Reply #9: Potkin - Areshchenko, Katernberg, Round 12

[Jack Rabbit]

This game knocked Bremen out of a first place tie in Round 12.



Vladimir Potkin
Photo by Stefan64 in Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)


Vladimir Potkin (Mülheim) - Alexander Areshchenko (Bremen)
Bundesliga 0910, Round 12/Board 6
Katernberg, 20 March 2010

West India Game: Indian Queen's Gambit (Catalan Opening) (Grünfeld Defense)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.Nf3 Nb6

• If 6...0-0 7.Nc3 Nxc3 8.bxc3 c5 9.0-0 Nc6 10.e3 then:
• If 10...Be6 then:
• If 11.Qa4 cxd4 12.cxd4 then:
• 12...Bd5 13.Rb1 a6 14.Rxb7 Nxd4 15.Nxd4 Bxg2 16.Nc6 Bxc6 17.Qxc6 is equal (Gunina-Ju Wenjun, TMatchW, Sochi, 2009).
• 12...Qd7 13.Rd1 Rfd8 14.Bb2 Bg4 15.Qb3 Rac8 16.Rac1 Qf5 17.e4 Qh5 18.Rc5 Na5 19.Rxh5 Nxb3 20.Rb5 Nxd4 21.Bxd4 Bxd4 22.Kf1 Bb6 23.Rxd8+ Rxd8 24.Rb2 Rd1+ White resigns (Aaron-Geller, ITZ, Stockholm, 1962).
• 11.Ba3 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Bd5 13.Bxd5 Qxd5 14.Qb3 Qxb3 15.axb3 Rfe8 16.Rfc1 e6 17.Kf1 Na5 18.Bb4 Nc6 19.Ba3 Na5 20.Bb4 draw (Akopian-Kuzmin, Op, Dubai, 2000).
• If 10...Qa5 11.Qb3 Rb8 12.Bd2 Bg4 then:
• If 13.d5 c4 14.Qxc4 Bxf3 then:
• 15.dxc6 Bxg2 16.Kxg2 Rbc8 17.Rfc1 Rxc6 18.Qe4 Rfc8 19.Qxe7 Qd5+ 20.Kg1 Qxd2 White resigns (Thomas-Dr. Euwe, Weston, 1926).
• 15.Bxf3 Ne5 16.Qe2 Nxf3+ 17.Qxf3 Rbd8 18.e4 f5 gives Black a slight advantage in space.
• 13.Rad1 cxd4 14.cxd4 Qh5 wins at least the exchange for Black (Bogolyubov-Dr. Euwe, Match, Holland, 1928).
• If 6...c5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.Nc3 Nxc3 9.bxc3 then:
• If 9...cxd4 10.cxd4 Nxd4 11.Nxd4 Qxd4 12.Rb1 0-0 then:
• If 13.Be3 Qc4 then:
• 14.Qd2 Be6 15.Rxb7 Rad8 16.Qa5 Qxe2 17.Rxa7 Rd1 18.h3 Rxf1+ 19.Bxf1 Qd1 20.Qd2 Qxd2 21.Bxd2 Bd4 22.Rxe7 Bxa2 23.Rd7 Bg7 draw (Krivonosov-Sykora, Corres, 2004).
• 14.Bd5 Qa6 15.Qb3 Qxe2 16.Bc5 Be6 17.Bxe6 Qxe6 18.Qxe6 fxe6 19.Rxb7 Rf5 is equal (Aronian-Radjabov, Amber Blind, Nice, 2009).
• 9...0-0 10.e3 Qa5 11.Qb3 Rb8 12.Bd2 Bg4 13.d5 c4 14.Qxc4 Bxf3 transposes into Dr. Euwe-Thomas, above.

