The Jack Rabbit Chess Report (February 22): Sofia and Linares and Moscow, oh, my

[Jack Rabbit]

Topalov and Kamsky Knotted at Halftime



Russo-American grandmaster Gata Kamsky defeated former FIDE world champion Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria in 73 moves yesterday in the fourth round of the candidates' match in Sofia, Bulgaria to square the event at two points each.

Topalov won the second game Sunday. The two other games ended in draws.

The match is scheduled for eight games with the winner being the first player to obtain 4½ points. If the match ends in a 4-4 tie, a round of rapid and blitz games will decide the winner.

The winner of the match will challenge reighning world champion Vishy Anand to a title match later this year.

Today is a rest day. Game 5 is scheduled for tomorrow. The final round, if necessary, is to be played Friday and playoff games, if necessary, on Saturday.


Grischuk, Aronian Set pace in Linares



Grandmasters Alexander Grischuk of Russia and Levon Aronian of Armenia lead the 26th Cuidad de Linares Tournament in the Andalucian mining town of that name after four rounds with three points each.

Both players have two victories with two draws.

The reigning world champion, Vishy Anand of India, who is seeking his third consecutive Linares title, has two wins, a draw and a loss to trail the leaders by a half-point.

In today's action, Aronian defeated Cuban grandmaster Leinier Domínguez in 92 moves, Anand scored a full point off grandmaster Wang Yue of China in 33 moves and Grischuk, playing Black, won his game against Azerbaijan's Teimour Radjabov in 41 moves. The only other game, between Norwegian GM Magnus Carlsen and Ukraine's Vassily Ivanchuk, ended in a draw after 34 moves.

The players will have tomorrow off. The fifth round will be played Tuesday. Thew fourteen-round event, sometimes call the Wimbledon of Chess, is scheduled to end March 8,

Linares is the birthplace of the famous Spanish classical guitarist, Andreas Segovia.



Igor Kurnosov Leads Aeroflot Open after Six Rounds



Russian grandmaster Igor Kurnosov, who won the 2008-09 Hastings Chess Congress last month, has sole possession of first place in the seventh annual Aeorflot Open in Moscow with five points after six rounds.

Kurnosov entered today's action tied for first with the tournament's top seed, Azerbaijani grandmaster Shakhiyar Mamedyarov, and Alexander Moiseenko of Ukraine with four points each. However, Kuronsov, playing Black, defeated Mamedyarov in just 21 moves while Moiseenko, also playing Black, battled Armenian GM Gabriel Sargissian 84 moves to a draw.

The seventh annual Aeroflot Open Chess Tournament, the most prestigeous open event in chess, begins in Moscow Tuesday after opening ceremonies Monday.

The nine round event, the most prestigeous open tournament in chess, runs through Wednesday with closing ceremonies and prize giving Thursday.

As always, the winner of the Aeroflot Open will be given a birth in the grandmaster tournament at the Sparkassen Chess Meeting in Dortmund this July.



Tiviakov Wins Pfalz Open



Reigning European champion and former two-time Dutch national champion Sergei Tiviakov won the second annual Pfalz Open Tournament in Neustadt, Germany, today with 7½ points out of a possible nine.

Tivakov was followed by nine players with seven points each, including Sebastian Bogner, the young German IM who finished tied for first at the Rilton Cup in Stockholm last month.

The upstart tournament promises to become the second major mid-February open after the Aeroflot Open in Moscow.




Calendar

Cappelle la Grande Open 28 February-7 March.

Reykjavik Open 4-13 March.

European Individual Championships, Budva (Montenegro) 5-19 March.

Melody Amber Rapid/Blind Tournament, Nice 13-27 March.

Dubai Open 3-13 April.

Gausdal Chess Classic (Norway) 7-15 April.

Foxwoods Open, Mashantucket, Connecticut 8-12 April.

Russian Club Cup (Team Championships), Sochi 30 April-12 May.

US Chess Championship, St. Louis May. Exact dates TBA.

MTel Masters, Sofia 9-19 May.

Asian Championships, Subic Freeprot (The Philippines) 12-23 May.

Chicago Open 22-25 May.

Aerosvit International Tournament, Foros (Ukraine) 9-20 June.

World Open, Philadelphia 29 June-5 July.

Canadian Open, Edmonton 11-19 July.

Czech Open, Pardubice 16 July-2 August.

Biel Chess Festival 18-31 July.

FIDE Grand Prix, Yerevan. 8-24 August.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. Topalov-Kamsky Candidates' Match, Sofia

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

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

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


More Games from Other Current Events to Follow Later Today.

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Topalov - Kamsky, Round 1 (½-½)

Topalov and Kamsky Shake Hands before They Come out Fighting
Photo: World Chess Challenge


Veselin Topalov - Gata Kamsky
Candidates' Match, Round 1
Sofia, 17 February 2009

West India Game: Indian Queen's Gambit (Exchange Opening) (Grünfeld Defense)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4

• For 5. Bd2!? see Giri-Gupta,Corus C, Wijk aan Zee, 2009.

5...Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4

• If 7.Be3 c5 8.Qd2 Qa5 9.Nf3 0-0 10.Rc1 Nd7 11.d5 Nf6 then:
• 12.Bd3 c4 13.Bb1 Ng4 14.Bd4 e5 is equal (Sakaev-Morozevich, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2008).
• 12.c4 Qc7 13.Bd3 e5 14.Bh6 Bxh6 15.Qxh6 Ng4 16.Qd2 f5 17.0-0 Nf6 18.Qc2 f4 19.Qb2 Re8 20.Rb1 Rb8 21.Bc2 Bd7 22.Rfe1 h6 23.Qa3 a6 24.Red1 Qd6 25.Qa5 b5 26.Nd2 Rec8 draw (Kachiani-Baramidze, German Ch, Koenigshofen, 2007).
• For variations following 7.Nf3 see Shulman-Kudrin, US Ch, Tulsa, 2008.

7...c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 0-0 10.0-0 Na5

• If 10...Bg4 11.f3 Na5 then:
• 12.Bd3 cxd4 13.cxd4 Be6 14.d5 Bxa1 15.Qxa1 f6 then:
• 16.Qd4 Bf7 17.Bh6 Re8 18.Bb5 e5 19.Qf2 Re7 20.Bd3 Rc8 21.f4 Nc4 is equal (Topalov-Shirov, IT, Morelia-Linares, 2008).
• If 16.Bh6 then:
• 16...Qb6+ 17.Nd4 Bd7 18.Rb1 Qc5 19.Rc1 Qb6 20.Bxf8 Rxf8 21.h4 4 gives the advantage in space to White (Bronstein-Boleslavsky, Candidates' Trmt, Budapest, 1950).
• 16...Re8 17.Kh1 Rc8 18.Nf4 Bd7 19.e5 Nc4 20.e6 Ba4 21.Nxg6 hxg6 22.Bxg6 Ne5 23.Be4 Bc2 24.Bxc2 Rxc2 25.Qd1 Kh7 26.f4 Kxh6 27.fxe5 Qc8 28.exf6 Rg8 29.f7 is balanced and, after some more moves, the players agreed to a draw (Korotylev-Timofeev, Russian Ch Qual, Tomsk, 2004).
• 16.Rb1 Bd7 17.Bh6 Rf7 18.e5 fxe5 19.Qxe5 b5 20.Be3 Qb8 21.Qc3 Qd8 22.Qe5 Qb8 23.Qc3 Qd8 draws by repetition (Kavalek-Timman, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1978).
• If 12.Bxf7+ Rxf7 13.fxg4 Rxf1+ 14.Kxf1 cxd4 15.cxd4 e5 then:
• 16.Kg1 Rc8 17.d5 Nc4 18.Bf2 Nd6 19.Ng3 Bh6 20.h4 Bf4 21.g5 Qd7 22.Qf3 White still has the extra pawn.(Jussupow-Sutovsky, IT, Essen, 2001).
• 16.d5 Nc4 17.Bf2 Qf6 18.Kg1 Rf8 19.Qe1 Bh6 20.Ng3 Qa6 21.Kh1 Qa4 22.Qe2 b6 23.h4 Bf4 24.Nf1 Nd6 25.Re1 Rc8 26.g3 Rc2 27.Qf3 Qxa2 gives Black a huge advatage in space (K.Georgiev-Ivanchuk, IT, Reggio Emilia, 1989).
• If 10...Qc7 11.Rc1 Rd8 then:
• 12.Bf4 Qd7 13.d5 Na5 14.Bd3 then:
• 14...e5 then:
• 15.Bg5 Re8 16.c4 b6 17.Qd2 Nb7 18.Bh6 f6 19.Bxg7 Qxg7 20.f4 Nd6 21.Kh1 Bd7 22.Ng1 Qh6 23.Rce1 f5 24.Qc3 fxe4 25.fxe5 exd3 26.exd6 Rxe1 27.Rxe1 d2 28.Rd1 Qf4 29.Rxd2 draw (Balashov-Ftacnik, Trnava, 1988).
• If 15.Be3 Qe7 16.Qd2 b6 17.f4 c4 18.Bc2 exf4 19.Bxf4 Nc6 20.Nd4 Nxd4 21.cxd4 Ba6 22.Rf3 gives White the advantage in space (Jussupow-Kamsky, Tilburg, 1992).
• If 12.Qd2 Qa5 13.Rfd1 then:
• 13...Bd7 14.Bh6 cxd4 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.Qf4 Be8 17.cxd4 e5 18.dxe5 Rxd1+ 19.Rxd1 Qxe5 20.Qxe5+ draw (Polugaevsky-Vaganian, IT, Linares, 1985).
• If 13...Bg4 14.f3 Ne5 15.Bd5 Rxd5 16.exd5 Nc4 17.Qd3 Nb2 18.Qb1 Nxd1 19.Qxb7 Rd8 20.Rxd1 Bc8 21.Qxe7 Bf8 22.Qf6 gives White the advantage in space (Ftacnik-Stohl, IT, Trnava, 1984).

11.Bd3

• 11.Bb5 Bd7 12.Bd3 b6 13.Rb1 e5 14.dxc5 Ba4 15.Qd2 gives White the advantage in space (Ivanchuk-Morozevich, Tal Mem, Moscow, 2008).

11...b6 12.Qd2

• If 12.Rc1 cxd4 13.cxd4 e6 14.Qd2 Bb7 then:
• 15.Bh6 Qe7 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 then:
• 17.Rc3 Rac8 18.Rfc1 Qd7 19.f3 Rxc3 20.Qxc3 Rc8 21.Qb2 f6 22.Rxc8 Qxc8 23.Kf2 Kf7 is equal (Saric-Sebenik, IT, Brno, 2006).
• 17.Rc2 Qd7 18.Qb4 Rac8 19.Rxc8 Qxc8 20.f3 Ba6 21.Bxa6 Qxa6 22.Kf2 Qd3 23.Qc3 Qxc3 draw (Minescu-Giemsa, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• 15.h4 Qd7 16.Bh6 Bxh6 17.Qxh6 Nc6 18.Bb5 a6 19.Bxc6 Bxc6 is equal (Cramling-Andersson, IT Heninge, 1989).

12...e5 13.Bh6

• If 13.d5 f5 14.Bg5 then:
• 14...Qe8 15.f3 c4 16.Bc2 f4 17.Kh1 h6 18.Bh4 g5 19.Be1 Bd7 20.g3 Qh5 21.Ng1 Rf7 22.Qg2 Kh8 is equal (van Wely-Kamsky, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2008).
• 14...Qd6 15.Bh6 f4 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.f3 c4 18.Bc2 g5 19.Kh1 Bd7 20.g3 Rae8 21.gxf4 gxf4 22.Rg1+ Kh8 is equal (P. H. Nielsen-Ivanchuk, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2003).

13...cxd4 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.cxd4 exd4
BLACK: Gata Kamsky
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WHITE: Veselin Topalov
Position after 15...ed4:p

16.f4!?

• White eschews the pawn, which can be easily won back by 16.Rad1 Qf6 17.Bb5 Bb7 18.Qxd4 Qxd4 19.Rxd4 with equality.

16...f6

• 16...Qe7 17.Nxd4 Qc5 18.Bb5 Rd8 19.Rfd1 a6 gives Black the more active game.
• If 16...Bg4 17.Rac1 Rc8 18.Bb5 then:
• If 18...Rxc1 then after 19.Rxc1 Bxe2 20.Bxe2 Qd7 Black maintains the pawn.
• 18...Bxe2 19.Rxc8 Qxc8 20.Qxd4+ f6 21.Bxe2 is equal.

17.e5!?

• If 17.Rac1 Bg4 18.Ng3 Bd7 19.h4 Rc8 then:
• If 20.Rxc8 then after Bxc8 21.h5 Qe7 22.Qe2 Bd7 23.Rc1 Rc8 24.Re1 Rc3 Black maintains his extra pawn with advantage (Cheparinov-Kamsky, Grand Prix, Sochi, 2008).
• 20.h5 Qe7 21.Ba6 Rxc1 22.Rxc1 Nc6 23.Bb5 Qd6 24.h6+ Kxh6 25.e5 Qd5 26.f5+ Kg7? 27.exf6+ gives White a winning game (Golichenko-Shishkin, Nabakov Mem, Kiev, 2008).

17...Bd7

• Black finishes his development rather than prematurely opening the kingside.
• 17...fxe5 18.fxe5 Rxf1+ 19.Rxf1 Bb7 20.Qb2 Qd5 21.Nxd4 is equal.

18.exf6+ Qxf6 19.Ng3 Kh8

• 19...Qd6 20.f5 gxf5 21.Bxf5 Rad8 22.Qd3 Nc6 maintains Black's extra pawn.

20.f5 gxf5 21.Bxf5 Bxf5

• If 21...Qd6 22.Qd3 Rf7 23.Ne4 then:
• 23...Qe5 24.Bxd7 Rxd7 25.Nf6 Re7 is equal.
• 23...Qd5 24.Bxd7 Qxd7 25.Rxf7 Qxf7 26.Qxd4+ gives White the better center.

22.Rxf5!

• White plays the most aggressive move.
• If 22.Nxf5 Nc6 then:
• then after 23.Rae1 Qg6 24.Nh4 Rxf1+ 25.Rxf1 Qe4 26.Rf4 Qe7 gives White the best chance of winning back the pawn, but Black Black still has a Rook in reserve to keep the upper hand.
• If 23.Rac1 Rad8 24.Rc2 Qg6 then:
• If 25.Rf2 then after 25...Rxf5 26.Rxf5 Qxf5 27.Rxc6 Qe5 Black maintains his extra pawn.
• If 25.Qf4? d3! 26.Rcf2 d2 then:
• If then after 27.Rd1 Qe6 28.Qh6 Qxh6 29.Nxh6 Rxf2 30.Kxf2 Kg7 Black maintains the extra pawn and can threaten to use his queenside majority.
• 27.Rxd2 Rxd2 28.Qxd2 Rxf5 29.Qc3+ Re5 30.Rf8+ Kg7 31.Rf1 gives Black an extra piece.

22...Qd6 23.Raf1 Nc6 24.Ne4 Qe7

• To the credit of the players, the game has developed into sharp struggle that allows little room for error.24...Qa3?! 25.Qf2 Rxf5 26.Qxf5 Qe3+ 27.Kh1 Qh6 28.Ng5 gives White a fierce kingside attack.

25.Qh6

• If 25.Nf6? Qe3+! then:
• 26.R1f2 Qxd2 27.Rxd2 Rad8 turns Black's d-pawn into a potent force.
• If 26.Qxe3 dxe3 then:
• 27.R5f4 Rf7 28.Rc1 Na5 29.g4 b5 Black's e-pawn is yet to be stopped and his queenside majority proves a powerful second threat.
• 27.R5f3? e2 28.Re1 Nd4! wins for Black.

