The JR Chess Report (July 12): Kramink Wins Dortmund

Kramnik wins in Dortmund



Former world champion Vladimir Kramnik of Russia won the 2009 edition of the Sparkassen Chess Meeting Grandmaster Tournament today with 6½ points in ten rounds, a full point ahead of three rivals who tied for second.

To wrap up the tournament, Kramnik won his final game against German GM Arkadij Naiditsch. It was the former champ's third victory of the event. He drew his other seven games.

Norwegian GM Magnus Carlsen, Russian Dmitry Jakovenko and Peter Leko of Hungary tied for second with 5½ points each. Magnus and Jakovenko each won two, lost one and drew seven while Leko won a single game without a loss while drawing nine.

Kramnik was world champion from 2000, when he defeated the legendary Garry Kasparov in a match held in London, until 2007, when he lost the title in a tournament held in Mexico City that was won by the current champion, Vishy Anand of India. Anand also defeated Kramnik in a title match in Bonn, Germany, in 2008.

This is Kramnik's ninth Dortmund title.



Nakamura leads Donostia-San Sebastián after 5



Reigning US champion Hikaru Nakamura leads the grandmaster tournament in San Sebastián (Donostia in Basque) after five rounds with 4½ points.

Nakamura scored a victory today with Black over Spanish GM Pablo San Segundo in 54 moves.

Ruslan Ponomariov of Ukraine and Russian GM Peter Svidler are tied for second with 3½ points points each.

The tournament concludes after the ninth round Thursday.

San Sebastián, the site of two historic tournaments in the early twentieth century, is located in the Basque region of Spain in the far northeast of the coutry, near where the Franco-Spanish frontier meets the Bay of Biscay.


Calendar

Canadian Open, Edmonton 11-19 July.

Czech Open, Pardubice 16 July-2 August.

Biel Chess Festival 19-30 July. This year's GM Tournament is a Category 19 that includes Morozevich, Ivanchuk, Gelfand, Alekseev, Vachier Lagrave and Caruana.

Pan-American Continental Championship, São Paulo 25 July-2 August.

Mainz Chess Classic 27 July-2 August.

US Open, Indianapolis 1-9 August.

FIDE Grand Prix, Yerevan 8-24 August.

Howard Staunton Memorial, London 8-17 August. Played at historic Simpson's Divan.

International Festival d'échecs, Montreal 27 August-7 September. Grandmaster Tournament will include Bacrot, Onischuk, Shulman, Naiditsch and Maze; more to be added.

Grand Slam Final, Bilbao 2-15 September. Topalov, Karjakin, Grischuk and Shirov qualify.

Second Pearl Spring Tournament, Nanjing 27 September-9 October. Topalov, Anand, Carlsen, Radjabov, Jakovenko and Wang Yue.

World Junior Championship, Mar del Plata (Argentina) 16-29 October.

European Club Cup (Team Championship), Novi Sad (Serbia) 21-31 October.

World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk 28 November-15 December.

London Chess Classic 7-16 December.

Corus Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 15-31 January 2010. Nakamura has been invited to play in group A.

Anand-Topalov Match for the World Title, Site TBA c. April 2010.

Magnus took the sole lead by winning this game and held it until losing to Kramnik (see game above) in the eighth round.



Magnus Carlsen
Photo: ChessBase.com


Magnus Carlsen - Arkadij Naiditsch
Sparkassen Chess Meeting, Round 5
Dortmund, 6 July 2009

Spanish Petit Royal Game: Gothic Defense (Berlin Defense)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Nc3 h6

• 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.
• 20...Kc8 21.Nxe6 fxe6 22.f4 b5 23.b3 Rh7 24.Bf2 hxg4 25.hxg4 Rh8 26.Rh1 Rxh1 27.Kxh1 gives White musch better pawn structure for the ending (Jakovenko-Wang Yue, Grand Prix, Elista, 2008). Rhis 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).

10.h3 Ne7

• If 10...Bd7 11.b3 Kc8 12.Bb2 b6 13.Rad1 Ne7 then:
• 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).

11.Bf4

• 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).

