The JR Chess Report (March 27): Magnus, Chuckie win Amber RB; Vasily Smyslov dies

[Jack Rabbit]

Chuckie, Magnus joint winners in Nice



Ukranian grandmaster Vassily Ivanchuk, who clebrated his 41st birthday during the event, and 19-year Norwegian GM Magnus Carlsen, the world's top ranked player, are the co-wiiners of the 19th annual Melody Amber Rapid/Blindfold Tournament in the French Mediterranean city of Nice.

The pair also tied for first in the rapid competition ahead of Russians Vladimir Kramnik and Sergey Karjakin; the pair finished tied for second in the blindfold competition behind Alexander Grischuck, who replaced the indisposed Alexander Morozevich less than a week before the start of the tournament. Grischuk, however, finished with a minus score in the rapid competition and finished fourth overall. Kramnik finished third in the combined totals.

Magnus won a total of 13 games out of 22 played while "Chuckie," as Ivanchuk is called by his numerous fans, won only seven games. However, Ivanchuk went undefeated while Magnus dropped six games, including both his games against Ivanchuk on the opening day of tourrnament.

19th Melody Amber Rapid/Blind Tournament
Final Standings

. . . . . . . . . . . .---- Blindfold ---- ---- Rapid ----- .Total --------
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .+ . - . =. . . . .+ . - . = . . .Points -----SB-
Vassily Ivanchuk. . . . . .2 . 0 . 9. . . . .5 . 0 . 6 . . . . 14½ . . 158½
Magnus Carlsen. . . . . . .6 . 4 . 1. . . . .7 . 2 . 2 . . . . 14½ . . 142¼
Vladimir Kramnik. . . . . .5 . 3 . 3. . . . 5 . 3 . 3 . . . . 13. . . 137¾
Alexander Grischuk. . . . .6 . 1 . 4. . . . .2 . 4 . 5 . . . . 12½ . . 123¾
Sergey Karjakin . . . . . .4 . 4 . 3. . . . .4 . 2 . 5 . . . . 12. . . 120½
Vugar Gashimov. . . . . . .2 . 2 . 7. . . . .3 . 2 . 5 . . . . 11½ . . 120½
Boris Gelfand . . . . . . .3 . 2 . 6. . . . .4 . 4 . 3 . . . . 11½ . . 116½
Peter Svidler . . . . . . .3 . 3 . 5. . . . .4 . 3 . 4 . . . . 11½ . . 115½
Levon Aronian . . . . . . .4 . 5 . 2. . . . .4 . 3 . 4 . . . . 11. . . 108¼
Ruslan Ponomariov . . . . .2 . 4 . 5. . . . .3 . 5 . 3 . . . . .9. . . .92¼
Jan Smeets. . . . . . . . .1 . 4 . 6. . . . .1 . 8 . 2 . . . . .6. . . .61½
Leinier Domínguez . . . . .0 . 6 . 5. . . . .0 . 6 . 5 . . . . .5. . . .57¼



Former World Champion Vasily Smyslov Dies



1921 - 2010
Photo: ChessBase.com from the 1960 Chess Olympiad in Leipzig

Vasily Smyslov, one of the greatest chess masters of the twentieth century and the seventh world champion of chess, passed away early Saturday morning in a Moscow hospital of a heart ailment only three days after his 89th birthday.

Smyslov was one of two "winter world champions" to reign during the era of Soviet hegenomy in chess, the other being the late Mikhail Tal. The "winter champions" took the title away form Mikhail Botvinnik, Smyslov in 1957 and Tal in 1960, only to lose it back to Botvinnik in a re-match following a one-year reign.

Smyslov also drew a title match against Botvinnik in 1954, with the title reverting to Botvinnik as the incumbant champion. In 1948, Smyslov competed in the World Championship Tournament in The Hague and Moscow, which was played to determine a successor to Dr. Alexander Alekhine, who died in 1946 while holding the title. In that event, Smyslov, the relatively unheralded player of the tournament, finished second to Botvinnik.

Smyslov was an established player by 1941, when at the age of 20 he took part in a tournament for the title of abolute champion of the Soviet Union. Nevertheless, his first love was singing opera and he decided on a career in chess only after failing an audition for the Bolshoi Opera Company.

After losing the title to Botvinnik in 1958, Smyslov remained one of the world's strongest players for many years and often participated in the world championship cycle. In 1983, at the age of 62, he qualified for the round of candidates' matches, becoming the oldest person ever to do so. He fought well and reached the final match, where he was defeated by Garry Kasparov.

Smyslov played chess until 2001, when worsening eyesight forced him to retire at the age of 80.


Calendar

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.

Bosna 2010, Sarajevo 5-14 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. 19th Melody Amber Rapid/Blindford Tournament, Nice

Nice: Night View with Blurred Cars
Pnoto by W.M.Connally in Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Aronian - Ivanchuk, Rapid Competition, Round 4

Vassily Ivanchuk
Photo: ChessBase.com


Levon Aronian - Vassily Ivanchuk
19th Melody Amber Tounament (Rapid Competition), Round 4
Nice, 16 March 2010

English Game: Romanishin Gambit

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 a6

• This is the starting point of the Romanishin Gambit.
• The most frequently played and most flexible move here is 3...d5, which coul lead to a Catalan Opening; 3...b6 is a Queen's Indian;3...c5 developes either into a Tal-Indian (Modern Benoni) or a Symmetrical English Game.

4.Bg2 b5 5.b3 Bb7

• If 5...c5 then:
• If 6.0-0 Bb7 then:
• If 7.Bb2 Be7 then:
• If 8.d3 0-0 9.Nbd2 then:
• If 9...d6 10.e3 then:
• 10...Nc6 11.a3 Rb8 12.Qc2 Nd7 13.h4 Bf6 14.d4 cxd4 15.exd4 Na5 16.cxb5 axb5 is equal (Calotescu-Dzagnidze, Euro ChW, Chisinau, 2005).
• 10...Nbd7 11.Qe2 bxc4 12.Nxc4 a5 13.Rfd1 a4 14.d4 axb3 15.axb3 Rxa1 16.Rxa1 Qc7 17.Qd1 draw (Landenbergue-Anand, IT, Biel, 1988).
• 9...d5 10.Rc1 Nbd7 11.Rc2 bxc4 12.bxc4 d4 13.e3 dxe3 14.fxe3 Qc7 is equal (Ortega-Vera, Capablanca Mem, Havana, 2005).
• 8.Nc3 bxc4 9.bxc4 Nc6 10.Rb1 Rb8 11.Na4 0-0 12.d3 Ba8 13.Bc3 Qc7 14.Qd2 d6 15.e3 h6 16.h3 draw (Akopian-Romanishin, IT, Groningen, 1991).
• 7.Nc3 transposes into the notes after White's sixth move.
• 6.Nc3 Qb6 7.0-0 Bb7 8.e3 Be7 transposes into the notes after White's sixth move.

6.Nc3

• If 6.0-0 c5 7.Nc3 then:
• If 7...Qb6 8.e3 Be7 then:
• If 9.Qe2 Ne4 10.Nxe4 Bxe4 11.Bb2 then:
• If 11...0-0 12.d3 Bb7 13.d4 d6 14.dxc5 then:
• 14...Qxc5 15.Bd4 Qh5 16.cxb5 axb5 17.Rfc1 Nc6 is equal (Akopian-Chiburdanidze, World ChT, Lucerne, 1997).
• 14...dxc5 15.Rfd1 Re8 16.h4 Nc6 is equal (Magalashvili-Aleksandrov, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• 11...bxc4 12.Qxc4 Qb7 13.Qe2 0-0 14.d3 Qb5 15.Rfd1 Bb7 16.Qc2 Nc6 is equal (Staniszewski-S. Ionov, Op, Cappelle la Grande, 2003).
• 9.d4 0-0 10.d5 exd5 11.Nxd5 Nxd5 12.cxd5 d6 is equal (Hahn-Gorlin, US ChW, Seattle, 2000).
• If 7...Qa5 8.Bb2 Be7 then:
• 9.d3 0-0 10.e4 d6 11.Qe1 Nc6 12.h3 Rfe8 13.e5 dxe5 14.Nxe5 Qb6 gives Black fewer pawn weaknesses (Matelin-Kariakov, Russian Ch HL, Krasnoyarsk, 2007).
• 9.e3 0-0 10.Qe2 Nc6 11.Rfb1 bxc4 12.bxc4 Rab8 (Karpov-Kamsky, FIDE World Ch, Elista, 1996).
• 9.Qc2 Nc6 10.a3 bxc4 11.bxc4 Rb8 12.e3 0-0 13.Ne2 h6 14.h3 Qc7 is equal (Ribli-Romanishin, IT, Altensteig, 1992).

6...b4 7.Na4 d6

• 7...Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.d4 d6 10.Bb2 Nbd7 11.d5 e5 12.Ne1 Nb6 13.Nd3 a5 14.Nxb6 cxb6 15.f4 e4 16.Nf2 e3 is equal (Seel-Roamnishin, Bundesliga 0506, Germany, 2005).

8.d4 Nbd7 9.a3

• If 9.0-0 Be7 then:
• 10.Ne1 Bxg2 11.Kxg2 Qc8 12.f3 draw (Wojtkiewicz-Korchnoi, IT, Debrecen, 1992).
• 10.Nb2 0-0 11.Nd3 a5 12.Bb2 c5 13.e3 Qb6 14.a4 Rfd8 is equal (Kasparov-Korchnoi, IT, Brussels, 1987).

9...a5 10.0-0 c5 11.Bb2

• 11.dxc5 dxc5 12.Bf4 Be7 13.Ne5 Bxg2 14.Kxg2 Ra6 15.Qd3 Qc8 16.Nxd7 Nxd7 is equal (S. Volkov-Zelcic, Euro Club Cup, Kallithea, 2008).

11...Qc7!?

• 11...Be7 12.axb4 axb4 13.dxc5 dxc5 14.Ne5 Bxg2 15.Kxg2 Nxe5 16.Bxe5 0-0 17.Qxd8 Rfxd8 18.Rad1 Ne4 gives Black a slight advantage in space (Spangenberg-Shaked, World Jr Ch, Halle, 1995).

12.Re1

• The game is equal.

12...Be4 13.Bh3 Be7 14.Ng5

• 14.axb4 axb4 15.dxc5 Nxc5 16.Nxc5 dxc5 17.Rxa8+ Bxa8 remains equal.

14...Bg6 15.axb4 h6 16.Nxe6 fxe6 17.bxc5!?

• 17.bxa5 Rxa5 18.Bxe6 Ra7 19.Nc3 Rxa1 20.Bxa1 Qb7 remains equal.

17...dxc5! 18.Bxe6 cxd4 19.Qxd4

• If 19.Bxd4 Ra6 then:
• 20.Bh3 0-0 21.Nc3 Bb4 22.Bg2 a4 23.e4 Bh5 Black's advancing a-pawn gives him a small advantage.
• If 20.Bxd7+ Qxd7 21.Bxf6 gxf6 22.Nb2 then:
• 22...Qxd1 23.Rexd1 Kf7 24.Nd3 Rb8 25.Nc1 Bb4 Black, with a piece for three pawns, has restrained White's queenside.
• 22...Qc6 23.Nd3 Rg8 24.Qd2 Qb6 is equal.

19...Nc5 20.Qe3

• If 20.Nxc5 Bxc5 21.Qf4 Qxf4 22.gxf4 then:
• 22...Bc2 23.e4 Nxe4 24.Rec1 Bd3 gives Black a piece for two pawns.
• 22...Bb4 23.Rf1 Be4 24.f5 Ke7 gives White three pawn for a piece, but Black has White's queenside pawns under restraint.

20...Nxe6 21.Bxf6 Bxf6!?

• 21...gxf6 22.Qxe6 Rb8 23.Nc3 Bf7 24.Qe4 Rxb3 leaves Black with a more active game.

BLACK: Vassily Ivanchuk
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WHITE: Levon Aronian
Position after 21...Be7f6:B

22.Qxe6+!

• The game is equal.

22...Qe7 23.Qc6+ Kf7 24.Qd5+

• The game remains equal.
• If 24.Nb6!? Be4! 25.Nd5 Bxa1 then:
• 26.Qxa8 Rxa8 27.Nxe7 Bc3 28.Rc1 Bb4 29.Nd5 Rb8 gives Black the advantage in space.
• If 26.Rxa1? Qe5! then:
• 27.Qc7+ Qxc7 28.Nxc7 Rac8 29.Nb5 Rhd8 gives Black a material advantage equivalent to two pawns.
• 27.Qd7+ Kg6 28.Rd1 Kh7 29.Ne3 Rhb8 30.f4 Qc5 leaves Black winning.

24...Qe6 25.Qb7+ Be7 26.Nc5!?

• White slips and lets Black take the initiative.
• 26.Qf3+ Qf5 27.Qxf5+ Bxf5 28.e4 Be6 29.Nb6 Ra7 remains equal.

26...Qf5!

• White attacks a loose piece.

27.Nd7!?

• White misses the best line.
• 27.Na6! cuts the line of communication between the Rook and the a-pawn so that 27...Rhc8 28.e4 Qe5 29.c5 Qe6 30.Rxa5 Qc6 remains equal.

BLACK: Vassily Ivanchuk
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WHITE: Levon Aronian
Position after 27.Nc5d7

27...Rhd8!

• Black makes a target of the Knight.
• Also good is 27...Qe4 28.Qb5! Bb4 29.Ne5+ Kg8 30.Nxg6 Qxg6 when Black holds White's queenside under restraint.

28.Rad1 Qe4 29.Rd5

• The shielding of the Queen is White's best defense.
• After 29.Qc7 Kg8 30.Rd3 Re8 31.f3 Qe6 32.e4 a4

29...Kg8 30.Qb6 Kh7 31.h4?

• White courts disaster by weakening his kingside.
• Black is better after 31.Re5 Qg4 32.Rxe7 Rxd7 33.f3 Qh3, but White's position is still defensible.

31...Bxh4!?

• Black misses a clear win.
• If 31...a4! 32.Re5 Qg4 then:
• If 33.Rxe7 Rxd7 34.Rxd7 Qxd7 then:
• 35.Ra1 axb3 36.Rxa8 Qd1+ 37.Kh2 Be4 White is toast.
• 35.bxa4 Rxa4 36.c5 Qd2 37.Kf1 Rc4 38.Qd6 Qc3 wins the pawn, leaving Black with a won position.
• 33.Nc5? Bxc5 34.Qxc5 axb3 35.Qb4 Qd4 36.Rb5 Ra1 wins for Black.

