The JR Chess Report (February 6): Chuckie takes a piece of the Rock

Chuckie wins Gibraltar



The Rock
Photo by Hans Lohninger inWikimedia Commons (Creative Commons License Attribution/Share Alike)

Venerable Ukrainian grandmaster Vassily Ivanchuk, a colorful legend in his own time, won the 2011 Tradewise Chess Festival Thursday when he defeated former German national champion Daniel Fridman in Gibraltar in the tenth and final round.

Chuckie, as he is affectionately known to his many fans, scored nine points with eight victories and two draws without a loss to completely dominate the event. He took the lead with a sixth round victory over British GM Nigel Short, who finished a clear second with 8½ points.

The prize for best score by a woman was claimed by Georgian grandmaster Nana Dzagnidze for the second time in three years with seven points out of ten. Ms. Dzagnidze won her final game against GM Krishnan Sasikiran of India to edge out her compatriot, international master Salome Melia, on tie break points.

Another happy note from Gibraltar is that Nadezhda Kosintseva scored her third grandmaster norm and will join her kid sister, Tatiana, as an international grandmaster as soon as the result is confirmed. Congratulations, Nadya.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

Aeroflot Open, Moscow 8-17 February.
27th International Open, Cappelle-la-Grande 26 February-5 March.
Reykjavik Open 9-16 March.

my mother-in-law!

Does someone else have a birthday today??

!!

Georgian grandmaster Nana Dzagnidze took home £10,000 for the best performance by a woman.



Nana Dzagnidze
Photo by Frank Hoppe in Wikimedia Commons (Public Doamin)


Krishnan Sasikiran - Nana Dzagnidze
Tradewise Masters, Round 10
Gibraltar, 3 February 2011

Closed Queen's Gambit: Catalan Opening

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Bb4+ 5.Bd2

• Up to here, this is a Bogo-Indian Defense. For continuations as to the Bogo-Indian, see Carlsen-Topalov, IT, Nanjing, 2010.

5...Be7 6.Nf3 0-0 7.0-0 c6

• According to the blue note to Black's fourth move in the game Carlsen-Topalov cited in the last not to this game, we have transposed into a Catalan Queen's Gambit.

8.Qc2 b6 9.Rd1 a5 (N)

• If 9...Nbd7 10.Bf4 then:
• If 10...Bb7 11.Nc3 then:
• If 11...dxc4 12.Nd2 Nd5 13.Nxc4 Nxf4 14.gxf4 then:
• If 14...Qc7 15.e3 Rad8 then:
• If 16.Rac1 c5 17.d5 exd5 then:
• If 18.Nxd5 Bxd5 19.Rxd5 b5 20.Ne5 Nxe5 21.Rxe5 Bd6 22.Rd5 Be7 then:
• 23.a4 a6 24.Re5 Bd6 25.Rd5 Be7 26.axb5 axb5 27.b3 Rxd5 28.Bxd5 Rd8 29.Qf5 Bf8 30.Rd1 Rd6 31.Bf3 draw (Sasikiran-Wojtaszek, Ol, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2010).
• 23.Rcd1 Rxd5 24.Rxd5 Rd8 25.Rxd8+ draw (Tkachiev-Sargissian, Ol, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2010).
• 18.Bxd5 Nf6 19.Bxb7 Qxb7 20.a4 a6 21.Rxd8 Rxd8 22.Qb3 Ng4 is equal (Grischuk-Kramnik, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2010).
• 16.Rab1 c5 17.d5 exd5 18.Bxd5 Nf6 19.Bxb7 Qxb7 20.a4 Rxd1+ 21.Rxd1 Rd8 22.Rxd8+ Bxd8 is equal (Caruana-Nielsen, TM, Amsterdam, 2010).
• 14...Nf6 15.e3 Nd5 16.Rac1 Rc8 17.Ne5 f6 18.Nd3 Kh8 19.Qa4 a5 20.Qb3 Rb8 21.Rd2 c5 22.Nb5 draw (BerkesEfimenko, Ol, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2010).
• If 11...Nh5 12.Bc1 f5 13.b3 then:
• If 13...Rc8 14.Bb2 then:
• 14...Bd6 15.e3 Qe7 16.Ne2 Nhf6 17.Nf4 Rfd8 18.Rac1 Ne4 is equal (Harika-Adams, Masters, Gibraltar, 2010).
• 14...Qe8 15.e3 g5 16.a4 a5 17.Ba3 Bxa3 18.Rxa3 Qe7 19.Raa1 Kh8 20.Rac1 Ba6 21.Ne2 Rg8 22.Qd2 Nhf6 23.Rc2 Ne4 draw (Su. Polgar-Portisch, Match, Prague, 1995).
• If 13...Bd6 14.a4 Qe7?! 15.a5! Ba6 then:
• 16.Bb2?! b5 17.c5 Bc7 18.Na2 Bc8 19.Nb4 gives White the advantage in space (Zhao Xue-Kosteniuk, OlW, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2010).
• If 16.Qd3 Bb4 17.Bg5 Nhf6 18.Ne5 Qd6 then:
• 19.Na2 Bxa5 20.Bxf6 Rxf6 21.Nxd7 Qxd7 22.Qe3 Qd6 23.b4 Bxb4 24.Nxb4 gives White a Knight against two pawns.
• 19.axb6 axb6 20.Nxd7 Qxd7 21.Rxa6 Rxa6 22.cxd5 Bxc3 23.Bxf6 Rxf6 24.Qxa6 gives White an extra pawn.
=
• If 10...Ba6 11.b3 Rc8 12.Nc3 Nh5 13.Bc1 then:
• 13...f5 14.Bb2 g5 15.e3 h6 16.a4 Nhf6 17.Rac1 Bb7 18.cxd5 cxd5 19.Qe2 is equal (Yavseev-Cvek, Op, Pardubice, 2001).
• If 13...Nhf6 then:
• 14.e4 dxc4 15.Bf4 b5 16.bxc4 bxc4 17.Nd2 Qa5 is equal (Rustemov-Mitkov, Euro Club Cup, Halkidiki, 2002).
• 14.Bf4 Nh5 15.Bc1 Nhf6 16.Bf4 Nh5 draw (Greenfeld-Tkachiev, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).