11...Ng6 12.Bg3 Ke8

• 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).

13.Rad1 Bb4 14.Ne2!

• White introduces a new move that has much to recommend it.
• 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).

14...h5

• White will expand on the kingside.
• 14...c5 15.Nc1 Be6 16.a3 Ba5 17.b3 Bc3 18.Nd3 is equal.

15.Ned4 h4

• 15...c5 16.a3 Ba5 17.Nb3 Bb6 18.Rd2 c4 19.Nbd4 gives White the advantage in space.

16.Bh2 Nf8

• 16...Bc5 17.Rd2 Bxd4 18.Nxd4 Rh5 19.f4 Ne7 20.Rfd1 gives White latent threats in the d-file.

17.Bf4 Bd7 18.Bg5 Be7 19.Rfe1 c5

BLACK: Arkadij Naiditsch
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WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after (move)
19...c6c5
20.e6!

• White sacrifices a pawn, opening the center for his pieces.

20...fxe6 21.Bxe7 Kxe7 22.Nf5+ Kf6 23.Ne3!

• Black's h-pawn is poisoned.
• 23.N5xh4? Bc6 24.g3 g5 25.Nxg5 Kxg5 gives Black an extra piece.

23...Be8 24.Ng4+ Ke7 25.Nge5 Bg6!?

• Black tries to unbalance White by threatening the c-pawn.
• 25...Rh5 26.Re4 Ng6 27.Rde1 Nxe5 28.Rxe5 Rxe5 29.Rxe5 remains equal.

BLACK: Arkadij Naiditsch
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WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 25...Be8g6

26.Rd5!

• White keeps his cool and proffers a Rook.
• 26.Rd2 Rh5 27.Kf1 Bh7 28.c3 Rd8 29.Rxd8 Kxd8 is equal.

26...b6!

• Black declines the Greek gift.
• 26...exd5 27.Nxg6+ Kf6 28.Nxh8 Nh7 29.Ng6 Kxg6 30.Nxh4+ gives White the active game.

27.Rd2 Bf5 28.Ng5

• 28.Red1 a6 29.c4 Kf6 30.Re2 Rh5 31.a3 g5 is equal.

28...Kf6

• Black has equalized.

29.f4 Ng6 30.Nd7+

• 30.Nxg6 Kxg6 31.Nf3 Kf6 32.c3 Rhd8 33.Rxd8 Rxd8 remains equal.

30...Ke7 31.Nxe6 Bxe6 32.f5 Nf4

• The best move to protect the position.

33.fxe6 Rhd8 34.Rf2 g5

• If 34...Nxe6 35.Ne5 Rd5 36.c4 then:
• If 36...Rd6 then after 37.Ng6+ Kd7 38.Rf7+ Kc8 39.Re7 Nd4 40.Rxg7 White wins the h-pawn with a tremendous position.
• 36...Rd4 Nc6+ wins the exchange.

35.Kh2

• 35.Kf1 a6 36.Ne5 Rg8 37.Rd2 Nxe6 38.Rd7+ Ke8 39.Rh7 remains equal.

35...a5 36.a4

• If 36.Ne5!? Rd6 37.Nf3 Rxe6! then:
• 38.Rff1 Rg8 39.Rxe6+ Nxe6 40.Re1 Kd7 leaves Black a pawn up.
• 38.Rxe6+ Nxe6 39.Re2 Kf6 leaves Black a pawn to the good.

36...Rg8 37.Ne5 Rae8 38.Nf3 Nxe6 39.Re5!?

• 39.Rfe2 Kd6 40.Rd2+ Kc6 41.Rde2 Kd7 42.Ne5+ Kc8 is equal to the point of entropy.

39...Kd6

• If 39...c4 40.Re3 Rgf8 41.g3 c3 42.Rxc3 then:
• 42...Rf5 43.gxh4 gxh4 44.Re2 Rf4 remains balanced.
• 42...Nd4 43.gxh4 gxh4 44.Kg2 Rxf3 45.Rfxf3 Rg8+ remains equal; Black wins back the exchange.

40.Rd2+ Kc6 41.Rde2 Kd6?

