The JR Chess Report (April 11): Russian Team Championships Conclude

[Jack Rabbit]

Tomsk, Spartak Vidnoe and Polytechnik win Russian Team Championships



Teams representing Tomsk, the Spartak Chess Club in Vodnoe and the Polytechik Institute in Nizhny Tagil have won their respective league competitions at the Russian Team Championships in Dagomys, a resort center about 20 miles inland from Sochi on the eastern shores of the Black Sea.

Premiere League

The team from Tomsk returned to form in The Premiere League, consisting of the top-rated teams in Russia, a year after a disappointing ninth-place finish out of twelve.

This year, with only eight tems competing in the Premiere League, Tomsk scored 11 match points out of a possible 14 to win by two full points over 64 Moscow, defending champions Ural Sverdlovsk and Economist-1 Saratov.

Alexander Morozevich left the team after last year's dechacle, putting Dmitry Jakovenko on the top board for Tomsk. Tomsk only overwhelmed one opponent, the Chigorin Chess Club of St. Petersburg in the second round and losing to 64 Moscow in Round 5. Except for a first round draw with Sverdlovsk, Tomsk won every other match by a +1 score. The team's leading scorers were Vladislav Tkachiev, who now lives and plays for France, and Tajikistan's Farrukh Amonatov, both of whom scored +2 out of six games.

Women's League

The Spartak Chess Club from the Moscow suburb of Vidnoe won the Women's League largely on the backs of the red-hot Tatiana Kosintseva, who scored five wins and two draws in seven rounds, and Katya Lahno, who won 4 and lost one in seven rounds.

It was a disappointing tournament for former women's champion Antoaneta Stefanova, who scored only 2½ points out of six for Spartak in contrast to the 11 points out of 14 contributed to the team's 18 board points by Tanya and Katya.

AVS Krasnoturynsk, with former women's champion Xu Yuhua on the top board, tied for first in terms of match points, but couldn't match Spartak's 18 board points and had to settle for second place. Krasnoturynsk's leading scorer was Anna Muzychuk with 4 points out of six.

Higher League

Polytechnik, the team representing the Nizhny Tagil Technological Institute, won the nine-round Higher League with 14 match points, a full point ahead of Economist-2 Saratov and Yurga.

The team was carried on board three by grandmaster Dmitry Kryakvin, who played in all nine rounds, scoring 5 wins, one loss and two draws.



Foxwoods Open Begins in Connecticut



The Foxwoods Resort and Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut, is hosting the annual Foxwoods Open, one of the premiere events on the American chess calendar, this weekend.

The event, whish began Wednesday with a single round, is played over five days with two rounds per day Thursday through Sunday.

Reigning US champion Yury Shulman was leading after Friday night's fifth round with a perfect score.


Hungarian tournament cancelled after one round, leaving 12 players stranded


ChessVibes

The second Gideon Barcza Memorial Tournament, scheduled to be played from April 6-17 in Budapest, was cancelled after only one round when the organizer Gabor Pali failed to pay either the Ramada Hotel, where the event was taking place, or the participating players.

Most information about the incident, as well as a personal account of how the participants were inconvenienced by the fiasco, is in an open letter written by Dutch IM Robert Ris upon his return to Amsterdam.

According to a statement by Lithuanian GM Eduardas Rozentalis, Mr. Pali promised to pay the players' expenses several times, but never followed through.

Israeli GM Evgeny Postny, while expressing anger at Mr. Pali and his "bullshit," also expresses astonishment at Pali's actions: "He paid nothing, didn’t get any money from the sponsor, and didn’t ran out of the city. He is going nowhere, just says that he will pay at that date, that hour, that sum to that person, and all lies of course."


Calendar


FIDE Grand Prix, Nalchik 14-29 April.

Dubai Open 25 April-5 May.

MTel Masters, Sofia 9-19 May.

Asian Championships, Subic Freeprot (The Philippines) 12-23 May.

US Chess Championship, St. Louis 18-29 May.

Chicago Open 22-25 May.

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

World Open, Philadelphia 29 June-5 July.

San Sebastian International Tournament 6-16 July. Former world champion Karpov is among the participants.

Canadian Open, Edmonton 11-19 July.

Czech Open, Pardubice 16 July-2 August.

Biel Chess Festival 18-31 July.

FIDE Grand Prix, Yerevan. 8-24 August.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. This week's games

(Three posted now; more will follow)

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
!""""""""#
$tMvWlVmT%
$OoOoOoOo%
$ + + + +%
$+ + + + %
$ + + + +%
$+ + + + %
$pPpPpPpP%
$RnBqKbNr%
/(((((((()
WHITE
White to move
(This position is a theoretical draw)

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Russian Team Championships, Sochi

Dagomys
Rajce

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Alekseev - Jakovenko, Premiere League, Round 4

Dmitry Jakovenko
Photo: Bundesliga (Germany)


Evgeny Alekseev (Sartov) - Dmitry Jakovenko (Tomsk)
Russian Team Championships, Premier League, Round 4
Sochi, 7 April 2009

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Anti-Marshall Line (Kasparov Variation)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.a4 b4 9.d4!?

• The most common move here is 9.d3. It's nice to see a top ranked player go with the more aggressive line.

9...d6 10.dxe5

• 10.c3 bxc3 11.bxc3 Bg4 12.Be3 exd4 13.cxd4 d5 14.e5 Ne4 15.h3 Bh5 16.Nbd2 Bb4 17.Qc2 Na5 18.Rec1 Nc3 19.Qd3 Bg6 20.Qf1 gives Black the advantage in space (Tolush-Furman, Soviet Ch, Riga, 1958).

10...Nxe5 11.Bf4

• If 11.Nxe5 dxe5 then:
• If 12.Qf3 Bb7 13.Nd2 Kh8 14.Qf5 Bc5 15.h3 Qd4 16.Ba2 Bb6 17.Nb3 Qc4 18.Na5 Bxe4 19.Nxc4 Bxf5 20.Nxe5 Bxc2 21.Nxf7+ Kg8 22.Nh6+ Kh8 23.Nf7+ Kg8 draw (Akopian-Pashikian, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).
• 12.Bg5 Bb7 13.Nd2 Nd7 14.Be3 Bc5 15.Qh5 Bxe3 16.Rxe3 Nf6 17.Qe2 a5 18.Bc4 Qe7 19.Nb3 Rfd8 gives Black a small advatage in space (Kupreichik-Razuvaev, Soviet Ch, Minsk, 1979).

11...Ng6 12.Bg3 Bb7 13.Nbd2 Nh5!

• Black introduces a new move.13...Qd7 14.Nd4 d5 15.e5 Ne8 16.e6 fxe6 17.Nxe6 Rf6 18.Qe2 a5 19.c4 bxc3 20.bxc3 c5 21.Nf3 gives White the advantage in space (Dubinin-Tolush, Soviet Ch, Leningrad, 1947).

14.Nc4?!

• If 14.Bd5 Qc8 15.Bxb7 Qxb7 16.Nf1 Bf6 then:
• If 17.Nd4 Nxg3 18.Nxg3 c5 19.Ndf5 Bxb2 20.Ra2 Be5 leaves Black a pawn to the good.
• 17.Ra2 Rfe8 18.N3d2 Nxg3 19.Nxg3 d5 20.Qf3 Rad8 leaves White's position a little too loose.

14...Nxg3 15.hxg3 a5 16.e5

• If 16.c3 Re8 17.cxb4 axb4 then:
• 18.a5 Bf6 19.Qd3 Re7 20.Re3 Qe8 give Black pressure on White's e-pawn.
• 18.Qd3 Bf6 19.Ra2 Qe7 20.Ncd2 Ne5 gives Black the initiative.

16...Bxf3 17.Qxf3 d5

• 17...dxe5!? 18.Nxe5 Nxe5 19.Rxe5 Bf6 20.Rd5 is equal.

18.Ne3 c6 19.Qh5 Bc5

• 19...Re8 20.Ng4 Qd7 21.c4 bxc3 22.bxc3 Rab8 23.Bc2 is equal.

20.Rad1!?

• This move is somewhat risky.
• 20.c3 bxc3 21.bxc3 Re8 22.Ng4 Rb8 23.Rab1 Qe7 remains equal.

20...Qb6 21.Ng4 Rae8

• If 21...Bd4 22.Rb1 Rae8 then:
• 23.c3 bxc3 24.bxc3 Bxc3 gives Black an extra pawn.
• 23.Qf5 Qc7 24.Qd3 Bxe5 gives Black an extra pawn.

22.Kf1 Bd4 23.f4?!

• If White protects the b-pawn with 23.Rb1 Re6 24.Re2 Qa6! then:
• 25.f4 f5 26.Nf2 Bxf2 27.Kxf2 Qb6+ gives Black more activity, but White's game is still playable.
• 25.c4 bxc3 26.bxc3 Bxc3 27.Bc2 Bxe5 puts Black two pawns up.

23...f6 24.exf6 Rxe1+ 25.Rxe1 Qa6+

• Black forces White into a self-pin.

26.Re2 Re8 27.Nf2

• My silicon sidekick suggests the sacrifice 27.Bxd5+ which seems to have some merit after 27...cxd5 28.Qxd5+ Kh8 29.fxg7+ Bxg7 30.Qb5, but after the exchange of Queens Black's extra Bishop looks stronger than White's extra pawns.

BLACK: Dmitry Jakovenko
!""""""""#
$ + +t+l+%
$+ + + Oo%
$w+o+ Pm+%
$O +o+ +q%
$pO V P +%
$+b+ + P %
$ Pp+rNp+%
$+ + +k+ %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Evgeny Alekseev
Position after 27.Ng4f2

27...Qxe2+!?

• Black judges that he wins after a general liquidation.
• The text is better toward that end than 27...Bxf6 28.Nd3 Rxe2 29.Qxe2 Nf8.
• If 27...gxf6?! 28.Nd3 Rxe2 29.Qxe2 then:
• If 29...Qc8 30.c3 bxc3 31.bxc3 then:
• 31...Bb6 32.c4 Qd7 33.cxd5 cxd5 is equal.
• 31...Bxc3? 32.Qc2 Bd4 33.Bxd5+! gives White the better game.
• 29...Kf8 30.Qh5 Qa7 31.f5 equalizes.
• While Black may have deterimined his chances are better with fewer pieces on the board, we are not so certain.

28.Qxe2 Rxe2 29.Kxe2 Bxb2 30.fxg7 Kxg7 31.Kd3!

• White keeps his King in the center, from where it can battle against Black's pawn mass at it advances.
• If 31.Nd3 Bd4 32.g4 h6 then:
• 33.Ba2 Kf7 34.g3 Nf8 35.Ne1 Ne6 36.Nd3 leaves Black slightly better; White could stir up counterplay on the kingside if Black presses.
• If 33.g3 then after 33...Nf8 34.g5 hxg5 35.fxg5 Ne6 Black wins a pawn.

31...Bc3 32.Nd1

• 32.Ke3 Ne7 33.g4 c5 34.Nd1 c4! all but entombs White's Bishop.

BLACK: Dmitry Jakovenko
!""""""""#
$ + + + +%
$+ + + Lo%
$ +o+ +m+%
$O +o+ + %
$pO + P +%
$+bOk+ P %
$ +p+ +p+%
$+ +n+ + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Evgeny Alekseev
Position after 32.Nf2d1

32...Be1!

• Black wins a pawn.

33.Kd4

• There is no way to stop Black from taking the pawn.
• If 33.g4 then Black wins and maintains the pawn after 33...Nxf4+ 34.Kd4 Ne6+ 35.Ke5 Kf7 36.Kd6 Nd4.

33...Bxg3 34.Kc5 Nxf4 35.Kxc6 d4 36.Kc5

• If 36.Kb5 Nxg2 37.Kxa5 then:
• If 37...Bd6 38.Kb6 Ne3 39.Nb2 h5 gives Black the advantage of the remote passed pawn.
• 37...Be1 38.Kb5 h5 39.a5 is equal.

