The JR Chess Report (January 31): Magnus Wins in Wijk

[Jack Rabbit]

Magnus Survives Loss to Kramnik, Wins Wijk



Norwegian grandmaster Magnus Carlsen survived a ninth-round defeat at the hands of former world champion Vladimir Kramnik of Russia to win the Group A competition at the Dutch North Sea resort of Wijk ann Zee, which completed earlier today.

The result put Kramnik in first place after nine rounds, where he remained until reigning world champion Vishy Anand defeated him in yesterday's twelfth round. Meanwhile, Magnus, showing the character of a champion, simply dusted himself off and won his next two games to recapture first place yesterday.

Most games in Group A were drawn today, with the only decisive outcome being reigning US national champion Hikaru Nakamura over two-time Dutch national champion Sergei Tiviakov. By winning the game, Nakamura finished tied for fourth with Anand.

To win the event, Magnus scored 8½ points (+5 -1 =7) to finsish a half-point ahead of Kramnik and Latvian-born Spanish grandmaster Alexei Shirov, who began the tournament by winning five games in a row but made little impact afterward.

Group B was won by Dutch national champion Anish Giri, 15, with 9 points, a half-point point over Latvian-born German grandmaster Arkadij Naiditsch.

Chinese grandmaster Li Chao won Group C handily with 10 points, a point and a half ahead of former world junior champion Abhijeet Gupta of India. Fifteen-year-old American GM Ray Robson, who lead in the early going, finished tied for fifth with 7½ points.



Gibraltar Underway; Four-Way Tie for First after Six



The eighth annual Gibtelecom Masters' Open began in Gibraltar Tuesday at the Caleta Hotel on The Rock.

After six rounds, four players are tied for first place with 5 points each. They are: grandmaster Mickey Adams of Britain; German GM Jan Gustafsson; Chandra Sandipan of India; and Ukrainian WGM Natalia Zhukova, the wife of reigning Russian national champion Alexander Grischuk.

In tomorrow's pairings, Ms. Zhukova will have White against Adams and Sandipan will play White against Gufstaffson.

The ten round tournament concludes Thursday. The games begin at 3 pm local time (6 am PST) and live games will be broadcast on the Official Tournament Website.



Moscow Open Begins



The annual Moscow open began yesterday with 187 participants in the main tournament and 140 in the women's tournament.

Neither the main nor the women's tournament feature last year's winners, US grandmaster Alex Onischuk and Russian WGM Natalia Pogonina. Natalia Andreevna started the Russian women's championship tournament in December and had to dop out after seven rounds due to illness.

After two rounds, 20 palyers have perfect scores including top seeded Russian GM Alexander Motylev and fifteen-year-old Chinese GM Hou Yifan, making her return to international chess after an absense of several weeks. In the women's tournament, 28 players have won both their games including the top seed, Chinese WGM Ju Wenjun and German IM Elisabeth Pähtz.

The Moscow Open is a nine-round Swiss System event running through next Sunday. The top boards of the main and women's tournament are broadast live at the official tournament website beginning at 4 pm local time (5 am PST).



Calendar

Bundesliga 0910, Rounds 7-9, Munich, Mülheim, Berlin, Ramagen. 5-7 February.

Aeroflot Open, Moscow 9-17 February.

27th Ciudad de Linares 12-25 February. Aronian, Gashimov, Gelfand, Grischuk, Topalov and Vallejo.

Reykjavik Open 24 February-3 March.

Bundesliga 0910, Rounds 10-11, Mülheim, Heidelburg, Solingen, Trier. 27-28 February.

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

Melody Amber Rapid/Blindfold Tournament, Nice. 12-25 March. Aronian, Carlsen, Domínguez, Gelfand, Gashimov, Ivanchuk, Karjakin, Kramnik, Morozevich, Ponomariov, Smeets and Svidler.

Philadelphia Open 31 March-4 April. This replaces the Foxwoods Open after the Foxwoods Resort announced expected room rate hikes.

Russian Team Championships, Dagomys 1-12 April.

Women's Grand Prix, Nalchik 23 April-6 May.

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

Grand Prix, Astrakhan (Russia) 9-25 May.

US Championship, St. Louis 13-25 May.

Chicago Open 27-31 May.

Women's Grand Prix, Jermuk 23 June-6 July.

World Open, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania 29 June-5 July.

Women's Grand Prix, Ulan Bator (Mongolia) 29 July-12 August.

World Junior Championships, Chotowa Czarna (Poland) 2-17 August.

Chess Olympiad, Khanty Mansiysk 19 September-4 October.

European Club Cup, Plovdiv 16-24 October.

Women's Grand Prix, Vina del Mar (Chile) 27 October-9 November.

World Youth Championships, Halidiki (Greece) 19-31 October.

FIDE Women's Knock Out (Women's World Championship), Turkey 2-25 December.

[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. 72nd Corus Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee

A Beach on the North Sea near Wijk aan Zee
Photo: Kroegpagina (Holland)

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Karjakin - Carlsen, Round 8

Magnus Carlsen
Photo: ChessBase.com


Sergey Karjakin - Magnus Carlsen
72nd Corus Tournament (Group A), Round 10
Wijk aan Zee, 27 January 2010

Closed French Game: Steinitz Opening

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 Be7

• If 7...cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bc5 9.Qd2 0-0 10.0-0-0 a6 then:
• If 11.h4 Nxd4 12.Bxd4 b5 then:
• If 13.Rh3 then:
• 13...b4 14.Na4 Bxd4 15.Qxd4 a5 16.Bb5 Rb8 17.Bd3 Qc7 18.h5 Qc6 19.h6 g6 20.b3 Ba6 21.f5 Rbc8 22.Rd2 Bxd3 23.Rhxd3 Qc7 24.Re2 Qd8 25.Kb2 Rc7 26.Rf3 Rc8 27.fxe6 fxe6 28.Rxf8+ Nxf8 29.Qa7 Qc7 is equal (L'Ami-Vaznonis, World Youth U16, Opressa del Mar, 2001).
• 13...Bb7 14.Kb1 Qc7 15.h5 Rac8 16.h6 g6 17.Re3 b4 18.Ne2 a5 19.Bxc5 Nxc5 20.Nd4 Ne4 is equal (H. Rudolf-Schaefer, Bundesliga, Neukoelln, 2001).
• 13.h5 b4 14.Na4 Bxd4 15.Qxd4 a5 16.Bb5 Rb8 17.Bd3 Bb7 18.h6 g6 19.f5 Bc6 20.fxe6 Qg5+ 21.Kb1 Qxe5 22.Qxe5 Nxe5 23.Nc5 fxe6 24.Rhe1 Nxd3 25.cxd3 d4 26.Nxe6 Rfe8 is equal (Dr, Nunn-Lputian, Ol. Manila, 1992).
• 11.Qf2 Bxd4 12.Bxd4 b5 13.Be3 b4 14.Na4 a5 15.h4 Ba6 16.h5 Qc7 17.h6 g6 18.Nb6 Nxb6 19.Bxb6 Qd7 20.g4 a4 21.Kb1 f6 22.exf6 Bxf1 23.Rhxf1 Rxf6 24.Qe3 Rb8 25.Bd4 Rf7 26.Be5 gives White the advantage in space (Melia-M. Socko, Euro Ch, Plovsiv, 2008).
• If 7...a6 8.a3 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Bc5 then:
• If 10.Qd2 then:
• 10...Bxd4 11.Bxd4 Nxd4 12.Qxd4 Qb6 13.Qxb6 Nxb6 14.Bd3 Bd7 15.Ne2 f6 16.Kd2 fxe5 17.fxe5 Ke7 18.Rhf1 Raf8 19.h4 Be8 20.Nf4 Rhg8 21.g3 g5 22.hxg5 Rxg5 23.Nxe6 Rxf1 24.Rxf1 Kxe6 25.Rf6+ Kxe5 26.Rxb6 Rg7 27.b3 Bg6 28.Bxg6 draw (Psakhis-Drasko, Moscow, 1988).
• 10...0-0 11.g3 Nxd4 12.Bxd4 b5 13.Bxc5 Nxc5 14.Qd4 Qc7 15.Bd3 f6 16.exf6 Rxf6 17.0-0 Bb7 18.Rae1 Raf8 19.Nd1 Nxd3 20.cxd3 Qf7 21.Ne3 a5 22.b4 axb4 23.axb4 Qg6 24.Ng2 Bc8 is equal (Kamsky-Esquivel, Cyberspace, 2006).
• 10.Be2 0-0 11.Qd2 Qc7 12.Bf3 Nxd4 13.Bxd4 is equal (Topalov-Ivanchuk, IT, Sofia, 2008).
• If 7...Qb6 then:
• If 8.a3 then:
• If 8...cxd4 9.Nxd4 Bc5 10.Na4 then:
• If 10...Qa5+ 11.c3 then:
• If 11...Bxd4 12.Bxd4 Nxd4 13.Qxd4 b6 14.Be2 then:
• If 14...Ba6 15.Bd1 then:
• 15...Qb5 16.b4!? Rc8! 17.Nb2 Qc6 18.Rc1 0-0 19.a4 Bc4 20.Bg4 Bb3 21.0-0 Bxa4 gives Black an extra pawn (Kamsky-So, World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk, 2009).
• 15...0-0 16.b4 Qb5 17.Nb2 Qc6 18.Ba4 Bb5 19.Bxb5 Qxb5 20.c4 dxc4 21.Qxc4 Qxc4 22.Nxc4 g5 23.Rd1 Rfd8 24.g3 gxf4 25.gxf4 Nf8 26.Ke2 Ng6 27.Ke3 Rxd1 28.Rxd1 Rc8 29.Rd4 Kf8 30.Ke4 h5 31.a4 h4 draw (Alekseev-Ivanchuk, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2005).
• If 14.Qb4 Qxb4 15.axb4 then:
• 15...0-0 16.g3 Bb7 17.Bg2 Rfc8 gives White the edge in space, but Black is better developed (Zhang Jilin-Zhang Xiaowen, Chinese Ch, Singhua, 2009).
• 15...Bb7 16.Bb5 Ke7 17.0-0 Rhd8 is equal (Hort-Ruzele, Ol, Manila, 1992).
• If 11.Nc3 Qb6 then:
• 12.Na4 Qa5+ 13.Nc3 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 Qb6 15.Na4 Qa5+ 16.Nc3 Qb6 17.Na4 draw (Granda-Korchnoi, ITZ, Zagreb, 1987).
• 12.Ncb5 Nxd4 13.Bxd4 0-0 14.Bxc5 Nxc5 transposes into Wang Hao-Volkov, below.
• If 10.Ncb5 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 0-0 then:
• 12.b4 Bxd4 13.Qxd4 Qxd4 14.Nxd4 a5 15.b5 Nb6 16.Bd3 Bd7 17.g3 Rac8 18.h4 gives White a slight edge in space (Wedberg-Vallejo, Euro ChT, León, 2001).
• 12.Bxc5 Nxc5 13.Qd4 f5 14.h4 is equal (Wang Hao-Volkov, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2006).
• If 8...a6 then:
• If 9.dxc5 Bxc5 10.Na4 Qa5+ 11.b4 Qxa4 12.bxc5 then:
• If 12...0-0 13.c4 Qa5+ 14.Qd2 Rd8 15.Qxa5 Nxa5 then:
• If 16.cxd5 exd5 17.Rb1 then:
• 17...Nb8 18.Nd4 Nac6 19.Kf2 Nxd4 20.Bxd4 Bf5 21.Rb6 gives Black the advantage in space, but Black may have more freedom (And. Volokitin-Pelletier, IT, Biel, 2006).
• 17...Nf8 18.Bd3 g6 19.Kf2 Ne6 20.Rhc1 puts Black's queenside under restrain t(J. Geller-Grigoryan, World Jr Ch, Yerevan, 2006).
• 16.Nd2 Nf8 17.Rb1 Bd7 18.c6 Nxc6 19.Rxb7 Na5 20.Rb4 Nxc4 21.Bxc4 dxc4 22.Nxc4 gives White superiority on the queenside and in the center, while the kingside is even (Wang Hao-Grigoryan, World Jr Ch, Yerevan, 2006).
• 12...Qa5+ 13.Qd2 Qxd2+ 14.Kxd2 f6 15.exf6 gxf6 16.c4 Na5 17.cxd5 Nxc5 18.Bxc5 Nb3+ 19.Kc3 Nxc5 20.Bc4 Na4+ 21.Kd4 Nb6 22.Bb3 Nxd5 (Nasir Ahmed-bin Sattar, IT, Dhaka, 2007).
• If 9.Be2 Qa7 10.Qd2 cxd4 11.Nxd4 Bc5 12.0-0-0 0-0 13.Na4 Bxd4 14.Bxd4 Nxd4 15.Qxd4 b5 16.Nc3 then:
• If 16...Qc7 17.Bd3 Bb7 is equal (Domínguez-Nogueiras, Capablanca Mem, Havana, 2002).
• 16...Qxd4 17.Rxd4 gives White the advantage ins space (Marjanovic-Radjabov, Greek ChT, Halkidiki, 2002).
• If 8.Na4 Qa5+ 9.c3 then:
• If 9...cxd4 10.b4 then:
• If 10...Nxb4 11.cxb4 Bxb4+ 12.Bd2 Bxd2+ 13.Nxd2 b6 then:
• If 14.Kf2 Ba6 then:
• 15.Bxa6 Qxa6 16.Nf3 d3 17.Ne1 Qc4 18.Nxd3 Qd4+ 19.Kf1 0-0 20.g3 b5 21.Ndc5 Qxd1+ 22.Rxd1 bxa4 23.Nxd7 Rfc8 24.Rb1 Rc2 25.Rg1 Rxh2 draw (Chandler-Speelman, London, 1986).
• 15.Nf3 Rc8 16.Nxd4 0-0 17.Bxa6 Qxa6 18.Re1 Rc4 19.Nb2 Rb4 20.Qd2 Qa3 21.Nd1 Qa4 22.Ne2 Nc5 23.Kg1 Ne4 24.Qd3 Rc8 25.f5 Qa5 26.Rf1 Nc5 27.Qf3 exf5 28.Ne3 Black resigns (Timman-Akhmilovskaya, Lugano, 1983).
• 14.Bd3 Ba6 15.Nb2 Nc5 16.Bxa6 Qxa6 17.Qe2 Qa3 18.Qb5+ Ke7 19.0-0 Qe3+ 20.Rf2 Rhc8 21.Raf1 f5 22.exf6+ gxf6 23.Nd1 Qd3 24.Qb2 Nd7 25.Nf3 e5 26.fxe5 fxe5 27.Re2 Kd6 28.Nf2 Qc3 29.Qb1 d3 30.Nxd3 e4 31.Nf4 Rc5 32.Ng5 Re8 33.Rd1 Nf6 34.Nxe4+ Black resigns (Kamsky-Kraai, Foxwoods Op, Mashantucket, 2007).
• If 10...Qc7 11.Nxd4 Nxd4 12.Bxd4 then:
• 12...Nb8 13.b5 b6 14.Bd3 Nd7 15.0-0 Nc5 16.Bc2 Bd7 17.Rb1 Rc8 18.f5 Nxa4 19.fxe6 Bxe6 20.Bxa4 Bc5 21.Rf2 0-0 22.Bc2 g6 23.Qd2 Bxd4 24.cxd4 gives White a healthy advantage in space (Saravanan-Barua, Indian ChT, Nagpur, 2002).
• 12...Be7 13.Bd3 g6 14.0-0 b6 15.Rc1 0-0 16.Nb2 a5 17.c4 dxc4 18.Nxc4 Qb8 19.f5 exf5 20.Bxf5 gxf5 21.Rc3 Qb7 22.Rf4 axb4 23.Rg3+ Kh8 24.Qh5 Rxa2 25.Rxf5 Nf6 26.exf6 Rxg2+ 27.Rxg2 Black resigns (Rowson-Floor, Corus Reserve, Wijk aan Zee, 2000).
• If 9...c4 10.b4 Qc7 11.Be2 Be7 12.0-0 then:
• 12...f5 13.exf6 Nxf6 14.Ne5 0-0 15.Qc2 b6 16.Nb2 Bb7 17.Bf3 Nxe5 18.dxe5 Ne4 19.Bg4 Qc8 is equal (T. Kosintseva-M. Socko, World ChTW, Ekaterininburg, 2007).
• 12...0-0 13.g4 b5 14.Nc5 a5 15.a3 axb4 16.Nxd7 Bxd7 17.axb4 f5 18.gxf5 Rxa1 19.Qxa1 Rxf5 20.Bd1 Bd8 21.Bc2 Rf7 22.Qb2 Qc8 23.Ra1 Be8 24.Qb1 h6 25.Ra2 Rf8 26.Qf1 Ne7 27.Nh4 Nc6 28.Nf3 Ne7 29.Nh4 Nc6 30.Nf3 draw (Kuloats-Ivanchuk, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).

8.Qd2 0-0 9.Be2

• If 9.dxc5 Bxc5 10.0-0-0 Qa5 11.Bxc5 Nxc5 then:
• If 12.h4 Bd7 13.h5 then:
• 13...Rac8 14.a3 h6 15.Rh3 Rfd8 16.Nd4 Nxd4 17.Qxd4 Be8 18.Be2 Ne4 19.g4 draw (Bobras-Bartel, Polish Ch, Lublin, 2008).
• 13...Rab8 14.h6 g6 15.Qe3 Na4 16.Nxa4 Qxa4 17.Kb1 Rfc8 18.Rd2 gives White the advantage in space (Svidler-Riazantsev, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2008).
• 12.Kb1 Bd7 13.h4 Rfd8 14.Nd4 a6 15.h5 h6 16.Rh3 Rac8 17.g4 Nxd4 18.Qxd4 Na4 is equal (Olsson-Laurent, Euro Club Cup, Kallithea, 2008).

