The JR Chess Report (November 28): Abbreviated Edition

[Jack Rabbit]

NOTE: For those who missed it, this is what happened on the home front this week. I'm taking that about about as well as a mental outpatient with major depression would be expected to take it: I'm more bummed out and even less ambitious than usual.

So, I apologize for the brevity of this week's JRCR (OK, some of you don't think that's anything that needs an apology; you know who you are). The staff helped as much as they could, given that none of them has an opposable thumb.


Third World Cup in Khanty Mansiysk: Major Upsets in Round 2, 10 Matches in Round 3 Go to Playoff



The World Chess Cup concludes the third round tomorrow in Khanty Mansiysk, Russia, with ten sets of rapid and blitz playoffs to determine the remaining participants going through to Round 4.

The World Cup is a bi-annual knock out tournament of seven rounds, with each round except the last consisting of two chess games under standard time control and a set of rapid and blitz playoffs if the standard games produce no winner. The loser of each match is eliminated from further competition. If Linares is the Wimbledon of chess, then the World Cup is March Madness in November and December.

To extend the March Madness analogy, Round 4 is the Sweet Sixteen.

Going through to from round 3 to round 4 are Russian grandmaster Nikita Vitiugov, sixteen-year-old Filipino GM Wesley So, Ruslan Ponomariov of Ukraine, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan, Alexei Shirov of Spain by way of Latvia, and the reigning world junor champion, Maxime Vachier Lagrave of France.

The matches to be decided tomorrow are: top seeded Boris Gelfand of Israel against Hungary's Judit Polgar, the greatest woman player of all time; Li Chao (China) against Vugar Gashimov (Azerbaijan); reigning Russian national champion Peter Svidler against Arkadij Naiditsch (Germany); Viktor Bologan (Molovia) against Viktor Laznicka (Czechia); Baadur Jobava (Georgia) against Alexander Grischuk (Russia); Dmitry Jakovenko (Russia) against Alexander Areshchenko (Ukraine); Etienne Bacrot (France) against Wang Yue (China); Pavel Eljanov (Ukraine) against Vladimir Malakhov (Russia); David Navara (Czechia) against Sergey Karjakin (transitioning from Ukraine to Russia); and Fabiano Caruana (Italy) against Evgeny Alekseev (Russia).

In order to reach Round 4, Filipino Wesley So defeated the defending World Cup champion, Gata Kamsky of the United States, who was the last American standing in the event. Young Mr. So had already taken out the great Ukrainian GM Vassily Ivanchuk in Round 2. This seems to bring up another analogy to March Madness, making Wesley So the Cinderella story of the event thus far.

Other elite grandmasters who were defeated in Round 2 were Russia's Alexander Morozevich, Teimour Rajabov of Azerbaijan and Leinier Domínguez of Cuba. Svidler had a close call in Round 2 when he lost his first game to Finnish GM Tomi Nyback, but knotted the match in the second game and won the playoff the following day.

The seventh and final round will consist of four games to be played December 10 through 13 with any necessary tie breaks to be played December 14.


Social Page: It's a Boy for Natalia Pogonina

Russian WGM Natalia Pogonina presented her husband, Peter Zhdanov, with a baby boy earlier this month.

The child is named Nikolai Petrovich Zhadnov. Mother and child are now at home.

Natalia Andreevna plans to return to chess at the Moscow Open, where she will be the defending women's champion, from January 29 to February 8.



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.

Reggio Emilia Tournament 27 December 2009-4 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.

Moscow Open 29 January-8 February.

Aeroflot Open, Moscow 9-17 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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$OoOoOoOo%
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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. World Youth Championships, Antalya (Turkey)

Antalya
Photo by Rainbow Demon, Flickr (Creative Commons Copyright, Attribution/Share Alike)

[Jack Rabbit]

3. J. Cori Tello - Gorievsky, Boys' 13&14 Group, Round 10

Jorge Cori Tello of Peru, 14 years and three months, recently became the youngest player in the world to qualify for the grandmaster title.

http://www.chessbase.com/ESPANOLA/images/2009/CIlardo_Duchamp2009/021%20Jorge%20Cori%20Tello,%2014%20a%C3%B1os%20de%20Per%C3%BA.JPG

Jorge Cori Tello
Photo: ChessBase.com (Spanish Language)


Jorge Cori - Dmitry Gordievsky
48th World Youth Championships, Boys' 13 & 14 Group, Round 10
Antalya, 21 November 2009

Open Sicilian Game: Taimanov Defense

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7

• For a detailed survey of the Taimanov Defense, see Smith-Stellwagan, IT, Malmø, 2008.

