The JR Chess Report (November 15): Kramnik wins the Tal; Magnus new numero uno

[Jack Rabbit]

Kramnik Wins Tal Memorial; Magnus Takes over as Numero Uno



Former world champion Vladimir Kramnik of Russia won the Tal Memorial Tournament for 2009 in Moscow 6 points in nine rounds, a half point ahead of Norwegian teenager Magnus Carlsen and 40-year-old Ukrainian GM Vassily Ivanchuk.

Vladimir Borisovich won three games, more than any other player in the tournament, without a loss. Magnus and Ivanchuk scored 2 wins each without a loss. Reigning world champion Vishy Anand of India, who was chasing Kramnik for most of the tournament, lost to Armenia's Levon in the final round to finish tied for fourth with Aronian with two wins and one loss each.

Magnus, now training under former world champion Garry Kasparov, was the pre-event favorite following his spectacular performance at the Nanjing Grand Prix a month ago, caught a fever in the early rounds and was taking antibiotics. He may have been a little off his game, drawing each of his games in the first seven rounds. However, Magnus recovered his game if not his health and defeated Ukrainian GM Ruslan Ponomariov in the eighth round and then scored a Black vicotry over Hungary's Peter Leko in the ninth and final round.

Magnus' two late-round wins were not only enough to put him in second place, but enough to overtake former FIDE world champion Veselin Topalov by a half point as the world's unofficial highest rated player. Topalov will be officially number one at least until January 1 when the new ratings come out from FIDE, but the leading unofficial rating tracking website run by Hans Arlid Runde shows Magnus currently 0.6 points ahead of Topalov.
[br />Magnus, who turns 19 on November 30, making him the youngest numero uno ever.

Mikhail Tal (1936-1992) was world champion in 1960-61 and was one of the most popular chess players of all time. Tal was famous for his risky play, which served him extremely well. A man of great wit, he answered his critics by quipping, "There are two kinds of sacrifices: sound ones and mine." Afflicted by kidney disease from childhood, Tal also felt he had nothing to lose by taking risks with his health. When asked for his opinion on postal chess, Tal said, "I drink, I smoke, I gamble and I chase girls; but postal chess is a vice I've never acquired." Tal died in a Moscow hospital at age 55. The cause of death was given as kidney failure, but a friend said that, in fact, all his vital organs gave out at once.


2009 World Youth Chess Championship Begins in Turkey


From the official website of the 2009 World Youth Chess Championship

The annual World Youth Chess Championship, featuring 2000 players from under 10 to eighteen years old, got under way Thursday in Antalya, Turkey.

Unlike the just completed World Junior Championships, which were held last month in Puerto Madryn, Argentina, the World Youth event is grouped into age categories as well as by gender. This arrangment makes the World Youth event less elite, a fact also compounded with the World Junior event being open to players under 21. However, the the players group by age, the World Youth event attracts younger players than any who participate in the World Junior.

The official website was having some problems this morning (fortunatly, nothing like the problems the World Junior Championship website had recently), but your humble hare can now report that after today's fourth round Turkish IM Mustafa Yilmaz and Russian FM Nikolay Shukh lead the Boys' 17- and 18=year-old group with perfect scores, while in the same age group for Girls, two untitled players, Anastasia Savina of Russia and Monika Motycakova of Slovakia, are tied for first with Russian WFM Victoria Korchagina with perfect scores.

Peruvian WIM Deysi Cori Tello, who just distinguished herself by finishing a very close second in Puerto Madyn, is also competing in the World Youth in the 15- and 16-year-old Girls' Group. She is tied for first in that group with a perfect score through four rounds. La señorita Cori impressed observers in Puerto Madryn with her sharp, tactical play.

The World Youth Chess Championship runs through November 22.


Calendar

World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk 28 November-15 December.

London Chess Classic 7-16 December. Adams, Carlsen, Howell, Kramnik, McShane, Nakamura, Ni Hua and Short.

European Union Championship, Alicante (Spain) 9-20 December.

Hastings Chess Congress 26 December 2009-5 January 2010.

Rilton Cup, Stockholm 27 December 2009-5 January 2010.

Corus Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 15-31 January 2010. Group A: Anand, Carlsen, Caruana, Dominguez, Ivanchuk, Karjakin, Kramnik, Leko, Nakamura, Shirov, Short, Smmets, Tiviakov and van Wely.

Gibraltar Chess Festival 26 January-4 February.

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

Anand-Topalov Match for the World Title, Sofia Tentatively 5-24 April (will be finalized after consulting players).

[Jack Rabbit]

1. This week's games

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

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

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


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

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Tal Memorial Tournament, Moscow

Grave of Mikhail Tal, Moscow
Photo by Smack, Wikipedia (Public Domain)

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Morozevich - Kramnik, Round 3

Vladimir Kramnik
Photo: from the website of Vladimir Kramnik


Alexander Morozevish - Vladimir Kramnik
Tal Memorial Tournament, Round 3
Moscow, 7 November 2009

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

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

• If 4...d5 5.cxd5 Qxd5 then:
• If 6.e3 c5 then:
• If 7.a3 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 0-0 9.Nf3 b6 10.c4 then:
• 10...Qc6 11.Bd3 Bb7 12.Bb2 cxd4 13.exd4 Nbd7 14.0-0 Rac8 15.Rfe1 is equal (van Wely-Jakovenko, Spanish ChT, San Sebastián, 2006).
10...Qh5 11.Be2 Bb7 12.0-0 Nbd7 is equal (van Wely-Short, Staunton Mem TM, London, 2009).
• 7.Bd2 Bxc3 8.Bxc3 cxd4 9.Bxd4 Nc6 10.Bc3 0-0 11.Nf3 Rd8 12.Be2 Qe4 13.Qb3 Nd5 14.Bd2 Qg6 15.0-0 e5 16.Rfd1 e4 gives Black the initiative (Kasparov-Kramnik, Rpd M, Moscow, 2001).
• If 6.Nf3 Qf5 then:
• If 7.Qb3 then:
• If 7...Nc6 then:
• If 8.Bd2 0-0 9.e3 Rd8 10.Be2 then:
• If 10...e5 11.Nxe5 Be6 12.g4 Qxe5 13.dxe5 Bxb3 14.exf6 Be6 15.f4 gxf6 16.0-0-0 Kg7 17.Rhg1 Na5 18.b3 Nxb3+ 19.axb3 Bxb3 20.Nb5 Bxd1 21.Rxd1 Bxd2+ 22.Rxd2 Rxd2 23.Kxd2 is equal (Ivanchuk-Anand, IT, Monte Carlo, 1996).
• 10...a6 11.Rd1 e5 12.Bc4 is equal (Gagunashvili-Turova, Op, Dubai, 2009).
• 8.a3 Ba5 9.e3 0-0 10.Qb5 e5 11.Bd3 Qg4 12.0-0 a6 13.Qb3 Bxc3 14.Qxc3 e4 gives Black the initiative (Beliavsky-Short, FIDE Knock Out, Las Vegas, 1999).
• 7...c5 8.a3 Ba5 9.Qc4 Bxc3+ 10.Qxc3 Nbd7 11.g4 Qe4 12.dxc5 0-0 13.g5 Nd5 14.Qd4 Qxd4 15.Nxd4 Nxc5 16.Bg2 Rd8 17.b4 e5 18.bxc5 exd4 19.Rb1 b6 20.cxb6 axb6 21.Bxd5 Rxd5 22.Rxb6 gives White an extra pawn (Vitugiov-Tiviakov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2009).
• If 7.Qxf5 exf5 8.a3 then:
• If 8...Be7 9.Bf4 c6 10.e3 then:
• 10...Nbd7 11.Nd2 Nb6 12.Nc4 Nxc4 13.Bxc4 Be6 14.Bxe6 fxe6 15.Ke2 Kd7 16.Rac1 Rhg8 17.h3 Rac8 18.Nb1 Nd5 19.Be5 Bf6 draw (Timoshchenko-Wojtaszek, Czech ChT, Czechia, 2005).
• 10...Be6 11.Nd2 0-0 12.Nc4 Nd5 13.Bd6 draw (Psakhis-Suba, Op, Benasque, 2005).
• 8...Bd6 9.Nb5 Be6 10.e3 Nc6 11.Bd2 a6 12.Nxd6+ cxd6 13.Bd3 Ne7 14.Ng5 Bd5 15.f3 h6 16.Nh3 Rc8 17.Ke2 Bc4 18.Rac1 Bxd3+ 19.Kxd3 Kd7 is equal (Timman-Jussupow, IT, Frankfurt, 1998).
• If 4...c5 5.dxc5 Bxc5 6.Nf3 then:
• If 6...Qb6 7.e3 Qc7 8.b3 a6 9.Bb2 then:
• If 9...Be7 10.g4 h6 then:
• 11.0-0-0 b5 12.Nd4 Bb7 13.Rg1 bxc4 14.Bxc4 Nc6 15.Nxc6 Qxc6 16.Kb1 Rc8 17.Qe2 d5 18.Bd3 Bb4 19.Na4 Qd6 is equal (Akobian-Kuzubov, SPICE Cup, Texas Tech U, 2009).
• If 11.Rg1 Nc6 12.h4 h5 13.gxh5 Nxh5 then:
• 14.Be2 d5 15.cxd5 exd5 16.Nxd5 gives White the initiative (Nogueiras-Korchnoi, ITZ, Zagreb, 1987).
• 14.0-0-0 Nb4 15.Qd2 b5 16.a3 remains equal.
• If 9...b6 then:
• 10.Bd3 Bb7 11.Ne4 Be7 12.0-0 d6 13.Nxf6+ gxf6 14.Be4 Nd7 15.Rac1 h5 16.Rfd1 Rc8 17.Nd2 gives White the advantage in space (Gupta-Kotsur, Op, Dubai, 2005).
• 10.Be2 Bb7 11.0-0 Be7 12.Rad1 d6 13.Bd3 Nbd7 14.Qe2 0-0 15.e4 Rfe8 16.Rfe1 Bf8 17.Bb1 gives White a small advantage in space (Gunawan-Razuvaev, Op, Biel, 1994).
• If 6...Nc6 7.Bg5 then:
• If 7...h6 8.Bh4 then:
• 8...Be7 9.Rd1 0-0 10.e4 Nh5 11.Bxe7 Qxe7 12.Be2 d6 13.0-0 Rd8 14.Rd2 Nf4 15.Rfd1 e5 16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.cxd5 Nb8 18.Rc1 gives White better development and the advantage in space; on the bight side for Black, he has a good Bishop (Gagunashvili-Ibragimov, Op, Las Vegas, 2006).
• If 7...0-0 8.a3 then:
• If 8...Nd4 9.Nxd4 Bxd4 10.e3 Qa5 11.exd4 Qxg5 12.Qd2 Qxd2+ 13.Kxd2 b6 14.b4 then:
• 14...Bb7 15.f3 d6 16.Bd3 Rfc8 17.Rhc1 Kf8 18.Ne4 Nxe4+ 19.Bxe4 d5 20.cxd5 Bxd5 21.Bxd5 draw (Cramling-Akesson, Rilton Cup, Stockholm, 1999).
• 14...d6 15.Bd3 Rd8 16.f3 h5 17.h4 Kf8 18.Rhe1 Bd7 19.Rab1 Rac8 20.Rec1 e5 is equal (Kasparov-Kramnik, IT, Tilburg, 1997).
• 8...b6 9.e3 Be7 10.Be2 Bb7 11.0-0 Rc8 12.Rfd1 h6 13.Bh4 Na5 14.b3 d5 15.Qb2 Qe8 16.cxd5 Nxd5 17.Bb5 Qd8 18.Nxd5 Bxh4 19.Nxh4 Bxd5 20.e4 Qxh4 21.exd5 is equal (M. Gurevich-Sulskis, Op, Isle of Man, 2007).
• 8...Qa5 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.e3 Bb4 11.Be2 Bxc3+ 12.bxc3 b6 13.0-0 Bb7 14.Nd4 Qg5 15.g3 Qc5 16.Nb3 Qe5 is equal (Stahlberg-Grünfeld, IT, Ujpest, 1934).

5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 d5

• If 6...b6 7.Bg5 Bb7 8.e3 d6 then:
• If 9.Ne2 Nbd7 10.Qc2 c5 11.Rd1 then:
• If 11...cxd4 12.Rxd4 then:
• If 12...Qc7 13.Nc3 then:
• 13...d5 14.cxd5 Bxd5 15.Bd3 Rfc8 16.0-0 h6 17.Bh4 is equal (Beliavsky-Dzagnidze, Op, Gibraltar, 2009).
• 13...Qc5 14.Bh4 d5 15.cxd5 Nxd5 16.Bd3 f5 17.Bg3 Rac8 18.0-0 Qe7 19.Bc4 N7f6 20.Qb3 Kh8 21.Nxd5 Bxd5 22.Bxd5 Nxd5 23.e4 is equal (Navara-Efimenko, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2009).
• 13...a6 14.Be2 d5 15.cxd5 Nxd5 16.Bd3 N5f6 17.0-0 h6 18.Bh4 Rad8 19.Rd1 Ne5 20.Bxf6 gxf6 21.Be4 Rxd4 22.Rxd4 gives White a formidable center and better kingside pawns (L'Ami-Short, Staunton Mem, London, 2008).
• 12.Bh4 Qc7 13.Nc3 d5 14.Bg3 e5 15.cxd5 Bxd5 16.Be2 then:
• If 16...Rac8 17.e4 Bc6 is equal (Carlsen-Leko, IT, Morelia/Linares, 2008).
• 16...Qb8 17.0-0 a6 18.Nxd5 Nxd5 19.Bf3 Rd8 20.Rxd4 Qc8 21.Qa4 gives Black no compensation for the pawn (Bareev-Grischuk, World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk, 2007).
• If 9.f3 Nbd7 then:
• If 10.Bd3 c5 11.Ne2 Rc8 then:
• If 12.0-0 h6 13.Bh4 then:
• 13...cxd4 14.Qxd4 Ne5 15.b4 Qc7 16.Rac1 Nfd7 17.Be7 Nc6 18.Qxd6 Nxe7 19.Qxe7 Ne5 20.Qxc7 Rxc7 21.Rfd1 Rfc8 is equal (Krush-Chandran, USCL, Cyberspace, 2005).
• 13...d5 14.cxd5 Nxd5 15.Qe1 Qe8 16.Qd2 f5 17.Bg3 Qe7 18.Nf4 Nxf4 19.Bxf4 Rfd8 is equal (Moradiabadi-Sadvakasov, City Ch, Paris, 2005).
• 12.Qb3 h6 13.Bh4 d5 14.cxd5 Bxd5 15.Qd1 cxd4 16.Nxd4 Ne5 17.Ba6 Rc5 draw (Kholmov-Chepukaitis, Botvinnik Mem, Tula, 2003).
• 12.Qd2 h6 13.Bh4 cxd4 14.exd4 Ba6 15.Rc1 d5 16.cxd5 Bxd3 17.Rxc8 Qxc8 18.Qxd3 Nxd5 19.0-0 Qb7 20.Rc1 Rc8 21.Rxc8+ Qxc8 is equal (Kelly-Ong, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• If 10.Qd3 Ba6 11.d5 Bxc4 12.Qxc4 Nc5 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Ke2 Rfc8 15.Rd1 Nb3 gives White the active game (Vigorito-Browne, US Ch, San Diego, 2006).