9...a6 10.0-0 b5 11.Kh1

• If 11.a3 Qb6 then:
• 12.Nd1 a5 13.c3 a4 14.Bd3 cxd4 15.Nxd4 Nc5 16.Nf2 is equal (Motylev-Yermelin, Russian Ch HL, Ulan Ude, 2009).
• 12.Rad1 Bb7 13.Kh1 cxd4 14.Nxd4 Bc5 15.Rf3 Bxd4 16.Bxd4 Nxd4 17.Qxd4 Qxd4 18.Rxd4 f6 is equal (Najer-Maslak, Russian Ch HL, Novokuznetsk, 2008).

11...Qc7!?

• 11...b4 12.Na4 cxd4 13.Nxd4 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 a5 15.b3 Qc7 16.Qe3 Ba6 gives White a small edge in space, but Black is pressuring White's backward c-pawn (Brkic-Dizdar, Croatian Ch, Split, 2008).

12.a3

• The game is equal.

12...Bb7 13.Rad1 Rac8

• 13...b4 14.axb4 cxb4 15.Na4 Na5 16.Bd3 Nc4 gives Black a small initiative, but White has a small edge in space.

14.Qe1

• 14.dxc5 Nxc5 15.Qe1 f5 16.Bxc5 Bxc5 17.Bd3 Qf7 remains equal.

14...cxd4 15.Nxd4 Nxd4 16.Bxd4 Bc5

• If 16...Nb6 17.f5 exf5 18.Bd3 then:
• 18...Nc4 19.Bxf5 Nxb2 20.Nxb5 axb5 21.Bxb2 gives White the initiative.
• 18...f4 19.Bf5 Rcd8 20.Ne2 f3 21.Rxf3 Nc4 22.Nf4 gives White the advantage in space.

17.Qh4

• 17.Bg4 Bxd4 18.Rxd4 Nb8 19.Rd3 Nc6 remains equal.

17...Bxd4 18.Rxd4 f6

• 18...Qb6 19.Bd3 h6 20.Rb4 f6 21.exf6 Nxf6 gives White better pawn structure, but Black may be able to improve his the activity of his pieces.

19.Bd3

• 19.exf6 Nxf6 20.Qg3 Rce8 21.Bd3 e5 22.fxe5 Qxe5 remains equal.

19...h6 20.exf6 Rxf6 21.f5?

• Neither saide has any justification in opening the position here. Perhaps White is being provocative.
• If 21.Qh3 then after 21...Rcf8 22.Re1 Nc5 23.g3 Nxd3 24.cxd3 Qc5! White's Rook is on d4 and unable to move.

BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
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WHITE: Sergey Karjakin
Position after 21.f4f5

21...Rcf8

• Black might have put this game away faster.
• Stronger is 21...e5! (taking better advantage of pathetic situationof the Rook) 22.Nxd5 Bxd5 23.Rxd5 Nb6 when:
• If 24.Qe4 Nxd5 25.Qxd5+ Kh8 then:
• 26.Qe4 Re8 27.a4 bxa4 28.Qxa4 Rb8 White has only a pawn for the exchange.
• 26.Re1 Re8 27.Re3 Rd6 28.Qe4 Qf7 White has only a pawn for the exchange.
• 24.Be4 Nxd5 25.Bxd5+ Kh7 26.Be6 Rd8 27.Qe4 Qc5 Black has the material advantage.

22.Rg1 Nc5 23.fxe6 Nxe6

• If 23...Nxd3 24.cxd3 then:
• 24...Qe5 25.e7 Re8 26.a4 bxa4 27.Rxa4 Rxe7 gives Black the advantage in space.
• 24...Rxe6!? 25.Nxd5 Qc2 26.Qg4 Bc8 27.Rf4 Rxf4 28.Nxf4 is equal.

24.Rg4

• If 24.Rb4 then:
• If 24...Nf4! 25.Qg3 Qc5 then:
• 26.Na4 Qd6 27.Nc3 Qe5 28.Ne2 Nxd3 29.Qxd3 Rf1 Black is toast.
• 26.Re1 d4 27.Ne4 Bxe4 28.Bxe4 a5 20.Qb3+ Ne6! wins for White.
• If 24...Qb6 25.Qe1 d4 26.Ne4 Rf4 then:
• If 27.a4! Bxe4 28.Bxe4 Kh8 29.axb5 a5 30.Rc4 then:
• 30...Qxb5 31.Bd3 Nc5 32.Rxd4 Nxd3 33.Rxd3 Qxb2 is equal.
• 30...R4f6 31.Bd3 Nf4 32.Qe5 Nxd3 33.cxd3 is equal.
• If 27.Qe2? Qc6 28.c3 then:
• 28...Rxe4!! 29.Bxe4 Qxe4 30.Qxe4 Bxe4 31.cxd4 Bd5 followed by 32...Rf2 wins for Black.
• 28...R4f7 29.Qg4 Nf4 30.Bc2 h5 31.Qf3 Nd5! wins at least the exchange.

24...Nf4!

• White threatens the pawn at g2.

25.Qg3 Qe7 26.Rxf4

• White concedes the exchange.
• 26.h3 d4 27.Nd1 Qf7 28.Kh2 g5 29.a4 bxa4 gives Black an extra pawn.

26...Rxf4 27.Ne2
BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
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WHITE: Sergey Karjakin
Position after 27.Nc3e2

27...Rf1!

• The text is better than 27...Rf2 28.Nd4 R8f4 29.c3 Rf6 when:
• If 30.Rb1 then after 31.h3 Bd7 32.Rd1 Be8 33.Kg1 Bh5 Black still has the initiative.
• If 30.Bc2!? then:
• 30...Bc8 Qd6 31.Qxd6 Rxd6 32.Kg1 Rd2 33.Bf1 Rf6 the best White can do is play 34.Nf3 and force Black to return the exchange, after which White will still suffer from a lack of space and activity.
• 30...Ba8 31.h3 Rf8 32.Rd1 Qf6 33.Re1 h5 leaves White without a move that improves his position.

28.Nd4

• No better is 28.Rxf1 Rxf1+ 29.Ng1 Re1 30.Qb8+ Kf7 31.Qf4+ Qf6.

28...Rxg1+ 29.Kxg1 Re8 30.h4

• If 30.c3 then after 30...Qe1+ 31.Qxe1 Rxe1+ 32.Kf2 Ra1 33.Bc2 Ra2 Black wins a pawn.

30...Qe1+ 31.Kh2 Qxg3+ 32.Kxg3 Kf7 33.Kf2

• 33.h5 would hold back Black's kingside pawns, but 33...Re1 34.Bg6+ Kf6 35.c3 Ra1 36.Nb3 Ra2 wins a pawn for Black.

BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
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WHITE: Sergey Karjakin
Position after 33.Kg3f2

33...Kf6

• Black also maintains his Material advantage after 33...g5 34.h5 Kf6 35.Bg6 Re5 36.Nf3 Re7.

34.g3 Bc8 35.c3 Bg4 36.Bc2 g5

• Also good is 36...g6 37.a4 bxa4 38.Bxa4 Rb8 39.b3 Rc8.

37.hxg5+ hxg5 38.Bb3 Ke5

• 38...Rh8 39.Kg1 Ke5 40.Bc2 Rh6 41.Kg2 Bh5 leaves White with no useful moves.

39.Bc2 Rf8+ 40.Kg2 Bd7 41.Nf3+ Kf6 42.Bb3

• 42.Nd4 g4 43.Kf2 Ke5+ 44.Ke2 Ra8 45.Kf2 Rh8 wins for Black.

42...g4 43.Nd4 Ke5 44.Bc2 a5 45.Bd1 Ke4 0-1

• 46.Bb3 Ke3 47.Kg1 Rf2 48.Bc2 b4 49.axb4 axb4 leaves White down an exchange, with a net cast about his King and nearly out of reserve pawn tempi.
• Sergey Alexandrovich resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Kramnik -Nakamura, Round 8

Vladimir Kramnik
Photo: from the website of Vladimir Kramnik


Vladimir Kramnik - Hikaru Nakamura
72nd Corus Tournament (Group A), Round 8
Wijk aan Zee, 24 January 2010

Hollander Game: Leningrad Defense

1.d4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 g6

• The usual move in the Hollander Game (Dutch Defense) is 3...e6, with various and sundry lines in which Black assumes a camped but playable position. This, the Leningrad Defense, offers readily open lines for Black's Bishops. A downside for Black is the possible exposure of his King fter castling short.

4.c4 Bg7 5.Nc3 0-0 6.Nf3 d6 7.0-0 c6

• If 7...Qe8 8.d5 then:
• If 8...Na6 9.Rb1 Bd7 then:
• 10.Nd4 c6 then:
• 11.b3 Nc7 12.Bb2 Rb8 13.b4 cxd5 14.cxd5 Qf7 15.Qb3 g5 16.e3 gives White the advantage isn space (Tregubov-Rendle, Op, Gibraltar, 2005).
• 11.b4 Nxb4 12.Rxb4 c5 13.Rxb7 cxd4 14.Nb5 Qc8 15.Rc7 Qb8 16.Rxd7 Nxd7 17.Nxd4 Bf6 18.e4 fxe4 19.Bh6 Rf7 20.Bxe4 Nc5 21.Bg2 Qb4 22.Ne6 draw (Kaufman-Schwab, No. Virginia Op, Mt. Vernon, 2001).
• If 10.b4 c6 11.dxc6 bxc6 transposes to the notes to the notes to Black's eighth move.
• If 8...a5 9.Nd4 Na6 then:
• If 10.b3 Bd7 then:
• 11.Rb1 Nc5 12.Bb2 c6 13.e3 Rc8 14.Qe2 Qf7 15.Rfd1 Nfe4 16.Rbc1 Nxc3 17.Bxc3 Ne4 18.Bxa5 cxd5 19.cxd5 Qxd5 is equal (M.Gurevich-Mainka, Rpd, Frankfurt, 2000).
• 11.Bb2 g5 12.e3 f4 13.exf4 gxf4 14.Ne6 Bxe6 15.dxe6 c6 16.Ne2 gives White the advantage in space ( (Andersson-Szabolcsi, French ChT, France, 1992).
• If 10.e4 fxe4 11.Nxe4 Nxe4 12.Bxe4 Bh3 then:
• If 13.Re1 Nc5 14.Bh1 Qf7 15.Be3 Rae8 16.Qd2 b6 17.b3 Kh8 18.Rad1 e5 19.dxe6 Nxe6 is equal.(Andersson-Stellwagen, TMatch, Amsterdam, 2006).
• 13.Bg2 Bxg2 14.Kxg2 Nc5 15.Re1 Qf7 16.f4 e5 17.dxe6 Qf6 18.Be3 Nxe6 19.Nxe6 Qxe6 is equal (Re. Mamedov-Strutinskaya, TW, Moscow, 1987).
• If 7...Nc6 8.d5 then:
• If 8...Ne5 9.Nxe5 dxe5 then:
• If 10.e4 f4 11.gxf4 exf4 then:
• If 12.e5 Ng4 13.e6 Ne5 then:
• If 14.Re1 Nxc4 15.Re4 Nd6 16.Rxf4 b6 then:
• 17.h4 Bb7 18.h5 Rxf4 19.Bxf4 Qf8 20.Bg3 Qf5 21.hxg6 Qxg6 22.Rc1 Bh6 23.Rc2 Ba6 24.Ne2 igives White a tactical and strategic edge (Aaberg-Kobalia, Op, Gibraltar, 2006).
• 17.Qa4 Bb7 draw (Tinik-Najer, Russia Cup, Tolgiatty, 2001).
• 14.Qb3 f3 15.Bh3 g5 16.Re1 Qe8 17.Ne4 Qg6 18.Qa3 Re8 19.Qa4 c6 20.Ng3 Rf8 21.Bd2 Nd3 22.Bb4 Nxf2 gives Black an extra pawn (Scerbo-de la Riva, Op, Saint Vincent, 1999).
• 12.Bxf4 Nxe4 13.Ne2 Nd6 14.c5 Nf5 15.Qb3 Kh8 16.Rad1 a5 17.Rd2 Ra6 18.Rfd1 Nh4 19.Qg3 Nf5 20.Qb3 Nh4 21.Qg3 Nf5 draw (Stefanova-Lu Xiaosha, ITZW, Kishinev, 1995).
• If 10.Qb3 Kh8 11.Rd1 h6 12.c5 g5 13.Bd2 a6 then:
• 14.Na4 Qe8 15.Ba5 Bd7 16.Nc3 b6 17.cxb6 cxb6 18.Qxb6 Rb8 19.Qc5 Rxb2 20.Qa3 Rb5 21.Nxb5 Bxb5 22.Bb4 leaves White up by an exchange (Tukmakov-Reinderman, Op, Wijk aan Zee, 1993).
• 14.Be1 Rb8 15.Qa3 b5 16.b4 e4 17.Qb3 Qe8 18.d6 exd6 is equal (Kurth-Conroy, Corres. 1997).
• If 8...Na5 then:
• 9.Qd3 c5 10.b3 a6 11.Bb2 Rb8 then:
• 12.Nd2 Ng4 13.Nd1 Ne5 14.Qc2 f4 15.gxf4 Rxf4 16.e3 Bf5 17.e4 Bg4 18.f3 Bd7 is equal (Barendregt-van der Weide, Op, Wijk aan Zee, 1970).
• If 12.Rab1 b5 13.Nd2 Ng4 14.e3 Qe8 15.Ba1 g5 16.cxb5 axb5 is equal (M. Petursson-Ostenstad, IT, Gausdal, 1990).
• If 9.Nd2 c5 10.Qc2 then:
• If 10...e5 then:
• If 11.dxe6 then:
• 11...Bxe6 12.b3 d5 13.cxd5 Nxd5 14.Bb2 Nb4 15.Qd1 Rf7 16.Nf3 Rd7 is equal (Kuchurin-Tseitlin, GMT, Riazin, 1982).
• 11.a3 b6 12.b4 Nb7 13.Nb3 Qe7 14.bxc5 bxc5 15.Bd2 e4 16.Rae1 Bd7 is equal (Kozma-Ghitescu, IT, Zinniwitz, 1965).
• If 10...a6 11.b3 Rb8 12.Bb2 b5 13.Rab1 then:
• 13...e5 14.dxe6 Bxe6 15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.cxd5 Rc8 17.Bc3 Re8 18.Rfe1 b4 19.Bb2 gives Black an advantage in space on the queenside, but White can strike in thew center (Vukic-Matulovic, Yugoslav Ch, Belgrade, 1978).
• 13...Bd7 14.e3 Qc7 15.Ne2 bxc4 16.bxc4 Rb7 17.Bc3 Rfb8 18.Nf4 Rxb1 19.Rxb1 Rxb1+ 20.Qxb1 Ne8 21.Bxg7 Nxg7 22.a3 Nb7 23.Qb2 draw (Ribli-Rustemov, Bundesliga 0102, Germany, 2002).

8.Rb1

• If 8.d5 e5 9.dxe6 Bxe6 then:
• If 10.Qd3 Na6 then:
• If 11.Bf4 then:
• If 11...Ne4 12.Nxe4 fxe4 13.Qxe4 Nc5 14.Qc2 Bf5 15.Qd2 Ne4 16.Qb4 Qb6 17.Qxb6 axb6 18.Nh4 Bxb2 then:
• 19.Rab1 Rxa2 20.Nxf5 gxf5 21.Bxe4 fxe4 22.Bxd6 is equal (de Boer-Timmerman, Dutch ChT, Holland, 1992).
• 19.Nxf5 gxf5 20.Rad1 draw (Kaabi-Barbero, Ol, Dubai, 1986).
• 11...Ne8 12.b3 Nc5 13.Qd2 Qe7 14.Rad1 Rd8 15.Rfe1 Bc8 16.b4 Ne6 17.Be3 d5 18.cxd5 Qxb4 19.Nd4 is equal (Khechumyan-Szabolcsi, Op, Budapest, 2001).
• If 11.Ng5 then:
• If 11...Qe7 then:
• If 12.Bf4 Rfd8 13.Rad1 then:
• 13...Nh5 14.Nxe6 Qxe6 15.Bg5 Rd7 16.Be3 Nc5 17.Qd2 Qxc4 gives Black an extra pawn (Veerman-ven der Elburg, Op, Dieren, 2000).
• 13...Ng4 14.Nxe6 Qxe6 15.b3 Nc5 16.Qc2 Qe7 17.Qc1 h5 18.h3 gives WHite the initiative (Zhidkov-Kholmov, Soviet Ch, Baku, 1972).
• If 11...Bc8 12.Bf4 Nh5 then:
• 13.Bd2 Nc5 14.Qc2 a5 15.Rad1 Qe7 16.Qc1 h6 17.Nh3 g5 18.f4 g4 19.Nf2 Nf6 20.Rfe1 Be6 21.b3 a4 22.b4 Ncd7 23.e4 Bxc4 24.exf5 draw (Ivkov-Soylu, ZT, Budva, 1981).
• 13.Rad1 Nxf4 14.gxf4 h6 15.Nf3 Rf6 16.Rd2 Nc5 17.Qc2 Qe7 18.Nd4 Bd7 19.e3 a5 20.Nb3 Ne6 21.Na4 g5 22.Nb6 Rd8 23.fxg5 Nxg5 24.Nxd7 draw (García-Ivkov, Capablanca Mem, Havana, 1986).
• If 10.b3 Na6 11.Bb2 Qe7 12.Ng5 then:
• 12...Rad8 13.Nxe6 Qxe6 14.Qc2 Nc5 15.Rad1 Rfe8 16.e3 Nfe4 17.Ne2 Bxb2 18.Qxb2 a5 is equal (Smejkal-Priehoda, Czechslovakian Ch, Sumperk, 1984).
• 12...Bd7 13.Qc2 Rad8 14.Rad1 Bc8 15.Rfe1 h6 16.Nf3 Ng4 is equal (M. Bensdorp-Nijboer, Op, Amsterdam, 2006).
• If 8.Qb3 Kh8 9.Rd1 Na6 10.Qa3 Nc7 11.d5 Bd7 12.Qb3 Rb8 13.Be3 c5 14.a4 b6 15.Nb5 a6 16.Nxc7 Qxc7 is equal (Plomp-Kamenets, Corres, 2002).