6.Be2

• If 6.Be3 a6 then:
• If 7.Qd2 Nf6 then:
• If 8.0-0-0 Bb4 9.f3 0-0 10.g4 b5 11.h4 Ne5 then:
• 12.h5 Bb7 13.h6 g6 14.g5 Ne8 15.Be2 Rc8 16.Nb3 f6 gives Black more activity (A. Smith-Stellwagen, IT, Malmø, 2008).
• If 12.a3 Be7 13.h5 b4 then:
• 14.Na2 bxa3 15.b3 Bb7 16.g5 Ne8 17.Rg1 Rc8 gives Black an extra pawn (Kritz-Damljanovic, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).
• 14.axb4 Bxb4 15.g5 Ne8 16.Rg1 Nd6 gives White a small advantage in space.
• If 8.f3 d6 9.0-0-0 Be7 10.g4 then:
• If 10...0-0 11.g5 Nd7 12.h4 Nxd4 13.Bxd4 b5 14.Kb1 then:
• If 14...b4 15.Na4 Bb7 then:
• If 16.b3 Bc6 17.Nb2 a5 18.h5 Ne5 then:
• 19.Be2 f5 20.gxf6 Bxf6 21.Nc4 d5 22.Nb6 Rad8 23.exd5 Bxd5 24.Qe3 Ng4 25.Nxd5 Nxe3 26.Nxc7 Bxd4 27.Nxe6 Nxd1 28.Rxd1 Bf6 29.Nxd8 Rxd8 30.Rxd8+ draw (Leko-Svidler, IT, Linares, 2006).
• If 14...Rb8 15.h5 b4 16.Ne2 Ne5 then:
• 17.f4 Nc4 18.Qd3 e5 19.Nc1 Bg4 20.Qxc4 Qxc4 21.Bxc4 Bxd1 22.Rxd1 exd4 23.Nb3 g6 24.Nxd4 gives White more spacer and the initiative for the exchange (Tiviakov-van Wely, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 1994).
• 17.Ng1 f5 18.gxf6 Bxf6 19.h6 g6 20.b3 Qe7 21.f4 Ng4 22.Bc4 Bb7 23.Qe2 Bxd4 24.Rxd4 gives White a comfortable lead in space (Aronian-Navara, Morso, 2002).
• If 16.Qxb4 Bc6 17.Nc3 Rfb8 18.Qc4 Ne5 then:
• 19.Qe2 Bb5 20.Nxb5 axb5 21.c3 Nc4 22.b3 Qa5 23.Rh2 e5 24.Be3 Na3+ 25.Kb2 b4 is equal (Iordachescu-Gelfand, IT, Bermuda, 2004).
• 19...Qa5 20.f4 Ng6 21.Qf3 e5 22.Bf2 Qb4 23.b3 Nxf4 24.Be1 Qc5 25.Bg3 a5 26.Bxf4 exf4 27.Nd5 is equal (Anand-Akopian, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2004).
• 19.Qe3 a4 20.Nc4 axb3 draw (Kurmann-Cvitan, Zurich, 2004).
• If 10...Ne5 11.g5 Nfd7 12.f4 Nc4 13.Bxc4 Qxc4 then:
• 14.f5 Ne5 15.f6 gxf6 16.gxf6 Bxf6 17.Rhf1 Be7 18.Bg5 Nd3+ 19.cxd3 Qxd4 20.Bxe7 Kxe7 21.Qg5+ Ke8 22.e5 Qxe5 23.Qh4 h6 24.Ne4 is unclear: White has more space and the initiative in return for two pawns (Tseitlin-W. Schmidt, Slupsk, 1978).
• If 14.Kb1 b5 then:
• If 15.Rhe1 b4 16.Na4 Rb8 17.f5 Ne5 18.f6 gxf6 19.gxf6 Bd8 20.Bf4 Qc7 21.Bxe5 dxe5 22.Nc6 Bxf6 23.Nxb8 Qxb8 24.Nc5 Be7 25.Nd3 a5 26.Qh6 Black resigns (Svidler-Maksimenko, Tivat, 1995).
• 15.b3 Qc7 16.f5 b4 17.fxe6 Qxc3 18.Qxc3 bxc3 19.exd7+ Bxd7 20.Nf5 Bc6 21.Rhe1 Rd8 22.Bd4 wins a pawn for White (Firman-Reeder, Op, Philadelphi, 2003).
• If 7.f4 b5 then:
• If 8.Qf3 Bb7 9.Bd3 then:
• If 9...Nf6 10.g4 d6 11.0-0-0 Be7 12.Kb1 Nd7 13.g5 0-0 then:
• 14.h4 Nc5 15.Nce2 Rac8 16.h5 Nxd4 17.Nxd4 f5 18.gxf6 Bxf6 19.Qg4 e5 20.Ne6 Nxe6 21.Qxe6+ Kh8 22.h6 g6 23.Rhf1 Qe7 24.Qb3 exf4 25.Bxf4 Be5 yielding a position in perfect balance (Smeets-Stellwagen, Dutch Ch, Hilversum, 2008)
• If 14.Nxc6 Qxc6 15.Rhe1 Nc5 16.Qh3 Nxd3 17.cxd3 Rfe8 18.f5 exf5 19.exf5 Qf3 20.Qxf3 Bxf3 21.Rc1 b4 22.Ne4 d5 23.Ng3 Bd6 24.f6 gives White the advantage in space (Rogers-Mozny, IT, Biel, 1990).
• If 9...Rc8 10.Nb3 Nf6 then:
• If 11.Qh3 Bb4! (an aggressive move which White probably would not have made had White castled) 12.0-0 Ne7 13.e5 Bxc3 14.bxc3 (Black has succeeded in weakening White's queenside) 14...Ne4 15.a4 Nxc3 16.axb5 axb5 17.f5 exf5 18.Ra7 then:
• 18...Qb8 19.Bxf5 Nxf5 20.Qxf5 0-0 21.Qxd7 then:
• 21...Rc7? 22.Qd2 b4 although White leads in the space count, the advantage goes to Black because his advanced forces are more stable, especially the Knight at c3 (Negi-Stellwagen, World Jr Ch, Yerevan, 2007).
• Much better for Black is 21...Qxe5! 22.Re1 Rcd8 23.Qxb7 Rd1 24.Rxd1 Qxe3+ winning the Rook.
• 18...Ra8 19.Rxa8+ Bxa8 20.Bxf5 Bd5 leave Black up a pawn.
• 11.0-0 d5 12.a3 dxe4 13.Nxe4 Nxe4 14.Bxe4 f5 15.Bxc6+ Qxc6 16.Qh5+ g6 17.Qh3 is equal.
• If 8.Be2 Bb7 9.a3 then:
• If 9...Nf6 then:
• If 10.0-0 then:
• 10...Bc5 11.Qd3 Qb6 12.Rad1 Nxd4 13.Bxd4 d5 14.exd5 draw (Berczes-Puschmann, First Saturday, Budapest, 06.2001).
• 10...d6 11.g4 Nxd4 12.Qxd4 e5 13.Qd3 exf4 14.Bxf4 Nd7 15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.Qxd5 Qc5+ 17.Qxc5 Nxc5 18.c4 gives White a small advantage in space such that he will be better able to restrain Black's counterplay in the endgame (B. Socko-Macieja, IT, Warsaw, 2005).
• If 10.Bf3 d6 11.0-0 Be7 12.Nb3 0-0 13.Qe1 then:
• If 13...b4 14.axb4 Nxb4 15.Qf2 d5 16.e5 Nd7 17.Na5 Rfb8 18.Rfc1 Nc6 19.Nxb7 Rxb7 is equal (Sherwin-Benko, Interz, Portoroz, 1958).
• 13...Kh8 14.Rd1 Rac8 15.g4 Nd7 16.Qf2 b4 17.axb4 Nxb4 18.Bg2 Nc6 19.Na4 g5 20.fxg5 Nce5 21.Nc3 Nxg4 22.Qe2 Nxe3 23.Qxe3 Ne5 24.Qf4 Rg8 25.h4 h6 gives White more space, but Black's centralized Knight holds the position (Tsirulnik-Nyzhnyk, Ukrainian ChU14, Odessa, 2007).
• 9...Na5 10.0-0 Nc4 11.Bxc4 Qxc4 12.f5 Nf6 draw (Shivkuma-Fedorowicz, Berkeley, 2005).
• If 8.Nxc6 Qxc6 9.Be2 then:
• If 9...Bb7 10.Bf3 Rc8 11.a3 Qc4 12.Qd3 Nf6 13.0-0 Bc5 14.Bxc5 Qxd3 15.cxd3 Rxc5 16.Rac1 0-0 17.Nd5 d6 18.b4 Rxc1 19.Nxf6+ gxf6 20.Rxc1 Rc8 21.Rxc8+ Bxc8 gives White better pawn structure, but there's no win in this position (Dr. Nunn-Illescas, IT, Linares, 1988).
• If 9...Ba3 10.Bd4 Bxb2 11.Nxb5 then:
• If 11...Bxa1 12.Bxa1 axb5 13.Bxg7 Qxe4 14.0-0 Rxa2 15.Bd3 Qe3+ 16.Kh1 Bb7 17.Bxh8 Nh6 18.Bxb5 Bd5 19.Rf3 Qc5 20.c4 Bc6 21.Bxc6 Qxc6 22.Qb1 Re2 23.Qb8+ Ke7 24.Bf6+ Kxf6 25.Qd8+ Black resigns as he is soon mated (Bogdanovic-Suetin, Budva, 1967).
• 11...axb5 12.Bxb2 Qxe4 13.Bxg7 Qxg2 14.Bf3 Qxg7 15.Bxa8 Qc3+ 16.Ke2 Ba6 17.Qd3 Qc8 18.Qd4 Qxa8 19.Qxh8 Qe4+ 20.Kd2 Qxf4+ 21.Kc3 Qc4+ 22.Kb2 Qb4+ 23.Kc1 Qf4+ 24.Kb1 Ke7 25.Qc3 Nf6 is unclear: White has a material advantage, but five units of it is immoble on a1 (Perenyi-Barczay, Hungarian Ch, Budapest, 1977).
• If 8.Nb3 d6 9.Bd3 Nf6 10.Qf3 Bb7 11.0-0 Be7 then:
• If 12.Qh3 Nb4 13.a3 Nxd3 14.cxd3 then:
• 14...Rc8 15.Rac1 Qd8 16.Nd4 0-0 17.g4 Nd7 18.b4 Bf6 19.Nce2 Rxc1 20.Rxc1 e5 21.Nf5 exf4 22.Nxf4 gives White a huge advantage in space (Negi-Mamedov, Op, Dubai, 2004).
• 14...0-0 15.Rac1 Qd8 16.Bd4 Nd7 17.Kh1 Rc8 18.Bg1 Nc5 19.Nd2 d5 20.Bxc5 Bxc5 21.e5 b4 22.axb4 Bxb4 23.d4 f5 24.exf6 Qxf6 gives White a small advantage in space (Movsesian-Stojanovic, Bosnian ChT, Neum, 2002).
• If 12.Rae1 then:
• 12...0-0 13.Qh3 Nb4 14.a3 Nxd3 15.cxd3 Rac8 16.Qg3 e5 17.fxe5 dxe5 18.Bh6 Ne8 19.Nd5 Bxd5 20.exd5 Qb6+ 21.Be3 Qd6 22.Bd2 Nc7 23.d4 Nxd5 24.dxe5 Qe6 is equal (Gheorghiu-Stein, Moscow, 1971).
• 12...Nb4 13.Nd4 Rc8 14.a3 Nxd3 15.cxd3 Qd7 16.Re2 h5 17.h3 h4 18.Rc2 g6 19.Qf2 d5 20.e5 Nh5 21.Rfc1 0-0 22.Nce2 Rxc2 23.Rxc2 Rc8 24.Rxc8+ Qxc8 25.Bd2 is equal (Ivanovic-Gulko, Ol, Novi Sad, 1990).
• If 12.a3 0-0 13.Qh3 then:
• 13...b4 14.axb4 Nxb4 15.e5 dxe5 16.fxe5 Qxe5 17.Ra5 Bd5 18.Nxd5 exd5 19.Bd4 Qh5 20.Qxh5 Nxh5 21.Be2 Nf6 22.c3 Nc6 23.Bxf6 Bxf6 24.Rxd5 Rfb8 25.Bd1 Rb6 26.Nc5 Rxb2 gives Black an extra pawn (Arapovic-Smejkal, IT, Sarajevo, 1982).
• 13...Rfe8 14.Rae1 g6 15.Nd4 Nxd4 16.Bxd4 d5 17.Re3 dxe4 18.Nxe4 Bxe4 19.Bxe4 Nxe4 20.Qxh7+ Black resigns is view of20...Kxh7 21.Rh3+ Kg8 22.Rh8# being lights out (Emms-Roetteler, Op, Hamburg, 1992).
• 12.a4 b4 13.Ne2 0-0 14.Qh3 e5 15.Ng3 Bc8 16.Nf5 Bxf5 17.Qxf5 Qd7 18.Qxd7 Nxd7 19.g3 Nf6 20.Bc4 Rfc8 21.Nd2 Ng4 22.Bb6 a5 23.Bd5 Rab8 24.Nc4 Nf6 25.b3 Nxd5 26.exd5 Nd4 27.Bxd4 exd4 28.Rae1 Bf6 29.Re2 Rc5 is equal (Moen-Hersvikm Noewegian ChT, Langesund, 2001).

