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26. Gordon - Roe, Round 2

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[center]Steve Gordon[/center][font size="1"]Photo by Brittle Heaven (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Brittle_heaven) in Wikimedia Commons (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gordon_rd7_4thEUIO.JPG)
(Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
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Steve Gordon - Simon Roe
British Championships, Round 2
North Shields, Northumberland, 24 July 2012

Orthodox Queen's Gambit: Normal Defense (Swedish Variation) (Tarrasch Defense)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.g3 Nc6 6.Bg2 c4

• This is the Swedish Variation of the Normal Defense, more frequently called the Tarrasch Defense. For the Main Line, see the [font color="darkred"]maroon notes[/font] to Black's fourth move (the game [font color="darkred"]Kasparov-Illescas[/font] and related lines) in http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=215&topic_id=173961&mesg_id=173982 Vachier Lagrave-Salgado López, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2011).

7.0-0 Bb4 8.b3

• If [font color="red"]8.Nc3 Nge7 9.e4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]9...dxe4 10.Nxe4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]10...0-0[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]11.a3 Ba5 12.Qa4 Bb6[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]13.Qxc4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]13...Nxd4?! 14.Nxd4 Qxd4 15.Qe2! Qd7 16.Rd1 Qe6 17.Rd6[/font] gives White a muscular game (Gligoric-Kostic, Yugoslav Ch, Ljubljana, 1947).
• [font color="burgundy"]13...Be6 14.Qd3 Nxd4 15.Nxd4 Qxd4 16.Qxd4 Bxd4 17.Nd6[/font] gives White a small advantage in space.
• [font color="darkpink"]13.Be3 Be6 14.Nc5 Bxc5 15.dxc5 Nd5 16.Bg5[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Korchnoi-O. Rodríguez, IT, Salamanca, 1991).
• If [font color="darkred"]11.Qc2[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]11...Bf5 12.Nh4 Rc8 13.Nf6+[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]13...Kh8 14.Nxf5 Nxf5 15.Qxf5 Qxf6 16.Qxf6 gxf6 17.Be3[/font] gives Black greater activity; Black will not be able to hold his extra pawn (Lautier-O. Rodríguez, IT, Barcelona, 1992).
• [font color="darkorange"]13...gxf6? 14.Nxf5 Nxd4 15.Nxd4 Qxd4 16.Bxb7 Rb8 17.Ba6[/font] gives White an extra pawn and stronger pawns.
• [font color="magenta"]11...Bg4 12.Qxc4 Bxf3 13.Bxf3 Qxd4 14.Qxd4 Nxd4 15.Bg2[/font] is equal (Thi Thanh An Nguyen-Zhukova, World ChTW, Mardin, Turkey, 2011).
• [font color="burgundy"]10...Bf5 11.Ne5 Qxd4 12.Qxd4 Nxd4 13.a3 Bxe4 14.Bxe4[/font] gives White a comfortable game (Nimzovich-Stoltz, IT, Stockholm, 1934).
• If [font color="darkred"]9...0-0 10.exd5 Nxd5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]11.Bg5 Qa5 12.Nxd5 Qxd5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]13.Ne5 Qb5 14.a4 Qa6 15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.d5[/font] gives White stronger pawns, more pressure in the center and more freedom; Black has a slight edge in space (Tukmakov-Lputian, Rpd, Tilburg, 1994).
• If [font color="magenta"]13.a3 Ba5 14.Ne5 Qb5 15.a4 Qa6[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]16.Nxc6 bxc6 17.Qc2 Be6 18.Rfc1 Rab8 19.Bf1[/font] gives White more activity (Timoshchenko-Tseitlin, Op, Palma de Mallorca, 1989).
• [font color="darkorange"]16.Ng4 Bd8 17.Bf4 Nb4 18.Bd2 Nc6 19.d5[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Stocek-Bazant, Czech Championship, Olomouc, 1995).
• If [font color="magenta"]11.Nxd5 Qxd5 12.a3 Ba5[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]13.Ne5 Qb5 14.a4 Qa6[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]15.Nxc6 15...bxc6[/font] then:
• [font color="magenta"]16.Qf3 Bd7 17.Bf4 Rac8 18.Rfc1 Be6 19.Bf1[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space (Igla-Bertrand, Euro Club Cup, Kallithea, Greece, 2008).
• [font color="burgundy"]16.Qh5 Be6 17.Ra3 Rad8 18.g4 g6 19.Qe5[/font] gives White a clear advantage in space (Gligoric-Furman, TM, Leningrad, 1957).
• If [font color="darkorange"]15.Be3 Be6 16.Qh5 Rad8 17.Rfd1 Bd5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkorange"]18.Nd7?! Rxd7 19.Bxd5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkorange"]19...Rfd8!? 20.Be4 g6[/font] gives Black a slight advantage in space (Lautier-Conquest, IT, Clichy, 2001).
• [font color="purple"]19...g6 20.Qf3 Nb4 21.Be4 f5 22.Bb1 Re8[/font] gives Black a fair advantage in space.
• [font color="hotpink"]18.Bxd5 Rxd5 19.Qf3 Rd6 20.Rac1[/font] gives White a small advantage in space.
• [font color="darkpink"]13.Ng5?! Qxd4! 14.Qa4 Bd8 15.Rd1 Qe5 16.Bf4[/font] gives White only a slight advantage (Szabo-Bronstein, Candidates' Trmt, Amsterdam, 1956).

