The JR Chess Report (June 7): Untitled Player in New Chinese Champion

[Jack Rabbit]

Untitled Ding Liren wins Chinese Nat'l Championship; Shen Yang takes Women's Title



Ding Liren, an untitled player who plays much better than his 2458 Elo rating would indicate, won the Chinese national championship yesterday with 8½ points out of 11 rounds in Xinghua, Jiangsu province, while Shen Yang won the Chinese women's championship with 9 points.

Both players came from behind in the standings to overtake others who had held the lead from the early rounds.

In the general competition, Ding had to overtake Wang Hao in the final round. Wang looked unstoppable for 9 rounds, taking a point and a half lead over the field with only two games remaining. In the tenth round, Ding and Wang met over the board, with Ding winning in 49 moves.

In the final round, Ding was handed a victory by forfeit when his opponent, Zhou Jianchao, failed to arrive on time for the game, putting the burden on Wang Hao, who had lost to Ding the previous day. Since head-to-head competition was the tie-break in the event, Wang was in a must win situation in his game agaisnt Liang Chong. Liang defeated Wang in 68 moves.

Under new FIDE regulations, a player forfeits if he arrives late for the game. Earlier in the tournament, Hou Yifan forfeited a game for arriving all of five seconds late for her game. The new rule came under heavy criticism, with Mark Crowther at the Week in Chess calling the new regulations "idiotic."

Editorial comment: I think this rule is just silly. Did I say that FIDE President Kirsan Illyumzhinov is the George W, Bush of chess?

Former world junior girls' champion Shen Yang, China's third-ranked woman player behind Hou Yifan and Zhao Xue, overtook Tan Zhongyi in the tenth round, a day after holding Ms. Tan to a draw in their individual encounter. In round 10, Ms. Tan fell victim to Zhao Xue, who also won the following day to overtake Ms. Tan and finish second. Meanwhile, Ms. Shen defeated Xu Tong in 65 moves to into first place in front of Ms. Tan. In the final round, Ms. Shen defeated Ding Yixin to wrap up the title, Ms. Zhao won her game against Ms. Xu and Ms. Tan had to settle for a draw against the recently crowned Asian women's champion, Zhang Xiaowen, who finished fourth.


Nigel Short takes Malmø



Nigel Short, who opposed Garry Kasparov in the 1993 world championship match, won the 39th annual Sigeman & Co. chess tournament today in Malmø, Sweden, with 4½ points out of five, a point and a half ahead of the field.

The only blemish on Short's performance in Malmø was his fourth round draw against Swedish GM Tiger Hillarp Persson.

Mr. Short finished the tournament today with a Black vicotry in 54 moves over Ivan Sokolov, who was a distant second for most of the event.

Sokolov's loss today allowed 16-year-old Swedish IM Nils Grandelius to overtake him and finish second.


Motylev, Gushimov lead in Poikovsky



Russian GM Alexander Motylev and Vugar Gashimov of Azerbaijan lead the 10th annual international tournament sponsored by Russia's wealthiest individual, former world champion Anatoly Karpov, in the Siberian oil boom town Poikovsky after 5 rounds with 4 points each.

German (originally Latvian) GM Arkadij Naiditsch and Russian (originally Kazakh) GM Ernesto Inarkiev are tied for third place a half point behind the leaders.

The event is scheduled for ten rounds and concludes this week.


Calendar

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; US Champ Nakamura will also compete.

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.

Pan-American Continental Championship, São Paulo 25 July-2 August.

Mainz Chess Classic 27 July-2 August.

US Open, Indianapolis 1-9 August.

FIDE Grand Prix, Yerevan 8-24 August.

Howard Staunton Memorial, London 8-17 August. Played at historic Simpson's Divan.

Grand Slam Final, Bilbao 2-15 September. Topalov, Karjakin, Grischuk and Shirov qualify.

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

World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk 28 November-15 December.

London Chess Classic 7-16 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. Chinese Championships, Xinghua

Photo: Great-Wall-of-China.org

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Ding Liren - Wang Hao, Round 10

Ding Liren
Photo: Asian Chess Federation


DingLiren - Wang Hao
Chinese National Championship, Round 10
Xinghua, 5 June 2009

Semi-Slav Queen's Gambit

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 d5 4.Nc3 c6 5.e3 a6

• 5...Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 is the Meran Defense.

6.c5

• If 6.b3 Bb4 7.Bd2 then:
• If 7...Bd6 8.Bd3 c5 9.cxd5 exd5 10.dxc5 Bxc5 11.Qb1 Nc6 12.0-0 Bg4 is equal (Ftacnik-Roiz, Bundesliga 0809, Bremen, 2009).
• If 7...Nbd7 8.Bd3 0-0 9.0-0 then:
• If 9...Bd6 then:
• If 10.Qc2 h6 then:
• If 11.Ne2 Re8 12.Ng3 then:
• If 12...c5 13.cxd5 exd5 14.Bc3 b6 then:
• 15.Rfd1 Bb7 16.dxc5 bxc5 17.Rac1 Bxg3 18.hxg3 is equal (Navara-Dreev, Greek ChT, Ermioni, 2006).
• 15.Rad1 Bb7 16.Qb2 Ne4 17.Bxe4 dxe4 18.Nd2 Qg5 gives Black the advantage in space (I. Sokolov-Najer, IT, Poikovsky,2006).
• 12...e5 13.cxd5 Nxd5 14.Rad1 exd4 15.Nxd4 b5 16.Bh7+ gives White the initiative (Gelfand-I. Sokolov, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2006).
• If 11.Rad1 e5 12.cxd5 cxd5 then:
• 13.e4 dxe4 14.Nxe4 Nxe4 15.Bxe4 exd4 16.Nxd4 Nf6 17.Nf3 Nxe4 18.Qxe4 Re8 19.Qd4 Bf8 is equal (Radjabov-Erenburg, World Blitz Ch, Rashon Le Zion, 2006).
• 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 Bxe5 15.Ne2 Bg4 16.f3 Rc8 17.Qb1 Bd7 18.Rc1 Qb6 19.Rxc8 Rxc8 20.Rc1 Re8 is equal (Sargissian-L. B. Hansen, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• 10.e4 e5 11.c5 Bc7 12.Na4 exd4 13.h3 Re8 14.Re1 h6 15.Rb1 Nf8 16.Qc2 N6d7 17.Rbd1 Qf6 18.Nxd4 Ne5 19.Bf1 is equal (Riazantsev-Sakaev, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2008).
• If 9...Qe7 10.Qc2 then:
• 10...dxc4 11.bxc4 e5 12.Ne4 Bxd2 13.Nexd2 Re8 14.Bf5 c5 15.Rab1 e4 16.Ng5 Nf8 17.Bxc8 Raxc8 is equal (Matveeva-Stefanova, No Urals Cup, Krasnoturyinsk, 2006).
• 10...h6 11.Rfe1 Re8 12.e4 dxc4 13.Bxc4 e5 14.d5 Nb6 15.dxc6 bxc6 16.Ne2 Nxc4 17.Qxc4 is equal (Ju Wenjun-Stefanova, FIDE Knock Out W, Nalchik, 2008).

6...Nbd7

• If 6...b6 7.cxb6 Qxb6 then:
• If 8.Bd3 then:
• If 8...Nbd7 9.0-0 c5 then:
• If 10.b3 cxd4 11.exd4 Bd6 then:
• If 12.Bb2 0-0 13.Qe2 then:
• If 13...Bb7 14.Na4 Qa7 15.Ne5 then:
• 15...Rfc8 16.Rac1 Bf8 17.Nxd7 Nxd7 18.Rc2 Rxc2 19.Qxc2 Nf6 is equal (Koneru-Cramling, No Urals Cup, Krasnoturinsk, 2008).
• 15...Rac8 16.Kh1 Be7 17.Rae1 Bb4 18.Rd1 a5 19.a3 Be7 20.Rde1 Qb8 21.Bb5 Rc7 22.Nxd7 draw (Kramnik-Dreev, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2005).
• 13...a5 14.Na4 Qa7 15.Rac1 Ba6 16.Bxa6 Qxa6 17.Qxa6 Rxa6 is equal (Kamsky-Navara, Grand Prix, Baku, 2008).
• 12...Qb8 13.Qe2 0-0 14.Rfe1 Bb7 15.Ne5 Rc8 16.Na4 Bxe5 17.dxe5 Ne4 18.Qe3 Bc6 19.Bxe4 dxe4 20.Nc5 Nxc5 21.Qxc5 Bd5 22.Qd4 is equal (Huzman-Bacrot, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• 12.Bg5 0-0 13.Re1 Qb8 14.Rc1 Bb7 15.Bh4 Rc8 16.Rc2 Bb4 17.Qc1 Qa7 18.a3 Bxc3 19.Rxc3 Ne4 20.Rxc8+ Rxc8 21.Qf4 Qb6 gives Black the initiative on the Queen's wing (Bacrot-Chernin, Rapid IT, Corsica, 2006).
• 10.Na4 Qb8 11.Ne5 c4 12.Nxd7 Bxd7 13.Bc2 Bd6 14.f4 0-0 15.Nc3 Bc6 16.Rf3 Ne4 17.Nxe4 dxe4 is equal (Pavlidis-Jakovljevic, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• If 8.Na4 Qa7 9.Bd3 Nbd7 10.0-0 then:
• 10...c5 11.Nxc5 Nxc5 12.dxc5 Bxc5 13.b4 Bd6 is equal (Brynell-Godena, Politiken Cup, Helsingør, 2007).
• 10...Bd6 11.b3 0-0 12.Bb2 Qb8 13.Qc2 Bb7 14.Nc5 Bxc5 15.dxc5 a5 16.Ng5 h6 17.Nh7 Nxh7 18.Bxh7+ Kh8 19.Qc3 gives White a small advantage in space (Wang-Dive, New Zealand Ch, Wanganui, 2007).

7.b4 g6 8.Bd3

• If 8.Bb2 Bg7 9.Be2 0-0 10.0-0 Qc7 then:
• 11.Na4 Ne4 12.Ne1 e5 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.f3 Nf6 15.Nb6 Rb8 16.Bd4 Re8 is equal (Bologan-Grischuk, IT, Poikovsky, 2004).
• 11.Qc2 e5 12.Nxe5 Nxe5 13.dxe5 Qxe5 14.Na4 Qe7 15.Bd4 Ne8 16.Rfe1 Bf5 17.Qb2 Bxd4 18.exd4 Ng7 19.Bf1 Ne6 20.Qd2 Rae8 21.Nc3 Qf6 is equal (Johannessen-David, Ol, Torino, 2006).

8...Bg7 9.0-0 0-0 10.Na4

• 10.Bb2 e5 11.dxe5 Ng4 12.Na4 Ndxe5 13.Nxe5 Nxe5 14.Nb6 Rb8 15.Nxc8 Rxc8 16.Bd4 Re8 17.Be2 Nd7 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.Qd2 Qf6 20.Rfd1 Rcd8 21.Qd4 Qxd4 22.Rxd4 is equal (Pokorny-Foltys, IT, Zlin, 1943).

10...Re8 11.Bb2 e5 12.dxe5 Ng4 13.e6 fxe6

• 13...Rxe6? 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.Nd4 Qh4 16.Nxe6+ fxe6 17.h3 gives White the exchange.

14.Bxg7

• 14.h3 Bxb2 15.Nxb2 Ngf6 16.Qc2 Rf8 17.Qc3 a5 18.a3 Qe7 19.Ne5 Nxe5 20.Qxe5 Nd7 is equal (S. Atalik-Hillarp Persson, IT, Malmø, 2006).

14...Kxg7 15.e4 Rf8!?

• 15...e5 16.Re1 Ngf6 17.Bc2 Rb8 18.Qd2 Qc7 gives White the advantage in space (Pelletier-Godena, Ol, Dresden, 2008).

16.h3 Ngf6

• 16...dxe4 17.Bxe4 Ngf6 18.Re1 maintains White's advantage in space.

17.Re1 Nh5

• 17...e5 18.exd5 Nxd5 19.Bc4 Nxb4 20.Qd2 a5 21.Ng5 maintains White's advantage in space.

18.Bf1

• If 18.e5 Qe7 then:
• 19.Rc1 Qf7 20.Rc2 Nf4 21.Nd4 Qe7 22.Kh1 maintains White's advantage in space.
• 19.a3 a5 20.Nd4 Nf4 21.Qf3 Qh4 22.Qe3 axb4 is equal.

18...Qf6 19.exd5

• 19.e5 Qe7 20.Rc1 Qf7 21.Qd2 Qf4 22.Re3 maintains White's advantage in space.

19...exd5 20.Qd4 Kg8 21.Qxf6 Ndxf6?

• The boilerplate remedy for a disadvantage in space is to exchange.
• If 21...Rxf6 then:
• 22.Re8+ Rf8 23.Rxf8+ Kxf8 24.Re1 h6 25.Nd4 does more to alleviate Black's space deficit than the text.
• 22.Nb6?! Nxb6 23.cxb6 Bxh3! then:
• 24.Re7 Bc8 25.Rae1 Ng7 26.a4 Rf7 gives Black an extra pawn.
• 24.gxh3? Rxf3 25.Bg2 Rf7 gives Black an extra pawn and better pawn structure.

22.Nb6!

• With no Black Knight at d7, as in the subvariation of the previous note, the Knight has landed on a firm outpost.

22...Rb8 23.Re7!

• If Black now plays 23...Nd7? then White wins a piece with 24.Nxd7! Bxd7 25.Rxd7.

23...Ng7 24.Rae1 Ne4

• Black has no good moves.
• 24...Rf7 25.Rxf7 Kxf7 26.Ne5+ Kf8 27.g4 begins squeezing Black to death.

BLACK: Wang Hao
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WHITE: Ding Liren
Position after 24...Nf6e4

25.R1xe4!!

• The sacrifice removes an important defender.

25...dxe4 26.Ng5 Rf5

• If 26...Kh8 then White regains the exchange with 27.Nf7+ Rxf7 28.Rxf7.

27.Bc4+ Kf8 28.Rc7 Rxg5

• Any other move loses at once.
• 28...h6 29.Nh7+ Ke8 30.Rxg7 gives White a material advantage and makes a target of the Black King.

29.Nxc8 Rf5

• If 29...Rxc8 then after 30.Rxc8+ Ne8 31.Rb8 Black's queenside pawns fall.

30.Nd6 Rf4 31.g3 Rf3 32.Nxe4 h6

• Black must not allow 33.Ng5,when White will control the focal point f7.

33.Kg2 Rf5 34.h4 Rd8

• If 34...Ne8 35.Rd7 then:
• If 35...b5 36.cxb6 Rxb6 37.a3 a5 38.bxa5 then:
• If 38...Rb8 then after 39.a6 Ra8 40.f4 Ng7 41.Kf3 Ne8 42.a7 White is threatening in more ways that Black can mange.
• If 38...Rxa5 then after 39.Rf7+ Kg8 40.Rb7+ White wins a Rook.
• If 35...Ng7 then after 36.Nd6! Rf6 37.Rxb7 Rxb7 38.Nxb7 White lays waste to Black's queenside.

BLACK: Wang Hao
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WHITE: Ding Liren
Position after 34...Rb8d8

35.Rxb7!

• White knocks the foundation out from under Black's queenside.

35...Rd4 36.Nd6 Rf6

• Black is threatening 37...Rfxd6 38.Rf7+ Kg8 39.Ra7+ Rxc4 40.cxd6 Rxb4 with opportunities for counterplay.

37.Rb8+!

• Some timely checks give White the time deal with Black's threats.

37...Ke7 38.Nc8+ Kd7 39.Nb6+

• Also good is 39.Bxa6 Nf5 40.Nb6+ Ke7 41.Rb7+.

39...Kc7 40.Ra8 Ne6

• No better for Black is 40...Nf5 41.Bxa6 Ne7 42.Re8 Re4 43.a4.

BLACK: Wang Hao
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WHITE: Ding Liren
Position after 40...Ng7e6

41.Bxa6!

• Black's queenside is in ruins.

41...Rf8 42.Bc8 Nd8 43.Bd7 Kb7

• 43...Rxb4 44.Rc8+ Kb7 45.Bxc6+ Nxc6 46.Rxf8 leaves White three pawns to the good.

44.Rc8 Rxd7 45.Nxd7

• White is in fact three pawns to the good.

45...Re8 46.Nb6 g5 47.hxg5 hxg5 48.a4 g4 49.Ra8 1-0

BLACK: Wang Hao
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WHITE: Ding Liren
Final Position after 49.Rc8a8

• If 49...Rh8 50.a5 Kc7 51.a6 then:
• If 51...Nf7 then after 52.Ra7+ White wins the Knight and soon delivers mate.
• 51...Nb7 52.Rxh8 Nxc5 53.a7 is lights out.
• If 49...Re1 then after 50.a5 Ra1 51.Rxd8 Ka6 52.Rd4 Kb7 53.Rxg4 White can win on either side of the board.
• Grandmaster Wang resigns.

[cboy4]

10. He could kick my ass

:thumbsup:

[madinmaryland]

11. Considering you don't know how to play chess...

[cboy4]

14. And he can kick the Pirates' ass.

In chess and baseball.

[Jack Rabbit]

15. I think that one should go down along side of . . .

. . . the claim you made several weeks ago in the JRCR that Barry Bonds could hit a shot put into McCovey Cove.

It's just this side credibility from the one about Saddam being in cahoots with al Qaida.

[cboy4]

16. No, that's a terrible analogy.

Checkmate for me

[madinmaryland]

17. Dude! You just got your ass handed to you on a platter AGAIN!

Give it up!

[cboy4]

18. You even stalk me to chess threads

Unbelievable.

[madinmaryland]

19. Why are you posting in chess threads when you don't even know how to play.

Pathetic, seriously!

And you have even managed to hijack a chess thread! Sad, just very sad.

[Jack Rabbit]

20. He doesn't stalk you to chess threads

M in Md is a regular reader of my weekly chess threads.

By the way, Cowboy, is it true, since you, too, are obviously a loyal reader of these threads, that you don't know how to play chess? That is something we must remedy, young man. Please click here. If you have any questions, I will be happy to answer.

