The JR Chess Report (November 22): World Cup Underway in Khanty Mansiysk

[Jack Rabbit]

Third World Cup Begins in Khanty Mansiysk



The World Cup, a knock-out tournament of 128 players to determine a place in the world championship cycle, began yesterday in Khanty Mansiysk in the Siberian oil fields of central Russia.

The World Cup is semi-annual. The winner of the last tournament, held in Khanty Mansiysk in 2007, is the Ruso-American grandmaster Gata Kamsky. The top seed in this cycle's World Cup is Belarus-Israeli grandmaster Boris Gelfand.

A knock out tournament usually begins with a number of players that is a power of two (128 = 2^7) with half the remaining field being knocked out in each successive round. Think of it as the NCAA Basketball Tournament of chess. Each round consists of two regulation games and a set of rapid and blitz tie break games if the two regulation games fail to produce a winner. Each round is played over three days.

After the two regulations games in round one, the biggest surprise is young Yu Yangyi of China, who beifly held the lead in the middle rounds of the recent World Junior Championships in Puerto Madryn, Argentina, upset Slovakian GM Sergei Movsesian by a score of 1½-½. Movsesian's Elo rating is nearly 200 points higher than Yu's.

Otherwise in the first round, GM Leinier Domínguez of Cuba, the highest rated player in the western hemishpere, has been forced into a tie break round against Australia's David Smerdon. The tie breaks for round one take place tomorrow.

The games are covered live on the official website beginning at 3 pm local time (GMT+5), which works out to 2 am PST. I'll be content to check out the results in the morning.




2009 World Youth Chess Championship Concludes



The World Youth Chess championship concluded this morning in Anatalya on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey.

The Boys' 17- & 18-year-old group was won by ratings favorite IM Maxim Matlakov of Russia with 9 points out of 11 rounds followed closely by Spanish GM Ivan Salgado with 8½

Russian WGM Olga Girya won the Girls' 17- & 18-year-old group by tie break points over Georgian WIM Keti Tsatsalashvili. Both young ladies scored 8½ points.

Two IMs from India, S. P. Sethuraman amd Santosh Gujrathi Vidit scored 9 points each in the Boys' 15- & 16-year-old group with Sethuraman gaining forst on tie break.

Peruvian WIM Deysi Cori Tello, who won the silver medal at the World Junior Championships in Puerto Madryn last month, ran away with the 15- & 16-year-old girls group with 10 points out of 11 games. Watch this young lady. She plays a very lively, aggressive game.

Jorge Cori Tello, Deysi's kid brother who at 14 years and 3 months is currently the world's youngest grandmaster, made it a family affair by taking the Boys' 13- & 14-year-old title with 9 points.



Los Hermanos Cori Tello of Peru, Jorge and Deysi,
posing with a tournament official in Argentina last August
Photo: Ajedrez Martelli


Bundesliga Standings and Results: Rounds 3 & 4 and Part of Round 7, November 13-15



................+ . - . = .Pts
Bremen ........ 4 . 0 . 1 .. 9
Wattenscheid... 4 . 1 . 0 .. 8
Emsdetten ..... 4 . 1 . 0 .. 8
Baden-Baden ... 4 . 0 . 0 .. 8
Hamburg ....... 3 . 1 . 1 .. 7
Solingen ...... 3 . 1 . 0 .. 6
Eppingen ...... 2 . 2 . 1 .. 5
Mülheim ....... 2 . 1 . 1 .. 5
Katernberg .... 2 . 2 . 0 .. 4
Trier ......... 1 . 4 . 0 .. 2
Berlin ........ 1 . 3 . 0 .. 2
Remagen ....... 1 . 3 . 0 .. 2
Heidelberg .... 0 . 2 . 2 .. 2
Munich ........ 0 . 3 . 1 .. 1
Erfurt ........ 0 . 3 . 1 .. 1
Tegel ......... 0 . 4 . 0 .. 0

Firday, November 13, Round 7
In Breman:
Breman 4, Hamburg 4 (tie)

Saturday, November 14, Round 3
In Emsdetten:
Wattensheid 5½, Tegel 2½
Berlin 5, Emdetten 3
In Breman:
Trier 4½, Hamburg 3½
Bremen 5½, Eppingen 2½
In Mülheim:
Katernburg 5, Remagen 4
Solingen 4½, Mülheim 3½
In Baden-Baden:
Heidelberg 4, Erfurt 4 (tie)
Baden-Baden 5½, Munich 2½

Sunday, November 15, Round 4
In Emsdetten:
Emsdetten 6, Tegel 2
Wattenscheid 5½, Berlin 2½
In Breman:
Bremen 5, Trier 3
Hamburg 6, Eppingen 2
In Mülheim:
Mülheim 6, Remagen 2
Munich 4, Heidelberg 4 (tie)
In Baden-Baden:
Baden-Baden 8, Erfurt 0
Solingen 5, Katernberg 3



Calendar

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).


Games will be posted later.

[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]

3. Leko - Carlsen, Round 9

Magnus Carlsen
Photo: ChessBase.com


Peter Leko - Magnus Carlsen
Tal Memorial Tournament, Round 9
Moscow, 14 November 2009

Open Sicilian Game: Najdorf-Dragon Defense

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 Ng4

• The most common moves are 6...e5 and 6...e6. See Domínguez-Wojtaszek, Capablanca Mem, Havana, 2008).

7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Bg3 Bg7 10.h3

• 10.Be2 h5 then:
• If 11.Bxg4 then:
• If 11...Bxg4 12.f3 Bd7 13.Bf2 Nc6 then:
• If 14.Qd2 Ne5 15.b3 Qa5 16.Nd5 Qxd2+ 17.Kxd2 Rd8 18.c3 e6 19.Nb6 Kf8 gives Black a small edge in space (Abergel-Jobava, World Youth ChU18, Oropesa del Mar, 2000).
• 14.0-0 e6 15.Nde2 Qe7 16.a4 Be5 17.Qd2 h4 18.h3 Rg8 19.a5 Na7 20.Be3 Bc6 21.Nd4 gives White the advantage in space (Khalifman-V. Popov, Russian Ch, St. Petersburg, 1999).
• 11...hxg4 12.0-0 Nc6 13.Nf5 Bxc3 14.bxc3 Qa5 15.Qxg4 f6 16.Qf3 Ne5 17.Qe3 Nc4 18.Qd4 Bxf5 19.exf5 Rc8 20.Rfb1 b6 21.Rb4 is equal (Stern-Knebel, Corres, 1999).
• If 11.f3 Nc6 12.Bf2 then:
• 12...Nxd4 13.Bxd4 Bxd4 14.Qxd4 Be6 15.h4 gxh4 16.Rxh4 Qa5 17.Rh1 Qg5 18.g3 is equal (Akopian-Safarli, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).
• 12...Be6 13.Qd2 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 Qa5 15.a3 Rg8 16.h4 Rc8 17.hxg5 Rh8 is equal (Barnsley-Aldrete, Corres, 2002).

10...Nf6

• If 10...Ne5 11.Nf5 Bxf5 12.exf5 then:
• If 12...Nbc6 13.Nd5 e6 14.fxe6 fxe6 15.Ne3 0-0 16.Be2 d5 17.0-0 Ng6 18.c4 d4 19.Nc2 Nf4 20.Ne1 e5 is equal (Yemelin-Naumann, Euro ChT, Kallithea, 2008).
• 12...Qa5 13.Qd5 Nbc6 14.Qxa5 Nxa5 15.Nd5 Rc8 16.0-0-0 e6 17.Ne3 d5 18.fxe6 fxe6 19.Re1 Kf7 20.Be2 Nac4 is equal (Kovacevic-Jurcsak, Op, Vrsac. 2000).

11.Qf3

• If 11.Nf5 Bxf5 12.exf5 then:
• If 12...Nc6 13.Nd5 e6 14.fxe6 fxe6 15.Ne3 0-0 16.Be2 then:
• If 16...d5 17.0-0 d4 18.Ng4 d3 19.Re1 h5 20.Nh2 gives Black a comfortable edge in space. (Carlsen-Adly, Op, Reykjavik, 2006).
• 16...Qe7 17.0-0 Rad8 18.Bh5 Kh8 19.Re1 d5 20.a4 Qb4 leaves the space count even (Kasimdzhanov-Anand, World Ch, San Luis, 2005).
• 12...Nbd7 13.Nd5 Nb6 14.c3 Rc8 15.Qb3 e5 16.Bxe5 0-0 17.h4 Rb8 18.Qa3 gives Black a small edge in space and the initiative (T. Kosintseva-Korbut, Russian ChW, 2007).
• If 11.Bc4 then:
• If 11...Qb6 12.Bb3 0-0 13.Nde2 Nbd7 then:
• 14.f3 Nc5 15.Bf2 Bd7 16.0-0 Qc7 17.Ng3 b5 18.Bd4 Nxb3 19.axb3 e5 is equal (Kobalia-Kurnosov, Russian Ch HL, Krasnoyarsk, 2007).
• 14.h4 g4 15.Nf4 e6 16.Qe2 Nc5 17.0-0-0 Bd7 is equal (T. Kosintseva-Kurnosov, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2007).
• If 12.0-0!? 0-0 13.Nde2 Qxb2 14.Bb3 Qa3 15.f4 Nc6 16.Kh1 Be6 17.Qd3 Rac8 18.fxg5 hxg5 gives Black an extra pawn (Kasparov-J. Polgar, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2000).
• 11.f3 Nc6 12.Bf2 Be6 13.Qd2 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 Qa5 15.a3 Rg8 16.h4 Rc8 17.hxg5 hxg5 18.0-0-0 Bc4 19.Kb1 Rc5 20.Nd5 Bxd5 21.exd5 Kf8 22.b4 b5 draw agreed (Kasparov-J. Polgar, IT, Linares, 2001).

11...Qb6 12.0-0-0 Nc6 13.Nxc6 Qxc6 14.Be2 Qc5

• If 14...Nd7!? 15.Nd5 Ne5 16.Qa3 b5 then:
• 17.h4!? Be6 18.hxg5 Rc8 19.Rd2 hxg5 20.Rxh8+ Bxh8 21.Qe3 Nc4 wins the exchange for Black (Akopian-Karjakin, Grand Prix, Nalchik, 2009).
• 17.Bxb5! axb5 18.Qxa8 Qxa8 19.Nc7+ Kd8 20.Nxa8 wins the exchange for White.
• If 14...e5 15.Bxe5 Bd7 16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.Bxg7 Rh7 18.Be5 f6 19.Rxd5 fxe5 20.h4 gxh4 21.Rxh4 Rd8 22.Rxd6 Rg7 23.Bd3 Rxg2 draw (Shirov-Kasparov, IT, Sarajevo, 2000).

15.Rhe1 g4

• 15...Be6 16.e5 dxe5 17.Bd3 e4 18.Nxe4 Nxe4 19.Qxe4 0-0-0 20.a3 Rd5 21.Qb4 Rhd8 22.Qxc5+ Rxc5 23.Be2 Bf5 24.c3 Rd7 25.Bg4 Bxg4 draw (Lutz-J. Polgar, IT, Budapest, 2003).

16.hxg4 Bxg4 17.Qd3

• The game is equal.

17...Be6!?

• Black takes a chance to see what happens when the center is cleared.
• 17...Bxe2 18.Nxe2 Rg8 19.Kb1 Rc8 20.Nf4 Qc4 remains equal.

BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
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WHITE: Peter Leko
Position after 17...Bg4e6

18.e5!

• White, the better developed side, has no problem finding out what happens when the center is cleared.

18...dxe5 19.Bf3

• To no one's surprise, White seizes the initiative. Black is betting that he can withstand whatever White throws at him.

19...e4

• Black goes for the active defense.

20.Nxe4 Nxe4 21.Rxe4 0-0 22.Qe3 Rac8!

• Regardless of how Black replies, this is White's best move. If White now chooses to exchange Queens, Black gets an active Rook.
• If 22...Qxe3+?! then after 23.Rxe3 Ra7 24.Bc7! Bf6 25.Kb1 Bc8 26.Bb6 White maintains the initiative with good winning chances.

BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
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WHITE: Peter Leko
Position after 23.Ra8c8

23.Qxc5!?

• By exchanging Queens, White takes the wind out of his own sails.
• 23.c3! b6 24.Rxe6 fxe6 25.Qxe6+ Kh8 26.Bb7 maintains White's initiative.

23...Rxc5!

• The exclam is for tha fact that Black has restored the balance, not for supreme cleverness. As the reader I'm sure could tell, the text is the only practical move available.