10.Bf4

• The game is equal.

10...Ba6 11.Nbd2 b5!?

• Probably deliberately, Black concedes some space to White.
• If 11...Nh5 12.Be3 f5 13.Ne5 f4 14.gxf4 Nxf4 remains equal.

BLACK: Nana Dzagnidze



WHITE: Krishnan Sasikiran
Position after 11...b6b5

12.c5!

• White has a small advantage in space.

12...b4 13.Re1 Nh5

• 13...Bb5 14.a3 Nh5 15.axb4 Nxf4 16.gxf4 Nd7 17.bxa5 gives White an extra pawn.

14.Bxb8!?

• Exchangeing the Bishop is easier than any attempt to preseve it.
• If 14.Be5 Nd7 15.Bd6 Bxd6 16.cxd6 then:
• 16...Nb8 17.Qc5 Bb7 18.Ne5 Nf6 19.a3 is equal.
• 16...Nb6 17.Ne5 Qxd6 18.Qxc6 Qxc6 19.Nxc6 is equal.

14...Rxb8

• The game is equal.

15.e4 Nf6 16.e5 Nd7 17.Bf1

• Black proposes an exchange of light-bound Bishops.
• If 17.a3 Qc7 18.Re3 Ra8 19.axb4 axb4 20.Ra4 Rfb8 remains equal.

17...Qc8 18.h4!?

• White weakens his kingside probably with the idea of provoking an attack by Black with the confidence he can rebuff it.
• If 18.Bxa6 Qxa6 19.a3 Qa7 20.Re3 Qc7 21.Ra2 Ra8 remains equal.

18...Bxf1!

• Black has a narrow edge in space.

19.Nxf1 f6!?

• This may have been what White wanted when he played his 18th move. Black will open the f-file and attack the hanging Knight.
• 19...Qa6 20.h5 a4 21.Qe2 Qa5 22.h6 g6 maintains Black's slight advantage in space.

20.exf6!

• The game is equal.

20...Bxf6 21.Ne3

BLACK: Nana Dzagnidze



WHITE: Krishnan Sasikiran
Position after 21.Nf1e3

21...Qe8

• The game remains equal. Black seems to want to bring her Queen to h5 and then unmask the attack on the Knight from the Rook.
• If 21...Qc7 then:
• If 22.Ng4!? Rbe8 23.Qa4 then:
• If 23...Nxc5 24.dxc5 Bxb2 25.Rab1 Rxf3 26.Rxb2 then:
• If 26...Rxg3+ 27.fxg3 Qxg3+ 28.Kf1 Rf8+ 29.Nf2 Qh3+ then:
• 30.Kg1 Qg3+ 31.Kf1 Qh3+ etc. draws.
• If 30.Ke2 Qf3+ then:
• 31.Kf1 Qh1+ 32.Ke2 Qf3+ 33.Kf1 etc. draws.
• If 31.Kd2?? then Black wins after 31...Qxf2+! 32.Kd1 Qxb2.
• 26...Ra3?! 27.Qd1! e5 28.Qd2 e4 29.Rb3 Rxb3 30.axb3 gives White a piece for two pawns.
• 23...e5 24.Ngxe5 Nxe5 25.Nxe5 Bxe5 26.Rxe5 Rxe5 27.dxe5 is equal.
• 22.Ng5?! Bxg5 23.hxg5 e5 24.Nf5 e4 25.Nd6 Qd8 gives Black an attack on the foremost g-pawn.

22.Ng4

• This may not be the ideal post for the Knight.
• A better try is 22.Ng2 e5 23.dxe5 Be7 24.Ng5 Bxg5 25.hxg5 when White will have accomplished his plan of provoking an attack from Black and rebuffing it. However, after 25...Nxe5, Black will have a small advantage in space.

22...Qh5

• See the note to Black's 21st move.

23.Nfe5 Bxe5

• 23...Nxe5 24.Nxe5 Qe8 25.Re3 Bxe5 26.Rxe5 remains equal.

24.Nxe5 Nxe5 25.Rxe5 Qg4

• The game is equal.

