The JR Chess Report (January 24): Youth on the March in Wijk aan Zee; Iranian GM Wins in New Delhi

[Jack Rabbit]

Shirov, Anish and Robson Lead Wijk aan Zee



Spanish grandmaster Alexei Shirov, who is 37, leads Group A in th3 72nd Corus Chess Tournament in the Dutch resort of Wijk aan Zee on the coast of the North Sea, while two 15-year-old grandmasters, reigning Dutch national champion Anish Giri and Ray Robson of the United States, lead Groups B and C repectively after eight rounds of the 13 round festival.

El señor Shirov, a native of Latvia who took instruction as a youth from the late former world champion Mikhail Tal, got off to a fast start by winning five games in a row, but in the last three rounds has only two draws and a loss to the reigning American champion, Hikaru Nakamura. Nakamura and the world's top rated player, 19-year-old Norwegian GM Magnus Carlsen, are holding pace with 5½ points each, just a half point behind Shirov.

Young Mh. Giri, who was born in Russia of a Russian mother and a Nepalese father, leads Group B with 6½ points, a point and a half ahead of former Chinese national champion Ni Hua, 16-year-old Filipino grandmaster Wesley So and Giri's fellow Dutch grandmaster Erwin L'Ami.

Young Mr. Robson, who lives in Florida with his father, an American college professor, and mother, a school teacher from Guam, has scored 6 points out of eight rounds in Group C to lead Li Chao of China and former world junior champion Abhijeet Gupta of India, both 20, by a half points. If any one doubts the resolve of Li and Gupta, they battled each other 101 moves to a draw today.

Group C is unofficially known in Wijk aan Zee as the kindergarten because most of the players are under 21.

The tournament runs through next Sunday with rest days tomorrow and Thursday. The entire tournament is covered at the official website. Games begin at 1:30 pm Dutch time (4:30 am PST).


Gheam Maghami Wins Parsvnath Open in New Delhi



Iranian grandmaster Ehsan Ghaem Maghami won the eighth annual Parsvnath International Open in the Indian capital of New Dehli Friday on tie breaks ahead of grandmaster Dmitry Kryakvin of Russia and Pavel Kostur of Kazakhstan.

All three men scored 9 points out of eleven games.

Gheam Maghami won his first six games in a row and either led or shared the lead from wire to wire.

Over 370 players participated in the Parsvnath Open.


Calendar

Gibraltar Chess Festival 26 January-4 February.

Moscow Open 29 January-8 February.

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

Aeroflot Open, Moscow 9-17 February.

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

Reykjavik Open 24 February-3 March.

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

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

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

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

Russian Team Championships, Dagomys 1-12 April.

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

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

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

US Championship, St. Louis 13-25 May.

Chicago Open 27-31 May.

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

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

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

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

Chess Olympiad, Khanty Mansiysk 19 September-4 October.

European Club Cup, Plovdiv 16-24 October.

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

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

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

[Jack Rabbit]

1. This week's games

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

Diagrams on the Jack Rabbit Chess Report are made with Chess Mérida, a true type font that can be downloaded free here.

BLACK
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WHITE
White to move
(This position is a theoretical draw)


I would like to thank my impressive and loyal staff: Buccaneer, Spitfire, Swashbuckler, Pancho and Robin Hood.

[Jack Rabbit]

2. 72nd Corus Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee

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

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Shirov - Smeets, Group A, Round 4

Alexei Shirov
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Alexei Shirov - Jan Smeets
72nd Corus Tournament (Group A), Round 4
Wijk aan Zee, 19 January 2010

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

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4

• For 5.c4, see the game Nisipeanu-Giri, elsewhere on this thread.

5...d5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.0-0 Be7 8.c4 Nb4 9.Be2 0-0 10.Nc3 Bf5 11.a3 Nxc3 12.bxc3 Nc6 13.Re1 Re8 14.cxd5

• For moves and alternate lines up to here, see Motylev-Gashimov, IT, Poikovsky, 2009.
• 14.Bf4 Rc8 15.c5 Bf6 16.Qa4 a6 is equal (Motylev-Gashimov, IT, Poikovsky, 2009).

14...Qxd5 15.Bf4 Rac8 16.h3

• If 16.Bd3 Qd7 17.Rb1 Bxd3 18.Qxd3 b6 19.d5 Bf6 20.c4 then:
• 20...h6 21.h4 Ne7 22.Rbd1 Ng6 23.Bg3 h5 24.Rc1 Bb2 25.Rxe8+ Rxe8 is equal (J. Polgar-Anand, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2005).
• 20...Ne7 21.Rbd1 Rcd8 22.h3 Ng6 23.Bg3 h6 24.Qb3 Re7 25.a4 Rde8 26.Rxe7 Nxe7 is equal (Leko-Kramnik, IT, Dortmund, 2007).

16...h6

• 16...Be4 17.a4 Bd6 18.Be3 Qa5 19.Qb3 Qf5 20.Nd2 Na5 21.Qb2 Bc6 22.c4 Qg6 23.Bf1 b6 is equal (I. Smirin-And. Volokitin, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).

17.Nd2 Na5 18.Nf1 Qb3 19.Qd2!?

• 19.Ne3 Qxd1 20.Bxd1 Bd7 21.Nd5 Bd6 22.Bg4 Bxg4 23.Bxd6 cxd6 24.hxg4 draw (Gharamian-Fridman, Bundesliga 0809, Germany, 2008).

19...Nc4

• Black has the advantage in space, but it is only momentary. White will counterattack and push Black back with the equal game.

BLACK: Jan Smeets
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WHITE: Alexei Shirov
Position after 19...Na5c4

20.Bxc4!

• This is the first of a series of blows that push Black back to his side of the board.

20...Qxc4 21.Ne3 Qb5

• 21...Qe6 is probably better in that it simply gets the Queen into safety and allows Black to make a move of his own initiative sooner.

22.c4 Qd7 23.c5 Bg6 24.Rac1!

• White has the advantage in space.

24...c6

• If 24...Bh4 25.d5 c6 26.d6 b6 then:
• 27.Nc4 Rxe1+ 28.Rxe1 bxc5 29.Ne5 compensates White for the pawn deficit with more space and an annoying advanced passer.
• 27.Ng4 Rxe1+ 28.Rxe1 bxc5 29.Ne5 Qf5 30.Nxg6 fxg6 31.d7 compensates White for the pawn deficit with more space and a dangerous advanced passer.

25.Nc4

• If 25.d5 then:
• 25...b6 26.d6 Bd8 27.Nc4 Rxe1+ 28.Rxe1 f6 29.Be3 gives White an advanced passed pawn.
• If 25...Bh4 26.d6 b6 27.Ng4 then:
• 27...Rxe1+ 28.Rxe1 bxc5 29.Ne5 Qf5 30.Nxg6 fxg6 31.Re5 gives Black an extra pawn, but White is compensated in space, activity and an advanced passed pawn.
• 27...f6 28.g3 Bg5 29.Bxg5 hxg5 30.Qc3 gives White the advantage in space ties up Black's resources in stopping White's advanced passed pawn.
• If 27...bxc5? then 28.Ne5! Rxe5 29.Rxe5 wins the exchange.
• If 25...cxd5 26.Nxd5 Rcd8 27.Rcd1 then:
• 27...Bxc5 28.Nf6+ gxf6 29.Rxe8+ Qxe8 30.Qxd8 Qxd8 31.Rxd8+ gives White the exchange for a pawn.
• 27...Kh7 28.Bc7 Bxc5 29.Rxe8 Qxe8 30.Nf6+ gxf6 31.Bxd8 gives White a material advantage.

25...f6!?

• Black hems in his dark-bound Bishop and weakens his control of the light squares.
• 25...Rcd8 26.Nd6 Bxd6 27.Bxd6 b5 28.Rc3 remains equal.

BLACK: Jan Smeets
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WHITE: Alexei Shirov
Position after 25...f7f6

26.Bxh6!?

• This sacrifice is somewhat speculative, but it succeeds at stripping Black's King of his elite forces.

26...gxh6 27.Qxh6 Bh7?

• White has only two pawns for the piece, but he was counting on Black faltering in the complications following. Let us remember who taught Shirov the finer points of the game.
• 27...Bf5! 28.Rc3 Bf8 29.Rg3+ Bg7 then:
• 30.Rxe8+ Rxe8 31.Nd6 Re1+ 32.Kh2 Bh7 33.Qxf6 b6 is equal.
• If 30.Ree3 Rxe3 31.fxe3 Rf8 32.Nd6 Bd3 makes it clear that White has nothing for the sacrifice.

28.Re3!

• White will now pressure Black's open Kingside.

28...Bf8 29.Rg3+ Kh8 30.Qxf6+ Bg7

• If 30...Qg7 then Black is crushed after 31.Rxg7 Bxg7 32.Qf7 Rb8 33.Nd6 Rf8 34.Qd7.

31.Qg5 Bxd4 32.Rd1 Rf8 33.Kh2 Rcd8

• If 33...Rce8 34.Qh6 Qd5 35.Nd6 Qxc5 36.Re1 wins for White:
• 36...Be5 37.Nxe8 Rxe8 38.f4 Qf8 39.Rxe5 Qxh6 40.Rxe8+ Bg8 41.Rgxg8+ Kh7 42.Rh8+ (all forced).
• 36...Qxd6 37.Qxd6 c5 38.Re7 Rxe7 39.Qxe7 Rb8 40.f4 b5 41.Rg5 Rg8 42.Rh5 Rg7 43.Qf8+ Rg8 44.Qf5 is time to say good night.
• 36...Rd8 37.Re7 Qc2 38.Nf7+ Rxf7 39.Rxf7 Be5 40.Rf8+ and White mates in two.

34.Ne5 Qc7
BLACK: Jan Smeets
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WHITE: Alexei Shirov
Position after 34...Qd7c7

35.Rxd4!!

• White had achieves a winning position; the exchange sacrifice settles matters quickly.

35...Rxd4 36.Ng6+ Kg7

• If 36...Bxg6 then 37.Qh6+ Qh7 38.Qxf8+ Qg8 39.Qxg8+ Kxg8 40.Rxg6+ Kf7 41.Rg4 followed by 42.Rb4 wins for White.

37.Nxf8+ 1-0

• 37...Kxf8 38.Qf6+ wins the Black Rook.
• Mh. Smeets resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Nisipeanu - Giri, Group B, Round 2

Anish Giri
Photo by Anaso1970, Wikipedia (Public Domain)


Liviu-Dieter Nsispeanu - Anish Giri
72nd Corus Tournament (Group B), Round 2
Wijk aan Zee, 17 January 2010

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

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.c4

• For the more common moves 5.d4 and 5.Nc3, see Motylev-Gashimov, IT, Poikovsky, 2009.

5...Nc6 6.Be2

• If 6.Nc3 Nxc3 7.dxc3 Be7 8.Bd3 then:
• If 8...Bg4 9.Be4 then:
• If 9...0-0 then:
• If 10.Qc2 then:
• 10...f5 11.Bd5+ Kh8 12.Bd2 Rb8 13.0-0-0 Ne5 14.h3 Bxf3 15.gxf3 c6 16.f4 cxd5 17.fxe5 dxe5 18.Be3 d4 gives Black with his central pawn roller the advantage (Giaccio-Zarnicki, Zonal Trmt, Buenos Aires, 2000).
• If 10...h6 11.Be3 Be6 12.b3 Bf6 13.0-0-0 a5 14.a4 Ne7 15.h4 then:
• 15...Qc8? 16.Bg5 Bg4 17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Rde1 gives White considerable more space and activity (Stefansson-I. Sokolov, Op, Reykjavik, 2000).
• 15...Re8!! 16.Bxb7 Bf5! 17.Qb2 Rb8 gives White an extra pawn, but Black has more space and activity.
• If 10.0-0 Ne5 11.Bxb7 Rb8 12.Be4 Kh8 13.h3 Bxf3 14.Bxf3 Nxc4 15.Bd5 Nb6 16.Bb3 d5 17.Re1 gives White fewer pawn weaknesses and more activity (Keres-Mikenas, GMT, Parnu, 1960).
• If 9...Qd7 then:
• 10.0-0 0-0 11.Re1 Rae8 12.Bf4 Bd8 13.Qc2 f5 14.Bd5+ Kh8 15.h3 Bxf3 16.Bxf3 g5 17.Be3 g4 18.hxg4 fxg4 19.Bxc6 Qxc6 20.Qd3 Bf6 21.Bd4 Kg8 22.Re2 Rxe2 23.Qxe2 Qd7 24.Re1 b6 draw (Gipslis-Kholmov, Soviet ChT, Leningrad, 1962).
• 10.Be3 Bf5 11.Bxf5 Qxf5 12.Qd5 Qxd5 13.cxd5 Ne5 14.Nxe5 dxe5 15.Ke2 Kd7 16.a4 a5 is equal (Timman-Jussupow, IT, Hilversum, 1986).
• 8...Ne5 9.Nxe5 dxe5 10.Qc2 Bg5 11.0-0 Be6 12.Re1 Bxc1 13.Raxc1 Qg5 14.Re3 0-0-0 15.Rce1 f6 16.b4 Rd7 is equal (Maroczy-Marshall, IT, San Sebastián, 1911).

6...Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8.d4 Bf6 9.d5

• If 9.Nc3 Nxc3 10.bxc3 Bf5 11.Be3 Re8 12.Re1 then:
• 12...Bg6 13.Nd2 Qd7 14.Bg4 Bf5 15.h3 g6 16.Qf3 White's better piece activity more than compensate him for his poor queenside pawn sttucture (Santo Roman-Marciano, French Ch, Narbonne, 1997).
• If 12...h6 then:
• 13.h3!? Bg6 14.Nd2 Bh4 gives Black better pawn structure and more space (N. Mamedov-Colovic, Op, Sort, 2006).
• 13.Bd3 Bg4 14.Rb1 Na5 15.h3 gives White some piece activity in compensation for his crippled queenside pawns.

9...Ne7 10.Nd4!?

• 10.Na3 Re8 11.Nc2 h6 12.Re1 a5 13.Rb1 Bf5 14.Be3 Qd7 15.Nfd4 Bh7 16.Bg4 Qd8 17.Qe2 c6 18.dxc6 bxc6 19.f3 Nc5 20.Rbd1 Qb6 21.b3 is equal; White has better pawn structure, but Black has more piece acticity in compensation (Kholmov-Raetsky, RSFSR Ch, Voronezh, 1988).

10...Re8

• The game is equal.

11.Na3 Nf5 12.Nac2 Nc5 13.Nb3!?

• White would do better to leave the Knight where it is and exchange on f4.
• If 13.Re1 then:
• 13...Re4 14.Nxf5 Bxf5 15.Rb1 a5 16.Bd2 Re7 remains equal.
• 13...Nxd4 14.Nxd4 a5 15.b3 Be5 16.Bb2 remains equal.

13...Bd7!?

• Black fails to take advantage of White's inaccuracy.
• 13...Nxb3! 14.axb3 Be5 15.f4 Bf6 16.b4 c6 gives Black more space and activity.

14.Nxc5 dxc5 15.Bd3 a5 16.Rb1 h6 17.Bd2

• If 17.Bf4 Be5 then:
• 18.Bxe5 Rxe5 19.Re1 Rxe1+ 20.Qxe1 Qf6 remains equal.
• 18.Qf3 Qf6 19.Bxe5 Qxe5 20.Bxf5 Qxf5 21.Qc3 Qg6 remains equal.

17...b6 18.Qf3 Nd6

• 18...Nh4 19.Qh5 c6 20.Bc3 Bxc3 21.bxc3 cxd5 22.cxd5 remains equal.

19.b3 Be5 20.h3 f5 21.Rfe1!?

• This may be a calculated risk by White.
• If 21.Rfd1 Qh4 22.Ne3 then:
• 22...g6 23.a3 Re7 24.Re1 Rae8 remains equal.
• 22...g5? 23.Bxf5! Bxf5 24.Nxf5 Nxf5 25.Qxf5 Bg7 26.Re1! gives White an extra pawn and a strong attack.

21...Qf6!?

• Black fails to find the correct move to punish White for being so bold and buys a peck of trouble.
• If 21...Qh4! then:
• If 22.Re2 g5 then:
• If 23.g3 Qxh3 then:
• 24.Rbe1 Bf6 25.Rxe8+ Rxe8 26.Bf1 Rxe1 27.Nxe1 Qg4 gives Black an extra pawn.
• 24.Qg2 Qxg2+ 25.Kxg2 Bf6 26.Rbe1 Rxe2 27.Rxe2 Kf7 gives Black an extra pawn and more space.
• 23.Re3 f4 24.g3 fxg3 25.fxg3 Qxh3 Black has won a pawn.
• If 22.Rbd1 a4 23.Re2 Ne4 24.Bxe4 fxe4 then:
• 25.Qe3 25...axb3 26.axb3 Ra2 gives Black the more active game.
• 25.Rxe4!? Bh2+! 26.Kxh2 Rxe4 wins the exchange.

