The JR Chess Report (New Year's Eve): Grischuk, Galliamova win Russ Championships; Magnus Número Uno

[Jack Rabbit]

Grischuk, Galliamova Win Russian Championships



Alexander Grischuk and Alisa Galliamova are the new Russian national and women's champions as a result of the tournament completed Tuesday in Moscow.

Alexander Igorovich took the national title with 6½ points in nine rounds (four victories and five draws). Peter Svidler, last year's champion, finished second a half-point behind.

Alisa Mikhailovna won six and drew three in nine rounds for a total of 7½ points to win the women's title. Nadezhda Kosintseva, who won the event last year, finished with 7 points. Russian girls' champion Valentina Gunina was third with six points and Nadezhda Alexeyevna's sister, Tatiana Kostintseva, the reigning European women's champion and a newly installed grandmaster, finished with 5½ points.

Alisa Mikhailovna was competeing in her first tounrnament in almost three years since before giving birth to a baby boy two years ago. This is a very nice way to start a comeback.

On a more somber note, Natalia Pogonina, who gave birth to a baby boy last month, had to forfeit her last two games after being hospitalized with a fever Sunday night. Natalia Andreevna was released Monday and is now at home in Moscow with her husband, Peter Zdanov, and child, Nikolay Petrovich Zdanov.


Magnus Carlsen (2810) Officially Número Uno



FIDE, the world governing body of organized chess, released its official rating for January two days early yesterday and confirmed what was already known: 19-year-old Magnus Carlsen of Norway, with a rating of 2810, is the number one chess grandmaster in the world.

In the November ratings, he became the fifth player overall and the youngest player ever to break the 2800 barrier, an achievement that alluded such greats as Bobby Fischer and Anatoly Karpov.

Magnus is known for coolness under pressure and good sense beyond his years. Rather than obsess at losing, he jokes about it. He considers himself a normal person who just happens to be very good at chess.

When Magnus became a grandmaster at the age of 13, he was picked as a future world champion. In spite of such lofty expectations imposed on him by others, Magnus has kept up the promise, even if at times hitting a few road bumps. He begain playing in elite tournaments at 15, but didn't win a single game until his third such tournament.

Magnus is now being coached by former world champion Garry Kasparov, widely regarded as the greatest chess master of all time. According to Magnus, breaking the 2800 mark and gaining the world's top ranking were goals he and Kasparov set to be rached by the end of 2009.



They Might Be Giants: Garry Kasparov and Magnus Carlsen
Photo: Tromso2014

Magnus' final months of 2009 were made up of an runaway win at the Pearl Spring Tournament in Nanjing in October, where he had a tournament performance in excess of 3000, a figure seldom achieved, a second place finish at the Tal Memorial Tournament in Moscow in November, where he suffered a fever at the start of the event, and another first plave finish at the London Chess Classic earlier this month.

Former FIDE champion Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria is now the number two player at 2805. Reigning world champion Vishy Anand of India is third at 2790 and former world champion Vladimir Kramnik of Russia, who also scored impressive results in the final months of 2009, is fourth at 2788.


New Year's Tournaments underway

(Click on logo to go to website)



Rilton Cup, Stockholm. Eduardas Rozentalis and Alexander Shimanov are tied for first after six rounds at 5½ points each.



Hastings Chess Congress. David Howell, Yuri Drodzovskij, Andrei Istratscu, Romain Edouard, Mark Hebden lead with 3½ points each after five rounds.



52nd Torneo di Capodonno, Reggio Emilia. After four rounds, Zoltan Almasi (Hungary) leads with 3 points.


Happy New Year


Image: SaveTheDateEvents.com

The principal writer and staff of the JRCR wish you all a happy and prosperous 2010.

We will return the weekend of January 8.


Calendar

Corus Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 15-31 January 2010. Group A: Anand, Carlsen, Caruana, Dominguez, Ivanchuk, Karjakin, Kramnik, Leko, Nakamura, Shirov, Short, Smmets, Tiviakov and van Wely.

Gibraltar Chess Festival 26 January-4 February.

Moscow Open 29 January-8 February.

Aeroflot Open, Moscow 9-17 February.

27th Ciudad de Linares 12-25 February.

Reykjavik Open 24 February-3 March.

European Individual Championships, Rijeka (Croatia) 5-19 March.

Russian Team Championships, Dagomys 1-12 April.

Anand-Topalov Match for the World Title, Sofia 23 April-10 May.

Chess Olympiad, Khanty Mansiysk 19 September-4 October.

European Club Cup, Plovdiv 16-24 October.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. This week's games

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

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

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


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

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Russian National and Women's Championships, Moscow

Red Square, Moscow
Photo by Adam Baker, flickr (Creative Commons Copyright, Attribution/Share Alike)

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Grischuk - Sjugirov, Round 6

Alexander Grischuk
Photo: ChessBase.com


Alexander Grischuk - Sanan Sjugirov
Russian National Championship, Round 6
Moscow, 26 December 2009

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 Be6 8.Qd2 Be7

• If 8...Nbd7 9.f3 b5 then:
• 10.0-0-0 Rc8 11.g4 Nb6 12.g5 b4 13.Na4 Nxe4 14.fxe4 Nxa4 15.Qxb4 Qc7 16.Rd2 gives White the initiative (Dominguez-Morozevich, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2009).
• 10.a4 b4 11.Nd5 Bxd5 12.exd5 Nb6 13.Bxb6 Qxb6 14.a5 Qb7 15.Bc4 Be7 16.Ra4 Rb8 17.Nc1 Bd8 18.b3 0-0 19.Na2 e4 20.Kd1 Re8 21.Rxb4 gives White an extra pawn (Blehm-Sadvakasov, World Jr Ch, Calcutta, 1998).

9.f3 0-0

• If 9...Nbd7 10.0-0-0 b5 11.g4 then:
• If 11...b4 12.Nd5 Bxd5 13.exd5 Nb6 then:
• If 14.Na5 then:
• 14...Nbxd5 then:
• If 15.Nc6 Qc7 16.Nxb4 Nxb4 17.Qxb4 0-0 then:
• 18.Qb6 Qc8 19.g5 Nd7 20.Qa5 Nc5 21.Bc4 is equal (Inarkiev-Sjugirov, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).
• 18.g5 Rfc8 19.Qa4 Rab8 20.Bd3 Nd7 21.Qe4 g6 22.Bxa6 Rb4 gives Black the initiative (Svidler-Karjakin, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2007).
• 15.Nc4 h6 16.h4 Nxe3 17.Nxe3 d5 18.Nxd5 Nxd5 19.Qxd5 Qxd5 20.Rxd5 Bf6 21.Ra5 Ke7 22.Rxa6 gives White an extra pawn (Domínguez-Predojevic, IT, Sarajevo, 2008).
• 14...Nfxd5 15.Nc6 Qc7 16.Nxb4 Nxb4 17.Qxb4 Rc8 18.Bd3 Nc4 19.Qa4+ Qc6 20.Qxa6+ Rxc6 is equal (Karjakin-Ponomariov, Izmailov Mem, Tomsk, 2006).
• 14.Qxb4 Nfxd5 15.Bxb6 Nxb6 16.f4 0-0 17.fxe5 a5 18.Qe1 a4 19.Nd4 Bh4 20.Qe2 Qg5+ 21.Kb1 Qxe5 22.Nf3 Qf6 is equal (Morozevich-Anand, World Rapid Ch, Mainz, 2008).
• If 11...0-0 12.g5 b4 13.Ne2 Ne8 then:
• If 14.f4 a5 15.f5 a4 then:
• 16.Nbd4 exd4 17.Nxd4 b3 18.Kb1 bxc2+ 19.Nxc2 Bb3 20.axb3 axb3 21.Na3 Ne5 22.h4 Ra4 23.Qc3 Qa8 24.Rd4 Rxd4 25.Qxd4 Nc7 26.Rh3 Rb8 is equal (Svidler-van Wely, IT, Foros, 2008).
• 16.fxe6 axb3 17.exf7+ Rxf7 18.Kb1 bxc2+ 19.Kxc2 Nb6 20.Nc1 d5 21.exd5 Nd6 22.Kb1 Nbc4 23.Bxc4 Nxc4 24.Qe2 Nxe3 25.g6 hxg6 26.Qxe3 Bd6 27.Rhg1 Qf6 28.Qe4 Qf5 29.Rde1 Ra5 30.Rxg6 Qxe4+ 31.Rxe4 Rxd5 32.Kc2 Rc7+ White resigns (Wang Hao-Zhou Jianchao, Chinese Ch, Wuxi, 2006).
• 14.Ng3 a5 15.Kb1 a4 16.Nc1 b3 17.cxb3 axb3 18.a3 Qb8 19.h4 Nc7 20.f4 exf4 21.Bxf4 Qb7 is equal (Nimtz-Soltau, Corres, 2003).

10.0-0-0 Qc7 11.g4 Rc8 12.g5 Nh5 13.Kb1 Nd7 14.f4

• If 14.Nd5 Bxd5 15.exd5 then:
• If 15...Nb6 16.Rg1 a5 17.a3 a4 18.Nc5 Nf4 19.Bxf4 Qxc5 20.Be3 Nc4 21.Bxc4 Qxc4 22.Rg4 Qa6 23.Qd3 b5 then:
• 24.Re4 f5 25.gxf6 Bxf6 26.Rg1 gives White the advantage in space (Erdogdu-Kadziolka, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).
• 24.Rdg1 Rc4 25.c3 g6 26.h4 Rac8 27.h5 gives White the advantage in space (Stojanovski-Kempinski, Euro Club Cup, Izmir, 2004).
• If 15...a5 16.Bh3 a4 17.Nc1 then:
• If 17...a3 18.b3 Nf4 19.Bxf4 exf4 20.Bxd7 Qxd7 21.h4 Bf8 22.Ne2 Qf5 23.Rhe1 Rc7 24.Qc1 Rcc8 25.Qd2 Rc7 26.Qc1 Rcc8 27.Qd2 draw (Adams-Vallejo, Ol, Bled, 2002).
• 17...Nf4 18.Bxf4 exf4 19.Bxd7 Qxd7 20.h4 Rc4 21.Ne2 Rac8 22.Nd4 R8c5 23.Qxf4 Rxd5 24.Qe4 Re5 is equal (Lahno-Demina, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2006).

14...exf4 15.Bxf4 Nxf4 16.Qxf4 Ne5 17.h4!?

• 17.Nd4 Re8 18.h4 Rac8 19.h5 Nc4 20.Bxc4 Bxc4 21.Nf5 gives White the advantage in space (Pavel-Nguyen Huynh Minh Huy, 1st Saturday, Budapest, 2006.02).

17...Qb6

• White has a slight edge in space.
• If 17...Bxb3 then:
• 18.axb3 b5 19.Rh2 (to meet the threat of 19...b4 and 20...Qxc2+19...Qa5 20.Nd5 Re8 21.b4 gives White the advantage in space.
• 18.cxb3 Qc5 19.Bh3 Rc6 20.Rhf1 remains equal.

18.Nd5 Bxd5

• If 18...Qd8 then after 19.Be2 Rc6 20.Nd4 Bxd5 21.exd5 Rc5 22.Rhf1 White still has the advantage in space.

19.Rxd5 a5?

• Black leaves his center too weak.
• 19...Rc6 20.Bh3! then:
• 20...Nc4 21.Re1 a5 22.a4 Qb4 23.Rf1 Rf8 is equal.
• If 20...Qc7 then White increases his spatial advantage on the kingside after 21.Nd4 Rc5 22.Rf1 Rxd5 23.exd5 Re8 24.h5.

BLACK: Sanan Sjugirov
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WHITE: Alexander Grischuk
Position after 19...a4a5

20.Rb5!

• This is the beginning of a thorough crushing. If a chess player received physical punishment for inaccuracies punished by his opponent, the arbiter would have had to stop the game around the 26th move.
• Also good, but not quite as good, is 20.a3 when:
• 20...a4 21.Nd4 Ra5 22.Nf5 Bf8 23.h5 Rac5 24.Rh2 keeps Black out of c2.
• 20...Rxc2 21.Kxc2 Rc8+ 22.Kb1 Qxb3 23.Qd2 Rc5 24.Rh3 builds strength on the kingside.

20...Qc7 21.Nd4 a4

• If 21...Nc6 22.Nf5 then:
• 22...Bf8 23.Qd2 Ne5 24.Rd5 Re8 25.Bd3 Nxd3 26.Qxd3 leaves White threatening the weak d-pawn.
• 22...Ne5 23.Qd2 a4 24.a3 b6 25.Rd5 Ra5 26.Bb5 would leave Black completely lost were it not for his command of the c-file.

22.a3 Ra5 23.h5!