26.Qd1

BLACK: Nana Dzagnidze



WHITE: Krishnan Sasikiran
Position after 26.Qc2d1

26...Rf3

• Black takes full advantage of the weaknesses in White's kingside.
• 26...Qh3 27.Qe2 Rf6 28.a3 Rbf8 29.Rf1 Rf3 remains equal.

27.Re3!

• White has a slight edge with his well-defended King position and his attack on Black's backward pawn.

27...Rbf8 28.Qe2

• 28.Rxf3 Qxf3 29.Qxf3 Rxf3 30.Rd1 a4 31.Kg2 maintains White's narrow advantage.

28...h5 29.Rxf3 Rxf3 30.Re1 Rf6 31.Qd2!?

• White does better to exchange pawns.
• If 31.Qxg4 hxg4 32.Re3 a4 33.Kg2 then:
• 33...Rh6 34.f4 gxf3+ 35.Rxf3 Rg6 36.Kh3 gives White a slight edge.
• 33...Kf7 34.f4 gxf3+ 35.Rxf3 Ke7 36.g4 Rh6 37.Kg3 gives White more freedom as long as Black is tied by defending the backward e-pawn.

31...Kf7

• The game is equal.
• 31...Qf5 32.a3 b3 33.a4 Qg4 34.Re3 Rf3 is equal

32.a3 bxa3 33.bxa3 a4!?

• Black's a-pawn will be both difficult to defend and difficult to attack.
• 33...Rf3 34.Re3 Rxe3 35.Qxe3 Qf5 36.Kg2 Kf6 37.Qd2 is equal.

34.Qb2!?

• A better way for White to defend his pawns is 34.Re3 g5 35.hxg5 Qxg5 when:
• 36.Qb4 Qf5 37.Qb7+ Kg6 38.f4 h4 39.Re5 remains equal.
• 36.Qd1 Qf5 37.Qe2 Qg4 38.Qxg4 hxg4 39.Kg2 remains equal.

34...Rf3 35.Qb7+ Kg6 36.Kg2!?

• This move is unnecessarily passive and allows Black gain a small edge.
• 36.Qb1+ is the active move and now 36...Kf6 37.Qb8 Rxa3 38.Qf8+ Kg6 39.Qe8+ Kh7 remains equal.

BLACK: Nana Dzagnidze



WHITE: Krishnan Sasikiran
Position after 36.Kg1g2

36...Qf5!

• Black assumes a small advantage with activity on the f-file.
• 36...Kh7?! 37.Qb1+! Kg8 38.Rxe6 Qxd4 39.Qe1 Qg4 40.Re8+ gives White the initiative on the e-file.

37.Qb2

• 37.Rf1?! Qe4 38.Qxc6 Kh7 39.Kh2 Qxd4 40.Qxe6 Rxf2+ gives Black a small initiative which should net her a pawn.

37...Rb3 38.Qc1 Rd3 39.Qb1?!

• White leaves the a-pawn unprotected. This is the beginning of the end.
• If 39.Qb2 Qf3+ 40.Kg1 Rb3 41.Qc1 Rxa3 42.Rxe6+ gives Black a slim advantage, but White still has plenty of opportunities for counterplay.

39...Kh7!

• 39...Rxd4?? fails decisively against the pretty 40.Rxe6+!.

40.Qb2 Qf3+ 41.Kg1

• If 41.Kh2 Rxa3 42.Rxe6 Rd3 then:
• 43.Re1 Kg6 44.Kg1 Rb3 45.Qc2+ Qd3 46.Re6+ Kf5 White will exchange Queens and continue to fight for a daw.
• If 43.Rxc6?? then after 43...Rd1! White must part with his Queen in order to prevent mate.

41...Rxa3!

• Black gains an advanced passer.

42.Qb1+?

• In no way is this an aqequate defense.
• If 42.Qb7 Rb3 43.Qxc6 a3 44.Qa6 Rb2 45.Rf1! leaves White fighting, still hoping to make somthing out of his c-pawn.
• If 42.Qb4 Qb3 43.Qd2 Qd3 44.Qf4 Qf5 then:
• 45.Qxf5+ exf5 46.Re6 Rd3 47.Rxc6 gives White sufficient play with his passed c-pawn to present Black with difficulty winning.
• 45.Qc7? Rb3 46.Re5 Qf3 47.Re1 a3 wins for Black as it will cost White too dearly to stop the a-pawn and White cannot pass the c-pawn and mobilize it with the time it will take Black to queen.

BLACK: Nana Dzagnidze



WHITE: Krishnan Sasikiran
Position after 42.Qb2b1+

42...Rd3!

• Tis simple move secures Black's winning advantage. Black can simply take the d-pawn, giving her another passed pawn, if White moves against either the a- or e-pawn.

43.Qc2

• If 43.Rxe6 Qd1+ 44.Qxd1 Rxd1+ 45.Kg2 a3 then:
• 46.Re2 Rxd4 47.Kf3 Ra4 48.Ra2 wins for Black.
• 46.Rxc6 a2 47.Ra6 a1Q 48.Rxa1 Rxa1 clearly wins for Black.