BLACK: Anish Giri
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WHITE: Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu
Position after 21...Qd8f6

22.Re2!

• White moves to secure the center and then will press his superior queenside pawns.
• 22.Rbd1!? a4 23.b4 cxb4 24.Bxb4 Ne4 25.a3 Rad8 remains equal.

22...Re7 23.Rbe1 Rae8 24.Qh5!?

• White has the advantage with his superior pawn structure on the queenside. He should play there.
• If 24.a3 a4 25.b4 then:
• If 25...cxb4 26.Bxb4 g5 then:
• 27.Qh5 Kg7 28.c5 bxc5 29.Bxc5 gives White the advantage with activity on the queenside.
• 27.Ne3 Bc3 28.Rc1 Bb2 29.Rd1 Be5 30.c5! the resulting pin at d6 will restrict Black's freedom.
• 25...b5 26.bxc5! bxc4 27.cxd6 cxd3 28.dxe7 dxe2 29.Bb4 Black must invest his resource in stopping White's advanced passer.

24...g6!

• Black inquires of the wayward Queen if it has lost its way.

25.Qf3

• If 25.Qxh6? Nf7 26.Qe3 then:
• 26...f4! 27.Qf3 Ng5 traps the Queen like a rat.
• 26...Bh2+?! 27.Kxh2 Rxe3 28.Rxe3 is equal.

25...Nf7 26.Bf4

• The game is equal.

26...Kg7

• 26...c6 27.a3 Bxf4 28.Rxe7 Rxe7 29.Rxe7 Qxe7 is equal.
• 26...a4 27.bxa4 Bxa4 28.Re3 Qd6 29.R3e2 is equal.

27.Qg3!?

• Again, White looks to the kingside, where he has nothing.
• 27.a3 Bxf4 28.Rxe7 Rxe7 29.Qxf4 Rxe1+ 30.Nxe1 remains equal.

27...Bxf4 28.Qxf4 Ne5

• Black finds the most active continuation, but the game rermains equal.

29.Qd2 f4 30.Be4?

• White fails to see that the pawn poses a serious threat to his kingside if it advances to f3.
• If 30.f3 c6 then:
• 31.Be4 cxd5 32.Bxd5 Qg5 33.Kh1 a4 remains equal.
• 31.dxc6!? Bxc6 32.Be4 Bd7! 33.Bd5 Qg5 gives Black a slight advantage by threatening the kingside.

BLACK: Anish Giri
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WHITE: Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu
Position after 30.Bd3e4

30...Bxh3!!

• The sacrificial Bishop rides again!

31.Qc3

• If 31.gxh3 f3! then:
• 32.d6 cxd6 33.Ne3 fxe2 34.Nd5 Qh4 gives Black a winning position.
• If 32.Re3 then 32...Qg5+! and Black delivers mate on the next move.

31...Bg4 0-1

• If 32.Rd2 Nf3+!! then White must surrender the Queen:
• 33.Qxf3 Bxf3 34.Bxf3 Rxe1+ 35.Nxe1 Rxe1+ 36.Kh2 Qh4#.
• 33.gxf3 leads to wholesale slaughter: 33...Qxc3 34.Rde2 Bxf3 35.Bxf3 Rxe2 etc.
• If 33.Bxf3 then White is masscured after 33...Rxe1+ 34.Nxe1 Rxe1+ 35.Kh2 Qxc3.
• D. Nisipeanu resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Robson - Swinkels, Group C, Round 2

Ray Robson
Photo: ChessBase.com


Ray Robson - Robin Swinkels
72nd Corus Tournament (Group c), Round 2
Wijk aan Zee, 17 January 2010

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Clam Opening

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 d6

• The main line is6...b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3.

7.c3 Bg4

• Black can still transpose to the main line with 7...b5 8.Bb3 0-0 9.h3.
• 8.Bc2 Bg4 9.h3 is equal.

8.d3

• If 8.d4 then:
• If 8...b5 9.Bb3 0-0 then:
• If 10.d5 Na5 11.Bc2 then:
• If 11...c6 12.h3 Bc8 13.dxc6 Qc7 14.Nbd2 Qxc6 15.Nf1 Nc4 16.Ng3 Re8 17.a4 then:
• 17...Bb7 18.Qe2 Bf8 19.Bg5 Nd7 20.b3 Ncb6 21.a5 gives White the advantage in space (Kamsky-Eljanov, Grand Prix, Nalchik, 2009).
• 17...Be6 18.Ng5 Bd7 19.b3 Na5 20.Bd2 Qc7 21.axb5 axb5 22.Qe2 Rec8 23.Ra2 Nb7 24.Rxa8 Rxa8 is equal (C. Balogh-Tkachiev, World Cup, Khanty Mansiyskm 2007).
• If 11...Qc8 12.h3 Bd7 13.Nbd2 c6 14.dxc6 Qxc6 15.Nf1 then:
• 15...Nc4 16.Ng3 Rfe8 17.a4 h6 18.b3 Na5 19.Bd2 Qc7 20.axb5 axb5 21.Nh4 Nc6 22.Nhf5 Rxa1 23.Qxa1 is equal (Kamsky-Svidler, Grand Prix, Nalchik, 2009).
• 15...Be6 16.Ng3 Rfe8 17.Ng5 Bd7 18.a4 Nc4 19.b3 Na5 transposes into C. Balogh-Tkachiev, above.
• If 10.Be3 exd4 11.cxd4 Na5 12.Bc2 then:
• If 12...c5 13.h3 then:
• 13...Bh5 14.g4 Bg6 15.Nbd2 Re8 16.d5 Nd7 17.Nh2 c4 18.f3 Qc7 19.Rc1 Nc5 20.b4 cxb3 21.axb3 is equal (Anuprita-Thakur, Op, Nagpur, 2008).
• If 13.dxc5 dxc5 then:
• 14.Nc3 Nc6 15.e5 Qxd1 16.Raxd1 Bxf3 17.exf6 Bxd1 18.fxe7 Bxc2 19.exf8Q+ Rxf8 20.Bxc5 Rc8 21.Nd5 draw (Naumann-Efimenko, Euro Club Cup, 2006).
• 14.Nbd2 Nc6 15.Rc1 c4 16.h3 Bh5 17.g4 Bg6 is equal (Morovic-Spassky, IT, Vina del Mar, 1989).
• If 12...Nc4 13.Bc1 c5 14.b3 then:
• If 14...Nb6 15.Nbd2 Nfd7 16.h3 Bh5 17.Bb2 then:
• If 17...Rc8 18.Rc1 cxd4 19.Bxd4 Bf6 then:
• 20.Be3 Bb2 21.Rb1 Bc3 22.Re2 Re8 is equal (Fedorchuk-Froeyman, Op, Condom, 2005).
• 20.g4 Bg6 21.Nf1 Nc5 22.Ng3 Ne6 23.Be3 Bb2 24.Rb1 Bc3 is equal (Klovans-Geller, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1976).
• 17...Re8 18.a4 bxa4 19.bxa4 Rb8 20.a5 Nc8 21.Nc4 Na7 22.dxc5 Nxc5 23.Qd2 Bxf3 24.gxf3 Nc6 is equal (Kramnik-Adams, Dortmund, 2005).
• 14...Na5 15.d5 Nd7 16.Nbd2 Bf6 17.Rb1 Bc3 18.h3 Bxf3 19.Qxf3 b4 20.Rf1 Re8 21.Qd3 Ne5 22.Qe2 Qb6 23.f4 is equal (Gulko-Ivkov, Rubinstein Mem, Polanica Zdroj, 1976).
• If 8...Nd7 9.Be3 0-0 10.Nbd2 then:
• 10...Bf6 11.h3 Bh5 12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.Qa4 exd4 14.Bxd4 c5 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.Nh2 gives White a more active game and fewer pawn weaknesses (Dr. Lasker-Allies, Consultation game, Montevideo, 1910).
• 10...b5 11.Bc2 exd4 12.cxd4 Nb4 13.Bb1 c5 14.h3 cxd4 15.Bxd4 Bh5 16.Nf1 Nc6 17.Bc3 b4 18.Bd2 Bxf3 19.Qxf3 Bf6 is equal (Verlinsky-Sämisch, IT, Moscow, 1925).

8...Nd7

• If 8...0-0 9.Nbd2 then:
• If 9...Re8 10.Nf1 Bf8 11.Ng3 g6 12.h3 Bd7 13.d4 Bg7 14.Bc2 then:
• If 14...h6 15.Be3 Qe7 then:
• 16.Qd2 Kh7 17.Rad1 Rad8 18.b4 gives White the advantage in space (Bobras-Buliev, Op, Cappelle la Grande, 2007).
• 16.d5 Nd8 17.c4 a5 18.b3 b6 19.a3 Nb7 20.b4 goves White an impressive advantage in space (Dr. Tarrasch-Teichmann, IT, Ostend. 1905).
• If 14...Qe7 15.Be3 Rad8 16.d5 Nb8 then:
• 17.c4 c5 18.a3 gives White the advantage in space (Psakhis-Romanishin, IT, Dortmund, 1982).
• 17.Qd2 Rc8 18.Red1 Qf8 19.Nh2 Kh8 20.Rf1 Bb5 21.Bd3 Bxd3 22.Qxd3 gives White the advantage in space (E. Sergeant-Keres, IT, Margate, 1939).
• 9...Nd7 10.h3 Bh5 11.Nf1 Nc5 transposes into the notes after Black's 9th move.

9.Nbd2

• If 9.Be3 then:
• If 9...0-0 10.Nbd2 b5 11.Bc2 then:
• 11...Nb6 12.h3 Bd7 13.Rc1 Re8 14.Nf1 Bf8 15.Ng3 Ne7 16.Bb3 h6 17.Nh2 Ng6 18.Nf5 gives White the advantage in space (E. Vasiukov-Bakulin, City Ch, Moscow, 1964).
• 11...Bf6 12.Qc1 Ne7 13.a4 c6 14.d4 Re8 15.h3 also gives White a slight advange in space.
• If 9...h6 10.h3 Bh5 11.Nbd2 Bg5 then:
• If 12.Qe2 Bxe3 13.Qxe3 0-0 then:
• 14.Bxc6 bxc6 15.b4 a5 16.Nc4 axb4 17.cxb4 Bxf3 18.Qxf3 c5 is equal (Anand-Adams, Rpd, Corsica, 2005).
• 14.d4 b5 15.Bd1 Bg6 16.dxe5 Ncxe5 17.Nxe5 dxe5 18.b4 c5 is equal (Svidler-Adams, Bundesliga 0203, Germany, 2003).
• 12.d4 Bxe3 13.fxe3 0-0 14.Nf1 b5 15.Bc2 Nb6 16.Ng3 Bg6 is equal (Hou Yifan-Koneru, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2008).

9...Nc5

• If 9...0-0 10.h3 Bh5 11.Nf1 Nc5 then:
• If 12.Bc2 Ne6 13.Ng3 Bxf3 14.Qxf3 Bg5 15.Be3 g6 then:
• 16.Bb3 Kg7 17.Ne2 Nc5 18.Bc2 f5 19.Bxc5 dxc5 20.exf5 Rxf5 21.Qg4 Bh4 22.Rf1 is equal (Napomniachtchi-Mamedyarov, IT, Dortmund, 2008).
• 16.Rad1 Bxe3 17.fxe3 Ng5 18.Qe2 h5 19.Rf1 Kg7 20.Rf2 Nh7 21.Rdf1 gives White the advantage ins space (Perunovic-Beliavsky, European Ch, Budva, 2009).
• 12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.Ng3 Bxf3 14.Qxf3 Ne6 15.Be3 c5 16.Rad1 Rb8 17.Re2 Bf6 18.Rc2 Re8 is equal (Renet-Hort, TMatch, Uzes, 1990).

10.Bc2 Ne6 11.h3 Bh5 12.Nf1 Ng5

• If 12...Bg5 13.Ng3 Bxc1 14.Rxc1 then:
• If 14...Bg6 15.d4 Nf4 16.Ba4 Qf6 then:
• 17.Bxc6+ bxc6 18.Re3 0-0 19.Qa4 c5 is equal (Akopian-V. Filippov, World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk, 2007).
• 17.Nh2 0-0 18.d5 Ne7 19.c4 Qg5 is equal (Ashwin-A. Filippov, Asian Ch, Subic Bay, 2009).
• 14...Bxf3 15.Qxf3 0-0 16.Rcd1 Qg5 17.Qg4 Qxg4 18.hxg4 Rad8 19.Bb3 Nc5 20.Bc2 Ne6 21.Bb3 Nc5 22.Bc2 Ne6 draw (Melia-Kovalevskaya, Euro Club Cup W, Ohrid, 2009).

13.Bxg5

• 13.N1h2 Nxf3+ 14.Nxf3 0-0 15.g4 Bg6 16.Qe2 h5 is equal (Robson-Friedel, Op, King of Prussia, 2007).

13...Bxg5 14.Ng3 Bxf3 15.Qxf3 0-0 16.Qg4!?

• 16.Rad1 g6 17.d4 then:
• 17...Qf6 18.Qxf6 Bxf6 19.d5 gives White the advantage in space (Ruan Lufei-Kovalevskaya, TMatch, Moscow, 2007).
• 17...Qe7 18.Ne2 h5 19.a3 draw (Wahls-Hort, IT, Biel, 1990).

16...g6

• The game is equal, although the text move weakens Black's kingside dark squares. Black's dark-bound Bishop at g5 compensates for the weakness.

BLACK: Robin Swinkels
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WHITE: Ray Robson
Position after 16...g7g6

17.Rf1

• If 17.Ne2 h5 then:
• If 18.Qg3 Bh4 then:
• 19.Qh2 Qg5 20.g3 Qd2 21.Rac1 Bf6 22.Qg2 h4 remains equal.
• 19.Qe3 Qg5 20.Qxg5 Bxg5 21.d4 gives White the advantage in space.
• 18.Qf3 Qf6 19.Qg3 Bh4 20.Qe3 Bg5 21.Qg3 is equal and invites a draw.

17...h5 18.Qd1 Qf6 19.Ne2 Nd8

• 19...Rfe8 20.d4 exd4 21.cxd4 Bh6 22.f4 remains equal.

20.g3 Qf3 21.Kh2 Ne6 22.Ng1

• If 22.d4 c6 23.Ng1 then:
• If 23...Qxd1 24.Raxd1 exd4 25.cxd4 Bf6 26.Ne2 remains equal.
• 23...Qf6 24.d5 Nc7 25.Nf3 Bh6 26.Re1 Bg7 27.Kg2 remains equal.

22...Qf6 23.Kg2 Rad8 24.Nf3 Bh6 25.Qe2

• 25.d4 exd4 26.cxd4 Rfe8 27.Re1 d5 28.e5 Qe7 remains equal.

25...Rfe8 26.Rad1 Bg7 27.Rfe1 Qe7

• 27...c5 28.Bb3 Rb8 29.Qe3 b5 30.Bd5 a5 remains equal.

28.a3 c5 29.Bb3 b5 30.Nd2!?

• White plans some action on the queenside to challenge Black's building strength there.
• Counter measures in the center would be the better approach: 30.Bd5 Rb8 31.Qe3 Rec8 32.Ra1 Qf6 33.b4 Rc7 remains equal.

30...Bh6!?

• Black lets pass the opportunity to gain a small advantage.
• If 30...Rb8 31.Qe3 then:
• 31...a5 32.a4 b4 33.Bxe6 fxe6 34.Rc1 Rf8 gives Black the advantage in space.
• 31...Qf6 32.Rb1 Kh7 33.Nf3 a5 34.Bd5 Rec8 35.Red1 remains equal.

31.Nf1 h4 32.Nh2 Kg7 33.Nf3 Bg5
BLACK: Robin Swinkels
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WHITE: Ray Robson
Position after 33...Bh6g5

34.Rf1

• If 34.a4 Rh8 35.Ra1 then:
• If 35...b4 36.cxb4 cxb4 37.d4 then:
• If 37...hxg3 38.fxg3 Nxd4 39.Nxd4 exd4 40.Qxa6 then:
• 40...Bd2! 41.Re2 Be3 42.Qd3 Rh5 43.Rf1 f6 remains equal.
• 40...Be3 41.Qd3 Rdf8 42.Rf1 Rh5 remains equal.
• 37...Nxd4 38.Nxd4 exd4 39.Qxa6 Ra8 40.Qd3 gives White the active game.
• 35...hxg3!? 36.fxg3 Rh7 37.axb5 axb5 38.Ra5 Bf6 39.Rea1 allows White to penetrate into Black's camp with his Rooks.