32.Rd4?

• After 32.Nc5 Qg4 33.Qe6 Qxe6 34.Nxe6 Rxd5 35.cxd5 White continues to fight for a draw.

32...Qf5!?

• Black attacks the Knight.
• Black can win by 32...Qe8! 33.Rxh4 Qxd7 34.e4 Rdb8 35.Qe3 Qb7.

33.Rd5?

• This allows Black to decisively take command of the central and kingside light squares.
• 33.e4 Qf7 34.Ne5 Qf6 35.Qxf6 Bxf6 36.Rxd8 Rxd8 leaves Black better, but White can fight on.

BLACK: Vassily Ivanchuk
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WHITE: Levon Aronian
Position after 33.Rd4d5

33...Qh3!

• Black wins, once and for all.
• 33...Qf7?! 34.Ne5! Qf6 35.Qxf6 Bxf6 36.Nxg6 Kxg6 37.e4 leaves White fighting for a draw.

34.Qd4 Bxg3 35.Nf6+ gxf6 36.fxg3 Qxg3+ 37.Kf1 Bf5 0-1

• Black is a whole piece to the good.
• Grandmaster Aronian resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Carlsen - Domínguez, Rapid Competition, Round 9

Magnus Carlsen
Photo: ChessBase.com

Magnus Carlsen - Lenier Domínguez
19th Melody Amber Tounament (Rapid Competition), Round 9
Nice, 22 March 2010

Open Sicilian Game: Najdorf-Boleslavsky Defense (Opocensky Opening)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Kh1

• For analysis of this opening up to this point and for 9.Be3, see Jakovenko-Carlsen, IT, Nanjing, 2009.

9...Nc6

• If 9...b6 10.Be3 Bb7 11.f3 b5 12.a4 b4 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.exd5 then:
• 14...Nd7 15.c3 bxc3 16.bxc3 Bg5 17.Bf2 f5 18.Rb1 is equal (Jakovenko-Alekseev, IT, Poikovsky, 2007).
• 14...f5 15.a5 Nd7 16.Ra4 Nf6 17.Bc4 Qd7 18.Rxb4 Rfc8 19.Bg5 gives White an edge in space (Shen-Karavade, World Jr Ch, Yerevan, 2006).

10.f4 b5 11.Be3 Bb7

• 11...exf4 12.Rxf4 Ne5 13.Qd2 Bd7 14.Nd5 Ng6 15.Bb6 Qe8 16.Nxf6+ Bxf6 is equal (Wang Pin-Huang Qian, Chinese Ch, Wuxi, 2006).

12.a4 Nb4!?

• 12...b4 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.exd5 Na5 15.Nxa5 Qxa5 16.fxe5 Rad8 gives White the advantage in space (van Oosterpm-Elwert, Corres, 1999).

13.Qd2

• White has the adavntage in space.

13...d5 14.fxe5 Nxe4 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.Nd4

• If 16.axb5 Qxd2 17.Bxd2 Nxc2 then:
• 18.bxa6 Bd5 19.Na5 Nxa1 20.Rxa1 Rfc8 gives Black the material edge, for which White is compensated with an advanced passer which can be suppoert by a neighboring pawn.
• 18.Rfc1 Rfc8 19.Rxa6 Bxa6 20.bxa6 Bb4 is equal.

16...Nd5 17.Nf5!?

• The game remains equal.
• 17.axb5 axb5 18.Rxa8 Bxa8 19.Nxb5 gives White an extra pawn.

17...Qc7 18.Bd4 e3!?

• The pawn is diffult to protect right now; Black should wait for a more oppotune moment to advance in the center.
• 18...b4 19.Rae1 Rad8 20.Bd1 e3 21.Qe2 Bc8 22.Nxe3 gives White an extra pawn, but Black haas good counterplay beginning with 22...Bh4!.

BLACK: Lenier Domínguez
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WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 18...e4e3

19.Qe1

• 19.Bxe3! b4 20.Bd4 Rfd8 21.Nxe7+ Qxe7 22.Rad1 gives White a comfortable advantage in space and an extra pawn.

19...Bc5

• If 19...Bg5 20.Qg3 f6 21.axb5 axb5 22.Rxa8 then:
• 22...Bxa8 23.Bxb5 g6 24.Nxe3 Nxe3 25.Bxe3 Bxe3 26.Qxe3 lraves White at least a pawn uo the good.
• 22...Rxa8 23.Bf3 hands the inititiative to Black, but White is perfectly positiontioned to take the sting out of it after 23...e2 24.Bxe2 then after 24...Bf4 25.Rxf4! Nxf4 26.Qxf4 gives White a material advantage equivalent to two pawns.
• If 23...Qxc2 24.Bxd5+ Bxd5 25.Ne7+ Kh8 then:
• 26.exf6! Bxf6 27.Bxf6 gxf6 28.Nxd5 gives White an extra piece.
• 26.Nxd5?! Qc4 27.Qf3 Qxd4 28.Nxe3 Rb8 29.Ng4 Qxb2 gives Black an extra pawn, better pawn structure and more activity.
• 23...Rf8 24.Nd6 Kh8 25.Nxb7 Qxb7 26.exf6 Bxf6 27.Bxd5 Qxd5 28.Qxe3 gives White an extra pawn.

20.Bxc5

• If 20.Qg3 g6 21.axb5 Bxd4 22.Nxd4 then:
• 22...axb5 23.Rxa8 Rxa8 24.Bxb5 Qb6 25.Qh4 e2 is equal and sharp.
• If 22...Qb6?! 23.Rfd1! then:
• 23...f6 24.bxa6 Bxa6 25.c4 gives White an extra pawn and the initiative
• If 23...axb5 then White regains his pawn after 24.Rxa8 Rxa8 25.Nxb5.

20...Qxc5 21.Bd3!? Bc8

• Black is walking on eggshells. On slip and it's over.
• If 21...f6 22.axb5 axb5 23.Rxa8 Bxa8 24.Qg3 then:
• If 24...g6 25.exf6 Rxf6 26.Nxe3 Nxe3 27.Rxf6 then:
• 27...Bxg2+ 28.Kg1 Ng4+ 29.Kxg2 Nxf6 30.Qb8+ Kg7 31.Qxb5 brings about the exchange of Queens, giving White connected remote passers.
• 27...Qa7 28.h3 Bxg2+ 29.Kh2 Qe7 30.Rf2 Bd5 31.Bxb5 gives White the exchange and an extra pawn.
• 24...Qc7 25.Nxe3 Nxe3 26.Qxe3 Qd7 27.Qg3 gives White an extra pawn.

22.Nd6 Qd4?

• Black misses the saving grace.
• 22...Be6! 23.Qh4 g6 24.axb5 axb5 25.Rxa8 Rxa8 26.Nxb5 is equal.

BLACK: Lenier Domínguez
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WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 22...Qc5d4

23.axb5!

• Black is toast. He cannot recapture the pawn.

23...Be6

• 23...Be6 is now too late, and so is everything else.
• If 23...Qxe5 then White wins after 24.Qh4 h6 25.Nxf7 Qe8 26.Nxh6+ gxh6 27.Qxh6.

24.bxa6 Qxe5 25.Qh4! f5 26.Nc4 Qf6

• 26...Qc7 27.Rfe1 Rf6 28.Qd4 f4 29.Be4 Rd8 30.a7! Black must pay a heavy price to stop the pawn.

27.Qh3 f4 28.Qxh7+ Kf7 29.Qe4 Kg8 30.Ra5 Rfd8

• 30...Rad8 31.a7 Rfe8 32.Ne5 e2 33.Re1 Nb6 34.Qh7+ gives White two extra pawns; Black's King is in a box.

BLACK: Lenier Domínguez
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WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 30...Rf8d8

31.Nxe3!!

• White wins a third pawn.
• White has an easily won game, but it cost him a lot of time on his clock to reach this position and he spends the rest of the game playing on time accumulated from his 10-second increments. His position is so dominant, however, that he doesn't need to play the best moves, just reasonably good ones, in order to win.

31...Nxe3 32.Rxf4 Nf5 33.Raxf5

• 33.g4 Bd7 34.Rfxf5 Bxf5 35.Rxf5 Qh6 36.Qc4+ Kh8 37.Rh5 wins the Queen.

33...Bxf5 34.Rxf5 Qh6 35.h3

• If 35.g4 Rac8 36.Bc4+ then:
• 36...Kh8 37.Rh5 wins the Queen.
• 36...Rxc4 37.Qxc4+ Kh8 38.Rh5 wins the Queen.

35...Ra7 36.Qc4+ Kh8

• If 36...Kh7 then it would be pointless for Black to continue after 37.Rd5+ g6 38.Rxd8.

37.Qc5 g6 38.Rf6 Rg7 39.Rf8+

• Quicker is 39.a7! Rdg8 40.Rf8 when:
• 40...Rxa7 41.Rxg8+ Kxg8 42.Qxa7 leaves White a peice to the good.
• If 40...Rxf8 then White wins after 41.Qxf8+ Kh7 42.a8Q.

39...Rxf8 40.Qxf8+ Kh7 41.Kh2

• A quicker win comes from 41.b4 Ra7 42.Qxh6+ Kxh6 43.b5 Kg5 44.b6.

41...Qe3 42.Qd6 Qg5

• If 42...Kh6 loses lickity split to 43.a7 when:
• 43...Qxa7 44.Qf4+ Kh5 45.Be2#.
• 43...Rxa7 44.Qxg6#.

43.b4 Re7 44.b5 Re5

• 44...Re1 45.b6 Kg7 46.b7 Re8 47.b8Q wins the Rook.

BLACK: Lenier Domínguez
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$ +p+ +pK%
$+ + + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 44...Re7e5

45.Qxg6+!!

• White sacrifices his two remaining pieces.

45...Qxg6 46.Bxg6+ Kxg6 47.a7! 1-0

• A pawn must queen.
• El señor Domínguez resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Svidler - Grischuk, Blindfold Competition, Round 6

Alexander Grischuk
Photo: ChessBase.com


Peter Svidler - Alexander Grischuk
19th Melody Amber Tournament (Blindfold Competition), Round 6
Nice, 19 March 2010

Semi-Slav Queen's Gambit: Meran Defense (Wade Variation)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 Bb7 9.e4 b4 10.Na4 c5 11.e5 Nd5 12.0-0 cxd4 13.Nxd4 Be7

• For analysis up to here, see Grischuk-Shirov, Grand Slam Final, Bilbao, 2009.

14.Qh5

• If 14.Re1 0-0 15.Qg4 Re8 then:
• If 16.Bb5 Kh8 17.Bd2 a6 18.Bc6 then:
• If 18...Bxc6 19.Nxc6 Qc7 20.Rac1 Qb7 21.Nxe7 Rxe7 22.b3 a5 23.Nb2 N7b6 24.Nc4 Nxc4 25.bxc4 then:
• 25...f5 26.Qh4 Nb6 27.Re3 Rf7 28.Rh3 gives White a strong initiative in the h-file (Kramnik-Shirov, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• 25...Nb6 26.Re3 Nd7 27.Rh3 Ree8 28.Bg5 Nxe5 29.Qh4 h6 30.Bf6 Black resigns (Tarasova-Baciu, Euro ChW, St. Petersburg, 2009).
• 18...Qc7 19.Rac1 Nxe5 20.Bxb7 Nxg4 21.Rxc7 Nxc7 22.Bxa8 Rxa8 is equal (Grischuk-Shirov, Grand Slam Final, Bilbao, 2009).
• 16.Bh6 Bf8 17.Rad1 Qa5 18.Bb5 Rad8 19.Bg5 Be7 20.Nxe6 Qxb5 21.Nxd8 Bxd8 22.Bxd8 Rxd8 gives Black more freedom (I. Sokolov-Predojevic, IT, Sarajevo, 2008).

14...g6 15.Qe2!?

• 15.Qh6 Qb8 16.Re1 Bf8 17.Qh3 Qd8 18.Bh6 Bxh6 19.Qxh6 gives White the advantage in space (Peng-Stefanova, FIDE Knock Out W, Moscow, 2001).

15...0-0

• The game is equal.
• 15...Qa5 16.b3 0-0 then:
• 17.Bd2! Nc3 18.Nxc3 bxc3 19.Bf4 Qd5 20.Nf3 Nc5 remains equal.
• 17.a3!? bxa3 18.Bd2 Bb4! 19.Bxb4 Qxb4 20.Nc2 Qf4 gives Black an extra pawn and the active game.

16.Bb5

• White decides on a queenside plan.
• A kingside attack is also playable: 16.Bh6 Re8 17.Rac1 Rc8 18.Bd2 Rxc1 19.Rxc1 Bg5 remains equal.

16...a6

• If 16...Qc7 17.f4 Rfd8 then:
• 18.a3 a6 19.Bxd7 Rxd7 20.axb4 Nxb4 21.Be3 Rad8 remains equal.
• If 18.Rd1 a6 19.Bc4 Nc5 then:
• If 20.Bxd5 Rxd5 21.Nxc5 Qxc5 22.Be3 Qa5 remains equal.
• 20.Nxc5?! Bxc5! 21.Bxd5 Rxd5 22.Be3 Rad8 23.Nc2 Bf8 remains equal.

17.Nc6?

• This looks reasonable, but palyers of the strength of either Svidler or Grischuk are expected to see otherwise even when blindfolded.
• Better is 17.Bc6 Bxc6 18.Nxc6 Qc7 19.Nxe7+ Nxe7 with equality.

BLACK: Alexander Grischuk
!""""""""#
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Peter Svidler
Position after 17.Nd4c6

17...axb5!!

• This is one cool Queen sacrifice.

18.Nxd8 Rfxd8 19.Qxb5 Ba6!

• Black wins material.

20.Qc6 Bd3

• Black can easily equalize, but he wants more.
• 20...Bxf1 21.Kxf1 Nxe5 22.Qc2 Rdc8 23.Qb3 Nc6 24.Qd1 is equal.

21.Re1 Rac8!

• 21...Ra6 22.Nb6 Rxb6 23.Qa4 Ra6 24.Qd1 Bc4 25.a3 is equal.

22.Qb7 Rc7 23.Qxc7 Nxc7

• The material balance is theoretically equal, but Black has a much more active game.