25...Rxf5 26.Rxf5 Ne5!

• Black threatens 27...Ng4, disrupting White's kingside attack with counterattack.

27.h3

• White is forced to spend a tempo preventing 27...Ng4.

27...Ng6 28.Rh5 Rg8!?

• 28...Kg8!? gives White more opportunities to go wrong: if after 29.Nf6+ Qxf6 30.Qxh7+ Kf8 then:
• If 31.Rh6 then:
• 31...Re8! 32.Rxg6 Re1+ 33.Kh2 Qf4+ 34.Rg3 Re3 35.Qg7+ Ke8 gives Black the advantage of the advanced passer, but it may not be enough.
• 31...Qg7? 32.Qxg6 Qxg6 33.Rxg6 Rd8 34.Kf2 is a probable draw.
• 31.Qh6+? Ke7! 32.Qh7+ Ke6 33.Qb7 Rh8 Black remains a piece to the good.

BLACK: Gata Kamsky
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WHITE: Veselin Topalov
Position after 28...Ra8g8

29.Nf6!

• White finds the exact saving move.
• 29.Ng5?! Nf8 30.Nf3 Rg6 31.Qd2 Ne6 maintains Black's most important pawn.

29...Rg7

• 29...Nf8? 30.Nxg8 Kxg8 31.Rd5 gives White real possibilities of winning.

30.Nxh7

• White at last regains the pawn.
• If 30.Ng4?! then Black's d-pawn remains strong after 30...Qf8 31.Qd2 Qf4 32.Qxf4 Nxf4 33.Rf5 Ne6.

30...Rxh7 31.Qxg6

• White threatens 32.Rxh7+ Qxh7 33.Qxh7+ Kxh7 34.Kf2, after which White wins the King-and-pawn ending.

31...Qe3+

• The game will be drawn.

32.Kf1 Qc1+ 33.Kf2 Qd2+ 34.Kg3 Qe3+ 35.Kh2 Qf4+ 36.Kg1 Qc1+ ½-½

• If White tries to avoid a repetition of moves, he runs the risk of Black giving check from e1 or d2, in which case Black wins the Rook and the game. Since that's not going to happen, the grandmasters Topalov and Kamsky agree to a draw.

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Kamsky - Topalov, Round 2 (0-1)

Veselin Topalov
Photo: ChessBase.com (Spanish Language)


Gata Kamsky - Veselin Topalov
Candidates' Match, Round 2
Sofia, 18 February 2009

Spanish Petit Royal Game: Neo-Classical Defense (Berlin Defense/Beverwijk Variation)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Bc5

• 4...Nxe4 is the Gothic Defense; see Naiditsch-Gajewski, elswhere on this thread.

5.Nxe5

• If 5.c3 0-0 6.d4 Bb6 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 d6 then:
• If 9.Qd3 then:
• 9...Qe7 10.Nbd2 Nb8 11.Rfe1 c6 12.Ba4 Nbd7 13.Nc4 Bc7 14.Ne3 Re8 15.Bb3 Qf8 16.Nd2 Nh5 17.Nf5 Nf4 18.Qf3 gives White the advantage in space (Stefansson-Lima, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• 9...Bd7 10.Nbd2 a6 11.Bc4 exd4 12.cxd4 g5 13.Bg3 Nh5 14.e5 Kg7 15.exd6 Nxg3 16.dxc7 Qxc7 17.fxg3 g4 18.Nh4 Ne5 19.Nf5+ Bxf5 20.Qxf5 Bxd4+ gives Black more activity (Svidler-Leko, IT, Linares, 1999).
• If 9.a4 a5 10.Re1 then:
• 10...exd4 11.Bxc6 bxc6 12.Nxd4 Re8 13.Nd2 c5 14.N4f3 Bb7 15.Qc2 Re6 16.Re3 Qe8 17.Bxf6 Rxf6 18.Nc4 Re6 is equal (Thorsteins-Spassky, IT, Reykjavik, 1985).
• 10...Bg4 11.Bxc6 bxc6 12.dxe5 dxe5 13.Qxd8 Raxd8 14.Nxe5 g5 15.Bg3 Nxe4 16.Nxg4 f5 17.Na3 Nxg3 18.Nxh6+ gives White an extra pawn and the initiative (Anand-Torre, ITZ, Manila, 1990).
• If 5.d3 d6 6.c3 0-0 then:
• If 7.Nbd2 a6 8.Ba4 Ba7 9.h3 Ne7 10.Re1 Ng6 11.Nf1 then:
• If 11...b5 12.Bb3 Re8 then:
• 13.Ng3 Bb7 14.Be3 Bxe3 15.fxe3 d5 16.exd5 Bxd5 17.e4 draw (Anand-Kramnik, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2007).
• 13.a4 Bb7 14.Be3 Bxe3 15.Nxe3 h6 16.Nh2 d5 is equal (Leko-Kramnik, Tal Mem Blitz, 2007).
• If 11...h6 12.Ng3 then:
• If 12...b5 13.Bb3 Re8 14.Nh2 Be6 15.Bxe6 fxe6 16.a4 Qd7 is equal (Leko-Alekseev, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2008).
• 12...c6 13.d4 Re8 14.Bc2 Qc7 15.Be3 Be6 16.Qd2 Kh7 17.Rad1 Rad8 18.Qc1 b5 is equal (Domínguez-Buhmann, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• If 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 then:
• If 8...Bb6 9.Nbd2 Qe7 10.Nc4 Be6 11.Nxb6 axb6 12.Ba4 Bg4 13.Bc2 Nd8 14.h3 Bh5 15.g4 Bg6 is equal (Zdebskaja -Andriasian, Euro ChW, Dresden, 2007).
• 8...g5 9.Bg3 Bg4 10.h3 Bh5 11.Bxc6 bxc6 12.Nbd2 Qd7 13.Nc4 Rae8 14.Ne3 draw (Sutovsky-Hracek, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• If 5.Nc3 0-0 6.Nxe5 then:
• 6...Nxe5 7.d4 Bd6 8.f4 Nc6 9.e5 Be7 10.d5 Nb4 11.exf6 Bxf6 12.a3 Bxc3 13.bxc3 Nxd5 14.Qxd5 c6 15.Qd3 cxb5 16.f5 f6 17.Qxb5 d5 18.Rd1 Qb6+ draw (Cokkinson-Trent, 4NCL, Birmingham, 2001).
• 6...Re8 7.Nf3 Nxe4 8.d4 Nxc3 9.bxc3 Bf8 10.Bd3 h6 11.Bf4 d6 12.Rb1 Qf6 13.Bg3 is equal (Schlechter-Marshall, IT, Monte Carlo, 1904).

5...Nxe4

• If 5...Nxe5 6.d4 then:
• If 6...a6 7.Ba4 Nxe4 then:
• If 8.Qe2 Be7 9.Qxe4 Ng6 then:
• If 10.c4 0-0 11.Nc3 c6 12.Bc2 d6 13.Qd3 f5 14.f4 Bf6 then:
• 15.Kh1 Bd7 16.a4 a5 17.Be3 Re8 is equal (Fedorowicz-Gulko, US Ch, Long Beach, 1989).
• 15.Ne2 b5 16.a4 b4 is equal (Zaric-García, Corres, 1990).
• If 10.f4 0-0 11.f5 d5 12.Qd3 Nh4 13.g3 c5 then:
• 14.dxc5 Bxc5+ 15.Kh1 Qa5 16.Bb3 Nxf5 17.Bd2 Qb5 18.Qxb5 axb5 is equal (Zapata-Torre, Ol, Thessaloniki, 1988).
• 14.gxh4 b5 15.Bg5 Bxg5 16.hxg5 Qxg5+ 17.Qg3 Qxg3+ 18.hxg3 bxa4 19.dxc5 is equal (Perenyi-Mikhalchishin, Noviki, Budapest, 1988).
• 8.Re1 Be7 9.Rxe4 Ng6 10.c4 0-0 11.Nc3 d6 12.Nd5 Bh4 13.Qh5 c6 14.Rxh4 Qxh4 15.Qxh4 Nxh4 16.Nb6 Rb8 17.Bf4 gives White the initiative for the exchange (Anand-Ivanchuk, IT, Gran Canaria, 1996).
• If 6...c6 7.dxe5 Nxe4 8.Bd3 d5 9.exd6 Nf6 then:
• If 10.Re1+ Be6 11.Nc3 Qxd6 then:
• If 12.Qf3 then:
• If 12...0-0-0 13.Bf5 then:
• 13...Qd7?! 14.Bxe6 fxe6 15.Be3 wins a pawn for White (Fedorowicz-Kaidanov, US Ch, 1993).
• 13...Rhe8 14.Bg5 Bd4 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 with equality, according to Fritz.
• 12...0-0 13.Bf4 with advantage to White, according to Kaidanov quoted in Flear, Offbeat Spanish (London: Everyman Publishers, 2000, p. 63).
• 10.Qe2+ Be6 11.Bg5 Qxd6 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.Nd2 Qe5 14.Ne4 Bb6 15.Kh1 0-0-0 16.a4 Kb8 17.a5 Bc7 18.f4 Qd4 is equal (Krogius-Spassky, Soviet Ch, Tbilisi, 1959).

6.Qe2 Nxe5 7.d4

• If 7.Qxe4 Qe7 then:
• 8.Nc3 Ng6 9.Qxe7+ Nxe7 10.Re1 0-0 11.Ne4 Bb6 12.Nf6+ gxf6 13.Rxe7 d5 14.b3 Bf5 15.c3 c6 16.Bf1 Bc5 17.Re1 Rfe8 18.Bb2 Re6 19.c4 d4 20.a3 a5 21.d3 Rd8 22.Red1 b5 23.Rac1 draw (Domínguez-de la Paz, Cuban Ch, Las Tunas, 2001).
• 8.d4 Nc6 9.Qxe7+ Bxe7 10.c3 transposes into the notes after White's eighth move.

7...Qe7

• If 7...Be7 8.dxe5 Nc5 then:
• 9.Rd1 0-0 10.Bc4 Qe8 11.Nc3 Kh8 12.Be3 Ne6 13.Ne4 b6 14.Bd5 gives White an early initiative (Iordachescu-Mitkov, Euro ChT, Panormo, 2001).
• 9.Qg4 0-0 10.Bh6 Ne6 11.Bd3 f5 12.exf6 Rxf6 13.Bd2 d5 is equal (Keres-Szabo, Candidates' Trmt, Budapest, 1950).

8.dxc5!?

• If 8.Qxe4 Nc6 then:
• If 9.Qxe7+ Bxe7 10.c3 a6 11.Bd3 then:
• If 11...0-0 12.Bf4 d6 then:
• 13.Re1 Bf6 14.Nd2 Bd7 15.Ne4 Bh4 16.g3 Be7 17.h4 Rfe8 18.f3 is equal (Georgadze-Gulko, Soviet Ch, Tbilisi, 1978).
• 13.Nd2 Bd7 14.Rfe1 Rfe8 15.d5 Na7 16.Re2 Bf8 17.Rae1 Rxe2 18.Rxe2 Nc8 19.c4 Nb6 gives White the dvantage in space (Hübner-Gulko, IT, Biel, 1987).
• 11...d6 12.Re1 0-0 13.Na3 Bf6 14.Nc4 draw (Cabilo-Gulko, ITZ, Manila, 1990).
• If 9.Qg4 h5 then:
• 10.Qd1 Nxd4 11.b4 Bb6 12.c4 0-0 13.c5 Nxb5 14.a4 Qf6 15.Ra2 d6 16.cxb6 axb6 gives Black two extra pawns (Timoshchenko-Gulko, Soviet Ch Cycle, Moscow, 1977).
• 10.Qxg7 Bxd4 11.Qg3 h4 12.Qd3 Bf6 13.Nc3 Ne5 14.Qd1 c6 15.f4 cxb5 16.Nd5 Qd6 17.fxe5 Bxe5 18.Bf4 Bxf4 19.Rxf4 Qc5+ 20.Kh1 h3 21.b4 hxg2+ 22.Kxg2 Qf8 23.Qd4 Rh6 24.Qe5+ Black resigns as 24...Re6 Qg5 25.d6 (forced) 26...Nc7+! wins a piece (Luther-Gabriel, Op, Altensteig, 1990).

8...Nxc5!

• Black has won an extra pawn. The burden is now on White to equalize.
• 8...Ng6 9.Be3 0-0 10.Qh5 d5 11.cxd6 Nxd6 12.Bd3 Qf6 13.Nc3 Bf5 14.Bg5 Qd4 15.Bxf5 Nxf5 16.Rad1 Qc4 17.Rd3 Rfe8 18.b3 Qe6 19.Nd5 Rac8 20.Qd1 h6 draw (Vasiukov-Litvinov, Soviet ChT, Moscow, 1963).

9.Nc3?!

• The novelty is a more passive move than what is found in older theory.
• 9.b4 a6 10.bxc5 axb5 11.Re1 f6 12.f4 Qxc5+ 13.Be3 Qc4 14.fxe5 Qxe2 15.Rxe2 fxe5 16.Nc3 d6 17.Nxb5 Kd7 18.a4 gives White a piecefor two pawns (Gipslis-Gonsior, IT, Hradec Kralove, 1977).

9...Ng6

• Black still has an extra pawn.
• After 9...c6 10.Re1 d6 11.f4 Ng6 12.Qd1 Be6 13.Bf1 Black keeps the pawn.

10.Qh5 c6 11.Bg5 f6

• In contrast to White, White's moves are aggressive.
• 11...Qf8?! 12.Rfe1+ Ne6 13.Bd3 d6 14.Rad1 Ne5 15.Bh4gives White more space to compensate for the pawn.

12.Rae1

• With both of White's Bishops under attack, 12.b4?! is no way to maintain the balance; if now 12...Ne6! then:
• 13.Bd3 fxg5 14.Bxg6+ Kd8 15.Bd3 Qxb4 Black has two extra pawns.
• 13.Nd5? cxd5 14.Bd2 0-0 15.Qxd5 Qf7 leaves Black a piece to the good.

12...Ne6 13.Bd3 0-0

• 13...fxg5?! 14.Bxg6+ Kd8 15.Bf5 d6 16.Qe2 Re8 17.Bxh7 gives White more freedom after the leveling of material balance.

14.Bd2

• If 14.Be3 Qf7 then:
• If 15.f4 f5 16.Rf3 then:
• If 16...Ne7 17.Qh4 d5 18.Rh3 h6 19.Ne2 Qf6 then:
• 20.Qxf6 Rxf6 21.Kf2 b6 22.c3 c5 Black retains the extra pawn.
• 20.c3 Qxh4 21.Rxh4 Kf7 22.Rh5 b6 23.Ng3 Kg6 White is unable to win back the pawn.
• After 16...d5 17.Rh3 h6 18.Ne2 d4 19.Bd2 Ne7 Black can manage White kingside initiative and still keep his pawn.
• 15.Bf5 d5 16.Rd1 Nc7 17.Bd3 f5 18.Rfe1 Ne5 does nothing for White to win back the pawn.
• If 14.Bxg6?? then 14...hxg6! 15.Qxg6 fxg5 wins a piece.

BLACK: Veselin Topalov
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WHITE: Gata Kamsky
Position after 14.Bg5d2

14...d5!

• While White has done little to control the center, Black uses his extra pawn to intrude on White's space.

15.f4 Qc5+ 16.Kh1 d4 17.Bf5 Rf7!?

• Black misses an opportunity to exploit his advantage to the fullest.
• 17...Nexf4! 18.Rxf4 dxc3 19.Bxc3 Bxf5 20.Rxf5 Qc4 gives Black an extra pawn.
• 17...dxc3?? loses the Queen to 18.Bxe6+ Bxe6 19.Qxc5.

18.Ne4 Qd5 19.Bxg6?!