34...Bf6

• 34...Rh8 35.Bd5 Rh7 36.b4 Rc8 37.Qc2 remains equal.

35.Nh2 Rh8 36.Ng4 Rh7

• If 36...Bg5!? 37.Bxe6 Qxe6 then:
• 38.f4! exf4 39.gxf4 f5 40.Ne3 Bh6 41.Nd5 gives White the advantage in space.
• 38.b4!? f5 39.exf5 gxf5 40.Ne3 hxg3 41.fxg3 Rdf8 gives Black the advantage in space.

37.Ne3 Rdh8 38.Qg4 Kf8!?

• White gets the advantage in space.
• 38...Qd7 39.Rh1 a5 40.Nd5 a4 41.Ba2 remains equal.

BLACK: Robin Swinkels
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WHITE: Ray Robson
Position after 38...Kg7f8

39.Nd5!

• Also good is 39.f4! Nc7 40.fxe5 dxe5 41.Qf3 then:
• If 41...Kg7 42.Ng4 Ne8 43.Nxf6 Nxf6 44.g4 gives White more freedom due to tactical threats along the f-file.
• 41...Bg5 42.g4 f6 43.d4 exd4 44.cxd4 cxd4 45.Nc2 followed by 46.Nxd4 gives White the advantage in space.

39...Qd8 40.f4 hxg3

• 40...Ke8 41.f5! gxf5 42.Qxf5 Bg5 43.g4 Rg7 44.a4 gives White the advantage in space.

41.fxe5 Rh4 42.Qf3!

• White threatens Black's dark-bound Bishop.
• 42.Qxg3?! Rxh3 43.Qxh3 Rxh3 44.Kxh3 Bxe5 leaves the White King exposed to the elements.

42...Rxh3 43.Qxf6 Rh2+ 44.Kf3 Ng5+ 45.Ke3

• 45.Kf4!? dxe5+!! 46.Kxg5 R8h5+ 47.Kg4 Qd7+ 48.Kf3 R5h3! is equal.

45...Qxf6 46.Nxf6 Rxb2 47.exd6 g2!?

• Black should take back the piece.
• 47...Rxb3 48.Nd5 g2 49.Rg1 Rxa3 50.Rxg2 Ne6 gives Black an extra pawn.

48.Rg1!?

• White misses an opportunity to pick up material.
• 48.Nd7+! Ke8 49.Nxc5!! then:
• 49...Rh3+ 50.Kd4 gxf1Q 51.Rxf1 Rxb3 is equal.
• 49...gxf1Q 50.Rxf1 Rh3+ 51.Kd4 Rxb3 52.Nxb3 is equal.

48...Rh3+!?

• Black helps White activate his King.
• 48...Rxb3! 49.Rxg2 Ne6! 50.Nd5 Rh3+ 51.Kf2 Rxa3 gives Black an extra pawn. White cannot promote the d-pawn.

49.Kf4 Nf3

• 49...c4? 50.Kxg5 cxb3 51.e5 wins for White.

50.Ng8!

• White has equalized.
• If 50.Nd5? then Black wins after 50...Ke8 51.Nc7+ Kd7 52.Nxa6 Nxg1! 53.Rxg1 Rh1!.

50...Ke8

• The position is complicated, but it appears to favor White.
• 50...Nxg1? 51.d7! Ne2+ 52.Ke5 then:
• If 52...Rxb3 53.d8Q+ Kg7 54.Ne7 then:
• If 54...Rh5+ 55.Kd6 then:
• If 55...Rh1 56.Qg8+ Kf6 then:
• If 57.e5+! Kg5 58.Qxf7 Rxd1 59.Qxg6+ Kf4 60.Qe4+ then:
• If 60...Kg3 61.Qe3+ Kh2 62.Qxe2 then:
• 62...Rbb1 63.Qh5+ Kg1 64.Qh3 Kf2 65.Qh4+ wins for White.
• If 62...Rf1 63.Nd5 Kg3 64.Qe3+ Kh4 65.Qh6+ then:
• 65...Kg3 66.Qg5+ Kh3 67.e6 g1Q 68.Nf4+ Rxf4 69.Qxg1 White wins easily.
• If 65...Kg4 66.Ne3+ Kf3 67.Nxg2 c4 68.Ne3 then:
• 68...Rfb1 69.dxc4 Rxc3 70.Nd5 Rd3 71.Qf4+ Black is toast.
• 68...Rf2 69.Nd1 Rg2 70.Qe3+ Kg4 71.e6 Rb1 72.Nf2+ is an easy win for White.
• If 60...Kg5 then White wins easily after 61.Qxg2+ Kh4 62.Nf5+ Kh5 63.Qxe2+.
• 57.Nxg6? Rxd1 58.Ne5 Rxd3+ wins for Black.
• 55...Rh8 56.Nf5+ gxf5 57.Qg5+ Kf8 58.exf5 wins for White.
• 54...Rh8 55.Nf5+!! gxf5 56.Qg5+ Kf8 57.Qxg2 Nxc3 58.Rg1
• If 52...Kg7 then:
• If 53.Bxf7! Rxd3 54.Rxd3 g1Q 55.d8Q then:
• 55...Qh2+ then 56.Kd5 Qf4 57.Kxc5 Qf2+ 58.Kc6 Qxf7 59.Rd7! crushes Black.
• 55...Qf2 56.Nf6 Qh2+ 57.Ke6 Nf4+ 58.Ke7 Qh8 59.Ne8+ leaves White a piece to the good with the Black King in a mating net.
• If 53.d8Q Rxb3 54.Ne7 then:
• If 54...Rh5+ 55.Kd6 Rh8 56.Nf5+ then:
• 56...gxf5 57.Qg5+ Kf8 58.exf5 Rh3 59.Qe7+ Kg8 60.Qxe2 wins for White.
• 54...Rh8 55.Nf5+ gxf5 56.Qg5+ Kf8 57.Qxg2 Nxc3 58.Rg1 crushes Black.
• If 56...Kh7 57.Qf6 gxf5 58.Qxf7+ Kh6 59.exf5 Rd8+ 60.Kc7 Nf4 61.Kxd8 leaves White up a Queen to a Knight.
• 57...Rd8+ 58.Ke7 gxf5 59.Qxf5+ Kg7 60.Qg5+ Kh7 61.Qxg2 leaves Black defenseless.

51.Bxf7+ Kd8?

• A passed pawn is a criminal who should be kept under lock and key -- Nimzovich.
• The pawn should blaocaded, i.e. stooped right where he is.
• 51...Kd7! 52.Nf6+ Kxd6 53.e5+ then:
• 53...Ke7 54.Bd5 Nxg1 55.Rxg1 g5+ 56.Kxg5 Rxd3 57.Be4 gives White only a slight edge with a somewhat more active King.
• If 53...Kc7?! 54.Bd5! Nxg1 55.Rxg1 Rf2+ 56.Kg4 then:
• 56...Rxd3 57.Bxg2 Ra2 58.Be4! gives White the more active game.
• 56...Rh1 57.Rxh1 gxh1Q 58.Bxh1 Ra2 59.Nd5+ Kd7 60.d4 gives White the more active King.

BLACK: Robin Swinkels
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Ray Robson
Position after 51...Ke8d8

52.e5!!

• White sacrifices the exchange to mobilize his passed pawn in the center.

52...Nxg1 53.Rxg1 Rf2+

• If 53...Rxd3 54.e6 then:
• If 54...Rf2+ 55.Ke4 Rxd6 56.e7+ Kc7 then:
• 57.e8N+!! Kc6 58.Nxd6 Kxd6 59.Bxg6 gives White two minor pieces for two pawns.
• 57.e8Q Re2+ 58.Kf4 Rxe8 59.Bxe8 Kd8 60.Bf7 works, too, just not as well.
• If 54...g5+ 55.Ke4 Rxd6 56.e7+ Kc7 then:
• 57.Kf5 57...Rf2+ 58.Kxg5 Re2 59.e8Q Rxe8 60.Bxe8 wins.
• 57.e8N+ Kd7 58.Nxd6 Kxd6 59.Rd1+ also wins.

54.Kg4 Rxd3 55.e6 Re3

• If 55...Re2 then White wins after 56.e7+ Kd7 57.Nf6+ Kxd6 58.e8Q.

56.Ne7 Rd2 57.Nc6+ Kc8 58.d7+

• If 58.Kf4 Rxc3 59.e7 Rf2+ 60.Ke4 Re2+ then:
• 61.Kd5 Rce3 62.Kxc5 Rc3+ 63.Kd5 Rd3+ 64.Nd4 wins.
• 61.Kf4 Rf2+ 62.Kg4 Re3 63.e8Q+ Rxe8 64.Bxe8 is time to turn the lights out.

58...Kc7

• The threat is empty.

BLACK: Robin Swinkels
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Ray Robson
Position after 58...Kd8c7

59.d8Q+!

• This is the simplest and best way.

59...Rxd8 60.Nxd8 Kxd8 61.Rxg2 Rxc3 62.Bxg6 Ke7

• Mh. Swinkels could have resigned instead.
• 62...Rxa3 63.Kf5 Ke7 64.Ke5 c4 65.Be4 Re3 66.Rg7+ wins for White.

63.Bf5 Rxa3 64.Kf4 Ra1 65.Rg7+ Kf6

• If 65...Kd6 then after 66.Rd7+ Kc6 67.e7 Re1 68.Ra7 Kd5 69.Bg6 the pawn queens.

66.Rf7# 1-0

[Jack Rabbit]

9. van Wely - Carlsen, Group A, Round 3

Magnus Carlsen
Photo: ChessBase.com


Loek van Wely - Magnus Carlsen
72nd Corus Tournament (Group A), Round 3
Wijk aan Zee, 18 January 2010

Orthodox Queen's Gambit: Hastings Exchange Opening

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.d4 Nbd7 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bg5 Be7 7.e3 c6 8.Qc2

• If 8.Bd3 Ne4 then:
• If 9.Bxe4 Bxg5 10.Bd3 Be7 11.Qc2 then:
• If 11...h6 12.0-0-0 Nf6 13.Ne5 Ng4 14.Kb1 Bb4 15.h3 Nxe5 16.dxe5 Qe7 is equal (Wang Yue-Aldy, Op, Reykjavik, 2008).
• If 11...Nf6 12.0-0 0-0 13.Ne5 c5 14.dxc5 Bxc5 15.Rfd1 Qe7 16.Nf3 Bg4 then:
• If 17.Be2 Rac8 18.Nd4 Bb4 19.Bxg4 Nxg4 20.h3 Bxc3 then:
• If 21.bxc3 Nf6 22.Qb3 Ne4 then:
• 23.Nf5 Qf6 24.g4 g6 White resigns on account of 25.f3 Nxc3 26.Nd4 Nxd1 27.Rxd1 Qe7 losing the exchange and a pawn without compensation (Enevoldsen-Dr. Euwe, Ol, Stockholm, 1937).
• 23.Rac1 Rfe8 24.Nf5 Qf6 25.Rxd5 Nxc3 26.Ne7+ Qxe7 27.Rxc3 is equal still.
• 21.Nf5 Qf6 22.bxc3 Rxc3 23.Qd2 Qxf5 24.hxg4 Qc8 25.Qxd5 remains equal.
• 17.Nxd5 Nxd5 18.Bxh7+ Kh8 19.Rxd5 gives White an extra pawn.
• 9.Bxe7 Qxe7 10.Qc2 Ndf6 11.0-0 0-0 12.Ne5 Bf5 13.Na4 g6 14.Qd1 Nd6 15.Be2 Nd7 16.Nxd7 Bxd7 17.Nc5 Rae8 18.Re1 Bc8 19.Rc1 h5 gives White more freedom (Beliavsky-Rogozenko, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).

8...0-0 9.Bd3 Re8 10.h3

• If 10.0-0 Nf8 11.h3 g6 12.Rab1 Ne6 then:
• If 13.Bh4 Ng7 14.b4 a6 15.a4 Bf5 16.b5 axb5 17.axb5 Bxd3 18.Qxd3 Nf5 19.Bxf6 Bxf6 20.Ra1 Ra6 21.Rxa6 h5 22.Rc1 g5 23.Ne2 Re6 24.Nd2 Black resigns (Vera-Almeida, Cuban Ch, Las Tunas, 2001).
• 13.Bh6 Ng7 14.b4 a6 15.a4 Bf5 16.Bxg7 Bxd3 17.Qxd3 Kxg7 18.Rfc1 Bd6 19.b5 axb5 20.axb5 Ra3 21.Qc2 Qa5 22.bxc6 bxc6 23.Rb7 Qa8 24.Rcb1 gives White a small edge in space (Lobron-Smagin, Bundesliga, Germany, 1991).

10...Ne4 11.Bxe4 dxe4 12.Nxe4 Qa5+ 13.Kf1 Bf8!?

• 13...Bxg5 14.Nexg5 Nf8 15.Qb3 Qf5 16.h4 h6 17.Nh3 gives White an extra pawn and the advantage in space (Malakhov-Lunev, Russian ChT, Togliotti, 2003).
• 13...Qf5 14.Bxe7 Rxe7 15.Nfd2 Nb6 16.Rc1 Nd5 17.Kg1 Nb4 18.Qb3 gives White an extra pawn and the advantage in space (van Wely-Piket, FIDE Knock Out, Groningen, 1997).

14.Bf4

• White has an extra pawn.
• If 14.Nc3 Bd6 15.e4 Nb6 16.Re1 Be6 17.a3 White continues to enjoy an extra pawn.

14...Qf5 15.Nfd2 Nb6

• In addition to an extra pawn, White now has the advantage in space.
• If 15...c5 16.Qd3 c4 then:
• 17.Qb1 Qd5 18.Nc3 Qc6 19.d5 Qa6 20.Kg1 gives White an extra pawn and more space.
• 17.Qxc4!? Rxe4! 18.Nxe4 Qxe4 19.Rd1 Nf6 20.Qd3 Qd5 is equal.

16.Rc1 Nd5 17.g4

• 17.Nc3!? Nxf4! 18.Qxf5 Bxf5 19.exf4 Bd3+ 20.Kg1 gives Black the two Bishops and the advantage in space in compensation for his pawn minus.

17...Qg6 18.Nd6!?

• White commits to a series of exchange that result in a balanced game.
• White still has an extra pawn after 18.Bg3 f5 19.Nc3 Nxc3 20.bxc3 Qf7 21.Rb1 b6.

BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
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WHITE: Loek van Wely
Position after 18.Ne4d6

18...Rd8!

• The exchange percipitated by the text leave the game equal.
• Also equalizing is 18...Qxc2! 19.Rxc2 Rd8 20.Nxc8 when:
• 20...Nxf4! 21.exf4 Rxd4 22.Nxa7 Rxa7 23.a3 Rxf4 is equal.
• If 20...Raxc8!? 21.Bg5 f6 22.Bh4 Nb4 then:
• 23.Rc4 b5 24.Rc1 c5 25.Ne4 cxd4 26.Rxc8 Rxc8 is equal.
• 23.Rc1 c5 24.a3 Nd3 25.Rc3 Nxb2 26.Rb3 Na4 is equal.

19.Qxg6 hxg6 20.Nxc8 Nxf4 21.exf4 Rxd4 22.Nb3 Rb4

• The Knight at c8 cannot run away, so Black can take his time recapturing.

23.Kg2 Rxc8 24.Rhd1
BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
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WHITE: Loek van Wely
Position after 24.Rh1d1

24...Rxf4!

• Black now has an extra pawn.
• If 24...Re8 25.Kg3 then:
• 25...a5! 26.Rc2 a4 27.Na5 c5 28.Rd7 b5 29.Nc6 remains equal.
• 25...Re2!? 26.Rd8 f6 27.Rcd1 Kf7 28.R1d7+ Re7 29.Rd2 gives White more freedom.

25.Rd7

• White wastes no time in attempting to recover the pawn.

25...Rb4

• Black signals that he intends to keep it.

26.Rc2

• 26.Re1 c5 27.Re2 g5 28.Rc2 a6 29.Nd2 Re8 still leaves Black a pawn to the good.

26...Re8 27.Rcd2 Be7 28.Rc7 Bf6

• If 28...Bh4 29.Na5 Rb8 30.a3 Rb5 31.b4 then:
• 31...Bd8! 32.Rxb7 Bxa5 33.Rxb8+ Rxb8 34.bxa5 Rb5 Black wins back the pawn.
• 31...a6 32.Nb3 Bg5 33.Rd3 Bf6 Balck retains the pawn.

