The JR Chess Chess Report (May 16): Gelfand and Grischuk to meet in Candidates' Final

[Jack Rabbit]

This week's report is a little late so that we can bring you the results of today's candidates' semifinal playoffs. The fact that we were a little slow getting the games ready may have had something to do with it, too.

The JR Chess Report theme music: Merrick, The Look Sharp, Be Sharp March (Arthur Fiedler, Boston Pops Orchestra)

Grischuk, Gelfand advance to Candidates' Finals

Luigi Versaggi, Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

Israeli grandmaster Boris Gelfand and former Russian national champion Alexander Grischuk will Final Candidates' Match beginning Thursday in Kazan, the capital of the Russian Republic of Tartarstan.

The pair advanced to the final earlier today by winning rapid and blitz playoffs to conclude the Semifinal matches. Gelfand defended reigning US national champion Gata Kamsky while Grischuk took down former world champion Vladimir Kramnik in a battle between two of the world's premiere speed chess players.

The winner of the six-game Final Match will earn the right to challenge reigning world champion Vishy Anand of India for the world title. That match is to be played later this year; given FIDE's track record of getting things organized, the title match will more likely take place about a year from now.

The final match can run through Thursday, May 26 with any necessary tiebreaks. Games are broadcast live on the FIDE website beginning at 3 pm local time (4 am PDT).

Editorial note: Grischuk is a particularly outspoken man, never to shrink at telling any one what he thinks. He ones told FIDE vice president Zurab Azmaiparashvili that many FIDE regulations were "bullshit." Gelfand, a much more restrained and polite man, once threatened FIDE with legal action after a mysterious delay in candidates' matches in 2007 after altering his schedule to train for the event.

The prospect of either one of these two men being the world chess champion should make the heads FIDE's most senior and incompetant officials explode.


Cmilyte leads European Women's Championship in Tbilisi

Painting by Mikhail Lermontov (1837) from Wikipedia (Public Domain)

Lithuanian grandmaster Viktorija Cmilyte (SHMIL tah) leads the European Women's Championship in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi with 7½ points in nine rounds.

Ms. Cmilyte won her first five games in a row before being defeated by former world women's champion Antoanetta Stefanova in Round 6. Today, Ms. Cmilyte defeated the defending European champion, Swedish grandmaster Pia Cramling.

Ms. Stefanova, Ukrainian GM Katya Lahno and grandmaster Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant of Scotland by way of Georgia are tied for second place with seven points.

Ms. Cmilyte will have Black tomorrow against Ms. Arakhamia-Grant in the tenth round. The game will be broadcast live at the official tournament website beginning at 3 pm local time (4 am PDT).


Trio leads Capablanca Memorial in Havana

Gildemax, Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

Grandmaster Dmitry Andreikin of Russia, two-time Aeroflot Open champion Le Quang Liem of Vietnam and Czech grandmaster David Navara are tied for first place with 3 points each in five rounds in the 46th Capablanca Memorial Tournament which started last Wednesday in Havana, Cuba.

Crowd favorite Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine is in fourth place with two and a half points, with the two Cuban GMs in the event, Leinier Domínguez and Lázaro Bruzón, bringing up the rear with 2 and 1½ points respectively.

Today is a rest day before the double round robin tournament begins its second half tomorrow. The games start at 3 pm Havana time (noon PDT) and can be viewed on ChessBomb.com.


COMING ATTRACTIONS

Biel Chess Festival 18-29 July.
Sparkassen Chess Meeting, Dortmund 21-31 July.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. This week's games

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

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

Diagrams and other images are hosted on imgur.com.

BLACK



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


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

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Candidates' Matches, Kazan

Kazan
Photo by Luigi Versaggi in Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Mamedyarov - Gelfand, Quarterfinal Match, Round 3

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


Shakhriyar Mamedyarov - Boris Gelfand
Candidates' Quarterfinal Match, Round 3
Kazan, 7 May 2011

Open Sicilian Game: Najdorf-Scheveningen Defense (Italian Opening)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Bb3 b5 8.0-0 Be7

• For a better look at this opening, see Phillippe-Hracek, IT 0910, Hastings, 2010. In that game, Ng1f3 was not played until White's ninth move, but that will make little difference for most of the variations presented in that game.

9.Qf3

• If 9.f4 0-0 10.Be3 b4 11.Na4 then:
• 11...Nxe4 12.f5 d5 13.fxe6 fxe6 14.Rxf8+ Bxf8 15.Nf3 Nc6 draw (Bellin-Cox, Jr Tmnt, Norwich, 1972).
• 11...Bb7 12.e5 dxe5 13.Nxe6 fxe6 14.Bxe6+ Kh8 15.Qxd8 Rxd8 16.fxe5 Ng8 is equal (Kobese-K. Georgiev, Op, Gibraltar, 2006).

9...Qc7 10.Qg3 0-0

• If 10...Nc6 11.Nxc6 Qxc6 12.Re1 then:
• If 12...Bb7 13.a3 Rd8 14.f3 0-0 15.Bh6 Ne8 16.Rad1 then:
• 16...Kh8 17.Bg5 Bxg5 18.Qxg5 Nf6 19.Kh1 Rd7 gives White the advantage in space and an active Queen (Short-Kasparov, World Ch M, London, 1993).
• If 16...Bf6 17.Bg5 Bxg5 18.Qxg5 Nf6 19.Rd3 then:
• 19...Nd7 20.Rd4 Qb6 21.Qe3 a5 22.Red1 Nc5 23.R4d2 Rd7 24.Ne2 Rc8 draw (de Blasio-Nickel, Corres, 2002).
• 19...Qc5+ 20.Qe3 Bc6 21.Qf2 Rd7 22.Red1 Qxf2+ 23.Kxf2 gives White the advantage in space and the initiative against the d-pawn (Zapata-Mecking, IT, San Jose do Rio Preto, 1995).
• If 12...0-0 13.Bh6 Ne8 14.Nd5 Bd8 15.Re3 then:
• 15...Kh8 16.Bg5 f6 17.Rf3 Bb7 18.Nf4 is equal (Christiansen-Trammel, US Op, 1990).
• 15...Qb7 16.Nf4 Kh8 17.Bg5 Bb6 18.Rf3 Qxe4 19.Kf1 e5 is equal (de Firmian-Browne, US Ch, Long Beach, 1989).

11.Bh6 Ne8 12.Rad1 Bd7 13.f4

• If 13.Nf3 Nc6 14.Bf4 then:
• 14...Qb7 15.Rfe1 b4 16.Ne2 e5 17.Bg5 Be6 18.Nh4 Na5 19.Bd5 Bxd5 20.Bxe7 Bxe4 21.Bxf8 Kxf8 22.Rc1 gives White a small material advantage (Lanc-Tieman, Cyberspace, 2001).
• 14...Rd8 15.e5 dxe5 16.Nxe5 Bd6 17.Rxd6 Nxd6 18.Nxc6 Bxc6 gives White enough activity to compensate for the exchange (Istratescu-Wojtkiewicz, ZT, Odorheiu, 1995).

13...Nc6 14.f5

• If 14.Nxc6 Bxc6 15.f5 Kh8 then:
• If 16.f6 Bxf6 17.Rxf6 then:
• If 17...b4 18.Ne2 gxh6 then:
• 19.Qf4!? Bxe4 20.Rxe6 Bxc2 21.Rf1 Bxb3 22.axb3 a5 gives Black two extra pawns and White active pieces (De Blasio-João, Cyberspace, 2002).
• 19.Rf4 e5 20.Rh4 h5 21.Qf2 Qe7 remains equal.
• 17...Rg8 18.Rf2 gxh6 19.Qf4 Rg7 20.Ne2 Qb6 21.Ng3 Rg6 22.Rdf1 Ra7 is equal (de Blasio-Kvetoslav, Cyberspace, 2002).
• 16.Be3 b4 17.Na4 Rb8 18.fxe6 fxe6 19.Rxf8+ Bxf8 20.Rf1 gives White a significant advantage in space (A. Sokolov-Gelfand, GMT, Odessa, 1989).

