Reply #5: T. Mamedyarova - A. Naiditsch, Round 5, Baku

[Jack Rabbit]

Arkadij Naiditsch was born in Soviet Latvia on October 25, 1985. He is now a resident of Germany and represents the German Chess Federation in international events. Herr Naiditsch is Germany's top ranked grandmaster. His sister, Irina Naiditsch, 20, is also a talented chess player.

Turkan Mamedyarova, 17, of Azerbaijan, is the younger sister of the world's sixth ranked grandmaster, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, 22, who is competing in the MTel Masters' in Sofia this week. The older sister, Zeinab Mamedyarova, 24, also competed in Baku, scoring an impressive 6 out of nine.



Arkadij Naiditsch
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)

Turkan Mamedyarova vs. Arkadij Naiditsch
President's Cup, Round 5
Baku, May 2007

East India Game: Bogo-Indian Defense

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Qe7 5. g3 Nc6 6. Bg2

• If 6. Nc3 then:
• 6. -- Bxc3 7. Bxc3 Ne4 8. Rc1 0-0 9. Bg2 d6 10. d5 Nd8 11. 0-0 e5 12. Nd2 Nxc3 13. Rxc3 f5 14. c5 Nf7 15. Qb3 f4 draw agreed (Keene-Karlsson, IT, Dortmund 1982)./li]
• 6. -- d5 7. a3 Bxc3 8. Bxc3 0-0 9. Bg2 Ne4 10. Qc2 a5 11. b3 Bd7 12. 0-0 Rfd8 13. Bb2 Be8 14. Nh4 Nf6 15. Rad1 Na7 16. Rfe1 gives White the edge in space (Raxuvaev-Goldin, EU Cup, Eupen 1994).

6. -- Bxd2+ 7. Nbxd2 d6 8. 0-0 a5

• 8. -- 0-0 9. e4 e5 10. d5 Nb8 11. Ne1 a5 12. Nd3 Na6 13. f4 Bd7 14. Qb3 Ng4 15. Rae1 b6 16. h3 Nh6 17. fxe5 dxe5 18. Rf2 f6 19. Rc1 Nf7 20. c5 bxc5 21. Nxc5 Nxc5 22. Qa3 a4 23. Rxc5 draw agreed (Speelman-Seirawan, Brussels 1988)./li]

9. e4 e5 10. d5 Nb8 11. Ne1 0-0 12. Nd3 Na6 13. f4 c6

• 13. -- Nd7 14. f5 Ndc5 15. Qe2 Bd7 16. Nxc5 Nxc5 17. Qe3 f6 18. b3 b5 White has a little more space, but Black gives him nothing to do with it. (Mecking-Seirawan, match, Sao Paulo 1992)./li]

14. f5!?

• White introduces a novlety aimed at sevuring her territorial gains on the kingside.
• The move has one serious drawback in that while the pawns secure space and hold a grip on the light squares, White's Bishop is almost useless especially in light of the fact that dark-bound Bishops have been exchanged.
• After 14. Qb3 Nd7 15. Qa3 Nac5 16. Nxc5 Nxc5 17. b4 Nd7 18. Rac1 as is typical of Indian Defenses, White has more space but Black's position is solid (Su. Polgar-Christiansen, IT, Wellington (New Zealand) 1988).

14. -- cxd5

• Black responds by opening lines that can be used to get his pieces into play on the queenside.
• 14. -- Qc7 15. Qb3 Bd7 16. Rac1 a4 17. Qa3 Rfc8 18. c5 is equal.

15. cxd5 Bd7 16. Nc4 Bb5 17. b3?!

• There are at least a couple of better ways of protecting the Knight.
• 17. Rc1 Rac8 18. Qb3 Bxc4 19. Rxc4 Rxc4 20. Qxc4 Nc5 is level.
• 17. Nxa5? is bad: after 17. -- Qc7 18. Nb3 Qb6+ 19. Kh1 Nc5 20. Ndxc5 Bxf1 21. Bxf1 dxc5 White is down an exchange.

17. -- Bxc4 18. bxc4 Qc7 19. Rc1 Nb4 20. Nxb4?!

• This opens up another line for Black leading to White's queenside treasure.
• After 20. a3 Nxd3 21. Qxd3 Qc5+ 22. Kh1 Rac8 23. Qf3 Rc7 Black has a small edge in space.

Black: Arkadij Naiditsch
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White: Turkan Mamedyarova
Position after 20. Nd3b4:N

20. -- axb4

• As noted, this is more than just a routine recapture.

21. Qe2

• This defense of c4 is on the passive side, but it is doubtful that a more active defense would have worked any better.
• If 21. Qd2 Qc5+ 22. Kh1 Rfc8 23. Rb1 Ra4 then:
• After 24. Rbc1 Qd4 25. Qe2 Ra3 Black has a marked advantage in space and mobility.
• 24. Rfc1 Ng4 25. h3 Ne3 gives Black serious threats against White's position.

21. -- Qc5+ 22. Kh1 Ra3 23. Bf3

• It isn't clear what this move is supposed to accomplish. White's Bishop isn't just a bad Bishop; it's pathetic.
• 23. Qd2 Rc8 24. Rb1 Rc3 25. a3 Qxc4 26. Rxb4 Qa6 Black continues to enoy a clear spatial edge.

Black: Arkadij Naiditsch
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White: Turkan Mamedyarova
Position after 23. Bg2f3

23. -- Rfa8!

• The alternative, which is no worse than the text, is to break through the c-file.
• 23. -- Rc8 24. g4 h6 25. h4 Rca8 26. Rc2 Re3 Black has a clear advantage in space and piece activity.

24. Rc2 Re3 25. Qg2 Qd4 26. Rd1

• White is lost regardless of what she does.
• If 26. Qd2 Qxd2 27. Rxd2 Rc8 then:
• After 28. Re2 28. -- Rxe2 29. Bxe2 Nxe4 30. Bd3 Nd2 31. Rc1 b5Black wins in all variations.
• If 28. Rc2 b5 29. Rb2 Rxc4 30. Rb3 Rec3 31. Re1 Rc2 then:
• After 32. Reb1 R4c3 33. Rxc3 Rxc3 34. Be2 Re3 35. Bxb5 Rxe4 Black threatens to win another pawn.
• 32. Ra1 Nxe4 33. Bxe4 Rxe4 34. Re3 Rxh2+ leaves White hopeless.

Black: Arkadij Naiditsch
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White: Turkan Mamedyarova
Position after 26. Rf1d1

26. -- Qxd1+!!

• The Queen sacrifice is much stronger than 26. -- Qb6 27. Qf2 Raa3 28. Bg2 Qa5 29. Rf1 Nxe4 30. Bxe4 Rxe4 although Black still has a vastly superior position.

27. Bxd1 Re1+ 28. Qg1 Rxg1+ 29. Kxg1 Nxe4

• Black emerges from the combination with an extra pawn.

30. Rb2 Nc5 31. Kf1 Kf8 32. Bc2 Ra3 33. Bd1

• This is as close as the Bishop gets to an active part in the game.
• After 33. f6 h5 34. fxg7+ Kxg7 35. Bb1 b3 36. axb3 Rxb3 37. Rxb3 Nxb3 Black retains his extrra pawn.

33. -- Ke7 34. g4 Kf6 35. h4 e4 36. g5+ Ke5 37. h5

• Black shows a little humor in a lost position. The breakthrough trick only works without pieces on board and evne then only when the enemy King is more remote than he is here.

37. -- Rg3 38. g6 hxg6 39. 0-1

• 39. f6 Kxf6 and good night.
• Ms. Mamedyarova resigns.