We'll get you addicted -- er, I mean started in no time.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Wang Hao - Zhou Jianchao, Round 7

Wang Hao
Photo: Wikipedia


Wang Hao - Zhou Jianchao
Chinese National Championship, Round 7
Xinghua, 2 June 2009

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

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 b6 4.d4 Bb4+

• Main Line If 4...Bb7 5.Bg2 Be7 6.Nc3 then:
• If 6...Ne4 7.Bd2 Bf6 then:
• If 8.Qc2 Nxd2 9.Qxd2 d6 10.d5 0-0 11.0-0 then:
• If 11...e5 then:
• If 12.Ne1 then:
• 12...Nd7 13.Nc2 a5 14.f4 exf4 15.gxf4 Ba6 16.b3 Bxc3 17.Qxc3 f5 18.Nd4 Qf6 19.e3 Rae8 gives White the advantage in space (Shulman-Sadvakasov, Foxwoods Op, Mashantucket, 2008).
• If 12...Bg5 13.e3 Nd7 14.Nd3 then:
• 14...f5 15.f4 Bf6 16.fxe5 Nxe5 17.Nxe5 Bxe5 is equal.
• 14...Re8 15.f4 exf4 16.exf4 Bf6 17.Rae1 Nc5 18.Nf2 gives White a small advantage in space.
• 12.e4 Nd7 13.b4 g6 14.Bh3 Qe7 15.a3 Rfb8 16.Qc2 h5 17.Rfd1 a5 18.Nd2 Bg5 19.Nb3 axb4 20.axb4 Nf6 21.Bf1 gives White a small advantage in space (Karpov-Salov, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1988).
• 11...Bxc3 12.Qxc3 exd5 13.Nh4 d4 14.Qxd4 Bxg2 15.Nxg2 Nc6 16.Qc3 a5 17.Nf4 Re8 18.Rfe1 Qd7 19.Rad1 Re5 20.Rd5 draw (Jussupow-Makarichev, Soviet Ch, Vilnius, 1980).
• 8.0-0 0-0 9.Rc1 c5 10.d5 exd5 11.cxd5 Nxd2 12.Nxd2 d6 13.Nde4 Be5 14.Qd2 Ba6 15.Rfe1 g6 16.f4 Bd4+ 17.e3 Bg7 18.Bf1 Re8 19.Bxa6 Nxa6 20.Qd3 Nc7 21.Nd2 Qd7 22.Nf3 b5 23.b3 f5 24.e4 b4 25.Nd1 fxe4 26.Rxe4 Rxe4 27.Qxe4 Re8 28.Qd3 Qf5 29.Qxf5 gxf5 gives Black the pawn at d5 (Nauman-Oral, Czech ChU20, Prague, 1997).
• If 6...d5 7.0-0 0-0 then:
• 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Re1 c5 10.Bf4 then:
• 10...Na6 11.Rc1 then:
• 11...Ne4 12.a3 Bf6 13.Be5 Re8 14.e3 cxd4 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.exd4 Rac8 17.Nxe4 dxe4 18.Rxc8 Rxc8 19.Ne5 Qf5 gives Black the advantage in space (Speelman-D. King, Simpson's Divan, London, 2003).
• 11...Re8 12.dxc5 bxc5 13.Qb3 Qb6 14.Ne5 Qxb3 15.axb3 Nb4 16.Na4 a5 17.Nxc5 Bxc5 18.Rxc5 g5 19.Bxg5 Ne4 20.Nd7 Nxc5 21.Nxc5 Ba6 22.Nxa6 Rxa6 23.Bf3 Rc6 gives Black the advantage in space(Kunte-Negi, IT, New Dehli, 2006).
• 10...Nbd7 11.dxc5 Nxc5 12.Rc1 Nfe4 13.Nb5 Bf6 14.b4 Ne6 15.Be3 a5 16.a3 axb4 17.axb4 Ra2 18.Nfd4 Nxd4 19.Nxd4 Rb2 20.b5 Qd7 gives Black the advantage in space (Stefanova-Werle, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2002).
• If 8.Ne5 c6 9.cxd5 cxd5 10.Bf4 then:
• 10...a6 11.Rc1 b5 12.Qb3 Nc6 13.Nxc6 Bxc6 14.h3 Qd7 15.Kh2 Nh5 16.Bd2 is equal (Sämisch-Nimzovich, IT, Copenhagen, 1923).
• If 10...Nbd7 11.Qa4 Nxe5 12.Bxe5 a6 13.Rfc1 Rc8 then:
• 14.Qb3 Nd7 15.Bf4 b5 16.e4 dxe4 17.a4 Nf6 18.axb5 axb5 19.Nxb5 Bd5 20.Rxc8 Qxc8 21.Qc3 Qb7 22.Ra7 Qxb5 23.Rxe7 e3 24.f3 Ba8 (White has the advantage in space, but the powerful threat of 25...Nd5 gives Black a strong initiative) 25.Ra7 Nd5! 26.Qa5 Qxa5 27.Rxa5 Nxf4 28.gxf4 g6 White still has more space, but Black can easily bring his Rook into play and threaten White's back rank (Gdanski-Riazantsev,. Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).
• 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.e3 Rc6 16.Bf1 b5 17.Qb3 Qa5 18.a3 Rfc8 19.Na2 Be7 20.Qd1 g6 21.Rxc6 Rxc6 22.Rc1 Qb6 23.Rxc6 Qxc6 24.Qd2 e5 25.Nb4 Bxb4 26.Qxb4 e4 27.Bh3 Bc8 28.Bxc8 Qc1+ 29.Kg2 Qxc8 30.Qd6 Qg4 31.Qxa6 Qf3+ 32.Kg1 Qd1+ draws by perpetual check (Nikolic-Mecking, Sãn Paulo, 1991).
• Bronstein Variation If 4...Ba6 then:
• If 5.b3 then:
• If 5...Bb7 6.Bg2 Bb4+ 7.Bd2 a5 8.0-0 0-0 9.Qc2 then:
• If 9...h6 10.Nc3 Re8 11.Rfe1 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Be4 13.Qb2 d5 14.Bf1 then:
• 14...Bxf3 15.exf3 Nbd7 16.Bd3 a4 17.Rad1 axb3 18.axb3 Ra7 19.f4 Qa8 is equal (Polugaevsky-Anand, Roquebrune, 1992).
• 14...c6 15.Nd2 Bg6 16.a3 Nbd7 17.Rac1 Rb8 18.b4 axb4 19.axb4 Qe7 is equal (Alterman-Korchnoi, Beer Shiva, 1992).
• If 9...d6 10.Nc3 Nbd7 then:
• If 11.Rfd1 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Be4 13.Qb2 c6 14.Bf1 b5 15.Nh4 d5 16.f3 Bg6 then:
• If 17.Nxg6 hxg6 18.cxb5 cxb5 19.e3 Qb6 20.Be1 Rfe8 21.Bf2 b4 22.Rac1 White is maneuvering to restrain Black's Knights and has the better game (Kempinski-Safarli, Euro Ch, Kusadasi, 2006).
• 17.Be1 Qb6 18.cxd5 cxd5 19.Rac1 Rfc8 20.e3 Ne8 21.g4 is equal (Karpov-Istratescu, Rpd Match, Bucharest, 2005).
• If 11.Rfe1 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Be4 13.Qb2 then:
• 13...a4 14.Bf1 Bb7 15.Nd2 c5 16.b4 a3 17.Qb3 cxd4 18.Bxd4 e5 is equal (Topalov-Adams, IT, Frankfurt, 2000).
• 13...Qb8 14.b4 Bxf3 15.exf3 d5 16.Rac1 c6 17.c5 Re8 is equal (Krunoslav-Polugaevsky, IZT, Zagreb, 1987).
• If 5...d5 6.Bg2 then:
• If 6...Bb4+ 7.Bd2 Be7 8.cxd5 exd5 9.0-0 0-0 10.Nc3 Bb7 then:
• If 11.Rc1 Na6 12.Ne5 then:
• 12...Re8 13.Bf4 h6 14.Qd3 c5 15.Qf5 cxd4 16.Nb5 Bc5 17.Nf3 Rxe2 18.Nfxd4 Rxa2 19.Be5 Ne4 20.h4 Qe7 21.Nc3 Rd2 22.Nxe4 dxe4 23.Bxe4 Bxe4 24.Qxe4 is unclear: Black has an extra pawn and White has more space (Hebden-Langeweg, Op, Benidorm, 1992).
• If 12...c5 13.Be3 Re8 then:
• 14.dxc5 Bxc5 15.Bxc5 bxc5 16.Nd3 Qe7 17.Na4 Rac8 18.Qd2 Qxe2 19.Qxe2 Rxe2 20.Naxc5 Nxc5 21.Nxc5 Ba8 22.a4 a5 23.Ne4 Rcc2 24.Bf3 Black resigns (Korchnoi-Diker, Beer Shiva, 1984).
• 14.Nd3 Qd7 15.Na4 cxd4 16.Bxd4 Ne4 17.Nf4 Bf8 18.Nc3 Rad8 19.e3 Nb4 is equal (Topalov-Kramnik, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2004).
• If 11.Qc2 Na6 then:
• 12.Rfd1 Qc8 then:
• 13.Bg5 Rd8 14.Rac1 Qe6 15.Qb2 c5 16.e3 h6 17.Bxf6 Bxf6 18.Qd2 Rac8 19.dxc5 bxc5 gives Black the advantage in space (K. Georgiev-Grooten, Op, Gibraltar, 2007).
• 13.Bf4 Rd8 14.Ng5 Qd7 15.Be5 g6 16.Bh3 Qe8 17.Qc1 c5 18.a4 Nh5 19.Ne6 Bc8 20.Nxd8 Bxh3 21.Nb7 Qc6 22.e4 dxe4 23.d5 Qxb7 24.d6 Bf8 25.Nd5 Be6 is equal (Kramnik-Ivanchuk, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2007).
• 12.Bf4 Re8 13.Rfd1 c6 14.Ne5 h6 15.a3 Nc7 16.e4 Ne6 17.Be3 Bf8 18.b4 Rc8 is equal (Grischuk-Gelfand, World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk, 2007).
• If 6...dxc4 7.Ne5 Bb4+ 8.Kf1 Bd6 9.Nxc4 Nd5 10.e4 Ne7 11.Bb2 Nbc6 12.Nbd2 then:
• If 12...e5 13.d5 Nd4 14.Nf3 c5 15.Kg1 Bxc4 16.bxc4 0-0 then:
• 17.h4 Nc8 18.Bh3 Re8 19.Kg2 Bf8 20.Rc1 Nd6 21.Re1 Rb8 is equal (Huzman-Kasparov, SX, Tel Aviv, 1998).
• 17.Bh3 Re8 18.Kg2 Nc8 19.a4 Bf8 20.Rc1 Nd6 21.Re1 g6 22.Nxd4 cxd4 23.f4 gives White the advantage in space (Devereaux-Jonsson, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• 12...0-0 13.Kg1 b5 14.Nxd6 cxd6 15.h4 Qb6 16.h5 h6 17.d5 Ne5 18.Nf1 b4 19.Bd4 Qa5 20.Ne3 Rac8 21.Rh4 Rc7 22.Qd2 Rc3 23.Bxc3 bxc3 24.Qd4 leaves White an exchange to the good (Kasparov-Gelfand, IT, Novgorod, 1997).
• If 5...Bb4+ 6.Bd2 then:
• If 6...Be7 7.Bg2 c6 then:
• If 8.Bc3 d5 then:
• If 9.Ne5 Nfd7 10.Nxd7 Nxd7 11.Nd2 0-0 12.0-0 then:
• If 12...f5 13.Rc1 then:
• If 13...Nf6 14.Bb2 then:
• 14...Bd6 15.Nf3 Qe7 16.Ne5 Rac8 17.Nd3 Rfd8 is equal (Kramnik-Anand, Amber Rapid, Nice, 2008).
• 14...Rc8 15.Rc2 c5 16.dxc5 Bxc5 17.Bxf6 Qxf6 18.cxd5 Rfd8 19.Nc4 Bb7 20.Rd2 Bb4 21.Rd3 b5 22.Ne3 gives White an extra pawn, but Black has more than enough of a space advantage to compensate for it.(Polaczek-Veenstra, cyberspace, 1999).
• 13...Rc8 14.Bb2 Bd6 15.a3 Qe7 16.Rc2 Nf6 17.Qc1 Kh8 18.e3 Ne4 19.Rd1 Bb7 20.b4 Bb8 21.Bf1 Qe8 22.a4 a6 gives Black a small edge in space (Karpov-Z. Almasi, IT, Biel, 1996).
• If 12...Rc8 13.e4 then:
• If 13...b5 14.Re1 dxe4 then:
• 15.Nxe4 bxc4 16.Qe2 Rb8 17.Bf1 Qc8 18.bxc4 Nb6 19.Nd2 Na4 20.Ba5 c5 gives Black a small advantage in space (Adams-Mamedyarov, IT, Sofia, 2007).
• 15.Bxe4 bxc4 16.bxc4 c5 17.d5 exd5 18.Bxd5 Bf6 19.Rc1 Bxc3 20.Rxc3 Nf6 21.Bf3 Rc7 22.Nb3 Qxd1 23.Rxd1 Bc8 24.Kg2 h6 25.Rd6 Be6 26.Na5 Rb8 27.Rb3 draw (Timoshenko-V. Gurevich, Op. Mainz, 1995).
• 13...c5 14.exd5 exd5 15.dxc5 dxc4 16.c6 cxb3 17.Re1 b2 18.Bxb2 Nc5 19.Nc4 Bxc4 20.Qg4 Bg5 21.Qxc4 Nd3 22.Be5 Nxe1 23.Rxe1 Bf6 24.Bxf6 Qxf6 25.c7 Qd6 gives Black the exchange, but White space advantage compensates for it.(Sasikiran-Shirov, IT, Foros, 2007).
• 12...Nf6 13.e4 b5 14.Re1 dxe4 15.Qc2 Rb8 16.Rad1 Qc8 17.Bf1 bxc4 18.bxc4 c5 19.Nxe4 cxd4 20.Nxf6+ Bxf6 21.Bxd4 Bxd4 22.Rxd4 Qc5 is equal (Kallai-Adams, French ChT, Montpellier, 2001).
• If 9.Nbd2 Nbd7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Re1 c5 12.e4 then:
• If 12...dxe4 13.Nxe4 then:
• 13...Bb7 14.Nfg5 cxd4 15.Bxd4 Qc7 16.Nxf6+ Bxf6 17.Bxb7 Qxb7 18.Ne4 Bxd4 19.Qxd4 Rad8 20.Rad1 Qa8 21.Qc3 Nb8 22.Nf6+ gxf6 23.Qxf6 Rxd1 24.Qg5+ Kh8 25.Qf6+ draw (Schandorff-B. Socko, Ol. Bled, 2002).
• 13...Nxe4 14.Rxe4 Bb7 15.Re3 Bf6 16.dxc5 Bxc3 17.Rxc3 Nxc5 18.b4 Qf6 19.Qd4 Ne4 20.Qxf6 gxf6 21.Rd3 Rfc8 22.Nd2 f5 23.Re1 Rab8 24.Nxe4 draw (Cu. Hansen-Timman, IT, Malmö, 2001).
• 12...dxc4 13.Nxc4 Bb7 14.e5 Nd5 15.Bb2 b5 16.Ne3 N7b6 17.dxc5 Bxc5 18.Nxd5 Bxd5 19.Qe2 b4 20.Rac1 Qe7 21.Rc2 Rfc8 22.Rec1 Qf8 23.Qb5 is equal (Boychev-Cordoba, World Youth, Belfort, 2005).
• If 8.0-0 d5 9.Qc2 Nbd7 10.Rd1 0-0 11.Bf4 Rc8 12.Nc3 then:
• If 12...Nh5 13.Bc1 f5 14.e3 Qe8 15.Bb2 g5 16.Ne2 Ng7 17.Ne5 h5 18.h3 Nf6 19.Nc1 Ne4 20.Ncd3 Bb7 is equal (Sakaev-Grigoriants, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2006).
• If 12...h6 then:
• 13.e4 dxc4 14.Nd2 b5 15.bxc4 bxc4 16.Na4 c5 17.d5 exd5 18.exd5 Nh5 19.Be3 Bf6 20.Rab1 Bd4 21.Ne4 Bxe3 22.fxe3 Qe7 23.Nac3 Nhf6 24.Kh1 Nxe4 25.Nxe4 Nb6 26.a4 Rfd8 is equal (Yevseev-Lugovoi, Muni Ch, St. Petersburg, 2004).
• 13...Nhf6 14.Bf4 Nh5 15.Bc1 Nhf6 16.Bf4 is a draw by repetition that has been played more than once.
• 13.h3 Nh5 14.Bc1 f5 15.a4 Bd6 16.a5 bxa5 17.Ba3 Bxa3 18.Rxa3 dxc4 19.Rda1 c5 20.Rxa5 cxd4 21.Nxd4 cxb3 22.Qxb3 Bc4 23.Qd1 gives White a modest advantage in space (Grischuk-Tomashevsky, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2007).
• If 6...Bxd2+ 7.Qxd2 c6 8.Bg2 d5 9.0-0 0-0 then:
• If 10.Ne5 Nfd7 11.Nxd7 Nxd7 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.Nc3 Nf6 14.Rac1 Qd6 15.Rc2 Rac8 16.Rfc1 Rc7 then:
• 17.Nb1 Rfc8 18.Rxc7 Rxc7 19.Rxc7 Qxc7 draw (Tal-Ivkov, Sarajevo, 1966).
• 17.Bf1 Qe7 18.e3 Bxf1 19.Kxf1 Qd7 20.a4 Rfc8 21.Nb5 Rxc2 22.Rxc2 Ne4 23.Qc1 Rxc2 24.Qxc2 g6 25.Ke2 Nd6 26.Nxd6 Qxd6 27.f4 draw (Bagirov-Razuvaev, Soviet Ch cycyle, Fruze, 1979).
• 10.Rc1 Nbd7 11.Qb2 c5 12.cxd5 exd5 13.Nc3 Re8 14.Rd1 Bb7 15.e3 Qe7 16.Rac1 Nf8 17.Nh4 Rxd8 is equal (Chernin-Razuvaev, Rapid, Tilburg, 1994).
• If 5.Nbd2 then:
• If 5...c5 then:
• If 6.e4 d6 7.Bg2 then:
• If 7...Nbd7 d6 7.Bg2 Nbd7 Rb8 8.0-0 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Bb7 10.Re1 a6 then:
• If 11.a4 Rb8 12.a5 Be7 13.axb6 Qxb6 14.N2b3 0-0 15.Na5 Ba8 16.b4 Rfc8 17.Be3 Qd8 18.b5 Ne5 19.Ndc6 Nxc6 20.Nxc6 Bxc6 21.bxc6 Rb4 22.Qe2 e5 23.Rxa6 draw (Sakaev-Anastasian, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).
• If 11.e5 Bxg2 12.exf6 then:
• If 12...Bb7 13.fxg7 Bxg7 14.Ne4 0-0 15.Nxd6 Ne5 16.Nxb7 Qxd4 17.Qxd4 Nf3+ 18.Kf1 Nxd4 19.Rd1 Rab8 20.Nd6 Rfd8 21.Ne4 f5 22.Nc3 Rdc8 is equal (Tregubov-Grooten, Op, Amsterdam, 2001).
• 12...Qxf6 13.Nxe6 fxe6 14.Kxg2 Nc5 15.Ne4 Nxe4 16.Rxe4 Be7 17.Rf4 Qe5 18.Be3 Rf8 19.Bd4 Qa5 20.Rxf8+ Bxf8 21.Qg4 (Browne-Burger, Op, Philadelphia, 1990).
• If 7...Bb7 then:
• If 8.0-0 cxd4 9.Nxd4 then:
• If 9...Qd7 10.a4 then:
• 10...Be7 11.a5 bxa5 12.Re1 Nc6 13.Nxc6 Bxc6 14.Nb3 Rb8 15.Nxa5 Ba8 16.b3 0-0 17.Ba3 e5 18.Qd3 Qe6 19.Red1 Rfd8 (Browne-Henley, Blitz Match, Parsippany, 1999).
• 10...Nc6 11.Nxc6 Bxc6 12.a5 Rb8 13.axb6 axb6 14.Re1 b5 15.cxb5 Bxb5 16.Nb1 Be7 17.Nc3 Bc6 18.e5 dxe5 19.Qxd7+ Bxd7 20.Rxe5 0-0 21.Rea5 Bb4 draw (H. Olafsson-Naiditsch, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• 9...Nbd7 10.Re1 a6 transposes to the text.
• 8.Qe2 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Nc6 10.Nxc6 Bxc6 11.b3 Be7 12.Bb2 Qd7 13.0-0 0-0 14.Rfe1 Rac8 15.Rad1 Qc7 16.Nb1 a6 17.Nc3 Qb7 18.Nd5! gives White the advantage in space (Karavade-Mohotam Asian ChW, Subic Bay, 2009).
• If 6.Bg2 Bb7 7.e4 cxd4 8.e5 then:
• If 8...Ne4 9.0-0 Nxd2 10.Bxd2 then:
• If 10...Qc7 11.Nxd4 Bxg2 12.Kxg2 Qxc4 13.Rc1 Qd5+ 14.Qf3 Qxf3+ 15.Kxf3 Na6 16.Nb5 Be7 17.Rfe1 f6 18.Bc3 fxe5 19.Bxe5 0-0+ 20.Ke2 d5 21.Rc6 Bf6 22.Bd6 Rfc8 gives Black excellent prospects (Van Gisbergen-van der Wiel, Op, Neremburg, 1994).
• 10...Bxf3 11.Qxf3 Nc6 12.Qxc6 dxc6 13.Bxc6+ Qd7 14.Bxd7+ Kxd7 15.Rfe1 a5 16.Kf1 f5 is equal (Salov-Karpov, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1993).
• 8...Ng4 9.0-0 Qc7 10.Re1 h5 11.h3 Nh6 12.Nxd4 Bxg2 13.Kxg2 Nc6 14.Nb5 Qb7 15.Ne4 Nf5 16.Qf3 a6 17.Nbd6+ Bxd6 18.Nxd6+ Nxd6 19.exd6 Na5 20.b3 Qxf3+ 21.Kxf3 Rc8 22.Be3 Rc6 is equal (M. Petursson-Ornstein, Corres, 1984).
• If 5...Bb4 6.Qc2 Bb7 7.Bg2 Be4 then:
• If 8.Qd1 0-0 9.0-0 Bxd2 10.Qxd2 then:
• If 10...a5 11.b3 d6 12.Bb2 Nbd7 13.Qc3 a4 then:
• 14.Bh3 c5 15.Rad1 Qe7 16.b4 cxb4 17.Qxb4 Bxf3 18.exf3 b5 19.d5 e5 20.cxb5 Nb6 21.Qc3 Nfxd5 22.Qc6 Rac8 23.Bxc8 Rxc8 24.Qxc8+ Nxc8 25.Rxd5 gives White two Rooks for the Queen (Eljanov-Izoria, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• 14.Rac1 Qb8 15.Bh3 b5 16.Nd2 axb3 17.axb3 bxc4 18.bxc4 Ra2 draw (Grachev-Bartel, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).
• 10...d6 11.b3 Nbd7 12.Bb2 Qe7 13.Rac1 Rfe8 14.Bh3 Bb7 15.Rfe1 h6 16.Rcd1 a5 17.Qc2 Rad8 18.e4 e5 19.Bg2 gives White a small advantage in space (Mamedyarov-Adams, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2007).
• If 8.Qb3 Bxd2+ 9.Bxd2 0-0 10.0-0 d6 11.Rfd1 Nbd7 12.Rac1 Qe7 13.Qa3 a5 14.Bh3 Rfe8 15.Be3 then:
• 15...h6 16.Nd2 Bb7 17.c5 dxc5 18.dxc5 Bd5 19.cxb6 Qxa3 20.bxa3 cxb6 gives Black better pawn structure and he threatens to win a pawn (Timman-Salov, World Cup, Rotterdam, 1989).
• 15...Bb7 16.Nh4 h6 17.f3 c5 is equal (Evdokimov-Eljanov, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).
• If 5...d5 6.Bg2 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 then:
• If 8.Ne5 Bb7 9.Qc2 c5 10.dxc5 then:
• 10...bxc5 11.Nb3 a5 12.cxd5 exd5 13.Bf4 Qb6 14.Rad1 Re8 15.Nd2 Bf8 16.e4 g5 17.exd5 gxf4 18.Ndc4 Qa6 19.gxf4 Nbd7 20.Rd3 Bg7 21.Rg3 Nf8 22.f5 Nh5 23.Rg4 Qf6 gives Black the material advantage and the more active game (Timman-Ivanchuk, IT, Tilburg, 1990).
• 10...Bxc5 11.cxd5 Bxd5 12.e4 Bb7 13.Nb3 Nbd7 14.Nxd7 Nxd7 15.Nxc5 Nxc5 16.Rd1 Qe7 17.b4 Na6 18.a3 Rac8 19.Qe2 Rfd8 20.Bb2 gives White the advantage in space (Nemet-Kunte, Op, Biel, 2001).
• If 8.b3 then:
• If 8...c5 9.Bb2 Nc6 10.Rc1 Rc8 then:
• 11.dxc5 bxc5 12.cxd5 exd5 13.Re1 Re8 14.e4 Nb4 15.e5 Nd7 16.e6 fxe6 17.Rxe6 Nf8 18.Bh3 Rc6 19.Nd4 Rb6 20.Rxb6 Qxb6 21.Nf5 Bf6 22.Qh5 g6 gives Black the advantage in space (Korobov-Iordachescu, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).
• 11.cxd5 exd5 12.Bh3 Rc7 13.dxc5 bxc5 14.Re1 d4 15.Ba3 Nd5 16.Ne4 Ncb4 17.Qd2 d3 18.Bxb4 Nxb4 19.Bf1 dxe2 20.Bxe2 Rd7 21.Qe3 Nd5 22.Qd2 Nb4 23.Qe3 Nd5 24.Qd2 draw (Lajthajm-Azorov, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).
• If 8...Bb7 9.Ne5 c5 10.dxc5 Bxc5 11.Bb2 Nc6 12.Nxc6 Bxc6 13.Rc1 Rc8 14.cxd5 Bxd5 15.e4 Bb7 16.Qe2 Nd7 17.e5 Bxg2 18.Kxg2 Be7 19.Nc4 b5 20.Nd6 Rxc1 21.Rxc1 Nxe5 22.Qxe5 Bf6 23.Qxb5 Bxb2 24.Rd1 Ba3 25.b4 Qb8 draw (Leitão-Jakovenko, World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk, 2005).

