Reply #9: Lahno - Zhao Xue, Round 5, Ekaterinburg

[Jack Rabbit]

Zhao Xue
Photo: website of the 2006 Cap d'Agde Masters' Rapid Tournament

Katya Lahno (Ukraine) vs. Zhao Xue (China)
Women's World Team Championship, Round 5
Ekaterinburg, May 2007

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Zaitsev Defense

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 0-0 9. h3 Bb7

• Black has a half dozen good moves here. This, the Zaitsev Defense, is one of the sharprst and, in grandmaster play, one of the most popular.

10. d4 Re8 11. Nbd2 Bf8 12. a3

• 12. a4 h6 13. Bc2 exd4 14. cxd4 Nb4 15. Bb1 c5 16. d5 Nd7 17. Ra3 f5 18. Nh2 Nf6 19. Rf3 Re5 20. Rxf5 Rxf5 21. exf5 Bxd5 22. Ng4 Bf7 23. Ne4 Nxg4 24. Qxg4 d5 25. f6 dxe4 26. fxg7 Bxg7 27. Bxh6 is unclear (Morozevich-Grischuk, FIDE Grand Prix, Dubai 2002).

12. -- g6

• 12. -- h6 13. Bc2 Nb8 14. b4 Nbd7 15. Bb2 g6 is unclear.

13. Bc2

• 13. Ba2 Bg7 14. b4 a5 15. d5 Ne7 16. Bb2 Nh5 17. Nb3 axb4 18. axb4 Bc8 19. Na5 Nf4 20. c4 g5 21. cxb5 g4 22. Nh2 gxh3 23. g3 gives White an advantage in space (Adams-Grischuk, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee 2002).

13. -- Nb8

• 13. -- Bg7 14. Nf1 d5 15. Bg5 dxe4 16. Bxe4 exd4 17. Nxd4 Rxe4!? 18. Rxe4 Qd5 19. Bxf6 Qxe4 is equal (Berg-Ibragimov, Ol, Torino 2006){/i]

14. b3!?

• White breaks out of the book with a move desinged to slow Black's queenside expansion.
• If 14. b4 Nbd7 15. Bb2 Bg7 16. d5 Nb6 then:
• 17. a4 Nxa4 18. Bxa4 bxa4 19. Nc4 c6 20. Na5 Qc7 gives White an edge in space and piece activity (Smejkal-Unzicker, Team Match, Bamberg 1972).
• 17. c4 bxc4 18. a4 c6 19. dxc6 Bxc6 20. a5 Nc8 is unclear (Ciric-Kuijpers, Beverwijk 1967).

14. -- Nbd7!?

• Black develops her queenside. In the Zaitsev, the Knight is often headed for c4, but that square is unavailable to Black at the moment.
• 14. -- Bg7 15. dxe5 dxe5 16. Qe2 Nh5 17. Qe3 Nf4 18. Rd1 is level.

15. d5 c6

• Black tries knocking off a piece of White's center.
• 15. -- Bh6?! 16. c4 c6 17. dxc6 Bxc6 18. Bb2 Qc7 19. Qe2 bxc4 20. Nxc4 is unclear.

16. c4 Qc7 17. Rb1

• The position on the board is unclear.
• White anticipates that the b-file will soon be open for her Rook.
• After 17. dxc6 Qxc6 18. Bb2 Rac8 19. Rc1 Bg7 20. Qe2 White has better mobility.

17. -- Rec8 18. Bd3

• White's Bishop supports the pawn at c4 and could become active if the diagonal is opened.
• If 18. dxc6 then:
• 18. -- Bxc6 19. Bb2 Bh6 20. Qe2 bxc4 21. Nxc4 Bb5 is unclear.
• 18. -- Qxc6 18. Bb2 Bh5 20. g4 Bg7 21. Rc1 h6 is cloudy.

18. -- Nc5 19. Bf1?!

• White holds the tension hoping for something better than she can get from opening the game now.
• If 19. Qc2 bxc4 20. bxc4 then:
• 20. -- Bg7!
• 21. a4! Qd7 22. a5 cxd5 23. exd5 Rab8 24. Ba3 Qc7 25. Bxc5 Qxc5 is unclear.
• 21. Nb3?! Ncxe4 22. dxc6 Bxc6 23. Bxe4 Nxe4 24. Rxe4 Bxe4 25. Qxe4 Qxc4 gives Black a Rook and two pawns for two minor pieces.
• After 20. -- Rab8?! 21. dxc6 Qxc6 22. Qc3 Bh6 the crystal ball is murkey.

Black: Zhao Xue
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White: Katya Lahno
Position after 19. Bd3f1

19. -- bxc4

• On the other hand, Black thinks the tide is up for her fortunes.
• 19. -- b4 20. axb4 Ncd7 21. dxc6 Bxc6 22. Ba3 Qb6 23. Ra1 Bb7 24. Qe2 Rab8 25. Qd3 gives White a slight advantage in space.

20. bxc4 Rcb8!?