• If 23.Qd2 Rxb5 then:
• 24.Bxb5! then after 24...Qb6 25.Rd1 Nf3 26.Nxf3 Qxb5 27.h5 White will look at preparing a kingside attack.
• 24.Nxb5!? isn't nearly as good for White after 24...Qb6 25.Nc3 Nf3 26.Qd3 Qf2 27.Be2.

23...Bf8

• If 23...Bd8 then:
• 24.g6 h6 25.Qf5 Rxb5 26.Bxb5 Bf6 27.Bxa4 gives White an extra pawn.
• 24.Qf5 Nc6 25.Nxc6 Qxc6 26.Rh2 gives Black some fight.

24.g6!

• Like a juggernaut, the White pawns storm the castle and drive away the palace guard.
• Also good is 24.Qf5 Rxb5 25.Bxb5 Ra8 26.g6.

24...Rxb5

• 24...h6 25.Qf5 Rxb5 26.Bxb5 Ra8 27.Rf1 f6 28.Qe6+.

25.Bxb5!

• White recaptures in a way that keeps his foot in the center.
• If 25.Nxb5? then Black turns the tables in a hurry after 25...Qxc2+! 26.Ka2 Qb3+ 27.Kb1 Rc2 when White cannot prevent mate on b2 without losing the Queen.

25...Qb6

• 25...h6 26.gxf7+ Qxf7 27.Qxf7+ Kxf7 28.Rf1+ Kg8 29.Bxa4 gives White an extra pawn.

26.gxf7+

• It's almost over already.
• If 26.gxh7+ then:
• 26...Kh8 27.Qf5 Rc7 28.Ne6 fxe6 29.Qxf8+ leaves White a pawn to the good.
• If 26...Kxh7?? then 27.Qf5+ wins the Rook.

26...Kh8

• If 26...Nxf7 27.Rf1 Rc7 28.Ne6 Qxb5 29.Nxc7 then:
• If 29...Qxh5 30.Nd5 then:
• 30...h6 31.Qf2 Qg6 32.Qd4 Ng5 33.Qxa4 leaves White up by an exchange as he threatens Black's back rank.
• 30...Qg6 31.Qe3 Qe6 32.Qf3 h6 33.Qe2 Ne5 34.Qf2 gives White a matewrial edge and a very powerful threat on f8.
• 29...Qd7 30.Nd5 Qe6 31.Qf2 h6 32.Qd4 leaves White up by an exchange and threatening to take more.

BLACK: Sanan Sjugirov
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WHITE: Alexander Grischuk
Position after 26...Kg8h8

27.h6!!

• White launches a mating attack. The centralized Knight is now worth nothing.

27...Qxd4

• If 27...Ng6 then after 28.hxg7+ Bxg7 29.Qf5 Black is toast.

28.hxg7+ Bxg7

• If 28...Kxg7 then 29.Qh6+ Kxf7 30.Qxh7+ Bg7 31.Qf5+ wins the Rook.

29.Qf5 Ng6

• Any move that doesn't lose material allows mate on h7.

30.Qxc8+ Nf8 31.Qc3 Qxe4 32.Rg1!! 1-0

• Black descends into a lost engame after 32...Qe5 33.Qxe5 dxe5 34.Bxa4; otherwise, he must surrender his Queen or submit to immediate checkmate.
• Young grandmaster Sjugirov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Bodnaruk - Galliamova, Round 7

Alisa Galliamova
Photo: ChessBase.com


Anastasia Bodnaruk - Alisa Galliamova
Russian Women's Championship, Round 7
Moscow, 27 December 2009

Open Sicilian Game: Scheveningen Defesne (Chandler-Nunn Openiing)

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

• 5...e5 is also playable. See Grischuk-Sjugirov, above.

6.Be3 Nc6 7.Qe2 a6

• If 7...e5 8.Nb3 Be7 9.f3 0-0 10.0-0-0 then:
• 10...a5 11.a3 Be6 12.Nc5 Qc8 13.Nxe6 fxe6 14.g3 Nd8 15.f4 Qc6 16.Qf3 gives White the advantage in space (Stefansson-Rublevsky, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).
• 10...Be6 11.Nc5 a6 12.Nxe6 fxe6 13.g3 Re8 14.Bh3 gives White an active game (Chiburfanidze-Larsen, TMatch, Vienna, 1993).

8.0-0-0 Qc7 9.g4 Nxd4 10.Rxd4 b5!?

• 10...h6 11.f4 b5 12.e5 dxe5 13.fxe5 Nd7 14.Bg2 Rb8 is equal (Smirnov-Rublevsky, Russian Ch, Tomsk, 2004).

11.g5

• The game is equal.

11...Nd7 12.f4 Rb8

• If 12...Bb7 13.f5 Ne5! then:
• 14.fxe6 fxe6 15.Bh3 Qe7 16.Rhd1 Rd8 remains equal.
• 14.Bh3 exf5 15.Bxf5 g6 16.Bg4 remains equal.

13.Bg2 b4 14.Nd1 Nc5

• 14...e5 15.Rc4 Qa5 16.Kb1 exf4 17.Bxf4 Ne5 18.Bxe5 remains equal.

15.Kb1 a5 16.Nf2

• If 16.Rc4 a4 17.Qd2 then:
• 17...Qb6 18.h4 Ba6 19.Rd4 b3 20.a3 remains equal.
• 17...b3 18.Bxc5! bxa2+ 19.Kxa2 Be7 20.Qc3! dxc5 21.Qxg7 gives White an extra pawn and a strong initiative.

16...Be7 17.h4 0-0 18.Qe1

• 18.h5 f5 19.h6 g6 20.exf5 Ba6 21.Qd2 Rxf5 remains equal.

18...e5 19.Rd1 exf4

• If 19...a4 20.f5 Bb7 21.Bxc5 dxc5 then:
• 22.Ng4 b3 23.axb3 axb3 24.c4 Rfd8 remains equal.
• 22.f6?! gxf6! 23.Ng4 fxg5 24.hxg5 Bxg5 gives Black two extra pawns.

20.Bxc5?

• The Bishop should simply win back the pawn.
• If 20.Bxf4! Ne6 21.Bg3 then:
• 21...Bb7 22.Ng4 Rfc8 23.Ne3 Bf8 24.Qd2 Nc5 25.Nd5 remains equal.
• If 21...a4 22.Qe2 Bb7 23.e5 then:
• 23...Bxg2 24.exd6 Bxd6 25.Bxd6 Qb6 26.Rhe1 gives White strength up the middle.
• 23...dxe5 24.Bxe5 Qa5 25.Bxb8 Rxb8 26.Bxb7 Rxb7 leaves White an exchange to the good.l.

BLACK: Alisa Galliamova
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WHITE: Anastasia Bodnaruk
Position after 20.Be3c5:N

20...dxc5

• White has an extra pawn and the advantage in space.

21.e5

• 21.Qe2 a4 22.Qf3 b3 23.Nd3 bxc2+ 24.Kxc2 Be6 gives Black an extra pawn.

21...a4 22.Bd5

• White's game is deterriotating rapidly.
• 22.Nd3 b3 23.Qc3 bxc2+ 24.Kxc2 Be6 then:
• If 25.Kb1 c4 26.Nxf4 Bb4 27.Qc1 c3 28.Nxe6 fxe6 then:
• 29.Qc2 Ba5 30.b3 axb3 31.axb3 Qc4 32.Be4 Rxb3+ 33.Kc1 Qa4 threatens 34...Qa3+ to which there is no adequate reply.
• If 29.Bh3 then after 29...Ba3 30.Bxe6+ Kh8 31.Rdf1 Rxf1 32.Rxf1 Rxb2+ White soon delivers mate.
• 27.Nxe6 Bxc3 28.Nxc7 Rxb2+ 29.Kc1 Rxg2 30.Rd5 Bb2+ is crushing.
• If 25.Ra1 a3 26.b3 c4 then:
27.bxc4 Bxc4 28.Rac1 Rfd8 29.Rh3 Bxd3+ 30.Rxd3 Rb2+ 31.Kd1 Bb4 White's Queen is trapped (32.Qxc7 Rxd3#).
• 27.Kd1 Rfd8 28.Be4 Bb4 29.Qc2 Qxe5 leaves Black's game in shambles.

22...b3 23.Qc3 bxc2+ 24.Kxc2 Rb6!?

• Black plays a slight inaccuracy, otherwise she might have sent everybody home early.
• If 24...Bf5+! 25.Kc1 c4 then:
• 26.Be4 Bxe4 27.Nxe4 Bb4 28.Qf3 Qxe5 leaves Black two pawns up.
• 26.Rd4 a3 27.b3 Qxe5 leaves Black two pawns up.

25.Kb1

• If 25.Kc1 Be6 26.Nh3 f3 27.Nf4 then:
• 27...c4 28.g6 hxg6 29.Nxe6 fxe6 30.Bxf3 Bb4 leaves Black a pawn to the good.
• 27...a3!? 28.b3! c4 29.Nxe6 fxe6 30.Bxc4 Qc6 31.Rhf1 leaves Black with an advanced passer much better, but White has hopes of counterplay.

25...Bf5+ 26.Be4 Be6 27.Nd3 a3 28.Qxa3

• If 28.b3 Qb8 29.Ka1 Rc8 then:
• 30.Nxf4 c4 31.Nxe6 cxb3 32.Bxh7+ Kh8 33.Qg3 fxe6 White is toast.
• 30.Rc1 c4 31.bxc4 Rxc4 32.Qa5 Rxe4 33.Rb1 Bb4 wins for Black.

BLACK: Alisa Galliamova
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WHITE: Anastasia Bodnaruk
Position after 28.Qc3a3:p

28...Rfb8!

• Black goes all out on the queenside.

29.Rh2

• White would like to avoid weakening her pawns with 29.b3, but Black can apply more pressure to the position.

29...c4!

• Black works over a defender.

30.Qc3 Qc8

• Stronger is 30...Qd7! 31.Nf2 Qb5 32.Nh3 Qa4.

31.Nxf4 Bf5 32.Qd4 Bc5 33.Qd5 Ba3 34.e6

• 34.Rhd2 Rxb2+ 35.Rxb2 Rxb2+ then:
• 36.Ka1 Rb8 Black wins easily.
• If 36.Kc1 then 36...Re2+ 37.Kb1 Qb8+ 38.Ka1 Qb2#.

BLACK: Alisa Galliamova
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WHITE: Anastasia Bodnaruk
Position after 34.e5e6

34...Bxe6!?

• Black could have won here.
• 34...Bxe4+! 35.Qxe4 fxe6 36.Rhd2 Rxb2+ 37.Rxb2 Rxb2+ etc. as in the previous note.

35.Nxe6 Qxe6 36.Qxe6 fxe6 37.b3

• The text move is passive.
• White may hold out longer after 37.Rd7 Rxb2+ 38.Rxb2 Rxb2+ when:
• If 39.Ka1 then after 39...Re2 40.Bf3 Rf2 41.Bd1 c3 42.Rd3 e5 Black continues to hold a decisive advantage.
• If 39.Kc1 then 39...Rb7+! wins immediately.

37...cxb3 38.axb3 Rxb3+ 39.Ka2 Be7 40.Ka1

• Black is treatening 40...Ra3#.

BLACK: Alisa Galliamova
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WHITE: Anastasia Bodnaruk
Position after 40.Ka2a1

40...Ra3+!

• Black forces White to abandon her kingside pawns.

41.Ra2 Rh3!

• Exchanging Rooks now would leave two White pawns on the board. Very untidy.

42.Rd7 Bb4 43.Rc2 Rxh4 44.Rc4

• If 44.Re2 Rh5 45.Rg2 h6 then:
• 46.Bf3 Rxg5 47.Rxg5 hxg5 leaves Black three pawns to the good.
• If 46.g6 then 46...Bc3+ 47.Rb2 Ra5+ 48.Kb1 Rxb2+ 49.Kc1 Ra1+ 50.Bb1 Raxb1#.

44...Rh5 45.Bb7 Bf8

• If 45...Bd2 46.Rxd2 Rxb7 then:
• 47.Rf2 h6 48.g6 Rb8 49.Re4 Ra5+! 50.Ra2 Rbb5 assures that a pair of Rooks will be exchanged.
• If 47.Rf4 then after 47...h6 48.gxh6 gxh6 49.Rb2 e5 50.Rg4+ Rg7 Black goes to a Rook ending with two extra pawns.

46.Rg4 h6 47.Kb2

• 47.Rg3 hxg5 48.Kb1 Kh7 leaves Black three pawns up.

47...Rxg5 48.Rxg5 hxg5

• Black is three pawns to the good. She would win most easily by exchanging all pieces, but with Bishops of opposite colors on the board, that is unlikely. As long as there are Bishops of opposite colors, Black will eschew Rook exchanges.

49.Kc2 Kh7 50.Kd3 Kg6 51.Ke4

BLACK: Alisa Galliamova
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WHITE: Anastasia Bodnaruk
Position after 51.Kd3e4

51...Kf6!