29.Rdd7 b6 30.Rxa7 g5 31.Rd2 c5 32.Ra6 c4

• Black works on obtaining a pseed pawn.
• If 32...Re1 33.Rd6 c4 34.Nd2 b5 then:
• 35.Nf3 Ra1 36.Rd2 Rxb2 37.Rxb2 Bxb2 38.Nxg5 g6
• 35.Ra8+ Kh7 36.Nf3 Ra1 37.Rd2 Rxb2 38.Nxg5+ Kg6! gives Black a passed pawn.

33.Nd4 Bxd4 34.Rxd4 Rxb2 35.Rd7?

• If 35.Rxc4 Ree2 36.Kg3 Rxf2 37.Rxb6 then:
• 37...Rxa2 38.Rb5 Rg2+ 39.Kf3 Rh2 40.Rxg5 Rxh3+ leaves Black a pawn up in the end game. Black hasn't won the game yet, but he is fairly assured of not losing.
• 37...Rxb6 38.Kxf2 Rb2+ 39.Ke3 Rxa2 40.Rc8+ Kh7 retains Black's extra pawn.

BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
!""""""""#
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$+ + + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Loek van Wely
Position after 35.Rd4d7

35...c3!

• The passer manifests its lust to expand.

36.Raa7 Rf8

• Of course pushing the pawn mindlessly, as doing anything in chess mindlessly, may be hazardous to your position's health.
• 36...c2? 37.Rxf7! Kh7 38.Rxg7+ Kh6 then:
• 39.Rgc7! Rg8 40.Kf3 Rg7 41.Rc6+! gives White the ability ro make use of his extra pawn.
• 39.Raf7? Rh8 40.Rc7 c1Q!! wins for Black.

37.Rdc7 c2 38.Kg3 Rd8!

• Winning is as simple as activating the Rook.

39.Rxf7 Rd3+ 40.Kg2

• 40.f3 c1Q 41.Rxg7+ Kf8 42.Raf7+ Ke8 43.Re7+ Kd8 is every bit a hopeless as the text.

40...c1Q 0-1

• Having reached the time control and able to take time to survey his position, Mw. van Wely does so and resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Short - Nakamura, Group A, Round 3

Hikaru Nakamura
Photo: ChessBase.com


Nigel Short - Hikaru Nakamura
72nd Corus Tournament (Group A), Round 3
Wijk aan Zee, 18 January 2010

Open Sicilian Game: Boleslavsky Defense

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Be2 e5

• For details about the Boleslavsky Defense, see Unzicker-Taimanov, ITZ, Stockholm, a952.

7.Nf3 h6 8.0-0 Be6

• If 8...Be7 9.Re1 0-0 10.h3 then:
• If 10...a6 then:
• If 11.Bf1 then:
• If 11...b5 then:
• If 12.a3 Bb7 13.b3 then:
• If 13...Rc8 14.Bb2 then:
• 14...Rc7 15.Nb1 Qa8 16.Nbd2 Nd8 17.Bd3 Ne6 18.Rc1 Rfc8 is equal (Unzicker-Taimanov, ITZ, Stockholm, 1952).
• 14...Nb8 15.Bd3 Nbd7 16.Nh2 Qc7 is equal (Jessel-Greenfeld, Irish Ch, Dublin, 2008).
• 13...Qc7 14.Bb2 Nb8 15.Nh4 g6 16.Qd2 Kh7 17.Bc1 Ng8 18.Nf3 Nd7 19.a4 gives White the advantage in space (Smyslov-Popovic, ITZ, Subotica, 1987).
• 12.a4 b4 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.exd5 Na5 15.Bd2 Rb8 16.c3 b3 17.c4 gives White a slight edge in space (Taimanov-Ilivitsky, IT, Leningrad, 1948).
• If 11...Qc7 12.Be3 Na5 13.Qd2 Be6 14.b3 then:
• 14...b5 15.Rac1 Rac8 16.Nd5 Bxd5 17.exd5 Ne4 is equal (Narcisco-Dreev, IT, Barcelona, 2008).
• 14...Rac8 15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.exd5 Ne4 17.Qb4 Nc3 18.Bd2 is equal (Vasiukov-Kotronias, Op, Athens, 1989).
• If 11.a4 Be6 then:
• 12.b3 Rc8 13.Ba3 Qa5 14.Qd2 Nd4 15.Bb2 Nxe2+ 16.Rxe2 Qc5 17.a5 Bd8 is equal (Broadbent-Unzicker, Staunton Mem, Birmingham, 1951).
• 12.Bf1 Qc7 13.b3 Nb4 14.Bb2 Rfd8 15.Qe2 Rac8 16.Rac1 Qc5 is equal (Jessel-Glek, Euro Club Dup, Kallithea, 2008).
• If 10...Be6 11.Bf1 Nb8 then:
• If 12.a4 Nbd7 13.a5 a6 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Bf5 16.c4 then:
• 16...Bg6 17.b4 Rc8 18.Bb2 e4 19.Nd2 f5 20.Nb3 gives White the advantage in space (Asrian-Yegiazarian, Op, Yerevan, 1996).
• If 16...Re8 17.b4 e4 18.Nd4 Bg6 19.Be3 Bf6 20.Ra3 gives White the advantage in space (Beshukov-Aseev, Op, Helsinki, 1992).
• If 12.b3 a6 13.a4 Nbd7 14.Bb2 then:
• 14...Qc7 15.Nd2 Qc6 16.Nc4 Nc5 17.Qf3 b5 18.Na5 Qb6 19.axb5 axb5 20.b4 Na6 is equal (I. Smirin-Korotylev, Aeroflot Op, 2007).
• 14...Rc8 15.a5 Qc7 16.Nd2 Nc5 17.Nc4 Ncxe4 18.Nxe4 Nxe4 19.Rxe4 d5 20.Bxe5 gives White the initiative (Kramnik-Grosar, IT, Sochi, 1989).

9.b3 a6!?

• If 9...Be7 10.Bb2 0-0 11.Nd2 then:
• 11...Rc8 12.Bc4 Nd4 13.Rc1 Qa5 14.a4 a6 15.Bxe6 fxe6 16.Nc4 Rxc4 17.bxc4 Qb4 White is up by the exchange, but Black is more active (Palmer-Finegold, Op, Kalamazoo, 2008).
• 11...Nd4 12.Bd3 Rc8 13.Ne2 Nxe2+ 14.Qxe2 Nd7 15.c4 a6 16.Nb1 Nc5 17.Nc3 Bg5 18.Rad1 Qa5 19.Bb1 leaves Black's d-pawn a serious liability (Bronstein-Lanka, GMT, Yurmala, 1978).

10.Re1

• Black's backward pawn on the d-file gives White a small edge.

10...Rc8

• 10...d5 11.exd5 Nxd5 12.Nxd5 Qxd5 13.Qxd5 Bxd5 14.Nxe5 gives White an extra pawn.

11.Bb2 Be7 12.Bf1 0-0

• 12...Qa5 13.a3 Nb8 14.Qd3 Qc7 15.Rad1 0-0 16.Rd2 gives White the advantage in space.

13.Nd5 Bg4 14.c4 Nxd5

• If 14...Re8 then WHite continues to enjoy the advantage in space after 15.Nxf6+ Bxf6 16.Be2 Qc7 17.Qd3 b6 18.a3.

15.exd5 Nb8 16.h3

• 16.Be2 b6 17.Qd3 f5 18.Nd2 Bxe2 19.Rxe2 leaves White with a small edge in space.

16...Bh5 17.Be2 Nd7 18.Rc1!?

• White slips and descends into an equal game. The c-pawn is already protected twice and really doesn't need another guard.
• If 18.a3 Bf6 19.Nd2 then:
• If 19...Bg6 20.Bh5 Nc5 21.Bxg6 fxg6 22.Rb1 Nd3 23.Re3 gives White the advantage in space.
• 19...Bxe2 20.Qxe2 Nc5 21.Qf3 b5 22.cxb5 axb5 23.Ne4 is equal.

18...Bg6

• The game is equal.

19.b4!?

• White allows Black to seize the initiative.
• If 19.Bd3 Bg5 20.Rc3 Bh5 21.Be2 then:
• If 21...Bf6 22.Re3 b6 then:
• 23.Nd2 Bg6 24.Ne4 Be7 25.b4 Bxe4 26.Rxe4 Bg5 remains equal.
• 23.a3 Bg6 24.Ba1 e4 25.Bxf6 Qxf6 26.Nd2 Qe5 remains equal.
• If 21...Bg6 22.Nxg5 Qxg5 then:
• 23.Bg4 Rc7 24.a4 b6 25.Bxd7 Rxd7 26.Qe2 Rc8 27.Qe3 Qxe3 remains equal.
• 23.Rg3 Qh4 24.Qd2 Nf6 25.Bg4 Rb8 26.Qb4 Rfd8 remains equal.

BLACK: Hikaru Nakamura
!""""""""#
$ +tW Tl+%
$+o+mVoO %
$o+ O +vO%
$+ +pO + %
$ Pp+ + +%
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Nigel Short
Position after 19.b3b4

19...e4!

• Black slaps the horsie on the nose.

20.Nd2

• 20.Nd4 Bg5 21.Rc3 Ne5 22.Nb3 Bf6 gives Black more activity.

20...Qb6!

• Black maintains the initiative by poking White's weak queenside.

21.a3 Bh4 22.c5?

• 22.g3! breaks Black's initiative and now:
• If 22...Bg5 then 23.Kg2 Rfe8 24.Bg4 f5 25.Be2 is equal.
• 22...e3? looks strong, but after 23.c5 Nxc5 then:
• 24.fxe3! Bxg3 25.Nc4 Qd8 26.Qd4 Be5 27.Nxe5 gives White a mating threat while Black's Knight remains en prise.
• 24.gxh4? Nd3!! 25.Bxd3 exf2+! wins for Black.

22...dxc5 23.Nc4 Qd8

• Also good is 23...Qc7 24.bxc5 Qxc5 25.Qd4 Qxd4 26.Bxd4 b5 when Black still has an extra pawn.

24.Bh5

• If 24.Nd6 Rc7 then:
• 25.Bf1 f5 26.Qb3 cxb4 27.Qxb4 Be7 28.Qd4 Rf6 Black still has an extra pawn.
• 25.Bh5 e3 26.Rxe3 Bg5 27.Bxg6 fxg6 28.Qd3 Bxe3 wins the exchange.

BLACK: Hikaru Nakamura
!""""""""#
$ +t+ Tl+%
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$+o+p+ + %
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Nigel Short
Position after 24.Be2h5

24...cxb4!

• Black is two pawns to the good and remains so for the remainder of the game.

25.Bxg6

• 25.axb4? loses quickly after 25...b5! 26.Nd2 Qb6 27.Re3 Bg5 28.Rxc8 Rxc8.

25...fxg6 26.Rxe4

• Far from saving a pawn, 26.Re2 Nc5 27.Ne5 Bg5 28.Rc4 bxa3 gives Black yet another pawn.

26...Bxf2+ 27.Kh1 b5 28.Ne5

• If 28.Ne3 then Black is still two pawns up after 28...Rxc1 29.Bxc1 Nf6 30.Rxb4 Bxe3 31.Bxe3 Qxd5.

28...Rxc1 29.Bxc1 Nxe5 30.Rxe5 Bg3

• Also good is 30...Bc5 31.axb4 Qf6 32.Re1 Bxb4.

31.Re3 Bf4

• 31...Bd6 32.axb4 Bxb4 33.Ba3 Bxa3 34.Rxa3 Qd6 wins for Black.

32.Rd3 Bd6 33.axb4 Qf6 34.Be3 Qf1+ 35.Bg1

• If 35.Qxf1 Rxf1+ 36.Bg1 Rb1 37.g4 Rxb4 38.Kg2 a5 gives Black two connected remote passers.

35...Rf4 36.g4 Qxd1 37.Rxd1 Rxb4

• Black has two connected remote passers.

38.Re1 Rf4 39.Ra1 Ra4 40.Re1

• If 40.Rxa4 bxa4 then:
• 41.Bd4 a3 42.g5 Be7 43.Kg2 Bxg5 44.d6 Kf7 leaves Black three pawns to the good; the Black King has enough time to catch the d-pawn and the Bishop will come to f6, drivi9ng the White Bishop off the long diagonal.
• If 41.Kg2 then after 41...a3 42.Kf3 a2 43.Bd4 Be7 44.d6 Bxd6 45.Ke4 Be7 Black next plays pu<46...Rf6,[/i> driving away White's Bishop from the defense of a1.

40...b4 41.Re6

• White is going down.
• No better is 41.Bh2 Bxh2 42.Kxh2 Kf8 43.d6 Ra2+.

BLACK: Hikaru Nakamura
!""""""""#
$ + + +l+%
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Nigel Short
Position after 41.Re1e6

41...b3!!

• The sacrifice accomplishes two things. First of all, it the time it would take to save the Bishop is better spent pushing the pawn. Second, White's d-pawn will be blocked for at least two moves.

42.Rxd6

• 42.Re2 a5 43.Kg2 Rb4 44.Re8+ Kh7 45.Re1 a4 is an easy win for Black.
• If 42.Re8+ Kh7 43.Re2 Be5! then:
• If 44.g5 b2 45.Rxb2 Bxb2 46.d6 Ra3 47.-- and 47...Rd3 wins for Black.
• If 44.d6 Bxd6 45.Rb2 Rb4 then:
• 46.Be3 a5 47.Bd2 Rb5 48.Bxa5 Rxa5 49.Rxb3 Ra2 is an easy win for Black.
• 46.Kg2 a5 47.Rb1 a4 48.Bh2 Bxh2 49.Kxh2 b2 wins for Black.

42...Rb4 43.Rd8+

• This is obviously a spite check.
• 43.Bd4 Rxd4 44.Rb6 Rd3 45.d6 Rxh3+ 46.Kg2 Rd3 leaves Black up by three pawns.

43...Kh7 0-1

• 44.Bd4 Rxd4 45.Rb8 Rd3 transposes into the previous note.
• If 44.Rc8 then after 33,,,b2 the pawn queens
• Mr. Short resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

11. K. Lie - Peng, Group C, Round 2

If Group C is the Kindergarten, then this game is between the school master and the governess.



Peng Zhaoqin
Photo by Stefan64, Wikipedia (Creative Commons, Attribution/Share Alike)


Kjetil Lie - Peng Zhaoqin
72nd Corus Tournament (Group c), Round 2
Wijk aan Zee, 17 January 2010

