then:
• If 8.Bc3 d5 9.Ne5 then:
• If 9...Nfd7 10.Nxd7 Nxd7 11.Nd2 0-0 12.0-0 then:
• If 12...f5 then:
• If 13.Rc1 Nf6 then:
• 14.Bb2 Bd6 15.Nf3 Qe7 16.Ne5 Rac8 17.Nd3 Rfd8 is equal (Kramnik-Anand, Amber Rapid, Nice, 2008).
• 14...Rc8 15.Rc2 c5 16.dxc5 Bxc5 17.Bxf6 Qxf6 18.cxd5 Rfd8 19.Nc4 Bb7 20.Rd2 Bb4 21.Rd3 b5 22.Ne3 gives White an extra pawn, but Black has more than enough of a space advantage to compensate for it.(Polaczek-Veenstra, cyberspace, 1999).
• 13...Rc8 14.Bb2 Bd6 15.a3 Qe7 16.Rc2 Nf6 17.Qc1 Kh8 18.e3 Ne4 19.Rd1 Bb7 20.b4 Bb8 21.Bf1 Qe8 22.a4 a6 gives Black a small edge in space (Karpov-Z. Almasi, IT, Biel, 1996).
• If 12...Rc8 13.e4 then:
• If 13...b5 14.Re1 dxe4 then:
• 15.Nxe4 bxc4 16.Qe2 Rb8 17.Bf1 Qc8 18.bxc4 Nb6 19.Nd2 Na4 20.Ba5 c5 gives Black a small advantage in space (Adams-Mamedyarov, IT, Sofia, 2007).
• 15.Bxe4 bxc4 16.bxc4 c5 17.d5 exd5 18.Bxd5 Bf6 19.Rc1 Bxc3 20.Rxc3 Nf6 21.Bf3 Rc7 22.Nb3 Qxd1 23.Rxd1 Bc8 24.Kg2 h6 25.Rd6 Be6 26.Na5 Rb8 27.Rb3 draw (Timoshenko-V. Gurevich, Op. Mainz, 1995).
• 13...c5 14.exd5 exd5 15.dxc5 dxc4 16.c6 cxb3 17.Re1 b2 18.Bxb2 Nc5 19.Nc4 Bxc4 20.Qg4 Bg5 21.Qxc4 Nd3 22.Be5 Nxe1 23.Rxe1 Bf6 24.Bxf6 Qxf6 25.c7 Qd6 gives Black the exchange, but White space advantage compensates for it.(Sasikiran-Shirov, IT, Foros, 2007).
• 12...Nf6 13.e4 b5 14.Re1 dxe4 15.Qc2 Rb8 16.Rad1 Qc8 17.Bf1 bxc4 18.bxc4 c5 19.Nxe4 cxd4 20.Nxf6+ Bxf6 21.Bxd4 Bxd4 22.Rxd4 Qc5 is equal (Kallai-Adams, French ChT, Montpellier, 2001).
• If 9.Nbd2 Nbd7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Re1 c5 12.e4 then:
• If 12...dxe4 13.Nxe4 then:
• 13...Bb7 14.Nfg5 cxd4 15.Bxd4 Qc7 16.Nxf6+ Bxf6 17.Bxb7 Qxb7 18.Ne4 Bxd4 19.Qxd4 Rad8 20.Rad1 Qa8 21.Qc3 Nb8 22.Nf6+ gxf6 23.Qxf6 Rxd1 24.Qg5+ Kh8 25.Qf6+ draw (Schandorff-B. Socko, Ol. Bled, 2002).
• 13...Nxe4 14.Rxe4 Bb7 15.Re3 Bf6 16.dxc5 Bxc3 17.Rxc3 Nxc5 18.b4 Qf6 19.Qd4 Ne4 20.Qxf6 gxf6 21.Rd3 Rfc8 22.Nd2 f5 23.Re1 Rab8 24.Nxe4 draw (Cu. Hansen-Timman, IT, Malmö, 2001).
• 12...dxc4 13.Nxc4 Bb7 14.e5 Nd5 15.Bb2 b5 16.Ne3 N7b6 17.dxc5 Bxc5 18.Nxd5 Bxd5 19.Qe2 b4 20.Rac1 Qe7 21.Rc2 Rfc8 22.Rec1 Qf8 23.Qb5 is equal (Boychev-Córdoba, Belfort, 2005).
• 8.0-0 d5 9.Qc2 Nbd7 10.Rd1 0-0 11.Bf4 Rc8 12.Nc3 then:
• 12...Nh5 13.Bc1 then:
• 13...f5 14.e3 Qe8 15.Bb2 g5 16.Ne2 Ng7 17.Ne5 h5 18.h3 Nf6 19.Nc1 Ne4 20.Ncd3 Bb7 is equal (Sakaev-Grigoriants, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2006).
• 13...Nhf6 14.Bf4 Nh5 15.Bc1 Nhf6 16.Bf4 Nh5 is a draw by repetition that has been played more than once.
• If 12...h6 then:
• 13.e4 dxc4 14.Nd2 b5 15.bxc4 bxc4 16.Na4 c5 17.d5 exd5 18.exd5 Nh5 19.Be3 Bf6 20.Rab1 Bd4 21.Ne4 Bxe3 22.fxe3 Qe7 23.Nac3 Nhf6 24.Kh1 Nxe4 25.Nxe4 Nb6 26.a4 Rfd8 is equal (Yevseev-Lugovoi, Muni Ch, St. Petersburg, 2004).
• 13.h3 Nh5 14.Bc1 f5 15.a4 Bd6 16.a5 bxa5 17.Ba3 Bxa3 18.Rxa3 dxc4 19.Rda1 c5 20.Rxa5 cxd4 21.Nxd4 cxb3 22.Qxb3 Bc4 23.Qd1 gives White a modest advantage in space (Grischuk-Tomashevsky, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2007).
• If 7...d5 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Nc3 0-0 10.0-0 Bb7 then:
• 11.Qc2 Na6 12.Rfd1 Qc8 13.Bf4 Rd8 14.Ng5 Qd7 15.Be5 g6 16.Bh3 Qe8 17.Qc1 c5 18.a4 Nh5 19.Ne6 Bc8 20.Nxd8 Bxh3 21.Nb7 Qc6 22.e4 dxe4 23.d5 Qxb7 24.d6 Bf8 25.Nd5 Be6 gives Black a theoretical two pawn advantage in an asymmetrical material balace while White has almost enough space to compensate for it (Kramnik-Ivanchuk, Blitz Cup, Moscow, 2007).
• 11.Rc1 Na6 12.Ne5 Re8 13.Bf4 h6 14.Qd3 Ba3 15.Rcd1 Qc8 16.h3 Bf8 17.g4 c5 18.e3 Nb4 19.Qd2 Ne4 20.Nxe4 dxe4 21.a3 Nd5 22.Bg3 cxd4 23.exd4 Bxa3 24.Bxe4 Nf6 25.Bxb7 Qxb7 is equal (Kulikov-Lugovoi, Chigorin Mem, St. Petersburg, 2000).
• If 6...Bxd2+ 7.Qxd2 c6 8.Bg2 d5 9.0-0 0-0 then:
• 10.Ne5 Nfd7 11.Nxd7 Nxd7 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.Nc3 Nf6 then:
• 14.Rac1 Qd6 15.Rc2 Rac8 16.Rfc1 Rc7 17.Nb1 Rfc8 18.Rxc7 Rxc7 19.Rxc7 Qxc7 draw (Tal-Ivkov, Sarajevo, 1966).
• 14.Rfc1 Qd6 15.Rc2 Rac8 16.Rac1 Rc7 17.Bf1 Qe7 18.e3 Bxf1 19.Kxf1 Qd7 20.a4 Rfc8 21.Nb5 Rxc2 22.Rxc2 Ne4 23.Qc1 Rxc2 24.Qxc2 g6 25.Ke2 Nd6 26.Nxd6 Qxd6 27.f4 draw (Bagirov-Razuvaev, Soviet Ch cycyle, Fruze, 1979).
• 10.Rc1 Nbd7 11.Qb2 c5 12.cxd5 exd5 13.Nc3 Re8 14.Rd1 Bb7 15.e3 Qe7 16.Rac1 Nf8 17.Nh4 darkred8 is equal (Chernin-Raxuvaev, Rapid, Tilburg, 1994).

6.d5 exd5 7.cxd5 Bb7 8.Bg2

• White concedes a pawn to Black, but with the Black pawn at d7 it is of little matter for the time being.

8...Nxd5

• 8...Bxd5 9.Nc3 Bc6 10.e4 d6 11.Bf4 Nh5 12.Be3 Be7 13.Bf4 Nd7 14.e5 Nxe5 15.Nxe5 Bxg2 16.Qa4+ gives Black two extra pawns (Gormally-Devereaux, Euro Union Ch, Liverpool, 2007).

9.0-0 Be7 10.Rd1 Qc8 11.a3

• If 11.Qf5 Nf6 12.Nc3 then:
• If 12...0-0 13.Bg5 then:
• If 13...d6 14.Qxc8 Rxc8 15.Nb5 then:
• 15...Bc6 16.Nxd6 Bxd6 17.Bxf6 Bf8 18.Bc3 b5 19.Rac1 Re8 20.e3 Be4 21.Nh4 Bxg2 22.Nxg2 Nc6 23.Nf4 draw (Sargissian-Leko, Asrian Mem Rapid, Yerevan, 2008).
• 15...Nbd7 16.Nxd6 Bxd6 17.Rxd6 h6 18.Be3 Nf8 19.Nh4 Bxg2 20.Kxg2 Ne6 21.Nf5 Rd8 22.Rad1 Kf8 is equal (Khalifman-H. Olafsson, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2008).
• 13...d5 14.Nh4 Nc6 15.Qxc8 Rfxc8 16.Nf5 Kf8 17.Nb5 Ne8 18.Bf4 g6 19.Nfd6 Nxd6 20.Nxd6 Bxd6 21.Bxd6+ Ne7 22.Bxd5 Bxd5 23.Rxd5 Rd8 is equal (Ivanchuk-Eljanov, IT, Foros, 2007).
• 12...Nc6 13.Bg5 d5 14.Qf4 d4 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.Nd5 Bd8 17.e3 Ne7 18.Nxe7 Bxe7 19.exd4 0-0 20.dxc5 bxc5 21.Rac1 a5 22.b3 Ra6 is equal (Cheparinov-Kamsky, Grand Prix, Baku, 2008).
• If 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bxe7 Nxe7 13.e4 0-0 14.Nc3 Nbc6 15.Rd2 Ba6 16.Bh3 Ng6 17.Bxd7 Qb7 18.Rad1 Nge5 is equal (Sakaev-Zakhartsov, Russian Ch HL, Krasnoyarsk, 2007).

11...Nc7!?

• If 11...Nf6 then:
• 12.Nc3 d5 13.Bg5 Nbd7 14.e4 d4 15.e5 Nxe5 16.Nxe5 Bxg2 17.Qa4+ Nd7 18.Bxe7 Kxe7 19.Re1 Nxe5 20.Rxe5+ Kf8 21.Kxg2 dxc3 22.bxc3 g6 23.Rae1 Kg7 24.Re7 Qf5 25.Qc4 Rhd8 26.R1e5 Qf6 27.R5e6 Qf5 28.Re5 Qf6 draw (Kramnik-Leko, Tal Mem, Moscow, 2008).
• 12.Bg5 d5 13.Bxf6 Bxf6 14.Nc3 Bxc3 15.bxc3 Na6 16.Nh4 g6 17.Bxd5 Bxd5 18.Rxd5 0-0 19.Rad1 Nc7 20.Rd7 Ne6 21.Qe4 Qe8 22.Nf3 c4 23.Qh4 Nc5 24.Re7 Rd8 25.Rf1 Black resigns (Topalov-Anand, IT, Bilbao, 2008).

12.Nc3

• 12.e4 0-0 13.Nc3 Re8 14.Bf4 Ne6 15.Be3 Nc6 is equal.

12...Nc6 13.Bf4

• If 13.Qd3 then:
• 13...d6 14.Bf4 0-0 15.Ne4 Rd8 16.Neg5 g6 gives Black a solid game.
• 13...Ba6 14.Qe4 0-0 15.Bf4 Bf6 16.Qc2 Ne6 17.Bd6 is equal.
• If 13.e4 0-0 14.Bf4 Re8 then:
• 15.Rac1 Ne6 16.Be3 Qc7 17.Nd5 Qb8 is equal.
• If 15.Qd2?! d6 then:
• 16.Rab1 Na5 17.Qc2 Qe6 gives Black an extra pawn.
• 16.Bxd6? Rd8! 17.e5 Nxe5 18.Nxe5 Bxd6 gives Black an extra pawn.

13...0-0

• If 13...Ne6 14.Be3 0-0 then:
• 15.Qd2 Qb8 16.Rac1 Re8 17.Nd5 Bd8 18.Nf4 Bc7 19.Nd5 is equal.
• 15.Rac1 Qe8 16.Qd3 d6 17.Nd5 Bd8 18.b4 Rc8 gives Black an extra pawn, but White has counterplay.

14.Bxc7 Qxc7 15.Nb5 Qd8

• White has equalized.
• 15...Qc8 16.Nd6 Bxd6 17.Rxd6 h6 remains equal.

16.Ne5 Nxe5!

• If 16...d5? 17.Bxd5 then:
• 17...Nd4 18.Rxd4 Bxd5 19.Rdd1 gives White more freedom.
then 17...Qc8 18.Qe4 Nd8 19.Bxb7 Qxb7 20.Qxb7 Nxb7 21.Rd7 wins a piece.

17.Bxb7 Rb8 18.Be4

• 18.Bg2 a6 19.Nc3 Re8 20.Nd5 b5 21.Qf5 Bf8 gives White more space, but Black's defenses are solid.

18...a6
BLACK: Alexander Grischuk
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WHITE: Gabriel Sargissian
Position after 18...a7a6

19.Bxh7+!?

• White plays a risky move which all but commits him to a speculative sacrifice later.
• 19.Nc3 g6 20.Nd5 b5 21.Qc3 d6 remains equal.

19...Kh8 20.Qf5 g6!?

• 20...axb5 21.Qh5 g6 22.Bxg6+ Kg7 23.Qh7+ Kf6 24.Be4 d6 25.Qf5+ Kg7 invites a draw by repetition. Black is looking for more.

21.Qxe5+ Bf6 22.Qf4 axb5

• If 22...Kxh7 23.Nc3 Bxc3 24.bxc3 Qe7 25.Ra2 then:
• 25...Rb7 26.Rd6 Rc8 27.e4 Rc6 28.Rad2 b5 29.e5 a5 30.R2d5 b4! is equal.
• 25...b5 26.Rd6 a5 27.Rad2 Rb7 28.Qf3 gives White greater activity.

