The JR Chess Report (May 2): Aronian Wins GP with Dramatic Victory in Final Round

[Jack Rabbit]

Aronian Wins GP with Dramatic Victory in Final Round



Armenian grandmaster Levon Aronian took a clear first place in the Nalchik Grand Prix when he defeated his closest rival, former challenger for the world title Peter Leko of Hungary, in the 13th and final round Wednesday.

Aronian and Leko entered the final round tied for first place with 7½ points each. The day before, Leko defeated Uzbek GM Rustam Kasimdzhanov to move into a tie with Aronian, who drew his twelfth round game with Russo-American GM Gata Kamsky, to set up the showdown.

Aronian played White in the final round. Both competitors were clearly playing for a win, taking risks when the opportunity presented itself. Aronian started pressing his advantage with an exchange sacrifice on his 34th move; on move 54, Aronian offered to trade Queens and sacrifice his kast remaining piece, a Bishop, with check, which would have left him with two advancing passed pawns, one already on the seventh rank, which Leko's remaining Rook could not stop from promoting. Leko resigned rather than continue a lost cause. (See the game below.)

Being that the Grand Prix is a round robin tournament, the last round pairing was purely coincidnetal, having been decided by drawing lots two weeks ago before the first round. In Swiss system events, such last round showdowns are common.

Aronian's compatriot, Vladimir Akopian, who started the tournament badly with two losses in the fisrt three rounds, roared back to finish tied with Leko for second when he won his final game with Black against Ukrainian GM Pavel Eljanov.


Eight tied for first after 7 rounds in Dubai



The eleventh annual Dubai Open staged its sixth and seventh rounds of a scheduled nine today with eight palyers ending the action tied for first place.

Among those at the top is Azerbaijani GM Gadir Guseinov, the tournament's top seed, Valim Malakhatko of Belgium by way of Ukraine, the number three seed, Armenia's Tigran Kotanjian, re-entering first palce after being there after round four but dropping out of it after losing in round five, and Levan Pantsulaia of Georgia, a former Dubai champion.

The tournament continues tomorrow with live games broadcast on the website of the Dubai Chess and Culture Club starting at 5:30 pm in Dubai (6:30 am in California). The last round is scheduled for Monday.


Calendar

US Chess Championship, St. Louis 7-17 May.

Bosna 2009, Sarajevo 8-18 May

MTel Masters, Sofia 12-23 May.

Asian Championships, Subic Freeport (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.

Sparkassen Chess Meeting, Dortmund 2-12 July.

San Sebastian International Tournament 6-16 July. Former world champion Karpov is among the participants.

Canadian Open, Edmonton 11-19 July.

Czech Open, Pardubice 16 July-2 August.

Biel Chess Festival 19-30 July. This year's GM Tournament is a Category 19 that includes Morozevich, Ivanchuk, Gelfand, Alekseev, Vachier Lagrave and Caruana.

Mainz Chess Classic 27 July-2 August.

FIDE Grand Prix, Yerevan 8-24 August.

World Junior Championship, Mar del Plata (Argentina) 16-29 October.

World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk 28 November-15 December

[Jack Rabbit]

1. This Week's Games

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

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

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

[Jack Rabbit]

2. FIDE Grand Prix, Nalchik

Nalchik Springs
Wikipedia

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Aronian - Leko, Round 13

Levon Aronian, in a Caucasian cloak, receives his tropies
during the closing ceremonies in Nalchik
Phot: ChessBase.com


Levon Aronian - Peter Leko
FIDE Grand Prix, Round 13
Nalchik, 29 April 2009

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

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 0-0 5.Bd3

• If 5.Nge2 d5 6.a3 then:
• If 6...Bd6 7.c5 Be7 8.b4 then:
• If 8...Nbd7 then:
• 9.Ng3 a5 10.b5 e5 11.Be2 exd4 12.exd4 Re8 13.0-0 b6 14.c6! Nf8 15.f4 Ne6 16.Kh1 Ne4 17.Ncxe4 dxe4 18.Be3 Bf6 19.f5!! Nxd4 20.Bc4 gives White the initiative (Milov-Kotronias, Op, Gibraltar, 2009).
• 9.g3 e5 10.Bg2 e4 11.f3 exf3 12.Bxf3 c6 13.0-0 Re8 14.Nf4 Nf8 15.Ra2 Ne6 16.Nxe6 Bxe6 17.g4 Ne4 18.Bxe4 dxe4 19.Rg2 Bc4 20.Rf4 is equal (D. Gurevich-Dzindzichashvili, IT, Fort Worth, 1986).
• 9.Bd2 e5 10.Ng3 Re8 11.Be2 Bf8 12.0-0 g6 13.b5 Bg7 14.Qb3 c6 15.Rfe1 Nf8 16.bxc6 bxc6 17.Qa4 Qc7 18.dxe5 Rxe5 19.Bf3 N6d7 gives White more space, but Black has a target in the weak pawn at c5 (Kharlov-Landa, EU Inet Ch, Cyberspace, 2004).
• If 8...b6 9.Nf4 then:
• If 9...c6 10.Nd3 Nbd7 11.Bd2 a5 12.Be2 Ba6 13.0-0 Qc7 14.cxb6 Nxb6 15.bxa5 Nc4 16.Nb4 is equal (Volkov-Khairullin, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2006).
• 9...a5 10.Bd2 c6 11.Be2 Ba6 12.Nd3 Nfd7 13.f4 Bc4 14.0-0 Na6 15.Rb1 axb4 16.axb4 Nc7 17.Qc2 Nb5 18.Nxb5 draw (Jacimovic-Thorfinnsson, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• If 6...Be7 7.cxd5 then:
• If 7...exd5 8.g3 c6 9.Bg2 then:
• 9...a5 10.0-0 Na6 11.Bd2 Re8 12.Qc2 Bf8 13.Rad1 b5 14.Na2 Bd7 15.f3 c5 16.dxc5 Bxc5 17.Nd4 Qb6 18.Qd3 Bf8 is equal (Kharlov-Poluljahov. Russian Ch, Krasnodar, 2002).
• 9...Na6 10.0-0 Nc7 11.b4 a5 12.bxa5 Rxa5 13.Bb2 Nce8 14.f3 Bd6 gives Black an advantage in space Ayupov-Najer, Russian Cup, Togliatty, 2001).
• 9...Bf5 10.0-0 Re8 11.f3 Bd6 12.e4 dxe4 13.fxe4 Bxe4 14.Rxf6 Bxg2 15.Rxd6 Qxd6 16.Kxg2 is equal (Evans-Maccioni, Ol, Dubrovnik, 1950).
• If 7...Nxd5 then:
• 8.Qc2 Nd7 9.Bd2 N5f6 10.g3 e5 11.Bg2 exd4 12.Nxd4 Ne5 13.0-0 c5 14.Nde2 Qd3 15.Qxd3 Nxd3 16.Nf4 Nxb2 17.Rfc1 Rd8 18.Ncd5 Nxd5 19.Nxd5 Bf8 gives Black an extra pawn (Knoll-Santagata, Cyberspace, 2004).
• 8.g3 Nxc3 9.Nxc3 c5 10.d5 exd5 11.Nxd5 Nc6 12.Bg2 Be6 13.0-0 Rc8 14.b3 Bf6 15.Ra2 Bxd5 16.Bxd5 b5 17.Rd2 Qb6 18.Qh5 Na5 is equal (Romanov-Xie, World Jr Ch, Istanbul, 2005).

5...d5 6.Nf3 c5 7.0-0 dxc4

• If 7...Nc6 8.a3 Bxc3 9.bxc3 then:
• If 9...dxc4 10.Bxc4 Qc7 then:
• If 11.Bd3 e5 12.Qc2 Re8 then:
• 13.e4 c4 14.Bxc4 exd4 15.cxd4 Na5 16.Bd3 Qxc2 17.Bxc2 Nxe4 18.Re1 Bf5 19.Bf4 Nd6 20.Ba4 b5 21.Bxd6 bxa4 22.Re5 Rxe5 23.dxe5 Nb3 24.Re1 Rc8 25.h3 h6 26.Re3 Rc1+ 27.Kh2 Rc4 28.g4 Be4 29.Kg3 Bd5 30.Nh2 Nd4 31.Nf1 Rc1 32.Nd2 Rg1+ 33.Kh4 Ne6 White resigns (Donner-Larsen, IT, The Hague, 1958).
• If 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 Qxe5 15.f3 then:
• 15...Bd7 16.a4 Rad8 17.e4 Bc6 18.Re1 Nd5 19.Bd2 Nf4 20.Bf1 c4 21.Bxf4 Qxf4 22.Rad1 Qe5 23.Bxc4 Qc5+ 24.Rd4 Rxd4 25.cxd4 Qxd4+ 26.Kh1 Rd8 is equal (Bacrot-Sosonko, TMatch, Cannes, 1996).
• 15...Be6 16.Re1 Rad8 17.Rb1 Qd5 18.Bb5 Bf5 19.e4 Nxe4 20.Bxe8 Nd6 21.Qe2 Bxb1 22.Qe7 Ra8 23.Bxf7+ Qxf7 24.Qxd6 Re8 25.Rxe8+ Qxe8 26.Qd5+ Kf8 27.Qxc5+ Qe7 28.Qf2 Qd6 29.Qe3 Qb6 30.Kf2 Qxe3+ 31.Kxe3 Bf5 draw (Gligoric-Olafsson, West German Ch, Bad Lauterberg, 1977).
• If 11.Bb2 e5 12.h3 then:
• If 12...Bf5 13.Qe2 then:
• 13...Rad8 14.Ba2 Bg6 15.Rad1 Bh5 16.dxe5 Nxe5 17.Rxd8 Rxd8 18.Rd1 Rxd1+ 19.Qxd1 Bxf3 20.gxf3 c4 gives Black more freedom (Krush-K. Lie, IT, Gaudsal, 2008).
• 13...a6 14.Ba2 Rad8 15.d5 Ne7 16.c4 Ng6 17.Rad1 Ne8 18.Nxe5 Nxe5 19.d6 Nxd6 20.Bxe5 Qe7 21.Qb2 f6 22.Bxd6 Rxd6 23.Rxd6 Qxd6 24.Qxb7 gives White an extra pawn (Iotov-Kuzubov, IT, Neuhausen, 2007).
• 12...e4 13.Nd2 Na5 14.Ba2 c4 15.f3 Bxh3 16.Nxe4 Nxe4 17.fxe4 Qg3 18.Qf3 Qxf3 19.Rxf3 Bg4 20.Rf4 gives White the active game (Cherepkov-Tseshkovsky, Soviet Ch, Alma Ata, 1968).
• If 9...Qc7 10.cxd5 exd5 then:
• If 11.a4 Re8 12.Ba3 c4 13.Bc2 then:
• 13...Ne4 14.Bxe4 Rxe4 15.Nd2 Re8 16.e4 Be6 17.Re1 dxe4 18.Nxe4 Bd5 19.Nd6 Red8 20.Nf5 Be6 21.Ne3 f5 22.Qf3 Qa5 23.Rec1 Rac8 24.Qg3 Qc7 draw (Gligoric-Lomarov, Yugoslav ChT, Vrnjacka Banja, 1998).
• 13...Bg4 14.Qe1 Bh5 15.Nh4 Ng4 16.g3 Bg6 17.Nxg6 hxg6 18.Qd2 Nf6 19.f3 Na5 is equal (Monacell-Rodríguez, Corres, 2002).
• 11.Nh4 Ne7 12.g3 Bh3 13.Re1 Ng6 14.Ng2 Qd7 15.f3 Bf5 16.a4 draw (Lukacs-Filip, IT, Budapest, 1977).

8.Bxc4 Nbd7 9.Qe2

• If 9.a3 cxd4 10.axb4 dxc3 11.bxc3 Qc7 then:
• 12.Be2 Nd5 13.c4 Nc3 14.Qc2 Nxe2+ 15.Qxe2 b6 16.Bb2 Bb7 17.Rfd1 Rfd8 18.Nh4 Nf8 19.Rxd8 Qxd8 20.Qg4 gives White the advantage in space (M. Gurevich-P. H. Nielsen, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• 12...Nb6 13.Be2 e5 14.Ra5 Be6 15.Qc2 Nbd7 16.c4 b6 17.Ra6 Rfc8 18.Nd2 Qb7 19.b5 Nc5 20.Ra1 a6 21.bxa6 Rxa6 22.Bb2 Rxa1 23.Rxa1 Nfd7 is equal (Kasimdzhanov-P. H. Nielsen, Bundesliga 0304, Germany, 2003).

9...b6 10.Rd1

• If 10.d5 Bxc3 11.dxe6 Ne5 12.exf7+ Kh8 13.bxc3 Bg4 14.e4 then:
• If 14...Qe7 15.Re1 b5 16.Bxb5 Nh5 17.Bg5 Qe6 18.Qe3 Bxf3 19.gxf3 Qxf7 20.Be2 h6 21.f4 Nxf4 22.Bxf4 Qxf4 23.Rad1 Rae8 24.Rd5 then:
• 24...c4 25.Rf1 Nf3+ 26.Bxf3 Qxf3 27.Rd4 Qg4+ 28.Qg3 Qe2 is equal (Gligoric-Jelen, IT, Bled/Portoroz, 1979).
• 24...Qh4 25.Rf1 Rf4 26.f3 Re6 27.Kh1 Rg6 28.Qf2 Qf6 29.Qxc5 Qh4 30.Qc8+ Black resigns (Gligoric-H. Olafsson, Op, Lone Pine, 1979).
• If 14...Nh5 15.Bd5 Qc8 16.Kh1 Bxf3 17.gxf3 Qh3 18.Rg1 Nxf3 19.Rg2 Rad8 20.c4 then:
• 20...Nh4 21.Rg1 Nf3 22.Rg2 Nh4 23.Rg1 draw (Muir-Greenfeld, Euro ChT, Haifa, 1989).
• 20...Rxf7?? 21.Bxf7 Nh4 22.Rg5 Black resigns (Savon-Jansa, Capablanca Mem, Havana, 1967).

