The JR Chess Report (March 6): Ivan Sokolov wins Reykjavik Open on tiebreaks

[Jack Rabbit]

Ivan Sokolov wins Reykjavik Open on tiebreaks



Bosnian grandmaster Ivan Sokolov won the Reykjavik oven on tiebreaks Wednesday after defeating American IM Alex Lenderman.

Sokolov's chances appeared slim to none after losing in Tuesday's eighth round to former world junior champion Abhijeet Gupta of India, leaving Sokolov a half-point behind Gupta and Icelandic GM Hannes Stefansson, who were then paired to play each other on Wednesday.

However, Gupta and Stefansson unwisely agreed to a draw after only nine moves in the final round, figuring that Sokolov, who was outplayed by Lenderman in the opening, couldn't win.

Sokolov, Gupta, Stefansson and Ukrainian GM Yuriy Kuzubov, who also had to win his last round game Lithuanian GM Aloyzas Kveinys to join the log jam at the top, each finished with 7 points out of nine rounds.

Indian IM Dronavalli Harika, who won the world girls' championship at the same time that her compatriot Gupta won the junior title in 2008, had the top score among the participating ladies with 6 points.


11th European Championships begin in Rijeka



The eleventh annual European Individual Chess Championships began today in the city of Rijeka in the former Yugoslav republic of Croatia.

There were few outright upsets in the first round of the general competition, although Zoltan Almasi, Alexander Motylev and defending champion Evgeny Tomashevsky, all rated over 2700, were each held to draws by opponents rated under 2500. The biggest Goliath who fell to a David occured on board 25, where Russian IM Artem Smirnov (2435) took down his venerable compatriot, grandmaster Evgeny Najer (2665).

In the women's competition, former world women's champiopn Antoaneta Stefanova of Bulgaria (2555), playing on the top board, was held to a draw by Georgian WIM Meri Arabidze (2292) and another Georgian, WGM Sopiko Guramishvili (2266) drew with this year's winner of the Gibraltar Masters' ladies' prize, Natalia Zhukova of Ukraine (2492). Otherwise, ther were no ther surprised and it was a good day for players named Kosintseva (Nadezhda and defending tournament champion Tatiana) and Muzychuk (Anna and Mariya), who all won their respective games.

Both groups will play eleven rounds, concluding Friday, March 19 with Saturday, March 13, scheduled as a rest day. Action is broadcast live on the official tournament website, with rounds beginning at 3:30 pm local time, which is a fairly reasonable 6:30 am PST.



Calendar

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

Bundesliga 0910, Rounds 12-13, Emsdetten, Katernberg, Munich, König Tegel (Berlin). 21-22 March.

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.

Bundesliga 0910, Rounds 14-15 (season finale), Erfurt, Eppingen, Bremen, Baden Baden. 10-11 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. Reykjavik Open

Reykjavik
Photo by Arndís Þórarinsdóttir in Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

[Jack Rabbit]

3. I. Sokolov - Lenderman, Round 9

It appeared that Bosnian-turned=Dutch-turned-Bosnian-again GM Ivan Sokolov was knocked out of the running by his loss to formner world junior champion Abhijeet Gupta the day before the last round.

In this game, US international master Alex Lenderman, a young man with a bright future, outplayed Sokolov in the opening. It looked like Sokolov was fighting for a draw in a game he had to win.

In neither case is it over until the fat lady sings.



Ivan Sokolov
ChessBase.com (Spanish Language)


Ivan Sokolov - Alex Lenderman
International Open, Round 9
Reykjavik, 3 March 2010

Slav Queen's Gambit: Chameleon Defense

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 a6 5.a4

• This move is somewhat unusual. Neither player wants to stay in the book very long.
• For a brief survey of the Chameleon Defense, see Kazhgaleyev-Volkov, Chigorin Mem, St. Petersburg, 2009.

5...e6 6.g3 Bb4

• With White committed to developing his King's Bishop on the flank, the most frequent move here is the drawish 6...dxc4.
• 6...dxc4 7.Bg2 c5 then:
• If 8.dxc5 Qxd1+ 9.Nxd1 then:
• If 9...Nc6 10.Ne3 Bxc5 11.Nxc4 Ke7 12.0-0 then:
• If 12...Rd8 13.Nfe5 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 Nd5 then:
• 15.Rd1 f6 16.Nc4 a5 is equal (Navara-Malakhov, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).
• 15.Bd2 f6 16.Nd3 Bb6 17.a5 Ba7 18.Rac1 Ke8 19.Rfd1 Bd7 20.Nc5 draw (Ragger-Volkov, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2010).
• 12...Bd7 13.Nfe5 Rac8 14.Bg5 Rhd8 15.Nxd7 Rxd7 16.Bxc6 bxc6 is equal (S. B. Hansen-Pedersen, Politiken Cup, Helsingør, 2009).
• If 9...Bxc5 10.Ne5 Nd5 then:
• 11.Ne3 Nxe3 12.Bxe3 Bxe3 13.fxe3 c3 14.b4 Nd7 15.Nd3 Rb8 16.0-0 b5 is equal (Anand-Wang Yue, IT, Linares, 2009).
• 11.Bd2 Ke7 12.Nxc4 Nc6 13.Nc3 Nd4 14.Nxd5+ exd5 15.Ne3 Be6 16.Rd1 gives White pressure against the isolated d-pawn (Aronian-Pelletier, Euro ChT, Novi Sad, 2009).
• If 8.0-0 Nc6 9.Ne5 then:
• If 9...Bd7 10.Nxd7 Qxd7 11.d5 exd5 12.Nxd5 Nxd5 13.Qxd5 Qxd5 14.Bxd5 Rd8 then:
• 15.Bxc4 Na5 16.Ba2 c4 17.Be3 Bb4 18.Bb6 is equal (Bacrot-Komljenovic, Op, Vienna, 2004).
• 15.Bxc6+ bxc6 16.Be3 Rb8 17.Rfc1 Rxb2 18.Rxc4 Rb4 19.Rc2 h5 20.Bxc5 Bxc5 21.Rxc5 Rh6 is equal (Del Rio-Matlakov, Op, Montcada, 2009).
• If 9...Na5 then:
• If 10.dxc5 Qxd1 11.Rxd1 Bxc5 12.Bf4 then:
• 12...Ke7!? 13.Rac1 Ra7 14.Ne4 Nxe4 15.Bxe4 b6 16.Bd2 has White threatening to win material (Bacrot-Laznicka, Bundesliga 0607, Germany, 2006).
• 12...Rg8! 13.Rab1 g5 14.Bd2 Bd6 15.Ne4 Bxe5 16.Bxa5 is equal.
• 10.d5?! Bd6! 11.Bf4 Qc7 12.Nxf7 Kxf7 13.dxe6+ Ke7 14.e4 Bxf4 15.gxf4 Qxf4 Black went on to win (Beliavsky-San Segundo, IT, Madrid, 1998).

7.Bg2 Nbd7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Bf4

• If 9.Qb3 a5 10.Bf4 b6 11.cxd5 cxd5 12.Nb5 Bb7 then:
• 13.Ne1 Rc8 14.Nd3 Be7 15.Rfd1 Ne4 16.Rac1 gives White the advantage in space (Fridman-Kindermann, Bundesliga 0809, Tegernsee, 2009).
• 13.Rfc1 Rc8 14.Bc7 Qe7 15.Na7 Ra8 16.Nc6 Bxc6 17.Rxc6 gives White the advantage in space (Ftacnik-Buhmann, Bundeslinga 0809, Berlin, 2009).

9...b6!?

• 9...dxc4 10.Qc2 c5 11.Na2 a5 12.Nxb4 cxb4 13.Qxc4 b6 14.Rfc1 gives White the advantage in space and command of the open file (Ivanchuk-Shirov, IT, Tilburg, 1993).

10.Ne5

• The game is equal.

10...Bb7 11.Qb3 Be7 12.Nxd7 Nxd7 13.e4!?

• White weakens his control over e4.
• 13.Rfe1 Re8 14.Rad1 Bf6 15.Bd6 remains equal.

BLACK: Alex Lenderman
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WHITE: Ivan Sokolov
Position after 13.e2e4

13...c5!

• Black attacks the now-weakened e4.
• 13...dxe4!? 14.Nxe4! Nf6 15.Rfd1 Re8 16.Nc5 gives White the initiative.

14.exd5 cxd4 15.Ne4!?

• White seems oblivious to the danger facing him.
• 15.Ne2 e5 16.d6 Bxg2 17.dxe7 Qxe7 18.Kxg2 exf4 maintains Black's initiative.

15...e5!

• Black has the initiative.

16.Bd2 f5 17.c5

• 17.d6 fxe4 18.dxe7 Qxe7 19.Bb4 Nc5 leaves Black a pawn up.

17...fxe4!?

• While this move looks reasonable, it quashes Black's initiative.
• If 17...Bxc5 then:
• 18.Ng5! Qb8 19.d6+ Kh8 gives Black an extra pawn.
• 18.Nxc5? Nxc5 19.Qa2 Rf7 20.b4 Ne4 21.d6 Qxd6 leaves Black with two extra pawns.

BLACK: Alex Lenderman
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WHITE: Ivan Sokolov
Position after 17...fe4:N

18.c6!

• It is doubtful that Black overlooked this move; since he loses neither piece that is "forked", it is more likely that he simply underestimated its strength.

18...Nc5 19.Qa2 Bc8 20.b4 Kh8!?

• Black unnecessarily consents to equality.
If 20...Nd3! then 21.d6+ Kh8 22.dxe7 Qxe7 23.Bxe4 then:
• If 23...Nxb4! 24.Qb1 a5 25.Rc1 Bg4 then:
• 26.Bxh7 Qf6 27.Be1 Bf3 28.Be4 d3 29.Bxd3 Bxc6 wins the c-pawn and leaves Black with the more active game.
• 26.Ra3 Be6 27.Rf3 Rxf3 28.Bxf3 Rc8 29.Bg2 Kg8 gives Black greater activity.
• If 23...Bf5!? 24.Bxf5 Rxf5 25.f3! Qf8 26.Qc4 then:
• 26...Rxf3 27.Rxf3 Qxf3 28.Rf1 Nb2 29.Qc2 wins the Knight.
• 26...Nb2 27.Qb3 wins the Knight.

21.bxc5 Bxc5 22.Bxe4 Bh3!

• Black gets the upper hand.
• If 22...Qf6!? then 23.f4! (Blocking Black's access to White's kingside) 23...Bh3 24.Rfe1 Rad8 25.Rac1 is once again equal.

23.a5?!

• White invites Black to take the exchange. It isn't an entirely sound sacrifice.
• 23.Rfc1 Qf6 24.Be1 Bf5 25.Bxf5 Qxf5 gives Black the better game; White's passers are too weak to maintain.

23...d3?

• The passer imprudently moves beyond its sphere of protection.
• 23...Bxf1! 24.Rxf1 Qd6 25.f4 b5 26.Kg2 Rad8 gives Black more freedom; in this position, White is fighting for a draw..

BLACK: Alex Lenderman
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WHITE: Ivan Sokolov
Position after 23...d4d3

24.Qc4!

• The Queen defends the Bishop, overprotects the d-pawn and attack's Black's passer.

