The JR Chess Report (October): JRCR pairs down to monthly

Jack Rabbit

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Sun Oct-30-11 08:32 PM
Original message

The JR Chess Report (October): JRCR pairs down to monthly

The JR Chess Report theme music: Merrick, The Look Sharp, Be Sharp March (From a broadcast of The Gillette Cavalcade of Spots).

Magnus comes from behind to win Grand Slam Masters

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

Norwegian grandmaster Magnus Carlsen took first place in the Grand Slam Masters' Final in Bilbao, Spain, when he tied and Ukrainian GM Vassily Ivanchuk in the penultimate round and then defeated Ivanchuk in a blitz playoff.

This year's edition of the Grand Slam Final was divided between Bilbao and S�o Paulo, Brazil. Ivanchuk had a healthy lead coming out of the first leg of the tournament in S�o Paulo, but faltered in the second leg in Bilbao. Magnus started badly, losing his first game and not winning until meeting Ivanchuk in round 5. However, Magnus, the world number one player, come on strong in Bilbao.

The S�o Paulo leg was held between 26 September and 1 October; the Bilbao leg started 6 October and ended 11 October.

Moro wins Saratov, continues impressive comeback

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

Russian grandmaster Alexander Morozevich continues his impressive comeback after taking nearly a year off from chess by winning the Governor's Cup in Saratov, Russia, with 8� points out of 11 rounds.

Morozevich finished a point and a half ahead of his nearest rival, fellow Russian GM and former European champion Evgeny Tomashevsky.

The event took place 7-20 October.

Zhao Xue runs away with Third Leg of Ladies' Grand Prix

Photo by Leigh Atkins in Wikipedia (Public Domain)

Chinese grandmaster Zhao Xue propelled her Elo score back over 2500 by winning the third leg of the FIDE ladies' 2011/12 Grand Prix in Nalchik, Russia.

Ms. Zhao scored 9� points out of a possible 11 and finished 2� points ahead of second-place Ju Wenjun.

The tournament was held 9-21 October. Reigning world women's champion Hou Yifan of China, who did not compete in Nalchik, won each of the first two legs in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, and Shenzhen, China.

Le Quang Liem takes SPICE Cup with dramatic last round victory

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

Vietnamese GM Le Quang Liem, the only man to with the Aeroflot Open twice, defeated Cuban GM Leinier Dom�nguez P�rez in the final round to overtake el se�or Dom�nguez in the standings of the Susan Polgar Institute of Chess Excellence (SPICE) Cup on the campus of Texas Tech University in Lubbock Tuesday.

El se�or Dom�nguez entered the final round needing only to avoid loss to win the tournament title; Le and German grandmaster Georg Meier were tied for second.

El se�or Dom�nguez appeared to have the better game until he blundered on 26th move. Grandmaster Le then sacrificed his Rook for a mating attack. El se�or Dom�nguez resigned on his 29th move. Meanwhile, Herr Meier could only draw his game agains French GM Sebastian Fuller, thus ending in a second-place tie with el se�or Dom�nguez.

The nine-round tounament was held 15-25 October.

Wijk aan Zee 2012 participants announced

The participants for all three groups of the Tata Steel Tournament in Wijk aan Zee have been announced.

See the lists at the Tata Steel Chess 2012 website.

Tata Steel home page.

JRCR goes to monthly format

Photo by Jon Sullivan
from public-domain-photos.com (Public Domain)

The Jack Rabbit chess report will become a monthly thread effective with this, the October thread, published October 30.

The reason for this is that the principle writer of the JRCR has learned enough about chess in the last five years as to give more detailed analysis and present moves of his own not suggested by a search engine. This, your humble hare discovered, can be time-consuming.

Maybe someday I'll actually be able to beat members of my staff of feline grandmasters.

Other results

Etienne Bacrot and Sergey Karjakin tie for first in 12th Karpov Tournament in Poikovsky Bacrot awarded first on superior tie breaks (October 13).

Dmitry Bocharov win Chigorin Memoprial Open in St. Petersburg (October 22).

Indian GM Krishnan Sasikiran wins annual rapid open tournament in Corsica (October 28).

Events upcoming in November

Second Copo Latinoamerica de Ajedrez Montevideo, 1-6 November. Swiss ssytem, 213 participants. Top seeds are L�zero Bruz�n Batista (Cuba) and Eduardo Iturrizaga (Venezuela). 9 rounds.

European Team Championship Porto Carras, Greece, 3-11 November. 38 national teams competing in general group, 28 in women's group, 9 rounds.

Match for the World Women's Title Triana, Albania, 13-30 November. Champion Hou Yifan takes on challenger Koneru Humpy, 10 rounds.

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Jack Rabbit

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Sun Oct-30-11 08:34 PM
Response to Original message

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.

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Jack Rabbit

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Sun Oct-30-11 08:35 PM
Response to Reply #1

2. Carlsen - Ivanchuk, Grand Slam Masters, Bilbao, Round 9

Edited on Sun Oct-30-11 08:36 PM by Jack Rabbit

Magnus played badly in the S�o Paulo leg of the Grand Slam, but then played brilliantly in Bilbao to tie for Vassily Mikhailovich the lead. Magnus went on to defeat Vassily Mikhailovich in a blitz playoff. This is the crucial game of the tournament.

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

Magnus Carlsen - Vassily Ivanchuk
4th Grand Slam Masters, Round 9
Bilbao, 10 October 2011

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

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

The three Knights' Opening almost always transposes into something else. In this case, it transposes into a Capablanca Opening on White's fifth move.

4...b6 5.Qc2 Bb7 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.Qxc3

For a more thorough examinazation of the Nimzo-Indian, see Bacrot-David, French ChT, Mulhouse, 2011.

7...Ne4

If 7...0-0 8.e3 d5 9.b4 c5 10.dxc5 bxc5 11.Bb2 Nbd7 12.cxd5 then:

If 12...Bxd5 13.Be2 Qb6 14.0-0 then:

14...Rfb8 15.b5 a6 16.a4 c4 17.Bxc4 Bxc4 18.Qxc4 axb5 19.axb5 Rxa1 20.Rxa1 Qxb5 21.Qxb5 Rxb5 22.Bxf6 gxf6 23.g3 draw (Drozdovskij-Zakhartsov, Op, Cappelle-la-Grande, 2010).
14...cxb4 15.axb4 Rfb8 16.b5 a6 17.Ra5 axb5 18.Rxb5 Qc6 19.Rxb8+ Rxb8 20.Rc1 Qxc3 21.Bxc3 is equal (Zhao Xue-Gu Xiaobing, Chinese ChW, Wuxi, 2006).

If 12...cxb4 13.axb4 Bxd5 14.Ba6 Qb6 then:

15.Qd4 Rfb8 16.Qxb6 Rxb6 17.b5 Nb8 18.Bd4 Rd6 19.0-0 Nxa6 20.Rxa6 Rxa6 draw (Gelfand-Leko, Rpd, Yerevan, 2008).
15.0-0 Rfb8 16.b5 Bb7 17.Nd4 e5 18.Nc6 Bxc6 19.Qxc6 Qxc6 20.bxc6 Rxb2 gives Black a Rook on the seventh against White's advanced passer (Havasi-Kiprov, Ol, Munich, 1936).

8.Qc2 f5 9.g3 Nf6 (N)

If 9...0-0 10.Bg2 then:

If 10...Nf6 11.0-0 Be4 12.Qc3 Qe8 13.b4 d6 then:

If 14.Bb2 Nbd7 then:

If 15.Rfd1 Qh5 16.Ne1 Ng4 17.h3 Bxg2 18.Kxg2 Nxf2 19.Kxf2 gives White an extra piece, but Black has an active Queen and a safer King (Chekhov-Gurgenidze, Soviet Ch 1st League, Telavi, 1982).
15.Nd2 Bxg2 16.Kxg2 a5 17.f3 axb4 draw (I. Sokolov-Timman, IT, Groningen, 1996).

14.Re1 Nbd7 15.Bf1 Rc8 16.Nd2 draw (M. Turov-Najer, Chigorin Mem Op, St. Petersburg, 2000).

10...Qf6 11.0-0 d6 12.Ng5 Qg6 13.Nxe4 Bxe4 14.Bxe4 fxe4 is equal (King-Willenberg, Op, Gauteng, South Africa, 2011).

BLACK: Vassily Ivanchuk

WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 9...Ne4f6

10.Bh3!?

This is more of a novelty than Black's ninth move. Magnus' purpose is completelyt psychological: he wants to throw his opponent on his own resources. In itself, the move is not better than the usual 10.Bg2.
At this time, I invite the reader to view a thirty-minute video analysis of this game by the Welsh master Tryfon Gavriel, better known by his online screen name, Kingscrusher.
If 10.Bg2 0-0 11.0-0 transposes into the notes to Black's ninth move.

10...0-0!?

This leaves the door ajar just enough for White to enter.
Better is 10...Bxf3 11.exf3 Nc6 12.Be3 f4 13.Bxf4 Nxd4 14.Qc3 with equality.

11.0-0 a5 12.Rd1!

White assumes a small advantage in space.

12...Qe8 13.d5!?

White weakens his control over c5.
13.Bf4 Bxf3 14.exf3 Ra7 15.b4 b5 16.Bf1 continues to give White a small advantage in space/

13...Na6!?

While bringing the Knight to c5 is a good idea, it would be better first to clear the center.
13...exd5 14.Bxf5 dxc4 15.Qxc4+ Kh8 16.Qc2 Na6 17.Bf4 is equal.

14.Bf4 exd5

14...Qh5 15.Bg2 exd5 16.Nd4 Rae8 17.Bf3 is equal.

15.Bxf5 dxc4

BLACK: Vassily Ivanchuk

WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 15...dc4:p

16.Ng5

White has a small advantage. His pieces are trined on Black's kingside, and in particular the h7 pawn.

16...Qh5

If 16...g6?! 17.Bxd7 Nxd7 18.Qxc4+ Kg7 19.Ne6+ then:

19...Kh8 20.Nxc7 Rxf4 21.Qc3+ Qe5 22.Rxd7 Qxc3 23.bxc3 gives White an active Rook and Kinght in compensation for his material deficit.
19...Kg8? 20.Nxf8+ Kxf8 21.Bh6+ Ke7 22.Rd3 Nac5 23.Re3+ gives White an overwhelming attack.

17.Rxd7

If 17.Bxd7 then:

17...Kh8 18.Be6 h6 19.Nf3 b5 is equal.
If 17...Nxd7?! then after 18.Qxc4+! Kh8 19.Rxd7 Nc5 20.Nf7+ Kg8 21.Ne5+ White wins material.

17...Kh8 18.Re7 Nd5

If 18...Rae8 19.Rxe8 Rxe8 20.Qxc4 Rf8 21.Be6 h6 22.g4 gives White an extra pawn.

19.Bg4 Qg6 20.Nf7+?!

20.Qxg6 hxg6 21.Rf7 Nc5 22.Rd1 Rxf7 23.Nxf7+ gives White the Bishop pair and a comfortable advantage in space. Black cuts the open file short with the Knight on d5 and makes his game playable; a plausible continuation is

20...Kg8!

Black assumes a small advantage in space.
20...Rxf7 21.Qxg6 then:

21...Rxe7 22.Qg5 Nf6 23.Rd1 Nc5 24.Qh4 Rf8 25.Bg5 gives White a Queen for a Rook and minor piece more freedom.
21...hxg6? 22.Rxf7! Re8 23.Bf3 wins the exchange and gives White a lasting initiative.

21.Bf5

21.Nh6+ Kh8 22.Nf7+ Kg8 etc. draws.

21...Qxf5 22.Qxf5 Nxe7

BLACK: Vassily Ivanchuk

WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 22...Nd5e7:R

23.Nh6+!?

White demolishes the castle walls, but at the cost of a great deal of material.
23.Qe6?! Rxf7! 24.Qxc4 Ng6 25.Rd1 Kf8 26.Bg5 Nc5 gives Black the advantage in space.

23...gxh6

Black has the material advantage, but he is walking on eggshells.
If 23...Kh8? then White wins after 24.Qe6! when:

24...Nc5 25.Qxe7 Rae8 26.Qxc7.
If 24...Bd5 then White wins after 25.Qxe7 Rfe8 26.Qg5 c6 27.Nf5 .

24.Qg4+!

Black isn't beaten yet, but he has very few good moves.
If 24.Qe6+ Rf7 25.Qxc4 Ng6 26.Bxh6 transposes into the note following White's 26th move.

24...Ng6

Black has a material advantage, but his forces are arranged haphazardly on the queenside and are really ineffective; White's forces concentrated on the kingside give him the overall advantage
If 24...Kf7?! 25.Bxh6 Rg8 26.Qxc4+ Ke8 27.Qb5+ then:

27...Bc6 28.Qh5+ Rg6 29.Bg5 Ng8 30.Qxh7 Rxg5 31.f4 leaves the Black King unsafe.
If 27...Kf7? 28.Qh5+ Ke6 then:

29.Bf4 Rg7 30.Rd1 Nc5 31.Bxc7 Nf5 32.g4 stretches Black's defense to the breaking point.
29.f4 Nf5 30.e4 Bxe4 31.Re1 Nd6 32.Rxe4+ Nxe4 33.Qe5+ gives White a winning position.

If 24...Kh8?? then 25.Be5+! forces mate.

25.Bxh6!

Black has a problem. The Knight is pinned to the King and the Rook is under attack from the Bishop. Black would like to break the pin, but if the King moves to f7 he is in the way of his Rook and if it moves to h8 it could quickly find himself in a mating net. The think to do, then, is first move the Rook out of harms' way.

25...Rf7

25...Rf6?! 26.h4! Kf7 27.Rd1 c3 28.bxc3 Nc5 29.Be3 gives White a slight material advantage, command of the d-file and more space.

26.Rd1

26.Qxc4 Re8 27.Rd1 Nc5 28.b4 axb4 29.axb4 Ne5 is equal.

26...Re8

If 26...Nc5 27.Be3 Ne4 28.f3 then:

28...Nf6 29.Qxc4 Ba6 30.Qc6 Rb8 31.Rd2 is equal.
28...Nd6?! 29.Bxb6 cxb6 30.Rxd6 b5 31.Rb6 Re8 32.Rxb5 gives White a powerful advantage with more material, a pin at g6 and more space.

27.h4 Nc5

If 27...Bc8 28.Qxc4 Nc5 then:

29.h5 Ne5 30.Qh4 Ne6 31.Qe4 leaves White more activity for his heavy pieces.
29.Be3!? Ne5 30.Qc1 Ne6 31.Bd4 Ng6 32.Qc2 Nef8 is equal.

28.h5 Bc8 29.Qxc4 Ne5 30.Qh4 Nc6?!

One might intuit that Black is running the wrong way with the Knight.
If 30...Ne6 then:

If 31.Qe4 then:

If 31...Ng7! then:

32.Qh4 Ne6 33.Qe4 etc. draws.
32.Qd5!? Ba6 33.f4 Bxe2 34.fxe5 Bxd1 35.Qxd1 Rxe5 is equal.

31...Nd7!? 32.Qg4+ Ng7 33.Bxg7 Nc5 34.Qh4 Kxg7 35.Rd8 gives White threats on the back rank.

31.f4 Nd7 32.e4 Kh8 33.b4 axb4 34.axb4 is equal.

31.Rd5!

Had the Knight moved to e6 on the previous move, the Black could block a subsesequent check fromRd5g5 with ...Ne6g7. As it is, this move tilts the game White's way.

31...Ne6

If 31...Be6 32.Qg5+! Kh8 33.Qe3 then:

33...Nd7 34.Qc3+ Nde5 35.Rxe5 Nxe5 36.Qxe5+ gives White a material and positional advantage that should be good enough to win.
If 33...Nb3 then after 34.f4 Nbd4 35.Rxd4 Nxd4 36.Qxd4+ Kg8 37.e4 White's pawn storm wins the day.

32.Qc4 Ncd8?

The Bishop is left hanging on the back rank.
If 32...Nb8 33.Qg4+ Ng7 34.Qg5 Nd7 35.Bxg7 Rxg7 36.Qf5 remains equal.

BLACK: Vassily Ivanchuk

WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 32...Nc6d8

33.Qg4+!

White wins a piece.

33...Ng7 34.Qxc8 1-0

White has an impressive material advantage and Black's position is tied up in knots.
Vassily Mikhailovich resigns.

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Jack Rabbit

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Sun Oct-30-11 08:38 PM
Response to Reply #1

3. Aronian - Ivanchuk, Grand Slam Masters, S�o Paulo, Round 4

Vassily Mikhailovich built up a huge lead in the first half of the Grand Slam Final, held in S�o Paulo. He faired less well after the tournament moved to Bilbao.

Vassily Ivanchuk
Photo by Stefan64 in Wikimedia (Creative Commons License Attribution/Share Alike)]

Aronian,Levon - Vassily Ivanchuk
4th Grand Slam Masters, Round 4
S�o Paulo, 30 Spetember 2011

Orthodox Queen's Gambit: Nimzo-Ragozin Defense (Exchange Variation)

1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.Bg5 Bb4 6.cxd5 exd5

For moves up to here, see Moiseenko-Ponomariov, Ukrainian Ch, Kiev, 2011

7.Nd2 c6 8.e3 Nf8

8...0-0 9.Bd3 Re8 10.0-0 Nf8 11.a3 Bd6 12.e4 dxe4 13.Ndxe4 Be7 is equal (Dreev-Zvjaginsev, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2005).

9.Bd3 Be7!?

9...Ng6 10.0-0 0-0 11.h4 h6 12.h5 hxg5 13.hxg6 fxg6 14.Qb3 gives White a very slight advantge; although Black's kingside pawns are weak, Black still has more freedom (Ftacnik-Winants, IT, Tilburg, 1992).

10.Qc2 (N)

10.0-0 Ne6 11.Bh4 then:

11...g6!? 12.Rb1 Ng7 13.b4 Bf5 14.Bxf5 Nxf5 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.b5 gives White fewer pawn weaknesses and more space (Sorokin-Zvjaginsev, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2005).
11...0-0 12.Qc2 h6 13.Rac1 Ng4 14.Bxe7 Qxe7 15.Nf3 gives White a small advantage in space.

If 10.h3 Ne6 11.Bh4 0-0 12.0-0 g6 13.a3 a5 14.Na4 Ra7 15.Rc1 gives White a small advantage in space (Alterman-Dizdar, Euro ChT, Debrecen, 1992).

10...Ne6 11.Bh4

gives White a small advantage in space.

11...g6!?

This move prepares to castle by blocking access to h7 to White's Queen and Bishop, but weakens the kingside.
If 11...h6 then:

12.0-0 0-0 13.Nf3 Re8 14.Bg3 c5 15.dxc5 Nxc5 saddles Black with an isolated pawn.
If 12.Nf3 0-0 13.h3 c5 then:

14.0-0 cxd4 15.Nxd4 Nxd4 16.exd4 Be6 17.Qb3 provokes Black to weaken his queenside pawns.
14.dxc5!? Nxc5! 15.0-0 Be6 16.Rac1 Rc8 17.Nd4 leaves White with a small advantage in space; Black has an isolated d-pawn,

12.h3!?

White plans kingside action, but, with the advantage in space and development, he should pause to castle.
If 12.0-0! then:

12...0-0 13.Nf3 Re8 14.Rfc1 Ng7 15.a4 Bf5 16.a5 gives White a small advantage in space.
If 12...g5!? 13.Bg3 Nh5 14.Ne2! then:

14...Nxg3 15.Nxg3 Ng7 16.Rac1 gives White pressure on Black's h7 and more space.
14...Neg7 15.Be5 f6 16.Bg3 Nxg3 17.Nxg3 h5 18.Bg6+ gives White a clear advantage.

12...0-0 13.Nf3 a5 14.g4!?

White plays aggressively on the kingside, but this comes at the long term expense of King safety.
If 14.0-0 Re8 15.Qb3 Ra7 16.Bg3 then:

If 16...c5! 17.Bb5 then:

If 17...Bd7 18.Be5 Bc6 19.Rac1 then:

19...Ne4 20.Bxc6 bxc6 21.Rfd1 c4 22.Qc2 f6 23.Bh2 gives White a slight advantage with stronger pawns.
19...c4 20.Qa4 Ra6 21.Bxc6 bxc6 22.Rfe1 Rb6 23.Rb1 gives White stronger pawns; Black's weakest pawn is under attack at c6.

17...c4?! 18.Qa4! Rf8 19.Rac1 Bb4 20.Bh4 Bxc3 21.Rxc3 gives White more activity, freedom and more space.

16...Ng7 17.Bb8 Ra8 18.Bh2 Ra7 19.Be2 Bf5 20.Ne5 gives White a better center.

14...b5!?

Black, too, plays aggressively.
14...b6 15.0-0-0 Bb7 16.Kb1 Rc8 17.Rhe1 c5 is equal.

15.Ne5 Bb7 16.f4

White's King may have been in the center too long and it may have to stay there.
16.0-0!? Rc8 17.Rfd1 b4 18.Na4 c5 19.dxc5 Nxc5 is equal.

16...c5

If 16...Ne8 17.Bxe7 Qxe7 18.f5 Nc5 then:

19.Be2 Na6 20.Kd1 Kg7 21.h4 Nd6 is equal.
19.dxc5?! Qxe5! 20.Kd2 Nc7 21.Nd1 Qe7 22.h4 Na6 gives White more space while Black threatens to win the c-pawn.

17.f5 cxd4

If 17...Nxg4 18.Bxe7 Nxe3 then:

19.Qh2 Qxe7 20.fxe6 cxd4 21.Nxb5 fxe6 is equal.
If 19.Bxd8!? Nxc2+ 20.Bxc2 Nxd4 then:

If 21.0-0-0! Rfxd8 22.fxg6 fxg6 then:

23.Nd3 Nxc2 24.Nxc5 Ne3 25.Nxb7 Rd7 26.Nc5 gives White a theoretical material advantage equal to a little more than a pawn; Black has a slim edge in space.
23.Rxd4 cxd4 24.Nxb5 Re8 25.Re1 Re7 26.Kd1 Rae8 is equal.

21.Rh2!? Rfxd8 22.0-0-0 Rac8 23.fxg6 fxg6 is equal.

18.fxe6 dxc3 19.0-0 d4

If 19...fxe6 20.Bxg6 then:

20...Ne4 21.Bxe4 dxe4 22.Rxf8+ Qxf8 23.Rf1 Qg7 24.Bxe7 Qxe7 25.Qxc3 is equal.
If 20...hxg6?? then White wins after 21.Qxg6+! Kh8 22.Qh6+ Kg8 23.g5 cxb2 24.Rad1.

20.Nxf7?

After the game, Aronian admitted he overestimated his position..
If 20.bxc3 dxe3 21.exf7+ Kg7! then:

22.Rae1 Nd5 23.Bxe7 Qxe7 24.Qh2 remains equal.
22.Qh2 Qc7 23.Rae1 Nxg4 24.hxg4 Bxh4 25.Rxe3 Bg5 remains equal.

BLACK: Vassily Ivanchuk

DIAGRAM

WHITE: Levon Aronian
Position after 20.Ne5f7:p

20...Qd5!!

As hard as it is to believe, White's last move is a blunder. All roads now lead to a Black victory.

21.Bxf6

For those unconvinced that White is lost, here are the alternatives to the text.
If 21.e4 Qxe6 22.Ng5 Qe5 then:

If 23.Nf3 Qf4 then:

If 24.bxc3 Nxe4!! (Black proffers another piece -- two, in fact) 25.Bxe7 Qe3+ then:

If 26.Kh2 Rxf3 27.Rxf3 Qxf3 28.Bxe4 Bxe4 then:

29.Rf1 Qxf1 30.Qxe4 Re8 gives Black a robust material advantage.
If 29.Qb3+ then Black wins after 29...Kg7 30.Qb2 Qf4+ 31.Kg1 Qg3+ 32.Kf1 Qxh3+ when Black is two pawn up and the White King has no place to hide.

If 26.Kg2 then Black wins after 26...Nd2!! 27.Bxf8 Rxf8 28.Be2 Nxf3 29.Bxf3 Bxf3+.

If 24.Rae1 Nxg4 25.Nxd4 Qe5 then:

If 26.Bxe7 Qg3+ then:

If 27.Qg2 Qxd3 28.Rxf8+ Rxf8 then:

If 29.bxc3 Qxc3 30.Nc2 Rf3 then:

31.Bd6 Nf2 32.Rf1 Nxh3+ 33.Kh2 Bxe4 34.Rxf3 Bxf3 gives Black three extra pawns.
If 31.Qxg4?? then 31...Rg3+! wins the Queen.

If 29.Nb3 then Black wins after 29...Rf3 30.Bh4 Ne5 31.Nc5 Qd4+.

If 27.Kh1 then White is kaput after 27...Rf2 28.Qb3+ Kh8 29.Bf6+ Nxf6.

26.Nf3 Rxf3 27.Rxf3 Bxh4 28.Re2 Qc5+ gives Black two minor pieces and a pawn for the Rook, and his attck remains strong.

23.bxc3 dxc3 24.Qb3+ Nd5 25.Nf3 Qf4 26.Bxb5 Qxe4 leaves Black with an extra pawn and command of attacking lanes leading to the enemy King.

If 21.Be4 Qxe4 22.Qxe4 Bxe4 then:

If 23.bxc3 Kg7 24.exd4 then:

If 24...Bd5 25.Rfe1 then:

If 25...Rae8 then:

If 26.Bg3 Ne4 27.Be5+ Bf6 28.Nd6 then:

28...Bxe5 29.Nxe8+ Rxe8 30.dxe5 Nxc3 31.a3 Bxe6 32.Re3 Rc8 gives Black the material advantage.
28...Nxd6!? 29.Bxd6 Be7 30.Bxe7 Rxe7 gives Black the material advantage.

26.Bxf6+ Bxf6 27.Nd6 Rxe6 28.Rxe6 Bxe6 leaves Black with an extra piece.

If 25...Rfc8 26.Re5 Bc4then:

If 27.Bg5 then Black wins after 27...Ra6 28.Bh6+ Kg8 29.a4 b4 30.cxb4 axb4.
If 27.Rd1 then Black wins after 27...Rc6 28.d5 Nxd5 29.Rexd5 Bxh4 30.Rd7 Kf6.

If 24...Ra6 then:

25.Rfe1 Bd5 26.Re5 Bc4 27.a4 b4 28.cxb4 axb4 gives White a material advantage.
If 25.Rae1 Bd5 26.a4 bxa4 then:

If 27.Ne5 Bxe6 28.c4 a3 then:

29.Bf2 Bb4 30.Re2 Bc3 31.Rc1 Bb2 leaves Black a piece to the good.
29.Rf3 a2 30.Ra1 Bd6 31.Rxa2 Bxe5 32.dxe5 Nd7 leaves Black a piece to the good.

27.Re5 Bc4 28.Rfe1 a3 leaves Black a piece to the good.

23.Bxf6 Bxf6 24.bxc3 Be7 25.exd4 Bd5 transposes.

21...Qh1+!

Black is content to let White have another piece in return for a tremendous attack on the White King.
If 21...Bxf6? 22.Rxf6 Qh1+ 23.Kf2 Qxa1 24.Bxg6! equalizes.

22.Kf2 Qxh3!

This is the way to fly. Black will drive the King to the othe end of the board, bringing havoc along the way.
If 22...Qf3+? 23.Ke1 Qxe3+ 24.Qe2! then:

24...cxb2! 25.Rb1! leaves Black nothing better than to draw by repetition: 25...Qc1+ 26.Kf2 Qf4+ etc.
24...Qxe2+? 25.Bxe2 Bxf6 26.Rxf6 leaves White a piece to the good.

23.Ke1

This is forced.
If 23.Bxe7?? then 23...Qxe3#.

23...cxb2 24.Qxb2 Bb4+ 25.Kd1

BLACK: Vassily Ivanchuk

DIAGRAM

WHITE: Levon Aronian
Position after 25.Ke1d1

25...Bf3+!

Black wins the exchange.

26.Rxf3

White must take the Bishop.
If 26.Kc1 then White has an easy win after 26...Rfc8+ 27.Kb1 Qxf1+!! 28.Bxf1 Be4+ 29.Qc2 Rxc2.

26...Qxf3+ 27.Be2

If 27.Qe2 then:

Black wins soon after 27...Qxf6! 28.g5 Qxe6 29.Nh6+ Kh8.
The main variation is stronger than 27...Qxe2+ 28.Bxe2 Rfe8 29.Bxd4 Rxe6 30.Nh6+ Kf8, but Black will still win.

27...Qxf6 28.g5 Qg7 29.Qxd4 Rxf7?!

Black thows away the better part of his advantage.
Black wins after 29...Bc3! 30.Qxg7+ Kxg7 31.Rc1 b4 32.Bf3 Rac8.

30.exf7+ Qxf7 31.Rc1!

White now has drawing chances.

31...Rb8 32.a4?

No better is 32.a3 Qb3+ 33.Rc2 Bxa3 34.Bd3 Rc8.
Black best shot is 32.Rc2! Be7 33.Rc7 Re8 34.Bxb5 Qf3+ 35.Be2 Qh1+ 36.Kd2 with equality.

BLACK: Vassily Ivanchuk

DIAGRAM

WHITE: Levon Aronian
Position after 32.a2a4

32...Qb3+!

White has only one legal reply and no satisfactory continuation thereafter.

33.Rc2 Qb1+ 34.Rc1 Qb3+

Black has only a fraction of a minute to meet the time check at move 40, hence the repetition of moves. Were the clock not a factor, White probably would have resigned rather than make his 33rd move.

35.Rc2 Rc8 36.Bc4+

This loses a piece (besides being forced), but it is played because White is hoping to win on time.

36...bxc4 37.Qd5+ Kf8 38.Qd7 Re8 0-1

White cannot regain the lost piece. Black has 15 seconds remaining and can meet the time check by repeting moves again, if necessary.
Grandmaster Aronian resigns.

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Jack Rabbit

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Sun Oct-30-11 08:41 PM
Response to Reply #1

4. Adriasian - Zvjaginsev, European Club Cup, General Group, Rogaska Slatina, Round 7

Edited on Sun Oct-30-11 08:50 PM by Jack Rabbit

Since team tournaments are often won with the strength on the lower boards, we present this game played on the fifth board of the last round. St. Petersburg needed to win this match, and did so because this was the only decisive game.

Vadim Zvjaginsev
Photo by Stefan64 from Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1641042">Zaven Andriasian (Mika) - Vadim Zvjaginsev (St. Petersburg)
European Club Cup (General Group), Round 7/Board 5
Rogaska Slatina, 1 October 2011

Open Sicilian Scheveningen Game: Yugoslav Defense

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Be3

This is usually called the English Variation, but until now my staff and I have called it the Chandler-Nunn Opening in order to better disguinish it from the English Game (1.c4 when not soon followed by d2d4). We will henceforth use the name Yugoslav Opening, which conventionally is only used for this formation when it is used against the Dragon Variation. In our view, this formation has the same strengths and weaknesses regardless of that adopted by Black, and therefore shall be called by the same name.
For 6.Be2 (the Opocensky Opening) see Hou Yifan-Ruan Lufei, World ChW, Antakya, 2010.
For 6.g4 (the Keres Opening) see Diamant-Robson, Pan Am Jr Ch, Montevideo, 2009.

