The JR Chess Report (October 16): Kramnik wins in Bilbao

[Jack Rabbit]

Kramnik wins in Bilbao



Former world champion Vladimir Kramnik edged out the current titleholder, Vishy Anand, to take top prize in the Grand Slam Final Masters Tournament which ended yesterday in Bilbao, Spain.

Kramniki won two games and drew four while Anand won one and drew five, giving Kramnik the title by the margine of one victory in the quadrangular tourney.

World top seed Magnus Carlsen started the event with two losses, but composed himself to win one while drawing three the rest of the way.



European Club Cup Begins Tomorrow



The annual European Club Cup begins tomorrow in Plodiv, Bulgaria, with 49 teams in the general section and 15 in the women's group.

Among the top teams in the general group expected to compete for medals are Azerbaijan, the St. Petersburg Chess Club, Moscow -64, Saratov, Baden-Baden, now looking for its sixth straight title in the German Bundesliga, and Baden-Baden's main Bundesliga rival, Bremen.

The strongest women's teams are Monte Carlo, ABVS from Russia and the St. Petersburg Chess Club.

Games begin at 3 pm Plodiv time (5 am PDT) and will be broadcast live on the official tournament site.



Tal Memotrial Players Set



The Tal Memorial Tournament will take place in Moscow from the 5th through the 18th of November.

This year's participants are Levon Aronian (Armenia), Pavel Eljanov (Ukraine), Boris Gelfand (Israel), Alexander Grischuk (Russia), Sergey Karjakin (Russia), Vladimir Kramnik (Russia), Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan), Hikaru Nakamura (United States), Alexei Shirov (Spain) and Wang Hao (China), all grandmasters rated over 2700.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. This Week's Games

Your humble hare acknowledges the assistance of Rybka 4 and 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. Grand Slam Final Masters Tournament, Bilbao

Bilbao
Photo by Jatamendi in Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike).

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Kramnik - Carlsen, Round 1

Vladimir Kramnik
Photo: from the website of Vladimir Kramnik


Vladimir Kramnik - Magnus Carlsen
Grand Slam Masters Final, Round 1
Bilbao, 9 October 2010

East India Game: Queen's Indian Defense

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

• For 4.a3 see Chiburdanidze-Maric, OlW, Dresden, 2008.

4...Ba6

• For a greater expose of this opening, see Grischuk-Topalov, IT, Linares, 2010.

5.Qa4

• Much more common is 5.b3 or 5.Nbd2. See the Grischuk-Topalov game cited and linked above.

5...Bb7 6.Bg2 c5 7.dxc5

• If 7.0-0 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bxg2 9.Kxg2 Qc8 then:
• 10.Rd1 Be7 11.Nc3 0-0 12.f3 a6 13.Bg5 h6 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.Rac1 Qb7 16.Qa3 Bg5 17.Rc2 Nc6 gives White a small advantage in space(Ilincic-Prohaszka, 1st Saturday, Budapest, 2006.03).
• 10.Nc3 Qb7+ 11.f3 Be7 12.Rd1 a6 13.Bg5 h6 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.Ne4 Be7 16.Qb3 Qc7 17.Rac1 0-0 18.f4 Nc6 19.Nf3 Rfd8 is equal (Nikolic-Karpov, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2000).

7...bxc5

• If 7...Bxc5 8.0-0 0-0 9.Nc3 Be7 10.Rd1 Na6 11.Bf4 Nc5 12.Qc2 Qc8 then:
• 13.Rd4 d5 14.cxd5 Nxd5 15.Nxd5 Bxd5 16.Ng5 Bxg5 17.Bxg5 Bxg2 18.Kxg2 Qb7+ 19.Kg1 draw (B. Socko-Kempinski, Najdorf Mem, Warsaw, 2008).
• If 13.Rac1 Nce4 14.Nd4 Nxc3 15.Qxc3 a6 then:
• If 16.Qb3 then:
• If 16...Bxg2 17.Kxg2 Qb7+ 18.Qf3 then:
• If 18...Ra7 19.Qxb7 Rxb7 20.f3 Rc8 21.e4 then:
• If 21...d6 22.Ne2 then:
• 22...Ne8 23.b3 Kf8 24.h4 h6 25.a4 Rc6 26.Be3 gives White the advantage in space (van Wely-Z. Almasi, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2003).
• 22...Rc6 23.b4 h6 24.b5 axb5 25.cxb5 Rxc1 26.Rxc1 d5 is equal (van Wely-Karpov, Rpd, Corsica, 2003).
• 21...Ne8 22.h4 h5 23.a4 Bf6 24.Be3 Rbc7 is equal (Piket-Karpov, Match, Monte Carlo, 1999).
• 18...Ne4 19.Nb3 f5 20.Nd2 g5 21.Nxe4 fxe4 22.Qg4 h5 23.Qxh5 gxf4 24.Qg6+ draw (Saric-Palac, Op, Djakova, 2005).
• 16...Bc5 17.Bg5 Ng4 18.Bxb7 Qxb7 19.Qf3 Qxf3 20.exf3 Ne5 21.Kg2 is equal (Karpov-Leko, Rpd Match, Miskolc, 2006).
• If 16.Bf3 Ra7 17.Nb3 Bxf3 18.Qxf3 Qb7 19.Qxb7 Rxb7 20.f3 Rc8 21.e4 Ne8 then:
• 22.e5 f6 23.Rc2 Kf7 24.g4 fxe5 25.Bxe5 gives White a small advantage in space (Dr. Hübner-Adams, Sparkassen IT, Dortmund, 2000).
• 22.Rd2 d6 23.e5 dxe5 24.Bxe5 f6 25.Bd4 Kf7 is equal (Dr. Hübner-Lutz, German Ch, Altenkirchen, 2001).

