The JR Chees Report (January 10): Results from Hastings, Stockholm & Reggio Emilia; World TT Begins

[Jack Rabbit]

Four Share Top Honors in Hastings



Four masters shared first place with 7 points in nine rounds in the Masters Tournament at the Hastings Chess Congrress when play completed Tuesday.

The four were Romain Edouard (France), Mark Hebden (England), David Howell (England) and Andrei Istratescu (Romania).

Istratescu and Hebden entered the last round in first place and played each other to a short draw to secure their position. Edouard and Howell moved up by winning their games respectively against English IM Simon Ansell and Czech GM Zbynek Hracek, who was in or near first place for much of the time.

The tournament's top seed, Ukrainian GM Yuri Drozdovskij finished with 6½ with three others, including his wife, Natalia Zdebskaja.


Five Palyers Tie at Top in Rilton Cup



Five chess masters scored 6½ points out of a possible 9 to finish tied for first place in the 39th annual Rilton Cup when the tournament finished in Stockholm Tuesday.

The five were Igor Lysyj (Russia), Luke McShane (England), Pavel Ponkratov (Russia), Eduardas Rozentalis (Lithuania) and defending tournament champion Radoslaw Wojtaszek (Poland). All are grandmasters except Ponkratov, who is a very strong IM with an elo score of 2575.

Rozentalis was awarded the tournament championship based on better tie break scores.

Rozentalis was leading with 5 points after six rounds when he fell to Wojtaszek in Round Seven, giving the defending champion the lead. Rozentalis bounced back to score a point and a half in the final two rounds while Wojtaszek drew both of his remaining games.


Kamsky and Almasi Share First in Reggio Emilia



Russo-American grandmaster Gata Kamsky defeated Zoltan Almasi of Hungary, who had been leading for most of the tournament, in the final round of the 52nd Torneo di Capodonno in Reggio Emilia, Italy to catch Almasi and share first place with 6½ points each.

Kamsky was awarded the tournament championship based on his better tie break score.

Almasi entered the final round needing only a draw against Kamsky to win the tournament clear. However, Almasi sportingly played for a win and pressed too hard against the former boy wonder Kamsky.

Seventeen-year-old Fabiano Caruana, who was born in Miami, raised in Brooklyn and is the former national champion of Italy, finished tied for third with the current Italian champion, Michele Godena.



World Team Tournament Begins



The World Team Tournament began last Tuesday in Bursa, Turkey with ten teams representing nations from four different continents competing.

The teams are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Egypt, Greece, India, Israel, Russia, Turkey and the United States.

The competition has been intense. After only three rounds, there were no undefeated teams remaining.

The sixth round was played today. As of this moment, as if we are in a Cold War track and field event, Russia and the United States each have 5 match points and 15½ individual points to share the lead. Azerbaijan is in third place with 7 match points with 13½ individual points. Armenia, Israel and India also have 7 match points with respectively 13, 13 and 12½ individual points.

Azerbaijan's third board player, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, started the tournament by winning five games in a row. He streak was stopped today when he drew with Israel's Emil Sutovsky.

The tournament ends Wednesday.

Bursa, in northwestern Anatolia, was known to the ancient world as Prusa. It lies on the northern slopes of Mount Uludag, a mountain sacred to the Greek gods in ancient times and home to Christian monasteries during the times of the Byzantine Empire. Today, it is known as a Mecca for skiing enthusiasts.


Calendar

Corus Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 15-31 January 2010.
Group A: Anand, Carlsen, Caruana, Dominguez, Ivanchuk, Karjakin, Kramnik, Leko, Nakamura, Shirov, Short, Smmets, Tiviakov and van Wely.
Group B: Akobian, Giri, Howell, L'Ami, A. Muzychuk, Naiditsch, Negi, Ni Hua, Nisipeanu, Nyback, Pentala, Reinderman, So and Sutovsky.
Group C: Bok, Grandelius, Gupta, Kuipers, Li Chao, K. Lie, M. Muzychuk, Peng, Plukkel, Robson, Soumya, Swinkels, van Kempen and Vocaturo.

Gibraltar Chess Festival 26 January-4 February.

Moscow Open 29 January-8 February.

Bundesliga 0910, Rounds 7-9, Munich, Mülheim, Berlin, Ramagen. 5-7 February.

Aeroflot Open, Moscow 9-17 February.

27th Ciudad de Linares 12-25 February.

Reykjavik Open 24 February-3 March.

Bundesliga 0910, Rounds 10-11, Mülheim, Heidelburg, Solingen, Trier. 27-28 February.

European Individual Championships, Rijeka (Croatia) 5-19 March.

Melody Amber Rapid/Blindfold Tournament, Nice. 12-25 March. Aronian, Carlsen, Domínguez, Gelfand, Gashimov, Ivanchuk, Karjakin, Kramnik, Morozevich, Ponomariov, Smeets and Svidler.

Philadelphia Open 31 March-4 April. This replaces the Foxwoods Open after the Foxwoods Resort announced expected room rate hikes.

Russian Team Championships, Dagomys 1-12 April.

Women's Grand Prix, Nalchik 23 April-6 May.

Anand-Topalov Match for the World Title, Sofia 23 April-10 May.

Grand Prix, Astrakhan (Russia) 9-25 May.

Chicago Open 27-31 May.

Women's Grand Prix, Jermuk 23 June-6 July.

World Open, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania 29 June-5 July.

Women's Grand Prix, Ulan Bator (Mongolia) 29 July-12 August.

World Junior Championships, Chotowa Czarna (Poland) 2-17 August.

Chess Olympiad, Khanty Mansiysk 19 September-4 October.

European Club Cup, Plovdiv 16-24 October.

Women's Grand Prix, Vina del Mar (Chile) 27 October-9 November.

World Youth Championships, Halidiki (Greece) 19-31 October.

FIDE Women's Knock Out (Women's World Championship), Turkey 2-25 December.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. This week's games

Your humble hare acknowledges the assistance of Fritz 6.0 on analysis.

Diagrams on the Jack Rabbit Chess Report are made with Chess Mérida, a true type font that can be downloaded free here.

BLACK
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WHITE
White to move
(This position is a theoretical draw)


I would like to thank my impressive and loyal staff: Buccaneer, Spitfire, Swashbuckler, Pancho and Robin Hood.

More games will be posted as they become ready.

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Masters Tournament, Hasting Chess Congress

Harold II, the last Saxon King of England
from the Bayeux Tapestry commemorating the Norman Conquest of 1066
Image: DonParrish.com

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Hracek - Howell, Round 9

David Howell won more games than any player at Hastings this year.



David Howell
Photo by karpidis, flickr (Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike)


Zbynek Hracek - David Howell
85th Masters Tournament, Round 9
Hastings, 5 January 2010

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Kasparov Opening

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.d3 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.a4

• My staff and I refer to this as the Kasparov Opening. Kasparov used this set up with a different move oder as an anti-Marshall line, particularly against Short in the world title match of 1993. Kasparov won all three games in which he employed this opening against Short.
• If 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 O-O 8.a4 then:
• 8...b4 9.d3 d6 10.a5 Be6 11.Nbd2 Rb8 12.Bc4 Qc8 13.Nf1 Re8 14.Ne3 Nd4 15.Nxd4 exd4 16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.exd5 Bd7 18.Bd2 give White a slight advantage in space (Kasparov-Short, World Ch Match, Game 1. London, 1993).
• If 8...Bb7 9.d3 then:
• 9...Re8 10.Nbd2 Bf8 11.c3 h6 12.Ba2 d6 13.Nh4 Qd7 14.Ng6 Ne7 15.Nxf8 Kxf8 16.f3 Rad8 17.b4 Ng6 18.Nb3 is equal (Game 3).
• 9...d6 10.Nbd2 Nd7 11.c3 Nc5 12.axb5 axb5 13.Rxa8 Bxa8 14.Bc2 Bf6 15.b4 Ne6 16.Nf1 Bb7 17.Ne3 g6 18.Bb3 is equal (Game 7).

8...b4

• If 8...Bb7 9.Re1 d6 then:
• If 10.Nbd2 then:
• If 10...h6 11.Nf1 Re8 then:
• If 12.Bd2 Bf8 then:
• 13.Ng3 Nb8 14.Qb1 Nbd7 15.c4 bxc4 16.Bxc4 c5 gives White the advantage in space (Hou Yifan-Yildiz, Grand Prix W, Istanbul, 2009).
• 13.Ne3 Ne7 14.c4 c6 15.axb5 axb5 16.Rxa8 Bxa8 17.cxb5 cxb5 18.Qa1 Qd7 19.Qa2 Ng6 20.g3 Bb7 draw (Asrian-Tkachiev, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).
• 13.c4 bxc4 14.Bxc4 Rb8 15.Bc3 Ne7 16.Ng3 Ng6 17.d4 exd4 18.Qxd4 d5 19.exd5 Rxe1+ 20.Rxe1 Nxd5 21.Rd1 gives White the tactical edge in the center (Kasparov-Tkachiev, Rapid Trmt, Cannes, 2001).
• 12.c3 Qd7 13.Ng3 Bf8 14.Nh4 Na5 15.Bc2 b4 16.Nhf5 d5 17.cxb4 Nc6 18.Qf3 Nxb4 19.Bb3 Re6 20.Bd2 dxe4 21.Bxe6 Qxe6 22.Nxe4 Nxe4 23.dxe4 Nc2 returns the exchange with equality (Ansell-Hebden, British Ch, Scarborough, 2001).
• If 10...Na5 11.Ba2 c5 12.Nf1 b4 13.Ng3 then:
• 13...Rb8 14.Nd2 Bc8 15.h3 Be6 16.Nc4 Nxc4 17.Bxc4 Bxc4 18.dxc4 Ne8 19.Qg4 Kh8 20.Be3 gives White the advantage in space (Kissinger-Andresen, Cyberspace, 1998).
• If 13...Bc8 then:
• If 14.h3 Rb8 15.Bd2 Be6 16.Bxe6 fxe6 17.Be3 then:
• 17...Nd7 18.c3 bxc3 19.bxc3 d5 20.Qc2 Qc7 21.exd5 exd5 22.c4 e4 23.dxe4 d4 24.Bd2 gives White an extra pawn (Kupreichik-Tseshkovsky, Soviet Ch Rd 4, Vilnius, 1980).
• 17...Nc6 18.c3 bxc3 19.bxc3 d5 20.exd5 exd5 21.Nf5 Nd7 22.Nxe7+ Qxe7 23.c4 Qd6 24.cxd5 Qxd5 is equal (Kupreichik-Psakhis, Soviet Ch Rd 1, Vilnius, 1980).
• If 14.Nd2 Bg4 15.f3 Be6 16.Nc4 then:
• If 16...Nc6 17.f4 exf4 18.Bxf4 d5 19.Ne5 Nxe5 20.Bxe5 Qd7 21.exd5 Bxd5 22.Bxd5 Nxd5 23.Qf3 gives White a slight initiative (Haba-Hracek, Caech Ch, Karvina, 1985).
• 16...Nxc4 17.Bxc4 Bxc4 18.dxc4 g6 19.Bh6 gives White activity in compensation for her imperfect pawn structure (J. Shahade-Abbot, US Op, Framingham, 2001).
• If 10...Nd7 11.c3 Nc5 then:
• 12.Bc2 Nxa4 13.Bxa4 bxa4 14.Qxa4 Rb8 15.Nc4 f5 16.exf5 Kh8 17.Ne3 d5 18.d4 exd4 19.cxd4 Bd6 20.Bd2 Ne7 21.Rac1 is equal (Matulovic-Milic, Yugoslav Ch, Sarajevo, 1958).
• If 12.axb5 axb5 13.Rxa8 Bxa8 14.Bc2 then:
• 14...Ne6 15.b4 d5 16.exd5 Qxd5 17.Qe2 Rd8 18.Qe4 Qxe4 19.dxe4 Nf4 20.Nb3 Nd3 21.Rd1 Nxc1 22.Rxd8+ Nxd8 23.Nxc1 f6 24.Nb3 Ne6 25.Kf1 Bc6 draw (Niessen-Heutgens, Corres, 1996).
• 14...Bf6 15.b4 Ne6 16.Nf1 Bb7 17.Ne3 g6 18.Bb3 Bg7 19.h4 Bc8 20.h5 Kh8 21.Nd5 is equal (Kasparov-Short, World Ch Match, London, 1993).
• If 10.Nc3 Na5 11.Ba2 b4 12.Ne2 c5 then:
• 13.c3 bxc3 14.bxc3 c4 15.Ng3 cxd3 16.Qxd3 Bc8 17.Bg5 Nb7 18.Nd2 Nc5 is equal (Ljubojevic-Karpov, IT, London, 1982).
• If 13.Ng3 then:
• If 13...Rb8 then:
• 14.Nd2 Bc8 15.h3 transposes to Kissinger-Andresen, above.
• 14.Bd2 Bc8 15.h3 Be6 16.Bxe6 fxe6 17.Be3 transposes to Kupreichik-Tseshkovsky and Kupreichik-Psakhis, above.
• 13...Bc8 14.Nd2 Bg4 transposes to Haba-Hracek and J. Shahade-Abbot, above.

9.Nbd2

• If 9.Re1 d6 10.a5 Be6 11.Nbd2 Rb8 then:
• If 12.Nc4 Qc8 13.h3 h6 14.Be3 Rd8 15.Qe2 Bf8 16.Nfd2 then:
• 16...Ne7 17.d4 Ng6 18.d5 Bd7 19.Rec1 Re8 20.c3 gives White the advantage in space and a more advanced center pawn duo.().
• 16...Qb7 17.Qf3 Kh7 18.Nf1 Ne7 19.Ng3 Ng6 20.Nh5 draw (Svidler-Aronian, IT, Linares, 2006).
• If 12.Bc4 Qc8 13.Nf1 then:
• 13...Bxc4 14.dxc4 Qe6 15.Ne3 Bd8 16.Nd5 Ne7 17.Be3 Nd7 18.Qd2 gives White the advantage in space (Fuchs-Spassky, IT, Sochi, 1966).
• 13...h6 14.Ne3 Re8 15.h3 Bf8 16.Bd2 Bxc4 17.Nxc4 Rb5 18.Nh2 d5 19.exd5 Rxd5 20.Ng4 Nxg4 21.hxg4 b3 22.Bc3 Qd7 draw (Lutz-Hracek, Ol, Bled, 2002).

9...d6 10.a5 Be6 11.Nc4 Qc8

• If 11...Rb8 12.Be3 Qc8 13.Re1 h6 then:
• 14.d4 exd4 15.Nxd4 Nxd4 16.Bxd4 Rd8 17.Ne3 c5 18.Nd5 gives White the advantage in space (Vega-T. Kosintseva, Euro ChTW, Novi Sad, 2009).
• The pawn cannot be saved: if 14.Qe2 Nd8 15.Nfd2 Ng4 16.h3 Nxe3 17.Nxe3 Nc6 is equal (Landa-Jakovenko, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2006).

12.h3

• 12.Bg5 Rb8 13.Ba4 Bxc4 14.Bxc6 Be6 15.d4 h6 16.Bxf6 Bxf6 17.dxe5 dxe5 18.Qe2 Rd8 is equal (Kovaleskaya-Wang Yu, TMatch, Nizhniy Novgorog, 2007).

12...h6

• The game is equal.

13.Be3 Rb8 14.Nfd2 Nh7!?

• This looks like an attmpt to redeploy to g5.
• If 14...d5 then:
• 15.Ba4 dxc4 16.Bxc6 cxd3 17.cxd3 Bd7 18.Rc1 gives White the advantage in space.
• The pawn cannot be saved: if 15.exd5 Bxd5 16.f4 exf4 17.Bxf4 Re8 18.Kh2 Nd4 is equal.
• If 14...Nd4 15.Ba2 Qd7 16.f4 Qb5 17.c3 Nc6 18.Qf3 remains equal.

15.Ba4!

• White takes the initiative.
• 15.f4 exf4 16.Bxf4 Nd4 17.Ba2 Bg5 remains equal.

15...Nd8!?

• White could set up a defense without ceding the space the Knight retreat does.
• 15...Qb7! 16.f4 exf4 17.Bxf4 then:
• 17...Bg5! 18.Bxg5 Nxg5 19.h4 Nh7 20.h5 Rfe8 remains equal.
• 17...Nf6 18.Be3 d5 19.exd5 Bxd5 20.Qe2 Rfe8 21.Qf2 gives White the active game.

BLACK: David Howell
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WHITE: Zbynek Hracek
Position after 15...Nc6d8

16.f4!

• White has the advantage in space.

16...exf4 17.Bxf4 f5 18.exf5

• The pawn exchange is necessary.
• 18.e5? d5! 19.Ne3 g5! then Black wins a piece:
• 20.Qf3 gxf4 21.Qxf4 Bg5.
• 20.Bh2 Bc5 21.Rf3 f4 22.Ndf1 fxe3 23.Nxe3 Bd4.

18...Bxf5

• 18...Rxf5 19.Qe2 Bg5 20.Bg3 Rxf1+ 21.Rxf1 Nb7 22.Nb3 maintains White's advantage in space.

19.Qe2

• 19.Bb3 Be6 20.Qe2 Rb5 21.d4 Nf6 22.Rae1 maintains White's advantage in space.

19...Ne6 20.Be3 Kh8

• 20...Bg5 21.Bc6 Bxe3+ 22.Qxe3 Neg5 23.Nb3 Nf6 24.Rae1 enhances White's grip on the center.

21.Nb3 Bg6 22.Rxf8+ Nhxf8 23.Nd4

• White maintains the initiative after 23.Rf1 Bg5 24.Bxg5 Nxg5 25.Nd4 Nge6 26.Nc6.

23...Nxd4 24.Bxd4 Ne6

• 24...Qe6! 25.Qxe6 Nxe6 26.Re1 equalizes.

25.Ba7 Ra8 26.Be3 Bf6

BLACK: David Howell
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WHITE: Zbynek Hracek
Position after 26...Be7f6

27.Bc6!?

• White throws away his advantage making a premature attack.
• 27.Qg4! Bf7 28.Bc6! Rb8 29.Ba7 h5 30.Qe4 d5 31.Bxd5 gives White a solid advantage in space and a much superior center.

27...Nd4!

• Black has equalized.

28.Bxd4 Bxd4+ 29.Kh1 Rb8!

• Black saves his Rook and covers his b-pawn.

30.Rf1 Bf6 31.Qe3 Qd8 32.Qa7?

• White drops a pawn.
• 32.b3 Qg8 33.Qa7 Rf8 34.Qxa6 Qe6 35.Qb7 leaves White a pawn to the good.

BLACK: David Howell
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WHITE: Zbynek Hracek
Position after 32.Qe3a7

32...b3!

• This is the move White had to prevent. Black wins a pawn.

33.cxb3

• 33.Be4 Bxe4 34.dxe4 bxc2 35.Rc1 Bxb2 36.Rxc2 leaves Black a pawn up.

33...Rxb3 34.Re1

• If 34.d4 Qg8 35.d5 Qc8 36.Kg1 Kg8 then:
• 37.Rf4 Bxb2 38.Nxb2 Rxb2 leaves Black a pawn to the good.
• The pawn cannot be saved: if 37.Rf2 Bd3 then:
• 38.Nd2 Rxb2 takes the pawn.
• If 38.Ne3 then 38...Bxb2 takes the pawn.

34...d5?

• Black puts his hard work in jeopardy.
• 34...Qc8! 35.Kg1 Rxd3 then:
• 36.Bb7 Qg8 37.Qxa6 Rb3 38.Bc6 Bf7 39.Nd2 Rxb2 wins a pawn.
• 36.Qb7 Bd4+ 37.Kh2 Qxb7 38.Bxb7 Bf2 39.Rf1 Bg3+ gives Black an extra pawn and a strong position.

35.Ne5?

• White misses his opportunity to get back in the game.
• 35.Ne3! Rxd3 36.Qxa6 d4 37.Nd5 then:
• 37...Rd2 38.Nxf6 Qxf6 39.b4 Kh7 40.Rf1 keeps the pawn with equality.
• 37...Bg5? 38.b4! Bd2 39.Re6 Qf8 40.Kg1 White keeps his pawn with equality.

35...Bxe5!

• The pawn falls.
• If 35...Bh5?! 36.Qxa6 Rxb2 37.d4! then:
• 37...Bxe5 38.Rxe5 Rb1+ 39.Kh2 Qf8 40.Qa8 Rb8 allows White to reduce the defensive burden by exchanging pieces.
• 37...Rd2 38.Qa7 Kh7 39.Qc5 Bxe5 40.dxe5 Bf3 41.Qe3 is equal.

36.Rxe5 Rxd3

• Black is a pawn up.

37.Qc5 Qf6 38.Rxd5

• 38.Re1 Be4 39.Bd7 Rd2 40.Rg1 Bxg2+ 41.Rxg2 Rd1+ wins for White.

38...Qf1+ 39.Qg1

BLACK: David Howell
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WHITE: Zbynek Hracek
Position after 39.Qc5g1

39...Rxh3+!!

• The sacrifice pries open the oyster, giving access to the pearl within.

40.gxh3 Qxh3+ 41.Qh2 Qf1+ 42.Qg1 Be4+!

• The pearl is gently removed from the bed of the oyster.

43.Kh2 Qe2+!

• 43...Qf6? may look strong, but 44.Qg3! Qxc6 45.Rd2 Qe8 46.Qe3 equalizes.
• 44.Qe1? Bxd5 45.Bxd5 Qd6+ 46.Qg3 Qxd5 47.Qxc7 Qd2+ does little to help White.

44.Kh3

• If White interposes the Queen then Black forces a quick mate.

44...Bxd5 45.Bxd5 Qh5+ 46.Kg3

• Black wins the Bishop, but White must not allow himself to be checked.
• 46.Kg2 loses quickly to 46...Qxd5+ 47.Kh3 Qh5+ 48.Kg2 Qg6+ 49.Kf2 Qxg1+ 50.Kxg1 c5! when White runso out of pawn moves and Black escorts his passer duo to promotion.