6...a6 7.Be3

• If 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Kh1 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 Bc5 10.Qd3 b5 11.f4 Bb7 12.Bf3 then:
• If 12...h5 13.e5 Ng4 14.Bxb7 Qxb7 15.Ne4 Rc8 16.Bd2 Be7 17.Rae1 then:
• If 17...Nh6 18.Qf3 Kf8 19.Qxh5 Rxc2 20.f5 exf5 21.Rxf5 Rxd2 22.Nxd2 g6 23.Qxg6 Qd5 24.Nf3 Nxf5 25.Qxf5 then:
• 25...Rh6 26.a3 gives White an extra pawn (Nataf-Wallace, Icelandic ChT, Reykjavik, 2004).
• 25...Qxa2 26.Qxd7 Qxb2 27.Qc8+ Kg7 28.Qxa6 Rh6 29.Qc8 also leaves White a pawn to the good.
• 17...Qc6 18.Bc3 b4 19.Bd2 Nh6 20.c3 bxc3 21.Bxc3 Nf5 22.Qf3 h4 23.Rd1 Qb6 24.Rfe1 Rc4 gives Black a comfortable advantage in space (Movsesian-Lutz, Bundesliga, Germany, 2001).
• 12...0-0 13.e5 Ne8 14.Bxb7 Qxb7 15.f5 f6 16.Bf4 Be7 17.Rae1 b4 18.Nd1 exf5 19.Qxf5 fxe5 20.Qxe5 Bd6 21.Qd4 Bxf4 22.Rxf4 Rxf4 23.Qxf4 Nf6 24.Ne3 Re8 is equal (Lin Yi-Liang Jirong, China ChT, Suzhou, 2001).

7...Nf6 8.0-0 d6

• If 8...Bb4 9.Na4 then:
• If 9...Be7 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.Nb6 Rb8 12.Nxc8 Qxc8 13.Bd4 c5 14.Be5 Rb6 then:
• 15.Qd3 d6 16.Bc3 0-0 17.b3 d5 18.exd5 Nxd5 19.Be5 Rd8 20.Qg3 f6 21.Bb2 Bd6 22.Qg4 Qc7 23.g3 Be5 24.Bxe5 Qxe5 25.Bc4 f5 26.Qe2 Qxe2 27.Bxe2 Nc3 gives Black the advantage in space (Atoufi-Sarkar, Foxwoods Op, Mashantucket, 2007).
• 15.b3 Nxe4 16.Bxg7 Rg8 17.Be5 Bd6 18.Bg3 Nxg3 19.fxg3 Be5 20.Rb1 Ke7 21.Bd3 Rg5 22.Qf3 gives White a small advantage in space (Azarov-Banikas, Euro ChT, León, 2001).
• 9...0-0 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.Nb6 Rb8 12.Nxc8 Rfxc8 13.Bxa6 Rf8 14.Bd3 Bd6 15.f4 e5 16.f5 Rxb2 17.g4 Qa5 18.g5 Ne8 19.Bc1 Rxa2 20.Bb2 Rxa1 21.Qxa1 Bb4 22.c3 Qxa1 23.Rxa1 Bd6 24.Ra6 h6 25.Bc1 hxg5 26.Bxg5 Nf6 27.Bxf6 draw (Ehlvest-Illescas, French League, France, 1989).

