The JR Chess Report (February 27): Topa Takes Linares; Upsets in Reykjavik; Baden Baden Falls in BL

Jack Rabbit

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Sat Feb-27-10 11:32 PM
Original message

The JR Chess Report (February 27): Topa Takes Linares; Upsets in Reykjavik; Baden Baden Falls in BL

Edited on Sat Feb-27-10 11:34 PM by Jack Rabbit

Topalov Wins Linares

Former FIDE world champion Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria won the 27th Torneo Internacional de la Ciudad de Linares Wednesday with 6� points out of ten rounds in capital of the state of Ja�n in the Andaluc�a region of Spain.

Topalov defeated World Cup champion Boris Gelfand of Israel in the final round to finish a half point ahead of the defend tournament champion from 2009, Alexander Grischuk. Grischuk took down Topalov in 56 moves on Tuesday to set up the final round dramatics. Grischuk, the reigning Russian national champion, drew his final game against Paco Vallejo, the reigning Spanish national champion.

Armenia's Levon Aronian defeated Vugar Gashimov of Azerbaijan to take third place with 5� points. It was Aronian's only decisive game against nine draws.

Many observers were disappointed with this year's Linares, which featured only six players and ten rounds, instead of the usual format of eight palyers going 14 rounds.

Reykjavik Open Begins: Ukrainian GM Baklan in Front after 5 Rounds

The Reykjavik Open began Wednesday with 104 players.

Top seed Vladimir Baklan of Ukraine is leading after today's double round schedule with 4� points in five rounds after defeating Icelandic IM Thorbjorn Bromann in 50 moves. Bromann won the right to play on the top board after upsetting Bosnian GM Ivan Sokolov in the fourth round, which was played this morning.

Bromann's defeat of Sokolov was the second major upset in Reykjavik this week. In yesterday's third round, Indian IM Dronavalli Harika, the former world girls' champion, took down form US national champion Yuri Shulman in 47 moves.

The tournament continues tomorrow with one round a day until Wednesday. Some top games are broadcast live at the official website of the Iclandic Chess Federation. The games begin at 3:30 pm in Reykjavik, which is a reasonable 7:30 am PST.

Bundesliga Rd 10: Bremen Upsets Baden Baden

In Bundesliga action today in Heidelburg, the team from Bremen scored a 5-3 upset win in a match with league powerhouse Baden Baden, which hit a major snag while looking for its fifth consecutive Bundeliga title.

Baden Baden continues to lead the world's most prestigious chess league by virtue of superior individual scores, but is now tied in match points with 18 each with Bremen and Solingen, which defeated Wattenscheid in Solingen today by a score of 5-3.

Six of the eight games in Baden Baden-Bremen match were drawn. On board six, Bremen's Alexander Areshcheko of Ukraine set back British GM Mickey Adams of Baden Baden in 51 moves while Israeli GM Michael Roiz, playing for Bremen, took down Germany's top player, Arkadij Naiditsch, in 41 moves.

Reigning world champion Vishy Anand broke training for his April title match against Veselin Topalov to play for the Baden Baden team this weekend.

Action continues tomorrow when Baden Baden faces Hamburg and Bremen meets the home team in Heidelburg, while in Solingen the host team plays against the Emsdetten eight.

Calendar

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

Melody Amber Rapid/Blindfold Tournament, Nice. 12-25 March. Aronian, Carlsen, Dom�nguez, Gelfand, Gashimov, Ivanchuk, Karjakin, Kramnik, Morozevich, Ponomariov, Smeets and Svidler.

Bundesliga 0910, Rounds 12-13, Emsdetten, Katernberg, Munich, K�nig Tegel (Berlin). 21-22 March.

Philadelphia Open 31 March-4 April. This replaces the Foxwoods Open after the Foxwoods Resort announced expected room rate hikes.

Russian Team Championships, Dagomys 1-12 April.

Bundesliga 0910, Rounds 14-15 (season finale), Erfurt, Eppingen, Bremen, Baden Baden. 10-11 April.

Women's Grand Prix, Nalchik 23 April-6 May.

Anand-Topalov Match for the World Title, Sofia 23 April-10 May.

Grand Prix, Astrakhan (Russia) 9-25 May.

US Championship, St. Louis 13-25 May.

Chicago Open 27-31 May.

Women's Grand Prix, Jermuk 23 June-6 July.

World Open, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania 29 June-5 July.

Women's Grand Prix, Ulan Bator (Mongolia) 29 July-12 August.

World Junior Championships, Chotowa Czarna (Poland) 2-17 August.

Chess Olympiad, Khanty Mansiysk 19 September-4 October.

European Club Cup, Plovdiv 16-24 October.

Women's Grand Prix, Vina del Mar (Chile) 27 October-9 November.

World Youth Championships, Halidiki (Greece) 19-31 October.

FIDE Women's Knock Out (Women's World Championship), Turkey 2-25 December.

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Jack Rabbit

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Sat Feb-27-10 11:33 PM
Response to Original message

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 M�rida, a true type font that can be downloaded 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.

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Jack Rabbit

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Sat Feb-27-10 11:36 PM
Response to Reply #1

2. 27th Torneo Internacional de Ajedrez, Linares

Edited on Sat Feb-27-10 11:37 PM by Jack Rabbit

Linares native Andr�s Segovia
(click on the photo for more)
Photo: Guitarrer�a de Buenos Aires (Argentina)

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Jack Rabbit

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Sat Feb-27-10 11:38 PM
Response to Reply #2

3. Topalov - Grischuk, Round 5

Most observers felt that the Linares Tournament was a disappointment this years compared to years past, but the two games between the tournament champion and the runner up, in which they traded wins, were a pair of gems.

Veselin Topalov
Photo: ChessBase.com (Spanish Language)

Veselin Topalov - Alexander Grischuk
27th Torneo de la Ciudad de Linares, Round 5
Linares, 18 February 2010

Open Sicilian Game: Adams Opening

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 Ng4 7.Bc1

If 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Bg3 Bg7 then:

If 10.h3 Ne5 then:

If 11.Nf5 Bxf5 12.exf5 then:

If 12...Nbc6 13.Nd5 e6 14.fxe6 fxe6 15.Ne3 0-0 16.Be2 then:

16...d5 17.0-0 Ng6 18.c4 d4 19.Ng4 Nf4 20.Bxf4 Rxf4 21.Bd3 Nb4 22.Re1 h5 23.Nh2 Nxd3 24.Qxd3 Qf6 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 Nc4 21.Nxc4 dxc4 22.Qg4 Qb4 23.Qxe6 leaves the space count even (Veselin Topalov-Anand, World Ch, San Luis, 2005).

12...Nbd7 13.Nd5 Nb6 14.c3 Nxd5 15.Qxd5 Qb6 16.0-0-0 Rc8 17.Qb3 Qc6 18.f3 b5 19.Bxe5 Bxe5 20.Bd3 0-0 21.h4 b4 22.Qxb4 Rb8 23.Qa3 Rfc8 gives Black a small edge in space and the initiative (T. Kosintseva-Korbut, Russian ChW, 2007).

11.f3 Nbc6 12.Bf2 Be6 13.Qd2 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 Qa5 15.a3 Rg8 16.h4 Rc8 17.hxg5 hxg5 18.0-0-0 Nc4 19.Bxc4 Bxd4 20.Qxd4 Rxc4 21.Qa7 Qc7 22.Kb1 Rc5 23.Nd5 Bxd5 24.exd5 Kf8 25.Rd2 Kg7 26.b4 b5 27.Qxa6 Rc3 draw agreed (Kasparov-J. Polgar, IT, Linares, 2001).

10.Be2 h5 11.Bxg4 Bxg4 12.f3 Bd7 13.Bf2 Nc6 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 Ch U18, Oropesa del Mar, 2000).

7...Nf6 8.h3 Nc6

If 8...e6 9.g4 d5 10.exd5 Nxd5 then:

If 11.Bd2 Nc6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.Bg2 then:

13...Be7 14.Nxd5 cxd5 15.c4 0-0 16.0-0 Bb7 17.Bc3 Bf6 18.Bd4 Rb8 19.cxd5 Bxd4 20.Qxd4 Bxd5 21.Bxd5 Rb5 22.Qa4 Qxd5 23.b3 Qf3 24.Kh2 Rc5 White resigns (Marks-Reimer, Corres, 1991).
13...Rb8 14.0-0 Be7 15.Na4 Qc7 16.c4 Nf4 17.Bxf4 Qxf4 18.Bxc6+ Kf8 19.Qf3 Qxf3 20.Bxf3 Bd7 21.Nc3 Rxb2 22.Rab1 Ba3 23.c5 Ke7 24.c6 Bc8 25.Rxb2 Bxb2 26.Na4 Bd4 27.Rb1 Kd6 28.Nb6 Bxb6 29.Rxb6 Kc7 30.Rb3 draw (Tushin-Savon, Tula, 2001).

If 11.Nde2 Bb4 then:

If 12.Bg2 0-0 13.Bd2 Nxc3 14.Nxc3 then:

14...Qc7 15.Qe2 Bd7 16.a3 Bxc3 draw (Bronstein-Gufeld, Soviet Ch, Tallinn, 1965).
14...Nc6 15.a3 Be7 16.0-0 Qc7 17.Qf3 Rd8 18.Rad1 Bd7 19.Bf4 Qb6 20.b4 Be8 21.Be3 Qc7 22.Bf4 Qb6 23.Be3 Qc7 24.Bf4 Qb6 draw (Kurajica-Mecking, IT, Hastings, 1971).

12.Bd2 Nxc3 13.Bxc3 Qxd1+ 14.Rxd1 Bxc3+ 15.Nxc3 Bd7 16.Bg2 Bc6 17.Bxc6+ Nxc6 draw (Fontaine-Fressinet, French Ch, Val d'Isere, 2002).

If 8...g6 9.g4 Bg7 10.Bg2 0-0 then:

If 11.Be3 Nc6 12.0-0 then:

12...Nd7 13.a4 Nde5 14.b3 Bd7 15.Nde2 f5 16.exf5 gxf5 17.g5 gives White a lasting kingside spatial advantage (So-Le�n Hoyos, Corus C, Wijk aan Zee, 2009).
12...Bd7 13.Nde2 b5 14.f4 b4 15.Nd5 Nxd5 16.exd5 Na5 17.b3 Bxa1 18.Qxa1 Rc8 19.Nd4 Nb7 20.f5 f6 21.fxg6 hxg6 22.Qe1 gives Black the exchange and White the advantage in space (Carlsen-Ponomariov, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2008).

11.0-0 Nc6 12.Nde2 Be6 13.f4 Qb6+ 14.Kh1 Rac8 is equal (Ponkratov-Costantini, Op, Biel, 2001).

9.g4 Qb6

If 9...e6 10.Bg2 h6 11.Be3 Ne5 then:

If 12.Qe2 g5 13.0-0-0 Bd7 then:

14.Nf3 Ng6 15.Kb1 Rc8 16.Bd2 Bg7 17.Nd4 b5 18.a3 Qb6 is equal (Leko-Panomariov, Tal Mem Blitz Rd 34, Moscow, 2009).
14.f4 gxf4 15.Bxf4 Rc8 16.Rhf1 b5 17.Nf3 Nc4 18.e5 is equal (Haznedaroglu-Navara, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).

12.f4 Nc4 13.Qe2 Nxe3 14.Qxe3 Qb6 15.e5 dxe5 16.fxe5 Nd7 17.0-0-0 Be7 18.h4 Qc7 19.Rde1 Nb6 20.b3 Bd7 21.Qg3 Rc8 22.Ne4 Nd5 23.Nd6+ Bxd6 24.exd6 Qc5 25.Bxd5 Qxd4 26.Bxb7 Qa1+ 27.Kd2 Qd4+ 28.Kc1 Qa1+ 29.Kd2 Qd4+ is equal (Svidler-Movsesian, Rpd Trmt, Odessa, 2009).

10.Nde2

If 10.Nb3 e6 then:

If 11.Bg2 Be7 then:

12.Be3 Qc7 13.g5 Nd7 14.f4 b5 15.Qd2 Bb7 16.0-0-0 Nb6 is equal (Naidotsch-Grischuk, Tal Mem Blitz Rd 8, Moscow, 2009).
12.0-0 Ne5 13.Qe2 0-0 14.Kh1 Ng6 15.Be3 Qc7 16.Kg1 Nd7 is equal (Lilov-Nikolaidis, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).

11.Be3 Qc7 12.Qe2 b5 13.f4 Bb7 14.Bg2 Be7 15.0-0-0 Nd7 16.Qf2 Na5 17.Nxa5 Qxa5 18.Kb1 is equal (Dom�nguez-Grischuk, Tal Mem Blitz Rd 26, Moscow, 2009).

10...e6 11.Bg2 Be7 12.b3!?

12.0-0 Qc7 13.a4 b6 14.f4 h6 15.Be3 Rb8 16.Qe1 Nb4 is equal (Battugga-Farid, Ol, Dresden, 2008).

12...h6

The game is equal.

13.Qd2 g5!?

White's previous move indicates a plan to castle long after playing the Bishop to b2 or a3. Black should therefore play aggressively on the Queen's wing and more cautiously on the kingside.
13...Qc7 14.Bb2 b6 15.Rd1 Bb7 16.a3 Rc8 remains equal.

14.Ba3!

White plays aggressively, hitting at weak d-pawn.
14.f4!? gxf4 15.Nxf4 Bd7 16.Bb2 Ne5 17.Nd3 remains equal.
If 14.Bb2!? Ne5 15.Nd4 then:

15...Bd7 16.0-0-0 Rc8 17.Kb1 Ng6 remains equal.
15...h5!? 16.0-0-0! hxg4 17.hxg4 Rxh1 18.Rxh1 Nexg4 19.Rh8+ is clearly good for White.

14...Ne5

14...d5 15.Bxe7 Nxe7 16.exd5 exd5 17.Bxd5 gives White an extra pawn.

15.0-0-0

White sacrifices a pawn to build his attack on Black's more important d-pawn.

15...Qxf2 16.Bxd6 Bxd6 17.Qxd6 Nfd7 18.Nd4

18.Rhg1 h5 19.gxh5 Rxh5 20.Nd4 Qe3+ 21.Kb2 remains equal.

18...Qf6 19.Qa3

19.Rhf1 Qe7 20.Qxe7+ Kxe7 21.a4 gives White the advantage in space.

19...Qe7 20.Qb2 0-0

BLACK: Alexander Grischuk
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WHITE: Veselin Topalov
Position after 20...0-0

21.Nf5?

White sacrifices his Knight for initiative. Is it worth it?
21.Nce2 b5 22.Qc3 Bb7 23.Qg3 Ng6 24.Rhf1 Rac8 remains equal.

21...exf5 22.Nd5

If 22.exf5 then after 22...Nf6 23.Nd5 Nxd5 24.Rxd5 Re8 25.Rhd1 Qc7 Black keeps his material gains.

22...Qc5 23.exf5 a5 24.h4

If 24.Qd4 then 24...Qxd4 25.Ne7+ Kh7 26.Rxd4 Ra7 27.Rhd1 b6 leaves Black up by a piece.

24...gxh4 25.Rxh4 Ra6 26.Kb1

White's initiative is spent and all he has for the Knight is a pawn.
26.Qd4?! Qxd4! 27.Rxd4 Kg7 28.Ne7 Rb6 just helps Black by exchanging Queens.

26...Qf2 27.Ne7+ Kg7

27...Kh7 28.Rh2 Qg3 29.Nxc8 Qxh2 30.Bxb7 Rf6 leaves Black up by a Rook.

28.Rh2

28.Nxc8 Qxh4 29.Bxb7 Rf6 30.Qd4 Rd8 still leaves Black a Rook to the good.

28...f6?!

One may never know, but one may wonder if this is a result of Grischuk's willful time trouble.
The obvious rejoinder is 28...Qg3! 29.Rdh1 Rd6 30.Bd5 when:

30...Re8 31.g5 Qxg5 32.Rg2 Rxe7 33.Rxg5+ hxg5 maintains a material advantage for Black.
30...Rd8 31.Rg2 Qf4 32.Re2 Kf8 33.Re4 Qg3 maintains Black's extra piece, but White has more play than he had earlier.