36...Nxg2!

• Black obtains a remote passer.

37.Kxd4 Kf6

• In spite of all the accumulated small advantages, Black has not won this game.
• The factor working hardest in White's favor is that the remaining Bishops are of opposite color. They operate almost unaware of each other, each effecting points the other never sees.
• If 37...h5 then after 38.Bd5 Nf4 39.Bh1 h4 40.c3 h3 41.Kc4 Black can go no further wis his h-pawn and even finds that his queenside is threatened.

38.Ke4 Bb8 39.c3!

• This stabilizes the queenside. White does not want to move all of his forces to defend against the advance of the h-pawn while leaving anything unresolved here.

39...bxc3 40.Nxc3 h5!

• Black does not need to queen the h-pawn to win. It will suffice to make White surrender a piece to stop it, preferrably exchanging off the other piece, leaving Black a piece up as the theatre shifts back to the queenside with an easy win for Black.

41.Nd5+ Kg5 42.Ne3 Nf4 43.Bc4!?

• White's chances of winning this game are, at least for the moment, slim and none. This is a simple attack (Black)/defend (White) situation. Black plan is to advance the pawn as far as possible and force Black to sacrfice a piece to stop it. White's plan to to stop the pawn without sacrificing a piece, in which case the game is probably drawn.
• The text move allows the pawn to advance.
• If 43.Kf3 h4 44.Nd5 then:
• If 44...Nd3 45.Kg2! then:
• If 45...Ba7 then after 46.Bc4 Nc5 47.Bb5 Ne4 48.Bd7 Bb8 Black is making no progress.
• 45...Bf4 46.Bc4 Nc5 47.Bb5 Kg4 48.Be2+ foces the Black King back.
• If 44...Nxd5 45.Bxd5 h3 46.Bc6 Kh4 47.Bd5 then:
• 47...Be5 48.Be4 Bg7 49.Bg6 etc. and so long as Black does not permit the Black King to advance to g3, the game is drawn.
• 47...Bg3? 48.Be6 h2 49.Kg2 draws.

BLACK: Dmitry Jakovenko
!""""""""#
$ V + + +%
$+ + + + %
$ + + + +%
$O + + Lo%
$p+b+kM +%
$+ + N + %
$ + + + +%
$+ + + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Evgeny Alekseev
Position after 43.Bb3c4

43...h4 44.Bf1 Bc7 45.Kf3

• If 45.Nd5 then after 45...Nxd5 46.Kxd5 Kg4 47.Kc6 Bd8 48.Bg2 h3 White will be forced to give up the Bishop for the pawn.

45...h3 46.Ng4

• Black needs to bring the King into contact with g2.
• If 46.Nc2 then 46...Kh4 47.Nd4 h2 48.Bg2 Nh5 49.Bh1 Ng3 50.Kg2 doesn't quite get it done.

46...Ng2 47.Nf2 Nh4+ 48.Ke4 h2 49.Nh1 Nf5

• White need two tempi to win: One to to drive the Knight out of the promotion point and the other to get the King in contact with the critical g2 square.

50.Bh3?

• White has several good moves here, but he made this one instead.
• 50.Kf3 Bd6 51.Ba6 Nh4+ 52.Ke4 Ng6 53.Kf3 Nf4 the Black King cannot get in to support the h-pawn.
• If 50.Bg2 Bb6 51.Kf3 Kh4 52.Bf1 then:
• If 52...Ne3 53.Bd3 then:
• 53...Bc5 54.Be4 Ba7 55.Bd3 reaches entropy.
• 53...Kh3 54.Nf2+ Kh4 55.Nh1 invites repetition.
• 52...Ba7 53.Bd3 Ne3 54.Bg6 Bd4 55.Bf7 is going nowhere.

BLACK: Dmitry Jakovenko
!""""""""#
$ + + + +%
$+ V + + %
$ + + + +%
$O + +nL %
$p+ +k+ +%
$+ + + +b%
$ + + + O%
$+ + + +n%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Evgeny Alekseev
Position after 50.Bf1h3

50...Ng3+!!

• Two tempi coming right up. That's one.

51.Nxg3 Kh4!

• And that's two.

52.Kf3

• After 52.Bg2 Kxg3 53.Bh1 Kf2 54.Bf3 Kg1 the pawn promotes and the White Bishop falls.

52...Kxh3 53.Nh1 Bb6!

• So the King cannot go to f2, blocking the White King's access to g2.

54.Ng3 Bd8 55.Nh1

• If 55.Kf2 then 55...Bh4! wins the Knight, making the win very easy.

55...Bh4 56.Ke4 0-1

• Alekseev resigns without waiting for Jakovenko to reply.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. T. Kosintseva - Ushenina, Women's League, Round 5

Hold on to your seats. We're going for a wild ride. This is a tactician's holiday.



Tatiana Kosintseva
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Tatiana Kosintseva (Spartak Vidnoe) - Anna Ushenina (Economist-1 Saratov)
Russian Team Championships, Woemn's League, Round 5
Sochi, 7 April 2009

Closed German Game: Houska Defense (Caro-Kann Defense)

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5

• This move, also called the Botvinnik-Carls Defense, is recommeded by British IM Jovanka Houska in her book Play the Caro-Kann (London: Everyman Chess, 2007, p. 120). Usenina has enjoyed some success with it, scoring victories last year over Ekaterina Korbut in Plovdiv and over Anna Muzychuk in the North Urals.

4.dxc5 Nc6 5.Nf3

• If 5.Bb5 e6 6.Be3 Nge7 then:
• If 7.c3 Bd7 8.Bxc6 then:
• If 8...Bxc6 9.Nf3 Nf5 10.Bd4 then:
• If 10...Nxd4 11.Qxd4 then:
• If 11...Qa5 12.b4 Qa6 then:
• 13.a4 b6 14.Qf4 d4 15.Ng5 Qb7 16.b5 Bxg2 17.c6 gives White a protexted passed pawn (Movsesian-Svetushkin, Ol, Calvia, 2004).
• 13.Nbd2 b6 14.Nb3 bxc5 15.Nxc5 Bxc5 16.Qxc5 gives White an advantage in space and a extra pawn.(Zezulkin -Gralka, Rubinstein Mem Op, Polanica Zdroj, 2001).
• 11...Qc7 12.b4 b6 13.cxb6 axb6 14.0-0 Be7 15.Nbd2 0-0 16.Rfc1 Bb5 17.Qe3 Rfc8 18.Nd4 gives White an extra pawn (Ponomariov-R. Popov, Russian Cup, Krasnodar, 1997).
• If 10...a5 then:
• If 11.a4 Nxd4 12.Qxd4 Be7 13.0-0 0-0 14.Nbd2 (White has an extra pawn and the advantage in space) 14...Qc7 15.Rfe1 Bd7 16.Nb3 Rfc8 17.Re3 Rab8 18.Qf4 h6 then:
• 19.h4!? Qd8 20.g3 b6 21.cxb6 Rxb6 22.Nfd4 Qe8! gives Black the active game (Mastrovasilis-Conquest, French ChT, Asnieres sur Seine, 2006).
• 19.Rb1 Be8 20.Qg4 Bxc5 21.Nxc5 Qxc5 22.b3 b5 23.axb5 Bxb5 24.Nd4 gives White the advantage in space.
• 11.0-0 Nxd4 12.cxd4 b6 13.cxb6 Qxb6 14.Qd2 Be7 15.Nc3 a4 16.Rfc1 0-0 17.Rc2 Rfb8 18.Rac1 gives White an extra pawn (Karjakin-Asrian, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2008).
• If 8...Nxc6 9.f4 g5 10.fxg5 Nxe5 11.Nf3 then:
• 11...Bg7 12.Nxe5 Bxe5 13.Nd2 Bb5 14.Nf3 Bg7 15.Qd2 Qc7 16.0-0-0 0-0-0 17.Kb1 Rhe8 18.Nd4 (Azorova-Heredia, OlW, Dresden, 2008).
• 11...Nxf3+ 12.gxf3 Bg7 13.0-0 0-0 14.Nd2 Bb5 15.Rf2 e5 gives White an extra pawn and Black more space (Lutz-Kacheishvili, Euro ChT, Pula, 1997).
• If 7.Nf3 Bd7 8.Qe2 Nf5 9.Bxc6 Bxc6 10.c3 then:
• 10...a5 11.a4 Qc7 12.0-0 Be7 13.Nbd2 0-0 14.Nb3 Qd7 15.Nbd4 Nxe3 16.Qxe3 Bxc5 17.b3 b5 18.axb5 Bxb5 19.Rfe1 Rfc8 is equal (Stellwagen-E. Agrest, IT, Malmø, 2008).
• 10...Qd7 11.Na3 a5 12.Rd1 Be7 13.g4 Nxe3 14.Qxe3 0-0 15.Nc4 Qc7 16.Nd6 Ra6 17.b4 axb4 18.cxb4 Rxa2 is equal (Margulis-Schiller, Dolan Mem, San Francisco, 2001).

5...Bg4 6.c3

• If 6.Bb5 then:
• If 6...Qa5+ 7.Nc3 e6 8.Be3 Nge7 9.a3 then:
• 9...Nf5 10.b4 Qd8 11.Bf4 Nh4 12.Rg1 Bxf3 13.gxf3 Ng6 14.Bg3 a6 15.Ba4 Be7 16.Ne2 0-0 17.Bxc6 bxc6 18.Nd4 (Zepeda-Kachiani, OlW, Dresden, 2008).


• 9...a6 10.b4 Qc7 11.0-0 Bxf3 12.Qxf3 Qxe5 13.Bxc6+ Nxc6 14.Na4 g5 15.Nb6 Rd8 16.Qh3 h5 17.Bd2 g4 18.Qd3 Bg7 19.Rae1 Qd4 is equal (Navara-Landa, Bundesliga 0708, Erfurt, 2008).


• 6...e6 7.Be3 Nge7 8.c3 transposes into the text.

6...e6 7.b4 Nge7 8.Bb5 g6

• 8...a5?! 9.Nbd2 Qc7 10.h3 Bh5 11.0-0 0-0-0 12.Be2 gives White an extra pawn and the advantage in space (Li Shilong-Alavi, Asian Ch, Tehran, 2007).

9.Nbd2 Bg7 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Nxf3 0-0 12.Bf4 f6!?

• 12...Qc7 13.Qe2 a5 14.Rb1 axb4 15.cxb4 d4 16.a4 Nd5 17.Bd2 Nxe5 18.Nxe5 Bxe5 19.0-0 Nc3 20.Bxc3 dxc3 is equal (Russian Ch Qual, Tomsk, 2006).

13.exf6 Bxf6 14.Bxc6 Nxc6

• White emerges from the exchanges with an extra pawn and the advantage in space.

15.0-0!?

• White brings her King to safety and sacrifices a pawn.
• 15.Bd2 Qc7 16.a4 a5 17.Ra3 axb4 18.cxb4 e5 White still has an extra pawn in an equal game otherwise.

15...Bxc3 16.Bh6

• 16.Rc1?! Bxb4 17.Bd6 Rf6 18.Nd4 Rc8 19.Nxc6 Rxc6 gives Black an extra pawn.
• 16.Bd6 Bxa1 17.Bxf8 Bc3 18.Bd6 Bxb4 also gives Black an extra pawn.

16...Rf5?!

• Black fails to find the end of the rainbow at which there is an extra pawn.
• 16...Bxa1! 17.Bxf8 Bc3 18.Bd6 Bxb4 19.Nd4 Qd7 Black enjoys an extra pawn.

17.b5

• 17.Rb1 Rc8 18.a3 a5 19.Qd3 axb4 20.axb4 Bxb4 21.Nd4 Rh5 is equal.

17...Ne5 18.Nd4

• This is the first of four consecutive moves by the Knight. Usually, such Knight maneuvers are called tours. This one is too elegant to be thought of anything less than a dance.

18...Rh5?