8.0-0 Be7 9.Nc3 0-0 10.Rd1 Qb6 11.Bf4 Rd8 12.Rab1

• If 12.Rd2 d6 13.Rad1 then:
• If 13...Ne8 Nd7 14.e4 Bc6 15.Qc2 Qb7 then:
• 16.g4 17.g5 gives White a slight edge in space (Mamedyarov-Akopian, Grand Prix, Nalchik, 2009).
• 16.Qb3 Qxb3 17.axb3 f6 is equal (Gustafsson-Leko, Sparkassen IT, Dortmund, 2008).
• 13...a6 14.Ng5 Bxg2 15.Kxg2 e5 16.Be3 Qb7+ 17.Kg1 h6 18.Nf3 Nc6 19.Nd5 Nxd5 20.Rxd5 Nb4 21.R5d2 Nc6 22.Rd5 Nb4 23.R5d2 Nc6 draw (Leko-Bacrot, Grand Prix, Nalchik, 2009).

12...h6 13.Qb5 (N)

• 13.a3 a5 14.Qb5 Qxb5 15.cxb5 d5 16.Ne5 g5 17.Be3 is equal (Kramnik-Bacrot, Sparkassen IT, Dortmund, 2009).

13...Bc6

• White has a small advantage in space.
• 13...d5 14.cxd5 Nxd5 15.Qc4 Nd7 16.Ne5 is equal.
• 13...d5 14.cxd5 Nxd5 15.Qc4 Nd7 16.Ne5 N7f6 is equal.

14.Qxb6 axb6 15.b3!?

• More active is 15.Bc7 Rc8 16.Bd6 when:
• If 16...Bxd6 17.Rxd6 then:
• 17...Ne8 18.Rd2 d6 19.Rbd1 Kf8 20.b3 Ke7 21.e4 gives White a firm advantage in space; Black will have difficulty advancing his center pawns.
• If 17...Ne4 then after 18.Rxc6 Nxc6 19.Nxe4 Rxa2 20.Nc3 Black's Rook must retreat and White will gain command of the long diagonal after 21.Ne1.
• 16...Bf8 17.a3 Ne8 18.Bxb8 Raxb8 19.Ne5 the Knight at e5 gives White both a spatial and strategic advantage. Black must proceed with care.

15...g5!?

• Black misses an opportunity to keep White's opening edge to a minimum.
• 15...Ne4! 16.Nxe4 Bxe4 17.Rb2 d5 18.cxd5 Rxd5 19.Rxd5 exd5 gives White only a small advantage in space.

16.Bxb8 Raxb8

BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
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WHITE: Vladimir Kramnik
Position after 16...Ra8b8:B

• White has a small advantage in space.

17.Ne5 Bxg2 18.Kxg2 Rbc8 19.e4 d6 20.Nd3!?

• The game is equal.
• White had a chance to take the advantage in space with 20.Nf3 Kg7 21.Rd2 Ne8 22.Rbd1 Nc7{

20...Kf8!?

• Black misses a chance to keep the game level.
• 20...d5! 21.exd5 exd5 22.h4 d4 23.Nb5 is equal.

21.h3 Nd7?!

• This move is way too passive. White can take a firm command of the center.
• 21...d5! 22.exd5 exd5 23.a4 d4 24.Nb5 gives White a small advantage in space.

BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
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WHITE: Vladimir Kramnik
Position after 21...Nf6d7

22.f4!

• White assumes an undisputed advantage in space.

22...Nb8 23.Na4

• Somewhat better is 23.Nb5 Nc6 24.Ne1 gxf4 25.gxf4, after which Black will have difficulty advancing his center pawns.

23...Nd7 24.Nf2 Ra8 25.Rd2 Ra5

• If 25...Kg7 26.Rbd1 gxf4 27.gxf4 then:
• If 27...b5 28.cxb5 c4 then:
• 29.Rc1 cxb3 30.axb3 Rab8 31.Nc3 Rdc8 32.Kf3 gives White an enhanced advantage in space with all vital point covered
• 29.Nc3?! cxb3 30.axb3 Rdb8! 31.Rc2 Ra3 32.b4 gives Black some faint hopes of counterplay against White's weakened queenside.
• 27...Ra7 28.Nc3 Nb8 29.Nb5 Rad7 30.Kf3 gives White a greater advantage in space, effectively pressuring Black's center.
• 25...gxf4 26.gxf4 Ra5 27.Nc3 Bf6 28.Nb5 gives White a more firm advantage in space.

26.Nc3!

• White takes a clear advantage in space.

26...Nb8 27.Rbd1 Nc6 28.Nb5 gxf4 29.gxf4 d5?!

• Black is not strong enough in the center to make this thrust.
• Better is 29...Nd4 30.Nxd4 cxd4 31.a4 Bf6 32.Rg1 Ke7 33.Kf3 when White continues to enjoy a modest spatial advantage.

BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
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WHITE: Vladimir Kramnik
Position after 29...d6d5

30.exd5!?

• White commits to the sham sacrifice of the Knight at b5. The challenge is not without risk.

30...exd5 31.cxd5 Rxb5?!