29.g5?

White fails to capitalize on the error.
If 29.Qc1 Nxg4 30.Nxc8 then:

30...Nc5 31.Rd2 Qxf5 32.Ne7 Qg5 33.Rh1 leaves Black up by "only" a pawn.
30...Nb8? 31.Rh5! Rxc8 32.Bxb7! White wins the exchange and is up by a Rook.

BLACK: Alexander Grischuk
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WHITE: Veselin Topalov
Position after 29.g4g5

29...fxg5!

Black goes for connected passers on the kingside. He will stake his chances on advancing them.

30.Nxc8 Raf6 31.Ne7

31.Qc3 Qc5 32.Qxc5 Nxc5 33.Rd5 Ng4 34.Rxc5 Nxh2 leaves Black up by the exchange.

31...R8f7 32.Nd5 Nf3!?

Now it's Black's turn to be inaccurate.
If 32...Ng4 33.Nxf6 Ndxf6 then:

34.Bd5 Qxh2 35.Bxf7 Kxf7 36.Qc3 Qe5 gives Black two Knights for a Rook.
34.Rd5? Nxh2 35.Bh1 Qf1+ gives Black two extra pieces.

BLACK: Alexander Grischuk
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WHITE: Veselin Topalov
Position after 32...Ne5f3

33.Bxf3!!

White sacrifices the exchange and get some real initiative for it.
33.Nxf6 Nxf6 34.Bxf3 Qxh2 35.a4 Re7 is equal.

33...Qxh2 34.Nxf6 Nxf6

White has equalized.

35.a4 Qf4 36.Bd5

The text is better than 36.Bh5, which puts the Bishop out of play.
36.Bh5!? Re7 37.Bg6 Qe5 then:

38.Qa3 Rd7 39.Rh1 Ne4 40.Qb2 Nc3+ 41.Ka1 gives Black domination of the board.
38.c3? Nd5! 39.Rd3 Qe1+ 40.Ka2 Re2 wins for Black.

36...Rd7 37.Re1

Giving up the pawn looks like the best thing for White to do.
37.Ka2 Qg4 38.Bf3 Qxf5! 39.Be4 Qe6 gives Black the initiative.

BLACK: Alexander Grischuk
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WHITE: Veselin Topalov
Position after 37.Rd1e1

37...Qxf5!

Black is a pawn to the good with a slight initiative.

38.Bc4 Qf2!?

If 38...Qg4!? then after 39.Ka2 Qf4 40.Qc3 b6 41.Re6 White threatens to level the pawn count, but giving back the pawn may be the best thing for Black under the circumstances.

39.Qe5! Qd4 40.Qf5 Qg4 41.Qxa5

Fritz evaluates this as better for Black, but reigning Dutch national champion Anish Giri, writing for ChessBase.com, believes that White has the edge here because of his Bishop ("As we learned in primary school, if there are pawns are on both flanks, than the bishop is better").

41...Rd1+ 42.Rxd1 Qxd1+ 43.Kb2 Qd6!?

The check on d4 creates complications that could benefit Black.
43...Qd4+ 44.c3 Qd2+ 45.Ka3 Qd6+ 46.Qb4 Qxb4+ 47.Kxb4 gives White a slightly better game for reasons attributed to Mh. Giri in the previous note.

44.Qa7 Qe5+

44...Qd7!? 45.Bf1 Ne4 46.Bg2 Qc7 47.Qd4+ Nf6 is equal, if one agrees with Fritz, or White is better, if one agrees with the 15-year-old Dutch national champion. Frankly, I agree with the kid.
Mh. Giri points out in a note to Black's 43rd move that his engine (presumably Fritz, since he is writing for ChessBase), show the game dead even, as my Fritz 6.0 does (Mh. Giri is probably using Fritz 12, just recently put on the market from ChessBase).

45.Ka2 Qe4

Under the circumstances, this is best.
45...Qc7 46.a5 Qd7 47.Qb6 g4 48.Be6 Qe7 49.Bc8 wins the b-pawn.

BLACK: Alexander Grischuk
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WHITE: Veselin Topalov
Position after 45...Qe5e4

46.Bd3

Less good is 46.a5!? Kf8 when:

47.a6 Qxc2+! 48.Ka3 Qc1+ 49.Ka2 Qd2+ 50.Kb1 Qd1+ 51.Kb2 Qd2+ etc. draws.
47.Kb2 Qe7 48.Bf1 Qe5+ 49.c3 Qh2+ 50.Kb1 Qh1 is equal.

46...Qc6 47.a5 Nd5 48.Qd4+ Nf6 49.Qe5

49.b4 Qc7 50.Kb3 g4 51.Qa7 Qd7 52.b5 g3 remains equal.

49...Kf8 50.c4 g4 51.Bf5 Kf7 52.Qb8 Ne8?!

Black best counterattack is to advance his kingside pawns.
52...h5 53.Bc8 h4 54.Qxb7+ Qxb7 55.Bxb7 gives White a very powerful position; he is a pawn to the and his Bishop is capable of stopping the pawns.

53.Qf4

Mh. Giri believes this to be the winning move. He might be right.

53...Qc5 54.Bxg4+ Nf6?

Black is lost. He will make no attempt to save the b-pawn.
54...Kg6 55.Bf3 Qxa5+ 56.Kb2 Nf6 57.Bxb7 leaves Black fighting an uphill battle.

BLACK: Alexander Grischuk
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WHITE: Veselin Topalov
Position after 54...Ne8f6

55.Qf5!

White, on the other hand, saves his a-pawn.

55...Qd4

If 55...Qd6 56.Bf3 Qb4 57.Kb2 then:

57...Qd2+ 58.Ka3 Qe3 59.Ka4 b6 60.a6! wins for White.
If 57...Kg7 then after 58.Qe5 Qd2+ 59.Ka3 Qd7 60.Qc5 Ne8 61.Qa7 the b-pawn will fall.

56.Bf3 Qf2+ 57.Ka3 Kg7 58.Ka4

58.Qf4 Qc5+ 59.b4 Qc8 60.c5 h5 61.Qd6

58...b6

White will create connected passers no matter how Black plays.
58...Qa2+ 59.Kb4 Qd2+ 60.Kb5 Qe3 61.b4 Qe8+ 62.Kb6 also allows White to create connected pssed pawns.

59.axb6 Qxb6 60.c5 Qa7+ 61.Kb5 Qb8+

No better is 61...Qa3 62.b4 Qe3 63.c6 Ne8 64.Qd7+ Kf8 65.Bg4.

BLACK: Alexander Grischuk
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WHITE: Veselin Topalov
Position after 61...Qa7b8+

62.Kc4!

White finds the right move.
If 62.Ka6?! Qxb3! 63.c6 Qa3+ 64.Kb7 Qb3+ then:

If 65.Kc7 Qf7+ 66.Kb6 Qb3+ then:

If 67.Kc5 Qc3+ 68.Kd6 Qa3+ 69.Ke5 then:

69...Qe3+ 70.Be4 Qc3+ 71.Kf4 Qd2+ 72.Kf3 Qd1+ 73.Ke3 draws.
69...Qc3+ 70.Kf4 Qd2+ 71.Kg3 Qd6+ 72.Kg2 Qd2+ 73.Kh3 Black is out of checks, but White has to win the game all over again.

If 67.Ka5 Qe3 68.Kb5 Qb3+ then:

If 69.Kc5 Qa3+ 70.Kc4 Qc1+ 71.Kd4 then:

71...Qa1+ 72.Ke3 Qe1+ 73.Kf4 Qb4+ 74.Kg3 Qd6+ 75.Kg2 White is still better, but is no longer winning.
71...h5 72.Ke5 Qe3+ 73.Kd6 Qa3+ 74.Kc7 Qa7+ is equal.

69.Ka6 Qa3+ 70.Kb7 Qb3+ 71.Ka8 Qa4+ 72.Kb8 Qb3+ draws.

If 65.Ka8!? Qa2+ 66.Kb8 Qf7 67.Qb5 then:

67...Qf8+ 68.Kb7 Qe7+ 69.c7 Ne8 70.Qc6 Qxc7+ 71.Qxc7+ Nxc7 72.Kxc7 draws.

If 67...Qe8+ 68.Kc7 Qe7+ 69.Kc8 Ne8 70.Qb2+ Kg6 71.Qb6 then:

71...Nd6+ 72.Kb8 Qf8+ 73.Kc7 Qe7+ 74.Kb8 Qf8+ etc. drtaws,
71...h5 72.Kb8 Qd6+ 73.Kb7 Qe7+ 74.c7+ Kg5 75.Qa5+ Kf4 76.Bxh5 Qxc7+ 77.Qxc7+ Nxc7 draws

62...Qg8+ 63.Kc3 Qe8 64.b4 Qe1+

If 64...Qb5 65.Be4 Qe8 66.Bd3 then:

If 66...Qe1+ 67.Kb3 Qd1+ then:

If 68.Bc2 then after 68...Qd5+ 69.Qxd5 Nxd5 70.b5 White wins easily.
68.Kc4 Qc1+ 69.Bc2 Ng8 70.b5 Ne7 71.Qe4 wins for White.

66...Qh5 67.Qxh5 Nxh5 68.c6 Nf6 69.Kd4 Ng8 70.b5 wins for White.

65.Kc4 Qf1+ 66.Kb3 Qb5 67.Bd1 Qc6

If 67...Qb7 then after 68.Be2 Qf7+ 69.Bc4 Qe7 70.c6 Qd6 71.b5 the connected passers triumph.

68.Bc2 Kf7 69.Bd3 1-0

69...Ke7 70.b5 Qe6+ 71.Qxe6+ Kxe6 72.b6! wins for White.
Alexander Igorovich resigns.

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Jack Rabbit

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Sat Feb-27-10 11:39 PM
Response to Reply #2

4. Grischuk - Topalov, Round 9

Alexander Grischuk
Photo: ChessBase.com

Alexander Grischuk - Veselin Topalov
27th Torneo de la Ciudad de Linares, Round 9
Linares, 23 February 2010

East India Game: Queen's Indian Defense (Catalan Opening)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6

Main LineIf 4...Bb7 5.Bg2 Be7 6.Nc3 then:

If 6...Ne4 7.Bd2 Bf6 then:

If 8.Qc2 Nxd2 9.Qxd2 d6 10.d5 0-0 11.0-0 then:

If 11...e5 then:

If 12.Ne1 then:

12...Nd7 13.Nc2 a5 14.f4 exf4 15.gxf4 Ba6 16.b3 Bxc3 17.Qxc3 f5 18.Nd4 Qf6 19.e3 Rae8 gives White the advantage in space (Shulman-Sadvakasov, Foxwoods Op, Mashantucket, 2008).
If 12...Bg5 13.e3 Nd7 14.Nd3 then:

14...f5 15.f4 Bf6 16.fxe5 Nxe5 17.Nxe5 Bxe5 is equal.
14...Re8 15.f4 exf4 16.exf4 Bf6 17.Rae1 Nc5 18.Nf2 gives White a small advantage in space.

12.e4 Nd7 13.b4 g6 14.Bh3 Qe7 15.a3 Rfb8 16.Qc2 h5 17.Rfd1 a5 18.Nd2 Bg5 19.Nb3 axb4 20.axb4 Nf6 21.Bf1 gives White a small advantage in space (Karpov-Salov, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1988).

11...Bxc3 12.Qxc3 exd5 13.Nh4 d4 14.Qxd4 Bxg2 15.Nxg2 Nc6 16.Qc3 a5 17.Nf4 Re8 18.Rfe1 Qd7 19.Rad1 Re5 20.Rd5 draw (Jussupow-Makarichev, Soviet Ch, Vilnius, 1980).

8.0-0 0-0 9.Rc1 c5 10.d5 exd5 11.cxd5 Nxd2 12.Nxd2 d6 13.Nde4 Be5 14.Qd2 Ba6 15.Rfe1 g6 16.f4 Bd4+ 17.e3 Bg7 18.Bf1 Re8 19.Bxa6 Nxa6 20.Qd3 Nc7 21.Nd2 Qd7 22.Nf3 b5 23.b3 f5 24.e4 b4 25.Nd1 fxe4 26.Rxe4 Rxe4 27.Qxe4 Re8 28.Qd3 Qf5 29.Qxf5 gxf5 gives Black the pawn at d5 (Nauman-Oral, Czech ChU20, Prague, 1997).

If 6...d5 7.0-0 0-0 then:

8.cxd5 exd5 9.Re1 c5 10.Bf4 then:

10...Na6 11.Rc1 then:

11...Ne4 12.a3 Bf6 13.Be5 Re8 14.e3 cxd4 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.exd4 Rac8 17.Nxe4 dxe4 18.Rxc8 Rxc8 19.Ne5 Qf5 gives Black the advantage in space (Speelman-D. King, Simpson's Divan, London, 2003).
11...Re8 12.dxc5 bxc5 13.Qb3 Qb6 14.Ne5 Qxb3 15.axb3 Nb4 16.Na4 a5 17.Nxc5 Bxc5 18.Rxc5 g5 19.Bxg5 Ne4 20.Nd7 Nxc5 21.Nxc5 Ba6 22.Nxa6 Rxa6 23.Bf3 Rc6 gives Black the advantage in space(Kunte-Negi, IT, New Dehli, 2006).

10...Nbd7 11.dxc5 Nxc5 12.Rc1 Nfe4 13.Nb5 Bf6 14.b4 Ne6 15.Be3 a5 16.a3 axb4 17.axb4 Ra2 18.Nfd4 Nxd4 19.Nxd4 Rb2 20.b5 Qd7 gives Black the advantage in space (Stefanova-Werle, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2002).

If 8.Ne5 c6 9.cxd5 cxd5 10.Bf4 then:

10...a6 11.Rc1 b5 12.Qb3 Nc6 13.Nxc6 Bxc6 14.h3 Qd7 15.Kh2 Nh5 16.Bd2 is equal (S�misch-Nimzovich, IT, Copenhagen, 1923).
If 10...Nbd7 11.Qa4 Nxe5 12.Bxe5 a6 13.Rfc1 Rc8 then:

14.Qb3 Nd7 15.Bf4 b5 16.e4 dxe4 17.a4 Nf6 18.axb5 axb5 19.Nxb5 Bd5 20.Rxc8 Qxc8 21.Qc3 Qb7 22.Ra7 Qxb5 23.Rxe7 e3 24.f3 Ba8 (White has the advantage in space, but the powerful threat of 25...Nd5 gives Black a strong initiative) 25.Ra7 Nd5! 26.Qa5 Qxa5 27.Rxa5 Nxf4 28.gxf4 g6 White still has more space, but Black can easily bring his Rook into play and threaten White's back rank (Gdanski-Riazantsev,. Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).
14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.e3 Rc6 16.Bf1 b5 17.Qb3 Qa5 18.a3 Rfc8 19.Na2 Be7 20.Qd1 g6 21.Rxc6 Rxc6 22.Rc1 Qb6 23.Rxc6 Qxc6 24.Qd2 e5 25.Nb4 Bxb4 26.Qxb4 e4 27.Bh3 Bc8 28.Bxc8 Qc1+ 29.Kg2 Qxc8 30.Qd6 Qg4 31.Qxa6 Qf3+ 32.Kg1 Qd1+ draws by perpetual check (Nikolic-Mecking, S�n Paulo, 1991).

