The JR Chess Report (November 20): Moscow Knights

[Jack Rabbit]

Please click here for music by which to read this week's chess news, most of which comes from Moscow.

Aronian, Karjakin and Shakh win Tal Memorial



Levon Aronian, Sergey Karjakin and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
Photo of Aronian by Frank Hoppe in Wikimedia Commons (Public Doamin)
Photo of Karjakin by Stefan64 from Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
Photo of Mamedyarovby Stefan64 from Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

The Tal Memorial Tournament finished Sunday, November 14 with Levon Aronian, Sergey Karjakin and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov finishing atop the tables with 5½ points out of nine rounds.

Aronian and Karjakin each finished the nine round event with two wins and seven draws while Mamedyarov won three, lost one and drew five.

Mamedyarov, the leading grandmaster from the tiny chess powerhouse Azerbaijan, defeated co-leader Wang Hao of China in round 8 to take sole possession of first place Saturday. Meanwhile, Karjakin moved within a half point of the lead by defeating former world champion Vladimir Kramnik in 32 moves. Mamedyarov was still alone on top by a half-point going into the final round when he lost to Israeli GM Boris Gelfand, who had a tournament he would otherwise like to forget. Karjakin and Aronian, who lead the tounament most of the way after winning two of his first three games and drawing out the rest, drew their respective final games to finish even with Mamedyarov.

When the tie breaks were computed, Aronian and Karjakin were awarded a joint first place while Mamedyarov was awarded third place.


Aronian takes first in Tal Memorial Blitz Championship

Armenian grandmaster Levon Aronian took first place in the Tal Memorial Blitz Championship which took place in Moscow Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with 24½ points in 38 rounds.

Azerbaijani GM Teimour Radjabov finished second with 24 points and defending champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway, who defeated Aronian in the 27th round, took third with 23½ points.

The field consited of 20 players in a double round robin format. The time control was three minutes plus an incement of 2 seconds per move.


Russian Women's Championship begins in Moscow

Eleven Russian women and seventeen-year-old Nazi Paikidze of Georgia began competing a single round robin tournament for the women's championship of Russia Tuesday.

The tournament will last eleven rounds and is scheduled to conclude Saturday, November 27.

After five rounds, Nadezhda Kosintseva and Natalia Pogonina lead with four points each while Ms. Paikidze is nipping at their heels with 3½ points.


Baden-Baden leads Bundesliga after second weekend

The team from the Ooser Schachgesellkraft in Baden-Baden leads the Bundesliga after the second weekend of the 2010-11 season.

Baden-Baden survived a tied match in its proponed seventh round match against Hamburg game played Friday, November 12 and then defeated Wattenscheid Saturday. 5½-2½ and crushed Emsdetten by a score of 7-1 on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Baden-Baden's main rival, the Green and White from Bremen, took down Griesheim on Saturday, 5-3, bu suffered a 4½-3½ loss to Trier Sunday.

After four rounds and most of the preponed matches from round seven, Baden-Baden has 9 match points and Bremen 8.

Baden-Baden is aiming to win its sixth straight Bundesliga championship.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. This Weeks Games

Your humble hare acknowledges the assistance of Rybka 4 and Fritz 6.0 on analysis.

Diagrams on the Jack Rabbit Chess Report are made with Aquarium, a commercially available interface for Rybka.

BLACK



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. Tal Memorial Tournament, Moscow

Photo by Unlikelylads in Wikipedia (Public Domain)

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Karjakin - Kramnik, Round 8

Sergey Karjakin
Photo by Stefan64 from Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)


Sergey Karjanin - Vladimir Kramnik
Fifth Tal Memorial Tournament, Round 8
Moscow, 13 November 2010

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

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3 Be7 7.Be3 O-O 8.Qd2 Nd7 9.O-O-O Ne5

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

10.h4 c6

• If 10...Bg4 11.Be2 Qc8 then:
• If 12.h5 Re8 13.Kb1 h6 14.Rde1 then:
• 14...a6 15.Nxe5 dxe5 16.f3 Be6 17.Bd3 Bf5 18.g4 Bxd3 19.Qxd3 Qe6 20.Bc1 Bf6 21.Re4 Rad8 22.Qe2 Qd7 is equal (Jakovenko-Wang Hao, Team M, Nizhniy Novgorod, 2007).
• 14...Bf6 15.Nh2 Bxe2 16.Qxe2 d5 17.Bc1 Qd7 18.f4 Nc4 19.Qd3 Qb5 is equal(Jaklovenko-And.Volokitin.Russian ChT, Dagomys, 2008).
• 12.b3 Re8 13.Kb1 Bf8 14.h5 a6 15.Rde1 b5 16.Bf4 Nd7 is equal (Topalov-Kramnik, IT, Sofia, 2005).

11.c4 Be6 12.Ng5 Bf5 (N)

• 12...Nxc4 13.Qd3 Bxg5 14.hxg5 g6 15.Bf4 Qb6 16.Qd4 Qxd4 17.Rxd4 d5 18.Bxc4 dxc4 19.Be5 gives White the advantage in space while Black has an extra pawn (Gashimov-Gelfand, Grand Prix, Astrakhan, 2010).

13.Kb1

• 13.f4 Ng4 14.Bd3 Qd7 15.g3 Rfe8 16.Bxf5 Qxf5 remains equal.

13...Re8 14.f3!?

• White is trying to control the light squares with an enemy light-bound Bishop in the nieghborhood. The text is too timid.
• If 14.f4 Ng4 15.Bd4 h6 16.Bd3 Qc8 remains equal.

14...h6 15.Be2!?

• White proffers the Knight at g5.
• 15.Ne4?! 15...Bxe4! 16.fxe4 Bxh4 17.g3 Bf6 gives Black an extra pawn.

BLACK: Vladimir Kramnik



WHITE: Sergey Karjakin
Position after 15.Bf1e2

15...d5

• For now, the game remains equal.
• 15...hxg5 could lead to some interesting complications.
• If 15...hxg5!? then:
• If 16.hxg5 then:
• 16...Qc8!? 17.g4! Bg6 18.Rdg1 Nd7 19.Bd3 Bxd3 20.cxd3 is equal.
• If 16...Qd7 17.g4 then:
• 17...Bh7 18.Rxh7 Kxh7 19.Bd3+ Kg8 20.Qh2 is equal.
• 17...Bg6 18.Rdg1 f5 19.gxf6 Bxf6 20.f4 Nf7 is equal.
• If 16...a5?! 17.g4 Bg6 18.f4 then:
• 18...d5 19.fxe5 Bb4 20.Qc1 b6 21.cxd5 cxd5 22.Rh2 gives White an extra pawn and command of vital attacking lanes.
• If 18...Nd7? then White wins after 19.Bd3! 19...Bxd3 20.cxd3 Nf8 21.f5.
• 16.g4?! 16...Bh7 17.hxg5 Qd7 18.Rh2 f5 19.gxf6 Bxf6 gives Black an extra piece, but White has some compensation in space.

16.g4 Bg6?!

• The maxim in chess is to play to the side toward which one's pawns point. Black plays to the wrong side.
• If 16...Bc8 17.cxd5 hxg5 18.d6 then:
• 18...Bxd6 19.Qxd6 Qxd6 20.Rxd6 remains equal.
• If 18...Bf8? 19.hxg5! 19...Ng6 20.Bc5! 20...Rxe2 21.Qxe2 then:
• 21...Qxg5 22.Rh5 Qd8 23.Qe4 Be6 24.Rdh1 wins.
• 21...Bd7 22.f4 Qe8 23.Qh2.

17.f4!

• White pushes back.

17...dxc4 18.Qc3

• If 18.Qc1 Qa5 19.h5 then:
• 19...hxg5 20.hxg6 Nxg6 21.Bxc4 b5 22.Bd3 gxf4 23.Bxf4
• 19...Bh7? loses to 20.Nxh7 when:
• If 20...Kxh7 21.fxe5 c3 22.Bc4 cxb2 23.Qxb2 then:
• 23...Ba3 24.Qxb7 leaves Black under heavy pounding.
• 23...f6 24.Rd7 Kh8 25.Bd4 Ba3 26.Qc3 Qxc3 27.Bxc3 leaves White a piece to the good.
• If 20...Nxg4 then 21.Bxg4 Kxh7 22.Rd7 wins for White.

18...Nd3

BLACK: Vladimir Kramnik



WHITE: Sergey Karjakin
Position after 18...Ne5d3

19.f5!!

• White sacrifices a Bishop while the Black Bishop is entombed.

19...Bxg5

• There is nothing better.
• 19...Bh7? loses to 20.Nxh7 Bd6 21.Bxd3 Rxe3 22.Qxc4 Kxh7 23.f6+!.

20.fxg6 Rxe3 21.gxf7+?!

• White, within sight of the checkered flag, almost blows his engine.
• If 21.Qxc4 then:
• If 21...Qe7 22.Bxd3 Bxh4 23.Bf5 Rf8 24.gxf7+ then:
• 24...Kh8 25.a4 Qf6 26.Rd7 gives White a clear advantage.
• If 24...Rxf7? loses to 25.Bg6! Re6 26.Bxf7+ Kxf7 27.Rxh4.
• If 21...Qd5 22.Bxd3 then:
• If 22...Be7 23.gxf7+ Kf8 24.Qa4 then:
• 24...Qc5 25.g5 Qb4 26.Qxb4 Bxb4 27.gxh6 gxh6 28.Bc4 gives White an extra pawn.
• 24...Rd8 25.Qxa7 Qd4 26.Qxb7 Qe5 27.Qxc6 Rb8 28.c3 leaves White four pawns to the good.
• 22...Qxc4 23.Bxc4 Be7 24.g5 Kf8 25.Rd7 gives White a clear advantage.

21...Kf8!

• The game is again equal.

22.Qxc4!?

• White has nothing to lose by proffering the Bishop at e2, so why not? The risk is well-calculated.

22...Rxe2?

• While it is a truism that (in the words of Steinitz) the best way to refute a sacrifice is to accept it, some proffered pieces are taboo.
• 22...Bxh4 23.Bxd3 Bf6 24.a3 Qa5 25.Rhf1 remains equal.

