The JR Chess Report (June 5): Anand defeats Shirov in Rapid Match; Marseille Wins French ChT

Jack Rabbit

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Sun Jun-05-11 09:45 PM
Original message

The JR Chess Report (June 5): Anand defeats Shirov in Rapid Match; Marseille Wins French ChT

The JR Chess Report and Gloat-Free Scores theme music: Merrick, The Look Sharp, Be Sharp March (From a broadcast of The Gillette Cavalcade of Spots).

Anand defeats Shirov in six-gmae rapid match

Photo by Ygrek in Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

Reigning world champion Vishy Anand, long considered one of the all-time great speed chess players, defeated grandmaster Alexei Shirov of Spain in a six-game rapid match that ended today in the Spanish city of Le�n.

Anand, who held the world rapid crown for nine years, won three games with three draws and without a loss.

We will present two games from the match next week.

OTHER HEADLINES

Marseille takes French Team Championship The team from Marseille, led by GM Etienne Bacrot, won a dramatic last-round match with Clichy today to overtake Clichy and win the 2011 French team championship in Mulhouse, Alsace.

Beijing leads China League Beijng, featuring 16-year-old grandmaster Yu Yangyi, leads the China League after six round as of May 28. Three more rounds will be played in June.

Uzbek GM wins Chicago Open Grandmaster Timur Gareev of Uzbekistan won the 2011 Chicago Open, held over Memorial Day weekend.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

Biel Chess Festival 18-29 July.
Sparkassen Chess Meeting, Dortmund 21-31 July.

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Jack Rabbit

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Sun Jun-05-11 09:48 PM
Response to Original message

1. This week's games

Your humble hare acknowledges the assistance of Rybka 4 and Fritz 6.0 on analysis.

Diagrams on the Jack Rabbit Chess Report are made with Aquarium, a commercially available interface for Rybka.

Diagrams and other images are hosted on imgur.com.

BLACK

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

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

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Jack Rabbit

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Sun Jun-05-11 09:50 PM
Response to Reply #1

2. French Team Chapionship, Mulhouse

Temple Saint Etienne, Place R�union, Mulhouse, Alsace, France
Photo by Jip�to in Wikipedia (Public Domain)

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Jack Rabbit

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Sun Jun-05-11 09:55 PM
Response to Reply #2

5. Bacrot - David, Round 3

Edited on Sun Jun-05-11 10:05 PM by Jack Rabbit

Etienne Bacrot
Photo by Stefan64 from Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

Etienne Bacrot (Marseille) - Alberto David (Lut�ce)
French Team Championship, Round 3/Board 2
Mulhouse, 28 May 2011

East India Game: Nimzo-Indian Defense (Rubinstein Opening/Bronstein Variation)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3

The usual move order is 4.e3 when:

(Bronstein Variation) If 4...b6 5.Bd3 Bb7 6.Nf3 transposing into the text.
(H�bner Variation) If 4...c5 5.Nge2 cxd4 6.exd4 then:

If 6...0-0 7.a3 Be7 8.d5 exd5 9.cxd5 then:

If 9...Re8 10.d6 Bf8 11.g3 then:

If 11...b6 12.Bg2 Nc6 then:

13.b4 Bb7 14.0-0 Rb8 15.Nb5 Ba6 16.Nec3 Re5 17.a4 Re6 18.Bg5 h6 is equal (M. Gurevich-Kengis, Soviet Ch �-final, Lvov, 1984).
13.0-0 Ba6 14.a4 Rc8 15.Nb5 Bxb5 16.axb5 Na5 17.Nc3 g6 18.b4 Rxc3 19.bxa5 gives White a small advantage in space (Shulman-Tunik, Op, Pardubice, 1996).

11...Re6 12.Bf4 Nh5 13.Be3 Rxd6 14.Qc2 Re6 15.Bg2 Nc6 16.0-0 Nf6 17.Rad1 d6 18.Nd4 Nxd4 19.Bxd4 a6 20.Rc1 Rb8 draw (Brodsky-Kiriakov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2005).

If 9...a5 10.a3 Bxc3 11.Nxc3 a4 12.Bd3 then:

12...b6 13.cxb6 Qxb6 14.Bc2 Bd7 15.0-0 0-0 16.Rfe1 g6 17.Re3 Nc6 18.Rd1 Na5 19.Rh3 f5 20.Bxa4 wins a pawn for White (M. Socko-Mkrtchian, FIDE Knock Out W, Elista, 2004).
12...Bd7 13.0-0 Nc6 14.Bc2 Ne7 15.Rae1 0-0 16.Qd1 gives White the advantage in space (Knaak-Hall, Bundesliga 9899, Germany, 1999).

9...b6 10.a3 Bxc3 11.Nxc3 bxc5 12.dxc5 a5 13.Bb5+ Bd7 14.0-0 a4 15.Bxd7+ Qxd7 16.f4 Qe7 17.f5 0-0 is equal (Bu Xiangzhi-Shaposhnikov, World Jr Ch, Athens, 2001).
If 9...Bc5 then:

If 10.Na4 b6 11.b4 Bd6 12.Nec3 Be5 then:

13.Be2 Ba6 14.Ra2 Qc7 15.Rc2 Bxc3+ 16.Nxc3 Bxe2 17.Nxe2 Qe5 18.0-0 Qxd5 19.Rd2 Qf5 is equal (Shulman-Khalifman, World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2005).
13.Be3 Re8 14.Be2 Ba6 15.Rc1 Bxe2 16.Qxe2 d6 is equal (Shulman-Ulibin, Op, Goteborg, 1999).

10.b4 Bd6 11.g3 Re8 12.Bg2 a5 13.bxa5 Be5 14.0-0 Qxa5 is equal (Muir-Rowson, Op, Gibraltar, 2004).

If 6...d5 then:

If 7.c5 Ne4 8.Bd2 Nxd2 9.Qxd2 then:

If 7.a3 Be7 then:

If 8.Nf4 0-0 9.cxd5 Nxd5 10.Ncxd5 exd5 11.Bd3 Nc6 12.0-0 then:

12...Bf6 13.Be3 g6 14.Rc1 Qd6 15.Rc5 Be6 16.Nxe6 fxe6 17.Qg4 Rad8 18.Rfc1 Bg7 19.g3 draw (Arutinian-Gelashvili, Georgian Ch, Tbilisi, 2006).
12...Bg5 13.Re1 Qd6 14.g3 Bd7 15.h4 Bf6 16.Be3 g6 17.Rc1 Ne7 18.Qb3 is equal (S. Ivanov-S. Ionov, City Ch, St. Petersburg, 2001).

If 8.c5 b6 9.b4 0-0 10.g3 then:

If 10...bxc5 11.dxc5 a5 12.Rb1 Nc6 13.Bg2 Rb8 then:

14.Bf4 axb4 15.Bxb8 bxc3 16.Qa4 Nxb8 17.Rxb8 Nd7 18.Ra8 Nxc5 gives Black the initiative (Salov-M. Gurevich, Soviet Ch, Leningrad, 1987).
14.Nd4 Nxd4 15.Qxd4 Nd7 16.0-0 Ba6 17.Rd1 Bf6 is equal (Marin-Portisch, IT, Szirak, 1987).

10...a5 11.Rb1 axb4 12.axb4 bxc5 13.dxc5 Nc6 14.Bg2 Rb8 15.Ba3 Ba6 16.0-0 Bc4 17.Re1 Qc7 18.Nd4 Rfd8 19.Nxc6 Qxc6

(Main Line) If 4...0-0 then:

If 5.Bd3 then:

If 5...d5 6.Nf3 c5 7.0-0 dxc4 8.Bxc4 then:

If 8...Nbd7 then:

If 9.Qe2 then:

If 9...a6 then:

If 10.a4 then:

If 10...cxd4 11.exd4 Nb6 then:

If 12.Bd3 Nbd5 then:

If 13.Nxd5 then:

13...Nxd5 14.Qe4 g6 15.Bh6 Re8 16.Ne5 wih a small advantage in space for White (Grischuk-Gelfand, IT, Linares, 2010).
13...exd5 14.Bg5 Qd6 15.Ne5 Ne4 16.Bf4 is equal (Ivanchuk-Speelman, World Cup, Reykjavik, 1991).

13.Bg5 Be7 14.Rfe1 Nb4 15.Bc4 Nfd5 16.Bxe7 Nxe7 17.Ne5 Nf5 18.Rad1 gives White the advantage in space (Korchnoi-Shamkovich, IT, Leningrad, 1967).

12.Bb3 Nbd5 13.Bd2 Re8 14.Qd3 Be7 15.Nxd5 exd5 16.Ne5 g6 17.Qf3 Be6 draw (O'Kelly-Smyslov, Argentine Ch, Buenos Aires, 1970).

10...Qc7 11.Na2 b5 12.Bd3 Ba5 13.axb5 axb5 14.Bxb5 Bb7 15.Rd1 Rab8 16.dxc5 Bxf3 17.gxf3 Nxc5 18.b4 Nb3 19.Rb1 gives White an extra pawn (Portisch-Balashov, ITZ, Rio de Janeiro, 1979).

If 10.a3 Ba5 11.Bd3 b5 then:

If 12.b4 cxb4 13.axb4 Bxb4 14.Nxb5 Bb7 15.Rb1 Be7 16.Nc3 Bxf3 17.Qxf3 gives White the advantage in space (Schreen-Korchnoi, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1983).
If 12.Rd1 Bb7 13.e4 cxd4 14.Nxd4 Qc7 15.Bg5 Bb6 16.Bc2 Rac8 is equal (A. Rodr�guez-Polugaevsky, Capablanca Mem, Havana, 1967).

If 9...b6 then:

If 10.d5 Bxc3 11.dxe6 Ne5 12.exf7+ Kh8 13.bxc3 Bg4 14.e4 Qe7 15.Re1 b5 16.Bxb5 Nh5 17.Bg5 Qe6 18.Qe3 Bxf3 19.gxf3 Qxf7 20.Be2 h6 21.f4 Nxf4 22.Bxf4 Qxf4 23.Rad1 Rae8 24.Rd5 c4 25.Rf1 Nf3+ 26.Bxf3 Qxf3 27.Rd4 Qg4+ 28.Qg3 gives White an extra pawn, but Black's pieces are more active in compensation (Gligoric-Jelen, IT, Bled, 1979).
If 10.Rd1 cxd4 11.exd4 Bb7 12.d5 Bxc3 13.dxe6 Bxf3 14.gxf3 fxe6 15.bxc3 Qc7 16.Bxe6+ Kh8 17.Be3 Nc5 18.Bd5 Nxd5 19.Rxd5 Ne6 20.Qd3 Rad8 is equal (Gligoric-Unzicker, Ol, Leipzig, 1960).

If 9.a3 cxd4 then:

If 10.axb4 dxc3 11.bxc3 Qc7 12.Qb3 Nb6 13.Be2 e5 14.Ra5 Be6 15.Qc2 Nbd7 16.c4 b6 17.Ra6 Rfc8 18.Nd2 Qb7 19.b5 Nc5 20.Ra1 a6 21.bxa6 Rxa6 22.Bb2 Rxa1 draw (Johannesson-Chandler, Jonsson Mem, Reykjavik, 2001).
If 10.exd4 Bxc3 11.bxc3 Qc7 12.Qe2 b6 13.Bd2 Bb7 14.Bd3 Rfe8 15.Rfe1 Rac8 16.Rac1 Qd6 is equal (Kottahachchy -Nguyen Van Thanh, World Youth, Vang Tau, 2008).