24.Bg4

• 24.b4 Rc3 25.Rxe6 fxe6 26.Bxb7 Ra3 27.Re1 is also equal.

24...Bxg4 25.Rxg4 f5 26.Rb4 b5 27.a4

• 27.Rd7!? e5 28.Ra7 Rf6 29.a4 Rg6 30.c3 f4 gives Black the initiative.

27...Rfc8!

• The game remains equal after the ensuing exchanges on c4.
• 27...e5!? 28.c3 Rc4 29.Rxc4 bxc4 30.Rd6 gives White the initiative.

28.c3 Rc4 29.Rxc4 Rxc4 30.axb5 axb5

• The game remains equal.

31.Rd8+ Kh7 32.Rd7 Rg4

• 32...f4 33.Bh2 e5 34.Kd2 Ra4 35.g3 b4 remains equal.

33.Bb8!?

• A waithing move if made when there's something better to do often backfires.
• If 33.Rxe7! f4 34.Bh2 Rh4 35.Bg1 then:
• 35...Rg4 36.g3 fxg3 37.fxg3 remains equal.
• 35...Rh1!? 36.Re1 f3 37.gxf3 h5 remains equal.

BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
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WHITE: Peter Leko
Position after 33.Bg4b8

33...Rxg2!

• Of course, Black doesn't win a pawn by this. However, he establishes a passer on the h-file whose value magnifies as matters develop.

34.Rxe7 Kg6 35.Bg3

• 35.f4 b4 36.cxb4 h5 37.Re6+ Kf7 38.Re3 h4 shows how the passer provides sufficient compensation for Black's pawn minus.

35...h5 36.Kd1 Bf6 37.Re6 Kf7 38.Re3?

• The Bishop at g3 needs no more protection, but after 38...h4 the pawns on the second rank will.
• If 38.Re2 h4! 39.Bd6 h3 then:
• If 40.f3 Bh4 41.Rxg2 hxg2 42.Bc5 Ke6 then:
• 43.Bg1 Kd5 44.b3 Bf6 45.Kd2 keeps White in the fight.
• After 43.Ke2? Kd5 44.Bg1 the Black King lunches on White's White's queenside pawns.
• 40.Re1? Rxf2! 41.Rh1 Bg5 42.Bc7 Rd2+ 43.Ke1 Rd3! keeps the h-pawn safe and wins.

BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
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WHITE: Peter Leko
Position after 38.Re6e3

38...h4!

• The passed h-pawn will decide the game. White has little chance of stopping it.

39.Bc7 Rxf2 40.b3

• This is the most stubborn resistance White has.
• 40.Re2 Rxe2 41.Kxe2 Ke6 42.Bb6 h3 43.Kf2 Be5 wins for Black.

40...Rf1+ 41.Ke2

• 41.Kd2 Ra1 42.Rh3 Ra2+ 43.Kd3 Ra3 44.Kc2 Bg5 gives Black an extra pawn and more freedom.

41...Rc1 42.c4 bxc4 43.bxc4 Rxc4

• Black has two extra pawns. If he exchanges pieces, he wins easily.

44.Bb8 Rc2+ 45.Kf1 Kg6 46.Re2 Rc8

• Exchanging Rooks would make the win more difficult.

47.Bd6 Rc6 48.Be7

• The text move comes with a white flag.
• 48.Bf4 Kh5 49.Rf2 Kg4 50.Bb8 Rc1+ then:
• If 51.Kg2 h3+ 52.Kh2 Bg5 then:
• 53.Re2 f4 54.Re4 Rc2+ 55.Kh1 Rf2 Black's pawns decide the game in his favor.
• 53.Be5 Be3 54.Re2 Bg1+ 55.Kh1 f4 is hopeless for White.
• If 51.Ke2 then after 51...Rc2+ 52.Kf1 Rxf2+ 53.Kxf2 Bd4+ White's King is confined to light squares around where it is normally castled.

BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
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WHITE: Peter Leko
Position after 48.Bd6e7

48...Bxe7 49.Rxe7 Rc2 50.Re3

• 50.Kg1 Kh5 51.Rh7+ Kg4 52.Rg7+ Kf3 53.Rh7 f4 wins for Black.

50...Kg5 51.Kg1 Kg4 52.Ra3 f4 53.Ra8 Rd2 54.Ra7

• 54.Rg8+ Kf3 55.Rh8 Rc2 wins for Black.

54...Kg3 55.Rg7+

• 55.Ra1 f3 56.Rb1 h3 57.Ra1 h2+ 58.Kh1 Re2 is hopeless for White.

55...Kf3 56.Ra7 Rd1+ 57.Kh2 Ke2 58.Kh3

• No better 58.Re7+ Kf2 59.Kh3 Rh1+ 60.Kg4 f3.

58...f3 59.Ra2+ Rd2 0-1

• If 60.Ra8 f2 61.Re8+ Kf1 62.Kxh4 then:
• 62...Re2 63.Rf8 Ke1 64.Kg3 f1Q 65.Rxf1+ Kxf1 wins for Black.
• 62...Rd7 63.Kg4 Kg1 64.Rf8 Rg7+ 65.Kh5 f1Q 66.Rxf1+ Kxf1 67.Kh6 Rg2 wins for Black.
• Grandmaster Leko resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Anand - Aronian, Round 9

Levon Aronian
Photo: ChessBase.com


Vishy Anand - Levon Aronian
Tal Memorial Tournament, Round 9
Moscow, 14 November 2009

Slav Queen's Gambit: Chameleon Defense

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 a6 5.e3

• If 5.Qb3 e6 6.Bg5 Be7 7.e3 then:
• If 7...0-0 8.Rd1 b5 then:
• 9.c5 Nbd7 10.Be2 a5 11.a3 Re8 12.Bf4 Ba6 is equal (Kazhgaleyev-Volkov, Chigorin Mem Op, St. Petersburg, 2009).
• 9.cxd5 cxd5 10.Ne5 Bb7 11.Be2 draw (Kavalek-Ribli, Ol, Dubai, 1986).
• If 7...Nbd7 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Bd3 0-0 10.0-0 then:
• If 10...Re8 11.Rac1 Nf8 then:
• 12.Na4 Ne4 13.Bf4 Bd6 14.Nb6 Rb8 is equal (K. Georgiev-Lobzhanidze, Bundesliga 9900, Germany, 2000).
• 12.Ne5 Ng4 13.Bxe7 Qxe7 14.Nxg4 Bxg4 15.Rfe1 Rad8 is equal (Lilienthal-Bogatyrchuk, IT, Moscow, 1935).
• 10...Ne4 11.Bf4 Ndf6 12.Rac1 Bd6 13.Bxd6 Qxd6 14.Bxe4 Nxe4 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.Ne5 Qe7 is equal (Bogolyubov-Rubinstein, Match, Goteborg/Stockholm, 1920 ).

5...b5 6.c5

• If 6.b3 then:
• If 6...Bg4 then:
• If 7.Be2 e6 8.0-0 Nbd7 9.h3 then:
• If 9...Bh5 10.Bb2 Bd6 11.Ne5 Bxe2 12.Nxe2 Qc7 13.cxd5 cxd5 14.Rc1 Qb8 15.Nxd7 then:
• 15...Kxd7 16.f3 Qb7 17.Qd3 Ke7 18.Nc3 b4 19.Na4 Qb5 20.Qd2 Rac8 21.Nc5 Rhd8 22.Rfd1 h6 23.Rc2 Rc6 24.Rdc1 Rdc8 25.a4 bxa3 26.Bxa3 Nd7 27.Nxd7 Bxa3 28.Rxc6 draw (Zhaou Weiqi-Rodshtein, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2009).
• 15...Nxd7 16.e4 dxe4 17.d5 0-0 18.dxe6 Nc5 19.Nf4 Ra7 20.Bd4 Bxf4 21.Bxc5 Bxc1 22.Bxf8 Qxf8 23.Qxc1 fxe6 24.Qc6 gives White ample compensation for the pawn (Epishin-Kulaots, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2005).
• If 9...Bf5 10.Bd3 Bb4 11.Bb2 then:
• 11...Bxd3 12.Qxd3 0-0 13.Rfc1 bxc4 14.bxc4 Qe7 15.Rc2 dxc4 16.Qxc4 c5 17.Rac1 cxd4 18.Nxd4 Ne5 19.Qe2 Ba3 20.f4 Ng6 21.Nc6 Qd6 22.Rd2 Qxc6 23.Bxa3 Rfc8 is equal (Aronian-P. Smirnov, FIDE Knock Out, Tripoli, 2004).
• 11...0-0 12.Bxf5 exf5 13.cxd5 cxd5 14.Qd3 g6 15.Ne5 Qc7 16.a4 bxa4 17.Nxa4 Rfc8 18.Rfc1 Qd6 19.Rc2 Rxc2 20.Qxc2 a5 21.Qc6 Rb8 22.Rc1 Qxc6 23.Nxc6 Rb5 24.Nxb4 Rxb4 25.Nc5 draw (I. Sokolov-Movsesian, IT, Sarajevo, 2003).
• If 7.Bd2 Nbd7 8.h3 Bxf3 9.Qxf3 then:
• If 9...b4 10.Na4 then:
• 10...e5 11.Rc1 Bd6 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Qd1 0-0 15.Be2 a5 16.Rc2 Qe7 17.Bc1 Rad8 18.Bb2 Ng6 19.0-0 Ne4 20.Bd4 Nh4 21.Bd3 Nf5 22.Bb6 Rb8 23.Bxe4 Qxe4 is equal (Carlsen-Wang Yue, IT, Linares, 2009).
• 10...Ne4 11.Bc1 e6 12.Bd3 f5 13.g4 g6 14.gxf5 exf5 15.h4 Bg7 16.Bb2 0-0 17.0-0-0 Ndf6 is equal (Bauer-Fontaine, French Ch, Chartres, 2005).
• If 9...e6 10.Bd3 then:
• 10...Ba3 11.0-0 0-0 12.Rfd1 Re8 13.Be1 e5 14.cxd5 cxd5 15.dxe5 Nxe5 16.Qf4 Qe7 is equal (Bauer-Dorfman, French Ch, Val d'Isere, 2002).
• 10...Be7 11.0-0 0-0 12.Rac1 Rc8 13.Rfd1 b4 14.Na4 a5 15.Qe2 Ne4 16.Be1 is equal (M. Socko-E. Atalik, ITW, Biel, 2006).
• If 6...Bf5 then:
• 7.Ne5 e6 8.g4 Bg6 9.h4 Ne4 10.Nxe4 Bxe4 11.f3 f6 12.Nxc6 Nxc6 13.fxe4 dxe4 14.Bd2 Qb8 15.Rh3 f5 16.cxb5 axb5 17.gxf5 exf5 18.a4 bxa4 19.bxa4 Kd8 20.Bb5 Na5 21.Rc1 Bd6 is equal (Aronian-Kindermann, Bundesliga 0304, Germany, 2003).
• 7.Bd3 e6 8.Bxf5 exf5 9.0-0 Bd6 10.Qc2 g6 11.Bd2 0-0 12.Rfc1 Nbd7 13.cxd5 cxd5 14.a4 b4 15.Ne2 Rc8 16.Qd3 Qb6 17.Rc2 Qb7 18.Rac1 Nb6 19.Ne5 Rxc2 20.Rxc2 Rc8 21.f3 Nbd7 22.Nxd7 draw (Radjabov-Ivanchuk, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2003).

6...Nbd7

• If 6...g6 then:
• If 7.Ne5 Bg7 8.Be2 Nfd7 9.f4 then:
• If 9...Nxe5 10.fxe5 f6 11.exf6 exf6 12.e4 then:
• 12...b4 13.Na4 dxe4 14.Nb6 Ra7 15.Qb3 Re7 16.Nxc8 Qxc8 17.Bf4 gives Black an extra pawn and White more space (Eljanov-I. Sokolov, IT, Sarajevo, 2009).
• 12...f5 13.exd5 Qh4+ 14.g3 Qxd4 15.Qxd4 Bxd4 16.Bf4 cxd5 17.Nxd5 Bb7 gives White a slight advantage in space (Cmilyte-Houska, OlW, Dresden, 2008).
• If 9...0-0 10.0-0 then:
• 10...f5 11.Nd3 a5 12.Bd2 Nf6 13.Be1 Nbd7 14.Bh4 Kh8 is equal (Moiseenko-Ni Hua, World ChT, Beer Shiva, 2005).
• 10...a5 11.Bf3 Nxe5 12.fxe5 f5 13.exf6 Bxf6 14.Ne2 Bg7 15.Bd2 Bf5 16.Ng3 e6 is equal (Kempinski-Rustemov, Bundesliga 0809, Berlin, 2009).
• If 7.Bd3 Bg7 then:
• 8.h3 0-0 9.0-0 Nbd7 10.a3 a5 11.e4 dxe4 12.Nxe4 Nd5 13.Nc3 N7f6 14.Re1 Qc7 15.Bd2 Rd8 16.Re5 Ra6 17.Qe2 Bb7 18.Ng5 h6 is equal (Bellaiche-Benitah, Op, Guingamp, 2007).
• 8.b4 a5 9.bxa5 Nfd7 10.Bd2 e5 11.Be2 e4 12.Ng1 b4 13.Nb1 Na6 14.a3 Qxa5 15.Ra2 is equal (San Segundo-Pilaj, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).