10...cxd4 11.exd4 Bxc3

• 11...Bb7 12.Bd3 Rc8 13.Bd2 Be7 14.Rac1 Nd5 15.Ba6 Nxc3 16.Bxc3 Bxa6 17.Qxa6 Rc7 18.d5 exd5 19.Rxd5 Bf6 20.Qd3 Qc8 21.Ng5 gives White more activity (Smyslov-Darga, Capablanca Mem, Havana, 1964).

12.bxc3 Bb7 13.Bb3!?

• If 13.Bd3 Qc7 then:
• If 14.c4 Rfe8 15.Bb2 Qf4 16.Qe3 Qxe3 17.fxe3 then:
• 17...Rac8 18.Rdc1 Ne4 19.a4 a5 20.Ba3 Rc7 21.Rab1 f5 22.Rb2 Rec8 draw (Hort-Plachetka, Czech Ch, Sumperk, 1994).
• 17...Be4 18.Be2 Rac8 19.a4 Bc2 20.Rdc1 Bg6 21.a5 Rc7 22.axb6 axb6 23.Ra6 h6 24.Rca1 Be4 25.Nd2 Bb7 26.Ra7 gives White the active game (Keres-Barcza, TMatch, Budapest, 1972).
• 14.Bd2 Rac8 15.Rac1 then:
• 15...Qd6 16.Re1 Rfd8 17.Bg5 Re8 18.Bh4 Qa3 is equal (Arkhipov-T. Ivanov, Russian ChT, Tomsk, 2001).
• 15...Rfe8 16.Re1 Qd6 17.Bb1 Rc7 18.Qd3 Rec8 19.Ne5 Nxe5 20.Rxe5 Qa3 draw (Dumitrache-Ionescu, Romanian ChT, Sovata, 2001)

13...Qc7

• The game is equal.

14.c4 Rfe8

• If 14...Rac8 15.Bb2 Ng4 16.h3 then:
• 16...Bxf3 17.Qxf3 Qh2+ 18.Kf1 Ngf6 19.Rd3 gives White the advantage in space.
• 16...Ngf6 17.Qe3 Rfd8 18.Re1 Ne4 19.Rac1 gives White a small advantage in space.

15.Bb2 Qf4!?

• Aut Caesar, aut nihil. The winner of this game is the tournament champion, and, despite his reputation as a drawing master, Leko is pulling out the stops. Transferring the Queen to the kingside incurs risk.
• 15...Ng4 16.h3 Bxf3 17.Qxf3 Qh2+ 18.Kf1 Ngf6 gives White the advantage ins space.

16.Qe3 Qf5

• 16...Qg4 17.h3 Qh5 18.Ne5 Rac8 19.a4 gives White more freedom; Black's Queen needs an escape plan.

17.Ne1 b5!?

• Black tries another risky idea; he cedes a passed pawn to White.

BLACK: Peter Leko
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WHITE: Levon Aronian
Position after 17...b6b5

18.c5!

• White accepts the challenge.
• 18.cxb5 Qxb5 19.Nd3 Rac8 20.Rdc1 Red8 is equal.

18...Nd5 19.Qg3 Nf4 20.Rd2 Nf6 21.f3 N6h5 22.Qf2

• If 22.Qh4 Ng6 23.Qg4 Qxg4 24.fxg4 Nhf4 25.Rc1 Rac8 26.g5 a5 27.Bc2 is equal.
• 24...Nf6 25.g5 Nd5 26.Nf3 Red8 27.Bc2 gives White a small advantage in space.

22...Bd5

• 22...Qg5 23.Kh1 Rac8 24.Rc1 Red8 25.Nd3 is equal.

23.Bc2 Qg5

• Black's Queen has an escape route. The game is equal.

24.Kh1 Bc4 25.g3 Ng6

• Since his remaining Bishop is light bound, centralizing the Knight gains Black little.
• 25...Nd5 26.f4 Qh6 27.Nf3 Nhf6 28.Ne5 a6 29.a4 remains equal.

26.Ng2 Bd5 27.Ne3 Nf6 28.h4

• The idea behind this move is to restrain Black's kingside pwns, thus give the Knights no good outposts.
• Slightly better is 28.Nxd5 Qxd5 29.Qe3 Qc6 30.Be4 Nd5 with equality.

28...Qh5 29.Nxd5 Nxd5 30.Re1

• 30.f4 a6 31.f5! Nge7 32.fxe6 fxe6 33.Qe2 threatens to destroy the Knight's outpost.

30...Red8 31.Rde2 Rab8 32.Bc1 h6 33.Kg2 Nc3

• 33...Rdc8 34.g4 Ndf4+ 35.Kh2 Qxh4+ 36.Qxh4 Nxh4 37.Bxf4 gives White the initiative.

BLACK: Peter Leko
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WHITE: Levon Aronian
Position after 33...Nd4c3

34.Re5!!

• White sacrifices the exchange for the initiative.

34...Nxe5 35.Rxe5 f5

36.Bb3!?

• White wins faster after 36.Rxe6! Qf7 37.Qe1 Nxa2 38.Bf4 Rbc8 39.Bb3.

36...Nd5!

• Black has equalized.

37.Rxe6!

• White now has connected passers, which will magnify in values as more material flies off the board.

37...Kh8?

• The King is safe at g8 for now. Black should have made better use of this move to find counterplay.
• Black could have made use of his pawn majority on the queenside: 37...a5! 38.Re5 Qf7 39.Qb2 a4 40.Bc2 remains equal.

38.Qe1!

• White goes for control of the center.

38...Nf6

• If 38...Qf7 39.Bxh6 f4 40.Bg5 then:
• 40...a5 41.Bxd8 Rxd8 42.Re5 Qg6 43.Rxd5 gives White an impressive material advantage.
• 40...Qd7 41.Bxd8 Ne3+ 42.Rxe3 fxe3 43.Bg5 Qxd4 44.Qxe3 gives Black a theoretical material advantage.

39.Qe5 Re8

BLACK: Peter Leko
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WHITE: Levon Aronian
Position after 39...Rd8e8

40.c6!

White's passers are mobile.

40...Rbc8 41.Qxb5 Qg6 42.h5!?

• If 42.Qb7! a5 43.c7 then:
• 43...Qf7 44.Rxe8+ Qxe8 45.Bd2 Qe2+ 46.Kg1 Re8 47.c8Q wins foir White.
• If 43...Kh7 then 44.Bd2 a4 45.Rxe8 Qxe8 46.Bxa4 wins.

42...Qxh5 43.Bf4!

• Also good is 43.Qa6 Kh7 44.Bf4!.

43...a6

• No better is 43...Red8 44.Re7 Qg6 45.Bf7 Qh7 46.Be6 Nh5 47.Qb7.

44.Qxa6 Nh7

• If 44...Ra8 then 45.Qb7 Ng8 46.d5 Nf6 47.d6 Rf8 48.c7! wins.

BLACK: Peter Leko
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WHITE: Levon Aronian
Position after 44...Nf6h7

45.c7! Ng5 46.Rxe8+ Qxe8 47.d5 Ra8 48.Qc4

• White wins quicker after 48.Qd3 Qd7 49.d6 Kh7 50.Bxg5 hxg5 51.Bd5.

48...Kh7 49.d6 Qe1

• 49...Nf7 then White wins after after 50.Qe6 Nxd6 51.Bxd6 Qc6 52.Qxf5+.

50.Qf1 Qe8 51.Qd3 Qd7 52.Qc4 Qe8

• If 52...Kg6 then White wins after 53.Bxg5 Kxg5 54.Qe6 Qxe6 55.Bxe6.

53.Bxg5

• The immediate 53.Qg8+! Qxg8 54.Bxg8+ also wins; the text assures that Black can offer no resistance after the sacrificial combination is completed.

53...hxg5

BLACK: Peter Leko
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WHITE: Levon Aronian
Position after 53...hg5:B

54.Qg8+!! 1-0

• Aronian ends the game and wins the tournament championship by proffering both of his remaining pieces.
• If 54...Qxg8 then after 55.Bxg8+ Rxg8 56.d7 the lights go out.
• Leko resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Aronian - Eljanov, Round 10

Levon Aronian
Photo: ChessBase.com


Levon Aronian - Pavel Eljanov
FIDE Grand Prix, Round 10
Nalchik, 26 April 2009

Orthodox Queen's Gambit: Blackburne Opening

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.d4 d5 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.Bf4 Bb4 6.cxd5

• For the more usual 6.e3 c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.a3 see Eljanov-Chadaev, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2009.

6...exd5 7.Qb3

• If 7.e3 c6 8.Bd3 then:
• If 8...0-0 9.0-0 Re8 10.Rc1 Nf8 11.Ne5 then:
• 11...Ng6 12.h3 Bd6 13.Nxg6 hxg6 14.Bg5 Be7 15.Qc2 Ne4 16.Bf4 Nxc3 17.bxc3 Bd6 18.Bxd6 Qxd6 19.c4 dxc4 20.Bxc4 Be6 21.Rb1 gives White the active game (Su. Polgar-Ioseliani, Candidates' Final W, Monte Carlo, 1993).
• 11...N8d7 12.h3 Nxe5 13.Bxe5 Bd7 14.f4 Be6 15.Qf3 Be7 16.g4 is equal (Dr. Alekhine-Rodríguez, SX, Montevideo, 1928).
• 8...Ne4 9.Qc2 Ndf6 10.0-0 Bxc3 11.bxc3 0-0 12.Ne5 h6 13.c4 Qa5 14.cxd5 cxd5 15.f3 Ng5 16.Rab1 gives White the advantage in space and activity (Razuvaev-Pesantes, Capablanca Mem, Cienfuegos, 1975).

7...c5 8.dxc5 Qa5 9.a3 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3

• 10.Qxc3 Qxc3+ 11.bxc3 Nxc5 12.e3 Nfe4 13.c4 dxc4 14.Bxc4 Be6 15.Bb5+ Ke7 16.Nd4 Rac8 17.0-0 Nc3 18.Rfc1 Nb3 19.Nxb3 Bxb3 20.Bf1 Rc6 21.e4 Rhc8 22.f3 a6 23.Kf2 Ba4 24.Bd2 draw (Kaufman-Seirawan, US Ch, Seattle, 2002).

10...Qxc5 11.Qb4!?

• 11.Nd4 0-0 12.e3 Re8 13.Be2 Ne5 14.Qb4 Ne4 15.Nb5 Qc6 16.Rc1 Qg6 17.0-0 Bh3 18.Bg3 Nxg3 19.hxg3 Bg4 is equal (Naumkin-Dreev, Moscow, 1987).

11...Ne4

• 11...b6 12.e3 Ne4 13.c4 Qxb4+ 14.axb4 dxc4 15.Bxc4 gives the the advantage in space.

12.Nd4 b6!?

• White settles for a pssive move when he could go in for a queenside initiative.
• 12...Nxc3 13.Qxc5 Nxc5 14.Rc1 N3a4 15.Nb5 Ne6 16.Nc7+ assures that White will have compensation for the pawn.

13.f3 a5

• 13...Qxc3+ 14.Qxc3 Nxc3 15.Rc1 Na4 gives White a more active game.

14.Qxc5 Nexc5 15.Nf5

• If 15.Rd1 Bb7 16.Nf5 then:
• If 16...Ne6 17.Nd6+ Kf8 18.Nxb7 Nxf4 19.e3 then:
• 19...Ke7 20.exf4 Ra7 21.Rxd5 Rxb7 22.Bb5 gives White an extra pawn.
• 19...Rb8 20.Nd6 Ke7 21.Nf5+ White continues to enjoy the initiative.
• 16...Rg8 17.Nd6+ Ke7 18.Nxb7 Nxb7 19.Rxd5 Rac8 20.Kd2 gives White an extra pawn.

15...Ne6

• If 15...Rg8 then White continues to enjoy more activity after 16.Rb1 Ne6 17.Bg3 g6 18.Nd6+.

16.Bg3 g6 17.Nd6+ Ke7 18.e3!?

• This move is to keep Black's Knight out of f4, but the Bishop is already doing that. White has a more aggressive option.
• If 18.Rd1! Nf6 19.e4 dxe4 20.fxe4 Ng4 21.Nc4 forces Black to move his Rook to the awkward post at 16 in order to protect his b-pawn.

18...Rd8!

• Black equalizes.
• 18...h5 19.Nb5 Bb7 20.c4 dxc4 21.Bxc4is also equal.

19.Rb1 Ba6 20.Kf2 f5 21.Nb5 Rdc8 22.Be2

• If 22.Bd6+ Kd8 23.Rd1 Nf6 24.Be5 Ke7 remains equal.

22...Bxb5 23.Rxb5 Rxc3 24.Rxd5 Nf6?!

• Black takes the pressure off of c5.
• 24...Rac8 25.Ra1 Nec5 26.Bh4+ Nf6 27.Bxf6+ Kxf6 28.Rd6+ remains equal.

BLACK: Pavel Eljanov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Levon Aronian
Position after 24...Nd7f6

25.Rd2

• If 25.Bd6+ Kf7 26.Rb5 Nd7 27.Rd1 then:
• 27...Nec5 28.Bxc5 Nxc5 29.Rxb6 Rxa3 30.Rd5 gives White the initiative.
• 27...Rac8 28.Bb4 R3c7 29.Bc3 Ke7 is equal.

25...Nc5 26.Rb1 Nfe4+

• The text is better than 26...Rxa3 27.Rxb6 when:
• 27...Nfe4+ 28.fxe4 Nxe4+ 29.Ke1 Nxg3 30.hxg3 Rxe3 31.Rb7+ White has a Bishop for two pawns.
• 27...Nfd7? 28.Rc6! Rc3 29.Rc7 Rb3 30.Bd6+ Kd8 31.Rxc5 gives Black two Bishops for a Rook.

27.fxe4 Nxe4+ 28.Ke1 Nxd2 29.Kxd2

• White has two Bishops in an open center for a Rook and a pawn.

29...Rxa3 30.Bh4+ Kf7?!