23.Qh6 Bg5 24.Qh3 Kg7

• If 24...Bh4? then:
• If 25.Bxg6!! fxg6 26.Rxd7 Qf6 then:
• 27.Qxh4+ Qxh4 28.gxh4 Rf4 29.Kg2 Rxh4 30.Rad1 leaves White with an extra pawn and a position where he can raid Black's back rank and get his Rook behind the queenside pawn mass.
• 27.f3?! Rbe8 28.e4 Re5 29.Qxh4+ Qxh4 30.gxh4 leaves White with an extra pawn and lets Black enjoy some counterplay.
• 25.Rxd7 Qf6 26.Bxg6!! transposes into the main variation.

BLACK: Alexander Grischuk
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WHITE: Gabriel Sargissian
Position after 24...Kh8g7

25.Bxg6!?

• There are two kinds of sacrifices -- sound ones and mine. --Tal.
• This is a Tal sacrifice.
• See note to White's 19th move.
• 25.Rxd7 Qe8 26.Rad1 Rd8 27.Bxg6 Rxd7 28.Qxd7 Kxg6 29.Rd6+ remains equal.

25...Kxg6 26.Rd6+ Kg7 27.Rad1

• The game remains equal as White pressures the d-pawn.
• 27.Qg4?! f5 28.Qh5 Bf6 (forced) 29.Rad1 Rf7 30.Qxf5 Bxb2 givesWhite little for the sacrificed Bishop.

27...Rg8 28.f4

• 28.Rxd7 Qe8 29.Qg4 Kf8 30.Qh5 remains equal.

28...Bf6 29.e4 Rh8 30.Qg4+ Kf8

• The game is equal, but Black must play carefully to avoid sudden death.
• If 30...Kh7?? then after 31.Rxf6 Qxf6 32.Rd5 Qg6 33.Rh5+ Kg7 34.Rg5 White wins.

31.e5

• If 31.Rxd7 Qe8 32.e5 then:
• 32...Rg8 33.Qf3 Rd8 34.Rb7 remains equal.
• if 32...Bg7? 33.Rc7 then:
• If 33...Kg8 34.Rdd7 Rh6 35.Qf5 White wins.
• 33...Qe6 34.Qxe6 fxe6 35.Rdd7 Bh6 36.Rd6 wins a third pawn for White in compensation for the sacrificed Bishop.

31...Be7 32.Rxd7 Qe8

• 32...Qc8? loses to 33.f5 c4 34.f6 Bc5+ 35.Kf1 Rh7 36.e6 when Black is in a mating net.

33.f5 f6 34.Qf4

• 34.e6 Rd8 35.Qg6 Rxd7 36.exd7 Qd8 remains equal.

34...c4

• 34...Rd8 35.e6 Rxd7 36.Rxd7 Qc8 37.Qc7 Qxc7 38.Rxc7 remains equal.

35.e6 Rc8 36.R1d4

• If 36.Qf3?! Qh5! 37.Qxh5 Rxh5 38.R1d5 then:
• font color="red"]38...c3 39.bxc3 Rxc3 40.Rb7 remains equal.
• 38...Rc5 39.g4 Rh4 40.Rxc5 Rxg4+ 41.Kf2 Bxc5+ gives Black an extra piece.

36...Rh7 37.h4

• 37.Qf3 Rc5 38.Ra7 Rc8 39.Rad7 Rd8 remains equal.

37...Kg8

• If 37...Qh5 38.R4d5 Rg7 then:
• font color="red"]39.Kg2 Qe2+ 40.Qf2 Qe4+ 41.Qf3 Qc2+ 42.Rd2 Qa4 remains equal.
• After 39.Kf2 b4 40.axb4 Kg8 41.Qf3 Qe8 42.Qc3 remains equal.

38.Kh2 Rg7 39.Qf3 Kh8

• 39...Kf8 40.R4d5 Rd8 41.Kg2 Rxd7 42.Rxd7 remains equal.

40.Ra7

• 40.g4 Qf8 41.Kg2 Bc5 42.Rd1 b4 43.axb4 Bxb4 remains equal.

40...Qf8 41.Rdd7 Re8 42.Rab7

• 42.Qb7 Qg8 43.Qe4 Qh7 44.Rab7 Qh5 45.Kh3 remains equal.

42...Rb8

• If 42...Rd8 then:
• 43.Rxb6! Rxd7 44.exd7 Rh7 45.Qe4 Rg7 46.Qe2 wins for White.
• After 43.Qe3 b4 44.axb4 Rxd7 45.exd7 Kh7 46.Qxb6 White has four pawns to a Bishop.

43.Ra7

• If 43.Rbc7 Rd8 44.Qc6 then:
• 44...Kh7 45.Qxb6 Rxd7 46.Rxd7 Qa8 47.Qe3 remains equal.
• 44...Rxd7 45.Qxd7 Bd8 46.Qxg7+ Qxg7 47.Rxg7!? Kxg7 remains equal.

43...Re8 44.Kh3 Qg8 45.Ra6

• If 45.Rab7 Qf8 46.Qe3 Rd8 47.g4 then:
• 47...Rxd7 48.exd7 Kh7 49.Qxb6 Bd8 remains equal.
• 47...b4?! 48.axb4 b5 49.Qa7! Rxd7 50.Rxd7 keeps Black's pieces tied down at home.

45...Qh7

• 45...Rb8 46.Kh2 Qh7 47.Qf4 Rd8 48.Rxb6 Rxd7 49.exd7 Bd8 remains equal.

46.Ra8

• 46.Rxb6 Rd8 47.Rxd8+ Bxd8 48.Rxb5 Bc7 49.Rd5 remains equal.

46...Rxa8 47.Qxa8+ Rg8 48.Qf3 Rg7

• If 48...Rb8?! 49.Qf4 Rc8 50.Rb7 then:
• 50...Qg7 51.Rxb6 Qf8 52.Rxb5 Bd6 53.Qf3 Qh6 54.Rd5 gives White four pawns for a minor piece.
• 50...Rg8 51.g4 Qg7 52.Rxe7 Qxe7 53.Qh6+ Qh7 54.Qxf6+ gives White four connected passed pawns, which could be enough to beat the Rook.

49.Qf4!?

• 49.Rb7 Qg8 50.Rxb6 Qe8 51.Ra6 Qb8 52.Ra8 maintains a slight edge for White.

49...Qh5 50.g4 Qe8 51.Rb7

• If 51.Qc7 Qa8 52.Qb7 Qxb7 53.Rxb7 Bxa3 then:
• If 54.Rxb6 Bxb2 55.Rxb5 c3 56.Rc5 Re7 then:
• 57.Rc8+ Kg7 58.g5 White's pawns are moble.
• 57.g5 Kg7 58.Kg4 White's pawns are moble.
• 54.Rxg7 Kxg7 55.bxa3 c3 56.h5 c2 57.h6+ Kxh6 58.e7 is equal.

51...Kh7 52.Qe4

• If 52.Qc7?! b4 53.axb4 then:
• 53...Qb5 54.Rxb6 Qd5 55.Qf4 Bd8 Black has the initiative.
• If 53...Qa4 54.Qxc4 Qd1 55.Rd7 Qf3+ 56.Kh2 Qf2+ then:
• 57.Kh3 Qf3+ 58.Kh2 Qf2+ draws.
• If 57.Kh1? then 57...Bd6 58.Rxd6 Qxh4+ 59.Kg1 Rxg4+ White wins the Queen.

52...Bc5?

• Black has misjudged White's strength on the kingside.
• Better for Black is to play where he is strongest: 52...b4 53.axb4 Qa4 54.Qxc4 Qd1 55.Rd7 Qf3+ draws as in the previous note.

BLACK: Alexander Grischuk
!""""""""#
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Gabriel Sargissian
Position after 52...Be7c5

53.g5!

• White tightens his space on the kingside.

53...Rxb7 54.Qxb7+ Qe7 55.g6+!

• White now has three passed pawns.

55...Kg7 56.Qd7 b4

• White has several ways to win, but all of them involve the mobility of the King and obtaining passed pawns on both wings.
• If 56...Qxd7 then after 57.exd7 Be7 58.Kg4 Bd8 59.h5 Kh6 60.Kf4 the White King is free to cross the center in order to pick off Black's queenside pawns because Black cannot play ...Kxh5 without allowing the g-pawn to score a goal.

57.axb4 Bxb4 58.Kg4

• Also good is 58.Kg2 Bd6 59.Kf3 Qxd7 60.exd7 when:
• If 60...Be7 61.Ke4 Kf8 62.Kd5 then:
• 62...Bd8 63.Kd6 Kg7 64.h5 White wins.
• If 62...b5 then White wins after 63.h5 Kg7 64.Ke6 Bd8 65.h6+ Kxh6 66.Kf7.
• If 60...Bc7 61.Ke4 Bd8 then:
• 62.Kd5 Kf8 63.Kd6 transposes into the main variation.
• 62.Kd4 c3 63.bxc3 Kh6 64.Kd5 Kg7 65.Kc6 assures White of having passers on both wings,

58...Kh6 59.Kf3

• If 59.h5 Qxd7 60.exd7 Be7 61.Kf4 then:
• If 61...b5 62.Ke4 b4 63.Kd4 c3 64.bxc3 then:
• 64...b3 65.Kd3 Bd8 66.Kd2 b2 67.Kc2 Be7 68.Kxb2 gives White connected passed pawns on both wings.
• 64...bxc3 65.Kxc3 Bd8 66.Kc4 Bb6 67.Kd5 Kg7 68.Ke6 wins for White,
• If 61...Bd8 then after 62.Ke4 b5 63.Kd5 Kg7 64.Ke6 White wins.

59...b5

• 59...Kg7 60.Ke4 Qxd7 61.exd7 Be7 62.Kd5 b5 63.h5 wins for White.

60.Ke4 Bc5

• If 60...Qxd7 then 61.exd7 Be7 62.Kd5 Kg7 63.h5 wins.

61.Kd5 Bb4 62.Kc6 Qc5+ 63.Kb7 Qe7 64.Ka6 1-0

• After 64...Qd6+ 65.Qxd6 Bxd6 66.Kxb5 Kg7 67.Kxc4 Kf8 68.Kb5 Be5 69.b3 White must win on one side of the board or the other.
• Alexander Igorevich resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Aronian (Armenia) - Gelfand (Israel), Round 9

Boris Gelfand
Photo: Bermuda Chess


Levon Aronian (Armenia) - Boris Gelfand (Israel)
38th Olympiad (General Competition), Round 9/Board 1
Dresden (9.1), 22 November 2008

King's English Game: Catalan Four Knights' Opening

1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bb4 5.Bg2 0-0 6.0-0 Bxc3

• If 6...e4 7.Ng5 Bxc3 8.bxc3 Re8 9.f3 then:
• 9...e3 10.d3 d5 11.Qb3 Na5 12.Qa3 c6 13.cxd5 cxd5 14.f4 Bg4 15.Nf3 Nc6 16.h3 Bxf3 17.Bxf3 h5 18.Rb1 Qd7 19.Bg2 Rac8 20.Bb2 Qf5 21.Qc5 b6 22.Qa3 Qg6 23.Kh2 Ne7 24.Qa4 Nf5 gives Black an advantage in space (Bernade-Piccoli, Cyberspace, 2002).
• 9...exf3 10.Nxf3 d5 11.d4 Ne4 12.Qc2 Bf5 13.Nh4 Bg6 14.Nxg6 hxg6 15.Rb1 Na5 16.cxd5 Qxd5 17.Bf4 Nc4 18.Qb3 b6 19.Be5 Rxe5 20.dxe5 Qc5+ 21.Kh1 Ned2 22.Qb5 Rf8 23.Qxc5 bxc5 24.e6 Nxf1 25.exf7+ Kxf7 26.Rxf1+ Ke7 27.Rxf8 Kxf8 leaves neither side with much hope (Reimer-der Plas, Corres, 1991).

7.bxc3 Re8

• 7...d6 8.d3 h6 9.e4 Be6 10.Nh4 Rb8 11.a4 Na5 12.Be3 b6 13.Nf5 Bxf5 14.exf5 Re8 15.h4 e4 16.g4 Nh7 17.g5 hxg5 18.hxg5 Nxg5 19.Qh5 Nh7 20.Kh2 Nf6 21.Qh3 exd3 22.Bg5 Qe7 23.Rad1 d2 gives Black two extra pawns and a very strong position (Tarjan-Vukcevich, US Ch, Oberlin, 1975).

8.d3 e4 9.Nd4

• 9.Ng5 exd3 10.exd3 d6 11.Rb1 Ne5 12.f4 Ned7 13.Ba3 Rb8 14.Qd2 b6 15.Rbe1 Bb7 16.Rxe8+ Qxe8 draw (Ree-Benko, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1972).

9...exd3

• If 9...h6 10.dxe4 Nxe4 11.Qc2 d5 12.cxd5 Qxd5 then:
• 13.Rd1 Bf5 14.Qb2 Nxd4 15.cxd4 Qd7 16.Bf4 c6 17.a4 Rad8 18.a5 Nf6 19.Ra3 Nd5 is equal (Portisch-Salov, IT, Tilburg, 1994).
• 13.e3 Na5 14.f3 Nd6 15.e4 Qc5 16.Be3 Ndc4 17.Bf2 Qe7 18.Rad1 Bd7 19.f4 Rad8 is equal (Kasparov-Karpov, World Ch, Seville, 1987).

10.exd3 Nxd4

• If 10...h6 11.Be3 Ne5 then:
• 12.h3!? c5 13.Nf3 Nxf3+ 14.Qxf3 d6 15.Rfe1 Rb8 16.Bf4 Rxe1+ 17.Rxe1 gives the more active game (Christiansen-Arnold, Op, Biel, 1994).
• 12.Re1 d6 13.h3 c5 14.Nf3 Ng6 15.d4 Qc7 16.Nd2 Bd7 17.Rb1 Bc6 18.Bxc6 Qxc6 19.Qf3 Qxf3 20.Nxf3 b6 21.Nd2 Rac8 is equal (M. Gurevich-Salov, IT, Linares, 1991).

11.cxd4 d5 12.Rb1!?

• White introduces a new move that keeps the game equal.
• 12.Bg5 h6 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 draw (Zifroni-Tseitlin, Op, Tel Aviv, 2001).

12...h6

• 12...Bg4 13.f3 Be6 14.c5 b6 15.Re1 remains equal.

13.Bf4 b6

• 13...c6 14.Qd2 Nh5 15.Be3 b6 16.Rfe1 Bf5 remains equal.

14.Be5 c6 15.h3

• White deprives Black of the use of g4.

15...Be6 16.Rc1 Rc8

• The text is played so as to meet a pawn exchage on d5 with an exchange of Rooks on c1.

17.f4 dxc4

• This puts an end to any ideas White had about opening the game at d5.
• Black's best appears to be 17...Bf5 18.Re1 Nd7 19.Qh5 Nxe5 20.Rxe5 Rxe5 21.fxe5 with equality.

18.dxc4 b5?!

• 18...Bf5 19.Re1 etc. is still playable.

19.d5!?

• 19.cxb5 cxb5 20.Rxc8 Bxc8 21.Qd3 a6 22.Rc1 gives White better minor pieces.