5.Bd2 Bxd2+

• If 5...Be7 6.Bg2 Ba6 7.Qc2 c6 then:
• If 8.Bc3 d5 9.Ne5 then:
• If 9...Nfd7 10.Nxd7 Nxd7 11.Nd2 0-0 12.0-0 then:
• If 12...f5 then:
• If 13.Rc1 Nf6 then:
• 14.Bb2 Bd6 15.Nf3 Qe7 16.Ne5 Rac8 17.Nd3 Rfd8 is equal (Kramnik-Anand, Amber Rapid, Nice, 2008).
• 14...Rc8 15.Rc2 c5 16.dxc5 Bxc5 17.Bxf6 Qxf6 18.cxd5 Rfd8 19.Nc4 Bb7 20.Rd2 Bb4 21.Rd3 b5 22.Ne3 gives White an extra pawn, but Black has more than enough of a space advantage to compensate for it.(Polaczek-Veenstra, cyberspace, 1999).
• 13...Rc8 14.Bb2 Bd6 15.a3 Qe7 16.Rc2 Nf6 17.Qc1 Kh8 18.e3 Ne4 19.Rd1 Bb7 20.b4 Bb8 21.Bf1 Qe8 22.a4 a6 gives Black a small edge in space (Karpov-Z. Almasi, IT, Biel, 1996).
• If 12...Rc8 13.e4 then:
• If 13...b5 14.Re1 dxe4 then:
• 15.Nxe4 bxc4 16.Qe2 Rb8 17.Bf1 Qc8 18.bxc4 Nb6 19.Nd2 Na4 20.Ba5 c5 gives Black a small advantage in space (Adams-Mamedyarov, IT, Sofia, 2007).
• 15.Bxe4 bxc4 16.bxc4 c5 17.d5 exd5 18.Bxd5 Bf6 19.Rc1 Bxc3 20.Rxc3 Nf6 21.Bf3 Rc7 22.Nb3 Qxd1 23.Rxd1 Bc8 24.Kg2 h6 25.Rd6 Be6 26.Na5 Rb8 27.Rb3 draw (Timoshenko-V. Gurevich, Op. Mainz, 1995).
• 13...c5 14.exd5 exd5 15.dxc5 dxc4 16.c6 cxb3 17.Re1 b2 18.Bxb2 Nc5 19.Nc4 Bxc4 20.Qg4 Bg5 21.Qxc4 Nd3 22.Be5 Nxe1 23.Rxe1 Bf6 24.Bxf6 Qxf6 25.c7 Qd6 gives Black the exchange, but White space advantage compensates for it.(Sasikiran-Shirov, IT, Foros, 2007).
• 12...Nf6 13.e4 b5 14.Re1 dxe4 15.Qc2 Rb8 16.Rad1 Qc8 17.Bf1 bxc4 18.bxc4 c5 19.Nxe4 cxd4 20.Nxf6+ Bxf6 21.Bxd4 Bxd4 22.Rxd4 Qc5 is equal (Kallai-Adams, French ChT, Montpellier, 2001).
• If 9.Nbd2 Nbd7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Re1 c5 12.e4 then:
• If 12...dxe4 13.Nxe4 then:
• 13...Bb7 14.Nfg5 cxd4 15.Bxd4 Qc7 16.Nxf6+ Bxf6 17.Bxb7 Qxb7 18.Ne4 Bxd4 19.Qxd4 Rad8 20.Rad1 Qa8 21.Qc3 Nb8 22.Nf6+ gxf6 23.Qxf6 Rxd1 24.Qg5+ Kh8 25.Qf6+ draw (Schandorff-B. Socko, Ol. Bled, 2002).
• 13...Nxe4 14.Rxe4 Bb7 15.Re3 Bf6 16.dxc5 Bxc3 17.Rxc3 Nxc5 18.b4 Qf6 19.Qd4 Ne4 20.Qxf6 gxf6 21.Rd3 Rfc8 22.Nd2 f5 23.Re1 Rab8 24.Nxe4 draw (Cu. Hansen-Timman, IT, Malmö, 2001).
• 12...dxc4 13.Nxc4 Bb7 14.e5 Nd5 15.Bb2 b5 16.Ne3 N7b6 17.dxc5 Bxc5 18.Nxd5 Bxd5 19.Qe2 b4 20.Rac1 Qe7 21.Rc2 Rfc8 22.Rec1 Qf8 23.Qb5 is equal (Boychev-Córdoba, Belfort, 2005).
• 8.0-0 d5 9.Qc2 Nbd7 10.Rd1 0-0 11.Bf4 Rc8 12.Nc3 then:
• 12...Nh5 13.Bc1 then:
• 13...f5 14.e3 Qe8 15.Bb2 g5 16.Ne2 Ng7 17.Ne5 h5 18.h3 Nf6 19.Nc1 Ne4 20.Ncd3 Bb7 is equal (Sakaev-Grigoriants, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2006).
• 13...Nhf6 14.Bf4 Nh5 15.Bc1 Nhf6 16.Bf4 Nh5 is a draw by repetition that has been played more than once.
• If 12...h6 then:
• 13.e4 dxc4 14.Nd2 b5 15.bxc4 bxc4 16.Na4 c5 17.d5 exd5 18.exd5 Nh5 19.Be3 Bf6 20.Rab1 Bd4 21.Ne4 Bxe3 22.fxe3 Qe7 23.Nac3 Nhf6 24.Kh1 Nxe4 25.Nxe4 Nb6 26.a4 Rfd8 is equal (Yevseev-Lugovoi, Muni Ch, St. Petersburg, 2004).
• 13.h3 Nh5 14.Bc1 f5 15.a4 Bd6 16.a5 bxa5 17.Ba3 Bxa3 18.Rxa3 dxc4 19.Rda1 c5 20.Rxa5 cxd4 21.Nxd4 cxb3 22.Qxb3 Bc4 23.Qd1 gives White a modest advantage in space (Grischuk-Tomashevsky, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2007).

6.Qxd2 Bb7

• If 6...Ba6 7.b3 c6 8.Bg2 d5 9.0-0 0-0 then:
• If 10.Rc1 Nbd7 11.Qb2 Qe7 12.Nbd2 c5 13.dxc5 then:
• 13...bxc5 14.Ne5 Nxe5 15.Qxe5 Nd7 16.Qc3 Bb7 17.Qa5 Qd8 18.Qxd8 Rfxd8 19.cxd5 Bxd5 20.Nc4 Rac8 21.Nd6 gives White the advantage in space (Damljanovic-Adams, IT, Palma, 1989).
• 13...Nxc5 14.Ne5 draw (Ponomariov-Eismont, Russian ChT, Briansk, 1995).
• If 10.Ne5 Nfd7 11.Nxd7 Nxd7 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.Nc3 then:
• If 13...Rc8 14.Rfc1 Qe7 15.Rc2 Nf6 16.Rac1 h6 then:
• 17.e3 Rc7 18.Na4 Rfc8 19.Rxc7 Rxc7 20.Rxc7 Qxc7 21.Qc3 draw (Leko-Karpov, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2008).
• 17.Bf3 Rc7 18.Na4 Rfc8 19.Rxc7 Rxc7 20.Rxc7 Qxc7 21.Qc3 Qd6 22.Kg2 g5 23.h3 Kg7 is equal (Su. Polgar-Christiansen, Amber Rpd, Monte Carlo, 1993).
• 13...Nf6 14.Rac1 Qd6 15.Rc2 Rac8 16.Rfc1 Rc7 17.Nb1 Rfc8 18.Rxc7 Rxc7 19.Rxc7 Qxc7 draw (Ivkov-Tal, IT, Sarajevo, 1966).

7.Bg2 0-0 8.Nc3 Ne4 9.Qc2

• If 9.Nxe4 Bxe4 10.0-0 d6 then:
• If 11.Qf4 Bb7 12.e4 Nd7 13.Rfe1 Qe7 14.Rad1 e5 15.Qd2 then:
• 15...Rae8 16.dxe5 Nxe5 17.Nd4 g6 18.f4 Nxc4 19.Qc3 c5 20.Qxc4 cxd4 21.Qxd4 Rd8 22.Bf1 gives White the more active game (Eingorn-Kharitonov, Soviet Ch, Lvov, 1984).
• 15...Rfe8 16.dxe5 Nxe5 17.Nd4 f6 18.b3 Rad8 19.f4 Nf7 20.Nf5 Qf8 21.Qc3 Re6 22.Nd4 Ree8 gives White the advantage in space (Dautov-Larsen, IT, Bad Hamburg, 1998).
• 11.Ne1 Bxg2 12.Nxg2 Nd7 13.e4 e5 14.Rad1 Re8 15.f3 Nf6 16.Ne3 exd4 17.Qxd4 a5 18.Kg2 Qe7 19.Rd2 Qe5 20.Qxe5 draw (Halkias-Skembris. Op, Cutro, 2001).