• This is the ideal location for the Black King. It guards each of its pawns and frees Black's Rook and Bishop for attack duty.

52.Kf3 Bc5 53.Kg3 Bd6+ 54.Kg4 Be5 55.Kf3 Rh8 56.Bc6

• If 56.Rd1 Rh3+ 57.Ke4 Bf4 then:
• If 58.Rd3 Rh1 59.Rc3 Re1+ 60.Kf3 Ke5 then:
• If 61.Bc8 g4+! 62.Kxg4 Rg1+ then:
• 63.Kh5 g6+ 64.Kh4 g5+ 65.Kh5 Rh1+ 66.Kg6 Rh8 the Rook supports the pawn from the rear, as a good Rook should.
• 63.Kf3 loses immediately to 63...Rg3+!.
• If 61.Ra3 Rb1 62.Bc8 Rf1+ then:
• 63.Ke2 Rc1 64.Ra5+ Kf6 65.Bb7 Rc2+ 66.Kf3 Rc3+ White must retreat the King (if 67.Kg4 the White mates with 67...Rg3+ 68.Kh5 g6+ 69.Kh6 Rh3# ).
• 63.Kg2 Rc1 64.Ra5+ Kf6 65.Bd7 Rc2+ 66.Kf3 Rc7 Black should win easily.
• If 58.Re1 then after 58...Rb3 59.Bc6 Rb6 60.Ba8 e5 61.Kf3 Rb3+ White must retreat as 62.Kg4 is refuted by mate in three.

56...Rh3+ 57.Ke2 g4 58.Bg2 Rg3 59.Kf2 Rb3 60.Rd2

• If 60.Ke2 then after 60...Bf4 61.Rb7 Rg3 62.Kf2 Black uncorks 62...Rxg2+!! and after 63.Kxg2 e5 the Rook sacrifice is redeemed as the pawns begin to make progress.

BLACK: Alisa Galliamova
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WHITE: Anastasia Bodnaruk
Position after 60.Rd7d2

60...Kg5

• The Black King travels on dark squares to avoid annoying checks from the Bishop.

61.Ra2 Bd4+ 62.Ke2 Kf4 63.Bc6 e5

• Here they come.

64.Ra8 e4 65.Ra4 Re3+ 66.Kf1 Rd3 67.Ra2

• 67.Ra8 Rf3+ 68.Ke2 g3 69.Rf8+ Bf6 wins for Black.

67...Rd1+ 68.Ke2 Rc1 69.Bd7 g3 70.Bh3 Rh1 71.Bg2 Rg1 72.Bh3 g2 0-1

• White must lose material or allow the pawn to queen.
• Ms. Bodnaruk resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Sjugirov - Svidler, Round 5

Sixteen-year-old GM Sanan Sjugirov made the difference in the final standings with this upset victory over defending champion Peter Svidler.



Sanan Sjugirov
Photo: Russian Chess Federation


Sanan Sjugirov - Peter Svidler
Russian National Championship, Round 5
Moscow, 24 December 2009

Closed German Game: Short Opening (Caro-Kann Defense)

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Nd7 6.0-0 Bg6 7.Nbd2 Nh6 8.Nb3

• See Ganguly-Antonio, Asian Ch, Subic Bay, 2009 for notes up to here.

8...Nf5

• If 8...Be7 9.Ne1 then:
• 9...0-0 10.Nd3 Rc8 11.c3 b6 12.Nf4 c5 13.Nxg6 hxg6 14.g4 c4 is equal (Ganguly-Anotonio, Asian Ch, Subic Bay, 2009).
• 9...Nf5 10.Nd3 0-0 11.c3 Qb6 12.Bf4 Rac8 13.g4 Nh4 14.Bg3 Bxd3 15.Bxd3 c5 16.dxc5 Nxc5 17.Nxc5 Rxc5 draw (S. Zhigalko-Galkin, Euro Club Cup Rethymnon, 2003).

9.Bd2

• 9.a4 Be7 10.g4 Nh6 11.h3 0-0 12.Be3 Kh8 13.Qd2 Ng8 14.Ne1 f6 15.f4 fxe5 16.dxe5 c5 17.c4 d4 18.Bf2 Bh4 19.Bxh4 Qxh4 gives Black a slight advantage in space (Li Chao-Rodshtein, World Jr Ch, Gaziantep, 2008).

9...h5

• If 9...Rc8 10.Rc1 then:
• 10...Bh5 11.h3 Bxf3 12.Bxf3 c5 13.dxc5 Nxe5 14.Re1 Nxf3+ 15.Qxf3 Be7 is equal (And. Volokitin-Jobava, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).
• 10...a6 11.c4 dxc4 12.Rxc4 Be7 13.Na5 Rc7 14.Qb3 Qa8 15.g4 Nh6 16.Bb4 Nb6 17.Bxe7 Nxc4 18.Nxc4 Rxe7 gives Black the advantage of the exchange (Volokitin-Anastasian, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• 10...Be7 11.g4 Nh6 12.h3 0-0 13.Bd3 Kh8 14.Qe2 Ng8 15.Kg2 c5 16.Bxg6 fxg6 17.c3 c4 gives Black a slight advantage in space and the initiative (Rublevsky-Asrian, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2008).
• If 9...Be7 10.g4 Nh4 11.Nxh4 Bxh4 12.f4 then:
• 12...f5 13.Bd3 Be7 14.Nc1 Qb6 15.Nb3 Qc7 16.c4 fxg4 17.Bxg6+ hxg6 18.Qc2 Nf8 19.cxd5 exd5 20.f5 0-0-0 21.Bf4 gxf5 22.e6 Bd6 23.Qxf5 Re8 24.Nc5 Bxf4 25.Rxf4 b6 26.e7+ draw (Radjabov-I. Popov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2008).
• 12...f6 13.f5 Bf7 14.g5 exf5 15.Bd3 Bxg5 16.Bxg5 fxg5 17.Bxf5 Bg6 18.Qg4 Qe7 19.Rae1 0-0-0 20.Bxd7+ Qxd7 21.e6 Qe7 22.Nc5 h5 23.Qg3 h4 24.Qg4 Bh5 25.Qh3 Kb8 26.Re5 b6 27.Nd7+ Kb7 28.Qe3 Rh6 29.Rff5 Bg6 30.Qxg5 Re8 31.Qxe7 Rxe7 32.Rf8 Kc7 33.Ra8 Kb7 34.Rb8+ Kc7 35.Ra8 Kb7 36.Rb8+ Kc7 draw (Rublevsky-Jobava, World Cup, Khanty Mansyisk, 2005).

10.g3!?

• The novelty is almost certainly part of Sjugirov's home prepartation.
• 10.Rc1 Rc8 11.c4 dxc4 12.Bxc4 Be7 13.Ba5 Nb6 14.Nc5 Bxc5 15.dxc5 Qxd1 16.Rfxd1 Nd7 17.Bf1 Ne7 18.Re1 Nd5 19.Nd2 0-0 is equal (Rublevsky-Morozevich, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2006).

10...a6

• The game is equal.
• 10...Be7 11.Bd3 0-0 12.Qe1 b6 13.Rd1 Qc7 14.Bg5 is also equal.

11.Rc1 b5 12.a4 Be7

• If 12...bxa4 13.Na5 c5 14.c4 h4 then:
• If 15.cxd5 exd5 16.g4 Nxd4 17.Nxd4 cxd4 18.Qxa4 gives White the advantage in space.
• 15.Qxa4 hxg3 16.fxg3 dxc4 17.dxc5 Bxc5+ 18.Kg2 is equal.

13.Ra1 f6!?

• This is a very risky move by Black. He proposes to allow White to open the e-file and take aim at the backward pawn on e6 while weakening his own King position. Perhaps he saw some opportunity in the half-open f-file that never materialized.
• If 13...0-0 14.axb5 then:
• 14...cxb5 15.Re1 Nb6 16.Ba5 Qc7 17.Nfd2 is equal.
• 14...axb5 15.Rxa8 Qxa8 16.Bg5 Qa2 17.Bxe7 Nxe7 18.Qc1 is equal.

14.Bf4!?

• White has the advantage in space.
• White could have punished Black for his inaccuracy with 14.exf6! Bxf6 15.Bd3 0-0 16.Qe2 when:
• 16...Qe7 17.Rfe1 Rfe8 18.axb5 cxb5 19.Bf4 gives White a small advantage in space.
• If 16...Re8 17.axb5 axb5 then:
• 18.Rxa8! Qxa8 19.Bf4 Qa2 20.Ra1 Qxb2 21.Ra7 gives White an active Rook in compensation for the pawn.
• 18.Bf4 Ra4 19.Rfe1 Qe7 20.c3 is equal.

14...0-0

• White has much more potential energy in this position..

15.Bd3!

• The pin of the Knight to the unprotected Bishop does not seem much to think about at this point, but in the next few moves it looms large.

15...Re8

• If 15...fxe5 16.Bxe5 Nb6 then:
• If 17.axb5 cxb5 18.Nc5 Qc8 19.b4 Nc4 then:
• If 20.Qe2 Bxc5 21.dxc5 then:
• 21...a5 22.Bxc4 bxc4 23.Rxa5 Rxa5 24.bxa5 Qxc5 25.Bc3 gives White a remote passer.
• 21...Ra7?! 22.Bc3 Re7 23.Rfe1 Be8 24.Ne5! gives White the advantage in space and a cnetralized Knight that will be difficult to displace.
• 20.Bxc4 bxc4 21.Qd2 a5 22.bxa5 Nxd4 23.Nxd4 Bxc5 is equal.
• 17.a5 Nc4 18.Ra2 Rc8 19.Re1 Qd7 20.Bf4 gives White the advantage in space.

16.h3!?

• 16.Qe2, putting pressure on Black's weakened center, is stronger.
• If 16.Qe2 Bb4 17.axb5 cxb5 18.c3 then:
• If 18...Be7 19.Ra5 Qc8 20.exf6 then:
• 20...Bd8 then after 21.f7+ Bxf7 22.Ra2 Qc6 23.Rfa1 White is efficiently making targets of Black's pawn weaknesses.
• 20...Bxf6 loses a tempo so that after 21.Rfa1 Bd8 22.R5a2 when:
• 22...Nb6 23.Ne5 Bh7 24.Qxh5 wins a pawn.
• 22...e5 23.Nxe5 Nxe5 24.Bxe5 b4 25.Rxa6 Rxa6 26.Rxa6 wins two and possibly three pawns.
• 18...fxe5 19.Bxe5 Be7 20.Bc7 Qxc7 21.Qxe6+ gives White an extra pawn.

16...Bh7 17.exf6

• Before making this capture, White should seize the e-file.
• If 17.Re1! b4 18.exf6 Bxf6 19.Ne5 then:
• 19...Bxe5 20.Bxe5 h4 21.Qg4 Qe7 22.Rad1 gives White the advantage in space.
• 19...Nxe5 20.Bxe5 h4 21.Qh5 Rf8 22.Nc5 gives White the advantage in space.
• If 17.Qe2 g5 18.exf6 Bxf6 19.Bd2 then:
• 19...Qe7 20.Rfe1 Qg7 21.axb5 cxb5 22.c3 h4 is equal.
• 19...Bg6?! 20.axb5! axb5 21.Rxa8 Qxa8 22.Bxg5 leaves White a pawn to the good.

17...Bxf6 18.Re1!?

• Before going into maneuvers against Black's pawn weaknesses, White should create some more for Black to defend. Moreover, Black has some weak spots on the queenside, so exchanging Rooks there could be beneficial.
• If 18.axb5! cxb5 19.Re1 g5 20.Be5 then:
• 20...Rf8 21.Bxf6 Qxf6 22.Qd2 g4 23.Ng5 White targets Black's weak e-pawn.
• If 20...Bg6? 21.Na5! then:
• 21...g4 22.Nc6 Qb6 23.Bxf6 Qxc6 24.hxg4 Nxf6 25.Ne5 gives White an extra pawn.
• 21...Qe7 22.Nc6 Qf7 23.Bxf6 Qxf6 24.Nfe5 Nxe5 25.Nxe5 gives White a powerful advantage in the center.

18...g5?

• Not only does Black fail to see White's inaccuracy, he plays to the wrong side. On the queendside, White has a weak d-pawn and minor pieces susceptable to a pawn fork.
• If 18...c5! 19.axb5 c4 then:
• If 20.Bxf5 Bxf5 21.Nbd2 axb5 then:
• If 22.Rxa8 Qxa8 23.Ne5 Nxe5 24.Bxe5 Rf8 then:
• 25.c3 Bxe5 26.Rxe5 Qa2 27.Qc1 Bxh3 28.Rxh5 Bf5 is equal.
• 25.Bxf6 Rxf6 26.Qxh5 Bxc2 27.Qe5 Bd3 gives Black more mobility.
• 22.Qe2 Rxa1 23.Rxa1 Bxh3 24.Ne5 h4 gives Black an extra pawn.
• 20.bxa6?! cxd3 21.cxd3 Qb6! 22.Ng5 Bg6 Black's Bishop trumps White's extra pawns, which are weak.