• This loses a pawn immediately, then another soon after.
• 41...Kd7! (it's only one square, but it's the differnce between adequately protecting the Rook at e8 and not) 42.Rd5+ Kc8 43.Rde5 Kd7 is an invitation to a draw by repetition.

BLACK: Arkadij Naiditsch
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WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 41...Kc6d6

42.Nxg5!

• If the Black King were at d7, this move would not be possible.

42...Ng7

• If 42...Nxg5? then White wins the exchange.

43.Rxe8 Rxe8 44.Rxe8 Nxe8 45.Nf3!

• White wins the second pawn

45...c4 46.Nxh4 c3 47.b3 Kc5 48.Nf5 Kb4 49.g4 Ka3

• If 49...c6 50.h4 b5 51.g5 then:
• After 51...bxa4 52.bxa4 Ka3 53.h5 Kb2 54.Ne3 Nc7 55.h6 the h-pawn will queen.
• If 51...Nc7 then after 52.h5 Ne6 53.g6 bxa4 54.bxa4 c5 55.h6 White will queen.

50.Kg3 Kb2 51.Ne3 Kc1 52.Kf3 Kd2 53.h4 Ng7

• If 53...c6 54.h5 Nf6 55.Kf4 Ke2 56.h6 then:
• After 56...Nh7 57.g5 Nf8 58.Kf5 Kxe3 59.g6 White will queens a pawn.
• If 56...Kd2 then after 57.g5 Ng8 58.h7 Ne7 59.Ke4 the h-pawn queens.

54.h5 Ne6 55.h6 c6 56.Ke4 b5

• If 56...c5 then after 57.Kf5 Nd4+ 58.Ke5 Kxe3 59.h7 the pawn queens on the next move.

57.Ke5 Ng5 58.Kf5 Nf7

BLACK: Arkadij Naiditsch
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WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 58...Ng5f7

59.h7!!

• The White Knight can be sacrificed because the Black Knight cannot move.

59...Kxe3 60.g5 1-0

• One of White's pawns must queen.
• Herr Naiditsch resigns.

Maxime Vachier Lagrave, 17, the reigning French national champion, has played some very interesting chess in San Sebastián. In the first five rounds, he has two wins, two losses and a draw.

Here he defeats a living legend in his best game of the tournament so far.



Maxime Vachier Lagrave
Photo: ChessBase.com


Maxime Vachier Lagrave - Anatoly Karpov
Donostia Chess Festival, Round 3
San Sebastián, 9 July 2009

Epine Dorsal: Horseman Defense (Petroff Defense)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6

• For a more complete survey of theory around this opening, see Motylev-Gashimov, IT, Poikovsky, 2009.[/li>

