The Jack Rabbit Chess Report (April 6): Russian team championships in Sochi

[Jack Rabbit]

Russian Team Championships Begin



The annual Russian team championships started in the Black Sea resort of Sochi last Wednesday.

The defending champions, Tomsk 400, is off to a slow start. Tomak lost its first four matches, all withou its leading player, reigning Russian national champion Alexander Morozevich, who is ranked third in the world. Morozevich played today and defeated former world champion Anatoly Karpov in a 111-move marathon as Tomsk ran over Southern Ural of Chelyabinsk, 4-2.

The current leader of the tournament is Northern Ural of Ekaterinaburg, led by Azerbaijani star Teimour Radjabov and includes one naturalized American, Gata Kamsky. Etaterinaburg won its match today against Saratov. Radjabov won his individual game against former Russian national champion Evgeny Alekseev.


Dutch National Championships Underway



The annual Dutch national championships began last Wednesday in Hilversum.

Twelve players, all men, are competing in the general competition. The ladies' competition, with ten players, began Friday.

After today's fifth round, Yge Visser is leading with 3½ points, with seven players tied for second, including defending champion Sergei Tiviakov and Daniel Stellwagen, who lost last year's tournament to Tiviakov in a rapid playoff.

The ladies completed the third round today. Bianca Muhren is the only participant to win all three of her games so far and leads defending champion Peng Zhaoqin by a half point. Mw. Peng, 39, is playing for her ninth consecutive national women's title.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. Games of the Foxwoods Five

Five players tied for first place in the Foxwoods Open in Mashantuckt, Connecticut, this year. The JRCR presents one game won by each of the five.

Diagrams on the Jack Rabbit Chess Report are made with Chess Mérida, a true type font that can be downlaoded free here.
BLACK
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WHITE
White to move
(This position is a theoretical draw)

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Shulman-Hess, Round 6

Yury Shulman
Photo: Brooklyn College Chess Club


Yury Shulman - Robert Hess
Foxwoods Open, Round 6
Mashantucket, Connecticut, 22 March 2008