If 8...Nc6 9.a3 Ba5 then:

If 10.Qd3 a6 11.Rd1 b5 12.Ba2 Bb6 13.h3 c4 14.Qe2 Qc7 15.e4 e5 16.Be3 exd4 17.Nxd4 Nxd4 18.Bxd4 Bxd4 19.Rxd4 Be6 20.Rad1 Rad8 21.Qd2 is equal (Portisch-Smyslov, IT, Amsterdam, 1971).
If 10.Bd3 cxd4 11.exd4 Bb6 12.Be3 Nd5 13.Nxd5 exd5 14.h3 Qd6 15.Re1 Bc7 16.Rc1 Be6 17.Bb1 Rac8 18.Rc3 Bd7 19.Bd3 draw (Gligoric-Polugaevsky, ITZ, Palma de Mallorca, 1970).

If 5.Nge2 d5 6.a3 then:

If 6...Be7 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Qc2 Nd7 9.Bd2 N5f6 10.g3 e5 11.Bg2 exd4 12.Nxd4 Ne5 13.0-0 c5 14.Nf5 Bxf5 15.Qxf5 Qxd2 16.Qxe5 Bd6 is equal (Aronian-Gelfand, Spanish ChT, M�rida, 2005).
If 6...Bxc3+ 7.Nxc3 b6 8.Be2 Ba6 9.b3 Nc6 10.a4 dxc4 11.bxc4 Qd7 12.Nb5 Na5 13.0-0 c6 14.Na3 c5 15.Bb2 Rfd8 16.dxc5 Qe7 17.Qc2 Qxc5 18.Rfd1 Bb7 is equal (Aleksandrov-Akopian, FIDE Knock Out, New Delhi, 2000).

4...b6

If 4...c5 then:

If 5.g3 then:

If 5...cxd4 6.Nxd4 0-0 7.Bg2 d5 8.cxd5 Nxd5 then:

If 9.Qb3 Nc6 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.0-0 then:

If 11...Qa5 12.Bd2 Bxc3 13.bxc3 Ba6 14.Rfd1 then:

If 14...Qc5 15.e4 then:

If 15...Bc4 16.Qa4 Nb6 17.Qb4 Qh5 18.Bf4 then:

If 18...c5 then:

If 19.Qb2 Rad8 20.Rxd8 Rxd8 21.f3 f5 22.exf5 Qxf5 is equal (Bacrot-Carlsen, IT, Biel, 2008 ).
19.Qa5 Rfc8 20.h3 f6 21.Be3 e5 is equal (Cheparinov-Karjakin, Grand Prix, Baku, 2008).

18...e5 19.Be3 Be2 20.Re1 Nc4 21.Qc5 Rfd8 22.Rab1 h6 23.h3 Nxe3 24.Qxe3 Bc4 is equal (Najer-Jakovenko, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2006).

If 15...Nb6 16.Be3 Qh5 17.Bxb6 Rfb8 then:

18.Rd6 Rxb6 19.Qd1 Qxd1+ 20.Raxd1 g5 gives White a little bit mor more space, command of the d-file and the initiative (Onischuk-Zantonskih, GMT, Stillwater, 2005).
18.Rd7 axb6 19.e5 Bb5 20.c4 Ba4 21.Qe3 gives White a great deal more space, command of the d-file and the seventh rank and the initiative.
14...Rab8 15.c4 Qc5 16.cxd5 Rxb3 17.axb3 Bxe2 18.Re1 cxd5 19.Rxe2 Qb6 20.b4 Rc8 21.Be1 is equal (Nielsen-Savon, Op, Pardubice, 1995).

11...Rb8 12.Na4 Ba6 13.Qc2 Bb5 14.Bf3 Qe7 15.Nc3 Qc5 16.Bd2 Nxc3 17.Bxc3 is equal (Onischuk-Christiansen, US Ch, St. Louis, 2011).

If 9.Bd2 then:

If 9...Bxc3 10.bxc3 e5 11.Nb3 Nc6 12.0-0 Nde7 13.c4 Qc7 14.Qc2 Rd8 15.Rac1 Bf5 16.Qb2 Rac8 17.Bc3 then:

17...b6 18.c5 f6 19.cxb6 axb6 20.Bd2 Be6 21.Bc3 Bf5 22.Bd2 Be6 23.Bc3 Bf5 draw (Razuvaev-Balashov, Soviet Ch, Minsk, 1979).
17...f6 18.Rfe1 b6 19.a4 Be6 20.c5 Bd5 21.e4 Be6 gives Black a small advantage in space (Stocek-Zorko, Op, Nova Gorica, 2004).

If 9...Nxc3 10.bxc3 Be7 11.Rb1 then:

If 11...e5 12.Rxb7 exd4 13.Rb3 then:

13...Be6 14.Bxa8 Na6 15.Bf3 Bxb3 16.Qxb3 d3 17.Qc4 Nc5 18.0-0 gives White an extra pawn and a great deal more space (Kasparov-Anand, Blitz, Wijk aan Zee, 1999).

11...Qd7 12.Bf4 Bf6 13.Nb5 a6 14.Qxd7 Nxd7 15.Nd6 Bxc3+ 16.Kf1 Bf6 is equal (Stohl-Aronian, Vidmar Mem, Portoroz, 1999).

13...Na6 14.Bxa8 Bh3 15.Bf3 Nc5 16.Rb4 Nd3+ 17.exd3 Bxb4 18.cxb4 Re8+ 19.Be4 f5 20.f3 fxe4 21.dxe4 gives White two extra pawns; Black have more space (Staniszewski-Suba, ZT, Warsaw, 1987).

If 5...Nc6 6.Bg2 Ne4 7.Bd2 then:

If 7...Nxd2 8.Qxd2 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Ne5 then:

If 10.Nc2 Be7 then:

If 11.b3 0-0 then:

If 12.0-0 a6 13.Rfd1 then:

13...Qc7 14.Rac1 d6 15.Nd4 Bd7 16.f4 Ng4 17.h3 Nf6 18.g4 is equal (Wang Yue-Z. Almasi, IT, Paks, 2006).
13...Rb8 14.Rac1 b5 15.Qe3 Qc7 16.cxb5 Ng4 17.Qd2 axb5 18.Nd5 exd5 19.Ne3! gives White stronger pawns and the initiative; Black cannot maintain his foremost d-pawn (Sandipan-Bindrich, Masters, Gibraltar, 2010).

12.Rd1 d6 13.Nb5 Qb6 14.0-0 d5 15.Qe3 Qxe3 16.Nxe3 dxc4 17.Nxc4 Nxc4 18.bxc4 Bc5 19.Rd3 Rb8 20.Rb1 g6 21.a4 a5 22.Rbd1 draw (Carlsen-Iordachescu, Op, Dubai, 2004).

11.Ne3 f5 12.0-0 a6 13.Kh1 0-0 14.f4 Nf7 15.Nc2 Qc7 16.b3 Rb8 is equal (Karpov-Suba, World ChT, Lucerne, 1985).

If 10.Nf3 Nxf3+ 11.Bxf3 0-0 then:

12.Rc1 a6 13.0-0 Qc7 14.Rfd1 Rd8 15.Qg5 h6 16.Qh4 gives White a significant advantage in space and development (Inarkiev-Khismatullin, Russian Ch, Tomsk, 2006).
12.0-0 Rb8 13.a3 Bxc3 14.Qxc3 b6 15.Rfd1 Bb7 16.Rd4 f5 17.Rad1 gives White a strong initiative (Moiseenko-Parligras, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).

If 7...Bxc3 8.bxc3 0-0 9.0-0 then:

If 9...Na5 10.Bf4 d5 11.cxd5 Nxc3 12.Qd3 then:

12...cxd4 13.dxe6 Bxe6 14.Ng5 g6 15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.e3 Nc6 gives White an extra pawn (World Rpd Ch, Mainz, 2007).
12...Nxd5 13.Bg5 f6 14.Bd2 c4 15.Qa3 Nc6 16.Qc5 Nb6 is equal (Grischuk-Amin, World ChT, Bursa, 2010).

9...d6 10.Be3 d5 11.Qc2 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Bd7 13.Rfd1 Qc8 14.Nb5 Nf6 15.Rab1 gives White more space and the Bishop pair; Black has superior pawn structure (Radjabov-Gashimov, Euro Club Cup, Kallithea, 2008).

5.e3 0-0 6.Bd3 d5 7.0-0 transposes into the Main Line in the notes to White's fourth move.
If 5.d5 d6 6.Bd2 0-0 7.e3 then:

7...Bxc3 8.Bxc3 Ne4 9.dxe6 Bxe6 10.Qc2 Nxc3 11.Qxc3 Nc6 12.Rd1 Qe7 13.Be2 draw (Navarovszky-Filip, Rubinstein Mem, Polanica Zdroj, 1976).
7...exd5 8.Nxd5 Nxd5 9.cxd5 Bxd2+ 10.Nxd2 Nd7 11.Be2 Nf6 12.Bf3 b5 13.0-0 Bb7 14.Qb3 Qb6 is equal (Pachman-Kholmov, Capablanca Mem, Havana. 1965).

4...d5 5.Bg5 is treated as the Orothodx Queen's Gambit: Nimzo-Ragozin Defense. See Zhao Xue-N. Kosintseva, World ChTW Rd 5, Ningbo, 2009.

5.e3 Bb7 6.Bd3 0-0

If 6...Ne4 7.0-0 then:

If 7...f5 8.Qc2 Bxc3 9.bxc3 0-0 10.Nd2 Qh4 11.f3 Nxd2 12.Bxd2 Nc6 then:

If 13.Rab1 d6 14.e4 fxe4 15.Bxe4 Na5 16.Bxb7 Nxb7 17.Rbe1 Rae8 then:

18.Re4 Qh5 19.Rfe1 Qg6 is equal (Banikas-Whippermann, Op, Gibraltar, 2008).
18.Qa4 Na5 19.f4 Qh5 20.Rf3 e5 21.dxe5 dxe5 22.f5 Rd8 gives Black the initiative (I. Sokolov-C. Hansen, Ol, Novi Sad, 1990).

13.e4 fxe4 14.Bxe4 Na5 then:

15.Bd3 Ba6 16.Be1 Qh6 17.Qe2 c6 18.Bd2 Qf6 is equal (Portisch-Nikolic, IT, Niksic, 1983).
15.Rae1 Bxe4 16.Rxe4 Qh5 17.Qa4 Nxc4 18.Re2 b5 gives Black an extra pawn and a fierce initiative (Rabinovich-Alekhine, Russian Ch, Moscow, 1920).

7...Bxc3 8.bxc3 0-0 9.Ne1 f5 10.f3 Nf6 then:

11.Qe2 d6 12.e4 fxe4 13.fxe4 e5 14.Nf3 Nc6 15.Bg5 Qe7 16.d5 Na5 is equal (Johansson-Ptacnikova, Euro Club Cup W, Rethymnon, 2003).
11.Nc2 Qe8 12.Ba3 d6 13.c5 dxc5 14.dxc5 Rf7 15.Nd4 bxc5 16.Bxc5 Ba6 17.Rb1 Bxd3 18.Qxd3 Nbd7 19.Qc4 Nd5 20.Ne2 N7b6 draw (Gligoric-Lehmann, Zonal Trmt, Madrid, 1960).

7.0-0 c5

If 7...d5 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Ne5 then:

If 9...Nbd7 10.f4 c5 11.Bd2 Ne4 then:

If 12.Nxe4 dxe4 13.Bc4 Bxd2 14.Qxd2 Nxe5 15.fxe5 Bd5 16.Ba6 then:

16...Qe7 17.dxc5 Qxe5 18.Rfd1 Bc6 is equal (Sadler-Polugaevsky, IT, Hastings, 1992-93).
16...Qg5 17.dxc5 Rfd8 18.Qc3 bxc5 19.Rfd1 Qg6 is equal (Donner-Tarjan, Ol, Haifa, 1976).

12.Be1 Nxe5 13.dxe5 Bxc3 14.bxc3 d4 15.Qc2 c4 16.Bxc4 dxe3 17.Rd1 Qc7 draw (Konstaninopolsky-Sokolsky, Soviet Corres Ch, 1952).

