The Jack Rabbit Chess Report (February 8): Svidler takes the Rock; A Yank wins Moscow Open

[Jack Rabbit]

Svidler takes a piece of the Rock in Gibraltar


Independent (UK)

Reigning Russian national champion Peter Svidler of St. Petersburg won the Gibtelecom Masters Tournament when he defeated Soviet Russian native and now Swiss grandmaster Vadim Milov in a two-round rapid playoff Thursday in Gibraltar.

Both grandmasters finished the regular 10-round event with 8 points.

The final round started Thursday with Svidler, Milov and three other players -- Vugar Gshimov of Azerbaijan, Hikaru Nakamura of the United States and Pentala Harikrishna of India -- tied for first place with 7 points each. Gashimov, who had been in or near the lead throughout the tournament, and Nakamura, who won four games in a row emerge as one of the leaders, played each other to a draw while Svidler defeated Pentala and Milov, playing Black, defeated reigning Israeli champion Boris Avrukh to set up the playoff.

A prize of £6000 was awarded to newly-minted grandmaster Nana Dzagnidze of Georgia for the best performance by a woman in the event. She scored 7 points out of ten with 5 wins, one loss and 4 draws and a performance rating for the tournament of 2675. Ms. Dzagnidze richly deserved the prize as she played not only winning chess, but brilliant chess.


Alex Onischuk Wins Moscow Open



Former US champion Alex Onischuk, 33, a native of then-Soviet Ukraine and now a resident of Baltimore, won the annual Moscow Open completed earlier today with 7½ points in nine games.

Onischuk played a short draw yesterday with another expatriate of the former Soviet Union, two-time Dutch national champion Sergei Tiviakov, to assure himself of at least a tie for first place. Romanian GM Viorel Iordachescu drew his game with Russian GM Ernesto Inarkiev and Young Russian GM Ian Nepomniachtchi drew against his compatriot Alexey Korotylev, all four failing to catch Onischuk in the final standings. They and Tiviakov finished in a five-way tie for second with 7 points each.

The ladies' competition in Moscow was won by Russian WGM Natalija Pogonina with 8 points in nine rounds, a full point ahead of her nearest rivals. The second place finishers were Russians Svetlana Matveeva, Valentina Guinina and Tatjana Molchanova, Bathuyag Mongontuul of Mongolia and Gu Xiaobing of China.

Many of the participants of the Moscow Open, including Mr. Onischuk, will remain in Moscow to play in the annual Aeroflot Open beginning a week from tomorrow.



Calendar


Aeroflot Open, Moscow 16-27 February.

Topalov-Kamsky World Championship Semifinal Match, Sofia 16-28 February. Eight Rounds. Winner will challenge Anand for the world championship.

Linares Grandmaaster Tournament 18 February-8 March.

Cappelle la Grande Open 28 February-7 March.

Reykjavik Open 4-13 March.

European Individual Championships, Budva (Montenegro) 5-19 March.

Foxwoods Open, Mashantucket, Connecticut April 8-12.

MTel Masters, Sofia May 9-19.

Aerosvit International Tournament, Foros (Ukraine) June 9-20.

[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 downlaoded free here.

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

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Svidler - Pentala, Round 10, Gibraltar

Peter Svidler
Photo: ChessBase.com


Peter Svidler - Pentala Harikrishna
Gibtelecom Masters, Round 10
Gibraltar, 5 February 2009

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Breyer Defense

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Nb8

• This defense, one of the most effective against the Spanish Grand Royal Game, is named for Gyula Breyer (1893-1921), a Hungarian master of the hypermodern school.

10.d4 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Bc2 Re8

• If 12...c5 13.d5 g6 14.Nf1 then:
• If 14...Nh5 15.Bh6 Re8 16.b3 then:
• 16...Bf8 17.Be3 Nb6 18.a4 bxa4 19.bxa4 Nc4 20.a5 Bc8 21.N3d2 Nxa5 22.Ra3 is equal (Hou Yifan-Koneru, FIDE Knock Out W, Nalchik, 2008).
• 16...Bf6 17.a4 Bg7 18.Bg5 Qc7 19.g3 Nhf6 20.Qd2 Nb6 21.Ne3 h5 22.a5 Nbd7 23.Ng2 Nh7 24.Be3 Ndf6 25.c4 Bc8 26.Kh2 bxc4 27.bxc4 Bd7 28.Ng1 Rab8 29.Reb1 Kh8 30.f3 Ng8 31.Ne2 draw (Hartston-Gligoric, Euro ChT, Bath, 1973).
• 14...Qc7 15.Bh6 Rfb8 16.g4 Bf8 17.Qd2 Bxh6 18.Qxh6 Qd8 19.Ng3 Qf8 20.Qe3 c4 21.Nd2 Nc5 22.b4 cxb3 23.axb3 gives White a small advantage in space (Kosteniuk-I. Sokolov, Rapid Op, Mainz, 2005).

13.a4

• If 13.Nf1 then:
• If 13...Bf8 14.Ng3 g6 then:
• If 15.a4 c5 16.d5 c4 17.Bg5 h6 18.Be3 Nc5 19.Qd2 then:
• If 19...h5 20.Bg5 Be7 21.Ra3 Rb8 22.Kh1 Nh7 23.Be3 Bf6 24.Rea1 Bg7 25.Qe2 Bc8 26.Nf1 gives White a fine game (Inarkiev-Kamsky, Grand Prix, Baku, 2008).
• If 19...Bc8 20.b3 Re7 21.Bg5 Bg7 22.Qe3 Qf8 23.Qd3 Nh7 24.bxc4 Rb7 draw (Balashov-Smejkal, IT, Leningrad, 1977).
• If 15.b3 c6 16.Bg5 Bg7 17.Qd2 Qe7 18.a4 Qf8 19.Rad1 then:
• 19...Rac8 20.Bd3 h6 21.Be3 Rcd8 22.Qa2 Ra8 23.Bc1 Re6 24.Qd2 Qb8 25.c4 bxa4 26.bxa4 Re8 27.Bb2 draw (Motylev-Grigoriants, Russian Ch semif, Tomsk, 2006).
• 19...Rad8 20.Be3 h6 21.Qc1 Kh7 22.b4 Re6 23.Qb1 d5 24.dxe5 Nxe4 25.Bxe4 dxe4 26.Nxe4 Nxe5 27.Nfg5+ hxg5 28.Nxg5+ Kg8 29.Nxe6 Rxd1 30.Qxd1 fxe6 31.Bd4 gives Whitee a slight advantage in space; the material is balanced but asymmetrical (Carlsen-Pruijssers, Euro ChT, Antalya, 2007).
• If 13...d5 then:
• If 14.Nxe5 Nxe5 15.dxe5 Nxe4 16.f3 Ng5 17.Ng3 then:
• 17...g6 18.f4 Ne4 19.Nxe4 dxe4 20.Qe2 f5 21.Rd1 Qc8 22.a4 Bc6 23.Bb3+ gives White the advantage in space (Svidler-Baramidze, Bundesliga 0809, Baden Baden, 2008).
• 17...f6 18.Bxg5 fxg5 19.Qb1 Bc5+ 20.Kh2 h6 is equal (Chandler-Spassky, Bundesliga, Germany, 1984).
• If 14.exd5 exd4 15.Nxd4 Nxd5 then:
• If 16.Ne3 Nxe3 17.Bxe3 then:
• 17...g6 18.Nb3 c5 19.Na5 Ra7 20.Nxb7 Rxb7 21.Qd5 Qc8 22.Rad1 Nb6 23.Qf3 Bf8 24.Bg5 Rd7 25.Rxe8 Qxe8 26.Rxd7 draw (Chevelevich-Baramidze, Op, Bad Wörishofen, 2008).
• If 17...Bf8 18.Bf4 Rxe1+ 19.Qxe1 Nb6 draw (Tal-Psakhis, IZ, Lvov, 1984).
• 16.Nf5 Bf6 17.Rxe8+ Qxe8 18.N1e3 Nxe3 19.Bxe3 Ne5 20.Bd4 Rd8 21.Qf1 g6 22.Ng3 Qf8 is equal (Pavasovic-Baramidze, Euro ChT, Kallithea, 2008).
• If 13.b4 Bf8 14.a4 then:
• If 14...Nb6 15.a5 Nbd7 16.Bb2 then:
• If 16...Qb8 then:
• 17.Rb1 c5 18.bxc5 dxc5 19.dxe5 Nxe5 20.Nxe5 Qxe5 21.c4 Qf4 22.Bxf6 Qxf6 23.cxb5 Red8 24.Qc1 Qc3 25.Nf3 Qxa5 26.Bb3 axb5 27.Qf4 gives Black an extra pawn and White a fierce initiative (Fischer-Spassky, World Ch, Reykjavik, 1972).
• 17.c4 bxc4 18.Ba4 c6 19.Nxc4 Qc7 20.Rc1 Rac8 21.dxe5 dxe5 22.Qb3 is equal (Savon-Mukhin, Soviet Ch, Moscow 1972).
• 16...Rb8 17.Rb1 Ba8 18.Ba1 g6 19.c4 exd4 20.cxb5 axb5 is equal (Planinc-Spassky, IT, Amsterdam, 1973).
• 14...a5 15.axb5 axb4 16.Bb2 bxc3 17.Bxc3 c6 draw (Kavalek-Portisch, IT, Wijk aan Zee 1969).

13...Bf8 14.Bd3 c6 15.b3

• If 15.Nf1 then:
• If 15...d5 16.Bg5 dxe4 17.Rxe4 Be7 18.Re2 exd4 19.Nxd4 Bf8 20.Rd2 Qc7 21.Bf5 c5 22.Nf3 Ne5 23.Nxe5 Rxe5 24.Ne3 is equal (Anand-Beliavsky, IT, Linares, 1992).
• If 15...g6 16.Ng3 Bg7 17.Bg5 then:
• If 17...Nf8 18.Qd2 Ne6 19.Be3 Nd7 20.Bf1 Qc7 21.b4 Nb6 22.a5 exd4 23.cxd4 Nc4 24.Bxc4 bxc4 25.Bh6 Bh8 26.d5 Nf8 is equal (Bologan-Pentala, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2006).
• 17...h6 18.Bd2 Qc7 19.Qc1 h5 20.Bh6 Nh7 21.Bxg7 Kxg7 22.Qd2 Ndf8 23.Bc2 Rad8 24.b4 Ne6 gives White the advantage in space (Cheparinov-B. Socko, Anabal Op, Linares, 2003).

15...g6 16.Qc2 Rc8 17.Ba3!?

• White introduces a novelty that's good for equality.
• 17.Bb2 Bg7 18.Rad1 Qc7 19.b4 Nb6 20.a5 Nbd7 21.dxe5 Nxe5 22.Nxe5 dxe5 23.c4 Qe7 24.Qb3 Red8 25.Nf3 Ne8 26.c5 gives White the advantage in space (Khalifman-van der Sterren, IT, Ter Apel, 1994).

17...Qb6 18.Bf1

• 18.axb5 cxb5 19.Bb4 Bg7 20.d5 Nh5 21.c4 Nf4 is equal.

BLACK: Pentala Harikrishna
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WHITE: Peter Svidler
Position after 18.Bd3f1

18...Nh5!?

• Black launches an operation on the kingsdie just to see what White is going to do about it.
• Black could also "surrender" the center to open White's pawns to an attack; if 18...exd4 19.cxd4 c5 20.d5 then:
• 20...Bg7 21.Bb2 Re7 22.axb5 axb5 23.Bd3 Ree8 gives White a more solid center.
• 20...Bh6 21.Bb2 Ra8 22.g4 Bxd2 23.Nxd2 gives White more space in the center; Black's queenside offers some compensation.

19.g3

• White denies to Black the use of f4 for the Knight.

19...exd4

• 19...Nhf6 20.Bg2 Qc7 21.axb5 cxb5 22.Bb4 exd4 23.Nxd4 is equal.

20.cxd4 c5 21.axb5 axb5 22.Qd3 Ba6?!

• Black's Knight sortie on the 18th move doesn't look too good right now. White has a tactical advantage based on the unprotected Black Knight at d7 and the inadequately protected pawn at b5.
• If 22...b4 then:
• If 23.Bb2 Bg7 24.Nc4 Qc7 then:
• 25.Ra7 d5 26.exd5 Rxe1 27.Nxe1 Re8 28.Nc2 gives White an extra pawn.
• 25.d5 Bxb2 26.Nxb2 Ng7 27.Ra7 f5 is equal.
• 23.Nc4!? Qc7 24.Bb2 cxd4 25.Bxd4 Nhf6 is equal.

23.Bb2 d5 24.dxc5

• 24.exd5 c4 25.bxc4 Rxe1 26.Rxe1 bxc4 27.Qc2 gives White an extra pawn.

24...Nxc5 25.Qd4

• White threatens mate on h8.
• 25.Qxd5 Red8 26.Qg5 Ne6 27.Qh4 Rc2 28.Bc1 Bb7 is equal.
• 25.Qe3 dxe4 26.Ng5 f6 27.Ngxe4 Re6 28.Bg2 Bb7 is equal.

25...Bg7

• This is the only sensible reply.

BLACK: Pentala Harikrishna
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WHITE: Peter Svidler
Position after 25...Bf8g7

26.e5!

• 26.e5 does more than shield the Queen from the Bishop at g7; it deprives the offside Knight of any move whatsoever.

26...Qb7 27.Rec1 Ne6 28.Rxc8!

• If 28.Qh4 Rxc1 29.Rxc1 Rc8 then:
• If 30.Rxc8+ Qxc8 31.Qb4 Qc6 32.Qa5 gives White more freedom.
• 30.Qb4!? Rxc1 31.Bxc1 Qa7 32.Kg2 Bf8 is equal.

28...Rxc8

• 28...Nxd4?? loses to 29.Rxe8+! Bf8 30.Nxd4.

29.Qe3 Bf8 30.Nd4

• White shields the Queen in anticipation of ...Bd5.
• 30.Qd3 Nc5 31.Qe2 Ra8 32.Nd4 b4 33.Qf3 is equal.

30...Nxd4

• If 30...Bc5 31.N2f3 Re8 32.Qd2 f6 then:
• If 33.Rxa6 Nxd4 34.Bxd4 Bxd4 35.Ra5 gives White more activity.
• 33.Bg2 fxe5 34.Nxe6 Rxe6 35.Ng5 Rd6 36.Bxe5 gives White tremendous activity.

31.Bxd4 Ng7 32.Nf3 Ne6 33.h4!?

• The game is equal.
• Better is 33.Bb2 Rc2 34.Qd3! when:
• After 34...Qc7 35.Bd4 Nxd4 36.Nxd4 White is threatening to win material.
• 34...Rxb2? loses the exchange to 35.Qc3!.