Open Sicilian Game: Taimanov Defense

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 a6 7.Bd3

• For a detailed survey of the Taimanov Defense up to here, see Smith-Stellwagan, IT, Malmø, 2008.
• If 7.Qd2 Nf6 then:
• If 8.0-0-0 Bb4 9.f3 then:
• If 9...0-0 then:
• If 10.g4 b5 then:
• If 11.h4 Ne5 then:
• 12.h5 Bb7 13.h6 g6 14.g5 Ne8 15.Be2 Rc8 16.Nb3 f6 17.Bf4 fxg5 18.Bxe5 Qxe5 19.Qxd7 Rf7 20.Qd4 Qxd4 21.Nxd4 Nc7 gives Black the more active game (Smith-Stellwagen, IT, Malmø, 2008).
• If 12.a3 Be7 13.h5 b4 then:
• 14.Na2!? bxa3 15.b3 Bb7 16.g5 Ne8 17.Rg1 Rc8 gives Black an extra pawn (Kritz-Damljanovic, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).
• 14.axb4! Bxb4 15.g5 Ne8 16.Rg1 Nd6 gives White a small advantage in space.
• If 11.g5 Nh5 12.Kb1 then:
• If 12...Nxd4 then:
• 13.Qxd4 Bxc3 14.Qxc3 Qxc3 15.bxc3 d5 16.Be2 g6 17.exd5 exd5 18.Rhe1 Re8 19.Bd3 Bd7 is equal (Anand-J. Polgar, Canada de Calatrava. 2007).
• 13.Bxd4 Ba5 14.e5 Bb7 15.Qe3 Rfc8 gives White a small advantage in space.
• 12...Ne5 13.Be2 Rb8 14.f4 Nc4 15.Bxc4 bxc4 16.Nde2 Rd8 17.Bd4 Bb7 18.Qe3 gives White the advantage in space (Rogers-Bjelobrk, Australian Ch, Brisbane, 2008).
• If 9...Ne5 10.Nb3 b5 then:
• If 11.Kb1 Be7 12.Qf2 d6 then:
• If 13.Bb6 Qb8 14.Bd4 0-0 15.g4 Bb7 16.g5 Nfd7 then:
• If 17.Rg1 b4 18.Ne2 then:
• 18...Rc8 19.Ng3 a5 20.f4 a4 21.Nc1 Nc6 22.Be3 b3 23.cxb3 axb3 24.a3 Na5 25.f5 Qc7 26.Bd3 Ne5 gives Black a narrow edge in space and better minor pieces (Sebag-Sulypa, Bois Colombes, 2004).
• 18...a5 19.f4 a4 20.Nd2 Nc6 21.Be3 b3 22.cxb3 axb3 23.a3 Rc8 24.Nc3 gives White a comfortable advantage in space (K. Georgiev-Z. Almasi, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• 17.f4 b4 18.fxe5 bxc3 19.exd6 Qxd6 20.Be2 gives White a comfortable advantage in space (T. Kosintseva-Javakashvili, Euro ChT, Fügen, 2006).
• if 13.g4 Nfd7 14.Rg1 Bb7 15.g5 then:
• If 15...Rc8 16.f4 b4 17.Nd5 exd5 18.fxe5 Nxe5 19.exd5 0-0 20.Bh3 then:
• If 20...Ra8 21.Bb6 Qb8 22.Na5 Bc8 23.Bxc8 Rxc8 24.Rdf1 Rf8 25.Nc6 gives White a huge advantage in space (Spraggett-Bellon, Op, Gibraltar, 2006).
• if 20...Rce8 21.Bf5 Bd8 22.h4 a5 23.h5 a4 24.Nc1 Qa5 is equal (N. Kosintseva-Javakhishvili, World ChTW, Ekaterinburg, 2007).
• 15...b4 16.Ne2 0-0 17.Ned4 Nc5 18.h4 d5 19.exd5 Bxd5 20.h5 Rac8 21.Bh3 Nxb3 22.axb3 Nxf3 23.Rg3 Nxd4 24.Rxd4 f5 gives Black a huge advantage in space (Lutz-Movsesian, Bundesliga, Germany, 2003).
• If 11...Nc4 12.Bxc4 bxc4 then:
• If 13.Nc1 Rb8 14.N1e2 0-0 then:
• 15.Bf4 e5 16.Bg5 Ne8 17.Ka1 d6 18.a3 a5 19.h4 Be6 20.Qc1 f5 21.exf5 Rxf5 22.Na2 d5 23.axb4 axb4 24.Bd2 Qa7 25.b3 is unclear: White has an extra piece and Black has a huge advantage in space.(Erdogdu-Aroshidze, Euro Ch, Kusadasi, 2006).
• 15.g4 d6 16.h4 Bb7 17.h5 Nxe4 18.fxe4 Bxe4 19.Rh3 Qb7 20.Ka1 Bf3 21.Rxf3 Qxf3 22.h6 e5 23.hxg7 Rfd8 24.Bh6 f5 25.Qd5+ Qxd5 26.Nxd5 f4 27.Ng3 Kf7 28.Ne4 gives White the advantage thanks to his centralized Knights (A. Smith-Nestor, Rilton Cup, Stockholm, 2006-07).
• 13.Nd4 Rb8 14.g4 0-0 15.Ka1 d6 16.a3 Ba5 draw (Sax-Goloshchapov. Euro ChT, Rethymnon, 2003).
• If 11.Qe1 Be7 12.f4 Ng6 13.e5 Ng4 then:
• If 14.Bd2 Bb7 15.Bd3 Rc8 16.Qe2 then:
• 16...f5 17.exf6 Nxf6 18.Rhf1 0-0 19.g3 b4 20.Ne4 Nxe4 21.Bxe4 a5 22.Nd4 Bf6 23.Bxb7 Qxb7 24.Be3 Ne7 25.Nb5 Nf5 26.Bf2 Rc6 is equal (Svidler-Vitugov, Russian Ch Final, Moscow, 2005).
• 16...Nh6 17.Ne4 0-0 18.Rhf1 f5 19.exf6 Bxf6 20.Nxf6+ Rxf6 21.g3 Bd5 22.Kb1 Bc4 23.Ba5 Qa7 24.Bc3 Rf7 25.Nd2 Bxd3 26.Qxd3 Nf5 27.Ne4 is equal (Aginian-Velcheva, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).
• 14.Ne4 0-0 15.Bc5 Bb7 16.Nd6 Bd5 17.Rxd5 exd5 18.Qd1 Nh6 19.g3 Rfc8 20.Bg2 Bxd6 21.Bxd6 Qb6 22.Bxd5 Ra7 is unclear: White has more space, but Black haas a theoretical material advantage (Iberra-Vila, Op, Andorra, 2006).
• If 11.Bd4 Be7 then:
• If 12.Kb1 d6 13.Qf2 0-0 14.g4 Nfd7 15.Rg1 Bb7 16.g5 Rfc8 17.a3 Nc4 18.Bxc4 bxc4 19.Nc1 Rab8 20.N1e2 Bc6 21.Ka1 gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Kasparov-Ye Jiangchuan, Ol. Bled, 2002).
• 12.Qg5 Ng6 13.Qg3 Bd6 14.Qf2 Rb8 15.Kb1 0-0 16.Bc5 Bxc5 17.Qxc5 Qxc5 18.Nxc5 Rb6 19.a4 Rc6 20.Nd3 bxa4 21.Nxa4 d5 22.exd5 Nxd5 23.Ndc5 Ne5 24.Rd4 Nd7 25.Nxd7 Bxd7 26.Bc4 is equal (Leko-Vallejo, IT, Linares, 2003).
• If 8.f3 d6 9.0-0-0 Be7 10.g4 then:
• If 10...0-0 11.g5 Nd7 12.h4 Nxd4 13.Bxd4 b5 14.Kb1 then:
• If 14...b4 15.Na4 Bb7 then:
• If 16.b3 Bc6 17.Nb2 a5 18.h5 Ne5 then:
• 19.Be2 f5 20.gxf6 Bxf6 21.Nc4 d5 22.Nb6 Rad8 23.exd5 Bxd5 24.Qe3 Ng4 25.Nxd5 Nxe3 26.Nxc7 Bxd4 27.Nxe6 Nxd1 28.Rxd1 Bf6 29.Nxd8 Rxd8 30.Rxd8+ draw (Leko-Svidler, IT, Linares, 2006).
• 19.Qe3 a4 20.Nc4 axb3 draw (Kurmann-Cvitan, Zurich, 2004).
• If 16.Qxb4 Bc6 17.Nc3 Rfb8 18.Qc4 Ne5 19.Qe2 then:
• If 19...Bb5 20.Nxb5 axb5 21.c3 Nc4 22.b3 Qa5 23.Rh2 e5 24.Be3 Na3+ 25.Kb2 b4 is equal (Iordachescu-Gelfand, IT, Bermuda, 2004).
• 19...Qa5 20.f4 Ng6 21.Qf3 e5 22.Bf2 Qb4 23.b3 Nxf4 24.Be1 Qc5 25.Bg3 a5 26.Bxf4 exf4 27.Nd5 is equal (Anand-Akopian, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2004).
• If 14...Rb8 15.h5 b4 16.Ne2 Ne5 then:
• 17.f4 Nc4 18.Qd3 e5 19.Nc1 Bg4 20.Qxc4 Qxc4 21.Bxc4 Bxd1 22.Rxd1 exd4 23.Nb3 g6 24.Nxd4 gives White more space and the initiative for the exchange (Tiviakov-van Wely, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 1994).
• 17.Ng1 f5 18.gxf6 Bxf6 19.h6 g6 20.b3 Qe7 21.f4 Ng4 22.Bc4 Bb7 23.Qe2 Bxd4 24.Rxd4 gives White a comfortable lead in space (Aronian-Navara, Morso, 2002).
• If 10...Ne5 11.g5 Nfd7 12.f4 Nc4 13.Bxc4 Qxc4 then:
• 14.f5 Ne5 15.f6 gxf6 16.gxf6 Bxf6 17.Rhf1 Be7 18.Bg5 Nd3+ 19.cxd3 Qxd4 20.Bxe7 Kxe7 21.Qg5+ Ke8 22.e5 Qxe5 23.Qh4 h6 24.Ne4 is unclear: White has more space and the initiative in return for two pawns (Tseitlin-W. Schmidt, Slupsk, 1978).
• If 14.Kb1 b5 then:
• 15.Rhe1 b4 16.Na4 Rb8 17.f5 Ne5 18.f6 gxf6 19.gxf6 Bd8 20.Bf4 Qc7 21.Bxe5 dxe5 22.Nc6 Bxf6 23.Nxb8 Qxb8 24.Nc5 Be7 25.Nd3 a5 26.Qh6 Black resigns (Svidler-Maksimenko, Tivat, 1995).
• 15.b3 Qc7 16.f5 b4 17.fxe6 Qxc3 18.Qxc3 bxc3 19.exd7+ Bxd7 20.Nf5 Bc6 21.Rhe1 Rd8 22.Bd4 wins a pawn for White (Firman-Reeder, Op, Philadelphi, 2003).

7...Nf6

• If 7...b5 8.Nxc6 Qxc6 9.0-0 Bb7 10.a3 Nf6 11.Qe2 Be7 12.f4 0-0 13.e5 Nd5 14.Nxd5 Qxd5 15.c4 bxc4 16.Bxc4 Qc6 17.Rac1 Bc5 18.Bxc5 Qxc5+ 19.Qf2 Qxf2+ 20.Rxf2 Rfb8 21.b4 Bc6 22.f5 a5 23.fxe6 fxe6 24.Bxe6+ dxe6 25.Rxc6 axb4 26.axb4 Ra1+ 27.Rf1 Rxf1+ 28.Kxf1 Rxb4 29.Rxe6 Rb5 30.Kf2 Kf7 31.Ra6 draw (Landa-Tregubov, Russian Ch HL, Novokuznetsk, 2008).

8.0-0 Nxd4

• If 8...Ne5 9.h3 Bc5 10.Kh1 d6 11.f4 Ng6 12.Qe1 0-0 13.f5 Ne5 then:
• 14.Qh4 Bd7 15.Rf3 Nxf3 16.gxf3 Qd8 leaves Black up by the exchange (Harutjunyan-Aroshidze, Ebrilidze Mem, Tbilisi, 2007).
• 14.Qg3 Bd7 15.Nce2 exf5 16.Bh6 Nh5 17.Qg5 is equal (Sprenger-Hernandez, Op, Cappelle la Grande, 2003).

9.Bxd4 Bc5 10.Bxc5 Qxc5 11.Kh1

• 11.Qe1 d6 12.a4 Qc7 13.Ra3 0-0 is equal (Carlsen-Pähtz, YM, Lausanne, 2005).

11...d6 12.Na4

• 12.f4 e5 13.Qe1 Be6 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Qxd5 16.f5 Bd7 17.Be4 Qc5 gives Black an extra pawn and more space, but also weaknesses in his pawn structure which White can exploit (Delgado-Vazquez, Cuban Ch, Las Tunas, 2001).

12...Qc7 13.c4 0-0 14.Rc1 Bd7!?

• 14...e5 15.Qd2 Be6 16.Rfd1 Rfd8 17.f3 Nd7 18.Bf1 Nc5 19.Nc3 Qa5 20.Rb1 Qb4 21.b3 Rac8 is equal (I. Smirin-Kunte, World Open, Philadelphia, 2008).

15.Nc3

• The game is equal.

15...Bc6 16.f4 Qe7 17.Rc2 Rad8 18.Rd2

• 18.Qf3 b6 19.Rd2 Qc7 20.Qe3 Rd7 21.Rfd1 Rfd8 remains equal.

18...h6 19.Re1 Rfe8 20.Re3 Qc7 21.Bb1 Qb6

• 21...e5 22.f5 b6 23.a3 Bb7 24.Ba2 Qc5 25.Qf3 remains equal.

22.Rg3 e5 23.f5 Qc5 24.a3 a5 25.Qe2 Rc8 26.Ba2

• 26.Bc2 Red8 27.Bd3 Qb6 28.Qe3 Qxe3 29.Rxe3 remains equal.

26...Kf8 27.Rd1 Red8 28.Rb1 a4 29.Rd1 Rb8

• 29...Kg8 30.Rgd3 Kh7 31.Qe1 Rc7 32.R3d2 Rcd7 remains equal.

30.Rd2 Ra8 31.h3 Ra6 32.Bb1 Rb6 33.Qd1

• The text is better than 33.Rgd3 Rb3 34.Qd1 Qxc4 when:
• If 35.Ba2 Bxe4 then:
• 36.Bxb3 Qxb3 37.Rxd6 Qxd1+ 38.Rxd1 Rxd6 39.Rxd6 Bc6 the passed pawn compensates Black for her material deficit.
• 36.Rxd6 Rxd6 37.Rxd6 Bxg2+ 38.Kg1 Qc5+ 39.Kxg2 Rxb2+ gives Black three pawns for the piece.
• 35.Re2 Qa6 36.Rxd6 Rxd6 37.Qxd6+ Kg8 38.Bd3 Qa5 remains equal.

33...Rb3?!

• Black fills a hole on White's queenside, but allows White to play aggressively and win both space and material.
• 33...Ra8 34.Nd5 Bxd5 35.cxd5 Rb5 36.Rc3 Qb6 37.Qc2 remains equal.

BLACK: Peng Zhaoqin
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Kjetil Lie
Position after 33...Rc3b3

34.Nxa4!

• When in doubt, take the pawn -- Steinitz.
• 34.Rf3!? then:
• 34...Kg8! 35.Re2 Qd4 36.Rd3 Qxc4 37.Ba2 Nxe4 remains equal.
• 34...Rd7!? 35.Nxa4! Bxa4 36.Rxb3 Bxb3 37.Qxb3 yields an extra pawn to White.

34...Bxa4 35.Rxb3 Qxc4

• White has won the exchange and takes the advantage in space.
• The text is better for Black than 35...Bxb3 36.Qxb3 Rb8 37.Kh2 Kg8 38.a4.

36.Rxd6 Rxd6 37.Qxd6+ Kg8 38.Rg3!?

• White begins a series of inferior moves that cost him at least a half-point.
• 38.Rc3! Qf1+! 39.Kh2 Qxb1 40.Rc8+ Kh7 41.Qb8 Be8 is equal.

BLACK: Peng Zhaoqin
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Kjetil Lie
Position after 38.Rb3g3

38...Nh5!

• When in doubt, one should play aggressively by relocating a less effective piece. In this case, the Knight is en prise because of the pin at g7.
• 38...Qf1+? (the Queen is fine where it is) 39.Kh2 Qf4 40.Qxf6 Qxg3+ 41.Kxg3 gxf6 leaves White with an extra pawn that forms part of a remote majority.

39.Rg4 Qc1+

• If 39...Qf1+!? 40.Kh2 then:
• 40...Bd1 41.Bd3 Qf2 42.Qd8+ Kh7 43.Qh4 gives White more activity and a material advantage equivalent to a minor piece.
• 40...Qxb1? 41.Qxh6! Bd1 42.Qxh5 Bxg4 43.Qxg4 leaves White with an extra pawn.

40.Kh2 Bd1

• 40...Qxb1? transposes into the secondary variation in the previous note.

41.Rh4

• White still holds the advantage.
• If 41.Ba2!? Bxg4! then:
• 42.Qd8+ Kh7 43.Bxf7 Qf4+ 44.Kg1 Qe3+ 45.Kh2 Qf4+ etc. draws.
• 42.Qxe5 Nf6 43.Qb8+ Kh7 44.Bxf7 Bh5 is equal as White has three pawns for the piece and Black can go with the perpetual check as in the main variation if White takes a material advantage.

41...Qxb1 42.Qb8+?!

• White finally loses his advantage altogether.
• 42.Qxe5! Qd3 43.Qc3 Qd8 44.Qe1 Qe7 45.e5 gives White the advantage in material and mobile pawns.

42...Kh7 43.Qxe5!?

• White wastes a valuable tempo by taking the wrong pawn. Taking the b-pawn would have been more effective.
• If 43.Qxb7 Qd3 44.Qxf7 Qg3+ 45.Kg1 then:
• If 45...Nf4! 46.Rxf4 exf4 47.f6 then:
• 47...Bf3 48.Qxg7+ Qxg7 49.fxg7 Bxe4 gives Black the advatage, but White has serious chances to draw.
• If 47...Qg6!? then 48.Qxg6+! Kxg6 49.fxg7 Kxg7 50.Kf2 gives White chances to draw.
• If 45...Qe1+!? then 46.Kh2 Qxh4 47.Qg6+ Kg8 48.Qe8+ Kh7 49.Qg6+ etc. draws.

43...Qc2!

• Also good is 43...Qc1 44.Qd5 Nf4 when:
• 45.Qd6 then after 45...Ne2 46.Qd3 Qc7+ 47.Kh1 Ng3+ 48.Kg1 Bc2 White is barely hanging on as a net tightens around his King.
• If 45.Qxb7? Nxg2!! then:
• If 46.Rg4 then White cannot escape mate after Ne1 47.Rg3 Qd2+ 48.Kh1 Nf3.
• If 46.Kxg2 then 46...Qd2+! forces mate: 47.Kf1 Qe2+ 48.Kg1 Qe3+ 49.Kf1 Be2+ 50.Ke1 Bf3+ 51.Kf1 Qe2+ 52.Kg1 Qg2#.

