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5. So - Dziuba, Round 9

Last edited Fri Mar 1, 2013, 08:25 PM - Edit history (1)

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[center]Wesley So[/center][font size="1"]Photo by Stefan64 (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Stefan64) from Wikimedia Commons (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:WesleySo0810.jpg)
(Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
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Wesley So - Marcin Dziuba
28th International Open, Round 9
Reykjavik, 26 February 2013

Caro-Kann Game: Short Opening

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Ne7 6.0-0 c5

• For a more complete survey of the Short Opening, see N. Kosintseva-Danielian, Grand Prix W 2011/12, Jermuk, 2012.
• If [font color="red"]6...Nd7[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]7.Nh4 Bg6 8.Nd2 c5 9.c3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]9...Nc6 10.Nxg6 hxg6 11.Nf3 Be7 12.Be3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]12...a6 13.g3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]13...g5 14.Kg2 cxd4 15.cxd4 Nf8[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]16.a3 f6 17.h3 Qd7 18.b4 Bd8 19.Rc1[/font] gives White the advantage in space (I. Smirin-Li Wenliang, IT, Beijing, 1996).
• [font color="burgundy"]16.Rc1 f6 17.h3 Qd7 18.Rc3 Bd8 19.a3[/font] gives White stronger pawns and more freedom (Khalifman-Lobron, IT, Munich, 1992).
• [font color="#C08000"]13...b5 14.h4 Nb6 15.b3 c4 16.Kg2 a5 17.Nd2[/font] gives White a better center and a little bit better pawn structure (Efimenko-E. L'Ami, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• If [font color="darkred"]12...Rc8 13.g3 a6 14.h4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]14...b5!? 15.a4 Qb6 16.axb5 axb5 17.Kg2 c4 18.Ng5[/font] gives White more active pieces and a better center (Carlsen-Wang Hao, IT A, Wijk aan Zee, 2011).
• [font color="darkred"]14...cxd4 15.cxd4 0-0 16.Rc1 Qb6 17.Rc3[/font] gives White a small advantage in space.
• If [font color="darkred"]9...cxd4 10.cxd4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]10...Nc6 11.Nxg6 hxg6 12.Nf3 Be7 13.Be3 Qb6 14.Rb1[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]14...Rc8 15.b4 0-0 16.a3 a6 17.Qd3 Qa7 18.h4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Lutz-Grabarczyk, Euro ChT, Pula, 1997).
• [font color="magenta"]14...a6 15.g3 0-0 16.h4 Qa5 17.Bd2 Qb6 18.Bc3[/font] gives White the better center and more freedom; the Bishop pair is of scant advantage in this position (Rosito-Martínez, Op, Buenos Aires, 1995).
• If [font color="darkred"]10...Nf5 11.Nxg6 hxg6 12.Nf3 Be7[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]13.Bd3 Nb8 14.Bd2 Nc6 15.Bc3 a6 16.b3[/font] is equal (Anand-Karpov, IT, Brussels, 1991).
• [font color="magenta"]13.g3 Qb6 14.h4 Nb8 15.b3 Nc6 16.Bb2 0-0-0[/font] is equal (Anagnostopoulos-Yevseev, Op, Parubice, 1997).
• If [font color="darkred"]7.Nbd2 h6 8.Nb3 Bh7[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]9.Bd2 Ng6 10.Rc1[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]10...Be7 11.c4 dxc4 12.Bxc4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]12...0-0 13.g3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]13...Re8 14.Re1 Bf8 15.Na5 Rb8 16.b4 Ne7 17.Bf1 Nd5 18.a3 N7b6[/font] is equal (Malakhov-Jobava, Euro ChT, Kallithea, 2008).
• [font color="burgundy"]13...Nh4 14.Nxh4 Bxh4 15.g3 Bg5 16.Nxg6 hxg6 17.f4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Leko-Akopian, Asrian Mem Rapid, Yerevan, 2008).
• [font color="darkred"]12...Bh5 13.Nf4 Bxf3 14.Bxf3 14.g3 Qb6 15.Kg2 Nb8 16.Nxg6 fxg6 17.Qb3 Bd8[/font] gives Black a slight advantage in space (Ni Hua-Tologontegin, Asian Games TT, Guangzhou, 2010).
• If [font color="magenta"]10...Be7 11.Nd3[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]11...Bh5 12.Nf4 Bxf3 13.Bxf3[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (N. Kosintseva-Schuurman, Euro ChTW, Crete, 2007).
• [font color="darkorange"]11...cxd4 12.cxd4[/font] transposes into [font color="darkred"]Ni Hua-Tologontegin,[/font] above.
• If [font color="magenta"]9.Re1 Be7 10.Nf1 0-0[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]11.Ne3 Qb6 12.Bd3 Nxe3 13.Rxe3 c5 14.Bxg6 hxg6[/font] is equal (Heinemann-Dautov, Bundesliga 1112, Berlin, 2012).
• [font color="darkorange"]11.Ng3 c5 12.Bd3 Nxg3 13.hxg3 cxd4 14.Bxg6 fxg6 15.Nxd4[/font] is equal (Ni Hua-Jaracz, Dos Hermanas I-net, 2006).