7.Nf3

• If 7.cxd5 then:
• If 7...Ne4 8.Qc2 exd5 then:
• If 9.Bf4 then:
• 9...Nc6 10.e3 g5 11.Bg3 f5 12.0-0-0 f4 is equal (Karpov-Anand, Rapid M, Corsica, 2009).
• 9...Bf5 10.Qxc7 Qxc7 11.Bxc7 Rc8 12.Bf4 Nc6 gives White an extra pawn (Zhu Chen-Xu Yuhua, Grand Prix W, Nanjing, 2009).
• 9.e3 Bf5 10.Bd3 c5 11.dxc5 Nd7 12.Ne2 Ndxc5 13.Bxe4 Nxe4 14.Nd4 Bg6 15.Qd1 draw (Kramnik-Anand, Amber Rapid, Nice, 2009).
• 7...exd5 8.Bg5 Qd6 9.f3 Bf5 10.e3 Nbd7 11.Ne2 Rac8 12.b4 Rfe8 is equal (Gelfand-Caruana, IT, Biel, 2009).

7...dxc4 8.Qxc4 b6 9.Bf4

• If 9.Bg5 Ba6 then:
• If 10.Qc2 Nbd7 11.e4 Bxf1 12.Rxf1 then:
• 12...h6 13.Bxf6 Nxf6 14.0-0-0 Rc8 15.Kb1 Qe7 16.Rfe1 Rfd8 is equal (Kramnik-Kasparov, Blitz Trmt, Moscow, 1998).
• 12...Qc8 13.0-0-0 c5 14.dxc5 Nxc5 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.Kb1 Qb7 is equal (Bu Xiangzhi-Mahjoob, Mindsports Rpd, Beijing, 2008).
• If 10.Qa4 c5 11.dxc5 bxc5 then:
• 12.Rd1 Qb6 13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.Rd2 Nc6 15.Qg4+ Kh8 16.Qh4 Kg7 17.Qg3+ Kh8 18.Qh4 Kg7 19.Qg3+ Kh8 draw (Riazantsev-Vitiugov, Russian Ch HL, Ulan Ude, 2009).
• 12.h4 Qb6 13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.Rb1 Rd8 15.Rh3 c4 16.Nd2 gives White more freedom and activity (I. Rajlich-T. Kosintseva, Euro Club Cup, Ohrid, 2009).

9...Ba6 10.Qc2

• 10.Qxc7 Qd5 11.Qd6 Qe4 12.Rc1 Nbd7 13.Nd2 Qg6 14.f3 Rac8 15.Rxc8 Rxc8 16.Kf2 gives White the advantage in space and an extra pawn (Krush-Gulko, US Ch, St. Louis, 2009).

10...Nbd7 11.e4 Bxf1 12.Kxf1!?

• 12.Rxf1 c5 13.Bd6 draw (Drozdovskij-R. Pert, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).

12...c5

• In light of the last note, it should come as no surprise to any one that the game is equal.
• It should be noted of White's last move that it gives him dificulty develping the King's Rook. Drozdovskij's 12.Rxf1 is to be preferred over the text.

13.Bd6 Re8 14.e5 Nd5

BLACK: Vladimir Kramnik
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WHITE: Alexander Morozevich
Position after 14...Nf6d5

15.h4!?

• White sacrifices a pawn to gain time to launch a kingside attack.
• 15.dxc5 bxc5 16.Rd1 f6 17.exf6 Qxf6 remains equal.

15...cxd4 16.Ng5 f5!?

• 16...g6 17.Qc4 Nc5 18.Rd1 h6 19.Bxc5 bxc5 20.Ne4 equalizes.

17.Qc4

• White has equalized.

17...Qc8 18.Qxd4 Nc5 19.Rd1!?

• Pawns and pieces shoul breathe deeply, with a full chest (Tal).
• If 19.Rc1 h6 20.Nf3 Qa6+ then:
• 21.Kg1 Nb3 22.Qc4 Qxc4 23.Rxc4 Rec8 24.Rxc8+ Rxc8 gives Black a Rook on an open file while White's Rook faces a herculean task just to wander from his original square.
• 21.Qc4 b5 22.Qc2 Ne4 23.Qc6 Qxc6 24.Rxc6 Rec8 gives Black command of the c-file and beautifully centralized Knights while White struggles with a hemmed-in Rook.
• 19.Rh3 h6 20.b4 then:
• 20...Qa6+ 21.Kg1 hxg5 22.bxc5 Nf4 23.Re3 bxc5 gives Black an extra pawn.
• 20...Nb7 21.Nf3 Qc6 22.Rg3 Rad8 23.Re1 f4 gives Black the initiative.

19...Nb3!

• Black takes the opportunity to disorganize White's pieces.

20.Qd3 Nc1 21.Qb5?!

• Since White cannot develop his King's Bishop for the time being, he is essentially play a Rook down and needs the coordination of his available heavy pieces to defend against Black's initiative on the back rank.
• If 21...Qc4+ 22.Kg1 Ne2+ 23.Kh2 Qxh4+ 24.Nh3 Ndf4 gives Black an extra pawn and pieces dancing about the enemy King, but White has almost as much space and can still fight back.

BLACK: Vladimir Kramnik
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WHITE: Alexander Morozevich
Position after 21.Qd3b5

21...Qc2!

• Black lets the world know who has the better game.
• Black threatens 22...Nc3! winning a heavy piece.

22.Rxd5

• White would have lost immediatly had he not moved his Rook.

22...a6!

• With Black's Queen now in the attack on White's back rank, it is saft to drive the White Queen back home.
• If 22...h6!? 23.Nxe6! a6 then:
• 24.Qb4 Nd3 25.Rxd3 Qxd3+ 26.Kg1 Rxe6 gives Black only a slightly better game.
• 24.Qxb6? Qc4+ 25.Kg1 Qxd5 26.Nc7 Ne2+ 27.Kh2 Qe4 gives Black excellent winning chances.
• 22...exd5? leads to White winning by smothered mate: 23.Qxd5+ Kh8 24.Nf7+ Kg8 25.Nh6+ Kh8 26.Qg8+ Rxg8 27.Nf7#.

23.Qxb6

• 23.Qb4 exd5 24.Kg1 Nd3 25.Qxb6 Nxe5 leaves Black an exchange to the good.

23...Qc4+ 24.Kg1 exd5

• Black is an exchange to the good.

25.g3 h6

• If 25...f4? 26.Qb7 fxg3 27.Kg2 then:
• If 27...Ne2 28.Qf7+ Kh8 29.Qf5 then:
• 29...Nf4+ 30.Kxg3 Ne2+ 31.Kg2 Nf4+ etc. draws by repetition.
• If 29...Kg8?? then 30.Qxh7#.
• 27...Nd3 28.Qf7+ Kh8 29.Qf5 Nf4+ etc. draws.

26.Nf3 f4

• If 26...Nd3 27.Kg2 Rac8 then:
• If 28.Nd4 Nxe5 29.Re1 Nd3 then:
• 30.Rxe8+ Rxe8 31.Bb4 Ne1+ 32.Bxe1 Rxe1 33.Kh2 Qf1 wins for Black.
• 30.Rg1 Ne1+ 31.Kh3 Qd3 32.Bb4 Nf3 33.Nxf3 Qxf3 wins for Black.
• 28.Qd4 Qxd4 29.Nxd4 g6 30.h5 Rc4! 31.Nf3 Rc2 forces White to play the uncomfortable 32.Rf1 and gives Black excellent winning chances.

27.g4 Qe4 28.Kg2 Nd3 29.Qb3 Qc4 30.Qb7?

• Again, White unwisely removes his queen from the defense of the back rank.
• 30.Qd1 Nxb2 31.Qd2 Qc8 32.Kh3 h5 33.Qxd5+! Kh8 34.Rg1 Ra7 35.Ng5 Qc3+ is equal.
• If 32.Qxd5+ then after 32...Kh8 33.Rg1 Qxg4+ 34.Kh2 Qh5 Black remains an exchange up with good winning chances.

BLACK: Vladimir Kramnik
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WHITE: Alexander Morozevich
Position after 30.Qb3b7

30...Nxf2!!

• The sacrifice ices the game for Black.

31.Kxf2 Qc2+ 32.Kg1 Qd1+ 33.Kf2

• Black is up by two exchanges.
• 33.Kg2 Qe2+ 34.Kg1 Qxf3 35.Rh2 Qd1+ is an easy win for Black.

33...Qxh1 34.e6 Rac8 35.Qf7+

• If 35.Bc5 then:
• 35...Qc1 36.b4 Qc2+ 37.Kf1 Qc4+ 38.Kf2 Kh8 Black wins easily.
• If 35...Rxc5? 36.Qf7+ Kh7 then:
• 37.Ng5+ hxg5 38.Qh5+ Kg8 39.Qxe8+ Kh7 40.Qh5+ draws.
• 37.Qf5+? Kh8 38.e7 Rxe7 39.Qf8+ Kh7 40.Qxe7 Rc2+ wins for Black.

35...Kh8 36.Bc5 Qc1 37.b4 Qc2+

• 37...Qxa3 38.g5 Qb2+ 39.Kf1 Qc1+ 40.Kg2 Qc2+ 41.Bf2 Qe4 gives Black a prohibitive material advantage.

38.Kg1 Qe2 39.Nd4 Qxg4+ 40.Kf2

• If 40.Kh2 then White is soon mated after 40...Rf8 41.Qd7 f3!.

40...Qxh4+ 41.Ke2 f3+ 42.Kxf3

• 42.Nxf3 Qe4+ 43.Kd1 Rxe6 44.Nd2 Qe5 45.Kc2 a5 leaves Black with an easy win.

42...Rf8 43.Bxf8

• White threatens mate on g7. Has Vladimir Borisovich blundered?

BLACK: Vladimir Kramnik
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WHITE: Alexander Morozevich
Position after 43.Bc5f8:R

43...Rc3+!!

• A hallmark of Vladimir Borisovich is his precise calculation. Here, he knows he's won the game with a move to spare.

44.Kg2 Qg3+ 45.Kf1 Rc1+ 0-1

• If 46.Ke2 (and it is the only legal move) then 46...Qe1+ 47.Kf3 Rc3+ 48.Kg4 Qg3+ 49.Kh5 Qg5#.
• Alexander Sergeyevich resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Ivanchuk - Gelfand, Round 7

Vassily Ivanchuk
Photo: ChessBase.com


Vassily Ivanchuk - Boris Gelfand
Tal Memorial Tournament, Round 7
Moscow, 12 November 2009