• Eljanov had drawn even in the tournament standings in the eighth round and wanted a win to further improve his position going into the final rounds.
• Nevertheless, in the present position he can hope for little better than a darw and passes an opportunity to force the issue.
• 30...Ke8 31.Rxb6 Ra2+ 32.Kd3 Ra3+ 33.Kd2 draws.

31.Bc4+ Kg7 32.Rxb6 Ra4

BLACK: Pavel Eljanov
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WHITE: Levon Aronian
Position after 32...Ra3a4

33.Bf6+!

• Also good is 33.Bd5! Rc8 34.Bf6+ Kh6 35.Rb5 Rf8 36.Bc3.

33...Kh6 34.Rc6 Ra7 35.h4!?

• The players are entering the stage of the game where each should be concerned about reserve pawn tempi. White just wastes one without any apparent compensation.
• 35.h3 is more precise: if now 35...Rb4 then 36.g4 fxg4 37.hxg4 Rd7+ 38.Kc2 White's Bishops control more ground that Black's extra Rook.

35...Kh5?

• Black fails to take advantage of White's inaccuracy.
• 35...Rb4 36.Kc1 Rab7 37.Bc3 Rb1+ 38.Kc2 Rg1 gives Black some counterplay.

36.Ke1 Rb7

• If 36...Rb4 37.Bg5 then:
• 37...Rxc4 38.Rxc4 a4 39.Bf6 a3 40.Kd2 a2 41.Ba1 gives White the material advantage, but for now he must invest part of it in defending against the advanced passer.
• 37...Kg4 38.Kf2 Rb2+ 39.Be2+ forces Black to surrender the exchange.

37.Kf2 Rab4

• If 37...Rbb4 38.Bd5 Rxh4 39.Rc1 then:
• 39...Kh6 40.Bxh4 Rxh4 41.Ra1 a4 42.e4 fxe4 43.Bc6 gives White a piece for two pawns.
• 39...Rh2 40.Rc7 Kh6 41.Bg8 wins easily for White.

38.Bg5 Rb2+

• 38...Rxc4 could have been played here, too, but the game is going to it's final phase in any event.

BLACK: Pavel Eljanov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Levon Aronian
Position after 38...Rb7b2+

39.Be2+!

• Were the Black Rook not on the second rank, this would be checkmate.

39...Rxe2+ 40.Kxe2 Kg4 41.Kf2 Rb2+ 42.Kg1

• 42.Ke1 Kg3 43.Rc7 h5 44.Rc6 wins a pawn for White, leaving him a whole piece to the good.

42...Kg3 43.Bf4+ Kxh4 44.Rc7 h5 45.Rc4 Rb4 46.Rd4 g5 47.Bd6+!

• Lights out!

47...Rxd4 48.exd4 Kg4 49.d5 f4 50.Bxf4 1-0

• If 50...Kxf4 then after 51.d6 the White pawn stays one step ahead of the Black King.
• If 50...Kf5 51.Bd6 a4 52.Ba3 then:
• If 52...Ke5 53.d6 Ke6 54.Kf2 Kd7 55.Ke3 then:
• 55...Ke6 56.Ke4 g4 57.Kf4 Kd7 58.Kg5 Black's pawns fall.
• 52...g4 53.g3 Ke5 54.d6 Ke6 55.Kf2 wins for White.
• 55...Kd8 56.Ke4 g4 57.Kf5 Kd7 58.Kg5 the White Kings eats the kingside pawns.
• Eljanov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Leko - Gelfand, Round 10

Peter Leko
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Peter Leko - Boris Gelfand
FIDE Grand Prix, Round 10
Nalchik, 26 April 2009

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

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.0-0 Be7 8.Re1

• If 8.c4 Nb4 9.Be2 0-0 10.Nc3 then:
• 10...Be6 11.Ne5 f6 12.Nf3 Kh8 13.Re1 c5 14.cxd5 Nxc3 15.bxc3 Nxd5 16.c4 Nc3 17.Qd3 cxd4 18.Bf1 Bf7 19.Nxd4 Bb4 20.a3 Ba5 21.Nb3 Qxd3 22.Bxd3 Bb6 23.a4 Rfd8 24.Bf1 Nd1 is equal (Malakhov-Motylev, Russian Ch, Elista, 2001).
• If 10...Bf5 11.a3 Nxc3 12.bxc3 Nc6 13.Re1 Re8 14.cxd5 Qxd5 15.Bf4 Rac8 then:
• 16.h3 Be4 17.a4 Bd6 18.Be3 Qa5 19.Qb3 Qf5 20.Nd2 Na5 21.Qb2 Bc6 22.c4 Qg6 23.Bf1 b6 is equal (Smirin-An. Volokitin, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).
• If 16.Bd3 Qd7 17.Rb1 Bxd3 18.Qxd3 b6 19.d5 Bf6 20.c4 then:
• 20...h6 21.h4 Ne7 22.Rbd1 Ng6 23.Bg3 h5 24.Rc1 Bb2 25.Rxe8+ Rxe8 is equal (J. Polgar-Anand, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2005).
• 20...Ne7 21.Rbd1 Rcd8 22.h3 Ng6 23.Bg3 h6 24.Qb3 Re7 25.a4 Rde8 26.Rxe7 Nxe7 is equal (Leko-Kramnik, IT, Dortmund, 2007).

8...Bg4 9.c4

• If 9.c3 f5 10.Qb3 0-0 11.Nbd2 Na5 12.Qa4 Nc6 13.Bb5 then:
• 13...Nxd2 14.Nxd2 Qd6 15.h3 Bh5 16.Nb3 Bh4 17.Nc5 gives White the advantage in space (Anand-Kramnik, IT, Tilburg, 1998).
• If 13...Bh4 14.g3 Bf6 15.Bxc6 bxc6 16.Qxc6 then:
• 16...Rb8 17.c4 f4 18.Nxe4 dxe4 19.Qxe4 Bxf3 20.Qxf3 fxg3 21.hxg3 Bxd4 22.Bf4 Rxb2 23.Rf1 Rxf2 24.Rxf2 Bxa1 25.Kg2 Be5 26.Qe4 Bxf4 27.Rxf4 gives Black an extra pawn, but the game contains the germ of a draw (Cheparinov-Gelfand, Grand Prix, Sochi, 2008).
• 16...Re8 17.Ne5 Bxe5 18.dxe5 Ng5 19.f4 Re6 20.Qc5 Ne4 21.Nxe4 dxe4 22.Be3 a6 23.Qc4 Qd7 24.Rac1 gives White a slight advantage in space (Shirov-Kramnik, Euro Ch, Belgrade, 1999).

9...Nf6 10.Nc3

• If 10.cxd5 then:
• If 10...Nxd5 11.Nc3 0-0 then:
• If 12.h3 Be6 13.a3 Bf6 then:
• 14.Ne4 Bf5 15.Ng3 Bg6 16.Ne4 draw (Balashov-Bronstein, City Ch, Moscow, 1982).
• If 14.Na4 Nxd4 15.Nxd4 Bxd4 16.Bxh7+ Kxh7 17.Qxd4 b6 18.Nc3 draw (Psakhis-Karpov, Soviet Ch, Moscow 1983).
• If 12.Be4 Be6 13.Qc2 h6 then:
• If 14.Bf5 Ncb4 15.Qb1 Bxf5 16.Qxf5 Bf6 17.a3 Nxc3 18.bxc3 Nd5 19.Bd2 c6 20.Re4 Ne7 21.Qg4 Kh7 22.c4 Qc8 23.Qxc8 Rfxc8 24.Bb4 gives White the more active game (Machulsky-Jussupow, Soviet Ch, Vilnius, 1978).
• If 14.Bh7+ Kh8 15.Bf5 Bxf5 16.Qxf5 then:
• 16...Nxc3 17.bxc3 Bf6 18.Rb1 b6 19.Ba3 Be7 20.Bb2 Bf6 21.Qe4 Qd7 22.c4 Rae8 is equal (Nevostrujev-Kopylov, Russian ChT, Tomsk, 2001).
• 16...Nf6 17.Bf4 Bd6 18.Be5 Ne7 19.Qh3 Ng6 20.Rad1 Re8 21.Re3 Kg8 22.Qg3 Nh5 23.Qg4 Nf6 24.Qg3 Nh5 draw (Tal-Karpov, 1983).
• If 10...Bxf3 11.Qxf3 Qxd5 12.Qxd5 Nxd5 13.Nc3 then:
• 13...Ndb4 14.Be4 Nxd4 15.Be3 c5 16.Bxb7 Rd8 is equal (Beliavsky-Timman, IT, Bugojno, 1984).
• 13...0-0-0 14.Be4 Bb4 15.Bxd5 Rxd5 16.Nxd5 Bxe1 17.Nxc7 Bxf2+ 18.Kxf2 Kxc7 is equal (Ljuboevic-Tal, IT, Bugojno, 1984).

10...Bxf3

• If 10...0-0 11.cxd5 Nxd5 then:
• 12.h3 Be6 13.a3 Bf6 14.Ne4 Bf5 15.Ng3 Bg6 16.Ne4 draw (Balashov-Bronstein, City Ch, Moscow, 1982).
• If 12.Be4 Be6 13.Qc2 h6 then:
• 14.Bf5 Ncb4 15.Qb1 Bxf5 16.Qxf5 Bf6 17.a3 Nxc3 18.bxc3 Nd5 19.Bd2 gives White the advantage in space (Machulsky-Jussupow, Soviet Ch, Vilnius, 1978).
• 14.Bh7+ Kh8 15.Bf5 Ncb4 16.Qb1 Bxf5 17.Qxf5 Qc8 18.Qh5 Nf6 19.Qh4 Bd8 20.Re2 Qf5 21.Qf4 Qxf4 22.Bxf4 Nbd5 23.Be5 gives White the active game (Psakhis-Jussupow, Soviet Ch, Vilnius, 1978).

11.Qxf3 Nxd4 12.Qd1 Ne6 13.cxd5

• 13.Bf5 dxc4 14.Qa4+ c6 15.Bxe6 fxe6 16.Qxc4 0-0 17.Rxe6 Nd5 18.Be3 Bf6 19.Bc5 Re8 20.Rxe8+ Qxe8 21.Nxd5 cxd5 22.Qxd5+ Qf7 23.Qd2 Rd8 24.Qb4 Qxa2 25.Re1 b6 26.Be7 Re8 27.Bxf6 Rxe1+ 28.Qxe1 gxf6 29.Qb4 a5 draw (Morozevich-Ivanchuk, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2007).

13...Nxd5 14.Bb5+ c6 15.Nxd5 cxb5 16.Qb3 0-0 17.Be3!?

• If 17.Qxb5 Bc5 18.Rd1 then:
• 18...b6 19.Be3 Bxe3 20.Nxe3 Qe8 21.Qd5 Rc8 22.b4 Qa4 23.Qb3 Qxb3 24.axb3 Rc3 25.Ra3 Rfc8 26.Kf1 a5 27.bxa5 bxa5 28.Rxa5 draw (Khruschiov-Kuczynski, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).
• 18...Rc8 19.Be3 b6 20.Qa4 Bxe3 21.Nxe3 Qc7 22.Nd5 Qb7 23.Qe4 gives White a more active game (Slobodjan-Oral World ChU20, Halle, 1995).
• 17.Nxe7+ Qxe7 18.Qxb5 a6 19.Qb3 Rfd8 20.Be3 Rac8 21.Rac1 h6 22.h3 Nd4 23.Bxd4 Rxc1 24.Rxc1 Rxd4 25.Qc2 Qe4 26.Qxe4 Rxe4 27.Rc7 Re1+ 28.Kh2 b5 draw (Kasparov-Karpov, World Ch, Moscow, 1984-85).

17...Bc5!?

• The game is level.
• Perhaps "more equal" is 17...Qd7 18.Nxe7+ Qxe7 19.Qxb5 a6 20.Qf5 Rfe8 21.Rad1 which avoids the problems with White's next move.

BLACK: Boris Gelfand
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WHITE: Peter Leko
Position after 17...Be7c5

18.Rad1!

• Black will have to move his Queen to avoid the discovered attack.

18...Bxe3 19.Rxe3

• 19.Nxe3?! is premature; if now 19...Qa5 then after 20.Qd5 Rfe8 21.Qxb7 Qxa2 22.Qxb5 Reb8 Black stands better.

19...Qa5 20.Qc2 Rfe8 21.f4!?

• 21.Rg3 Kh8 22.Ra3 Qd8 23.Rh3 Ng5 remains equal.

21...b4

• 21...Qxa2 22.f5 Nf8 23.Rg3 Qc4 24.Nf6+ Kh8 25.Rc3 wins the exchange for White.

22.f5 Nf8 23.Red3

• If 23.Ne7+ Kh8 24.Qc4 Ne6 25.Nd5 Rad8 then:
• 26.Re4 Nf8 27.Rxe8 Rxe8 28.Qxb4 Qxb4 29.Nxb4 f6 remains equal.
• 26.fxe6 fxe6 27.Rd4 exd5 28.Rxe8+ Rxe8 29.Rxd5 Qb6+ gives Black an extra pawn.

23...Nd7 24.Qc7 Qc5+ 25.Kf1 Qb5

• Inferior is 25...Qc6?! when 26.Qxc6 bxc6 27.Nc7! wins the exchange.

26.Qg3!

• White begins a direct attack on the enemy King.

26...Ne5?

• If 26...f6 27.Nc7 Qxf5+ 28.Kg1 Qc5+ 29.Kh1 Ne5 then:
• 30.Nxe8 Rxe8 31.Rd8 Rxd8 32.Qb3+ Kf8 33.Rxd8+ gives White more freedom.
• If 29...Nf8 then:
• 30.Nxa8 30...Rxa8 31.Rd4 Qc2 32.R4d2 Qc4 33.b3 leaves White better, but Black can play on.
• 30.Nxe8?! Rxe8 31.Rd4 Qc2 32.R4d2 Qf5 gives Black counterplay.
• 30.Nxa8? Nxd3 31.Qxd3 Rxa8 32.Qb3+ Kh8 leaves Black two pawn to the good.