43...a3!

• If 43...Kh8? then Black equalizes after 44.Qxa4! Rd2 45.Rf1.

44.Kh2 Kg8 45.Rb1 Kf7 46.Re1 Rb3 47.Rxe6

• White could have resigned here. There is clearly no perpetual.

47...Kxe6 48.Qg6+ Ke7 49.Qxg7+ Kd8 50.Qh8+ Kd7 51.Qg7+ Kc8 0-1

• If 52.Qg8+ then White runs out of checks after 52...Kb7 53.Qh7+ Ka6 54.Qc2 Rb2 55.Qa4+ Kb7.
• Grandmaster Sasikiran resigns.

Georgian IM Salome Melia earned her first grandmaster norm in Gibraltar. She lead all women participants in Gibraltar until the last round when she was overtaken by her compatriot, Nana Dzagnidze.



Salome Melia
Photo by karpidis in flickr (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)


Salome Melia - Giorgi Kacheishvili
Tradewise Masters, Round 7
Gibraltar, 31 January 2011

Caro-Kann Exchange Game: Panov Opening

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nf3 Bb4 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Bd2 Nc6 9.Bd3 0-0 10.0-0 Be7

• For notes on this opening, see Altounian-Kamsky, Op, Las Vegas, 2008.

11.Re1

• 11.a3 Bf6 12.Qc2 h6 13.Be3 then:
• 13...Nxc3 14.bxc3 e5 15.Rad1 exd4 16.cxd4 Bg4 17.Be4 Rc8 18.Qb1 Na5 19.h3 Bxf3 20.Bxf3 b6 21.d5 Qd6 22.Qf5 Nc4 23.Bc1 Bb2 24.Bxb2 Nxb2 25.Rc1 draw (Moiseenko-A. Volokitin, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2005).
• 13...Nce7 14.Ne4 b6 15.Rad1 Bb7 16.Qd2 Nf5 17.Bb1 Ba6 18.Rfe1 Rc8 19.Bf4 Nxf4 draw (Cobb-Wells, IT, Hereford, 2006).

11...Bf6

• If 11...Nf6 12.Bg5 b6 then:
• If 13.a3 Bb7 14.Bc2 then:
• If 14...Rc8 15.Qd3 g6 16.Rad1 Nd5 17.Bh6 Re8 18.Ba4 then:
• If 18...a6 19.Nxd5 Qxd5 then:
• 20.Qe3 Bf6 21.Bb3 Qd7 22.d5 exd5 gives White a small advantage ins space (Beliavsky-Karpov, CSKA Trud, 1986).
• 20.Bb3 Qh5 21.Qe3 Na5 22.Bf4 Bxf3 23.gxf3 Nxb3 24.Qxb3 Qf5 gives Black the advantage in space and stronger pawns (A. Maric-Ciuksyte, OlW, Calvia, 2004).
• 18...Nxc3 19.bxc3 Qd6 20.c4 Red8 21.d5 exd5 22.cxd5 Na5 23.Qe2 Bf6 24.Ng5 is equal (Safarli-Semerene, Ol, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2010).
• 14...Nd5 15.Qd3 g6 16.Bh6 Re8 17.Rad1 Nxc3 18.bxc3 Qd5 19.c4 Qh5 20.Bc1 Bf6 21.h3 Rad8 22.d5 (Larsen-Najdorf, IT, Palma de Mallorca, 1969).
• 13.Qe2 Bb7 14.Rad1 Nb4 15.Bb1 Rc8 16.Ne5 Nbd5 17.Qd3 g6 18.Qh3 Nxc3 19.bxc3 Nd5 is equal (Mikadze-Marchadour, World Jr Ch, Yerevan, 2006).

12.Nxd5

• If 12.Ne4 then:
• If 12...Nxd4 13.Nxf6+ Qxf6 14.Ng5 Nf5 15.g4 h6 16.Ne4 Qd4 17.Bc3 then:
• 17...Nxc3 18.bxc3 Qd8 19.gxf5 exf5 20.Ng3 gives White a Knight against two pawns (Bindrich-Feibig, Bundesliga 1011, Eppingen, 2010).
• 17...Qb6 18.gxf5 exf5 19.Ng3 f4? 20.Bd4! White soon won (Sulskis-Kritz, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• 12...Nce7 13.Nxf6+ Nxf6 14.Bg5 Ned5 15.Ne5 Qb6 16.Nc4 Qc7 17.Rc1 Bd7 18.Ne5 gives White more space (Godlauskas-Erenburg, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).

12...exd5

• 12...Qxd5 13.Be4 Qd6 14.Bc3 Ne7 15.Ne5 Nd5 16.Bd2 is equal (Safarli-Khotenashvili, Op, Baku, 2008).

13.Ne5 Qb6 14.Bc3 g6!?

• 14...Be6 15.Rc1 Rac8 16.Bb1 g6 17.Qf3 Bg7 18.Rcd1 Rfd8 19.Qf4 Re8 20.h3 Qc7 is equal (Safarli-Braun, World Jr Ch, Gaziantep, 2008).