If 9...c5 10.Bd2 Nc6 11.a3 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 then:

12...Re8 13.Nxc6 Bxc6 14.dxc5 bxc5 15.b4 d4 16.exd4 cxd4 17.Bb2 Qd5 18.f3 Ng4 19.Qd2 Ne3 is equal (Gligoric-Ljubojevic, Match, Belgrade, 1979).
12...Nxe5 13.dxe5 Ne4 14.Bxe4 dxe4 15.Qg4 Qe7 16.Rfd1 Qe6 17.Qh4 Bd5 18.Rd2 a5 19.a4 Rab8 20.h3 Rb7 draw (Donner-Petrosian, IT, Hamburg, 1965).

If 9...Bd6 10.f4 c5 11.Qf3 Nc6 12.Qh3 g6 then:

If 13.Kh1 a6 14.Bd2 then:

14...cxd4 15.Nxc6 Bxc6 16.exd4 b5 17.f5 b4 is equal (Estremera-Romanov, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
14...b5 15.Rad1 cxd4 16.Nxc6 Bxc6 17.exd4 b4 18.Ne2 Bb5 19.f5 Bxd3 20.Qxd3 Ne4 21.Bf4 draw (Sadler-Korchnoi, IT, Tilburg, 1988).

13.Bd2 cxd4 14.Nxc6 Bxc6 15.exd4 Ne4 16.Bxe4 dxe4 17.f5 Bc5 is equal (Cherepkov-Korchnoi, IT, Leningrad, 1963).

8.Na4 cxd4 9.exd4 Re8

9...Be7 10.Re1 d6 11.Nc3 Nbd7 12.Bg5 Re8 13.Rc1 Rc8 14.b3 d5 15.Qe2 Ba6 16.Nb5 gives White a small advantage overall with more space, but Black has opportunities to disfigure White's pawns, such as 16...Bxb5, as was played in the game (Gufeld-Vladimirov, Russian Revolution 50th Anniversary, Leningrad, 1967).

10.Bg5

10.a3 Bf8 11.b4 d6 12.Re1 Nbd7 13.Bb2 g6 14.Bf1 Bg7 15.Rc1 Rc8 16.Qb3 is equal (Gajewski-Babula, Euro ChT, Novi Sad, 2009).

10...h6 11.Bh4 Be7

If 11...Bxf3 12.Qxf3 Nc6 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Qxf6 gxf6 then:

If 15.d5 Ne5 16.Be2 Rac8 17.a3 Bf8 18.Rac1 Ng6 19.dxe6 dxe6 20.Rfd1 then:

20...Ne5 21.b4 Red8 22.Rxd8 Rxd8 23.Kf1 Rd2 24.Nc3 gives Black more space; White has healthier pawns and a queenside majority (Gligoric-Kaplan, Op, Lone Pine, 1979).
20...Red8 21.Rxd8 Rxd8 22.Kf1 f5 23.g3 Ne5 24.b4 gives Black more space; White has healthier pawns and a queenside majority (V. Georgiev-Mikhalchishin, Ol, Bled, 2002).

15.Be4 f5 16.Bxc6 dxc6 17.Nc3 Rad8 18.Rad1 Rd7 is equal (Visier Segovia-Portisch, IT, Las Palmas, 1972).

12.Re1 d6 13.Rc1 (N)

13.Nc3 Nbd7 14.Qe2 Nh5 15.Bxe7 Rxe7 16.Qe3 Nhf6 17.b4 Re8 18.Rad1 a6 19.Nd2 d5 draw (Gligoric-Portisch, IT, Niksic, 1978).

13...Nbd7

White has a small advantage. He has more space, but Black's "little center" will make it hard to exploit.

14.Nd2

14.b4 Rc8 15.Nc3 a6 16.a3 continues to give White a small advantage.

14...e5!

Black will fight for a fair share of the center.

15.Nc3!?

15.dxe5 Nxe5 16.Bf5 Bc8 17.Bb1 Be6 18.f4 Nc6 continues to give White a small advantage in space.

BLACK: Alberto David

WHITE: Etienne Bacrot
Position after 15.Na4c3

15...exd4!

Black turns the tables and takes a small advantage in space.

16.Nb5 Ne5 17.Nb3

If 17.Bf5 d3 18.f4 Ng6 then:

If 19.Bxg6 fxg6 20.Qb3 d5 then:

If 21.Qxd3 dxc4 22.Qxd8 Raxd8 23.Nxc4 g5 then:

24.Bf2 Ne4 25.Nc7 Nxf2 26.Nxe8 Bc5 gives Black a significant advantage in space in compensation for the exchange.
If 24.fxg5 Ne4 then:

25.Nc3 Bc5+ 26.Kh1 Bb4 27.a3 Bxc3 28.bxc3 Rc8 gives Black a small advantage in space in compensation for the pawn.
If 25.Bg3 Bc5+ 26.Kh1 then:

If 26...hxg5! then after 27.a3 a6 28.Rxe4 Rxe4 29.Nbd6 Rd4 Black wins.
26...Bb4!? 27.Red1 a6 28.Nbd6 Bxd6 29.Nxd6 Nxd6 leaves White no way to prevent 30...Rd2!.

21.Bxf6 Bxf6 22.Qxd3 Rxe1+ 23.Rxe1 dxc4 24.Qxc4+ Bd5 gives White more space but Black has the Bishop pair and the initiative against two Knights.

If 19.Bg3?! d5! then:

20.Bxd3 dxc4 21.Bxc4 Bc5+ 22.Kh1 Rxe1+ 23.Qxe1 a6 gives Black the initiative.
20.Qf3 Bc5+ 21.Kh1 Ne7 22.Qxd3 a6 23.Nc3 d4 gives Black the initiative and a passed pawn.

17...Nfg4

Black leads with his minor pieces and leans into White's kingside, where there fewer defenders.
An alternate plan, not as strong as the text, is to give the Queen more scope: 17...Qd7 18.Bg3 Rac8 19.Bxe5 dxe5 20.Rxe5 then:

20...Bc5! 21.Rxe8+ Rxe8 22.Nxc5 bxc5 gives Black a fair advantage in space.
If 20...a6?! 21.N5xd4! g6 then:

22.Re2 Qg4 23.f3 Qh5 24.Qd2 Bd6 25.g3 gives Black only a slight advantage.
22.Rc2 Bd6 23.Rxe8+ Rxe8 24.Be2 gives Black only a slight advantage.

18.Bg3 Bg5 19.f4 Nxd3 20.Qxd3

20.Rxe8+ Qxe8 21.Qxd3 Bf6 22.Re1 Qc6 23.Re2 Ba6 gives Black a fair advantage.

20...Bf6 21.N5xd4 Rc8!?

Black misses a chances to take a greater advantage.
If 21...Rxe1+! 22.Rxe1 when:

22...d5 23.c5 bxc5 24.Nxc5 Qb6 gives Black a strong attack against White's centralized pieces.
22...Rc8 23.Nf5 d5 24.Qf3 dxc4 25.Qxb7 cxb3 26.axb3 gives Black stronger pawns and more space.

22.h3?!

White keeps the game level by driving away Black's pesky Knight.
If 22.Rxe8+! Qxe8 23.Re1 then:

23...Qa4! 24.Nf5! h5 25.h3 Nh6 then:

26.Nxh6+! gxh6 27.Qxd6 is equal.
If 26.Nxd6!? Rd8 27.f5 Qxa2 28.Qc2 then:

If 28...Qxb2! 29.Qxb2 Bxb2 then:

30.Nxb7 30...Rd3 31.Bf4 Rxb3 32.Bxh6 gxh6 33.Nd6 a5 gives Black a significant advantage in the passed a-pawn.
30.Rb1? Rxd6! 31.Rxb2 Rd1+ 32.Kf2 Nxf5 leaves Black two pawns to the ood and winning.

28...Bc8!? 29.Be5 Bxe5 30.Rxe5 Rxd6 31.Re8+ Kh7 is equal.

If 23...Qd8! 24.Nf5 d5 25.Qf3 dxc4 gives Black an extra pawn.

22...Ne5!

Black holds a small advantage.
22...Rxe1+!? 23.Rxe1! d5 24.Qf3 Bxd4+ 25.Nxd4 Nf6 is equal.

23.Qf1 Ng6 24.Nb5?!

White commits a critical error just when he had fought his way into tne game.
If 24.Rxe8+ then after 24...Qxe8 25.Nb5 Rd8 26.Rd1 Qc6 27.Nxa7 Qa4 ]Black continues to hold only a small advantage.

24...Rxe1!

Black will fiddle the tune for a few moves.

25.Rxe1 Bh4

There is now way out for White's Bishop.
The text is better than 25...Bxb2!? 26.Rd1! d5 27.f5 Ne5 28.cxd5 when:

28...Ba6 29.Qe2 Qg5 then:

30.Bxe5 Bxe5 31.Qxe5 Bxb5 32.Rd4 Re8 33.Qf4 Qf6 gives Black command of the e-file, but White has chances for counterplay with his passed pawn.
If 30.Kh2?! Bxb5! then:

If 31.Qxb2 Nc4 32.Qc2 Bd7 33.Qe4 Bxf5 gives Black an extra pawn.
If 31.Qxb5 Nf3+!! 32.gxf3 Rc2+ then:

33.Rd2 Rxd2+ 34.Nxd2 Qxd2+ 35.Kh1 Bd4 gives Black serious threats against the White King.
33.Nd2 Rxd2+ 34.Rxd2 Qxd2+ transposes.

If 28...a6?! 29.Qe2 then:

If 29...axb5 30.Qxb2 Nd7 31.Qe2 Rc4 gives White a small advantage.
If 29...Nc4 30.d6 then:

30...axb5 31.d7 Kh7 32.dxc8Q Qxc8 33.Qc2 gives White a material advantage and a tactical edge.
30...Qd7 31.Nc7 Be5 32.Bxe5 Nxe5 33.Qxe5 Rxc7 34.Rd3 gives White a strong advantage with a menacing advanced passer.

26.Bxh4

If 26.Re3 Bxg3 27.Rxg3 Qf6 then:

If 28.f5 then after 28...Ne7 29.Rc3 d5 30.cxd5 Bxd5 31.Rxc8+ Nxc8 Black will win a pawn.
28.Rd3? Rxc4! 29.Nxd6 Rxf4 30.Qe1 Bc6 31.Ne8 Qg5 gives Black a winning position.

26...Nxh4 27.Re2 Rxc4?!

Black think he's won and is now launching an attack, but he's just thown away his advantage.
If 27...a6! then:

If 28.Na3 Qf6 29.Nb1 d5 30.cxd5 Bxd5 then:

31.Rf2 Bxb3 32.axb3 Qd4 33.Nc3 b5 34.Qd1 Nf5 leaves Black with strength in the center and stronger pawns.
31.Rd2 Bc4 32.Qc1 Qe6! 33.Nc3 Bxb3 34.axb3 Qe3+ gives Black a clear advantage.

If 28.N5d4 Rxc4 29.g3 Ng6 then:

30.Rd2 Ra4 31.Nf5 d5 32.a3 Ne7 33.Nfd4 Bc8 gives Black an extra pawn, which is a passed pawn in the center.
30.Nf5 Ra4 31.Qb1 Qd7 32.Nbd4 Rc4 33.b3 Rc5 give Black an extra pawn and command of the c-file and the long diagonal against White's centralized Knights and command of the e-file.

BLACK: Alberto David

WHITE: Etienne Bacrot
Position after 27...Rc8c4:p

28.Nxd6!!

The sham sacrifice is a fine tactical stroke.

28...Qxd6

28...Bxg2 29.Qb1 Rxf4 30.Re8+! Qxe8 31.Nxe8 Bc6 32.Qc1 is equal.

29.Re8+ Kh7 30.Qxc4 Bxg2 31.Kf2

The game is equal.

31...Bc6 32.Re3

32.Rc8 Bd5 33.Qd3+ Ng6 34.Rc4 remains equal.

