Reply #2: Aronian - Ivanchuk, Round 7, Linares

[Jack Rabbit]

Vassily Ivanchuk
Photo: ChessBase.com


Levon Aronian - Vassily Ivanchuk
26th Ciudad de Linares, Round 7
Linares, 26 February 2009

West India Game: King's Indian Defense (Gligoric Opening)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.Be3

• If 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 then:
• If 9.Ne1 then:
• If 9...Nd7 then:
• If 10.f3 f5 then:
• If 11.g4 then:
• If 11...Kh8 then:
• If 12.h4 then:
• 12...c6 13.Kg2 Nf6 14.Nd3 b5 15.b3 Rb8 16.Nf2 b4 17.Na4 Bb7 18.Bg5 Qd7 gives Black a tactical edge (Eljanov-Radjabov, Grand Prix, Elista, 2008).
• If 12...a5 13.Nd3 Ng8 14.g5 h6 15.Kg2 Rf7 16.exf5 Rxf5 17.Ne4 Nf8 18.Be3 Bd7 19.Rh1 h5 20.Ng3 Rf7 21.f4 exf4 22.Nxf4 is equal (Michna-Zuriel, OlW, Dresden, 2008).
• If 12...Ng8 13.Ng2 a5 14.Be3 Nc5 15.Kh2 b6 16.Qc2 Bd7 17.Rh1 Qc8 18.exf5 gxf5 19.g5 f4 20.Bxc5 bxc5 is equal (Uhlmann-Rossmann, East German ChT, Jueterbog, 1985).
• If 12.Nd3 Ng8 13.Kh1 f4 14.Rg1 g5 15.Bd2 h5 16.h3 Rf6 17.Rc1 Rh6 18.Kg2 Bf8 19.b4 Ne7 20.c5 Ng6 21.cxd6 Bxd6 22.Nb5 Nf6 23.Nf2 Bd7 24.a4 draw (Cheparinov-Fedorov, World Cup, Khanty Mansyisk, 2005).
• If 11...Nf6 12.Nd3 c6 13.Be3 Kh8 14.h3 b5 15.Nb4 cxd5 16.Nbxd5 Nexd5 17.Nxd5 Bb7 18.Nxf6 Qxf6 19.cxb5 d5 20.exd5 Rad8 21.Bc4 gives White an extra pawn and extra space (Pinter-Sznapik, Zonal Trmt, Prague, 1985).
• If 11.Be3 f4 12.Bf2 g5 then:
• If 13.a4 Ng6 14.a5 then:
• 14...Rf7 15.b4 Nf6 16.c5 Bf8 17.cxd6 Bxd6 18.Nd3 Rg7 19.Nc5 Nf8 20.Nb5 g4 21.Bh4 h5 22.Bc4 Qe7 23.Kh1 a6 24.Nxc7 Qxc7 25.Bxf6 Rf7 26.Bg5 Nd7 27.Rc1 Nxc5 28.Be2 gives White more freedom (Korchnoi-J. Polgar, IT, Pamplona, 1990).
• 14...h5 15.Nb5 Nf6 16.Nxa7 Bd7 17.c5 g4 18.c6 g3 19.hxg3 fxg3 20.Bxg3 Rxa7 21.cxd7 h4 22.Bf2 Ra8 23.Nc2 Bh6 24.Ne3 gives White an extra pawn (Korchnoi-Xie Jun, TMatch, Prague, 1995).
• If 13.Rc1 Ng6 14.c5 Nxc5 15.b4 Na6 then:
• 16.Nb5 Bd7 17.Nxa7 h5 18.a4 Bh6 19.Rc4 Rf7 20.Nb5 Rg7 21.Kh1 Nf8 22.g3 fxg3 23.Bxg3 Ng6 is equal (S. Atalik-Timoshenko, Romanian ChT, Timisu de Sus, 1998).
• If 16.Nd3 Rf7 17.Nb5 Bd7 18.a4 h5 19.Nxa7 Bf8 20.Nb5 Rg7 21.Be1 c6 22.Nc3 Nc7 23.Nf2 Kh8 24.a5 Rb8 25.h3 Ne7 26.dxc6 bxc6 27.Na4 gives White the advantage in space (Peralta-Inarkiev, World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2007).
• 16...h5 17.Nb5 Bd7 18.a4 Bh6 19.Rc3 b6 20.Be1 Rf7 21.Nf2 Nh4 22.Nxd6 cxd6 23.Bxa6 Qe8 24.Qe2 g4 25.fxg4 Rg7 26.h3 Qg6 27.Bb5 Bxb5 28.axb5 leaves White more space, but his pawns cannot advance (Piket-Kasparov, IT, Linares, 1997).
• If 10.Nd3 f5 11.Bd2 Nf6 12.f3 f4 13.c5 g5 then:
• 14.Rc1 Ng6 15.cxd6 cxd6 16.Nb5 Rf7 17.Qc2 Ne8 18.a4 h5 19.Nf2 Bf8 20.h3 Rg7 21.Qb3 Nh4 22.Rc2 g4 23.fxg4 Nf6 24.Be1 gives White an extra pawn (Ivanchuk-Cheparinov, IT, Sofia, 2008).
• 14.cxd6 cxd6 15.Nf2 Ng6 16.Qc2 Rf7 17.Rfc1 h5 18.h3 a6 19.a4 Bf8 20.a5 Bd7 21.Na4 Rc8 22.Qb3 Rxc1+ 23.Rxc1 g4 24.fxg4 hxg4 25.hxg4 Bxa4 26.Qxa4 gives White an extra pawn and more space (Kozul-Gislason, Euro ChT, Kallithea, 2008).