3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Be7

• If 6...Nc6 7.0-0 Be7 then:
• If 8.c4 Nb4 9.Be2 0-0 10.Nc3 then:
• If 10...Bf5 11.a3 Nxc3 12.bxc3 Nc6 13.Re1 Re8 then:
• If 14.Bf4 Rc8 15.c5 Bf6 then:
• 16.Qa4 a6 17.Bf1 Qd7 18.Qb3 Rxe1 19.Rxe1 Rb8 20.Bg5 is equal (Motylev-Gashimov, IT, Poikovsky, 2009).
• If 16.Bd3 Qd7 17.Rb1 Bxd3 18.Qxd3 b6 19.d5 Bf6 20.c4 then:
• 20...h6 21.h4 Ne7 22.Rbd1 Ng6 23.Bg3 h5 24.Rc1 Bb2 25.Rxe8+ Rxe8 is equal (J. Polgar-Anand, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2005).
• 20...Ne7 21.Rbd1 Rcd8 22.h3 Ng6 23.Bg3 h6 24.Qb3 Re7 25.a4 Rde8 26.Rxe7 Nxe7 is equal (Leko-Kramnik, IT, Dortmund, 2007).
• If 14.cxd5 Qxd5 then:
• 15.Bf4 Rac8 16.h3 Be4 17.a4 Bd6 18.Be3 Qa5 19.Qb3 Qf5 20.Nd2 Na5 21.Qb2 Bc6 22.c4 Qg6 23.Bf1 b6 is equal (Smirin-An. Volokitin, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).
• 15.cxd5 Qxd5 transposes into Smirin-Volokitin, above.
• 10...Be6 11.Ne5 f6 12.Nf3 Kh8 13.Re1 c5 14.cxd5 Nxc3 15.bxc3 Nxd5 16.c4 Nc3 17.Qd3 cxd4 18.Bf1 Bf7 19.Nxd4 Bb4 20.a3 Ba5 21.Nb3 Qxd3 22.Bxd3 Bb6 23.a4 Rfd8 24.Bf1 Nd1 is equal (Malakhov-Motylev, Russian Ch, Elista, 2001).
• If 8.Re1 Bg4 then:
• If 9.c4 Nf6 10.Nc3 then:
• If 10...Bxf3 11.Qxf3 Nxd4 12.Qd1 Ne6 then:
• If 13.cxd5 Nxd5 14.Bb5+ c6 15.Nxd5 cxb5 16.Qb3 0-0 then:
• 17.Be3 Bc5 18.Rad1 Bxe3 19.Rxe3 Qa5 20.Qc2 Rfe8 is equal (Leko-Gelfand, Grand Prix, Nalchik, 2009).
• If 17.Qxb5 Bc5 18.Rd1 then:
• 18...b6 19.Be3 Bxe3 20.Nxe3 Qe8 21.Qd5 Rc8 22.b4 Qa4 23.Qb3 Qxb3 24.axb3 Rc3 25.Ra3 Rfc8 26.Kf1 a5 27.bxa5 bxa5 28.Rxa5 draw (Khruschiov-Kuczynski, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).
• 18...Rc8 19.Be3 b6 20.Qa4 Bxe3 21.Nxe3 Qc7 22.Nd5 Qb7 23.Qe4 gives White a more active game (Slobodjan-Oral, World ChU20, Halle, 1995).
• 17.Nxe7+ Qxe7 18.Qxb5 a6 19.Qb3 Rfd8 20.Be3 Rac8 21.Rac1 h6 22.h3 Nd4 23.Bxd4 Rxc1 24.Rxc1 Rxd4 25.Qc2 Qe4 26.Qxe4 Rxe4 27.Rc7 Re1+ 28.Kh2 b5 draw (Kasparov-Karpov, World Ch, Moscow, 1984-85).
• If 13.Bf5 dxc4 14.Qa4+ c6 15.Bxe6 fxe6 16.Qxc4 0-0 17.Rxe6 Nd5 18.Be3 Bf6 19.Bc5 Re8 20.Rxe8+ Qxe8 21.Nxd5 cxd5 22.Qxd5+ Qf7 23.Qd2 Rd8 24.Qb4 Qxa2 25.Re1 b6 26.Be7 Re8 27.Bxf6 Rxe1+ 28.Qxe1 gxf6 29.Qb4 a5 draw (Morozevich-Ivanchuk, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2007).
• If 10...0-0 11.cxd5 Nxd5 then:
• If 12.h3 Be6 13.a3 Bf6 14.Ne4 Bf5 15.Ng3 Bg6 16.Ne4 draw (Balashov-Bronstein, City Ch, Moscow, 1982).
• If 12.Be4 Be6 13.Qc2 h6 then:
• 14.Bf5 Ncb4 15.Qb1 Bxf5 16.Qxf5 Bf6 17.a3 Nxc3 18.bxc3 Nd5 19.Bd2 gives White the advantage in space (Machulsky-Jussupow, Soviet Ch, Vilnius, 1978).