King's Gambit: Fischer Defense

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 d6

• If 3...g5 then:
• 4.h4 g4 then:
• (Kieseritzky Opening) If 5.Ne5 then:
• If 5...Nf6 then:
• 6.Bc4 then:
• If 6...d5 7.exd5 Bd6 then:
• If 8.d4 Nh5 9.Nc3 then:
• If 9...Qe7 then:
• If 10.Bb5+ Kd8 11.0-0 then:
• If 11...Bxe5 (12.dxe5 then:
• 12...Qxh4 13.Rxf4 Nxf4 14.Bxf4 g3 15.Qf3 Rg8 16.e6 fxe6 17.Bxg3 Qg5 18.Qf7 e5 19.Qxg8+ Qxg8 20.Bh4+ Qg5 21.Bxg5# White wins (Steinitz-Balaiev, Vienna, 1873).
• 12...Qxe5 13.Re1 Qf6 14.Qe2 c6 15.dxc6 bxc6 16.Ne4 Qxh4 17.Bxf4 Nxf4 18.Qd2+ Bd7 19.Qxf4 cxb5 20.Nd6 Be6 21.Rad1 Nd7 22.Nxf7+ Ke7 23.Qd6+ Kxf7 24.Qxe6+ Black resigns (Steinitz-Deacon, London, 1863).
• 11...Qxh4 12.Nxf7+ Ke7 13.Nxd6 cxd6 14.Rxf4 Nxf4 15.Bxf4 Bf5 16.Qd2 Rg8 17.Re1+ Kd8 18.Bxd6 Kc8 19.g3 Qh3 20.Qg5 Bg6 21.Qe7 Black resigns (Zukertort-Stosch, Berlin, 1871).
• 10.0-0 Bxe5 11.Bb5+ c6 12.dxc6 bxc6 13.Nd5 Qxh4 14.dxe5 0-0 15.Nxf4 cxb5 16.e6 Bxe6 17.Nxe6 fxe6 18.Rxf8+ Kxf8 19.Bh6+ Ke8 White's attack is kaput and Black's material advantage is prohibitive (Larsen-O. Lie, Corres, 1985).
• 9...0-0 10.0-0 Qxh4 11.Rxf4 Nxf4 12.Bxf4 f6 13.g3 Qh5 14.Nd3 Bf5 15.Qd2 Nd7 16.Nf2 Rae8 gives Black the advantage in space (Dupre-Anderssen, The Hague, 1875).
• If 8.0-0 Bxe5 9.Re1 Qe7 10.c3 then:
• 10...Nh5 11.d4 then:
• 11...Nd7 12.Bb5 Kd8 13.Bxd7 Bxd7 14.Rxe5 Qxh4 15.Rxh5 Qxh5 16.Bxf4 Re8 17.Nd2 Qxd5 18.Nf1 Qe4 19.Bg3 b6 20.Qd2 Kc8 21.Re1 Qf5 22.Rd1 Kb7 23.c4 Re4 24.Bf2 Qg6 25.Ng3 Re7 gives Black advantages in space and material (Duras-Fahrni, Ostend, 1906).
• 11...0-0 12.Rxe5 Qxh4 13.Rxh5 Qxh5 14.Bxf4 Nd7 15.Nd2 Nb6 16.Bb3 Re8 17.c4 Bf5 18.Nf1 Qg6 19.a4 Rac8 20.Rc1 Nd7 21.c5 Re4 Black has the exchange, but White has enough extra space to compensate (Forgacs-Marshall, Gamit Theme, Monte Carlo, 1904).
• If 10...f3 11.d4 Ne4 12.Rxe4 Bh2+ 13.Kxh2 Qxe4 14.g3 0-0 15.Bd3 then:
• 15...Qxd5 16.Qd2 Re8 17.Qh6 Re2+ 18.Bxe2 fxe2 19.Qe3 Nc6 20.Qe8+ Kg7 21.Qxe2 Bd7 22.Be3 Re8 23.Nd2 Qe6 24.Re1 f5 gives Black a small advantage in space (Marshall-Forgacs, Gambit Theme, Monte Carlo, 1904).
• If 15.Bf4 Re8 16.Na3 Bf5 17.Qd2 Nd7 18.Bf1 Bg6 19.Nb5 c6 20.dxc6 Qxc6 21.Nc7 Rac8 draw (Dr. Lasker-Chigorin, theme match, Brighton, 1903).
• If 6.d4 d6 7.Nd3 Nxe4 8.Bxf4 then:
• If 8...Qe7 9.Qe2 Bg7 10.c3 then:
• If 10...h5 11.Nd2 Nxd2 12.Kxd2 Qxe2+ 13.Bxe2 Nc6 14.Rae1 Be6 15.Bg5 Kd7 16.Nf4 Bf5 17.Nd5 Be6 18.Nf4 Ne7 19.Rhf1 Bh6 20.Bf6 Nd5 then:
• 21.Bg5 Bxg5 22.hxg5 Nxf4 23.Rxf4 Rag8 leaves Black a pawn up with more space (Klausner-Westeras, Corres, 1989).
• 21.Bxh8 Bxf4+ 22.Rxf4 Nxf4 23.Bf6 Nxg2 Black is two pawns to the good.
• If 8...Bg7 then:
• If 9.c3 then:
• If 9...0-0 10.Nd2 Re8 11.Nxe4 Rxe4+ then:
• If 12.Kf2 then:
• 12...Qf6 13.g3 Bh6 14.Qd2 Nd7 15.Bg2 Bxf4 16.Nxf4 Re7 17.Rhe1 Nb6 18.Rxe7 Qxe7 19.Re1 Qd7 20.Be4 f5 21.Nh5 Kh8 22.Qh6 Black resigns (Groth-Baumbach, Corres, 1989).
• 12...c5 13.dxc5 dxc5 14.g3 Qb6 15.Bg2 c4+ 16.Kf1 Re8 17.Nb4 Bf5 18.Qd5 Qf6 19.Qxc4 Nd7 20.Re1 Rxe1+ 21.Kxe1 Re8+ 22.Kd1 Nb6 23.Qb5 Rd8+ 24.Kc1 a6 25.Qe2 a5 is equal (Belotti-Arlandi, Reggio Mem, Chicco, 1991).
• 12.Be2 g3 13.Kd2 c5 14.Bg5 Qa5 15.dxc5 Na6 16.Rf1 Be6 White resigns (Efendiyev-Eckstein, Corres, 2002).
• If 9...Qe7 10.Qe2 Bf5 11.Nd2 then:
• 11...Nc6 12.0-0-0 0-0-0 13.Nc4 h5 14.Re1 Rhe8 15.Qc2 Qd7 16.g3 Bxd4 17.cxd4 Nxd4 18.Qd1 Qc6 19.Nb4 Qc5 20.Be3 Qxb4 21.Bxd4 Nxg3 22.Rxe8 Rxe8 23.a3 Qe1 24.Rg1 Nxf1 25.Rxf1 Qe4 gives Black four pawns for a Knight and more space (Gallagher-Bachmayr, Zug, 1991).
• 11...Nxd2 12.Qxe7+ Kxe7 13.Kxd2 Nd7 14.Re1+ Kf8 15.g3 Nb6 16.Kc2 Nd5 17.Bd2 Nf6 18.Bg2 Re8 19.Bxb7 Ne4 is equal (Berry-Bang, Corres, 1985).
• If 9.Nc3!? Nxc3 10.bxc3 c5 11.Be2 cxd4 12.0-0 Nc6 13.Bxg4 0-0 14.Bxc8 Rxc8 15.Qg4 f5 16.Qg3 dxc3 (Black is two pawns to the good) 17.Rae1 Kh8 18.Kh1 Rg8 19.Bxd6 Bf8 20.Be5+ Nxe5 21.Qxe5+ Rg7 22.Rxf5 Qxh4+ 23.Kg1 Qg4 24.Rf2 Be7 25.Re4 Qg5 26.Qd4 then:
• 26...Rf8?? 27.Re5 Rd8 28.Qe4 Qh4 29.Rf4 Black resigns (Spassky-Fischer, Mar del Plata, 1960).
• After 26...b6 27.Re6 Ba3 28.Rfe2 Qh5 29.Nc1 Black continues to hold an advantage.
• If 5...h5 6.Bc4 Rh7 7.d4 then:
• 7...Bh6 8.Nc3 Nc6 9.Nxf7 Rxf7 10.Bxf7+ Kxf7 11.Bxf4 Bxf4 12.0-0 Qxh4 13.Rxf4+ Kg7 14.Qd2 d6 15.Raf1 Nd8 16.Nd5 Bd7 17.e5 dxe5 18.dxe5 Bc6 19.e6 Bxd5 20.Rf7+ Nxf7 21.Rxf7+ Kh8 22.Qc3+ Nf6 23.Rxf6 Qxf6 24.Qxf6+ Kh7 25.Qf5+ Kh6 26.Qxd5 Kg6 27.Qd7 Black resigns (Bronstein-Dubinin, Soviet Ch, Leningrad, 1947).
• If 7...d6 8.Nd3 f3 9.gxf3 Be7 10.Be3 Bxh4+ 11.Kd2 Bg5 12.f4 Bh6 13.Nc3 then:
• 13...Bg7 14.f5 Nc6 15.Qg1 Bd7 16.Re1 Na5 17.Bb3 Nxb3+ 18.axb3 Bc6 19.Nf4 Nf6 20.Kc1 Bh6 21.e5 Bxh1 22.exf6 Bf3 23.Nfd5 Kf8 24.Bxh6+ Rxh6 25.Qe3 Rxf6 26.Qg5 Rg6 27.Qxd8+ Rxd8 28.fxg6 fxg6 29.Nxc7 gives White a piece for two pawns and more space (Kolisch-Anderssen, Paris, 1860).
• 13...Nf6 14.Qg1 Nc6 15.b4 b6 16.d5 Ne7 17.Re1 Bb7 18.f5 Bg7 19.Bg5 Qd7 20.Qd4 c5 21.bxc5 bxc5 22.Qf2 a6 23.e5 dxe5 24.Nxe5 Qd6 25.Nd3 Bh6 26.Bxh6 Rxh6 27.Rxe7+ Kxe7 28.Qe3+ Kd7 29.Nxc5+ gives White a huge advantage in space (Anderssen-Zukertort, Breslau, 1865).
• (Allgaier Opening) If 5.Ng5 h6 6.Nxf7 Kxf7 7.d4 then:
• If 7...d5 8.Bxf4 then:
• If 8...dxe4 9.Bc4+ Kg7 10.Be5+ Nf6 11.0-0 Be7 12.Nc3 Nc6 then:
• 13.Nxe4 Nxe5 14.Nxf6 Nxc4 15.Nh5+ Kg6 16.Qd3+ Kxh5 17.Rf5+ Bxf5 18.Qxf5+ Bg5 19.Qf7+ Kxh4 20.g3+ Kxg3 21.Qf2+ Kh3 22.Qh2# White wins (Taubenhaus-Amateur, Paris, 1909).
• 13.h5 Nxe5 14.dxe5 Bc5+ 15.Kh1 Nxh5 16.Rf7+ Kg6 17.Qxd8 Rxd8 18.Rxc7 Bb6 19.Bf7+ Kg7 20.Rxc8 Kxf7 21.Rxa8 Rxa8 22.Nxe4 Ke6 23.Re1 g3 24.c4 Bd4 25.Nd2 Rf8 26.Nf3 Bf2 27.Rd1 White resigns (Thorald-Ballard, Clifton, 1884).
• 8...Nf6 9.Nc3 Bb4 10.Be2 Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 Kg6 12.e5 Nh5 13.Bc1 Ng3 14.Qd3+ Ne4 15.g3 c5 16.0-0 Nc6 17.Qe3 cxd4 18.cxd4 Ne7 19.Qf4 Be6 20.Bxg4 Qd7 21.Bf3 Raf8 22.Bxe4+ dxe4 23.Qxe4+ Kg7 24.Rf6 Bd5 25.Qe2 Qh3 26.Bf4 Ng6 27.Rf1 Qh1+ 28.Kf2 Qg2+ White resigns as 29.Ke1 Qxe2+ 30.Kxe2 Bc4+ wins the exchange (Gunsberg-Marco, Vienna, 1903).
• If 7...d6 then:
• If 8.Bc4+ Kg7 9.Bxf4 Nc6 10.Nc3 Nf6 11.0-0 Be7 12.Qd2 Nxe4 13.Bxh6+ Rxh6 14.Rf7+ Kg6 15.Qd3 Bf6 16.g3 Bf5 17.Rf1 Nb4 18.Qe3 Nxc2 19.Nd5 Rh5 20.Rxf5 then:
• 20...Rxf5 21.Qxe4 Kxf7 22.Qxf5 b5 23.Nxf6+ bxc4 24.Nd5+ Ke8 25.Qe6+ Kf8 26.Qf5+ Ke8 27.Qe6+ draws by repetition (Schabelski-Chigorin, Corres, 1885).
• 20...Nxe3?? 21.Nf4+! Kxf5 22.Be6#.
• 8.Bxf4 Bg7 9.Bc4+ Ke8 10.0-0 Nc6 11.Be3 Qxh4 12.Rf7 Rh7 13.e5 Na5 14.Bd3 Kxf7 15.Qf1+ Ke7 16.Bxh7 Be6 17.Nd2 Rf8 18.exd6+ cxd6 19.Qe2 Kd8 20.c3 Ne7 21.Re1 Bc4 22.Bf2 Rxf2 23.Qxf2 g3 White resigns (Morozevich-Kasparov, Rapid Grand Prix, Paris, 1995).
• If 4.Bc4 then:
• If 4...Bg7 then:
• (Hanstein Opening) If 5.0-0 h6 6.d4 d6 7.c3 Nc6 8.g3 then:
• If 8...Bh3 9.gxf4 then:
• If 9...Qd7 then:
• If 10.Rf2 Nf6 11.Qe1 0-0-0 then:
• If 12.Bb5 Rhe8 then:
• 13.Nbd2! Ng4 14.Re2 gxf4 15.Qh4 Nf6 16.d5 Qg4+ 17.Qxg4+ Nxg4 18.dxc6 Black resigns (Groeneveld-Korhonen, Corres, 1988).
• 13.e5? dxe5 14.Bxc6 Qg4+ 15.Kh1 bxc6 16.Nxe5 Rxe5 17.fxe5 Ne4 White resigns (Oomen-van Vugt, Corres, 1989).
• 12.Bxf7 Qxf7 13.fxg5 Ng4 14.gxh6 Nxf2 15.Ng5 Qg6 White resigns (Matula-Schneider, Corres, 1989).
• 10.f5 Bxf1 11.Qxf1 Nf6 12.Bb5 a6 13.Ba4 Nxe4 14.d5 Qxf5 15.dxc6 Qc5+ 16.Kg2 b5 17.Bc2 Qxc6 18.Qe2 f5 19.Nbd2 d5 20.Nd4 Bxd4 21.Qh5+ (now that the pin is broken, Black wins easily) 21...Ke7 22.Bxe4 fxe4 23.cxd4 Raf8 24.Qd1 Qf6 25.Nb3 Qf2+ 26.Kh1 e3 White resigns (Roebuckj-Niemandi, Corres, 1988).
• 10.Re1 Qg4+ 11.Kf2 Qg2+ 12.Ke3 gxf4+ 13.Kd3 f5 14.exf5+ Ne5+ 15.dxe5 Bxf5+ 16.Kd4 c5+ 17.Kd5 Ne7+ 18.Kxd6 0-0-0+ White resigns (Peeters-Spoorenberg, Nijmegen, 1991).
• 9...Bxf1 10.Qxf1 g4 11.Ne1 Qd7 12.Bb5 d5 13.e5 Nge7 14.Nd3 0-0 15.Na3 Qc8 16.Nc2 Nd8 17.Ne3 c6 18.Ba4 f5 19.Bc2 Ne6 20.Nc5 gives White the advantage in space (van Wessel-Henris, Belgian Interteam, Antwerp, 1998).
• If 8...g4 9.Nh4 f3 then:
• 10.Qb3 Qe7 11.Nf5 Bxf5 12.Qxb7 Qxe4 13.Bb5 Nge7 14.Qxa8+ Kd7 15.Qxa7 Rb8 16.Qxb8 Bxd4+ 17.cxd4 Qxd4+ 18.Kh1 f2 19.h4 Bd3 20.Qb7 Bxf1 21.Bxf1 Qd1 22.Nd2 Nf5 23.Qb3 Qe1 24.Qxf7+ Nce7 25.Qb3 Ne3 26.Qd3 N7f5 27.Kh2 Nd4 28.Qxd4Black resigns three pieces down (Nosowsky-Astafev, Corres, 1967).
• 10.Nd2 then:
• 10...Nf6 11.Nf5 Bxf5 12.exf5 0-0 13.Bd3 d5 14.h3 h5 15.hxg4 hxg4 16.Nxf3 gxf3 17.Qxf3 Ne4 18.Bxe4 dxe4 19.Qxe4 Nxd4 20.f6 Bxf6 21.Qg4+ Bg7 22.Bh6 Ne6 23.Rae1 Qd7 24.Bxg7 f5 25.Qc4 Qxg7 26.Qxe6+ Qf7 27.Rxf5 Qxe6 28.Rxf8+ Kxf8 29.Rxe6 gives White the passed pawn (Niemand-Roebuck, Corres, 1988).
• If 10...Bf6 11.Ndxf3 gxf3 12.Qxf3 then:
• If 12...Rh7 13.Ng6 Rg7 14.Nf4 Bg4 15.Qg2 Bg5 16.h3 Bd7 17.Nh5 Rh7 18.e5 dxe5 19.Qe4 f5 20.Rxf5 Bxf5 21.Qxf5 then:
• 21...Re7 22.Bxg5 hxg5 23.Rf1 Qd6 24.Bxg8 exd4 25.Qf8+ Kd7 26.Qxa8 Qc5 27.Nf6+ Kd6 28.Qf8 Qe5 29.Kg2 d3 30.Rf2 Qe1 31.Qh6 Black resigns as White will soon deliver mate (Spielmann-Grünfeld, IT, Teplitz-Schonau, 1922).
• 21...Rxa1 22.Bxf6 Re8 23.Bxf7 Rf8 24.Nxe5 Rxf7 25.Nxf7 Nxf5 26.a3 leaves Black with a material advantage, but the game is far from won.
• 12...Bh3 13.Qh5 Qd7 14.Rf4 0-0-0 15.Nf3 Ne5 16.dxe5 dxe5 17.Rf5 Bxf5 18.Qxf5 Qxf5 19.exf5 Rd1+ 20.Kf2 Ne7 21.Bg5 Rd6 22.Bxf6 Rxf6 23.g4 h5 24.h3 hxg4 25.hxg4 Nxf5 26.gxf5 Rxf5 27.Re1 Rh3 gives Black the advantage, but no easy win (Spassky-Ornstein, Ol, Nice, 1974).
• (Philidor Opening) If 5.h4 h6 6.d4 d6 then:
• If 7.c3 Nc6 8.Qb3 Qe7 9.0-0 Nf6 then:
• 10.hxg5 hxg5 11.Nxg5 Nxd4 12.Bxf7+ Kd8 13.cxd4 Nxe4 14.Bxf4 Bxd4+ 15.Be3 Bxe3+ 16.Qxe3 Nxg5 17.Qc3 Nh3+ 18.gxh3 Qg5+ 19.Kf2 Rxh3 20.Qd4 Rh2+ 21.Ke1 Qc1+ White resigns as Black mates in two (Korhonen-Beckman, Corres, 1988).
• 10.Nbd2 Nh5 11.hxg5 hxg5 12.Nxg5 Qxg5 13.Bxf7+ Kd8 14.Nf3 Ng3 15.Re1 Rh1+ 16.Kf2 Rxe1 17.Kxe1 Qh6 18.Ng1 Nxe4 19.Qd5 Qh4+ White resigns (Roos-Elberg, Corres, 1988).
• If 7.Nc3 Nc6 8.Ne2 Qe7 9.Qd3 then:
• 9...Bd7 10.Bd2 0-0-0 11.Bc3 Re8 12.d5 Ne5 13.Nxe5 dxe5 14.0-0-0 Nf6 15.a3 Ng4 16.Bb4 Qf6 17.Bc5 b6 18.Ba6+ Kb8 19.d6 c6 20.Qb3! Be6 21.Qb4 Qd8 22.d7 Reg8 23.Be7 Black resigns on account of 23...Qc7 24.Bd6 winning the Queen (Anderssen-Neumann, Berlin, 1866).
• 9...g4 10.Nfg1 Nf6 11.Bxf4 Nxe4 12.c3 Bd7 13.Qe3 Nf6 14.Ng3 d5 15.Bd3 0-0-0 16.N1e2 Rde8 17.Qd2 Ne4 18.Qc2 f5 19.Nf1 Qe6 20.g3 Ne7 21.Rh2 Ng6 22.0-0-0 Qb6 23.h5 Ne7 24.Ne3 Be6 25.Bxe4 fxe4 26.c4 Rhf8 27.Kb1 Nf5 28.Nxd5 Bxd5 29.cxd5 Rf7 30.Qc4 gives White a small advantage in space (Spielmann-Count Rosselli. IT, Abbazia, 1912).
• If 4...g4 then:
• (Muzio Opening) If 5.0-0 gxf3 6.Qxf3 Qf6 7.e5 Qxe5 then:
• If 8.d3 Bh6 9.Nc3 Ne7 10.Bd2 Nbc6 11.Rae1 Qf5 12.Nd5 Kd8 13.Bc3 Re8 then:
• 14.Bf6 Bg5 15.g4 Qg6 16.Bxg5 Qxg5 17.h4 Qxh4 18.Qxf4 d6 19.Nf6 Ne5 20.Rxe5 dxe5 21.Qxe5 Bxg4 22.Qd4+ Kc8 23.Be6+ Kb8 24.Nd7+ Kc8 25.Nc5+ Kb8 26.Na6+ bxa6 27.Qb4# White wins (Chigorin-Davydov, St. Petersburg, 1874).
• 14.Nf6 Rf8 15.g4 Qg6 16.h4 d6 17.g5 Bg7 18.Qxf4 h6 19.Qh2 a6 20.b4 b5 21.Bb3 a5 22.bxa5 b4 23.Bb2 Rxa5 24.Re2 Bb7 25.Rg2 Rf5 leaves Black up by a piece (Anderssen-Zukertort, Breslau, 1865).
• If 8.Bxf7+ Kxf7 9.d4 then:
• If 9...Qxd4+ 10.Be3 Qf6 11.Bxf4 Ne7 12.Nc3 Nf5 then:
• 13.Ne4 Qg6 14.g4 Be7 15.Kh1 Nh4 16.Qe3 Kg8 17.Be5 b6 18.Rad1 Bb7 19.Rf4 Bg5 20.Qb3+ Qe6 21.Rxd7 Black resigns as mate is inevitable (Edwards-Jones, Corres, 1983).
• 13.Nd5 Qg6 14.Rae1 Na6 15.Bd2 Bc5+ 16.Kh1 Rf8 17.Qxf5+ Qxf5?? 18.Rxf5+! Black resigns as mate is inevitable (Thiesen-Blomberg, Corres 1988).
• 9...Qf5 10.g4 Qg6 11.Nc3 Nf6 12.Bxf4 d6 13.Bg3 Kg7 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.Qxd5 Nc6 16.Qc4 d5 17.Qxd5 Be6 18.Qb5 Be7 19.Qxb7 Qe4 20.Rae1 Qxd4+ 21.Rf2 Bd7 22.Qxc7 Bc5 23.Kg2 Qd5+ 24.Rf3 Rhf8 25.Bf4 Rac8 26.c4 Qxf3+ White resigns (Showalter-Taubenhaus, American Chess Cong, New York, 1889).
• (Salvio Opening) If 5.Ne5 Qh4+ 6.Kf1 Nh6 7.d4 then:
• If 7...d6 8.Nd3 f3 9.g3 Qh3+ then:
• If 10.Kf2 Qg2+ 11.Ke3 then:
• 11...Nf5+ 12.exf5 Bh6+ 13.Nf4 Bxf5 14.Bd3 Bxf4+ 15.Kxf4 Bxd3 16.cxd3 Nc6 17.Qf1 Qc2 18.Qd1 Qf2 19.Re1+ Kd7 20.Re4 Nxd4 21.Be3 Ne2+ 22.Kxg4 Rhg8+ 23.Bg5 Qxh2 White resigns (Unknown-Atwood, London, 1798).
• 11...Ng8 12.Nf4 Bh6 13.Bf1 Qxh1 14.Bb5+ c6 15.Bxc6+ bxc6 16.Qxh1 Black resigns (Greco-Unknown, site unknown, c. 1620).
• 10.Ke1 Qh5 11.Nc3 c6 12.Bd2 Qg6 13.Nf4 Qf6 14.Be3 Nd7 15.Kf2 Ng8 16.e5 Qe7 17.e6 fxe6 18.Nxe6 Ndf6 19.Bf4 Bxe6 20.Bxe6 Kd8 21.Re1 Qg7 22.d5 c5 23.Nb5 Ne8 24.Qd2 Ngf6 25.Qa5+ gives White enough space to compenate for the pawn minus (Steinitz-Anderssen, London, 1866).
• If 7...f3 8.Nc3 d6 9.Nd3 then:
• If 9...fxg2+ 10.Kxg2 Bg7 11.Nf4 0-0 12.Be3 Kh8 13.Qd2 f5 14.e5 dxe5 15.dxe5 Nc6 16.e6 then:
• 16...b6 17.Bd5 Bb7 18.h3 Rad8 19.hxg4 Qxg4+ 20.Kf2 Ne7 21.Rhg1 Bxd5 22.Ncxd5 Nxd5 23.Nxd5 f4 24.Bd4 Rxd5 25.Bxg7+ Qxg7 26.Qxd5 Ng4+ 27.Rxg4 Qxg4 keeps Black a pawn up; he won (Anderssen-Zukertort, Berlin, 1866).
• 16...Be5 17.Qf2 Qxf2+ 18.Kxf2 Re8 19.Rae1 Nd4 20.Bxd4 Bxd4+ keeps Black a pawn to the good.
• 9...Bg7 10.g3 Qd8 11.Nf4 0-0 12.h3 Nc6 13.Nh5 gxh3 14.Nd5 Ng4 15.c3 Ne7 16.Ndf4 Ng6 17.Nxh3 Be6 18.Bxe6 fxe6 19.Ng5 Bh6 20.Qb3 Bxg5 21.Qxe6+ Rf7 22.Qxg4 Bxc1 23.Rxc1 restores the material balance leaving White with a huge advantae in space (Steinitz-Zukertort, unknown site, 1872).
• (Abbazia Defense) If 3...d5 4.exd5 then:
• If 4...Nf6 5.Bb5+ then:
• If 5...c6 6.dxc6 then:
• If 6...Nxc6 7.d4 Bd6 then:
• If 8.0-0 0-0 9.Nbd2 then:
• If 9...Bg4 10.Nc4 Bc7 11.Bxc6 bxc6 12.Qd3 then:
• 12...Qd5 13.Nfe5 g5 14.h4 h6 15.hxg5 hxg5 16.Bxf4 Bxe5 17.Nxe5 Bh5 18.Bxg5 Ng4 19.Rf5 Nxe5 20.Rxe5 Qd7 21.Bf6 Bg6 22.Rg5Black resigns (Manteca-Perez, Corres, 1985).
• 12...Bxf3 13.Rxf3 Nd5 14.Ne5 Bxe5 15.dxe5 Qb6+ 16.Kh1 Rad8 17.Qe2 Ne3 18.Bxe3 Qxb2 19.Raf1 draw (Arnason-Kristinsson, Op, Reykjavik, 1984).
• If 9...Bc7 10.c3 Bg4 11.Nc4 then:
  • Qd5 12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.Nce5 g5 14.Nxg4 Nxg4 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).
  • 11...Ne7 12.Ba4 b5 13.Bxb5 Qd5 14.Na3 Qh5 15.Bd3 Ned5 16.Nc4 Rae8 17.h3 Ne3 18.Bxe3 fxe3 19.hxg4 Nxg4 20.Nce5 Rxe5 21.dxe5 e2 22.Bxe2 Bb6+ 23.Qd4 Qh6 24.Rae1 Rd8 25.Bc4 Rxd4 White resigns (Kinlay-Nunn, London, 1977).
• 8.Qe2+ Be6 9.Ng5 0-0 10.Nxe6 fxe6 11.Bxc6 bxc6 12.0-0 Qc7 13.Qxe6+ Kh8 14.Nd2 Rae8 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-Thimognier, Corres, 1990).
• If 6...bxc6 7.Bc4 Nd5 then:
  • 8.d4 Bd6 9.0-0 0-0 10.Nc3 Nxc3 11.bxc3 Bg4 12.Qd3 Nd7 13.g3 Nb6 14.Bb3 c5 15.c4 Qf6 16.Ne5 Bxe5 17.dxe5 Qxe5 18.Bxf4 Qh5 19.Rfe1 Rfe8 20.a4 Be2 21.Qc3 Nd7 22.a5 Nf6 23.Ba4 Re6 24.Kg2 Ne4 25.Qa3 g5 White resigns (Bronstein-Botvinnik, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1952).
  • 8.0-0 Bd6 9.Nc3 Be6 10.Ne4 Bc7 11.Bb3 0-0 12.d4 Nd7 13.c4 Ne3 14.Bxe3 fxe3 15.Nfg5 Nf6 16.Nxf6+ gxf6 17.Nxe6 fxe6 18.c5 Qe7 19.Qd3 Kh8 20.Qxe3 e5 draw (Keuscher-Penndorf, Corres, 1989).
• 5...Nbd7 6.0-0 Nxd5 7.c4 N5f6 8.d4 Be7 9.Bxf4 0-0 10.Ba4 Nb6 11.Bb3 Bg4 12.Nc3 c6 13.Qd2 a5 14.a3 a4 15.Ba2 Nbd7 16.Rae1 Re8 17.Ng5 Bh5 18.Kh1 Bg6 19.Nf3 Nh5 20.Be3 Qc7 21.Qd1 Qa5 22.Bd2 gives White a small advantage in space (Bronstein-Ragosin, Interz, Stockholm, 1948).
• 4...Bd6 5.Nc3 Ne7 6.d4 0-0 7.Bd3 Nd7 8.0-0 h6 9.Ne4 Nxd5 10.c4 Ne3 11.Bxe3 fxe3 12.c5 Be7 13.Bc2 Re8 14.Qd3 e2 15.Nd6!! Nf8 16.Nxf7 exf1Q+ 17.Rxf1 Bf5 18.Qxf5 Qd7 19.Qf4 Bf6 20.N3e5 Qe7 21.Bb3 Bxe5 22.Nxe5+ Kh7 23.Qe4+ Black resigns (Spassky-Bronstein, Soviet Ch, Leningrad, 1960).
• (Cunningham Defense) If3...Be7 then:
• If 4.Bc4 then:
• If 4...Nf6 5.e5 Ng4 then:
• If 6.Nc3 d6 then:
• If 7.exd6 Bxd6 8.Qe2+ Qe7 9.Qxe7+ then:
• 9...Bxe7 Kf8 10.Nc3 g5 11.h3 Nh6 12.Ne4 Be7 13.d5 Nb4 14.Nexg5 Nxd5 15.Qe5 f6 16.Nxh7+ Rxh7 17.Qxd5 Qxd5 18.Bxd5 is equal (Bhend-T. Schmidt, Corres, 1964).
• If 9...Kxe7 10.d4 Re8 11.0-0 h6 12.Bxf4 Bxf4 13.Nd5+ Kd8 14.Nxf4 Ne3 15.Bxf7 Re4 16.Nd2 Re7 17.Nd5 Nxf1 18.Nxe7 Nxd2 19.Nxc8 Kxc8 20.Re1 b5 21.b3 Nc6 22.Bd5 Kd7 23.Rd1 Nxb3 24.Bxb3 is equal (Perron-Neustadtl, Corres, 1984).
• If 7.d4 then:
• 7...Bh4+ 8.Kf1 Ne3+ 9.Bxe3 fxe3 10.Qd3 Bg5 11.exd6 cxd6 12.Qe4+ Kf8 13.h4 Bf6 14.g4 Qe7 15.Qf4 draw (Kronberg-Ormond, Corres, 1987).
• 7...dxe5 8.dxe5 Qxd1+ 9.Nxd1 Be6 10.Bxe6 fxe6 11.h3 Nh6 12.Bxf4 Nc6 13.Ne3 0-0-0 14.c3 Rhf8 15.Bxh6 gxh6 16.Rd1 Bg5 17.Rxd8+ Rxd8 is equal (Bronstein-Kholmov, Moscow, 1961).
• If 6.0-0 Nc6 7.d4 d5 8.exd6 Bxd6 9.Qe1+ then:
  • 9...Kf8 10.Nc3 g5 11.h3 Nh6 12.Ne4 Be7 13.d5 Nb4 14.Nexg5 Nxd5 15.Qe5 f6 16.Nxh7+ Rxh7 17.Qxd5 Qxd5 18.Bxd5 is equal (Bhend-T. Schmidt, Corres, 1964).
  • If 9.Re1+ Ne7 10.Nc3 0-0 11.Ne4 Ng6 12.Nfg5 Be7 13.Nxf7 Rxf7 14.h3 Nh6 15.Qd3 Kh8 16.Bd2 Rf8 17.Rad1 Nf5 18.c3 Nd6 19.Bd5 Bf5 20.Qe2 c6 21.Nxd6 Qxd6 22.Bf3 Bh4 23.Rf1 Rad8 24.Qc4 Bg3 25.Bh5 Qd5 White resigns (Dubois-Timmerman, Op, Ostend, 1992).
• If 4...Bh4+ 5.Kf1 d5 6.Bxd5 Nf6 7.Nc3 then:
• 7...0-0 8.d4 c6 9.Bb3 Bg4 10.Bxf4 Nh5 11.Qd2 Bxf3 12.gxf3 Kh8 13.Rg1 b5 14.Bg5 Qd7 15.Bxh4 Qh3+ 16.Rg2 Qxh4 gives White an extra pawn (Wisker-Bird, London, 1873).
• 7...Nxd5 8.Nxd5 Bg4 9.d4 g5 10.Qd3 c6 11.Nxh4 cxd5 12.Nf3 Nc6 13.e5 Qe7 14.h4 Bxf3 15.gxf3 f6 16.hxg5 fxg5 17.c3 0-0-0 18.b4 Qf7 19.Rh6 Ne7 draw (Schwartzbach-Simoni, Corres, 1969).
• If 4.Nc3 Bh4+ 5.Ke2 d5 6.Nxd5 Nf6 7.Nxf6+ Qxf6 8.d4 Bg4 then:
• 9.e5 Qe7 10.Bxf4 f6 11.g3 fxe5 12.dxe5 Nc6 13.c3 Nxe5 14.Qa4+ Bd7 15.Qd4 Ng4+ 16.Ne5 Rd8 17.gxh4 Bb5+ 18.Kf3 Bxf1 19.Qa4+ b5 20.Qe4 Nxe5+ 21.Bxe5 0-0+ 22.Kg3 Rd3+ White resigns as mate is forthcoming (Ebenfelt-Carleson, Team m, Sweden, 1986).
• 9.c3 Nd7 10.Qd2 Bg5 11.Kd1 0-0-0 12.Kc2 Bxf3 13.gxf3 Rhe8 14.h4 Bxh4 15.Qxf4 g5 16.Qg4 gives White a small advantage in space (Oorebeck-Prast, Corres, 1991).
• 4.d4 Bh4+ 5.Ke2 d6 6.Bxf4 Bg4 7.g3 Bg5 8.Bxg5 Qxg5 9.Kf2 Qf6 10.c3 Ne7 11.Bg2 0-0 12.Rf1 Nbc6 13.Kg1 Qh6 14.Qd2 Qh5 15.Nh4 a5 16.Na3 gives White a small advantage in space (van de Gleesen-Baumstark, Olw, Medillin, 1974).
• 4.h4 d5 5.exd5 Bg4 6.Be2 Nf6 7.Nc3 0-0 8.d4 Nh5 9.0-0 Nd7 10.Ne4 h6 11.Ne5 Bxe2 12.Qxe2 Ng3 13.Nxg3 fxg3 14.Qg4 Nxe5 15.dxe5 Qxd5 16.Bxh6 Qxe5 17.Rae1 Bc5+ 18.Kh1 Qxb2 19.c3 Qxc3 gives Black a three-pawn advantage (Blackburne-Bird, consultation game, London, 1897).