• If 9...Ne8 10.Be3 f5 11.f3 f4 12.Bf2 g5 13.c5 h5 14.a4 Rf6 15.cxd6 Nxd6 16.Nb5 a6 17.Nxd6 cxd6 18.Nd3 Rg6 19.Qb3 g4 20.Qb6 Qf8 21.Rfc1 Qf6 22.Be1 h4 23.Nf2 gxf3 24.Bxf3 h3 25.Rxc8+ Rxc8 26.Nxh3 Rb8 27.Rc1 gives White enough space and activity to compensate for a small material deficit (P. H. Nielsen-Kantsler, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).
• If 9.b4 then:
• If 9...Nh5 then:
• If 10.Re1 f5 11.Ng5 Nf6 then:
• If 12.Bf3 c6 13.Be3 h6 14.Ne6 Bxe6 15.dxe6 fxe4 16.Nxe4 Nxe4 17.Bxe4 d5 18.cxd5 cxd5 19.Bc2 b6 20.Qg4 then:
• If 20...e4 21.Rad1 Qc7 22.Bb3 then:
• 22...Rf5 23.Rd2 Qc3 24.Qd1 Rd8 25.b5 Qc8 26.Bd4 Bxd4 27.Rxd4 Qc5 28.Re2 Rdf8 29.a4 Re5 30.h3 draw (Xu Jun-Ye Juangchuan, Tan Chin Nam Cup, Shanghai, 2001).
• If 22...Rad8 draw (Nyback-Radjabov, Euro ChT, Plovdiv, 2003).
• If 20...Rf6 21.Rad1 Qd6 22.Bb3 Rd8 23.b5 Qxe6 24.Qxe6+ Rxe6 is equal (Mikalevski-Klinova, Op, Gibraltar, 2008).
• If 12.f3 c6 then:
• If 13.Be3 Bh6 14.h4 cxd5 15.cxd5 Bd7 16.Qd2 f4 17.Bf2 Bxg5 18.hxg5 Nh5 19.Rec1 a6 20.b5 Nc8 21.bxa6 bxa6 22.Rab1 Qxg5 23.Rb7 Rf7 then:
• 24.Rcb1 Qd8 25.Qe1 g5 26.Rb8 Rxb8 27.Rxb8 g4 28.fxg4 Ng3 29.Bxg3 fxg3 30.Qxg3 gives White an extra pawn and more space (Xu Jun-Safin, Ol, Bled, 2002).
• 24.Bf1 Qd8 25.Qe1 g5 26.Nd1 Nf6 27.Rcc7 Rb8 28.Bxa6 Rxb7 29.Rxb7 g4 30.fxg4 Bxg4 31.Rxf7 Kxf7 is equal (van Wely-Nijboer, Dutch Ch, Leeuwarden, 2001).
• 13.Kh1 h6 14.Ne6 Bxe6 15.dxe6 Ne8 16.Qb3 Nc7 17.c5 d5 18.exd5 cxd5 19.Bb2 Qe8 20.a4 a6 21.Nxd5 Ncxd5 22.Rad1 Qc6 23.Bc4 Rfd8 24.Bxe5 Bxe5 25.Rxe5 Nf6 26.Ree1 b5 27.Qc3 Nfd5 28.Bxd5 Rxd5 is unclear: Black has a material advantage and White has more space (van Wely-Kotronias, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).
• If 10.g3 f5 11.Ng5 Nf6 12.f3 f4 13.b5 fxg3 14.hxg3 Nh5 then:
• If 15.Kf2 then:
• 15...Nf4 16.gxf4 exf4 17.Qd3 h6 18.Ne6 Bxe6 19.dxe6 Nc6 20.Rh1 Ne5 21.Qd2 Qg5 22.Rh3 Qf6 23.Nd5 Qxe6 24.Kg2 Qf7 25.Qxf4 Qd7 26.Qg3 Black resigns (van Wely-Dyachkov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2008).
• 15...h6 16.Ne6 Bxe6 17.dxe6 Rf6 18.c5 dxc5 19.Qd7 is equal.
• 15.Kg2 h6 16.Nh3 a6 17.Nf2 axb5 18.cxb5 Qe8 is equal.
• If 9...a5 10.Ba3 then:
• If 10...axb4 11.Bxb4 Nd7 12.a4 Bh6 13.a5 f5 14.Nd2 then:
• 14...Kh8 15.Bd3 Ng8 16.Qc2 Rf7 17.Na4 fxe4 18.Nxe4 Ndf6 19.Nac3 Bf5 20.Ng3 Bxd3 21.Qxd3 Qf8 22.Rab1 Qc8 23.Rb3 Qg4 24.f3 Qd4+ 25.Qxd4 exd4 26.Nd1 Bg7 27.Bd2 c6 28.dxc6 bxc6 29.Nf2 d5 30.Rc1 Bh6 31.Bxh6 Nxh6 32.cxd5 cxd5 33.Rd3 draw (Pelletier-Renet, Euro ChT, Pula, 1997).
• 14...Nf6 15.c5 Bxd2 16.Qxd2 fxe4 17.cxd6 cxd6 18.Nb5 Nf5 19.Rac1 Rf7 20.g4 Nd4 21.Nxd4 exd4 22.Qxd4 is equal (Kobalia-Ulko, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2002).
• 10...b6 11.bxa5 Nh5 12.Re1 f5 13.Bb4 bxa5 14.Ba3 Nf4 15.Bf1 fxe4 16.Nd2 Nd3 17.Bxd3 exd3 18.Nde4 Nf5 19.Qxd3 Nd4 20.Nb5 Rb8 21.Bc1 Bf5 is equal (Borsuk-Schoene, OlW, Dresden, 2008).