6...Nf6 7.Be2 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.f4 Bd7 10.Bf3 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Bc6 12.Qe2 Qa5 (N)

12...a6 13.Rad1 Qc7 14.Kh1 e5 15.Be3 b5 16.a3 gives White the advantage in space (Andriasian-Ponomariov, IT, Hoogeveen, 2007).

13.Kh1

White has the customary advantage in space he gets from an Open Sicilian.

13...e5 14.Be3 b5 15.a3 Qc7!?

Black would like to advance his d-pawn.
If 15...a6 16.Qf2 Qc7 17.Qg3 Rfe8 18.Rad1 gives White a little bit more freedom.

BLACK: Vadim Zvjaginsev

WHITE: Zaven Andriasian
Position after 15...Qa4c7

16.Qd3!

White makes ...d5 as difficult as possible; he cannot win the pawn on b5.
If 16.Nxb5!? Bxb5 17.Qxb5 then:

17...Rfb8 18.Qa6 Rxb2 19.c4 Qb7 20.Qxb7 Rxb7 21.Rfc1 is equal.
17...Qxc2?! 18.Rfc1! Rab8 then:

19.Qxb8 Qxc1+ 20.Rxc1 Rxb8 21.b4 gives White more activity, command of the open file, a distant pawn majority, the Bishop pair, a slight initiative and a comfortable advantage in space; Black has a bad Bishop.
19.Rxc2 Rxb5 20.Bxa7 exf4 21.b4 Re5 22.Bd4 gives White more activity, connected passed pawns, command of the open c-file, better pawn structure, a slight initiative and more space; Black has a bad Bishop.

16...a6

White has a small advantage in space.

17.Rad1 Rac8 18.Rf2

18.Rd2!? Rfe8! 19.Re1 Bb7 20.f5 Qc4 21.Bg5 b4 is equal.

18...Bb7

18...Rfe8 19.Kg1 Bb7 then:

20.f5 Qc4! 21.Re2 d5 is equal.
20.g3 Qc4! 21.Re2 b4 22.axb4 Qxb4 is equal.

19.Nd5!?

White occupies the Boleslavsky hole, but in the end he must be content with a pawn at e5.
Slightly better is 19.fxe5 dxe5 20.Nd5 Bxd5 21.exd5 Rfd8 22.Rfd2 when White gets a passed pawn.

BLACK: Vadim Zvjaginsev

WHITE: Zaven Andriasian
Position after 19.Nf3d5

19...Nxd5

White might actually be better off here if he had no e-pawn.

20.exd5 Bh4!

The game is equal.

21.g3

21.Re2 Rce8 22.Rdd2 exf4 23.Bxf4 Qd8 24.Rxe8 Rxe8 is equal.

21...exf4

Black ends White's hopes of a passed pawn, but the same thing can be accomplished more gracefully by 21...Bf6 22.Be4 h6 23.fxe5 Bxe5 24.c3 Qc4 with equality.

22.Bxf4 Bf6 23.c3

23.Be4 Kh8 24.c3 Rce8 25.g4 Bh4 is equal.
23.b3 Rfe8 24.Kg2 Bc3 25.Be4 g6 26.Bf3 f6 is equal.

23...Rce8 24.Kg2

If 24.Be4 Kh8 then:

25.Qf3 Be5 26.Qh5 g6 27.Qg5 f5 28.Bg2 Bf6 is equal.
25.Kg2 Re7 26.Re2 Rfe8 27.Rde1 Qc4 28.Qxc4 bxc4 is equal.

24...Be5 25.Re2 f6!?

Black had the opportunity to gain time by taking the Bishop; White would have to recapture and thus spoil the King's position.
If 25...Bxf4 then:

If 26.gxf4 Re7 then:

27.Rde1 Rfe8 28.f5 Rxe2+ 29.Rxe2 Rxe2+ 30.Qxe2 Kf8 remains equal.
27.Re4 Rfe8 28.Rde1 Qd7 29.b3 Bc8 30.Rxe7 Rxe7 remains equal.

26.Be4?? loses to 26...f5! 27.Bxf5 Rxe2+ 28.Qxe2 Rxf5.

26.Bxe5!?

White misses the opportunity to capitalize on Black's inequity.
26.Be4! h6 27.Bh7+ Kh8 28.Bg6 Re7 29.Rde1 gives White a small advantage with more freedom and space.

BLACK: Vadim Zvjaginsev

WHITE: Zavan Andriasian
Position after 25.Bf4xe5:B

26...fxe5!

Black has a passed pawn.

27.Be4

A passed pawn is a criminal who must be kept under lock and key -- Nimzovich.
The threat to h7 is incidental to the more important task of blockading the passer.

27...g6 28.Rdd2

Black has a very slight advantage.
28.h3 Qd7 29.Rh1 Rc8 30.Ree1 Qc7 31.Rhf1 Kg7 also gives Black a slight edge derived from the passed pawn.

28...Bc8 29.Rf2 Qa7 30.Qe2!?

The Queen would be safer and White's center just as well protected after 30.Qc2.
If 30.Qc2 Qb7 then:

31.h3 Qe7 32.Rde2 Rxf2+ 33.Rxf2 Rf8 34.Kh2 Rf7 continues to force White to defend against the passed pawn..
31.Kg1!? Bh3! 32.Rd3 Qa7 33.Qe2 Rxf2 34.Qxf2 Rf8 gives Black a small advantage in space as well as the passer.

30...Kg7!?

Black misses an opportunity to capitalize on White's inaccuracy.
If 30...Rxf2+ 31.Qxf2 Qc7 32.Re2 Bg4 33.Re1 Rf8 34.Qe3 Qd7 gives Black a space advantage and the passer.

31.Qe1 Qc5 32.h3 Bf5 33.g4!?

This move loosens White's kingside, perhaps a shade too much.
If 33.Bxf5 voluntarily destroys the blockade: if now 33...Rxf5 then:

34.Qd1 Rff8 35.Qe1 Qc4 36.Rfe2 Re7 37.Re4 Qc5 restores the blockade, but with a heavy piece.
34.Rxf5?! gxf5 35.Qe2 Rf8 36.Qf3 f4 still gives Black the advantage of the passer, now with a more mobile pawn to its left.

33...Bxe4+!

Black assumes a small advantage in space.

34.Qxe4 Qc4!

Black forces the exchange of Queens, augmenting the power of the passed pawn.

35.Qxc4

35.Rfe2 Rc8 36.Qe3 Rc5 37.g5 Rxd5 38.Kh2 Rf5 leaves Black with an extra pawn.

35...bxc4 36.Rde2?

Black's passed pawn will take on critical importance in a Rook and pawn ending.
36.h4 Rxf2+ 37.Kxf2 h6 38.Kg3 Rf8 39.g5 Rf5 gives Black the active Rook.

BLACK: Vadim Zvjaginsev

WHITE: Zavan Andriasian
Position after 36.Rd2e2

36...Rxf2+!

White does not recover from here.

37.Kxf2

If 37.Rxf2 Rf8! 38.Re2 (Black easily wins a King and Pawn ending after 38.Rxf8)( 38...g5 then:

39.Re1 Kg6 40.Rb1 Rb8 41.Kf3 h5! begins a plan to bring the Kingnforward to escort the passer home.
If 39.Kh2 Kg6 40.Kg3 h5 then:

41.gxh5+ Kxh5 42.Kg2 Rf5 43.Re4 Rf4 44.Re1 e4 puts Black well along the road to victory.
If 41.Re1 then Black makes progress after 41...Rf4 42.Rb1 e4.

37...Rf8+ 38.Kg3

If 38.Ke1 g5 39.Re4 Rf4 40.Re2 Kf6 then:

41.Rd2 Rf3 42.Rh2 Re3+ 43.Kf1 Rd3 44.Ke2 Rxd5 leaves Black a pawn to the good.
If 41.Re3? e4 42.Re2 Ke5 then:

If 43.Rd2 Rf3 44.Rd4 Rxh3 45.Rxc4 Kf4 then:

46.Kd1 Kf3 47.Rc6 Rh1+ 48.Kc2 e3 49.Rxd6 e2 Black wins.
If 46.Rc6 then Black wins after 46...Ke3 47.Kf1 Kf3 48.Ke1 e3.

43.Re3 Rf3 44.Re2 Rxh3 45.Kd2 Kxd5 gives Black two extra pawns.

38...g5 39.Rh2

If 39.Re4 Rf4 then:

40.Re1 e4 41.h4 Kg6 42.Rh1 Rf3+ 43.Kg2 gxh4 44.Rxh4 Rd3 either White's pawns fall or Black's e-pawn advances.
40.Rxf4 then Black wins after 40...gxf4+ 41.Kf3 Kg6 42.h4 h5 43.g5 Kf5.

39...e4 40.Rd2 Rf3+ 41.Kg2 Rf4!

Black defends his pawns on the fourth rank (see next note).
41...Kf6?! 42.Rd4! Ke5 43.Rxc4 Rd3 44.Rc7 Rd2+ gives Black only a relatively modest advantage compared to what he had before.

42.Rd4

BLACK: Vadim Zvjzginsev

WHITE: Zaven Andriasian
Position after 42.Rd2d4

42...e3!

Black takes advantage of White's Rook being out of position to advance the pawn.

43.Rd1

43...Rf2+ 44.Kg3

White must give his King maximum mobibility for the fight against the passed pawn.
44.Kg1? loses to:

44...Rxb2! 45.Re1 e2 46.Kf2 Kf6 47.Rxe2 Rxe2+ 48.Kxe2 Ke5 gives Black an easily won King and pawn ending.
44...Re2?! gives away a crucial tempo and after 45.Kf1! Rxb2 46.Rd4 Kf6 47.Re4 Ra2 when the passer falls giving White chances of salvaging a half point.

44...Rd2!

This is not the time for Black to give up the pawn. Abandoning it to take the b-pawn is a big mistake.
If 44...Rxb2?! 45.Rd4! then:

45...Rf2 46.Re4 Re2 47.Rxc4 Rd2 48.Rc6 Rxd5 49.Kf3 is equal.
45...Rb3 46.Rxc4 Rxa3 47.Rc7+ Kf6 48.Kf3 equalizes.

45.Re1 e2!!

Now is the time to sacrifice the passer, when as a result White must either exchange Rooks, giving Black an easily won ening, or put the King in front of the Rook.

46.Kf3 Rxb2!

Black will keep his Rook on the seventh rank.
If 46...Rxd5?! then after 47.Rxe2! Kf6 48.Kg3 Kf7 49.Rf2+ Ke6 50.Kg2 the game is once again a fight.

47.Ke3 Kf6!

With White's pieces tied up defending against Black's passer, the Black King comes forward to attack White's d-pawn.

48.Kd4 Rd2+ 49.Ke4

White is now completely lost.
If 49.Kxc4 then Black wins after 49...Ke5 50.Kb4 Rb2+ 51.Kc4 Ke4 52.a4 Ke3.

BLACK: Vadim Zvjaginsev

WHITE: Zaven Andriasian
Position after 49.Kd4e4

49...a5 50.a4 h6 51.Kf3

If 51.Ke3 then Black wins after 51...Rxd5 52.Kf2 Rd3 53.Kxe2 Rxc3 54.Kd2 Rxh3.

51...Ke5 52.Ke3 Rb2

52...Rc2 53.Rb1 Rxc3+ 54.Kxe2 Rxh3.

53.Rh1 Kxd5 54.Kf3

If 54.Re1 then Black wins after 54...Ke5 55.Kf3 d5 56.Ke3 d4+ 57.cxd4+ Kd5.

54...Ke5 55.Ke3 d5 56.Re1 Rc2 0-1

56...Rc2 57.Rh1 Rxc3+ 58.Kxe2 Ke4 59.Kd2 d4 is Zugzwang.
Grandmaster Andriasian resigns.

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Jack Rabbit

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sun Oct-30-11 08:44 PM
Response to Reply #1

5. Lahno - Munguntuul, European Club Cup, Women's Group, Rogaska Slatina, Round 7

Edited on Sun Oct-30-11 08:53 PM by Jack Rabbit

This game decided first place in the women's group.

Katya Lahno
Photo by Stefan64 from Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

Katya Lahno (AVS) - Batkhuyag Munguntuul (Giprorechtrans)
European Club Cup (Women's Group), Round 7/Board 2
Rogaska Slatina, 1 October 2011

Caro-Kann Game: Nunn Opening (Accelerated Panov Opening)

1.c4 c6 2.e4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.cxd5

BLACK

WHITE

Caro-Kann Game: Nunn Opening (Accelerated Panov Opening)
Position after 4.cd5:p

The traditional name for this opening, which has gained popularity over the last thirty years, is the Accelerated Panov Opening. We are giving it the name Nunn Opening, after the British GM who often played it in the 1980s, to emphasize its distinction from the Panov.
If White really wants to play the Nunn Opening, he should use the move order in the text, for otherwise it is up to Black whether the game goes into a Nunn or Panov. For Black, the attraction of the Nunn is saddling White with an isolated d-pawn; the Nunn offers White quick development, while the Panov offers him a queenside majority that comes in handy in the endgame.
If 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nc3 then:

If 5...g6 6.Qb3 Bg7 7.cxd5 then:

If 7...0-0 then:

If 8.Nge2 then:

If 8...Re8 then:

9.Nf4 Nbd7 10.Be2 Nb6 11.0-0 h6 12.a4 a5 13.h4 Bf5 14.Be3 Qd6 15.Nb5 gives White the advantage in space, but his extra pawn counts for nothing and he will be saddled with an isolated d-pawn (Nieditsch-Bhat, IT, Montreal, 2009).

5...e6 6.Nf3 Nc6 transposes into the Panov Opening. Reaching the text position at White's eighth move from here is very unlikey. The text and the Panov Opening are distinct.

4...Nf6 5.Nc3

White's extra pawn is so weak as to be meaningless.
If 5.Bb5+ then:

If 5...Nbd7 6.Nc3 a6 7.Qa4 Rb8 8.Bxd7+ then:

If 8...Qxd7 9.Qxd7+ Bxd7 10.d4 then:

If 10...Rd8 11.Bg5 then:

11...Bf5 12.Bxf6 exf6 13.Nge2 Bd3 14.0-0-0 Bc4 15.Rhe1 leaves White with isolated twins in the d-file, nullifying any benefit of the extra pawn, but to capture the pawn Black must give up one of his two Bishops; White has a masked attack on Black's King and Black deal with that before capturing the pawn, giving White the advantage for now (Holmsten-Solozhenkin, Finnish ChT, 2005).
11...Bb5 12.Nxb5 axb5 13.Bxf6 exf6 14.0-0-0 Rxd5 15.Ne2 leaves White with an isolated pawn, which he is overprotecting and Black is blockading and Nimzovich is left smiling in heaven (Turner-Freeman, Op, Newcastle, 1997).

10...b5 11.a3 a5 12.Bf4 Rc8 13.Bd2 b4 14.axb4 axb4 15.Na2 is equal (Koch-Adams, French ChT, 1989).

8...Bxd7 9.Qb3 b5 10.d3 b4 11.Ne4 Qa5 12.Nxf6+ gxf6 13.Ne2 still leaves White with an extra pawn (Bowden-Adams, Op, London, 1985).

If 5...Bd7 6.Bc4 b5 7.Bb3 Bg4 then:

If 8.Nf3 Nbd7 9.d4 Nb6 10.Qd3 Bxf3 then:

11.Qxf3 Nbxd5 12.Nc3 Nxc3 13.Qc6+ Nd7 14.bxc3 gives White more freedom, more space and a lead in development (Grachev-Kljucharev, Russian ChT, Olginka, 2011).
11.Qxb5+ Qd7 12.Qxd7+ Kxd7 13.gxf3 Nbxd5 14.Nc3 e6 15.Rg1 gives White an extra pawn; Black has stronger pawns and a little bit more space (Plachetka-Stranz, Austrian ChT, 1998).

If 8.f3 Bc8 9.Qe2 a6 10.Nc3 then:

10...g6 11.Ne4 Bg7 12.a4 0-0 13.Nxf6+ exf6 14.Qf2 bxa4 15.Bxa4 Qxd5 is equal (Bartsch-Miles, Bundesliga 8384, Germany, 1984).
If 10...Bb7 11.Qe5 Nbd7 12.Qd4 Qb6 13.Qe3 b4 then:

If 14.Na4!? Qa5!? (14...Qb5 is stronger); then:

15.d6?! Bc6! 16.a3 e6 17.axb4 Qxb4 18.Qc3 Qxd6 gives Black a small advatage in space and a comfortable lead in development (Hanstein-Baron von der Lasa, Berlin (?), 1839).
If 15.a3 Bxd5 16.axb4 Qxb4 17.Bc2 e6 gives Black a small advantage in space and a lead in development.

14.Ne4 Nxd5 15.Qxb6 N5xb6 16.d4 Bd5gives Black a small advantage in space,

5...Nxd5 6.Nf3

White will be content with simple development.
More aggressive is 6.Bc4 Nb6 7.Bb3 Nc6 8.Nf3 Bf5 9.d4 e6 10.0-0 Be7 11.d5 exd5 12.Nxd5 Nxd5 13.Bxd5 0-0 then:

14.Be3 Bf6 15.Rc1 Nb4 16.Bxb7 Rb8 17.Qxd8 Bxd8 18.Bc6 Nxc6 19.Rxc6 Rxb2 20.Bxa7 draw (Spassky-Portisch, Candidates' Match, Mexico City, 1980).
14.Bxc6 bxc6 15.Be3 Qa5 16.Nd4 Be4 17.Nb3 Qe5 18.Bd4 Qg5 gives Black more activity, the two Bishops in an open center and more space; White has feewer pawn weaknesses (Parligras-Ketzetzis, Op, Kalamaria, 2006).

6...Nxc3!?

This may be over-aggressive. Black invested three moves to exchange the Knight on c3, and now has no pieces developed.
Better is to follow White's example and just quietly develop pieces: If 6...Nc6 then:

If 7.d4 then:

If 7...Bg4 8.Qb3 Bxf3 9.gxf3 then:

If 9...e6 10.Qxb7 then:

If 10...Nxd4 11.Bb5+ Nxb5 12.Qc6+ Ke7 13.Qxb5 then:

If 13...Qd7 14.Nxd5+ Qxd5 then:

If 15.Qxd5 exd5 then:

If 16.Be3 then:

If Ke6 17.0-0-0 Bb4 then:

If 18.Kb1 then:

If 18...Rhd8 19.Rd3 then:

19...a6 20.Rb3 Rab8 21.Ba7 Rb5 22.Bd4 f6 23.h3 Bd6 gives Black a comfortable advantage in space (A. Sokolov-Spraggett, CM, St. John, New Brunswick, 1988).
If 19...Rd7 20.Rc1 then:

20...Rb8 21.Rc6+ Kf5 22.Ra6 Rbb7 23.a3 Be7 is equal (L. Brunner-Adorjan, IT, Bled/Rogaska, 1990).
If 20...Rad8 21.Rc6+ then:

21...Kf5 22.Rd4 Be7 23.Rf4+ Ke5 24.Ra4 d4 is equal.
21...Ke7 22.a3 d4 23.Rc4 dxe3 24.Rxe3+ Kf6 25.Rxb4 is equal.

If 18...Rhc8 19.Rd3 Bc5 then:

20.Re1 Bxe3 21.Rdxe3+ Kf6 22.Re7 Rc4 23.Rd7 Rf4 24.Rd6+ gives White a slight advantage with just a wee bit more activity (Stripunsky-Dreev, IT, Cyberspace, 2001).
20.Rc1 Bb6 21.Rg1 Bxe3 22.Rxe3+ Kf6 23.Rg4 Rc7 24.Rf4+ Kg6 25.Rg4+ Kf6 26.Rf4+ Kg6 27.Rg4+ draw (Adams-Ponomariov, IT, Sofia, 2005).

If 18.a3 Rhc8+ 19.Kb1 then:

If 19...Bc5 20.Rhe1 Bxe3 21.Rxe3+ Kd6 then:

22.f4! Rab8 23.Rd4 draw (Vaganian-Dreev, Soviet Ch, Odessa, 1989).
22.b4!? Re8 23.Kc2 Re5 24.Rd4 Rc8+ 25.Kb3 Rh5 gives Black the initiative on White's h-pawn (Plenca-Pejic, Op, Pula, 2010).

19...Ba5 20.b4 Bb6 21.Rhe1 Kd6 22.Rd3 Bxe3 23.fxe3 gives White a small advantage owing to his attack on the d-pawn (Tayer-Krnan, Canadian Closed, Toronto, 2006).

If 16.0-0 Ke6 17.Re1+ Kf5 then:

If 18.Rd1 18...Rd8 19.Be3 Rd7 20.Rac1 Be7 21.Rd4 then:

If 21...g5 then:

If 22.Ra4 Bf6 23.b4 d4 24.Ra5+ Kg6 25.Bd2 Re8 then:

26.Kf1 d3 27.Rd1 h6 28.Be3 Bc3 favors Black with the advanced passed pawn, but White can fight back by winning White's a-pawn (Adams-Dreev, IT A, Wijk aan Zee, 2002).
26.Rc6 Re6 27.Rxe6 fxe6 28.Kf1 h6 gives Black a passed pawn; White has a distant majority (Baburin-Filipenko, Tumen, 1987).

22.Rc6 Rhd8 23.Kf1 Bf6 24.Rb4 d4 25.Rb5+ Be5 26.Bxg5 Kxg5 27.Rxe5+ gives White active Rooks against Black's exposed King (K. Brunner-Adorjan, World ChT, Lucerne, 1989).

21...Rb8 22.Rf4+ Kg6 23.b3 Rb4 24.Rg4+ Rxg4+ 25.fxg4 d4 26.Bd2 Kf6 gives Black a small advantage from his passed d-pawn (Shchekachev-Bergez, Op, Fourmies, 2001).

If 18.Be3 then:

If 18...Be7 19.Rac1 Bf6 20.Rc5 Rhd8 then:

21.b4 Kg6 22.b5 d4 23.Bd2 d3 24.a4 Rac8 25.Rec1 Rxc5 26.Rxc5 Rd4 27.a5 Ra4 draw (Smejkal-Filip, Czechoslovakian Ch, Luhacovice, 1968).
21.b3 a6 22.Rd1 Ke6 23.Kf1 d4 24.Bf4 Rac8 gives Black a passed pawn and command of an open file (Sermek-Golubovic, Op, Bled, 1994).
21.Rd1 Ke6 22.b4 a6 23.a4 Rab8 24.Re1 Kf5 25.Rd1 Ke6 is equal (Annaberdiev-Tologontegin, Ol, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2010).

18...Bb4 19.Red1 Rhd8 20.Rac1 Rd7 21.Rd4 a5 22.a3 gives White command of the c-file and a blockade of Black's passer (Kovacevic-Gymesi, Ol, Palma de Mallorca, 2004).

If 15.Bg5+ f6 16.Qxd5 exd5 17.Be3 Ke6 18.0-0-0 Bb4 then:

If 19.a3 Rhc8+ 20.Kb1 Bc5 21.Rhe1 then:

If 21...Bxe3 22.Rxe3+ Kd6 23.Rde1 then:

If 23...Rc4 then:

24.h3 Rd8 25.Re6+ Kc7 26.Rc1 Rd6 27.Re8 Rxc1+ 28.Kxc1 Rc6+ is equal (Ivanchuk-Giri, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2011).
24.Re7 Rh4 25.R1e6+ Kc5 26.Rxg7 Rxh2 27.Rxf6 Rxf2 28.Rxh7 gives White at best a slight edge with an extra pawn and a passer, but Black also has a passer that is better protected (Belikov-Dreev, Op, Moscow, 1992).

23...Rd8 24.Re6+ Kc7 25.Kc2 Rab8 26.b4 a5 27.bxa5 d4 28.Re7+ gives White a slight advantage owing to the speed with which he can attack Black's King (Nepomniachtchi-Hrcica, World Youth, Oropessa del Mar, 2001).

If 21...Kd6!? then after 22.Bf4+ Kc6 23.Re6+ Kd7 24.Re2 d4 25.Be3 the pin at d4 give White a slight advantage (Ragger-Ris, Bundesliga 0910, Mulheim, 2009).

If 19.Rd3 Rhd8 20.Kb1 then:

If 20...Rd7 21.Rc1 then:

21...Rad8 22.a3 Be7 23.Bd4 Bd6 24.b4 Bxh2 25.Rh1 Be5 26.Rxh7 g5 gives Black more freedom (Borwell-K. Tikkanen, Corres, 1998).
21...a5 22.Rc6+ Kf5 23.Rb6 Be7 24.Rb5 Ke6 25.a4 Bb4 gives Black a small advantaage with more freedom; the White Rook at b5 cannot readily retreat (Bologan-Velicka, Op, Bern, 1999).

20...a6 21.Rg1 g5 22.f4 h6 23.fxg5 hxg5 24.h4 gxh4 25.Rg4 gives White more active Rooks (Andreikin-Yilmaz, World Jr Ch, Chotowa, Poland, 2010).

If 13...Nxc3 14.bxc3 Qd5 then:

If 15.Qxd5 exd5 then:

If 16.Be3 Ke6 17.Rb1 Bd6 18.Kd2 Rhb8 then:

19.Rb3 a5 20.Rhb1 a4 21.Rxb8 Rxb8 22.Rxb8 Bxb8 draw (Minev-Zita, Ol, Amsterdam, 1954).
19.h3 a6 20.Rb3 Rb5 draw (Foltys-Zita, IT, Szczawno Zdroj, 1950).

16.Rb1 Rc8 17.Rb7+ Kf6 18.Be3 Bc5 19.Kd2 Rc6 20.Rhb1 is equal (Timman-Solmundarson, Op, Reykjavik, 1972).

15.Rb1 Qxb5 16.Rxb5 Rc8 17.Rb7+ Kf6 18.Rg1 h6 is equal (Howell-Hutchinson, British Ch, Scarborough, 2004).

10...Ndb4 11.Bb5 Rc8 12.Be3 Be7 13.d5 exd5 14.Nxd5 gives White an extra pawn (Peng-Stefanova, IT B, Wijk aan Zee, 2002).

If 9...Nb6 then:

If 10.Be3 e6 then:

If 11.0-0-0 Be7 12.d5 exd5 then:

If 13.Nxd5 Nxd5 14.Rxd5 Qc7 15.Kb1 0-0 16.f4 then:

If 16...Nb4 17.Rd4 then:

If 17...Nc6 18.Rd5 Nb4 19.Rd4 Nc6 20.Rd1 then:

20...Bf6 21.Bg2 Rfd8 22.Be4 Rxd1+ 23.Rxd1 is equal (Anand-Karolyi, IT Frunze, 1987).
20...Rad8 21.Bg2 Bf6 22.Qa4 Qc8 23.Rc1 Qg4 24.Be4 Nd4 is equal (C. van Oosterom-Kroeze, Dutch Ch �-final, Hilversum, 2007).

17...Qc6 18.Rg1 Rad8 19.Rc4 Qh6 20.Be2 Nd5 21.Bf3 is equal (Brynnell-Langheinrich, Bundesliga 0001, Godesberg, 2001).

If 16...Rad8 17.Bg2 Bf6 then:

18.Rc1 Rxd5 19.Bxd5 Qd7 20.Bxc6 bxc6 21.Qa4 Rb8 22.b3 Qf5+ gives Black a slight advantage in space (Lenderman-Herman, Nat'l Chess Congress, Philadelphia, 2010).
18.Rhd1 Rxd5 19.Rxd5 Rd8 20.a3 g6 21.Ka2 Rxd5 22.Qxd5 is equal (Crosa-Izquierdo, Uruguayan Ch, Montevideo, 2001).

13.Bxb6 Qxb6 14.Qxb6 axb6 15.Nxd5 Rxa2 16.Kb1 Ra5 gives Black a slight advantage with an active Rook.

11.Rg1 Bb4 12.0-0-0 Bxc3 13.bxc3 g6 14.d5!? Nxd5?! 15.c4 leaves Black standing to win a Knight. (Jansa-Kraut, SX, West Germany, 1988).

If 10.d5 Nd4 then:

If 11.Bb5+ Nd7 12.Qa4 then:

12...Nxb5 13.Qxb5 g6 14.0-0 Bg7 15.Re1 0-0 16.Bg5 then:

If 16...f6 17.Bf4 Ne5 18.Re3 Qc8 19.Bg3 then:

If 19...Re8 20.Rae1 Kf8 21.Bxe5 fxe5 22.Ne4 Qf5 23.Nc5 gives White a more aggressive game (Gaponenko-Chevannes, Euro ChTW, Crete, 2007).
19...Rf7 20.Rae1 Bf8 21.Qb3 Qd7 22.Ne4 Qf5 23.Rc3 gives White more activity and more space (Ragger-Salem, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2009).

16...Re8 17.d6 Bf6 18.dxe7 Rxe7 19.Rxe7 Bxe7 20.Rd1 gives White a firm initiative (Potkin-Wang Hao, TM Rpd, Ningbo, 2010).

12...e5 13.dxe6 Nxe6 14.Bg5 Nxg5 15.0-0-0 White will get the piece back; draw agreed (Bologan-Boges Matoes, Anibal Op, Linares, 1999).

If 11.Qd1 e5 12.dxe6 fxe6 13.Be3 Bc5 then:

14.Bg2 Qh4 15.0-0 Bd6 16.h3 is equal (Malaniuk-Yusadin, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1958).
If 14.b4 Qf6 15.bxc5 Nxf3+ 16.Ke2 0-0 then:

17.Bg2 Rad8 18.cxb6 Rxd1 19.Rhxd1 Nh4 20.Bd4 Qf5 21.Be4 gives White the material advantage (Su. Polgar-Skembris, Op, Korfu, 1990).
If 17.cxb6 Rad8 18.Qc2 Nd4+ 19.Bxd4 Qxd4 then:

If 20.f3!! Rxf3 21.Nd1 then 21...Qe5+!! forces mate: 22.Kxf3 Rf8+ then:

23.Kg4 Qf4+ 24.Kh3 Qf3+ 25.Kh4 Rf4+ 26.Kg5 Qg4# and yes, that really happened (NN-Chandler, London, 1977).
If 23.Qf5 then 23...Rxf5+ 24.Kg2 Qe4+ 25.Kg1 Qg4+ 26.Bg2 Qd4+ 27.Nf2 Qxf2#.

If 20.Ne4? Qxa1! 21.bxa7 Rc8 22.Qd3 Qxa2+ 23.Ke3 Qxa7+ 24.Ke2 Qa2+ 25.Ke3 Rc2 gives Black a tremendous attack.

If 7...e6 8.Bd3 Be7 9.0-0 0-0 then:

If 10.Re1 then:

If 10...Bf6 11.Be4 Nce7 12.Ne5 then:

If 12...Bd7 then:

If 13.Qd3 g6 14.Bh6 Bg7 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 then:

If 16.Bxd5 exd5 17.Re2 f6 18.Nxd7 Qxd7 19.Rae1 Nc6 then:

20.h3 Rae8 21.Rxe8 Rxe8 22.Rxe8 Qxe8 23.Nxd5 Qe1+ 24.Qf1 Qxf1+ 25.Kxf1 Nxd4 draw (Erimenko-Lahno, IT, Montreal, 2004).
20.g3 Rf7 21.Na4 b6 22.Nc3 Rd8 23.Kg2 Qf5 24.Rd2 Qd7 25.h3 Re7 26.Rxe7+ Nxe7 draw (Topalov-Vyzmanavin, PCA Qual, Groningen, 1993).

