The JR Chess Repoert (April 11): Reports on Russ Team Championships and the Bundesliga

[Jack Rabbit]

Russian Team Championship end: Premier League to Moscow 64; Women's League to St. Petersburg CF



The 17th annual Russian Team Championships finished yesterday in Dagomys, about 30 kilometers from Sochi, the chosen site for the 2014 Winter Olympics.

The winning teas in each of the three leagues were Moscow 64 in the Premier League, Moscow MEPhI in the Higher League and the St. Petersburg Chess Federation in the Women's League.

The competition in the women's League was close, with Moscow Giprorechtrans leading from the early rounds until Ukrainian WGM Natalia Zhukova dropped her game on board 1 of the seventh and final round to Lithuanian IM Viktorija Cmilyte of the St. Petersburg CF.

Russian Team Championships - Premier League
Final Standings after Nine Rounds

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Match. . Ind
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . + . . . - . . . = . . .Pts . . Pts
Moscow 64 . . . . . . . . . 7 . . . 0 . . . 2 . . .16. . . 36½
St Petersburg Chess Fed . . 6 . . . 1 . . . 2 . . .14. . . 33
Saratov 1 . . . . . . . . . 5 . . . 1 . . . 2 . . .12. . . 32
Sverdlovsk. . . . . . . . . 4 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . .11. . . 29
Khanty Mansiysk . . . . . . 5 . . . 3 . . . 1 . . .11. . . 29½
Tomsk . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . 2 . . . 5 . . . 9. . . 29
Moscow Etude-Contact . . . 3 . . . 6 . . . 0 . . . 6. . . 25
St Petersburg Chigorin. . . 3 . . . 5 . . . 0 . . . 6. . . 23
Saratov 2 . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . 7 . . . 1 . . . 3. . . 17½
Belograd. . . . . . . . . . 0 . . . 9 . . . 0 . . . 0. . . 14½


Russian Team Championships - Women's League
Final Standings after Seven Rounds

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Match. . Ind
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . + . . . - . . . = . . .Pts . . Pts
St Petersburg Chess Fed . . 4 . . . 1 . . . 1 . . . 9. . . 15
Moscow Giprorechtrans . . . 3 . . . 1 . . . 2 . . . 8. . . 13
Krasnoturyinsk. . . . . . . 3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . . 7. . . 14½
Moscow Chess Club . . . . . 1 . . . 1 . . . 4 . . . 6. . . 15
Saratov . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . 2 . . . 2 . . . 6. . . 11½
Moscow Divorets . . . . . . 1 . . . 4 . . . 1 . . . 3. . . .9
St Petersburg Chigorin. . . 1 . . . 4 . . . 1 . . . 3. . . .9


Baden Baden wins fifth straight Bundesliga title



The team from Baden Baden, led this weekend by Alexei Shirov on board 1 and playing at home, crushed the Katernberg team today 7-1 in the 15th and final round of the Bundesliga to take home the team's fifth straight title in the world's oldest and most prestegious team chess league.



2009-10 Bundesliga Champions Baden Baden
Photo from the website of the Bundesliga

Bremen, which handed Baden Baden its first match loss in three years in the tenth round in rarly February, finished second. Bremen defeated third-place Solingen yesterday, 5½-2½, to keep its hopes alive and theoretically could have taken first place had Baden Baden lost its match today. Bremen defeated Remagen today, also by a score of 5½-2½.

Bundesliga 2009-10 Season
Final Standings after 15 Rounds

. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . Match. . Ind
. . . . . . . . .+ . . . - . . . = . . .Pts . . Pts
Baden-Baden. . .14 . . . 1 . . . 0 . . .28. . . 87½
Bremen . . . . .12 . . . 0 . . . 3 . . .27. . . 78½
Solingen . . . .13 . . . 2 . . . 0 . . .26. . . 75
Mülheim. . . . . 8 . . . 2 . . . 5 . . .21. . . 71
Hamburg. . . . . 8 . . . 6 . . . 1 . . .17. . . 64
Eppingen . . . . 7 . . . 6 . . . 2 . . .16. . . 64½
Emsdetten. . . . 8 . . . 7 . . . 0 . . .16. . . 63
Wattenscheid . . 7 . . . 6 . . . 2 . . .16. . . 61
Remagen. . . . . 7 . . . 7 . . . 1 . . .15. . . 61½
Trier. . . . . . 7 . . . 8 . . . 0 . . .14. . . 58½
Katernberg . . . 6 . . . 8 . . . 1 . . .13. . . 50½
Berlin . . . . . 2 . . . 8 . . . 5 . . . 9. . . 54½
Munich . . . . . 2 . . . 9 . . . 4 . . . 8. . . 49½
Heidelberg . . . 0 . . . 8 . . . 7 . . . 7. . . 43
Erfurt . . . . . 0 . . .11 . . . 4 . . . 4. . . 38
König Tegel. . . 0 . . .12 . . . 3 . . . 3. . . 40



Anand-Topalov Title Match begins in Sofia April 23



The 12-round match for the world title between reigning champion Vishy Anand of India and Bulgarian GM Veselin Topalov, who was the last of the FIDE champions that began in the schism that pitted Garry Kasparov against FIDE, begins Friday, April 23 in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia.

The match will last until Monday, May 10, when the final round is played, with any necessary tiebreaks sceduled for May 12.

Over the years since 1993, Anand and Topalov have played 44 games under standard tournament time controls, with Topalov holding a narrow lead in wins, 11-10, with 23 draws.

This week, the JRCR begins a three-part series which will feature 15 games, one from each of the world champions in the apostolic line from Steinitz. This week we'll feature games by world champions starting with Steinitz, who claimed the title after defeating Johannes Hermann Zukertort in a match in 1886, through World War II.


Other tournments currently underway

12th Dubai Open After 7 rounds of nine, grandmanster Viorel Iordachescu of Moldova and Tornike Sanikidze of Georgia are tied for the lead with 6 points each.

3rd Kuala Lumpur Open After 7 rounds of nine, 16-year-old Chinese grandmaster Hou Yifan is alone in first place with 6 points.


Calendar

Asian Championships, Subic Bay (The Philippines) April 20-30.

Women's Grand Prix, Nalchik 23 April-6 May.

Anand-Topalov Match for the World Title, Sofia 23 April-10 May.

Bosna 2010, Sarajevo 5-14 May.

Grand Prix, Astrakhan (Russia) 9-25 May.

US Championship, St. Louis 13-25 May.

Chicago Open 27-31 May.

Women's Grand Prix, Jermuk 23 June-6 July.

World Open, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania 29 June-5 July.

Women's Grand Prix, Ulan Bator (Mongolia) 29 July-12 August.

World Junior Championships, Chotowa Czarna (Poland) 2-17 August.

Mainz Chess Classic 6-8 August. The world economic crisis reduces the festival to three days in 2010, with the rapid open and simultaneous exhibitions by Vishy Anand and Alexandra Kosteniuk being the only featured events.

Chess Olympiad, Khanty Mansiysk 19 September-4 October.

Pan-American Women's Championship, São Paulo 10-21 October.

European Club Cup, Plovdiv 16-24 October.

Women's Grand Prix, Vina del Mar (Chile) 27 October-9 November.

World Youth Championships, Halidiki (Greece) 19-31 October.

FIDE Women's Knock Out (Women's World Championship), Turkey 2-25 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 downloaded free here.

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


I would like to thank my impressive and loyal staff: Buccaneer, Spitfire, Swashbuckler, Pancho and Robin Hood.

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Russian Team Championships, Dagomys

Woods near Dagomys, about 30 km from Sochi
Photo: Sochi Explorer (Russia)

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Zhukova - Cmilyte, Women's League, Round 7

This game, played in the last round, decided the championship of the Women's League. Moscow Giprorechtrans hd been leading since the early rounds, but faltered at the end and fell out of first place by losing its last round match with the St. Petersburg Chess Federation, of which this was the only decisive game.

Ms. Cmilyte lead all players in the Women's League with a performance rating just shy of 2700.



Viktorija Cmilyte
Photo: ChessBase.com


Natalia Zhukova (Moscow Giprorechtrans) - Viktorija Cmilyte (St Petersburg Chess Federation)
17th Russian Team Championships, Women's League, Round 7
Dagomys, 7 April 2010

West India Game: Indian Queen's Gambit (Exchange Opening) (Grünfeld Defense)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5

• For 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 c5 see Shulman-Kudrin, US Ch, Tulsa, 2008.

4...Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4

• If 7.Be3 c5 8.Rc1 Qa5 9.Qd2 0-0 10.Nf3 then:
• If 10...Nd7 then:
• 11.Bd3 e5 12.d5 b5 13.0-0 c4 14.Bc2 Qa3 15.Rb1 Rb8 16.Qc1 Qxc1 17.Rfxc1 gives White more space and a more active game (Pashikian-Nepomniachtchi, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2010).
• If 11.d5 Nf6 then:
• 12.Bd3 c4 13.Bb1 Ng4 14.Bd4 e5 is equal (Sakaev-Morozevich, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2008).
• 12.c4 Qc7 13.Bd3 e5 14.Bh6 Bxh6 15.Qxh6 Ng4 16.Qd2 f5 17.0-0 Nf6 18.Qc2 f4 19.Qb2 Re8 20.Rb1 Rb8 21.Bc2 Bd7 22.Rfe1 h6 23.Qa3 a6 24.Red1 Qd6 25.Qa5 b5 26.Nd2 Rec8 draw (Kachiani-Baramidze, German Ch, Koenigshofen, 2007).
• If 10...cxd4 11.cxd4 Qxd2+ then:
• If 12.Kxd2 Nc6 then:
• If 13.d5 Rd8 14.Ke1 Na5 15.Bg5 Bd7 16.Bd3 Rdc8 17.Ke2 e6 18.Be3 exd5 19.exd5 then:
• 19...b5 20.Nd2 a6 21.Ne4 Nc4 22.Bxc4 bxc4 23.Nc5 Rd8 24.Nxd7 Rxd7 25.Rxc4 Rxd5 26.Rhc1 h5 27.Ra4 Rd6 28.Rc7 draw (Lautier-Svidler, IT, Poikovsky, 2003).
• 19...b6 20.Ba6 Rd8 21.Rhd1 Bc8 22.Bxc8 Raxc8 23.Rxc8 Rxc8 24.Nd4 ties Black down to a defense against a passed pawn (Kramnik-van Wely, Corus A, 2001).
• 13.Bb5 f5 14.exf5 Bxf5 15.Bxc6 bxc6 16.Rxc6 Rab8 17.Kc3 Be4 18.Rc7 Rf6 19.Ra1 Ra6 20.a4 Bf6 21.Ne5 Rab6 22.Nd7 Rb3+ 23.Kd2 Rb2+ 24.Ke1 Rb1+ 25.Rxb1 Rxb1+ 26.Kd2 Rb2+ 27.Kc1 Rb1+ 28.Kd2 draw (Browne-Vaganian, Ol, Thessaloniki, 1984).
• If 12.Nxd2 e6 13.Nb3 Rd8 14.Bg5 f6 15.Be3 Bf8 16.Bc4 Nc6 17.Ke2 Kg7 18.f4 Bd7 19.h3 Nb4 20.Nc5 Bxc5 21.dxc5 Bc6 22.Bd2 Na6 23.Bxa6 bxa6 24.Ke3 Bb5 25.Rc3 Rd7 26.c6 draw (Kempinski-Ruck, IT, Griesheim, 2002).

7...c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 0-0 10.0-0 Bg4

• If 10...Bd7 11.Rb1 then:
• If 11...Qc7 then:
• If 12.Bd3 Rad8 then:
• If 13.Qc1 Bc8 14.Rd1 then:
• If 14...b6 15.h3 then:
• If 15...Bb7?! then:
• If 16.dxe5 bxc5 17.Qa3 Na5 18.f3! wins a pawn for White (Ponomariov-Vachier Lagrave, IT, San Sebastián, 2009).
• 16.f4!? cxd4 17.cxd4 e6 18.Rb3 Qd6 19.Bb1 Ba6 20.e5 Qd7 21.Ng3 Ne7 22.Ne4 Nd5 23.Bf2 Rc8 gives Black the initiative (Aronian-Vachier Lagrave, TMatch, Paris, 2009).
• 15...cxd4 16.cxd4 Qb7 17.d5 Ne5 18.Nd4 gives White an advantage in space, but little else.
• 14...e5 15.d5 Na5 16.c4 b6 17.Nc3 f5 18.exf5 gxf5 19.Bg5 gives White the advantage in space (Tarnopolsky-Mikhalevski, Op, Ashdod, 2006).
• 13.Qc2 b6 14.Rfd1 Na5 15.Qb2 c4 16.Bc2 e5 17.h3 Rfe8 18.Rd2 Bc6 19.Rbd1 Nb7 20.Qb1 Qe7 is equal (Sargissian-Vachier Lagrave, IT, Paks, 2008).
• 12.Bf4 Qc8 13.d5 Na5 14.Bd3 e5 15.Bg3 c4 16.Bc2 b6 17.f4 exf4 18.Bxf4 Qc5+ 19.Kh1 Bg4 20.h3 Bxe2 21.Qxe2 Bxc3 22.Qf3 Bg7 23.e5 c3 gives Black an extra pawn (Krush-Ushenina, ITW, Istanbul, 2008).
• 11...a6 12.dxc5 Qc7 13.Nd4 Na5 14.Bd3 Rfd8 15.Qe2 e6 16.f4 Bf8 17.f5 Bxc5 18.Qf2 exf5 19.exf5 gives White the advantage in space (Hillarp Persson-Hermansson, Swedish Ch, Gothenborg, 2006).
• If 10...Bg4 11.f3 Na5 then:
• 12.Bd3 cxd4 13.cxd4 Be6 14.d5 Bxa1 15.Qxa1 f6 then:
• 16.Qd4 Bf7 17.Bh6 Re8 18.Bb5 e5 19.Qf2 Re7 20.Bd3 Rc8 21.f4 Nc4 is equal (Topalov-Shirov, IT, Morelia-Linares, 2008).
• If 16.Bh6 then:
• 16...Qb6+ 17.Nd4 Bd7 18.Rb1 Qc5 19.Rc1 Qb6 20.Bxf8 Rxf8 21.h4 4 gives the advantage in space to White (Bronstein-Boleslavsky, Candidates' Trmt, Budapest, 1950).
• 16...Re8 17.Kh1 Rc8 18.Nf4 Bd7 19.e5 Nc4 20.e6 Ba4 21.Nxg6 hxg6 22.Bxg6 Ne5 23.Be4 Bc2 24.Bxc2 Rxc2 25.Qd1 Kh7 26.f4 Kxh6 27.fxe5 Qc8 28.exf6 Rg8 29.f7 is balanced and, after some more moves, the players agreed to a draw (Korotylev-Timofeev, Russian Ch Qual, Tomsk, 2004).
• 16.Rb1 Bd7 17.Bh6 Rf7 18.e5 fxe5 19.Qxe5 b5 20.Be3 Qb8 21.Qc3 Qd8 22.Qe5 Qb8 23.Qc3 Qd8 draws by repetition (Kavalek-Timman, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1978).
• If 12.Bxf7+ Rxf7 13.fxg4 Rxf1+ 14.Kxf1 cxd4 15.cxd4 e5 then:
• 16.Kg1 Rc8 17.d5 Nc4 18.Bf2 Nd6 19.Ng3 Bh6 20.h4 Bf4 21.g5 Qd7 22.Qf3 White still has the extra pawn.(Jussupow-Sutovsky, IT, Essen, 2001).
• 16.d5 Nc4 17.Bf2 Qf6 18.Kg1 Rf8 19.Qe1 Bh6 20.Ng3 Qa6 21.Kh1 Qa4 22.Qe2 b6 23.h4 Bf4 24.Nf1 Nd6 25.Re1 Rc8 26.g3 Rc2 27.Qf3 Qxa2 gives Black a huge advatage in space (K.Georgiev-Ivanchuk, IT, Reggio Emilia, 1989).
• If 10...Qc7 11.Rc1 Rd8 then:
• 12.Bf4 Qd7 13.d5 Na5 14.Bd3 then:
• 14...e5 then:
• 15.Bg5 Re8 16.c4 b6 17.Qd2 Nb7 18.Bh6 f6 19.Bxg7 Qxg7 20.f4 Nd6 21.Kh1 Bd7 22.Ng1 Qh6 23.Rce1 f5 24.Qc3 fxe4 25.fxe5 exd3 26.exd6 Rxe1 27.Rxe1 d2 28.Rd1 Qf4 29.Rxd2 draw (Balashov-Ftacnik, Trnava, 1988).
• If 15.Be3 Qe7 16.Qd2 b6 17.f4 c4 18.Bc2 exf4 19.Bxf4 Nc6 20.Nd4 Nxd4 21.cxd4 Ba6 22.Rf3 gives White the advantage in space (Jussupow-Kamsky, Tilburg, 1992).
• If 12.Qd2 Qa5 13.Rfd1 then:
• 13...Bd7 14.Bh6 cxd4 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.Qf4 Be8 17.cxd4 e5 18.dxe5 Rxd1+ 19.Rxd1 Qxe5 20.Qxe5+ draw (Polugaevsky-Vaganian, IT, Linares, 1985).
• If 13...Bg4 14.f3 Ne5 15.Bd5 Rxd5 16.exd5 Nc4 17.Qd3 Nb2 18.Qb1 Nxd1 19.Qxb7 Rd8 20.Rxd1 Bc8 21.Qxe7 Bf8 22.Qf6 gives White the advantage in space (Ftacnik-Stohl, IT, Trnava, 1984).