7.Nc3 Nc6 8.e3 0-0 9.0-0 Re8

• If 9...e5 10.d5 then:
• If 10...Na5 11.e4 c6 12.Bg5 f6 13.Be3 cxd5 then:
• If 14.Bxb6 Qxb6 15.Nxd5 Qd8 16.Rc1 Nc6 17.Qb3 Rf7 18.Rfd1 Be6 19.h4 Kh8 20.Kh2 Rd7 then:
• 21.Bh3 Bxh3 22.Kxh3 Ne7 23.Nxf6 Bxf6 24.Qe6!! Rxd1 25.Qxf6+ Kg8 26.Qe6+ Kg7 27.Ng5 Qd7 28.Rxd1 Qxe6+ 29.Nxe6+ Kf6 30.Nc7 Rc8 31.Rd6+ Kf7 32.Rd7 Kf6 33.g4 Black resigns in the face of material loss (Janjgava-Sakalauskas, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• 21.Qa4 Bh6 22.Ra1 Qf8 23.Nc3 Rf7 24.Bh3 f5 25.Ng5 Bxg5 26.hxg5 f4!! 27.Bxe6 fxg3+ 28.Kg1 Rxf2 29.Rd3 Rh2 White resigns facing mate (Stefansson-Salem, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• If 14.exd5 Nac4 15.Bc5 Rf7 16.b3 Nd6 17.a4 Bg4 18.a5 Nbc8 19.Qd2 Bf8 20.b4 Rc7 21.Qd3 Bxf3 22.Bxf3 Rb8 23.Rfd1 b6 24.axb6 axb6 25.Be3 is equal (Frios-Griffin, EU ChT, Haifa, 1989).
• 14...Bg4 15.h3 Bxf3 16.Bxf3 f5 is equal (Pigusov-Krasenkow, IT, Tashkent, 1987).
• If 10...Ne7 11.e4 Bg4 then:
• 12.a4 c6 13.a5 Nc4 14.Qb3 Nxa5 15.Qa2 b6 16.b4 Nb7 17.Bg5 c5 18.d6 Nxd6 19.bxc5 Ndc8 20.Qa3 Rb8 21.Rab1 Qc7 22.Rfc1 bxc5 23.Rxb8 Qxb8 24.Qxc5 f6 gives Black an extra pawn.(Spraggett-Ftacnik, Op, New York, 1983).
• 12.h3 Bxf3 13.Qxf3 c6 14.Rd1 cxd5 15.Nxd5 Nbxd5 16.exd5 Qd6 17.Bd2 Nf5 18.Qb3 Rfc8 19.Rac1 Qd7 20.d6 Rxc1 21.Bxc1 Nd4 22.Qxb7 Qxb7 23.Bxb7 Rd8 is equal (Cvitan-Navara, Mitropa Cup, Pula, 2003).

10.Re1

• If 10.d5 Na5 11.Nd4 Bd7 12.e4 c6 13.Re1 cxd5 14.exd5 Rc8 15.Bf4 then:
• If 15...Nac4 16.b3 Nd6 17.Qd2 Nf5 18.Nde2 then:
• 18...h6 19.h4 h5 20.Rac1 Rc5 21.Red1 is equal (Kuljasevic-Kozul, Croatian Ch, Zagreb, 2004).
• 18...Na8 19.Rac1 Qa5 20.Ne4 Qxd2 21.Bxd2 Bb2 22.Rxc8 Rxc8 23.Bc3 Bxc3 24.N4xc3 Nc7 25.Rc1 is equal (Lahno-Maric, OlW, Dresden, 2008).
• 15...h6 16.h4 h5 17.Rc1 Nbc4 18.b3 Qb6 19.Nf3 Qb4 20.Ne4 Nb2 21.Qd2 Qxd2 22.Bxd2 gives White the initiative (Zoler-Smirin, World Blitz Ch, Rashon Le Zion, 2006).

10...a5 11.Qe2

• 11.d5 Bxc3 12.bxc3 Qxd5 13.Nd4 Qc4 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.Qd4 Rb8 16.Bf1 Qa4 17.c4 Ba6 gives Black an extra pawn (Zhou Weiqi-Negi, Op, Dubai, 2008).

11...e5

• 11...a4 12.Rd1 Bf5 13.d5 Na5 14.Nd4 Qc8 15.Nxf5 Qxf5 16.e4 gives White an impressive center pawn duo (Diamant-Howell, World Jr Ch, Puerto Madryn, 2009).

12.Nxe5 Nxe5 13.dxe5 Bxe5 14.e4 Bd7

• If 14...Be6 15.f4 Bg7 16.Be3 then:
• 16...Qe7!? 17.e5 Rab8 18.Ne4 Red8 19.Bc5 Qd7 20.Rad1 gives White the initiative (Rogozenco-Areshchenko, Bundesliga 0910, Bremen, 2009).
• 16...Nc4 17.e5 c6 18.Ne4 a4 19.Rad1 Qa5 20.Bd4 gives White a more solid center.