If 16.Nxd5 exd5 17.Bf3 Be6 18.Qb3 Qb6 19.Qxb6 axb6 20.a3 Rfc8 gives White a slight advantage in space (Kharlov-Janjghava, PCA Qual, Moscow, 1995).

If 13.Nxd5 exd5 14.Bf3 Be6 15.Bf4 Ng6 16.Nxg6 hxg6 17.Be5 gives Whitea slight advantage in space (Yermelin-Ivanchuk, Keres Mem Rpd, Tallinn, 2006).

If 12...g6 13.Bh6 Bg7 then:

If 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.Qf3 b6 16.Bxd5 then:

If 16...Nxd5 17.Nxd5 Qxd5 18.Qxd5 exd5 19.Rac1 Be6 20.Rc7 Rfc8 21.Rec1 Rxc7 22.Rxc7 Rc8 23.Rxc8 Bxc8 then:

24.Kf1 f6 25.Nf3 Kf7 26.Ke1 Ke7 27.Kd2 Bg4 is equal (Belkhodja-L. B. Hansen, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
24.Nc6 a6 25.Nb4 Bb7 26.f3 Kf6 27.Kf2 Ke6 is equal (Brinck Clausen-Rasmussen, Politiken Cup, Copenhagen, 2000).

If 16...exd5 17.Rac1 Bf5 18.g4 f6 19.Qf4 fxe5 20.Qxe5+ gives White an extra pawn, the initiative and the advantage in space (Tosi-Palmkoeck, Corres, 1999).

If 14.Qd2 Nf6 15.Rad1 Nxe4 16.Rxe4 Nf5 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.d5 f6 19.Nc4 gives White command of the center and more space (Smyslov-Padevsky, IT, Moscow, 1963).

If 10...Nf6 11.a3 b6 then:

If 12.Bg5 Bb7 13.Bc2 then:

13...Rc8 14.Qd3 g6 15.Rad1 Nd5 16.Bh6 Re8 17.Ba4 then:

If 17...a6 18.Nxd5 Qxd5 then:

19.Bb3 Qh5 20.Qe3 Na5 21.Bf4 Bxf3 22.gxf3 Nxb3 23.Qxb3 Qf5 gives Black stronger pawns and the advantage in space (Als Maric-Ciuksyte, OlW, Palma de Mallorca, 2004).
19.Qe3 Bf6 20.Bb3 Qd7 21.d5 exd5 22.Qxb6 Rxe1+ 23.Rxe1 Bxb2 24.Bxd5 gives White potent tactical threats and a comfortable advantage in space; Black will win a pawn, but probably be force to return it in the ensuing storm (Beliavsky-Karpov, Soviet TT, 1986).

17...Bf8 18.Qd2 Bg7 19.Ne4 Rf8 20.Ne5 f6 21.Bxg7 Kxg7 is equal (Gaponenko-Charkhalashvili, Euro ChW, Rijeka, 2010).

13...Nd5 14.Qd3 g6 then:

If 15.Bh6 Re8 then:

If 16.Rad1 Nxc3 17.bxc3 then:

If 17...Qd5 18.c4 Qh5 19.Bc1 Bf6 20.Qe3 is equal (Yemelin-Galkin, Russian Ch, Tomsk, 2006).
17...Bxa3 18.Ng5 Be7 19.Nxf7 Kxf7 20.Rxe6 Bf6 21.Rxe8 Kxe8 gives Black an extra piece (Potkin-Galkin, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2004).

16.Ba4 Nxc3 17.bxc3 Bf6 18.Rad1 Qd5 19.c4 Qh5 20.Qe3 gives White command of the dark squares (Dolmatov-Burmakin, Op, Novgorod, 1999).

15.h4 Bxg5 16.Nxg5 Nce7 17.Qf3 Nxc3 18.Qxb7 Ncd5 is equal (Salov-Beliavsky, IT, Madrid, 1995).

12.Bc2 Ba6 13.Bg5 Rc8 14.Qd2 Nd5 15.h4 Bxg5 16.hxg5 Nxc3 17.bxc3 is equal (Cebalo-J. Prtrov, Op, Nova Gorica, 1999).

If 10.a3 Bf6 11.Be4 Nce7 12.Qd3 g6 13.Bh6 Bg7 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.Ne5 b6 16.Nxd5 Nxd5 17.Rfe1 Bb7 18.Qg3 Qd6 19.Rad1 Rac8 20.Qh4 Qd8 21.Qg3 Qd6 22.Qh4 Qd8 23.Qg3 draw (Portisch-Averbakh, IT, Budapest, 1970).

7.Bb5 then:

If 7...e6 8.0-0 Be7 9.d4 0-0 10.Re1 then:

If 10...Bd7 11.Bd3 then:

If 11...Rc8 then:

If 12.Nxd5 exd5 13.Ne5 then:

If 13...Bf6 14.Bf4 g6 15.Qb3 Na5 16.Qb4 Be6 17.Bh6 allows White the use of the holes in Black's position to disrupt Black's setup and gain time (Carlsen-Smeets, IT A, Wijk aan Zee, 2009).
If 13...Nxe5 14.Rxe5 then:

14...Be6 15.Qh5 g6 16.Qh6 Bg4 17.h3 f6 18.Bxg6 hxg6 19.Qxg6+ Kh8 20.Re3 Black resigns (Vaganian-Serper, PCA Qual, Groningen, 1993).
White stands better after 14...Bc6 15.Qg4 Bf6 16.Bg5 Bxg5 17.Rxg5 Qf6 18.Re5, but no disaster follows for Black.

12.a3 a6 13.Bb1 Re8 14.h4 Na5 15.Ne5 g6 16.h5 Nc4 17.hxg6 hxg6 18.Nxg6 fxg6 19.Qg4 Bf6 20.Bh6 Re7 21.Qxg6+ gives White a tremendous game (Izoria-Dive, Ol, Dresden, 2008).

11...Nf6 12.a3 Rc8 13.Bb1 Re8 14.Qd3 g6 15.Ba2 a6 16.Bh6 gives White more freedom (Gligoric-Pomar, Ol, Nice, 1974).

If 10...Qd6 11.Bc4 a6 12.Bb3 Nf6 13.Bg5 Rd8 14.Rc1 Na5 15.Bc2 b5 16.Qd3 g6 17.d5 then:

17...Bb7 18.Qd4 Nxd5 19.Qh4 Bxg5 20.Nxg5 gives White an excellent game (Kiik-Frenklakh, IM Trmt, Helsinki, 2001).
17...Nxd5 18.Ne4 Qc7 19.Bb3 Qb6 20.Bxe7 is equal.

7...Nxc3 is a drawish continuation: 8.bxc3 Qd5 9.Qe2 Bg4 10.Bc4 Bxf3 11.Bxd5 Bxe2 12.Kxe2 Rc8 13.Rb1 draw (Gashimov-Asrian, Euro Ch, Antalya, 2004).

If 6...e6 7.d4 Bb4 then:

If 8.Bd2 Nc6 9.Bd3 0-0 10.0-0 Be7 then:

If 11.a3 Bf6 12.Qc2 then:

If 12...g6 13.Bh6 Re8 14.Rad1 Nxc3 15.bxc3 Bd7 16.Qd2 then:

16...e5 17.dxe5 Nxe5 18.Nxe5 Bxe5 19.Bxg6 hxg6 20.Qxd7 Qxd7 21.Rxd7 b5 22.Be3 gives White an extra pawn, but it can't move forward and Black has it under attack (Riansentsev--Bologan, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).
If 16...Rc8 17.Rfe1 Bg7 18.h4 Qa5 19.Re4 e5 20.Bxg7 Kxg7 is equal (Webster-Sorokin, Op, Calcutta, 2000).

If 12...h6 13.Be3 then:

If 13...Nce7 14.Ne4 then:

14...b6 15.Rad1 Bb7 16.Qd2 Nf5 17.Bb1 Ba6 18.Rfe1 Rc8 19.Bf4 Nxf4 draw (Cobb-Wells, IT, Hereford, 2006).
14...Nf5 15.Qd2 b6 16.Rac1 Bb7 17.Bb1 Qe7 18.Qd3 is equal (Vaganian-Sveshnikov, IT, Sochi, 1986).

If 13...Nxc3 14.bxc3 e5 then:

If 15.Bh7+ Kh8 16.Be4 exd4 17.cxd4 then:

17...Bg4 18.Bxc6 Rc8 19.Qe4 Bxf3 20.Qxf3 bxc6 21.Rac1 Bxd4 draw (Diani-Linna, Corres, 1999).
17...Be6 18.Rab1 Bd5 19.Bxd5 Qxd5 20.Qc5 Qxc5 21.dxc5 gives White greater activity and a shot at undermining Black's Knight (Barnsley-Krugel, Corres, 1997).

15.Rad1 exd4 16.cxd4 Bg4 17.Be4 Rc8 18.Qb1 Na5 19.h3 gives White the advantage in space (Moiseenko-Volokitin, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2005).

If 11.Qe2 then:

If 11...Nf6 12.Ne4 then:

If 12...Qb6 13.a3 Bd7 then:

14.Rfd1 Rad8 15.b4 a6 then:

If 16.Rac1 Bc8 17.Nxf6+ Bxf6 18.Be3 Qc7 19.Be4 gives White the advantage in space (Baron Rodr�guez-Svetushkin, Op, La Roda, 2005).
16.Nc5 Bc8 17.Bg5 h6 18.Be3 Nd5 19.Rac1 gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Murariu-Svetushkin, Op, Bucharest, 2001).

If 14.Be3 Nd5 15.b4 then:

15...g6 16.Rfc1 a6 17.Rab1 Na7 18.Ne5 Bb5 19.Bxb5 Qxb5 20.Qf3 gives White a considerable advantage in space (van den Doel-Fontaine, Op, Brussels, 2000).
15...a6 16.Nc5 Rfd8 17.h4 Bf6 18.Rac1 Nce7 19.Ng5 is equal (Del Rio Angelis-Naumann, Euro Club Cup, Halkidiki, 2002).

12...Bd7 13.Rad1 Nd5 14.Bb1 Qb6 15.Bg5 Rad8 16.Nc3 is equal (Ragger-Harikrishna, Bundesliga 0809, Baden-Baden, 2009).

If 11...Bf6 12.Qe4 g6 13.Bh6 then:

If 13...Re8 14.Ne5 Bd7 then:

15.Nxd5 exd5 16.Qxd5 Nxe5 17.dxe5 Bxe5 18.Bc4 Bxh2+ 19.Kxh2 Qh4+ gives Black an extra pawn (K. Szabo-Howell, 4NCL, Hinckley Island, 2011).
15.Bc4 Nxc3 16.bxc3 Nxe5 17.dxe5 Bc6 18.Qf4 Be7 19.Rad1!? is equal as White just played the wrong Rook (Matsuura-de Cresce El Debs, Brazilian Ch, Americana, 2011).

13...Bg7 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.Rfd1 Nf6 16.Qf4 b6 17.Be4 gives White the advantage in space (Su. Polgar-Pyhala, Euro ChT, Haifa, 1989).

If 8.Qc2 Nc6 then:

If 9.Be2 0-0 10.0-0 then:

If 10...Be7 11.Rd1 Bf6 then:

If 12.Ne4 then:

12...Nce7 13.Nxf6+ Nxf6 14.Bg5 Ned5 15.Ne5 then:

If 15...b6 16.Bf3 Bb7 then:

17.Qa4 Qe8 18.Qa3 Qb5 19.Rac1 a5 20.Bxf6 gxf6 21.Ng4 Kg7 22.Bxd5 Qxd5 23.Qh3 gives White the better game for now (Christiansen-Sadykov, Ol, Bled, 2002).
17.Ng4 Kh8 18.Nxf6 gxf6 19.Bh4 Rg8 20.Qd2 Rg6 21.Bg3 gives White the advantage in space (Lohou-R. Akesson, Op, Troms�, 2006).

15...Bd7 16.Bf3 Rc8 17.Qb3 Bc6 18.Nxc6 bxc6 19.Rac1 gives White a comfortable advantage in space (J. Shahade-Pruess, USCL, Cyberspace, 2005).

If 12...h6 13.Bc4 then:

13...Bd7 14.Qe2 Rc8 15.b3 Rc7 16.Bb2 Be7 17.Rac1 Ncb4 is equal (Oll-Adianto, Keres Mem, Tallinn, 1998).
13...b6 14.Nxf6+ Qxf6 15.Bd2 Rd8 16.Qe4 Nce7 17.Ne5 is equal (Sykora-Shapiro, Corres, 2002).

If 12.Qe4 Nce7 then:

If 13.h4 Bd7 14.Bd3 g6 15.h5 then:

15...Rc8 16.hxg6 hxg6 17.Bh6 Nxc3 18.bxc3 Bc6 is equal (Sveshnikov-Malakhov, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2003).
15...Bc6 16.Qg4 Nf5 17.Ne4 Bg7 18.hxg6 hxg6 19.Qh3 Re8 is equal (Sveshnikov-Riazentsev, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2002).

13.Bd3 g6 14.Bh6 Re8 15.h4 Bd7 16.Bg5 Bc6 is equal (Adams-Magem Badals, IT, Debrecen, 1992).

If 10...Re8 11.Rd1 Bf8 then:

If 12.Qe4 Bd7 then:

13.Bd3 f5 14.Qe2 Bd6 15.Bc4 Nxc3 16.bxc3 gives White pressure against Black baward e-pawn and a slight advantage in space (Adams-Asrian, FIDE Knock Out, Tripoli, 2004).
13.Bg5 Nxc3 14.bxc3 Be7 15.h4 Rc8 16.Bd3 g6 gives White the advantage in space (Hagarova-Als Maric, Euro ChTW, P;ovdiv, 2003).

12.Ne5 Nxc3 13.Qxc3 Bd7 14.Bf3 Rc8 15.Qb3 is equal (Sveshnikov-Tukmakov, Euro ChT, Budapest, 1996).

If 9.Bd3 Ba5 10.a3 then:

If 10...Nxc3 11.bxc3 Nxd4 12.Nxd4 Qxd4 13.Bb5+ Bd7 14.0-0 then:

If 14...Qd5 15.c4 Qf5 16.Bxd7+ Kxd7 17.Qb3 b6 then:

If 18.Rd1+ Ke7 19.a4 Rhd8 20.Ba3+ Kf6 21.Bd6 g5 22.Qb2+ Kg6 23.Ra3 then:

If 23...e5 24.Qe2 f6 then:

25.h4 g4 26.Rg3 h5 27.f3 Qf4 28.Kh2 Rac8 29.fxg4 Rxc4 30.Bxe5 Qxe5 31.gxh5+ Black resigns (Nepomniachtchi-Sulashvili, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
If 25.Rad3 Rac8 26.Rd5 Re8 27.g4 Qf4 28.Qd3+ Kg7 is equal (Nepomniachtchi-Rodshtein, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2008).

If 23...g4 24.h3 h5 25.Rg3 f6 26.hxg4 hxg4 27.Rd4 gives White a fluid attack in compensation for the pawn (Tkachiev-Potkin, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).

18.Bb2 Ke7 19.Qg3 Rhd8 20.Rad1 Bd2 21.a4 Bf4 is equal (N. Kosintseva-Javakhishvili, OlW, Palma de Mallorca, 2004).

If 14...Qe5 15.Bxd7+ Kxd7 then:

If 16.Qa4+ Ke7 17.Rb1 b6 18.Bf4 then:

18...Qc5 19.Rb5 Qc8 20.Rg5 g6 21.Rg3 f6 is equal (Ghaem Maghami-Karpov, Rpd, Tehran, 2009).
If 18...Qf5 19.Rb5 Qg6 20.Rg5 Qf6 21.Rg3 is equal (Nebolsina-Khotenashvili, World Jr ChG, Yerevan, 2007).

If 16.Rb1 Bb6 17.Be3 Qc7 18.Qa4+ Ke7 19.Qb4+ gives White a small advantage with the Black King in the center and unable to castle (Barendse-Strating, IT Reserve, Wijk aan Zee, 2000).

If 10...h6 11.0-0 0-0 then:

If 12.Rd1 Nce7 then:

If 13.Ne5 Bd7 14.Ne4 Bc7 15.Qe2 then:

If 15...Nf5 16.Nc5 Bc6 17.Nxc6 bxc6 18.Nxe6 fxe6 19.Qxe6+ with an excellent game for White (Nepomniachtchi-Kharitonov, Euro Ch, Plotdiv, 2008).
If 15...Ba4 16.Re1 Nf5 17.Nc5 Nxd4 18.Qg4 Nf6 19.Qg3 is equal (Andreikin-Dreev, Op, Baku, 2011).

If 13.Ne4 Bc7 14.Ng3 Nf6 15.Ne5 Bd7 16.Ne4 is equal (Thorhallsson-Rasmussen, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).

If 12.Be3 Nce7 13.Nxd5 Nxd5 14.Bh7+ Kh8 15.Be4 Bd7

7.bxc3 Qc7

If 7...g6 8.d4 Bg7 9.Bd3 0-0 10.0-0 Nc6 11.Re1 Bg4 12.Be4 Rc8 13.Bg5 Re8 14.Rb1 Qd7 15.h3 Bxf3 16.Bxf3 then:

16...e6 17.d5 exd5 18.Rxe8+ Rxe8 19.Qxd5 Qc7 20.c4 is equal (Romero Holmes-Morovic Fern�ndez, Rpd, Le�n, 1995).
16...b6?! 17.Bg4 f5?! 18.Be2! h6 19.Bc1!? Kh7? 20.d5! Black resigns, perhaps prematurely although his position is very bad (Dr. Nunn-Petrosian, IT, Tilburg, 1982).

8.d4

White claims a piece of the center and prepares to develop her Bishops.
8.Qc2 g6 9.d4 Bg7 10.Bd3 0-0 11.0-0 Bg4 12.Ne5 Bxe5 13.dxe5 Nd7 is equal (Kosmo-Willemze, Rilton Cup 0506, Stockholm, 2006).

8...g6 (N)

8...Nd7 9.Qb3 e6 10.Bd3 Bd6 11.0-0 0-0 12.Re1 b6 is equal (Zhukova-Malakhatko, Masters, Gibraltar, 2010).

9.Bd2

White has a slim advantage in space.

9...Bg7 10.Bd3

10.Bb5+ Bd7 11.Qe2 0-0 12.0-0 Bxb5 13.Qxb5 b6 14.Qg5 gives White a more active Queen and pressure on Black's weakling at e7, most of which is the result of superior development; Black also has pressure on White's weak pawn on c3; each player for now has her weakest pawn defended.

10...0-0 11.0-0 Nc6

Black finally stats developing her queenside.

12.Rc1

12.Be4 Bg4 13.h3 Bxf3 14.Qxf3 e5 15.Rab1 maintains White's slim advantage.

12...Be6

The game is equal.

13.Ng5!?

White invites Black to take her a-apwn.
13.Qc2 Rac8 14.Be4 Na5 15.Rfe1 Nc4 16.Bg5 Rfd8 remains equal.

BLACK: Batkhuyag Mungutuul

WHITE: Katya Lahno
Position after 13.Nf3g5

13...Bxa2!

Black is a pawn to the good.

14.Ra1 Bd5 15.Nxh7 Bxg2

In spite of owning an extra pawn, Black's advantage is slim due to White's Bishops and Queen ready to come into the kingside.
The text is better than a plan get the Rooks behind Black's queenside pawns: 15...Rfb8 16.Ng5 b5 17.Be4 Bxe4 18.Nxe4 is equal.

16.Kxg2 Kxh7

Black is a pawn to the good, but White's Queen and two Bishops are trained on Black's weakened kingside./

BLACK: Batkhuyag Munguntuul

WHITE: Katya Lahno
Position after 16...Kg7h7:B

17.h4

If 17.Qf3 e6 18.Rh1 e5 19.d5 then:

19...Ne7! 20.Rhd1 Nc8 21.c4 Nd6 22.Rac1 b6 gives Black an extra pawn and a passer in the a-file; White has a more advaced passer in the d-file, but it is under blockade.
If 19...Na5?! then:

20.Rab1 Nc4 21.Bxc4 Qxc4 22.Bg5 e4 23.Qh3+ Kg8 gives Black an extra pawn and a bit more space; White has active pieces.
If 20.d6!? Qd8 21.c4 Nc6 22.c5 then:

22...Qd7 23.Rab1 Nd4 24.Qh3+ Qxh3+ 25.Kxh3 give White an advanced passer anf the Bishop pair; Black has an extra pawn and a splendid centralized Knight.
If 22...e4!? 23.Bxe4 Bxa1 24.Rxa1 Qh4 25.h3 gives White an advanced passer and the Bishop pair; Black's Queen in active.

17...Qd6

The game remains equal, but Black must play carefully.
17...e5!? 18.h5! exd4 19.hxg6+ Kg8 20.Qh5 fxg6 21.Bc4+! forces 21...Rf7, after which White wins the exchange at her leisure.
If 17...Rh8!? 18.h5 Kg8 19.Rh1 then:

If 19...Qd7 20.hxg6 Rxh1 21.Qxh1 fxg6 22.Kf1 Qg4 23.Rb1 gives White the Bishop pair in terrain where it matters, the initiative and a slight advantage in space.
If 19...e5 20.hxg6 then:

If 20...Rxh1 21.Qxh1 Kf8 22.Qh7 Qd7 23.f3 Re8 24.Bc1 threatens 25.Ba3 with devastating effect.
If 20...fxg6? then:

If 21.Qb3+! Kf8 22.Rxh8+!! Bxh8 23.Rh1 Bf6 24.Bh6+ puts the Black King under an attack that will result either in mate or severe material loss.
Also good is 21.Qg4! Rxh1 22.Rxh1 Qd6 23.Bc4+ Kf8 24.Rh7 when White pieces swarm all over Black's King like angry hornets.

18.h5 Qd5+ 19.f3

19.Qf3 Qxf3+ 20.Kxf3 Bh6 21.Be3 Bxe3 22.Kxe3 gives Black the advantage in the endgame thanks to the Bishop's speed with pawns on both sides of the board; Black has stronger pawns.

19...f5 20.hxg6+ Kxg6 21.Qe2

21.Rg1 Kf7 22.Kf1 Bf6 23.Qe2 Ke8 24.Bf4 Qb3 is equal.

21...Rh8?!

21...Ne5 22.dxe5 Rad8 then:

23.Bf4 Qxd3 24.Qa2 Qd5 25.Qxd5 Rxd5 26.Rxa7 Rb5 is equal.
23.Rxa7 Qxd3 24.Qxd3 Rxd3 25.Bf4 Rxc3 26.Rxb7 Rc4 is equal.

BLACK: Bastkhuyag Munguntuul

WHITE: Katya Lahno
Position after 21...Rf8h8

22.Rh1!?

White misses an opportunity to gain a lasting advantage.
If 22.Rg1 Qd6 23.Kf1+ then:

23...Kf7 24.Bxf5 e5 25.Qc4+ Kf8 26.Rb1 Na5 27.Qa4 gives White command of the light squares in Black's center.
23...Kh7? 24.Bc4 Bxd4 25.cxd4 Rag8 26.Bxg8+ Rxg8 27.Rh1+ leaves White up by an exchange and winning.

22...e5!?

If 22...e5!? 23.Bc4 Qd7 24.Qe3 f4 25.Qe4+ then:

25...Qf5 26.Bd3 Qxe4 27.Bxe4+ Kf6 28.Rxh8 Rxh8 29.d5 gives White more freedom, the initiative and more space in exchange for the pawn.
25...Kf6?! 26.Bxf4! Qf5 27.dxe5+ Nxe5 28.Bd5 Rxh1 29.Kxh1 gives White more active pieces.

23.Qe3!

White now has a small advantage. Black must concern herself with the the threat of 24.Qg5+!, winning a pawn.

23...e6 24.Bc4!

Now White threatens 25.Bxe6, winning a apwn.

24...Kf7 25.Rae1 Rae8?

25...Rxh1 26.Bxe6+ Kf8 27.Kxh1 then:

If 27...Re8 28.d5 then:

28...Nd8 29.Qg5!! Nxe6 30.Qxf5+ Kg8 31.dxe6 Rf8 32.Bf4 gives White an extra pawn, which is an advanced passer.
If 28...Qg3 29.f4 then:

29...Qxe3 30.Bxe3 Bxc3 31.dxc6 bxc6 32.Rc1 Rxe6 33.Rxc3 gives Black a piece for two pawns.
29...Qg4 then White wins after 30.Bc1 Ne7 31.Ba3 Bf6 32.Bd7.

27...Ne5 28.Bxf5 Nc4 29.Qf4 Qxf4 30.Bxf4 leaves White up by a pawn with more activity.

If 25...Rhe8? then:

26.Qg5 Qd8 27.Qh5+ Kf8 28.Bxe6 Qf6 29.Bc4 is hopeless for Black.
26.Rh7 f4 27.Qe4 Qe7 28.Bxf4 Kf8 29.Kh3 followed by 30.Rg1 also wins for White.

26.Rxh8 Bxh8

26...Rxh8 27.Qxe6+ Qxe6 28.Rxe6 Kf8 29.Bc1 Nd8 30.Ba3+ gives the Black King no nearby harbor where he will be safe from checks, giving White time to win a pawn or two.

27.Qg5 Nd8

Black now loses quickly.
More stubborn is 27...Rg8 28.Bxe6+ Qxe6 29.Qxg8+ Kxg8 30.Rxe6, but that leaves White an exchange to the good.

BLACK: Batkhuyag Munguntuul

WHITE: Katya Lahno
Position after 27...Nc6d8

28.Qxf5+!

This shot, made possible by the pin at e6, is the quickest road to victory.

28...Kg8 29.Qg6+ Kf8 30.Bh6+

If 30.Rh1 Nf7 31.Rh7 then:

31...Re7 32.Rxh8+ Nxh8 33.Bh6+ Rg7 34.Qxg7+ Ke8 35.Qxh8+ leaves White with an extra pair of Bishops.
If 31...Ke7 then 32.Qxf7+ Kd8 33.Bg5+ Kc8 34.Qxb7#.

30...Ke7 31.Qh7+ Kf6 32.Re5

32.Rh1 Qe7 33.Bg5+ Kxg5 34.Qh6+ Kf5 35.Bd3#.

32...Nf7 33.Rf5+

33...Ke7 34.Rxf7+ Kd8 35.Bg5+ leaves Black losing gobs of material and being mated in all vairatios.
Ms. Munguntuul resigns.

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Jack Rabbit

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sun Oct-30-11 08:45 PM
Response to Reply #1

6. Stefanova - Danielian, European Club Cup, Women's Group, Rogaska Slatina, Round 6

Edited on Sun Oct-30-11 08:54 PM by Jack Rabbit

Former world women's champion Anoaneta Stefanova shone brightly on the top board for women's group winner AVS.

Antoaneta Stefanova
Photo by Frank Hoppe in Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)

Antoaneta Stefanova (AVS) - Elina Danielian (Mika)
European Club Cup (Women's Group), Round 6/Board 1
Rogaska Slatina, 30 September 2011

Slav Queen's Gambit: Exchange Opening

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.cxd5 cxd5 4.Nc3 Nf6

For a survey of the Slav Exchange, see Zhu Chen-Sebag, Grand Prix W, Doha, 2011.

5.Bf4 a6 6.e3

If 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.e3 Bg4 then:

If 8.Be2 e6 9.0-0 Be7 10.Rc1 0-0 then:

If 11.h3 Bh5 12.Ne5 Bxe2 13.Qxe2 then:

13...Nxe5 14.Bxe5 Nd7 15.Bf4 Qa5 16.Rc2 Rfc8 is equal (Mollov-Haba, Op, Toulouse, 1990).
13...Nd7 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.Na4 Qa5 16.b3 Rfc8 is equal (Vijayalakshmi-Sasikiran, IT, Hyderabad, 2000).

11.a3 Rc8 12.Nd2 Bxe2 13.Qxe2 Nd7 14.Rc2 Re8 15.Rfc1 gives White a slight advantage with more space aimed at Black's Kingside (Gretarsson-Shabalov, Op, Reykjavik, 1994).

If 8.Bd3 e6 then:

If 9.0-0 then:

9...Bd6 10.Bxd6 Qxd6 11.Na4 0-0 12.Rc1 Ne4 13.Nc5 Bxf3 14.Qxf3 gives White a small advantage in space (Hoang Thi Bao Tram-Houska, OlW, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2010).
9...Be7 10.Rc1 0-0 11.Na4 Ne4 12.a3 Rc8 13.Qc2 Bxf3 14.gxf3 Nxd4 gives Black a small advantage in space (Turpin-Gagarin, Rilton Cup 0506, Stockholm, 2005).

If 9.h3 Bxf3 10.Qxf3 then:

If 10...Bd6 11.Bg5 then:

If 11...Be7 12.0-0 0-0 then:

If 13.Rfc1 Rc8 then:

14.a3 Nd7 15.Bxe7 Qxe7 16.Na4 b5 17.Nc3 Nb6 is equal (Meissner-Buhmann, Bundesliga 0809, Munich, 2008).
14.Qe2 h6 15.Bf4 Bd6 16.Bxd6 Qxd6 17.Na4 e5 is equal (Anh Dung Nguyen-Mastrovasilis, Ol, Khanty Mansiysk, 2010).

13.Rac1 Rc8 14.Rfd1 b5 15.Bb1 Qb6 16.Qe2 gives White a slight advantage in space (Cooke-Turzo, 1st Saturday August, Budapest, 2001).

If 11...h6 then:

12.Bh4 Be7 13.0-0 0-0 14.Rac1 Rc8 15.Bb1 is equal (Papadopoulou-Sebag, Greek ChTW, Halkidiki, 2002).
12.Bxf6 Qxf6 13.Qxf6 gxf6 14.Rc1 Ke7 15.Ke2 draw (Abramovic-Akopian, IZT, Bile, 1993).

If 10...Be7 11.0-0 0-0 12.Rfc1 Rc8 then:

13.Qd1 Nd7 14.a3 Nb6 15.Na4 Nxa4 16.Qxa4 gives White the advantage in space (Vokac-Haba, Czechoslovakian Ch, Trinec, 1988).
13.a3 Na5 14.Qd1 Nd7 15.b4 Nc4 16.Na4 b5 gives White a small advantage owing to his contol of c5 (Konopka-Haba, Czechoslovakian ChT, 1989).

6...Nc6 7.Bd3 Bg4 8.Nge2

8.Nf3 transposes into Hoang Thi Bao Tram-Houska and subordinate lines in the notes to White's sixth move.

8...e6 9.0-0 Be7

If 9...Bd6 10.f3 Bh5 11.Rc1 then:

If 11...0-0 12.Na4 e5 13.dxe5 then:

13...Bxe5 14.Qb3 Qe7 15.Rfe1 Rfe8 16.Bg5 Qb4 17.Qc2 Bg6 is equal (Mukherjee-Atakisi, Corres, 2002).
13...Nxe5 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bh4 b5 16.Nac3 Qb6 17.Nd4 gives White a small advantage in space (Wang Lei-Zimina, TMW, Shanghai, 2001).