8...Ne4

• If 8...Qe8 9.d5 Na6 10.dxc6 bxc6 11.b4 Bd7 then:
• 12.a3 Nc7 13.Bb2 Ne6 14.e3 Nd8 15.b5 Rc8 16.a4 cxb5 17.cxb5 Gives White a remote pawn majority and the advantage in space (Rees-Ribera, Ol, Calvia, 2004).
• 12.b5 cxb5 13.cxb5 Nc5 14.a4 Rc8 15.Nd4 Nfe4 16.Nxe4 Nxe4 is equal (Haba-M. Gurevich, Austrian ChT 0203, Austria, 2002).

9.Qc2!?

• If 9.Nxe4 fxe4 10.Nd2 d5 11.e3 then:
• 11...Be6 12.b4 b5 13.cxb5 cxb5 14.a4 bxa4 15.Qxa4 Nd7 16.Qa2 Bf7 17.Nb3 Nb6 is equal (Beliavsky-Agrest, Euro ChT, Batumi, 1999).
• 11...Kh8 12.b4 Nd7 13.b5 e5 14.Ba3 Re8 15.bxc6 bxc6 16.Qa4 Nb6 is equal (Knott-Zeidler, MT, Sunningdale, 2008).

9...Nxc3

• The game is equal.

10.bxc3 e5 11.Rd1 e4 12.Ng5 h6

• 12...Qf6 13.Qb3 c5 14.Be3 Nc6 15.Qb5 remains equal.

13.Nh3 g5

• 13...Qf6 14.Nf4 b6 15.Qd2 Qf7 16.Ba3 remains equal.

14.f3 d5 15.Nf2 Kh8!?

• 15...e3 16.Bxe3 f4 17.gxf4 gxf4 18.Bc1 remains equal.

16.cxd5 cxd5 17.c4!?

• White either fails to see or chooses to ignore the coming diffculties from Black's pawn advance in the center. He would get a much better game nipping the problem in the bud.
• 17.fxe4! fxe4 18.c4 Qc7 19.Qb3! then:
• If 19...Qxc4 20.Qxc4 dxc4 21.Nxe4 then:
• If 21...Nc6 22.e3 Bg4 23.Re1 then:
• 23...a5 24.Rxb7 Nb4 25.Ba3 Rab8 26.Ra7 gives White an extra pawn.
• 23...b6? 24.Ba3! Rfc8 25.Nd6! Rab8 26.Rec1 White wins at least the exchange.
• If 21...Rd8 22.Bb2 Nc6 23.d5 then:
• If 23...Bxb2 24.dxc6 Rxd1+ 25.Rxd1 then:
• 25...c3 26.Nxc3 Bxc3 27.cxb7 Bxb7 28.Bxb7 gives White an extra pawn.
• 25...bxc6 26.Rd8+ Kg7 27.Nd6 Bd4+ 28.Kh1 Rb8 29.Bxc6 gives White more activity.
• 23...Ne5 24.Nd2 Re8 25.d6 Bf5 26.Bxe5 Bxe5 27.Rxb7 gives White a clear advantage.
• If 19...dxc4 20.Qc3 Bf5 21.Nxe4 then:
• 21...Na6 22.Ba3 Rfe8 23.Nd6 Bxb1 24.Rxb1 Rxe2 25.Rxb7 gives White a powerful game.
• If 21...Re8 then after 22.Rxb7 Qxb7 23.Nd6 Qe7 24.Nxf5 White wins.

BLACK: Hikaru Nakamura
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Vladimir Kramnik
Position after 17.c3c4

17...e3!?

• The pawn sacrifice throws White's pieces into disorder.

18.Nd3!

• Declining the proffered pawn, at least for now, keeps some semblance of order in White's game.
• 18.Bxe3 f4 19.Bd2 Bf5 20.Nd3 Qc7 21.g4 Bg6 remains equal.

18...Nc6

• Black sees he must develop his queenside.
• 18...f4!? 19.Ba3 Rf5 20.g4 Rf7 21.Ne5 Rc7 22.Qg6 gives White the initiative and an impressive advantage in space in spite of being virtually a piece down due to the entombed light bound Bishop.

19.Bxe3!

• White finally takes the pawn and assures himself of the advantage.

19...Nxd4 20.Bxd4 Bxd4+

• Black has the momentary advantage in space.

21.Kh1

• Space, however, is a fluid thing.
• White can turn matters around with 21.Nf2! Be3 22.cxd5! (opening a line for the Queen) 22...f4 23.d6 giving White an extra pawn that is running up the board.

21...f4!?

• Black drops the d-pawn.
• If 21...dxc4 then:
• 22.Ne5 Qf6 23.Rxd4 Qxe5 24.Rxc4 f4 25.g4 gives White the initiative, but Black has a queenside majority and can use that after weathering the present storm.
• White stands better after 22.Nc5 Qf6 23.Qxc4 Bxc5 24.Qxc5 Re8 25.e4, but Black can use his queenside majority in an attempt to whip up counterplay.

22.Rb5!

• White wins a pawn at least temporarily.

22...Qf6?

• It will do Black little good to protect the pawn.
• 22...Be6? 23.Nxf4!! gxf4 24.Rxd4 fxg3 25.cxd5 Qf6 26.Rxb7 wins for White.
• 22...dxc4 23.Nxf4 gxf4 24.Qxc4 fxg3 25.Rxd4 Qf6 26.hxg3 gives White an extra pawn.
• Black's best bet appears to be the path of least resistance: 22...fxg3 23.Rxd5 Qf6 24.hxg3 Be6 25.Rd6 Rad8 26.c5 gives White the active game, but Black can get his pawn back and gain some counterplay after 26...Rxd6 27.cxd6 Rd8 28.Qc7 Bb6

BLACK: Hikaru Nakamura
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Vladimir Kramnik
Position after 22...Qd8f6

23.Rxd5

• The text is good enough to keep the pawn.
• Stronger is 23.cxd5! when:
• 23...Rd8 24.Qb3 fxg3 25.hxg3 Qf7 when White has a passed pawn.
• 23...fxg3? 24.hxg3 Qd6 25.Qc4! Bg7 26.Kh2 Qd8 27.e gives White an extra pawn.

23...Be6

• Black drops another pawn.
• 23...fxg3 24.hxg3 Be6 25.Rd6 Rad8 26.c5 Rxd6 27.cxd6 White remains a pawn to the good.

24.Nxf4 gxf4 25.R5xd4 fxg3 26.hxg3

• White emerges with two extra pawns.

26...Rg8 27.Rf4 Qg5 28.Rh4 Rg6 29.Qc3+ Kh7

• Being two pawns down, it only makes matters worse to exchange Queens in order to relieve pressure.
• 29...Qf6 30.Qxf6+ Rxf6 31.e4 wins easily for White.

BLACK: Hikaru Nakamura
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Vladimir Kramnik
Position after 29...Kh8h7

30.f4!

• This more forcing move allows White to remains two pawns to the good.
• 30.Qb3 Rb8 then:
• 31.f4 Qxg3 32.Qxg3 Rxg3 33.Be4+ Kg7 34.Kh2 still wins for White.
• 31.Qc2?! Qxg3! 32.Rh2 Rf8 33.Qa4 a6 White still has an extra pawn, but he has to win the game all over again.

30...Qxg3 31.Qxg3 Rxg3 32.Bxb7 Rb8 33.Be4+ Kg7 34.Kh2 Re3

• Black has no effective moves.
• 34...Ra3 35.Rg1+ Kf7 36.Rxh6 Rb2 37.Rh7+ Kf8 38.Rd1 doesn't change the situation in the slightest.

35.Rg1+ Kf7 36.Bg6+ Ke7 37.Bd3 Rb2 38.Rg2 Rxa2

• 38...Bf7 39.Rxh6 Rxa2 40.Rh7 Kf6 41.c5 Rd2 42.c6 wins for White.

39.Rxh6 Bf7 40.Rh7 Kf6

• No better is 40...Ra6 41.Rg3 Rxg3 42.Kxg3 Rd6 43.c5.

41.c5 Ra4 42.c6 Rxf4 43.c7 Re8 44.Rxf7+ 1-0

• 44...Kxf7 45.Bg6+ Kf8 46.Bxe8 Rc4 47.Ba4 wins for White.
• Mr. Nakamura resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Swinkels - Li Chao, Round 10

Li Chao
Photo by Jon Thor, Wikipedia (Public Domain)


Robin Swinkels - Li Chao
72nd Corus Tournament (Group C), Round 10
Wijk aan Zee, 27 January 2010

King's Engslish Game: Catalan Four Knights' Opening

1.c4 Nf6 2.g3 e5 3.Bg2 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Nc3 Nb6 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.0-0 Be7 8.a3 0-0

• For moves up to here, see Zhao Xue-Yildiz, Grand Prix W, Nanjing, 2009.
• 8...a5 9.d3 0-0 10.Be3 Be6 then:
• If 11.Bxb6 cxb6 then:
• 12.Rc1 f6 13.Nd2 Rc8 14.Nc4 Rf7 15.Re1 Bf8 16.Qb3 Bc5 is equal (Zhao Xue-Yildiz, Grand Prix W, Nanjing, 2009).
• 12.Nd2 f5 13.Nc4 e4 14.Ne3 exd3 15.Ned5 dxe2 16.Qxe2 Bxd5 17.Nxd5 Bf6 draw (Opocensky-Flohr, IT, Podebrady, 1936).
• If 11.Rc1 f5 12.Na4 then:
• 12...Nxa4 13.Qxa4 Bd5 14.Bc5 Kh8 15.Bxe7 Qxe7 16.Qb5 Rad8 is equal (Mueller-Dew, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• 12...Nd5 13.Bc5 Bd6 14.e4 Nb6 15.exf5 Bd5 16.Re1 Nxa4 17.Qxa4 Qf6 (Bischoff-Czeremin, Op, Hamburg, 2001).
• If 11.Na4 Nd5 12.Bc5 Bd6 13.Rc1 h6 then:
• If 14.d4 e4 15.Ne5 f5 16.Nxc6 bxc6 then:
• 17.Bxd6 Qxd6 18.Qc2 Nf6 19.e3 Bd5 20.Qd2 gives White better mobility (Quinteros-Dzindzichashvili, Op, New York, 1983).
• 17.e3 Qd7 18.Qc2 Rab8 19.Ba7 Rb7 20.Nc5 Bxc5 21.Bxc5 Rfb8 22.Rb1 a4 23.Rfc1 Rb3 24.Bf1 Nf6 25.Bb4 Bd5 26.Bc4 draw (Rogoff-Panno, IT, Amsterdam, 1980).
• 14.Nd2 Rc8 15.Ne4 b6 16.Nxd6 cxd6 17.Bxb6 Nxb6 18.Rxc6 Rb8 19.Nxb6 Rxb6 20.Qc2 gives Whie an extra pawn (Kasparov-K. Georgiev, World Blitz Ch, Saint John, 1988).

9.b4 Be6 10.Rb1 f6 11.d3 a5

• An alternate plan is to play in the center.
• If 11...Nd4 12.Nd2 c6 13.Nde4 Rf7 then:
• 14.e3 Nb5 15.Nxb5 cxb5 16.Bb2 Na4 17.Ba1 Rc8 18.d4 f5 19.Nc5 Nxc5 20.bxc5 Bc4 21.Bxb7 Rb8 22.Bg2 Bxf1 23.Bxf1 exd4 24.exd4 Kh8 25.Rc1 Rc8 26.Bxb5 gives White a Bishop and two mobile pawns for a Rook (Ponomariov-Bareev, Team M, Moscow, 2002).
• If 14.Bd2 then:
• 14...Rb8 15.a4 Nd5 16.e3 Nf5 17.Nc5 Bxc5 18.bxc5 Nxc3 19.Bxc3 Rd7 20.Qc2 Qe7 21.Ba1 Rbd8 22.Rfd1 h5 gives White's Bishops have more potential than Black's minor pieces (Ljubojevic-Ivanchuk, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2002).
• 14...Nd5 15.e3 Nxc3 16.Nxc3 Nf5 17.Qc2 Bf8 18.Rfd1 a5 19.Na4 axb4 20.Bxb4 Kh8 21.Bxf8 Qxf8 22.Nc5 Bc8 23.a4 Nd6 gives White the advantage in space (Aronian-Karjakin, Amber Rapid, Nice, 2008).

12.b5 Nd4 13.Nd2 Qc8

• If 13...Bd5 14.Nxd5 Nxd5 then:
• If 15.Bb2 a4 16.Bxd4 exd4 17.Qc2 Kh8 18.Nc4 Re8 then:
• 19.Rbc1 Bf8 20.Qb2 Nc3 21.e3 gives White the more active game (Ostenstad-Johanessen, Norwegian Ch, Moss, 2006).
• 19.Rfe1 Bc5 20.Na5 Rxa5 21.Qxc5 Nc3 22.Bxb7 Re5 gives Black the initiative in compensation for his pawn (marin-Lima, Ol, Calvia, 2004).
• 15.Ne4 a4 16.e3 Nb3 17.Rxb3 axb3 18.Qxb3 Kh8 19.Ng5 fxg5 20.Bxd5 Rb8 is equal (Petursson-Stefansson, Icelandic Ch, Gardabaer, 1996).

14.e3 Nf5 15.Qc2 Rd8 16.Bb2 a4

• 16...Nh6 17.Rfd1 Nf7 18.Rbc1 Bf8 19.h4 Bh3 20.Bh1 Bg4 21.Re1 Bf5 is equal (van Wely-Tiviakov, Dutch Ch, Hilversum, 2006).
• 16...Rb8 17.Rfd1 Kh8 18.Ne2 Qd7 19.e4 Nd6 20.a4 c6 is equal (Katchiani-Shen Yang, FIDE Knock Out W, Nalchik, 2008).

17.Rfd1

• 17.Rfc1 Nd6 18.Nde4 Ne8 19.Qe2 Bf8 20.f4 exf4 21.gxf4 is equal (Carlsen-Kramnik, IT, London, 2009).

17...Nd6 18.Ba1 Nf7!?

• 18...Kh8 19.Qc1 Nf7 20.Bf1 Ng5 is equal (Leer-Salvesen- Adnoy, IT, Gausdal, 2001).

BLACK: Li Chao
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Robin Swinkels
Position after 18...Nd6f7

19.Nc4

• More investigation is needed, but the novelty appears to favor Black. We will probably see 18...Nf7 again.
• If 19.Bb2 then:
• If 19...Nd6 then:
• 20.Rdc1 Qd7 21.Nf3 Ra5 22.Bf1 Bb3 gives Black the initiative.
• 20.d4 exd4 21.exd4 Bf5 22.Nde4 Ndc4 is equal.
• 19...Ra5 20.Nc4 Nxc4 21.dxc4 Bxc4 22.Nd5 Bxd5 23.Bxd5 gives White the advantage in space.

19...Bf8!?

• If Black's idea is to provoke White into allowing him greater activity, then this is a good way to go aboout it.
• Objectively better is 19...Nxc4 20.dxc4 Rxd1+ 21.Rxd1 Bxa3 22.Nxa4 Nd6 when Black still has the initiative.

20.Nxb6

• This is exactly what Black wanted.
• 20.Be4 f5 21.Bg2 Bxc4 22.dxc4 Bxa3 gives Black an extra pawn.

20...cxb6!

• White's pawn structure is spoiled, but Black's heavy pieces now find themselves on open files.

21.Qc1 Bg4 22.f3 Bf5 23.e4!?

• White throws the Black Bishop in the briar patch by forcing him to go to an open diagonal.
• 23.Bf1 Qe6 24.Bb2 Bc5 25.Kh1 Bg6 26.Ne4 Rac8 gives Black a small advantage in space.

23...Be6!

• Br'er Rabbit says thank you to Br'er Fox.

24.Kh1 Qc5 25.Bb2 Bb3 26.Rd2 Nd6 27.Bf1

• The text move has the virtue for White of not letting his position get worse.
• 27.f4 Nxb5 28.fxe5 Nxc3 29.Qxc3 Qxc3 30.Bxc3 Bxa3 gives Black an extra pawn.

27...Rac8 28.Qe1!?

• White ignores the threat to his d-pawn.
• 28.Bh3 Rc7 29.Kg2 Be7 30.Re2 g6 31.f4 then:
• 31...Nf7 32.Qd2 Qd6 33.Rc1 Kg7 34.Bg4 Rc5 Black wins the pawn at d3.
• 31.Nd5!? Bxd5 32.exd5 Qxc1 33.Bxc1 Nf5! Black wins the pawn at d5.

BLACK: Li Chao
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Robin Swinkels
Position after 28.Qc1e1

28...Nxb5!

• White does the best and most obvious thing: he takes the pawn.
• If 28...f5!? 29.Rc1 Nxb5 30.Nxb5 Qxb5 then:
• 31.Rxc8 Rxc8 32.exf5 Bc2 is equal.
• 31.exf5!? Rxc1 32.Qxc1 Qc6! 33.Kg2 Bd5 34.Be2 Be7 gives Black the advantage in space.

29.Nxb5 Qxb5 30.d4

• 30.Rc1?! Rxc1 31.Qxc1 Qc6! 32.Qa1 Bc5 33.f4 Be3 Black threatens to win another pawn.

30...Qd7 31.d5

• 31.Rc1 Bc5 32.d5 b5 33.f4 exf4 34.gxf4 b4 Black continues to enjoy more and healthier pawns.

31...b5 32.f4 exf4 33.gxf4 b4 34.Qg3?

