Reply #4: Pelletier-Volokitin, International Grandmasters' Tournament, Biel

[Jack Rabbit]

Yannick Pelletier
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)

Yannick Pelletier vs. Andrei Volokitin
International Grandmasters' Tournament, Round 10
Biel, August 2006

East India Game: Nimzo-Indian Defense

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 0-0 5. Bd3 c5 6. Nf3 d5 7. 0-0 Nc6 8. a3 Bxc3 9. bxc3 dxc4 10. Bxc4 Qc7 11. Bb2

Another satisfactory opening line is 11. Qc2 Rd8 12. Rb1 b6 13. Bb2 Bb7 14. Bd3 Na5 15. Nd2 Nc6 16. Ne4 with equality.

11. -- e5 12. h3 b6 13. Ba2 Ba6 14. Re1 e4 15. Nd2 Rad8 16. f3

If 16. Qa4 Bb7 17. Rad1 a6 then:

• 18. dxc5 b5 19. Qb3 Na5 20. Qc2 Qxc5 21. c4 Nxc4
• 22. Bxf6 gxf6 23. a4 and a slight advantage for White
• 22. Bxc4 bxc4 23. Bxf6 gxf6 24. Qxc4 and equality
• 18. Bb1
• 18. -- b5 19. Qc2 Rfe8 20. a4 c4 21. axb5 axb5 22. Ba3 and White has an advantage in pawn structure, but Black has a bit more space.
• 18. -- Qe7 19. Qb3 b5 20. dxc5 Na5 21. Qc2 Qxc5 and an equal game.

16. -- exf3 17. Qxf3 Ne5

17. -- Bb7 18. Qf2 Qd7 19. Rad1 Rfe8 20. e4 cxd4 21. cxd4 is level.

18. dxe5 Rxd2 19. exf6 Rxb2

19. -- c4? would give White serious chances at an early win after 20. fxg7 Rfd8 21. Bc1 R2d6 22. e4 Qe7 23. Be3 with White having control of open lines leading to Black's exposed King.

20. Qg4 g6 21. Qg5 Rd8?

Seizing an open file is a good idea, but King safety is a better one.

The correct move is 21. -- Kh8! and now:

• 22. Bd5 22. -- Re8 23. e4 Rc2 24. Qh6 Rg8 25. Rec1 Re2 with a level game.

22. Qh6?! Rg8

• 23. Qg5 Bb7 24. e4 c4 25. Qe3 Re8
• 26. Qh6 Qc5+ 27. Kh1 Rg8 28. Qe3 Qxe3 29. Rxe3 b5 and Black is better on the queenside
• 26. Re2? Rxe2 27. Qxe2 Rxe4 and Black has a strong position and can launch an attack on the White King.
• 23. Qf4 Qc6 24. e4 c4 25. Red1 Re8 26. Rd6 Qc5+ 27. Rd4 Rc2 and the c-pawn is doomed and with it White's outpost at d4
• 23. Bd5 23. -- Qe5 and Black controls open lines.

Black: Andrei Volokitin
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White: Yannick Pelletier
Position after Black's 21st move

22. Red1!

The Rook is activated for the final assault.

If now 22. -- Rxd1+ 23. Rxd1 Rxa2 then:

• 24. e4 Ra1 25. Rxa1 Qd8 26. e5 Bc4 27. Qh6 and White has many more options than Black.
• 24. Qh6? would throw it away: 24. -- Rxg2+ 25. Kxg2 Qc6+ 26. Kg3 Qxf6 and the game is level.

22. -- Bb7 23. Qe5 Rxg2+ 24. Kf1 Qb8 25. Bxf7+! Kh8

If 25. -- Kxf7 then 26. Qe7+ Kg8 27. Qg7#. Finite.

26. Rxd8+ Qxd8 27. Bd5!

White can also win with 27. Bc4 h6 28. Qe7 Qxe7 29. fxe7 Bc6 30. Bd5.

27. -- Rg5

27. -- Qxd5 28. Qxd5 Bxd5 29. Rd1 Rg5 30. e4 Bc4+ 31. Kf2 Kg8 32. Rd7 is hopeless for Black.

28. Qxg5 Bxd5 29. Rd1 Bc4+ 30. Ke1 Qb8/1-0

If 30. -- Qb8 31. f7 Kg7 32. Rd8 then the pawn queens.

Had Black played 30. -- Qc7 then 31. e4 b5 32. Qg4 a6 33. Rd2 a5 34. Rd7 h5 35. Rxc7 hxg4 36. hxg4 and White would choose btween a plan of advancing his own pawns or one of picking off Black's.

Volokitin resigned without waiting for Pelletier's reply.