• Black might have done better to distain the proffered Knight.
• If 31...Nd4! 32.Nxd4 cxd4 33.Rxd4 Rxa2 give White only a small advantage in space.

32.dxc6!

• White comes out a pawn to the good. Black dare not exchange Rooks.
• If 32...Rd2? then 33.c7!! Rxd1 34.Nxd1 and the c-pawn must Queen.

32...Rc8 33.Ng4 Rxc6 34.Ne5 Re6 35.Kf3 Ra5?

• Black's condition changes from critical to terminal.
• If 35...Rb4 36.Rd7 Bf6 37.Nxf7 Ree4 38.f5 keeps Black hanging by a thread.

BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
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WHITE: Vladimir Kramnik
Position after 35...Rb5a5

36.Rg2!

• Black has no resources on the kingside to resist penetration by White's Rooks.

36...f6 37.Nc4 Ra7

• If 37...Ra8 then after 38.f5 Rc6 39.a4 Rd8 40.Rxd8+ Bxd8 41.Rg6 White wins a pawn.

38.f5

• White now has a clear victory.

38...Rc6 39.a4 Rb7

• 39...Kf7 40.Rg6 Rcc7 41.Rxh6 Kg7 42.Rh5 gives White an extra pawn and, after Rd1g1, an irresistable attack.

40.Rg6 h5 41.Rdg1 Ke8 42.Ne5

• Also good is 42.Rh6 Rbc7 43.Rxh5 Kf7 44.Rh7+.

42...Rc8 43.Rg8+ Bf8 44.Ng6 Rf7 45.Rd1 1-0

• 45...Ra8 46.Rd6 Rb8 47.Ke4! is Zugzwang!
• Magnus resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Carlsen - Shirov, Round 5

Magnus Carlsen
Photo: Time Magazine


Magnus Carlsen - Alexei Shirov
Grand Slam Masters Final, Round 5
Bilbao, 14 October 2010

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Neo-Classical Defense (Arkhangelsk Defense)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 7.a4 Rb8 8.axb5 axb5 9.c3 d6 10.d4 Bb6 11.h3 0-0 12.Re1 h6 13.Na3

• For moves up to here, see Kamsky-Z.Almasi, IT Reggio Emilia 0910, 2010.
• 13.Be3 Bd7 14.Nbd2 Re8 15.Qb1 gives White a small advantage in space (Kamsky-Z.Almasi, IT 0910, Reggio Emilia, 2010).

13...exd4

• If 13...Re8 14.d5 Ne7 15.Bc2 Ng6 16.b4 Bd7 17.Bd3 Nh5 18.Be3 Bxe3 19.fxe3 c6 gives Black more Freedom (Wieczorek-Debashis, World Jr Ch, Chotowa, 2010).

14.cxd4

• White has a small advantage in space.

14...Na5!

• Black threatens to exchange White's proud light-bound Bishop for the less important Knight.
• 14...Ra8!? 15.e5! dxe5 16.dxe5 Nh5 17.Bd5 Bb7 18.Rb1 continues to geive White the advantage in space.

15.Bc2!

• White finds the only move to continue to give him the advantage in space.
• If 15.Nxb5 Nxb3 16.Qxb3 Bd7 17.Nc3 Bxd4 is equal.


• 17.Qd3 Bxb5 18.Qxb5 Bxd4= is equal.

15...b4 16.Nb5 Ba6

BLACK: Alexei Shirov
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WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 16...Bc8a6

17.Na7!

• This is a very subtle move. The Knight cannot be taken.
• 17.Bd3!? d5! 18.exd5 Nxd5 19.Ne5 Nf6 is equal.

17...Bb7!

• Black finds the best reply.
• If 17...Ra8?! 18.Rxa5!! Rxa7 19.Ra4 Qa8 then:
• If 20.e5 dxe5 then:
• 21.dxe5 Rd8 22.Bd2 Nd7 23.Rxb4 Nc5 24.Rg4 gives White an extra pawn.
• 21.Nxe5 Bb7 22.Ng4 Nxg4 23.Qxg4 Bc8 24.Rxa7 Bxa7 25.Qg3 solidifies WHite's advantage in space.
• If 20.Bf4 Re8 21.e5 Nd5 22.Qd2 then:
• 22...dxe5? 23.Bxh6!! gxh6 24.Qxh6 wins for White.
• 22...Qc6 23.Bb3 Nxf4 24.Qxf4 gives White a firm advantage in space.

18.d5 Ra8 19.Nb5 Nc4

• Again, Black finds a way to minimize the damage.
• If 19...Re8 20.Nbd4 Bc5 21.Nf5 then:
• 21...c6 22.Bxh6 gxh6 23.Qd2 Bc8 24.Nxh6+ Kf8 25.dxc6 gives White three pawns for a piece.
• 21...Nc4 22.Rxa8 Qxa8 23.Bxh6!! then:
• 23...gxh6 24.Qc1 Ne3 25.Rxe3 Bxe3 26.Qxe3 gives White an extra pawn and more space.
• 23...g6 24.Qc1 Qa7 25.Bg7! Bxf2+ 26.Kh1 Be3 27.Nxe3 wins for White.

20.Rxa8 Qxa8 21.Nbd4

• White keeps the edge in space.
• 21.Qe2 Ne5 22.Nxe5 dxe5 23.Be3 Qa5 24.Bd3 Ra8 25.Rc1 is equal.

21...Qa7 22.b3=/{+/=}

• White again retains the edge in space.
• 22.Re2 Ne5 23.Nxe5 Bxd4 24.Nf3 Bb6 is equal.