• Black take the pressure off the f-pawn.
• Correct is 18...Bxd4 19.Qxd4 Qf6 20.Be3, remaining equal.

19.Nxe6!

• The Knight continues dancing through the center, on this step capturing a pawn and taking time to kiss the Queen.
• 19.Rc1 Bb2 20.Rc2 Bxd4 21.Qxd4 Nf3+ 22.gxf3 remains equal.

19...Qd7

• 19...Qf6 20.Qxd5 Nf3+ 21.Qxf3 Qxf3 22.gxf3 Bxa1 23.Rxa1 gives White the advantage in space.

BLACK: Anna Ushenina
!""""""""#
$t+ + +l+%
$Oo+w+ +o%
$ + +n+oB%
$+pPoM +r%
$ + + + +%
$+ V + +o%
$o+ + Oo+%
$R +q+rK %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Tatiana Kosintseva
Position after 19...Qd8d7

20.Nf4!!

• The dancing Knight again changes partners, this time passing with the Rook.
• White sacrifices the Bishop in return for a spectacular tactical initiative.

20...Rxh6

• But the Rook is a poor dancer, taking a clumsy pas de deux with the Bishop, leaving itself in an alcove where Rooks are seldom happy..
• A more graceful step is 20...Rf5 21.Rc1 d4 22.Ne2 Qxb5 23.Nxd4 but the floor still belongs to White, who now has an extra pawn.

21.Nxd5

• The dancing Knight's new partner is the Bishop at c3.

21...Rf8

• But the Bishop doesn't want to dance at all, becuase if it did, the dancing Knight would then take two new partners, the King and Queen, after leaping onto f6. That would be the end of the ballet.
• The dance hasn't really ended, just the Knight's part of it. During the dance of the Knight, White sacrificed a Bishop for two pawns, but now has a fierce tactical initiative.

22.Qb3!

• Black's last move parried the threat of a royal fork at f6; White now renws the threat of 23.Nf6+ as a double check, which would win the Queen just as would have the fork.

22...Nf3+

• It is necessary for Black to return the extra piece in order to clear the long diagonal for the Bishop to defend the f6 square.
• It does Black no good to self-pin the Rook with 22...Rf7? as 23.Nf6+! is again a royal fork and wins on the spot.

23.gxf3 Rf7
BLACK: Anna Ushenina
!""""""""#
$ + + +l+%
$Oo+w+t+o%
$ + + +oT%
$+pPn+ + %
$ + + + +%
$+qV +p+p%
$p+ + P +%
$R + +rK %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Tatiana Kosintseva
Position after 23...Rf8f7

24.Rae1!

• Black is threatening 24...Qxh3!, winning.

24...Bg7

• Don't you just love tactics? I do.
• 24...Qxh3?? is now out of the question because of 25.Re8+! Rf8 26.Nf4+, winning immediately.

25.Nf4

• Since the pin at f7 prevents the Rook from attacking the Knight, White has now put a simple stop to Black's threats on the h-file.

25...Kh8

• If 25...Rh4 26.Ne6 Bf6 27.Rd1 then:
• If 27...Qc8 then after 28.Rd5 Rxh3 29.Rfd1 Rxf3 30.Qc4 White wins by exchanging on d8.
• If 27...Qe8 then after 28.Rfe1 Qb8 29.Rd3 Rxh3 30.Red1 Black cannot keep White heavy pieces from raiding her camp.

26.Qe6

• White prefers to exchange down to a victory less taxing on the thought process.
• Nevertheless, a quicker win is 26.c6! Qf5 27.Re8+ Rf8 28.Rxf8+ when:
• 28...Bxf8 29.c7 Qxf4 30.c8Q etc.
• 28...Qxf8 29.c7 Be5 30.Ne6 Qg8 31.Rd1 etc., etc. and so forth.

26...Qxe6 27.Nxe6 Rh5
BLACK: Anna Ushenina
!""""""""#
$ + + + L%
$Oo+ +tVo%
$ + +m+o+%
$+pP + +t%
$ + + + +%
$+ + +p+p%
$p+ + P +%
$+ + RrK %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Tatiana Kosintseva
Position after 27...Rh6h5

28.c6!

• White sees that Black must lose material in order to stop the pawn.

28...bxc6 29.bxc6 Be5

• If 29...Bc3 then after 30.Rb1 Be5 31.f4 then:
• If 31...Re7 then after 32.fxe5 Rxe6 33.c7!!the pawn must queen.
• 31...Bxf4 32.Rfd1 h6 33.Rb7 wins for White.

30.Rxe5!

• The exchange sacrifice isn't really necessary to win, but it's a nice piece of pizzazz.

30...xRxe5 31.c7!

• Black must give back the exchange, leaving White a piece to the good.
• Resignation is in order now.

31...Rxc7 32.Nxc7 Rg5+ 33.Kh2 Rc5

• No better is 33...Ra5 34.Ra1 Kg7 35.f4 Kf6 36.Re1 Rxa2 37.Nd5+,

34.Ne6 Rc2 35.Rb1

• White threatens mate.

35...Kg8 36.Rb8+ Kf7 37.Ng5+ Kf6

• After 37...Kg7 38.Rb7+ Kg8 39.Rxa7 it's time to turn out the lights.

38.Nxh7+ Ke5 39.a4 1-0

• Black will be unable to regain any significant amounts of her lost material.
• Ushehina resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. P. Smirnov - Kryakvin, Higher League, Round 4

Dmitry Kryakvin is little known outside of Russia. He officially became a grandmaster in January.

Pavel Smirnov (Yurga) - Dmitry Kryakvin (Polytechnik)
Russian Team Championships, Higher League, Round 4
Sochi, 5 April 2009

Open Sicilian Game: Scheveningen Defense (Rauzer Opening)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 Be7 8.0-0-0 0-0 9.f4

• If 9.Nb3 Qb6 10.f3 Rd8 then:
• If 11.Nb5 Rd7 12.Qe1 a6 13.N5d4 Rd8 14.Be3 Qc7 15.Nxc6 Qxc6 16.g4 e5 17.Na5 Qa4 18.Kb1 Be6 19.b3 Qd7 20.g5 gives White the initiative (Efimenko-Wells, Op, Isle of Man, 2007).
• If 11.Kb1 a6 12.Be3 Qc7 13.Qf2 Nd7 14.h4 b5 15.g4 Nce5 16.g5 then:
• 16...Rb8 17.h5 b4 18.Ne2 a5 19.g6 a4 20.Nbd4 Nc4 21.gxf7+ Kxf7 is equal (Ivanchuk-Kramnik, Amber Rpd, Monte Carlo, 1994).
• 16...b4 17.Ne2 Nc4 18.Bc1 a5 19.h5 Bb7 20.g6 Bf6 21.gxf7+ Kxf7 is equal (Ghate-A. Stojanovic, OlW, Dresden, 2008).
• If 11.Be3 Qc7 12.Qf2 d5 13.exd5 Nxd5 14.Nxd5 Rxd5 15.Rxd5 exd5 then:
• 16.Bb5 Na5 17.Bd3 Nxb3+ 18.axb3 a5 19.Bd4 Bd6 is equal (Rachels-D. Gurevich, US Ch, Long Beach, 1993).
• 16.g4 Bf6 17.Kb1 Be6 18.Nd4 Nxd4 19.Bxd4 Qf4 20.Bxf6 Qxf6 is equal (Mnatsakanian-Yegiazarian, Armenian Ch, Yerevan, 1994).

9...Nxd4 10.Qxd4 h6

• If 10...Qa5 11.Bc4 Bd7 12.e5 dxe5 13.fxe5 Bc6 14.Bd2 Nd7 15.Nd5 Qd8 16.Nxe7+ Qxe7 17.Rhe1 then:
• If 17...Rfd8 then:
• If 18.Qg4 Nf8 then:
• If 19.Bd3 Rxd3 20.cxd3 then:
• If 20...Qd7 then:
• 21.Bb4 then:
• 21...Ng6 22.Bd6 f5 23.Qg5 Bd5 24.b3 Qc6+ 25.Kb2 Qb6 26.g3 Qd4+ 27.Kb1 Rc8 28.Qe3 gives White the advantage of the exchange (Svidler-Anand, IT. Linares, 1998).
• 21...Qd5 22.Bxf8 Rxf8 23.Kb1 Qxg2 24.Qxg2 Bxg2 25.Rc1 Bc6 26.Kc2 f5 27.exf6 Rxf6 28.Kc3 h6 29.Kd4 Kh7 30.b3 g5 Black does not yet have enough for the exchange (Adams-Kramnik, IT, Moscow, 1994).
• 21.Kb1 Qxd3+ 22.Ka1 h5 23.Qxh5 Ba4 24.Bc3 Bxd1 25.Rxd1 Qe4 26.Qg5 a5 27.Qd2 Ng6 is equal (Oll-Hodgson, PCA Quals, Groningen, 1993).
• 20...Qc5+ 21.Kb1 Qd5 22.Qe4 Qd7 23.Qe2 Ng6 24.g3 Ne7 25.Bb4 Nf5 26.Bc3 a5 27.Qd2 draw (Short-Pritchett, British Ch, Swansea, 1987).
• If 19...Rd5 20.Bb4 Qd8 21.Bd6 Ng6 then:
• 22.g3 Qa5 23.Bxg6 hxg6 24.a3 Rc8 25.Qb4 Ba4 26.Rxd5 Qxb4 27.axb4 exd5 28.c3 Bd7 favors the cat (Herrera-Kharlov, Op, Ubeda, 1999).
• 22.c4 f5 23.Qg3 Rd4 24.Bc5 Rg4 25.Qe3 Qa5 gives Black the advantage in space (Kosteniuk-Galliamova, FIDE Knock Out W, Moscow, 2001).
• 18.Bf1 Nf8 19.Qg4 Ng6 20.Bb4 Rxd1+ 21.Rxd1 Nxe5 22.Qxg7+ Kxg7 23.Bxe7 Ng4 24.Be2 Ne3 25.Rg1 Be4 26.c3 Rc8 27.Bg5 Nd5 28.a3 f6 is equal (Carlsen-Alekseev, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2008).
• If 17...Nb6 18.Bf1 Rfd8 19.Qg4 Qc5 then:
• 20.Qb4 Qf2 21.Qf4 Qxf4 22.Bxf4 Rxd1+ 23.Rxd1 Rc8 24.Rd4 Nd7 25.g4 gives White the more active game (V. Rajlich-Pataki, 1st Saturday, Budapest, 2001.10).
• 20.Bh6 Rxd1+ 21.Kxd1 Qf8 22.Bg5 Nd7 23.Kc1 Rc8 24.Qd4 Bd5 25.Kb1 Qc5 26.Qxc5 Nxc5 27.Be3 f6 is equal (Timman-Sosonko, Dutch chT, 1985).

11.Bh4 Qa5 12.Bc4

• If 12.e5 dxe5 13.Qxe5 Qxe5 14.fxe5 Nd5 15.Bxe7 Nxe7 then:
• 16.Bd3 Nc6 17.Rhe1 Rd8 18.Be4 Bd7 19.Nb5 Rab8 20.Nd6 b6 21.Bf3 gives White a tremendous advantage in space and activity (Unzicker-Rossolimo, IT, Madrid, 1957).
• 16.Bb5 a6 17.Bd3 b5 18.Be4 Rb8 19.Rd6 b4 20.Na4 a5 21.Re1 Bb7 is equal (Matanovic-Panno, ITZ, Potoroz, 1958).