5.b3

If 5.Nbd2 then:

If 5...c5 then:

If 6.e4 d6 7.Bg2 then:

If 7...Nbd7 8.0-0 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Bb7 10.Re1 a6 then:

11.a4 Rb8 12.a5 Be7 13.axb6 Qxb6 14.N2b3 0-0 15.Na5 Ba8 16.b4 Rfc8 17.Be3 Qd8 18.b5 Ne5 19.Ndc6 Nxc6 20.Nxc6 Bxc6 21.bxc6 Rb4 22.Qe2 e5 23.Rxa6 draw (Sakaev-Anastasian, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).
If 11.e5 Bxg2 12.exf6 then:

12...Bb7 13.fxg7 Bxg7 14.Ne4 0-0 15.Nxd6 Ne5 16.Nxb7 Qxd4 17.Qxd4 Nf3+ 18.Kf1 Nxd4 19.Rd1 Rab8 20.Nd6 Rfd8 21.Ne4 f5 22.Nc3 Rdc8 is equal (Tregubov-Grooten, Op, Amsterdam, 2001).
12...Qxf6 13.Nxe6 fxe6 14.Kxg2 Nc5 15.Ne4 Nxe4 16.Rxe4 Be7 17.Rf4 Qe5 18.Be3 Rf8 19.Bd4 Qa5 20.Rxf8+ Bxf8 21.Qg4 (Browne-Burger, Op, Philadelphia, 1990).

If 7...Bb7 then:

If 8.0-0 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Qd7 10.a4 then:

10...Be7 11.a5 bxa5 12.Re1 Nc6 13.Nxc6 Bxc6 14.Nb3 Rb8 15.Nxa5 Ba8 16.b3 0-0 17.Ba3 e5 18.Qd3 Qe6 19.Red1 Rfd8 gives White more space and fewer pawn weaknesses (Browne-Henley, Blitz Match, Parsippany, 1999).
10...Nc6 11.Nxc6 Bxc6 12.a5 Rb8 13.axb6 axb6 14.Re1 b5 15.cxb5 Bxb5 16.Nb1 Be7 17.Nc3 Bc6 18.e5 dxe5 19.Qxd7+ Bxd7 20.Rxe5 0-0 21.Rea5 Bb4 draw (H. Olafsson-Naiditsch, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).

8.Qe2 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Nc6 10.Nxc6 Bxc6 11.b3 Be7 12.Bb2 Qd7 13.0-0 0-0 14.Rfe1 Rac8 15.Rad1 Qc7 16.Nb1 a6 17.Nc3 Qb7 18.Nd5 gives White the advantage in space (Karavade-Mohotam Asian ChW, Subic Bay, 2009).

If 6.Bg2 Bb7 7.e4 cxd4 8.e5 then:

If 8...Ne4 9.0-0 Nxd2 10.Bxd2 then:

10...Qc7 11.Nxd4 Bxg2 12.Kxg2 Qxc4 13.Rc1 Qd5+ 14.Qf3 Qxf3+ 15.Kxf3 Na6 16.Nb5 Be7 17.Rfe1 f6 18.Bc3 fxe5 19.Bxe5 0-0+ 20.Ke2 d5 21.Rc6 Bf6 22.Bd6 Rfc8 gives Black excellent prospects (Van Gisbergen-van der Wiel, Op, Neremburg, 1994).
10...Bxf3 11.Qxf3 Nc6 12.Qxc6 dxc6 13.Bxc6+ Qd7 14.Bxd7+ Kxd7 15.Rfe1 a5 16.Kf1 f5 is equal (Salov-Karpov, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1993).

8...Ng4 9.0-0 Qc7 10.Re1 h5 11.h3 Nh6 12.Nxd4 Bxg2 13.Kxg2 Nc6 14.Nb5 Qb7 15.Ne4 Nf5 16.Qf3 a6 17.Nbd6+ Bxd6 18.Nxd6+ Nxd6 19.exd6 Na5 20.b3 Qxf3+ 21.Kxf3 Rc8 22.Be3 Rc6 is equal (M. Petursson-Ornstein, Corres, 1984).

If 5...Bb4 6.Qc2 Bb7 7.Bg2 Be4 8.Qd1 0-0 9.0-0 Bxd2 10.Qxd2 then:

If 10...a5 11.b3 d6 12.Bb2 Nbd7 13.Qc3 a4 then:

14.Bh3 c5 15.Rad1 Qe7 16.b4 cxb4 17.Qxb4 Bxf3 18.exf3 b5 19.d5 e5 20.cxb5 Nb6 21.Qc3 Nfxd5 22.Qc6 Rac8 23.Bxc8 Rxc8 24.Qxc8+ Nxc8 25.Rxd5 gives White two Rooks for the Queen (Eljanov-Izoria, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
14.Rac1 Qb8 15.Bh3 b5 16.Nd2 axb3 17.axb3 bxc4 18.bxc4 Ra2 draw (Grachev-Bartel, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).

10...d6 11.b3 Nbd7 12.Bb2 Qe7 13.Rac1 Rfe8 14.Bh3 Bb7 15.Rfe1 h6 16.Rcd1 a5 17.Qc2 Rad8 18.e4 e5 19.Bg2 gives White a small advantage in space (Mamedyarov-Adams, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2007).

If 8.Qb3 Bxd2+ 9.Bxd2 0-0 10.0-0 d6 11.Rfd1 Nbd7 12.Rac1 Qe7 13.Qa3 a5 14.Bh3 Rfe8 15.Be3 then:

15...h6 16.Nd2 Bb7 17.c5 dxc5 18.dxc5 Bd5 19.cxb6 Qxa3 20.bxa3 cxb6 gives Black better pawn structure and he threatens to win a pawn (Timman-Salov, World Cup, Rotterdam, 1989).
15...Bb7 16.Nh4 h6 17.f3 c5 is equal (Evdokimov-Eljanov, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).

If 5...d5 6.Bg2 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 then:

If 8.Ne5 Bb7 9.Qc2 c5 10.dxc5 bxc5 then:

11.Nb3 a5 12.cxd5 exd5 13.Bf4 Qb6 14.Rad1 Re8 15.Nd2 Bf8 16.e4 g5 17.exd5 gxf4 18.Ndc4 Qa6 19.gxf4 Nbd7 20.Rd3 Bg7 21.Rg3 Nf8 22.f5 Nh5 23.Rg4 Qf6 gives Black the material advantage and the more active game (Timman-Ivanchuk, IT, Tilburg, 1990).
10...Bxc5 11.cxd5 Bxd5 12.e4 Bb7 13.Nb3 Nbd7 14.Nxd7 Nxd7 15.Nxc5 Nxc5 16.Rd1 Qe7 17.b4 Na6 18.a3 Rac8 19.Qe2 Rfd8 20.Bb2 gives White the advantage in space (Nemet-Kunte, Op, Biel, 2001).

If 8.b3 then:

If 8...c5 9.Bb2 Nc6 10.Rc1 Rc8 then:

If 11.dxc5 bxc5 12.cxd5 exd5 13.Re1 Re8 14.e4 Nb4 15.e5 Nd7 16.e6 fxe6 17.Rxe6 Nf8 18.Bh3 Rc6 19.Nd4 Rb6 20.Rxb6 Qxb6 21.Nf5 Bf6 22.Qh5 g6 gives Black the advantage in space (Korobov-Iordachescu, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).
11.cxd5 exd5 12.Bh3 Rc7 13.dxc5 bxc5 14.Re1 d4 15.Ba3 Nd5 16.Ne4 Ncb4 17.Qd2 d3 18.Bxb4 Nxb4 19.Bf1 dxe2 20.Bxe2 Rd7 21.Qe3 Nd5 22.Qd2 Nb4 23.Qe3 Nd5 24.Qd2 draw (Lajthajm-Azorov, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).

8...Bb7 9.Ne5 c5 10.dxc5 Bxc5 11.Bb2 Nc6 12.Nxc6 Bxc6 13.Rc1 Rc8 14.cxd5 Bxd5 15.e4 Bb7 16.Qe2 Nd7 17.e5 Bxg2 18.Kxg2 Be7 19.Nc4 b5 20.Nd6 Rxc1 21.Rxc1 Nxe5 22.Qxe5 Bf6 23.Qxb5 Bxb2 24.Rd1 Ba3 25.b4 Qb8 draw (Leit�o-Jakovenko, World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk, 2005).

5...Bb4+

If 5...Bb7 6.Bg2 Bb4+ 7.Bd2 a5 8.0-0 0-0 9.Qc2 then:

If 9...h6 10.Nc3 Re8 11.Rfe1 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Be4 13.Qb2 d5 14.Bf1 then:

14...Bxf3 15.exf3 Nbd7 16.Bd3 a4 17.Rad1 axb3 18.axb3 Ra7 19.f4 Qa8 is equal (Polugaevsky-Anand, Roquebrune, 1992).
14...c6 15.Nd2 Bg6 16.a3 Nbd7 17.Rac1 Rb8 18.b4 axb4 19.axb4 Qe7 is equal (Alterman-Korchnoi, Beer Shiva, 1992).

If 9...d6 10.Nc3 Nbd7 then:

If 11.Rfd1 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Be4 13.Qb2 c6 14.Bf1 b5 15.Nh4 d5 16.f3 Bg6 then:

17.Nxg6 hxg6 18.cxb5 cxb5 19.e3 Qb6 20.Be1 Rfe8 21.Bf2 b4 22.Rac1 White is maneuvering to restrain Black's Knights and has the better game (Kempinski-Safarli, Euro Ch, Kusadasi, 2006).
17.Be1 Qb6 18.cxd5 cxd5 19.Rac1 Rfc8 20.e3 Ne8 21.g4 is equal (Karpov-Istratescu, Rpd Match, Bucharest, 2005).

If 11.Rfe1 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Be4 13.Qb2 then:

13...a4 14.Bf1 Bb7 15.Nd2 c5 16.b4 a3 17.Qb3 cxd4 18.Bxd4 e5 is equal (Topalov-Adams, IT, Frankfurt, 2000).
If 13...Qb8 14.b4 Bxf3 15.exf3 d5 16.Rac1 c6 17.c5 Re8 is equal (Krunoslav-Polugaevsky, IZT, Zagreb, 1987).

If 5...d5 6.Bg2 then:

If 6...Bb4+ 7.Bd2 Be7 8.cxd5 exd5 9.0-0 0-0 10.Nc3 Bb7 then:

If 11.Rc1 Na6 then:

If 12.Ne5 then:

If 12...Re8 13.Bf4 h6 then:

14.Qd3 c5 15.Qf5 cxd4 16.Nb5 Bc5 17.Nf3 Rxe2 18.Nfxd4 Rxa2 19.Be5 Ne4 20.h4 Qe7 21.Nc3 Rd2 22.Nxe4 dxe4 23.Bxe4 Bxe4 24.Qxe4 is unclear: Black has an extra pawn and White has more space (Hebden-Langeweg, Op, Benidorm, 1992).
14.h4 c5 15.dxc5 Nxc5 16.Be3 Bd6 17.Bxc5 bxc5 18.Nc4 Bc7 is equal (Radjabov-Gelfand, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2007).

If 12...c5 13.Be3 Re8 then:

14.dxc5 Bxc5 15.Bxc5 bxc5 16.Nd3 Qe7 17.Na4 Rac8 18.Qd2 Qxe2 19.Qxe2 Rxe2 20.Naxc5 Nxc5 21.Nxc5 Ba8 22.a4 a5 23.Ne4 Rcc2 24.Bf3 Black resigns (Korchnoi-Diker, Beer Shiva, 1984).
14.Nd3 Qd7 15.Na4 cxd4 16.Bxd4 Ne4 17.Nf4 Bf8 18.Nc3 Rad8 19.e3 Nb4 is equal (Topalov-Kramnik, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2004).

12.Bf4 h6 13.Qd3 c5 14.dxc5 Bxc5 15.e4 d4 16.Na4 Bxe4 17.Qxa6 draw (Gelfand-Alexander Grischuk, Candidates' Match, Elista, 2007).

If 11.Qc2 Na6 then:

If 12.Rfd1 Qc8 then:

If 13.Bg5 Rd8 14.Rac1 Qe6 15.Qb2 c5 16.e3 h6 17.Bxf6 Bxf6 18.Qd2 Rac8 19.dxc5 bxc5 gives Black the advantage in space (K. Georgiev-Grooten, Op, Gibraltar, 2007).
If 13.Bf4 Rd8 then:

14.Ng5 Qd7 15.Be5 g6 16.Bh3 Qe8 17.Qc1 c5 18.a4 Nh5 19.Ne6 Bc8 20.Nxd8 Bxh3 21.Nb7 Qc6 22.e4 dxe4 23.d5 Qxb7 24.d6 Bf8 25.Nd5 Be6 is equal (Kramnik-Ivanchuk, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2007).
14.a3 c5 15.Rac1 h6 16.Qb1 Qe6 17.Nb5 g5 is equal (Khmelniker-Ionov, Op, Cappelle la Grande, 2006).

12.Bf4 Re8 13.Rfd1 c6 14.Ne5 h6 15.a3 Nc7 16.e4 Ne6 17.Be3 Bf8 18.b4 Rc8 is equal (Grischuk-Gelfand, World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk, 2005).

If 6...dxc4 7.Ne5 Bb4+ 8.Kf1 Bd6 9.Nxc4 Nd5 10.e4 Ne7 11.Bb2 Nbc6 12.Nbd2 then:

If 12...e5 13.d5 Nd4 14.Nf3 c5 15.Kg1 Bxc4 16.bxc4 0-0 then:

If 17.h4 Nc8 18.Bh3 Re8 19.Kg2 Bf8 20.Rc1 Nd6 21.Re1 Rb8 is equal (Huzman-Kasparov, SX, Tel Aviv, 1998).
17.Bh3 Re8 18.Kg2 Nc8 19.a4 Bf8 20.Rc1 Nd6 21.Re1 g6 22.Nxd4 cxd4 23.f4 gives White the advantage in space (Devereaux-Jonsson, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).

12...0-0 13.Kg1 b5 14.Nxd6 cxd6 15.h4 Qb6 16.h5 h6 17.d5 Ne5 18.Nf1 b4 19.Bd4 Qa5 20.Ne3 Rac8 21.Rh4 Rc7 22.Qd2 Rc3 23.Bxc3 bxc3 24.Qd4 leaves White an exchange to the good (Kasparov-Gelfand, IT, Novgorod, 1997).

6.Bd2 Be7

If 6...Bxd2+ 7.Qxd2 c6 8.Bg2 d5 9.0-0 0-0 then:

If 10.Ne5 Nfd7 11.Nxd7 Nxd7 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.Nc3 Nf6 14.Rac1 Qd6 15.Rc2 Rac8 16.Rfc1 Rc7 then:

17.Nb1 Rfc8 18.Rxc7 Rxc7 19.Rxc7 Qxc7 draw (Tal-Ivkov, Sarajevo, 1966).
17.Bf1 Qe7 18.e3 Bxf1 19.Kxf1 Qd7 20.a4 Rfc8 21.Nb5 Rxc2 22.Rxc2 Ne4 23.Qc1 Rxc2 24.Qxc2 g6 25.Ke2 Nd6 26.Nxd6 Qxd6 27.f4 draw (Bagirov-Razuvaev, Soviet Ch cycyle, Fruze, 1979).

10.Rc1 Nbd7 11.Qb2 c5 12.cxd5 exd5 13.Nc3 Re8 14.Rd1 Bb7 15.e3 Qe7 16.Rac1 Nf8 17.Nh4 is equal (Chernin-Razuvaev, Rapid, Tilburg, 1994).

7.Nc3

If 7.Bg2 c6 then:

If 8.Bc3 d5 then:

If 9.Ne5 Nfd7 10.Nxd7 Nxd7 11.Nd2 0-0 12.0-0 then:

If 12...f5 13.Rc1 then:

If 13...Nf6 14.Bb2 then:

14...Bd6 15.Nf3 Qe7 16.Ne5 Rac8 17.Nd3 Rfd8 is equal (Kramnik-Anand, Amber Rapid, Nice, 2008).
14...Rc8 15.Rc2 c5 16.dxc5 Bxc5 17.Bxf6 Qxf6 18.cxd5 Rfd8 19.Nc4 Bb7 20.Rd2 Bb4 21.Rd3 b5 22.Ne3 gives White an extra pawn, but Black has more than enough of a space advantage to compensate for it.(Polaczek-Veenstra, cyberspace, 1999).