22...Ne5 23.Bb2 Nxf3+?

• The exhange on f3 allows White to use the g-file to take direct aim at the Black King.
• 23...Qa2 24.Qc1 Re8 25.Nh4 Bc8 gives White only a slight edge in space.

24.gxf3 Qa2?!

• Before taking action on the wing, Black should hinder White's counterplay in the center.
• 24...Nd7 (defending the e5 square) 25.Kg2 Qa2 26.Qc1 f6 27.Bb1 Qa5 28.Rg1 give Black a better situation than he gets in the game.

25.Qc1 Bxd4

• If 25...Nd7 26.Kh1 f6 27.Ne6 then:
• If 27...Rf7 28.Rg1 g5 29.Rg2 maintains White solid advantage in space.
• 27...Re8? 28.Rg1 Rxe6 29.dxe6 Ne5 30.Qxh6 wins for White.
• If 25...Nh5 26.Bb1 then:
• If 26...Qa7 27.Qd2 then:
• After 27...Bc5 28.Kh2 f6 29.Rg1 Kf7 30.Ne6 Bxf2 31.Rg4 White's spacial advaqntage more than compensates for the pawn minus.
• If 27...Nf4? 28.Kh2 f6 29.Nf5 g5 30.Nxh6+ Kh7 31.Ng4 wins for White.
• If 26...Qa8? then:
• 27.Kh2 f6 28.Rg1 Qe8 29.Nf5 wins for White.
• If 27.Nf5 f6 28.Ne7+ Kf7 29.e5 then:
• 29...dxe5 30.Bxe5 fxe5 31.Rxe5 Ke8 32.Nc6+ Kf7 33.Rxh5
• If 29...Kxe7 30.exf6+ Kd8 31.fxg7 Nxg7 32.Bxg7 Rxf3 33.Qxh6 wins for White.

26.Bxd4 Nd7

BLACK: Alexei Shirov
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WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 26...Nf6d7

27.Kh1!?

• 27.Qd2!! wins immediately after 27...Ne5 28.Kg2 Ra8 29.Ra1.

27...f6

• Dispite his misstep, White still has a commanding advantage.
• No better than the text is 27...Ne5 28.Rg1 g6 29.Kg2 Ba6 30.Qd2.

28.Rg1 Rf7 29.Qd2 Qa8 30.Qxh6 Ne5 31.Bd1 Qe8

• 31...Qa2 32.Qe3 c5 33.dxc6 Nxc6 34.Bb6 Qa8 35.Kh2 gives White an extra pawn and the advantage in space.

32.Qe3 c5 33.Bb2 Re7

• 33...c4 34.Bd4 cxb3 35.Qxb3 Qb5 36.Kh2 Bc8 37.f4 gives White an extra pawn and a slight initiative.

34.f4 Nd7?

BLACK: Alexei Shirov
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WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 34...Ne5d7

• Black's game is now enitrely lost.
• Even after 34...Ng6 35.f5 Ne5 36.Qg3 Qf7 37.Qh4 Kf8 it's only a matter of time.

35.Qg3!

• This move contains multiple threats. White is a pawn to the good and Black could have resigned here.

35...Qf7 36.Bf3 Ba6

• White's winning approach is to eliminate the Black Queen and win Black's last pawns.
• 36...Kf8 37.Qh4 Qg8 38.Kh2 Bc8 39.Qh5 Qf7 40.Qf5 deprives Black of all reserve pawn tempi.

37.Bg4 Nf8 38.Bf5 c4

• If 38...Be2 then after 39.Kh2 Bh5 40.e5 fxe5 41.fxe5 dxe5 42.d6 White wins more material.

39.bxc4 Bxc4 40.Qh4 Bxd5 41.f3 Be6 42.Bxf6 Bxf5 43.exf5 Rc7

BLACK: Alexei Shirov
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WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 43...Re7c7

44.Rxg7+!

• The Black Queen will fall.
• The text is simpler than 44.Bxg7 Qxg7 45.Qe1 Rf7 46.Qxb4 when:
• If 46...Rxf5 then White wins after 47.Qxd6 Qxg1+ 48.Kxg1 Kf7 49.Qc7+ Kg6 50.Qc6+.
• 46...Qxg1+ 47.Kxg1 Rxf5 48.Qxd6 trnasposes.

44...Qxg7 45.Bxg7 Rxg7

• With the Black Queen off the board, White will have an easy time winning Black's last pawns.
• 45...Kxg7 46.Qg5+ Kh7 47.Qd8 Rf7 48.Qxd6 assures that Black's last pawn will fall.

46.f6 Rd7 47.Qe1 d5

• If 47...b3 then after 48.Qb4 Kf7 49.Qxb3+ d5 50.h4 Kxf6 51.h5 Black will not be able to effectively support his remaining pawn without allowing White's pawns to advance.

48.Qxb4 d4 49.Qc4+ Kh7 50.Qd3+ Kg8 51.f5 Kf7 52.Kg2 Kxf6 53.Kg3 Kg7 54.h4 Nh7

• 54...Rd6 55.h5 Rd7 56.Kf4 Nh7 57.Ke5 gives White an elementary win.

55.Kf2 Nf6 56.Qd2 Nh7 57.Ke1 d3

• After 57...Kf6 58.Qf4 Kf7 59.Qh6 Nf8 60.Kd2 Black's pawn is stopped and White's pawns advance.