7.Bd3

• If 7.a3 a5 8.Bd2 Qc7 9.b4 e5 then:
• 10.bxa5 e4 11.Ng1 Rxa5 12.Nge2 h5 13.Nc1 Be7 14.Nb3 Ra8 15.h3 0-0 16.Be2 h4 17.a4 bxa4 18.Rxa4 Bb7 is equal (Bareev-Jakovenko, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2005).
• 10.Nxb5 cxb5 11.Bxb5 exd4 12.exd4 Be7 13.0-0 0-0 14.Bg5 axb4 15.axb4 Rxa1 16.Qxa1 Bd8 17.Bd3 Ne4 18.Bxd8 Rxd8 19.b5 Ndxc5 20.dxc5 Qxc5 21.Qe5 is equal (Belov-Jakovenko, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2005).
• If 7.Bd2 a5 8.Rc1 then:
• 8...Ba6 9.a3 Qc7 10.b4 axb4 11.axb4 g6 12.Bd3 Bg7 13.0-0 0-0 14.Ne2 Bb7 15.h3 Ra3 16.Bc3 Rfa8 is equal (Morozevich-Movsesian, IT, Sarajevo, 2008).
• if 8...Qc7 9.Bd3 g6 then:
• 10.e4? b4 11.Nxd5 cxd5 12.e5 Ne4 13.Bxe4 dxe4 14.Ng5 Qc6 15.Be3 Bb7 16.Qb3 e6 is equal (Morozevich-Movsesian, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2008).
• 10.0-0! Bg7 11.e4 dxe4 12.Nxe4 Nxe4 13.Bxe4 0-0 is equal

7...e5 8.Nxe5 Nxe5 9.dxe5 Nd7

• If 9...Ng4 10.f4 Bxc5 11.Qf3 Qb6 then:
• If 12.Ke2 Nh6 13.h3 Nf5 then:
• 14.g4 Ne7 15.Bd2 0-0 16.Rac1 f6 17.exf6 Rxf6 18.e4 Bd4 19.exd5 cxd5 is equal (Gelfand-Aronian, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2008).
• 14.Re1 h5 15.Kf1 Be6 16.a3 a5 17.Bxf5 Bxf5 18.e4 dxe4 19.Nxe4 0-0-0 20.Be3 Bxe4 21.Qxe4 Bxe3 22.Rxe3 leaves White with the advantage in space (Bacrot-Karjakin, Grand Prix, Baku, 2008).
• 12.Nd1 Nh6 13.0-0 0-0 14.Nf2 f6 15.exf6 Rxf6 16.Bd2 Bf5 17.b4 Bf8 is equal (Kazhgaleyev-Gundavaa, Asian Ch, Subic Bay, 2009).

10.e6 Nxc5 11.exf7+ Kxf7 12.b3!?

• 12.Bc2 g6 13.0-0 Bg7 14.Ne2 Re8 15.Nd4 Qd6 16.b4 Ne6 17.Rb1 Nxd4 18.exd4 a5 19.bxa5 Rxa5 20.Bb3 Bf5 gives Black the initiative (Aronian-Movsesian, IT, Nanjing, 2008).
• 12.Qh5+ Kg8 13.Bc2 b4 14.Ne2 Qf6 15.Nd4 g6 is equal (Fritz).

12...Nxd3+

• Black has the initiative.

13.Qxd3 Qg5 14.g3

• 14.Qf1 b4 15.Nd1 Be7 16.Bb2 Bf5 gives Black a huge advantage in space.

14...Qf6 15.Bb2 Qf3 16.Rg1

• If 16.Rf1 b4 17.Ne2 Bh3 18.Nf4 then:
• 18...Bd7 19.Qd4 Rg8 20.Nd3 Bd6! 21.Nxb4 Bg4 gives Black a strong enough initiative to more thant compensate for the pawn.
• If 18...Bxf1?! then 19.Qf5+ Ke8 20.Qe6+ Be7 21.Qxc6+ Kf7 22.Qe6+ gives White a swift counterattack and a strong initiative.

16...Bg4 17.a3 Re8 18.Rc1?

• White weakens his queenside by removing protection from the a-pawn and allowing Black's queenside pawns to advance; it is necessary to stop Black from gaining a foothold there.
• 18.b4! Bd6 19.Ne2 Bf5 20.Qd2 leaves Black standing only slightly better and give White potential counterplay.

BLACK: Levon Aronian
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after 18.Ra1c1

18...b4!

• White is outflanked on both wings. This is turning into a route.

19.axb4

• 19.Nb1 Bf5 20.Nd2 Qxf2+ 21.Kxf2 Bxd3 22.axb4 Bxb4 Black still has the initiative and an extra pawn.

19...Bxb4 20.h3

• If 20.Qf1 d4 21.Qc4+ Re6 22.Ba1 Rd8 then:
• 23.Qxb4 Rxe3+!! 24.fxe3 Qxe3+ 25.Kf1 Qf3+ 26.Ke1 Re8+ Black soon delivers mate.
• If 23.Kf1 then 23...Bh3+ 24.Ke1 dxe3 25.Qf4+ Qxf4 26.gxf4 exf2+ 27.Kxf2 Black delivers mate: 27...Bc5+ 28.Kg3 Rd3+ 29.Kh4 Rh6+ 30.Kg5 Be7#.

20...Bxh3 21.g4 Bxg4 22.Rg3 Qf5!

• White finds the right move in a position where it would have been easy to make the wrong one.
• If 22...Qh1+?! then:
• If 23.Kd2! Qh5 24.Rcg1 then:
• 24...d4 25.exd4 Re2+ 26.Kc1 Qg5+ 27.Re3 Rxe3 28.fxe3 leaves Black with an extra pawn, but the White King reaches safety and White is no longer in immediate danger; Black must win the game all over again.
• 24...Bc8? 25.Qd4 a5 26.Qxg7+ turns the tables and gives White excellent winning chances.
• 23.Qf1? Qxf1+! 24.Kxf1 h5 leaves Black up by two pawns and still rolling.

23.Qd4 Re4 24.Qa7+ Qd7 25.Qb6

• If 25.Qxa6 h5 26.Ba3 h4 then:
• If 27.Rg1 h3 28.Bxb4 Rxb4 then:
• If 29.Na2 Rxb3 30.Qa4 h2 31.Rh1 Rb2 White faces mate or further material loss.
• 29.Qa3 Rhb8 30.Rb1 d4 31.Ne2 d3 32.f3 h2 wins for White.
• 27.Rg2 Bf3 28.Rh2 Qd6 29.Bxb4 Rxb4 30.Na2 Rxb3 White cannot redress the threats to his kingside (31...Qxh2 or 31.Rh3 Bg2!) without opening up the queenside for Black (31.Qxc6 Qxc6 32.Rxc6 g5! leaves Black two pawns up with kingside pawns rolling and a Rook making threats on the queenside).

25...c5 0-1

• 26.Qxa6 d4 27.Qc4+ Qe6 28.Qxe6+ Kxe6 29.Kf1 dxc3 leaves Black a piece to the good.
• Anand Shahib resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Tal Memorial: World Blitz Championship, Moscow

Red Square, Moscow
Photo by Adam Baker, flicker (Creative Commons Copyright, Attribution/Share Alkie)

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Calrsen - Bareev, Round 26

After getting over his fever and winning the last two games of the main Tal Memorial Tournament to take second place, Magnus topped off his stay in Moscow by winning the other event offered in memory of Mikhail Tal, the World Blitz Championship. Magnus scored 31 points in 42 games to beat Vishy Anand, possibly the best speed chess player ever, by three points.



Magnus Carlsen
Photo: ChessBase.com


Magnus Carlsen - Evgeny Bareev
Tal Memorial: World Blitz Championship, Round 26
Moscow, 17 November 2009

Closed German Game: Rubinstein Opening (Caro-Kann Defense)

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Be3 e6 5.Nd2 Nd7 6.Ngf3 f6

• If 6...Ne7 7.Be2 Bg6 then:
• If 8.Nh4 Nf5 9.Nxf5 Bxf5 10.0-0 then:
• 10...Qb6 11.g4 Bg6 12.f4 f6 13.f5 Bf7 14.fxe6 Bxe6 15.exf6 gxf6 is equal (Wang Yu-Khurtsidze, FIDE Knock Out W, Ekaterininburg, 2006).
• 10...Be7 11.c3 0-0 12.f4 c5 13.g4 Bg6 14.f5 exf5 15.gxf5 Bg5 16.Bxg5 Qxg5+ gives Black the advantage in space and the initiative (Pokorna-Franciskovic, Euro ChW, Dresden, 2007).
• 8.0-0 Nf5 9.c4 Nxe3 10.fxe3 Be7 11.cxd5 cxd5 12.Qb3 Qb6 13.Bb5 Rd8 14.Qa4 a6 15.Bxd7+ Rxd7 16.Rac1 Qd8 17.Rc3 0-0 is equal (P. Smirnov-Mchedlishvili, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).

7.Be2 Ne7

• 7...Qc7 8.Bf4 fxe5 9.dxe5 Ne7 10.h4 Ng6 11.Bh2 0-0-0 12.Ng5 Ndxe5 13.g4 h6 14.gxf5 hxg5 15.fxg6 Rxh4 16.Bf3 Bb4 is equal (Shirov-Bologan, IT, Foros, 2006).

8.0-0

• The game is equal.

8...Qc7

• If 8...fxe5 9.Nxe5 Nxe5 10.dxe5 Qc7 11.Nf3 remains equal.

9.c4!?

• After 9.exf6 gxf6 10.Nh4 0-0-0 11.c4 Bg6 remains equal.

9...fxe5!

• After the exchanges on e5, Black has an extra pawn.

10.dxe5 Nxe5 11.Nxe5 Qxe5 12.Nf3?

• This should win a pawn for White.
• 12.Qb3 0-0-0 13.Nf3 Qb8 14.Qa4 a6 15.Rac1 Qc7 remains equal.

12...Qd6!?

• But White misses the move.
• If 12...Qxb2! then:
• 13.Nd4 e5 14.Nxf5 Nxf5 15.cxd5 Nxe3 16.fxe3 0-0-0 gives Black the active game.
• 13.Re1 e5 14.cxd5 cxd5 15.Qa4+ Bd7 16.Qd1 e4 gives Black two extra pawns and good winning chances.

13.Qb3!

• The game is once again equal.

13...b6 14.Rac1 Bg4 15.cxd5 exd5 16.Rfe1 Bxf3?

• If Black castles long, then the light squared Bishop should be preserved to help protect the light squares.
• After 16...Bd7 17.Bg5 h6 18.Bh4 gives White the active game, but not nearly as active as White gets.

17.Bxf3 0-0-0 18.Bxb6!?

• The sacrifice is unsound and allows Black to equalize with natural moves.
If
• 18.a4! Kb7 19.a5 b5 20.Qc3 then:
• If 20...Nf5 21.a6+ Ka8 22.Bf4 then:
• If 22...b4 23.Qxc6+!! Qxc6 24.Rxc6 then:
• 24...Bd6 25.Bxd5 Bc7 26.Rd6+ Kb8 27.Rb6+ Kc8 28.Be6+ wins for White.
• 24...Nd4 25.Bxd5 Ne2+ 26.Rxe2 Rxd5 27.Rc8#.
• 22...Qg6 23.Qxc6+ Qxc6 24.Rxc6 transposes to the main line.
• If 20...Re8 21.Bc5 Qh6 22.a6+ Ka8 23.Qe5 Rc8 24.Bg4 Qf6 25.Bxc8!! Qxe5 26.Bb7+ Kb8 27.Rxe5 wins for White.
• If 24...Qxc1 then 25.Bxc8 Nxc8 26.Rxc1 wins for White.
• If 22...Kb8 then 23.Qe5+ Kc8 24.Bb6 axb6 25.Bg4+ Kd8 26.Qb8+ with mate soon following.