9...d5

• If 9...Nxc3 10.Ng5 then:
• If 10...Ne4 11.Bxe4 Bxe4 12.Qxe4 Qxg5 13.Qxa8 Nc6 14.Qb7 Nxd4 15.Rd1 c5 16.e3 Nc2+ then:
• 17.Kd2 Qf5 18.Qg2 Nb4 19.e4 Qf6 is equal (Dr. Euwe-Capablanca, Match, Amsterdam, 1931).
• 17.Kf1 Qg4 18.Rxd7 Qxc4+ 19.Kg2 Nxe3+ 20.fxe3 Qe2+ 21.Kg1 Qe1+ draw (Melkumyan-Lysyj, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2008).
• 10...Qxg5 11.Bxb7 Nxe2 12.Qxe2 Nc6 13.Bxa8 Rxa8 14.Qd3 Qg4 15.f4 draw (Nogueiras-Larsen, IT, San Martín. 1995).

10.cxd5 Nxc3!?

• 10...exd5 11.Ne5 Nxc3 12.Qxc3 c5 13.0-0 Na6 14.Rfd1 c4 15.b3 cxb3 16.Qxb3 Qd6 17.Rac1 Rac8 18.Nd3 Nc7 is equal (Kozma-Keuhn, Czechoslovakian Army Ch, Prague, 1955).

11.Qxc3 Bxd5

• White has a slight advantage in that Black's queenside pawn majority contains a serious weekness.

12.Rc1

• White takes direct aim at the backward c-pawn.

12...Nc6

• 12...c6 13.a3 a5 14.0-0 Qf6 15.Ne5 Bxg2 16.Kxg2 gives White the advantage in space.

13.e3 a5 14.a3 Rc8

• Black will be looking for an opportunity to advance the pawn to c5, theus repairing the weakness.

15.0-0

• 15.Qc2 Ne7 16.Qe2 c5 17.e4 Bb3 is equal.

15...Nb8 16.Ne5

• After 16.Rfd1 Qf6 17.Ne5 Bxg2 18.Kxg2 Rfd8 19.b4 White continues to enjoy the advantage in space.

16...Bxg2 17.Kxg2 c5

• Black has repaired the weakness to his c-pawn. The game is equal.

18.Rfd1 Qd5+

• 18...cxd4 19.Qxc8 Qxc8 20.Rxc8 Rxc8 21.Rxd4 gives White a more active Rook.

19.Kg1 Rfd8

BLACK: Zhou Jianchao
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Wang Hao
Position after 19...Rf9d8

20.dxc5!?

• A provacative move in which White invites Black to swap his Queen for White's two Rooks.
• 20.Qc2 Na6 21.Qe2 Qb7 22.dxc5 Nxc5 remains equal.

20...Qxd1+

• Black goes for it.

21.Rxd1 Rxd1+ 22.Kg2 Rd5

• 22...Rxc5 23.Qb3 Rd8 24.Qxb6 Rdc8 25.f4 gives White a healthy queenside majority.

23.b4

• 23.Nd3 Rcd8 24.c6 Rc8 25.c7 Na6 remains equal.

23...axb4 24.axb4 bxc5 25.e4

• 25.f4 f5 26.Qc4 g5 27.Nd3 Nd7 28.fxg5! gives White the advantage with his kingside pawns.

25...Rd4?

• If 25...Rdd8 26.bxc5 then:
• If 26...Nd7 then after 27.Nd3 Rc7 28.c6 Rdc8 29.Qd4 Nb8 Black wins the passed pawn.
• If 26...f6?! then after 27.Nd3 Nc6 28.f4 White retains his pawn and begins restraining Black's position.

BLACK: Zhou Jianchao
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Wang Hao
Position after 25...Rd5d4

26.Nc4!!

• White proffers a pawn in order to pass and further the fortunes of his b-pawn.

26...Nd7

• If 26...Rxe4 then after 27.Nd6 Rxb4 28.Nxc8 White wins easily.

27.e5 Rd5 28.b5 Rb8 29.Qa5 Rd4 30.Nd6 Nxe5

• Taking the proffered pawn results in a rapid deteriorization of Black's defense.
• More stubborn is 30...Kf8 31.Qc7 Ke7 32.Nc8+ Ke8 33.b6, but White still has a tremendous advantage.

31.Qc7!

• It will now cost Black a piece to stop the pawn.

31...Rf8 32.b6 Rb4

• If 32...Nd3 then after 33.b7 Rb4 34.Nc8 White wins.

33.b7 c4 34.Nc8 c3 35.b8Q 1-0

• Grandmaster Zhou resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Ding Liren - Li Shilong, Round 3

Ding Liren
Photo: Asian Chess Federation


Ding Liren - Li Shilong
Chinese National Championship, Round 3
Xinghua, 28 May 2009

West India Game: King's Indian Defense

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

• For a more complete survey of the King's Indian main line, see Ivanchuk-Grischuk, Nalchik, 2009.

8.Re1

• If 8.Be3 Ng4 9.Bg5 Qe8 10.dxe5 dxe5 11.h3 then:
• If 11...f6 12.Bd2 Nh6 13.c5 then:
• 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).

8...c6 9.Be3

• If 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).
• If 10...Nb4 11.Be2 a5 12.Bg5 then:
• 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).
• If 9...exd4 10.Nxd4 Ng4 11.h3 Qb6 12.hxg4 Qxd4 13.g5 then:
• 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).

9...exd4

• 9...Ng4 10.Bg5 f6 11.Bh4 Nh6 12.h3 Nf7 13.Rb1 Nc7 14.b4 Ne6 15.d5 Nd4 16.Nxd4 exd4 17.Qxd4 f5 18.Qxg7+ Kxg7 19.Bxd8 Rxd8 20.exf5 Bxf5 21.Rbd1 gives Black an extra pawn and better pieces (Wirthensohn-Bosiocic, Mitropa Cup, Brno, 2006).

10.Nxd4 Re8 11.f3 Nc5!?

• 11...Nc7 12.Qd2 d5 13.cxd5 cxd5 14.Ndb5 Be6 15.e5 Nd7 16.f4 gives White the advantage in space (Withensohn-Gallagher, Swiss Ch, Lenzerheide, 2006).

12.Qd2

• White has a small advantage in space.

12...a5 13.Rad1

• 13.Red1 Nfd7 14.Bh6 Qf6 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 is equal.

13...Nfd7 14.Bf1

BLACK: Li Shilong
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Ding Liren
Position after 14.Be2f1

14...a4!?

• Normally in the King's Indian, White plays on the queenside while Black expands on the kingside, with the center left up for grabs and often locked by pawns. Here, Black is expanding on the queenside.
• 14...Qe7 15.Nce2 Ne5 16.Ng3 a4 is equal.

15.Nde2 Qb6

• 15...Bf8 16.Nc1 b6 17.Nd3 Nxd3 18.Bxd3 is equal.

16.Qxd6 Nxe4!

• Black finds the only move that brings equality.

17.Qf4 Nec5 18.Ne4 Qa5!?

• If 18...Bxb2 then:
• 19.Rxd7! Bxd7 20.Bxc5 Qa5 21.Bf2 gives White the advantage in space.
• 19.Rb1?! Qa5 20.Nd6 Re7 gives Black an extra pawn and the advantage in space.

19.Nd6 Rf8

• If 19...Re7! then:
• 20.Bf2 Be5 21.Qg5 Re6 is equal.
• 20.Ne4?! Nxe4 21.fxe4 Bxb2 22.Bd4 Bxd4+ 23.Nxd4 Ne5 gives Black an extra pawn.

20.Qh4

• White has a small advantage in space.

20...Bxb2 21.Nd4 Qc7?

• The Knight can hardly be said to be attacked by this move, since it is so easily and powerfully defended.
• Correct is 21...Bc3 when:
• 22.Re2 Qb6 23.N4f5 gxf5 24.Qg5+ Kh8 25.Nxc8 is equal.
• 22.Bh6? Bxe1! 23.Qxe1 Qxe1 24.Rxe1 Rd8 gives Black the exchange.

BLACK: Li Shilong
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Ding Liren
Position after 21...Qa5c7

22.Qe7!

• Behold the mighty power of a Queen thrown into a mob of uncoordinated pieces.

22...Qd8 23.Bh6 Nb6

• If 23...Qxe7 then after 24.Rxe7 Rd8 25.Nxf7 Re8 (the Rook is a desperado) 26.Rxe8+ Kxf7 27.Rh8 White is up by an exchange and wins.

24.Qe5 Ne6

• Black loses a piece, but was lost for all intents and purposes anyway.
• If 24...f6 25.Qf4 g5 26.Qd2 Nd3 27.Ne6 Bxe6 28.Qxd3 Be5 29.Bxf8 then:
• 29...Qxf8 30.Qb1 Bxd6 31.Rxe6 Bc5+ 32.Kh1 Re8 33.Rde1 White is an exchange to the good and Black has few remaining opportunites for counterplay.
• 29...Kxf8 30.c5 Nc8 31.Qxh7 wins for White.

25.Nxe6! Bxe5

• If 25...Nxc4 26.Bxc4 Bxe5 27.Nxd8 then:
• 27...Bg7 28.Bxf7+ Rxf7 29.N8xf7 Bxh6 30.Nxh6+ Kg7 31.Nhf7 White will soon deliver mate.
• 27...Rxd8 28.Rxe5 Bf5 29.Rde1 Rf8 30.Re8 Bd7 31.Bxf7+ puts Black in a mating net.

26.Nxd8 Rxd8 27.Rxe5

• White has won a piece. The rest requires no comment.

27...Be6 28.Ree1 a3 29.Be3 Na4 30.Nxb7 Rdb8 31.Nc5 Nc3 32.Rd2 Rb2 33.Nxe6 fxe6 34.Ra1 c5 35.Rf2 Rc8 36.Bf4 Rd8 37.Be5 Nd1 38.Bxb2 axb2 39.Rxd1 1-0

• Grandmaster Li resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Zhang Xiaowen - Shen Yang, Round 2

Shen Yang
Photo: ChessBase.com


Zhang Xiaowen - Shen Yang
Chinese Women's Championship, Round 2
Xinghua, 27 May 2009

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Anti-Marshall Opening (Sofia Variation)

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

• The is the Sofia Anti-Marshall line, so-called by your humble hare because it was used often in the first MTel Masters Tournament in 2005.

8...Bb7

• 8...d6 9.c3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 transposes to the Chigorin Defense of the main line.

9.d3

• 9.d4 d6 transposes to the Zaitsev Defense of the main line.

9...d6 10.a3

• If 10.c3 Na5 11.Bc2 c5 12.Nbd2 Re8 13.Nf1 Bf8 then:
• 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bh4 g6 16.Ne3 Be7 17.a3 c4 18.dxc4 Nxc4 19.Nxc4 bxc4 20.Qe2 Qe7 is equal (Kosten-Spassky, IT, Belfort, 1992).
• 14.Ng3 h6 15.d4 cxd4 16.cxd4 exd4 17.Nxd4 Rc8 18.b3 d5 19.e5 Ne4 20.Nxe4 dxe4 21.Bxe4 Bxe4 22.Rxe4 Nc6 23.Bb2 Rxe5 24.Rxe5 Nxe5 is equal (Svidler-Jakovenko, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2008).

10...h6

• If 10...Na5 11.Ba2 c5 then:
• If 12.Nc3 Nc6 then:
• 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.Bxd5 Qc7 15.c3 Nb8 16.Bxb7 Qxb7 17.d4 Nd7 18.dxe5 is equal (Nijboer-Sargissian, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• 13.Bg5 Qd7 14.Nh2 Kh8 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16. Bd5 Rae8 17. Rf1 Bd8 18. Qg4 Bc8 19. Qxd7 draw (Ivanchuk-Svidler, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2007).
• If 12.Nbd2 Nc6 13.Nf1 Bc8 then:
• 14.c3 Be6 15.Bxe6 fxe6 16.b4 Qd7 17.Ng3 a5 18.bxc5 dxc5 19.Qb3 Rfb8 20. a4 b4 21. Be3 is equal (Domínguez-Bacrot, IT, Biel, 2008).
• 14.Ne3 Be6 15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.exd5 Nd4 17.Nd2 Nf5 18.Ne4 Nd7 19.b4 Rc8 20.Bd2 g6 21.c3 Ng7 22.c4 Nf5 23.a4 cxb4 24.cxb5 a5 is equal (Anand-Svidler, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2006).

11.Nbd2

• 11.Nc3 Re8 12.Nd5 Bf8 13.Bd2 Nb8 14.Nxf6+ Qxf6 15.Nh2 Nd7 16.Re3 Qh4 17.Rf3 gives White the initiative as he threatens to win a pawn (Calzetta-Jackova, Euro ChTW, Gothenburg, 2005)

11...Re8 12.Nf1 Bf8 13.Ne3 Qd7!?

• 13...Bc8 14.c3 Be6 15.Bc2 Bd7 16.b4 Ne7 17.Bb2 Ng6 18.c4 c5 19.Bb3 cxb4 20.axb4 bxc4 21.Nxc4 gives White the advantage in space (Ivanchuk-Stefansson, Euro ChT, Antalya, 2007).

14.Nh2

• The game is equal..
• 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.Bxd5 Be7 16.Be3 Bf6 17.c3 Nd8 is aksi equal.

14...Nd4

• 14...Be7 15.Ba2 Nd4 16.Nf3 c5 17.c3 Ne6 18.Nd5 is still equal.

15.Ba2

BLACK: Shen Yang
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Zhang Xiaowen
Position after 15.Bb3a2

15...d5!?

• Black prematurely proposes opening the center with a pawn sacrifice. Yes, she knows it's premature.
• 15...Be7 16.Nf3 c5 17.c3 Ne6 18.Nd5 transposes into the previous note.

16.c3

• Before biting, White will push Black's centralized Knight back.

16...Ne6 17.exd5

• White has won a pawn.

17...Nf4 18.c4 c6 19.Neg4 Nxg4 20.Nxg4 cxd5

• The text is good for Black in that it weajens White's central pawn mass.
• Nevertheless, somewhat better is 20...Ng6 when:
• If 21.h4 Bd6 22.h5 Nf8 then:
• If 23.Bxh6 cxd5 24.Bd2 then:
• If 24...bxc4! 25.dxc4 dxc4 26.Bxc4 Bxg2 27.Kxg2 Qc6+ is equal.
• 24...dxc4!? 25.dxc4 Ne6 26.Bc3 Qc6 27.Ne3 Nf4 28.Qg4 White continues to enjoy an extra pawn.
• 23.Ne3 cxd5! 24.Nxd5 Bxd5 25.cxd5 Rac8 26.Qf3 White still has an extra pawn, but it is now a weak pawn.
• 21.Bxh6!? bxc4 22.Bxc4 cxd5! 23.Bb3 f5 gives Black the advantage in space, but White still has the extra pawn.

21.cxb5 Qf5

• 21...Ng6 now fails against 22.bxa6 Rxa6 23.b4 d4 24.Rb1 when White still has the pawn.

22.Bxf4 Qxf4 23.bxa6 Rxa6 24.d4 e4

• 24...Rae6? 25.Rxe5 Rxe5 26.Nxe5 gives White a second pawn.

25.Qb3 Ba8

• If 25...Rb8 26.Qe3 Qc7 27.Rec1 then:
• 27...Qd6 28.Rc3 Qb6 29.Rb3 gives White an extra pawn and the initiative.
• 27...Qb6 28.Rc2 Bd6 29.Rd1 Ra7 30.Ne5 White continues to enjoy an extra pawn.

26.Ne5 Rf6 27.Qe3 Qf5 28.Ng4

• The text move is good in itself in that it shields a pawn can become vulnerable, as will be seen.
• Still, better is 28.f3! exf3 29.Qxf3 Qc2 30.Qe2 Qc7 31.Qb5 when White has an extra pawn, the advantage in space and the initiative.

28...Rfe6 29.Qe2 Rg6 30.Ne3?!

• White misses a very simple tactical stroke.
• 30.b4 Bd6 31.Kf1 Rb8 32.Rab1 Qe6 33.Ne3 maintains White's advantage.

BLACK: Shen Yang
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Zhang Xiaowen
Position after 30.Ng4e3

30...Qxh3!!

• Black has won back her pawn with an advantage in space.

31.Qb5 Rd8 32.Rac1?

• White misses an opportunity to muddy the waters and should now lose quickly.
• 32.b4! Bd6 33.Kf1 Qh2 34.Bxd5 Rg5 35.Qa5 Bc7 is unclear: Whiite again has an extra pawn, but Black still has the advantage in space and the initiative.

32...Bd6 33.Kf1

• 33.Qa5 Rb8 34.Rc2 Qh2+ 35.Kf1 Bf4 36.Bxd5 Bxe3 wins for Black.

33...Qh1+ 34.Ke2

BLACK: Shen Yang
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Zhang Xiaowen
Position after 34.Kf1e2

34...Qh5+!

• This is the position Black wanted.

35.Kf1 Bf4 36.Rc3

• If 36.Qa5 Rb8 37.Bxd5 Rc6 then:
• If 38.Rxc6 Bxc6 then:
• If 39.b4 Bb5+ 40.Bc4 then:
• If 40...Bxe3 41.Bxb5 Bd2 42.Rb1 then:
• 42...Bc3 43.Kg1 Qxb5 44.Qxb5 Rxb5 wins a piece for Black.
• 42...Qh1+ 43.Ke2 Qxb1 44.Kxd2 wins the exchange.
• 40...Bxc4+? 41.Nxc4 Qh1+ 42.Ke2 Qxg2 is equal.
• 39.b3 Bxe3 40.Qc7 Qh1+ 41.Ke2 Bb5+ 42.Kd1 Qh5+ gives Black an extra piece.
• If 38.Rb1 Bxe3 then:
• If 39.Qa7 Bf4 then:
• If 40.Bxf7+ Qxf7 41.Qxf7+ Kxf7 Black has two extra pieces.
• If 40.Bxc6 then after 40...Bxc6 41.a4 e3 42.fxe3 Qh1+ 43.Ke2 Qxg2+ White is soon mated.
• 39.fxe3 Rc2 40.Kg1 Qg4 White is soon mated.

36...Kh7 37.Qa5 Rb8 38.b4 Bxe3 39.Rcxe3

• If 39.Rexe3 Qh1+ 40.Ke2 Rxg2 then:
• 41.Qc7 Qa1 42.Qf4 Rf8 43.Bb3 Rg1 White must surrender a heavy piece in order to avert immediate mate on e1.
• 41.Rg3 Rxg3 42.fxg3 Qh2+ wins the Bishop.