58.Qg2+ Kh8 59.Kd2 Nf8

• 59...Rf7 60.Qg4 Rf8 61.Kxd3 Nf6 62.Qg5 Nh7 63.Qf4 is an easy win for White.

60.Qg5 Kh7

• 60...Nh7 61.Qg6 Nf8 62.Qf6+ Kg8 63.h5 Black's pawn is stopped and White cannot long delay the advance of White's pawns.

61.h5 Kh8 62.f6

• If 62.Qf6+ Kg8 63.h6 then:
• If 63...Rb7 then after 64.Kxd3 Rb3+ 65.Ke4 Rb4+ 66.Ke3 the King soon escapes checks.
• 63...Rf7 64.Qg5+ Kh7 65.Kxd3 Rb7 66.Ke3 the King again escapes Black's series of checks.

62...Kh7

• If 62...Rf7 then after 63.h6 Kh7 64.f4 Ra7 65.Qc5 White maneuvers his King as in the previous note.

63.f4 Kh8 64.h6 Kh7 65.f5 1-0

• If 65...Rc7 66.Kxd3 Ra7 67.Ke4 then:
• If 67...Rb7 68.Kd5 Rd7+ 69.Ke5 Ra7 then after the sacrifice 70.Qg7+!! Rxg7 71.fxg7 Nd7+ 72.Ke6 the Knight is unable to stop the pawns from queening.
• No better is 67...Ra4+ 68.Ke5 Ra5+ 69.Kd6 Ra6+ 70.Ke7.
• El señor Shirov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Bundesliga, Rounds 1 & 2

The Town Musicians of Bremen
Photo: Wikipedia (Public Domain)

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Movsesian - Werle, Round 1, Baden-Baden

The Bundeseiga championship team from Baden-Baden began its quest for an unprecedented sixth straight title by winning its opening match aghainst Solingen.



Sergei Movsesian
Photo: ChessBase.com


Sergei Movsesian (Baden-Baden) - Jan Werle (Solingen)
Bundesliga 1011, Round 1/Board 2
Baden-Baden, 9 October 2010

Closed French Game: Advance Opening

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6

• If 5...Nge7 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.cxd4 Nf5 8.Bxf5 exf5 then:
• If 9.Nc3 Be6 10.Ne2 Be7 11.h4 h6 12.Nf4 g6 then:
• If 13.Kf1 Qb6 14.Kg1 0-0-0 15.b4 g5 16.Nxe6 fxe6 is equal (Kloenne-Arapovic, Op, Dornbrin, 1990).
• 13.Rh3 Kd7 14.Qb3 Qb6 15.Qxb6 axb6 16.Ke2 g5 gives White a slight edge in space (Smeets-Romero Holmes, Op, Groningen, 2002).
• 9.0-0 Be7 10.Nc3 Be6 11.Ne1 Qb6 12.Ne2 0-0 13.Kh1 a5 14.f4 Rfc8 15.Nc2 g6 16.Ne3 h5 is equal (Blatny-Machulsky, Alma-Ata, 1989).

6.Be2

• If 6.a3 then:
• If 6...c4 7.Nbd2 Na5 then:
• If 8.Be2 Bd7 9.0-0 Ne7 then:
• 10.Re1 h6 11.Rb1 0-0-0 12.Nf1 Nb3 13.Bf4 Ba4 14.N3d2 Nc6 15.Nxb3 Na5 16.h4 Nxb3 17.Bg4 Be7 gives Black a slight advantage in space (Haba-Kucera, Op, Ceske Budejovice, 1996).
• 10.Rb1 Qc7 11.Re1 Nc8 12.Nf1 Nb6 13.Bf4 Nb3 14.N3d2 Na5 15.Ng3 Ba4 16.Qc1 0-0-0 17.Nh5 Kb8 18.Nf3 Bb3 19.Nd2 Ba4 20.Nf3 Bb3 21.Nd2 draw (Ni Hua-Bareev, IT, Beijing, 2003).
• 8.g3 Bd7 9.h4 Ne7 10.Bh3 h6 11.0-0 0-0-0 12.Rb1 Kb8 13.Re1 Nc8 14.Bf1 Be7 is equal (Burtsova-Romenko.OpW, Moscow, 2010).
• If 6...Nh6 7.b4 cxd4 8.cxd4 Nf5 9.Bb2 Bd7 10.g4 then:
• 10...Nfe7 11.Nc3 Na5 12.Nd2 Rc8 13.Rc1 Ng6 14.h4 Be7 15.g5 0-0 16.Rg1 Nxh4 is equal (Potkin-Hug, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• 10...Nh6 11.Rg1 f6 12.exf6 gxf6 13.Nc3 Nf7 14.Na4 Qd8 15.Nc5 b6 16.Nxd7 Qxd7 17.Rc1 Ne7 18.h4 gives White the advantage in space (Vasiukov-Bukhman, Op, St. Petersburg, 1994).