• White misses a narrow path to euqality.
• If 19.Bb4 Nc7 then:
• If 20.Bxg6 hxg6 21.Qxd5 Nxd5 22.Bc5 Bf5 then:
• If 23.Nd6 Rd7 then:
• If 24.Nxf5 gxf5 25.Bxd4 Nb4 26.Bc5 then:
• 26...Nxc2 27.Re2! b6 28.Rxc2 bxc5 29.Rxc5 is equal.
• 26...Na6 27.Bg1 b6 28.Re6 c5 is equal.
• After 24.Rf2 b6 25.Nxf5 bxc5 26.Ng3 Black remains a pawn to the good.
• 23.Bxd4 Re7 24.Nd6 Rxe1 25.Rxe1 Bxc2 26.Nxb7 Nxf4 gives Black an extra pawn.
• If 20.Nd6 then after 20...Bxf5 21.Qxf5 Qxf5 22.Nxf5 Rd7 Black maintains an extra pawn.

19...hxg6 20.Qxd5 cxd5 21.Nd6 Rc7 22.c4?

• White commits a positional error from which he does not recover.
• 22.Nxc8 Raxc8 23.Rxe6 Rxc2 24.Bb4 Rxb2 25.a3 Rcc2 remains equal.

22...dxc3!

• White may have expected 22...dxc4 23.Nxc8 when:
• If 23...c3 then after 24.bxc3 dxc3 25.Bc1 Raxc8 26.Rxe6 White has a piece for two pawns.
• After 23...Rcxc8 24.Rxe6 c3 25.bxc3 dxc3 26.Be3 White has a piece for two pawns.

23.Bxc3 d4 24.Bb4

• After 24.Nxc8 dxc3 25.bxc3 Raxc8 26.Rxe6 Rxc3 Black is again a pawn to the good.

24...Bd7 25.Rf2

• White prevents 25...Rc2.

BLACK: Veselin Topalov
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WHITE: Gata Kamsky
Position after 25.Rf1f2

25...a5!

• Black pushes White back. White's next three moves are forced.

26.Ba3 b5 27.b3 b4 28.Bb2 Ra6 29.Ne4

• After 29.Nc4 Black wins with 29...Bb5 30.Nd2 Rc2 31.Ne4 Rac6.

29...Rac6 30.Kg1

• Such a move shows the position is in its death throes.

30...Rc2 31.g3 d3 32.Rd1 f5 0-1

• Black wins a piece with 33.Nd6 Rxf2 34.Kxf2 Rc2+ 35.Ke3 Rxb2.
• Mr. Kamsky resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Kamsky - Topalov, Round 4 (1-0)

Gata Kamsky
Photo: ChessBase.com (Spanish Language)

Gata Kamsky - Veselin Topalov
Candidates' Match, Round 4
Sofia, 21 February 2009

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Zaitsev Defense

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Bb7

• This is the Zaitsev Defense, one of a half dozen good ways for Black to meet the main line of the Spanish Grand Royal. Karpov scored many successes with it. The next two moves for each player are pretty much SOP.

10.d4 Re8 11.Nbd2 Bf8 12.Ng5

• If 12.a4 h6 13.Bc2 exd4 14.cxd4 Nb4 15.Bb1 c5 16.d5 Nd7 x 17.Ra3 then:
• If 17...f5 18.Nh2 Nf6 19.Rf3 Re5 20.Rxf5 Rxf5 21.exf5 Bxd5 22.Ng4 then:
• 22...Bf7 23.Ne4 Nxg4 24.Qxg4 d5 is equal (Morozevich-Grischuk, Grand Prix, Dubai, 2002).
• 22...Ra7 23.Nxf6+ Qxf6 24.Ne4 Bxe4 25.Bxe4 Re7 is equal (Haba-Dervishi, Austrian ChT, 2003).
• 17...c4 18.axb5 axb5 19.Nd4 Qb6 20.Nf5 Ne5 21.Rg3 g6 22.Nf3 Ned3 23.Be3 Qd8 24.Nxh6+ Bxh6 25.Bxh6 Qf6 is equal (Timofeev-Inarkiev, Russian Ch HL, Novokuznetsk, 2008).
• If 12.a3 g6 then:
• If 13.Ba2 Bg7 14.b4 a5 15.d5 Ne7 then:
• 16.Bb2 Nh5 17.Nb3 axb4 18.axb4 Bc8 19.Na5 Nf4 20.c4 g5 21.cxb5 g4 22.Nh2 gxh3 23.g3 Neg6 24.Bb1 Qg5 25.Bc1 is equal (Adams-Grischuk, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2002).
• If 16.Nb3 axb4 17.cxb4 Nxe4 18.Rxe4 Bxd5 19.Nfd2 then:
• 19...Bxe4 20.Nxe4 h6 21.Bb2 Kh7 22.g4 Rf8 23.Rc1 f5 24.gxf5 Nxf5 is equal (Iordachescu-Nikolic, IT, Valjevo, 2007).
• 19...f5 20.Re1 e4 21.Na5 Qd7 22.Bxd5+ Nxd5 is equal (T. Kosintseva-Shen Yang, TMatch, Ningbo, 2008).
• 13.Bc2 Bg7 14.d5 Nb8 15.c4 c6 16.b4 Qc7 17.Bb2 bxc4 18.dxc6 Nxc6 19.Nxc4 Rad8 20.Ba4 Nxe4 21.Qc2 d5 draw (Sax-Short, Intrznl, Biel, 1985).
• If 12.Bc2 g6 13.d5 Nb8 14.b3 c6 15.c4 then:
• If 15...Nbd7 16.a4 Qc7 17.Ba3 Rec8 18.Bd3 cxd5 19.cxd5 Qb6 20.b4 Rc3 21.Nb1 Rcc8 22.Bc1 bxa4 23.Qxa4 Qd8 24.Bg5 gives White the advantage in space (Smyslov-Gligoric, IT, Bugojno, 1984).
• 15...a5 16.dxc6 Bxc6 17.cxb5 Bxb5 18.Nc4 Na6 19.Bg5 Nb4 20.Bb1 Bxc4 21.bxc4 h6 22.Be3 Qc7 23.a3 Na6 24.Nd2 Nc5 25.Bc2 Reb8 26.Rb1 Qc6 27.Qf3 Bg7 28.Rec1 Nfd7 29.Qd1 is equal (Ljubojevic-Karpov, Euwe Mem, Amsterdam, 1991).
• 12.d5 Nb8 13.Nf1 Nbd7 then:
• If 14.N3h2 then:
• If 14...Rc8 then:
• 15.Bg5 h5 16.a4 g6 17.Nf3 Nc5 18.axb5 axb5 19.Bc2 gives White the advantage in space (Ni Hua-León Hoyos, IT, Reggio Emilia, 2008-09).
• 15.Ng4 Nxg4 16.Qxg4 Nc5 17.Bc2 c6 18.dxc6 Bxc6 19.Ne3 g6 20.Rd1 Bh6 21.b4 Ne6 22.Bb3 Kh8 23.Nd5 Bxc1 24.Raxc1 Rf8 25.Rc2 f5 is equal (Leko-Ivanchuk, Tal Mem, Moscow, 2008).
• If 14...Nc5 15.Bc2 c6 16.b4 Ncd7 17.dxc6 Bxc6 18.Bg5 then:
• 18...h6 19.Bxf6 Nxf6 20.Ng4 Nxg4 21.Qxg4 Bd7 22.Qf3 Rc8 23.Bb3 Be6 24.Red1 Re7 25.Qd3 Rec7 26.Rac1 Qg5 27.Rc2 d5 28.Ng3 draw (Gashimov-Inarkiev, IT, Poikovsky, 2008).
• 18...Qc7 19.Bxf6 Nxf6 20.Ng4 Nxg4 21.hxg4 Bb7 22.Re3 Be7 23.Bb3 Bg5 24.Rf3 Rf8 25.Qe2 Bc8 26.Rd1 Be6 27.Ne3 Bxe3 28.Rxe3 a5 29.Bxe6 fxe6 is equal (Carlsen-Navara, Grand Prix, Baku, 2008).
• 14.Ng3 g6 15.Be3 Nc5 16.Bc2 c6 17.b4 Ncd7 18.dxc6 Bxc6 19.Bb3 Nb6 20.Qd3 Rb8 21.Rad1 Rb7 22.Nh2 Bd7 23.Bxb6 Rxb6 24.Ngf1 Bh6 25.Ne3 Bxe3 26.Qxe3 Be6 27.Nf3 Kg7 28.Rd3 Qc7 is equal (Short-Ivanchuk, Euwe Mem, Amsterdam, 1994).

12...Re7 13.d5 Nb8

• 13...Na5 14.Bc2 c6 15.b4 Nc4 16.Nxc4 bxc4 17.dxc6 Bxc6 18.a4 Bb7 19.Nf3 gives White a slight advantage in space (Timman-Karpov, IT, Bugojno, 1980).

14.Nf1 Nbd7 15.Ng3 g6

• 15...h6 16.Nf3 g6 17.Nh2 Re8 18.Ng4 Nxg4 19.hxg4 Nc5 20.Bc2 c6 21.Be3 Qh4 is equal (Bartel-Grabarczyk, Polish Ch, Warsaw, 2001).

16.Bc2!?

• 16.Be3 Qc8 17.Rc1 Nc5 18.Bc2 c6 19.b4 Ncd7 is equal (Romanishin-Beliavsky, Soviet Ch, Minsk, 1979).

16...h6!?

• Black wishes to drive the Knight from his kingside straightaway.
• Less dramatic but solid is 16...Qc8 17.a4 c6 18.dxc6 Qxc6 19.Qe2 Ree8 with equality.

17.Nf3 Nb6

• 17...Qc8 18.Be3 c6 19.dxc6 Qxc6 20.Qd2 Kh7 21.a4 is equal.

18.h4

• White gains little from any attempt to restrain Black's queenside.
• 18.Qd3!? Bg7 19.b3 Qd7 20.a4 bxa4 21.bxa4 settles into equality.

18...Qd7 19.Nh2 Bg7 20.h5

• With the center locked, the players maneuver on the wings. White would like to put some weaknesses in Black's kingaside.

20...Rf8 21.Nhf1 c6

• Black nibbles at White's center.

22.dxc6

• 22.a4!? would be premature; if now 22...cxd5 23.a5 Nc8 24.exd5 Nxd5 25.hxg6 then:
• 25...Nf4! 26.Bxf4 exf4 27.gxf7+ Rfxf7 give Black more activity, but nothing White can't handle.
• 25...Re6 26.Be4 Nce7 27.gxf7+ Rxf7 28.Nh5 remains equal.

22...Qxc6 23.Ne3 Kh7 24.Qf3

• It might profit White a little better if he plays on the queenside.
• If 24.a4! bxa4 25.Bxa4 Nxa4 26.Qxa4 then:
• If 26...Nxe4 27.Qxc6 Bxc6 then:
• 28.Nxe4 Bxe4 29.Rxa6 Re6 30.c4! gxh5 31.b4 gives White the most mobile passed pawn on the board, trumping any advantage Black has from an extra pawn.
• 28.hxg6+ fxg6 29.Nxe4 Bxe4 30.Rxa6 Rd8 31.Rd1 gives White more activity.
• 26...Qxa4 27.Rxa4 Rd7 28.Rd1 Rfd8 29.c4 Rc8 30.b4 gives White the advantage in space.

24...Bc8 25.Rd1 Be6

• 25...Bb7 26.Ng4 Nxg4 27.Qxg4 Rd7 remains equal.

BLACK: Veselin Topalov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Gata Kamsky
Position after 25...Bc8e6

26.b3!

• White plays a clever pawn sacrifice. He seemingly drops a pawn and gives Black the initiative.
• 26.Bb3 Nc4 27.Nd5 Bxd5 28.exd5 Qc7 remains equal.

26...Qxc3 27.Bd2!

• White has immediate counterplay. This is a good move in spite of the fact that it is foced.

27...Qc7 28.Ba5 Qb8

• Black's initiative turned out to be no big thing after all. True, Black has an extra pawn, but White has the active game.

29.Rd2

• White goes to work on the weakness at d6.

29...Nc8 30.Rad1 b4?

• This move creates a plethora of pawn weaknesses on Black's queenside. In addition to the backward pawn at d6, the pawns at a6 and b4 will be weak as long as the a-pawn is blocked from supporting his companion.
• 30...Bh8 31.a3 Kg8 32.Qe2 Rd7 remains equal.

31.Qe2 Kh8 32.Bd3!

• White attaks a second weak pawn.

32...Na7

• Black has no way to protect the pawn at a6. Instead, hw will maneuver the Knight to c6 in an attempt to strike at White's awkwardly placed Bishop.

BLACK: Veselin Topalov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Gata Kamsky
Position after 32...Nc8a7

33.Rc1!

• White takes command of the open file and prevents 33...Nc6.
• 33.Bxa6?? drops a Bishop to 33...Nc6! 34.Nd5 Bxd5 35.exd5 Nxa5.

33...Nb5

• If 33...Rd7 then after 34.Bxa6 gxh5 35.Qf3 Qa8 36.Nd5 Bg4 37.Qd3 White is poised to take back the proffered pawn while enjoying more freedom and activity.
• After 33...Rc8 34.Rxc8+ Bxc8 35.Bxa6 Bxa6 36.Qxa6 Nc8 37.Qc4 Black is tied down to two weaknesses, the pawn at d6 and the other pawn at b5.

34.Bxb5 axb5 35.Bxb4

• White has the pawn back with a more active game.

35...Rd7 36.Rc6 Rfd8

• The text move gives Black more freedom than 36...Ne8?! 37.Nd5 Rg8 38.a3 gxh5 39.Nxh5.

37.Qd1 Bf8

• If 37...d5 38.Ba5 Re8 39.exd5 then:
• 39...Qa8 40.dxe6 Rxd2 41.Qxd2 Qxc6 42.exf7 Ra8 43.hxg6 puts White on a winning track.
• 39...Nxd5?? drops a piece to 40.Nxd5 Bxd5 41.Rxd5 Rxd5 42.Qxd5 Qa7.

38.Qc2 Kh7 39.Ba5 Re8 40.hxg6+ fxg6
BLACK: Veselin Topalov
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WHITE: Gata Kamsky
Position after 40...fg6:p

41.Bc7!

• White must win a pawn.

41...Qb7 42.Bxd6

• White has won a pawn.

42...Bf7!?

• British grandmaster Nigel Short, commenting live on ChessGames.com, called this "quite a clever move by Toppy."
• If 42...Bc4 then after 43.Rc7 Rxc7 44.Bxc7 Bxb3 45.Qxb3 Qxc7 46.Qxb5 White maintains the extra pawn.

43.Bb4

• Grandmaster Short's idea was for White to proceed with 43.Bxf8, leading to extremely sharp play requiring accuratte calculation.
• If 43.Bxf8 Rxd2 then:
• If 44.Qc1!! Rxf8 then:
• If 45.Rxf6! Rfd8 then:
• If 46.Ngf1 Rxa2 then:
• If 47.Nf5 47...Rad2 48.Nxd2 gxf5 49.Nf3 f4 then:
• 50.Nxe5 Bh5 51.Rxh6+ Kxh6 52.Qxf4+ Kg7 53.Qg5+ is the way through the labyrinth leading to an easy win.
• A little more difficult, but still winning, is 50.Qc5 Bxb3 51.Qxe5 Qg7 52.Qf5+ Kh8 53.Qxf4.
• 47.Ng4? Rh8 48.Qxh6+ Kg8 49.Rxg6+ Bxg6 50.Qxg6+ Kf8 is equal.
• Also good is 46.Nd5 R8xd5 47.exd5 Qxd5 when:
• White wins after 48.Qa3! Rd1+ 49.Kh2 Kg7 50.Qe7 e4 51.Rf5!.
• 48.Rxf7+ Kg8 49.Nf1 Rd1 gives Black the advantage.
• If 45.Rc7? then Black wins after 45...Qb6! 46.Rxf7+ Rxf7 47.Qxd2 Qd4.
• If 44.Qxd2? Qxc6 45.Bxh6 then:
• 45...Qd7 46.Qxd7 Nxd7 47.Bg5 Ra8 when Black's Rook beats any of White's minor pieces.
• 45...Nxe4 46.Nxe4 Qxe4 Black has the exchange for a pawn.
• 43.Rc7 Rxc7 44.Qxc7 Qxc7 45.Bxc7 should win for White, but that is by no means as certain.