7...c6 8.d5

• If 8.0-0 Nbd7 then:
• If 9.d5 c5 10.Ne1 Ne8 then:
• 11.Nd3 f5 12.f4 b6 13.Qd2 Qe7 14.Bf3 g5 15.fxg5 f4 16.Bf2 Qxg5 17.b4 Ndf6 is equal (Batchuluun-Li Shilong, Asian Ch, Manila, 2007).
• 11.g4 f5 12.gxf5 gxf5 13.exf5 Nb6 14.Nf3 Bxf5 15.Ng5 Nf6 16.Kh1 Qe7 17.Rg1 Kh8 18.Rg3 e4 19.Qd2 Nfd7 is equal (Shen Yang-Li Shilong, Asian Ch, Manila, 2007).
• If 9.Qc2 Ng4 10.Bg5 f6 then:
• 11.Bd2 f5 12.exf5 gxf5 13.dxe5 dxe5 14.Ng5 Ndf6 15.Rad1 Qe7 16.c5 Kh8 17.b4 gives White a small advantage in space (Uhlmann-Knaak, IT, Halle, 1981).
• If 11.Bh4 Nh6 then:
• 12.dxe5 dxe5 13.b4 Nf7 14.Nd2 Qe7 15.c5 Re8 16.Nb3 gives White the advantage in space (Kotronias-Skalkotas, Op, Athens, 1988).
• 12.Rad1 Qe7 13.b4 Nf7 14.dxe5 dxe5 15.c5 Re8 16.Nd2 Nf8 17.f3 Ne6 18.Nb3 gives White the advantage in space (W. Schmidt-Ingo, Op, Dresden, 1993).