6...Nh6

• If 6...cxd4 then:
• If 7.cxd4 Nge7 8.Na3 Nf5 9.Nc2 Bd7 10.0-0 then:
• 10...a5 11.Kh1 h5 12.Bg5 then:
• 12...h4 13.h3 Be7 14.Bxe7 Kxe7 15.Qd2 gives White more freedom (Frhat-Barsov, Aegean Op, Ikaros, 2001).
• 12...Rc8 13.Qd2 Be7 14.Rab1 Bxg5 15.Qxg5 Nce7 16.Bd3 Bb5 17.Bxb5+ Qxb5 18.Ne3 Qe2 19.Nxf5 Nxf5 20.Kg1 Rc2 draw (Peng Xiaomin-Zhong Zhang, TT, Shenyang, 1999).
• If 10...Na5 11.g4 Ne7 then:
• 12.Nfe1 Bb5 13.Nd3 h5 14.gxh5 Nf5 15.Be3 Nc6 16.a4 Bc4 17.b4 Qd8 gives Black more freedom for the pawn (Shabalov-Shirov, Canadian Op, Edmonton, 2005).
• If 12.b4 Nc4 13.a4 h5 14.gxh5 Nf5 15.Bxc4 dxc4 16.Ne3 Nxe3 17.fxe3 then:
• If 17...Qc6?! 18.Ng5 f6 19.b5 then:
• If 19...Qd5? then:
• If 20.Nh3? fxe5 21.Qg4 exd4 gives Black the advantage in space (S.Williams-Buckley, British Ch, Great Yarmouth, 2007).
Bb5 13.Nd3 h5 14.gxh5 Nf5 15.Be3 Nc6 16.a4 Bc4 17.b4 Qd8 gives Black more freedom for the pawn (Shabalov-Shirov, Canadian Op, Edmonton, 2005).
• 20.e4! traps the Queen.
• 19...Qc7 20.exf6 gxf6 21.Rxf6 gives White two extra pawns.
• 7.b3 cxd4 8.cxd4 Nf5 9.Bb2 Bb4+ 10.Kf1 then:
• If 10...0-0 then:
• If 11.Nc3 f6 12.Na4 Qd8 then:
• 13.a3 Be7 14.Rc1 fxe5 15.dxe5 Bd7 16.Nc5 Bxc5 17.Rxc5 Qb6 is equal (Ustinov-Kozlov, White Nights Op, St. Petersburg, 2001).
• 13.Bd3 fxe5 14.dxe5 Nh4 15.Nxh4 Qxh4 16.g3 Qh3+ gives Black the advantage in space and the more aggressive position (Bitoon-Villamayor, Philippines Ch, Quezon City, 1999).
• 11.g4 Nh6 12.Rg1 f6 13.exf6 Rxf6 14.g5 Rxf3 15.Bxf3 Nf5 16.Rg4 Bd7 gives Black the advantage in space for the exchange (Savic-Reutsky, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).
• If 10...Be7 then:
• 11.h4 h5 12.g3 Bd7 13.Kg2 0-0-0 14.Nc3 Kb8 15.Na4 Qc7 16.Rc1 b6 17.Ba6 gives White the advantage in space (El Fellous-Cannon, Masters Op, Gibraltar, 2006).
• 11...Qd8 12.h5 f6 13.a3 fxe5 14.dxe5 0-0 15.Bd3 Bd7 16.Nbd2 Qb6 gives Black a small advantage in space (Movsesian-Priehoda, Slovakian Ch, Kaskady, 2002).

7...gxh6 8.Qd2 Bg7 9.0-0 0-0 10.Na3 cxd4 11.cxd4 f6 12.exf6 Rxf6 13.Nc2 a5

• Black opts for a rarely-played line.
• More common is 13...Bd7 14.b4 then:
• If 14...Raf8 15.b5 Ne7 16.Ne5 Be8 then:
• If 17.g3 h5 18.a4 then:
• 18...Nc8 19.Bd3 Kh8 20.Rae1 Nd6 21.Qc3gives White the advantage in space (Buchal-Windelband, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• 18...h4 19.Bd3 hxg3 20.hxg3 h5 21.Ne3 gives White a good advantage in space (Topalov-Bareev, IT, Novgorod, 1997).
• 17.a4 h5 18.Ra3 Ng6 19.Bxh5 Nxe5 20.dxe5 Rf5 21.Bxe8 Rxe8 22.a5 gives WHite an extra pawn and the advantage in space (Kupreichik-Stephan, Op, Badenweiler, 1990).
• 14...a6 15.a4 Rff8 16.Ra3 Be8 17.Re3 Ne7 18.a5 Qd6 19.Bd3 Ng6 20.Rfe1 Nf4 21.Ne5 gives White the advantage in space (Areshchenko-S.Volkov, Euro Club Cup, Antalya, 2007).

14.a4 (N)

• 14.a3 a4 15.Rad1 Bd7 16.Nb4 Rf5 17.Nxc6 bxc6 18.Ne5 Bxe5 19.dxe5 Raf8 20.Bd3 Rxe5 21.Qxh6 gives White thye initiative (Timman-Vaganian, IT, Antwerp, 2008).

14...Bd7

BLACK: Jan Werle
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WHITE: Sergei Movsesian
Position after 14...Bc8d7

• White has a slight edge in space.

15.Bb5 Raf8

• 15...Be8 16.Bxc6 bxc6 17.Ne5 Rf5 18.g4 Rf8 gives Black a small edge in space.

16.Bxc6

• 16.Ra3 Be8 17.Bxc6 Qxc6 18.Ne5 Qb6 is equal.

16...Bxc6 17.Ne5 Rf4

• If 17...Qb3 then after 18.f3 Rc8 19.Ne3 Rff8 20.f4 Bxe5 21.dxe5 White continues to enjoy a small edge in space.

18.Nd3 Rxd4?!

• The sacrifice is clearly ill-advised. Black never recovers his material or even comes close to getting compensation for the exchange.
• 18...R4f7 19.Nc5 Bd7 20.b4 axb4 21.Rab1 Bc8 22.Rxb4 leaves White with only a small edge in space.