15.f4 Bxc3 16.bxc3 Bc6 17.Bb2 Qd6!?

• 17...Qe7 18.Rad1 Qc5+ 19.Kh1 Nc4 20.Rd4 b5 21.h4 Rad8 22.Red1 Qe7 is equal (Kazhgaleyev-Tomczak, Op, Cappelle la Grande, 2010).

18.c4!?

• With the text move, Black assumes the advantage.
• 18.Rad1! Qe6 19.Bc1 f5 20.e5 Na4 21.Bxc6 Qxc6 is equal.

BLACK: Alexander Areshchenko
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WHITE: Vladimir Potkin
Position after 18.c3c4

18...Qc5+!

• Black wins a pawn.

19.Kh1 Qxc4 20.Qe3?

• White misses the opportunity to equalize the game.
• 20.Bf6 Qxe2 21.Rxe2 Nc4 22.g4 h5 23.gxh5 Re6 is equal.

20...f5 21.Rac1 Rxe4?

• Black throws away the win with the exchange, although he still has a much better position.
• 21...Bxe4! 22.Kg1 Qb4 23.Qf2 Bxg2 then:
• 24.Kxg2 Rxe1 25.Rxe1 Nc4 26.Be5 Rc8 leaves Black two pawns up with more freedom.
• 24.a3 Qd6 25.Qxg2 Rxe1+ 26.Rxe1 Qd5 leaves Black two pawns to the good.

22.Bxe4 Qxe4+ 23.Qxe4 Bxe4+

BLACK: Alexander Areshchenko
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WHITE: Vladimir Potkin
Position after 23...Bc6e4:Q

• Black has the advantage in space and his 3:1 queenside majority is more than enough to compensate for the exchange.
• 23...fxe4 24.Kg1 Rd8 25.Be5 Rd7 26.g4 Kf7 27.g5 a4 Black's queenside majority still trumps White's exchange.

24.Kg1 Nd5 25.Be5!?

• White strikes at Black's passed pawn.
• Better is 25.Rc5! b6 26.Rc6 Re8 when:
• If 27.a3 Kf7 28.Rec1 Bd3 29.Be5 then:
• 29...Bb5 30.Rxc7+ Nxc7 31.Rxc7+ Re7 32.Rxe7+ Kxe7 33.Bd4 is equal.
• 29...Re7 30.Bxc7 Bb5 31.R6c2 Ba4 32.Rc4 Bb5 33.Bd8 gives White a material advantage.
• If 27.Rec1 Nxf4 28.gxf4 Bxc6 29.Rxc6 Re2 then:
• 30.Be5 Rxa2 31.Rxc7 b5 32.Rg7+ Kf8 33.Ra7 h5 is equal.
• 30.Bc3 Rxa2 31.Rxc7 b5 32.Rg7+ Kf8 33.Ra7 wins a pawn for White, giving him a material edge.

25...c6 26.a3 Kf7!

• Black maintains his advantage.
• If 26...Ra6 27.Ra1 b5 28.Rec1 Kf7 then:
• 29.Rc5 a4 30.Rac1 b4 31.Rxc6 Rxc6 32.Rxc6 bxa3 is equal.
• 29.Kf2!? Ke6 30.Rc5 a4 31.Rac1 Nb6 32.Rd1 Nc4! wins the a-pawn.

27.Kf2 Ke6 28.g4 Ra6 29.g5 Rb6 30.Rg1 Rb3 31.Rg3!

• 31.Ra1? then White wins a piece after 31...Nxf4 32.Bxf4 Rf3+.

31...Rxg3 32.hxg3 Kd7 33.Ke2 b6 34.Kd2 c5 35.a4!?

• White puts his pawn in harm's way.
• If 35.Re1! b5 36.g4 Nb6 37.gxf5 then:
• If 37...Bxf5 38.Kc1 Nc4 39.Bb2 b4 then:
• 40.Rh1 bxa3 41.Rxh7+ Kc6 42.Bc3 Kd5 43.Re7 a4 Black's queenside pawns still tilt the balance in his favor.
• 40.Rd1+ Kc6 41.Rh1 bxa3 42.Bf6 Ne3 43.Rxh7 Nd5 strengthens Black's queenside pawns in that White now must regroup his pieces to stop them.
• 37...Nc4+!? 38.Kc1 Nxe5 39.Rxe4 Nd3+ 40.Kb1 gxf5 41.Re2! leads to the elimination of Black's h-pawn, passing White's g-pawn and giving White equality.