23.hxg5!

• White seizes his opportunity.
• 23.Rxd3?! 23...Qe7 24.hxg5 Re1+ 25.Rd1 Rxh1 26.Rxh1 gives White only a small advantage in space.

23...Qxg5

• Black shortens the agony.
• 23...b5 24.Qc3 b4 25.Qxd3 Qxd3 26.Rxd3 leaves White with an extra pawn, but Black will last longer.

24.Qxd3 Qe3 25.Qh7 Qe4

• If 25...Ke7 then 26.Qxg7 Rf8 27.Rhf1 Rd2 28.Qf6+ crushes Black.

BLACK: Vladimir Kramnik



WHITE: Sergey Karjakin
Position after 25...Qe3e4

26.Qg8+!!

• Please click here.

26...Ke7 27.Qxg7!

• This is the only move. Black could have resigned here.

27...Qxc2+ 28.Ka1 Rf8

• 28...Qxb2+ 29.Qxb2 Rxb2 30.Kxb2 Kxf7 31.Rxh6 is resignable (Rybka scores this higher than the text).

29.Rhf1 Rd2 30.Rfe1+ Re2 31.Qc3 Kxf7 32.Qf3+ 1-0

• If 32...Kg7 33.Qxe2 Qxe2 34.Rxe2 leaves White a Rook to the good.
• Vladimir Borisovich resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Mamedyarov - Wang Hao, Round 8

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
Photo by Stefan64 in Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)


Shakhriyar Mamdedyarov - Wang Hao
Fifth Tal Memorial Tournament, Round 8
Moscow, 13 November 2010

Queen's Gambit: Nimzo-Ragozin Defense

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4

• For a more detailed look at the Nimzo-Ragozin Defense, see Zhao Xue-N. Kosintseva, World ChTW, Ningbo, 2009).

5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 Qxf6 7.e3 O-O 8.Rc1 dxc4 9.Bxc4 c5 10.O-O cxd4 11.exd4 Nc6 12.Ne4 Qe7

• 12...Qf4 13.Qe2 Rd8 14.g3 Qg4 15.Rfd1 Bd7 16.a3 then:
• 16...Be7 17.Qe3 Be8 18.b4 a6 19.Be2 Qh3 20.Nc5 Bxc5 21.dxc5 gives White the advantage in space (Gelfand-Piket, FIDE Knock Out, New Dehli, 2000).
• 16...Bf8 17.Qe3 Be8 18.b4 Qh5 19.Be2 Qf5 20.Nh4 Qh7 21.Nc5 g5 22.Nf3 Rab8 23.Bc4 Qg7 24.d5 exd5 25.Bxd5 Ne7 gives White excellent winning chances (Magai-Mitkov,Ol, Istanbul, 2000)
• 12...Qd8 13.a3 Ba5 14.Qd3 Bb6 15.Rfd1 Qe7 16.Bb5 Bd7 17.Nc5 e8 18.Qc3 gives White the advantage in space (Topalov-J.Polgar, IT, Madrid, 1997).

13.Qe2 Rd8 14.Rfd1 Bd7 15.Bd3

• 15.a3 Ba5 16.Nc5 Be8 17.b4 draw (Gulko-Serper, US Ch, Seattle, 2002).

15...Be8

• The game is equal.

16.Bb1 Ba5 17.Nc5

• Thte game remains equal.
17.Nc3 Rac8 18.a3 Qd6 19.Qd3 is also equal.

17...Bb6 18.a3 Bxc5 19.Qc2 f5 20.Qxc5!?

• Black bring out his heavy pieces a tad early.
• If 20.dxc5 Bh5 21.Qb3 Rxd1+ 22.Rxd1 Kh7 remains equal.

20...Qxc5 21.Rxc5 Rd6 22.d5 Bh5 23.Rd3 exd5!?

• 23...Rad8 24.dxc6 Rxd3 25.Bxd3 Rxd3 26.Ne1 Rd1 27.g4 remains level.

BLACK: Wang Hao



WHITE: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
Position after 23...ed5:p

24.Rcxd5!

• White has a small advantage in space.

24...Rf6

• This seems to be the best move at Black's disposal. The worst thing to do is leave the Rook at d6.
• If 24...Rxd5? 25.Rxd5 b6 then:
• 26.Rxf5 Re8 27.Rxh5 Re2 28.b4 Rb2 29.Bd3 wins for White.
• 26.Bxf5!? 26...Bxf3 27.gxf3 Kf8 28.Rd6 Ne5 29.Kg2 gives White an extra pawn.

25.b4

• If 25.Rd1 Raf8 26.Rd7 b6 27.Rc7 then:
• 27...Ne5 28.Nxe5 Bxd1 29.Nd7 Bb3 30.Nxf6+ Rxf6 31.Kf1 gives White a slight edge in space.
• 27...Rd8? 28.Rxd8+ Nxd8 29.Ne5! 29...Rd6 30.Bc2 gives White a comfortable advantage in space.

25...Bf7!?

• This attack on the Rook at d5 is somewhat careless. The Rook is just forced to move to a better square.
• 25...a6 26.Rd1 g6 27.Kf1 Rf7 28.Ba2 Kf8 29.Rc1 gives White the advantage in space.

26.Rd7!

• See the previous remark.

26...Bc4 27.Rd2

• White retreats the Rook to the best square. At d2, the Rook not only protects White's pawns, but also covers the e2 square, which otherwise has no protection.
• 27.Rd1 b6 28.R1d6 Raf8 29.h3 R8f7 30.Rxf6 Rxf6 is somewhat less effective.

27...Re8?

• The Rook is useless on this e8.
• 27...b5 28.Bd3 Bxd3 29.R2xd3 a5 30.bxa5 Rxa5 31.R7d5 gives White only a small advantage in space.
• Less good is 27...Rb8 28.Rc7 Be6 29.b5 Na5 30.Rd6 after which Black will have great difficulty expelling B;ack's Rooks.

BLACK: Wang Hao



WHITE: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
Position after 27...Ra8e8

28.h4!

• White moves to restrain Black's kingside.

28...b5 29.Rc7 Ne5

• 29...a5 30.bxa5 Nxa5 31.Rdd7 g6 32.Bc2 Nc6 33.h5 gives White a huge advantage, owing mainly to his Rooks on the seventh rank.

30.Nxe5 Rxe5 31.Kh2 a6 32.g4 Be6

• 32...g6 33.Rd8+ Rf8 34.Rd6then:
  • 34...Bf7 35.gxf5 gxf5 36.Rxh6 Re2 37.Rxa6 Rxf2+ 38.Kg3
  • 34...Re6 35.Rdd7 Rfe8 36.Rg7+ Kh8 37.Rh7+ Kg8 38.Rxh6

BLACK: Wang Hao



WHITE: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
Position after 32...Bc4e6

33.g5!

• The pawn breaks through and decisively disrupts Black's kingside.
• 33.Ra7 Re1 34.Bc2 Rf8 35.Re7 fxg4 36.Bb3 bings up a situation similar to the final position of the text and also wins for White.

33...hxg5 34.hxg5 Rf8

• If 34...Rf7 then 35.Rd8+ Kh7 36.Rc6 g6 37.Rdd6 Re7 38.Rxa6 wins a pawn and threatens to win more.

35.Re7 Re1 36.Ba2 1-0

• Black must give up the exchange in order to keep from losing a whole piece.
• Wang resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Gelfand - Mamedyarov, Round 9

Boris Gelfand
Photo by Stefan64 in Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)


Boris Gelfand - Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
Fifth Tal Memorial Tournament, Round 9
Moscow, 14 November 2010

English Game: Anglo-Grünfeld Defense

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.g3 Bg7 6.Bg2 Nxc3 7.bxc3 Nc6

• If 7...c5 then:
• If 8.Rb1 O-O 9.O-O then:
• If 9...Nd7 10.c4 Qc7 11.d3 Rb8 then:
• 12.Bf4 e5 13.Bd2 b6 14.Ng5 Bb7 15.Ne4 Qc6 16.f3 Nf6 17.Nc3 Qd7 18.Be3 Ne8 is equal (Portisch-Polugaevsky, IT, Magyarorszag, 1969).
• 12.Qa4 b6 13.Bf4 e5 14.Bd2 Bb7 15.Ne1 Bxg2 16.Nxg2 f5 is equal (Nguyen Thanh Son-Laylo, Asian Ch, Subic Bay, 2010).
• If 9...Nc6 10.Qa4 Qc7 11.d4 then:
• 11...Bf5 12.Bf4 Qd7 13.Rbd1 cxd4 14.cxd4 Rfd8 15.d5 Ne5 16.Qxd7 Nxf3+ 17.Bxf3 Rxd7 18.g4 gives White the advantage in space (Andersson-Lepelletier, French ChT, Monte Carllo, 2001).
• 11...Bd7 12.Bf4 Qc8 13.Qa3 cxd4 14.cxd4 Bf5 15.Rbd1 e6 16.Ne5 Nxe5 17.dxe5 gives White a considerable advantage in space and freedom (Stein-Polugaevsky, IT, Leningrad, 1971).
• If 8.O-O O-O 9.d4 Nc6 10.e3 Qa5 11.Qb3 then:
• 11...Rb8 12.Bd2 Bg4 13.Rad1?! 13...cxd4! 14.cxd4 Qh5! 15.Nh4 Bxd1 16.Rxd1 Na5 leaves Black an exchange to the good (Bogolyubov-Euwe, Match, Amsterdam, 1928).
• 11...Qc7 12.Ba3 b6 13.dxc5 Rb8 14.Rfc1 Be6 15.cxb6 axb6 16.Qb5 Bd7 17.Qc4 Rfc8 18.Qh4 Be8 gives White a small advantage in space(Ljubojevic-Topalov, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 1997).

8.O-O O-O 9.d4 Be6

• 9...e5 10.Ba3 Re8 11.d5 Na5 12.Nd2 b6 13.e4 Ba6 14.Re1 c5 15.Bf1 Bxf1 16.Nxf1 is equal (Stoltz-De Groot, IT, Beverwijk, 1946).