11.f3 Bd7

• If 11...Na5 12.Bd3 cxd4 13.cxd4 Be6 14.d5 Bxa1 15.Qxa1 f6 then:
• If 16.Bh6 Re8 17.Kh1 Rc8 18.Nf4 Bd7 19.e5 Nc4 20.e6 then:
• 20...Ba4 21.Nxg6 hxg6 22.Bxg6 Ne5 23.Be4 Bc2 24.Bxc2 Rxc2 gives Black more activity and space (Carlsen-L'Ami, IT, Guadsal, 2004).
• If 20...Bb5 21.Qe1 Nd6 then:
• If 22.Bb1 Bxf1 then:
• If 23.Nxg6!? then:
• 23...Qb6?? (simply catastrophic) 24.Qg3! Bxg2+ 25.Kxg2 Qb2+ 26.Kh3 f5 27.Ne5+ Black resigns before White delivers mate (Zhukova-Shomoev, Cyberspace, 2004).
• 23...hxg6! 24.Qg3 g5.
• 23.Qxf1 then 23...Qa5 24.Qd1 Rc5 25.h3 g5 26.Nh5 Rxd5 wins.
• 22.Bxb5 Nxb5 23.Qb1 Nc3 24.Qxb7 g5 shuts the White Bishop out of the game while Black has a material advantage.
• 16.Rb1 Bd7 17.Bh6 Rf7 18.e5 e6 19.Nf4 fxe5 20.Nxe6 Bxe6 21.dxe6 Re7 22.Bg5 Qxd3 23.Bxe7 Re8 24.Bg5 Qf5 25.Bh6 Qxe6 draw (Polugaevsky-Chandler, IT, Amsterdam, 1986).

12.Rb1 Rc8

• 12...Qc7 13.dxc5 Rad8 14.Qe1 Bc8 15.Bd5 Na5 16.Nd4 e6 17.Bb3 Nxb3 18.axb3 gives White an extra pawn and the advantage in space (Poobalasingam-Humphreys, British Ch, Isle of Man, 2005).

13.Bd3

• 13.dxc5 Na5 14.Bd5 Qc7 15.a3 Rfd8 16.Qc1 e6 17.Ba2 Bf8 is equal (Murey-Kouatly, Op, Marseille, 1987).

13...Qc7 14.Qd2 Rfd8 15.d5!?

• 15.Rfc1 a6 16.Nf4 e6 17.d5 Na5 18.c4 b6 19.h4 is equal (Cheparinov-Kazhgaleyev, Ol, Dresden, 2008).

15...Ne5

• The game is equal.

16.c4 e6 17.Nf4 b6 18.Be2 Ba4 19.Qc1 Qe7

• 19...Rd6 20.a3 Qe7 21.Re1 Rcd8 22.Nd3 Nxd3 23.Bxd3 remains equal.

20.Qa3 Be8 21.Nh3 exd5 22.cxd5 h5!?

• Black neglects her center to advance on the flanks.
• If 22...Rc7?! 23.f4! Nd7 24.e5! then:
• 24...Nxe5 25.fxe5 Rxd5 26.Bc4 White has the material advantage and the initiative.
• 24...Rcc8 25.d6 Qe6 26.Ng5 Qd5 27.Bf3 gives White a winning advantage.
• 22...f6! 23.Rfd1 Rc7 24.Nf2 Nf7 25.Bf4 Ne5 remains equal.

BLACK: Viktorija Cmilyte
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WHITE: Natalia Zhukova
Position after 22...h7h5

23.Rfd1!

• 23.Rbd1 would clearly be the wrong Rook; White must be prepared to confront Black's queenside pawns.

23...Qd7 24.Bb5 Qe7 25.Ba6 Rb8!?

• Black should keep his Rook behind the head pawn (the c-pawn).
• If 25...Rc7 26.f4 Ng4 27.e5 Rcd7 28.d6! then:
• 28...Rxd6 29.Rxd6 Rxd6 30.Bxc5 bxc5 31.exd6 Qxd6 32.Kh1 gives White a small material edge for which Black has no compensation.
• If 28...Qf8?! then 29.Bb5! Rb7 30.Bxe8 Qxe8 31.Bxc5! wins a pawn.

26.Nf2!

• White augments her advantage in space.
• The text is stronger than26.f4 Ng4 27.e5 Ba4 when:
• 28.Rd2 Bd7 29.d6 Qe8 30.Nf2 Nxe3 31.Qxe3 gives White a very healthy advantage in space.
• 28.Qxa4 Nxe3 29.d6 Qh4 30.Nf2 Nxd1 31.g3! gives White the Queen in exchange for her other Rook.

26...f6 27.Nd3

• Also good is 27.Rbc1 Rd6 28.f4 when:
• 28...Ng4 29.Nxg4 hxg4 30.Re1 Bf7 31.Bd3 Rb7 32.Qa6 gives White a very impressive advantage in space.
• 28...Nf7 then after 29.Qb3 h4 30.Bd3 Rbd8 31.Be2 White continues to enjoy the advantage in space.

27...Kh7

• If 27...Bf7 then after 28.Nxe5 fxe5 29.Bc4 Rb7 30.Qa6 Rc7 31.a4 Whie continues to enjoy the advantage in space, although her center is now partially blocked.

28.Bf4!

• The Bishop is very useful on this diagonal.
• If 28.Nxe5 fxe5 29.Bc4 h4 30.Qc1 b5 then:
• 31.d6 Rxd6 32.Bd5 Rd7 33.Bxc5 Qf6 34.Qe3 White continues to enjoy more space, but Black is blocking White's center..
• 31.Be2!? c4! 32.a4 a6 33.axb5 axb5 34.Bg5 is equal.

28...Bf7

• Black is not looking ahead as well as she might.
• 28...h4! denies the Bishop the use of g3, and after 29.Qc1 then:
• 29...Rd6 30.Qe3 Rbd8 31.Rbc1 g5 32.Bxe5 fxe5 is equal.
• If 29...h3!? then after 30.Qc2 hxg2 31.Qxg2 Ba4 32.Rdc1 White continues to enjoy the advantage in space.

29.Bg3!

• The Bishop gives Black problems. It is very difficult for Black to blockade White's center.

29...Bh6 30.Re1 Bg8 31.f4!?

• White tries to mobilize her center by dislodging the Knight.
• If 31.Qc3 then after 31...Nxd3 32.Bxd3 Ra8 33.Bc4 Bg7 34.Rbd1 White still has a fine position; her Bishop at g3 makes it difficult for Black to blockade the center pawns.

BLACK: Viktorija Cmilyte
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WHITE: Natalia Zhukova
Position after 31.f2f4

31...Nxd3 32.Bxd3 h4 33.Bxh4 Bxf4 34.Kh1!?

• 34.Bc2 Be5 35.Rf1 Rbc8 36.Bg3 Rc7 37.Qf3 leaves White with a small edge owing to her stronger center, but its mobility is limited.

34...Be5 35.Re3 Kg7!

• Black has equalized.
• If 35...Bf7 then after 36.Rd1 Rd6 37.Bg3 Rb7 38.Qc1 White still has a strong center, but now it is blockaded.

36.Rh3 Bf7 37.Bg3 Rh8 38.Bxe5

• 38.Rxh8 Rxh8 39.Bc2 Bxg3 40.Qxg3 Qe5 41.Qxe5 fxe5 remains equal.

38...Qxe5 39.Qxa7?

• Just short of the time control, White blunders the game away.
• 39.Rxh8 Rxh8 40.h3 f5 41.Qxa7 fxe4 42.Rf1 remains equal.

39...Rxh3

• Also good is 39...Ra8 when:
• If 40.Qxb6 c4 then:
• If 41.Bc2 Rxh3 42.gxh3 Rxa2 43.Qf2 f5 then:
• If 44.d6 Qxd6 45.exf5 Bd5+ 46.Kg1 Be4 then:
• 47.Rd1 Qxd1+ 48.Bxd1 Rxf2 49.Kxf2 gxf5 50.Ke2 c3 Black's more advanced pawns are the difference.
• 47.f6+ Kf7 48.Re1 Rxc2 49.Re2 Rxe2 50.Qxe2 Qc5+ wins.
• 44.Rc1 fxe4 45.Qe3 Bxd5 46.h4 Ra1 then:
• 47.Rg1 Qb2 48.Rxa1 Qxa1+ is a winning position for Black.
• 47.Rxa1 Qxa1+ 48.Kg2 Qb2 transposes.
• If 41.Bf1 then Black wins after 41...Rab8! 42.Qxb8 Rxb8 43.Rxb8 Qxb8.
• 40.Qd7 loses quickly after 40...Rxh3 41.Qxh3 Rh8!.

40.gxh3

BLACK: Viktorija Cmilyte
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WHITE: Natalia Zhukova
Position after 40.gh3:R

40...Rh8!

• The Rook breaks through against White's weak pawns.

41.Qd7

• 41.Qa4 f5 42.Qc2 fxe4 43.Bc4 e3 44.Kg1 Rh5 wins the d-pawn.
• 41.Bf1 loses right away to 41...Qxe4+ 42.Kg1 Qxb1.

41...c4 42.Bc2 Qc3 43.e5 Qf3+

• 43...Qxc2 44.exf6+ Kh6 then:
• If 45.Re1 Qd2 46.Re5 Qd1+ 47.Kg2 Ra8 48.a4 Rxa4 is an easy win for Black.
• If 45.Rf1 then after Qe4+ 46.Kg1 Qd4+ 47.Rf2 Re8 White can take no more of this pounding.

44.Kg1 Rh5 45.exf6+ Kh6 0-1

• 46.h4 Rxh4 47.Rf1 Qe3+ 48.Rf2 Rf4 White must either surrender her Queen or submit to a quick mate.
• Ms. Zhukova resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Riazantsev - Sjugirov, Premier League, Round 4

Alexander Rianzantsev, playing mostly on board 4 for the Premier League champions, Moscow 64, scored 6 points in seven games to lead all players with a 2885 performance rating.

http://www.chessbase.de/2009/biel2009/28pascal07/Riazantsev,%20Alexander.jpg

Alexander Riazantsev
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Alexander Riazantsev (Moscow 64) - Sanan Sjugirov (Khanty Mansiysk)
17th Russian Team Championships, Premier League, Round 4
Dagomys, 4 April 2010

Semi-Slav Queen's Gambit: Stoltz Opening

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.Bd3 dxc4 8.Bxc4 0-0 9.0-0 a6 10.Rd1 b5 11.Be2 Qc7 12.Ne4

• For moves up to here, see Gelfand-Karjakin, World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk, 2009.
• 12.e4 e5 13.g3 Re8 14.a3 exd4 15.Nxd4 Be5 16.Bf3 c5 17.Nde2 c4 18.Nd5 Nxd5 19.exd5 Bd6 20.Bf4 Ne5 21.Bxe5 Rxe5 22.Nd4 g6 is equal (Bologan-Karjakin, IT, Dortmund, 2001).

12...Nxe4 13.Qxe4 e5 14.Qd3

• 14.Qh4 Re8 15.Bd3 h6 16.Bd2 Be7 17.Qg3 Bd6 18.Qh4 Be7 draw (Burmakin-Dreev, Op, Novgorod, 1999; several games since have ended here or after one or two more moves in an agreed draw).

14...exd4 15.Qxd4 Be7 16.Qe4!?

• 16.Qf4 Qxf4 17.exf4 Bf6 18.Nd4 Re8 19.Be3 c5 20.Nf5 Bxb2 21.Rab1 Bd4 is equal (Kasimdzhanov-Aronian, Grand Prix, Nalchik, 2009).

16...Bf6!?

• 16...Nf6 17.Qe5 Qb7 18.Nd4 Re8 19.Bf3 Bd7 20.Nf5 gives White the advantage in space.

17.Qc2

• 17.Bd3 g6 18.Be2 Bb7 19.Qc2 c5 remains equal, although White succeeds in weaking Black's kingside some.

17...c5!?

• The text move loosens Black's hold on d5.
• The center is open; each side should take advantage of its Bishops.
• 17...Ne5 18.Nxe5 Bxe5 19.f4 Bd6 saddles White with a backward pawn on an open file.

18.a4

• 18.Bd3 h6 19.a4 Rb8 20.axb5 axb5 21.Nd4 c4 remains equal.

BLACK: Sanan Sjugirov
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WHITE: Alexander Riazantsev
Position after 18.a2a4

18...Rb8!?

• Black unnecessarily acquiesces to White's command of the a-file.
• 18...b4! 19.Bd3 h6 20.Bh7+ Kh8 21.Be4 remains equal.

19.axb5 axb5 20.Nd4!

• The text move gives White no immediate advantage, but it damands of Black that he play more carefully.

20...c4!?

• Black is not careful.
• 20...b4 21.Bd3 h6 22.Nb5 Qe5 23.Ra7 Rb6 24.b3 remains equal.

21.b3 Ne5

• If 21...Be5 22.f4 then:
• 22...Bxd4! 23.Rxd4 Nc5 24.bxc4 b4 25.Qb1 leaves White to nurse the backward e-pawn.
• 22...cxb3? 23.Qxc7 Bxc7 24.Nc6! Re8 25.Nxb8 Nxb8 26.Bxb5 wins the exchange.

22.bxc4 Nxc4 23.Ba3 b4?

• Black now loses quickly.
• If 23...Bxd4 24.Rxd4 Rd8 25.Rh4 then:
• If 25...h6 26.Bxc4 bxc4 27.Rxc4 Qe5 28.Rc1 leaves White a pawn to the good, but Black has some hopes of counterpaly.
• Little different and not any better is 25...f5 26.Bxc4+ bxc4 27.Rxc4 Qe5 28.Rd1 Rxd1+ 29.Qxd1.

BLACK: Sanan Sjugirov
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WHITE: Alexander Riazantsev
Position after 23...b5b4

24.Bb2!

• White must win a piece.

24...Bxd4

• 24...Be5 loses to 25.Bxc4 Bxh2+ 26.Kh1 Be5 27.Qb3 Rd8 28.Nc6 when White is a piece to the good.

25.Rxd4 Be6 26.Bxc4 Rbc8

• 26...Rfc8 27.Rc1 Bxc4 28.Qxc4 Qxc4 29.Rdxc4 Rxc4 30.Rxc4 gives White an extra piece.

27.Rc1 Rfd8 28.Bxe6!! Rxd4 29.Bxf7+ 1-0

• 29...Kf8 30.Qxc7 Rxc7 31.exd4 Rxc1+ 32.Bxc1 Kxf7 leaves White a piece to the good.
• 29...Kxf7 30.Qxc7+ Rxc7 31.Rxc7+ Ke6 32.exd4 leaves White two pieces up.
• Sanan Vyacheslavovich resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Rapina - Bodnaruk, Women's League, Round 5

Anastasia Bodnaruk
Photo: ChessBase.com


Varvara Rapina (Moscow Dvorets) - Anastasia Bodnaruk (St Petersburg Chess Federation)
17th Russian Team Championships, Women's League, Round 5
Dagomys, 5 April 2010

Open Sicilian Game: Najdorf-Boleslavsky Defense (Opocensky Opening)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 cxd4 5.Nxd4 a6 6.Be2 e5

• Also playable is 6...e6 (the Najdorf-Scheveningen Defense).
• If 6...e6 7.0-0 Be7 8.a4 Nc6 9.Be3 0-0 10.f4 Qc7 11.Kh1 Re8 then:
• If 12.Bf3 then:
• If 12...Bf8 then:
• 13.Qd2 Rb8 14.Qf2 e5 15.fxe5 dxe5 16.Nb3 Nb4 17.Ba7 Ra8 18.Bb6 Qe7 gives White the advantage in space (Carlsen-Grischuk, IT, Linares, 2009).
• If 13.Nb3 b6 14.a5 then:
• 14...Nd7 15.axb6 Nxb6 16.Nb5 axb5 17.Bxb6 Qb8 18.Rxa8 Qxa8 19.Qe2 b4 20.Ra1 Qb7 21.Be3 gives White the advantage in space (Kovacevic-Stojanovic, Serbia and Montenegro ChT, Herceg Novi, 2005).
• 14...bxa5 15.e5 dxe5 16.fxe5 Rd8 17.Nd4 Nxd4 18.Bxd4 Bb7 19.exf6 e5 20.fxg7 Bxg7 21.Bxb7 Qxb7 22.Ne2 exd4 23.Ng3 Rd5 24.Nf5 gives White the initiative for the pawn (Kovacevic-Jakovljevic, Op. Ljubljana, 2005).
• If 12...Rb8 then:
• If 13.Qd2 Bd7 14.Nb3 b6 then:
• 15.g4 Bc8 16.g5 Nd7 17.Bg2 Na5 18.Qf2 Nc4 19.Bc1 Bf8 20.Nd4 Na5 21.f5 Ne5 22.Nce2 Nac6 23.c3 exf5 24.exf5 Nxd4 25.Nxd4 Bb7 26.Bf4 b5 is equal (Jansa-Ftacnik, IT, Prague, 1989).
• 15.Bf2 Bc8 16.Bg3 Nd7 17.e5 dxe5 18.Rae1 Bb7 19.fxe5 Ncxe5 20.Bxb7 Rxb7 21.Qe2 f6 22.Qxa6 is equal (Anand-Topalov, IT, Linares, 1999).
• 13.g4 Nd7 14.g5 Bf8 15.Bg2 b6 16.Qh5 Bb7 17.Rf3 g6 18.Qh4 Bg7 19.Rd1 Nf8 20.Qf2 Ba8 21.Nxc6 Bxc6 22.Bd4 e5 23.fxe5 Bxe5 24.Bxe5 Rxe5 25.Qd2 Ne6 is equal (Bachmann-Leitão, Pan-American Ch, Buenos Aires, 2005).
• 12.Bd3 Nb4 13.a5 Bd7 14.Qe1 Rac8 15.Qg3 Nh5 16.Qf3 Nf6 17.Qg3 draws.