14...Nxd4 15.Rxd4 Kh8 (N)

• 15...Bf6 16.Rd3 Be5 17.Qg4 b4 18.f6 g6 19.Ne2 a5 20.Bxf8 Kxf8 gives White the customary Sicilian advantage in space while Black's center pawn in reserve are ready to fight for White's weakend center (Morozevich-Kasparov, IT, Astana, 2001).

16.Be3

• White has the advantage in space.

16...Nf6

• 16...Bf6 17.fxe6 Bxe6 18.Rd3 Be5 19.Qh4 gives White a small advantage in space.

17.Qh3 d5 18.e5!?

• The pawn sacrifice is extremely speculative.
• Better is 18.exd5 exf5 19.Rd3 Bd6 20.Bd4 Ng4 21.g3 f4 with equality.

BLACK: Boris Gelfand



WHITE: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
Position after 18.e4e5

18...Qxe5!

• Black has an extra pawn for which White has little compensation in sight.

19.Rh4 Rfc8!?

• Black uses the wrong Rook.
• If 19...Rac8 20.g4 Qxe3+!! then:
• If 21.Qxe3 Bc5 22.Qxc5 Rxc5 then:
• 23.g5 Ng8 24.a4 bxa4 25.Nxa4 Bxa4! 26.Bxa4 e5 gives Black an extra pawn and a passed pawn.
• 23.fxe6 Bxe6 24.g5 d4 25.gxf6 Rg5+ 26.Kh1 dxc3 maintains Black's extra pawn.
• If 21.Rf2? then Black wins after 21...Qxh3 22.Rxh3 Bc5!.

20.Kh1?!

• White could have equalized, but misses the best continuation.
• If 20.Bg5 h6 then:
• If 21.Rxh6+ gxh6 22.Qxh6+ Kg8 then:
• 23.fxe6 Bxe6 24.Bxf6 Bxf6 25.Rxf6 b4 is equal as White's kingside attack compensates for the pawn.
• 23.Bxf6? Qxf6! 24.Qxf6 Bxf6 25.fxe6 Bd4+ 26.Kh1 fxe6 gives Black a material advantage, a better center and the Bishop pair; Black has nothing.
• 21.fxe6 Bxe6 22.Rxh6+ gxh6 23.Qxh6+ Kg8 24.Bxf6 transposes.

20...Rxc3!!

• Black responds with the Sicilian exchange sacrifice on c3 that has served so many so well.

21.bxc3 Qxc3 22.Rd4

• White's pawn sacrifice has been completely refuted.
• 22.Bd4 Qxh3 23.Rxh3 Rc8 24.c3 Ne4 25.fxe6 Bxe6 gives Black a clear advantage with the threat of a Knight fork on d2, command of open lines and the initiative.

22...a5!

• White Bishop must find an escape route.

23.Rd3

• Black might survive longer after 23.a4 bxa4 24.Bxa4 Bxa4 25.Rxa4 Bb4 when:
• 26.fxe6 fxe6 27.Qf3 Rc8 28.Ra2 d4 leaves White with two passed pawns.
• 26.Ra2 e5 27.Qf3 Qc4 28.Rb2 a4 leaves White with two passed pawns.

23...Qc6 24.c3 a4 25.Bc2

• If 25.Bd1 then Black wins after 25...Qc4 26.Bd4 exf5 27.Qe3 Ne4 28.Bh5 Kg8.

25...e5!

• Black has a passed pawn.

26.Bg5 b4!?

• Black should win faster after 26...Qc4 27.Bb1 e4 then:
• 28.Rdd1 Re8 29.Rfe1 Qc6 30.g4 e3 31.Qg2 Bc5 the threat of the e-pawn looms over White's crumbling position.
• If 28.Bxf6? then Black wins after 28...Bxf6 29.Rdd1 Re8! 30.Qh5 Kg8 31.Rc1 Re5.

27.Qh4?

• Rather than taking advantage of Black error, White gives up the ghost.
• 27.Bxf6! Bxf6 28.Rfd1! d4 29.cxd4 exd4 30.R3d2 Re8 leaves Black better still, but White has renewed drawing chances.

BLACK: Boris Gelfand



WHITE: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
Position after 27.Qh3h4

27...bxc3!

• Black has a trio of connected passed pawns in the center.

28.Rh3 Kg8 29.Re1

• A more stubborn defense is 29.Rd1 Rd8 30.Bxf6 Bxf6 31.Qxh7+ Kf8 32.Qh5 Qc4, but the outcome is the same.

29...e4 30.g4 Kf8 31.Be3 Qc4 32.g5

• 32.Rg3 Kg8 33.Rg2 Bd6 34.g5 Ne8 35.f6 g6 gives Black the material advantage and a strong initiative.

BLACK: Boris Gelfand



WHITE: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
Position after 32.g4g5

32...Bxf5!!

• Black sacrifices a Knight to gain a double attack.

33.gxf6 Bxf6 34.Qh5

• If 34.Qg3 d4 35.Bc1 d3 then:
• If 36.Rh5 then after 36...Be6! 37.Rxh7 Kg8 38.Rh6 Bd4 39.Rh4 d2! it will cost Black material to stop the pawn.
• 36.Rh6 Bg6 37.Rh3 dxc2 38.a3 Rd8 39.Qf4 Qb5 gives Black a material advantage equivalent to a whole minor piece.

34...Bg6 35.Qg4 Qxa2 36.Bb1

• If 36.Qd1 then after 36...Qc4 37.Bc1 a3 38.Bb3 Qc5 39.Ba2 d4 the pawns will roll over White's defenders.

36...Qc4 37.Qg2 a3 38.Ba2 Qc6 39.Rg3 Rb8 0-1

• White cannot prevent the Rook from landing on b2.
• Grandmaster Mamedyarov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. European Women's Championship, Tbilisi

Tbilisi
Painting by Mikhail Lermontov (1837) from Wikipedia (Public Domain)

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Cmilyte - N. Kostintseva, Round 4

Viktorija Cmilyte
Photo by Stefan64 in Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)


Viktorija Cmilyte - Nadezhda Kosintseva
European Women's Championship, Round 4
Tbilisi, 10 May 2011

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

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 0-0 5.e4

• This is rarely played. For more common variations, see Malakhov-Ponomariov, World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2009.

5...d5

• If 5...d6 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 e5 8.Bd3 then:
• 8...c5 9.Ne2 Nc6 10.d5 Ne7 11.f3 Ng6 12.h4 Nh5 13.g3 b5?! 14.cxb5 gives White an extra pawn and the Bishop pair; Black has more space, but not nearly enough to compensate (Ivanisevic-Nisipeanu, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• If 8...Nc6 9.Ne2 b6 10.0-0 Ba6 11.f4 Nd7 then:
• 12.Rf3 Na5 13.c5 Bxd3 14.Rxd3 bxc5 15.dxe5 c4 16.Rd5 Nb3 is equal (I. Sokolov-Bologan, IT, Sarajevo, 2004).
• 12.Be3 Na5 13.c5 Bxd3 14.Qxd3 exd4 15.cxd4 dxc5 16.d5 f6 is equal (Feingold-Hess, US Ch, St. Louis, 2010).