12...Qh5

• If 12...e5 13.fxe5 dxe5 14.Qd3 Bg4 then:
• If 15.Rdf1 then:
• 15...Qc5 16.Bb3 Kh8 17.Qg3 Be6 18.Bxf6 Bxf6 19.Nd5 Bg5+ is equal (Motylev-Timofeev, Russian Ch, Krasnoyarnsk, 2003).
• 15...Be6 16.Bxf6 Bxf6 17.Kb1 Qc5 18.Bb3 a5 19.Nd5 Bxd5 20.Bxd5 a4 21.a3 Ra6 22.h4 Rb6 gives White the active game (Kosteniuk-Dembo, Euro ChT, Gothenburg, 2005).
• If 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.Rdf1 then:
• 16...Rac8 17.Kb1 Bh4 18.Bb3 Qc5 19.g3 Bg5 20.h3 Be6 21.h4 Be7 22.Nd5 Kh8 is equal (Leko-Khalifman, FIDE Knock Out, New Delhi, 2000).
• 16...Bh4 17.Kb1 Qc5 18.g3 Bg5 19.h3 Be6 20.Nd5 Rad8 21.h4 Be7 is equal (Pinter-Raceanu, Euro ChTU18, Balatonlelle, 2001).

13.Bg3 Rd8 14.Rhe1!?

• The game is equal.
• 14.Rhf1 Bd7 15.Kb1 Rac8 16.Bb3 Qa5 17.Qd3 Rxc3 18.bxc3 Bc6 19.Rfe1 d5 20.Bh4 dxe4 gives Black the initiative (K. Szabo-Wittmannm 1st Saturday, Budapest, 2005.11).

14...Bd7!?

• 14...Qa5 15.Qf2 Bd7 16.e5 Ne8 17.Bb3 dxe5 18.Rxe5 remains equal.

15.e5

• White seems to have boxed in the Black Queen.

15...dxe5 16.Rxe5 Bc6

• The text is best.
• If 16...Qg4 17.Be2 Qg6 18.Bd3 Qg4 19.Qe3 then:
• If 19...Bc8 20.h3 Rxd3 21.Qxd3 Qg6 22.Qxg6 fxg6 White wins the exchange.
• 19...Bc6 20.h3 Rxd3 21.Qxd3 Qg6 22.Qxg6 fxg6 23.Rxe6 gives White a strong material advantage.

17.Qe3

• After 17.Nd5 exd5 18.Rxh5 dxc4 19.Qxc4 Nxh5 20.Rxd8+ Bxd8 Black, without a Queen, has the material superiority.

17...Ng4 18.Qe2

• 18.Rxd8+ Rxd8 19.Qe2 Qg6 transposes into the text.

18...Qg6 19.Rxd8+ Rxd8 20.Ra5 Bb4 21.Rxa7 Bc5 22.Bd3?!

• White underestimates the tactical power of Black's reply.
• 22.Ra5! Bb6 23.Ra3 Ne3 24.Bd3 Qf6 25.Rb3 Ba7 is equal.

BLACK: Dmitry Kryakvin
!""""""""#
$ + T +l+%
$Ro+ +oO %
$ +v+o+wO%
$+ V + + %
$ + + Pm+%
$+ Nb+ B %
$pPp+q+pP%
$+ K + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Pavel Smirnov
Position after 22.Bc4d3

22...Qh5!

• White's Rook is trapped.

23.Ra5

• This is the best than can be done with the desperado Rook.

23...Be3+!

• Black wins the exchange.

24.Qxe3 Qxa5 25.Qe2 Nf6 26.Bh4 Qb4 27.Qd2

• If 27.Bxf6 then Black regains a pawn after 27...Qxf4+ 28.Kb1 Qxf6 29.g3 Qd4 .
• If 27.Qf2!? then:
• After 27...Qd4! 28.Qxd4 Rxd4 29.Bxf6 gxf6 30.g3 e5! Black obtains a passed pawn.
• If 27...Qe7? then after 28.g4! Rd7 29.h3 Qd8 30.g5 hxg5 31.Bxg5 Rd4 White has equalized.

27...Rd7 28.a3 Qc5 29.b4?

• White now loses quickly.
• Black is at a disavantage in space and should exchange material.
• After 29.Bxf6 gxf6 30.Qe1 f5 31.g3 b5 Black is better, but it's still a fight.

BLACK: Dmitry Kryakvin
!""""""""#
$ + + +l+%
$+o+t+oO %
$ +v+oM O%
$+ W + + %
$ P + P B%
$P Nb+ + %
$ +pQ +pP%
$+ K + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Pavel Smirnov
Position after 29.b2b4

29...Qg1+!

• Black wins a pawn.

30.Kb2 Qxg2 31.Qe3

• 31.Qxg2 Bxg2 32.Kb3 Nh5 33.f5 Bh3 34.fxe6 Bxe6+ should win for Black.

31...Ng4 32.Qg3 Qxh2

• Also good is 32...Nxh2 33.b5 Bf3 34.Na4 Ng4 35.Qxg2 Bxg2 .

33.Qxg4 Rxd3! 34.f5 Qh3 35.Qf4

• If 35.Qxh3 then after 35...Rxh3 36.b5 Rxh4 37.bxc6 bxc6 38.fxe6 fxe6 Black remains an exchange to the good.

35...Rxc3 36.f6 Rxa3 0-1

• Smirnov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Caruana - A. Smirnov, Premiere League, Round 3

Fabiano Caruana
Photo: ChessBase.com


Fabiano Caruana (64 Moscow) - Artem Smirnov (Chigorin St. Petersburg)
Ressian Team Championships, Premier League, Round 3
Sochi, 6 April 2009

Spanish Petit Royal Game: Gothic Defense (Belin Defense)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 d6 5.0-0 Bd7 6.Re1 g6 7.d4

• If 7.c3 Bg7 8.Nbd2 0-0 9.Nf1 then:
• If 9...Nh510.Ba4 Qe8 11.Bb3 then:
• 11...Kh8 12.d4 Bg4 13.d5 Ne7 14.a4 f5 15.h3 Bxf3 16.Qxf3 fxe4 gives Black an extra pawn and the initiative (Xie Jun-Ruan Lufei, TT, Wuxi, 2005).
• If 9...Qe8 10.Ng3 Kh8 11.Ba4 Ng8 12.Bc2 Nge7 13.d4 Bg4 14.d5 Nd8 15.c4 Bd7 16.Rb1 a5 17.b3 b6 18.a3 f5 19.exf5 gxf5 draw (Qiao Liang-Wu Wenjin, TT, Wuxi, 2005).
• If 14...Nb8 15.h3 Bc8 16.Nh2 Nd7 17.Be3 f5 18.exf5 gxf5 19.f4 Nf6 20.c4 e4 21.Ne2 h5 22.Qd2 h4 23.Rad1 gives White a small advantage in space (Langrock-Howell, EU Ch, Liverpool, 2008).
• If 11...Nd8 then:
• 12.d4 Ne6 13.Ng3 Nef4 14.Be3 Qe7 15.Nxh5 Nxh5 16.dxe5 dxe5 17.Qd5 gives White the active game (Svidler-Z. Almasi, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• 12.Ne3 Kh8 13.d4 f6 14.g3 Rc8 15.Bc2 Nf7 16.Ng2 Bh6 17.Bxh6 Nxh6 18.Qd2 Kg7 19.Nfh4 g5 20.Nf5+ Nxf5 21.exf5 gives Black the advantage in space (T. Kosintseva-C.-A. Foisor, Euro ChW, St. Petersburg, 2009).

7...Bg7 8.d5

• If 8.Bxc6 Bxc6 9.dxe5 Nxe4 10.Qd3 dxe5 11.Rxe4 Bxe4 12.Qxe4 Qd1+ 13.Qe1 0-0-0 14.Nc3 Qxe1+ 15.Nxe1 f5 16.Be3 b6 is equal (Palac-Rogulj, Op, Zagreb, 2006).

8...Ne7 9.Bxd7+ Nxd7 10.Be3

• If 10.c4 h6 11.Nc3 f5 12.b4 0-0 13.a4 Nf6 14.Nd2 Qd7 15.a5 a6 16.Qa4 c6 17.Ba3 gives White a small advantage in space (N. Kosintseva-Jonkman, Corus C, Wijk aan Zee, 2007).

10...0-0 11.c4 h6

• If 11...Kh8 12.Nc3 Ng8 13.Nd2 f5 14.f3 Bh6 15.Bf2 a5 then:
• 16.Nf1 Bg7 17.a3 Ngf6 18.Ng3 f4 19.Nf1 h5 gives White the advantage in space (Collutiis-Matamoros, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• 16.c5 Nxc5 17.Bxc5 Bxd2 18.Qxd2 dxc5 19.exf5 Rxf5 is equal (C. Balogh-Sorokin, European Ch, Dresden, 2007).

12.Nfd2 f5

• This position looks like one that could have rose from a King's Indian.

13.f3 Kh7!?

• Black introduces a novelty that leaves White with the advantage in space.
• If 13...f4 14.Bf2 g5 15.Nc3 Ng6 then:
• 16.b4 Nf6 17.c5 Rf7 18.Nc4 Bf8 19.a4 gives White the advantage in space (Azarov-Volke, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• 16.Rc1 Rf7 17.b4 Bf8 18.Nb3 Nf6 19.c5 h5 was agreed drawn (Rogic-Blagojevic, Op, Zadar (Croatia), 2005), but White has the advantage in space and after 20.Na5 Qb8 21.c6 b6 22.Nc4 h4 23.Kh1 h3 24.gxh3 much interesting play remains to see the light of day.

14.Nc3

• If 14.Qb3 then:
• If 14...b6!? 15.Nc3 Nf6 16.a4 Rb8 17.Rad1 contiues to give White the advantage in space, but Black's position is solid and he could strike on the kingside should White make a false move.
• 14...Qb8 15.Nc3 c6 16.a4 a5 17.Rad1 Qc7 leaves White the the advantage in space; Black should regroup his pieces in order to seek counterplay on the kingside.

14...Bf6 15.Bf2 Bg5!?

• Black seeks an exchange to relieve his space deficit.
• 15...Bh8 then after 16.exf5 Nxf5 17.Nde4 Kg8 18.Qd3 White continues to enjoy the advantage in space.

16.b4

• White judges it simpler and better to allow the exchange.
• If 16.Nb3!? a5 17.a4 Bf4 then:
• 18.Qd3 Rf7 19.exf5 Nxf5 20.Ne4 b6 leaves the Knight at b3 with no future.
• After 18.Qe2 c6 19.exf5 Nxf5 20.Rad1 c5 21.Ne4 Ra6 White's spatial edge is dissipating.

16...Bxd2 17.Qxd2 f4?

• Black just did for White what would otherwise have haken White several moves over the next phase of the game: He locked up the kingside, thereby shutting down his own counterplay.
• If 17...a5 18.a3 then:
• If 18...Nf6 19.Be3 then:
• 19...Nfg8 20.c5 axb4 21.axb4 Qd7 22.Red1 Rfe8 23.Qf2 gives White more space; while Black's game is difficult, he still has options of the kingside.
• 19...f4 20.Bf2 Qd7 21.c5 White will soon open the queenside to his advantage.
• Dubious is the premature opening of the kingside with 18...fxe4? 19.Nxe4 Nf6 then:
• 20.bxa5 Nxe4 21.Rxe4 Qc8 22.Rb1 Ra6 23.Qb4 White will win another pawn.
• If 20.Nxf6+ Rxf6 21.bxa5 c6 22.Rab1 then:
• 22...Qd7 23.Qb4 cxd5 24.Qxb7 Qd8 25.c5 wins for White.
• 22...cxd5 23.cxd5 Qd7 24.Rb6 Rc8 25.Bh4 gives White an extra pawn and a fierce initiative.

BLACK: Artem Smirnov
!""""""""#
$t+ W T +%
$OoOmM +l%
$ + O +oO%
$+ +pO + %
$ Pp+pO +%
$+ N +p+ %
$p+ Q VpP%
$R + R K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Fabiano Caruana
Position after 17...f5f4

18.c5!

• With nothing to worry about on the kingside, White presses his superiority on the other wing.

18...Nf6 19.Rec1

• If 19.Rac1 a6 20.cxd6 Qxd6 21.Na4 then:
• If 21...Nd7 then after 22.Nc5 Nxc5 23.bxc5 Qf6 24.Red1 Qg7 25.Qb2 White begins operations agains Black's queenside.
• 21...b6 22.Nb2 Nd7 23.Bh4 g5 24.Bf2 Rac8 25.Nc4 gives White the advantage in space and the initiative.