19...cxd5

• Black has equalized.

20.cxb5 Rxc1 21.Qxc1 Qb6+ 22.Kh2 Qxb5?!

• 22...Ne4 23.Qc6 Rc8 24.Qxb6 axb6 25.f5 remains equal.

23.Bxf6!

• White weakens Black's pawns in order to tear into the King position.
• If 23.f5 d4 24.Bxf6 Bd5 25.Bxd4 Bxg2 then:
• 26.Rf2 Bb7 27.Bxa7 Qa5 28.Be3 Qe5 remains equal.
• 26.Kxg2?! Qd5+! 27.Kh2 Qxd4 gives Black command of the center.

23...gxf6 24.f5?!

• This looks strong, but it leads to the puttering out of the initiative.
• Better is 24.Qc3 Rc8 25.Qxf6 Rc2 26.Rg1 Kh7 27.f5 with White enjoying a fierce initiative.

24...Bd7 25.Qxh6
BLACK: Boris Gelfand
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Levon Aronian
Position after 25.Qc1h6:p

25...Qb2!

• Black finds some couterplay.

26.Kh1

• The game is equal.
• 26.Rf4 Re4 27.Rxe4 dxe4 28.Qe3 Bc6 29.a3 Qe5 is also equal.

26...Re2 27.Bxd5 Bxf5!

• If 27...Be8 28.Qf4 Qd2 29.Kg1 then:
• If 29...Bb5 30.Qb8+ Be8 31.Bf3 Qe3+ gives White an extra pawn.
• 29...Qxf4 30.Rxf4 Rd2 31.Bb3 Bd7 32.g4 gives White an extra pawn.

28.Qf4 Be6 29.Bf3

• 29.Be4 Bxh3 30.Qh6 Rxe4 31.Qxh3 Qxa2 gives Black two extra pawns.

29...Rh2+ 30.Kg1 Rxh3

• The game remains equal.
• 30...Bxh3 31.Qh4 Qxa2 32.Be4 Qb2 33.Qh7+ Kf8 is equal.

31.Bg2 Rh5 32.Qxf6?!

• 32.a4 Qb6+ 33.Qf2 Qxf2+ 34.Rxf2 Rg5 35.Kh2 Bd7 gives White the initiative.

32...Qxf6 33.Rxf6 Ra5!

• This assures Black an extra pawn. Unfortunately, his Rook is in front of it.
• 33...Bxa2? 34.Ra6! reestablishes the balance.

34.Rf4

• 34.Rf2 Rxa2 35.Rxa2 Bxa2 gives Black the outside passed pawn.

34...Rxa2 35.Rd4?

• After this seeming minor misstep, the game is lost for White.
• 35.Bc6 a5 36.Ra4 Kg7 37.Rxa2 Bxa2 38.Ba4 Kf6 would be tough for White to draw, but it can be done.

35...a5 36.Bd5

• If 36.Bc6 Bb3 37.Kf1 a4 38.Rb4 Kf8 then:
• If 39.g4 Ke7 40.Ke1 Kd6 41.Be8 f6 then:
• 42.g5 fxg5 43.Bxa4 Rxa4 44.Rxb3 Ke5 leaves it doubtful that White can hold on; Black's winning plan is to get his Rook behind the pawn and his King in front of it.
• 42.Rb6+ Ke7 43.Bg6 Bd5 44.Bf5 a3 gives Black a huge advantage.
• After 39.Ke1 Ke7 40.Rb7+ Kd6 41.Be8 f6 42.Rb4 Ke6 Black's King activity gives him the edge.

36...Ra1+

• 36...Bxd5 37.Rxd5 a4 38.Kf1 a3 39.Ra5 Kg7 wins faster.

37.Kf2 a4 38.Rd2

• If 38.Bxe6 then after 38...fxe6 39.Rd7 a3 40.Ra7 a2 41.Kg2 e5 Black wins because the White King cannot advance to the third rank else the Black Rook checks followed by the pawn promotion at a1.

BLACK: Boris Gelfand
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Levon Aronian
Position after 38.Rd4d2

38...a3!

• This quiet move does nothing more than roll the back to White. It is more forceful than a waiting move, but certainly in itself not earthshaking.
• If 38...Bxd5?! allows White to get his Rook behind the pawn, making it more difficult for Black to convert after.39.Rxd5 a3 40.Ra5.

39.Bxe6

• White has nothing else to do but take the Bishop and fall on his sword.

39...fxe6 40.Ke3

• If 40.Re2 then after 40...Kf7 41.Ke3 Kf6 42.Ke4 a2 43.g4 Kg5 44.Ke5 Kxg4 the pawn at e6 is safe because of 54...Kf3! winning.

40...Kf7 41.g4 Rb1

• White maintains a winning advatage after 41...a2 42.Re2 Kg6 43.Ke4 transposes into the previous note.

42.Rf2+ Ke7 43.Ra2

• If 43.g5 then Black gets his Rook behind the a-pawn and wins after 43...Rb3+ 44.Ke4 Rb4+ 45.Kf3 Ra4.

43...Rb3+ 44.Kf4

• If 44.Kd4 then after 44...Kf6 45.Kc4 Rg3 46.Kb4 e5 47.Re2 Ke6 Black still wins.

44...Rb4+

• If 44...Kf6! 45.g5+ Kg6 46.Ke5 then:
• If 46...Re3+! 47.Kd4 Rg3 48.Re2 Rg4+ 49.Kc3 then:
• Black wins after 49...Kf5! 50.Kb3 Rg3+ 51.Ka2 e5 52.Re1 e4.
• 49...Kxg5? 50.Rxe6 Ra4 51.Re1! Ra8 52.Kb3 is a probable draw.
• 46...Rb5+? 47.Kxe6! Ra5 is a probable draw.

45.Kg5 Ra4 46.Kh6

• After 46.Kh4 Ra5 47.g5 Kf7 48.Kh5 Kg7 White's King is unable to get in front of the pawn and Black wins.

46...e5 47.g5 Kf7 48.g6+ Kg8 49.Kg5 e4 0-1

• White's pawns cannot prevent the promotion of both pawns from the front.
• Grandmaster Aronian resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Rodshtein (Israel) - Petrosian (Armenia), Round 9

Max Rodshtein
Photo: ChessBase.com


Max Rodshtein (Israel) - T. L. Petrosian (Armenia)
38th Olympiad (General Competition), Round 9/Board 4
Dresden, 22 November 2008

Semi-Slav Queen's Gambit: Rodshtein Opening

1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 c6 3.c4 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.b3 Bd6 6.Bb2 0-0 7.Nbd2!?

• Young Rodshtein audaciously takes his more experienced opponent out of the book on the seventh move.
• 7.Bd3 Nbd7 8.Nbd2 Qe7 9.Ne5 Re8 10.f4 Nf8 11.0-0 N6d7 12.e4 f6 13.Nxd7 Bxd7 14.e5 Bc7 15.Qf3 fxe5 16.fxe5 gives White a healthy advantage in space (Javanmard-Asylguzhin, Op, Dubai, 2001).

7...b6 8.Bd3 Nbd7

• The game is equal.8...Bb7 9.0-0 Nbd7 10.Rc1 Rc8 11.Qe2 Re8 is equal.

9.0-0

• If 9.Qc2 Bb7 10.0-0 Rc8 11.Rfe1 c5 12.e4 then:
• 12...dxe4 13.Nxe4 Bxe4 14.Bxe4 cxd4 15.Bxd4 gives White the advantage in space.
• If 12...Bf4?! 13.e5 then:
• 13...Bxd2 14.Nxd2 Ne4 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.Bxe4 Bxe4 17.Qxe4 gives White the advantage in space.
• 13...Ne8 14.dxc5 bxc5 15.Bxh7+ Kh8 16.cxd5 exd5 17.Bf5 leaves White up a pawn.

9...Bb7 10.Ne5

• 10.Qc2 a6 11.Ne5 Rc8 12.Nxd7 Qxd7 13.c5 gives White more space and freedom.

10...c5 11.cxd5

• 11.Nxd7 Nxd7 12.cxd5 Bxd5 13.e4 Bb7 14.Nc4 Bc7 remains equal.

11...exd5 12.f4

• 12.Nxd7 Nxd7 13.dxc5 bxc5 14.Qg4 g6 15.Nf3 f5 remains equal.

12...Qe7 13.Rf3 cxd4

• 13...Rad8 14.Rg3 a6 15.Bf5 g6 16.a4 remains equal.

14.Nxd7

• 14.exd4 Rac8 15.Re3 Rfe8 16.Qe2 Bb4 17.Bf5 gives White an advantage in space.

14...Nxd7 15.Bxd4 g6 16.Rh3 Bc5 17.f5!

• White is hitting a Black's kingside weaknesses and plans a direct assault on the king.
• If 17.Nf3 Rac8 18.a3 Nf6 19.b4 Bxd4 20.Nxd4 Ne4 21.Bxe4 Qxe4 is equal.
• 19.Qe1 Ne4 20.Bxe4 dxe4 21.Bxc5 Qxc5 22.Nd4 Qc3 gives Black some activity.

17...Nf6 18.Qf3 Bxd4 19.exd4 g5?!

• Black does not want to break up his pawns.
• If 19...Qa3 20.Qf4 then:
• After 20...Rae8 21.Qh4 Qb2 22.Rf1 Qxd2 23.Qxf6 Re1 24.Rhf3 White is well defended and has an embryonic attack on the Black King.
• If 20...Qb2? then 21.Rb1! Qxa2 22.Qg5! wins the Knight for White.

20.Rg3!

• White takes a firm grip on the game. He can take the g-pawn with greater advantage than before.
• 20.Qg3 g4 21.Rh6 Rae8 22.Bb5 Qb4 is equal.

20...h6 21.h4 Qb4

• 21...Nh7 22.f6 Nxf6 23.hxg5 Ne4 24.gxh6+ Kh8 25.Qe3 gives White an extra pawn and a fierce attack on the BLack King.

22.Qf4 Ne4?

• Black misses the last opportunity to equalize.
• 22...Qc3 23.Rf1 Qxd3 24.hxg5 Nh5 25.Rxd3 Nxf4 26.Rxf4 is equal.

23.Nxe4 Qxd4+

• If 23...dxe4 24.Bc4 Rad8 25.hxg5 then:
• After 25...Qd6 26.gxh6+ Kh8 27.Qe5+ Qxe5 28.dxe5 Rde8 29.e6 White wins.
• 25...Rfe8 26.g6!! seals Black's doom.

24.Kh2!

• This wins almost immediately. Any other move loses.

24...f6

• White wins.
• If 24...dxe4 25.f6 Kh7 26.hxg5 Rg8 27.Rd1 then:
• After 27...Qc5 28.Bxe4+ Bxe4 29.Qxe4+ Kh8 30.Rd5 Qc7 31.Re5 White wins.
• 27...Rg6 28.Qc7 Rf8 29.Be2 Qf2 30.Qe7 Rgg8 31.Bc4 wins for White.
• If 27...Raf8 28.Qf5+ Rg6 29.Rh3 then:
• 29...Kg8 30.Bc4 Rxg5 31.Qxg5+ hxg5 32.Rxd4 leaves White up by a Rook.
• 29...Kh8 30.Qxg6 fxg6 31.Rxh6+ Kg8 32.Bc4+ wins material.

25.hxg5

• The text wins faster than 25.Nxf6+ Qxf6 26.Rc1 Rf7 27.hxg5 hxg5 28.Rxg5+.

25...hxg5
BLACK: T. L. Petrosian
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Max Rodshtein
Position after 25...hg5:p

26.Nxf6+

• The Knight sacrifice caps off the game nicely.

26...Qxf6 27.Rxg5+ Kf7 28.Qc7+ 1-0

• After 28...Qe7 29.Rg7+ Kxg7 30.Qxe7+ White wins.
• 28...Ke8 29.Re1+ Qe7 30.Qxe7#.
• Grandmaster Petrosian resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Bojkovic (Serbia) - Zhao Xue (China), Round 9

Nataša Bojkovic
Photo: Serbian Chess Federation


Nataša Bojkovic (Serbia) - Zhao Xue (China)
38th Olympiad (General Competition), Round 9/Board 2
Dresden, 22 November 2008

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Fischer's Exchange Opening

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.0-0

• This opening pre-dates Bobby Fischer by decades, but he was the one who brought it back to master play in the mid-sixties.
• Dr. Lasker preferred 5.d4 exd4 6.Qxd4 Qxd4 7.Nxd4 Bd7. It's a dull line and more than once the players have agreed to a draw right here.

5...Be7

• 5...f6 6.d4 Bg4 7.c3 exd4 8.cxd4 Qd7 9.h3 Be6 10.Nc3 0-0-0 11.Bf4 Ne7 12.Rc1 Ng6 13.Bg3 Bd6 14.Na4 Bxg3 15.fxg3 Kb8 16.Nc5 gives White the initiative (Fischer-Gligoric, Ol, Havana, 1966).


• 6...exd4 7.Nxd4 c5 8.Nb3 Qxd1 9.Rxd1 Bg4 10.f3 Be6 11.Be3 b6 12.a4 Kf7 13.Nc3 Bd6 14.a5 c4 15.Nd4 b5 16.Nxe6 Kxe6 17.Ne2 Ne7 18.Bf4 Be5 19.Nd4+ Kf7 20.Bxe5 fxe5 21.Nf5 Nxf5 22.exf5 Rad8 23.Kf2 Kf6 24.g4 h5 25.Rxd8 Rxd8 26.Ke3 Rd4 27.Rg1 c3 draw (Malisauskas-Psakhis, Op, Moscow, 1989).

6.d3

• 6.Nxe5 Qd4 7.Qh5 Be6 8.Nf3 Qxe4 9.Ng5 Qf5 10.Nxe6 Qxe6 11.Nc3 Nf6 12.Qf3 0-0-0 13.d3 Rhe8 draw (Movsesian-Shirov, IT, Karlsbad, 2007).

6...Bf6 7.Nbd2 Ne7

• 7...Be6 8.Nb3 Qd6 9.Ng5 Bxb3 10.axb3 Ne7 11.Qh5 Ng6 12.Be3 c5 13.g3 Bxg5 14.Qxg5 f6 15.Qh5 b6 16.f4 Ke7 17.f5 Nf8 18.g4 Nd7 19.g5 a5 20.Kh1 Rag8 21.Qh4 gives White an advantage in space (Kokarev-Inarkiev, Russian Ch HL, Novokuznetsk, 2008).

8.b3!?

• This is a new move and is good for an equal game.
• 8.d4 Ng6 9.dxe5 Nxe5 10.Nxe5 Bxe5 11.Qh5 Bf6 12.Nf3 0-0 13.Bg5 Bxg5 14.Qxg5 Qxg5 15.Nxg5 Re8 16.Rfe1 f6 17.Nf3 Bg4 18.Nd2 Rad8 19.Nf1 a5 20.f3 Be6 21.a3 f5 22.Kf2 f4 23.g3 g5 24.h4 h6 25.hxg5 hxg5 26.Rad1 is equal (C. Balogh-I. Sokolov, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).