46...Qxd5 47.Qa7

• 47.Qa1 Qb3+ 48.Kh2 c5 49.Qc1 Qb4 50.Qa1 g5 wins for Black.

47...Qb3+ 48.Kg4 Qc4+ 49.Kg3 Kh7

• 49...Qd3+ 50.Kg4 Qe4+ 51.Kg3 Qe5+ 52.Kf3 Qf5+ 53.Kg3 Qg5+ 54.Kf3 Qf6+ 55.Ke3 Qc6 keeps Black's pawns protected.

50.b4 h5

• Black would like to preserve his pawns.]/li]
• The text is better than 50...Qxb4 then after 51.Qxc7 Qb3+ 52.Kg4 Qe6+ 53.Kg3 h5.

51.b5 Qxb5 52.Qxc7 Qg5+ 53.Kh2 h4 54.Qc4

• 54.Kh3 Kg6 55.Qd6+ Qf6 56.Qxf6+ Kxf6 57.Kxh4 Kf5 is a win right out the endgame book.

54...Qg3+ 55.Kh1 Qf3+ 56.Kh2 h3 57.Qc2+ Kh6 58.Qc1+ Kh5

• If 58...g5 59.Qd2 then:
• 59...Kh5! 60.Qc2 Qg2+ 61.Qxg2 hxg2 62.Kg1 Kh4 wins.
• In order to win, the Black King must not be behind the hindmost g-pawn: 59...Qg2+? 60.Qxg2 hxg2 61.Kxg2 Kh5 62.Kg3! g4 (now the Black King is behind the pawn, like we just said he shouldn't be) 63.Kg2 Kh4 64.Kh2 g3+ 65.Kg2 Kg4 66.Kg1 Kg5 then:
• 67.Kf1 Kf5 68.Kg1 Ke5 69.Kf1 Ke4 70.Kg2 draws.
• If 67.Kg2 then after 67...Kf4 68.Kg1 Kf3 69.Kf1 g2+ 70.Kg1 Ke3 71.Kxg2 Ke4 Black wins White's a-pawn, but since he can manuever to only one side of it, White draws.

59.Qc5+ g5 60.Qc2 Qg2+ 0-1

• If 61.Qxg2 hxg2 then:
• 62.Kg1 Kh4 63.Kxg2 Kg4 64.Kf2 Kh3 wins for Black.
• If 62.Kxg2 then Black wins after 62...Kg4 63.Kf2 Kh3 64.Kg1 g4 65.Kh1 g3
• Grandmaster Hracek resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Istratescu - Breder, Round 4

Andrei Istratescu had the best performance rating in Hastings.



Andrei Istratescu
Photo by Stefan64, Wikipedia (Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike)


Andrei Istratescu - Dennis Breder
85th Masters Tournament, Round 4
Hastings, 31 December 2009

Spanish Petit Royal Game: Gothic Defense (Berlin Defense)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.Qe2

• This is very unusual.
• More common is 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Nc3 then:
• If 9...h6 10.h3 then:
• If 10...Ne7 then:
• If 11.Bf4 Ng6 12.Bg3 then:
• If 12...Ke8 13.Rad1 Bb4 then:
• 14.Ne2 h5 15.Ned4 h4 16.Bh2 Nf8 17.Bf4 Bd7 18.Bg5 Be7 19.Rfe1 c5 20.e6! opens the center for White's pieces (Carlsen-Naiditsch, IT, Dortmund, 2009)
• 14.Nd4 Bxc3 15.bxc3 Be6 16.f4 Bc4 17.Rf2 Ne7 18.f5 Nd5 19.f6 gxf6 20.exf6 Kf8 21.Nf5 Re8 is equal (Kotronias-Aronian, Bundesliga 0708, Germany, 2007).
• 12...Bd7 13.Rad1 Kc8 14.a3 Be7 15.Rfe1 Rd8 16.Nd4 c5 17.Nb3 gives White a small advantage in space (Fleetwood-Schoen, Corres, 2003).
• If 11.Be3 Ng6 12.Rad1+ Ke8 13.a3 Be7 14.Rfe1 then:
• If 14...h5 15.Nd4 h4 16.f4 Rh5 17.Ne4 Bd7 18.c4 b6 19.a4 Rd8 then:
• 20.Ne2 Bf8 21.a5 Bb4 22.Bd2 Be7 23.Be3 Bb4 24.Bd2 Be7 25.Be3 Bb4 is drawn by repetition (Motylev-Karjakin, IT, Tiayuan, 2005).
• 20.Kh2 a6 21.b3 c5 22.Nf3 Be6 gives White the advantage in space.
• 14...Nh4 15.Nxh4 Bxh4 16.Ne2 Be7 17.Nd4 gives White a more active game (Nickel-Jakobetz, Corres, 2005).
• If 10...Bd7 11.b3 Kc8 12.Bb2 b6 13.Rad1 Ne7 then:
• If 14.Ne2 Ng6 15.Ne1 h5 16.f4 Ne7 17.Rf3 Nf5 18.Rfd3 Bc5+ 19.Kh2 gives White the more active game (Zhong Zhang-Sturua, Op, Dubai, 2005).
• If 14.Rd2 c5 15.Rfd1 Be6 16.Ne2 g5 then:
• 17.Rd8+ Kb7 18.Rxa8 Kxa8 19.h4 g4 20.Nh2 h5 21.Rd8+ Kb7 22.Nf4 Ng6 23.Nxe6 fxe6 24.g3 Bh6 25.Rxh8 Nxh8 26.f3 gives White better pawn structure for the endgame (Grischuk-Eljanov, World Rpd Cup, Odessa, 2009).
• 17.c4 Kb7 18.Ng3 Nc6 19.Nh5 a6 20.g4 b5 21.Rc1 bxc4 22.bxc4 Na5 23.Rdc2 Rd8 is equal (Nijboer-Rizouk, Op, Salou, 2005).
• If 9...Ke8 10.h3 Be7 then:
• If 11.g4 Nh4 12.Nxh4 Bxh4 then:
• If 13.Rd1 Be7 14.Kg2 h5 15.f3 Be6 16.Ne2 Rd8 17.Be3 a6 18.Nf4 g6 19.Rxd8+ Kxd8 20.Rd1+ then:
• 20...Ke8 21.Nxe6 fxe6 22.f4 Rh7 23.Bf2 Rh8 reduces Black to passivity while White improves his position (Leko-Wang Yue, Amber Blaind, Nice, 2009). Nevertheless, the game ended in a draw.
• If 20...Kc8 21.Nxe6 fxe6 22.f4 b5 23.b3 Rh7 24.Bf2 hxg4 25.hxg4 Rh8 26.Rh1 Rxh1 27.Kxh1 gives White much better pawn structure for the ending (Jakovenko-Wang Yue, Grand Prix, Elista, 2008). This time, White won.
• 13.Kg2 h5 14.f3 Be6 15.Be3 Be7 16.Ne2 Rd8 is equal (Adams-Wang Yue, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• If 11.Bg5 Bxg5 12.Nxg5 h6 then:
• 13.Nf3 h5 14.Rad1 Ke7 15.Ng5 Be6 16.Nxe6 fxe6 17.Rd3 Rad8 18.Rfd1 Rxd3 19.Rxd3 h4 20.Ne4 gives White the active game and better pawn structure (Shirov-Alekseev, Tal Mem, Moscow, 2008).
• 13.Nge4 b6 14.Rfd1 Ke7 15.Kh2 h5 16.Ne2 Re8 17.Nf4 Kf8 18.Nxh5 Rxe5 19.Nhg3 Be6 20.Rd2 draw (Anand-Kramnik, Rpd Trmt, León, 2002).
• If 9...Ne7 10.Ne4 Ng6 then:
• If 11.b3 then:
• If 11...h6 12.Bb2 then:
• 12...Bf5 13.Ng3 Bd7 14.Rad1 c5 15.e6 fxe6 16.Rfe1 Kc8 17.Rd2 White prepares to double his Rooks on the d-file, threatening to raid the seventh and wighth ranks (Gashimov-Naiditsch, IT Rd 7, Poikovsky, 2009).
• 12...Bg4 13.Nfd2 Kc8 14.f3 Bf5 15.Rad1 Be7 is equal.
• 11...Ke8 12.Re1 h6 13.Bd2 c5 14.Rad1 Be6 15.a3 Rd8 16.Ng3 Bd5 gives White a better center (Gashimov-Onischuk, IT Rd 3, Poikovsky, 2009).
• 11.h3 Ke8 12.Re1 h6 13.Bd2 c5 14.Rad1 Be6 15.a3 Rd8 16.Ng3 Bd5 is equal (Volokitin-Alekseev, IT, Foros, 2008).
• If 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 d6 7.Bg5 Bxc3 8.bxc3 Qe7 9.Re1 Nd8 10.d4 Ne6 11.Bc1 c5 then:
• If 12.Bf1 Rd8 then:
• 13.d5 Nf8 14.g3 Ng6 15.a4 h6 16.Bg2 Nh7 17.h4 Bg4 is equal (Koscielski-Haba, Op, Datteln, 2002).
• If 13.g3 Qc7 14.d5 Nf8 15.Nh4 then:
• 15...Ng6 16.Bg5 Nxh4 17.Bxh4 Qe7 18.f4 gives White the advantage in space (Lilienthal-Bondarevsky, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1941).
• 15...h6 16.f4 Ng6 17.f5 Nxh4 18.gxh4 Kh7 gives Black stronger pawns (Krieman-Christiansen, US Ch, Seattle, 2002).
• If 12.a4 Rd8 then:
• 13.Bf1 Nf8 14.d5 Ng6 15.Nd2 Rf8 16.Nc4 b6 17.g3 Bb7 18.Bg2 h6 19.Ne3 Qd8 20.Qd3 Qc7 21.Bd2 Rae8 22.c4 a5 23.Rf1 Qd8 24.Rfb1 Ne7 25.Qb3 Nc8 26.Rf1 draw (Spassky-Jussupow, IT, Bugojno, 1986).
• 13.Bc4 Nf8 14.h3 Be6 15.Bf1 Rac8 16.d5 Bd7 is equal (Dr. Nunn-Norri, Ol, Manila, 1992).

4...Bc5 5.c3

• If 5.d3 then:
• 5...Nd4 6.Nxd4 Bxd4 7.c3 Bb6 8.Bg5 c6 9.Bc4 h6 10.Bh4 d6 11.Qd1 Ng8 draw (A. Sokolov-Dorfman, French Ch, Aix-les-Bains, 2007).
• 5...d6 6.c3 0-0 7.Bg5 Bb6 8.Nbd2 Ne7 9.Nc4 draw (Tiviakov-Khalifman, President's Cup, Elista, 1998).

5...0-0 6.d3

• 6.0-0 Re8 7.d3 h6 8.h3 d6 9.Be3 Bd7 10.Bxc5 dxc5 11.Bc4 Nh5 12.Qe3 b6 13.Nbd2 Qf6 14.Kh2 Nf4 gives Black a small edge in space (Luther-Portisch, FIDE Knock Out, Groningen, 1997).

6...Re8

• 6...d6 7.Bg5 Bb6 8.Nbd2 Ne7 9.Nc4transposes into Tiviakov-Khalifman, above.

7.Nbd2!?

• The novelty is no better than 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 when:
• If 8...Be7 9.Nbd2 d6 10.Nf1 a6 11.Ba4 Nd7 12.Bg3 then:
• If 12...Nb6 13.Bb3 a5 14.a4 then:
• 14...Be6 15.Bxe6 fxe6 16.Ne3 Rf8 17.0-0 Bg5 18.Nxg5 Qxg5 is equal (Tiviakov-Eljanov, Croatian ChT, Sibenik, 2009).
• 14...Bg4 15.Ne3 Bh5 16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.Bxd5 is equal.
• 12...h5 13.Bxc6 bxc6 14.h3 h4 15.Bh2 Rb8 16.Ne3 gives White the advantage in space.
• 8...a6 9.Bc4 b5 10.Bd5 Bb7 11.0-0 Bb6 12.a4 is equal.

7...a6

• The game is equal.

8.Ba4 Bf8 9.Nf1 b5 10.Bb3 Na5!?

• Black misses a play for a superior position.
• If 10...a5 11.Ng5 then:
• If 11...d5! 12.exd5 a4 13.Bxa4 then:
• If 13...Nd4 then after 14.cxd4 exd4 15.Ne4 Rxa4 16.Bg5 Be7 Black will take back the pawn with the advantage in space.
• 13...Rxa4 14.dxc6 Bf5 15.Ne4 Nxe4 16.dxe4 Bxe4 gives Black the more active game.
• 11...Re7 12.Ne3 a4 13.Bc2 h6 gives Black a small edge in space.

11.Bc2 d5 12.Bg5 dxe4 13.dxe4 h6

• 13...Nc4 14.Rd1 Qe7 15.Ne3 Nxe3 16.Qxe3 remains equal.

14.Bh4 Nc4 15.Rd1 Qe7 16.b3 Na3

• This is probably Black's best try for advantage at the moment.
• Less aggressive is 16...Nd6 17.Bg3 Bb7 18.N1d2 Nd7 19.Qe3 with equality.

17.Bd3 Qe6

• If 17...Bb7 18.Qe3 Qe6 then:
• 19.N1d2 Rad8 20.0-0 Rd7 21.Bg3 Ng4 22.Qe2 Red8 remains equal.
• 19.Bg3!? Qc6! 20.Qc1 Nxe4 21.Bxe4 Qxe4+ 22.Ne3 Bc5 wins a pawn for Black.

18.Bg3 Qc6 19.Rc1 Bd6

• If 19...Bg4 20.Ne3 then:
• 20...Bh5 21.Nf5 g6 22.N5h4 Bb4 23.Qd2 Bd6 24.0-0 remains equal.
• 20...Bxf3!? 21.Qxf3 Bb4 22.0-0! Bc5 23.Nd5 Nxd5 24.exd5 gives White a clear advantage; Black's Knight is about as misplaced as a pieced can get.

20.N1d2 b4 21.c4!?

• White allows Black the advantage in space.
• 21.0-0 bxc3 22.Nc4 Nh5 23.Rxc3 Nxg3 24.hxg3 Rd8 remains equal.

21...Nb5!?

• Black fails to find the best move.
• 21...Bb7! 22.Rd1 Nh5 23.Nh4 Nxg3 24.hxg3 Rad8 maintains Black's advantage in space.

22.Nb1!?

• White wants to keep the Knight out of c3.
• Better is 22.c5! Bg4 23.Bc4 Bf8 24.Qe3 Bxf3 25.Nxf3 with equality.
• 22.cxb5? allows Black to open the queenside in his favor: 22...Qxc1+! 23.Qd1 Qxd1+ 24.Kxd1 axb5.

22...Bg4 23.Qb2 Nc3!?

• All other things being equal, it doesn't do anything for one's position to plop a Knight on one's sixth rank if the Knight is going to be exchanged there.
• Better is 23...Nd4! 24.Nxd4 exd4 25.Bxd6 Qxd6 26.f3 Bh5 giving Black a healthy advantage in space and a good Bishop.

BLACK: Dennis Breder
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WHITE: Andrei Istratescu
Position after 23...Nb5c3

24.c5!?

• Before the exchange on c3, White takes time inject this little thrust.
• 24.Nxc3 bxc3 then:
• 25.Qc2! Rad8 26.0-0 Bxf3 27.gxf3 is equal.
• 25.Qxc3!? Nxe4! 26.Bxe4 Qxe4+ 27.Kf1 Bxf3 28.gxf3 Qf5 gives Black superior pawn structure and possible attacking opportunities on the kingside.

24...Qxc5!?

• Even fighting for equality, White must be careful not to fall into a lost position.
• If 24...Bxc5! then:
• If 25.Nxe5? Qd6 then:
• 26.Nxg4 Qxd3 27.Nxc3 bxc3 28.Qe2 Rxe4 White is toast.
• 26.Nxc3 bxc3 27.Qc2 Rxe5 28.Bxe5 Qxe5 29.0-0 Bd4 gives Black the material advantage.
• 25.Nxc3 bxc3 26.Qc2 Bxf3 27.gxf3 Rad8 28.0-0 Bd4 gives Black the an extra pawn and the advantage in space, but White's game is still playable.

25.Nxc3 bxc3 26.Rxc3

• The game is equal.

26...Qa7 27.0-0 Bxf3!

• Although this move does not give Black any real superiority, it presents White with a big problem.
• 27...Nh5 28.Rc6 Qb7 29.Qc2 Nxg3 30.hxg3 Bd7 31.Rc3 remains equal.

28.gxf3

BLACK: Dennis Breder
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WHITE: Andrei Istratescu
Position after 28.gf3:B

• White's good Bishop is confined to a small space on the kingside. Black is unlikely to lose as long as the Bishop remains inactive.

28...a5 29.Bb5 Re7 30.Rfc1

• Although his Bishop is trapped on the kingside, White is able to find compensation by building pressure on Black weak queenside pawns.
• If 30.Bc6 Rb8 31.Qc2 Rb4 then:
• 32.Rd1 Rd4 33.Rdd3 Qb6 34.Ba4 Rxd3 35.Qxd3 remains equal.
• 32.a3 Rd4 33.Ra1 Qb6 34.Ba4 remains equal.

30...Qb8 31.Bc6 Ra6 32.Qe2 Rb6 33.Rc4

• The game remains equal.
• 33.Rd3 Re6 34.Qd2 then:
• 34...Be7 35.Ba4 Bb4 36.Qe3 Kh7 37.Rc4 Rbd6 is equal.
• 34...Rb4 35.Ba4 Nh5 36.Rd5 Nxg3 37.fxg3 Qb6+ 38.Qf2 is equal.

33...Rb4 34.Qd2 Nh5 35.Bd5 Qa7 36.Rc6 Re8

• 36...Nxg3 37.hxg3 Rd7 38.Qe2 remains equal.

37.R1c4 Re7 38.Qc1 Kh7 39.Qf1

BLACK: Dennis Breder
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WHITE: Andrei Istratescu
Position after 39.Qc1f1

39...g6!?

• Black weakens his grip on f6.
• 39...Nf6 40.Bh4 Nxd5 41.exd5 Re8 42.Qd3+ Kg8 43.Bg3 remains equal.

40.Bh4

• White tries to take advantage, but Black still has sufficient piece pressure on the square.

40...f6 41.Bg3

• If 41.Rc1 a4 42.Ra6 Qd4 then:
• 43.a3 Rxb3 44.Bxb3 axb3 45.Rd1 Qc3 46.Ra7 is equal.
• 43.Ra8 axb3 44.axb3 Qb2 45.Rb1 Qc2 46.Bg8+ gives White a small initiative.

41...Ng7

• Black is reluctant to exchange minor pieces in the belief that it would solve White's problem.
• 41...Nxg3 42.hxg3 Rxc4 43.Qxc4 Qd4 44.Qa6 Bc5 45.Qe2 remains equal.

42.Qd3 Nh5 43.Kg2 Ng7!?

• White's weaknesses are on the kingside. Black should place his Rook where it can support an attack against them.
• 43...Rg7 44.Qc3 g5 45.Qc2 Nf4+ 46.Kh1 Qb8 remains equal.

44.Qe3 Qxe3?

• Black allows the Bishop a route from the space to which it has been confined.
• 44...Qb8 45.Bh4 Nh5 46.Kg1 Kg7 47.Ra6 Rxc4 48.Bxc4 remains equal.

45.fxe3 Rxc4

BLACK: Dennis Breder
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WHITE: Andrei Istratescu
Position after 45...Rb4c4:R

46.bxc4!

• This is good enough, even if it may be the second best way of recapturing.
• 46.Bxc4 Nh5 47.Be1 then:
• If 47...Bb4 48.Kf2 f5 49.exf5 gxf5 50.Be2 then:
• 50...f4 51.Bd3+ Kg7 52.Rg6+ Kf7 53.Rxh6 Nf6 54.exf4 leaves White with an extra pawn.
• 50...Ng7 51.Bxb4 axb4 52.Rc4 Rd7 53.Rxb4 Rd2 54.a4 leaves White with an extra pawn.
• 47...f5 48.exf5 gxf5 49.Bxa5 e4 50.fxe4 fxe4 51.Bc3 leaves White with an extra pawn.
• If 46.Rxc4 Bb4 47.Rc6 Nh5 then:
• If 48.Bf2 f5 49.exf5 gxf5 then:
• 50.Be6 Ng7 51.Bc8 Bd6 52.e4 fxe4 53.fxe4 gives White more freedom.
• 50.e4!? Nf4+! 51.Kf1 Nxd5 52.exd5 is equal.
• 48.Bh4 g5 49.Bf2 Kg6 50.h4 gxh4 51.Bxh4 Bd6 52.Kh3 gives White more space and freedom.

46...Bb4 47.Rxf6

• White has an extra pawn.

47...Nh5 48.Rc6 Nxg3

• Although a pawn down, Black willfully exchanges his Knight for Black's Bishop before it makes a break for more open spaces.

49.hxg3 Bd2

• If 49...h5 then after 50.f4 Rg7 51.Kf3 g5 52.f5 g4+ 53.Ke2 Rd7 54.f6 White will lunch on other pawns while Black is distracted by the passer in the f-file.

50.Kf2 h5 51.Ke2 Bb4

• If 51...Bc1 then after 52.Ra6 g5 53.a4 h4 54.gxh4 gxh4 55.Be6 White wins at least a pawn.

BLACK: Dennis Breder
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WHITE: Andrei Istratescu
Position after 51...Bd2b4

52.f4!