• 14.Bh7+ Kh8 15.Bf5 Ncb4 16.Qb1 Bxf5 17.Qxf5 Qc8 18.Qh5 Nf6 19.Qh4 Bd8 20.Re2 Qf5 21.Qf4 Qxf4 22.Bxf4 Nbd5 23.Be5 gives White the active game (Psakhis-Jussupow, Soviet Ch, Vilnius, 1978).
• If 9.c3 f5 10.Qb3 0-0 11.Nbd2 Na5 12.Qa4 Nc6 13.Bb5 then:
• If 13...Nxd2 14.Nxd2 Qd6 15.h3 Bh5 16.Nb3 Bh4 17.Nc5 gives White the advantage in space (Anand-Kramnik, IT, Tilburg, 1998).
• If 13...Bh4 14.g3 Bf6 15.Bxc6 bxc6 16.Qxc6 then:
• If 16...Rb8 17.c4 f4 18.Nxe4 dxe4 19.Qxe4 Bxf3 20.Qxf3 fxg3 21.hxg3 Bxd4 22.Bf4 Rxb2 23.Rf1 Rxf2 24.Rxf2 Bxa1 25.Kg2 Be5 26.Qe4 Bxf4 27.Rxf4 gives Black an extra pawn, but the game contains the germ of a draw (Cheparinov-Gelfand, Grand Prix, Sochi, 2008).
• 16...Re8 17.Ne5 Bxe5 18.dxe5 Ng5 19.f4 Re6 20.Qc5 Ne4 21.Nxe4 dxe4 22.Be3 a6 23.Qc4 Qd7 24.Rac1 gives White a slight advantage in space (Shirov-Kramnik, Euro Ch, Belgrade, 1999).
• If 6...Bd6 7.0-0 0-0 8.c4 c6 then:
• If 9.Qc2 Na6 10.a3 then:
• If 10...Bg4 11.Ne5 then:
• If 11...Bxe5 12.dxe5 Nac5 13.f3 Nxd3 14.Qxd3 Nc5 15.Qd4 Nb3 16.Qxg4 Nxa1 17.Bh6 g6 then:
• If 18.Nc3 Qb6+ 19.Rf2 Rfe8 20.Qf4 Qc7 21.Re2 Re6 22.Kf1 d4 23.Qxd4 draw (Ivanchuk-Alekseev, Tal Mem, Moscow, 2008).
• 18.Bxf8 Qxf8 19.cxd5 cxd5 20.Rc1 Nb3 21.Rc7 Nc5 22.Nc3 Ne6 23.Rd7 Qc5+ 24.Kf1 d4 25.Ne4 Qxe5 26.Qh4 Kg7 27.Qe7 Rf8 28.Rxb7 d3 29.h3 h5 30.Rd7 Kh6 31.Rxd3 Qxb2 draw (Maletin-Karpov, Op, Novosibirsk, 2001).
• 11...Bf5 12.b4 f6 13.Nf3 Qe8 14.b5 Qh5 15.bxa6 Bg4 16.Re1 Bxf3 17.gxf3 Qxh2+ 18.Kf1 f5 19.cxd5 cxd5 20.fxe4 fxe4 21.Bxe4 dxe4 22.Be3 Bg3 23.Ra2 Rf3 White resigns (Shirov-Bluvshtein, Op, Edmonton, 2005).
• If 10...f5 11.Nc3 Nc7 then:
• 12.b4 Nxc3 13.Qxc3 dxc4 14.Bxc4+ Be6 15.Bxe6+ Nxe6 16.Re1 Qd7 17.Ra2 Rae8 18.Rae2 Nc7 19.Ne5 Bxe5 20.dxe5 Re6 21.Rd2 Nd5 22.Qd4 a6 is equal (J. Polgar-Lautier, Rapid, Cap d'Agde, 2003).
• 12.c5 Be7 13.Ne2 Bf6 14.Ne5 Ne6 15.f4 g5 16.b4 Qc7 17.g3 gxf4 18.gxf4 Bd7 draw (Jobava-Lautier, Euro ChT, Plovdiv, 2003).
• If 9.Nc3 Nxc3 10.bxc3 then:
• 10...dxc4 11.Bxc4 Bg4 12.Qd3 Nd7 13.Ng5 Nf6 14.h3 Bh5 15.f4 h6 16.g4 hxg5 17.fxg5 b5 18.Bb3 Nxg4 19.hxg4 Qd7 20.Qf5 Bxg4 21.Qxd7 Bxd7 22.Rxf7 Rxf7 23.g6 Be8 24.Be3 a5 25.Be6 Kf8 26.gxf7 Bxf7 yields an extra pawn to Black (Dr, Nunn-Salov, IT, Brussels, 1988).
• 10...Bg4 11.cxd5 cxd5 12.Rb1 Nd7 13.h3 Bh5 14.Rb5 Nb6 15.c4 Bxf3 16.Qxf3 dxc4 17.Bc2 Qd7 18.a4 g6 19.Be3 Rac8 20.Rfb1 c3 21.a5 Nc4 22.Rxb7 Qe6 23.Ra1 Bb8 24.Bb3 Qd6 25.g3 Nxe3 26.Bxf7+ Kh8 27.Qxe3 gives White an extra pawn (Anand-Shirov, It, Linares, 2000).