19...Qd7

• Black connects his Rooks, needs to find a use for them.19...a6 20.Qc2 Rc8 21.Rab1 Qd7 22.b5 then:
• 22...axb5 23.Nxb5 Rb8 24.cxd6 cxd6 25.Nc7 b5 26.Ne6! throws a wrench into Black's defense.
• 22...dxc5 23.Bxc5 axb5 24.Nxb5 b6 25.Bb4 c5 26.Bc3 wins the pawn at d5.

20.Qe2 a6 21.b5 g5 22.Rab1 g4

• If 22...axb5 then White should have no trouble winning after 23.cxd6 cxd6 24.Qxb5 Rfb8 25.Qxd7 Nxd7 26.Nb5.

23.bxa6 bxa6 24.Rb7 g3

• 24...gxf3 25.Qxf3 Nc8 26.c6 Qg7 27.Rcb1 is very strong for White.

25.hxg3 fxg3 26.Bxg3 Rab8

• The life is being pressed out of Black on the queenside.
• If 26...Nh5 27.Bh2 Qd8 28.Rcb1 then:
• If 28...Nf4 29.Qe3 Neg6 30.g3 Nh3+ 31.Kg2 then:
• 31...Ng5 32.f4 exf4 33.gxf4 Nf7 34.c6 gives White an extra pawn, more freedom, command of an open file and a Rook on the seventh.
• 31...Qd7 32.c6 Qc8 33.Rxc7+ Qxc7 34.Rb7 wins the Queen.
• If 28...Rf7 29.Qe3 then:
• If 29...Ng6 then after 30.Ne2 Qf6 31.cxd6 cxd6 32.Rxf7+ Qxf7 33.Qb6 Nh4 White remains a pawn to the good and has a strong initiative.
• If 29...Nf4 then after 30.Bxf4 exf4 31.Qd4 Ng6 32.cxd6 Qxd6 33.R1b6 White wins material.
• If 26...Rfb8 27.c6 Qd8 28.Rcb1 then:
• If 28...Rc8 29.Qd2 Nh5 then:
• 30.Bh2 Ng6 31.Na4 Ng7 32.Nb2 Qe7 33.Nc4 Qh4 34.Qe1 Qd8 35.Qa5 leaves Black cramped and passive.
• Also good is 30.Bh4 Qf8 31.Na4 Nf4 32.Nb6!.
• If 28...Ng6 then White wins another pawn after 29.Rxb8 Rxb8 30.Rxb8 Qxb8 31.Qxa6.

BLACK: Artem Smirnov
!""""""""#
$ T + T +%
$+rOwM +l%
$o+ O M O%
$+ PpO + %
$ + +p+ +%
$+ N +pB %
$p+ +q+p+%
$+ R + K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Fabiano Caruana
Position after 26...Ra8b8

27.c6!

• White's general plan is to restrain Black's pawns and open the queenside with a piece sacrifice, creating an advanced passer that can only be stopped, if at all, by returning sacrificed material.
• An alternate plan, also good, is creating a passer on the a-file and advancing it: If 27.Qxa6 then:
• 27...Rxb7 28.Qxb7 Rg8 29.Ne2 Qd8 30.a4 any attempt by Black to blockade the pawn will result in material loss.
• If 27...Ra8 then after 28.Qc4 Rab8 29.c6 Qd8 30.a4! the passed pawn satisifies its lust to expand.

27...Qd8 28.f4 exf4 29.Bxf4 Ng6

• If 29...Ra8 then after 30.Qd3 Ng6 31.e5 Ne8 32.Ne2 White's defense hold the kingside while his Rooks while he prepares decisive operations on the opposite wing.

30.Bg3 Qe7 31.Rf1 Rbc8 32.Rf5 Ng8

• If 32...Rfe8 then after 33.Qf3 Kg7 34.Bf2 Ne5 35.Qh3 Nh7 36.Qg3+ White wins.

33.Qf3 Rxf5 34.Qxf5 Rd8 35.Ne2 Qg7

• If 35...Rf8 then White wins a pawn after 36.Qe6 Qxe6 37.dxe6 Rc8 38.Bxd6.

36.Nf4 N8e7 37.Qh3 Nxf4 38.Bxf4 Rf8

• 38...Qa1+ 39.Kh2 Qf6 40.Bg3 Rc8 41.Qd7 Qg5 42.Bxd6 clears away Black's pawns, readying White's pawns for advance.

BLACK: Artem Smirnov
!""""""""#
$ + + T +%
$+rO M + %
$o+pO + +%
$+ +p+ + %
$ + +pB +%
$+ + + +q%
$p+ + +p+%
$+ + + K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Fabiano Caruana
Position after 38...Rd8f8

39.Bxh6!!

• 39.Qe3 Rg8 40.Qf2 Qg6 41.Rxc7 also works, but in a more pedestrian way.

39...Qxh6 40.Rxc7 Re8 41.e5! Qxh3

• If 41...dxe5 42.d6 then after 42...Qxh3 43.gxh3 Rg8+ 44.Kh2 Rg6 45.Rxe7+ Kh6 46.c7 a pawn must queen.
• If 42...Kg6 then after 43.Qxh6+ Kxh6 44.Rxe7 Rc8 45.d7 White wins.

42.gxh3 Kg6 43.Rxe7 Rxe7 44.exd6 1-0

• The Rook is helpless against the pawns.
• Smirnov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Eljanov - Chadaev, Premiere League, Round 3

Pavel Eljanov
Photo: ChessBase.com


Pavel Eljanov (Saratov) - Nikolay Chadaev (Eurasia-Logistic Moscow)
Ressian Team Championships, Premier League, Round 3
Sochi, 6 April 2009

Orthodox Queen's Gambit: Blackburne Opening

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 0-0 6.a3

• 6.e3 is the standard move here; 6...c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.a3 transposes to the text.

6...c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.e3

• 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Nxd5 exd5 10.Rc1 Bb6 11.e3 Nc6 12.Bd3 Bg4 13.h3 Bh5 14.0-0 is equal (T. L. Petrosian-Rodgaard, Ol, Dresden 2008).

8...Nc6 9.Qc2 Qa5 10.Rd1

• If 10.0-0-0 Be7 then:
• If 11.g4 dxc4 12.Bxc4 e5 13.g5 exf4 14.gxf6 Bxf6 15.Nd5 Ne7 16.Nxf6+ gxf6 17.Rhg1+ Kh8 then:
• If 18.Qe4 Ng6 19.Qd4 Qb6 20.Qxb6 axb6 21.Rd6 then:
• 21...fxe3 22.fxe3 Ra5 23.Kd2 Rf5 24.Rf1 Rc5 25.Bd3 Rc6 26.Rxc6 bxc6 is equal (Kasparov-Khalifman, IT, Reggio Emilia, 1991).
• If 21...Bh3 22.Kb1 Bf5+ then:
• 23.Ka1 Be4 24.Nd4 Ne5 25.Bb5 fxe3 26.fxe3 Rg8 27.Rf1 Rg6 28.Rdxf6 Rxf6 29.Rxf6 Rg8 30.Bf1 is equal (Gelfand-Jussupow, IT, Linares, 1993).
• 23.Ka2 Be4 24.Nd4 Ne5 25.Bb3 fxe3 26.fxe3 Rg8 27.Rf1 b5 28.Rf4 Nd3 29.Bc2 Bd5+ 30.Rxd5 Nb4+ 31.Kb3 Nxd5 Black wins the exchange (Akopian-Kruppa, Op, St. Petersburg, 1993).
• 18.e4 b5 19.Bd5 Nxd5 20.exd5 b4 21.axb4 Qa1+ 22.Kd2 Qa6 23.Qc6 Rd8 24.Kc3 Bb7 25.Qxa6 Bxa6 26.Rd4 Rac8+ 27.Kd2 Bb7 28.Rc1 Rxc1 29.Kxc1 Kg7 30.Nh4 Rxd5 31.Rxd5 Bxd5 32.Nf5+ Kf8 is equal (Anand-Kramnik, Rpd, León, 2002).
• 11.h4 a6 12.Ng5 Rd8 13.cxd5 exd5 14.e4 Nxe4 15.Ngxe4 dxe4 16.Rxd8+ Qxd8 17.Qxe4 g6 is equal (Gelfand-Karpov, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1998).

10...Be7 11.Be2!?

• If 11.Nd2 e5 12.Bg5 d4 13.Nb3 then:
• If 13...Qd8 14.Be2 a5 15.Na4 then:
• 15...g6 16.Bxf6 Bxf6 17.0-0 Qc7 18.c5 Be6 19.e4 Ne7 20.Nd2 Bg5 is equal (Ftacnik-Kotronias, Ol, Thessaloniki, 1988).
• 15...Ng4 16.Bxe7 Qxe7 17.exd4 Qh4 18.Bxg4 Bxg4 19.Rd2 exd4 20.0-0 Rad8 21.Nac5 d3 22.Qc3 Be2 23.Re1 a4 24.Nxa4 Rfe8 gives Black more than enough extra space to comensate for his pawn minus (Jussupow-Korchnoi, IT, Tilburg, 1987).
• 13...Qb6 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.Nd5 Qd8 16.Bd3 g6 17.exd4 Nxd4 18.Nxd4 exd4 19.Nxf6+ Qxf6 20.0-0 Bg4 21.f3 Be6 22.f4 Bd7 23.Be4 Bc6 24.Bd5 Rfe8 25.Qd3 Bxd5 26.cxd5 Rac8 27.g3 White will soon be a pawn to the good (Cu, Hansen-Jussupow, Op, Reykjavik, 1985).

11...dxc4

• The game is equal.

12.Bxc4 Nh5!?

• If 12...e5 then:
• 13.Bg5 Bg4 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.Rd5 Qc7 16.Ne4 gives White the advantage in space, but Black can spoil White's kingside pawn structure.
• 13.Bg3 Bg4 14.0-0 Bxf3 15.gxf3 Rac8 16.Nd5 is equal.

13.Bd6 Bxd6 14.Rxd6 Nf6 15.Qd2

• 15.0-0 Qc5 16.Nb5 a6 17.b4 Qb6 is equal.

15...Rd8!?

• 15...e5 16.h3 Bf5 17.Nh4 Bc8 18.0-0 Qc7 19.Rc1 is equal.

16.Rxd8+ Qxd8 17.Qxd8+ Nxd8 18.Ke2

• White has the advantage in space.

18...Kf8 19.e4

• White puts his foot in the center.
• 19.Nb5!? a6 20.Nc7 Rb8 21.Rd1 Bd7 22.g4 Rc8! gives Black a small tactical edge.

19...Bd7

• 19...Nc6 20.Rd1 a6 21.h3 b5 22.Bd3 Nd7 23.g4 is equal.

BLACK: Nikolay Chadaev
!""""""""#
$t+ M L +%
$+ + +oOo%
$ + +o+ +%
$+ + + + %
$ +b+p+ +%
$P N +n+ %
$ P +kPpP%
$+ + + +r%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Pavel Eljanov
Position after 19...Bc8d7

20.e5!

• White's pawn has an abiding cramping effect on Black's position. That effect will be felt for the next 50 moves and more.

20...Ne8 21.Rd1 Ke7

• 21...Bc6 22.g4 f6 23.exf6 gxf6 24.Nd4 gives White an active game.

22.Ng5 Rc8 23.Ba2 h6 24.Nge4 b6!?

• 24...f6 25.exf6+ gxf6 26.f4 Bc6 27.g4 Bxe4 28.Nxe4 is equal.

BLACK: Nikolay Chadaev
!""""""""#
$ +tMm+ +%
$O +vLoO %
$ O +o+ O%
$+ + P + %
$ + +n+ +%
$P N + + %
$bP +kPpP%
$+ +r+ + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Pavel Eljanov
Position after 24...b7b6

25.f4!