18...axb6

• The game is again equal.

19.Qxb6 h6?

• When making a waiting move, one should be sure that one is not waiting for one's own execution.
• After 19...Qc7 20.Bg4+ Rd7 21.Qd4 h5 22.Bxd7+ Kxd7 23.Re5 gives White the active game; Black still has counterplay opportunities.

BLACK: Evgeny Bareev
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 19...h7h6

20.Rxe7!!

• The sudden exchange sacrifice renders Black hopeless.

20...Bxe7 21.Rxc6+ Kd7 22.Rxd6+ Bxd6 23.Bxd5 Rc8 24.g3

• White had to stop his attack momentarily to preventa sudden back rank mate.

24...h5 25.Qb5+ Kd8 26.Bc6 1-0

• If 26...Rh6 27.Qg5+ then after 27...Be7 28.Qd5+ Rd6 29.Qg8+ Kc7 30.Qxg7 is an easy win for White.
• Evgeny Ilyayevich resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Mamedyarov - Anand, Round 11

Vishy Anand
Photo: ChessBase.com


Shakhriyar Mamemdyarov - Vishy Anand
Tal Memorial: World Blitz Campionship, Round 11
Moscow, 16 November 2009

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

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 d5 5.a3 Be7

• This is a very rare move, whereas 5...Bxc3+ is almost reflexive. See
  Berkes-Dzagnidze, Op, Gibraltar, 2009.

6.e4 dxe4

• If 6...c5 7.cxd5 exd5 8.e5 Nfd7 9.Nxd5 cxd4 10.Nxe7 Qxe7 11.f4 f6 then:
• If 12.Nf3 fxe5 13.Bc4 then:
• 13...d3 14.b4 e4 15.0-0 Nc6 16.Re1 Nf6 17.Bxd3 Bg4 18.Bxe4 Nxe4 19.Qd5 gives White the initiative (Su. Polgar-Adorjan, IT, Debrecen, 1990).
• 13...Nc6 14.0-0 e4 15.Bd5 Nf6 16.Bxc6+ bxc6 17.Nxd4 0-0 18.Be3 is equal (Beliavsky-Spassky, IT, Linares, 1990).
• 12.Qxd4 fxe5 13.Qe3 Nc6 14.Nf3 0-0 15.Bd2 a5 16.fxe5 Ndxe5 17.Nxe5 Nxe5 18.0-0-0 Bf5 gives Black the edge with a lead in development (Malaniuk-Eingorn, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1988).

7.fxe4 e5 8.d5 Bc5

• 8...0-0 9.Nf3 a5 10.Bd3 Bg4 11.0-0 Nbd7 12.Bc2 Ne8 13.Ba4 Nc5 14.Bxe8 Qxe8 15.Be3 a4 16.h3 Bh5 is equal (Gutman-Taimanov, Op, Paris, 1989).

9.Nf3 Bg4

• If 9...Ng4 10.Na4 Bf2+ 11.Ke2 then:
• If 11...b5 12.h3 bxa4 13.hxg4 Bg3 14.Rh3 Bf4 15.Bxf4 exf4 16.Qd4 0-0 then:
• 17.Kf2 Bxg4 18.Rh2 Nd7 is equal (Casademont-Fluvia, Op, Banyoles, 2005).
• 17.Rh4 f6 18.Kd2 Nd7 19.Bd3 gives White a slight edge in space (Olausson-Woelfl, Corres, 1992).
• 11...Bd4? drops a piece to 12.Nxd4! exd4 13.Qxd4Black fought on a piece down to the 23rd move and resigned (Shirov-Dautov, IT, Daugavpils, 1989).

10.Bd3 Nbd7

• 10...0-0 11.h3 Bxf3 12.Qxf3 c6 13.Bg5 Nbd7 14.0-0-0 Rb8 15.Bc2 Qc7 16.Qg3 gives White the advantage in space (Shmeliov-Kaufman, USCL, Cyberspace, 2008).

11.h3!?

• 11.Bg5 c6 12.Qc2 Rc8 13.0-0-0 0-0 14.Rdf1 h6 15.Bd2 Bd4 16.dxc6 Rxc6 gives Black fewer pawn weaknesses (Hughes-Hammer, World Jr Ch, Gaziantep, 2008).

11...Bxf3

• The game is equal.

12.Qxf3 c6!?

• Black makes a bid to break up White's central pawns.
• 12...Bd4 13.Bg5 h6 14.Bh4 Qe7 15.Nb5 0-0-0 remains equal.

13.Bd2

• White has the advantage in space.
• 13.dxc6!? bxc6 14.b4 Bd4 15.Bb2 Qc7 16.g4 h6 remains equal.

13...0-0

• 13...cxd5 14.exd5 0-0 15.Rd1 Bd4 16.Bf5 Re8 17.Bg5 maintains White's advantage in space.

14.Rc1 Bd4 15.b4 a5 16.Ne2 Bb2 17.Rb1 Bxa3 18.bxa5 Bc5!?

• Black proffers a pawn initiating a risky scheme to complicate the game.
• 18...Bd6 19.0-0 Nc5 20.Nc1 Qc7 21.Nb3 Nxd3 22.Qxd3 maintains White's spatial advantage

19.Rxb7!

• White takes the pawn.

19...cxd5!?

• Opening up the center is premature.
• If 19...Ba7 20.Rb1 Nc5 21.Ng3 Nxd3+ 22.Qxd3 cxd5 23.cxd5 maintains White's extra pawn.
• If 19...Rxa5! 20.Bxa5 Qxa5+ then:
• 21.Kf1 Bb6 22.g3 Nc5 23.dxc6 Nxb7 24.cxb7 Rb8 reestablishes equality.
• If 21.Kd1?! Bb6 22.Nc1 cxd5 23.cxd5 Nc5! then:
• 24.Rxb6 Qxb6 25.Re1 Ra8 gives Black command of the queenside and good winning chances.
• If 24.Re7? Qa4+! 25.Bc2 Qd4+ 26.Nd3 Ra8 wins for Black.

20.cxd5!?

• Black should now be able to speed his pieces to the queenside and seize command of the game. White's weakness turns out to be his inablity to castle and free his King's Rook.
• If 20.exd5! Bd6 21.Bf5 e4 then:
• 22.Rxd7 Nxd7 23.Qxe4 Re8 24.Qc2 g6 25.Bxd7 Qxd7 gives Black the active game.
• If 22.Qe3? Ne5 then:
• 23.Qb6 Nxc4 24.Qxd8 Rfxd8 25.Bg5 Be5 26.Bxe4 Nd6 wins a piece for Black.
• If 23.Bc3 Nxc4 then:
• 24.Qg5 h6 25.Bxf6 Qxa5+! 26.Bc3 hxg5 27.Bxa5 Rxa5 gives Black excellent winning chances; there is no aggressive plan that can't be executed faster than one for White.
• 24.Bxf6 Qxf6 25.Qxe4 Qa1+ 26.Rb1 Qxa5+ 27.Kf2 Bc5+

20...Rxa5!!

• The proffering of the Rook is the most aggressive continuation.
• 20...Rb8 21.Rb5 Rxb5 22.Bxb5 then:
• 22...Qe7 23.Bc3 Rb8 24.Bd3 Bb4 25.Bxb4 Qxb4+ 26.Kf2 is equal.
• 22...g6? 23.Rf1! Qb8 24.Qd3 Bd6 25.Bxd7 Nxd7 26.Bc3 gives White the advantage in space.

21.g4

• 21.Bxa5?! Qxa5+ 22.Kf1 Bb6 23.g3 Nc5 forces White to return to exchange.

21...Ra3 22.Bc1 Ra1 23.Kf1?

• There is no time for dithering.
• 23.Rb5 Qe7 24.Kf1 Ba3 25.Kg2 Bxc1 26.Rxc1 Rxc1 27.Nxc1 remains equal.

23...Nb6 24.Bb5

BLACK: Vishy Anand
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
Position after 24.Bd3b5

24...Qc8!

• Black has multiple winning lines.
• If 24...Nxe4 25.Qxe4 Qh4 26.Rh2 f5! then:
• 27.Rxg7+ Kxg7 28.Qxe5+ Qf6 29.Qxf6+ Rxf6 30.Kg2 Ra2 gives Black a material advantage and excellent winning chances.
• 27.Qf3 fxg4 28.Qxf8+ Kxf8 29.Rb8+ Ke7 wins easily for Black.
• If 24...Ne8!? 25.Bxe8 Qxe8 26.Qc3 Qa8 then:
• 27.Rc7 Nxd5 28.exd5 Qxd5 29.Rxc5 Qxh1+ 30.Kf2 Ra2 31.Bb2 Qb7 gives Black the material advantage and good winning chaces.;
• If 27.Rxb6? Bxb6 then:
• 28.Qd3 Rc8 29.Kg2 Qa2 wins for Black.
• 28.Qf3 Qa6 29.Kg2 Ra2 30.Re1 Ba5 31.Kf1 Rc8 wins for Black.

25.Bc6 Nc4 26.Kg2 Nd6 27.Be3?

• If 27.Re7 Ra2 28.Rxe5 Bd4 then:
• 29.g5 Bxe5 30.gxf6 Qa6 31.Re1 Bxf6 gives Black the exchange.
• If 29.Rf5 then 29...Qa6 30.Re1 Nfxe4 31.Rf4 Bc3 32.Kf1 Bxe1 wins for Black.

27...Ra3 28.Bxc5 Rxf3 29.Bxd6

BLACK: Vishy Anand
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WHITE: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
Position after 29.Bc5d6:N

29...Nxe4!!

• The exchange sacrifice is the fastest road to victory.
• The text is stronger than 29...Rf2+ 30.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 31.Kg2 Nxd6 32.Re7.

30.Bxf8

• No better is 30.Kxf3 Nxd6 31.Rd7 Qa6 32.Ng3 Qd3+.

30...Rf2+ 0-1

• Black wins the Knight.
• Grandmaster Mamedyarov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Anand - Carlsen, Round 38

Vishy Anand v. Magnus Carlsen
Tal Memorial: World Blitz Championship, Round 38
Moscow, 18 November 2009
Photo: ChessBase.com


Vishy Anand - Magnus Carlsen
Tal Memorial: World Blitz Championship, Round 38
Moscow, 18 November 2009

Queen's Qumbit: Blackburne Opening (Exchange Variation)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Be7 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bf4 Nf6