10.e4 Bc4 11.Re1 Qd7 (N)

• 11...Na5 12.Qa4 c5 13.Bg5 f6 14.Bf4 b5 15.Qa3 cxd4 16.cxd4 e5 17.dxe5 fxe5 18.Rad1 Qb6 19.Nxe5 Bxe5 20.Bxe5 Qxf2+ 21.Kh1 gives White a small advantage in space (Portisch-DeBruycker, IT, Montana-Crans, 1976).

12.Nd2

• White has the advantage in space.

12...Ba6 13.e5 Rad8 14.h4 b6

BLACK: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov



WHITE: Boris Gelfand
Position after 14...b7b6

15.h5

• White is going for a direct attack on the Black King.
• An alternate plan for White, suggested by the pawn structure, is to activate the Queen and Bishops and attack across center on diagonals.
• If 15.Qa4 Bb7 16.Ba3 a6 then:
• 17.Ne4 b5 18.Qc2 Qf5 19.Bc5 Rfe8 20.Reb1 gives White a excellent game.
• 17.Rab1 b5 18.Qd1 Na5 19.Bxb7 Nxb7 20.Ne4 gives White a slight advantage in space.

15...Na5

• Black, on the other hand, is taking a hint from White's pawn and expands on the queenside using the space provided by the base of White's pawnchain.

16.hxg6 fxg6

• 16...hxg6 17.Nb3 Nc4 18.Qc2 Qa4 19.Qe4 gives White a slight edge in space.

17.Nb3 Nc4 18.Qe2 Qe6

• 18...c5 19.a4 Qf5 20.Bf4 g5 21.Be4 remains equal.

19.Bf4 Qf7!?

• 19...h6 20.Qe4 g5 21.Bc1 c5 22.f4 Qg4 remains equal.

BLACK: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov



WHITE: Boris Gelfand
Position after 19...Qe6f7

20.Nd2!

• White attack Black's central Knight, which has no good square for flight.

20...Nxd2

• The Knight is pinned to the unprotected Bishop, so Black must think of something else. The text is clearly best.
• If 20...Qe6 then:
• 21.a4 c6 22.Ne4 h6 23.a5 Bb5 24.axb6 axb6 gives White the advantage in space.
• 21.d5 Rxd5 22.Bxd5 Qxd5 23.Rad1 Qe6 24.Nxc4 Bxc4 is equal.

21.Qxa6

• 21.Qxd2 Bc4 22.e6 Bxe6 23.Bxc7 Rc8 24.Be5 gives White a small advantage in space

21...g5!?

• Black would like a win to wrap up the tournament championship, but he he could have had a draw here.
• If 21...Bh6! 22.Bxh6 Qxf2+ 23.Kh1 Qxg3 24.Bxd2 Qh4+ 25.Kg1 Qf2+ etc. draws.

22.Be3!

• White has the advantage in space. The Bishop pair may come in handy.

22...g4 23.Bf4!

• This is the only move.
• If 23.Bxd2? then Black wins after 23...Qxf2+! 24.Kh1 Rf5! 25.Qc4+ Kh8.

23...Nf3+ 24.Bxf3 gxf3 25.Qd3!?

• White misses the best line.
• 25.Re3! 25...Qe6 26.Qd3 c5 27.Rxf3 Qd5 28.Kg2 gives White an extra pawn.

25...Qh5?

• In an attempt to save his weakest pawn, Black loses everything.
• If 25...c5 26.Rad1 Qd5 27.Re4 then:
• 27...b5 28.Rd2 a5 29.Qxf3 c4 30.a3 e6 31.Rb2 paralyzes Black's queenside.
• 27...Qxa2? 28.d5 Qb3 29.Bg5 Rf7 30.c4 Qxd3 31.Rxd3 gives White a mobile center ready to steamroll over Black.

26.Re3!

• Black may win the f-pawn at his leisure.

BLACK: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov



WHITE: Boris Gelfand
Position after 25...Qf7h5

26...c5

• Black might last longer after 26...Qg4 27.Qe4 Rf5 28.Rae1 c5 29.Qxf3 Qxf3 30.Rxf3.

27.Rxf3 cxd4 28.cxd4 Bh6 29.Kg2 Bxf4 30.gxf4!

• White will keep as much force on the board as he can in order to more effectively attack.

30...Qf5

• No better is 30...Rf7 31.Rh1 Qf5 32.Rh4 Rg7+ 33.Kf1.

31.Rd1 Kh8

• If 31...Qxd3 then White wins after 32.Rdxd3 Rc8 33.d5 Rf5 34.Kg3 Rf7 35.f5.

32.Qxf5 Rxf5 33.d5 b5

• 33...Rg8+ 34.Kf1 Rg4 35.Ke2 then:
• 35...Rfxf4 36.d6 exd6 37.exd6 Rd4 38.Rxd4 Rxd4 39.Rd3.wins for White.
• 35...Kg8 36.Rg3 Rxg3 37.fxg3 Kf8 38.Rh1 is an easy win for White.

34.Rd4 a5 35.Rc3 Rdf8 36.Rc7 1-0

• If 36...R5f7 then after 37.Kf3 Rg7 38.Ra7 a4 39.Rb7 Black's pawns begin to fall.
• Mamedyarov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Tal Memorial Blitz Championship, Moscow

Photo by Unlikelylads in Wikipedia (Public Domain)

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Aronian - Nepomniachtchi, Round 13

Levon Aronian
Photo by Frank Hoppe in Wikimedia Commons (Public Doamin)


Levon Aronian - Ian Nepomniachtch
Tal Memorial Blitz Championship, Round 13
Moscow, 16 November 2010

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

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Be3 c5

• For an overview of this opening, see Zhukova-Cmilyte, Russian ChTW, Dagomys, 2010.

8.Nf3 Qa5 9.Qd2 Nc6 10.Rb1

• If 10.Rc1 cxd4 11.cxd4 Qxd2+ 12.Kxd2 O-O then:
• If 13.d5 Rd8 14.Ke1 then:
• If 14...Na5 15.Bg5 Bd7 16.Bd3 then:
• If 16...Rdc8 17.Ke2 e6 then:
• If 18.Be3 exd5 19.exd5 then:
• 19...b5 20.Nd2 a6 21.Ne4 Nc4 22.Bxc4 bxc4 23.Nc5 Rd8 24.Nxd7 Rxd7 25.Rxc4 Rxd5 26.Rhc1 h5 27.Ra4 Rd6 28.Rc7 draw (Lautier-Svidler, IT, Poikovsky, 2003).
• If 19...b6 20.Ba6 Rd8 21.Rhd1 then:
• 21...Ba4 22.Rd3 b5 23.Bf4 Nc4 24.Bb7 Bb2 25.Bxa8 Bxc1 26.Bxc1 Rxa8 27.Rd4 Rc8 28.Bf4 b4 29.Nd2 Re8+ 30.Kf3 Nxd2+ 31.Rxd2 draw (Malakhatko-Ftacnik, Yugoslav TCh, Herceg Novi, 2001).
• 21...Bc8 22.Bxc8 Raxc8 23.Rxc8 Rxc8 24.Nd4 Bf8 25.Nb5 gives White the advantage in space (Kramnik-van Wely, Corus, Wijk aan Zee, 2001).
• 18.Rxc8+ Rxc8 19.Rc1 Rxc1 20.Bxc1 exd5 21.exd5 gives White a small adavatage in space and the central passer (Kramnik-Kasparov, IT, Astana, 2001).
• 16...f5 17.e5 Be8 18.d6 Rdc8 19.dxe7 h6 20.Be3 Rxc1+ 21.Bxc1 Rc8 22.Ke2 Nc6 23.Be3 Nxe7 24.Bxa7 Nd5 gives White a slight edge in space (Zhou Jianchao-Ni Hua, Asian Ch, Hyderabad, 2005).
• 14...Nb4 15.Bd2 Na6 16.Bg5 Kf8 17.Nd2 b6 18.Bb5 Nc5 19.Ke2 Bb7 20.Be3 a6 21.Bxc5 axb5 22.Bxb6 Rdc8 23.Rxc8+ Rxc8 24.Ba5 f5 25.f3 draw (Hracek-Jansa, Czech ChT, Czechia, 2001).
• If 13.Bb5 then:
• If 13...f5 14.exf5 Bxf5 15.Bxc6 bxc6 16.Rxc6 then:
• If 16...Rab8 17.Kc3 then:
• 17...Be4 18.Rc7 Rf6 19.Ra1 Ra6 20.a4 Bf6 21.Ne5 Rab6 22.Nd7 Rb3+ 23.Kd2 Rb2+ 24.Ke1 Rb1+ 25.Rxb1 Rxb1+ 26.Kd2 Rb2+ 27.Kc1 Rb1+ 28.Kd2 draw (Browne-Vaganian, Ol, Thessaloniki, 1984).
• 17...Rb5 18.Rc1 Ra5 19.Ra1 Rb8 20.a4 Be4 21.Rc7 Bxf3 22.gxf3 gives White a small edge in space (Seirawan-H.Olafsson, Hoogovens, Wijk aan Zee, 1991).
• If 16...Rfb8 17.Kc3 Rb6 18.Rxb6 axb6 19.Kb2 Be4 20.a3 e6 21.Rc1 Bf8 22.Rc3 Bd5 is equal (Seirawan-Mecking, Match, São Paulo, 1992).
• If 13...Rd8 14.Bxc6 bxc6 15.Rc5 f5 then:
• 16.Rb1 Be6 17.Ne5 fxe4 18.Bf4 Rxd4+ 19.Ke3 Ra4 20.Rxc6 Ra3+ 21.R1c3 Rxc3+ 22.Rxc3 Bxa2 23.Ra3 Bxe5 24.Bxe5 Bc4 25.Ra5 a6 draw (H. Olafsson-Kudrin, World Op, Philadelphia, 1991).
• If 16.Rhc1 Be6 17.exf5 Bxf5 18.Rb7 Rdb8 19.Rxb8+ Rxb8 20.Kc3 Be4 21.Ne5 Rb5 22.Rxb5 cxb5 23.f3 Bd5 24.Kb4 Bxe5 25.dxe5 draw (Ikonnikov-Lupulescu, Bundesliga 0910, Heidelberg, 2009).