33...Nxd4 34.Nxd4 Bc5 35.b4

• 35.Qf4 Qb6 36.Rd1 b4 37.Bg2 Bb7 reamins equal.

35...Bxb4 36.e6 Re8

• 36...fxe6 drops a piece to 37.Qxe6+ Qf7 38.Rxa6.

37.Qb3 Bc5 38.Bg2 f6

• 38...Bxd4? loses to 39.exf7+!! Kxf7 40.Bxd5+.

39.Qc3!

• This is a very practical move over the board; it required Pentala to do the most thinking. Otherwise, it's no better than any other.
• 39.e7 Kh8 40.Ne6 Bd6 41.Qxd5 Qxd5 42.Bxd5 Bc8 is equal.
• 39.Qxd5 Qxd5 40.Bxd5 Bxd4 41.Rxa6 b4 42.Bb3 Kf8 is equal.

39...Be7?

• Black panics just before the time check.
• First of all, 39...Qc8! 40.Bxd5 b4 41.Qd2 Bb7 42.Nb3 Bb6 remains equal.
• If 39...Rc8? fails to 40.e7!! when:
• If 40...Kf7 41.Qb3 then:
• If 41...Ke8 42.Bxd5 Qb6 43.Bg8 Kd7 44.Qd5+ then:
• If 44...Qd6 45.Rxa6 Qxd5 46.Bxd5 Kxe7 47.Nxb5 leaves White a piece to the good.
• 44...Bd6 45.Qe6+ Kc7 46.Rc1+ Bc5 47.e8Q gives White a prohibitive material advantage.
• 41...Kxe7 42.Bxd5 Qb6 43.Qe3+ Kd7 44.Be6+ wins material.
• 40...Bxe7 41.Qa5 Bc5 42.Ne6 Bxf2+ 43.Kxf2 Qa7+ 44.Kf3 b4 45.Qxa6 winning a piece.
• If 39...Qb6?! 40.Rxa6! then:
• 40...Bxd4 41.Rxb6 Bxc3 42.Bxd5 Re7 43.Rxb5 White's extra pawn decides.
• If 40...Qxa6? 41.Qxc5 Qa1+ 42.Kh2 then:
• If 42...Qb2 then after 43.Qa7 Rf8 44.e7 Qb4 45.Bxd5+ White wins.
• If 42...b4 then 43.Qxb4 Qa6 44.Qc5 Qc8 45.Qxd5 Rd8 46.Qb3 wins for White.

BLACK: Pentala Harikrishna
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WHITE: Peter Svidler
Position after 39...Bc5e7

40.Qa5!

• White wins a piece.

40...Bc5 41.Nb3 Bxf2+

• If 41...Qc6 then White wins a piece by 42.Nxc5 Qxc5 43.Qxa6.
• If 41...Qb6 then 42.Qxb6 Bxb6 43.Rxa6 also wins a piece.

42.Kxf2

• White has won a piece. Black can resign. It only gets worse from here.

42...Qa7+ 43.Kf1 Qe3

• If 43...b4+ then after 44.Qxa6 Qxa6+ 45.Rxa6 Kf8 46.Bxd5 White wins.

44.Qxa6 Qxb3 45.Qa3 Qc4+

• After 45...Qxa3 46.Rxa3 d4 47.Bc6 Rc8 48.Bxb5 Rc7 49.Rd3 it's time to turn out the lights.

46.Kg1 b4 47.Qa7 Kh8

• After 47...Rf8 48.Kh2 Qc6 49.Ra5! Black cannot play 49...Qxe6 because of 50.Bxd5! pinning and winning the Queen.

48.Qd7 Qc5+ 49.Kh2 Qe7 50.Bxd5 1-0

• If 50...Qxd7 then White wins after 51.exd7 Rd8 52.Ra8.
• Pentala-ji resigns.

The multi-talented and good-natured Peter Svidler as you have never seen him before: please click here.

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Milov - Kotronias, Round 8, Gibraltar

Vadim Milov
Photo: ChessBase.com (Spanish Language)


Vadim Milov - Vasilios Kotronias
Gibtelecom Masters, Round 8
Gibraltar, 3 February 2009

East India Game: Nimzo-Indian Defense (Rubinstein Opening)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 0-0 5.Nge2

• If 5.Bd3 then:
• If 5...d5 6.Nf3 c5 7.0-0 then:
• If 7...Nc6 8.a3 Bxc3 9.bxc3 then:
• If 9...dxc4 10.Bxc4 Qc7 then:
• If 11.Bd3 e5 12.Qc2 Re8 then:
• 13.e4 c4 14.Bxc4 exd4 15.cxd4 Na5 16.Bd3 Qxc2 17.Bxc2 Nxe4 18.Re1 Bf5 19.Bf4 Nd6 20.Ba4 b5 21.Bxd6 bxa4 22.Re5 Rxe5 23.dxe5 Nb3 24.Re1 Rc8 25.h3 h6 26.Re3 Rc1+ 27.Kh2 Rc4 28.g4 Be4 29.Kg3 Bd5 30.Nh2 Nd4 31.Nf1 Rc1 32.Nd2 Rg1+ 33.Kh4 Ne6 White resigns (Donner-Larsen, IT, The Hague, 1958).
• If 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 Qxe5 15.f3 then:
• 15...Bd7 16.a4 Rad8 17.e4 Bc6 18.Re1 Nd5 19.Bd2 Nf4 20.Bf1 c4 21.Bxf4 Qxf4 22.Rad1 Qe5 23.Bxc4 Qc5+ 24.Rd4 Rxd4 25.cxd4 Qxd4+ 26.Kh1 Rd8 is equal (Bacrot-Sosonko, TMatch, Cannes, 1996).
• 15...Be6 16.Re1 Rad8 17.Rb1 Qd5 18.Bb5 Bf5 19.e4 Nxe4 20.Bxe8 Nd6 21.Qe2 Bxb1 22.Qe7 Ra8 23.Bxf7+ Qxf7 24.Qxd6 Re8 25.Rxe8+ Qxe8 26.Qd5+ Kf8 27.Qxc5+ Qe7 28.Qf2 Qd6 29.Qe3 Qb6 30.Kf2 Qxe3+ 31.Kxe3 Bf5 draw (Gligoric-Olafsson, West German Ch, Bad Lauterberg, 1977).
• If 11.Bb2 e5 12.h3 then:
• If 12...Bf5 13.Qe2 then:
• 13...Rad8 14.Ba2 Bg6 15.Rad1 Bh5 16.dxe5 Nxe5 17.Rxd8 Rxd8 18.Rd1 Rxd1+ 19.Qxd1 Bxf3 20.gxf3 c4 gives Black more freedom (Krush-K. Lie, IT, Gaudsal, 2008).
• 13...a6 14.Ba2 Rad8 15.d5 Ne7 16.c4 Ng6 17.Rad1 Ne8 18.Nxe5 Nxe5 19.d6 Nxd6 20.Bxe5 Qe7 21.Qb2 f6 22.Bxd6 Rxd6 23.Rxd6 Qxd6 24.Qxb7 gives White an extra pawn (Iotov-Kuzubov, IT, Neuhausen, 2007).
• 12...e4 13.Nd2 Na5 14.Ba2 c4 15.f3 Bxh3 16.Nxe4 Nxe4 17.fxe4 Qg3 18.Qf3 Qxf3 19.Rxf3 Bg4 20.Rf4 gives White the active game (Cherepkov-Tseshkovsky, Soviet Ch, Alma Ata, 1968).
• If 9...Qc7 10.cxd5 exd5 then:
• If 11.a4 Re8 12.Ba3 c4 13.Bc2 then:
• 13...Ne4 14.Bxe4 Rxe4 15.Nd2 Re8 16.e4 Be6 17.Re1 dxe4 18.Nxe4 Bd5 19.Nd6 Red8 20.Nf5 Be6 21.Ne3 f5 22.Qf3 Qa5 23.Rec1 Rac8 24.Qg3 Qc7 draw (Gligoric-Lomarov, Yugoslav ChT, Vrnjacka Banja, 1998).
• If 13...Bg4 14.Qe1 Bh5 15.Nh4 Ng4 16.g3 Bg6 17.Nxg6 hxg6 18.Qd2 Nf6 19.f3 Na5 is equal (Monacell-Rodríguez, Corres, 2002).
• 11.Nh4 Ne7 12.g3 Bh3 13.Re1 Ng6 14.Ng2 Qd7 15.f3 Bf5 16.a4 draw (Lukacs-Filip, IT, Budapest, 1977).
• If 7...dxc4 8.Bxc4 Nbd7 then:
• If 9.Qe2 b6 then:
• 10.Rd1 cxd4 11.exd4 Bb7 12.Bd3 Rc8 13.Bd2 Be7 14.Rac1 Nd5 15.Ba6 Nxc3 16.Bxc3 Bxa6 17.Qxa6 Rc7 18.d5 exd5 19.Rxd5 Bf6 20.Qd3 Qc8 21.Ng5 gives White more activity (Smyslov-Darga, Capablanca Mem, Havana, 1964).
• If 10.d5 Bxc3 11.dxe6 Ne5 12.exf7+ Kh8 13.bxc3 Bg4 14.e4 then:
• If 14...Qe7 15.Re1 b5 16.Bxb5 Nh5 17.Bg5 Qe6 18.Qe3 Bxf3 19.gxf3 Qxf7 20.Be2 h6 21.f4 Nxf4 22.Bxf4 Qxf4 23.Rad1 Rae8 24.Rd5 c4 25.Rf1 Nf3+ 26.Bxf3 Qxf3 27.Rd4 Qg4+ 28.Qg3 Qe2 is equal (Gligoric-Jelen, IT, Bled/Portoroz, 1979).
• 24...Qh4 25.Rf1 Rf4 26.f3 Re6 27.Kh1 Rg6 28.Qf2 Qf6 29.Qxc5 Qh4 30.Qc8+ Black resigns (Gligoric-H. Olafsson, Op, Lone Pine, 1979).
• 14...Nh5 15.Bd5 Qc8 16.Kh1 Bxf3 17.gxf3 Qh3 18.Rg1 Nxf3 19.Rg2 Rad8 20.c4 then:
• If 20...Nh4 21.Rg1 Nf3 22.Rg2 Nh4 23.Rg1 draw (Muir-Greenfeld, Euro ChT, Haifa, 1989).
• 20...Rxf7?? 21.Bxf7! Nh4 22.Rg5 Black resigns (Savon-Jansa, Capablanca Mem, Havana, 1967).
• If 9.a3 cxd4 10.axb4 dxc3 11.bxc3 Qc7 then:
• 12.Be2 Nd5 13.c4 Nc3 14.Qc2 Nxe2+ 15.Qxe2 b6 16.Bb2 Bb7 17.Rfd1 Rfd8 18.Nh4 Nf8 19.Rxd8 Qxd8 20.Qg4 gives White the advantage in space (M. Gurevich-P. H. Nielsen, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• 12.Qb3 Nb6 13.Be2 e5 14.Ra5 Be6 15.Qc2 Nbd7 16.c4 b6 17.Ra6 Rfc8 18.Nd2 Qb7 19.b5 Nc5 20.Ra1 a6 21.bxa6 Rxa6 22.Bb2 Rxa1 23.Rxa1 Nfd7 is equal (Kasimdzhanov-P. H. Nielsen, Bundesliga 0304, Germany, 2003).
• If 5...c5 6.Nf3 then:
• If 6...Nc6 7.0-0 Bxc3 8.bxc3 d6 9.e4 e5 10.d5 Ne7 then:
• 11.Nh4 h6 12.f4 Ng6 13.Nxg6 fxg6 14.f5 b5 15.g4 bxc4 16.Bc2 Qa5 17.Qf3 gxf5 18.gxf5 Bd7 19.Kh1 Kh8 20.Rg1 Rab8 21.Qg2 Rf7 22.Qg6 Rbf8 23.Bxh6 gxh6 24.Qxh6+ Nh7 25.f6 Qxc3 26.Raf1 Rg8 27.Rxg8+ Kxg8 28.Rg1+ Kh8 29.Rg7 Qe1+ is equal (Visier-Mecking, Ruy López Mem, Las Palmas, 1975).
• 11...Ng6 12.Nf5 Re8 13.Rb1 h6 14.Qf3 Rb8 15.g3 Nh7 16.h4 is equal (Jussupow-Epishin, IT, Dortmund, 1994).
• 6...d5 transposes to the main line of this variation.

5...d5 6.a3 Bd6

• If 6...Be7 7.cxd5 then:
• If 7...exd5 8.g3 c6 9.Bg2 then:
• 9...a5 10.0-0 Na6 11.Bd2 Re8 12.Qc2 Bf8 13.Rad1 b5 14.Na2 Bd7 15.f3 c5 16.dxc5 Bxc5 17.Nd4 Qb6 18.Qd3 Bf8 is equal (Kharlov-Poluljahov. Russian Ch, Krasnodar, 2002).
• 9...Na6 10.0-0 Nc7 11.b4 a5 12.bxa5 Rxa5 13.Bb2 Nce8 14.f3 Bd6 gives Black an advantage in space Ayupov-Najer, Russian Cup, Togliatty, 2001).
• 9...Bf5 10.0-0 Re8 11.f3 Bd6 12.e4 dxe4 13.fxe4 Bxe4 14.Rxf6 Bxg2 15.Rxd6 Qxd6 16.Kxg2 is equal (Evans-Maccioni, Ol, Dubrovnik, 1950).
• If 7...Nxd5 then:
• 8.Qc2 Nd7 9.Bd2 N5f6 10.g3 e5 11.Bg2 exd4 12.Nxd4 Ne5 13.0-0 c5 14.Nde2 Qd3 15.Qxd3 Nxd3 16.Nf4 Nxb2 17.Rfc1 Rd8 18.Ncd5 Nxd5 19.Nxd5 Bf8 gives Black an extra pawn (Knoll-Santagata, Cyberspace, 2004).
• 8.g3 Nxc3 9.Nxc3 c5 10.d5 exd5 11.Nxd5 Nc6 12.Bg2 Be6 13.0-0 Rc8 14.b3 Bf6 15.Ra2 Bxd5 16.Bxd5 b5 17.Rd2 Qb6 18.Qh5 Na5 is equal (Romanov-Xie, World Jr Ch, Istanbul, 2005).

7.c5 Be7 8.b4 Nbd7

• If 8...b6 9.Nf4 then:
• 9...c6 10.Nd3 Nbd7 11.Bd2 a5 12.Be2 Ba6 13.0-0 Qc7 14.cxb6 Nxb6 15.bxa5 Nc4 16.Nb4 is equal (Volkov-Khairullin, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2006).
• If 9...a5 10.Bd2 c6 11.Be2 Ba6 12.Nd3 Nfd7 13.f4 Bc4 14.0-0 Na6 15.Rb1 axb4 16.axb4 Nc7 17.Qc2 Nb5 18.Nxb5 draw (Jacimovic-Thorfinnsson, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).