39...Qh1+ 40.Ke2 Qxg2 41.Bxd5

• If 41.Qc7 Rb5 42.Qe5 Qg4+ then:
• 43.Kd2 Qd7 44.Rc1 Rg2 45.Qf4 Rb6 46.Rec3 Rf6 Black must give up the Queen or submit to a quick mate.
• 43.f3 Qg2+ 44.Kd1 Qxa2 45.Qf5 Qb1+ 46.Kd2 Qb2+ is an easy win for Black.

41...Rg5?

• Black almost throws the game away.
• Correct is 41...Rf6 when:
• 42.Rf1 Rc8 43.Bxa8 Rc2+ 44.Kd1 Qxf1+ 45.Kxc2 Qxf2+ wins for Black.
• If 42.Kd1 Rxf2 43.Qxa8 Qg4+ then:
• If 44.R1e2 Rxa8 then:
• If 45.Bxa8 Rxe2 then:
• 46.Bxe4+ Qxe4 47.Kxe2 Qxd4 wins for Black.
• 46.Rxe2 f5 47.Bd5 e3 48.Ba2 Qxd4+ wins.
• 45.Bxe4+ f5 46.Bxa8 Rxe2 47.Rxe2 Qxd4+ wins.
• 44.R3e2 Rxa8 45.Bxa8 e3 46.Bd5 Qxd4+ wins for Black.

42.Qc7?

• Black misses the best line.
• If 42.Qxa8 Rxa8 then:
• 43.Bxe4+ Qxe4 44.Rxe4 Rxa3 45.Rb1 gives White a small advantage with the more remote passer.
• 43.Bxa8?! Qg4+ 44.Kd2 f5 45.b5 Black still has an advantage, but she'll have to work a little harder for the win.

BLACK: Shen Yang
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WHITE: Zhang Xiaowen
Position after 42.Qa5c7

42...Bxd5!!

• The exchange sacrifice caps off the game.
• Also good is 42...Qg4+ 43.Kd2 Rc8 44.Rxe4 Rxc7 45.Rxg4 Rxd5when Black wins a piece.

43.Qxb8 Bc4+ 44.Kd1 Qxf2 45.Qe8 f5 0-1

• If 46.Qc8 then after 46...Rg2 White must surrender her Queen (47.Qxf5+ Qxf5) in order to avert immediate mate on d2.
• Ms. Zhang resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Tan Zhongyi - Zhao Xue, Round 10

Zhao Xue
Photo: ChessBase.com


Tan Zhongyi - Zhao Xue
Chinese Women's Championship, Round 10
Xinghua, 5 June 2009

Est India Game: Queen's Indian Defense (Catalan Opening/Bronstein Variation)

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

• For lines extending from 4...Bb7 see Wang Hao-Zhou Jianchao elswhere on this thread

5.Nbd2

• If 5.b3 then:
• If 5...Bb7 6.Bg2 Bb4+ 7.Bd2 a5 8.0-0 0-0 9.Qc2 then:
• If 9...h6 10.Nc3 Re8 11.Rfe1 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Be4 13.Qb2 d5 14.Bf1 then:
• 14...Bxf3 15.exf3 Nbd7 16.Bd3 a4 17.Rad1 axb3 18.axb3 Ra7 19.f4 Qa8 is equal (Polugaevsky-Anand, Roquebrune, 1992).
• 14...c6 15.Nd2 Bg6 16.a3 Nbd7 17.Rac1 Rb8 18.b4 axb4 19.axb4 Qe7 is equal (Alterman-Korchnoi, Beer Shiva, 1992).
• If 9...d6 10.Nc3 Nbd7 then:
• If 11.Rfd1 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Be4 13.Qb2 c6 14.Bf1 b5 15.Nh4 d5 16.f3 Bg6 then:
• If 17.Nxg6 hxg6 18.cxb5 cxb5 19.e3 Qb6 20.Be1 Rfe8 21.Bf2 b4 22.Rac1 White is maneuvering to restrain Black's Knights and has the better game (Kempinski-Safarli, Euro Ch, Kusadasi, 2006).
• 17.Be1 Qb6 18.cxd5 cxd5 19.Rac1 Rfc8 20.e3 Ne8 21.g4 is equal (Karpov-Istratescu, Rpd Match, Bucharest, 2005).
• If 11.Rfe1 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Be4 13.Qb2 then:
• 13...a4 14.Bf1 Bb7 15.Nd2 c5 16.b4 a3 17.Qb3 cxd4 18.Bxd4 e5 is equal (Topalov-Adams, IT, Frankfurt, 2000).
• 13...Qb8 14.b4 Bxf3 15.exf3 d5 16.Rac1 c6 17.c5 Re8 is equal (Krunoslav-Polugaevsky, IZT, Zagreb, 1987).
• If 5...d5 6.Bg2 then:
• If 6...Bb4+ 7.Bd2 Be7 8.cxd5 exd5 9.0-0 0-0 10.Nc3 Bb7 then:
• If 11.Rc1 Na6 12.Ne5 then:
• 12...Re8 13.Bf4 h6 14.Qd3 c5 15.Qf5 cxd4 16.Nb5 Bc5 17.Nf3 Rxe2 18.Nfxd4 Rxa2 19.Be5 Ne4 20.h4 Qe7 21.Nc3 Rd2 22.Nxe4 dxe4 23.Bxe4 Bxe4 24.Qxe4 is unclear: Black has an extra pawn and White has more space (Hebden-Langeweg, Op, Benidorm, 1992).
• If 12...c5 13.Be3 Re8 then:
• 14.dxc5 Bxc5 15.Bxc5 bxc5 16.Nd3 Qe7 17.Na4 Rac8 18.Qd2 Qxe2 19.Qxe2 Rxe2 20.Naxc5 Nxc5 21.Nxc5 Ba8 22.a4 a5 23.Ne4 Rcc2 24.Bf3 Black resigns (Korchnoi-Diker, Beer Shiva, 1984).
• 14.Nd3 Qd7 15.Na4 cxd4 16.Bxd4 Ne4 17.Nf4 Bf8 18.Nc3 Rad8 19.e3 Nb4 is equal (Topalov-Kramnik, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2004).
• If 11.Qc2 Na6 then:
• 12.Rfd1 Qc8 then:
• 13.Bg5 Rd8 14.Rac1 Qe6 15.Qb2 c5 16.e3 h6 17.Bxf6 Bxf6 18.Qd2 Rac8 19.dxc5 bxc5 gives Black the advantage in space (K. Georgiev-Grooten, Op, Gibraltar, 2007).
• 13.Bf4 Rd8 14.Ng5 Qd7 15.Be5 g6 16.Bh3 Qe8 17.Qc1 c5 18.a4 Nh5 19.Ne6 Bc8 20.Nxd8 Bxh3 21.Nb7 Qc6 22.e4 dxe4 23.d5 Qxb7 24.d6 Bf8 25.Nd5 Be6 is equal (Kramnik-Ivanchuk, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2007).
• 12.Bf4 Re8 13.Rfd1 c6 14.Ne5 h6 15.a3 Nc7 16.e4 Ne6 17.Be3 Bf8 18.b4 Rc8 is equal (Grischuk-Gelfand, World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk, 2007).
• If 6...dxc4 7.Ne5 Bb4+ 8.Kf1 Bd6 9.Nxc4 Nd5 10.e4 Ne7 11.Bb2 Nbc6 12.Nbd2 then:
• If 12...e5 13.d5 Nd4 14.Nf3 c5 15.Kg1 Bxc4 16.bxc4 0-0 then:
• 17.h4 Nc8 18.Bh3 Re8 19.Kg2 Bf8 20.Rc1 Nd6 21.Re1 Rb8 is equal (Huzman-Kasparov, SX, Tel Aviv, 1998).
• 17.Bh3 Re8 18.Kg2 Nc8 19.a4 Bf8 20.Rc1 Nd6 21.Re1 g6 22.Nxd4 cxd4 23.f4 gives White the advantage in space (Devereaux-Jonsson, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• 12...0-0 13.Kg1 b5 14.Nxd6 cxd6 15.h4 Qb6 16.h5 h6 17.d5 Ne5 18.Nf1 b4 19.Bd4 Qa5 20.Ne3 Rac8 21.Rh4 Rc7 22.Qd2 Rc3 23.Bxc3 bxc3 24.Qd4 leaves White an exchange to the good (Kasparov-Gelfand, IT, Novgorod, 1997).
• If 5...Bb4+ 6.Bd2 then:
• If 6...Be7 7.Bg2 c6 then:
• If 8.Bc3 d5 then:
• If 9.Ne5 Nfd7 10.Nxd7 Nxd7 11.Nd2 0-0 12.0-0 then:
• If 12...f5 13.Rc1 then:
• If 13...Nf6 14.Bb2 then:
• 14...Bd6 15.Nf3 Qe7 16.Ne5 Rac8 17.Nd3 Rfd8 is equal (Kramnik-Anand, Amber Rapid, Nice, 2008).
• 14...Rc8 15.Rc2 c5 16.dxc5 Bxc5 17.Bxf6 Qxf6 18.cxd5 Rfd8 19.Nc4 Bb7 20.Rd2 Bb4 21.Rd3 b5 22.Ne3 gives White an extra pawn, but Black has more than enough of a space advantage to compensate for it.(Polaczek-Veenstra, cyberspace, 1999).
• 13...Rc8 14.Bb2 Bd6 15.a3 Qe7 16.Rc2 Nf6 17.Qc1 Kh8 18.e3 Ne4 19.Rd1 Bb7 20.b4 Bb8 21.Bf1 Qe8 22.a4 a6 gives Black a small edge in space (Karpov-Z. Almasi, IT, Biel, 1996).
• If 12...Rc8 13.e4 then:
• If 13...b5 14.Re1 dxe4 then:
• 15.Nxe4 bxc4 16.Qe2 Rb8 17.Bf1 Qc8 18.bxc4 Nb6 19.Nd2 Na4 20.Ba5 c5 gives Black a small advantage in space (Adams-Mamedyarov, IT, Sofia, 2007).
• 15.Bxe4 bxc4 16.bxc4 c5 17.d5 exd5 18.Bxd5 Bf6 19.Rc1 Bxc3 20.Rxc3 Nf6 21.Bf3 Rc7 22.Nb3 Qxd1 23.Rxd1 Bc8 24.Kg2 h6 25.Rd6 Be6 26.Na5 Rb8 27.Rb3 draw (Timoshenko-V. Gurevich, Op. Mainz, 1995).
• 13...c5 14.exd5 exd5 15.dxc5 dxc4 16.c6 cxb3 17.Re1 b2 18.Bxb2 Nc5 19.Nc4 Bxc4 20.Qg4 Bg5 21.Qxc4 Nd3 22.Be5 Nxe1 23.Rxe1 Bf6 24.Bxf6 Qxf6 25.c7 Qd6 gives Black the exchange, but White space advantage compensates for it.(Sasikiran-Shirov, IT, Foros, 2007).
• 12...Nf6 13.e4 b5 14.Re1 dxe4 15.Qc2 Rb8 16.Rad1 Qc8 17.Bf1 bxc4 18.bxc4 c5 19.Nxe4 cxd4 20.Nxf6+ Bxf6 21.Bxd4 Bxd4 22.Rxd4 Qc5 is equal (Kallai-Adams, French ChT, Montpellier, 2001).
• If 9.Nbd2 Nbd7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Re1 c5 12.e4 then:
• If 12...dxe4 13.Nxe4 then:
• 13...Bb7 14.Nfg5 cxd4 15.Bxd4 Qc7 16.Nxf6+ Bxf6 17.Bxb7 Qxb7 18.Ne4 Bxd4 19.Qxd4 Rad8 20.Rad1 Qa8 21.Qc3 Nb8 22.Nf6+ gxf6 23.Qxf6 Rxd1 24.Qg5+ Kh8 25.Qf6+ draw (Schandorff-B. Socko, Ol. Bled, 2002).
• 13...Nxe4 14.Rxe4 Bb7 15.Re3 Bf6 16.dxc5 Bxc3 17.Rxc3 Nxc5 18.b4 Qf6 19.Qd4 Ne4 20.Qxf6 gxf6 21.Rd3 Rfc8 22.Nd2 f5 23.Re1 Rab8 24.Nxe4 draw (Cu. Hansen-Timman, IT, Malmö, 2001).
• 12...dxc4 13.Nxc4 Bb7 14.e5 Nd5 15.Bb2 b5 16.Ne3 N7b6 17.dxc5 Bxc5 18.Nxd5 Bxd5 19.Qe2 b4 20.Rac1 Qe7 21.Rc2 Rfc8 22.Rec1 Qf8 23.Qb5 is equal (Boychev-Cordoba, World Youth, Belfort, 2005).
• If 8.0-0 d5 9.Qc2 Nbd7 10.Rd1 0-0 11.Bf4 Rc8 12.Nc3 then:
• If 12...Nh5 13.Bc1 then:
• 13...f5 14.e3 Qe8 15.Bb2 g5 16.Ne2 Ng7 17.Ne5 h5 18.h3 Nf6 19.Nc1 Ne4 20.Ncd3 Bb7 is equal (Sakaev-Grigoriants, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2006).
• 13...Nhf6 14.Bf4 Nh5 15.Bc1 Nhf6 16.Bf4 is a draw by repetition that has been played more than once.
• If 12...h6 then:
• 13.e4 dxc4 14.Nd2 b5 15.bxc4 bxc4 16.Na4 c5 17.d5 exd5 18.exd5 Nh5 19.Be3 Bf6 20.Rab1 Bd4 21.Ne4 Bxe3 22.fxe3 Qe7 23.Nac3 Nhf6 24.Kh1 Nxe4 25.Nxe4 Nb6 26.a4 Rfd8 is equal (Yevseev-Lugovoi, Muni Ch, St. Petersburg, 2004).
• 13.h3 Nh5 14.Bc1 f5 15.a4 Bd6 16.a5 bxa5 17.Ba3 Bxa3 18.Rxa3 dxc4 19.Rda1 c5 20.Rxa5 cxd4 21.Nxd4 cxb3 22.Qxb3 Bc4 23.Qd1 gives White a modest advantage in space (Grischuk-Tomashevsky, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2007).
• If 6...Bxd2+ 7.Qxd2 c6 8.Bg2 d5 9.0-0 0-0 then:
• If 10.Ne5 Nfd7 11.Nxd7 Nxd7 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.Nc3 Nf6 14.Rac1 Qd6 15.Rc2 Rac8 16.Rfc1 Rc7 then:
• 17.Nb1 Rfc8 18.Rxc7 Rxc7 19.Rxc7 Qxc7 draw (Tal-Ivkov, IT, Sarajevo, 1966).
• 17.Bf1 Qe7 18.e3 Bxf1 19.Kxf1 Qd7 20.a4 Rfc8 21.Nb5 Rxc2 22.Rxc2 Ne4 23.Qc1 Rxc2 24.Qxc2 g6 25.Ke2 Nd6 26.Nxd6 Qxd6 27.f4 draw (Bagirov-Razuvaev, Soviet Ch cycyle, Fruze, 1979).
• 10.Rc1 Nbd7 11.Qb2 c5 12.cxd5 exd5 13.Nc3 Re8 14.Rd1 Bb7 15.e3 Qe7 16.Rac1 Nf8 17.Nh4 Red8 is equal (Chernin-Razuvaev, Rapid, Tilburg, 1994).

5...c5

• If 5...Bb4 6.Qc2 Bb7 7.Bg2 Be4 then:
• If 8.Qd1 0-0 9.0-0 Bxd2 10.Qxd2 then:
• If 10...a5 11.b3 d6 12.Bb2 Nbd7 13.Qc3 a4 then:
• 14.Bh3 c5 15.Rad1 Qe7 16.b4 cxb4 17.Qxb4 Bxf3 18.exf3 b5 19.d5 e5 20.cxb5 Nb6 21.Qc3 Nfxd5 22.Qc6 Rac8 23.Bxc8 Rxc8 24.Qxc8+ Nxc8 25.Rxd5 gives White two Rooks for the Queen (Eljanov-Izoria, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• 14.Rac1 Qb8 15.Bh3 b5 16.Nd2 axb3 17.axb3 bxc4 18.bxc4 Ra2 draw (Grachev-Bartel, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).
• 10...d6 11.b3 Nbd7 12.Bb2 Qe7 13.Rac1 Rfe8 14.Bh3 Bb7 15.Rfe1 h6 16.Rcd1 a5 17.Qc2 Rad8 18.e4 e5 19.Bg2 gives White a small advantage in space (Mamedyarov-Adams, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2007).
• If 8.Qb3 Bxd2+ 9.Bxd2 0-0 10.0-0 d6 11.Rfd1 Nbd7 12.Rac1 Qe7 13.Qa3 a5 14.Bh3 Rfe8 15.Be3 then:
• 15...h6 16.Nd2 Bb7 17.c5 dxc5 18.dxc5 Bd5 19.cxb6 Qxa3 20.bxa3 cxb6 gives Black better pawn structure and he threatens to win a pawn (Timman-Salov, World Cup, Rotterdam, 1989).
• 15...Bb7 16.Nh4 h6 17.f3 c5 is equal (Evdokimov-Eljanov, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).
• If 5...d5 6.Bg2 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 then:
• If 8.Ne5 Bb7 9.Qc2 c5 10.dxc5 then:
• If 10...bxc5 then:
• 11.Nb3 a5 12.cxd5 exd5 13.Bf4 Qb6 14.Rad1 Re8 15.Nd2 Bf8 16.e4 g5 17.exd5 gxf4 18.Ndc4 Qa6 19.gxf4 Nbd7 20.Rd3 Bg7 21.Rg3 Nf8 22.f5 Nh5 23.Rg4 Qf6 gives Black the material advantage and the more active game (Timman-Ivanchuk, IT, Tilburg, 1990).
• 11.cxd5 exd5 12.Bh3 Rc7 13.dxc5 bxc5 14.Re1 d4 15.Ba3 Nd5 16.Ne4 Ncb4 17.Qd2 d3 18.Bxb4 Nxb4 19.Bf1 dxe2 20.Bxe2 Rd7 21.Qe3 Nd5 22.Qd2 Nb4 23.Qe3 Nd5 24.Qd2 draw (Lajthajm-Azorov, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).
• 10...Bxc5 11.cxd5 Bxd5 12.e4 Bb7 13.Nb3 Nbd7 14.Nxd7 Nxd7 15.Nxc5 Nxc5 16.Rd1 Qe7 17.b4 Na6 18.a3 Rac8 19.Qe2 Rfd8 20.Bb2 gives White the advantage in space (Nemet-Kunte, Op, Biel, 2001).
• If 8.b3 then:
• If 8...c5 9.Bb2 Nc6 10.Rc1 Rc8 then:
• 11.dxc5 bxc5 12.cxd5 exd5 13.Re1 Re8 14.e4 Nb4 15.e5 Nd7 16.e6 fxe6 17.Rxe6 Nf8 18.Bh3 Rc6 19.Nd4 Rb6 20.Rxb6 Qxb6 21.Nf5 Bf6 22.Qh5 g6 gives Black the advantage in space (Korobov-Iordachescu, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).
• If 8...Bb7 9.Ne5 c5 10.dxc5 Bxc5 11.Bb2 Nc6 12.Nxc6 Bxc6 13.Rc1 Rc8 14.cxd5 Bxd5 15.e4 Bb7 16.Qe2 Nd7 17.e5 Bxg2 18.Kxg2 Be7 19.Nc4 b5 20.Nd6 Rxc1 21.Rxc1 Nxe5 22.Qxe5 Bf6 23.Qxb5 Bxb2 24.Rd1 Ba3 25.b4 Qb8 draw (Leitão-Jakovenko, World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk, 2005).