10...a6 11.Rc1 cxd4 12.cxd4 Qxd2+ 13.Kxd2 e6

• If 13...f5 then:
• If 14.e5 Be6 15.Bc4 Bxc4 16.Rxc4 then:
• If 16...O-O 17.g3 then:
• 17...Rad8 18.Ke2 e6 19.Rb1 Rd7 20.Rb6 h6 21.Ne1 Rfd8 22.Nd3 Nxd4+ 23.Bxd4 Rxd4 24.Rxd4 Rxd4 25.Rxe6 g5 gives White a small edge in space (Svidler-Ganguly, Masters, Gibraltar, 2009).
• 17...h6 18.Ne1 Rfd8 draw (Seirawan-Gulko, US Ch, Durango, 1992).
• 16...Rd8 17.Ke2 e6 18.Rb1 Rd7 19.a4 h6 20.h4 O-O 21.g3 Rc8 is equal (Arun Prasad-Ganguly, Commonwealth Ch, Nagpur 2008)
• If 14.Bd3 then:
• 14...O-O!? 15.d5! Ne5 16.Nxe5 Bxe5 17.f4 Bb2 18.Rc7 fxe4 19.Bc4 gives White the advantage in space which more than compensates for his pawn minus (Browne-Ftacnik, IT, Gjovik, 1983).
• 14...Rf8 15.exf5 Bxf5 16.Ke2 Bg4 17.Be4 is equal.

14.d5

• 14.Bd3 O-O 15.Rc4 f5 16.g3 Bd7 17.Rhc1 Rfc8 18.d5 exd5 19.exd5 Ne5 20.Nxe5 Bxe5 21.Bb6 Rxc4 22.Bxc4 is equal (Khenkin-Seel, Op, Bad Wiessee 2003).

14...exd5 15.exd5 Ne7 (N)

• 15...Ne5 16.Nxe5 Bxe5 17.g3 Bf5 18.Bg2 Kd7 19.d6 Bxd6 20.Bxb7 Rab8 21.Bc6+ Ke7 22.Bd4 Rhc8 draw (Ftacnik-Jansa, IT, Bratislava, 1983)

16.Bc4 Nf5?

• This mistake seems innocent enough, but Aronian is the hot hitter of chess right now and no one seems to have solved the problem of how to get him out. What seems against another player is a mere inaccuracy is against Aronian almost a blunder.
• If 16...Bf5 17.Nd4 then:
• 17...Be5 18.f3 Rd8 19.Rce1 b5 20.Bb3 gives White a small advantage in space and Black will castle, completing his development.
• 17...b5 18.Bb3 Be5 19.Rhe1 Kd7 20.a4 Rhb8 21.f3 gives White the advantage in space.

17.Bc5!

• White maintains a small advantage in space and prevents Black from castling short.
• 17.Bf4!? O-O 18.g4 then:
• 18...Ne7 19.d6 Nc6 20.h3 Be6 is equal.
• 18...Nd4 19.Nxd4 Bxd4 20.f3 gives White a small advantage in space.

17...Bh6+

• Black threatens to take the exchange.
• If Black tries to complete his development starting with 17...Bd7? then White wins after 18.Rhe1+ Kd8 19.Bb6+ Kc8 20.g4.
• An observation from your humble hare, who in his previous life was a computer programmer: That neither Fritz nor Rybka indicate that Black is in any real difficulty after his 17th move is an indication that computers do not think or possess any judgment at all. That is the province of a human mind, and always will be. Black has won the exchange because there is nothing else he can do. In doing so, he has shot his wad. If Black cannot make any normal developing moves, then it is being far too generous to even say he is losing. He has lost.

BLACK: Ian Nepomniachtchi



WHITE: Levon Atronian
Position after 17...Bg7h6

18.Kc3!!

• White lets him have it.
li]
• White is better off with a material minus that he is after 18.Be3 Nxe3 19.fxe3 O-O 20.Nd4 Re8 when Black has the Bishop pair in an open center.

18...Bxc1

• Of course, Black is happy to cooperate.

19.Rxc1

• It is now White who has the Bishop pair and more active pieces. Black has only one developed piece and must still labor to get his Rooks active. White is in excellent shape for having just giving a Rook for a Bishop.

19...f6

• 19...Bd7 20.Re1+ Kd8 21.g4 Nh6 22.Bb6+ Kc8 23.g5 Black still cannot bring out his forces while White's Bishop romp freely over the open fields like wild horses.

20.Re1+!

• White has more than enough space and freedom to compensate for the exchange.

20...Kd7

• Black buys some time by moving to the queenside.
• If 20...Kf7? 21.d6+! Kg7 22.g4 b6 23.gxf5 then:
• If 23...Bxf5 24.Re7+ Kh6 then:
• 25.Be3+! (Rybka recommends 25.Bxb6, but my staff and I prefer this more forceful move) Kh5 26.d7 b5 27.Be2 h6 28.Ne5+ wins easily for White.
• 25.Bxb6 Rad8 26.Bxd8 Rxd8 27.Nd4 Rxd6 28.Nxf5+ leaves White a piece to the good.
• 23...gxf5? 24.Rg1+! Kh6 25.Be3+ f4 26.Bxf4+ Kh5 27.Bf7#.

BLACK: Ian Nepomniachtchi



WHITE: Levon Atronian
Position after 20...Ke8d7

21.Re6

• All White needs to do is aoid silly mistakes.
• If 21.g4!? b6 22.Bxb6 Nd6 then:
• 23.Nd4 Nxc4 24.Kxc4 Rb8 25.Re6 considerably reduces White's dominance over the board.
• If 23.Bb3? then Black comes roaring back after 23...Re8! 24.Rg1 Rb8!

21...b5 22.Bb3 a5

• Black is completely busted.
• If 22...Bb7 then White wiins after 23.Rxf6! Rae8 24.Ng5 Re2 25.Rf7+.

23.g4 b4+ 24.Kd2 Nh6

• The text considerably shortens Black's agony.
• 24...Kc7 25.Rc6+ Kb8 26.gxf5 is completely hopeless.

25.Ba4+ Kc7 26.Re7+ Kd8 27.d6 Ra6 28.Bb5 Nxg4 1-0

• The engines give mate in nine, but it is problematic as to whether Nepomniachtchi actually figured that out. He was thouroughly beaten in any case.
• Ian Alexandrovich resigns without waiting to Aronian to reply.

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Aronian - Carlsen, Round 27

Magnus Carlsen
Photo by Stefan64 from Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)


Levon Aronian - Magnus Carlsen
Tal Memorial Blitz Championship, Round 27
Moscow, 17 November 2010

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

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3

• This move has little independent significance and usually transposes into one of the three main lines of the Nimzo-Indian: the Capablanca Opening (4.Qc2), the Sämisch (4.a3) and, after the exchange on b3, f2f3), and, as is the case in the present game, the Rubinstein (4.e3).
• For a more detailed overview of the Rubinstein Opening, see Grischuk-Gelfand, IT, Linares, 2010.

4...b6 5.e3 Bb7 6.Bd3 O-O 7.Qc2

• This move is rarely palyed. The usual move in lieu of this one is 7.O-O, which is treated in the red notes to the Black's fourth move in the Grischuk-Gelfand game just cited.

7...c5 8.Bd2 cxd4

• 8...d5 9.a3 cxd4 10.Nxd4 dxc4 11.Bxc4 Bc5 12.Nf3 Qc8 13.Ba2 Rd8 14.O-O Be7 gives Black a slight edge in space (List-P.Johner, IT, Berlin, 1928).

9.Nxd4

• 9.exd4 Nc6 10.Bg5 h6 11.Bh4 Be7 12.Qe2 d5 13.Rd1 Nb4 then:
• 14.Bb1 dxc4 15.Ne5 Rc8 16.a3 Nbd5 gives Black an extra pawn (Euwe-Sämisch, IT, Vienna, 1921).
• 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.cxd5 Nxd5 saddles White with an isolated d-pawn, for which Black is already well-positioned.

9...Nc6!?

• The game is equal.
• If 9...Bxg2 10.Rg1 Bb7 11.O-O-O then:
• 11...g6 12.Kb1 Nc6 13.Nxc6 Bxc6 14.e4 Qc7 gives Black an extra pawn and White some potential to grab more space.
• 11...Nc6 12.Nxc6 Bxc6 13.e4 Qc7 gives Black an extra pawn while White has a less limited potential to grab more space.

10.Nxc6

• White elects to exchange Knights rather than preserve potential energy.
• 10.O-O Ne5 11.f3 d5 12.cxd5 Nxd3 13.Qxd3 Nxd5 is equal.

10...Bxc6 11.e4 Qb8!?

• 11...d5 is the most natural move, and after 12.exd5 exd5 13.O-O dxc4 14.Bxc4 Qd7 Black has the advantage in space.

12.h3 Bc5 13.O-O Qe5

• 13...Nh5 14.Rfe1 Qe5 15.Be2 Nf4 16.Bg4 Ng6 remains equal.

14.Rae1 Rac8!?

• With this move, Black allows White to play forcefully in the center.
• 14...Nh5 15.Ne2 a5 16.Qc3 d6 remains equal.

15.Kh1!?

• White doesn't see the opening, slight as it is, and opts to move his King to a safer square.
• If 15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.exd5 Qd6 17.dxe6 dxe6 then:
• 18.Bc3 Bd4 19.Bxd4 Qxd4 20.Rd1 Qf4 21.b4 gives White a slight edge; White uses his queenside majority well.
• 18.Rd1 Bd4 19.Bc3 e5 20.Rfe1 gives White a slight advantage in space.

15...Qh5

• White's previous move indicates ambitions on the kingside, so Black moves against the idea.

16.Be3

• White continues with his plans by maneuvering in Rook to the third rank.

16...Bxe3 17.Rxe3 Ng4!?