7.c4 Nbc6 8.Na3 dxc4

• If [font color="red"]8...a6[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]9.dxc5 d4 10.Qa4 Ng6 11.Rd1[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]11...d3 12.Be3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]12...Be7 13.Nc2 0-0 14.Bxd3 Bxd3 15.Nce1[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]15...Ncxe5!? 16.Nxe5 Nxe5 17.Nxd3 Nxd3 18.Qa3[/font] gives White a weak extra pawn (Molner-Valgmae, Op, Gibraltar, 2012).
• [font color="burgundy"]15...Qe8 16.Nxd3 Ncxe5 17.Qxe8 Nxf3+ 18.gxf3 Rfxe8 19.f4[/font] gives White an extra pawn, but Black has better pawns.
• If [font color="darkred"]12...Qd7 13.b4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]13...Be7 14.Ne1 Ngxe5 15.b5 Nd4 16.Bxd4 Qxd4 17.bxa6+[/font] is equal (Edouard-Rianzantsev, Frencgh ChT, Mulhouse, 2011).
• [font color="magenta"]13...Rd8 14.Ne1 Ncxe5 15.Qb3 Be7 16.Nac2 0-0 17.Bf1[/font] is equal.
• [font color="#C08000"]11...Bxc5 12.b4 Ba7 13.c5 0-0 14.Nc4 Be4 15.Be3[/font] is equal (Leko-Roiz, World ChT, Ningbo, 2011).
• [font color="darkorchid"]9.cxd5 Nxd5 10.Bg5 Qd7 11.dxc5 h6 12.Bh4 Nf4[/font] gives Black better minor pieces (Almasi-Ponomariov, Ol, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2010).

9.Nxc4 Nd5 10.Bg5 Qd7

• If [font color="red"]10...Qc7 11.Ne3 Be4 12.Rc1 h6 13.Bh4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]13...cxd4?! 14.Nxd4![/font] then:
• [font color="red"]14...Qxe5 15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.Nc4 Qc7 17.Qd4[/font] gives White a healthy advantage in space (And. Volokitin-Karpov, Rpd IT, Cap d'Agde, 2006).
• [font color="magenta"]14...Nb6 15.Nb5 Qb8 16.Nc4 Nxc4 17.Bxc4 a6 18.Nd6+[/font] forces the King to remain in the center where it is being hit from all directions.
• [font color="darkred"]13...Nf4 14.Nc4 cxd4 15.Bg3 Nxe2+ 16.Qxe2 Bxf3 17.Qxf3 Rc8[/font] gives Black an extra pawn and White the advantage in space; Black's d-pawn is loose.

11.Rc1 h6 12.Be3 b5

• Black commits to a pawn sacrifice.
• If [font color="red"]12...cxd4 13.Nxd4 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 Be7 15.Bf3[/font] gives White a slight edge with better development (Bologan-Erenburg, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).

13.Na3

• [font color="red"]13.Nd6+ Bxd6 14.exd6 c4 15.a4 a6 16.axb5 axb5[/font] gives Black a slight advantage from his queenside majority (Cheparinov-Bologan, World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2009).

13...a6 14.dxc5

• In return for the pawn, Black has better minor pieces and space on the queenside; White's Knight at a3 will take at least two moves to recover and again become something resembling an effective piece.