If 11...Bg6 12.Bxd6 Qxd6 13.Nf4 then:

If 13...Bxd3 14.Nxd3 0-0 then:

If 15.Na4 Nd7 16.Qd2 then:

If 16...b6!? (this weakens Black's queenside) 17.Rc2! (with c6 weakened, White prepares to double his Rooks on the c-file) 17...Rfc8 18.Rfc1 Ne7 (forced; White has a small advantage in space thanks to his command of the c-file) 19.Qb4 Qxb4 20.Nxb4 then:

If 20...a5!? 21.Nc6 (White has a small advantage in space thanks to the overprotected Knight at c6) 21...Kf8 22.Nxe7 Rxc2 23.Rxc2 Kxe7 24.Rc7 Rb8 25.Nc3 then:

25...f6 26.Kf2 g5 27.Ke2 Rg8 28.e4 dxe4 29.fxe4 gives White an active Rook and a center pawn duo; Black has a better pawn structure and will do well if he can contain White's duo (Bruz�n-Braun, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
25...Kd8 26.Nb5 f6 27.Rc6 Rc8 28.Rxe6 Rc1+ 29.Kf2 gives White an extra pawn, but Black has the initiative (Dorfman-Tukmakov, Yugoslav ChT, Cetinje, 1991).

20...Kf8 21.Rxc8+ Nxc8 22.e4 dxe4 23.fxe4 a5 24.Nd3 continues to give White a slight advantage.

16...Rfe8 17.Nac5 Nxc5 18.dxc5 Qe7 19.b4 Qf6 remains equal.

15.f4 Rac8 16.Na4 Nb4 17.Nxb4 Qxb4 18.Qb3 Qxb3 19.axb3 Nd7 20.b4 b6 21.b3 draw (Vera-P�rez Garc�a, Capablanca Mem, Havana, 2004).

13...Ke7 14.Qd2 Rac8 15.Na4 Qb4 16.Nc3 Qd6 17.Na4 Qb4 18.Nc3 Qd6 19.Na4 Qb4 draw (Ni Hua-Harikrishna, IT, Tiayuan, 2005).

10.Rc1 0-0 11.Na4 Rc8

If 11...Nd7 12.a3 then:

12...Rc8 13.b4 e5 14.dxe5 Ndxe5 15.Nac3 Re8 16.Nxd5 Bf8 17.Be4 gives White an extra pawn and a splendid piece center (Bu Xiangzhi-S. Volkov, IT, Cyberspace, 2005).
12...Bh5 13.f3 Bg6 14.b4 Rc8 15.Nc5 Nxc5 16.bxc5 gives White the advantage in space (van der Sterren-Shirov, Bundesliga 0001, Castop Rauxel, 2001).

11...Bxe2 12.Bxe2 Nd7 13.a3 Rc8 14.b4 Nf6 15.Nc5 gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Stefanova-Houska, Mindsports Rpd, Beijing, 2008).

12.a3 b5 (N)

12...Bh5 13.Nc5 Bxc5 14.Rxc5 Bg6 15.Bg5 gives White the advantage in space (M. Socko-Danielian, Euro ChTW, Crete, 2007).

13.Nc5

White has a slim advantage in space,

13...Bxc5

Exchange the Knight is the easiest way to deal with White threat to win a pawn.

14.Rxc5 Bh5?!

14...Nd7 15.Rc1 e5 16.dxe5 Ndxe5 17.Bb1 Qf6 18.f3 continues to gives White a slight edge.

15.Qc2!

White doubles on the c-file and seizes the initiative.

15...Na7?

Black goes the wrong way with the Knight. Better is 15...Ne7, when the Knight is still covered by the Queen.
If 15...Ne7 16.Bc7 Qd7 17.Be5 then:

If 17...Bxe2 18.Qxe2 then:

If 18...Ne4 then:

19.Rxc8 Rxc8 20.Bxe4 dxe4 21.Qg4 Ng6 22.Qxe4 gives White an extra pawn and the advantage in space; Black has command of the c-file.
If 19.Bxe4!? dxe4! then:

20.Qc2 Rxc5 21.Qxc5 Rc8 22.Qd6 is equal.
20.Qg4 f6 21.Bg3 f5 22.Qh5 a5 23.b3 Nd5 is equal.

If 18...Rxc5 19.dxc5 Ne4 then:

20.Bxe4 dxe4 21.Qg4 f6 22.Rd1 Nd5 23.Bd4 b4 24.axb4 gives White an extra pawn and a passed pawn that Black must stop now.
20.b4!? f5 21.f3 Nc6 22.Bb2 Nf6 23.Qd2 gives White a passed pawn and the Bishop pair against two Knights; Black has more space.

If 17...Ne4 18.Bxe4 dxe4 19.Ng3 Rxc5 then:

20.dxc5 Bg6 21.Rd1 Nd5 22.c6 Qc8 23.c7 gives White the advantage based on his advanced passer.
20.Qxc5?! Rc8! 21.Qd6 Qxd6 22.Bxd6 Nf5 23.Nxf5 exf5 leaves White with only a slight advantage from his better pawns.

BLACK: Elina Danielian

WHITE: Antoaneta Stefanova
Position after 15...Nc6a7

16.Bc7!

White is holding all the cards.

16...Qe7 17.Nf4 Nd7

Black abandons the h-pawn.
If 17...Bg6? 18.Nxg6 then:

18...fxg6 19.Bb6 Nd7 20.Bxa7 Nxc5 21.Bxc5 gives White the material advantage.
18...hxg6 19.Bb6 Rxc5 20.Bxc5 Qc7 21.Bxf8 Qxc2 22.Bxc2 wins the exchange for White.

17...Bg4 18.h3 Bf5 19.Bxf5 exf5 20.Bb6 Rxc5 21.Bxc5 wins at least a pawn for White.

18.Bxh7+ Kh8 19.Rc3 b4

If 19...g6 20.Bxg6 Bxg6 then:

If 21.Qxg6!! then:

If 21...Qh4 22.b4 then:

22...Nf6 23.Be5! fxg6 24.Rxc8 Rxc8 25.Nxg6+ Kh7 26.Nxh4 leaves White three pawns to the good.
22...fxg6 loses to 23.Nxg6+.

21...fxg6 loses to 22.Nxg6+ Kg7 23.Nxe7.

21.Nxg6+? fxg6 22.Qxg6 b4! 23.axb4 Nb5 24.Be5+ Nxe5 equalizes.

20.axb4 Nb5 21.Rc6 Nf6

21...Nxc7 22.Nxh5 Nb8 23.Rc3 Qh4 24.Bd3 Qxh5 25.Rxc7 leaves White two pawns up.

22.Be5 Rxc6 23.Qxc6 Kxh7

If 23...Nxh7 24.Nxh5 f6 25.Bg3 then:

25...Qe8 26.Qxa6 Nxd4 27.exd4 Qxh5 28.Qxe6 leaves White three pawns up.
25...e5 26.Qxa6 Qe8 27.Rc1 Qxh5 28.Qxb5 exd4 29.exd4 leaves White three pawns up.

24.Qxa6 Qd7

24...Qxb4 25.Bxf6 Bg4 26.Be7 Qxe7 27.Qxb5 Qc7 28.f3 leaves White two pawns to the good.

25.Bxf6 Bg4

25...Bg6 26.Nxg6 Kxg6 27.Be7 Rb8 28.Bc5 leaves White three pawns to the good.

26.h3 Bf5 27.Nh5 Kg6 28.Bxg7

White has four extra pawns.

28...Rc8 29.g4 Bc2 30.Be5 Rc4

30...Qc6 31.Qxc6 Rxc6 32.Ra1 Be4 33.Ra8 f6 34.Nxf6 gives White five extra pawns and an easy win.

BLACK: Elina Danielian

WHITE: Antoaneta Stefanova
Position after 30...Rc8c4

31.Qb6

Also good is 31.Ra1 f5 32.Ra5 Nc7 33.Qb7 when:

If 33...fxg4 34.hxg4 Ba4 35.Ra7 Kg5 36.Qb8 then:

If 36...Qe8 37.Rxc7!! then:

37...Rc1+ 38.Kg2 Rxc7 39.Qxc7 Qd7 40.Bf6+ Kg6 41.Qf4 leads to mate.
If 37...Qxb8 38.Rg7+ then:

38...Kh4 39.Bxb8 when Black can postpone but not prevent mate.
If 38...Kh6 then White win after 39.Bxb8 e5 40.Bxe5 Rc1+ 41.Kg2 when Black cannot prevent mate on f4.

36...Qh7 37.Kg2 Qf7 38.Qh8 puts Black in a mating net.

33...Ba4 then White win after 34.Nf4+ Kf7 35.gxf5 exf5 36.Ra7 Bc6 37.Qb6

31...Ba4 32.b3 Rc6 33.Qa5

Even stronger is 33.Qb8 Rc8 34.Nf6 Qd8 35.Qb7 Bxb3 36.f4 when Black's Knight has no quarter.

33...Bxb3

Black is apparently short on time and doesn't stop to examine the ruins of her position. The rest needs no comment.

34.Qxb5 Bc4 35.Qb8 Rc8 36.Qd6 Qxd6 37.Bxd6 Bxf1 38.Kxf1 f5 39.Kg2 fxg4 40.hxg4 Rd8 41.Bc5 1-0

Having reached the time check, Ms. Danielian resigns.

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Jack Rabbit

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sun Oct-30-11 08:48 PM
Response to Reply #1

7. Pijpers - Sh�rov, European Club Cup, General Group Rogaska Slatina, Round 1

Edited on Sun Oct-30-11 08:55 PM by Jack Rabbit

It looked for a while that the Shirov came to town and bit off more than he could chew, but in the end outgunned his opponent.

I thank my fellow chessgamer, jessicafischerqueen, for the inspiration.

Alex�i Sh�rov
Photo by karpidis modified from flickr in Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

Arthur Pijpers (LSG) - Alex�i Sh�rov (Baden-Baden)
European Club Cup (General Group), Round 1/Board 1
Rogaska Slatina, 25 September 2011

Closed French Game: Nimzo-Winawer Defense

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Qg4 Qc7!?

This is very risky for Black. The better course of action is to defend the g-pawn. See Pogrebyssky-Botviink in the link below.

8.Qxg7! Rg8 9.Qxh7 cxd4

White is a pawn to the good.

10.Ne2 Nbc6 11.f4 dxc3 12.Qd3

For moves up to here and a discussion of the Nimzo-Winawer, see Pogrebyssky-Botvinnik, Soviet Ch, Leningrad, 1939.

12...d4 13.Nxd4

If 13.Ng3 Bd7 then:

If 14.Be2 0-0-0 15.0-0 Qb6 16.Ne4 Nd5 then:

17.Nd6+ Kb8 18.Nxf7 Rdf8 19.Nd6 Nce7 20.Bf3 Bc6 is equal (Karjakin-Kamsky, Grand Prix, Nalchik, 2009).
17.Qb5 Qxb5 18.Bxb5 Kc7 19.Rb1 a6 20.Bd3 b5 is equal (Khachiyan-Shulman, US Ch, St. Louis, 2009).

If 14.Ne4 0-0-0 15.Rb1 Nxe5 then:

16.fxe5 Qxe5 17.Qe2 Bc6 18.Ng3 Qd6 19.Qf2 gives White a material and spatial plus (Ruan Lufei-Tairova, TM, Nizhniy Novgorod, 2007).
16.Qxd4 Bc6 17.Qb4 a5 18.Qxc3 Bxe4 19.Qxc7+ Kxc7 gives Black the advantage in space (Hou Yifan-Leconte, TM, Paris, 2006).

13...Nxd4 14.Qxd4 Bd7 15.Rg1

If 15.Rb1 Nf5 16.Qf2 then:

If 16...Bc6 17.Rg1 0-0-0 18.Qxa7 Nd4 then:

If 19.Bd3 Bxg2 20.Qa8+ Kd7 21.Qa4+ Kc8 then:

22.Qa8+?! Kd7 23.Qa4+ draw (Riff-Cornette, French ChT, Le Port Marly, 2009).
22.Kf2! Bc6 23.Qa8+ Qb8 24.Qxb8+ Kxb8 25.Rxg8 Rxg8 26.Ke3 gives White an extra pawn and an active King.

If 19.Kf2!? f6 then:

If 20.Be3?! fxe5 then:

21.Bc4 Qh7 22.Qa8+ Kc7 23.Qa5+ Kd7 gives White more activity in compensation for a pawn (Nijboer-Stellwagen, Dutch Ch, Hilversum, 2007).
21.Bd3 Qd6 22.Bc4 Rh8 23.h3 exf4 24.Bxd4 Qxd4+ gives Black greater activity in compensation for a pawn.

20.exf6! Qh7 21.Qa8+ Kc7 22.Qa5+ Kb8 23.Qxc3 Qh4+ 24.g3 continues to give White an impressive material advantage.

16...Qc6 17.Rb4 Qd5 18.Rg1 Bc6 19.Rc4 0-0-0 20.Bd3 gives White one extra pawn and Black has another that cannot be saved (Mamedyarov-Alekseev, Euro Club Cup, Ohrid, 2009).

15...Nf5

If 15...Rh8 16.h3 Nf5 17.Qf2 Qc6 18.Bd3 then:

If 18...Qd5 19.Rb1 Bc6 then:

20.Rb4 Qa2 21.Qc5 Ne7 22.Rb3 0-0-0 23.Rxc3 leaves White two pawns to the good and Black in deep trouble (Zili-Kuijf, World ChT, Lucerne, 1989).
If 20.Bxf5!? exf5! 21.Rb3 0-0-0 22.Qe2 Rhg8 then:

23.g4?! fxg4! 24.hxg4 Rh8 25.Rxc3 Qd4 26.Qe3 Qd1+ gives Black a powerful attack (Michalczak-Hillarp Persson, Op, Reykjavik, 2011).
23.Be3 f6 24.Rxc3 fxe5 25.Rc5 Qa2 26.Kf2 gives White an extra pawn.

18...a6 19.Rb1 b5 20.Rb3 Rd8 21.g4 gives White an extra pawn and more space.

16.Qf2 Qc6

BLACK: Alex�i Sh�rov

WHITE: Arthur Pijpers
Position after 16...Qc7c6

17.Bd3!

The text is tronger than 17.g4 Qe4+ 18.Qe2 Qa4 19.Rb1 Bc6 20.Kf2 Qd4+ 21.Be3 when White still has an extra pawn (Volokitin-Cornette, Euro Ch, Aix-les-Bains, 2011).

17...Qd5 18.Rb1 Bc6 19.Rb3 0-0-0?!

19...Rh8 20.h3 Rg8 21.Rxc3 then:

21...0-0-0 22.Rc5 Qa2 23.Rxc6+ bxc6 24.Qxa7 gives White a material advantage (Zivkovic-Gavric, Bosnian ChT, Vogosca, 2007).
If 21...Ng3 22.Qc5 Qd8 23.Bb5 then:

23...Rc8 24.Qb4 a6 25.Bxc6+ Rxc6 26.Rxc6 bxc6 27.Be3 gives White two extra pawns.
23...Bd7 24.Bxd7+ Qxd7 25.Rd3 Qa4 26.Rd4 Qa6 27.c4 gives White two extra pawns.

20.Rxc3

White has a second extra pawn.

20...Kb8 21.Rb3 (N)

21.Rc5 Qa2 22.Rxc6 bxc6 23.Qc5 Rxd3 24.cxd3 gives White two extra pawns (Ganguly-Shulman, World ChT, Ningbo, 2011).

21...Qa5+ 22.Bd2 Qa4?!

This move is just careless.
If 22...Qd5 23.c4 Qd4 24.Rc3 Nh4 25.Qxd4 Rxd4 26.Be3 gives White two extra pawns.

BLACK: Alex�i Sh�rov

WHITE: Arthur Pijpers
Position after 22...Qa5a4

23.Bb4!

The Black Queen is immobile.

23...a5

Black is in deep trouble.
If 23...Rh8 24.h3 Ka8 25.Rc3 Rd7 26.Rc5 b6 27.Rc3 gives White two extra pawns.
If 23...Bd5 24.Rb2 Qc6 25.g4 then:

25...Be4 26.Qc5 Nd4 27.Qxc6 Nf3+ 28.Kf2 Bxc6 29.Rg2 gives White two extra pawns and more space.
If 25...Nh6 26.g5 then:

26...Bc4 27.Bc5 Bxd3 28.cxd3 Nf5 29.Bxa7+ Ka8 30.Rd2 gives White three extra pawns and more space.
26...Nf5 27.Qc5 Nh4 28.Kf2 Nf3 29.Rg3 Qxc5+ 30.Bxc5 gives White an extra pawn and the advantage in space

24.Bc5 Rd5

24...Rg4 25.g3 Nd4 26.Bxd4 Rxd4 27.Ke2 gives White two extra pawns.

25.Rc3 Rgd8 26.g4 Nd4

If 26...Ng7? 27.h4 Ne8 28.h5 Nc7 29.h6 Rxc5 30.Rxc5 when White has a huge material advantage and an advanced passer

27.Rc4 Rxc5

If 27...Nf3+ 28.Qxf3 then:

28...Rxc5 29.Rxa4 Bxf3 30.h4 gives White two extra pawns and a passer.
If 28...Qb5? then White wins after 29.Qe3! Qb1+ 30.Kf2 Qb2 31.Bd6+ R8xd6 32.exd6.

28.Rxa4 Bxa4 29.c4 b5

If 29...Bb3 30.Rg3 Bxc4 31.Bxc4 Rxc4 32.Rd3 then:

32...Rc1+ 33.Rd1 Nc2+ 34.Qxc2 Rxc2 35.Rxd8+ leaves White with an extra pawn.
If 32...b5 33.Kd1 b4 34.h4 Rd5 35.axb4 axb4 36.h5 gives White the remote passed pawn.

30.Be4 bxc4 31.Qb2+?

Perhaps White was feeling giddy about the prospect of upsetting one of the great attacking players of the late twentieth/early twenty-first century. White grabs an open file and gives check, he would even have mate in one if Black could block the b-file. But Black has a very simple and effective resource.
Correct is 31.Qe3! Bc2 32.Kf2 Bxe4 33.Qxe4 Nb3 34.Rb1 when White still has the benfits of a material advantage, an active Queen and a passed pawn.

BLACK: Alex�i Sh�rov

WHITE: Arthur Pijpers
Position after 31.Qf2b2+

31...Nb5!

White shuts the b-file tight and opens the d-file.
31...Nb3? lets the opportun ity slip after 32.Rg3! Rb5 33.Qc3 Nc5 34.Re3 when White holds onto an advantage.

32.Qf2

The game is equal.
32.Qe2 c3 33.Qe3 Rd4 34.Kf2 c2 35.Bf3 Rc3 gives Black the advantage as the Queen is forced to assume blockade duty on c1.

32...Rd1+ 33.Ke2 Nc3+ 34.Ke3 Nxe4

White misses the opportunity to gain a strong upper hand.
If 34...Rb5! 35.Kf3 Rb3 36.Qc5 Rd2 then:

37.Qxc4 Rxa3!! 38.Qc5 Nb5+! 39.Qxa3 Nxa3 40.Ra1 Bd1+ forces White to choose between taking the Knight or saving his passed pawn and remaining a piece down.
If 37.Qf8+?! Kc7 then:

If 38.Qe7+ 38...Bd7 39.Qc5+ Kb8 then:

40.Qxc4 Rxa3 41.Ke3 Rb2 42.Qd3 Nd5+ 43.Bxd5 Rxd3+ gives Black the remote passer.
If 40.Qf8+ then Black wins after 40...Bc8 41.Qd6+ Rxd6 42.exd6 Rxa3 when he has an extra piece.

If 38.Qc5+ then after 38...Kd7 39.Qa7+ Ke8 40.Qa8+ Ke7 41.Qa7+ Kf8 the King escapes and Black wins.

35.Kxe4?

Having thrown away the win, White now throws away the game.
Correct is 35.Qb2+ Rb5 36.Qxb5+ Bxb5 37.Rxd1 Nc3 38.Rd8+ with equality.

BLACK: Alex�i Sh�rov

WHITE: Arthur Pijpers
Position after 35.Ke3e4:N

35...Bc6+! 36.Ke3 Rd3+ 37.Ke2 Rb5 38.Qh4

White could have resigned instead.
If 38.Rg3 then White is toast after 38...Rb2+ 39.Ke1 Rxf2 then:

If 40.Kxf2 Rb3 then:

41.f5 c3!! 42.fxe6 fxe6 43.Ke3 c2+ 44.Kd2 Rxg3 45.hxg3 Be4 46.Kc1 Kc8 Black wins by activating his King.
If 41.Ke2 Rb2+ 42.Ke3 Rxh2 43.Kd4 Bd5 leaves Black a piece to the good.

If 40.Rxd3 then Black wins by bringing his King forward after 40...cxd3 41.Kxf2 Kc7 42.h4 Be4 43.Ke3 Kc6.

38...Bf3+ 39.Ke1 Rb1+ 40.Kf2 Rb2+ 41.Kg3 Bd5# 0-1

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Jack Rabbit

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Sun Oct-30-11 11:12 PM
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8. Kosteniuk - Zhao Xue, Women's Grand Prix, Nalchik, Round 2

Chinese grandmaster Zhao Xue won a phenomenal 9� points in eleven rounds in the third leg of the 2011/12 Women's Grand Prix.

Zhao Xue
Photo by Leigh Atkins in Wikipedia (Public Domain)

Alexandra Kosteniuk - Zhao Xue
Women's Grand Prix, Third Leg, Round 2
Nalchik, 10 October 2011

Italian Royal Game: Scotch Gambit

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4

If 3.d4 then:

If 3...exd4 4.Bc4 then:

If 4...Bc5 then:

If (Saragossa Gambit or the Goring Gambit) If 5.c3 then:

If 5...dxc3 6.Nxc3 d6 7.0-0 Be6 8.Nd5 Qd7 9.a3 Ne5 10.Nxe5 dxe5 11.Qb3 c6 12.Rd1 Bd4 13.Be3 0-0-0 14.Rac1 Kb8 15.Rxd4 exd4 16.Bf4+ Kc8 17.Qa4 Bxd5 18.exd5 Qg4 19.g3 Ne7 20.dxc6 Nxc6 21.Ba6 Black resigns as he cannot escape mate or ruinous loss of material (Martin-Pompei, Rapperswil (Switzerland), 1955).
If 5...Nf6 6.cxd4 then:

If 6...Bb4+ then:

If 7.Nc3 Nxe4 8.0-0 then:

If 8...Nxc3 9.bxc3 Bxc3 10.Qb3 then:

If 10...Bxa1? 11.Bxf7+ Kf8 12.Bg5 Ne7? then:

If 13.Ne5 Bxd4 14.Bg6 d5 15.Qf3+ Bf5 16.Bxf5 Bxe5 17.Be6+ Bf6 18.Bxf6 then:

18...gxf619.Qxf6+ Ke8 20.Qf7# wins for White (Greco-NN, c. 1620).
18...Ke8 19.Bxg7 Black resigns (Shumiakina-I. Litinskaya, Op, Svetlogorsk, 1997).

If 13.Re1 then:

If 13...d5 14.Bxd5 Qd7 15.Bxe7+ Qxe7 16.Rxe7 Kxe7 17.Qe3+ Kd8 18.Qg5+ Ke8 19.Qxg7 Rf8 20.Ng5 h5 21.Nh7 Rf5 then:

White winds up the game with a pretty mate:22.Nf6+ Rxf6 23.Qxf6 Bb2 24.Bf7+ Kf8 25.Bg6+ Kg8 26.Qf7+ Kh8 27.Qh7# White wins (Leo Tolstoy-Kuhler, Yasnaya Polyana (?), 1900).
Also good is 22.Be4 Rf7 23.Bg6 Be6 24.Qe5 Kd7 25.Bxf7 when White has a prohibitive material advantage.

13...d6 then White wins after 14.Bxe7+ Qxe7 15.Rxe7 Kxe7 16.Bg8 c5 17.Qf7+.(Petrovic-Zivkovic, Op, Nova Gorica, 2001).

If 10...d5 11.Bxd5 0-0 12.Bxf7+ then:

If 12...Kh8?! 13.Qxc3 Rxf7 14.Qb3 Rf5 15.Re1 Bd7 16.d5 then:

If 16...Ne7?? 17.Bg5! Black resigns (Dr. Euwe-van der Kar, Holland, 1928).
16...Na5 17.Qc3 b6 18.Bb2 Qf8 leaves Black in a difficult but playable position.

12...Rxf7 13.Ng5 Be6 14.Qxc3 Rf6 is equal.

If 8...Bxc3 9.d5 then:

9...Ne5 10.bxc3 Nxc4 11.Qd4 0-0 12.Qxe4 Nd6 13.Qd3 b6 14.Ng5 f5 15.Re1 h6 16.Nh3 Qf6 gives Black an extra pawn (Levin-Evans, US Op, Pittsburgh, 1946).
If 9...Bf6 10.Re1 Ne7 11.Rxe4 d6 12.Bg5 Bxg5 13.Nxg5 then:

If 13...h6 14.Qe2 hxg5 15.Re1 Be6 16.dxe6 f6 17.Re3 then:

17...c6 18.Rh3 Rxh3 19.gxh3 g6 20.Bd3 Kf8 21.h4 gxh4 22.Qg4 Qa5 23.Re3 Kg7 24.Qxh4 Qg5+ 25.Qxg5 fxg5 gives Black an extra pawn (Mustafaev-Mamedyarov, Azerbaijan ChU16, Baku, 2001).
17...d5 18.Rh3 Rxh3 19.gxh3 g6 20.Qf3 Qd6 21.Qxf6 Qf4 22.Qh8+ Qf8 23.Qd4 draw (Talbi-Goutali, Olympic Team Qual, Algiers, 2000).

If 13...0-0 14.Nxh7 Kxh7 15.Qh5+ Kg8 16.Rh4 f5 then:

If 17.Re1 Ng6 18.Rh3 Rf6 19.Qh7+ Kf7 20.Re6 c6 21.Rhe3 Bd7 22.Rxf6+ Kxf6 23.Rg3 Be8 24.Qh5 then:

24...Ke7 25.Qxf5 cxd5 26.Bxd5 gives White a small advantage and a mating threat (Keres-Sachsenmaier, Corres, 1934).
24...cxd5 25.Bd3 Ne7 26.Qg5+ Ke6 leaves Black with an extra piece.

17.Rh3 Bd7 18.Re1 Rf6 19.Qh7+ Kf7 20.Rg3 Ng6 21.Re6 Bxe6 22.dxe6+ Kf8 23.e7+ Kxe7 24.Qxg7+ Ke8 25.Rxg6 faced with mate or loss of material, Black resigns (Keres-Kunerth, Corres, 1935).

If 7.Bd2 Bxd2+ 8.Nbxd2 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 then:

10.Qb3 Nce7 11.0-0 0-0 12.Rfe1 c6 then:

If 13.a4 Qb6 14.Qa3 Be6 15.a5 Qc7 16.Rac1 Rad8 17.Ne4 Ng6 18.Nc5 Bc8 19.b4 Qd6 gives White the advantage in space (Olland-Leussen, IT, Haarlem, 1901).
13.Ne4 Qb6 14.Nc3 Qxb3 15.Bxb3 Be6 16.Ng5 Bd7 17.Re5 h6 18.Nxd5 Nxd5 19.Ne4 gives White the advantage in space (Bogoljubow-Dr. Euwe, Karlsbad, 1941).

If 10.0-0 0-0 then:

11.Re1 Nf4 12.Ne4 Bg4 13.Qd2 Nh3+ 14.gxh3 Bxf3 15.d5 Ne5 16.Qf4 f6 gives Black the initiative, but he'll have to use some of it to get his Bishop out of a jam (Dubois-Steinitz, Match, London, 1862).
If 11.h3 Nf4 then:

12.Kh2 Nxd4 13.Nxd4 Qxd4 14.Qc2 Qd6 15.Kh1 Qb6 16.Qc3 Bf5 17.Kh2 Rad8 18.Rad1 Bxh3 19.gxh3 Rd3 20.Qxd3 Nxd3 21.Bxd3 Qd6+ 22.f4 Qxd3 White, already down in material, resigns in the face of further losses (Saint Amant-Morphy, Paris, 1858).
12.Ne4 Be6 13.Bxe6 fxe6 14.Re1 Qd5 15.a3 Rad8 gives Black a small advantage in space (L�wenthal-Anderssen, IT, London, 1851).

If 6...Bb6 7.Nc3 d6 8.0-0 Bg4 9.Be3 0-0 10.Bb3 Re8 11.Qd3 Bh5 12.Nd2 Bg6 13.f4 Bf5 14.Rae1 Ng4 15.Nc4 Qh4 16.h3 Nxe3 17.Nxe3 Bxh3 Black still holds the gambit pawn (Kostic-Muffang, Ol, Warsaw, 1935).

(Max Lange Attack) If 5.0-0 then:

If 5...d6 then:

If 6.Bg5 Nf6 7.Bb5 then:

If 7...Bg4 8.h3 Bxf3 9.Qxf3 0-0 10.Bxc6 bxc6 11.Nd2 Re8 12.Rad1 Qe7 gives White fewer pawn weaknesses (M. Muzychuk-Levushkina, Euro ChW, Plovdiv, 2008).
If 7...h6 8.Bh4 Bg4 9.Nbd2 g5 10.Bxc6+ bxc6 11.Bg3 h5 gives Black more activity for his minor pieces and more space (NN-Dr. Lasker, SX, Budapest, 1900).

If 6.c3 Nf6 7.cxd4 Bb6 8.Nc3 Bg4 transposes into Kostic-Muffang in the Saragossa Gambit, above. /* end Saragossa Gambit

If 5...Nf6 6.e5 d5 7.exf6 dxc4 8.Re1+ then:

If 8...Be6 9.Ng5 Qd5 10.Nc3 Qf5 11.Nce4 then:

If 11...0-0-0 12.g4 Qe5 13.Nxe6 fxe6 then:

If 14.fxg7 Rhg8 15.Bh6 then:

If 15...d3 16.c3 d2 17.Re2 Rd3 then:

If 18.Qf1 then:

If 18...Qd5 19.Rd1 Ne5 20.Qg2 Nf3+ 21.Kf1 then:

21...Nh4 22.Qg1 Nf3 23.Qg2 Nh4 offers a repetition of moves (McAuliffe-Shipman, Corres, 1992).
21...Be7 22.g5 Qf5 23.h3 Nh4 24.Ng3 gives White an attack on Black's weak e-pawn and a slight edge in space; Black must immediately deal with the threat to his Queen (Martinek-Vajs. IT, 1986).

18...Bb6 19.Rd1 Nd8 20.g5 Nf7 21.Qg2 Nxh6 22.gxh6 Qh5 23.Rexd2 Rxd2 24.Rxd2 Qxh6 wins the g-pawn for Black (Marshall-Leonhardt, Match, Hamburg, 1911).

18.Nxc5 Qxc5 19.Rxd2 Ne5 20.Rxd3 cxd3 21.Kg2 Qd5+ 22.Kg3 Qd6 23.Bf4 Rxg7 24.h3 Rf7 25.Qa4 Qc6 26.Qxc6 Nxc6 draw (Vatter-Dr. Nunn, Bundesliga 8586, Germany, 1986).

15...Be7 16.Ng5 Qf4 17.Re4 Qf6 18.Rxe6 Qf4 19.Nxh7 gives White a more active game (Ed. Lasker-Rotlewi, Hauptturnier, Hamburg, 1910).