BLACK: Boris Gelfand
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WHITE: Peter Leko
Position after 26...Nd7e5

27.f6!

• White threatens mate and has a completely won game as a result.

27...g6

• Forced.

28.Qg5 Kh8 29.Qh6 Rg8

• All forced.

BLACK: Boris Gelfand
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Position after 29...Re8g8

30.Nc7!

• That's another nail in the coffin.

30...Qc4

• 30...Qxd3+?? loses to 31.Rxd3! Nxd3 32.Nxa8 when Black cannot recapture due to the mating threat on g7.

31.b3 Qg4

• If 31...Qxc7 then 32.Qxh7+!! Kxh7 33.Rh3#.

32.Rd4 Qf5+ 33.Rf4 Ng4

• If 33...Qh5 then 34.Qxh5 gxh5 35.Nxa8 Rxa8 36.Rxb4 wins for White.

34.Qg7+ Rxg7 35.fxg7+ Kxg7 36.Rxf5 gxf5 37.Nxa8

• White has a Rook for two pawns.

37...Ne3+ 38.Ke2 Nxd1 39.Kxd1

• The exchange is small consolation.

39...Kf6 40.Kd2 Ke5 41.Nc7 f4 42.Kd3 a6 43.Na8

• Mr. Gelfand has no desire to fight on while down with only two pawns for a piece.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Ivanchuk - Grischuk, Round 11

Ivanchuk would probably like to forget Nalchik, but his only victory all but knocked Grischuk out of contention.



Vassily Ivanchuk
Photo: ChessBase.com


Vassily Ivanchuk - Alexander Grischuk
FIDE Grand Prix, Round 11
Nalchik, 27 April 2009

West India Game: King's Indian Defense (Main Line/Aronin Variation)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Nc6

• If 7...Nbd7 then:
• If 8.Be3 c6 then:
• If 9.d5 c5 10.Ne1 Ne8 then:
• 11.Nd3 f5 12.f4 b6 13.Qd2 Qe7 14.Bf3 g5 15.fxg5 f4 16.Bf2 Qxg5 17.b4 Ndf6 is equal (Batchuluun-Li Shilong, Asian Ch, Manila, 2007).
• 11.g4 f5 12.gxf5 gxf5 13.exf5 Nb6 14.Nf3 Bxf5 15.Ng5 Nf6 16.Kh1 Qe7 17.Rg1 Kh8 18.Rg3 e4 19.Qd2 Nfd7 is equal (Shen Yang-Li Shilong, Asian Ch, Manila, 2007).
• If 9.Qc2 Ng4 10.Bg5 f6 then:
• 11.Bd2 f5 12.exf5 gxf5 13.dxe5 dxe5 14.Ng5 Ndf6 15.Rad1 Qe7 16.c5 Kh8 17.b4 gives White a small advantage in space (Uhlmann-Knaak, IT, Halle, 1981).
• If 11.Bh4 Nh6 then:
• 12.dxe5 dxe5 13.b4 Nf7 14.Nd2 Qe7 15.c5 Re8 16.Nb3 gives White the advantage in space (Kotronias-Skalkotas, Op, Athens, 1988).
• 12.Rad1 Qe7 13.b4 Nf7 14.dxe5 dxe5 15.c5 Re8 16.Nd2 Nf8 17.f3 Ne6 18.Nb3 gives White the advantage in space (W. Schmidt-Ingo, Op, Dresden, 1993).
• If 8.Qc2 c6 9.Rd1 Qe7 10.d5 c5 then:
• If 11.Bg5 h6 then:
• 12.Bh4 g5 13.Bg3 Nh5 14.Nd2 Nf4 15.Nf1 Nf6 16.Ne3 Nxe4 17.Nxe4 f5 18.Nc3 Nxe2+ 19.Qxe2 f4 20.Nf1! fxg3 21.Nxg3 Bd7 22.Nge4 Bf5 is equal (SWmagin-Kochyev, Voronez, 1987).
• 12.Bd2 Ne8 13.g3 Nb6 14.Nh4 Kh7 15.a3 Bh3 16.b4 Nd7 17.Rab1 Rc8 18.Be3 Bf6 19.Nf3 Bg7 20.Nh4 draw (Scho-Hitselberger, Cyberspace, 1997).
• 11.g3 Ne8 12.Nh4 Bf6 13.Ng2 Ng7 14.h4 h5 15.Rb1 b6 16.a3 Ba6 17.Qa4 Bb7 18.b4 Rfc8 19.Be3 Ne8 is equal (Hertneck-Vogt, Austrian ChT, Vienna, 2004).
• If 8.Re1 c6 9.Bf1 then:
• 9...Re8 10.d5 c5 11.a3 Rf8 12.g3 Ne8 13.b4 h6 14.Nh4 Ndf6 15.bxc5 dxc5 16.a4 a5 17.Rb1 Nd6 18.Ba3 b6 19.Qb3 Ra6 20.Qc2 Nh7 21.Nb5 Ng5 22.Kh1 Nxb5 23.cxb5 Ra7 24.Bb2 Qd6 25.Qd2 Re7 is equal (Christoffel-Boleslavsky, IT, Gronigen, 1946).
• 9...exd4 10.Nxd4 Re8 11.Rb1 Nc5 12.f3 a5 13.Be3 Nfd7 14.Qd2 Ne5 15.Red1 Qe7 16.Nb3 a4 17.Nxc5 dxc5 18.Rbc1 Be6 19.Qc2 Bxc4 20.Nxa4 b5 21.Nb6 Rxa2 22.Nxc4 bxc4 23.Bxc4 Rxb2 gives White an extra pawn (Filip-Tolush, IT, Bucharest, 1953).
• If 7...Na6 then:
• If 8.Be3 Ng4 9.Bg5 Qe8 10.dxe5 dxe5 11.h3 then:
• If 11...f6 12.Bd2 Nh6 13.c5 then:
• If 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 is equal (Pentala-Moradiabadi, Op, Dubai, 2004).
• 13...Nxc5 14.Qc1 Nf7 15.Nd5 Ne6 16.Nxc7 Nxc7 17.Qxc7 Nd8 18.Rfc1 Be6 19.b4 Rf7 20.Qc3 Bf8 21.Qb2 a6 draw (Ris-Bromberger, Bundesliga 0809, Tegernsee, 2009).
• If 11...h6 12.Bd2 Nf6 13.Be3 Qe7 then:
• 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 Bf8 28.Qa4 gives White the advantage in space (Yevseev-A. Zhigalko, Op, Cappelle la Grande, 2006).
• 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).
• If 8.Re1 c6 9.Bf1 then:
• If 9...Bg4 10.d5 then:
• 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 gives Black a small edge in space (Miles-Cramling, IT, Malmø, 1996).
• 10...Nb4 11.Be2 a5 12.Bg5 then:
• If 12...h6 13.Be3 c5 14.g3 Bd7 15.Nh4 Kh7 16.a3 Na6 17.Bd3 Ng4 18.Bd2 Bf6 19.Ng2 h5 20.Qc1 Bg7 21.f3 Nh6 22.Nd1 Nc7 23.a4 Na6 24.Nf2 Nb4 is equal (W. Schmidt-Kempinski, Polish Ch, Gdansk, 1994).
• 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 is equal (Kransenkow-Kozul, Ol, Bled, 2002).
• 9...exd4 10.Nxd4 Ng4 11.h3 Qb6 12.hxg4 Qxd4 13.g5 then:
• If 13...Qxd1 14.Rxd1 Be5 15.Be3 Nc5 16.f3 a5 17.Rac1 a4 is equal (Carlsen-Stokke, Norwegian Ch, Moss, 2006).
• 13...Nc5 14.Bf4 Qxd1 15.Raxd1 Be5 16.Bh2 Re8 17.Rxd6 Bxd6 18.Bxd6 b6 19.b4 gives White the initiative (Sakaev-Kokarov, Russian Ch HL, Krasnoyarsk, 2007).
• If 7...exd4 8.Nxd4 Re8 9.f3 then:
• If 9...c6 10.Kh1 Nbd7 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bh4 Ne5 then:
• 13.Nc2 Qe7 14.c5 dxc5 15.f4 Ned7 16.e5 Nxe5 17.fxe5 Qxe5 18.Bf3 Be6 19.Qd2 Nd5 20.Rae1 Qf4 is equal (V. Samigin-Gligoric, TMatch, Rijeka, 1963).
• 13.Qc2 g5 14.Bf2 c5 15.Nf5 Bxf5 16.exf5 Nc6 17.Rad1 Re5 18.Rd2 is equal (O'Donnell-Jones, Corres, 1991).
• If 9...Nc6 10.Be3 Nh5 11.Qd2 then:
• 11...Nf4 12.Rfd1 Nxd4 13.Bxd4 Bxd4+ 14.Qxd4 Nxe2+ 15.Nxe2 b6 16.Nc3 Bb7 17.Nd5 Bxd5 18.cxd5 Qg5 19.Rac1 Re7 20.Qd2 Qh5 21.g4 Qh4 22.Qf2 Qg5 23.Qd2 Qh4 24.Kh1 Rf8 25.Rg1 h5 26.Rc3 gives White more activity (Jakovenko-Volokitin, IT, Foros, 2008).
• 11...f5 12.Nxc6 bxc6 then:
• 13.exf5 Bxf5 14.Bd4 Nf6 15.Rfe1 c5 16.Bf2 Qd7 17.Rad1 Qf7 18.b3 a6 19.Bf1 Bd7 20.Rxe8+ Bxe8 21.a3 is equal (Kramnik-Glek, EU Cup, Berlin, 1996).
• 13.c5 d5 14.Bg5 Qd7 15.Rad1 Rb8 16.g4 Nf6 17.exd5 Nxd5 18.Bc4 Bb7 19.h3 Kh8 20.b3 gives White the advantage in space (V/ Popov-Plenkovic, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).

8.d5

• If 8.Be3 Ng4 9.Bg5 f6 10.Bc1 then:
• If 10...f5 11.Bg5 then:
• If 11...Qe8 12.dxe5 dxe5 then:
• If 13.Nd5 Qf7 14.Bd2 Nf6 15.Ng5 Qd7 16.exf5 gxf5 17.f4 e4 18.Bc3 h6 19.Nxf6+ Bxf6 20.Qxd7 Bxd7 21.Bxf6 Rxf6 22.Rad1 then:
• 22...Rd6 23.c5 Rxd1 24.Rxd1 is equal (van der Sterren-van Wely, Dutch Ch, Eindhoven, 1993).
• If 22...Rd8 23.Nh3 Be8 24.Rxd8 Nxd8 is equal (Vera-van Wely, Capablanca Mem, Havana, 1994).
• If 13.h3 Nf6 14.Bd3 Be6 15.Re1 Qf7 16.c5 Nd7 then:
• If 17.Bb5!? Nd4! 18.Bxd7 Bxd7 then:
• If 19.Bh4 Bc6! then:
• 20.Ng5 Qf6! 21.exf5 gxf5 22.Ne2 Rad8 23.Nxd4 Rxd4 24.Qh5 h6! and now, since 25.Nf3 Bxf3 26.Qxf3 Qxh4 wins a piece for Black, White resigns (I. Sokolov-Shirov, FIDE Knock Out, Las Vegas, 1999).
• 20.Bg3 f4! 21.Bh4 h6 22.Nxd4 exd4 23.Ne2 g5 wins for Black.
• 19.Be3 Rad8 20.Bg5 Rde8 21.Be3 Bc6 gives Black the advantage, but White can still defend.
• 17.exf5 gxf5 18.Be3 is equal.
• 11...Bf6 12.Bxf6 Nxf6 13.exf5 Bxf5 14.d5 Ne7 15.Ng5 Qc8 16.Bd3 Bxd3 17.Qxd3 Nh5 18.Ne2 Ng7 19.f4 gives White the advantage in space (Movsesian-B. Socko, Op, Cappelle la Grande, 1998).
• If 10...Kh8 11.d5 Ne7 12.Ne1 then:
• 12...f5 13.Bxg4 fxg4 14.f3 gxf3 15.Nxf3 h6 16.Be3 Ng8 17.Qe1 Bg4 18.Qg3 Bxf3 19.Rxf3 Rxf3 20.Qxf3 gives White the advantage in space (Reshevsky-Najdorf, Match, Buenos Aires, 1953).
• 12...Nh6 13.Nd3 f5 14.f4 Nf7 15.Kh1 a6 16.a4 a5 17.Bd2 c6 18.Qb3 fxe4 19.Nxe4 Nf5 20.Bc3 Qh4 21.Qb6 g5 22.Be1 Qh6 23.fxg5 Qg6 24.Ndf2 is equal (Movsesian-Jakubiec, Op, Litomysi, 1995).