• Also good is 52.a4 Rg7 53.f4 Rd7 54.f5 when:
• 54...g5 55.c5 h4 56.gxh4 gxh4 57.f6 h3 58.Kf2 Be1+ 59.Kg1! wins for White.
• 54...gxf5 55.exf5 Rg7 56.f6! Rd7 57.Kd3 Kg6 58.f7+ Kg7 59.Ke4 wins for White.

52...Rd7 53.Kf3 Ba3 54.Re6 Bd6 55.c5

• Stronger is 55.f5! g5 56.Re8 g4+ 57.Ke2 Bb4 58.a4.

55...Bxc5 56.Rxe5 Bd6

• No better is 56...Bb6 57.Bc4 Rd1 58.Re7+ Kh8 59.f5.

57.Re8 g5 58.e5 Bc5 59.Ke4 h4

• 59...gxf4 60.exf4 Rg7 61.Kf3 Rd7 62.Bg8+ Kg6 63.Be6 gives White a clear winning advantage.

60.gxh4 gxh4

BLACK: Dennis Breder
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WHITE: Andrei Istratescu
Position after 60...gh4:p

61.Be6!

• Black's new passer is placed under lock and key.

61...Rd2 62.Kf5 Rg2

• 62...Rb2 63.Rc8 Bxe3 64.Rxc7+ Kh8 65.Kg6 threatens mate on the move.

63.Bd5 h3 64.Be4 Kg7 65.Rc8 Bxe3 66.Rxc7+ Kf8

• 66...Kh6 67.Kf6 Kh5 68.Rh7+ Kg4 69.Rg7+ Kxf4 70.Bxg2 leaves White with an easy win.

67.Kf6 Ke8 68.Bxg2

• White could have ended it right here with 68.Rc8+ Kd7 69.Bf5#.

68...hxg2 69.Rc8+ Kd7

BLACK: Dennis Breder
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WHITE: Andrei Istratescu
Position after 69...Ke8d7

70.Rg8!!

• White will sacrifice his Rook with his pawn three moves away from promotion. Don't knock it; it works in all variations.

70...g1Q 71.e6+! 1-0

• After Black removes his King from check, 72.Rxg1 Bxg1 73.e7 wraps it up.
• Mr. Breder resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Ansell - Romain, Round 9

Roamin Edouard
Photo by Brittle heaven, Wikipedia (Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike)


Simon Ansell - Roamin Edouard
85th Masters Tournament, Round 9
Hastings, 5 January 2010

Closed Sicilian Game: Italian Clam Opening

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Nc6 5.a3 g6

• And just like that, we're out of the book.
• 5...Bg4 6.0-0 e6 7.c3 a6 8.h3 Bh5 9.Bf4 Be7 then:
• 10.Qe1? Bxf3 11.gxf3 Nh5 then:
• 12.Bh2 Bg5 13.Kh1 Bf4 14.Rg1 Qh4! 15.Rg4 Qxh3 then:
• 16.Nd2 Qxh2# is a game that also shows the pitfalls of comining the Italian Clam as a method of meeting the Sicilian (Sukhu-No Saleh, OlW, Torino, 2006).
• 16.Rxf4 Nxf4 then:
• 17.Qg1 Qxf3+ 18.Qg2 Qxg2#
• 17.Qf1 Qxf1+ 18.Bg1 Qg2#.
• 12.Bg3 loses after 12...Bg5! 13.Qd1 Qf6! 14.Kh2 Nf4 15.Rg1 0-0-0.
• 10.Nbd2! b5 11.Ba2 0-0 12.Qc2 d5 remains equal.

6.0-0 Bg7 7.Re1 0-0 8.h3 d5 9.exd5

• 9.Bxd5 Nxd5 10.exd5 Qxd5 11.Nc3 Qf5 12.Re4 b6 is equal.

9...Nxd5 10.Nbd2 b6

• 10...Nb6 11.Ba2 Bf5 12.Nh4 Bd7 is equal.

11.Ba2 Bb7 12.Nc4

• 12.Ne4 a6 13.Qe2 Nd4 14.Nxd4 cxd4 is equal.

12...Qc7 13.Rb1 Rad8 14.Bg5

• Black has a small advantage in space.

14...Nf4!?

• 14...b5! 15.Ncd2 h6 16.Bh4 Rfe8 17.c4 bxc4 18.dxc4 Nf4 gives Black a larger spactial advantage.

15.Ncd2

• The game is equal.

15...h6 16.Bh4 Kh8 17.Re4!?

• This is a curious move. The fourth rank is hardly navigable for the Rook.
• 17.b4! cxb4 18.axb4 g5 19.Bg3 Bc3 20.Re4 gives White the advantage in space.

17...f5 18.Rxf4?

• Whatever White sees in the exchange sacrifice is an illusion.
• The simple retreat 18.Re3 Rde8 19.b4 Nd4 20.Bg3 cxb4 21.Bxf4 Qxf4 remains equal.

BLACK: Romain Edouard
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WHITE: Simon Ansell
Position after 18.Re4f4:N

18...Qxf4!

• Black isn't going to stare a gift horse in the mouth.

19.Bg3 Qa4 20.b4 Qxa3 21.Bb3 b5!

• Black prevents the pawn from disrupting his queenside development,
• If 21...Nxb4 22.Ne5 Kh7 23.Ndc4 Qa6 24.Ra1 then:
• 24...Bf3 25.gxf3 Qc8 26.f4 b5 27.Nd2 Qc7 leaves Black up by a theoretical pawn; in this position, Black has a queenside majority and a passed pawn with which to play. As it is, Black has such an easy time winning the game that he never resorts to advancing the a-pawn.
• 24...Nxd3 25.Rxa6 Nxe5 26.Qf1 Bxa6 still leaves Black with a material advantage.

22.Qe1 Qa6 23.bxc5

• White digs his grave deeper. Black now has a queenside majority and a passed a-pawn.

23...Ba8 24.Qe6 Rf6 25.Qe2

• 25.Qe3 covers the c-pawn and should be given prefernece, but after 25...Qb7 26.Bh2 Kh7 27.Bg3 a5! Black is making use of his queenside pawns and White has no quick way to halt their advance.

25...Rff8 26.Qe6 Rf6

• If 26...Kh7 27.Bc7 Rc8 28.Bg3 Qa5 then:
• 29.Bd5 Qd8 30.c4 bxc4 31.Bxc4 Nd4 32.Nxd4 Bxd4 Black remains an exchange to the good.
• If 29.Qe3 e5 30.Nxe5 Qc3! 31.Re1 Rce8 then:
• 32.f4 g5 33.d4 Qxe3+ 34.Rxe3 Nxe5 35.dxe5 Rc8 gives White a material advantage and a plethora of targets at which to strike.
• 32.d4 Qxd4 33.Qxd4 Nxd4 34.f4 a5 35.c3 Nc6 wins for Black.

27.Qe2

• Once again, 27.Qe3 is better, but after 27...Qb7 28.Bh4 g5 29.Nxg5 hxg5 30.Bxg5 Nd4 Black still has a won position.

27...Qb7 28.c3

• White tries to take prophylactic measures against the anticipated queenside advance. The text move gives the Bishop an escape and discourages Black from playing ...b4.
• If 28.Qe3 then 28...g5 29.Bh2 f4 30.Qe4 a5 gets the queenside pawns rolling.

BLACK: Romain Edouard
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WHITE: Simon Ansell
Position after 28.c2c3

28...e5!

• White's center is paralyzed.

29.Bh4 g5 30.Ne4

• This would be a blunder if the game were not already lost.
• 30.Bg3 Qe7 31.d4 e4 32.Bd6 Rfxd6 33.cxd6 Qxd6 allows White to survice longer, but he still won't survive.

30...gxh4 31.Nxf6 Bxf6

• instead of being up by an exchange, Black is up by a whole piece.

32.Be6 Ne7 33.d4

BLACK: Romain Edouard
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WHITE: Simon Ansell
Position after 33.d3d4

33...Qc6!

• Black threatens another piece.

34.d5

• If 34.Ba2 Ng6 then:
• 35.Qxb5 Qxb5 36.Rxb5 Bxf3 37.gxf3 exd4 38.cxd4 Bxd4 wins for Black.
• If 35.Rb4 then after 35...exd4 36.cxd4 Rxd4 37.Rxd4 Bxd4 38.Qd2 Bg7 Black wins easily.
• The rest requires no comment.

34...Nxd5 35.Bxf5 Nf4 36.Qe3 Rg8 37.Bg4 Qe4 38.Rxb5 Nxh3+ 39.Bxh3 Qxe3 40.fxe3 Bxf3 0-1

• White comes to grips with the fact that Black is up a piece permanently.
• Mr. Ansell resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Philippe - Hracek, Round 6

Zbynek Hracek led or shared the lead until the late rounds.



Zbynek Hracek
Photo by Stefan64, Wikipedia (Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike)


Christophe Philippe - Zbynek Hracek
85th Masters Tournament, Round 6
Hastings, 2 January 2010

Open Sicilian Game: Najdorf-Scheveningen Defense (Italian Opening)

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 a6 6.Bc4

• This is the Italian Opening in the Sicilian. Sometimes this is called the Sozin Opening, and sometimes it is called the Fischer Opening. This was Fischer's pet line in the Sicilian thoughout his life.

6...e6 7.Bb3 Be7

• If 7...Nbd7 8.f4 Nc5 9.f5 then:
• If 9...Nfxe4 then:
• 10.fxe6 Qh4+? 11.g3 Nxg3 12.Nf3! Qh5 13.exf7+ Kd8 14.Rg1 Nf5 15.Nd5 Qxf7 16.Bg5+ White wins quickly (Fischer-Bednarsky, Ol, Havana, 1966).
• 10.Nxe4!? Nxe4 11.0-0 e5 12.Ne6? Qb6+! 13.Kh1 fxe6 14.Qh5+ Kd8 15.fxe6 Nf2+ 16.Rxf2 Qxf2 17.Bg5+ Be7 wins for Black (Musante-Varadi, 1st Saturday, Budapest, 2001.12).
• If 9...Be7 10.Qf3 0-0 then:
• 11.Be3 e5 12.Nde2 Nxb3 13.axb3 b5 14.g4 b4 15.Na4 Bb7 16.Ng3 d5 17.0-0-0 d4 18.Bd2 Rc8 gives Black more space and activity (Yedidia-Akopian, National Op, 1994).
• 11.0-0 e5 12.Nde2 Nxb3 13.axb3 b5 14.Bg5 Bb7 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.Rfd1 Rc8 17.b4 Rc4 wins a pawn for Black (Dabrowska-Wojtkiewicz, Op, 1993).

8.Be3 0-0

• If 8...b5 then:
• 9.f3 0-0 10.Qd2 Bb7 11.g4 Nc6 12.0-0-0 Nd7 13.h4 Rc8 14.g5 Nde5 15.Qe2 Nxd4 16.Bxd4 Nc4 17.f4 Qc7 18.g6 e5 19.Bxc4 Qxc4 is equal (Ljubojevic-Portisch, IT, Palma de Mallorca, 1971).
• If 9.0-0 0-0 10.f4 b4 11.Na4 then:
• 11...Nxe4 12.f5 d5 13.fxe6 fxe6 14.Rxf8+ Bxf8 15.Nf3 Nc6 draw (Bellin-Cox, Jr Tmnt, Norwich, 1972).
• 11...Bb7 12.e5 dxe5 13.Nxe6 fxe6 14.Bxe6+ Kh8 15.Qxd8 Rxd8 16.fxe5 Ng8 is equal (Kobese-K. Georgiev, Op, Gibraltar, 2006).

9.Qe2

• If 9.0-0 Nc6 10.f4 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 b5 then:
• If 12.e5 dxe5 13.fxe5 Nd7 14.Ne4 Bb7 15.Nd6 Bxd6 16.exd6 Qg5 then:
• If 17.Qe2 e5 18.Bc3 Qg6 19.Rad1 Kh8 20.Bd5 Bxd5 21.Rxd5 Qe6 22.Rfd1 then:
• 22...Rfc8 23.Ba5 Rc6 24.b3 Rac8 is equal (Short-Kasparov, World Ch Match, London, 1993).
• 22...f5 23.a4 bxa4 24.Ra5 f4 25.Rxa4 gives White the edge in space (Pachman-Ales, Czech League, 1994-95).
• 17.Rf2 a5 18.Qe2 Ra6 19.Bc3 b4 20.Bd2 Qc5 21.Bf4 Nf6 22.Bc4 Raa8 23.Bd3 Nd5 24.Qe4 f5 gives White the passed pawn and more activity (Kosteniuk-Bragin, Russian Ch ½-finals, Kazan, 2005).
• 12.a3 Bb7 13.Qd3 a5 14.e5 dxe5 15.fxe5 Nd7 16.Nxb5 Nc5 17.Bxc5 Bxc5+ 18.Kh1 a4 gives White an extra pawn (West-Ashley, US Ch, New York, 1989).

9...b5

• If 9...Nc6 10.0-0-0 Qc7 then:
• If 11.g4 Nxd4 12.Rxd4 b5 13.g5 Nd7 then:
• If 14.f4 Nc5 15.f5 Nxb3+ 16.axb3 exf5 17.Nd5 Qd8 18.Rg1 Re8 19.Qf2 then:
• 19...fxe4 20.Rxe4 Bb7 21.Bb6 Bxd5 22.Bxd8 Bxe4 23.Bxe7 Rxe7 draw (Dr. Nunn-van der Wiel, IT, Brussels, 1985).
• 19...g6 20.Qh4 Bb7 21.exf5 Bxd5 is equal (Frolov-Zakharstov, Russian Ch, Elista, 2001).
• 14.Rg1 Nc5 15.e5 d5 16.Rh4 Qxe5 17.Rg3 Nxb3+ 18.axb3 Qf5 gives Black an extra pawn (Smith-Kogler, Corres, 2000).
• If 11.Rhg1 then:
• If 11...b5 12.g4 then:
• If 12...b4 13.Nxc6 Qxc6 14.Nd5 exd5 15.g5 then:
• 15...Nxe4 16.Bxd5 Qa4 17.Bd4 Bf5 18.Bxe4 Bxe4 19.Qxe4 Rfe8 20.Kb1 Bf8 21.Qd3 Qc6 is equal (Fedorov-Lutsko, Belorus Ch, Minsk, 2005).
• 15...dxe4 16.gxf6 Bxf6 17.Bd5 Qa4 18.Bd4 Bxd4 19.Rxd4 Be6 20.Qxe4 is equal (Gipslis-Tal, GMT, Moscow, 1967).
• If 12...Na5 13.g5 Nxb3+ 14.axb3 Nd7 then:
• 15.f4 b4 16.Nf5 exf5 17.Nd5 Qd8 18.exf5 Re8 19.g6 fxg6 20.fxg6 h6 21.Qc4 Kh8 22.Bd4 Bf8 23.Nc7 Nc5 24.Nxa8 leaves White up by an exchange (Velimirovic-B, Ivanovic, GMT, Niksic, 1978).
• 15.Qh5 g6 16.Qh6 Re8 17.Rg3 Bf8 18.Qh4 Bg7 19.f4 b4 20.Nce2 e5 21.fxe5 Rxe5 22.Nf3 Re8 gives Black more freedom (Geller-Pogaets, Soviet Union, 1977).
• 11...Nd7 12.g4 Nc5 13.g5 b5 14.Kb1 Bd7 15.Rg3 g6 16.h4 Nxb3 17.cxb3 b4 18.Na4 Nxd4 19.Bxd4 e5 20.Be3 Qb7 is equal (Ashley-Solomons, IT, New York, 1994).

10.0-0-0 b4 11.Na4 Qc7!?

• 11...Nxe4 12.Nxe6 Bxe6 13.Bb6 Qe8 14.Qxe4 Bxb3 15.Qxa8 Bxa4 16.Rhe1 Qc8 17.b3 Bc6 18.Qa7 Bg5+ 19.Be3 Be4 20.Rd2 Nc6 White resigns (Ftacnik-Mozny, Czechoslovakian Ch, Prague, 1986).
• If 11...Qa5 then:
• 12.Nf3 Nbd7 13.Nd2 Bb7 14.f3 Bc6 15.Nc4 Qc7 16.Nab6 Rab8 gives Black the more active game. (Ljubojevic-Polugaevsky, IT, Amsterdam, 1972).
• 12.g4 Bd7 13.Nb6 Qxb6 14.Nxe6 Qb7 15.Nxf8 Bxf8 16.f3 Bb5 17.Qg2 Nc6 18.g5 Ne8 is equal (N. Rogers-R. Byrne, Op, Philadelphia, 1992).

12.f3

• The game is equal.

12...Nbd7 13.g4!?

• White buys a peck of trouble by grabbing space on the kingside when he could attack targets on the opposite wing.
• 13.Qe1 Nc5 14.Qxb4 then:
• 14...e5 15.Ne2 Rb8 16.Qc3 Nxb3+ 17.axb3 Qb7 18.Qd3 remains equal.
• 14...d5?! 15.Qb6! Nxb3+ 16.axb3 Bd6 17.Qxc7 Bxc7 18.exd5 gives White an extra pawn.

BLACK: Zbynek Hracek
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WHITE: Christophe Philippe
Position after 13.g2g4

13...Nc5!

• Nature abhors a vacuum. So, White makes the natural move and fills the neglected queenside with the power of his Knight.

14.g5

• 14.Nxc5? dxc5 15.Qc4 Bd7! 16.c3 Ra7! wins a piece for Black.

14...Nfd7 15.h4 Nxa4

• 15...Nxb3+ 16.axb3 Bb7 17.Qc4 Rac8 18.Qxc7 Rxc7 gives Black the more active game.

16.Bxa4 Nc5

• 16...Bb7 17.Bxd7 Qxd7 18.h5 Qa4 19.Kb1 Rac8 is once again equal.

17.Bb3 Nxb3+ 18.axb3 Bd7 19.h5!?

• White is wasting time. He faces more danger on the other wing than he can build up quickly< on the kingside.li>
• 19.Kb1 Rfc8 20.h5 a5 21.g6 h6 22.gxf7+ Kxf7 remains equal.

19...a5 20.g6 Bf6!? 21.Qh2?

• A kingside build up is doomed to failure. White should inest his resources elsewhere, like against Black's queenside initiative.
• 21.gxh7+ Kxh7 22.h6 g6 23.Qc4! Qb7 remains equal.

BLACK: Zbynek Hracek
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WHITE: Christophe Philippe
Position after 21.Qe2h2

21...h6!

• It is best for Black to make sure that the h7 square will be hard for White to get at, but he can also use a stratagem of building up the queenside.
• If 21...fxg6!? 22.hxg6! then:
• 22...h6 23.Bxh6 gxh6 24.Qxh6 Bc8 remains equal.
• If 22...Rfc8? 23.Qxh7+! Kf8 24.Bf2 e5 25.Bh4!! then:
• 25...Qxc2+ 26.Nxc2 Rxc2+ 27.Kxc2 Bxh4 28.Qh8+ Black is toast.
• 25...exd4 26.Qh8+ Ke7 27.Qxg7+ Kd8 28.Qxf6+ Ke8 29.Qe7#.
• If 21...Rfc8!? 22.gxh7+ then:
• If 22...Kxh7 23.h6 g5 then:
• 24.Qh5!Be8 25.Rh2 a4 26.bxa4 Rxa4 makes the queenside unsafe for White's King.
• If 24.f4? then Black wins after 24...a4 25.fxg5 Bxd4 26.Bxd4 axb3! 27.c3 e5.
• 22...Kh8? 23.h6 e5 24.hxg7+ Bxg7 25.Bh6 wins for White.

22.gxf7+ Rxf7

• Also good is 22...Kxf7 23.Qg2 e5 24.Qg6+ when:
• 24...Ke7 25.Nf5+ Bxf5 26.Qxf5 a4 27.bxa4 Rxa4 gives Black strong pressure against White's King.
• 24...Kg8!? 25.Nf5! Bxf5 26.Qxf5 Ra6 27.Qe6+ is equal.

23.Rhg1 a4 24.bxa4 Rxa4 25.Nb3 e5?

• Black misses the win of a pawn and closes the line of communication between his Bishop and White's queenside.
• 25...Bxb2+! 26.Kxb2 Qc3+ 27.Kc1 Qxe3+ gives Black an extra pawn.

26.Qd2 Be6 27.Kb1 Ra6

• The text is better than 27...Qb7!? when:
• 28.Qxd6! Ra6 29.Nc5 Ba2+ 30.Ka1 Rxd6 31.Nxb7 gives White an extra pawn and the initiative.
• 28.Bxh6? Qa6 29.Qxd6 Bxb3! 30.Qxa6 Ba2+ 31.Kc1 Rxa6 gives Black a piece for two pawns and more activity.

28.Qxb4!?

• White grabs the wrong pawn and opens the queenside for Black's heavy pieces.
• 28.Bxh6! Qa7! 29.Qe3 Bxb3 30.cxb3 Qa8 is equal; Black has the initiative for the pawn.

28...Qc6!?

• Black misses the opportunity to regain the upper hand.
• If 28...Kh7 29.Rd3 then:
• 29...Rf8 30.Qc3 Qf7 31.Rgd1 Rc8 gives Black the initiative.
• 29...Bc4? 30.Rc3! Bxb3 31.Rxc7 Ba2+ 32.Kc1 Rxc7 33.Kd2 gives White the material advantage.

29.c3?

• The weakening of the palace guard proves fatal for White.
• 29.Bxh6 Rb7 30.Qc3 then:
• 30...Qa4 31.Be3 Rb8 32.Rd5 Bxd5 33.exd5 Qb5 is equal.
• 30...Qxc3? 31.bxc3 Bc4 32.Rg3 Kf7 33.Bg5! Bxg5 34.Rxg5 gives White two extra pawns.

BLACK: Zbynek Hracek
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Christophe Philippe
Position after 29.c2c3

29...Rb7!