24...Bd4

• The text is better than 24...Bxf1!? 25.Rxf1 h6 26.Bxd3 Bd4 27.Bc2 Rf6 28.axb6, giving White connected passers.

25.Qxd3 b5

• 25...Bxa1 26.Rxa1 bxa5 27.Bc3 Qd6 28.Bxh7 gives White the more active game in spite of being down materially.

26.Be3!

• White wins. There is no variation beyond here that does not give White at least a huge advantage.
• 26.Rfc1 Rxf2 27.Be3 Bxe3 28.Qxe3 Rf6 29.c7, but Black's queenside pawns give him some hopes for counterplay.

26...Bxf1

• If 26...Bxe3 27.Qxe3 Bxf1 28.Rxf1 then:
• 28...Qxa5 29.d6 Qd8 30.Rd1 Rc8 31.Rd2 b4 32.Qc5 wins for White.
• 28...Rb8? 29.Qc5 Qxa5 30.c7 Rbc8 31.d6 Qd2 32.Bb7 wins for White.
• 26...Bxa1 27.Rxa1 Rc8 28.Bxh7 Qd6 29.Qe4 Qf6 30.Rd1 gives White powerful connected passed pawns.

27.Rxf1 Bxe3 28.Qxe3 Rf6

• If 28...Qxa5 then White wins after 29.d6 Qd8 30.Qc5 Rc8 31.c7 Qd7 32.Bb7.

29.Rc1 Qxa5

• If 29...Qc7 then White wins after 30.Qb6 Qc8 31.c7 Qf8 32.Qc5.

30.c7 Rc8

• If 30...Raf8 then after 31.d6 Rxd6 32.c8Q Rxc8 33.Rxc8+ White wins.

31.Qc5 Qd2

• If 31...Qa2 then after 32.d6 Qe6 33.Bb7 White wins.

32.d6 Rxd6

• If 32...Qxd6 33.Bb7 Qxc5 34.Rxc5 then:
• 34...Rxc7 35.Rxc7 g6 36.Rc8+ Kg7 37.Ra8 gives the material advantage to White.
• If 34...Rff8 then 35.Bxc8 Rxc8 36.Rd5 wins.

33.Bb7 Rxc7 34.Qxc7 g6

• Black might last a little bit longer after 34...h6 35.Kg2 Rd8 36.Bxa6 Rf8 37.Qc5.

35.Qb8+ Kg7 36.Rc7+ 1-0

• 36...Rd7 37.Rxd7+ Qxd7 38.Qxe5+ leaves White a piece to the good.
• Mr. Lenderman resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. M. Ivanov - Kuzubov, Round 5

Yuriy Kuzubov
Photo: ChessBase.com


Mikhail Ivanov - Yuriy Kuzubov
International Open, Round 5
Reykjavik, 27 February 2010

West India Game: Tal-Indian Defense (Catalan Opening) (Modern Benoni)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 c5 4.d5 d6 5.Nc3 exd5 6.cxd5 g6 7.Bg2 Bg7 8.Nf3 0-0 9.0-0 Re8

• For moves up to here, see Vallejo-Gashimov, IT, Linares, 2010.

10.Re1

• If 10.Nd2 a6 11.a4 Nbd7 then:
• If 12.h3 Rb8 13.Nc4 then:
• If 13...Ne5 14.Na3 Nh5 15.e4 then:
• 15...Bd7 16.a5 Qxa5 17.g4 Nf6 18.f4 Nexg4 19.hxg4 Nxg4 20.Bf3 h5 21.Nc2 Qd8 22.Kg2 b5 23.Ne3 b4 24.Na4 Qh4 gives Black the advantage in space (Vasilievich-Peng, Euro ChW, Plovdiv, 2008).
• 15...Rf8 16.Kh2 f5 17.f4 b5 18.axb5 axb5 19.Naxb5 fxe4 20.Na7 Nf3+ 21.Bxf3 exf3 22.Nxc8 Qxc8 23.Rxf3 gives White an extra pawn (Brunner-Marzolo, IT, Nancy, 2007).
• If 13...Nb6 14.Na3 Bd7 15.e4 then:
• 15...Qc7 16.Be3 Nxa4 17.Nxa4 Nxe4 18.Nc2 b5 19.Nc3 Nxc3 20.bxc3 Bxc3 21.Rxa6 b4 22.Bf4 Rb6 23.Rxb6 Qxb6 24.Bd2 Be5 25.Ne3 Bd4 26.Re1 Bb5 27.h4 gives White a piece for two pawns (Mikhalevski-Cebalo, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).
• 15...Nc8 16.Qd3 Qc717.Be3 Na7 18.Rfc1 b5 19.b4 c4 20.Qf1 bxa4 21.Nxc4 Nb5 22.Nxa4 Nxe4 23.Bxe4 Bxa1 24.Nd2 Bc3 25.Kh2 Bxd2 26.Rxc7 Nxc7 27.Bxd2 Rxe4 28.Qa1 Ne8gives Black a small advantage in space (Glek-Belinkov, Corres, 1986).
• 12.Nc4 Ne5 13.Nxe5 Rxe5 14.Bf4 Re8 15.Qc2 h5 16.Bd2 Bd7 17.a5 b5 18.axb6 Qxb6 19.Ra2 c4 is equal (Golichenko-Edouard, Euro Youth, Herceg Novi, 2006).
• If 10.Bf4 then:
• If 10...a6 11.a4 then:
• If 11...Ne4 12.Nxe4 Rxe4 13.Nd2 Rb4 then:
• If 14.Ra2 g5 15.Be3 f5 16.Nf3 h6 17.Qc1 Qf6 18.h4 g4 19.Nd2 Bd7 20.Nc4 a5 21.Bd2 gives White a powerful initiative (Berkes-van Wely, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2005).
• 14.Ne4 h6 15.Bd2 Rxb2 16.Qc1 Rxd2 17.Qxd2 f5 18.Nc3 Qa5 19.Rac1 b5 20.Qf4 b4 21.Qxd6 leaves White an exchange to the good (Savon-Tal, Soviet Cup, Dnepropetrovsk, 1970).
• 11...Qc7 12.Rc1 Nh5 13.Bd2 Nd7 14.b4 Qb8 15.Qb3 cxb4 16.Qxb4 Nc5 17.a5 gives White the advantage in space (Wojtaszek-Mastrovasilis, Op, Kalamaria, 2006).
• 10...Na6 11.Re1 Bg4 12.h3 Bxf3 13.Bxf3 Qd7 14.e4 Rad8 15.Kg2 c4 16.Be3 Nb4 17.Bxa7 Nd3 draw (Kachiani-Radziewicz Ralich, Euro ChW, Warsaw, 2001).

10...a6 11.e4 Bg4!?

• 11...b5 12.e5 dxe5 13.Nxe5 Bb7 14.Bg5 Nbd7 15.Nc6 Rxe1+ 16.Qxe1 Qb6 is equal (Moskalenko-Emms, Op, Copenhagen, 1995).

12.Bf4

• White has the advantage in space.

12...Nh5 13.Bd2 Nd7 14.h3 Bxf3 15.Bxf3 Nhf6 16.a4!?

• White continues to enjoy a small advantage in space after 16.g4 Ne5 17.g5 Nfd7 18.Be2 f6 19.f4 Nf7.

BLACK: Yuriy Kuzubov
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WHITE: Mikhail Ivanov
Position after 16.a2a4

16...c4!

• The game is equal.

17.b4 cxb3 18.Qxb3 Nc5 19.Qb1 Rb8

• 19...Rc8 20.a5 Nfd7 21.Ra3 Ne5 22.Be2 Ncd3 23.Bxd3 remains equal.

20.Ra3 Nfd7 21.Kg2 Qe7 22.Na2 b5!?

• 22...Rbc8 23.a5 Rc7 24.Nc3 Ne5 25.Be2 Ned7 26.Bf1 remains equal.

23.axb5 Rxb5 24.Nb4!

• White has the advantage in space.

24...Qf6 25.Qc1 a5

• If 25...Ne5 26.Bg5 Qxf3+ 27.Rxf3 Rxb4 then:
• 28.Bd2 Rd4 29.Re2 Nxf3 30.Kxf3 gives White a Queen against a Rook and a minor piece.
• 28.Rfe3 Ned3 29.Qd2 Nxe1+ 30.Qxe1 Rb2 is equal.

26.Bc3?!

• White perhaps did not see White's coming tactical shot.
• 26.Nc6 Rb3 27.Re3 Rxa3 28.Qxa3 a4 29.Bc3 gives White the initiative.

BLACK: Yuriy Kuzubov
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WHITE: Mikhail Ivanov
Position after 26.Bd2c3

26...Qxc3!!

• The sacrifice takes the wind from White's sails. Black is assure of at least an equal game.

27.Rxc3

• 27.Qxc3 loses immediately to 27...Bxc3 28.Rxc3 axb4.

27...Bxc3 28.Qxc3 axb4 29.Qc4 Rb6

• Black now has a passed pawn. White must quickly find a way to restrain it.

30.Rb1

• The game is equal.

30...b3 31.Qd4 Reb8

• 31...Re5 32.Qc3 f5 33.exf5 Rxf5 remains equal.

32.Bg4 Rb4 33.Qc3 Ne5

• 33...Nxe4!? 34.Qe1 f5 35.Be2 f4 36.gxf4 Kf8 is equal.

34.f4?

• White leaves e-pawn and his Queen unprotected.
• 34.Bd1 Nxe4 35.Qe3 Nc5 36.Qc3 Ned3 leaves White with plenty of defensive resources.

BLACK: Yuriy Kuzubov
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WHITE: Mikhail Ivanov
Position after 34.f2f4

34...Rc4!

• Black drives the Queen away, seizing the initiative anew.

35.Qa5

• The text move takes the Queen away from the defense of too many vital points.
• If 35.Qe1 Rxe4 36.Qa5 Nxg4 37.hxg4 then:
• 37...Reb4! 38.Rb2 h6 39.Kf3 Na4 40.Rb1 b2 is an easy win for Black.
• If 37...Re2+?! then:
• 38.Kh3! Re7 39.g5 h6 40.gxh6 Kh7 41.Qa1 gives White the initiative.
• 38.Kf3? Rbe8! 39.g5 h6 40.Kg4 h5+ 41.Kh3 Ra2 gives Black a winning advantage.

35...Rc2+!

• The White King is forced to the back rank.

36.Kg1 Nxg4 37.Qc7

• 37.hxg4 b2 38.Qa7 Rb3 39.Qa2 Rxg3+ wins for Black.

37...Rf8 38.Qxd6 b2 39.Rxb2 Rxb2 0-1

• If 40.Qxc5 then after 40...Ra8 41.Qc1 Rc2 42.Qb1 Ne3 Black wins easily.
• Grandmaster Ivanov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Gupta - I. Sokolov, Round 8

Abhijeet Gupta
Photo: All India Chess Federation


Abhijeet Gupta - Ivan Sokolov
International Open, Round 8
Reykjavik, 2 March 2010

Slav Queen's Gambit: Karlsbad Defense

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5 Nbd7 7.Nxc4 Nb6 8.Ne5 a5 9.e3 g6 10.Bd3 Bxd3 11.Nxd3

• For moves and variations up to here, see Carlsen-Nakamura, IT, London, 2009.