4.d4 g5 5.h4 g4 6.Ng1 f3

• If 6...Bh6 7.Nc3 then:
• 7...Nc6 8.Nge2 f3 9.Nf4 f2+ 10.Kxf2 g3+ 11.Kxg3 Nf6 then:
• 12.Be2 Rg8+ 13.Kf2 Ng4+ 14.Bxg4 Bxg4 15.Qd3 Bg7 16.Be3 Qd7 17.Ncd5 O-O-O 18.b4 then:
• 18...f5 19.b5 Ne7 20.Qa3 Nxd5 21.exd5 Kb8 22.Qd3 Rde8 23.Rae1 gives White the advantage in space and an extra pawn (Nimtz-Volz, Corres, 1986).
• 18...Rde8 19.b5 Nd8 20.c4 Ne6 21.Rae1 f5 22.exf5 Nxf4 23.Nxf4 Bxf5 24.Qa3 Kb8 25.d5 White still has more space and an extra pawn (Dufraisse-Roos, Corres, 1987).
• 12.Bb5 Bd7 13.Nfd5 Rg8+ 14.Kf2 Bg7 15.Bg5 h6 16.Bxc6 Bxc6 17.Nxf6+ Bxf6 18.Bxh6 Bxh4+ 19.Kg1 Qf6 20.Be3 Bg5 21.Qd2 Bxe3+ 22.Qxe3 Qg6 23.Rh2 leaves White a pawn to the good and with more space (Leisebein-Graber, Corres, 1984).
• If 7...c6 8.Nge2 Qf6 then:
• If 9.g3 then:
• 9...f3 10.Nf4 Nd7 11.Bc4 Nb6 12.Bb3 Bd7 13.Kf2 0-0-0 14.a4 Bg7 15.Be3 h5 16.Re1 Ne7 17.a5 Na8 18.e5 dxe5 19.dxe5 Qf5 20.Qd4 gives White a huge advantage in space that more than compensates for his pawn minus (Pospisil-Musil, Corres, 1998).
• If 9...fxg3 10.Nxg3 Bxc1 11.Rxc1 Qh6 12.Bd3 then:
• 12...Qe3+ 13.Nce2 Ne7 14.Qd2 Qxd2+ 15.Kxd2 d5 16.Rce1 Be6 17.Nf4 0-0 18.exd5 Nxd5 19.Nxe6 fxe6 20.Rxe6 Nd7 21.Nf5 gives White a huge lead in space (Short-Akopian, IT, Madrid, 1997).
• 12...Ne7 13.Nce2 Be6 14.c4 c5 15.Rc3 cxd4 16.Nxd4 Nbc6 17.Be2 0-0-0 18.Nxe6 fxe6 19.Bxg4 Ne5 20.Be2 Rhg8 21.Qd2 Qg7 22.Kd1 N7c6 23.Kc1 Qf6 24.h5 Qf2 25.Rf1 Qg2 26.Qe1 Rdf8 gives Black a tactical advantage (Prochazka-Morgado, Corres, 1998).

7.Bg5

• If 7.gxf3 Be7 8.Be3 Bxh4+ 9.Kd2 then:
• 9...c5 10.Kc1 cxd4 11.Qxd4 Bf6 12.Qd2 Nc6 13.Nc3 Be6 14.Nd5 Bxd5 15.exd5 Ne5 16.f4 Nd7 17.Rh5 Be7 18.Bd4 Ngf6 19.Rh6 Ng8 20.Rh5 Ndf6 21.Bb5+ Kf8 22.Rg5 h5 23.Ne2 gives White more than enough extra space in compensation for the pawn (Pedersen-Keller, Corres, 1997).
• 9...Nc6 10.Nc3 Bf6 11.Bb5 a6 12.Bxc6+ bxc6 13.fxg4 Rb8 14.Qf3 Rxb2 15.Rf1 Qe7 16.Nh3 h6 17.Rh2 Rh7 18.e5 dxe5 19.Qxc6+ Bd7 20.Qa8+ gives White enought compensation for the pawn (de la Villa-Rivas, León, 1988).

7...Be7 8.Qd2 f2+!?

• If 8...f6 9.Bh6 f2+ 10.Kxf2 f5 11.Nc3 Nf6 12.Bd3 c5 13.exf5 Rg8 14.Re1 d5 15.dxc5 Kf7 16.b4 b6 17.Rxe7+ Qxe7 18.Nxd5 Ne4+ 19.Bxe4 Qxe4 20.Ne2 Bb7 21.c4 Nc6 22.Qc3 gives White the advantage in space and a theoretical material plus (Hector-Jonkman, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2003).

9.Kxf2

• If 9.Qxf2 Bxg5 10.hxg5 Qxg5 11.Nc3 Be6 12.Bd3 g3 13.Qd2 then:
• 13...Qg7 14.Nge2 Nf6 is equal.
• 13...Qxd2+ 14.Kxd2 Nf6 15.Nge2 Rg8 16.d5 Bd7 gives White a small advantage in space.

9...h6 10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.Nc3 Nc6

• The game is equal.
• If 11...Be6 12.Re1 Qf6+ 13.Kg3 Ne7 14.Qf2 then:
• 14...Nd7 15.Nge2 Qxf2+ 16.Kxf2 Nf6 17.Nf4 gives White the advantage in space.
• 14...Qxf2+ 15.Kxf2 Rg8 16.g3 Rg6 17.Bd3 Rf6+ is equal.

12.Nd5 Nf6

• 12...Qd8 13.Bb5 Be6 14.Re1 a6 15.Bxc6+ bxc6 16.Ne3 is equal.

13.Re1 Qd8 14.c3

• 14.Bb5 Bd7 15.Bxc6 Bxc6 16.Qf4 Bxd5 17.exd5+ Kf8 18.c4 gives White a considerable advantage in space.

14...Be6 15.Nf4

• 15.Bb5 a6 16.Bxc6+ bxc6 17.Nb4 is equal.

15...g3+!?

• Black enters into a sharp pawn sacrifice.
• 15...Bxa2 16.h5 a6 17.Qc2 g3+ 18.Kxg3 Rg8+ 19.Kf3 Qd7 gives Black the advantage.

16.Kxg3 Rg8+ 17.Kf3

• 17.Kf2 Ng4+ 18.Ke2 Bxa2 19.Kd1 Qd7 20.Bb5 Bb3+ is equal.

17...Qe7?

• 17...Bxa2 18.Bd3 Qd7 19.Kf2 Qg4 gives Black the advantage in space.

18.Nd5

• 18.Nxe6 Qxe6 19.Qxh6 d5 20.Ke2 dxe4 21.Kd1 Rg6 22.Qf4 Qxa2 gives Black the advantage in space.

18...Nxe4

• If 18...Nxd5 19.exd5 Bxd5+ 20.Kf2 then:
• 20...Be4 21.d5 Nd8 22.Nf3 f5 23.Qxh6 leaves White a pawn up.
• 20...Be6 21.d5 Ne5 22.dxe6 Qxe6 23.Bb5+ c6 24.Be2 leaves White with an extra piece.

BLACK: Robert Hess
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Yury Shulman
Position after 18...Nf6e4:p


19.Nxc7+?

• White misses a win.
• 19.Kxe4! f5+ 20.Kd3 Bxd5 21.Rxe7+ Nxe7 22.Qxh6 Bxa2 23.h5 gives White a Queen to a Rook.

19...Qxc7?

• Black fails to fully capitalize on White's error.
• Better is 19...Kd7 20.Kxe4 Kxc7 21.Kd3 Qf6 when:
• 22.Nf3 Qg6+ 23.Ke2 Rae8 24.Kd1 Qb1+ 25.Qc1 Qxa2 is equal.
• 22.Qd1?! Rae8 23.Nf3 Bxa2 24.Rxe8 Rxe8 gives Black the advantage in space

20.Rxe4

• Although White missed a win on his previous move, he still picked up an extra pawn. That is probably good enough.

20...0-0-0 21.Kf2!

• 21.d5 Ne5+ 22.Ke2 Bg4+ 23.Ke1 f5 24.Re3 is equal.

21...d5 22.Rf4 Ne7 23.Bd3 Rg7

• After 23...Ng6 24.Bxg6 Rxg6 25.h5 Rg7 26.Nf3 Rdg8 27.Rh2 Bg4 White retains a small advantage in space.

24.Nf3 Rdg8 25.Rg1 Rg3

• After 25...Qd8 26.Ke1 Rg3 27.Qf2 Qa5 28.a3 R8g7 29.Ne5 White retains the extra pawn.

26.Ne5

• After 26.Rf6 h5 27.Qe2 R3g4 28.Ke1 Rf4 29.Rxf4 Qxf4 30.Kd1.

26...Nc6

• 26...R8g7 27.Rf3 Rxf3+ 28.gxf3 Rxg1 29.Kxg1 Ng8 30.Qg2 Qd8 31.Qg7 Qe8 32.Bb5! wins the c-pawn for White.

27.Nf3 h5 28.Be2

• The text is better than 28.Rf6 R3g4 29.Qh6 Qb6 30.Qc1.

28...R3g6

• If 28...R3g4 29.g3 Rxf4 30.Qxf4 Qa5 31.Ra1 Qb6 32.Rb1 then:
• 32...Qa5 33.Nd2 Qxa2 34.Bxh5 White still has the extra pawn.
• 32...Ne7 33.Bd3 Qa5 34.a3 gives White a considerable advantage in space and still has the extra pawn.

BLACK: Robert Hess
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Yury Shulman
Position after 28...Rg3g6

29.Ng5!

• White puts a stop to Black's dreams of kingside counterplay.

29...Bg4 30.Rxf7 Qb6

• White is now two pawns up.
• After 30...Qh2 31.Bxg4+ hxg4 32.Qf4 Qxf4+ 33.Rxf4 White will soon be three pawns to the good.

31.Bxg4+ hxg4 32.Re1 a5 33.b3 Kb8

• If 33...Nd8 34.Rf5 Rh8 35.g3 Qc6 36.Qf4 then:
• 36...Rhh6 37.c4 dxc4 38.Qxg4 Qd7 39.Rc5+ forces an exchange of Queens with White up by two pawns.
• 36...Rd6 37.Qxg4 Kb8 38.Qf3 a4 39.Ree5 Qa6 40.Rxd5 puts White four pawns to the good.

34.Qf4+ Ka7 35.Qxg4

• White has three extra pawns. Black can resign any time the spirit moves him.

35...Nd8 36.Rfe7 Qf6+ 37.Qf3

• Three pawns to the good, White invites Black to exchange Queens.

37...Qh8

• Of course, Black declines.

38.Qh3 Qf6+

• In a completely lost position, Black invites White to repeat moves.

39.Kg1

• of course, White declines.

39...Rf8 40.Qe3 Rh6 41.g3 Qc6 42.Rf1 Rhf6 43.Rxf6 Qxf6 44.Qe2 1-0

• After 44...Qd6 45.Kg2 Qc6 46.Ne6 then:
• 46...Nxe6 47.Qxe6 Qxc3 48.Qxd5 Qb4 49.Qc5+ Qxc5 50.dxc5 White has an easily won Rook and pawn ending.
• After 46...Rg8 47.Nc5 Qg6 48.Qe3 Qc2+ 49.Kh3 Qf5+ 50.Kh2 Qc2+ 51.Qe2 Qg6 52.Qg2 White still has a three-pawn advantage.
• Mr. Hess resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Paragua-Shabalov, Round 7

Reigning US national champion Alex Shabalov is today's most uncompromising exponent of the romantic school. Here he plays a system advocated by his mentor, the late former world champion Mikhail Tal.



Alex Shabalov
Photo: ChessBase.com


Mark Paragua - Alex Shabalov
Foxwoods Open, Round 7
Mashantucket, Connecticut, 22 March 2008

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

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 g6

• This opening, a refinement of the old Benoni Counter-Gambit (1.d4 c5), has been around since the period between the two World Wars. Some Soviet masters experimented with it in the early and middle 1950s, but it was not until the late 1950s when a young tactical genius from Latvia named Mikhail Tal ahowed what a potent weapon this set up is for Black.