• Also good is 29...Qc8 30.c4 when:
• 30...Bxc4! 31.Na5 Be2 32.Rd5 Qh3 33.Bxh6 Qxh5 wins at least a pawn for Black.
• 30...Rb7!? 31.Qc3 Bxc4 32.Rc1 d5 33.Na5! is equal.

30.Na5 Ba2+ 31.Kc1

• 31.Kxa2 Rxb4 32.cxb4 Qc4+ 33.Kb1 Qe2 34.Bxh6 Qxf3 gives Black a strong initiative.

31...Rxb4 32.Nxc6 Rxc6 33.Bxh6 Bb3

• Black has a piece for two pawns and an attack on the queenside.

34.Rde1 Rb7 35.Bg5 Rf7

• Also good is 35...Bxg5+ 36.Rxg5 Ra6 37.Reg1 Kf8.

36.h6 g6 37.Kd2

• No better is 37.Bxf6 Rxf6 38.Rg3 Kh7 39.Rh1 d5 40.Rg5 Rce6.

37...Bxg5+ 38.Rxg5 Kh7 39.Reg1 Rf6 40.Ra1

• White would have held out longer with 40.Ke3 Kxh6 41.R5g3, but he loses more material in any event.

40...Rxf3 0-1

• White is down a piece and cannot recover it.
• M. Philippe resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Zdebskaja - Eames, Round 9

Natalia Zdebskaja of Ukraine, a bright young star on the women's circuit, is the wife of Yuri Drozdovskij, the top seed at Hastings. She ended the tournament with a score equal to his, just a half point behind the leaders.



Natalia Zbebskaja
Photo by Frank Hoppe, Wikipedia (Public Domain)


Natalia Zdebskaja - Robert Eames
85th Masters Tournament, Round 9
Hastings, 5 January 2010

Spanish Sicilian Game: Main Line

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Qc7 5.0-0 Nd4 6.Re1

• If 6.Nxd4 cxd4 7.Nd5 Nxd5 8.exd5 Qc5 9.c4 then:
• If 9...a6 10.b4 Qxb4 11.Ba4 then:
• 11...b5 12.cxb5 g6 13.Bb3 Bg7 14.a4 Qa5 15.Ba3 d6 16.Re1 Qd8 is equal (Parligras-Sebag, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2008).
• 11...g6 12.Bb3 Bg7 13.a4 d6 14.Ba3 Qa5 15.Re1 Qd8 16.c5 0-0 17.Rc1 Bf6 18.Qf3 Bg5 is equal (Predojevic-Timofeev, IT, Sarajevo, 2005).
• 9...dxc3 10.Qb3 a6 11.Be2 c2 12.d4 Qd6 13.Bf3 g6 14.Bd2 is equal (Anand-Leko, IT, Linares, 2003).

6...a6 7.Bf1 Ng4

• If 7...e5 then:
• 8.Bc4 d6 9.h3 Be6 10.d3 b5 11.Bxe6 fxe6 12.Nxd4 cxd4 13.Ne2 Be7 14.c3 dxc3 15.Nxc3 0-0 16.Qb3 Qd7 is equal (Naiditsch-Banikas, Mindsports Rpd, Beijing, 2008).
• 8.Nd5 Nxd5 9.exd5 d6 10.c3 Nxf3+ 11.Qxf3 Be7 12.d4 0-0 13.Qg3 Bf6 14.dxc5 Qxc5 15.c4 is equal (Zaragatsji-Wagner, Op, Nuremberg, 2006).

8.g3 Nxf3+ 9.Qxf3 Ne5 10.Qd1

• 10.Qe2 e6 11.d3 d6 12.Bg2 Be7 13.f4 Nc6 14.Nd1 0-0 15.c3 b5 16.Be3 b4 is equal (Kovocevic-Avrukh, Ol, Calvia, 2004).

10...e6 11.b3

• 11.f4 Nc6 12.d3 Be7 13.Bg2 Nd4 14.Ne2 0-0 15.c3 Nxe2+ 16.Qxe2 b5 17.f5 Bb7 18.Rf1 exf5 19.Rxf5 Rae8 20.Be3 d5 21.Raf1 draw (J. Shahade-Ross, US Ch, San Diego, 2004).

11...d6

• 11...Be7 12.Bb2 0-0 13.f4 Nc6 14.Nd5 exd5 15.exd5 Qd8 16.dxc6 dxc6 gives White better pawn structure (Zdebskaja-A. Muzychuk, Euro ChW, Kusadasi, 2006).

12.Bb2

• The game is equal.

12...g5

• 12...Be7 13.Bg2 0-0 14.f4 Nc6 15.Qg4 Nd4 16.Rac1 remains in balance.

13.Bg2

• 13.a4 Bd7 14.Qh5 0-0-0 15.Bg2 g4 remains equal.

13...g4
BLACK: Robert Eames
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WHITE: Natalia Zdebskaja
Position after 13...g5g4

14.d4!?

• The central thrust is premature. White might try redeploying her Knight to c4 to strike at Black's weaknesses.
• 14.Nb1 h5 15.a4 Bd7 16.Na3 0-0-0 17.Nc4 Rg8 remains equal.

14...cxd4 15.Qxd4 Bg7!?

• The fianchetto may be out of place here. Black's strength is on the kingside. He should castle long and deploy his Bishop to the Queen's wing where it can put pressure on White's kingside from a distance.
• 15...h5! 16.Rad1 h4 17.a4 b6 18.Re3 Bb7 gives Black the advantage in space; Black should play on the kingside in this position.

16.Qd2 0-0

• White does not really have an advantage, but it is Black who must play more carefully to avoid losing ground.
• 16...b5!? 17.Rad1 then:
• 17...Bb7 18.Qxd6 Qxd6 19.Rxd6 Rd8 20.Rxd8+ Kxd8 21.a4 gives White an extra pawn.
• 17...h5 18.Qxd6 Qxd6 19.Rxd6 Bb7 20.Red1 Rc8 21.Rb6 gives White an extra pawn.
• 17...Ke7 18.a4 bxa4 19.Nxa4 Bb7 20.c4 Rhg8 21.Ba3 gives White a more active game.

17.Rad1 Rd8 18.Ne2

• 18.Nb1 Rd7 19.c4 Qd8 20.Qe2 Qg5 remains equal.

18...b5 19.Nf4

• 19.Bc3 a5 20.Bxe5 Bxe5 21.Nd4 Bd7 22.c3 remains equal.
• 19.Bxe5 Bxe5 20.Qg5+ Kh8 21.Qxg4 Qxc2 is equal and a bit wild.

19...Nf3+ 20.Bxf3 Bxb2

• 20...gxf3? 21.Nd5!! exd5 22.Qg5 d4 23.Bxd4 f6 24.Qd5+ gives White a winning position.

21.c4 Be5

• 21...gxf3!? 22.Qxb2 bxc4 23.Qc3 Bb7 24.Rd4 e5 25.Rxc4 gives White the active game.

22.Bxg4 bxc4 23.bxc4 Rb8

• 23...Bb7!? 24.Rb1 Rab8 25.Qd3 Kh8 26.Ng2 Qa5 27.a3 gives White an extra pawn.

24.Nh5

• 24.Rb1 Bb7 25.Qd3 Qa5 26.a3 Bc6 27.Bh3 Rb2 remains equal.

24...Kh8 25.Qh6 f6?

• Black leaves his Bishop without a retreat.
• If 25...Qe7 26.f4 Bc3 27.e5 f5 28.exf6 Qa7+ then:
• If 29.Kg2 then:
• If 29...Rg8 then:
• If 30.Rxd6 Rxg4 31.Qg7+ Rxg7 32.fxg7+ Qxg7 33.Nxg7 then:
• 33...Rb2+! 34.Kh3 Bxe1 35.Nxe6 Ba5 is equal.
• 33...Kxg7?! 34.Re2 Bb4 35.Rd3 Be7 36.Rb3 Rxb3 37.axb3 gives White a material advantage.
• If 30.Ng7?! Bxe1 31.Rxe1 Rb2+! then:
• 32.Be2 Qb7+ 33.Kf2 Rxa2 gives Black a material advantage and a more active game; White' kingside initiative is stalled.
• If 32.Re2? Bb7+ when:
• 33.Kh3 Rxe2 34.Bxe2 Qf2 35.Bd3 (White threatens mate) 35...Qg2+ 36.Kg4 Qf3+ wins the Bishop, ending White's mating threat.
• If 33.Kf1? Rb1+ 34.Re1 Bg2+ 35.Kxg2 Rxe1 gives Black a material advantage equivalent to two pawns.
• 29...Bxe1? 30.f7 Rb2+ 31.Kh3 Qxf7 32.Rxe1 gives Black the exchange for a pawn
• 29.Kf1? Bxe1! 30.Qg7+ Qxg7 31.fxg7+ Kg8 32.Kxe1 leaves White slightly better.

BLACK: Robert Eames
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Natalia Zdebskaja
Position after 25...f7f6

26.c5!

• Also good is 26.f4 Bc3 27.Re3 f5 28.Rxc3 fxg4 29.Qf6+, winning.

26...Rb2

• It's all over now, Baby Blue.
• Black would get more resistance from 26...Qf7 27.f4 Bc3 28.Re3 when:
• 28...Bb4 29.cxd6 Bc5 30.Kf2 f5 31.Be2 Rxd6 32.Rxd6 leaves Black with an extra pawn.
• 28...e5 29.Bxc8 Bd4 30.Rxd4 exd4 31.Be6 gives White a material adcantage equivalent to two pawns.

27.cxd6 Qa7 28.Re2 Rxe2

• 28...Qf7 29.Rxb2 Bxb2 30.Nf4 Kg8 31.Rd3 Bd7 32.Rb3 leaves White two pawns up and the Black King under a mating attack.

29.Bxe2 Qf7 30.Rc1 f5 31.Rc7 Bd7 32.Qd2 fxe4

• 32...Qf8 33.Rc5 Qxd6 34.Qa5 Bb5 35.Bxb5 axb5 36.Rxe5 leaves White with an easy win.

33.Qg5 1-0

• If 33...Rf8 then White wins lots and lots of material: 34.Qxe5+ Kg8 35.Nf4 e3 36.fxe3 Qf5 etc.
• Mr. Eames resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Rilton Cup, Stockholm

Globen (indoor sports arena), Stockholm
Photo: Fredrik Posse/Stryngford Photo in Wikipedia (Creative Commons, Attribution/Share Alike)

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Rozentalis - Miezis, Round 5

Eduardas Rozentalis
Photo: Pawel Suwarski, Wikipedia (Public Domain)


Eduardas Rozentalis - Normunds Miezis
39th Rilton Cup, Round 5
Stockholm, 31 December 2009

Closed Sicilian Game: Glek Opening

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.Nc3 a6 4.g3 Nc6 5.Bg2 Nf6 6.0-0 e5 7.d3 d6 8.Bg5!?

• If 8.Nh4 then:
• 8...Be7 9.f4 0-0 10.Nf3 Re8 11.Nd5 b5 is equal.
• 8...g6!? 9.f4! exf4 10.Bxf4 Bg7 11.Qd2 h6 12.Rae1 gives White the advantage in space (Mastrovasilis-Shaposhnikov, World Jr Ch, Athens, 2001).

8...Be7

• This is better than the fianchetto of the King's Bishop that Shaposhnikov tried against Mastrovasilis in one of the games just quoted.
• American master and opening specialist John Watson suggests the name Glek Opening for this set up. For many years, this debut has been called the King's Indian Attack or the King's Indian Reversed or, more specifically to the case at hand, the Closed Sicilian Defense. It is a nexus of the a King's finachetto and the Clam formation. When d3 is played before the development of the King's Bishop, the fianchetto of the Bishop becomes almost obligatory.
• It isn't my favortie opening, but that is a matter of taste. I prefer a game where White plays with a full pawn center. Nevertheless, White gets a playable game from the Glek, which is what is important. Many masters favor openings with theory attached to them and what theory there is hardly running a dozen moves deep. Grandmaster Rozentalis handles the opening masterfully.

9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.Nd5 0-0 11.c3 Be6 12.Nd2

• The game is equal.

12...Bxd5 13.exd5 Nb8

• If 13...Ne7 14.a4 Rb8 15.a5 Bg5 16.Nc4 Nc8 17.b3 gives White the advantage in space.

14.a4 Nd7 15.a5

• If 15.Qg4 Bg5 16.Nc4 then:
• 16...f5 17.Qe2 Rf6 18.f4 exf4 19.gxf4 Bh6 20.a5 gives White the advantage in space; Black has counterplay on the queenside after 20...b5!.
• 16...Bh6 17.Qh4 Bg5 18.Qh5 Nb6 19.Nxb6 g6 20.Qe2 gives White a small advantage in space.

15...Be7!?

• 15...b5 16.axb6 Nxb6 17.Qh5 Bg5 18.f4 Bh6 is equal.

16.Nc4

• White assumes the advantage in space

16...f5

• 16...Qc7 17.Qh5 Bf6 18.Rfe1 g6 19.Qf3 maintains White's advantage in space.

17.f4 Kh8

• 17...exf4 18.gxf4 b5 19.axb6 Nxb6 20.Re1 Nxc4 21.dxc4 maintains WHite's advantage in space, but with Bishops of opposite color the game begins to look drawish.

18.Qf3 Qc7!?

• Up to now, it has been Black who needed to play more carefully in order not to fall into a greater disadvantage.
• 18...exf4 19.Qxf4 Bg5 20.Qf3 then:
• 20...Ne5 21.Nxe5 dxe5 22.Rae1 Qf6 23.Qh5 is equal.
• 20...b5 21.axb6 Nxb6 22.Na5 Nd7 23.Nc6 gives White the advantage in space.

BLACK: Normunds Miezis
!""""""""#
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Eduardas Rozentalis
Position after 18...Qd8c7

19.Rae1!

• The pawn formation adopted by White is best supported by Rooks on the e- and f-files.
• If 19.Rfe1 Bf6 20.Re2 exf4 21.Qxf4 then:
• If 21...Be5 22.Qf3 f4 23.g4 Rae8 24.Rae1 then:
• 24...b5 25.axb6 Nxb6 26.Nd2 a5 is equal.
• 24...Kg8 25.g5 Rf5 26.Qg4 Rff8 27.Be4 gives White the advantage in space.
• 21...Ne5 22.Nb6 Rad8 23.Rd1 Ng6 24.Qf3 Ne5 25.Qe3 gives White the advantage in space.

19...Rae8

• Since Black's pawn formation is also led by a duo at e5 and f5, placing the Rooks behind them makes sense for Black, too.

20.Re3 Bf6 21.Qe2 g6 22.Re1 Rb8

• If 22...Bg7 23.fxe5 dxe5 24.d6! Qb8 25.Qf3 then:
• If 25...b5 26.axb6 Nxb6 27.Nxe5 then:
• 27...Bxe5 28.Rxe5 Rxe5 29.Rxe5 Qxd6 30.Qe2 gives White poswer up the middle.
• 27...Qxd6? 28.Nf7+! Rxf7 29.Rxe8+ Bf8 30.R1e6 wins for White.
• 25...f4 26.gxf4 b5 27.axb6 Nxb6 28.Nxe5 gives White a strong center and an extra pawn.

23.Qf2 Rbd8 24.R3e2 Qb8?!

• Black was probably bargaining for a calculated risk, but he bites off a little more than can chew.
• 24...exf4 25.gxf4 b5 26.axb6 Nxb6 27.Re6 Nxc4 28.dxc4 is equal.

BLACK: Normunds Miezis
!""""""""#
$ W T T L%
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WHITE: Eduardas Rozentalis
Position after 24...Qc7b8

25.fxe5!

• This begins a comination that leaves White with a permanent advantage that he almost drives home. The central pawns will be rearranged in such a way as to give White greater mobility.

25...Nxe5 26.Nxe5 Bxe5 27.Rxe5!!

• The exchange sacrifice is the key to the combination. White gets a mass of mobile pawns running up the d- and c-files.

27...dxe5 28.Qxc5 Rfe8 29.c4

BLACK: Normunds Miezis
!""""""""#
$ W Tt+ L%
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WHITE: Eduardas Rozentalis
Position after 29.c3c4

• Who would have thought that hidden in the last diagrammed position is this one? Black's queenside pawns are paralyzed and White's are revving up their engines.

29...h5 30.Qb6!?

• This looks like the natural move where White physically restrains Black's queenside pawns. However, it gives Black the counterplay he needs to save the game.
• If 30.b4 Qd6 31.Qe3 then:
• 31...Kg7 32.c5 Qf6 33.d6 Rd7 34.Qf2 mainstains White's advantage.
• If 31...Qxb4? 32.Qh6+! Kg8 33.Qxg6+ Kh8 34.Qh6+ Kg8 35.Qg5+ Kh8 then:
• 36.Qxh5+ Kg8 37.Qg5+ Kh8 38.Qf6+ Kg8 39.Rf1 wins for White.
• 36.Rf1 Rf8 37.Qh6+ Kg8 38.Bh3 also wins.

30...Kh7 31.c5 e4 32.d6

• White sacrifices a pawn to open the long diagonal for the Bishop.

32...exd3 33.Rd1 Rd7!

• The text move is less to block White's pawn than to cover the Black pawn at b7.
• If 33...d2? 34.Rxd2! Re1+ 35.Kf2 Re7 36.Rd4 then:
• 36...Rg7 37.Rb4 Rdd7 38.Qxa6 Qd8 39.Qb6 Qf6 40.Bd5 leaves White close to a win; Black has few fighting moves left.
• 36...Red7 37.Rb4 h4 38.Bxb7 hxg3+ 39.hxg3 f4 40.Bxa6 leaves White with a material advantage and an easy win.

34.Qb4

• The game is now equal.
• If 34.Bf3 Qc8 then:
• If 35.Rxd3 Re1+ 36.Kf2 Rc1 37.Rc3 then:
• 37...Rxc3 38.bxc3 Qg8 39.Bxb7 Qa2+ 40.Kg1 Qa1+ 41.Kg2 Qa2+ White must either lose a pawn or submit to a draw by repetition ( 42.Kh3? g5! 43.Bg2 Rg7 wins for Black).
• 37...Ra1!? 38.Qb4! Qa8 39.Bd5 Rg7 gives White a strong position.
• 35.b4!? f4! 36.gxf4 Rf8 37.Rxd3 Rxf4 gives Black the initiative.
• If 34.b4 then after 34...Re2 35.c6 Rxd6 36.c7 Qe8 37.Qxb7 Black saves himself with 37...Rxg2+!! 38.Kxg2 Qe2+ 39.Kh3 Qg4+ 40.Kg2, drawing by repetition.

34...Re5 35.Rxd3 Qe8 36.Kf1 Rf7?

• White now forces Black to return the exchange.
• 36...Re3 37.Rd1 Re2 38.Qd4 Rc2 39.Re1 remains equal.

BLACK: Normunds Miezis
!""""""""#
$ + +w+ +%
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WHITE: Eduardas Rozentalis
Position after 36...Rd7f7

37.Bd5!

• As a leitmotif in the combination, the White Bishop threatens the Black Rook.

37...Rd7 38.Bxb7 Rxc5

• If 38...Rxb7 then after 39.Qxb7+ Re7 40.Qxe7+ Qxe7 41.dxe7 Black is soon mated.

39.Qxc5 Rxb7 40.Qd4

• White is a pawn to the good.

40...Rd7 41.Kf2

• 41.Rd1 Qa8 42.Kg1 Qd8 43.Qc5 Qe8 44.Qc6! wins another pawn for White.

41...Qe6 42.b4 g5 43.Qd5 Qf6 44.b5 f4

• If 44...Qb2+ then after 45.Rd2 Qxb5 46.Qxb5 axb5 47.a6 Black will be able to stop one passer or the other, but not both.

45.Qe4+ Kh6 46.gxf4 gxf4 47.Kf3 Qg7

• If 47...axb5 then after 48.a6 Kg7 49.a7 Rxa7 50.d7 it will cost Black a piece to stop the pawn.

48.Qe6+ Kg5 49.Rd5+!! 1-0

• White forces mate: 49.Rd5+ Kh4 50.Qh3+ Kxh3 51.Rxh5#.
• Grandmaster Miezis resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Rozentalis - Wojtaszek, Round 7

Radoslaw Wojteszek of Poland, the defending champion from the 2008-09 Rilton Cup, came within a whisker of taking it home again.



Radoslaw Wojtaszek
Photo: Pawel Suwarski, Wikipedia (Public Domain)


Eduardas Rozentalis - Radoslaw Wojtaszek
39th Rilton Cup, Round 7
Stockholm, 3 January 2010

Closed Sicilian Game: Saragossa Opening (Alapin Opening)

1.e4 c5 2.c3 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3

• If 5.Be3 cxd4 6.cxd4 Bg4 then:
• If 7.Ne2 then:
• If 7...Nc6 8.Nbc3 Qa5 9.h3 Bf5 10.a3 e6 11.g4 Bg6 12.Bg2 Bd6 13.0-0 0-0 is equal (Turner-M. Socko, Op, Tromsø, 2009).
• 7.f3 Bd7 8.Nc3 Qa5 9.Bc4 e6 10.Nge2 Bc6 11.a3 Bd6 12.Rc1 0-0 13.0-0 Nbd7 14.Qe1 Qd8 15.Bd3 Re8 16.Ne4 Be7 is equal (Antonio-Motylev, Op, Minneapolis, 2005).

5...g6


• If 5...e6 6.Be3 cxd4 7.cxd4 Nc6 8.Nc3 Qd6 9.a3 Be7 10.Bd3 0-0 then:
• If 11.0-0 b6 12.Qe2 Bb7 13.Rad1 then:
• If 13...Rad8 14.Bb1 Rfe8 15.Rfe1 Qb8 16.Bg5 g6 17.Ba2 Nh5 18.d5 exd5 19.Rxd5 Bf8 20.Qd2 Rxd5 21.Nxd5 Rxe1+ 22.Qxe1 h6 23.Bd2 Qd8 24.Bc3 Bg7 25.Bxg7 Kxg7 26.Qc3+ Nf6 27.h3 Qd6 28.Ne3 draw (Lim Yee Weng-Li Ruofan, Op, Kuala Lampur, 2008).
• 11.Qc2 Bd7 12.0-0 Rac8 13.Rad1 Rfd8 14.Rfe1 Be8 15.Bg5 h6 16.Bc1 Kh8 is equal (Rozenthalis-Shneider, Soviet Ch, Leningrad, 1990).