44.f6 Nxf6 45.Qf5+?

• White has the right idea, but the wrong move order.
• 45.Rf4 Qc6 46.Qf5+ Kg8 47.Qe5 Bb3 48.Qb8+ Kh7 is good enough to keep White in the game.

45...Kg8 46.Rf4

• If 46.b4 Be2 47.Qf2 Nxe4 48.Qf4 Ng5 then:
• 49.Qg3 b5 50.Rd4 Ne6 51.Rd7 Qf5 52.Ra7 Nf4 53.Qe3 Kh7 Black continues to hold the initiative.
• Black is threatening 49...Nf3+! 50.Kg3 Qd1 51.Qb8+ Kh7 52.gxf3 Qg1+ 53.Kf4 Qh2+, winning the Queen.

BLACK: Peng Zhaoqin
!""""""""#
$ + + +l+%
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WHITE: Kjetil Lie
Position after 46.Rh4f4

46...Qc7!

• The winning move would have lost immediately in the note to White's 45th move.

47.Kg1 Bc2

• Also good is 47...Bh5 48.Rf1 Bg6 49.Qb5 Nxe4.

48.b4 b6 49.g4

• 49.b5 Bd3 50.a4 Qc4 51.Rh4 Bxe4 52.Qf2 Qxa4 gives Black a theoretical two-pawn advantage.

49...Qc4 50.Qe5 Bxe4 51.Qb8+ Kh7 52.Qxb6 Nd5! 0-1
BLACK: Peng Zhaoqin
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Kjetil Lie
Final Position after 52...Nf6d5

• If 53.Qd6 then after Qc1+ 54.Rf1 Qe3+ 55.Rf2 g5 56.Qe5 Nf4 White is soon mated.
• 53.Rxe4 Qc1+ 54.Kf2 Nxb6 is clearly hopeless.
• Kjetil resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

12. Leko - Shirov, Group A, Round 1

Well, for winning his first five games in a row, three of which were each awarded a €500 prize for best game of the round, el señor Shirov deserves two games this week.



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


Peter Leko - Alexei Shirov
72nd Corus Tournament (Group A), Round 1
Wijk aan Zee, 16 January 2010

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Neo-Classical Defense Defense

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 7.a4

• If 7.c3 d6 8.a4 Bb7 9.d4 Bb6 then:
• If 10.Re1 then:
• If 10...0-0 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bh4 exd4 13.axb5 axb5 14.Rxa8 Bxa8 15.cxd4 Re8 then:
• 16.Qd3 Na5 17.Bxf6 Qxf6 18.Bc2 g5 19.h3 Nc6 20.Qxb5 Rb8 21.e5 dxe5 22.dxe5 Qxf3 23.gxf3 Bxf2+ 24.Kxf2 Rxb5 gives Black the initiative (Tukmakov-Dorfman, Soviet Army ChT, Leningrad, 1975).
• 16.Nc3 g5 17.Bg3 Na5 18.e5 Nxb3 19.Qxb3 Bxf3 20.gxf3 Bxd4 21.e6 fxe6 22.Nxb5 Bb6 23.Rxe6 Rxe6 24.Qxe6+ Kg7 Fritz says Black is better, but your humble hare says White has sufficient compensation for his ugly pawn structure (Kotranias-Dorfman, IT, Kvov, 1988). The game ended in a draw on the 48th move.
• If 10...h6 11.axb5 axb5 12.Rxa8 Qxa8 13.Na3 0-0 14.Nxb5 then:
• 14...exd4 15.cxd4 Na5 16.Bc2 Bxe4 17.Bxe4 Nxe4 18.Nxc7 Bxc7 19.Qc2 Nxf2 20.Qxf2 Re8 is equal (Westerinen-Prakken, Op, Tromsø, 2009).
• 14...Na5 15.Bc2 Bxe4 16.Bxe4 Nxe4 17.Qe2 f5 18.b4 is equal (Megaranto-Stefanova, IT, Djakarta, 2004).
• If 10.Bg5 h6 11.Bxf6 Qxf6 12.Bd5 0-0 then:
• If 13.Na3 exd4 14.cxd4 Ra7 15.Nc2 then:
• If 15...bxa4 16.Rxa4 a5 17.Re1 Ne7 18.Bxb7 Rxb7 19.Ne3 then:
• 19...Rfb8 20.h3 c6 21.Nc4 d5 22.exd5 cxd5 23.Nxa5 Bxa5 24.Rxa5 is equal (Berend-V. Georgiev, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• 19...c6 20.Nc4 Bc7 21.Qc2 Rfb8 22.e5 dxe5 23.dxe5 Qe6 is equal (Stellwagon-Stefanova, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2005).
• 15...Ne7 16.Bxb7 Rxb7 17.Qd3 Rfb8 18.Nb4 bxa4 19.Nxa6 gives White the initiative (Svidler-Tkachiev, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2008).
• 13.dxe5 dxe5 14.Qe2 bxa4 15.Nbd2 Rad8 16.Nc4 Bc8 17.Nxb6 cxb6 18.Bxc6 Qxc6 19.Nxe5 Qc5 draw (Vachier Lagrave-Tkachiev, French ChT, Le Port Marly, 2009).
• If 8...Bg4 then:
• If 9.h3 Bxf3 10.Qxf3 then:
• If 10...Na5 11.Bc2 b4 12.d3 0-0 13.Nd2 Rb8 then:
• If 14.Qe2 Re8 15.Nf3 bxc3 16.bxc3 Nb3 then:
• If 17.Bxb3 Rxb3 18.d4 exd4 19.cxd4 Rxe4 20.Be3 Bb4 then:
• 21.Qxa6 d5 22.Rab1 Rxb1 23.Rxb1 Re6 24.Qa7 Rb6 25.Ne5 Qc8 26.Nc6 gives White the active game (Kwiatkowski-Grover, Op, Hastings 2008-09).
• 21.Qc4 Rb2 22.Qc1 Rb3 23.Qc4 Rb2 24.Qc1 Rb3 25.Qc4 draw (David-Glavina, French ChT, Montpellier, 2001).
• 17.Rb1 Nxc1 18.Rfxc1 Bb6 19.g3 Ba5 20.d4 is equal (Nithander-Hector, Politiken Cup, Helsingør, 2007).
• 14.Re1 Qd7 15.Qd1 Qc6 16.Nf3 bxc3 17.bxc3 Ba7 18.Ra3 Rfe8 is equal (Vachier Lagrave-V. Georgiev, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2007).
• If 10...0-0 then:
• If 11.a5 Rb8 12.d3 Nd7 13.Nd2 then:
• 13...Ne7 14.Qe2 Kh8 15.Nf3 h6 16.d4 Ba7 17.dxe5 dxe5 18.Rd1 give White more space and activity (Negi-Lahno, Match, New Delhi, 2006).
• 13...Ba7 14.Qg3 Nc5 15.Bd5 Ne7 16.d4 Nxd5 17.exd5 Nd7 18.Nf3 Qe7 19.Be3 exd4 20.Nxd4 Bxd4 21.Bxd4 draw (Voss-Plomp, Corres, 2002).
• 11.d3 Na5 12.Bc2 b4 13.Nd2 Rb8 transposes to the main line of this variation.
• If 9.d3 0-0 then:
• 10.Nbd2 Rb8 11.h3 Bh5 12.Re1 b4 13.Bc4 Na5 14.Bxa6 c6 15.d4 bxc3 16.dxc5 cxd2 17.Bxd2 Nb3 18.Ra3 Nxc5 19.Bd3 Rxb2 gives Black an extra pawn (Rowson-Adams, Match, London, 1998).
• 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Qxf3 Na5 12.Bc2 b4 13.Nd2 Rb8 transposes to the main line of this variation.

7...Rb8 8.Nxe5

• If 8.c3 d6 then:
• 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 gives White the advantage in space (Kamsky-Z.Almasi, IT, Reggio Emilia, 2010).
• 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:
• 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 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).
• If 9.d4 Bb6 10.a5 Ba7 then:
• If 11.Be3 Bg4 then:
• If 12.dxe5 Bxf3 then:
• If 13.gxf3!? dxe5 14.Qe2 0-0 15.Nd2 Nh5 16.Kh1 Qh4 gives Black more space and fewer pawn weaknesses (Milos-Ganguly, World ChT, Bursa, 2010).
• 13.Qxf3 Nxe5 14.Qg3 Bxe3 15.Qxe3 0-0 is to be preferred over 13.gxf3, which volutarily spoils White's pawn structure.
• If 12.Nbd2 0-0 13.h3 Bh5 then:
• 14.dxe5 dxe5 15.Bxa7 Nxa7 16.g4 Nxg4 17.hxg4 Bxg4 18.Kg2 Qf6 19.Qe1 Rbd8 20.Qe3 Nc6 21.Nh2 Qh4 22.Ndf3 Qh3+ 23.Kh1 Rd6 24.Rg1 Rg6 25.Bd5 Black resigns (Smeets-Ris, Op, Hoogeveen, 2007).
• 14.Qc2 Re8 15.Rfe1 exd4 16.cxd4 Nb4 17.Qc3 c5 18.Bg5 h6 19.Bxf6 Qxf6 20.e5 dxe5 21.dxc5 Bxf3 22.Qxb4 Ba8 draw (Timofeev-Shirov, Russian ChT, Dagomys, 2009).
• 11.h3 0-0 12.Be3 exd4 13.cxd4 Nxe4 14.Qc2 Qe8 15.Nc3 Nf6 16.Rfe1 Qd7 17.Ne4 Nxe4 18.Qxe4 Ne7 19.Ng5 Ng6 20.Bd5 c5 is equal (Timofeev-Halkias, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).

8...Nxe5 9.d4 Bxd4 10.Qxd4 d6!?

• If 10...Nc6 11.Qc3 b4 12.Qg3 0-0 13.Re1 d6 then:
• 14.Bh6!? Nh5 15.Qf3 Qh4 gives Black the advantage in space (Michielsen-Bokhout, Op, Ottawa, 2007).
• 14.Bg5! Nd4 15.Nd2 Re8 16.a5 Bb7 17.f3 gives White a small advantage in space.

11.f4

• White has the advantage in space.
• 11.axb5 axb5 12.Bg5 Be6 13.f4 also gives White the advantage in space.

11...Nc6 12.Qc3 Ne7

• If 12...Bb7 then after 13.axb5 axb5 14.e5 Ne4 15.Qe3 White still has the advantage in space.

13.Qd3!?

• This move has no effect on the position other than to weaken White's hold on queenside dark squares.
• After 13.axb5 axb5 14.e5 Ne4 15.Qf3 Nc5 16.Ba2 White still has the advantage in space.

13...0-0 14.Nc3 b4!

• Black has equalized.

15.e5 Bf5!?

• Black forces White to move to a6 and take the pawn.
• 15...dxe5 16.Qxd8 Rxd8 17.fxe5 bxc3 18.exf6 gxf6 19.bxc3 gives White a small edge in taht Black's pawn weaknesses are near his King.

16.Qxa6 Nd7?

• This careless move gives White a strong game.
• 16...dxe5 17.Rd1 Nd7 18.Na2 Bg4! equalizes.

BLACK: Alexei Shirov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Peter Leko
Position after 16...Nf6d7

17.exd6!

• This is one correct way to punish Black for his greivious error.
• Another is 17.Nb5 Nc5 18.Qa5 Nxb3 19.cxb3 Bd3 20.Rd1! then:
• 20...Ra8 21.Qxb4 c5 22.Qd2 gives White two extra pawns.
• If 20.exd6!? cxd6! 21.Qxd8 Rfxd8 22.Re1 Nc6 is equal.

17...bxc3 18.dxe7 Qxe7 19.bxc3

• White is two pawns to the good.

19...Nc5 20.Qc4 Rfd8 21.Ba2 Bxc2 22.f5?

• In a surprising error from Leko, White plays a futile attacking move when the position demands defense.
• 22.Ba3! Qe3+ 23.Kh1 Ne6 24.Rf3 Qd2 25.Qf1 Bd3 is equal.

BLACK: Alexei Shirov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Peter Leko
Position after 22.f4f5

22...Bd3!

• Black wins the exchange.

23.f6 gxf6 24.Qg4+

• With the impending loss of the exchange, the game is pretty well settled. It only take time to break down White's position.
• 24.Qh4 Bxf1 25.Qg3+ Kh8 then:
• 26.Bh6 Rg8 27.Qe3 Qxe3+ 28.Bxe3 Bxg2 29.Bxc5 Rb2 wins for Black.
• 26.Qe3 Ne4 27.Bb1 Bc4 28.Qxe4 Rd1+ 29.Kf2 Qc5+ wins for Black.

24...Kh8 25.Bh6

• If 25.Rd1? then after 25...Be2 26.Re1 Bxg4 27.Rxe7 Rd1+ 28.Kf2 Nd3+ Black wins a piece.

25...Rg8 26.Qd4

• However White plays, he must lose the exchange.
• 26.Qf4 Bxf1 27.Rxf1 Rb2 28.Bd5 Rg6 29.Bf3 leaves Black up by an exchange.

26...Bxf1 27.Rxf1

• Black is an exchange to the good.

27...Rg6 28.Be3 Nxa4

• Black adds a pawn to his material advantage.

29.Bf2 Nb6 30.Bb1

• If 30.Re1 Qd7 31.Bg3 Rd8 then:
• 32.Qf4 then after Kg7 33.Bb1 Nd5 34.Qf3 Rg5 Black continues to enjoy a material advantage equivalent to a minor piece.
• 32.Qxd7 Rxd7 33.Bb3 Rg8 34.Ra1 Re8! assures Black's Rooks of penetrating into White's camp.

30...Rg7 31.Re1 Qd6 32.Bf5 Nd5 33.g4

• If 33.c4? Nf4 34.g3 Rg5 then:
• If 35.g4 h5 36.Qxd6 cxd6 37.h4 then:
• 37...Rxg4+ 38.Bxg4 Rg8! 39.Kf1 Rxg4 leaves Black up by two pawns.
• 37...Rg7 38.Bg3 Rbg8 39.Rd1 Ne2+ 40.Kg2 Nxg3 gives Black a winning advantage.
• 35.Qxd6 cxd6 36.g4 Nh3+ 37.Kg2 Nxf2 38.Kxf2 Rb2+ leaves Black with the material advantage.

33...Rgg8 34.c4 Nf4?!

• The Knight should find refuge on the queenside.
34...Nb6 35.Qe4 Nd7 36.Bg3 Ne5 37.Bxh7 Rgd8 leaves Black an exchange up still.

BLACK: Alexei Shirov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Peter Leko
Position after 34...Nd5f4

35.Qxd6!

• The exchange of Queens is well timed. White will emerge compensated for the exchange.

35...cxd6 36.Bg3 Nh3+ 37.Kg2 Ng5 38.Bxd6 Rb2+ 39.Kg3 Ra8!?

• Fritz now rates the game equal. Not being human, if he could talk, he would tell you that his table bases told him so, which means nothing to us. If he were human and still things the game is equal, he would say that White's outside passer, two Bishops and slightly better pawn structure compensate for being down an exchange.
• After some humming and hawing, your humble hare and his staff agree..
• If 39...Rb3+! then:
• 40.Kf2 h5 41.Re7 Nh3+ 42.Kg2 hxg4 Black continue to enjoy a material advantage equivalent to a minor piece.
• 40.Kg2 Nf3 41.Re7 Nh4+ 42.Kf2 Rf3+ 43.Ke2 Nxf5! wins a piece for Black.

BLACK: Alexei Shirov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Peter Leko
Position after 39...Rg8a8

40.Re3!

• Down by an exchange, White must not be too confident in his ability to push the c-pawn.
• If 40.Rb1!? then after 40...Rxb1 41.Bxb1 Ne6 42.Be4 Ra6 43.Be7 Kg7 Black is slightly better.

40...Kg7 41.h4

• 41.c5 Rd2 42.h3 Ne6 43.Rc3 Nd4 44.Bd3 remains equal.

41...Ne6 42.g5 Raa2 43.gxf6+ Kxf6 44.Bxh7

• White has gained a pawn and there can no longer be any doubt that the game is equal.

44...Re2 45.Rf3+ Kg7 46.Bd3 Re1 47.Be7?

• White is afraid of the skewer 47...Rd2, but that isn't all with which he has to deal.
• 47.Kg4 Rg1+ 48.Rg3 Rxg3+ 49.Bxg3 Nc5 50.Bf1 remains equal.

BLACK: Alexei Shirov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Peter Leko
Position after 47.Bd6e7

47...Rd2!