BLACK: Jan Werle
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WHITE: Sergei Movsesian
Position after 18...Rf4d4:p

19.Qe3!

• The pin assures that the Rook won't run away.
• Also playable is 19.Nxd4 Qxd4 20.Qe3 Qxe3 21.fxe3 Re8 Kf2.

19...Be8 20.Nxd4 Bxd4 21.Qxh6 Bg7?!

• ...Bg6 must be played, and it is best played now.
• Better than the text is 21...Bg6 when:
• 22.Qd2 Bf5 23.Rad1 Kh8 24.Rc1 e5 25.Kh1 gives Black no effective counterplay.
• 22.Rad1 Bf5 23.Qd2 Bg7 24.Rfe1 is also strong for White.

22.Qe3 Qxe3?

• This is desperation. With White up by an exchange, the exchange of Queens deters Black's defensive capabilities more than White's attack, but Black's position is difficult whether or not Queens reamin on the board.
• If22...Bd4 23.Qg5+ Bg6 24.Nf4 Rf5 25.Qg4 Kf7 26.Rae1 assures molre material will come off the board.

23.fxe3 d4

BLACK: Jan Werle
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WHITE: Sergei Movsesian
Position after 23...d5d4

24.Rxf8+!

• White is now winning.
• If 24.exd4!? Bxd4+ 25.Kh1 then:
• If 25...e5 26.Rxf8+ Kxf8 then:
• 27.Rc1 Ke7 28.Rc7+ Kd6 29.Rxh7
• 27.Rf1+ Ke7 28.b3 Ke6 29.Nc1 Bc6 30.Ne2 gives White a commanding material advantage with active pieces.
• 25...Rxf1+? 26.Rxf1 Kg7 27.Nf4 Kf7 28.Ne2+ Bf6 29.Nc3 puts White well dpwn the road on the winning track.

24...Kxf8 25.Kf2

• Good enough, but stronger is 25.Nc5 Ke7 26.Nxb7 dxe3 27.Ra2 Bd4 28.Kf1 when Black's chances with his advanced passer go from slim to none.

25...Bc6 26.g4 Ke7

• If 26...Bf6 then White wins after 27.Ke2 dxe3 28.Kxe3 Ke7 29.Rf1 when the value of the exchange magnifies as pieces go back to the box.

27.Ke2 dxe3 28.Kxe3 Bf6 29.h3

• If 29.Rf1 b6 30.b3 Bd5 31.Rb1 Bg5+ 32.Kf2 wins for White as all his vital points are covered.

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29...Kd6 30.Rf1 Ke7 31.b3 h6 32.Nc5 Bd5

• If 32...Bg2 then White wins after 33.Rg1 Bd5 34.Ne4 Be5 35.g5!.

33.Kd3 Be5 34.Rb1 Kd6 1-0

• 35.Ne4+ Ke7 36.h4 b6 37.g5 hxg5 38.hxg5 gives White a passed pawn and the exchange.
• Mh. Werle resigns without waiting for Movsesian to reply.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Lauber - Fressinet, Round 2, Bremen

French grandmaster Lauren Fressinet won all three games he played for Bremen in the opening weekend of the Bundesliga.



Lauren Fressinet
Photo: ChessBase.com


Arnd Lauber (Berlin) - Lauren Fressinet (Bremen)
Bundesliga 1011, Round 2/Board 2
Bremen, 10 October 2010

West India Game: King's Indian Defense (Main Line)

1.d4 d6 2.c4 e5 3.Nf3 Nd7 4.e4 Ngf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be2 Bg7 7.0-0 0-0

• The usual move order is 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 Nbd7 7.O-O e5.
• See Gelfand-Nakamura, World ChT, Bursa, 2010.

8.Re1

• If 8.Be3 c6 9.d5 c5 10.Ne1 Ne8 11.Nd3 f5 12.f4 b6 13.Qd2 Qe7 14.Bf3 g5 15.fxg5 f4 16.Bf2 Qxg5 17.b4 gives White a small advantage in space (Batchuluun-Li Shilong, Asian Ch, Cebu, 2007).


• 11.g4 f5 12.gxf5 gxf5 13.exf5 Nb6 14.Kh1 Bxf5 15.Rg1 Kh8 16.Nf3 e4 17.Ng5 Qe7 18.Qd2 Nf6 is equal (Karavade-Areshchenko, Op, Dubai, 2005).

8...Re8 9.Bf1 a6

• Black opts for an uncommon line. 9...c6 is the usual move.
• If 9...c6 then:
• If 10.d5 c5 11.a3 Rf8 12.g3 Ne8 13.b4 h6 14.Nh4 then:
• If 14...Kh7 15.Qc2 b6 16.Bd2 Bf6 17.Ng2 gives White the advantage in space (Gligoric-J.Bolbochan, IT, Mar del Plata, 1953).
• 14...Ndf6 15.bxc5 dxc5 16.a4 a5 17.Rb1 gives White a small advantage in space (Christoffel-Boleslavsky, IT, Groningen, 1946).
• If 10.Rb1 a5 11.d5 Nc5 12.b3 Bd7 then:
• If 13.a3 cxd5 14.cxd5 b5 15.b4 axb4 16.Rxb4 Rb8 17.Bd2 Qa5 18.Qa1 Qa7 19.Be3 Rec8 then:
• 20.Bxb5 Bxb5 21.Rxb5 Rxb5 22.Nxb5 Qa6 23.Bxc5 Rxc5 24.a4 Rc4 25.Qb1 gives White a small advantage in space (W.Schmidt-Knaak, ZT, Pula, 1975).
• 20.h3 Ra8 21.Nxb5 Bxb5 22.Bxb5 Qxa3 23.Qxa3 Rxa3 24.Nd2 gives White more freedom (Kozma-Vogt, Capablanca Mem, Cienfuegos, 1976).
• 13.Nd2 Bh6 14.a3 cxd5 15.cxd5 b5 16.b4 axb4 17.Rxb4 Ra5 18.Qc2 Qc8 19.Nxb5 gives White an extra pawn (Lerner-Kovalevskaya, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2002).