13...Rc8 14.Bb2 Bd6 15.a3 Qe7 16.Rc2 Nf6 17.Qc1 Kh8 18.e3 Ne4 19.Rd1 Bb7 20.b4 Bb8 21.Bf1 Qe8 22.a4 a6 gives Black a small edge in space (Karpov-Z. Almasi, IT, Biel, 1996).

If 12...Rc8 13.e4 then:

If 13...b5 14.Re1 dxe4 then:

15.Nxe4 bxc4 16.Qe2 Rb8 17.Bf1 Qc8 18.bxc4 Nb6 19.Nd2 Na4 20.Ba5 c5 gives Black a small advantage in space (Adams-Mamedyarov, IT, Sofia, 2007).
15.Bxe4 bxc4 16.bxc4 c5 17.d5 exd5 18.Bxd5 Bf6 19.Rc1 Bxc3 20.Rxc3 Nf6 21.Bf3 Rc7 22.Nb3 Qxd1 23.Rxd1 Bc8 24.Kg2 h6 25.Rd6 Be6 26.Na5 Rb8 27.Rb3 draw (Timoshenko-V. Gurevich, Op. Mainz, 1995).

13...c5 14.exd5 exd5 15.dxc5 dxc4 16.c6 cxb3 17.Re1 b2 18.Bxb2 Nc5 19.Nc4 Bxc4 20.Qg4 Bg5 21.Qxc4 Nd3 22.Be5 Nxe1 23.Rxe1 Bf6 24.Bxf6 Qxf6 25.c7 Qd6 gives Black the exchange, but White space advantage compensates for it.(Sasikiran-Shirov, IT, Foros, 2007).

If 12...Nf6 13.e4 b5 14.Re1 dxe4 15.Qc2 Rb8 16.Rad1 Qc8 17.Bf1 bxc4 18.bxc4 c5 19.Nxe4 cxd4 20.Nxf6+ Bxf6 21.Bxd4 Bxd4 22.Rxd4 Qc5 is equal (Kallai-Adams, French ChT, Montpellier, 2001).

If 9.Nbd2 Nbd7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Re1 c5 12.e4 then:

If 12...dxe4 13.Nxe4 then:

13...Bb7 14.Nfg5 cxd4 15.Bxd4 Qc7 16.Nxf6+ Bxf6 17.Bxb7 Qxb7 18.Ne4 Bxd4 19.Qxd4 Rad8 20.Rad1 Qa8 21.Qc3 Nb8 22.Nf6+ gxf6 23.Qxf6 Rxd1 24.Qg5+ Kh8 25.Qf6+ draw (Schandorff-B. Socko, Ol, Bled, 2002).
13...Nxe4 14.Rxe4 Bb7 15.Re3 Bf6 16.dxc5 Bxc3 17.Rxc3 Nxc5 18.b4 Qf6 19.Qd4 Ne4 20.Qxf6 gxf6 21.Rd3 Rfc8 22.Nd2 f5 23.Re1 Rab8 24.Nxe4 draw (Cu. Hansen-Timman, IT, Malm�, 2001).

12...dxc4 13.Nxc4 Bb7 14.e5 Nd5 15.Bb2 b5 16.Ne3 N7b6 17.dxc5 Bxc5 18.Nxd5 Bxd5 19.Qe2 b4 20.Rac1 Qe7 21.Rc2 Rfc8 22.Rec1 Qf8 23.Qb5 is equal (Boychev-Cordoba, World Youth, Belfort, 2005).

If 8.0-0 d5 9.Qc2 Nbd7 10.Rd1 0-0 11.Bf4 Rc8 12.Nc3 then:

If12...Nh5 then:

13.Bc1 f5 14.e3 Qe8 15.Bb2 g5 16.Ne2 Ng7 17.Ne5 h5 18.h3 Nf6 19.Nc1 Ne4 20.Ncd3 Bb7 is equal (Sakaev-Grigoriants, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2006).
If 12...h6 13.e4 dxc4 14.Nd2 b5 15.bxc4 bxc4 16.Na4 c5 17.d5 exd5 18.exd5 Nh5 19.Be3 Bf6 20.Rab1 Bd4 21.Ne4 Bxe3 22.fxe3 Qe7 23.Nac3 Nhf6 24.Kh1 Nxe4 25.Nxe4 Nb6 26.a4 Rfd8 is equal (Yevseev-Lugovoi, Muni Ch, St. Petersburg, 2004).
13.h3 Nh5 14.Bc1 f5 15.a4 Bd6 16.a5 bxa5 17.Ba3 Bxa3 18.Rxa3 dxc4 19.Rda1 c5 20.Rxa5 cxd4 21.Nxd4 cxb3 22.Qxb3 Bc4 23.Qd1 gives White a modest advantage in space (Grischuk-Tomashevsky, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2007).

7...0-0

If 7...d5 8.cxd5 then:

If 8...Nxd5 9.Bg2 0-0 10.0-0 Nd7 11.Nxd5 exd5 12.Rc1 Re8 13.Re1 then:

13...c5 14.Be3 Bb7 15.Bh3 cxd4 16.Bxd4 Nf6 17.Rc2 Bb4 18.Rf1 Ba6 19.Bb2 Bf8 20.Nd4 Ne4 21.Qc1 Bc5 is equal (Karpov-A. Sokolov, IT, Linares, 1987).
13...Bb7 14.b4 c6 15.a4 c5 16.bxc5 bxc5 17.dxc5 Nxc5 is equal (Karpov-Timman, IT, Brussels, 1987).

If 8...exd5 9.Bg2 0-0 10.0-0 Bb7 then:

If 11.Rc1 Nbd7 12.Bf4 c6 transposes into Epishin-Aseevin the notes to Black's eighth move.
If 11...Na6 then:

12.Ne5 Re8 13.Bf4 h6 14.h4 c5 15.dxc5 transposes into (Radjabov-Gelfand in the blue notes to Black's fifth move.
12.Bf4 Re8 transposes to Hebden-Langeweg in the blue notes to Black's fifth move

If 11.Qc2 Na6 then:

12.Rfd1 Qc8 13.Bf4 Rd8 14.a3 c5 transposes into (Khmelniker-Ionov in the blue notes to Black's fifth move.
12.Bf4 Re8 transposes into Grischuk-Gelfand in the blue notes to Black's fifth move.

8.Rc1

If 8.e4 then:

If 8...d5 9.cxd5 Bxf1 10.Kxf1 exd5 11.e5 Ne4 then:

If 12.Qe2 Nxc3 13.Bxc3 Qd7 14.Kg2 then:

14...Nc6 15.Rhe1 Nd8 16.Ng1 Ne6 17.f4 g6 18.Nf3 Rae8 19.Rad1 f5 is equal (Spraggett-Browne, Op, New York, 1987).
14...c5 15.e6 Qxe6 16.Qxe6 fxe6 17.Rhe1 Bf6 18.Rxe6 Na6 19.Re3 Rfd8 20.Rd1 Rac8 is equal (Epishin-Stefansson, IT, Malm�, 2002).

If 12.Kg2 Qd7 then:

If 13.Re1 Nxc3 14.Bxc3 Nc6 15.Qd3 Nd8 16.b4 Ne6 then:

17.Rad1 Qa4 18.Qd2 Rfd8 19.Re2 c5 20.bxc5 bxc5 21.Qc2 Qa6 22.dxc5 Bxc5 23.Bd4 Rac8 24.Qd3 Qa4 draw (Naumkin-Psakhis, Op, Ostend, 1992).

17.b5 a6 18.a4 Ra7 19.bxa6 Rfa8 20.Qb5 Qd8 is equal (D. Gurevich-Fedorowicz, US Ch, Estes Park, 1987).

13.Rc1 Nc6 14.Qe2 Nxd2 15.Qxd2 Nd8 16.Ne2 Ne6 is equal (Piket-Gelfand, FIDE Knock Out, New Delhi, 2000).

8...Bb7 9.Bd3 d5 10.cxd5 exd5 11.e5 Ne4 12.0-0 c5 13.Rc1 cxd4 14.Nxd4 Ba3 15.Rc2 Na6 16.Ncb5 Bc5 17.Qg4 gives White the advantage in space (Pinter-Adorjan, IT, Szirak, 1985).

8...Ba3

If 8...d5 9.cxd5 then:

9...Nxd5 10.Bg2 Bb7 11.Qc2 Nf6 12.0-0 c5 13.dxc5 Bxc5 14.e4 Nbd7 15.Bf4 h6 16.e5 Nd5 is equal (Gelfand-Leko, Tal Mem, Moscow, 2007).
If 9...exd5 10.Bg2 Bb7 11.0-0 then:

If 11...Nbd7 12.Bf4 c6 13.Ne5 Re8 14.e4 then:

14...Nf8 15.exd5 cxd5 16.Bh3 Ba3 17.Rc2 a6 18.Na4 Ne6 19.Bc1 Bd6 draw (Epishin-Aseev, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1991).
14...dxe4 15.Nxe4 Nxe5 16.dxe5 Nd5 17.Qh5 c5 18.Rcd1 is equal (Epishin-Dzagnidze, Op, Gibraltar, 2007).

If 11...Na6 12.Ne5 Re8 13.Bf4 h6 14.Qd3 then:

14...c5 15.Qf5 cxd4 16.Nb5 Bc5 17.Nf3 Rxe2 18.Nfxd4 Rxa2 gives Black two extra pawns (Hebden-Langeweg, Op, Benidorm, 1992).
14...Ba3 15.Rcd1 Qc8 16.h3 Bf8 17.g4 c5 is equal (Kulikov-Lugovoi, Chigorin Mem Op, St. Petersburg, 2000).

9.Rc2 Nc6 10.Bg5

10.Bc1 Bb4 11.Bg2 Bxc3+ 12.Rxc3 Nb4 13.Ba3 c5 14.Ne5 draw (Ibragimov-A. Ivanov, US Ch, Stillwater, 2007).

10...h6 11.Bxf6 Qxf6 12.Bg2 d5 13.0-0!?

13.cxd5 Nb4 14.Rd2 Nxd5 15.Nxd5 exd5 16.0-0 Rfe8 gives Black the advantage in space (Huzman-Azarov, Euro Club Cup, Saint Vincent, 2005).

13...dxc4
BLACK: Veselin Topalov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Alexander Grischuk
Position after 13...dc4:p

The game is equal.

14.bxc4 Rad8 15.Rd2

15.Ne4!? Qe7 16.Qa1 Na5 17.Ne5 Qb4 gives Black the advantage in space.

15...Bb4 16.Qb3 Bxc3

16...Be7 17.Ne4 Qg6 18.Qa4 Bb7 19.Nc3 remains equal.

17.Qxc3 Na5 18.c5 Nc4 19.Rc2 bxc5 20.Qb3

Both players clearly see that the position after White's 23rd move is equal.
20.dxc5 Qxc3 21.Rxc3 e5 22.e4 f5 23.exf5 Rxf5 remains equal.

20...cxd4

20...e5 21.Rxc4 Bxc4 22.Qxc4 e4 23.Ne5 Rxd4 24.Qxc5 gives White a small advantage in space.

21.Rxc4

White has a piece for two pawns.

21...Rb8 22.Qc2 Bxc4 23.Qxc4 e5!?

It would have been better to protect the pawn with a Rook.
23...Rfd8 24.Qxc7 Rbc8 25.Qa5 d3 26.exd3 Rxd3 remains equal.

BLACK: Veselin Topalov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Alexander Grischuk
Position after 23...e6e5

24.Qxc7!

White simultaneously attacks two inadequately protected pawns.

24...Rfe8 25.Qxa7

White is theoretically a pawn to the good.

25...Rb2 26.Re1 g6?!

Failing to find a more active continuation, Black plays a waiting move, as if he's waiting for the executioner.
Better is 26...Rd8 27.Qa5 e4 28.Nh4 e3 29.fxe3 dxe3 30.Nf5 when White still has a material advantage, but Black has more counterplay at his disposal.

27.a4 Rd8 28.Qa5 e4 29.Nd2 e3 30.fxe3 d3?

It would be clearly better to take on e3 when the Black pawn would be at least a minor annoyance for a while.
White would probably still win after 30...dxe3 31.Nf3 Rdd2 32.Qa8+ Kg7 33.Bf1 but Black could at least put up a better fight.

BLACK: Veselin Topalov
!""""""""#
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Alexander Grischuk
Position after 30...d4d3

31.Ne4!

White have several continuations that win.
31.Be4! Qg5 32.Qxg5 hxg5 33.Nc4 d2 34.Rd1 wins the d-pawn.
If 31.exd3! Rxd3 then after 32.Ne4 Qe7 33.Qa8+ Kg7 34.Qc6 Black's best shot is to try to whip up counterplay with 34...f5.

31...Qe7 32.exd3

Also good is 32.Bf3 d2 33.Rd1 f5 34.Nf2 Rc2 35.e4 when Black has little better but to exchange Queens and work to stop White's a-pawn.

32...Rxd3 33.Qa8+ Kg7 34.Qc6 f5 35.Nf2

35.Nc5 Rdd2 36.Bf1 Rdc2 37.Qd7 Qxd7 38.Nxd7 leaves White with a material advantage equivalent to a pawn.

35...Rdd2 36.Qc3+ Kh7 37.Rf1 Rbc2

37...Re2 38.a5 Rbc2 39.Qd4 Ra2 40.Qd5 Red2 41.Qa8 leaves White with a material advantage equivalent to two pawns.

38.Qb3

Grischuk, as is his habit, was short of time and so repeats moves in order to make the time check.

38...Rb2 39.Qc3 Rbc2 40.Qb3 Rb2 41.Qc4 h5

If 41...Rb4 42.Qc3 Rbb2 43.Bd5 Rbc2 44.Qb3 then:

If 44...Rb2 45.Qc4 Rbc2 46.Qb5 then:

46...Rc5 47.Qb7 Qxb7 48.Bxb7 Rb2 49.Nd3 wins the exchange.
46...Rb2 47.Qc6 Rbc2 48.Qa8 Qg7 49.e4 fxe4 50.Ng4 gives White the active game and the advantage of two minor pieces over a Rook.

44...Ra2 45.Qxa2 Rxa2 46.Bxa2 Qa3 47.Be6 Qxa4 48.e4 leaves White with a material advage close to a piece.

42.Qf4 Re2 43.Bf3 Rec2

If 43...Rb4 44.e4 Rc2 45.Qe3 then:

If 45...Ra2 46.Qd3 f4 47.gxf4 then:

47...Rbxa4 48.f5 Qf6 49.Qd7+ Kh6 then:

50.fxg6 Qxg6+ 51.Kh1 Rxf2 52.Rxf2 Ra1+ 53.Bd1 leaves White a piece to the good.
50.Kh1 Ra5 51.Bd1 Ra7 52.Qc8 Re7 53.Qc4 leaves White with a material advantage equivalent to two pawns.

47...Raxa4 48.Nh3 Rd4 49.Qe3 Kh8 50.Ng5 Qf6 51.Bg2 leaves Black with no mobility.

45...Rxa4 46.Qb3 Rac4 47.exf5 gxf5 48.Bxh5 gives White a theoretical two pawn advantage.

44.Nd3 Ra2

If 44...Rb6 45.a5 Rd6 46.Ne5 Re6 47.a6 then:

If 47... Rxa6 48.Bxh5 gxh5 49.Qxf5+ wins a Rook.
If 47...Rxe5 then 48.a7!! Ra2 49.a8Q wins.

BLACK: Veselin Topalov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Alexander Grischuk
Position after 44...Rb2a2

45.Nb4!!

White sacrifices his passed pawn and his Queen and actually augments his material advantage.

45...Rxa4 46.Nxc2 Rxf4 47.gxf4

White has a Rook and two minor pieces for a Queen.
If 47.exf4 Qc5+ 48.Rf2 h4 49.gxh4 then:

If 49...Qc4 50.h5 Qxf4 51.hxg6+ Kg7 52.h4 then:

52...Qg3+ 53.Bg2 Kxg6 54.h5+ Kxh5 55.Rxf5+ is a tricky win for White, but it works.
52...Qxh4 53.Rg2 Qf4 54.Ne1 Qe3+ 55.Kf1 Qf4 56.Rg1 leaves White with an extra piece.

