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Edited on Sat Aug-02-08 11:12 PM by Jack Rabbit
A lot was at stake in this game. Venkatesh entered the final round tied for first against two player who played against each other and settled for a fast draw. This meant that, if he won this game, Venkatesh would have first prize clear. Rozentalis, on the other hand, had to win the game in order to claim a share of first prize.
Eduardas Rozentalis Photo: Wikipedia Commons
Marani Rajendran Venkatesh - Eduardas Rozentalis Canadian Open, Round 9 Montreal, 26 July 2008
Moorish Game: Horseman Defense (Dragon Variation) (Alekhine's Defense)1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 g6- If 4...Bg4 5.Be2 e6 6.0-0 Be7 7.c4 Nb6 8.Nc3 0-0 9.Be3 then:
- If 9...a5 10.b3 d5 11.c5 N6d7 12.a3 then:
- 12...Nc6 13.b4 axb4 14.axb4 Rxa1 15.Qxa1 f6 16.b5 Bxf3 17.Bxf3 Nxd4 18.Bxd4 fxe5 19.Nxd5 exd4 20.Nxe7+ Qxe7 21.Qxd4 Nxc5 (Saint-Shabalov, North Bay, 1994).
- 12...f6 13.exf6 Bxf6 14.Qd2 Bxf3 15.Bxf3 c6 16.Rad1 Na6 17.Bg4 e5 18.Na4 exd4 19.Bxd4 Bxd4 20.Qxd4 Nf6 21.Be6+ gives White the early advantage in space (Littlewood-Alburt, Op, Hastings, 1981).
- If 9...Nc6 10.exd6 cxd6 then:
- 11.d5 exd5 12.Nxd5 Nxd5 13.Qxd5 Bf6 14.Qd2 Qa5 15.Rfd1 Rfe8 16.Qc2 Bf5 17.Qb3 Qb4 18.Rd2 b6 19.Qxb4 Nxb4 20.Bg5 Nc2 21.Rad1 Bxg5 22.Nxg5 gives White excellent winning prospects (Gufeld-Grigorian, Soviet Ch, Baku, 1972).
- If 11.b3 d5 then:
- 12.c5 Nc8 13.b4 a6 14.Rb1 Bf6 15.a4 N8e7 16.b5 axb5 17.axb5 Bxf3 18.bxc6 Bxe2 19.Qxe2 bxc6 20.Rb6 e5 gives Black an extra pawn (Hoellrigl-Baburin, Op, Oberwart, 1991).
- 12...Nd7 13.b4 f5 14.b5 Na5 15.Qe1 Bf6 16.h3 Bxf3 17.Bxf3 gives White the long term advantage of the distant majority on the queenside (Brat-Sefc, Chechoslovakian Ch, Prague, 1954).
- If 9...d5 10.c5 Bxf3 11.gxf3 Nc8 12.f4 then:
- 12...Nc6 13.b4 a6 14.Rb1 f6 15.Bd3 Qe8 16.Qg4 f5 17.Qh3 a5 18.b5 Nb4 19.Be2 gives White the advantage in space with some attacking chances on the kingside.(Short-Alburt, Match, Foxboro, 1985).
- 12...c6 13.Bd3 f5 14.Qh5 Nd7 15.b4 gives White an advantage in space, but no way to make anything from it.
5.Bc4 c6- If 5...Nb6 6.Bb3 Bg7 7.Ng5 e6 then:
- If 8.Qf3 Qe7 9.Ne4 dxe5 10.Bg5 Qb4+ 11.c3 Qa5 12.Bf6 Bxf6 13.Qxf6 0-0 14.Qxe5 Qxe5 15.dxe5 then:
- 15...Nc6 16.f4 Na5 17.Nbd2 Nxb3 18.axb3 Nd5 19.0-0 Kg7 20.c4 Nb4 21.Nf3 gives White the advantage in space (Qi Jingxuan-Alburt, Izonal, Taxco, 1985).
- 15...Bd7 16.Nbd2 Bc6 17.0-0-0 a5 18.f4 Kg7 19.h4 draw (Fedorowicz-Benjamin, IT, San Francisco, 1991).
- 8.f4 dxe5 9.fxe5 c5 10.c3 cxd4 11.0-0 0-0 12.cxd4 Nc6 13.Nf3 f6 14.exf6 Qxf6 15.Be3 Nd5 16.Bf2 Nf4 17.Kh1 b6 18.Nc3 Bb7 is equal (Arnason-Alburt, IT, Bunadarbanka (Iceland), 1984).
6.exd6 Qxd6 7.0-0 Bg7 8.h3- If 8.Nbd2 0-0 9.Re1 Bg4 then:
- If 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Nxf3 then:
- 11...Nd7 12.Bb3 e6 13.Bg5 b5 14.a4 b4 15.Qd2 a5 16.Rad1 Rfe8 17.Bh6 N7b6 18.Ne5 c5 19.Bxg7 Kxg7 20.Qh6+ gives White a small advantage in space (Christiansen-Vaganian, Op, New York, 1990).