• If 5...c6 then:
• If 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.Bxd6 Qxd6 8.e3 Ne7 9.Bd3 then:
• If 9...b6 10.Nf3 Ba6 11.0-0 Bxd3 12.Qxd3 then:
• 12...Nd7 13.e4 0-0 14.e5 Qe6 15.Rae1 Rfe8 16.Nh4 is equal (Carlsen-Jakovenko, Grand Prix, Nanjing, 2009).
• 12...0-0 13.Rac1 Nd7 14.Rc2 Qg6 15.Qxg6 hxg6 16.Ne2 f6 17.h4 Kf7 18.Nf4 Rfd8 19.Rfc1 Nf8 20.Ne1 draw (Pentala-Kasimdzhanov, Commonwealth Ch, Mumbai, 2003).
• If 9...g6 10.Nge2 Bf5 11.0-0 0-0 then:
• 12.f3 Bxd3 13.Qxd3 Nd7 14.e4 gives White the advantage in space (Timoshchenko-Fokin, TT, Novosibirsk, 1986).
• 12.Nf4 Nd7 13.Rfd1 a5 14.Rac1 Qf6 15.Na4 Qg5 16.Nc5 Nxc5 17.Qxc5 Bxd3 18.Rxd3 Nf5 19.Rb3 gives Black a more active game (Tandivar-Kayumov, Op, Dubai, 2004).
• If 9...Nd7 then:
• If 10.Nge2 h6 11.0-0 0-0 12.a3 a5 13.Rad1 is equal (Karpov-Kasparov, Rpd Match, Valencia, 2009).
• If 10.Nf3 Nf6 then:
• If 11.h3 g6 12.g4 Be6 13.0-0-0 then:
• 13...Nd7 14.Kb1 h5 15.Ng5 Nf6 16.f3 0-0-0 17.Ne2 White's active Knight a g5 tips the balance in his favor (Guseimov-Burmakin, Op, Dubaim 2005).13...0-0 14.Kb1 Nd7 15.Rhg1 Rac8 16.Nh4 c5 17.Nf5 Bxf5 18.gxf5 Qf6 is equal (Knaak-Baier, Bundesliga 0809, Bremen, 2008).
• If 11.0-0 then:
• 11...0-0 12.Rab1 g6 13.b4 Bf5 14.Na4 Rac8 15.Nc5 b6 16.Bxf5 Nxf5 17.Nd3 Rc7 18.Rfc1 Rfc8 draw (Gligoric-Portisch, IT, Palma de Mallorca, 1967).
• 11...Ng6 12.Rab1 0-0 13.Bf5 Re8 14.b4 Bxf5 15.Qxf5 Rac8 16.Rfc1 b6 is equal (Porat-Zak, IMT, Tel Aviv, 2001).
• If 6.e3 Bf5 then:
• If 7.g4 Be6 then:
• If 8.h3 then:
• If 8...Nd7 9.Bd3 h5 10.gxh5 Ndf6 11.h6 Nxh6 12.Qc2 then:
• 12...Nh5 13.Be5 f6 14.Bh2 Bd6 15.Bg6+ Bf7 16.Nf3 Bxg6 17.Qxg6+ Nf7 is equal (Botvinnik-Petrosian, World Ch Match, Moscow, 1963).
• 12...Qd7 13.Nf3 Bf5 14.Ne5 Bxd3 15.Nxd3 Bd6 16.Be5 Qe7 17.0-0-0 Nf5 18.Kb1 Ne4 is equal (Lputian-Geller, City Ch, Riga, 1985).
• 8...Nf6 9.Nf3 0-0 10.Bd3 c5 11.Kf1 Nc6 12.Kg2 cxd4 13.Nxd4 Bd6 14.Bxd6 Qxd6 15.Nce2 Rfe8 16.Rc1 Bd7 is equal (Geller-Spassky, City Ch, Moscow, 1967).
• If 8.h4 Nd7 9.h5 Nh6 10.Be2 Nb6 then:
• 11.Rc1 Bd6 12.Nh3 Bxf4 13.Nxf4 Bd7 14.Rg1 g5 15.hxg6 hxg6 16.Kd2 Qe7 17.b3 g5 18.Nd3 0-0-0 19.Rh1 f6 20.Qg1 Nf7 21.Qg3 Qd6 22.Qxd6 Nxd6 23.f3 Rdg8 is equal (Kasparov-Karpov, World Ch Match, Moscow, 1984-85).
• 11.Nh3 g5 12.hxg6 hxg6 13.f3 Bh4+ 14.Nf2 g5 15.Bh2 Qe7 16.e4 dxe4 17.fxe4 Nc4 18.Bxc4 Nxg4 is equal (Turov-Vaganian, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2002).
• If 7.Nge2 Nd7 8.Ng3 Bg6 9.Be2 then:
• If 9...Ngf6 10.h4 h5 11.Bf3 Qb6 12.Qd2 Qa6 then:
• 13.Be2 Qb6 14.Bf3 Qa6 15.Be2 Qb6 16.a3 a5 17.0-0 0-0 18.Bd3 Bxd3 19.Qxd3 Rfe8 is equal (Juhnke-Saacke, Bundesliga 8182, Germany, 1982).
• 13.Rd1 Nb6 14.Bg5 Rd8 15.b3 Nbd7 16.Nce2 Qa3 17.0-0 Bb4 18.Nc3 Qa5 19.Rc1 0-0 20.a4 Rde8 is equal (Vaganian-Georgadze, Soviet Ch, Minsk, 1979).
• 9...Qb6 10.Qd2 Ngf6 11.0-0 0-0 12.Na4 Qd8 13.Rfc1 a6 14.Bd3 Ne4 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.Bf1 Nf6 is equal (Riazantsev-Malakhov, Russian Ch, Elista, 2001).

6.e3 Bf5

• If 6...0-0 7.Bd3 c5 then:
• If 8.Nf3 Nc6 9.0-0 then:
• 9...c4 10.Bc2 Bg4 11.h3 Bh5 12.g4 Bg6 13.Ne5 Bb4 14.Bg5 Bxc2 15.Qxc2 Bxc3 16.bxc3 Re8 is equal (Vyzmanavin-Timoshchenko, Soviet Ch 1st League, Irtusk, 1986).
• 9...Bg4 10.dxc5 Bxc5 11.h3 Bxf3 12.Qxf3 d4 13.Ne4 Be7 14.Nxf6+ Bxf6 15.e4 Ne5 16.Bxe5 Bxe5 is equal (Yakovich-Timoshchenko, Soviet Ch prelim, Barnaul, 1988).
• 8.Nge2 Nc6 9.dxc5 Bxc5 10.0-0 Be6 11.Rc1 Bd6 12.Qa4 Ne5 13.Rfd1 Qb6 14.Qb5 Nxd3 15.Qxb6 axb6 16.Rxd3 Be7 17.a3 Rac8 18.f3 Rfd8 19.Kf2 h6 20.Rdd1 gives White the advantage in space (Braun-Porat, World Youth, Belfort, 2005).

7.h3

• If 7.Qb3 Nc6 then:
• If 8.a3 Na5 then:
• 9.Qd1 0-0 10.Nf3 Ne4 11.Rc1 c6 12.Nxe4 dxe4 13.Nd2 b6 14.b4 Nb7 15.Ba6 Qd7 16.0-0 gives White the advantage in space and the more active game (Pentala-Kaidanov, IT, Texas Tech U, 2008).
• If 9.Qa2 0-0 10.Nf3 c5 11.dxc5 Bxc5 then:
• 12.Rd1 Bc2 13.Rd2 Bb3 14.Qb1 Rc8 15.Be5 Bd6 16.Bxd6 Qxd6 17.Be2 Bc4 18.0-0 Nb3 19.Rdd1 Qa6 20.Rfe1 Nc5 21.Nd4 Rfe8 22.h3 Nce4 23.Nxe4 dxe4 24.Bxc4 Rxc4 is equal (Sasikiran-Ponomariov, World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2007).
• 12.Nb5 Nc6 13.Be2 a6 14.Nc3 d4 15.exd4 Nxd4 draw (Volkov-Khalifman, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2008).
• If 8.Qxb7 Nb4 9.Bb5+ Kf8 then:
• If 10.Kd2 a6 11.Ba4 Nd3 12.Bxc7 Qc8 13.Qxc8+ Rxc8 14.Ba5 Nxf2 15.Rf1 N6e4+ 16.Nxe4 Nxe4+ 17.Ke2 Nd6 18.Nf3 g6 19.Ne5 gives White the more active game (Salov-Timoshchenko, Soviet Ch 1L, Irkutsk, 1986).
• 10.Rc1 a6 11.Be2 Ne8 12.a3 Rb8 13.Qa7 Ra8 14.Qb7 Rb8 15.Qa7 Ra8 draw (Moiseenko-Shomoev, Areoflot Op, Moscow, 2007).

7...c6!?

• 7...0-0 8.Nf3 a6 9.Rc1 Bd6 10.Be5 c6 11.Qb3 b5 12.Qd1 Ne4 is equal (Adorjan-Thorsteins, IT, Reykjavik, 1988).

8.Nf3

• The game is equal.

8...Nbd7 9.g4 Be4 10.Bg2 0-0 11.0-0 Re8 12.Nxe4 Nxe4 13.Nd2!?

• White gives Black the opportunity to take a slight edge in space.
• 13.Qb3 Nb6 14.a4 Bd6 15.Bxd6 Qxd6 16.a5 Nc4 remains equal.

13...Nxd2!?

• Black misses his chance and the game remains equal.
• 13...Bd6 14.Bxd6 Nxd6 15.Qf3 Nf6 gives Black the advantage in space.

14.Qxd2 Nf8 15.b4 Ng6 16.Bg3 Bd6 17.Bxd6

• 17.a4 Bxg3 18.fxg3 Qd6 19.Rf3 Re7 remains equal.

17...Qxd6 18.Rab1 a6 19.a4 Nh4

• 19...Qf6 20.Qd1 Nh4 21.Bh1 Re6 22.b5 axb5 23.axb5 remains equal.

20.b5 axb5 21.axb5 Qg6 22.bxc6 bxc6 23.Rfc1 h5!?

• Black tries to clear away the kingside pawns.

24.Qc2!

• White isn't having any of it. The game remains equal.

BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
!""""""""#
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after 24.Qd2c2

24...Qg5!
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• Black threatens to sweep aside White's kingside pawns.
• 24...Qxc2!? 25.Rxc2! hxg4 26.hxg4 Re6 27.Bh1 Black preserves his pieces to fight Black's weak pawns.

25.Qxc6 Nxg2 26.Kxg2 hxg4 27.h4!?

• White drops a pawn.
• 27.hxg4 Qxg4+ 28.Kf1 Qh3+ 29.Kg1 Qf5 30.Ra1 Rab8 remains equal.

27...Qf5!

• Also good is 27...Qxh4 28.Rh1 Qg5 29.Qc2 g6 30.Qc7 Qf5 when Black is in a much better position to batter White than the other way around.

28.Qd6

• 28.Kg1 Qf3 29.Qc7 Ra2 30.Rc2 Rxc2 31.Qxc2 g3 sets Black up to win a pawn, e.g., 32...gxf2+ 33.Qxf2 Rxe3 34.Qxf3 Rxf3.

28...Qf3+ 29.Kg1 Ra2 30.Rf1?

• White's best way out of this jam is to exchange Queens. Anand needed a win to have any chance at finishing first, thus he rejected an idea that would give him much better drawing opportunities but rfew winning ones.
• If 30.Qf4 Qxf4 31.exf4 Re4 then:
• 32.f5 Rf4 33.Rb5 Rxf5 34.Rc8+ Kh7 35.Rd8 Rfxf2 leaves White a pawn to the good.
• 32.Rc8+ Kh7 33.f5 Rf4 34.Rbb8 Rxf5 35.Rh8+ Kg6 leaves White a pawn to the good.

30...Rxe3!!

• If White takes the Rook, then Black mates on the next move.

31.Qd8+

• No better is 31.Qb8+ Kh7 32.Rb2 Rxb2 33.Qxb2 Rd3 34.Qb1 g3.

31...Kh7 32.Qg5
BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
!""""""""#
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$ + P +oP%
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after 32.Qd8g5

32...g3!!

• The sham sacrifice of the Rook settles maters

33.Qxe3

• If 33.Qxg3 then Black wins after 33...Qxg3+ 34.fxg3 Rxg3+ 35.Kh1 Rh3+ 36.Kg1 Rxh4.

33...gxf2+!

• Black avoids the exchange of Queens.

34.Qxf2 Rxf2 35.Rxf2 Qg4+ 36.Rg2

• If 36.Kf1 Qxd4 37.Rb7 Qd1+ 38.Kg2 f5 then:
• 39.Rf7 Qg4+ 40.Kf1 Kg6 41.Rf8 Qd1+ leaves the d-pawn free to advance.
• 39.Re7 Qg4+ 40.Kh1 Kh6 41.Rg2 Qd4 42.Re6+ Kh7 gives White an extra pawn and excellent winning chances.

36...Qxd4+ 37.Kh1 Qe4 38.Rf1 f5 39.Kg1

• If 39.Rff2 Qe1+ 40.Kh2 g6 then:
• 41.Rf3 Qe5+ 42.Kh3 Qe4 43.Rgf2 d4 gives Black two extra pawns.
• 41.h5 Qe5+ 42.Kg1 gxh5 43.Rg5 Qe1+ 44.Kg2 Qe4+ leaves White hopeless.

39...d4 40.Rgf2 d3 41.h5 Qg4+

• 41...Qd4 42.Kh2 d2 43.Rxf5 d1Q wins the whole enchilada.

42.Rg2 Qd4+ 43.Kh1

• 43.Rgf2 d2 44.Kg2 Qg4+ 45.Kh1 d1Q wins for Black.

43...d2 44.Rgg1 f4 45.Kg2 Qe3 46.Rh1
BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
!""""""""#
$ + + + +%
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$ + + + +%
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WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after 46.Rg1h1

• Anand Shahib falls on his sword.
• If 46.Kh2 Qe2+ 47.Kh3 Qxh5+ 48.Kg2 Qe2+ then:
• 49.Rf2 Qg4+ 50.Kh1 d1Q 51.Rxd1 Qxd1+ wins.
• If 49.Kh3 g5 50.Ra1 Kg6 then:
• 51.Rad1 Kf5 52.Rxd2 g4+ 53.Rxg4 Qxg4+ wins.
• 51.Raf1 Kf5 52.Rxg5+ Kxg5 53.Rg1+ Kh5 leads to mate.