BLACK: Peter Svidler
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WHITE: Sanan Sjugirov
Position after 18...g7g5

19.Be5!

• White takes advantage of Black's sloppy positional play and occupies the hole at e5 permanently.

19...Rf8 20.Qd2

• Even stronger is 20.axb5 axb5 21.Rxa8 Qxa8 22.Bxf6 Rxf6 23.Nxg5, leaving White a pawn to the good.

20...Nxe5

• Black is lost.
• If 20...Be7 21.axb5 then:
• If 21...cxb5 22.g4 hxg4 23.hxg4 then:
• 23...Nh4 24.Nxh4 Nxe5 25.Rxe5 gxh4 26.Rxe6 gives White at least one extra pawn and open lines to the Black King with no pawn protection.
• 23...Nxe5 24.Rxe5 Nh4 25.Nxh4 gxh4 26.Rxe6 Bxd3 27.Qxd3 wins a pawn for White.
• 21...Nxe5 22.Nxe5 cxb5 23.Nc6 Qd6 24.Nxe7+ Qxe7 25.Nc5 wins a pawn for White.
• If 20...g4 21.Bxf6 Qxf6 22.Ng5 then:
• If 22...e5 23.axb5 axb5 24.Rxa8 Rxa8 25.hxg4 then:
• 25...hxg4 26.dxe5 Nxe5 27.Rxe5!! Qxe5 28.Nxh7 Kxh7 29.Nd4 gives White plenty of compensation fot the exchange as he goes after a lone King in the open. Note the position of the Knight who was pinned back on White's 15th move (see note there).
• If 25...e4 26.gxf5 exd3 27.Nxh7 then:
• 27...Qxf5 28.Re7 Nf6 29.cxd3 Qg6 30.Nxf6+ Qxf6 31.Qe3 leaves White up by a piece.
• 27...Kxh7 28.Re6 dxc2 29.Rxf6 Nxf6 30.Qxc2 gives White a prohibitive material advantage.
• If 22...Rae8 23.axb5 axb5 24.Ra7 Re7 25.Rc7 then:
• 25...e5 26.dxe5 Nxe5 27.Rxe7 Qxe7 28.Bxb5 Qd6 29.Bf1 gives White an extra pawn,
• 25...Nc5 loses quickly to 26.Nxc5!! Rxc7 27.Ngxe6 when White regains the exchange.

21.Nxe5 Qd6

• If 21...Qe8 22.Nc5 then:
• If 22...Ra7 23.axb5 cxb5 24.Rxa6 Rxa6 25.Nxa6 then:
• If 25...h4 26.gxh4 Bxe5 27.Rxe5 gxh4 28.Nc7 then:
• 28...Qg6+ 29.Kh1 Kh8 30.Bxf5 exf5 31.Re6 Qf7 32.Qh6 wins for White.
• 28...Qd7 29.Nxe6 Rf6 30.Qf4 Rxe6 31.Bxf5 Bxf5 32.Rxf5 leaves White two pawns up with his pieces ready to strike the Black King.
• 25...g4 26.hxg4 hxg4 27.Nxg4 Bg7 28.Ne5 gives White two extra pawns.
• If 22...Rd8 23.Nxa6 bxa4 24.Rxa4 then:
• 24...h4 25.Ng4 hxg3 26.Nc7 gxf2+ 27.Qxf2 Qh5 28.Nxe6 gives White an extra pawn.
• 24...Ng7 25.Bxh7+ Kxh7 26.Nc5 g4 27.hxg4 hxg4 28.Nxg4 gives White two extra pawns.

22.Nc5 Kh8 23.c3! 1-0

• The resignation seems premature, but sadly Svidler knows the score. Black is almost out of reserve pawn tempi and will soon be forced to fall on his sword.
• If 23...h4 24.g4 Ng7 25.Bxh7 Kxh7 26.Ncd7 then:
• 26...Bxe5 27.Nxf8+ Qxf8 28.Rxe5 wins the exchange.
• 26...Rae8 27.Nxf6+ Rxf6 28.Qxg5 Ref8 29.Qxh4+ gives White two extra pawns.
• Peter Veniaminovich resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. N. Kosinseva - Bodnaruk, Round 8

Nadezhda Kosintseva
Photo: ChessBase.com


Nadezhda Kosintseva - Anastasia Bodnaruk
Russian Women's Championship, Round 8
Moscow, 28 December 2009

Sicialian Horseman Game: Saragossa Opening

1.e4 c5 2.c3 Nf6

• This transposes from the Saragossa Sicilian to the Sicilian Horseman, a defense associated with Nimzovich and similar to Alekhine's Defense. It's a nice transposition to know if one's opponent plays 2.c3 when one is in the mood for a sharper, more open game.

3.e5 Nd5 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.d4 cxd4 6.cxd4 d6

• If 6...e6 then:
• If 7.Nc3 d6 8.exd6 Bxd6 9.Bd3 Be7 10.0-0 0-0 then:
• If 11.Re1 then:
• If 11...Bf6 12.Be4 Nce7 13.Ne5 then:
• If 13...Bd7 14.Qd3 g6 15.Bh6 Bg7 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 then:
• If 17.Nxd5 exd5 18.Bf3 Be6 19.Qb3 then:
• 19...Qd6 20.Rac1 b6 21.Be2 a5 22.a3 Rfc8 23.h3 Rxc1 24.Rxc1 Rc8 25.Re1 Nf5 26.Qd1 f6 is equal (Smejkal-Kupka, IT, Luhacovice, 1969).
• 19...Qb6 20.Qxb6 axb6 21.a3 Rfc8 22.Re2 Nf5 23.Rd2 Ra4 24.Rad1 is equal (Kharlov-Janjgava, PCA Qual, Moscow, 1995).
• If 17.Bxd5 exd5 18.Re2 f6 19.Nxd7 Qxd7 20.Rae1 Nc6 then:
• 21.g3 Rf7 22.Na4 b6 23.Nc3 Rd8 24.Kg2 Qf5 25.Rd2 Qd7 26.h3 Re7 27.Rxe7+ Nxe7 draw (Topalov-Vyzmanavin, PCA Qual, Groningen, 1993).
• 21.h3 Rae8 22.Rxe8 Rxe8 23.Rxe8 Qxe8 24.Nxd5 Qe1+ 25.Qf1 Qxf1+ 26.Kxf1 Nxd4 draw (Efimenko-Lahno, IT, Montreal, 2004).
• If 13...g6 14.Bh6 Bg7 then:
• If 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.Qf3 b6 17.Bxd5 Nxd5 18.Nxd5 Qxd5 19.Qxd5 exd5 20.Rac1 Be6 21.Rc7 Rfc8 22.Rec1 Rxc7 23.Rxc7 Rc8 24.Rxc8 Bxc8 then:
• 25.Kf1 f6 26.Nf3 Kf7 27.Ke1 Ke7 28.Kd2 Bg4 is equal (Belkhodja-L. B. Hansen, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• 25.Nc6 a6 26.Nb4 Bb7 27.f3 Kf6 28.Kf2 Ke6 is equal (Brinck-Clausen- Rasmussen, Politiken Cup, Copenhagen, 2000).
• 15.Qd2 Nf6 16.Rad1 Nxe4 17.Rxe4 Nf5 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.d5 exd5 20.Nxd5 gives White a tremendous center (Smyslov-Padevsky, GMT, Moscow, 1963).
• If 11...Nf6 12.a3 b6 then:
• If 13.Bg5 Bb7 14.Bc2 then:
• If 14...Nd5 15.Qd3 g6 16.Bh6 Re8 17.Rad1 Nxc3 18.bxc3 Qd5 19.c4 Qh5 20.Bc1 Bf6 then:
• 21.h3 Rad8 22.d5 exd5 23.Rxe8+ Rxe8 24.cxd5 Ne5 25.Nxe5 Qxe5 26.d6 gives White the small edge of a passed pawn (Larsen-Najdorf, IT, Palma de Mallorca, 1969).
• 21.Qe3 Kg7 22.Be4 Rab8 23.Bb2 Na5 24.Qc1 Qh6 25.Qc2 Bxe4 26.Rxe4 is equal (Yemelin-Ga;kin, Russian Ch, Tomsk, 2006).
• 14...Rc8 15.Qd3 g6 16.Bh6 Re8 17.Rad1 Nd5 18.Ba4 a6 19.Nxd5 Qxd5 20.Qe3 Bf6 21.Bb3 Qd7 22.d5 exd5 23.Qxb6 Rxe1+ 24.Rxe1 Bxb2 is equal (Beliavsky-Karpov, GMT, Trud, 1986).
• 13.Bc2 Ba6 14.Bg5 Rc8 15.Qd2 Nd5 16.h4 Nxc3 17.bxc3 Qc7 18.Qe3 Bc4 is equal (Sulskis-Wu Shaobin, Ol, Calvia, 2004).
• If 11.a3 Bf6 12.Be4 Nce7 13.Qd3 then:
• 13...g6 14.Bh6 Bg7 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.Qc4 Qd6 17.Rfe1 Bd7 18.Bxd5 Nxd5 19.Nxd5 exd5 20.Qc5 is equal (Vogt-Madl, Austrian ChT, Moerbisch, 2001).
• 13...h6 14.Ne5 Nxc3 15.Qxc3 Nf5 16.Be3 Nd6 17.Bf3 Bd7 18.Qb4 Bb5 19.Rfe1 a5 20.Qb3 gives White the advantage in space (Karpov-Timman, IT, Moscow, 1981).
• 7.Bc4 d6 transposes to the notes after Black's 7th move.

7.Bc4 Nb6

• If 7...e6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Qe2 0-0 then:
• If 10.Nc3 Nxc3 11.bxc3 dxe5 12.dxe5 Qa5 then:
• If 13.Qe4 Qa4 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bxe7 Nxe7 16.Rab1 then:
• If 16...Rb8 17.Rb4 Qc6 then:
• 18.Bd3 Qxe4 19.Bxe4 b6 20.Rd1 gives White stronger pawns and more space (D. Smerdon-McShane, World Jr Ch, Goa, 2002).
• 18.Qe2 b6 19.Nd4 Qc5 20.Re1 Bb7 21.Bb3 Qxc3 22.Rc4 Qa5 23.Ra4 Qc5 24.Rc4 Qa5 25.Ra4 Qc5 26.Rc4 Qa5 draw (Causo-Jia, Op, Kuala Lampur, 2008).
• 16...Bd7 17.Bd3 Qxe4 18.Bxe4 Bc6 19.Bxc6 bxc6 20.c4 Rab8 21.Rfd1 Rfd8 22.Rxd8+ Rxd8 23.h4 is equal (Mamedyarov-Ramírez, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2005).
• 13.Rb1 Rd8 14.Rb5 Qc7 15.Bd3 b6 16.Ng5 Bxg5 17.Bxg5 Ba6 18.Bxd8 Rxd8 is equal (Sveshnikov-Aagaard, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• If 10.Qe4 then:
• If 10...Qc7 then:
• If 11.Re1 Bd7 12.Bg5 Ncb4 13.Nbd2 Bc6 14.a3 Nb6 is equal (Pavasovic-Cvitan, Coratian Cup, Rabac, 2004).
• If 11.Bd3 g6 12.Bh6 Rd8 13.Nbd2 then:
• 13...dxe5 14.dxe5 Nb6 15.Rac1 Nd7 16.Bb5 Ndxe5 17.Nxe5 Qxe5 18.Bxc6 Qh5 19.Bxb7 Bxb7 20.Qxb7 Qxh6 21.Ne4 Qf8 is equal (Sermek-Kozul, Pirc Mem, Miribor, 1993).
• 13...b6 14.Rfe1 Ndb4 15.Bf1 dxe5 16.dxe5 Bb7 is equal (T. Kosintseva-Lupulescu, Euro Youth, Halkidiki, 2001).
• If 10...Bd7 then:
• 11.Re1 Rc8 12.a3 Na5 13.Ba2 Ba4 14.Qg4 Bc2 15.Bxd5 exd5 16.Nc3 dxe5 17.Rxe5 f5 18.Qh5 Nb3 19.Nxd5 Bf6 20.Bg5 Nxa1 21.Bxf6 Be4 22.Qg5 Rc1+ 23.Qxc1 gxf6 24.Ne7+ leaves White a pawn to the good(Kristiansson-Yankovic, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).
• 11.Bd3 f5 12.exf6 Nxf6 13.Qe2 Qa5 14.Bc4 d5 15.Bd3 Bd6 16.Nc3 Rae8 17.Bg5 e5 18.dxe5 Nxe5 19.Nxe5 Bxe5 gives Black the advantage in space (Pavasovic-Kozul, Op, Ljubljana, 1993).