10.d5 a5 11.Rb1

• 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bd2 Nc5 13.g3 Bg4 14.h3 Bd7 15.b3 c6 16.a3 cxd5 17.cxd5 Qc8 18.Kh2 is equal (S.Ivanov-Riazantsev, Rusian ChT, Dagomys, 2009).

11...Nc5 12.b3 Bd7 13.a3

• 13.Ne2 Nh5 14.g3 Bh6 15.a3 f5 16.exf5 Bxf5 17.Ned4 gives Black the advntage in space and more freedom (Grigore-Nevenidchy, Romanian ChT, Sovata, 2001).

13...a4 14.b4 Nb3 15.Nxa4?! (N)

BLACK: Laurent Fressinet
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WHITE: Arnd Lauber
Position after 15.Nc3a4:p

• The novelty is inferior to established theory.
• If 15.Bd3 then:
• 15...Ng4 16.Bg5 f6 17.Bh4 h5 18.h3 gives White more space and freedom (Babula-Bologan, Euro Ch, Rijeka, 2010).
• 15...Nxc1 16.Rxc1 Nh5 17.g3 Bh6 18.Rb1 gives Black slight more space and the good Bishop.

15...Nxc1 16.Nc3

• White has no other option.
• If 16.Qxc1? Bxa4! 17.h3 c6 18.dxc6 Bxc6 leaves Black a piece to the good.

16...Na2!?

• Black has a small advantage in space, but could have played more aggressively here. Nevertheless, the text move succeeds in sidelining White's Queen's Knight.
• Somewhat batter is 16...Bh6 17.Rxc1 Bxc1 18.Qxc1 b6 19.Qb2 h6 When White's Knights have no effective outposts.

17.Nxa2

• The game is equal.

17...Rxa3 18.Qc2

BLACK: Laurent Fressinet
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WHITE: Arnd Lauber
Position after 18.Qd1c2

18...Rxf3!!

• White sacrifices the exchange.
• 18...Bg4 19.Nd2 c6 20.Nc3 Bd7 21.Ra1 Rxa1 22.Rxa1 is equal.
• 18...c6 19.Qb2 Qa8 20.dxc6 bxc6 21.Nc3 Qa7 is equal.

19.gxf3 Nh5 20.Nc1

• 20.c5 Bh6 21.c6 bxc6 22.dxc6 Be6 23.Nc3 Nf4 gives Black a slight edge in space.

20...Nf4!

• In spite of being an exchange down, Black has slightly more space.
• 20...Qg5+ 21.Kh1 Qh4 22.Kg1 Nf4 remains equal.

21.Nd3!?

• As Black is not forced to exchange Knights immediately, White would have done better to take the open file.
• 21.Ra1 Qg5+ 22.Kh1 Bh6 23.Ra7 Qh5 24.Qc3 remains equal.

21...Bh6!

• Black will maintain a minor piece at f4.

22.Nxf4 Bxf4 23.Bg2 Qh4 24.Kf1?

BLACK: Laurent Fressinet
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WHITE: Arnd Lauber
Position after 24.Kg1f1

• White puts himself at Black's mercy.After 24.h3 Bxh3 25.Kf1 Bd7 26.Ke2 Qg5 White is still in the game.

24...Qxh2!

• After this, it just gets ugly.

25.Ke2

• If 25.Qa2 then Black wins after h5 26.Qa7 Bc8 27.Qa4 Rf8.

25...Qxg2 26.Rg1 Qh3 27.Rh1 Bh2 28.Rbg1 Ra8 29.Rg3 Qh5 30.Qb2

• No better is 30.Qb3 f5 31.Rg2 fxe4 32.Rgxh2 exf3+ 33.Kd3 Qf5+.

30...f5 31.exf5 Bxf5 32.Rg2 Bd3+ 0-1

• 33.Kxd3 Qxf3+ 34.Kc2 Qxg2 is clearly hopeless for White.
• Herr Lauber resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Update (Wednesday): Pearl Springs Tournament Underway in Nanjing

The third annual Pearl Springs Chess Tournment got underway today in the former Chinese capital of Nanjing.

The event is a double round robin among six players (ten rounds altogether): World champion Vishy Anand (India), Etienne Bacrot (France), world number one and defending tournament champion Magnus Carlsen (Norway), Vugar Gashimov (Azerbaijan), Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria) and local star Wang Yue (China).

The only decisive game in today's first round saw Magnus with White defeat Bacrot in 38 moves.

Games will be broadcast live beginning at 2:30 pm in Nanjing (11:30 pm the previo0us evening in California).

Nanjing has been the capital of China on several occaisions, first during the Six Dynasties period in AD 229 and most recently during the Republican era of Sun Yat-sen and Chiang Kai-shek from 1912 to 1949.