9.Ng3!?

• 9.Bd2 e5 10.Ng3 Re8 11.Be2 Bf8 12.0-0 g6 13.b5 Bg7 14.Qb3 c6 15.Rfe1 Nf8 16.bxc6 bxc6 17.Qa4 Qc7 18.dxe5 Rxe5 19.Bf3 N6d7 gives White more space, but Black has a target in the weak pawn at c5 (Kharlov-Landa, EU Inet Ch, Cyberspace, 2004).
• 9.g3 e5 10.Bg2 e4 11.f3 exf3 12.Bxf3 c6 13.0-0 Re8 14.Nf4 Nf8 15.Ra2 Ne6 16.Nxe6 Bxe6 17.g4 Ne4 18.Bxe4 dxe4 19.Rg2 Bc4 20.Rf4 is equal (D. Gurevich-Dzindzichashvili, IT, Fort Worth, 1986).

9...a5

• White has the advantage in space.

10.b5 e5

• If 10...c6 then:
• 11.b6 e5 12.Bd3 Re8 13.0-0 e4 14.Bc2 gives White more freedom.
• 11.Rb1!? cxb5 12.Bxb5 b6 13.c6 Nb8 14.Qa4 Ba6 gives White less to do with his space.

11.Be2

• 11.c6 bxc6 12.bxc6 Nb6 13.dxe5 Ng4 14.f4 Bc5 is equal.

11...exd4

• Black opens the center in an effort to gain freedom for his pieces.
• 11...c6 12.0-0 Re8 13.Rb1 Ra7 14.Qa4 cxb5 15.Nxb5 gives White the initiative.

12.exd4 Re8 13.0-0 b6

• Black is still feeling the effects of a cramped position.
• If 13...Nf8 then White still has more options open to him after 14.Re1 Be6 15.Bd3.

BLACK: Vasilios Kotronias
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Vadim Milov
Position after 13...b7b6

14.c6!

• White permanently prevents Black from undertaking any operations on the queenside.

14...Nf8 15.f4

• Now White seeks to restrain Black on the kingside as well.

15...Ne6 16.Kh1!?

• The King was perfectly safe on g1. White would use his time better to reinforce his d-pawn.
• After 16.Be3 Nf8 17.Qd3 Bg4 18.Rfe1 Bxe2 19.Qxe2 White retains his advantage in space and freedom.
• Less effective is 16.Nf5 Bf8 17.Ne3 when:
• After 17...Nxd4 18.Qxd4 Bc5 19.Qd3 Qe7 20.Rf3 d4 21.Na4 Black regains his piece by taking on d3, but White is still better.
• 17...Bd6?! 18.g3 a4 19.Bf3 Nf8 20.Re1 puts the onis on Black to protect his d-pawn.

16...Ne4

• Black finally has the opportunity to play aggressively, but the benefits are an illusion.

17.Ncxe4 dxe4 18.Be3

• 18.Nxe4? Qxd4 19.Qxd4 Nxd4 gives Black the initiative.

18...Bf6

• 18...Bh4 19.f5! Nf8 20.Bc4 Bxg3 21.Qh5 Re7 22.Qg5! gives White no time to save the Bishop in view of the coming 23.f6!!.

BLACK: Vasilios Kotronias
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WHITE: Vadim Milov
Position after 18...Be7f6

19.f5!!

• White sacrifices a pawn for the initiative.
• 19.Nxe4 Bxd4 20.Bxd4 Nxd4 remains equal.

19...Nxd4

• If 19...Nf8 then White breaks Black's center after 20.Bc4 a4 21.Qc2 Qe7 22.Rf4.

20.Bc4 a4

• Black's best try is 20...Nxb5 21.Bxb5 Bxa1 22.Qxa1 Qd5 23.a4 f6 24.Rd1, but even that leaves an uphill battle for a draw.

21.Qh5!

• White threatens to recover the sacrificed pawn in the most deadly way possible.

21...Qe7 22.Bxd4 Bxd4 23.Rae1!

• White threatens to take Black's e-pawn.

23...e3 24.Rf4 Rd8 25.h3?!

• White misses an easy win: 25.Rd1! e2 26.Nxe2 Bc5 27.Rxd8+! Qxd8 28.Qxf7+ lights out.

25...Bc3?

• Black hands the game right back to White.
• If 25...Kh8 26.Re4 Qf6 then:
• 27.Rd1 g6 28.fxg6 fxg6 29.Qh6 Bc5 30.Rxd8+ White has a superior game, but there is much to be done before he can claim a full point.
• 27.Bxf7 Bc5 28.Rh4 Qh6 29.Qxh6 gxh6 30.Re4 White is much better, but has to win all over again.

26.Re4!

• The Queen must give way.

26...Qf6 27.R1xe3 g6 28.fxg6 Kf8 29.gxf7 1-0

• White threatens mate in three.
• Grandmaster Kotronias resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Berkes - Dzagnidze, Round 9, Gibraltar

Nana Dzagnidze
Photo: ChessBase.com


Ferenc Berkes - Nana Dzagnidze
Gibtelecom Masters. Round 9
Gibraltar, 4 February 2009

East India Game: Nimzo-Indian Defense

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 0-0

• If 4...d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.cxd5 then:
• If 7...Nxd5 8.dxc5 Qa5 9.e4 then:
• If 9...Ne7 10.Be3 0-0 11.Qb3 Qc7 then:
• 12.a4 Nec6 13.f4 Na5 14.Qa3 Nd7 15.Nf3 b6 16.cxb6 axb6 17.Nd2 Ba6 18.Bxa6 Rxa6 19.0-0 Rfa8 20.Qb4 Nb7 21.Ra2 Qc6 is equal (Khalifman-van der Wiel, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1991).
• 12.Nh3 e5 13.Nf2 Nec6 14.Rb1 Na5 15.Qa4 Be6 16.Be2 Nd7 17.Rb5 b6 18.0-0 Rfb8 19.Rfb1 h6 20.g3 bxc5 21.Rxb8+ Rxb8 22.Rxb8+ Nxb8 23.Qe8+ gives White a clear advantage (Arencibia-Lobron, IZ, Manila, 1990).
• 12.Bb5 Nec6 13.Rd1 e5 14.Qa2 Na5 15.Qd5 Bd7 16.Bxd7 Rd8 17.Qd6 Qxd6 18.Rxd6 Nxd7 19.Kf2 Nc4 20.Rd5 Nf6 21.Rxd8+ Rxd8 22.Ne2 Rc8 23.Rb1 gives White an extra pawn and a small advantage in space (Timman-Karpov, IT, Linares, 1990).
• 9...Nf6 10.Be3 0-0 11.Qb3 Nfd7 12.a4 Qc7 13.Qa3 b6 14.a5 bxc5 15.Nh3 Ba6 16.Bxa6 Nxa6 17.Qa4 Ne5 is equal (Milov-Razuvaev, Op, Biel, 1994).
• If 7...exd5 8.e3 0-0 9.Bd3 b6 10.Ne2 Ba6 then:
• If 11.0-0 Re8 12.Ng3 Bxd3 13.Qxd3 Nc6 then:
• 14.Ra2 Qd7 15.Re2 Rad8 16.Bb2 Re6 17.Rd1 g6 18.e4 dxe4 19.fxe4 h5 20.Ree1 Qe7 21.Qf3?! h4 22.Nf1 Nxe4 gives Black an extra pawn (Borg-Kunte, Ol, Istanbul, 2000).
• If 14.Bb2 Rc8 15.Rae1 then:
• 15...Na5 16.e4 Nc4 17.Bc1 b5 18.Bg5 Qb6 19.Bxf6 Qxf6 20.exd5 cxd4 21.cxd4 a6 is equal (Miedema-Hort, Op, Hoogeveen, 2008).
• If 15...cxd4 16.cxd4 Qc7 17.e4 Ne7 18.e5 gives White more freedom (Gligoric-Damjanovic, IT, Sarajevo, 1969).
• If 11.Bxa6 Nxa6 12.0-0 then:
• 12...Nc7 13.Ng3 Re8 14.Qd3 Ne6 15.Bb2 Qd7 16.e4 cxd4 17.cxd4 dxe4 18.Nxe4 Nxe4 19.Qxe4 Nc7 20.Qd3 Nd5 21.Rae1 Rxe1 22.Rxe1 Re8 23.Re5 f6 24.Rxe8+ Qxe8 is equal (Tomic-Szabo, IT, Vinkovci, 1970).
• 12...Re8 13.Qd3 Nb8 14.Ng3 Nc6 transposes to 13...Nc6.

5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Nh5

• 6...d5 7.cxd5 exd5 8.e3 c5 9.Bd3 transposes into the secondary line in the note to Black's 4th move.
• 6...Ne8 7.e4 b6 8.Bd3 Ba6 9.Nh3 Nc6 then:
• If 10.0-0 Na5 11.Qe2 c5 12.e5 f6 then:
• 13.Bf4 cxd4 14.cxd4 Rc8 15.Rac1 Qe7 16.Rc3 d5 17.exd6 Nxd6 18.c5 Bxd3 19.Qxd3 bxc5 20.dxc5 Nf7 21.Qa6 gives White the advantage.
• 13.Be3 Rc8 14.Rac1 d5 15.Nf4 Nc7 16.exf6 Qxf6 17.cxd5 Bxd3 18.Qxd3 cxd4 19.cxd4 Nxd5 20.Nxd5 exd5 21.Bf2 Nc4 gives Black more activity (Topalov-Leko, IT, Dortmund, 2002).
• 10.e5 Na5 11.Qc2 Qh4+ 12.Kd1 Bxc4 13.Bxc4 Nxc4 14.Qe2 d5 15.Bg5 Qh5 16.Be7 c5 17.Nf4 Qf5 18.Nd3 Nc7 19.Bxf8 Rxf8 20.a4 f6 21.Ke1 cxd4 22.cxd4 fxe5 23.Nxe5 Nxe5 24.Qxe5 Qc2 25.Kf1 Qd3+ 26.Kf2 Qd2+ 27.Kf1 Qd3+ 28.Kf2 Qd2+ 29.Kf1 Qd3+ 30.Kf2 draw (Vasilevich-Yakovich, Op, Isle of Man, 2006).

7.Nh3 f5 8.e4

• If 8.e3 d6 then:
• 9.Nf2 e5 10.f4 Nf6 11.fxe5 dxe5 12.c5 Nc6 is equal; White is already paying a price in lagging development for not being able to develop his Knight to f3 (Volkov-Izoria, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• 9.Bd3 e5 10.0-0 Nc6 11.f4 Qe8 12.fxe5 dxe5 13.Ra2 e4 14.Be2 Nf6 15.a4 is equal (Geller-Pogats, IT, Schiavno Zdroj, 1950).

8...fxe4!?

• 8...c5 9.e5 Nc6 10.f4 g6 11.Be2 b6 12.0-0 Ng7 13.Be3 gives White the advantage in space (Bronstein-Szabo, IZ, Budapest, 1950).

9.Be2

• The game is equal.
• If 9.Bg5 Nf6 10.fxe4 d6 11.Nf2 e5 12.Be2 Qe8 13.0-0 Nc6 is equal.


• 10...h6 11.Bxf6 Qxf6 12.Ra2 Qh4+ 13.Nf2 d6 is equal.

9...e5!?

• Black would do better to develop her pieces.
• 9...Nf6 10.Bg5 exf3 11.Bxf3 d6 12.0-0 Nbd7 remains equal.
• 9...d6 10.Bg5 Nf6 11.fxe4 h6 12.Bh4 e5 remains equal.

10.0-0

• 10.dxe5 Qh4+ 11.Nf2 e3 12.Qd5+ Kh8 13.Bxe3 gives White the advantage in space; Black is lagging in development.

10...d6 11.fxe4 Bxh3

• 11...Rxf1+ 12.Bxf1 Qe8 13.Nf2 Nd7 14.Be3 Nhf6 remains equal.

BLACK: Nana Dzagnidze
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Ferenc Berkes
Position after 11...Bc8h3:N

12.Bxh5!

• Black does well to keep his kingside pawns pristine.
• 12.Rxf8+ Qxf8 13.Bxh5! Be6 transposes to the text.
• If 12.gxh3!? Nf6 13.Qb3 b6 then:
• 14.c5+ Kh8 15.Bg5 exd4 16.cxb6 axb6 17.cxd4 h6 remains equal.
• If 14.Bg5?! c5 15.Bg4 Nbd7 then:
  • 16.Bxd7 Qxd7 17.Bxf6 Rxf6 18.Rxf6 gxf6 Black threatens to take a pawn.
  • 16.Be6+ Kh8 17.Bd5 Rc8 18.Qa4 Qe8 19.dxe5 Qxe5 gives Black a strong initiative.

12...Be6 13.Rxf8+ Qxf8 14.Ra2

• If 14.Qb3 Qc8 15.Bg5 Nd7 16.Rf1 then:
• 16...a6 17.d5 Nc5 18.Qc2 Bg4 19.Bf7+ White has the initiative, but Black has found a fine outpost for his Knight.
• 16...c6 17.Qa2 Nb6 18.d5 cxd5 19.cxd5 Bg4 20.Bf7+ gives White the initiative.

14...Nd7

• If 14...Bxc4 15.Rf2 Qe7 then:
• 16.d5 Qh4 17.Bg4 Na6 18.Qf3 Qe7 19.Be6+ Kh8 gives White a better center and command of the f-file.
• 16.Qg4 Qd7 17.dxe5 Qxg4 18.Bxg4 Nc6 19.exd6 cxd6 is equal.

15.Rf2 Nf6 16.c5 h6 17.Qf1!?

• White has had things his way for several moves, but now things begins to turn.
• 17.cxd6 cxd6 18.Bf3 Qc8 19.dxe5 dxe5 20.Qd6! gives White a clear advantage.

17...Qe7 18.cxd6 cxd6

• Black has equalized.

19.Bg6 Rf8 20.a4?!

• The text move leads to the loss of a pawn.
• 20.Qd3 Bf7 21.Bf5 Be6 22.d5 Bxf5 23.Rxf5 Qc7 gives Black the more active game.

BLACK: Nana Dzagnidze
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Ferenc Berkes
Position after 20.a3a4

20...Bf7!

• Also good is 20...exd4! 21.cxd4 Bf7 when:
• 22.Bf5 Nxe4 23.Rf3 Ng5 24.Rf4 Ne6 25.Re4 d5 leaves Black a pawn to the good.
• 22.Rxf6 Qxf6 23.Qxf6 gxf6 24.Bf5 Kg7 gives Black the exchange.