7.Nb3 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Kh1 b6

• If 9...Nc6 10.f4 b5 11.Be3 then:
• If 11...Bb7 12.a4 then:
• 12...Nb4 13.Qd2 d5 14.fxe5 Nxe4 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.Nd4 gives White the advantage in space (Carlsen-Domínguez, Amber Rapid, Nice, 2010).
• 12...b4 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.exd5 Na5 15.Nxa5 Qxa5 16.fxe5 Rad8 gives White the advantage in space (van Oosterpm-Elwert, Corres, 1999).
• 11...exf4 12.Rxf4 Ne5 13.Qd2 Bd7 14.Nd5 Ng6 15.Bb6 Qe8 16.Nxf6+ Bxf6 is equal (Wang Pin-Huang Qian, Chinese Ch, Wuxi, 2006).

10.f4

• If 10.Be3 Bb7 11.f3 b5 12.a4 b4 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.exd54 then:
• 14...Nd7 15.c3 bxc3 16.bxc3 Bg5 17.Bf2 f5 18.Rb1 is equal (Jakovenko-Alekseev, IT, Poikovsky, 2007).
• 14...f5 15.a5 Nd7 16.Ra4 Nf6 17.Bc4 Qd7 18.Rxb4 Rfc8 19.Bg5 gives White an edge in space (Shen-Karavade, World Jr Ch, Yerevan, 2006).

10...Bb7 11.Bf3 Nbd7 12.Qe1 Rc8 13.f5!?

• 13.Be3 b5 14.a3 Re8 15.Rd1 Qc7 16.f5 Bf8 is equal (Haddouche-Raul, Ol, Dresden, 2008).

13...b5

• The game is equal, but White must play carefully.

14.a3 Nb6 15.g4?!

• If 15.Na5 Ba8 16.Bg5 d5 then:
• 17.exd5 Nfxd5 18.Bxe7 Qxe7 19.Nxd5 Nxd5 20.Bxd5 Bxd5 gives Black the initiative.
• If 17.Bxf6!? Bxf6 18.exd5 then:
• If 18...e4! 19.Nxe4 Bxb2 20.Ra2 Bf6 gives Black more activity and she will soon win back the pawn.
• 18...Re8 19.Rd1 e4 20.Nxe4 Bxb2 21.Qb4 Be5 22.Nc5 is equal.
• If 15.Nd2 Qc7 16.Qg3 then:
• If 16...d5 then:
• If 17.exd5 Nbxd5 18.Bxd5 Bxd5 19.Nxd5 Nxd5 20.c3 Nf6 is equal.
• If 17.Re1 Bd6 18.Bd1 d4 19.Na2 Kh8 20.c3 Nc4 gives Black the advantage in space.
• If 16...Rfd8 17.Re1 d5 18.exd5 Nbxd5 19.Bxd5 Nxd5 then:
• 20.Nxd5 Bxd5 21.c3 Qc6 22.Nf1 e4 23.Bg5 is equal.
• If 20.Nde4!? Kh8 21.Nxd5 Rxd5! 22.Nc3 Rd7 23.Rxe5 Bd6 gives Black a tactical initiative.

BLACK: Anastasia Bodnaruk
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WHITE: Varvara Rapina
Position after 15.g2g4

15...d5!

• The Open Sicilian demonstrates the strength of hypermodern theories about the center. Rather than go directly inot the center on his first move, Black plays off-center so that White cannot play d2d4 without the pawn being taken. White then must decide whether she wants to play his Queen's pawn to d4 (as White usually does) or play a slower, more positional game which is probably not what she bargained for when playing 1.e4.
• Black's ability to play the text move with effect shows that her Sicilian strategy has been successful in this game.

16.g5?

• White finds herself in a difficult position.
• 16.exd5 Nfxd5 17.Na5 Ba8 18.Bd2 Re8 gives Black a strong center and better-placed pieces.

16...Nxe4!

• 16...dxe4!? 17.Bg2 Nfd7 18.f6 gxf6 19.gxf6 Bxf6 20.Bh6 lets White back in the game.

17.f6

• 17.Nxe4 dxe4 18.Bxe4 Bxe4+ 19.Qxe4 Bxg5 20.Bxg5 Qxg5 only gives Black one extra pawn instead of two.

17...gxf6 18.gxf6 Bxf6

• White has succeeded in spoiling Black's pawn structure, but in return Black has two extra pawns and the active game.

19.Bh6 Re8 20.Nxe4 dxe4 21.Bxe4 Bxe4+ 22.Qxe4 Kh8 23.Rad1

• It seems the best White can do now is attack a Black piece and then watch Black move the piece to a better square.

BLACK: Anastasia Bodnaruk
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WHITE: Varvara Rapina
Position after 23.Ra1d1

23...Qe7!

• Black's weak pawns are well defended.

24.Rf3

• If 24.Qf3 then after 24...Bh4 25.Rg1 Rg8 26.Rdf1 Rg6 27.Rxg6 hxg6 Black succeeds in strengthening her kingside pawns for the price of returning one of her two extra pawns.

24...Rg8!

• Black's trade off for her poor pawn structure is greater piece activity.

25.Qf5 Rc6

• Black wins faster after
• 25...Bg5! 26.Bxg5 Rxg5 27.Qxf7 Qxf7 28.Rxf7 Rxc2.

26.Na5 Re6 27.Rh3

• White won't survive any longer after 27.Qe4 Qc7 28.Rc3 Rd6 29.Rxd6 Qxd6 30.Rd3 Qe6.

27...Rg6 28.Qh5

• White has no adequate defense.
• If 28.Be3 Rd6 29.Rxd6 Qxd6 then:
• 30.Qd3 Nc4 31.Qxd6 Nxd6 32.b3 Bg7 leaves Black's two extra pawns ready to roll.
• 30.Qh5 Qd5+ 31.Qf3 e4 32.Qe2 Bxb2 33.c4 Qe5 leaves Black with two extra pawns.

BLACK: Anastasia Bodnaruk
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WHITE: Varvara Rapina
Position after 28.Qf5h5

28...Qe8!

• White has no good move, so Black waits.

29.Rdd3 Qg8 30.Rdg3 Nd5 31.Rxg6

• No better is 31.c3 Nf4 32.Bxf4 exf4 33.Rxg6 fxg6 34.Qd1 Qe8.

31...fxg6 32.Qg4 e4 33.c4 bxc4 34.Nxc4 Qe8 35.Rb3

• 35.Be3 Nxe3 36.Rxe3 Bd4 then:
• 37.Re1 Qf8 38.Qd1 Bf2 39.Rf1 Rf6 40.Qd2 Rf3 gives Black heavy threats against the back rank.
• 37.Rh3 Qf7 38.Qd1 Qf2 39.b4 Rc6 40.Ne3 Qb2 wins White's queenside pawns.

35...Rc6 36.Na5 Rc7 37.Qd1 e3 38.Qxd5

• White was in serious time trouble and couldn't take time to notice the shambles of her position, otherwise she might have hoisted the white flag here.
• 38.Kg1 g5 39.Qe1 Qc8! leaves White no moves other than those that lose material.

38...e2 39.Bd2 e1Q+!

• White must either lose material or submit to mate.

40.Bxe1 Qxe1+ 41.Kg2 Rc2+ 42.Kh3 0-1

• The text move submits to mate, but there is no escape.
• If 42.Kf3 Qf1+ then:
• 43.Kg4 h5+ 44.Kg3 Qf2+ 45.Kh3 Qxh2#.
• 43.Ke4 Re2+ 44.Re3 Qg2+ is just an ugly end.
• Ms. Rapina resigns before Ms. Bodnaruk could reply with mate on h4.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Ivanchuk - Grischuk, Premier League, Round 7

Vassily Ivanchuk
Photo: ChessBase.com


Vassily Ivanchuk (St Petersburg Chess Federation) - Alexander Grischuk (Khanty Mansiysk)
17th Russian Team Championships, Premier League, Round 7
Dagomys, 7 April 2010

Open Sicilian Game: Najdorf-Scheveningen Defense (Rauzer Opening/Poisoned Pawn Variation)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qb6 8.Qd2 Qxb2 9.Rb1 Qa3

• For moves up to here, see Gashimov-Grischuk, World ChT, Bursa, 2010.

10.f5

• If 10.e5 dxe5 11.fxe5 Nfd7 then:
• If 12.Ne4 h6 then:
• If 13.Bb5 then:
• If 13...axb5 14.Nxb5 hxg5 15.Nxa3 Rxa3 16.0-0 Nc6 17.Rb5 then:
• 17...Ra4 18.Nxg5 Ndxe5 19.Rxe5 Nxe5 20.Qc3 Nc6 21.Rxf7 Ra5 22.Rxg7 Bc5+ 23.Kh1 Rf8 24.Qd3 Rxa2 leaves Black a theoretical pawn to the good with the active game (Stellwagen-Anand, Bundesliga 0809, Baden Baden, 2009).
• 17...Be7 18.Nd6+ Bxd6 19.exd6 f6 20.Re1 Nce5 21.Qb4 Ra6 draw (Platonov-Minic, IT, Sochi, 1968).
• 13...hxg5 14.Rb3 axb5 15.Rxa3 Bxa3 16.Qxg5 Ra4 17.Qxg7 Rf8 is unclear (Quintaros-Browne, IT, London, 1981).
• 13.Bh4 Qxa2 14.Rd1 Qd5 15.Qe3 Qxe5 16.Be2 Bc5 17.Bg3 Bxd4 18.Rxd4 Qa5+ 19.Rd2 0-0 20.Bd6 Nc6 21.0-0 Re8 22.Qg3 Qd8 23.c4 Ne7 24.Bc7 Nf5 25.Rxf5 Qe7 26.Bd6 Qd8 27.Bc7 Qe7 28.Bd6 draw (Shabalov-Ehlvest, US Ch, Stillwater, 2007).
• If 12.Bc4 Bb4 13.Rb3 Qa5 14.0-0 0-0 15.Bf6 then:
• 15...Nxf6 16.exf6 Rd8 17.Rxb4 Qxb4 18.Qg5 g6 19.Rf4 b6 20.Rh4 Qf8 21.Qe3 Ra7 22.Ne4 Rad7 23.Rxh7 Black resigns (Tringov-Palmason, Ol, Havana, 1966).
• 15...gxf6 16.Qh6 Qxe5 17.Nf5 exf5 18.Ne4 Bd2 19.Nxd2 Qd4+ 20.Kh1 Ne5 21.Rg3+ Ng4 22.h3 gives White more activity (R. Byrne-Evans, US Ch, New York, 1965).
• If 10.Bxf6 gxf6 11.Be2 then:
• If 11...Bg7 12.0-0 f5 13.Rfd1 then:
• 13...0-0 14.exf5 exf5 15.Nd5 Nc6 16.c3 Qa5 17.Nb6 Rb8 18.Bf3 Nxd4 19.cxd4 Qxd2 20.Rxd2 Rd8 21.d5 Bc3 22.Rd3 Ba5 23.Ra3 Bd2 24.g3 draw (Ljubojevic-Ribli, IT, Bugojno, 1984).
• 13...Nc6 14.Nxc6 Bxc3 15.Qe3 bxc6 16.Rb3 Qc5 17.Qxc5 dxc5 18.Rxc3 fxe4 19.Rxc5 Bd7 20.Re5 f5 21.g4 Rg8 22.Kf2 fxg4 23.Rxe4 h5 24.Kg3 Ke7 25.Re5 h4+ 26.Kxh4 Rh8+ 27.Rh5 Rxh5+ 28.Kxh5 Rh8+ 29.Kxg4 Rxh2 30.Rd2 a5 31.Kg3 Rh1 32.Bc4 Re1 33.Re2 Rxe2 34.Bxe2 draw (Parma-Fischer, Capablanca Mem, Havana, 1965).
• If 11...Nc6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.0-0 Qa5 14.Kh1 Be7 then:
• If 15.Qe3 h5 16.Rb3 Kf8 17.Rfb1 h4 18.Bf3 d5 19.h3 Bc5 20.Qd3 Kg7 21.f5 d4 22.Ne2 e5 23.g3 hxg3 gives Black a two-pawn advantage (Brodsky-Biriukov, Chigorin Mem, St. Petersburg, 1996).
• 15.f5 h5 16.Bf3 Qc7 17.Qd3 a5 18.Qe3 h4 19.Bg4 Qa7 20.Qh3 e5 21.Rb3 Ba6 22.Rfb1 Qf2 23.Qf3 Qc5 gives Black an extra pawn (Michalek-Nickel, Corres, 1999).

10...Nc6 11.fxe6 fxe6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.Be2

• 13.e5 was once in vogue, but it's lost much of its luster in the last decade or two. Despite poor results for White, it hasn't completely disappeared.
• If 13.e5!? dxe5 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Ne4 then:
• If 15...Be7 16.Be2 h5 then:
• If 17.Rb3? 17...Qa4 18.Nxf6+ Bxf6 19.c4 then:
• If 19...Bh4+ 20.g3 Be7 21.0-0 Ra7 22.Rb8 Rc7 23.Qd3 then:
• If 23...Bc5+? then:
• If 24.Kh1 Ke7 then:
• 25.Qf3 Re8 then:
• 26.Qf6+! Kd6 27.Bxh5 Rce7 28.Rd1+ Bd4 29.Rxd4+ exd4 30.Qxd4+ Kc7 31.Qb6+ draw (Beliavsky-Platonov, Soviet Ch 1st League, Tashkent, 1980).
• If 26.Qf7+? Kd8 27.Qf6+ Rce7 then:
• 28.Bxh5 Kc7 29.Bxe8 Kxb8 30.Qxe5+ Ka8 31.Qxc5 Rxe8 wins for Black.
• 28.Rd1+ Bd4! 29.Bxh5 c5 30.h3 Qc6+ 31.Kh2 Rg8 wins for Black.
• 25.Qe4 then:
• 25...Kd6? drops the Queen to 26.Rd1+! Qxd1+ 27.Bxd1 h4 28.Qd3+ when White has turned the tables (Beliavsky-Hübner, IT, Tilburg, 1981).
• 25...Bd4! 26.Qf3 Kd6 27.Qf6 Rg8 28.Rd1 Qxa2 wins for Black.
• 24.Kg2? Ke7 25.Qe4 Bd4 26.c5 Qxa2 27.Qh4+ Ke8 28.Kh1 Qxe2 is an easy win for Black (García-Grigorian, IT, Baku, 1980).
• If 23...h4! 24.Qg6+ Kd8 then:
• 25.Qxe6 Bc5+ 26.Kh1 Re8 27.Qf6+ Rce7 28.Qxh4 Qxa2 leaves Black a piece to the good.
• No better is 25.g4 Qa3 26.Kh1 Rd7 27.Qg7 Re8.
• If 19...Ra7 20.0-0 Rf7 then:
• 21.Qd6! Be7 22.Qxe5 Rxf1+ 23.Kxf1 0-0+ 24.Kg1 h4 25.Qh5 Qxa2 26.Qg6+ Kh8 27.Qh6+ draw (Libiszewski-Hauchard, French ChT, Le Port Marly, 2009).
• 21.Rbf3? Rd7! 22.Qb2 Rb7!? 23.Rb3 0-0 24.Rxb7 Bxb7 25.Qxb7 Qxa2 26.Bxh5 e4 wins for Black (Velimorovic-Dr. Nunn, Euro ChT, Skara, 1980).
• If 17.Rf1! f5 18.Rf3 Qxa2 19.Rfb3 fxe4 20.Qc3 Bd8 21.Qxc6+ then:
• If 21...Bd7 22.Qxe4 then:
• 22...Ke7 23.Rd1 Qa4 24.Rb4 Ba5 25.Qh4+ Ke8 26.Bxh5+ Rxh5 27.Qxh5+ Ke7 28.Qh4+ Kf7 29.Qh7+ draw (Bobras-Wojtaszek, Bundesliga 0910, Bremen, 2009).
• 22...Kf7 23.Kf1 Rc8 24.Rd1 Bc6 25.Qxe5 Qxc2 26.Rbd3 Rf8 27.Kg1 h4 28.Bh5+ Kg8 29.Qxe6+ Kh8 is equal (Gubajdullin-Biriukov, Op, St. Petersburg, 2003).
• 21...Ke7 22.Qxa8 Qxc2 23.Qa7+ Bd7 24.Rb7 Ba5+ 25.Kf1 Rd8 26.Rd1 Bd2 27.Rc7 Rf8+ 28.Kg1 Be3+ 29.Qxe3 Qxc7 30.Qg5+ Black resigns as he must either lose the Rook or submit to mate (Ibraev-Kokarev, Op, St. Petersburg, 2003).
• 15...Qxa2 16.Rd1 Be7 17.Be2 0-0 18.0-0 Ra7 19.Rf3 Rd7 20.Qh6 Rxd1+ 21.Bxd1 Rf7 22.Rg3+ Kh8 23.Qh5 Qd5 24.Qxf7 Qxd1+ 25.Kf2 Qxc2+ draw (Bukic-K. Georgiev, Euro Club Cup, Fügen, 2006).

13...Be7 14.0-0 0-0 15.Rb3 Qc5+ 16.Kh1!?

• 16.Be3 Qe5 17.Bf4 Qc5+ 18.Be3 Qe5 19.Bd4 Qa5 20.Bb6 draw (Tkachiev-Gelfand, IT, Biel, 1995).

BLACK: Alexander Grischuk
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WHITE: Vassily Ivanchuk
Position after 16.Kg1h1

16...d5

• Black is a pawn to the good. Neither side has pawn structure about which to write home. White has more activity.

17.e5 Nd7 18.Rxf8+ Kxf8

• If 18...Bxf8 then WHite's activity does more than compensate for the pawn after 19.Na4 Qa7 20.Qf4 Rb8 21.Rf3.

19.Be3 Qa5 20.Bg4 Ke8

• Black gives back the pawn, hoping to maintain some sort of advantage.
• If 20...Qc7 21.Qf2+ Ke8 22.Bxe6 Nxe5 23.Bb6 Qd6 24.Bxc8 Rxc8 Black still has an extra pawn, but White is more able to generate threats.
• If 22.Bb6?! then after 22...Nxb6 23.Qxb6 Qxb6 24.Rxb6 Bd7! Black still has an extra pawn, but White has more activity.