• 20. -- Rab8 is more correct. The text move could have cost Black a tempo (see notes to the next move).
• If 20. -- Rab8! 21. Qc2 then:
• 21. -- Bg7 22. Bb2 a5 23. Ba1 Bh8 24. Qc3 is winding down to an equal position.
21. -- Bh6 22. Bd3 Qd7 23. g4 cxd5 24. cxd5 Qe7 25. Qc3 is cloudy.

21. Nh2?!

• White misses an opportunity to better her position.
• After 21. Bb2 Bg7 22. Qe2 Nfd7 23. Qe3 Rc8 (had Black played the other Rook, she already would have the Rooks at b8 and c8) 24. Qg5 Rab8 White has an advantage in space.
• 21. Qc2 Bg7 22. Bb2 Rc8 (there's that tempo again) 23. Bc3 Rab8 24. Bb4 Nfd7 25. Qd3 gives White more space.

21. -- Bc8 22. Rxb8 Rxb8

• As it works out, this position, which is somewhat favorable to Black, would not have arisen had Black palyed 20. -- Rab8. With one set of opposing Rooks exchanged, it inaccuracey is no longer important.

23. Ng4?

• White would have done better to have saved this Knight and manipulated it over to d3 in an attempt to rid herself of Black's more powerful Knight at c5.
• 23. Qf3 Bg7 24. Rd1 Rb6 25. Qe3 Bb7 26. Nhf3 a5 27. Ne1 Nfd7 still leaves Black with better mobility.

23. -- Nxg4 24. hxg4 a5

• After the complcations, Black has emerged with a better position. She has command of the b-file and a secure outpost at c5 occupied by a Knight.

25. g5 Be7 26. Nf3 Bg4 27. Qc2

• Black's command of space is showing. White is cramped even after exchanging pieces.
• After 27. dxc6 Ne6 28. Be2 Bxf3 29. Bxf3 Bxg5 30. BXg5 Nxg5 31. Qd5 Rb6 Black is stronger than before.

Black: Zhao Xue
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White: Katya Lahno
Position after 27. Qc1d2

27. -- Bxf3!

• Black takes the opportnity to weaken White's kingside pawns.
• 27. -- f6? throws away everything for which Black has worrked: 28. gxf6 Bxf6 29. Be2 Qb6 30. Be3 and the game is level.

28. gxf3 cxd5 29. cxd5 Qd8 30. f4

• This pawn sacrifice is made in the hope of being able to advance a passed pawn in the center later. All it accomplishes for White is the loss of a pawn.
• 30. Bb2 Bxg5 31. Bxe5 dxe5 32. Qxc5 Bf4 33. Bb5 Bh6 34. Rb1 Bf8 gives Black better mobility.

30. -- exf4 31. Bxf4 Bxg5 32. Bh2

• 32. Bg3 Bh4 33. Rb1 Bxg3 34. fxg3 Rxb1 35. Qxb1 Qg5 puts Black in a winning position.

32. -- Qb6 33. Bg2 Bh4 34. Rf1

• White elects to defend the f-pawn, which is coming under mounting pressure.
• White would last longer after 34. Rc1 a4 35. Bxd6 Qxd6 36. Qxc5 Qx5 37. Rxc5 Rb3 but all variations lead to a superior endgame for Black.

34. -- Nd7 35. Qc6

• 35. Bf4 Bf6 36. Rc1 Bd4 37. Bg3 Be5 38. Bh2 Bxh2+ 39. Kxh2 Qd4 leaves Black a pawn up in a superior position.

35. -- Ne5 36. Qxb6 Rxb6 37. Bxe5 dxe5 38. f4

• White poffers another pawn in hopes of advancing her center pawns.
• 38. Rd1 getting the Rook immediately behind the passed pawn, fails to 38. -- Rb2 39. f3 a4 40. d6 Bd8 41. Rd5 Kf8 32. Rxe5 Rd2.

Black: Zhao Xue
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White: Katya Lahno
Position after 38. f2f4

38. -- Bf6!

• This is simplist, but the sacrifice may also be refuted by accepting it.
• After 38. -- exf4! 39. e5! g5 40. d6 h5 41. d7 Rb8!! 42. Rc1 Kg7 43. Rc8 Rb1+ Bf1 g4 the pawn shall not promote while Black's three connected kingside passers trump the Bishop.

39. fxe5 Bxe5 40. Rd1 Kf8 41. Bf1 Ke7 42. Rc1 h5 43. a4 Rb4 44. Rc4

• 44. Bb5 Rxe4 45. Rc4 Re1+ 46. Kf2 Rd1 47. Bc6 f5 leaves Black with three extra pawns, connected passers at that.

44. -- Rxc4 45. Bxc4 g5 46. Kg2 g4 47. Bb5

• No better is 47. Be2 Kf6 48. Kf2 Kg5 49. Bb5 h4 50. Kg1 h3.

47. -- Kf6 48. Be8 h4 49. 0-1

• Black has two connected passers on the highyway to Scone.
• Ms. Lahno resigns.