15.a4! (N)

• 15.Qf3 Bg7 16.Qxd5 Be6 17.Qb5 Rfd8 18.Qxb6 draw (Plaskett-Hillarp Persson, Jersey Op, St. Helier, 2000).

BLACK: Giorgi Kacheishvili



WHITE: Salome Melia
Position after 15.a2a4

15...a5

• White has the advantage in space.
• 15...Bxe5 16.dxe5 d4 17.a5 Qc5 also gives White the advantage in space.

16.Qf3 Ne7

• 16...Bxe5 17.dxe5 d4 18.Bd2 Nb4 19.Be4 gives White a nice advantage in space.

17.Bb5

• 17.Rac1 Bg5 18.Rcd1 Be6 19.Qg3 Bf6 20.Qf4 Bg7 21.Rb1 gives White a fair advantage in space, but Black has the means to whittle it down and approach equality.

17...Kg7

• There are three ways ways of meeting the attack on the Bishop at f6. The text is direct protection. Another way is shielding the attacked piece. The third is simply to retreat the Bishop.
• If 17...Bf5 18.Rac1 then:
• 18...Bg5 19.Rcd1 Rac8 20.Qg3 Bf6 21.Qf4 Nc6 22.Nd7! Bxd7 23.Qxf6 gives White a significant advantage in space.
• If 18...Kg7 19.Qf4 h6 20.h4 then:
• 20...Rh8 21.b4! Nc6 22.bxa5 Nxa5 23.Re3 gives White a good advantage in space.
• 20...Be6 21.b4 axb4 22.Bxb4 g5 23.Qe3 gives White a healthy advantage in space with acess to open lines of attack.
• If 17...Bg7?! 18.b4 then:
• If 18...Bf5 19.bxa5 Qd6 20.Qg3 then:
• 20...Rfc8 21.Nc6 Rxc6 22.Qxd6 Rxd6 23.Rxe7 Rb8 24.Rae1 gives White a significant advantage in space and a Rook on the seventh rank.
• 20...Rfd8 21.Nxg6 Qxg6 22.Rxe7 Qxg3 23.fxg3 Rac8 24.Rf1 gives White more space and the initiative.
• 18...Qd6 19.bxa5 Be6 20.Rab1 Qa3 21.Bb4 Qxf3 22.Nxf3 gives White more space, the initiative and a pin at e7.

18.b4!?

• White may have known this move is inferior when she made it.
• If 18.Rad1 Bf5 19.b4 Qd6 20.bxa5 Rfc8 21.Qe3 Qa3 22.Rc1 gives White a weak extra pawn.

18...axb4 19.Bxb4 Qxd4?

• White's positional sacrifice on move 18 appears to have succeeded in throwing Black off balance.
• If 19...Bf5 20.Bxe7 Bxe7 21.Qxd5 then:
• If 21...Rad8 22.Nd7 Bxd7 23.Rxe7 Bxb5 24.Qe5+ then:
• 24...Kg8 25.axb5 Rxd4 26.Qe2 gives White nothing more than a slight advantage in space.
• 24...Qf6?! 25.axb5! Rxd4 26.Qxf6+ Kxf6 27.Rxb7 Ra8 28.Re1 gives White the best Rook in the field, but he is some ways from shutting down Black's counterplay.
• If 21...Be6?! then:
• 22.Nd7 Bxd7 23.Bxd7 Ra5 24.Qc4 Bf6 25.Rab1 give White a strong initiative with command of two files on the queenside.
• 22.Qe4 Rfd8 23.Rad1 Bb4 24.Re3 Qc7 25.d5 Bc5 26.Re2 gives White the initiative and a better center.

20.Qa3!

• White now has a signifant advantage in space and a powerful initiative. She seems to have no trouble converting this advantage to a victory.
• If 20.Bxe7 Bxe7 21.Rad1 Qb4 22.Qxd5 then:
• 22...Bf6 23.Rb1 Qa5 24.Rbc1 Qb6 25.Nc4 Qd4 26.Qf3 gives White only a small advatage in space.
• 22...Be6?! 23.Qxb7! Bf6 24.Nc6 Qg4 25.h3 Qh5 26.Nd4 gives White a slight initiave, plenty of space and an extra pawn.

20...Bxe5 21.Rad1 Qb2

• If 21...Qg4 then White wins after 22.f3 Qh5 23.Rxd5.

BLACK: Giorgi Kacheishvili



WHITE: Salome Melia
Position after 21...Qd4b2

22.Rxe5!!

• White sacrifices her Rook and gains a completely won position.

22...Qxe5

• 22...Qxa3 23.Bxa3 Nc6 24.Bxf8+ Kxf8 25.Rexd5 leaves White up by an exchange.

23.Bc3!

• White now wins the Queen for the low price of the Bishop.

23...d4 24.Bxd4 Qxd4 25.Rxd4

• White has a material advantage equivalent to a pawn and a winning position.

25...Nf5

• 25...Nc6 26.Bxc6 bxc6 27.Qc3 then:
• 27...Be6 28.Kf1 Ra6 29.a5 Kg8 30.g4 Rfa8 31.Ra4 g5 32.Ke2 gives White a clear advantage with a Queen against a Rook and a Bishop and the more active King.
• 27...Bf5 drops a tempo, allowing White to win quicker after 28.g4 Be6 29.Qxc6 Rfc8 30.Qb5.