21.Bxe6 Nc5 22.Bxc5! Qxc5

• 22...Bxc5?! 23.Bxc8 Rxc8 24.Qd3 g6 25.Rb7 Rc7 26.Rb8+ gives White a clear advantage.

23.Bxc8 Rxc8 24.Qd3 Qc4!?

• 24...d4 25.Ne2 Qxe5 26.Qxa6 Qe6 27.a4 Bf6 28.Rb1 remains equal.

25.Qf3 Kd8?

• The Black King is immoble.
• 25...Rd8 26.Rb6 c5 27.a3 Bh4 28.Rb7 d4 29.Ne2 gives White the advantage with a Rook on the seventh rank and the Queen in command of the f-file, but Black still has opportunities for counterplay.

26.Qf7!

• The threat of 27.Rb7 is deadly.

26...Qh4

• Black counters White's threat with a threat of his own.

27.Rb1!

• In addition to guarding against Black's mating threat, White is threatening to win Black's kingside pawns.
• 27.Qg8+!? Kc7! 28.Nxd5+ cxd5 29.Rc3+ then:
• If 29...Kb6 then after 30.Qe6+ Ka5 31.Qxd5+ Ka4 the Black King escapes.
• If 29...Bc5 then thee King gets away after 30.Rxc5+ Kb6 31.Qe6+ Kxc5 32.Qxc8+ Kd4 33.c3+.

27...Qh6

• No better is 27...g6 28.Ne2 Bb4 29.e6 Rc7 30.Qg8+ Ke7 31.Qg7+.

BLACK: Alexander Grischuk
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WHITE: Vassily Ivanchuk
Position after 27...Qh4h6

28.Nxd5!!

• The sacrifice brings to an end Black's resistance.

28...cxd5 29.Qxd5+ Ke8 30.Rd1 Rc7

• Black survives longer after 30...Rd8 31.Qg8+ Bf8 32.Rf1 Kd7 33.Qd5+, but the final result is not in doubt.

31.Qa8+!

• White now forces mate.

31...Kf7 32.Rf1+ Ke6 33.Qxa6+ Kd7 34.Rd1+ Ke8 35.e6 Bd8 36.Qb5+ Ke7 37.Qb4+ 1-0

BLACK: Alexander Grischuk
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WHITE: Vassily Ivanchuk
Final Position after 37.Qb5b4+

• After 37...Ke8 White finishes off the game with a pretty mate: 38.Rxd8+ Kxd8 39.Qf8#.
• Alexander Igorovich resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Vasilevih - Shadrina, Women's League, Round 3

This game culminates in a charming little checkmate of which a Queen sacrifice serves as harbinger.



Irina Vasilevich
Photo: ChessBase.com (Spanish Language)


Irina Vasilevich (Moscow Giprorechtrans) - Tatiana Shadrina (Krasnoturyinsk)
17th Russian Team Championships, Women's League, Round 3
Dagomys, 3 April 2010

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Clam Opening

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3 b5 6.Bb3 Be7 7.c3 0-0 8.Nbd2

• If 8.c3 0-0 9.Re1 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.Nbd2 Re8 12.Nf1 Nc6 13.h3 then:
• If 13...h6 14.Ng3 then:
• 14...Bf8 15.d4 cxd4 16.cxd4 exd4 17.Nxd4 Nxd4 18.Qxd4 Be6 19.Bf4 Rc8 20.Bb3 d5 21.Rad1 Bc5 draw (Berndt-Svidler, Euro ChT, Panormo, 2001).
• 14...Be6 15.d4 cxd4 16.cxd4 exd4 17.Nxd4 Nxd4 18.Qxd4 Rc8 19.Bb3 d5 20.e5 Nd7 21.Nh5 Nc5 22.Bc2 Nd7 23.Bb3 Nc5 24.Be3 Nxb3 25.axb3 Bc5 is equal (Svidler-Aronian, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2007).
• If 13...Bb7 14.Ng3 Bf8 then:
• 15.d4 cxd4 16.cxd4 exd4 17.Nxd4 Nxd4 18.Qxd4 Rc8 19.Bb3 d5 20.e5 Ne4 21.Nxe4 dxe4 22.Qxd8 Rcxd8 23.Bf4 Bc5 24.Rac1 Bb6 25.Red1 Rxd1+ 26.Rxd1 Rd8 27.Rxd8+ Bxd8 is equal (H. Hunt-Azarov, IT, Warsaw, 2005).
• 15.Nh2 h6 16.Ng4 Bc8 17.Nxf6+ Qxf6 18.Be3 Be6 19.Bb3 Bxb3 20.Qxb3 Qe6 21.Nf5 Kh7 22.Bd2 c4 draw (Mirzoev-Khamrakulov, Op, Egypt, 2001).
• If 8.a4 then:
• If 8...Bg4 9.c3 0-0 10.h3 then:
• If 10...Bd711.Nbd2 then:
• If 11...Na5 12.Bc2 c5 13.Re1 then:
• 13...Qc7 14.Nf1 h6 15.Ng3 Rfe8 16.Nh4 Bf8 17.Nhf5 Kh7 18.Qf3 Ng8 19.Ne3 Be6 20.Nd5 Qb7 21.Be3 g6 22.b4 Nc6gives White the advantage in space (Meszaros-Steingrimsson, Op, Reykjavik, 2009).
• If 13...Re8 14.Nf1 h6 then:
• 15.Ne3 Bf8 16.Bd2 Nc6 17.Nh2 Ne7 18.Nhg4 Nxg4 19.hxg4 Be6 20.Nf5 Qd7 is equal (Aveskulov-Sargissian, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• 15.N3h2 b4 16.Ne3 Bf8 17.Nhg4 Nxg4 18.hxg4 Be6 19.cxb4 cxb4 20.d4 exd4 21.Qxd4 d5 22.Rd1 Nc6 23.Qd3 d4 gives Black the advantage in space (Granda-Utman, Pan Am Ch, Buenos Aires, 2005).
• If 11.Bc2 Re8 12.Re1 then:
• 12...h6 13.Nbd2 Bf8 14.Nf1 d5 15.Ne3 dxe4 16.dxe4 b4 17.a5 Bc5 18.Nd5 Nh7 19.Be3 Bd6 20.Qd2 bxc3 21.bxc3 gives White the advantage in space (Timofeev-Korotylev. Russian Ch HL, Krasnoyarsk, 2007).
• 12...Bf8 13.Nbd2 d5 14.axb5 axb5 15.Rxa8 Qxa8 16.Bb3 Be6 17.Ng5 Na5 18.Nxe6 fxe6 19.Nf3 Nxb3 20.Qxb3 Bd6 21.Bg5 c6 22.Bxf6 gxf6 23.d4 Qa4 24.Qxa4 bxa4 is equal (T. Kosintseva-Ruan Lufei. TMatch, Moscow, 2007).
• 10...Bxf3 11.Qxf3 Na5 12.Bc2 c5 13.Nd2 Nd7 14.Nb3 Nc6 15.Qe2 Nb6 16.a5 Nd7 17.g3 Re8 18.f4 exf4 19.gxf4 Bf8 20.Kh2 d5 21.e5 d4 22.cxd4 cxd4 is equal (Svetushkin-Nikolic, Euro Ch, Plovdiv. 2008).
• If 8...b4 then:
• If 9.a5 0-0 10.Re1 Be6 11.Nbd2 then:
• If 11...Qc8 12.Nc4 Rb8 13.h3 h6 14.Be3 Rd8 15.Qe2 then:
• 15...Bf8 16.Nfd2 Ne7 17.d4 Ng6 18.d5 Bd7 19.Rec1 gives White the advantage in sapce (Karjakin-Aronian, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2006).
• 15...Qb7 16.Ncd2 Bxb3 17.Nxb3 Bf8 18.Nh2 Re8 19.Qf3 Re6 20.Nf1 Qb5 21.Ng3 g6 22.Bd2 Bg7 is equal (Caruana-Werle, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2009).
• 11...Rb8 12.Bc4 Qc8 13.Nf1 Bxc4 14.dxc4 Qe6 15.Ne3 Bd8 16.Nd5 Nd7 17.Be3 Ne7 18.Qd2 c5 19.Qd3 h6 20.Nh4 Kh7 21.Nf5 gives White the advantage in space (Fuchs-Spassky, SX Sochi, 1966).
• If 9.Nbd2 then:
• If 9...0-0 10.Re1 then:
• If 10...Na5 11.Ba2 c5 then:
• If 12.Nc4 Nc6 13.h3 Rb8 14.Be3 Be6 15.Ng5 d5 16.exd5 Bxd5 17.Nf3 Nd7 18.Bd2 Bf6 19.Nh2 Nb6 20.Nxb6 Bxa2 21.Rxa2 Rxb6 22.Ng4 Bh4 23.b3 f5 24.Ne3 is equal (S. Zhigalko-Cheparinov, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).
• 12.c3 Rb8 13.d4 Qc7 14.dxe5 dxe5 15.Nc4 Rd8 16.Qe2 b3 17.Nxa5 Qxa5 18.Bb1 c4 19.Qxc4 Bc5 20.h3 Qb6 21.Be3 Bxe3 22.Rxe3 Rd1+ 23.Re1 Rxe1+ 24.Nxe1 gives White an extra pawn and Black more space (Cheparinov-Aronian, IT, Sofia, 2008).
• 10...Be6 11.a5 transposes into the main line of this variation.
• If 8...Bb7 then:
• If 9.Nc3 then:
• If 9...Na5 10.Ba2 b4 11.Ne2 c5 12.Ng3 then:
• If 12...Bc8 13.Nh4 0-0 14.Nhf5 Be6 15.Bg5 h6 then:
• If 16.Qc1?! b3 then:
• If 17.Bxh6? gxh6 18.Qxh6 Ne8 then:
• 19.f4? bxa2 20.Rf3 Ra7 21.Nh5 Bxf5 22.exf5 Bh4 Black goes on to win (Kiviaho-Timmerman, Corres, 1991).
• If 19.cxb3 Bg5 20.Qh3 Ng7 21.b4 Nxf5 22.Nxf5 Bxa2 is equal.
• White misses the firecracker combination 17.Nxe7+! Qxe7 18.Nh5 when White has two pieces en prise on the kingside, but Black can't touch either of them.
• If 16.Bh4! Kh7 17.Nxe7 Qxe7 then:
• 18.Qf3 g5 19.Nf5 Bxf5 20.Qxf5+ Kg7 21.Bg3 Rab8 is equal.
• 18.Nh5?! g5 19.Bg3 Nxh5 20.Qxh5 Bxa2! 21.Rxa2 f5! gives Black the advantage in space.
• If 12...0-0 13.Re1 then:
• 13...Rb8 14.Nd2 Bc8 15.h3 Be6 16.Nc4 Nxc4 17.Bxc4 Bxc4 18.dxc4 Ne8 19.Qg4 Kh8 20.Be3 gives White the advantage in space (Kissinger-Andresen, Cyberspace, 1998).
• 13...Bc8 14.h3 Rb8 15.Bd2 Be6 16.Bxe6 fxe6 17.Be3 Nd7 18.c3 bxc3 19.bxc3 d5 20.Qc2 Qc7 21.exd5 exd5 22.c4 e4 23.dxe4 d4 24.Bd2 gives White an extra pawn (Kupreichik-Tseshkovsky, Soviet Ch, Vilnius, 1980).
• If 9...b4 10.Nd5 then:
• 10....Na5 11.Nxf6+ Bxf6 12.Bd5 c6 13.Ba2 0-0 14.c3 bxc3 15.bxc3 c5 16.Re1 Re8 is equal (Bouariz-G. Flear, IT, London, 1978).
• If 10...Nxd5 11.Bxd5 0-0 12.Bd2 Rb8 13.Qe1 Qd7 14.a5 Nd4 15.Nxd4 exd4 16.Bb3 c5 is equal (Popova-Ozturk, Euro ChW, Plovdiv, 2008).
• 9.Re1 h6 10.Nbd2 0-0 11.Nf1 Re8 12.Bd2 Bf8 13.Ng3 Nb8 14.Qb1 Qd7 15.c4 bxc4 16.Bxc4 c5 17.b4 cxb4 18.Bxb4 White seeks to build pressure on Black's d-pawn (Hou Yifan-Yildiz, Grand Prix W, Istanbul, 2009).

8...d5

• If 8...d6 then:
• If 9.0-0 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.Re1 then:
• If 11...Re8 12.Nf1 Nc6 13.h3 h6 14.Ng3 then:
• If 14...Bf8 15.d4 cxd4 16.cxd4 then:
• If 16...exd4 17.Nxd4 Nxd4 18.Qxd4 Be6 then:
• 19.Bf4 Rc8 20.Bb3 a5 21.Rad1 h5 22.Bxe6 Rxe6 23.Rc1 gives White the advantage in space (Akopian-Khalifman, FIDE Knock Out, Las Vegas, 1999).
• If 19.Be3 Rc8 20.Qd2 then:
• 20...Nd7 21.Rac1 Ne5 22.b3 Nc6 23.Bb1 d5 24.exd5 Qxd5 is equal (Simagin-Grischuk, Op, New York, 2000).
• 20...d5 21.e5 d4 22.Bxd4 Nd5 23.a3 Ne7 24.Rac1 Nc6 25.Bc3 Qxd2 26.Bxd2 gives White a slight edge in space (Yemelin-Kharlov, Russian Ch, Kazan, 2005).
• 16...Bd7 17.Be3 Rc8 18.Rc1 d5 19.Nxe5 Nxe5 20.dxe5 Nxe4 21.Nxe4 dxe4 22.Bxe4 Rxe5 23.Qd4 Qe7 24.Bb1 Bc6 25.Rcd1 Re8 draw (Doirys-Golod, Rpd, Beer Shiva, 2004).
• If 14...Be6 15.d4 cxd4 16.cxd4 exd4 then:
• 17.Nxd4 Nxd4 18.Qxd4 Rc8 19.Bb3 d5 20.e5 Nd7 21.Qd1 Nc5 22.Be3 Nxb3 23.axb3 d4 is equal (Lutz-Kramnik, SX, Brissago, 2004).
• 17.Ne2 Nb4 18.Bb1 d3 19.Ned4 Bf8 20.a3 Nc2 21.Nxc2 dxc2 22.Bxc2 Bc8 is equal (Svidler-Leko, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2007).
• 11...Nc6 12.Nf1 Re8 13.Ne3 Bf8 14.a4 Bb7 15.Nf5 Ne7 16.N3h4 Ng6 17.Bg5 d5 is equal (Dr. Nunn-Timman, IT, London, 1980).
• 9.Nf1 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.Ng3 Re8 12.0-0 Nc6 13.d4 cxd4 14.cxd4 Qc7 15.d5 Nb4 16.Bb3 a5 17.a3 gives White the advantage in space (Maka-Liwak, Op, Koszalin, 2001).

9.Qe2 Bb7

• If 9...Re8 10.0-0 Bb7 then:
• If 11.Rd1 Bf8 12.Nf1 then:
• If 12...Na5 13.Bc2 c5 then:
• If 14.Ng3 Qb6 15.a3 c4 16.dxc4 dxe4 17.Nxe4 Nxe4 18.Bxe4 Bxe4 19.Qxe4 Nxc4 is equal (Mamedov-Akopian, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• 14.Bg5 Qb6 15.h3 g6 16.Bxf6 Qxf6 gives Black a small advantage in space (Haznedaroglu-Ismagambetov, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• 12...h6 13.Ng3 Na5 14.Bc2 c5 15.h3 g6 16.Nh2 Qe7 17.Bd2 dxe4 18.dxe4 c4 is equal (Jobava-Ravi, Op, Dubai, 2002).
• 11.a3 Bf8 12.Re1 h6 13.Ba2 Qd7 14.exd5 Nxd5 15.Ne4 Nf4 16.Bxf4 exf4 is equal (Reinderman-van der Werf, Corus C, Wijk aan Zee, 2008).

10.Nf1!?

• This may be a calulated risk, but White concedes a space advantage to Black in order to deprive Black of a central pawn duo.
• 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.Ne4 Qd7 12.0-0 Rad8 13.Re1 Rfe8 is on the cusp between equal and slightly favoring Black.

10...Re8!

10...a5 11.Ng3 a4 12.Bc2 b4 13.0-0 is equal.
11.Ng3 h6!?

• Black plays it safe and prevents White from using g5.
• If 11...a5! then after 12.0-0 a4 13.Bd1 Qd7 14.Nf5 Bc5 Black continues to enjoy the advantage in space.

12.Nf5

• The game is equal.

12...Bf8 13.g4 Ne7!?

• 13...Na5 14.Bc2 Bc8 15.Rg1 Bxf5 16.gxf5 remains equal.

14.Nxe7+ Bxe7 15.g5!?

• White misses an opportunity to press her advantage on the kingside.
• 15.Rg1 c5 16.g5 hxg5 17.Bxg5 dxe4 18.Nxe5 gives White the advantage in space.

15...hxg5 16.Nxg5 c5

• The game is once again equal.

17.Rg1 c4 18.Bc2

• 18.dxc4 dxc4 19.Bc2 Qb6 20.Bd2 Bc5 21.Rg2 Qa5 remains equal.

18...cxd3 19.Qxd3 Nxe4 20.Nxe4 dxe4 21.Qg3!?

• 21.Qe2 Qd6 22.Bxe4 Bxe4 23.Qxe4 Rac8 24.Be3 remains equal.

BLACK: Tatiana Shadrina
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WHITE: Irina Vasilevich
Position after 21.Qd3g3

21...Bf8!

• Black has more space and an extra pawn, but this is mitigated by White's piece activity on the kingside.

22.Bg5 Qd7!? 23.Bb3

• 23.Qh4 Rac8 24.Rg3 g6 25.Re3 Bg7 26.Rh3 Qf5 remains equal.