6.Nc3 d6 7.e4

• If 7.g3 Bg7 8.Bg2 0-0 9.0-0 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:
• 12...Ne5 13.Nxe5 Rxe5 14.Bf4 Re8 15.Qc2 Nh5 16.Bd2 f5 17.e3 Bd7 18.a5 b5 19.axb6 Qxb6 gives Black the advantage in space (Ribli-Hertneck, IT, Dortmund, 1986).
• 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).

7...Bg7 8.Nd2

• 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 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:
  • If 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).
  • If 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).

8...0-0 9.Be2 Na6


• 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).

10.0-0 Nc7 11.Re1


• 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).
  • 12.Re1 Re8 13.f4 Rb8 14.Bf3 Ba6 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).

11...Re8

• 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).

12.Qc2 Rb8 13.a4 b6!?

• 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).

14.Nc4

• 14.Qd3 a6 15.Qf3 Ng4 16.Nc4 b5 17.axb5 axb5 18.Ne3 Ne5 gives White a small advantage in space.

14...Ba6 15.Bf4

• 15.Bg5 Rb7 16.Qd2 Qd7 17.Qf4 Bxc4 18.Bxc4 Ng4 19.Be2 Ne5 20.Bf6 gives White a considerable advantage in space.

15...Bxc4 16.Bxc4 a6 17.Qd3 Ng4

• If 17...b5 then:
• 18.axb5 axb5 19.Nxb5 Nxb5 20.Bxb5 Rxe4 21.Rxe4 Nxe4 22.Qxe4 Rxb5 23.Bxd6 Rxb2 24.Bxc5 Rd2 is equal.
• 18.Ba2?! drops a pawn to 18...c4 19.Qf1 b4 20.Nd1 c3 21.Bb1 cxb2 22.Ra2 b3 23.Ra3.

18.Qg3 Ne5 19.Bf1 b5!?

• White has more pieces better posted on the queenside, which makes this move look risky to say the least.
• If 19...Qd7 20.Bd3 Nxd3 21.Qxd3 then:
• After 21...f5 22.Qg3 Rbd8 23.f3 fxe4 24.fxe4 Bd4+ White has the advantage in space.
• 21...Rbd8 22.Bg5 Rb8 23.Qg3 f5 24.Bf4 Rbd8 25.f3 yields a small advantage in space to White.

20.axb5 axb5 21.Bg5 Qc8 22.Ra5

• White has the advantage in space.

22...c4 23.Na2 Na6 24.Nc3 Nc7 25.Be3

• 25.Be2 f5 26.f3 b4 27.Nd1 fxe4 28.fxe4 Qb7 29.Nf2 b3 30.Bd2 gives White the advantage in space, but Black's Knights have more potential in this position than White's Bishops.

25...Rb7 26.Na2

• White still has a small adavatage in space after 26.Rea1 f5 27.exf5 Qxf5 28.Ra7 Reb8 29.R7a5 Nf7.

26...Ng4 27.Qxd6 Bxb2

• The cross-sacrifice of pawns puts the game in high relief: White has the advantage in the center, Black on the queenside.

28.Qc5

• After 28.Qb4 Be5 29.g3 Nxe3 30.Rxe3 Qd7 each side put's the other's local supremacy under restraint.

28...Qd8 29.Qc6 Rb8 30.Bf4?

• 30.Bb6 Be5 31.h3 Bh2+ 32.Kh1 Bd6 33.Rxb5 yields an extra pawn for White.

BLACK: Alex Shabalov
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WHITE: Mark Paragua
Position after 30.Be3f4

30...Ne5!

• With all of the pawns on light squares, Black keeps his Knight for White's dark bound Bishop, preserving his own.
• Even better is to keep the Knights in a blocked center: if30...Be5!! 31.Bxe5 then:
• After 31...Rxe5 32.Rc1 Nxd5 33.Rxb5 Rxb5 34.Qxb5 Qh4 Black wins.
• If 31...Nxe5!? 32.Qc5 Ne6 then:
• 33.Qa3 Nd4 34.Nb4 Qg5 35.Re3 Ng4 36.Rg3 Qf4 gives Black a ferocious attack.
• After 33.dxe6 Qxa5 34.exf7+ Nxf7 35.Re2 Rbc8 36.Qd5 Rcd8 37.Qc5 Ne5 38.f4 Nd3 Black is an exchange to the good and his queenside pawns are moble.

31.Bxe5 Bxe5 32.Ra7 Qd6

• A faster win is 32...Nxd5! when:
• 33.exd5 Bxh2+! 34.Kxh2 Rxe1 35.Kg1 Qe8 36.Qxe8+ Rbxe8.
• Even worse for White is 33.Qxd5 Qxd5 34.exd5 Bxh2+ 35.Kxh2 Rxe1 36.Kg1 Ra1.

33.Qxd6

• If 33.g3 Rb6 34.Qxd6 Bxd6 35.Ra5 then:
• Black wins a pawn after 35...f5 36.Rb1 Rxe4.
• 35...Nxd5? fails to 36.Bxc4!.

33...Bxd6 34.g3 f6

• Black restrains White's center.
• If 34...Nxd5 35.Rd7 Nb4 36.Nc3 Bc5 37.Nxb5 then:
• 37...Nd3! 38.Rxd3 cxd3 39.Bxd3 Rbd8 40.Nc7 Re5 41.Bf1 Bb6 traps the Knight.
• 37...Rxb5?! 38.Bxc4! gets White back in the game.

35.Kg2 Ra8 36.Rxa8 Rxa8 37.Nc3 g5

• If 37...b4 38.Rc1 bxc3 39.Rxc3 f5 then:
• 40.f3 Be5 41.Rxc4 Ra2+ 42.Kh3 fxe4 43.fxe4 Kf8 gives Black a piece for two pawns.
• After 40.exf5 Ra5 41.Bxc4 Rc5 42.fxg6 hxg6 the pin at c4 gives Black greater mobility.

38.Rb1 b4 39.Nd1

• If 39.Ne2 Nb5 40.f4 Na3 41.Rd1 Nc2 then:
• After 42.Rc1 Ne3+ 43.Kf2 Bc5 44.Ke1 Re8 White's e-pawn falls.
• 42.Rb1 Ne3+ 43.Kf3 Bc5 44.Bh3 Ra3 45.Be6+ Kg7 gives Black a winning position.

39...c3 40.Ne3 Bc5 41.Bc4

• After 41.Nc2 Kf7 42.g4 Ra2 43.Bd3 Ke7 44.Kg3 Ra4 Black retains the advantage in space.

41...Kf8 42.Nc2 Ne8

• After 42...Re8 43.f3 Ke7 44.Kf1 Kd6 45.Bd3 Rb8 Black still has the advantage in space, but he is still not able to push any pawns.

43.f3 Nd6 44.Bb3 g4 45.h3 gxf3+!

• 45...gxh3+ 46.Kxh3 Kg7 47.Re1 Nf7 48.f4 h5 49.e5 allows White to break through with a central pawn duo.

46.Kxf3
BLACK: Alex Shabalov
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WHITE: Mark Paragua
Position after 46.Kg2f3:p

46...Re8!

• It is more important to first arrest counterplay in the center than on the kingside
• 46...h5?! 47.Rd1 Kf7 48.Na1 Ke7 49.Nc2 Nf7 50.d6+! (sacrificing a pawn in order to activate a Rook is often a good proposition in the endgame) 50...Nxd6 51.Rd5 Nb7 52.Rxh5 is equal.

47.Re1 Re5 48.g4 Ke7 49.Re2

• White is reduced to passivity. He can neither move his pawns nor take his Rook from the e-file.

49...Kd8 50.Re1 Kc7

• While White can only make waiting moves, Black brings his King into the fight.

51.h4 h6 52.Re2 Kb6 53.Ne1 Kb5 54.Nd3
BLACK: Alex Shabalov
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WHITE: Mark Paragua
Position after 54.Ne1d3

54...Nc4!!

• A final exchange sacrifice conclues the game.

55.Nxe5 Nxe5+ 56.Kg3 Nd3 57.Rc2 Bd6+ 0-1

• 58.Kh3 Nf4+ 59.Kg3 Ne2+ 60.Kf2 Nd4 wins a piece.
• 58.Kf3 Ne1+ wins the Rook.
• Mr. Paragua resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Friedel-Becerra, Round 9

Julio Becerra
Photo: Brooklyn College Chess Club



Josh Friedel - Julio Becerra
Foxwoods Open, Round 9
Mashantucket, Connecticut, 23 March 2008

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Chigorin Defense (Keres Variation)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Na5

• This is the oldest defense against the Spanish Grand Royal. It was developed into a system by the great 19th century Russian master, Mikhail Chigorin and remains the most frequent of many good ways to meetWhite' set up.

10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Nd7

• The text move was advocated in the 1960s by Paul Keres (1916-1975), perhaps the greatest authority of the Spanish Game from either side of the board in chess history. The system has survived in spite of Bobby Fischer pronouncing himself "unimpressed."
• The Chigorin Defense proper begins with 11...Qc7.
• If 11...Qc7 then:
• If 12.Nbd2 then:
• If 12...cxd4 then:
• 13.cxd4 then:
• If 13...Rd8 then:
• 14.b3 Nc6 15.Bb2 then:
• If 15...Bb7 16.Rc1 Qb6 then:
• 17.d5 17...Nb4 18.Bb1 a5 19.Qe2 Rdc8 20.a3 Na6 21.Bd3 Nc5 22.Qe3 Nfd7 23.Bf1 f5 draw (A. Volokitin-Bruzón, IT, Biel, 2006).
• If 17.Nf1 d5 18.exd5 Nxd5 19.Nxe5 Nxe5 20.dxe5 Bg5 21.Qh5 Bh6 then:
• 22.Be4 Nb4 23.e6 fxe6 24.Bxg7!? Bxg7 25.Qxh7+ Kf8 26.Bxb7 Qxb7 27.Rxe6 is unclear: White has three pawns for a piece and more space, but Black's defense looks solid (Correles-Hungaski, World Jr Ch, Yerevan, 2007).
• If 22.Ne3 Nxe3 23.Rxe3 Rd2 24.Qh4 Rxf2 25.Bd4 Rxg2+ 26.Kf1 Qa5 27.Be4 Qd2 28.Bxb7 Bxe3 White resigns in a mating attack (Grischuk-I. Smirin, Rapid, Odessa, 2007).
• If 15...exd4 16.Nxd4 Nxd4 17.Bxd4 Be6 18.Rc1 Qa5 then:
• 19.Bb1 d5 20.e5 Ne4 21.Nxe4 dxe4 22.Rxe4 Ba3 23.Rc2 Rd7 gives Black the advantage in space (Z. Almasi-Piket, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2002).
• If 19.Nf1 d5 20.e5 Ne4 21.f3 Ba3 22.fxe4 Bxc1 23.Qxc1 Rac8 24.Re2 draw (Mason-Taylor, British Ch, Swansea, 2006).
• If 14.Nf1 exd4 15.Nxd4 d5 16.e5 Ne4 17.f3 then:
• 17...Bc5 18.fxe4 dxe4 19.Be3 Bb7 20.e6 Nc4 21.Bb3 Nxe3 22.exf7+ Kh8 23.Nxe3 Rxd4 24.Qc2 Rd3 gives Black the advantage in space (Rimawi-Ismagambetov, Team Trmt, Macau, 2007).
• If 17...Ng5 18.Ng3 g6 19.Kh2 Ne6 20.Nxe6 fxe6 21.Bh6 Bf8 22.Bg5 Be7 23.Qc1 is equal (Sax-E. Torre, Adelaide, 1986).
• If 13...Bb7 14.Nf1 Rac8 then:
• 15.Bd3 d5 16.dxe5 Nxe4 17.Ng3 f5 18.exf6 Bxf6 19.Nxe4 dxe4 20.Bxe4 Rfd8 21.Qe2 Re8 22.Nd2 Qd7 23.Qf1 Nc6 24.Nb3 Nd4 25.Bxb7 Qxb7 26.Nxd4 Bxd4 draw (Geller-Keres, IT, Amsterdam, 1956).
• 15.Re2 d5 16.dxe5 Nxe4 17.Ng3 f5 18.exf6 Bxf6 19.Nxe4 dxe4 20.Bxe4 Rcd8 21.Qe1 Nc4 22.Ng5 Bxg5 23.Bxg5 Rd7 24.Bxb7 Qxb7 25.b3 Nb6 gives Black a small advantage in space (Beliavsky-Diesen, Op, Hastings, 1974).
• If 13...Nc6 then:
• If 14.Nb3 a5 15.Be3 a4 16.Nbd2 Bd7 17.Rc1 Qb7 then:
• If 18.Qe2 Rfe8 19.Bd3 Rab8 then:
  • 20.dxe5 Nxe5 21.Nxe5 dxe5 22.Bc5 Bc6 23.Bxe7 Rxe7 24.Nf3 h6 25.Rc5 Nd7 26.Rc3 Re6 is equal (Kramnik-Adams, MTel, Sofia, 2005).
  • 20.a3 exd4 21.Nxd4 Ne5 22.Bb1 b4 23.axb4 Qxb4 24.Rc2 d5 25.f4 Ng6 26.e5 Nxf4! gives Black an extra pawn (Goloshchapov-Shirov, Euro ChT, Rethymnon, 2003).
• If 18.Nf1 Rfe8 19.Ng3 Bd8 20.Qe2 h6 21.Red1 then:
  • 21...Rb8 22.Bb1 Bb6 23.dxe5 dxe5 24.Rd6 Re6 25.Nf5 Bxe3 26.Qxe3 Rxd6 27.Nxd6 Qb6 28.Qc5 gives White a comfortable lead in space (A. Volokitin-Perez, Ol. Calvia, 2004).
  • 21...Bb6 22.dxe5 dxe5 23.Nf5 Bxf5 24.Qxb5 Be6 25.Qxb6 Qxb6 26.Bxb6 Bxa2 27.Bxa4 Rxa4 28.Rxc6 Rxe4 is equal (Zhu Chen-Timoshchenko, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• 14.Nf1 exd4 15.Bf4 Qb6 16.Rc1 Be6 17.Ng3 Rac8 18.Bb1 g6 19.Ne2 d5 20.e5 Nd7 21.Nexd4 Nxd4 22.Qxd4 Bc5 23.Qd2 a5 is equal (Stoltz-Bogolyubov, IT, Munich, 1942).
• If 12...Nc6 13.d5 Nd8 then:
• If 14.a4 Rb8 15.axb5 axb5 then:
• 16.b4 c4 17.Nf1 Ne8 18.N3h2 f6 19.f4 Nf7 20.Nf3 g6 21.f5 Ng7 22.g4 Bd7 23.Be3 Ra8 24.Qd2 gives White the advantage in space (Karpov-Spassky, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1973).
• 16.Nf1 Ne8 17.g4 g6 18.Ng3 Ng7 19.Kh1 f6 20.Rg1 Nf7 21.Be3 Bd7 22.Qe2 Ra8 23.Nd2 Kh8 24.b3 Qb7 25.Bd3 Ra6 26.Rgb1 Rfa8 draw (Dr. Bernstein-Rubinstein, Group B, Ostend, 1907).
• If 14.Nf1 Ne8 15.g4 g6 16.Ng3 Ng7 17.Bh6 f6 18.Kh2 Nf7 19.Be3 Bd7 20.Rg1 Kh8 then:
• 21.a4 Qb7 22.b3 Qc8 23.Qf1 Ng5 24.Nh4 Nf7 25.Nf3 Ng5 26.Nh4 Nf7 27.Nf3 draw (Fejzullahu-Tisdall, Euro ChT, Fügen, 2006).
• 21.Qe2 Qc8 22.Rg2 Qb7 23.Rag1 c4 24.a3 Rfc8 25.Nd2 Qc7 gives White a slight advantage in space (Chajes-Grünfeld, IT, Carlsbad, 1923).
• If 12...Re8 13.Nf1 Bd7 14.Ne3 g6 then:
• 15.dxe5 dxe5 16.Nh2 Rad8 17.Qf3 Be6 18.Nhg4 Nxg4 19.hxg4 Nc4 20.Nd5 Bxd5 21.exd5 Nb6 22.Rd1 Rd6 23.a4 Red8 24.axb5 axb5 25.Be4 c4 26.Be3 Na4 27.Bc2 Nc5 28.g3 R6d7 29.Kg2 Bf8 30.Ra2 Qb7 31.Ra5 Qb6 gives White the advantage in space, but Black has his bases covered (Keres-Matanovic, Bled, 1961).
• 15.Bd2 Bf8 16.Rc1 Nc6 17.Bb1 Bg7 18.d5 Nd8 19.c4 Nb7 20.g4 Reb8 21.Bd3 Qd8 22.b3 b4 draw (Stein-Ivkov, Team M, Lvov, 1962).
• If 12...Rd8 then:
• If 13.d5 c4 14.Nf1 Nb7 15.Ng3 a5 16.Nh2 Nc5 then:
• 17.f4 b4 18.Nf3 Rb8 19.cxb4 axb4 20.b3 c3 21.f5 Ba6 gives Black a comfortable advantage in space (Kindermann-Jussupow, Hamburg, 1991).
• 17.a3 Rb8 18.f4 Bd7 19.Qf3 Nb3 20.Bxb3 cxb3 21.Kh1 Bc8 22.fxe5 dxe5 23.Nf5 Bxf5 24.Qxf5 is equal (Leko-Zayac, Rapid, Oviedo, 1993).
• 13.b3 Bd7 14.d5 c4 15.b4 Nb7 16.a4 a5 17.Ba3 axb4 18.Bxb4 Nc5 19.axb5 Bxb5 20.Bxc5 Qxc5 21.Ba4 Nd7 22.Bxb5 Qxb5 23.Rb1 Qc5 24.Rb4 Nb6 25.Qe2 Ra6 26.Reb1 Rda8 gives Black the advantage in space, but White can play 27.Nxc4 and cloud the position some (Adams-E. Torre, Ol, Bled, 2002).
• If 12.d5 Bd7 then:
• If 13.Nbd2 c4 14.Nf1 Nb7 then:
• 15.Ng3 Nc5 16.Be3 a5 17.a3 Rfb8 18.Nd2 Ne8 19.f4 Bd8 20.Kh2 Qc8 21.Qe2 Bb6 22.Rf1 f6 23.Nh5 Qd8 24.Rf3 Bc8 gives Black the advantage in space (P. Smirnov-Romanov. Areoflot Op, Moscow, 2008).
• 15.g4 h5 16.N3h2 hxg4 17.hxg4 Qd8 18.Ne3 g6 19.Kg2 Kg7 20.f3 Rh8(Keres-Friedmann, Estonian Ch, Tallinn, 1935).
• If 13.b3 Nb7 14.Nbd2 g6 15.Nf1 Nh5 16.Bh6 Ng7 17.Qd2 then:
• 17...f6 18.g4 Nd8 19.Ng3 Nf7 20.Be3 a5 21.a4 bxa4 22.bxa4 Rab8 23.Reb1 Rxb1+ 24.Rxb1 Rb8 25.Qd1 gives White the advantage in space (Karjakin-Pentala, IT, Dos Hermanas, 2005).
• 17...a5 18.g4 c4 19.b4 axb4 20.cxb4 Ra3 21.Re3 Rfa8 22.Rxa3 Rxa3 23.Qe2 Qc8 24.Ng3 Qa8 is equal (Bologan-Krnan, Canadian Op, Edmonton, 2005).