14...Be4

• [font color="red"]14...Be7 15.Nc2 Nxe3!? 16.Nxe3 Be4 17.a4[/font] transposes into the text.

15.Nc2 Nxe3!?

• This may be a mistake. White is better developed, yet Black voluntarily opens the center.
• If [font color="red"]15...Rc8[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]16.Ncd4 Ncb4 17.a3 Nxe3 18.fxe3 Nd5 19.c6[/font] gives White a small advantage as the c-pawn will be a bone in Black's throat for a while, but White's center pawns are weak (Houdini).
• [font color="darkred"]16.Nce1 Qb7 17.Bd2[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]17...g5 18.h3 Bg7 19.Bd3 Bxf3 20.Nxf3 Nxe5 21.Be4[/font] leaves White, with his passed pawn, calling the tune.
• [font color="magenta"]17...Qa7 18.a4 Rb8 19.axb5 axb5 20.Bd3[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]20...Bxf3 21.Nxf3 Bxc5 22.Qe2 Qb6 23.h3[/font] is equal.
• [font color="darkorange"]20...Bxd3?! 21.Nxd3 Ra8 22.Ra1 Qxa1 23.Qxa1 Rxa1 24.Rxa1[/font] gives White an extra pawn, that being the passer at c5.
• If [font color="blue"]15...Be7[/font] then:
• IIf [font color="blue"]16.Ncd4 Bxf3 17.Nxf3[/font] then:
• [font color="blue"]17...Qc7 18.Qd3 Nxe5 19.Nxe5 Qxe5 20.Bd4 Qg5 21.c6[/font] gives White a clear advantage.
• [font color="#0080C0"]17...0-0 18.Qd3 Qa7 19.Qe4 Nxe3 20.Qxe3 Rac8 21.a3[/font] gives White an extra pawn, a passed pawn under blockade.
• If [font color="darkblue"]16.a4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkblue"]16...bxa4 17.Ncd4 0-0 18.Qxa4 Nxe5 19.Qxd7 Nxd7 20.c6 N7b6 21.Nd2[/font] leaves White standing slightly better (Houdini).
• [font color="dodgerblue"]16...Nxe3!? 17.Nxe3[/font] transposes into the text.

[center]BLACK: Marcin Dziuba[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Wesley So[/center][center]Position after 15...Nd5e3:B[/center]

16.Nxe3! Be7!?

• [font color="red"]16...Rd8 17.Qb3 Bxf3 18.Bxf3 Nxe5 19.Bh5 Be7 20.Rfd1[/font] gives White only a small advantage.

17.a4

• If [font color="red"]17.Qxd7+! Kxd7[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]18.Nd2 Bg6 19.Bf3 Rad8 20.Bxc6+ Kxc6 21.Nb3[/font] gives White an extra pawn, the passer at c5.[/li[
• [font color="darkred"]18.Rfd1+!? Kc7 19.Nd2 Bg6 20.Bf3 Nd4! 21.Kf1 Nxf3 22.gxf3[/font] is equal; White has an extra pawn, but Black's superior pawn structure levels the situation as the endgame approaches,

17...Qb7 18.Nd2 (N)

• If [font color="red"]18.axb5 axb5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]19.Nd2 Bg6[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]20.Nb3!? Rd8 21.Qe1 Nxe5[/font] is equal (Bologan-Antoniewski, Bundesliga 1112, Meißen, 2012).
• If [font color="darkred"]20.Bf3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]20...0-0 21.Ne4 Bxe4 22.Bxe4 Qc7 23.Bxc6 Qxc6 24.Qe1[/font] is a small advantage for White; Black recovers the pawn with 24...Bxc5, but self-pins the Bishop.
• [font color="magenta"]20...Rd8 21.Re1 Qc7 22.Bxc6+ Qxc6 23.Qe2 0-0 24.Red1[/font] gives White a small advantage.
• [font color="darkorchid"]19.Qb3 Rb8 20.Qc3 Qc7 21.Nd4 b4 22.Qc4[/font] draw. (Motylev-Riazantsev, IT, Poikovsky, 2010).