21.Bf5

• 21.dxe5 Qxe5 22.Bf4 Qxc3 23.Bf5 Qd4 wins a pawn for Black.

21...exd4 22.cxd4 Nxe4

• Black is a pawn up with the initiative and a queenside majority. She will win any King and pawn ending from here. Her paln is to exchange down to an endgame, create a passed pawn on the queenside and push it.

23.Rf3 Nf6 24.Re3 Qc7 25.Rg3

• If 25.Ba3 then after 25...Nd5 26.Rf3 Nb6 27.Qf2 Nc4 28.Bb4 a5 Black retains her extra pawn with some initiative.

25...Kh8

• This move is purely prophylactic and absolutely necessary.

26.Bd3 Bg8!

• Black is alert to immediate threats. She makes another timely prophylactic move.
• White threatened 27.Bxh6 gxh6 28.Qxf6#.

27.Bd2 Bh7 28.Bc4

• 28.Bxh7 Kxh7 29.Qd3+ Kh8 30.Rf3 d5 31.a5 Kg8 Black remains a pawn to the good.

28...Be4 29.a5 d5 30.Be2

• 30.Bb3 Qd6 31.Qd1 b5 32.axb6 Qxb6 Black has a small initiative.

30...Qe7 31.Qe1 Qe6 32.Rb3

• If 32.Bb4 Rc8 33.Re3 Rc2 34.h3 Nh5 then:
• 35.Qh4 Qf6 36.Qxf6 Nxf6 Black's extra pawn looms larger as more pieces flay off the board.
• If 35.Bxh5?? then 35...Rxg2+! 36.Kf1 Qf5+ 37.Bf3 Bxf3 easily wins for Black.

32...Rf7 33.Bf4?

• White misses the coming tactical coup.
• 33.Qg3 Kh7 34.Re3 Qc6 35.Bc3 Bg6 36.Bf3 Ne4 Black is clearly better.

BLACK: Nana Dzagnidze
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Ferenc Berkes
Position after 33.Bd2f4

33...Bxg2!!

• The Bishop sacrifice wins as Black's pieces now rush in like a torrent.

34.Kxg2 Qe4+ 35.Rf3 g5 36.Bxg5

• If 36.Be5 then Black wins after 36...g4 37.Qg3 gxf3+ 38.Qxf3 Kg8 39.Bd1 b5.

36...hxg5 37.Kf1 Ng4 0-1

• If 38.Qg3 then after 38...Qxf3+! 39.Bxf3 Rxf3+ 40.Qxf3 Nxh2+ Black wins the King-and-pawn ending.
• Grandmaster Berkes resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Beliavsky - Dzagnidze, Round 5, Gibraltar

Nana Dzagnidze was defeated only once in Gibraltar, by former four-time Soviet champion Alexander Beliavsky, who now plays under the Slovenian flag.

Beliavsky was among the tournament leaders at the half-way point, but faltered in the later rounds.



Alexander Beliavsky
Photo: Wikipedia


Alexander Beliavsky - Nana Dzagnidze
Gibtelecom Masters, Round 5
Gibraltar, 31 January 2009

East India Game: Nimzo-Indian Defense (Keres Variation)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 0-0 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 b6 7.Bg5 Bb7 8.e3 d6 9.Ne2

• 9.f3 Nbd7 10.Bd3 c5 11.Ne2 Rc8 then:
• If 12.0-0 h6 13.Bh4 then:
• 13...cxd4 14.Qxd4 Ne5 15.b4 Qc7 16.Rac1 Nfd7 17.Be7 Nc6 18.Qxd6 Nxe7 19.Qxe7 Ne5 20.Qxc7 Rxc7 21.Rfd1 Rfc8 is equal (Krush-Chandran, USCL, Cyberspace, 2005).
• 13...d5 14.cxd5 Nxd5 15.Qe1 Qe8 16.Qd2 f5 17.Bg3 Qe7 18.Nf4 Nxf4 19.Bxf4 Rfd8 is equal (Moradiabadi-Sadvakasov, City Ch, Paris, 2005).
• 12.Qd2 h6 13.Bh4 cxd4 14.exd4 Ba6 15.Rc1 d5 16.cxd5 Bxd3 17.Rxc8 Qxc8 18.Qxd3 Nxd5 19.0-0 Qb7 20.Rc1 Rc8 21.Rxc8+ Qxc8 is equal (Kelly-Ong, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• 12.Qb3 h6 13.Bh4 d5 14.cxd5 Bxd5 15.Qd1 cxd4 16.Nxd4 Ne5 17.Ba6 Rc5 draw (Kholmov-Chepukaitis, Botvinnik Mem, Tula, 2003).

9...Nbd7 10.Qc2

• 10.Qd3 Ba6 11.Nc3 d5 12.Qc2 Bxc4 13.Bxc4 dxc4 14.Qa4 c5 15.Qxc4 cxd4 16.Qxd4 Nc5 17.Bxf6 Qxf6 18.Qxf6 gxf6 19.Ke2 Rfc8 20.Rad1 Nb3 21.Rd7 gives White the active game (Vigorito-Browne, US Ch, San Diego, 2006).

10...c5 11.Rd1 cxd4

• 11...Rc8 12.Nc3 cxd4 13.Rxd4 Rc5 14.Bh4 Qa8 15.Be2 d5 16.b4 Rcc8 17.0-0 dxc4 18.f3 Ne5 19.Bxf6 gxf6 20.Nb5 Qb8 21.Nd6 gives White the advantage in space (Kasimdzhanov-Grischuk, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2007).

12.Rxd4 Qc7

• If 12...h6 13.Bh4 Qc7 14.Nc3 d5 15.Bg3 e5 16.cxd5 then:
• 16...Bxd5 17.Be2 Rac8 18.e4 Bc6 is equal (Carlsen-Leko, IT, Morelia/Linares, 2008).
• 16...Nxd5 17.Rc4 Qb8 18.Be2 N7f6 19.0-0 Ba6 20.Nxd5 Nxd5 21.Bf3 Rd8 22.Rd4 Bxf1 23.Rxd5 Ba6 24.Bxe5 Qc8 25.Rxd8+ Qxd8 26.Bxa8 Qxa8 27.Qa4 Gives Black no compensation for the pawn (Bareev-Grischuk, World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk, 2007).

13.Nc3 d5!?

• 13...Qc5 14.Bh4 d5 15.cxd5 Nxd5 16.Bd3 f5 17.Bg3 Rac8 18.0-0 Qe7 19.Bc4 N7f6 20.Qb3 Kh8 21.Nxd5 Bxd5 22.Bxd5 Nxd5 23.e4 is equal (Navara-Efimenko, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2009).
• 13...a6 14.Be2 d5 15.cxd5 Nxd5 16.Bd3 N5f6 17.0-0 h6 18.Bh4 Rad8 19.Rd1 Ne5 20.Bxf6 gxf6 21.Be4 Rxd4 22.Rxd4 gives White a formidable center and better kingside pawns (L'Ami-Short, Staunton Mem, London, 2008).

14.cxd5 Bxd5

• Black's novelty has left White slightly better.
• 14...Nxd5 15.Bd3 N5f6 16.0-0 Rfd8 17.Rd1 Rac8 18.Rc4 gives White the initiative.

15.Bd3?!

• White courts trouble.
• 15.e4 Bb7 16.Bb5 a6 17.Bxd7 Nxd7 18.0-0 f5 remains equal.

15...Rfc8?!

• The g-pawn isn't poisoned. Black misses a possible win.
• 15...Bxg2! then:
• 16.Bxf6 Nxf6 17.Rh4 g5 18.Bxh7+ Kg7 wins the exchange for Black.
• 16.Rg1? Qxh2 17.Ne2 Rfc8 18.Rh4 Qxg1+ 19.Nxg1 Rxc2 20.Bxc2 Rc8 leaves Black two pawns to the good.

16.0-0 h6 17.Bh4 e5

• The game is is again equal.

18.Ra4 Bc6

• If 18...Be6 then:
• 19.Ba6 Rd8 20.Be2 Rdc8 21.Rd1 Nc5 is equal.
• 19.Bf5 Qc6 20.Rd1 Nc5 is equal.

19.Rc4 Qb7 20.Rc1?!

• If 20.Bxf6 Nxf6 21.Bf5 Rd8 then:
• 22.Ne4 Bxe4 23.Bxe4 Nxe4 24.Rxe4 is equal.
• 22.f4!? exf4 23.Rcxf4 Re8 24.e4 Qe7 gives Black pressure on White's e-pawn.

20...Bxg2!

• But of course!

21.Nb5 Rxc4 22.Bxc4 Be4?!

• Attacking the Queen is not the biggest problem with which Black can confront her opponent.
• 22...Ne8 23.Qf5 Bd5 24.Bxd5 Qxd5 25.Nc3 Qc4 gives Black activity and an extra pawn.
• 22...Bd5 23.Bxd5 Nxd5 24.Qf5 Rc8 then:
• 25.Rxc8+ Qxc8 26.Qxf7+ Kxf7 27.Nd6+ Ke6 28.Nxc8 a6 gives Black better piece co-ordination.
• 25.Rd1 Rc6 26.e4 g6 27.Qf3 N5f6 28.Nd6 Qb8 gives Black an extra pawn.

23.Nd6!

• Black now has little choice but to exchange Queens, taking the wind out of her sails.

23...Bxc2 24.Nxb7 Be4

• 24...Bg6 25.Nd6 Rd8 26.Nb7 Rb8 27.Nd6 e4 offers little to either side.

25.Nd6 Bd5 26.Bb5 Nc5?!

• Black should push White's dark-bound Bishop out of the way before making this move.
• 26...g5! 27.Bg3 a6 28.Be2 e4 29.Bc4 Be6 makes Black's extra pawn a distinct advantage.

BLACK: Nana Dzagnidze
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WHITE: Alexander Beliavsky
Position after 26...Nd7c5

27.Bxf6!

• Breaking up Black's pawn structure will give White a strategic advantage a little later on.

27...gxf6

• Black's extra pawn is almost worthless. There is no file in which Black has a pawn in which White does not have one.

28.b4

• Probably because Black has an extra pawn, Fritiz is telling me the game is still equal. I think White has a slight advantage.

28...Ne6 29.Rc8+ Nd8 30.Rxa8 Bxa8 31.Nc8

• White will soon establish full material equality.

31...Kf8 32.Nxa7

• Now Fritz says White has a small advantage. I am now in agreement with my silicon sidekick.

32...Bb7 33.Be2 Ke7

• 33...Ne6 34.a4 Ke7 35.a5 bxa5 36.bxa5 Nc5 37.Kf1 gives White the advantage of the remote passer, but little prospect of converting it.

34.Nb5?!

• The text gives Black time to equalize by pushing on the kingside.
• 34.a4 begins a trasposition into the last note.

BLACK: Nana Dzagnidze
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Alexander Beliavsky
Position after 34.Na7b5

34...f5!

• The game is equal.

35.Nc3 Kd6 36.Kf1 f6

• 36...Ne6 37.a4 f4 38.a5 bxa5 39.bxa5 Kc5 remains equal.

37.Bd3

• 37.Bc4 h5 38.a4 h4 39.h3 Bf3 40.Nb5+ Kc6 remains equal.

37...Bc8 38.Kg2 Nc6 39.Kg3 e4 40.Be2 Be6?!

• Black falters; White's winning prospects start to come alive.
• If 40...Ne5 41.Kh4 Nd3 42.f4 then:
• 42...Be6 43.Nb5+ Kd5 44.Nc7+ Kd6 45.Nxe6 Kxe6 remains equal.
• 42...Ne1?! 43.Kh5 Be6 44.Kxh6 Ng2 gives White to opportunity to establish remote passers on both wings.

41.Nb5+ Ke5

• If 41...Kd7 42.f3 exf3 43.Bxf3 then:
• 43...Ne7 44.a4 Bc4 45.Nd4 Kd6 46.Kf4 Bd3 47.h4 gives White better winning chances.
• 43...Ne5 44.a4 Ng4 45.Bxg4 fxg4 46.Nd4 Bf7 White wins.

42.Nc7 Ne7

• 42...Bd5 43.Nxd5 Kxd5 44.Kf4 Ne7 45.a4 Nc6 46.Kxf5 White is a pawn to the good with the more active King.

43.Nxe6 Kxe6 44.Kh4 Ke5?

• This move is too passive. Only the most active defense will do.
• 44...f4 then:
• If 45.Kh5 fxe3 46.fxe3 Kd5 47.a4 then:
• 47...Nf5 48.a5 bxa5 49.bxa5 Kc6 50.Kg6 Nxe3 51.Kxh6 White's chances are only a little better than Black's.
• If 47...Nc6? then after 48.h4 Nxb4 49.Kxh6 Ke5 50.h5 White wins.
• 45.exf4 Kf7 46.a4 Nc6 47.Kg4 Nxb4 48.Kf5 doesn't promise either side much.

45.Kh5!

• Also good is 45.a4! Nc6 46.b5 Nb4 47.Kh5.

45...Nd5

• If 45...f4 46.exf4+ Kxf4 47.Kxh6 then:
• 47...f5 48.h4 e3 49.fxe3+ Kxe3 50.Ba6 wins for White.
• 47...Ke5 48.Bc4 Nf5+ 49.Kh7 Nh4 50.a4 Nf3 51.a5 wins for White.

46.Kxh6 f4 47.exf4+ Nxf4 48.Bf1 Nd3

• If 48...Nd5 49.h4 e3 50.fxe3 Nxe3 51.h5 then:
• 51...Ng4+ 52.Kg6 f5 53.a4 f4 54.a5 White wins easily.
• 51...Nxf1 52.Kg6 f5 53.h6the h-pawn queens.

49.f3 f5 50.fxe4

• If 50.Kg5! f4 51.fxe4 Ne1 52.Kg4 then:
• 52...Nc2 53.Bd3 Nxa3 54.h4 Kd4 55.Kxf4 Kxd3 56.h5White wins.
• 52...Kxe4 53.a4 f3 54.a5 Kd4 55.axb6 White wins.

50...fxe4
BLACK: Nana Dzagnidze
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Alexander Beliavsky
Position after 50...fe4:p

51.Kg5!

• The White King makes way for the pawn shoulders his opposite number at the same time.

51...Ne1

• After 51...Nf2 52.a4 e3 53.a5 bxa5 54.bxa5 White wins on one wing or the other.