43...Bxb4 44.Rxd7 Qxd7 45.Rxf6 Re6

• Black avoids 45...Rf8 46.Rb6 Rc8 47.Qe2 Rc5 48.a4 since the consequent exchange of pieces at b5 will only magnify the value of White's extra pawn.

46.Nd5 Bf8 47.Rf3 Kg7 48.Rc3 Ra6 49.Rc7 Qd6

• After this, White would have to give the game away.
• If 49...Qd8 50.Rb7 then:
• 50...Qe8 51.Qe2 Qc6 52.Rc7 Qd6 53.Qg4 White retains the extra pawn with a stronger position than before.
• 50...Qa8 51.Rxb5 Rxa2 52.Qc7 Qe8 53.f4 Rc2 54.Qxe5+ gives White two extra pawns.

BLACK: Veselin Topalov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Gata Kamsky
Position after 49...Qd7d6

50.Qe2

• If 50.Rb7 Rc6 51.Qb2 b4 52.Nxb4 then:
• 52...Rc7 53.Rxc7 Qxc7 54.Nd5 Qb8 55.a4 gives White two extra pawns.
• 52...Qd1+ 53.Kh2 Rc5 54.Nd5 Rxd5 55.exd5 leaves White up by an exchange and two pawns.

50...Kg8 51.Qxb5 Rxa2 52.Qb7 Ra1+

• If 52...Bxd5 then:
• 53.Qxd5+! Qxd5 54.exd5 Ra1+ 55.Kh2 Rd1 56.Ne4! when if Black plays 56...Rxd5 then White replies 57.Nf6+ Kh8 Rh7#.
• Weaker is 53.exd5? Qf6 54.f3 Ra1+ 55.Nf1 e4 when Balck has counterpaly.

53.Kh2 Bxd5 54.exd5

• Stronger is the exchange of Queens, 54.Qxd5+ Qxd5 55.exd5, and now if 55...Ra6 then after 56.Rc6 Ra5 57.Ne4 the d-pawn is taboo.
• If 55...Ra5 then 56.Ne4 the d-pawn is still protected by the threat of 57.Nf6+.

54...Qf6 55.Qc8 Qh4+ 56.Qh3 Qxh3+

• If 56...Be7 then after 57.Qxh4 Bxh4 58.Ne4 Re1 59.f3 Rd1 60.d6 the advancing d-pawn gives White a tremendous advantage.

57.Kxh3 Rd1 58.Ne4 Ba3

• If 58...Bb4 then 59.Rb7 Rd4 60.Nf6+ Kf8 61.Nd7+ wins the e-pawn.

59.Ra7 Bb4 60.Rb7 Ba3 61.f3

• After 61.Nf6+ Kf8 62.Nd7+ White wins the e-pawn.

61...Kf8 62.Rb5

• 62.Rb8+ Kf7 63.Rb5 h5 64.Kg3 Be7 65.Kf2 h4 66.Ke2 leaves Black with few good options.

62...h5 63.Kg3 Rc1 64.Rb8+ Kf7 65.Rb7+ Kf8 66.Kf2

• 66.Rb6 Rd1 67.Rxg6 Rxd5 68.Rh6wins a second pawn for White.

66...Rc2+ 67.Kf1

• This is good enough for a win.
• 67.Ke3 Rxg2 68.d6 Ke8 69.Nf6+ Kf8 70.b4 also wins.

67...Rc1+ 68.Ke2 Rc2+ 69.Kd3 Rxg2 70.Ra7 Be7

• If 70...Bc1 then after 71.d6 Ke8 72.Kc4 Be3 73.Re7+ Kf8 74.Rxe5 Black has nothing more for which to fight.

71.d6 Bd8 72.Nc5 Ke8 73.Rh7 1-0

• After 73...Ba5 74.d7+ Kf8 75.b4 Bb6 76.Rh8+ Kg7 77.Rb8 Black begins losing material.
• Grandmaster Topalov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Linares

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Anand - Radjabov, Round 1

Vishy Anand
Photo: Wikipedia


Vishy Anand - Teimour Radjabov
Ciudad de Linares, Round 1
Linares, 19 February 2009

Open Sicilian Game: Sveshnikov Defense (Novosibirsk Opening)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5

• Grandmaster Radjabov is a dangerous exponent of the Sveshnikov Defense

6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5

• If 7.Nd5 Nxd5 8.exd5 Nb8 9.c4 Be7 then:
• If 10.Be2 0-0 11.0-0 a6 12.Nc3 f5 13.f4 Bf6 14.Kh1 Nd7 15.Qc2 then:
• 15...exf4 16.Bxf4 Be5 17.Qd2 Qf6 18.Bxe5 Nxe5 19.Rac1 f4 20.Ne4 Qh6 21.c5 Bg4 22.c6 bxc6 23.dxc6 gives White an advanced passer (Schneider-Ramirez, IT, Richardson, Texas, 2007).
• 15...g6 16.Be3 exf4 17.Bxf4 Be5 18.Rad1 b6 19.a3 Ra7 20.Qd2 Bxf4 21.Qxf4 Ne5 is equal (Turunen-Topi Hulmi, Finnish ChT, Finland, 2000).
• If 10.Bd3 0-0 11.0-0 a6 12.Nc3 f5 13.f3 Bg5 14.Kh1 Nd7 15.b4 a5 16.a3 axb4 17.Bxg5 Qxg5 18.axb4 Rxa1 19.Qxa1 Qe3 20.Be2 then:
• 20...b5 21.Qc1 Qxc1 22.Rxc1 bxc4 23.Nb5 Bb7 24.Nxd6 Bxd5 is equal (Leko-Kramnik, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2003).
• If 20...Nb8 then:
• 21.Qb2 Na6 22.Rb1 Bd7 23.Nd1 Qd4 24.Qxd4 exd4 25.Kg1 Rb8 is equal (Svidler-Timofeev, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2004).
• 21.Qc1 Qb6 22.Na2 Na6 23.Qc3 Bd7 24.g3 Ra8 25.Kg2 Qd4 26.Qxd4 exd4 27.Rd1 Nc7 28.Nc1 gives White better pawn structure and, for the moment, more activity (Xu Yuhua-Stefanova, No Urals Cup, Krasnoturinsk, 2005).
• 13...Nd7 14.Be3 Bg5 15.Bf2 Qf6 16.Qc2 Nc5 17.Be2 a5 18.Na4 Nxa4 19.Qxa4 e4 20.Qa3 Bf4 21.fxe4 Be5 22.Rab1 Qh6 23.g3 fxe4 is equal (Smeets-Pavlovic, Corus C, Wijk aan Zee, 2004).

7...a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Bxf6

• If 9.Nd5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c3 0-0 12.Nc2 then:
• If 12...Bg5 13.a4 bxa4 14.Rxa4 a5 15.Bc4 Rb8 16.b3 Kh8 17.0-0 then:
• If 17...f5 18.exf5 Bxf5 19.Nce3 Bg6 20.Bd3 then:
• 20...Bxd3 21.Qxd3 Bxe3 22.fxe3 Rxf1+ 23.Qxf1 Rxb3 24.Rc4 Rb5 25.Nc7 Rb6 26.Nd5 Rb5 27.Nc7 draw (Bologan-Timofeev, IT, Sarajevo, 2005).
• 20...Bf7 21.Be4 Bg8 22.Ra3 Na7 23.Qd3 Bxe3 24.Qxe3 Nb5 is equal (Leko-Topalov, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2002).
• If 17...g6 18.Nce3 f5 19.exf5 gxf5 20.f4 exf4 then:
• 21.Nc2 Ne5 22.Nxf4 Bb7 23.Ne6 Qb6+ 24.Qd4 gives White the advantage in space (Rechel-Halkias, op, Pardubice, 2000).
• After 21.Nxf4 Qb6 22.Qf3 Ne5 23.Qf2 Bxf4 24.Qxf4 Ng4 has White fighting to preserve her Knight (Zdebskaja-Anhchimeg, Mindsports, Beijing, 2008).
• If 12...Rb8 13.Be2 Bg5 14.0-0 a5 15.Qd3 then:
• 15...Be6 16.Rfd1 Kh8 17.Nde3 Qb6 18.Bg4 Rfd8 19.Qe2 Qb7 20.Bf5 Bxe3 21.Nxe3 b4 gives White a slight advantage in space (Strautins-Sakai, Cyberspace, 2001).
• 15...Ne7 16.Nce3 Be6 17.Nxe7+ Qxe7 18.Nd5 Qa7 19.a3 Kh8 20.Rad1 f5 21.Qg3 Bh6 22.exf5 Bxf5 23.Bd3 Be6 is equal (Coenen-Gustafsson, Euro ChT, Panormo, 2001).

9...gxf6 10.Nd5 Bg7

• 10...f5 is the Chelyabinsk Opening. See Z. Almasi-Ni Hua, IT, Reggio Emilia, 2008-09.

11.Bd3 Ne7 12.Nxe7 Qxe7 13.0-0

• If 13.c3 f5 14.Nc2 0-0 15.0-0 then:
• 15...Rb8 16.exf5 e4 17.Re1 Bxf5 18.Nd4 Bxd4 19.cxd4 d5 20.Qd2 Rb6 21.Rac1 Rg6 22.Bf1 Qh4 23.Re3 Qg5 24.g3 h5 25.Rc5 Be6 26.Re2 is equal (Short-Illescas, IT, Madrid, 1997).
• 15...f4 16.a4 bxa4 17.Rxa4 Qg5 18.Qe2 a5 19.Ne1 Bb7 20.Nf3 Qd8 21.Bc4 leaves White very comfortable for the time being (Goloshchapov-Jakovenko, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).

13...0-0 14.c4 f5 15.Qf3 d5!?

• 15...bxc4 16.Nxc4 d5 17.exd5 e4 18.Qe3 Bb7 19.d6 Qf6 20.Bc2 f4 21.Qh3 Rac8 22.b3 Qg5 23.d7 Rc6 24.Bxe4 gives White two extra pawns (Anand-Kasimdzhanov, World Cup, Hyderabad, 2002).

16.cxd5 fxe4 17.Bxe4 Rb8 18.Rfd1

• 18.Rad1 Rb6 19.Qd3 Qd7 20.Bxh7+ Kh8 21.Qe3 Rh6 22.Bc2 Qd6 23.g3 Bh3 24.Rfe1 f5 25.f4 exf4 26.Qe7 Qb6+ White resigns (P. Smirnov-Radjabov, FIDE Knock Out, Tripoli, 2004).

18...f5

• If 18...Qd7 19.d6 Rb6 20.Qd3 Rd8 21.Rac1 Bf8 then:
• 22.Rc7 Qxc7 23.Bxh7+ Kg7 24.dxc7 Rxd3 25.Bxd3 Rc6 26.Nc2 f5 27.Ne3 e4 28.Bb1 Rxc7 29.g4 fxg4 30.Bxe4 gives White an extra pawn.(Galkin-Khairullin, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2006).
• 22.Qg3+ Bg7 23.Qh4 Rxd6 24.Bxh7+ Kf8 25.Qb4 Bb7 26.Nc2 gives White an extra pawn (Vallejo-Radjabov, IT, Linares, 2004).
• 18...Qh4 19.g3 Qg5 20.Qb3 Bg4 21.Bf3 f5 22.Bxg4 Qxg4 23.Rac1 f4 24.d6+ gives White an extra pawn and command of the open c-file, but Black has plenty of play (Topalov-Radjabov, IT, Linares, 2004).

19.d6 Qf6 20.Bc6 Be6 21.Bd5 Rbd8 22.Qb3 Bf7

• This has been tried before, but only once.
• After 22...Bxd5 23.Rxd5 Kh8 24.Rad1 e4 25.Nc2 White still has an extra pawn, and it's moving up the d-file (Bach-T. Kosintseva, Euro Ch, Kusadasi, 2006).

23.Nc2!?

• White retains an extra pawn, but White's counterplay is far from being shut down.
• 23.Qb4! e4 24.Rab1 Kh8 25.Bb7 Bxa2 26.Ra1 gives White a small advantage.

23...Rxd6

• 23...e4 24.Bxf7+ Rxf7 25.Nb4 Qxb2 26.Qxb2 Bxb2 remains equal.

24.Bxf7+ Rxf7 25.Rxd6 Qxd6 26.Ne3 f4 27.Rd1!

• The sharp character of the Sveshnikov lasts even to the endgame.
• 27.Nd5 Kh8! (prophylactic) 28.Qf3 Qc6 (because of Black's prophylactic move, White cannot play 29.Ne7, which would devastate Black if the King were still at g7) 29.Qe4 Rd7 30.Rd1 Qc4 remains equal.

27...Qg6 28.Nd5 Bf8!?

• At long last, Black introduces a novelty.
• 28...Kh8 29.Nc3 f3 30.g3 Qf5 31.Rd8+ Bf8 32.Nd1 is equal (Bobras-Yakovich, Isle of Man Op, Port Erin, 2006).

29.f3 Kh8 30.Nc3 Rg7

• White threatens mate on g2, but it is easily parried.

31.Rd2 Bc5+ 32.Kf1 Bd4 33.Ne4

• 33.a4 bxa4 34.Qxa4 Qh5 35.h3 Qg6 36.Ne4 remains equal.

33...Rc7 34.Rc2 Rc6 35.Qd3

• 35.g3 Rxc2 36.Qxc2 Qe6 37.b3 Qh3+ 38.Qg2 remains equal.

35...Kg7 36.b3 h6

BLACK: Teimour Radjabov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after (move)
36...h7h6
37.g4!

• White has hopes of creating a passer on the kingside.

37...fxg3 38.hxg3 Qe6 39.Kg2

• 39.Ke2 Rxc2+ 40.Qxc2 Kf7 41.a3 Ke7 42.g4 is showing signs of strenght for White, who should from here play Ne4-g3-f5.

39...Qc8 40.Rxc6 Qxc6 41.Qd2!?

• White misses an opportunity to take advantage of his superiority on the kingside.
• If 41.g4! Kf7 42.Ng3 then:
• If 42...Qg6 43.Qd1 Qg5 44.Nf5 Ke8 45.Nxd4 then:
• 45...Qd8 46.Qc1 Qxd4 47.Qc6+ Ke7 48.Qxa6 wins a pawn.
• 45...exd4 46.Qxd4 h5 47.Qe4+ Kd7 48.Qh7+ Kd6 49.Qxh5 leaves White two pawns to the good; 49...Qxh5 is now tantamount to resignation.
• If 42...Kg8 43.Qf5 Bc3 44.Nh5 b4 45.Nf6+ Kf7 46.Qh7+ then:
• 46...Kf8 47.Qxh6+ Kf7 48.Qh7+ Ke6 49.g5 gives White opportunities to sacrifice the Knight and advance the g-pawn.
• 46...Ke6 47.Qxh6 Kf7 48.Qh7+ Ke6 49.Ne4 Qb5 the g-pswn is passed and ready to advance.

41...Qe6 42.g4 Qc6?