• White tries to pressure Black's kingside, but the plan is already half-refuted by the proctection Black already affords the g-pawn.
• 34.Qe3 Qe8 35.Bh3 Rxd5! then:
• If 36.Bd4 Rxd4 37.Rxd4 Rc3 then:
• 38.Bd7 Rxe3 39.Bxe8 Bc2 40.Rbxb4 Bxb4 41.Rxb4 Rxe4 gives Black two extra pawns.
• If 38.Rd3 Bc5 39.Rxc3 bxc3 then:
• 40.Qd3 c2 41.Rc1 Bxa3 42.Rxc2 Bxc2 43.Qxc2 Bd6 gives Black two extra pawns that are passed, connected and remote.
• If 40.Qxc5 Qxe4+ 41.Kg1 Qxb1+ then:
• 42.Bf1 Qe1 43.Qc8+ Kf7 44.Qxb7+ Kg6 45.Qg2+ Kf5 is an easy win for Black.
• 42.Kf2 Qc2+ 43.Kg3 Qd3+ 44.Kh4 g5+ 45.fxg5 Qe4+ crushes White.
• 36.Rxd5 Bxd5 37.Re1 Be6 38.f5 Bc4 39.axb4 Bxb4 gives Black the initiative and two extra pawns.
• If 34.Rd3 bxa3 35.Bc3 Bc2 36.Bh3 then:
• 36...Qc7 37.Re3 Bxb1 38.Bxc8 Rxc8 39.Qxb1 Qxf4 leaves Black up by three pawns.
• 36...Bxd3 37.Bxd7 Rxd7 38.Rd1 then:
• If 38...Bc2 39.Rc1 Rxc3 40.Qxc3 Bxe4+ 41.Kg1 Bxd5 Black queenside pawns trump the Queen.
• If 38...Rxc3?! 39.Qxc3! then:
• If 39...Bxe4+ 40.Kg1 a2 41.Qc4 Bb1 42.d6+ is equal.
• If 39...Bb5?? then after 40.Kg2 a2 41.Qc2! Black has suddenly turned to toast.

34...Qe7 35.Re1 bxa3 36.d6

• 36.Bc3 Qd6 37.Bg2 Qb6 38.Rd3 Rxc3!! 39.Rxc3 Bb4! wins the excahnge, leaving Black up by two pawns.

36...Rxd6!

• Black could not have made this move without calculating the ramifications of the sacrifice that follows.
• If 36...axb2!? 37.dxe7 Rxd2 38.Bh3 Re8 then:
• 39.exf8Q+! Rxf8 40.Bf5 b5 41.Rg1 Rf7 42.Qe3 Rc2 gives White a fighting chance as Black must prepare further for the pawn promotion.
• If 39.Qe3!? then after 39...Rc2 40.exf8Q+ Rxf8 41.Bf5 g6 42.Bg4 b5 Black's queenside pawns carry the day.

37.Bxa3

• If 37.Bd4 then after 37...Rdd8 38.Bh3 Rc7 39.e5 fxe5 40.fxe5 b5 Black is still three pawns to the good with White's reserve pawn tempi almost exhausted.

BLACK: Li Chao
!""""""""#
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$+ + + + %
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Robin Swinkels
Position after 37.Bc1a3:p

37...Rxd2!!

• The Queen sacrifice is the only move that clearly wins.
• If 37...Qc7!? 38.Bxd6! Bxd6 then:
• If 39.Rf2! Re8 40.Rf3 Bb4 41.Ree3 Qc1 42.Qh3 Bd1 gives White chances for counterplay.
• If 39.Qg4 h5 then:
• 40.Qf5! Bb4 41.Rd7 Bxe1 42.Rxc7 Rxc7 43.Qxh5 Bb4 Black remains better, but White has chances for counterplay.
• 40.Qh3? Bb4 41.Rdd1 Bxe1 42.Rxe1 Qc3 43.Re3 Qc1 wins for Black.

38.Bxe7 Bxe7 39.Re2

• 39.Qe3 Rcc2 40.Re2 Rxe2 41.Bxe2 Rb2 Black wins easily.

39...Rxe2 40.Bxe2 Bf7!

• If there was any doubt, Black wins. White can no longer stop the a-pawn from queening without losing a piece.

41.Qd3

• If 41.Qe3 then 41...a3 42.Qg1 a2 43.Bg4 Ra8 44.Qa1 Bc5 and 45...Bd4 forces the Queen to vacate the promotion square.

41...a3 42.Qd7

• If 42.Qd1 a2 then:
• If 43.Kg2 then after 43...Bb4 44.Bg4 Ra8 45.Qa1 Bc3 the Queen must vacate a1.
• If 43.e5 then after 43...Ra8 44.Qa1 Bd5+ 45.Kg1 Bc5+ 46.Kf1 Bd4 the Queen is forced to move.

42...Rc1+ 43.Kg2 Kf8 44.Qxb7

• If 44.Qd2 Rc8 45.Qa5 a2 then:
• If 46.Bg4 Rc2+ 47.Kf3 Kg8 48.e5 then after 48...Rc1 Black must either sacrifice the Queen or allow the pawn to promote.
• 48.Qe1 then after 48...Rb2 49.Qa5 Rb1 Black must either sacrifice the Queen or allow the pawn to promote.
• If 46.Qa4 then after 46...Bb3 47.Qa7 Rc2 48.Kf3 Rc1 Black must either sacrifice the Queen or allow the pawn to promote.

44...g6 45.e5

• If 45.Qb8+ then after 45...Kg7 46.Qa7 Bc5 47.Qa6 a2 Black must either sacrifice the Queen or allow the pawn to promote.

45...a2 46.exf6 Bxf6 0-1

• Mh. Swinkels resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Nakamura - Shirov, Round 7

Alexei Shirov started at Wijk aan Zee with five consecutive wins, but scored -2 the rest of the way. Still, this was good enough to tie for second place.

Reigning US national champion Hikaru Nakamura, making his debut at Wijk aan Zee, finished with 7½ points (+4 -2 =7) and demonstrated that he has earned the right to play in elite events.

In the following game, Naka knocked el señor Shirov out of first place. The two fiery competitors did not disappoint their fans, who were expecting a real fight.



Hikaru Nakamura
Photo: ChessBase.com


Hikaru Nakamura - Alexei Shirov
72nd Corus Tournament (Group A), Round 7
Wijk aan Zee, 23 January 2010

Open Sicilian Game: Sveshnikov Defense

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5

• If 7.Nd5 Nxd5 8.exd5 Nb8 9.c4 Be7 then:
• If 10.Be2 0-0 11.0-0 a6 12.Nc3 f5 13.f4 Bf6 14.Kh1 Nd7 15.Qc2 then:
• 15...exf4 16.Bxf4 Be5 17.Qd2 Qf6 18.Bxe5 Nxe5 19.Rac1 f4 20.Ne4 Qh6 21.c5 Bg4 22.c6 bxc6 23.dxc6 gives White an advanced passer (Schneider-Ramirez, IT, Richardson, Texas, 2007).
• 15...g6 16.Be3 exf4 17.Bxf4 Be5 18.Rad1 b6 19.a3 Ra7 20.Qd2 Bxf4 21.Qxf4 Ne5 is equal (Turunen-Topi Hulmi, Finnish ChT, Finland, 2000).
• If 10.Bd3 0-0 11.0-0 a6 12.Nc3 f5 13.f3 Bg5 14.Kh1 Nd7 15.b4 a5 16.a3 axb4 17.Bxg5 Qxg5 18.axb4 Rxa1 19.Qxa1 Qe3 20.Be2 then:
• 20...b5 21.Qc1 Qxc1 22.Rxc1 bxc4 23.Nb5 Bb7 24.Nxd6 Bxd5 is equal (Leko-Kramnik, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2003).
• If 20...Nb8 then:
• 21.Qb2 Na6 22.Rb1 Bd7 23.Nd1 Qd4 24.Qxd4 exd4 25.Kg1 Rb8 is equal (Svidler-Timofeev, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2004).
• 21.Qc1 Qb6 22.Na2 Na6 23.Qc3 Bd7 24.g3 Ra8 25.Kg2 Qd4 26.Qxd4 exd4 27.Rd1 Nc7 28.Nc1 gives White better pawn structure and, for the moment, more activity (Xu Yuhua-Stefanova, No Urals Cup, Krasnoturinsk, 2005).
• 13...Nd7 14.Be3 Bg5 15.Bf2 Qf6 16.Qc2 Nc5 17.Be2 a5 18.Na4 Nxa4 19.Qxa4 e4 20.Qa3 Bf4 21.fxe4 Be5 22.Rab1 Qh6 23.g3 fxe4 is equal (Smeets-Pavlovic, Corus C, Wijk aan Zee, 2004).

7...a6 8.Bxf6

• If 8.Na3 b5 then:
• If 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Nd5 then:
• (Novosibirsk Variation)If 10...Bg7 11.Bd3 Ne7 12.Nxe7 Qxe7 then:
• If 13.0-0 0-0 14.c4 f5 15.Qf3 then:
• If 15...d5 16.cxd5 fxe4 17.Bxe4 Rb8 then:
• If 18.Rfd1 then:
• If 18...f5 19.d6 Qf6 20.Bc6 Be6 21.Bd5 Rbd8 22.Qb3 then:
• 22...Bf7 23.Nc2 Rxd6 24.Bxf7+ Rxf7 25.Rxd6 Qxd6 is equal. (Anand-Radjabov, IT, Linares, 2009).
• If 22...Bxd5 23.Rxd5 Kh8 24.Rad1 e4 25.Nc2 White still has an extra pawn, and it's moving up the d-file (Bach-T. Kosintseva, Euro Ch, Kusadasi, 2006).
• If 18...Qd7 19.d6 Rb6 20.Qd3 Rd8 21.Rac1 Bf8 then:
• 22.Rc7 Qxc7 23.Bxh7+ Kg7 24.dxc7 Rxd3 25.Bxd3 Rc6 26.Nc2 f5 27.Ne3 e4 28.Bb1 Rxc7 29.g4 fxg4 30.Bxe4 gives White an extra pawn.(Galkin-Khairullin, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2006).
• 22.Qg3+ Bg7 23.Qh4 Rxd6 24.Bxh7+ Kf8 25.Qb4 Bb7 26.Nc2 gives White an extra pawn (Vallejo-Radjabov, IT, Linares, 2004).
• 18...Qh4 19.g3 Qg5 20.Qb3 Bg4 21.Bf3 f5 22.Bxg4 Qxg4 23.Rac1 f4 24.d6+ gives White an extra pawn and command of the open c-file, but Black has plenty of play (Topalov-Radjabov, IT, Linares, 2004).
• 18.Rad1 Rb6 19.Qd3 Qd7 20.Bxh7+ Kh8 21.Qe3 Rh6 22.Bc2 Qd6 23.g3 Bh3 24.Rfe1 f5 25.f4 exf4 26.Qe7 Qb6+ White resigns (P. Smirnov-Radjabov, FIDE Knock Out, Tripoli, 2004).
• 15...bxc4 16.Nxc4 d5 17.exd5 e4 18.Qe3 Bb7 19.d6 Qf6 20.Bc2 f4 21.Qh3 Rac8 22.b3 Qg5 23.d7 Rc6 24.Bxe4 gives White two extra pawns (Anand-Kasimdzhanov, World Cup, Hyderabad, 2002).
• If 13.c3 f5 14.Nc2 0-0 15.0-0 then:
• 15...Rb8 16.exf5 e4 17.Re1 Bxf5 18.Nd4 Bxd4 19.cxd4 d5 20.Qd2 Rb6 21.Rac1 Rg6 22.Bf1 Qh4 23.Re3 Qg5 24.g3 h5 25.Rc5 Be6 26.Re2 is equal (Short-Illescas, IT, Madrid, 1997).
• 15...f4 16.a4 bxa4 17.Rxa4 Qg5 18.Qe2 a5 19.Ne1 Bb7 20.Nf3 Qd8 21.Bc4 leaves White very comfortable for the time being (Goloshchapov-Jakovenko, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• (Chelyabinsk Variation)If 10...f5 then:
• If 11.Bd3 Be6 then:
• If 12.c3 then:
• If 12...Bg7 then:
• If 13.Nxb5 axb5 14.Bxb5 Bd7 15.exf5 Nb8 then:
• If 16.Qg4 then:
• 16...0-0 17.0-0 h5 18.Qf3 is equal (Z. Almasi-Ni Hua, IT, Reggio Emilia, 2008-09).
• 16...Kf8 17.Bc4 h5 18.Qf3 Bc6 19.f6 Bh6 20.0-0 Nd7 21.Rfd1 Ra7 22.Qd3 Bxd5 23.Qxd5 Qxf6 24.Qxd6+ Qxd6 25.Rxd6 Ke7 26.Rad1 Nf6 27.Rc6 e4 28.g3 Rb8 29.b4 Bg7 30.a4 Nd7 31.Bb5 draw (Istratescu-Felgaer, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• 16.a4 Bxb5 17.axb5 Rxa1 18.Qxa1 0-0 19.Qa4 Nd7 20.0-0 Nf6 21.Nxf6+ Bxf6 is equal (Murariu-Rogozenko, Op, Timisoara, 2005).
• If 13.Qh5 0-0 14.0-0 f4 then:
• If 15.Rfd1 Rb8 16.Nc2 Qd7 17.h3 f5 18.Ncb4 Nxb4 19.Nxb4 a5 20.exf5 then:
• 20...Bxf5 21.Nc6 Rbe8 22.Bxb5 Qc7 23.Qf3 gives White an extra pawn (Ramesh-Deepan, Op, Dubai, 2004).
• 20...Bf7 21.Qh4 axb4 22.f6 Bg6 23.fxg7 Qxg7 24.Bxg6 Qxg6 25.cxb4 gives White an extra pawn (Moranda-Bobras, Polish Ch, Poznan, 2005).
• 15.Nc2 f5 16.Ncb4 Nxb4 17.Nxb4 d5 18.exd5 Bd7 19.Rfd1 Be8 20.Qh3 Qg5 21.d6 gives White an extra pawn at d6 (Spraggett-Day, Zonal, Calgary, 1975).
• If 15.Rad1 Kh8 16.g3 Rg8 17.Kh1 Bf8 18.Be2 Rg5 19.Qf3 f5 20.gxf4 exf4 21.Nxf4 Bxa2 then:
• If 22.c4 fxe4 23.Qxe4 Qe8 24.Bf3 Qxe4 25.Bxe4 Rc8 26.Ne6 Re5 27.Bxc6 Rxc6 28.Nxf8 b4 29.Nc2 gives White an extra piece (Anand-Hernandez, IT, Mereida, 2001).
• 22.exf5 Rxf5 23.Qe4 Rf7 24.Bh5 Rf6 25.c4 Ne5 is equal (Anand-Topalov, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2001).
• If 12...Bxd5 13.exd5 Ne7 14.0-0 Bg7 15.Qh5 e4 then:
• If 16.Bc2 Qc8 17.Rae1 0-0 then:
• 18.Kh1 Ng6 19.Bb1 Re8 20.f3 b4 21.cxb4 Bxb2 22.Nc2 Bc3 23.Re2 Qc4 24.fxe4 Rxe4 25.Ref2 Re5 26.Qh3 f4 27.Na3 Qxb4 28.Bxg6 fxg6 29.Nc2 Qb2 30.Qd3 Rae8 31.Qxa6 Bd4 32.Nxd4 Qxd4 33.Rxf4 Qxd5 draw (Motylev-Reinderman, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).
• If 18.Bb3 a5 19.Nxb5 a4 20.Bd1 Qc5 21.Be2 Nxd5 22.Qg5 then:
• 22...h6 23.Qg3 f4 24.Qh4 Rae8 25.c4 Nc7 26.Nxc7 Qxc7 27.Qxf4 gives White an extra pawn (Asrian-Ni Hua, World ChT, Beer Sheva, 2005).
• 22...Rab8 23.c4 Nc7 24.Nxc7 Qxc7 25.Qxf5 Rfe8 26.b3 axb3 27.axb3 Rxb3 28.Bd1 White retains the initiative (Pelletier-McShane, IT, Biel, 2004).
• If 16.Be2 0-0 17.Nc2 f4 18.Qg5 f5 19.Rfd1 f3 20.gxf3 Kh8 21.Kh1 then:
• 21...Be5 22.f4 Rg8 23.Qh4 Bg7 24.Bh5 Qf8 25.Ne3 Bf6 26.Qh3 Qh6 27.Nxf5 Nxf5 28.Qxf5 Raf8 is equal (P. Smirnov-Nijboer, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• 21...Rg8 22.Qe3 Ng6 23.Nd4 Be5 24.Nc6 Qh4 25.Nxe5 Nxe5 26.f4 Ng6 is equal (Jakovenko-Maletin, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2004).
• If 12.Qh5 Rg8 13.g3 then:
• If 13...Rg5 then:
• 14.Qxh7 Bxd5 15.exd5 Ne7 16.0-0-0 Qb6 17.Rhf1 Rg6 18.Qh3 e4 19.Be2 Bg7 20.Bh5 Rh6 21.g4 Qc5 22.gxf5 Qb4 23.c3 Bxc3 24.bxc3 draw (Mrugala-Brueckner, Corres, 1998).
• 14.Qd1 Bxd5 15.exd5 Ne7 16.c3 Bh6 17.Be2 Qb6 18.Nc2 Qb7 19.a4 Nxd5 20.0-0 Nf4 21.Bf3 e4 22.Qxd6 Rg6 23.Qe5+ Kf8 is equal (Sakai-Savchak, Corres, 2003).
• If 13...Nd4 14.c3 fxe4 15.Bxe4 Bg4 16.Qxh7 Rg7 17.Qh6 Nf3+ then:
• If 18.Ke2 Ng5+ 19.f3 Nxe4 20.fxg4 Qc8 21.Qe3 Qxg4+ 22.Qf3 Qxf3+ 23.Kxf3 f5 24.Nc2 Kf7 then:
• 25.Nce3 Ke6 26.Nxf5 Kxf5 27.Ne3+ Ke6 28.Kxe4 d5+ 29.Nxd5 gives White two extra pawns (K. Lie-Gabrielsen, Norwegian Ch, Moss, 2006).
• 25.Nde3 Ke6 26.Nxf5 Ng5+ 27.Kg4 Rg8 28.Rhf1 d5 29.Rae1 Ne4+ 30.Kh3 Bc5 31.Kg2 Raf8 32.Nfe3 b4 33.Nxd5 draw (Asrian-van Wely, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2004).
• If 18.Kf1 Rg6 19.Qe3 Bh6 20.Qd3 Nd2+ 21.Kg2 Nxe4 22.Qxe4 Rc8 then:
• If 23.f3 Be6 24.Rad1 Rc5 25.Nb4 Qc8 26.Rhe1 Kf8 27.Kf2 draw (Turlj-Karasalo, Corres, 1991).
• 23.Ne3 Bd7 24.f3 Qg5 25.Nac2 f5 26.Qd3 f4 27.Nf1 Bf5 gives Black the initiative (Thi Diem Huong Nguyen-Nakhbayeva, World Youth Girls, Vung Tau, 2008).
• If 11.c3 Bg7 12.exf5 Bxf5 13.Nc2 0-0 14.Nce3 Be6 15.Bd3 f5 then:
• If 16.Qh5 e4 17.Bc2 Ne7 18.Rd1 b4 19.0-0 bxc3 20.bxc3 then:
• 20...Kh8 21.g3 Rc8 22.Bb3 Bf7 23.Qe2 Bxd5 24.Nxd5 Nxd5 25.Bxd5 a5 26.c4 Rb8 draw (Ponomariov-Leko, World ChT, Yerevan, 2001).
• 20...Rc8 21.g4 Nxd5 22.Nxd5 Bxd5 23.Rxd5 Rxc3 24.Bb3 Kh8 25.Rxf5 Rf3 26.Be6 Qe7 27.Rxf3 Rxf3 28.Qd5 is equal (Langer-Aigner, US Ch, Stillwater, 2007).
• If 16.0-0 Ra7 17.a4 Ne7 then:
• 18.Nxe7+ Rxe7 19.axb5 axb5 20.Bxb5 d5 21.Ra6 f4 22.Nc2 Bc8 23.Ra8 Qd6 24.Nb4 gives White more activity (Anand-Leko, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2005).
• If 18.axb5 Nxd5 19.Bc4 Nf4 20.Bxe6+ Nxe6 21.Qd5 Qe8 then:
• 22.Rxa6 Raf7 23.Qc4 f4 24.Nd5 e4 is equal (Topalov-Leko, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2004).
• 22.Rxe6 Rxe6 23.Qxd5 Qxd5 24.Nxd5 Kh8 25.f3 White's minor pieces and passed pawns look to have more potential than Black's Rooks (Agdestein-Johannesson, Norwegian Ch, 2005).
• If 9.Nd5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c3 0-0 12.Nc2 then:
• If 12...Bg5 13.a4 bxa4 14.Rxa4 a5 15.Bc4 Rb8 16.b3 Kh8 17.0-0 then:
• If 17...f5 18.exf5 Bxf5 19.Nce3 Bg6 20.Bd3 then:
• 20...Bxd3 21.Qxd3 Bxe3 22.fxe3 Rxf1+ 23.Qxf1 Rxb3 24.Rc4 Rb5 25.Nc7 Rb6 26.Nd5 Rb5 27.Nc7 draw (Bologan-Timofeev, IT, Sarajevo, 2005).
• 20...Bf7 21.Be4 Bg8 22.Ra3 Na7 23.Qd3 Bxe3 24.Qxe3 Nb5 is equal (Leko-Topalov, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2002).
• If 17...g6 18.Nce3 f5 19.exf5 gxf5 20.f4 exf4 then:
• 21.Nc2 Ne5 22.Nxf4 Bb7 23.Ne6 Qb6+ 24.Qd4 gives White the advantage in space (Rechel-Halkias, op, Pardubice, 2000).
• 21.Nxf4 Qb6 22.Qf3 Ne5 23.Qf2 Bxf4 24.Qxf4 Ng4 has White fighting to preserve her Knight (Zdebskaja-Anhchimeg, Mindsports, Beijing, 2008).
• If 12...Rb8 13.Be2 Bg5 14.0-0 a5 15.Qd3 then:
• 15...Be6 16.Rfd1 Kh8 17.Nde3 Qb6 18.Bg4 Rfd8 19.Qe2 Qb7 20.Bf5 Bxe3 21.Nxe3 b4 gives White a slight advantage in space (Strautins-Sakai, Cyberspace, 2001).
• 15...Ne7 16.Nce3 Be6 17.Nxe7+ Qxe7 18.Nd5 Qa7 19.a3 Kh8 20.Rad1 f5 21.Qg3 Bh6 22.exf5 Bxf5 23.Bd3 Be6 is equal (Coenen-Gustafsson, Euro ChT, Panormo, 2001).