8.Bb5

• If 8.Bb3 then:
• If 8...dxe5 9.d5 Na5 10.Nc3 Nxb3 11.Qxb3 e6 12.Nxe5 exd5 13.Be3 Bd6 14.Qb5+ Kf8 15.Nf3 Bd7 16.Qb3 then:
• 16...Bc6 17.0-0 h5 18.Nd4 Kg8 gives Black an extra pawn, but White has compensation in greater freedom (Arndt-Bach, Cyberspace, 2001).
• If 16...Be6 17.Nd4 Kg8 18.0-0 Rc8 19.Rfe1 then:
• 19...Qd7!? 20.Ncb5! Bb8 21.Nxe6 Qxe6 22.Bxb6 Qxb6 23.Qxd5 Qc6 24.Qxc6 bxc6 25.Rac1 gives White stronger pawns (Pavasovic-S. Halkias, Vidmar mem, Terme Zrece, 2003).
• 19...Nc4! 20.Nxe6 fxe6 21.Bxa7 b6 22.Rad1 Kf7 is equal.
• If 8...d5 9.Nh4 e6 10.Nf3 Be7 11.0-0 then:
• 11...Bd7 12.Nc3 Rc8 13.Re1 0-0 14.Bc2 f5 15.exf6 Bxf6 16.Qd3 g6 is equal (Spence-Wang Yue, Op, Gibraltar, 2008).
• If 11...0-0 12.Nc3 f6 13.exf6 Bxf6 then:
• If 14.h3!? Bd7 15.Be3 Be8 16.Qd2 Bh5 gives Black a small tactical edge (Gaponenko-Ju Wenjun, Mindsports Rpd, Beijing, 2008).
• 14.Re1 Nc4 15.Qd3 Qb6 16.Ne2 Nd6 17.Bg5 gives White a small advantage in space.

8...dxe5

• If 8...Bd7 9.exd6 e6 10.Bg5 then:
• If 10...Qb8 then:
• 11.Nc3 Bxd6 12.0-0 0-0 13.Re1 a6 14.Bd3 Nd5 15.Nxd5 exd5 16.Qb3 Be6 17.Rac1 Bf4 18.Bxf4 Qxf4 19.Rcd1 Rab8 20.h3 Rfe8 21.Bb1 Re7 22.Qd3 g6 23.Qe3 draw (Karlovich-Zdebskaja, ITW, Djarkarta, 2007).
• 11.Bxc6 Bxc6 12.Be7 Bxe7 13.dxe7 Qd6 14.0-0 Qxe7 15.Ne5 0-0 16.Nxc6 bxc6 17.Qc2 Rac8 is equal (Brunello-Cherenkova, Euro ChW, St. Petersburg, 2009).
• 10...f6 11.Bd2 Bxd6 12.0-0 0-0 13.Nc3 Nb4 14.Qe2 Re8 15.Ne4 Bxb5 16.Qxb5 a6 is equal (Jenni-Grischuk, Euro Club Cup, Fügen, 2006).

9.Nxe5 Bd7 10.Nxd7 Qxd7 11.0-0 e6 12.Nc3 Be7

• If 12...Rd8 then:
• If 13.Bg5 Be7 14.Bxe7 Qxe7 15.Qf3 0-0 16.Bxc6 bxc6 17.Qxc6 Rxd4 18.Rad1 Rc4 19.Qd6 Qb7 then:
• 20.Rd4 h6 21.Rfd1 Rfc8 22.h3 Rxd4 23.Qxd4 Qc6 24.Rd3 Qc4 25.Qd6 Qc7 26.Qxc7 Rxc7 27.Rd8+ Kh7 is equal (Maksimenko-Damljanovic, Serbian ChT, Zlatibor, 2006).
• 20.h3 Na4 21.Nxa4 Rxa4 22.Qd7 Qxd7 23.Rxd7 Rxa2 24.Rb7 g5 gives Black an extra pawn (D. Smerdon-Domínguez, World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk, 2009).
• 13.Be3 Be7 14.Qg4 0-0 15.Rad1 g6 16.d5 Nxd5 17.Bxa7 Qc7 18.Nxd5 exd5 19.Be3 Bf6 20.b3 d4 21.Bh6 Rfe8 is equal (Godena-Ris, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).

13.Qg4 0-0 14.Rd1

• If 14.Bxc6 bxc6 15.Bh6 Bf6 16.Rfd1 then:
• If 16...Kh8 17.Ne4 then:
• If 17...Qe7 18.Bg5 Bxg5 19.Qxg5 then:
• If 19...Qxg5 20.Nxg5 then:
• 20...Kg8 21.Rac1 Rac8 22.Nf3 f6 23.Rc5 Rfd8 24.Rdc1 Rd6 25.h4 Kf7 26.g3 Rc7 27.Kf1 gives White a small advantage in space (Moser-Kotronias, EU Ch, Liverpool, 2008).
• If 20...Nd5 21.Rac1 Ne7 then:
• If 22.Rc5 a5 23.Kf1 Kg8 24.Ke2 Rab8 25.Rd2 Rb6 26.Kd1 h6 27.Nf3 gives White the advantage in space (Howell-Radovanovic, British Ch, Scarborough, 2004).
• 22.Rc4 Kg8 23.Nf3 Rfb8 24.Rd2 a5 25.Ne5 Ra6 26.Rdc2 gives White the advantage in space (Potkin-Timoshenko, IT, Kiev, 2001).
• 19...Nd5 20.Rac1 Rab8 21.Qxe7 Nxe7 22.b3 Rfd8 (N. Kosintseva-Prudnikova, Euro ChW, Warsaw, 2001).
• 17...Qd8 18.Bg5 Bxg5 19.Nxg5 h6 20.Nf3 Nd7 21.Rd2 Qa5 22.Qf4 gives White the advantage in space (Kristjansson-Stefansson, GMT, Reykjavik, 2003).
• If 16...Rfd8 17.Ne4 Qe7 18.Rac1 Rac8 19.h4 Rd5 20.Rc3 then:
• If 20...Nd7 21.Rg3 g6 22.Bg5 Kg7 23.Ra3 h6 draw (Kroeze-van der Wiel, Dutch ChT, Enschede, 2004).
• If 20...Kh8 21.Rf3 then:
• If 21...Rg8? 22.Nxf6! gxf6 23.Qxg8+!! Kxg8 24.Rg3+ Rg5 25.hxg5 f5 26.Rc1 f4 27.Rgc3 White soon won (Godena-Antunes, EU ChT, Pula, 1997).
• If 21...Rxd4 22.Rxf6 Rxd1+ 23.Kh2 Qc7+ 24.g3 Rg8 25.Bxg7+ Rxg7 26.Qxd1 is equal.

14...f5

• 14...Rfd8 15.Bh6 g6 then:
• 16.Rac1 Rac8 17.h4 a6 18.Bxc6 Rxc6 19.Bg5 Rc4 is equal (Emms-Macieja, EU ChT, Batumi, 1999).
• 16.Be3 h6 draw (S. Zhigalko-Andriasian, IT, Lake Sevan, 2008).

15.Qe2 Kh8!?

• 15...Rad8 16.Bf4 Nd5 17.Nxd5 exd5 18.Rac1 gives White a slight edge in space (Paridar-Cmilyte, OlW, Calvia, 2004).

16.Bf4

• White has the advantage in space.

16...Rad8 17.Be5

• 17.Rac1 Rc8 18.a4 Nd5 19.Nxd5 then:
• 19...exd5 20.Qf3 a6 21.Bxc6 Rxc6 22.Rxc6 bxc6 gives White a little more activity.
• 19...Qxd5!? 20.Qe3! Bf6 21.Bc4 Bxd4 22.Qd2 Qd7 23.Bb5 gives White a tactical advantage.

17...a6

• 17...Rc8 is a good attempt to lay claim to an open file, but after 18.Na4 Nxa4 19.Bxa4 a6 20.Qe3 Rfd8 21.Rac1 White still stands better.

BLACK: Anastasia Bodnaruk
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Nadezhda Kosintseva
Position after 17...a7a6

18.Bxc6!

• White finds the simplest and best way to maintain the advantage.
• If 18.Na4!? Nd5 19.Bxc6 then:
• 19...Qxc6! 20.Nc3 Rc8 21.Nxd5 Qxd5 22.b3 is equal.
• 19...bxc6!? drops a pawn to 20.Qxa6!! Ra8 21.Nb6 Nxb6 22.Qxb6.

18...Qxc6 19.Rac1 Nd5 20.Ne4

• White still has the advantage in space.
• 20.Nxd5!? Qxd5! 21.Rc7 Bf6 22.f4 Kg8 is equal.

20...Qa4

• 20...Qb6 21.Nc5 Bxc5 22.dxc5 Qc6 23.f4 b6 24.Qf2 gives White the advantage in space and some tactical leverage.

21.b3 Qa3 22.Nc5 Rc8 23.Qd2 Bxc5 24.dxc5 Qb4?

• Black concedes to White a Rook on the seventh rank.
• 24...Kg8 25.Qe2 Qa5 26.Bd6 Rf6 27.a4 White still has the advantage in space.

BLACK: Anastasia Bodnaruk
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Nadezhda Kosintseva
Position after 24...Qa3b4

25.Qxb4!

• The Queen exchange lets the Rook through to the seventh rank.

25...Nxb4 26.Rd7 Rg8

• This is forced.

27.a3 Nc6 28.Bc3 Rb8 29.Re1 Nd8 30.f4 b6

• If 30...Rc8 then 31.b4 b6 32.Re5 bxc5 33.Rxc5 Nc6 34.Rd6 wins at least a pawn,

31.cxb6 Rxb6 32.Ba5 Rb8

• 32...Rxb3 loses quickly to 33.Bxd8 Rxa3 34.Rxe6 when:
• 34...Ra1+ 35.Kf2 Ra2+ 36.Kg3 h6 37.h4 a5 38.Re5 gives White an extra piece.
• 34...Ra2 35.Re5 Ra1+ 36.Kf2 Ra2+ 37.Kg3 Ra3+ 38.Kh4 gives White an extra piece.

33.Bxd8 Rgxd8 34.Rxd8+ Rxd8

BLACK: Anastasia Bodnaruk
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Nadezhda Kosintseva
Position after 34...Rb8d8:R

35.Rxe6!

• White has a won game. She begins the Rook-and-pawn phase with an extra pawn comprising part of a distant majority.

35...Ra8

• The Rook must guard against the threatened back rank mate, so protects the a-pawn from there.
• It is playable to sacrifice a pawn to activate the Rook, although it would do Black little good under the present circumstances: if 35...h5!? 36.Rxa6! Rd1+ 37.Kf2 Rd2+ 38.Kf1 h4 39.Re6 White still wins.

36.b4 Kg8 37.Kf2 a5 38.b5 Rc8

• 38...a4, for all intents and purposes isolating the b-pawn, proves no better after 39.b6 Rb8 40.Ke3 Kf7 41.Rc6.

39.Rc6 Rd8 40.Ra6

• Also good is 40.b6 Rb8 41.Ke3 Kf8 42.Kd4 Ke7 43.Kd5.

40...Rd2+ 41.Kf1 Kf7

• If 41...Rd4 42.Rxa5 Rxf4+ 43.Kg1 Rc4 44.Ra7 then:
• If 44...Rc1+ then after 45.Kf2 Rc2+ 46.Kf3 Rb2 47.a4 White should still win, but Black can begin some counterplay on the kingside with 47...g5.
• 44...Rc8!? 45.a4! Rb8 46.Kf2 makes it easier for White.

BLACK: Anastasia Bodnaruk
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Nadezhda Kosintseva
Position after 41...Kg8f7

42.Rxa5

• White is two pawns up.

42...Ke6 43.Ra7 Rb2 44.a4 Kd5

• If 44...Rb4 45.Rxg7 Rxf4+ 46.Ke2 then:
• 46...Rxa4 47.Rxh7 Ra2+ 48.Kf3 Ra3+ 49.Kf4 Ra4+ 50.Ke3 f4+ 51.Kf3 wins for White.
• 46...Re4+ 47.Kd3 Rh4 48.b6 wins for White.

45.Rxg7 h5 46.Re7 Ra2 47.Re5+ Kd4 48.b6 Rxa4

BLACK: Anastasia Bodnaruk
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Nadezhda Kosintseva
Position after 48...Ra2a4:p

49.Rb5!

• The text is better than 49.b7 Rb4 50.Rxf5 Rxb7 51.Rxh5 Ke3 52.Rh3+ Kxf4 when Black has slim drawing chances.