• This is a slight inaccuracy. One such as Anand needs little more.
• If 42...Kf7 then:
• 43.Ng3 Bc5 44.b4 Qd6 45.Qxd6 Bxd6 remains equal.
• 43.Qc1 Bb6 44.a3 Ke7 45.Qc2 Kf8 doesn't yield any significant advantage to either side.

BLACK: Teimour Radjabov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after (move)
42...Qe6c6
43.Ng3!

• White finds the best move; from here, the Knight can play to fine outposts on the fifth rank.
• The difference between this position and the one in the previous note is that in the text Black's King would be placed in check by the Knight move to an outpost, gaining a tempo. 43...Qc6 was therefore a waste of time.
• 43.a3 Kf7 44.b4 Kg6 45.Qa2 Qc4 remains equal.

43...Kh7

• Now Black removes his King from being checked by the Knight.

44.Nf5

• White threatens to win a pawn.

44...Bb6 45.Qd3

• White takes advantage of his initiative to make tactical threats, such as in this case 46.Ne7+.

45...Kh8 46.Qe2 Bc7 47.Qd2 Kh7

• Black's h-pawn is important because White's g-pawn is. He moves to preserve it.
• 47...Bb6 48.Qxh6+ Qxh6 49.Nxh6 Kg7 50.Nf5+ Kf6 51.b4 gives White a strong advantage; the g-pawn is now key.

48.Ne7

• White's pieces are centralized and ready to pivot in eith direction. Black's pieces are both on the queenside and the Bishop's scope is restricted by the Black pawn at e5.

48...Qc5

• If 48...Qd6 then 49.Qc2+ Kh8 50.Nf5 Qb6 51.b4! takes away all of Black's pawn moves.

BLACK: Teimour Radjabov
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WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after 48...Qc6c5

49.Qd3+!

• For all intents and purposes, this is the knock out blow. Black's King is now under attack from White's pieces with his own forces far away.
• 49.Nd5 Kg8 50.Nxc7 Qxc7 51.Qxh6 Qc2+ 52.Kg3 Qxa2 leaves White strong, but still with work to do.

49...Kh8

• If 49...Kg7 50.Qg6+ Kf8 51.Nf5 Bb6 52.Kh3 then:
• 52...b4 53.Qxh6+ Ke8 54.Qe6+ Kd8 55.g5 White still has an extra pawn, now making its way up the g-file.
• After 52...Bd8 53.Qxh6+ Kf7 54.g5 Bxg5 55.Qxg5 White has won a piece.

50.Qd7!

• It is now apparent that the end is near.

50...e4 51.Qe8+

• Even stronger is 51.Kh3! exf3 52.b4 Qg5 53.Qc8+ winning the Bishop.

51...Kg7 52.Nf5+ Kf6 53.Qxe4 Bb6

• No better is 53...h5 54.Ne3 Kg7 55.Qe6 Qg5 56.Kf2.

54.Kh3 h5

BLACK: Teimour Radjabov
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WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after 54...h6h5

55.g5+!

• The pawn sacrifice is stronger than 55.Ng3 hxg4+ 56.fxg4 Qe3 57.Qc6+ Qe6 58.Qc3+.

55...Kxg5 56.Ne7 Kf6 57.Nd5+ Kg7 58.Qe5+ Kh6

• If 58...Kf7 then White wins a piece with 59.Qf6+ Ke8 60.Qe6+ Kd8 61.Nxb6.

59.Qf6+ Kh7 60.Qf7+ Kh6 61.Ne7 1-0

• White threatens mate by 62.Qg6#.
• If 61...Qd6 then 62.Nf5+ wins the Queen.
• If 61...Qg5 then after 62.Ng8+ Black must surrender the Queen.
• Grandmaster Radjabov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Anand - Aronian, Round 2

Levon Aronian
Photo: Wikipedia


Vishy Anand - Levon Aronian
26th Ciudad de Linares, Round 2
Linares, 20 February 2009

Semi-Slav Queen's Gambit: Meran Defense

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4

• This is the starting point of the Meran Defense.

7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 Bd6

• If 8...Bb7 (the Wade Opening) 9.0-0 a6 then:
• If 10.e4 c5 11.d5 Qc7 12.dxe6 fxe6 13.Bc2 c4 then:
• If 14.Nd4 Nc5 15.Be3 e5 then:
• If 16.Nf5 Ncxe4 17.Nxe4 Nxe4 then:
• If 18.Qg4 Nf6 19.Qh3 g6 20.Bg5 gxf5 21.Bxf6 Rg8 gives Black an extra pawn (Akopian-Ippolito, Op, Gibraltar, 2007).
• 18.a4 Qc6 19.axb5 axb5 20.Rxa8+ Bxa8 21.Qg4 g6 22.Nh6 Nf6 23.Qg3 Bxh6 24.Bxh6 Kf7 is equal (Lautier-Kramnik, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 1996).
• 16.Nf3 Be7 17.Ng5 0-0 18.Bxc5 Bxc5 19.Ne6 Qb6 20.Nxf8 Rxf8 21.Qe2 Qe6 22.h3 Bd4 23.Rab1 Qf7 24.Kh2 Nh5 25.Nd5 g6 26.Ne3 Nf4 draw (Korotylev-Dreev, Euro ChT, Fügen, 2006).
• 14.Ng5 Nc5 15.e5 Qxe5 16.Re1 Qd6 17.Qxd6 Bxd6 18.Be3 0-0 19.Rad1 Be7 20.Bxc5 Bxc5 21.Nxe6 Rfc8 22.h3 Rab8 23.Nxc5 Rxc5 24.Rd6 b4 25.Na4 Rd5 26.Rb6 Rb5 27.Rxb5 draw (Gelfand-Shirov, IT, Biel, 1995).
• If 10.a4 b4 11.Ne4 c5 then:
• 12.Ned2 Be7 13.Qe2 0-0 14.a5 Qc7 15.Rd1 Rfd8 16.Nc4 Be4 17.b3 cxd4 18.exd4 Bxd3 19.Rxd3 Nd5 gives Black the advantage of playing against the isolated d-pawn (Jakobsen-Khenkin, Op, Senden, 2001).
• If 12.Nxf6+ Nxf6 then:
• 13.dxc5 Bxc5 14.Qe2 0-0 15.e4 e5 16.Bg5 h6 17.Bh4 Qe7 18.Rac1 Rfc8 19.Kh1 g5 20.Bg3 Nd7 21.Bc4 gives White the advantage in space (Korchnoi-Berkes, IT, Paks, 2004).
• 13.Qe2 cxd4 14.Nxd4 Be7 15.Rd1 0-0 16.Bd2 Qd5 17.f3 Rfd8 18.Be1 g6 19.Bg3 Rac8 20.Bc2 Qc4 21.Qxc4 Rxc4 22.Bb3 is equal (Hort-Whiteley, IT, Hastings, 1968).

9.0-0 0-0 10.Qc2 Bb7 11.a3 a6

• If 11...a5 then:
• 12.e4 e5 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 Bxe5 15.h3 Re8 16.Be3 Qc7 17.Rad1 Rad8 is equal (Kramnik-Anand, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2007).
• 12.Bd2 h6 13.Rfd1 Rc8 14.Be2 Qc7 15.Rac1 Rfe8 16.h3 Qb8 17.Qb1 e5 18.dxe5 Nxe5 19.Nxe5 Rxe5 is equal (Wang Yue-Zhang Pengxiang, Chinese Ch, Wuxi, 2006).

12.Ng5!?

• If 12.b4 a5 13.Rb1 axb4 14.axb4 Qe7 15.e4 e5 then:
• If 16.dxe5 Nxe5 17.Nxe5 Bxe5 18.Ne2 Qe6 19.f4 then:
• 19...Ra2 20.Qd1 Ba1 gives Black more freedom and space (Gelfand-Anand, Amber Blind, Nice, 2008).
• 16.Ne2 Bxb4 17.Ng3 exd4 18.e5 Nxe5 19.Nxe5 c5 gives White a piece for three pawns and an equal game (Eljanov-Gustafsson, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• 19...Bc7 20.e5 Ra2 21.Bb2 Nd5 22.Bxh7+ Kh8 23.Bf5 Bb6+ 24.Kh1 gives White more activity and space (Kasparov-Kramnik, Kosmos Blitz, Moscow, 1998).

BLACK: Levon Aronian
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WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after 12.Nf3g5

12...Bxh2+!?

• Black plays to win a pawn.
• 12...h6 13.Nge4 Bc7 14.Rd1 Nxe4 15.Nxe4 Qh4 16.f4 is equal.

13.Kxh2 Ng4+ 14.Kg1 Qxg5

• Black is a pawn to the good.

15.f3!

• As is often the case, the side having lost or sacrificed the pawn gets some initiative in return and fights back.

15...Ngf6 16.e4

• White's center now compensates for the pawn.

16...Qh4 17.Be3 e5

• Black immediately goes to work on White's imposing center.

18.Ne2

• White defends the pawn directly, but he could also adopt play designed to push back and restrain Black.
• 18.b4 a5 19.Qf2 then:
• 19...Qh5 20.Qg3 Ra6 21.f4 Qg4 22.Qh3 exd4 23.Bxd4 then:
• 23...Qxh3 24.gxh3 Rfa8 25.Rad1 axb4 26.axb4 Ra3 27.e5 is equal.
• 23...Rd8 24.Rad1 axb4 25.axb4 Ra3 26.Qxg4 Nxg4 27.Be2 gives White the initiative.
• If 19...Qxf2+ then:
• If 20.Kxf2 Rfd8 21.Bc2 exd4 22.Bxd4 Nb6 23.Bxb6 Rd2+ is equal.
• White must not play 20.Rxf2?? when 20...axb4! wins a piece.

18...Nh5

• 18...a5! 19.Rad1 Rfe8 20.a4 b4, in spite of White's proud classical pawn center, Black has the advantage in space.

19.Qd2

• 19.b4 proves insufficient to halt Black's play on the queenside after 19...a5 20.Rfd1 axb4 21.axb4 Rfe8 22.Bf2 Qe7 giving Black more activity.

19...h6

• White prevents 20.Bg5.

20.Rfd1 Rae8 21.Bc2 Re6

• It is premature for Black to open the center.
• 21...exd4 22.Bf2 Qe7 23.Qxd4 Nhf6 24.Qa7 Rb8 25.b4 is equal.

22.Bf2 Qe7 23.g4 Rg6!

• Black plays actively. The pin is preferable to retreat.
• 23...Nhf6?! 24.b4 Re8 25.Ng3 exd4 26.Nf5 Qf8 27.Bxd4 gives White counterplay.

24.Kf1 Nhf6 25.Ng3 Nxg4?!

• This turns out to be a very dubious sacrifice.
• 25...exd4 26.Qxd4 c5 27.Qd6 Qxd6 28.Rxd6 c4 allows Black to retain an extra pawn, but White's Bishop pair has more potential in this position than Black's minor pieces.

26.fxg4 Qh4?

• Black compounds the error by launching an attack with little chance of success.
• Black does better with 26...Rxg4 27.Nf5 Qe6 28.d5 cxd5 29.exd5 Qf6 30.Qe2, but he has little to show for the sacrifice.

BLACK: Levon Aronian
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WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after 26...Qe7h4

27.Nf5!

• Suddenly, Black is in big trouble.

27...Qxg4

• The text move is no better than 27...Qh1+ 28.Ke2 Qh3 29.Ne7+ when White wins the exchange.

28.Qc3?!

• White misses winning the exchange and probably the game.
• 28.Ne7+! Kh7 29.Nxg6 Qxg6 30.b4 Re8 31.Qe2 gives White the material advantage and a better center; although the White King is stripped of pawn protection, Black can do nothing to exploit it.

28...Re8

• There will be no second chance.

29.Qg3!

• White takes advantage of the absence of an escape route for Black's Queen.

29...Qh5

• Black cannot avoid the exchange of Queens and would do better to simply yield to it.
• 29...Qxg3 30.Bxg3 exd4 31.Rxd4 Nf6 32.Rad1 Bc8 33.Bh4 gives White the active game.
• After 30.Nxg3!? Black finds counterplay in 30...exd4 31.Rxd4 Ne5 32.b4 Bc8 33.Kg2 Bg4.

30.Qh4 Qf3

• Again, Black does better to simply exchange Queens, although his situation would still not be good.
• 30...Qxh4 31.Bxh4 Kf8 32.Bf2 Rf6 33.b4 gives White more freedom.

31.Rd3

• 31.dxe5! opens the center to White's advantage after 31...Nxe5 32.Ne7+ Rxe7 33.Qxe7.

31...Qg2+ 32.Ke2 exd4

• After 32...Rg4 33.Rg3 Qxg3 34.Bxg3 Rxh4 35.Bxh4 exd4 36.Rg1! White takes back the pawn with advantage.

33.Rg3?

• White throws away a huge advantage. The Queen is adequately protected, whereas taking the pawn at d4 opens lanes to Black's King.
• If 33.Rxd4! then:
• 33...Ne5 34.Rd8 Qf3+ 35.Ke1 Rge6 36.Nd4 puts White on the winning path.
• If 33...Nf8 then 34.Rg1! wins the Queen.
• If 33...Rg4 then 34.Ne3 Rxh4 35.Nxg2 Rh2 36.Rxd7 wins a piece.

BLACK: Levon Aronian
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WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after 33.Rd3g3

33...Rxg3!

• The game has turned.

34.Qxg3

• If 34.Nxg3 Ne5 then:
• 35.Qh1 Qxh1 36.Rxh1 c5 gives Black four pawns for a piece.
• If 35.Qf4 then Black overwhelms White with 35...Bc8 36.Rf1 Bg4+ 37.Kd2 c5 38.Kc1 h5.

34...Rxe4+

• Black now has five pawns for a Bishop.

35.Kd2 Rg4 36.Qxg2

• If 36.Ne7+ Kf8 37.Ng6+ fxg6 then:
• If 38.Qd6+ Kg8 39.Ke2 c5 then:
• 40.Rg1 Re4+ 41.Bxe4 Qxe4+ 42.Kd2 Ne5 43.Qe6+ Kh7 44.Re1 Qf4+ gives White the choice of losing more material or submitting to a quick mate.
• If 40.Qxd7 Bf3+ 41.Ke1 Qh1+ 42.Kd2 Qxa1 gives Black the exchange plus five pawns.
• If 38.Qxg2 then after 38...Rxg2 39.Rf1 c5 Black maintains his five-pawn advantage.

36...Rxg2 37.Ke2

• No better is 37.Rf1 c5 38.b4 g6 39.Nd6 Bd5.

37...c5 38.Rg1 Ne5

• It doesn't really matter here, but given the choice it is best to allow one's opponent to initiate the exchange and use the tempo to improve one's own position, as Black does in the text.
• If 38...Rxg1 then Black still wins after 39.Bxg1 Ne5 40.b4 Bf3+ 41.Kf2 Bg4.

39.Rxg2 Bxg2 40.Kd2 h5 41.b4 Nc4+

• For those wondering, 41...Nf3+?! doesn't let Black make any progress with the h-pawn after 42.Ke2! c4 43.Nxd4 when:
• 43...Nxd4+ 44.Bxd4 simply loses a pawn.
• 43...h4? 44.Nxf3 h3 45.Bg3 simply loses.

42.Kc1 Nxa3 43.Bd1 cxb4

• Black momentarily has seven pawns for one minor piece.

44.Bxh5 g6!

• White will get three pawns for a piece; instead, he could have resigned here.

BLACK: Levon Aronian
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WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after 44...g7g6

45.Ne7+ Kf8 46.Nxg6+ fxg6 47.Bxg6 Ke7 48.Bxd4

• Now White is "only" three pawns down. The rest requires no comment.