8...c5!?

• 8...Ng6 9.Ba3 Bg4 10.Qe1 Be7 11.Bb2 Bd6 12.h3 remains equal.

9.Bb2

• After 9.Ba3 b6 10.Bb2 Nc6 11.Nc4 Bg4 12.h3 White's center is solid.

9...Nc6 10.Nc4 Bg4

• 10...Qe7 11.Ne3 Be6 12.Nd5 Qd8 13.Nxf6+ Qxf6 is equal.

11.h3 Bxf3 12.Qxf3 0-0

• 12...Nd4 13.Qd1 0-0 14.a4 Qd7 15.c3 Ne6 16.Qf3 is equal.

13.Ne3 g6?!

• 13...Nd4 14.Qg4 a5 15.c3 Ne6 16.Rfd1 a4 is equal.

14.Qd1?!

• This allows Black to equalize.
• 14.Qg4 Bg7 15.f4 h5 16.Qd1 exf4 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.Rxf4 gives White command of the f-file.

14...Nd4!

• The game is equal.

15.a3

• 15.c3 Ne6 16.Qf3 Bh8 17.Rad1 Qh4 remains equal.

15...Bg7 16.b4 f5

• 16...cxb4 17.axb4 Qd7 18.c3 Ne6 19.Qc2 Nf4 20.Rfd1 remains equal.

17.exf5

• 17.bxc5 f4 18.Nd5 f3 19.Bxd4 exd4 20.Qd2 gives White a very small advantage in space.

17...gxf5

• 17...Nxf5 18.Nxf5 Rxf5 19.Qg4 cxb4 20.axb4 is equal.

18.Re1 f4 19.Ng4 f3 20.Bxd4?!

• This is a little premature. White should build up more in the center before opening it.
• 20.g3 Qd6 21.Re4 a5 22.bxc5 Qxc5 23.Qd2 remains equal.

20...exd4 21.bxc5 Qg5!

• Black takes advantage of her open lines thanks to white's premature exchange on d4.
• The text is stronger than 21...fxg2 22.Qe2 Qh4 23.Kxg2 h5 in which Black also enjoys the initiative.

22.g3 Qh5 23.Nh2 Rf6

• Black's initiative begins to flame out, but it leaves her better.
• If 23...Qxh3 24.Nxf3 Qf5 25.Kg2 Rf6 then:
• 26.Re4! Raf8 27.Rf4 Qxc5 28.Rxf6 Rxf6 29.Qe2! equalizes.
• If 26.Nh4?! then:
• 26...Qxc5! 27.Qg4 Raf8 28.Re2 b5 29.Rae1 R6f7 allows Black to take the a-pawn at her leisure.
• If 26...Qxf2+?! 27.Kh3 Rh6 28.Re7 Kh8 29.Qe2 Qxe2 30.Rxe2 takes some of the wind out of Blackl's sails.

24.Re4?!

• The text is not the most accurate move.
• 24.Rb1 Qxh3 25.Nxf3 Qf5 26.Rxb7 Qxf3 27.Qxf3 Rxf3 28.Rxc7 equalizes.

24...Qxc5

• However, Black could have taken better advantage of White's last move.
• If 24...Qxh3 25.Nxf3 Qf5 then:
• 26.Rf4! Qxc5 27.Rxf6 Bxf6 28.c4 Qf5 29.Nh2 leaves Black with a slightly more active game..
• 26.c6 Qxf3 27.Qxf3 Rxf3 28.cxb7 Rb8 29.Rb1 leaves Black with a Bishop for two pawns.

25.Qb1

• If 25.Rb1 b5 26.a4 then:
• If 26...Raf8 27.Ng4 Rc6 28.axb5 axb5 29.Rb2 Qh5 30.Kh2 Rf5 then:
• 31.Qf1 Ra6 32.Re7 c6 gives Black more freedom.
• 31.Qa1?? Qxh3+!! 32.Kxh3 Rh5#.
• If 26...Rf7 27.axb5 axb5 28.Ra1 Rxa1 29.Qxa1 then:
• 29...Qxc2 30.Re8+ Bf8 31.Qxd4 is equal; the Queen in the center and the Rook on Black's back rank will slow the advance of Black's queenside pawns.
• 29...Rf8 30.Qd1 Qf5 31.Rf4 Qxh3 32.Rxf8+ Bxf8 33.Qxf3 is equal.

BLACK: Zhao Xue
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WHITE: Nataša Bojkovic
Position after 25.Qe1b1

25...Raf8!

• This time, Black finds the best move. She plans either to attack the kingside with her heavy pieces or switch to other wing to meet any White aggression there.
• 25...b5 26.Qb3+ Kh8 27.a4 c6 28.axb5 cxb5 29.Re6 is equal.

26.Qb3+ Kh8 27.Rae1 Qf5?!

• Better was to meet White counter initiative against the queeside pawns.
• 27...Rb6! 28.Qa2 Rg6 29.Nf1 Qf5 30.Kh2 Rh6 brings pressure on h3.

28.Ng4 Rb6

• If 28...Qh5 29.Kh2 Rf5 30.h4 then:
• If 30...b5 31.Qe6 Rc5 32.Ne5 Rxc2 then:
• 33.Nd7 Rxf2+ 34.Kh3 Re2 35.Nxf8 Rxe1 36.Rxe1 Bxf8 gives Black the defensive resources to withstand the attack on her King.
• 33.Kg1 Bxe5 34.Rxe5 Qf7 35.Qg4 Rxf2 36.Re7 Rg2+ leaves Black two pawns up.
• 30...Rg5 31.Qe6 Rc5 32.Qd7 Rg5 33.Kh3 is balanced.

29.Qc4

• If 29.Qa4 Rc6 30.Rf4 Qc5 31.Rxf8+ Qxf8 32.Ne5 gives White the initiative.

29...Rc6

• If 29...Qh5 30.Kh2 Rb5 31.h4 Qc5 32.Qxc5 Rxc5 gives Black the initiative.

30.Qb4 Qc5?!

• If 30...Rxc2 31.Qxb7 Qb5 then:
• If 32.Qa7 Qxd3 33.Re7 then:
• 33...Re2! 34.Qxc7 h5 35.R7xe2 fxe2 36.Ne5 Qf5 37.Rxe2 d3 wins for Black.
• If 33...Qxa3? 34.Rxg7 then:
• If 34...Re2 35.Rd1 Kxg7 36.Qxd4+ then:
• 36...Kg6 37.Ne5+ Rxe5 38.Qxe5 Rf7 39.Rd4 gives White a very strong initiative with mating threats.
• 36...Kf7?? 37.Qf6+! Kg8 38.Nh6#.
• 34...Kxg7?? 35.Qxd4+! Kg6 36.Re6+ Kg5 37.Qg7+ Kf5 38.Re5#.
• 32.Qxb5 axb5 33.Re7 c6 34.Rc7 Re2 35.Rc1 h5 gives Black a strong initiative.

BLACK: Zhao Xue
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WHITE: Nataša Bojkovic
Position after 30...Qf5c5

31.Qxb7!

• Black has equalized.

31...Rb6 32.Qa7 Qxc2 33.Re7 Rb1?!

• After 33...Rg6 34.Re8 Qc3 35.R1e7 Qc1+ 36.Kh2 Qf1 37.Rxf8+ Bxf8 leaves White nothing better than to force a draw: 38.Qxd4+ Kg8 39.Qc4+ Kh8 40.Qd4+ Kg8.

34.Qxa6!

• White wins a pawn and protects her own passer at the same time.
• 34.a4 h5 35.Nh2 Bf6 36.R7e6 Rxe1+ 37.Rxe1 h4 38.g4 is equal.

34...Rxe1+ 35.Rxe1 Qc3 36.Rb1 Re8

• 36...Qc5 37.a4 h5 38.Nh2 Qf5 39.Qc6 Qxh3 40.Nxf3 gives White a crucial extra pawn.

37.Qb5!

• White prepares to advance the a-pawn.
An alternative plan is to shut down counterplay in the center:
• After 37.Nf6 Qc2 38.Rf1 Rb8 39.Ne4! White maintains her extra pawn.

37...c6 38.Qf5

• If 38.Qh5 Ra8 39.Ne5 Qxa3 40.Rb7 Qa1+ 41.Kh2 then:
• 41...Qa2 42.Ng6+ Kg8 43.Ne7+ Kh8 44.Qxf3 White maintaons her extra pawn with Black's defenses crumbling on the kingside.
• After 41...Qe1 42.Ng6+ Kg8 43.Qxf3 Qe6 44.Ne7+ Black's defenses are weakening.

38...Qc2?

• There is no way Black can bring her other pieces to bear on this counterattack without being checkmated.
• It's still a fight after 38...Rf8 39.Qe4 Qxa3 40.Ne5 Qa2 41.Re1.

BLACK: Zhao Xue
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WHITE: Nataša Bojkovic
Position after 38...Qc3c2

39.Rb7!

• Since White can simply take the pawn at f3, Black cannot bring Her Queen to g2 in order to deliver mate. Therefore, the Rook needn't guard the back rank and can join in the attack.

39...Rf8

• If the game were not already lost, this move would merit a double query.
• 39...Qc1+ 40.Kh2 Rf8 41.Qd7 Qg5 42.Qxc6 leaves White two pawns to the good.

40.Rf7?!

• 40.Qg5! wins immediately 40...Qd1+ 41.Kh2 Rg8 42.Ne5 threatens smothered mate at f7;
• If 42...Rf8 then 43.Qxg7#.
• 42...Bxe5 43.Qxe5+ Rg7 44.Rb8#.
• Finally, giving up the Queen only postpones mate.

40...Rxf7 41.Qxf7 Qe2

• This prevents 42.Qe8+ followed by mate on f8.

42.Nh2 Qd1+ 43.Nf1 Qe2 44.a4!

• Oops! Nobody's minding the a-pawn.

44...h6 45.Qf5 c5 46.a5

• After 46.Qc8+ Kh7 47.Qa6 Qa2 48.a5 White will keep advancing the a-pawn while it will take Black more time than she has to bring the Bishop to the queenside.

46...c4 47.Qc8+!

• So much for Black's c-pawn.

47...Kh7 48.Qxc4 Qe5 49.a6 Qf5

• 49...Qe7 50.Qc6 Qa7 51.Qb7 and the rest is silence.

50.Kh2 Qd7 51.Qc5 1-0

• If 51...Qf7 52.a7 then:
• 52...Qb7 53.Qf5+ Kh8 54.Qa5 Qa8 55.Qc7 Kh7 56.Qb8 is curtains.
• 52...Qa2 53.Nd2 Qa6 54.Qe7 Qxd3 55.a8Q is time to turn the out the lights.
• Grandmaster Zhao resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Ivanisevic (Serbia) - Aronian (Armenia), Round 10

Levon Aronian
Photo: ChessBase.com


Ivan Ivanisevic (Serbia) - Levon Aronian (Armenia)
38th Olympiad (General Competition), Round 10/Board 1
Dresden, 23 November 2008

Orthodox Queen's Gambit: Hastings Opening

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 Qxf6 7.Qb3

• More common alternative variations stem from 7.e3 Nd7 8.Bd3 dxc4 9.Bxc4 g6 10.0-0 Bg7.

7...dxc4

• 7...Nd7 8.e4 dxe4 9.Nxe4 Qf4 10.Bd3 Be7 11.0-0 0-0 12.Rfe1 Rd8 13.Rad1 Qc7 14.Bb1 Nf8 15.c5 b5 16.Ng3 Bd7 17.Qe3 Be8 18.Bc2 a5 19.a3 Ra7 20.h4 is equal (Smyslov-Petrosian, Moscow, 1971).

8.Qxc4 Nd7 9.0-0-0

• 9.g3 e5 10.0-0-0 Be7 11.Ne4 Qf5 12.Qc2 0-0 13.Kb1 Nf6 14.Nxf6+ Bxf6 15.dxe5 Bxe5 16.Nxe5 Qxe5 17.f4 Qh5 18.e4 Bg4 19.Re1 Rad8 20.Be2 Rd4 gives Black more activity (Mamedyarov-Svidler, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).
• 9.Rd1 Be7 10.e3 0-0 11.Bd3 g6 12.Ne4 Qg7 13.Qc3 Nf6 14.0-0 Nd5 15.Qc1 Rd8 16.a3 Bd7 17.Nc5 Rab8 18.b4 Be8 19.e4 Nf6 20.Rfe1 b6 21.Nb3 Qf8 22.Qf4 Kg7 23.Bc4 gives White the active game (Keres-Yudovich, Soviet Ch, Leningrad, 1947).

9...a5!?

• The novelty aims at taking space on the queenside.
• The position is better suited for Black to play on the other wing: 9...g6 10.e3 Bg7 11.h4 0-0 12.Ne4 Qe7 13.Qc2 Re8 14.Bd3 a5 15.Kb1 a4 16.a3 e5 17.h5 g5 18.Ng3 Nb6 19.Bh7+ Kh8 20.Bf5 Be6 21.Bxe6 Qxe6 22.Nxe5 Bxe5 23.dxe5 Qxe5 24.Nf5 gives White more freedom (Ward-Erenburg, Op, Reykjavik, 2006).

10.e3

• The game is equal.

10...a4?!

• Black plays for queenside space by sacrificing a pawn in hopes of disturbing the balance.
• Objectively best is 10...Nb6 11.Qb3 Nd5 12.Ne4 Qg6 13.Ng3, remaining equal.

11.Nxa4

• White has an extra pawn.

11...g6 12.Nc3 Bg7 13.h4

• 13.Qb4 Bf8 14.Qb3 Bg7 15.Kd2 e5 16.d5 Black still has nothing too show for his pawn sacrifice.

13...0-0 14.h5 g5

• It should suffice to say that Black did not get what he wanted from the pawn sacrifice.

15.Bd3 Nb6 16.Qb3 Nd5 17.Bb1

• White overprotects the a-pawn by retreating the Bishop in order to allow the King to run to the other side if necessary.
• After 17.Rd2 Rd8 18.Kd1 Nxc3+ 19.bxc3 b5 20.Ne5 White has the active game.

17...Rd8 18.Ne5?!

• White thinks this is the right time to return the pawn.
• After 18.Rd2 Qe7 19.Qc2 f5 20.a3 g4 21.Ne5 Qg5 22.Ba2 White is more active and still has an extra pawn..

18...c5?!

• This is not a good position for Black to open up the game.
• 18...Qxf2 19.Nxd5 exd5 20.Qd3 f5 21.g4 Bxe5 22.dxe5 is equal.

BLACK:Levon Aronian
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WHITE: Ivan Ivanisevic
Position after 18...c6c5

19.Qc2!