If 14.Bg5 g6 15.f7 Be7 then:

16.f4 Qa5 17.Bxe7 Nxe7 18.Ng5 d3 19.Nxe6 d2 gives Black an advanced passed pawn (Daniel-Macles, Op, La Harve, 1966).
16.Bxe7 Nxe7 17.h4 Qd5 18.Nf6 Qc6 19.Qe2 Rdf8 leaves White's attack spent./

If 11...Bb6 then:

If 12.fxg7 Rg8 then:

If 13.g4 Qg6 14.Nxe6 fxe6 15.Bg5 Rxg7 16.Nf6+ then:

If 16...Kf8 17.Qf3 Rf7 18.Rxe6 then:

If 18...Qxg5 19.Nxh7+ Kg7 20.Qxf7+ Kxf7 21.Nxg5+ Kg7 22.h4 Rf8 23.Rxc6 Black resigns (Miles-Dennis, BCF CHU18, Rhyl, 1969).
If 18...Kg7 then:

If 19.Qh3?! Kh8 then:

If 20.Rae1?! Raf8 then:

If 21.Qh4? d3! 22.cxd3 cxd3 23.Re8 then:

23...Nd4 24.Kg2 Ne2 White resigns (Petzold-Middleton, IT A, Barmen, 1905).
Stronger is 23...d2 24.Rxf8+ Rxf8.

21.Qh6 d3 22.cxd3 cxd3 23.Qxg6 hxg6 leaves White fighting for a draw.

White still stands better after 20.Nxh7 Rxh7 21.Rxg6 Rxh3.

White should win after 19.Nh5+ Kh8 20.Qd5 Qg8 21.Rxc6 bxc6 22.Qe5+ Rg7 23.Nxg7.

If 16...Kf7 17.Qf3 Qxg5 18.Nxh7+ Qf5 White resigns (Dus Chotimirsky-Schiffers, Russian Ch, Kiev, 1903).

13.Ng3 Qg6 14.Qh5 0-0-0 15.Qxg6 hxg6 is equal.

12.Nxf7 0-0 13.Nfg5 Rae8 14.fxg7 Kxg7 15.Nh3 Ne5 gives Black the advantage in space (Schallop-Berger, DSB Kongress, Breslau, 1889).

If 8...Kf8 9.Bg5 gxf6 10.Bh6+ Kg8 then:

If 11.Nc3 Bf8 12.Nxd4 then:

12...Bxh6 13.Nxc6 Qxd1 14.Ne7+ Kg7 15.Raxd1 Be6 16.Ned5 draw (Ford-King, Op, Scotland, 1995).
12...Nxd4 13.Qxd4 Bf5 14.Qf4 Bxc2 15.Rad1 Bd6 16.Nd5 Bxf4 17.Re8+ Qxe8 18.Nxf6# White wins (Muller-Bayer, London, 1908).

If 11.Nxd4?! Bxd4! 12.c3 then:

If 12...Be6 13.cxd4 Qxd4 14.Qh5 then:

14...Ne5? then:

If 15.Nc3! Qg4 16.Rxe5!! fxe5 17.Nd5 Black resigns (Teichmann-S. Wolf, 1910).
If 14...Qg4 15.Qxg4+ Bxg4 16.Nc3 f5 17.h3 Bh5 18.Nd5 leaves Black with the choice of giving up considerable material or submitting to mate.

If 12...Bxf2+ 13.Kxf2 Bf5 14.Qf3 Bg6 then:

15.Nd2?! Ne5 16.Qg3 Qd6?! 17.Ne4 Qe6 18.Kg1 Nd3 19.Re3 gives White a clear advantage (Pillsbury-Casprovish, SX, Moscow, 1903).
If 15.Kg1 Ne5 16.Qxb7 c6 17.b4 Qb6+ 18.Qxb6 axb6 gives White more freedom and greater King safety.

If 4...Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4 6.Nxd4 d5 transposes into Ruen-Dr. Euwe, 1923 in the notes to White's fourth move. /*end Max Lange Attack

3...Nxd4 transposes into the Duetz Gambit. See the notes to Black's third move.

3...Nf6

If 3...Bc5 4.0-0 Nf6 5.d4 then:

(Duetz Gambit) If 5...Bxd4 6.Nxd4 Nxd4 7.f4 d6 8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Bg5 then:

If 9...Qe7 then:

If 10.Na3 Bd7 11.Qe1 then:

If 11...Ne6 12.Bxe6 Qxe6 13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.Qf2 Rg8 15.Qxf6 Qxf6 16.Rxf6 Rg6 gives Black a slight advantage because her Bishop is better than White's Knight (A. Gara-N. Kosintseva, Euro ChTW, Novi Sad, 2009).
11...0-0-0 12.Qf2 Kb8 13.c3 Ne6 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Qxf6 Qc5+ 16.Qf2 Qxf2+ 17.Kxf2 is equal (A. Muzychuk-T. Kosintseva, Euro Club Cup W, Ohrid, 2009).

10.c3 Ne6 11.Bxf6 gxf6 12.Na3 Rg8 13.Kh1 Bd7 14.Qf3 gives Black an extra pawn and White the more active game (Charousek-Brody, Blind Trmt, Budapest, 1896).
10.Kh1 Be6 11.Bd3 0-0-0 12.Qe1 Nc6 13.a3 h6 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Nc3 Rhg8 Black still has an extra pawn and White is not as active as in the Charousek game (Schiffers-Steinitz, Match, Rostov-on-Don, 1896).

If 9...Be6 10.Na3 Qe7 11.c3 Bxc4 then:

12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.Nxc4 Ne6 14.Ne3 Qc5 15.Qe1 0-0-0 gives Black an extra pawn and more space (Morozevich-Leko, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2008).
If 12.Nxc4 then after 12...Ne6 13.Bxf6 Qc5+ 14.Rf2 gxf6 15.Qd5 Qxd5 16.exd5 Nf4 Black still has an extra pawn and a more aggressive position (Palermo-Negre, Chanac, 1989).

If 7.Bg5 d6 8.f4 Be6 9.Na3 Qe7 10.f5 Bxc4 11.Nxc4 0-0-0 12.Ne3 c6 gives Black an extra pawn and more activity (Karpatchev-Grischuk, Russian CH, St. Petersburg, 1998).

If 5...exd4 is the Max Lange Attack in the notes to White's third move.

4.d4

BLACK

WHITE

Italo-Scotch Nexus
(Italian Royal Game: Scotch Gambit)
Position after 4.d4

The text is the Scotch Gambit.
If 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 (still a gambit, but with some of the bite taken out of it) then:

If 5...exd4 6.Nxd4 d5 7.Re1 Be7 then:

If 8.Bf4 0-0 then:

9.c3? Nxd4!! (the rest of the game is a route) 10.cxd4 Bb4 11.Re3 Nxf2 12.Kxf2 dxc4 13.Nc3 Bf5 14.Qf3 Qxd4 15.Rd1 Bd3 16.Qg3 Rfe8 17.Be5 Rxe5!! 18.Qxe5 Bc5 19.Qxd4 Bxd4 20.Nb5 Bxe3+ 21.Kxe3 Re8+ 22.Kd4 Re2 White resigns (Ruen-Dr. Euwe, IT (?), Amsterdam, 1923).
Black stands better after 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.Bd3 f5 11.Nd2 Bc5 12.Be3 Bxe3 13.Rxe3 Qf6 but White's game is playable.

If 8.Bb3?! 0-0 then:

9.c3 Nxd4 10.cxd4 Bb4 11.Re2 c6 12.f3 Nd6 gives White an extra pawn (Rossi-Mareco, South Am ChU20, Buenos Aires, 2007).
If 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.Be3 Nc5 then:

11.Qf3 Bd6 12.Nc3 Nxb3 13.cxb3 Qe7 14.Qh5 Qd7 gives Black an extra pawn.
11.Nc3 Bd6 12.Qd4 Re8 13.Rad1 Bf5 gives Black a better center, more active minor pieces and more space.

If 5...d5 6.Bb5 exd4 7.Nxd4 Bd7 then:

If 8.Bxc6 bxc6 then:

9.c4 Be7 10.Nc3 Nf6 11.Bg5 c5 12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.Re1+ Kf8 14.Nf3 d4 15.Nd5 Bc6 16.Nxf6 Qxf6 17.Ne5 Qd6 18.Qh5 g6 19.Qh6+ Kg8 20.Nxc6 Qxc6 21.Re7 Re8 22.Rae1 Rxe7 23.Rxe7 Qf6 24.Re8# White wins (Koltanowski-Zeitlin, SBX, New York, 1934).
9.f3 Nf6 10.Re1+ Be7 11.Qe2 c5 12.Nb3 Be6 13.f4 c4 14.f5 Bxf5 15.Nd4 Be4 16.b3 cxb3 17.axb3 0-0 gives Black a two pawn advantage (Pollack-Showalter, American Chess Congress, New York, 1889).

If 8.Re1 Bd6 then:

9.Be3 0-0 10.Nc3 Nxc3 11.bxc3 Nxd4 12.Bxd7 Nxc2 gives Black two extra pawns (Pallag-Hartl, Slovakian ChT 0001, 2000).
9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.Nc3 Bxh2+ 11.Kf1 Kf8 12.Nxe4 dxe4 gives Black two extra pawns (van Ray-Welling, Club Competition, Eindhoven, 1976).

4...exd4 5.e5 d5

If 5...Ng4 6.Qe2 Qe7 7.Bf4 then:

If 7...f6 8.exf6 then:

If 8...Nxf6 9.Nbd2 then:

If 9...d6 10.Nb3 then:

If 10...Bg4 11.Qxe7+ Bxe7 12.Nfxd4 Nxd4 13.Nxd4 then:

13...d5 14.Be2 Bxe2 15.Kxe2 Kd7 16.Rhe1 Rhf8 17.Nf3 Rae8 18.Kf1 draw (Boskovic-Altounian, USCL, Cyberspace, 2008).
13...0-0-0 14.f3 Bd7 15.0-0-0 Rde8 16.Rhe1 d5 17.Bd3 leaves White with slightly more active pieces and more space (Illescas C�rdoba-Sanz Alonso, IT, Le�n, 1989).

10...Qxe2+ 11.Bxe2 Bg4 12.h3 Bh5 13.0-0-0 0-0-0 14.g4 is equal (Babici-Tomescu, IT, Bucharest, 1995).

If 9...d5 10.Bb5 Qxe2+ 11.Kxe2 a6 then:

12.Bd3 Bg4 13.Bxc7 Rc8 14.Bg3 Bb4 15.h3 Bxf3+ 16.Nxf3 gives White a slight advantage in space (Sveshnikov-Semeniuk, Op, Vladivostok, 1994).
12.Bxc6+ bxc6 13.Nxd4 c5 14.N4f3 Bd6 15.Bxd6 cxd6 gives White stronger pawns and Black more space (Leks-Daulyte, Op, Wroclaw, 2010).

8...gxf6 9.Nbd2 d6 10.Qxe7+ Kxe7 11.0-0 Nge5 12.Rfe1 Kd8 gives Black an ezxtra pawn; White has a little more space (K. Berg-Hector, Politiken Cup, Copenhagen, 2001).

If 7...d6 8.exd6 then:

If 8...Qxe2+ then:

If 9.Bxe2 Bxd6 10.Bxd6 cxd6 11.Na3 Nge5 12.Nb5 then:

If 12...d3 13.cxd3 Ke7 14.Kd2 then:

14...Be6 15.Rhe1 Nxf3+ 16.Bxf3 Kd7 17.Re3 draw (Miton-Bruz�n, Capablanca Mem, Havana, 2006).
14...Rd8 15.Rhe1 Kf8 is equal (May-Prilleltensky, USCL, Cyberspace, 2010).

12...Nxf3+ 13.Bxf3 Ke7 14.0-0-0 Ne5 15.Rhe1 f6 16.Rxd4 gives White more freedom and stronger pawns (M. Hug-Luciano, IT, Bad Ragaz, 1991).

9.Kxe2 Bxd6 10.Bxd6 cxd6 11.Nbd2 Bf5 12.Rhc1 0-0 leaves Black prepared to take command of the open files (Leks-Bartel, Op, Wroclaw, 2010).

8...cxd6 9.Na3 a6 10.Rd1 Qxe2+ 11.Kxe2 Be6 12.Nxd4 d5 is equal (Sveshnikov-Kuzmin, Op, Yerevan, 1996).

6.Bb5 Ne4 7.Nxd4 Bd7

If 7...Bc5 8.Be3 Bd7 9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.0-0 0-0 11.f3 Ng5 12.f4 Ne4 transposes into the notes to White's eleventh move.

8.Bxc6 bxc6

If 8...Bxc6 9.0-0 Bc5 then:

If 10.Be3 0-0 then:

If 11.f3 Ng5 12.f4 Ne4 13.Nd2 then:

13...f6 14.Kh1 Qe8 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.Qe2 fxe5 17.fxe5 Bxd4 18.Bxd4 Qe6 is equal (Jackova-Berzinsh, TT, Czechia, 2001).
13...Bxd4 14.Bxd4 Bb5 15.Re1 Nxd2 16.Qxd2 Qd7 17.Rad1 gives White a better center and Black a little more space (Gunnarsson-Nyback, Euro Club Cup, F�gen, Austria, 2006).

11.Nd2 Bxd4 12.Bxd4 b6 13.Re1 Bb7 14.Qg4 is equal (Battulga-Sarakauskas, Ol, Dresden, 2008).

10.f3 Ng5 11.f4 Ne4 12.Be3 0-0 13.Nd2 f5 is equal (Hoogland-Vosselman, Op, Dieren, 2011).

9.0-0 Bc5

If 9...Be7 10.Nd2 then:

If 10...Nxd2 11.Bxd2 0-0 then:

12.Qf3 Qc8 13.Qg3 f6 14.e6 Bxe6 15.Nxe6 Qxe6 16.Qxc7 gives White an active Queen, stronger pawns and more space (Fern�ndez Miguel-Siso Calvo, Ga;iza ChU14, Padron, 2001).
12.f4 c5 13.Nb3 f6 14.Be1 c6 15.Bf2 fxe5 16.fxe5 c4 gives Black a small advantage in space (Mares-Stejskal, Op, Klotovy, Czechia, 1996).

10...c5 11.Nxe4 cxd4 12.Ng3 c5 13.b4 Bb5 14.Re1 is equal (Los-Daan in 't Veld, Op, Haarlem, 2001).

10.f3 Ng5 11.f4

If 11.Be3 0-0 12.f4 Ne4 13.Nd2 then:

If 13...Nxd2 14.Qxd2 Qe7 then:

If 15.Rae1 **15...Bb6 16.Nb3 Bf5 then:

17.Qf2 h5 18.Nc5 Rae8 19.Bd4 g6 20.h3 h4 21.Kh2 leaves White with better pawns and more space; Black has the Bishop pair and White's Bishop is bad (Vilar L�pez-Chemli, Op, Candas, Spain, 1992).
17.Qc3 Qd7 18.Bc5 Rab8 19.Rf2 Rfd8 20.Rd2 gives White the advantage in space (Ioha-Kruger, National Ch, Hungary, 1966).

15.Nb3 Bb6 16.Qc3 f6 17.Bc5 Rae8 18.Rae1 is equal (Shrestha-Press, Ol, Torino, 2006).

If 13...f5 14.Nxe4 fxe4 then:

If 15.Qd2 Qe7 16.Nb3 Bb6 17.Qc3 then:

17...Qh4 18.Nc5 Qe7 19.a4 a5 0.Rae1 Rf7 is equal (Orton-J. Berry, Op, Stillwater, Oklahoma, 2001).
17...g5 18.fxg5 Qxg5 19.Nc5 Bxc5 20.Bxc5 Rxf1+ 21.Rxf1 gives White more activity and his piece better protect each other (Okhotnik-S. Sokolov, Soviet Union, 1981).

15.c4 Qe7 16.Rc1 Rab8 17.Kh1 dxc4 18.Qe2 Bxd4 19.Bxd4 gives White stronger pawns and a more aggressive position; Black has more space and an extra pawn that cannot be held (G. Jones-Solomon, Masters, Gibraltar, 2007).

11...Ne4 12.c3 (N)

If 12.Be3 Bb6 13.Nd2 Nxd2 14.Qxd2 c5 15.Nf3 d4 16.Bf2 Bc6 then:

If 17.Bh4 Qd7 18.f5 Qxf5 19.Nxd4 Qd7 20.Nf3 then:

20...Qxd2 21.Nxd2 c4+ 22.Kh1 c3 23.bxc3 Ba5 24.Nf3 Bxc3 is equal (Gandolfi-Reinwald, Euro Ch, Rijeka, 2010).
20...c4+ 21.Bf2 Bxf3 22.Qxd7+ Kxd7 23.gxf3 Ke6 24.f4 Kf5 gives Black a small advantage thanks to his active King (Khandelwal-Greet, British Ch, Torquay, 2009).

If 17.f5 Bxf3 18.gxf3 Qd5 then:

If 19.Bh4 Kd7 20.Qf4 Rae8 21.Rfe1 Kc6 22.a4 a5 then:

23.Rad1 g6 24.e6 gxf5 25.e7 Rhg8+ 26.Kf1 Rg6 gives Black an extra pawn; White has an advanced passer and the better Bishop (Li Hanbin-Adhiban, Asian Ch, Olongapo City, 2010).
23.c3 h6 24.Bf2 g6 25.cxd4 cxd4 26.f6 Kb7 gives Black a small advantage from his passed pawn (S. Petersen-Meszaros, Euro Club Cup, F�gen, 2006).

19.Qg5 Kd7 20.Bg3 Rhg8 21.a4 a5 22.Rae1 Kc6 23.e6 gives White a small advantage in space (Stopa-Schneider, IT, Univ of Texas/Dallas, 2007).

12...Bb6

The game is equal.

13.Qf3!?

If 13.Be3 c5 14.Ne2 Bg4 15.Nd2 then:

15...Nxd2 16.Qxd2 0-0 17.h3 Bf5 18.b4 c4 19.a4 is equal.
15...c4!? 16.Bxb6 axb6 17.Nxe4! dxe4 18.Qxd8+ Rxd8 19.Ng3 gives White a more aggressive game by attacking Black passed e-pawn, which will be difficult to protect.

13...0-0!

Black has a safer King, the Bishop pair and better development; White has stronger pawns and more space.

14.Nd2

14.Be3 Rb8 15.Nd2 Nxd2 16.Bxd2 gives Black a small advantage in space.

14...f6

If 14...Nc5 15.f5 Qh4 then:

16.f6 Rae8 17.fxg7 Kxg7 18.Qe3 Qh5 19.N2f3 Ne4 gives Black a small advantage in space.
16.b4!? Na4! 17.N2b3 Qe4 18.Qxe4 dxe4 wins the pawn at c3.

15.exf6

If 15.e6 Bxe6! (Black takes advantage of the pin at d4 to capture the pawn) 16.Nxe4 dxe4 17.Qxe4 Re8 then:

18.Qe2 Bxa2 19.Be3 Bd5 20.Rae1 Qd7 21.Qh5 Re4 gives Black an extra pawn.
18.Qxc6 Bxd4+ 19.cxd4 Qxd4+ 20.Kh1 Bd5 21.Qc2 Re7 gives Black centralized pieces as she prepare to double the Rooks on the e-file.

15...Nxf6 16.f5?!

This leads to the loss of a pawn.
Correct is 16.Re1 c5 17.Ne6 when:

17...Bxe6 18.Rxe6 c4+ 19.Kh1 Qd7 20.Re2 Rae8 gives White a significant advantage in space.
If 17...Qe7 18.c4 Bxe6 19.cxd5 c4+ then:

20.Kf1 Nxd5 21.Qxd5 Bxd5 22.Rxe7 Rxf4+ 23.Nf3 Rf5 gives Black an extra pawn while she threatens to pick up another after 24...Bxf3.
20.Kh1 Nxd5 21.Qxd5 Bxd5 22.Rxe7 Rxf4 23.h3 Rf2 leaves Black threatening White's g-pawn.

BLACK: Zhao Xue

WHITE: Alexandra Kosteniuk
Position after 16.f4f5

16...c5!

Black sees the loose pawn and drives away its guard.
If 16...Qe7 17.Kh1 Rae8 then:

18.a4 a5 19.b3 c5 20.Ba3 Qe5 gives Black a better center and more space.
If 18.b4 Bxd4 19.cxd4 Qxb4 20.Qd3 Bxf5!! then:

21.Rxf5 Re1+ 22.Nf1 Ne4 23.Bd2 Rxa1 24.Bxb4 Rxf5 gives Black the more active game.
If 21.Qxf5? then Black wins after 21...Ne4 22.Rb1 Qxd4!.

17.Ne2 Qe7

Black attacks an inadequately guarded Knight.

18.c4 Bxf5!

Black takes the pawn, enticing the Queen to abandon the Knight.

19.Qxf5 Qxe2

Black has an extra pawn.

BLACK: Zhao Xue

WHITE: Alexandra Kosteniuk
Position after 19...Qe7e2:N

20.Nf3?!

White no longer has any good moves.
20.Rf2 Qe1+ 21.Rf1 Qe3+ 22.Qf2 Ng4 23.Qxe3 Nxe3 gives Black an extra pawn and an active Knight; after 24.Rxf8+ Rxf8 White must untangle her pieces before taking any effective action.

20...Rae8 21.Bg5

21.a4 a5 22.b3 dxc4 23.bxc4 Qxc4 leaves Black two pawns to the good.

21...Qxc4 22.Bxf6 Rxf6 23.Qd7 Ref8 24.Rae1

24.b3 Qe4 25.Rae1 Qf5 26.Qxf5 Rxf5 leaves White with two extra pawns, one of which is passed.

24...Qd3 25.Rd1

25.h3 c6 26.Kh2 Qf5 27.Qxf5 Rxf5 28.b3 Bc7+ gives Black command of attacking lanes leading into White's camp.

BLACK: Zhao Xue

WHITE: Alexandra Kosteniuk
Position after 25.Re1d1

25...Qe3+!

By giving a check, White gains time to build a coordinated attack on White's position; by contrast, White's Queen, while active, is fighting without any support.

26.Kh1 c6!

This quiet move protects all of White's men except the Queen, which, of course, can easily retreat if attacked.

27.Rde1 Qd3 28.b3

If 28.h3 then Black has two extra pawns and tremendously activity after 28...c4 29.Rd1 Qe2 30.Rfe1 Qxb2 31.Re7 Rh6.

28...h6 29.h3 Kh7 30.Kh2

White might last longer after 30.Qg4 Rf4 31.Qg3 Kg8 32.Rc1 Qa6 33.Ra1 c4, but her game is lost in any case.

30...R8f7 31.Qc8

If 31.Qe8 then Black wins after 31...c4 32.bxc4 Qxc4 33.Ne5 Bc7! when she has two extra pawns, complete command of the f-file and a pin at e5.

BLACK: Zhao Xue

WHITE: Alexandra Kosteniuk
Position after 31.Qd7c8

31...Rxf3!!

The exchange sacrifice puts the icing on the cake.

32.gxf3

Whether it is intended as such or not, this is a harikari move. White not loses quickly.
If 32.Rxf3 Rxf3 33.Re8 Rf5 34.Rh8+ Kg6 35.Qe6+ Kg5 leaves Black with a commanding material advantage.

32...Qd2+ 33.Kg3

33.Kg1 c4+ 34.Kh1 Bc7 threatens mate and forces White to surrender the Queen.

33...Bc7+ 34.f4

This leads to mate.
The only move that doesn't lead to mate is 34.Qxc7, but that just gets ugly after 34...Rxc7 35.a3 Rf7 36.Re6 h5 37.Rf2 Qg5+

34...Bxf4+ 35.Kh4

If 35.Rxf4 then 35...Qxf4+ 36.Kg2 Qf2+ 37.Kh1 Qxe1+ 38.Kg2 Rf2+ 39.Kg3 Qg1+ 40.Kh4 Qg5#

35...Bg5+ 36.Kg3 Bh4+ 0-1

Black delivers mate on the next move.
Alexandra Konstantinovna resigns.

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Jack Rabbit

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sun Oct-30-11 11:13 PM
Response to Reply #1

9. Morozevich - Eljanov, Governor's Cup, Saratov, Round 5

Alexander Morozevich, who considered himslef retired at the start of 2010, continues his meteoric comeback.

Alexander Morozevich
Photo by karpidis modified from flickr (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1643238">Alexander Morozevich - Pavel Eljanov
Governor's Cup, Round 5
Saratov, 12 October 2011

Open Royal Game: Classical Defense (Scotch Opening)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Nxc6

For a more complete survey of the Open Royal Game, see http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=215&topic_id=117640&mesg_id=117648">Carlsen-Leko, IT Nanjing, 2009.

5...bxc6

If 5...Qf6 6.Qd2 dxc6 7.Nc3 then:

If 7...Be6 8.Na4 Rd8 9.Bd3 Bd4 10.0-0 then:

10...a6 11.Qa5 b5 12.Nc3 Bb6 13.Qxa6 Nh6 14.Be3 Bc8 15.Qa3 Bxe3 16.fxe3 Qe5 17.Be2 Rd6 18.Rad1 0-0 19.Rxd6 cxd6 20.Rd1 c5 21.Nxb5 Bg4 22.Qd3 Qxb2 23.a4 Qb4 24.Bf3 gives White an extra pawn and more activity (Kasparov-Jussupow, IT, Horgen, 1994).
If 10...b5 11.Nc3 Ne7 12.a4 b4 13.Ne2 c5 14.Nxd4 Qxd4 15.Qf4 c4 16.Be2 then:

16...Ng6 (17.Qxc7 0-0 18.c3 bxc3 19.bxc3 Qxc3 20.Bg5 Rd7 21.Qc5 draw (Dr. Nunn-G. Flear, Op, Isle of Man, 1994).
16...0-0 17.c3 bxc3 18.bxc3 Qxc3 gives Black an extra pawn (Bellaiche-Ragger, World Youth, Oropesa del Mar, 2001).

If 7...Ne7 8.Qf4 then:

8...Be6 9.Qxf6 gxf6 10.Na4 Bb4+ 11.c3 Bd6 12.Be3 b6 13.f4 0-0-0 14.Kf2 c5 15.c4 Nc6 16.Nc3 f5 17.e5 Bf8 18.Nd5 Nd4 19.Rd1 c6 20.Nc3 Bg7 21.Bxd4 Rxd4 draw (Rensch-Bhat, SPICE Cup B, Texas Tech U, 2009).
8...Qe6 9.Bd3 0-0 10.0-0 Ng6 11.Qg3 Qe5 12.Qxe5 Nxe5 13.Be2 f5 14.Na4 Be7 15.f4 Nd7 16.e5 Nc5 17.Nc3 Be6 18.Be3 a5 19.Rfd1 Rfd8 20.a3 draw (Andreikin-Riazantsev, Russian ChU20, Nojabrsk, 2005).

6.Bd3 d6 7.Nc3 (N)

7.0-0 Nf6 8.Bg5 h6 9.Bh4 g5 10.Bg3 h5 11.e5 h4 12.exf6 hxg3 gives Black better command of open lines (Baird-Errlinger, New York, 1893).

7...Ne7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Na4!

White has a better pawn structure and a lead in development.

9...Bd4 10.c3 Bb6

If 10...Bf6 11.Be3 Ng6 12.f4 Re8 13.Qf3 then:

13...Bd7 14.e5 dxe5 15.Bxg6 hxg6 16.Nc5 exf4 17.Bxf4 is equal.
13...Nh4 14.Qg3 Bd7 15.e5 dxe5 16.fxe5 Bxe5 17.Qf2 gives Black an extra pawn and White the advantage in space.

11.Bg5

If 11.Nxb6 axb6 12.Bg5 then:

12...h6 13.Be3 Be6 14.Re1 c5 15.f4 f5 16.e5 is equal.
12...Qe8 13.Re1 Ng6 14.b3 Qe6 15.Bc4 Qe5 16.Qd2 is equal.

11...f6 12.Bh4 Be6 13.Qc2

If 13.Re1 Ng6 14.Bg3 then:

14...Ne5 15.Be2 Re8 16.Nxb6 axb6 17.a4 Qe7 18.f4 gives White a kingside/center duo the advantage in space.
14...Qd7 15.b3 f5 16.Nxb6 axb6 17.exf5 Bxf5 18.Bc4+ gives White a slight advantage in space.

13...Qd7

If 13...Ng6 14.Bg3 Ne5 15.Be2 f5 16.Bxe5 dxe5 then:

17.exf5 Bxf5 18.Bc4+ Kh8 19.Qe2 is equal.
17.Nxb6 cxb6 18.Rad1 Qe7 19.exf5 Bxf5 20.Bc4+ is equal.

14.Rad1 Ng6

14...Bg4 15.Nxb6 axb6 16.f3 Be6 17.Ra1 Ng6 18.Bg3 is equal.

15.Bg3 Qf7 16.b3 Rae8

16...Ne5 17.Be2 f5 18.Bxe5 dxe5 19.Bf3 f4 20.Rd3 gives White command of an open file and healthier pawns; Black has slightly more space.

17.c4 c5 18.f4

White eschews 18.Nxb6 axb6 19.f4 f5 20.e5 in favor of a plan to keep Black's drak-bound Bishop inactive.

BLACK: Pavel Eljanov

DIAGRAM

WHITE: Alexander Morozevich
Position after 18.f2f4

18...Ne7 19.e5 f5

White's dark-bound Bishop is also rendered inactive.

20.exd6!?

This allows Black to free the Bishop.
If 20.Be1 Nc6 21.Bc3 Ba5 then:

22.Bxa5 Nxa5 23.Rfe1 Bd7 24.Qd2 Nc6 25.exd6 gives White a small advantage in space.
22.Qd2!? Bxc3 23.Qxc3 Bd7 24.Rde1 is equal.

20...cxd6! 21.Be2 d5 22.Bf2 Rc8

If the immediate 22...d4!? then 23.b4 cxb4 24.Nxb6 axb6 25.Rxd4 Rc8 26.Rc1 gives White an active Rook and more space.

23.Nb2!?

This move is aimed at blockading the d-pawn at d3, but the pawn become immobile once it reaches the fourth rank in any case.
Better is 23.Rfe1 d4 24.Nxb6 axb6 25.Bh4 Rfe8 26.Bf3 when White has the Bishop pair and more space; Black has a passed pawn.

23...d4!

Black has a protected passed pawn.

24.Nd3 Ng6 25.Bf3 Qf6

25...Rfd8!? 26.Rfe1 Qf6 27.Re2 Rc7 28.Qd2 Re7 29.Ne5 gives Black a small advantage in space.

26.Rfe1 Rfe8 27.g3

27.Qb2 Rcd8 28.b4! undermines the passed pawn's protection.

BLACK: Pavel Eljanov

DIAGRAM

WHITE: Alexander Morozevich
Position after 27.g2g3

27...a5!

Black has equalized. It is more difficult now for White to undermine the support for Black's protected passer.

28.Re2 Bd7

28...Bf7 29.Rxe8+ Rxe8 30.a3 Rc8 31.Nb2 Be8 32.Bd5+ remains equal.

29.Rde1 Rxe2 30.Qxe2 Bc6!?

White's potential strong point is e5; Black would do better to prepare for it.
Better is 30...Rd8 31.Bd5+ Kh8 32.Ne5 Nxe5 33.fxe5 Qe7 34.e6 when White has a light edge thanks to the advanced passer, but Black will swing the Bishop to the kingside via e8 where it can be more useful.