6.e5 Ne4 7.Bd3

• If 7.a3 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 c5 then:
• If 9.Bd3 then:
• If 9...cxd4 10.cxd4 Qa5+ 11.Kf1 then:
• 11...Nc6 12.Ne2 f5 13.f3 Nb4 14.axb4 Qxa1 15.Qb1 gives White a small advantage (Vera-Kallio, Capablanca Mem, Havana, 2005).
• If 11...Bd7 12.Ne2 f5 then:
• 13.exf6 Rxf6 14.Bxe4 dxe4 15.Be3 Bc6 16.Ng3 gives White a slight advantage in the center (Karpov-Stefansson, Rpd, Reykjavik, 2004).
• 13.Rb1 Na6 14.Rxb7 Ba4 15.Qb1 dxc4 16.Bxc4 gives White a clear advantage. (Vera-Sulskis, Torre Mem, Yucatán, 2004).
• If 9...Qa5 10.Ne2 cxd4 11.cxd5 exd5 12.f3 then:
• If 12...Nxc3 13.Nxd4 Ne4+ 14.Ke2 Qc3 15.Bxe4 then:
• 15...Qxa1 16.Bxh7+ Kh8 17.Rd1 Nc6 18.Bb2 Nxd4+ 19.Bxd4 Qxa3 gives Black the exchange, but White has a little more space (van Vliet-van Ketel, Pinkster Trmt, Bussum, 2008).
• 15...Qxd4 16.Bxh7+ Kh8 17.Bb2 Qh4 18.Bd3 Nc6 19.Kf1 Bd7 20.Re1 Rfe8 21.Qf2 Qh5 22.h4 Bf5 23.Be2 Qh7 24.g4 Bd3 25.Kg2 Nd8 26.Bd1 draw (Belozerov-Sakaev, Russian Ch, Krasnoyarsk, 2003).
• 12...Nc5 13.Bxh7+ Kh8 14.0-0 dxc3 15.Nxc3 Be6 16.f4 Nc6 is equal: Black has slightly more space; White has the Bishop pair (Ivanisevic-Timoshchenko, Euro Club Cup, Halkidiki, 2002).
• If 9.Bb2 cxd4 10.cxd4 Bd7 then:
• If 11.Bd3 Qa5+ 12.Ke2 Rc8 13.f3 f5 then:
• 14.exf6 Nxf6 15.c5 Bb5 16.Nh3 Nbd7 17.Bc3 Bxd3+ 18.Qxd3 Qc7 gives Black more freedom (Horvath-C. Balogh, 1st Saturday December, Budapest, 2001).
• 14.c5 b6 15.fxe4 fxe4 16.Bxe4 dxe4 17.Nh3 bxc5 18.Ng5 Qb5+ gives Black an extra pawn and a strong initiative (Hoang-Cmilyte, FIDE Knock Out W, New Delhi, 2000).
• 11.Ne2 Qa5+ 12.Nc3 Rc8 13.Bd3 Nc6 14.Bxe4 dxe4 15.Qd2 Qa6 16.Nxe4 gives White the advantage in space (Gasanov-Shomoev, Moscow Op, 2006).

7...c5 8.Nf3

• If 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Nge2 then:
• If 9...Nc6 10.0-0 then:
• If 10...cxd4 11.Nxd5 Qxd5 12.Bxe4 Qxe5 then:
• If 13.Bxh7+ Kh8 then:
• If 14.Bf4 Qf6 15.Be4 then:
• If 15...Bg4 16.f3 then:
• If 16...Bh5 17.Qc4 Rfe8 18.Bg3 Bg6 19.Nf4 Bxe4 20.fxe4 Rxe4 is equal (Sanikidze-Beliavsky, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).
• 16...Be6 17.Bh7 Bg4 18.a3 gives White a slight advantage in space and the initiative (Narsi-Bulski, World Jr Ch, Yerevan, 2007).
• 15...Re8 16.Rac1 Bd7 17.Qd3 Rxe4 18.Qxe4 Re8 19.Qd5 Bg4 20.f3 gives White the exchange and a significant advantage in space (Koneru-Chiburdanidze, Grand PrixW, Ulaanbaatar, 2010).
• 14.Be4 Re8 15.Ng3 Be6 16.Bd2 Bd5 17.Rfe1 Bxd2 18.Qxd2 Bxe4 19.Rxe4 Qd5 20.Rh4+ Kg8 is equal (Ramírez Alvarez-Vescovi, Pan Am Ch, Buenos Aires, 2003).
• If 13.a3 Ba5 14.Bxh7+ Kh8 then:
• 15.Bd3 Bg4 16.f3 Bd7 17.Bf4 Qf6 18.Qc5 gives White more space and a more flexible game (Alekseev-Rajabov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2007).
• 15.Bf4 Qf6 16.Be4 Bg4 17.Bg3 Rac8 18.Nf4 Rfe8 gives White a slight advantage in space (Ivanisevic-van der Werf, IT C, Wijk aan Zee, 2011).
• 10...Bf5 11.f3 c4 12.fxe4 cxd3 13.Qxd3 dxe4 14.Qg3 Bg6 15.Be3 givews White a fair advantage in space (Cramling-Lakos, FIDE Knock Out W, New Delhi, 2000).
• If 9...cxd4 10.Nxd4 then:
• If 10...Nd7 11.f4 Qh4+ 12.g3 Qh3 13.Bf1 then:
• If 13...Qh6 14.Bg2 Qa6 then:
• If 15.Nde2 then:
• 15...Qb6 16.Bxe4 dxe4 is equal (Ivanisevich-Gligoric, Yugoslav ChT, Herceg Nov, 2001).
• If 15.Bd2 Nxd2 16.Qxd2 Nc5 17.Qe2 Qc4 then:
• 18.0-0-0 Bxc3 19.Qxc4 dxc4 20.bxc3 Nd3+ 21.Rxd3 cxd3 is equal (Narsi-Drozdovskij, Op, Dubai, 2008).
• 18.Qxc4 dxc4 19.Nc2 Nd3+ 20.Ke2 is equal.
• 15...b6 16.Be3 Bb7 17.0-0 Rac8 18.Rfd1 Bxc3 19.Nxc3 Nxc3 20.bxc3 gives White a small advantage in space (Narsi-Soozankar, Op, Dubai, 2008).
• 13...Qh5 14.Bg2 Ndc5 15.0-0 Bxc3 16.bxc3 Bh3 17.f5 Bxg2 18.Qxg2 is equal (Ivanisevic-Muñoz Sotomayor, Ol, Istanbul, 2000).
• 10...Bc5 11.Bxe4 dxe4 12.Nb3 Bd4 13.Nxd4 Qxd4 14.Qxe4 Qxe4+ 15.Nxe4 Nc6 16.f4 f6 draw (Mozetic-B. Ivanovic, Yugoslav ChT, Vrnjacka Banja, 1998).

8...cxd4 9.Nxd4 Nd7 10.Bf4 Ndc5

• If 10...Qh4 11.g3 then:
• If 11...Qh3 12.0-0-0 Nxc3 13.bxc3 Ba3+ 14.Kb1 Nb6 15.Bf1 Qh5 16.Be2 then:
• If 16...Qh3 17.Nf3 then:
• 17...Nxc4 18.Ng5 Qh6 19.h4 Be7 20.Ka1 Na3 21.Qc1 gives White a comfortable advantage (Ganguly-Meier, Marx Mem, Paks, 2009).
• 17...dxc4 18.Nh4 Nd5 19.Rd4 Be7 20.Bg5 Bxg5 21.Bg4 Qxg4 22.Rxg4 gives White a huge material advantage (Zhao Xue-Chiburdanidze, FIDE Knock Out W, Antakya, 2010).
• 16...Qg6 17.Bd3 Qh5 18.Be2 Qg6 19.Qxg6 hxg6 20.Nb5 Bc5 21.Nc7 gives White a small advantage in space and the initiative. (Savina-Kovanova, Russian ChTW, Olginka, 2011).
• 11...Qh5 12.0-0 g5 13.cxd5 gxf4 14.Bxe4 Nxe5 15.dxe6 fxe6 16.f3 Nc4 is equal (Ivanisevich-Z. Almasi, Euro ChT, Novi Sad, 2009).

11.0-0 Nxd3 12.Qxd3 Bxc3

• 12...Nxc3 13.bxc3 Be7 14.Qg3 Kh8 15.Rfd1 Qa5 16.Nb3 gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Zatonskih-T. Kosintseva, FIDE Knock Out W, Nalchik, 2008).