32...Nf5 33.Re5

White retains a small advantage overall.
If 33.Rd3!? Qg6! 34.Nd2 a6 35.Qxa6 then:

35...Nd4! 36.Rg3 Qf6 37.Qd3+ g6 38.Ke1 Nf5 gives Black a slight advantage in space and the initiative.
35...Qg2+ 36.Ke1 Nd4 37.Rxd4 Qg1+ 38.Ke2 Qxd4 is equal.

33...b5?

Black falls asleep at the wheel.
Correct is 33...Nh4! 34.Qxf7 Qd3 35.Re3 Qc2+ 36.Re2 Qd3 then:

37.Qe6 Qf3+ 38.Ke1 Bb5 39.Qe4+ Kg8 40.Qxf3 Nxf3+ is equal.
If 37.Qe7 Qf3+! 38.Ke1 Qxf4 then:

39.Nd2 Ng2+ 40.Kd1 Qd4 is equal.
If 39.Qxa7?! Ng2+! 40.Kd1 Bf3 41.Qd7 Ne3+ then:

If 42.Kd2 Ng4+ then:

If 43.Kc3 Bxe2 44.hxg4 Qc4+ 45.Kd2 then:

45...Bxg4 46.Qd4 Qxd4+ 47.Nxd4 g5 gives Black excellent winning chances with two connected passed pawns.
45...Qxg4!? 46.Qd6 Bc4 47.Qxb6 Qe2+ 48.Kc3 Qd3+ 49.Kb4 gives Black a huge advantage in the connected passers on the kingside.

43.Ke1? Bxe2! 44.Qd4 Qf1+ 45.Kd2 Nf6 leaves Black with an extra piece.

42.Ke1? Qg3+! 43.Kd2 Nc4+ 44.Kd1 Qg1+ 45.Kc2 Bxe2 leaves Black with an extra piece.

BLACK: Alberto David

WHITE: Etienne Bacrot
Position after 33...b6b5

34.Qxf7!

White must win a piece.

34...Bd7

34...Qg6 35.Qxg6+ Kxg6 36.Re6+ wins the Bishop.

35.Rxf5 Be6 36.Qf8 Qd3 37.Re5 1-0

White remains a Rook to the good.
Herr David resigns.

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Jack Rabbit

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Sun Jun-05-11 09:56 PM
Response to Reply #2

6. Fressinet - Brunner, Round 4

Laurent Fressinet
Photo by Stefan64 in Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

Laurent Fressinet (Clichy) - Nicolas Brunner (Vandoeuvre)
French Team Championship, Round 4/Board 4
Mulhouse, 29 May 2011

Semi-Slav Queen's Gambit: Meran Defense

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3

The main branches of the Meran are the Wade Variation (8...Bb7) and the Reynolds Variation 8...a6. See Kramnik-Anand, World Ch M, Bonn, 2008.

8...Bd6 9.Bd2 Bb7 10.Rc1

If 10.a3 a5 then:

11.Rc1 0-0 12.Ne4 Nxe4 13.Bxe4 Rc8 14.0-0 Nf6 15.Bd3 c5 16.Bxb5 Ng4 is equal (S. Atalik-Stellwagen, IT B, Wijk aan Zee, 2007).
11.Ng5 b4 12.Nce4 Be7 13.Nxf6+ gxf6 14.Nf3 c5 15.0-0 0-0 16.Qe2 draw (Dreev-Harikrishna, Masters, Gibraltar, 2004).

10...Rc8 11.Ng5

11.0-0 0-0 12.Ng5 Be7 13.a3 a5 14.Qf3 is equal (Bareev-Kobalia, Russian Ch HL, Krasnoyarsk, 2007).

11...a5!? (N)

If 11...a6 12.Nce4 Be7 13.b4 then:

13...Nd5?! 14.a3 a5 15.Qf3 gives White a strong game with a better center, more space and the initiative in a threat of mate on f7 (S. Atalik-Ehlvest, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2005).
13...c5 14.bxc5 Nxc5 15.Nxc5 Bxc5 16.a4 is equal (Fritz).

12.Qf3!

White has a small advantage in space.

12...Ba8 13.0-0?!

This move leaves the Queen open to attack.
13.Nge4! Be7 14.Nxf6+ Bxf6 15.Ne4 Be7 16.Qg3 gives Black a greater share of space and the initiative.
13.Nce4?! Be7 14.Qg3 0-0 15.Nd6 Bxd6 16.Qxd6 b4 is equal.

13...Be7?!

Rather than take the initiative, Black continues his development.
13...c5! 14.Nge4 Bxe4 15.Nxe4 Nxe4 16.Bxe4 0-0 17.Rfd1 is equal.

BLACK: Nicolas Brunner

WHITE: Laurent Fressinet
Position after 13...Bd6e7

14.Qh3!

There will be no second chance. White targets the h-pawn. It would be a fatal mistake for Black to castle now.

14...b4

If 14...0-0?? then White wins after 15.Bxh7+! Kh8 16.Nce4! Ng4 17.Qxg4 Bxg5 18.Nxg5 when he is hitting the kingside with overwhelming force.

15.Na4 c5?!

Black neglects threats to his kingside. This is ineffective counterplay.
Better is 15...Qc7 16.e4 c5 17.e5 Nd5 18.Rfe1 when:

18...b3 19.Nxc5 Nxc5 20.dxc5 Bxg5 21.Bxg5 bxa2 22.Qg4 gives White a significant advantage with a better center, a passed pawn, two Bishops and pressure against Black's kingside; Black's passed pawn on a2 is something of a nuisance to White, but it will be a long time before it can take that last step.
If 18...Qb7 then:

19.Nxc5 Nxc5 20.dxc5 Bxc5 21.Ne4 Be7 22.Qg4 gives White more space and the initiative.
If 19.Nxh7?! g6 20.Nxc5 then:

20...Bxc5! then:

After 24...N6d7! 25.Bh6 Qc6 26.f3 Qd5 27.b3 the game is equal.
24...Nh5?? 25.Bh6! Ke7 26.c6!! Bxc6 27.Red1 Qb7 28.Rd6 followed by 29.Rxc6!!either wins the Queen or forces the Black Rook off the back rank, allowing mate at f8.

21.Nf6+?! Ke7! 22.Qf3 N5xf6 23.exf6+ Nxf6 24.Qxb7+ Bxb7 gives Black a small advantage.

If 20...Nxc5?! 21.dxc5 then:

21...a4 22.Be4 Qb5 23.Bxd5 Bxd5 24.Qh6 Qd3 25.Rcd1 barely keeps Black in the game.
If 21...Qc6? then White wins after 22.Be4! Qb5 23.Qh6 .

16.Bg6!

The Bishop is almost unassailable.

16...0-0?

Castling is still a fatal mistake, but Black is already running out of options.
Better is 16...hxg6 17.Qxh8+ Bf8 18.b3 Ne4 19.Nxe4 Bxe4 20.f3 , but even then Black is down an exchange and barely hanging on to life.
If 16...fxg6?? then 17.Nxe6 wins the Queen.

If 16...Qc7?? then 17.Bxf7+! Kf8 18.Nxe6+ wins the Queen.

17.Bxh7+!

White drives the last nail into Black's coffin.

17...Kh8 18.dxc5

This is good enough, but even stronger is 18.e4! when:

If 18...c4 then White wins easily after 19.e5 Be4 20.Bxe4+ Kg8 21.Bh7+ Kh8 22.exf6 .
If 18...Bc6 then White wins after 19.e5 Bxa4 20.Rfe1 c4 21.exf6 Nxf6 22.Rxe6!!.

18...Nxc5

If 18...Bd5 19.a3 Nxc5 20.Nxc5 then:

If 20...Bxc5 then White wins after 21.Bg6+ Kg8 22.axb4 axb4 23.Bh7+ Kh8 24.e4.
If 20...Rxc5 then White wins after 21.Rxc5 Bxc5 22.axb4 axb4 23.Rd1 Qc7 24.e4.

19.Nxc5 Rxc5 20.Rxc5 Bxc5 21.Bg6+ Kg8 22.Bxf7+!!

White sacrifices the Bishop in order to set the coup de grace.

22...Rxf7

BLACK: Nicolas Brunner

WHITE: Laurent Fressinet
Position after 22...Rf8f7:B

23.Qh8+!! 1-0

If 23...Kxh8 then 24.Nxf7+ leaves White up by an exchange with two extra pawns in the bargain.
M. Brunner resigns.

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Jack Rabbit

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Sun Jun-05-11 09:52 PM
Response to Reply #1

3. China League, Chengdu

The Great Wall of China
Photo by Nicolas Perrault in Wikipedia (Public Domain)

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Jack Rabbit

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Sun Jun-05-11 09:59 PM
Response to Reply #3

7. Yu Yangyi - Xu Jun, Round 6

Yu Yangyi
Photo by Kgolp76 in Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)

Yu Yangyi (Beijing) - Xu Jun (Jiangsu)
China League, Round 6
Chengdu, 28 May 2011

Open Sicilian Game: Taimanov Defense (Bastrikov Variation)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 a6

For moves up to here and those following 7.f4, see Smeets-Stellwagen, Dutch Ch, Hilversum, 2009.

7.Qd2

If 7.Bd3 Nf6 8.0-0 Ne5 9.h3 Bc5 then:

If 10.Kh1 d6 11.f4 Ng6 12.Qe1 then:

If 12...0-0 13.f5 Ne5 14.Qh4 then:

If 14...Bd7 15.Rf3 Nxf3 16.gxf3 Qd8 then:

17.Rg1 Ne8 18.Rxg7+ Nxg7 19.f6 Kh8 20.Bg5 Bxd4 21.fxg7+ Bxg7 22.e5 h6 23.Qe4 f5 24.exf6 Black resigns facing mate in two (Haznedaroglu-Iotov, Euro Ch, Antalya, 2004).
17.e5 then after 17...dxe5 18.Rg1 exf5 19.Rxg7+ Kxg7 20.Bh6+ Kh8 Black wins (Harutjunyan-Aroshidze, Ebralidze Mem, Tbilisi, 2007).

14...b5 15.Rf3 Nxf3 16.gxf3 Ne8 17.Rg1 g6 18.Rg4 Qb7 19.Qh6 e5 gives Black the exchange and White more space (Garc�a-Vescovi, PanAm Ch, Cali, 2001).

12...Bd7 13.f5 Ne5 14.Qh4 Qb6 15.Nce2 0-0-0 16.Bg1 exf5 17.b4 Qxb4 18.Rab1 Qa4 19.exf5 Rhe8 gives White more space, but Black is threatening to take a pawn (Haznedaroglu-Ribli, Euro Club Cup, Saint Vincent, 2005).

If 10.Qe2 d6 11.f4 Ng6 12.Nb3 Bxe3+ 13.Qxe3 0-0 14.Rae1 b5 then:

If 15.e5 dxe5 then:

16.Bxg6 hxg6 17.Qxe5 Qa7+ 18.Kh2 Bb7 is equal (Hennings-Hort, Capablanca Mem, Havana, 1971).
16.fxe5 Nd7 17.Bxg6 hxg6 18.Nd4 Bb7 19.Nd1 Rad8 20.c3 Nb6 21.Nf2 Nc4 22.Qg5 Rd5 23.Ng4 Qd8 24.Nf6+ gxf6 25.Rxf6 Rxd4 26.Rxg6+ draw (Radulov-Suetin, IT, Badapest, 1970).

15.Kh1 Bb7 16.a3 Rac8 17.Nd4 Rfe8 18.e5 Nd5 19.Nxd5 Bxd5 20.exd6 Qxd6 21.Qf2 f5 is equal (Mecking-Eleodoro Juarez, IT, Mar del Plata, 1971).