6.c4!?


• If 6.Na3 Bg7 7.Bc4 Qe4+ 8.Be3 0-0 9.0-0 cxd4 then:
• 10.Bxd4 Nc6 11.Re1 Qf5 12.Be5 Rd8 13.Qb3 Ne4 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.Rad1 Qc5 16.Qc2 gives White the advantage in development and space (Pavasovic-Bukic, Slovenian ChT, Ljubljana, 1997).
• 10.Nxd4 Qe5 11.Qf3 Nc6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.Rfe1 Qc7 14.Bf4 Qb7 15.Bb3 a5 16.Ba4 is equal (Sermek-Cebalo, Croatian ChT, Sibenik, 2005).

6...Qe4+


• The players have put down the book.

7.Be2


• 7.Be3 Ng4 8.Nc3 Nxe3 9.Nxe4 Nxd1 10.Rxd1 cxd4 is equal.

7...cxd4 8.Nbd2


• 8.Qxd4 Qxd4 9.Nxd4 Bg7 10.Nc3 Nc6 11.Nxc6 bxc6 gives White a slight edge with better pawn structure and the queenside majority.

8...Qf4 9.Nb3 Qc7 10.Nbxd4 a6


• 10...Nc6 11.Nxc6 Qxc6 12.0-0 Bg7 13.Re1 0-0 14.Be3 is equal.

11.0-0 Bg7 12.Re1 0-0 13.Bf1


• 13.Qb3 e5 14.Nc2 e4 15.Nfd4 Re8 16.Bg5 the space count is almost even and White hs better development.

13...Nh5 14.Qa4 Nd7


• 14...b6 15.Bg5 f6 16.Be3 e5 17.Nb5 show how White's advantage in development becomes an advantage in space becomes the initiative.

15.Be3 Rb8 16.Rac1


• White is the first to get all his pieces developed, but otherwise the game is equal.

16...e5 17.Nb3 e4 18.Nfd4 Ne5 19.h3


• The move is prophylactic and fairly routine when Black's minor pieces attack g4.

19...f5 20.Bd2!?


• The Bishop is to be redeplyed on the queenside.
• 20.c5 Bd7 21.Qb4 Rf7 22.Rcd1 Rd8 23.Bg5 remains equal.

BLACK: Radoslaw Wojteszek
!""""""""#
$ Tv+ Tl+%
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WHITE: Eduardas Rozentalis
Position after
20.Be3d2
20...Bd7!


• Black's strike at the unprotected Queen is well timed.

21.Qa5


• The Queen's options are limited.

21...Qxa5 22.Bxa5 Nf4


• Black now has a small edge in space. White's best chance lay in his queenside majority.

23.Bc7 Rbc8 24.Bxe5 Bxe5 25.f3!?


• If 25.c5 Rfd8 26.g3 then:
• If 26...Ba4 27.c6 Bxd4 28.Nxd4 then:
• 28...Nd3 29.Bxd3 exd3 30.cxb7 Rb8 31.Nf3 Rxb7 32.b3 is equal.
• If 28...bxc6!? 29.Bxa6! then:
• 29...Ra8! 30.Nxc6 Bxc6 31.Rxc6 Nxh3+ 32.Kg2 Ng5 is equal.
• 29...Rxd4!? 30.Bxc8 Nd3 31.b3! Nxe1 32.Rxe1 Bb5 33.a4 White continues to enjoy the intiative.
• 27.gxf4!? Bxd4! 28.Nxd4 Rxd4 29.Rc4 Rcd8 30.Rxd4 Rxd4 gives Black the advantage in space.

25...a5 26.Rcd1 a4 27.Nc1!?


• 27.Na5 a3 28.bxa3 Ba4 29.Nab3 Bxd4+ 30.Rxd4 leaves White a pawn to the good.

27...Rcd8 28.fxe4 Bc8


• If 28...Be8 29.Nf3 then:
• 29...Rxd1 30.Rxd1 Bxb2 31.exf5 Rxf5 32.Nd3 Bg7 gives Black more space.
• 29...Bd6!? 30.e5! Bc5+ 31.Kh2 Rxd1 32.Rxd1 Bc6 33.Ne2 is equal.

29.Nf3

BLACK: Radoslaw Wojteszek
!""""""""#
$ +vT Tl+%
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WHITE: Eduardas Rozentalis
Position after
29.Nd4f3
29...Bxb2!


• Black takes back the pawn and forces exchanges.

30.Nd3


• 30.e5 Bc3 31.Rxd8 Rxd8 32.Re3 Ba5 33.Nd3 Bb6 wins the exchange for Black.

30...fxe4


• If 30...Nxd3 31.Rxd3 fxe4 then:
• 32.Rxd8 (
  
• 32.Rxe4 Rxd3 33.Bxd3 Bxh3 34.Re2 Ba3) 32...Rxd8 33.Rxe4 (
  
• 33.Ng5 Bd4+ 34.Kh1 e3) 33...Ba3 34.Kh2 Bf5 35.Rd4 Rd6 36.Rd5 Bb1]
  31.Nxb2
  
  
  • If 31.Rxe4 Nxd3 32.Rxd3 Rxd3 33.Bxd3 then:
  • If 33...Bxh3 34.Re7 Bc8 35.c5 Bf6 then:
  • 36.Rc7 Be6 37.Rxb7 Bxa2 38.Ra7 Bd5 39.Rxa4 Be7! wins the c-pawn.
  • 36.Bc4+ Kh8 37.Rf7 Rxf7 38.Bxf7 Be7 wins the c-pawn, giving Black a powerful gmae.
  • 33...Ba3 34.Bc2 Bc5+ 35.Kh2 Bd6+ 36.Kh1 Bxh3 37.Bxa4 Bf5 Black's Bishops in the open cneter are better than White's Bishop/Knight combination.
  
  31...exf3 32.Rxd8 Rxd8 33.Nxa4
  
  BLACK: Radoslaw Wojteszek
  !""""""""#
  $ +vT +l+%
  $+o+ + +o%
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  $n+p+ N +%
  $+ + +o+p%
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  /(((((((()
  WHITE: Eduardas Rozentalis
  Position after
  33.Nb2a4:p
  33...fxg2!
  
  
  • Also good is 33...Rd2! 34.gxf3 Bxh3 when:
  • 35.Nc5 b6 36.Na4 Bxf1 37.Kxf1 Rxa2 38.Nxb6 Ra3 gives Black the initiative.
  • If 35.Re8+ then:
  • 35...Kg7 36.Re7+ Kh6 37.Nc3 Bxf1 38.Kxf1 Rd3 gives Black the initiative.
  • 35...Kf7 36.Re4 Rd1 37.Rxf4+ Kg7 38.Nc5 Rxf1+ is equal.
  
  34.Bxg2 Nxg2 35.Kxg2 Rd2+!?
  
  
  • Black misses the opportunity to win a pawn.
  • If 35...Kf8!? 36.Re2 Rd3 37.Nc5 Rc3 then:
  • 38.Ne4 Bxh3+ 39.Kh2 Ra3 gives Black an extra pawn.
  • 38.Ne6+ Bxe6 39.Rxe6 Rxc4 gives Black an extra pawn for a Rook and pawn ending.
  
  36.Kg3
  
  
  • 36.Kg1 Bxh3 37.Re8+ Kf7 38.Rb8 Rg2+ 39.Kh1 Rxa2 gives Black a clear advantage.
  
  36...Rd3+ 37.Kf2 Kf7
  
  
  • 37...Bxh3 38.Nc5 Rd2+ 39.Kg3 Bg2 40.Re7 Rxa2 leaves Black a pawn to the good.
  
  38.Nb6 Bxh3 39.Nd5 Rd2+ 40.Kg3 Be6
  
  
  • The text is better than 40...Bg2!? 41.Re7+! Kf8 42.Rxb7 Bxd5 43.cxd5 h5 44.Rd7 with equality.
  
  41.Rb1 Bc8 42.Rb5 h5 43.Rc5 Bf5
  
  
  • Also good is 43...Be6 44.Rc7+ Kf8 45.Nf4 Bf7 46.Rxb7 Rxa2 with Black remaining a pawn up.
  
  44.Rc7+ Ke6 45.Rxb7 g5!?
  
  
  • A pawn is worth a little trouble. --Steinitz
  • Black is wrong not to take a pawn that would be no trouble at all.
  • 45...Rxa2! 46.Rb4 g5 47.Ne3 h4+ 48.Kf3 Ra3 49.Rb6+ Kf7 leaves balck with connected passers that are more mobile than White's single passed pawn.
  
  46.Ne3!?
  
  
  • White misses the opportunity to equalize.
  • If 46.Rb5! h4+ 47.Kf3 h3 48.Nc7+ Kd6 49.Ne8+ Kd7 50.Rxf5 h2! 51.Rf7+ Kxe8 52.Rh7 Rxa2 53.Kg3 is equal.
  • 50...Kxe8 51.Rxg5 Rxa2 52.Rh5 is equal.
• 48.Ne3? h2 49.Rb6+ Ke5 50.Rb5+ Kf6 51.Rb6+ Be6 forces White to use his Rook to defend against the promotion of the h-pawn.

46...h4+ 47.Kf3 Bh3!?


• The Bishop escapes to the wrong side, though it is a matter of little moment.
• 47...Bd3! 48.Kg4 Re2 49.Kxg5 Rxe3 50.Kxh4 Re4+ leaves Black a piece up. Black really can't lose this game, but can he win?

48.Rb5 Kf6 49.Nd5+ Kf7 50.Rb7+!?


• Black has a slight advantage owing to his connected passed pawns, but that they will have trouble making more progress. White needn't be in any hurry to capture the kingside pawns but should look to preverving his own. The text move puts the a-pawn in some danger.
• If 50.Ne3 Kg6 51.a4 Rd4 52.Rb6+ Kf7 53.a5 is equal.
• 50...Rxa2 51.Rxg5 Be6 52.c5 h3 53.Kg3 Ra3 54.Kf4 is equal.

50...Ke6 51.Ne3?


• White drops a pawn when he could least afford it.
• If 51.Rg7 Kf5 52.a4 Rd4 then:
• If 53.a5 g4+ 54.Kf2 Rxc4 then:
• If 55.Ne3+! Kf6 56.Nxc4 Kxg7 then:
• 57.Ne3 g3+ 58.Kf3 Kf6 59.a6 Bc8 is equal.
• 57.a6 g3+ 58.Kf3 Bg4+ 59.Kg2 Bc8 60.a7 Bb7+ gives Black the advantage.
• 55.a6 Ke5 56.a7 Ra4 57.Nc3 Ra1 58.Re7+ Kf6 gives Black a strong advantage.
• 53.Ne3+? Kf6 54.Rc7 g4+ 55.Ke2 g3 56.Rc6+ Be6 57.a5 h3 wins for Black.

BLACK: Radoslaw Wojteszek
!""""""""#
$ + + + +%
$+r+ + + %
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$ +p+ + O%
$+ + Nk+v%
$p+ T + +%
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Eduardas Rozentalis
Position after
51.Nd5e3
51...Rxa2!


• Black takes the pawn.

52.Rb6+ Kf7 53.c5 Ra3 54.c6 Rc3


• Black will have time to capture the c-pawn, but can he make progress on the kingside?

55.Ke4 Be6!


• Black's kingside pawn can advance with each other's support.

56.Kd4 Rc1 57.Ke5


• 57.Rb7+ Ke8 58.Rb6 h3 59.Ke5 Bc8 60.Rb2 Rxc6 leaves Black with two extra pawns.

57...h3!


• There they go.

58.Rb7+ Kg6 59.Kxe6 h2 60.Ng4


• 60.Nc4 h1Q 61.Ne5+ Kh6 wins for Black.

60...h1Q 61.Ne5+ Kh6 0-1


• If 62.Ng4+ then after 62...Kh5 63.Rh7+ Kxg4 64.Rxh1 Rxh1 65.c7 Rc1 66.Kd7 Kf3 if 67.c8Q Rxc8 then after 68.Kxc8 the White King is too distant to stop Black's pawn.
• Grandmaster Rozentalis resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

11. Ponkratov - Lauber, Round 5

Pavel Ponkratov
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Pavel Ponkratov - Arnd Lauber
39th Rilton Cup, Round 5
Stockholm, 31 December 2009

Closed German Game: Short Opening (Caro-Kann Defense)

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3

• For a more complete survey of the Short Opening, see Ganguly-Antonio, Asian Ch, Subic Bay, 2009.

4...e6 5.Be2 Nd7 6.0-0 Bg6 7.c3

• If 7.Nbd2 Nh6 8.Nb3 then:
• If 8...Be7 9.Ne1 then:
• 9...0-0 10.Nd3 Rc8 11.c3 b6 12.Nf4 c5 13.Nxg6 hxg6 14.g4 c4 15.Nd2 is equal (Ganguly-Antonio, Asian Ch, Subic Bay, 2009).
• 9...Nf5 10.Nd3 0-0 11.c3 Qb6 12.Bf4 Rac8 13.g4 Nh4 14.Bg3 Bxd3 15.Bxd3 c5 16.dxc5 Nxc5 17.Nxc5 Rxc5 draw (S. Zhigalko-Galkin, Euro ChT, Rethymnon, 2003).
• If 8...Nf5 then:
• If 9.Bd2 then:
• If 9...Rc8 10.Rc1 then:
• 10...Bh5 11.h3 Bxf3 12.Bxf3 c5 13.dxc5 Nxe5 14.Re1 Nxf3+ 15.Qxf3 Be7 is equal (And. Volokitin-Jobava, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).
• 10...a6 11.c4 dxc4 12.Rxc4 Be7 13.Na5 Rc7 14.Qb3 Qa8 15.g4 Nh6 16.Bb4 Nb6 17.Bxe7 Nxc4 18.Nxc4 Rxe7 gives Black the advantage of the exchange (And. Volokitin-Anastasian, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• 10...Be7 11.g4 Nh6 12.h3 0-0 13.Bd3 Kh8 14.Qe2 Ng8 15.Kg2 c5 16.Bxg6 fxg6 17.c3 c4 gives Black a slight advantage in space and the initiative (Rublevsky-Asrian, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2008).
• If 9...Be7 10.g4 Nh4 11.Nxh4 Bxh4 12.f4 then:
• 12...f5 13.Bd3 Be7 14.Nc1 Qb6 15.Nb3 Qc7 16.c4 fxg4 17.Bxg6+ hxg6 18.Qc2 Nf8 19.cxd5 exd5 20.f5 0-0-0 21.Bf4 gxf5 22.e6 Bd6 23.Qxf5 Re8 24.Nc5 Bxf4 25.Rxf4 b6 26.e7+ draw (Radjabov-I. Popov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2008).
• 12...f6 13.f5 Bf7 14.g5 exf5 15.Bd3 Bxg5 16.Bxg5 fxg5 17.Bxf5 Bg6 18.Qg4 Qe7 19.Rae1 0-0-0 20.Bxd7+ Qxd7 21.e6 Qe7 22.Nc5 h5 23.Qg3 h4 24.Qg4 Bh5 25.Qh3 Kb8 26.Re5 b6 27.Nd7+ Kb7 28.Qe3 Rh6 29.Rff5 Bg6 30.Qxg5 Re8 31.Qxe7 Rxe7 32.Rf8 Kc7 33.Ra8 Kb7 34.Rb8+ Kc7 35.Ra8 Kb7 36.Rb8+ Kc7 draw (Rublevsky-Jobava, World Cup, Khanty Mansyisk, 2005).
• 9.a4 Be7 10.g4 Nh6 11.h3 0-0 12.Be3 Kh8 13.Qd2 Ng8 14.Ne1 f6 15.f4 fxe5 16.dxe5 c5 17.c4 d4 18.Bf2 Bh4 19.Bxh4 Qxh4 gives Black a slight advantage in space (Li Chao-Rodshtein, World Jr Ch, Gaziantep, 2008).

7...Ne7 8.Nh4 Nf5

• If 8...c5 9.Nd2 Nc6 10.Nxg6 hxg6 11.Nf3 Be7 12.Be3 then:
• If 12...a6 13.g3 then:
• 13...g5 14.Kg2 cxd4 15.cxd4 Nf8 16.a3 f6 is equal (I. Smirin-Li Wenliang).
• 13...b5 14.h4 Nb6 15.b3 c4 16.Kg2 a5 is equal (Efimenko-L'Ami, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• 12...0-0 13.Bd3 Qb6 14.Qe2 Rfc8 15.h4 cxd4 16.cxd4 Nb4 is equal (Svidler-Macieja, Bundesliga 0405, Germany, 2004).

9.Nxg6 hxg6 10.Nd2 f6 11.exf6!?

• 11.Nf3 Qc7 12.g3 0-0-0 13.Re1 g5 14.Bxg5 fxg5 15.Nxg5 Re8 16.Bh5 Re7 is unclear: White has more space and Black has a piece for two pawns (Handke-Lauber, Bundesliga 0809, Berlin, 2009).

11...gxf6

• The game is equal.

12.Bd3 Bd6

BLACK: Arnd Lauber
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WHITE: Pavel Pankratov
Position after 12...Bf8d6

13.g3!?

• White's idea is to keep Black's minor pieces from landing on dark squares. However, even tf they did, the would do little damage.
• 13.h3 Qe7 14.Qa4 e5 15.Re1 Nb6 16.Qc2 0-0-0 remains equal.

13...Kf7!?

• The game remains equal as Black fails to find the retort to White's inaccuracy.
• 13...Qe7! 14.Re1 0-0-0 15.Nf3 e5 16.dxe5 Nxe5 more Black more space and the better center.

14.Re1 Qc7 15.Qg4 c5 16.Nf3 c4

• 16...cxd4 17.cxd4 Rac8 18.Bd2 Qb6 19.Rxe6 Kxe6 20.Qxg6 gives White an excellent position for attacking Black's King.

17.Bc2 Rae8

• 17...Rh5 18.Nh4 Nxh4 19.Qxe6+ Kg7 20.gxh4 Rxh4 21.Qxd5 remains equal.

18.Bd2 a6

• A better plan for Black is to use the open h-file to get an initiative on the kingside.
• If 18...Rh5 19.Re2 Reh8 then:
• 20.h4 e5 21.dxe5 fxe5 22.Ng5+ Kf6 23.Be3 e4 remains equal.
• 20.Rae1 e5 21.dxe5 Nxe5 22.Nxe5+ fxe5 23.h4 e4 gives Black more space in the center.

19.Re2 b5

• Black grabs some space on the queenside. This is where he should take some aggressive action at least to divert White from the kingside and center.
• If 19...Re7 20.h3 then:
• If 20...Nf8 21.Rae1 Qa5 22.a4 Qb6 23.Bc1 remains equal.
• 20...Qa5 21.b3 cxb3 22.Bxb3 Qc7 23.a4 is equal.

20.Ne1

• The Knight will redeploy to f4.
• 20.b4 a5 21.a3 Ra8 22.Rae1 axb4 23.axb4 Nf8 is equal.
• If 20.Rae1 then:
• If 20...Nf8 21.h3 Re7 22.Kg2 Nh6 23.Bxh6 Rxh6 remains equal.
• 20...Re7!? 21.Rxe6 Rxe6 22.Rxe6 Kxe6 23.Qxg6 gives White a powerful position with an attack on the hanging Knight and Black's King exposed to the elements.

20...Nb8!?

• The belongs on f8 in order to protect the g-pawn.
• If 20...Rh5 21.Ng2 Reh8 22.h4 then:
• 22...Qc6 23.Qh3 Ng7 24.Rae1 Nf8 25.Qg4 e5 26.dxe5 fxe5 27.Ne3 is equal.
• 22...Nf8 23.Qf3 Kg8 24.Nf4 Bxf4 25.Bxf4 Qa5 26.Bxf5 gives White a clear advantage.

21.Ng2 Nc6

BLACK: Arnd Lauber
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Pavel Pankratov
Position after 22...Nb8c6

22.Bf4!

• White forces the exchange of Black's good Bishop.

22...Qd7 23.Bxd6 Qxd6 24.Nf4 Rh6

• 24...g5? 25.Nxe6! Ng7 26.Nxg7 Rxe2 27.Qxe2 Kxg7 28.Re1 leaves White a pawn to the good.

25.Rae1 Nd8 26.Qf3!?

• White puts part of his advantage at risk. The queen is in no danger at g4, and was even more effective putting pressure on the g-pawn. Meanwhile, Black could rustle up some counterplay on the queenside. Black should take measures to shut it down before beginning more aggressive operations.
• If 26.b4 Qc6 27.h3 then:
• If 27...Qd7 28.a4 then:
• 28...Qd6 29.Kg2 Qd7 30.a5 Qd6 31.h4 Qd7 32.Bxf5 gxf5 33.Qf3 with the queenside safely sealed, White can begin operations elsewhere.
• 28...bxa4!? 29.Ra1! Qd6 30.Bxa4 Reh8 31.Bc2 Re8 32.Rae1 gives White a strong advantage owing to his pressure in the e-file.
• 27...Reh8? 28.Nxe6! Nxe6 29.Rxe6 Qxe6 30.Rxe6 Kxe6 31.h4! gives White a winning advantage.

26...Ng7!