Slav Queen's Gambit: Tikhi Opening

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bg4

• If 4...Bf5 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nh4 then:
• If 6...Be4 7.f3 Bg6 8.Qb3 then:
• If 8...b5 then:
• If 9.c5 Nbd7!? 10.a4 a6 11.Nxg6 hxg6 12.Qa3 (Malakhov-Hector, Politiken Cup, Helsingør, 2009).
• 9.cxd5 exd5 10.Nxg6 hxg6 11.Bd2 a5 12.0-0-0 Be7 13.g4 Na6 14.Qc2 a4 15.h4 Nb4 16.Qb1 a3 17.b3 is equal (Giri-Hillarp Persson, Corus C, Wijk aan Zee, 2009).
• If 8...Qc7 9.Bd2 Be7 then:
• 10.Nxg6 hxg6 11.0-0-0 Nbd7 12.cxd5 Nxd5 13.Nxd5 exd5 14.Kb1 0-0-0 15.Rc1 Kb8 16.h3 Qd6 17.Ba6 Nb6 is equal (Vitiugov-P. Smirnov, Russian Ch HL, Novokuznetsk, 2008).
• 10.cxd5 cxd5 11.Nxg6 hxg6 12.0-0-0 Nc6 13.Kb1 a6 14.Rc1 Nd7 15.Bd3 Rc8 16.Ne2 Qb6 is equal (Tregubov-Bareev, Euro ChT, Fügen, 2006).
• If 6...Bg6 then:
• If 7.Be2 Nbd7 then:
• If 8.g3 Bd6 9.0-0 then:
• If 9...Qe7 then:
• 10.a3 dxc4 11.Nxg6 hxg6 12.Bxc4 e5 13.Re1 0-0-0 is equal (E. Atalik-Zhu Chen, IT, Istanbul, 2008).
• 10.Qb3 Rb8 11.Bd2 Ne4 12.Nxe4 Bxe4 13.f3 Bg6 14.Rae1 dxc4 15.Qxc4 c5 16.dxc5 Bxc5 17.b4 Bb6 18.a4 0-0 19.a5 gives White a small advantage in space (Vladimirov-Nei, Soviet Ch semif, Moscow, 1963).
• 9...0-0 10.Nxg6 hxg6 11.Qc2 dxc4 12.Bxc4 c5 13.dxc5 Bxc5 14.Rd1 Rc8 15.Bf1 Bb4 16.Bd2 Nd5 17.Bg2 Bxc3 18.bxc3 Qc7 19.Be1 N7b6 20.Rd4 Nxc3 21.Qxc3 Qxc3 22.Bxc3 Rxc3 draw (Ivanchuk-Gelfand, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2007).
• If 8.Bd2 then:
• If 8...Be7 9.Nxg6 hxg6 10.Qc2 Qc7 11.h3 a6 12.Rc1 Rc8 13.0-0 dxc4 14.Bxc4 g5 15.e4 g4 16.e5 gxh3 17.g3 Nd5 18.Qe4 Nxc3 19.Bxc3 Nb6 20.Ba5 Bd8 21.Qg4 Kf8 22.Bxb6 Qxb6 23.Rc3 Rh6 24.Bb3 Bc7 is unclear: Black has an extra pawn and White barely enough space to compensate for it (Malakhov-M. Gurevich, World Cup. Rd 4.2, Khanty Mansyisk, 2005).
• 8...Bd6 9.Nxg6 hxg6 10.Qc2 dxc4 11.Bxc4 Qe7 12.0-0-0 Nb6 13.Be2 e5 14.Kb1 0-0-0 15.Nb5 exd4 16.Ba5 Bb8 17.Nxd4 Bc7 18.Bxb6 Bxb6 19.Nxc6 bxc6 20.Qxc6+ Qc7 21.Qa8+ Qb8 22.Qc6+ Qc7 23.Qa8+ Qb8 24.Qc6+ draw (Malakhov-Domínguez, FIDE Knock Out, Tripoli, 2004).
• 7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.Bd2 Nbd7 9.Rc1 Bd6 10.g3 Qe7 11.c5 Bc7 12.f4 Ba5 13.Nb1 Bxd2+ 14.Nxd2 Ne4 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.h4 f5 17.Kf2 Nf6 18.Be2 Kf7 19.a3 a5 20.Qd2 Rhb8 21.Rc2 b5 draw (Bareev-Dreev, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2004).
• If 7.Qb3 then:
• If 7...Qc7 8.Nxg6 hxg6 9.g3 Nbd7 10.Bd2 Be7 11.Rc1 Nb6 12.cxd5 exd5 then:
• If 13.a4 Qd7 14.h4 g5 15.a5 Nc8 16.Bg2 g4 17.e4 dxe4 18.Nxe4 0-0 19.a6 Nb6 20.axb7 Qxb7 21.0-0 Nfd5 22.Nc5 Qc8 23.Nd3 Rb8 24.Qc2 Bf6 25.Ne5 Bxe5 26.dxe5 Qe6 27.Rfe1 Rfc8 28.Re4 Nd7 29.Rce1 Rb6 draw (Hort-Zhu Chen, Op, Amsterdam, 2001).
• 13.Be2 Qd7 14.a4 Nc8 15.f3 Nd6 16.0-0 0-0 17.Nd1 Rae8 18.Nf2 Nf5 19.Rfe1 Bd6 20.Bf1 Qc7 21.Bg2 g5 22.Qd3 Nh6 23.e4 dxe4 24.fxe4 Nfg4 25.Nxg4 Nxg4 26.h3 Bxg3 27.hxg4 Bxe1 28.Rxe1 gives White much the better ending (Bercys-Bierkens, Op, Foxwoods, 2005).
• 7...Qb6 8.Nxg6 hxg6 9.Bd2 Nbd7 10.Bd3 Be7 11.h3 Rc8 12.Qxb6 axb6 13.Ke2 0-0 14.Rac1 Rfd8 15.Rhd1 dxc4 16.Bxc4 b5 17.Bb3 e5 18.Be1 exd4 19.Rxd4 Nc5 20.Rxd8+ Rxd8 gives Black a considerable advantage in space (Dreev-Gelfand, FIDE Knock Out, Groningen, 1997).

5.h3 Bxf3

• If 5...Bh5 6.Nc3 e6 7.g4 Bg6 8.Ne5 Nbd7 9.Nxg6 hxg6 then:
• If 10.Bg2 dxc4 11.Qe2 Nb6 12.0-0 Be7 13.Rd1 then:
• If 13...g5 14.a4 a5 15.e4 Nfd7 16.Be3 e5 17.d5 Qb8 18.b3 then:
• 18...f6 19.bxc4 Bc5 20.Bxc5 Nxc5 is equal (Hebden-L'Ami, EU Ch, Liverpool, 2008).
• Black hangs on to the extra pawn after 18...cxb3 19.Rab1 Nc5 20.Bxc5 Bxc5 21.Rxb3 Qd6.
• If 13...Nfd7 then:
• If 14.e4? (missing a chance to regain the pawn) 14...e5 15.dxe5 Qc7 16.e6 fxe6 17.g5 gives Black an extra pawn (Stefanova-Predojevic, Op, Chalkida, 2009).
• 14.Ne4! Rc8 15.a4 a5 16.Nd2 Bd6 17.Nxc4 Nxc4 18.Qxc4 regains the pawn with equality.
• 10.Bd2 Bb4 11.Rc1 Qc7 12.a3 Bxc3 13.Bxc3 Ne4 14.Bg2 Nxc3 15.Rxc3 Nb6 16.cxd5 exd5 17.Qc2 0-0 18.h4 Nc4 19.Rh3 is equal (Bareev-Najer, Op, Philadelphia, 2009).

6.Qxf3 e6 7.Nc3 Nbd7 8.Bd3 dxc4!?

• The theory on the position after 8.Bd3 favors White, so Gelfand smartly closes the book and stakes on new territory.
• If 8...Bb4 9.Bd2 0-0 then:
• If 10.a3 Ba5 then:
• 11.cxd5 cxd5 12.0-0 Re8 13.Rac1 e5 14.Bc2 exd4 15.exd4 Bxc3 16.Qxc3 draw (Bacrot-Karjakin, World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2007).
• If 11.b4 Bc7 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.0-0 then:
• 13...Nb6 14.Rac1 Qd7 15.g3 Rab8 16.e4 dxe4 17.Nxe4 Nxe4 18.Bxe4 Nd5 19.Rfd1 Bb6 20.h4 Rbc8 21.h5 h6 22.Be3 Rfd8 is slightly in Black's favor, for if White were to initiate exchanges at d5 then Black would end up with the good Bishop (Bindrich-Caruana, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2008).
• 13...Re8 14.e4 e5 15.Bg5 h6 16.Bh4 g5 17.Bg3 exd4 18.Nxd5 Nxd5 19.exd5 Ne5 20.Qf5 Nxd3 21.Bxc7 Qxc7 22.Qxd3 is equal (Siebrecht-Loeffler, Bundesliga 0708, Kreuzberg, 2007).
• 10.0-0 Re8 11.a3 Ba5 12.b4 Bc7 13.cxd5 exd5 14.b5 Nf8 15.bxc6 bxc6 16.Rfc1 Ne6 17.h4 c5 18.dxc5 d4 19.Ne4 dxe3 20.Nxf6+ gxf6 21.Qxe3 Ng5 gives Black a clear advantage (Iotov-San Segundo, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• If 8...Bd6 9.0-0 0-0 10.Rd1 then:
• 10...Re8 11.Qe2 Qe7 12.Bd2 dxc4 13.Bxc4 e5 14.d5 e4 15.dxc6 bxc6 16.Na4 Qe5 17.g3 Qf5 18.Qf1 Ne5 19.Be2 Nf3+ 20.Bxf3 exf3 21.Rac1 Ne4 is equal (Hebden-Burgess, 4NCL, Telford, 2003).
• 10...Qe7 11.Bd2 Rfe8 12.Bf1 Rad8 13.Rac1 a6 14.Be1 g6 15.a3 Bb8 16.g3 Nb6 17.b3 Kg7 18.a4 h5 19.h4 e5 20.cxd5 Nbxd5 21.Nxd5 Nxd5 22.dxe5 Bxe5 is equal (Boensch-Jackelen, Bundesliga 0708, Tegernsee, 2008).

9.Bxc4

• The game is equal.

9...Bd6 10.0-0 0-0 11.e4 e5 12.d5 Nb6!?

• 12...cxd5 13.Nxd5 Rc8 14.b3 Nxd5 15.Bxd5 Rc7 16.Rd1 gives White the advantage in space and the best minor piece on the board.

13.Bd3!

• The e-pawn is overprotected. White has th advantage.

13...cxd5 14.exd5 h6

• The exchange of the overprotected pawn usually have a liberating effect on the overprotector's game. There is no exception to that here. Black must batton down by denying good sqaures to White's pieces, as the text move limits where White's Queen's Bishop may go.

15.Be3 Rc8 16.Rac1 Nc4

• 16...Bc5 17.Ne4 Bxe3 18.Rxc8 Bxf2+ 19.Rxf2 Qxc8 20.Nxf6+ allows White to regain the pawn with a greatly superior position.

17.Bxc4 Rxc4 18.Qe2

• Taking the pawn now would be premature.
• 18.Bxa7!? Rb4 19.Rc2 b6 equalizes.

18...Rc8

BLACK: Boris Gelfand
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WHITE: Vassily Ivanchuk
Position after 18...Rc4c8

19.Bxa7

• A pawn is worth a little trouble. (Steinitz).
• White waited until he was prepared for the trouble before taking the pawn.

19...b6!

• White's Bishop is imprisoned in Black's camp.

20.Nb5!

• The prisoner will be spared for now.

20...Rc5 21.Rfd1 Qd7 22.Nxd6 Qxd6

• 22...Qxa7 23.Rxc5 bxc5 24.Nc4 Qxa2 25.Nxe5 leaves with an extra pawn.

23.Rxc5 Qxc5 24.Qe3 Qc2 25.Qb3!

• Exchanging on b3 assumes the burden of a doubled pawn, but it's the best way to keep the material advantage.
• 25.Qc1!? Qxc1 26.Rxc1 Nxd5 27.Rd1 Ra8 28.Rxd5 Rxa7 is equal.

25...Qxb3 26.axb3 Rd8 27.d6

• The move is forced, but White isn't going to complain.

27...b5!?

• Black opens the diagonal for White's Bishop. This is a critical mistake. Notice in the following variations what happens when the diagonal is open and what happens when it remains closed.
• If 27...Nd7 28.Rc1 f5 29.Rc6 Kf7 then:
• If 30.Bxb6 Nxb6 31.Rxb6 then:
• 31...Ke6 32.Kf1 Rxd6 33.Rxd6+ Kxd6 34.Ke2 looks headed for a draw.
• If 31...Rd7 then after 32.Kf1 Ke6 33.Ke2 Rxd6 34.Rxd6+ Kxd6 35.b4 White has the better game, but it is by no means certain that he can win.
• If 30.b4 Ke6 31.b5 e4 32.Kf1 f4 then:
• 33.Bxb6 Nxb6 34.Rxb6 Rxd6 35.Ra6 Ke5 36.Rxd6 Kxd6 is a likely draw.
• If 33.Ke1 Ne5 34.Rxb6 Nd3+ 35.Ke2 then:
• If 35...Rxd6 36.Rxd6+ Kxd6 37.f3! Nc1+ 38.Kd2 exf3 then:
• 39.Kxc1!! fxg2 40.Kd2 wins for White because the Bishop keeps the g-pawn out of the promotion point and the White King is still close enough to intercept the f-pawn.
• 39.gxf3 Nb3+ 40.Kc2 Na5 41.Bb8+ gives White, with an extra pawn in a minor piece ending, excellent winning chances.
• If 35...Rc8 36.Rc6 Rxc6 37.bxc6 Kxd6 38.f3 Nc1+ 39.Kd1 then:
• 39...Nd3 40.fxe4 Kxc6 41.Kc2 Ne1+ 42.Kd2 Nxg2 43.Ke2 gives White good winning chances.
• 39...exf3 40.Kxc1 fxg2 41.Kd2 wins in a similar way to the terciary line of this variation.
• 33...Ra8! 34.Bxb6 Ra1+ 35.Ke2 Nxb6 36.Rxb6 Rb1

BLACK: Boris Gelfand
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Vassily Ivanchuk
Position after 27...b6b5

28.f3!

• White denies to Black's Knight use of e4 at least for the moment.

28...Ra8

• If 28...Nd7 then after 29.Rd5 b4 30.Be3 Ra8 31.Bd2 Rb8 32.f4 the e-pawn must abandon its post.

29.Be3 Nd7 30.Rd5 Rb8 31.f4 exf4 32.Bxf4 f6 33.Rd2

• 33.Kf2!? Kf7 34.Ke3 Ke6 35.Kd4 g5 36.Bd2 Ne5! is equal.

33...Kf7 34.Kf2 Ke6 35.Ke3 Rc8!?

• Black removes protection from his b-pawn.
• 35...Ne5 36.Ke4 Nf7 37.Rd5 b4 38.d7 Rd8 39.Kd4 gives White an extra pawn in the person of the passer on d7.

BLACK: Boris Gelfand
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WHITE: Vassily Ivanchuk
Position after 35...Rb8c8

36.Kd4!

• The centalized King allows Black no useful moves with his pieces.
• 36.Ke4!? Nc5+ 37.Kf3 Kd7 38.b4 Nb7 39.g4 Rc4 is equal.

36...g5?

• Black nails his own coffin shut.
• Better is 36...b4 37.Re2+ Ne5 38.Bxe5 fxe5+ 39.Rxe5+ Kxd6 40.Rd5+, but even that leave Black barely alive.

37.Re2+!

• White seizes the open file bring mayhem to Black's position.

37...Ne5 38.Bxe5 fxe5+ 39.Rxe5+ Kxd6 40.Rxb5

• White has two extra pawns.

