Reply #7: Muhren - Peng, Dutch Championships, Round 2, Hiversum

[Jack Rabbit]

Peng Zhaoqin
Photo: http://www.rochadekuppenheim.de/figo/aktuell/em4c.htm">Rocha deKuppenheim (Germany)

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Bianca Muhren vs. Peng Zhaoqin
Dutch National Championships, Round 2
Hilversum, June 2007

Closed French Game: Tarrasch Opening (Morozevich Defense)

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Be7

• This is a relatively new line, recently fashioned into a system by the energetic Russian grandmaster, Alexander Morozevich. More usual is 3. -- c5.

4. Bd3

• 4. Ngf3 Nf6 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bd3 c5 7. c3 transforms into a more usual line.

4. -- c5 5. dxc5 Nf6 6. Ngf3

• If 6. Qe2 Nc6 7. Ngf3 Nb4 then:
• 8. Nb3 Nxd3+ 9. cxd3 a5 10. Bg5 a4 11. Nbd2 h6 12. Bxf6 Bxf6 13. e5 Be7 14. Qe3 Qa5 15. Rc1 b6 16. cxb6 Bd8 17. Qc5 Qxc5 18. Rxc5 Bxb6 19. Rc2 0-0 20. Nf1 Ba6 21. Ke2 Bb5 22. Ne3 f5 23. Rhc1 Rab8 gives White an extra pawn (Godena-Morozevich, Ol, Istanbul 2000).
• 8. 0-0 Nxd3 9. cxd3 Bxc5 10. Nb3 Be7 11. Bg5 h6 12. Bh4 Qb6 13. e5 Ng8 14. Bg3 a5 15. Bf4 a4 16. Be3 Qa6 17. Nbd4 Bd8 18. Bd2 Ne7 19. Bb4 0-0 20. Rac1 Re8 21. Rc3 Bd7 22. Rfc1 Rc8 23. Rxc8 Nxc8 24. h3 Na7 25. g3 draw agreed (Ye Jiangchuan-Barrsov, FIDE KO Ch, Moscow 2001).

6. -- dxe4 7. Nxe4 Nxe4 8. Bxe4 Qxd1+ 9. Kxd1 Bxc5 10. Ke2

• 10. Ne5 f5 11. Nd3 Bxf2 12. Bf3 Bd4 13. c3 Bf6 14. Re1 Nc6 15. Kc2 g5 16. a4 Kf7 17. a5 g4 18. Bxc6 bxc6 19. Ne5+ Bxe5 20. Rxe5 Ba6 21. Bg5 Bc4 22. b3 Bd5 23. g3 Be4+ draw agreed (Bezgodov-Shipov, Russian Ch, Krasnoyarsk 2003).

10. -- Nd7 11. Bd2!?

• White introduces a new move.
• 11. Be3 Bxe3 12. Kxe3 Nc5 13. Rhd1 Nxe4 14. Kxe4 Ke7 15. Ke3 f6 16. Nd2 Bd7 17. Ne4 Bc6 18. g3 Rhd8 is an equal game (Zjukin-Kacheishvili, Ol, Istanbul 2000).

11. -- Be7

• In response, Black regroups her minor pieces.
• 11. -- Nf6 12. Bd3 b6 13. a4 Bb7 14. a5 Ng4 15. b4 Bd6 is equal.

12. b4!?

• From a theoretical point of view, one would have expected the advance of the unopposed pawn.
• 12. c4 Nf6 13. Bd3 b6 14. Rad1 Bb7 remains equal.

12. -- f5!?

• Black makes a risky move that saddles her with a backward pawn on an open file.
• After 12. -- Nf6 13. Bd3 b6 14. Rad1 Bb7 15. c4 0-0-0 16. Ne5 White has a slight edge in space.

13. Bd3 Bf6 14. Rad1?!

• White should play against the weak pawn.
• After 14. Rae1 g6 15. Kd1 Ke7 16. a4 Rd8 17. Ng5 Nf8 18. f4 White has a spatial plus along with pressure on the backward pawn.