24.a3 Ra8 25.axb4

• If 25.Rd1 Rxa4 26.Rxd3 then after 26...Nxe5! that White can no longer protect his own territory is demonstrated by 27.Rd4 Nb5 28.Re4 Nd3! and now:
• 29.Rb1 Bf6 30.Rc4 Nxc1 31.Rbxc1 Bxb2 gives Black a material advantage equivalent to two pawns.
• 29.Re3 Nxc1 30.Rxc1 bxa3 31.bxa3 Kg7 32.Rd1 Nxa3 gives Black a material advantage equivalent to two pawns.
• 29.Kf1 Ra8 30.Rc4 Bf6 31.Rb1 bxa3 32.bxa3 Nxa3 33.Bxa3 Rxa3 gives Black a material advantage equivalent to two pawns.

25...Bxb4

• The text is stronger than 25...Bc2 26.Be3 Bxa4 27.Rec1 Bd8 28.b5 Kg7 29.b6.

26.Rd1 Bb5 27.b3 Nd5

• Stronger is 27...Nc5! 28.Rb1 Nxa4 29.bxa4 Bxa4 30.Rf1 Nd5 when Black has active pieces and White does not.

28.Bb2 Rb8 29.Bd4 Kg7 30.g3

• If 30.f3 Rc8 31.Ra2 Bxa4 32.bxa4 Bc5 then:
• 33.Kf1 Bxd4 34.Rxd4 Nxe5 wins the pawn.
• 33.Bxc5 Rxc5 34.Re1 Nb4 35.Rae2 Nd3 36.Rd1 N7xe5 wins the pawn.
• If 30.h4 Be7 then:
• If 31.Nc3 Nxc3 32.Bxc3 Bxh4 then:
• If 33.Rd4 Bg5 34.Ra5 Bc6 35.b4 Rb7 36.Rd6 Nb8 then:
• 37.Rd1 h5 38.Rda1 Be7 39.Rb1 Rb5 40.Rb2 Bd8 leaves Black with the material and positional advantage.
• 37.Rc5 Bb5 38.Rc8 Be7 39.Rd1 Nc6 Black wins at least a pawn.
• 33.b4 Nb6 34.Rd4 Bd8 35.Kh2 Nd5 36.Ra3 Bc7 leaves Black with a winning advantage.
• If 31.g3 then 31...Be2 32.Rd2 Bf3 33.Rb1 Be4 34.Re1 Bb4! skewers a Rook.

30...g5 31.Rac1

BLACK: Alexander Grischuk
!""""""""#
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Peter Svidler
Position after 31.Rac1

31...Be2! 0-1

• The text move traps the Rook and wins back the exchange.
• After 32.Bb2 Bxd1 33.Rxd1 Ba5 Black is a piece to the good.
• Peter Veniaminovich resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Kramnik - Ponomariov, Blindfold Competition, Round 5

Vladimir Kramnik
Photo: from the website of Vladimir Kramnik


Vladimir Kramnik - Ruslan Ponomariov
19th Melody Amber Tounament (Blindfold Competition), Round 5
Nice, 18 March 2010

West India Game: Tal-Indian Defense (Benko Gambit) (Modern Benoni)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.f3 c5 4.d5 b5 5.cxb5 a6 6.e4 Bg7

• If 6...d6 then:
• 7.Na3 Bg7 8.Ne2 0-0 9.Nc3 Nbd7 10.Be2 Nb6 11.0-0 Ne8 12.Bg5 Nc7 13.Rc1 axb5 14.Naxb5 Nxb5 15.Bxb5 Ba6 16.Bxa6 Rxa6 (Yermolinsky-De la Garza, Op, Las Vegas, 1993).
• 7.Nc3 Bg7 8.a4 0-0 transposes to Anand-Adams in the note to White's seventh move.

7.e5

• If 7.Nc3 0-0 8.a4 then:
• 8...d6 9.Ra3 axb5 10.Bxb5 Ba6 11.Nge2 Bxb5 12.Nxb5 Na6 13.0-0 Nc7 14.Nec3 Nd7 gives White an extra pawn; the a-pawn is a latent threat (Anand-Adams, Monte Carlo, 1992).
• 8...e6 9.Nh3 Bb7 10.dxe6 fxe6 11.Be3 d5 12.Bxc5 Re8 13.Be2 Nbd7 14.Bf2 dxe4 15.0-0 axb5 16.Nxb5 gives White an extra pawn and the potential endgame advantage of conneted remote passers (Mamedyarov-Carlsen, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2007).

7...Ng8 8.f4 d6 9.Nf3 Nd7 10.Nc3

• 10.Bd2 dxe5 11.Bc3 Nb6 12.Nxe5 Nf6 13.bxa6 0-0 14.Nc6 Qd7 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.Ne5 Qf5 gives White an extra pawn which must be arrested (S. Volkov-Ponomariov, Russia Cup, Krasnodar, 1997).

10...dxe5!?

• 10...Nh6 11.Be2 0-0 12.0-0 Nf5 13.g4 Nd4 14.Nxd4 cxd4 15.Qxd4 dxe5 16.Qf2 axb5 17.Nxb5 exf4 18.Bxf4 is equal (S. Volkov-Balkan, Op, Groningen, 1998).

11.fxe5

• White has the advantage in space.

11...Nxe5 12.bxa6 Qa5!?

• One should only be concerned about a weakness if one's opponent can exploit it. Black's pawn is in no danger at the moment and isn't likely to be in any danger for several moves. Black should find better use for his Queen, but not necessarily right away.
• 12...Nxf3+ 13.Qxf3 Bxa6 14.Bxa6 Rxa6 15.0-0 Nf6 16.Be3 gives White more space and the potential endgame advantage of a remote passer.

13.Nxe5 Bxe5 14.Bb5+

• 14.Qa4+ Qxa4 15.Nxa4 Bxa6 16.Bxa6 Rxa6 17.Nxc5 gives White an extra pawn and the initiative.

14...Kf8 15.Qf3 Kg7 16.0-0 Bd4+ 17.Be3

• If 17.Kh1 Nf6 then:
• 18.Bd2 Bxa6 19.Bc6 Bxf1 wins the exchange.
• 18.Be3? Bxc3 19.bxc3 Qxb5 wins a piece.

17...Nf6

• 17...Bf5?! 18.Qf2 Bxc3 19.Bc6 Nf6 20.bxc3 Ng4 21.Qe1 gives White a very impressive advantage in space.

18.d6 Bf5 19.a4!?

• White embarks on a plan to hold his queenside together.
• 19.dxe7 Bxc3 20.Bc6 Bxb2 21.Bxa8 Bxa1 22.Rxa1 gives White an extra pawn.

19...e5?

• Black allows White a second passer.
• After 19...Bxc3 20.bxc3 exd6 Black recovers the pawn and has at least a little fight in his game.

BLACK: Ruslan Ponomariov
!""""""""#
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Vladimir Kramnik
Position after 19...e7e5

20.Ne2!

• White will exchange minor pieces, leaving Black in control of less space.
• If 20.Qg3?! Nh5 21.Qe1 Qd8 then:
• 22.h3 h6 23.Nd1 Nf6 24.Bxd4 exd4 25.Qe5 leaves White up a pawn and still batting with runners on base.
• 22.Bxd4 exd4 23.Ne4 Bxe4 24.Qxe4 Qxd6 25.Rae1 Nf6 is equal.

20...Qd8

• If 20...Bxb2 then White continues to enjoy the initiative after 21.Rad1 Qd8 22.Bxc5 Nd7 23.Bxd7 Qxd7 24.Ng3.
• If 20...Qb6 21.Bxd4 cxd4 22.Ng3 then:
• 22...Rhd8 23.Nxf5+ gxf5 24.Qg3+ Kh8 25.Qxe5 Rxd6 26.Rxf5 wins for White.
• 22...e4 23.Nxf5+ gxf5 24.Qxf5 d3+ 25.Kh1 Qxd6 26.Qg5+ wins a whole piece.

21.Bxd4 cxd4 22.Qg3 Ng4

• No better is 22...Bg4 23.Qxe5 Bxe2 24.Qxe2 Qxd6 25.Rac1.

23.h3 Ne3 24.Qxe5+ f6

• Black is toast.
• If 24...Qf6 25.Qxf6+ Kxf6 26.g4! then:
• 26...Rhd8 27.Rf2 Rxd6 28.Bd3! wins the Bishop.
• 26...Nxf1 fails abysmally after 27.Rxf1 Rhd8 28.d7! d3 29.Nd4 when White wins the Bishop.

BLACK: Ruslan Ponomariov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Vladimir Kramnik
Position after 24...f7f6

25.Qxd4! Nc2

• If 25...Nxf1 26.Rxf1 then:
• 26...Rf8 27.Rxf5 gxf5 28.Nf4 Qc8 29.Bc4 Qe8 30.Ne6+ wins the exchange.
• If 26...Bc8 then 27.a7 Bd7 28.Bxd7 Qxd7 29.Qxf6+! is crushing.

26.Qc5 Nxa1 27.Rxa1 Qc8

• If 27...Rc8 then White wins after 28.Qa7+ Kh6 29.Qe3+ Kg7 30.Rd1 Kf7 31.Qa7+.

28.b4 Bxh3 29.d7 Bxd7 30.Qe7+ Kh6 31.Bxd7 Qxa6

• If 31...Qd8 then after 32.Qe6 Kg7 33.b5 Rf8 34.Nd4 Kh8 35.Qc6 White's mass of queenside pawns march forward.

32.Nd4 Qd3 33.Qxf6 Rhf8 34.Qh4+ Kg7 35.Ne6+ 1-0

• White wins the exchange and then the whole enchilada.
• Ruslan Olegovich resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Gashimov - Smeets, Rapid Competition, Round 8

Vugar Gashimov
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Vugar Gashimov - Jan Smeets
19th Melody Amber Tounament (Rapid Competition), Round 8
Nice, 21 March 2010

Epine Dorsal: Horseman Defense (Janisch Opening) (Petroff Defense)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.0-0 Be7 8.Re1 Bg4 9.c4 Nf6 10.Nc3

• For moves up to here, see Motylev-Gashimov, IT, Poikovsky, 2009.

10...Nxd4

• If 10...Bxf3 11.Qxf3 Nxd4 12.Qd1 Ne6 then:
• If 13.cxd5 Nxd5 14.Bb5+ c6 15.Nxd5 cxb5 16.Qb3 0-0 then:
• 17.Be3 Bc5 18.Rad1 Bxe3 19.Rxe3 Qa5 20.Qc2 Rfe8 is equal (Leko-Gelfand, Grand Prix, Nalchik, 2009).
• If 17.Qxb5 Bc5 18.Rd1 then:
• 18...b6 19.Be3 Bxe3 20.Nxe3 Qe8 21.Qd5 Rc8 22.b4 Qa4 23.Qb3 Qxb3 24.axb3 Rc3 25.Ra3 Rfc8 26.Kf1 a5 27.bxa5 bxa5 28.Rxa5 draw (Khruschiov-Kuczynski, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).
• 18...Rc8 19.Be3 b6 20.Qa4 Bxe3 21.Nxe3 Qc7 22.Nd5 Qb7 23.Qe4 gives White a more active game (Slobodjan-Oral, World ChU20, Halle, 1995).
• 17.Nxe7+ Qxe7 18.Qxb5 a6 19.Qb3 Rfd8 20.Be3 Rac8 21.Rac1 h6 22.h3 Nd4 23.Bxd4 Rxc1 24.Rxc1 Rxd4 25.Qc2 Qe4 26.Qxe4 Rxe4 27.Rc7 Re1+ 28.Kh2 b5 draw (Kasparov-Karpov, World Ch, Moscow, 1984-85).
• If 13.Bf5 dxc4 14.Qa4+ c6 15.Bxe6 fxe6 16.Qxc4 0-0 17.Rxe6 Nd5 18.Be3 Bf6 19.Bc5 Re8 20.Rxe8+ Qxe8 21.Nxd5 cxd5 22.Qxd5+ Qf7 23.Qd2 Rd8 24.Qb4 Qxa2 25.Re1 b6 26.Be7 Re8 27.Bxf6 Rxe1+ 28.Qxe1 gxf6 29.Qb4 a5 draw (Morozevich-Ivanchuk, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2007).
• If 10...0-0 11.cxd5 Nxd5 then:
• If 12.h3 Be6 13.a3 Bf6 14.Ne4 Bf5 15.Ng3 Bg6 16.Ne4 draw (Balashov-Bronstein, City Ch, Moscow, 1982).
• If 12.Be4 Be6 13.Qc2 h6 then:
• 14.Bf5 Ncb4 15.Qb1 Bxf5 16.Qxf5 Bf6 17.a3 Nxc3 18.bxc3 Nd5 19.Bd2 gives White the advantage in space (Machulsky-Jussupow, Soviet Ch, Vilnius, 1978).
• 14.Bh7+ Kh8 15.Bf5 Ncb4 16.Qb1 Bxf5 17.Qxf5 Qc8 18.Qh5 Nf6 19.Qh4 Bd8 20.Re2 Qf5 21.Qf4 Qxf4 22.Bxf4 Nbd5 23.Be5 gives White the active game (Psakhis-Jussupow, Soviet Ch, Vilnius, 1978).

11.cxd5 Bxf3 12.gxf3 c5 13.d6

• 13.dxc6 Nxc6 14.Bb5 0-0 15.Qxd8 Bxd8 16.Be3 Ba5 is equal (Radjabov-Gashimov, Grand Prix, Sochi, 2008).

13...Qxd6 14.Nb5 Nxb5!?

• 14...Qd7 15.Nxd4 cxd4 16.Qe2 Kf8 17.Bb5 Qd8 18.Qd3 h5 19.Bg5 Qd5 20.f4 Bd8 21.Qa3+ Kg8 22.Re5Black resigns as he cannot avoid devastating material loss (Sutovsky-Inarkiev, IT, Poikovsky, 2009).

15.Bxb5+

• Black has an extra pawn and better pawn structure, but White haas command of the center.

15...Kf8 16.Qe2 a6 17.Bf4 Qxf4?!

• It should be clear that White gains from playing 18.Qxe7+.
• 17...Qe6 18.Qc2 Qb6 then:
• 19.Bc4 Rd8 20.Rad1 Rxd1 21.Qxd1 Rg8 22.Qe2 Qd8 gives Black an extra pawn and White more space.
• 19.Bd3 Nd5 20.Bg3 Re8 21.a3 Nf6 22.Re2 Qc6 gives Black an extra pawn and White more space.

18.Qxe7+!

• White has equalized.