• White takes command of the open b1/h7 diagonal.
• If 19.Nxd5?! exd5 20.Qc2 cxd4 21.exd4 then:
• If 21...Be6! 22.Qh7+ Kf8 23.Rd2 Rxa2 White is in a real pickle.
24.Kd1 Ra1 25.Ke2 Bf5 26.Bxf5 Rxh1 Black is an exchange to the good.
• 24.Bxa2 Bf5 25.Qxf5 Qxf5 26.Re1 Rc8+ 27.Kd1 Ra8 28.Bxd5 Ra1+ Black's Queen trumps White uncoordinated pieces.
• 21...Kf8?! 22.Rd2 Re8 23.Re1 Qd6 24.Qb3 White has more freedom.

19...cxd4!?

• The text move has the utility of giving White a choice about what to do.
• 19...Nxc3 20.Qh7+ Kf8 21.bxc3 Qe7 22.Ng4 cxd4 23.cxd4 is equal.

20.Qh7+?!

• The text move gives White some counterplay.
• Better is 20.exd4 Qf4+ 21.Rd2 Nxc3 22.Qxc3 Bxe5 23.dxe5 Rxd2 24.Qxd2 Qxe5 with equality.

20...Kf8 21.Ng4 Qe7 22.Nxd5?

• White had lost his winning chances, but this simply opens up the queenside for Black's pieces to assault the King.
• Better is 22.Rxd4 Nf6 23.Nxf6 Qxf6 24.Rxd8+ Qxd8 25.Rd1, although it gives White an advantage in space.

22...exd5!

• Black has equalized.

23.Nxh6 Qf6!

• A well-thought out move by Black. Black threatens to bring the Bishop to f5 where it attacks the Queen.
• 23...Qc7+? 24.Bc2 Bxh6 25.Qxh6+ Ke8 26.Qxg5 puts White back in the driver's seat with two extra pawns.

24.Ng8

• If Black's had no other positive effect, it decoyed the Knight away from protecting f5.
• 24.Nf5 Bxf5 25.Qxf5 Rdc8+ 26.Kd2 dxe3+ 27.Kxe3 Qxb2 Black has the initiative.

BLACK:Levon Aronian
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WHITE: Ivan Ivanisevic
Position after 24.Nh6g8

24...Qc6+!

• That's all, folks! White has no satisfactory moves.

25.Bc2

• If 25.Qc2 Qxc2+ 26.Bxc2 Kxg8 then:
• 27.h6 Bg4 28.f3 dxe3 29.hxg7 Be6 Black's central pawns carry the day.
• After 27.Kb1 dxe3 28.h6 Bg4 29.f3 Be6 Black wins by virtue of his cental passers.
• If 25.Kd2 dxe3+ 26.fxe3 Qb6 27.Rc1 Bg4 then:
• After 28.Nh6 Qxh6 29.Qxh6 Bxh6 30.Rc7 Rd7 31.Rc5 Be6 Black wins by advancing the g- and d-pawns.
• 28.Rc2 Re8 29.Qd3 Bxb2 30.Nf6 Qa5+ 31.Rc3 Rac8 crushes White's defense.
• The rest requires no comment.

25...Rxa2 26.h6 Be5 27.exd4 Ra1+ 28.Kd2 Bf4+ 29.Ke1 Re8+ 30.Kf1
BLACK:Levon Aronian
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WHITE: Ivan Ivanisevic
Position after 30.Kf1e1

30...Rxd1+!! 0-1

• The Rook sacrifice forces resignation.
• 31.Bxd1 Qc4+ 32.Kg1 Re1#.
• Grandmaster Ivanisevich resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Majdan (Poland) - Galojan (Armenia), Round 10

Johanna Majdan
Photo: Wikipedia (Polish language)


Johanna Majdan (Poland) - Lilit Galojan (Armenia)
38th Olympiad (Women's Competition), Round 10/Board 4
Dresden, 23 November 2008

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Kasparov's Anti-Marshall Opening

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.a4 Bb7 9.Nc3

• If 9.d3 d6 10.Nc3 Na5 11.Ba2 b4 12.Ne2 c5 then:
• If 13.Ng3 then:
• If 13...Bc8 14.h3 Rb8 then:
• 15.Nd2 Be6 16.Nc4 Nc6 17.f4 exf4 18.Bxf4 Ne8 19.Nf5 Bxf5 20.exf5 Bf6 is equal (Kinderman-Dr. Nunn, Bundesliga 8889, Germany, 1989).
• 15.Bd2 Be6 16.Bxe6 fxe6 17.Be3 Nc6 18.c3 bxc3 19.bxc3 d5 20.exd5 exd5 21.Nf5 Nd7 22.Nxe7+ Qxe7 23.c4 Qd6 gives Black the advantage in space (Kupreichik-Psakhis, Spviet Ch, Vilnius, 1980).
• 13...Rb8 14.Nf5 Bc8 15.N3h4 Ne8 16.Nxe7+ Qxe7 17.g3 Be6 18.c3 Bxa2 19.Rxa2 Qe6 20.c4 Nc6 21.b3 Nd4 gives Black a small advantage in space (Naiditsch-Ehlvest, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2007).
• 13.c3 bxc3 14.bxc3 c4 15.Ng3 cxd3 16.Qxd3 Bc8 17.Bg5 Nb7 18.Be3 Qa5 19.Qc4 Ng4 draw (Dr. Nunn-van der Wiel, IT, Amsterdam, 1990).

9...b4

• 9...Nd4 10.Ba2 b4 11.Nxd4 exd4 12.Nd5 Nxd5 13.Bxd5 Bxd5 14.exd5 d3 15.Re3 Bc5 16.Rxd3 Re8 17.Rf3 Qe7 18.Qf1 Qe4 is equal (Botvinnik-Bondarevsky, Soviet Ch, Leningrad/Moscow, 1941).

10.Nd5 Na5

• 10...d6 11.c3 a5 12.d4 h6 13.h3 Re8 14.Bc2 Bf8 15.Bd2 exd4 16.cxd4 Nxd5 17.exd5 Ne7 18.Nh4 Qd7 19.Qh5 g6 20.Qf3 Nxd5 21.Be4 c6 22.Qg3 Nf6 23.Bf5 Qc7 24.Bc2 Nh5 25.Qf3 Rxe1+ 26.Rxe1 Qd8 27.Nf5 is equal (Alekhine-Steinberger, Simul, Subotica, 1930).

11.Nxe7+!?

• The text move removes White's centralized Knight voluntarily.
• 11.Ba2 b3 12.Nxf6+ Bxf6 13.cxb3 d5 14.exd5 e4 15.Rxe4 Qxd5 16.Re1 Nc6 17.b4 Qh5 18.Bc4 Nxb4 19.Ra3 Rad8 20.Rae3 c5 gives White an extra pawn, but Black has more space and better development in compensation (Kristensen-Hebden, Op, Isle of Man, 1995).

11...Qxe7 12.d3 Nxb3 13.cxb3 d6

• Black has the advantage in space.
• After 13...Rac8 14.Bg5 c5 15.Nd2 h6 16.Bh4 Qe6 Black maintains the advantage in space.

14.Bg5 Qe6 15.Rc1 c5 16.Nh4 Nd7 17.Nf5 f6

• 17...d5?! is met by 18.Qg4 g6 19.Ne7+ Kh8 20.Qh4 Rfe8 21.exd5, when White takes over the advantage in space.

18.Bh6!?

• If 18.Bh6 gxh6 19.Qg4+ then:
• 19...Kf7 20.Qh5+ Kg8 21.Qg4+ Kf7 22.Qh5+ draws.
• If 19...Kh8?? then 20.Qg7#.

18...Rf7 19.Re3 g6 20.Rg3

• After 20.Nh4 d5 21.a5 Re8 22.h3 Qd6 23.Qg4 Kh8 Black remains better owing to her strong center and solid kingside.

20...Kh8 21.Qg4

• 21.Ne3? fails against 21...f5 22.Rf3 Rg8 23.Bg5 f4! (trapping the Bishop behind enemy lines) 24.Nc4 d5, pushing back White even further.

21...Rg8 22.h4 Bc8

• Black shows aggressive intentions on the kingside.

23.h5

• 23.Be3? fails against 23...h5 24.Qf3 gxf5 25.Qxh5+ Rh7.
• If 23.Ne3 then after 23...Qxg4 24.Rxg4 Nb8 25.Rg3 Nc6 26.Nc4 Nd4 Black threatens a nasty check at e2.

BLACK: Lilit Galojan
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WHITE: Johanna Majdan
Position after 23.h4h5

23...g5!

• The Bishop at h6 is entombed. White is playing virtually a piece in the hole.

24.d4

• White fights back by advancing on the center.
• For the time being, there is nothing that can be done about the Bishop. The good news is that Black cannot take it.

24...exd4

• If 24...cxd4 25.Rc6 Nc5 then:
• 26.Rxd6 Qe8 27.Qf3 Bxf5 28.Qxf5 Qe7 the Rook must give way and Black's d-pawn will advance.
• 26.Nxd6 Qxd6 27.Rxc8 Rd8 28.Qf5 d3 gives Black the advantage as her d-pawn has become a concern.

25.f4!

• White's immediate plan is to liberate the Bishop.
• If 25.Qe2 d5 26.f3 Bb7 then:
• 27.Re1 Re8 28.Qf1 dxe4 29.fxe4 Ne5 gives Black an extra pawn.
• If 27.Rg4 then Black should win after 27...Re8 28.Re1 dxe4 29.fxe4 Bd5.

25...d5?!

• If 25...Bb7 26.fxg5 Bxe4 then:
• If 27.Nxd4 Qxg4 28.Rxg4 f5 29.g6 then:
• 29...hxg6 30.hxg6 Rxg6 31.Rxg6 cxd4 32.Rxd6 White is an exchange to the good.
• 29...Re7 30.g7+ Rgxg7 31.Bxg7+ Rxg7 32.Rxg7 Kxg7 33.Ne6+ White is an exchnage up.
• After 27.Nh4 Qxg4 28.Rxg4 fxg5 29.Rxe4 gxh4 30.Rxh4 Ne5 Black is a pawn to the good witth more freedom.

26.fxg5

• The prison gates are opening.

26...Ne5?

• Black mistakenly thinks he can complicate the freeing of the Bishop.
• Better is 26...fxg5 27.Bxg5 dxe4 28.Nh6! when:
• After 28...Qxg4 29.Nxf7+ Kg7 30.Rf1 Nf6 31.Bxf6+ Kxf7 32.Bxd4+ Ke8 33.Rxg4 Bxg4 Black's advantage is much diminished.
• If 28...Qxh6? 29.Bxh6 Rxg4 30.Rxg4 wins the exchange and equalizes the game.

27.Qh4

• Taking the Queen out of the masked attack from the Rook at g8 is the last maneuver before advancing the pawn to free the Bishop.

27...fxg5

• 27...dxe4 loses to 28.g6 Rxg6 29.hxg6 Nxg6 30.Rxg6 Qxf5 31.Rg3.

BLACK: Lilit Galojan
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WHITE: Johanna Majdan
Position after 27...fg5:p

28.Bxg5!

• At last, the Bishop rises from its tomb.

28...dxe4 29.Nh6

• It's all over now, Baby Blue.

29...Rgf8

• If 29...Rgg7 then White should win after 30.Nxf7+ Rxf7 31.Qxe4 Bb7 32.Qh4.

30.Nxf7+! Rxf7 31.Rxc5 Bd7

• 31...Nc6 32.Bf4 Qe7 33.Rxc6 Bd7 34.Qxe7 Rxe7 35.Rf6 Re8 36.Be5 Rxe5 37.Rf8#.

32.Qxe4 h6 33.Rxe5 Qb6 34.Re8+ 1-0

• After 34...Bxe8 White forces mate: 35.Qxe8+ Kh7 36.Qxf7+ Kh8 37.Bf6+ Qxf6 38.Qg8#.
• Mlle. Galojan resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Petrosian (Armenia) - Li Chao (China), Round 11

Tigran Levon Petrosian
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


T. L. Petrosian (Armenia) - Li Chao (China)
38th Olympiad (General Competition), Round 11/Board 4
Dresden, 25 November 2008

Open Sicilian Game: Rat Dragon Defense (Yugoslav Opening)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6

• Magnus Carlsen is responsible for the recent upsurge of interest in the Rat Dragon Defense.

6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3

• This is the starting point of the Yugoslav Opening.

7...Nc6

• If 7...0-0 8.Qd2 Bd7 9.0-0-0 Nc6 10.Bc4 then:
• If 10...Rc8 11.Bb3 Ne5 12.Kb1 then:
• If 12...Nc4 13.Bxc4 Rxc4 14.g4 then:
• If 14...b5 15.b3 Rc8 16.Ndxb5 Qa5 17.a4 a6 18.Nd5 Qxd2 19.Nxe7+ Kh8 20.Rxd2 Rce8 then:
• 21.Nxg6+ fxg6 22.Nxd6 Re6 23.Bc5 Bc6 24.Nc4 Rb8 25.Rd6 Rxd6 26.Bxd6 gives White four pawns for a minor piece (Bologan-Fedorov, IT, Calcutta, 1999).
• 21.Nf5 gxf5 22.Nxd6 fxg4 23.Nxe8 Rxe8 24.Bd4 Bc6 gives White a theoretical extra pawn in an asymmetical material balance (Timoshenko-Rogozenko, Op, Cappelle la Grand, 1998).
• If 14...Qa5 15.g5 Nh5 16.Nd5 Qd8 17.Ne2 Be6 18.Bxa7 Bxd5 19.Qxd5 Qc7 20.c3 then:
• 20...Ra4 21.Bd4 Ra5 22.Qb3 Rxg5 23.h4 Rg2 24.Bxg7 Kxg7 25.Nd4 Ra8 is equal (Negi-Hakki, Op, Dubai, 2004).
• 20...Rc8 21.Qb5 Rc6 22.Be3 Ra6 23.Nc1 Ra5 24.Qb4 leaves White a pawn to the good (Kovacevic-Torres, Op, Mallorca, 2000).
• 12...Re8 13.h4 h5 14.Bh6 Nc4 15.Bxc4 Rxc4 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.Nd5 e5 18.Nxf6 Qxf6 19.Nb3 Rec8 20.Qxd6 Be6 21.c3 R4c6 22.Qb4 gives White the advantage in space (Leconte-de Blasio, cyberspace, 2002).
• If 10...Qa5 11.Bb3 Rfc8 12.h4 Ne5 13.Kb1 then:
• 13...Nc4 14.Bxc4 Rxc4 15.Nb3 Qc7 16.Bd4 Be6 17.h5 a5 18.hxg6 hxg6 19.a4 b5 20.Nxb5 Qb8 21.Nc3 Rb4 22.Rh4 Qb7 23.Rdh1 Rb8 24.Nd5 Bxd5 25.exd5 Rxa4 26.g4 Rxd4 27.Qxd4 Qxd5 28.g5 Qxg5 is equal, but the material balance is asymmetrical (Gara-Gaponenko, Ol, Bled, 2002).
• 13...b5 14.Ncxb5 Qxd2 15.Rxd2 Rab8 16.Nc3 a5 17.a4 Nc4 18.Bxc4 Rxc4 19.Rd3 Rcb4 20.Ndb5 Bxb5 21.Nxb5 Rxa4 22.Rb3 Nd7 23.Rd1 Rc4 24.Nd4 Rxb3 25.cxb3 Rc8 26.Rc1 Nc5 is equal (Hossain-Rahman, Op, Calcutta, 1999).