13.bxc3 b6 14.cxd5 Qxd5 15.Rfd1 Nc5

• If 15...Bb7 16.c4 Qa5 then:
• 17.f3 Nc5 18.Qe3 Rfc8 19.Nb5 Bc6 20.Nd6 gives White a small in space, largely owing to the octopus at d6 (Krush-van der Weil, IT C, Wijk aan Zee, 2008).
• 17.Nb5 Bc6 18.a4 Qb4 19.Be3 Rfc8 20.Rdb1 Qe7 21.Nd6 Nxd6 22.exd6 Qb7 23.f3 e5 24.Qd2 e4 25.f4 Qa6 26.a5 bxa5 27.Rxa5 draw (Kasimdzhonov-Efimenko, IT B, Wijk aan Zee, 2009).

16.Qg3 Qe4 17.Nb3 Ba6

• 17...Bb7 18.f3 Qf5 19.Bh6 Qg6 20.Qxg6 hxg6 21.Nxc5 bxc5 22.Be3 threatens to win a pawn (Ushenina-N. Kosintseva, Euro Club CupW, Ohrid, 2009).

18.Rd4 Qg6!?

• Believe it or not, Black just dropped a pawn. It's hard to believe because White does not actually take the pawn for about a half-dozen moves.
• If 18...Qf5 19.Nxc5 bxc5 then:
• 20.Rd6 Rfb8 21.Bh6 Rb1+ 22.Rd1 Rxd1+ 23.Rxd1 gives White a clear initiative.
• If 20.Rdd1 Qh5 21.Qg5 Qxg5 22.Bxg5 then:
• If 22...Rfc8 23.Rd2 h6 24.Be7 then:
• 24...Rc7 25.Bd6 Rd7 26.Rb2 Rc8 27.Rab1 Kh7 28.f4 gives White onkly a small advantage in space.
• 24...Bc4!? 25.Bd6 Rc6 26.a4 Rd8 27.Rb2 Rd7 28.a5 gives White a fiar advantage in space.
• If 22...Bc4 23.Be7 Rfc8 24.Rd7 then:
• 24...Bb5 25.Rd2 a6 26.a4 Bc4 27.Rb1 a5 28.Bd6 gives White a comfortable advantage in space, but Black preserves her pawn.
• If 24...a6 25.Bd6 Rd8 26.Rc7 then:
• 26...Rac8 27.Ra7 Ra8 28.Rxa8 Rxa8 29.Bxc5 wins a pawn.
• 26...f6 27.Rxc5 Rac8 28.Rxc8 Rxc8 29.a3 gives White an extra pawn.

BLACK: Nadezhda Kosintseva



WHITE: Viktorija Cmilyte
Position after 18...Qe4g6

19.Nxc5!

• It would seem more sensible for White to preserve Knights on the board rather than risk a Bishops-of-opposite colors ending, but the text is stronger than any other concrete plan available to White.
• If 19.Qxg6 fxg6 20.Rad1 Rac8 21.Nc1 h6 22.Be3 g5 is equal.

19...bxc5 20.Ra4 Bd3!?

• Black should exchange Queens in order to avoid having a doubled pawn.
• If 20...Bb5 then:
• If 21.Ra5 Qxg3 then:
• 22.Bxg3! Bd3 23.Rxc5 Rfc8 24.Rxc8+ Rxc8 25.Rc1 leaves White with an extra pawn but also a passive Rook.
• 22.hxg3 a6 23.Be3 Rfc8 24.a4 Bd3 25.Bxc5 gives White an extra pawn.
• 21.Qxg6!? fxg6! (activating the Rook to great effect) 22.Ra5 Rxf4 23.Rxb5 Rc4 24.Rc1 limits Black to a small advantage.

21.Be3!?

• Better is to let Black assume the burden of doubled g-pawns; now it is White who will have doubled pawns.
• White wins a pawn after 21.Qxg6! hxg6 22.Be3 c4 23.Rxa7 Rxa7 24.Bxa7.

21...Qxg3!

• Black saddles White with the pawn weakness.

22.hxg3 Rfc8 23.Ra5 a6

• Black must lose a pawn no matter how she plays.
• If 23...c4 24.Rxa7 Rxa7 25.Bxa7 Ra8 26.Bc5 passes White's a-pawn.


• Like the text, ;
  23...Bc4 24.Bxc5 a6 25.a4 passes the c-pawn.

BLACK: Nadezhda Kosintseva



WHITE: Viktorija Cmilyte
Position after 23...a7a6

24.Bxc5!

• When in doubt, take the pawn. -- Steinitz

24...Rab8 25.Bb4

• White's task now is to protect the c-pawn.
• The text works, but even stronger is 25.Bd4 Rc6 26.Kh2 Bf5 27.a3 Kf8 28.Ra4 when Black will seek counterplay along the b-file.

25...Rb5

• Black seeks an exchange of Rooks.

26.Rd1

• White eschews the exchange, but it would work better than one might think.
• 26.Rxb5 axb5 then:
• 27.a4! bxa4 28.Rxa4 f6 29.Ra5 Kf7 30.g4 still gives White a passed pawn, an extra pawn and more freedom.
• 27.g4!? Bc2 28.Rc1 Bd3 29.Rd1 Be2 30.Rd7 Bxg4 no longer gives White an extra pawn or a passer, but she now has a Rook active on the seventh rank.

26...Rxa5?!

• Black should be in no hurry to take the Rook herself. Allowing Black to have the honors still gives Black chances of getting a better position from White maneuvering against the Black b-pawn which comes into being as a result of Ra5xb5. Black may be banking on a Bishops-of-opposite-colors ending to preserve a draw, but that turns out to be a faulty strategy, as will be seen.
• If 26...Bc4 27.Rd6 Rxa5 28.Bxa5 then:
• 28...h5! 29.Bb4 f6 30.Kh2 Kf7 31.Rd7+ Kg6 32.a4 gives White an extra pawn, a passed pawn and a Rook on the seventh; Black has a more active King and a blockade against White's passed c-pawn.
• 28...f6 29.exf6 gxf6 30.a3 Kf7 31.g4 Rc5 32.Bb4 gives White an extra pawn, a passed pawn and the initiative.

27.Bxa5 Bc4 28.a3 h5 29.Bb4 Bd5 30.f3

• This prophylactic move may have played sooner or later.
• Better, for now, is 30.Rd4! Rc4 31.Rh4 when:
• 31...Rxh4 32.gxh4 f6 33.Bd6! maintains White's extra pawn.
• If 31...Re4 32.Rxe4 Bxe4 33.c4 then:
• 33...f5 34.f3 Bd3 35.c5 Bb5 36.Kf2 gives White an advanced passer and a King that will be centalized fater than Black's.
• 33...f6 34.Bd6 Kf7 35.f3 Bb7 36.Kf2 g5 37.Ke3 gives White a centralized King along with the passed pawn.

30...Kh7

• If 30...f6 then:
• 31.Kf2 fxe5 32.Re1 g6 33.Rxe5 Kf7 34.Ke3 gives White a centalized King, but Black still has counterplay including the threat to the c-pawn.
• 31.exf6 gxf6 32.Rd4 Rc4 33.Rh4 Rxh4 34.gxh4 brings about the BOOC ending, but White still has an extra pawn which is a passer and Black must prove she can stop it without endagering anything else.

31.Kf2 g5?!

• Black weakens her hold on f6, which could be used by White's Bishop as an outpost.
• 31...f6! 32.exf6 gxf6 33.Rd4 Kg6 34.Ke3 Rc4 35.Kd3 leaves White with a small advantage.

32.Ke3! Kg6 33.Rd4 Kf5

• 33...f6 34.exf6 Kxf6 35.Kd3 Ba2 36.g4 hxg4 37.Rxg4 maintains White's extra pawn.

BLACK: Nadezhda Kosintseva



WHITE: Viktorija Cmilyte
Position after 33...Kg6f5

34.g4+!

• Consolidating the pawn chain with 34.f4 courts disaster.
• If 34.f4?! gxf4+! 35.gxf4 h4 then:
• 36.Be7 Rxc3+ 37.Kd2 Rg3 38.Bxh4 Rxa3 39.g3 a5 gives Black a remote passed pawn.
• If 36.Rd2?! Rg8! 37.c4 Bxg2 then:
• 38.Kf2 h3 39.Kg1 Kxf4 40.Kh2 Kxe5 gives Black a clear advantage.
• If 38.Rd7? then Black wins after 38...h3!! 39.Rxf7+ Kg6.