18...Kg8 19.Be8!?

• Black is better prepared to lose the f-pawn than the hindmost b-pawn.
• 19.Qxb7 Rb8 20.Qxa6 Qxf3 21.Bc6 Qf4 remains equal.

19...Qg5+!

• The check sets up a nasty trap.
• 19...h6 20.Qxf7+ Kh7 21.Qg6+ Kg8 then:
• 22.Bf7+ Kf8 23.Rad1 Qg5+ is equal.
• 22.Qf7+ Kh7 23.Qg6+ etc. draws.

BLACK: Jan Smeets
!""""""""#
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Vugar Gashimov
Position after 19...Qf4g5+

20.Kh1!

• It seems counterintuitive, but the King is much safter in the corner than running to the center.
• 20.Kf1!? Qg6 21.Re2 h6 22.Ba4 Qh5 23.Bb3 Rf8 gives Black more flexibility and maintains the extra pawn.

20...Qh5 21.Re3

• As a result of his subtle 20th move, White restores the balance.
• 21.Qxb7 Rxe8 22.Rxe8+ Nxe8 23.Re1 h6 24.Rxe8+ is equal.

21...h6 22.Ba4 b5!

• Fritz' second choice is 22...b6, but on closer inspection it does not seem to work so well.
• If 22...b6? 23.Qb7! Rd8 then:
• If 24.Bc2! Qh4 25.Re7 then:
• If 25...Rf8 26.Rxf7 Rxf7 then:
• 27.Qc8+! Ne8 28.Qxe8+ Rf8 29.Qe6+ Rf7 30.Bb3 Qf6 31.Qe8+ Kh7 32.Qxf7 Qxf7 33.Bxf7 gives White an extra piece.
• If 27.Qb8+? Rf8 28.Qxb6 g5 29.Qxc5 then:
• 29...Qh3 30.Kg1 Kg7 31.Qa7+ Rf7 32.Qxa6 Qxf3 wins for Black.
• 29...Qf4 30.Bb3+ Kg7 31.Qa7+ Kg6 32.Qxa6 Qxf3+ wins for Black.
• 25...Qxf2? 26.Rxf7! Rd7 27.Rxd7 Nxd7 28.Bg6 White soon delivers mate.
• If 24.Rd1? Rxd1+ 25.Bxd1 Qf5! then:
• 26.Qxb6 Kh7 27.Qxa6 Nd5 28.Re1 Nf4 leaves Black in command of the d3 square in compensation for the pawn minus.
• If 26.Be2 Qb1+ 27.Kg2 Qg6+ 28.Kh1 then:
• 28...Nh7 29.Re8+ Nf8 30.Qb8 Qb1+ 31.Kg2 Qg6+ 32.Kh1 Qb1+ etc. draws.
• 28...Qb1+ 29.Kg2 Qg6+ 30.Kh1 Qb1+ etc. draws.

23.Bc2 c4

• 23...Rf8 24.Rd1 Nh7 25.Rd6 a5 26.Qb7 Ng5 27.f4 remains equal.

24.Rd1 Nh7 25.Rg1!?

• White strikes at a strong point in the castle wall. That's not the way to launch a successful attack.
• 25.Qb7! Rf8 26.Qxa6 Qc5 27.Qa5 g6 28.a4 Rb8 remains equal.

25...Nf8!?

• Black misses a chance to strengthen his defenses more.
• 25...Rf8! 26.Rge1 Qg5 27.Qa3 Qf6 28.b3 cxb3 29.axb3 g6 gives Black less space, but an extra pawn and fewer pawn weaknesses.

26.f4!

• White has ample compensation for the pawn in space and activity.
• 26.Be4! Rc8 27.Qf6 g6 28.f4 a5 29.f5 gives White more freedom in compensation for his pawn minus.

26...Ng6?

26...g6 makes the Rook bite granite and defends the Queen.
• 26...g6! 27.f5 Rh7 28.fxg6 fxg6 29.Bxg6 Rxe7 30.Bxh5+ remains equal.

BLACK: Jan Smeets
!""""""""#
$t+ + +lT%
$+ + QoO %
$o+ + +mO%
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$ +o+ P +%
$+ + R + %
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Vugar Gashimov
Position after 26...Nf8g6

27.Qe4!

• White strikes at the loose Rook and the inadequately defended Knight.
• 27.Rxg6!! fxg6 28.Qe6+ Kh7 29.Rg3 Rhe8 30.Bxg6+ also wins for White.

27...Rd8

• 27...Rf8 28.f5 Qh4 29.Qg2 Qh5 30.fxg6 fxg6 31.Bxg6 is an easy win for White.

28.f5 Nf8 29.Qe7 Rd7

• If 29...Rd3 30.Bxd3 cxd3 31.Qf6 then:
• If 31...Rh7 32.Reg3 Ng6 33.fxg6 Qd5+ 34.f3 then:
• 34...fxg6 35.Rxg6 Qf7 36.Qd8+ Qf8 37.Qd5+ Kh8 38.Qxd3 White wins in a cakewalk.
• 34...gxf6 35.gxh7+ Kf8 36.h8Q+ Ke7 37.Re1+ further resistance is pointless.
• 31...Qg5 32.Rxg5 hxg5 33.Qxa6 leaves Black clearly hopeless.

BLACK: Jan Smeets
!""""""""#
$ + + MlT%
$+ +tQoO %
$o+ + + O%
$+o+ +p+w%
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Vugar Gashimov
Position after 29...Rd8d7

30.Rxg7+!!

• Almost as good, but a lot less spectacular, is 30.Qf6 Rh7 31.Reg3 Qg5 32.Rxg5 hxg5 33.Qxg5.

30...Kxg7 31.Rg3+ Kh7 32.f6+ Ng6 33.Qxd7 1-0

• 33...Rf8 34.Bxg6+ Qxg6 35.Rxg6 Kxg6 leaves White up a Queen to a Rook.
• Mh. Smeets resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Bundesliga, Germany, Rounds 12 & 13

Brandenburg Gate, Berlin
Photo: Travelspots

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Potkin - Areshchenko, Katernberg, Round 12

This game knocked Bremen out of a first place tie in Round 12.



Vladimir Potkin
Photo by Stefan64 in Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)


Vladimir Potkin (Mülheim) - Alexander Areshchenko (Bremen)
Bundesliga 0910, Round 12/Board 6
Katernberg, 20 March 2010

West India Game: Indian Queen's Gambit (Catalan Opening) (Grünfeld Defense)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.Nf3 Nb6

• If 6...0-0 7.Nc3 Nxc3 8.bxc3 c5 9.0-0 Nc6 10.e3 then:
• If 10...Be6 then:
• If 11.Qa4 cxd4 12.cxd4 then:
• 12...Bd5 13.Rb1 a6 14.Rxb7 Nxd4 15.Nxd4 Bxg2 16.Nc6 Bxc6 17.Qxc6 is equal (Gunina-Ju Wenjun, TMatchW, Sochi, 2009).
• 12...Qd7 13.Rd1 Rfd8 14.Bb2 Bg4 15.Qb3 Rac8 16.Rac1 Qf5 17.e4 Qh5 18.Rc5 Na5 19.Rxh5 Nxb3 20.Rb5 Nxd4 21.Bxd4 Bxd4 22.Kf1 Bb6 23.Rxd8+ Rxd8 24.Rb2 Rd1+ White resigns (Aaron-Geller, ITZ, Stockholm, 1962).
• 11.Ba3 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Bd5 13.Bxd5 Qxd5 14.Qb3 Qxb3 15.axb3 Rfe8 16.Rfc1 e6 17.Kf1 Na5 18.Bb4 Nc6 19.Ba3 Na5 20.Bb4 draw (Akopian-Kuzmin, Op, Dubai, 2000).
• If 10...Qa5 11.Qb3 Rb8 12.Bd2 Bg4 then:
• If 13.d5 c4 14.Qxc4 Bxf3 then:
• 15.dxc6 Bxg2 16.Kxg2 Rbc8 17.Rfc1 Rxc6 18.Qe4 Rfc8 19.Qxe7 Qd5+ 20.Kg1 Qxd2 White resigns (Thomas-Dr. Euwe, Weston, 1926).
• 15.Bxf3 Ne5 16.Qe2 Nxf3+ 17.Qxf3 Rbd8 18.e4 f5 gives Black a slight advantage in space.
• 13.Rad1 cxd4 14.cxd4 Qh5 wins at least the exchange for Black (Bogolyubov-Dr. Euwe, Match, Holland, 1928).
• If 6...c5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.Nc3 Nxc3 9.bxc3 then:
• If 9...cxd4 10.cxd4 Nxd4 11.Nxd4 Qxd4 12.Rb1 0-0 then:
• If 13.Be3 Qc4 then:
• 14.Qd2 Be6 15.Rxb7 Rad8 16.Qa5 Qxe2 17.Rxa7 Rd1 18.h3 Rxf1+ 19.Bxf1 Qd1 20.Qd2 Qxd2 21.Bxd2 Bd4 22.Rxe7 Bxa2 23.Rd7 Bg7 draw (Krivonosov-Sykora, Corres, 2004).
• 14.Bd5 Qa6 15.Qb3 Qxe2 16.Bc5 Be6 17.Bxe6 Qxe6 18.Qxe6 fxe6 19.Rxb7 Rf5 is equal (Aronian-Radjabov, Amber Blind, Nice, 2009).
• 9...0-0 10.e3 Qa5 11.Qb3 Rb8 12.Bd2 Bg4 13.d5 c4 14.Qxc4 Bxf3 transposes into Dr. Euwe-Thomas, above.

7.Nc3 Nc6 8.e3 0-0 9.0-0 Re8

• If 9...e5 10.d5 then:
• If 10...Na5 11.e4 c6 12.Bg5 f6 13.Be3 cxd5 then:
• If 14.Bxb6 Qxb6 15.Nxd5 Qd8 16.Rc1 Nc6 17.Qb3 Rf7 18.Rfd1 Be6 19.h4 Kh8 20.Kh2 Rd7 then:
• 21.Bh3 Bxh3 22.Kxh3 Ne7 23.Nxf6 Bxf6 24.Qe6!! Rxd1 25.Qxf6+ Kg8 26.Qe6+ Kg7 27.Ng5 Qd7 28.Rxd1 Qxe6+ 29.Nxe6+ Kf6 30.Nc7 Rc8 31.Rd6+ Kf7 32.Rd7 Kf6 33.g4 Black resigns in the face of material loss (Janjgava-Sakalauskas, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• 21.Qa4 Bh6 22.Ra1 Qf8 23.Nc3 Rf7 24.Bh3 f5 25.Ng5 Bxg5 26.hxg5 f4!! 27.Bxe6 fxg3+ 28.Kg1 Rxf2 29.Rd3 Rh2 White resigns facing mate (Stefansson-Salem, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• If 14.exd5 Nac4 15.Bc5 Rf7 16.b3 Nd6 17.a4 Bg4 18.a5 Nbc8 19.Qd2 Bf8 20.b4 Rc7 21.Qd3 Bxf3 22.Bxf3 Rb8 23.Rfd1 b6 24.axb6 axb6 25.Be3 is equal (Frios-Griffin, EU ChT, Haifa, 1989).
• 14...Bg4 15.h3 Bxf3 16.Bxf3 f5 is equal (Pigusov-Krasenkow, IT, Tashkent, 1987).
• If 10...Ne7 11.e4 Bg4 then:
• 12.a4 c6 13.a5 Nc4 14.Qb3 Nxa5 15.Qa2 b6 16.b4 Nb7 17.Bg5 c5 18.d6 Nxd6 19.bxc5 Ndc8 20.Qa3 Rb8 21.Rab1 Qc7 22.Rfc1 bxc5 23.Rxb8 Qxb8 24.Qxc5 f6 gives Black an extra pawn.(Spraggett-Ftacnik, Op, New York, 1983).
• 12.h3 Bxf3 13.Qxf3 c6 14.Rd1 cxd5 15.Nxd5 Nbxd5 16.exd5 Qd6 17.Bd2 Nf5 18.Qb3 Rfc8 19.Rac1 Qd7 20.d6 Rxc1 21.Bxc1 Nd4 22.Qxb7 Qxb7 23.Bxb7 Rd8 is equal (Cvitan-Navara, Mitropa Cup, Pula, 2003).

10.Re1

• If 10.d5 Na5 11.Nd4 Bd7 12.e4 c6 13.Re1 cxd5 14.exd5 Rc8 15.Bf4 then:
• If 15...Nac4 16.b3 Nd6 17.Qd2 Nf5 18.Nde2 then:
• 18...h6 19.h4 h5 20.Rac1 Rc5 21.Red1 is equal (Kuljasevic-Kozul, Croatian Ch, Zagreb, 2004).
• 18...Na8 19.Rac1 Qa5 20.Ne4 Qxd2 21.Bxd2 Bb2 22.Rxc8 Rxc8 23.Bc3 Bxc3 24.N4xc3 Nc7 25.Rc1 is equal (Lahno-Maric, OlW, Dresden, 2008).
• 15...h6 16.h4 h5 17.Rc1 Nbc4 18.b3 Qb6 19.Nf3 Qb4 20.Ne4 Nb2 21.Qd2 Qxd2 22.Bxd2 gives White the initiative (Zoler-Smirin, World Blitz Ch, Rashon Le Zion, 2006).

10...a5 11.Qe2

• 11.d5 Bxc3 12.bxc3 Qxd5 13.Nd4 Qc4 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.Qd4 Rb8 16.Bf1 Qa4 17.c4 Ba6 gives Black an extra pawn (Zhou Weiqi-Negi, Op, Dubai, 2008).

11...e5

• 11...a4 12.Rd1 Bf5 13.d5 Na5 14.Nd4 Qc8 15.Nxf5 Qxf5 16.e4 gives White an impressive center pawn duo (Diamant-Howell, World Jr Ch, Puerto Madryn, 2009).

12.Nxe5 Nxe5 13.dxe5 Bxe5 14.e4 Bd7

• If 14...Be6 15.f4 Bg7 16.Be3 then:
• 16...Qe7!? 17.e5 Rab8 18.Ne4 Red8 19.Bc5 Qd7 20.Rad1 gives White the initiative (Rogozenco-Areshchenko, Bundesliga 0910, Bremen, 2009).
• 16...Nc4 17.e5 c6 18.Ne4 a4 19.Rad1 Qa5 20.Bd4 gives White a more solid center.