18...Rd8

• If [font color="red"]18...Bg6 19.axb5 axb5 20.Bf3 0-0[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]21.Ne4 Bxe4 22.Bxe4 Qc7 23.Qe1[/font] gives White an extra pawn that Black has handily blockaded.
• If [font color="darkred"]21.Be4 Bxe4 22.Nxe4 Nxe5 23.Nd6 Qc6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]24.Qd4 Bf6 25.Qd2 Ra4 26.b4 Be7 27.Rfd1 Ng6[/font] is equal, but tense.
• [font color="magenta"]24.b4?![/font] drops a pawn to [font color="magenta"]24...Rfd8! 25.Qd4 Bxd6 26.cxd6 Qxd6 27.Qxd6 Rxd6.[/font]

19.axb5 axb5

[center]BLACK: Marcin Dziuba[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Wesley So[/center][center]Position after 19...ab5:p[/center]

20.Nxe4!!

• White uncorks a stunning Queen sacrifice.

20...Rxd1 21.Rfxd1 Nxe5 22.c6

• For the Queen, White has a Rook, a Knight and an advanced passed pawn.

22...Qc7 23.Bxb5!?

• White is being too anxious to take the pawn.
• Better is [font color="red"]23.Nc3![/font] (with the idea of taking with the Knight in order to force the Black Queen to give way) [font color="red"]23...0-0 24.Nxb5[/font] when:
• [font color="red"]24...Qb6 25.c7 Rc8 26.Rc2 Kf8 27.Rcd2[/font] leaves Black defending against the queening of the pawn.
• If [font color="darkred"]24...Qb8?[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]25.c7 Qb7 26.Nd6.[/font]

23...0-0 24.Nc4 Bd8 25.Nc5

• [font color="red"]25.g3 Qb8 26.Ba4 Nxc4 27.Rxc4 Bb6 28.Nc3[/font] gives White the advanced passer along with more space and freedom; Black's Bishop cannot move forward along the a7/g1 diagonal.

25...Nxc4 26.Rxc4 Qe5 27.Rc2 Bc7?!

• This move isn't all that bad as it threatens to win a pawn at h2, but Black needs threats that can generate more threats.
• [font color="red"]27...Bb6 28.b4 Rc8 29.g3 Qg5 30.Ra1 Qe5 31.Rd1[/font] leaves White slightly better.

28.g3!

• White defends against snap mates and other threats.

28...Rb8?

• Black attacks a loose piece, but it's just going to move anyway.
• If [font color="red"]28...h5 29.Bf1 Ra8 30.b4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]30...h4 31.Na6 Bb6 32.c7 hxg3 33.hxg3 Qxg3+ 34.Bg2[/font] gives White a small advantage; Black's Bishop cannot move.
• [font color="darkred"]30...Bb6? 31.Nd7 Qe4 32.Nxb6 Qxc2 33.Nxa8 Qxc6 34.Rd8+[/font] gives White a decisive material advantage.

[center]BLACK: Marcin Dziuba[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Wesley So[/center][center]Position after 28...Rf8b8[/center]

29.Ba4?

• White misses the move that would put the game away.
• If [font color="red"]29.Bf1![/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]29...Qf5 30.Rdd2[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]30...Ba5 31.c7 Ra8 32.Nb3 Rc8 33.Nxa5 Qxa5 34.b4[/font] gives White excellent winning opportunities.
• If [font color="burgundy"]30...Rc8?[/font] then White wins after [font color="burgundy"]31.b4 h5 32.Na6 Bb6 33.c7 Qe4 34.b5.[/font]
• If [font color="darkred"]29...Rc8 30.b4 h5 31.b5 Qf5 32.Rdc1[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]32...Qf3 33.Ra1 g6 34.Nd7 Kg7 35.Rb1[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]35...h4[/font] then after [font color="darkred"]36.Bg2 Qf5 37.Rcb2 hxg3 38.hxg3 e5 39.b6[/font] White wins.
• If [font color="darkorange"]35...e5[/font] then after [font color="darkorange"]36.b6 Bxb6 37.Rxb6 Qd1 38.Rcb2 Qd6 39.R2b5[/font] White gets a decisive material advantage from exchanges on c6.
• If [font color="magenta"]32...Qd5[/font] then White queens after [font color="magenta"]33.Rb1 Bb6 34.Na4 Ba5 35.b6 Rxc6 36.b7.[/font]

29...Ra8!?