34...hxg4 35.Rxg4 Rc4?!

• By now, Black has a markedly inferior position, but exchanging Rooks into a Bishop-of-opposite-colors ending doesn't help.
• If 35...Rc7 36.a4 Kxe5 37.Rxg5+ then:
• 37...f5 38.g3 Bb3 39.a5 Rd7 40.f4+ Kf6 41.Rg8 is no worse for Black than she stood before the text move.
• 37...Kf6 38.Rg8 Rc6 39.g4 Rc4 40.a5 Rc6 41.Rd8 gives White a great deal more freedom.

36.Rxc4 Bxc4 37.Bd6!

• The key to White's plan is the passed c-pawn. This can be used either as a direct threat or a diversion to keep Black's Bishop busy while White's King and Bishop fight against Black's Kingside pawns. If White can create a second passed pawn on the kingside in the f- or g-file, she will have excellent winning chances.

37...f6 38.Kd4 Bf1

• 38...Be2 39.exf6 Kxf6 40.Be5+ Kf5 41.g4+ Kg6 42.Ke3 leaves Black no worse or White no better than the text.

39.g4+!

• White finds the most forcing reply.

39...Kg6

• Black's reply to White's last move is forced.
• If 39...Kf4?? then White wins in a cake walk after 40.exf6+! Kxf3 41.f7.

40.exf6 Kxf6 41.Bc7 Be2

• If 41...Kf7 42.f4 Kg6 43.c4 then:
• 43...Be2 44.c5 Bxg4 45.fxg5 Kxg5 46.Ke5 Kg6 47.Bd8 puts Black in something close to Zugzwang (it would be Zugzwang if White's pawn were at a5) where Black must either allow the c-pawn to advance or let the e-pawn fall.
• 43...gxf4 44.Bxf4 Kf6 45.Bd2 Be2 46.g5+ Kf5 47.a4 gives White a huge advantage with a passed c-pawn; working in Black's favor is that all of White's promotion points are on light squares.

42.Bd8+! Kg6 43.Ke4

• 43.Ke3 Bc4 44.f4 gxf4+ 45.Kxf4 Bb3 46.g5! puts all of White's pawns on dark squares where Black's Bishop cannot attack them, leaving the White King to act as an attacking piece starting with 47.Ke5!

43...Bb5 44.Ke5

• If 44.f4 gxf4 45.Kxf4 Bc4 46.a4 then:
• 46...Kf7 47.g5 Bb3 48.a5 Kg6 49.Ke4 favors neither side as White cannot advance her c-pawn.
• 46...Be2 47.g5 Bc4 48.a5 Bb3 49.Ke5

44...Be2 45.Ke4 Bb5 46.f4 gxf4 47.Kxf4 Be2 48.Bc7!

• The Bishop prevents both of Black's pawns from advancing at this post.

48...Bb5

• 48...Kf7 49.g5 Bc4 50.a4 Bd5 51.Be5 Kg6 52.Bd4 continues to give White an extra pawn, but the Bishops-of-opposite-colors makes this a difficult position to convert to a win.

49.Be5 Be2 50.Bb8 Bb5 51.Bc7 Be2 52.a4

• White can win by capturing both of Black's pawns and retaining the g-pawn and one of her remaining pawns. The pawns will be too distant from each other for Black to defend both.

52...a5?

• This plays right into White's winning plan. Black drops a pawn only to recover it, but the maneuver gives White time to advance the c-pawn.
• 52...Bd1 53.a5 Bb3 54.Be5 Bc4 55.g5 Bb3 keeps Black in the game.

BLACK: Nadezhda Konsintseva



WHITE: Viktorija Cmilyte
Position after 52...a6a5

53.Bxa5!

• Don't stare a gift horse in the mouth.

53...Bd1 54.c4!

• The pawn advances.

54...Bxa4

• Black recovers the pawn, but now White's c-pawn looks lethal. White will park her pawn on c5, a dark square where Black's light-bound Bishop cannot approach it, and then blockade and destroy Black's last pawn without surrendering her own pawn.

55.Bd8 Bd1 56.g5 Be2 57.c5!

• See previous note. There was nothing Black could have done to prevent this.

57...Bb5 58.Bf6

• White makes progress faster after 58.Ke5 Bd7 59.Be7 Kf7 60.Kd6 Bc8 61.c6.

58...Bc6 59.Bd4

• Again, 59.Ke5 is better.

59...Be8 60.Be3 Kf7

• A better try is 60...Bd7 but White still wins after 61.Ke5 Kf7 62.Kd6 Bc8 63.Kc7 Ba6 64.c6.

BLACK: Nadezhda Kosintseva



WHITE: Viktorija Cmilyte
Position after 60...Kg6f7

61.Ke5!

• White's position is both more aggressive and unassailable.

61...Ke7 62.Bd2 Ba4 63.Bb4 Be8 64.Ba3 Ba4 65.c6+ Ke8

• If 65...Kf7 66.Kd6 then:
• 66...Bb5 67.c7 Ba6 68.Kd7 e5 69.Bc5 e4 70.Be3 wins for White.
• 66...Bxc6 67.Kxc6 Kg6 68.Bc1 Kf5 69.Kd7 e5 70.Ke7 Kg6 71.Be3 wins.

66.c7 Kd7 67.Bd6 Bc2 68.Kf6 e5

• If 68...Bb3 69.Be5 then:
• If 69...Bc2 70.g6 Be4 71.g7 Bh7 72.Kf7 Kc8 then:
• 73.Kxe6 Bg8+ 74.Ke7 Black cannot guard against the queening of both pawns.
• 73.g8Q+ Bxg8+ 74.Kxg8 Kd7 75.Kf7 wins for White.
• 69...Bc4 70.g6 the g-pawn queens safely.

69.Bxe5 Bd3 70.g6 Bc4 71.Kg7 Bd3 72.Kf7 Bc4+ 73.Kf8! 1-0

BLACK: Nadezhda Kosintseva



WHITE: Viktorija Cmilyte
Final Position after 73.Kf7f8

• White will Queen the g-pawn and win the Bishop, approach the c-pawn with her King and move her Bishop along the h2/b8 diagonal if she needs to "lose" a tempo.
• 73...Kc8 74.g7 Kd7 75.g8Q Bxg8 76.Kxg8 Kc8 77.Kf7 Kd7 78.Bf4 wins for White.
• Nadezhda Anatolyevna resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Asian Championships, Mashhad (Iran)

Imam Reza Shrine, Mashhad
Photo by Argooya in Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Zhao Jun - Harikrishna, Round 9

Pentala Harikrishna
Photo by Frank Hoppe in Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)


Zhao Jun - Pentala Harikrishna
Asian Chess Championship, General Group, Round 9
Mashad, 10 May 2011

English Game: Mikenas/Carls Opening

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.e4 d5 4.e5 d4 5.exf6 dxc3 6.bxc3 Qxf6 7.Nf3

• If 7.d4 then:
• If 7...c5 8.Nf3 then:
• If 8...h6 9.Bd3 cxd4 10.cxd4 Bb4+ 11.Bd2 Bxd2+ 12.Qxd2 Nc6 13.Be4 0-0 14.0-0 then:
• If 14...Bd7 15.Rab1 Rab8 then:
• 16.Rfd1 Rfd8 17.d5 exd5 18.cxd5 Ne5 19.Qe3 Nxf3+ 20.Bxf3 b6 21.Qa3 a5 22.Rbc1 Rbc8 23.Qe3 Re8 is equal (Alexander-Kostic, Ol, Warsaw, 1935).
• 16.Rb3 Rfd8 17.Rd1 b6 18.Rd3 Be8 19.Bxc6 Bxc6 20.Ne5 Rbc8 gives Black more freedom and White more space (Nimzovich-List, IT, Frankfurt, 1930).
• 16.Bxc6 Bxc6 17.Ne5 Rfd8 18.Nxc6 bxc6 19.Rxb8 Rxb8 20.Rd1 draw (Ree-Radulov, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1974).
• If 14...Rd8 then:
• 15.Rfd1!? Nxd4!! 16.Nxd4 e5 17.Bd5 exd4 18.Rab1 is equal (Povah-Pritchard, British Ch, Ayr, 1978).
• 15.Bxc6 bxc6 16.Qa5 e5 17.dxe5 Qe7 18.Qc3 continues to give White the advantage in space.
• 8...cxd4 9.Bg5 Qf5 transposes into the notes to White's eighth move.
• 7...e5 8.Nf3 exd4 9.Bg5 Qe6+ transposes into the notes to Black's seventh move.