15.f4 Bxc3 16.bxc3 Bc6 17.Bb2 Qd6!?

• 17...Qe7 18.Rad1 Qc5+ 19.Kh1 Nc4 20.Rd4 b5 21.h4 Rad8 22.Red1 Qe7 is equal (Kazhgaleyev-Tomczak, Op, Cappelle la Grande, 2010).

18.c4!?

• With the text move, Black assumes the advantage.
• 18.Rad1! Qe6 19.Bc1 f5 20.e5 Na4 21.Bxc6 Qxc6 is equal.

BLACK: Alexander Areshchenko
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Vladimir Potkin
Position after 18.c3c4

18...Qc5+!

• Black wins a pawn.

19.Kh1 Qxc4 20.Qe3?

• White misses the opportunity to equalize the game.
• 20.Bf6 Qxe2 21.Rxe2 Nc4 22.g4 h5 23.gxh5 Re6 is equal.

20...f5 21.Rac1 Rxe4?

• Black throws away the win with the exchange, although he still has a much better position.
• 21...Bxe4! 22.Kg1 Qb4 23.Qf2 Bxg2 then:
• 24.Kxg2 Rxe1 25.Rxe1 Nc4 26.Be5 Rc8 leaves Black two pawns up with more freedom.
• 24.a3 Qd6 25.Qxg2 Rxe1+ 26.Rxe1 Qd5 leaves Black two pawns to the good.

22.Bxe4 Qxe4+ 23.Qxe4 Bxe4+

BLACK: Alexander Areshchenko
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Vladimir Potkin
Position after 23...Bc6e4:Q

• Black has the advantage in space and his 3:1 queenside majority is more than enough to compensate for the exchange.
• 23...fxe4 24.Kg1 Rd8 25.Be5 Rd7 26.g4 Kf7 27.g5 a4 Black's queenside majority still trumps White's exchange.

24.Kg1 Nd5 25.Be5!?

• White strikes at Black's passed pawn.
• Better is 25.Rc5! b6 26.Rc6 Re8 when:
• If 27.a3 Kf7 28.Rec1 Bd3 29.Be5 then:
• 29...Bb5 30.Rxc7+ Nxc7 31.Rxc7+ Re7 32.Rxe7+ Kxe7 33.Bd4 is equal.
• 29...Re7 30.Bxc7 Bb5 31.R6c2 Ba4 32.Rc4 Bb5 33.Bd8 gives White a material advantage.
• If 27.Rec1 Nxf4 28.gxf4 Bxc6 29.Rxc6 Re2 then:
• 30.Be5 Rxa2 31.Rxc7 b5 32.Rg7+ Kf8 33.Ra7 h5 is equal.
• 30.Bc3 Rxa2 31.Rxc7 b5 32.Rg7+ Kf8 33.Ra7 wins a pawn for White, giving him a material edge.

25...c6 26.a3 Kf7!

• Black maintains his advantage.
• If 26...Ra6 27.Ra1 b5 28.Rec1 Kf7 then:
• 29.Rc5 a4 30.Rac1 b4 31.Rxc6 Rxc6 32.Rxc6 bxa3 is equal.
• 29.Kf2!? Ke6 30.Rc5 a4 31.Rac1 Nb6 32.Rd1 Nc4! wins the a-pawn.

27.Kf2 Ke6 28.g4 Ra6 29.g5 Rb6 30.Rg1 Rb3 31.Rg3!

• 31.Ra1? then White wins a piece after 31...Nxf4 32.Bxf4 Rf3+.

31...Rxg3 32.hxg3 Kd7 33.Ke2 b6 34.Kd2 c5 35.a4!?

• White puts his pawn in harm's way.
• If 35.Re1! b5 36.g4 Nb6 37.gxf5 then:
• If 37...Bxf5 38.Kc1 Nc4 39.Bb2 b4 then:
• 40.Rh1 bxa3 41.Rxh7+ Kc6 42.Bc3 Kd5 43.Re7 a4 Black's queenside pawns still tilt the balance in his favor.
• 40.Rd1+ Kc6 41.Rh1 bxa3 42.Bf6 Ne3 43.Rxh7 Nd5 strengthens Black's queenside pawns in that White now must regroup his pieces to stop them.
• 37...Nc4+!? 38.Kc1 Nxe5 39.Rxe4 Nd3+ 40.Kb1 gxf5 41.Re2! leads to the elimination of Black's h-pawn, passing White's g-pawn and giving White equality.

BLACK: Alexander Areshchenko
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WHITE: Vladimir Potkin
Position after 35.a3a4

35...Nb4

• If 35...Kc6 then:
• 36.Re1 b5 37.axb5+ Kxb5 38.g4 c4 39.gxf5 gxf5 gives Black a small advantage with his hope still resting on his queenside pawns.
• If 36.Bd4 Nb4 37.Bf6 b5! then:
• If 38.axb5+ then after 38...Kxb5 39.Re1 a4 40.Re2 a3 41.Rh2 a2 Black's advantage is not as impressive as it might appear as he will have a hard time getting the a-pawn into the goal.
• 38.Ra1?! bxa4 39.Rxa4 Kb5 40.Ra1 a4 41.Bg7 c4 gives Black the advantage owing to his queenside passers.

36.Rd1 Kc6 37.Kc3

• A better try is 37.Rg1 Nd3 when:
• 38.Bf6! b5 39.axb5+ Kxb5 40.Rd1 a4 41.Kc3 Nb4 is equal.
• 38.g4!? fxg4 39.Rxg4 Kd5 40.Bc3 c4 41.Rh4 Nc5! 42.Rxh7 Nxa4 gives Black three connected passed pawns.

37...Nd5+ 38.Kb2 b5 39.axb5+ Kxb5 40.Ka3!?

• 40.Rd2 Kb4 41.Rh2 a4 42.Rxh7 a3+ 43.Ka2 Ne3 is equal.

40...a4!?

• The c-pawn is free and should get the preference to lead the advance.
• If 40...c4! then:
• 41.Rd2 c3 42.Rxd5+ Bxd5 43.Bxc3 Bc6 44.Kb3 a4+ leaves Black's a pawn in tact and allows the Black King to become more active.
• 41.Rd4 a4 42.Rd2 c3 43.Rxd5+ Bxd5 44.Bxc3 Kc4 Black retains the passed pawn giving him a theoretical advantage, although my staff and I are betting on a draw.

41.Rd2 Nb4 42.Rh2

• If 42.Rd7 Nc2+ 43.Ka2 Bd5+ 44.Kb2 then:
• If 44...Ne3 45.Rxh7 a3+ then:
• 46.Kb1 Bf3 47.Rg7 Nc4 is equal.
• If 46.Kxa3? then Black wins a piece after 46...Nc4+ 47.Ka2 Nxe5+.
• 44...Bb3 45.Kc3 c4 46.Rxh7 a3 47.Rb7+ Ka4 48.Kd2 is equal.

42...Nc2+ 43.Ka2 a3

• 43...Kb4 44.Rxh7 a3 45.Rd7 Bc6 46.Rd6 Be8 47.Kb1 is equal.

BLACK: Alexander Areshchenko
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Vladimir Potkin
Position after 43...a4a3

44.Rxh7!

• White equalizes.

44...Bd5+ 45.Kb1 Nb4 46.Ba1

• If 46.Rg7 a2+ 47.Kb2 Nd3+ 48.Ka1 Nb4 then:
• 49.Kb2 Nd3+ 50.Ka1 Ne1 51.Kb2 draws.
• 49.Ra7 Kc4 50.Kb2 Kd3 51.Rd7 Ke4 remains equal.

46...Be4+ 47.Kc1 Na2+ 48.Kd2 Kb4

• 48...c4 49.Bc3 Nxc3 50.Kxc3 a2 51.Kb2 remains equal.

49.Rh8 Bf3 50.Rg8 c4

• If 50...Bh5!? then 51.Bf6 Kb3 52.Rc8! c4 53.Rb8+ Ka4 54.Be7 restricts the mobility of Black's pieces.

51.Rb8+ Kc5?!

• It may seem counterinititive, but the King should go to the a-file to protect Black's best hope.
• If 51...Ka5! 52.Ke3 then:
• font color="red"]52...c3! 53.Rc8 Be4 54.Bxc3+ Nxc3 55.Rxc3 Ka4 remains equal.
• 52...Bc6!? 53.Kd4 Bb5 54.Kc5 Ba6 55.Rh8 Ka4 56.Ra8 gives White the initiative.

52.Bg7!

• Being an effective piece from a distance, the Bishop returns to g7 where it still guards the promotion square from a safe haven.
• Also good is 52.Ke3 Be4 53.Bg7 c3 54.Bf8+ Kc4 55.Bxa3, winning the a-pawn.

52...Bd5

• If 52...c3+? 53.Bxc3! Nxc3 54.Kxc3 then:
• If font color="red"]54...Bd5 then after 55.Rc8+ Kd6 56.Rh8 a2 57.Kb2 White wins the pawn and then exploits his material superiority.
• If the immediate 54...a2 then White wins after 55.Kb2 Kd4 56.Rg8.

53.Rd8?!

• If 53.Bf8+ Kd4 54.Rd8 c3+ 55.Kc2 Kc4 then:
• 56.Rc8+ Kd4 57.Bg7+ Ke4 58.Bxc3 Nxc3 59.Kxc3 leaves White much better than the text.
• 56.Kb1? Nb4! 57.Bxb4 Be4+ 58.Ka2 Kxb4 59.Rd4+ Kc5.

53...Be4!

• The game is again equal.

54.Rc8+

• If 54.Bd4+ Kb4 55.Rb8+ Ka5 56.Rg8 Kb4 then:
• If 57.Rb8+! Ka5 then:
• 58.Bg7 Bd5 59.Rd8 Bf3 60.Rc8 Kb4 61.Bf8+ gives White a material advantage and Black a pair of advanced passers.
• 58.Rg8?! Kb4! 59.Rb8+ draws.
• 57.Rxg6? c3+! 58.Bxc3+ Nxc3 59.Rb6+ Kc4 60.Ra6 a2! wins for Black.

54...Kb4 55.Rb8+ Kc5?

• Although it seems counterintuitive, Black' best bet is play the King to the a-file and stay near his best hop of salvation.
• If 55...Ka5 56.Be5 then:
• If 56...Ka4 57.Rb6 Nb4 58.Rxg6 a2 59.Ba1 Kb5 60.Kc3 then:
• If 60...Nd5+ 61.Kb2 then:
• 61...Bb1 62.Rg8 c3+ 63.Kc1 Nb4 64.Rb8+ Ka4 65.Bxc3 gives White a material advantage equivalent to a minor piece; he should be able to stop Black's pawn and mobilize his own.
• 61...c3+ 62.Kc1 c2 63.Re6 Nb4 64.g6 Bd5 65.Re3 White is blockading Black's queenside while threatening 66.f4! giving him two connected passers.
• 60...Nc2 61.Kb2 c3+ 62.Kxa2 Kc4 63.Bxc3 Kxc3 64.Rd6 White has the passed pawn.
• 56...Bg2 57.Rb1 Ka4 58.Rb6 Nb4 59.Rxg6 a2 60.Ba1 White has the passed pawn and will easily blockade Black's c-pawn.

BLACK: Alexander Areshchenko
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Vladimir Potkin
Position after 55...Kb4c5

56.Bf8+!

• White wins the a-pawn.
• 56.Ke3 c3 57.Bf8+ Kc4 58.g4 Bc2 59.gxf5 Bxf5 gives Black a slim, but real, chance.

56...Kd5

• No better is 56...Kd4 57.Rd8+ Bd5 58.Bxa3 c3+ 59.Kc2 Ke4 60.Bc5.

57.Rb5+

• If 57.Bxa3 c3+ then:
• 58.Ke3! c2 59.Rc8 Ke6 60.Rc7 Kd5 61.Rc5+ White must back away and White plays 62.Kd2! winning the passed pawn.
• If 58.Ke2!? then:
• 58...Kc4! 59.Rb6 Bd5 60.Kd1 Bf3+ 61.Ke1 Bh5 62.Rb8 White is better, but Black can still created difficulties with his passer.
• If 58...c2? then White wins after 59.Kd2! Kd4 60.Rb5 Kc4 61.Rb6 Bd3 62.Rxg6.

57...Ke6 58.Bxa3 c3+ 59.Ke3 Kd7 60.Rb6 Bc6 61.Rb8 Bd5 62.Rf8 1-0

• If 62...Kc6 then after 63.Rf6+ Kb5 64.Rxg6 Bc4 65.Rd6 White has an easy win.
• Alexander Valentinovich resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Nikolic - Rabiega, Berlin, Round 12

Solingen kept pace with Baden Baden during the weekend.



Predrag Nikolic
Photo by Frank Hoppe in Wikipedia (Public Domain)


Predrag Nikolic (Solingen) - Robert Ragiega (König Tegel)
Bundesliga 0910, Round 12/Board 1
Berlin, 20 March 2010

Open Queen's Gambit: Royal Defense (Chigorin Defense)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nc3 dxc4 4.d5 Ne5 5.f4

• If 5.Qd4 Ng6 then:
• If 6.Qxc4 a6 7.Qb3 Nf6 8.Nf3 then:
• 8...b5 9.e4 e5 10.dxe6 Bxe6 11.Qc2 Bd6 12.Be2 0-0 13.0-0 h6 14.a3 Re8 is equal (Mamedyarov-Morozevich, Amber Blind, Nice, 2008).
• 8...Nd7 9.Be3 Nge5 10.0-0-0 g6 11.Nxe5 Nxe5 12.Bd4 Bh6+ 13.f4 f6 14.e3 Nf7 15.Be2 0-0 16.h4 gives White the advantage in space (Najer-Maze, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).
• 6.e4 e5 7.Qxc4 a6 8.Nf3 Bd6 9.Be2 Nf6 10.0-0 0-0 11.a3 Qe7 12.Re1 Bd7 is equal (Umansky-Dey, TT, Byern, 2003).

5...Nd7 6.e4 Nb6 7.a4 a5 8.Be3 e6 9.Nf3

• 9.Bxb6 cxb6 10.Bxc4 Bc5 11.Bb5+ Bd7 12.dxe6 fxe6 13.Qb3gives White the advantage in space (Conquest-Lyell, British Ch, Liverpool, 2008).

9...Bb4 10.Bxb6 cxb6 11.Bxc4 Nf6 12.Bb5+!?