• White fortifies the e-pawn to maintain its cramping effect.
• 25.b4 f5 26.exf6+ Nxf6 27.f3 Bc6 is equal.

25...Nb7 26.Nd2 Nc5 27.Nc4 Bc6 28.g3 Na4!?

• Exchanging in the center is better.
• 28...Ne4 29.Nxe4 Bxe4 30.Rd4 Bd5 31.b3 Bxc4+ 32.Rxc4 is equal.

29.Nxa4 Bxa4 30.Rd4 Bb5 31.Kd2 Bxc4!

• Black's game is cramped, so he pursues the time-tested remedy of exchanging pieces. There is little White can do about it.

32.Bxc4 Rd8 33.Rxd8 Kxd8

• There isn't anything left to exchange. The players could have agreed to a draw here.

34.h4 Ke7

• 34...Nc7 35.Ke3 b5 36.Bf1 Nd5+ 37.Ke4 a6 38.h5 Black's Knight sits on a spledid outpost, but has nowhere to go from there.

35.Be2 Nc7 36.Bf3 Kf8 37.Kd3 g6

• If 37...Ke7 38.g4 g6 39.Kd4 then:
• 39...f6 40.g5 fxg5 41.fxg5 hxg5 42.hxg5 although White has more room to run around, he still can't penetrate into Black's position.
• 39...a6 40.a4 a5 41.Bb7 Ne8 42.Kc4 Nc7offers no practical advantage.

38.h5 Kg7 39.hxg6 fxg6

• The pawn formations are nearly symmetrical in respect ot each other and the remaining minor piece, one on each side, to not allow penetration into the other camp. White's pawns are more advanced, giving him an advantage in mobility (freedom) in only a most technical sense. Neither side has anything resembling activity, let alone initiative. It is safe to say that White is unlikely to lose this game, but it is difficult to say that White can win it.
• So stable is the position that we have just seen the last exchange for thirty moves.

BLACK: Nikolay Chadaev
!""""""""#
$ + + + +%
$O M + L %
$ O +o+oO%
$+ + P + %
$ + + P +%
$P +k+bP %
$ P + + +%
$+ + + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Pavel Eljanov
Position after 39...fg6:p

40.Ke4

• White has one advantage: being able to win a King and pawn ending if Black decides to exchange the pieces.
• If 40.g4 Kf7 then:
• 41.Ke3 a5 42.b3 Nb5 43.a4 Nc7 the game plods along, just like it actually does.
• If 41...Nd5+? 42.Bxd5! exd5 43.Kd4 then White wins the King and pawn ending:
• If 43...Ke6 then after 44.f5+ gxf5 45.gxf5+ Kxf5 46.Kxd5 h5 47.e6 White maintains the opposition if the Black moves to f6 and advances the pawn otherwise.
• If 43...Kg7 then after 44.Kxd5 h5 45.gxh5 gxh5 46.f5 h4 47.Ke4 the White King has time to catch the h-pawn while the passer duo is self-protecting.

40...Kf7 41.Be2 a5

• If 41...h5?! 42.Bf3 Nd5 43.b4 a6 44.Kd3 Ne7 then:
• If 45.a4! Nf5 46.g4 Ng3 47.a5 bxa5 48.bxa5 then:
• 48...h4 49.Bb7 h3! 50.Ke3 gives White a strong game from which victory can be won.
• If 48...hxg4? 49.Bxg4 Nh5 50.Ke4 Ng3+ then:
• 51.Ke3 Nf5+ 52.Bxf5 gxf5 53.Kd4 the White King will position itself to capture either on e6 or a6.
• 51.Kd4 Nh5 52.f5 exf5 53.Be2 promises White the remote passer.
• If 45.Ke3!? Nf5+ 46.Kf2 Nd4 then:
• 47.a4 Nc2 48.a5 b5 49.Bb7 Nxb4 50.Ke3 Ke8 51.Kd4 White will soon make up the pawn minus, but neither side has a winning edge.
• 47.Bb7 a5 48.bxa5 bxa5 49.a4 Ke7 50.Be4 Nf5 offers no tangible advantage to either side.

42.Bc4 Ke7 43.Bb3 Na6 44.Bc2 Nc7 45.Bd3 Kf7 46.Bc4

• 46.a4 Ne8 47.Kf3 Ng7 48.g4 maintains an apparent state of entropy.

46...Ke7 47.b3 Ne8 48.Bd3 Kf7 49.Be2 Ke7

• If 49...Ng7 50.g4 h5 51.Kf3 then:
• 51...hxg4+ 52.Kxg4 Nf5 53.Bd3 Nd4 54.b4 axb4 55.axb4 allows White to press Black only so far before the position stabilizes.
• If 51...h4? then:
• 52.Bb5! g5 53.fxg5 Kg6 54.Kf4 Kf7 55.Bd3 Ne8 56.g6+ gives White an extra pawn, the initiative and greater freedom.
• 52...h3 53.Kg3 g5 54.fxg5 Kg6 55.Kxh3 Kxg5 56.Kg3 boxes the Knight, effectively giving White an extra piece.

50.Bc4 Kf7
BLACK: Nikolay Chadaev
!""""""""#
$ + +m+ +%
$+ + +l+ %
$ O +o+oO%
$O + P + %
$ +b+kP +%
$Pp+ + P %
$ + + + +%
$+ + + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Pavel Eljanov
Position after 50...Ke7f7

51.g4!

• Although White has nothing resembling an immediate win in sight, this move is critical for his hopes. A timely advance of the f-pawn, liquidating the kingside pawns, is the best bet.
• Concerning the right moment for the pawn advance, White must wait until e-pawn is already under attack (i.e, the Bishop must be in the a2/g8 diagonal), the White King is at e4 and neither the Black King nor the Black Knight can immediately be moved to a squre where it can hinder the kingside penetration of the White King. Of course, that would involve a mistake on Black's part, but that would merely underscores the Jack Rabbit Comic Theory of Chess: No game can be won by one side until it is first lost by the other.

51...Ke7 52.Bd3

• The immediate pawn advance would be slightly prematue.
• If 52.f5!? gxf5+ 53.gxf5 exf5+ 54.Kxf5 then:
• 54...Ng7+! 55.Kg6 Ne6 56.Kxh6 Nd4 57.a4! (preventing 57...b5!) 57...Nf3! is equal and a likely draw.
• 54...h5? is a poor use of a critical tempo; if now 55.Kg5 Ng7 56.Kg6 Ne6 57.Kxh5 b5 then:
• 58.Bf1 Nd4 59.Kg5 b4 60.axb4 axb4 61.Bc4 Nf3+ 62.Kf5 wins.
• 58.Bxb5 Nd4 59.Bc4 Nf3 60.e6! assures White of enjoying a passed pawn for the duration.
• If 54...Nc7 55.a4! (other than what is embodied in the h-pawn, this deprives Black of his remaing reserve pawn tempi) then:
• 55...h5 (this time, the move is useful to divert the King from the attack in the center) 56.Kg5 Ne6+ 57.Kxh5 Nc5 58.Kg5 Ne4+ 59.Kf4 leaves White much stronger.
• 55...Ne8 56.Kg6 Nc7 57.Kxh6 Ne6 58.Kg6 Nd4 59.Kg5 White will bring his King to the opposite wing.

52...Nc7!

• Black immediately overprotects the e-pawn. Maintaining it where it is at e6 is critical to his defense.

53.Bc4 Ne8?

• This move is bad not so much because White misses the opportunity to completely upset White's plans, but because of have the move plays into White's plans (see next note).
• 53...b5! 54.Be2 Kf7 55.Kd4 Nd5 56.Bxb5 Nxf4 puts an end once and for all to White's kingside plans; the theatre shifts to the queenside.

54.a4!?

• The pawns have reached a stable balance. The game now goes 16 moves with the pawns ramining as they are.
• If 54.f5! gxf5+ 55.gxf5 exf5+ 56.Kxf5 Nc7 57.a4! (White make use of a reserve pawn tempo) then:
• 57...Ne8 58.Kg6 Nc7 59.Kxh6 Ne6 60.Kg6 Nd4 61.Kg5 gives White a strong passed pawn.
• 57...Ke8 58.Kg6 Ke7 59.Kxh6 is a transposition.

54...Ng7 55.Bd3 Kf7 56.Bc2 Ne8 57.Bd3

• Once more, the time is not yet ripe for the pawn advance.
• 57.f5!? gxf5+! 58.gxf5 exf5+ 59.Kxf5 Ng7+ 60.Ke4 h5 is equal and likely drawn.

57...Ng7 58.Kf3 Ne8 59.Bb5 Ke7 60.Bd3

• If 60.Bc4 then 60...Nc7 leaves the game again dead in the water.

60...Kf7 61.Ke3 Ng7 62.Ke4 Ne8 63.Be2!

• This move sets an instructive trap.

BLACK: Nikolay Chadaev
!""""""""#
$ + +m+ +%
$+ + +l+ %
$ O +o+oO%
$O + P + %
$p+ +kPp+%
$+p+ + + %
$ + +b+ +%
$+ + + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Pavel Eljanov
Position after 63.Bd3e2

63...Ke7!

• Black doesn't fall into the snare.
• If 63...Nc7? then:
• 64.Bc4! Ke7 65.f5! (it works now) 65...gxf5+ 66.gxf5 exf5+ 67.Kxf5 then wow and how 'bout that?
• If Black attempts to avoid the pawn advance with 64...h5 then after 65.gxh5 gxh5 66.f5 h4 67.Kf3! Kf8 68.f6 White wins.

64.Bf1 Ng7 65.Bd3 Kf7 66.Bb1 Ne8 67.Bc2 Nc7 68.Bd3

• The conditions are not yet right for White to advance the pawn. He must wait until the e-pawn is less overprotected.
• 68.f5?! exf5+ 69.gxf5 gxf5+ 70.Kxf5 Ne6 71.Bd1 is equal.

68...Ke7!?

• After 68...Ne8 69.Bc4 Ng7! (Black prevents the pawn advance with brute force) 70.Kf3 Ke7 71.Bd3 Kf7 Black's defense holds.

69.Bc4 Ne8?

• After 69...Kf8! 70.f5 gxf5+ 71.gxf5 exf5+ 72.Kxf5 Kg7! 73.e6 Kf8! Black's defense holds.

BLACK: Nikolay Chadaev
!""""""""#
$ + +m+ +%
$+ + L + %
$ O +o+oO%
$O + P + %
$p+b+kPp+%
$+p+ + + %
$ + + + +%
$+ + + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Pavel Eljanov
Position after 69...Nc7e8

70.f5!

• At last the advance is played.
• White's advantage is based on the following factors:
  • There are pawns on both wings, a fact that favors the Bishop over the Knight.
  • The promotion point for each passer is a light square and thus can be covered by White's Bishop (corollary: White does not want to exchange pieces).
  • The Black King cannot approach the e-pawn as long as White's Bishop remains on the a2/g8 diagonal (corollary: Black will advance his h-pawn in order to divert the Bishop off the diagonal).
  • The White King is centrally posted, so that if circumstances permit it can abandon the e-pawn can pivot to the queenside and feast on Black's pawns there, winning.

70...gxf5+ 71.gxf5 exf5+ 72.Kxf5 h5

• 72...Ng7+ 73.Kg6 Ne6 74.Kxh6 Nd4 75.Kg5 Nf3+ 76.Kf4 Nd4 77.Ke4 wins for White.
• 72...Kf8 73.Kg6 Ke7 74.Kxh6 Nc7 75.Kg5 Ne8 76.Kf5 Nc7 77.Ke4 wins for White.

73.Kg5 Ng7 74.Kg6!!

• White does not have to worry about the h-pawn queening so long at the Bishop remains on the board.

74...Kf8 75.Kg5 Ke7 76.Kg6 Kf8 77.Kf6

• 77.Kg5 allows Black to claim a draw by repetition on the spot.

77...h4 78.Bf1!