11...Nbd5

• The text move was introduced into master play in the game Harikrishna-Predojevic (see note to White's 15th move).
• If 11...Bg7 then:
• If 12.Qb3 0-0 13.0-0 Nfd7 then:
• 14.f4 Qc7 15.Bd2 c5 16.Nb5 gives White the advantage in space (Cramling-Pähtz, ITW, St. Petersburg, 2009).
• 14.Ne2 Qc7 15.e4 Nc8 16.f3 Rd8 gives White the advantage in space, but Black has no exploitable weaknesses (Jobava-Shirov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2007).
• 12.0-0 0-0 13.Qe2 Nfd5 14.Rd1 Nb4 15.b3 N6d5 16.Bb2 Nxd3 17.Qxd3 Nxc3 18.Bxc3 Qd5 19.Qc4 Rfd8 20.Rac1 f5 is equal (Adianto-Bu Xiangzhi, Op, Doha, 2006).

12.Qb3

• 12.0-0 Bg7 13.Bd2 0-0 14.Qb3 Qb6 15.Qxb6 Nxb6 16.b3 Rfd8 is equal (Ivanisevic-Pavlovic, Zürich Chess Club Bicentennial, Zürich, 2009).

12...Qb6 13.Qxb6 Nxb6 14.Ke2 Bg7 15.b3

• 15.Rd1 0-0 16.Bd2 Nfd7 17.b3 e5 18.dxe5 Nxe5 19.Nxe5 Bxe5 20.Rac1 is equal (Harikrishna-Predojevic, IT, Sarajevo, 2009).

15...0-0 16.Bd2 Nbd5!?

• 16...Nfd7 17.Rac1 e6 18.Ne4 Ra7 19.Rhd1 gives White the advantage in space (Cramling-Blumquist, Swedish Ch, Kungsør, 2009).

17.Nxd5 Nxd5 18.Rac1

• White has the advantage in space.

18...Ra7

• 18...Rfc8 19.Rc5 b6 20.Rc4 e6 21.Rhc1 Ne7 22.Ne5 gives White the initiative against the c-pawn.

19.f3 Nb6 20.Rhd1 Nd7 21.Be1 Re8 22.Nc5 Nf8

• 22...Nf6 23.e4 h6 24.Ke3 e6 25.Nd3 gives White a solid center.

23.Bg3 Rc8 24.Rc4 Ne6!?

• Black gives White an opportunity to spoil his pawn structure.
• If 24...h6 then White remains better after 25.Rdc1 f5 26.Rd1 Kf7 27.e4 b6 28.Nd3, but Black's queenside majority still gives him hopes of gaining counterplay.

BLACK: Nezhmetdinov
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WHITE: Znosko-Barovsky
Position after 24...Nf8e6

25.Be1!?

• Rather than this time consuming plan of redeloying the Bishop, White could simply destroy Black's central pawn structure.
• If 25.Nxe6! fxe6 26.Be5 then:
• 26...Rd8 27.Bxg7 Kxg7 28.h4 e5 29.dxe5 Rxd1 30.Kxd1 gives White an extra pawn and the more active Rook.
• If 26...Bf6 then after 27.e4 h6 28.f4 Kf7 29.g4 b6 30.h4 White is pushig Black off the board.

25...Rca8!?

• Black could have better exploited White's inaccuracy.
• If 25...Nc7 then White remains better after 26.Rc2 b6 27.Nd3 Ne6 28.d5 Nd8 29.e4, but Black has potential counterplay on the queenside after 29...c5.

26.d5!?

• White intends to break through in the center.
• Once again, 26.Nxe6, spoiling Black's center, is the best idea.

26...cxd5 27.Rxd5 Nf8 28.Nd3 Bf6!?

• This waiting move does nothing for Black.
• 28...b6 makes Black's second rank move navigable for the Rook, but after 29.Rc6 Rb7 30.e4 Ne6 31.Bf2 Rab8 Black still has the active game.

BLACK: Nezhmetdinov
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WHITE: Znosko-Barovsky
Position after 28...Bg7f6

29.e4!

• White breaks through the center, per his plan.
• Also good is 29.Rb5 Nd7 30.Nc5 Nxc5 31.Rcxc5 e6 32.Rxa5, leaving Black a pawn to the good.

29...b6 30.Bf2 Rb7?

• This move loses the game for good (if Black's 28th move didn't already).
• Better is 30...Nd7 31.e5 Bg7 32.f4 Rb7 33.Rc6 Rab8 34.g4 when Black holds on to the b-pawn and White switches to an attack on the kingside.

31.Rb5 Nd7

• If 31...Ne6 32.Rxb6 then:
• 32...Rab8 33.Rxb7 Rxb7 34.b4 axb4 35.Rxb4 Rxb4 36.Nxb4 gives White the outside passer.
• 32...Rd7 33.Be3 h5 34.Nc5 Nxc5 35.Rxc5 gives White the extra pawn.

32.Nc5 Nxc5 33.Bxc5 Rab8 34.Be3 e6

• 34...Kf8 35.Rc6 Ke8 36.Rcxb6 Rxb6 37.Bxb6 Bc3 38.Kd3 leaves Black with an extra pawn.

BLACK: Nezhmetdinov
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WHITE: Znosko-Barovsky
Position after 34...e7e6

35.Bf4!

• A Black pawn must fall.
• 35.g4!? Bd8 36.h3 f6 37.Rc6 Kf7 38.f4 Bc7 holds the pawn for Black.

35...e5

• 35...Rf8 36.Rc7 Rxc7 37.Bxc7 Bc3 38.Bxb6 wins for White.

36.Be3 Bd8 37.Rxe5!

• White takes a more impantant pawn.

37...Bc7 38.Rb5 Re8

• If 38...Bxh2 39.g4 Kf8 40.Rc6 Bc7 41.g5 then:
• 41...Ke7 42.Bd4 Kd7 43.Rc1 Bf4 44.Rh1 wins the h-pawn unles Black play 44...Rh8, when the b-pawn falls.
• If 41...Bd8 42.Bf4 Ra8 43.Kd3 Rd7+ 44.Rd5 forces an exchange of Rooks that yields White a passed pawn.

39.Rc6 f5 40.exf5 Bxh2

• If 40...gxf5 41.Rxf5 then:
• 41...Bxh2 42.Rg5+ Kf8 43.Rg4 h5 44.Rf6+ Ke7 45.Re4+ all but forces an exchange of Rooks and leaves White a pawn up.
• 41...Bd8 42.Kf2 Rc7 43.Rxc7 Bxc7 44.Rf6 Rb8 45.Rc6 wins easily.

41.Re6 Rc8 42.fxg6 Rd7 43.f4 1-0

• 43...Rg7 44.gxh7+ Rxh7 45.Rg6+ Kf8 46.Rf5+ Ke8 47.Bxb6 leaves Black in a mating net.
• Sokolov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Nataf - Stefansson, Round 8

Hannes Stefansson
Photo: ChessBase.com


Igor Nataf - Hannes Stefansson
International Open, Round 8
Reykjavik, 2 March 2010

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Gligoric's Exchange Opening

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6

• This move is rightly considered colorless and drawish.

4...dxc6 5.0-0

• The text is the Gligoric Opening, which enjoyed some popularity in the seventies.
• 5.d4 exd4 6.Qxd4 Qxd4 7.Nxd4 is the Lasker Opening.

5...f6

• If 5...Qd6 6.Na3 Be6 7.Qe2 f6 8.Rd1 then:
• If 8...Bg4 9.c3 then:
• If 9...c5 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Qxf3 Ne7 12.d4 cxd4 13.cxd4 exd4 14.Bf4 Qd7 15.Rac1 then:
• If 15...Nc6 16.Nc2 Rd8 17.Qg3 Qf7 18.Bxc7 Rd7 is equal (Solzhenkin-I. Ibragimov, Russian Ch, St. Petersburg, 1998).
• 15...Rc8 16.Nc4 Ng6 is equal (Swinkels-Ragger, Bundesliga 0809, Wattenscheid, 2008).
• If 9...Qe6 10.Nc2 Bd6 11.Ne3 then:
• 11...Ne7 12.d4 Ng6 13.Nxg4 Qxg4 14.h3 Qe6 15.dxe5 Bxe5 16.Nxe5 fxe5 17.Be3 0-0 18.b3 gives White the advantage in space (C. Balogh-Olszewski, Najdorf Mem, Warsaw, 2008).
• 11...Bxf3 12.Qxf3 Ne7 13.Qg4 Qf7 14.d4 0-0 15.Nf5 Nxf5 16.Qxf5 Rfe8 17.Bd2 Rad8 18.b3 a5 19.g3 gives White the advantage in space (Rozentalis-Roamnishin, Op, Bad Godesberg, 1994).
• If 8...0-0-0 9.d4 Bg4 then:
• If 10.Be3 Qe6 11.dxe5 then:
• 11...Rxd1+ 12.Qxd1 Bxa3 13.bxa3 Ne7 14.Nd4 Qd7 15.f3 fxe5 16.fxg4 Rd8 17.c3 c5 18.Bg5 exd4 19.cxd4 cxd4 gives Black fewer pawn weaknesses (Kejo-Ivanchuk, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2008).
• 11...Re8 12.h3 Bxf3 13.Qxf3 Bxa3 14.bxa3 fxe5 is equal (Naiditsch-Krasenkow, Euro Ch Playoff (Rpd), Antalya, 2004).
• If 10.c3 Qe6 11.Nc2 Re8 then:
• If 12.Re1 exd4 13.Ncxd4 Qd7 14.h3 Bh5 15.Bf4 Ne7 16.Rad1 c5 17.Nb3 Qc6 18.Bh2 Bf7 19.Qd2 b6 20.e5 then:
• 20...Bg8 21.exf6 gxf6 22.Qd3 c4 23.Nbd4 cxd3 24.Nxc6 gives White the advantage in space (Fester-Sorota, Corres, 2000).
• 20...Ng6 21.e6 Bxe6 22.Nbd4!! cxd4 23.Nxd4 Qd7 24.Rxe6 Rxe6 25.Nxe6 Bd6 26.Qe2 gives White more freedom and a huge advantage in space (Gessler-Piccoli, Corres, 2002).
• 12.Qe3 exd4 13.Nfxd4 Qd7 14.Rd3 c5 15.Ne2 Qa4 is equal (Howell-Wells, Op, Gibraltar, 2004).

6.d4 Bg4

• If 6...exd4 7.Nxd4 c5 then:
• 8.Nb3 Qxd1 9.Rxd1 Bg4 10.f3 Be6 11.Be3 b6 12.a4 Kf7 13.Nc3 Bd6 14.a5 c4 15.Nd4 b5 16.Nxe6 Kxe6 17.Ne2 Ne7 18.Bf4 Be5 19.Nd4+ Kf7 is equal (Malisauskas-Psakhis, Op, Moscow, 1989).
• If 8.Ne2 Qxd1 9.Rxd1 Bd7 then:
• If 10.Nbc3 0-0-0 then:
• If 11.Be3 Re8 12.Rd2 Bc6 13.Rad1 b6 then:
• 14.f3 Ne7 15.Nf4 Ng6 16.Nxg6 hxg6 17.Bf4 Be7 18.Nd5 Bd8 19.Bg3 g5 20.Ne3 g6 21.Bf2 a5 22.g4 f5 23.gxf5 gxf5 24.Nxf5 g4 25.fxg4 Rxe4 26.Bg3 Bg5 is equal (Swinkels-Bojkov, IT, Neuhausen, 2007).
• 14.Nf4 Nh6 15.Nfd5 Ng4 16.Bf4 Ne5 17.b3 Kb7 18.Ne3 g6 19.Ncd5 Bg7 20.Bg3 gives White the advantage in space (Dutta-Sandipan, Op, Delhi, 2006).
• 11.Bf4 Ne7 12.Bg3 Ng6 13.Nd5 Ne5 14.f4 Nf7 15.Nec3 f5 16.Bh4 Re8 17.e5 gives White the advantage in space (Feygin-Michalczak, Op, Recklinghausen, 2001).
• 10.Be3 0-0-0 11.c4 draw (Hort-Jussupow, IT, Tunisein, 1985).