• If 12.0-0 then:
• 12...exd5 13.Nxd5 Bc5+ 14.Kh1 0-0 15.Nxf6+ Qxf6 16.Ng5 h6 17.e5 Qe7 18.Nxf7 Rxf7 19.f5 Black resigns (Tregubov-Rabiega, Bundesliga 0607, Germany, 2007).
• 12...0-0 13.dxe6 Bxe6 14.Bxe6 fxe6 15.Qb3 Kh8 16.Ng5 Ng4 17.Nxe6 wins the exchange for White (Ivanchuk-Morozevich, Grand Prix, New York, 1995).

12...Bd7

• White has the advantage in space.

13.dxe6 fxe6 14.Bd3!?

• If 14.Bxd7+ Nxd7 15.0-0 Qf6 then:
• 16.Nb5 Rc8 17.Nd6+ Bxd6 18.Qxd6 gives White the advantage in space.
• 16.Ng5 Bxc3 17.bxc3 h6 18.e5 gives White a huge advantage in space.

14...Qc7!

• Black has equalized.

15.Qd2 Qc5 16.Ne5

• If 16.Ng5 e5 17.fxe5 Qxe5 then:
• 18.Nf3 Qc5 19.Rf1 Rc8 20.Ke2 Qe7 remains equal.
• If 18.0-0 Rc8 19.Nf3 then:
• If 19...Bxc3 20.bxc3 Qxc3 21.e5 Nd5 then:
• If 22.Qxc3 Nxc3 23.Ng5 Rc5 then:
• If 24.Bxh7 Rxe5 25.Bg6+ Ke7 26.Nf7 then:
• 26...Ne2+ 27.Kh1 Ng3+ 28.Kg1 Ne2+ etc. draws.
• 26...Reh5?! 27.Nxh8 Rxh8 28.Rf7+ Ke6 29.Ra3 leaves White up by an exchange.
• 24...Ne2+!? 25.Kh1 Rc6 26.Rfe1 Nf4 27.Be4 remains equal.
• 22.Rfc1!? Qxd2 23.Nxd2 Ke7! 24.Rxc8 Rxc8 25.Bxh7 Nc3! regains the pawn with an impressive mass of queenside passers.
• 19...Qc5+!? 20.Kh1 Bxc3 21.bxc3 Qxc3 22.e5 remains equal.

16...0-0

• I16...Bc6 17.Ke2 Bxc3 18.bxc3 0-0 19.Qe3 Qxc3 20.Rab1 remains equal.

17.Ke2

• If 17.Nxd7 Nxd7 then:
• 18.Rd1 Bxc3 19.bxc3 Qc6 20.Bc2 Nc5 wins a pawn for Black.
• 18.e5 Rad8 19.Rc1 Qc6 20.Qc2 Rxf4 21.Bxh7+ Kh8 gives Black more space and freedom.

17...Be8 18.g4 Nd7 19.Nxd7 Bxd7 20.Rhf1!?

• This isn't the most aggressive move White can make.
• 20.Rhc1! Rad8 21.Qe3 Qe7 22.e5 Bc6 23.Rd1 remains equal.

20...Rac8!

• Black frees.his Queen for duty beyond the c-file.
• Another possibility is to attack White's pawn trio: 20...e5! 21.f5 Rac8 22.Rfc1 Rfd8 23.Qe3 Qd6 24.Nd5 remains equal.

21.Rac1 Qe7 22.Qe3

BLACK: Robert Rabiega
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WHITE: Predrag Nikolic
Position after 22.Qd2e3

22...Bxc3!

• Black breaks down the queenside, where he is superior.
• 22...e5 23.f5 Qh4 24.h3 Bxc3 25.Rxc3 Rxc3 26.bxc3 is equal.

23.Rxc3 Qb4!

• Black wins the a-pawn.

24.Qd2 Qxa4 25.Ke3 e5 26.fxe5 Bxg4

• Black wins a pawn.
• The text is better than 26...Be6!? 27.Rxf8+ Rxf8 when:
• 28.Be2 Bf7 29.Qd6 Qa2 is equal.
• If 28.Bc2? Qb5! 29.Qd6 Re8 then:
• If 30.g5 Qf1 31.g6 h6 then:
• 32.Kd2 Qf2+ 33.Kd3 b5 34.Qxe6+ Rxe6 35.Rc8+ Qf8 leaves Black up by an exchange with a won position.
• 32.b3 Qe1+ 33.Kd3 Bh3 34.Kd4 Qf2+ 35.Re3 Rc8 is an easy win for Black.
• 30.h3 Qxb2 31.Qa3 Qxa3 32.Rxa3 Rc8 33.Kd3 Kf7 leaves Black up a pawn with White nearly in Zugzwang.

27.Bc4+?

• This move falls into the category of useless checks. The check makes the exchange of Rooks possible, but why on earth would Black want to exchange Rooks when he's a pawn down?
If
• 27.b3 Qe8 28.Rxc8 Qxc8 29.Bc4+ then:
• If 29...Kh8 30.Rxf8+ Qxf8 then:
• 31.Qd6! Qf3+ 32.Kd4 Qf2+ 33.Kc3 h5 34.e6 is equal as the forward e-pawn compensate for the pawn minus.
• 31.Qd5 h5 32.Qf7 Qxf7 33.Bxf7 g5 34.Bd5 Bc8 leaves Black a pawn to the good.
• 29...Be6 30.Qd6 Bxc4 31.Rxf8+ Qxf8 32.bxc4 is equal.

27...Kh8 28.Rxf8+ Rxf8 29.Qd6

• 29.Bf7 Qb4 30.Qg2 Rxf7 31.Qxg4 Rf8 32.Qe2 Rd8 leaves Black with an extra pawn, stronger pawns and a small advantage in space.

29...Qe8!

• Black protects his Rook and attacks the forward e-pawn.

30.e6 Rf3+ 31.Kd4 Rxc3?

• 31...Rf6! gives White more mobility problems and after 32.Qxb6 Bxe6 33.Qxb7 Rf8 34.Rg3 Rf7 Black still has the more active game.

BLACK: Robert Rabiega
!""""""""#
$ + +wT L%
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Predrag Nikolic
Position after 29...Rf3c3:R

32.Kxc3!

• White leaves his pawn in the b-file to better restrain Black's queenside.

35...b5 33.Bd5 h6

• If 33...b4+ then after 34.Kd4 b5 35.e7! Bh5 36.Bc6 Qg8 37.Qd8 it's time to turn out the lights.

34.e7! Kh7 35.Kd4 Bh5 36.e5 1-0

• 36...Qc8 37.Qd8 Qg4+ 38.Kc5 is an easy win for White.
• Herr Rabiega resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

11. Najer - Shirov, Emsdetten, Round 13

Meanwhile, in spite of hitting a speed bump in round 10, Baden Baden kept on rolling and is in excellent shape to win its 5th Bundeslinga title in a row.



Alexei Shirov
Photo by karpidis, altered for Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)


Evgeny Najer (Wattensheid) - Alexei Shirov (Baden Baden)
Bundesliga 0910, Round 13/Board 1
Emsdetten, 21 March 2010

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Neo-Classical Defense

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 7.a4 Rb8 8.c3 d6 9.d4

• If 9.axb5 axb5 10.d4 Bb6 then:
• If 11.h3 0-0 12.Re1 then:
• If 12...h6 13.Be3 then:
• 13...Bd7 14.Nbd2 Re8 15.Qb1 b4 16.Qc2 Na5 17.Rxa5 Bxa5 18.dxe5 dxe5 is equal (Kamsky-Z, Almasi, IT, Reggio Emilia, 2009-10).
• 13...Re8 14.Nbd2 exd4 15.cxd4 Na5 16.Bc2 Bb7 17.Bf4 Ra8 18.Qe2 Nc4 is equal (Schuett-Olofson, Corres, 2002).
• If 12...Bb7 13.Na3 then:
• If 13...exd4 14.cxd4 Na5 15.Bc2 b4 16.Nb1 c5 17.Bg5 h6 18.Bh4 cxd4 then:
• 19.Qd3 b3 20.Bxb3 Nxb3 21.Qxb3 g5 gives Black the advantage in space (Navara-Shirov, IT, Karlovy Vary, 2007).
• 19.Nbd2 Re8 20.Ra4 Bc6 21.Ra1 Rc8 is equal (Anand-Shirov, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1998).
• 13...Re8 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.Nxb5 gives White an extra pawn (Martins-Kobayashi, World Jr Ch, Gaziantep, 2008).
• If 11.Na3 0-0 12.Nxb5 Bg4 then:
• If 13.Be3 exd4 14.cxd4 Nxe4 15.Qc2 Qe8 16.Ba4 Bd7 then:
• If 17.Nc3 Nxc3 18.bxc3 Ne7 19.c4 c6 20.Rae1 Qd8 21.Bg5 gives White a small advantage in space (Domínguez-Shirov, IT, Sofia, 2009).
• If 17.Rfe1 then:
• 17...Nb4 18.Qc4 Ba5 19.Nc3 Bxa4 20.Rxa4 d5 21.Qf1 Nc6 draw (Leko-Anand, World Ch Trmt, Mexico City, 2007).
• 17...d5 18.Bf4 Nb4 19.Qe2 Ra8 20.b3 Qd8 21.Rac1 c5 is equal.
• If 13.Bc2 Bxf3 14.gxf3 Nh5 15.f4 then:
• 15...Qh4 16.Qf3 Nxf4 17.Bxf4 exf4 18.Kh1 Ne7 19.Rg1 Ng6 20.b4 Qe7 21.Na7 gives White the advantage in space (Kamsky-Friedel, US Ch, St. Louis, 2009).
• 15...Nxf4 16.Bxf4 exf4 17.Qg4 Qf6 18.b4 Ne7 19.Na3 Ng6 20.Nc4 gives White the advantage in space (Leko-Shirov, Tal Mem, Moscow, 2007).
• If 13.Re1 Bxf3 14.gxf3 Nh5 15.Kh1 then:
• If 15...exd4 16.Nxd4 Nxd4 17.cxd4 c5 18.Rg1 cxd4 then:
• 19.Bg5 Qe8 20.Qd3 Bd8 21.Bd2 Qe5 22.Rg4 Qb5 23.Bc4 Qxb2 24.Rag1 Kh8 gives Black an extra pawn (Short-Ganguly, World Cup, Hyderabad, 2002).
• 19.Rg5 g6 20.f4 Kh8 21.f5 gives White the advantage in space (Svidler-Shirov, Euro ChT, Novi Sad, 2009).
• 15...Qf6 16.Rg1 Nf4 17.Be3 Ne6 18.Bxe6 fxe6 19.Rg3 Kh8 20.Qd3 exd4 21.cxd4 e5 22.d5 gives White the advantage in space (Svidler-Shirov, IT, Linares, 1998).

9...Bb6 10.a5 Ba7 11.Be3 Bg4 12.dxe5 Bxf3 13.Qxf3!?

• 13.gxf3 dxe5 14.Qe2 0-0 15.Nd2 Nh5 16.Kh1 Qh4 17.Rg1 Nf4 gives Black the advantage in space (Milos-Ganguly, World ChT, Bursa, 2010).

13...Nxe5

• The game is equal.

14.Qe2 Bxe3 15.Qxe3 0-0 16.Nd2 Re8 17.f3!?

• This is a little too timid.
• The more aggressive 17.f4 Nc4 18.Bxc4 bxc4 19.Qf3 Qe7 20.Rfe1 remains equal.

17...c5 18.Bc2 Qc7!

• Black supports his important points before bringing the Knight over in a bid to win the pawn.
• If 18...Nc6 19.Nb3 c4 20.Nd4 then:
• 20...Qd7 21.Nxc6 Qxc6 22.Qd4 Re6 23.Rfd1 remains equal.
• 20...Nd5 21.Qd2 Nxd4 22.Qxd4 remains equal.

19.Rfd1

• 19.Rfe1 Nc6 20.Ra3 b4 21.cxb4 Nxb4 22.Rc1 d5 gives Black the advantage in space and mobile pawn on the queenside of center.

19...d5

• Also good is 19...Nc6 20.c4 bxc4 21.Nxc4 d5 when:
• 22.Nb6 dxe4 23.Bxe4 Nxa5 wins the a-pawn.
• 22.Nd2 Nd4 23.Ba4 Re5 24.Ra2 dxe4 25.fxe4 Qe7 gives Black a clear initiative against the e-pawn.

20.Qf2

• 20.Qg5 Rbd8 21.f4 h6 22.Qg3 Ng6 23.f5 Nf4 maintains the advantage in space for Black; Black is threatening 24...Ne2+! winning the Queen.

20...c4 21.exd5 Nxd5 22.Ne4 Nf4

• 22...Rbd8 23.Nc5 Qa7 24.Be4 Nf6 25.Rxd8 Rxd8 maintains the advantage in space for Black.

23.Qc5 Qb7 24.Rd6 Ned3!?

• This wouldn't be bad if White could ,aintain the Knight at this post.
• If 24...Qa8 then:
• 25.Ng5 Nfd3 26.Bxd3 Nxd3 27.Qf5 Qa7+ 28.Rd4 g6 gives Black a slight initiative.
• 25.Rad1 Nfd3 26.Bxd3 Nxd3 27.Qg5 Red8 28.Qe7 Rxd6 Black is well defended.

25.Bxd3!

• White has equalized.

25...Nxd3 26.Qd5!?

• White proposes an exchange of Queens, but would have done better to preserve his Queen and take the initiative.
• If 26.Qd4! then:
• 26...Rbc8 27.b3 Rc6 28.bxc4 bxc4 29.Rd8 Qe7 30.Rxe8+ remains equal.
• 26...Qc8!? 27.b3 Re6 28.bxc4! bxc4 29.Rb6! Rexb6 30.axb6 gives White a better center and the advantage in space.

BLACK: Alexei Shirov
!""""""""#
$ T +t+l+%
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WHITE: Evgeny Najer
Position after 26.Qc5d5

26...Qa7+!

• Black wisely eschews the Queen exchange.
• If 26...Qxd5!? 27.Rxd5 Nxb2 28.Nc5 then:
• 28...Ra8 29.Rb1 Na4 30.Nxa4 bxa4 31.Ra1 is equal.
• 28...Nd3 29.Nxd3 cxd3 30.Rxd3 is equal.

27.Qd4 Qxd4+ 28.Rxd4 f5 29.Nd6 Re2

• 29...Re6 30.Nxf5 Rf8 31.g4 g6 32.Nh6+ Kh8 gives Black enough space to compensate for his pawn minus.