• White has been neglecting the center and Black's best idea is to strike there.
• If 17...d5 then:
• If 18.exd5 exd5 19.cxd5 Nxd5 20.Nxd5 Bxd5 then:
• 21.Qd1 Qxd1 22.Rxd1 Bxa2 23.Ra1 is equal.
• 21.Qd2 Bxa2 22.Ra1 Be6 23.Rxa7 Rfd8 is equal.
• If 18.Be2!? Qh4! then:
• If 19.exd5 exd5 20.cxd5 Nxd5 then:
• 21.Rg3 Nxc3 22.Rxc3 Be4 23.Qc1 is equal.
• 21.Nxd5 Bxd5 22.Qd3 Rfd8 23.Qa3 Rc2 24.Kg1 Qg5 gives Black more active pieces.
• 19.Qd3? 19...dxe4! 20.Qd6 Rfd8 gives Black a powerful initiative.

BLACK: Magnus Carlsen



WHITE: Levon Aronian
Position after 17...Nf6g4

18.Qd1!

• It is White who plays the center in order to punish Black for dallying on the flanks. This move paralyzes White with a counter-pin at g4 and takes aim at the Black's backward d-pawn.

18...Nf6

• Black must regroup his pieces in order to meet White's initiative in the center.

19.e5 Qg5

• Black threatens mate at g2.

20.Ne4!?

• Black has defended well and White should now content himself with modest positional gains.
• 20.Rg1! 20...Nh5 21.Ne4 Qh4 22.Nd6 Nf4 23.Be4 continues to give White the advantage in space, although he will lose a pawn.
• 20.Rg3?! fails against 20...Qxe5! 21.Re1 Qf4 22.Ne2 Qh4 23.Nd4 Be4 when Black has an extra pawn and is set to win more material.

20...Nxe4 21.Bxe4

• White recovers and still has a small advantage in space.

21...Rfd8 22.f4!?

• White chases away the Queen, but misses an opportunity to build up his center.
• 22.Qd3 h6 23.Rd1 a6 24.Qd4 Bxe4 25.Rxe4 gives White the better center and more freedom.

22...Qe7

• The game is again equal.

23.f5 exf5 24.Bxf5 Qg5

• This is not the objectivbely best move, but Black may be just trying to keep the game alive.
• 24...g6 25.Qg4 Re8 26.a3 is level and lifeless.

25.Qe2??

• This move is insufficient to protect the g-pawn and results in a catastrophe for White.
• If 25.Re2 then:
• 25...Re8 26.Qd6 Re7 27.Be4 remains equal.
• If 25...Qg3?! then:
• 26.Be4 Rf8 27.Bxc6 dxc6 28.Qd7 c5 29.Ref2 is clearly strong for White.
• 26.Qd4 b5 27.c5 a5 28.Kg1 g6 29.Be4 is also gives White domination of the center.

BLACK: Magnus Carlsen



WHITE: Levon Aronian
Position after 25.Qd1e2

25...Bxg2+!!

• Black wins the exchange plus a pawn.
• If 25...Qxg2?? then White wins.

26.Qxg2 Qxe3

• Black remains poised to win yet more material.
• Perhaps disgusted with himself, Aronian affords the privilege of a spite check before resigning.

27.Bxh7+ Kxh7 0-1

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Russian Women's Championship, Moscow

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

[Jack Rabbit]

11. Girya - Kosteniuk, Round 2

World women's champion Alexandra Kosteniuk is vying for the Russian women's championship in Moscow.



Alexandra Kosteniuk
Photo by Stefan64 in Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)


Olga Girya - Alexandra Kosteniuk
60th Russian Women's Championship, Round 2
Moscow, 17 November 2010

East India Game: Queen's Indian Defense (Catalan Opening/Riumin Variation)

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 b6 4.g3 Bb4+

• This is the Riumin Variation of the Queen's Indian. More common is 4...Ba6 (the Bronstein Variation) or 4...Bb7 (the Main Line). See Grischuk-Topalov, IT, Linares, 2010.

5.Bd2 Bxd2+

• The retreat of the Bishop leads to generally drawish games.
• If 5...Be7 6.Bg2 Bb7 7.Nc3 O-O 8.O-O d5 then:
• If 9.Ne5 c6 10.Bf4 then:
• If 10...Nbd7 then:
• If 11.e4 then:
• If 11...Nxe5 12.dxe5 Nxe4 13.Nxe4 dxe4 14.Bxe4 then:
• If 14...Qxd1 15.Rfxd1 Rfd8 16.Be3 then:
• 16...h6 17.Rac1 Rxd1+ 18.Rxd1 Rd8 19.Rc1 Kf8 20.c5 Bxc5 21.Bxc5+ bxc5 22.Rxc5 Rd2 23.Bxc6 Rxb2 24.Bxb7 Rxb7 25.Rc8+ Ke7 26.h4 draw (Ivkov-Trifunovic, IT, Buenos Aires, 1955).
• 16...f5 17.Bg2 Kf7 18.f4 Rab8 19.Kf2 c5 20.Rxd8 Bxd8 21.Bxb7 Rxb7 gives White a slight advantage in space (Goslawski-Butnorius, Op, Wroclaw, 2010).
• 14...Qc7 15.Qh5 g6 16.Qf3 Rab8 17.h4 draw (Yevseev-Landa , IT 0506, Reggio Emilia, 2005).
• 11...Nxe4 12.Nxe4 dxe4 13.Bxe4 Nxe5 14.Bxe5 f6 15.Qh5 g6 16.Bxg6 hxg6 17.Qxg6+ Kh8 18.Qh6+ Kg8 19.Qg6+ Kh8 20.Qh6+ Kg8 21.Qg6+ draw (Shulman-Novikov, IT, Dallas, 2006).
• 11.Qa4 Nxe5 12.Bxe5 a6 13.Qb3 b5 14.cxd5 cxd5 15.Rac1 Rc8 16.Bxf6 Bxf6 17.e3 Qa5 18.a3 Rc4 gives Black a slight edge in space (Fridman-Schenk, Bundesliga 0910, Mülheim, 2010).
• 10...Nfd7 11.Nxd7 Nxd7 12.Qa4 a6 13.cxd5 cxd5 14.Rfc1 Rc8 15.Qb3 b5 16.a4 b4 gives Black a slight edge in space (Ivkov-Sanguineti, IT, Mar del Plata, 1959).
• If 9.cxd5 exd5 then:
• If 10.Bf4 Na6 11.Rc1 c5 12.Ne5 then:
• If 12...Re8 then:
• If 13.dxc5 Nxc5 then:
• 14.Nb5 Ne6 15.Nd3 Ba6 16.a4 Bxb5 17.axb5 Nd4 18.Be5 Nxb5 19.Nf4 gives White a respectable advantage in space (Speelman-Giardelli, TT, Mexico City, 1980).
• Simpler is 14.Bxd6 Qxd6 15.dxc5 Nxc5 16.Nd4 giving White the advantage in space.
• 13.Rc2 Bd6 14.Nd3 draw (Sahovic-Short, IT, Lvov, 1984).
• If 12...Nc7 13.dxc5 bxc5 14.Qa4 then:
• 14...Ne6 15.Rfd1 Nxf4 16.gxf4 Qd6 17.Nxd5 Nxd5 18.Bxd5 Bxd5 19.e4 Qh6 20.exd5 gives White a slight advantage in space and, at least for the moment, an extra pawn (Tukmakov-Langeweg, Op, Ostend, 1990).
• 14...Bd6 15.Nd3 Ne6 16.Rfd1 Re8 17.e3 h6 18.Bxd6 Qxd6 19.Qa3 Qe7 20.Na4 forces the exchange of Queens, which will give White a small edge (Tkachiev-Murali Krishnan, Op, Kolkata, 2009).
• If 10.Qc2 then:
• If 10...Na6 11.Rfd1 h6 12.Rac1 c5 13.Bf4 Bd6 then:
• 14.Be5 cxd4 15.Bxd6 Qxd6 16.Nxd4 Rfd8 17.a3 Nc5 18.b4 gives White a considerable advantage in space (Navara-Nun, Czech ChT, Czechia, 2003).
• 15...Ne4 16.Qa4 N4c5 17.Nxc5 bxc5 18.Nc3 Nxf4 19.gxf4 Bf6 is equal (Gutman-Darga, TT, Lucerne, 1982).
• If 10...Nbd7 11.Rfd1 then:
• 11...Re8 12.Rac1 c6 13.Bg5 Bd6 14.Nh4 h6 15.Nf5 Bc7 16.Bh4 Rc8 17.e4 dxe4 18.Nxe4 Re6 19.Qb3 Qf8 20.Bxf6 Nxf6 21.Nc5 bxc5 22.Qxb7 Bb6 23.dxc5 Rb8 24.Qa6 Bxc5 25.Qc4 Bb6 26.Nd4 Bxd4 27.Qxd4 c5 draw (Beggi-Schneider, IT, Reggio Emilia, 1975)
• 11...c5 12.Rac1 a6 13.Bg5 h6 14.Bxf6 Nxf6 15.dxc5 bxc5 16.Nh4 Re8 17.Nf5 Rb8 18.Nxd5 Nxd5 19.Bxd5 Bxd5 20.e4 Bxe4 21.Rxd8 Bxc2 22.Rxb8 Rxb8 23.Nxe7+ Kf8 24.Rxc2 Kxe7 25.Rxc5 Rxb2 26.Ra5 Rb6 27.Kf1 Re6 28.Rd5 g6 29.h4 h5 30.Kg2 draw (Bancod-Canda, Ol, Calvia, 2004).