7.dxe5

• If 7.c3 Bd6 8.Be3 then:
• 8...Qe7 9.Nbd2 0-0-0 10.Qc2 exd4 11.cxd4 Re8 12.e5 Bb4 13.h3 Be6 14.Ne4 Qf7 15.a3 Bb3 16.Qb1 Bf8 17.Nfd2 Bd5 is equal (Smyslov-Geller, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1973).
• If 8...Ne7 9.Nbd2 then:
• 9...Qd7 10.dxe5 fxe5 11.h3 Be6 12.Ng5 Bg8 13.Qh5+ Ng6 14.Rfd1 0-0-0 15.Nf1 Qe8 16.Ng3 h6 17.Nf3 Nf4 18.Qxe8 Rxe8 is equal (Kinsman-Mejdi Kaabi, Op, Cannes, 1998).
• 9...0-0 10.Qb3+ Kh8 11.h3 Bh5 12.Rfe1 Qd7 13.Rad1 exd4 14.Bxd4 c5 15.Be3 b5 16.Qc2 Rae8 draw (Hort-Geller, IT, Dortmund, 1989).

7...Qxd1 8.Rxd1 fxe5 9.Rd3 Bd6

• If 9...Bxf3 then:
• 10.gxf3 Bd6 11.Nd2 Nh6 12.Nc4 Nf7 13.Be3 0-0-0 14.Rad1 Rde8 15.Nxd6+ cxd6 16.Bb6 Re6 is equal (Ribli-Antonshin, IT, Budapest, 1973).
• 10.Rxf3 Nf6 11.Nc3 Bb4 12.Bg5 Bxc3 13.bxc3 Rf8 14.Bxf6 Rxf6 15.Rxf6 gxf6 16.Rd1 a5 draw (Kuzmin-Savon, Soviet Ch, Baku, 1972).

10.Nbd2 b5

• If 10...Nf6 11.Nc4 then:
• If 11...0-0 12.Nfxe5 Be2 13.Re3 Bxc4 14.Nxc4 Bc5 then:
• If 15.Re1 Rae8 16.Be3 Bxe3 17.Rxe3 Rxe4 18.Rxe4 Nxe4 19.f3 Nd6 20.Ne3 is equal (Karjakin-Caruana, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2010).
• 15.Rf3 Nxe4 16.Be3 Rxf3 17.gxf3 Nd6 18.Nxd6 Bxd6 19.Rd1 Kf7 20.c4 Ke6 draw (Sideif-Sade -Razuvaev, Soviet Ch FL, Frunze, 1979).
• 11...Nxe4 12.Nfxe5 Be6 13.f3 Bxe5 14.Nxe5 Nc5 15.Re3 0-0-0 16.Re1 Rhe8 17.Be3 Na4 18.Nd3 h6 is equal (Kholmov-Podgaets, Soviet Ch ½-fianl, Lvov, 1973).

11.b3 Ne7

• 11...Nf6 12.Bb2 Nd7 13.h3 Bh5 14.Nh4 0-0-0 15.Ndf3 Rhf8 16.Re1 Nc5 17.Rde3 Rde8 is equal (Bronstein-Klovans, GMT, Moscow, 1972).

12.Bb2 Ng6 13.g3 0-0

• 13...0-0-0 14.Kg2 h6 15.Rc1 Kb7 16.c4 Bb4 17.Rxd8 Rxd8 18.Nf1 is equal (van der Wiel-Tal, IT, Brussels, 1987).

14.Kg2 Rf6

• If 14...c5 15.c4 Rab8 then:
• 16.Rc1 Rfe8 17.Rc2 Nf8 18.cxb5 axb5 19.a4 is equal (Marciano-Haba, Op, Toulouse, 1990).
• 16.a4 bxc4 17.Nxc4 Bxf3+ 18.Rxf3 Rxf3 19.Kxf3 Rxb3+ 20.Ke2 Kf7 gives Black an extra pawn (Timman-Kasparov, IT, Hilversum, 1985).

15.Ng1!?

• If 15.h3 then:
• 15...Bd7 16.Ng1 c5 17.Ne2 Raf8 18.Rf1 c4 gives Black the advantage in space and the initiative (Dr. Nunn-Portisch, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1985).
• 15...Be6 16.Ng5 Bd7 17.Rf3 c5 18.Re1 gives White the advantage in space (Grigorian-Marin, Ol, Torino, 2006).

15...Raf8

• White has the initiative.

16.f4!

• White sacrifices a pawn to keep his initiative going.

16...exf4

• 16...c5 17.Ngf3 Re8 18.a4 b4 19.Nc4 gives White a comfortable advantage in space.

17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Ngf3 Kh8

• If 18...Kf7 19.c4 Rg8 then:
• 20.Kf2 Bxf3 21.Nxf3 fxg3+ 22.hxg3 Bxg3+ 23.Ke3 h5 is equal.
• If 20.cxb5 fxg3 21.Rxd6 Bxf3+ 22.Nxf3 then:
• 22...Nf4+ 23.Kg1 cxd6 24.bxc6 g2 gives Black a more active endgame.
• 22...cxd6 23.bxc6 gxh2!? 24.Kxh2 Ke6 is equal.

19.a4 Rg8 20.Rxd6?!

• The sacrifice of the exchange is not necessary.
• 20.Kf2 b4 21.Nc4 Bxf3 22.Rxf3 Re8 23.Re1 continues to give White a material advantage and fewer pawn weaknesses with no further risk.

BLACK: Hannes Stefansson
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Igor Nataf
Position after 20.Rd3d6:B

20...cxd6!

• By accepting the exchange, Black now has an extra pawn.

21.axb5 axb5 22.Ra6 Bd7 23.c4

• White has no opportunities to recover his pawn.
• 23.Ra7 Rd8 24.c4 fxg3 25.hxg3 b4 26.Nd4 c5 leaves Black a pawn to the good.

23...fxg3 24.hxg3 bxc4!

• Black weakens White's queenside while strengthening his own.
• If 24...b4!? 25.Kf2 then:
• 25...Ne5 26.Nxe5 fxe5 27.Rb6 Rf8+ 28.Ke3 h5 29.Rxb4 is equal.
• if 25...Rb8 26.Ra7 Bg4 27.Ra6 then:
• 27...Rc8 28.Rb6 Ne5 29.Nxe5 fxe5 is equal.
• 27...Ne7 28.Nd4 Bd7 29.Nc2 Nc8 30.Nd4 is equal.

25.Nxc4

• This is the correct recapture.
• 25.bxc4 Ne5 26.Nxe5 fxe5 27.c5 dxc5 28.Nc4 Re8 gives Black a passed pawn.

25...Nf4+

• Black now has an extra pawn and the more active game.

26.Kh2!?

• This inaccuracy is slight, but it comes at a crusial moment.
• 26.Kf1 Bh3+ 27.Kf2 Nd3+ 28.Ke3 Rxg3 29.Rxc6 Ne5 maintains Black's material edge, but the White King is active.

26...Ne2!

• White's g-pawn will fall.

27.Nxd6 Rxg3 28.Ra8+ Kg7 29.Ra7 Rxf3 30.Rxd7+!?

• White commits another inaccuracy, missing his last real opportunity to equalize.
• If 30.Nf5+! Kf8 (30...Kg6? is clearly out of the question) 31.Rxd7 Rxb3 32.Rxh7 Rd3 33.Rc7 Nc3 then:
• 34.Rc8+! Kf7 35.Rc7+ Kg6 36.Rg7+ Kh5 37.Ng3+ is equal.
• 34.Rxc6!? Nxe4 35.Rc4 Rd5 36.Rxe4 Rxf5 is a clear advantage for Black.

BLACK: Hannes Stefansson
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Igor Nataf
Position after 30.Ra7d7:B

30...Kg6!

• White's last move permits the Black King to become active.

31.Nf5 Kg5 32.Rxh7 Rf2+

• 32...Rxb3 33.Kg2 Kf4 34.Nd6 Rd3 35.Ne8 Nc3 gives Black an extra pawn.

33.Kh1 Kf4 34.Rh4+?!

• The Rook steps right into the Knight's circuit.
• If 34.Re7 then:
• If 34...Ng3+ 35.Nxg3 Kxg3 36.Rg7+ Kf3 37.Kg1 Rb2 then:
• If 38.Rc7 Kxe4 39.Rxc6 f5 then:
• 40.Rc4+ Kf3 41.Rc3+ Kg4 42.Kf1 f4 gives Black the advantage, but White's game is still playable.
• 40.Rc3 f4 41.Kf1 f3 42.Rc8 Rxb3 is equal.
• 38.Rf7 Kxe4 39.Rxf6 c5 40.Re6+ Kd5 41.Rb6 Kd4 gives Black better chances, but that is contingent on maintaining his last pawn.
• If 34...Rf3 35.Re6 then:
• 35...Rxb3 36.Rxc6 Kxe4 37.Rxf6 Ke5 38.Rf7 Rb2 is a probable draw.
• 35...Ng3+ 36.Nxg3 Rxg3 37.Rxf6+ Kxe4 38.Rxc6 Rxb3 draws.

34...Kf3 35.Rh6 Kxe4 36.Nd6+

• 36.Rxf6 Rxf5 37.Rxc6 Rb5 38.Kg2 Nf4+ 39.Kf2 Rxb3 gives Black an obvious advantage, but it's not an easy game to win.

36...Kd4 37.Rh4+ Rf4

• Black's winning chances are a little bit better after 37...Ke3 38.Rh3+ Kf4 39.Rh6 Ke5 40.Nf7+ Kd5.

38.Rh2 Rf1+ 39.Kg2 Rb1 40.Rh4+ Kd5 41.Ne8

• 41.Nc8 Rb2 42.Nb6+ Ke6 43.Na4 Nf4+! 44.Kg3 Rxb3+ gives Black two extra pawns.

41...f5 42.Kf2 Nc3 43.Rh5?

• Black must now lose his last pawn.
43.Ng7 Ne4+ 44.Kg2 Rb2+ 45.Kg1 Ng3 46.b4 saves the pawn, but not the game.

BLACK: Hannes Stefansson
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Igor Nataf
Position after 43.Rh4h5

43...Ne4+!

• Black sees the pawn-winning line.

44.Kg2 Rb2+ 45.Kg1 Ng3 46.Rg5

• A better defense is 46.Rh6 Ne2+ 47.Kf1 Nd4 48.Nf6+ Kc5 49.Nd7+ Kb5.