12.Nbd2

• 12.dxc5 dxc5 13.Nbd2 then:
• 13...Qc7 14.Nf1 Nf6 15.Ne3 Rd8 16.Qe2 Be6 17.Nd5 Nxd5 18.exd5 Bxd5 19.Nxe5 Ra7 20.Bf4 Qb6 21.Rad1 g6 22.Ng4 Nc4 23.Bh6 Be6 24.Bb3 (Black has the advantage in space, but White is prepared to exchange Black's strongest pieces) 24...Qb8 25.Rxd8+ Bxd8 26.Bxc4 bxc4 27.Qxc4 gives White the advantage in space and deadly threats against the Black King (Fischer-Keres, Candidates' Trmt, Curaçao, 1962).
• 13...f6 14.Nh4 Nb6 15.Nf5 Rf7 16.Nxe7+ Rxe7 17.Qf3 Be6 18.Nf1 Rd7 19.Ne3 c4 20.Nf5 Na4 21.Bxa4 bxa4 22.Be3 Rd3 is equal (Fischer-Ivkov, Capablanca Mem, Havana, 1965).

12...exd4 13.cxd4 Nc6

• 13...cxd4 14.Nxd4 Bf6 15.Nf1 Nc4 16.Rb1 Nc5 17.b3 Ne5 18.Bb2 Qb6 19.Qd2 Bb7 20.Nf5 Rad8 21.Bd4 Qc7 22.N1g3 g6 23.Nh6+ Kh8 24.Bc3 is equal (Ivanchuk-Piket, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 1993).

14.d5 Nce5 15.a4

• 15.Nxe5 Nxe5 16.f4 Ng6 17.Nf3 Bh4 18.Nxh4 Qxh4 19.f5 Ne5 20.Rf1 Bd7 21.Bf4 Qe7 22.Qe1 f6 23.Qg3 Rfe8 24.b3 a5 is equal (Damljanovic-Ponomariov, Euro ChT, Plovdiv, 2003).

15...Rb8

• 15...b4 16.Nxe5 Nxe5 17.f4 Ng6 18.Nc4 a5 19.e5 Bb7 20.Qd3 dxe5 21.f5! b3 22.Bb1 Bh4 23.fxg6 fxg6 24.Rd1 givews White a piece for two pawns (Shchekachev-Graf, Corsica Masters, Corse, 2005).

16.axb5 axb5 17.Nxe5

• 17.Nh2 Bg5 18.g3 Bf6 19.Ra2 g5 20.Qh5 Bg7 21.Ndf3 h6 22.Nxe5 dxe5 23.Ng4 Rb6 24.Be3 Rg6 gives White a considerable advantage in space (Palac-Nikolac, Croatian Cup, Sibenik, 2005).

17...Nxe5 18.f4 Ng6 19.Nf3 f5!?

• If 19...Bh4 then:
• 20.Nxh4 Qxh4 21.f5 Ne5 22.Rf1 Bd7 23.Bf4 Ra8 24.Qd2 Qe7 is equal (Anand-Ponomariov, World Rapid Ch, Mainz, 2002).
• 20.Rf1 Bg3 21.f5 Ne5 22.Ng5 Bh4 23.Qh5 Bxg5 24.Bxg5 f6 25.Bf4 is equal (Anand-Bruzón, Rapid Trmt, León, 2006).

20.exf5

• If 20.e5 Bb7 21.Ra7 dxe5 22.Nxe5 Bh4 then:
• 23.Nxg6 hxg6 24.Re6 Qxd5 25.Qxd5 Bxd5 26.Rxg6 Bf6 is equal.
• 23.Re2 Nxe5 24.Rxe5 Qb6 25.Ra3 gives White the advantage in space.

20...Bxf5 21.Bxf5 Rxf5 22.g4

• White has the advantage in space.
• The key for Black is to keep his queenside pawns moble as they will be an advantage in the endgame.

22...Rxf4!?

• The exchange sacrifice is interesting and provokative. Black is inviting White to attack on the kingside, confident that he can repel the attack and exchange down to a superior ending.
• 22...Rf7 23.f5 Nh4 24.Nd2 g6 25.fxg6 hxg6 is equal.

23.Bxf4 Nxf4 24.Qd2

• White has a Rook for a pawn and a minor piece. He also has more space on the kingside. It is clear that he should attack there.
• White's plan is to use the open files to penetrate Black's camp with his Rooks.
• font color="red"]24.Kh2 Qd7 25.Qd2 Rf8 26.Rf1 Qb7 27.Rad1 is equal.

24...Ng6?!

• One should be more careful when playing povocateur chess. This move allows White some genuine chances.
• If 24...Bg5 25.Qh2 Bh6 26.Qg3 Qf6 27.Kh1 g5 28.Ra6 Bg7 29.Ne5 Re8 30.Nd7 Qg6 is equal.
• 25...Nd3 26.Nxg5 Qxg5 27.Qxd6 Qd8 28.Qxd8+ Rxd8 29.Re7 is clearly in White's favor.

25.Qe3 Qd7

• 25...Bf6 26.Qe6+ Kh8 27.Ra6 Ne5 28.Nxe5 Bxe5 29.Rc6 c4 30.Re2 gives White a nice advantage in space.

26.Qe6+ Qxe6 27.Rxe6 b4 28.g5

• If 28.Ra7 Bf6 29.b3 c4 then:
• 30.Rd7 Nf8 31.Rxf6 Nxd7 32.Rxd6 cxb3 33.Rxd7 b2 34.Nd2 Rc8 gives Black a tactical edge.
• 32...Nb6 33.Nd4 cxb3 34.Nxb3 is equal.
• If 30.Rxd6 cxb3 31.Rxf6 gxf6 32.Nd2 b2 33.Ra2 Nf4 leaves Black a pawn to the good.

BLACK: Julio Becerra
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WHITE: Josh Friedel
Position after 28.g4g5

28...Bf8!

• A good move that keeps the g-pawn protected.
• After 28...Rf8?! 29.Nh4 Nxh4 30.Rxe7 Nf3+ 31.Kg2 Nxg5 32.Raa7 White's Rooks give him the better game.

29.Re4

• If 29.Rd1 c4 30.Rc1 c3 31.bxc3 Rc8 then:
• If 32.Rxg6 hxg6 33.c4 Be7 34.Kf2 Bd8 35.Ke2 Bb6 36.Nd2 is equal.
• If 32.c4 Nf4 33.Re4 then:
• 33...Nxd5 34.Kf2 34...Nb6 35.Rb1 Nxc4 36.Rd4 Ne5 37.Nxe5 dxe5 38.Rd7 Rc4 is equal.
• 34.Rd4 Nb6 35.Nd2 d5 36.Kf1 dxc4 37.Ke2 b3 keeps Black's pawns moble.

29...Ne7 30.Rd1 Ra8 31.Nh4 g6

31...Ra2 32.Re2 g6 33.Kf2 Kf7 34.Rd3 Ra1 35.Ng2 Bg7 gives White a theoretical lead in material, but Black has more than enough space in compensation.

32.Re6 Rd8 33.Kg2

• 33.b3 Nc8 34.Ng2 Bg7 35.Ne3 Nb6 36.Kg2 Bd4 37.Kf3 leaves White slightly better owing to his theoretical advantage in material and a minute spatial edge.

33...Rd7

• If 33...b3 34.Rd2 c4 then:
• After 35.Kf3 Rb8 36.Rd1 c3 37.bxc3 Nxd5 38.Rxd5 b2 39.Re1 White is forced to give up the Rook for the advanced pawn.
• After 35.Nf3 Nf5 36.Nd4 Bg7 37.Nc6 Rf8 White has no threats and Black can't make any progress with his queenside pawns.

34.Kf3

• 34.b3 Bg7 35.Kf3 Be5 36.Ke4 Bg3 37.Nf3 Ra7 38.h4 White's material edge is underscored with better mobility.

34...b3 35.Re3

• 35.Rd2 Bg7 36.Ng2 Nf5 37.Kg4 Ra7 38.Re8+ Kf7 39.Rb8 c4 is balanced.

35...Rb7 36.Re6 Rd7

• Strong for White is 36...Nf5? 37.Nxf5 gxf5 38.Kf4.

37.Re2 Bg7 38.Ke4 Rb7 39.Ra1?!

• If 39.Ng2 Nf5 40.Kd3 Ng3 41.Rf2 Rb4 then:
• 42.Rf4 Rxf4 43.Nxf4 Bxb2 44.Kc4 Be5 45.Nd3 makes it diffcult for Black to push or even protect the b-pawn.
• 42.Ra1 Rd4+ 43.Ke3 h6 44.Nf4 hxg5 45.Nxg6 Kh7 46.Ne7 c4 keeps Black's pawn majority moble.

BLACK: Julio Becerra
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WHITE: Josh Friedel
Position after 39.Rd1a1


39...Rb4+!

• If 39...Bf8 40.Ra4 Nc8 then:
• After 41.Rf2 Re7+ 42.Kd3 Nb6 43.Ra6 Nxd5 44.Kc4 Nc7 45.Ra7 the pin at c7 limits Black's mobility.
• After 41.Ng2 Nb6 42.Ra3 Nc4 43.Ra8 Re7+ 44.Kd3 Rxe2 45.Kxe2 Nxb2 46.Nf4 White's superior pieces will prove faster than Black's passed pawns.

40.Kf3 Be5

• If 40...Nxd5 41.Ra8+ then:
• If 41...Bf8 42.Kg3 Rb7 43.Rf2 Rf7 44.Rf3 c4 45.Rc8 Nb6 46.Rxf7 Kxf7 47.Rc7+ Be7 Black's pawns look better than White's Rook.
• If 41...Kf7 42.Ra7+ then:
• 42...Kf8 43.Ng2 Rb8 44.Rd2 Ne7 45.Kf4 d5 Black's pawns appear stronger than White's pieces.
• 43.Ra8+ Kf7 44.Ra7+ draws.

41.Ng2

• If 41.Ra8+ Kf7 42.Ra7 Rf4+ then:
• 43.Kg2 Rxh4 44.Rxe5 dxe5 45.d6 Ke6 46.dxe7 Kf7 leaves Black a pawn up; White will not be able to queen the e-pawn.
• 43.Kg3 Ra4+ 44.Rxe5 Rxa7 45.Re6 Rd7 will soon net Black a second pawn.

41...Nxd5 42.Ra8+ Kf7 43.Ra7+ Ke6

• 43...Ne7 44.h4 Ke6 45.Kf2 Rg4 46.Rb7 c4 gives Black more mobility.

44.Rxh7 c4 45.Rh4 Ra4 46.Rd4?

• 46.Ne3 Nxe3 47.Rxe3 Rb4 48.Re2 Kf5 49.Rhe4 Kxg5 restores the asymmetrical material balance.

BLACK: Julio Becerra
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WHITE: Josh Friedel
Position after 46.Rh4d4

46...Nb6!

• This over covers both the pawn and the Rook, Black's two most critical points.
• Black will have a difficult time making progress after 46...Ra2 47.Rxc4 Rxb2 48.Rxb2 Bxb2 49.Ke2 Bc3 50.Kd3 Be5.

47.Rd1

• If 47.h4 Ra2 48.Nf4+ Kf7 49.Rde4 Rxb2 50.Nxg6 Rxe2 51.Nxe5+ dxe5 52.Rxe2 c3 53.Rxe5 c2 wins for Black.
• 48.Rde4 Kd7 49.Ne3 Bxb2 50.Nxc4 Nxc4 51.Rxc4 Bg7 Black's passed pawn more than compensates for a slight material deficit.

47...Ra2

• White's b-pawn falls.

48.Kg4

• If 48.Rdd2 c3 49.bxc3 Rxd2 50.Rxd2 Nc4 then:
• After 51.Rd1 b2 52.Nh4 Kf7 53.Ke2 Na3 the pawn queens and the Rook falls.
• After 51.Ke2 b2 52.Rd1 Na3 it will cost White a Rook to stop the pawn.

48...Nd5 49.Rdd2 c3 50.bxc3 Nxc3

• After 50...Rxd2 51.Rxd2 Bxc3 52.Rd1 b2 53.Rb1 Ke5 Black's pieces are more active.

51.Nf4+ Kf7 52.Rf2 Ra4

• If 52...Bd4 53.Rxd4 Rxf2 54.Rb4 b2 55.Rb7+ Ke8 then:
• 56.Nd3 Rg2+ 57.Kf3 Rxg5 58.Rxb2 Rf5+ 59.Kg4 Nd5 Black is now "only" a pawn up.
• 56.Rb8+ Kd7 57.Nd3 b1Q 58.Rxb1 Rg2+ 59.Kf3 Rd2 remains a won game for Black.

53.Rf1

• 53.Rf3 Ne4 54.Rh2 Nc5 55.h4 Kg7 56.Rhf2 Rb4 wins for Black.

53...Rb4 54.h4 Ke8

• 54...Kg8 55.Rf3 Ne4 56.Rg2 Nc5 57.Rgf2 b2 58.Rxb2 Bxb2 leaves Black a piece to the good.

55.h5 b2 56.Rxb2

• White is forced to part with a piece. If there were no hopes riding on the kingside pawn majority, White would have resigned here.

56...gxh5+ 57.Kxh5 Rxb2 58.Nd3

• 58.Kg6 Ke7 59.Re1 Rd2 60.Kh7 Kd7 61.Ng6 Ke6 prepares the Black pawn for the march to Scone.

58...Rh2+ 59.Kg6 Bh8

• If 59...Ke7 60.Rf3 Nd5 then:
• 61.Nxe5 dxe5 62.Kf5 Kd6 63.g6 Ne7+ 64.Kf6 e4 65.Ra3 Rf2+ 66.Kg5 Nf5 stops White's pawn from going any further.
• 61.Kf5 Re2 62.Kg6 Ke6 63.Kh5 Rh2+ 64.Kg4 Rg2+ 65.Kh5 Bd4 Black is a piece to the good with his Rook behind White's passer.

60.Rf7 Bd4 61.Nb4

• 61.Nf4 Rf2 62.Rf5 Be3 63.Nd3 Rg2 64.Nf4 Rg1 ties up White in defense of his last pawn.

61...Re2 62.Rh7

• Black wins after 62.Nc6 Re6+ 63.Kf5 Kxf7 64.Nd8+ Kg8 65.Kxe6 d5.