7...c5

• If 7...e5 8.d4 exd4 9.Bg5 Qe6+ 10.Be2 then:
• If 10...Be7 11.cxd4 Bxg5 12.Nxg5 Qe7 13.Qd2 0-0 14.0-0 h6 15.Nf3 then:
• 15...c5 16.d5 Qd6 17.Rab1 b6 18.Rb3 Nd7 19.Re3 Bb7 20.Re1 gives White more space (Zvjaginsev-Sargissian, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• 15...Bg4 16.Rfe1 Nc6 17.h3 Bxf3 18.Bxf3 gives White more space and the initiative (Karpov-Jussupow, IT, Linares, 1991).
• 10...f6 11.Nxd4 Qf7 12.Bf4 Bc5 13.0-0 0-0 14.Qc2 Na6 15.Rab1 Rb8 16.Rfd1 gives White a slight advantage in space (Lautier-Jussupow, IT, Munich, 1993).

8.Be2

• If 8.d4 cxd4 9.Bg5 Qf5 then:
• If 10.cxd4 Bb4+ 11.Bd2 Qa5 12.Bd3 Nc6 13.Rb1 Bxd2+ 14.Qxd2 then:
• 14...Ke7 15.d5 exd5 16.Qxa5 Nxa5 is equal (Reshko-Klaman, LCC Ch, Leningrad, 1967).
• 14...Qxd2+ 15.Kxd2 b6 16.Be4 Bd7 17.d5 gives White the initiative and a clear advantage in space (Borgo-S. Brunello, IT, Reggio Emilia, 2006).
• 10.Bd3 Qa5 11.0-0 Nc6 12.Rb1 h6 13.Bh4 dxc3 14.Re1 Be7 15.Bxe7 Kxe7 16.Qc2 Rd8 17.Rb5 Qa3 18.Rb3 Qa5 19.Rb5 Qa3 20.Rb3 Qa5 draw (Krstev-Zoltek, Op, Poland, 1976).

8...Nc6 9.0-0 e5

• 9...Bd6 10.d4 0-0 11.Bd3 h6 12.Be3 Rd8 13.dxc5 Bf8 14.Qc2 e5 15.Nd2 Be6 is equal (Motwani-O. Foisor, Belgian ChT, Belgium, 2001).

10.d3 Be7

• Black has a slight advantage in space.

11.Ng5 Bf5 12.Rb1 Rd8

• Black pressures the d-pawn and sets up a masked attack on White's Queen.
• 12...h6!? 13.Ne4! Bxe4 14.dxe4 b6 15.Qa4 0-0 16.Rd1 solves White's spatial problems.

13.Qa4

• White gets his Queen out of the line of fire of Black's Rook, but that just removes protection from the now vulnerable d-pawn.
• Black still has a small advantage in space after 13.Rxb7 h6 14.Nf3 e4 15.Nd2 exd3 16.Bf3 Ne5.

13...Rd7 14.Ne4 Qg6 15.Be3

• The opening has not gone as well for White as he might have hoped. Black has a bind in the center, White has a backward d-pawn and White's Bishop pair is of no special value with this kind of pawn center.

15...0-0 16.f3

• 16.Ng3!? Bxd3! 17.Bxd3 Rxd3 18.Rxb7 Rc8 19.Rd1 e4 gives Black a small but clear advantage.

16...b6 17.Kh1

• This move is prophylactic and prevents ...Bh3.

17...Rfd8 18.Rbd1 h6

• Black deprives White of any thought of using g5.

19.Qc2 Bg5?!

• Black gives White an opportunity to exchange his way into a better balance in space.
• If 19...Bh4! 20.a3 then:
• 20...Be7 21.Qa4 Qe6 22.Bf2 Bg5 23.Rfe1 Kh7 gives Black the advantage in space.
• 20...Re8 21.Qa4 Rdd8 22.Qc2 Be6 23.g3 Be7 gives Black a fair advantage in space.

20.Bg1?!

• White fails to exchange Bishops, the move that gives him the best chances in this position.
• If 20.Bxg5! hxg5 21.Kg1 g4 22.fxg4 then:
• If 22...Bxe4! 23.dxe4 Qh6 24.Rd5 Ne7 25.Rxd7 Rxd7 gives Black the advantage in space owing mostly to the greater activity of his Queen.
• 22...Bxg4?! 23.Bxg4 Qxg4 24.Rf3 f5 25.Nf2 Qg6 gives Black a small advantage in space; Black's Queen can be driven off by White's Rook and White's Queen enjoys some freedom.

BLACK: Pentala Harikrishna



WHITE: Zhao Jun
Position after 20.Be3g1

20...Be6!

• Black has a significant advantage in space.
• Also good is 20...Bf4! 21.Bf2 h5 22.Bh4 f6 23.Qb1 Ne7 gives Black more space.

21.Bf2 f5!?

• This makes Black's light-bound Bishop less effective/
• Better is 21...Bf4 22.g3 Bg5 23.Rfe1 when:
• 23...Bh3! 24.Kg1 Bh4 25.Bf1 Bxf1 26.Kxf1 Be7 gives Black pressure on White's weak d-pawn and more space.
• If 23...Bf5 24.Bf1 then:
• If 24...h5 25.Bg2 Bh6 then:
• 26.a3 h4 27.g4 Bxe4 28.Rxe4 Bg5 29.Qe2 Qh6 gives Black command of the h6/c1 diagonal and pressure on White's backward d-pawn.
• 26.h3 Be6 27.Qa4 Nb8 28.f4 exf4 29.gxf4 Bxf4 gives Black a strong advantage with an extra pawn, pressure on the backward d-pawn and dominance of the kingside.
• 24...Na5!? 25.Bg2 Bf6 26.Qe2 Be6 27.Be3 Be7 gives Black pressure agains White's backward pawn in the d-file.

22.Ng3!?

• If 22.Nxg5 Qxg5 23.Rg1 f4 then:
• If 24.Rge1 Rd6 25.a3 Qg6 26.Rd2 Bf5 27.Red1 Na5! theatens 28...Nxc4!! opening the center to Black's benefit.
• 24.a3 Rd6 25.g3 fxg3 26.Bxg3 Qe3 27.Rge1 Bf5 gives Black maximum pressure on the d-pawn.

22...Ne7

• 22...h5! 23.Qa4 Rd6 24.Rg1 h4 25.Nf1 Qh6 gives Black a healthy advantage in space.

23.a4!?

• Under the circumstances, this isn't a bad idea, but the advance of the a-pawn in order to break up Black's queenside and gain some counterplay should be backed by pieces.
• Better is 23.Qb2 Kh7 then:
• 24.a3 Bf4 25.Rfe1 Rd6 26.Nf1 Nc6 27.Bh4 R8d7 gives Black a substantial advantage in space, but still gives White better chances than the text.
• 24.a4!? Nc6! (to restrain the pawn from advancing to a5) 25.Qb5 then:
• If 25...Rc7! 26.Qb2 Bf4 27.Rfe1 Rcd7 continues to pressure White's center.
• If 25...Na5?! 26.Bxc5 then:
• If 26...Nxc4 27.Bf2 Be3 then:
• If 28.dxc4! then:
• 28...Rxd1 29.Rxd1 Rxd1+ 30.Bxd1 Bxf2 31.Qxe5 Qf7 32.Be2 leaves Black better, but with not such a great advantage as before.
• 28...Bxf2 29.Qxe5 Rxd1 30.Rxd1 Re8 31.Qc7 Qf7 leaves Black better, but White's survival chances are much improved.
• If 28.Ra1!? then Black keeps the pressure on the backward pawn after 28...f4 29.Ne4 Nd2 30.Nxd2 Bxd2 31.Ra3 Bf5.
• 26...bxc5? 27.Qxa5 Be3 28.Rb1 gives White equality with some strong counterplay.
• 24.d4? exd4 25.cxd4 Bf6! 26.Bd3 Qf7 27.Rfe1 Bxc4 wins a pawn for Black.