14. -- Nb6

• The Knight is headed for d5.
• 14. -- b6 15. Bg5 Bb7 16. Bxf6 Nxf6 17. c4 a5 18. b5 Rc8 19. Rhe1 is equal.

15. Bb5+ Ke7

• Black is overprotecting her weak pawn. So far, White has failed to exploit the weakness.

16. Rhe1

• White finally makes a hint of an attack on the backward pawn.
• 16. Be3 Nd5 17. Bd2 Nc3+ 18. Bxc3 Bxc3 19. a3 a5 20. bxa5 Rxa5 remains even.

16. -- Nd5 17. a3 a6 18. Bc4

Black: Peng Zhaoqin
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White: Bianca Muhren
Position after 18. Bb5c4

18. -- Nc3+!

• White forces the elimination of White's more active Bishop.
• 18. -- Bd7 19. Kf1 Bb5 20. Bxb5 axb5 21. Bg5 Nc3 22. Rd3 Rhc8 23. h4 gives White a strong initiative.

19. Bxc3 Bxc3 20. Rh1?!

• Black's initiative is leaving White with few moves.
• Better is 20. Rg1 b5 21. Bb3 a5 22. Nd4 Bd7 23. Rd3 axb4 24. axb4 Bxb4 25. Re3 Kf6 when the position is even.

20. -- Bd7 21. Rd3 Bf6 22. Rhd1

• White hopes for exchanges which could improve her position.
• If 22. Bb3 e5 23. Rd2 Rhd8 then:
• 24. c4 Be8 25. Rhd1 Rxd2+ 26. Nxd2 Bh5+ 27. f3 e4 28. c5 Rd8 gives Black an edge in space, but White has the advanced queenside majority.
• 24. Re1 Be8 25. Rd5 e4 26. Nd2 Bc3 27. Rd1 Bb5+ gives Balck a comfortable lead in space.

22. -- Rhd8 23. Bb3?

• This is a passive move.
• Better is 23. Re3 Rac8 24. Rxd7+!? Rxd7 when:
• 25. Rxe6+ Kf8 26. Bd3 f4 27. Nd2 Bb2 28. Nc4 Bd4 doesn't compensate White for the exchange, but her game is managable.
• Black wins after 25. Bxe6? Rxc2+ 26. Kf1 Rd1+ 27. Ne1 Rc3 28. Re2 Kd8 29. Bxf5 Rcc1.

Black: Peng Zhaoqin
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White: Bianca Muhren
Position after 23. Bc4b3

23. -- Bb5!

• Black gives White the unpleasant choice of giving up the exchange or making her Bishop less effective.

24. c4

• White opts for the latter.

24. -- Rxd3 25. Rxd3 Bc6 26. Re3

• White finally attacks the backward pawn, but but it's too late.
• 26. Rd2 b6 27. Bc2 Bb7 28. Ba4 b5 29. Bb3 bxc4 30. Bxc4 Rc8 31. Bb3 keeps Black in command of open lines.

26. -- f4

• Black just as easily rebuffs the attack.

27. Rd3 e5 28. Rd1

• White is being driven backwards.

28. -- g5

• 28. -- b5 29. c5 Rd8 30. Rxd8 Kxd8 31. Bc2 h5 32. h4 e4 33. Nd2 Bb2 reamins equal.
• 28. -- e4 29. Nd4 Bxd4 30. Rxd4 b6 31. Bc2 Rd8 32. Rxd8 Kxd8 is drawish.

29. g4

• No better is 29. h3 h5 30. c5 g4 31. hxg4 hxg4 32. Nh2 Bb5+ 33. Kd2 Bd7 34. g3 Rd8.

29. -- h5 30. h3 hxg4 31. hxg4

Black: Peng Zhaoqin
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White: Bianca Muhren
Position after 31. hg4:p

31. -- Rh8!!