48...Kd6 49.Bd3 Nc4 50.Bg7 a5 51.Be2 Be4 52.Bf6 a4 53.Bg7 Kd5 0-1

• Black's three pawns make further resistance futile.
• The world champion resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Aeroflot Open, Moscow

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Onischuk - Kurnosov, Round 2

Igor Kurnosov
Photo: ChessBase.com


Alex Onischuk - Igor Kurnosov
Aeroflot Open, Round 2
Moscow, 18 February 2009

West India Game: Indian Queen's Gambit (Exchange Opening) (Grünfeld Defense)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 c5 8.Rb1

• If 8.Be3 Qa5 9.Qd2 then:
• 9...Nc6 10.Rc1 cxd4 11.cxd4 Qxd2+ 12.Kxd2 0-0 13.d5 Rd8 14.Ke1 Na5 15.Bg5 Bd7 16.Bd3 Rdc8 17.Ke2 e6 18.Be3 exd5 19.exd5 b5 20.Nd2 a6 21.Ne4 Nc4 22.Bxc4 bxc4 23.Nc5 Rd8 24.Nxd7 Rxd7 25.Rxc4 Rxd5 26.Rhc1 h5 27.Ra4 Rd6 28.Rc7 draw (Lautier-Svidler, IT, Poikovsky, 2003).
• 9...0-0 10.Rc1 cxd4 11.cxd4 Qxd2+ 12.Nxd2 e6 13.Nb3 Rd8 14.Bg5 f6 15.Be3 Bf8 16.Bc4 Nc6 17.Ke2 Kg7 18.f4 Bd7 19.h3 Nb4 20.Nc5 Bxc5 21.dxc5 Bc6 22.Bd2 Na6 23.Bxa6 bxa6 24.Ke3 Bb5 25.Rc3 Rd7 26.c6 draw (Kempinski-Ruck, IT, Griesheim, 2002).
• If 8.Bb5+ then:
• If 8...Nc6 9.0-0 cxd4 10.cxd4 0-0 11.Be3 Bg4 12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.Rc1 Qa5 then:
• 14.Qd2 Qxd2 15.Nxd2 Rfd8 16.Nb3 a5 17.f3 Be6 18.Nc5 Bxd4 19.Bxd4 Rxd4 20.Nxe6 fxe6 21.Rxc6 Rd2 22.Rf2 Rd1+ 23.Rf1 Rd2 24.Rf2 Rd1+ 25.Rf1 draw (Illescas-Domínguez, IT, Bardelona, 2007).
• 14.Rxc6 Qxa2 15.Rc7 Qe6 16.h3 Qd6 17.Rc5 Bxf3 18.Qxf3 e6 19.e5 Qd7 20.Ra1 Rfb8 21.g4 Bf8 is equal (Anand-Shirov, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 1999).
• If 8...Bd7 then:
• If 9.Be2 cxd4 10.cxd4 Bc6 11.Qd3 then:
• 11...0-0 12.0-0 e6 13.Bg5 Qa5 14.Qe3 Nd7 15.h4 Rfe8 16.h5 f6 17.Bf4 gxh5 18.e5 Bxf3 draw (Su. Polgar-Korchnoi, Royan, 1988).
• 11...f5 12.exf5 Qa5+ 13.Bd2 Qxf5 14.Qxf5 gxf5 15.0-0 Bd5 16.Ne5 0-0 17.Rfd1 Nc6 is equal (Nikolaev-Berebora, Op, Gyor, 1990).
• If 9.Bxd7+ Qxd7 10.0-0 0-0 then:
• If 11.Rb1 Nc6 12.Be3 Rac8 13.dxc5 Qc7 14.Qb3 Na5 15.Qb4 Rfd8 16.h3 Rd7 17.Rfd1 Rcd8 18.Rxd7 Rxd7 19.Nd4 gives White an extra pawn (Speelman-Sisniega, Op, Taxco, 1985).
• 11.Be3 cxd4 12.cxd4 Nc6 13.d5 Ne5 14.Nxe5 Bxe5 15.Rc1 Rfc8 16.Qb3 h6 17.h3 Rxc1 18.Rxc1 Rc8 19.Rxc8+ Qxc8 draw (Tukmakov-Vaganian, Soviet Ch FL, Baku, 1977).

8...0-0 9.Be2 b6

• If 9...cxd4 10.cxd4 Qa5+ 11.Bd2 Qxa2 12.0-0 then:
• If 12...Bg4 then:
• If 13.Bg5 h6 14.Be3 Nc6 15.d5 then:
• 15...Bxf3 16.gxf3 Nd4 17.Bd3 a5 18.f4 b5 19.Kh1 Rfc8 20.f5 Qa4 21.Qd2 Nf3 22.Qe2 Ne5 23.fxg6!? Nxd3 should give the advantage to Black (Agrest-Bacrot, Euro ChT, León, 2001).
• 15...Na5 16.Bc5 Bf6 17.e5 Bxe5 18.Rb4 Bxf3 19.Bxf3 Rae8 20.Be3 Bc3 21.Ra4 Qb2 22.Qd3 b5 23.Bc1 bxa4 24.Bxb2 Bxb2 25.d6 Bf6 26.Qb5 Nb3 27.d7 with the advantage to White (Kramnik-Anand, Tal Mem, Riga, 1995).
• 13.Be3 Nc6 14.d5 Na5 15.Bg5 Qa3 16.Re1 Rfd8 17.h3 Bxf3 18.Bxf3 Qd6 19.Qe2 Be5 is equal (Peralta-Domínguez, IT, Barcelona, 2001).
• If 12...b6 13.Qc1 then:
• If 13...Bb7 14.Bc4 Qa4 15.Bb5 Qa2 then:
• 16.Re1 Rc8 17.Qd1 e6 18.Qe2 Nc6 19.Bc4 Qa3 20.d5 Nd8 21.h4 Qd6 22.h5 a6 23.hxg6 hxg6 24.Ng5 b5 25.Ba2 e5 gives Black an extra pawn (Zlender-Nimtz, Corres, 1998).
• 13...Qe6 14.Bc4 Qxe4 15.Re1 Qb7 16.Bb4 Be6 17.Rxe6 fxe6 18.Ng5 Kh8 19.Nxe6 Nd7 20.Bxe7 Rfc8 gives Black the material advantage (Gelfand-Dorfman, IT, Minsk, 1986).
• 16.Bc4 invites a repetition of moves.
• If 9...Nc6 10.d5 Ne5 11.Nxe5 Bxe5 12.Qd2 then:
• If 12...e6 13.f4 then:
• If 13...Bc7 14.0-0 exd5 15.exd5 Ba5 then:
• 16.d6 b6 17.Bf3 Rb8 18.Ba3 Qf6 19.Bb4 Bf5 20.Rbc1 c4 21.Bxa5 bxa5 is equal (Marzolo-Brkic, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• 16.f5 Bxf5 17.Rxb7 Qd6 18.Bc4 Qe5 19.Re1 Qf6 20.Bb2 Rab8 21.Ree7 Rxb7 22.Rxb7 gives White a passed pawn and a Rook on the seventh rank (Johannessen-Sutovsky, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• 13...Bg7 14.c4 Re8 15.e5 f6 16.d6 fxe5 17.Bb2 exf4 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.0-0 Rf8 20.Rxf4 Rxf4 21.Qxf4 Qf6 22.Qe3 b6 23.Qe4 draw (Tal-Vaganian, Moscow, 1983).
• If 12...b6 13.f4 Bg7 then:
• 14.0-0 e6 then:
• If 15.dxe6 fxe6 16.Qe3 Bb7 17.Bc4 Kh8 18.Bxe6 Qf6 19.Bb3 g5 20.Qe2 gxf4 21.Bxf4 Qxc3 22.Kh1 Qd4 23.Bc2 Rae8 24.Rbd1 Qb2 is equal (Volac-Stohl, Zlin, 1995).
• 15.d6 Bb7 16.Bf3 e5 17.c4 Qe8 18.Bb2 Rd8 19.Rbd1 Bc6 20.Qc1 is equal (Kamsky-Razuvaev, Op, Paris, 1990).
• 14.c4 e5 15.0-0 exf4 16.Qxf4 Qe7 17.Bb2 Bd7 18.Bd3 Bxb2 19.Rxb2 f6 20.Rbf2 draw (Khalifman-H. Olafsson, IT, New York, 1990).

10.0-0 Bb7 11.d5

• If 11.Qd3 then:
• If 11...Ba6 12.Qe3 Qd7 then:
• 13.dxc5 Bxe2 14.Qxe2 bxc5 15.Qc4 Qc6 16.e5 Nd7 17.Re1 e6 18.Bg5 Rfb8 19.Rbd1 Nb6 20.Qe2 Qa4 21.Rd6 Nd5 22.c4 Nc3 23.Qd3 Nxa2 gives Balck an extra pawn (Markos-Greenfeld, Euro ChT, León, 2001).
• 13.Bxa6 Nxa6 14.Qe2 Nc7 15.Rd1 Qa4 16.Rb3 cxd4 17.cxd4 Ne6 18.e5 Rfd8 19.d5 Nc5 20.Rd4 is equal (Zaja-I. Smirin, Croatian ChT, Pula, 2001).
• If 11...e6 12.Bg5 Qc7 13.Qe3 Nd7 14.e5 Rae8 15.Bb5 Bc6 16.Bxc6 Qxc6 17.h4 f6 is equal (Halkias-Eljanov, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).
• 14...a6 15.Nd2 b5 16.Be7 Rfc8 17.Bd6 cxd4 18.cxd4 Qc3 19.Bd3 Bh6 20.Qxh6 Qxd3 21.Rb3 gives White the advantage in space (Nedobora-Baron, Op, Givataim, 2007).

11...Bxc3 12.Bc4 Bg7 13.Bb2!?

• 13.Qe2 Qc8 14.Bb2 Bxb2 15.Rxb2 Ba6 16.e5 Bxc4 17.Qxc4 is equal (Vitiugov-Morozevich, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2008).

13...Ba6

• The game is equal.
• 13...Bxb2 14.Rxb2 Qc7 15.Qd2 Qd7 16.Qh6 f6 is also level.

14.Qe2

• White also desire to preserve his dark-bound Bishop.
• 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.Qc2 Bxc4 16.Qxc4 Nd7 17.e5 remains equal.

14...Qc8

• 14...Bxc4 15.Qxc4 Nd7 16.Rfe1 Bf6 remains equal.

15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.e5!?

• 16.Rfc1 Rd8 17.Ne5 Bxc4 18.Nxc4 Nd7 remains equal.

16...e6

• 16...Bxc4 17.Qxc4 Qf5 18.Rfe1 Nd7 19.Rbd1 Rad8 remains equal.
• 16...Rd8 17.Rbd1 Bxc4 18.Qxc4 Qf5 19.Qh4 Nd7 20.Rfe1 Re8 remains equal.

17.Rbd1!?

• 17.d6! Bxc4 18.Qxc4 Nc6 19.Qc3 Qd7 Black remains a pawn to the good, but he must invest considerable energy into blocking White's passed d-pawn.

17...exd5!

• Black puts an end to White's threat to advance the d-pawn.

18.Rxd5 Bxc4 19.Qxc4 Nc6 20.Rd6!

• White has hopes of creating counterplay with his Rook and d-pawn.
• If 20.Qf4 Qf5 21.Qxf5 gxf5 then:
• If 22.Rfd1 then after Rae8 23.Kf1 f6 24.Rd7+ Kh6 Black continues to enjoy an extra pawn, but White has some initiative.
• 22.Nh4? Rfd8 23.Nxf5+ Kg6 24.Nh4+ Kh5 25.Rxd8 Rxd8 gives Black the much more active game.

20...Rd8 21.Rfd1

• If 21.Qd5 then after 21...Nb4 22.Qd2 Rxd6 23.exd6 Qe6 24.a3 Nc6 Black's extra pawn still gives him the edge, but White's d-pawn is a major concern.

21...Qf5 22.Qa4?

• White neglects his prize pawn and pays dearly for it.
• If 22.Qc3 then after 22...Rxd6 23.exd6+ f6 24.a3 Rd8 25.Qc4 Qd7 Black still has an extra pawn, but White is able to stir up counterplay with his d-pawn.

BLACK: Igor Kurnosov
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WHITE: Alex Onischuk
Position after 22.Qc4a4

22...Nxe5!

• Black takes a second pawn to start a wonderfully calculated combination.

23.Rxd8 Nxf3+ 24.Kh1

• If 24.gxf3 then after 24...Rxd8! 25.Rxd8 Qg5+ 26.Kf1 Qxd8 Black remains two pawns up.
• 24.Kf1 Nxh2+ 25.Kg1 Rxd8 26.Rxd8 Nf3+ 27.Kf1 Nd4 gives Black a winning initiative.

24...Rxd8 25.Rxd8 Nd4 26.h3

• If 26.Qd1 then after 26...Qxf2 27.a4 Qf6 28.Ra8 Qe7 White's Queen cannot leave its own back rank and the Rook has no way to to escape from Black's.

26...Qb1+ 27.Kh2 b5 0-1

• Black threatens 28...Ne2 followed by mate on g1.
• Mr. Onischuk resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Bartel - T. Kosintseva, Round 4

Tatiana Kosintseva
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Mateusz Bartel - Tatiana Kosintseva
Aeroflot Open, Round 4
Moscow, 20 February 2009

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Derl Opening

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Bxc6

• This is the Derl Opening. Derl is not the name of some otherwise obscure late nineteeth/early twntieth century master who pioneered the opening or of some ritzy European resort where a tournament was once held that several players first played the line. DERL is Delayed Exchange Ruy López.
• The usual and, in the opinion of your humble hare, better move is 6.Re1.

6...dxc6 7.d3

• If 7.Qe1 Nd7 8.b3 then:
• If 8...0-0 9.Bb2 then:
• 9...Bd6 10.d3 Re8 11.Nbd2 Nf8 12.Nc4 Ng6 13.Qe3 c5 14.a4 a5 is equal (Saulin-Kholmov, City Ch, Moscow, 1997).
• If 9...f6 10.d4 exd4 11.Nxd4 then:
• 11...Ne5 12.Nd2 Bb4 13.Rd1 c5 14.Ne2 c4 15.Bxe5 fxe5 16.c3 Bc5 17.Nxc4 gives White an extra pawn (Shabalov-Moynihan, Op, Dublin, 1992).
• If 11...Nc5 12.Nd2 Re8 13.Qe2 Ne6 then:
• 14.Nxe6 Bxe6 15.f4 a5 16.a4 Bb4 17.Nf3 Qe7 is equal (Span-Erwich, Op, Dieren, 2001).
• If 14.Nf5 Bf8 15.Rad1 Qd7 16.f4 Nc5 17.Ng3 Qg4 18.Qf2 Ne6 is equal (Nijboer-van der Wiel, Dutch Ch, Amsterdam, 1994).
• If 8...c5 9.Bb2 then:
• 9...f6 10.Nh4 0-0 11.Nc3 g6 12.f4 exf4 13.Nd5 Bd6 14.Nxf4 Ne5 15.Qg3 g5 16.Nf5 Bxf5 17.exf5 Nc6 18.h4 h6 is equal (Shabalov-A. Ivanov, Op, London, 1991).
• 9...Bd6 10.a4 Qe7 11.Nc3 Nf6 12.d3 Be6 13.Nd2 g5 14.Nc4 0-0-0 15.Ba3 gives White more freedom (Kramnik-Shirov, IT, Dos Hermanas, 1996).