• Just in the nick of time, White deprives Black off reserve pawn tempi.

78...Nh5+

• No better is 78...Ne8+ 79.Ke6 Ng7+ 80.Kd6 Nf5+ 81.Kd7 Nd4 82.e6 , when Black is forced to retreat his Knight to f5 without touching a hair on the head of the b-pawn.

79.Ke6 Nf4+ 80.Kd7 Ng6 81.e6 Ne7
BLACK: Nikolay Chadaev
!""""""""#
$ + + L +%
$+ +kM + %
$ O +p+ +%
$O + + + %
$p+ + + O%
$+p+ + + %
$ + + + +%
$+ + +b+ %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Pavel Eljanov
Position after 81...Ng6e7

82.Bg2!!

• This quiet move makes a big difference.
• White wins, but with more difficulty, after 82.Kd8 Nf5 when:
• 83.Kc7! Ke7 84.Kxb6 Nd4 85.Kxa5 Nxb3+ 86.Kb6 Kd6 87.Bh3 wins for White.
• If 83.Bh3!? then after 83...Ne7! 84.Kc7 Nd5+ Black's queenside is safe.
• The immediate 82.Kc7!? is refuted by 82...Nd5+! when Black's queenside is safe.

82...Ng8 83.Kd8 Ne7 84.Kc7

• Black's queenside pawns fall as 84...Nd5+ is out of the question.

84...Ke8 85.Kxb6 Ng6 86.Kxa5 Nf4 87.Bh1 Nxe6

• If 87...Ne2 88.Kb6 then:
• 88...Nd4 then after 89.Bd5 Nf5 90.a5 White wins.
• After 88...Ng3 89.Bb7 Ke7 90.a5 White wins.

88.Kb6 Kd8 89.a5 Nf8 90.a6 Nd7+ 91.Kb5 Kc7 92.a7! 1-0

• After Black plays 92...Nb6 (forced), White replies with the killer move 93.Bg2!! , depriving Black of any pawn tempo he had in reserve and creating an immediate Zugzwang.
• Grandmaster Chadaev resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Bronnikova - Pogonina, Women's League, Round 6

Natalija Pogonina
Photo: Ajedrez (Argentina)


Elizaveta Bronnikova (Chigorin St. Petersburg) - Natalija Pogonina (AVS Krasnoturynsk)
Russian Team Championships, Round 6
Woemn's League Sochi, 8 April 2009

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Anti-Marshall Line (Kasparov Variation)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.a4

• Kasparov would not allow any opponent of his to play the Marshall Gambit against him. This and 8.h3 were his favorite moves after Black threatened to play the Marshall after 7...0-0.
• See also Maszaros-Steingrimsson, Op, Reykjavik, 2009) and Hou Yifan-Yildiz, Grand Prix W, Istranbul, 2009.

8...Bb7 9.axb5

• If 9.d3 d6 then:
• If 10.Nc3 Na5 11.Ba2 b4 12.Ne2 c5 then:
• If 13.Ng3 then:
• 13...Bc8 14.h3 Rb8 15.Bd2 Be6 16.Bxe6 fxe6 17.Be3 Nd7 18.c3 bxc3 19.bxc3 d5 20.Qc2 Qc7 21.exd5 exd5 22.c4 e4 23.dxe4 d4 24.Bd2 gives White an extra pawn (Kupreichik-Tseshkovsky, Soviet Ch, Vilnius, 1980).
• 13...Rb8 14.Nd2 Bc8 15.h3 Be6 16.Nc4 Nxc4 17.Bxc4 Bxc4 18.dxc4 Ne8 19.Qg4 Kh8 20.Be3 gives White the advantage in space (Kissinger-Andresen, Cyberspace, 1998).
• If 13.c3 bxc3 14.bxc3 c4 15.Ng3 then:
• 15...cxd3 16.Qxd3 Bc8 17.Bg5 Nb7 18.Nd2 Nc5 19.Qc2 Bd7 20.Bxf6 Bxf6 21.Bd5 Rb8 22.Nc4 Qc7 is equal (Ljubojevic-Karpov, London, 1982).
• 15...Nd7 16.Ba3 g6 17.d4 Qc7 18.Rb1 Rab8 19.Qe2 Rfc8 20.d5 Nc5 21.Bxc5 Qxc5 22.Rb4 gives White a slight advantage in space (Pasierb-Weissleder, Cyberspace, 1997)
• If 10.Nbd2 h6 then:
• 11.Nf1 Re8 12.Bd2 Bf8 13.Ng3 Nb8 14.Qb1 Qd7 15.c4 bxc4 16.Bxc4 c5 17.b4 cxb4 18.Bxb4 White seeks to build pressure on Black's d-pawn (Hou Yifan-Yildiz, Grand Prix W, Istanbul, 2009).
• 11.axb5 transposes to the text after 11...axb5 12.Rxa8 Bxa8 13.c3 Qd7.
• 10.c3 transposes to the text after 10...h6 11.axb5 axb5 12.Rxa8 Bxa8.

9...axb5 10.Rxa8 Bxa8

• 10...Qxa8 11.d3 d6 12.c3 Na5 13.Bc2 c5 14.Nbd2 g6 15.Nf1 Re8 16.Ng3 Bf8 17.Nh4 d5 18.Qf3 Re6 19.Bg5 dxe4 20.dxe4 Bg7 is equal (SherbakovBorisenko, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1955).

11.d3!?

• 11.c3 d5 12.d3 Qd6 13.Bg5 Na5 14.Bc2 h6 15.Bh4 dxe4 16.dxe4 Qe6 17.Nbd2 c5 18.Qe2 is equal (Blau-Penrose, Ol, Varna, 1962).

11...d6

• The game is equal.
• 11...Bb4 12.c3 Bd6 13.d4 Qe7 14.Qd3 exd4 15.cxd4 gives White a small advantage in space.

12.c3

• White fortifies her d4 square in anticipation of a pawn advance; another strategem is to pressure the center with pieces.
• If 12.Nc3 then:
• 12...Na5 13.Ba2 b4 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.Bxd5 remains equal.
• If 12...b4 13.Nd5 Na5 14.Ba2 Nxd5 15.Bxd5 then:
• 15...c6 16.Ba2 is equal.
• If 15...Bxd5?! then after 16.exd5 Qa8 17.c4! bxc3 18.b4 the Knight must retreat to the inferior square b7.

12...h6 13.Nbd2 Qd7

• 13...Re8 14.Ba2 Qd7 15.Qb3 Nd8 16.d4 exd4 17.cxd4 remains equal.

14.Nf1 Re8 15.Ng3 Bf8

• 15...Bb7 16.d4 Ra8 17.d5 Nd8 18.Qd3 remains equal.

16.d4 Na5 17.Bc2

• 17.dxe5 dxe5 18.Qxd7 Nxd7 19.Bc2 remains equal,

BLACK: Natalija Pogonina
!""""""""#
$v+ +tVl+%
$+ Ow+oO %
$ + O M O%
$Mo+ O + %
$ + Pp+ +%
$+ P +nN %
$ Pb+ PpP%
$+ BqR K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Elizaveta Bronnikova
Position after 17.Bb3c2

17...Nc4!?

• White has established a broad pawn center. Black has several playable ways of countering this.
• 17...exd4 is a typical and effective way of countering this kind of center: if now18.cxd4 c5 19.Qd3 then:
• If 19...cxd4 20.Nxd4 Nc6 then:
• 21.Nxc6 Qxc6 22.Bd2 Nd7 23.b4 Ne5 24.Qc3 remains equal.
• 21.Qxb5? drops a piece to 21...Nxd4 22.Qxd7 Nxd7 23.Ba4 Nc6.
• 19...c4!? 20.Qc3 Nc6 21.d5 Ne5 22.Nd4 gives White the better center and more freedom.
• Black is trying something else. She plans to sweep White's c- and d-pawns away without sacrificing her own e-pawn and then playing ...d6d5, supplanting White's classic center duo with her own.

18.b3!?

• It might be better to use the fortified pawn center.
• 18.d5 c6 19.b3 then:
• 19...Nb6 20.Be3 Qc7 21.dxc6 Bxc6 22.Qe2 d5! is equal.
• 19...Na5 20.Qd3 Nb7 21.c4 Nc5 22.Qe2 bxc4 23.bxc4 makes White's pawn at d5 a permanent feature of the landscape.

18...Nb6 19.h3

• White thinks her position is good as it is and plays a waiting move.
• If 19.Bb2 c5 20.Qa1 c4 then:
• 21.b4 Bb7 22.Qd1 Ra8 23.dxe5 dxe5 gives Black the advantage in space.
• 21.Qa5 cxb3 22.Bxb3 Nc4 remains equal.

19...Qc6 20.Bb2 Nbd7 21.d5

• White tries brute force to precent ...d5.
• 21.Qe2 Qb6 22.d5 c6 23.dxc6 Bxc6 then:
• 24.Rd1 Qb7 25.Nd2 Ra8 26.Ra1 Rxa1+ 27.Bxa1 d5! is equal.
• 24.Qd2 Qb7 25.Qd3 d5! is equal.

21...Qb6 22.Qe2

• If 22.Nd2!? c6 23.c4 Rc8 24.Re3 then:
• Black frees herself in the center after 24...bxc4! 25.Nxc4 Qb8 26.dxc6 Bxc6 27.Qe2 d5!.
• 24...Bb7 25.dxc6 Qxc6 remains equal.

22...c6!

• Black's plan is to strike back with a timely ...d5. Obviously, she can't have her opponent fortifying the White pawn at d5.

23.dxc6

• The pawn exchange is virtually forced because of the masked attack by the Black Queen on the hanging Bishop.
• 23.c4?! bxc4 24.dxc6 Bxc6 25.Qxc4 d5! gives Black the initiative.

23...Bxc6 24.Rd1

• White does what she can to make Black's planned pawn advance difficult.
• 24.Qd2!? might be the better way to go: if now 24...Ra8 25.b4 Qb7 then:
• 26.Qd3 26...Ra2 27.Bc1 Ra1 28.Bb1 Nb6 29.Bb2 Black has still not enforced ...d5 and the game remains equal.
• If 26.Bd3!? then after 26...d5! 27.Nxe5 Nxe4 28.Bxe4 Nxe5 29.Bc2 Nc4 Black stands better.

24...Qb7

• In order to advance the pawn, Black must first apply as much force as she can to the d5 square.

25.Nd2?!

• White voluntarily cute the line of attack from the Rook to Black's d-pawn.
• If 25.b4 x 25...d5 26.Nd2 Nb6 then:
• 27.exd5 Nbxd5 28.Nde4 Nxe4 29.Bxe4 Rd8 is equal.
• If 27.Bc1 then:
• 27...Be7 28.Qf3 Nc4 29.Nf5 Nd6 30.exd5 Bxd5 is equal.
• If 27...dxe4?! 28.Ngxe4 Nxe4 29.Nxe4 f5 30.Nd6 then:
• If 30...Bxd6 then:
• 31.Rxd6! Nc4 32.Rg6 f4 33.Qg4 gives White the initiative.
• 31.Bb3+?! Nd5 32.Qa2 Ra8 is equal.
• 30...Qc7? 31.Nxe8 Bxe8 32.Bxf5.

25...Nc5!

• 25...d5!? would now be premature; if now 26.exd5 Bxd5 27.Nde4 Qc6 28.Qd3 Kh8 29.Ra1 then the game is equal.

26.f3 Ne6 27.Ndf1?

• White has no time for pedestrian maneuvering, although she almost committed herself to it with her 25th move..
• If 27.Nf5 d5 28.exd5 Nf4 29.Qf2 Bxd5 30.Kh2 Ra8 then:
• 31.Ra1 Rxa1 32.Bxa1 Qa8 33.Qe1 Qa2 34.Qb1 is equal.
• If 31.c4 bxc4 32.Bxe5 cxb3 33.Nxb3 then:
• If 33...Ng6! 34.Nc5 Bxc5 35.Qxc5 Rc8 gives Black a clear advantage.
• 33...Bxb3 34.Bxf4 Ra2 35.Rd2 is equal.