8...Ne7 9.b4

• If 9.Ne1 Nd7 then:
• If 10.Nd3 f5 11.Bd2 Nf6 12.f3 f4 13.c5 g5 then:
• If 14.cxd6 cxd6 15.Nf2 then:
• If 15...h5 16.h3 Ng6 17.Qc2 Rf7 18.Rfc1 then:
• If 18...g4 19.fxg4 hxg4 20.hxg4 Ne8 21.a4 Bf6 then:
• 22.Ncd1 Bh4 23.Nh3 Rg7 24.Ndf2 Nf8 25.Ra3 Nh7 26.Rc3 Bd7 27.Bb5 gives White the advantage in space (Sosonko-Ye Jiangchuan, IT, Hong Kong, 1989).
• 22.Bf3 Bh4 23.Ncd1 Bg3 24.Nh3 Qh4 25.Ndf2 Nf6 26.Qd1 gives White an extra pawn (Valden-Tsanas, Op, Glyfada, 2001).
• 18...a6 19.a4 Bf8 20.a5 g4 21.fxg4 hxg4 22.hxg4 b5 23.axb6 Qxb6 24.Na4 Qa7 25.Ba5 Rb8 26.Bc7 Rb7 27.Bxd6 Bxd6 28.Qxc8+ gives White two extra pawns (Sosonko-Rogic, Op, Bled, 1997).
• 15...Ng6 16.Qc2 Rf7 17.Rfc1 Bf8 18.a4 h5 19.Nb5 Ne8 20.h3 Nh4 21.Ra3 a6 22.Rc3 Bd7 23.Na3 gives White more freedom (Kozul-Srebrnic, Op, Nova Gorica, 1999).
• <[font color="darkorange">14.Rc1 Ng6 15.cxd6 cxd6 16.Nb5 Rf7 17.Qc2 Ne8 18.a4 h5 19.Nf2 Bf8 20.h3 Rg7 21.Qb3 Nh4 22.Rc2 g4 23.fxg4 Nf6 24.Be1 hxg4 25.hxg4 gives White an extra pawn (Ivanchuk-Cheparinov, IT, Sofia, 2008).
• If 10.Be3 f5 11.f3 f4 12.Bf2 g5 13.a4 Ng6 14.a5 then:
• 14...h5 15.Nb5 Nf6 16.Nxa7 Bd7 17.c5 g4 18.c6 g3 19.hxg3 fxg3 20.Bxg3 Rxa7 21.cxd7 h4 22.Bf2 Ra8 23.Nc2 Bh6 24.Ne3 Bf4 25.Nf5 Nh5 26.Bb5 gives White two extra pawns and more space (Korchnoi-Xie Jun, TMatch, Prague, 1995).
• 14...Rf7 15.c5 Nxc5 16.Bxc5 dxc5 17.Bc4 Kh8 18.a6 Rf6 19.axb7 Bxb7 20.Nd3 Bf8 21.Rf2 Bd6 22.Na4 Qe7 23.Rc2 Rg8 24.Nf2 h5 25.Be2 Bc8 26.h3 gives White more freedom (Vigorito-Fedorowicz, US Ch, San Diego, 2006).
• If 9.Nd2 then:
• If 9...a5 10.a3 then:
• If 10...Nd7 11.Rb1 f5 12.b4 Kh8 13.f3 Ng8 14.Qc2 Ngf6 15.Bd3 f4 16.Nb5 b6 17.Bb2 then:
• 17...Ne8 18.Be2 h5 19.c5 bxc5 20.bxc5 Nxc5 21.a4 Rf7 22.Rfc1 g5 23.Ba3 Bf8 24.Bxc5 dxc5 25.Nb3 g4 26.Nxc5 gives White the advantage in space (Gurevich-van Wely, Op, Wijk aan Zee, 1993).
• If 17...g5 18.Be2 h5 19.c5 bxc5 20.bxc5 Nxc5 21.Bxe5 then:
• 21...g4 22.fxg4 Nxg4 23.Bxg7+ Kxg7 24.Nb3 Na6 25.Qc3+ gives Black a strong game on the queenside (Gurevich-Khalifman, IT, Munich, 1992).
• 21...dxe5?! 22.Qxc5 Ne8 23.Rfc1 Rf6 24.Qc3 White must win a pawn.
• If 10...Bd7 11.b3 c6 12.Bb2 then:
• 12...Bh6 13.c5 dxc5 14.Nc4 cxd5 15.exd5 Nf5 16.Nxe5 Nd4 17.Bc4 Bf5 is equal (SherbakovKorotylev, Op, Pardubice, 1996).
• If 12...c5 13.Nb5 Ne8 14.b4 axb4 15.axb4 Rxa1 16.Qxa1 Bh6 17.Nxd6 Nxd6 18.bxc5 Bxd2 19.cxd6 Nc8 20.c5 f6 21.Rb1 b6 22.c6 Nxd6 23.cxd7 Qxd7 24.Bd3 Rc8 25.Rd1 gives White a more active game (Hefka-Kazoks, Corres, 1999).
• 9...c5 10.Rb1 Ne8 11.b4 b6 12.bxc5 bxc5 13.Nb3 f5 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bxe7 Qxe7 16.Na5 Nf6 17.Nc6 Qe8 18.Bd3 Rf7 19.Rb3 f4 20.Be2 Bf8 21.Qc2 Bd7 22.Rfb1 is equal (Gurevich-Hebden, IT, Clichy, 2001).

9...Nh5

• If 9...a5 10.Ba3 then:
• If 10...axb4 11.Bxb4 Nd7 12.a4 Bh6 13.a5 f5 14.Nd2 then:
• If 14...Nf6 15.c5 Bxd2 16.Qxd2 then:
• If 16...fxe4 17.cxd6 cxd6 18.Nb5 Nf5 19.Rac1 Rf7 20.g4 Nd4 21.Nxd4 exd4 22.Qxd4 Bxg4 23.Bxg4 Nxg4 24.Qxe4 Nxf2 25.Qe3 is equal (Kobalia-Ulko, Aeroflot Open, Moscow, 2002).
• 16...Nxe4 17.Nxe4 fxe4 18.Bc3 Nf5 19.Ra4 e3 20.fxe3 Bd7 21.Raa1 Qg5 22.e4 Qxd2 23.Bxd2 Nd4 24.Bc4 gives White a small advantage in space (Savina-Bodnaruk, Russian ChU20W, St. Petersburg, 2008).
• 14...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 27.Bd2 gives White the advantage in space (Pelletier-Renet, EU ChT, Pula, 1997).
• 10...b6 11.bxa5 Nh5 12.Re1 f5 13.Bb4 bxa5 14.Ba3 Nf4 15.Bf1 fxe4 16.Nd2 Nd3 17.Bxd3 exd3 18.Nde4 Nf5 19.Qxd3 Nd4 20.Nb5 Rb8 21.Bc1 Bf5 22.a4 is equal (Borsuk-Schoene, OlW, Dresden, 2008).
• If 9...Ne8 10.c5 f5 11.Nd2 Nf6 12.f3 f4 13.Nc4 g5 then:
• 14.a4 Ng6 15.Ba3 Rf7 16.b5 Bf8 17.b6 dxc5 18.bxc7 Rxc7 19.Nb5 Rg7 20.d6 Be6 21.Bb2 Ne8 22.Nxe5 a6 23.d7 Nf6 24.Nxg6 hxg6 is equal (Rasmussen-P. H. Nielsen, Politiken Cup, Helsignor, 2007).
• If 14.Ba3 Ng6 15.b5 then:
• 15...Ne8 16.b6 axb6 17.cxb6 cxb6 18.Qb3 h5 19.Rab1 g4 20.Nxb6 Qh4 21.Nxc8 Rxc8 22.Rfc1 Qg5 23.Nb5 Rd8 24.Nc7 gives White the advantage in space (Shirov-Akopian, Soviet Ch ½-final, Daugavpils, 1989).
• 15...dxc5 16.Bxc5 Rf7 17.a4 h5 18.a5 g4 19.b6 g3 20.Kh1 Bf8 21.Bg1 Nh4 22.Re1 Nxg2 23.Kxg2 Rg7 24.Nxe5 gxh2+ 25.Kh1 Nxe4 White resigns (Roussel Roozman-Charbonneau, IT, Montreal, 2008).

10.c5

• If 10.Re1 f5 11.Ng5 Nf6 12.Bf3 c6 then:
• 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-Radjabov, Euro ChT, Plovdiv, 2003).
• 13.Bb2 cxd5 14.cxd5 fxe4 15.Ngxe4 Nxe4 16.Nxe4 Nf5 17.Rc1 Bd7 18.Qb3 Bh6 19.Rc6 bxc6 20.dxc6+ Kh8 21.cxd7 Qxd7 22.Nf6 gives White compensation for the sacrificed exchange (Laznicka-G. Jones, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).
• If 10.g3 f5 11.Ng5 Nf6 12.f3 then:
• 12...f4 13.b5 fxg3 14.hxg3 Nh5 15.Kf2 Nf4 16.gxf4 exf4 17.Qd3 gives White the advantage in space (van Wely-Dyachkov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2008).
• If 12...c6 13.b5 h6 14.Ne6 Bxe6 15.dxe6 then:
• 15...Ne8 16.bxc6 bxc6 17.Ba3 c5 18.Qa4 Nc7 19.Qd7 Qxd7 20.exd7 Nc6 21.Bd1 f4 22.Ba4 Nd4 23.Kg2 Bf6 24.Bc1 gives White the advantage in space and an advanced passer under protection (van Wely-Lenz, Op, Munich, 1992).
• 15...c5 16.Nd5 Ne8 17.exf5 gxf5 18.Rb1 Nc7 19.Nxc7 Qxc7 20.g4 Rf6 21.gxf5 Nxf5 Black must win the e-pawn (W. Schmidt-Antoniewski, Polish ChT, Suwalki, 1999).

10...Nf4 11.Bxf4 exf4 12.Rc1 h6 13.Nd4

• 13.h3 g5 14.a4 Ng6 15.a5 Re8 16.Nd2 f5 17.cxd6 cxd6 18.exf5 Bxf5 19.Nb5 Bb2 20.Rc4 is equal (Sosonko-van Wely, Dutch Ch, Hilversum, 1995).

13...a6!?

• If 13...g5 14.Bh5 then:
• 14...c6 15.Nb3 cxd5 16.exd5 a5 17.Nb5 a4 18.Na5 dxc5 19.d6 gives White the initiative (Bekiavsky-Romero, IT, Leon, 1994).
• 14...Kh8 15.Re1 Ng8 16.h3 Nf6 17.Bf3 Re8 18.cxd6 cxd6 19.Ncb5 Re7 20.Rxc8 Rxc8 is equal (S, Ivanov-I. Smirin, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2003).

14.h3

• The game is equal.
• 14.Re1 f5 15.c6 bxc6 16.dxc6 fxe4 17.Nxe4 Rb8 is equal.

14...Kh8 15.Qd2 Ng8!?

• The text move is apparently made with the idea of redeploying the Knight on f6. However, Black should try to break up White's center.
• 15...f5 16.c6 bxc6 17.dxc6 fxe4 18.Nxe4 Nf5 19.Nf3 remains equal.

16.Rfd1!

• If 16.Nf3 g5 17.Rfe1 then:
• 17...Re8 18.Bd1 f5 19.Ba4 Re7 20.Bc2 gives White a small advantage in space and the better center.
• 17...f5 18.exf5 dxc5 19.bxc5 Bxf5 20.Bd3 gives White the advantage in space.

16...h5

• 16...Qf6 17.Bf3 dxc5 18.bxc5 Qg5 19.Nce2 Be5 20.Rb1 White continues to have the advantage in space and a more imposing center.

17.Qxf4!?

• White commits to sacrificing the exchange.

17...Bh6

• Black takes up the challenge.

18.Qg3 h4 19.Qd3 Bxc1

• Black takes the exchange.

20.Rxc1 Qg5 21.Re1

• The smoke clears showing White still has more space and an better center.

BLACK: Alexander Grischuk
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Vassily Ivanchuk
Position after 21.Rc1e1

21...Bd7!

• To keep the Bishop from going to b5, White must dismantle his center.

22.c6 bxc6 23.dxc6 Be6!

• Black restrains White's mobility by tying the Knight to the defense of the a-pawn.

24.Bg4

• No sooner than Black activates his Bishop than White exchanges it.
• 24.Bd1!? Nf6 25.Bc2 Rfe8 26.Nf3 Qh6 27.a3 is a much improved position for Black, but White still has more freedom.

24...Bxg4

• Nevertheless, the exchange of Bishops equalizes for Black.

25.hxg4 Ne7 26.Qd1

• White find one of the best of several ways to protect the g-pawn.
• 26.Qh3 Kg7 27.a3 Rfe8 28.Re3 Rad8 remains equal.
• 26.f3 Rfe8 27.a3 Rab8 28.Rd1 Kg7 29.Kh1 Ra8 remains equal.

26...Rab8 27.a3 Kg7 28.Re3 Qf6 29.Nf3 Nxc6?

• Black takes an unimportant pawn and opens the d5 square for White's Knight or Queen.
• 29...Rfe8 30.g5 Qf4 31.Ne2 Qg4 32.Qd4+ Kg8 33.e5 remains equal.

30.Nd5!

• White seizes the day.
• 30...Qd8 31.Nd5 Ne5 32.Qd4 Re8 33.Nf6 remains equal.

30...Qe6 31.Nxc7 Qxg4

• After the text move, everything is lost.
• A more stubborn defense is 31...Qd7 32.Nxa6 Ra8 33.b5 Qe7 34.bxc6 Rxa6 35.Qd4+, but Black's chances of salvaging a half-point still aren't good/

BLACK: Alexander Grischuk
!""""""""#
$ T + T +%
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WHITE: Vassily Ivanchuk
Position after 31...Qe6g4:p

32.Qxd6!

• White kicks in the door to Black's position.

32...Rbd8 33.Qxc6

• White is now clearly winning.

33...Rd1+ 34.Ne1 h3

• If 34...Rc8 then White wins after 35.Kf1 a5 36.Qc3+ f6 37.b5.

35.Qc3+ f6 36.Rxh3 Rc8

BLACK: Alexander Grischuk
!""""""""#
$ +t+ + +%
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WHITE: Vassily Ivanchuk
Position after 36...Rf8c8

37.e5!! 1-0

• The move is elegant, quiet and devastating.
• If 37...Rxe1+ 38.Qxe1 Rxc7 39.exf6+ Kxf6 40.Rf3+ then:
• 40...Qf5 41.Qe2 Ra7 42.Qb2+ wins the Queen.
• 40...Qxf3 41.gxf3 Rc6 42.f4 Kf7 43.Qe5 hurts to watch.
• 40...Kg7 41.Qe5+ is curtains.
• Alexander Igorevich resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Dubai Open

Dubai
Holidays in Dubai

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Milanovic - Kotanjian, Round 4

Tigran Kotanjian
Photo: 11th Dubai Open


Danilo Milanovic - Tigran Kotanjian
11th Open, Round 4
Dubai, 29 April 2009

Semi-Slav Queen's Gambit: Stoltz Opening

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.e3 Nf6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Qc2

• For a survey of the Stoltz Opening, see Koneru-Pérez, IT, Mérida, 2008.