• Rather than propose exchanging Rooks with 31. -- Rd8, Black takes command of a file with which she can use to penetrate White's camp.
• 31. -- Rd8 allows White to equalize with 32. Rxd8 Kxd8 33. Nd2 Ke7 34. Kd3 Kd7 35. Ne4 Be7 36. c5.

32. Nd2 Rh3 33. a4

• If 33. Bc2 Rxa3 34. Be4 Ra2
• 35. Kd3 Rb2 36. Bxc6 bxc6 37. Ra1
• 37. -- e4+ 38. Nxe4 Rb3+ 39. Kc2 Rxb4 40. Nxf6 Kxf6 41. Kd3
• 37. -- Rxb4 38. Rxa6 Kd7 39. Ra7+ equalizes.
• 35. f3? Bxe4 36. fxe4 b6 37. c5 bxc5 38. bxc5 Kd7 is an easy win for Black.

33. -- Rc3?!

• Black misses an opportunity to win immediately.
• Better is 33. -- e4 34. b5 Bd7 35. Rg1 Bd4 36. Bc2 e3 when:
• 37. Nf3 exf2 38. Rd1 Bxg4 39. Be4 axb5
• 40. Rxd4 Bxf3+ 41. Kxf2 g4 42. cxb5 Ke6 43. Bxf3 Rxf3+ Black has an easy win.
• After 40. axb5 Bxf3+ 41. Bxf3 Rg3 42. Bxb7 Rg1 43. Rf1 g4 44. Rxf2 Bxf2 Black is an exchange to the good
• 37. fxe3 drops a piece to ]37. -- Rh2+ 38. Kf3 Bxe3 39. Rg2 Rxg2 40. Kxg2 Bxd2.

34. b5 Bd7 35. f3 Be6 36. Ba2

• This is tantamount to capitulation.
• A better try is 36. bxa6! bxa6 37. Rb1 Bd7 38. Rh1 Re3+ 39. Kf1 when:
• 39. -- Bc6! 40. Rh7+ Ke8 41. Rh6 Kf7 000
• After 39. -- e4?! 40. Rh7+ Kd8 41. Nxe4 Rxf3+ 42. Kg2 Rxb3 43. Rxd7+ Kxd7 44. Nc5+ Black's advantage is no longer strong enough to win.

36. -- Ra3 37. Bb3

• 37. Bb1 Rxa4 38. bxa6 Rxa6 39. Bd3 Ra2 keeps Black in command with an extra pawn and greater piece activity.

37. -- axb5 38. axb5

• No matter how White recaptures, Balck will eventually play -- b6, freezing White's pawns.

38. -- e4!

• The text is better than 38. -- Rxb3 39. Nxb3 Bxc4+ 40. Rd3 Bxb5 41. Nc5 Bxd3+ 42. Kxd3 b5 but Black still coasts home to a victory with two extra pawns.

39. Rb1

• After 39. fxe4 Bxg4+ 40. Ke1 Bxd1 41. Kxd1 Bc3 Black wins easily.

39. -- e3 40. Ne4

• If 40. c5 exd2 41. Bxe6 Kxe6 42. Kxd2 Rxf3 43. c6 bxc6 then:
• After 44. b6 Bc3+ 45. Kc2 Be5 46. b7 Rg3 Black is prepared to sacrifice the Bishop to reamin three pawns up.
• After 44. bxc6 Bc3+ 45. Ke2 Re3+ 46. Kf1 Kd6 The pawn falls and Black wins.

40. -- Rxb3 41. Rxb3 Bxc4+ 42. Rd3 b6 43. 0-1

• The Rook is pinned; the e-pawn passed; White's c-pawn is doomed.
• 43. Nd2 Bxd3+ 44. Kxd3 exd2 45. Kxd2 Kd6 46. Kd3 Kc5 47. Ke4 Kxb5 and that's all, folks!
• Mw. Muhren resigns.