49...Qc7 50.h5 Qxf4 51.hxg6+ Kg7 52.Ne1 White's material advantage is completely safe.

47...Kh6 48.Rb1 Qe6 49.Re1 Qa2 50.Nd4 h4

50...Qd2 51.Re2 Qd1+ 52.Kf2 h4 53.Kg2 Qd3 54.Kh3 White wins.

51.Be2 g5 52.fxg5+ Kxg5 53.Rf1 Kg6

If 53...Qa5 54.Rxf5+ Qxf5 55.Nxf5 Kxf5 56.Bd3+ then:

56...Kg5 57.e4 Kf4 58.Kg2 Kg4 59.e5 the pawn is off and running.
56...Ke5 57.Kg2 Kf6 58.e4 Ke6 59.Kh3 wins for White.

54.Rxf5 Qb1+ 55.Rf1 Qe4 56.Kf2 1-0

If 56...Kh6 57.Rg1 Qe5 58.Bd3 tightens the noose around the Black King.
Topalov resigns.

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Jack Rabbit

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sat Feb-27-10 11:41 PM
Response to Reply #2

5. Topalov - Gelfand, Round 10

Topalov won the tournament by defeating Gelfand in the last round.

Veselin Topalov and Boris Gelfand
at the start of the present game
Photo: ChessBase.com

Veselin Topalov - Boris Gelfand
27th Torneo de la Ciudad de Linares, Round 5
Linares, 18 February 2010

Epine Dorsal: Horseman Defense (Janisch Opening) (Petroff Defense)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6

For notes on this opening, see Motylev-Gashimov, IT, Poikovsky, 2009.

3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3!?

The final round begins with Topalov tied for first with Grischuk and, of course, Topa wants to score a win in this game. Nevertheless, he chooses a particularly drawish continuation.

5...Nxc3 6.dxc3 Be7 7.Be3

If 7.Bf4 0-0 8.Qd2 Nd7 9.0-0-0 Nc5 then:

If 10.Be3 Re8 11.Bc4 Be6 12.Bxe6 Nxe6 13.h4 Qd7 14.Qd3 Qc6 15.Qf5 then:

15...Qc4 16.Kb1 g6 17.Qh3 h5 18.Nd2 Qe2 19.Rde1 Qg4 20.Qh2 d5 21.f3 Qa4 is equal (Karjakin-Jakovenko, IT, Foros, 2008).
15...Nf8 16.h5 Qd7 17.Qd5 Qe6 18.c4 Qxd5 19.cxd5 Nd7 20.Nd4 Nf6 21.Nf5 Bf8 22.Bd4 Nxd5 23.Bxg7 Ne7 24.Nxe7+ Rxe7 draw (Svidler-Gelfand, World Ch Trmt, Mexico City, 2007).

10.Nd4 Re8 11.f3 Ne6 12.Be3 Bg5 13.Bxg5 Qxg5 14.Qxg5 Nxg5 15.Bc4 Ne6 16.Rhe1 Kf8 17.Nxe6+ Bxe6 18.Bxe6 Rxe6 19.Rxe6 fxe6 20.Kd2 Ke7 21.Ke3 Rf8 22.Rd4 Rf5 23.h4 a5 24.a4 Rh5 25.g3 Re5+ 26.Re4 Rd5 27.Rd4 Re5+ 28.Re4 Rd5 draw (Pentala-Mamedyarov, YM, Lausanne, 2005).

7...0-0

If 7...Nc6 8.Qd2 then:

If 8...0-0 9.0-0-0 Ne5 then:

If 10.h4 Bg4 11.Be2 Qc8 then:

If 12.h5 Re8 13.Kb1 then:

13...h6 14.Rde1 a6 15.Nxe5 dxe5 16.f3 Be6 17.Bd3 Bf5 18.g4 Bxd3 19.Qxd3 Qe6 20.Bc1 Bf6 21.Re4 Rad8 22.Qe2 Qd7 is equal (Jakovenko-Wang Hao, Team M, Nizhniy Novgorod, 2007).
13...a6 14.Rde1 Bf8 15.Rh4 Be7 16.Rhh1 Bf8 17.Rh4 draw (Inarkiev-Motylev, Russian Ch HL, 2005).

12.b3 Re8 13.Kb1 Bf8 14.h5 a6 15.Rde1 b5 16.Bf4 Nd7 is equal (Topalov-Kramnik, IT, Sofia, 2005).

10.Kb1 Be6 11.Nd4 Nc4 12.Qd3 Nxe3 13.Nxe6 fxe6 14.Qxe3 e5 15.Bd3 c6 16.h4 Qe8 17.h5 Rf6 18.Qe4 Rh6 19.f4 Bf6 20.g4 exf4 21.Qxf4 Qe5 22.Qb4 b5 23.Rhe1 Qc5 24.Qe4 Rf8 25.Qe6+ Kh8 26.Qf7 d5 27.Re8 Black resigns (Arakhamia-Levushkina, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).

8...Be6 9.0-0-0 Qd7 10.Kb1 a6 11.h3 h6 12.g4 0-0-0 13.Bg2 g5 14.Nd4 Nxd4 15.Qxd4 c5 16.Qd2 Bf6 17.f4 gxf4 18.Bxf4 Qa4 19.b3 Qa5 20.c4 Qxd2 21.Rxd2 Bg5 22.Rf1 Bxf4 23.Rxf4 gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Bologan-Belov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2007).

8.Qd2 Nd7 9.0-0-0 Re8 10.h4 c6

10...Nc5 11.Ng5 Bxg5 12.Bxg5 f6 13.Be3 Be6 14.a3 Qe7 15.Bb5 Nd7 16.h5 is equal (Kupreichik-Szymczak, Rubinstein Mem, Polanica Zdroj, 1981).

11.h5 h6!?

11...Nf6 12.Bd3 Nd5 13.Bg5 Bg4 14.Rdg1 h6 15.Bxh6 gxh6 16.Qxh6 f5 17.Qg6+ Kh8 18.Qh6+ Kg8 19.Qg6+ Kh8 20.Qh6+ draw (Moll-Hopman, Op, Amsterdam, 2006).

12.Kb1

The game is equal.

12...Nf6 13.Bd3 Bf8

13...Qa5 14.Nd4 Bd8 15.f3 Be6 16.a3 remains equal.

14.Rdg1 Ng4 15.Bf4 Qf6 16.Nh2 Nxh2

16...d5 17.Nxg4 Bxg4 18.f3 Bf5 19.g4 Bxd3 20.cxd3 remains equal.

17.Rxh2 Bf5!?

Black is intent on exchanging his light-bound Bishop, indicating a plan that involves a subsequent ...d5.
17...c5 18.c4 b5 19.cxb5 a6 remains equal.

18.Bxf5 Qxf5 19.g4!

The downside of Black's plan is that he'll have to withstand a White initiative before playing ...d5.

19...Qe4 20.g5 hxg5 21.Bxg5 Qe2?

We must assume that Gelfand knew that he was sacrificing the exchange, but the sacrifice is quite dubious.
The immediate 21...d5?! proves premature after 22.h6! Qh7 23.f4 Bc5 when:

24.Rgg2 g6 25.Re2 Rxe2 26.Rxe2 gives White a passed pawn and more freedom.
24.Rgh1 g6 25.Re2 f5 26.c4 d4 27.Bf6 gives White a passed pawn and more freedom.

Better is 21...Qe6 22.h6 g6 23.h7+ Kh8 24.Be3 Bg7 25.a3 d5 when Black manages to get in the advance of the d-pawn, but his King is in serious trouble and 26.Bd4! defeats the purpose of putting a pawn chain on light squares.

BLACK: Boris Gelfand
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Veselin Topalov
Position after 21...Qe4e2

22.Qxe2 Rxe2 23.Be3!

The best way out for Black now is to give up the exchange.

23...Rxe3 24.fxe3 Re8

Black clearly does not have enough for the exchange.

25.Rh3!

25.h6 g6 26.h7+ Kh8 27.Rh3 d5 28.Kc1 puts White, with a passed pawn and more freedom, on the brink of victory.

25...Re6 26.c4 Be7 27.Rf3 Re5 28.Rgf1!?

Doubling on the f-file is not in keeping with White's attack, the focus of which is g7. Doubling on the g-file, on the other hand, works very well for White.
28.Rfg3 Bf6 29.h6 g6 30.Rh3 Kh7 31.Rf1 gives White a winning advantage.

BLACK: Boris Gelfand
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Veselin Topalov
Position after 28.Rg1f1

28...Rxh5!

This takes the wind out of White's sails for the moment.

29.Rxf7 Re5

29...Bg5? 30.e4 Rh4 31.Rxb7 Rxe4 32.Rxa7 then:

32...Rxc4 33.a4 d5 34.a5 Be3 35.Ra8+ gives White a won game.
32...Bf4 33.b3 g5 34.Rc7 c5 35.Rg1 puts Black out of reserve pawn tempi.

30.R7f3 Bf6 31.c3!?

A better idea is to activate the King and restain Black's queenside.
White can better amintain a winning advantage after 31.Kc1 Rh5 32.a4 Rh2 33.R3f2 Rh3 34.Rd2.

31...Re4 32.Rxf6!?

White opens the door a crack. Topalov seems to have overestimated the power of returning the exchange.
White wins more easily after 32.Rd1 Be5 33.b3 g5 34.Kc2 g4 35.Rg1.

32...gxf6 33.Rxf6

BLACK: Boris Gelfand
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Veselin Topalov
Position after 33.Rf1f6:p

33...Rxe3!

This may be what Topalov missed when he made his 32nd move.

33...Rxc4? 34.Rxd6 Re4 35.Rd8+! Kf7 36.Rd7+ Ke6 37.Rxb7

34.Rxd6 Kf7 35.Kc2

35.c5 Ke7 36.Rh6 Kd7 (forced) 37.Rh7+! Kc8 38.Kc2 Re2+ 39.Kb3 gives White the more active King.

35...Re2+ 36.Kb3 Ke7

If 36...Re7 37.c5 Ke8 38.a3 then:

38...Rh7 39.a4 Rh5 40.Kb4 Rh2 41.b3 gives White the more active game.
38...Re5 39.Kc4 Re4+ 40.Kd3 Rh4 41.b3 gives White the more active game. White's King and Rook are better able to work to protect the pawns, whereas Black's King is cut off from its pawns.

37.Rd4 c5 38.Rd3 b6 39.Ka3 Rc2 40.Rd5

40.Rh3 Kf6 41.Rh7 Rd2 42.Rxa7 Rd6 43.Rc7 leaves White up two pawns and Black nearly out of reserve pawn tempi.

40...a5 41.Rd3 Rh2 42.b3 Rc2 43.Ka4!?

This may not be the best move, but the "best" move doesn't win.
43.Rh3 Kd6 44.Rh6+ Kc7 45.Rf6 then:

45...Kb7 46.Rf3 Kc6 47.Rd3 Re2 White is better, but does not appear to have enough for "better" to matter.
45...Re2?! 46.Ka4 Rxa2+ 47.Kb5 gives White a clear advantage.

43...Rxa2+

43...Rf2? 44.a3! Ra2 45.b4 axb4 46.cxb4 cxb4 47.Kxb4 gives White a winning edge; Black's pawn cannot move.

44.Kb5 Rb2

44...Ra3 45.Kxb6 Rxb3+ 46.Kxa5 Ke6 47.Rd5 wins for White.

45.Kxb6 a4

If Black plays any other move, White replies with 46.Kxa5 leaving Black no chance whatsoever.

BLACK: Boris Gelfand
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Veselin Topalov
Position after 45...a5a4

46.Kxc5!

White jumps over the snare.
If 46.b4 a3 47.Kc6 a2 48.Rd7+ Ke6 49.Ra7 cxb4 50.cxb4 Rxb4 51.Rxa2 Rxc4+ draws.
48...Ke8 49.Ra7 cxb4 50.cxb4 Rxb4 51.Rxa2 Rxc4+ draws.

46...Rxb3 47.Kc6 a3 48.c5 Ke8?

A passed pawn has a lust to expand. Black misses his last chance.
48...a2 49.Rd7+ Ke6 50.Rd6+ Ke5 51.Rd5+ Kf6 52.Rd6+ is equal.

BLACK: Boris Gelfand
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Veselin Topalov
Position after 48...Ke7e8

49.Rh3!

The Rook will arrive at a8 just in time.
49.Rd7 a2 50.Ra7 Rb2 51.Kd6 remains equal.

49...a2 50.Rh8+ Ke7 51.Ra8 Rb2 52.Kc7 Rc2

If 52...Rd2 then 53.c6 Rb2 54.Kc8 wins for White.

53.c6 Rb2 54.c4 Rc2 55.Ra6 Rb2 56.c5 Ke6 57.Ra5 Rc2

If 57...Kf6 58.Kc8 Ke6 59.c7 then:

59...Rb5 60.Rxa2 Rxc5 61.Kb7 Kd7 62.Rd2+ forces the Black King to give way, allowing the pawn to queen.
If 59...Ke7 then after 60.Rxa2!! Rxa2 61.Kb7 Rb2+ 62.Kc6 the pawn queens.

58.Kb7 Rb2+ 59.Kc8 Ke7 60.c7 Ke8

If 60...Rc2 then:

If 61.Rxa2!! then:

61...Rxc5 62.Kb7 Kd7 63.Rd2+ forces the Black King to allow the pawn to queen.
61...Rxa2 62.Kb7 Rb2+ 63.Kc6 the pawn queens.

61.Kb7 Rxc5 62.c8Q wins in a less spectacular way.

BLACK: Boris Gelfand
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Veselin Topalov
Position after 60...Ke7e8

61.Rxa2!!

A pleasing sacrifice rounds off the game.

61...Rxa2 62.Kb7 1-0

If 62...Rb2+ 63.Kc6
Mr. Gelfand resigns.

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Jack Rabbit

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sat Feb-27-10 11:42 PM
Response to Reply #2

6. Grischuk - Gashimov, Round 8

Alexander Grischuk
Photo: Russian Chess Federation

Alexander Grischuk - Vugar Gashimov
27th Torneo de la Ciudad de Linares, Round 8
Linares, 21 February 2010

West India Game: Tal-Indian Defense (Catalan Opening) (Modern Benoni)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 d6 5.Nc3 exd5 6.cxd5 g6 7.g3 Bg7 8.Bg2 0-0 9.0-0 Re8 10.Bf4 Na6 11.Re1 Bg4

For notes up to here, see Vallejo-Gashimov, IT rd 5, Linares, 2010, elsewhere on this thread.

12.Qb3!?

12.h3 Bxf3 13.Bxf3 Qd7 14.e4 Rad8 15.Kg2 c4 16.Be3 Nb4 17.Bxa7 Nd3 draw (Kachiani-Radziewicz Rajlich, Euro ChW, Warsaw, 2001).

12...Nh5

White has a slight advantage in space.

13.Bg5 Qd7 14.Nd2!?

White allows Black some initiative.
14.Rac1 Rac8 15.Qc4 Nc7 16.a4 a6 17.a5.

BLACK: Vugar Gashimov
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WHITE: Alexander Grischuk
Position after 14.Nf3d2

14...h6!

Black has equalized.

15.Be3 Bf5!?

Black allows White to launch a kingside attack in the belief that he can refute the aggression and gain sufficient counterplay.
15...Nc7 16.a4 b6 17.Nc4 Rad8 18.Bd2 Bh3 remains equal.

16.Nc4!

White gains the advantage by simply redeploying his least effective piece.
16.Rac1 Rab8 17.Nc4 b5 18.Na5 b4 19.Nd1 Nf6 remains equal.

16...Nb4 17.Rac1 Rab8 18.a4 b6

18...a6 19.a5 Re7 20.Bd2 Rbe8 21.Nb6 gives White space and initiative.

19.Nb5 Bf8 20.Bd2 a6 21.Nbxd6!?