7...Nf6 8.0-0-0 Be7

If 8...Bb4 9.f3 then:

If 9...Ne5 10.Nb3 b5 then:

If 11.Qe1 Be7 12.f4 Ng6 13.e5 Ng4 then:

If 14.Ne4 0-0 15.Bc5 Bb7 then:

16.Nd6 Bd5 17.Rxd5 exd5 18.Qd1 Nf6 19.g3 Ne4 20.Qxd5 Nxc5 21.Nxc5 Rac8 22.b4 a5 23.Nxc8 Rxc8 24.Bd3 d6 is equal (Mamedov-Zakhartsov, Op, Cappelle-la-Grande, 2010).
If 16.Bxe7 Nxe7 17.Nd6 Bd5 18.Bd3 f6 19.Qh4 Nh6 is equal (K. Szabo-Horvath, Hungarian Ch, Szekesfehervar, 2006).

If 14.Bd2 Bb7 15.Bd3 Rc8 16.Qe2 f5 17.exf6 Nxf6 18.Rhf1 0-0 19.g3 b4 20.Ne4 Nxe4 21.Bxe4 a5 22.Nd4 gives White the advantage in space (Svidler-N. Vitiugov, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2006).

If 11.Kb1 then:

If 11...Be7 12.Qf2 d6 then:

If 13.Bb6 Qb8 14.Bd4 0-0 15.g4 then:

If 15...Bb7 16.g5 Nfd7 then:

17.Rg1 b4 18.Ne2 Rc8 19.Ng3 a5 20.f4 a4 gives Black a fair advantage in space (Sebag-Sulypa, Masters, Bois Colombes, 2004).
17.f4 b4 18.fxe5 bxc3 19.exd6 Qxd6 20.Be2 gives White the advantage in space an in the center (T. Kosintseva-Javakhashvilli, Euro Club Cup W, F�gen, 2006).

15...Nfd7 16.g5 Nc4 17.h4 a5 18.f4 a4 19.Nc1 gives White the advantage in space (Inarkiev-Gershon, Op, Athens, 2005).

If 13.g4 Nfd7 14.Rg1 Bb7 15.g5 Rc8 then:

If 16.f4 b4 17.Nd5 exd5 18.fxe5 Nxe5 19.exd5 0-0 20.Bh3 Rce8 21.Bf5 Bd8 is equal (N. Kosintseva-Javakhashvilli, World ChTW, Ekaterinburg, 2007).
If 16.a3 Nc4 17.Bxc4 bxc4 18.Nd4 Rb8 19.h4 d5 is equal (S. Salov-Gutsche, Corres, 2003).

If 11...Nc4 12.Bxc4 bxc4 13.Nc1 Rb8 then:

14.N1e2 0-0 15.Bf4 e5 16.Bg5 Ne8 17.Ka1 d6 18.a3 a5 19.Qc1 Be6 20.Na2 f5 gives Black a strong advantage in space, a near-center pawn duo and the Bishop pair; White is targeting a backward pawn at d6 and has command of the d-file (Morozevich-N. Vitiugov, Russian Ch, Moscowm 2007).
If 14.Bf4 e5 15.Bg5 Qb6 16.N1e2 Ba3 17.b3 0-0 18.Bxf6 Qxf6 19.Nd5 Qd8 20.f4 exf4 21.Qxf4 Bb7 then:

22.Ng3 Bxd5 23.Rxd5 Rb6 24.Rhd1 cxb3 25.axb3 Qc8 26.R1d3 Rd8 27.e5 Qc6 28.Ne4 gives White the advantage with more space and a better center; Black is able to make threats on the queenside (Cheparinov-Pelletier, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).
22.Rhf1 a5 23.Nec3 Bc6 24.Rd4 cxb3 25.axb3 Bb4 26.e5 Bxc3 27.Nxc3 Qe7 28.Kb2 Rbe8 gives White a small advantage in space and a better center (Krush-Robson, US Ch, St. Louis, 2010).

If 9...Ne7 10.Nde2 b5 11.Bf4 e5 12.Bg5 then:

If 12...Bb7 13.Kb1 Ba5 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Qh6 Qb6 16.g3 Qe6 17.Bh3 White has an impressive advantage in space, command of the d-file, more active pieces and stronger pawns; Black has the the Bishop pair (Anand-Polgar, World Ch Trmt, San Lu�s, 2005).
12...h5 13.Kb1 Ba5 14.Qd6 Qxd6 15.Rxd6 Bc7 16.Rd1 is equal (Motylev-Maiwald, Euro Ch, Rijeka, 2010)

9.f3 h5

If 9...0-0 10.g4 b5 11.g5 then:

If 11...Ne8 12.h4 Bb7 then:

13.Nxc6 Bxc6 14.Ne2 Rc8 15.Nd4 Bb7 16.Kb1 Nd6 17.Bf4 Qb6 18.Be3 Qc7 19.Bf4 Qb6 20.Be3 Qc7 draw (Tadev-A. Sokolov, Euto Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
13.Kb1 Ne5 14.h5 Rc8 15.Qg2 b4 16.Na4 f5 17.gxf6 Nxf6 18.Bd3 Rf7 is equal (Karjakin-Morozevich, IT A, Wijk aan Zee, 2009).

11...Nh5 12.Nce2 Rd8 13.Ng3 Nxd4 14.Qxd4 Nf4 15.h4 Bb7 16.Qb6 Qb8 17.Kb1 d5 18.Bxf4 Qxf4 19.Qxb7 Bc5 20.exd5 Qxg3 21.Bd3 draw (Salgado L�pez-Movsesian, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2011).

10.Nb3

If 10.Qf2 d6 11.h3 b5 12.Nxc6 Qxc6 13.Bd3 then:

If 13...h4 14.Kb1 b4 15.Ne2 e5 then:

If 16.Bg5 Nd7 17.Bxe7 Kxe7 then:

18.Nc1 a5 19.Qe2 Nf6 20.Bb5 Qc7 21.Ba4 Be6 is equal (N. Kosintseva- Javakashvilli, Euro Club Cup W, Ohrid, 2009).
18.Qe3 Qc5 19.Qd2 Nf6 20.Rhf1 Be6 21.f4 a5 is equal (Nijboer-Giri, Dutch Op, Dieren, 2009).

16.c4 bxc3 17.Nxc3 Be6 18.Rc1 Qb7 19.f4 exf4 20.Bxf4 0-0 is equal (P�rez Ponsa-Cramling, Masters, Gibraltar, 2009).

If 13...b4 14.Ne2 e5 15.g4 Be6 16.Kb1 then:

16...hxg4 17.hxg4 Rxh1 18.Rxh1 gives White a small advantage in space; Black has White Knight hemmed in at e2 (Vachier Lagrave-Maceija, Bundesliga 0809, Germany, 2008).
16...g6 17.g5 Nd7 18.f4 Nc5 19.f5 gxf5 20.exf5 Nxd3 21.cxd3 Bd5 is equal (Rosen-Hughes, US Jr Ch, St. Louis, 2010).

10.Kb1 Ne5 11.Qf2 d6 12.h3 b5 13.Bd3 b4 14.Nce2 h4 is equal (Sutovsky-Giri, Z�rich CC Bicentennial, Z�rich, 2009).

10...d6

10...b5 11.Bd3 Ne5 12.Qf2 Rb8 13.Qg3 Nxd3+ 14.Rxd3 Qxg3 15.hxg3 d6 is equal (Schut-Maladinovic, EU ChU16 (Girls), Herceg Novi, 2008).

11.Kb1 (N)

11.Bg5 Rb8 12.f4 b5 13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.Bd3 b4 15.Ne2 a5 16.Kb1 a4 is equal (Abergel-Negi, Chigorin Mem Op, St. Ptersburg, 2009).

11...b5

White has a slight advantage in space.

12.Bxb5?!

This sacrifice looks speculative.
12.Qf2 Bd7 13.Be2 Rc8 14.Rhe1 h4 15.Rd2 Ne5 is equal.

12...axb5 13.Nxb5 Qb8?!

A better idea would be to use the Queen to protect the second rank.
13...Qb7 14.Nxd6+ Bxd6 15.Qxd6 Nd7 16.Nd4 Nxd4 17.Bxd4 gives Black small advantage.

14.Nxd6+!

But of course!

14...Kf8

Black was unlikely to castle since his Rook at h8 is busy supporting the pawn,
If 14...Bxd6 15.Qxd6 Qxd6 16.Rxd6 then:

If 16...Ne5 17.Bg5 h4 18.Rhd1 Rh5 19.f4 gives White a clear advantage.
If 16...Nd8?! 17.Rhd1! Nb7 18.R6d2 Bd7 then:

19.Bg5 Ba4 20.Nc1 h4 21.Ne2 Rh5 22.Bxf6 gives Black a piece for three pawns, but his is limited by the threat of the doubled Rooks.
19.Bd4 Bc6 20.Bxf6 gxf6 21.Nd4 Bd7 22.c4 gives Black a piece for three pawns, but White has more space and freedom.

15.Qc3 Bd7 16.Rd2?!

At this post, the Rook blocks the retreat of two pieces.
If 16.Bf4 Kg8 17.Nc5 then:

17...Bc8! 18.Rd2 h4 19.Rhd1 e5 20.Be3 Nd4 gives Black a significant advantage in space.
17...Be8!? 18.g3! h4 19.g4 h3 20.Rd2 Qa7 21.a3! is equal.

16...Nb4 17.Bc5?!

Since the Knight at d6 is already covered by the Rook, White should play 17.Nc5, attacking the Black Bishop at d7.
If 17.Nc5 Nxa2 18.Nxd7+ Nxd7 19.Qc8+ Qxc8 20.Nxc8 Rxc8 continues to give Black a fair advantage with a Knight for two pawns.
17...Qc7?? loses immediately to 18.Nxe6+!!.

17...Nxa2!

Black has an undisputed material advantage. The Knight removes itself from the Bishop's attack and itself attacks the Queen.

18.Qd4

If 18.Qe3 Kg8 19.Rhd1 then:

If 19...Ba4 20.Nc4 Bxc5 21.Nxc5 Kh7 22.Na3 Nb4 gives Black the material advantage, White more activity in the center against Black's queenside activity and overall space is equal.
If 19...Nb4?! 20.Nc4! (White has equalized) 20...Bxc5 21.Qxc5 then:

21...Qa7! 22.Rd6 Qxc5 23.Nxc5 Rc8 24.Nxd7 Nxd7 is equal.
21...Na6 22.Qe7 Qa7 23.Rxd7 Nxd7 24.Rxd7 Qg1+ 25.Nc1 gives White two heavy pieces in Black's camp; Black must move quickly to avert mate in two.

18...Ra4?!

The attack on the Queen is easily refuted.
If 18...Kg8 19.Rhd1 Ba4 20.Nc4 Bxc5 then:

If 21.Qxc5 Kh7 22.Qb6 Qxh2 then:

23.Qd6 Qxd6 24.Nxd6 Bxb3 25.cxb3 Kg6 gives Black an extra piece and healthier pawns.
23.e5? then Black wins after 23...Nd5! 24.Qg1 Qg3 25.Qf2 Qg6 26.Nba5 Nac3+!.

If 21.Nxc5! Kh7 22.Nd6 Bc6 23.Nxf7 Qa7 24.Ng5+ then:

24...Kg6 25.c3 Kxg5 26.e5 Ne8 27.Nxe6+ Kg6 gives Black a material advantage equivalent to about 2� pawns against a slight advantage in space for White.
If 24...Kg8? then White wins after 25.c3! Rh6 26.Ncxe6 Qa5 27.Qc4 Nxc3+ 28.Qxc3 when White has three extra pawns and the initiative.

19.Nc4!

The game is equal.

19...Qb5?!

This move literally forces White to make a stellar move.
19...Qc7 20.Qe5 Qxe5 21.Nxe5 Be8 22.Rhd1 Bxc5 23.Nxc5 remains equal.

BLACK: Xu Jun

WHITE: Yu Yangyi
Position after 19...Qb8b5

20.Bxe7+!

This move is forced, but it brings the Black King out into the open.

20...Kxe7 21.Qd6+!