26.Rd1 Kg8

• 26...h5 27.Qc3+ Kh7 28.Qc7 Ng7 29.Qe7 Ne6 30.f4 wins for White.

27.Qf3 h5

• 27...Ng7 28.Kf1 Ne6 29.Qc3 Rd8 30.Rd2 Rxd2 31.Qxd2 wins easily.

28.h3 Rb8 29.Bc4 Ng7 30.Bxf7+ 1-0

• 30...Rxf7 31.Rd8+ Kh7 32.Qxf7 Be6 33.Qf8 Black must either submit to mate or trade Rooks.
• Kacheishvili resigns.

Again, the principle writer and staff of the JR Chess Report congratulate grandmaster-elect Nadezhda Anatolyevna Kosintseva.



Nadezhda Kosintseva
Photo by Frank Hoppe in Wikimedia Commons (Public Doamin)


Viktorija Cmilyte - Nadezhda Kosintseva
Tradewise Masters, Round 4
Gibraltar, 28 January 2011

Orthodox Queen's Gambit: Nimzo-Ragozin Defense

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bg5 Nbd7 7.e3 c5

• For moves and variations up to here, see Zhao Xue-N. Kosintseva, World ChTW Rd 5, Ningbo, 2009.

8.dxc5

• If 8.Bd3 Qa5 9.Qc2 c4 10.Bf5 0-0 11.0-0 Re8 12.Nd2 g6 then:
• 13.Bxd7 Nxd7 14.Rae1 Nb6 15.f3 Bxc3 16.bxc3 Na4 17.Rc1 f6 18.Bh6 b5 is equal (Romanko-Zdebskaja, World ChTW Rd 1, Ningbo, 2009).
• If 13.Bh3 then:
• If 13...Bxc3 then:
• 14.Qxc3 Qxc3 15.bxc3 Ne4 16.Nxe4 dxe4 17.Rfb1 Nb6 18.Bxc8 Raxc8 19.a4 Nd5 20.Rxb7 Nxc3 21.a5 a6 22.Kf1 Nd5 23.Ke1 c3 24.Kd1 c2+ 25.Kd2 Rc3 is equal (Seirawan-Sosonko, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1986).
• If 14.bxc3 Ne4 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.Bxd7 Bxd7 17.Bf4 Re6 then:
• 18.d5 18...Ba4 19.Qd2 Rd8 20.d6 Qc5 is equal (Grivas-Hector, EU ChT, Haifa, 1989).
• 18.Rfb1 Qd5 19.a4 a5 20.Qb2 Bc6 is equal (Pinter-Sosonko, IT, Heninge, 1988).
• 13...Kg7 14.Rae1 Ne4 15.Ndxe4 dxe4 16.Bf4 f5 17.f3 Nf6 18.a3 Bxc3 19.bxc3 h5 20.Qf2 Bd7 21.Qg3 is equal (Grischuk-Morozevich, FIDE World Ch Trmt, Mexico City, 2007).

8...Qa5 9.Rc1 Bxc3+

• If 9...Ne4 10.Qxd5 Nxc3 11.bxc3 Bxc3+ 12.Kd1 then:
• 12...0-0 13.Bc4 Nf6 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.Ke2 b5 16.c6 gives White the active game (Kramnik-Ponomariov, Tal Mem, Moscow, 2009).
• 12...Nf6?! 13.Qc4! Bb4 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Qb5+ Bd7 16.Qxa5 Bxa5 17.Nd4 gives WHite an extra pawn and more activity for his pieces (Danner-Fletcher, Euro Club Cup, Saint Vincent, 2005).

10.bxc3 0-0 11.Be2

• If 11.Bd3 Ne4 12.0-0 Ndxc5 then:
• 13.Bb1 Na4 14.c4 Bg4 15.Qxd5 Qxd5 16.cxd5 Bxf3 17.Be7 Nec3 18.Bxf8 Bxd5 draw (Novikov-Blatny, IT, Budapest, 1991).
• 13.Be7 Nxd3 14.Qxd3 Re8 15.Bb4 Qxa2 16.Qb5 Nf6 gives Black an extra pawn and more activity for his pieces (Pulvett-Ibarra Chami, Pan-Am Jr Ch, Montevideo, 2009).

11...Ne4 12.0-0 Nxc3

• 12...Nexc5 13.Be7 Re8 14.Bxc5 Qxc5 15.c4 dxc4 16.Rxc4 Qe7 17.Qc2 gives White more active pieces now, but in the long run Black has a queenside majority (Cmilyte-Koneru, Euro Club CupW, Plovdiv, 2010).

13.Qd2 Nxe2+ 14.Qxe2 b6

BLACK: Nadezhda Kosintseva



WHITE: Viktorija Cmilyte
Position after 14...b7b6

15.c6! (N)

• White sacrifices the exchange.
• If 15.Rfd1 then:
• 15...Ba6!? 16.Qc2 Nxc5 17.Be7 Rfc8 18.Rxd5 gives White a slender advantage (Matlokov-Hammer, World Jr Ch, Chatowa, 2010).
• 15...f6! 16.c6 fxg5 17.cxd7 Bxd7 18.Rc7 Bg4 gives Black an extra pawn.