46...Ne2+ 47.Kf1 Nd4

• The pawn is won.

48.Nf6+ Ke5 49.Nd7+ Kf4 50.Rh5

• If 50.Rg6 then Black takes the pawn after 50...Rb1+ 51.Kg2 Rxb3.

BLACK: Hannes Stefansson
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Igor Nataf
Position after 50.Rg5h5

50...Nxb3

• Black is now two pawns to the good.

51.Rh4+ Kg3 52.Ra4

• If 52.Rh7 f4 53.Rg7+ then:
• If 53...Kf3 54.Ne5+ Ke4 55.Nxc6 Nd2+ 56.Kg1 Nf3+ 57.Kf1 Nh2+ wins for Black.
• If 53...Kh4!? then after 54.Ne5 Nd2+ 55.Ke1 f3 56.Rf7 Kg3 57.Nd3 Black may have to work harder to bring the game home; the f-pawn is stalled for the moment.

52...f4 53.Ne5 Nd2+

• Also good is 53...c5 when after 54.Ra8 Nd2+ 55.Ke1 c4 56.Rg8+ Kh4 Black remains two pawns to the good.

54.Ke1 Nf3+!

• The exchange of Knights combined with the advanced f-pawn should make the win easier for Black.

55.Nxf3 Kxf3 56.Rc4 Re2+ 57.Kf1 Re6 58.Rc3+ Ke4 59.Kf2 Kd4 60.Rc1 c5

• If Black cannot advance one pawn, then he can advance the other.
• If 60...Rf6 61.Kf3 c5 62.Rd1+ Kc4 then:
• 63.Rc1+ Kb5 64.Rb1+ Kc6 65.Ra1 Rf5 allows Black to continue to make slow but steady progress.
• That 63.Kf2!? is a waste of a valuable tempo is shown by 63...Kb3 64.Kf3 c4.

61.Kf3 c4 62.Rd1+

BLACK: Hannes Stefansson
!""""""""#
$ + + + +%
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WHITE: Igor Nataf
Position after 63.Rc1d1+

62...Kc3!

• Black can afford to let the pawn go.
• White could have resignsed here or any place hereafter as he cannot keep Black from reaching the Lucena Position.

63.Kxf4 Kb2 64.Rd8 c3 65.Rb8+ Kc1 66.Kf3 c2 67.Kf2 Re5 68.Rb7 Kd2 69.Rd7+ Kc3 70.Rc7+ Kd3 71.Rd7+ Kc4 72.Rc7+ Rc5 0-1

BLACK: Hannes Stefansson
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Igor Nataf
Final Position after 72...Re5c5

• M. Nataf resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Harika - Hillarp Persson, Round 8

Dronavalli Harika
Photo by karpidis, flickr (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)


Dronavalli Harika - Tiger Hillarp Persson
International Open, Round 8
Reykjavik, 2 March 2010

English Game: Catalan Opening

1.Nf3 e6 2.c4 c5 3.g3 b6 4.Bg2 Bb7 5.0-0 Nf6 6.Nc3 a6

• If 6...Be7 7.d4 cxd4 then:
• If 8.Qxd4 d6 9.Rd1 a6 10.b3 Nbd7 11.e4 then:
• If 11...Qc8 12.Bb2 0-0 then:
• If 13.Qe3 Re8 14.Nd4 Qc7 15.Rac1 Rac8 16.h3 Bf8 17.Re1 then:
• 17...Qb8 18.Qd2 Nc5 19.Re2 Qa8 20.Rce1 Red8 21.Qe3 gives White the advantage i9n space (Xu Jun-Suba, IT, Timisoara, 1987).
• 17...g6 18.Rcd1 Qb8 19.Qd2 draw (Bischoff-Lutz, German Ch, Altenkirchen, 2001).
• 13.Rac1 Rd8 14.Qe3 Qc7 15.Nd4 Re8 16.h3 Bf8 17.g4 h6 18.Qe2 Ne5 19.Qd2 is equal (Vul-Kritz, Op, Gibraltar, 2008).
• If 11...Qb8 12.Ba3 Nc5 13.e5 dxe5 14.Qxe5 then:
• 14...Ncd7 15.Qxb8+ Rxb8 16.Bb2 0-0 17.Nd4 Rfc8 18.Rac1 Kf8 19.h3 Rc5 is equal (Stohl-Greenfeld, IT, Belfort, 1983).
• 14...Qa7 15.Bb2 Rc8 16.Qe2 Qa8 17.Ne1 Bxg2 18.Nxg2 0-0 19.Ne1 Rfd8 20.Rxd8+ Rxd8 21.Rd1 h6 22.Nd3 Nce4 23.Nxe4 draw (Smejkal-Portisch, IT, Dubai, 1986).
• 8.Nxd4 d6 9.e4 Nbd7 10.Re1 Qc7 transposes to the text.

7.Re1

• If 7.d4 cxd4 then:
• 8.Qxd4 d6 9.b3 transposes into the previous note.
• 8.Nxd4 transposes into the text.

7...d6 8.e4 Nbd7 9.d4 cxd4 10.Nxd4

• 10.Qxd4 Be7 11.b3 0-0 12.Ba3 Nc5 13.Rad1 Qc8 14.Qe3 Re8 15.h3 Rb8 16.Bxc5 bxc5 17.e5 Bxf3 draw (Andersson0Suba, IT, Reggio Emilia, 1986).

10...Qc7 11.Be3 Be7 12.f4 0-0 13.g4

• If 13.Rc1 then:
• If 13...Rfe8 14.g4 Nc5 15.Bf2 e5 16.fxe5 dxe5 17.Nf5 then:
• 17...Red8 18.Nd5 Nxd5 19.cxd5 gives White teh advantage in space (Cabarkapa-Devos, IT Blind, Linares, 2001).
• 17...Bf8 18.b4 Ncd7 19.g5 g6 20.Ng3 Nh5 21.Nxh5 gxh5 22.Bh3 gives White a powerful game (Wojtaszek-J. Grant, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).
• If 13...Rac8 then:
• 14.f5 e5 15.Nb3 Qb8 16.Qe2 Qa8 17.Nd2 Nc5 18.Nd5 Nxd5 19.exd5 gives White the advantage in space (Lalith-Macias Murillo, World Jr Ch, Puerto Madyn, 2009).
• 14.g4 Nc5 15.Bf2 g6 16.f5 e5 17.Nc2 gxf5 18.gxf5 gives White the advantage in space (A. Petrosian-Yegiazarian, Armenian Ch, Yerevan, 1996).

13...g6!?

• If 13...Nc5 14.Bf2 g6 then:
• 15.e5!? dxe5 16.fxe5 Nfd7 is equal (Krasenkow-Nisipeanu, Spanish ChT, Olite, 2006).
• 15.b4 Ncd7 16.Rc1 Rac8 17.g5! gives White a small advantage in space.

14.Rc1

• If 14.g5 Ne8 15.Rc1 Rc8 16.f5 then:
• 16...gxf5 17.exf5 Bxg2 18.Kxg2 Qb7+ 19.Kg1 Rxc4 20.b3 is equal.
• 16...Ne5!? 17.fxe6 Qd8 18.exf7+ Rxf7 19.Bh3 gives White an extra pawn and a strong initiative.

14...Nc5 15.Bf2 h5

• 15...e5 16.g5 Nh5 17.Nde2 Nxf4 18.Nxf4 exf4 19.b4 gives Black an extra pawn and White more space.

16.h3!?

• Outflanking her opponent on the kingside still appears to be White's best plan.
• 16.g5 Ng4 17.Bg3 e5 18.Nf3 exf4 19.Bxf4 gives White the edge in space.

16...hxg4!

• The game is equal.

17.hxg4 Rfe8!?

• This move is too passive.
• If 17...e5 18.g5 Nh5 19.Nde2 then:
• 19...exf4 20.b4 Nd7 21.Nd5 Qd8 22.Ndxf4 remains equal.
• 19...Nxf4 20.Nxf4 exf4 21.b4 Nd7 remains equal.

BLACK: Tiger Hillarp Persson
!""""""""#
$t+ +t+l+%
$+vW Vo+ %
$oO oOMo+%
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Dronavalli Harika
Position after 17...Rf8e8

18.b4!

• White finds the active continuation.

18...Rad8 19.Qe2 Ncd7 20.g5!?

• White has a pawn majority on the queenside and she should press her advantage there.
• If 20.b5 Qc8 21.e5 dxe5 22.fxe5 Bxg2 then:
• 23.exf6! Ba3 24.Kxg2 Bxc1 25.Rxc1 Qa8+ 26.Kg1 gives White a huge advantage in space.
• 23.Kxg2? Nxe5! 24.Qxe5 Nxg4! 25.Qg3 Nxf2 26.Qxf2 Bc5! assures Black of a material advantage.

20...Nh5!

• The game is again equal.

21.Qg4 Bf8 22.Nde2 Rc8 23.Nd1 Bg7 24.Ne3 Qb8!?

• This passive move invites White to strike against Black's center.
• 24...a5 25.bxa5 bxa5 26.Nc3 Nc5 27.Nb5 Qe7 28.Red1 remains equal.

BLACK: Tiger Hillarp Persson
!""""""""#
$ Wt+t+l+%
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$oO Oo+o+%
$+ + + Pm%
$ Pp+pPq+%
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WHITE: Dronavalli Harika
Position after 24...Qc7b8

25.Ng3!?

• White fails to find the path to the advantage.
• If 25.Red1 Red8 26.Rd2 b5 then:
• If 27.a3 Qa8 28.Rxd6 then:
• If 28...bxc4 29.e5 Bxg2 30.Qxg2 Nxf4 31.Nxf4 then:
• 31...Bxe5 32.Qxa8 Rxa8 33.Rxd7 Rxd7 34.Rxc4 gives White a little more activity.
• 31...Qxg2+ 32.Nfxg2 Nxe5 33.Rxd8+ Rxd8 34.Nxc4 gives White an extra piece.
• 28...Bxe4 29.Rcd1 Rc7 30.c5 Bf8 31.R6d3 Bxg2 32.Qxg2 is similar to the main line of this variation, with White enjoying more activity in the end.
• 27.cxb5!? Rxc1+ 28.Nxc1 axb5 is equal.

25...Nxg3

• The game remains equal.

26.Qxg3 b5 27.cxb5 axb5 28.Ng4

• 28.Red1!? Rxc1 29.Rxc1 Qa8! 30.Qf3 Qxa2 gives Black an extra pawn at least temporarily.

28...Rxc1 29.Rxc1 Rc8

• 29...d5!? 30.Nh6+ Bxh6 31.gxh6 dxe4 32.Qc3! gives White the initiative.

30.Rd1 Rc3 31.Nh6+ Kf8 32.Qg4 Rc4

• 32...Ke8!? 33.Qe2 Rc4 34.a3 f6 35.Qg4 Nf8 remains equal.

33.Qe2 d5?

• This poorly advised pawn advance allows White to break through in the center.
• 33...Rxb4! 34.Qd2 Rb2 35.Qxd6+ Qxd6 36.Rxd6 Ke7 37.Nxf7 remains equal.

BLACK: Tiger Hillarp Persson
!""""""""#
$ W + L +%
$+v+m+oV %
$ + +o+oN%
$+o+o+ P %
$ Pt+pP +%
$+ + + + %
$p+ +qBb+%
$+ +r+ K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Dronavalli Harika
Position after 33...d6d5

34.f5!