8...Ng4 9.Bg5 f6 10.Bh4 c5

• 10...h5 11.Nd2 Nh6 12.f3 c5 13.0-0 Nf7 14.Bd3 Bh6 15.Qe2 Na6 16.a3 Bg5 17.Bxg5 fxg5 18.Qe3 gives White the early advantage in space (Ioselani-Xie Jun, World ChW, Monte Carlo, 1993).

11.0-0 h5

• 11...Nh6 12.Ne1 Nd7 13.f3 Nf7 14.a3 Bh6 15.Bf2 f5 16.b4 b6 17.Nd3 Nf6 is equal (Socko-Maiwald, Bundesliga 0809, Dresden, 2008).

12.Ne1 Nh6!?

• If 12...Na6 13.h3 Nh6 then:
• If 14.a3 Nf7 15.Nd3 Bh6 16.b4 b6 then:
• 17.Rb1 Bf4 18.Bg3 Bxg3 19.fxg3 f5 20.exf5 Bxf5 21.g4 hxg4 22.hxg4 Bd7 23.Ne4 Kg7 24.Qd2 Rh8 25.bxc5 Nxc5 26.Ndxc5 dxc5 27.Qc3 Qe7 is equal (S. Pedersen-Jense, Danish Ch, Aalborg, 2006).
• 17.Re1 Bd7 18.Bf1 Nc7 19.Bg3 Kg7 20.Rb1 Qe7 21.bxc5 bxc5 22.Rb7 Qd8 23.Qc2 Qc8 24.Reb1 Nd8 25.R7b2 Nf7 26.Rb7 Nd8 27.R7b2 Nf7 draw (Sharavdorj-Ehlvest, Op, Philadelphia, 2006).
• 14.Nd3 Nb4 15.Nxb4 cxb4 16.Na4 g5 17.Bg3 h4 18.Bh2 Bd7 19.a3 a5 20.axb4 axb4 21.b3 allows White to target Black's weak pawns (Lenic-Seeman, Ol, Torino, 2006).

13.f3

• As is often the case with the King's Indian, White leaves the theoretical phase of the game with more space.

13...Nf7 14.Rb1

• If 14.Qc2 g5 15.Bf2 f5 16.exf5 then:
• After 16...Na6 17.a3 h4 18.Bd3 Nh6 19.f6 Bxf6 20.Bh7+ White has more space.
• After 16...h4 17.Bd3 h3 18.g4 b6 19.Be3 White retains the advantage in space.

14...Bh6

• 14...g5 15.Bf2 h4 16.b4 cxb4 17.Rxb4 gives a thematic King's Indian with the center locked, White stronger on the queenside and Black gaining space on the opposite wing.

15.Bf2 Na6 16.a3!?

• 16.Qb3 f5 17.Nd3 b6 18.Rbe1 Bd2 19.Rd1 is equal.

16...b6 17.b4 f5!?

• This is a very original move. Black invites a blasting in the f-file that will leave hime with a passed pawn on the e-file and White will have one in the h-file.
• After 17...Nc7 18.Bd3 f5 19.Qc2 Qf6 20.Qa4 Bd2 21.Rb3 White maintains the advantage in space.

18.exf5 gxf5 19.f4 Bxf4 20.Bxh5 Bd7!?

• 20...e4! 21.b5 Nc7 22.Qe2 Ne5 23.g3 Bh6 is equal.

21.Rb3

• If 21.Qe2 Qg5 then:
• If 22.Nd3 Bd2 23.Nb5 e4 24.Ne1 cxb4 then:
• 25.Bxf7+ Rxf7 26.Rb3 Bxe1 27.Qxe1 Rg7 28.Rg3 gives White a nasty attack.
• 25.axb4 Bxb5 26.cxb5 Nxb4 27.Rb3 allows the Rook to get into the kingside action.
• 22.Rb2?! e4 23.b5 Nc7 24.h4 Qh6 25.Bxf7+ Rxf7 gives Black the advantage in space and the more open Bishop.

21...Qg5 22.b5

• 22.Qe2?! e4 23.Na2 Be5 24.Re3 Rae8 25.b5 gives Black the advantage in space.

