Reply #7: Inarkiev - Leko, Round 1

[Jack Rabbit]

Peter Leko
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Ernesto Inarkiev - Peter Leko
5th FIDE Grand Prix, Round 1
Jermuk, 9 August 2009

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

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

• With this move, Black announces his intention to play the Marshall Gambit, although he may be bluffing.

8.h3

• 8.c3 allows the Marshall Gambit; see Shabalov-Vescovi, Pan-American Ch, São Paulo, 2009 from last week's report.
• Another anti-Marshall line is the Kasparov Opening: 8.a4 Bb7 9.d3 d6 then:
• If 10.Nc3 Na5 11.Ba2 b4 12.Ne2 c5 13.Ng3 Bc8 14.h3 Rb8 then:
• If 15.Nd2 Be6 16.Nc4 then:
• 16...Nc6 17.f4 exf4 18.Bxf4 Ne8 19.Nf5 Bxf5 20.exf5 Bf6 21.Kh1 Qd7 22.Bh2 Nd4 is equal (Kindermann-Dr. Nunn, Bundesliga, Germany, 1989).
• 16...Nxc4 17.Bxc4 Bxc4 18.dxc4 Ne8 19.Qg4 Kh8 20.b3 Nc7 21.Be3 Ne6 gives White more space, but Black's position is solid (Kissinger-Andresen, Cyberspace, 1998).
• 15.Bd2 Be6 16.Bxe6 fxe6 17.Be3 Qe8 18.c3 bxc3 19.bxc3 Nh5 20.Nxh5 Qxh5 21.Rb1 Qg6 22.Rxb8 Rxb8 23.d4 exd4 24.cxd4 c4 25.d5 Nb3 is equal (Kavalek-Balashov, Buenos Aires, 1980).
• After 10.Nbd2 the Knight plays to g3 via f1, transposing.

8...Bb7

• 8...d6 9.c3 transposes back to the main line of the Spanish Grand Royal Game.

9.d3 d6 10.a3 Qd7

• If 10...Na5 11.Ba2 c5 then:
• If 12.Nbd2 Nc6 13.Nf1 Bc8 14.Ne3 Be6 then:
• 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 25.Rc1 Rxc1 26.Bxc1 Qb8 is equal (Anand-Svidler, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2006).
• 15.Bd5 Bxd5 16.exd5 Nb8 17.b4 Nbd7 18.bxc5 Nxc5 19.d4 exd4 20.Nxd4 Nfe4 21.Nc6 is equal (Z. Almasi-Navara, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2006).
• 12.Nc3 Nc6 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.Bxd5 Qc7 15.c3 Nb8 16.Bxb7 Qxb7 17.d4 Nd7 18.dxe5 dxe5 19.c4 bxc4 20.Qe2 Rfd8 21.a4 Rab8 22.Nd2 Nf8 23.Nxc4 Ne6 24.Nxe5 gives White an extra pawn (Nijboer-Sargissian, Euro Ch, 2003).