• If 34.exd5 then:
• 34...exd5 35.Bxd5 Bxd5 36.Rxd5 Qxf4 37.Bc5+ remains equal.
• If 34...Qxf4? 35.dxe6! then:
• 35...Ne5 36.Rd8+ Ke7 37.Qd1 Qc1 38.Ng8+ Kxe6 39.Bxb7 leaves White a piece to the good.
• If 35...fxe6 then after 36.Qxe6 Be4 White forces mate: 37.Qg8+ Ke7 38.Qxg7+ Ke8 39.Qxd7+ Kf8 40.Qd8+ Kg7 41.Qg8#.

34...exf5 35.exf5 Qe5

• Black is completely lost.
• If 35...Qd8 36.fxg6 Qxg5 37.Nxf7 Qxg6 38.Nd8 then:
• If 38...Bc8 39.Ne6+ Kg8 40.Nxg7 then:
• 40...Nf6 41.Ne6 Re4 42.Qxb5 Bxe6 43.Qb8+ leaves White up by a passed pawn.
• 40...Qxg7 41.Rxd5 Rc1+ 42.Kh2 Nf6 43.Rd8+ leaves White with an extra pawn.
• 38...Bc6 39.Nxc6 Qxc6 40.Rxd5 Rc1+ 41.Kh2 Qf6 42.Rxb5 gives White two extra pawns.

36.Qxe5 Bxe5

BLACK: Tiger Hillarp Persson
!""""""""#
$ + + L +%
$+v+m+o+ %
$ + + +oN%
$+o+oVpP %
$ Pt+ + +%
$+ + + + %
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Dronavalli Harika
Position after 36...Bg7e5:Q

37.Bxd5!

• The win of the pawn is permanent.

37...Rc7

• If 37...Bxd5 then 38.Rxd5 Ke8 39.Nxf7 Kxf7 40.Rxd7+ Ke8 41.Rd5! wins.

38.Bxb7 Rxb7 39.f6 Rc7 40.Bb6 Rb7 41.Bc5+ 1-0

• If 41...Ke8 then 42.Re1 Rc7 43.Bd6 wins a piece.
• Tiger resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Bundesliga, Rounds 10 & 11

Heidelberg
Photo by Christian Bienia in Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike]


Standings after 11 Rounds

. .. . . . . . . .+ . . . = . . . - . . .MP . . . IP.
Baden Baden. . . 10 . . . 0 . . . 1 . . .20 . . . 64.
Bremen . . . . . .9 . . . 2 . . . 0 . . .20 . . . 56.
Solingen . . . . 10 . . . 0 . . . 1 . . .20 . . . 56.
Mülheim. . . . . .7 . . . 3 . . . 1 . . .17 . . . 55.
Wattenscheid . . .7 . . . 1 . . . 3 . . .15 . . . 50.
Hamburger. . . . .6 . . . 1 . . . 4 . . .13 . . . 48.
Remagen. . . . . .6 . . . 0 . . . 5 . . .12 . . . 47.
Katernberg . . . .6 . . . 0 . . . 5 . . .12 . . . 42½
Eppingen . . . . .5 . . . 1 . . . 5 . . .11 . . . 46.
Emsdetten. . . . .5 . . . 0 . . . 6 . . .10 . . . 44½
Trier. . . . . . .4 . . . 0 . . . 7 . . . 8 . . . 39½
Berlin . . . . . .2 . . . 2 . . . 7 . . . 6 . . . 39.
Munich . . . . . .1 . . . 2 . . . 8 . . . 4 . . . 33½
Heidelberg . . . .0 . . . 4 . . . 7 . . . 4 . . . 29½
König Tegel. . . .0 . . . 2 . . . 9 . . . 2 . . . 27½
Erfurter . . . . .0 . . . 2 . . . 9 . . . 2 . . . 26.

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Adams - Areshchenko, Round 10

As a result of Mickey Adams' blunder on the 50th move, Baden Baden lost it's first Budesliga match in over three years.



Alexander Areshchenko
Photo: ChessBase.com

To view this game:

• Please click here;
• Select game 30 (Adams, Michael vs Areshchenko,Alexander) from the list below the board;
• Enjoy!

Mickey Adams (Baden Baden) - Alexander Areshchenko (Bremen)
Bundesliga 0910, Round 10/Board 6
Heidelberg, 27 February 2010

Open Sicilian Game: Najdorf-Boleslavsky Defense

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.a4 e5 7.Nf3

• Up to here, the game is identical to Adams-Andriasian, Euro Club Cup, Ohrid, 2009.

7...Qc7

• If 7...Be7 8.Bc4 then:
• If 8...Be6 9.Qe2 then:
• If 9...Nc6 10.0-0 0-0 11.Rd1 Rc8 then:
• If 12.Bb3 h6 13.Be3 Qc7 then:
• 14.Nd5 Bxd5 15.Bxd5 Nb4 16.Bb3 is equal (Adams-Andriasian, Euro Club Cup, Ohrid, 2009).
• 14.Bxe6 fxe6 15.Qc4 Nd4 16.Qxc7 Nxf3+ 17.gxf3 Rxc7 18.Rd2 Rfc8 19.Kf1 Kf7 should allow Black to thrust in the center with 20...d5! with advantage (Kotronias-So. Polgar, IT, Corfu, 1990).
• 12.Ba2 Qc7 13.Bg5 Nb4 14.Bb3 Rfd8 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.h3 is equal (Fogarasi-Vajda, 1st Saturday, 2006.03).
• 9...Qc8 10.Nd5 Nbd7 11.0-0 Nxd5 12.Bxd5 Bxd5 13.exd5 0-0 14.a5 b5 15.axb6 Nxb6 16.Rd1 gives White the advantage in space (Fedorchuk-Vachier Lagrave).
• 8...0-0 9.0-0 Be6 10.Qe2 Qc7 11.Bb3 Rc8 12.Rd1 Nbd7 13.Be3 b6 14.h3 h6 15.Nh4 Nc5 16.Bxe6 fxe6 17.Ng6 is equal (Peng Xiaoming-Li Shilong, GMT, Jinan, 2005).

8.Be2

• If 8.Be3 Be7 9.a5 0-0 10.Be2 then:
• 10...Nbd7 11.0-0 then:
• 11...b5 12.axb6 Nxb6 13.Nd2 Bb7 14.Bxb6 Qxb6 15.Nc4 Qc7 16.Ne3 Rfc8 17.Ra4 a5 is equal (Zhong Zhang-Weiguo Lin, TT, Wuxi, 2005).
• 11...Nc5 12.Nd5 Nxd5 13.exd5 f5 14.Nd2 Nd7 15.f3 b6 16.c4 is equal (Leko-Vallejo, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2007).
• 10...Nc6 11.Bb6 Qd7 12.Nd2 d5 13.Nxd5 Nxd5 14.exd5 Qxd5 15.0-0 Bf5 16.Nc4 Nd4 17.Bd3 is equal (Pentala-Volokitin, YM, Lausanne, 2005).

8...Nbd7!?

• If 8...Be7 9.0-0 then:
• If 9...0-0 then:
• 10.Re1 Be6 11.h3 Nbd7 12.Nh2 Rac8 13.a5 Qc6 14.Bf3 is equal (Nevednichy-Mchedlishvili, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).
• 10.h3 h6!? 11.Re1 Be6 12.a5 Nbd7 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.exd5 gives White more space and a slight initiative (Gluzman-Henni, Ol, Bled, 2002).
• 9...b6 10.Bg5 Nbd7 11.Nd2 Bb7 12.Bc4 0-0 13.Qe2 Rfe8 14.Rfd1 (Westerinen-Browne, IT, Mannheim, 1975).

9.Be3

• White has the advantage in space, but neither side is yet fully developed.

9...Nc5 10.Nd2 Be6 11.0-0 Be7 12.a5 d5!?

• This is indeed a provocative move. White is a little better developed, so the move can hardly be considered sound. Of course, Grandmaster Areshchenko knows this very well.
• 12...0-0 13.Bf3 b5 14.axb6 Qxb6 15.Rb1 Qc6 16.Bg5 is equal.

13.exd5 Bxd5 14.Bf3!?

• White seeks exchanges when he should seek targets.
• If 14.Nxd5 Nxd5 15.Bc4 Rd8 then:
• 16.Bxd5 Rxd5 17.Qf3 Rd7 18.Nc4 e4 19.Qg4 gives White the initiative.
• 16.Qf3 Qc6 17.Bxd5 Qxd5 18.Qg3 0-0 19.Rfe1 f5 is equal.

14...Be6!?

• However, Black is determined to provoke White and doesn't play the objectively best move, either.
• 14...Bxf3 15.Nxf3 Ncd7 16.Bg5 0-0 17.Qe2 Bb4 remains equal.

15.Nde4!

• White seizes the initiatiative.
• 15.Re1 0-0 16.Qe2 Rfd8 17.Nb3 Nxb3 18.cxb3 Rd7 remains equal.

15...Ncxe4 16.Nxe4 Nxe4 17.Bxe4 f5

• If 17...Rc8 then after 18.Bb6 Qb8 19.Re1 0-0 20.c3 f5 21.Bd5 White continues to enjoy the initiative.

18.Bb6 Qc8 19.Bd5 Qd7

• White initiative is just about spent, but worth the effort. He has more space, more activitity for his Bishops and is ready to put his heavy pieces on open files in the center.
• 19...0-0 20.c4 e4 21.Re1 Bb4 22.Re3 Rf7 23.Qd4 won't stop White from carrying out his plans.

20.Re1

• White's general plan is to place his heavy pieces in the center. There are many ways to go about this.
• 20.Qh5+ g6 21.Bxe6 Qxe6 22.Qe2 Rc8 23.Rad1 is just as good as the text that follows.

20...Bf6 21.Bxe6 Qxe6 22.Qh5+

• White seeks to weaken Black's kingside dark squares by provoking 22...g6. However, since Black has a dark-bound Bishop, this is of little consequence.
• An alternate plan is to strengthen White's hold on the central dark squares by 22.c3, but after 22...0-0 23.Qe2 Rac8 24.Rad1 e4 25.Qd2 White's grip on the light squares looks shakey.

22...g6 23.Qh6

• White has succeeded in his plan, but his own light square weakness makes it easy for Black to equalize.
• If 23.Qe2 e4 24.c3 0-0 25.Rad1 then:
• 25...Rac8 26.Qe3 Qc6 27.Rd2 Bd8 28.Red1 Bxb6 29.axb6 is equal.
• 25...Rf7 26.Rd2 Bg5 27.Rd4 Bf6 is equal.

BLACK: Alexander Areshchenko
!""""""""#
$t+ +l+ T%
$+o+ + +o%
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$ + + + +%
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$ Pp+ PpP%
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Mickey Adams
Position after 23...Qh5h6

23...Kf7

• Black's inability to castle does not keep him from effectively connecting his Rooks.
• 23...Qc4!? 24.Rac1! Qb4 25.b3 e4 26.Rcd1 Rc8 27.Re2 gives White advantage in space and makes a target of Black's wayward Queen.

24.Rad1 Bg7!?