52.h4 Nf3+ 53.Kh5 e3

• If 53...Nd4 54.a4 then:
• If 54...Nc6 55.Kg6 Nxb4 56.h5 then:
• 56...Nd3 57.h6 Nf4+ 58.Kf7 Ne6 59.h7 Ng5+ 60.Kg8 Black must give up his Knight or allow the pawn to promote.
• 56...Nd5 57.h6 Nf4+ transposes to the main line.
• If 54...Nb3 55.Kg6 Nd4 56.h5 then:
• 56...e3 57.h6 Ne6 58.h7 Nf8+ 59.Kh6 Black must give up the Knight or allow the pawn to queen.
• 56...Ne6 57.a5 bxa5 58.bxa5 Nf4+ 59.Kf7 Ne6 60.h6 White wins on one side of the board or the other.

54.a4!

• White takes advantage of the fact that he is stronger on both wings.

54...Nd4 55.a5 bxa5

• 55...Ke6 56.a6 Nc6 57.b5 Na7 58.Kg6! wins for White.

56.bxa5

• White has succeeded in establishing passed pawns on both rims of the board. This is a won ending if there ever was one.

56...Kd6 57.a6 Kc7 58.Kg4 e2

• Black is lost in all variations.
• If 58...Nc6 59.h5 Ne7 60.Kf4 then:
• If 60...Ng8 61.Kxe3 Nf6 then:
• If 62.Be2! Kb8 63.h6 then:
• If 63...Ka7 64.Kf4 Nh7 65.Bd3 then:
• If 65...Nf6 66.Bf5 Nd5+ 67.Kg5 then:
• 67...Ne7 68.h7 Nxf5 69.Kxf5 Kxa6 70.h8Q.
• 67...Kxa6 68.h7 Ne7 69.Bd3+ Kb6 70.h8Q.
• 65...Nf8 66.Ke5 Kb6 67.Kd6 Ka7 68.Ke7 Nh7 69.Bxh7.
• If 63...Nh7 64.Kf3 Ka7 65.Kf4 Nf8 66.Ke5 then:
• If 66...Kb6 67.Kf6 Nh7+ 68.Kg7 Ng5 69.Bd3 then:
• 69...Ne6+ 70.Kf6 Nc5 71.Bf5 Kxa6 72.h7.
• 69...Ka7 70.Kf6 Nh3 71.h7.
• I66...Ka8 67.Bc4 Ka7 68.Kf6 Nd7+ 69.Kg7.
• 62.h6 Ng4+ 63.Kd4 Nxh6 64.Kc5 Ng4 65.Bg2 Ne5 66.a7 Nd7+ 67.Kb5 Nb6 68.Bh1.
• If 60...Kb6 61.h6 Ng6+ 62.Kxe3 then:
• 62...Nf8 63.Bd3 Ka7 64.Kd4 Ne6+ 65.Ke5 Nc5 66.Bf5.
• If 62...Ka7 63.h7 Nh8 64.Kf4 then:
• 64...Kb6 65.Kg5 Ka7 66.Kh6 Nf7+ 67.Kg7.
• 64...Nf7 65.Kf5 Nh8 66.Kf6 Kb6 67.Kg7.

BLACK: Nana Dzagnidze
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WHITE: Alexander Beliavsky
Position after 58...e3e2

59.Bxe2!

• White doesn't need the Bishop to win.

59...Nxe2

• If Black had a Bishop instead of a Knight, she might be able to draw the game. With a Knight and the pawns at opposite edges of the board, it is simply impossible.

60.h5 Nc3 61.h6 Ne4 62.Kf5 Nd6+ 63.Kg6 1-0

• Ms. Dzagnidze resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Gashimov - Beliavsky, Round 7, Gibraltar

Vugar Gashimov
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Vugar Gashimov - Alexander Beliavsky
Gibtelecom Masters, Round 7
Gibraltar, 2 February 2009

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Sofia Anti-Marshall Opening

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.h3

• This is the starting point of the Sofia Anti-Marshall Opening. It is an older line, but was played with monotonous frequency at the first MTel Masters' Tournament in Sofia in 2005.

8...Bb7 9.d3 d6 10.a3

• If 10.c3 then:
• If 10...Na5 11.Bc2 c5 12.Nbd2 Re8 13.Nf1 Bf8 then:
• 14.Ng3 h6 15.d4 cxd4 16.cxd4 exd4 17.Nxd4 Rc8 18.b3 d5 19.e5 Ne4 20.Nxe4 dxe4 21.Bxe4 Bxe4 22.Rxe4 Nc6 23.Bb2 Rxe5 24.Rxe5 Nxe5 25.Qe2 Ng6 26.Qe4 Qd7 27.Re1 Rd8 28.Nc6 Rc8 29.Nd4 Rd8 30.Nc6 Rc8 31.Nd4 draw (Svidler-Jakovenko, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2008).
• 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bh4 g6 16.Ne3 Be7 17.a3 c4 18.d4 Nxe4 19.Bxe7 Qxe7 20.dxe5 dxe5 21.Ng4 f5 22.Ngxe5 Rad8 gives Black the initiative and the advantage in space (Vouldis-Hadzimanolis, Op, Athens, 2006).
• If 10...Nb8 11.Nbd2 Nbd7 12.Nf1 Nc5 13.Bc2 Re8 14.Ng3 Bf8 15.b4 Ncd7 16.d4 then:
• If 16...a5 17.a3 axb4 18.cxb4 exd4 19.Nxd4 d5 then:
• 20.Bf4 Nxe4 21.Nxe4 dxe4 22.Nxb5 Rc8 23.Rc1 c5 24.Nd6 Bxd6 25.Qxd6 Re6 26.Qd2 Qe7 27.Bg5 Qe8 28.Ba4 Bc6 29.b5 Nb6 30.Bb3 c4 31.bxc6 cxb3 32.c7 h6 33.Bd8 Qb5 draw (Gufeld-Kholmov, Soviet Ch, Leningrad, 1963).
• 20.Bg5 c5 21.e5 Rxe5 22.Rxe5 Nxe5 23.bxc5 h6 24.Bf4 Nc6 is equal (Ivkov-Lengyel, IT, Amsterdam, 1964).
• 16...g6 17.a4 Bg7 18.Bd3 c6 19.Bg5 h6 20.Be3 Qc7 21.Rc1 Rad8 22.Qd2 Kh7 is equal (Karpov-Lengyel, IT, Budapest, 1973).

10...Na5

• If 10...Qd7 11.Nc3 then:
• If 11...Nd8 12.d4 exd4 13.Nxd4 Re8 14.Nf5 Ne6 then:
• 15.Nxe7+ Rxe7 16.f3 Rd8 17.Be3 d5 18.exd5 Nxd5 19.Nxd5 Bxd5 20.Qxd5 Qxd5 21.Bxd5 Rxd5 22.Kf2 h5 draw (Galkin-Aronian, Aeroflot Open, Moscow, 2005).
• If 15.Qf3 c5 then:
• 16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.Bxd5 Bxd5 18.exd5 Nd4 19.Nxd4 cxd4 20.Bf4 Bf6 21.Qg4 Qb7 22.Qf5 is equal (Mastrovasilis-Stern, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• 16.Bxe6 fxe6 17.Nxe7+ Rxe7 18.Bg5 Rf7 19.Qd3 Raf8 20.Rad1 b4 21.axb4 cxb4 22.Nb1 d5 23.exd5 Nxd5 is equal (Hracek-Gyimesi, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• If 11...Rfe8 12.Ne2 Nd8 13.Ng3 Ne6 then:
• 14.c3 c5 15.d4 exd4 16.cxd4 d5 17.e5 Ne4 18.Nf5 Bf8 19.Be3 Rac8 20.dxc5 N6xc5 21.N5d4 Nxb3 22.Nxb3 Qd8 23.Qd3 f6 24.exf6 Qxf6 25.Qd4 Qd8 26.Rac1 Rc4 gives Black the initiative (Svidler-Inarkiev, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2007).
• 14.Ng5 c5 15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.c3 Bd8 17.a4 Bb6 18.Be3 Kh8 19.axb5 axb5 20.Rxa8 Rxa8 21.Nh5 Bd8 22.Nxf6 Bxf6 23.Qg4 Bc8 24.Rd1 Qe7 25.Qe2 Bb7 26.Qg4 Bc8 27.Qe2 Bb7 28.Qg4 draw (Leko-Aronian, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2008).

11.Ba2 c5 12.Nc3

• If 12.Nbd2 Nc6 13.Nf1 Bc8 then:
• If 14.c3 Be6 15.Bxe6 fxe6 then:
• 16.b4 Qd7 17.Ng3 a5 18.bxc5 dxc5 19.Qb3 Rfb8 20.a4 b4 21.Be3 c4 22.Qxc4 bxc3 23.Red1 Bb4 24.Rac1 Rc8 is equal (Domínguez-Bacrot, IT, Biel, 2008).
• 16.Ng3 Qe8 17.Be3 Nh5 18.Nxh5 Qxh5 19.Ng5 draw (Svidler-Anand, IT, Dortmund, 2004).
• 14.Ne3 Be6 15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.exd5 Nd4 17.Nd2 Nf5 18.Ne4 Nd7 19.b4 Rc8 20.Bd2 g6 21.c3 Ng7 22.c4 gives White the advantage in space (Anand-Svidler, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2006).

12...Nc6 13.Bg5

• If 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.Bxd5 Qc7 15.c3 Nb8 16.Bxb7 Qxb7 then:
• 17.d4 Nd7 18.dxe5 dxe5 19.c4 bxc4 20.Qe2 Rfd8 21.a4 Rab8 22.Nd2 Nf8 23.Nxc4 Ne6 24.Nxe5 gives White an extra pawn (Nijboer-Sargissian, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• 17.Nh2 Nd7 18.Ng4 Nf6 19.Ne3 g6 20.b3 Rab8 21.Bb2 Rfd8 22.Qf3 d5 23.exd5 Nxd5 24.d4 Nf4 is equal (Shirov-Aronian, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2007).

13...Nd7

• 13...Qd7 14.Nh2 Kh8 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.Bd5 Rae8 17.Rf1 Bd8 18.Qg4 Bc8 19.Qxd7 draw (Ivanchuk-Svidler, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2007).

14.Bd2 Nb6 15.Ne2!?

• 15.Nd5 Nxd5 16.Bxd5 Qc7 17.c3 Bf6 18.Nh2 g6 19.Ng4 Bg7 20.Bg5 gives White an advantage in space (Quezada-Hernández. Torre Mem, Yucatán, 2004).

15...Bc8

• The game is equal.

16.b4

• 16.c4 Qd7 17.Ng3 Bb7 18.b4 Qc7 19.Nf5 Bf6 remains equal.

16...c4!?

• Black introduces an imbalance into the position.
• 16...d5 17.exd5 Nxd5 18.bxc5 Bxc5 19.Nc3 Nb6 20.Ne4 remains equal.

17.Be3 Be6 18.Nc3 Rc8

• 18...a5 19.Bxb6 Qxb6 20.dxc4 bxc4 21.b5 Na7 22.Rb1 gives White the initiative.

BLACK: Alexander Beliavsky
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Vugar Gashimov
Position after 18...Ra8c8

19.Bxb6!

• White needs to break up Black's pawn chain in order free his poorly-placed light-bound Bishop. The Black Knight at b6 watches over a4, preventing the pawn advance.
• 19.Qd2 Bf6 20.dxc4 Nxc4 21.Bxc4 Bxc4 22.Rad1 gives White pressure on the backward pawn at d6.

19...Qxb6 20.dxc4 bxc4

• If 20...Bxc4 21.Bxc4 bxc4 22.Nd5 then:
• 22...Qb7 23.Nd2 Na7 24.Qe2 c3 25.Nb1 Nb5 26.Qd3 White wins the c-pawn.
• If 22...Qb5 then 23.c3 Bd8 24.Ne3 Bf6 25.a4 Qb8 26.Nd2 wins the c-pawn.

21.Nd5 Bxd5

• 21...Qb5 22.a4 Qb7 23.c3 Nd8 24.Qd2 f5 25.Rad1 gives White the advantage in space.

22.exd5 Na7 23.Nd2 c3

• White's Bishop is free (see the not to White's 19th move).

24.Nc4 Qb5?

• Branch Rickey, the lengendary baseball executive who brought Jackie Robinson to the major leagues, once said Luck is the residue of design. In this case, we might apply that to White's effort to free his light-bound Bishop from the capivity of Black's pawn chain (see the note to White's 19th move). This effort (design) brought pleasant consequences for White other than those intended (luck). First of all, White has a qualitative queenside majority, which shall play a part in deciding the game later. Second, Black just made a terrible move in a vain effort to keep White's pieces on the queenside under restraint.
• If 24...Qb7 25.Qf3 Rfe8 26.Re4 then:
• If 26...Nb5 27.Na5 Qb6 28.Nc6 then:
• 28...Bg5 29.Qg4 h6 30.a4 Na7 31.Qd7 White retains an advantage in space, bit Black has counterplay.
• If 28...Nxa3? 29.Qxc3 Rxc6 30.Qxc6 Qxc6 31.dxc6 gives White the exchange and an advanced passer.
• If 26...Bf8 27.Qxc3 Qxd5 28.Qf3 then:
• 28...Qb7 29.Ne3 Nb5 30.Rf4 Rc7 31.Rxf7! gives White an extra pawn and sets up a nasty discovered check at f7.
• If 28...Rc7 29.Nxe5 Qxe5 30.Rxe5 dxe5 31.c4 gives White the material advantage.

BLACK: Alexander Beliavsky
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Vugar Gashimov
Position after 24...Qb6b5

25.Qd3!

• White protects the Knight and attacks the pawn.

25...Rc7 26.Rad1

• White prefers to keep his d-pawn, so he allows Black to keep his c-pawn.
• 26.Qxc3 Qxd5 27.Ne3 Qb7 28.Qb3 Nb5 29.Nd5 gives White a stronger initiative.

26...Rfc8

• If 26...Nc8 27.Na5 then:
• 27...Qxd3 28.Rxd3 Nb6 29.f4 exf4 30.Nc6 gives White the advantage in space.
• After 27...Qa4 28.Ra1 Qxa3 29.Reb1 Qa4 30.Nc6 Black must assume the cumbersome task of extricating his Queen from irrelevance.

27.Nxe5?!

• The sacrifice is dubious.
• Correct is 27.Qe3! h6 28.Kh1 Kh8 29.f4 exf4 30.Qxf4 winning a pawn.
• It's better to sacrifice your opponent's men. (Tartakover)

27...Qxd3?!

• Black misses the line that could make up some lost ground.
• 27...dxe5 28.d6 Rd7 29.Qxb5 Nxb5 30.dxe7 Rxe7 31.a4 Black has chances of holding on, but White still has the better minor piece and a more active position.

28.Rxd3 Bf8

• 28...dxe5 29.d6 Rd7 30.dxe7 Rxd3 31.cxd3 gives White an extra pawn.