49...Ra8 50.b7 Rb8 51.Kf2 h4 52.Kf3 Kc4

• If 52...Kd3 53.g4 hxg3 54.hxg3 then:
• If 54...Kd4 55.g4 Kc4 then:
• 56.Rb1 fxg4+ 57.Kxg4 Kd5 58.Kg5 Ke6 59.f5+ wins for White.
• 56.Rxf5 Rxb7 57.Ke4 Rd7 58.g5 Re7+ 59.Re5 keeps White on the road to victory.
• If 54...Kc4 then after 55.Rb1 Kc5 56.g4 fxg4+ 57.Kxg4 Kd5 58.Kg5 one pawn or the other must queen.

53.Rxf5

• If 53.Rb1 Kd5 54.g4 hxg3 55.hxg3 then:
• 55...Ke6 then after 56.g4 fxg4+ 57.Kxg4 Rg8+ 58.Kf3 Rb8 59.Ke4 White wins easily.
• If 55...Kc6 56.g4 fxg4+ 57.Kxg4 then:
• If 57...Kc7 then after 58.Kg5 Rg8+ 59.Kf6 Kb8 60.f5 Rg2 61.Kf7 White reaches the Lucena position and wins.
• 57...Rxb7 58.Rxb7 Kxb7 59.Kf5 is an elemetary win.

53...Rxb7 54.Rh5 Rb3+ 55.Kg4 Rb2 56.Kh3 Kd4 57.Rxh4 Ke4 58.g3 Kf5 59.Rh5+ 1-0

• Ms. Bodnaruk resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Pogonina - T. Kosintseva, Round 6

Tatiana Kosintseva
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Natalia Pogonina - Tatiana Kosintseva
Russian Women's Championship, Round 6
Moscow, 26 December 2009

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Breyer Defense

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Nb8

• This opening is called the Breyer Defense after Gyulia Breyer (1894-1921), a promising master from Hungary whose life and career were cut short by heart disease. No one knows why it is named for him; Breyer never played this opening nor is he known to have written about it. For a survey of this opening, see Kosteniuk-Lahno, Euro ChT, Novi Sad, 2009.

10.d4 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Bc2 Re8 13.a4 Bf8 14.Bd3 c6 15.Nf1

• 15.b3 g6 16.Qc2 Rc8 17.Ba3 Qb6 18.Bf1 is equal (Svidler-Pentala, Op, Gibraltar, 2009).

15...d5

• If 15...g6 16.Ng3 Bg7 17.Bg5 then:
• 17...Nf8 18.Qd2 Ne6 19.Be3 Nd7 20.Bf1 Qc7 21.b4 Nb6 22.a5 exd4 23.cxd4 Nc4 24.Bxc4 bxc4 25.Bh6 Bh8 26.d5 Nf8 is equal (Bologan-Pentala, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2006).
• 17...h6 18.Bd2 Qc7 19.Qc1 h5 20.Bh6 Nh7 21.Bxg7 Kxg7 22.Qd2 Ndf8 23.Bc2 Rad8 24.b4 Ne6 gives White the advantage in space (Cheparinov-B. Socko, Anabal Op, Linares, 2003).

16.Ng3

• If 16.Bg5 dxe4 17.Rxe4 then:
• 17...Be7 18.Re2 exd4 19.Nxd4 Bf8 20.Rd2 Qc7 21.Bf5 c5 22.Nf3 Ne5 23.Nxe5 Rxe5 24.Ne3 is equal (Anand-Beliavsky, IT, Linares, 1992).
• 17...h6 18.Bxf6 Qxf6 19.N1h2 Qd6 (Lobron-Smejkal, IT, Ter Apel, 1987).

16...dxe4 17.Nxe4 exd4 18.cxd4!?

• 18.Nxf6+ Nxf6 19.Rxe8 Qxe8 20.cxd4 c5 21.axb5 axb5 22.Rxa8 Bxa8 23.dxc5 Bxc5 draw (Spraggett-Smejkal, IT, Szirak, 1986).

18...c5

• The game is equal.

19.Bg5

• 19.Nxf6+ Nxf6 20.Rxe8 Qxe8 21.dxc5 Bxc5 22.Bg5 remains equal.

BLACK: Tatiana Kosintseva
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Natalia Pogonina
Position after 19.Bc1g5

19...c4!

• Black finds the best retort. White has an isolated pawn while Black has a queenside majority.

20.Bc2 Be7 21.Nxf6+ Bxf6 22.Rxe8+!?

• The exchange of Rooks on the e-file concedes the center to Black.
• If 22.Bxf6 Qxf6 23.axb5 axb5 then:
• 24.Rxa8 Rxa8 25.Ne5 Nxe5 26.Rxe5 gives White a better center than the text.
• 24.Re3 b4 25.Rxa8 Rxa8 26.Qb1 h6 remains equal.

22...Qxe8 23.Be3

• If 23.Bxf6 Nxf6 24.Ne5 Qe6 25.Ng4 then:
• 25...Nxg4 26.Qxg4 Qxg4 27.hxg4 Rd8 Black stands better owing to her more distant pawn majority, which is further advanced than White's passed d-pawn, and her stringer pawns on the kingside.
• 25...Re8 26.axb5 axb5 27.Nxf6+ Qxf6 gives Black a more active game; 28...Qg6 threatens mate.
• 25...b4 26.Nxf6+ Qxf6 27.Qg4 Rd8 creates much the same pawn formation, still giving Black the edge.

23...Nb6

• If 23...b4 24.Nd2 Qe6 25.Rc1 Rc8 then:
• 26.Qg4 Qxg4 27.hxg4 c3 28.bxc3 bxc3 29.Nb1 Rc4 is equal.
• 26.Qh5!? g6 27.Qg4 c3 28.bxc3 Rxc3 29.Qxe6 fxe6 gives Black the more active game.

24.axb5 axb5 25.Rxa8

• 25.Ng5 Rxa1 26.Qxa1 Nd5 27.Bd2 Bxd4 28.Bxh7+ Kh8 give Black the better center.

25...Qxa8!?

• The Queen should stay in the center.
• If 25...Bxa8 26.Ne5 Nd5 then:
• 27.Qg4 Bxe5 28.dxe5 Nxe3 29.fxe3 h6 gives Black a queenside majority and fewer pawn weaknesses.
• 27.Qh5 g6 28.Qg4 Bxe5 29.dxe5 Nxe3 30.fxe3 Qxe5 gives Black an extra pawn.

26.Ne5 Be4!?

• Black seems to feel that exchanging Bishops is a good idea, and considering her queenside majority and White's pawn weaknesses, exchanging pieces and bringing the contest to an endgame may be a good idea.
• Worthy of consideration is 26...Bxg2! 27.Bxh7+ when:
• 27...Kf8 28.Bf5 Be4 29.Bxe4 Qxe4 30.Qh5 Qd5 gives Black a queenside majority and stronger pawns.
• 27...Kxh7?? 28.Qh5+ Kg8 29.Qxf7+ Kh8 30.Qh5+ etc. draws.

27.Bxe4 Qxe4 28.Qa1!?

• White misses an exchange of Queens that might help.
• 28.Qf3 (White threatens 29.Qc6, winning the Knight)) 28...Qxf3 29.Nxf3 b4 30.Kf1 Nd5 31.Ke2 is equal; White's active King, ready to help block and destroy Black's queenside, is difference compared to Black's King, which will consume two moves to activate.

BLACK: Tatiana Kosintseva
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Natalia Pogonina
Position after 28.Qd1a1

28...Bxe5!

• Keeping Queens on the board benefits Black, whose Queen is centralized and active. It may be used to assist in creating a passed pawn of Black's pawn majority ant then escorting the pawn to promotion. Nevertheless, Black still needs to do something about her King, who is not only inactive but in danger of being mated on the back rank.

29.dxe5 Na4 30.Qd1 h6!?

• Black needs to do something about the threat of a back rank mate, but this is a little passive.
• Better is 30...Qd3 31.Qc1 b4 32.Qa1 Qb3 33.Bd4 Kf8 when Black pawn amjority inches forward.

31.Bd4

• 31.Qd7? Qxe5 32.Bd4 Qe1+ 33.Kh2 Qe4 34.g4 Kh7 leaves Black a pawn to the good.

31...Kh7 32.Qd2 Qb1+ 33.Kh2 Qf5 34.g3!?

• White unnecessarily weakens her kingside.
• 34.Kg1 Kg8 35.Qe1 Qg6 36.Kh2 Kh7 37.Qd2 Qd3 is equal.

34...Qe4!

• The Black Queen commands the lights squares on White's side of the board.
• Also good is 34...Qf3! 35.Be3 Qe4 36.Bd4 b4 when White advances her queenside majority.

35.h4 Kg8 36.Kg1 Kh7 37.Qd1 Kg8 38.Qd2 Qd5 39.Qf4 Nc5

• Black decides her best chances lay in a Queen ending.
• 39...b4 40.Qg4 h5 41.Qc8+ Kh7 42.Kh2 Kg6 43.g4 is equal.

40.Bxc5 Qxc5 41.Qe4

• Black has a small advantage with the distant (queenside) pawn majority She should have an easy time converting that majority into a passed pawn, and then comes the hard part: promoting the pawn.

41...Kf8 42.e6?

• White dallies trying to make something of her own pawn majority. Exchanging the advanced candidate isn't the way to do it, even if it were the right time. It isn't the right time because Black's majority is of much better quality, being more advanced.
• 42.Kf1 b4 then:
• 43.Qa8+ Ke7 44.Qb7+ Ke6 45.Qb8 Qxe5 46.Qxb4! is much more promising.
• 43.f4! c3 44.bxc3 Qxc3 45.f5 is more likely to yield a passed pawn for White.

42...fxe6 43.Qxe6

BLACK: Tatiana Kosintseva
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Natalia Pogonina
Position after 43.Qe4e6:p

43...b4

• While Black's majority is mobile, White's "candidate" pawn in backward.

44.Qe4 c3 45.bxc3 Qxc3

• Black's plan is to to use the Queen to escort the pawn to promotion. White must delay that as long as possible

46.Qa8+

• White is lost, but the win is tedious and technical, so she is right to play on.
• If 46.Kf1 b3 47.Ke2 b2 48.h5 then:
• If 48...Qb3 then:
• If 49.Qb1 Qc4+ 50.Kd2 Qd4+ then:
• If 51.Ke2 Ke7 52.f4 Kd6! then:
• If 53.g4 Qxf4 54.Qd3+ Kc5 55.Qc2+ then:
• If 55...Qc4+ 56.Kd2 Qxc2+!! 57.Kxc2 Kd6 58.Kxb2 Ke5 leaves the Black King too distant to save his pawns.
• 55...Kd4 56.Qxb2+ Kc4 57.Qxg7 Qe4+ now it is White who cannot escape perpetual check.
• 53.Qg6+ Kc5 54.Qb1 Kc4 55.f5 Kc3 56.Qe1+ Kc2 57.Kf3 b1Q wins for Black.
• 51.Kc2 Qxf2+ 52.Kd1 Qg1+ 53.Kc2 Qg2+ 54.Kb3 Qxg3+ wins for Black.
• If 49.Qa8+ Kf7 50.Qa7+ Ke6 51.Qa6+ Kd7 then:
• If 52.Qa7+ Kc6 53.Qa6+ then:
• If 53...Qb6 54.Qc8+ Kb5 55.Qc2 Qe6+ 56.Kd2 then:
• If 56...Qd6+ 57.Ke2 Qe5+ then:
• 58.Kf1 Kb4 59.Kg2 Qd5+ 60.f3 Qb3 61.Qb1 Kc3 wins for Black.
• 58.Kd1 Qd5+ 59.Ke2 Qc4+ 60.Kd2 Qb4+ 61.Ke3 b1Q wins for Black.
• 56...Qd5+? 57.Kc3 Qe5+ 58.Kb3 draws.
• 53...Kd5 54.Qa8+ Kd4 55.Qa7+ Ke4 56.Qe7+ Kf5 57.Qf8+ Kg5 58.Qxg7+ Kxh5 59.g4+ Kh4 60.Qxh6+ Kxg4 is a likely draw.
• 52.Qg6? Qe6+! wins for Black.
• If 48...Qc1?! 49.Qf5+ Ke7 50.Qe5+! Kd7 then:
• 51.Qd4+ Kc6 52.Qa4+ Kc5 53.Qa3+ Kc4 54.Qa4+ Kc3 etc. gives the Black King nowhere to hide and thus draws.
• 51.Qxg7+ Kc6 52.Qf6+ Kb5 53.Qe5+ Ka6 54.Qd6+ Kb5 etc. also draws.

46...Ke7 47.Qb7+ Kd6 48.Qb6+ Kd5 49.Qb5+ Kd4 50.Qd7+

• If 50.Qa4 then:
• 50...Kd3 51.Qd1+ Kc4 52.Qa4 Qe1+ 53.Kg2 Qe4+ gives Black a difficult time moving the pawn forward.
• 50...Qc5? 51.Qd7+! Kc4 52.Qxg7 equalizes.