• Black omits 24...f4, cutting of the White Queen's escape.
• 24...f4! 25.Rd3 Bg7 26.Qh3 Qxh3 27.Rxh3 is equal.

25.Qh3!

• White finds the strongest move, giving him some say on what happens on the light square.
• Also good, but not quite as good, is 25.Qe3 Rac8 26.Re2 e4 27.c3 Rhf8 28.Red2.

25...Rhe8

• White has the better game. Black's options are limited.
• 25...f4?? loses immediately to 26.Rd7+!!.
• If 25...e4 then 26.f3! Rae8 27.fxe4 Bxb2 28.Rf1 Kg7 29.exf5 wins a pawn.

26.Rd2 Kg8 27.Red1 Rac8 28.b3 e4

• 28...f4!? 29.Qxe6+ Rxe6 30.c4 e4 31.Kf1! Rce8 32.Rd7 forces Black to play delicately to keep from losing a pawn.

29.Rd6 Qf7 30.c4 Re6 31.Rd7

• 31.R6d2 Ree8 32.Rd7 Re7 transposes.

31...Re7 32.R7d2 Rce8 33.Bd8!?

• White fails to find an aggressive move and let up on the pressure.
• 33.Bc5! Rc7 34.Rd5 Qf6 35.Bb6 Rcc8 36.Bd4 White continues to hold the initiative.

BLACK: Alexander Areshchenko
!""""""""#
$ + Bt+l+%
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$o+ + +o+%
$P + +o+ %
$ +p+o+ +%
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$+ +r+ K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Mickey Adams
Position after 33.Bb6d8

33...e3!

• Black has equalized.

34.Bxe7 exd2 35.Bb4 Qd7 36.Qf3 Re4

• Although the game is so equal as to appear calm, there are many eddies and riptides running under the surface that can drag down a careless player carry him out to sea.
• If 36...Bh6 (overprotecting the pawn at d2) then 37.h3 Re4 38.Bc3 Qd6 remains equal.

37.g3 Bh6 38.Bc3 Qd6 39.h3 Qd7 40.Kg2 Qd6

• 40...Bg5 41.Kh2 Qd6 42.Kg1 Bh6 43.Kg2 remains equal.

41.Kf1 Bg5 42.h4 Bh6 43.Kg2 Kf7

• If 43...Qd7 44.h5 Qd6 45.Rh1 Bg7 46.hxg6 then:
• 46...hxg6 47.Rd1 remains equal.
• 46...Bxc3? 47.gxh7+! Kh8 48.Qxc3+ gives White two extra pawns and wins.

44.Kf1 Ke6 45.Kg2 Kd7

BLACK: Alexander Areshchenko
!""""""""#
$ + + + +%
$+o+l+ +o%
$o+ W +oV%
$P + +o+ %
$ +p+t+ P%
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$ + O Pk+%
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Mickey Adams
Position after 45...Ke6d7

46.Kf1

• If 46.c5? Qd5! 47.b4 Kc6! then:
• 48.b5+ axb5 49.Rb1 b4 wins for Black.
• White runs out of pawn moves after 48.h5 gxh5 49.Rh1 h4 50.Rd1 hxg3! when:
• If 51.Rf1 gxf2! Zugzwang!
• 51.fxg3? Re2+! wins the Queen.

46...Kc8 47.Kg2 Kb8 48.Kf1

• 48.c5!? Qd5! 49.b4 Ka7 50.Bf6 Qc4 51.Bc3 Re2 gives Black a dangerous initiative.

48...Ka7 49.Kg2 Ka8 50.Kf1!?

• If 50.c5 Qd7 51.b4 Re8 52.c6 then:
• If 52...Qxc6 53.Qxc6 bxc6 54.f4 Re3 then:
• 55.Rxd2 Rxc3 56.Rd8+ remains equal.
• If 55.Bxd2?! then 55...Rd3! gives Black the advantage by immobilizing White's entire position.
• If 52...bxc6!? 53.Bxd2 Bxd2 54.Rxd2 then:
• 54...Qc7 55.Qc3 Kb7 56.Rd4 gives White a slightly more active game.
• 54...Qxd2? loses immediately to 55.Qxc6+!

50...Qc6 51.Qd3??

• This move is catastrophic, both to Mr. Adams personally and the Baden Beden team, which as a result suffered its first defeat this season.
• If 51.Kg2 Qd7 52.Kg1 then:
• 52...Kb8 53.Kg2 Qd8 is equal.
• 52...Re1+? 53.Rxe1! dxe1Q+ 54.Bxe1 Kb8 55.Qd5! leaves White a critical pawn to the good.

BLACK: Alexander Areshchenko
!""""""""#
$l+ + + +%
$+o+ + +o%
$o+w+ +oV%
$P + +o+ %
$ +p+t+ P%
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Mickey Adams
Position after 51.Qf3d3

51...Re1+! 0-1

• If 52.Rxe1 Qh1+ 53.Ke2 Qxe1+ 54.Kf3 d1Q+ 55.Qxd1 Qe4#.
• Mr. Adams resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Jussupow - Appel, Round 10

Russo-German GM Artur Jussupow, who recently turned 50 and is affectionaltely known as "the Bear", helped lead Solingen to a virtural three-way tie for first.



Artur Jussupow
Photo by Stefan64 in Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

To view this game:

• Please click here;
• Select game 36 (Jussupow,Artur vs Appel,Ralf) from the list below the board;
• Enjoy!

Artur Jussupow (Solingen) - Ralf Appel (Wattenscheid)
Bundesliga 0910, Round 10/Board 4
Solingen, 27 February 2010

East India Game: Nimzo-Indian Defense (Rubinstein Opening)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 0-0 5.Nge2 Re8

• For moves up to here and 5...d5 see Grischuk-Gelfand, IT, Linares, 2010.

6.a3 Bf8 7.d5 a5

• If 7...d6 then:
• If 8.Ng3 c6 9.Be2 exd5 10.cxd5 cxd5 then:
• If 11.Bf3 d4 12.Qxd4 Nc6 13.Qd1 then:
• 13...Ne5 14.0-0 Nxf3+ 15.Qxf3 d5 16.h3 Be6 17.Rd1 Qb6 18.Nce2 Rac8 19.Nd4 Ne4 20.Nge2 draw (Prusikin-Gustafsson, German Ch, Osterburg, 2006).
• 13...Be6 14.0-0 d5 15.b3 Rc8 16.Nce2 Ne5 17.Bb2 Nxf3+ 18.gxf3 Bh3 19.Re1 Bd6 is equal (Sargissian-Moiseenko, Ol, Calvia, 2004).
• 11.Nxd5 Nxd5 12.Qxd5 Nc6 13.0-0 Be6 14.Qb5 is equal (Bluvstein-Moiseenko, IT, Montreal, 2009).
• 8.g3 Nbd7 9.Bg2 Ne5 10.b3 exd5 11.cxd5 Bg4 12.f4 Ned7 13.Qc2 Bxe2 14.Kxe2 c6 15.dxc6 bxc6 16.e4 Nc5 is equal (Avrukh-P. Carlsson, Ol, Torino, 2006).

8.Ng3


• If 8.g3 Na6 9.Bg2 Nc5 10.b3 c6 11.0-0 then:
• If 11...cxd5 12.cxd5 e5 13.Rb1 d6 14.e4 Bd7 15.h3 gives White the advantage in space (M. Gurevich-Stocek, Euro Ch, Antalya, 2004).
• 11...Qb6 12.Rb1 exd5 13.cxd5 Nce4 14.Bb2 d6 15.Rc1 gives White the advantage in space (Vyzmanavin-Salov, Young Soviet Masters, Yurmala, 1983).

8...Na6 9.Bd3


• 9.Rb1 exd5 10.cxd5 c6 11.Be2 Nc5 12.b4 axb4 13.axb4 Nce4 14.Ngxe4 Nxe4 15.Nxe4 Rxe4 16.Bd2 draw (Pytel-Vyzmanavin, IT, Leningrad, 1984).

9...b6!?


• If 9...Nc5 10.Bc2 exd5 11.cxd5 c6 12.0-0 b5 then:
• If 13.e4 Ra6 14.b4 Na4 15.Nxa4 bxa4 16.Re1 axb4 17.Bxa4 then:
• 17...cxd5!? 18.e5 Ne4 19.Nxe4 dxe4 20.Rxe4 Bb7 21.Rd4 is equal (Goldin-Shabalov, Pan-American Ch, Calí, 2001).
• 17...Nxd5 18.axb4 Bxb4 19.Bd2 Bxd2 20.Qxd2 Qe7 gives Black an extra pawn.
• If 13.Qd4 Bb7 14.e4 then:
• 14...b4! 15.axb4 axb4 16.Rxa8 Qxa8 17.e5 Nxd5 18.Nxd5 cxd5 19.Qxb4 Ne4 20.Qb3 Rxe5 gives Black an extra pawn (Rhode-Naumann, Corres, 2002).
• 14...cxd5!? 15.e5 Nfe4 16.Ngxe4 dxe4 17.Nxb5 Qb6 18.Nd6 is equal.

10.Bc2

• White has the advantage in space, but development is not yet complete.

10...Nc5 11.Rb1!?

• The text is a curious move that indicates a plan of queenside expansion; see also the note to White's ninth move.
• Fritz suggests a more conventional plan in the center such as 11.0-0 exd5 12.cxd5 c6 13.Qf3 Bb7 14.dxc6 Bxc6 with equality.

11...Nb7!?

• There are more active ways to deal the the threat of 12.b4.
• 11...a4 12.dxe6 dxe6 13.0-0 e5 14.Nh5 Bb7 remains equal.

12.0-0 Nd6

• The Knight remains at this post for some time, hindering Black's ability to effectively fight in the center.

13.b3 Ba6 14.a4

• This is a very interesting move that prevents Black from freeing his game with 14...b5.
• White has a good game in any case, for if 14.dxe6 dxe6 15.e4 then:
• 15...Nd7 16.Re1 e5 17.Qh5 gives White the advantage in space.
• 15...e5 16.Qf3 Qd7 17.Rd1 Qc6 18.Bb2 gives White the advantage in space.

14...exd5

• The game is equal.
• 14...c6 15.dxc6 dxc6 16.Qf3 Qc7 17.Bb2 Rad8 18.Rfd1 is also equal.

15.Nxd5 Nxd5 16.Qxd5 Bb7

• 16...Qh4 17.Bb2 Bb7 18.Qd3 Re6 19.Rbd1 Rae8 20.Rfe1 remains equal.

17.Qd4 Qg5 18.Bb2 Bc6

BLACK: Ralf Appel
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Artur Jussupow
Position after 18...Bb7c6

19.h4!

• This is a fine defensive move. Black is focusing on the g2 point, but to make that effective he needs to drive away the White Knight. With the text move, ...h7-h5-h3 is ruled out.

19...Qh6

• 19...Qe7 20.Rfd1 Bb7 21.Qg4 Qe6 22.Qxe6 fxe6 23.Be5 gives White the advantage in space.

20.Rbd1 Re6 21.Qg4 Rae8!?

• Black gains nothing by doubling the Rooks on the e-file as there is no good square for the lead Rook to land beyond where it is.
• If 21...Rd8 (overprotecting the d-pawn) 22.h5 then:
• 22...f6 23.Bc1 Qg5 24.Qxg5 fxg5 25.Nf5 gives White more space and weakens Black's kingside.
• 22...g6 23.Nf5 Qxh5 24.Qxh5 gxh5 runs the same theme as the text.