62...d5 63.Kf5 Re5+ 64.Kf4 Ne2+ 65.Kf3

• 65.Kg4 Re4+ 66.Kf3 Ng1+ 67.Kg2 Rg4+ 68.Kf1 Rxg5 increases Black's material advantage.

65...Bc5 66.Na6

• If 66.Nc6 Re3+ 67.Kg4 d4 68.g6 d3 then:
• 69.Rb7 d2 70.Rb1 Re4+ 71.Kf3 Nc3 Black will promote the pwn by force.
• After 69.g7 Rg3+ 70.Kf5 d2 71.Rh8+ Kf7 the pawn cannot safely promote.

66...Bd6 67.g6 Nd4+ 68.Kg4 Ne6 0-1

• After 69.g7 Rg5+ 70.Kf3 Rxg7 71.Rxg7 Nxg7 Black will escort his pawn up the board while the White Knight is immoblized.
• After 69.Kf3 Rg5 70.Ke3 Rxg6 71.Ra7 Rg3+ 72.Kf2 Rb3 White is helpless.
• Mr. Friedel resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Hess-Ivanov, Round 3

Robert Hess is a New York teenager who pkays linebacker for his high school's football team.

A newly minted international master, the young man earned a GM norm by scoring 7 points in the Foxwoods Open.



Robert Hess
Photo: New York Daily News


Robert Hess - Alexander Ivanov
Foxwoods Open, Round 3
Mashantucket, Connecticut, 20 March 2008

Closed German Game: Robatsch Defense

1.e4 g6

• In this game, Black elects to arrive at a German formation by transposition from a Moorish King's Fianchetto, conventionally called the Robatsch Defense. The purpose of this debut is to play a non-theoretical opening. throwing White on his own resources early. The result is a closed position requiring patience and skill. It is a good opening for a player who has confidence in his positional judgment.

2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c6

• 3...d6 4.Bd3 Nf6 5.Nf3 is the Moorish Dragon Defense, conventionally called the Pirc Defense.

4.h4

• If 4.Nf3 then:
• 4...d6 5.Be2 Nf6 6.0-0 0-0 is another variation of the Moorish Dragon.
• 4...d5 5.h3 Nf6 6.e5 Ne4 7.Nxe4 dxe4 8.Ng5 is a rarely played variation of the German Game.
• If 4.f4 then:
• 4...d5 5.e5 h5 6.Nf3 then:
• 6...Bg4 7.h3 Bxf3 8.Qxf3 e6 9.Be3 h4 10.Bd3 Nh6 11.0-0 Nf5 12.Bf2 Bf8 13.Ne2 Nd7 14.b3 Ba3 15.c4 a5 16.Rab1 Nb8 17.Rfd1 Na6 18.Nc3 Be7 19.Bf1 0-0 is equal (Leskur-Sanduleac, Op, Palanka, 2001).
• 6...Nh6 7.Be3 Bg4 8.Be2 e6 9.Qd2 Nd7 10.g3 Bf8 11.h3 Bxf3 12.Bxf3 Nf5 13.Bf2 h4 14.g4 Ng3 15.Rg1 Qb6 16.0-0-0 Qa6 17.Qd3 Qxd3 18.Rxd3 c5 19.Nb5 c4 20.Rdd1 Rc8 21.Bxg3 hxg3 22.Rxg3 gives White the advantage in space (Arnason-Christiansen, Op, Reykjavik, 1986).
• 4...d6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.Be3 Qb6 7.Qd2 Bxf3 8.gxf3 Nd7 9.0-0-0 Qa5 10.Kb1 b5 11.e5 d5 12.h4 e6 is equal (Barnes-Rhode, Lone Pine, 1975).
• If 4.Bc4 d6 5.Qf3 e6 6.Nge2 then:
• 6...Nd7 then:
• 7.0-0 Ngf6 8.Bb3 0-0 9.Bg5 then:
• 9...h6 10.Bh4 e5 11.Rad1 Qe7 12.Qe3 Re8 13.f4 exd4 14.Qxd4 Nxe4 15.Bxe7 Bxd4+ 16.Rxd4 Nxc3 17.Nxc3 Rxe7 18.Rxd6 Nf8 19.Rd8 gives White the advantage in space (Nunn-Fauland, Vienna, 1991).
• 9...b5 10.a3 Qc7 11.d5 cxd5 12.exd5 Bb7 13.Nxb5 Qc5 14.Nbc3 Nxd5 15.Nxd5 Bxd5 16.Bxd5 exd5 17.c3 Ne5 18.Qg3 Rab8 19.Rab1 Nc4 20.b4 Qc6 is equal (Rublevsky-Iordachescu, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• 7.Bf4 Qe7 8.Bb3 e5 9.dxe5 dxe5 10.Be3 Ngf6 11.g4 Nf8 12.g5 Nh5 13.Ng3 Nf4 14.h4 N8e6 15.0-0-0 0-0 16.Nf5 gxf5 17.exf5 Nc5 18.Bxc5 Qxc5 19.f6 Bh8 20.Ne4 Qb4 is equal (Black's extra Bishop is entombed and thus doesn't count) (Norwood-Webster, Prestwich, 1990).
• 6...b5 7.Bb3 a5 8.a3 Ba6 9.d5 cxd5 10.exd5 e5 11.Ne4 h6 12.g4 Nf6 13.N2g3 Nxe4 14.Nxe4 0-0 15.Qh3 f5 16.gxf5 Bc8 17.Ng3 Rxf5is equal (Rublevsky-Piket, Montecatini Terme, 2000).

4...d5

• 4...h5 5.Bc4 then:
• 5...d5 6.exd5 b5 7.Bd3 b4 8.Ne4 cxd5 9.Ng5 Nc6 10.N1f3 Bg4 11.c3 Qa5 12.Bd2 Nh6 13.0-0 0-0 14.Re1 e6 is equal (Romero-Kantsler, Euro ChT, Halkidiki, 2002).
• 5...b5 6.Bb3 a5 7.a3 Ba6 8.Qf3 e6 9.e5 d5 10.exd6 Qxd6 11.Ne4 Qxd4 12.Ne2 Qd7 13.Bg5 gives White the advantage in space (Romero-González, Spanish ChT, Cala Galdana, 2001).

5.e5 f6!?

• The opening has provided what Black desired: equality and an early exit from opening theory.
• 5...h5 6.Nh3 Bxh3 7.Rxh3 e6 8.Bg5 Qb6 9.Qd2 Nd7 10.0-0-0 gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Dignam-Chaplin, British Ch, Douglas (Isle of Man), 2005).

6.f4

• 6.Bf4 Qb6 7.Na4 Qa5+ 8.c3 Nd7 9.Nf3 gives White the edge in development.

6...h5

• In an undeveloped position, White is enjoying the advantage in space.
• 6...Nh6 7.h5 Bg4 8.Be2 gxh5 9.Qd3 Na6 10.exf6 exf6 11.a3 gives Black an extra pawn although White still has the Advantage in space.

7.Bd3 Kf7 8.Qe2 Nh6 9.Be3

• 9.e6+ Bxe6 10.Bxg6+ Kxg6 11.Qxe6 Qd6 12.Qh3 e5 White still the advantage in space.

9...Bg4 10.Nf3 Nf5

• If 10...Rf8 11.0-0-0 Nf5 12.Qf2 Kg8 13.Rde1 then:
• 13...Qc8 14.exf6 exf6 15.Re2 Re8 16.Bd2 Rxe2 17.Nxe2 is equal.
• 13...Na6 14.a3 Nc7 15.exf6 Bxf6 16.Bd2 e6 17.Ne2 is equal.

11.Qf2

• White continues to enjoy the space advantage after 11.Bf2 Bh6 12.g3 Rf8 13.0-0-0 Kg8 14.Kb1.

11...Nd7 12.Bd2 Bxf3 13.gxf3

• The pawn capture is the obvious choice since 13.Qxf3 drops a pawn to 13...Nxd4.
• What is more important is that the g-file is now open for White. White should bring his pieces to the kingside with maneuvers like Rh1-g1-g2 and 0-0-0 followed by Rdg1. Nevertheless, Black can hold the balance even if White accomplishes this task. The likely outcome of this game at this time is a draw.

13...Qb6

• After 13...e6 14.0-0-0 Qb6 15.Bxf5 gxf5 16.Rh2 c5 17.Be3 Qc6 18.Rg2 Rhg8 19.Rdg1 White continues to have more space and has pressure on the g-file.

14.Na4 Qc7 15.Rg1 e6 16.0-0-0 Rag8

• Better is 16...Rhg8 17.Rg2 b5 18.Nc3 b4 19.Ne2 c5 20.Rdg1 with equality.

17.Rg2

• After 17.Kb1 b5 18.Nc3 b4 19.Na4 Qa5 20.b3 Bf8 21.a3 White has the advantage in space.

17...Bf8

• If 17...b5 18.Nc3 b4 19.Bxf5 then:
• 19...gxf5 20.Ne2 c5 21.Rdg1 cxd4 22.Nxd4 Qb6 is equal.
• If 19...exf5 20.Ne2 c5 21.Rdg1 then:
• 21...Bh6 22.e6+ Kxe6 23.Rxg6 Rxg6 24.Rxg6 Kf7 25.Rg2 a5 is equal; Black should deploy on the queenside.
• 21...Rh6 22.dxc5 Nxc5 23.Qd4 Ne6 24.Qxd5 Rd8 25.Qb3 leaves White a pawn to the good.

18.Rdg1

• Mission accomplished.

18...Be7 19.Nc3

• 19.Kb1 b5 20.Nc3 b4 21.Nd1 Qb6 22.Bxf5 gxf5 23.Be3 is equal.

19...Qd8

• 19...Qb6 20.Ne2 c5 21.Bxf5 gxf5 22.Bc3 Qb5 23.dxc5 Bxc5 24.Bd4 Be7 25.Kb1 gives Black a small advantage in space, but White may have some opportunities to fight back.

BLACK: Alexander Ivanov
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WHITE: Robert Hess
Position after 19...Qc7d8

20.Ne4!?

• If 20.Be1 c5 21.Bxf5 gxf5 22.Ne2 Rxg2 then:
• 23.Rxg2 23...Rg8 24.Rxg8 Qxg8 25.Bc3 Qg6 is equal.
• 23.Qxg2 Rg8 24.Qf2 Rxg1 25.Qxg1 Qc7 26.Ng3 cxd4 27.Nxh5 Bf8 is equal.

20...dxe4 21.fxe4 Nh6

• This makes a target of the Knight at h6 and allows White to open the kingside to his advantage.
• 21...Nxd4 22.Qxd4 Bc5 23.Qc4 Bxg1 24.Rxg1 fxe5 25.fxe5 is unclear: White has a huge advantage in space to compensate for his theoretical material deficit.

22.f5 Ng4?

• Better is 22...Nxf5 23.exf5 gxf5 24.Be2 when:
• If 24...Rg4! 25.Bxg4 hxg4 then:
• If 26.h5 then:
• 26...Ke8 27.Rh1 c5 28.d5 Qb6 29.dxe6 Qxe6 30.Kb1 is equal.
• 26...fxe5 27.Rxg4 Bf6 28.R4g3 exd4 29.h6 gives White a small advantage in space.
• 26.Rh1 fxe5 27.Rxg4 Nf6 28.Rg2 Qxd4 29.Qg3 Rg8 30.Bg5 Qd5 gives Black a huge advantage in space.
• After 24...Rf8? White wins with 25.Qg3 Ke8 26.Bxh5+ Rxh5 27.Qg6+.

23.fxe6+

• White's pawn structure is ugly, but it works.

23...Kg7

• If 23...Ke8 24.Rxg4 hxg4 25.exd7+ Kxd7 then:
• If 26.Rxg4 fxe5 27.dxe5 then:
• 27...c5 28.Bg5 Bxg5+ 29.Rxg5 Qe7 30.Bc4 Rf8 31.e6+ Kc6 32.Qg3 gives White a considerable advantage in space.
• 27...Rxh4 28.Rxh4 Bxh4 29.e6+ Kc8 30.Qxa7 gives White a huge advantage in space.
• 26.e6+ Kxe6 27.Bc4+ Kd7 28.Bxg8 Qxg8 is equal.

BLACK: Alexander Ivanov
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WHITE: Robert Hess
Position after 23...Kf7g7

24.Rxg4!!

• The exchange sacrifice opens the kingside and begins the final assault.
• Also winning is 24.exd7 Qxd7 25.Bc4 Re8 26.e6 Qc8 27.Be3 when:
• 27...Reg8 28.Qf4 White is up by a pawn and is beginning to cast a net about Black's King.
• 27...Nxf2?? 28.Rxg6+ Kf8 29.Bh6+ Rxh6 30.Rg8#.

24...hxg4 25.Rxg4 Nf8

• No better is 25...Rh5 26.exd7 fxe5 27.Bc4 Rf8 28.Qg1 g5 29.dxe5 Qxd7 30.e6.

26.exf6+ Bxf6 27.e5 Rh5

• The threat of mate on f7 keeps the Bishop on f6.

28.exf6+ Qxf6 29.Rf4 Qxe6 30.d5 Qxd5 31.Rf7+ 1-0

• After 31...Qxf7 32.Bc3+ Kh6 33.Qxf7 it's time to turn the lights out.
• Mr. Ivanov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Ivanov-Esserman, Round 2

Alexander Invanov
Photo: SMART School


Alexander Ivanov - Marc Esserman
Foxwoods Open, Round 2
Mashantucket, Connecticut, 20 March 2008

Open Sicilian Game: Zagreb Opening

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.g3!?

• While there is no refutation to this move, it is inconsistant with sound opening principles. It impresses one a a bit clumsy to spend two tempi developing the King's Bishop on the flank in an open game when the simple 6.Bc4 has been played successfully by so many, especially the late Bobby Fischer.

6...e6

• If 6...e5 then:
• If 7.Nde2 Be7 8.Bg2 0-0 9.0-0 Nbd7 10.a4 b6 11.h3 Bb7 12.g4 b5 13.Ng3 b4 14.Na2 a5 15.c3 then:
• 15...b3 16.Qxb3 Nc5 17.Qc2 Bc6 18.Be3 Bxa4 19.Qe2 g6 20.Bxc5 dxc5 21.c4 Bb3 gives Black a comfortable advantage in space (Matulovic-Barczay, Skopje, 1970).
• 15...Ba6 16.Re1 bxc3 17.Nxc3 Nc5 18.Bf1 Bxf1 19.Kxf1 g6 20.Be3 Rc8 21.Kg2 Qd7 22.g5 Ne8 23.Nd5 gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Matulovic-Tringov, Sarajevo, 1965).
• If 7.Nb3 Be7 8.Bg2 0-0 9.0-0 Nbd7 10.a4 b6 then:
• 11.Nd2 Qc7 12.Re1 Bb7 13.Nf1 Rac8 14.Ne3 g6 15.Re2 Rfd8 16.Ned5 Nxd5 17.Nxd5 Bxd5 18.Qxd5 Qc4 19.Qxc4 Rxc4 20.Be3 Rb8 21.Rd2 Nc5 gives Black the advantage in space (Kudrin-J. Shahade, US Ch, Seattle, 2002).
• 11.Qe2 Bb7 12.Rd1 Qc7 13.Nd2 Rac8 14.Nf1 Nc5 15.Bg5 Ne6 16.Be3 Rfe8 17.Rac1 h6 18.f3 Nc5 is equal (Jevtic-Tringov, Novi Sad, 1983).

7.Bg2 Qc7 8.0-0 Be7

• If 8...Nc6 9.Re1 then:
• If 9...Be7 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.e5 dxe5 12.Rxe5 then:
• If 12...0-0 13.Bf4 Qb7 14.Na4 Nd5 15.Bd2 Bf6 then:
• 16.Re2 a5 17.Rb1 Rd8 18.Qe1 Qa7 19.c4 Nb6 20.Be3 Bd4 21.Nxb6 Qxb6 22.Rd1 Bb7 23.Red2 Bxe3 24.Qxe3 Rxd2 25.Rxd2 Qb4 26.c5 gives White better pawn structure and in the long run will obtain more space (Ivanov-Ashley, Op, Philadelphia, 1989).
• 16.Re4 e5 17.c4 Ne7 18.Bc3 Bf5 19.Re1 Rfd8 20.Qb3 Qc7 is unclear: the count is in flux (Movsesian-Suran, Op, Mlada Boleslav, 1993).
• 12...Bb7 13.Re1 c5 14.Bf4 Qc8 15.Bxb7 Qxb7 16.b3 0-0 17.Qe2 c4 18.Ne4 Rfc8 19.Nd6 Bxd6 20.Bxd6 Qc6 21.Be5 Nd5 22.Bd4 Ne7 23.Rad1 Nf5 24.Ba1 h6(Evans-Portisch, Amsterdam, 1971).
• If 9...Rb8 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.e5 dxe5 12.Rxe5 Bd6 then:
• 13.Re1 0-0 14.b3 c5 15.Qe2 Bb7 16.Bxb7 Qxb7 17.Ne4 Nxe4 18.Qxe4 Rfc8 19.Bb2 c4 20.Rad1 Bb4 draw (Leko-Lautier, Horgen, 1994).
• 13.Re2 0-0 14.b3 Rd8 15.Qe1 e5 16.Bg5 h6 17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Re4 Be6 19.Rh4 Bf8 20.Qe3(Kovalevskaya-Vasilevich, FIDE Knock Out, New Delhi, 2000).