8...gxf6 9.Na3 f5

• 9...b5 transposes into the previous note.

10.Nc4

• If 10.Qh5 b5 11.Naxb5 axb5 12.Bxb5 Bb7 13.Bc4 Qf6 14.Nd5 Qg6 15.Nc7+ then:
• 15...Kd7 16.Qxg6 fxg6 17.Nxa8 Bxa8 18.exf5 gxf5 19.c3 e4 is equal (T. Andresen-Polak, Corres, 1998).
• If 15...Kd8 16.Qxg6 fxg6 17.Nxa8 Bxa8 18.Bd5 give White a material edge (Aldrete-H.-E. van Kempen, Corres, 1989).

10...Nd4

• If 10...b5 11.Ne3 b4 12.Ncd5 fxe4 13.Qh5 then:
• 13...Bg7 14.Be2 0-0 15.Bg4 Nd4 16.Bxc8 Rxc8 gives Black an extra pawn.(Gutiérrez-Parligras, Op, Tarrgona, 2006).
• 13...Be6 14.Bc4 Nd4 15.c3 bxc3 16.bxc3 Rc8 17.cxd4 exd4 18.0-0 dxe3 19.Bb3 Bg7 gives Black two extra pawns (Savon-Kupreichik, GMT, Moscow, 1969).

11.exf5 Bxf5 12.Ne3!?

• If 12.Bd3 then:
• 12...Bxd3 13.Qxd3 Bg7 14.Ne3 0-0 15.0-0-0 Rc8 is equal (Stephenson-Basman, British Ch, Oxford, 1967).
• 12...Bg6 13.0-0 Bg7 14.f4 f5 15.Ne3 0-0 16.a4 Rc8 is equal (Madl-Pérez, Op, Nice, 2001).

12...Bg6

• The game is equal.
• 12...Be6 13.Bc4 Bxc4 14.Nxc4 Rg8 15.0-0 Rc8 16.Ne3 is also equal.

13.Ncd5 Bh6 14.c3 Ne6 15.Bd3 Bxe3 16.Nxe3 Qb6

• Black takes aim at a loose pawn, but at the same time weakens the dark squares on the kingside.
• 16...Rg8 17.Bxg6 Rxg6 18.Qf3 Nc5 19.Qd5 Qb6 remains equal.

17.0-0

• 17.Bxg6 hxg6 18.Qd2 Nf4 19.0-0-0 0-0-0 20.h4 gives White a foothold on the kingside dark squares.

17...Nf4

• If 17...Nc5!? then:
• 18.Nc4! Qc7 19.Bxg6 hxg6 20.Qd5 gives White the advantage in space.
• 18.Nd5 Qc6 19.Bxg6 hxg6 20.Re1 also gives White an advantage in space, but not as great a one.
• 17...Qxb2?! 18.Bxg6 hxg6 19.Qxd6 Rd8 20.Qxe5 Rh5 21.Qe4 gives White an extra pawn and more space.

18.Be2

• If 18.Bxg6 hxg6 19.b3 Rd8 20.c4 then:
• 20...Qc6 21.Nd5 Nxd5 22.cxd5 Qd7 remains equal.
• 20...Qc5 21.Ng4 b5 22.Rc1 Qd4 remains equal.

BLACK: Alexei Shirov
!""""""""#
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Hikaru Nakamura
Position after 18.Bd3e2

18...Rg8!

• Black is building a combination in the g-file.

19.Bf3!?

• This isn't the best way to meet the combination.
• 19.Nd5 Nh3+ 20.gxh3 Be4+ 21.Bg4 Bxd5 22.Qxd5 remains equal.

19...Nh3+?!

• Black has set up a discovered pin in the g-file, but can't find the best way to make use of it.
• Better is 19...Bd3! 20.Nd5 Qxb2 21.Nxf4 Bxf1 when:
• 22.Rb1 Bxg2 23.Bxg2 Qxa2 24.Nd5 Kf8 gives Black the material advantage, but White has some initiative in compensation.
• 22.Nd5!? Bd3! 23.Nc7+ Ke7 24.Nxa8 Rxa8 gives Black an extra pawn.

20.Kh1

• The Knight is taboo.

20...Nxf2+ 21.Rxf2 Qxe3 22.Bxb7 Rb8

• 22...Rd8? drops a pawn to 23.Qa4+! Kf8 24.Qh4 Rb8 25.Bxa6.

23.Re2 Qb6 24.Bd5!

• White blocks the central pawns.
• If 24.Bf3 f5 25.Qa4+ Kf8 26.Bd5 then:
• 26...Rg7 27.Rf1 f4 28.Rd2 Bf7 29.Bxf7 Rxf7 30.Qe4 gives White the initiative against Black's pawn chain, but Black has defensive resources to keep the d-pawn protected and potential counterpaly in the b-file.
• 26...Bf7 27.Bxf7 Kxf7 28.Qd7+ Kf6 29.Rf1 f4 30.Ref2 gives White a clear advantage; the Black King isn't "stalemated," but if it had to move it would be to the inhospitable g-file.

24...Rg7

• The Rook doesn't look very happy at g7.
• If 24...Bh5 then White easily breaks the pin by 25.Qf1 Rf8 26.Rd2.

25.Qd2 f5

• The pawn advance makes sense of Black's claustrophobic Rook move.

26.Rf1 Kd7 27.b4 f4!?

• Black has a pawn chain, but White has already rendered it immobile.
• 27...a5 28.Rb1 then:
If
• 28...Qa6 29.a3 f4 30.Rd1 Bh5 31.b5!! then:
If
• 31...Rxb5 32.Bc4 Kc7 33.Bxb5 then:
• 33...Qb6 34.c4 Bxe2 35.Qxe2 leaves White with an extra piece.
• If 33...Qxb5 then after 34.Qxd6+ Kb7 35.Rxe5 Black is crushed.
• 31...Qxb5 32.Bf3 Qc5 33.Bxh5 Rb3 34.Qd3 Kc7 35.Qf5 White has an extra piece.
• If 28...f4 then after 29.Rb3 axb4 30.Rxb4 Qa7 31.Bf3 Rxb4 32.cxb4 White has restrained Black's pawn chain.

28.a4 a5?

• It seems a little harsh to award this move a query, but Black never recovers from the effects of this inaccuracy, which allows White a passed pawn.
• If 28...Re7 29.a5 Qb5 30.Rd1 then:
• If 30...e4 31.Bc4 Qe5 32.Bxa6 e3 33.Qd4 then:
• 33...Qxd4 34.Rxd4 Bh5 35.Rxf4 Bxe2 36.Bxe2 d5 37.Rd4 when each side must stop the other's pawn mass. White has the advantage with a larger pawn mass, which is more difficult to stop, and a pawn majority on the kingside.
• 33...Bh5? 34.Qa7+! Ke6 35.Qxb8 Bxe2 36.Bxe2 leaves White up by a piece.
• 30...Kc7 31.Be4 Re6 32.Bf3 Rf6 33.Ree1 gives White a stronger blaockade of White's central pawns than Black has against White's queenside.

BLACK: Alexei Shirov
!""""""""#
$ T + + +%
$+ +l+ To%
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WHITE: Hikaru Nakamura
Position after 28...a6a5

29.b5!

• White passes his b-pawn, forcing Black to expend energy blocking it.

29...Rd8

• Black's plan is to use the King as the blockader on the queenside; the Rook will cover the base of the pawn chanin for now.
• If 29...Kc8 30.c4 Rc7 31.Bc6 Qc5 32.Qc3 then:
• 32...Rxc6!? 33.bxc6 Qxc6 34.c5 Rb4 35.Qh3+ Kd8 36.cxd6 gives White the exchange.
• If 32...Qb4 33.Qh3+ Kd8 34.Qh4+ Kc8 then the exchange sacrifice 35.Rxf4!! assures that White will put a Rook on Black's back rank.

30.g3

• White nibbles at Black's pawn chain.
• Perhaps White would do better to strengthen his b-pawn and paly on the queenside: 30.c4 Bh5 31.Ree1 Bg4 32.Qc3 Rf8 33.Bc6+.

30...fxg3 31.hxg3 Kc8 32.c4 Kb8 33.Rf6!

• White directly attacks the base of Black's pawn chain and threatens to win a pawn by 34,Rxe5!.
• If 33.Kh2! Qc7 34.Qc3 then:
• 34...Kc8 35.Rf6 Re7 36.Rb2 Qb6 37.Rd2 threatens the powerful 38.c5!.
• 34...Re8? 35.b6! Qc5 36.Rb2 Qd4 37.Qxa5 is an easy win for White.

33...Re7 34.Kh2 e4

• If 34...Bh5 35.c5 Qc7 36.Ref2 then:
• 36...e4 37.cxd6 Rxd6 38.Rxd6 Qxd6 39.Qxa5 Qxd5 40.Rd2 is lights out.
• If 36...dxc5 then White casts a mating net around the Black King with 37.Ra6! Qc8 38.Ra8+ Kc7 39.b6+ Kd7 40.Bc4+.

BLACK: Alexei Shirov
!""""""""#
$ L T + +%
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WHITE: Hikaru Nakamura
Position after 34...e5e4

35.Qc3!

• White immediately takes advantage of a newly-opened line.
• Also good is 35.c5 Qc7 36.c6 Qb6 37.Qe1 Re5 when:
• If 38.Bf7 Rf8 39.Qf2 Qxf2+ 40.Rexf2 then:
• 40...Bxf7 41.Rxf7 Rxf7 42.Rxf7 Rc5 43.Rxh7 wins for White.
• 40...Kc7 41.Bxg6 Rxf6 42.Rxf6 hxg6 43.Rf7+ forces the Black King to abandon the blockade of White's queenside pawns, which now cannot be stopped.
• 38.Bxe4?! Rde8! 39.Bf3 Rxe2+ 40.Bxe2 Bh5 is equal.

35...Rc8

• 35...Rde8 36.Qe3 Qxe3 37.Rxe3 Kc7 38.g4 Rc8 39.Kg3 gives White the far more active King.

36.Re3 Ka7

• Black is completely lost.
• If 36...Rc5 37.Qd2! Qd8 38.Bc6 then:
• 38...Rf7 39.Rxd6 Rf2+ 40.Qxf2 Qxd6 41.Bxe4 gives White two extra connected passed pawns.
• 38...d5 loses to 39.cxd5 Re5 40.Rf2 Rc4 41.d6 when White has an extra pawn with a clear d-file in front of it.

37.Bc6 Rd8

• If Black surrenders the exchange by 37...Rxc6 38.bxc6 then:
• If 38...Be8 39.Rf5 Re5 40.c5 Rxc5 41.Rxc5 dxc5 42.Qg7+ is followed by 43.c7!, winning.
• If 38...Qxc6 39.Qxa5+ Qa6 40.Qd8 Re8 41.Qd7+ Qb7 42.Qxd6 gives White a material advantage equivalent to a minor piece.

38.c5 dxc5 39.Bxe4 Rd6

• No better is 39...Rde8 40.Rd3 Bxe4 41.Rxb6 Kxb6 42.Rd6+.

40.Rxd6 Qxd6 41.Qxa5+ 1-0

• 41...Kb8 42.Rd3 Ra7 43.Qd2 Qf6 44.Rd8+ is lights out.
• El señor Shirov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. A. Muzychuk - Giri, Round 9

Anna Muzychuk didn't have a great tournament in Wijk aan Zee, but she can boast of being the only player to take down Group B champion Anish Giri.