6.e4

• If 6.Bg2 Bb7 7.e4 cxd4 8.e5 then:
• If 8...Ne4 9.0-0 Nxd2 10.Bxd2 then:
• If 10...Qc7 11.Nxd4 Bxg2 12.Kxg2 Qxc4 13.Rc1 Qd5+ 14.Qf3 Qxf3+ 15.Kxf3 Na6 16.Nb5 Be7 17.Rfe1 f6 18.Bc3 fxe5 19.Bxe5 0-0+ 20.Ke2 d5 21.Rc6 Bf6 22.Bd6 Rfc8 gives Black excellent prospects (Van Gisbergen-van der Wiel, Op, Neremburg, 1994).
• 10...Bxf3 11.Qxf3 Nc6 12.Qxc6 dxc6 13.Bxc6+ Qd7 14.Bxd7+ Kxd7 15.Rfe1 a5 16.Kf1 f5 is equal (Salov-Karpov, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1993).
• 8...Ng4 9.0-0 Qc7 10.Re1 h5 11.h3 Nh6 12.Nxd4 Bxg2 13.Kxg2 Nc6 14.Nb5 Qb7 15.Ne4 Nf5 16.Qf3 a6 17.Nbd6+ Bxd6 18.Nxd6+ Nxd6 19.exd6 Na5 20.b3 Qxf3+ 21.Kxf3 Rc8 22.Be3 Rc6 is equal (M. Petursson-Ornstein, Corres, 1984).

6...d6 7.Bg2 Nbd7

• If 7...Bb7 then:
• If 8.0-0 cxd4 9.Nxd4 then:
• If 9...Qd7 10.a4 then:
• 10...Be7 11.a5 bxa5 12.Re1 Nc6 13.Nxc6 Bxc6 14.Nb3 Rb8 15.Nxa5 Ba8 16.b3 0-0 17.Ba3 e5 18.Qd3 Qe6 19.Red1 Rfd8 (Browne-Henley, Blitz Match, Parsippany, 1999).
• 10...Nc6 11.Nxc6 Bxc6 12.a5 Rb8 13.axb6 axb6 14.Re1 b5 15.cxb5 Bxb5 16.Nb1 Be7 17.Nc3 Bc6 18.e5 dxe5 19.Qxd7+ Bxd7 20.Rxe5 0-0 21.Rea5 Bb4 draw (H. Olafsson-Naiditsch, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• 9...Nbd7 10.Re1 a6 transposes to the text.
• 8.Qe2 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Nc6 10.Nxc6 Bxc6 11.b3 Be7 12.Bb2 Qd7 13.0-0 0-0 14.Rfe1 Rac8 15.Rad1 Qc7 16.Nb1 a6 17.Nc3 Qb7 18.Nd5! gives White the advantage in space (Karavade-Mohotam Asian ChW, Subic Bay, 2009).

8.0-0 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Bb7 10.Re1 a6 11.a4

• If 11.e5 Bxg2 12.exf6 then:
• If 12...Bb7 13.fxg7 Bxg7 14.Ne4 0-0 15.Nxd6 Ne5 16.Nxb7 Qxd4 17.Qxd4 Nf3+ 18.Kf1 Nxd4 19.Rd1 Rab8 20.Nd6 Rfd8 21.Ne4 f5 22.Nc3 Rdc8 is equal (Tregubov-Grooten, Op, Amsterdam, 2001).
• 12...Qxf6 13.Nxe6 fxe6 14.Kxg2 Nc5 15.Ne4 Nxe4 16.Rxe4 Be7 17.Rf4 Qe5 18.Be3 Rf8 19.Bd4 Qa5 20.Rxf8+ Bxf8 21.Qg4 (Browne-Burger, Op, Philadelphia, 1990).

11...Rb8 12.a5 Be7 13.axb6 Qxb6 14.N2b3 0-0 15.Be3!?

• 15.Na5 Ba8 16.b4 Rfc8 17.Be3 Qd8 18.b5 Ne5 19.Ndc6 Nxc6 20.Nxc6 Bxc6 21.bxc6 Rb4 22.Qe2 e5 23.Rxa6 draw (Sakaev-Anastasian, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).

15...Qc7

• The game is equal.

16.Bd2 Ne5 17.Rc1 Rfc8

• 17...Rfe8 18.Ba5 Qd7 19.f4 Nc6 20.Bc3 Nxd4 21.Nxd4 remains equal.

18.Qe2 Ba8 19.Rc2

• 19.Ba5 Qa7 20.Bh1 Nfd7 21.Red1 Bf6 22.Rc2 Ng6 gives White the advantage in space.

19...Ned7 20.Na5 Nc5 21.e5

• 21.f3 Bd8 22.Ra1 Qb6 23.Qe3 Nb7 remains equal.

21...dxe5 22.Ndc6 e4

• 22...Rb6 23.Nxe7+ Qxe7 24.Bxa8 Rxa8 25.b4 Ncd7 remains equal.

23.Nxb8 Rxb8 24.Ra1 Nd3 25.c5!?

• The pawn just moved to a square cover by three Black pieces and relinquished control of d5.
• 25.Bg5 Qe5 26.Be3 Bd6 27.Ra2 Bc7 Black continues to enjoy the advantage in space.

BLACK: Zhao Xue
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Tan Zhongyi
Position after 25.c4c5

25...Bd5

• Black takes immediate advantage of White's misplay to activate her Bishop.
• If 25...Bxc5 26.Be3 Rb5 then:
• 27.Nc4 Bb7 28.Na3 Ra5 29.Rd1 Qe7 is equal.
• If 27.Nb3 then after 27...Rxb3 28.Bxc5 Nxc5 29.Qc4 Nd5 Black enjoys a material advantage and a solid defense.

26.b4

• White cannot waste time. The pawn advance was a big commitment.
• 26.c6! Bc5 27.Bf4 Nxf4 28.gxf4 Bd6 29.Qxa6 Bxf4
• If 27...Ne5? then after 28.Rxc5 g5 29.Bxe5 Qxe5 30.c7 White wins.

26...h5!?

• Other than to make a luft for Black's King, this move does not have a point. White is too active on the queenside for Black to think about a kingside attack.
• If 26...Nxb4 27.Bxb4 Rxb4 28.Qxa6 Bxc5 29.Nc6 then:
• 29...Qxc6! 30.Qxc6 Bxc6 31.Rxc5 Be8 remains equal.
• 29...Bxc6?! 30.Rxc5 Rb6 31.Qa8+ Bxa8 32.Rxc7 gives White the active game.

27.Nc4 Nxb4 28.Bxb4 Rxb4 29.Nb6?!

• White should play to the center.
• 29.Nd6 Bxd6 30.cxd6 Qxd6 31.Rxa6 Rb1+ 32.Bf1 Qd7 remains equal.

29...Bb7

• This is a bit passive/
• More active and better is 29...Bb3 30.Rcc1 Bxc5 31.Na8 Qc6 when Black need only shut down White's counterplay to win.

30.Qd2 Rb5 31.Rac1 Bc6?

• Black misses 31...Rxc5 32.Rxc5 Bxc5 33.Na4 Qd6 34.Qxd6 Bxd6 with a material advantage.

32.Bf1!

• White turns the game around. She threatens to win the exchnage.

BLACK: Zhao Xue
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WHITE: Tan Zhongyi
Position after 32.Bg2f1

32...Ng4!?

• Black ignores the threat, lets White have the exchange and seeks counterplay on the kingside.

33.Bxb5 e3

• Black sacrifices the pawn in order to open attack lane to the White King.
• 33...axb5?! 34.Qf4 Ne5 35.Kg2 g5 36.Qe3 Nd3 is equal.

34.fxe3 axb5 35.e4?!

• One can only surmise that White is in terrible time trouble to make the kinds of mistakes she makes here and on the next move. White's advantage has vanished.
• 35.Qd4 Bg5 36.Re2 maintains a strong game for White.

BLACK: Zhao Xue
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WHITE: Tan Zhongyi
Position after 35.e3e4

35...Qe5!

• Black puts her Queen in the center of Black's growing chaos./li]

36.Nd5??

• The text move is an obvious blunder.
• 36.Qb4 holds on with equality.

36...exd5 37.exd5 Bxd5 38.Re1 Qf5 39.Rc3

• 39.Rxe7 Qf3 40.Qxd5 (otherwise Black mates on the next move) 40...Qxd5 leaves White no point in continuing./li]

39...Bc4 40.Rxc4 bxc4 41.h3

• 41.Kg2 c3 42.Qe2 Bxc5 puts White in a mating net.

41...Bxc5+ 42.Kg2 Nf6

• A quicker win results from 42...Nf2 43.Qf4 Qxh3+ 44.Kf3 Nd3.

43.Re2 Nd5 44.Qa5

• If 44.Re8+ then after 44...Kh7 45.Qe2 f6 46.Qf3 Kg6 47.Qxf5+ Kxf5 Black's material advantage triumphs.

44...Bb6 45.Qa8+ Kh7 46.Qc6 Qd3 47.Qe8 Ne3+ 48.Kf3 0-1

• Ms. Tan resigns without waiting for Ms. Zhao to play 48...Qf5#.

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Wang Jue - Tan Zhongyi, Round 4

Tan Zhongyi
Photo: ChessBase.com


Wang Jue - Tan Zhongyi
Chinese Women's Championship, Round 4
Xinghua (4), 29 May 2009

Moorish Game: Dragon Defense (Imperial Opening) (Pirc Defense)

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6

• On a personal note, this isn't my favorite opening. It's very much like a King's Indian Defense to play against 1.e4, but it lacks much of the complexity and dynamism of the KID. Since White refrains from playing c2c4, White is more inclined to play in the center of the Moorish Dragon rather than on the queenside, as she would in the KID. Also in contrast to the KID, Black may also be less inclined to play on the kingside in this opening, especially if White opts for the Austrian Opening (see next note).

4.Nf3

• The text is the main line or Imperial Opening, commonly called the Classical Variation.
• Austrian Opening: If 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Bd3 then:
• If 6...Na6 7.0-0 c5 8.d5 Bg4 9.Bc4 Nc7 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Qxf3 then:
• 11...a6 12.a4 b6 13.Qd3 e6 14.f5 exd5 15.exd5 Nd7 16.Bf4 Ne5 17.Bxe5 Bxe5 18.Rae1 Bxc3 19.bxc3 Qg5 20.Re4 Rae8 21.Ref4 Re1 22.Rxe1 Qxf4 23.Re7 Re8 is equal (Georgiadis-Peralta, Op, Athens, 2006).
• 11...e6 12.dxe6 fxe6 13.Be3 b6 14.Rad1 Qe7 15.Rfe1 Kh8 16.Bc1 Rad8 17.a4 Nd7 18.Qg4 Bd4+ 19.Kh1 Nf6 20.Qf3 Nh5 is equal (Levushkina-I. Marin, Euro ChW, Plovdiv, 2008).
• If 6...Nc6 then:
• If 7.e5 7...dxe5 8.fxe5 Nh5 9.Be3 Bg4 10.Be2 f6 11.exf6 exf6 12.0-0 Re8 13.Qd2 then:
• 13...f5 14.Bc4+ Kh8 15.Ng5 Bxd4 16.Nf7+ Kg7 17.Nxd8 Bxe3+ 18.Qxe3 Rxe3 19.Nxc6 bxc6 20.h3 Bxh3 21.gxh3 Rb8 22.Rae1 Rg3+ 23.Kh2 Rxb2 24.Ne2 Rxc2 25.Rc1 Rgc3 26.Rxc2 Rxc2 27.Rc1 Rxc1 28.Nxc1 Nf4 29.Nb3 Nd5 draw (J. Boehm-Weber, IT, Suedlohn, 1981).
• 13...Bxf3 14.Bxf3 f5 15.Nd5 Qd7 16.c3 Nd8 17.Bxh5 Qxd5 18.Bf3 Qb5 19.Rfe1 Nf7 20.Bf4 Nd6 21.Rxe8+ Rxe8 22.Re1 gives White more freedom (Ambroz-Shpilker, Op, Prague, 1979).
• If 7.0-0 then:
• If 7...Bg4 8.e5 dxe5 9.dxe5 Nd5 10.h3 Nxc3 11.bxc3 Bf5 then:
• 12.Be3 f6 13.Bxf5 gxf5 14.Qe2 Qd5 15.Rfd1 Qe6 16.Nd4 Nxd4 17.cxd4 fxe5 18.dxe5 Rfd8 19.Qf3 b6 20.Rd3 Rac8 21.Qd1 Rxd3 22.Qxd3 Kf7 23.c4 Rg8 draw (Petran-Matulovic, IT, Borovo, 1980).
• 12.Bxf5 gxf5 13.Qe2 Qd5 14.Be3 Rfd8 15.Rfd1 Qa5 16.Nd4 Nxd4 17.cxd4 c6 18.g4 is equal (Ipek-Brionne, Euro Jr Ch, Groningen, 1981).
• If 7...e5 8.fxe5 dxe5 9.d5 then:
• 9...Ne7 10.Nxe5 c6 11.Bg5 cxd5 12.Bxf6 Qb6+ 13.Kh1 Bxf6 14.Nxd5 Nxd5 15.Nc4 Qd8 16.exd5 b5 17.Na5 Bh4 18.b4 Qxd5 19.c4 bxc4 20.Bxc4 Qe5 21.Qb3 gives White fewer weaknesses (Bryson-McNab, Scottish Ch, Aberdeen, 2001).
• 9...Nd4 10.Nxe5 Nxd5 11.Nxd5 Bxe5 12.Bf4 Nc6 13.Qd2 Be6 14.Bh6 Bxb2 15.Rab1 Bd4+ 16.Kh1 Bxd5 17.exd5 Qxd5 18.Bxf8 Rxf8 is equal (Karjakin-T. L. Petrosian, IT, Taiyuan, 2005).

4...Bg7 5.h3

• If 5.Be2 0-0 6.0-0 then:
• If 6...c6 7.a4 then:
• If 7...Nbd7 8.h3 Qc7 9.Be3 b6 then:
• 10.Nd2 Bb7 11.f4 a6 12.e5 Ne8 13.Nce4 c5 14.c3 Bh6 15.exd6 Nxd6 16.Nxd6 exd6 17.Bf3 d5 18.g3 Rfe8 19.Bf2 Nf6 gives Black the advantage in space (Krajcovic-Oral, Slovakian Ch, Trencin, 1995).
• If 10.Qd2 Bb7 11.Bh6 a6 12.Bxg7 Kxg7 then:
• 13.Qe3 e5 14.dxe5 dxe5 15.Nh4 b5 is equal (Roos-Hoffmann, French ChT, Bischwiller, 2001).
• 13.Bd3 e5 14.dxe5 dxe5 15.Qe3 b5 16.Nd2 Rfe8 is equal (Zainuddin-Ehlvest, Op, Bali, 2000).
• 7...a5 8.h3 Na6 9.Be3 Nb4 10.Nd2 transposes into the text.
• If 6...Bg4 7.Be3 Nc6 then:
• If 8.Qd2 e5 then:
• If 9.d5 Ne7 10.Rad1 Bd7 11.Ne1 Ng4 12.Bxg4 Bxg4 13.f3 Bd7 14.f4 Bg4 then:
• 15.Nf3 f5 16.fxe5 dxe5 17.h3 Bxf3 18.Rxf3 Nc8 19.exf5 gxf5 20.Bh6 Nd6 21.Re1 Qh4 22.Bxg7 draw (Geller-Thipsay, IT, New Delhi, 1987).
• 15.Rb1 c6 16.h3 Bd7 17.fxe5 dxe5 18.Bc5 cxd5 19.Nxd5 Nxd5 20.Bxf8 Qb6+ 21.Kh1 Rxf8 22.exd5 Bb5 23.Rf3 e4 24.Rb3 leaves White up by an exchange (Torre-Chandler, Asian GM, Penang, 1978).
• 9.dxe5 dxe5 10.Rad1 Qc8 11.Qc1 Rd8 12.Rxd8+ Qxd8 13.Rd1 Qf8 14.h3 Bxf3 15.Bxf3 Rd8 16.Nb5 Rxd1+ 17.Qxd1 Qb8 18.c3 Bf8 19.Bg5 Be7 20.Bxf6 Bxf6 21.Qd7 Qd8 22.Bg4 h5 23.Qxd8+ Bxd8 24.Bc8 b6 25.Bb7 Na5 26.Ba6 Nc6 27.Bb7 draw (Ivanchuk-Azmapairashvili, IT, Tallinn, 1986).
• If 8.d5 Bxf3 9.Bxf3 Ne5 10.Be2 c6 then:
• 11.a4 Qa5 12.Ra3 Rfc8 13.Rb3 Rab8 14.Qd4 c5 15.Qd2 a6 16.f3 Ned7 17.Rb1 is equal (Ehlvest-M. Gurevich, IT, Reggio Emilia, 1989).
• 11.f4 Ned7 12.dxc6 bxc6 13.Qd3 Qa5 14.a3 Rfb8 15.b4 Qc7 16.Bf3 a6 17.Rfd1 gives White the advantage in space (Blatny-M. Gurevich, IT, Antwerp, 1994).
• 5.Bc4 0-0 6.0-0 then:
• If 6...c6 7.Bb3 Bg4 8.h3 Bxf3 9.Qxf3 Nbd7 then:
• 10.Be3 e5 11.dxe5 dxe5 12.Rad1 Qe7 13.Rd2 Nb6 14.Rfd1 Rfd8 15.Bc5 Qe8 16.Rd3 gives White the advantage in space (Garbett-Green, North Island Ch, New Plymouth (New Zealand), 1976).
• 10.Bg5 Qa5 11.Be3 c5 12.Ne2 cxd4 13.Bxd4 Nc5 14.Nc3 Nfd7 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.Qg3 Nf6 17.Rae1 Nxb3 18.axb3 is equal (Domnitz-Czerniak, IT, Netanya, 1973).
• If 6...Nxe4 7.Nxe4 d5 8.Bd3 dxe4 9.Bxe4 Nd7 10.c3 c5 then:
• 11.Bc2 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Nc5 13.Qe2 Ne6 14.Nxe6 Bxe6 15.Be3 Qc7 16.Bb3 Bxb3 17.axb3 a6 18.b4 b5 19.Bc5 Rfe8 20.Rfd1 e6 21.Qf3 gives White the advantage in space (Chiburdanidze-Akhmilovskaya, Candidates' MW, Tallinn, 1977).
• 11.Bg5 Nf6 12.Bc2 Qb6 13.Qc1 cxd4 14.Nxd4 e5 15.Nb3 Nd5 16.Bh6 Be6 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.Re1 f6 is equal (Lechtynsky-Sax, Keres Mem, Tallinn, 1979).