8.Qd2 0-0 9.0-0-0

• If 9.Bc4 then:
• If 9...Bd7 10.Bb3 then:
• If 10...Rc8 11.h4 h5 12.0-0-0 Ne5 then:
• If 13.Bg5 Rc5 14.Kb1 then:
• If 14...Re8 then:
• If 15.g4 hxg4 16.h5 hxg4 then:
• 16.h5 Nxh5 17.Bh6 e6 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.Rdg1 Nxf3 20.Nxf3 gxf3 21.Qxd6 Qc7 22.Qd4+ gives White a small advatage in space (Costa-Brkic, World Youth, Oropesa del Mar, 2001).


• 16.f4 Nc4 17.Qe2 Qc8 18.f5 Na3+ 19.bxa3 Rxc3 20.fxg6 Rxb3+ 21.axb3 fxg6 22.Qd3 Nh5 23.Rhf1 gives Whit a small advatange in space (Motylev-Carlsson, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• If 15.Rhe1 then:
• 15...Qa5 16.a3 Qa6 17.f4 Nc4 18.Bxc4 Rxc4 19.e5 Nh7 20.e6 Bxe6 21.Nxe6 Bxc3 22.bxc3 Qxa3 23.Nd4 Nxg5 24.hxg5 Ra4 draw (I. Smirin-Ju. Hodgson, Ischia, 1996).
• If 15...b5 16.f4 Nc4 17.Bxc4 Rxc4 18.e5 b4 19.Ncb5 Nd5 20.Qd3 Qc8 21.e6 then:
• 21...Bxe6 22.Nxe6 fxe6 23.Qxg6 Nxf4 24.Bxf4 Rxf4 25.Nc7 Ref8 26.Nxe6 Rg4 27.Qxh5 Rf2 28.Rc1 Rfxg2 29.Qd5 gives White a winning attack (Barlow-Schutt, Corres, 1997).
• 21...fxe6 22.Qxg6 Rf8 23.Nxa7 Qe8 24.Qxe8 Rxe8 25.Nxe6 Bxe6 26.Rxe6 Nxf4 27.Rxe7 Rxe7 28.Bxe7 Nxg2 gives White an extra pawn (Barlow-Prizant, Corres, 1996).
• If 14...b5 15.g4 a5 16.gxh5 a4 then:
• If 17.h6 17...Bh8 18.h7+ Nxh7 19.Bd5 b4 20.Nce2 Nxg5 21.hxg5 e6 then:
• 22.Nf4 Bg7 23.Ndxe6 Bxe6 24.Nxe6 fxe6 25.Bxe6+ Nf7 26.Qh2 Re8 27.Rxd6 Qe7 28.Bd5 Kf8 29.Re6 Qc7 30.Rxe8+ Kxe8 31.Qd2 a3 32.Qxb4 Bxb2 33.Rh7 gives White a considerable advantage in space and the initiative (Amanatov-Le Quang Liem, Areoflot Op, Moscow, 2008).
• 22.Rxh8+ Kxh8 23.Nf4 Kg7 24.Bxe6 Nxf3 25.Nxf3 fxe6 26.Qxd6 Qc7 27.Qd4+ e5 28.Nxe5 Rxe5 29.Nd3 Rfe8 30.Nxe5 Rxe5 31.Qxd7+ Qxd7 32.Rxd7+ Kf8 33.b3 Rxe4 34.bxa4 gives White two extra pawns (Efimenko-Bromberger, Euro ChTU18, Balatonlelle (Hungary), 2000).
• 17.Bxf7+ Rxf7 18.hxg6 Nxg6 19.h5 Nxh5 20.Rxh5 Nf4 21.Rh4 Rxg5 22.Rxf4 Rxf4 23.Qxf4 e5 24.Qh4 exd4 gives Black an extra piece (V. Balogh-Dearing, First Saturday, Budapest, 2001.08).
• If 14.g4 hxg4 then:
• If 15.f4 Nc4 16.Qe2 then:
• If 16...b5 17.f5 then:
• 17...Qa5 18.Bxf6 Bxf6 19.Qxg4 Kg7 20.Qg3 Be5 21.Qf3 e6 22.h5 gxf5 23.exf5 exf5 24.h6+ Kh7 gives Black the advantage in space (Grabinger-Tkaczyk, Corres, 1997).
• 17...gxf5 18.Bxf6 Bxf6 19.exf5 Rxf5 20.Qxg4+ Rg5 21.hxg5 Bxg4 22.gxf6 Bxd1 23.Nc6 Bf3 24.Nxe7+ Qxe7 25.Rg1+ Kh8 26.fxe7 Re8 27.Nxb5 Ne5 28.Nxd6 Rxe7 29.Rf1 gives White an extra pawn (Efimenko-Areshchenko, Governor's Cup, Kramatorsk, 2001).
• 16...Qc8 17.Bxf6 Bxf6 18.Nd5 Rxd5 19.exd5 b5 20.h5 g5 21.fxg5 Bxg5+ 22.Kb1 f5 23.h6 Kh8 24.Rh5 Bf6 25.c3 gives Black only a pawn for the exchange (Nimtz-Tilghman, Cyberspace, 2001).
• 15.h5 Nxh5 16.Nd5 Re8 17.f4 Nc4 18.Qd3 b5 19.f5 Rxd5 20.exd5 Bxd4 21.fxg6 Bxb2+ 22.Kb1 Ng7 23.Bxc4 bxc4 24.Qe4 fxg6 25.Kxb2 Qb6+ 26.Ka1 Bf5 27.Qxc4 Rc8 28.Qb3 Bxc2 gives Black a clear advantage (Brkic-Babic, Op, Bizovac, 2007).
• If 14.f4 then:
• If 14...Nc4 15.Qd3 b5 16.e5 Ng4 17.exd6 Rxg5 18.hxg5 Nf2 19.Qe2 Nxd1 20.Rxd1 Nxd6 21.Qd3 then:
• 21...b4 22.Nd5 a5 23.Qa6 Kh8 24.Nc6 Bxc6 25.Qxc6 gives White a huge advantage in space (Uliban-Shirov, Borzhomi,1988).
• 21...Bg4 22.Rd2 Qb8 23.Qxg6 Nc4 24.Bxc4 bxc4 25.Qe4 e6 26.Nc6 Qb6 27.Ne5 Qg1+ 28.Nd1 gives White more space and an extra pawn (Klovans-Ivanchuk, Tashkent, 1987).
• 14...Neg4 15.Rhe1 Qa5 16.f5 gxf5 17.Nxf5 Bxf5 18.exf5 Re8 19.Nd5 Qxd2+ 20.Rxd2 Kf8 21.a4 b6 22.Kb1 Nxd5 23.Rxd5 Bf6 24.Rxc5 bxc5 is equal (Kamsky-Ivanchuk, Theme Trmt, Buenos Aires, 1994).
• If 13.Bh6 Bxh6 14.Qxh6 Rxc3 15.bxc3 then:
• If 15...Qc7 16.Kb1 then:
• 16...Rc8 17.g4 a5 18.gxh5 a4 19.Bd5 Nxd5 20.exd5 Qxc3 21.hxg6 fxg6 22.Rhg1 Bf5 23.Nxf5 Qxc2+ draw (Khalifman-Savchenko, Soviet Ch HL, Simferopol, 1988).
• 16...a5 17.g4 a5 18.gxh5 a4 19.Bd5 Nxd5 20.exd5 Qxc3 21.hxg6 fxg6 22.Rhg1 Bf5 23.Nxf5 Qxc2+ draw (Khalifman-Savchenko, Soviet Ch HL, Simferopol, 1988).
• 15...Qa5 16.Kb1 Rc8 17.g4 Nc4 18.gxh5 Qxc3 19.Bxc4 Rxc4 20.Rd3 Qb4+ 21.Nb3 Nxh5 22.Qg5 Nf6 23.Rhd1 Rc5 24.Qe3 a5 25.Qe1 Qb6 26.Kc1 Re5 is unclear: White has the exchange, but Black has a pawn and extra space in return (Schiller-Herbst, IT, Providence, 1986).
• If 10...Nxd4 11.Bxd4 b5 then:
• 12.h4 a5 13.a4 bxa4 14.Nxa4 e5 15.Be3 Be6 16.Nb6 Rb8 17.Qxa5 Bxb3 18.cxb3 d5 19.Nxd5 Nxd5 20.Qxd5 Qxd5 21.exd5 Rxb3 22.Bc5 Rd8 23.Ba3 e4 24.0-0 draw (Liberzon-Adorjan, Team Match, Moscow, 1971).
• 12.a4 b4 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.exd5 Qb6 16.0-0-0 Qa5 17.h4 Bxa4 18.Kb1 Bd7 19.h5 Rh8 20.Rde1 Rae8 21.Rh4 Bf5 22.h6+ Kf8 23.Rxb4 f6 24.Ba4 Kf7 25.Bxe8+ Kxe8 26.g4 gives a comfortable advantage in space (Tairova-Malgina, Op, Moscow, 2008).
• 12.0-0 a5 13.a4 b4 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Bxd4+ 16.Qxd4 Rc8 17.Rfe1 Re8 18.Re2 e5 19.dxe6 Bxe6 20.Rae1 Qd7 21.Qe3 Bxb3 22.Qxe8+ Rxe8 23.Rxe8+ Kg7 24.cxb3 Qc6 25.R8e3 Qc5 gives Black's Queen more maneuverability than than White's Rooks (Rogulj-Velimirovic, Borovo, 1980).
• If 9...Nxd4 10.Bxd4 Be6 11.Bb3 Qa5 12.0-0-0 then:
• If 12...b5 13.Kb1 b4 14.Nd5 Bxd5 15.Bxd5 then:
• 15...Rac8 16.Bb3 Rc7 17.h4 Qb5 18.h5 Rfc8 19.hxg6 hxg6 20.g4 a5 21.g5 gives White the advantage in space (Fischer-Larsen, Interz, Portoroz, 1958).
• 15...Qb5 16.Rhe1 a5 17.Qe2 Qxe2 18.Rxe2 a4 19.Bc4 Rfc8 20.Bb5 Ra5 21.Bxf6 Bxf6 22.Bc6 gives White a small advantage in space (Tal-Larsen, IT, Zurich, 1959).
• 12...Rfc8 13.Kb1 b5 14.Rhe1 Bxb3 15.cxb3 b4 16.Bxf6 bxc3 17.Bxc3 Rxc3 draw Matanovic-Ivkov, Bled, 1961).
• If 9...Nd7 10.0-0-0 Nb6 11.Bb3 Na5 12.Qd3 then:
• 12...Bd7 13.h4 Rc8 14.h5 Nbc4 15.hxg6 hxg6 16.Bg5 Nxb3+ 17.cxb3 Qa5 18.Bxe7 Ne5 19.Qc2 Rxc3 20.bxc3 Rc8 21.Kb2 Qb6 22.Bg5 Nc4+ 23.Ka1 Na3 24.Qb2 Nb5 25.Nxb5 Qxb5 26.Be3 Bxc3 27.Qxc3 Rxc3 28.Bd4 gives White a threat of immediate checkmate allowing him time to gain a second Rook for the Queen (Wedberg-Sosonko, Haninge. 1988).
• 12...Nxb3+ 13.Nxb3 Be6 14.Bd4 Bh6+ 15.Be3 Bg7 16.Bd4 Bh6+ 17.Be3 Bxe3+ 18.Qxe3 a5 19.Nd4 Nc4 20.Qe2 Rc8 21.a4 Qb6 gives Black a small advantage in space (Kovacevic-Markovic, Yugoslav ChT, Cetinje, 1992).

9...d5 10.exd5

• 10.Qe1 e5 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.exd5 Nxd5 13.Bc4 Be6 14.Ne4 Qc7 15.Bc5 Rfd8 16.g4 Nf4 17.Qc3 Bd5 18.g5 Ne6 19.Be3 Nd4 20.Kb1 Bxc4 21.Qxc4 Nxf3 gives Black an extra pawn (Chandran-Gashimov, Nakhchivan, 2003).

10...Nxd5 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.Bd4

• 12.Nxd5 cxd5 13.Qxd5 Qc7 14.Qc5 Qb7 15.Qa3 Bf5 16.Bd3 Rab8 17.b3 Rfc8 18.Bxf5 gxf5 19.Rd3 Qc6 20.c4 Qg6 21.Rhd1!? Qxg2 is equal (Vachier Lagrave-Mamedov, World Youth, Haraklio, 2004).

12...Nxc3

• If 12...e5 13.Bc5 Be6 14.Ne4 Re8 15.h4 then:
• If 15...h6 16.g4 Qc7 17.g5 h5 18.Bc4 Red8 19.Qf2 Nf4 20.Bxe6 Nxe6 21.Bd6 then:
• 21...Qa5 22.Kb1 Rd7 23.Rd2 Nd4 24.Rhd1 Rad8 25.Bc5 Rd5 26.c3 Rxc5 27.Nxc5 Qxc5 28.Qe3 Qd6 is equal (Maslak-Azarov, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2007).
• 21...Qb6 22.Rd2 Rd7 23.Rhd1 Qa5 24.Kb1 Rad8 25.c3 Qb5 26.Nf6+ Bxf6 27.gxf6 Qc4 28.Qe1 Qf4 (Diani-Habermehl, Corres, 1994).
• 15...Nf4 16.Qe1 Bd5 17.c4 Qc7 18.Bd6 Qb6 19.cxd5 cxd5 20.g3 dxe4 21.gxf4 exf4 22.Rh2 Rad8 23.Qb4 Qe3+ 24.Rhd2 Qxf3 25.Be2 Qg3 26.Kb1 e3 27.Rc2 Qxh4 28.Qxf4 Qxf4 29.Bxf4 Rxd1+ 30.Bxd1 h5 31.Re2 Bd4 32.Kc2 draw (Boll-Lecroq, Corres, 2000).
• If 12...Bxd4 13.Qxd4 then:
• If 13...Qc7 14.Bc4 Nb6 then:
• 15.Be2 Be6 16.Qc5 Rfb8 17.g3 Qb7 18.b3 Nd5 19.Rd4 Nxc3 20.Qxc3 a5 is equal (Kurnosov-Fedorov, Corres, 2003).
• If 15.Bd3 Be6 16.h4 then:
• 16...Rfd8 17.Qe3 Nd5 18.Nxd5 Rxd5 19.h5 Qe5 20.Qxe5 Rxe5 21.hxg6 hxg6 22.Rh4 gives White a more active game (Ryan-G. Jones, EU Ch, Cork, 2005).
• 16...Rad8 17.Qc5 Nd5 18.h5 Qf4+ 19.Kb1 Qb4 20.Ne4 Rb8 21.Qxb4 Nxb4 22.b3 Nd5 23.Kb2 gives White more freedom (Majdan-Pogonina, OlW Rd7, Dresden, 2008).
• If 13...Qb6 14.Na4 Qa5 15.b3 Bf5 16.g4 Be6 17.Qe5 Qb4 18.c4 Nf6 19.h4 Rad8 20.Be2 Nd7 21.Qe3 is equal (Fedorchuk-Evdokimov, City Ch, Paris, 2006).