The King must remain in the center with little protection.21.e5?! Nd5! 22.Qh4+ f6 23.exf6+ gxf6 is once again equal.

21...Ke8 22.Nb6

This move is also necessary. Otherise, we would have to say "Good night," to the good Knight.

22...Ra6

22...Rb4 23.Nxd7 Qxd7 24.Qxd7+ Nxd7 25.Kxa2 White remains two pawns to the good.

23.Qb8+ Ke7 24.Rxd7+

If 24.Qxh8?! then:

If 24...Qxb6! 25.e5 Nd5 then:

26.Qxg7 Qb4 27.Qg5+ Ke8 is equal.
26.Qxh5 Qb4 27.Qg5+ Ke8 28.Rxd5 exd5 29.Qxg7 Be6 is equal.

If 24...Rxb6? then White wins after 25.Kxa2! g5 26.Rhd1 Rb8 27.Qg7 Rb7 28.Qh6.

24...Qxd7 25.Nxd7 Rxb8 26.Nxb8 Nc3+

If 26...Rb6? then White wins after 27.Kxa2! Rxb8 28.Na5 Kd7 29.Rd1+ Kc7 30.Nc4.

26...Ra8 27.Nc6+ Kd7 28.Nbd4 Ng8 29.Ne5+ Ke7 30.c3! entombs the Knight at a2.

27.bxc3 Rb6

Black wins back the piece.

BLACK: Xu Jun

WHITE: Yu Yangyi
Position after 27...Ra6b6

28.Kb2!!

White clears the back rank in order to bring the Rook to the queenside.

28...Rxb8 29.Ra1 Rc8 30.Ra5 h4 31.Rc5 Rd8

If 31...Rxc5? 32.Nxc5 then:

32...e5 33.Nd3 Ke6 34.c4 g5 35.c5gives White a powerful advantage in the doubled passed pawns.
If 32...Nh7 33.e5 h3 then:

34.gxh3 Ng5 35.f4 Nxh3 36.Nd3 Ng1 37.c4 gives White a strong advantage with two extra pawns and passers in the c- and h-files.
34.g3?! Ng5 35.f4 Nf3! (forcing White to redeploy the Knight to the kingside) 36.Nd3 Nxh2 37.Nf2 leaves White with only a small advantage.

32.Rc7+ Ke8 33.c4

Black is at the edge, teetering.
Also good for White is 33.Nd4 Rb8+ 34.Kc1 Nd7 35.Nc6 Ra8 36.Kd2.

33...Rd1?

White can force the Rook back easily. This move is a waste of time, but there is little better.
If 33...Nh5?! 34.c5! Rd7 35.Rc8+ then:

If 35...Rd8 36.Rxd8+ Kxd8 37.Nd4 then:

If 37...Nf4 then after 38.g3 hxg3 39.hxg3 Nh5 40.Ne2 e5 41.Kc3 White wins with two extra pawns.
37...g5? 38.Kc3 Nf4 39.g3 hxg3 40.hxg3 Nh5 41.Ne2! leaves White ready to escort his c-pawn home.

35...Ke7? then White wins after 36.c6! Rd8 37.Rc7+ Kd6 38.Rxf7 Kxc6 39.Ra7.

Black's best try is 33...g5 34.Na5 g4 35.h3 gxf3 36.gxf3 then:

36...Rd7 37.Rc5 Rd1 38.Rc8+ Rd8 39.Rxd8+ Kxd8 still gives Black some faint hopes getting counterplay on the kingside.
If 36...Rd1 37.Nb7 then:

37...Rd7 38.Rc8+ Ke7 39.Na5 Ne8 40.Nc6+ Kf8 41.Ra8 gives White a winning advantage.
If 37...Rh1? 38.c5! then:

If 38...Nd7 39.Nd6+ Kd8 40.Rc8+ Ke7 41.Re8+ Kf6 42.c6! then:

42...Nb6 43.c7 Rd1 44.e5+ Kxe5 45.Nxf7+ Kf6 46.Rb8 White wins.
If 42...Rd1 43.Nc4 Rd4 44.c3! Rd2+ 45.Kb3 Nc5+ 46.Ka3 gives White an easy win.

38...Rxh3 39.Nd6+ Kd8 40.Rc8+ Ke7 41.e5!

BLACK: Xu Jun

WHITE: Yu Yangyi
Position after 33...Rd8d1

34.c5!

Whose turn is it to watch the little squirt?

34...Rg1

This is tantamount to surrender. White will have a free hand in pushing his c-pawn.
34...Rd7 35.Rxd7 Kxd7 36.Nd4 e5 37.Nf5 h3 38.gxh3 White is three pawns to the good.

35.c6!

And so he pushes it.

35...Rxg2

If 35...Rd1 36.Rxf7!! then:

36...Rd8 37.Rxg7 e5 38.Rg5 Rd6 39.Rxe5+ White wins in a cakewalk.
If 36...Kxf7 then 37.c7! is game over.

36.Ra7 Kd8 37.Rxf7! 1-0

If 37...Ne8 38.Nc5 Kc8 39.e5 then:

39...h3 40.f4 Rg6 41.Rf8 Kc7 42.Rxe8 White wins easily.
39...Rxh2 40.Nxe6 Re2 41.Rf8! wins the Knight.

Grandmaster Xu resigns.

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Jack Rabbit

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Sun Jun-05-11 10:01 PM
Response to Reply #3

8. Gong Qianyan - Hou Yifan, Round 5

Hou Yifan
Photo by karpidis modified from flickr in Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

Gong Qianyun (Qingdao) - Hou Yifan (Shandong)
China League, Round 5
Chengdu, 27 May 2011

Spanish Sicilian Game: Royal Defense

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Na5

This is fairly unusual. For 3...Nf6 or 3...e6, see Najer-Mosieenko, Russian ChT, Olginka, 2011.

4.c3 a6 5.Be2

5.Ba4 b5 6.Bc2 Bb7 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Re1 e6 9.d4 cxd4 10.cxd4 Qc7 11.Bd3 gives White a small advantage in space (Hammer-Pudas, World Youth, Belfort, 2005).

5...Nf6 6.e5 Nd5 7.d4 cxd4 8.Qxd4

If 8.0-0 e6 9.c4 Ne7 10.Qxd4 Ng6 then:

11.Be3 Qc7 12.Qc3 is equal (Amin-Saric, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
11.Nc3 Nc6 12.Qe4 Qc7 transposes into the text.

8...e6 9.c4 Ne7 (N)

9...Bb4+ 10.Bd2 Bxd2+ 11.Nbxd2 Ne7 12.Bd3 Nac6 13.Qg4 Ng6 14.Qg3 gives White the advantage in space (Drabke-Werbersberger, Austrian ChT, Austria, 2006).

10.Nc3

White has a small advantage in space.

10...Nac6 11.Qe4

If 11.Qe3 d5 12.cxd5 exd5 13.Nd4 Nxd4 14.Qxd4 Be6 gives Black a small advantage in space.

11...Ng6 12.0-0

If 12.Be3 Bb4 13.0-0 Qa5 14.Bd4 Nxd4 15.Qxd4 gives White a small advantage in space. Each side is somewhat restrained by the other.

12...Qc7

The game is equal.

13.Bf4

13.Be3 Ncxe5 14.Nxe5 Qxe5 15.Qxe5 Nxe5 remains equal.

13...f5

13...Nxf4 14.Qxf4 f6 15.Qh4 Nxe5 16.Nxe5 Qxe5 17.Bh5+ remains equal.

14.Qe3 Nxf4 15.Qxf4 d6 16.Rfe1?! <16.exd6 Bxd6 17.Qh4 0-0 18.Ng5 h6 19.Nf3 b6[/i> gives Black a small advantage in space.16...Bd7?!

Black misses the best reply.
16...dxe5! 17.Qh4 e4 18.Nd2 Qd8 19.Qxd8+ Kxd8 gives Black a significant advantage in space.

BLACK: Hou Yifan

WHITE: Gong Qianyun
Position after 16...Bc8d7

17.Nd5!!

White sacrifices the Knight for the initiative.

17...exd5?!

It would be better to decline the proffered paladin.
If 17...Qa5! 18.exd6 0-0-0 19.Nc3 then:

If 19...e5 20.Qc1 Be6 21.a3 then:

21...Bxd6 22.b4 Qc7 23.Ng5 Nd4 24.Nxe6 Nxe6 25.Nd5 gives White the much better game, but Black's position is playable.
If 21...Qc5?! 22.b4! Qxd6 23.Qe3 then:

23...f4 24.Qe4 g6 25.c5 Qc7 26.Rad1 Bf5 27.Qc4 Kb8 28.Nd5 White continues to enjoy a strong initiative.
If 23...e4 24.Rad1 Qc7 25.Ng5 then:

If 25...Bg8 26.b5 Na5 27.Ncxe4 then:

If 27...fxe4 28.Bg4+ Kb8 29.b6 Qe7 30.Qxe4 Nc6 31.Qf4+ Qd6 32.Rxd6 Bxd6 33.Qc1 gives White a material advantage equivalent to approximately a minor piece.
27...Nxc4 28.Qa7 Re8 29.Bxc4 Bxc4 30.bxa6 then:

If 30...Bxa6 31.Ne6!! then:

31...Rxe6 32.Qa8+ Qb8 33.Rd8+ wins the Queen.
31...Qe5 32.Rc1+ Kd7 33.N4c5+ Bxc5 34.Nxc5+ then:

If 34...Ke7 35.Rxe5+ wins the Queen.
If 34...Kc7 then after 35.Nxb7+ Bc4 36.Rxc4+ Kd7 37.Nc5+ Kc6 38.Qb7+ White delivers mate on the next move.

If 30...fxe4 then White wins after 31.Rd4 Bc5 32.Qa8+ Qb8 33.axb7+ Kc7 34.Qa5+.
If 30...Rxd1 then 31.Rxd1 Qxe4 32.Rd8#.

25...Qe5 26.f4 Rxd1 27.Rxd1 Qf6 28.Qb6 Kb8 29.b5 leaves Black defense disoranized.
25...Qd7 26.Rad1 Qc7 27.Rxd8+ Nxd8 28.Bc4 gives White a strong position with excellent chances of winning the pawn at e5.

If 19...Qb4 20.Rad1 Qxb2 21.Qe3 then:

21...f4 22.Qd3 Nb4 23.Qd2 Qxd2 24.Rxd2 White's d-pawn is still cramping Black's game.
If 21...Qb4 22.Ne5 Bxd6 23.Nf7 Bc5 24.Qg3 White will win the exchange.

18.e6!

White crams a bone down Black's throat.

18...Bc8

Not only is the pawn cramping Black's game, it's poisoned.
If 18...Bxe6? then:

If 19.cxd5! Bxd5 20.Bc4+ Be7 21.Bxd5 then:

If 21...0-0-0 22.Bxc6 bxc6 23.Nd4 Bf6 24.Nxc6 then:

If 24...Rde8 25.Qxf5+ Kb7 26.Rec1 Qb6 27.Qd5 then:

27...Re1+ 28.Rxe1 Qxc6 29.Qxc6+ Kxc6 30.Rac1+ Kd7 31.b3 leaves White winning with a material advantage and active Rooks.
27...Rhf8 28.Ne5+ Ka7 29.Nd7 Qb7 30.Qxd6 Be7 31.Qd4+ wins easily.

24...Qxc6?? loses immediately to 25.Rac1!.

21...g6 22.Rac1 Kd7 23.Qc4 Rac8 24.Bxc6+ bxc6 25.Qe6+ Black must lose material or submit to mate.

The main variation is even stronger than19.Ng5! Nd8 20.Bf3 Be7 21.Nxe6 Nxe6 22.Rxe6 0-0 23.Rae1, which gives White a strong game.

19.cxd5 Be7 20.Qxf5?!

The best move and most obvious is to take the Knight.
If 20.dxc6! 0-0 21.cxb7 Bxb7 22.Rac1 Qb6 23.Qd4 leaves White with an extra pawn.