9.g4

• If 9.Be3 0-0 10.Qe2 Nc6 then:
• If 11.Rad1 Bd7 then:
• 12.f4 Rac8 13.f5 b5 14.fxe6 fxe6 15.Bh3 Nxd4 16.Rxd4 h6 17.a3 Nh7 18.Rfd1 Ng5 is equal (Hofni-Ribli, IT, Baden Baden, 1981).
• 12.h3 b5 13.a3 Rfc8 14.f4 Rab8 15.Nxc6 Bxc6 16.Bc1 a5 17.Rfe1 b4 18.axb4 axb4 19.Nd5 exd5 20.exd5 Bd7(Kongsma-Spassky, IBM, Amsterdam, 1970).
• 12.a4 Rac8 13.h3 Nxd4 14.Rxd4 e5 15.Rd2 Be6 16.Rfd1 Qa5 17.Bg5 Qb4 18.Bxf6 Bxf6 19.Rxd6 Qxb2 20.Nd5 Bxd5 21.R6xd5 Rxc2 yileds Black an extra pawn (Stocek-Jansa, Czech Ch, Prague, 1994).
• 11.a4 Bd7 12.h3 Nxd4 13.Bxd4 Bc6 14.Rfd1 b6 15.Ra3 Bb7 16.Na2 Nd7 17.Rc3 Qb8 18.Re3 Rc8 19.b3 Qc7 20.c4 gives White a small advantage in space (Ivanov-Wojtkiewicz, Op, New York, 1992).
• If 9.Re1 0-0 10.a4 Nc6 then:
• If 11.Be3 Bd7 then:
• If 12.Nxc6 Bxc6 13.a5 Nd7 14.Na4 then:
• 14...Rae8 15.Nb6 f5 16.Nxd7 Qxd7 17.Qd3 fxe4 18.Bxe4 Bxe4 19.Qxe4 Bf6 20.Qb4 d5 21.c3 Rc8 22.Rad1 Qb5 23.Qxb5 axb5 24.Ra1 e5 draw (Short-Stohl, Belfort, 1993).
• 14...Bxa4 15.Rxa4 Rfc8 16.Re2 b5 17.axb6 Nxb6 18.Bxb6 Qxb6 19.e5 Rab8 20.exd6 Bxd6 21.c3 a5 22.Rd2 Be7 23.Rd7 draw (Fernandes-Kotronias, Ol. Salonika, 1984).
• 12.h3 Rfd8 13.Nxc6 bxc6 14.a5 Re8 15.Na4 e5 16.Nb6 Rab8 17.c4 c5 18.Bd2 Bc6 19.Bc3 Qb7 20.Qd3 Nd7 21.Nd5 Nf8 22.Reb1 Ne6 23.b4 cxb4 24.Bxb4 gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Adianto-Andersson, IT, Jakarta,1983).
• 11.Nb3 b6 12.Be3 Bb7 13.h3 Ne5 14.Nd2 Nfd7 15.Qe2 Bf6 16.Bd4 Rac8 17.Rad1 Be7 18.Be3 Rfd8 19.f4 Nc6 20.Nf3 gives White a huge advantage in space (Neumann-van Wely, Op. Lyngby, 1988).
• 9.f4 0-0 then:
• If 10.Be3 10...Nc6 11.Kh1 then:
• 11...Bd7 12.Nb3 b5 13.a3 Rab8 14.g4 Ne8 15.Qd2 b4 16.axb4 Nxb4 17.Rf3 d5 18.e5 f6 19.Raf1 fxe5 20.fxe5 Rxf3 21.Rxf3 Nc6 22.Nxd5 exd5 23.Qxd5+ Kh8 24.Qf7 gives White a huge advantage in space (Hübner-Rubinetti, Ol, Lugano, 1968).
• 11...Rb8 12.a4 Re8 13.Qe2 Nd7 14.Rad1 Bf8 15.Bg1 Nxd4 16.Bxd4 draw (deFirmian-Benjamin, New York, 1996).
• 10.g4 Nc6 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.g5 Nd7 13.f5 Re8 14.f6 Bf8 15.Kh1 g6 16.h4 Ne5 17.Bf4 a5 18.Bxe5 dxe5 19.h5 Ba6 20.Rf3 Red8 21.Qe1 is equal (Fuchs-Vasiukov, Rubinstein Mem, Polanica Zdroj, 1965).
• 9.a4 Nc6 10.Nb3 b6 11.f4 0-0 12.Be3 Bb7 13.g4 Rfe8 14.g5 Nd7 15.Rf3 Na5 16.Nxa5 bxa5 17.Rh3 Rad8 18.Qh5 Nf8 19.Rf1 d5 20.f5 exf5 21.exf5 d4 22.f6 Bc5 23.g6 gxf6 24.Nd5 Bxd5 25.Bxd5 Rxd5 26.Qxd5 Rxe3 gives Black a material advantage and White a small lead in space (Felgaer-A. Volokitin, YM, Cuernavaca, 2006).

9...g5!?

• If 9...h6 10.f4 Nc6 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.e5 dxe5 13.fxe5 Nd5 14.Ne4 Qxe5 15.c4 then:
• 15...0-0!? 16.cxd5 cxd5 17.Ng3 Bd7 18.Re1 Qd6 19.Be3 Bh4 20.Bf2 Rac8 Black has only two pawns for the sacrificed Knight, but space is equal (Ivanov-Kamsky, New York, 1989)
• 15...Nb6 16.Bf4 then:
• 16...Qa5 17.Qd4 0-0 18.Bc7 e5 19.Qxb6 Qxb6+ 20.Bxb6 Bxg4 21.b3 gives White both material and spatial superiority.
• 16...Bc5+ 17.Kh1 Qd4 18.Qf3 f5 19.Nxc5 Qxc5 20.Be3 Qxc4 21.Rac1 gives Black two extra pawns.

10.Bxg5 Rg8 11.f4 h6

• 11...Nxg4 12.Qxg4 h6 13.Rf2 Nc6 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.h4 gives White a huge advantage in space.

12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.Kh1 Nc6?

• 13...Qb6 14.Nb3 Bxc3 15.bxc3 Qc7 16.h3 Nc6 17.Qd2 White has an extra pawn and continues to enoy the advantage in space.

14.e5 dxe5 15.Nxc6

• 15.Ne4 Bg7 16.Nxc6 bxc6 17.Nd6+ Ke7 18.fxe5 produces some tactical threats for White.

15...bxc6 16.Ne4!

• The text is stronger than 16.Qf3 Kf8 17.Ne4 Bh8 18.Qa3+ Qe7 19.Nd6 exf4 20.Rxf4,

16...Be7 17.fxe5 Qxe5 18.Qf3 Kd8

• 18...f5 19.Nf6+ Bxf6 20.Qxc6+ Ke7 21.Qxa8 gives White the exchnage.

19.Rad1+ Bd7 20.Ng5 Qxg5

• If 20...Qc7 21.Nxf7+ Kc8 22.Ne5 then:
• 22...Be8 23.Qc3 Rb8 24.Qc4 Qxe5 25.Rfe1 Qg5 26.Bxc6 Rb6 27.Bxe8+ is curtains.
• 22...Qxe5 23.Rxd7! Kxd7 24.Qxc6+ Kd8 25.Qxa8+ is lights out.

BLACK: Marc Esserman
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Alexander Ivanov
Position after 20...Qe5g5:N

21.Rxd7+!!

• The sacrifice forces an end to the struggle.

21...Kxd7 22.Qxc6+ Kd8 23.Qxa8+ Kd7 24.Qc6+ 1-0

• After 24...Kd8 25.Rd1+ Bd6 26.Qxd6+ Kc8 27.Qxa6+
White mates on the next move.
• Mr. Esserman resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

2. From Nice

Diagrams on the Jack Rabbit Chess Report are made with Chess Mérida, a true type font that can be downlaoded free here.
BLACK
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WHITE
White to move
(This position is a theoretical draw)

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Kramnik-Topalov, Rapid Competirion, Round 5

Vladimir Kramnik
Photo: ChessBase.com


Vladimir Kramnik - Veselin Topalov
Melody Amber Tournament, Rapid Competition, Round 5
Nice, 20 March 2008

West India Game: King's Indian Defense

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Na6

• 7...Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 then:
• 9.Ne1 Nd7 10.Nd3 f5 11.Bd2 Nf6 12.f3 f4 13.c5 g5 then:
• 14.Rc1 Ng6 15.cxd6 cxd6 16.Nb5 Rf7 17.Qc2 Ne8 18.a4 h5 19.Nf2 then:
• 19...Bf8 20.h3 Rg7 21.Qb3 Nh4 22.Rc2 a6 23.Na3 Nf6 24.Be1 g4 25.hxg4 hxg4 26.Nxg4 Nh5 27.a5 Ng3 28.Bxg3 fxg3 29.Qb6 Qe7 30.Rfc1 Bxg4 31.fxg4 Ng6 32.Bf3 Qh4 gives White an extra pawn (Ftacnik-Su. Polgar, Trencianske Teplice, 1985).
• 19...Bd7 20.h3 Bf8 21.Qb3 Rg7 22.Rc2 a6 23.Na3 Nf6 24.Rfc1 g4 25.fxg4 hxg4 26.hxg4 Nh4 27.Rc7 gives White a huge advantage in space and an extra pawn (Ftacnik-Ligterink, IBM, Amsterdam, 1977).
• 17...Bf8 18.a4 h5 19.Nb5 Ne8 20.h3 Bd7 21.Qd1 Rg7 22.Kf1 Nh4 23.Be1 Be7 24.Rc3 Qb8 White has the advantage in space (Gavrilov-Shomoev, Russian Ch HL, Krasnoyarsk, 2007).
• 14.cxd6 cxd6 15.Nf2 Ng6 16.Qc2 Rf7 17.Rfc1 then:
• 17...h5 18.h3 g4 19.fxg4 hxg4 20.hxg4 Ne8 21.Ncd1 Bf6 22.Qb3 Bh4 23.Rc3 a6 24.Rac1 gives White an extra pawn and a small advatage in space (Kozul-Nataf, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• If 9.b4 then:
• 9...Nh5 10.Re1 f5 11.Ng5 Nf6 12.Bf3 c6 13.Be3 h6 14.Ne6 Bxe6 15.dxe6 fxe4 16.Nxe4 Nxe4 17.Bxe4 d5 18.cxd5 cxd5 19.Bc2 b6 20.Qg4 e4 21.Rad1 Qc7 22.Bb3 Rad8 draw (Nyback-Rafjobov, Euro ChT, Plovdiv, 2003).
• 9...a5 10.Ba3 axb4 11.Bxb4 Nd7 12.a4 Bh6 13.a5 f5 14.Nd2 Kh8 15.Bd3 Ng8 16.Qc2 Rf7 17.Na4 fxe4 18.Nxe4 Ndf6 19.Nac3 Bf5 20.Ng3 Bxd3 21.Qxd3 Qf8 22.Rab1 Qc8 23.Rb3 Qg4 24.f3 Qd4+ 25.Qxd4 exd4 26.Nd1 Bg7 leaves neither side with serious winning chances (Pelletier-Renet, Euro ChT, Pula, 1997).
• 11...b6 12.a4 Re8 13.Re1 Bf8 14.Bf1 c5 15.dxc6 Nxc6 16.Ba3 Bg4 17.h3 Bxf3 18.Qxf3 Nd4 19.Qd1 Nd7 20.Bb2 Nc5 21.Nd5 Bg7 22.Ra3 Ra6 23.Nb4 Ra8 24.Nd5 Ra6 25.Nb4 Ra8 draw (Ostojic-Djukic, Yugoslav Ch, Herceg Novi, 2001).
• If 9.Nd2 a5 10.a3 Nd7 11.Rb1 f5 12.b4 Kh8 13.f3 Ng8 14.Qc2 Ngf6 15.Bd3 f4 16.Nb5 b6 17.Bb2 g5 18.Be2 Ne8 19.g4 fxg3 20.hxg3 g4 21.fxg4 then:
• 21...axb4 22.axb4 Qg5 23.Qd3 Rxf1+ 24.Rxf1 Ndf6 25.Nf3 Qg6 26.Nh4 Qxe4 27.g5 Qxd3 28.Bxd3 gives White a substantial lead in space (Sherbakov-Kharlov. Op, Aalborg, 1993).
• 21...Qg5 22.Qd3 Ndf6 23.Nf3 Qxg4 24.Nxe5 Qh3 25.Nc6 axb4 26.Rf2 bxa3 27.Nxa3 is equal (M. Guerevich-Gelfand, IT, Munich, 1992).
• 9...c5 10.Rb1 Ne8 11.b4 then:
• 11...b6 12.bxc5 bxc5 13.Nb3 f5 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bxe7 Qxe7 16.Na5 Nf6 17.Nc6 Qe8 18.exf5 gxf5 19.Nb5 Qd7 20.Rb3 gives White the advantage in space (M.Guerevich-Shirov, IT, Prague, 2002).
• If 7...Nbd7 8.Re1 c6 9.Bf1 a5 10.Rb1 Re8 11.d5 Nc5 12.b3 Bd7 then:
• 13.a3 cxd5 14.cxd5 b5 15.b4 axb4 16.Rxb4 Rb8 17.Bd2 Qa5 18.Qa1 Qa7 19.Be3 Rec8 20.h3 Ra8 21.Nxb5 Bxb5 22.Bxb5 Qxa3 23.Qxa3 Rxa3 24.Nd2 Nd3 25.Bxd3 Rxd3 26.Reb1 gives White the intiative on the b-file (Kozma-Vogt, Capablanca Mem, Cienfuegos (Cuba), 1976).
• 13.Nd2 Bh6 14.a3 cxd5 15.cxd5 b5 16.b4 axb4 17.Rxb4 Ra5 gives Black the early edge in space (Lerner-Kovalevskaya, Areoflot Open, Moscow, 2002).

8.Be3

• If 8.Re1 c6 9.Bf1 Bg4 10.d5 then:
• If 10...Nb4 11.Be2 a5 12.Bg5 then:
• 12...h6 13.Be3 c5 14.h3 Bd7 15.Nh2 Re8 16.Kh1 a4 17.a3 Na6 18.Qd2 Kh7 19.Rab1 Qa5 20.b4 axb3 21.Rxb3 b6 is equal (Nielsen-Kantsler, Euro ChT, Panormo (Greece), 2001).
• 12...Na6 13.h3 Bd7 14.Nd2 Kh8 15.a3 Qb6 16.Be3 c5 17.Nb5 Ng8 18.f4 Bh6 19.Rf1 Rae8 20.Qb3 exf4 21.Bxf4 Bxf4 22.Rxf4 gives White more space (Krasenkow-Kozul, Ol, Bled, 2002).
• 10...c5 11.h3 Bd7 12.Bg5 Kh8 13.a3 Qb8 14.Qc2 Ng8 15.Bd3 f6 16.Bh4 Nh6 17.Rf1 Qd8 18.Nd2 Nf7 19.Bg3 Bh6 20.Ne2 Qe7 21.Rae1 Rae8 22.Nb1 Ng5 is equal (Miles-Pia Cramling, IT, Malmø, 1996).

8...Ng4 9.Bg5 Qe8 10.Re1

• White is planning to open the center and strike.
• If 10.dxe5 dxe5 11.h3 then:
• If 11...h6 12.Bd2 Nf6 13.Be3 Qe7 then:
• 14.Nd5 Qd8 15.Nxf6+ Qxf6 16.c5 Nb8 17.b4 Nc6 18.b5 Rd8 19.Qc1 Nd4 20.Bxd4 exd4 21.Bd3 Be6 is equal (Gustafsson-Polzin, Austrian ChT, Graz, 2002).
• 14.a3 c6 15.b4 Nh5 16.Re1 Nf4 17.Bf1 Qf6 18.Ra2 Rd8 19.Rd2 Rxd2 20.Qxd2 Be6 21.b5 Nc7 22.bxc6 bxc6 23.Qd6 Rc8 24.Bxf4 exf4 25.e5 Qd8 26.Ne4 Ne8 27.Qb4 Rb8 draw (Volzhin-Kempinski, Polish ChT, Zakopane, 2000).
• If 11...f6 12.Bd2 Nh6 13.c5 then:
• 13...Nxc5 14.Qc1 Nf7 15.Nd5 Ne6 16.Nxc7 Nxc7 17.Qxc7 Nd8 18.Rfc1 Be6 19.b4 Rf7 20.Qc3 Bf8 21.b5 b6 22.Qb2 Nb7 23.Bb4 Rd8 24.Rc2 Rfd7 25.Rac1 Nc5 is equal (Biriukov-Mihajlovskij, Rektor Cup, St. Petersburg, 2006).
• 13...c6 14.Bxa6 bxa6 15.Bxh6 Bxh6 16.Qa4 Rb8 17.b3 Rf7 18.Rfd1 Bf8 19.Qa5 Be6 20.Rd3 Rd7 21.Rxd7 Qxd7 22.Qxa6 Bxc5 23.Rd1 Qc8 24.Qxc8+ Rxc8 25.Na4 Be7 26.Rc1 Ba3 27.Rc2 Bb4 28.Nc5 Kf7 is even (Pentala-Moradiabadi, Op, Dubai, 2004).