23...Bf4!?

• As indicated in the previous note, the correct way to meet the pawn advance is to restrain the pawn from advancing any further.
• 23...Nc6! 24.Rfe1 Rd6 25.Nf1 Re8 26.Rb1 Rd7 gives Black a clear spatial advantage and greater freedom; Black's center is completely restrained.

24.d4?

• The pawn is less safe here than it was at d3.
• 24.a5 Bxg3 25.hxg3 then:
• 25...Rd6 26.axb6 axb6 27.Qb3 f4 28.Kh2 Bf5 gives Black enough pressure on the d-pawn to make it break.
• 25...f4 26.gxf4 exf4 27.Qc1 Qh5+ 28.Kg1 Qg5 gives Black pressure on the d-pawn, but it will hold for the moment.

BLACK: Pentala Harikrishna



WHITE: Zhao Jun
Position after 24.d3d4

24...cxd4!

• The d-pawn falls.

25.cxd4 exd4 26.Bd3 Qf7

• The text is better than 26...Nc6 27.Bxf5 Bxf5 28.Qxf5 Qxf5 29.Nxf5 g6, giving Black a passed pawn and the initiative. although White has won back his pawn.

27.a5

• This might have been a good plan a few moves back, but it's useless now.
• If 27.Rfe1 Rc8 28.Ne2 Be3 then:
• 29.Bxe3 dxe3 30.f4 Bxc4 31.Bxc4 Rxc4 32.Qa2 Rdc7 gives Black two extra pawns.
• If 29.Nc1? f4 then:
• 30.Qb2 Bxc4 31.Bg1 Nf5 32.Bxe3 Nxe3 33.Rd2 Qf6 gives Black two extra pawns.
• If 30.Bxe3 then Black wins after 30...fxe3 31.Ne2 Nc6 32.a5 bxa5 33.Qa4 Ne5.

27...Nc6! 28.Bxf5 Bxf5 29.Nxf5

• 29.Qxf5 Bxg3 30.Qxf7+ Kxf7 31.hxg3 Nxa5 Black remains a pawn to the good with an advanced passer.

29...d3!

• The passed pawn demonstrates his lust to expand.

30.Qa4 Nxa5 31.g4

• 31.Qb5 loses to 31...a6 32.Qxa6 Qxf5 33.Qxb6 Nxc4 34.Qb3.

31...Nxc4

• Black is two pawns up.

32.Rb1 Bg5 33.h4 Bf6

• Black's pieces are a study in mutual protection.

34.Rbc1 Nb2 35.Qe4

• If 35.Qb4 then Black wins after 35...d2! 36.Rcd1 Rd3 37.Qe4 Re8 38.Qc6 Re2.

BLACK: Pentala Harikrishna



WHITE: Zhao Jun
Position after 35.Qa4e5

35...d2!

• White literally cannot afford to stop the pawn.

36.Rcd1

• The only alternative is resignation.

36...Nxd1

• There's no reason to be complicated.

37.Rxd1 Rc8 38.Qe3 Rc3 39.Qf4 Qd5 40.Kg2

• If 40.Be3 Qb3 41.Rxd2 Rxe3 then:
• 42.Nxe3 Rxd2 43.Qc4+ Qxc4 44.Nxc4 Rd4 leaves Nlack up by a Rook.
• 42.Rxd7 Qb1+ 43.Kg2 Re2+ White mates in two.

40...Be5 0-1

• The Queen is trapped.
• Grandmaster Zhao resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Harika - Gomes, Women's Group, Round 7

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


Dronavalli Harika - Mary Ann Gomes
Asian Chess Championship, Women's Group, Round 7
Mashhad, 8 May 2011

West India Gamew: Tal-Indian Defense (Modern Benoni)

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 3.d5 e6 4.c4 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.Nc3 g6 7.Nd2 Nbd7 8.e4 Bg7 9.Be2 0-0 10.0-0 a6 11.a4 Re8

• For an overview of the Tal-Indian, or Modern Benoni, see Meier-Gashimov, Euro ChT, Novi Sad, 2009.

12.f4

• If 12.Qc2 then:
• If 12...Rb8 13.h3 Qc7 then:
• If 14.a5 b5 15.axb6 Nxb6 16.Nb3 then:
• 16...Nfd7 17.Na5 Ra8 18.Ra3 Nf8 19.Bd3 Nfd7 20.Rd1 Ne5
• 16...Qe7 17.Na5 Bd7 18.Nc6 Bxc6 19.dxc6 Rec8 20.Rxa6 Rxc6 21.Bf4 gives White the advantage in space and better minor pieces (Bukic-Velimirovic, Yugoslav Ch, Novi Sad, 1975).
• If 12...Ne5 13.Ra3 g5 then:
• 14.a5 Rb8 15.Nd1 Ng6 16.Ne3 Nf4 17.Bd1 h5 18.Ndc4 h4 19.Rb3 Qe7 20.Rb6 is equal (Olafsson-Rodríguez, Ruy López Mem, Las Palmas, 1975).
• 14.Nc4 b5 15.axb5 axb5 16.Na5 Ba6 17.Nc6 wins the exchange for White (Moyse-Snape, British Ch, Swansea, 2006).
• 14.Nd1 Ng6 15.Ne3 Nf4 16.Bd1 b6 17.f3 Rb8 18.g3 Ng6 is equal (Spraggett-Barlov, Op, New York, 1987).

12...Rb8 13.Kh1 Nf8 (N)

• 13...Qc7 14.e5 dxe5 15.Nc4 e4 16.f5 Ra8 gives White ample compensation for the pawn (Ponomariiov-Gashimov, Amber Blind, Nice, 2010).

14.Ra3

• The game is equal.

14...Bd7!?

• There are two things wrong with this move. First of all, it blocks the line of communication between the the d-pawn, always a problem for Black in the Tal-Indian, and the Queen that defends it; seond, the White Rook is headed for b3, so the Bishop would be best left where it is.
• If 14...b6! 15.Rb3 then:
• 15...Qc7 16.Bd3 Ng4 17.Nc4 f5 18.Qf3 Bxc3 19.bxc3 remains equal.
• 15...N8d7 16.Bc4 Qe7 17.Bd3 Nh5 18.g4 gives White a small advantage in space.

BLACK: Mary Ann Gomes



WHITE: Dronavalli Harika
Position after 14...Bc8d7

15.a5!

• The pawn discourages any advance by Black's b-pawn. White has a slight advantage with more space and a better center; Black's Rook is pressuring the center as is usual in this opening.

15...Bc8

• Seeing that she cannot prevent Ra3b3, Black retreats the Bishop in order to overprotect the Knight.

16.Bf3 Bd7?!

• The best square for the Bishop is still c8.
• 16...Qc7 17.Re1 N6d7 18.Be2 Nf6 19.Bd3 Ng4 20.Qf3 continues to give White a slight advantage.
• If 16...b5?! (with the idea of developing the Bishop at b7) 17.axb6 then:
• If 17...N6d7 18.Be2 Ra8 19.Bb5 then:
• 19...Bb7 20.Ba4 Qxb6 21.Nc4 Qc7 22.Qf3 Reb8 23.f5 gives White a tremendous advantage in space.
• 19...Qxb6 20.Nc4 Qc7 21.Bc6 Rb8 22.Qc2 leaves Black terribly cramped.
• If 17...N8d7 then after 18.Nc4! Nxb6 19.Na5 Ra8 20.e5 Nfd7 21.Ne4 White center pawns roll over Black.