7...Nd7 8.Nbd2 0-0 9.Nc4

• If 9.b3 f6 10.Bb2 Nc5 then:
• If 11.d4 exd4 12.Nxd4 then:
• If 12...Bd6 13.Qe2 then:
• 13...Ne6 14.Qc4 Qe8 15.Nf5 b5 16.Nxd6 cxd6 17.Qd3 Qe7 is equal (Kasparov-Beliavsky, World Cup, Reykjavik, 1988).
• 13...Qe8 14.Rae1 Bd7 15.f4 Ne6 16.Nxe6 Bxe6 is equal (Fontaine-Dorfman, French Ch, Val d'Isere, 2002).
• 12...Re8 13.Qe2 Bf8 14.Rad1 Qe7 15.Rde1 Qf7 draw (Dorfman-Geller, Op, Moscow, 1989).
• 11.Nc4 Ne6 12.a3 c5 13.Bc1 Bd6 14.Nh4 Rf7 draw (Bernedetti-Cooper, NATO Ch, San Remo, 2001).

9...f6 10.Nh4 Nc5 11.Nf5 Ne6

• If 11...Bxf5 12.exf5 Qd5 13.Qg4 Rfe8 14.Re1 Rad8 15.Nd2 then:
• 15...Bf8 16.h3 Qf7 17.b3 Rd4 18.Qe2 Red8 19.g3 g6 20.Bb2 R4d5 21.Nc4 gives White fewer weak pawns (Kurajica-Gligoric, IT, Sarajevo, 1983).
• 15...Qf7 16.Qf3 Rd4 17.Ne4 Nxe4 18.dxe4 Qc4 is equal (Papa-Bacrot, Young Masters, Lausanne, 2003).

12.Kh1

• If 12.Qf3 Nd4 13.Nxd4 Qxd4 14.Be3 Qd8 15.Qg3 Be6 then:
• 16.b3 a5 17.f4 b5 18.Nd2 Bd6 19.f5 Bd7 20.a4 gives White the advantage in space (Kovalevskaya-Xie Jun, Rapid Match W, Batumi, 2001).
• 16.Nd2 Qd7 17.Kh1 c5 18.b3 Bd6 is equal (Mihavc-Zupe, Slovenian ChT, Bled, 2001).

12...c5!?

• 12...Re8 13.Qg4 Kh8 14.f4 exf4 15.Nxe7 Qxe7 16.Bxf4 Nd4 17.Qd1 Be6 18.Ne3 c5 draw (Shtyrenkov-Savon, Russian ChT, Podolsk, 1992).
• 12...Nd4 13.Nxe7+ Qxe7 14.f4 Be6 15.c3 Bxc4 16.cxd4 Bf7 17.dxe5 fxe5 18.f5 is equal (Siegel-Herbrechtsmeier, Op, Biel, 1994).

13.a4

• White first wants to take away Black's ability to counter on the queenside.
• White could also begin operations on the opposite wing, for example, 13.Qg4 b5 14.Nce3 Bd6 15.a4 c6 16.f4 exf4 17.Nxd6 fxe3 18.Nf5, giving White the advantage in space.

13...a5!?

• Black responds on the same wing, but a sortie in the center is what is called for.
• 13...Nd4 14.Nxe7+ Qxe7 15.c3 Nc6 16.Be3 Be6 17.Qe2 is equal.

14.f4

• White nibbles at Black's center.

14...exf4 15.Bxf4 Nd4 16.Nxe7+ Qxe7 17.c3

• White has the advantage in space.

17...Ne6 18.Bg3 b6 19.Ne3

• Black's last move locked the queenside, giving the White Knight no usueful purpose at c4. The Knight will be redeployed on the kingside.

19...Bb7 20.Qg4 Rae8 21.Nd5?!

• White will not be able to maintain the Knight at this outpost.
• 21.c4 Qd8 22.Ra3 Nd4 23.Nf5 Nxf5 24.Qxf5 is equal.

21...Qd8 22.c4!?

• A major drawback to the text moves is that it saddles White with a backward d-pawn.
• 22.Rf3 Bxd5 23.exd5 Qxd5 24.Re1 f5 gives Black an extra pawn.

BLACK: Tatiana Kosintseva
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WHITE: Mateusz Bartel
Position after 22.c3c4

22...c6!

• Black is interested in driving the Knight from its center outpost, but she doesn't realize what small wonders could have come from this move.

23.Ne3?!

• After the text move, the backward pawn at d3 is not as safe as it may first appear.
• 23.Nf4 Nxf4 24.Qxf4 Qxd3 25.Qc7 then:
• 25...Ba6 26.Qxb6 Bxc4 27.Qxa5 Qxe4 28.Rf4 Qd5 gives Black an extra pawn.
• 25...Rf7 26.Qxb6 Qxc4 27.Qxa5 Ra8 28.Qc3 Rxa4 gives Black an extra pawn.

23...Nd4?! 24.Rad1 Bc8 25.Qf4

• 25.Qh5 Be6 26.Rf2 Qd7 27.Re1 Rd8 gives Black more freedom, but she really doesn't have very much.

25...Ne2

• Somewhat better is 25...Rf7! 26.Qh4 Rfe7 27.Rf2 Be6 28.Bf4 Rd7 when Black's threats against the d-pawn give her a slight initiative.

26.Qf2 Nxg3+ 27.Qxg3 Qd4

• One can now see why 25...Rf7! would have been such a good move (see previous note). Imagine a Rook at d4 supported by the Queen at d8.

28.Qf2 f5!?

• 28...Re5 29.Rd2 Rfe8 30.Rfd1 Be6 31.Qf4 Rd8 makes no great promises to either side.

29.Nxf5 Qxf2 30.Rxf2

• The game is equal.

30...g6 31.Nd6 Rxf2 32.Nxe8 Rxb2 33.Kg1

• 33.Rf1?! Ra2 34.Nf6+ Kg7 35.Ne8+ Kh6 36.h4 Kh5 gives Black a slight advantage.

33...Kf8 34.Nf6 Ke7 35.Nxh7 Bg4!

• Black brings her Bishop into White's camp to eat pawns. That it gains time by attacking the Rook is a bonus.

36.Rf1?

• The Rook should defend the queenside pawns that are stopping Black's pawns from advancing to the goal line.
• 36.Ra1 Be2 37.Ra3 Rd2 38.Kf2 Rxd3 39.Ra2 Bd1 gives Black a slight advantage, but it's still a fight.

BLACK: Tatiana Kosintseva
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WHITE: Mateusz Bartel
Position after 36.Rd1f1

36...Be2!

• Black wins at least a pawn with this shot.

37.Rf6

• A player should know he's in trouble when his best move is to abandon the defense of the King, like White does on this move.
• If 37.Rf4 then after 37...Bxd3 38.Nf8 g5 39.Ng6+ Ke6 40.Rg4 Re2 White's pawns begin falling.

37...Bxd3

• All of White's center and queenside pawns are weak.

38.Rxg6 b5?

• This inaccuracy should have cost Black the victory.
• She maintains the advantage after 38...Bxe4! 39.Rg7+ Kd6 40.Nf6 Bc2 41.Rb7 Rb4.

39.Rg7+?

• After being handed a huge break on a silver platter, White gives it right back on the same silver platter.
• 39.cxb5! cxb5 40.Rg5 Bc2 41.axb5 Rxb5 42.h4 equalizes.

39...Kd6 40.Ng5

• If 40.Rg6+ then Black maintains her advantage after 40...Ke5 41.Ng5 Bxc4 42.h4 bxa4 43.Rxc6 a3 but White still has time to make things difficult.

40...bxa4 41.Nf7+

• If 41.Rg6+ then Black wins after 41...Kc7 42.Ne6+ Kb6 43.Nd8 Bxe4.

41...Ke6 42.Nd8+ Kf6 43.Rd7 Bxe4 0-1
BLACK: Tatiana Kosintseva
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WHITE: Mateusz Bartel
Final position after 43...Bd3e4:p

• After 44.Rf7+ Kg6 45.Rf4 Rb1+! 46.Kf2 a3 White has no way to stop the a-pawn from queening.
• Grandmaster Bartel resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

11. Naiditsch - Gajewski, Round 1

This game is a very instructive Knight ending. Herr Naiditsch wins the game in spite of being pawn down throughout most of it.



Arkadij Naiditsch
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)



Aeroflot Open, Round 1
Moscow, 17 February 2009

Spanish Petit Royal Game: Gothic Defense (Berlin Defense)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Nc3

• If 9.Rd1+ Ke8 10.Nc3 h6 11.h3 then:
• If 11...Ne7 12.Ne2 Ng6 13.b3 then:
• 13...a5 14.a4 Bf5 15.Nfd4 Bd7 16.Ng3 h5 17.Ne4 Be7 18.Re1 Kf8 19.Ng5 Kg8 20.Ndf3 Nf8 21.Be3 gives White Better development and more space (Wang Zili-Wu Wenjin, Zonal Trmt, HeiBei, 2001).
• 13...Bf5 14.Ned4 Bd7 15.Re1 Bb4 16.Bd2 Bxd2 17.Nxd2 c5 18.Ne2 b6 is equal (Velimirovic-Hracek, Yugoslav ChT, Herceg Novi, 2001).
• 11...a5 12.Ne2 c5 13.Nc3 Be6 14.Nd5 Rc8 15.c4 Be7 16.b3 c6 17.Nb6 Rd8 18.Bd2 Nd4 19.Nxd4 Rxd4 20.Be3 is equal (Boudre-Timoshchenko, Op, Metz, 2002).

9...Ke8 10.Ne4

• If 10.h3 Be7 then:
• If 11.Bg5 Bxg5 12.Nxg5 h6 then:
• If 13.Nge4 b6 14.Rfd1 Ke7 15.Kh2 h5 then:
• 16.Ne2 Re8 17.Nf4 Kf8 18.Nxh5 Rxe5 19.Nhg3 Be6 20.Rd2 draw (Anand-Kramnik, Rapid Trmt, León, 2002).
• 16.Rd2 Be6 17.Ng5 Rad8 18.Rad1 Rxd2 19.Rxd2 h4 draw (Fressinet-Lautier, French Ch, Val d'Isere, 2002).
• 13.Nf3 h5 14.Rad1 Ke7 15.Ng5 a5 16.Rd2 g6 17.Nce4 a4 18.g4 hxg4 19.hxg4 Ng7 20.Nf6 Ne6 21.Nxe6 Bxe6 22.a3 Ra5 is equal (Shirov-Wang Hao, IT, Poikovsky, 2008).
• 11.Re1 Nh4 12.Nd4 Nf5 13.Nce2 a6 is equal (Timofeev-Landa, Russian Ch HL, Novokuznetsk, 2008).
• 11.Rd1 Nh4 12.Nxh4 Bxh4 13.g4 Be7 14.Kg2 Be6 15.Be3 a5 16.Ne2 h5 17.f3 a4 18.Nf4 g6 19.Rd2 Rd8 20.Rxd8+ Kxd8 21.Rd1+ Ke8 22.Nxe6 fxe6 23.Rd4 b5 24.Rd3 gives White more freedom (Karjakin-Wang Yue, Grand Prix, Sochi, 2008).

10...Be6

• 10...h6 11.Re1 Be6 12.g4 Ne7 13.h3 Rd8 14.Ng3 c5 15.Nh5 Nd5 16.a3 a5 17.Bd2 a4 18.Rad1 b5 19.Bc1 g6 20.Ng3 Be7 21.Ne4 Kd7 22.Kg2 Kc6 23.Kg3 draw (Spassky-Stein, Moscow, 1967).

11.h3!?

• 11.b3 a5 12.a4 h6 13.Bb2 Rd8 14.h3 b6 15.g4 Ne7 16.Nd4 Bd5 17.Ng3 c5 18.Nb5 Rd7 19.c4 Bf3 20.Rae1 Ng6 21.Re3 Bb7 22.Nh5 gives White a better center. (deVreugt-van den Doel, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1999).

11...h5!?

• White has a small advantage in space and pawn structure.
• 11...Rd8 12.Re1 Be7 13.b3 c5 14.c3 Rd3 is equal; White has more space and a safer King position to compensate for Black's two Bishops.

12.Bg5

• If 12.a3 Be7 13.b3 Rd8 14.Bb2 Bd5 15.Rfe1 Kd7 16.Rad1 White continues to enjoy a small advantage in space.
• 12...Bd5 13.Re1 Rd8 14.Bf4 Be7 15.Rad1 gives White more freedom.

12...Be7

• 12...Bd5 13.Rfe1 Be7 14.a3 Bxg5 15.Nfxg5 Ke7 16.Rad1 White continues to enjoy a small advantage in space.

13.Rad1 b6

• Black wants to keep the Knight from coming to c5.
• 13...Bxg5 14.Nfxg5 Bd5 15.b3 Bxe4 16.Nxe4 b6 17.c3 leaves White clearly better defensively.

14.Rd2 Rd8 15.Rxd8+

• 15.Rfd1 Rxd2 16.Rxd2 Bd5 17.Re2 Bxg5 18.Nfxg5 Ke7 is equal.

15...Bxd8 16.Bxd8 Kxd8 17.Neg5

• 17.Rd1+ Ke7 18.Nfg5 Bd5 19.b3 b5 20.Nc3 Rd8 is equal.

17...Bd5
BLACK: Grzegorz Gajewski
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Arkadij Naiditsch
Position after 17...Be6d5

18.e6!?

• White's pawns on both wings are healthy, so he decides to sacrifice his head pawn in order to further weaken Black's structure.
• 18.Rd1 Kc8 19.Nd4 Nxd4 20.Rxd4 b5 21.a4 is equal.

18...Bxe6 19.Ne5

• 19.Nxe6+ fxe6 20.Ne5 Kc8 21.Nxc6 is equal.

19...Kc8 20.Nexf7 Bxf7 21.Nxf7

• White has won back the pawn, but the game is equal.

21...Re8 22.g4 Nd4

• 22...hxg4 23.hxg4 Nd6 24.Nxd6+ cxd6 25.f4 remains equal.

23.c3 Nf3+ 24.Kg2 hxg4

• It's hard to argue that White got what he wanted from 18.e6.
• 24...Ne1+ 25.Kg3 hxg4 26.hxg4 Nd3 27.b3 Re2 remains equal.

25.hxg4 Re1 26.Rxe1

• 26.Rh1 Rxh1 27.Kxh1 Kd7 28.Kg2 Ne1+ 29.Kf1 remains equal.

26...Nxe1+ 27.Kf1 Nd3 28.b3

• 28.b4 b5 29.Ke2 Nc1+ 30.Kd2 Nxa2 31.Kc2 c5 remains equal.

28...Nc1!

• Black must win a pawn, but it's up to White which one.

BLACK: Grzegorz Gajewski
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Arkadij Naiditsch
Position after 28...Nd3c1

29.Ke1!

• White chooses wisely.
• 29.a3? Nxb3 30.Ke2 b5 31.Ne5 c5 32.f4 a5 Black's queenside is a major threat to carry him through.

29...Nxa2

• Black's Knight goes to the rim while Black's remaining pawns stay united and healthy.

30.Kd2 b5 31.Ne5

• White is already working on taking back the pawn.
• White's plan is not so much to win back the pawn as it is to simply restrain Black's queenside, after which a pawn can be taken at leisure. Secondly, White will mobilize his kingside majority with the threat to creat a passed pawn, preferably on the g-file, so as to strain Black's defense to the breaking point.

31...b4

• 31...Kb7 32.Nd7 b4 33.Nc5+ Kb6 34.Na4+ Kb7 35.c4 leaves Black a pawn up, but his queenside majority is under restraint while White's kingside majority is ready to roll.

32.c4!

• This is the only move at White's disposal that fits into his plans.

32...Nc3 33.Kd3 c5 34.f4!

• The kingside majority is now advancing. Black cannot let his King get any further away from that theater of action.

34...Kd8 35.f5 Ke7 36.g5 Na2

• 36...Nd1 37.Ke4 Nc3+ 38.Ke3 Nd1+ 39.Kf3 White has the advantages of an advanced pawn majority and a more active King to offset Black's extra pawn.

37.Nc6+ Kf7?