• Black pokes the Bishop and takes the advantage for good.
• 47...Rg1+ 48.Kh3 Rd2 49.Be4 Re2 50.Bf6+ Kh6 51.Bd3 remains equal.

48.Bf6+ Kg8 49.Kg4

• If 49.Bf1 Nc5 50.Bg5 Ne4+ 51.Kh3 then:
• 51...Nxg5+ 52.hxg5 Rd4 53.Kh2 Kg7 54.Rf5 Re3 gives Black a clear advantage.
• If 51...Rc2!? 52.Bf4! then:
• 52...Nf2+ 53.Kg2 Nd3+ 54.Kh3 Nb2 Black is still a theoretical pawn to the good, but it will be difficult to convert that to victory.
• 52...f5 53.Bg5 Rb1 54.Rxf5 Rb3+ 55.Kg4 Ng3 gives Black a slight advantage with initiative.

49...Nc5!

• 49...Rg2+!? 50.Kf5! Ng7+ 51.Bxg7 Kxg7 52.Rf4 Rg6 remains equal.

50.Bf5

• If 50.Bf1 Ne4 51.Kh3 Nf2+ 52.Kg2 then:
• If 52...Ng4+ 53.Kh3 Ne3 54.Rg3+ Kf8 then:
• 55.Bg2 Nxg2 56.Rxg2 Rxg2 57.Kxg2 Rc1 wins a pawn, leaving Black a full exchange to the good.
• If 55.Bc3 then 55...Nxf1 56.Bxd2 Nxd2 57.Rc3 f5 58.c5 Rh1+ leaves Black a piece to the good.
• 52...Nd1+ also works; if 53.Kg3 Re3 54.Bg2 Rc2 then:
• 55.Bg5 Rxf3+ 56.Bxf3 Nb2 57.h5 Rxc4 leaves Black an exchange to the good, but Black's two Bishops in such an open game can pose a formidible defense.
• 55.Bd4 Rxf3+ 56.Kxf3 Rxc4 57.Bf6 Kh7 also leavea Black an exchange up. but the win is not as easy as in the main variation.

BLACK: Alexei Shirov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Peter Leko
Position after 50.Bd4f5

50...Ne4!

• This move makes Black's win much, much easier.
• If 50...Rd6!? 51.Bc3 Rg1+ 52.Kh3 then:
• If 52...Ne6! 53.Rg3+ Rxg3+ 54.Kxg3 Rc6 55.h5 Rxc4 Black, being a full exchange up, should win, but White's two Bishops can mount a stubborn defense.
• If 52...Rh1+?! 53.Kg3 Rdd1 54.Re3 Rdg1+ 55.Kf2 then:
• If 55...Rf1+ 56.Kg2 then:
• If 56...Rhg1+ 57.Kh2 then:
• 57...Ne6 58.Bh3 Rc1 59.Bg2 is equal.
• 57...Rh1+ 58.Kg2 Rhg1+ 59.Kh2 etc. draws.
• 56...Rfg1+ 57.Kf2 Rf1+ 58.Kg2 etc. draws.
• 55...Ne6 56.Bh3 Rc1 57.Kg3 is equal.

51.Bxe4

• If 51.Be5 Rg2+ 52.Kh3 Rge2 then:
• If 53.Bg3 Rc1 54.Ra3 Rxc4 then:
• 55.Ra8+ Kg7 56.Be5+ Nf6 57.Re8 Rc3+ 58.Bxc3 Rxe8 leaves Black up by a full exchange.
• 55.Bf4 Rc5 56.Kg4 Nf6+ 57.Kf3 Rxf5 leaves Black a piece to the good.
• If 53.Bf4 Rh1+ 54.Kg4 Rg2+ then:
• 55.Bg3 Nxg3 56.Rxg3 Rxg3+ 57.Kxg3 Rc1 Black wins the c-pawn and is up by a full exchange.
• If 55.Kh5?? then 55...Nf6+! 56.Kh6 Rxh4#.

51...Rxe4+ 52.Kh5

• 52.Kf5 Rxc4 53.Rg3+ Kf8 54.Bg7+ Ke7 55.Re3+ Kd7 is very much like the text, except that White's King is in a better position.

52...Rxc4

• Black is up by a full exchange.

53.Rg3+ Kf8 54.Bg7+ Ke7 55.Re3+ Kd7 56.Bf6

• If 56.Re5 then Black wins after 56...Rf2! 57.Rd5+ Ke6 58.Re5+ Kd6 59.Ra5 f5.

56...Rf2 57.Be5

• All Black needs to do to win now is avoid bad mistakes.
• If 57.Kg5 Rc5+ then:
• If 58.Re5 Rxe5+ 59.Bxe5 Ke6 then:
• If 60.Bg3 f6+ 61.Kg4 f5+ 62.Kg5 Rf3 then:
• If 63.Be1 f4 64.h5 then:
• If 64...Rf1 65.Bh4 Kf7 66.Kg4 then:
• 66...f3 67.Kf5 Rh1 68.Bg3 Rh2!! wins for Black.
• 66...Kg7 67.Be7 f3 68.Kh3 f2 69.Kg2 Re1 wins for Black.
• 64...Rh3?! 65.Kxf4 Rxh5 66.Bc3 Rh4+ 67.Kg5 gives White realk drawing chances; Black should continue to rely on a winning strategy of pushing the passed pawn and exchange it only for the Bishop.
• 63.Bc7 Rf1 64.h5 Rg1+ 65.Kf4 Rg7 wins for Black.
• 60.Bc7 f6+ 61.Kh6 f5 62.h5 f4! wins for Black as the Rook would get out of the pawn's path by palying to g2, which would either prevent White from getting his King out of the way of the White pawn or give check, gaining time to get the pawn safely beyond the Bishop's reach.
• 58.Be5?? drops a Rook to 58...Rxe5+ 59.Rxe5 f6+!.

BLACK: Alexei Shirov
!""""""""#
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Peter Leko
Position after 57.Bf6e5

57...Rf5+!

• It's all over now but the shouting.
• 57...f5 58.Bg3 Rg2 59.Rf3 Rg4 60.Bb8 Rg7 also wins for Black.

58.Kh6 Rxh4+ 59.Kg7 Rg4+ 60.Kf8 Rf1 61.Rd3+ Ke6 62.Bc7 Rc4 63.Rd6+ Kf5 64.Rd7 Kg4! 0-1

• If 65.Ke7 then after 65...f5 it will cost White a piece to stop the pawn.
• Grandmaster Leko resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Eighth Parsvnath International Open, New Delhi

Akshardham Temple, Delhi
Photo by Swaminarayan Sanstha, Wikipedia (Creative Commons, Attribution/Share Alike)

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Dzhumaev - Ghaem Maghami, Round 9

Ehsan Ghaem Maghami
Photo: ChessBase.com


Marat Dzhumaev - Ehsan Ghaem Maghami
Eighth Parsvnath International Open, Round 9
New Delhi, 20 January 2010

Open Sicilian Game: Najdorf-Boleslavsky Defense (Chandler-Nunn Opening)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5

• If 6...e6 7.f3 then:
• If 7...b5 8.g4 h6 9.Qd2 Nbd7 10.0-0-0 Bb7 then:
• If 11.h4 b4 12.Na4 Qa5 13.b3 Nc5 then:
• If 14.a3 Nxa4 15.axb4 Qc7 16.bxa4 d5 then:
• If 17.b5 dxe4 18.bxa6 Bxa6 19.Bxa6 Rxa6 20.Nb5 Qc8 21.Bf4 Nd5 22.fxe4 Nxf4 23.Qxf4 gives White a great deal more space (Ivanchuk-van Wely, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2004).
• 17.e5 Nd7 18.f4 gives White a substantial lead in space.
• 14...Rc8 15.Qxb4 Qc7 16.Kb1 d5 17.Nxc5 Bxc5 18.Qa4+ Kf8 19.Bd3 dxe4 20.Bxa6 Bxa6 21.Qxa6 Nd5 22.Nb5 gives White more space and the initiative (Lafarga-Schoonhoven, cyberspace, 2003).
• 11.Bd3 Ne5 12.Rhe1 Rc8 13.Kb1 Nfd7 14.f4 Nc4 15.Qe2 Nxe3 16.Qxe3 b4 17.Nd5 g5 18.Nf5 Rg8 gives White the advantage in space; Black should seek exchanges (Morozevich-Topalov, IT, Frankfurt, 1999).
• 7...Nc6 8.Qd2 Be7 9.0-0-0 0-0 10.g4 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 b5 12.g5 Nd7 13.h4 Qc7 14.Kb1 b4 15.Na4 Bb7 16.b3 Bc6 17.Nb2 a5 18.h5 Ne5 19.Be2 f5 is even (Leko-Svidler, IT, Morelia-Linares, 2006).
• If 6...Ng4 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Bg3 Bg7 then:
• If 10.h3 Ne5 then:
• If 11.Nf5 Bxf5 12.exf5 then:
• If 12...Nbc6 13.Nd5 e6 14.fxe6 fxe6 15.Ne3 0-0 16.Be2 then:
• If 16...d5 17.0-0 Ng6 18.c4 d4 19.Ng4 Nf4 20.Bxf4 Rxf4 21.Bd3 Nb4 22.Re1 h5 23.Nh2 Nxd3 24.Qxd3 Qf6 gives Black a comfortable edge in space. (Carlsen-Adly, Op, Reykjavik, 2006).
• 16...Qe7 17.0-0 Rad8 18.Bh5 Kh8 19.Re1 d5 20.a4 Nc4 21.Nxc4 dxc4 22.Qg4 Qb4 23.Qxe6 leaves the space count even (Kasimdzhanov-Anand, World Ch, San Luis, 2005).
• 12...Nbd7 13.Nd5 Nb6 14.c3 Nxd5 15.Qxd5 Qb6 16.0-0-0 Rc8 17.Qb3 Qc6 18.f3 b5 19.Bxe5 Bxe5 20.Bd3 0-0 21.h4 b4 22.Qxb4 Rb8 23.Qa3 Rfc8 gives Black a small edge in space and the initiative (T. Kosintseva-Korbut, Russian Ch, 2007).
• 11.f3 Nbc6 12.Bf2 Be6 13.Qd2 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 Qa5 15.a3 Rg8 16.h4 Rc8 17.hxg5 hxg5 18.0-0-0 Nc4 19.Bxc4 Bxd4 20.Qxd4 Rxc4 21.Qa7 Qc7 22.Kb1 Rc5 23.Nd5 Bxd5 24.exd5 Kf8 25.Rd2 Kg7 26.b4 b5 27.Qxa6 Rc3 draw agreed (Kasparov-J. Polgar, IT, Linares, 2001).
• 10.Be2 h5 11.Bxg4 Bxg4 12.f3 Bd7 13.Bf2 Nc6 14.Qd2 Ne5 15.b3 Qa5 16.Nd5 Qxd2+ 17.Kxd2 Rd8 18.c3 e6 19.Nb6 Kf8 gives Black a small edge in space (Abergel-Jobava, World Ch U18, Oropesa del Mar, 2000).

7.Nb3 Be7 8.f3 Be6 9.Qd2 h5

• If 9...0-0 10.0-0-0 Qc7 11.g4 Rc8 12.g5 Nh5 13.Kb1 Nd7 then:
• If 14.f4 exf4 15.Bxf4 Nxf4 16.Qxf4 Ne5 then:
• 17.h4 Qb6 18.Nd5 Bxd5 19.Rxd5 gives White the advantage in space (Grischuk-Sjugirov, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2009).
• 17.Nd4 Re8 18.h4 Rac8 19.h5 Nc4 20.Bxc4 Bxc4 21.Nf5 gives White the advantage in space (Pavel-Nguyen Huynh Minh Huy, 1st Saturday, Budapest, 2006.02).
• If 14.Nd5 Bxd5 15.exd5 then:
• If 15...Nb6 16.Rg1 a5 17.a3 a4 18.Nc5 Nf4 19.Bxf4 Qxc5 20.Be3 Nc4 21.Bxc4 Qxc4 22.Rg4 Qa6 23.Qd3 b5 then:
• 24.Re4 f5 25.gxf6 Bxf6 26.Rg1 gives White the advantage in space (Erdogdu-Kadziolka, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).
• 24.Rdg1 Rc4 25.c3 g6 26.h4 Rac8 27.h5 gives White the advantage in space (Stojanovski-Kempinski, Euro Club Cup, Izmir, 2004).
• If 15...a5 16.Bh3 a4 17.Nc1 then:
• 17...a3 18.b3 Nf4 19.Bxf4 exf4 20.Bxd7 Qxd7 21.h4 Bf8 22.Ne2 Qf5 23.Rhe1 Rc7 24.Qc1 Rcc8 25.Qd2 Rc7 26.Qc1 Rcc8 27.Qd2 draw (Adams-Vallejo, Ol, Bled, 2002).
• 17...Nf4 18.Bxf4 exf4 19.Bxd7 Qxd7 20.h4 Rc4 21.Ne2 Rac8 22.Nd4 R8c5 23.Qxf4 Rxd5 24.Qe4 Re5 is equal (Lahno-Demina, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2006).
• If 9...Nbd7 10.0-0-0 b5 11.g4 then:
• If 11...b4 12.Nd5 Bxd5 13.exd5 Nb6 then:
• If 14.Na5 then:
• If 14...Nbxd5 then:
• If 15.Nc6 Qc7 16.Nxb4 Nxb4 17.Qxb4 0-0 then:
• 18.Qb6 Qc8 19.g5 Nd7 20.Qa5 Nc5 21.Bc4 is equal (Inarkiev-Sjugirov, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).
• 18.g5 Rfc8 19.Qa4 Rab8 20.Bd3 Nd7 21.Qe4 g6 22.Bxa6 Rb4 gives Black the initiative (Svidler-Karjakin, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2007).
• 15.Nc4 h6 16.h4 Nxe3 17.Nxe3 d5 18.Nxd5 Nxd5 19.Qxd5 Qxd5 20.Rxd5 Bf6 21.Ra5 Ke7 22.Rxa6 Rxa6 23.Bxa6 gives White an extra pawn (Domínguez-Predojevic, IT, Sarajevo, 2008).
• 14...Nfxd5 15.Nc6 Qc7 16.Nxb4 Nxb4 17.Qxb4 Rc8 18.Bd3 Nc4 19.Qa4+ Qc6 20.Qxc6+ Rxc6 is equal (Karjakin-Ponomariov, Izmailov Mem, Tomsk, 2006).
• 14.Qxb4 Nfxd5 15.Bxb6 Nxb6 16.f4 0-0 17.fxe5 a5 18.Qe1 a4 19.Nd4 Bh4 20.Qe2 Qg5+ 21.Kb1 Qxe5 22.Nf3 Qf6 is equal (Morozevich-Anand, World Rapid Ch, Mainz, 2008).
• If 11...0-0 12.g5 b4 13.Ne2 Ne8 then:
• If 14.f4 a5 15.f5 a4 then:
• 16.Nbd4 exd4 17.Nxd4 b3 18.Kb1 bxc2+ 19.Nxc2 Bb3 20.axb3 axb3 21.Na3 Ne5 22.h4 Ra4 23.Qc3 Qa8 24.Rd4 Rxd4 25.Qxd4 Nc7 26.Rh3 Rb8 is equal (Svidler-van Wely, IT, Foros, 2008).
• 16.fxe6 axb3 17.exf7+ Rxf7 18.Kb1 bxc2+ 19.Kxc2 Nb6 20.Nc1 d5 21.exd5 Nd6 22.Kb1 Nbc4 23.Bxc4 Nxc4 24.Qe2 Nxe3 25.g6 hxg6 26.Qxe3 Bd6 27.Rhg1 Qf6 28.Qe4 Qf5 29.Rde1 Ra5 30.Rxg6 Qxe4+ 31.Rxe4 Rxd5 32.Kc2 Rc7+ White resigns (Wang Hao-Zhou Jianchao, Chinese Ch, Wuxi, 2006).
• 14.Ng3 a5 15.Kb1 a4 16.Nc1 b3 17.cxb3 axb3 18.a3 Qb8 19.h4 Nc7 20.f4 exf4 21.Bxf4 Qb7 is equal (Nimtz-Soltau, Corres, 2003).