30.Nxf5?

• The Knight was preventing Black from doubling up in the e-file and should have remained where he was.
• 30.b3 Nc5 31.bxc4 Nb3 32.Rb1 Nxd4 33.cxd4 g6 leaves Black with a material advantage, but White has possible counterplay on the queenside and in the center.

BLACK: Alexei Shirov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Evgeny Najer
Position after 30.Nd6f5:p

30...Rbe8!

• Nature abhors a vacuum and the Rook just filled one left by the Knight.

31.h4

• If 31.Rf1? then:
• If 31...Rxb2! 32.Rd7 Re5 33.Nd4 Nf4 then:
• 34.Rd8+ Kf7 35.Rd7+ Re7 36.Rxe7+ Kxe7 37.Rf2 Rb1+ forces the exchange of Rooks and wins for Black.
• 34.g4 Ne2+! 35.Nxe2 Rexe2 36.Rfd1 Rg2+ 37.Kf1 Rxh2 wins for Black, although White can get in a spite check or two before the axe falls.
• If 31...g6 32.Nd6 R8e3 33.Ne4 then:
• If 33...Rxb2 34.Rd7 Kf8 then:
• 35.Nf6 Re7 36.Nxh7+ Ke8 37.Nf6+ Kf7 gives Black a clear advantage.
• 35.Rxh7 Ra2 36.Rd1 Ree2 gives Black a clear advantage.
• 33...Re1 34.g3 Rxf1+ 35.Kxf1 is equal.

31...Rxb2 32.Rd7

• 32.Rd6 Ree2 33.g3 Ne1 34.Rd8+ Kf7 35.Nd6+ Kg6 wins for Black as soon as White runs out of checks.

32...Kf8 33.Rxg7

• 33.Rd1 Ra2 34.g4 g6 35.Nd6 Ree2 36.Ne4 Rg2+ White is toast.

33...Re5 34.Rg5 h6?

• White misses a win and nearly gets swindled.
• If 34...b4! 35.Nd6 Rxg5 36.hxg5 bxc3 then:
• 37.Nxc4 Re2 38.Na3 c2! wins for Black.
• 37.Ra3 c2! 38.Rc3 Rb1+ is followed by the queening of the pawn, winning the White Rook.

35.f4?

• This loses while 35.Rg6 appears to lead to a draw.
• If 35.Rg6! Rxf5 36.Rxa6 Kg7 then:
• 37.Ra7+ Kg6 38.Ra6+ Kh7 39.Ra7+ Kg6 40.Ra6+ is equal: if the Black King approaches the Rook during a series of checks, Black loses the critical h-pawn; if he intervenes the Rook, the Rook 's taken and there is nothing to stop White's a-pawn; otherwise, he never gets out of check.
• If 37.Rd6 Nf4 38.Rd7+ Kf8 then:
• If 39.a6 Rxg2+ 40.Kf1 Rh2 41.Ra3 Nh3 then:
• If 42.a7 Rxf3+ 43.Ke1 Re3+ 44.Kd1 then:
• If 44...Nf2+! 45.Kd2 Ng4+ then:
• 46.Kd1 Nf2+ 47.Kd2 Ng4+ etc. draws.
• 46.Kc1!? Re1+ 47.Rd1 Re8! the game continues with Balck a piece up.
• 44...Rh1+? 45.Kd2 Re8 46.a8Q! wins for White.
• If 42.Rd8+? then Black wins after 42...Ke7 43.a7 Rxf3+! 44.Ke1 Rh1+ 45.Kd2 Rf2+ 46.Ke3 Re1+.
• 39.Rd8+? Ke7 40.Rad1 Rxg2+ leaves Black a piece to the good.

BLACK: Alexei Shirov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Evgeny Najer
Position after 35.f3f4

35...Nxf4!

• White's kingside pawns fall like summer fruit.

36.Nxh6

• There is no other reasonable move. White is lost.

36...Rxg5 37.hxg5 Rxg2+ 38.Kh1 Rxg5 39.Rf1 Rh5+ 40.Kg1 Rxh6 41.Rxf4+ Ke7 42.Kg2 Rg6+ 0-1

• 43.Kh2 Rf6 44.Rh4 Rf3 wins the c-pawn.
• Black must lose the King-and-pawn ending: if 43.Kf2 Rf6 44.Rxf6 Kxf6 then:
• 45.Kf3 Ke5 46.Ke3 Kd5 47.Kd2 Kc5 48.Kc1 b4 wins for White.
• 45.Ke2 loses to 45...Ke5 46.Ke1 Kd5 47.Kd1 Kc5 48.Kc2 b4.
• Evgeny Yuryevich resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

12. Bonus Game: Keres - Smyslov, Candidates' Trmt, Zürich, 1953

Vasily Smyslov
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Paul Keres - Vasily Smyslov
Candidates' Tournament, Round 24
Zürich, 13 October 1953

Symmetrical English Game: Queen's Indian Defense

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.e3

• 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Bb4 6.Qb3 Na6 7.e3 Ne4 8.Be2 Qa5 9.0-0 Nac5 10.Qc2 Bxc3 11.bxc3 Qxc3 12.Qxc3 Nxc3 gives Black the advantage in space (Boleslavsky-Szabo, Candidates' Trmt rd 29, Zürich, 1953).

4...Be7 5.b3

• 5.d4 d5 6.a3 0-0 7.cxd5 exd5 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.Be2 Nc6 10.0-0 Be6 11.b4 Bb6 12.Bb2 Qe7 13.Na4 Bc7 14.Nc5 Ne4 15.Nxb7 Bb6 16.Nc5 Nxc5 17.bxc5 Bxc5 18.Qd2 f6 19.Rfc1 gives White the advantage in space (Dr. Alekhine-Lupi, Match, Gijon, 1945).

5...0-0

• 5...b6 6.Bb2 Bb7 7.Rc1 Bxf3 8.Qxf3 Nc6 9.Qe2 0-0 10.g3 d5 11.Bg2 Rc8 12.cxd5 exd5 is equal (Franklin-Roberts, California Chess Congress, San Francisco, 1858).

6.Bb2 b6 7.d4

• 7.g3 Bb7 8.Bg2 then:
• 8...d5 9.0-0 Nbd7 10.Qe2 Rc8 11.Rad1 Qc7 12.d3 e5 13.Nh4 dxc4 14.Nf5 Rce8 15.Nb5 Qb8 16.Bxb7 Qxb7 17.Nbd6 cxd3 18.Rxd3 gives White the initiative (Bisguer-deFirmian, Op, Lone Pine, 1981).
• 8...a6 9.0-0 Qc7 10.Qc2 d6 11.Rad1 Nbd7 12.d4 Rac8 13.Nh4 Bxg2 14.Nxg2 e5 is equal (Hinds-Nolan, Trmt, Cork, 1974).

7...cxd4 8.exd4 d5 9.Bd3 Nc6 10.0-0 Bb7

• If 10...Ba6 11.Re1 dxc4 12.bxc4 Rc8 then:
• If 13.Qa4 Nb4 14.Bf1 Qe8 15.Qb3 Nc6 then:
• 16.Nb5 Na5 17.Qa4 Bxb5 18.cxb5 Nd5 19.Rac1 Rxc1 20.Rxc1 a6 21.Ne5 Bd6 22.Nc6 axb5 23.Bxb5 Qa8 24.Nxa5 bxa5 is equal (Grünfeld-Dr. Alekhine, IT, Bad Pistyan, 1922).
• 16.Qa4 Na5 17.Nb5 Bxb5 18.cxb5 a6 19.Rac1 Rxc1 20.Rxc1 Nd5 21.Ne5 Bd6 is equal (Lange-Gilg, German Ch, Bad Oeynhausen, 1939).
• 13.Nb5 Bxb5 14.cxb5 Nb4 15.Ne5 Nd7 16.Re3 Nxd3 17.Rxd3 Nxe5 18.dxe5 gives White the initiative (Dr. Alekhine-Levenfish, Ol, Moscow, 1920).

11.Rc1 Rc8 12.Re1!?

• This was a novelty when the game was played.
• 12.Qe2 dxc4 then:
• 13.bxc4 Nb4 14.Bb1 Bxf3 15.gxf3 Re8 16.Ne4 Nc6 17.Rfd1 Nxe4 18.Qxe4 g6 19.d5 exd5 20.cxd5 Bd6 21.Qg4 Ne5 22.Rxc8 Qxc8 23.Qxc8 Rxc8 draw (Filip-Golombek, Ol, Helsinki, 1952).
• 13.Bxc4 Nb4 14.Ne5 Nbd5 15.Nxd5 Nxd5 16.f4 Bd6 17.f5 exf5 18.Rxf5 b5 19.Nxf7 Bxh2+ 20.Kxh2 Qh4+ 21.Kg1 bxc4 22.Qe6 Qe7 23.Nd8+ Qxe6 24.Rxf8+ Kxf8 25.Nxe6+ Kf7 26.Nc5 cxb3 27.Rf1+ Kg6 draw (Konstaninopolsky-Alatortsev, Soviet YM, Leningrad, 1936).

12...Nb4

• 12...Re8 13.Ne5 dxc4 14.Nxc6 Bxc6 15.bxc4 Qd7 16.Re3 g6 is equal (Keres-Darga, IT, Bled, 1961).

13.Bf1 Ne4 14.a3

• 14.Nxe4 dxe4 15.Nd2 f5 16.a3 Na6 17.b4 Nc7 18.c5 Bd5 19.Nc4 gives White the advantage in space (Ju. Bolbochán-Baufmeister, Ol, Varna, 1962).

14...Nxc3 15.Rxc3 Nc6 16.Ne5

• 16.cxd5 Qxd5 17.Bc4 Qh5 18.Qb1 b5 19.Bf1 b4 wins a pawn for Black (Kveinys-Lugovoi, Keres Mem Op, Tallinn, 2001).

16...Nxe5 17.Rxe5!?

• White is playing for a win.
• If 17.dxe5 dxc4 18.Bxc4 then:
• 18...Qxd1 19.Rxd1 Rfd8 20.Rxd8+ Rxd8 21.Rd3 Rxd3 22.Bxd3 h6 23.b4 Kf8 24.f3 Ke8 is drawish (Kekki- Nokso-Koivisto, Finnish ChT, Finland, 2000).
• 18...b5 19.Bxb5 Rxc3 20.Bxc3 Bxa3 is equal.

17...Bf6 18.Rh5 g6 19.Rch3?

• This move is clever, but bad.
• 19.Qg4 dxc4 20.Rxc4 Qd6 21.Rh3 Rfd8 leaves Black better, but White has counterplay.

BLACK: Vasily Smyslov
!""""""""#
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$ +pP + +%
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WHITE: Paul Keres
Position after 19.Rc3h3

19...dxc4!!

• "Coolly and correctly played" (Sir Harry Golombek, Encylopeadia Brittannica).
• 19...gxh5? 20.Qxh5 Re8 gives White a choice of two winning lines::
• 21.Qxh7+ Kf8 22.Bc3 a5 23.Rf3 dxc4 24.d5 e5 25.bxc4.
• 21.Rg3+ Bg7 22.Qh6 Kf8 23.Rxg7 Ke7 24.Qh4+ Kf8 25.Qxh7.

20.Rxh7

• 20.Rh6 cxb3 21.Qxb3 Bxd4 22.Qb4 Bf6 23.Rxh7 e5 still leaves Black a pawn to the good.

20...c3! 21.Qc1 Qxd4

• 21...cxb2? 22.Qh6 Qxd4 23.Rh8+ Bxh8 24.Qh7#.

22.Qh6 Rfd8 23.Bc1 Bg7 24.Qg5 Qf6 25.Qg4

• 25.Rxg7+ Qxg7 26.Qe7 Ba6 27.Bxa6 Rd1+ 28.Bf1 Qd4 wins for Black.

25...c2 26.Be2

• White must guard against ...Rd1.

26...Rd4!

• Black forces open the diagonal leading to the White King.

27.f4

BLACK: Vasily Smyslov
!""""""""#
$ +t+ +l+%
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WHITE: Paul Keres
Position after 27.f2f4

27...Rd1+!!

• Black sacrifices a whole Rook to force mate.

28.Bxd1 Qd4+ 0-1

• Black soon delivers mate.
• Paul Pavlovich resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

13. Bonus Game: N. Kosintseva - Tairova, Russian Women's Championship, Moscow, 2007

Elena Tairova, a rising star in Russian women's chess, passed away March 16 after a long illness. She was 18 years old.



Elena Tairova
1991 - 2010
Photo: ChessBase.com


Nadezhda Kosintseva - Elena Tairova
Russian National Championships (Women's Group), Round 2
Moscow, 19 Decenber 2007

Closed French Game: Nimzo-Winawer Defense

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Ba5

• The most common move is 5...Bxc3+. See Pähtz-Cioara, Bundesliga 0910, Eppingen, 2009.