13.Qxc3 Bh6+ 14.Be3 Bxe3+ 15.Qxe3 Qb6

• After 15...Qa5 16.Bc4 Ba6 17.Bxa6 Qxa6 18.Kb1 Qb7 19.h4 Rfd8 20.h5 White carries the day with a kingside assault (Zawadzki-Kazmierczak, Polish ChU18, Zakopane, 2001).

16.Qxe7 Be6 17.Bd3

• 17.Qa3 Rad8 18.Bd3 Rd5 19.Qc3 Rc5 20.Qf6 Bxa2 21.h4 Rb8 22.Rde1 Qa5 23.Qf4 Rd8 24.Qd2 Qa4 25.Qe3 Qa5 26.Qd2 Qa4 27.Qe3 Qa5 28.Qd2 draw (Borisek-Carlsson, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).

17...c5!?

• 17...Rab8 18.Qf6 Bxa2 19.h4 Bd5 20.h5 Qd8 21.Qc3 Qg5+ 22.Kb1 Rfe8 23.f4 Qxf4 24.hxg6 fxg6 25.Bxg6 hxg6 26.Rh8+ Kf7 27.Rh7+ Ke6 28.Qg7 Qe4 29.Qd7+ Kf6 30.Qg7+ Ke6 31.Qd7+ Kf6 32.Qg7+ Ke6 draw (Calistri-Vachier Lagrave, Masters, Clichy, 2001).

18.Be4

• White has a strong initiative.
• If 18.Qh4 Rad8 19.Bc4 then:
• 19...Rd4 20.Rxd4 cxd4 21.Bxe6 Qxe6 22.Kb1 gives White a very small edge because Black cannot easily hold the pawn.
• 19...Rxd1+ 20.Rxd1 Qb4 21.b3 Kg7 22.Rd6 gives White more activity.

18...Rab8 19.Qf6

• If 19.b3 c4 20.Rhe1 Qa5 21.Kb2 Qe5+ 22.Kb1 cxb3 23.cxb3 is equal.

19...Qa6?

• Black misses an opportunity at a2.
• 19...Bxa2 20.Qxb6 Rxb6 21.b3 c4 22.bxc4 Bxc4 is equal.

BLACK: Li Chao
!""""""""#
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WHITE: T. L. Petrosian
Position after 19...Qb6a6

20.a3!

• Black will not get a second chance at the pawn.

20...Qc4 21.Rd6 Qa2 22.Rhd1 a5

• If 22...Qa1+ then 23.Kd2 Qxb2 24.Qxb2 Rxb2 25.Kc3 maintains the initiative for White.

23.h4!

• St. George advances toward the dragon's lair.

23...Qa1+ 24.Kd2 Qxb2 25.Qxb2!

• White has a strong enough initiative that by trading Queens he simply removes most of Black's opportunities for counterplay.
• If 25.Qc3 Rfd8 then:
• 26.Qxc5 Rxd6+ 27.Qxd6 Rb3 28.Qd8+ Kg7 29.Qxa5 Qd4+ White is two pawns up, but Black has counterplay.
• 26...Qf6 27.Ke2 Qxh4 28.Rxd8+ Rxd8 29.Rxd8+ Qxd8 gives Black hope of counterplay on the kingside.

25...Rxb2 26.Kc3 Rfb8

• 26...Rb5 27.Bd5 Bxd5 28.R1xd5 Re8 29.Kd2 gives White the more active Rooks.

27.Ra6 R2b5 28.Bd5 Bxd5 29.Rxd5 Re8

• After 29...Kg7 30.a4 Rb4 31.Rxa5 Rxh4 32.Rb5 White has a distant passed pawn and the more active King.

30.Ra7 Re3+ 31.Kd2 Re6

• Blackhas run out of good options.
• If 31...Rxa3 32.Rd8+ Kg7 33.Rdd7 then:
• 33...Kf6 34.Rxf7+ Ke5 35.Rxh7 gives White an extra pawn.
• 33...g5 34.Rxf7+ Kg6 35.Rg7+ Kf6 36.hxg5+ Ke5 leaves White pawn to the good.

32.h5!

• White moves to weaken the wall before the enemy King.

32...gxh5

• After 32...h6 33.a4 Rb4 34.Rxa5 Rc6 35.hxg6 fxg6 36.Ra7 White has a winning advantage.

33.Rxh5 Rbb6

• 33...Kg7 34.g4 Rf6 35.Ke3 Re6+ 36.Kf4 Rd6 37.Rf5 puts Black's f-pawn at risk.

34.Rf5

• White misses an opportunity to win a pawn.
• If 34.Rxc5 Rbd6+ 35.Kc1 Re1+ 36.Kb2 Rb6+ 37.Kc3 then:
• 37...Re3+ 38.Kd4 Rxa3 39.Raxa5 gives White an extra pawn.
• 37...Re2 38.Rcxa5 Rc6+ 39.Kb3 Rexc2 40.Rg5+ gives White an extra pawn, but he will have to solve some problems to advance it.

34...Rbd6+ 35.Kc3 Re3+ 36.Kc4 Rd4+ 37.Kb5

• Again, White eschews the pawn.
• 37.Kxc5 Rd2 38.c4 Rxg2 39.a4 h6 40.Rfxf7 leaves White a pawn to the good.

37...Kg7

• 37...Rd2 38.g4 Rxc2 39.a4 Rb2+ 40.Kxa5 Rbb3 41.Rfxf7 also gives White an extra pawn.
• If 37...Rxa3 then:
• 38.Rfxf7! Rc3 39.Rg7+ Kf8 40.Rgc7 Rd8 41.Rf7+ etc. wins for White.
• 38.Rxa5? Rxa5+ 39.Kxa5 Rc4 40.Kb5 is equal.

BLACK: Li Chao
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WHITE: T. L. Petrosian
Position after 37...Kg8g7

38.Rfxf7+!

• White reveals the method of his madness, It was never a question of not winning a pawn, but which pawn to win.
• Also good is 38.Raxf7+ Kg8 39.Ra7 Rxa3 40.Rg5+ Kf8 41.Rxc5.

38...Kg6 39.Rg7+ Kh6 40.Rxh7+

• Thus, White is two pawns to the good.

40...Kg6 41.Rag7+ Kf6

• No better is 41...Kf5 42.Rf7+ Kg6 43.Kxc5 Ra4 44.c4.

42.Rf7+ Kg6 43.Rhg7+

• Also good is 43.g4 c4 44.f4 Rg3 45.f5+ Kg5 46.Rfg7+.

43...Kh6 44.g4 Rxa3

• 44...c4 45.Rg8 Re5+ 46.Kc6 c3 47.g5+ Rxg5 48.Rf6+! wins a Rook, sin if 46...Kh5 then 47.Rh8#.

45.f4 Raa4 46.Rh7+ Kg6 47.f5+ Kg5 48.Rfg7+ Kf4

• If 48...Kf6 49.Rg6+ Ke5 50.Re7+ then:
• 50...Kd5 51.c3 Re4 52.Rd7+ Ke5 53.f6 Rxg4 54.f7 wins for White.
• If 50...Kf4 51.c3 Re4 52.Rxe4+ Rxe4 53.Re6 Kxg4 then:
• White wins after 54.Rxe4+ Kxf5 55.Ra4 c4 56.Rxc4.
• 54.Ra6!? embarks on an unnecessarily difficult path to a victory, but after 54...Re3 55.c4 Kxf5 56.Rxa5 Ke6 57.Kxc5 White still wins.

49.c3 Re4 50.f6 Ra1 51.f7 1-0

• After 51...Rb1+ 52.Kxa5 Ra1+ 53.Kb5 Rb1+ 54.Kxc5 the pawn queens.
• Grandmaster Li resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Chiburdanidze (Georgia) - Maric (Serbia), Round 11

Maia Chiburdanidze is know for two things:

• In 1978, at the age of 17, she won the women's world championship and held it for 14 years;
• She owns the most outrageous collection of headwear since Bella Abzug.

Maia Chiburdanidze
Photo: ChessBase.com


Maia Chiburdanidze (Georgia) - Alisa Maric (Serbia)
38th Olympiad (Women's Competition), Round 11/Board 1
Dresden, 25 November 2008

East India Game: Queen's Indian Defense (Petrosian Opening)

1.d4 e6 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nf3 b6 4.a3 Bb7 5.Nc3 d5 6.cxd5

• If 6.Bg5 Be7 7.Qa4+ c6 then:
• If 8.Bxf6 Bxf6 9.cxd5 exd5 10.g3 0-0 11.Bg2 then:
• 11...c5 12.Rd1 Qe7 13.0-0 Rd8 14.e3 Na6 15.Rfe1 Nc7 16.h4 Ne6 17.Nh2 h5 18.Qb3 Qd7 19.dxc5 Nxc5 20.Qc2 Qe6 21.Nf3 Ne4 22.Ne2 Rac8 is equal (van Wely-Onischuk, It, Tilburg, 1997).
• 11...Nd7 12.0-0 Re8 13.Rfd1 g6 14.Rac1 Bg7 15.e3 a5 16.Qc2 Qf6 17.Ne1 Qd6 18.Nd3 Ba6 19.Nf4 Bh6 20.Qb1 Nf6 21.Qc2 Nd7 22.Nd3 Bg7 23.Bf1 Rad8 is equal (Rabrenovic-Menghi, Cyberspace, 2000).
• 11...Re8 12.0-0 Na6 13.Rfd1 Nc7 14.Rac1 g6 15.e3 Bg7 16.b4 Qd6 17.Qb3 b5 18.Ne1 Ne6 19.Nd3 is equal (Wells-Psakhis, Op, Bled, 1995).
• 8.cxd5 exd5 9.e3 0-0 10.Bd3 Nbd7 11.0-0 Re8 12.Rad1 Ne4 13.Bxe4 Bxg5 14.Bb1 Bh6 15.Rfe1 g6 16.e4 dxe4 17.Nxe4 Nf6 18.Ne5 Nd5 19.Ba2 Bg7 20.Nxc6 Qd7 21.Bxd5 Qxd5 22.Nb4 Qd8 23.d5 Bxb2 24.Qc2 is equal (Piket-Ljubojevic, IT, Roquebrune, 1992).

6...Nxd5

• If 6...exd5 7.g3 Be7 then:
• If 8.Bg2 0-0 9.0-0 c5 10.Bf4 then:
• 10...Na6 11.Ne5 Nc7 12.dxc5 bxc5 13.Nc4 Rb8 14.Bxc7 Qxc7 15.Nxd5 Bxd5 16.Bxd5 Rfd8 17.e4 Nxe4 18.Qe2 Rxd5 19.Qxe4 Qd7 20.Rfe1 Bf6 21.Rac1 h5 22.h4 Bd4 23.Rc2 a5 24.Rce2 Rf5 draw (Browne-Ljubojevic, IT, Brasilien, 1981).
• 10...Nc6 11.dxc5 bxc5 12.Ne5 Nd4 13.b4 Ne6 14.bxc5 Bxc5 15.Nd3 Bb6 16.Rb1 Ne4 17.Na4 d4 18.Qc1 Bd5 19.Nxb6 axb6 20.Bd2 Nxd2 21.Qxd2 Bxg2 22.Kxg2 Rxa3 23.Rb2 Nc5 gives Black an extra pawn (Tavadian-Psakhis, Irtusk, 1983).
• If 8.Qa4+ c6 9.Bg2 0-0 10.0-0 Nbd7 then:
• 11.Bf4 Nh5 12.Rad1 Nxf4 13.gxf4 Nf6 14.Ne5 Qd6 15.Kh1 Nh5 16.e3 f6 17.Nd3 g5 18.Ne2 is equal (Jussupow-Short, Ol, Dubai, 1986).
• 11.Rd1 Re8 12.Bf4 Nh5 13.Bd2 Bd6 14.Nh4 Ndf6 15.Nf5 Bc7 16.Qc2 g6 17.Nh6+ Kg7 18.Bg5 Qd7 19.Qd2 Ne4 20.Nxe4 dxe4 21.g4 e3 22.Bxe3 Qd6 is equal (Vaisser-Gulko, Soviet Ch ½-Final, Bernaul, 1984).

7.Qc2

• If 7.e3 Be7 8.Bb5+ c6 9.Bd3 then:
• If 9...Nxc3 10.bxc3 c5 11.0-0 then:
• 11...0-0 12.e4 cxd4 13.cxd4 Nc6 14.Be3 Rc8 15.Qe2 Na5 16.Rfe1 Kh8 17.h4 Bxh4 18.Rad1 Be7 19.d5 Bc5 20.Bf4 f6 21.dxe6 Qe7 22.Bb1 Qxe6 23.Nh4 g5 24.Ba2 Qxe4 25.Qxe4 Bxe4 26.Rxe4 gxf4 27.Rxf4 Rcd8 28.Rxd8 Rxd8 29.Nf5 Nc6 30.Rg4 Ne5 draw (Kasparov-Groszpeter, IT, Graz, 1981).
• 11...Nc6 12.Qe2 0-0 13.Bb2 Rc8 14.Rad1 cxd4 15.cxd4 Bf6 16.e4 Na5 17.Rfe1 Re8 18.h3 Bc6 19.d5 Ba4 20.e5 exd5 21.Bf5 Bxd1 22.Qxd1 Nc4 23.Ba1 Be7 is equal (Aseev-Komarov, USSR, 1989).
• If 9...0-0 then:
• 10.Qc2 h6 11.e4 Nxc3 12.bxc3 c5 13.0-0 Qc8 14.Qe2 Ba6 15.Rd1 Bxd3 16.Rxd3 Nd7 17.Bf4 cxd4 18.cxd4 Qa6 19.Rad1 Rfd8 20.Bxh6!? gxh6 21.Ne5 Qa4 22.Rg3+ Kf8? 23.Nxf7! Nf6 24.Nxd8 Rxd8 25.e5 gives White a strong initiative (Khenkin-Rombaldoni, Op. Frascati, 2005).
• 10.e4 Nxc3 11.bxc3 c5 12.0-0 cxd4 13.cxd4 Nc6 transposes into the main variation.
• If 7.Bd2 Nd7 then:
• If 8.Nxd5 exd5 9.g3 Bd6 10.Bg5 Be7 11.Bxe7 Qxe7 12.Rc1 c6 then:
• 13.Bg2 0-0 14.0-0 Nf6 15.e3 c5 16.Qa4 Ne4 17.dxc5 bxc5 18.b4 c4 19.Nd4 is equal (Wang Yue-Zhao Jun, Asian Ch, Hyderabad, 2005).
• 13.Bh3 0-0 14.0-0 Nf6 15.b4 Ne4 16.Qb3 f5 17.Rc2 Rac8 18.Rfc1 Ba8 19.e3 gives White more freedom (Kramnik-Psakhis, IT, Chalkidiki, 1992).
• 8.Qc2 Be7 9.e4 Nxc3 10.Bxc3 0-0 transposes into the next note.