20...Bf8?

Black should lose.
If 20...Nd8 21.Rac1 Qa5 22.Nh4 then:

If 22...g6 then Black is toast after 23.Nxg6!! hxg6 24.Qxg6+ Kf8 25.Bh5 Rxh5 26.Qxh5.
If 22...Bxh4 23.Qh5+ g6 24.Qxh4 0-0 then:

If 25.b4 Qb6 26.Bd1! is Zugzwang:

Any move with the Queen loses the Queen.
Any move with the Knight loses the Knight.
26...Bxe6 27.dxe6 Nxe6 28.Rxe6 leaves White a piece to the good.
26...Rf5 27.Bc2 Rh5 28.Qf6 wins easily.
26...Rb8 27.e7 Re8 28.Ba4 wins the Rook.
26...h5 27.e7 Re8 28.Ba4 also wins the Rook.

25.Bd3!? Re8 26.Qf6 Rf8 then:

If 27.Qd4 Qd2 28.e7 Re8 29.Qf6 then:

29...Bd7 30.Rcd1 Qh6 31.exd8Q Raxd8 32.Rxe8+ Rxe8 33.Qxd6 leaves White two pawns up.
29...Nf7 30.Bxg6 hxg6 31.Qxg6+ Kh8 32.Qxf7 Bd7 33.Qf6+ gives White four pawns to a minor piece.

27.Qe7 Qd2 28.Rf1 Nf7 29.Rfd1 Qxb2 30.Rc7 in spite of being down a piece. White's activity gives her a vitually won position.

BLACK: Hou Yifan

WHITE: Gong Qianyun
Position after 20...Be7f8

21.Qf4!?

Again, White should take the Knight.
If 21.dxc6! bxc6 22.Ne5!! then:

22...g6 23.Nxg6!! hxg6 24.Qxg6+ forces the King to d8 when 25.Qf6+! wins the Rook.
If 22...dxe5 23.Bh5+ g6 24.Bxg6+ hxg6 25.Qxg6+ then:

25...Ke7 26.Qf7+ Kd8 27.Rad1+ Bd6 28.Qf6+ wins a Rook.
25...Kd8 26.Qf6+ Qe7 27.Qxh8 Qg7 28.Qh3 gives White three pawns for one Bishops and a Rook for the other.

21...Be7

If 21...Na7 22.Ng5 Qe7 23.Nf7 then:

23...Rg8 24.Bh5 g6 25.Nxd6+ Qxd6 26.Qf7+ Kd8 27.Qxg8 gives White more activity, the material advantage. connected advanced passed pawns and the initiative.
23...g5 then White wins easily after 24.Qf3 Bg7 25.Qh5 Rf8 26.Bg4 Bd4 27.Nxd6+.

22.Qf5

Again, White disdains the Knight.
If 22.dxc6 bxc6 23.Qf7+ Kd8 24.Qxg7 Re8 25.Ng5 then:

If 25...Bxg5 26.Qxg5+ Qe7 27.Qa5+ Qc7 28.Qc3 Rxe6 29.Bg4 then:

29...Re5 30.Rxe5 dxe5 31.Qc5 Bxg4 32.Qf8+ Kd7 33.Qxa8 gives White an easy win.
29...Rxe1+ 30.Rxe1 Bxg4 31.Qh8+ Kd7 32.Qxa8 is a clear win for White.

25...Bb7 26.Bh5 Qa5 27.h4 Kc7 28.Rad1 d5 29.Ne4 gives White an easy win.

22...Nd8

Black is walking a tightrope with no safety net. She has no room for error.
If 22...Bf8? 23.Rac1 g6 24.Qe4 then:

24...Bg7 25.dxc6 b5 26.Nd4 Be5 27.f4 Bf6 28.Qd5 gives White two extra pawns and active pieces in the center.
24...Be7 25.dxc6 b5 26.Nd4 0-0 27.Bf3 Ra7 28.b4 gives White two extra pawns and active pieces in the center.

23.Rac1 Qb6

23...Qb8? loses to 24.Nh4 Nxe6 25.dxe6 Kd8 26.Nf3 g6 27.Qf7 when White has an extra pawn, an advanced passer, command of the c-file, a very active Queen other pieces ready to spring into action; Black's pieces are mostly on the back rank.

24.Rc2 Qa5

The natural-looking 24...g6? drops a piece to 25.Qe4! 0-0 26.Rec1!.

25.Bd3

If 25.Qe4! then:

25...Qxa2 26.Rec1 Bxe6 27.Bc4 Qa4 28.dxe6 Nc6 29.b3 leaves Black the task of extricating her Queen from a tight spot.
If 25...b6?? then White wins after 26.b4! Qa4 27.Rc7 Qxa2 28.Nh4 0-0 29.Rxe7.
25...Bxe6? fails against 26.dxe6! d5 27.Qf4 Rf8 28.Qe5 Rf6 29.Qh5+.

If 25.b4! Qxb4 26.Rc7 Qb2 27.Qe4 then:

If 27...g6 28.Nd4 then:

If 28...Qd2 29.Rxe7+ Kxe7 30.Nf5+ then:

If 30...Kf6 31.Qh4+ Ke5 32.f4+ Kxd5 33.Qf2 then:

33...Qa5 34.Bf3+ Kc4 35.Qd4+ Kb5 36.Rb1+ Qb4 37.Qxb4#.
33...Qxe1+ 34.Qxe1 gxf5 35.Bf3+ Kc4 36.e7 Nf7 37.e8Q is an easy win.

30...Ke8 31.Nxd6+ Ke7 32.Rd1 Qc3 33.Qf4 Qf6 34.Qb4 threatens discovered check and mate.

28...Rf8 29.Rxe7+ Kxe7 30.Qh4+ Ke8 31.e7 the pawn must take a piece and queen.

27...b5 28.Nd4 0-0 29.Rxe7 Nc6 30.dxc6 leaves White a piece to the good.

25...g6

If 25...Qb4? 26.Rc7 Qxb2 27.Qe4 g6 28.Nd4 then:

28...Qd2 29.Rxe7+ Kxe7 30.Nf5+ Kf6 31.Qh4+ White mates on the next move.
If 28...0-0 29.Rxe7 Qxf2+ 30.Kh1 then:

If 30...Rf4 31.Qe3 Qxe3 32.Rxe3 then:

32...Rxd4 33.Re8+ Kg7 34.e7 Nf7 35.Rg8+ then:

If 35...Kxg8 then after 36.e8Q+ Kg7 37.Rf3 and Black has had it.
35...Kh6 36.e8Q Rxd3 37.Rxd3 then:

If 37...Bf5 38.Qe3+ Kh5 39.Qf3+ Kg5 40.Rxa8 Black is finished.
37...Ne5 38.Qe7 Kh5 39.g3 Nf3 40.Rd4 Bf5 41.Rh4+ Nxh4 42.Qxh4#.

32...Rf2 33.Kg1 Rf8 34.Rc7 a5 35.e7 the pawn will queen by taking a piece.

If 30...Qf4 31.Qxf4 Rxf4 32.Nf5 gxf5 33.Re8+ wins easily.

26.Qe4

Also good is 26.b4! Qa3 27.Qe4 b6 when:

28.Rc7 Qb2 29.Rec1 0-0 30.Rxc8 Rxc8 31.Rxc8 wins for White.
28.Qd4 0-0 29.Re3 Qa4 30.Qxb6 Rf4 31.Qc7 gives Black a piece for three pawns, but White has more space and freedom.

26...0-0

Black is still in serious trouble, but not losing.
If 26...b5? then 27.b4! Qa3 28.Rc7 Qb2 29.Rec1! wins the Bishop.

BLACK: Hou Yifan

WHITE: Gong Qianyun
Position after 26...0-0

27.Rec1!

White wins the Bishop.

27...Bxe6

This is the best the desperado can do.
If 27...Qxa2 28.Nh4 then:

If 28...Rf6 29.b4 then:

29...Qa4 30.Rxc8 Rxc8 31.Rxc8 Qa1+ 32.Bf1 Rf8 33.Rc7 gives White an extra pawn, the better center, a Rook on the seventh rank and the initiatve; Black has command of the long diagonal.
29...Qb3 30.Rxc8 Rxc8 31.Rxc8 Qd1+ 32.Bf1 Qd2 33.Nf3 gives White an extra pawn, the better center, a Rook on the enemy's bank rank and the initiatve; Black really has nothing.

28...Bxh4 29.Qxh4 Bxe6 30.Bc4 Qa5 31.dxe6 theatens to discover check by advancing the passer to e7, forking the Knight and Rook.

28.dxe6

White still has an extra pawn, but now Black also has a passed pawn.

28...Nc6 29.a3 Rf6

If 29...d5 30.Qg4 Bf6 31.Rc5 Qd8 then:

32.Re1 Ne7 33.Rc2 Rc8 34.Rxc8 Qxc8 35.Qb4 gives White an extra pawn, which is passed; Black has control of the dark long diagonal and, at least for the next move or two, the c-file.
32.b4 Qd6 33.Re1 Ne7 34.Qg3 Qxg3 35.hxg3 gives White a strong advantage with an extra pawn and command of the c-file; Black has command of the dark long diagonal; each side has a passed pawn.

30.Bc4 Raf8

Doubling the Rooks threatens to drive away the Queen with 31.Rf4, but it might be better to simply activate the foremost Rook immediately.
30...Rf5 31.Rd1 Qa4 32.Rdd2 Rc5 33.Bd5 Qxe4 34.Bxe4 gives White a strong advantage with an extra pawn that is an advanced passer, but Black also has a passed pawn and an active Rook.

31.Bd5 Rf4

This is clearly best.
If 31...Ne5? then White wins another pawn after 32.Nxe5 dxe5 33.Qxe5 and now:

33...Rd8 34.Rc8 Rff8 35.Rxd8 Rxd8 36.Rd1 Qa4 37.Rd2 gives White an extra pawn, a passed pawn and a better center; Black has a blockade on the pawn and the ever-present threat of a snap mate on the back rank.
If 33...Rf5 then after 34.Qc7 Rxd5 35.Qxe7 Qd8 36.Qxd8 Rfxd8 37.f4 Black will be forced to undouble her Rooks in order to stop the passer.

32.Qd3 Nd4 33.Nxd4

Also good is 33.Bxb7 Nxc2 34.Rxc2 Qb5 35.Bxa6 Qh5 36.Rc7.

33...Qxd5 34.Rd1 Qe5 35.Rc7?

As a result of this move, White's f-pawn is inadequately protected.
If 35.f3! Re8 36.g3 Rff8 37.f4 then:

37...Qa5 38.Qb3 Rb8 39.Kg2 Kh8 40.Qc3 Qh5 41.Qf3 gives White an extra pawn and an impressive advantage in space.
If 37...Qh5 38.Rc7 Qd5 39.Qf3 Qxf3 40.Nxf3 Bd8 41.Rxb7 leaves White two pawns up with a Rook on the seventh rank.

BLACK: Hou Yifan

WHITE: Gong Qianyan
Position after 35.Rc2c7

35...Rxf2!!

Seemingly out of nowhere, Black launches an attack. Suddenly, Black is winning.

36.Rxe7 Qg5! 37.Qh3 Qxe7

Black is now an exchange to the good, has an effective blockade on White's passed pawn and threatens to win White's b-pawn, gaining a queenside majority. White has only the passer and it is going nowhere.

38.Re1

White will try to hold her passer, but really everything is too late.
If 38.Qb3 protects both the e- and b-pawns, but after the pawn sacrifice 38...d5!! 39.Qxd5 Rxb2 40.h3 Rff2 the game clearly belongs to Black.

38...Rxb2 39.Nf3 Rb5 40.Qg4

40.Qh6 Ra5 41.Qe3 d5 42.Qe5 Rxa3 leaves Black up by an exchange and two pawns.