9.f4 Be7 10.Kh1 0-0 11.a4

• If 11.Qe1 then:
• If 11...Nxd4 12.Bxd4 b5 13.a3 Bb7 14.Qg3 Bc6 15.Rae1 then:
• If 15...Qb7 16.Bd3 b4 then:
• If 17.Nd1 bxa3 18.bxa3 Rac8 then:
• 19.Nf2 Nh5 20.Qf3 g6 21.Ng4 f6 22.f5 exf5 23.Nh6+ Kh8 24.Nxf5 gxf5 25.Qxh5 fxe4 26.Qg5 Rf7 is equal (Shirov-Movsesian, IT, Sarajevo, 2000).
• If 19.Ne3 Bxe4 20.Bxf6 Bxf6 21.Ng4 Bxd3 22.Nxf6+ Kh8 23.Rb1 Qe7 24.Qxd3 Qxf6 25.Qxd6 Rfd8 26.Qxa6 Rxc2 gives Black the more active game, but as long as White has the remote passer, he has potential counterplay (Lautier-Movsesian, IT, Malmø, 1999).
• If 17.axb4 Qxb4 18.Ne2 Qb7 19.e5 Nh5 20.Qh3 g6 21.Ng3 then:
• If 21...dxe5 22.Bxe5 then:
• 22...Ng7 23.f5 exf5 24.Bxg7 Kxg7 25.Nxf5+ gxf5 26.Qxf5 Bxg2+ 27.Kg1 Bc5+ 28.Qxc5 Bxf1 29.Qg5+ Kh8 30.Qf6+ Kg8 31.Be4 draw (Thipsay-Ye Jiangchuan, Asian ChT, Kuala Lumpur, 1993).
• If 22...Nxg3+ 23.hxg3 Bb5 24.c4 Bc6 25.g4 Rad8 26.Re2 f6 27.Bc3 e5 28.fxe5 fxe5 29.Rxf8+ Bxf8 30.Rxe5 Bg7 31.Re3 Bxc3 32.bxc3 Rxd3 33.Rxd3 Bxg2+ 34.Qxg2 Qb1+ 35.Kh2 draw (Shirov-Ivanchuk, IT, Linares, 1993).
• 21...Nxg3+ 22.hxg3 Rad8 23.g4 dxe5 24.Bxe5 Rd5 25.g5 gives White the advantage in space and activity (Ivanchuk-Ljubojevic, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2001).
• 15...Rae8 16.Bf3 Rd8 17.Re2 Ba8 18.Rfe1 Rd7 19.e5 dxe5 20.Bxe5 Qb6 21.Ne4 Bxe4 22.Bxe4 Rfd8 is equal (Goerlinger-Bochev, Corres, 2000).
• If 11...Bd7 12.Qg3 then:
• If 12...Kh8 then:
• If 13.Rae1 b5 14.a3 Rab8 15.Bd3 b4 16.axb4 Nxb4 17.Bc1 then:
• 17...Nxd3 18.cxd3 Rb4 is equal (B. Ivanovic-Gasic, IT, Sarajevo, 1972).
• 17...g6 18.Nf3 Nh5 19.Qh3 Nxf4 20.Bxf4 e5 21.Qh6 exf4 22.Ng5 Bxg5 23.Qxg5 f6 24.Qxf4 is equal (Kuipers-Karajica, Hoogovens B, Wijk aan Zee, 1974).
• 13.Rad1 Rac8 14.Bf3 b5 15.a3 Nxd4 16.Bxd4 Bc6 17.Rd3 Qb7 18.b4 Rg8 19.e5 Ne4 20.Nxe4 Bxe4 is equal (Karpov-:Ljubojevic, IT, Buenos Aires, 1994).
• 12...b5 13.a3 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 Bc6 15.Rae1 transposes into the main line of this variation.

11...Re8 12.Qe1

• 12.Bf3 then:
• If 12...Rb8 then:
• 13.Qd2 Bd7 14.Nb3 b6 15.g4 Bc8 16.g5 Nd7 17.Bg2 Na5 18.Qf2 Nxb3 19.cxb3 Nc5 20.Qc2 b5 21.axb5 axb5 22.f5 b4 23.Na4 exf5 24.exf5 gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Palac-Ftacnik, Vinkovci, 1995).
• If 13.g4 then:
• 13...Nd7 14.g5 Bf8 15.Bg2 g6 16.Qe1 b6 17.Qh4 Bb7 18.Rf3 Bg7 19.Rd1 Nf8 20.Qf2 Ba8 21.Nxc6 Bxc6 22.Bd4 e5 23.fxe5 Bxe5 24.Bxe5 Rxe5 25.Qd2 Ne6 is equal (Bachmann-Leitão, Pan-American Ch, Buenos Aires, 2005).
• If 13...Nxd4 14.Bxd4 e5 then:
• 15.fxe5 dxe5 16.Ba7 Ra8 17.g5 Rd8 18.Qe2 Ne8 19.Be3 Be6 20.Qf2 then:
• If 20...Rdc8 then:
• If 21.Rad1 Bc5 22.Bxc5 Qxc5 23.Nd5 Bxd5 24.Rxd5 Qxc2 25.Rxe5 then:
• 25...Qxf2 26.Rxf2 g6 27.Rd5 Nc7 28.Rd7 Ne6 29.Bg4 Nxg5 30.h4 Nxe4 31.Rfxf7 Rc1+ 32.Kg2 Rc2+ 33.Kg1 Rc1+ draw (Anand-Kasparov, IT, Las Palmas, 1996).
• If 25...Nd6 26.Rd5 Qxf2 27.Rxf2 Nc4 28.Re2 b5 29.b3 gives White the more active game (Thinius-K. Szabo, 1st Saturday, Budapest, 2005.02).
• If 21.Bg4 then:
• 21...Nd6 22.Bxe6 fxe6 23.Qg3 Nc4 24.g6 Nxe3 25.gxh7+ Kh8 26.Rf7! Nf5 27.exf5 leaves White a pawn to the good (Kozlov-Shinkevich, City Op, Moscow, 1999).
• If 21...Qc6 22.Bxe6 Qxe6 23.Nd5 Bd8 24.Bc5 Rc6 25.Nb4 Rcc8 26.Nd5 Rc6 27.Nb4 Rcc8 28.Nd5 Rc6 draw (Maliangkay-Elwert, Corres, 1998).
• If 20...Qc4 then:
• 21.Rad1 Rxd1 22.Bxd1 Nd6 23.Bf3 Rc8 24.Bg2 b5 25.axb5 axb5 26.Qg3 b4 is equal (Lahno-Alexandrova, Ukrainina ChW, Kramatorsk, 2001).
• If 21.Bb6 Rdc8 22.Be3 Bc5 23.Rad1 Bxe3 24.Qxe3 Qb4 gives Black the initiative (Topalov-Kasparov, Ol, Yerevan, 1996).
• If 21.Nd5 Bxd5 22.b3 Qc3 23.exd5 Nd6 24.Rac1 b5 25.Bd2 Qb2 is equal (Kozlov-Lastin, City Op, Moscow, 1999).
• 15.Be3 exf4 16.g5 Nd7 17.Nd5 Qd8 18.Nxe7+ Qxe7 19.Bxf4 Ne5 is equal (Ionica-Zawadzka, Euro ChW, Plovdiv, 2008).
• If 12...Bf8 13.Nb3 b6 14.a5 then:
• If 14...Nd7 15.axb6 Nxb6 16.Nb5 axb5 17.Bxb6 Qb8 18.Rxa8 Qxa8 19.Qe2 b4 20.Ra1 Qb7 21.Be3 Bd7 22.Qa6 Qxa6 23.Rxa6 Rc8 24.Kg1 g6 is equal (Kovacevic-Stojanovic, Serbia/Montenegro Team Cup, Herceg Novi, 2005).
• If 14...bxa5 15.e5 dxe5 16.fxe5 Rd8 17.Nd4 Nxd4 18.Bxd4 Bb7 19.exf6 e5 20.fxg7 Bxg7 then:
• 21.Bxb7 Qxb7 22.Ne2 exd4 23.Ng3 Rd5 24.Nf5 the Knight will prove more difficult for Black to dislodge than it appears (Kovacevic-Jakovljevic, Op, Ljubljana, 2005).
• 21.Nd5 Bxd5 22.Bb6 Qxb6 23.Bxd5 Ra7 24.Ra3 Rad7 is equal (Voss-Andriulaitis, Corres, 2002).

12...Bd7

• If 12...Nxd4 13.Bxd4 e5 then:
• 14.fxe5 dxe5 15.Qg3 Bd8 16.Be3 Kh8 17.Rad1 Be6 18.Bg5 Be7 19.Bxf6 Bxf6 20.Rd2 draw (J. Polgar-Xu Jun, Ol, Bled, 2002).
• If 14.Be3 exf4 then:
• 15.Bxf4 Be6 16.Qg3 Nd7 17.Bd3 Ne5 18.Nd5 Bxd5 19.exd5 Nxd3 20.Qxd3 Bf6 is equal (G. Iskov-Ftacnik, IT, Berlin, 1984).
• If 15.Rxf4 Be6 then:
• If 16.Qg3 Nd7 17.Bd4 Ne5 18.Raf1 Rac8 19.Bd3 Bf8 20.Nd5 Bxd5 21.exd5 then:
• 21...g6 22.Bf5 Rb8 23.c3 Bg7 24.Bc2 b5 25.b4 Qb7 26.Qf2 Re7 27.h3 Rbe8 28.axb5 draw (Olafsson-Muhren, IT, Arnheim, 2007).
• 21...Nxd3 22.cxd3 Re7 23.Bf6 gives White the initiative (Wang Pin-Ioselani, Rpd, Shanghai, 2001).
• 16.Rd1 Nd7 17.Bd4 Ne5 18.Qg3 Bf8 19.Qf2 g6 20.Bxe5 dxe5 21.Rf3 Bc5 22.Qg3 Rad8 is equal (Hutcheson-Wojkiewicz, Ol, Manila, 1992).