46...Qg3# 0-1

[Jack Rabbit]

13. Video: the world champion plays the world women's champion (blitz game)

. . . and guess who won the encounter?

I'd rather watch the grass grow than watch a regulation game of chess actually being played, but blitz chess is a different story.

When Bobby Fischer said that he likes to "see 'em squirm," he was talking about his opponent's pawns and pieces. If you want to see your opponent squirm, wait until he's in time trouble. And if you enjoy that, watch a blitz game, where the players begin the game in time trouble (5 minutes for 40 moves).

Here is the game on video and, if you want to know what they were doing, here is the game on a Java-based viewer at ChessGames.com.

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Bundeslinga 0910, Rounds 3 & 4

Stutue of the Town Musicians, Bremen
Photo by Adrian Pingstone, Wikipedia (Public Domain)

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Adams - Michiels, Round 4

Here is a game from Baden-Baden's fourth round whitewashing of Erfert.



Mickey Adams
Photo by Brittle heaven, Wikipedia (Creative Commons Copyright: Attribution/Share Alike)

To view this game, please click here and select game number 11.

Mickey Adams (Baden-Baden) - Bart Michiels (Erfert)
Bundesliga 0910, Round 4
Baden-Baden, 15 November 2009

Spanish Sicilian Game: Canal Opening

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6

• For 3...d6 see Anand-Carlsen, Amber Blind, Nice, 2009.
• For 3...e6 see Gomez-So,.Philippine Ch, Mandaluyong City, 2008.
• For 3...Nf6 see T. Kosintseva-Romanko, Russian ChW, Moscow, 2008.

4.Bxc6 dxc6

• If 4...bxc6 5.0-0 Bg7 6.Re1 Nh6 7.c3 0-0 8.d4 cxd4 9.cxd4 d6 10.h3 f6 11.Nc3 Nf7 12.b3 then:
• 12...Qa5 13.Bb2 Qh5 14.Ne2 Qb5 15.Nc3 Qb7 16.Qe2 givews White a slight edge in space (Oratovsky-Malakhov, IT, Bad Wiessee, 2002).
• 12...Bd7 13.Bb2 Qa5 14.Nd2 Rad8 15.Nc4 Qg5 16.Qd2 Qh4 is equal (Hammer-Akshayraj, World Jr Ch, Gaziantep, 2008).

5.d3 Bg7 6.h3 Nf6 7.Nc3 Nd7

• If 7...0-0 8.Be3 b6 9.Qd2 e5 10.Bh6 then:
• If 10...Qd6 11.0-0-0 a5 12.Bxg7 Kxg7 then:
• If 13.Nh2 a4 14.Ng4 Ng8 then:
• If 15.Ne2 Bxg4 16.hxg4 Qe6 17.Kb1 Qxg4 18.f3 then:
• 18...Qe6 19.g4 f6 20.f4 a3 21.f5 Qd7 22.b3 g5 23.Qe3 h6 24.c3 Qe7 25.Ng1 Rfe8 26.Nf3 Rad8 27.Kc2 Rd7 28.Rd2 draw (Grischuk-Ponomariov, TMatch, Moscow, 2002).
• 18...Qxg2 19.f4 exf4 20.Rdg1 Qf2 21.Rf1 Qe3 22.Qc3+ is equal.
• 15.Kb1 a3 16.b3 Qd4 17.Nh2 b5 18.Nf3 Qd6 19.Ne2 Be6 20.g3 Rad8 21.Ng5 c4 is equal (Grischuk-Leko, TMatch, Moscow, 2002).
• 13.g4 a4 14.Ne2 b5 15.Ng3 b4 16.Qg5 Re8 is equal (Shirov-Leko, IT, Dortmund, 2002).
• 10...Qe7 11.0-0-0 Nh5 12.Ne2 f6 13.g4 Bxh6 14.Qxh6 Ng7 15.Nd2 Be6 16.Kb1 Qf7 17.Nc1 Rad8 18.f4 exf4 19.Qxf4 gives White a slight advantage in space (Hofstetter-Leconte, Cyberspace, 2002).

8.Be3 e5 9.Qd2 h6

• If 9...Qe7 10.Bh6 then:
• If 10...f6 11.Bxg7 Qxg7 then:
• If 12.Nh2 Nf8 13.f4 exf4 14.Qxf4 Ne6 15.Qf2 0-0 16.Nf3 Bd7 17.0-0-0 then:
• If 17...b5 18.Rhe1 a5 19.e5 fxe5 is equal (Laurent-Gilbert, Euro Club Cup, Kallithea, 2008).
• 17...Rad8 18.Kb1 b6 19.h4 h5 20.Rdg1 f5 21.exf5 Rxf5 22.Qg3 Rf4 23.Re1 Rdf8 Black should regroup his minor pieces (Nezad-Uesugi, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• 12.Qe3 b6 13.Nd2 Nf8 14.f4 exf4 15.Qxf4 Ne6 16.Qf2 Nd4 17.0-0-0 Be6 18.Nf3 0-0-0 19.Nxd4 Rxd4 20.Rhf1 has White working on a plan to break through on the f-file (Dworakowska-Soraas.Op, Gibraltar, 2007).
• 10...0-0 11.0-0 Re8 12.Nh2 Bh8 13.Kh1 Nf8 14.f4 exf4 15.Rxf4 Be6 16.Raf1 Nd7 is equal (Leko-Anand, IT, Frankfurt, 2000).

10.0-0 Qe7 11.Nh2

• If 11.a3 Nf8 12.b4 Ne6 then:
• If 13.bxc5 Nxc5 14.Rfe1 Ne6 then:
• 15.a4 Kf8 16.a5 Kg8 17.Na4 Kh7 18.Qc3 Rd8 19.Rab1 Nd4 20.Bxd4 exd4 21.Qc4 Qc7 22.Nc5 draw (Svidler-Grischuk, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2004).
• 15.Ne2 h5 16.a4 0-0 17.Bh6 Bxh6 18.Qxh6 gives White the initiative (Spassov-P. Smirnov, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• 13.Na4 b6 14.bxc5 b5 15.Nb2 f5 16.Qa5 f4 is equal (Mason-Sowray, British Ch, Douglas, 2005).

11...Nf8 12.f4 exf4 13.Bxf4

• If 13.Rxf4 Ne6 14.Rf2 Nd4 15.Raf1 Be6 then:
• If 16.Ng4 0-0-0 then:
• If 17.Nxh6 f6 18.Nd1 Rh7 19.c3 Nb5 20.Rf3 then:
• 20...c4 21.Ng4 Rxd3 22.Qe2 Bxg4 23.hxg4 Qe5 24.Bf4 Qc5+ 25.Nf2 Bh6 26.Bxh6 Rxh6 27.Rxd3 cxd3 28.Qxd3 gives White an extra pawn (Svidler-Leko, IT, Dortmund, 2005).
• 21.Nf2 cxd3 22.Nfg4 Nd6 23.e5 Nc4 24.exf6 Nxd2 25.fxe7 Nxf3+ 26.Rxf3 Re8 gives Black the material advantage and the more active game (Novikov-Franssila, Euro Club Cup, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• 17.Nf6 Bxf6 18.Rxf6 Bf5 19.Bxh6 Qxf6 20.Bg5 is equal (Saulin-W. Hendricks, Op, Bussum, 2009).
• 16.Ne2 Nxe2+ 17.Rxe2 0-0-0 18.b3 b6 19.Qe1 Kb7 20.Bd2 Bd4+ 21.Kh1 g5 22.e5 Bb2 23.a4 Rd5 24.Qg3 Bc8 is equal (Leko-van Wely, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2005).

13...g5

• If 13...Ne6 14.Bg3 then:
• If 14...Nd4 15.Rae1 0-0 16.e5 then:
• If 16...Bf5 17.Ne4 Bxe4 18.Rxe4 then:
• 18...Rad8 19.Bh4 g5 20.Ng4 Ne6 21.Nf6+ (T. Kosintseva-Cmilyte, OlW, Torino, 2006).
• 18...h5 19.Nf3 Nxf3+ 20.Rxf3 Qe6 21.b3 gives White the advantage in space and unusually active heavy pieces for this stage of the game (Hammer-Korobov, Op, Cappelle la Grande, 2009).
• 16...Nf5 17.Bf2 h5 18.Nf3 b6 19.Ne4 Rd8 gives White the advantage in space (Meier-Nigalidze, World Jr Ch, Yerevan, 2007).
• 14...Qg5 15.Qe1 Nd4 16.Qf2 0-0 17.Bd6 Bxh3 18.Bf4 Qxg2+ 19.Qxg2 Bxg2 20.Kxg2 Nxc2 21.Rad1 Rad8 is equal (Leko-van Wely, IT, Dortmund, 2005).

14.Bg3!?

• 14.Be3 Be6 15.Qf2 Nd7 16.a4 0-0 17.g4 b6 18.Rae1 Ne5 is equal (B. Socko-Michiels, IT, Antwerp, 2009).

14...Ng6

• The game is equal.

BLACK: Bart Michiels
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Mickey Adams
Position after 14...Nf8g6

15.e5!

• This pawn will become the bulwark of White's game. Black will be unble to either capture it, move it or find a way around it.

15...0-0 16.Rae1 Be6!?

• The pawn isn't poisoned. Black simply allows White an oppornity to cover it.
• 16...Nxe5 17.Bxe5 Bxe5 18.Nf3 Bxc3 19.Qxc3 Be6 remains equal.

17.Nf3!

• White overprotects the e-pawn. Throughout the game, White will do a bang up job of overprotecting the pawn, which is the key to a pawn's strength.

17...Bd5

• If 17...c4?! then after 18.d4! Qb4 19.Qc1 f5 20.exf6 Rxf6 21.Ne4 Wihte wins material.

18.Nxd5 cxd5 19.c3

• 19.Qf2!? Rac8 then:
• 20.c4 dxc4 21.dxc4 Rc6 22.Qc2 Re6 is equal.
• If 20.d4!? f6 21.dxc5 fxe5 22.b4 then:
• 22...Qe6! 23.Qd2 Rce8 24.c3 Nf4 gives Black the advantage in space.
• 22...Rce8!? 23.c4 dxc4 24.Qc2 is equal.

19...Rae8 20.d4 cxd4

• If 20...b5 then after 21.dxc5 Qxc5+ 22.Bf2 Qc4 23.b3 Qc7 24.Qxd5 White maintains the better center.

21.Qxd4 Qe6

• If 21...Rd8 22.h4 gxh4 23.Bxh4 Nxh4 24.Nxh4 opens up the kingside for White's heavy pieces.

BLACK: Bart Michiels
!""""""""#
$ + +tTl+%
$+ + +oV %
$ + +w+mO%
$+ +oP O %
$ + Q + +%
$+ P +nBp%
$pP + +p+%
$+ + RrK %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Mickey Adams
Position after 21...Qe7e6

22.Qxa7!

• White wins a pawn.
• The pawn at e5 is clearly the star of the show. Black has four attackers on it and yet can't touch it.

22...Ra8 23.Qf2 Rxa2 24.Kh1 f6?

• By exchanging the e-pawn, Black simply helps White launch the attack.
• Better is 24...Re8 25.Kh2 Qe7 26.Qd2 b5 27.Qc2 when Black still has plenty of play.

25.Nd4!

• White takes advantage of the unprotected Queen.

25...Qb6

• If 25...Qa6 26.Qf3 then:
• 26...Ne7 27.Nf5 Nxf5 28.Qxd5+ Kh7 29.Rxf5 White is ready to push the e-pawn.
• 26...fxe5 27.Qxd5+ Kh7 28.Rxf8 Nxf8 29.Bxe5 Bxe5 30.Qxe5 White will get his attack in long before Black does.

26.Qf3 Ne7 27.Nf5 Nxf5

BLACK: Bart Michiels
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Mickey Adams
Position after 27...Ne7f5:N

28.Qxd5+!!

• 28.Qxf5? fxe5! 29.Qd7 Qc6! 30.Rxf8+ Bxf8 31.Qf5 Rxb2! gives Black two extra pawns.

28...Kh8

• 28...Kh7 29.Rxf5 Rxb2 30.e6 Re8 31.c4 Qc6 32.Rf2 continues to allow White to call the tune.