29.Nc6!

• White forces the exchange of Knights, clearing the long diagonal and giving scope to the Bishop.

29...Nxc6 30.dxc6 Rxc6 31.Bd5

• 31.Re4 R6c7 32.Rf3 Rd8 33.Bd5 Rdd7 34.Rfe3 gives White more space, more freedom and a queenside majority.

31...R6c7 32.a4 g6

• If 32...Rb8 33.Re4 Re7 then:
• If 34.Rxe7 Bxe7 35.Rxc3 Rxb4 36.Rc7 then:
• 36...Rb1+ 37.Kh2 Re1 38.Ra7 wins a pawn for White.
• 36...Kf8 loses immediately to 37.Rc8+.
• 34.Rc4 Re5 35.Kh2 g5 36.f4 gives Black some counterplay.

33.Rb1!?

• Stronger is 33.b5! axb5 34.axb5 Rc5 35.b6 Rb8 36.b7, but White probably wanted to keep the passed pawn on the a-file where his Bishop could support the pawn at the promotion point.

33...Rb8
BLACK: Alexander Beliavsky
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Vugar Gashimov
Position after 33...Rc8b8

34.b5!

• Black creates a remote passed pawn from his queenside majority (see the note to Black's 24th move).

34...axb5 35.Rxb5 Re8

• 35...Rxb5 36.axb5 Bg7 37.b6 Rc5 38.b7 Rb5 39.Rf3 puts White on the winning path.

36.Kf1 Bh6

• If 36...Rce7 then White wins after 37.g3 Bg7 38.a5 Kf8 39.a6 Ra7 40.Rb7.

37.Rd1 Bd2 38.g3 Rce7 39.Kg2

• If 39.a5 Kg7 40.a6 then:
• 40...Re1+ 41.Rxe1 Rxe1+ 42.Kg2 Ra1 43.Rb6 wins for White.
• 40...Ra7 41.Rb7 Rea8 42.Bxf7 wins for White.

39...Re2

• 39...Ra7 40.a5 Kf8 41.Ra1 Re1 42.Ra3 allows White to eliminate the Rook standing the the path of the a-pawn.

40.Bf3 R2e5 41.Rdb1 R8e7

• If Black guards the Rook in the back rank with 41...Kf8 intending to let White take on e8 after 42.Rb8 then after 42.a5 R8e7 43.a6 Black loses:
• 43...Ra7 44.Rxe5 dxe5 45.Be2 Ra8 46.Rb7.
• 43...Rxb5 44.Rxb5 Ra7 45.Rb8+ Kg7 46.Be2 Kf6 47.Rb7.

42.a5!

• When in doubt, push the passer.
• If 42.Rxe5 dxe5 then:
• If 43.Bb7 e4 44.a5 then:
• 44...e3! 45.fxe3 Bxe3 46.Kf3 Ba7 47.a6 gives Black chances of holding on with opposite-colored Bishops.
• If 44...Re5 45.Ra1 e3 46.fxe3 Bxe3 then:
• If 47.Re1! looks wrong in that it gives Black the opportunity to defend with opposite-colored Bishops, but:
• If 47...Re6 48.Bc8 Re8 49.Kf3 Rxc8 50.Kxe3 Black will soon have to defend against two passed pawns.
• 47...Bd4 48.Rxe5 Bxe5 49.a6 Bb8 50.Kf3 f5 51.Ke3 has Black soon defending against two passed pawns.
• If 47.Ra3!? Ba7 48.Ba6 Bc5 49.Rxc3 Bb4 eliminates the a-pawn.
• 43.Rb8+?! Kg7 44.Bb7 e4 45.a5 e3 46.fxe3 Bxe3 leaves White with a hard time converting the passer.

42...Rxb5 43.Rxb5 Re1

• If 43...Ra7 44.Rb8+ Kg7 45.Ra8 Rxa8 46.Bxa8 then:
• If 46...Bg5 then after 47.a6 Bd8 48.f4 Bb6 the White King is a move further away than in the other line of this variation; Black's drawing chances, though not good, are slightly better.
• 46...Bc1 47.a6 Ba3 48.f4 Bc5 49.Kf3 the White King is free to come to the aid of the a-pawn.

BLACK: Alexander Beliavsky
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Vugar Gashimov
Position after 43...Re7e1

44.a6!!

• Black's Bishop can now play no useful role in stopping the pawn.

44...Ra1 45.Be2 Kf8 46.Rb7 d5

• If 46...Kg7 47.a7 Kf6 48.Rc7 then:
• If 48...Ke5 then after 49.f4+ Kd4 50.Bb5 Kd5 51.Bc6+! the pawn queens.
• If 48...Ke6 then after 49.Bb5 Ra5 50.Bd7+ Ke7 51.Bc6+! White wins.

47.Rd7 Bg5 48.a7 1-0

• If 48...d4 then 49.Bc4 Be7 50.Rb7 Bc5 51.Rb8+ wins.
• Grandmaster Beliavsky resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Zherebakh - Onischuk, Open General, Round 4, Moscow

Alex Onischuk
Photo: Official website of the 2008 Biel Chess Festival


Yaroslav Zherebukh - Alex Onischuk
Moscow Open (General Competition), Round 4
Moscow, 3 February 2009

Italian Royal Game: Gothic Defense (Two Knights' Defense)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5

• O, Joy!! Wild and woolly chess!!

4...d5

• Traxler Gambit If 4...Bc5 then:
• If 5.Bxf7+ Ke7 then:
• If 6.Bd5 Rf8 7.0-0 d6 then:
• If 8.h3 Qe8 9.c3 Qg6 10.d4 Bb6 11.f4 exf4 12.Bxf4 h6 13.Nf3 Nxd5 14.Nh4 Qxe4 15.Re1 Rxf4 16.Rxe4+ Rxe4 17.Nd2 Re6 18.Qh5 Nf6 19.Nf5+ Kf8 gives Black excellent winning prospects (Kotzem-Brat, Corres, 1989).
• If 8.c3 Bg4 9.Qb3 h6 10.d4 Bb6 then:
• 11.h3 Qd7 12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.hxg4 hxg5 14.Qd1 Nxe4 15.f3 exd4 16.cxd4 Nf6 17.Bxg5 gives White an extra pawn and a fine game (Erben-Kirste, Germany, 1990).
• 11.Bxc6 bxc6 12.dxe5 Qe8 13.exf6+ gxf6 14.Nf3 Bxf3 15.Bf4 Rg8 16.g3 Rb8 17.Qc2 Rg4 18.Qd2 Qh5 White resigns (Roscher-Erben, Germany, 1989).
• If 6.Bb3 Rf8 7.0-0 d6 8.Nc3 Qe8 9.Nd5+ Kd8 10.c3 h6 11.d4 exd4 12.e5 Qxe5 13.Nf3 Bg4 14.Nxe5 Bxd1 15.Nxc6+ bxc6 16.Rxd1 draw (Koerner-Mueller, 1987).
• If 6...d5 7.exd5 Nd4 8.d6+ cxd6 9.Nf7 Qf8 10.Nxh8 Nxb3 11.axb3 Bxf2+ then:
• 12.Kf1 Bg4 13.Kxf2 Ne4+ White resigns (Mittenthal-Crispin, Michigan, 1974).
• 12.Kxf2 Ne4+ 13.Ke3 Qf2+ 14.Kxe4 Bf5+ 15.Kd5 Qd4#
• If 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+ then:
• If 6.Kf1 Qe7 7.Nxh8 d5 8.exd5 Nd4 then:
• 9.c3 Bg4 10.Qa4+ Nd7 11.Kxf2 Qh4+ 12.g3 Qf6+ 13.Ke1 Qf3? 14.Rf1 Qe4+ 15.Kf2 0-0-0 16.cxd4? Rf8+ 17.Kg1 Qxd4+ is equal (Malada-Doric, IM Trmt, Rijeka, 2001).
• 9.h3 Bg3 10.c3 Nf5 11.Qa4+ Bd7 12.Bb5 Qc5 is equal (Kurkin-Estrin, Moscow, 1966).
• If 6.Kxf2 Nxe4+ then:
• If 7.Kg1 Qh4 8.g3 Nxg3 9.Nxh8 d5 10.Qf3 then:
• 10...Nf5 11.Bxd5 Ncd4 12.Qf2 Qg4+ 13.Kf1 Nxc2 14.Rg1 Black resigns (Braskin-de Smet, Theme Trmt, 1988).
• 10...Qd4+ 11.Kg2 Nf5 12.Qxd5? Nh4+ 13.Kf1 Bh3+ 14.Ke2 Qg4+ 15.Kf2 Qf5+ White resigns prematurely, as 16.Kg3! leads to a draw by repetition (Braskin-Simchen, First Saturday, Budapest, 1989).
• 7.Ke3 Qh4 8.Nxh8 Qf4+ 9.Kd3 Nf2+ 10.Kc3 Nxd1+ 11.Rxd1 Qd4+ 12.Kb3 Na5+ White resigns (Chernoukhov-Iljin,Trmt, Alushta, 2008).

5.exd5 Na5

• If 5...Nxd5 then:
• Lolli Opening If 6.d4 exd4 7.0-0 Be7 8.Nxf7 Kxf7 9.Qf3+ then:
• If 9...Ke6 then:
• 10.Re1+ Ne5 11.Bf4 Bf6 12.Nc3 c6 13.Rxe5+ Kf7 14.Nxd5 Be6 15.Rxe6 Kxe6 16.Nxf6+ Ke7 17.Re1+ Kf8 18.Qa3+ Black resigns (Fischer-Rouse, Simx, Chicago, 1964).
• 10.Nc3 dxc3 11.Re1+ Ne5 12.Bf4 Bf6 13.Bxe5 Bxe5 14.Rxe5+ Kxe5 15.Re1+ Kd4 16.Bxd5 Re8 17.Qd3+ Kc5 18.b4+ Kxb4 19.Qd4+ Ka5 20.Qxc3+ Ka4 21.Qb3+ Ka5 22.Qa3+ Kb6 23.Rb1# White wins (Morphy-NN, Simx, New Orleans, 1858).
• 9...Bf6 10.Bxd5+ Be6 11.Bxe6+ Kxe6 12.Re1+ Kf7 13.Qb3+ Kg6 14.Bf4 d3 15.Nd2 gives White more space and excellent prospects overall (Euwe-Keemink, Match, Amsterdam, 1920).
• Fried Liver Opening If 6.Nxf7 Kxf7 7.Qf3+ Ke6 8.Nc3 then:
• If 8...Nce7 9.d4 c6 then:
• 10.Bg5 h6 11.Bxe7 Bxe7 12.0-0-0 Rf8 13.Qe4 Rxf2 14.dxe5 Bg5+ 15.Kb1 Rd2 16.h4 Rxd1+ 17.Rxd1 Bxh4 18.Nxd5 cxd5 19.Rxd5 Qg5 20.Rd6+ Ke7 21.Rg6 Black resigns (Polerio-Domenico, Casual Game, Rome, 1610).
• 10.Qe4 Qd6 11.Bf4 Ng6 12.dxe5 Nxe5 13.0-0-0 Qc7 14.Rhe1 Bd6 15.Nxd5 cxd5 16.Qxd5+ Kf6 17.Qxd6+ Qxd6 18.Rxd6+ Black resigns (Shirley-Kay, Xenia, Ohio, 1983).
• If 8...Ncb4 9.Qe4 c6 then:
• 10.d4 Qd6 11.a3 Na6 12.Bf4 Kd7 13.Bxe5 Qe7 14.Nxd5 cxd5 15.Qxd5+ Ke8 16.Bb5+ Bd7 17.Qxb7 Nc7 18.0-0 Bxb5 19.Rfe1 Ba6 20.Qc6+ Kd8 21.Bxc7+ Black resigns (Budde-Muzdalo, Fredeburg, 1994).
• If 10.a3 Na6 (Keres judged this unclear (quoted in MCO-15)) 11.d4 Nac7 then:
• 12.f4 Be7 13.0-0 Kd7 14.dxe5 Ke8 15.Rd1 g6 16.Nxd5 Nxd5 17.Bxd5 cxd5 18.Rxd5 Qc7 19.e6 Qc6 20.Bd2 Bxe6 21.Qe5 Qxd5 22.Qxh8+ Kd7 23.Qc3 Rc8 White resigns (Milwaukee CC-Charles City CC, via telegraph, 1876).
• 12.Bf4 Kf7 13.dxe5 Be6 14.0-0-0 Nxc3 White resigns (Elliott-Mitchell, Corres, 1951).

6.Bb5+

• If 6.d3 h6 7.Nf3 e4 8.Qe2 Nxc4 9.dxc4 Bc5 then:
• If 10.Nfd2 0-0 11.Nb3 Bg4 12.Qf1 Bb4+ 13.c3 Be7 14.h3 Bh5 then:
• If 15.g4 Bg6 16.Be3 Nd7 17.N1d2 Ne5 18.0-0-0 Nd3+ 19.Kb1 Bg5 20.Nd4 Qf6 21.h4 Qb6 22.N2b3 Bxe3 23.fxe3 a5 24.c5 gives White an extra pawn and the advantage in space (Bogolyubov-Eliskases, Match, Munich, 1939).
• 15.Be3 b5 16.Nd4 bxc4 17.Nc6 Qd7 18.Qxc4 Rfe8 19.g4 Bg6 20.Nd2 Nxd5 21.Nxe7+ Rxe7 22.0-0-0 Nxe3 23.fxe3 Re6 is equal (van Scheltinga-Kramer, IT, Beverwijk, 1946).
• If 10.h3 0-0 11.Nh2 b5 then:
• 12.Nc3 bxc4 13.Qxc4 Qd6 14.0-0 Ba6 15.Nb5 Qb6 16.a4 Nxd5 17.Qxe4 c6 18.Ng4 f5 19.Qe6+ Kh7 20.Nxh6 Rf6 21.Qe5 gxh6 22.c4 cxb5 23.axb5 Bb7 24.cxd5 Bd4 25.Qe7+ Kh8 26.Bf4 Rg8 27.g3 Rg7 28.Qe8+ Kh7 29.Ra4 Rfg6 30.Qb8 Bxd5 31.Ra6 Rxg3+ 32.Bxg3 Qxb8 White resigns (Bird-Chigorin, IT, London, 1883).
• 12.b3 bxc4 13.bxc4 Ba6 14.0-0 c6 15.dxc6 Qd4 16.c3 Qd6 17.Be3 Bxe3 18.fxe3 Qxc6 19.Nd2 Rfd8 20.Rf4 Rab8 21.Nhf1 Rb2 22.g4 Rd3 23.Rb1 Rxb1 24.Nxb1 Bxc4 25.Qb2 Rd1 26.Nbd2 Bd3 27.Rf2 Qc7 28.Kh1 Qg3 29.Rg2 Qxh3+ 30.Rh2 Rxf1+ 31.Nxf1 Qxf1# Black wins (Baird-Chigorin, IT, New York, 1889).