11.Nc3

• If 11.Nbd2 Rfe8 12.Nf1 Nd8 13.Ng3 then:
• If 13...Ne6 then:
• 14.Ba2 c5 then:
• If 14...Bd8 15.Nf5 c5 16.Bd2 Bc7 then:
• 15.Bd2 Bf8 16.b4 h6 is equal (Gashimov-Kamsky, Grand Prix, Baku, 2008).
• If 17.Nh2 Nd4 18.Nxd4 cxd4 19.Bg5 Bd8 20.Qd2 h6 gives Black a small edge in space.
• 17.c4 bxc4 18.Bxc4 d5 19.exd5 Bxd5 20.Bxd5 Qxd5 gives Black the lead in space.
• If 14.Ng5 then:
• If 14...c5 15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.c3 Bd8 17.a4 Bb6 18.Be3 Kh8 19.axb5 axb5 20.Rxa8 Rxa8 21.Nh5 Bd8 22.Nxf6 Bxf6 23.Qg4 Bc8 24.Rd1 Qe7 25.Qe2 Bb7 26.Qg4 Bc8 27.Qe2 Bb7 28.Qg4 draw (Leko-Aronian, Amber Blind, Nice, 2008).
• 14...d5 15.Nf5 Bf8 16.Qf3 Nc5 17.Bxd5 Nxd5 18.exd5 Bxd5 19.Ne4 Qe6 20.Bd2 Nd7 21.Ne3 Bb7 22.c4 Rab8 23.b4 g6 24.Qe2 c5 25.Rac1 Rec8 26.Ng5 Qe7 27.Ne4 Qe6 28.Ng5 Qe7 29.Ne4 draw (Shirov-Svidler, Areoflot Op, Moscow, 2007).
• If 14.c3 c5 then:
• If 15.d4 exd4 16.cxd4 d5 then:
• 17.dxc5 dxe4 18.Qxd7 Nxd7 19.c6 Bxc6 20.Nxe4 Bxe4 21.Rxe4 Ndc5 22.Re3 Nxb3 23.Rxb3 Nc5 24.Re3 Bf6 25.Rb1 Rad8 26.Rxe8+ Rxe8 27.Be3 Na4 28.Bd4 Bxd4 29.Nxd4 Re4 is unpromising for both sides; the game was drawn in 74 moves (Shirov-Adams, Candidates' Match, Elista, 2007).
• If 17.e5 Ne4 18.Nf5 Bf8 19.Be3 Rad8 20.Bc2 cxd4 21.N5xd4 g6 22.a4 Bb4 23.Re2 N6c5 24.axb5 axb5 25.Bb1 Ne6 26.Bd3 Nxd4 27.Nxd4 Rxe5 then:
• If 28.Bxb5 Qe7 29.Ra7 Ng3 30.fxg3 Rxe3 31.Rxb7 Qxb7 32.Rxe3 gives White the more active position which he soon converted to a win (Modiaki-Chakravarthy, Asian Ch, Cebu, 2007).
• Better is 28...Qc7 29.Bf4 Bd6 , but after 30.Bxe5 Bxe5 31.Nf3 Bg7 32.Ba6 White still has the active position.
• If 15.a4 Bf8 16.axb5 axb5 17.Rxa8 Bxa8 18.Bc2 g6 19.Ng5 Bg7 20.Bb3 d5 21.Nxe6 Qxe6 22.exd5 draw (Z. Almasi-Onischuk, Euro ChT, Kemer, 2007).
• 14.c3 c5 15.d4 exd4 16.cxd4 d5 17.e5 Ne4 18.Nf5 Bf8 19.Be3 Rac8 20.dxc5 N6xc5 transposes into Svidler-Inarkiev, below.
• 14.Ng5 c5 15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.c3 Bd8 17.a4 Bb6 18.Be3 Kh8 19.axb5 axb5 20.Rxa8 Rxa8 transposes into Leko-Aronian, below.

11...Rfe8

• If 11...Nd8 12.d4 exd4 13.Nxd4 Re8 14.Nf5 Ne6 then:
• 15.Nxe7+ Rxe7 16.f3 Rd8 17.Be3 d5 18.exd5 Nxd5 19.Nxd5 Bxd5 20.Qxd5 Qxd5 21.Bxd5 Rxd5 22.Kf2 h5 draw (Galkan-Aronian, Areoflot Op, Moscow, 2005).
• 15.Qf3 c5 16.Be3 c4 17.Ba2 Rac8 18.Rad1 Bf8 19.Nd5 Nxd5 20.exd5 Nc5 21.Bd4 Rxe1+ 22.Rxe1 Re8 23.Nh6+ Kh8 24.Nxf7+ Kg8 25.Nh6+ gxh6 26.Qg3+ Kf7 draw (Ivanchuk, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2003).
• 11...Rfe8 12.Nd5 Nxd5 13.Bxd5 Nd8 15.d4 exd4 16.Qxd4 Rad8 17.Bg5 Nc5 18.Bxe7 Qxe7 19.Nd2 Qe5 20.Qxe5 dxe5 21.Nf3 f6 22.Re3 Re7 gives Black the advantage in space (Sammalvuo-Gustafsson, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).