Explanation of !?
21.Nba3 a5 22.e4 Bh3 23.Nb5 Bxg2 24.Kxg2 gives White the better game, as he has f2f3 to protect his backward pawn at e4.

21...b5?

Black sacrifices the exchange to launch a queenside counterattack (see note to Black's 15th move). The exchange sacrifice is a lemon.
21...Bxd6 22.Bxb4 cxb4 23.e4 b5 24.axb5 Bxe4 25.Nxd6 keeps some fight in Black's game.

BLACK: Vugar Gashimov
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WHITE: Alexander Grischuk
Position after 21...b6b5

22.Nxe8!

White makes lemon ade.

22...bxc4 23.Qxc4 Rxe8 24.Bxb4 cxb4 25.e4

White emerges with a pawn advantage and the initiative. He is winning.

25...Bg4 26.e5 Qf5

If 26...Qc8 then after 27.d6 a5 28.Qxc8 Rxc8 29.Rxc8 Bxc8 30.Rc1 White wins easily.

27.e6 fxe6 28.dxe6 Be7

Black blocks the advanced passer with the intention to capture it.

BLACK: Vugar Gashimov
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WHITE: Alexander Grischuk
Position after 28...Bf8e7

29.f3!

But Black has no time to up the capture.

29...Bh3 30.g4!

White now gets a tremendous material advantage.

30...Qg5 31.Bxh3 Nf4 32.Bf1 Rf8 33.Qc7 h5

33...Qf6 then 34.Qe5 Qxe5 35.Rxe5 Bd6 36.Ree1 a5 37.Rc6 wins easily.

34.Qe5 Qh4 35.Re4 Nh3+

No better is 35...g5 36.Rc7 Ng6 37.Qg3 Qxg3+ 38.hxg3 hxg4 39.Rxg4.

36.Bxh3 Qxh3 37.Qg3

37.Rf4 Qh4 38.Rxf8+ Bxf8 39.g5! knocks Black's Queen out of the game fow now.

37...hxg4 38.Qxh3 gxh3 39.Kf2 Rd8 40.Ke2 1-0

40...Kg7 41.Ke3 Kf6 42.Rc6 leaves Black with no hope.
Grandmaster Gashimov resigns.

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Jack Rabbit

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Sat Feb-27-10 11:43 PM
Response to Reply #2

7. Vallejo - Gashimov, Round 5

Vugar Gashimov
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)

Paco Vallejo - Vugar Gashimov
27th Torneo de la Ciudad de Linares, Round 5
Linares, 18 February 2010

West India Game: Tal-Indian Defense (Main Line)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 d6 5.Nc3 exd5 6.cxd5 g6 7.Bf4

If 7.e4 Bg7 then:

If 8.Nd2 0-0 9.Be2 then:

If 9...Na6 10.0-0 Nc7 then:

If 11.Re1 then:

If 11...Re8 12.Qc2 Rb8 13.a4 then:

13...b6 14.Nc4 Ba6 15.Bf4 Bxc4 16.Bxc4 a6 17.Qd3 Ng4 18.Qg3 Ne5 19.Bf1 b5 20.axb5 axb5 21.Bg5 Qc8 22.Ra5 gives White the advantage in space (Paragua-Shabalov, Foxwoods Op, Mashantucket, 2008).
13...Na6 14.Bxa6 bxa6 15.Nc4 Rb4 16.Na2 Nxd5 17.Bd2 Rxc4 18.Qxc4 Nb6 19.Qc2 Qh4 20.Bc3 Bh6 21.Rad1 Nc4 22.Qe2 Be6 gives White an asymmetrical material material advantage and Black enough space to compensate (Vranesic-Stein, Ol, Tel Aviv, 1964).

11...Nfe8 12.Nc4 f5 13.exf5 Bxf5 14.Be3 b5 15.Na5 b4 16.Nc6 Qd7 17.Na4 Nf6 18.Bc4 Rae8 19.a3 Be4 is equal (Lanchava-S. Ernst, Corus C, Wijk aan Zee, 2004).

If 11.a4 b6 then:

If 12.Nc4 Ba6 13.Bg5 Qd7 14.f3 Kh8 15.Qd2 Bxc4 16.Bxc4 a6 then:

17.Qd3 Ng8 18.Rfe1 f5 19.exf5 Rxf5 20.Bh4 Rf7 21.Rab1 Nh6 22.b4 Nf5 23.Bf2 Re8 24.Rxe8+ Qxe8 25.bxc5 bxc5 26.a5 gives White a small advantage in space (Pares-Suba, Roses, 1992).
17.Rfe1 b5 18.Bf1 bxa4 19.Rxa4 Rfb8 20.Rea1 Rb6 21.R1a2 Qe8 22.Nd1 Ng8 23.Ne3 Rxb2 24.Rxb2 Qxa4 25.Nc4 Nb5 26.e5 Bxe5 27.Nxe5 dxe5 gives Black a considerable advantage in space (B. Lalic-Suba, Zaragoza, 1995).

If 12.Re1 Re8 13.f4 Rb8 14.Bf3 Ba6 then:

15.Nf1 Bxf1 16.Rxf1 a6 17.Kh1 Nd7 18.Qc2 b5 19.axb5 axb5 20.e5 dxe5 21.f5 gives Black an extra pawn (Begovac-Wojkiewicz, Op, Bern, 1991).

15.Ndb1 Nd7 16.Na3 c4 17.Nc2 Nc5 18.Nb4 Bb7 19.Be3 N7a6 20.Nc6 Bxc6 21.dxc6 Nd3 22.Re2 Nab4 23.Nb5 Nxc6 24.e5 d5 25.Nd6 Ncxe5 26.fxe5 Rxe5 27.Nb5 a6 28.Na3 gives Black the advantage in space (Miles-Emms, Ostend, 1992).

If 9...Nbd7 10.0-0 Re8 11.a4 then:

11...a6 12.f4 c4 13.Kh1 Nc5 14.e5 dxe5 15.fxe5 Rxe5 16.Nxc4 Rf5 17.Bf4 Nxd5 18.Ne3 Bxc3 19.bxc3 Be6 20.Nxf5 Bxf5 21.Bg5 Qxg5 22.Qxd5 Qe3 23.Bg4 Bxg4 24.Qxf7+ Kh8 25.Rae1 Be2 26.Rf2 Black resigns as he must lose material (Farago-Kekelidze, Op, Deizisau, 2001).
11...Ne5 12.Qc2 g5 13.Ra3 a6 14.Nd1 Ng6 15.Ne3 Nf4 16.Bd1 b6 17.f3 Rb8 18.g3 Ng6 19.Ndc4 h6 20.Bd2 Ne5 21.Nxe5 Rxe5 is equal (Spragget-Barloc, Op, New York, 1987).

If 8.Be2 0-0 9.0-0 then:

If 9...a6 10.a4 Bg4 11.Bf4 then:

11...Bxf3 12.Bxf3 Qe7 13.Re1 Nbd7 14.a5 Rab8 15.Qc2 Ne8 16.Be2 Nc7 17.Bf1 b5 18.axb6 Rxb6 19.Na4 Rb7 20.Bd2 Nb5 21.Bc3 Ne5 22.Kh1 Qh4 23.g3 Qh5 24.Bxe5 draw (Vukic-Tringov, Borovo, 1980).
11...Re8 12.Nd2 Bxe2 13.Qxe2 Nh5 14.Be3 Nd7 15.g4 Nhf6 16.f3 Qc7 17.a5 b5 18.axb6 Nxb6 19.Kh1 Qb7 20.Ra2 Nfd7 21.Rfa1 Bd4 22.Bh6 Nxd5 23.Nxd5 Qxd5 24.Rxa6 Rxa6 25.Qxa6 Qe6 26.Nc4 Qf6 27.Kg2 (White has a huge advantage in space) 27...Qh4 28.Be3 d5!! (A tactical shot on which the game turns) 29.Bxd4 cxd4 30.Nd6 Rb8 31.Ra2 Qf6 32.exd5 Ne5 33.Ra3 d3 White resigns (L. Bronstein-Tringov, Ol, Buenos Aires, 1978).

If 9...Re8 10.Nd2 Na6 then:

11.f3 Nc7 12.a4 b6 13.Nc4 Ba6 14.Bg5 h6 15.Be3 Bxc4 16.Bxc4 a6 17.Qd2 Kh7 18.Rab1 Rb8 19.b4 b5 20.Be2 c4 21.a5 Re7 22.Bd4 Qh8 23.Rbd1 Nce8 24.g3 Nd7 25.Bxg7 Nxg7 26.f4 f5 27.Bf3 fxe4 28.Nxe4 Nf5 is equal (Glek-Ivanchuk, Tashkent, 1987).
11.f4 Nc7 12.a4 b6 13.Re1 Rb8 14.Bf3 Ba6 15.Ndb1 Nd7 16.Na3 c4 17.Nc2 Nc5 18.Nb4 Bb7 19.Be3 N7a6 20.Nc6 Bxc6 21.dxc6 Nd3 22.Re2 Nab4 23.Nb5 Nxc6 24.e5 d5 25.Nd6 Ncxe5 26.fxe5 Rxe5 27.Nb5 a6 28.Na3 gives Black the advantage in space (Miles-Emms, Ostend, 1992).

If 8.Bg5 then:

8...0-0 9.Nd2 h6 10.Bh4 a6 11.a4 Qe7 12.Be2 Nbd7 13.0-0 g5 14.Bg3 Ne5 15.Re1 Nfd7 16.Nf1 Ng6 17.Bg4 Nde5 18.Bxc8 Raxc8 19.Ne3 Qf6 draw (Averbakh-Tal, Interz, Potoroz, 1958).
If 8...h6 then:

If 9.Bh4 then:

9...a6 10.Nd2 b5 11.Be2 0-0 12.Qc2 Re8 13.0-0 Nbd7 14.a4 b4 15.Nd1 b3 16.Qb1 g5 17.Bg3 Nxd5 18.Nc4 Nb4 19.Nxd6 Nc2 20.Nxe8 Qxe8 21.Ne3 Nxa1 22.Qxa1 Nf6 23.f3 Bd7 24.Bc4 Nh5 25.Bf2 Rb8 26.Nd5 Qe5 gives Black a comfortable advantage in space (Banikas-Oreopoulos, Op, Kalamaria, 2006).
9...g5 10.Bg3 Nh5 11.Bb5+ Kf8 12.e5 Nxg3 13.fxg3 dxe5 14.0-0 a6 15.Bd3 b5 16.Nd2 Ra7 gives White a considerable advantage in space (Plahetka-Simacek, GMT, Cartak, 2005).

9.Bf4 a6 10.a4 Bg4 11.Be2 0-0 12.0-0 Re8 13.Qc2 Qc7 14.Rfe1 Nbd7 15.h3 Bxf3 16.Bxf3 c4 17.Be2 Rac8 18.a5 Nc5 19.Bxc4 Nfxe4 20.Nxe4 Rxe4 21.Rxe4 Nxe4 22.Qxe4 Qxc4 23.Qf3 Qb4 gives Black the advantage in space (Geller-Tal, Soviet Ch, Tbilisi, 1959).

If 7.g3 Bg7 8.Bg2 0-0 9.0-0 then:

If 9...a6 10.a4 Nbd7 11.Nd2 Re8 then:

If 12.h3 Rb8 13.Nc4 Nb6 14.Na3 Bd7 15.e4 then:

15...Qc7 16.Be3 Nxa4 17.Nxa4 Nxe4 18.Nc2 b5 19.Nc3 Nxc3 20.bxc3 a5 21.Bd2 b4 22.Qf3 Bf5 23.Ne3 Be4 24.Qxe4 Rxe4 25.Bxe4 c4 26.Ra4 f5 27.Bf3 Rb5 gives Black a small advantage in space (Pantsulaia-Bagaturov, Op, Batumi, 2001).
15...Nc8 16.Qd3 Qc7 17.Be3 Na7 18.Rfc1 b5 19.b4 c4 20.Qf1 bxa4 21.Nxc4 Nb5 22.Nxa4 Nxe4 23.Bxe4 Bxa1 24.Nd2 Bc3 25.Kh2 Bxd2 26.Rxc7 Nxc7 27.Bxd2 Rxe4 28.Qa1 Ne8 gives Black a small advantage in space (Glek-Belinkov, Corres, 1986).

If 12.Nc4 then:

If 12...Ne5 13.Nxe5 Rxe5 14.Bf4 Re8 15.Qc2 Nh5 16.Bd2 then:

If 16...f5 17.e3 Bd7 18.a5 b5 19.axb6 Qxb6 gives Black the advantage in space (Ribli-Hertneck, IT, Dortmund, 1986).
16...Bd7 17.a5 transposes intob Golichenko-Edouard,

12...Nb6 13.Na3 Bd7 14.Bd2 Nxa4 15.Nxa4 b5 16.b4 bxa4 17.bxc5 dxc5 18.Bc3 Bb5 19.Re1 Ne4 20.Bxg7 Kxg7 21.e3 Qd6 22.f3 Nc3 23.Qd2 Qe5 24.Rac1 Ne2+ 25.Rxe2 Bxe2 26.Qxe2 Qxe3+ 27.Qxe3 Rxe3 28.Nc4leaves Black slightly better (Rodman-Gomac, Op, Ljubljana, 2001).

If 9...Re8 then:

If 10.Nd2 a6 11.a4 Nbd7 then:

If 12.h3 Rb8 13.Nc4 then:

If 13...Ne5 14.Na3 Nh5 15.e4 then:

15...Bd7 16.a5 Qxa5 17.g4 Nf6 18.f4 Nexg4 19.hxg4 Nxg4 20.Bf3 h5 21.Nc2 Qd8 22.Kg2 b5 23.Ne3 b4 24.Na4 Qh4 gives Black the advantage in space (Vasilievich-Peng, Euro ChW, Plovdiv, 2008).
15...Rf8 16.Kh2 f5 17.f4 b5 18.axb5 axb5 19.Naxb5 fxe4 20.Na7 Nf3+ 21.Bxf3 exf3 22.Nxc8 Qxc8 23.Rxf3 gives White an extra pawn (Brunner-Marzolo, IT, Nancy, 2007).

If 13...Nb6 14.Na3 Bd7 15.e4 then:

15...Qc7 16.Be3 Nxa4 17.Nxa4 Nxe4 18.Nc2 b5 19.Nc3 Nxc3 20.bxc3 Bxc3 21.Rxa6 b4 22.Bf4 Rb6 23.Rxb6 Qxb6 24.Bd2 Be5 25.Ne3 Bd4 26.Re1 Bb5 27.h4 gives White a piece for two pawns (Mikhalevski-Cebalo, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).
15...Nc8 16.Qd3 Qc7 transposes to Glek-Belinkov, above.

12.Nc4 Ne5 13.Nxe5 Rxe5 14.Bf4 Re8 15.Qc2 h5 16.Bd2 Bd7 17.a5 b5 18.axb6 Qxb6 19.Ra2 c4 is equal (Golichenko-Edouard, Euro Youth, Herceg Novi, 2006).

If 10.Bf4 then:

If 10...a6 11.a4 then:

If 11...Ne4 12.Nxe4 Rxe4 13.Nd2 Rb4 then:

If 14.Ra2 g5 15.Be3 f5 16.Nf3 h6 17.Qc1 Qf6 18.h4 g4 19.Nd2 Bd7 20.Nc4 a5 21.Bd2 gives White a powerful initiative (Berkes-van Wely, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2005).
14.Ne4 h6 15.Bd2 Rxb2 16.Qc1 Rxd2 17.Qxd2 f5 18.Nc3 Qa5 19.Rac1 b5 20.Qf4 b4 21.Qxd6 leaves White an exchange to the good (Savon-Tal, Soviet Cup, Dnepropetrovsk, 1970).

11...Qc7 12.Rc1 Nh5 13.Bd2 Nd7 14.b4 Qb8 15.Qb3 cxb4 16.Qxb4 Nc5 17.a5 gives White the advantage in space (Wojtaszek-Mastrovasilis, Op, Kalamaria, 2006).