6...c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 8.Qf3

• If 8.Be2 h6 then:
• If 9.Nf3 e4 10.Ne5 then:
• If 10...Bd6 then:
• 11.d4 exd3 12.Nxd3 Qc7 13.b3 0-0 14.Bb2 Ne4 15.Nc3 f5 16.h3 Ba6 17.0-0 Rad8 18.Qe1 c5 19.Nxe4 fxe4 20.Nf4 Bxe2 21.Nxe2 gives White an extra pawn (Ghathe-Ganguly, Indian ChT, Nagpur, 2002).
• 11.f4 exf3 12.Nxf3 0-0 13.0-0 Qc7 14.d4 c5 15.Nc3 a6 16.Kh1 Re8 17.dxc5 Qxc5 18.Qd4 Nc6 19.Qxc5 Bxc5 20.Bd3 Nb4 21.Bf4 Bb7 gives White an extra pawn (Giterman-Nikolaevsky, Soviet ChT, Riga, 1968).
• If 10...Qc7 11.Ng4 Bxg4 12.Bxg4 Bd6 13.h3 0-0 14.Nc3 Nc4 15.b3 Ne5 16.Bb2 Rfe8 17.0-0 Nexg4 18.hxg4 Qd7 19.Qe2 Nxg4 20.g3 Qf5 21.Kg2 Re6 22.Rae1 Rae8 23.Rh1 h5 24.Ref1 Qg6 then:
• 25.Nd1? e3! 26.Bd4 Nxf2 27.Rxf2 Qxg3+ 28.Kf1 exf2 29.Ne3 c5 30.Bc3 Rxe3!! 31.dxe3 Rxe3 32.Qd1 h4 33.Bd2 h3 White resigns (Bird-Chigorin, IT, Vienna, 1882).
• 25.Rh3 Bc7 26.Rfh1 Re5 27.Nd1 is equal.
• 9.Nh3!? Bc5 10.0-0 0-0 11.d3 Nd5 12.c4 Ne7 13.Kh1 Bxh3 14.gxh3 Nf5 15.f4 exf4 16.Bxf4 Ne3 17.Bxe3 Bxe3 18.Nc3 gives White an extra pawn (Steinitz-Chigorin, World Ch, Havana, 1892).

8...Be7

• If 8...Rb8 9.Bd3 h6 10.Ne4 Nd5 then:
• If 11.b3 g6 12.Bb2 Bg7 13.Qg3 Nf4 then:
• 14.Qxf4 exf4 15.Bxg7 Kd7 16.Bf6 Qe8 17.0-0 Kc7 18.Re1 Bf5 19.Na3 Qe6 20.Bc3 Qd5 21.Nc4 Nxc4 22.bxc4 Qd8 23.Ba5+ Black resigns (van der Wiel-S. Ernst, Harmonie Trmt, Groningen, 2004).
• 14.Ba3 Nb7 15.Nbc3 f5 16.Ne2 g5 17.Nxf4 exf4 18.Qf3 Qa5 19.Nd6+ Nxd6 20.Qxc6+ Kf7 21.Bxd6 Re8+ 22.Kd1 Bxa1 23.Bc4+ Be6 24.Re1 Bxc4 25.Qxc4+ Kg6 26.Bxb8 Rxb8 27.c3 Qxa2 28.Re6+ Kh5 29.Rxh6+ draw (van der Wiel-Timman, Dutch Ch, Leeuwarden, 1981).
• 11.Ng3 g6 12.b3 h5 13.0-0 Bg7 14.Ba3 Bg4 15.Qe4 f5 16.Qe1 h4 17.f3 hxg3 18.Qxg3 Bh5 19.Re1 Kf7 20.Nc3 Nb4 21.Kh1 Nxd3 22.cxd3 Qd4 23.Rac1 Bf6 24.Na4 f4 25.Qh3 Bxf3 26.Qxf3 Rxh2+ 27.Kxh2 Rh8+ 28.Qh3 Rxh3+ 29.Kxh3 Qf2 White resigns (Hofni-Zagorovsky, 1964).

9.Bxc6+

• 9.Nc3 0-0 10.Bd3 h6 11.h4 Nd5 12.Bh7+ Kh8 13.Bf5 Bxg5 14.hxg5 Qxg5 15.Bxc8 Raxc8 16.d3 Qg6 17.Bd2 Nxc3 18.Bxc3 Nb7 19.0-0-0 f6 20.Rh3 gives White more space and activity (Short-Sethuraman, Commonwealth Ch, Nagpur, 2008).

9...Nxc6 10.Qxc6+ Bd7 11.Qf3 0-0 12.0-0!?

• If 12.Nc3 Rc8 then:
• 13.d3 Bc6 14.Qh3 h6 15.Nge4 Bxe4 16.dxe4 Bb4 17.Qe3 Qd4 18.Bd2 Bxc3 19.Bxc3 Qxe3+ 20.fxe3 Nxe4 21.Bxe5 Rxc2 22.0-0 Rfc8 is equal (Macieja-Sulskis, FIDE Knock Out, Tripoli, 2004).
• If 13.Qe2 then:
• 13...h6 14.Nge4 Nxe4 15.Qxe4 Bc6 16.Qf5 Bxg2 17.Rg1 Bb7 18.d3 Qb6 19.Bd2 Rb8 20.b3 gives White an extra pawn and a little more space (Vouldis-Sriram, Op, Athens, 2006).
• 13...Bg4 14.f3 Nh5 15.Nge4 Nf4 16.Qf1 f5 17.Nf2 Bh5 18.d3 Bb4 19.Bd2 Ne6 20.0-0-0 Nd4 gives Black more than sufficient space in compensation for his two pawns (Burn-von Bardeleben, IT, London, 1895).

12...Ng4!?

• If 12...Rc8 13.Nc3 then:
• 13...Ng4 14.Nh3 Bd6 15.Qe4 White retains his two extra pawns.
• After 13...Bc6 14.Qh3 Bb4 15.Re1 Re8 16.a3 White still has two extra pawns on the queenside.

13.h3

• Better is 13.Ne4 f5 14.Ng3 e4 15.Qb3+ Kh8 16.Qd5.

13...Nxf2 14.Qxf2 Bxg5

• White has an extra pawn, although he is lagging in development.

15.Nc3 f5 16.d4 Bh4

• If 16...Bf6 then after 17.dxe5 Bxe5 18.Bd2 Qb6 19.Qxb6 axb6 20.a3 White, still with the pawn, remains better.

17.Qe3 e4 18.Ne2

• 18.d5 Bf6 19.Rd1 Qc7 20.a3 Rae8 21.d6 Qb8 gives White an extra pawn and the qualitatively superior passer.

18...Qc8 19.Nc3

• If 19.c3 Bb5 20.Rd1 Re8 then:
• 21.d5 g5 22.g3 f4! 23.gxf4 Bxe2 24.Qxe2 White still has an extra pawn, but his king protection is stripped away.
• 21.b3 Bxe2 22.Qxe2 Qxc3 23.Be3 Qa5 24.Qc4+ gives White command of the open file and the freer passed pawn.

19...Rb8

• 19...Qd8 20.Rd1 Qa5 21.Bd2 Rae8 22.Ne2 Qb5 23.Qb3+ White retains the extra pawn, but Black's kingside presents possibilities of counterplay.

20.b3

• If 20.a3 Qc7 then:
• 21.b4 Qc4 22.Bd2 Rfd8 23.Rad1 Bf6 is equal.
• If 21.b3 Rbc8 22.Bb2 then:
• 22...h6 23.Rad1 Bg5 24.Qe1 Rfe8 25.Qf2 f4 26.Rfe1 is equal.
• If 22...Rfe8?! 23.Rac1 f4 24.Rxf4 Bg5 25.Rcf1 then:
• 25...Qd6 26.d5 Qg6 27.a4 a6 28.a5 Bh6 29.Kh1 White is still better; Black should continue to maintain the pin rather than take the exchange and release the pressure.
• 25...Bxf4? 26.Rxf4 Qb7 27.d5 Qb6 28.Qxb6 axb6 29.Nxe4 gives White a material advantage.

20...Qc7 21.Ba3 f4 22.Nd5?

• The trend now turns in Black's direction.
• 22.Qxe4 Qxc3 23.Bxf8 Rxf8 24.Rad1 Qe3+ is equal.

22...fxe3!

• The indirect exchange of Queens opens the kingside in Black's favor.
• 22...Qa5? 23.Rxf4 Rxf4 24.Qxf4 Re8 25.Bc5 Qd8 26.Nc7 White should win.

23.Nxc7 e2 24.Rfe1 Bf2+!

• Black sets up the winning sacrifice.
• 24...Bxe1?! 25.Rxe1 Rf5 26.d5 Rb7 27.Bd6 is equal.

25.Kh2

• 25.Kh1? loses to 25...Bxe1 26.Bxf8 Rxf8 when:
• 27.Kh2 Rf1 28.Nd5 Bg3+ finishes the game.
• 27.Rxe1 loses immediately to 27...Rf1+.

BLACK: Yaroslav Zherebukh
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Alex Onischuk
Position after 25.Kg1h2

25...Bxd4!!

• In order to maintain the assualt on White's kingside, Black sacrifices the exchange rather than takes it when he could.
• 25...Bxe1?! 26.Rxe1 Rbc8 27.Bxf8 Kxf8 28.Na6 Rxc2 is equal.

26.Bxf8 Rxf8 27.Rac1

• 27.Rab1 Be5+ 28.Kg1 Bxc7 29.Rxe2 Bb6+ gives Black more activity and the better passed pawn.

27...Be5+ 28.Kh1 Bxc7 29.Rxe2 Bc6

• After 29...e3 30.Kg1 Bg3 31.c4 Bf2+ 32.Kf1 Rf3 Black's activity is a clear advantage; 33.gxf3?? is obviously out of the question.

30.c4 e3 31.Kg1 Rd8 32.Rxe3

• This shortens the agony.
• 32.Ra1 Kf7 33.b4 Re8 34.a4 puts White on the rack.

BLACK: Yaroslav Zherebukh
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Alex Onischuk
Position after 32.Re2e3:p

32...Bf4!

• Black wins a piece.

33.Re6 0-1

• No better is 33.Rce1 Bxe3+ 34.Rxe3 Rd2 35.g4 Rxa2.
• Grandmaster Zherebukh resigns without waiting for Mr. Onishuk to play 33...Bxc1.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Pogonina - Solovjova, Open Women's, Round 4, Moscow

Natalija Pogonina
Photo: ChessBase.com


Natalija Pogonina - Valentina Solovjova
Moscow Open (Women's Group), Round 4
Moscow, 3 February 2009

Open German Game: Seirawan Defense (Caro-Kann Defense)

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7

• This is the initial point of the Seirawan Defense.

8.Bd3

• The alternative is 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 then:
• If 10...e6 11.Bf4 Qa5+ 12.Bd2 Bb4 13.c3 Be7 14.c4 Qc7 15.0-0-0 Ngf6 16.Kb1 0-0 17.Rhe1 then:
• 17...Rfd8 18.Qc2!? a5 19.a3 a4 20.Ne2 Ng4 21.Nf4 Ndf6 22.Bc1 Ra5 23.Qe2 Bf8 24.Nh4 e5 25.dxe5 Rxe5 26.Qc2 Rxe1 27.Rxe1 Qa5 28.Re2 Nxh5 29.Nd3 Rd4 30.Nf3 Rd8 31.Nfe1 b5 32.c5 Ngf6 33.Ne5 is unclear: Black has an extra pawn and White has more space and activity (Hou Yifan-Iordachescu, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2008).
• 17...Rfe8 18.Ne5 Bd6 19.f4 Rad8 20.Qf3 c5 21.Nxd7 Rxd7 22.d5 exd5 23.Rxe8+ Nxe8 24.cxd5 gives White more space in an otherwise passive position (Karjakin-Mchedlishvili, Beer Sheva, 2005).
• If 10...Ngf6 11.Bd2 e6 then:
• If 12.c4 then:
• 12...b5!? 13.cxb5 cxb5 14.Qxb5 Bd6 15.Ne5 Qb8 16.Qxb8+ Rxb8 17.Bc3 gives White the advantage of the gambit pawn (Petrenko-Chiburdanidze, OlW, Dresden, 2008).
• If 12...Qc7 13.0-0-0 Be7 14.Kb1 0-0 15.Rhe1 then:
• If 15...Rad8 then:
• 16.Nf5 exf5 17.Rxe7 Ne4 18.Nh4 Nxf2 19.Qf3 Nxd1 20.Nxf5 Qb6 21.Qxd1 Nf6 22.Bxh6 gxh6 23.Qd2 gives White a fierce initiative which will cause Black to return material (Amonatov-Akesson, Op, Vlissingen, 2008).
• 16.Qc2 Ng4 17.Bc3 Rfe8 18.Qe2 a5 19.Ne5 draw (Motylev-Dreev, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2005).
• 15...Rfe8 16.Ne5 Bd6 transposes to Karjakin-Mchedishvili, above.
• If 12.0-0-0 then:
• If 12...Qc7 13.Ne4 0-0-0 14.g3 Nxe4 15.Qxe4 Bd6 16.c4 c5 then:
• 17.d5 Nf6 18.Qc2 exd5 19.cxd5 Rhe8 20.Bc3 Qd7 21.Bxf6 gxf6 22.Nh4 Re5 23.f4 Rxh5 24.Qe2 Rxd5 25.Rxd5 Bxf4+ 26.gxf4 Qxd5 is equal (Hammer-Simutowe, Op. Reykjavik, 2008).
• 17.Bc3 Nf6 18.Qe2 cxd4 19.Nxd4 a6 20.Kb1 Rd7 21.Nf3 Rhd8 22.Rc1 Qc5 23.Rh4 Nxh5 24.Ne5 Bxe5 25.Rxh5 f6 26.Bxe5 fxe5 27.Rxe5 is equal (Kaidanov-Feingold, US Ch, Tulsa, 2008).
• 12...Be7 13.Ne4 Nxe4 14.Qxe4 Nf6 15.Qe2 Qd5 16.c4 Qe4 17.Qxe4 Nxe4 18.Be3 Nd6 19.b3 Bf6 20.g4 b5 21.Nd2 Kd7 22.Kc2 is equal (Kramnik-Bareev, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2003).