6.Bd2

• If 6.b4 cxd4 then:
• If 7.Qg4 Ne7 8.bxa5 dxc3 9.Qxg7 Rg8 10.Qxh7 then:
• If 10...Nd7 11.Nf3 then:
• If 11...Nf8 12.Qd3 Qxa5 13.h4 Bd7 14.Bg5 Rc8 15.Nd4 gives White the advantage in space (Smyslov-Botvinnik, World Ch Match, Moscow, 1954).
• If 11...Qc7 12.Bb5 a6 13.Bxd7+ Bxd7 14.0-0 Qc4 then:
• 15.Bg5 Bc6 16.Rfd1 Qe4 17.Qh4 Ng6 18.Qh7 Ne7 draw (Luik-Sliwa, Corres, 1963).
• 15.Ng5 0-0-0 16.g3 Nf5 17.Nxf7 Bb5 18.Bg5 Rdf8 19.Be7 Re8 20.Nd6+ Nxd6 21.Bxd6 Bd7 22.Rab1 Black resigns down two pawns (Vukovich-Maric, Yugoslav Ch, Sombor, 1957).
• If 10...Nbc6 11.Nf3 Qc7 12.Bf4 Bd7 then:
• If 13.a6 0-0-0 14.axb7+ Kb8 15.Qd3 Rg4 16.g3 Ng6 17.Qxc3 Nxf4 18.h3 gives White three extra pawns (And. Volokitin-Lputian, Ol, Calvia, 2004).
• If 13.Bd3 0-0-0 14.Bg3 Qxa5 15.0-0 then:
• 15...Qc5 16.Rfe1 Rh8 17.Qxf7 Rdf8 18.Qg7 Nf5 19.Bxf5 Rhg8 20.Qh6 Rxf5 21.Qe3 b6 22.Red1 Rg4 23.Rd3 Rc4 24.h4 Qb5 25.Nd4 is equal (Lolmatov-Lputian, ITZ, Manila, 1990).
• 15...Rh8 16.Qxf7 Rdf8 17.Qg7 Rhg8 18.Qh6 Rxf3 19.gxf3 Nd4 20.Qf4 gives WHite a material advantage equivalent to a piece (Galkin-Khalifman, IT, Hoogeveen, 2000).
• If 7.Nb5 Bc7 8.f4 then:
• If 8...Bd7 9.Nxc7+ Qxc7 10.Nf3 then:
• If 10...Nh6 11.Bd3 a6 12.a4 then:
• 12...Nc6 13.Qd2 Nf5 14.Bb2 0-0 15.Bxf5 exf5 16.Bxd4 Nd8 17.0-0 draw (Macieja-Lputian, Euro Club Cup, Halkidiki, 2002).
• 12...Nf5 13.0-0 Nc6 14.Qe1 Qb6 15.Rb1 Rc8 16.Bb2 Nce7 17.a5 gives White the advantage in space, more than compensating for the pawn minus (Zawadzka-Hoolt, World Jr Ch (Girls), Istanbul, 2005).
• If 10...Ne7 11.Bd3 a6 12.Bb2 then:
• 12...Nbc6 13.0-0 Qb6 14.Kh1 h6 15.Qd2 g6 16.Qf2 Qc7 17.Nxd4 Nxd4 18.Bxd4 gives White the advantage in space (P. Smirnov-V. Popov, Russian Cup, Samara, 2002).
• 12...Nf5 transposes into Zawadzka-Hoolt above.
• 8...Ne7 9.Nf3 Bd7 10.Nbxd4 Nbc6 11.Be3 Nxd4 12.Nxd4 Bb6 13.Bd3 0-0 14.Qd2 Rc8 15.0-0 Nc6 16.c3 Nxd4 17.cxd4 f5 18.Rfc1 gives White the advantage in space (Rodríguez-Timman, Rapid, Oviedo, 1993).

6...Nc6 7.b4!?

• The players close the book already.
• If 7.Nb5 Nxd4 then:
• If 8.Nxd4 cxd4 9.Bb5+ Bd7 10.Bxd7+ Kxd7 11.Nf3 then:
• 11...Bb6 12.a4 Ne7 is equal (Krakops-Barsov, Op, Patras, 2001).
• 11...Bxd2+ 12.Qxd2 Qb6 13.0-0 Ne7 14.Nxd4 Rac8 15.c3 is equal (Rogers-Korchnoi, IT, Biel, 1986).
• If 8.Bxa5 Qxa5+ 9.b4 Qb6 10.Nxd4 cxd4 then:
• 11.Nf3 Ne7 12.Qxd4 Qxd4 13.Nxd4 Ng6 14.Nf3 a5 15.b5 Bd7 16.h4 f6 is equal (Arakhamia-Cramling, FIDE Knock Out W, Groningen, 1997).
• 11.Qg4 Qc7 12.Qxd4 Ne7 13.Nf3 Nf5 14.Qd2 Nh4 15.Qd4 Nxf3+ 16.gxf3 Qxc2 gives Black the advantage in space (Shaposhnikov-Lastin, Russian ChT, Tomsk, 2001).

7...Bc7

• The game is equal.

8.Nb5 Nxd4 9.Nxd4 cxd4

• Black has a extra pawn, but she has no hope of keeping it and makes little effort to do so.

BLACK: Nezhmetdinov
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WHITE: Znosko-Borovsky
Position after 9...cd4:N

10.f4 Ne7

• 10...Nh6 11.Nf3 Nf5 12.Bd3 Qe7 13.Bxf5 exf5 14.Qe2 remains equal.

11.Nf3 Bb6 12.Bd3 Bd7

• 12...a6 13.a4 Ba7 14.a5 Bd7 15.0-0 Rc8 gives White the advantage in space and Black an extra pawn.

13.0-0 Rc8 14.a4 a6 15.Kh1 Nf5 16.Qe2!

• If 16.Bxf5!? then after 16...exf5 17.Be1 Qc7 18.a5 Ba7 19.Nxd4 Qc4! wins the c-pawn.

16...h5 17.Rfc1 h4 18.Be1

• 18.b5 axb5 19.axb5 Ne3 20.c3 h3 21.g3 Nc4 remains equal.

18...Rc3!?

• Black's best bet is to plop the octopus on e3.
• 18...Ne3 19.Bf2 h3 20.g3 Rc3 21.a5 Ba7 22.Qd2 remains equal.

BLACK: Nezhmetdinov
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WHITE: Znosko-Borovsky
Position after 18...Rc8c3

19.Ng5!?

• Black is not so dominant on the queenside that she can't be beaten back. This game would have been a lot different if White had played the correct move here.
• If 19.a5! Ba7 20.Bxf5 Re3 then:
• 21.Qd2 exf5 22.Bf2 Re4 23.Bxd4 Bxd4 24.Nxd4 gives White the advantage in space.
• If 21.Qd1!? then after 21...exf5 22.Bf2 Re4 Black regains equality by threatening the f-pawn.

19...Qe7!?

• There are two kinds of sacrifices: sound ones and mine -- Tal.
• This is an example of Tal's kind of sacrifice. It isn't sound, but it results in a complicated position in which White loses her way.
• 19...Rc6 20.b5 axb5 21.axb5 Rc8 is equal.

20.Bxc3 dxc3!?

• Black has a much better move at her disposal, but it is hard to find.
• 20...Qxg5!! 21.fxg5 Ng3+ 22.Kg1 then:
• 22...Nxe2+! 23.Bxe2 dxc3+ 24.Kh1 Be3 25.Rf1 Bxg5 Black's extra pawns are stronger than White's Rook.
• 22...dxc3+?! 23.Qf2! Bxf2+ 24.Kxf2 Ne4+ 25.Bxe4 dxe4 26.Ra3 leaves White an exchange to the good.

21.Bxf5!

• The exchange weakens Black's d-pawn.

21...exf5 22.Qf3!?

• White misses her chance to gain a firm upper hand.
• 22.Qd3 h3 23.a5 hxg2+ 24.Kxg2 Ba7 25.Qxc3 gives White a theoretical two pawn advantage.

22...h3!

• Black has equalized.

23.Nxh3 Qxb4 24.Nf2 Qd4 25.Nd3!?

• White carelessly drops the a-pawn.
• 25.a5 Qxf2 26.axb6 Qxf3 27.gxf3 Rh6 remains equal.

BLACK: Nezhmetdinov
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WHITE: Znosko-Borovsky
Position after 25.Nf2d3

25...Bxa4!

• Taking the pawn is the most active reply.

26.Rab1 a5!?

• White's strongest piece is the Queen. This is the time to take it out.
• If 26...Qe3 27.Qxe3 Bxe3 28.Rxb7! when:
• 28...0-0 29.Rb4 Bxc1 30.Rxa4 Rb8 gives Black an extra pawn.
• 28...Bxc1!? 29.Rb8+ Ke7 30.Rxh8 Ba3 31.Rc8! is equal.

27.Qg3 0-0 28.Ra1

• If 28.Qh3 g6 29.Ra1 then:
• 29...Ba7 30.Ra2 b5 31.Re1 Re8 32.Qg3 Kg7 Black's queenside pawns tilt the balance her way.
• If 29...Re8 30.Qg3 then:
• 30...Re6! 31.Ra2 Bb5 32.Re1 Bxd3 33.cxd3 Bc7 Black's mobile pawns now give her a huge advantage
• 30...Ba7 31.Ra2 b5 32.Re1 Re6 33.Qh3 Qc4 gives Black the advantage with mobile pawns.

28...Rc8!?

• 28...Re8 29.Qh3 g6 30.Qg3 Ba7 31.Ra2 b5 Black's pawns promise her more than anything White has.

29.Qh3 Bd7 30.Rf1

• If 30.Rd1 Bc7 31.Qh4 then:
• 31...Qc4! 32.Qe7 Be6 33.Rf1 Qc6 34.Qg5 Bd8 leaves Black with mobile queenside pawns, tilting the game in her favor.
• 31...Re8 32.Nf2 Qc4 33.Rd3 equalizes.

30...Rc6 31.Rae1?

• White plays the wrong Rook. Black's advantage is clearly on the queenside. The Rook should remain at a1 to anchor the fight against the coming pawn storm.
• 31.Rfd1 Rh6 32.Qg3 Bb5 33.Rab1 Ba4 leaves Black better, but White has much better chances of holding.

31...Rh6 32.Qf3

• If 32.Qg3 Bb5 33.Rf3 Ba4 then:
• 34.Rf2 Bd8 35.Qf3 Bh4 36.g3 Be7 37.Ra1 b5 gives Black a strong, mobile passed pawn.
• 34.Qg5 Bxc2 35.Qxf5 Qc4 36.Rc1 Bxd3 37.Rxd3 g6 gives Black four connected passers.

32...Ba4 33.Re2 Bb5 34.Rd1

• If 34.Qg3 Bxd3 35.cxd3 Rc6 then:
• If 36.Ra1 Bc7 37.Ree1 c2 then:
• 38.Rac1 a4 39.Re2 a3 wins for Black.
• 38.Rec1 Qxa1 39.Rxa1 c1Q+ leaves Black a piece to the good.
• 36.Rc1 a4 37.Qf3 c2 38.g3 a3 leaves White with no effective moves.

BLACK: Nezhmetdinov
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WHITE: Znosko-Borovsky
Position after 34.Rf1d1

34...Bxd3!

• Before advancing her queenside pawns, Black makes sure that Black will have no active defense to use against them.
• If 34...a4!? then:
• If 35.Ree1 a3 36.h3 Qa4 then:
• 37.Ra1 a2 38.Nc1 Bc4 39.Nxa2 Bxa2 40.Qxc3 d4 is equal.
• 37.Re2 Bc4 38.Ra1 Bd4 39.Rc1 a2 40.Ree1 Ra6 leaves Black close to winning.
• If 35.Qg3? then:
• 35...Rg6! 36.Qe1 Rg4 37.e6 fxe6 38.Rxe6 a3 gives White a passed pawn, the advantage in space and active pieces.
• 35...Bxd3?! 36.cxd3 Rc6 37.Rc2 Qe3 38.Qg5 g6 39.Qe7 is equal.

35.Qxd3

• White's reply is almost forced.
• If 35.cxd3? Bc7! then:
• 36.Rb1 Rc6 37.Rc2 b5 38.g3 b4 39.Qe2 a4 Black's mobile queenside pawns storm and overwhelm White's Rooks.
• 36.Qg3 Rg6 37.Qh4 Re6 38.Qg3 b5 39.Ra2 f6 gives Black three connected pawns on the queenside and opens the center to her advantage.

35...Qxd3

• Black has a distinct advantage since the two pawns she has for the exchange are mobile.
• Accordingly, even better than the text is 35...Qxf4! 36.g3 Qg5 then:
• 37.Qxd5 Qxg3 38.Qxb7 Qg4 39.Rde1 Rg6! Black threatens mate on g1, forcing White into a series of exchanges that magnify the value of Black's queenside pawns.
• 37.Qxc3 f4 38.Rg2 fxg3 39.Qxg3 Qxg3 40.Rxg3 d4 Black's extra pawns still trump White's Rook.

36.Rxd3 d4!

• Black commands the entire board.

37.Re1 Bc5 38.Rb1

• If 38.Ra1 then after 38...Ra6 39.g3 a4 40.Kg2 a3 41.Rdd1 Rb6 Black threatens 42...Rb2! with a decisive effect.

38...b6 39.Ra1 Kf8 40.g3 Ke7 41.Kg2

• No better is 41.Rdd1 Rh8 42.Kg2 Ra8 43.Kf3 Ke6 when Black's mobile queenside is a huge advantage.

41...Rh8 42.h3

• If 42.h4 Ra8 43.Kf3 Ke6 44.Ke2 a4 then:
• 5.Rdd1 b5 46.Kd3 Kd5 47.Rh1 Ra6 White's pawns have little mobility left while Black's are free as birds.
• If 45.h5 b5 46.Rdd1 Kd5 47.Kd3 a3 48.Rg1 Rh8 gives White the mobile queenside as a winning advantage.

42...Ra8 43.Kf3 Ke6 44.Rdd1 Kd5 45.g4

• 45.Ke2 a4 46.Kd3 a3 47.Re1 b5 48.Ra2 b4 Black's pawn rush forward while White's Rooks can't leave the back rank.

45...fxg4+ 46.Kxg4 a4 47.Re1 b5

• 47...d3 48.cxd3 b5 49.f5 b4 Black's trio of connected passers are on the move.

48.Kf3 Rh8 49.Rh1 a3 50.Rae1

• If 50.Rad1 b4 51.h4 Kc4 then:
• 52.f5 b3 53.cxb3+ Kxb3 54.Rb1+ Kc4 55.Rb7 Re8 leaves Black with three passers near his King.
• If 52.Rdg1 then Black wins easily after 52...g6 53.e6 fxe6 54.Rxg6 d3 55.cxd3+ Kxd3.

50...b4

• Black decides to win on the flank.
• Also good is 50...d3 51.Rd1 d2 52.h4 g6 53.Ke2 Ke4.

51.e6 fxe6 52.Re5+ Kc4 53.Ke4 a2 54.Rxe6 Rxh3!! 0-1

• Of course, the Rook cannot be taken.
• If 55.Ra1 then 55...Re3+ 56.Kf5 Rxe6 57.Kxe6 b3 58.cxb3+ Kxb3 is quite convincing.
• Nadezhda Anatolyevna resigns.

Photo: ChessBase.com

[Jack Rabbit]

14. Update (Monday): MTel 2010 Canceled

The MTel Masters' Tournament will not be held in 2010 according to Bulgarian chess manager and organizer Silvio Danailov in an interview published today on the website Chessdom.com.

Danailov explained that the tournament sponsor is also putting up money for the world championship match on Sofia between Vishy Anand, the reigning champion, and Bulgarian grandmaster Veselin Topalov, the former FIDE titleholder, which begins April 23. The sponsor did not feel it could commit to two major chess events staged so close together.

[JonLP24]

15. RIP Smyslov

Nice work with the chess threads JR. I don't contribute much but I do read them.