6.Qxd2 Ba6 7.Qc2

• This move is rarely played. The younger woman (Ms.Girya is 19) may want to travel a less trodded road against the world women's champion.
• If 7.b3 c6 then:
• If 8.Bg2 d5 9.O-O O-O then:
• If 10.Ne5 Nfd7 then:
• If 11.Nxd7 Nxd7 then:
• If 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.Nc3 then:
• 13...Nf6 14.Rac1 Qd6 15.Rc2 Rac8 16.Rfc1 Rc7 17.Nb1 Rfc8 18.Rxc7 Rxc7 19.Rxc7 Qxc7 draw (Ivkov-Tal, IT, Sarajevo, 1966)
• If 13...Rc8 14.Rfc1 then:
• 14...Qe7 15.Rc2 Nf6 16.Rac1 h6 17.e3 Rc7 18.Na4 Rfc8 19.Rxc7 Rxc7 20.Rxc7 Qxc7 21.Qc3 draw (Leko-Karpov, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2008).
• 14...Nf6 15.e3 Qe7 16.Ne2 Bxe2 17.Qxe2 Qa3 18.Rc2 Rfd8 19.Qd2 draw (Rogozenko - C. Balogh, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• 12.Nc3 Nf6 13.cxd5 cxd5 14.Rfc1 Qd6 15.Rc2 Rac8 16.Rac1 Rc7 17.Bf1 Qe7 18.e3 Bxf1 19.Kxf1 Qd7 20.a4 Rfc8 21.Nb5 Rxc2 22.Rxc2 Ne4 23.Qc1 Rxc2 24.Qxc2 g6 25.Ke2 Nd6 26.Nxd6 Qxd6 27.f4 draw (Bagirov-Razuvaev, Soviet Ch ½-final, Frunze, 1979).
• If 11.Nd3 dxc4 12.Nb4 Qc8 13.bxc4 Bxc4 14.Rc1 Ba6 15.Nxc6 Nxc6 16.Rxc6 Qd8 17.Rc3 Rc8 18.e3 Qe7 is equal (Karpov-Nikolic, Ol, Thessaloniki, 1988).
• If 10.Rc1 then:
• If 10...Nbd7 then:
• 11.Qb2 then:
• If 11...c5 12.cxd5 exd5 13.Nc3 Re8 14.Rd1 Bb7 15.e3 Qe7 16.Rac1 Nf8 17.Nh4 is equal (Chernin-Razuvaev, Rpd, Tilburg, 1994).
• 11...Qe7 12.Nbd2 c5 13.dxc5 Nxc5 14.Ne5 draw (Ponomariov-Eismont, Russian ChT, Briansk, 1995)
• If 11.a4 then:
• If 11...h6 12.Na3 Bb7 13.b4 then:
• 13...a5 14.cxd5 exd5 15.b5 c5 16.Ne5 is equal (Ding Liren-Hou Yifan, IT, Danzhou, 2010)
• 13...Rc8 14.cxd5 cxd5 15.e3 Qe7 16.Qb2 Rxc1+ 17.Rxc1 gives White a slight advantage in space (van Wely-Hou Yifan, Team Match, Amsterdam, 2009)
• 11...Rc8 12.Na3 Qe7 13.Qb2 c5 14.Nb5 Nb8 15.Ne5 dxc4 16.bxc4 cxd4 17.Nxd4 Bb7 18.Bxb7 Qxb7 19.a5 Nbd7 20.Nxd7 Nxd7 21.axb6 axb6 draw (Bronstein-Polugaevsky, Soviet Ch, Baku, 1961).
• 11...c5 12.Na3 Bb7 13.b4 Rc8 14.cxd5 Bxd5 15.dxc5 bxc5 16.b5 is equal (Postny-Cvitan, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).
• If 8.Nc3 d5 9.e4 Nxe4 10.Nxe4 dxe4 11.Ng5 then:
• 11...Nd7 12.Nxe4 Nf6 13.Bg2 Nxe4 14.Bxe4 Bb7 15.O-O O-O 16.Rfd1 Qf6 17.Qe3 Rad8 18.Rd2 Rd7 19.Rad1 Rfd8 20.h4 gives White the advantage in space (Savchenko-C. Balogh, Op, Baku, 2007).
• 11...c5 12.Bg2 Nc6 13.dxc5 Qxd2+ 14.Kxd2 f5 15.cxb6 Ke7 16.bxa7 Rhd8+ 17.Kc1 is equal (Saric-Riazantsev, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009)

7...c5 8.Bg2

• 8.dxc5 bxc5 9.Bg2 Nc6 10.O-O O-O 11.b3 Qc7 12.Nc3 Nb4 13.Qd2 Rad8 14.e4 d6 is equal (Bergs-A. Steiner, IT, Kemeri, 1937).
• (8.e4 cxd4 9.Nxd4 O-O 10.Nc3 Bb7 11.O-O-O a6 12.Rg1 Qc7 13.f4 Nc6 14.Nxc6 Bxc6 15.e5 gives White a slight advantage in space (Beliavsky-Razubaev, Soviet Ch 1st League, Ashkhabad, 1978).

8...Bb7

• 8...Nc6 9.dxc5 bxc5 10.O-O O-O 11.b3 Qc7 12.Nc3 d5 13.cxd5 exd5 14.Rfe1 Nb4 is equal (Pirc-Szabo, IT, Ljubljana, 1938).

9.O-O

• White has a small advantage in space.
• 9.dxc5 bxc5 10.O-O Nc6 11.Nc3 Qe7 12.Rad1 also gives White a small edge in space.

9...cxd4 10.Nxd4 Bxg2 11.Kxg2 Qc7

• 11...O-O then after 12.Rd1 Qe7 13.Nc3 Nc6 14.Nxc6 dxc6 15.Rd2 White continues to enjoy a small advantage in space.

12.Qa4!?

• 12.Nd2 O-O 13.Rfd1 Qb7+ 14.f3 continues to give White a small advantage in space.

12...O-O

• The game is equal.

13.Nc3 Rc8 14.Rac1 a6 15.Rfd1 Nc6!?

• This lapse in judgment gives White the opportunity to call the shots.
• If 15...Qb7+ 16.f3 Ng4 17.Nc2 then:
• 17...Nf6 18.Qb4 Nc6 19.Qd6 Na5 20.b3 is equal.
• If 17...Ne5?! then after 18.Ne3! Rf8 19.Qb3 Nbc6 20.c5 b5 21.Ne4 White will occupy the hole at d6, giving her an excellent game.

16.Nf3!?

• White fails to act on the situation.
• 16.Nxc6 dxc6 17.Rd2 Rab8 18.Qc2 Qe5 19.Rcd1 gives White a small advantage in space.

16...Qb7!

• The game is equal.

17.Kg1 h6

• 17...b5 18.cxb5 axb5 19.Qxb5 Qxb5 20.Nxb5 Rxa2 21.b4 remains equal.

18.Rd2

• If 18.Qc2 Na5 19.b3 b5 20.cxb5 axb5 21.Qd3 b4gives Black more space and a slight initiative.

18...Rab8 19.Qd1 b5 20.cxb5 axb5 21.a4?!

• White is neglecting her center.
• 21.e4 Qa8 22.e5 Ng4 23.Qe2 b4 gives Black a slight initiative, but nothing else.

21...bxa4 22.Qxa4

BLACK: Alexandra Kosteniuk



WHITE: Olga Girya
Position after 22.Qd1a4:p

22...d5!

• The advance of the pawn gives Black control of the center.

23.Nd4

• 23.Rcd1 Nd7 24.Rb1 Nde5 25.Nxe5 Nxe5 26.Qd4 Nc6 maintains Black's initiative.

23...Ne5 24.Ndb5 Qb6 25.Qd4 Qxd4!?

• Exchanging Queens is a decision that should be weighed carefully, especially by the player with an advantage.
• If 25...Qxb5 then:
• 26.Qxe5 Qa6 27.Qf4 Nd7 28.Rdc2 Rc4 gives Black the active game.
• 26.Nxb5 Rxc1+ 27.Kg2 Nc4 28.b3 Nxd2 29.Qxd2 Rcc8 gives Black the material edge of two Rooks against White's Queen.

26.Nxd4 Nc4

• In spite of exchanging Queens, Black has a very good game.
• Also good is 26...Rc5 27.b3 Nc6 when:
• 28.Na2 Rxc1+ 29.Nxc1 Nxd4 30.Rxd4 g5 Black has White's kingside under some restraint and White must still protect her weak passed pawn.
• 28.Nxc6 Rxc6 29.Na2 Rcb6 30.b4 Kh7 saddles White with the responsibility of protecting her b- pawn.

27.Rdc2 Kf8 28.b3 Na5 29.Na4?

• The text leaves the b4 square unprotected and the b-pawn inadequately protected. This results in more trouble than White can handle, starting with the loss of a pawn.
• Better is 29.Na2 Re8 30.b4 Nc4 31.f3 Rb6 gives Black only a small advantage in space.

BLACK: Alexandra Kosteniuk



WHITE: Olga Girya
Position after 29.Nc3a4

29...Rxc2!

• This is a necessary preparation for the pawn-winning maneuver. Black cannot allow White to disrupt her combination with a check at c8 until the Rooks leave the back rank.

30.Rxc2 Nxb3

• Black wins a pawn, and that's just the beginning.

31.Rb2

• Exchanging Knights doesn't win back the pawn and therefore only helps Black.
• If 31.Nxb3 Rxb3 then:
• 32.Nc5 Rb5 33.Nd3 Ne8 34.f3 Nd6 35.Rc6 Ke7 leaves Black secure with an extra pawn.
• If 32.Rc8+ Ne8 33.Nc5 then:
• 33...Rb2 34.Kf1 Ke7 35.Nd3 Rb1+ 36.Kg2 Rb7 leaves Black secure with an extra pawn.
• 33...Rb1+!? doesn't win a second pawn and after 34.Kg2 Rb2 35.Kf3 White's King has been driven closer to the center where it can take an active part in counterplay should the opportunity arise.

31...Rb4!

• This is why it was important to cover the b4 square (see note to White's 29th move).
• Neither too shabby is 31...Ra8! (setting up a double attack, one part on each of White's Knights) 32.Rxb3 Rxa4 33.Nc6 Rc4 34.Rb8+ Ne8.

32.Rxb3 Rxd4 33.Rb8+

• 33.Nc5 Rd2 34.Kf1 Rc2 35.Nd3 Ne4 36.Rb7 Nd6 leaves Black with an extra pawn and a safe position.

33...Ke7 34.Rb7+

• If 34.Nc5 Rd2 then:
• 35.Kf1 Ra2 36.Nd3 Nd7 37.Rc8 Ra7 leaves Black secure with her extra pawn.
• 35.Nd3 Rxe2 36.Rb2 Rxb2 37.Nxb2 leaves Black two pawns to the good and she wins easily.

BLACK: Alexandra Kosteniuk



WHITE: Olga Girya
Position after 34.Rb3b7

34...Kd6!!

• Firing at an Knight en prise makes proffering a pawn easy.