• After the text move, although he remains a pawn to the good, Black is lost.
• If 37...Kd7! (obviously Black's best move) 38.Na5 Kd6 39.Nb7+ then:
• If 39...Ke7 40.Nxc5 Kd6 41.Ne6 then:
• If 41...Nc1+ 42.Kc2 Ne2 43.Kb2 then:
• 43...Kd7 44.Nxg7 Nd4 45.f6 Nf3 46.g6 Ne5 is Black's best bet.
• 43...g6? 44.Nxc7!! wins for White.
• If 41...g6 42.Nxc7!! Nc1+ 43.Kc2 then:
• 43...Ne2 44.fxg6 Ke7 45.g7 Kf7 46.Ne6!! puts Black in Zungzwang.
• If 43...Nxb3 then after 44.fxg6 Nd4+ 45.Kd3 Nf5 46.Na6 b3 47.Kc3 White wins.
• If 39...Kc6? then 40.f6!! wins.

BLACK: Grzegorz Gajewski
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Arkadij Naiditsch
Position after 37...Ke7f7

38.Na5!

• Also good is 38.Ke3! when:
• 38...Kg8 39.Na5 Nc3 40.Nb7 Kf7 41.Nxc5 gives White plenty of time to move his King over to stop a passed pawn.
• 38...Nc1 39.Na5 Ke7 40.Kd2 Na2 41.Nb7 Nc3 42.Nxc5 gives White a strong game; Black dare not move his King too far from White's kingside majority.

38...Ke7

• The advanced pawn majority is perhaps greatest asset in this position. Like a mule between two bales of not knowing which side to move to eat, the Black King cannot aid the cause of his queenside pawns else he stray too far from White' threatening pawns.

39.Ke3 Nc3 40.Nb7 Nd1+ 41.Kf3

• The text move is good enough, but even better is the more flexible 41.Kf4.
• If 41.Kf4! a5 then:
• If 42.Nxc5 Nb2 then:
• If 43.Ke4! then:
• If 43...c6 44.Kd4 Nd1 45.Ke5 then:
• 45...Ne3 46.Kf4 Nd1 47.Kf3 Nc3 48.Ke3 gives the White King the ability to stop a passed b-pawn should White play 48...a4.
• 45...Nb2 46.f6+ gxf6+ 47.gxf6+ Kf7 48.Kf5! leaves Black with no good pawn moves, forcing him to give way with the King and allow the White King to escort the pawn home.
• 43...a4 44.Nxa4 Nxa4 45.bxa4 b3 46.Kd3 puts the White King inside the "magic square" where the pawn can be taken.
• 43.Ke5?! gives Black enough reserve tempi to create a passed pawn: 43...a4! 44.bxa4 (forced; the White King cannot get inside the magic square to stop the pawn and so must keep the Knights on the board) 44...Nxc4+ 45.Kd5 Na5 46.Nd3 b3 47.Kc5 leaves White better, but he has failed to shut down all of Black's chances for counterplay.
• Better is 42.Nxa5! Nf2 43.Ke5 Ng4+ 44.Ke4 Nf2+ 45.Kd5 leaving White with no concerns about a breakthrough on the b-file.

41...Nc3

• 41...a5 42.Nxa5 Nc3 43.Nb7 Nb1 44.Nxc5 c6 45.Ke3 gives White a King that can pivot to either side of the board, a kingside majority and an opponent with no pawn moves.

42.Nxc5

• 42.Kf4 then:
• 42...c6 43.Nxc5 Ne2+ 44.Ke5 Nc1 45.f6+ liquidates Black's kingside.
• If 42...a5 then after 43.Nxa5 Ne2+ 44.Ke5 White need not worry about a breakthrough in the b-file.

42...Kd6

• 42...a5 43.Kf4 Ne2+ 44.Ke5 Nc1 45.Ke4 puts the White King in position to stop a Black pawn on the b-file if necessary.

43.Nb7+ Ke7

• If 43...Kc6? loses to 44.f6! gxf6 45.gxf6 Kd7 46.Nc5+ Kd6 47.Ke3! when the Black King is too far from the f-pawn and Black cannot gain a tempo to attack it by checking the White King with the Knight.

44.Na5 Ke8 45.Ke3 Nd1+ 46.Ke2

• White's activity on the queenside and pawn majority on the kingside smells like victory in the morning.
• 46.Kd4 Nc3 47.Nc6 Ne2+ 48.Kd5 Nc1 then:
• 49.Nxa7 Nxb3 50.Nc6 Nd2 51.Nxb4 White wins.
• If 49.Nd4 then:
• If 49...a5 50.Kc6 a4 51.bxa4 b3 52.Nxb3 Nxb3 53.Kxc7 White wins.
• After 49...Kf7 50.Kc6 Nd3 51.Kxc7 White wins.

46...Nc3+ 47.Kf3 Kf8 48.Ke3 Nd1+ 49.Kd4

• The text is stronger than 49.Ke2 Nc3+ 50.Kd3 Na2 51.c5 Nc1+ 52.Kc4.

49...g6

• No better is 49...Nc3 50.Nc6 Ne2+ 51.Kd5 Nc3+ 52.Ke5.

50.fxg6 Kg7

• If Black moves to capture the kingside pawns, then White will use the time to win on the queenside.
• Otherwise, if 50...Nc3 then White wins after 51.Nc6 Na2 52.Kc5 a5 53.Kb5 Nc1 54.Nxa5.

51.Nc6 Kxg6 52.Nxa7 Nc3 53.Nb5 Na2 54.c5 1-0

• If 54...Nc1 then White has an easy win after after 55.Kc4 Kxg5 56.Nxc7 Ne2 57.Kxb4.
• If 54...c6 then White wins after 55.Na7 Kxg5 56.Kc4 Nc3 57.Nxc6 Kf5 58.Nxb4.
• Grandmaster Gajewski resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

12. Pfalz Open, Neustadt

[Jack Rabbit]

13. Tiviakov - Stips, Round 1

In Swiss System events, the opening round is often called "the first round slaughter" becuase the lower-ranked players are up against the top seeds. Here reigning European champion and former two-time Dutch national champion Sergei Tiviakov dispatches a German player rated about 500 points lower in just 21 moves in the first round of Pfalz Open.



Sergei Tiviakov
Photo: ChessBase.com


Sergei Tiviakov - Felix Stips
Pfalz Open, Round 1
Neustadt, 15 February 2009

Closed Sicilian Game: Spanish Opening

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bb5

• If 3.Nf3 e6 then:
• 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 is the Open Sicilian and could become a Kan, Taimanov or Scheveningen Defense depending on Black's reply.
• 4.g3 a6 5.Bg2 d6 6.0-0 Nf6 7.d3 is the Glek Opening, also called the King's Indian Attack.

3...Nd4

• This opening is distinct from the Spanish Sicilian Game (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5) in that this move by Black would probably not be made with White's Knight at f3.

4.Bc4 e6 5.Nge2

• If 5.Nf3 then:
• If 5...Nf6 6.0-0 a6 then:
• 7.d3 b5 8.Bb3 Nxb3 9.axb3 Bb7 10.e5 Nd5 11.Ne4 Be7 12.Bg5 f6 13.exf6 Nxf6 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Re1 0-0 is equal (Hou Yifan-Ushenina, No Urals Cup, Krasnoturinsk, 2007).
• 7...Qc7 8.Nxd4 cxd4 9.Ne2 Nxe4 10.dxe4 Qxc4 11.Nxd4 e5 12.Nf5 Qxe4 13.Nd6+ Bxd6 14.Qxd6 f6 15.f4 b5 16.Bd2 Bb7 17.Rf2 Qc6 18.Qxc6 draw (Anand-Ivanchuk, FIDE Knock Out, Moscow, 2001).
• If 5...Ne7 6.Nxd4 cxd4 7.Ne2 Nc6 then:
• 8.0-0 Be7 9.d3 0-0 10.Bb3 b6 11.f4 Bb7 12.Kh1 Kh8 13.f5 d5 14.exd5 Na5 15.Nxd4 Nxb3 16.axb3 Qxd5 17.Qg4 gives White the advantage in space (Najer-Rowson, World Jr Ch, Zagan, 1997).
• 8.d3 Bc5 9.0-0 0-0 10.Bb3 b5 11.f4 Na5 12.f5 Nxb3 13.axb3 f6 14.Nf4 e5 15.Nd5 Bb7 is equal (Kostur-Kozul, Ol, Istanbul, 2000).

5...Nf6 6.0-0 a6 7.d3

• 7.a4 d5 8.exd5 exd5 9.Ba2 Bd6 10.d3 Ne6 11.Ng3 Bxg3 12.fxg3 0-0 13.h3 b6 14.g4 d4 15.Ne2 Nd5 gives Black the advantage in space (Zhong Zhang-Zhao Jun, Chinese Ch, Wuxo, 2006).

7...d5?

• This position has not been seen very often and is not well analyzed, but this move seems to be the loser. After the pawn and Knight exchanges, White plays 11.Qh5 with an attack on f7 inspired by the infamous Scholar's Mate.
• If 7...b5! (eliminating the Scholar's Mate-like set up) 8.Bb3 Nxb3 9.axb3 Bb7 10.Bg5 then:
• If 10...d6 11.f4 Be7 12.f5 then:
• 12...Nxe4 13.Bxe7 Nxc3 14.Bxd8 Nxd1 15.Bg5 Nxb2 16.Bc1 Nxd3 17.cxd3 e5 gives Black the advantage in space (Aronian-Vallejo, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2006).
• 12...e5 13.Bxf6 Bxf6 14.Ng3 Bh4 15.Nh5 g6 16.Ng7+ Ke7 17.Qf3 Rg8 18.f6+ Kf8 19.Nd5 is unclear: White has more space and Black more freedom (G. Jones-Sarkar, Op, Gibraltar, 2007).
• 10...Be7 11.f4 d5 12.f5 exf5 13.Rxf5 0-0 is equal (Tebb-D. Wells, EU Ch, Liverpool, 2008).

8.exd5! exd5 9.Nxd5 Nxd5

• 9...Nf3+ 10.Kh1 Nxd5 11.Nc3 Nf6 12.Qxf3 Be7 13.Nd5 0-0 14.Nxe7+ Qxe7 15.Bg5 Qe5 16.Bxf6 gxf6 17.Qg3+ Qg5 18.Rae1 gives White an extra pawn; she soon won (Pähtz-Kochetkova, Euro ChW, Dresden, 2007).

BLACK: Felix Stips
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WHITE: Sergei Tiviakov
Position after 9...Nf6d5:N

10.Nxd4!!

• White sacrifices a Knight for a fierce initiative.

10...cxd4 11.Qh5!

• White wins. We're not even out of opening theory.

11...Be7!?

• Making this kind of move this early shows that Black is already in deep trouble.
• 11...Be6 12.Re1 Be7 13.Rxe6! 0-0 14.Re2 Nf6 15.Qf3 gives White excellent winning prospects (Woehrel-Gerard, Op, Nancy, 2007).
• No better is 11...Ne7 12.Qxf7+! Kd7 13.Re1 Qa5 14.Bf4.

12.Bxd5!

• White keeps the pressure on f7.

12...0-0

• This ends the "Scholar's Mate" threat, but White is a pawn to the good and better developed.

13.Re1 Bf6

• White is hitting too many targets for Black to devise a more active defense.
• 13...Bd6 14.a4 Qc7 (protecting the pawn at b7 before developing the Bishop to a defensive post 15.Re2 Be6 16.Be4 f5 17.Bf3 gives White the more active game.
• If 13...g6 then after 14.Qf3 Bg5 15.Bxg5 Qxg5 16.Re8 Whiute wins.

14.Bd2 g6 15.Qf3 Kg7

• 15...Bg5 transposes into the second variation of the previous note.

BLACK: Felix Stips
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WHITE: Sergei Tiviakov
Position after 15...Kg8g7

16.Bb4!

• A heathy position stays active.

16...Re8 17.Rxe8 Qxe8 18.Re1 Be6 19.Bxe6 fxe6 20.Qxb7+!

• It's all over now, Baby Blue.

20...Kg8 21.Rxe6!! 1-0

• 21...Qxe6 22.Qxa8+ Kg7 23.Qf8#.
• If 21...Qb8 then after 22.Qd5 Kg7 23.Be7 Be5 24.Rxe5 Qxb2 25.Bf6+ White soon delivers mate.
• Herr Stips resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

14. Update (Sunday Night): Mamedyarov accues Kurnosov of cheating, withdraws from Aeroflot

From ChessBase.com
Dated Monday, February 23

Top seed Mamedyarov withdraws from Aeroflot Open

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov is the top seed in the 2009 edition of the Aeroflot Open in Moscow (February 17–26). After five rounds he was leading, together with Alexander Moiseenko and Igor Kurnosov. In round six he was crushed by Kurnosov in 21 moves. Mamedyarov filed an official complaint, essentially accusing his opponent of cheating, and withdrew from the event. Breaking news.

More details at the link.

[Jack Rabbit]

15. Update (Wednesday): Bacrot, Moiseenko take Aeroflot -- Topa up in Sofia -- Grischuk leads Linares

Bacrot, Moiseenko tie for top spot in Aeroflot

French granmster Etienne Bacrot and Slovenian GM Alexander Moiseenko shared first place in the prestigious Aeroflot Open after winning their respective final round games today in Moscow.

Both players entered today's competition tied for second place behind Armenian grandmaster Arman Pashikian, who took over sole possession of first place in yesterday's eighth round when he defeated grandmaster Igor Kurnosov of Russia, who had been leading or sharing the lead for most of the week.

Bacrot, playing Black, defeated Pashikian today in 62 moves while Moiseenko, with White, got the better of China's Zhou Weiqi in 48 moves.

In other Aeroflot news, Russian IM Tatiana Kosintseva, one of only three women competing at the Aeroflot, scored 5½ points and a perfermance rating of 2702. This appears good enough for Tanya to receive a grandmaster norm.

As threatened, top seed Shakhiyar Mamedyarov withdrew from the tournament after losing to Kurnosov in just 21 moves in round 6 on Sunday. Mamedyarov, miffed that Kurnosov left the table after every move, accused his opponent of cheating by getting assistance from the Rybka computer program in the men's room. However, Kurnosov was never seen in the men's room during the game, but was seen outside the playing hall smoking. Moveover, the game was in the realm of theory for a full sixteen moves and the matching matching of Kurnosov's moves with Rybka were just as likely part of Kurnosov's home preparation. The protest was disallowed.


Topalov leads Kamsky by one in candidates' match

Former FIDE world champion Veselin Topalov took a one point lead over American grandmaster Gata Kamsky Monday by winning the fifth game of their match in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia for the right to challenge reigning world champion Vishy Anand for his title.

The game appeared to be headed for a dead draw when Kamsky, playing Black, committed a positional error on his 32nd move. Topalov pounced on the opportunity and uncorked a combination that ended in the winning of the pawn and leaving Black no counterplay. Kamsky resigned after 55 moves.

Tuesday's game ended in a draw and today was a rest day. The scheduled eight-game match resumes tomorrow with Topalov playing White. Topalov needs only a victory tomorrow or simply to avoid loss in the two remaining games to win the match.


Grischuk one game up in Linares

Russian grandmaster Alexander Grischuk defeated GM Levon Aronian of Armenia in 59 moves in today's sixth round action to take a one-point lead over the field in the annual Linares International Tournament.

Grischuk and Aronian entered the day tied for first place with 3½ points each.

In the only other decisive game today, Norwegian GM Magnus Carlsen defeated world champion Vishy Anand of India in 77 moves. The victory moves Magnus into a second-place tie with Aronian while Anand drops to a tie for fourth with Ukrainian GM Vassily Ivanchuk.

[Jack Rabbit]

16. Update (Thursday): Topalov defeats Kamsky in Gm 7, wins match

Details this weekend.