23...a5?

• A plan to attack on the Queen's wing can't possibly come to anything. White is pressing on the kingside and Black should be concerned about her weak pawns in the center.
• If 23...Qf5 24.Rd1 a5 then:
• 25.a4 Bc6 26.axb5 Bxb5 27.Bd5 Rac8 remains equal.
• 25.Qg4 Qxg4 26.Rxg4 Bc8 27.Rxe4 Bf5 28.Re3 Bc5 remains equal.

24.Bf6!

• White suddenly attacks the g-pawn with three pieces.

24...Qd3

• Black is toast.
• If 24...e3 then White wins easily after 25.fxe3 Rad8 26.Rd1 Qxd1+ 27.Bxd1 Rd6 28.Bc2.
• 24...g6 25.Qxg6+ Bg7 26.Qxg7#.

BLACK: Tatiana Shadrina
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Irina Vasilevich
Position after 24...Qd7d3

25.Qxg7+!!

• The Queen sacrifice begins a forced mate.

25...Bxg7 26.Rxg7+ Kh8 27.Rxf7+ Kg8 28.Rg7+ Kh8

• If 28...Kf8 then 29.Rg8#.

29.Rxb7# 1-0

• Now, is that pretty or what?

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Bonus Games: The World Championship from the Beginning to World War II

Steinitz and Zukertort seated at the board, 1886
From The Graphic, an illustrated newspaper of London. The scene shows the two chess giants surrounding by the other chess luminaries of the day.
Chessbooks.co.uk

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Steinitz - Chigorin, Havana, 1892

Wilhelm Steinitz became the first world chess champion by defeating Johannes Hermann Zukertort in a match in 1886 which was advertised as being for the "World Championship of Chess." Steinitz was very active in defending his title, successfully fighting off Mikhail Chigorin (twice, in 1889 and 1892) and Isidor Gunsberg (1890) before losing the title to Emanuel Lasker in 1894.



Wilhelm Steinitz
Photo: Wikipedia (Public Domain)


Wilhelm Steinitz - Mikhail Chigorin
Match for the World Title, Round 4
Havana, 5 January 1892

Spanish Petit Royal Game: Gothic Defense (Berlin Defense)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3

• More common is 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6. See Istratescu-Breder, Op 0910, Hastings, 2009.12)

4...d6

• If 4...Bc5 5.c3 0-0 6.0-0 d6 7.Nbd2 a6 8.Ba4 Ba7 9.h3 Ne7 10.Re1 Ng6 11.Nf1 b5 12.Bb3 Re8 13.Ng3 Bb7 14.Be3 Bxe3 15.fxe3 d5 16.exd5 Bxd5 17.e4 draw (Anand-Kramnik, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2007).

5.c3 g6 6.Nbd2

• If 6.0-0 Bg7 7.Nbd2 0-0 8.Re1 Bd7 9.Nf1 then:
• 9...Qe8 10.Ng3 Kh8 11.Ba4 Ng8 12.Bc2 Nge7 13.d4 Bg4 14.d5 Nb8 15.h3 Bc8 16.Nh2 gives White a small advantage in space (Langrock-Howell, EU Ch, Liverpool, 2008).
• 9...Nh5 10.Ba4 transposes to Xie Jun-Ruan Lufei in the note to White's seventh move.

6...Bg7 7.Nf1

• 7.0-0 0-0 8.Re1 Bd7 9.Nf1 Nh5 10.Ba4 Qe8 11.Bb3 Kh8 12.d4 Bg4 13.d5 Ne7 14.a4 f5 is equal (Xie Jun-Ruan Lufei, Chinese ChT, Wuxi, 2005).

7...0-0 8.Ba4

• If 8.Ng3 a6 9.Ba4 b5 10.Bc2 d5 then:
• 11.0-0 h6 12.h3 Be6 13.Be3 dxe4 14.dxe4 Qxd1 15.Rfxd1 draw (Fedorowicz-Kaidanov, US Ch, Tulsa, 2008).
• 11.exd5 Nxd5 12.0-0 f5 13.Re1 f4 14.Ne4 gives White the nod defensively since Black can do little but wait for White to break up the center with the advance of the d-pawn (Allies-Schiffers, Consultation game, St. Petersburg, 1895).

8...Nd7!?

• If 8...d5 9.Qe2 Qd6 then:
• If 10.Bc2!? then:
• If 10...b6!? 11.Ng3 then:
• If 11...Ba6 12.0-0 dxe4 13.Nxe4 Nxe4 14.Qxe4 Bb7 15.Qh4 Ne7 16.Ng5 h6 17.Ne4 then:
• If 17...Qd7?! then after 18.Bxh6! White went on to win (Steinitz-Chigorin, World Ch Match Rd 14, Havana, 1892).
• 17...Qe6 18.f4 Nf5 19.Qg4 Nd6 20.Qg3 remains equal.
• 11...d4 12.0-0 Bb7 13.Bg5 Rfd8 14.Rfc1 a5 is equal.
• 10...d4! 11.Ng3 Rd8 12.Ba4 dxc3 13.bxc3 Bg4 gives Black stronger pawns.
• 10.Bxc6 bxc6 11.exd5 cxd5 12.Nxe5 Re8 13.d4 leaves White's center immobile.

9.Ne3

• The game is equal.

9...Nc5 10.Bc2 Ne6 11.h4 Ne7?

• Black's plodding Knight maneuvers in his back ranks are getting him nowhere.
• If 11...Nf4 12.g3 Nh5 then:
• If 13.Nd5 Bg4 14.Ne3 Be6 15.Ng5 Bd7 remains equal.
• 13.d4 exd4 14.cxd4 Re8 15.a3 d5 16.e5 f6 gives Black the opportunity to break up White's pawn center.

BLACK: Mikhail Chigorin
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WHITE: Wilhelm Steinitz
Position after 11...Nc6e7

12.h5!

• White's attack anticipates the boilerplate assault on the Sicilian Dragon.

12...d5

• 12...g5 13.Nf5 Nxf5 14.exf5 Nf4 15.g3 Nd5 16.Nxg5 gives Black the advantage on the King's wing.

13.hxg6!

• As Fischer said of this kind of maneuver against the Dragon, "Push, push, sac, mate."
• Also good is 13.exd5 Nxd5 14.Nxd5 Qxd5 15.hxg6 hxg6 16.Qe2.

13...fxg6 14.exd5 Nxd5 15.Nxd5 Qxd5

BLACK: Mikhail Chigorin
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WHITE: Wilhelm Steinitz
Position after 15...Qd8d5:N

16.Bb3!

• White gains time on the Queen and pins the Knight.

16...Qc6 17.Qe2 Bd7

• 17...Rd8 18.Bh6 e4 19.Qxe4 Qxe4+ 20.dxe4 Bxh6 21.Rxh6 gives White a won game.

18.Be3!?

• White is being a little too slow now.
• If 18.Nxe5 Qxg2 19.Nxd7 Qxh1+ 20.Kd2 then:
• If 20...Kh8 21.Bxe6 Rfe8 22.Ne5 Re7 23.Nf7+ Kg8 24.Ng5+ gives White an embryonic attack on the Black King.
• 20...Rf4? 21.Bxe6+! Kh8 22.Kc2 Qf3 23.Qxf3 Rxf3 24.Be3 wins.

18...Kh8 19.0-0-0

• Before starting the final assault, Black moves his King to safety.
• 19.Bh6 Rf5 20.Bxg7+ Kxg7 21.Bxe6 Qxe6 22.Qe3 is nowhere near as effective.

19...Rae8 20.Qf1 a5 21.d4!

• White has refrained from making this advance until now, when it immediately decides the game.

21...exd4 22.Nxd4 Bxd4

• 22...Qa6 23.Qxa6 bxa6 24.Nxe6 Bxe6 25.Bxe6 Rxe6 26.Rd7 cleans up Black's queenside pawns.

23.Rxd4!!

• White starts the decisive combination by sacrificing the exchange.
• 23.Bxd4+ Nxd4 24.Rxd4 Re7 25.f3 Rfe8 26.Qf2 leaves White better, but it;'s still a long, grinding road to a win.

23...Nxd4

BLACK: Mikhail Chigorin
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WHITE: Wilhelm Steinitz
Position after 23...Ne6d4:R

24.Rxh7+!!

• The sacrifice forces mate.

24...Kxh7 25.Qh1+ Kg7

• 25...Bh3 would only prolong the game by one whole move.

26.Bh6+ Kf6 27.Qh4+ Ke5 28.Qxd4+ 1-0

• If 28...Kf5 then 29.g4#.
• Mikhail Ivanovich resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Dr. Lasker - Dr. Tarrasch, Munich, 1908

Dr. Emanuel Lasker (1933)
Photo from the German Federal Archive for Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

Resources:

• Fine, Reuben and Reinfeld, Fred, Lasker's Greatest Chess Games, 1889-1914 (Dover Publication: New York, 1965; Black Knight Press: New York, 1935), Game 30.
• Dr. Lasker's notes to the game were orignially published in Prester Lloyd (9 September 1908) and are reproduced in Hannak, Jacques, Emanuel Lasker: The Life of a Chess Master (Dover Publications: New York, 1991; Simon & Schuster: New York, 1959), Game 32.
• Soltis, Andrew, Why Lasker Matters (Batsford Press: London, 2005), Game 49.

Dr.Emanuel Lasker - Dr.Siegbert Tarrasch
Match for the World Title, Round 5
Munich, 1 September 1908

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Chigorin Defense (Old Main Line)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 Na5

• This is how the Chigorin Defense was played a hundred years ago.
• The modern treatment of the Chigorin Defense is 8...0-0 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2.

9.Bc2 c5 10.d4 Qc7 11.Nbd2 Nc6 12.h3

• If 12.d5 Nd8 then:
• If 13.a4 Rb8 then:
• If 14.axb5 axb5 15.c4 b4 16.Nf1 0-0 17.h3 Ne8 18.g4 g6 then:
• If 19.Ng3 19...Ng7 20.Kh2 f6 then:
• 21.Rg1 Kh8 22.b3 Nf7 23.Qe2 Bd7 24.Bb2 Ra8 25.Raf1 Rg8 26.Bb1 Raf8 27.Ne1 Qc8 28.Ng2 Re8 29.Ne3 gives White the advantage in space (Konstantinopolsky-Bronstein, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1945).
• 21.Be3 Nf7 22.Rg1 Kh8 23.Nd2 Bd7 24.Ba4 Ra8 25.Bxd7 Qxd7 26.Qc2 Ng5 27.Bxg5 fxg5 is equal (L. Schmid-Smyslov, Capablanca Mem, Havana, 1967).
• 19.Bh6 Ng7 20.Ne3 f6 21.Kg2 Nf7 22.Bxg7 Kxg7 is equal (Bogoyubov-Rubinstein, IT, Berlin, 1926).
• 14.Nf1 h6 15.axb5 axb5 16.Ng3 Nh7 17.Be3 Ng5 18.Bd3 g6 19.Nd2 gives White the advantage in space and much better development (Torre-Kupchik, Match, New York, 1925).
• 13.Nf1 0-0 14.h3 transposes into the text.

12...0-0 13.Nf1!?

• White sacrifices a pawn; this was already part of opening theory, having been introduced the previous year by Forgacs in a game in which he earned a draw from the great Rubinstein.
• 13.d5 Nd8 14.a4 Rb8 15.axb5 axb5 16.b4 then:
• 16...c4 17.Nf1 Ne8 18.N3h2 f6 19.f4 exf4 20.Bxf4 gives White more space (Spraggett-Biyiasas, Canadian Ch, Toronto, 1978).
• 16...Bd7 17.bxc5 Qxc5 18.Ba3 Qxc3 19.Re3 Qc7 is equal (Berg-Greet, Op 0809, Hastings, 2009).
• If 13.dxc5 dxc5 14.Nf1 Be6 15.Ne3 Rad8 16.Qe2 c4 17.Nf5 then:
• 17...Bxf5 18.exf5 Rfe8 19.Bg5 h6 20.Bxf6 Bxf6 21.Nd2 Ne7 22.Ne4 Nd5 23.b3 Nxc3 24.Nxf6+ gxf6 gives Black an extra pawn (Tal-Korchnoi, Trmt, Moscow, 1968).
• If 17...Rfe8 18.Bg5 Nd7 19.Bxe7 Nxe7 20.Ng5 then:
• 20...Ng6 21.g3 Nc5 22.Rad1 Bc8 23.h4 h6 draw (Parma-Ivanovic, Yugoslav Ch, Novi Travnik, 1969).
• 20...h6 21.Nxe6 fxe6 22.Ne3 Ng6 23.g3 Nf6 24.Red1 Rxd1+ 25.Rxd1 Rd8 26.Rxd8+ Qxd8 27.b3 cxb3 28.Bxb3 brings White's Bishop to life (Fischer-O'Kelly, IT, Buenos Aires, 1970).

13...cxd4 14.cxd4 Nxd4

• If 14...exd4 then:
• 15.Bf4 Qb6 16.Rc1 Be6 17.e5 dxe5 18.Nxe5 Rac8 19.Nh2 Rfd8 gives Black an extra pawn, a passer which must be confronted (Jouault-Subvervi, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• 15.Bg5 h6 16.Bh4 Re8! 17.Rc1 Qb6 18.Qd2 Be6 gives Black the advantage in space (Leonhardt-Rubinstein, IT, San Sebastián, 1911).

15.Nxd4 exd4

• Black has an extra pawn, but it is so weak that he makes little effort to defend it nor is White in any great hurry to take it.

16.Bg5

• 16.Ng3 Nd7 17.Bb3 Qb6 18.Nf5 Bf6 19.Bf4 Ne5 20.Bd5 Ra7 is equal (Dr. Lasker-Dr. Tarrasch, World Ch Match Rd 3, Düsseldorf, 1908).
  • Dr. Lasker continued 21.Qb3!? and after 21...Rc7! 22.g4 g6 23.Nh6+ Kg7 24.g5 Bd8 Black had the better game and won in another 20 moves.
  • If 21.Nxd4! Nc4 22.Ne2 Nxb2 then:
  • 23.Qd2! Rd7 24.Rab1 Na4 25.Be3 Nc5 remains equal.
  • 23.Qb3 Na4 24.Rac1 Nc5 25.Qa3 Re7 remains equal.

16...h6!?

• 16...Be6 17.Rc1 Qb6 18.Ng3 Rac8 19.Ne2 h6 is equal (Forgacs-Rubinstein, IT, Ostend, 1907).
• In their book on Lasker, Fine and Reinfeld mark the text move with a query, elaborate on Dr. Tarrasch and recommend 16...Nd5 17.Bxe7 Nxe7 (which Tarrasch thought was better than the text, but still bad) 18.Ng3 Be6 when "White will find it difficult to regain the pawn with any advantage, say 19.Ne2 Nc6 20.Rc1 Qb6 then:
• 21.Qd2 d5 22.exd5 Bxd5 23.Rcd1 Rad8 and the Queen's pawn is immune from capture."
• If 21.Qd3!? then 21...Nb4! wins the a-pawn.

17.Bh4

• The game is equal.

17...Qb6!?

• "This is much too passive a move and Black will almost immediately get into trouble" (Dr. Lasker).
• 17...Nd5! 18.exd5 Bxh4 19.Rc1 Qb6 20.Qd3 g6 leaves Black up by a pawn.

18.Qd3

• 18.Nh2 Bb7 19.Nf3 Rfe8 20.Nxd4 d5 21.exd5 Bb4 remains equal.

18...g5 19.Bg3 Be6 20.Rad1 Rfc8?

• "In spit of the apparent danger, the a-pawn could and should have been captured" (Reinfeld and Fine).
• Reinfeld and Fine give the following variations (elaborated here where noted): if 20...Bxa2! then:
• If 21.b3 Rfc8 then:
• 22.Ra1 (
• 22.e5 dxe5 23.Bxe5 Rc3 24.Qf5 Rd8 25.Bxf6 Qxf6 26.Rxe7 Qxf5 27.Bxf5 Bxb3 28.Ra1 d3 "with at least a draw."
**22...Rc3! 23.Qd1 d3 24.Rxa2 dxc2 25.Rxc2 Rxc2 26.Qxc2 Nh5 is either equal (Fritz) or Black stands better (Reinfeld and Fine).
• If 21.e5 Bc4 22.Qf5 Be6 23.Qf3 dxe5 24.Bxe5 Bd5 25.Qd3 Bc4 then:
• 26.Qf3 Bd5 etc. draws.
• If 26.Qd2!? Rfd8 then:
• 27.Bxd4 Bc5 (Reinfeld and Fine stop here and give Black a superior game) 28.Bxc5 Rxd2 29.Bxb6 Rxc2 30.Ne3 Re2 is equal (Fritz).
• 27.b3?! d3! 28.bxc4 dxc2 29.Qxc2 Rxd1 30.Rxd1 Qe6 Black continues to enjoy the initiative.

BLACK: Dr. Siegbert Tarrasch
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WHITE: Dr. Emanuel Lasker
Position after 20...Rf8c8

21.Bb1!

• There will be no second chance on the a-pawn.