22.h5 g6!?

• Black voluntarily spoils his pawn structure.
• If 22...f6 23.Rfe1 Rd8 24.Bf5 then:
• 24...Nxf5 25.Nxf5 Qg5 26.Qxg5 fxg5 27.Nd4 gives White the advantage in space.
• 24...Ree8 25.e4 Qg5 26.Qxg5 fxg5 27.e5 gives White the advantage in space.

BLACK: Ralf Appel
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WHITE: Artur Jussupow
Position after 22...g7g6

23.Nf5!

• White sacrifices a pawn and maintains greater activity.

23...Qxh5 24.Qxh5 gxh5

• Black has an extra pawn, but his kingside is so weak that it doesn't count for anything.

25.Nd4 Rh6

• Black brings his Rook to the queenside to protect the weak pawns.

26.Nxc6 dxc6 27.g3!?

• White weakens his kingside.
• 27.Kh2 Bg7 28.Ba3 c5 29.Rd2 h4 30.Rfd1 Be5+ maintains the advantage for White.

27...Bg7!

• Black equalizes.

28.Bxg7 Kxg7 29.Rd4 Re5

• Black should break up White's pawns where he can.
• 29...h4 30.Rxh4 Rxh4 31.gxh4 h5 32.Rd1 Kf6 leaves Black's pawn weaknesses less exploitable than before and Black's King is active.

30.Kg2

• 30.Rfd1 c5 31.Rh4 Nf5 32.Bxf5 Rxf5 33.Kg2 remains equal.

30...Rg5 31.f4 Rg4 32.Kf3 f5!?

• Black believes he's brought the pawn under the protection of the Knight, but he's just set up some pyrotechnics.
• 32...Kf8 33.f5 Ke7 34.Rxg4 hxg4+ 35.Kxg4 Rh2 is equal.

BLACK: Ralf Appel
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WHITE: Artur Jussupow
Position after 32...f7f5

33.Rxd6!!

• Knight? What Knight? The exchange sacrifice assures that White will not lose thiis game.

33...Rxd6 34.Bxf5 Kf6?

• This is a terrible move at a critical moment.
• If 34...c5 then White remains better after 35.Rh1 Rgg6 36.Bxg6 hxg6 37.Ke2, but Black can defend the ending with or without Rooks.

35.Bxg4!

• White gets back the exchange and collects interest.

35...hxg4+ 36.Kxg4

• Suddenly, White is two connected passers to the good.

36...Rd3 37.Rh1 Kg7 38.e4 Rxb3

• Black gets back a pawn, but his crippled queenside majority is too slow compared to White's connected passers.

39.Rd1!

• If the Rook makes it to d7, then it will feast on Black's queenside.

39...Kf6 40.e5+ Ke6 41.Rh1! 1-0

• 41...h5+ 42.Rxh5 Rb4 43.Rh6+ Ke7 44.c5 then:
• 44...Rxa4 45.Kf5 Ra3 46.g4 Ra4 47.g5 wins for White.
• 44...bxc5 45.Kg5 Rxa4 46.f5 Re4 47.Rh7+ Kd8 48.Rh8+ wins
• Herr Appel resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

11. Anand - Kempinski, Round 11

Vishy Anand, the reigning world champion, broke his training for his April title match against Veselin Topalov to play top board for Baden Baden, February 27-28. Vishy scored a point and a half in the two rounds. His win over the Polish GM Kempinski was very convincing.



Vishy Anand
Photo: ChessBase.com

To view this game:

• Please click here;
• Select game 17 (Anand,Viswanathan vs Kempinski,Robert) from the list below the board;
• Enjoy!

Vishy Anand (Baden Baden) - Robert Kempinski (Hamburg)
Bundesliga 0910, Round 11/Board 1
Heidelberg, 28 February 2010

Open Sicilian Game: Najdorf-Scheveningen Defense

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e6 7.0-0 Be7 8.a4 Nc6 9.Be3 0-0 10.f4 Qc7 11.Kh1 Re8 12.Bf3

• For moves up to here, see , IT, Linares, 2009.

12...Nd7 13.Qe1!?

• If 13.Qe2 Rb8 14.Qf2 then:
• 14...Bf8!? 15.Rad1 Nb4 16.Bg4 b6 gives White a slight advantage in space (Mkrtchian-Javakhashvili, Euro Club Cup W, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• 14...Bf6 15.Rad1 Nxd4 16.Bxd4 b6 17.Qd2 remains equal.

13...Bf8!?

• It appears better to activate rather than retreat the Bishop. Should the f7 point become a target for White's pieces (as it does), Black could return the Rook to f8 much more easily.
• 13...Bf6 14.Qd2 Nxd4 15.Bxd4 Bxd4 16.Qxd4 e5 17.Qd2 remains equal.

14.Qf2 Rb8 15.Rad1

• If 15.Nde2 b5 16.axb5 axb5 17.f5 then:
• 17...Nde5 18.fxe6 fxe6 19.Nd4 Nxd4 20.Bxd4 Nxf3 21.Qxf3 is equal.
• 17...b4!? 18.fxe6 fxe6 19.Bh5 Rd8 20.Na4 Nf6 21.Bf3 is equal.

15...Nxd4 16.Bxd4 b6!?

• This may be a bit timid.
• 16...b5 17.axb5 axb5 18.e5 b4 19.Ne4 d5 20.Ng3 remains equal.

17.e5!?

• White's strenght is on the kingside and he would have done better by advancing there.
• If 17.f5! then:
• If 17...Ne5 18.fxe6 Bxe6 19.Be2 then:
• 19...Qb7 20.Nd5 Bxd5 21.exd5 b5 22.axb5 axb5 23.Bf3 gives White more space and better pawn structure.
• If 19...a5?! 20.Bb5 then:
• 20...Re7 21.Nd5 Bxd5 22.exd5 g6 23.Rde1 gives White the advantage in space, better pawn structure and command of a strong square at c6.
• 20...Rec8 21.Ba6 Re8 22.Nd5 Bxd5 23.exd5 gives White more space and better pawn structure.
• 17...exf5!? 18.exf5 Bb7 19.f6! g6 20.Nd5 gives White the advantage in space.

17...dxe5?!

• Black opens the center for White's heavy pieces. This is a very bad idea.
• 17...d5 18.f5 Nxe5 19.fxe6 Nxf3 20.exf7+ Qxf7 21.Qg3 Bf5 22.Qxf3 remains equal.

18.fxe5 Bc5

• This move comes too late to save Black's King's position.
• If 18...Nxe5 19.Bh5 then:
• 19...Ng6 20.Bxg6 hxg6 21.Be5 Qxe5 22.Qxf7+ Kh8 23.Qxe8 wins for White.
• 19...Nf3 drops a piece to 20.Qxf3 Re7 21.Qe2 f6 22.Bg4 Re8 23.Bf5.

BLACK: Robert Kempinski
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WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after 18...Bf8c5

19.Bh5!

• The inadequately defended f7 point has now become a target for White.
• 19.Bxc5!? bxc5 20.Bc6 Re7 21.Bxd7 Bxd7 22.Rd6 is equal.

19...Rf8 20.Bxf7+ Kh8 21.Ne4 Nxe5?

• This allows White a quick win.
• 21...Bxd4 22.Qxd4 Qxe5 23.Qb4 Nc5 24.Nd6 Bd7 25.Rfe1 gives White the advantage in space, but Black still has the ability to fight back.

22.Nxc5!

• Good, but even better is 22.Bxc5! bxc5 23.Qxc5 Qxc5 24.Nxc5 Rxb2 25.Bxe6 when White wins a pawn.

22...bxc5 23.Bxe5

• White has a quicker win after.23.Bc3 Ng6 24.Qd2 Bb7 25.Bxg6 hxg6 26.Qg5.

23...Qxe5 24.Bg6!

• This is what Vishy wanted. The White Queen is perfectly safe, of course, as is the Bishop.

24...Rg8

• Black now loses quickly.
• 24...Qf6 25.Qg1 Qe7 26.Rxf8+ Qxf8 27.Qxc5!! Bb7 28.Qh5 leaves White dominating the board.

BLACK: Robert Kempinski
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WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after 24...Rf8g8

25.Bxh7!!

• The sacrifice is a pleasing conclusion to the game.

25...Kxh7 26.Qh4+ Kg6 27.Rd3 Qh5 28.Rg3+ 1-0

• 28...Kh6 29.Qf4+ Kh7 30.Qxb8 Rf8 31.Rgf3 wins a Rook.
• Grandmaster Kempinski resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

12. Update (Tuesday): Jobava, Efimenko and Monika Socko lead in Rijeka

Only three players -- two men and one woman -- have perfect scores after four rounds. in the 11th European Chess Championships being held this week and next in the Croatian port city of Rijeka, once called Fiume when the city was part of Italy or Hungary.

In the General Group, Baadur Jobava of Georgia and Ukraine's Zhar Efimenko are tied for first place with 4 points apiece followed by 15 chess maters at 3½ points each, including Bosnina grandmaster Ivan Sokolov, just off his championship performance last week in the Reykjavik Open.

In today's action, Jobava, playing Black was the beneficiary of a blunder by Polish grandmaster Michal Kransenkow on the 33rd move of their game.
BLACK: Baadur Jobava
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WHITE: Michal Krasenkow
Position after 32...Re4e3:B

The game is equal after 33.Qf1 Bf6 34.R7xd5 Qe8 35.Rd7, when White has a Rook for a minor piece and a pawn for which Black is compensated with his command of the e-file. However, White instead played 33.Qg2?? allowing Black to retort with the tactical shot 33...Bd4!! to which White replied 34.Rxd4 (otherwise White remains down a piece) 34...Re1+ 35.Qf1 Nd3! and Krasenkow resigned. If White plays 36.Qxe1, then Black delivers mate immediately with 36...Qg2; otherwise, if 36.Rd8+ Kg7 then the only way play has to stop Black from executing the threat of mate (37...Rxf1#) after running out of checks is 37.Rd1, but then 37...Rxf1+ 38.Rxf1 Qxe8 leaves Black with a material advantage of the Queen, a Knight and a pawn for a mere Rook.

Efimenko defeated the number one German grandmaster, Arkadij Naiditsch, in 42 moves after completely outplaying his opponent in the middle game. That game will one of those featured this coming weekend.

In the women's group, Polish grandmaster Monika Socko defeated Serbian WGM Irina Chelushkina, a journeyman chess master rated 2319 who played the role of upstart by winning her first three games. Mrs. Socko, who is the reigning champion of the Arctic Chess Challenge, making her the only woman who is currently champion of strong mixed-gender international open tournament, is the last participant in the women's group to brandish a perfect score. Tomorrow, Mrs. Socko plays Anna Muzychuk, one of seven ladies ties for second on 3½ points. Defending European women's champion Tatiana Kosintseva of Russia, another of those tied for second, will play IM and many times former French women's champion Almira Skripchenko, also on 3½ points, in what promises to be an interesting match up tomorrow on board 2.



Almira Skripchenko and Tatiana Kosintseva
Photo of Mlle. Skripchenko: ChessBase.com
Photo of Tatiana Anatolyevna: ChessBase.de (Germany)