40...Rc2 41.g4 Rxb2 42.Rb6+ Kc7 43.Kc3!! 1-0

BLACK: Boris Gelfand
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WHITE: Vassily Ivanchuk
Final Position after 43.Kd4c3

• If 43...Kxb6 then 44.Kxb2 Kb5 45.Kc3 Kc5 46.b4+ Kb5 47.Kd3 Kxb4 48.Kd4 is a by-the-book win for White.
• Grandmaster Gelfand resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Carlsen - Ponomariov, Round 8

Magnus Carlsen
Photo: ChessBase.com


Magnus Carlsen - Ruslan Ponomariov
Tal Memorial Tournament, Round 8
Moscow, 13 November 2009

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

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 7.f3

• The text move is employed to avoid the annoying 6...Ng4.
• For 6.Be3 and the usual moves following it, see Domínguez-Wojtaszek, Capablanca Mem, Havana, 2008.
• For a survey of 6...Ng4, see Akopian-Karjankin, Grand Prix, Nalchik, 2009.

7...b5

• 7...Nc6 8.Qd2 Be7 9.0-0-0 0-0 10.g4 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 b5 12.g5 Nd7 13.h4 Qc7 14.Kb1 b4 15.Na4 Bb7 16.b3 Bc6 17.Nb2 a5 18.h5 Ne5 19.Be2 f5 is even (Leko-Svidler, IT, Morelia-Linares, 2006).

8.Qd2 Nbd7 9.g4 h6 10.0-0-0 Ne5

• If 10...Bb7 then:
• If 11.h4 b4 12.Na4 Qa5 13.b3 Nc5 14.a3 then:
• 14...Nxa4 15.axb4 Qc7 16.bxa4 d5 17.b5 dxe4 18.bxa6 Bxa6 19.Bxa6 Rxa6 20.Nb5 Qc8 21.Bf4 Nd5 22.fxe4 Nxf4 23.Qxf4 gives White a great deal more space (Ivanchuk-van Wely, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2004).
• 14...Rc8 15.Qxb4 Qc7 16.Kb1 d5 17.Nxc5 Bxc5 18.Qa4+ Kf8 19.Bd3 dxe4 20.Bxa6 Bxa6 21.Qxa6 Nd5 22.Nb5 gives White more space and the initiative (Lafarga-Schoonhoven, cyberspace, 2003).
• 11.Nce2 Qc7 12.h4 d5 then:
• If 13.Nf4 then:
• 13...e5 14.Nfe6 fxe6 15.Nxe6 Qa5 16.exd5 Qxa2 White should continue 17.Nc7+! Kf7 18.Qd3 Rb8 19.Qf5 g6 20.Qe6+ with an unclear position (I remain unconvinced of Fritz' evaluation that Black, with his cramped kingside, is winning) (Morozevich-Vachier Lagrave, IT, Biel, 2009).
• White is busted after 13...dxe4 14.fxe4 e5 15.Nd5 Nxd5 16.exd5 exd4 17.Bxd4 f6.
• 13.Bg2 dxe4 14.g5 Nd5 15.fxe4 Nxe3 16.Qxe3 hxg5 17.hxg5 Rxh1 18.Rxh1 Ne5 is equal (I. Smirnov-León Hoyos, Op, Cappelle la Grande, 2009).
• 13.e5 Nxe5 14.b3 Rc8 15.Kb1 Bc5 gives Black the more active game (Najer-Shomoev, Russian Ch, Tomsk, 2006).

11.Qe1!?

• If 11.a3 Bb7 12.h4 then:
• 12...d5 13.Rg1 dxe4 14.g5 hxg5 15.hxg5 Nd5 16.g6 draw (Hermansson-Hillarp Person, IT, Malmø, 2007).
• 12...Rc8 13.Rg1 Qa5 14.g5 hxg5 15.hxg5 Nfd7 16.g6 Nxg6 17.Nxe6 fxe6 18.Rxg6 gives White the active game (Shirov-Gouliev, French ChT, Port Barcares, 2005).

11...Qc7

• The game is equal.

12.h4 b4

• As in a typical Najdorf-Scheveningen, each side shows aggression on opposite wings.

13.Nce2 Nc4!?

• The text is not bad, but better is 13...d5 14.exd5 Nxd5 15.Bf2 Bb7 16.Rg1 Rd8 giving Black the advantage in space.

14.Nf4

• 14.Bf2 d5 15.Ng3 Bb7 16.exd5 Bxd5 remains equal.

14...Nxe3 15.Qxe3 Qb6

• Fritz is now calling the game even.
• 15...Qa5 16.Nc6 Qxa2 17.Qb3 Qxb3 18.cxb3 d5 my silicon sidekick says Black is winning, but I still don't believe that Black is anything more than slightly better.

16.Bc4 Qc5 17.Qb3 d5

• If 17...Ra7 then:
• If 18.Bxe6! then:
• 18...fxe6 19.Ndxe6 Bxe6 20.Nxe6 Qb6 21.Rd4 Rb7 22.Rhd1 gives White a third pawn for the piece and a more active game.
• 18...Bxe6 19.Nfxe6 fxe6 20.Nxe6 tansposes.
• 18.Nfxe6!? fxe6 19.Bxe6 Bd7 20.h5 Bb5 21.Rhe1 remains equal.

18.exd5 Bd6 19.Nfxe6 fxe6 20.dxe6 Be7

• If 20...Be5? 21.Nf5! Qa5 22.Rhe1 then:
• If 22...Ra7 23.Qe3 then:
• 23...Rc7 24.Qxe5 Qxe5 25.Rxe5 Rxc4 26.Nd6+ wins the Rook and the game.
• 23...Bxb2+ 24.Kxb2 Rb7 25.Qb3 Qa3+ 26.Ka1 wins for White.
• 22...g6 23.Rxe5!! Qxe5 24.Qa4+ Bd7 25.exd7+ Kd8 26.Nd4 threatens 27.Nc6+ and wins.

21.Qd3

• White stands slightly better.
• 21.Nf5 0-0 22.Nxe7+ Qxe7 23.g5 then:
• 23...Nh5 24.gxh6 g6 25.Kb1 Nf4 26.Rhe1 gives White the material advantage and a more active game.
• If 23...hxg5? 24.hxg5! Ne8 25.Rd7 then:
• 25...Qxg5+ 26.Rd2 Qe7 27.Rdh2 wins for White.
• If 25...Bxd7 then after 26.exd7+ Rf7 27.dxe8Q+ Qxe8 28.Bxf7+ Black is toast.

21...0-0 22.Bb3

• 22.Qg6! Qxc4 23.Nf5 Ne8 24.Nxe7+ Kh8 25.Qd3 gives White three pawns for the Bishop and the active game.

22...Rd8?

• Before the text move, Black still had a narrow path to an equal game.
• If 22...Kh8 23.Qg6 Ng8 24.g5 then:
• If 24...Bb7 25.Rhg1 Bd6 26.gxh6 then:
• 26...Bf4+ 27.Kb1 Bxh6 28.Rg5 Qd6! is equal.
• If 26...Qc7? then after 27.hxg7+! White mates on the next move.
• If 24...Rf4? 25.Nc6 Rxh4 then:
• 26.gxh6 Rxh6 27.Rxh6+ gxh6 28.Nxe7 wins for White.
• 26.Nxe7 Rxh1 27.Rxh1 Qxe7 28.Bc4 Bxe6 29.Bd3 wins for White.
• 22...Bb7 23.Qg6 Ne8 24.Nf5 Kh8 25.Nxe7 Qxe7 26.g5! gives White the more active game; it would be a grave mistake for Black to exchange on g5.
• 22...g5? 23.Qg6+ Kh8 24.Bd5 Qxd5 25.Nf5 is an easy win for White.

BLACK:Ruslan Ponomariov
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WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 22...Rf8d8

23.g5!

• Black still loses quickly if he exchanges on g5.

23...Nh7

• If 23...hxg5 24.hxg5 Qxg5+ 25.Kb1 then:
• If 25...a5 26.Rdg1 Ba6 27.Qf5 then:
• If 27...Qxf5 then after 28.Nxf5! Kf8 29.Rxg7 White soon delivers mate.
• 27...Qe3 28.Qxf6 Bxf6 29.e7+ Qxb3 30.exd8Q+ gives White a solid material advantage.
• 25...Bb7 26.Rdg1 Rxd4 27.Qxd4 Qc5 28.Qf4 Bf8 29.Qxf6 wins for White.

24.gxh6 Qh5 25.Qe4 Qxh6+

• 25...Rxd4 26.Qxa8 Rxd1+ 27.Rxd1 Qe8 28.hxg7 wins for White.

26.Kb1 Ra7

• If 26...Rb8 then 27.Nc6 Rxd1+ 28.Rxd1 Rb7 29.Rd7 Kf8 30.Nxe7 wins easily.

27.Nf5 Rxd1+ 28.Rxd1 Qf6

• 28...Qh5 29.Rd7 Bxd7 30.exd7+ Kh8 31.Nxe7 Rxd7 32.Qa8+ forces mate.

BLACK:Ruslan Ponomariov
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WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 28...Qh6f6

29.Rd7!!

• The exchange sacrifice is quickest and most elegant.

29...Bxd7 30.exd7+ Kf8 31.Qd5 1-0

• The immediate threat is 32.Qg8# and mate is inevitable in any case.
• Grandmaster Ponomariov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Anand - Leko, Round 5

Vishy Anand
Photo: Wikipedia


Vishy Anand - Peter Leko
Tal Memorial Tournament, Round 5
Moscow, 10 November 2009

Semi-Slav Queen's Gambit: Grand Anti-Meran Gambit

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4

• If 6.Bxf6 Qxf6 then:
• If 7.e3 then:
• If 7...g6 then:
• If 8.Bd3 Bg7 then:
• 9.e4 dxe4 10.Nxe4 Qd8 11.c5 0-0 12.Nd6 b6 13.0-0 bxc5 14.dxc5 Nd7 15.Qc2 Rb8 16.b3! (White gets the initiative in return for the exchange) 16...Bxa1 17.Rxa1 Qf6 18.Rd1 Bb7 leaves Black terribly cramped (Ragger-Gustafsson, Bundesliga 0910, Solingen, 2009).
• If 9.0-0 0-0 10.cxd5 exd5 11.b4 then:
• 11...Bg4 12.Be2 Nd7 13.b5 Qd6 14.Rc1 Rfc8 15.bxc6 bxc6 16.h3 Be6 is equal (Ruck-Dreev, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• 11...Be6 12.Na4 Nd7 13.Rc1 Rfc8 14.Nc5 Qe7 15.Nd2 b6 16.Nxe6 Qxe6 is equal (Wang Yue-Leko, IT, Nanjing, 2009).
• If 8.Qc2 Nd7 9.cxd5 exd5 10.Bd3 Bg7 11.0-0 0-0 12.b4 Qd6 13.Rab1 then:
• 13...Nb6 14.Rfc1 Be6 15.Nd2 Rac8 16.Ne2 Rfe8 17.Nf4 Nd7 18.Qa4 a6 is equal (Khenkin-Potkin, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2004).
• 13...a5 14.bxa5 Rxa5 15.a4 c5 16.Rb5 Rxb5 17.Nxb5 Qe7 18.Nc3 Qd6 19.Nb5 Qe7 20.Nc3 Qd6 draw (Brodsky-Timofeev, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2005).
• If 7...Nd7 8.Bd3 dxc4 9.Bxc4 g6 10.0-0 Bg7 then:
• If 11.b4 0-0 then:
• If 12.Rc1 13.Qb3 then:
• 13...b6 14.b5 Bb7 15.bxc6 Bxc6 16.Rfd1 Rfd8 17.Qb1 Bb7 18.Bd3 Rac8 19.Be4 Nf6 20.Bxb7 Qxb7 21.Ne2 Ne4 22.Rxc8 Rxc8 23.Nd2 Nd6 24.Rc1 draw (Ivanchuk-Karjakin, IT, Foros, 2006).
• 13...Rd8 14.Rfd1 Nb6 15.Be2 Bd7 16.Ne4 Be8 17.Nc5 Nc8 18.Ne5 Nd6 19.a4 Rac8 20.g3 Nf5 21.Bf3 gives White the advantage in space (Aseev-Korotylev, Petroff Mem Op, St. Petersburg, 2000).
• If 12.a4 then:
• 12...Qe7 Qe7 13.Qb3 then:
• 13...b6 14.a5 Rb8 15.Rfb1 Bb7 16.axb6 axb6 17.Ra7 c5 18.Rxb7 Rxb7 19.bxc5 Rc7 20.Nb5 Rc6 21.Na7 Rc7 22.Nb5 draw (Onischuk-Gelfand, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2008).
• 12...e5 13.a5 exd4 14.exd4 Rd8 15.Re1 Nf8 16.Qb3 Be6 17.Rad1 Bxc4 18.Qxc4 Ne6 19.Ne5 Qf5 20.Nxf7 Kxf7 21.Re3 Bxd4 22.Rf3 Qxf3 23.gxf3 Bxc3 24.Rxd8 Rxd8 25.f4 Rd4 White resigns in the face of further material loss (Stefansson-Carlsen, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).
• If 11.e4 e5 12.d5 Nb6 13.Bb3 Bg4 then:
• If 14.h3 Bxf3 15.Qxf3 Qxf3 16.gxf3 Ke7 17.dxc6 bxc6 18.Rac1 then:
• 18...Rhd8 19.Rc2 h5 20.Nd1 Rd6 21.Ne3 a5 22.a3 a4 23.Ba2 Bh6 24.Rfc1 Rc8 25.Kf1 draw (Meier-Quattrocchi, Corres, 1998).
• 18...Rab8 19.Rc2 h5 20.Rd1 Rhd8 is equal (Vigorito-Ippolito, US Ch, San Diego, 2006).
• 14.Rc1 0-0 15.h3 Bxf3 16.Qxf3 Qxf3 17.gxf3 Rfd8 18.Rfd1 Bf6 is equal (Carlsen-Karjakin, Amber Rapid, Nice, 2009).
• If 7.Qb3 Nd7 8.e4 dxe4 9.Nxe4 Qf4 10.Bd3 then:
• 10...e5 11.0-0 Be7 12.Rfe1 exd4 13.Nxd4 0-0 14.Bc2 Nc5 15.Qc3 Nxe4 16.Rxe4 Qf6 17.c5 gives White the advantage in space (I. Ivanesovic-Ragger, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).
• If 10...Be7 11.0-0 0-0 12.Rfe1 Rd8 13.Rad1 Qc7 14.Bb1 Nf8 then:
• 15.c5 b5 16.Ng3 Bd7 17.Qe3 gives White the advantage inspace (Smysolv-Petrosian, Moscow, 1971).
• 15.a3 Bd7 16.c5 Be8 17.Ne5 b5 18.Qc3 f6 19.Nd3 Rd7 is equal (van den Berg-Najdorf, IT, Amsterdam, 1950).
• If 7.g3 Nd7 8.Bg2 dxc4 9.0-0 Be7 then:
• If 10.e3 0-0 then:
• If 11.Nd2 Nb6 12.f4 Qf5 13.Be4 Qa5 14.Qe2 c5 15.d5 exd5 16.Nxd5 Nxd5 17.Bxd5 Bg4 18.Qxg4 Qxd2 (deFirmian, in MCO-15, quotes this game this far and calls it equal; JR says that Black is better) 19.Qf3 Rad8 20.Bxc4 then:
• 20...Bf6 21.Rf2 Qb4 is equal (Zontakh-Borovikov, Op, Kazimierz Dolny, 2001).
• 20...Qxb2 21.Rab1 Qc3 22.Qe4 b6 gives Black the more active game.
• If 11.Qe2 e5 12.Qxc4 Nb6 13.Qb3 Be6 14.dxe5 Qxf3 15.Bxf3 Bxb3 16.axb3 Nd7 17.Rfd1 Nxe5 18.Be2 Rad8 19.Rxd8 Bxd8 20.Rd1 is equal (K. Georgiev-Erdos, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).
• 10.a4 0-0 11.a5 e5 12.d5 Bb4 13.Nd2 Nc5 14.Nde4 Nxe4 15.Nxe4 Qd8 16.Qa4 cxd5 17.Qxb4 dxe4 18.Bxe4 Bg4 is equal (Shulman-Savchenko, GMT, Minsk, 1996).