12.Bg5

• If 12.Ne2 Nd8 13.Ng3 Ne6 then:
• If 14.c3 c5 15.d4 exd4 16.cxd4 d5 then:
• If 17.e5 Ne4 18.Nf5 Bf8 19.Be3 then:
• If 19...Rac8 20.dxc5 N6xc5 21.N5d4 Nxb3 then:
• 22.Nxb3 Qd8 23.Qd3 f6 24.exf6 Qxf6 gives Black the edge in space (Svidler-Inarkiev, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2007).
• 22.Qxb3 Nc5 23.Qd1 a5 24.Qb1 Ne4 25.Rd1 b4 is equal (Kamsky-Ponomariov, IT, Sofia, 2006).
• 19...a5 20.Bc2 Rad8 21.dxc5 N6xc5 is equal (Morozevich-Grischuk, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2006).
• 17.dxc5 dxe4 18.Qxd7 Nxd7 19.c6 Bxc6 20.Nxe4 Bxe4 21.Rxe4 Ndc5 tgives Black the initiative (Shirov-Adams, World Ch Candidates' Matches, Elista, 2007).
• 14.Ng5 c5 15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.c3 Bd8 17.a4 Bb6 18.Be3 Kh8 19.axb5 axb5 20.Rxa8 Rxa8 21.Nh5 Bd8 22.Nxf6 Bxf6 23.Qg4 Bc8 24.Rd1 Qe7 25.Qe2 Bb7 26.Qg4 Bc8 27.Qe2 Bb7 28.Qg4 draw (Leko-Aronian, Amber Blind, Nice, 2008).

12...h6 13.Bxf6 Bxf6 14.Nd5 Be7!?

• 14...Bd8 15.Ne3 Be7 16.Bd5 Bf8 17.a4 Rab8 18.axb5 axb5 19.c3 g6 20.Qb3 Nd8 21.Bxb7 draw (Grischuk-Inarkiev, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2008).

15.c3

• The game is equal.

15...Nd8 16.d4 exd4 17.Nxd4

• 17.cxd4 Ne6 18.Rc1 Bd8 19.Nc3 Rc8 20.d5 Nc5 remains equal.

17...Bf8!?

• This move is passive, but Black might have known that when he played it. He may be trying to provoke White into attacking prematurely.
• 17...Bg5 18.f4 Bh4 19.Re3 Bxd5 20.Bxd5 c6 21.Ba2 remains equal.

18.Re3

• The Rook lift will allow White to transfer the Rook to g3 as part of a kingside attack.

18...Bxd5 19.Bxd5 c6 20.Ba2 g6!

• Leko is one of the best defensive masters of our time. Having provoked White into starting an attack and seeing that White intends to use the g-file, he shortens the file making operations on it futile.
• 20...Ne6 21.Qg4 Rad8 22.Nxe6 fxe6 23.c4 bxc4 24.Bxc4 gives White the advantage in space.

21.f4 c5 22.Nc2 c4 23.Kh1

• If 23.a4 d5 24.b4 cxb3 25.Bxb3 Bc5 26.Bxd5 Bxe3+ 27.Nxe3 then:
• I27...Rc8 28.Ng4 Qd6 29.axb5 axb5 30.Nxh6+ Kh7 31.Nxf7 gives White a minor piece and three pawns for the Rook.
• 27...Qa7 28.Qd3 Rb8 29.axb5 Rxb5 30.Kh1 Qb8 31.Ng4 gives White more than enough compensation for the material deficit.

BLACK: Peter Leko
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WHITE: Ernesto Inarkiev
Position after 23.Kg1h1

23...d5!?

• White sacrifices a pawn.
• If 23...Ne6 24.Qg4 h5 25.Qg3 Bh6 26.f5 Nc5 27.fxg6 fxg6 28.Qxg6+ Qg7 29.Qxg7+ Kxg7 30.Rf3 is equal.