5...0-0 6.Be3 c6 7.a4 a5

• 7...d5 8.e5 Ne4 9.Nxe4 dxe4 10.Ng5 c5 11.dxc5 Qc7 12.Nxe4 Qxe5 13.Nc3 Nc6 14.Bb5 Rd8 15.Qe2 Be6 16.Bxc6 bxc6 17.0-0 Rdb8 18.Nd1 Qe4 is equal (Smyslov-Speelman, IT, Hastings, 1988).

8.Nd2 Na6 9.Be2 Nb4

• 9...c5 10.dxc5 Nxc5 11.e5 Ne8 12.exd6 Bxc3 13.Bxc5 exd6 14.Ba3 Bb4 15.c3 Bxa3 16.Rxa3 Nf6 17.0-0 d5 18.Nf3 Re8 19.Bd3 Bd7 is equal (Morozevich-Piket, Donner Mem, Amsterdam, 1995).

10.0-0 Re8!?

• 10...d5 11.e5 Ne8 12.Na2 Nxa2 13.Rxa2 f6 14.f4 b6 15.c3 Ba6 16.Bxa6 Rxa6 17.h4 Qd7 is equal (Kotronias-Ftacnik, Op, Lisbon, 2001).
• 10...Ne8 11.f4 f5 12.e5 Nc7 13.Kh1 Ncd5 14.Bg1 Bh6 15.Bc4 dxe5 16.dxe5 Kh8 is equal (Oral-Strikovic, Rodríguez Peña Mem, Ourense, 2007).

11.Ncb1

• The game is equal.

11...e5 12.c3 exd4

• If 12...Na6 13.dxe5 Rxe5 then:
• 14.Nc4 Rxe4 15.Qxd6 Qxd6 16.Nxd6 Re6 remains equal.
• 14.Bd4 Re7 15.Bf3 Be6 16.Na3 d5 remains equal.

13.Bxd4 Na6 14.Bf3 Be6 15.Na3 Nd7

• 15...d5 16.exd5 Nxd5 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.Re1 remains equal.

16.Ndc4

• If 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.Ndc4 then:
• 17...Ne5 18.Nxd6 Nxf3+ 19.Kh1 Ng5 20.Nxe8+ Qxe8 21.Qd4+ remains equal.
• 17...d5 18.exd5 cxd5 19.Nd6 Re7 20.Bxd5 Ndc5 21.Nab5 gives White the advantage in space.

16...Ne5 17.Be2 Nxc4

• If 17...Bxc4 18.Nxc4 then:
• 18...Nc5 19.Bxc5 dxc5 20.Nd6 Re6 remains equal.
• 18...Nxc4 19.Bxc4 Bxd4 20.Qxd4 Nc5 21.Rfe1 Qe7 22.f3 gives White the advantage in space.

18.Bxc4

• If 18.Nxc4 then:
• 18...Bxc4 19.Bxc4 Rxe4 20.Bxf7+ then:
• If 20...Kh8 21.Bxg7+ Kxg7 22.Bb3 Qf6 remains equal.
• 20...Kxf7?? 21.Qf3+! Bf6 22.Qxe4 wins for White.
• 18...Nc5? 19.f3 Qe7 20.Bxg7 Kxg7 21.Nxd6 Red8 22.Qd4+ gives White a comfortable advantage in space.

18...Bxd4 19.Qxd4 Nc5 20.Rae1 Qh4!?

• White initiates aggression on the kingside based on the lack of protectiion for the pawn on h6.
• 20...Qe7 21.Re3 Rad8 22.Rfe1 b6 remains equal.

21.f4

• If 21.f3 then:
• 21...Rad8 22.Rf2 Qg3 23.Re3 Qf4 24.Rfe2 Qe5 remains equal.
• If 21...Bxh3!? then:
• 22.gxh3 Qg3+ 23.Kh1 Qxh3+ 24.Kg1 Qg3+ draws.
• If 22.Qxd6 Qg5 23.Rf2 Be6 then:
• 24.f4 Qe7 25.e5 Nxa4 26.Qxe7 Rxe7 27.Bxe6 Rxe6 28.Nc4 is unclear: Black has an extra pawn, but White has more space.
• 24.Qd2?! Qxd2 25.Rxd2 Nxa4 26.Red1 b5 27.Bxe6 Rxe6 gives Black an extra pawn on the queenside.

21...Rad8 22.e5?

• The text move fails to close lines for Black from the center to the kingside.
• Correct is 22.f5! Bxc4 23.Nxc4 Rxe4 24.Rxe4 Qxe4 25.Nxa5 Rd7 with equality.

BLACK: Tan Zhongyi
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Wang Jue
Position after 22.e4e5

22...Bxh3!!

• The text move assures Black of a draw, but it gains much, much more.

23.gxh3 Qg3+ 24.Kh1 Qxh3+ 25.Kg1

• If Black did not believe she could win this position, she could force a draw by perpetual check.

BLACK: Tan Zhongyi
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Wang Jue
Position after 25.Kh1g1

25...dxe5!!

• However, she can win this position and sacrifices a second piece to do so.

26.Qxc5 Qg3+ 27.Kh1 Rd2!

• With a bolt of lightening and a clash of thunder, Black threatens mate.

28.Re2

• 28.Be2 Qh3+ 29.Kg1 exf4 30.Qf2 Re3 31.Qh2 Rg3+ wins for Black.

28...Qh3+ 29.Kg1

BLACK: Tan Zhongyi
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Wang Jue
Position after 29.Kh1g1

29...Qg4+!

• Black gets her sacrificed material back with a profit.

30.Kf2

• 30.Kh1 Rxe2 31.Bxe2 Qxe2 32.Qf2 Qe4+ 33.Kh2 exf4 gives Black four pawns against an off-sided Knight.

30...exf4 31.Rfe1 f3 32.Kf1

• 32.Bxf7+ Kxf7 33.Qc4+ Qxc4 34.Nxc4 Rdxe2+ 35.Rxe2 fxe2 wins for Black.

32...fxe2+ 33.Kf2 Qh4+ 0-1

• Black wins the Rook.
• Ms. Wang resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Games from elsewhere

Castle, Malmø
Photo: Laser International

[Jack Rabbit]

12. Hillarp Persson - Sokolov, Malmø, Round 1

Ivan Sokolov
ChessBase.com (Spanish Language)

To view this game online:

• Please click here;
• From the menu on the left, select Games;
• From the new page, select Round 1: Java;
• From yet another new page, select Hillarp Person,T - Sokolov,I from the list underneath the board display;;
• Enjoy!

Tiger Hillarp Persson - Ivan Sokolov
17th Sigeman & Co Tournament, Round 1
Malmø, 3 June 2009

English Game: Slav Defense

1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 c6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nc3 a6 5.b3

• 5.d4 b5 is the Chameleon Defense to the Slav Queen's Gambit.

5...g6

• 5...Bf5 6.Bb2 e6 7.Be2 h6 8.0-0 Nbd7 9.d4 Bd6 10.Bd3 0-0 11.Re1 Re8 12.e4 dxe4 13.Nxe4 Nxe4 14.Bxe4 Qf6 15.Qc2 Bxe4 16.Qxe4 Rad8 is equal (Akopian-Svetushin, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• If 5...Bg4 6.Be2 e6 7.Bb2 Nbd7 8.0-0 Bd6 9.d4 0-0 10.h3 Bh5 11.Rc1 Qe7 12.Ne5 Bxe2 13.Nxe2 Ba3 14.Nxd7 Nxd7 15.Bxa3 Qxa3 draw (Grachev-Riazantsev, Op, Minsk, 2005).

6.Bb2 Bg7 7.h3!?

• If 7.Be2 0-0 8.0-0 then:
• 8...b5 9.Ne5 Qd6 10.d4 Nbd7 11.Rc1 dxc4 12.Nxd7 Bxd7 draw (Gavrikov-Hillarp Persson, Op, Gothenburg, 2000).
• 8...Re8 9.d4 Bg4 10.cxd5 Bxf3 11.Bxf3 cxd5 12.b4 e6 13.Qb3 Nbd7 14.Na4 Nb6 15.Nxb6 Qxb6 16.a4 is equal (Roeder-Wirig, Belgian ChT, Belgium, 2006).

7...0-0

• The game is equal.

8.Be2 b5 9.0-0

• 9.d4 Qd6 10.c5 Qe6 11.a3 Nbd7 12.Qc2 Ne4 remains equal.

9...Nbd7 10.Rc1 Bb7 11.d4

• 11.cxd5 cxd5 12.a3 e5 13.d4 e4 14.Ne5 Rc8 remains equal.

11...Rc8 12.c5 b4 13.Na4

• 13.Nb1 a5 14.Nbd2 Ra8 15.Ra1 Ba6 16.a3 remains equal.

13...Qc7!?

• Black allows White some initiative in the hopes he'll press too hard.
• 13...a5 14.Ra1 Ra8 15.a3 Ba6 16.Bxa6 Rxa6 17.Qd3 remains equal.

14.Qe1!?

• White decides to play it safe for now.
• 14.Ra1 a5 15.a3 bxa3 16.Rxa3 Ra8 17.Qc2 gives White a small advantage in space..
• 14.Ne5 Nxe5 15.dxe5 Nd7 16.e6 Nf6 17.Qd4 also gives White a small advantage in space..

14...a5 15.a3 Rb8

• 15...bxa3 16.Bxa3 Rb8 17.Nb6 Nxb6 18.cxb6 Qxb6 19.Bxe7 remains equal.

16.axb4 axb4 17.Bd3

• 17.Ra1 Bc8 18.Bd3 Ne4 19.Qe2 Ra8 20.Ra2 e5 remains equal.

17...Ne4 18.Nd2 f5 19.f4!?

• White allows e4 to become a permanent hole.
• If 19.Nf3 Bc8 20.Ra1 then:
• 20...e5 21.Nxe5 Nxe5 22.dxe5 Bxe5 23.Qe2 remains equal.
• If 20...e6?! 21.Ra2 Re8 22.Qe2 e5 then:
• 23.Bxe4! fxe4 24.Nxe5 Nxe5 25.dxe5 Bxe5 26.Nb6 gives White the more active game.
• 23.Nxe5!? Nxe5 24.dxe5 Bxe5 25.Bxe5 Qxe5 remains equal.

BLACK: Ivan Sokolov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Tiger Hillarp Persson
Position after 19.f2f4

19...Ra8!

• White will fight for control of the queenside; he is confident of holding the center for now.

20.Nxe4

• Black will leave his Knight at e4 all day or until White takes it.
• 20.Nf3 Ba6 then:
• 21.Bxa6 Rxa6 22.Ra1 Qb7 23.Ne5 Nxe5 24.fxe5 Qb5 gives Black the advantage in space.
• 21.Ne5 Nxe5 22.Bxa6 Rxa6 23.fxe5 transposes.

20...fxe4 21.Be2

• 21.Bc2 Ba6 22.Rf2 Qb7 23.Ra1 e6 24.Qd1 Rf5 gives Black the advantage in space.

21...Ba6 22.Bxa6

• 22.Rf2 Bxe2 23.Qxe2 e6 24.Ra1 Qb7 gives Black some activity.

22...Rxa6 23.Rc2

• 23.Qxb4 Rb8 24.Qc3 Qb7 25.Rc2 Qxb3 26.Qxb3 Rxb3 gives Black the initiative.

23...Qb7 24.Bc1 Raa8 25.Rcf2

• If 25.Bd2 e6 26.Bxb4 Rab8 27.Nb6 then:
• 27...Rf7 28.Ba5 Nxb6 29.Bxb6 Ra8 30.Rc1 gives White the advantage in space.
• 27...Rf5 28.Nxd7 Qxd7 29.Ra2 Qb7 30.Bc3 gives White the advantage in space.

25...Bf6!?

• Black tries a waiting move that changes little.
• 25...e6 26.Rc2 Qb5 27.Ra2 Qd3 28.Qd1 Qb1 29.Rff2 is equal.

26.g3?!

• The text move does nothing to alleviate Black's spatial plus.
• 26.Qd1 Kh8 27.Qg4 Bg7 28.f5 gxf5 29.Rxf5 is equal.

BLACK: Ivan Sokolov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Tiger Hillarp Persson
Position after 26.g2g3

26...Rf7!

• Black has the active game.
• 26...Bg7 27.Ra2 e6 28.Bd2 Rf5 then:
• 29.g4 Rff8 30.Qh4 Rf7 31.Rfa1 is equal.
• 29.Bxb4 Rb8 30.Bc3 Qxb3 31.Qd2 Qc4 32.Qe2 is equal.

27.Qe2 Rg7 28.h4

• 28.Qg4 h5 29.Qd1 e6 30.g4 hxg4 31.hxg4 Rh7 gives Black the advantage in space.

28...h6

• If 28...e6 29.Qg4 Kf7 30.Bb2 Qb5 31.Rd2 h5 gives Black the advantage in space.

29.Rh2 e6 30.g4 g5!?

• Black's spatial edge wasn't generating any greater advantage. The game slips into equality.
• 30...Bd8 31.Bb2 Bc7 32.Rh3 Rf8 gives Black a more active game.

31.fxg5 hxg5 32.h5 Rf7 33.Rhf2 Raf8 34.Bb2

• The text is prophylactic against 34...e5 35.Rf5 exd4 36.exd4 when Black is prevented from winning a pawn by the Bishop at b2.

34...Qb8!?

• Black misses a chance to win faster.
• 34...Qc7 is more accurate, since it protects the c-pawn while White cannot effectively attack the b-pawn; if now
• 35.Kg2 Bd8 then after 36.Qa6?! Rxf2+ 37.Rxf2 Rxf2+ 38.Kxf2 Nf6 Black has a strong game.
• 35.Qe1!? Qg3+ 36.Rg2 Qxe1 37.Rxe1 e5 gives Black the advantage in space and better coordinated pieces.

35.Kg2 Bd8 36.Rxf7

• In contrast to the last note, 36.Qa6 Rxf2+ 37.Rxf2 Rxf2+ 38.Kxf2 Nf6 is equal.

36...Rxf7 37.Rxf7 Kxf7 38.Bc1!?

• More accurate is 38.Ba1, keeping the d-pawn overprotected, when 38...Nf6 39.Nb2 Ke8 40.Nd1 e5 41.dxe5 Nd7 is equal.

38...Nf6 39.Kh3

• 39.Nb2 Ke8 40.Nd1 e5 41.dxe5 Qxe5 is strong for Black.

39...Bc7 40.Bd2 e5 41.dxe5?

• Black voluntarily weakens his central pawns and never recovers.
• If 41.Nb6 Bxb6 42.cxb6 then:
• 42...exd4 43.exd4 Qxb6 is equal.
• If 42...Qxb6? then after 43.dxe5 Nd7 44.Qf2+ Ke7 45.Qf5 White should win.

BLACK: Ivan Sokolov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Tiger Hillarp Persson
Position after 41.de5:p

41...Bxe5!

• If 41...Nd7? then 42.Qf1+ Ke7 43.Qf5 Qg8 44.Bxb4 leaves White two pawns to the good.

42.Qa6

• If 42.Nb6 Qe8 43.Qa6 Nxg4 then:
• 44.Qb7+ Kf6 45.Qh7 Nf2+ 46.Kg2 Nd3 47.Nd7+ Ke6 gives Black an extra pawn.
• If 44.Qc8 then after 44...Nf2+ 45.Kg2 Qxc8 46.Nxc8 Nd3 Black eats White's queenside pawns.