8...cxb3 9.Qxb3 Nge7 10.Ba3

• If [font color="red"]10.Ne5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]10...0-0 11.Nxc6 Nxc6 12.e3 Be6 13.a3 Be7 14.Qxb7[/font] is equal (Sousa Mendes-Stahlberg, IT, Mar del Plata, 1946).
• [font color="darkred"]10...Qb6 11.Nd3 Bd6 12.Qxb6 axb6 13.Nc3 Nxd4 14.Bf4[/font] gives White the initiative (Avrukh-Kiik, Op, Gibraltar, 2009).

10...Bxa3

• If [font color="red"]10...a5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]11.Nc3 0-0 12.Rfc1 Bf5 13.e3 a4 14.Qb2[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space (Przezdziecka-Zhukova, Euro ChW, Kusadasi, Turkey, 2006).
• If [font color="darkred"]11.Bxb4 axb4 12.Nbd2 0-0 13.a3 Qa5 14.Ra2[/font] gives Black more space and White stronger pawns (Baburin-Juarez Flores, Ol, Palma de Mallorca, 2004).

11.Qxa3 0-0 12.Nbd2 (N)

• [font color="red"]12.Nc3 Bf5 13.Rfd1 Qa5 14.Qxa5 Nxa5 15.Rac1[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space (Antoshin-Mikenas, Soviet Ch, Riga, 1970).

12...Be6 13.Nb3!?

• The game is equal.
• [font color="red"]13.e3 Rc8 14.Rfc1 Qa5 15.Qb2 b6 16.Ne5[/font] continues to give White a slight advantage in space.

13...b6!

• The game is equal.

14.Rfc1 f6 15.Ne1 a5!?

• Black looks for space on the queenside, but he should imporve his minor pieces first.
• [font color="red"]15...Qd7[/font] (covering the otherwise unguarded Bishop) [font color="red"]16.Nd3 Bf5 17.Rc3 a5 18.Rac1 Kf7[/font] remains equal.

[center]BLACK: Simon Roe[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Steve Gordon[/center][center]Position after 15...a7a5[/center]

16.e3!

• White has a small advantage in space; the text move allows the Knight to move from b3..

16...Nb4!?

• Black opens the c-file to White's Rook. It is difficult to see what Black expects in compensation.
• Better is [font color="red"]16...Qd7[/font] (reinforcing the minor pieces tasked ith keeping lines closed) [font color="red"]17.Nd2 Rfc8 18.Nd3 Bf5 19.Bf1[/font] continues to give White a small advantage in space.

17.Qb2!

• White has a comfortable game with command of the open file and stronger pawns.

17...Qd6 18.Bf1!?

• White takes pressure off of Black's isolated central pawn.
• [font color="red"]18.a3 Nbc6 19.Nd2 Rab8 20.Nd3 g5 21.Nb1[/font] continues to give White a comfortable game.

18...Bf5!

• White has a small advantage in space.

19.Nd2 Rab8!?

• Black uses the wrong Rook.
• If [font color="red"]19...Rfb8[/font] (now White has Rooks behind both pawns) [font color="red"]20.a3 Na6 21.Bd3 Ra7 22.Qb1 Bxd3 23.Nxd3[/font] gives White a small advantage in space.

[center]BLACK: Simon Roe[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Steve Gordon[/center][center]Position after 19...Ra8b8[/center]

20.Nb1!

• White has a comfortable advantage in space.
• [font color="red"]20.Qb3!? Nbc6! 21.Nd3 g5 22.a3 Rfc8 23.Nb1[/font] gives White a small advantage in space.

20...Rfc8 21.Nc3 Kh8 22.a3

• White has a comfortable game.
• If [font color="red"]22.Qb3 Nbc6 23.Nd3[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]23...g5 24.a3 Kg7 25.Be2 Nd8 26.g4 Bg6 27.h3[/font] gives White a small advantage with the threat of 28.Nb5.
• If [font color="darkred"]23...Be4 24.a3 g5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]25.Be2 Kg7 26.Nb2 Bg6 27.Bf3 Bf7 28.Nba4[/font] gives White a comfortable game.
• [font color="magenta"]25.Nb2 Bf3 26.Nba4 Qe6 27.Bg2[/font] gives White a comfortable game.