6...dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5

• 8...Bb4 has been tried here, for example, 9.Qc2 b5 10.0-0-0 Qa5 11.h4 g4 12.Ne5 Bb7 13.h5 Nbd7 14.Be2 Nb6 15.Bh4 Be7 16.a3 Nfd7 17.Bxe7 Kxe7 18.Nxg4 c5 19.Qd2 b4 is equal (Matveeva-Chiburdanidze, ITW, Belgrade, 1996).

9.Be2

• If 9.Ne5 h5 10.h4 g4 11.Be2 Bb7 12.0-0 Nbd7 13.Qc2 Nxe5 14.Bxe5 Bg7 then:
• 15.b3 0-0 16.bxc4 Nh7 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.Rad1 gives White the advantage in space (Grischuk-Aronian, IT, Linares, 2009).
• If 15.Rad1 0-0 16.Bg3 Nd7 17.f3 then:
• 17...c5 18.dxc5 Qe7 19.Kh1 a6 20.a4 Bc6 21.Nd5 exd5 22.exd5 Be5 23.f4 Bg7 24.dxc6 Nxc5 25.Rd5 Ne4 gives Black more activity (Aronian-Anand, World Ch Trmt, Mexico City, 2007).
• If 17...Qb6 18.Kh1 c5 19.d5 Ne5 20.fxg4 hxg4 21.Qc1 then:
• 21...Nd3 22.Bxd3 cxd3 23.Rxd3 b4 24.Ne2 exd5 25.exd5 Rae8 26.Rd2 Bh6 27.Bf4 is equal (van Wely-Kobalia, Areoflot Op, Moscow, 2005).
• 21...exd5 22.Nxd5 Bxd5 23.Rxd5 Rae8 24.Rf5 f6 25.Qd1 Nf7 26.e5 Nh6 27.Rh5 Qe6 28.Rd6 is equal (Avrukh-Novikov, Ol, Calvia, 2004).

9...Bb7 10.0-0

• If 10.h4 g4 11.Ne5 then:
• If 11...h5 12.0-0 Nbd7 13.Qc2 Nxe5 14.Bxe5 Bg7 then:
• If 15.Rad1 0-0 then:
• 16.f3 Nh7 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.fxg4 Qxh4 19.gxh5 Ng5 20.Qd2 Nh3+ 21.gxh3 Qg3+ 22.Kh1 Qxh3+ 23.Kg1 Qg3+ 24.Kh1 Qh3+ draw (van Wely-Dreev, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2002).
• 16.Bg3 Nd7 transposes into Avrukh-Novikov in the notes to White's ninth move.
• 15.b3 cxb3 16.axb3 0-0 17.Bg3 c5 18.e5 Nd5 19.Nxb5 cxd4 20.Nd6 Rb8 21.Qd2 Nc3 22.Bd3 a5 23.Ra3 Bd5 24.Bc2 Rb6 is equal (Grischuk-Karjakin, Grand Prix, Sochi, 2008).
• If 11...Rg8 12.Nxg4 then:
• If 12...Nxg4 13.Bxg4 then:
• If 13...b4 14.Na4 c5 then:
• If 15.d5 exd5 16.exd5 Qxd5 17.Qxd5 Bxd5 18.0-0-0 Rxg4 19.Rxd5 Nd7 20.Re1+ Kd8 21.Red1 Rd4 22.R1xd4 cxd4 23.Rxd4 Rc8 then:
• If 24.Bd6 then:
• 24...Ke8 25.Re4+ Kd8 26.Bxf8 Nxf8 27.a3 bxa3 28.bxa3 Rc6 is equal (Grischuk-Anand, World Ch Trmt, Mexico City, 2007).
• 24...Bxd6 25.Rxd6 Ke7 26.Rxh6 draw (Riazantsev-Karjakin, Russian CHT, Sochi, 2008).
• 24.h5 Rc6 25.Kc2 Ra6 26.b3 cxb3+ 27.Kxb3 Ra5 28.Bh4+ Kc7 is equal (Wantola-Giri, IT, Bussum, 2009).
• 15.Nxc5 Bxc5 16.dxc5 Qxd1+ 17.Bxd1 Bxe4 18.0-0 Nc6 19.Be2 Bd5 is equal (van Wely-Vallejo, World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk, 2005).
• 13...Nd7 14.0-0 Qb6 15.a4 a5 16.d5 Nf6 17.dxc6 Bxc6 18.axb5 Rxg4 19.Be5 Bxe4 20.Nxe4 Rxe4 21.Bxf6 Rf4 gives Black the initiative (Sarkar-Fridman, Op, Philadelphia, 2004).
• If 12...Nbd7 13.0-0 b4 14.Na4 Nxe4 15.Bxc4 then:
• If 15...Qa5 16.Rc1 0-0-0 17.Bh2 Bd6 18.Bd3 Bxh2+ 19.Nxh2 Qd5 is equal (Brynell-Dreev, Politiken Cup, Helsingør, 2009).
• If 15...h5 16.Ne3 then:
• 16...Qf6 17.Be2 0-0-0 18.Bh2 Qxh4 gives Black an extra pawn and the advantage in space (Avrukh-Akopian, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).
• 16...Qa5 17.Bh2 Ndf6 18.Bb3 Rd8 19.Qc2 Rxd4 gives Black an extra pawn and the advantage in space (Bocharov-Lastin, Russian Ch Qual, Tomsk, 2004).

10...Nbd7 11.Ne5 Bg7

• If 11...h5 12.Nxd7 Qxd7 then:
• If 13.Be5 Rh6 14.Qc1 Rg6 15.Rd1 Ng4 then:
• 16.Bxg4 hxg4 17.b3 cxb3 18.axb3 f6 19.Bg3 Kf7 20.Qe3 a6 21.Rd3 Kg8 22.Rad1 Qf7 23.Qe2 draw (Wang Hao-Predojevic, IT, Sarajevo, 2009).
• 16.Bg3 f5 17.f3 Ne3 18.Qxe3 f4 19.Bxf4 gxf4 20.Qxf4 0-0-0 21.Qh4 gives White an extra pawn (Iljin-Potkin, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• 13.Qc1 Rg8 14.Rd1 Bb4 15.Qe3 Qe7 16.h3 h4 17.Be5 a6 18.a4 Nd7 White have a better center and better pawn structure in compensation for the pawn (Wojtaszek-Kasimdzhanov, Bundesliga 0708, Godesberg, 2008).

12.Nxd7 Nxd7 13.Bd6 a6 14.a4

• 14.Re1 Bf8 15.Bg3 Bg7 16.Bd6 Bf8 17.Bg3 Bg7 18.Bd6 Bf8 draw (Potkin-Motylev, City Op, Moscow, 2008).

14...e5 15.Bg4

• If 15.d5 c5 16.b4 then:
• If 16...Qb6 17.bxc5 Nxc5 18.Bxc5 Qxc5 19.axb5 axb5 20.Rxa8+ Bxa8 21.Qa1 0-0 22.Qa5 Rb8 23.Rb1 Bf8 then:
• 24.Rxb5 Rxb5 25.Qxb5 Qxb5 26.Nxb5 Bb7 27.Bxc4 gives White an extra pawn (Gustafsson-Aronian, World Cup Rd 2, Khanty Mansiysk, 2007).
• If 24.Nxb5 f5 25.Qa6 Kh8 26.Nc3 Rxb1+ 27.Nxb1 Qb4 28.Qxa8 Qxb1+ 29.Bf1 Qb4 30.exf5 c3 then:
• 31.Qc8 e4 32.d6 Qxd6 33.Qxc3+ Bg7 gives White an extra pawn (Kramnik-Karajakin, Amber Blind, Nice, 2008).
• 31.Qc6 e4 32.h4 g4 33.g3 Qc5 is equal (Alekseev-Bareev, World Cup Rd 4, Khanty Mansiysk, 2007).
• 16...cxb4 17.Bxb4 a5 18.Bd6 b4 19.Nb5 Rc8 gives Black an extra pawn (Gustafsson-Rodshtein, World Cup Rd 1, Khanty Mansiysk, 2007).

15...exd4 16.e5 c5 17.Re1

• If 17.Bf3 then:
• 17...Nxe5!? 18.Bxb7 Qxd6 19.Bxa8 0-0 20.Ne4 is equal (Deep Junior-Deep Fritz, Computer Game, Elista, 2007).
• If 17...Ra7 18.Bxb7 Rxb7 19.Ne4 Nxe5 20.axb5 axb5 then:
• If 21.f4!? then:
• 21...gxf4? 22.Qh5! (White's pieces come alive and overwhelm the Black King) 22...Rb6 23.Bxe5 Qd5 24.Rxf4 Rg6 25.Nd6+ Rxd6 26.Rxf7 Bxe5 27.Rb7+ Kf8 28.Ra8+ Black resigns facing mate in two (Iljin-Nepomniachtchi, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• If 21...Nd3! then after 22.Nxc5 Nxc5 23.Bxc5 Qd5 24.Qe1+ Kd8 Black still has two extra pawns.
• 21.Re1 d3 22.Nxc5 Qxd6 23.Nxb7 Qb6 gives Black good winning chances.
• If 17...Bxf3? 18.Qxf3! Nxe5 19.Qd5 dxc3 20.Rfe1! cxb2 21.Rad1! (on paper Black has a huge material advantage, but White is dominate in the center) 21...b1Q 22.Rxb1 Rc8 23.axb5 axb5 24.Rbd1! Qd7 25.Rxe5+ Bxe5 26.Qxe5+ Qe6 27.Qxh8+ Kd7 28.Bxc5+ Kc6 29.Qd4 Re8 30.Bb4 Qe4 Black resigns without waiting for a reply (Kuljasevic-Zhao Jun, IT, University of Texas at Dallas, 2007).

17...Nxe5!? 18.Bxe5 0-0 19.Bxg7 Kxg7 20.Ne2 f5 21.Bh5 f4 22.Nxd4!?

• If 22.b4 cxb3 23.Qxb3 Qd5 24.Qh3 Bc8 then:
• 25.Qd3 Bf5 26.Qd2 Qd7 27.Rac1 Rac8 is equal (Radjabov-Anand, World Rpd Ch Match, Mainz, 2006).
• 25.Nc3 dxc3 26.Qxc3+ Qd4 27.Qf3 Ra7 leaves Balck two pawns to the good (Kramnik-Aronian, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2008).

22...cxd4

• Black is two pawns to the good.

23.Re6

• If 23.Bf3?! Rb8 24.axb5 axb5 25.Re6 Rf6 26.Rxf6 Bxf3 Black, with his advanced pawns, has good winning chances.

23...Bc8?!

• The critical pawn for Black to overprotect is the b-pawn so that when White initiates the exchange at at b5, the pawn is recatured by the Queen or the Bishop, keeping the a-pawn where it is and the a-file closed. The way to go about it is by no means obvious.
• Correct is 23...Rf6! then:
• If 24.Qe1 Bd5 25.Re7+ Kf8 then:
• 26.Re8+ Qxe8 27.Bxe8 Rxe8 28.Qb4+ Kf7 29.Qc5 Bc6! gives Black the material advantage with good winning chances.
• 26.Re5!? Bc6! 27.Re6 Bd7 28.Re5 Rc8 White still two extra pawns and good winning chances.
• 24.Re8 Qd7 25.Rxa8 Bxa8 26.axb5 Qxb5 maintains excellent two extra pawns for Black, who now has excellent winning prospects.

BLACK: Peter Leko
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WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after 23...Bb7c8

24.Rg6+!

• The King is forced to take refuge in the h-file (if 24...Kf7?? then Rd6+!! wins on the spot).

24...Kh7 25.axb5!

• There is nothing with which White can recapture except the a-pawn, opening the queenside for White's heavy pieces.