15...Ba6!

• Black accepts the exchange. Both ladies seem familiar with the Matlokov-Hammer game cited in the last note.
• 15...Nc5?! 16.Be7! Re8 17.Bxc5 bxc5 18.Qd2 Qxd2 19.Nxd2 gives White a significant advantage.

16.Qc2!

• White overprotects the c-pawn.
• Also good is 16.Qe1! Bxf1 17.Qxa5 bxa5 18.Kxf1 Nb6, giving White more activity in compensation for the exchange.

16...Bxf1 17.cxd7!

• White threatens to promote; Black must gather all her resources to prevent it.
• 17.Kxf1 Nc5 18.Be7 Rfc8 19.Nd4 Ne4 20.c7 Nc5 gives Black the exchange and White more piece activity in compensation.
• 17.Rxf1!? Nc5 18.Be7 Rfe8 19.Bxc5 bxc5 20.Qf5 h6 gives Black the exchange and more active pieces.

17...Bc4 18.Be7 b5 19.Qf5

• 19.Bxf8 Rxf8 20.Ne5 Qc7 21.Qf5 a6 22.h3 when White's active piece continue to make Black's King very uncomfortable.

19...Qb6 20.Nd4?!

• White misses a win.
• If 20.Ne5! g6 21.Qf4 f6 22.Ng4 then:
• 22...Kg7 23.e4 dxe4 24.Qxe4 Rad8 25.Bxf8+ Kxf8 26.Re1 wins for White.
• If 22...f5 23.Nh6+ Kg7 24.Qg5 Rab8 then:
• If 25.Rc2 Qe6 26.Bxf8+!! then:
• 26...Rxf8 27.d8Q Rxd8 28.Qxd8 Kxh6 29.Qf8+ Kh5 30.Qg7 gives Whit a material advantage and an active Queen.
• 26...Kxf8 27.d8Q+ Rxd8 28.Qxd8+ Kg7 29.Qg5 leaves White a Rook to the good.
• 25.Rb1 a5 26.Rb2 b4 27.Rd2 a4 28.e4 b3 29.axb3 leaves White with a material advantage and multiple threats; she wins in all variations.

20...Rfd8!?

• Both players entered the fourth round with perfect scores and neither one was interested in a draw.
• 20...Rfb8! 21.Qe5 f6 22.Qf4 Kf7 23.Nf5 Qe6 is equal.

21.Bxd8

• White has a small advantage in space and a menacing pawn at d7.

21...Rxd8 22.Qe5 Kf8 23.Nf5 Qf6 24.Qc7 g6 25.Nd6!?

• While aggression is a desirable trait in a chess play, one should temper that aggression with prudence. This move is too agreesive.
• Better is 25.Nd4! (blocking the advance of the d-pawn and cutting the long diagonal from Black's Queen) 25...Qe7 26.Qxa7 Rxd7 27.Qa8+ Kg7 28.Qa5 giving White a slight initiative.

BLACK: Nadezhda Kosintseva



WHITE: Viktorija Cmilyte
Position after 25.Nf5d6

25...Qe7!

• The game is equal.

26.Nxc4 bxc4 27.Qxa7 Qxd7 28.Qd4

• If 28.Qxd7?! Rxd7 29.Kf1 f5! (White's e-pawn is rendered incapable of undermining d5) then:
• 30.f3 Re7 31.Rd1 Rxe3 32.Rxd5 Ra3 gives Black the advantage as she will take the pawn and confine White's King to the back rank before White can do anything about it.
• 30.Ke1!? Ra7! gives Black a clear advantage.

28...Kg8 29.h4 h5

• 29...Qf5 30.e4 Qf4 31.Rxc4 Rb8 32.g3 remains equal.

30.Rb1 Qf5 31.Rb5 Qd7?!

• 31...Qc2 is both more flexible and more aggressive.
• If 31...Qc2! 32.Qb6 Rc8 33.Qb7 Qd1+ 34.Kh2 Qg4 35.Rxd5 Qxh4+ remains equal.

32.a4!

• The passed pawn must manifest its lust to expand.

32...Qc6

• Both players have problems: each ahs a passed pawn and ech needs to advance her own without allowing the other to make progress.
• 32...Kh7 33.g3 Qg4 34.Qf6 Qd7 35.Rc5 Qa7 36.Rc6 gives White more activity for her pieces.

33.Qc3?!

• Better, while White is blockading the d-pawn, is to undermine the d-pawn which supports the passer.
• If 33.e4! Rc8 34.exd5 then:
• 34...Qa6 35.d6 Qxa4 36.Rb7 Rd8 37.Rc7 Qc2 38.f4 White's back rank threats give her the overall advantage.
• 34...Qd7 35.d6 c3 36.Rb1 Qd8 37.Rc1 Rc6 38.g3 gives White and extra pawn and two passers to Black's one.