Anna Muzychuk
Photo: ChessBase.com


Anna Muzychuk - Anish Giri
72nd Corus Tournament (Group B), Round 9
Wijk aan Zee, 26 January 2010

Spanish Sicilian Game: Rat Defense

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7

• If 3...Nc6 then:
• If 4.0-0 Bd7 5.Re1 Nf6 6.c3 a6 then:
• If 7.Bf1 Bg4 then:
• If 8.d3 e6 9.Nbd2 then:
• If 9...Be7 10.h3 Bh5 11.g4 Bg6 12.Nh4 Nd7 then:
• If 13.Ng2 then:
• If 13...h5 14.f4 hxg4 15.hxg4 then:
• 15...Qc7 16.Nf3 0-0-0 17.Ne3 Nb6 18.Nc4 Nxc4 19.dxc4 f5 20.exf5 exf5 21.g5 Bf7 22.Qc2 g6 gives Black a small advantage in space and better pawn structure (Anand-Carlsen, Amber Blind, Nice, 2009).
• 15...Bh7 16.Nf3 g5 17.f5 Nde5 18.Nxe5 Nxe5 19.Ne3 Bg8 20.Bg2 is equal (Larsen-S. B. Hansen, Danish Ch, Esbjerg, 1997)
• If 13...e5 then:
• 14.Nf3 h5 15.g5 Nf8 16.d4 cxd4 17.cxd4 exd4 18.Nxd4 Nxd4 19.Qxd4 Bxg5 20.Bxg5 Qxg5 21.Qxd6 is equal (Zhong Zhang-Atakisi, Ol, BLed, 2002).
• 14.f4 exf4 15.Nxf4 Bh4 16.Re2 Nde5 17.Rg2 0-0 18.Be2 Bg5 gives Black a small advantage in space (Benjamin-Yermolinsky, US Ch, Seattle, 2000).
• If 13...h6 14.f4 Bh7 then:
• If 15.Nf3 0-0 16.f5 Nde5 17.Nf4 Nxf3+ 18.Qxf3 then:
• 18...Bg5 19.Qd1 Re8 20.Bg2 g6 21.Rf1 exf5 is equal (Reinderman-Tiviakov, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2000).
• 18...Bh4 19.Re2 Kh8 20.Qg2 Qe7 21.Be3 Rae8 is equal (Hillarp Persson- Zolotukhin, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).
• 15.Qf3 0-0 16.Qg3 Kh8 17.Nf3 b5 18.h4 Qc7 19.f5 Nde5 20.Bf4 Rae8 is equal (Kuba-Movsesian, Euro ChT, Izmir, 2004).
• 13.Nxg6 hxg6 14.f4 Bh4 15.Re2 g5 16.f5 Nde5 17.Re3 0-0 18.Bg2 d5 19.exd5 exd5 is equal (Rublevsky-Timoshenko, Areoflot Op, Moscow, 2004).
• 9...Nd7 10.h3 Bh5 11.g4 Bg6 12.d4 cxd4 13.cxd4 Be7 14.d5 Nce5 15.Nxe5 dxe5 16.Nf3 Rc8 17.Bg2 exd5 18.exd5 Bd6 19.Bf4 f6 is equal (Bologan-Movsesian, IT, Sarajevo, 2004).
• If 8.h3 then:
• If 8...Bxf3 9.Qxf3 g6 then:
• If 10.d3 Bg7 then:
• 11.Be3 Nd7 12.Nd2 0-0 13.Qd1 b5 14.a3 Rc8 15.f4 Nb6 16.Nf3 Qd7 17.Bf2 e5 18.fxe5 Nxe5 19.Rc1 Nxf3+ 20.Qxf3 f5 gives Black the advantage in space (Wang Hao-Cheparinov, IT, Taiyuan, 2007).
• 11.Bg5 0-0 12.Nd2 b5 13.g4 Nd7 14.a3 Rb8 is equal (M. Becker-P. Zelbel, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• 10.Qd1 Bh6 11.Na3 0-0 12.Nc2 e5 13.d4 Bxc1 14.Rxc1 cxd4 15.cxd4 Rc8 16.dxe5 dxe5 17.Qf3 Kg7 18.Bc4 is equal (Glek-Vachier Lagrave, Bundesliga 0708, Katernberg, 2007).
• If 8...Bh5 then:
• 9.d3 e6 10.g4 Bg6 11.Nh4 Nd7 12.Ng2 e5 13.Na3 Be7 14.Nc4 h5 15.Nce3 hxg4 16.hxg4 Bg5 17.Nd5 Bxc1 18.Rxc1 Kf8 19.Qf3 Qg5 20.Nge3 Ne7 21.Nxe7 draw (Rublevsky-Khalifman, Euro ChT, Izmir, 2004).
• If 9.d4 cxd4 10.cxd4 then:
• 10...d5 11.e5 Ne4 12.g4 Bg6 13.e6 fxe6 14.Nc3 e5 15.Nxe4 Bxe4 16.Ng5 e6 17.dxe5 Bc5 18.Nxe4 dxe4 19.Qc2 Qb6 20.Be3 Bxe3 21.Rxe3 0-0 is equal (Vachier Lagrave-Wang Yue, YM, Lausanne, 2006).
• 10...e5 11.g4 Bg6 12.d5 Nb8 13.Nc3 Nbd7 14.Bg2 Be7 15.Nh2 h5 16.Be3 hxg4 17.hxg4 b5 gives Black the more active game (Kovalevskaya-Zhu Chen, Euro ChTW, Kemar, 2007).
• If 7.Ba4 b5 8.Bc2 then:
• 8...Bg4 9.d3 e6 10.Nbd2 Be7 11.h3 Bh5 12.Nf1 0-0 13.Ng3 Bg6 14.Nh4 d5 15.Nxg6 hxg6 16.e5 Nd7 17.d4 cxd4 18.cxd4 Qb6 19.Be3 Rfc8 20.Rc1 Na5 is equal (Aveskulov-Atakasi, Mindsports Rapid, Beijing, 2008).
• 8...e5 9.h3 Be7 10.d4 0-0 11.d5 Na5 transposes into a variation of the Chigorin Defense to the Spanish Grand Royal Game.
• If 7.Bxc6 Bxc6 8.d4 Bxe4 9.Bg5 then:
• If 9...Bd5 10.Nbd2 e6 11.c4 Bxf3 12.Qxf3 cxd4 then:
• If 13.Qxb7 Qc8 14.Qb6 Qc5 15.Qb7 Qc8 then:
• 16.Qf3 Be7 17.Nb3 h6 18.Bf4 Ra7 19.Nxd4 Rc7 20.c5 Rxc5 21.Rac1 Nd5 22.b4 Nxb4 23.Bd2 Nd5 24.Nf5 0-0 25.Qxd5 Bf6 26.Qxd6 White remains a piece to the good (C. Hansen-Reinert, Danish Ch, Aarhus, 1981).
• 16.Qb6 Qc5 17.Qb7 draw (Yurtaev-Oll, Agzamov Mem, Tashkent, 1981).
• 13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.Qxb7 Be7 15.Qc6+ Kf8 16.Nf3 e5 is equal (Sebag-Bu Xiangzhi, TMatch, Cannes, 2004).
• 9...d5 10.Nbd2 Bxf3 11.Qxf3 cxd4 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.c4 dxc4 14.Nxc4 e6 15.Qxb7 Rb8 16.Qxa6 Qd5 17.Qa4+ Qb5 18.Qxb5+ Rxb5 is equal (Leitão-Morovic, IT, Poikovsky, 2001).
• 9...Bc6 10.Bxf6 gxf6 11.d5 Bd7 12.Nbd2 Qc7 13.b4 0-0-0 14.a4 e6 15.Nc4 cxb4 16.cxb4 Kb8 is equal (Orlov-Areshchenko, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• If 4.Bxc6+ bxc6 5.0-0 then:
• If 5...e5 6.c3 then:
• If 6...Nf6 7.Re1 Bg4 then:
• If 8.h3 Bh5 9.d4 cxd4 10.cxd4 Nd7 11.Be3 Be7 12.Nbd2 then:
• 12...exd4 13.Bxd4 0-0 14.Qc2 c5 15.Bc3 Re8 16.Qd3 Bf8 17.Nc4 Nb6 18.Nfd2 Bg6 is equal (Shaposhnikov-Alekseev, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2006).
• 12...0-0 13.Qa4 Qc7 14.Rac1 Rfc8 15.Rc2 Qb7 16.Rec1 c5 17.dxc5 dxc5 18.Qb3 Qc6 is equal (Aagard-Gelashvili, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• 8.d4 cxd4 9.cxd4 Nd7 10.Be3 Be7 11.Nbd2 exd4 12.Bxd4 0-0 13.h3 Be6 14.Nf1 Re8 15.Bc3 Nb6 16.Nd4 Bd7 is equal (Jakovenko-Alekseev, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2007).
• If 6...f5 7.exf5 Bxf5 8.d4 cxd4 9.cxd4 e4 then:
• 10.Nfd2 Nf6 11.f3 d5 12.fxe4 Bxe4 13.Nxe4 dxe4 14.Nc3 Be7 15.Nxe4 0-0 16.Ng5 Qd5 17.Qd3 Rad8 18.Be3 gives White the advantage in space (Lastin-Gasanov, City Op, Moscow, 2007).
• 10.Qc2 Rc8 11.Ng5 Ne7 12.f3 exf3 13.Qb3 Qb6 14.Qf7+ Kd7 15.Nxf3 Be6 16.Qf4 Nd5 17.Qg3 g5 18.Bxg5 h6 19.Bh4 Ne3 gives White an extra pawn and Black more space (Ovetchkin-Tiviakov, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• If 5...Bg4 then:
• 6.h3 Bh5 7.Re1 e6 8.d3 Nf6 9.Nbd2 Nd7 10.Nf1 Be7 11.Ng3 Bg6 12.b3 0-0 13.Bb2 Re8 14.Nh2 Bh4 15.Ne2 e5 16.Nf3 Be7 17.Ng3 Nf8 18.c3 Ne6 19.d4 f6 20.Nh4 Bf7 21.Nhf5 Bf8 22.Ne3 is equal (Kritz-Wang Yue, Op, Gibraltar, 2008).
• 6.d3 Nf6 7.Nbd2 e5 8.Nc4 Be7 9.Ne3 Be6 10.Ng5 Bc8 11.Nf5 h6 12.Nh3 g6 13.Nxe7 Qxe7 14.f4 Bxh3 15.gxh3 exf4 16.Bxf4 Nh5 17.Bd2 Rb8 18.Qf3 Rb7 19.Rae1 Qe6 20.Bc3 0-0 21.Re2 Kh7 22.Rg2 f5 23.Rgf2 Rbf7 24.Qg2 d5 25.exd5 cxd5 gives Black an advantage in space (Djingarova-Baginskaite, OlW, Torino, 2006).
• If 3...Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 then:
• If 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 g6 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bg7 then:
• If 9.f3 0-0 10.Be3 then:
• If 10...Rc8 11.b3 a6 then:
• If 12.Qd2 then:
• 12...b5 13.cxb5 e5 14.Nc2 d5 15.exd5 axb5 16.Rc1 gives White an extra pawn for the moment; the fact that White's d-pawn is passed provides a slight advantage (Yildiz-Severiukhina, World Jr Ch, Puerto Madryn, 2009).
• If 12...Nc6 13.0-0 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 b5 15.cxb5 axb5 16.Rac1 Rc6 17.Be3 Qb7 draw (Vokarev-Motylev, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2005).
• 12.a4 Nc6 13.0-0 Qd8 14.Nde2 Nd7 15.Rb1 Nc5 16.Qd2 gives White the advantage in space (Andersson-Donner, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1973).
• If 10...Nc6 11.0-0 then:
• If 11...Rfc8 then:
• If 12.b3 Qd8 13.Qd2 Qa5 14.Rac1 a6 15.Rfd1 then:
• If 15...Nxd4 16.Bxd4 b5 17.Bxf6 Bxf6 18.Nd5 Qxd2 19.Nxf6+ Kg7 20.Rxd2 Kxf6 21.Rdc2 then:
• 21...Ra7 22.cxb5 Rxc2 23.Rxc2 axb5 24.Kf2 Ke5 25.Ke3 g5 is equal (Bosch-Sosonko, IT, Amsterdam, 1994).
• 21...b4 22.c5 Rc6 23.cxd6 Rxd6 24.Rc6 Ke5 25.Kf2 a5 26.Ke3 a4 27.R1c5+ Ke6 28.Rxd6+ draw (Hosticka-Haba, Chechoslaovakian Ch, Karvina, 1985).
• 15...b5 16.Nxc6 Rxc6 17.Nd5 Qxd2 18.Bxd2 Kf8 19.Nb4 Rcc8 is equal (Akopian-Korchnoi, IT, Barcelona, 1992).
• If 12.Nde2 Qd8 13.b3 Qa5 14.Qd2 a6 15.a4 Nd7 16.Rab1 Rab8 then:
• 17.Kh1 Nf6 18.Rfd1 Qd8 19.Bg5 gives White more space and activity (Ni Hua-Rodshtein, Op, Cappelle la Grande, 2007).
• 17.Rfd1 e6 18.Nd4 Nc5 19.Nce2 Qxd2 20.Rxd2 Na5 is equal (Matlakov-Klimov, City Ch, St. Petersburg, 2004).
• 11...a6 12.a4 e6 13.Rc1 Ne5 14.Qe2 Rfc8 15.b3 d5 16.cxd5 exd5 17.f4 Rxc3 18.Rxc3 Nxe4 19.Rc2 Ng4 20.Rfc1 gives White an exchange for the pawn (Lupulescu-Sedlak, Euro ChTU18, Balatonlelle, 2001).
• If 11...Rac8 12.b3 e6 13.Rc1 Rfd8 14.Qd2 d5 15.exd5 exd5 16.Nxc6 draw (van Dop-Sosonko, Dutch Ch, Leeuwarden, 1974).
• If 9.0-0 Nc6 10.Nde2 0-0 11.f3 a6 12.a4 then:
• 12...Qd8 13.Be3 Qa5 14.Kh1 Nd7 15.Bd2 Rfc8 16.Rb1 Qd8 is equal (Hatanbaatar-Sammalvuo, Ol, Calvia, 2004).
• 12...e6 13.Bg5 Qc7 14.Kh1 Nd7 15.b3 Nc5 16.Rb1 Rfe8 17.Bh4 Nb4 is equal (Rublevsky-Leitão, Ol, Istanbul, 2000).
• If 5.0-0 Nc6 6.c3 Nf6 then:
• If 7.Re1 e6 8.d4 cxd4 9.cxd4 d5 10.e5 Ne4 11.Nbd2 Nxd2 12.Bxd2 Be7 then:
• If 13.Rc1 0-0 14.Rc3 then:
• If 14...Rfc8 15.a3 then:
• 15...Bd8 16.Rd3 h6 17.h4 Ne7 18.h5 a5 gives Black a little more freedom (I. Zaitsev-Vasiukov, Furman Mem, St. Petersburg, 1995).
• 15...b5 16.Rd3 Qd8 17.h4 Bxh4 18.Nh2 Bg5 gives Black an extra pawn and good winning chances (Kabanov-Zakhartsov, Russian Ch, Tomsk, 2006).
• 14...Rac8 15.a3 Bd8 16.Rd3 Bb6 17.Bc3 a6 18.Qd2 h6 19.Qf4 f6 20.exf6 Rxf6 21.Qg4 Qf7 22.Rde3 draw (Dembo-Pogonina, Solin, 2007).
• If 13.Bg5 0-0 then:
• If 14.Bxe7 Qxe7 15.Re3 Rac8 16.Rc1 Qb4 17.Rec3 Ne7 18.Rb3 Qa4 19.Rxb7 Rxc1 20.Qxc1 Rc8 21.Qe1 Nc6 is equal (Hecht-Smejkal, IT, Amsterdam, 1971).
• If 14.Rc1 Rfc8 15.Bxe7 Nxe7 16.Re3 Rxc1 17.Qxc1 Rc8 18.Rc3 Rxc3 19.Qxc3 Qa4 20.Qb3 Qxb3 21.axb3 Nc6 gives Black the advantage in pawn structure, but that won't win by itself (Fuchs-Averbakh, IT, Yerevan, 1965).
• If 7.Qe2 e6 8.d4 cxd4 9.cxd4 d5 10.e5 Ne4 then:
• 11.Be3 Be7 12.Ne1 f6 13.f3 Ng5 14.Nd3 0-0 15.Nd2 Nf7 then:
• If 16.f4 f5 17.Nf3 b6 18.Rac1 Rac8 19.h3 Na5 is equal (Rublevsky-Ulibin, Russian Ch Qual, Tomsk, 2004).
• 16.Bf2 Rac8 17.Rad1 b6 18.a3 Na5 is equal (Belov-Wang Hao, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2009).
• 11.Nbd2 Nxd2 12.Bxd2 Be7 13.Rac1 0-0 14.Rc3 f6 15.exf6 Bxf6 16.Rd3 Rae8 is equal (Belkhodja-Gaponenko, French ChT, Le Port Marty, 2009).
• If 7.d4 then:
• If 7...Nxe4 8.d5 Ne5 then:
• If 9.Re1 Nxf3+ 10.Qxf3 Nf6 11.c4 e5 12.dxe6 fxe6 13.Bg5 Be7 14.Nc3 then:
• 14...h6 15.Bh4 0-0 16.Qh3 Kf7 17.f4 Rad8 18.Rad1 Rg8 19.Bf2 b6 20.Re2 d5 is equal (Ripari-Domínguez, Pan-American Ch, Buenos Aires, 2003).
• 14...0-0-0 15.Qe2 h6 16.Bh4 e5 17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.f4 Rhg8 19.Nd5 Rg7 is equal (Markovic-Velimirovic, Yugoslav ChT, Vrnjacka Banja, 1998).
• If 9.Nxe5 dxe5 10.Re1 then:
• If 10...Nf6 then:
• 11.Rxe5 e6 12.c4 0-0-0 13.Nc3 Bd6 14.Re1 exd5 15.Nxd5 Qf5 16.Be3 Rhe8 17.h3 Nxd5 18.cxd5 Kb8 is equal (Hokkanen-Schneider, Euro Club Cup, Halkidiki, 2002).
• 11.c4 g6 12.Rxe5 Bg7 13.Nc3 0-0 14.Re1 Ng4 15.Bf4 Bd4 16.Bg3 gives White a slight advantage in space (Halldorsson-Carlsen, Op, Reykjavik, 2004).
• If 10...Nd6 11.Rxe5 g6 12.Re2 Bg7 13.Bf4 0-0 14.Nd2 then:
• If 14...b5 15.Nb3 Nb7 16.Qe1 Rfe8 17.Rd1 c4 18.Nc1 Rad8 19.Bg5 draw (Chiburdanidze-Brunner, Op, Biel, 1990).
• 14...Qf5 15.Bxd6 exd6 16.Ne4 Qd7 17.Qd3 Rae8 18.Rae1 Re5 19.f4 Ree8 20.Qg3 f5 21.Ng5 draw (Larsen-Janosi, Cyberspace, 1999).
• If 7...cxd4 8.cxd4 d5 9.e5 then:
• 9...Ne4 10.Ne1 h6 11.f3 Ng5 12.Nc3 e6 13.Be3 Be7 14.Nd3 0-0 15.Nf4 f6 16.Ng6 Rf7 17.Nxe7+ Qxe7 18.exf6 Qxf6 is equal (Brynnell-Vokac, EU ChT, Batumi, 1999).
• 9...Ng8 10.Nc3 e6 11.Ne2 Nge7 12.Ng3 Nf5 13.Nh5 0-0-0 14.g4 Nfe7 15.Be3 Ng8 16.Ne1 f6 17.f4 f5 18.gxf5 exf5 19.Nd3 gives White more mobility and a passed pawn (Felgaer-Vásquez, IT, Santiago, 2005).