25...Rf6

• If 25...f3 26.Rc6 Bb7 27.Rxc4 then:
• 27...axb5 28.Rxa8 Bxa8 29.Rxd4 wins for White.
• 27...fxg2 28.bxa6 Rxa6 29.Rxa6 Bxa6 30.Rxd4 Qf6 31.Rd7+ gives White the advantage of the remote passer.

26.Rxf6 Qxf6 27.Qc2+ Bf5 28.Qxc4!

• The material is balanced for the first time since the opening; White has opened the c-file for use by his heavy pieces.

28...Rc8 29.Qd5 axb5

BLACK: Peter Leko
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WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after 29...ab5:p

30.h3!

• White denies the use of g4 to the Black Bishop and sets up an outpost for his own Bishop.
• 30.Qxb5!? g4 31.b4 d3 32.Rd1 Rd8 33.Qc4 Be6! gives Black the initiative.

30...Kh8 31.Qxb5

• White has the remote passer.

31...Rf8 32.Ra6 Qg7 33.Rd6 d3 34.Qb6

• If 34.Bf3 Kh7 then:
• 35.Qc6! Qe5 36.Bg4 d2 37.Bxf5+ Qxf5 38.Rxd2 leaves White a pawn to the good and hold a more aggressive position.
• If 35.Qb4 Qe5 36.Rd5 Qe8 37.Bh5 then:
• 37...Qc8 38.Re5 Kg8 39.Qb3+ Kg7 40.Qd5 wins for White.
• 37...Qxh5? 38.Qxf8! Be6 39.Rxd3 White wins easily.

34...Qe5?

• 34...Kh7 35.Bg4 Bg6 36.Be6 Re8 37.Qa5! Kh8 38.Bf5 leaves Black fighting uphill to save the game, but it's not an impossible fight.

BLACK: Peter Leko
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WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after 34...Qg7e5

35.Bg6!

• White will want to make use of some critical light squares, particularly g8 and h7, and it would be easier if the White Bishop were out of the way.

35...d2 36.Bxf5 Qxf5 37.Qd4+ Kh7 38.Qxd2

• Black's last best hope is gone.

38...Rf7 39.f3 h5 40.Rd5 Qg6

• 40...Qf6 41.Qd3+ Kg7 42.Kh2 h4 43.b4 the pawn advances and White wins.

41.Qa5 Rg7 42.h4 Qb1+ 43.Kh2 Qxb2 44.Rxg5 Rxg5 45.Qxg5 1-0

BLACK: Peter Leko
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WHITE: Vishy Anand
Final Position after 45.Qa5g5:R

• If 45...Qc1 then after 46.Qxh5+ Kg7 47.Qe5+ Kg8 48.h5 the pawn marches on and the rest is silence.
• Grandmaster Leko resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

3. World Junior Champioships, Puerto Madyn

Puerto Madryn, located on the Patagonia coast,
is the center of a healthy tourist industry based on whale watching
Photo: GetJealous.com

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Vachier Lagrave - Howell, Round 9

Maxime Vachier Lagrave
Photo: ChessBase.com


Maxime Vachier Lagrave - Dmitry Andreikin
48th World Junior Championships, Boys' Group, Round 9
Puerto Madryn, 30 October 2009

Spanish Petit Royal Game: Pogo Stick Defense

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nd4

• The Pogo Stick Defense, most commonly called Bird's Defense after the nineteenth century British master who originated so many eccentric openings, enjoys a spate of popularity now and then. It's not entirely sound here, but the same move, adapted by Rubinstein before World War I, drove the Spanish Four Knights Game (the usual move order is 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Nd4) into obsurity.

4.Nxd4 exd4 5.0-0 Bc5

• If 5...c6 6.Bc4 Nf6 then:
• If 7.Re1 d6 8.c3 (this is a key move for White in most variations of the Pogo Stick, although in the present contest M. Vachier Lagrave holds it back until well into the middle game) 8...Ng4 9.Qe2 dxc3 10.Nxc3 then:
• If 10...Qh4 11.h3 Ne5 12.d4 Nxc4 13.Qxc4 Be7 14.d5 Bd7 15.Qb3 Bc8 16.e5 then:
• If 16...0-0!? 17.exd6 Bxd6 18.Ne4! Be5 19.Bg5 Qh5 20.Be7 Re8 21.Bd6 then:
• 21...cxd5?? 22.Ng3! Black is doomed and resigns (Savon-Dzhumamuradov, Spartakiad, Moscow, 1979).
• 21...Qg6 22.Bxe5 Rxe5 23.Nc5 Rxe1+ 24.Rxe1 gives White a good game, but Black can continue.
• 16...dxe5 17.Rxe5 0-0 18.Re4 Qf6 19.Bf4 Bc5 20.Rae1 remains equal.
• 10...b5 11.Bb3 b4 12.Nd1 Qb6 13.d3 Qd4 14.Ba4 gives White a better center and more freedom.
• 7.d3 d5 8.exd5 Nxd5 9.Re1+ Be7 10.Qe2 Be6 11.Qe4 0-0 12.Qxd4 Bf6 13.Qe4 Qd7 14.Bxd5 Bxd5 15.Qf4 Rae8 draw (Noa-Alapin, German Chess Congress, Frankfurt, 1887).

6.Bc4

• If 6.d3 c6 then:
• If 7.Bc4 d5 8.exd5 cxd5 9.Bb5+ then:
• If 9...Bd7 10.Bxd7+ Qxd7 11.Nd2 Ne7 12.Nb3 Bb6 13.Bg5 f6 14.Bd2 a5 then:
• If 15.Qh5+ g6 16.Qf3 0-0 17.Rfe1 Nf5 18.a4 Nh4 19.Qg3 Nf5 then:
• 20.Qf4 Kg7 21.Nc1 Rac8 is equal (Ljubojevic-Salov, IT, Rotterdam, 1989).
• If 20.Qf3 Nh4 21.Qg3 g5!? 22.f4 h6 23.Re2 Rae8 24.Rae1 gives (Rhode-Christiansen, US Ch, Estes Park, 1986).
• 21...Nf5 22.Qg4 Rfc8 23.Rec1 Rc7 24.Ra3 gives White a small advantage owing to the pin at f5.
• 15.a4 0-0 16.Re1 Ng6 17.h3 gives White more freedom (Lanc-Tseshkovsky, Op, Tirnavia, 1986).
• 9...Kf8 10.c4 a6 11.Ba4 dxc4 12.dxc4 Be6 13.Qd3 Qc7 14.Nd2 Rd8 15.Bc2 is equal (Bolacky-Jirka, TMatch, Plzen-Poruba, 2005).
• If 7.Ba4 d6 then:
• If 8.Nd2 Ne7 then:
• 9.a3 a5 10.b4 Ba7 11.Bb3 0-0 12.Bb2 Be6 13.f4 c5 14.bxc5 Bxb3 15.cxb3 dxc5 16.a4 f5 17.Nc4 Bb8 18.Bc1 Bc7 is equal (Leko-Morozevich, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2004).
• 9.c3 Bb6 10.Qh5 dxc3 11.bxc3 0-0 12.d4 Be6 13.Nf3 f6 14.Bb3 gives White a small advantage in space (Bacrot-Morozevich, IT, Biel, 2004).
• 8.f4 f5 9.Bb3 Ne7 10.Nd2 Kd7 11.Kh1 Kc7 12.c3 Ng6 13.cxd4 Bxd4 14.Nf3 Bb6 15.Bd2 fxe4 16.dxe4 Bg4 gives White the advantage in space (Fressinet-Fontaine, French Ch, Chartres, 2005).

6...d6 7.d3 Qe7?

• Black's novelty is a bust.
• If 7...c6 8.c3 then:
• 8...Nf6 9.Bg5 Be6 10.Nd2 h6 11.Bh4 Qe7 12.a4 0-0-0 13.Bxe6+ fxe6 14.b4 dxc3 15.bxc5 cxd2 16.f4 dxc5 17.e5 Rxd3 18.exf6 gxf6 gives White the advantage in space and pawn structure while Black has four pawns for a Bishop (Kasparov-Gorelov, Baku, 1975).
• 8...Ne7 9.Bg5 0-0 10.Qh5 Be6 11.Bxe6 fxe6 12.Qg4 e5 13.Nd2 dxc3 14.bxc3 Rf7 15.Nf3 Qc8 16.Qxc8+ Rxc8 17.a4 is equal (Shabalov-Savchenko, IT, Belgrade, 1989).

8.f4 Nf6 9.f5 Nd7 10.Qh5

• White has a small advantage in space.

10...Ne5 11.Bg5 Qf8

• Black's position is becoming cramped.
• 11...Qd7!? 12.Bb3 h6 13.Nd2 0-0 14.Bh4 Qe8 15.Nf3 gives White a considerable advantage in space.

12.Nd2

• 12.Bb3 Bb4 13.Nd2 h6 14.Bf4 Qe7 15.a3 gives White better Bishops; Black's "good" Bishop is almost entombed.

12...Kd7

• Due to his cramped position in an open game, Black has given up on castling and tries to run his King to the queenside.
• 12...c6 13.Bb3 a5 14.a4 g6 15.Qh4 gives White excellent winning chances.

BLACK: David Howell
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WHITE: Maxime Vachier Lagrave
Position after 12...Ke8d7

13.Be6+!

• The text has more sting than 13.f6! g6 14.Qe2 Kd8 15.Bf4 Nxc4 16.Nxc4.

13...Kc6

• 13...fxe6?? loses immediately to 14.fxe6+!.

14.Bd5+ Kd7

• 14...Kb6? 15.Rab1 Bb4 16.c3 g6 17.Qd1 c6 18.Bc4 gives White a winning position.

15.Be6+ Kc6

• As bad as it looks, it's Black's bet shot.

16.Bd5+ Kd7 17.f6!

• 17.Be6+?! draws by repetition.

17...g6 18.Qh3+ Kd8 19.Qg3 c6

• 19...h6 20.Bf4 c6 21.Bb3 Ng4 22.Nc4 Kc7 23.e5 gives White a winning position.

20.Bb3 Kc7 21.Bf4 Qe8

• If 21...Ng4 22.Nc4 Be6 23.Nxd6 Bxd6 24.Bxe6 then:
• 24...Nxh2 25.Qxh2 fxe6 26.c3 dxc3 27.Bxd6+ Qxd6 28.bxc3 wins for White after the exchange of Queens.
• 24...fxe6 25.Qxg4 e5 26.Bg3 Qf7 27.c3 dxc3 28.bxc3 gives White a winning position.

22.Bxe5 Qxe5 23.Qxe5 dxe5 24.Nf3 Bd6 25.Ng5 Be6

• 25...a5 26.a4 b6 27.Nxf7 Rf8 28.c3 leaves White a pawn to the good.

26.Nxe6+ fxe6 27.Bxe6 a5 28.a4 Bf8

• 28...Bb4 29.Kf2 Rhf8 30.Ke2 Rad8 31.Bc4 leaves White a pawn to the good.

29.Rf3 Kd6

• Black is busted. He cannot attack anything of White's that does not retreat to a safe square.

BLACK: David Howell
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WHITE: Maxime Vachier Lagrave
Position after 29...Kc7d6

30.Bb3 Kc5

• If 30...Bh6 31.Kf2 Be3+ 32.Ke2 Rhf8 33.Bc4 then:
• 33...Rab8 34.g3 Bg5 35.f7 b5 36.Bb3 h5 37.axb5 leaves White a pawn to the good.
• 33...Bf4 34.g3 Be3 35.Rd1 b5 36.Bb3 bxa4 37.Bxa4 leaves White a pawn to the good.

31.c3 Bh6

• 31...Rd8 32.Kf2 Bh6 33.Ke2 Rhf8 34.h4 gives the Bishop at h6 nowhere to go.

32.cxd4+ Kxd4 33.Kf1 Ra6

• If 33...Rhf8 34.Ke2 Ra6 35.Bc4 then:
• 35...Rb6 36.b3 Rb4 37.h4 b5 38.axb5 cxb5 39.Rxa5!! wins like the text.
• 35...Raa8 36.f7 Bg5 37.Ra3 Kc5 38.g3 Be7 39.Rf1 gives White an extra pawn and it's making a nuisance of itself at f7.

34.Bc4 Rb6 35.b3 Rb4

• If 35...Rf8 then:
• 36.f7 Bg5 37.Ra2 Be7 38.Ke2 Rb4 39.Rc2 leaves White a pawn to the good.
• 36.Ke2 Rb4 37.h4 transposes into the previous note.

36.Ke2 b5 37.axb5 cxb5

BLACK: David Howell
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WHITE: Maxime Vachier Lagrave
Position after 37...cb5:p

38.Rxa5!!

• White will have three pawns for the Bishop. Winning will a matter of advancing the pawns beyond a point where the Rook can stop them. The endgame rule which lets us know White is winning is that which states that two connected passed pawn with one on the seventh and the other on the sixth rank beat a Rook. First, White will drive the Black King away from the center, then he will capture the pawns in front of his candidate pawns, then he will advance his pawns to the sixth and seventh ranks..

38...bxc4 39.Rd5+!

• Black has only one legal move.

39...Kc3 40.dxc4+!

• Black must again move his King toward the rim of the board.

40...Kc2 41.Rxe5!

• White has eleiminated Black's blockading pawns and is assured of continuing with two connected advanced passers.

41...Rxb3 42.Rxb3 Kxb3 43.Kd3 Rf8

• If 43...Ka4 44.Kc3 Bf4 45.Re6 then:
• 45...Bc7 46.Ra6+ Ba5+ 47.Kd4 then:
• 47...Kb4 48.e5 Rd8+ 49.Ke4 Rf8 50.Kd5 Bc7 51.Rc6 Black cannot stop the connected passers.
• 47...Rf8 48.e5 Kb4 49.Rc6 Kb3 50.Kd5 Bb4 51.c5 the connected passers win.
• 45...Ka5 46.g3 Bc7 47.e5 Rd8 48.f7 wins for White.

BLACK: David Howell
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WHITE: Maxime Vachier Lagrave
Position after 43...Rh8f8

44.Rb5+!

• White drives the Black King even further from the center. It's entirely up to the Rook and Bishop to stop White's pawns.