10.0-0-0 Nbd7 11.Kb1 Rc8 12.Be2

• If 12.Nd5 then:
• If 12...Nxd5 13.exd5 Bf5 14.Bd3 Bxd3 15.Qxd3 Bg5 16.Bf2 0-0 17.h4 then:
• 17...e4 18.Qxe4 Bf6 19.Bd4 Ne5 20.g4 gives White an extra pawn and the advantage in space (Nakamura-Laxman, ICC Dos Hermanas, Cyberspace, 2006).
• 17...Bh6 18.g4 Bf4 19.gxh5 Nf6 20.Qf5 Qd7 21.Nd4 Rcd8 22.c4 Rfe8 23.Rhe1 gives White an extra pawn and the advantage in space (Ye Jiangchuan-Sadvakasov, Ol, Istanbul, 2000).
• 12...Bxd5 13.exd5 Nb6 14.Bxb6 Qxb6 15.g3 0-0 16.Bh3 Ra8 17.Rhe1 a5 18.a4 Qc7 19.Bf1 (Shirov-Svidler, IT, Linares, 1988).
• If 12.Bd3 b5 13.h3 h4 14.f4 Qc7 15.Rhe1 Bc4 then:
• If 16.Qf2 b4 17.Nd5 Nxd5 18.exd5 Bxd3 19.Rxd3 0-0 then:
• 20.Rc1 a5 21.c4 a4 22.Nd2 f5 23.g4 hxg3 24.Qxg3 e4 25.Rd4 Nc5 gives Black the advantage in space (Mastrovasilis-Efimenko, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• 20.fxe5 dxe5 21.d6 Bxd6 22.Red1 Nc5 23.Bxc5 Bxc5 24.Qxh4 is equal (Erdogdu-Areshchenko, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• 16.Bf2 Rh5 17.a3 Kf8 18.f5 Kg8 19.Be2 Rh8 is equal (Czarnpta-Areshchenko, Op, Cappelle la Grande, 2004).
]/ul]
12...b5


• 12...Qc7 13.g4 hxg4 14.fxg4 Nxg4 15.Bxg4 Bxg4 16.Nd5 Qc4 gives Black the advantage in space and more activity (J. M. Nielsen-DeFirmian, Politiken Cup, Helsingør, 2007).

13.Nd5 Bxd5 14.exd5 Nb6 15.Bxb6 Qxb6 16.Qd3!?


• 16.Bd3 0-0 17.g4!? Nxd5! 18.gxh5 Nf4 19.Rhg1 d5 gives Black the advantage in space and better pawn structure (Nokes-Iturrizaga, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• 17.Rhe1 Rfe8 18.f4 Nxd5 19.fxe5 dxe5 is equal.

16...Nd7

• The game is equal.

BLACK: Ehsan Ghaem Maghami
!""""""""#
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Marat Dzhumaev
Position after 16...Nf6d7

17.f4!?

• Black tries a pawn sacrifice hoping to punish for leaving his King too long in the center.
• 17.Rhf1 Bg5 18.g3 Qe3 19.h4 Qxd3 20.Bxd3 is equal.

17...exf4 18.Nd4 Bf6 19.Qe4+ Be5!

• The pawn sacrifice comes to nothing.

20.g3!?

• If 20.Rhe1 then after 20...Qc7 21.Bf3 Qc4 22.c3 Rc7 23.Qc2 b4 Black still has the sacrificed pawn.

20...Nf6!

• Black takes the initiative.

21.Qf5 Qc7 22.gxf4 g6!

• Black makes it clear that the return of the sacrificed pawn was temporary.

23.Qd3 Bxf4 24.Rhf1 Be5

• Black is struggling to find a way to make his pawn count. He really has nothing other to crow about than having one more pawn than his opponent. Otherwise, his pawn are backward (especially the f-pawn) or isolated (the d-pawn).

25.Nc6 Nd7 26.Qf3 0-0!?

• Black castles into a storm. His King is actually safer in center.
• 26...Rf8 27.Bd3 Bg7 28.Rde1+ Ne5 29.Re3 remains equal.

BLACK: Ehsan Ghaem Maghami
!""""""""#
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Marat Dzhumaev
Position after 26...0-0

27.Bd3!?

• Black fails to punish White for such an inaccuracy.
• If 27.Ne7+! Kg7 28.Nxc8 Qxc8 then:
• 29.c3 Qc5 30.Rf2 Nf6 31.h3 h4 32.Rg2 gives White a material advantage and pressure on the kingside.
• If 29.h3!? Qc5! 30.Rfe1 Nb6 31.Rd2 Na4 then:
• If 32.c3 Nxc3+! 33.bxc3 Bxc3 then:
• 34.Red1 Bxd2 35.Rxd2 Rc8 36.Rd1 Qb4+ gives Black's heavy pieces access to the open King.
• If 34.Rdd1?? then Black wins after 34...Qb4+! 35.Kc2 Rc8 36.Bxb5 Bxe1+.
• If 32.Qb3? then 32...Nxb2! weakens the White's King's defenses so that White's game crumbles after 33.Bxh5 Nc4 34.Rd3 gxh5 35.Rc1 Rc8.

27...Rce8

• The game is once again equal.

28.Rg1!?

• If 28.Bf5! then:
• 28...Nf6 29.Bh3 Nh7 30.Rg1 Kh8 is equal.
• If 28...gxf5?? then after 29.Rg1+! Bg7 30.Qg3 White delivers mate on the next move.

28...Bg7! 29.Qg2

• White tries to launch a counterattack on Black's kingside.
• The more passive 29.c3 Ne5 30.Nxe5 Rxe5 31.Rge1 Rfe8 is no better.

29...Ne5 30.Be4?

• The text fatally loosens White's defense of the kingside.
• After 30.Nxe5 Rxe5 31.Rde1 Qc5 32.Rxe5 dxe5 White still has some potential counterplay, but his hopes are fading fast.

BLACK: Ehsan Ghaem Maghami
!""""""""#
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Marat Dzhumaev
Position after 30.Bd3e4

30...Nc4!

• The Knight jumps right on to the square that White's last move left undefended.

31.Rd3

• If 31.Rde1 then:
• 31...Nxb2! then after 32.Bxg6 fxg6 33.Rxe8 Rxe8 34.Qxg6 Qf7 Black has won a whole piece.
• If 31...Bxb2? then White wins after 32.Bxg6!! Rxe1+ 33.Rxe1 fxg6 34.Ne7+.

31...Qb6 32.Bxg6

• As a matter of fact, there is nothing better for White.
• 32.Bf5 Ne3 33.Rxe3 Qxe3 34.c3 Qe2 leaves Black with a material advantage equivalent to a minor piece.

32...fxg6

• Black as an extra piece.

33.Qxg6 Rf7 34.Nd4

• If 34.Rgd1 then after 34...Qf2 35.Rg3 Nxb2 36.Rd4 Nc4 it's time to turn out the lights.

34...Ne5 35.Qe4 Ree7 36.Rdg3 Ng4 37.Ne6 Qf2

• Also good is 37...Nxh2 38.Qg6 h4 39.R3g2 Qe3 40.Qh5 Qf3.

38.a3 Qf6 39.c3 Qe5 40.Qg6 Qxd5 41.Ng5 Qf5+ 0-1

• White will not regain the lost piece.
• Dzhumaev resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Tania - Debayan, Round 4

Tania Sachdev
Photo: Tribune India


Tania Sachdev - Majumdar Debayan
Eighth Parsvnath International Open, Round 4
New Delhi, 16 January 2010

Queen's Gambit: Albin Counter Gambit

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5

• This is the Albin Counter Gambit, named for a German master, Adolf Albin, who had the chutzpah to play it against the soon-to-be world champion, Emanuel Lasker, in 1893.
• Like most opening gambits, especially those played by Black, this one is unsound. For analysis of this opening other than my own, I invite the reader to let British IM Andrew Martin walk him through a couple of games.

3.dxe5 d4 4.Nf3

• 4.e3!? White walks into the Lasker Trap: if now 4...Bb4+ 5.Bd2 dxe3 then:
• If 6.Bxb4?? then after 6...exf2+!! 7.Ke2 fxg1N+! Black has won a piece, for 8.Rxg1 drops the Queen to 8...Bg4+!.
• 6.fxe3 Qh4+ 7.g3 Qe4 8.Qf3 is equal.

4...Nc6 5.a3

• If 5.g3 then:
• If 5...Bg4 6.Bg2 Qd7 7.0-0 0-0-0 8.Nbd2 h5 9.b4 Bxb4 10.Qa4 h4 11.Rb1 hxg3 12.Rxb4 Nxb4 13.Qxb4 then:
• If 13...Bh3! then:
• 14.e6!? Qxe6 15.fxg3 Bxg2 16.Kxg2 Nf6 17.Re1 Ng4 gives Black the advantage in space and a more active game (Vladimirov-Wolfson, TRUD Ch, Agler, 1969).
• 14.fxg3! Bxg2 15.Kxg2 Qh3+ 16.Kg1 gives White two minor pieces for a Rook.
• 13...gxh2+!? 14.Nxh2 is equal (Nagley-Bilsel, Cyberspace, 2003).
• If 5...Bf5 6.Bg2 Qd7 7.0-0 0-0-0 8.a3 Bh3 9.Nbd2 then:
• 9...h5 10.e6 Bxe6 11.h4 Bh3 12.Ng5 Bxg2 13.Kxg2 f6 gives Black the advantage in space (Tamborino-Mione, Italian ChOnline, Cyberspace, 2000).
• 9...Bxg2 10.Kxg2 h5 11.h4 Nge7 12.b4 Ng6 is equal (Tsiganova-Guilbert, Op, Cappelle la Grande, 1993).
• If 5...Nge7 6.Bg2 Ng6 then:
• 7.Bg5 Qd7 8.e6 fxe6 9.0-0 e5 10.Bc1 Be7 11.Nbd2 Qf5 12.Ne1 Qh5 gives Black the advantage in space (Krivoshey-Kulicov, Op, Dubai, 2006).
• 7.0-0 Ngxe5 8.Nxe5 Nxe5 9.b3 Bc5 10.Bb2 0-0 11.Nd2 a5 12.a3 Bg4 13.h3 Bh5 14.Nf3 Nc6 is equal (Pedersen-Catalino, Mindsports Rpd, Beijing, 2008).

5...a5

• If 5...Bg4 6.Nbd2 Qe7 7.h3 then:
• 7...Bh5 8.Qa4 0-0-0 9.b4 Kb8 10.Bb2 f6 11.exf6 gxf6 12.0-0-0 Bh6 13.g4 gives White an extra pawn and more spce; Black is better developed (B. Furman-Pokorna, Op, Pardubice, 2005).
• 7...Bxf3 8.Nxf3 0-0-0 9.Qd3 h6 10.g3 g6 11.Bg2 Bg7 12.0-0 Nxe5 13.Nxe5 Bxe5 14.b4 gives White the advantage in space (Chvojka-Cervenka, Corres, 1994).

6.e3 Bc5 7.exd4 Nxd4

• 7...Bxd4 8.Be2 Nge7 9.0-0 0-0 10.Nxd4 Qxd4 11.Qxd4 Nxd4 12.Bd1 Be6 13.Bg5 is equal (Jorgensen-Elsayed Hassan, Politiken Cup, Copenhagen, 2001).

8.Be3!?

• 8.Be2 Bf5 9.Nxd4 Qxd4 10.Qxd4 Bxd4 11.f4 f6 12.Nd2 fxe5 13.Nf3 Ne7 14.Nxd4 exd4 15.Bf3 0-0-0 is equal (Bacrot-Mellado, IT, Enghien les Bains, 1995).
• 8.Nc3 Bg4 9.Be2 Nxf3+ 10.Bxf3 Qxd1+ 11.Bxd1 Bxd1 12.Nxd1 Bd4 13.f4 f6 14.Be3 0-0-0 15.e6 f5 16.0-0 Nf6 gives White an extra pawn, which is passed and advanced (Franco-Miladinovic, Op, Saint Vincent, 1988).

BLACK: Tania Sachdev
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Majumdar Debayan
Position after 8.Bc1e3

8...Bg4

• The players close the book with White still holding the gambit pawn.

9.Be2 Nxf3+

• If 9...Nxe2 10.Qxe2 Bxe3 11.Qxe3 Bxf3 12.Qxf3 then:
• 12...Qd4 13.Qxb7 Qxe5+ 14.Kf1 Rd8 15.Nc3 White still holds the gambit pawn; Black has nothing to show for the material deficit.
• 12...Qg5 13.0-0 c6 14.Qb3 Rb8 15.f4 gives White more space and the initiative in addition to the gambit pawn.

10.gxf3 Qxd1+

• Not as bad for Black is 10...Bxe3 11.Qxd8+ Rxd8 12.fxe3 Be6 13.Nc3 Ne7 14.Nb5, but all his has in compensation for the pawn is better pawn structure, which is cold comfort fot the c-pawn under attack.

11.Bxd1 Bxe3 12.fxe3 Be6 13.Be2

• If 13.Nd2 Ne7 14.Bc2 Rd8 15.Rd1 then:
• 15...Nc6 16.Ba4 Bd7 17.Bxc6 Bxc6 18.Rg1 0-0 19.Ke2 leaves White with more space and more pawns.
• 15...Ng6 16.f4 Bg4 17.Rc1 Ne7 18.h3 Bd7 19.Rd1 gives Black little more to do but wait to be crushed.

13...0-0-0 14.Nc3 Ne7 15.Ne4

• The text move is a waste of time, but White's position is so much stronger that this is of little matter.
• Better is 15.Rg1 Rhg8 16.b3 Ng6 17.f4 when White is a pawn to the good, has an advantage in space and more piece activity in compensation for her poor pawn structure.

15...Bf5 16.Nc3 h5 17.f4 g6

• If 17...Be6! then:
• 18.Rg1 Nf5 19.Kf2 Rd2 finally gives Black some initiative.
• 18.b4 Ng6 19.bxa5 Bg4 20.Rg1 Ne7 21.Rb1 gives White two extra pawns and active Rooks on open files.

18.b4

• If 18.e4 Be6 19.Nd5 then:
• 19...Nc6 20.0-0-0 a4 21.Rd2 gives White an extra pawn and an imposing center.
• If 19...Nxd5? then:
• 20.cxd5! Bg4 21.Rc1 Rhe8 22.Rg1 White still has an extra pawn and a central pawn mass that is like granite against Black's Rooks.
• 20.exd5! Bg4 21.Rg1 b5 22.b3 Rd7 23.Ra2 White retains the extra pawn with worlds more activity.

18...Bd3 19.h4 Kb8 20.Bxd3?

• This move is awful. White must be napping It nearly costs her the game.
• 20.bxa5 Kc8 21.Rd1 Bxe2 22.Kxe2 leaves White up by two pawns.

20...Rxd3!

• The Rook is very intrusive.

21.Ke2?

• This makes matters worse.
• 21.Nd1 Rhd8 22.bxa5 Nf5 23.Rh3 is equal.

21...Rhd8?

• Black misses the obvious rejoinder.
• 21...Rxc3! 22.Rhc1 Rxc1 23.Rxc1 Nf5 leaves Black up a piece.

22.Rad1!

• White is awake again and can procede as if nothing went wrong.
• Even better is 22.Nd5!! when:
• 22...R3xd5 23.cxd5 Nxd5 24.bxa5 Kc8 25.Rac1 wins for Black.
• 22...Nxd5?? loses immediately to 23.Kxd3!.

22...Rxd1 23.Rxd1 Rxd1 24.Kxd1 axb4 25.axb4 Kc8?

• Black now loses quickly.
• 25...Nf5 26.Ke2 Nxh4 27.Ne4 Nf5 28.Ng5 Nh6 29.e4 leaves White in command, but Black can still throw obstacles in her path.

BLACK: Tania Sachdev
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Majumdar Debayan
Position after 25...Kb8c8

26.Kd2!

• Also good is 26.Ne4 Nf5 27.Ke2 Kd7 28.Ng5 Nh6 29.e4.

26...Kd7 27.Kd3 b6 28.e4 c5

• If 28...c6 then after 29.b5 c5 30.Nd5 Nc8 31.f5 and White rolls forward.

29.b5 Ke6 30.Nd1 Ng8 31.Ne3 1-0

• if 31...f6 then after 32.exf6 Nxf6 33.Nd5 Nd7 34.e5 Kf5 35.Ke3 Black must give way.
• Debayan Shahib resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

13. Chess on The Rock: Eighth Gibraltar Chess Festival Begins Tomorrow (Tuesday)

The eighth annual Gibraltar International Chess Festival, sponsored by Gibtelecom, the local telecommunications comapany and featuring a strong open masters' tournament, begins tomorrow, Tuesday, January 26 at the Caleta Hotel on The Rock.

The top seeded players in the event are French granmaster Etienne Bacrot, Sergei Movsesian of Slovakia and Spain's Paco Vallejo. As usual, the rich prizes presented for achievements by women in the event have attacted such ladies as Swedish GM Pia Cramling, long a regular at Gibraltar, GMs Koneru Humpy of India and Nana Dzagnidze of Georgia (who won the women's prize last year), reigning world women's champion Alexandra Kosteniuk of Russia and former world women's champion Antoeneta Stefanova of Bulgaria.

The games begin at 3 pm local time (6 am PST) and will be covered through Monroi on the Official Tournament Website.



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