6...Bd6 7.Bd2 0-0 8.0-0-0 e5

• If 8...c5 then:
• 9.e4 cxd4 10.Nxd4 dxc4 11.Bxc4 a6 12.Be3 Qe7 13.Be2 Ne5 14.h3 Ng6 15.Kb1 Bf4 16.Qd2 e5 17.Nf5 Qb4 18.Qd6 Qxd6 19.Nxd6 Bxe3 20.fxe3 is equal (Taimanov-Fichtl, IT, Vienna, 1957).
• 9.cxd5 exd5 10.Ng5 h6 11.h4 Re8 12.Bd3 Nf8 13.dxc5 Bxc5 14.Nf3 Be6 15.Nd4 Rc8 16.f3 N6d7 17.Kb1 a6 18.Nxe6 fxe6 gives Black a slight edge in space and better minor pieces (Avrukh-Gurevich, Op, Antwerp, 1997).
• If 8...b5 9.cxb5 c5 10.e4 Bb7 11.exd5 exd5 12.Bd3 c4 13.Bf5 a6 14.Ng5 g6 15.Bxd7 Qxd7 16.b6 Bc8 17.f3 then:
• 17...Qf5?! 18.g4 is equal (Taimanov-Kuijpers, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1970).
• 17...Qc6 18.Rhe1 Bf5 gives Black the initiative.

9.cxd5 cxd5 10.Nb5 Bb8 11.Bb4

• White "forces" Black to move his Rook behind the pawn at e5.
• If 11.dxe5 Nxe5 12.Bc3 Qe7 13.Bd4 then:
• 13...Rd8 14.Kb1 Bg4 15.Be2 a6 16.Nc3 b5 17.Nxe5 Bxe5 18.Bxg4 Nxg4 is equal ()Vyzmanavin-Kramnik, Moscow, 1994.
• 13...b6 14.Nc3 Bb7 15.Qf5 Neg4 16.Bd3 Nxf2 17.Bxf6 Nxd3+ 18.Rxd3 Qxf6 19.Qxf6 gxf6 20.Nxd5 Be5 21.Rhd1 gives White the more active game (Tal-Trifunivic, Ol, Munich, 1958).

11...Re8 12.Nd6

• If 12.Bd6 e4 13.Bc7 Qe7 14.Ne5 Rf8 then:
• 15.Kb1 a6 16.Na3 Bxc7 17.Qxc7 Re8 18.Nxd7 Bxd7 gives B;ack the initiative.
• 15.Bxb8 Rxb8 16.Qc7 Ne8 17.Qa5 Nxe5 18.dxe5 Qxe5 gives Bl;ack the initiative.

12...Bxd6 13.Bxd6 e4!

• The advanced pawn is a bone in the throat of White's center. This position has been reached once before, twenty years ago, when Black failed to exploit his advantage in central space and lost the game in 46 moves.

14.Bc7

• White varies from the older game; the novelty is good for equality.
• If 14.Nd2 then:
• If 14...Nb6!? 15.Bc7 Qe7 16.Bxb6 axb6 17.Kb1 Bg4 18.Re1 Qb4 19.Qc3 then:
• 19...Qxc3!? 20.bxc3 Ra3 21.Kb2 Rea8 22.Ra1 is equal (Norri-Constantinou, EU ChT, Haifa, 1989).
• 19...Qa4! 20.a3 Rec8 21.Qb3 Qa5 gives Black pressure on the queenside.
• If 14...Re6! then:
• 15.Bc7 Qe7 16.Ba5 b6 17.Bc3 Bb7 gives Black the advantage in space.
• 15.Bb5? Rxd6 16.Kb1 a6 wins a piece for Black.
• 15.Bc5? Qc7 16.Nb3 b6 17.Bb4 Rc6 wins the Queen.

14...Qe7 15.Ne5?

• White drops a pawn.
• If 15.Nd2 Nb6 16.Kb1 Ng4 17.Bg3 Bd7 then:
• 18.Qc5 Qe6 19.Be2 Rac8 is equal.
• 18.Qc7 Qf6 19.Be2 Re7 20.Qd6 is equal.

BLACK: Tigran Kotanjian
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Danilo Milanovic
Position after 15.Nf3e5

15...Nxe5!

• Black could play to restrain White's development before beginning operations in the center; by playing this move immediately, White wins a pawn.
• 15...a6 16.Kb1 Nxe5 17.dxe5 Ng4 18.Bd6 Qe6 has Black threatening to win a pawn, but after 19.h3 Nxe5 20.Qc5 Nd3 21.Bxd3 exd3 22.Bf4 Black can recover the pawn by taking on d3.

16.dxe5 Ng4!

• White cannot now save the pawn.
• 16...Bg4 17.exf6 Bxd1 18.Kxd1 Qxf6 19.Qd2 Rac8 20.Ba5 gives White a slight initiative.

17.Bd6

• If 17.Bb5 Bd7 18.Bd6 Qe6 19.Bxd7 Qxd7 then:
• If 20.Kb1 then Black wins the pawn with 20...Rac8 21.Qd2 Nxe5 22.Bxe5 Rxe5,
• If 20.Rxd5 then 20...Rac8 wins the Queen.
• 17.h3 Nxf2 18.Qxf2 Qxc7+ 19.Kb1 Be6 wins one pawn and threatens a second.

17...Qe6 18.Bb5 Bd7 19.Bxd7

• 19.Rxd5?? Rec8 20.Bc4 b5 wins for Black.

19...Qxd7 20.Kb1 Rac8 21.Qd2 Nxe5

• 21...Re6 22.Rc1 Rc6 23.Rhd1 Nxe5 24.Bxe5 Rxe5 gives Black an extra pawn.

22.Bxe5 Rxe5

• Black has an extra pawn.

23.Qd4 Rf5 24.Rd2 b6 25.Rhd1

• If 25.g4 Rf3 then:
• If 26.Qxe4 then after 26...dxe4 27.Rxd7 Rxf2 28.Rxa7 h5! 29.gxh5 Rcc2 the Rooks mop up White's pawns.
• 26.g5? Kf8 27.Qb4+ Qe7 28.Qxe7+ Kxe7 29.Rxd5 Rxf2 leaves White no way to prevent Black from putting a second Rook a=on the seventh rank.

BLACK: Tigran Kotanjian
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Danilo Milanovic
Position after 25.Rh1d1

25...h5!

• Black restrains White's kingside.

26.h4

• 26.f4 Qb5 27.Rc2 Rxc2 28.Kxc2 a6 29.Kd2 Qa5+ is a more stubborn defense.

26...Qe7

• Black takes aim at a loose pawn.

27.Qa4 Rc4 28.Qa6 Qxh4

• If 28...Rc5 29.Qa4 a5 then:
• 30.Rc2 b5 31.Qa3 b4 32.Qa4 Rxc2 33.Qxc2 Qf6 Black is threatening to break down the barriers at f2, but can switch to the queenside faster than White can react.
• If 30.g3 Qf6 31.Rf1 Rf3 32.Qd7 Kh7 then:
• 33.Rxd5 Rxf2 34.Rxf2 Qxf2 35.Rxc5 bxc5 the Black Queen sweeps away White's kingside pawns.
• 33.Qh3 d4 34.exd4 e3 35.dxc5 exd2 Black wins easily.

29.Qxa7 Rxf2 30.Rxd5

BLACK: Tigran Kotanjian
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Danilo Milanovic
Position after 30.Rd2d5:p

30...Rcc2!

• Lights out!

31.Rb5 Qg4 32.Rd8+ Kh7 33.a4

• 33.Qa8 Rf1+ 34.Kxc2 Qe2+ 35.Kb3 Qxb5+ 36.Ka3 Qc5+ wins a second pawn for Black.

33...Qe2 34.Qxb6 Rf1+ 35.Ka2 Qc4+ 36.Rb3 Rxb2+ 0-1

• 37.Kxb2 Qc1+ 38.Ka2 Qa1# and good night.
• Milanovic resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Kostur - Hossain, Round 3

Enamul Hossain is the strongest player from Bangladesh.



Enamul Hossain
Photo: 11th Dubai Open


Pavel Kotsur - Enamul Hossain
11th Open, Round 3
Dubai, 28 April 2009

Open Sicilian Game: Taimanov Defense

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Be2 Qc7 6.0-0 Nf6 7.Nc3

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

7...Nc6 8.Kh1 Be7 9.f4 d6 10.Be3 0-0 11.Qe1

• 11.a4 Re8 12.Bf3 Rb8 13.Qd2 Bd7 14.Nb3 b6 15.g4 Bc8 16.g5 Nd7 17.Bg2 Na5 18.Qf2 Nxb3 19.cxb3 Nc5 20.Qc2 b5 21.axb5 axb5 22.f5 b4 23.Na4 exf5 24.exf5 gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Palac-Ftacnik, Vinkovci, 1995).

11...Nxd4

• If 11...Bd7 12.Qg3 Kh8 then:
• 13.Rad1 b5 14.a3 Rac8 15.Bd3 Ng8 16.Nxc6 Bxc6 17.Bd4 Bf6 18.e5 dxe5 19.Bxe5 Qb7 20.Rde1 g6 21.Ne4 Bxe4 22.Bxe4 Qb6 23.Rd1 Rfd8 draw (M. Johansson-Ivkov, IT, Halle, 1963).
• 13.Rae1 b5 14.a3 Rab8 15.Bd3 b4 16.axb4 Nxb4 17.Bc1 g6 18.Nf3 Nh5 19.Qh3 Nxf4 20.Bxf4 e5 21.Qh6 exf4 22.Ng5 Bxg5 23.Qxg5 f6 is equal (Kuijpers-Kurajica, Hoogovens B, Wijk aan Zee, 1974).

12.Bxd4 b5 13.a3 Bb7 14.Qg3 Rad8

• If 14...Bc6 15.Rae1 Qb7 16.Bd3 b4 then:
• 17.Nd1 bxa3 18.bxa3 Rad8 19.c3 g6 20.Nf2 Nh5 21.Qe3 f6 22.Bc4 Ng7 23.Rb1 Qc8 24.Rb6 Bb7 25.Ba2 Kh8 26.Rfb1 gives White the active game (Shirov-Kabatianski, Bundesliga 9697, Germany, 1996).
• 17.axb4 Qxb4 18.Ne2 Qb7 19.e5 Nh5 20.Qh3 g6 21.Ng3 dxe5 22.Bxe5 Nxg3+ 23.hxg3 Bb5 24.c4 Bc6 25.g4 Rad8 26.Re2 f6 27.Bc3 e5 is equal (Shirov-Ivanchuk, IT, Linares, 1993).

15.Bd3 Rd7 16.Rae1 Qd8

• If 16...Re8 then:
• If 17.Nd1 Qd8 18.Qh3 g6 19.Ne3 Bf8 20.Bxf6 Qxf6 21.e5 Qd8 22.Ng4 Bg7 then:
• 23.Nh6+ Kf8 24.Nxf7 Rxf7 25.Qxh7 Ke7 26.Qh4+ Kd7 27.Qg4 Rg8 28.Qxg6 Rff8 29.exd6 Bf6 30.Qh7+ Rg7 White resigns (Sufian-Stellwagen, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• 23.Nf6+ Bxf6 24.exf6 Qxf6 gives Black an extra pawn (Pokazanjev-P. Smirnov, Russian Ch HL, Novokuznetsk, 2008).
• 17.e5 dxe5 18.Bxe5 Qd8 19.Ne4 Nh5 20.Qe3 Nf6 21.Bxf6 Bxf6 22.Nc5 Bxg2+ 23.Kxg2 Bd4 24.Bxh7+ Kh8 25.Qh3 Bxc5 26.Re5 gives White the advantage in space (Ni Hua-Jakovenko, TMatch, Nizhniy Novgorod, 2007).

17.Qh3 g6 18.Re3!?

• 18.f5! e5 19.Be3 Nh5 20.Bh6 Re8 21.a4 Bf8 22.Bxf8 Rxf8 23.axb5 axb5 24.f6 gives White the advantage in space (Kamsky-Stellwagen, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2009).

18...Re8 19.Re2 Bf8 20.f5 Bg7

• 20...gxf5 21.exf5 e5 22.Bf2 Bg7 remains equal.

21.Qh4?!

• The threat to the Knight at f6 created by the text move is an illusion.
• 21.fxg6 fxg6 22.e5 Nd5 23.Nxd5 Bxd5 remains equal.

BLACK: Enamul Hossain
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WHITE: Pavel Kostur
Position after 21.Qh3h4

21...gxf5 22.exf5 e5!

• Black is able to use his hanging pawns in the center to his advantage.

23.Be3 e4 24.Bg5 d5!

• Black tightens his control over the center.

25.Re3

• If 25.Rfe1 Rf8 then:
• If 26.Bxe4 dxe4 27.Nxe4 Bxe4 28.Rxe4 h6 then:
• 29.Bxf6 Qxf6 30.Qxf6 Bxf6 gives Black a piece for two pawns.
• 29.Bc1 Nxe4 30.Qxe4 Rd1 wins for Black.
• 26.Nxd5 Bxd5 27.Bxe4 Bxe4 28.Rxe4 h6 transposes to the main line of this variation.

25...Rd6

• 25...exd3 26.Bxf6 Bxf6 27.Rxe8+ Qxe8 28.Qxf6 is equal.

26.Rg3 Kf8 27.Be2

• 27.Bf4 exd3 28.Qg5 Bh8 29.Bxd6+ Qxd6 30.cxd3 b4 gives Black the initiative.

BLACK: Enamul Hossain
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WHITE: Pavel Kostur
Position after 27.Bd3e2

27...d4!

• The strenght of these pawn threatens to cramp White into a box.

28.Nd1 d3!?

• It is not yet time to release the tension.
• 28...Rd5 29.Bh6 Bxh6 30.Qxh6+ Ke7 maintains Black's pawn center.

29.cxd3 exd3 30.Bf3

• 30.Bxd3? then Black wins after 30...Rxd3 31.Bxf6 Rxg3! 32.Qxg3 Bxf6.

30...Bxf3 31.Rgxf3 d2!