10...Na6 11.Re1 Bg4 12.h3 Bxf3 13.Bxf3 Qd7 14.e4 Rad8 15.Kg2 c4 16.Be3 Nb4 17.Bxa7 Nd3 draw (Kachiani-Radziewicz Rajlich, Euro ChW, Warsaw, 2001).

7...a6

If 7...Bg7 8.Qa4+ Bd7 9.Qb3 then:

If 9...Qc7 10.e4 0-0 then:

If 11.Be2 then:

If 11...Nh5 12.Be3 a6 then:

13.a4 Bg4 14.h3 Bxf3 15.Bxf3 Nd7 16.Bxh5 gxh5 17.Qc2 Ne5 18.Ne2 gives White the advantage in space (S. Williams-Janssen, Op, Hoogeveen, 2003).
13.0-0 Bg4 14.h3 Bxf3 15.Bxf3 Nd7 16.Bxh5 gxh5 17.Ne2 Rae8 18.f3 Qb6 19.Qc2 f5 20.Nf4 gives White the advantage in space (Tarjan-Fishdick, IT, London, 1983).

If 11...b5 then:

12.Bxb5 Nxe4 13.Nxe4 Qa5+ 14.Bd2 Qxb5 15.Qxb5 Bxb5 16.Nxd6 Ba6 17.0-0-0 Nd7 18.Bc3 Bxc3 19.bxc3 Rfb8 20.Rhe1 gives White an extra pawn and the advantage in space (Abraskin-Kostenko, Russian Cup Stage 3, Samara, 2002).
12.Nxb5 Bxb5 13.Bxb5 Nxe4 14.0-0 a6 15.Bd3 Nf6 16.Nd2 Nh5 17.Bg3 Nd7 18.Rab1 Ne5 is equal (Evans-P�rez, IZT, Amsterdam, 1964).

If 11.Nd2 Nh5 12.Be3 f5 13.exf5 gxf5 14.Be2 then:

If 14...Be8 15.Nf3 f4 16.Bd2 Qe7 17.0-0 Nd7 18.Rfe1 Ne5 19.Qd1! then:

If 19...Rf5? 20.Nxe5 dxe5 21.Bg4 gives White the advantage in space.

(Silman-Anderson, US Ch, San Francisco, 1987).

19...Qf7 20.Nxe5 dxe5 21.Bg4 gives White the advantage in space.

14...f4 15.Bxc5 f3 16.Bxf3 Rxf3 17.gxf3 Qxc5 18.Qxb7 Bxc3 19.bxc3 Nf4 20.Rg1+ Kf7 21.Ne4 Qxd5 22.Qxd5+ Nxd5 23.Rd1 Bc6 24.c4 gives White a material advantage and the active game (Korchnoi-Dr. Nunn, IT, London, 1984).

If 9...b5 then:

If 10.Bxd6 Qb6 11.Be5 0-0 12.e3 then:

12...c4 13.Qd1 Na6 14.Qd4 Rfc8 15.Rc1 b4 16.Nd1 Qxd4 17.Nxd4 Nxd5 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.Bxc4 Nb6 20.b3 gives White an extra pawn and more space (Alexandria-Shabalov, Soviet Union, 1989).
12...b4 13.Nb1 a5 14.a4 Bg4 15.Nbd2 Nbd7 16.Bb5 Rfd8 17.Bg3 Bxf3 18.gxf3 Qa7 19.0-0 Nxd5 20.Bc6 c4 is equal (Gelfand-Gashimov, IT Rd1, Linares, 2010).

10.Nxb5 Bxb5 11.Qxb5+ Nbd7 12.Bxd6 Ne4 13.Be5 0-0 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.Qa4 Rb8 16.Qxe4 Qa5+ 17.Nd2 Rxb2 18.Rd1 Nf6 19.Qc4 Rfb8 20.e3 Rxa2 21.Bd3 Rbb2 22.0-0 Rxd2 23.d6 Nd7 24.Qb5 is equal (Gaprindashvili-Bellon, IT, Biel, 1988).

8.a4 Bg7 9.h3

If 9.e4 0-0 then:

If 10.Nd2 Nh5 11.Be3 Nd7 12.Be2 Ne5 13.0-0 Qh4 then:

If 14.f4 Ng4 15.Bxg4 Bxg4 16.Qe1 Qe7 17.Qf2 Rfe8 18.Rae1 b5 19.h3 b4 20.hxg4 bxc3 21.gxh5 cxd2 22.Bxd2 Bxb2 is equal (Bukic-Velimirovic, Yugoslav Ch, Belgrade, 1978).
14.Nf3 Nxf3+ 15.Bxf3 Bd7 16.Qd2 Qe7 17.a5 Rfe8 18.Rfe1 Qe5 19.Bxh5 Qxh5 20.Bf4 gives White the initiative (Bukic-Ivkov, Yugoslav Ch, Novi Sad, 1975).

If 10.Be2 Bg4 11.0-0 then:

If 11...Bxf3 12.Bxf3 Qe7 13.Re1 Nbd7 then:

14.a5 Rab8 15.Qc2 Ne8 is Vukic-Tringov from the notes to White's seventh move.
14.Qd2 Rfe8 15.a5 h5 16.h3 Nh7 17.Be2 Rac8 18.Bf1 Qf6 19.Rac1 g5 20.Be3 g4 draw (Tukmakov-Spraggett, IT, Barcelona, 1993).

If11...Re8 12.Nd2 Bxe2 13.Qxe2 Nh5 14.Be3 Nd7 then:

15.a5 Bd4 16.g4 Nhf6 17.f3 b5 18.axb6 Nxb6 19.Nd1 Nbxd5 20.exd5 Nxd5 21.Nc4 f5 gives White a piece for two pawns and Black more space (Korchnoi-Dr, Nunn, IT, London, 1980).
15.g4 Nhf6 16.f3 Qc7 is L. Bronstein-Tringov from the notes to White's seventh move.

9...0-0 10.e3 Ne8

If 10...Qe7 11.Be2 Nbd7 12.0-0 then:

12...Rb8 13.Re1 Ne8 14.e4 Nc7 15.Bf1 Rd8 16.Qd2 gives White the advantage in space (van Wely-Ivanchuk, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2001).
If 12...Ne8 transposes to the text.

11.Be2 Nd7 12.0-0 Qe7 13.Qb3

13.Qc2 Nc7 14.e4 Rb8 15.Rab1 b5 16.b4 f5 17.Bg5 Qf7 is equal (Harikrishna-Bluvshtein, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
13.e4 Rb8 14.Nd2 Ne5 15.Bg3 g5 16.Re1 Nc7 17.Nc4 gives White the advantage in space (Damljanovic-Kovacevic, Kostic Mem, Vrsac, 2008).

13...Rb8

White has the advantage in space.

14.Nd2 f5 15.Nc4 g5

If 15...b6 then White continues the enjoy a spatial plus after 16.Rfe1 Qf6 17.Rac1 Rf7 18.Rc2 h6 19.Rec1.

16.Bh2 f4

If 16...b6 17.Rac1 Rf6 18.f4 Bh6 19.Kh1 Nc7 20.fxg5 White continues to enjoy a small advantage in space.

17.exf4?!

Black gives White a big boost toward open the position for his heavy pieces.
17.a5 then:

17...fxe3 18.fxe3 Rxf1+ 19.Rxf1 b5 20.axb6 Nxb6 opens the position to White's benefit.
If 17...b5 18.axb6 fxe3 19.fxe3 then:

If 19...Nxb6 then after 20.Rxf8+ Bxf8 21.Nxb6 c4 (Black is threatening 22...Qxe3) 22.Qa4 White continues to enjoy the advantage in space.
19...Rxf1+ transposes into the main line of this variation.

BLACK: Vugar Gashimov
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WHITE: Paco Vallejo
Position after 17.ef4:p

17...gxf4!

White's Bishop at h2 is at least momentarily entombed, his Bishop at e2 is attacked by the Black Queen and the Bishop's defended, the Knight at c3, is attacked by Black's Bishop.

18.Rfe1 Ne5 19.Ne4!?

White takes some prussure off Black's queenside, allowing for the aggressive advance of the b-pawn.
19.Nxe5 Bxe5 20.Bxa6 Qg7 21.Kh1 f3 22.Rg1 maintains an advantage in space for White.

19...b5!

Black has fully equalized.

20.axb5 Rxb5 21.Qd1 Rb4

If 21...f3!? 22.Nxe5! fxe2 23.Nc6 then:

23...Qd7 24.Rxe2 Rxb2 25.Rxb2 Bxb2 26.Ra2 Bg7 27.Qd3 White retains the advantage in space.
23...Qxe4 24.Rxe2 Bg4 25.hxg4 Qxg4 26.Qe1 Qh5 27.Rxa6 leaves White a pawn to the good.

22.Rc1!?

It might have been better for White to have initiated the exchange.
If 22.Nxe5 then:

22...Qxe5 23.Bxa6 Qxb2 24.Ra4 Bxa6 25.Rxa6 remains equal.
If 22...Rxe4!? then 23.Nc4! Bb7 24.Nd2 Rd4 25.Bxa6 wins a pawn for White.

BLACK: Vugar Gashimov
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WHITE: Paco Vallejo
Position after 22.Ra1c1

22...Nxc4!

White has the advantage no matter how Black recaptures.

23.Rxc4

If 23.Bxc4 Bxb2 24.Nxc5 Qc7 then:

25.Nxa6 Bxa6 26.Bxa6 Bxc1 27.Qxc1 Qxc1 28.Rxc1 Nf6 leaves Black an exchange to the good.
25.Rc2 Qxc5 26.Bxa6 Bxa6 27.Rxc5 dxc5 28.d6 Bd4 gives Black the advantage in space, a material plus and White's Bishop is still entombed at h2.

23...Bxb2 24.Rxb4 cxb4

Black now has an extra pawn and connected passers on the queenside.

25.Qc2 Bg7

25...Bb7 26.Nxd6 Qxd6 27.Qxb2 Nf6 28.Bf3 is equal.

26.Qxc8 Qxe4 27.Qe6+ Qxe6 28.dxe6 Bc3!

White forces the Rook to move so that a move by the White Bishop will not discover a guard for the advanced passer at e6.

29.Rd1 a5 30.Bb5 Nc7!?

This may be deliberately provokative. Black is better, but can't seem to break through for the win.
If 30...Kg7 31.e7 Rh8 then:

32.Bxf4 Kf7 33.Bg5 h6 34.Bh4 Bf6 35.Bxf6 Nxf6 the pawn falls.
If White wastes time blocking the queenside pawns with 32.Ba4!? then 32...Kf6! 33.Bxf4 Kxe7 wins the pawn.

31.Bd7?

White fails to capitalize on Black's adventuresome play.
31.e7! Rb8 32.Bc4+ Kg7 then:

33.Bxf4 Ne8 34.Bxd6 Nxd6 35.Rxd6 Re8 is equal.
If 33.Rxd6?! then after 33...Be5! 34.Rd8 Ne8 35.Bb3 Kf6! White's pawn must fall.

BLACK: Vugar Gashimov
!""""""""#
$ + + Tl+%
$+ Mb+ +o%
$ + Op+ +%
$O + + + %
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Paco Vallejo
Position after 31.Bb5d7

31...Rf6!

Black now wins quickly.

32.Rxd6 b3 33.Rb6

No better is 33.Ba4 b2 34.Bc2 Nxe6 35.Kf1 f3 36.gxf3 Ng5.

33...b2 34.g4 Bb4 35.Rb8+ Rf8 0-1

White cannot stop the b-pawn.
El se�or Vallejo resigns.

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Jack Rabbit

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Sat Feb-27-10 11:45 PM
Response to Reply #1

8. Reykjavik Open

Reykjavik
Photo by Arnd�s ��rarinsd�ttir in Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike]

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Jack Rabbit

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Sat Feb-27-10 11:51 PM
Response to Reply #8

9. Gunnarsson - Baklan, Round 2

Ukrainian GM Vladimir Baklan finds himself the top seed in this year's Reykjavik Open. His greatest accomplishment to date is winning the 2005 open tournament in Hoogeveen, Holland.

Vladimir Baklan
Photo: ChessBase.com

Jon Viktor Gunnarsson - Vladimir Baklan
International Open, Round 2
Reykjavik, 25 February 2010

English Game: Catalan Four Knights' Opening

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.c4 0-0 5.0-0 d6

For other moves, see Zhao Xue-Yildiz, Grand Prix W, Nanjing, 2009.

6.Nc3 Nc6 7.d3

7.d4 e5 8.d5 Ne7 transposes into the King's Indian Defense.

7...e5 8.Rb1 Re8

If 8...a5 9.a3 then:

If 9...h6 10.b4 axb4 11.axb4 Be6 12.b5 Ne7 then:

If 13.Bb2 Qd7 14.Re1 Bh3 15.Bh1 Ng4 then:

16.d4 Qe6 17.Qd3 f5 is equal (Manouk-Apicella, Op, Saint Affrique, 2005).
16.Qb3 Kh8 17.Ra1 Rab8 18.Nd5 f5 19.Ra7 gives White the advantage in space (Vinke-Bezemer, Op, Hoogeveen, 2009).

If 13.Qb3 then:

If 13...Nd7 14.Ba3 f5 15.Nd2 Rb8 16.Nd5 then:

16...Nc8 17.Qc2 Ra8 18.Bb4 c6 is equal (Lomanika-Lomoneishvili, Euro ChW, Warsaw, 2001).
16...b6 17.Ra1 Rf7 18.Nb4 Nc5 19.Qc2 Qd7 20.Bb2 gives White the edge in space (Hertneck-Y. Gruenfeld, Zonal, Munich, 1987).

13...Qd7 14.Ba3 Bh3 15.c5 Bxg2 16.Kxg2 Rfd8 is equal (Giardelli-Rosito, Op, Mar del Plata, 1998).

9...Re8 10.Nd2 Nd4 transposes into the notes to White's ninth move.

9.Bg5

If 9.Nd2 a5 10.a3 Nd4 11.e3 Ne6 then:

12.b4 axb4 13.axb4 c6 14.Nf3 Bd7 15.Qc2 Qc7 16.Bb2 h5 17.Ra1 Rxa1 18.Rxa1 d5 19.Nxe5 d4 20.Nxd7 Qxd7 21.Nd1 dxe3 22.Nxe3 draw (M. Gurevich-Shirov, FICE Knock Out, New Delhi, 2000).
12.Nd5 c6 13.Nxf6+ Bxf6 14.Ne4 Bg7 15.Nc3 h5 16.h4 Nc7 17.Bd2 Bf5 18.Qc2 d5 is equal (Milos-Shirov, FIDE Knock Out, Groningen, 1997).

9...h6 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.b4 Bg7!?

11...a6 12.Qc2 Bg7 13.Nd5 Na7 14.a4 c6 15.Nc3 d5 16.cxd5 cxd5 17.e4 d4 18.Nd5 Be6 19.Rfc1 draw (Andersson-Sax, ITZ, Moscow, 1982).

12.b5

The game is equal.

12...Ne7 13.Nd2 e4 14.Qc2 e3 15.fxe3 Nf5

The game remains equal.
15...Qd7 16.Nde4 Qe6 17.Nd5 Nxd5 18.cxd5 gives White more space, an extra pawn and a tactical initiative.

16.Nd1 Nxe3 17.Nxe3 Rxe3 18.Ne4!?

White throws caution to wind. A better plan would be to adopt a defensive mood and regroup in response to Black's aggression.
18.Rf2 Qg5 19.Nf1 Re7 20.e3 f5 21.a4 remains equal.

BLACK: Vladimir Baklan
!""""""""#
$t+vW +l+%
$OoO +oV %
$ + O +oO%
$+p+ + + %
$ +p+n+ +%
$+ +pT P %
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Jon Viktor Gunnarsson
Position after 18.Nd2e4

18...Qe7!

Black pressures the Knight.
18...Bd4 19.Kh1 f5 20.Nf2 Qe7 21.Rbe1 is equal.