22...Nc7 23.Bxf7+

• 23.Nc2 a6 24.bxa6 Rxa6 25.Qe2 Kg7 26.g3 Bd2 is equal.

23...Rxf7 24.Ne2 Rg7

• If 24...Qg4 then retains the advantage after 25.Qc2 Rg7 26.Nxf4 exf4 27.a4 with fewer pawn weaknesses and an embryonic throne in Black's side in a passed h-pawn.

25.Nxf4

• If 25.Qc2 Bd2 26.Rg3 Qh6 27.Rxg7+ Kxg7 then:
• 28.Nf3 Bg5 29.Ng3 Rf8 30.Nxg5 Qxg5 31.Qc3 is equal.]
• 28.Kh1 Rh8 29.Nf3 Bg5 is equal.

25...Qxf4 26.Bxc5 Qh6!?

• Black concedes the extra pawn to Black.
• If 26...Qxc4 27.Bxd6 Bxb5 28.Rff3 Ba4 then:
• 29.Bxe5 Bxb3 30.Qxb3 Qxb3 31.Rxb3 Nxd5 32.Bxg7 Kxg7 is equal.
• 29.Bxc7?! Qxc7 30.Qb1 Bxb3 31.Qxb3 Rd8 gives Black the exchange.

27.Be3?!

• 27.Bb4! a6 28.a4 f4 29.a5 bxa5 30.Bxa5 doesn't give Black nearly enough compensation for his pawn.

27...f4 28.Bc1 Bg4 29.Qd2

• 29.Qc2 Qh5 30.Nf3 Kf7 31.Kh1 Rh8 32.Re1 Bxf3 33.gxf3 Qh4 is equal.

BLACK: Vassily Ivanchuk
!""""""""#
$t+ + +l+%
$O M + T %
$ O O + W%
$+p+pO + %
$ +p+ Ov+%
$Pr+ + + %
$ + Q +pP%
$+ B MrK %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Levon Aronian
Position after 29.Qd1d2

29...Rf8!

• White can't get at Black's queenside pawns, so the Rook is free to take a direct role in the defense of the center, freeing Black's other pieces for more active roles.

30.Nd3 Ne8 31.Nxf4?

• White must think he sees something that isn't there.
• 31.Nf2 Bh5 32.Rg3 Rxg3 33.hxg3 Qg6 34.Nh1.

31...Rxf4 32.Rxf4 Qxf4 33.Qxf4 exf4 34.Bxf4 Rf7!

• After the exchanges on f4, Black has a piece for three pawns. The game is now equal.

35.g3?

• 35.Re3 Rxf4 36.Rxe8+ Kf7 37.Ra8 Be2 38.Rxa7+ Kf6 White's queenside pawns begin to fall, but the kingside paws make the game a fight..

BLACK: Vassily Ivanchuk
!""""""""#
$ + +m+k+%
$O + +t+ %
$ O O + +%
$+p+p+ + %
$ +p+ Bv+%
$Pr+ + P %
$ + + + P%
$+ + + K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Levon Aronian
Position after 35.g2g3

35...Re7!

• Rooks are happiest on open lines.

36.h3

• The pawn sacrifice is intended to deflect the Bishop from the h5/d1 diagonal, thus making ...Re2 less likely.
• No better is 36.Rb1 Re2 37.Rc1 Bh3 38.Bg5 Ng7 39.Bf4 Nf5 40.Rd1 Ra2.

36...Bxh3 37.Kf2

• This is White's best move in that it prevents the Rook from coming behind White's pawns. Nevertheless, it is inadequate.

37...Nf6 38.g4

• 38.Rb1 Bg4 39.Re1 Rxe1 40.Kxe1 Ne4 41.Bc1 Kg7 activates Black's King.

38...Bxg4

• Black now has a piece for a single pawn.

39.Re3 Ne4+ 40.Ke1

• 40.Kg2 Kg7 41.Bxd6 Rf7 42.Bb8 Bf5 43.Rd3 Bg6 Black maintains a material advantage.

40...Kf7 41.a4

• 41.Bh2 Bf5 42.Re2 Nc3 43.Rxe7+ Kxe7 44.Bf4 Na4 leaves Black hopeless.

41...Nc5 42.Kd2 Rxe3 43.Kxe3 Ke7 44.Kd4 0-1

• White realizes he will not win back the piece.
• Grandmaster Aronian resigns.