4.d4 cxd4

• If 4...a6 5.Bxd7+ Bxd7 then:
• If 6.dxc5 dxc5 7.Nc3 e6 then:
• If 8.Bf4 Ne7 9.Ne5 then:
• 9...Ng6 10.Qh5 Bc6 11.Bg3 Nxe5 12.Bxe5 c4 13.0-0 gives White the advantage in space and development (Ni Hua-Carlsen, IT, London, 2009).
• 9...Bb5 10.Qh5 g6 11.Qf3 Nc6 12.Nxc6 Bxc6 13.Be5 Rg8 14.Rd1 Qg5 15.Bf6 Qh5 16.g4 gives White a huge advantage in space (Adams-Bu Xiangzhi, Asrian Mem Rpd, Yerevan, 2008).
• 8.Ne5 Qc7 9.Nxd7 Rd8 10.Qf3 Rxd7 11.Bf4 gives White the advantage in space (Unzicker-Najdorf, IT, Nice, 1974).
• If 6.0-0 cxd4 7.Qxd4 then:
• If 7...e5 8.Qd3 h6 9.Nc3 Nf6 then:
• If 10.a4 Rc8 11.Be3 Be7 12.a5 Qc7 13.Nd2 Be6 14.Rfd1 0-0 then:
• If 15.f3 Qc6 16.Nf1 Qc4 17.Qd2 Rfe8 18.Bf2 then:
• 18...Nh5 19.Ne3 Qc7 20.Ned5 White occupies d5 with a piece (Oral-Sobek, Moravian ChT, Czechia, 1999).
• 18...Qc6 19.Ne3 Kh8 20.Qd3 Rc7 21.Rd2 Rec8 22.Ncd5 occupies d5 with a White piece.
• 15.Nf1 Qc4 draw (Adams-Radjabov, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2009).
• 10.Nd2 Rc8 11.Nc4 Be6 12.Ne3 Be7 13.Rd1 0-0 14.Bd2 Qc7 15.Be1 b5 16.a3 Qa7 is equal as Black prevents White from occupying d5 with a piece for the time being (Petrik-Pinter, Slovakian Ch, Banska Stiavnica, 2006).
• If 7...Nf6 8.Bg5 then:
• 8...h6 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.c4 e6 11.Nc3 Rc8 12.Rac1 Be7 13.b4 Qc7 14.Nd2 h5 15.Rfe1 Kf8 16.Re3 White methodically moves to attack White's weak kingside pawns (Arngrimsson-Deepan, World Jr Ch, Yerevan, 2007).
• 8...e6 9.Nc3 Be7 10.Rfe1 0-0 11.Rad1 Bc6 12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.Qxd6 Bxc3 14.Qxd8 Rfxd8 15.Rxd8+ Rxd8 16.bxc3 Ba4 17.Nd4 e5 18.Nb3 Kf8 19.f3 draw (Lechtynsky-Mukhin, Czechoslovakian ChT, Luhacovice, 1973).

5.Qxd4 a6

• If 5...Ngf6 6.Nc3 e5 7.Qd3 h6 8.Be3 Be7 then:
• If 9.Bc4 a6 10.a4 Qc7 11.0-0 then:
• 11...Nc5 12.Bxc5 Qxc5 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.Bxd5 0-0 15.a5 Be6 16.Bxe6 fxe6 17.Qb3 Qc8 18.Ra4 gives White the advantage in space and fewer pawn weaknesses (Qin Kanying-Sebag, FIDE Knock Out W, Ekanterinburg, 2006).
• 11...0-0 12.Nd2 Rb8 13.a5 Nc5 14.Qe2 Be6 15.Bxe6 Nxe6 16.Ra4 gives White the advantage in space and better potential for his minor pieces (Admas-Svidler, FIDE Knock Out, New Delhi, 2000).
• If 9.0-0 0-0 then:
• If 10.a4 then:
• 10...Nb8 11.Bc4 Nc6 12.Nd5 Nxd5 13.Bxd5 Nb4 14.Qb3 Nxd5 15.exd5 f5 16.Nxe5 f4 17.Bd4 dxe5 18.d6+ Rf7 19.dxe7 Qxe7 is equal (Vokac-Stocek, Czech ChT, Czechia, 1997).
• 10...a6 11.Bc4 Qc7 transposes to Adams-Svidler, above.
• 10.Bc4 a6 transposes to the main line of this variation.

6.Bxd7+ Bxd7 7.c4

• If 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Bg5 then:
• 8...e6 9.Nc3 Be7 10.Rfe1 0-0 11.Rad1 Bc6 12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.Qxd6 Bxc3 14.Qxd8 Rfxd8 15.Rxd8+ Rxd8 16.bxc3 Ba4 17.Nd4 e5 18.Nb3 Kf8 19.f3 draw (Lechtynsky-Mukhin, Czechoslovakian Ch, Luhacovice, 1973).
• If 8...h6 9.Bxf6 gxf6 then:
• 10.c4 e6 11.Nc3 Rc8 12.Rac1 Be7 13.b4 Qc7 14.Nd2 h5 15.Rfe1 Kf8 16.Re3 gives White the advantage in space (Arngrimsson-Chakravarthy, World Jr Ch, Yerevan, 2007).
• 10.Nc3 e6 11.Rad1 Be7 12.Qd3 Rc8 13.Nd4 Rc5 14.Kh1 Rg5 15.f4 Rg7 16.f5 Rhg8 17.Rd2 Qc8 18.Qh3 gives White the advantage in space (Rublevsky-Akhmadeev, EU Cup Final, Kazan, 1997).

7...Bg4!?

• 7...Rc8 8.0-0 Bg4 9.Nbd2 Nf6 10.h3 Bd7 11.Re1 g6 12.e5 dxe5 13.Nxe5 Bg7 is equal (Girinath-Zhong Zhang, Op, Kuala Lampur, 2007).

8.Nc3 e6

• This resembles an Open Sicilian with the Moroczy Opening opposed to the Scheveningen-Najdorf Defense, except that BLack has activated his Queen's Bishop.

9.Be3 Nf6 10.Nd2 Be7 11.h3 e5

• 11...Bh5 12.f4 Bg6 13.0-0 Qc7 14.f5 gives White the advantage in space and more activity.

12.Qb6 Qxb6 13.Bxb6 Be6

• 13...Bh5 14.Rc1 Rc8 15.0-0 Rc6 16.Be3 Bd8 is equal.

14.Nd5 Bxd5!?

• Black trades his good Bishop for the centralized Knight.
• Better is 14...Rc8 15.b4 Nxd5 16.cxd5 Bd7 with equality.

15.cxd5 Bd8 16.Bxd8 Kxd8 17.Rc1

• The palyers have competed development with White having the more active game.

17...b5 18.Ke2

• With the game in a twilight time between the middle game the ending, White decides to activate her King instead of placing it in the safety of a castled position.
• 18.0-0!? Rc8 19.Rxc8+ Kxc8 20.Rc1+ Kd7 21.Kf1 Rc8 is equal.

18...Kd7 19.Rc6

• If 19.Rc2 Rac8 20.Rhc1 Rxc2 21.Rxc2 then:
• 21...Rc8 22.Rxc8 Kxc8 23.b4 is equal.
• 21...Nh5 22.g3 Ra8 23.Rc6 f5 24.a3 Nf6 25.f3 is equal.

19...Rhc8 20.Rhc1 Rxc6 21.Rxc6
BLACK: Anish Giri
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WHITE: Anna Muzychuk
Position after 21.Rc1c6:R

21...Ng8

• The retreat is intended to make way for the advance of the f-pawn.
• Better is 21...h6 22.b3 Nh5 23.g3 f5 24.a3 g6 25.h4 with equality.

22.a4 Ne7 23.Rb6 Kc7 24.a5 Ra7 25.Nf3 f6 26.Ne1

• If 26.b4!? Kd7 27.Kd3 h6 then:
• 28.g4 g6 29.h4 f5 30.g5 fxe4+ 31.Kxe4 is equal.
• 28.h4 f5 29.Nd2 g6 is equal.

26...Nc8

• If 26...Kd7 27.g4 g6 then:
• 28.Nd3 f5 29.gxf5 gxf5 30.Ke3 fxe4 31.Kxe4 White still has the advantage in space.
• Not quite the same and not quite as good is 28.Kd3!? f5! 29.g5 fxe4+ 30.Kxe4 Rc7 31.b3 Rc5 with equality.

27.Rc6+ Kd7
BLACK: Anish Giri
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WHITE: Anna Muzychuk
Position after 27...Kc7d7

28.Nd3!?

• White should restrain Black's kingside before taking further action in the center. The text allows Black to equalize.
• If 28.g4 g6 29.Nd3 then:
• 29...Ne7 30.Rc3 f5 31.gxf5 gxf5 32.f3 h5 33.Nb4 White still has the advantage in space.
• 29...f5?! 30.gxf5 gxf5 31.Nb4 Ne7 32.Rxa6 White has an extra pawn.

28...Ne7 29.Rc3 f5

• This is the better of two ways to advance Black's kingside; this also undermines White's center.
• 29...h5 30.Nb4 Ra8 31.g4 then:
• 31...h4 32.Kd2 Ng6 33.Nd3 Rc8 34.Rxc8 Kxc8 35.b4 puts Black under restraint, but White's is also limited.
• Not quite the same and not quite as good is 31...g6!? 32.Rf3 hxg4 33.hxg4 Rc8 34.b3 gives White a clear advantage with pressure on the f-pawn.

30.f3 f4 31.Kf2!?

• The game is now equal.
• White wants to restrain Black's entire position (.e., give him a few pawn moves as possible). She has the right moves but puts them in the wrong order.
• Correct is 31.Nb4 Ra8 32.h4 h6 33.Kf2 g5 34.h5 when Black's only unblocked pawn is the g-pawn, which would be taken if it were to advance.

31...Ra8 32.h4 g6 33.g3 fxg3+ 34.Kxg3 g5?

• Black's kingside pawns were fine as they were. It will take White two move to bring his Rook to the kingside to support any advance by the White pawns, giving Black time for something else.
• If 34...Rb8 then White continues to enjoy the advantage in space after 35.Nb4 Ra8 36.f4 exf4+ 37.Kxf4.

35.hxg5 Rg8
BLACK: Anish Giri
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WHITE: Anna Muzychuk
Position after 35...Ra8g8

36.Kh4!

• The text is better than 36.f4 exf4+ 37.Kxf4 Rf8+ 38.Kg4.

36...h6 37.gxh6 Rg1 38.Rc1 Rg6

• If 38...Ng6+ 39.Kh5 then:
• 39...Rg3 40.h7 Nh8 41.Rc6 White passes his a-pawn, snapping Black's defense in half.
• 39...Nf4+ drops a piece to 40.Nxf4 exf4 41.Rxg1.

39.f4 Rxh6+ 40.Kg3 exf4+ 41.Nxf4 Ng6

• 41...Rh8 42.Ne6 Rg8+ 43.Kf4 Ng6+ 44.Kf5 leaves Black little hope.

42.Ne6 Ke7 43.Nd4 Kf6 44.Nf5 Rh5 45.Rc8

• A little better is 45.Rc6 Rg5+ 46.Kf2 Nf4 47.Rxa6.

45...Rg5+ 46.Kf3 Rg1 47.Nxd6 Rb1

• No better is 47...Ke5 48.Nf5 Rf1+ 49.Ke2 Rb1 50.Re8+.

48.Re8 Rxb2 49.Re6+ Kg5

• If 49...Kg7 50.Nf5+ Kf7 51.Rxa6 then:
• If 51...b4 52.Nd6+ Ke7 53.Nb7 Ne5+ 54.Ke3 then:
• 54...Rb3+ 55.Kd4 Nf3+ 56.Kc4 leaves White two pawns up.
• 54...Ng4+ 55.Kf4 Nh2 56.d6+ gives White two extra pawns.
• 51...Ne5+ 52.Kf4 Ng6+ 53.Ke3 b4 54.Kd4 leaves White two pawns to the good.

BLACK: Anish Giri
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Position after 49...Kf6g5

50.Nf7+!

• The young lady wants to go home. This is the quickest route to ending the game.

50...Kh5 51.Ke3 Rb3+

• If 51...Ra2 then after 52.Rxa6 Ra3+ 53.Kd4 Ra4+ 54.Kc5 Black is toast.

52.Kd4 Rb4+ 53.Kc5 Rc4+ 54.Kb6 b4 55.Rxg6 1-0

• If 55...Rxe4 then White wins after 56.Rh6+ Kg4 57.d6 Rd4 58.Kc6 b3 59.d7 b2 60.Rh1.
• Young Mh. Giri resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Eighth Gibtelecom Masters' Open, Gibraltar

Some of Gibraltar's native inhabitants know instinctively what to do with weapons of war
Photo: London Daily Mail

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Adams - Halkias, Round 3

Mickey Adams
Photo by Brittle heaven, Wikipedia (Creative Commons Copyright: Attribution/Share Alike)


Mickey Adams - Stelios Halkias
8th Gibtelecom Masters' Open, Round 3
Gibraltar, 28 January 2010

Open Sicilian Game: Four Knights' Opening

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Be2 Bb4

• 6...d6 is the Scheveningen Defense.
• 6...Qc7 is the Taimanov Defense.

7.0-0 0-0

• If 7...Bxc3 8.bxc3 Nxe4 then:
• If 9.Bd3 d5 10.Ba3 Nxd4 11.cxd4 Qa5 12.Qc1 Bd7 13.Rb1 Bc6 14.Bb4 Qc7 15.Qa3 b6 16.f3 a5 is equal (Geller-Trifunovic, IT, Zagreb, 1955).
• If 9.Bf3 d5 then:
• If 10.Bxe4!? dxe4! 11.Ba3 Nxd4 12.cxd4 Qa5 13.Bd6 Qd5 14.Ba3 Bd7 then:
• If 15.c4? Qxc4 16.Qg4 Qxd4 17.Rac1 Bc6 18.Rfd1 Qe5 19.Rc5 then:
• 19...Bd5?? 20.Rdxd5!! Qxd5 21.Rxd5 exd5 22.Qg5! Black resigns (Tseshkovsky-Sveshnikov, Soviet ChU26, Odessa, 1968).
• 19...Qf6! 20.Rb1 Qd4 21.Rcc1 h5 leaves Black three pawns to the good.
• 15.Qd2 Bb5 16.Rfb1 Ba6 leaves Black a pawn to the good.
• 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.Bxe4 dxe4 12.Qxd8+ Kxd8 13.Re1 f6 14.Rxe4 Kc7 15.Be3 e5 gives Black healthier pawns (Gutiérrez-Jussupow, Capablanca Mem, Cienfuegos, 1979).

8.Nxc6 dxc6

• 8...bxc6 9.e5 Nd5 10.Ne4 then:
• 10...f5 11.Nd6 Bxd6 12.exd6 Qb6 13.Bf3 Ba6 14.Re1 Nf6 15.b3 Rac8 16.Re5 c5 17.Be3 gives White the advantage in space (Areshchenko-Pham Minh Hoang, Op, Cappelle la Grande, 2004).
• If 10...Qc7 11.Nd6 f6 12.a3 Bc5 13.c4 Nb6 14.b4 Bxd6 15.exd6 gives White more space and the initiative (Fernández-Llaneza, TT, Asturias, 2000).

9.e5 Bxc3

• If 9...Nd5 10.Ne4 Qc7 then:
• 11.f4 f5 12.exf6 Nxf6 13.Bd3 Nxe4 14.Bxe4 Bc5+ is equal (Silva-Granda, Zonal Trmt, Santiago, 1987).
• 11.c4 Qxe5 12.cxd5 Qxe4 13.Bf3 Qc4 14.dxc6 bxc6 gives Black an extra pawn and more space (Mohannad-Lalith, Op, Dhaka, 2007).

10.bxc3 Nd5!?

• If 10...Qxd1 11.Rxd1 Nd5 then:
• 12.Rd3 b6 13.c4 Nb4 14.Rg3 Rd8 15.Bg5 Rd7 16.c3 Na6 17.Bf6 gives White the advantage in space (Zdebskaya-Gaponenko, Euro Ch, Kusasdasi, 2006).
• 12.Bd2 c5 13.c4 Ne7 14.a4 b6 15.Bc3 Rb8 16.a5 Nc6 gives White the advantage in space and Black fewer pawn weaknesses (Robles-Malokas, Euro ChTW, Novi Sad, 2009).

11.Qd3

• The game is equal.

11...Qc7!?

• Black takes aim at the e-pawn, which is too easily defended. The pawn at b3 is a better target.
• 11...Qa5 12.Bd2 Ne7 13.Qe4 Ng6 14.f4 remains equal.

12.c4!

• White finds the most active reply.
• If 12.Qg3 f6 13.c4 Ne7 14.Bb2 then:
• 14...Nf5 15.Qf4 b6 16.Qe4 fxe5 17.Bxe5 gives White a slight advantage in space.
• 14...Ng6!? 15.exf6 Qxg3 16.fxg3 e5 17.fxg7 gives White an extra pawn.

12...Nb4

• If 12...Qxe5?! 13.cxd5 Qxa1 14.Ba3! then:
• If 14...Qxa2 15.Bxf8 Kxf8 16.dxc6 (Black appears to be in serious trouble as White threatens mate on d8) 16...Qd5 then:
• 17.Qxh7 bxc6 18.Rd1 Qa5 19.Qh8+ Ke7 20.Qxg7 gives White a clearly more active game.
• 17.Qxd5? exd5 18.cxb7 Bxb7 19.Rb1 Bc6 leaves Black with an extra pawn.
• 14...Qf6 15.Bxf8 Kxf8 16.d6 Ke8 17.Rd1 Kd7 18.Qxh7 gives White a clear advantage.

13.Qe4 c5 14.Bg5!?

• Homer nods.
• 14.c3 Nc6 15.Bd3 f5 16.exf6 gxf6 17.Bh6 White continues to enjoy more space and activity.

14...b6!

• Black re-establishes the equalibrium. White will gain no advantage from taking the Rook at a8 (see the notes to White's next move).
• If 14...Bd7 then White takes a strong initiative after 15.c3 Na6 16.Bd3 g6 17.Bf6 Rfb8 18.Qh4.