19.Rf3 Rxf3 20.Bxf3

White does not block his Bishop by recapturing with the pawn.
20.exf3 a6 21.f4 axb5 22.cxb5 Be6 23.a4 d5 gives Black the more active game.

20...a6 21.a4!?

White cedes command of the a-file to Black.
Better is 21.bxa6 Rxa6 22.Qd2 f5 23.Nf2 b6 24.Bd5+ Kh7.

21...axb5 22.axb5 Qe5

There is nothing effective for Black to do in the a-file and the game decends back to equality.
22...Ra3 23.Qd2 f5 24.Nf2 Qg5 25.Qxg5 hxg5 26.b6 c6 is equal.

23.Qd2 Be6 24.Nf2 d5 25.cxd5

If 25.e3?! dxc4 26.Bxb7 Ra1! 27.Rxa1 Qxa1+ then:

28.Qd1 Qxd1+ 29.Nxd1 Bg4 gives Black a fierce initiative.
28.Nd1? c3! 29.Qc2 Bg4 wins for Black.

25...Bxd5 26.Bxd5 Qxd5 27.Qf4

27.e4 Qa2 28.Qe1 Qe6 29.Qe3 Qe5 remains equal.

27...Ra2 28.e3 Re2

If 28...g5 29.Qe4 Qxe4 30.Nxe4 f5 31.Nc5 f4 then:

32.Ne6 fxe3 33.Re1 c6 34.bxc6 bxc6 35.Rxe3 remains equal.
32.gxf4 gxf4 33.Nxb7 fxe3 34.Rc1 Bd4 35.Kf1 Rxh2 wins for Black.

29.e4?

White should keep the pawn at e3 to limit the effectiveness of Black's dark-bound Bishop.
If 29.Rf1 then Black is better after 29...Qc5 30.Nd1 f5 31.Qf3 Rd2 32.Qxb7 Rxd3, but White's game is still defensible.

BLACK: Vladimir Baklan
!""""""""#
$ + + +l+%
$+oO +oV %
$ + + +oO%
$+p+w+ + %
$ + +pQ +%
$+ +p+ P %
$ + +tN P%
$+r+ + K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Jon Viktor Gunnarsson
Position after 29.e3e4

29...Qa2!

Black piles on the Knight.

30.Rf1 Bd4 31.Kg2

A more stubborn defense is 31.Qf3 Bxf2+ 32.Rxf2 Rxf2 33.Qxf2 Qb1+.

31...Qb2 32.h4 h5 0-1

33.Qf3 Rc2 34.Kg1 Qxb5 gives Black an extra pawn on top of his other small advantages.
Jon Viktor resigns.

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Jack Rabbit

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Sat Feb-27-10 11:54 PM
Response to Reply #8

10. Shulman - Harika, Round 3

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

Yuri Shulman - Dronavalli Harika
International Open, Round 3
Reykjavik, 26 February 2010

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

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 0-0

The usuaul move is 4...d6 which becomes a King's Indian Defense after 5.Nf3 e5.

5.Bg5 d6 6.Qd2 c5

The move is characteristic of the Tal-Indian Defense, also called the Modern Benoni.
6...Nc6 7.0-0-0 e5 is a variation of the King's Indian Defense.

7.d5 e6 8.Bd3

If 8.f3 exd5 9.cxd5 then:

If 9...a6 10.a4 then:

If 10...Re8 11.Nge2 Nbd7 12.Ng3 Qa5 13.Be2 then:

13...h5 14.0-0 Nh7 15.Bh6 Bd4+ 16.Be3 h4 17.Nh1 Bg7 18.Nf2 gives White the advantage in space (Hum-Tayar, Canadian Op, Ottawa, 2007).

13...b5 14.0-0 b4 15.Nd1 c4 16.Be3 Nb6 17.Bd4 Bd7 18.Ne3 gives White the advantage in space (Cebalo-Chiburdanidze, IT, Vincovci, 1982).

If 10...Nbd7 11.Nh3 then:

11...Qa5 12.Ra3 c4 13.Nf2 Qc7 14.Be2 Rb8 15.a5 b5 16.axb6 Nxb6 17.0-0 Nfd7 18.Bh6 Bxh6 19.Qxh6 Nc5 is equal (Seirawan-Dr. Nunn, TV game, Hamburg, 1982).

11...Re8 12.Nf2 Qc7 13.Be2 Rb8 14.0-0 c4 15.a5 Nc5 16.Bxc4 gives White an extra pawn.().

If 9...h6 10.Be3 Re8 11.Nge2 Nbd7 12.Nc1 then:

12...h5 13.Be2 Ne5 14.0-0 Nh7 15.Bh6 Bh8 16.Nd3 Nc4 17.Qc1 (Psakhis-Markowski, Op, Vienna, 1995).

12...a6 13.a4 h5 14.Be2 Ne5 15.0-0 Nh7 16.Rb1 f5 17.b4 b6 18.N1a2 Nf6 19.a5 fxe4 20.fxe4 cxb4 21.Nxb4 gives White the advantage in space (Miton-Paragua, World Jr Ch, Goa, 2002).

8...exd5 9.cxd5

The text position is a Tal-Indian Defense with the unsual feature of the White Queen at d2 in lieu of a Knight at f3.
9.exd5 Re8+ 10.Nge2 Nbd7 11.f4 a6 12.0-0 b5 13.cxb5 Qb6 14.Kh1 Ng4 15.Ng3 h6 16.Bh4 is equal (Kramnik-Ljubojevic, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2000).

9...a6 10.a4 Nbd7

10...Qa5 11.Ra3 Re8 12.Nge2 Nbd7 13.Ng3 Ne5 14.Be2 Qb4 15.Qc2 c4 16.0-0 is equal (Korchnoi-Liu, Op, Las Vegas, 2007).

11.Nf3 Qc7!?

11...Re8 12.0-0 Qc7 13.h3 Rb8 14.Bh6 Bh8 15.b3 Qa5 16.Qc2 gives White the advantage in space (Nikolaides-Kotronias, Greek Ch, Glyfada, 1995).

12.0-0

White has the advantage in space.

12...Ng4 13.Be2 Nde5 14.Nxe5 Bxe5

14...Nxe5 15.Bh6!? Bxh6! 16.Qxh6 f5 17.Qh4 is equal.

15.h3!?

White wants to drive the Knight away, but jeopardizes his spacial plus in the process.
If 15.Bf4 f5 then:

16.Bxg4 Bxf4 17.Qxf4 fxg4 maintains White's advantage in space.
16.Bxe5!? Nxe5 17.f4 Nf7 18.a5 is equal.

BLACK: Dronavali Harika
!""""""""#
$t+v+ Tl+%
$+ + +o+o%
$ + O +o+%
$+ OpV B %
$p+ +p+m+%
$+ M + +p%
$ P QvPp+%
$R + +rK %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Yuri Shulman
Position after 15.h2h3

15...Nf6!

The retreat is the best way to turn the space count to Black's advantage.

16.Bd3

If 16.Bxf6?! then 16...Bxf6 17.a5 Re8! 18.Rfe1 Bxc3 19.Qxc3 Rxe4 gives Black an extra pawn.

16...c4!

Black has taken over the advantage in space.

17.Bc2

White must keep the e-pawn covered.

17...Nd7 18.f4 Bg7 19.e5?!

White has a pawn sacrifice in mind, but it proves unsound at its root.
19.Qf2 b6 20.Rfe1 Re8 21.Qg3 Qc5+ remains equal.

19...dxe5 20.f5

Taking back the pawn is little better.
20.fxe5 then:

20...Bxe5 21.Rae1 Qb6+ 22.Qf2 Qxb2 gives Black a second pawn.
20...Nxe5 21.Qf2 f6 22.Be3 Re8 23.Rad1 is equal.

20...b5!?

Black should make sure her pawns will be safe before advancing them.
If 20...Rb8 21.Qe3 Qd6 22.Rad1 Qb4 23.Qc1 then:

23...gxf5 24.Bxf5 Nb6 25.Bh6 f6 Black retains the pawn, but White has piece activity in compensation.
23...b5!? 24.axb5 axb5 25.Ne4! Re8 is equal.

21.d6!?

White fails to take advantage of the inaccuracy.
21.axb5 Qb8 22.d6 axb5 23.fxg6 hxg6 equalizes.

21...Qb6+

Better is 21...Qc5+! 22.Be3 Bh6 23.Bxc5 Bxd2 24.Bf2 Rb8 when Black's queenside is stronger than before.

22.Be3?!

A voluntary pin is usually not the best way to get out of check. Simpler is to just move the King.
If 22.Kh2 Bb7 23.Be3 then:

23...Qd8 24.axb5 axb5 25.Nxb5 Rxa1 26.Rxa1 Qc8 is equal.
If 23...Qc6!? 24.Be4! Qc8 25.Nd5 then:

25...Re8 26.Ne7+ Rxe7 27.Bxb7 Qxb7 28.dxe7 gives White a material advantage.
25...Bxd5 26.Bxd5 Rb8 27.fxg6 hxg6 28.Ba7 White wins the exchange.

22...Bh6 23.Rae1

If 23.Bxb6 Bxd2 24.Bf2 Rb8 25.Nd5 then:

25...bxa4 26.Bxa4 Kg7 27.Bxd7 Bxd7 28.f6+ Kh8 Black still enjoys an extra pawn.
25...Bg5!? 26.h4 Bd8 27.f6 b4 28.Ne7+! Kh8 is equal.

23...Bb7 24.Kh1 Bxe3 25.Rxe3 Qd4

25...b4 26.Ne4 Rad8 27.Re2 Bxe4 28.Bxe4 Nc5 Black retains her pawn with the initiative.

26.Qf2

26.Rd1 Qxd2 27.Rxd2 b4! gives Black a fierce initiative.

BLACK: Dronavali Harika
!""""""""#
$t+ + Tl+%
$+v+m+o+o%
$o+ P +o+%
$+o+ Op+ %
$p+oW + +%
$+ N R +p%
$ Pb+ Qp+%
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Yuri Shulman
Position after 26.Qd2f2

26...b4!

26...b4

Every healthy, uncompromised pawn majority should create a passed pawn. -- Nimzovich

27.Ne2?!

White surrenders his most valuable pawn without cause.
27.Rd1! Qb6 28.Ne4 b3 29.Bb1 Rae8 30.Nc3 Bc6 leaves White with a perfectly defensible game.

27...Qxd6!

The win of the pawn is only temporary, but it is still an important pawn.

28.Rd1 Qe7 29.Ng3 Rad8 30.Be4

30.Qe1? Bc6! 31.Rd4 Qc5 32.Rd1 b3 33.Be4 Bxa4 leves Black three pawns to the good.

30...Bxe4 31.Nxe4 Nf6 32.Rde1 Nxe4?!

The exchange of Knights helps White more than Black.
32...Nd5 33.Rg3 Nf4 34.Qb6 Nd3 35.Re2 Ra8 puts Black close to having a won game.

33.Rxe4 Qf6 34.Rxe5

White has one of his pawn back, but since he lost his central advanced passer, he's in worse shape than before.
A better try is 34.Rxc4 Rfe8 35.Rxb4 Qxf5 36.Qxf5 gxf5 37.Rb6 Ra8. Black remains a pawn to the good, but she will have to work harder to bring the e-pawn home. The c-pawn is a candidate pawn in an uncompromised majority and will easily be converted to a passed pawn at an advanced rank.

34...Rd1!?

Black opens the door for White ever so slightly.
Black keeps her winning chances on track with 34...Rc8 35.a5 Rfd8 36.Qc2 c3 37.bxc3 bxc3.

35.Rxd1 Qxe5 36.f6?

White's idea is to keep his chances for counterplay alive by threatening mate on g7, but this in fact loses the game.
36.Qh4! c3 37.fxg6 hxg6 38.bxc3 bxc3 39.Qc4 Black's precious c-pawn falls.

BLACK: Dronavali Harika
!""""""""#
$ + + Tl+%
$+ + +o+o%
$o+ + Po+%
$+ + W + %
$pOo+ + +%
$+ + + +p%
$ P + Qp+%
$+ +p+ +k%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Yuri Shulman
Position after 36.f5f6

36...c3!

Black's pawn majority yields a passer.

37.bxc3 bxc3 38.Qb6

White takes the focus off the c-pawn, but it doesn't matter. He is already lost.
If 38.Qf3 then Black wins after 38...c2 39.Rc1 Qb2 40.Qe3 Rc8 41.Qh6 Qxf6.
If 38.Rc1 then after 38...Rc8 39.Qf3 h6 40.Rc2 Qd4 White must either give way to the c-pawn or lose his a-pawn.
38.Qc2 loses another pawn to 38...Qxf6 39.Rd3 Rc8 40.Rf3 Qd4.

38...c2!

Black immediately punishes White for his neglect.

39.Rc1 Qe2 40.Qd4 h5 41.Kh2 Rc8 42.a5

If 42.Kh1 Rb8! 43.Kh2 Rb1 44.Qd8+ Kh7 then:

45.Qe7 Qxe7 46.fxe7 Rxc1 47.e8Q Rf1 48.Qe3 c1Q leaves Black a piece to the good.
45.Qd5 Kh6 46.Qc5 Rxc1 47.Qf8+ Kg5 leaves Black up by a Rook.

42.Qa1 Qe3 43.Kh1 h4 44.Qb2 Qc3 wins for Black.

42...Qc4 43.Qd2 Qc3 44.Qg5 Kh7 45.Qf4 Qc7 46.g3 Qxa5 47.Qd6 Rd8 0-1

If the White Queen gives way with 48.Qf4 then Black wins after 48...Rd2+ 49.Kg1 Rd1+.
Mr. Shulman resigns.

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Jack Rabbit

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Tue Mar-02-10 03:05 PM
Response to Original message

11. Update (Tuesday)

Gupta, Stefansson tied in Reyjavik after 8

Former world junior champion Abhijeet Gupta of India and Iceland's Hannes Stefansson are tied for first place in the Reykjavik Open with 6� points each with one round remaining.

Both GMs entered the day tied for second place with 5� points each along with verteran grandmaster Igor Nataf of France and 15-year-old Ukrainian IM Ilya Nyzhnyk, with Bosinan GM Ivan Sokolov in first place. Gupta, playing white, defeated Sokolov in 42 moves while Hannes, playing Black, went 72 moves before reaching the Lucena position, forcing Nataf to resign. Nyzhnyk, playing Black, lost his game today against Aloyzas Kveinys of Lithuania.

Hannes and Gupta will play tomorrow in the final round on the top board with first prize on the line. It appears that Hannes will play White, but the official pairings have not been posted as not all games in today's round are complete.

Magnus remains N�mero Uno

The official FIDE March ratings list was posted yesterday with 19-year-old Nowegian GM Magnus Carlsen remaining the world's top rated player with an Elo score of 2813 followed by Bulgaria's Veselin Topalov at 2805.

The FIDE ratings do not include the recently completed category 21 tournament in Linares, which was won by Topalov and unofficially put the former FIDE champion at 2812.

Topalov will play for the world title in a match against reigning champion Vishy Anand of India beginning April 23 in Sofia.

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Jack Rabbit

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Wed Mar-03-10 01:18 PM
Response to Original message

12. Update (Wednesday): Reykjavik Open ends in 4-way tie

The 2010 Reykjavik Open concluded today in a four-way for first place among former world junior champion Abhijeet Gupta (India), Yuriy Kuzubov (Ukraine), Ivan Sokolov (Bosnia) and Hannes Stefansson (Iceland) at 7 points each out of a possible nine.

It appears Sokolov will be named the official tournament champion based on superior tie break scores.

Gupta and Stefansson entered the final round tied for first place at 6� points apiece out of eight, but played each other to a short draw. Meanwhile, Sokolov defeated American IM Alex Linderman to move up while Kuzubov took down Lithuanian GM Aloyzas Kveinys. Two other players with a chance to share in first place, veteran Russian GM Alexey Dreev and former US champion Yuri Shulman, battled to a draw and ended a half point behind the leaders.

Indian IM and former world girls' champion Dronavalli Harika had the highest score among women competitors with 6 points.

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