• If 31...Rd4 32.Rf4 Rd7 33.R4f3 d2 then:
• 34.Re3 Rd4 35.Rxe8+ Kxe8 36.Qh3 Kf8 37.Be3 gives Black the advantage in space and the pawn knocking at the gate.
• If 34.Bh6 then after 34...Re1 35.Qg5 Bxh6 36.Qxh6+ Ke8 37.Qf4 Rde7 Black has a winning position.

32.Be3

• If 32.Re3 Rxe3 33.Bxe3 Kg8 then:
• If 34.Rf2 then after 34...Rd3 35.Rf3 Qc7 White must deal with the pawn at d2 while keeping an eye on a threat of mate in two at h2 36...Ng4 27.Qf2?? Qxh2#.
• If 34.Qg5 then after 34...Qe8 35.Kg1 Rd3 Black continues a strong attck in the center.

32...Re4 33.Qh3 Rd5 34.Rg3 h5!

• Black reclaims space on the kingside.

35.b4?

• White should begin thinking about preserving pawn tempi. He is running out of them and the text move doesn't hel
• Better is 35.Rgf3 Qd7 36.Bg5 Rg4 37.Bxf6 Bxf6 when Black has more freedom.

BLACK: Enamul Hossain
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WHITE: Pavel Kostur
Position after 35.b3b4

35...Rg4!

• The resulting exchange of Rooks will bring the Black pawn to g4, further cramping White's kingside.

36.Rxg4

• White doesn't do any better if he declines to take the Rook.
• 36.Bc5+ Kg8 37.Re3 Qd7 38.Re2 Rg5 39.Re7 Rgxf5 gives White no time to take the Queen.

36...hxg4 37.Qh4 Re5

• Also good is 37...Rd3 38.Qg5 Kg8 39.Bf4 Qd4 40.Be3 Qe4.

38.Qg3

• If 38.Qg5? then after 38...Qd3 39.Kg1 Rd5 40.Qf4 Kg8 41.Nf2 Qe2 Black threatens to win a piece by queening.

38...Re4 39.Qf2

• 39.Kg1 Nh5! 40.Qf2 Bd4 41.Bxd4 Qxd4 42.Qxd4 Rxd4 Black's passer remains strong.

39...Qd3! 40.Rg1

• If 40.Kg1 Nd5 41.f6 Bxf6 then:
• 42.Bh6+ Ke8 43.Qxd2 Bd4+ 44.Nf2 Qxd2 45.Bxd2 Re2 wins for Black.
• If 42.Bc5+ Kg7 43.Qf5 Bd4+ then:
• 44.Kh1 Qxf1+ 45.Qxf1 Bxc5 46.bxc5 Re1 White is kaput.
• 44.Bxd4+ Qxd4+ 45.Kh1 Qf6 46.Qxf6+ Nxf6 wins for Black.
• If 40.h3 then after 40...Rxe3 41.Nxe3 Bh6 42.hxg4 Bxe3 Black wins.

40...Nd5 41.Bxd2 Bd4 42.Bh6+ Ke8 43.Qf1

• 43.Nb2 Qc3! 44.Nd1 Bxf2 wins the exchange.

43...Re2 44.f6 Bxg1

• If 44...g3 45.Bf4 Bxg1 then:
• 46.Bxg3 Ba7 47.Nf2 Qc4 gives Black a Rook for two pawns.
• If 46.Qxg1 Rxg2 then:
• 47.Qxg2 Qxd1+ wins a piece.
• 47.Qe1+ Re2 48.Qxg3 Qxd1+ wins immediately.

45.Kxg1 Qd4+ 46.Nf2

• 46.Kh1 Qe4 47.Be3 Rxe3 48.Nxe3 Qxe3 gives Black an extra piece.

46...Re6 47.Qc1 Nc3 48.Qd2 Re2 0-1

• White must lose his Queen or submit to mate.
• Kostur resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Gagunashvili - Turova, Round 2

Irina Turova
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Merab Gagunashvili - Irina Turova
11th Open, Round 2
Dubai, 27 April 2009

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

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.cxd5

• If 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 Ne4 7.Qc2 c5 8.dxc5 Nc6 then:
• If 9.cxd5 exd5 10.Nf3 then:
• If 10...Qa5+ 11.Bd2 Qxc5 12.Qxc5 Nxc5 then:
• If 13.e3 Bf5 14.b4 Nb3 15.Ra2 a5 16.b5 Ne7 17.Be2 Rc8 18.Rb2 Nxd2 19.Kxd2 gives White fewer pawn weaknesses (Chekhov-Kuzmin, Soviet Ch, Vilnius, 1980).
• If 13.Rd1 Be6 14.e3 0-0 15.Bb5 Ne4 16.Rc1 Rfc8 17.h3 a6 18.Ba4 b5 19.Bc2 Ra7 20.Bb1 Rac7 21.Rd1 h6 22.0-0 a5 is equal (Goldin-Balashov, Russian Ch, Elista, 1995).
• If 10...Bf5 11.b4 0-0 12.Bb2 b6 13.b5 bxc5 14.bxc6 Qa5+ 15.Nd2 Rab8 16.Rd1 d4 17.c7 Qxc7 18.Nxe4 Bxe4 19.Qd2 Rfe8 20.h4 Rb6 21.Rh3 Qb7 22.Bxd4 cxd4 23.Qxd4 Bc2 gives Black more activity (Grigorian-Gulko, ZT, Vilnius, 1975).
• If 9.e3 Qa5+ 10.Bd2 Nxd2 11.Qxd2 dxc4 then:
• 12.Bxc4 Qxc5 13.Rc1 Qg5 14.f4 Qh4+ 15.Qf2 Qxf2+ 16.Kxf2 Ke7 17.Nf3 Bd7 18.Rhd1 Rhd8 19.e4 Be8 20.Rxd8 Rxd8 21.Ke3 gives White the more active game (Daschian-Landa, Geller Mem, Moscow, 1999).
• 12.Qxa5 Nxa5 13.Rc1 b5 14.cxb6 Bb7 15.bxa7 Ke7 16.Ne2 Rxa7 17.Nc3 Rb8 18.Na2 Bd5 19.Nb4 Nc6 20.Nxc6+ Bxc6 21.Rxc4 Ba4 22.Rb4 Rxb4 23.axb4 Bb5 24.f3 Ra1+ 25.Kf2 Rb1 26.b3 draw (L'Ami-Adams, Staunton Mem, London, 2008).

5...Qxd5

• If 5...exd5 6.Bg5 h6 then:
• If 7.Bxf6 Qxf6 8.a3 Bxc3+ 9.Qxc3 0-0 10.e3 then:
• 10...c6 11.Nf3 Bf5 12.Be2 Nd7 13.0-0 Rfe8 14.b4 Rac8 15.Rfc1 Qd6 16.Qb2 Bg4 17.Bd3 Qf6 18.Nd2 h5 is equal (Dreev-Kulaots, Greek ChT, Ermioni, 2006).
• 10...Bf5 11.Ne2 Rc8 12.Ng3 Be6 13.b4 a5 14.Be2 axb4 15.axb4 Rxa1+ 16.Qxa1 Qe7 17.Qc3 Qd6 18.0-0 Nc6 19.b5 Ne7 20.Ra1 gives White the advantage in space (Seirawan-Portisch, IT, Rotterdam, 1989).
• 7.Bh4 c5 8.dxc5 g5 9.Bg3 Ne4 10.e3 Qa5 11.Nge2 Bf5 12.Be5 0-0 13.Nd4 Re8 14.Bxb8 Nxc3 15.Nxf5 Ne4+ 16.Kd1 Raxb8 17.f3 Nf6 18.Bd3 Bxc5 draw (Sundararajan-Villavicencio, Op, Andorra, 2006).

6.Nf3

• 6.e3 c5 7.Bd2 Bxc3 8.Bxc3 cxd4 9.Bxd4 Nc6 10.Bc3 0-0 11.Nf3 Rd8 12.Be2 Qe4 13.Qb3 Nd5 14.Bd2 Qg6 15.0-0 e5 16.Rfd1 e4 gives Black the initiative (Kasparov-Kramnik, Rpd M, Moscow, 2001).

6...Qf5 7.Qb3

• If 7.Qxf5 exf5 8.a3 then:
• If 8...Be7 9.Bf4 c6 10.e3 then:
• 10...Nbd7 11.Nd2 Nb6 12.Nc4 Nxc4 13.Bxc4 Be6 14.Bxe6 fxe6 15.Ke2 Kd7 16.Rac1 Rhg8 17.h3 Rac8 18.Nb1 Nd5 19.Be5 Bf6 draw (Timoshchenko-Wojtaszek, Czech ChT, Czechia, 2005).
• 10...Be6 11.Nd2 0-0 12.Nc4 Nd5 13.Bd6 draw (Psakhis-Suba, Op, Benasque, 2005).
• 8...Bd6 9.Nb5 Be6 10.e3 Nc6 11.Bd2 a6 12.Nxd6+ cxd6 13.Bd3 Ne7 14.Ng5 Bd5 15.f3 h6 16.Nh3 Rc8 17.Ke2 Bc4 18.Rac1 Bxd3+ 19.Kxd3 Kd7 is equal (Timman-Jussupow, IT, Frankfurt, 1998).

7...Nc6

• 7...c5 8.a3 Ba5 9.Qc4 Bxc3+ 10.Qxc3 Nbd7 11.g4 Qe4 12.dxc5 0-0 13.g5 Nd5 14.Qd4 Qxd4 15.Nxd4 Nxc5 16.Bg2 Rd8 17.b4 gives White the initiative (Vitiugov-Tiviakov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2009).

8.Bd2

• 8.a3 Ba5 9.e3 0-0 10.Qb5 e5 11.Bd3 Qg4 12.0-0 a6 13.Qb3 Bxc3 14.Qxc3 e4 gives Black the initiative (Beliavsky-Short, FIDE Knock Out, Las Vegas, 1999).

8...0-0 9.e3 Rd8 10.Be2 a6!?

• 10...e5 11.Nxe5 Be6 12.g4 Qxe5 13.dxe5 Bxb3 14.exf6 Be6 15.f4 gxf6 16.0-0-0 Kg7 17.Rhg1 Na5 18.b3 Nxb3+ 19.axb3 Bxb3 20.Nb5 Bxd1 21.Rxd1 Bxd2+ 22.Rxd2 Rxd2 23.Kxd2 is equal (Ivanchuk-Anand, IT, Monte Carlo, 1996).

11.Rd1

• The novelty is good for equality.
• 11.0-0 Bd6 12.Rac1 e5 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Rfd1 is equal.

11...e5 12.Bc4

BLACK: Irina Turova
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WHITE: Merab Gagunashvili
Position after 12.Be2c4

12...Qg6?

• Black thinks she can get some initiative by sacrificing a pawn.
• 12...exd4 13.Bxf7+ Kh8 14.exd4 Nxd4 15.Nxd4 Rxd4 remains equal.

13.dxe5!?

• White picks the less active way to take the pawn.
• If 13.Nxe5! Qxg2 14.Rf1 then:
• If 14...Nxe5 15.dxe5 Bxc3 16.Bxc3 Rxd1+ 17.Qxd1 gives White the initiave.
• If 14...Bxc3 then:
• If 15.Bxc3 Nxe5 16.dxe5 Rxd1+ 17.Qxd1 Ne8 18.Qd8 clearly gives White the upper hand.
• 15.Bxf7+? Kh8 16.Bxc3 Bh3! 17.Bc4 Nxe5 18.dxe5 Ng4 gives White's King little chance to escape the comng attack.

13...Ng4 14.Nd5 Bxd2+ 15.Rxd2 Be6!?

• 15...Rd7? protects the pawn, but after 16.Bd3 Qh6 17.h4 then:
• 17...Kf8 18.Be4 Ngxe5 19.Nxe5 Nxe5 20.Qb4+ Qd6 21.Qxd6+ Rxd6 22.Nxc7 leaves White up a pawn going to the endgame.
• 17...b5 18.Bf5 Rxd5 19.Qxd5 Bxf5 20.Nd4 Nxe3 21.Qxc6 leaves White up by an exchange and looking for more.

16.Qxb7?

• White gets too greedy; all he needed to do to win was get his King safely out of the center.
• If 16.0-0! Qh5 17.Rfd1 then:
• If 17...Rdb8 18.Nxc7 Ncxe5 19.Bxe6 then:
• 19...Nxf3+ 20.gxf3 Qxh2+ 21.Kf1 Nxe3+ 22.Qxe3 Qxc7 23.Rd7 wins for White.
• If 19...fxe6 then 20.Nxa8 Nxf3+ 21.gxf3 Qxh2+ 22.Kf1 Nxe3+ 23.fxe3 wins.
• If 17...Re8 then 18.h3 Ngxe5 19.Nxe5 Nxe5 20.Be2 Qh4 21.Qxb7 wins for White.

BLACK: Irina Turova
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WHITE: Merab Gagunashvili
Position after 16.Qb3b7:p

16...Qb1+!

• Now Black wins in short order.

17.Rd1 Qc2 18.Nd2

• 18.Be2 Bxd5 19.Rxd5 Rxd5 20.Qxa8+ Rd8 if White saves the Queen with 21.Qxa6 then 21...Rd1+!! 22.Bxd1 Qxf2# ends the game.

18...Na5

• Also good is 18...Ncxe5 19.Bb3 Bxd5 20.Bxc2 Bxb7.

19.Qxc7

• If 19.Ne7+ then Black wins material after 19...Kh8 20.Bxe6 Nxb7 21.Bxg4 Qxb2 22.Bf3 Rd7.

19...Bxd5 20.Qxa5 Bxc4 21.b3

• If 21.Qc3 then after 21...Qxc3 22.bxc3 Bxa2 23.Ke2 Rab8 White must fall on his sword.

21...Qf5 22.f3 Nxe3 23.Rc1 Bb5 24.Kf2 Ng4+ 0-1

• 25.Kg3 Rd4 26.Ne4 Qxe5+ 27.Kxg4 h5+ puts the White King in a mating net.
• Grandmaster Gagunashvili resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

11. Mayor's Cup Open, Mumbai (Updated Sunday)

The second annual Mayor's Cup Open in Mumbai (formerly Bombay), India, began Friday with 415 competitors from respected international grandmasters to unrated club players.