BLACK: Pavel Eljanov

DIAGRAM

WHITE: Alexander Morozevichk
Position after 30...Bd7c6

31.Bd5+!

White elimintes Black's good Bishop, gains time with the check and gets a passer of his own.
If 31.Bxc6 Qxc6 32.h4 Nf8 33.Qe5 then:

33...g6 34.h5 Rd8 35.Qe7 Rd6 36.h6 Rd7 remains equal.
33...Qd7 34.h5 Rc6 35.Qb8 Re6 36.Rxe6 Qxe6 37.Ne5 gives White a small advantage with the Knight holing the center.

31...Bxd5 32.cxd5 a4 33.Ne5!?

If 33.Qc2 axb3 34.axb3 then:

If 34...Qf7 35.Re6 then:

If 35...Ba7 then:

36.Qc4 then:

36...Ra8 37.b4 cxb4 38.Nxb4 d3 39.Nxd3 gives White an extra pawn and more threats.

36...Rd8 37.Ra6 h6 38.b4 cxb4 39.Nxb4 Kh7 40.Nc6 wins a piece.

36.Bxd4? Nf8 37.Ra6 Qxd5 38.Bxg7 Qb7 39.Rxa7 Qxa7 is equal.

35...Rb8 36.Nxc5 Bxc5 37.Qxc5 d3 38.Re3 Rxb3 39.Qd4! holds Black's d-pawn to no mobility, while White's d-pawn, backed by the Queen, can advance.

34...Qd8 35.Qc4 Kh8 36.Re6 Ba7 37.Rc6 Ra8 38.d6 allows the d-pawn to triumph.

33...Ba5 34.Qc4 Qd6?!

If 34...Bxe1 35.d6+ Kh8 36.Nf7+ Kg8 37.d7 then:

37...Bxf2+ 38.Kxf2 Rf8 39.d8Q Rxd8 40.Nxd8+ gives White an extra pawn.

If 37...Rf8 38.d8Q Bxf2+ 39.Kxf2 then:

If 39...Rxd8 40.Nxd8+ then:

If 40...Kf8 41.Qxc5+ Ke8 42.Nc6 then:

42...d3 43.Nd4 axb3 44.axb3 d2 45.Ke2 Ne7 46.Kxd2 leaves White with a remote passer.

42...Nxf4 43.gxf4 axb3 44.axb3 Qh4+ 45.Ke2 Qxh2+ 46.Kd3 gives White a piece and an unblocked remote passer for two pawns.

40...Kh8 41.Nf7+ Kg8 42.Ne5+ Kh8 43.Qxc5 axb3 44.axb3 gives White a remote passer; Black's d-pawn is toast as Black must deal with a mating threat before all else.

If 39...Qxf7? then White wins after 40.Qxf7+! Kxf7 41.Qd5+ Kf6 42.Qc6+ Kf7 43.Qxc5.

35.Re2! axb3 36.axb3 Ne7 37.Qb5 Bb4?

Black had been hanging on, but now drops off. The Bisop blackades the b-pawn here, but the pawn couldn't advance without being captured. The Bishop would have been part of a more active defence at c7, where it could take on the Knight at e5 if necessary.
If 37...Bc7 then after 38.Nc4 Qd8 39.Qxc5 Nxd5 40.Re6 White wins a pawn.
If 38.Rc2 Bb8 39.b4 Rd8 40.Rxc5 Ba7 41.Rc4 leaves White better, but the d-pawn is safe for now.

BLACK: Pavel Eljanov

DIAGRAM

WHITE: Alexander Morozevich
Position after 37...Ba5b4

38.Nc4!

White drives away the Queen.

38...Qd8

If 38...Qxd5 39.Rxe7 Kf8 40.Rd7 Qc6 41.Rf7+ then:

41...Kg8 42.Qxc6 Rxc6 43.Rb7 leaves White up by a piece.
If 41...Kxf7 then 42.Ne5+ wins the Queen.

39.d6!

The mighty passed pawn scatters Black's haughty pieces.

39...Nc6 40.Ne5 Nxe5

If 40...Na5 then White wins after 41.d7 Rb8 42.Nc6 Rxb5 43.Re8+.

41.fxe5 1-0

White's passer duo triumphs.
Pavel Vladimirovich resigns.

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Jack Rabbit

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Mon Oct-31-11 03:18 AM
Response to Reply #1

10. Le Quang Liem - Dom�nguez P�rez, SPICE Cup, Texas Rech U, Round 10

Le Quang Liem
Photo by karpidis modified from flickr in Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

Le Quang Liem - Leinier Dom�nguez P�rez
SPICE Cup, Round 10
Texas Tech University, 25 October 2011

Slav Queen's Gambit: Soultanbeieff Defense

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 e6

The text is the Soultanbeieff Defense.
5...Bf5 is the Karlsbad Defense to the Slav Queen's Gambit.

6.e4 Bb4 7.Bg5 Qa5

For a more complete survey of the Soultanbeieff Desfense, see Mamedyarov-Postny, Euro ChT, Novi Sad, 2009.

8.Bd2 c5 9.Bxc4 cxd4

If 9...0-0 10.dxc5 Qxc5 11.Qe2 then:

If 11...e5 12.0-0 Bg4 then:

If 13.Be3 Bxf3 14.gxf3 Qe7 then:

15.Kh1 Nc6 16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.Bxd5 Bc5 18.f4 Bxe3 19.Qxe3 is equal (Fressinet-Spoelman, IT B, Wijk aan Zee, 2011).
15.Nd5 Nxd5 16.Bxd5 draw (Khalifman-I. Popov, Russian ChT, Dagomys, 2009).

13.Rac1 Bxf3 14.gxf3 Nc6 15.Na2 Qe7 16.Nxb4 Nxb4 is equal (Rapport-Laznicka, Euro Ch, Aix-les-Bains, 2011).

11...Nc6 12.0-0 e5 13.Nd5 Bg4 14.Bxb4 Nxb4 15.Nxf6+ gxf6 16.Rfc1 gives White stronger pawns and the threat of 17.Bxf7+, winning the Black Queen (Gustafsson-Andre, Masters, Gibraltar, 2010).

10.Nxd4 0-0

If 10...Qc5 11.Bb5+ then:

11...Nbd7 12.Nb3 Qc7 13.Rc1 Qb8 14.0-0 0-0 15.f4 gives White a small advantage in space (Moiseenko-Sjugirov, Euro Club Cup. Plodiv, 2010).
11...Bd7 12.Nb3 Qe5 13.f4 Qc7 14.Rc1 Nc6 15.Qf3 gives White a small advantage in space (Kiselev-Cichocki, Op, Warsaw, 1991).

11.Qe2 Nc6 12.Nc2

12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.0-0 Bb7 14.Rfd1 Nd7 15.Na2 gives White a small advantage in space (Sriram-Sundararajan, Indian Ch, Mumbai, 2009).

12...Ne5 13.Ba2

13.f4 Nxc4 14.Qxc4 Bxc3 15.Bxc3 Qa6 16.Qxa6 bxa6 17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.0-0-0 gives White command of the open file, more space and better development (Ding Liren-Yu Yangyi, Chinese GMT, Danzhou, 2010).

13...Rd8 14.0-0 b6

14...Nc6 15.Nxb4 Qxb4 16.Nd5 Qxb2 17.Rfb1 Qe5 18.Bc3 gives White a better center, a slight initiative and a small advantage in space (Vitiugov-Chadaev, Russian Ch HL, Taganrog, 2011).

15.Nxb4 Qxb4 16.Rfd1 (N)

16.Bg5 a5 17.Rad1 Rxd1 18.Rxd1 Ba6 19.Qc2 draw (Shulman-Potkin, World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2011).

16...Bb7

White has the Bishop pair and stronger pawns; Black a precarious edge in space.

17.Be1!?

17.Bg5! Rac8 18.Bxf6 gxf6 19.Rac1 Nd7 20.f4 f5 is equal.

BLACK: Leinier Dom�nguez P�rez

WHITE: Le Quang Liem
Position after 17.Bd2e1

17...Nxe4!

Black grabs a center pawn.

18.Nb5!?

This only does half the job that White needs done; the attack on the Queen is unmasked, but the tension has not been relieved in the d-file.
If 18.Nd5 Qxa4 19.f3 then:

19...Nc5 20.Nc3 Qf4 21.Bg3 Nxf3+ 22.gxf3 Qxf3 gives Black four pawns for a piece.
19...Ng6!? 20.Bc4 Qc6 21.fxe4 exd5 22.exd5 Qd6 23.Bg3 gives White compensation for the pawn in a passer, the initiative and more space.

18.Nxe4?! Qxe4 19.Qxe4 Bxe4 20.Bc3 Nd3 21.f3 Bg6 leaves Black with an extra pawn.

18...Rxd1!

this is the only move for Black to keep the advantage.
If 18...Qxa4?! then 19.Bd5! turns the tables and after 19...Qxd1 20.Rxd1 Rxd5 21.Rxd5 exd5 22.f3 White has a clear material advantage and initiative.

19.Rxd1 Qxa4

Black wins a second pawn, but the Queen is in an awkward position.

20.b3

If 20.Bb1 a6 21.Nd6 Nxd6 22.Rxd6 Qf4 then:

23.Qd2 Qxd2 24.Rxd2 Bd5 25.Rd1 Rd8 26.f3 h5 gives Black two extra pawn and a better center.
If 23.Bd2? then Black wins after 23...Nf3+! 24.Qxf3 Qxd6 25.Qxb7 Rb8 26.Qe4 Qxd2 .

20...Qa6 21.Bb1 f5?!

The foremost Knight is already protected by the Bishop; the pawn should hang back in case it is needed to protect the hindmost Knight.
Better is 21...Rf8! 22.Bxe4 Bxe4 23.Bc3 f6 then:

24.Bxe5 fxe5 25.Qxe4 Qxb5 26.Qe3 Qc5 27.Qxc5 bxc5 gives Black two extra pawns.
24.Qxe4 Qxb5 25.Bxe5 fxe5 26.Rd3 Qc5 27.Qe1 a5 leaves Black with two extra pawns; although Black's pawn structure is horrid, it provides an opening for the Rook.

BLACK: Leinier Dom�nguez P�rez

WHITE: Le Quang Liem
Position after 21...f7f5

22.f3!

White is now able to fight for a piece of the center.

22...Bc6

Rather than withdraw his Knight, Black threatens White's Knight at b5.
22...Nxf3+!? 23.gxf3 Ng5 24.Bc3! Bc6 25.Qg2! Nxf3+ 26.Kf2 gives Black four pawns for a Bishop, but he must deal with the threat of mate at g7 immediately.

23.fxe4

White cannot do other than the text because the Knight is pinned to the unguarded Queen.

23...Bxb5 24.Qb2 Nd3

Black has a small advantage in space.
24...Ng4!? 25.exf5 Ne3 26.Rc1 Qb7 27.fxe6! equalizes. White has a passed pawn, an active Rook and the Bishop pair; Black has an octopus at e3, a distant pawn majority and control of the light squares on White's side of the center.

25.Bxd3 Bxd3 26.exf5 Bxf5??

This inexplicable blunder allows White to use the d-file for a sudden and decisive attack.
Correct is 26...Re8 27.f6 e5 28.fxg7 Qb5 29.b4 a5 30.Qa3 with equality.

27.Rd7!

Any other move leaves Black in control. This threatens mate on the next move.

27...e5

Futile.

BLACK: Leinier Dom�nguez P�rez

WHITE: Le Quang Liem
Position after 27..e6e5

28.Qxe5!!

Black gives up a whole Rook for a mating attack.

28...Bxd7 29.Bc3! 1-0

If 29...Kf7 then White gives mate soon after 30.Qxg7+ Ke8 31.Qh8+ Ke7 32.Qf6+ Ke8 33.Bb4 .
El se�or Dom�nguez resigns.

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Jack Rabbit

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Mon Oct-31-11 03:19 AM
Response to Reply #1

11. Dom�nguez P�rez - Robson, SPICE Cup, Texas Tech U, Round 2

Leinier Dom�nguez P�rez
Photo by Frank Hoppe in Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)

Leinier Dom�nguez P�rez - Ray Robson
SPICE Cup, Round 2
Texas Tech University, 16 October 2011

Open Sicilian Rat Game: Dragon Defense

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 Nc6 8.Qd2 0-0 9.0-0-0 d5 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.Bd4 Bxd4 13.Qxd4 Qb6 14.Bc4

For moves and variations up to here, see Sjugirov-Timofeev, Russian Ch HL, Taganrog, 2011.
If 14.Na4 Qa5 15.b3 then:

If 15...Be6 then:

16.g3 Rfd8 17.Qc5 Qc7 18.Re1 Nb6 is equal (Sjugirov-Timofeev, Russian Ch HL, Taganrog, 2011).
16.Qd2 Qc7 17.Nc5 Qd6 18.Nxe6 Qxe6 19.Bc4 gives Black a small advantage in space; White has pressure on d5 (Korneev-Aronian, Russian Cup, Omsk, 1996).

If 15...Qc7 16.h4 h5 17.Bc4 Rd8 then:

18.g4 hxg4 19.h5 g5 20.fxg4 Qf4+ 21.Qxf4 gxf4 22.Nc3 gives White a passed pawn, the advantage in space and a pin at d5; Black is attacking the backward pawn at g4 (Swinkles-Reinderman, Op, Groningen, 2009).
18.Rhe1!? Bf5! 19.Qe5 Qxe5 20.Rxe5 is equal (Sebag-Calzetta Ruiz, Euro ChTW, Novi Sad, 2009).

14...Ne3 (N)

14...Qxd4 15.Rxd4 Nxc3 16.bxc3 Rb8 17.Re1 Rb7 18.Re5 is equal (Ivanchuk-Carlsen, Rpd, Le�n, 2009).

15.Rd2

The game is equal.

15...Nxc4 16.Qxc4 Be6 17.Qh4 Rab8

17...Rfd8 18.Rhd1 Rxd2 19.Rxd2 Qg1+ 20.Nd1 Re8 remains equal.

18.b3 c5!?

Black drops a pawn in the hope of obtaining some kind of advantage on the queenside, but White will put pressure on ther heart of Black's camp with his heavy pieces.
Better is 18...Rfd8 19.Rxd8+ when:

19...Qxd8 20.Rd1! Qa5 21.Qf4 Rb7 22.Na4 Bf5 23.Qe3 gives White strength up the middle and a slight initiative.
19...Rxd8!? 20.Qxe7! Qe3+ 21.Kb2 Rd7 22.Qe8+ gives White an extra pawn and more activity.

BLACK: Ray Robson

WHITE: Leinier Dom�nguez P�rez
Position after 18...c6c5

19.Qxe7!

White wins a pawn.

19...c4 20.Qf6

If 20.Rhd1 cxb3 21.axb3 Rfc8 then:

If 22.Qf6 then:

22...Bxb3 23.Qxb6 axb6 24.cxb3 Rxc3+ 25.Kb2 Re3 is again equal.
If 22...Qc7? then:

White gains the upper hand after 23.Kb1!! Qxh2 24.Ne4 Qc7 25.Qb2! then:

25...Rd8 26.Nf6+ Kf8 27.Nxh7+ Kg8 28.Rxd8+ Rxd8 29.Rh1 gives White a winning attack against the Black King.
25...h5 26.Nf6+ Kf8 27.Nd7+ Ke8 28.Qh8+ Ke7 29.Qf6+! wins the exchange.

23.Kb2?! Qxh2! 24.Ne4 Qc7 25.Qc3 Qxc3+ 26.Nxc3 leaves White with command of the d-file and an extra pawn, good for a small advantage against Black's Rooks which guard the back rank.

22.Rd3 Kg7 23.Qg5 Qc7 24.Qg3 Qa5 25.Kb2 is again equal.

20...Qb4?!

Black misses the best move.
20...Qa5 21.Kb2 Rb6 22.Qd4 Rc8 23.Rhd1 cxb3 24.cxb3 gives Black with opportunities to recover his pawn.

21.Nd5!?

This leads to a drawish exchange of pieces.
21.Ne4! Bf5 22.Re1 Rb6 23.Qc3 Qa3+ 24.Qb2 Qe7 25.Kd1 cxb3 26.axb3 gives White the advantage in space to go with is extra pawn.

21...Bxd5 22.Rxd5 cxb3 23.axb3 Rfc8 24.Kb1?!

White makes an unnecessarily passive move and throws away his advantage.
24.Rd7 Rf8 25.Rhd1 Rbc8 26.Kb2 a5 27.Qd4 gives White an extra pawn and more space.

24...Rc3!

White still has an extra pawn, but Black has partial compensation with his queenside pressure.

25.Rd8+ Rxd8 26.Qxd8+ Kg7 27.Qd5 Re3?!

Black should continue to keep the pressure on the queenside.
Better is 27...Rc5 28.Qd3 Rc3 29.Qe4 when:

29...Qxe4 30.fxe4 Re3 31.Kc1 Re2 32.g3 a5 33.c4 White loses his extra pawn, but the passed c-pawn makes that more than tolerable.
If 29...Qd6?! 30.Re1! then:

If 30...Rc5 31.Qe3 then:

31...h6 32.g4 a5 33.f4 a4 34.bxa4 Rc4 35.Qe5+ leads to a Rook and pawn ending where White has a passed pawn.
31...Kg8?! 32.Qe7! Qd4 33.Qxa7 Qc3 34.Re8+ Kg7 35.Qa2 gives White two extra pawns.

30...Qd2?! 31.Re2 Qd1+ 32.Kb2 Rc8 33.h4 gives White a better center, an extra pawn and a passed pawn.

BLACK: Ray Robson

WHITE: Leinier Dom�nguez P�rez
Position after 27...Rc3e3

28.Rd1!

White has an extra pawn and a better grip on the center; Black's pieces, though not a coordinated as before, are still active.

28...Re2

If 28...Qc3 then WHite has much the better of it after 29.Qd4+ Qxd4 30.Rxd4 when:

30...Re2 31.c4 Rxg2 32.c5 Re2 33.c6 Re8 34.b4 leaves White with an advancing passed pawn.

30...Re1+ 31.Kb2 Re2 32.Rg4 f5 33.Ra4 h5 34.Rxa7+

29.g3

29.g4 Qc3 30.Qd3 Qxd3 31.Rxd3 Rxh2 32.c4 gives White a passed pawn and Black a Rook on the seventh, cutting the White King off from the action.

29...Qc3

If 29...a5 30.h4 a4 31.Qd4+ Qxd4 32.Rxd4 axb3 33.cxb3 gives White a remote passer in the Rook and pawn ending.

30.Qd3 Qxd3 31.Rxd3 Rxh2 32.c4 Re2 33.c5

The passed pawn manifests its lust to expand.

33...Re5?

This move is technically incorrect.
Black should be ready to set up a blockade with 33...Re6 34.b4 a6 35.Kc2 h5 36.Rc3 Rc6.

BLACK: Ray Robson

WHITE: Leinier Dom�nguez P�rez
Position after 33...Re2e5

34.b4!

White protects his passer.
Also good is 34.Rc3 Re7 35.b4.

34...a5

Black is toast.
If 34...a6 35.c6 Re8 36.Ra3 then:

36...Rb8 then White wins after 37.Kc2 Kf8 38.Kb3 Rb6 39.c7 Rc6 40.b5.
If 36...h5 then White wins after 37.Kc2 Kf8 38.Rxa6.

35.bxa5 Rxc5 36.Ra3 h5

If 36...Rc7 37.a6 Ra7 38.Kb2 h5 39.f4 Kf6 40.Kc3 leaves Black with no reserve pawn tempi.

37.a6

Black's reply is forced.

37...Rc8

The pawn queens after any other move.

38.a7 Ra8 39.Kc2! Kf6 40.Kd3 Kg5 41.Ra4!?

White takes the slow boat.
If 41.Ke4! f5+ 42.Ke5 h4 43.gxh4+ Kxh4 then:

White wins after 44.Kf6! Kh5 45.Ra4 Rf8+ 46.Ke6 Ra8 47.Ke5.
If 44.Kd5? g5! then:

45.Ke5 g4 46.Kf4 gxf3 47.Kxf3 Kg5 48.Ra6 f4 leaves more ways for Black to go wrong, but should end in a draw.
45.Kc6 g4 46.fxg4 fxg4 47.Kb7 Rxa7+! 48.Rxa7 g3 draws.

41...f6

41...f5 42.Kd4 f4 43.Ra5+ Kf6 44.gxf4 h4 45.Ke3 gives White enough time to capture the passed pawn.

BLACK: Ray Robson

WHITE: Leinier Dom�nguez P�rez
Position after 41...f7f6

42.Ke3!

White's Rook anchors a line of electronic barbed wire that Black cannot cross.
If 42.Ke4? (cutting the barbed wire) 42...f5+! 43.Kd5 f4 44.gxf4+ Kf5! then:

If 45.Kc6 h4! 46.Kb7 then:

If 46...Rxa7+! 47.Kxa7 h3 48.Ra1 Kxf4 49.Rh1 Kg3! then:

50.f4 h2 51.Kb6 Kg2 52.Re1 h1Q 53.Rxh1 Kxh1 54.Kc6 draws.
If 50.Kb7 g5 51.Kc6 then:

If 51...Kg2 52.Rd1 h2 53.Kd5 then:

53...Kxf3 54.Rd3+ Kg2 55.Rd2+ then:

55...Kg3 56.Rd1 g4 57.Ke4 Kg2 58.Kf4 g3 then:

59.Kg4 h1Q 60.Rxh1 Kxh1 61.Kxg3 is a draw.
59.Rc1 Kh3 60.Rc8 Kg2 61.Rc2+ Kh3 62.Rc8 draws.

If 55...Kh3 56.Rd3+ Kh4 57.Rd1 g4 58.Ke4 g3 then:

59.Kf4! Kh3 60.Rd8! Kg2 61.Rd2+! Kh3 62.Rd8 etc. draws.
If 59.Kf3 Kh3 60.Re1 g2 61.Re8 then:

61...g1N+ 62.Kf2 Nf3 63.Rh8+ Nh4 64.Rxh4+ Kxh4 65.Kg2 draws.
If 61...g1Q?? then 62.Rh8#.
If 61...h1Q?? then 62.Rh8#.

53...h1Q 54.Rxh1 Kxh1 55.Ke4 Kg2 draws.

51...h2 52.Kd5 Kg2 53.Re1 Kxf3 54.Rh1 Kg2 55.Re1 draws.

If 46...h3?? then White wins after 47.Kxa8 h2 48.Ra1 Kxf4 49.Kb8.

45.Kd6 h4 46.Kc6 h3 47.Kb7 h2 48.Ra1 draws.

42...f5 43.Kf2

43.f4+ Kg4 44.Kf2 h4 45.gxh4 Kxh4 46.Kf3 Kh5 47.Ra2 forces Black's King back.

43...Kf6 44.f4 Ke6 45.Kg2

White wins quicker after 45.Ra6+ Kd5 46.Kg2 Kd4 47.Kh3 Kc5 48.Ra1.

45...Ke7 46.Kh3!

The White King moves into position to demolsih Black's pawns.

46...Kf6 47.Kh4 Kg7 48.Ra3 Kf7

No better is 48...Kh6 49.Ra6 Kg7 50.Kg5.

BLACK: Ray Robson

WHITE: Leinier Dom�nguez P�rez
Position after 48...Kg7f7

49.Ra6!

Black's pawns must fall.

49...Kg7

49...Ke8 50.Kg5 Kf7 51.Rxg6 Rxa7 52.Rf6+ Ke7 transposes into the final note.

50.Kg5!

White has been aiming for this position. He can now give up his passer for Black's remaining pawns.

50...Kf7 51.Rf6+ Ke8 52.Re6+ Kf8 53.Rxg6 Rxa7 54.Rf6+ 1-0

54...Ke7 55.Rxf5 Ra3 56.Kh4 Rf3 57.Rxh5 is clearly won for White.
Mr. Robson resigns.

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Jack Rabbit

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Tue Nov-01-11 03:43 PM
Response to Original message

12. Update (November 1): Magnus N�mero Uno in FIDE ratings

Norwegian grandmaster Magnus Carlsen, who turns 21 on November 30, is the top rated player in the world according to the official FIDE rating released last night.

Magnus is rated 2826, 15 points ahead of reigning world champion Vishy Anand of India, who again comes in at number two. Armenian GM Levon Aronian is again number three at 2802.

For the first time, the list features four grandmasters at or over 2800 as former world champion Vladimir Kramnik of Russia again joins the 2800 club with a rating of 2800 on the nose.

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Jack Rabbit

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Thu Nov-03-11 03:31 PM
Response to Original message

13. Update (Thursday, November 3)

European Team Championship begins in Porto Carras Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Armenia win in opening rounds in general group. Russia, Ukraine and Georgia win in ladies' group. Also among the women, Czechia ties with favored Armenia.

Today is Jack Rabbit's sixtieth birthday I am old, I am old, shall I wear my trousers rolled? -- T. S. Eliot.

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Jack Rabbit

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Sun Nov-27-11 07:53 PM
Response to Original message

14. Update (November 27): Magnus wins Tal Mem; Hou defends women's championship

Edited on Sun Nov-27-11 07:54 PM by Jack Rabbit

Magnus, Aronian score 5�/9 in Tal Memorial

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

Norwegian GM Magnus Carlsen, the number one ranked player in the world, and Armenian GM Levon Aronian tied for first place with 5� points out of nine rounds in the Sixth Tal Memorial Tournament held in Moscow from 16-25 November.

Magnus, who turns 21 on 30 November, was declared the winner on tiebreak points. Aronian takes over the number two spot in the unofficial world rankings, passing reigning world champion Vishy Anand, who drew all nine of his games in Moscow.

Aronian went into the ninth and final round leading by a half-point over Magnus, Ukrainian GM Vassily Ivanchuk, the young Russian GM Ian Nepomniachtchi and 21-year-old Russian GM Sergey Karjakin. However, in the final round, Magnus defeated American GM Hikaru Nakamura while Aronian drew with Karjakin and Ivanchuk and Nepomniachtchi aslo drew their respective games.

Ivanchuk, Karjakin and Nepomiachtchi finished tied for third place with 5 points each.

Hou Yifan crushes Koneru in world women's championship match

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

Reigning world women's chanpion Hou Yifan of China, age 17, defeated her Indian challenger, Koneru Humpy, 5�-2� in a scheduled ten-game match held 14-24 November in the Albanian capital of Triana.

Ms. Hou won three games without a loss. The final two games of the match will not be played.

Ms. Hou won the world championship a year ago in a knock out tournament in Antakya (Antioch), Turkey when she defeated compatriot Ruan Lufei in the final set of games. In that event, she also defeated Ms. Koneru in the semifinal set.

Ms. Hou celebrates her 18th birthday at the end of February.

Fier wins el Copo Latinoam�rica Brazilian grandmaster Aleksandr Feir won the second annual Copo Latinoam�rica by tiebreak points over GM Diego Flores of Argentina. The open tournament ended November 6 in Montevideo, Uruguay.

Azerbaijan, Russia win European Team Chapionships. The Azerbaijani men and Russian women won the European Team Championships held in Porto Carras, Greece, 3-11 November.

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Jack Rabbit

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Sun Nov-27-11 07:57 PM
Response to Reply #14

15. JRCR Annual Tal Game: Tal - W. R. Chandler, Exhibition, Knotty Ash, 1974 (1 of 2)

Edited on Sun Nov-27-11 07:59 PM by Jack Rabbit

Mikhail Tal
Portrait of Tal on his gravestone cropped from a photo by Unlikelylads in Wikipedia (Public Domain)

Mikhail Tal - W. R. Chandler
Exhibition Game
Knotty Ash, Lancashire, England, 1974

Scandanavian Game: Valkyrie Defense (Ilundain Variation)

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5

BLACK

WHITE

Scandanavian Game: Valkyrie Defense
Position after 2...Qd8d5:p

The text is the Valkyrie Defense (that's our name for it), the Main Line. There is an inherent loss of time involved with the Queen sortie, which a temporary concession of the pawn seeks to avoid. Although most players prefer to take back the pawn with the text move, 2...Nf6 is playable.
(Marshall Defense) If 2...Nf6 then:

If 3.d4 Nxd5 then:

If 4.Nf3 then:

If 4...g6 then:

If 5.c4 Nb6 6.Nc3 Bg7 then:

If 7.h3 0-0 8.Be3 Nc6 then:

If 9.Qd2 e5 10.d5 then:

If 10...Ne7 11.g4 then:

If 11...f5 12.0-0-0 then:

If 12...e4 13.Ng5 h6 14.Ne6 Bxe6 15.dxe6 then:

If 15...Qxd2+ 16.Rxd2 then:

16...Rad8 17.Rxd8 Rxd8 18.Be2 gives White the Bishop pair and more space and Black has better command of open lines (Jansa-Robatsch, Austrian ChT, 1995).
16...c6 17.Bc5 Rfe8 18.Rd7 Nxd7 19.exd7 Red8 20.Bxe7 Rxd7 is equal (Yasudin-Kamsky, IT, New York, 2004).

15...Qe8!? 16.Bxh6 Rd8 17.Qg5 Rxd1+ 18.Nxd1 Bxh6 19.Qxh6 gives White an extra pawn, but his kingside attack is spent.

12...fxg4 13.Ng5 g3 14.c5 g2 15.Bxg2 Nc4 16.Qe2 give White a slight advantage; Black's only playable move is to take the Bishop at e3 (Milos-Spais, Op, Cappelle-la-Grande, 2000).

If 11...e4 then:

If 12.Nxe4 f5 13.Nc5 fxg4 14.Ng5 Nf5 15.Nce6 Bxe6 16.Nxe6 Qf6 then:

17.Nxf8 Nxe3 18.Nxh7 Qxb2 19.Qxb2 Bxb2 20.fxe3 Bxa1 (Braga-R. Maric, Op, Bad Worishofen, 1985).
17.hxg4!? Nxe3 18.fxe3 Qf3! 19.Rg1 gives White more space, but Black's Queen will be difficult to drive away (Tseshkovsky-Smagin, Soviet Ch, Kiev, 1986).

12.Nd4 f5 13.Bh6 Bxh6 14.Qxh6 c5 15.Nb3 gives White a more aggressive position and more space(Bologan-Smagin, Russian ChT Rpd, Sochi, 2004).

10...Na5!? 11.b3! e4 12.Nd4 f5 13.Bg5 Qe8 14.0-0-0 gives White a clear advantage in space; White finds Black's passer annoying, but not particularly dangerous (L�pez-Lavina, US Ch, San Diego, 2004).

If 9.Be2 e5 10.d5 Ne7 then:

If 11.0-0 Nf5 then:

If 12.Bg5 f6 then:

13.Bc1 c5 14.Ne4 Nd6 15.Nxd6 Qxd6 is equal (A. Karlovich-I. Nestor, Op, Kharkov, 2000).
13.Bd2 c6 14.Qb3 Nd4 15.Nxd4 exd4 16.Na4 gives White a small advantage in space (Slobodjan-Chiburdanidze, IT, Lippstadt, 1997).