50...Kc4 51.Qe6+ Kd3 52.Qe3+ Kc2 53.Qe2+

• If 53.Qe4+ Kc1 54.Qf4+ then:
• If 54...Kb1 55.Qe4+ Ka1 56.Kf1 b3 57.Qa8+ Kb1 then:
• If 58.Qd5 b2 59.Ke2 Qc2+ 60.Ke3 h5 61.Qa5 Qc4 62.Kd2 Qd4+ dives the White King away from key squares.
• 58.Qe4+ Kc1 59.Qf4+ Kc2 60.Qa4 g6 61.Kg2 h5 62.Kf1 Qd3+ 63.Kg2 Kb1 wins for Black
• 54...Qd2? 55.Qc7+! Kd1 56.Qxg7 gives White hope of salvation.

53...Kc1 54.Qf1+

BLACK: Tatiana Kosintseva
!""""""""#
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Natalia Pogonina
Position after 54.Qe2f1+

54...Kd2

• Black wins when his pawn reaches the square in front of the vacant promotion point, when the Black pawn is not pinned to the King and when White is out of checks.

55.Qb5

• If 55.Kg2 b3 56.Qb5 b2 then:
• If 57.h5 Kc1 58.Qf1+ Kc2 59.Qe2+ Kb1 60.Qf1+ Ka2 then:
• 61.Qa6+ Kb3 62.Qb5+ Qb4 63.Qd3+ Ka2 64.Qd5+ Ka1 leaves Black still searching for the magic square.
• 61.Qe2 Qc6+ 62.Kg1 Ka1 63.Qe5 Qc4 64.Qxg7 Ka2 65.Qa7+ Kb3 66.Qb6+ Kc2 67.Qg6+ Qd3 68.Qc6+ Kd2 69.Qxh6+ Kd1 leaves White out of checks, no pin available and Black has the queening square covered.
• With Black's pawn at the brink of promotion, White cannot afford to make second-best moves, e.g. 57.g4 loses quickly after 57...Qd4 58.Qa5+ Kc2 59.Qc7+ Qc3 when the pawn must queen.

55...b3 56.Qd5+ Kc1 57.Qe4 b2

• As is the case in the above note, now that the pawn has reached next-to-last rank, White cannpt afford no second-best moves.

58.Qf4+ Kc2 59.Qe4+

• If 59.Qa4+ Qb3 60.Qc6+ Kd2 61.Qd6+ then:
• If 61...Qd3 62.Qb4+ Kc1 63.Qf4+ Kb1 then:
• If 64.Qa4 Qc2 65.Qg4 Qc1+ 66.Kg2 Qc6+ then:
• 67.Kg1 g5 68.hxg5 hxg5 69.Kh2 Ka1 70.Qd4 g4 bottles up White's King, which could develop into mating threats as a second winning motif.
• 67.Kh2 Kc1 68.Qf4+ Kd1 69.Qg4+ Ke1 70.Qf5 Qc1 Black queens as soon as White is out of checks.
• 64.Kg2 Qd5+ 65.f3 Kc2 66.Qc7+ Kd1 67.Qb6 Qd2+ 68.Kh3 Qc2 69.Qg1+ Ke2 70.Qg2+ Kd3 wins for Black.
• 61...Kc3 62.Qe5+ Kc2 63.Qe4+ Qd3 64.Qa4+ Kc1 transposes.

59...Qd3 60.Qa4+ Kc1 61.Qf4+ Qd2 62.Qc4+ Qc2 63.Qf4+ Kb1 64.Qe5

• 64.Kg2 Qc6+ 65.Kh2 Qd5 66.Qc7 Ka2 67.Qc2 Qd4 Black isn't yet able to queen, but as long as she has the pawn, she has a winning advantage.

64...g6 65.Kg2 Qd3 66.Qf4

• 66.Qc7 Ka2 67.Qf7+ Ka3 68.Qf8+ Kb3 69.Qf7+ Kc2 70.Qa2 Kc1 settles matters.

66...Qd5+ 67.Kh2 Kc2 68.Qa4+

• White's last hope is perpetual check or winning the b-pawn.

68...Kc1 69.Qf4+ Qd2 70.Qc4+ Kd1 71.Qf1+

• If 71.Qg4+ then after 71...Qe2 72.Qxg6 Qc2 Black wins.

71...Kc2 72.Qc4+ Qc3 73.Qa4+ Kd2 74.Qe4

• 74.Qf4+ Ke2 75.Qe4+ Kxf2 76.Qf4+ Ke1 77.Qe4+ Kd1 78.Qxg6 Qc2+ wins for Black.

74...Kc1 75.Qf4+ Kd1

• Also good is 75...Qd2 76.Qc4+ Qc2 77.Qf4+ Kd1 78.Qf3+ Ke1 when it's time to turn the lights out.

76.Qe4 Qc2 77.Qd4+ Ke1 78.Qe3+ Kf1 0-1
BLACK: Tatiana Kosintseva
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Natalia Pogonina
Final Position after 78...Ke1f1

• White is out of checks. The pawn will queen.
• Natalia Andreevna resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Jakovenko - Vitiugov, Round 5

Nakita Vitiugov
Photo: Russian Chess Federation


Dmitry Jakovenko - Nakita Vitiugov
Russian National Championship, Round 5
Moscow, 24 December 2009

Slav Queen's Gambit: Tikhi Opening

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.e3 Bf5

• If 4...Bg4 5.h3 then:
• If 5...Bxf3 6.Qxf3 e6 7.Nc3 Nbd7 8.Bd3 then:
• 8...dxc4 9.Bxc4 Bd6 10.0-0 0-0 11.e4 e5 12.d5 Nb6 13.Bd3 cxd5 14.exd5 h6 15.Be3 Rc8 16.Rac1 gives White the advantage in space (Ivanchuk-Gelfand, Tal Mem, Moscow, 2009).
• If 8...Bd6 9.0-0 0-0 10.Rd1 then:
• 10...Re8 11.Qe2 Qe7 12.Bd2 dxc4 13.Bxc4 e5 14.d5 e4 15.dxc6 bxc6 16.Na4 Qe5 17.g3 Qf5 18.Qf1 Ne5 19.Be2 Nf3+ 20.Bxf3 exf3 21.Rac1 Ne4 is equal (Hebden-Burgess, 4NCL, Telford, 2003).
• 10...Qe7 11.Bd2 Rfe8 12.Bf1 Rad8 13.Rac1 a6 14.Be1 g6 15.a3 Bb8 16.g3 Nb6 17.b3 Kg7 18.a4 h5 19.h4 e5 20.cxd5 Nbxd5 21.Nxd5 Nxd5 22.dxe5 Bxe5 is equal (Boensch-Jackelen, Bundesliga 0708, Tegernsee, 2008).
• If 8...Bb4 9.Bd2 0-0 then:
• If 10.a3 Ba5 then:
• 11.cxd5 cxd5 12.0-0 Re8 13.Rac1 e5 14.Bc2 exd4 15.exd4 Bxc3 16.Qxc3 draw (Bacrot-Karjakin, World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk, 2007).
• If 11.b4 Bc7 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.0-0 then:
• 13...Nb6 14.Rac1 Qd7 15.g3 Rab8 16.e4 dxe4 17.Nxe4 Nxe4 18.Bxe4 Nd5 19.Rfd1 Bb6 20.h4 Rbc8 21.h5 h6 22.Be3 Rfd8 is slightly in Black's favor, for if White were to initiate exchanges at d5 then Black would end up with the good Bishop (Bindrich-Caruana, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2008).
• 13...Re8 14.e4 e5 15.Bg5 h6 16.Bh4 g5 17.Bg3 exd4 18.Nxd5 Nxd5 19.exd5 Ne5 20.Qf5 Nxd3 21.Bxc7 Qxc7 22.Qxd3 is equal (Siebrecht-Loeffler, Bundesliga 0708, Kreuzberg, 2007).
• 10.0-0 Re8 11.a3 Ba5 12.b4 Bc7 13.cxd5 exd5 14.b5 Nf8 15.bxc6 bxc6 16.Rfc1 Ne6 17.h4 c5 18.dxc5 d4 19.Ne4 dxe3 20.Nxf6+ gxf6 21.Qxe3 Ng5 gives Black a clear advantage (Iotov-San Segundo, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• If 5...Bh5 6.Nc3 e6 7.g4 Bg6 8.Ne5 Nbd7 9.Nxg6 hxg6 then:
• If 10.Bg2 dxc4 11.Qe2 Nb6 12.0-0 Be7 13.Rd1 then:
• If 13...g5 14.a4 a5 15.e4 Nfd7 16.Be3 e5 17.d5 Qb8 18.b3 then:
• 18...f6 19.bxc4 Bc5 20.Bxc5 Nxc5 is equal (Hebden-L'Ami, EU Ch, Liverpool, 2008).
• 18...cxb3 19.Rab1 Nc5 20.Bxc5 Bxc5 21.Rxb3 Qd6 Black hangs on to the extra pawn.
• If 13...Nfd7 then:
• If 14.e4 e5 15.dxe5 Qc7 16.e6 fxe6 17.g5 gives Black an extra pawn (Stefanova-Predojevic, Op, Chalkida, 2009).
• If 14.Ne4! Rc8 15.a4 a5 16.Nd2 Bd6 17.Nxc4 Nxc4 18.Qxc4 regains the pawn with equality.
• 10.Bd2 Bb4 11.Rc1 Qc7 12.a3 Bxc3 13.Bxc3 Ne4 14.Bg2 Nxc3 15.Rxc3 Nb6 16.cxd5 exd5 17.Qc2 0-0 18.h4 Nc4 19.Rh3 is equal (Bareev-Najer, Op, Philadelphia, 2009).

5.Nc3 e6 6.Nh4

• If 6.Bd3 Bxd3 7.Qxd3 Nbd7 8.0-0 then:
• If 8...Bb4 9.Bd2 a5 10.a3 Be7 11.e4 then:
• 11...Nc5 12.dxc5 dxe4 13.Qxd8+ Rxd8 14.Nxe4 Nxe4 15.Bxa5 Ra8 16.Bb4 Bxc5 17.Bxc5 Nxc5 18.Rfd1 Ke7 is equal (Lafuente-Wojtkiewicz, Pan-American Ch, Buenos Aires, 2003).
• 11...dxe4 12.Nxe4 Nxe4 13.Qxe4 Nf6 14.Qe2 a4 15.Bf4 0-0 16.Rad1 Re8 is equal (Korchnoi-Anand, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 1998).
• If 8...Be7 9.e4 dxe4 10.Nxe4 Nxe4 11.Qxe4 0-0 then:
• 12.Bf4 Qa5 13.Rfd1 Rfe8 14.a3 Rad8 15.Qc2 h6 16.h3 Bf8 draw (Pelletier-Kobalia, Petrosian Mem, Stepanakert, 2004).
• 12.Rd1 Nf6 13.Qe2 Qc7 14.Bg5 Rfe8 15.Rac1 draw (Ghaem Maghami-Izoria, Op, Dubai, 2006).

6...Be4

• If 6...Bg6 7.Be2 Nbd7 8.0-0 Bd6 9.g3 then:
• If 9...0-0 10.Nxg6 hxg6 then:
• 11.Qb3 Rb8 12.Rd1 Qe7 13.Qc2 dxc4 14.Bxc4 Nb6 15.Bd3 Rfd8 16.Bd2 is equal (Rodshtein-Ragger, Aeroflot Open, Moscow, 2009).
• 11.b3 Qe7 12.Bf3 Rac8 13.Bg2 Rfd8 14.Bd2 Bb4 15.a3 Bxa3 16.c5 Bb2 17.Rxa7 gives White the more active game (Gelfand-Kramnik, Tal Mem, Moscow, 2007).
• 9...Qe7 10.a3 dxc4 11.Bxc4 Nb6 12.Be2 0-0 13.Bd2 Rfe8 14.Nxg6 hxg6 15.Qc2 e5 16.dxe5 Bxe5 is equal (Meier-S. B. Hansen, Euro ChT, Novi Sad, 2009).

7.f3 Bg6 8.Qb3 Qc7

• If 8...Qb6 9.Nxg6 hxg6 10.Bd2 Nbd7 11.0-0-0 then:
• 11...Qxb3 12.axb3 Bd6 13.h3 Nh5 14.Bd3 Ng3 15.Rhe1 0-0 16.Kb1 a6 17.Rc1 Rac8 18.Red1 Rfd8 is equal (Gelfand-Eljanov, Grand Prix, Jermuk, 2009).
• 11...Be7 12.Kb1 0-0-0 13.Qc2 Kb8 14.g4 dxc4 15.Bxc4 Rh3 16.g5 Nd5 17.e4 Nxc3+ 18.Qxc3 is equal (Tkachiv-Shirov, Op, Corsica, 2003).