- 11...e6 12.Bf1 b5 13.a4 b4 14.c4 Ne7 15.a5 c5 16.dxc5 Qxc5 17.Be3 Qc7 18.Nd4 Nbc6 is equal (Dr. Nunn-Vaganian, IT, London, 1984).
- 10.c3 Nd7 11.h3 Bxf3 12.Nxf3 Rfe8 13.Bg5 Bf6 14.Bh6 e5 15.dxe5 Nxe5 16.Nxe5 Rxe5 17.Rxe5 Qxe5 18.Qf3 Rd8 19.Rd1 Bg5 20.Bxg5 Qxg5 21.a4 is equal (Brkic-Rudolf, Op, Oberwart. 2003).
8...0-0 9.Re1 Bf5!?- 9...Nd7 10.Bb3 b5 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Ne4 Qc7 13.Bg5 e6 14.c4 bxc4 15.Bxc4 N5f6 16.Nxf6+ Nxf6 17.Rc1 h6 18.Bh4 Rad8 19.Bb3 Qb6 20.Qc2 Rde8 21.Bg3 gives White the advantage in space, but Black presents him with no easy targets (Svidler-Akopian, Euro ChT, Halkidiki, 2002).
10.Bb3- The game is equal: Black has the advantage in space, but neither side has much mobility.
- 10.Bg5 Re8 11.Qe2 Nd7 12.Na3 N7b6 13.Bxd5 Nxd5 is also equal.
10...a5 11.a4 Na6 12.Bg5!- White attacks a pawn and seizes at least a momentary initiative.
- If 12.c4 Ndb4 13.Nc3 then:
- 13...Rfd8 14.Bg5 Re8 15.c5 Qd7 16.Ne5 Bxe5 17.Rxe5 gives White the advantage in space.
- If 13...Nd3 14.Ne4 Bxe4 15.Rxe4 then:
- 15...Nxc1 16.Qxc1 c5 17.Qe3 Rad8 gives Black a tactical initiative.
- If 15...Nab4 16.c5 Qc7 17.Bg5 e5!? then:
- 18.Nxe5 Bxe5 19.dxe5 Nxc5 20.Re3 Nxb3 21.Qxb3 gives White the advantage in space.
- 18.Re3 Rae8 19.dxe5 Nxc5 20.Bc4 b6 is equal.
12...Bf6!?- Black has the advantage in space, so why does he offer an exchange?
- 12...Rae8 13.Nbd2 h6 14.Bh4 Qd8 15.Ne4 g5 16.Bg3is equal.
13.Nbd2?!- This gives Black the opportunity to gain some breathing room.
- Better is 13.Qd2 b6 14.Na3 Rfe8 15.Bxd5 cxd5 16.Nb5 Qc6 17.c3 when White has the advantage in space.
- If 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Nc3 Nxc3 15.bxc3 then:
- If 15...Nc7 16.Ne5 Nd5 17.Qf3 Rfd8 18.Rab1 Rab8 19.Bxd5 then:
- 19...cxd5 20.Rb5 Bxc2 21.Qxf6 exf6 22.Ng4 f5 23.Nf6+ gives White more than enough space to compensate for the loss of a pawn.
- 19...Rxd5 20.g4 Bxc2 21.Qxf6 exf6 22.Nxc6 gives White a huge advantage in space.
- 15...c5 16.Qe2 Rae8 17.Rab1 cxd4 18.cxd4 Nb4 gives White an advantage in space.
BLACK: Eduardas Rozentilis !""""""""# $t+ + Tl+% $+o+ oo+o% $m+oW Vo+% $O +m+vB % $p+ P + +% $+b+ +n+p% $ PpN Pp+% $R +qR K % /(((((((() WHITE: Marani Rajendran Venkatesh Position after 13.Nb2d2 13...Bxg5!- This exchange is very timely and allows Black to gain needed space.
14.Nxg5 Rad8- Black has a small advantage in space.
15.Nge4- If 15.Qe2 c5 16.Nde4 then:
- 16...Qc7! 17.Ng3 Bc8 18.Qe4 c4 19.Ba2 Nab4 Black retains a small advantage in space.
- 16...Qc6?! 17.Nxc5 Nxc5 18.dxc5 Qxc5 19.Qb5 Qxb5 20.axb5 slightly favors White.
15...Qf4 16.Qf3 Bxe4!- Exchanges cannot be avoided. Black chooses his time.
- 16...Nac7 17.Rad1 Ne6 18.Qxf4 Ndxf4 19.Nf3 Bxe4 20.Rxe4 gives White a little better activity.
17.Qxf4 Nxf4 18.Nxe4 Rxd419.c3- 19.g3 Nh5 20.c3 Rdd8 21.Bc4 Nb8 22.Rad1 Nd7 is unclear: Black has a pawn plus but White has enough space to compensate..