• The best approach for Black begins with removing his Knight to safety and using the open h-file to penetrate with his Rooks.
• If 26...Reh8?! 27.Bxf5! gxf5 then:
• 28.Nxe6! Nxe6 29.Rxe6 Qxe6 30.Rxe6 Kxe6 31.h4 White will push his kingside pawns and, to the extent he can, seal off the queenside.
• 28.h4 R6h7 29.h5 Qc6 30.Ng6 Rxh5 31.Nxh8+ Rxh8 32.Kg2 gives White a material advantage.

27.h4 Reh8 28.Re3

• Stronger is 28.b4! Qc6 29.Kg2 Qd6 30.a4 bxa4 31.Bxa4 when White opens the queenside to his benefit.

28...Qd7?

• Black should now uses his resources on the queenside to disrupt White's measures on the kingside and in the certer,
• If 28...a5 then:
• 29.Kf1 29...b4 30.Ke2 a4 31.Kd1 b3 32.axb3 axb3 33.Bb1 White continues to enjoy the advantage in space, but Black isn't down yet.
• 29.b3 cxb3 30.axb3 b4 31.cxb4 axb4 32.Bd3 is equal.

BLACK: Arnd Lauber
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Pavel Pankratov
Position after 28...Qd6d7

29.Kf1!

• Moving the King toward the center is now clearly better than leaving it on the kingside.
• If 29.Kg2!? then:
• 29...Qd6! 30.Qg4 f5 31.Qg5 a5 32.Kf1 gives White the better game, but he has yet to break Black's back.
• 29...a5? 30.g4 f5 31.h5 gxh5 32.g5 Rg6 33.Nxg6 leaves White an exchange to the good.

29...Re8

• 29...Nc6 30.g4 f5 31.Nxe6 Nxe6 32.Rxe6 Rxh4 33.Bxf5! wins for White.

30.R1e2 Nb7

• Black could put up stiffer resistance after 30...Reh8 31.Ke1 Qd6 32.Kd1 a5 33.Qg4 f5 34.Qg5 .

31.Qg4

• 31.g4 g5 32.hxg5 fxg5 33.Nxd5+ wins faster.

31...g5 32.hxg5 Rh1+ 33.Kg2 f5 34.Bxf5

• 34.g6+ Kg8 35.Qf3 Ra1 36.Nh5 Nxh5 37.Qxh5 gives White an easy win.

34...exf5 35.g6+ Kf6

• 35...Kg8 36.Rxe8+ Nxe8 37.Qg5 Nbd6 38.Kxh1 Ne4 39.Qh4 gives White an easy win.

BLACK: Arnd Lauber
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Pavel Pankratov
Position after 35...Kf7f6

36.Rxe8!!

• White doesn't worry about his Queen on the board when he can get another one.

36...fxg4

• 36...Nxe8 37.g7 fxg4 38.g8Q is quite convincing.

7.Rf8+ Kg5 38.Re5+ 1-0

• 38...Qf5 39.Rexf5+ Nxf5 40.Rxf5+ Kxf5 41.g7 wins for White.
• Arnd resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

12. Torneo di Capadonno, Reggio Emilia

Piazza San Prospero, Reggio Emilia, Italy
Photo by Paolo da Reggio, Wikipedia (Public Domain)

[Jack Rabbit]

13. Kamsky - Almasi, Round 9

Gata Kamsky
Photo: ChessBase.com (Spanish Language)


Gata Kamsky - Zoltan Almasi
52nd Torneo di Capodonno, Round 9
Reggio Emilia, 6 January 2010

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Neo-Classical Defense

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 b5 6.Bb3 Bc5

• For the Arkhangelsk Defense (6...Bb7 7.d3) see Soumya-Ozturk, World Jr ChW, Puerto Madryn, 2009.

7.c3

• 7.a4 Rb8 8.c3 d6 transposes into the text.

7...d6 8.a4

• If 8.d4 Bb6 9.a4 Rb8 then:
• 10.Na3 0-0 11.axb5 axb5 12.Nxb5 transposes into the text.
• 10.axb5 axb5 11.h3 0-0 12.Re1 transposes into the note following White's eleventh move.

8...Rb8

• If 8...Bb7 9.d4 Bb6 then:
• If 10.Re1 then:
• If 10...0-0 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bh4 exd4 13.axb5 axb5 14.Rxa8 Bxa8 15.cxd4 Re8 then:
• 16.Qd3 Na5 17.Bxf6 Qxf6 18.Bc2 g5 19.h3 Nc6 20.Qxb5 Rb8 21.e5 dxe5 22.dxe5 Qxf3 23.gxf3 Bxf2+ 24.Kxf2 Rxb5 gives Black the initiative (Tukmakov-Dorfman, Soviet Army ChT, Leningrad, 1975).
• 16.Nc3 g5 17.Bg3 Na5 18.e5 Nxb3 19.Qxb3 Bxf3 20.gxf3 Bxd4 21.e6 fxe6 22.Nxb5 Bb6 23.Rxe6 Rxe6 24.Qxe6+ Kg7 Fritz says Black is better, but your humble hare says White has sufficient compensation for his ugly pawn structure (Kotranias-Dorfman, IT, Kvov, 1988). The game ended in a draw on the 48th move.
• If 10...h6 11.axb5 axb5 12.Rxa8 Qxa8 13.Na3 0-0 14.Nxb5 then:
• 14...exd4 15.cxd4 Na5 16.Bc2 Bxe4 17.Bxe4 Nxe4 18.Nxc7 Bxc7 19.Qc2 Nxf2 20.Qxf2 Re8 is equal (Westerinen-Prakken, Op, Tromsø, 2009).
• 14...Na5 15.Bc2 Bxe4 16.Bxe4 Nxe4 17.Qe2 f5 18.b4 is equal (Megaranto-Stefanova, IT, Djakarta, 2004).
• If 10.Bg5 h6 11.Bxf6 Qxf6 12.Bd5 0-0 then:
• If 13.Na3 exd4 14.cxd4 Ra7 15.Nc2 then:
• If 15...bxa4 16.Rxa4 a5 17.Re1 Ne7 18.Bxb7 Rxb7 19.Ne3 then:
• 19...Rfb8 20.h3 c6 21.Nc4 d5 22.exd5 cxd5 23.Nxa5 Bxa5 24.Rxa5 is equal (Berend-V. Georgiev, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• 19...c6 20.Nc4 Bc7 21.Qc2 Rfb8 22.e5 dxe5 23.dxe5 Qe6 is equal (Stellwagon-Stefanova, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2005).
• 15...Ne7 16.Bxb7 Rxb7 17.Qd3 Rfb8 18.Nb4 bxa4 19.Nxa6 gives White the initiative (Svidler-Tkachiev, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2008).
• 13.dxe5 dxe5 14.Qe2 bxa4 15.Nbd2 Rad8 16.Nc4 Bc8 17.Nxb6 cxb6 18.Bxc6 Qxc6 19.Nxe5 Qc5 draw (Vachier Lagrave-Tkachiev, French ChT, Le Port Marly, 2009).
• If 8...Bg4 then:
• If 9.h3 Bxf3 10.Qxf3 then:
• If 10...Na5 11.Bc2 b4 12.d3 0-0 13.Nd2 Rb8 then:
• If 14.Qe2 Re8 15.Nf3 bxc3 16.bxc3 Nb3 then:
• If 17.Bxb3 Rxb3 18.d4 exd4 19.cxd4 Rxe4 20.Be3 Bb4 then:
• 21.Qxa6 d5 22.Rab1 Rxb1 23.Rxb1 Re6 24.Qa7 Rb6 25.Ne5 Qc8 26.Nc6 gives White the active game (Kwiatkowski-Grover, Op, Hastings 2008-09).
• 21.Qc4 Rb2 22.Qc1 Rb3 23.Qc4 Rb2 24.Qc1 Rb3 25.Qc4 draw (David-Glavina, French ChT, Montpellier, 2001).
• 17.Rb1 Nxc1 18.Rfxc1 Bb6 19.g3 Ba5 20.d4 is equal (Nithander-Hector, Politiken Cup, Helsingør, 2007).
• 14.Re1 Qd7 15.Qd1 Qc6 16.Nf3 bxc3 17.bxc3 Ba7 18.Ra3 Rfe8 is equal (Vachier Lagrave-V. Georgiev, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2007).
• If 10...0-0 then:
• If 11.a5 Rb8 12.d3 Nd7 13.Nd2 then:
• 13...Ne7 14.Qe2 Kh8 15.Nf3 h6 16.d4 Ba7 17.dxe5 dxe5 18.Rd1 give White more space and activity (Negi-Lahno, Match, New Delhi, 2006).
• 13...Ba7 14.Qg3 Nc5 15.Bd5 Ne7 16.d4 Nxd5 17.exd5 Nd7 18.Nf3 Qe7 19.Be3 exd4 20.Nxd4 Bxd4 21.Bxd4 draw (Voss-Plomp, Corres, 2002).
• 11.d3 Na5 12.Bc2 b4 13.Nd2 Rb8 transposes to the main line of this variation.
• If 9.d3 0-0 then:
• 10.Nbd2 Rb8 11.h3 Bh5 12.Re1 b4 13.Bc4 Na5 14.Bxa6 c6 15.d4 bxc3 16.dxc5 cxd2 17.Bxd2 Nb3 18.Ra3 Nxc5 19.Bd3 Rxb2 gives Black an extra pawn (Rowson-Adams, Match, London, 1998).
• 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Qxf3 Na5 12.Bc2 b4 13.Nd2 Rb8 transposes to the main line of this variation.

9.axb5 axb5 10.d4 Bb6 11.h3

• If 11.Na3 0-0 12.Nxb5 Bg4 then:
• If 13.Be3 exd4 14.cxd4 Nxe4 15.Qc2 Qe8 16.Ba4 Bd7 then:
• 17.Nc3 Nxc3 18.bxc3 Ne7 19.c4 c6 20.Rae1 Qd8 21.Bg5 gives White a small advantage in space (Domínguez-Shirov, IT, Sofia, 2009).
• If 17.Rfe1 then:
• 17...Nb4 18.Qc4 Ba5 19.Nc3 Bxa4 20.Rxa4 d5 21.Qf1 Nc6 draw (Leko-Anand, World Ch Trmt, Mexico City, 2007).
• 17...d5 18.Bf4 Nb4 19.Qe2 Ra8 20.b3 Qd8 21.Rac1 c5 is equal.
• If 13.Bc2 Bxf3 14.gxf3 Nh5 15.f4 then:
• 15...Qh4 16.Qf3 Nxf4 17.Bxf4 exf4 18.Kh1 Ne7 19.Rg1 Ng6 20.b4 Qe7 21.Na7 gives White the advantage in space (Kamsky-Friedel, US Ch, St. Louis, 2009).
• 15...Nxf4 16.Bxf4 exf4 17.Qg4 Qf6 18.b4 Ne7 19.Na3 Ng6 20.Nc4 gives White the advantage in space (Leko-Shirov, Tal Mem, Moscow, 2007).
• If 13.Re1 Bxf3 14.gxf3 Nh5 15.Kh1 then:
• If 15...exd4 16.Nxd4 Nxd4 17.cxd4 c5 18.Rg1 cxd4 then:
• 19.Bg5 Qe8 20.Qd3 Bd8 21.Bd2 Qe5 22.Rg4 Qb5 23.Bc4 Qxb2 24.Rag1 Kh8 gives Black an extra pawn (Short-Ganguly, World Cup, Hyderabad, 2002).
• 19.Rg5 g6 20.f4 Kh8 21.f5 gives White the advantage in space (Svidler-Shirov, Euro ChT, Novi Sad, 2009).
• 15...Qf6 16.Rg1 Nf4 17.Be3 Ne6 18.Bxe6 fxe6 19.Rg3 Kh8 20.Qd3 exd4 21.cxd4 e5 22.d5 gives White the advantage in space (Svidler-Shirov, IT, Linares, 1998).

11...0-0 12.Re1 h6

• If 12...Bb7 13.Na3 then:
• If 13...exd4 14.cxd4 Na5 15.Bc2 b4 16.Nb1 c5 17.Bg5 h6 18.Bh4 cxd4 then:
• 19.Qd3 b3 20.Bxb3 Nxb3 21.Qxb3 g5 gives Black the advantage in space (Navara-Shirov, IT, Karlovy Vary, 2007).
• 19.Nbd2 Re8 20.Ra4 Bc6 21.Ra1 Rc8 is equal (Anand-Shirov, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1998).
• 13...Re8!? 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.Nxb5 gives White an extra pawn (Martins-Kobayashi, World Jr Ch, Gaziantep, 2008).

13.Be3 Bd7!?

• 13...Re8 14.Nbd2 exd4 15.cxd4 Na5 16.Bc2 Bb7 17.Bf4 Ra8 18.Qe2 Nc4 is equal (Schuett-Olofson, Corres, 2002).

14.Nbd2

• White has the edge in space and will for the moment fortify his central pawn duo.

14...Re8!?

• White will remain better for now.
• 14...exd4! 15.cxd4 Nb4 16.Ra3 Ra8 17.Rxa8 Qxa8 18.Qb1 is equal.

15.Qb1 b4 16.Qc2 Na5 17.Rxa5!?

• Perhaps deliberately, White does not choose the best move.
• 17.Ba4! Bxa4 18.Rxa4 exd4 19.cxd4 b3 20.Qd3 gives White the advantage in space secured by a central pawn duo.

17...Bxa5!?

• 17...exd4 18.cxd4 Bxa5 19.e5 dxe5 20.Nxe5 is equal.

18.dxe5 dxe5 19.Nc4 Rb5!?

• Black appears to be playing for a win when he's in first place by a full point playing his nearest rival in the final round. Well, we have to admire Almasi's guts.
• 19...Bb6 20.Bxb6 cxb6 21.Ncxe5 Re7 22.Ng6 Re8 23.Nge5 invites a draw by repetition.

BLACK: Zoltan Almasi
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Gata Kamsky
Position after 19...Rb8b5

20.Ba4!

• Black must either lose the exchange or lose a Bishop.
• If 20.Ra1 Bb6 21.Bxb6 then:
• 21...cxb6 22.Nd6 Re7 23.Nxb5 Bxb5 24.Rd1 Qa8 is equal.
• If 21...Rxb6!? then White stands slightly better after 22.Nxb6 cxb6 23.cxb4 Qe7 24.Ra7! Qxb4 25.Bd5 with the better center and more activity.

20...b3

• White clearly has the better game.
• Also good is 20...Qa8 21.Bxb5 Bxb5 22.Ra1 then:
• 22...Bxc4 23.cxb4 Qxe4 24.Qxe4 Nxe4 25.bxa5 gives White the remote passer.
• 22...Qxe4 23.Qxe4 Nxe4 24.Nxa5 bxc3 25.bxc3 Nxc3 26.Nb3 leaves White with a piece for two pawns.
• If 20...Qb8 21.Rd1 Bb6 22.Nxb6 cxb6 23.c4 then:
• 23...b3 24.Qe2 Rd5 25.cxd5 Bxa4 26.Qa6 wins at least a pawn.
• 23...Rc8 24.Qb3 Ra5 25.Bxd7 Nxd7 26.Rxd7 gives White the material advantage.

21.Qd1 Qb8 22.Nfd2

• Here, too, White has the benefit of more than one good continuation.
• If 22.Qa1 Be6 23.Nfxe5 Bxc4 24.Nxc4 then:
• 24...Rxe4 25.Bxb5 Qxb5 26.Nxa5 Ra4 27.Qd1 gives White command of the center.
• If 24...Nxe4? 25.Bd4! Bxc3 26.bxc3 then:
• 26...c5 27.Be5 b2 28.Nxb2 Rxe5 29.Bxb5 Qxb5 30.f3 wins the Knight.
• 26...Re6 27.Bxb5 Qxb5 28.Nb2! gives White an extra piece.

22...Be6 23.Qa1 Rc8 24.Ba7 Qxa7 25.Bxb5 Bb6!?

• Black does not need to retreat the Bishop yet and would do better to fortify it.
• If 25...Ra8 26.Bc6 Rd8 then:
• 27.Qa4 Bb6 28.Qxa7 Bxa7 29.Ba4 then:
• 29...g5 30.Bxb3 wins a pawn for White.
• 29...Rb8 30.Nxe5 wins a pawn.
• If 27.Rd1 Bxc4 28.Nxc4 Rxd1+ 29.Qxd1 Bb6 30.Qd2 Qa1+ equalizes.

26.Qxa7!

• White get a firm grip on the center this way.
• 26.Nxb6 Qxa1 27.Rxa1 cxb6 28.Kf1 Rd8 29.Ke1 gives Black better countplay opportunities.

26...Bxa7 27.Nxe5 Rd8 28.Ndf3

• The best thing to do is protect the forward Knight.
• If 28.Nec4 Rb8 29.Ba4 then:
• If 29...Nh5 30.Rd1 then:
• If 30...Nf4 31.Ne5 then:
• 31...Bc5 32.c4 Ra8 33.Bd7 Bxd7 34.Nxd7 White reamins a pawn the the good.
• If 31...Ra8 32.Bxb3 Bxb3 33.Nxb3 then:
• 33...Re8 34.Nc6 Bb6 35.Kf1 Rxe4 36.Nbd4 leaves White with an extra pawn.
• 33...Rb8 then 34.Ra1 f6 35.Rxa7 fxe5 36.Nc5 leaves White to pawns up
• If 30...Ng3 31.Ne5 then:
• 31...Ra8 32.Re1 Bb6 33.Bxb3 Bxb3 34.Nxb3 leaves White two pawns to the good.
• 31...Bc5 32.Nd3 Bb6 33.e5 Rd8 34.Nxb3 Ne4 35.Nbc1 leaves White to pawns up
• 29...Bxc4 30.Nxc4 Nh5 31.Rd1 Ng3 32.Nd2 Rd8 33.Bxb3 leaves White two pawns to the good.

28...Bb6 29.Bc4

• 29.Nc4 Ba7 30.Nfd2 Rb8 31.Bc6 Bc5 32.Ra1 gives White an extra pawn and more space.

29...Re8?

• Things were looking bleak for Black, but now there is no way to save the game.
• If 29...Rd6 30.Bxe6 Rxe6 31.h4 then:
• 31...Kf8 32.g4 c5 33.g5 Bc7 34.gxf6 Bxe5 35.fxg7+ White remains a pawn to the good.
• 31...g5 32.hxg5 hxg5 33.g4 Kg7 34.Nxf7 Rxe4 35.N7xg5 leaves White with an extra pawn.
• If 29...g5 30.Bxe6 fxe6 31.Nc4 then:
• 31...Rb8 32.Nfd2 Nd7 33.Ra1 Nc5 34.e5 Nd3 35.Ne4 gives White an extra pawn and more space.
• 31...Ra8 32.Nfd2 Ra4 33.Nxb6 cxb6 34.e5 Nd5 35.Nxb3 gives White two extra pawns.

BLACK: Zoltan Almasi
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Gata Kamsky
Position after 29...Rd8e8

30.Nd2!

• White wins the b-pawn.

30...Bc5

• If 30...g5 then 31.Bxe6 Rxe6 32.Nef3 c5 33.e5 Nd7 34.Nxb3 wins the pawn.

31.Bxe6 Rxe6 32.Nec4 Bf8

• If 32...Bd6 then 33.f3 Bf4 34.Nxb3 wins the pawn.

33.e5

• After the Knight moves, Black threatens to cover the pawn by 34...Rb6, so White will delay no more in taking it.
• Also good is 33.Kf1 Rc6 34.Na5 Ra6 35.Naxb3 when:
• 35...Ra2 36.Nc4 Ra4 37.Nca5 Nxe4 38.Nc6 Nf6 39.Nbd4leaves White a pawn to the good with the active game.
• 35...g6 36.Ra1 Rxa1+ 37.Nxa1 leaves White two pawn to the good.

33...Nd5 34.Nxb3

BLACK: Zoltan Almasi
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Gata Kamsky
Position after 34.Nd2b3:p

• White is two pawns up with an easy win.

34...Nf4 35.h4 Ra6 36.Ra1 Rc6

• 36...Rxa1+ 37.Nxa1 f6 38.exf6 gxf6 39.Kf1 Kf7 40.Ne3 leaves White two pawns up.

37.Ra4 Nd3 38.Nd4 Rc5 39.e6 Be7 40.Ra8+ Kh7 41.Re8 1-0

• If 41...fxe6 42.Rxe7 e5 then:
• 43.Nf5 Rxc4 44.Rxg7+ Kh8 45.Rd7 leaves White two pawns to the good with more activity.
• 43.Ne6 Rxc4 44.Rxg7+ Kh8 45.Rxc7 Rxc7 46.Nxc7 leaves White with an easy win two pawns up in a Knight ending.
• If 41...Bxh4 then after 42.exf7 Bxf2+ 43.Kf1 Black is kaput.
• Grandmaster Almasi resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

14. Almasi - Jobava, Round 3

Zoltan Almasi
Photo: Ygrek, Wikipedia (Creative Commons, Attribution/Share Alike)


Zoltan Almasi - Baadur Jobava
52nd Torneo di Capodonno, Round 3
Reggio Emilia, 30 December 2009

Open Sicilian Game: Scheveningen Defense (Rauzer Opening)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 Be7 8.0-0-0 0-0 9.f4

• If 9.Nb3 Qb6 10.f3 Rd8 then:
• If 11.Nb5 Rd7 12.Qe1 a6 13.N5d4 Rd8 14.Be3 Qc7 15.Nxc6 Qxc6 16.g4 e5 17.Na5 Qa4 18.Kb1 Be6 19.b3 Qd7 20.g5 gives White the initiative (Efimenko-Wells, Op, Isle of Man, 2007).
• If 11.Kb1 a6 12.Be3 Qc7 13.Qf2 Nd7 14.h4 b5 15.g4 Nce5 16.g5 then:
• 16...Rb8 17.h5 b4 18.Ne2 a5 19.g6 a4 20.Nbd4 Nc4 21.gxf7+ Kxf7 is equal (Ivanchuk-Kramnik, Amber Rpd, Monte Carlo, 1994).
• 16...b4 17.Ne2 Nc4 18.Bc1 a5 19.h5 Bb7 20.g6 Bf6 21.gxf7+ Kxf7 is equal (Ghate-A. Stojanovic, OlW, Dresden, 2008).
• If 11.Be3 Qc7 12.Qf2 d5 13.exd5 Nxd5 14.Nxd5 Rxd5 15.Rxd5 exd5 then:
• 16.Bb5 Na5 17.Bd3 Nxb3+ 18.axb3 a5 19.Bd4 Bd6 is equal (Rachels-D. Gurevich, US Ch, Long Beach, 1993).
• 16.g4 Bf6 17.Kb1 Be6 18.Nd4 Nxd4 19.Bxd4 Qf4 20.Bxf6 Qxf6 is equal (Mnatsakanian-Yegiazarian, Armenian Ch, Yerevan, 1994).