13.Qg3 Bf8 14.Rad1 Rac8!?

• 14...Nb4 15.Bf3 Rac8 16.Bc1 e5 17.Nb3 Be6 18.Na1 Bc4 is equal (Vasilkova-Mazharov, City op, Moscow, 2007).

15.Bd3

• The game is equal.

15...Nb4 16.e5

• 16.Rc1 e5 17.fxe5 dxe5 18.Nf5 Bxf5 19.Rxf5 gives White the edge in space.

BLACK: Dmitry Gordievsky
!""""""""#
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Jorge Cori
Position after 16.e4e5

16...dxe5!?

• White is somewhat better developed. Black should keep the center closed and make White attack.
• 16...Nfd5 17.Nxd5 exd5 18.Bf5 Nc6 19.Qg4 Bxf5 20.Nxf5 is equal.

17.fxe5 Nxd3

• 17...Nfd5 18.Nxd5 exd5 19.Nf5 Be6 20.Nd6 Bxd6 21.exd6 White stands better.

18.Rxd3 Nd5 19.Ne4!?

• White puts his superior position in jeopardy.
• If 19.Bg5 then:
• If 19...Bc6 20.Ne4 then:
• 20...b5 21.c3 Qb6 22.Bh6 Rc7 23.axb5 axb5 24.Qg5 gives White a better center and unbearable pressure on Black's king position.
• 20...Bxa4? 21.b3! Bb5 22.c4 Bxc4 23.bxc4 Qxc4 24.Nd6! wins the exchange.
• If 19...f6? then 20.exf6! Nxf6 21.Bxf6 Qxg3 22.Rxg3 leaves White a piece to the good.

19...Bxa4 20.b3 Bc6?

• Black misses a chance to get back in the game and now his position deteriorates rapidly.
• 20...Nxe3! 21.Qxe3 Bc6 22.Nxc6 Qxc6 is equal.

BLACK: Dmitry Gordievsky
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Jorge Cori
Position after 20...Ba4c6

21.Bd2!

• There will be no second chance.

21...Be7

• If 21...Red8 22.Bg5 Be7 23.Bxe7 then 23...Nxe7 24.Nd6 Ng6 25.Nxc8 Rxc8 26.Nxc6 gives White the exchange.
• 23...Qxe7 24.Nd6 Rxd6 25.exd6 Qd7 gives Black only a pawn for the exchange.

22.Nxc6 Qxc6 23.c4 Nb6

• 23...Nc7 24.Nd6 Bxd6 25.exd6 Red8 26.dxc7 Rxd3 27.Qxd3 gives White a piece for two pawns.

24.Nf6+ Bxf6 25.exf6 g6 26.Qf4

• Also good is 26.Rd6 Qc7 27.Ba5 Red8 28.Rxd8+ Qxd8 29.c5.

26...Nd5

• No better is 26...Qc5 27.Be3 Qf5 28.Qxf5 exf5 29.Bxb6 Rc6 30.c5.

27.cxd5 exd5 28.h3

• 28.Rdf3 Re6 29.Qh6 wins faster.

28...Kh8 29.Rd4 Re6 30.Rc1 Ra8 1-0

• 30...Qe8 31.Rxc8 Qxc8 32.Rxd5 gives White a piece for a pawn.
• After the text move, 31.Qh6 Rxf6 32.Rh4 wins easily.
• Gordievsky resigns without waiting for el señor Cori to reply.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Shvayger - D. Cori Tello, Girls' 15&16 Group, Round 9

Deysi Cori Tello, Jorge's big sister, scored 10 points out of a possible 11 to completely dominate her group in Antalya. We hope and expect to see more of los hermanos Cori Tello in the years to come.



Deysi Cori Tello
Photo: ChessBase.com


Yuliya Shvayger - Deysi Cori
48th World Youth Championships, Girls' 15 & 16 Group, Round 9
Antalya, 20 November 2009

French Exchange Game: Nimzovich Defense (Winawer Defense)

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4

• This is la señorita Cori's favorite way to meet 1.e4 to the exclusion of everything else.

4.Bd3!?

• White plays an unusual line to get he opponent out of the book faster.
• The main line is 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7. See Pähtz-Cioara, Bundesliga 0910, Eppingen, 2009.

4...c5

• 4...dxe4 5.Bxe4 Nf6 then:
• If 6.Bf3 then:
• 6...0-0 7.Nge2 Nbd7 8.0-0 e5 9.Ng3 Re8 10.Bg5 Bxc3 11.bxc3 h6 12.Bd2 e4 is equal (Houska-Fowler, British Ch, Swansea, 2006).
• 6...c5 7.Nge2 Nc6 8.a3 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 e5 10.Bg5 exd4 11.cxd4 h6 12.Be3 0-0 13.0-0 Bg4 is equal (Rewitx-Hug, Euro Club Cip, Fügen, 2006).
• If 6.Bg5 then:
• 6...c5 7.dxc5 Qa5 8.Bxf6 gxf6 9.Nge2 Bxc5 10.0-0 f5 11.Bf3 Nc6 12.Bxc6+ bxc6 13.a3 is equal (Eimann-Keres, Estonian Ch, Rakvere, 1934).
• 6...Nbd7 7.Nge2 h6 8.Bxf6 Nxf6 9.Bf3 c5 10.a3 Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 Qc7 12.0-0 0-0 13.Rb1 Rb8 14.Qd3 b6 gives neither side any concrete advantage (Gipslis-Bronstein, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1961).

5.dxc5

• If 5.exd5 then:
• If 5...exd5 6.dxc5 then:
• 6...Nc6 7.Nf3 Bxc5 8.0-0 Nge7 9.a3 0-0 10.b4 Bd6 11.Nb5 Bb8 12.Re1 gives White the advantage in space and a lead in development (Lutikov-Nogueiras, IT, Jermala, 1978).
• 6...d4 7.a3 Ba5 8.b4 dxc3 9.bxa5 Qxa5 10.Be3 Nf6 11.Ne2 Nc6 12.0-0 Nd5 is equal (Maroczy-Sultan Khan, IT, Scarborough, 1930).
• If 5...Qxd5 6.Bd2 Bxc3 7.Bxc3 cxd4 8.Bxd4 then:
• If 8...Qxg2 9.Qf3 Qxf3 10.Nxf3 f6 11.Rg1 Kf7 12.0-0-0 then:
• 12...Nc6 13.Bc5 Nge7 14.Nd2 Nf5 15.Nc4 g5 16.f4 h6 17.Be4 Rd8 18.Rxd8 Nxd8 19.Rd1 gives White the more active game, but Black has stronger pawns, an advantage in space on the kingside and an extra pawn (Oral=Kristjansson, IT, Selfoss (Iceland), 2002).
• 12...Nh6 13.Nd2 Nc6 14.Bc5 Nf5 15.Nc4 g5 16.Be4 is equal (Sterner-Uhlmann, IT, Fresden, 1956).
• 8...e5 9.Bc3 Nc6 10.Qf3 Nf6 11.Qg3 0-0 12.Nf3 is equal (Geller-Petrosian, GMT, Garga, 1953).