29.Rxf5! Rxb2 30.exf6 Bxf6 31.Rxf6!! 1-0

• Mr. Adams ends the game by proffering White's Rook.
• 31...Qxf6 32.Be5 wins the Queen.
• 31...Rxf6 32.Re8+! Kh7 33.Qg8#.
• Mh. Michiels resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

11. Eljanov - Bobras, Round 4

Pavel Eljanov
Photo: ChessBase.com

To view this game, please click here and select game number 41.

Pavel Eljanov (Bremen) - Piotr Bobras (Trier)
Bundesliga 0910, Round 4
Bremen, 15 November 2009

West India Game: Indian Queen's Gambit

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bg5

• This move initiates an interesting alternative to 4.cxd5 or 4.Qb3.

4...Ne4 5.Bh4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 dxc4 7.e3

• What we have here is a set up similar to the Open Queen's Gambit, except that . . .

7...Be6

• . . . except that it's a real gambit.

8.Nf3

• 8.Rb1 b6 9.Nf3 Bg7 10.Nd2 0-0 11.Be2 c5 12.Bf3 cxd4 13.cxd4 Nd7 14.Bxa8 Qxa8 15.0-0 c3 16.Nf3 Rc8 is equal (Moiseenko-Svidler, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2005).

8...Bg7 9.Qb1

• 9.Be2 0-0 10.0-0 c5 11.Ng5 Bd5 12.e4 h6 13.exd5 hxg5 14.Bxg5 cxd4 15.Bxc4 dxc3 16.Rc1 Qd6 is equal (Pentala-Svidler, Ol, Dresden, 2008).

9...b6 10.Be2

• If 10.Ng5 Bd5 11.e4 then:
• If 11...h6 12.exd5 hxg5 13.Qb5+ Qd7 14.Qxd7+ Nxd7 15.Bxg5 b5 then:
• If 16.Rb1 a6 17.a4 Nb6 18.axb5 axb5 19.Rxb5 Ra1+ then:
• 20.Ke2 Ra2+ 21.Ke1 Bh6 22.Bxh6 Rxh6 23.Rc5 Kd7 is equal (Su. Polgar-Smejkal, IT, Trencianske Teplice, 1985).
• If 20.Kd2 Kd7 then:
• 21.Rb2? Nxd5! 22.g3 Bxd4 23.Kc2 Bxc3 gives Black two extra pawns and the advantage in space (Kotronias-Ftacnik, Op, Haifa, 1989).
• 21.h4 Ra2+ 22.Ke1 Ra1+ 23.Ke2 is equal.
• 16.a4 Nb6 17.axb5 0-0-0 18.Kd2 Rhe8 19.Kc2 Rxd5 20.Be3 Kb8 draw (Knezevic-Ftacnik, IT, Trencianske Teplice, 1985).
• 11...Bc6 12.Bxc4 0-0 13.0-0 h6 14.Nf3 Qd6 15.e5 Qa3 16.Qd3 e6 17.Ne1 Ba4 18.f4 b5 19.Bxb5 Bxb5 20.Qxb5 Qxc3 21.Nf3 gives White the advantage in space (Rainier-Feldman, Op, Queenstown, 2006).

10...0-0

• 10...a6 11.a4 Nc6 12.0-0 h6 13.Rd1 Na5 14.Nd2 Rc8 15.e4 0-0 16.Qc2 g5 17.Bg3 c6 is equal ()Novogrudsky-Kachar, City Ch, Moscow, 1999.

11.0-0 c5 12.Rd1 Nd7 13.Ng5!?

• 13.dxc5 Qe8 14.c6 Nc5 15.Nd4 Bd5 16.Qb5 Rc8 is equal (Aronian-Svidler, Tal Mem, Moscow, 2009).

13...Bd5 14.e4

• 14.dxc5 Bc6 15.Bxc4 bxc5 16.Qc2 Qc8 remains equal.

14...Bb7 15.Bxc4 cxd4 16.cxd4 Rc8

• If 16...h6 17.Nxf7 Rxf7 18.e5 then:
• 18...Nf8 19.Qb3 Qe8 20.Bxf7+ Qxf7 21.Bxe7 remains equal.
• 18...g5!? 19.Qf5! gxh4 20.Bxf7+ Kh8 21.Rac1 gives White the advantage in space.

17.Qb3

BLACK: Piotr Bobras
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WHITE: Pavel Eljanov
Position after 17.Qb1b3

17...Rxc4!?

• Black sacrifices the exchange for the initiative, but doesn't really get enough to justify the material deficit.
• 17...Qe8 18.Bd5 Bxd5 19.Qxd5 e5 remains equal.

18.Qxc4

• Of course, White accept the sacrifice, since the alternative is to hobble around a piece in the hole.

18...h6 19.Nf3 g5 20.Bg3 Bxe4 21.Ne5 Nf6 22.f3!

• Black's initiative from the exchange sacrifice is spent and all his in return is a pawn.
• The text is more flexible than 22.Rac1 Qa8 23.f3 Bb7 24.Qc7 Nd5 25.Qd7.

22...Bb7 23.Qa4 Qa8 24.Rac1 Nd5 25.Qb3

• Also good is 25.a3 a6 26.Qb3 Qd8 27.Nc6 Bxc6 28.Rxc6, which also maintains White's advantages in space and material.

25...Rd8

• 25...e6 26.Nc4 Rd8 27.Nd6 Nf4 28.Bxf4 gxf4 29.Nxb7 maintains advantages in space and material for White, but his pawn weaknesses are more accessible to Black.

26.h4 f6 27.Ng4 Rd7!?

• This move covers nothing that isn't already protected.
• Black's best shot at fighting back is 27...gxh4 28.Bxh4 Qb8 29.Qd3 h5 30.Ne3 Qf4 31.Bf2 when White's advantage in is reduced to almost nothing.

BLACK: Piotr Bobras
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WHITE: Pavel Eljanov
Position after 27...Rd8d7

28.Qd3!

• White seizes the open b1/g7 diagonal, signaling an intention to launch aggressive action on the kingside.
• If 28.hxg5 hxg5 29.Qa4 Rd8 30.Qc2 gives White the diagonal and the c-file, but he'll not get any better command of the c-file than he gets in the text.

28...Qe8 29.hxg5 hxg5 30.Re1 e6 31.Re2!?

• There is little for White on the e-file.
• Better is 31.Qe2 Kf7 32.Ne3 Nxe3 33.Qxe3 Bd5 34.Re2 when White has the option of moving his attack back to the open c-file.

31...Qf7!

• The e-pawn is the cornerstone of Black's defense and should be overprotected.

32.Rce1 Re7 33.Nf2

• 33.Ne3 Rd7 34.Nxd5 Bxd5 35.Rc1! Bf8 36.Rec2 White maintains a material advantage with command of the c-file.

33...f5!?

• The text move weakens e5 and allows White to make use of it as an outpost.
• 33...a5 34.a3 Re8 35.Ne4 Qg6 36.Qc4 gives White the advantage in space to go with the material edge.

34.Bd6!

• White has the advantage in space.

34...Re8

BLACK: Piotr Bobras
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WHITE: Pavel Eljanov
Position after 34...Re7e8

35.Be5

• White chooses to make use of the e5 outpost over an alternate plan where he attack Black's kingside pawns.
• If 35.Nh3 Bh6 36.a3 a6 37.Nf2 then:
• 37...Qd7 38.Be5 Rc8 39.Nd1 b5 40.g4 Qh7 41.Rh2 White maintains the material advantage and the advantage in space.
• 37...Bf8? then:
• 38.Be5! Rc8 39.Nh3 Qg6 40.Bd6 Re8 41.Bxf8 Kxf8 42.Qd2 White keeps the material advantage with excellent winning chances.
• 38.Bg3!? b5 39.Nh3 Qf6 40.Be5 Qh6 41.Rc2 puts White's Rooks on an open file well-covered by Black's pawns and minor pieces.

35...Bf8 36.Qd2 Qg6 37.Nd3 g4!?

• Black does better to restrain White's pawns.
• 37...f4 38.Rc1 Ba3 39.Rc2 Rd8 40.Nf2 Ba6 does more to restrain White's kingside.

38.fxg4 Qxg4 39.Rf1 Nc3!?

• This plan does what it is supposed to do, but it's the wrong plan. White should bolster the protection of his pawns mass and redploy his less active pieces.
• 39...Kf7 40.Rc1 Rd8 41.Bf4 Bg7 42.Ne5+ Bxe5 43.Bxe5 when Black's central pawn chain is protected and White ability to operate effectively on the kingside is modest.

40.Re3 Ne4 41.Qe1 Bh6

• If 41...Ba6? then White wins after 42.Rf4! Qg6 43.Rfxe4 Bh6 44.Nf4 Qh7 45.Qg3+.

42.Rh3 Bd2

• If 42...Qg6 then after 43.Nf4 Bxf4 44.Rxf4 Kf7 45.Qh4 Ng5 46.Rc3 White threatens 47.Rc7+!.

43.Qh4!?

• White misses a line by which he wins faster.
• If 43.Qd1! Qxd1 44.Rxd1 then:
• 44...Re7 45.Nf2! Bb4 46.Rc1 Bd6 47.Rh8+ Kf7 48.Rh7+ maintains White's material advantage and gives him excellent winning chances.
• 44...Bd5 45.Nf2 Bb4 46.Nxe4 Bxe4 47.Rc1 f4 48.Rh4 wins more material for White.

43...Be3+

• 43...Qxh4! 44.Rxh4 Be3+ 45.Kh2 Re7 transposes into the text.

44.Kh2 Qxh4 45.Rxh4 Re7?

• This is not a sudden blunder, but the straw that breaks the camel's back.
• If 45...Ng5 46.Re1 Bd2 47.Re2 Ba5 then after 48.Rc2 b5 49.Rh8+ Kf7 50.Rxe8 Kxe8 51.Bc7 White maintains the material advantage.
• There is no time for 47...Bc3? when 48.Rc2! Ba5 49.Rc7 threatens mate on h8.

46.Rf3!

• Whi9te prefers to build the attack and then execute it in rapid fire.
• 46.Rh8+ Kf7 47.Rf3! Bg5 48.Rfh3 is a transpostion.

46...Bg5 47.Rh8+ Kf7 48.Rfh3 Nf6

• Black is lost.
• If 48...Bd5 49.R3h7+ Kg6 50.Rxe7 Bxe7 51.Nf4+ then:
• 51...Kf7 52.Rh7+ Ke8 53.Ng6 wins a pawn.
• 51...Kg5 52.Rg8+ Kh4 53.Ng6+ wins the Bishop at e7.

49.Bxf6?

• White misses the quick finishing stroke: 49.Bd6! Re8 50.R3h7+ Kg6 51.Ne5#.

49...Kxf6 50.Rf8+ Kg7 51.Rhh8 Rd7?

• Black is almost back in the game, but misses his last chance.
• 51...Be3! 52.Rhg8+ Kh7 53.Re8 Rxe8 54.Rxe8 Bd5 55.Re7+ Black obtains sufficient counterplay to hold off defeat.

52.Rhg8+ Kh6

BLACK: Piotr Bobras
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WHITE: Pavel Eljanov
Position after 52...Kg7h6

53.Ne5!

• White threatens 54.Rg6+ Kh7 55.Rxg5 winning a piece.

53...Bf4+

• If 53...Rg7 then 54.Rxg7 Kxg7 55.Rf7+ Kh6 56.Rxb7 wins a piece.

54.Kh3 Rxd4

• Black gets more resistnace from 54...Bxe5 55.dxe5 Bd5 56.a3 a6 57.g4 fxg4+ 58.Kxg4, but it's just a matter of time.

55.Rg6+ Kh7 56.Rf7+ Kh8 57.Rxe6 1-0

• Black must submit to mate of suffer great material loss.
• Grandmaster Bobras resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

12. Llaneza Vega - A. Muzychuk, Round 3

Anna Muzychuk
Photo: Ajedrez.com (Argentina)

To view this game, please click here and select game number 40.

Marcos Llaneza (Bremen) - Anna Muzychuk (Eppingen)
Bundesliga 0910, Round 3
Bremen, 14 November 2009

Scandanavian Game: Horseman Gambit

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6

• The usual line is 2...Qxd5 3.Nc3 followed by the Queen's retreat.