21...Nd7

• Soltis puncuates this move with a query and recommends 21...Rc6 22.e5 dxe5 23.Bxe5 Bc4 when "there isn't much for White in 24.Qxd4 Bc5 25.Qd2" (Soltis cites a book by Khalifman and Soloviov) "or 24.Qf3 Bd5 25.Qd3 with a draw by repetition." Let's call in Fritz and give that some elaboration.
• If 21...Rc6 22.e5 dxe5 23.Bxe5 Bc4 then:
• If 24.Qxd4! Bc5 25.Qd2 then:
• If 25...Re8 26.b4 then:
• If 26...Bf8 27.Bd4 Qc7 28.Rxe8 Nxe8 29.Ne3 then:
• If 29...Nf6 30.Qb2 then:
• 30...Bg7 31.Nf5 Re6 32.Nxg7 Kxg7 33.Bf5 White's command of the long diagonal tilts the scales in his favor.
• 30...Qd8 31.Qc2 Bd6 32.a3 a5 33.Qf5 wins a piece for White.
• 29...Nd6 30.Be5 Qc8 31.Ng4 gives White the more active game.
• 26...Be7 27.Bd4 Qc7 28.Bxf6 Rxf6 29.Qc2 Rg6 30.Re6! gives White a strong attack.
• If 25...b4 26.Ne3 Bxe3 27.Rxe3 b3 28.Bxf6 Rxf6 29.axb3 then:
• 29...Be6 30.Qd3 Rg6 31.Rde1 gives White a strong advantage.
• 29...Bxb3? loses to 30.Qd3! Rg6 31.Qxb3 .
• If 24.Qf3!? Bd5! 25.Qd3 Bc4 then:
• 26.Qd2 Rd8 27.Bxd4 Qc7 28.Ne3 Bc5 29.Qc3 is equal.
• If 26.Qf5 Be6 27.Qd3 Bc4 etc. draws.
• My staff and I conclude that the game is already lost at this point.

22.e5 Nf8 23.Qf3 d5

• If 23...Kg7 24.Qh5 then:
• 24...Ng6 25.exd6 Bxd6 26.Rxe6!! winning.
• 24...Nd7 25.exd6 Bxd6 26.Rxe6 fxe6 27.Qg6+ Kf8 28.Qxh6+ leaves White an exchange to the good.

24.Qh5

• If 24.Nd2 Ng6 25.Re2 d3 26.Qxd3 g4 then:
• 27.hxg4 Bxg4 28.Nf3 Rd8 29.a3 Bg5 30.Ba2 targets Black's weak d-pawn.
• 27.h4 h5 28.Nf1 d4 29.Red2 Bc5 30.Rc2 Be7 is equal.

24...Kg7 25.f4 f5

• "Like an ancient Roman hero, Tarrasch throws himself on his own sword! Evidently he did not feel like offering some prolonged but hopeless resistane by 25...Ng6" (Dr. Lasker).
• 25...Ng6 26.f5 d3+ 27.Bf2 Bc5 28.Ne3 Nf4 29.f6+ does not offer Black any realistic chances of saving the game.

BLACK: Dr. Siegbert Tarrasch
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WHITE: Dr. Emanuel Lasker
Position after 25...f7f5

26.exf6+!

• White opens the center for the final assault. Black has no way to preserve the pawn at d3.

26...Bxf6 27.fxg5 hxg5 28.Be5 d3+

• Without a doubt, this is Black's best move here.
• 28...Bxe5 29.Rxe5 d3+ 30.Ne3 Ng6 31.Qxg5 gives White a superbly strong game.

29.Kh1 Ng6

• If 29...Qf2 then after 30.Qxg5+ Kf7 31.Qh5+ Kg7 32.Bxd3 Kg8 33.Re3 White wins.

30.Qxg5!

• Black's kingside pieces are entirely pinned down and completely ineffective.

30...Bf7 31.Ng3 Bxe5 32.Rxe5 Rh8

BLACK: Dr. Siegbert Tarrasch
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WHITE: Dr. Emanuel Lasker
Position after 32...Rc8h8

33.Bxd3!

• The pawn at d3 falls to the Bishop, giving White full access to the enemy King.

33...Ra7

• 33...Rac8 34.Rf1 Kg8 35.Rxf7 Kxf7 36.Bxg6+ Qxg6 37.Re7+ gives White an easy win.

34.Rde1 Kf8 35.Bxg6

• Also good is 35.Rc1 Nxe5 36.Rc8+ Be8 37.Qxe5.

35...Qxg6 36.Qe3 Rc7 37.Nf5 Qc6

• 37...Rh5 is better, but after 38.Qa3+ Kg8 39.Ne7+ Rxe7 40.Rxe7 Rf5 41.Qe3 White still wins.

38.Qg5 1-0

• 38...Be6 39.Qf6+ Ke8 40.Rxe6+! is clearly hopeless for Black..
• Dr. Tarrasch resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

11. Capablanca - Dr. Alekhine, Buenos Aires, 1927

José Capablanca
Photo: Endgame (Holland)

Resource:

• Golombek, Sir Harry, Capablanca's 100 Best Games of Chess (David McKay: New York, 1978), Game 48.

José Capablanca - Dr. Alexander Alekhine
Match for the World Title, Round 7
Buenos Aires, 1 October 1927

Orthodox Queen's Gambit: Cambridge Springs Defense

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Nbd7 5.e3 c6

• At the time the game was played, the Cambridge Springs Defense was part of the Orthodox Queen's Gambit family; nowadays, it more commonly arises out of a Anti-Meran Semi-Slav (1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 Nd7 6.e3 Qa5).

6.Nf3 Qa5 7.Nd2

• If 7.cxd5 then:
• If 7...Nxd5 8.Qd2 Bb4 9.Rc1 then:
• If 9...0-0 10.Bd3 h6 11.Bh4 e5 12.0-0 exd4 13.exd4 Re8 14.Bb1 Nf8 15.Ne5 Be6 then:
• 16.Qd3 Nf4 17.Qf3 N4g6 18.Bg3 Nxe5 19.dxe5 is equal (Rogers-Smagin, IT, Prague, 1992).
• 16.Rfe1 c5 17.Nc4 Qa6 18.Ne3 Nxe3 19.fxe3!? Bxa2! 20.Bxa2 Qxa2 gives Black an extra pawn (Oll-Smagin, Op, Copenhagen, 1993).
• If 9...h6 10.Bh4 c5 11.a3 Bxc3 12.bxc3 b6 then:
• If 13.Bd3 Ba6 14.0-0 cxd4 15.Bxa6 Qxa6 16.Qxd4 0-0 17.e4 Nf4 18.Qxd7 Ne2+ 19.Kh1 Nxc1 20.Rxc1 Qxa3 21.Qd2 Rac8 then:
• 22.Ne5 f6 23.Ng4 h5 24.Nxf6+ gxf6 is equal (Fier-De Moura, Brazilian Ch, Americana, 2009).
• 22.Nd4 Rc4 23.Nb5 Qb3 24.Nd6 Rc7 25.e5 gives White the advantage in space (Eichner-Iskusnyh, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• If 13.c4 Qxd2+ 14.Nxd2 then:
• 14...Ne7 15.f3 Nf5 16.Bf2 Ba6 17.Bd3 Ke7 18.0-0 Rhd8 19.Rfd1 Rac8 20.a4 is equal (Carlsen-Ivanchuk, Rpd, León, 2009).
• 14...N5f6 15.Be2 Bb7 16.0-0 0-0 17.f3 Rfd8 18.Rfd1 Rac8 19.a4 g5 is equal (Bareev-Fressinet, Op, Cannes, 2002).
• If 7...exd5 8.Bd3 Ne4 then:
• 9.0-0 Nxg5 10.Nxg5 Nf6 11.h3 Bd6 12.f4 Qc7 13.Qc2 h6 14.Nf3 Be6 15.Ne5 Qe7 16.a3 0-0 17.Rae1 c5 18.g4 gives White the advantage in space (Salov-Raicevic, IT, Moscow, 1986).
• 9.Qc2 Nxg5 10.Nxg5 h6 11.Nf3 Bd6 12.0-0 Nf6 13.Rae1 0-0 14.Ne5 Be6 15.f4 Rae8 16.h3 Bc8 is equal (Janowski-Jaffe, Match, New York, 1916).

7...Bb4 8.Qc2 0-0 9.Bh4

• The text serves as a prophylaxis against 9...dxc4.
• The main line is 9.Be2 when:
• If 9...e5 10.0-0 exd4 11.Nb3 then:
• 11...Qb6 12.exd4 dxc4 13.Bxc4 a5 14.a4 Qc7 15.h3 h6 16.Bh4 Nb6 17.Bd3 Nbd5 18.Bc4 Qf4 19.Bg3 Bf5 is equal (Irwanto-Pelletier, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• If 11...Qc7 12.Nxd4 dxc4 then:
• 13.Bf4 Ne5 14.Rfd1 Qe7 15.Ne4 Nxe4 16.Qxe4 Ng6 17.Qxe7 Bxe7 is equal (Romanovsky-Bogolyubov, Match, Leningrad, 1924).
• 13.Bxc4 Bxc3 14.bxc3 Qe5 15.Nf3 Qc5 16.Bd3 h6 17.Bh4 Nd5 18.Rac1 N7b6 19.Nd4 gives White the advantage because his Bishops appear to have good prospects for activity in a relatively open center (Sasikiran-Sriram, Indian Ch, Nagpur, 2002).
• If 9...c5 then:
• If 10.0-0 cxd4 11.Nb3 Qb6 then:
• If 12.Na4 Qc7 13.Nxd4 dxc4 14.Bxc4 then:
• 14...Bd6 15.Rac1 Bxh2+ 16.Kh1 Bd6 17.Nb5 Qb8 18.Be2 a6 19.Nxd6 Qxd6 is equal (Ivanchuk-Bacrot, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2006).
• 12.exd4 dxc4 13.Bxc4 Qc7 14.Qe2 Bxc3 15.bxc3 Ne4 16.Qxe4 Qxc4 17.Rae1 Re8 18.Qf3 f6 19.Bf4 Nb6 20.Nd2 Qd5 is equal (Sulypa-S. Atalik, Mediterranean Ch, Antalya, 2006).
• If 10.Nb3 Qa4 11.Bxf6 Nxf6 then:
• If 12.dxc5 dxc4 13.Bxc4 Qc6 14.0-0 Bxc5 then:
• If 15.Nxc5 Qxc5 16.Ne4 Nxe4 17.Qxe4 Qb6 then:
• 18.Bd3 g6 19.Qe5 Bd7 20.h4 Rac8 21.Rac1 f6 22.Qg3 Qxb2 23.Rxc8 Bxc8 24.h5 Rd8 25.Bxg6 hxg6 26.Qxg6+ Kf8 27.Qh6+ Kg8 28.Qg6+ draw (I. Sokolov-Dreev, IT, Stepanakert, 2005).
• 18.Rad1 Qxb2 19.Rd4 Qa3 20.Rfd1 Qe7 is equal (van Wely-Bacrot, Euro ChT, Gothenburg, 2005).
• 15.Bb5 Qb6 16.Nxc5 Qxc5 17.Rac1 draw (Roiz-M. Gurevich, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• 12.0-0 Bxc3 13.Qxc3 cxd4 14.Qxd4 dxc4 15.Qxc4 Bd7 16.Rac1 Rac8 17.f3 draw (Chiladze-Stefansson, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• If 9...dxc4 10.Bxf6 Nxf6 11.Nxc4 then:
• 11...Qc7 12.bxc3 Qc7 13.0-0 Bd7 14.Ne5 c5 15.Nxd7 Nxd7 16.Rac1 Rac8 17.Qb2 Rfd8 18.Bf3 b6 19.Rfd1 Nf6 20.h3 Qe7 21.Qa3 Kf8 draw (Flaten-Nordby, Op, Oslo, 1994).
• If 11...Bxc3+ then:
• 12.Qxc3 Qxc3+ 13.bxc3 Bd7 14.Bf3 Rfd8 15.a4 Rac8 16.Kd2 Rc7 17.Rhb1 Bc8 18.a5 Nd7 19.Kc2 gives White a good Bishop and more space (Dr. Alekhine-Bobolyubov, World Ch Match, Germany, 1929).
• 14...Ne5 15.Bxe6 Qxc2 16.Nxc2 Bxe6 17.Nxb4 gives White an extra pawn (Bacrot-Rabiega, Bundesliga 0607, Germany, 2006).

9...c5

• "Alekhine attributes his loss of this game chiefly to the great amount of time he spent considering the alternatives here; since he also is reported to have consumed one hour and five meditating on the 12th move, it will be readily understood that his play suffered under the strain of acute time trouble" (Golombek).
• If 9...e5 then:
• 10.Nb3 Qc7 11.Be2 dxc4 12.Bxc4 exd4 13.Nxd4 Ne5 14.Be2 Nd5 15.0-0 Nxc3 16.bxc3 is equal (Straat-Spielmann, IT, Scheveningen, 1923).
• If 10.dxe5 Ne4 then:
• 11.Ndxe4 dxe4 12.e6 Ne5 13.e7 Re8 14.Be2 Be6 15.0-0 f5 16.Rfd1 Bxe7 17.Bxe7 Rxe7 18.b3 Rd8 is equal (Michell-L. Steiner, IT, Hastings, 1932).
• 11.Ncxe4 dxe4 12.a3 Nxe5 13.Rd1 Bxd2+ 14.Qxd2 Qxd2+ 15.Rxd2 Bf5 16.Bg3 Nd3+ 17.Bxd3 exd3 draw (Bellón-Vera, García Mem, Santa Clara (Cuba), 2001).

10.Nb3 Qa4 11.Bxf6 Nxf6 12.dxc5

• 12.cxd5 cxd4 13.Nxd4 Qxc2 14.Nxc2 Bxc3+ 15.bxc3 Nxd5 16.c4 Nc3 17.Nb4 is equal (Sterk-Grau, Ol, Paris, 1924).

12...Ne4!?

• "After this the game goes rapidly downhill" (Golombek).
• 12...Bxc3+ 13.Qxc3 Ne4 14.Qa5 Qxa5+ 15.Nxa5 Nxc5 (this much was recommended by Golombek in 1946) 16.cxd5 exd5 17.Be2 gives White a very small overall advantage with better pawn structure tilting the scales (López-San Segundo, Spanish Ch B, Cala Medina, 2001).

13.cxd5

• White has an extra pawn.

13...Bxc3+

• 13...Nxc5 14.0-0-0 Nxb3+ 15.Qxb3 Qxb3 16.axb3 Rd8 17.Be2 maintains White's pawn.

14.bxc3 Nxc5?

• This invites White to open the game to his advantage.
• "As a result of the unfortunate Knight maneuver, Black has lost a pawn; if he plas 14...exd5 then White can retain his extra pawn by 15.Bd3 (Golombek).
• 14...exd5 15.Bd3 Be6 16.0-0 Rac8 17.c4 leaves White with the extra pawn, as Golombek says, but Black is still able to fight on the queenside.

BLACK: Dr. Alexander Alekhine
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WHITE: José Capablanca
Position after 14...Ne4c5:p

15.Rd1!

• White prepares to open the center.

15...exd5

• If 15...Rd8 then:
• 16.Qb2 Qc7 11.Be2 dxc4 12.Bxc4 exd4 13.Nxd4 Ne5 14.Be2 Nd5 15.0-0 Nxc3 16.bxc3 is equal (Straat-Spielmann, IT, Scheveningen, 1923).
• 16.Rd4? Qa3! 17.d6 e5 18.Rd2 Be6! 19.c4 is equal.

16.Rxd5 Nxb3 17.axb3 Qc6 18.Rd4 Re8

• A better defense is 18...h6 19.Rc4 Qb6 20.Be2 a5 21.Rd4 Be6 22.Bc4.

BLACK: Dr. Alexander Alekhine
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WHITE: José Capablanca
Position after 18...Rf8e8

19.Bd3!

• White brings the game to its final phase.

19...Qxg2

• No better is 19...h6 20.0-0 Be6 21.Bh7+ Kh8 22.Be4 Qc7 23.Rfd1.

20.Bxh7+ Kf8 21.Be4!

• Capablanca has beaten his worthy opponent into submission in just 21 moves. Black's game is hopeless.

21...Qh3 22.Qd2 Be6 23.c4

• One of Capablanca's faults as a player was a habit of becoming content in a won position, although he seldom allowed himself to go so far as to throw away a victory. Here he could have (and should have) pressed the win home.
• Better is 23.Bxb7 Rab8 24.Bc6 Rec8 25.b4 when:
• 25...Kg8 26.b5 a6 27.c4! wins.
• If 25...Rxc6?? then White wins after 26.Rd8+! Ke7 27.Rxb8 Rd6 28.Re8+.

23...a5 24.Rg1 Qxh2 25.Rh1

• After 25.Rg3 Qh5 26.Qc3 Ke7 27.Bxb7 Ra7 28.Bf3 no matter how Black plays, his position can only get worse.

25...Qc7 26.Qb2 Qc5

• 26...Ke7 27.Qa3+ Kf6 28.Rd2 Rg8 29.Rh5 g5 30.Bh7 leaves White with the more active game.

27.Bd5 Ra6 28.Re4 Rd6

• Black might last longer after 28...Kg8 29.Qc3 Qb4 30.Qxb4 axb4 31.Reh4 Kf8, but his fate is sealed.

BLACK: Dr. Alexander Alekhine
!""""""""#
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WHITE: José Capablanca
Position after 28...Ra6d6

29.Rh7!

• Capablanca decides it's time to put this one away.

29...Ke7

• 29...Qb4+ 30.Ke2 Ke7 31.Qxg7 Rf8 32.Bxe6 Rxe6 33.Qg5+ is an easy win for White.

30.Qxg7 Kd8

• If 30...Rf8 then after 31.Bxe6 Rxe6 32.Rf4 it's time to turn out the lights.

31.Bxe6 fxe6 32.Qxb7 Qb4+

• Black's game has crumbled to dust.

33.Qxb4 axb4 34.c5 Rc6

• 34...Rd5 35.Rc4 Kc8 36.e4 Rd7 37.Rxd7 Kxd7 38.Rxb4 is an easy win for White.

35.Rxb4 Rxc5 36.Ra7 1-0

• 36...Kc8 37.Ra8+ Kd7 38.Rb7+ wins a Rook.
• Dr. Alekhine resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

12. Bobolyubov - Dr. Alekhine, Amsterdam, 1929

Dr. Alexander Alekhine and Friend
Photo: ChessBase.com

Resource:

• Alekhine, Alexander, My Best Games of Chess: 1924-1937 (G. Bell: London, 1939) in My Best Games of Chess: 1908-1937 (Dover Publications: New York, 1985), Game 30.