42...Qc7 43.Bxb4 Qd7

• If 43...Nxg4! then:
• 44.Qf1+ Nf6 45.Qf5 Qb8 46.Nb6 Qh8 gives White a strong initiative.
• If 44.Kxg4? then after 44...Qd7+! 45.Kxg5 Qe7+ 46.Kg4 Qe6+ 47.Kh4 Qf6+ Black soon delivers mate.

44.Qe2 Nxh5! 45.Nb6 Qe6 46.Qf2+

BLACK: Ivan Sokolov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Tiger Hillarp Persson
Position after 46.Qe2f2+

46...Nf4+!!

• The sacrifice wins faster than 46...Nf6 47.Qf5 Qxf5 48.gxf5 g4+ 49.Kg2 g3.

47.exf4 Qh6+ 48.Kg2

• 48.Kg3 gxf4+ 49.Kg2 f3+ transposes back to the text.

48...gxf4 49.Bd2 f3+!

• Although a piece to the good, White is doomed.

50.Kg1 Qh3 51.Be3 Qxg4+ 52.Kf1 Bg3!

• Black drives the Queen away from the defense of the King.

53.Qa2 Qh3+ 54.Kg1 f2+ 55.Bxf2 Bh2+ 56.Kh1 e3 57.Bg1

• 57.Be1 Bg3+ 58.Kg1 Bxe1 59.b4 Bf2+ wins the Queen.

57...Bg3+!

• Mate is inevitable.
• 57...Bc7+! 58.Bh2 Qf1+ 59.Bg1 e2 also leads to mate.

58.Bh2 Qf1+ 59.Bg1 Bf2 0-1

]
• Tiger resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

13. Naiditsch - Onischuk, Poikovsky, Round 1

Arkadij Naiditsch
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Arkadij Naiditsch - Alex Onischuk
10th Karpov International Tournament, Round 1
Poikovsky, 3 June 2009

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Rat Defense/Derl Opening (Neo-Steinitz Defense)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6

• The Rat Defense usually begins with 4...d6.
• If 4...d6 then:
• If 5.c3 then:
• 5...Bd7 6.d4 then:
• If 6...Nge7 then:
• If 7.Bb3 h6 then:
• If 8.a4 then:
• 8...Ng8 9.Nbd2 Nf6 10.0-0 Be7 11.Re1 Bg4 12.h3 Bh5 13.d5 Nb8 14.Nf1 c6 15.Ng3 Bg6 16.Nh4 Bh7 17.Nhf5 0-0 18.a5 gives White the advantage in space (Sadvakasov-Hess, Foxwoods Op, Mashantucket, 2009).
• 8...Ng6 9.a5 Be7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Nbd2 Bf6 12.Nc4 exd4 13.Nxd4 Re8 14.f3 Nxd4 15.cxd4 d5 16.Ne5 Bxe5 17.dxe5 dxe4 gives Black an extra pawn (Nezhmetdinov-Aratovsky, RSFSR Ch, Yaroslav, 1951).
• If 8.Nbd2 Ng6 9.Nc4 Be7 10.Ne3 Bg5 11.0-0 Bxe3 12.Bxe3 then:
• If 12...Qf6 13.Ne1 Nf4 14.f3 exd4 15.cxd4 Nxd4 16.Bxf4 Nxb3 17.Qxb3 Qxf4 18.Qxb7 Qe3+ is equal (Boleslavsky-Bannik, Soviet Ch, Leningrad, 1956).
• 12...0-0 13.h3 Qe7 14.Nd2 Na5 15.Bc2 Bb5 16.Re1 Nc4 17.Nxc4 Bxc4 18.Qh5 c5 19.d5 Bb5 gives White a slight advantagein space (Morky-Zude, Bundesliga 9495, Germany, 1994).
• If 7.0-0 Ng6 then:
• If 8.Re1 Be7 9.Nbd2 0-0 10.Nf1 then:
• 10...Bg4 11.Bxc6 Nh4 12.N1d2 bxc6 13.h3 Nxf3+ 14.Nxf3 Bxf3 15.Qxf3 Bf6 16.Be3 Qb8 17.Re2 Qb5 18.dxe5 Bxe5 19.Bd4 draw (Smyslov-Medina, IT, Kapfenburg, 1970).
• 10...Nh4 11.Nxh4 Bxh4 12.Be3 Bf6 13.f4 exd4 14.cxd4 Na5 15.Bc2 Nc4 16.Bc1 g6 17.b3 Nb6 18.Bb2 Bg7 19.Ne3 Re8 20.Rb1 gives White a small advamtage in space (Smyslov-Goldenov, Soviet Ch, Leningrad, 1947).
• 8.d5 Nb8 9.Bxd7+ Nxd7 10.c4 Be7 11.Nc3 0-0 12.Be3 h6 13.b4 b6 14.Qc2 Qc8 15.Rfc1 Nf6 16.h3 Nh5 17.c5 bxc5 18.bxc5 Nhf4 19.Bxf4 Nxf4 20.Ne2 gives White a small advamtage in space (Xie Jianjun-Ye Rongguang, IT, Djarkarta, 1994).
• If 6...g6 then:
• If 7.0-0 Bg7 then:
• If 8.dxe5 dxe5 then:
• 9.Qe2 Nge7 10.Rd1 0-0 11.Bg5 Qe8 12.Qd3 Rd8 13.Na3 b5 14.Bb3 Na5 15.Qe3 Nxb3 16.axb3 f6 17.Bh6 Bxh6 18.Qxh6 g5 is equal (Geller-Sliwa, Przepiorka Mem, Szczawno Zdroj, 1957).
• 9.Bg5 Nge7 10.Nbd2 0-0 11.Nb3 Qe8 12.Nc5 Bc8 13.b4 f6 14.Be3 Kh8 15.Nd2 b6 16.Nd3 Bd7 17.Bb3 Rd8 18.Qe2 Nc8 19.Rfd1 Nd6 is equal (Ulibin-Kholmov, Soviet Ch qual, Pinsk, 1986).
• 9.Be3 Nf6 10.Nbd2 Qe7 11.b4 b6 12.Bb3 0-0 13.Re1 h6 14.Qc2 Nh5 15.Bd5 Rab8 16.Nf1 Kh8 17.Qe2 a5 18.a3 Qe8 19.Ng3 Nf6 20.Ba2 Be6 21.Bxe6 Qxe6 22.Qa2 Qxa2 23.Rxa2 Ne8 24.b5 Nd8 25.a4 Ne6 is equal (Tseshkovsky-Malaniuk, Soviet Ch, Liev, 1986).
• If 8.Re1 then:
• 8...b5 9.Bb3 Nf6 10.Bg5 h6 11.Bh4 0-0 12.Nbd2 Re8 13.a4 Rb8 14.axb5 axb5 15.dxe5 Nxe5 16.Nxe5 dxe5 17.Nf3 Qc8 18.Bxf6 Bxf6 19.Ra7 Kg7 20.Bd5 Re7 21.b4 c6 is equal (So-Safarli, World Jr Ch, Gaziantep, 2008).
• 8...Nge7 9.d5 Nb8 10.c4 0-0 11.Nc3 h6 12.b4 a5 13.a3 f5 14.Bxd7 Nxd7 15.Bb2 Nf6 16.exf5 gxf5 17.Qb3 gives White the advantage in space (Eslon-Filip, Euro ChT, Stockholm, 1975).
• 7.Bg5 f6 8.Be3 Nh6 9.0-0 Bg7 10.h3 Nf7 11.Nbd2 0-0 12.dxe5 dxe5 13.Bc5 Re8 14.Bb3 b6 15.Be3 Qe7 16.Qe2 Ncd8 17.Bd5 Bc6 18.c4 Bxd5 19.cxd5 f5 is equal (Bogolybov-Alekhine, World Ch M, Amsterdam, 1929).
• If 5...f5 6.exf5 Bxf5 then:
• 7.0-0 Bd3 8.Re1 Be7 9.Bc2 Bxc2 10.Qxc2 Nf6 11.d4 e4 12.Ng5 d5 13.f3 h6 14.Nh3 0-0 15.Nd2 exf3 16.Nxf3 Rf7 17.Nf2 Bd6 18.Bd2 Qf8 19.Qg6 Ne7 20.Qd3 Qc8 21.Re2 Qf5 22.Qxf5 Nxf5 23.Rae1 Re7 24.Rxe7 Nxe7 25.Nd3 Ng6 26.Bc1 Ne4 27.Nd2 Nf6 28.Nf3 Ne4 29.Nd2 Nf6 draw (Asrian-S. B. Hansen, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).
• If 7.d4 e4 8.Ng5 d5 9.f3 then:
• 9...h6 10.fxe4 hxg5 11.exf5 Bd6 12.Nd2 Qf6 13.Bc2 0-0-0 14.Nf3 Re8+ 15.Kf2 g4 16.Bg5 Qf7 17.Nh4 Qh5 18.Qd2 Be7 19.Bxe7 Ncxe7 20.g3 Nh6 21.Rae1 Nexf5 22.Rxe8+ Rxe8 23.Re1 Rf8 24.Nxf5 Qxh2+ 25.Ke3 Qh3 26.Qf2 Kb8 27.Kd2 Nxf5 28.Bxf5 g6 29.Qf4 Rxf5 30.Re8+ Ka7 31.Qxc7 Rf2+ 32.Re2 Rxe2+ 33.Kxe2 Qg2+ draw (Sarink-Toothill, Corres, 1982).
• If 9...e3 10.f4 Bd6 11.Qf3 Qf6 12.Qxe3+ Nge7 13.Bxc6+ bxc6 14.0-0 0-0 then:
• If 15.Nd2?! Ng6 then:
• If 16.g3? Rae8! 17.Qf2 Bd3 18.Re1 Rxe1+ 19.Qxe1 Bxf4 then:
• 20.gxf4 Nxf4 21.Ndf3 Ne2+ 22.Kg2 h6 23.Qd2 Qf5 24.Qe3 hxg5 25.Bd2 Be4 White resigns as he must lose the Knight (Dr. Euwe-Keres, World Ch Trmt, The Hague-Moscow, 1948).
• 20.Nh3 Bd6 21.Nb3 Bb5 22.Nf2 Nh4 23.gxh4 Qxh4 Black wins back the piece with the White King caught in a mating net.
• 16.Qg3 Bd7 17.Nh3 c5 18.Nb3 cxd4 19.Nxd4 Rae8 gives Black the advantage in space.
• 15.Nf3 Be4 16.Nbd2 Bxf4 17.Qe2 Bxf3 18.Nxf3 gives White the more active game.
• If 5.0-0 Bd7 6.d4 Nxd4 7.Bxd7+ Qxd7 8.Nxd4 exd4 9.Qxd4 then:
• If 9...Ne7 10.Nc3 Nc6 then:
• If 11.Qd3 11...Be7 12.Nd5 0-0 then:
• If 13.Bd2 Rae8 14.Bc3 Bd8 15.Rfe1 Ne5 16.Qg3 Ng6 17.Rad1 then:
• 17...f6 18.h4 f5 19.exf5 Qxf5 gives Black the more active game (Freidel-Hess, US Ch, St. Louis, 2009).
• 17...f5 18.Qh3 Qf7 19.exf5 Rxe1+ 20.Bxe1 Qxf5 21.Qxf5 Rxf5 is equal (Kholmov-Bakulin, Soviet Ch, Kiev, 1964).
• 13.b3 Rae8 14.Bb2 Bd8 15.Rfe1 Ne5 16.Qg3 f5 17.Rad1 Ng6 18.Qh3 c6 19.exf5 draw (Caruana-Jussupow, TT, Amsterdam, 2008).
• 11.Qe3 Be7 12.Nd5 0-0 13.b3 Rae8 14.Bb2 Bd8 15.Rfe1 Re6 16.Qh3 Qe8 17.Qc3 gives White the initiative (Freidel-Korobov, Op, Cappelle la Grande, 2009).
• 9...Nf6 10.Nc3 Be7 11.b3 0-0 12.Bb2 Rae8 13.Rae1 Bd8 14.f4 c6 15.Rd1 Bc7 16.e5 Qd8 17.Na4 is equal (Timman-DeFermian, Donner Mem, Amsterdam, 1996).
• If 5.d4 b5 6.Bb3 Nxd4 7.Nxd4 exd4 then:
• 8.c3 dxc3 9.Nxc3 Nf6 10.0-0 Be7 11.Qf3 Bb7 12.Qg3 0-0 13.Bh6 Ne8 14.f4 Kh8 15.Bg5 f6 16.Bh4 f5 17.Bxe7 Qxe7 18.exf5 Rxf5 19.Rae1 gives White the advantage in space (Yates-Rubinstein, IT, Karlsbad, 1923).
• 8.Bd5 Rb8 9.Bc6+ Bd7 10.Bxd7+ Qxd7 11.Qxd4 Nf6 12.0-0 Be7 13.Nc3 0-0 14.Qd3 Rfe8 15.f3 Rbd8 draw (Bjornsson-Bronstein, IT, Gausdal, 1990).

5.0-0 d6

• For 5...Be7 6.Bxc6 dxc6 see Bartel-T. Kosintseva, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2009.

6.Bxc6+ bxc6 7.d4 exd4 8.Nxd4 c5 9.Nc6

• If 9.Nf3 Be7 then:
• If 10.Nc3 10...0-0 11.Re1 Bb7 12.Bf4 then:
• 12...Re8 13.Qd3 Nd7 14.Nd5 Bf6 15.c3 Nf8 16.Rad1 Ng6 17.Bg3 Be5 18.Nxe5 Nxe5 19.Qc2 draw (Milic-Keres, TT, Belgrade, 1956).
• 12...Rb8 13.b3 Nh5 14.Bd2 f5 15.exf5 Rxf5 16.Qe2 Rf7 17.Ne4 Nf4 18.Bxf4 Rxf4 19.Nxc5 Bxf3 20.gxf3 dxc5 21.Qxe7 Rxf3 22.Rad1 gives White the advantage in space (Spraggett-Anic, IT, Enghien, 1997).
• 10.e5 Nd7 11.Bf4 Nb6 12.c4 0-0 13.Qc2 Bb7 14.Nbd2 f6 15.exd6 cxd6 16.Rad1 Qc8 17.Rfe1 Re8 18.Bg3 Bf8 19.Rxe8 Qxe8 20.Qb3 Qc6 21.Re1 Rd8 22.h3 Bc8 23.Ne4 is equal (Kuipers-Portisch, ZT, Halle, 1967).

9...Qd7 10.Na5 Qb5

• 10...Be7 11.Nc3 0-0 12.b3 Re8 13.Bb2 Bd8 14.Nc4 Bb7 15.f3 a5 16.Re1 Be7 17.Qd2 Qc6 18.Rad1 gives White the advantage in space (Shiyanovsky-Bannik, Avantgard Ch, Kiev, 1963).

11.Bd2!?

• 11.Nb3 Be6 12.Nc3 Qb7 13.Qf3 a5 14.Re1 Be7 15.Nd2 0-0 16.b3 Nd7 17.Bb2 Bf6 18.Na4 Rfe8 is equal (David-Erturan, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).

BLACK: Alex Onischuk
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WHITE: Arkadij Naiditsch
Position after 11.Bc1d2

11...Bg4!?

• This is somewhat inaccurate, as it allows White to strenghten his e-pawn with a gain of time.
• 11...Be6 12.Re1 Qxb2 13.Nc3 Rc8 14.e5 dxe5 15.Rxe5 is equal.

12.f3 Be6 13.c4?!

• The attack on the Queen is premature. White must secure the b-pawn first.
• 13.b3 Be7 14.Nc3 Qxa5 15.Nd5 Qa3 16.Nxc7+ will give White a Rook and a pawn for two minor pieces.

13...Qb6?!

• Black fails to take advantage of White's inaccuracy.
• 13...Qxb2! 14.Bc3 Qb6 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.Qa4+ Bd7 gives Black an extra pawn and the initiative.

14.Bc3!

• There will be no second chance.

14...Be7

• Black weakens the g7 square, which proves his undoing.
• A better plan is to hit on White's weak spot, giving him no time to worry about any weaknesses in Black's position than he can exploit: 14...Rb8! 15.Qd3 Be7 16.Nd2 0-0 17.Nab3 Rfe8 is equal.

15.Nd2

• If 15.Qd3!? c6 then:
• 16.Nd2 0-0 17.Nab3 a5 18.a4 Rfd8 19.Rfe1 d5 is equal.
• If 16.Nb3?! d5 17.Bxf6 dxc4 18.Qc3 Bxf6 then:
• 19.e5 cxb3 20.exf6 bxa2 21.fxg7 Rg8 gives Black an extra pawn.
• 19.Qa5? Rb8 20.e5 Bxe5 21.Qxb6 Rxb6 22.Na5 Bxb2 wins for Black.

15...0-0?

• There is still time for 15...Rb8! 16.Qa4+ Bd7 17.Qc2 0-0 18.Qd3 Rfe8 19.Nab3 Be6, transposing into the note to Black's 14th move.

16.f4!

• Black begins pressuring g7.

16...Ng4

• Black now loses quickly.
• 16...Rab8 17.Qf3 Bg4 18.Qg3 Be2 19.Rfe1 Nh5 20.Qh3 is a more stubborn defense.

17.f5! Ne3

• This is the only move that doesn't lose a piece.

BLACK: Alex Onischuk
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WHITE: Arkadij Naiditsch
Position after 17...Ng4e3

18.Qh5!!

• White must lose the exchange, so he chooses to do so in a way to augments he attack on the enemy King.

18...Nxf1 19.Rxf1 Bd7

• Has Black escaped without losing a piece and even winning the exchange?

20.f6!

• No, the focus is on the still vulnerable g7.

20...Bxf6 21.Rxf6!

• It makes a big difference how the Bishop is recaptured.
• 21.Bxf6? gxf6 22.Ndb3 Rae8 23.Qh4 Re5 24.Qxf6 Bg4 Black has bebuilt his defense and White's attack is in tatters.

21...Rae8

• 21...gxf6 22.Bxf6 h6 23.Qxh6 Qxa5 24.Qg7#.

22.Qg5 Re7 23.Re6 1-0

• Black must lose the Rok or submit to mat at g7.
• Mr. Onischuk resigns.