7...Nxc3

• If 7...Be7 then:
• If 8.Bd2 0-0 9.e4 Nxc3 10.Bxc3 Nd7 then:
• 11.0-0-0 Qc8 12.h4 Rd8 13.Rh3 Nf8 14.h5 c5 15.Rg3 cxd4 16.Nxd4 Bf6 17.Nb5 Rxd1+ 18.Qxd1 Qc5 19.Qg4 Bxc3 20.Nxc3 Qd4 21.Qf4 Rc8 22.Bd3 Nd7 is equal (Piket-Karpov, Match, Monte Carlo, 1999).
• 11.Rd1 Qc8 12.Bd3 Rd8 13.0-0 c5 14.d5 c4 15.Be2 exd5 16.exd5 Bf6 17.Nd4 Bxd5 18.Nf5 Be6 19.Bxf6 Bxf5 20.Qxf5 Nxf6 21.Rxd8+ Qxd8 22.Bxc4 Qd4 is equal (Miles-Polugaevsky, IT, Biel, 1990).
• 8.e4 Nxc3 9.bxc3 transposes into the text.

8.bxc3

• If 8.Qxc3 then:
• If 8...h6 then:
• If 9.Bf4 Bd6 10.Bg3 0-0 11.e3 Nd7 12.Bb5 Bxg3 13.hxg3 c6 14.Ba4 Rc8 15.Rd1 Qe7 16.b4 Rfd8 17.0-0 Nf6 is equal (Lobron-Portisch, Op, Cannes, 1992).
• 9.e3 Be7 10.Bb5+ c6 11.Ba4 0-0 12.0-0 Nd7 13.Rd1 Qc7 14.b4 a5 15.Bd2 Nf6 16.Qc2 axb4 17.axb4 Nd5 18.Qb2 c5 19.Rdc1 Rfb8 20.Ne5 is equal (Brodsky-Roeder, Op, Isle of Man, 2005).
• 8...Nd7 9.Bg5 Be7 10.Bxe7 Kxe7 11.e3 Rc8 12.b4 Nf6 13.Be2 Ne4 14.Qb3 c5 15.bxc5 Bd5 16.Qa4 Qc7 17.Rc1 bxc5 18.0-0 Bc6 19.Qc2 gives White the tactical edge (Miciak-Gonçalves, Cyberspace, 1999).

8...Be7

• If 8...c5 9.e4 Nd7 then:
• If 10.Bf4 then:
• If 10...cxd4 11.cxd4 Rc8 12.Qb3 Be7 13.Bd3 Nf6 14.Qb5+ then:
• 14...Qd7 15.Ne5 Qxb5 16.Bxb5+ Kf8 17.f3 Ne8 18.Nd7+ Kg8 19.0-0 g5 20.Be5 f6 21.Bg3 Kf7 is equal (Browne-Miles, Op, New York, 1987).
• 14...Bc6 15.Qb1 0-0 16.0-0 Nh5 17.Be3 Bd7 18.Ra2 Rc3 19.d5 Rb3 20.Rb2 Rxb2 21.Qxb2 exd5 22.e5 g6 is equal (D. Gurevich-Tiviakov, FIDE Knock Out, Las Vegas, 1999).
• 10...Be7 11.Bd3 Qc8 12.Qa4 0-0 13.0-0 Nf6 14.Rfe1 Rd8 15.Bg5 h6 16.Bh4 Rd7 17.Bb5 Rc7 18.Bg3 Nxe4 19.Bxc7 Nxc3 20.Qb3 Nxb5 21.Bxb6 Nxd4 22.Nxd4 axb6 gives Black more activity (Shapiro-Ashley, IT, New York, 1993).
• 10.Bd3 Qc7 11.Qb1 g6 12.0-0 Bg7 13.Ra2 0-0 14.Re2 Rac8 15.Rd1 Rfe8 16.a4 e5 17.Bb5 a6 18.Bxd7 Qxd7 19.d5 Qxa4 20.Be3 gives Black the advantage in space (Hort-Miles, IT, Lucerne, 1982).

9.e4 0-0 10.Bd3 c5 11.0-0 Qc8

• If 11...Qc7 12.Qe2 Nd7 then:
• 13.Bb2 Rac8 14.Rad1 Rfd8 15.Rfe1 Nf6 16.Ne5 Bd6 17.f4 cxd4 18.cxd4 Qe7 is equal (Gupta-Gopal, Asian Ch, Hyderabad, 2005).
• 14.Nd2 Bg5 15.a4 Rfd8 16.Rfd1 Nf8 17.a5 Ng6 18.axb6 axb6 19.g3 Bf6 draw (Ruck-Z. Almasi, Hungarian Ch, Szekesfehervar, 2006).
• 13.e5 Rfd8 14.h4 Nf8 15.h5 h6 16.Be3 Qc6 17.a4 Rac8 18.Rfb1 c4 19.Bc2 is equal (Krasenkow-Romanov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2008).

12.Qe2 Ba6 13.Rd1 Bxd3

• 13...Rd8 14.h4 cxd4 15.cxd4 Bxd3 16.Rxd3 Nd7 17.Bg5 Bxg5 18.hxg5 Qc4 19.Rad1 Rac8 20.Qe3 Qa4 21.Qf4 Rf8 22.Rc1 Rc4 23.Rdc3 Rfc8 24.Rxc4 Rxc4 25.Rxc4 Qxc4 draw (Estremera-Quezada, Capablanca Mem, Havana 2005).

14.Rxd3 cxd4 15.cxd4 Nd7 16.h4

• 16.e5 Qc4 17.Bg5 Bd8 18.Rad1 Qd5 19.h4 f6 20.exf6 Bxf6 21.Re3 h6 22.Bf4 gives White the advantage in space (Radjabov-Leko, IT, Dortmund, 2003).

16...Qc7!?

• Black introduces a new move, good for equality.
• 16...Qc4 then:
• 17.h5 h6 18.Bf4 Rac8 19.Rad1 Nf6 20.Ne5 Qc2 21.Qf3 Qa4 22.Ng4 Kh7 23.Nxf6+ Bxf6 24.Bd6 Rfd8 25.e5 Qd7 26.d5 Bg5 27.Qe4+ Kg8 28.f4 exd5 29.Qf3 Be7 30.Rxd5 Bxd6 31.Rxd6 Qc7 draw (I. Sokolov-Kovacevic, Bosnian ChT, Neum, 2004).
• 17.Bg5 f6 18.Bf4 Rac8 19.Rad1 Rfe8 20.Bg3 Bf8 21.Qe3 b5 draw (S. Pedersen-H. Olafsson, Icelandic ChT, Reykjavik, 2004).

17.Bg5

• White would like to trade some minor pieces inorder to assert her central majority backed by Rooks.
• 17.h5 h6 18.Bd2 Rfc8 19.Rd1 Nf6 20.Ne5 Qb7 remains equal.

17...Bxg5

• Submitting to the exchange is the course of least resistance.
• 17...f6 18.Rc1 Qd6 19.Bd2 Rad8 20.Bb4 Qf4 21.Qd2 forces Black to exchange Bishops and Queens.

18.hxg5 Rac8 19.g3!?

• This weakens f3, where the White Knight sits, but it is in no danger of coming under attack.
• 19.Rad1 Rfe8 20.Qe3 a6 21.d5 exd5 22.Rxd5 remains equal.

19...Qc2

• Black offers to exchange Queens.
• 19...Rfd8 20.Qd2 b5 21.Qf4 Qc4 22.Rad1 Qa4 remains equal.

20.Qe3

• White declines the exchange.
• 20.Qxc2 Rxc2 21.Rad1 a6 22.Kg2 Rfc8 23.d5 e5 remains equal.

20...Rc7

• 20...Rc4 21.Qd2 Qa4 22.Rc1 Rfc8 23.Rcc3 a6 24.Ne5 remains equal.

21.Rad1 Rfc8 22.Ne5!?

• Safer is 22.d5 e5 23.Qd2 Qc4 24.Qb4 Qxb4 25.axb4 a5, remaining equal.

22...Qb2

• 22...Qa4 23.Qd2 a5 24.Qb2 b5 25.Qb3 Qxb3 26.Rxb3 remains equal.
• 22...Nxe5 23.dxe5 Kf8 24.Qf4 Re8 remains equal.

23.Nxd7

• The game remains equal.
• After 23.Qf4 Nxe5 24.dxe5 Rf8 25.Kg2 b5 26.Rh1 Re8 27.Rf3 White is brewing a Kingside attack.

23...Rxd7 24.d5 exd5 25.exd5

• White stakes her chances on a clear passer.
• If 25.Rxd5 Rxd5 26.exd5 Qc2 27.Re1 then:
• 27...Qa4 28.d6 Qd7 29.Qe7 Qxe7 30.dxe7 remains equal.
• 27...Qc5?! 28.Qe7 Qxe7 29.Rxe7 Ra8 gives White the active Rook.

25...g6?!

• Black weakens the pawn wall in front of her King.
• 25...Qb5 26.Re1 Rd6 27.Qe4 Rf8 remains equal.

26.Kg2 Qg7 27.Qf4!?

• White misses a better move.
• 27.Qd4 Qf8 28.Qh4 Rcd8 29.a4 f6 30.gxf6 Rf7 31.Rf3 gives White a small edge with two passed pawns.

27...Qf8 28.d6

• The game is still level.
• 28.Re3 Rd6 29.Re5 Rcd8 30.Qe3 a6 31.Re7 b5 32.Qe4 remains equal.

28...Rc5

• If 28...Rc6 29.Rd4 a6 30.Rd5 b5 31.Qf6 Rc2 32.R1d3 remains equal.

29.g4 Qd8 30.Rd5!?

• White is looking for a way to push the pawn forward.
• 30.Re1 a6 31.Kh3 b5 32.Qf6 Rc8 33.Re7 Rxe7 34.Qxe7 gives White a strong game.

30...Rxd5

• If 30...Qa8 31.Qf3 Rxd5 32.Qxd5 Qe8 33.Qc4 remains equal.

31.Rxd5 Qe8

• The game remains equal.
• After 31...Qc8 32.Kh2 Qc6 33.Rd3 a6 34.Qe5 Qa4 35.Rc3 White's center gives her the advantage.

32.Qd4 Qf8 33.Qe5

• If 33.Kg1 Qc8 34.Qe3 Qf8 35.Qe5 Qc8 is headed for a draw,

33...Qc8 34.Kg3

• 34.Kh2 is more adventuresome, but it's still an equal game.
• If 34.Kh2!? a6 35.Rd3 Qd8 36.Qf6 Qf8 37.Kg1 then:
• If 37...Qb8 38.Qe7 then:
• 38...Qc8 39.Qe4 b5 40.Qe3 Qc2 41.Kh2 Qc8 42.Qe5 leads nowhere.
• 38...Rxe7?? 39.dxe7 Kg7 40.Rd8 wins for White.
• 37...b5 38.Rd4 Qe8 39.Kh2 Rb7 remains equal.

34...Qf8
BLACK: Alisa Maric
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WHITE: Maia Chiburdanidze
Position after 34...Qc8f8

35.Qf6

• Were there a White pawn at f6, White wins with 35.Qe7!!.

35...Qb8 36.f3

• If 36.f4 b5 37.Kg2 a5 38.Qe5 b4 39.axb4 axb4 remains equal.

36...Qf8 37.f4 Qb8

• If 37...a6 38.Rd2 b5 39.Kg2 Qa8+ 40.Kh2 Qc6 41.Qe5 remains equal.

38.Rd3 Qe8?!

• With the f-pawn advancing, Black needs to whip up counterplay to keep the game in balance.
• If 38...b5! 39.Qe5 then:
• If 39...a6 40.Kh2 Qf8 41.f5 Qd8 42.f6 Qb8 43.Kg1 then:
• 43...Rd8 44.Qe7 Qc8 45.d7 Qc1+ 46.Kg2 Qc2+ 47.Kg1 Qc1+ 48.Kg2 Qc2+ draws.
• If 47...Qxd3?? then 48.Qe8+! with mate on the next move.
• If 43...Qc8 44.Qe7 Rxe7 45.dxe7 Qxg4+ 46.Kf1 then:
• If 46...Qf4+ 47.Ke1 Qe4+ 48.Kd2 Qf4+ 49.Ke1 then:
• 49...Qe4+ 50.Kd2 Qf4+ draws.
• If 49...Qxg5?? 50.Rd8#.
• 46...Qf5+ 47.Ke2 then:
• If 47...Qe5+ 48.Kf3 Qf5+ 49.Ke2 Qe4+ draws.
• 39...Rd8 40.Rd2 Qb6 41.Kh2 b4 42.axb4 Qxb4 43.Qd4 gives White the advantage, but Black should have some counterplay.

39.Kf2 Qb8 40.Qe5

• White is playing for a win.
• 40.f5 Qc8 41.Qe5 a6 42.Rc3 Qf8 43.Rc6 gives White a stronge advantage, but not quite a sure victory.

40...Qf8?!

• Black's position is now difficult, but after 40...Qc8 41.Rc3 Qf8 42.Rc6 Qd8 43.Qf6 Qf8 44.f5 she can put up a more stubborn defense.

41.f5!

• According to plan, White advances toward f6.
• 41.Ke1 a6 42.f5 b5 43.Qd5 Qc8 44.Kd1 Qd8 45.Qe5 is equal.

41...Qd8

• 41...a6 42.Ke1 b5 43.Kd1 Qd8 44.Ke2 Qa8 45.Kf2 is equal.

42.f6!

• See note to White's 35th move.

42...Qf8?

• If 42...Qc8 43.Rd1 a6 44.Qe7 then:
• 44...h5 45.Rc1 Qxc1 46.Qe8+ Kh7 47.Qxd7 remains equal.
• 44...Rxe7?? 45.dxe7 Qc5+ 46.Kg2 Qc6+ 47.Kg3 h6 48.Rd8+ allows the pawn to queen.

BLACK: Alisa Maric
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WHITE: Maia Chiburdanidze
Position after 42...Qd8f8

43.Qe7!!

• The sacrifice cannot be accepted (see previous note), but now wins in all variations.

43...Qd8

• If 43...Qc8 then 44.Rc3 Qd8 45.Qxd8+ Rxd8 46.d7! wins.

44.Qxd8+ Rxd8 45.d7 1-0

• After 45...h5 46.gxh5 gxh5 47.Re3 Rxd7 48.Re8+ Kh7 49.Re7 Black either exchanges Rooks, allowing a pawn to queen at e8, or begins losing pawns.
• IM Maric resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Preview

Next week, we'll have more games from Dresden. There are just so many from which to choose.

[Jack Rabbit]

11. Special Treat

Please click on the picture.


Photo: ChessGraphics

[Condem]

12. Hey, Jack.

Appreciate the info. I mean that.