9...Nxd4 10.Qxd4 Qa5

• If 10...h6 11.Bh4 Qa5 then:
• If 12.Bc4 then:
• If 12...Qh5 13.Bg3 Rd8 then:
• 14.Rhe1 Bd7 15.e5 dxe5 16.Rxe5 Bc6 17.Qe3 Ng4 18.Qe2 Qg6 19.Rxd8+ Rxd8 20.Ra5 Bb4 21.Rxa7 Bc5 gives Black the advantage in space (P. Smirnov-Kryakvin, Russian ChT HL, Sochi, 2009).
• 14.Rhf1 Bd7 15.Kb1 Rac8 16.Bb3 Qa5 17.Qd3 Rxc3 18.bxc3 Bc6 19.Rfe1 d5 20.Bh4 dxe4 gives Black the initiative (K. Szabo-Wittmannm 1st Saturday, Budapest, 2005.11).
• If 12...e5 13.fxe5 dxe5 14.Qd3 Bg4 then:
• If 15.Rdf1 then:
• 15...Qc5 16.Bb3 Kh8 17.Qg3 Be6 18.Bxf6 Bxf6 19.Nd5 Bg5+ is equal (Motylev-Timofeev, Russian Ch, Krasnoyarnsk, 2003).
• 15...Be6 16.Bxf6 Bxf6 17.Kb1 Qc5 18.Bb3 a5 19.Nd5 Bxd5 20.Bxd5 a4 21.a3 Ra6 22.h4 Rb6 gives White the active game (Kosteniuk-Dembo, Euro ChT, Gothenburg, 2005).
• If 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.Rdf1 then:
• 16...Rac8 17.Kb1 Bh4 18.Bb3 Qc5 19.g3 Bg5 20.h3 Be6 21.h4 Be7 22.Nd5 Kh8 is equal (Leko-Khalifman, FIDE Knock Out, New Delhi, 2000).
• 16...Bh4 17.Kb1 Qc5 18.g3 Bg5 19.h3 Be6 20.Nd5 Rad8 21.h4 Be7 is equal (Pinter-Raceanu, Euro ChTU18, Balatonlelle, 2001).
• If 12.e5 dxe5 13.Qxe5 Qxe5 14.fxe5 Nd5 15.Bxe7 Nxe7 then:
• 16.Bd3 Nc6 17.Rhe1 Rd8 18.Be4 Bd7 19.Nb5 Rab8 20.Nd6 b6 21.Bf3 gives White a tremendous advantage in space and activity (Unzicker-Rossolimo, IT, Madrid, 1957).
• 16.Bb5 a6 17.Bd3 b5 18.Be4 Rb8 19.Rd6 b4 20.Na4 a5 21.Re1 Bb7 is equal (Matanovic-Panno, ITZ, Potoroz, 1958).

11.Kb1

• If 10...Qa5 11.Bc4 Bd7 12.e5 dxe5 13.fxe5 Bc6 14.Bd2 Nd7 15.Nd5 Qd8 16.Nxe7+ Qxe7 17.Rhe1 then:
• If 17...Rfd8 then:
• If 18.Qg4 Nf8 then:
• If 19.Bd3 Rxd3 20.cxd3 then:
• If 20...Qd7 then:
• 21.Bb4 then:
• 21...Ng6 22.Bd6 f5 23.Qg5 Bd5 24.b3 Qc6+ 25.Kb2 Qb6 26.g3 Qd4+ 27.Kb1 Rc8 28.Qe3 gives White the advantage of the exchange (Svidler-Anand, IT. Linares, 1998).
• 21...Qd5 22.Bxf8 Rxf8 23.Kb1 Qxg2 24.Qxg2 Bxg2 25.Rc1 Bc6 26.Kc2 f5 27.exf6 Rxf6 28.Kc3 h6 29.Kd4 Kh7 30.b3 g5 Black does not yet have enough for the exchange (Adams-Kramnik, IT, Moscow, 1994).
• 21.Kb1 Qxd3+ 22.Ka1 h5 23.Qxh5 Ba4 24.Bc3 Bxd1 25.Rxd1 Qe4 26.Qg5 a5 27.Qd2 Ng6 is equal (Oll-Hodgson, PCA Quals, Groningen, 1993).
• 20...Qc5+ 21.Kb1 Qd5 22.Qe4 Qd7 23.Qe2 Ng6 24.g3 Ne7 25.Bb4 Nf5 26.Bc3 a5 27.Qd2 draw (Short-Pritchett, British Ch, Swansea, 1987).
• If 19...Rd5 20.Bb4 Qd8 21.Bd6 Ng6 then:
• 22.g3 Qa5 23.Bxg6 hxg6 24.a3 Rc8 25.Qb4 Ba4 26.Rxd5 Qxb4 27.axb4 exd5 28.c3 Bd7 favors the cat (Herrera-Kharlov, Op, Ubeda, 1999).
• 22.c4 f5 23.Qg3 Rd4 24.Bc5 Rg4 25.Qe3 Qa5 gives Black the advantage in space (Kosteniuk-Galliamova, FIDE Knock Out W, Moscow, 2001).
• 18.Bf1 Nf8 19.Qg4 Ng6 20.Bb4 Rxd1+ 21.Rxd1 Nxe5 22.Qxg7+ Kxg7 23.Bxe7 Ng4 24.Be2 Ne3 25.Rg1 Be4 26.c3 Rc8 27.Bg5 Nd5 28.a3 f6 is equal (Carlsen-Alekseev, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2008).
• If 17...Nb6 18.Bf1 Rfd8 19.Qg4 Qc5 then:
• 20.Qb4 Qf2 21.Qf4 Qxf4 22.Bxf4 Rxd1+ 23.Rxd1 Rc8 24.Rd4 Nd7 25.g4 gives White the more active game (V. Rajlich-Pataki, 1st Saturday, Budapest, 2001.10).
• 20.Bh6 Rxd1+ 21.Kxd1 Qf8 22.Bg5 Nd7 23.Kc1 Rc8 24.Qd4 Bd5 25.Kb1 Qc5 26.Qxc5 Nxc5 27.Be3 f6 is equal (Timman-Sosonko, Dutch chT, 1985).

11...Rd8 12.h4

• If 12.Qd2 then:
• 12...Bd7 13.Bd3 h6 14.h4 Kf8 15.e5 dxe5 16.fxe5 Qxe5 17.Rde1 Qa5 gives Black an extra pawn (Glek-Ionov, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1999).
• 12...h6 13.Bxf6 Bxf6 14.Nd5 Qxd2 15.Nxf6+ gxf6 16.Rxd2 Kf8 17.Be2 gives White the advantage in space (Bologan-Alekseev, Op, Skanderborg, 2003).

12...Bd7

• If 12...h6 13.Be2 Bd7 14.Qe3 Rac8 then:
• If 15.e5 dxe5 16.fxe5 hxg5 17.hxg5 Rxc3!! then:
• 18.Bd3 Rxd3 19.cxd3 Ng4 20.Qh3 Nh6 21.gxh6 Qxe5 Black has the material advantage.
• 18.bxc3 Nd5 19.Rxd5 exd5 White is toast.
• 18.Qxc3 Qxc3 19.bxc3 Nd5 20.Kb2 Ne3 21.Rd4 Bxg5 gives Black the material advantage.
• 15.Rd3 Bc6 16.Qg3 Nxe4!! 17.Nxe4 Bxe4 18.Bxe7 Qc7 19.Rc3 Qxe7 gives Black an extra pawn (Berescu-Baramidze, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).

13.Bd3 Bc6

• If 13...h6 14.e5 dxe5 15.fxe5 Bc6 16.Qe3 Ng4 then:
• 17.Qf4 hxg5 18.hxg5 Qxe5 19.Bh7+ Kf8 20.Bg6 Rxd1+ 21.Nxd1 Ke8 22.Bxf7+ Kd7 23.Qxg4 gives White an extra pawn (Simacek-Meins, Euro Club Cup, Ohrid, 2009).
• 17.Qg3 hxg5 18.hxg5 Qxe5 19.Qxg4 Qxg5 20.Qh3 draw (van Delft-Wells, Op, Amsterdam, 2009).

14.Qe3 Kf8!?

• 14...Rd7 15.Qe2 h6 16.e5 dxe5 17.fxe5 Nd5 18.Nxd5 Bxd5 19.c4 Bxc4 20.Bxc4 Rxd1+ 21.Rxd1 hxg5 22.Qe4 gxh4 gives Black two extra pawns (Grafl-Blokhuis, 1st Saturday, Budapest, 2001.07).
• 14...Qc7 15.f5 d5 16.exd5 Bxd5 17.Nxd5 Nxd5 18.Qf3 e5 19.g4 f6 20.Bc1 gives White the advantage in space (Jenni-López, YM, Zug, 2001).

BLACK: Baadur Jobava
!""""""""#
$t+ T L +%
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Zoltan Almasi
Position after 14...Kg8f8

15.e5!

• White has the advantage in space.

15...Ng4 16.Qg3 h5 17.Be2

• If 17.Bxe7+ Kxe7 then:
• 18.Be2 18...dxe5 19.Bxg4 hxg4 20.fxe5 Qb4 21.Rhf1gives White more freedom.
• 18.exd6+!? Rxd6! 19.Be2 Rxd1+ 20.Rxd1 Nf6 is equal.

17...dxe5 18.Bxe7+

• If 18.Bxg4 Bxg5 19.fxg5 hxg4 20.Qxg4 b5! 21.a3 Rab8 22.Rxd8+ Qxd8 23.Rd1 Qb6 24.g6 b4! is equal.
• 20...Rxd1+!? 21.Rxd1 b5 22.g6! b4 23.Rf1 f6 24.Qxe6 forces Black to call his troops in for defense.

18...Kxe7 19.Bxg4 hxg4

• 19...exf4 20.Qxf4 hxg4 21.Qxg4 Qf5 22.Qxg7 Rg8 is equal.

20.fxe5! Rxd1+

• 20...Qb4 21.Rhf1 Rxd1+ 22.Nxd1 Rd8 23.Qf2 Be8 24.Qxa7 gives White an extra pawn.

21.Rxd1 Rd8 22.Rf1

• If 22.Rxd8 Kxd8 23.Qe3 Ke8 24.a3 then:
• 24...Bxg2 25.Qg5 Qa6 26.Qxg4 is equal.


• 24...Qa6 25.Qf2 Qa5 26.Qd4 b6 is equal.

22...Ke8 23.a3 Rd7?

• Black should use the Queen to protect his pawn rank, if simply because it doesn't get in the way of the Bishop's retreat.
• If 23...Qc7! 24.Rd1 Rxd1+ 25.Nxd1 Qa5 26.Nc3 26...Qc5 27.Qxg4 Qxe5 is equal.
• 26.h5!? Qd2! 27.Nf2 Qe1+ 28.Ka2 Qe2 gives Black the initiative.

24.h5 Kd8

• Black drops a pawn.
• 24...Qc5 25.h6 gxh6 26.Qxg4 b5 27.Rf6 Qg1+ 28.Ka2 gives White serious threats on the kingside.

BLACK: Baadur Jobava
!""""""""#
$ + L + +%
$Oo+t+oO %
$ +v+o+ +%
$W + P +p%
$ + + +o+%
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$+k+ +r+ %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Zoltan Almasi
Position after 24...Ke8d8

25.Re1!

• If 25.Rd1?! then Black equalizes with 25...Rxd1+ 26.Nxd1 Qd2! 27.Ne3 Be4.

25...Qc5

• 25...Ke7 26.Qxg4 Kf8 27.g3 Qc5 28.Qh4 b5 29.h6 gives White an extra pawn.

26.Qxg4

• White has an extra pawn.

26...Qf2 27.Re2 Qf1+

• 27...Qf5 28.Qxg7 Qxh5 29.g4 Qh1+ 30.Ka2 Kc7 31.g5 puts Black's f-pawn in danger.

28.Ka2

• This move is purely prophylactic.

28...Qf5 29.Qxg7 Qxh5 30.Rf2

• 30.g4 Qh4 (Black doesn't bother with 30...Qh1; see White's 28th move) 31.Ne4 Bxe4 32.Rxe4 Kc7 33.Rc4+ gives White an extra pawn and a winning position.

30...Qg6 31.Qf8+

• Also good is 31.Qxg6 fxg6 32.g3 Rh7 33.Rf6 when:
• If 33...Be8 34.g4 Rh4 35.Ne4 Rxg4 36.Nd6 then:
• 36...Ke7 37.Nxe8 Kxe8 38.Rxe6+ Kd7 39.Rd6+ gives White an extra pawn as the game enters a Rook-and-pawn ending.
• 36...Bc6 37.c4 Kd7 38.Rf7+ Kd8 39.Kb3 wins another pawn for White.
• 33...g5!? 34.Rxe6 Rh3 35.Rd6+ Ke8 36.Rd3! gives White a winning position.

31...Kc7 32.Qc5 a6 33.Na4 Rd5

• If 33...Qg7 then White wins with 34.Nb6! Rd1 35.Rf6 Kb8 36.g4 Be4.

BLACK: Baadur Jobava
!""""""""#
$ + + + +%
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Zoltan Almasi
Position after 33...Rd7d5

34.Qe7+!?

• If 34.Qb6+! Kc8 35.Nc5 Rxe5 36.c4 then:
• 36...f5 37.Nxa6 Kd7 38.Qd4+ gives White an easy win.
• If 36...Rxc5 then White wins after 37.Qxc5 f5 38.Rd2 Qf6 39.Qd6 Be8 40.b3.

34...Rd7 35.Qc5 Rd5 36.Qb6+ Kc8 37.Qb4 Kc7

• If 37...Bxa4 38.Qxa4 then:
• 38...Kb8 39.Qb4 Rd7 40.Qf4 Qg7 41.Qa4 Qg3 42.Qxd7! should win for White.
• 38...Qg7 39.Rf6 Rd7 40.g4 Qg5 41.Qe4 White sill has an extra pawn and more activity.

38.Nb6 a5 39.Na8+ Kb8 40.Qf8+ Ka7 41.Nc7 Rxe5

• 41...b6 loses quickly to 42.Nxd5 Bxd5+ 43.Kb1 Bxg2 44.Rxf7+.
• 41...Rd7 42.Qc5+ Kb8 43.Nb5 Bxb5 44.Qxb5 also wins for White.

42.Qa8+ Kb6 43.Qd8 Kc5

• Black is toast.
• If 43...Qe4 44.Nd5+ then:
• If 44...Ka7 45.Qxa5+ Kb8 46.Qc7+ Ka7 47.Nb4 then:
• 47...Rf5 48.Rxf5 exf5 49.Nxc6+ Qxc6 50.Qxc6 bxc6 leaves White with a won King-and-pawn ending.
• 47...Bd5+ 48.Nxd5 Qxd5+ 49.c4 Qc5 50.Rxf7 Qxc7 51.Rxc7 gives White two extra pawns for a Rook-and-pawn ending.

44...Kc5 45.Qxa5+ Bb5 46.Qc7+ Kxd5 47.Rd2+ wins the Queen.

44.Rd2 Qe4 45.Na8 Kc4 46.Rd3 1-0

• If 46...Rd5 then after 47.b3+ Kc5 48.Qxa5+ Kd6 49.Qc7+ Kc5 50.Rc3+ Black cannot escape mate.
• Grandmaster Jobava resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

15. World Team Championship, Bursa

Bursa
Photo by Bursa Uludag, Wikipedia (Creative Commons, Attribution/Share Alike)

[Jack Rabbit]

16. Haznedaroglu - Nakamura, Round 1

Hikaru Nakamura
Photo: ChessBase.com


Kivanc Haznedaroglu (Turkey) - Hikaru Nakamura (United States)
World Team Championship, Round 1/Board 1
Bursa, 5 January 2010

Open Sicilian Game: Scheveningen Defense (Rauzer Opening/Vitolins Variation)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Bb5

• 7.Qd2 Be7 8.0-0-0 0-0 9.f4 is the Rauzer Opening. See Almasi-Jobava elsewhere in this thread.

7...Qb6 8.Be3

• If 8.Bxf6 gxf6 then:
• If 9.Nd5!? exd5 10.exd5 a6 then:
• 11.Qe2+?! Kd8 12.Nxc6+ bxc6 13.Bxc6 Ra7 14.0-0-0 Re7 15.Qf3 f5 gives Black the active game (Sutovsky-Vouldis, World Jr Ch, Szeged, 1994).
• If 11.Bxc6+ bxc6 then:
• 12.Qe2+ Be6 13.0-0-0 Rb8 14.b3 cxd5 15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.Qxe6+ Be7 leaves Black slightly better.
• If 12.Nxc6 Qxb2 13.0-0 then:
• 13...Bh6?! 14.Qh5 Bf4 15.Rae1+ Be5 16.f4 gives White a very strong game.
• 13...Bf5? 14.Re1+ Kd7 15.Rb1 Qxc2 16.Rb7+ wins for White.
• 9.Rb1! Bd7 10.Bxc6 bxc6 11.0-0 c5 12.Nf3 gives White the advantage in space.

8...Qc7 9.g4

• 9.f4 Be7 10.Qf3 0-0 11.0-0-0 a6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.Bd3 Rb8 14.g4 Qb7 15.b3 gives White more space and Black more activity (Yudasin-Khalifman, IT, Tilburg, 1994).

9...a6 10.Be2 b5

• 10...h6 11.f3 b5 12.Qd2 Ne5 13.a3 Nc4 14.Bxc4 bxc4 15.h4 Rb8 16.Rb1 Bb7 is equal (Haznedaroglu-Jankovic, Euro Ch, Kusadasi, 2006).

11.a3 h6

• 11...Ne5 12.f3 Nc4 13.Bxc4 Qxc4 14.Qe2 Nd7 15.a4 Qxe2+ 16.Kxe2 b4 17.Na2 e5 is equal (Haznedaroglu-Gershon, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).

12.f3

• The game is equal.

12...Bb7 13.Qd2 Na5 14.Kf2!?

• The f-pawn is adequately protected as it is. White should either repair other weaknesses or initiate aggression.
• 14.Rg1 Nc4 15.Bxc4 bxc4 16.h4 Nd7 remains equal.
• 14.0-0-0 Nc4 15.Bxc4 Qxc4 16.h4 b4 17.axb4 Qxb4 remains equal.

14...d5 15.exd5 Nxd5 16.Nxd5 Bxd5

• Black has the advantage in space.

17.Qc3 Qd8!?

• White's most effective piece is his Queen and Black would do well to exchange.
• 17...Qxc3 18.bxc3 e5 19.Nf5 g6 20.Rhd1 Bc4 gives Black a strong game.

18.Kg2 Rc8 19.Qd2 Nc4 20.Bxc4 bxc4!?

• Black unnecessarily give himself queenside pawn weaknesses.
• 20...Rxc4 21.b3 Rc8 22.Rhd1 Bd6 23.Bf4 0-0 gives Black the edge in space, better King safety, two Bishops and fewer pawn weaknesses; White has a queenside majority, but the candidate (the c-pawn) is White's weakest.

21.Rhe1 Bc5 22.Qf2?!

• White misses the tactical shot that would save the game.
• 22.Nf5! 0-0 23.Rad1 exf5 24.Qxd5 Bxe3 25.Rxe3 fxg4 is equal.

BLACK: Hikaru Nakamura
!""""""""#
$ +tWl+ T%
$+ + +oO %
$o+ +o+ O%
$+ Vv+ + %
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$P + Bp+ %
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Kivanc Haznedaroglu
Position after
22.Qd2f2
22...0-0

• Black sees to the safety of his King, but could have won much faster.
• Strongest is 22...h5! 23.Nf5 Bxe3 24.Nxe3 hxg4 25.Nxg4 c3 then:
• 26.b3 Qg5 27.Kf1 Qf4 28.Kg1 Qxf3 leaves Black a pawn up with greater activity.
• 26.bxc3 Rxc3 27.Re3 Rc4 28.Kg1 Qc7 has White running for cover while Black's pieces fly all over the board.

23.Rad1

• Better is 23.Nf5 Bxe3 24.Nxe3 Qf6 25.Nxd5 exd5 26.c3 Rfe8 when White could target a weak d-pawn.

23...Bxd4!?

• Black would do better to attack White's weak pawns.
• If 23...Qb6! 24.c3 then:
• 24...Rfd8 25.Re2 Bb7 26.Rdd2 Rd6 27.Nc2 Rd3 gives Black more space.
• 24...Rb8!? 25.Rd2! Rfd8 26.Nc2 Bxe3 27.Nxe3 Qb3 is equal.

24.Rxd4 f5 25.Qg3 fxg4 26.Qxg4 Qf6

• If 26...Rb8 then:
• If 27.b4 cxb3 28.c4 h5 then:
• If 29.Qxh5 then Black remains better after 29...Qe8 30.Qxe8 Bxf3+ 31.Kg3 Rbxe8 32.Rd3 b2.
• 29.Qh3 Qa5 30.Rf1 Ba8 31.Qxe6+ Kh8 Black is more active.
• 27.Rb1? Qf6! 28.Rf4 Qe5 29.Bd4 Rxf4 30.Bxe5 Rxg4+ wins for Black.