BLACK: Alexander Areshchenko
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WHITE: Vladimir Potkin
Position after 35.a3a4

35...Nb4

• If 35...Kc6 then:
• 36.Re1 b5 37.axb5+ Kxb5 38.g4 c4 39.gxf5 gxf5 gives Black a small advantage with his hope still resting on his queenside pawns.
• If 36.Bd4 Nb4 37.Bf6 b5! then:
• If 38.axb5+ then after 38...Kxb5 39.Re1 a4 40.Re2 a3 41.Rh2 a2 Black's advantage is not as impressive as it might appear as he will have a hard time getting the a-pawn into the goal.
• 38.Ra1?! bxa4 39.Rxa4 Kb5 40.Ra1 a4 41.Bg7 c4 gives Black the advantage owing to his queenside passers.

36.Rd1 Kc6 37.Kc3

• A better try is 37.Rg1 Nd3 when:
• 38.Bf6! b5 39.axb5+ Kxb5 40.Rd1 a4 41.Kc3 Nb4 is equal.
• 38.g4!? fxg4 39.Rxg4 Kd5 40.Bc3 c4 41.Rh4 Nc5! 42.Rxh7 Nxa4 gives Black three connected passed pawns.

37...Nd5+ 38.Kb2 b5 39.axb5+ Kxb5 40.Ka3!?

• 40.Rd2 Kb4 41.Rh2 a4 42.Rxh7 a3+ 43.Ka2 Ne3 is equal.

40...a4!?

• The c-pawn is free and should get the preference to lead the advance.
• If 40...c4! then:
• 41.Rd2 c3 42.Rxd5+ Bxd5 43.Bxc3 Bc6 44.Kb3 a4+ leaves Black's a pawn in tact and allows the Black King to become more active.
• 41.Rd4 a4 42.Rd2 c3 43.Rxd5+ Bxd5 44.Bxc3 Kc4 Black retains the passed pawn giving him a theoretical advantage, although my staff and I are betting on a draw.

41.Rd2 Nb4 42.Rh2

• If 42.Rd7 Nc2+ 43.Ka2 Bd5+ 44.Kb2 then:
• If 44...Ne3 45.Rxh7 a3+ then:
• 46.Kb1 Bf3 47.Rg7 Nc4 is equal.
• If 46.Kxa3? then Black wins a piece after 46...Nc4+ 47.Ka2 Nxe5+.
• 44...Bb3 45.Kc3 c4 46.Rxh7 a3 47.Rb7+ Ka4 48.Kd2 is equal.

42...Nc2+ 43.Ka2 a3

• 43...Kb4 44.Rxh7 a3 45.Rd7 Bc6 46.Rd6 Be8 47.Kb1 is equal.

BLACK: Alexander Areshchenko
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WHITE: Vladimir Potkin
Position after 43...a4a3

44.Rxh7!

• White equalizes.

44...Bd5+ 45.Kb1 Nb4 46.Ba1

• If 46.Rg7 a2+ 47.Kb2 Nd3+ 48.Ka1 Nb4 then:
• 49.Kb2 Nd3+ 50.Ka1 Ne1 51.Kb2 draws.
• 49.Ra7 Kc4 50.Kb2 Kd3 51.Rd7 Ke4 remains equal.

46...Be4+ 47.Kc1 Na2+ 48.Kd2 Kb4

• 48...c4 49.Bc3 Nxc3 50.Kxc3 a2 51.Kb2 remains equal.

49.Rh8 Bf3 50.Rg8 c4

• If 50...Bh5!? then 51.Bf6 Kb3 52.Rc8! c4 53.Rb8+ Ka4 54.Be7 restricts the mobility of Black's pieces.

51.Rb8+ Kc5?!

• It may seem counterinititive, but the King should go to the a-file to protect Black's best hope.
• If 51...Ka5! 52.Ke3 then:
• font color="red"]52...c3! 53.Rc8 Be4 54.Bxc3+ Nxc3 55.Rxc3 Ka4 remains equal.
• 52...Bc6!? 53.Kd4 Bb5 54.Kc5 Ba6 55.Rh8 Ka4 56.Ra8 gives White the initiative.