• Black gets a huge reprive, but he fails to equalize.
• If [font color="red"]29...Rb4! 30.Bb3 g5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]31.Ra1 Rb5 32.Rac1 Kg7 33.Nd7 Qe4 34.Rc3 Qd4[/font] is equal.
• [font color="darkred"]31.Nd3 Qd6 32.Rc3 Rd4 33.Bc2 e5 34.Ra1 Kg7[/font] is equal.

30.b4!

• White has a small advantage, and he's lucky to have it.

30...Qf5 31.Rdc1 h5 32.Bb5 Bb6

• If [font color="red"]32...h4 33.Bd3 Qg4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]34.Bf1 Qxb4 35.Na6 Qb6 36.Nxc7 Qxc7 37.Rd2 Rc8[/font] is equal.
• [font color="darkred"]34.Rc4 Qg5 35.Ne4 Qh6 36.Kg2 f5 37.Nc5 f4[/font] is equal.

33.Bf1

• If [font color="red"]33.Bd3 Qd5 34.Ba6 Bc7 35.Bf1[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]35...h4 36.Bg2 Qd4 37.b5 Qe5 38.Bf1 hxg3 39.hxg3[/font] leaves White a pawn to the good.
• [font color="darkred"]35...Qg5?! 36.Na6 Bb6 37.c7 Rc8 38.Rc6 Qd2 39.Rxb6[/font] leaves White a pawn to the good.

33...h4 34.Nd7

[center]BLACK: Marcin Dziuba[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Wesley So[/center][center]Position after 34.Nc5d7[/center]

34...Bd4

• If [font color="red"]34...Bc7[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]35.b5 hxg3 36.hxg3 Qg5 37.b6[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]37...Bxg3!![/font] then after [font color="red"]38.fxg3 Qxg3+ 39.Bg2 Qe3+ 40.Kh1 Qh6+[/font] the White King never escapes check.
• [font color="magenta"]37...Qd8? 38.Rb2 Rc8 39.bxc7 Qxc7 40.Rb8 Rxb8 41.Nxb8[/font] gives White a decisive material advantage.
• [font color="darkred"]35.Nc5 Qg5 36.Bg2 Ra3 37.Rb1 Qg6 38.Rcc1 Bb6[/font] is equal.

35.c7 Rc8 36.Rd2 hxg3

• If [font color="red"]36...Ba7[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]37.Rcc2! Qg6 38.Rd3 Qf5 39.Rdd2 Qg6 40.Ne5 Qg5 41.Kg2[/font] leaves White with a small advantage after Black plays 41...Bb6.
• [font color="darkred"]37.Rc4?! hxg3! 38.hxg3 Qf3 39.Nc5 Bb6 40.Bg2 Qf6 41.Nd7 Qa1+ 42.Kh2 Bxc7 43.Rdc2[/font] is equal.
• If [font color="magenta"]39...Qf6?[/font] then White wins after [font color="magenta"]40.Rd7! Bb6 41.Rd6 Bxc7 42.Rc6.[/font]

37.hxg3 Qg5?

• Black attacks the Rooks, thinking that if White takes on d4 then he skewers one.
• If [font color="red"]37...Ba7 38.Rcc2 Qg5 39.Kg2[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]39...Bxf2 40.Kxf2 Rxc7 41.Nc5 Ra7 42.Kg2 Ra1 43.Ne4[/font] leaves White with an assortment of pieces that outweigh Black's Queen; White's passed pawn has nothing in its way.
• [font color="darkred"]39...Rxc7?! 40.Rxc7! Qxd2 41.Rxa7 Qxb4 42.Rc7 Qe7 43.Rc8+[/font] gives White a material advantage.

[center]BLACK: Marcin Dziuba[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Wesley So[/center][center]Position after 37...Qf5g5[/center]

38.Rxd4!

• White's connected queenside passers assure victory.

38...Qxc1 39.Nf6+ Kf8

• This may have been a mistake made in time trouble, or it may have been a harikari move.
• Black lasts longer after [font color="red"]39...gxf6 40.Rd8+ Kh7 41.Rxc8 Kg7 42.b5 Qc5 43.b6.[/font]

40.Rd8+ Ke7 41.Ng8# 1-0

• Buenos noches.