27.Rf1 Rc7 28.c3 Rb7 29.Rf2?

• As will be seen momentarily, this move, which is intended to cover the b-pawn, is wholly ineffective.
• If 29.Bc1 Kh7 30.Qg3 Qe7 then:
• 31.Rf4 Rxf4 32.Qxf4 e5 33.Qf5+ g6 allows White to put up more resistance.
• 31.Kg1 Rf6 32.Rg4 e5 also leaves White in a jam.

BLACK: Hikaru Nakamura
!""""""""#
$ + + Tl+%
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Kivanc Haznedaroglu
Position after
29.Rf1f2
29...Rxb2!!

• White wins a pawn. The proffered Rook cannot be accepted.

30.Bd2

• If 30.Bf4 Rxf2+ 31.Kxf2 Qe7 then:
• 32.a4 Qa3 33.Bxh6 Rxf3+! 34.Ke2 Qb2+ 35.Bd2 Qa1 wins for Black.
• 32.Bxh6 Rxf3+ 33.Ke1 Qf6 wins for Black.
• If White takes the Rook, 30.Rxb2??, then 30...Bxf3+! 31.Kh3 Bxg4+ 32.Rxg4 Qf3+ hurts to watch.

30...Qe5 31.Kg1 h5 32.Qg6 Rf6 33.Qe8+ Kh7 0-1

• If 34.Bf4 then after 34...Qe1+ 35.Rf1 Qe2 it's time for lights out.
• Grandmaster Haznedaroglu resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

17. Gashimov - Grischuk, Round 4

Alexander Grischuk
Photo: ChessBase.com


Vugar Gashimov (Azerbaijan) - Alexander Grischuk (Russia)
World Team Championship, Round 4/Board 1
Bursa, 8 January 2010

Open Sicilian Game: Najdorf-Scheveninger Defense (Rauzer Opening/Poisoned Pawn Variation)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qb6 8.Qd3

• 8.Nb3 is how White "declines" the poisoned pawn; play continues 8...Be7 9.Qf3 Nbd7 10.0-0-0 Qc7 when:
• If 11.Bd3 b5 12.a3 then:
• If 12...Rb8 13.Rhe1 then:
• 13...h6 14.Qh3 b4 15.axb4 Rxb4 16.Kb1 Qb8 17.Kc1 e5 18.f5 0-0 19.Bxh6 gxh6 20.Qxh6 Nh7 21.h4 Bf6 22.g4 a5 23.Nd5 is equal (Tiemann-Cardelli, Cyberspace, 2002).
• 13...b4 14.axb4 Rxb4 15.Kb1 Bb7 16.Qh3 Nc5 17.Nxc5 Qxc5 18.f5 Nd7 19.fxe6 Rxb2+ 20.Kxb2 Qb4+ 21.Ka2 Qa5+ 22.Kb2 Qb4+ 23.Ka2 draw (Piccoli-Jirk, Cyberspace, 2002).
• If 12...Bb7 13.Rhe1 0-0-0 then:
• 14.Qe2 Nc5 15.Nxc5 dxc5 16.e5 c4 17.Be4 Nxe4 18.Nxe4 Bxg5 19.fxg5 Bxe4 20.Qxe4 Qb7 21.Qxb7+ Kxb7 is equal (van der Wiel-R. Byrne, Op, Palma de Mallorca, 1989).
• 14.Qg3 h6 15.Bxf6 Nxf6 16.Qxg7 Nh5 17.Qg4 Nxf4 18.Kb1 Nxd3 19.Rxd3 Kb8 20.Qh5 Rd7 21.Rf1 Bf8 22.Rg3 gives White the advantage in space (Atakisi-Stanoev, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• If 11.g4 b5 12.Bxf6 Nxf6 13.g5 Nd7 then:
• 14.a3 Rb8 15.h4 b4 16.axb4 Rxb4 17.Na2 Rb6 18.Qc3 Qxc3 19.Nxc3 h6 20.Be2 Bb7 21.Na5 Ba8 22.Nc4 Rc6 23.Kb1 Nb6 24.b3 Nxc4 25.Bxc4 Rc5 26.Kb2 a5 27.Bd3 Bc6 28.Na4 Bxa4 29.bxa4 draw (Topalov-Kasparov, IT, Novgorod, 1997).
• 14.h4 b4 15.Ne2 Bb7 16.Bh3 d5 17.f5 Rc8 18.c3 dxe4 19.Qe3 Bc5 20.Nxc5 Nxc5 21.fxe6 fxe6 22.Rhf1 Rf8 23.Bg4 Rxf1 24.Rxf1 Qa5 gives Black the active game (Kostiniuk-Zhu Chen, FIDE Knock Out W, Moscow, 2001).
• If 8.Qd2 Qxb2 9.Rb1 Qa3 then:
• If 10.e5 dxe5 11.fxe5 Nfd7 then:
• If 12.Ne4 h6 then:
• If 13.Bb5 then:
• If 13...axb5 14.Nxb5 hxg5 15.Nxa3 Rxa3 16.0-0 Nc6 17.Rb5 then:
• 17...Ra4 18.Nxg5 Ndxe5 19.Rxe5 Nxe5 20.Qc3 Nc6 21.Rxf7 Ra5 22.Rxg7 Bc5+ 23.Kh1 Rf8 24.Qd3 Rxa2 leaves Black a theoretical pawn to the good with the active game (Stellwagen-Anand, Bundesliga 0809, Baden Baden, 2009).
• 17...Be7 18.Nd6+ Bxd6 19.exd6 f6 20.Re1 Nce5 21.Qb4 Ra6 draw (Platonov-Minic, IT, Sochi, 1968).
• 13...hxg5 14.Rb3 axb5 15.Rxa3 Bxa3 16.Qxg5 Ra4 17.Qxg7 Rf8 is unclear (Quintaros-Browne, IT, London, 1981).
• 13.Bh4 Qxa2 14.Rd1 Qd5 15.Qe3 Qxe5 16.Be2 Bc5 17.Bg3 Bxd4 18.Rxd4 Qa5+ 19.Rd2 0-0 20.Bd6 Nc6 21.0-0 Re8 22.Qg3 Qd8 23.c4 Ne7 24.Bc7 Nf5 25.Rxf5 Qe7 26.Bd6 Qd8 27.Bc7 Qe7 28.Bd6 draw (Shabalov-Ehlvest, US Ch, Stillwater, 2007).
• If 12.Bc4 Bb4 13.Rb3 Qa5 14.0-0 0-0 15.Bf6 then:
• 15...Nxf6 16.exf6 Rd8 17.Rxb4 Qxb4 18.Qg5 g6 19.Rf4 b6 20.Rh4 Qf8 21.Qe3 Ra7 22.Ne4 Rad7 23.Rxh7 Black resigns (Tringov-Palmason, Ol, Havana, 1966).
• 15...gxf6 16.Qh6 Qxe5 17.Nf5 exf5 18.Ne4 Bd2 19.Nxd2 Qd4+ 20.Kh1 Ne5 21.Rg3+ Ng4 22.h3 gives White more activity (R. Byrne-Evans, US Ch, New York, 1965).
• If 10.Bxf6 gxf6 11.Be2 then:
• If 11...Bg7 12.0-0 f5 13.Rfd1 then:
• 13...0-0 14.exf5 exf5 15.Nd5 Nc6 16.c3 Qa5 17.Nb6 Rb8 18.Bf3 Nxd4 19.cxd4 Qxd2 20.Rxd2 Rd8 21.d5 Bc3 22.Rd3 Ba5 23.Ra3 Bd2 24.g3 draw (Ljubojevic-Ribli, IT, Bugojno, 1984).
• 13...Nc6 14.Nxc6 Bxc3 15.Qe3 bxc6 16.Rb3 Qc5 17.Qxc5 dxc5 18.Rxc3 fxe4 19.Rxc5 Bd7 20.Re5 f5 21.g4 Rg8 22.Kf2 fxg4 23.Rxe4 h5 24.Kg3 Ke7 25.Re5 h4+ 26.Kxh4 Rh8+ 27.Rh5 Rxh5+ 28.Kxh5 Rh8+ 29.Kxg4 Rxh2 30.Rd2 a5 31.Kg3 Rh1 32.Bc4 Re1 33.Re2 Rxe2 34.Bxe2 draw (Parma-Fischer, Capablanca Mem, Havana, 1965).
• If 11...Nc6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.0-0 Qa5 14.Kh1 Be7 then:
• If 15.Qe3 h5 16.Rb3 Kf8 17.Rfb1 h4 18.Bf3 d5 19.h3 Bc5 20.Qd3 Kg7 21.f5 d4 22.Ne2 e5 23.g3 hxg3 gives Black a two-pawn advantage (Brodsky-Biriukov, Chigorin Mem, St. Petersburg, 1996).
• 15.f5 h5 16.Bf3 Qc7 17.Qd3 a5 18.Qe3 h4 19.Bg4 Qa7 20.Qh3 e5 21.Rb3 Ba6 22.Rfb1 Qf2 23.Qf3 Qc5 gives Black an extra pawn (Michalek-Nickel, Corres, 1999).

8...Qxb2

• If 8...Nc6 then:
• If 9.0-0-0 Bd7 10.Be2 Nxd4 11.Qxd4 Qxd4 12.Rxd4 Bc6 13.Bf3 Be7 14.Rhd1 0-0-0 then:
• 15.Bh4 Rhe8 16.e5 dxe5 17.fxe5 Rxd4 18.Rxd4 Nd7 is equal (Hort-Smyslov, IT, Moscow, 1960).
• 15.a4 h6 16.Bh4 g5 17.fxg5 Nd7 18.Bg3 e5 19.Rc4 Bxg5+ 20.Kb1 Nb6 21.Rb4 Be3 22.a5 gives White the initiative (Kaphle-Shengelia, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• If 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Nb3 Bd7 11.Be2 h5 then:
• 12.Rf1 0-0-0 13.0-0-0 Be7 14.Qh3 Na5 15.Kb1 Kb8 16.f5 Rc8 17.fxe6 fxe6 18.Nd5 is equal (Lahno-Bu Xiangzhi, IT, Antwerp, 2008).
• 12.0-0-0 0-0-0 13.Kb1 Be7 14.h4 Na5 15.Bf3 Kb8 16.Qe2 Rh7 17.Bxh5 White wins a pawn with the advantage in space (Sulskis-Zagorskis, Lithuanian Ch, Kaunas, 2001).

9.Rb1 Qa3 10.f5

• 10.Be2 Nbd7 11.0-0 Be7 12.Kh1 Qc5 13.a4 Qc7 14.Rf3 h6 15.Rh3 Nc5 16.Qe3 Qa5 17.e5 dxe5 18.fxe5 Ng4 19.Bxg4 Bxg5 gives Black the initiative (Nieuwenhuis-Dr. Nunn, IT, Utrecht, 1986).

10...Be7 11.fxe6

• If 11.Be2 Nc6 12.fxe6 fxe6 13.Nxc6 bxc6 then:
• If 14.0-0 then:
• If 14...Qa5 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.Bg4 then:
• 16...Rg8 17.Bh3 Rg5 18.Ne2 Rb5 19.Rbd1 Rc5 20.Kh1 Qb5 21.Qf3 Bd7 22.Nf4 Qc4 23.Rb1 Rb5 24.Rb3 Kf7 25.a4 Rxb3 26.cxb3 Qc5 is equal (Gashimov-Areshchenko, Young Masters, Lausanne, 2006).
• 16...0-0 17.Kh1 Kh8 18.Ne2 d5 19.Nd4 dxe4 20.Qxe4 Qd5 21.Qxd5 exd5 22.Nxc6 Bc5 23.Bf3 Be6 24.Nb4 Bxb4 25.Rxb4 Rab8 is equal (Zhong Zhang-Karjakin, World ChT, Beer Sheva, 2005).
• If 14...0-0 15.Nd5 Qxd3 16.Nxe7+ Kf7 17.Bxd3 Kxe7 18.e5 dxe5 19.Bxh7 Kd6 20.Bg6 Bd7 21.Rb7 Rab8 22.Rd1+ Nd5 23.Rxb8 Rxb8 24.c4 Rb2 then:
• 25.a3 Ra2 26.Bh4 Rxa3 27.Bg3 gives Black two extra pawns, but his Knight is still pinned and en prise (Sambuev-Morrison, Op, Kitchner, Ontario, 2008).
• 25.cxd5 exd5 26.a3 c5 27.Bc1 Rb6 gives White a pieces for two pawns, but Black has more than enough space to compensate.
• 14.Bh5+ g6 15.e5 Nd5 16.Rb3 Qa5 17.Bxe7 Nxe7 18.exd6 Qxh5 19.dxe7 Qh4+ 20.g3 Qxe7 21.0-0 Rf8 is equal (Mamedov-Kokarev, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).

11...fxe6 12.Be2 Qa5 13.Bd2 Qc7 14.g4

• If 14.0-0 then after 14...0-0 15.Qc4 Qd7 16.Qb3 Kh8 17.Bc4 d5 Black remains a pawn to the good, but, as in often the case with pawn-hunting openings, he lags in development (Gashimov-Grischuk, Grand Prix, Elista, 2008).

14...h6 15.Qh3!?

• 15.e5 dxe5 16.Qg6+ Kf8 17.Nf3 Bd7 18.g5 Be8 19.Qd3 hxg5 20.Nxg5 gives White a more active game in compensation for his two-pawn deficit (Radjabov-Rowson, Ol, Calvia, 2004).

15...Rh7

• Black has an extra pawn. White is better developed.

16.Rf1!?

• White may be thinking about getting activity on the f-file, but beyond White's half of the board the file is not navigable.
• 16.g5 hxg5 17.Nxe6 Qc6 18.Qf5 then:
• If 18...Bxe6 19.Qxe6 then:
• 19...Rh4 20.Bd3 Qd7 21.Qxd7+ Nbxd7 is equal.
• 19...Qd7!? 20.Qxd7+ Nbxd7 21.Rxb7 gives White the active game.
• 18...Rh6? 19.Nd5!! Nxd5 20.Nxg7+ Kd8 21.Qxd5 Qxd5 22.exd5 gives White the active game.

16...Nc6!

• Black finally starts to develop his kingside. Good things come to those who wait (But a chess player shouldn't try pushing his luck).

17.Nxc6 Qxc6 18.e5 dxe5

• Black has a two-pawn advantage.

19.Bd3?!

• White attacks the Rook at h8.
• 19.Qe3 e4 20.Nb5 Bc5 21.Qg3 Nd5 leaves White some hope of putting up a fight.

BLACK: Alexander Grischuk
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Vugar Gashimov
Position after 19.Be2d3

19...e4!!

• 19...Rh8 20.g5 Nd5 21.Qh5+ Kd8 22.Nxd5 Qxd5 maintaining Black's two-pawn edge.

20.Nxe4!?

• The sacrifice is clearly White's best try. It almost pays dividends.

20...Nxe4 21.Qh5+

• As just stated, the Black King is sitting on a network of open lines. That refers specifically to the f-file, the d-file, the b-file, the a4/e8 diagonal and the h5/e8 diagonal. White has to move twop Bishops from the d-file. the vital point on the b-file (the pawn at b7) is covered and White's light-bound Bishop can't move to b5 at this moment. That leaves the Queen landing on h5 with check, and it just did.

21...Kd7 22.Rd1

• If 22.Qf7 Rh8 23.Qxg7 then:
• 23...Rd8 24.Bb4 Nd6 25.Ba5 e5 leaves Black a piece up.
• If 23...Nxd2 24.Rd1 Rd8 25.Rxd2 then:
• 25...Qc5 26.Rf7 Qe3+ 27.Kd1 Qg1+ 28.Rf1 Qc5 29.Rf7 is equal.
• If 25...Qd6? 26.Be4! Qxd2+ 27.Kxd2 Kc7+ 28.Kc3 Rd7 29.Qxh6 wins for White.

22...Rh8

• Black can now breathe easier about his back rank, but he still isn't out ouf the woods.

23.Bf4?

• White still had time to avoid loss.
• 23.Rf7! then:
• 23...Nd6! 24.Rxg7 Qh1+ 25.Ke2 Qd5 26.Bb4 Qxh5 27.gxh5 is equal.
• If 23...Nf6? 24.Rxe7+! Kxe7 25.Bb4+ Kd8 26.Bb5+ then:
• 26...Bd7 27.Ba5+ Ke7 28.Bb4+ Kd8 etc. draws.
• If 26...Qd5? 27.Qf7! Bd7 28.Rxd5 exd5 29.Qe7+ Kc8 30.Qc5+ Black is kaput.

23...Bb4+!

BLACK: Alexander Grischuk
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Vugar Gashimov
Position after 23...Be7b4+

• Now Black remains a piece to the good and wins.

24.c3 Nxc3 25.Bd2 Qd5 26.Rf7+ Kc6

• Also good is 26...Kd6 27.Qg6 Qe5+ 28.Kf1 Nxd1 29.Bxb4+ Kd5.

27.Rc1 Kb6 28.Be3+

• 28.Rxc3 Bxc3 29.Bxc3 Qxh5 30.gxh5 Rd8 doesn't improve things much for White.
• Neither does 28.Bxc3 Qxd3 29.Qe5 Bxc3+ 30.Rxc3 Qb1+.

28...Ka5 29.a3 Ka4 30.axb4 Qxd3 31.Qa5+ Kb3 32.Rxc3+ Qxc3+ 33.Bd2 b6!

• There's always those eleventh-hour snares to avoid.
• 33...Qd4? 34.Rf3+! Kc4 35.Rf4! equalizes.

34.Qxb6 Qe5+ 35.Kd1

BLACK: Alexander Grischuk
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WHITE: Vugar Gashimov
Position after 35.Ke1d1

35...Bb7!

• White still finds little traps, hoping Black will fall in one.
• If 35...Qe4 36.h3 then:
• 36...e5! 37.Qc7 Qh1+ 38.Ke2 Qg2+ 39.Rf2 Qe4+ wins for Black.
• If 36...g5? 37.b5 axb5 38.Qxb5+ Ka2 39.Kc1! then:
• 39...Qh1+ 40.Kc2 Qe4+ 41.Kc1 Qh1+ etc. draws by repetition.
• If 39...Qd4?? with the obvious intention of 40...Qa1#, then 40.Qb1+ Ka3 41.Rf3+ Ka4 42.Qb3#.

36.Qxb7 Rhd8 37.Rf3+ Ka2 38.Rf2 Kb1 39.Qf3 Rac8

• 39...Qd5 40.Qe2 Rf8 41.Rf1 Rac8 42.Ke1 Rxf1+ wins for Black.

40.Qb3+ Qb2 41.Qxb2+ Kxb2 0-1

• Black remains better than an exchange to the good.
• Grandmaster Gashimov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

18. Update (Monday): US takes lead in Bursa

Reigning American champion Hikaru Nakamura defeated Greek grandmaster Vasilios Kotronias in the only decisive game of the US-Greece match to give the United States a one-point lead over Russia after seven rounds of the World Team Championship in Bursa, Turkey.

The Russians drew their match with Armenia.

The United States now has 12 match points while Russia has 11.

The US has the tougher schedule in the last two rounds, tomorrow playing Armenia, led by Levon Aronian, and on the final round Wednesday meeting the European champion team from Azerbaijan. Tomorrow, the Russians play Egypt, which is currently in eighth place in the ten-team tournament with 3 match points; on Wednesday, Russia plays Israel, which was upset today by the host team from Turkey scoring its first tournament win.

Azerbaijan and India are tied for third place with 9 match points each.

[Jack Rabbit]

19. Update (Tuesday): Russia reclaims top spot in World Team Championship

Russia reclaimed first place after eight rounds in the World Team Championship in Basra, Turkey, today by defeating Egypt, 3½-½, while the United States fell to Armenia, 2½-1½.

In the Russia-Egypt match, only the top board game between newly-crowned Russian national champion Alexander Grischuk and Bessam Amin was drawn. In the other games, Dmitry Jakovenko took down Mohamed Ezat, Vladimir Malakhov destroyed Imed Abdelnabbi and Nikita Vitiugov defeated Walaa Sarwat.

For much of the match, the US has relied on the fortunes of reigning national champion Hikaru Nakamura, and today was no exception. However, Mr. Nakamura's fortunes were not so good today as he fell in a no-holds barred affair to Levon Aronian, Armenia's top ranked grandmaster, while all other games in the match ended in draws.

In tomorrow's final round, Russia will play Israel, a much tougher opponent than the Egyptians, and the United States takes on Azerbaijan, the reigning European team champions.

* * *

Note to Orly Taitz: Hikaru Nakamura is a natural born American citizen, in spite of his exotic name and the fact that he was born in Japan to a Japanese father and an American mother of Japanese descent. That would be just like President Obama, except that he was born in Hawaii (Note to Cokie Roberts: Hawaii is a member of the Union).

[Jack Rabbit]

20. Update (Wednesday): Russia wins Wolrd Team Championship

Russia defeated Israel in the final round of the World Team Championship in Bursa, Turkey, today to take home the gold medal by two match points over the United States and India.

Russia won their match with Israel by a score of 3-1 behind victories by reigning European champion Evgeny Tomashevsky and Nikita Vitiugov. The United States, which entered the round as the only team with a chance at catching Russia, played to a 2-2 tie against the reigning European team champions from Azerbaijan. India scored a victory over Brazil, 3½-½, to tie the US in match points.

The US takes home the silver medal by virtue of 21½ individual points as opposed to the bronze medalists from India with 21.

Hikaru Nakamura, the reigning US champion, won a gold medal for best score on the top board after scoring 6 points in the eight games he played. The gold medal for best overall score by any player went to Russia's Nikita Vitiugov, who scored 5½ out of six to edge out Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan, who scored 8 out of nine.