5...dxe4

• 5...d4 6.a3 Bxc5 7.Nce2 e5 8.f4 Bg4 9.fxe5 Nc6 10.Bf4 Nge7 11.h3 Be6 12.Nf3 (Nyzhnyk-Borsuk, Ukrainina ChU16, Bila Tserkva, 2006).

6.Bxe4 Qxd1+ 7.Kxd1 Nf6 8.Bf3

• 8.Bd3 Bxc5 9.Ke2 Nc6 10.Nf3 Bd7 11.a3 Ng4 12.Ne4 Be7 13.Nc3 0-0-0 14.Rd1 f5 15.h3 Nge5 16.Nxe5 Nxe5 is equal (Jakubiec-Lasstin, Euro Club Cup, Panormo, 2001).

8...Bxc5 9.Nb5 Na6!?

• 9...Kd8 10.Bf4 Nc6 11.Nd6 Ke7 12.Bxc6 Bxd6 13.Bxd6+ Kxd6 14.Ba4 b6 15.Ne2 Bb7 16.f3 Rhd8 gives Black more freedom (Treybal-Nimzovich, IT, Karlsbad, 1929).

10.Be3 Bxe3 11.fxe3 Ke7

• Black has a little more freedom.

12.g4!?

• This is premature. White should complete her development before taking aggressive measures.
• 12.Ne2 Rd8+ 13.Kc1 e5 14.Nec3 Rd7 15.g4 is equal.

12...Nc5!?

• Black's best bet is to restrain the advance of White's kingside and then take aggressive measures.
• If 12...h6! then after 13.h4 Bd7 14.Nd4 e5 15.Nf5+ Bxf5 16.gxf5 Black succeeds in breaking up and weakinging White's kingside.

13.g5

BLACK: Deysi Cori
!""""""""#
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Yuliya Shvayger
Position after 13.g4g5

13...Nfe4!?

• This move is not as bad as it first looks (to me, anyway). The ease at which the Knight's guard is driven off makes the move suspect.
• 13...Rd8+ 14.Ke1 Nd5 15.Bxd5 exd5 16.Nf3 Bg4 17.Ne5 is equal.

14.b4!?

• White falls into the trap.
• If 14.Nc7 then 14...Rb8 15.b4 Na4 16.Bxe4 Nc3+ wins back the piece with advantage.

14...Nf2+!

• Black wins the exchange.

15.Ke1 Nce4 16.Ne2 Bd7 17.Na3

• White seems to have plans of bringing her Knight to c4.
• 17.Nbc3 Nxc3 18.Kxf2 Nxe2 19.Kxe2 Bb5+ 20.Kf2 Rac8 is no better than equal for White, and perhaps Black would even have a slight advantage based on activity.

17...h6 18.Rf1!?

• White has a chance to mauddy the waters, but decides otherwise.
• 18.g6 Nxh1 19.Bxe4 Bc6 20.Bxc6 bxc6 21.Nd4 Rhc8 is unclear: Black is up by an exchange, but White is more active.
• 18.Bxe4 Nxe4 19.g6 fxg6 20.Rd1 Rhd8 21.Rd4 Ng5 is also unclear: Black has an extra pawn, but White has the more active Rook and can place the other Rook on f1.

18...hxg5!

• Black opens the kingside to her advantage.

19.Rxf2 Nxf2 20.Kxf2 Rxh2+

• Black is up by a theoretical pawn with an active Rook.

21.Kg3 Rah8!

• Black activates a second Rook.

22.Ng1

BLACK: Deysi Cori
!""""""""#
$ + + + T%
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$+ + + O %
$ P + + +%
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WHITE: Yuliya Shvayger
Position after 22.Ne2g1

22...f5!

• Black sacrifices an insignificant pawn in order to grab space on her strong side.

23.Bxb7 e5 24.Nc4?

• The best way to protect the e-pawn is 24.Re1, which threatens check on Black's King if the e-pawn falls.
• If 24.Re1! f4+ 25.exf4 gxf4+ 26.Kf3 then:
• 26...Kf6 27.Nc4 R2h5 28.Nd6 g5 29.Ne4+ Kg7 gives Black a strong advantage on the kingside, but White could develop counterplay on the other wing if Black makes a mistake.
• 26...Bh3? 27.Rxe5+! Kf6 28.Kxf4 gives White tha material advantage.
• 24.Rd1? loses more quickly than the text move after 24...f4+ 25.exf4 gxf4+ 26.Kf3 Bh3 when:
• 27.Ke4 Bg2+ 28.Kxe5 Bxb7 wins a piece.
• 27.Nxh3 R8xh3+ 28.Ke4 Re2+ 29.Kf5 Rxa3 gives Black a material advantage equivalent to a minor piece.

24...f4+ 25.exf4

• If 25.Kf3 then:
• 25...Rb8 26.Bd5 g4+ 27.Ke4 Rxc2 wins a pawn.
• 25...Bh3!? 26.Nxh3! R8xh3+ 27.Ke4 Rxc2 28.Nxe5 Rc7 is equal.

25...gxf4+ 26.Kf3 Kf6!

• White first order of business now is to protect her pawns.

27.Re1

• Black wins a pawn.
• 27.Rc1 g5 28.Ke4 Rd8 29.Kd5 Bc8+ 30.Kc6 Rh7 Black wins a piece.

27...R8h5 28.Nd6

• 28.Re2 Rh1 29.Rg2 g5 30.Nd2 g4+ 31.Ke2 R5h2 results in a Rook exchange, depriving White a a defender against the coming pawn storm.

28...Rxc2 29.Ne4+ Ke7 30.Nc5 Rxa2

• Black has a material advantage equivalent to two pawns. White has nothing.

31.Nxd7 Kxd7 32.Kg4 g6 33.Be4 Rhh2

• 33...Rh8 34.b5 Ke6 35.Rc1 Ra4 36.Rc6+ Ke7 37.Bxg6 Rb8 maintains Black's material edge.

34.Kg5 Ke6 35.Rc1

• If 35.Kxg6 then:
• 35...Rag2+!? 36.Bxg2! Rxg2+ 37.Kh5 Rg3 38.Ne2 Re3 gives Black greater mobility and the treat of advancing the f-pawn.
• If 35...Rab2!? 36.Bf5+! then:
• 36...Kd6 37.Nf3 Rhg2+ 38.Kf6 Rxb4 39.Rd1+ Kc6 40.Nxe5+ is equal.
• 36...Kd5?! 37.Be4+ Kc4 38.Kf6 Kxb4 39.Kxe5 a5 40.Nf3 gives White drawing opportunities.

BLACK: Deysi Cori
!""""""""#
$ + + + +%
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$ P +bO +%
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Yuliya Shvayger
Position after 35.Re1c1

35...Rag2+!!

• The exchange sacrifice seals the deal on the game as Black's remaining Rook is far and away the most active piece on the board.

36.Bxg2 Rxg2+ 37.Kh6

• Black wins by advancing the pawns.
• No better for White is 37.Kh4 Kf5 38.Kh3 Rb2 39.Rc4 g5.

37...e4 38.b5 Ke5 39.Kg7 f3 40.Ra1 0-1

• 40.Ra1 Rxg1!! 41.Rxg1 f2 42.Rf1 e3 wins for Black.
• Ms. Shvayger resigns without waiting for la señorita Cori to reply.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Bonus Game: the game that had a cameo in a Hollywood film (Spassky-Bronstein, Leningrad, 1960)

This game, like many immortal games of the nineteenth centry, has a name. It is called the Bluebird Game. I don't know what this game has to do with a bluebird, but it is certainly a pretty game, like the Immortal or Evergreen Games of Professor Anderssen.

It is also called the James Bond Game. That is because the game (not Spassky or Bronstein, but the game itself) made a cameo appearance in the motion picture From Russia, with Love. It is noted that, as it appears in the movie, the game is missing White's pawns at d5 and e4.