7.0-0 Nd6

• Black goes for an obscure line.
• 7...Nc6 transposes into the red notes to the previous move.

8.Ne5

• If 8.Bf4 0-0 9.Re1 Bg4 10.h3 then:
• 10...Be6 11.c3 Bf6 12.Nbd2 g6 13.Nf1 Bg7 14.Ng5 Bc8 15.Ne3 c6 16.Qf3 Ne8 17.Qg3 Nd7 18.Qh4 Nef6 19.Ng4 h5 20.Nxf6+ Nxf6 21.Qg3 gives White the advantage in space (Ni Hua-Malakhatko, Op, Gibraltar, 2008).
• 10...Bxf3 11.Qxf3 c6 12.Nd2 Nd7 13.Re2 Re8 14.Rae1 Bf8 15.Qg3 Rxe2 16.Rxe2 Nf6 17.Bg5 Rc8 18.Qf4 gives White the advantage in space (Timman-Hort, IT, Bugojno, 1978).

8...0-0 9.Qf3!?

• 9.Qh5 g6 10.Qf3 Be6 11.Nc3 c6 12.Ne2 Bf5 13.Bh6 draw (Rigo-Mihalj, Op, Presov, 2001).

9...c6

• White has the advantage in space.

10.Re1 Nd7 11.Bf4 Re8

• 11...Ne4 12.Nxd7 Bxd7 13.Bxe4 dxe4 14.Rxe4 Bf5 15.Re2 gives White an extra pawn.

12.Nd2 Nf8 13.c4 dxc4 14.Ndxc4 Be6

• If 14...Nxc4!? 15.Bxc4 Be6 16.Nxf7! Qd7 17.Ne5 Qxd4 18.Rad1 gives White the initiative.
• 16...Bxf7? 17.Bxf7+! Kxf7 18.Bc7+ wins for White.

15.Ne3 f6 16.N5g4 Nf7

• 16...h5?! 17.Nh6+!! (White gets two pawns for the desperado) 17...Kh8 18.Nhf5 Nxf5 19.Nxf5 Kg8 20.Qxh5 gives White a strong attack,

BLACK: Anatoly Karpov
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$pP + PpP%
$R + R K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Maxime Vachier Lagrave
Position after 16...Nd6f7

17.d5!?

• White proffers his isolated pawn.
• 17.Nc2 Bd5 18.Qh3 Ng5 19.Bxg5 fxg5 remains equal.

17...cxd5!?

• It might be better to take the pawn with the Bishop.
• If 17...Bxd5 18.Nxd5 Qxd5 19.Qxd5 cxd5 then:
• 20.Bb5! Rec8 21.Rxe7 Ng6 22.Rxf7 Kxf7 remains equal.
• 20.Rad1?! Bb4! 21.Rxe8 Rxe8 22.a3 Ne6 gives Black the initiative.

18.Bb5!

• White wins back the sacrificed pawn.

18...Bd7 19.Bxd7 Qxd7 20.Nxd5 Bd8

• If 20...Ne6 21.Rad1 Nxf4 22.Rxe7 Qxd5 then:
• 23.Rxd5 Rxe7 24.Rd1 Rae8 25.Ne3 g5 26.g3 Nh3+ 27.Kg2 gives White a material advantage.
• 23.Nxf6+!? gxf6 24.Rxd5 Rxe7 25.Rd1 Rd8 26.Rxd8+ Nxd8 is equal.