Efim Bogolyubov - Dr. Alexander Alekhine
Match for the World Title, Round 22
Amsterdam, 3 November 1929

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Rat Defense (Neo-Steintiz Defense)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6

• This was Dr. Alekhine's favorite defense to the Spanish Game.

5.c3

• If 5.Bxc6+ bxc6 6.d4 then:
• If 6...f6 7.Be3 Ne7 8.Nc3 then:
• If 8...Ng6 9.Qe2 Be7 10.0-0-0 then:
• If 10...Bd7 11.h4 h5 12.Qc4 then:
• 12...Qb8 13.dxe5 fxe5 14.Ng5 Bxg5 15.hxg5 a5 16.a3 Qb7 17.g3 Nf8 18.f4 Be6 19.Qa4 gives White the advantage in space (Isaev-Safin, Asian Ch, Calcutta, 2001).
• 12...Qc8 13.dxe5 fxe5 14.Ng5 Bxg5 15.hxg5 a5 16.g3 Qa6 is equal (King-Jussupow, Swiss ChT, Switzerland, 2002).
• If 10...Be6 11.h4 h5 12.dxe5 fxe5 13.Ng5 then:
• 13...Bxg5 14.Bxg5 Qb8 15.g3 Qb4 16.a3 Qb7 17.Kb1 Rb8 18.Bc1 Ne7 19.Qe3 Qb6 20.Qxb6 draw (Galkin-Yandemirov, Russian Ch HL, Tomsk, 2004).
• 13...Bg8 14.g3 Bf6 15.Kb1 Qc8 16.Na4 Qb7 17.b3 Ne7 18.f4 c5 is equal (Dr. Nunn-Slobodjan, Bundesliga 9697, Germany, 1996).
• 8...Be6 9.Qd3 Ng6 10.h4 h5 11.0-0-0 Be7 12.Qe2 Qb8 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 fxe5 is equal (Kuijpers-García, Op, Malaga, 1965).
• If 6...exd4 then:
• 7.Nxd4 c5 8.Ne2 Nf6 9.Nbc3 Bb7 10.Ng3 g6 11.0-0 Bg7 12.Re1 0-0 13.Bf4 Re8 14.Qd2 Ng4 is equal (Daskalov-Keres, IT, Tallinn, 1971).
• 7.Qxd4 c5 8.Qd3 Ne7 9.Nc3 Ng6 10.h4 h5 11.Bg5 Be7 12.Bxe7 Qxe7 13.Nd5 Qd8 14.0-0-0 Bg4 15.Qc3 0-0 16.Ne3 Re8 is equal (Ashton-Davies, British Ch, Swansea, 2006).

5...Bd7

• If 5...f5 6.exf5 Bxf5 then:
• If 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 then:
• 17.Nf2 Bd6 18.Bd2 Qf8 19.Qg6 Ne7 20.Qd3 Qc8 is equal (Asrian-S. B. Hansen, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).
• 17.Nf4 Bd6 18.Ne6 Qd7 19.Bxh6 Ne4 20.Neg5 gxh6 21.Nxf7 Qxf7 22.c4 Ng5 23.Nxg5 hxg5 24.cxd5 Nxd4 gives Black more activity (Konguvel-I. Ibragimov, Op, Calcutta, 2000).
• 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 is equal (Sarink-Toothill, Corres, 1982).
• 9...e3 10.f4 Bd6 11.Qf3 Qf6 12.Qxe3+ Nge7 13.Bxc6+ bxc6 14.0-0 0-0 15.Nd2 Ng6 16.g3 Rae8 is equal (Dr. Euwe-Keres, World Ch Trmt, The Hague, 1948).

6.d4 g6

• If 6...Nge7 7.0-0 Ng6 then:
• If 8.Re1 Be7 9.Nbd2 then:
• If 9...0-0 10.Nf1 Nh4 11.Nxh4 Bxh4 then:
• 12.Be3 Bf6 13.f4 exd4 14.cxd4 Na5 15.Bc2 Nc4 16.Bc1 g6 17.b3 Nb6 18.Bb2 Bg7 19.Ne3 gives White the advantage in space (Smyslov-Goldenov, Soviet Ch, Leningrad, 1947).
• 12.Ne3 Bg5 13.Nd5 Bxc1 14.Rxc1 Nb8 15.dxe5 dxe5 16.Re2 Bg4 17.f3 Be6 is equal (Savon-Malaniuk, Op, Katowice, 1993).
• If 9...h6 10.Nf1 Bg5 then:
• 11.Ne3 Bxe3 12.Bxe3 0-0 13.Nd2 Re8 14.Bc2 Nf4 15.Bxf4 exf4 16.Qf3 gives White a slight advantage in space (Oim-Keres, Trmt, Parnu, 1971).
• 11.Be3 Bxe3 12.Nxe3 0-0 13.Bc2 Re8 14.Qd2 Rc8 15.g3 Qf6 16.Nd5 Qxf3 17.Bd1 Nh4 18.gxh4 Qh3 19.Nf6+ Kh8 20.Nxe8 gives White the exchange (Tal-Keres, IT, Tallinn, 1973).
• If 8.Be3 Be7 9.Nbd2 0-0 10.Bc2 Bf6 then:
• 11.Nb3 b6 12.a4 a5 13.Nbd2 Bc8 14.Re1 Qe7 15.Nf1 Nh4 16.Nxh4 Bxh4 17.g3 is equal (Spielmann-Treybal, IT, Karlsbad, 1929).
• 11.Rc1 a5 12.Bb1 h6 13.Re1 Re8 14.Nf1 Bg4 15.d5 Nce7 16.h3 Bd7 17.c4 gives White the advantage in space (Gniot-Sliwa, Polish Ch, Lodz, 1954).
• If 6...Nf6 7.0-0 Be7 8.Re1 0-0 9.Nbd2 then:
• If 9...Re8 10.Nf1 Bf8 then:
• If 11.Ng3 h6 12.h3 then:
• 12...Na5 13.Bc2 c5 14.d5 Nc4 15.b3 Nb6 16.Be3 Nc8 17.Qd2 gives White the advantage in space and a tactical initiative (Nicevski-Gligoric, Trmt, Skopje, 1968).
• If 12...g6 13.Bc2 Bg7 14.Be3 Qe7 then:
• 15.Qd2 then:
• 15...Kh7 16.Rad1 Rad8 17.Nh2 Na5 18.b3 c5 19.f4 cxd4 20.cxd4 gives White a small advantage in space and a slight initiative (Nagy-Yates, IT, Budapest, 1926).
• 15...Qf8 16.b4 Rad8 17.Nh2 d5 18.dxe5 Nxe4 19.Nxe4 dxe4 20.Bc5 is equal (Parma-Westerinen, IT, Dortmund, 1973).
• If 11.Bg5 b5 12.Bc2 h6 then:
• 13.Bh4 Be7 14.Ne3 Ng4 15.Bxe7 Rxe7 16.Nd5 Re8 17.a4 gives White the advantage in space (Geller-Ivkov, TT, Moscow, 1985).
• 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Ne3 exd4 15.cxd4 g6 16.e5 dxe5 17.dxe5 Qd8 is equal (Kavalek-Portisch, ITZ, Sousse, 1967).
• If 9...exd4 10.cxd4 Nb4 11.Bxd7 Qxd7 12.Nf1 c5 13.a3 Nc6 14.d5 Ne5 15.Nxe5 dxe5 then:
• 16.Ng3 Bd6 17.Nf5 Ne8 18.Be3 Rc8 19.Rc1 gives White the advantage in space (Unzicker-Neikirch, Ol, Leipzig, 1960).
• 16.Ne3 Nxe4 17.Nc4 Qf5 18.Qc2 Nd6 19.Qxf5 Nxf5 20.Rxe5 Nd6 21.Rxe7 Nxc4 22.Bf4 gives White more activity (Tal-Liberzon, Soviet Ch, Alma Ata, 1968).

7.Bg5

• If 7.0-0 Bg7 then:
• 8.Re1 Nge7 9.Be3 0-0 10.Nbd2 Qe8 11.Bb3 b6 12.dxe5 dxe5 13.Nc4 Kh8 14.Qc1 Bg4 15.Ng5 h6 16.h3 Bd7 is equal (Karpov-Spassky, IT, Bugojno, 1986).
• If 8.dxe5 dxe5 then:
• If 9.Be3 Nf6 10.Nbd2 then:
• 10...Qe7 11.b4 b6 12.Bb3 0-0 13.Re1 h6 14.Qc2 Nh5 15.Bd5 Rab8 16.Nf1 Kh8 gives White the active game (Tseshkovsky-Malaniuk, Soviet Ch, Kiev, 1986).
• If 10...0-0 then:
• If 11.Bc5 Re8 12.Re1 b6 13.Ba3 Qc8 14.Nf1 b5 15.Bc2 Qb7 16.Bc5 Rad8 is equal (Tal-Filip, IT, Oberhausen, 1961).
• 11.b4 Re8 12.Bb3 h6 13.h3 Be6 14.Qc2 Nh5 15.Rfd1 Nf4 16.Bxe6 Rxe6 17.Nc4 gives White the advantage in space and a slight initiative (Gulko-Salov, Rpd, New York, 1990).
• If 9.Bg5 Nge7 then:
• 10.Nbd2 0-0 11.Nb3 Qe8 12.Nc5 Bc8 13.b4 f6 14.Be3 Kh8 15.Bb3 Nd8 16.Nd2 f5 17.f4 is equal (Ulibin-Safin, Op, Abu Dhabi, 2001).
• If 10.Qd3 h6 11.Be3 then:
• 11...Na5 12.Qc2 b5 13.Bb3 0-0 14.Rd1 Qc8 15.Qc1 Bg4 16.Nbd2 Rd8 17.Bc2 is equal (Vasiukov-Filip, IT, Gotha, 1957).
• 11...Bg4 12.Qe2 0-0 13.Nbd2 f5 14.h3 Bh5 15.Bb3+ Kh8 16.exf5 gxf5 is equal (Yates-Alekhine, IT, New York, 1924).

7...f6 8.Be3 Nh6 9.0-0 Bg7 10.h3

• If 10.dxe5 then:
• If 10...dxe5 11.Bc5 Bf8 12.Bxf8 Kxf8 then:
• If 13.Qd2 Kg7 14.Rd1 Be8 15.Qe3 Qe7 then:
• 16.Nbd2 Nf7 17.Nf1 Rd8 18.Bb3 Rxd1 19.Rxd1 gives White the advantage in space (L. Steiner-Sämisch, IT, Berlin, 1931).
• 16.c4 Nd4 17.Bxe8 Rhxe8 18.Nxd4 exd4 19.Rxd4 Nf5! gives Black a fierce initiative (Kravtsiv-Safarli, World Jr Ch, Gaziantep, 2008).
• 13.c4 Kg7 14.Nc3 Nf7 15.h3 Qc8 16.Nd5 Re8 17.c5 gives White the advantage in space (T. Ernst-Su. Polgar, Op, Copenhagen, 1986).
• 10...Nxe5 11.Nxe5 fxe5 12.f3 Nf7 13.Bb3 0-0 14.Bd5 Bc6 15.Bxc6 bxc6 16.Qa4 is equal (Rendle-Fox, EU Ch, Cork (Ireland), 2005).

10...Nf7

• 10...0-0 11.Qb3+ Nf7 12.dxe5 fxe5 13.Qxb7 Rb8 14.Bxc6 Rxb7 15.Bxb7 a5 16.Bd5 Bf6 is equal (Wolff-Kamsky, Op, New York, 1989).

11.Nbd2

• 11.Bb3 Qc8 12.Bxf7+ Kxf7 13.Nh2 Re8 14.Nd2 Kg8 is equal (Ingelmo-Sämisch, IT, Madrid, 1943).

11...0-0 12.dxe5!?

• If 12.Bc2 Qe7 13.Re1 then:
• 13...Kh8 14.Qb1 Ncd8 15.b4 Ne6 16.a4 gives White the advantage in space (Beliavsky-Smyslov, Candidates' Trmt, Montpellier, 1985).
• 13...Ncd8 14.Nf1 Ne6 15.Qd2 Kh8 16.N3h2 gives White a slight advantage in space (A. Sokolov-Salov, Soviet Ch, Leningrad, 1987).

12...dxe5

• White has a slight advantage in space; Bobolyubov's pawn exchange is no worse than 12.Bc2.

13.Bc5 Re8 14.Bb3 b6 15.Be3 Qe7 16.Qe2!?

• Black takes aim at the a-pawn, but the more aggressive move was to pin the Knight at c6.
• 16.Bd5 Rad8 17.a4 a5 18.Qe2 Kh8 19.Rad1 maintains White's small spatial edge.

16...Ncd8 17.Bd5

BLACK: Dr. Alexander Alekhine
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Efim Bogolyubov
Position after 17.Bb3d5

17...Bc6!

• Black has equalized the game.
• If 17...Nc6!? then:
• 18.Rad1! Red8 19.Nb3 Bf8 20.Rd2 amplifies White's spatial edge.
• 18.c4!? Rad8 19.c5 Nb4 20.Bc4 b5 is equal.

18.c4

• Dr. Alekhine severely criticizes this move, explaining his plan, which is successfully executed over the next several moves, makes the pawn at d5 "very weak."
• Alekhine recommends 18.Bxc6 Nxc6 19.Rfd1 "with only a slight advantage for Black" (Fritz rates the position even after 19...f5 20.Nf1 f4 21.Bc1).

18...Bxd5 19.cxd5 f5

• My silicon sidekick rates this position equal, although this is where Dr. Alekhine believes that White's d-pawn is "weak".

20.Nc4

• 20.exf5 gxf5 21.Nb3 e4 22.Nfd4 Qd7 23.Rfc1 Qxd5 24.Qh5 remains equal.

20...Nb7 21.Rac1 Rad8 22.d6!?

• Bogolyubov also seems to think his d-pawn is weak and decides the best thing to do with it is sacrfice it.
• 22.Qc2 fxe4 23.Qxe4 Qd7 24.Rfd1 b5 25.Na3 Nbd6 remains equal.

BLACK: Dr. Alexander Alekhine
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WHITE: Efim Bogolyubov
Position after 22.d5d6

22...Nbxd6!

• 22...Nfxd6 23.Nxd6 Nxd6 24.Bg5 Bf6 25.Bxf6 Qxf6 remains equal.

23.Nxd6 Rxd6

• 23...Nxd6!? 24.Bg5 Bf6 25.Bxf6 Qxf6 26.Rxc7 fxe4 27.Nh2 is once again equal.

24.Qxa6

• White regains the sacrificed pawn, but as a result of the combination his Queen is poorly placed.

24...Qd7!?

• Homer nods.
• Stronger is 24...Red8 25.exf5 gxf5 26.Qb7 R8d7 27.Rc2 Qd8 when Black ready to raid White's camp.

25.Rc2!

• The game is once again equal.
• If 25.Qb7!? c5 26.Qxd7 Rxd7 then:
• 27.Rfd1 Rxd1+ 28.Rxd1 fxe4 29.Ng5 Nxg5 30.Bxg5 h6 gives Black an extra pawn and a slight initiative.
• 27.Rcd1 Red8 28.Rxd7 Rxd7 29.exf5 gxf5 30.b4 cxb4 gives Black firm control of the center.

25...c5 26.a4 f4

• 26...Rd1 27.Nd2 Rxf1+ 28.Nxf1 f4 29.Bd2 f3 30.a5 remains equal.

27.Bd2!?

• This move works neither for attack nor defense.
• If 27.Bc1 (better to protect the c-pawn) then 27...Rd8 28.Rd2 Qe6 29.Qb5 Rxd2 30.Bxd2 remains equal.

27...g5 28.Qb5?

• This removes any leverage White had on the queenside.
• "Although practically forced, this move actually brings but little hekp, as, after the Queen exchange proposed here, Black not only obtains a far superior endgame, but also -- a very rare case considering the reduced material -- a direct attack on the enemy King" (Dr. Alekhine).
• If 28.b4! then:
• 28...Rc8 29.bxc5 bxc5 30.Qc4 g4 31.hxg4 Qxg4 remains equal.
• 28...cxb4?! 29.Bxb4! Rd1 30.Rxd1 Qxd1+ 31.Ne1 Qd7 32.Qxb6 leaves White a pawn to the good.
• 28...g4 29.hxg4 Rg6 30.Qb5 Qxb5 31.axb5 c4 32.Rxc4 gives White two extra pawns.

28...Qxb5 29.axb5 Rd3!

• "Freeing the important square d6 for the Knight" (Dr. Alekhine).

30.Ra1 Nd6 31.Ra6 Rb8!?

• Black could have put it away faster.
• If 31...Nxe4 32.Rxb6 Nxd2 then:
• If 33.Nxd2 e4 then:
• 34.Kf1 then Black wins after f3 35.Kg1 fxg2 36.Rc6 e3 37.fxe3 Rdxe3.
• If 34.Nc4 then after 34...e3 35.fxe3 fxe3 36.Re2 Re4 37.Rb8+ Kf7 Black wins.
• If 33.Rxd2?! Rxd2 34.Nxd2 e4 35.Rc6 e3! then:
• 36.fxe3 fxe3 37.Nf3 e2 38.Kf2 Bxb2 39.Ne1 Bd4+ gives Black a winning position.
• 36.Nf3 e2 37.Rxc5 e1Q+ 38.Nxe1 Rxe1+ leaves Black a piece to the good.

32.Bc3?!

• White fails to capitalize on Black's inaccuracy.
• If 32.Nxg5 then:
• Dr. Alekhine recommends 32...Bf6 but if 33.Nf3 Nxe4 then:
• If 34.Be1 then after 34...Ng5 35.Nxg5 Bxg5 36.Kf1 Rb7 37.Bc3 e4 Black is better, but he is no longer winning.
• 34...Rd1 35.Kf1 Kf7 36.Re2 Nd6 the game is equal.
• 34.Kf1 Kf7 35.b4 Nxd2+ 36.Nxd2 cxb4 37.Ke2 Rd5 is equal.
• 32...Nxb5!? 33.Nf3! Nd4 34.Nxd4 Rxd4 35.f3! Rbd8 is equal.