David Bronstein, the loser of the actual game, quipped that perhaps Hollywood producers don't think pawns were photogenic.

Two other theories advanced by your humble hare are that the producers of the film didn't want pay union wages to pawns as extras who played no role in the part of the game seen in the film and that the state department determined that the pawns, who were from a Soviet chess set, were KGB agents and refused to grant them a visa. We could combine the theories and say that the producers didn't want to pay union wages and pulled some strings to get the state department to deny them visas, paying more out in bribes than it would have cost to just use the pawns in the film. Now that would be a conspiracy theory worthy of the 9/11 forum.

Bronstein, a man who loved beautiful chess even when he was its victim, included this game in his collection 200 Open Games. Many chess enthusiasts believe this to be Spassky's greatest victory.



Boris Spassky
Photo: Stefan64, Wikipedia (Creative Commons Copyright, Attribution/Share Alkie)


Boris Spassky - David Bronstein
27th Soviet Championship
Leningrad, January 1960

King's Gambit Accepted: Falkbeer Defense (Abbazia Defense)

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3

• For a thorough examination of the King's Gambit with 3.Nf3, see Shulman-Hess, Foxwoods Op, Mashantucket, 2008.

3...d5

• This position, commonly called the Abbazia Defense or the Modern Defense can also arise from transpostion from the Falkbeer Counter -Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3.Nf3 exf4).

4.exd5 Bd6

• 4...Nf6 5.Bb5+ c6 6.dxc6 Nxc6 7.d4 Bd6 transposes to the green variations in the notes to White's fifth move.

5.Nc3

• If 5.d4 c6 6.Nc3 Ne7 then:
• If 7.dxc6 Nbxc6 then:
• If 8.Bc4 0-0 9.0-0 Bg4 10.Ne4 Bc7 11.c3 Ng6 then:
• 12.Nf2 Bf5 13.Bd3 Be6 14.Be4 Bd5 15.Bxd5 Qxd5 16.b3 Rfe8 is equal (Milgram-Baier, Corres, 1989).
• 12.Qd3 Bf5 13.Qc2 Bb6 14.Bd3 Rc8 15.Qd1 Qd7 16.Nf2 Nce7 is equal (Reiser-Delacroix, Corres, 1989).
• 8.d5 Nb4 9.Bc4 0-0 10.a3 b5 11.Bb3 Na6 12.Nxb5 Qa5+ 13.Nc3 Nc5 14.Ba2 Ba6 15.b4 Qc7 16.bxc5 Rfe8 17.Ne2 Qxc5 18.c4 gives White the advantage in space (Deep Thought-Valvo, Corres, 1988).
• If 7.Bc4 cxd5 8.Bxd5 0-0 9.0-0 Nbc6 then:
• If 10.Bb3 Bg4 11.Ne4 Bc7 12.c3 Ng6 13.h3 Bf5 14.Nfg5 then:
• 14...h6 15.Qh5 hxg5 16.Nxg5 Nh8 17.Nxf7 Nxf7 18.Qxf5 Qf6 19.Qxf6 gxf6 20.Bxf4 Bxf4 21.Rxf4 Nb4 22.Bc4 b5 23.Bb3 Na6 24.c4 gives White the advantage in space (Svensson-Barkhagen, Swedish Ch,1991).
• 14...Bxe4 15.Nxe4 Re8 16.Qf3 Nh4 17.Qd3 Ne5 18.Qb5 a6 19.Qd5 Qxd5 20.Bxd5 gives White more activity (Gallaher-Almada, Op, Chiasso, 1991).
• 10.Bxc6 Nxc6 11.d5 Ne7 12.Ng5 h6 13.Nge4 Ng6 14.Nxd6 Qxd6 15.Qd4 Bf5 16.Nb5 gives White the initiative (Buecker-Vogelmann, Bundesliga, Dortmund, 1989).
• If 5.Bc4 Nf6 6.0-0 0-0 then:
• If 7.d4 c6 8.Nc3 h6 9.Ne5 a5 10.dxc6 Nxc6 11.Bxf4 Nxe5 12.dxe5 Bc5+ 13.Kh1 Nh7 14.Qh5 Be6 15.Rad1 Qc7 16.Nd5 Qc6 17.Qh4 f5 18.a4 Rad8 19.Bb5 Qc8 20.Ne7+ Bxe7 21.Qxe7 Rxd1 22.Rxd1 Kh8 23.c3 Rg8 24.h4 g5 25.hxg5 hxg5 26.Be3 f4 27.Bb6 g4 28.Rd7 Bxd7 29.e6 Black resigns as he is unable to prevent 30.Bd4+ which leads to mate or devastating loss of material (Deacon-Bauman, Match, London, 1859).
• If 7.Nc3 Nbd7 8.d4 Nb6 9.Bb3 then:
• 9...Bg4 10.Qd3 a5 11.a3 a4 12.Ba2 Bxf3 13.Qxf3 Qd7 14.Ne2 Qb5 15.Nxf4 Bxf4 16.Bxf4 Qxb2 17.Qd3 Nbxd5 18.Bd2 Qb6 19.c4 gives White the initiative in compensation for the pawn (Spielmann-Fahrni, IT, Baden-Baden, 1914).
• 9...Re8 10.Ne5 g5 11.h4 h6 12.hxg5 hxg5 13.g3 Bh3 14.Re1 Ng4 15.gxf4 gxf4 16.Qf3 Qh4 is equal (J. Polgar-Wedberg, Rpd, Mazatlan, 1988).
• If 5.Bb5+ c6 6.dxc6 Nxc6 7.d4 Nf6 then:
• If 8.0-0 0-0 9.Nbd2 then:
• If 9...Bg4 10.Nc4 Bc7 11.Bxc6 bxc6 12.Qd3 then:
• If 12...Re8 then:
• 13.Nfe5 Bxe5 14.Nxe5 Be2 15.Qxe2 Qxd4+ 16.Qf2 Qxe5 17.Bxf4 Qxb2 18.Bg5 Re6 gives Black an extra pawn and, unless White wants to sacrifice another pawn, ties White down to the defense of a weak queenside (Rosenzweig-Strauss, EU ch, 1990).
• 13.h3 Bxf3 14.Rxf3 Re1+ 15.Rf1 Rxf1+ 16.Kxf1 Qd5 gives Black a somewhat more active game (Super Forte-Turbo King, Computer Game, 1990).
• 12...Qd5!? 13.Nfe5! g5 14.h4 h6 15.hxg5 hxg5 16.Bxf4! then:
• 16...Nh7 17.Ne3 Qe6 18.N3xg4 gxf4 19.Rxf4 f5 20.Rxf5 Black resigns (Oaker-Pare, Corres, 1985).
• 16...Bxe5 17.Nxe5 Bh5 18.Bxg5 Ng4 19.Rf5 Nxe5 20.Rxe5 Qd7 21.Bf6 Bg6 22.Rg5Black resigns (Manteca-Perez, Corres, 1985).
• If 9...Bc7 10.c3 Bg4 11.Nc4 Qd5 12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.Nce5 g5 then:
• If 14.c4 then:
• 14...Qd6!? 15.Qd3 Rad8 16.Nxg4 Nxg4 17.Nxg5 Qxd4+ 18.Qxd4 Rxd4 gives Black the active game (Kase-Dobini, Corres, 1982).
• 14...Bxf3 15.Nxf3 Qxc4 16.Nxg5 Rad8 17.Nf3 is equal.
• If 14.Nxg4 Nxg4 then:
• 15.h4!? f6 16.Nxg5 Ne3 17.Bxe3 fxe3 18.Nh3 Rae8 19.Qg4+ Kh8 20.Nf4 Qe4 21.Qf3 Bxf4 White resigns (Leeson-Kuysten, Corres, 1982).
• 15.c4 Qf5 16.Qa4 Qf6 17.Bd2 Rab8 18.Qxa7 gives White a fine game.
• If 8.Qe2+ Be6 9.Ng5 0-0 10.Nxe6 fxe6 11.Bxc6 bxc6 12.0-0 Qc7 13.Qxe6+ Kh8 14.Nd2 Rae8 then:
• 15.Qh3 c5 16.Nc4 f3 17.Nxd6 Qxd6 18.gxf3 Qxd4+ 19.Kh1 Re2 20.Qf5 Nd7 21.Qd3 Qxd3 22.cxd3 Ne5 23.f4 Nxd3 24.f5 Nf2+ 25.Kg2 Rxf5 26.Rg1 Ne4+ White resigns (Negre-Thimongier, Corres, 1990).
• 15.Qc4 f3 16.Nxf3 Ng4 17.h3 Bh2+ 18.Kh1 Rxf3 19.gxf3 Qg3 20.fxg4 Qxh3 21.Qe2 Bd6+ White resigns as mate is inevitable (Hahn-Class, Corres, 1983).