If 12.Bc5 Re8 13.Ne4 Nh4 then:

14.Qb3!? Nd7 15.Ba3 Nxf3+ 16.Bxf3 f5 17.Nc5 Nxc5 18.Bxc5 b6 is equal (Ramnath-Barjarani, Op, Dubai, 2006).
14.Nxh4 Qxh4 15.Nc3 e4 16.Be3 gives White a small advantage in space.

11.g4 f5 12.Qb3 e4 13.Ng5 h6 14.0-0-0 hxg5 is equal (Kleinman-Krnan, Canadian Closed Ch, Kitchner, 2010).

If 7.c5 Nd5 8.Bc4 c6 then:

If 9.Qb3 0-0 10.0-0 Nxc3 11.bxc3 then:

if 11...b5 12.cxb6 axb then:

if 13.Re1 b5 14.Bd3 then:

if 14...Bg4 15.Be4 Be6 16.Qc2 Bd5 draw (A. Muzychuk, 1st Saturday February, Budapest, 2006).
14...e6!? 15.Bf4! Nd7 16.Ne5 Ra6 17.Qb4 Nf6 18.Qb2 gives White a small advantage in space (Vachier Lagrave-Kirszenberg, Masters, Clichy, 2001).

If 13.Ng5 e6 14.Re1 b5 15.Bf1 Nd7 then:

16.a4?! Qa5! 17.Ra3 bxa4 18.Qd1 c5 gives Black an extra pawn (E. P�htz-Boidman, Bundesliga 0607, Germany, 2006).
16.Ne4! Nb6 17.Bg5 f6 18.Bf4 gives White a small advantage in space.

11...b6 12.Re1 bxc5 13.Ba3 Nd7 14.Ng5 e6 is equal (Bok-Boidman, Euro Club Cup, Rogaska Slatina, 2011).

If 9.0-0 0-0 10.Re1 Na6 then:

11.Bxa6 bxa6 12.Qa4 Rb8 13.Ne5 Bxe5 14.Rxe5 gives White the initiative against Black's c-pawn (Charochkina-A. Muzychuk, Euro ChW, Chisinau, 2005).
11.Bg5 Nac7 12.Bxd5 Nxd5 13.Nxd5 Qxd5 14.Bxe7 Re8 gives White an extra pawn and White more freedom (Partec-A. Muzychuk, Euro ChW, Dresden, 2004).

If 5.Be2 Bg7 6.0-0 0-0 7.c4 Nb6 then:

8.Nc3 then:

8...Bg4 9.h3 Bxf3 10.Bxf3 then:

10...c6 11.c5 then:

If 11...Nd5 12.Qb3 Qd7 13.Nxd5 cxd5 then:

14.Bxd5 Nc6 15.Rd1 Na5 16.Qf3 gives White an extra pawn and more space (Malakhov-Genba, Russian ChU18, Moscow, 1995).
14.Qxd5 Qxd5 15.Bxd5 Nc6 16.Be3 Rfd8 17.Bxc6 bxc6 18.Rfd1 gives White an extra pawn and more space; Black has a backward pawn in her sites (Langreck-Lavina, Op, Philadelphia, 2003).

11...N6d7 12.Be3 Na6 13.Rc1 Qc7 14.Qe2 e6 15.Qc4 gives White the advantage in space (Sedina-Titova Boric, OlW, Palma de Mallorca, 2004).

If 10...Nc6 11.c5 Nd7 then:

12.Be3 e5 13.Bxc6 bxc6 14.d5 cxd5 15.Qxd5 gives White the advantage in space (Serner-Pyshkin, Corres, 2002).
12.d5 Nce5 13.Be3 c6 14.Be2 cxd5 15.Qxd5 gives White a small advantage in space and the initiative (Genba-Brodsky, Op, Groningen, 1994).

If 8...Nc6 9.d5 Ne5 then:

10.c5 Nbd7 11.Be3 c6 12.Nxe5 Nxe5 13.f4 Nd7 14.Bf3 gives White the advantage in space (Bacerra Rivero-Manor, Op, Cura�ao, 2001).
10.Nxe5 Bxe5 11.Bh6 Re8 12.f4 Bh8 13.Bg5 Nd7 14.Qd2 gives White advantages ion space and development; Black needs to get moving, pronto (Urday Caceres- Bellon L�pez, Op, Alicante, 1989).

If 8.Be3 then:

8...Bg4 9.Nbd2 N8d7 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Bxf3 Rb8 12.c5 gives White the advantage in space; Black's game is already badly cramped (Matanovic-Bronstein, Ol, Munich, 1958).
If 8...Nc6 9.Nc3 Bg4 10.d5 Bxf3 11.gxf3 then:

11...Ne5 12.Bd4 c5 13.dxc6 bxc6 14.Bxb6 Qxb6 gives Black more activity and stronger pawns (Reed Valenzuela-Letelier Martner, IT, Vina del Mar, 1945).
If 11...Na5 12.Bd4 then:

12...Naxc4? 13.Bxc4! Nxc4 14.Bxg7 Nxb2 15.Qd4 gives White, in compensation for an ugly pawn structure, complete domination of the board (Barnett-Elshereif, OlW, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2010).
12...e5 13.Bc5 Re8 14.b3 c6 15.Bb4 is equal.

If a) 4...Bg4 5.Be2 e6 6.0-0 then:

If 6...Be7 then:

If 7.c4 Nb6 then:

If 8.Nc3 0-0 then:

If 9.h3 Bh5 10.Be3 Nc6 11.b3 a5 then:

12.g4 Bg6 13.Ne5 Nxe5 14.dxe5 Nd7 15.f4 f6 is equal (Romanishin-Kovacevic, TM, Odessa, 1975).
12.d5 exd5 13.Bxb6 cxb6 14.Nxd5 Bc5 15.Nf4 Bg6 draw (Marcus-Holaszek, Young Masters, Z�rich, 1964).

9.Be3 Nc6 10.b3 Qd7 11.Qd2 Rad8 12.Rfd1 Qc8 13.Qb2 gives White a slight advantage in space (Manca-Zanetti, Op, Milan, 2010).

If 8.b3 Nc6 9.Bb2 Bf6 then:

10.Na3 0-0 11.Nc2 Bf5 12.Bd3 Bg4 13.Be2 Bf5 14.Bd3 draw (Wilfert-Safyanovsky, Op, N�rnberg, 2006).
10.Nbd2 Bf5 11.Nb1 Be4 12.Nbd2 Bg6 13.Nb1 0-0 is equal (Tayeb-Abdulla, Op, Dubai, 2000).

If 7.Ne5 Bxe2 8.Qxe2 0-0 9.c4 Nb6 then:

If 10.Rd1 N8d7 11.Nc3 then:

11...Nxe5 12.dxe5 Qe8 13.Rd3 Rd8 14.Rg3 f5 is equal (Arizmendi Mart�nez-Wohl, Capablanca Mem, Havana, 2001).
11...c6 12.Bf4 Bg5 13.Bg3 Bh4 14.Rd3 Nxe5 15.dxe5 gives White more space and the initiative (Chiburdanidze-Ruchieva, Soviet ChGU18, Tbilisi, 1976).

10.Be3 N8d7 11.Nc3 Re8 12.Rad1 c6 13.Ne4 gives White the advantage in space, but Black is prepared to fight back (Johansen-Len, Euro Club CupW, Plovdiv, 2010).

If 6...Nc6 then:

If 7.Re1 Be7 8.c3 0-0 9.Nbd2 then:

9...h6 10.Nc4 Bf6 11.Qb3 Rb8 12.Bd2 Re8 13.Rad1 gives White a small advantage in space (Lahno-Breslavskaya, Ukrain ChGU12, Kramatorsk, 2001).
9...Re8 10.Nc4 Bxf3 11.Bxf3 Bg5 12.Ne3 Nxe3 13.fxe3 gives White the advantage in space (Rock-Warren, Scotish Ch, Edinburgh, 2009).

If 7.c4 Nb6 8.Nc3 Be7 then:

If 9.d5 exd5 10.cxd5 then:

If 10...Nb4 11.Qd4 Bxf3 then:

12.Bxf3 0-0 13.Qe4 Re8 14.Re1 Bf8 is equal (Jansa-Gipslis, IT, Ostrava, 1992).
12.Qxg7 Bf6 13.Bb5+ c6 14.Re1+ Kd7 15.Qxf7+ gives White sufficient activity to compensate for the material deficit (Azarov-Lomako, Belarusian Ch, Minsk, 2005).

10...Bxf3 11.Bxf3 Ne5 12.Be4 0-0 13.Qc2 Ng6 14.g3 gives White a small advantage in space (Jelica-Sikorova, Eurp ChTW, Goteborg, 2005).

9.Be3 0-0 10.b3 transposes into Manca-Zanetti above.

If b) 4...Bf5 then:

If 5.Be2 e6 6.0-0 Be7 then:

If 7.a3 0-0 8.c4 Nb6 9.Nc3 Nc6 10.Be3 Bf6 11.h3 then:

If 11...Qd7 12.b4 then:

If 12...Rad8 13.Ra2 Nxd4 then:

If 14.Nxd4 Bxd4 15.Rd2 e5 16.Nb5 Qe7 17.Nxd4 exd4 then:

18.Bxd4 Rfe8 19.Be3 Be6 20.Rxd8 Rxd8 21.Qc2 gives White the Bishop pair and more space; Black has command of the d-file (M. Turov-Krassilnikov, White Nights Op, St. Petersburg, 2002).
18.Rxd4 Rxd4 19.Qxd4 Rd8 20.Qc3 Qe6 21.Re1 gives White the Bishop pair in an open center; Black has more space and command of the d-file (Kovalenskkaya-A. Muzychuk, Euro ChW, Varna, 2002).

14.Bxd4 Bxd4 15.Rd2 e5 16.Nxe5 Bxf2+ 17.Rxf2 Qxd2 is equal (N. Kosintseva-A. Muzychuk, Euro ChW, Warsaw, 2001).

If 12...Rfd8 then:

13.Qb3 a5 14.Rad1 axb4 15.axb4 Qe8 16.Rfe1 gives White the advantage in space (Ergogdu-A. Muzychuk, Op, Kalamaria, Greece, 2009).
13.Ra2 Nxd4 14.Nxd4 Bxd4 15.Rd2 e5 16.Nb5 forces Black to exchange his Queen for assorted pieces (Lutikov-Gipslis, IT, Dubna, 1976).

If 11...a5 12.b3 then:

If 12...e5 13.d5 e4 14.Nd4 Nxd4 15.Bxd4 then:

If 15...c6 then:

If 16.Ra2 Re8 then:

17.Re1 Rc8 18.Bg4 Bxg4 19.hxg4 Bxd4 20.Qxd4 is equal (Lahno-A. Muzychuk, North Urals Cup, Krasnoturinsk, 2007).
17.d6 Nd7 18.f3 Bxd4+ 19.Qxd4 Qh4 20.Qf2 is equal (Szczepkowska Horowska-A. Muzychuk, Op, Stockholm, 2008).

16.Rc1 cxd5 17.c5 Nc8 18.Bxf6 Qxf6 19.Nxd5 gives White a queenside majority and the initiative (N. Kosintseva-Stjazhkina, Euro ChW, Istanbul, 2003).

15...Re8!? 16.Qd2 Nd7 17.Bxf6 Nxf6 18.Qe3 gives White more freedom.

12...Qd7 13.Qd2 Rad8 14.Rfd1 Qc8 15.Qb2 Rfe8 16.Rd2 gives White a pawn duo that assures him more permanent space(Bach-Carretero Ortiz, Rpd, Mirabal, 2001).

If 7.c4 Nb4 8.Na3 0-0 9.Be3 then:

9...a5 10.Qd2 c5 11.Rfd1 cxd4 12.Nxd4 gives White a small advantage in space (Matulovic-Thorbergsson, Op, Reykjavik, 1970).
9...Nd7 10.Qb3 a5 11.Rfd1 c6 12.c5 Nf6 is equal (Movsesian-Kirvoshey, German Inet Ch, Cyberspace, 2005).

If 5.Bd3 Bxd3 6.Qxd3 then:

If 6...e6 7.0-0 c6 8.c4 Nf6 9.Nc3 Be7 then:

If 10.Bf4 0-0 11.Rad1 Nbd7 then:

12.h3 Re8 13.Rfe1 Nf8 14.Qc2 Ng6 15.Bh2 gives White a small advantage in space (Borkowski-Gaprindashvili, Op, Sandomierz, 1976).
12.a3 a5 13.Qe2 Re8 14.Ne5 Nf8 15.Rd3 gives White the advantage in space (van der Sterren-Christiansen, Op, Lone Pine, California, 1978).

10.b3 0-0 11.Bb2 Nbd7 12.Rad1 Qa5 13.d5 gives White a slight advantage in space (Spence-S. Lalic, British Ch, Great Yarmouth, 2007).

6...c6 7.c4 Nb6 8.0-0 e6 9.Re1 Be7 10.Nc3 gives White a small advantage in space, thanks mostly to a center pawn duo (Trent-Rutherford, British Ch, Scarborough, 2001).

If 4.c4 Nb6 5.Nf3 g6 6.Nc3 transposes.

If a) 3.Nc3 Nxd5 4.Bc4 then:

If 4...Nb6 5.Bb3 then:

If 5...Nc6 then:

If 6.Nf3 Bf5 7.d4 e6 8.0-0 Be7 then:

If 9.Bf4 0-0 then:

If 10.d5 exd5 11.Nxd5 Nxd5 12.Qxd5 Qxd5 13.Bxd5 then:

13...Nb4 14.Bb3 c5 (Rutherford-Henderson, Scottish Ch, Edinburgh, 1999).
13...Bxc2 14.Bxc6 bxc6 15.Bxc7 Rac8 is equal (Merwin-Greanias, Op, Las Vegas, 2004).

If 10.Be5 Bg4 then:

If 11.Qe2?! f6 12.Bg3 Nxd4 then:

13.Nxd4 Bxe2 14.Ncxe2 Kh8 15.Nxe6 Qd7 16.Nxf8 Bxf8 gives Black the heavy exchange (Mach-Kostner, Op, Nashod, 1998).
13.Qe3?! Nxb3 14.axb3 e5 15.Rfd1 Qc8 leaves Black a pawn to the good.

If 11.h3 then:

11...Nxe5 12.dxe5 Bh5 13.Qe2 c6 is equal.11...Bh5 12.Qd3 Nxe5 13.Nxe5 c5 14.d5 f6 is equal.

9.Re1 0-0 10.Bf4 Na5 11.Qe2 c6 12.Ne4 Nd5 is equal (A. Alexeev-Baburin, Op, Gyor, Hungary, 1990).

6.Qf3 e6 7.Nge2 Be7 8.d3 0-0 9.h4 Bd7 10.Ng3 Kh8 gives White more freedom (B. Cheng-Chartard, Candian ChPost-Secondary, Queen's University, 2009).

If 5...c5 6.d3 Nc6 7.Nf3 then:

7...e6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Re1 Bd7 10.Ne4 Na5 11.Bg5 gives White a slight advantage (Alekhine-Cardenas, SX, Mexico City, 1929).
7...Bf5 8.Bf4 e6 9.0-0 Be7 10.Ne5 Nd4 11.Nc4 0-0 gives Black a slight advantage in space (Lenderman-Chetverik, 1st Saturday August, Budapest, 2003).

If a1) 4...c6 5.Qf3 e6 6.Nge2 then:

If 6...Nd7 7.d4 N7f6 then:

8.Bd2 Be7 9.0-0-0 Qc7 10.g4 b5 11.Bd3 is equal (Nanu-Abdelnabbi, Op, Tanta, Egypt, 2003).
8.0-0 Be7 9.Bg5 b6 10.Rad1 0-0 11.Nf4 is equal (Zvereva-Nikolaev, White Nights Op, St. Petersburg, 2001).

6...Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8.d4 Nd7 9.Ng3 N7f6 10.Nce4 is equal (Koltanowski-Allies, SBX, Winnipeg, Manitoba, 1946).

If a2) 4...e6 5.Nf3 Be7 6.0-0 0-0 7.d4 then:

If 7...Nxc3 8.bxc3 c5 9.Ne5 then:

If 9...Qc7 10.Bd3 then:

10...Nc6 11.Bf4 Bd6 12.Re1 cxd4 13.cxd4 Nb4 14.Bg3 Nxd3 15.Qxd3 b6 is equal (Spielmann-Nimzovich, IT, San Sebasti�n, 1911).
10...Nd7 11.Bf4 Bd6 12.Re1 Nf6 13.Bg5 Nd5 gives Black a small advantage in space in view of White being compelled to retreat the Bishop to d2 (Bernard-Martinidesz, Op, Geneva, 2001).

9...Nd7 10.f4 Qc7 11.Bd3 f6 12.Qh5 f5 13.Be3 Nxe5 14.fxe5 Qa5 gives White stronger pawns (van Reimsdijk-Myagmarsuren, Ol, Nice, 1974).

7...b6 8.Re1 Bb7 9.Nxd5 Bxd5 10.Bxd5 Qxd5 11.Qd3 gives White a small advantage (Crepan-Begovic, Op, Bled, 2003).

If b) 3.Bb5+ Bd7 then:

If 4.Bc4 Bg4 5.f3 then:

If 5...Bf5 then:

If 6.Nc3 then:

If 6...Nbd7 then:

If 7.Nge2 Nb6 then:

If 8.d3 Nfxd5 9.Nxd5 Nxd5 then:

If 10.Ng3 Bg6 then:

11.0-0 Qd7 12.Qe2 0-0-0 13.Qf2 Nb6 14.Bb3 e5 15.Ne4 is equal.(Michell-Mieses, IT, Hastings, 1923).
11.f4 e6 12.0-0 Nb6 13.Bb3 Bc5+ 14.Kh1 0-0 15.Qf3 gives White a small advantage by attacking an unprotected pawn.(Moroczy-Menchik, IT, Karlsbad, 1929).

10.Nc3 e6 11.Qe2 Nxc3 12.bxc3 Qf6 13.Bd2 Bd6 gives Black healthier pawns, but White can put his Rook on b1 in compensation (Dr. Treybal-Hromadka, IT, Prague, 1928).

If 8.Bb3 Nfxd5 9.Nxd5 Nxd5 then:

If 10.Ng3 Bg6 11.0-0 e6 12.f4 Be7 13.Qf3 c6 is equal (van den Bosch-Kullberg, Ol, Hamburg, 1930).
10.0-0 e6 11.d4 Bd6 12.c4 Nf6 13.c5 Be7 is equal (Curdo-Salathe, SX, Gilford, New Hampshire, 1994).

If 7.g4 Nb6 then:

If 8.d3 Bc8 9.Qe2 Nfxd5 10.Nxd5 Nxd5 then:

11.Nh3 h6 12.Bd2 h5 13.Nf2 hxg4 14.fxg4 gives White a small advantage in space owing to quicker development (Kim Le Bui-R. Y. Jos�, Asian Ch, Subic Bay, 2009).
11.Bd2 e6 12.0-0-0 Be7 13.f4 c6 14.Nf3 0-0 gives White a slight edge in space (Purkiss-Gonem, Hampshire Ch, Eastleigh, 2001).

8.Qe2 Bc8 9.Qd3 g6 10.b3 Bg7 11.Bb2 h5 12.g5 gives White more space and a slight initiative (Ilyin-Zhenevsky-I. Rabinovich, Leningrad Ch, 1937).

If 6...c6!? 7.dxc6 Nxc6 then:

If 8.Nge2 Qb6 9.d3 e6 10.Bf4 0-0-0 11.Qd2 then:

11...Rd7?! 12.Be3 Qd8 13.0-0 h5 14.Ng3 Bg6 15.Qf2 gives White an extra pawn and the initiative by attacking another (Burn-Leonhardt, IT, San Sebasti�n, 1911).
If 11...Qxb2 12.Rb1 Qa3 13.Nb5 Qc5 14.Be3 then:

14...Qe5?! 15.Nxa7+ Nxa7 16.Bxa7 gives White an extra pawn.
14...Qxc4 15.dxc4 Rxd2 16.Kxd2 gives White the exchange and more space as a reult of quicker development.

8.d3 e5 9.Be3 Bb4 10.Nge2 0-0 11.a3 Ba5 12.0-0 gives White an extra pawn (Marshall-Johnston, Match, Chicago, 1899).

6.g4 Bc8 7.Nc3 a6 8.g5 b5 9.Bb3 Nfd7 10.d4 gives White a small advantage in space owing to quicker development (Alexandria-Gaprindashvili, World ChMW, Tbilisi, 1975).

If 5...Bc8 6.Nc3 Nbd7 then:

If 7.d4 Nb6 8.Bb3 Nbxd5 then:

9.Nge2 e6 10.0-0 c5 11.Nxd5 Nxd5 12.Kh1 Be7 is equal (Westerweele-Shrentzel, Op, Vlissingen, 2007).
If 9.Nxd5 Nxd5 10.c4 Nf6 11.Be3 then:

11...e6 12.Ne2 Bb4+ 13.Nc3 Bxc3+ 14.bxc3 0-0 15.0-0 gives White the Bishop pair and the advantage in space (�lcazar Jim�nez-Alekseev, World Youth, Oropesa del Mar, 1998).
11...c6 12.Qd2 g6 13.Ne2 Bg7 14.0-0 0-0 15.Rad1 is equal (Alexandria-Gaprindashvili, World ChMW, Tbilisi, 1975).

7.Nge2 Nb6 8.Bb3 a5 9.a3 a4 10.Ba2 Nbxd5 is equal (Girya-A. Muzychuk, Moscow Op, 2008).

4.Be2 Nxd5 5.d4 Bf5 6.Nf3 e6 transposes into Ergogdu-A. Muzychuk and accompanying variations, above.

3.Nc3

White gains a tempo with this move, although that is by no means decisive. Russo-Dutch GM Sergei Tiviakov, a connosuier of this opening. said "The positions Black gets from this opening are better than its reputation."

3...Qd8!?

The text is the Ilundain Variation. It is perhaps the oldest continuation to the Scandanavian, with a recorded instance of it dating from 1475. It is not a popular approach, as Black has now lost a whole tempo with the Queen sortie.

BLACK

WHITE

Scandanavian Game: Valkyrie Defense (Mieses Variation)
Position after 3...Qd5a5

(Mieses Variation) If 3...Qa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 then:

If 5...c6 6.Bc4 Bf5 then:

If 7.Bd2 e6 then:

If 8.Nd5 Qd8 9.Nxf6+ then:

If 9...gxf6 then:

If 10.Bb3 Nd7 then:

If 11.Qe2 Qc7 12.Nh4 Bg6 13.0-0-0 0-0-0 14.g3 Bd6 then:

If 15.Nxg6 (hxg6 16.h4 then:

If 16...f5 17.Bg5 Rde8 18.h5 gxh5 19.Rxh5 then:

If 19...Rhg8 20.Bh4 Kb8 21.Kb1 a6 22.c4 then:

22...f4 23.c5 Be7 24.gxf4 Bxh4 25.Rxh4 Qd8 26.Rh6 gives White an extra pawn and the Bishop pair while Black's game is badly cramped (Kasimdzhanov-Papaioannou, Ol, Bled, 2002).
22...Rc8 23.c5 Bf8 24.Rh7 Bg7 25.g4 f4 26.Qf3 gives White a very impressive advantge in space, while Black pieces are fighting for breath (Iuldachev-Megaranto, Op, Kuala Lampur, 2008).

19...f4 20.Rdh1 Rhg8 21.Bxf4 Bxf4+ 22.gxf4 Qxf4+ 23.Qe3 is equal (Saric-Savic, Bosnian ChT, Vogosca, 2007).

16...Kb8 17.c3 Rc8 18.Kb1 c5 19.dxc5 Nxc5 20.Bc2 gives White healthier pawns (S. Grover-Almond, Masters 0809, Hastings, 2008).

If 15.Rhe1 Kb8 16.Kb1 Rc8 then:

If 17.Bc3 then:

If 17...Ka8!? 18.f4 f5 19.d5! then:

19...cxd5 20.Bxh8 Rxh8 21.c4 gives White the material advantage (Peptan-Ionescu, Euro Ch W, Chasinau, 2005).
If 19...Rhe8 20.dxc6 then:

20...Nc5 21.cxb7+ Nxb7 22.Ba4 Red8 23.Bf6 continues to give White the initiative.
20...bxc6? 21.Nxg6!! hxg6 22.Qd2! wins a piece.

17...Rhd8 18.Qf3 f5 19.Bd2 Nf6 20.Nxg6 hxg6 21.Bg5 gives White a slight advantage.

17.Nxg6 hxg6 18.h4 Ka8 19.Rh1 draw (Fedorov-Papaionnou, Euro ChT, Le�n, 2001).

If 11.Nh4 Bg6 12.Qf3 Qc7 then:

13.0-0-0 0-0-0 14.g3 Bd6 15.Nxg6 hxg6 16.h4 gives White a slight advantage in space (Pourkashiyan-Repkova, OlW, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2010).
13.Bf4 Bd6 14.Bxd6 Qxd6 15.0-0-0 0-0-0 16.g3 gives White a small advantage in space (Ninov-Exizoglou, Op, Kalamaria, 2006).

If 10.c3 Nd7 then:

If 11.Nh4 Bg6 12.Qf3 Qc7 then:

If 13.0-0 Bd6 14.g3 0-0-0 then:

15.a4 f5 16.a5 a6 17.b4 gives White better pawns (So-Megaranto, Match, Japfa, 2008).
15.b4 Rhg8 16.Rfe1 f5 17.Bg5 Rde8 18.Ng2 is equal (Bok-Almond, Masters, Gibraltar, 2009).

13.Qh3 Bg7 14.Qg3 Qxg3 15.hxg3 0-0-0 16.0-0-0 gives White a small advantage in space (Chekhov-Polovnikova (E. Atalik), Geller Mem, Moscow, 1999).

If 11.Qe2 Qc7 12.Nh4 Bg6 then:

If 13.0-0-0 0-0-0 14.Nxg6 hxg6 15.h4 then:

15...Bh6 16.Bxh6 Rxh6 17.g3 Rdh8 18.Rhe1 g5 (Sedlak-Savic, Op, Subotica, 2001).
15...Nb6 16.Bb3 Bh6 17.Bxh6 Rxh6 18.g3 gives White a slight advantage in space (Fontaine-Savic, Op, Subotica, 2001).

13.0-0 0-0-0 14.b4 f5 15.g3 Bd6 16.Ng2 is equal (Sadvakasov-R. Gonzalez, Op, Minneapolis, 2005).

If 9...Qxf6 10.Qe2 Nd7 11.0-0-0 then:

If 11...Bg4 then:

If 12.d5 Bxf3 13.gxf3 cxd5 14.Bxd5 0-0-0 then:

If 15.Be4 Qe5 then:

16.f4 Qc7 17.Be3 Bc5 18.Rd3 Nf6 is equal (Wang Pin-Makropoulou, Ol, Bled, 2002).
16.Bc3 Qc7 17.Kb1 f6 18.f4 Bd6 19.f5 gives White more space and Black better pawns (Sh�rov-Bauer, IT 0607, Pamplona, 2006).

If 15.Bxb7+?! Kxb7 16.Qe4+ then:

16...Kc8! 17.Bf4 e5 18.Qa8+ Nb8 19.Be3 Be7 gives Black a piece for two pawns (Navara-Dobrovolsky, Chech Ch, Kunzak, 2001).
16...Ka6?! 17.Qa4+ Kb7 18.Qe4+ Ka6 19.Qa4+ Kb7 draw (Ye Jiangchuan-Malakhov, TM, Moscow, 2004).

If 12.Kb1 Nb6 13.Bb3 0-0-0 then:

If 14.c3!? Nd5! then:

15.Rde1 Bxf3 16.gxf3 Bd6 17.c4 Nf4 18.Qe4 Nh3 19.Be3 Kb8 gives Black more activity; White has a slight advantage in space (Zatonskih-Aerni, Masters, Gibraltar, 2010).
15.h3 Bxf3 16.gxf3 Bd6 17.Ka1 Rhe8 18.c4 Nf4 gives Black a better center, more space and the initiative (Thomassen-Aerni, Masters, Gibraltar, 2009).

14.h4! Bxf3 15.gxf3 Rd7 16.Bg5 Qg6 17.Qe4 Nd5 is equal.

If 11...Nb6 then:

If 12.Bb3 Bg4 13.d5 Bxf3 14.gxf3 cxd5 then:

If 15.Bxd5 0-0-0 16.Be4 then:

16...Bd6 17.Kb1 Qe7 18.a4 a6 19.a5 Nd5 is equal (Fedorchuk-Reinderman, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).
16...Be7 17.Be3 Kb8 18.Qb5 Rd6 19.Kb1 gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Arndt-Witte, Corres, 1999).

15.Qb5+?! Kd8 16.Ba5 Bd6 17.Kb1 Ke7 18.c4 gives White more space, but his two Bishops are poorly placed (Mokoli-Almond, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).

12.Bg5 Qg6 13.h4 Be7 14.Bxe7 Kxe7 15.Bd3 gives White the advantage in space (Gharamian-Zhukova, Op, Batumi, 2001).

If 8.Qe2 Bb4 9.0-0-0 Nbd7 then:

If 10.a3 Bxc3 11.Bxc3 Qc7 12.Ne5 then:

If 12...Nxe5 13.dxe5 Nd5 14.Bd2 0-0-0 then:

If 15.g4 Bg6 16.f4 h5 17.h3 then:

17...hxg4 18.hxg4 Rxh1 19.Rxh1 Qb6 20.Rf1 Qd4 then:

21.c3 Qe4 22.f5 exf5 23.gxf5 Bxf5 24.Qxe4 Bxe4 25.Rxf7 g6 draw (Matulovic-Istratescu, Autumn Festival, Bucharest, 2000).
21.Bb3 Be4 22.Re1 Bg6 23.Rf1 Be4 24.Re1 Bg6 gives White the ability to blast Black's pieces from the center (Stopa-Bartholomew, IT, University of Texas, Dallas, 2006).

17...Qb6 18.Rhf1 hxg4 19.hxg4 Rh3 20.Rde1 Qd4 21.Bb3 gives White more stable space (Pertik-Repkova, Op, Tatranske Zruby, Slovakia, 2003).

15.h4 h5 16.f3 Nb6 17.Ba2 Rd4 18.Bg5 gives White the advantage in space once Black's centralized Rook is driven away (Erenburg-Geirnaert, World Jr Ch, Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan, 2003).

If 12...b5 13.Bb3 Be4 then:

If 14.Nxd7 Qxd7 15.Bb4 Bd5 16.Bxd5 then:

16...cxd5 17.Qe5 a5 18.Bc5 b4 is equal (Soltau-Ruefenacht, Corres, 1999).
16...Qxd5 17.Rhe1 0-0-0 18.Be7 Rd7 19.Bxf6 gxf6 20.Qg4 is equal (Zacharias-Gelashvili, Op, Hamburg, 1999).

14.Rhe1 Bd5 15.Bxd5 Nxd5 16.Bd2 Nxe5 17.dxe5 0-0 is equal (Krebs-Wuttke, Corres, 2000).

If 10.Ne5 Nxe5 11.dxe5 Nd5 then:

If 12.Bxd5 exd5 13.g4 then:

13...d4 14.Nb1 Be6 15.Bxb4 Qxb4 16.a3 Qc5 17.f4 0-0-0 is equal (Gunnarsson-Danielsen, T�rshavn, Faroe Islands, 2000).
13...Be6 14.f4 Bxc3 15.Bxc3 Qxa2 16.b3 Qa3+ leaves Black a pawn to the good (Timmerman-Nielsen, Corres, 1994).