22...Nbc6 23.Ba6 Rd8 24.Qe2

• [font color="red"]24.Be2 Rdc8 25.Qb5 Qd7 26.Qb3[/font] continues to give White a comfortable game.

24...Na7 25.Nd3!?

• White's plan seems to involve bringing a Rook to b1 (the text move blocks the diagonal from the Black Bishop) in order to put more pressure on the b5 square to keep the Black pawn from advancing.
• If [font color="red"]25.h4 Nac6[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]26.Nd3 Qd7 27.Bb5 Rbc8 28.Nf4[/font] continues to give White a comfortable advantage in space.
• [font color="darkred"]26.Bb5!? Na7![/font] (preparing to drive back the Bishop) [font color="darkred"]27.Ba4 Rdc8 28.Nd3 b5 29.Bb3[/font] gives White a small advantage in space.

[center]BLACK: Simon Roe[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Steve Gordon[/center][center]Position after 25.Ne1d3[/center]

25...b5!

• Black simply gets this move in before Whit can put more pressure on the b-file.

26.Nc5

• The Bishop cannot move from a6. This is the only way to keep it on the board.

26...Qb6?!

• Black want to prevent the Bishop from breaking out with 27.Bxb5, which is now possible thanks to White's last move that attacks b5 a third time with the Queen.
• If [font color="red"]26...Qc6 27.Nd1 Rb6 28.a4 Rxa6 29.Nxa6 Qxa6 30.Rc5[/font] gives White only a small advantage in space.

27.Ra2!

• White threatens to put the Rook on a2; Black has no more pieces to defend the pawn.

27...b4

• Black is forced to let the Bishop out in order to save the pawn.

28.axb4 axb4 29.N3a4

• White has a comfortable game with stronger pawns and a fair advantage in space.

29...Qc6 30.Nb3?!

• The Knight is at a good post and should remain there in order to keep the c-file closed to Black's heavy pieces.
• If [font color="red"]30.Qd2 Qd6 31.Rb2 Kg8 32.Rxb4 Rxb4 33.Qxb4[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space.

30...Qd6!?

• Black attacks the Bishop; the Bishop has no square to move where it would not be under attack.
• [font color="red"]30...Qe8! 31.Nac5 Nb5 32.Bxb5 Qxb5 33.Qxb5 Rxb5 34.f3[/font] continues to give White a comfortable game.

31.Nac5!

• White preserves the Bishop at a6 and takes a significant advantage.

31...Qb6 32.Qf3 Nb5?

• Black had better moves here, but none that could offer any prolonged hope.
• If [font color="red"]32...Nac6! 33.Rca1[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]33...Ra8 34.Bb7 Rxa2 35.Rxa2 Bc8 36.Bxc8 Rxc8 37.Qe2[/font] continues to give White active Rook that has a6 available for its use.
• [font color="darkred"]33...Qc7 34.Bd3! Bxd3 35.Nxd3 Qd6 36.Qd1 Rb5 37.Nbc5[/font] gives White complte command of the a-file

[center]BLACK: Simon Roe[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Steve Gordon[/center][center]Position after 32...Na7b5[/center]

33.Bxb5 Qxb5 34.Ra7 Nc6

• If [font color="red"]34...Bd7[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]35.Rc7 Rbc8 36.Rb7 Qc6 37.Ra7.[/font]

35.Rxg7 Kxg7 36.Qxf5

• White has an extra pawn and an extra piece.

36...Rd6 37.Ne6+ Kf7

[center]BLACK: Simon Roe[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Steve Gordon[/center][center]Position after 37...Kg7f7[/center]

38.Qxh7+

• Better is [font color="red"]38.Nbc5 Rh8 39.Qh5+ Ke7 40.Ng7 Kd8 41.Nf5,[/font] during the course of which Black should resign.

38...Kxe6

• White still has two pawns for a Rook, but much, much better pawns.

39.Nc5+ Qxc5 40.dxc5

• White's material advantage now is a Qurrn and two pawns against a Rook and Knight.

40...Rdd8 41.Qd3 Rd7

• If [font color="red"]41...b3[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]42.f4 Ne7 43.Rb1 b2 44.Qa3 Rdc8 45.g4.[/font]

42.Ra1 Rc7 43.Ra6 b3 44.Rb6 b2 45.Qb5 1-0

• [font color="red"]45...Rxb6 46.Qxb6 Rc8 47.Qxb2[/font] leaves Black without a prayer.
• Mr. Roe resigns.