17.Rb3!

• Is any one surprised?

17...h5

• If 17...Bc8 18.Nc4 Qc7 19.Rb6 then:
• 19...N6d7 20.Nxd6 Re7 21.Nxc8 Qxc8 22.Rb3 Qd8 23.Ra3 leaves White with an extra pawn.
• 19...N8d7 20.Nxd6 Nxb6 21.Nxe8 Nxe8 22.axb6 Qxb6 23.e5 gives White an extra pawn.
• 17...Qe7 18.Nc4 Bc8 19.e5 dxe5 20.fxe5 N6d7 21.Nd6 leaves White cramping Black's position.

18.Nc4 Bb5 19.Nxb5!

• This move is best if made without delay.
• If 19.Nxd6!? Qxd6 20.e5 Qd7 21.Nxb5! then:
• 21...c4 22.exf6 Bxf6 23.Nd6 Qxd6 24.Rb6 leaves White with an advantage not as great as she gets in the text.
• If 21...axb5 22.exf6 Bxf6 23.Re3 b4 24.f5 then:
• 24...Bd4 25.Rxe8 Rxe8 26.fxg6 fxg6 27.d6 Ne6 28.Be4 gives White the initiative and a small advantage in space.
• 24...Qxf5? drops a piece to 25.Be2! Qd7 26.Rxf6.

19...axb5 20.Rxb5 Nxe4 21.Qc2 f5

• If 21...Qd7 22.Rb6 Qf5 23.Bxe4 Qxe4 24.Qxe4 Rxe4 25.Nxd6 Rd4 26.Rxb7 leaves White setting fire to the board.
• 23...Rxe4? puts Black in a self-pin and after 24.Ne3! Rxe3 25.Qxf5 gxf5 26.Bxe3 White wins the exchange and, thanks to her command of the dark squares and her actively placed Rook, the game.

22.Rb3 Bd4 23.Be3 Bxe3 24.Rxe3 Nf6

BLACK: Mary Ann Gomes



WHITE: Dronavalli Harika
Position after 24...Ne4f6

25.Rxe8!

• The immediate exchange of Rooks is somewhat better than 25.Ree1 Qc7 26.Qc3 Rxe1 27.Rxe1 Re8 28.Rxe8 Nxe8 29.Qe3 when White's Queen and Knight give her the better game, but her Bishop is bad and has little chance of taking an active role anytime soon.

25...Nxe8 26.Qc3

• If 26.Re1 Nc7 27.Qc3 Nb5 28.Qe3 then:
• if 28...h4 29.Qe7 then:
• 29...Nh7 30.Qxd8+ Rxd8 31.Re7 gives White a powerful position.
• If 29...Qxe7? drops a pawn to 30.Rxe7! Nh7 31.h3 when:
• 31...g5 32.Re6 Rd8 33.Rg6+ wins the g-pawn.
• 31...Nf6 32.Re6 Kf7 33.Nxd6+ wins the d-pawn for White.
• 28...Nd4? 29.Qe7 Ra8 30.Qxd8 Rxd8 31.Re7 Nd7 32.Nxd6 gives White an extra pawn and a strong initiative.

26...Nc7

• If 26...b5! 27.Nb6 then:
• 27...Nd7 28.Nxd7 Qxd7 29.Re1 Qg7 30.Qxg7+ Kxg7 31.Ra1 gives White only a slight advantage.
• 27...b4 28.Qe3 Nc7 29.Ra1 Nd7 30.Nxd7 Qxd7 31.a6 leaves White with a powerful passer with a clear field.

27.Re1 Nh7

• 27...Nb5 28.Qe3 h4 29.Qe7 Nh7 30.Qxd8+ Rxd8 31.Re7 leaves Black's b-pawn vulnerable.

28.Qb3 Nf6 29.Qb6 Ncxd5?!

• Black loses the pawn.
• If 29...Nfe8 30.b4 then:
• If 30...Qf6 31.Rd1 cxb4 32.Qxb4 Na6 then:
• 33.Qb3 Nc5 34.Qb6 Na4 35.Qe3 Rc8 36.Kg1 gives White the initiative, but not the pawn.
• 33.Qd2 Nc5 34.Kg1 Nc7 35.Qb4 Rd8 36.g3 gives White the better, but Black is safe for the moment.
• 30...Qh4 31.g3 Qf6 32.Rc1 cxb4 33.Qxb4 h4 34.Kg2 leaves White with a clear advantage, but Black keeps the pawn.

BLACK: Mary Ann Gomes



WHITE: Dronavalli Harika
Position after 29...Nc7d5:p

30.Qxd6!

• In addition maintaining material parity, White winds down to a favorable ending that will be about pushing passed pawns.

30...Qxd6

• The exchange of Queens is forced.

31.Nxd6 Kf8?

• Black has been taking a beating, but this move shortens the agony.
• If 31...Nxf4 32.Bxb7 then:
• If 32...Ne4 33.Nxe4 Rxb7 34.Nxc5 Rxb2 35.Ra1 Rb5 36.a6!! then:
• 36...Rxc5 37.a7 Rc8 38.a8Q Rxa8 39.Rxa8+ Kg7 40.h4 leaves Black barely hanging on to dear life.
• 36...Rb8 37.a7 Ra8 38.Ra4 Nd5 39.Nd7 Kf7 40.Ne5+ leaves White in a strong position.
• If 32...Rd8? then White wins after 33.Nc4 Nd3 34.Ra1 Ne8 35.a6 Nc7 36.a7.

32.Re6!

• Black has no move that doesn't lose something.

32...Nxf4

• 32...c4 drops a pawn to 33.g3! h4 34.Nxc4 Rc8 35.b3.

33.Rxf6+ Ke7

• If 33...Kg7 34.Rf7+ Kg8 35.Rxb7 then:
• If 35...Ra8 then White wins after 36.g3 Nd3 37.Bd5+ Kh8 38.Nf7+.
• 35...Rf8 then 36.a6! Ra8 37.a7 wins.
• If 33...Kg8 then White wins easily after 34.g3 Nd3 35.Rxg6+ Kh7 36.Rg5 Rd8 37.Nxf5.

34.g3 Ne6

• If 34...Kxf6 then White wins after 35.gxf4 Ra8 36.Nxb7.

BLACK: Mary Ann Gomes



WHITE: Dronavalli Harika
Position after 34...Nf4e6

35.Rxe6+!

• White simplifies to an easy win.

35...Kxe6 36.Nxb7 Ke5 37.a6 Ra8 38.Nxc5 Ra7 39.Bb7

• The Rook cannot move.
• Also good is 39.b4 Kd4 40.Nb3+ Kc4 41.Na5+ Kb5 42.Be2+.

39...Kd4

• 39...Kd6 40.Nd3 g5 41.h4 gxh4 42.gxh4 leaves Black with nothing to do with his passed pawn.

40.Ne6+ Kc4 41.Nf4 1-0

• White wins a pawn and Black's Rook remains entombed, giving White a vitural extra piece.
• Ms. Gomes resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Update (Wednesday): Cmilyte wins Euro Women's Championionship

Painting by Mikhail Lermontov (1837) from Wikipedia (Public Domain)

Lithuanian GM Viktorija Cmiltye won the 2011 European Women's Championship today in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi with a short draw against Russian international master Svetlana Matveeva in the 11th and final round to finish with 9 points.

The only player who could have surpassed Ms. Cmilyte today, former world women's champion Anoaneta Stefanova of Bulgaria, drew with Armenian IM Elina Danielian to finish at 8½ points. Ms. Danielian and Ms. Matveeva tied for third place with 8 points each.

[madinmaryland]

10. No more gloat-free baseball scores?

[Jack Rabbit]

11. I've been busy

. . . taking care of a sick friend.

My priority goes to this work. Please tell El Sup that a game of chess is greatly superior to the dumbed-down baseball played in the American League.