3.d4

• If 3.Nc3 Nxd5 4.Bc4 Nb6 5.Bb3 then:
• If 5...Nc6 6.Nf3 Bf5 7.d4 e6 8.0-0 Be7 then:
• 9.Bf4 0-0 10.d5 exd5 11.Nxd5 Nxd5 12.Qxd5 Qxd5 13.Bxd5 Bxc2 14.Bxc6 bxc6 15.Bxc7 Rac8 16.Be5 Rfe8 is equal (Merwin-Greanias, Op, Las Vegas, 2004).
• If 9.Re1 0-0 10.Bf4 Na5 11.Qe2 c6 12.Ne4 Nd5 13.Bg3 Nf6 14.Nc5 Nxb3 15.axb3 b6 16.Nd3 Qc8 is equal (Alexeev-Baburin, Hungarian Op, Gyor, 1990).
• If 5...c5 6.d3 Nc6 7.Nf3 then:
• 7...e6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Re1 0-0 10.Bf4 Na5 11.Nb5 Bd7 12.Na3 Nxb3 13.axb3 Nd5 14.Bg3 Nc7 15.Ne5 Be8 16.Qe2 Nb5 is equal (Krajnak-Kaniansky, Slovakian ChT, Slovakia, 2001).
• 7...Bf5 8.Bf4 e6 9.0-0 Be7 10.Ne5 Nd4 11.Nc4 0-0 12.Re1 Nd5 13.Nxd5 exd5 14.Ne3 Be6 15.Bxd5 Bxd5 16.Nxd5 Qxd5 17.Rxe7 Rfe8 18.Rxe8+ Rxe8 19.Be3 Nf5 20.Bd2 Nd4 21.Be3 Nf5 22.Bd2 draw (Lenderman-Chetverik, 1st Saturday, Budapest, 2003.08).

3...Nxd5 4.Nf3 Bf5 5.Be2

• If 5.Bd3 then:
• If 5...Bxd3 6.Qxd3 e6 7.0-0 c6 8.c4 Nf6 9.Nc3 Be7 then:
• 10.Bf4 0-0 11.Rad1 Nbd7 12.a3 a5 13.Qe2 Re8 14.Ne5 Nf8 15.Rd3 Qb6 16.Rfd1 gives White the advantage in space (van der Sterren-Christiansen, Op, Lone Pine, 1978).
• 10.b3 0-0 11.Bb2 Nbd7 12.Rad1 Qa5 13.d5 Nc5 14.Qb1 Rad8 is equal (Spence-S. Lalic, British Ch, Great Yarmouth, 2007).
• 5...Bg6 6.0-0 e6 7.Re1 Be7 8.Nc3 0-0 9.Nxd5 Qxd5 10.Bf4 Bd6 11.Bxd6 Qxd6 12.Bxg6 hxg6 13.Ng5 Qf4 14.Nf3 Nc6 15.c3 Rad8 16.Ne5 Nxe5 17.Rxe5 Rd6 18.Qe2 Rfd8 19.Re1 Rd5 20.g3 Rxe5 21.Qxe5 Qxe5 22.Rxe5 draw (Teichmann-Duras, DSB, Breslau, 1912).

5...e6 6.0-0 Be7 7.a3

• 7.c4 Nb4 8.Na3 0-0 9.Be3 a5 10.Qd2 c5 11.Rfd1 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Bg6 13.Qe1 Qc8 14.Ndb5 N8c6 is equal (Matulovic-Thorbergsson, Op, Reykjavik, 1970).

7...0-0 8.c4 Nb6 9.Be3 Bf6 10.Nc3 Nc6 11.Rc1

• If 11.h3 Qd7 then:
• If 12.b4 Rad8 13.Ra2 then:
• If 13...Nxd4 then:
• If 14.Nxd4 Bxd4 15.Rd2 e5 16.Nb5 Qe7 17.Nxd4 exd4 then:
• 18.Rxd4 Rxd4 19.Qxd4 Rd8 20.Qc3 gives White the advantage in space (Kovalevskaya-A. Muzychuk, Euro ChW, Varna, 2002).
• 18.Bxd4 Rfe8 19.Be3 is equal (Turov-Krassilnikov, Op, St. Petersburg, 2002).
• 14.Bxd4 Bxd4 15.Rd2 e5 16.Nxe5 Bxf2+ 17.Rxf2 Qxd2 18.Qxd2 Rxd2 19.Rxf5 is equal (N. Kosintseva-A. Muzychuk, Euro ChW, Warsaw, 2001).
• 13...Qc8 14.Rd2 h6 15.Qb3 Ne7 16.Bf4 c6 17.Rfd1 gives White the advantage in space (Dworakowska-M. Muzychuk, World ChTW, Ningbo, 2009).
• 12.c5 Nd5 13.Nxd5 Qxd5 14.Qa4 Rad8 15.Rfd1 Be4 16.Rd2 Ne7 is equal (Sukhandar-M. Muzychuk, Mindsports Rpd, Beijing, 2008).

11...Qd7 12.d5!?

• 12.b4 Rad8 13.Qb3 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 Bxd4 15.Rcd1 e5 16.Nb5 Qe7 is equal (Tukmakov-Ubilava, Spartakiad, Moscow, 1979).
• 12.c5 Nd5 13.Bb5 Rfd8 14.h3 h6 15.Qd2 Nxc3 16.bxc3 Be4 give Black a slight advantage (Arakhamia-Voiska, Euro ChW, Warsaw, 2001).

12...Ne5!?

• Black goes after the c-pawn, but White has a retort.
• 12...exd5 13.cxd5 Ne7 14.Bxb6 axb6 15.Nd4 is equal.

BLACK: Anna Muzychuk
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Marcos Llaneza
Position after 12...Nc6e5

13.Bxb6!

• White eliminates a possible problem and puts a dent in Black's queenside pawn structure.
• Also good is 13.dxe6! fxe6 14.Nxe5 Bxe5 15.f4 giving White the initiative.

13...axb6 14.Nd4

• 14.dxe6 Bxe6 15.Nxe5 Bxe5 16.Qxd7 Bxd7 17.Bf3 remains equal.

14...c5!?

• 14...Bg6 15.Qb3! Be7 16.Rcd1 Bf6 17.Ndb5 gives White the advantage in space.

15.Nxf5!

• The Knight had no good square for retreat, so it exchanges itself for Black's active Bishop.

15...exf5 16.Qb3

• White will attack the weak queenside pawns.

16...f4!?

• In addition to taking Black's most effective piece on move 15, White also spoiled Black's pawn structure. When advancing the forward f-pawn, Black should take better consideration of whether she can protect the pawn in its new position.
• Better is 16...Qd6 17.Nb5 Qd7 18.Rcd1 Rfe8 19.Qg3 Ng6 20.Rd2, but White is still getting the best of it.

17.Ne4 Bd8 18.Rfe1 f5 19.Nd2 Qd6 20.Nf3

• White would like to exchange away Black's central Knight.
• 20.Rcd1 Bf6 21.Qh3 g6 22.Qb3 Rf7 23.Nb1

20...Bf6

• For her part, Black wants to make certain that a minor piece remains at e5 to keep a finger in the dike.

21.Nxe5 Bxe5 22.Bf3 Rfe8 23.Re2 Re7 24.h4!?

• The source of White's advantage is his pawn structure. Black has pawn weaknesses on both wings and is sure to draw from White's pieces.
• 24.Qc2 g6 25.Rce1 Rae8 26.Qc1 Qf6 27.Qd2 puts pressure on Black's pawn at f4.

BLACK: Anna Muzychuk
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Marcos Llaneza
Position after 24.h2h4

24...g6!

• This move is almost forced, but it works. Black begins to solidify her defense, leave White to run into stone walls.
• 24...Rae8 25.Rce1 Qf6 26.h5 Kf7 27.Qb5 Qd6 28.b4 opens up new fronts against Black's queenside.

25.Rce1 Kg7

• If is equal.

26.Qb5?!

• The White Queen runs too far afield. This commits it to a queenside attack, but Black's defense is solid.
• If 26.h5 g5 then:
• 27.h6+ 27...Kg8 28.Bh5 Qxh6 29.Rxe5 Rxe5 30.Rxe5 Qxh5 White wins back the pawn by taking on f5.
• 27.Qd3!? Kf6 28.Rd2 Rae8! 29.Kh1 g4 30.Bd1 is equal.

26...Ra5 27.Qb3 Ra8 28.Qb5 Kf6 29.Kf1!?

• White has been getting the best of it so far, but he cannot find a way through White's center.
• 29.Rd2 Kg7 30.h5 g5 31.Bd1 g4 then:
• 32.Rde2 Rae8 33.b4 Bc3 34.Rxe7+ Rxe7 35.Rxe7+ Qxe7 gives Black a winning position.
• If 32.Bc2 f3! 33.gxf3 gxf3 then:
• 34.Rd3 Bd4 35.Kf1 Bxf2 36.Rxe7+ Qxe7 wins for Black as the threat of mate of e1 or e2 cannot be parried except by heavy material loss.
• 34.Red1 Qh6 35.b3 Qg5+ 36.Kf1 Qg2+ 37.Ke1 Qh1#.

29...h6 30.g3?

• White helps Black turn a liability into an asset. Black can now exchange the pawn at f4 at g3 and severely weaken White's kingside.
• 30.Qb3 Kg7 31.h5 g5 then:
• 32.Qd3! Rf8 33.Rd2 g4 34.Bd1 b5 35.cxb5 leaves White a pawn to the good.
• 32.Rxe5!? Rxe5 33.Rxe5 Qxe5 34.Qxb6 Re8 35.Qg6+ is equal.

BLACK: Anna Muzychuk
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WHITE: Marcos Llaneza
Position after 30.g2g3

30...fxg3!

• Black straightens out her pawns and gets a healthy majority.

31.fxg3 Rae8 32.h5 g5!

• Black effectively has a 2:1 majority on the kingside.

BLACK: Anna Muzychuk
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Marcos Llaneza
Position after 32...g6g5

• This diagram is only five plays apart from the previous one, but what a difference. Black's Queen and Bishop fire on the g-pawn which must soon give way, leaving the White King only pieces to protect him. However, those pieces are sure to scatter in a pawn storm and, with Black's kingside pawns ready to roll, the sky is dark with thunderheads.

33.b4

• If 33.g4 fxg4 34.Bxg4 Bg3 then:
• 35.Qb3 Bxe1 36.Kxe1 Rxe2+ 37.Bxe2 b5 leaves Black up by an exchange.
• 35.Re6+ Rxe6 36.Rxe6+ Rxe6 37.Qb3 Qf4+ wins for Black.

33...g4 34.bxc5 Qxc5

• Black has several paths to victory.
• If 34...bxc5 then:
• If 35.Bg2 Bxg3 36.Rxe7 Rxe7 37.Rxe7 Qxe7 then:
• If 38.Qb6+ Kg5 39.Qe6 Qg7 then:
• 40.Qg6+ Qxg6 41.hxg6 Kxg6 42.a4 Kf6 43.Kg1 h5 gives Black three connected passers.
• If 40.Qe3+ f4 41.Qe4 Qa1+! 42.Ke2 f3+ then:
• 43.Bxf3 Qb2+ 44.Kd1 Qb3+ 45.Kd2 gxf3 gives Black an extra piece.
• If 43.Kd2 fxg2 44.Qe7+ Kxh5 then:
• 45.Qe8+ Kh4 46.Qe7+ Kh3 47.Qe3 g1Q is lights out..
• If 45.Qe3 Qb2+ 46.Kd3 Qxa3+ 47.Ke2 Qxe3+ 48.Kxe3 g1Q+ is curtains.
• 38.Qb2+ Kg5 39.Qc3 f4 40.Qd2 Qd6 41.Qc3 Kxh5 gives Black three connected passers.
• If 35.Bxg4 fxg4 36.Kg2 then:
• 36...Rg8 37.Qb1 Rg5 38.Rf2+ Kg7 39.Rf5 Bf6 40.Rxg5+ Bxg5 gives Black an extra piece.
• 36...Bxg3 37.Rf1+ Kg5 38.Qxe8 Rxe8 39.Rxe8 Bh4 gives Black an extra piece.

35.Bg2

• 35.Qxc5 bxc5 36.Bh1 Bxg3 37.Rxe7 Rxe7 38.Rxe7 Kxe7 leaves Black with an extra pawn.

35...Qxb5 36.cxb5 Bxg3 37.Rxe7 Rxe7 38.Rxe7 Kxe7 39.d6+ Bxd6 40.Bxb7 Bxa3 0-1

• If 41.Bd5 then 41...f4 42.Kf2 Bc5+ 43.Kg2 Kf6 44.Kh2 Kg5 is most convincing.
• El señor Llaneza resigns.