24.exd5 Nb7 25.Qf3 Bc5 26.Re5

• The restricted advance of the Rook is best.
• 26.Rxe8+ Rxe8 27.f5 Qxf5 28.Qxf5 gxf5 29.Nb4 Re2 is equal.
• If 26.Ree1 Rad8 27.b4 cxb3 28.Bxb3 Bd6 then:
• If 29.Nb4 Rxe1+ 30.Rxe1 Re8 then:
• If 31.Re3 Rxe3 32.Qxe3 a5 then:
• 33.Nc2 Qf5 34.Nd4 Qb1+ 35.Kh2 Qf1 gives White an extra pawn, but Black has counterplay.
• 33.Nc6 Bxa3 34.Qd3 a4 35.Bc2 Nd6 is equal.
• 31.Rd1 a5 32.Nc2 Nc5 33.Ba2 Re4 is equal.
• 29.c4 Nc5 30.cxb5 Qxb5 31.Rxe8+ Rxe8 32.Rb1 Re4 is equal.

26...Bd6!

• Black equalizes in spite of the pawn minus.

27.Rxe8+ Rxe8 28.Nd4 Nc5 29.Rf1

• 29.f5 Ne4 30.fxg6 fxg6 31.a4 Bb8 32.axb5 axb5 wins the d-pawn for Black with an advantage in space.

29...Ne4 30.Rd1 Qe7 31.g3?

• 31.Kg1 Qh4 32.Bb1 Nf6 33.Rf1 Bc5 34.Bc2 Rd8 remains equal.

BLACK: Peter Leko
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WHITE: Ernesto Inarkiev
Position after 31.g2g3

31...Bc5!

• Black hits on White's most active piece.

32.Kg2

• 32.Kh2 Nd6 33.Qg2 Bxd4 34.Rxd4 Qe1 35.Rd2 Qa1 gives Black a more active game in compensation for the pawn.

32...Nd6

• The text is stronger than 32...Bxd4!? 33.cxd4 Nd6 34.Qf2 Qe4+ 35.Kh2 Qxd5.

33.Rf1

• If 33.Qf2 Bxd4 34.Rxd4 Qe1 then:
• I35.Qxe1 Rxe1 36.Rd2 Ra1 37.b3 cxb3 38.Bxb3 Rxa3 wins a pawn for Black.
• 35.Rd2 Qa1 36.b4 Qxc3 37.Bb1 Qxa3 wins for Black.

33...Bxd4 34.cxd4 Nf5 35.Kh2 Qe2+ 36.Qf2

• 36.Rf2 Qxf3 37.Rxf3 Nxd4 38.Rf2 Rd8 wins a pawn for Black.

36...Qxf2+ 37.Rxf2 Re1 38.Rd2

• If 38.a4 Nxd4 39.axb5 axb5 then:
• If 40.d6 Kf8 41.Kg2 Re6 42.Rd2 Rxd6 43.Kf2 Ke7 leaves Black a pawn up.
• 40.Kg2 Ra1 41.Rd2 Rxa2 42.Rxd4 c3 43.Rd1 Rxb2+ wins for Black.

38...Kf8 39.g4 Ne3 40.Kg3

• White shortens his agony.
• Better is 40.Rf2 Rd1 41.g5 hxg5 42.fxg5 Nxd5 43.Kg2 Ra1, but it's just a matter of time.

40...Ra1 41.Kf3 Nxd5

• Black has been playing a pawn down since the 23rd move.

42.Ke4

BLACK: Peter Leko
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WHITE: Ernesto Inarkiev
Position after 42.Kf3e4

42...Nf6+!

• The text is much stronger than 42...Rxa2 43.Kxd5 c3 44.Rd1 cxb2 45.Rb1.

43.Ke5 Re1+! 0-1

• 44.Kd6 Ne4+ wins the Rook.
• Grandmaster Inarkiev resigns.