15.a3

• If 15.Qxa8 then:
• 15...Nc6! 16.Bd3 Re8 17.f4 Bd7 18.Qxe8+ Bxe8 gives White the advantage in space.
• If 15...Bb7?! 16.Qxa7! Ra8 17.Bd8 Rxd8 18.Bf3 then:
• 18...Nc6 19.Qa3 Nxe5 20.Bxb7 Qxb7 21.Rfd1 leaves White an exchange to the good.
• 18...Ra8?? 19.Qxb7! Qxb7 20.Bxb7 Ra3 21.Rfd1 leaves White up a piece.
• If 15.Bf6!? gxf6 16.exf6 Kh8 17.Qxa8 Rg8 then:
• If 18.Bf3 Nxc2 19.Rac1 Nd4 then:
• 20.g3 Bd7 21.Qb7 Qxb7 22.Bxb7 Ne2+ Black wins back the exchange with equality.
• 20.Rfe1?! Nxf3+ 21.Qxf3 Bb7 gives Black the initiative and an attakck on the long diagonal and g-file.
• 18.Qf3? Bb7! 19.Qh3 Rxg2+ 20.Qxg2 Bxg2 21.Kxg2 Nxc2 wins the exchange for Black.

15...Nc6!?

• The text move is too passive.
• Better is 15...Bb7 16.Qh4 Qxe5 17.Rfe1 f6 18.Bf4 with equality.

16.Bd3!?

• White misses the exploitationof Black's inaccuracy in favor of an easily refuted mating threat.
• 16.Rad1! Rb8 17.Bd3 f5 18.exf6 gxf6 19.Bh6 gives White an active game and the advantage in space.

16...f5 17.exf6 gxf6 18.Bh6 Rf7

• The game is still equal.
• 18...Rd8 19.Qg4+ Kh8 20.Qf3 f5 21.Bg5 Rf8 22.Rad1 remains equal.

19.Rae1 Kh8 20.Qh4 e5?

• Black helps White open the game to White's benefit.
• 20...Ne5 21.Bf4 Bb7 22.Bxh7 Nf3+ 23.gxf3 Rxh7 24.Qxf6+ gives White two extra pawns, but otherwise his pawn structure is a disaster and Black has plenty of chances to play on the pawn weaknesses..

21.f4!

• Of course, with his Rooks ready to roll, White opens the center.

21...Bb7

• 21...Ba6 22.fxe5 fxe5 23.Bg5! Raf8 24.Bf6+ also wins for White.

22.fxe5 Nxe5
BLACK: Stelios Halkias
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WHITE: Mickey Adams
Position after 22...Nc6e5:p

23.Bxh7!!

• The Bishop sacrifice throws Black's King into clear, open terrain..

23...Kxh7

• 23...Rxh7 24.Qxf6+ Rg7 25.Rxe5 wins for White in short order.

24.Re3 Ng6 25.Qh5 Rh8

• If 25...Qd8 26.Bf8+ Kg8 27.Qxg6+ Kxf8 28.Qh6+ Rg7 29.Rg3 Black is kaput.

26.Re8 Rxe8 27.Bf4+!

• White wins the Queen.

27...Kg7 28.Qh6+ Kg8 29.Bxc7 Re2 30.Rf2

• 30.Rd1 Rxg2+ 31.Kf1 Nf8 32.Rd8 is an easy win for White.

30...Re1+ 31.Rf1 Re2 32.Rd1 Rxg2+ 33.Kf1 Rg7

• Black is lost, but he might get more resistance from 33...Be4 34.Rd8+ Rf8 35.Rxf8+ Nxf8 36.Qxf6 Rg7 37.Qd8.

34.Rd8+ Nf8
BLACK: Stelios Halkias
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WHITE: Mickey Adams
Position after 34...Ng6f8

35.Bd6!

• The text move is crushing. Black could have resigned here.

35...Rg1+ 36.Ke2 R7g2+ 37.Kd3 Rd1+ 38.Kc3 1-0

• Black is out of checks.
• If 38...Kf7 then 39.Rxf8+ Ke6 40.Qxf6+ Kd7 41.Qe7+ Kc6 42.Qc7#.
• Stelios resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Kosteniuk - Duhayon, Round 1

Alexandra Kosteniuk
Photo: Website of the 2008 Women's World Chess Championship


Alexandra Kosteniuk - Yves Duhayon
8th Gibtelecom Masters' Open, Round 3
Gibraltar, 28 January 2010

Italian Royal Game: Gothic Defense (Two Knights' Defense)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5

• 4.d4 exd4 5.0-0 Bc5 is the Max Lange Attack, which was covered as part of the Italo-Scotch nexis group of openings in the notes to the game Gara-N. Kosintseva, Euro ChT, Novi Sad, 2009.
• 4.d3 Bc5 (the Guicco Pianisimo) is the way the Italian Royal Game is usually handled nowadays.

4...d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+

• If 6.d3 h6 7.Nf3 e4 8.Qe2 Nxc4 9.dxc4 Bc5 then:
• If 10.Nfd2 0-0 11.Nb3 then:
• 11...Bg4 12.Qf1 Bb4+ 13.c3 Be7 14.h3 Bh5 15.g4 Bg6 16.Be3 Nd7 17.N1d2 Ne5 18.0-0-0 Nd3+ 19.Kb1 Bg5 20.Nd4 Qf6 gives White an extra pawn and Black the advantage in space (Bogolyubov-Elikases, Match, Munich, 1939).
• 11...Bd6 12.Nc3 Re8 13.h3 Bb4 14.0-0 Bxc3 15.bxc3 c6 16.dxc6 bxc6 17.Be3 Nh7 18.Rad1 Qh4 19.f4 Bxh3 20.Rd6 Bg4 21.Qf2 Qxf2+ 22.Kxf2 is equal (Chigorin-Teichmann, IT, Nuremberg, 1896).
• If 10.h3 0-0 11.Nh2 then:
• 11...b5 12.Nc3 bxc4 13.Qxc4 Qd6 14.0-0 Ba6 15.Nb5 Qb6 16.a4 Nxd5 17.Qxe4 c6 18.Ng4 f5 is equal (Bird-Chigorin, IT, London, 1883).
• 11...e3 12.Bxe3 Bxe3 13.fxe3 Ne4 14.Nf1 Qh4+ 15.g3 Qf6 16.c3 Bf5 17.Qf3 Ng5 18.Qf4 gives White two extra pawns (Korchnoi-Sliwa, IT, Bucharest, 1954).

6...c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 8.Qf3

• The text move was first played after World War II.
• The old main line, which is just a lot of good fun, is 8.Be2 h6 when:
• If 9.Nf3 e4 10.Ne5 Bd6 11.f4 then:
• If 11...exf3 12.Nxf3 0-0 then:
• 13.d4 Re8 14.0-0 c5 15.Kh1 Bb7 16.Nc3 cxd4 17.Qxd4 Nc6 18.Qh4 Ne5 19.Bd2 gives White an extra pawn (Vukcevic-Romanishin. IT, Hastings, 1976).
• If 13.0-0 c5 then:
• If 14.d4 Qc7 15.Nc3 a6 16.Kh1 then:
• If 16...Re8 17.d5 Rb8 18.a3 then:
• 18...c4 19.Rb1 Bg4 20.h3 Nh5 21.hxg4 Ng3+ 22.Kg1 Bc5+ 23.Rf2 Qb6 24.Qe1 Bxf2+ neutralizes White's material advantage and gives Black the initiative and more freedom (Jovcic-Dragovic, Yugoslav ChT, Yugoslavia, 1994).
18...Ng4 19.h3 Ne3 20.Bxe3 Rxe3 21.Rb1 Qe7 22.Qd2 Bf4 23.Qd1 is equal (Estrin-Levenfish, Soviet Ch ½-final, Leningrad, 1949).
• 16...Bb7 17.d5 Rad8 18.Bd2 Be7 19.Qe1 Rde8 20.Na4 Bd8 21.Bxa5 Qxa5 22.Qxa5 Bxa5 23.Bd3 White still has an extra pawn (Karjakin-Ragger, Euro Youth, Halkidiki, 2001).
• 14.Nc3 Nc6 15.Kh1 Re8 16.d3 Rb8 17.Qe1 Nd4 18.Nxd4 cxd4 19.Ne4 Nxe4 20.dxe4 Rxe4 gives Black the advantage in space and a more active game (Paoli-Bisguier, Norristown, 1973).
• If 11...Qc7 then:
• If 12.0-0 0-0 13.Nc3 Bxe5 14.fxe5 Qxe5 15.d4 exd3 16.Qxd3 then:
• 16...Ng4 17.Rf4 Qc5+ 18.Qd4 Qxd4+ 19.Rxd4 Nf6 20.Bf3 Be6 21.Ra4 Nc4 22.Bxc6 gives White an extra pawn (Losev-Najer, Petrov Mem, St. Petersburg, 1993).
• 16...Bg4 17.Rxf6 Qxf6 18.Bxg4 Rfe8 19.Be2 (Raudive-Cerjak, Op, Decin, 1995).
• 12.d4 0-0 13.0-0 c5 14.c3 Rd8 15.Kh1 Bb7 16.Na3 a6 17.Nac4 Nxc4 18.Bxc4 gives White an extra pawn and more space (Neumann-de Riviere, Paris, 1867).
• If 9.Nh3 Bc5 10.d3 0-0 11.0-0 then:
• 11...Nb7 12.Nc3 Bb6 13.Kh1 Nc5 14.f4 e4 15.Nf2 exd3 16.Nxd3 Bf5 gives White an extra pawn and Black more space (Hamann-Geller, Kislovodsk, 1966).
• 11...Nd5 12.c4 Ne7 13.Kh1 Bxh3 14.gxh3 Nf5 15.f4 exf4 16.Bxf4 Ne3 17.Bxe3 Bxe3 18.Nc3 gives White an extra pawn and Balck more space (Steinitz-Chigorin, World Ch Match, Havana, 1892).

8...Be7

• If 8...Rb8 9.Bd3 h6 10.Ne4 Nd5 then:
• If 11.b3 g6 12.Qg3 Bg7 13.Bb2 Nf4 14.Qxf4!! exf4 15.Bxg7 Kd7 16.Bf6 Qe8 17.0-0 then:
• 17...Kc7 18.Re1 Bf5 19.Na3 Qe6 20.Bc3 Qd5 21.Nc4 Nxc4 22.bxc4 Qd8 23.Ba5+ Black resigns as after 23...Rb6 24.c5 Qd5 25.cxb6+ axb6 26.Bc3 he is a whole piece down (van der Wiel-S. Ernst, Op, Groningen, 2004).
• 17...Qf8 18.Be2 Qb4 19.Bg4+ Kc7 20.Be5+ Kd8 21.Nd6 gives White more than enough compensation of the Queen.
• 11.Ng3 g6 12.b3 h5 13.0-0 Bg7 14.Ba3 Bg4 15.Qe4 f5 16.Qe1 gives White an extra pawn and Black more space (Honfi-Zagorovsky, Budapest, 1964).

9.Bd3

• The obvious problem with this move is that it blocks the advance of White's d-pawn, which in turn makes it difficult to develop White's queenside. However, the Bishop at d3 can come in useful, as one can tell from a judicious study of the notes to Black's ninth move.
• If 9.Bxc6+ Nxc6 10.Qxc6+ Bd7 then:
• 11.Qf3 0-0 12.Nc3 Rc8 13.d3 Bc6 14.Qh3 Bd7 15.Qg3 Nh5 16.Qxe5 Bf6 17.Qd5 gives White the advantage in space and three extra pawns (Mamedyarov-Tomashevsky, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2009).
• 11.Qc4 0-0 12.Nc3 Rc8 13.Qe2 Bg4 14.f3 Nh5 15.Nge4 Nf4 16.Qf1 gives White two extra pawns (Burn-von Bardeleben, IT, London, 1895).

9...h6

• 9...0-0 10.0-0 h6 11.Ne4 Nd5 12.Ng3 Nb4 13.Nf5 Bg5 14.Re1 Nxd3 15.cxd3 Qf6 16.Ng3 Qxf3 17.gxf3 gives Black fewer pawn weaknesses (although neither side's pawn structure is anything to write home about) and White is still badly underdeveloped (Kaidanov-Onischuk, US Ch, Tulsa, 2008).

10.Ne4 Nd5 11.c3!?

• 11.Ng3 0-0 12.Bf5 Bg5 13.0-0 Bb7 14.Ne4 g6 15.Nxg5 hxg5 16.Be4 f5 and we have a split decision: Fritz says "+/- 1.19"; JR says "Black has the advantage in space and, although he has an extra pawn, White lags in development" (Tayer-Ni Hua, Op, Edmonton, 2009).

11...0-0!?

• The game is equal.
• 11...h5! 12.b4 Bxb4 13.Qg3 0-0 14.0-0 Be7 15.Qxe5 gives White an extra pawn, but she is still having difficulties developing her queenside.

12.Ng3 f5!?

• Black, with the advantage in space, proffers a pawn to take advantage of White's lack of development.

13.Bxf5?!

• White misses a continuation that would put her in full command.
• 13.Nxf5! Bg5 14.Be4 Bxf5 15.Bxf5 g6 16.Be6+ gives White two extra pawns.

13...Nf4?!

• Black, in his turn, misses a chance to equalize.
• 13...Bh4! 14.b4 Bxg3 15.Qxg3 Bxf5 16.bxa5 Nf4 White's two extra pawns don't count for much with when the Queen is her only developed piece.

14.Bc2!

• Now the d-pawn may advance and White may continue her development normally.
• The immediate 14.d4? proves premature after 14...Bxf5 15.Nxf5 Rxf5 16.g3 Qd5 17.Qxd5+ Nxd5 when White has only two pawns for a Knight.

14...Ba6

• If 14...Bg5 then after 15.b3 Bb7 16.Ba3 c5 17.Ne4 Rf7 18.h4 White can use her initiative to scatter Black's pieces to the four winds.

15.Nf5 Rxf5 16.Bxf5 Nd3+?

• This move looks strong, but is woefully inadequate.
• Better is 16...Be2! 17.Qxe2 Nxe2 18.Kxe2 Qd5 19.f3 giving White a material advantage equivalent to a pawn, but Black can fight on with reasonable chances.

17.Kd1!

• The text move is good, but better is 17.Bxd3! Bxd3 18.b4 e4 19.Qg4 Nc4 20.Qe6+ when White continues to hold an impressive material advantage.

17...Qd6 18.b4 e4 19.Bxe4 Rf8

• 19...Nc4 20.Bxd3 Ne5 21.Bh7+ Kxh7 22.Qe4+ wins easily for White.

BLACK: Yves Duhayon
!""""""""#
$ + + Tl+%
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$ P +b+ +%
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Alexandra Kosteniuk
Position after 19...Ra8f8

20.Bxd3!!

• White has a material advantage equivalent to a Rook and, in spite of her neglected development, feels she can sacrifice her Queen.

20...Rxf3 21.Bxa6 Rxf2 22.bxa5

• In spite of surrendering her Queen, White still has a huge material advantage.

22...Qd5 23.Re1 Bd6 24.Kc2!?

• White wins faster after 24.Re8+! Kh7 25.g4 Rxh2 26.Kc2 g6 27.Bd3.

24...Rxg2 25.Bd3 Rxh2 26.Re8+

• 26.a6 Rf2 27.Re4 Qa5 28.Bb2 Rf4 29.Re8+ may be better.

26...Kf7 27.Re4 Qxa5 28.Na3

• At last, White gets her queenside pieces out.
• Better is 28.Bc4+ Kf8 29.Re6 Qf5+ 30.Kb3 Rh1 31.Na3 when White remains active.

28...Bxa3

• Black might consider 28...Rh1 which might present White with more problems.
• If 28...Rh1 then:
• If 29.Nc4! Qa4+ 30.Kb1 then:
• 30...Ba3 31.Nxa3 Qxa3 32.Kc2 Rxc1+ 33.Rxc1 Qxa2+ 34.Kd1 White should win.
• If 30...Qb5+ 31.Nb2 Qg5 32.Kc2 Rh4 33.Nc4 White still has a material advantage and a more active game.
• If 29.Bc4+!? Kf8 30.Re6 Be7 31.Bb3 Qf5+ 32.Kb2 puts Black back in the game with counterplay.

29.Bxa3 g5??

• Black now loses quickly.
• 29...Rf2 30.Bc4+ Kf6 31.Be7+ Kg6 32.Rae1 Kh7 33.Bd6 also wins for White.

BLACK: Yves Duhayon
!""""""""#
$ + + + +%
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WHITE: Alexandra Kosteniuk
Position after 29...g7g5

30.Rf1+!

• Game over. White now forces mate.

30...Kg8 31.Re8+ Kg7 32.Bf8+ 1-0

• White mates on the next move.
• M. Duhayon resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

11. Update (Wednesday) on Gibraltar and Moscow

Grandmasters Jan Gustafsson (Germany), Sergei Movsesian (Slovakia), Paco Vallejo (Spain) and Mickey Adams (Britain) are tied for first place with 7 points each with one round remaining in the 8th annual Gibtelecom Masters' Open in Gibraltar.

Pairings for tomorrow's tenth and final round have not yet been posted, but it looks like Gustafsson will play Movsesian and Adams will go up against Vallejo.

Tomorrow's action will be broadcast on the official tournament website beginning at 10 am local time (1 am PST).



Russian grandmaster Dmitry Andeikin with 4½ points leads 14 other players by a half-point after five rounds in the Moscow Open.

Andeikin will play White against Viorel Bologan of Moldova tomorrow in round 6.

In the women's group, four ladies are tied for first place after five rounds with 4½ points each.

They are Elisabeth Pähtz (Germany), Solome Melia (Georgia), Lilit Golojan (Armenia) and Tatiana Grabuzova (Russia).

Tomorrow Frln. Pähtz will play Black against Ms. Golojan and Ms. Melia will have White against Ms. Grabuzova.

The action will be presented live tomorrow at the official tournament website beginning at 4 pm in Moscow (3 am PST).