If 12.Ne4 Bxe4 13.Qxe4 Bxd2+ 14.Rxd2 then:

If 14...0-0-0 15.Rhd1 then:

15...Nb6 16.Bb3 Rxd2 17.Rxd2 Rd8 18.c3 Qb5 19.Qf4 is equal (Sveshnikov-Sutovsky, Op, Bled, 1997).
15...g6 16.Bb3 Ne7 17.Qf4 Rxd2 18.Rxd2 Rd8 19.Rxd8+ Kxd8 20.Qd2+ Qxd2+ 21.Kxd2 Nf5 22.Bc4 Kd7 draw (Siban-Grassi, Ol, Torino, 2006).

14...b5 15.Bb3 Qb6 16.f4 0-0 17.Rf1 a5 18.Rd3 is equal (Timmermans-Martyn, Belgian ChT 0001, 2001).

If 7.Ne5 e6 then:

If 8.0-0 Nbd7 9.Qe2 Bb4 then:

If 10.Nxd7 then:

If 10...Nxd7 11.Ne4 0-0 12.c3 Be7 13.Ng3 then:

If 13...Bg6?! 14.Bxe6 then:

14...fxe6? 15.Qxe6+! Rf7 16.Qxd7 Raf8 17.Qe6 gives White two extra pawns; he soon won (Molinaroli-Seel, German Ch, Bonn, 2011).
14...Nf6 15.Bb3 Bd6 16.Qf3 leaves White a pawn to the good.

13...Bd6 14.Nxf5 exf5 15.Qf3 Qc7 16.Kh1 gives White the advantage in space.

If 10...Kxd7 11.Nd1 then:

11...Bd6 12.Ne3 Bg6 13.Bb3 Qh5 14.Qxh5 Bxh5 is equal (Burnett-Benjamin, X, 1995).
11...Rad8 12.Bf4 Kc8 13.c3 Bd6 14.Bxd6 Rxd6 15.b4 gives White a slight advantage in space (Westerveld-Beulen, Dutch ChT, 1992).

If 10.Bd2 0-0 then:

If 11.a3 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Qc7 then:

13.Nxd7 Qxd7 14.Rfd1 Nd5 is equal (Grischuk-Rozanov, Moscow Op, 1995).
13.h3 Ne4 14.g4 Nxe5 15.dxe5 Bg6 is equal (Krivec-Arakhamia, Euro ChW, Istanbul, 2003).

11.Bb3 Rad8 12.a3 Bxc3 13.Bxc3 Qc7 14.Rfd1 is equal (I. Gurevich-Morozevich, Op, London, 1994).

If 8.g4 Bg6 9.h4 then:

If 9...Nbd7 10.Nxd7 then:

If 10...Nxd7 11.h5 Be4 12.Rh3 then:

If 12...Bd5 13.Bd3 then:

If 13...0-0-0 14.Bd2 then:

If 14...e5 15.dxe5 Nxe5 16.Bf5+ Kc7 17.Nxd5+ Qxd5 18.Bc3 then:

If 18...Bb4!! then:

19.Qxd5 Bxc3+ 20.Rxc3 Rxd5 21.Rd1 Rxd1+ 22.Kxd1 g6 gives Black a strong initiative and, once the Rook is activated, more space (Kiran-Saptarshi, Commonwealth Ch, Nagpur, 2008).
If 19.Bxb4 Qg2 20.Re3 then:

If 20...Rhe8! 21.Bc3 Rxd1+ 22.Rxd1 Nf3+ 23.Ke2 Ng1+ then:

24.Rxg1 Rxe3+ 25.Kxe3 Qxg1 26.Bxg7 Qc1+ gives White a huge material advantage and the initiative.
If 24.Ke1?? then White is toast after 24...Rxe3+ 25.Kd2 Qxf2+ .

20...Rxd1+?! 21.Rxd1 Nf3+ 22.Ke2 Ng1+ 23.Ke1 Kb8 is equal.

18...Qb5?! 19.Qe2 f6 20.b4 Qb6 21.Bxe5+ fxe5 22.Qxe5+ gives White an extra pawn (Yeo-Povah, 4NCL, Birmingham, 2001).

14...Qc7 15.Nxd5 exd5 16.Qf3 Re8+ 17.Be3 Nf6 18.0-0-0 gives White the advantage in space (Resika-Mortensen, Politiken Cup, Copenhagen, 2000).

13...c5 14.dxc5 Bc6 15.Bd2 Nxc5 16.Qe2 is equal (Ly-Bartholomew, Op, Philadelphia, 2006).

12...Bg2 13.Rg3 Nb6 14.Bd3 Nd5 15.f3 Bb4 16.Kf2 give White the advantage; Black's Bishop is trapped and Black must find material to make up for it (Anand-Lautier, IT, Biel, 1997).

10...Kxd7 11.h5 Be4 12.Rh3 Bb4 13.Bd2 is equal (K. Georghiu-Alexakis, Op, Corinth, 2001).

If 9...Bd6 10.h5 Be4 then:

If 11.0-0 Bd5 12.Bd3 then:

If 12...Nbd7 13.Re1 g6 14.Qe2 Bxe5 15.dxe5 Ng8 16.Bd2 gives White a more stable grip on space (Karjakin-Nakamura, Match, Cuernavaca, Mexico, 2004).
12...Bxe5 13.dxe5 Nfd7 14.Qe2 Qd8 15.Bd2 Nc5 is equal (I. Schneider-R. Gonzalez, Op, Minneapolis, 2005).

11.f3 Bd5 12.Bd3 Qb4 13.Ke2 Qxd4 14.Be3 Qb4 gives Black an extra pawn and the initiative (Fernandez-R. Gonzalez, Op, Lindborg, 2005).

If 5...Bg4 6.h3 then:

If 6...Bh5 7.g4 Bg6 8.Ne5 e6 then:

If 9.Bg2 c6 10.h4 then:

If 10...Nbd7 11.Nxd7 Kxd7 then:

If 12.Bd2 h5 13.g5 then:

13...Ng8 14.d5 exd5 15.Nxd5 Re8+ 16.Ne3 gives White a safer King and more space; Black has a brief initiative (Smirin-Asanov, Op, Beijing, 1991).
13...Nh7 14.d5 exd5 15.Nxd5 Re8+ 16.Ne3 Qa4 17.b3 gives White a comfortable advantage with King safety, space and initiative (Alonso Gonz�lez-P�rez Mitjans, Op, Barbera, 2009).

If 12.h5 Be4 13.Bxe4 Nxe4 14.Qf3 Nxc3 15.bxc3 Qd5 16.Rh3 then:

16...Be7 17.Qd3 b5 18.a4 a6 19.Rf3 f6 20.Ke2 is equal (Garbarino-Rodr�guez Vila, IT, Buenos Aires, 1991).
16...Qxf3 17.Rxf3 f6 18.Bf4 g6 19.g5 f5 20.Be5 Rg8 is equal (Thiele-Rogers, Op, The Hague, 1990).

If 10...Be4 11.Bxe4 Nxe4 12.Qf3 Nd6 13.Bd2 then:

If 13...f6 14.Nd3 Nd7 then:

If 15.0-0-0 0-0-0 16.Rhe1 Re8 then:

17.b3 Nb5 18.Nxb5 Qxb5 19.Kb1 Ba3 20.Nb2 gives White more activity in the center and more space; Black's queenside foray is not dangerous (Yu Ting-He Tianjian, Chinese ChTW, 2001).
17.Kb1 Nc4 18.Ne4 Nxd2+ 19.Nxd2 Bd6 20.Nc4 gives White more activity and space (Klinov-Feofanov, St. Petersburg Ch, 2004).

15.Qe2 0-0-0 16.f4 h5 17.0-0-0 draw (Chandler-Rogers, IT, Nis, 1983).

13...Qc7 14.0-0-0 Na6 15.Rhe1 0-0-0 16.h5 Nb4 17.a3 gives White the advantage in space (Ruan Lufei-Huang Qian, Zonal TrmtW, HoBei, 2001).

If 9.h4 Bb4 10.Bd2 Qb6 then:

If 11.h5 Be4 12.Nxe4 Nxe4 13.c3 then:

13...Nxd2 14.Qxd2 Be7 15.0-0-0 catches Black's King in the center while a rudementary kingside attack is presnet; if Black moves his King to the queenside, White wins the f-pawn (Klimes-Pospisil, Corres, 1995).
13...Bd6 14.Nc4 Qc6 15.Na5 Qb6 16.Nc4 Qc6 17.Na5 draw (Morrison-Bezgodov, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).

11.Bg2 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Be4 13.Bxe4 Nxe4 14.Qf3 gives White the advantage in space (Steinfl-Rogers, Op, Lugano, 1989).

If 6...Bxf3 7.Qxf3 c6 8.Bc4 e6 then:

If 9.0-0 Nbd7 then:

If 10.Bf4 Be7 11.Rfe1 0-0 then:

12.Rad1 Nb6 13.Bb3 Nbd5 14.Nxd5 cxd5 15.c3 gives White a slight advantage in space (Yanjindulam-L. Zepeda, OlW, Torino, 2006).
12.a3 Rfe8 13.Bg3 Qb6 14.Qd3 Rad8 15.b4 gives White the advantage in space (Botvinnik-Konstantinopolsky, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1952).

10.Bd2 Qc7 11.Rfe1 Bd6 12.a3 0-0-0 13.b4 gives White the advantage in space (Chodera-Kafka, Prague Ch, 1921).

If 9.Bd2 Qc7 10.0-0-0 Nbd7 then:

If 11.g4 then:

11...Nb6 12.Bb3 0-0-0 13.g5 Nfd5 14.Ne4 gives White the advantage in space (Ambrosi-Lindiawati, OlW, Dresden, 2008).
If 11...Bd6 12.Rde1 Nb6 then:

13.Bxe6!? fxe6 14.Rxe6+ Kf7 15.Qf5 gives Black a material advantage, but White's activity partially compensates (Motylev-Malakhov, Russian ChU20, Kolontaevo, 1997).
13.Bd3 Nfd5 14.Nxd5 cxd5 15.Bb5+ gives White better King safety and more space.

If 11.Rhe1 0-0-0 then:

12.Bb3 Nb6 13.Ne2 c5 14.dxc5 Bxc5 15.Bg5 is equal (Motylev-D. Laylo, Op, Minneapolis, 2005).
12.g4 Nb6 13.Bf4 Bd6 14.Bxd6 Rxd6 15.Bb3 is equal (Caldeira-Cubas, IT, Brasilia, 2001).

(Gubinsky Variation) If 3...Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 then:

If 5...a6 6.g3 Bg4 then:

If 7.Bg2 Nc6 then:

If 8.0-0 0-0-0 9.d5 then:

If 9...Nb4 10.h3 then:

If 10...Bh5 11.Bf4 Qc5 12.Be3 Qd6 then:

If 13.Qe2 then:

If 13...e5 14.dxe6 Qxe6 15.g4 Bg6 16.Nd4 Qe8 then:

17.g5 Nfd5 18.a3 Nxe3 19.fxe3 Rxd4 20.axb4 gives White greater activity in compensation for his poor pawn structure (Kadric-Milanovic, IT, Obrenovac, Serbia, 2010).
17.Rfe1 h5 18.Qf3 c6 19.a3 hxg4 20.hxg4 Nbd5 is equal (Fressinet-Wong, Ol, Palma de Mallorca, 2004).

13...Nbxd5 14.Nxd5 Nxd5 15.Rad1 Qe6 16.g4 gives White enough activity to compensate for the pawn (Brkic-Niemi, World Jr Ch, Gaziantep, 2008).

13.Bf4 Qc5 14.Be3 invites a draw by repetition.

If 10...Bxf3 11.Qxf3 Nbxd5 then:

12.Rd1 e6 13.Nxd5 exd5 14.c4 c6 15.Bf4 Qe6 16.Qc3 gives White a small advantage in space (Nikolenko-Yuxhakov, Russian Ch HL, Ulan Ude, 2009).
12.Nxd5 Qxd5 13.Qe3 Qd4 14.Qb3 Qb6 15.Qxf7 gives White a small advantags as long as the Queen can extricate itself from her present post (Bulmaga-Khurtsidze, Euro ChTW, Porto Carras, 2011).

If 9...Ne5 10.Bf4 Nxf3+ 11.Bxf3 then:

If 11...Bxf3 12.Qxf3 e5 13.dxe6 Qxe6 14.Bg5 then:

14...Bd6 15.Rfe1 Be5 16.Bf4 Nd7 17.Rad1 f6 is equal (Dobrocolski-Tomczak, Euro Rpd Ch, Warsaw, 2010).
If 14...h5 15.Rad1 Rxd1 16.Rxd1 then:

16...Bd6!? 17.Bxf6 Qxf6 18.Qxf6 gxf6 19.Ne4 gives White more activity and stronger pawns (Solak-Schartz, Euro ChT, Porto Carras, 2011).
16...Nd7 17.Qe3 Qxe3 18.Bxe3 Ne5 19.Nd5 is equal.

11...Qd7 12.Bxg4 Qxg4 13.Re1 Qxd1 14.Raxd1 Rg8 15.Be5 gives White a slight advantage in space (Delorme-Tomczak, World Jr Ch, Chotowa, 2010).

If 8.Bf4 Qb4 then:

If 9.0-0 0-0-0 10.d5 e5 then:

If 11.a3 Qxb2 12.Qd3 e4 then:

13.Qc4?! Nxd5 14.Nxd5 exf3 15.Be5 Qxe5 16.Qxg4+ Qe6 gives Black an extra pawn (E. L'Ami-Spoelman, Op, Hoogeveen, 2003).
13.Nxe4 Rxd5 14.Qe3 Rb5 15.a4 Rb6 is equal.

If a) 9.Bxc7 then:

9...Nd5?! 10.a3! Nxc3 11.axb4 Nxd1 12.b5 gives White an extra pawn and a fierce initiative (Kovanova-Rougle, Euro ChW, Plovdiv, 2008).
9...Rc8! 10.Bf4 Qxb2 11.Na4 Qb4+ 12.c3 Qa5 gives Black a tactical advantage with his attack of and pin on White's c-pawn.

b) 9.h3! Qxb2 10.Na4 Qa3 11.c3 Bh5 12.g4 Bg6 is equal.

11.Bd2?! Nd4 12.h3 Bxf3 13.Bxf3 Qxb2 14.Bg2 Qxc2 gives Black two extra pawns and an impressive initiative (Klinova-Gofstein, Op, Hoogeveen, 2001).

If 7.h3 Bh5 8.Bg2 Nc6 9.0-0 0-0-0 then:

If 10.Bf4 Qb4 then:

If 11.a3 Qxb2 12.Na4 Bxf3 13.Qxf3 Qxd4 14.Nc3 e5 leaves Black with two extra pawns (Humphrey-Dragicevic, Op, Queenstown, New Zealand, 2006).
If 11.g4 Bg6 12.a3 Qc4 13.g5 then:

13...Bh5 14.gxf6 Rxd4 15.Bd2 gxf6 16.Qe1 Rg8 gives Black a more active game while White holds a material advantage (Haddouche-F. Eid, Ol, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2010).
13...Nd5 14.Nxd5 Rxd5 15.c3 Rd8 16.b3 Qd3 17.Qc1 is equal (Svidler-Tiviakov, IT A, Wijk aan Zee, 2007).

If 10.Be3 e5 11.dxe5 Nxe5 then:

If 12.g4 Qxd1 13.Raxd1 Rxd1 14.Rxd1 Nxf3+ 15.Bxf3 Bg6 16.g5 then:

16...Nd7 17.Bg4 Bd6 18.Nd5 Kd8 19.Bd4 gives White a small advantage in space (Rudolf-Gvetadze, Euro ChW, Dresden, 2007).
16...Bh5 17.Kg2 Bxf3+ draw (P�rez Candelario-Gashimov, Euro Ch, Kusadasi, 2006).

12.Nxe5 Bxd1 13.Nxf7 Bxc2 14.Nxd6+ Bxd6 15.Rac1 Bg6 is equal and is soon agreed drawn (van den Doel-Tiviakov, Dutch Ch, Leeuwarden, 2005).

If 5...c6 6.Ne5 Nbd7 then:

If 7.Nc4 Qc7 then:

If 8.Qf3 Nb6 9.Bf4 Qd8 10.Be5 then:

If 10...Be6 11.Ne3 Nbd5 12.Nexd5 Bxd5 13.Nxd5 Qxd5 14.Qxd5 Nxd5 15.Be2 gives White a small but clear advantage (Hamitevici-S. Kasparov, Op, Donetsk, 2010).
If 10...Bg4 11.Qg3 h5 then:

If 12.h3 h4 13.Qf4 Be6 14.Ne3 Nbd5 15.Nexd5 Nxd5 16.Qd2 Nxc3 then:

17.bxc3 Qd5 18.f3 Rh5 19.Bf4 Rd8 draw (Brkic-Gallagher, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).
17.Qxc3 Bd5 18.Qd2 e6 19.c4 Be4 20.f3 Bf5 is equal (Hossain-Tiviakov, Ol, Torino, 2006).

12.f3 Be6 13.Ne3 Nbd5 14.Ncxd5 Nxd5 15.Nxd5 Qxd5 is equal (Grischuk-Tiviakov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2006).

8.a4 g6 9.Qf3 Bg7 10.Bf4 Qd8 11.a5 Nh5 12.Be3 gives White a noticeable advantage on the queenside (Naiditsch-Tiviakov, IT, Montreal, 2009).

If 7.Bf4 Nd5 8.Nxd5 Qxd5 9.Nf3 then:

If 9...Nb6 10.Be2 Bf5 11.c3 e6 12.0-0 Be7 then:

If 13.a4 13...a5 14.Bc7 Bd8 15.Bg3 then:

15...Qd7 16.Qb3 Bc7 17.Rfe1 0-0 18.Rad1 Nd5 19.Ne5 gives Whit a small initiative (Ivanchuk-Tiviakov, IT, Hoogeveen, 2009).
15...0-0 16.Ne5 Bf6 17.Bf3 Qd8 18.Qb3 Ra7 19.Rad1 gives White the advantage in space (Brandenburg-Caspi, Op, Groningen, 2009).

13.Ne5 0-0 14.Re1 Qd8 15.Qb3 Qd5 draw (Pikula-Tiviakov, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).

If 9...Nf6 10.Be2 Bg4 11.0-0 e6 then:

12.h3 Bxf3 13.Bxf3 Qd7 14.c4 Bd6 15.Bg5 Be7 16.Qb3 gives White the advantage in space (Ni Hua-Tiviakov, IT 0708, Reggio Emilia, 2008).
12.c4 Qd8 13.h3 Bxf3 14.Bxf3 Bd6 15.Be3 gives White a small advantage in space (Konguvel-Thipsay, Commonwealth Ch, Nagpur, 2008).

4.d4 Nf6 5.Bc4 e6

If 5...Bg4 6.Nge2 e6 7.0-0 Be7 then:

If 8.Bf4 0-0 9.Qd2 Nbd7 10.Ng3 Nb6 11.Bd3 Nh5 12.h3 gives White a small advantage in space (Y. Gruenfeld-Czerniak, Israeli Ch, 1976).
8.f3 Bf5 9.Ng3 Bg6 10.f4 Bf5 11.Nxf5 exf5 12.Kh1 gives White a small advantage in space (Getz-Ravichandran, Op, Philadelphia, 2010).

If 5...c6 6.Nf3 then:

If 6...b5 7.Bb3 e6 8.0-0 then:

If 8...Be7 9.Ne5 0-0 then:

10.Bg5 a5 11.a4 b4 12.Bxf6 gxf6 Black wins a Knight (B. Ivanovic-Z. Vukovic, IT, Niksic, 1994).
10.Ne2 c5 11.c3 Bb7 12.Bf4 Nc6 13.Nxc6 Bxc6 is equal (Vachier Lagrave-Hairolline, World Youth, Oropesa del Mar, 2000).

8...a5 9.a3 Be7 10.Re1 0-0 11.Bg5 Nbd7 12.Ne5 gives White the advantage (Li Haoyu-Khairullin, World Youth, Oropesa del Mar, 2000).

If 6...Bf5 7.Ne5 e6 8.g4 Bg6 9.h4 then:

If 9...Nbd7 10.Qe2 Bb4 11.Rh3 Nb6 12.h5 Be4 13.Bf4 Nxc4 14.Nxc4 then:

14...Bxc2!? 15.Be5 Ba4 16.h6 Rg8 17.hxg7 Rxg7 18.Qf3 gives White a clear tactical advantageand more space (Inarkiev-A. Kogan, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2002).
14...Bg2! 15.Rg3 Bd5 16.Nd2 h6 is equal.

If 9...Bb4 10.f3 Nd5 11.Bxd5 cxd5 then:

If 12.h5 f6 13.hxg6 fxe5 14.gxh7 Qe7 15.dxe5 Nc6 then:

16.Kf2?! 0-0-0 17.Ne2 Rdf8 18.Kg2 Qf7 19.f4 g5 is equal (Procopchuk-L�pez Mart�nez, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2005).
16.Bd2! Nxe5 17.a3 Bd6 18.Nb5 Nc4 19.Nxd6+ Qxd6 20.Qe2 gives White a clear shot at a backward pawn.

If 12.Qe2?! Qc8 13.Bd2 Nc6 14.Nb5 then:

14...Be7 15.Bf4 Nxe5 16.Bxe5 f6 17.Nc7+ Kf7 18.Bf4 gives White the advantage in space and a bind on e5 (Kotronias-Candela P�rez, Anibal Op, Linares, 2003).
14...0-0 15.c3 Nxe5 16.dxe5 Bc5 17.Be3 leaves White with the advantage in space and a threat to trap the Bisahop at g6.

6.Nf3 Bb4 (N)

6...Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Qe2 Nbd7 9.Re1 Nb6 10.Bb3 gives White a small advantage in space (Alekhine-Schlecter, IT, Karlsbad, 1911).

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Jack Rabbit

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sun Nov-27-11 08:01 PM
Response to Reply #14

16. Tal- W. R. Chandler (2 of 2)

Edited on Sun Nov-27-11 08:02 PM by Jack Rabbit

7.0-0

This game is also analyzed by Welsh master Tryfon Gavril (I-net name kingscrucher) on this video at 56:00.
White has converted his advantage in time into a small advantage in space.

7...Nbd7 8.Qe2!?

White allows Black to double the c-pawn.
Stronger is 8.Bd2 0-0 9.Re1 a6 10.Bd3 b6 11.Qe2 when White still enjoys more space while assuring that his pawns will remain in tact.

8...Bxc3 9.bxc3 0-0 10.Bg5!?

A better plan is to put a bind on e5.
If 10.Re1 then:

If 10...b6 11.Bg5 then:

If 11...h6 12.Bh4 Bb7 then:

13.Ne5 Qc8 14.Nxd7 Nxd7 15.Rad1 a6 16.Qg4 gives White a local advantage on the kingside in compensation for weaknesses on the queenside.
13.Bd3 g5 14.Bg3 Nh5 15.Nd2 gives White a more aggressive game.

11...Bb7 12.Ne5 h6 13.Nxd7 Qxd7 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Rad1 gives White the advantage in space and better development; both sides have weak pawns, but White seems better prepared to attack Black's kingside weaknesses.

If 10...c5!? then:

11.Bf4! Nb6 12.dxc5 Nxc4 13.Qxc4 Bd7 14.Rad1 gives White an extra pawn and more space, but obvious pawn weaknesses as well.
If 11.Bd3!? then:

11...Qc7 12.Bg5 h6 13.Bd2 b6 is equal.
11...b6!? 12.Bg5 Bb7 13.Ne5 Qc7 14.Nxd7 Nxd7 15.Qh5 gives White the initiative on the kingside.

If 10.Bf4 Nd5 then:

11.Bd2 c5 12.Bd3 Qc7 13.Rad1 Rd8 14.Qe4 forces Black to defend his kingside while his pieces are elsewhere.
If 11.Bxd5 exd5 then:

If 12.Rfe1 Nf6 13.Qe7 Bf5 then:

If 14.Bg5 Qxe7 15.Rxe7 Ne4 16.Rxc7 Nxg5 17.Nxg5 then:

17...f6 18.Nh3 Bxh3 19.gxh3 b6 20.Re1 Rf7 21.Rc6 gives White a little more space, but the Rook at c6 his little room to maneuver.
17...b6 18.Re1 f6 19.Nh3 Bxh3 20.gxh3 transposes.

14.Bxc7!? Qxe7 15.Rxe7 Rfe8 16.Rae1 Ne4 17.Rxe8+ Rxe8 is equal.

12.Qd3 Nf6 13.Rfe1 b6 14.Ne5 Re8 15.Bg5 h6 is equal.

10...Re8?!

Black misses the equalizing move and allows White to take a commanding advantage.
If 10...c5 11.Bd3 then:

11...Qa5 12.Bd2 Qc7 13.Ne5 a6 14.Bf4 Nd5 15.Bg3 is equal.
11...Qc7 12.Rfd1 h6 13.Bd2 b6 14.a4 Bb7 15.Ne5 is equal.

11.Ne5! Nf8

If 11...c5 12.Bb5 Qc7 13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.Ng4 then:

14...Qf4 15.Rfd1 Rf8 16.Bxd7 Bxd7 17.Qe4 Qxe4 18.Nxf6+ leaves White a pawn to the good.

12.f4 c5

If 12...h6 13.Bh4 then:

13...N8h7 14.Rfe1 Qd6 15.Bd3 a6 16.Qf3 Rb8 17.g4 gives White a huge advantage in space.
13...c5 14.Rad1 N8h7 15.Qf3 Qc7 16.Bd3 Rb8 17.Bf2 gives White a very comfortable advantage in space.

13.Rad1

13.f5 Re7 14.Qd3 cxd4 15.Qg3 Ne4 16.Bxe7 Qxe7 17.Qd3 leaves White the exchange to the good.

13...Qd6?

Black fails to see the coming danger of the kingside attack.
If 13...h6 14.Bb5 Re7 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.Ng4 Kg7 17.Bd3 gives White the advantage in space and excellent prospects for a kingside attack.

14.f5!

Any move that furthers the kingside attack wins.
If 14.Bxf6! gxf6 15.Ng4 then:

If 15...Kg7 16.f5 Nd7 17.Qd2 then:

If 17...Kh8 18.fxe6 fxe6 19.Nxf6 Nxf6 20.Rxf6 then:

If 20...Rg8 21.Rf7 then:

If 21...e5 22.Bd3 Rg7 23.dxe5 then:

If 23...Qxe5 24.Rf8+ Rg8 25.Re1 Qg7 26.Rxg8+ then:

26...Qxg8 27.Re7 Bh3 28.Rxh7+ Qxh7 29.Bxh7 Kxh7 30.Qd3+ gives White an easy win.
26...Kxg8 27.Re8+ Kf7 28.Qe3 Qf6 29.Bc4+ Be6 30.Rxe6 puts Black in a mating net.

23...Qd8 proves hopeless after 24.Bc4 Bd7 25.Qf4 Rxf7 26.Bxf7 Qf8 27.Rxd7.

21...Rf8 22.Rdf1 Rxf7 23.Rxf7 Kg8 24.Qf2 h6 25.Qf6 forces mate.

20...cxd4 21.Qh6 Qe7 22.Rdf1 Kg8 23.Bd3 Qg7 24.Bxh7+ forces mate.

17...exf5 18.Qh6+ Kh8 19.Bxf7 Rf8 20.Bg6 Qe7 21.Bxf5 leaves White a pawn up.

15...Qe7 16.f5 Nd7 17.Nh6+ Kh8 18.Qh5 Rf8 19.Rd3 allows White to soon give mate.

14...Nd5

Black is doomed.
If 14...N8d7 15.Rde1 cxd4 16.Nxf7 then:

If 16...Qb6 17.cxd4 Qxd4+ 18.Be3 Qc3 19.Nd6 then:

If 19...Re7 then White wins after 20.Qf2 Ng4 21.Qf4 Ndf6 22.Bd4 Qa3 23.fxe6.
If 19...Ne5 then White wins after 20.Nxe8 Qxc4 21.Qxc4 Nxc4 22.fxe6.

16...Qe7 17.fxe6 Nf8 18.Bxf6 gxf6 19.Qg4+ Ng6 20.Qxd4 leaves White up by two pawns with an irresistable kingside attack ready.

BLACK: W. R. Chandler

WHITE: Mikhail Tal
Position after 14...Nf6d5

15.Nxf7!!

Kingscrusher, emeploying that famous British understatement, remarks that Black is "probably" busted after this move.

15...Kxf7

If 15...Qc7 16.Bxd5 exd5 17.Qxe8 then:

If 17...Qxf7 18.Rde1! then:

18...h6 then after 19.f6!! hxg5 20.fxg7 Qxe8 21.Rxe8 Kxg7 22.Rfxf8 Black is toast.
If 18...Qxe8 then White wins after 19.Rxe8 Kf7 20.Re7+ Kg8 21.f6 h6 22.Rxg7+.

17...Qd7 18.Nd6 Qxe8 19.Nxe8 Bxf5 20.Nc7 Bxc2 21.Nxa8 leaves Black up a Rook.

16.fxe6+!?

White gives back most of his advantage, but this only means that winning is slightly more difficult.
White wins after 16.Qh5+! Kg8 17.Qxe8 Qc6 18.Qd8 when:

18...Qb6 19.fxe6 Qxd8 20.e7 Qxe7 21.Bxe7 Be6 22.Bxc5 gives White a material advantage approximately equivalent to four pawns.
18...Qc7 19.Qxc7 Nxc7 20.dxc5 Bd7 21.Be7.

16...Kg8 17.e7

Also good is 17.Qe5 Qxe5 18.dxe5 Bxe6 19.Bxd5 Bxd5 20.Rxd5 when White has an extra pawn and more space.

17...Ne6

17...Be6? 18.dxc5 Qxc5+ 19.Rd4 Rxe7 20.Bxe7 Nxe7 21.Bxe6+ wins the exchange and leaves Black few good options.

18.dxc5 Qxc5+ 19.Kh1 Nxc3

This hastens the end, but Black is lost anyway.
If 19...Nxe7 20.Bxe6+ Bxe6 21.Qxe6+ Kh8 22.Be3 clearly give White the more aggressive game.

20.Rd8!

White also wins easily 20.Bxe6+! Bxe6 21.Qxe6+ Kh8 22.Rd8 Qxe7 23.Bxe7.

20...Bd7

If 20...Qxe7 21.Bxe7 Rxd8 then:

22.Bxe6+ Bxe6 23.Qxe6+ gives White a Queen for a Rook.
22.Bxd8? Nxe2 23.Be7 Bd7 24.Bxe2 is equal.

21.Qe5

White also wins after 21.Bxe6+! Kh8 22.Qe5 when:

If 22...Rexd8 then 23.exd8Q+ Rxd8 24.Qxc5 wins the Black Queen and White will soon give mate.
If 22...Qxe5 then 23.Rf8+ Rxf8 24.exf8Q#.

21...Qxe5

If 21...Raxd8 then White wins after 22.Bxe6+ Bxe6 23.Qxe6+ Kh8 24.exd8Q Rxd8 25.Bxd8.

22.Rf8+ 1-0

White gives mate on the next move.
Mr. Chandler resigns.

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