BLACK: Nadezhda Kosintseva



WHITE: Viktorija Cmilyte
Position after 33.Qd4c3

33...Ra8!

• The game is equal.
• If 33...Rc8 34.Kh2 Qa6 35.Ra5 Qd6+ 36.g3 remains equal.

34.Rb4 Qd6 35.g3 Rb8 36.Rxb8+

• The game remains equal.
• If 36.Rb2 Rxb2 37.Qxb2 Qa6 38.Qb8+ Kg7 39.Qb4 Kf6 remains equal.
• If 36.Rb5? Rxb5! 37.axb5 then:
• If 37...Qc5! 38.Qb2 c3 39.Qc2 Qa3 40.b6 then:
• If 40...Qa1+! then after 41.Kg2 Qb2 42.Qa4 Qxb6 Black wins.
• 40...Qb2? 41.b7! Qxc2 42.b8Q+ Kh7 43.Qc7 remains equal.
• 37...Qb6?! 38.Qb4 c3 39.Qxc3 Qxb5 remains equal.

36...Qxb8 37.a5 Qb3 38.Qe1?

• White retreats the Queen in order to defend the back rank, but she has better fortunes playing aggressively and pushing the pawn.
• If 38.Qe5 c3 39.Qe8+ Kg7 40.Qe5+ then:
• If 40...Kf8 41.a6 c2 42.a7 c1Q+ 43.Kg2 Qb7 then:
• 44.Qh8+ Ke7 45.a8Q Qxa8 46.Qxa8 Qc5 is equal and a very likely draw.
• 44.a8Q+ Qxa8 45.Qh8+ is equal and lifeless.
• If 40...Kh7 41.Qc7 Kg7 42.a6 c2 43.a7 then:
• 43...Qb1+ 44.Kg2 c1Q 45.Qxc1 Qxc1 46.a8Q is equal.
• 43...Qa2 44.Qxc2 Qxc2 45.a8Q is equal and a probable draw.

BLACK: Nadezhda Kosintseva



WHITE: Viktorija Cmilyte
Position after 38.Qc3e1

38...c3!

• A pawn race that White cannot win begins.

39.a6

• 39.Kg2 simply loses a tempo in the pawn race ansd now Black wins even more easily after 39...c2 40.Qd2 Qb1 41.Qc3 c1Q.

39...c2 40.a7 Qa3!

• Any attempt by White to stop the c-pawn loses the Queen.

41.Kh2 Qxa7 42.Qc3 Qa2 43.Qc8+ Kg7 44.Qc3+ Kh7 45.Qc7 Qb2 0-1

• It will cost White the Queen to stop the pawn.
• Ms. Cmilyte resigns.

The tenth annual Aeroflot Open, sponsored by the Russian airline, began today in Moscow with eighty-seven competitors in the main tournament.

In today's first-round action, defending open champion Le Quang Liem of Vietnam defeated Belarus GM Sergei Zhigalko; top seeded grandmaster Gata Kamsky of the United States took down Venezuela's Eduardo Iturrizaga; and the biggest upset of the first round saw the fifth seeded player, Russian GM Nikita Vitiugov (Elo rating of 2709), bow down after 39 moves to GM T. L. Petrosian (2604) of Armenia.

The Aeroflot is the strongest annual open event on the chess calendar. It goes nine rounds and this year will conclude Wednesday, February 16.

Defending Champ Le takes sole lead in Aeroflot Open

Defending tournament champion Le Quang Liem of Vietnam defeated Slovenian grandmaster Luka Lenic in today's third round of the tenth annual Aeroflot Open to take the sole lead with a perfect score.

Le, playing Black, won a hard fought battle in 42 moves. Le defended against Lenic's King's Pawn sortie with what at first appeared to be a Robatsch Defense, but transposed into a sharper Sicilian Dragon after six moves. Lenic had the best of until he began on his 29th move, after which the game soon became equal and soon after that the game was in Black's favor. Le uncorked a dazzling offer of a Knight on his 38th move which White could not accept and a few quick strokes later Lenic resigned in the face of devastating material loss.

Le will play White against Russo-American grandmaster Gata Kamsky in tomorrow's fouth round.


Baden-Baden lengthens lead in Bundesliga action

The team from the Ooser Schachgesellschaft of Baden-Baden took a two point leader over traditional rivals Werder Bremen after 9 rounds of the 15 round 2010/11 season the German Bundesliga.

Baden-Baden easily won both its matches last weekend in Eppingen, destroying Aue in Saturday's eighth round, 8-0, and showing no mercy to Munich on Sunday, 7½-½. Meanwhile, Bremen had no trouble in Saturday's match against Wattenscheid in Wattenscheid, taking down the home team by a convincing score of 7-1, but on Sunday they had to settle for a 4-4 tie against Emsdetten to another point behind Baden-Baden.

The current standings are here.

Rounds 10 and 11 will be played on the weekend of February 26/27.

Vietnamese grandmaster Le Quang Liem, who won last year's Aeroflot Open, is still perfect in this year's Open after defeating American GM Gata Kamsky in today's fourth round.

The game lasted only 29 moves.

Le will play Black in Round 5 tomorrow against former European Champion Evgeny Tomashevsky.