35.Nc3

• No better is 35.Nb2 Rd2 36.Kf1 e5 37.Rb6+ Kc7 38.Rb5 Kc6.

35...Rc4

• Black has more activity, in spite of White's Rook on the seventh rank. Each of her next few moves demands an answer.

36.Nb5+ Kc6 37.Rb8 Ra4 38.Nc3 Ra1+ 39.Kg2 d4 40.Nb1

• This is the only safe move the Knight can make.

40...Ra2 41.Kf1 Ne4

BLACK: Alexandra Kosteniuk



WHITE: Olga Girya
Position after 41...Nf6e4

• 41...Nd5 is more accurate and wins more quickly.
• If 41...Nd5! then:
• 42.Ke1 Nb6! (cutting communications between the White Rook and Knight) 43.Kd1 d3 44.exd3 Rxf2 maintains the extra pawn for Black while she shuts down White's potential for counterplay.
• If 42.Kg2 Rxe2 43.Kf1 Rc2 then:
• If 44.Ke1 Rc1+ 45.Kd2 Rf1 then:
• 46.Ke2 Rxb1 47.Rxb1 Nc3+ wins the Rook.
• 46.f4 Nb6 47.Kc2 d3+ 48.Kb2 Na4+ gives Black two extra pawns.
• 44.Na3 d3 45.Rc8+ Nc7 46.Ke1 Re2+ gives Black two extra pawns.

42.f3 Nd6 43.Ke1 Nb5 44.Nd2 Nc3 45.Rc8+

• No better is 45.f4 f6 46.Rc8+ Kd7 47.Rg8 e5 48.fxe5 fxe5.

BLACK: Alexandra Kosteniuk



WHITE: Olga Girya
Position after 45.Rb8c8+

45...Kd7!

• The Black King will stay on the side of the board with its pawns.

46.Rg8 Ra1+ 47.Kf2 Nd1+ 48.Kg2 Ra2 49.Kf1

• 49.Nb3 Rxe2+ 50.Kf1 Rxh2 51.Nxd4 Ne3+ 52.Ke1 Ke7

49...Ne3+ 50.Ke1 Ra1+ 51.Kf2 Rd1 0-1

• If 52.Rxg7 Ke7 then:
• 53.Rh7 Rxd2 wins the Knight.
• If 53.Ne4 then 53...Rf1#.
• Ms.Girya resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Bundesliga, Rounds 3 & 4

Brandenburg Gate, Berlin
Photo by Thomas Wolf (Der Wolf im Wald) from Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

[Jack Rabbit]

12. Koehler - Skripchenko,Griesheim, Round 3

Almira Skripchenko
Photo by Velho in Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)


Rolabnd Koehler (Griesheim) - Almira Skripchenko (Bremen)
Bundesliga 1011, Round 3
Griesheim, 13 November 2010

Queen's Pawn Game: Rat Defense

1.d4 d6 2.c4 e5 3.Nf3 e4 4.Ng5 f5 5.Nc3 Be7 6.Nd5!?

• White sets a trap to win the exchange (if Black falls into it).
• If 6.Nh3 Nf6 7.g3 c6 8.Bg2 O-O 9.O-O Na6 then:
• 10.d5 (-var-
• 10.f3 exf3 11.exf3 Nc7 12.d5 cxd5 13.cxd5 b5 14.b4 a5 is equal (Gulko-Short, IT, Elenite, 1995).

**10...Nc7 11.a4 c5 12.f3 exf3 13.exf3 Nd7 14.b3 Bf6 15.Bb2 gives White a small advantage in space (Hjartarson-Psakhis, TT, Reykjavik, 1996).
6...Bxg5 ! (N)

• Black seemingly falls into the trap.
• If 6...Nf6 7.Nxe7 Qxe7 8.Qb3 Nc6 9.Qc3 O-O 10.g3 Bd7 11.Bg2 h6 12.Nh3 Qf7 13.O-O Rae8 14.f3 Re7 15.Be3 Qe8 gives White a slight edge in space (Grapsa-Klinova, Euro ChW, Plovdiv, 2008).

7.Bxg5 Qxg5! 8.Nxc7+ Kd8 9.Nxa8

• White has won the exchange, but now has limited mobility.

BLACK: Almira Skripchenko



WHITE: Roland Koehler
Position after 9.Nc7a8:R

9...e3!

• Black underscores her opponent's lack of freedom by making it very difficult for White to complete his development.

10.fxe3 Qxe3?!

• The plan to maintain the occupation of e3 is faulty because there is nothin to stop White from developing his Bisop on the flank.
• Better is 10...Qh4+! 11.Kd2 Nf6 12.g3! Ne4+ 13.Kc2 Nxg3 14.Rg1 leaves White with continued difficulty developing the King's Bishop.

11.Qb3

• Rybka says White has an almost winning advantage, which which still seems a bit overoptimistic from White's point of view.This is the only piece White can develop and the Knight as a8 isn't going anywhere except off the board at a time of Black's choosing.
• After ]11.g3 Qe4 12.Rg1 Qe3 13.Rg2 Nf6 14.Qd3 Ng4 White's Knight is still imprisopned on a8 and the Bishop is still two moves away from being in the game.

11...f4?

• Black is determined to keep White bottled up by keeping something at e3.
• 11...Qxd4 12.Rd1 Qe5 13.Rd5 Qe7 14.Qa3 Nf6 15.Rxd6+ when White still hasn't devloped his Bishop and Black's development is nearly complete, although White's pressure in the center is now a problem for Black.

BLACK: Almira Skripchenko



WHITE: Roland Koehler
Position after 11...f5f4

12.c5!

• Now White begins to push back.
• Also good is 12.Qxe3! fxe3 13.Rc1 when:
• 13...b6?! (-var-
• 13...Nf6?! 14.Rc3 Nc6 15.Rxe3 Nxd4 16.Rd3 wins at least a pawn for White.

**14.c5 bxc5 15.dxc5 Bb7 16.cxd6 Bxa8 17.Rc7 leaves White, with all his earlier problems, with the only good active piece on the board.
12...dxc5

• Black should not open the center with her King unable to escape.
• Nevertheless, little better is
• 12...Nf6 13.cxd6 Nc6 14.g3 Qxd4 15.Bg2 Ng4 16.Bxc6 when White's Knight will be able to escape regardless of how Black plays and, if Black plays 16...bxc6, then after 17.Qb8! it is Black who has trouble moving pieces.

13.dxc5 Qxc5 14.Rd1+

• If 14.Qd3+?! Bd7 15.Rd1 Nf6 16.Qd4 Na6 17.Qxc5 Nxc5 leaves the Knight literally cornered on a8 and the Bishop unable to move.

14...Nd7

• If 14...Ke7!? 15.Qc3 Qxc3+ 16.bxc3 Bf5 17.Rg1 Nf6 allows the White Knight to get out of jail.

15.g3!

• This is the only way to develop the Bishop.
• If 15.Qa4! 15...Ngf6 16.Qxf4 then:
• 16...Re8 (-var-
• 16...Nd5 17.Qd4 Qxd4 18.Rxd4 Ne3 19.Kd2 Nf5 20.Ra4 gets the Knight out of prison.

**17.Rc1 Qe5 18.Qc4 Qxb2 19.Qxc8+ Ke7 20.Qc3 leaves White a Rook to the good.
15...Ngf6 16.Bg2 Ng4 17.Bxb7??

• This move is arguably a blunder. The game turns around.
• 17.Bf3 Qf2+! 18.Kd2 Qe3+ 19.Qxe3 fxe3+ 20.Kd3 Nf2+ wins back the exchange for Black.

BLACK: Almira Skripchenko



WHITE: Roland Koehler
Position after 17.Bb3b7:p

17...Qf2+!

• Black is now winning the game handily.

18.Kd2 Qe3+ 19.Kc2

• 19.Qxe3 fxe3+ 20.Kc3 Bxb7 traps thje Knight at a8.

19...Qxb3+ 20.Kxb3 Bxb7

• Black has just taken the Bishop and the Knight is doomed. White could have resigned here.

21.Rxd7+ Kxd7 22.Rd1+ Kc8 23.Rc1+ Kb8

• The Knight is trapped.
• Herr Koehler resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

13. Fressinet - Howell, Griesheim, Round 4

David Howell
Photo by Stefan64 in Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)


Laurent Fressinet (Bremen) - David Howell (Trier)
Bundesliga 1011, Round 4
Griesheim, 13 November 2010

English Game: Anglo-Grünfeld Defense

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.g3 Bg7 6.Bg2 Nb6

• 6...Nxc3 7.bxc3 Nc6 8.O-O O-O 9.d4 Be6 10.e4 Bc4 11.Re1 Qd7 12.Nd2 gives White the advantage in space. See Gelfand-Mamedyarov, Tal Mem, Moscow, 2010, elsewhere on this thread.

7.O-O Nc6 8.d3

• If 8.d4 O-O then:
• If 9.e3 Re8 then:
• If 10.d5 Na5 11.Nd4 Bd7 12.e4 c6 13.Re1 cxd5 14.exd5 Rc8 then:
• 15.Bf4 Nac4 16.b3 Nd6 17.Qd2 Nf5 18.Nde2 Na8 19.Rac1 Qa5 20.Ne4 Qxd2 21.Bxd2 Bb2 22.Rxc8 Rxc8 23.Bc3 Bxc3 24.N4xc3 Nc7 25.Rc1 Kf8 doesn't offer either side a lot (Maric-Lahno, OlW, Dresden, 2008).
• 15.Rb1 Nac4 16.b3 Nd6 17.Bb2 Na8 18.Nce2 Qa5 19.a4 Nc7 20.Bc3 Qb6 is equal (Aronian-Miroshnichenko, Euro Ch, Antalya, 2004).
• 10.Ne1 e5 11.d5 Na5 12.e4 c6 13.Nc2 cxd5 14.exd5 Nac4 15.b3 Nd6 16.Bb2 e4 17.Rb1 Nd7 18.Ne3 f5 19.Ne2 Bxb2 20.Rxb2 Ne5 21.Rc2 Bd7 22.Nf4 Qf6 23.Qd2 draw (Vukic - Jansa, Op, Zenica, 1986).
• If 9.d5 Na5 10.e4 c6 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bf4 cxd5 then:
• 13.exd5 Nac4 then:
• 14.Qe2 g5 15.Bc1 Bg4 16.h3 Bh5 17.g4 Bg6 18.h4 Qd7 19.hxg5 Qxg4 20.gxh6 Bf6 21.Re1 Rac8 22.Ne4 Qxe4 23.Qxe4 Bxe4 24.Rxe4 Nxd5 25.Nd2 draw (Krogius-Hort, IT, Varna, 1969)
• 13.Nxd5 Nac4 then:
• 14.Nc7 Rb8 15.Qxd8 Rxd8 16.Rad1 Bg4 17.b3 Rxd1 18.Rxd1 Ne5 is equal (Romanishin-Ftacnik, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• 14.Qe2 g5 15.Nc7 Rb8 16.Rad1 Bd7 17.Ne6 fxe6 18.Bxb8 Qxb8 19.Rxd7 Nxd7 20.Qxc4 Qd6 21.Qa4 gives White the initiative (Romanishin-van Mil, IT, Gyor, 1990).