44...Ka4 45.e5 Bf4

• 45...Rf7 46.Kd4 Bf4 47.g3 Bg5 48.Rb6 Rd7+ 49.Ke4 wins for White.

46.Ke4 Bxh2

• 46...Bxe5 47.Kxe5 Re8+ 48.Kd6 Rf8 49.Ke7 assures that the pawn will queen.

47.Rb7 h5 48.f7 1-0

• If 48...Bg1 then 49.e6 Bc5 50.Rc7 Kb4 51.Rxc5 is an easy win for White.
• Young Mr. Howell resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Paulet - Soumya, Round 10

Swaminathan Soumya
Photo: Chess-Mate.com


Iosefina Paulet - Swaminathan Soumya
48th World Junior Championships, Girls' Group, Round 10
Puerto Madryn, 31 October 2009

Closed French Game: Advance Opening

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Bb3 b5 8.Bg5

• If 8.0-0 Be7 then:
• If 9.Qf3 then:
• If 9...Qb6 10.Be3 Qb7 11.Qg3 then:
• 11...Nbd7 12.f3 0-0 13.Nd5 Bd8 14.Nxf6+ Bxf6 15.c3 Qb8 16.Rad1 is equal (Blomqvist-Levin, EU ChU18, Herceg Novi, 2008).
• If 11...b4 12.Na4 Nbd7 13.f3 0-0 then:
• 14.Rfd1 Ne5 15.Nb6 Nh5 16.Qh3 Nf4 17.Bxf4 Qxb6 18.Be3 gives White the advantage in space (Votava-Robli, BUndesliga 0708, Germany, 2008).
• 14.Rad1 Kh8 15.Ne2 a5 16.c4 bxc3 17.Nexc3 Qb8 18.Rf2 Ba6 19.Qh3 Ne5 20.Bd4 Nc6 21.Be3 Ne5 22.Bd4 Nc6 23.Be3 Ne5 24.Bd4 draw (Gelfand-Mitkov, Ol, Moscow, 1994).
• 11...0-0 12.Bh6 Ne8 13.Rad1 Bd7 14.Rfe1 Kh8 15.Bg5 Bxg5 16.Qxg5 Nc6 17.Nxc6 Bxc6 18.f3 is equal (Gong Qianyun-Tan Zongyi, ZT, Hei Bei, 2001).
• If 9.f4 0-0 10.e5 dxe5 11.fxe5 Nfd7 then:
• 12.Be3 Nxe5 13.Qh5 Nbc6 14.Nxc6 Nxc6 15.Rf3 Qd6 16.Rh3 h6 17.Rg3 Qe5 18.Qf3 Bc5 19.Bxc5 Qxc5+ 20.Kh1 f5 21.Re1 Ra7 22.Qf4 Kh8 23.Bxe6 Re7 24.Rg6 Nd4 White resigns in the face of great material loss (Kulaots-Nisipeanu, World ChU20, Medellin, 1996).
• If 12.Qh5 then:
• 12...Bc5 13.Be3 Bxd4 14.Bxd4 Nc6 15.Rad1 Nxd4 16.Rxd4 Qb6 17.Rff4 Qc5 18.Nd5 exd5 19.c3 Qe7 20.Rh4 Nf6 21.Qg5 Re8 White resigns (Damaso-Ribli, EU Cup, Clchy, 1996).
• 12...Nc6 13.Nxc6 Qb6+ 14.Kh1 Qxc6 15.Bf4 Bb7 16.Rf3 Nc5 17.Rg1 Ne4 18.Qg4 Kh8 19.Re1 Rad8 20.Nxe4 Qxe4 is equal (van Riemsdijk-Youngsworth, Op, Lone Pine, 1977).
• If 9...Qc7 10.Qg3 then:
• If 10...0-0 11.Bh6 Ne8 12.Rad1 Bd7 then:
• 13.f4 Nc6 14.Nxc6 Bxc6 15.f5 Kh8 16.f6 Bxf6 17.Rxf6 b4 18.Ne2 gxh6 19.Qf4!! Nxf6 20.Qxf6+ Kg8 21.Rd4 Bb5 22.Ng3 Qd8 23.Qxh6 gives White a formidable kingside attack (Kosebay-Traeger, Corres, 1999).
• 13.Nf3 Nc6 14.Bf4 Qb7 15.Rfe1 b4 16.Ne2 e5 17.Bg5 Be6 18.Nh4 Na5 19.Bd5 Bxd5 20.Bxe7 Bxe4 21.Bxf8 Kxf8 22.Rc1 gives White a material edge and Black a spatial one (Lanc-Tiemann, Corres, 2001).
• 10...Nc6 11.Nxc6 Qxc6 12.Re1 Bb7 13.a3 Rd8 14.f3 0-0 15.Bh6 Ne8 16.Rad1 Kh8 17.Bg5 Bxg5 18.Qxg5 Nf6 19.Kh1 Rd7 is equal (Short-Kasparov, World Ch Match, London, 1993).

8...Be7 9.Qf3 Qb6

• If 9...Qc7 10.0-0-0 Nbd7 then:
• 11.Rhe1 0-0 12.Qh3 Nc5 13.f4 b4 14.e5 dxe5 15.fxe5 bxc3 16.exf6 Nxb3+ 17.Nxb3 Bxf6 18.Bxf6 Qf4+ gives Black an extra pawn (Timmerman-Soltau, Corres, 1986).
• 11.e5 Bb7 12.Qg3 Nxe5 13.Bxe6 fxe6 14.f4 Kf7 15.fxe5 dxe5 16.Nxe6 Kxe6 17.Qh3+ Kf7 18.Bxf6 gxf6 19.Rd7 Qc6 20.Rhd1 Rad8 21.Qh5+ Ke6 22.Qh3+ Kf7 23.Qh5+ Ke6 draw (Nisipeanu-Karjakin, IT, Foros, 2006).

10.0-0-0

• 10.0-0 0-0 11.Rad1 Nbd7 12.Qg3 Kh8 13.Rfe1 Bb7 14.Be3 Qa5 15.Bd5 Nxd5 16.exd5 gives White the advantage in space (Hamdouchi-Domínguez, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2004).

10...Nbd7 11.Rhe1

• 11.Be3 Qb7 12.Qg3 b4 13.Nd5 exd5 14.Nf5 Ne5 15.Nxd6+ Bxd6 16.Qxg7 Ng6 17.Qxf6 Qe7 gives Black a material advantage and White the initiative (Müller-Lutz, German Ch, Gladenbach, 1997).

11...0-0 12.Qg3 Nc5 13.Bh6 Ne8 14.Bg5!?

• 14.Bd5 Bb7 15.Nf5 Bf6 16.Bxb7 Nxb7 17.Nd5 exd5 18.exd5 Kh8 19.Rxe8 gxh6 20.Rxa8 Rxa8 21.Nxh6 Rf8 gives Black a piece for two pawns (Ahiven-Adelberg, World Youth, Vung Tau, 2008).

14...Bxg5+ 15.Qxg5 Bd7 16.Re3 b4 17.Nce2 Qa5

• 17...e5 18.Nf5 Nxb3+ 19.axb3 Bxf5 20.Qxf5 Qc6 leaves Black in better position to maneuver against White's weaknesses.

18.Qh4 Nxb3+ 19.Nxb3 Qxa2 20.Rh3!?

• 20.e5 a5 21.exd6 Rc8 22.Qd4 Nf6 is equal.

20...h6

• This is the simplest retort.

21.Ng3?

• This should lose. Instead, White could have balanced Black's aggression against her King position by making some aggressive gestures of her own in Black's camp.
• If 21.Qe7 Bb5 22.Ned4 Ba4 23.Re1 a5 then:
• 24.f4 Bxb3 25.Rxb3 a4 26.Rxb4 a3 27.Kd2 axb2 leaves Black better and White capable of fighting back.
24.Rg3? Bxb3 25.Rxb3 Nf6! 26.Kd1 Rfe8 27.Qb7 Rab8 wins for Black.

BLACK: Swaminathan Soumya
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WHITE: Iosefia Paulet
Position after 21.Ne2g3

21...f6

• Stronger is 21...Rc8! 22.Nh5 Ba4 23.Rdd3 Bxb3 24.Rxb3 Qa1+ giving White a won position.

22.Nh5

• 22.Qg4 Rc8 23.Rd3 a5 24.Rxh6 a4 25.Nd4 a3 gives birth to an advanced passer for Black.

22...Rf7 23.e5 fxe5 24.Rdd3 Rc8 25.Nxg7
<[br />BLACK: Swaminathan Soumya
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WHITE: Iosefia Paulet
Position after 25.Nh5g7:p

25...e4!

• Black by now is clearly winning.
• If 25...Rxg7? throws away the win to 26.Qxh6 when:
• 26...e4 27.Qh8+ Kf7 28.Rdg3 Rxc2+ 29.Kxc2 is equal.
• 26...Rc4? 27.Rdg3! Kf7 28.Rxg7+ Nxg7 29.Rg3 wins two pieces for White.

26.Rdf3 exf3 27.Nxe8 Bxe8

• Black is up by better than a Rook.

28.Qg4+ Kf8 29.Qxe6

• 29.Qxb4 Rc6 30.gxf3 Rfc7 31.Nd4 a5 32.Qa3 Qc4 wins for White.

29...fxg2!

• Black creates an obvious threat.

30.Qxd6+ Kg8 31.Rg3+

• 31.Qg6+ Rg7 32.Qe6+ Bf7 33.Qxc8+ Kh7 34.Qf5+ Bg6 leaves Black with a won position; White cannot put up too much more resistance.

31...Rg7 32.Qd5+ Kh7 33.Qf5+ Bg6!?

• While this looks best, it's far from it.
• If 33...Rg6! 34.Rxg6 Rxc2+!! 35.Qxc2 Qb1+ then:
• If 36.Kxb1 then after 36...Bxg6 the g-pawn queens.
• If 36.Qxb1 then after 36...Bxg6 37.Qxg6+ Kxg6 the g-pawn queens.

BLACK: Swaminathan Soumya
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WHITE: Iosefia Paulet
Position after 33...Be8g6

34.Qxc8!

• White gets back the Rook with equality.

34...Qa4

• 34...a5 35.Rxg2 a4 36.Rxg6 Rxg6 37.Qd7+ Kh8 38.Qd8+ is equal.

35.Rxg2!

• The game is equal.

35...Qb5 36.Rg1

• Black was threatening 36...Qf1+! winning.

36...Qe5 37.Qg4 h5

• 37...Qxh2 38.Qg3 Qxg3 39.fxg3 Rf7 40.Re1 reamins equal.

38.Qg3 Qe4 39.Qd3 Qe5 40.Qe3 Qxh2 41.Rg5?

• White seeks to activate her Rook, thinking a pawn sacrifice is a reasonable price.
• 41.Qg3 Qxg3 42.fxg3 Rf7 43.Nd4 Rf2 44.g4 Kh6 remains equal.

BLACK: Swaminathan Soumya
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WHITE: Iosefina Paulet
Position after 41.Rg1g5

41...Rf7!

• Black wins a pawn at the very least and will sonn have her heavy pieces dancing about the White King.

42.Kb1 Qxf2 43.Qc5

• If 43.Qxf2 then after 43...Rxf2 44.Rc5 Kh6 45.Rc4 Kg5 46.Rxb4 h4 there's no way for White to stop the pawn.

43...Qxc5 44.Nxc5 Rf5

• Also good is 44...Rf1+ 45.Ka2 Kh6 46.Rg2 Bf7+ 47.b3 a5.

45.Rxf5 Bxf5

• In addition to recapturing the Rook, the Bishop prevents the Knight from approaching the h-pawn.

46.Nb3 h4 47.Nd4 Bg4 0-1

• The h-pawn cannot be stopped.
• D-na Paulet resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

11. Kiran - D. Cori, Round 8

Deysi Cori Tello
Photo: ChessBase.com


Manisha Kiran - Deysi Cori
48th World Junior Championships, Girls' Group, Round 8
Puerto Madryn, 30 October 2009

Closed French Game: Nimzovich Defense (Winawer Defense)

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 Ne7 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.a4

• For alternatives to this move, see Pähtz-Cioara, Bundesliga 0910, Eppingen, 2009.

7...Qc7

• If 7...Qa5 8.Bd2 Nbc6 9.Nf3 Bd7 then:
• If 10.Bb5 Qc7 11.0-0 0-0 12.Re1 then:
• If 12...b6 13.Bd3 h6 14.Qc1 c4 then:
• If 15.Bf1 f6 16.g3 then:
• If 16...fxe5 17.Nxe5 Nxe5 18.Rxe5 Nc6 19.Re3 e5 20.Bg2 then:
• If 20...exd4!? then:
• If 21.Bxd5+! Kh8 22.cxd4 Qd6 23.Bg2 then:
• 23...Qxd4? 24.Bc3! Qc5 25.Re7 Nd4 26.Qe3 Black resigns (Suetin-Kummerow, Op, Biel, 1996).
• 23...Qf6 24.Qf1 Qxd4 25.Bc3 Qc5 26.Rd1 keeps Black in the game, although the battle is now uphill.
• 21.cxd4 Rf5 22.Qb2 Raf8 remains equal.
• 20...e4 21.f3 exf3 22.Rxf3 is equal.
• 16...Ng6 17.Bg2 f5 18.Bxh6 gxh6 19.Qxh6 Be8 20.Ng5 Qd7 21.h4 Nd8 22.h5 Nh8 gives Black a piece for two pawns and White the advantage in space (Rogers-Nogueiras. Op, Szirak, 1986).
• If 15.Be2 f6 16.Bf4 Ng6 17.Bg3 f5 18.h4 f4 19.Bh2 Rf5 20.g4 fxg3 21.fxg3 Raf8 22.Rf1 Be8 23.Qe3 Qd8 24.Rf2 then:
• 24...Nce7!? 25.Bf1 R5f7 26.Bh3 Nf5 27.Qe2 a5 draw (Dr. Nunn-Dolmatov, Op, Pardubice, 1993).
• 24...R5f7 25.h5 Nge7 26.g4 Qc7 maintains Black's diminishing advantage.
• 12...f6 13.exf6 gxf6 14.Bh6 Rf7 15.Qd2 Re8 16.c4 cxd4 17.cxd5 Nxd5 18.Nxd4 Nxd4 19.Qxd4 gives White a slight initiative (Arakhamia-Quillan, Op, Gibraltar, 2009).
• If 10.Be2 c4 11.0-0 f6 then:
• If 12.exf6 gxf6 13.Nh4 0-0-0 then:
• If 14.Bh5 Rhg8 15.g3 then:
• 15...Ng6 16.Ng2 Nce7 17.Re1 Nf5 18.Bg4 Rde8 19.Bxf5 exf5 20.Rxe8+ Rxe8 is equal (Bannik-Ivkov, TMatch, Rijeka, 1963).
• 15...e5 16.f4 e4 17.f5 Kb8 18.Qe1 Ka8 19.Bh6 Be8 20.Bxe8 Rdxe8 gives Black a more active game (Becker-Uhlmann, Halle, 1982).
• 14.f4 Rhg8 15.Kh1 Ng6 16.Be1 Nxh4 17.Bxh4 Rdf8 18.Rf3 Ne7 19.Bf2 Rg7 20.Qe1 draw (Ivanovic-Jacimovic, IT, Skopie, 1991).
• 12.Re1 fxe5 13.dxe5 0-0 14.Bf1 Ng6 15.g3 h6 16.h4 Rf7 17.h5 Raf8 gives Black the more active game (Ciocaltea-Uhlmann, IT, Zinnowitz, 1966).