The leading players this year are Evgenij Miroshnichenko and Alexander Areshchenko of Ukraine, Vladimir Belov of Russia and, from the host country, Koneru Humpy, the second-ranked woman in the world, and reigning world junior champion Abhijeet Gupta.

After four rounds, eight players are tied with perfect scored, including Areshchenko, Ms. Koneru, and Gupta.

The first Mayor's Cup, held a year ago, was won by Polish GM Michal Krasenkow, who is not defending his title in this year's event.



Gateway of India, Mumbai
National Geographic

[Jack Rabbit]

12. Koneru - Srikanth. Round 2

Koneru Humpy
Photo: ChessBase.com


Koneru Humpy - Srikanth Ajay
2nd Mayors Cup Open, Round 2
Mumbai, 2 May 2009

Queen's Pawn Game: Colle Opening

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 c5 4.dxc5 e6 5.a3 Bxc5 6.Nbd2!?

• School's out. There will be theoretical discussion today.
• If 6.c4 0-0 7.Nc3 then:
• If 7...Nc6 8.b4 Bd6 9.Bb2 a5 10.b5 Ne5 then:
• 11.Nd2 b6 12.cxd5 exd5 13.Be2 Bb7 14.0-0 Re8 15.Na4 Ne4 16.Bd4 Nc5 17.h3 Rc8 18.Rc1 Ned7 draw (Su. Polgar-Dizdar, IT, Trencianske Teplice, 1985).
• 11.cxd5 exd5 12.Be2 Be6 13.Nd4 Rc8 14.0-0 Nc4 15.Bxc4 Rxc4 16.Qd2 Qe7 17.Rfc1 Rfc8 18.h3 Bb8 is equal (Salwe-Dr. Tarrasch, DSB Kongress, Hamburg, 1910).
• If 7...a6 8.b4 Ba7 9.Bb2 Nc6 then:
• 10.Qc2 Qe7 11.Rd1 Rd8 12.Be2 dxc4 13.Rxd8+ Nxd8 14.Ne4 Nxe4 15.Qxe4 Bd7 16.Bxc4 Rc8 17.0-0 Bc6 18.Qg4 f5 19.Qg5 Kf8 20.Bb3 draw (Beim-Ribli, Bundesliga 9900, Germany, 1999).
• 10.Be2 dxc4 11.Bxc4 b5 12.Bd3 Bb7 13.0-0 Rc8 14.Qe2 Qe7 15.Rac1 h6 16.Ne4 Nxe4 17.Bxe4 f5 18.Bb1 e5 19.Ba2+ Kh7 is equal (Shumiakina-Gaponenko, Euro ChW, Istanbul, 2003).

6...0-0

• The game is equal. The standard plan is for Black to play in the center and White to counter on the queenside.
• 6...Nc6 7.Bd3 e5 8.b4 Bd6 9.e4 Bg4 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.0-0 is equal./li]

7.c4 Nc6 8.Qc2 Qe7 9.b4 Bd6

• 9...Bb6 10.b5 Na5 11.cxd5 exd5 12.Bb2 Bg4 is equal; although Black has an isolated d-pawn, his pieces are free to develop.

10.Bb2 Rd8 11.Be2

• More aggressive is 11.b5 Nb8 12.Bd3 Nbd7 13.0-0 a6 14.cxd5 exd5 15.a4 giving White the advantage is space.

11...Bd7 12.0-0 Rac8 13.Qb3

• 13.e4?! Bf4 14.cxd5 exd5 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.Rae1 Nxb4 lets Black take over the queenside, something White cannot permit and survive. Likewise, Black must keep any White incusions in the center under control and neither side should allow the other any effective movement on the kingside.

13...Bb8

• 13...dxc4 14.Nxc4 Bc7 15.b5 Na5 16.Nxa5 Bxa5 17.Bd4 remains equal.

14.Rac1

• 14.Bxf6!? Qxf6 15.cxd5 exd5 16.Qxd5 wins a pawn for White, but if 16...Bf5! then:
• 17.Qb5 Rc7 18.Rfd1 Bc2 Black has some compensation in the intiative.
• 17.Qb3 Qg6 18.Rfc1 Bh3 Black has the initiative on the kingside.

14...a6 15.Qa2 b5 16.cxd5 exd5 17.Qa1 Bg4

• 17...Ng4 18.h3 Nge5 19.Rc5 Be8 20.Rfc1 remains equal.

18.Rfe1

BLACK: Srikanth Ajay
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WHITE: Koneru Humpy
Position after 18.Rf1e1

18...Ba7!?

• The Bishop is less effective at his new post than in its original starting square.
• Better is the pawn sacrifice 18...Ne4! 19.Bxg7 Nxd2 20.Nxd2 Bxe2 21.Rxe2 d4 allowing Black to take the initiative in compensation for the pawn.

19.h3

• White drives away the Bishop and permenantly denies Black use of g4. Neither side must allow the other any effective initiative on the kingside.

19...Bh5 20.Nb3 Ne4 21.Bd1

• If 21.Bxg7?! Nxf2 22.Bh6 then:
• If 22...Nxh3+! 23.Kf1 d4 then:
• 24.Nbxd4 Nxd4 25.Rxc8 Rxc8 26.exd4 Qf6 27.Be3 Nf4 gives Black the active game.
• 24.gxh3?! Qe6! 25.Nfxd4 Qxh6 26.Nxc6 Rxc6 27.Bxh5 Qxh5 leaves the White King open to attack,
• 22...f5!? 23.Kxf2 Bxf3 24.Bxf3 Qh4+ 25.Kf1 Qxh6 26.Na5 gives White more activity on the queenside.

21...f5 22.Rc2

• 22.Nfd4 Bxd1 23.Rexd1 Bxd4 24.Bxd4 remains equal.

22...Bg6?!

• Black allows White a foothold in the center.
• 22...f4 23.exf4 Nxb4 then:
• 24.axb4 Rxc2 25.Bxc2 Bxf2+ 26.Kf1 Qxb4 27.Re2 Bc5 is equal.
• 24.Rxc8 Rxc8 25.axb4 Bxf2+ 26.Kh2 Qf7 27.Be5 Bg3+ draws by repetition.

23.Nbd4 Nxd4

• 23...Rd6 24.Qc1 Qe8 25.Ne5 Bxd4 26.exd4 establishes White's Knight in the center.

24.Bxd4 Bxd4 25.Nxd4 Qf6?

• The pin at d4 presents White with no problems that she cannot meet.
• If 25...Qe5 26.Qc1 Rxc2 27.Qxc2 then:
• 27...Be8 28.Qb3 Qf6 29.Bc2 Bf7 30.Qb1 Re8 31.Rc1 f4 is equal.
• 27...Re8 28.Qc6 f4 29.Bf3 fxe3 30.fxe3 Kh8 31.Qxa6 leaves White a pawn to the good.

BLACK: Srikanth Ajay
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Koneru Humpy
Position after 25...Qe7f6

26.Rxc8!

• White frees her Bishop to pressure the center from the queenside.

26...Rxc8 27.Bb3!

• White attacks Black's isolated but important central pawn. Black cannot allow it to fall without a fight.

27...Bf7

• If 27...Rd8 28.Rc1 f4 29.Nc6 Qxa1 30.Rxa1 then:
• 30...Rd6 31.Bxd5+ Kf8 32.Bxe4 Bxe4 33.Nd4 leaves White with an extra pawn in a strong position.
• 30...fxe3 31.f3 Nd2 32.Bxd5+ Rxd5 33.Ne7+ wins the exchange.

28.Rc1 Rf8

• If 28...Rxc1+ then after 29.Qxc1 g6 30.Qc8+ Kg7 31.Qc7 Black must undo the pin at f7 immediately in order to save the pawn at d5.

29.Rc6!

• White solves the problem of the pin by forcing Black to break it.

29...Qg5

• If 29...Qe5 then 30.f4 Qe8 31.Nxf5 wins a pawn and threatens mate on g7.

30.Nf3

• 30.f4! Qd8 31.Nxf5 d4 32.Qxd4 Qxd4 33.Nxd4 Bxb3 34.Nxb3 leaves White up two pawns and threatens more.
• If 30...Qh5 then after 31.Bd1 Qh4 32.Nxf5 Qe1+ 33.Kh2 Nf6 34.Rxf6 White wins easily.

30...Qd8 31.Qd4

• 31.Rxa6 Qc7 32.Ra5 then:
• 32...f4 33.exf4 Nc3 34.Nd4 Rb8 35.Qc1 Rc8 36.Qe3 leaves White two pawns to the good.
• 32...Nd6 33.Qd1 Qb7 34.Ne5 Nc4 35.Bxc4 dxc4 36.Qd4 leaves White a pawn u with the initiative.

31...Nf6 32.Ne5 Qa8

• White saves the a-pawn, but brings on another catastrophe.
• If 32...Qe8 then after 33.Rxa6 Be6 34.a4 bxa4 35.Bxa4 Qc8 36.Rc6 White advances the b-pawn.

BLACK: Srikanth Ajay
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WHITE: Koneru Humpy
Position after 32...Qd4a8

33.Rxf6!!

• The exchange sacrifice blows away the defenders of the Black King.

33...gxf6 34.Nxf7 Rxf7 35.Bxd5

• The d-pawn falls. White's queenside has defeated Black's center.
• Black could have resigned here.

35...Kg7

• If 35...Qe8 then 36.Qxf6 Kf8 37.Bxf7 Qxf7 38.Qxf7+ leaves White two pawns up.

36.Bxa8 1-0

• Srikanth Sahib resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

13. Matta - Gupta, Round 4

Abhijeet Gupta
Photo: All India Chess Federation


Vinay Kumar Matta - Abhijeet Gupta
Wnd Mayor's Cup Open, Round 4
Mumbai, 3 May 2009

Open Sicilian Game: Najdorf-Scheveningen Defense (Rauzer Opening)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6

• For 7...Be7 and what follows, see P. Smirnov-Kryakvin, Russian ChT HL, Sochi, 2009.

8.0-0-0 Bd7

• For further notes on the opening, see Maze-Guilleux, Op, Reykjavik, 2009).[/li>

9.f4 b5 10.Bxf6 gxf6 11.Kb1 Qb6 12.Nb3 b4!

• Black introduces a novelty that is an improvement over 12...0-0-0 13.g3 Kb8 14.Bg2 Bc8 15.Bf3 Bg7 16.Rhe1 giving White the advantage in space and better pawn structure (Shamkovich-Zaltsman, Op, New York, 1980).

13.Na4?!

• The Knight has nowhere to go from a4.
• The retreat is better: 13.Ne2 a5 14.Qd3 a4 15.Nd2 Na5 16.Qd4.

13...Qc7!?

• Slightly better is 13...Qb7! (better protecting Black's queenside pieces) when if 14.c4 then 14...Nd8! 15.e5 fxe5 16.fxe5 Bxa4 wins the Knight.

14.Qf2 Rb8 15.f5??

• There are two things wrong with this move: first, it does nothing about the hanging Knight at a4; second, it Black's Knight a splendid outpost to move, discovering attack on the hanging Knight that has nowhere to go.
• Correct is 15.Na1! Ne7 16.b3 (both protecting the Knight and opening a square to which it can retreat) 16...f5 then:
• 17.Qd4 Rg8 18.Qxd6 Qxd6 19.Rxd6 fxe4 20.Rxa6 Nd5 Black is better, but White's game is playable.
• 17.exf5 Bxa4 18.bxa4 Bg7 19.Qe1 Bxa1 20.Kxa1 Qxc2 leaves Black better, but Whit can fight on.

BLACK: Abhijeet Gupta
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WHITE: Vinay Kumar Matta
Position after 15.f4f5

15...Ne5!

16.fxe6 Bxa4 17.Qxf6 Rg8 18.Bxa6 Rxg2 19.exf7+ Qxf7

• White has only two pawns for the Knight and those are weak.

20.Qh4

• If 20.Qxf7+ Kxf7 then:
• If 21.Rdg1 Rxg1+ 22.Rxg1 Rb6 23.Be2 then:
• 23...Bxb3 24.cxb3 Bg7 25.Bc4+ Nxc4 26.bxc4 Rc6 Black's material advantage is now decisive.
• 23...Bc6 24.Bd3 Bg7 25.Nd4 Bb7 26.Rf1+ Bf6 Black has a winning position.
• 21.Rdf1+ Ke7 22.Nd4 Rd2 23.Rd1 Rf2 24.Rdf1 Rxf1+ maintains the material advantage for Black.

20...Qg6 21.Rhf1 Be7 22.Qe1

• 22.Qf4 Rb6 23.Bd3 Nxd3 24.cxd3 Bxb3 25.axb3 Qe6 is time to turn out the lights.

22...Rxh2 23.Qe3 Bc6 24.Qf4 Rxc2

• Black is a whole piece to the good. The rest requires no comment.

BLACK: Abhijeet Gupta
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WHITE: Vinay Kumar Matta
Position after 24...Rh2c2:p

25.Nd4 Rg2 26.Nxc6 Nxc6 27.Bc4 Kd7 28.Bf7 Qg7 29.Rd2 Rxd2 30.Be6+ Kc7 31.Qxd2 Qd4 32.Qc2 Rb5 33.Rd1 Rc5 34.Qe2 Bg5 35.Bb3 Qe3 36.Qf1 Qxe4+ 37.Ka1 Qf4 0-1

[Jack Rabbit]

14. Update (Monday): Dubai Open ends in three-way tie

Russian grandmaster Dmitry Bocharov and Armenians Tigran Kotanjian and Ashot Anastasian finished the 11th annual Dubai Open ahead of all others with 7 points out of nine rounds after the final round was played today.

It appears Kotanjian will take home the trophy based on his superior tie-break score.

Among women competing in the event, the best scores were turned in by WGM Zeinab Mamedyarova of Azerbaijan, the older sister of grandmaster Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, and WGM Atousa Pourkashyian, who recently won her third Iranian women's championship at the age of 20. The pair scored 5½ points each to edge out Russian Irina Turova, who scored 5 points.