BLACK: Natalija Pogonina
!""""""""#
$ + +rVl+%
$+w+ +oO %
$ +vOmM O%
$+o+ O + %
$ + +p+ +%
$+pP +pNp%
$ Bb+q+p+%
$+ +r+nK %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Elizaveta Bronnikova
Position after 27.Nd2f1

27...d5!

• At last.

28.Bc1

• 28.exd5 Nxd5 29.Ne4 Ra8 gives Black the active game.

28...d4 29.cxd4 Nxd4 30.Qf2

• If 30.Qd3 Rd8 31.Nf5 Bc5 then:
• 32.Kh1 b4 33.N5e3 Bb5 Black continues to enjoy the fierce initiative.
• 32.Nxd4?? then 32...Rxd4! wins the Queen.

30...Rc8 31.Be3

• White must start to lose material.
• Perhaps best is 31.Bd3 Nxb3 32.Be3 Qd7 33.Nf5 Qe6 which "only" loses a pawn.

31...Nxc2 32.Qxc2 Bxe4!

• Black plays an obvious tactical shot.

33.Qb2 Rc2 34.Qa1

• If 34.Qxe5 then after 34...Rxg2+ 35.Kxg2 Bxf3+ 36.Kg1 Bxd1 Black continues to enjoy a material advantage.

34...Bxf3 35.Rd2

• Black concedes to allow a series of exchanges before resigning.
• 35.Nd2 Bxd1 36.Qxd1 Qc6 37.Ngf1 Qc3 gives Black a probitive material advantage, in addition to everything else.

35...Rxd2 36.Nxd2 Bxg2 37.Qxe5 Bxh3 38.Nde4 Nxe4 39.Nxe4 f5 40.Qe6+ Kh7 0-1

• Black is three pawns to the good.
• Bronnikova resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Foxwoods Open, Mashantucket, Connecticut

Foxwoods Hotel and Casino
Mashantucket, Connecticut

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Hess - Odeh, Round 2

Robert Hess is a New York City high school student who plays linebacker for his school's football team. He is looking for his third grandmaster norm in the Foxwoods Open.



Robert Hess
Photo: New York Daily News


Robert Hess - Kenneth Odeh
Foxwoods Open, Round 2
Mashantucket, 9 April 2009

German Game: Two Knights' Opening (Caro-Kann Defense)

1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3

• 3.d4 transposes into the other main lines.

3...dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bg4 5.h3 Bxf3 6.Qxf3 e6 7.b3!?

• 7.c3 Nd7 8.d4 Ngf6 9.Bd3 Nxe4 10.Qxe4 Nf6 11.Qe2 Bd6 12.0-0 Bc7 13.Re1 0-0 14.Bd2 Re8 15.Rad1 e5 is equal (Short-Karpov, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 1993).
• If 7.d4 Qxd4 8.Bd3 then:
• If 8...Nd7 9.Be3 Qd5 then:
• 10.Rd1 Ne5 11.Qf4 Qa5+ 12.Ke2 Ng6 13.Nd6+ Bxd6 14.Qxd6 Rd8 15.b4 Qe5 16.Qxe5 Nxe5 17.Bxa7 Nf6 18.Rhe1 Ra8 19.Bd4 Nxd3 20.Kxd3 is equal (Hayrapetian-Galkin, Euro ChT, Kallithea, 2008).
• 10.0-0 Ne5 11.Qg3 Nxd3 12.cxd3 Nf6 13.Bg5 Be7 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.Qc7 Qd7 16.Nd6+ Ke7 17.Nf5+ Ke8 18.Nd6+ Ke7 19.Nf5+ Ke8 draw (Can-P. H. Nielsen, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• 8...Nf6 9.Be3 Qd8 10.0-0-0 Nbd7 11.Bc4 Qa5 12.Bd2 Qb6 13.Rhe1 Nxe4 14.Rxe4 Nf6 15.Bxe6 fxe6 16.Rxe6+ Be7 17.Rde1 Nd5 18.Bg5 gives White his piece back with interest (Boleslavsky-Flohr, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1950).

7...Nf6!?

• Black indicate that he's no looking for a quiet game.
• 7...Nd7 8.Bb2 Ngf6 9.0-0-0 Be7 10.d4 is equal.

8.Nxf6+ Qxf6 9.Qxf6 gxf6 10.Bb2

• The players just skipped the middle game.
• White has better pawn structure and more activity in that the Bishop is attacking the weak pawn at f6.

10...Nd7 11.Be2 Rg8 12.0-0 f5

• Black opens the long diagonal with the intention of exchanging Bishops.
• 12...Bg7 13.Rfe1 f5 14.Bxg7 Rxg7 15.Rad1 c5 16.d4 gives White pressure in the center.

13.Rad1 Bg7 14.d4

• White wants to keep his Bishop at least a bit longer. The advance of the d-pawn slows Black's attempts to grab a foothold in the center.
• 14.Bxg7 Rxg7 15.d4 Nf6 is equal.

14...a6 15.Bf3

• White slows the advance of Black's queenside pawns.

15...Nf6 16.Rfe1 0-0-0 17.c4

• Up to this point, White's plan has been to expand in the center with pawn moves, denying Black any traction there.
• 17.a3 Rd6 18.c4 Rgd8 19.d5 exd5 20.Be5 Re6 gives White a small advantage in space.

17...Ne4!?

• Black plays aggressively.
• 17...Ne8 18.Re2 Nc7 19.Red2 Rd6 20.a4 Rgd8 21.Bc3 is equal.

18.b4!?

• White has gone as far as he can with a strategy of restraint and now prepares something new.
• 18.Bxe4 fxe4 19.Rxe4 then:
• 19...c5 20.Rh4 h6 21.Rd2 Bf6 22.Re4 Rd7 23.b4 is equal.
• 19...h6 20.a3 c5 21.Rd3 cxd4 22.Kf1 e5 is equal.

18...Ng5!

• Black equalizes.

19.Bh5 Rd7 20.Ba1

• White would like to advance the d-pawn, opening up the position to his advantage.
• 20.f4 Ne4 21.Bf3 Nd6 22.Be2 Bh6 23.Bc1 Ne4 remains equal.

20...Bh8 21.Kf1 Rgd8 22.f3

• 22.d5?! would prove premature after 22...Bxa1 23.Rxa1 exd5 24.cxd5 Rxd5.

22...e5 23.d5!?

• White opens the game.
• The pawn sacrifice 23.f4? proves dubious after 23...exf4! 24.h4 Ne4 25.Kg1.

23...cxd5?!

• Black needn't acquiesce to the opening of the center.
• 23...Ne6! 24.Bxe5 Bxe5 25.Rxe5 Ng7 26.g4 f6 remains equal.

24.Rxd5 Rxd5 25.cxd5 Rd6?

• Failing to take the passer will have dire consequences.
• It's still a fight after 25...Rxd5 26.f4 Ne6 27.Bxf7 Kd7 28.g4.

BLACK: Kenneth Odeh
!""""""""#
$ +l+ + V%
$+o+ +o+o%
$o+ T + +%
$+ +pOoMb%
$ P + + +%
$+ + +p+p%
$p+ + +p+%
$B + Rk+ %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Robert Hess
Position after 25...Rd8d6

26.f4!

• White gains time on the Knight and prepares for an advantageous pawn capture.

26...Rh6

• If 26...exf4 27.Re8+ then:
• 27...Kd7 28.Rxh8 wins a piece for White.
• No better is 27...Rd8 28.Rxd8+ Kxd8 29.Bxh8.

27.Be2 Ne4 28.fxe5!

• The d-pawn is now a protected passer.

28...Rh4 29.Bd3 Rf4+ 30.Kg1 Bg7 31.Rf1 Bh6

• 31...Rxf1+ 32.Kxf1 f6 33.Bxe4 fxe4 34.exf6 gives White two extra pawns.

32.Rxf4 Bxf4 33.g4 Be3+

• Black might put up more resistance with 33...fxg4 34.hxg4 Ng5 35.Kf2 when:
• 35...Bd2 36.b5 axb5 37.Ke2 Ba5 38.Bxb5 allows Black to at least slow the advance of White's central duo.
• 35...Kc7 36.Ke2 f6 37.exf6 Kd6 38.Bf5 Kxd5 weakens White's pawns.

34.Kg2 Bd2
BLACK: Kenneth Odeh
!""""""""#
$ +l+ + +%
$+o+ +o+o%
$o+ + + +%
$+ +pPo+ %
$ P +m+p+%
$+ +b+ +p%
$p+ V +k+%
$B + + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Robert Hess
Position after 34...Be3d2

35.gxf5!

• White establishes a pawn majority in the center that will yield two connected passed pawns.

35...Nc3 36.Bxc3 Bxc3 37.e6!

• This is the rejoinder to White's 35th move.

37...fxe6

• 37...f6 loses to 38.b5 a5 39.d6!.

38.fxe6 Bxb4 39.Bxh7 Kc7 40.Kf3 Be7

• Black plays on in hopes of saving the game by blockading White's central pawns and advancing his queenside pawn majority. However, in that case, White still has the remote passer on the h-file.

41.Kg4 Kd6 42.Be4 b5

BLACK: Kenneth Odeh
!""""""""#
$ + + + +%
$+ + V + %
$o+ Lp+ +%
$+o+p+ + %
$ + +b+k+%
$+ + + +o%
$o+ + + +%
$+ + + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Robert Hess
Position after 42...b7b5

43.h4!

• See previous note.

43...Ke5 44.h5 Kf6 45.h6 a5 46.h7 Kg7 47.Kf5 Bd6 48.h8Q+ 1-0

• The h-pawn goes out in a blaze of glory so that one of its fellows can reach the promised land and live on to slay the Black King.
• If 48...Kxh8 49.Kf6 then:
• 49...Bg3 50.e7 Bh4+ 51.Kf7 wins for White.
• 49...Kg8 50.e7 Bxe7+ 51.Kxe7 at once captures Black's last piece and clears the way way for the pawn.
• Mr. Odeh resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

11. Update (Sunday Night): Sadvakasov draws Shulman in Blitz Playoff to Win Foxwoods Open

Kazakh grandmaster Darmen Sadvakasov, playing Black, drew reigning US champion Yury Shulman in a blitz playoff this evening to win the annual Foxwoods Open at the Foxwoods Resort and Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut.

Shulman and Sadvakasov each finished the regularly scheduled nine rounds with 7½ points each. The blitz game was played under Armageddon rules. Shulman chose to take White with five minutes on his clock, leaving Sadvakasov with only three minutes but with the odds of the drawn game. The players agreed to a draw after 50 moves, technically making Black the winner.

Shulman won a blitz playoff with White at the end of last year's Foxwoods Open, which saw five players tie for first place.

Shulman led most of the way during tournament and defeated Sadvakasov in the fourth round. Sadvakasov had to score 4½ points in his last five game to force the playoff.

In other news from Foxwoods, New York high school athlete Robert Hess earned his third and final necessary grandmaster norm by scoring 6½ points out of nine. Hess already has his Elo score over the required 2500 and will be formally named a grandmaster later this year.

[Jack Rabbit]

12. Update (Wednesday): Grand Prix opens in Nalchik

The fourth GIDE Grand Prix opened today in Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkaria (Russia) with 14 players participating.

The competitors are: Vladimir Akopian (Armenia); Evgeny Alekseev (Russia); Levon Aronian (Armenia); Etienne Bacrot (France); Pavel Eljanov (Ukraine); Boris Gelfand (Israel); Alexander Grischuk (Russia); Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine); Gata Kamsky (United States); Sergey Karjakin (Ukraine); Rustam Kasimdzhanov (Uzbekistan); Peter Leko (Hungary); Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan); and Peter Svidler (Russia).

In today's first round, Aronian, playing Black, defeated Mamedyarov and Grischuk took down Gelfand. All other games were drawn.