21.Rxe8 Qxe8 22.Qb3 b6 23.Nge3 Rc8

• 23...Ne6 24.Re1 Nxf4 25.Nxf4 Rc8 26.Ne6 gives White the more active game.

24.Nf5 Rc6

• White can now win the exchange.

BLACK: Anatoly Karpov
!""""""""#
$ + VwMl+%
$O + +mOo%
$ Ot+ O +%
$+ +n+n+ %
$ + + B +%
$+q+ + + %
$pP + PpP%
$R + + K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Maxime Vachier Lagrave
Position after 24...Rc8c6

25.Bd6!?

• If 25.Rd1 Re6 26.Be3 Re5 27.Nd6 Qe6 28.f4 then:
• 28...Rxe3 29.Nxe3 wins the exchange.
• 28...Rh5 29.f5 Qxd6 30.Nf4! wins the exchange.

25...Ng6 26.Bb4 Re6 27.h4

• White announces a kingside campaign of aggression.

27...a5 28.Bc3 a4 29.Qc4 h5?

• It looks plausible, but it's wrong. Black does better to continue with counterplay on the queenside, then striking in the center.
• 29...b5 30.Qd3 Nd6 31.h5 Ne5! 32.Nxd6 Rxd6 remains equal.

30.Rd1 Nf8

• If 30...b5 then after 31.Qd3 Nfe5 32.Qg3 Bb6 33.Bxe5 fxe5 34.Qg5! wins at least a pawn.

31.Nf4 b5 32.Qd5 Rb6

• 32...g6 33.Nxe6 Qxe6 34.Nh6+ Nxh6 35.Qxd8 leves White an exchange to the good.

BLACK: Anatoly Karpov
!""""""""#
$ + VwMl+%
$+ + + O %
$ T + O +%
$+o+q+n+o%
$o+ + N P%
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WHITE: Maxime Vachier Lagrave
Position after 32...Re6b6

33.Nxh5!

• White wins two pawns.

33...Qc6

• If 33...Qe6 34.Nhxg7 Qxd5 35.Rxd5 b4 36.Bd4 then:
• 36...Rc6 37.Bc5 b3 38.axb3 axb3 39.Bxf8 Kxf8 40.Rd3 leaves White up by two pawns.
• If 36...Rb7 37.h5 then:
• 37...b3 38.axb3 axb3 39.Ne8 Nd7 40.f4 Kh7 41.g4 leaves White up by two pawns.
• 37...Rc7 38.Bc5 b3 39.axb3 axb3 40.Bxf8 Rc1+ 41.Kh2 leaves White up by two pawns.

34.Qxc6 Rxc6 35.Nhxg7 Rc4

• 35...a3 36.Rd2 Kh7 37.g4 Bc7 38.Nh5 axb2 39.Bxb2 gives White two extra pawns.

36.Nh5 Nh7 37.a3! 1-0

• The former world champion, one of the greatest positional players since the time of Steinitz, knows that the score is a lot worse than being down two pawns: he is out of pawn moves, his pieces have been almost immobile since the opening and, once he is out of threats, must begin losing material.
• The game might continue 37...Rc5 38.g4 Rc4 39.f3 Rc6 40.Rd5.
• Anatoly Evgenyevich resigns.

The annual Canadiian Open Chess Championship began in Edmonton, Alberta Saturday and will run through Sunday, July 19.

After four rounds, five players are tied for first place with perfect scores: grandmasters Ni Hua (China), Surya Shekhar Ganguly (India), Victor Mikhalevski (Israel), Mark Bluvshtein (Canada), and federation master Raja Panjwani (Canada).

The top seeded man in the tournament, Spanish GM Alexei Shirov, and the top seeded woman, Zhao Xue of China, began the fourth round with perfect scores and faced each other over the board. The game ended in a draw after 21 moves.

Games are covered live on the official website (Monroi). Action begins at 6 pm MDT (5 pm PDT) tomorrow, Thursday and Friday, 4 pm MDT (3 pm PDT) Saturday and 12 noon MDT (11 am PDT) Sunday.