8.Nf3 Nbc6

• If 8...b6 9.Bb5+ Bd7 then:
• If 10.Bd3 Nbc6 11.0-0 h6 12.Re1 0-0 then:
• If 13.Ba3 Na5 14.dxc5 bxc5 15.Nd2 Bxa4 16.Qg4 Bd7 17.Nf3 Nb7 18.Bc1 f5 19.exf6 Rxf6 20.c4 then:
• 20...Nc6 21.cxd5 exd5 22.Qh5 Be6 23.Bg5 Bf7 24.Qh4 Rxf3 25.Bxh6 gxh6 26.Qg4+ Kf8 27.Qxf3 Qd6 28.Ra6 c4 draw (Kosenkov-Sloth, Corres, 1975).
• 20...dxc4 21.Qxc4 Nd6 22.Bf4 Nd5 23.Bxd6 Qxd6 24.Qe4 keaves White fully compensated and then some for the pawn minus (McDonald-Whiteley, IMT, London, 1994).
• 13.Bf4 Ng6 14.Bg3 cxd4 15.Nxd4 Na5 16.h4 Qxc3 17.Ne2 Qc7 18.Bxg6 fxg6 19.Nf4 Qc4 gives Black an extra pawn (Timman-Keene, IT, Orense, 1976).
• If 10.0-0 Bxb5 11.axb5 a5 12.Ng5 h6 13.Nh3 Nd7 14.Nf4 then:
• 14...0-0 15.Nh5 Kh8 16.Qg4 Rg8 17.Qh3 Nf8 18.Qf3 Neg6 19.Ba3 Nh7 is equal (Ivkov-R. Byrne, ITZ, Sousse, 1967).
• 14...cxd4 15.cxd4 Qc4 16.Ba3 Nf5 gives Black the more active game (Stein-R.Byrne, ITZ, Sousse, 1967).

9.Bd3 b6

• If 9...Bd7 10.0-0 c4 11.Be2 f6 12.Re1 then:
• If 12...0-0-0 13.Ba3 Nf5 14.Bf1 h5 15.h4 Nh6 16.a5 Nf7 is equal (Haugli-Bjork, IT, Hallsberg, 1975).
• 12...Ng6 13.Ba3 fxe5 14.dxe5 Ncxe5 15.Nxe5 Nxe5 16.Qd4 Ng6 is equal (Fischer-Larsen, Candidates' ¼-final Match, Denver, 1971).

10.0-0 h6 11.Ba3 Na5

• 11...c4 12.Be2 Bb7 13.Re1 0-0-0 14.Bf1 Qd7 15.g3 Rde8 16.Nh4 Kb8 17.f4 Bc8 18.Bh3 g6 19.Rf1 Reg8 20.Bg2 a5 21.Qe1 Ka7 22.g4 draw (Mecking-Bronstein, IT, Petropolis, 1973).

12.Re1 Bd7 13.Nd2!?

• 13.Qd2 Bxa4 14.Bxc5 bxc5 15.Rxa4 c4 16.Bf1 is equal (Mok Tze Meng-Petrik, Ol, Dresden, 2008).

13...Bxa4!

• Black has an extra pawn.

14.c4 dxc4 15.Bxc4 0-0 16.Bd3 Rfd8 17.dxc5?

• With every reason (loss of material, behind in space) to want to keep the center closed, White opens up.
• 17.Bxc5 bxc5 18.Rxa4 cxd4 19.Qa1 Nac6 maintains Black's extra pawn.

BLACK: Deysi Cori
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WHITE: Manisha Kiran
Position after 17.dc5:p

17...Rxd3!

• The Rook is safe courtesy of the pin at c2.

18.cxb6 axb6 19.Bd6 Qxc2 20.Rxa4

• 20.Qxc2 proves fatal after 20...Bxc2 21.Bxe7 Rxd2 22.Ra2 Rc8 when Black wins.

20...Qxd1 21.Rxd1 Nd5

• 21...Nf5 22.Ra3 Rd4 23.Bc7 Rc8 24.Rxa5 bxa5 leaves Black up by an exchange.

22.Kf1 Rc8 23.Ke2 Rdc3 24.Ke1

• 24.Rda1 f6 25.Kd1 R3c6 26.Rg4 Kf7 27.Rd4 Rc2 leaves Black up by a pawn with an aggressive position.

24...Rc2 25.Raa1 Nf4 26.Kf1

• White has no useful move.
• 26.Kf1 protects the pawn at the expense of the Knight.

BLACK: Deysi Cori
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WHITE: Manisha Kiran
Position after 26.Ke1f1

26...Nd5

• The text is good, but even better is 26...Nc4.
• If 26...Nc4! 27.Nxc4 R8xc4 then:
• If 28.Rab1 Nd5 29.Re1 Rc6 30.Ba3 Ra2 then:
• 31.Ra1 Rxa1 32.Rxa1 Rc2 keeps White a passed pawn to the good.
• 31.Rec1 Rc3 32.Bd6 Rxc1+ 33.Rxc1 Kh7 Black's passer is almost ready to roll.
• If 28.Ra8+ then 28...Kh7 29.Rb8 Rd4! wins immediately.

27.Ke1 Kh7 28.g3 R8c3 29.Ra3

• White can put up a more stubborn defense after 29.Nb1 Rc4 30.Na3 Re4+ 31.Kf1 Rb2 32.Rab1 Ree2.

29...Rc8 30.Raa1 Kg6 31.Rdb1

• 31.h4 h5 32.Rdb1 f6 33.Nf3 R8c4 34.Kf1 Nc6 gives Black a winning position.

31...R8c3 32.Ra3

• 32.Kd1 Nc4 33.Ne4 Nb2+ 34.Rxb2 Rxb2 wins the exchange.

32...Rxd2 33.Rxc3 Re2+!

• Also good is 33...Nxc3 34.Kxd2 Nxb1+ 35.Kc2 Nc4 36.Kxb1 Kf5, winning Black's e-pawn.

34.Kxe2 Nxc3+ 35.Kd2 Nxb1+ 36.Kc2

BLACK: Deysi Cori
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Manisha Kiran
Position after 36.Kd2c2

36...f6!!

• White could resign here, but instead allows la señorita Cori to bring the game to a sparkling finish.

37.exf6 Nd2 38.fxg7 Kxg7 39.Be5+ Kg6 40.Kxd2 Nc4+ 0-1

• Black wins the Bishop.
• Kiran Shahibah resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Bonus Game: Tal - Furman, 40th Soviet Championship, Baku, 1972

Mikhail Tal
Photo: ChessGraphics


Mikhail Tal - Semyon Furman
40th Soviet Championship, Round 14
Baku, December 1972

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Breyer Defense

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Nb8 10.d3!?

• 10.d4 is usually played and is much more aggressive. See Kosteniuk-Lahno, Euro ChT, Novi Sad, 2009.

10...Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Nf1 Nc5 13.Bc2 Re8 14.Ne3

• If 14.Ng3 Bf8 15.b4 Ncd7 16.d4 then:
• If 16...g6 then:
• 17.Bg5 h6 18.Bd2 Bg7 19.Qc1 Kh7 remains equal (Kuzmin-Furman, Soviet Ch, Tallinn, 1965).
• If 17.a4 Bg7 18.Bd3 c6 then:
• 19.Be3 exd4 20.cxd4 Nb6 21.a5 gives White the advantage in space (Bogatyrchuk-Toro Solís de Ovando, Corres, 1977).
• 19.Bg5 h6 20.Be3 Qc7 21.Rc1 Rad8 22.Qd2 Kh7 23.Qa2 Re7 is equal (Karpov-Lengyel, IT, Budapest, 1973).
• 16...a5 17.a3 axb4 18.cxb4 exd4 19.Nxd4 d5 20.Bg5 c5 21.e5 Rxe5 22.Rxe5 Nxe5 23.bxc5 h6 is equal (Ivkov-Lengyel, IT, Amsterdam, 1964).

14...Bf8 15.b4 Ne6!?

• If 15...Ncd7 16.Bb3 h6 then:
• If 17.c4 c5 18.a3 cxb4 19.axb4 bxc4 20.Bxc4 d5 21.Nxd5 Nxd5 22.exd5 Bxb4 gives Black the initiative, a remote passer that may become a big factor later and fewer pawn weaknesses (Matanovic-Hennings, IT, Helsinki, 1972).
• If 17.g4 d5 18.exd5 then:
• 18...Nxd5? 19.Nxd5 a5 20.bxa5 Nc5 21.c4 bxc4 22.dxc4 White is winning (Vasiukov-Razuvaev, Soviet Ch ½-Final, Tbilisi, 1973).
• 18...a5 19.bxa5 Rxa5 20.Bd2 e4 21.dxe4 Nxe4 22.Bc2 Ndf6 gives White an extra pawn and Black more space.

16.c4

• The game is equal.

16...g6 17.Bb2 Bg7 18.a4 bxc4 19.Nxc4 Nf4

• 19...Rb8 20.Qd2 Qe7 21.b5 Nh5 22.d4 remains equal.

20.Bb3 N6h5

• If 20...Rb8 21.Rc1 Ba8 22.Bc3 then:
• 22...Nd7 23.a5 d5 24.exd5 Bxd5 25.Ba4 remains equal.
• 22...Qe7 23.Qc2 Ne6 24.Rb1 remains equal.

21.Ne3 Rb8 22.Bc4 Bc8 23.Qb3

• 23.Bc3 c6 24.d4 exd4 25.Nxd4 Qd7 26.Qc2 d5 remains equal.

23...Qf6 24.Nd5

• White is aiming for the (unsound) pawn sacrifice to follow.
• 24.Nh2 c6 25.Nhg4 Qe7 26.Nc2 Qb7 27.d4 remains equal.

24...Nxd5
BLACK: Semyon Furman
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WHITE: Mikhail Tal
Position after 24...Nf4d5:N

25.Bxd5!?

• The sacrifice of the pawn is purely speculative.
<;i>25.exd5 Nf4 26.Re3 Bb7 27.Rae1 Qf5 remains equal.

25...Bxh3

• Black accepts the proffered pawn.

26.d4

• 26.gxh3?! Qxf3 27.Re3 Qf6 28.Bc6 Re7 Black remains a oawn to the good.

26...Bg4 27.Rac1 Nf4 28.dxe5

• 28.Bc6 Re7 29.dxe5 dxe5 30.b5 axb5 31.axb5 Rd8 Black remains a pawn to the good.

28...dxe5 29.Rc6 Qe7 Bxe5!?

• O, that wicked, wicked wizard from Riga. His magic spells work yet again.
• 30...Nxd5! 31.exd5 Rxb4 32.Qe3 Bf5 33.Bc3 Re4 leaves White's to play his best reply 34.Qxe4 when:
• After 34...Bxe4 35.Rxe4 f5 Black wins.
• On the other hand, if 34...f6? then after 35.Qc4 fxe5 36.d6+ Qf7 37.Qxf7+ Kxf7 38.Rxc7+ White is a Rook to the good and wins.

31.Bxe5!

• The game is again equal.

31...Qxe5?

• Mikhail Nekhemievich, like Dr. Lasker, was a practical player. If a sacrifice leads to complications that confound his opponent, it's a good move regardless of whether or not it is objectively sound.
• Seyon Abramovich is clearly confound. 30...Bxe5 distracted him from the danger posed by White's Queen and Bishop lined up against the f-pawn.
• 31...Nxd5! 32.exd5 Rxb4 33.Qc3 Rxa4 34.Rxc7 remains equal.

BLACK: Semyon Furman
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Mikhail Tal
Position after 31...Qe7e5:B

32.Bxf7+!!

• Any other move loses.
• If 32.Bc4? then after 32...Qe7 33.b5 axb5 34.axb5 Rb6 35.e5 Rxc6 Black wins easily.

32...Kf8 33.Bxe8 Rxe8 34.Qe3 Re7 35.Rxa6!

• White has the remote passed pawn. His winning plan is simple enough: push it.

35...Kg7 36.Ra5 Qf6 37.Rc5 g5
BLACK: Semyon Furman
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Mikhail Tal
Position after 37...g6g5

38.a5!

• The passed pawn expands with no defenders about to challenge it.

38...h6 39.b5 Rd7 40.e5 Qe6 41.a6! 1-0

• If 41...c6 then after 42.Qa3 Qf7 43.Qc3 Rd3 44.e6+ Black is toast.
• Semyon Abramovich resigns.