8...O-O 9.Be3 e5

• 9...h6 10.Qc1 Kh7 11.Rd1 e5 12.Bc5 Re8 13.e3 Nd7 14.Ba3 a5 15.Nb5 Nf6 16.d4 e4 17.Ne5 Ra6 18.Nxf7 Qd7 19.Ne5 Nxe5 20.dxe5 Qxb5 21.exf6 Rxf6 22.Qxc7 (Tal-Jansa, IT, Sahumi, 1972).

10.Qd2 Re8 11.Bh6 Bh8 12.Rac1

• 12.Ne4 Nd5 13.Rfc1 Nd4 14.Nxd4 exd4 15.Bf3 c6 16.h4 f5 is equal (Cvitan-Areshchenko, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).

12...Nd4 13.Nxd4

• 13.Nh4 Ne6 14.b4 c6 15.b5 Bd7 16.bxc6 Bxc6 17.Bxc6 bxc6 18.Ne4 gives White a slight edge in space(Sorokin-Areshchenko, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2005).

13...exd4 14.Ne4 c6

• 14...Nd5 15.Bg5 f6 16.Bh6 gives White a small advantage in space (Arkhipov-Leko, IT, Nettetal, 1992).

15.Rfe1 (N)

• If 15.Rc2 then:
• 15...Qc7 16.Qa5 Be6 17.Qc5 Nd7 18.Qa3 Nb6 19.Nd6 gives White the advantage in space (Grabinsky-Zezulkin, Op, Swidnica, 2000).
• 15...Nd5!? 16.Rfc1 Qe7 17.Bg5 Qe5 18.Rc5 Qe6 is equal.

BLACK: David Howell



WHITE: Laurent Fressinet
Position after 15.Rf1e1

15...Qe7!?

• The game is equal, but play over the next several move is unusually sloppy by both players.
• 15...Nd5 16.Bg5 Qd7 17.b4 Bg7 18.Bh6 Bh8 19.a4 is equal.

16.Qc2!?

• If 16.Nc5 Nd5 17.e3 then:
• 17...dxe3 18.Bxe3 Nxe3 19.Rxe3 Qd8 20.Rxe8+ Qxe8 21.d4 is equal.
• 17...Qd8 18.e4 Nf6 19.Bg5 Qb6 20.Na4 Qa6 21.Rc5 gives White a small advantage in space.

16...Qe5!?

• 16...Nd5! 17.Qc5 Qxc5 18.Rxc5 Bg4 19.h3 Be6 is equal.

17.Bg5!?

• 17.Bf4 Qe7 18.Nd6 g5 19.Nxc8 Nxc8 20.Bd2 gives White two Bishops with the kind of position where that can be very useful.

17...Re7?!

• 17...Nd5! 18.Bh6 Bd7 19.Qc5 b6 is equal.

18.Qb3!?

• 18.Bxe7! 18...Qxe7 19.Qc5 Qc7 20.Qd6 Qxd6 21.Nxd6 gives White the material and spatial advantage.

18...Bg7?

• 18...Re8 19.Qa3 Bg7 20.e3 Be6 21.Bf4 Qh5 22.Nd6 gives White the initiative and the advantage in space.

19.Bd2?

• 19.Bxe7! 19...Qxe7 20.Nc5 Qd8 21.e3 dxe3 22.fxe3 Bh6 gives White both the material and spatial advantage.

BLACK: David Howell



WHITE: Laurent Fressinet
Position after 19.Bg5d2

19...Nd5!

• Black has equalized.

20.Rc5 h6 21.Qa3 Kh7 22.Bb4!?

• It seems insignificant now, but this is the beginning of White's downward spiral.
• 22.Rec1 Rd7 23.R5c2 Re7 24.Rc5 Bg4 remains equal.

22...Rd7!

• Black has a slight edge in space.

23.Qb3 Qe6 24.Rc4?

• White misses a chance to relieve his spatial deficit with exchanges.
• If 24.Rxd5 Rxd5 25.Nc5 Rxc5 26.Qxe6 Bxe6 27.Bxc5 Bxa2 Black has nothing more than a small advantage in space.

24...b6 25.Rec1

• 25.Rcc1 a5 26.Ba3 Bb7 27.Nd2 c5 28.Bf3 a4 gives Black a significant advantage in space.

25...Bb7 26.Bf3

• If 26.Bc5 then after 26...f5 27.Bh3 Ne7 28.Ba3 c5 Black has rendered White's pieces enirely ineffective.

26...Re8 27.Be1 f5 28.Nd2 c5 29.a4 Rde7 30.a5

• White is looking for an opening on the queenside, but this is proving to be very slow.

30...Qd7!

• Black is bearing down on White's center.

31.axb6 axb6 32.Ra4 Bc6 33.Raa1

• For all it's huffing and puffing, the Rokk has nowhere else to go.

BLACK: David Howell



WHITE: Laurent Fressinet
Position after 33.Rf1e1

33...Rxe2!!

• The exchange sacrifice settles the matter of the game.

34.Nc4 R2e6

• Even better is 34...f4 35.g4 R2e6 36.Nd2 Nb4 37.h3 Bxf3 leaving Black a pawn to the good with an overwhelming position.

35.Bg2 Qb7 36.Bf1 Bf6

• Black just needs to avoid making a mistake in order to win.
• Better is 36...f4 37.Qa3 Qf7 when:
• If 38.Bg2 f3 39.Bh3 Qd7 then:
• 40.Bf1 Ra8 41.Qb3 Ba4 42.Qa3 Ne3 43.Nxe3 dxe3 crushes White.
• 40.Bxe6 Qxe6 41.Ne3 Nxe3 42.fxe3 dxe3 White is toast.
• 38.Bh3 fxg3 39.hxg3 Nc3 40.Bg4 Ne2+ 41.Bxe2 Rxe2 leaves Black with an easy win.

37.Bd2 Bg5 38.Qd1

• White would last a little longer after 38.f4 Bf6 39.Re1 Kg7 40.Rxe6 Rxe6.

BLACK: David Howell



WHITE: Laurent Fressinet
Position after 38.Qb3d1

38...Ne3!

• White penitrates into the heart of White position, sweeping away all resistance.

39.fxe3 dxe3 40.Nxe3 Rxe3 41.Qb3

• 41.Qc2 Qc7 42.Be1 Rf3 43.Bf2 Rxf2!! 44.Qxf2 Be3! wins the Queen.
• If 41.Bxe3 Bxe3#.

41...Qc7 42.Bg2 Bxg2 43.Bxe3

• 43.Rxc5 Qb7 44.Rca5 bxa5 45.Qxb7+ Bxb7 gives Black an extra piece.

43...Bxe3+ 44.Kxg2 Qb7+ 45.Kh3 g5 0-1

• Black is threatening 46...g4+ 47.Kh4 Qe7+ 38.Kh5 Qg5#.
• M. Fressinet resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

14. Update (Tuesday)

Georgian teenager leads Russian Women's Championship



Nazi Paikidze
Photo by karpidis modified from flickr in Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

Nazi Paikidze of Georgia, 17, is leading the Russian Women's Championship after seven rounds with 5 points.

Nazi (pronounced NAH zi, the Russian word for what I know you're thinking transliterates to Natsi) drew her game today with Olga Girya while Natalia Pogonina, tkied for second at the start of the day, drew her game against Tatiana Kosinseva and Nadezhda Kosintseva, also tied for second going into the seventh round, lost to Svetlana Matveeva. Defending champion Alisa Galliamova moved into a tied for second by winning her game against Anastasia Bodnaruk.

Nazi can justify playing the the tournament by living in Moscow.

Standing after Round Seven:

5 - Nazi Paikidze; 4½ - Natalia Pogonina, Alisa Galliamova; 4 - Nadezhda Kosintseva, Tatiana Kosintseva, Alexandra Kosteniuk;
3½ - Vera Nebolsina;
3 - Anatasia Bodnaruk, Tatiana Shadrina; 2½ - Olga Girya, Valentina Guinina; 1½ - Svetlana Matveeva


Snowdrops Lead Old Hands at Halftime in Marianske Lazne



Koneru Humpy and Viktorija Cmilyte
Photo of Ms. Koneru: Stefan64 from Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons License)
Photo of Ms. Cmilyte: Stefan64 from Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons License)

In the annual team match in the Czech resort of Marianske Lazne, formally known as Marienbad, a team of four women ages 19 to 27, called the Snowdrops, lead the Old Hands, a team of four old timers who had their halcyon days crossing swords with Tal and Fischer, by a score of 10-6 after four rounds of an eight round event.

The Snowdrops are made up of Koneru Humpy (India), Viktorija Cmilyte (Lithuania), Tereza Olsarova (Czechia) and Arianne Caoili (Australia). Ms. Koneru and Ms. Cmilyte, the two strongest players on the team, have 6½ points between them. The Old Hands are Lajos Portisch (Hungary), Vlastimil Hort (Czechia), Wolfgang Uhlmann, a German who played for East Germany during the Cold War, and Dragoljub Velimirovic, a Serbian who was widely admired for his sharp, innovative style when Yugoslavia was a chess powerhouse.