5...Ne7 6.d4 0-0 7.Bd3 Nd7!?

• 7...Ng6 8.0-0 c6 9.dxc6 Nxc6 10.Ne4 Bc7 11.c3 Re8 draw (Votava-A. Kogan, 1996).

8.0-0

• The game is equal.

8...h6

• 8...Nf6 9.Ne5 Nexd5 10.Nxd5 Nxd5 11.Qh5 Nf6 12.Qg5 remains equal.

9.Ne4 Nxd5 10.c4 Ne3! 11.Bxe3

• 11.Qe2? Nxf1! 12.Qxf1 Nf6 13.Nxf6+ Qxf6 14.c5 Be7 gives Black the exchange.

11...fxe3 12.c5 Be7 13.Bc2

• 13.Qe2 f5 14.Nc3 f4 15.Rfe1 c6 16.Rad1 Qa5 remains equal.

13...Re8 14.Qd3 e2!?

• Black tries to disrupt White's pieces in their homes.
• 14...f5 15.Ng3 Nxc5 16.dxc5 Qxd3 17.Bxd3 Bxc5 18.Rfc1 remains equal.

15.Nd6!?

• White puts Black on notice that he will not be disrupted that easily.
• 15.Rf2 Nf8 16.Rxe2 Bg4 17.Rd1 c6 18.a3 gives White the advantage in space.

15...Nf8?

• British master Graham Burgess, in The Mammoth Book of the World's Greatest Chess Games, marks the text move with a query and gives 15...Bd4 as Black's best and perhaps only chance to gain salvation. Your humble hare tends to concur and gives some variations funished by Fritz to embellish Mr. Burgess' main line.
• If 15...Bxd6 16.Qh7+ Kf8 17.cxd6 then:
• If 17...exf1Q+ 18.Rxf1 cxd6 19.Qh8+ Ke7 20.Re1+ then:
• If 20...Ne5 21.Qxg7 Rg8 22.Qxh6 Qb6 then:
• If 23.Kh1 then:
• 23...Be6 24.dxe5 d5 yields a position which Burgess deems "unclear." While Black still has a matrial edge, it looks to your humble hare as though White has the active game and is slightly better.
• 23...Qxb2 24.dxe5 Be6 25.exd6+ Kxd6 26.Qf4+ Kd7 gives Black the exchange.
• 23.Qh4+ Kd7 24.Ba4+ Kc7 25.Nxe5 dxe5 26.Qe7+ Kb8 gives Black an extra Rook.
• 20...Kf6 21.Rxe8 Qc7 22.Qh7 Nb6 23.Rg8 Be6 24.Rxg7 gives White the active game.
• 17...cxd6 18.Rf2 Re6 19.Re1 Nf6 20.Qh8+ Ke7 21.Qxg7 gives White the initiative.
• If 15...exf1Q+? White wins with 16.Rxf1! Nf6 17.Nxf7 Kxf7 18.Ne5+ Kg8 19.Qh7+ Nxh7 20.Bb3+ Kh8 21.Ng6# (Burgess).

BLACK: David Bronstein
!""""""""#
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$ + P + +%
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Boris Spassky
Position after 15...Nd7f8

16.Nxf7!!

• White sacrifices his Rook to maintain the attack.

16...exf1Q+ 17.Rxf1!

• White reloads the f-file with his other Rook, keeping pressure on the kingside.
• 17.Kxf1!? Qd5 18.Nxh6+ gxh6 19.Bb3 Be6 20.Bxd5 Bxd5 is equal.

17...Bf5

• If 17...Qd5 then after 18.Nxh6+ gxh6 19.Bb3 Be6 20.Bxd5 Bxd5 21.Ne5 White is ready to begin a direct attack on the Black King.

18.Qxf5 Qd7 19.Qf4 Bf6

• 19...Ne6 20.Qe4 Nf8 21.Bb3 leaves Black no way to meet the threat of 22.Nxh6+!.

20.N3e5!

• Also good is 20.Nxh6+!! gxh6 21.Qxf6 when:
• 21...Re2 22.Bb3+ Kh7 23.Nh4 Qg7 24.Qxg7+ Kxg7 25.Rf7+ leaves the Rook to feats on Black's queenside pawns.
• If 21...Re7 then after 22.Nh4 Ne6 23.Nf5 Rg7 24.Bb3 Re8 25.Re1 it's time to turn the lights out.

20...Qe7

• 20...Bxe5 21.Nxe5 Qe7 22.Qe4 g6 23.Bb3+! wins for White.

BLACK: David Bronstein
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Boris Spassky
Position after 20...Qd7e7

21.Bb3 Bxe5 22.Nxe5+ Kh7 23.Qe4+!! 1-0

• 23...Kh8 24.Rxf8+! Qxf8 25.Ng6+ Kh7 26.Nxf8+ Kh8 27.Qh7#.
• 23...g6 24.Rxf8 Qg7 25.Rf7 wins the Queen.
• David Ionovich resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Update (wee hours of Sunday)

Cue the music.

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, this is Jack Rabbit bringing you the action from the World Chess Cup in the Siberian oil boom town of Khanty Mansiysk. The players are in the tournament for the playoffs of the third round. Altogether, twenty chess grandmasters are participating in these playoffs to determine the ten players who will advance to Round 4 in addition to the six who qualified yesterday.

This broadcast is presented as a simple thank you to all the men and women who have donated to Democratic Underground in the past year.

However, since it is 2 am where I am, my loyal and impressive staff and I are going to bed. So, for those who wish to follow the action, we turn the bandwidth over to oficial website of World Chess Cup and direct you to the live game page.

Most eye will be trained on the top board, where, in the first rapid game between Judit Polgar and Boris Gelfand, Ms. Polgar, playing White, has opened with a Scotch Game and appears to have a small edge in space after a dozen moves.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Update (Sunday morning PST): Passing to Round 4 . . .

The Sweet Sixteen in Khanty Mansiysk is . . .

Vachier Lagrave - Gelfand
Caruana - Gashimov
Shirov - Svidler
Mamedyarov - Laznicka
Karjakin - Vitiugov
Malakhov - So
Bacrot - Ponomariov
Jakovenko - Grischuk

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Khanty Mansiysk: Two Chinese players eliminated for extending smoke break

From ChessBase.com
Posted online Monday, November 30

World Cup R3: Two Chinese players default – for smoking

After the first rapid chess tiebreak game Wang Yue and Lie Chao went to the smoking area. An arbiter warned them that their games were starting in three minutes, and then again a minute before the starting gong. But the two arrived two minutes late at the board and lost their games by forfeit.

Read more at the link.