10...exd4 11.Nd5

• 11.Nxd4 Qe5 12.Nf3 Qc5 13.Bh4 then:
• 13...Be6 14.Nd2 Ne5 15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.cxd5 Qb6 17.Rb1 Nb4 18.Nc4 Nxc4 19.Bxc4 a5 20.a3 Na6 21.Bg5 Qd4 22.Qc2 Nc5 23.Bb5 Rfc8 is equal (M. Gurevich-Stubberud, Arctic Op, Tromsø (Norway), 2007).
• 13...f5 14.exf5 Bxf5 15.h3 Ne5 16.Nd4 Kh8 17.Nb3 Qc6 18.Nd4 Qc5 19.Nb3 draw (V. Popov-Petrukhin, Russian Ch HL, Krasnoyarsk, 2007).

11...d3!?

• 11...f6 12.Bf4 c6 13.Bxd6 cxd5 14.exd5 f5 15.c5 Qd8 16.Qb3 Rf7 17.h3 Nh6 18.Bc4 gives White a huge advantage in space (Huzman-McShane, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• 11...c6 12.Ne7+ Kh8 13.Nxc8 Rxc8 14.Nxd4 Nf6 15.Bf1 Qe5 16.f4 Qc5 17.Kh1 Rce8 18.Nb3 Qb4 19.e5 dxe5 20.fxe5 gives White a good advantage in space (Gustafsson-Bojkov, Greek ChT, Ermioni, 2006).

BLACK: Veselin Topalov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Vladimir Kramnik
Position after 11...d4d3

12.Bxd3 c6

• 12...Bxb2 13.Rb1 f6 14.c5 c6 15.Bxa6 cxd5 16.Bxb7 Bxb7 17.Rxb2 gives White the advantage in space.

13.Ne7+ Kh8 14.Nxc8 Rxc8 15.Bf1 Nc5

• If 15...Bxb2 16.Rb1 Bc3 17.Re2 then:
• 17...f6 18.Bh4 g5 19.Bg3 Nc5 20.Bxd6 Rd8 is equal.
• 17...Qd7 18.Qb3 Bf6 19.Bxf6+ Nxf6 20.Qc3 gives White the advantage in space.

16.Qxd6 Nxe4 17.Qa3

• White's plans in the center have amounted to nothing, so he switches to the queenside where Black has weak pawns to target.
• If 17.Qb4 f5 then:
• 18.h3 Ne5 19.Qxb7 Rb8 20.Qxa7 Rxb2 21.Nxe5 Qxe5 22.Rad1 Qb8 23.Qxb8 Rfxb8 24.Bf4 leaves White a pawn to the good.
• 18.Qxb7 Rb8 19.Qxa7 Rxb2 20.Rab1 Rf7 21.Qa5 Rxb1 22.Rxb1 Ngxf2 23.Bf4 gives White the advantage in space.

17...f5 18.h3

• If 18.Qxa7 Bxb2 19.Rab1 Ra8 20.Qxb7 Bg7 then:
• 21.Re2 Ngxf2 22.Rxf2 Nxf2 23.Kxf2 Rxa2+ 24.Kg1 Qa8 25.Qe7 gives White the edge in space and the initiative.
• 21.Bh4 Rxa2 22.Bd3 Ne5 23.Nxe5 Bxe5 24.Qb4 c5 25.Qb7 is equal.

18...Ne5 19.Bf4

• If White takes the pawn 19.Qxa7 Qf7 20.Nxe5 Bxe5 then:
• 21.Bh6 Rfe8 22.f3 Ra8 23.Qb6 Qf6 24.Red1 Ra6 25.Qe3 g5 gives Black chances of regaining the pawn and equalizing.
• If 21.Bc1 Rfd8 22.Qa3 Qf6 23.Qb3 then:
• 23...Bd4 24.Re2 Nc5 25.Qf3 Re8 26.Rb1 White still has the pawn.
• After 23...Rc7 24.Re2 Re7 25.Be3 f4 26.Bb6 Rd2 27.Rae1 White keeps the pawn.

19...Nd7?

• If 19...b5 20.Nxe5 Bxe5 21.Be3 Qf7 22.cxb5 cxb5 then:
• 23.Rab1 then:
• After 23...b4 24.Qxb4 Qxa2 25.Bd4 Qd5 26.Bxa7 Rfd8 27.Be3 White still has an extra pawn, but Black has enough space to compensate for it.
• After 23...Rb8 24.Qxa7 Qxa7 25.Bxa7 Ra8 26.Bc5 Rfd8 27.Bxb5 White maintains the extra pawn.
• 23.f3 Qg7 24.Qxa7 Rc7 25.Qa6 Bxb2 26.Rad1 Nf6 27.Bxb5 gives White an extra pawn and a considerable advantage in space.

20.Qxa7 Bxb2

• If 20...b6 21.Rad1 Rf7 22.Ng5 Re7 then:
• 23.Nxe4 fxe4 24.Qb7 Bxb2 25.Bg5 Rb8 26.Qxc6 White regains the pawn and maintains the pressure on Black's pieces.
• After 23.Bd6 Nxd6 24.Rxe7 Qxe7 25.Rxd6 Rd8 26.Qc7 White continues to enjoy a material and tactical advantage.

21.Rab1 Bg7

• If 21...Bc3 22.Re2 b6 23.Ng5 Ra8 24.Qc7 then:
• 24...Qc8 25.Qxc8 Rfxc8 26.Nxe4 fxe4 27.Rxe4 gives White the advantage in space, even if he might not be able to keep the extra pawn.
• After 24...Rc8 25.Qb7 Kg8 26.Rd1 the pin on the e-file gives White a tactical advantage.

22.Qxb7 Ndc5

• 22...Ra8 23.Qxc6 Rxa2 24.Be3 Qc8 25.Qxc8 Rxc8 26.Ng5 Nxg5 27.Bxg5 Bd4 28.Be3 leaves White with an extra pawn and Black without counterplay.

23.Qb6 Rf7 24.Ng5 Rb7

• 24...Re7 25.Nxe4 Nxe4 26.a3 Ra8 27.Rb3 Kg8 28.Ree3 c5 29.Red3 White has a tremendous advantage in space.

BLACK: Veselin Topalov
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WHITE: Vladimir Kramnik
Position after 24...Rf7b7

25.Qxb7!!

• A thing of beauty is a joy forever. That includes a Queen sacrifice.
• 25.Qa5 Ra8 26.Rxb7 Rxa5 27.Rb8 Qxb8 28.Bxb8 Rxa2 gives Black a huge advantage in space.

25.Nxe4 Rxb6 26.Nd6 Rxb1 then:

• 27.Rxb1 Qe7 28.Nxc8 Qe4 29.Rb8 Qxf4 30.Nd6+ Bf8 31.Rxf8+ Kg7 White's pieces are not coordinated, making them a poor match againt Black's Queen.
• After 27.Rxe8+ Rxe8 28.Nxe8 Bd4 29.Nd6 White has only a pawn for the exchange.

25...Nxb7 26.Rxb7 Kg8

• If 26...c5! 27.f3 Qc6 28.Rxg7 Kxg7 29.fxe4 then:
• After 29...h6 30.Nf3 fxe4 31.Ne5 Qa8 White has three pieces for the Queen working in some kind of harmony.
• After 29...Re8?! 30.e5! White keeps the extra pawn.

27.c5!

• The pawn vacates a square for the light-square Bishop to enter the attack.

27...h6 28.Bc4+ Kh8 29.Be5 hxg5

• Obviously, the Bishop at e5 is untouchable because of 30.Rh7#.
• 29...Qf8 30.Bxg7+ Qxg7 31.Rxg7 Kxg7 leaves White a piece to the good.

30.Bxg7+ Kh7 31.Bf8+ Kh8

• This is the only move, and it stinks.

32.Be7 Rb8 33.Rxe4 1-0

• After 33...Kh7 34.Bf6+ Kh6 35.Rxe8 Rxe8 36.Rd7 the lights will tun themselves out.
• Topalov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. van Wely-Morozevich, Blindfold Competition, Round 6

Alexander Morozevich
Photo: ChessBase.com


Loek van Wely - Alexander Morozevich
Melody Amber Tournament, Blindfold Competition, Round 6
Nice, 21 March 2008

Queen's Gambit: Albin Counter-Gambit

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5!?

• This unsound sacrifice is the brainchild of Adolf Albin, a German master of the late 19th century. It was adopted by the young Frank Marshall with modest results in the late 1890s; Marshall continued to use it until the outbreak of World War I. Other than Marshall, the Albin has had no outstanding adherent for any length of time, although Dr. Lasker and Dr. Tarrasch both dabbled in it.
• From a practical point of view, the Albin gets better results than its reputation.

3.dxe5 d4 4.Nf3

• If 4.g3 Nc6 5.Nf3 then:
• If 5...Bg4 6.Bg2 Qd7 7.0-0 0-0-0 8.Nbd2 then:
• If 8...h5 9.b4 Bxb4 10.Rb1 h4 11.Qa4 hxg3 12.Rxb4 Nxb4 13.Qxb4 Bh3 then:
• 14.e6 Qxe6 15.fxg3 Bxg2 16.Kxg2 Nf6 17.Re1 gives Black a comfortable advantage in space (B. Vladimirov-Wolfson, Alger, 1969).
• 14.fxg3 Bxg2 15.Kxg2 Ne7 16.Ng5 Nc6 17.Qc5 Nxe5 18.Qxa7 Qc6+ 19.Ndf3 Nxf3 20.Nxf3 gives White a small advantage in space (Nagley-Bilsei, cyberspace, 2003).
• 8...Nge7 9.Qa4 Kb8 10.Nb3 Nc8 11.c5 Be7 12.Rd1 Bxf3 13.exf3 Nxe5 14.Qxd7 Rxd7 15.f4 Nc6 16.Bxc6 bxc6 17.Rxd4 gives White the advantage in space (Polugaevsky-Vasiukov, Moscow, 1964).
• 5...Bf5 6.Bg2 Qd7 7.0-0 Bh3 8.Nbd2 0-0-0 9.Nb3 Bxg2 10.Kxg2 Qe6 11.Qd3 Nxe5 12.Nbxd4 Qf6 13.Qe4 Nxf3 14.Nxf3 Qe7 15.Qxe7 Bxe7 16.Ne5 Rf8 17.Be3 gives White the advantage in space (Korchnoi-Mosionzhik, Leningrad, 1969).
• 5...Be6 6.Nbd2 Qd7 7.Bg2 0-0-0 8.0-0 h5 9.Qa4 Kb8 10.Ng5 Nxe5 11.Qxd7 Nxd7 12.Nxe6 fxe6 13.Nb3 e5 14.Na5 c6 15.a3 Bd6 16.Bxc6 bxc6 17.Nxc6+ Kc7 18.Nxd8 Kxd8 19.b4 Ngf6 gives White a theoretical one-pawn advantage in an asymmetrical balance, while space is about even (Sirota-Efendiyev, cyberspace, 1999).

4...Nc6 5.Nbd2 Nge7

• 5...Bg4 6.a3 Qe7 7.h3 Bh5 8.g4 Bg6 9.Bg2 0-0-0 10.Qb3 h5 11.g5 h4 12.0-0 f6 13.exf6 gxf6 14.Qb5 Rh5 15.Nb3 a6 16.Qa4 fxg5 17.Kh1 Be4 18.Nbd2 Bf5 19.Ng1 Rd6 20.b4 g4 21.b5 Nb8 22.Rb1 Bxb1 23.Nxb1 Qe8 is equal (Konev-Nebolsina, Russian Cup, Tomsk, 2001).

6.a3

• If 6.Nb3 Nf5 7.a3 then:
• 7...Be7 8.g3 a5 9.Qd3 a4 10.Nbd2 h5 11.Bh3 g6 12.Ne4 h4 13.Bf4 hxg3 14.hxg3 Ng7 15.Bg2 Rxh1+ 16.Bxh1 Bf5 17.Nfg5 Na5 18.Qf3 Ne6 19.Nh7 Bxe4 20.Qxe4 (White has the advantage in space) 20...c6 21.e3 Nb3! 22.Rd1 Qa5+! 23.Ke2 Nec5 gives Black a small advantage in space (I. Sokolov-Morozevich, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2005).
• 7...Be6 8.h3 h5 9.Bg5 Be7 10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.Qd3 0-0-0 12.h4 a5 13.g3 a4 14.Bh3 g6 15.Nbd2 Qc5 16.0-0 Kb8 17.Bg2 Nxe5 18.Nxe5 Qxe5 gives Black the advantage in space (Napier-Tarrasch, Monte Carlo, 1902).

6...Be6 7.g3 Qd7 8.Bg2 Bh3!?

• If 8...Ng6 9.b4 then:
• 9...Bh3 10.e6 Bxe6 11.b5 Nd8 12.h4 f6 13.Qc2 c5 14.bxc6 Nxc6 15.h5 Nge5 16.Nxe5 fxe5 17.Be4 h6 18.Rb1 Bc5 19.Rb5 Bb6 20.Qb1 Rb8 21.Nf3 gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Fedorowicz-Couche, Op, Las Vegas, 1995).
• 9...0-0-0 10.Ng5 Ncxe5 11.Nxe6 Qxe6 12.Qb3 Ng4 13.c5 Qf5 14.0-0 N6e5 15.Bb2 Kb8 16.Rad1 Nf6 17.Nf3 Nxf3+ 18.Bxf3 Be7 19.Qxf7 Qe5 20.Qc4 c6 21.Rxd4 Rxd4 22.Bxd4 Qc7 23.a4 gives White a huge advantage in space and two extra pawns (Vasic-Stojanovic, Obrenovac, 2002).

9.0-0 Bxg2 10.Kxg2 0-0-0 11.b4

• 11.Nb3 Qe6 12.Qc2 Nf5 13.Rd1 h5 14.h3 Be7 15.Qe4 gives White the advatage in space.

11...Ng6

• If 11...Qe6 12.Nb3 Qxc4 then:
• 13.Bb2 Nf5 14.Rc1 then:
• After 14...Qd5 15.Qc2 d3 16.exd3 Qxd3 17.g4 Nh6 18.h3 Qxc2 19.Rxc2 White has the advantage in space.
• 14...Qb5 15.Qc2 d3 16.exd3 Qxd3 transposes into the main variation.
• 14...Qe6 15.Qc2 Rd7 16.Rfd1 Black pawn at d4 falls.
• 13.Qd3 Qxd3 14.exd3 Ng6 15.Re1 Rd5 is equal.

12.Bb2 h5 13.b5!?

• White returns the gambit pawn in the hops of taking the pawn at d4.

13...Ncxe5 14.Bxd4 Nxf3 15.Nxf3

• White has accomplished his goal and still has the advantage in space.

15...h4 16.Bxa7?!

• This pawn grab is often hazardous to the Bishop's health.
• 16.a4 hxg3 17.fxg3 Qh3+ 18.Kf2 Qg4 19.Kg1 is equal.

BLACK: Alexander Morozevich
!""""""""#
$ +lT V T%
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Loek van Wely
Position after 16.Bd4xa7

16...Qg4!

• Black now has the advantage in space.

17.Qc2?

• 17.Bd4 Nf4+ 18.Kh1 hxg3 19.fxg3 Qxg3 20.Rg1 Qh3 21.Qf1 is unclear: Black probaly has enough space and initiative to compensate for the pawn.

17...hxg3 18.fxg3
BLACK: Alexander Morozevich
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Loek van Wely
Position after 18.fg3:p

18...b6!

• Black slams shut the prison door.

19.a4

• 19.Ng1 Bd6 20.Qf5+ Qxf5 21.Rxf5 f6 22.c5 Ne7 23.Rf3 Bxc5 gives Black greater piece activity.

19...Bd6

• Black threatens 20...Rxh2+!! 21.Kxh2 Qxg3+ 22.Kh1 Rh8+ with mate on the next move.

20.e3 Rh3

• Black threatens 21...Bxg3 22.Kh1 Nh4 23.Nxh4 Rxh2+ winning.

21.Kh1 Rdh8 22.Rf2 Bxg3 23.Rg1 Qxf3+ 0-1

• 24.Rxf3 Rxh2+ 25.Qxh2 Rxh2#.
• Mh. van Wely resigns.