52.Bg7!

• Being an effective piece from a distance, the Bishop returns to g7 where it still guards the promotion square from a safe haven.
• Also good is 52.Ke3 Be4 53.Bg7 c3 54.Bf8+ Kc4 55.Bxa3, winning the a-pawn.

52...Bd5

• If 52...c3+? 53.Bxc3! Nxc3 54.Kxc3 then:
• If font color="red"]54...Bd5 then after 55.Rc8+ Kd6 56.Rh8 a2 57.Kb2 White wins the pawn and then exploits his material superiority.
• If the immediate 54...a2 then White wins after 55.Kb2 Kd4 56.Rg8.

53.Rd8?!

• If 53.Bf8+ Kd4 54.Rd8 c3+ 55.Kc2 Kc4 then:
• 56.Rc8+ Kd4 57.Bg7+ Ke4 58.Bxc3 Nxc3 59.Kxc3 leaves White much better than the text.
• 56.Kb1? Nb4! 57.Bxb4 Be4+ 58.Ka2 Kxb4 59.Rd4+ Kc5.

53...Be4!

• The game is again equal.

54.Rc8+

• If 54.Bd4+ Kb4 55.Rb8+ Ka5 56.Rg8 Kb4 then:
• If 57.Rb8+! Ka5 then:
• 58.Bg7 Bd5 59.Rd8 Bf3 60.Rc8 Kb4 61.Bf8+ gives White a material advantage and Black a pair of advanced passers.
• 58.Rg8?! Kb4! 59.Rb8+ draws.
• 57.Rxg6? c3+! 58.Bxc3+ Nxc3 59.Rb6+ Kc4 60.Ra6 a2! wins for Black.

54...Kb4 55.Rb8+ Kc5?

• Although it seems counterintuitive, Black' best bet is play the King to the a-file and stay near his best hop of salvation.
• If 55...Ka5 56.Be5 then:
• If 56...Ka4 57.Rb6 Nb4 58.Rxg6 a2 59.Ba1 Kb5 60.Kc3 then:
• If 60...Nd5+ 61.Kb2 then:
• 61...Bb1 62.Rg8 c3+ 63.Kc1 Nb4 64.Rb8+ Ka4 65.Bxc3 gives White a material advantage equivalent to a minor piece; he should be able to stop Black's pawn and mobilize his own.
• 61...c3+ 62.Kc1 c2 63.Re6 Nb4 64.g6 Bd5 65.Re3 White is blockading Black's queenside while threatening 66.f4! giving him two connected passers.
• 60...Nc2 61.Kb2 c3+ 62.Kxa2 Kc4 63.Bxc3 Kxc3 64.Rd6 White has the passed pawn.
• 56...Bg2 57.Rb1 Ka4 58.Rb6 Nb4 59.Rxg6 a2 60.Ba1 White has the passed pawn and will easily blockade Black's c-pawn.

BLACK: Alexander Areshchenko
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WHITE: Vladimir Potkin
Position after 55...Kb4c5

56.Bf8+!

• White wins the a-pawn.
• 56.Ke3 c3 57.Bf8+ Kc4 58.g4 Bc2 59.gxf5 Bxf5 gives Black a slim, but real, chance.

56...Kd5

• No better is 56...Kd4 57.Rd8+ Bd5 58.Bxa3 c3+ 59.Kc2 Ke4 60.Bc5.

57.Rb5+

• If 57.Bxa3 c3+ then:
• 58.Ke3! c2 59.Rc8 Ke6 60.Rc7 Kd5 61.Rc5+ White must back away and White plays 62.Kd2! winning the passed pawn.
• If 58.Ke2!? then:
• 58...Kc4! 59.Rb6 Bd5 60.Kd1 Bf3+ 61.Ke1 Bh5 62.Rb8 White is better, but Black can still created difficulties with his passer.
• If 58...c2? then White wins after 59.Kd2! Kd4 60.Rb5 Kc4 61.Rb6 Bd3 62.Rxg6.

57...Ke6 58.Bxa3 c3+ 59.Ke3 Kd7 60.Rb6 Bc6 61.Rb8 Bd5 62.Rf8 1-0

• If 62...Kc6 then after 63.Rf6+ Kb5 64.Rxg6 Bc4 65.Rd6 White has an easy win.
• Alexander Valentinovich resigns.