9.Bd2 Be7

• If 9...Nbd7 10.cxd5 exd5 11.0-0-0 then:
• 11...0-0-0 12.e4 dxe4 13.Nxg6 hxg6 14.fxe4 Nb6 15.Bg5 Re8 16.Bd3 Ng4 17.Rhf1 gives White the advantage in space, anchored by a central pawn duo (Tregubov-Peng, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2002).
• 11...Be7 12.Nxg6 hxg6 13.e4 dxe4 14.fxe4 Nb6 15.g3 0-0 16.Bf4 Qd8 17.h4 gives White the advantage in space, again featuring a central pawn duo (Sargissian=Beliavsky, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).

10.cxd5

• If 10.Nxg6 hxg6 11.0-0-0 then:
• If 11...Nbd7 12.cxd5 Nxd5 13.Nxd5 exd5 then:
• If 14.Kb1 0-0-0 15.Rc1 Kb8 16.h3 then:
• 16...Qd6 17.Ba6 Nb6 18.Bd3 Nd7 19.Ba5 gives White the initiative (Vitiugov-P. Smirnov, Russian Ch HL, Novokuznetsk, 2008).
• 16...Nf6 17.Bd3 Nh5 18.Rc3 Ng3 19.Rhc1 Ka8 20.Qa4 gives White the initiative(Bagheri-Poat, Op, Cappelle la Grande, 2006).
• 14.e4 0-0-0 15.exd5 cxd5+ 16.Kb1 Qd6 17.g3 g5 18.Bd3 Kb8 is equal (Kishnev-S. Volkov, Euro Club Cup, Halidiki, 2002).
• If 11...a6 then:
• 12.Kb1 dxc4 13.Bxc4 b5 14.Bd3 c5 15.dxc5 Nbd7 16.Ne4 Nxe4 17.Bxe4 Nxc5 18.Qc3 Bf6 19.Qc2 Rc8 is equal (Le Quang Liem-C. Balogh, Mindsports Rpd, Beijing, 2008).
• 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.Kb1 Nc6 transposes into the notes after White's 11th move.

10...cxd5 11.Rc1!?

• If 11.Nxg6 hxg6 12.0-0-0 Nc6 13.Kb1 a6 14.Rc1 then:
• If 14...0-0 15.g4 then:
• 15...Rfc8 16.h4 Na5 17.Qc2 Nc4 is equal (Khmelniker-Yordanov, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• 15...Na5 16.Qd1 Nc4 17.Bxc4 dxc4 18.e4 Rfd8 is equal (Drozdovskij-C. Balogh, Mindsports Rpd, Beijing, 2008).
• 14...Nd7 15.Bd3 Rc8 16.Ne2 Qb6 17.Qd1 Bb4 18.h4 Bxd2 19.Qxd2 is equal (Tregubov-Bareev, Euro Club Cup, Fügen, 2006).

11...Nc6

• The game is equal.

12.Nxg6 hxg6 13.Na4

• 13.Nb5 Qd7 14.Bd3 a6 15.Nc3 remains equal.

13...Nd7

• If 13...Nh5 then:
• 14.Bb5 Ng3 15.Rg1 Rxh2 16.Nc5 Bxc5 17.Rxc5 Qd7 is equal.
• 14.h3!? Ng3 15.Rg1 Nxf1 16.Rxf1 Qg3+ 17.Ke2 Rb8 Black has the initiative.

14.Bd3

• 14.Kd1 Rc8 15.h3 a6 16.Rc2 b5 17.Nc3 Qd6 remains equal.

BLACK: Nakita Vitugov
!""""""""#
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Dmitry Jakovenko
Position after 14.Bf1d3

14...Rb8!

• Overprotecting weak points such as the pawn at b7 gives Black greater flexibility.

15.f4!?

• White drops a pawn.
• If 15.h3 then:
• 15...Qg3+ 16.Kf1 Bg5 17.Qd1 Rc8 18.Nc3 Be7 remains equal.
• 15...g5 16.Kd1 a6 17.Be1 b5 18.Nc3 remains equal.

15...g5 16.0-0

• If 16.g3 gxf4 17.gxf4 g5 then:
• 18.e4 Qd8 19.exd5 Nxd4 20.Qd1 gxf4 21.dxe6 Nxe6 gives Black an extra pawn, but it's weak.
• 18.Bb5 Rc8 19.Nc3 g4 20.Rg1 f5 21.Rg2 a6 the advanced pawns against the weak h-pawn on the kingside give Black the better game overall.

16...gxf4 17.e4

• White concedes a pawn to Black.
• If 17.exf4 Bf6 then:
• 18.Qc3 b5 19.Be3 bxa4 20.Qxc6 Qxc6 21.Rxc6 Rxb2 wins a pawn anyway.
• 18.Be3 Qa5 19.Qa3 Bxd4 also wins a pawn for Black.

17...dxe4 18.Bxe4 Bf6?!

• Black jeopardizes his hard-won gains.
• If 18...f3! then after 19.g3 (forced; Black is threatening mate on h2) 19...Qd6 20.Bxc6 bxc6 21.Qc4 e5 Black still has the better game.

19.Bxf4?

• Black fails to take full advantage of Black's inaccuracy and never makes up his lost ground.
• 19.d5! Bd4+ 20.Kh1 f3 21.h3 fxg2+ then:
• If 22.Kxg2 exd5 23.Qxd5 Bf6 24.Bf4 then:
• If 24...Nde5 25.Qb5 then:
• 25...a6 26.Bxc6+! bxc6 27.Bxe5 Bxe5 28.Qxc6+ Qxc6+ 29.Rxc6 wins back the pawn with euqlity.
• 25...Rh4 26.Rce1 Rh5 27.Bf3 Rf5 28.Bg4 traps the Rook.
• 24...Qd8?! 25.Bxb8! Qxb8 26.Nc5 Nb6 27.Qd3 gives White the material advantage.
• 22.Bxg2 exd5 23.Qxd5 Bf6 24.Rfe1+ Kf8 25.b4 Rd8 maintains Black's advantage.

BLACK: Nakita Vitugov
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WHITE: Dmitry Jakovenko
Position after 19.Bd2f4:p

19...Bxd4+!

• Black wins th d-pawn.

20.Kh1 Be5 21.Qg3 Bxf4 22.Rxf4 Nf6 23.Bf3

• White, down a pawn, has no desire to exchange Queens.
• 23.Rc4 Nh5 24.Qh3 Qd6 25.Bxc6+ bxc6 26.Rcd4 Qe5 leaves Black threatening mate on the back rank.

23...Nh5

• Also good is 23...Rd8 24.Nc5 Nd4 25.Nd3 Nf5 26.Qe1 Qb8 when Black's heavy pieces hit at targets from a distance.

24.Bxh5 Rxh5 25.Rcf1 g5 26.Qg4

• White threatens the Rook at h5, apparently not seeing Black's killer reply.
• 26.R4f3 Qxg3 27.Rxg3 Ke7 28.Rc1 e5 29.Rb3 Rh4 prevents Black's next move, but it's no better than the text.

BLACK: Nakita Vitugov
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WHITE: Dmitry Jakovenko
Position after 26.Qg3g4

26...Rxh2+!!

• Black takes advantage of the pin at f4 to win another pawn.

27.Kxh2 Qe5 28.g3 gxf4 29.Rxf4 Ke7 30.Qh4+ Kd6 31.Rf6

• The White cuts the line of communication between Black's Queen and Rook.
• 31.Rxf7?? loses immediately to 31...Rh8!.

31...Nd4 32.Kh3

• 32.Kg2 Rf8 33.Nc3 Kd7 34.Qf4 Qxf4 35.Rxf4 e5 leaves White with barely any fight.

32...Rg8

BLACK: Nakita Vitugov
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WHITE: Dmitry Jakovenko
Position after 32...Rb8g8

• Black has a won game. The rest is a matter of technique.

33.Nc3 Nf5 34.Qb4+ Kc6 35.Qe4+ Qxe4 36.Nxe4 Ne3 37.Rh6 f5

• Also good is 37...Rg4 38.Rh4 f5 39.Rxg4 Nxg4 40.Ng5 Kd5.

38.Nf6

• If 38.Ng5 Ng4 then:
• If 39.Rh5 then after 39...Kd5 40.b4 Rc8 Black remains a pawn up.
• 39.Rxe6+ Kd7 40.Re2 Rxg5 41.Kh4 Rg6 42.a3 Nf6 leaves Black a piece to the good.

38...Rd8 39.Nh5

• 39.Rh7 Rd1 40.Kh4 Rh1+ 41.Kg5 Rxh7 42.Nxh7 e5 Black wins easily.

39...Kd7 40.Ng7 e5 41.Kh4

• No better is 41.a3 Ke7 42.Nh5 Rd7 43.Kh4 Rd4+.

41...Rg8 42.Rh7 Kc6 43.Nh5 Rg4+ 44.Kh3 Rd4

• If 44...Rg6 45.Kh4 a5 then:
• If 46.Rf7 then 46...Rg4+ 47.Kh3 Rd4 48.Ng7 Rd7 invites an exchange of Rooks which favors Black.
• If 46.Re7 then after 46...e4 47.Nf4 Rg4+ 48.Kh3 Rg8 49.Kh4 b6 White's King is confined to the h-file while Black's King rides the range on the queenside.

45.Re7

• If 45.Rf7 Rd7! then:
• If 46.Rxd7 Kxd7 47.Kh4 Ke6 keeps Black's passer happy.
• 46.Rf6+ Kc5 47.Rf8 e4 48.Kh4 Kd4 49.Kg5 Kd3 sets up the escort for the pawn.

45...e4 46.Kh4

• White drops another pawn.
• Better is 46.Re6+ Rd6 47.Rf6 b5 48.Rf7 a5 49.b3 Kc5 preserving the pawn, but Black's victory is just a matter of time and technique.

46...Rd2 47.Kg5 Rxb2 48.Re6+ Kd7 49.Kf6

• 49.Rh6 Rxa2 50.Kf4 Re2 51.Ng7 a5 wins for Black.

49...Rxa2 50.Kf7 Nd5!

• Black prevents either 51.Re7+ or 51.Rf6.
• If 50...Rg2 51.Rf6 a5 then:
• If 52.Rb6 Kc7 53.Rb3 Nf1 54.Ke6 e3! 55.Nf4 Rxg3 wins for Black as the e-pawn cannot be stopped.
• 52.Re6 b5 53.Nf6+ Kc7 54.Ne8+ Kd8 55.Re5 a4 wins for Black as the a-pawn cannot be stopped.

51.Ng7 e3!

• Black sacrifices a pawn to the more advanced passer time to advance further.
• The text is a little better than 51...Rf2 52.Ne8 Ne3 53.Rd6+ Kc8.

52.Nxf5 Rf2 53.Re5

BLACK: Nakita Vitugov
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WHITE: Dmitry Jakovenko
Position after 53.Re6e5

53...e2!!

• The Knight at d5 is not important.

54.Kg6

• If font color="red"]54.Rxd5+ then 54...Kc6 55.Rd6+ Kc5 56.Re6 Rxf5+ 57.Kg7 Rf2 still wins for Black.

54...Nc3 55.Nd4 Kd6 56.Re3 Kd5 57.Nc2 Kc4

• Also good is 57...Ne4 58.Rd3+ Kc4 59.Re3 Nd6 60.g4 a5.

58.g4 b5 59.Na3+ Kb4 60.Nc2+ Kb3 61.Ne1 b4 62.g5 Kc4 63.Kh5 Rf1 64.Nd3 Kd4 0-1

• If 65.Rg3 then after 65...Ne4 66.Rh3 Nf2 67.Nxf2 Rxf2 68.Rh1 Rf1 the lights are out.
• Dmitry Olegovich resigns.

[madinmaryland]

9. Happy New Year, Jack!

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Same to you, Md/Md

Enjoy the games this week.

[Jack Rabbit]

11. More Magnus in TIME

From Time Magazine
Issue of January 11, 2010
Posted online Friday, January 1

A Bold Opening for Chess Player Magnus Carlsen
By Eben Harrell



Vladimir Kramnik, former world chess champion and current No. 4, is playing in the first round of the London Chess Classic, the most competitive chess tournament to be played in the U.K. capital in 25 years. Tall, handsome and expressionless, he looks exactly as a man who has mastered a game of nearly infinite variation should: like a high-end assassin. Today, however, he is getting methodically and mercilessly crushed.

His opponent is a teenager who seems to be having difficulty staying awake. Magnus Carlsen yawns, fidgets, slumps in his chair. He gets up and wanders over to the other games, staring at the boards like a curious toddler. Every now and then, he returns to his own game and moves one of his pieces, inexorably building an attack so fierce that by the 43rd move Kramnik sees the hopelessness of his position and resigns.

Read more here.