8...Bxd3 9.Qxd3 Qc7

• If 9...Ngf6 10.Bf4 then:
• If 10...e6 11.0-0-0 Be7 12.Kb1 0-0 13.Ng5 then:
• If 13...Re8 14.Nh5 Nf8 15.Nxf6+ Bxf6 16.Ne4 Ng6 17.Bg3 Bxh4 18.Bxh4 Nxh4 19.Qh3 Ng6 20.g4 Qd5 is equal (Matu-Bets. Local Trmt, Kishnev (Macedonia), 2001).
• With 13...hxg5?? Black falls into a well-known opening trap; White wins after 14.hxg5 g6 (14...Ne8 15.Qh7#) 15.gxf6.
• If 13...Qa5 then:
• 14.Bd2?! Qd5! 15.c4 Ne5 16.Qc2 Nxc4 gives Black an extra pawn and a strong initiative (J. Polgar-Vallejo, IT, Benidorm, 2003),
• 10...Qa5+ 11.Bd2 Qc7 to the game.

10.Bd2 Ngf6 11.0-0-0 e6 12.Ne4

• If 12.Kb1 0-0-0 13.c4 c5 then:
• If 14.Bc3 cxd4 15.Nxd4 a6 16.Nf3 then:
• 16...Be7 17.Qe2 Rhe8 18.Rhe1 Qb6 19.Ne5 Nxe5 20.Bxe5 Rxd1+ 21.Rxd1 Rd8 22.Rxd8+ Kxd8 draw (Kavalek-Filip, IT, Marianske Lazne, 1965).
• If 16...Bc5 17.Qe2 Bd6 18.Ne4 Be7 then:
• 19.Rhe1 Nxe4 20.Qxe4 Bf6 21.Qe3 Bxc3 22.Qxc3 Nf6 is equal (Spassky-Matulovic, IT, Belgrade, 1964).
• 19.Nxf6 Bxf6 20.Bxf6 Nxf6 21.Ne5 Rxd1+ 22.Rxd1 Rd8 23.Rxd8+ Kxd8 24.Qd3+ Ke7 is equal (Spassky-Petrosian, World Ch, Moscow, 1966).
• 14.Qe2 Bd6 15.Ne4 Nxe4 16.Qxe4 Nf6 17.Qe2 cxd4 18.Nxd4 a6 19.Bc3 Rd7 20.Rc1 Qc5 21.Nb3 Qf5+ 22.Rc2 Bc7 is equal (Smyslov-Botvinnik, World Ch, Moscow, 1958).

12...0-0-0 13.g3

• 13.Kb1 Nc5 14.Nxc5 Bxc5 15.Rhe1 Rhe8 16.c4 Kb8 17.Bc3 Bd6 18.Qe2 is equal (Spoelman-Doettling, GM Trmt, Hockenheim/Willingen, 2006).

13...Nxe4 14.Qxe4 Nf6

• 14...Bd6 15.Rhe1 Nf6 16.Qe2 c5 17.c4 cxd4 18.Nxd4 a6 19.Nb3 Qc6 is equal (Skripchenko-Solovjova, Russian ChTW, Sochi, 2005).

15.Qe2 Bd6 16.c4

• 16.Ne5 c5 17.Nc4 cxd4 18.Nxd6+ Qxd6 19.Bf4 Qd5 20.Rhe1 Rd7 21.Rd3 b5 is equal (Calzetta-Benaddi, Op, Gibraltar, 2005).

16...c5!?

• 16...Qe7 17.Kb1 Bc7 18.Bc3 draw (Palac-Zelcic, Premier League, Neum, 2005).

17.Bc3

• The game is equal.
• 17.dxc5 Bxc5 18.Bf4 Qb6 19.Qe5 Nd7 is also level.

17...cxd4 18.Nxd4

• Recapturing with the Knight rather than the Bishop discourages from putting her Knight on g4.
• 18.Bxd4 Rhe8 19.Rhe1 Bb4 20.Rg1 Ng4 remains equal.

18...a6 19.Kb1 Rd7 20.Nb3 Qc6?!

• The advantage of this move is that White will have to move her Rook from a1 before letting her other Rook at d1 leave the back rank. That is only a transient plus as will be seen.
• 20...Be7 leeps Black's kingside pawns in tact should White decide to take the Knight and the game remains equal after 21.Rxd7 Qxd7 22.Rd1 Qc6 23.f3.

21.Bxf6! gxf6 22.c5 Bc7 23.Rxd7

• The last note no longer applies, since this amounts to an exchange of Rooks.
• 23.Rhe1 Rhd8 24.Rxd7 Rxd7 25.Qg4 f5 remains equal.

23...Qxh1+

• 23...Qxd7 24.Rd1 Qc6 is a transposition.

24.Rd1 Qc6

• 24...Qg2 25.Nc1 f5 26.Qc2 Rd8 27.Rxd8+ Bxd8 remains equal.

BLACK: Valentina Solovjova
!""""""""#
$ +l+ + T%
$+oV +o+ %
$o+w+oO O%
$+ P + + %
$ + + + P%
$+n+ + P %
$pP +qP +%
$+k+r+ + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Natalija Pogonina
Position after 24...Qa1c6

25.Qh5!

• White takes the aggressive way of defending the pawn.
• 25.Qc2!? f5 26.Nd4 Qg2 27.Qe2 Rd8 remains equal.

25...Rd8 26.Rxd8+ Bxd8 27.a3

• 27.Qxh6?! Qe4+ 28.Ka1 Qe1+ 29.Qc1 Qxf2 gives Black a slight but obvious advantage.

27...Qe4+ 28.Ka2 a5 29.Qxh6

• White has an extra pawn, an outside passer no less, but the centralized Queen is compensation for Black.

29...a4 30.Nc1 Qc4+ 31.Kb1 Qxc5

• If 31...Qe4+ then:
• 32.Ka1 Be7 33.Qe3 Qxe3 34.fxe3 Bxc5 35.e4 gives White the advantage of the outside passer.
• 32.Ka2 Qc4+ 33.Kb1 Qe4+ draws.

32.Qf4!

• White simultaneously protect her pawn base at f2 and attacks the pawn at a4.

32...Qb5

• If 32...Bb6 then after 33.Qxa4 Qf5+ 34.Ka2 Bxf2 35.Qe8+ Kc7 36.Qxf7+ White remains a pawn to the good.

33.Qd4 Bc7

• If 33...Be7 34.Qc3+ Kb8 35.Qd3 then:
• 35...Qc6 36.h5 f5 37.Qc2 Qf3 38.Qe2 offers White no great advantage.
• 35...Qe8 36.Qc4 f5 37.Ne2 b5 38.Qf4+ gives White the active Queen and the outside passer.

34.Nd3 Qf5

• The more aggressive defense 34...Bb6 35.Qd6 Bd8 36.Kc2 Qb3+ 37.Kc1 Qc4+ gives Black better chances of saving the game.

35.g4!?

• White weakens her grip on the h-pawn.
• 35.Kc1 Qf3 36.Kc2 e5 37.Qe3 Qd5 is equal.

35...Qh7 36.Ka2!?

• If 36.h5 f5 37.f3 fxg4 38.fxg4 b5 39.Ka2 then:
• After 39...f5 40.Nc5 Qf7 41.Qe3 e5+ 42.Kb1 Qd5 43.h6 White wins.
• If 39...Qg8 then after 40.Nc5 Qf8 41.Qd7+ Kb8 42.Qxb5+ Kc8 43.Qd7+ White wins.

36...e5?

• White misses the opportunity to eliminate the h-pawn.
• 36...Qxh4 37.Qxa4 Qh1 38.Qe8+ Bd8 39.Qb5 is equal.

BLACK: Valentina Solovjova
!""""""""#
$ +l+ + +%
$+oV +o+w%
$ + + O +%
$+ + O + %
$o+ Q +pP%
$P +n+ + %
$kP + P +%
$+ + + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Natalija Pogonina
Position after 36...e6e5

37.Qd5!

• The Queen is now in contact with just about any point it needs to be.

37...Qxh4 38.f3 b6

• The text move keeps White's Knight away from c5, but it opens a path to the back rank for the White Queen.
• 38...Bb6 39.Qxf7 Bd4 40.Qe8+ Kc7 41.Qxa4 is not much better.

39.Qa8+ Kd7 40.Nb4 f5

• 40...Ke7 41.Qc8 Qh1 42.Nd5+ Kd6 43.Nxf6 Qxf3 44.Qd7+ wins the Bishop.

41.Qc6+ Kd8 42.Nd5 Bb8

• 42...fxg4 43.Qxc7+ Ke8 44.Qd6 f5 45.Nf6+ Kf7 46.Qd5+ if Black takes on f6 then White skewers the Queen with 47.Qd8+.

43.Nxb6 Ke7 44.Qb7+ Ke6 45.Qd7+! 1-0

• 45...Kf6 46.Qd8+ skewers the Queen.
• Ms. Solovjova resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Giri - Gupta, Corus C, Round 10, Wijk aan Zee

Anish Giri, the child of a Russian mother and Nepalese father, is a fourteen-year-old talent. He plays under the auspices of Russia but lives with his parents in Holland.

He entered Wijk aan Zee as a federation master. He finished second in Group C behind Wesley So, who himself is only 15, and received his third grandmaster norm. Anish will become a GM when he can get his rating over 2500.

In this game he defeats the reigning world junior champion, Abhijeet Gupta of India.



Anish Giri
Photo: Dr.John Nunn in ChessBase.com


Anish Giri - Abhijeet Gupta
Corus Chess Tournament (Group C), Round 10
Wijk aan Zee, 28 January 2009

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

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Bd2!?

• White departs from the usual 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 0-0.

5...Nb6

• 5...Bg7 6.e4 provides an opportunity to go back into the main line.

6.Nf3 Bg7 7.Bg5

• If 7.Rc1 0-0 then:
• If 8.Bg5 h6 9.Bh4 g5 10.Bg3 c5 then:
• 11.e3 Nc6 12.dxc5 Bxc3+ 13.bxc3 Qxd1+ 14.Rxd1 Na4 15.Rc1 Nxc5 16.Nd4 Ne4 17.Nxc6 bxc6 18.Bc4 Nxg3 19.hxg3 Kg7 20.0-0 Rb8 is equal (W. Schmidt-Ribli, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1972).
• 11.dxc5 Bxc3+ 12.Rxc3 Qxd1+ 13.Kxd1 Na4 14.Rc2 Bf5 15.Rd2 Nc6 16.Ne5 Nxe5 17.Bxe5 Nxc5 18.f3 Rfd8 19.e4 Be6 20.Bd4 Rac8 is equal (Butnorius-M. W. Weeks, Irish Ch, Dublin, 2008).
• 8.e3 Nc6 9.Bb5 e5 10.Bxc6 exd4 11.Nxd4 bxc6 12.Nce2 Qg5 13.0-0 c5 14.Nf3 Qe7 15.Bc3 Rd8 is equal (Dreev-Kurnosov, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).

7...0-0 8.e3 h6

• 8...Nc6 9.Bb5 Na5 10.0-0 Be6 11.Ne4 Nac4 12.Nc5 Bg4 13.Rc1 gives White more activity (Dreev-Kristjansson, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).

9.Bh4 c5 10.dxc5 N6d7 11.Rc1 Nc6

• 11...g5 12.Bg3 Nxc5 13.Nd4 Nc6 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.Qc2 Qa5 16.Be2 Na4 17.0-0 Nxc3 18.bxc3 Bf5 is equal (Markus-Navara, Ol. Torino, 2006).

12.Bb5 Nxc5 13.0-0 g5 14.Bg3 Bf5

• 14...Be6 15.Bxc6 bxc6 16.Nd4 Bd7 17.Nb3 Nxb3 18.Qxb3 Be6 19.Qa3 a5 20.h4 g4 21.b3 Qb6 22.Qxe7 gives White an extra pawn (Dreev-Sutovsky, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2005).

15.Qd5 Qxd5 16.Nxd5 Nd3?

• The novelty loses the game, but it promised to be difficult for Black in any case.
• 16...e6 17.Bxc6 exd5 18.Bxd5 Ne4 19.Be5 Bxe5 20.Nxe5 Rae8 21.Nf3 Re7 22.Nd4 Bg6 23.Rfd1 Rd8 24.Bb3 gives White the more active game and an extra pawn (Timoshchenko-Rogulj, Op, Jesolo, 1999).

BLACK: Abhijeet Gupta
!""""""""#
$t+ + Tl+%
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$+ R +rK %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Anish Giri
Position after 16...Nc5d3

17.Bxc6!!

• White has enough going for him that he comfortably sacrifices the exchange.

17...Nxc1

• No better for Black is 17...bxc6 18.Nxe7+ Kh7 19.Nxf5 Nxc1 20.Rxc1.

18.Rxc1 Bxb2 19.Rc5 Rad8 20.h3

• Better is 20.Nxe7+ Kh7 21.Ba4.

20...Be6 21.Bxb7 Bxd5 22.Bxd5

• It is better to preserve the Rook.
• 22.Rxd5 Rxd5 23.Bxd5 e6 24.Bb3 gives White a harder time making progress.

22...Ba3 23.Ra5 Bb4 24.Rb5 a6
BLACK: Abhijeet Gupta
!""""""""#
$ + T Tl+%
$+ + Oo+ %
$o+ + + O%
$+r+b+ O %
$ V + + +%
$+ + PnBp%
$p+ + Pp+%
$+ + + K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Anish Giri
Position after 24...a7a6

25.Bxf7+?!

• The Bishop is a desperado. White sending to his doom thus, White gets an extra pawn.
• 25.Rxb4 Rxd5 26.e4 Rd1+ 27.Kh2 Rc8 allows Black some counterplay.

25...Rxf7

• Black is reduced to waiting for a good excuse to resigns.
• 25...Kxf7 26.Rxb4 Ke8 27.Nd4 Rf6 28.Be5 is bleak.

26.Rxb4 Rd1+ 27.Kh2 Rf6 28.h4

• Black cannot allow his material deficit to get any worse.
• 28.Rb7 Kf7 29.Ne5+ Ke8 30.h4 Rfd6 31.Rb8+ forces Blak to exchange Rooks.

28...Rg6 29.Rb8+ Kg7 30.Be5+ Kf7 31.Bd4 Rd6

• If 31...Re6 32.hxg5 Kg6 33.Rg8+ Kf7 34.Rh8 h5 35.Rxh5 leaves White with a prohibitive material advantage.

32.hxg5 hxg5 33.Nxg5+ 1-0

• As if there's any reasonable doubt, 33...Kg6 34.Rg8+ Kh5 35.Nf7 Rg6 36.Rh8+ Kg4 37.Ne5+ wins the Rook.
• Gupta-ji resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

10. DUers should appriciate Alex Onischuk's fashion statement

Please click here to see the photo of Moscow Open champions Natalija Pogonina of Russia and Alex Onischuk of the United States.