19...Rdd8 20.Bc4 Nb8?!- If 20...Nc7! 21.g3 Nfd5 then:
- 22.Rad1 e6 23.Bb3 Kg7 24.c4 Nb4 25.Nc5 b5 is equal.
- 22.Bb3?! b6 23.Rad1 Ne6 24.f3 g5 25.Kf2 f5 gives Black a healthy advantage in space.
21.Rad1 Nd7 22.Ba2- If 22.g3 then:
- If 22...Ne5! 23.Bxf7+ then:
- 23...Kg7! 24.gxf4 Nf3+ 25.Kg2 Nxe1+ 26.Rxe1 Rxf7 leaves Black an exchange to the good.
- If 23...Nxf7 24.gxf4 b6 then:
- 25.c4 Nh6 26.c5 Rxd1 27.Rxd1 bxc5 28.Nxc5 is equal.
- 25.Nd2 Nd6 26.b3 b5 27.Ra1 Nf5 28.Ne4 Rd5 gives Black more mobility.
- After 22...Nd5?? 23.Bxd5 cxd5 24.Rxd5 White wins a pawn.
22...Kg7 23.g3 Nh5 24.Ng5 Nc5 25.Rxd8- The exchange is better than the restricted advance of the Rook.
- 25.Rd4?! e6 26.Red1 Rxd4 27.Rxd4 e5 28.Rc4 Nd3 gives Black control over some valuable real estate.
25...Rxd8 26.Bxf7?- This only wins back the pawn temporarily.
- Correct is 26.Rxe7! Kf6 27.Re1 Kxg5 28.Re5+ Kf6 29.Rxc5 Rd2 giving Black a little more activity; otherwise, the game is fairly even.
BLACK: Eduardas Rozentilis !""""""""# $ + T + +% $+o+ ObLo% $ +o+ +o+% $O M + Nm% $p+ + + +% $+ P + Pp% $ P + P +% $+ + R K % /(((((((() WHITE: Marani Rajendran Venkatesh Position after 26.Ba2f7:p 26...Rd2!27.Ne6+ Kxf7 28.Nxc5 Rxb2 29.Nd7- White would do better with 29.Nd3 Rd2 30.Ne5+ Ke8 31.Kg2 Rd5 when his position is still basically solid, although a pawn down.
29...Rb3 30.Re5 Ke8 31.Nc5 Rb1+!- Black avoids a trap.
- If 31...Rxc3? then 32.Nxb7! Nf6 33.Nxa5 Kd7 34.Re1 is equal.
32.Kg2 Nf6 33.Nd3 b6 34.c4- If 34.Re6 Kd7 35.Re2 Nd5 then:
- After 36.Ne5+ Kd6 37.c4 Nc3 38.Nf7+ Kc5 White's queenside pawns fall.
- After 36.c4 Nc3 37.Ne5+ Kc7 38.Rd2 Rd1 Rooks are exchanged and Black remains a pawn up.
34...Rb3 35.Re3 Nd7 36.Kf1- White position begins to deteriorate rapidly.
- If 36.h4 then 36...Rc3 37.Nb2 Rc2 38.Rb3 Kd8 39.Nd3 Rxc4 wins a second pawn.
36...Ra3 37.Nb2 Ra2 38.Rb3 Kd8! 39.Nd339...Rxa4- Black has won a second pawn.
40.Rc3 Ra2 41.Ke1- If 41.Nc1 then after 41...Ra1 42.Ke2 e5 43.Ke3 a4 Black wins with a queenside advance.
41...Kc7 42.Nc1 Ra4 43.f4- White has nothing betting than to try a doomed advance on the kingside.
- Atfer 43.Nd3 Black wins a pawn with 43...e5 44.Ke2 e4 45.Ne1 Ne5!.
43...Nc5 44.g4 Ne4 45.Rc2 Nd6!- Black wins anothr pawn.
- Also good is 45...Kd6 46.Ke2 Ra3 47.Nd3 Nc5.
46.c5 bxc5 47.Nd3 Ra3 48.Ne5- After 48.Nxc5 Rxh3 49.Ne6+ Kb6 50.Rb2+ Nb5 Black is ready to begin advancing the queenside pawns.
48...c4 49.h4- 49.Nxc4 Nxc4 50.Rxc4 Rxh3 is not to White's liking.
49...Rh3 50.Kf1 a4- 50...Rxh4 51.Kg2 h5 52.Ra2 hxg4 53.Rxa5 Nf5 54.Nxg6 Rh5 leaves Black three pawns to the good.
51.Kg2 Rb3 52.f5 gxf5 53.g5 a3 54.Nxc4 a2!- The coup de grace wins the Kinght.
55.Rxa2 Nxc4 56.Ra8 f4 57.h5 0-1- Black has a huge material advantage.
- Venkatesh-ji resigns.
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