32...Nxe4!

• The text goes a long ways from shutting White out of the game.
• If 32...Rd1+!? 33.Kh2 then:
• 33...Nxe4 34.Nxe5 Bxe5 35.Bxe5 Rb7 36.Re2 leaves Black better, but White still has opportunities to whip up counterplay.
• 33...Nxb5?! 34.Bxe5 Bxe5 35.Nxe5 Nd4 36.Rc3 is equal.

33.Bxe5?

• White's game now collapses quickly.
• 33.Nxe5 Rd1+ 34.Kh2 Bxe5 35.Bxe5 Re8 36.Bc3 Re6 leaves White with enough hopes of carrying on in a fight for a draw.

BLACK: Dr. Alexander Alekhine
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WHITE: Efim Bogolyubov
Position after 33.Bc3e5:p

33...Bxe5!

• Also good is 33...Rd1+ 34.Kh2 Bxe5! 35.Nxe5 Nd2 when:
• 36.h4 h5 37.g3 Re8 38.gxf4 gxf4 39.Ng6 Nf3+ gives Black the winning advantage.
• 36.Rxd2 Rxd2 37.b3 Re8 38.Nf3 Rxf2 39.Kg1 Rb2 gives Black a material advantage equivalent to a minor piece.

34.Nxe5 Rd1+ 35.Kh2 Nd2

• If 35...Re8 36.Nc4 Rf1 37.g4 then:
• If 37...f3 38.Rxb6 Nxf2 39.Nd6 then:
• If 39...Re2! 40.Rb8+ Kg7 41.Nf5+ then:
• 41...Kf7! 42.Nh6+ Ke7 43.Nf5+ Kd7 44.Rb7+ Kd8 45.Rxe2 fxe2 is an easy win for Black.
• 41...Kf6 42.Rf8+ Kg6 43.Rg8+ Kf7 44.Nh6+ Kf6 leaves White almost out of checks, forcing 45.Rxe2 fxe2.
• 39...Rh1+? 40.Kg3! Re2 41.Rb8+ Kg7 42.Nf5+! Kf6 43.Rb6+ Black cannot escape perpetual checks.
• If 37...Rxf2+ 38.Rxf2 Nxf2 then:
• 39.Kg2 Re2 40.Rxb6 Rc2 41.Kf3 Rxc4 42.Kxf2 Rb4 wins a pawn for Black.
• 39.Rxb6 Re2 40.Kg2 Rc2 41.b3 Nxg4+ 42.Kf3 Nh2+ leaves Black a pawn to the good with complete command of White's kingside.

36.h4 Re8 37.Nf3

• If 37.Ng4 Ree1 then:
• If 38.Nf6+ Kf7 then:
• 39.Kh3 Kxf6 40.Rxb6+ Ke5 41.Rxc5+ Kd4 42.Rxg5 Ne4 Black wins the exchange.
• If 39.Rxb6 then 39...Rh1#.
• If 39.Ra7+ Kxf6 40.hxg5+ Kxg5 41.Rg7+ Kf6 then Black delivers mate after:
• 42.g3 Rh1+ 43.Kg2 Rdg1#.
• 42.Kh3 h5 43.g3 Rh1+ 44.Kg2 f3#.
• If 38.Kh3 then 38...Rh1+ 39.Nh2 h5 40.hxg5 Nf1 and 41.Rxh2# cannot be avoided (Dr. Alekhine).

37...Nxf3+ 38.gxf3 Ree1 39.Kh3 h5 0-1

• 40.Kg2 Rg1+ 41.Kh2 Rh1+ 42.Kg2 Rdg1#.
• Herr Bogolyubov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

13. Dr. Euwe - Dr. Alekhine, Zandvoort, 1935

Dr. Max Euwe, a math teacher at a girls' lyceum in Amsterdam, was a proud amateur chess player. He won the title from Dr. Alekhine in 1935 and immediately offered him a rematch. The rematch was held in 1937 with Alekhine winning. Dr. Alekhine died in 1946 still holding the title. Dr. Euwe continued a distinguish career as a chess master and a mathematician. In 1970, at the age of 69, he was elected to presidency of FIDE, the world governing body of chess. He is considered the most successful and best president FIDE has had.

While Dr. Euwe reign as world champion was brief, it came while he was at the height of his powers. Reuben Fine wrote of him, "While he never enjoyed the supremacy over his rivals that his predecessors had, he had no superiors in this period.

The following game was dubbed by Dr. Tartakover as the Pearl of Zandvoort. It is one of the finest games ever played in a world championship match.



Dr. Max Euwe at the end of his playing career (Leipzig Olympiad, 1960)
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Dr. Max Euwe - Dr. Alexander Alekhine
Match for the World Title, Round 26
Zandvoort, 3 November 1935

Hollander Game: Nimzo-Dutch Defense

1.d4 e6 2.c4 f5 3.g3 Bb4+

• This move was quite fashionable for a time, with theoreticians, including Dr. Alekhine, holding that the loss of a tempo was unimportant in a closed game.

4.Bd2 Be7 5.Bg2 Nf6 6.Nc3 0-0 7.Nf3 Ne4

• Black can transpose to the Stonewall Variation by 7...d5 8.0-0 c6 9.Bf4 Qe8 10.Qc2 Qh5 when:
• If 11.Rad1 Nbd7 12.b3 then:
• 12...Kh8 13.Kh1 Rg8 14.e3 g5 15.Bc7 Ne8 16.Be5+ Nxe5 17.Nxe5 gives White's minor pieces better potential (Yudovich-Botvinnik, IT, Moscow, 1934).
• 12...Ne4 13.Ne5 Ng5 14.h4 Ne4 15.Bf3 Qe8 is equal (Io. Rabinovich-Botvinnik, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1927).
• 11.c5 Nbd7 12.b4 Ne4 13.Nxe4 fxe4 14.Ne5 Bf6 15.Nxd7 Bxd7 16.Qd2 e5 is equal (Flohr-Riumin, IT, Moscow, 1936).

8.0-0 b6

• The text move was a novelty at the time the game was played.
• If 8...Bf6 then:
• 9.Qc2 Nxd2 10.Qxd2 d6 11.e4 fxe4 12.Nxe4 Nc6 13.Rad1 Bd7 14.b3 Ne7 15.Nxf6+ Rxf6 16.Ng5 h6 17.Ne4 Rf7 18.f4 Bc6 19.Rfe1 Ng6 20.Nc3 Bxg2 21.Qxg2 Qc8 draw (Grünfeld-Spielmann, IT, Vienna, 1935).
• 9.Nxe4 fxe4 10.Ne1 Bxd4 11.Bxe4 Bxb2 12.Bxh7+ Kxh7 13.Qc2+ Kg8 14.Qxb2 Nc6 15.Nf3 d6 16.c5 dxc5 gives Black an extra pawn now, but the game ended in a draw (Euwe-Dr. Alekhine, World Ch Match Rd 24, Holland, 1935).

9.Qc2

• 9.d5 Bb7 10.Nd4 Bf6 11.Be1 exd5 12.cxd5 Nd6 13.Ncb5 Nxb5 14.Nxb5 Na6 15.Qc2 Nc5 16.Rc1 a6 is equal (Stahlberg-Dr. Alekhine, IT, Dresden, 1936).

9...Bb7 10.Ne5!?

• 10.Rad1 d6 11.Ne1 d5 12.Nxe4 fxe4 13.Bf4 Bd6 14.Bxd6 Qxd6 15.f3 exf3 16.Nxf3 gives White the advantage in space and potentially better minor pieces (Ciejka-Slica, Polish Ch, Sopot, 1946).

10...Nxc3 11.Bxc3 Bxg2 12.Kxg2 Qc8 13.d5 d6 14.Nd3 e5 15.Kh1 c6 16.Qb3 Kh8 17.f4 e4

BLACK: Dr. Alexander Alekhine
!""""""""#
$tMw+ T L%
$O + V Oo%
$ OoO + +%
$+ +p+o+ %
$ +p+oP +%
$+wV+ nP %
$pP +p+ P%
$R + +r+k%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Dr. Max Euwe
Position after 17...e5e4

18.Nb4

• This is the beginning of a remarkable Knight's tour.

18...c5 19.Nc2 Nd7 20.Ne3 Bf6!?

• The Bishop should remain at e7 to guard the d-pawn.
• A better try is 20...Qd8 21.a3 Kg8 22.Qa4 a6 23.Qc6 Ra7 24.b4 with equality.

BLACK: Dr. Alexander Alekhine
!""""""""#
$t+w+ T L%
$O +m+ Oo%
$ O O V +%
$+ Op+o+ %
$ +p+oP +%
$+qV N P %
$pP +p+ P%
$R + +r+k%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Dr. Max Euwe
Position after 20...Be7f6

21.Nxf5!

• White "sacrifices" the Bishop for three pawns.
• 21.Bxf6 Nxf6 22.Kg2 Qd7 23.h3 Ng8 24.a4 Qf7 remains equal.

21...Bxc3 22.Nxd6 Qb8 23.Nxe4 Bf6

• 23...Bb4 24.Ng5 Qd6 25.Qc2 Qh6 26.e4 Qg6 27.Ne6 gives White a dangerously mobile pawn center.

24.Nd2

BLACK: Dr. Alexander Alekhine
!""""""""#
$t+w+ T L%
$O +m+ Oo%
$ Oo+ V +%
$+ +p+ + %
$ +p+ P +%
$+wV + P %
$pP Np+ P%
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Dr. Max Euwe
Position after 24.Ne4d2

• The Knight's tour that began on White's eighteenth move has concluded. Although Black's Bishop is a very good one, White's pawns are strong and he has the advantage in space, he seems to have gotten the better of the sacrifice.

24...g5 25.e4 gxf4!?

• This gives White command of the third rank, which can be used to quick transport heavy pieces from one end of the board to the other.
• If 25...Bg7 26.e5 gxf4 27.gxf4 when:
• 27...Nxe5! 28.fxe5 Qxe5 29.Rae1 Rxf1+ 30.Rxf1 Re8 31.Nf3 White has a passed pawn, but Black has a more active Queen and can easily create counterplay.
• 27...Bh6?! 28.Qe3 Qxe5 29.Qxe5+ Nxe5 30.fxe5 Bxd2 31.e6 White's two connected passers in the center are more valuable than Black's Bishop.

26.gxf4 Bd4 27.e5 Qe8 28.e6 Rg8 29.Nf3 Qg6 30.Rg1 Bxg1 31.Rxg1 Qf6?

• The Queen has more flexibility if she simply blocks the f-pawn.
• 31...Qf5! 32.exd7 Rxg1+ 33.Kxg1 Qxd7 is equal.

BLACK: Dr. Alexander Alekhine
!""""""""#
$t+ + +tL%
$O +m+ +p%
$ O +pW +%
$+ Op+ + %
$ +p+ P +%
$+w+ +n+ %
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Dr. Max Euwe
Position after 31...Qg6f6

32.Ng5!

• White signals a kingside attack.
• If 32.exd7!? Rxg1+ 33.Kxg1 Qxf4! then:
• 34.Qc3+ Kg8 35.Ne5 Qf5 36.Qe1 Rf8 gives Black some fight remaining.
• 34.Kf2 Qf7 35.Qc3+ Kg8 36.Qe5 Qxd7 37.Qg5+ Qg7 is equal.

32...Rg7

• No better is 32...Rg6 33.exd7 Qe7 34.Qa4 Rag8 35.Qc2 when:
• 35...R8g7 36.Qf5 Qxd7 37.Qxd7 Rxd7 38.Ne6 Kg8 39.Re1 gives White two passed pawns.
• 35...Qxd7? 36.Qc3+ R8g7 37.Re1 b5 38.Re6 Rxg5 39.fxg5 gives White a passed pawn in the d-file and a strong majority on the kingside.

33.exd7 Rxd7

• Black might last longer after 33...Qxf4 34.Qc3 Qd4 35.Qxd4 cxd4 36.Ne6 Rxd7 37.Nxd4.

34.Qe3 Re7 35.Ne6 Rf8

• If 35...Qxb2 then 36.d6 Rd7 37.Nc7 Rb8 38.Qe5+ Qxe5 39.fxe5 forces Black to give up the exchange or else comes 39...-- 40.e6 Rxd6 41.e7 h6 42.e8Q+

36.Qe5 Qxe5 37.fxe5 Rf5 38.Re1 h6 39.Nd8!

• White is in full command of e6, where a pawn will be placed to establish an outpost at f7.

39...Rf2 40.e6 Rd2

• If 40...Kh7 41.d6 Rg7 42.Rg1 then:
• 42...Rxb2 43.Rxg7+ Kxg7 44.d7 Kf6 45.Nc6 White wins easily.
• If 42...Rxg1+ then White wins in a breeze after 43.Kxg1 Rxb2 44.e7 Re2 45.Nc6 Re1+ 46.Kf2.

41.Nc6 Re8

• Any other move loses quicker.

BLACK: Dr. Alexander Alekhine
!""""""""#
$ + +t+ L%
$O + + + %
$ On+p+ O%
$+ Op+ + %
$ +p+ + +%
$+ + + + %
$pP T + P%
$+ + R +k%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Dr. Max Euwe
Position after 41...Re7e8

42.e7!

• Black must make his last stand against the pawn.
• Also good is 42.Nxa7 Kg7 43.Nc6 Rf8 44.Rg1+ Kh7 when:
• If 45.Ne5! Rf5 46.Re1 Rff2 47.Ng4 then:
• 47...Rfe2 48.Rxe2 Rxe2 49.Kg1 Kg7 50.b3 gives White connected passed pawns in the center; he will win.
• If 47...Rde2 then after 48.Nxf2 Rxe1+ 49.Kg2 Kg7 50.Kf3 Kf8 51.Ne4 White's pawns triumph.
• If 45.e7? Rff2! then:
• 46.Rb1 Rxh2+ 47.Kg1 Rdg2+ 48.Kf1 Rc2 49.Kg1 draws.
• If 46.Rg8 then:
• 46...Rf1+ 47.Rg1 Rff2 48.Rg8 Rf1+ draws.
• 46...Kxg8? 47.e8Q+! Kg7 48.Qe7+ Kh8 49.Qe5+ Kh7 50.Kg1! prevents the back rank mate and leaves White with a material advantage.

42...b5 43.Nd8 Kg7 44.Nb7 Kf6

• 44...bxc4 loses to 45.Nd6 Rb8 46.Nxc4 Rxd5 47.e8Q.

45.Re6+ Kg5 46.Nd6 Rxe7 47.Ne4+ 1-0

• White wins the Rook.
• Dr. Alekhine resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

14. Update (Monday): Hou's in first! Yifan wins Kuala Lumpur Open

Photo: Kuala Lumpur Chess Association

Sixteen-year-old Chinese grandmaster Hou Yifan, the world's top-ranked girl and third-ranked woman overall, won the Third annual Kuala Lumpur Open outright today with 7½ points out of nine rounds.

Ms. Hou becomes the third woman in recent months to score a first place finish in a major open tournament. In May, Koneru Humpy finished an equal first at the Mayor's Cup in Mumbai, but it was Alexander Areshchenko who claimed the tournament championship on tie break points. In July, Polish grandmaster Monika Socko finished in an equal first with fifteen-year-old American GM Ray Robson at the Arctic Chess Challenge in Tromsø, Norway, and claimed the tournament championship on tie breaks. Ms. Hou simply took first place clear with no computation of tie break points needed.

[Jack Rabbit]

15. Update (Tuesday): Seven tie for first in Dubai Open; German CF supports Karpov for FIDE president

Seven Players Tie for First in Dubai



The 12th annual Dubai Open ended a few minutes ago with seven players tied for first play with 7 points each in nine rounds.

Viorel Iordanchescu of Moldova, Eduardo Iturrizaga of Venezuela and Georgian GM Tornike Sanikidze began the day in a three-way tie for first with 6½ points apiece. Iordachescu and Iturrizaga played each other to a 13-move draw while Sanikidze drew his game with Ukrainian GM Vladimir Baklan to assure all three of finishing in a tie for first on 7 points. They were joined by four other players who were tied for fourth with 6 points each who won their games today: Sergey Volkov (Russia), Hrant Melkumyan (Armenia), Aleksej Aleksandrov (Belarus) and David Arutinian (Georgia). Each of the four won his game from the Black side of the board.

German Chess Fed gives Karpov unanamous support in bid for FIDE president

From ChessBase.com
Dated Monday, April 12

German Chess Federation nominates Karpov for FIDE Presidency

One month ago Anatoly Karpov announced his candidacy for President of the World Chess Federation (elections in September). The former World Champion was nominated by the French and Swiss Federations. Now the President of the German Chess Federation, Robert von Weizsäcker, has come forward with a nomination and unanimous support. Press release and information.

Read more at the link

Editorial Remark

Former world champion Anatoly Karpov is the main opposition to the re-election of current FIDE president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, who has been described by the principal writer and staff of the JRCR as "the George W. Bush of Chess." Kirsan, who is also President of the Russian Autonomous Republic of Kalmykia, will be difficult to beat. While Mr. Bush owed his presidential electoral victories to insecure voting machines and crooked state elections officials, Kirsan prefers to run a political machine in which curries favors to small chess federations and ignores larger ones. Each federation gets one vote. The result is that many of the world's leading grandmasters are unhappy with Kirsan but he wins election easily with the votes of African and Asian federations while west European and North American federations support the opposition.

In the last four years, Kirsan set up a structure for determining the official challenger to the world champion and then changing the rules midstream. Karpov may be unproven as a leader, but Kirsan's record is clear and he clearly needs to go.