40...Rbf5 41.h4

41.Qd4 Rc5 42.Qa4 Rc3 43.Qd7 Re8 44.Ng5 Rc7 White's Queen must vacate.

41...d5 42.Qd4

If 42.Qb4 Qxb4 43.axb4 Rf4 44.Re5 Rd8 then:

45.e7 Re8 46.b5 Rf5 47.bxa6 bxa6 gives Black the material advantage and two remote passed pawns, againt which White cannot defend without giving up her e-pawn.
If 45.b5 then Black wins after 45...axb5 46.e7 Re8 47.Rxd5 b4 48.Re5 b3.

42...Re8 43.Ng5 Qf6 44.Qb6

44.Qxf6 Rxf6 45.Re5 h6 46.Nf3 Rfxe6 47.Rxd5 b5 leaves Black with a material advantage and pawn majorities on both wings.

44...Rf4 45.Qxb7 Qd4+ 46.Kh1 Rxh4+ 47.Nh3 Qf2 48.Rb1

White has nothing better than to set this kind of trap.

BLACK: Hou Yifan

WHITE: Gong Qianyun
Position after 48.Re1b1

48...Qf6!

Black doesn't take the bait.
If 48...a5? then:

49.e7! Qf5 50.Qb8 Rxb8 51.Rxb8+ Kg7 52.e8Q then White has nothing better than to force a draw after:

52...Rxh3+ 53.gxh3 Qf1+ 54.Kh2 Qf2+ etc.
If 52...Kh6? 53.Qe3+! Kh5 54.Rf8! then White wins after:

54...Qg4 55.Rf3 d4 56.Qe7 Kh6 57.Qf8+ Kh5 58.Qg7.
If 54...Qxf8?? 55.Qg5#.

49.Qb8? fails against 49...Rxb8! 50.Rxb8+ Kg7 51.e7 Qe1+.

49.Qxd5

If 49.Qxa6 then Black wins after 49...Qxe6 50.Qxe6+ Rxe6 51.Kg1 Re3.

49...Qxe6 50.Qd3

If 50.Qf3 then Black wins after 50...Qe4 51.Qb3+ Qc4 52.Kh2.

50...Re4 51.Rb7

If 51.Rf1 then Black wins after 51...Rf8 52.Rb1 Re3 53.Qd4 Rg3 54.Nf4 Qf7.

51...Re3 52.Qd4

White sportingly allows Black to win in style.
52.Nf4 drops a piece to 52...Rxd3 53.Nxe6 Rxe6.

BLACK: Hou Yifan

WHITE: Gong Qianyan
Position after 52.Qd3d4

52...Rxh3+!!

Black returns the exchange in order to force mate.

53.gxh3 Qxh3+ 54.Kg1 Qg3+ 0-1

Black mates on the next move.
Ms. Gong resigns.

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Jack Rabbit

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Sun Jun-05-11 09:53 PM
Response to Reply #1

4. Chicago Open, Wheeling, Illinois

Chicago
Photo by Jrissman in Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Atrribution/Share Alike)

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Jack Rabbit

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Sun Jun-05-11 10:03 PM
Response to Reply #4

9. Hungaski - Gareev, Round 8

Edited on Sun Jun-05-11 10:03 PM by Jack Rabbit

Timur Gareev
photo by .:ollanta:. (Lucinda Morales) from flickr (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

Robert Hungaski - Timur Gareev
Chicago Open, Round 8
Wheeling, Illinois, 30 May 2011

West India Game: Tal-Indian Defense (Benko Gambit)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.f3

The gambit is usually accepted. See Dautov-Schebler, Bundesliga 0910, Baden-Baden, 2010.

4...bxc4

If 4...Qa5+ 5.Bd2 then:

5...Qc7!? 6.e4 e6 7.Nc3 a6 8.dxe6 fxe6 9.cxb5 Be7 10.Nh3 d5 11.Bf4 gives White a significant advantage (Steadman-Mendes da Costa, Op, Queenstown, 2006).
5...b4 6.e4 d6 7.a3 e5 8.Qb3 Na6 9.Bd3 is equal.

4...g6 5.e4 d6 6.cxb5 a6 transposes into more conventional lines of the Benko Gambit (see note to White 4th move).

5.e4 d6 6.Bxc4 g6 7.Nc3

If 7.Ne2 Bg7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Nec3 Nbd7 10.a4 then:

If 10...Ne5!? 11.Be2 then:

If 11...c4?! 12.Na3 then:

12...Qb6+ 13.Kh1 Ba6 14.Nab5 Nfd7 15.f4 Nd3 16.Bxd3 wins a pawn for White (G. Jones-Predojevic, World Youth, Oropesa del Mar, 2001).
12...Ba6?! 13.Be3! e6 14.f4 Nd3 15.dxe6 fxe6 16.Nxc4 leaves White up by a pawn.

11...Ned7 12.a5 Rb8 13.Nd2 Qc7 14.f4 Rb4 15.Ra4 limits White to a slight edge in space.

10...Rb8 11.Na3 a6 12.f4 Ne8 13.Qc2 Nb6 remains equal.

7...Bg7 8.Nge2 Nbd7

8...0-0 9.0-0 Ba6 10.Nb5 Nfd7 11.Nec3 Nb6 12.Be2 N8d7 13.a4 Qb8 14.a5 gives White the advantage in space (Reshevsky-T. Ernst, Op, Lugano, 1987).

9.0-0 Rb8 (N)

9...0-0 10.Bg5 a5 11.Re1 Ne5 12.Bb5 Ba6 13.Bxa6 Rxa6 14.f4 Ned7 15.Rb1 Rb6 is equal (Mischler-Schneider, Op, Oldenburg, 2000).
9...Nb6 10.Bb5+ Bd7 11.a4 0-0 12.f4 Bxb5 13.axb5 e6 14.dxe6 fxe6 15.Qd3 Qe7 16.Qh3 gives White the advantage in space (Engels-Opocensky, IT, Bad Nauheim, 1935).

10.Rb1

White has an advantage in space in that Black is somehwat cramped, but not badly.

10...Nb6 11.Bb5+ Nfd7

If 11...Bd7 12.Bxd7+ Qxd7 13.Qd3 0-0 14.b3 continues to give White a slight advantage in space.

12.b3!?

12.b4! 0-0 13.Be3 Qc7 14.bxc5 Nxc5 also continues to give White a slight advantage in space.

12...0-0

The game is now equal.

13.Bd2

If 13.Bb2 f5 14.exf5 then:

14...Rxf5 15.Re1 Bb7 16.Bd3 Rf7 17.Be4 Nf6 remains equal
14...gxf5!? 15.Nf4 Ne5 16.Qe2 Ng6 17.Nxg6 Bd4+ 18.Kh1 gives White the advantage in space.

13...Ne5!?

The Knight can easily be driven back from this post.
If 13...e6 then:

14.Bf4 Ne5 15.Qd2 exd5 16.exd5 a6 17.Bc6 remains equal.
14.Nf4 a6 15.Bd3 Qf6 16.Qc2 Bb7 17.Rbc1 Rfc8 remains equal.

14.Qc2!?

White either misses the point altogether or doesn't realize the benefits of pushing back against Black's Knight.
14.f4! Ng4 15.h3 Nf6 16.Be3 a6 17.Bc6 gives White a slight advantage in space; Black's Queen's Bishop has nowhere to develop.

14...a6!

Black has a slight advantage in space, but developing the Queen's Bishop will be difficult.

15.Bd3

If 15.Ba4 then:

15...e6 16.f4 Nxa4 17.Nxa4 Ng4 18.dxe6 Bxe6 19.h3 Nf6 continues to give Black a small advantage in space; White has better pawns.
15...f5!? 16.h3 Nxa4 17.Nxa4 Bd7 18.Nac3 e6 is equal.

15...e6 16.dxe6

If 16.Nf4 Nxd3 17.Qxd3 then:

17...Be5 18.dxe6 fxe6 19.Nfe2 d5 gives Black a slight overall advantage.
17...Bd4+ 18.Be3 Qf6 19.Nfe2 Bxe3+ 20.Qxe3 exd5 21.exd5 is equal.

16...fxe6 17.Nc1!?

White retreats when the indicated plan calls for undermining Black's center.
If 17.Bf4! Bb7 18.Qd2 Rc8 19.Bc2 d5 continues to give Black only a slight advantage.

17...d5!?

This is not the way to take advantage of White's misplay. Rather, Black just helped White correct the error.
17...Qe7 18.f4 Nxd3 19.Qxd3 Bb7 20.N1e2 d5 gives Black a fair advantage.

18.Be2?!

White, however, misses the second chance, too.
If 18.f4! Nxd3 19.Nxd3 Bb7 20.Ne2 c4 21.Nc5 dxe4 breaks up Black's center with equality.

BLACK: Timur Gareev

WHITE: Robert Hungaski
Position after 18.Bd3e2

18...Nc6!

Black now has a solid claim on the d4 square.
18...Bb7 19.Nd3 Nxd3 20.Bxd3 c4 21.bxc4 Bd4+ 22.Kh1 is equal.

19.Nd3 Nd4 20.Qd1 Qe7

Black retains a small advantagge in space.
If 20...Qc7 21.Rc1 c4 22.bxc4 Nxc4 then:

23.Re1 Qd6 24.Kh1 Bd7 25.Bf1 Rbc8 26.f4 Rc7 gives Black only a slight advantage because, although he controls more space, White's solid defense makes it hard to exploit.
23.f4 Rd8 24.e5 Bf8 25.Bg4 Nf5 26.Re1 Bb7 gives Black some extra space and more active minor pieces.

If 20...Qd6 21.Be1 then:

If 21...Rb7 22.e5 then:

22...Qc7 23.f4 c4 24.Nb2 Nf5 gives Black a small advantage in space.
22...Bxe5!? 23.Nxe5 Qxe5 24.Bxa6! Ra7 25.Bxc8 Nxc8 gives Black a lot more space, but White's position, although cramped, is solid.

21...Nxe2+ 22.Nxe2 dxe4 23.fxe4 Rxf1+ 24.Kxf1 c4 again gives Black less of an advantage in space than it appears becuase when White retreats the Knight Black will exchange Queens.

20...Nxe2+!? 21.Qxe2! Qc7 22.Rfc1 Bb7 23.Nd1 c4 is equal.

21.Nf2!?

If 21.Be3 Bb7 22.Rc1 Rbc8 23.Qd2 c4 then:

24.Nf4 Nxe2+ 25.Nfxe2 Qc7 26.exd5 exd5 27.Rfe1 Rfe8 is equal.
If 24.Nf2 dxe4 25.Ncxe4 cxb3 then:

26.Rxc8 Rxc8 27.Bxd4 Rd8 28.axb3 Bxd4 29.Qa5 Rd5 gives Black a fair advantage.
If 26.Bxd4 Rxc1 27.Rxc1 Rd8 then:

28.Qf4 Bxd4 29.axb3 Nd5 30.Qg3 Ne3 31.Kh1 Qa3 gives Black a significant advantage and the initiative.
If 28.axb3 Bxd4 29.Qf4 Nd5 then:

30.Qg3 Ne3 31.Qg5 Qxg5 32.Nxg5 Bd5 33.b4 h6 gives Black a better center and the initiative.
30.Qd2? Be3! 31.Qd1 Nf4 32.Qf1 Bxc1 33.Qxc1 Nxe2+ wins for Black.

21...Bb7!

Black has a fair advantage in space.

22.Bd3 Qd6?!

Black takes aim at h2 from the diagonal.
White has perfectly good ways to defend against this attack and Black should thing about rolling his pawns up the center. Better is22...Rbd8! 23.f4 Nc6 24.e5 Nb4 25.Ne2 d4 when Black still has a fair advantage in space.

23.Rc1

On the other hand, White should restrain Black's center pawns.
Better is 23.f4! dxe4 24.Ncxe4 Qd5 25.Re1 Rbc8 26.Qg4 c4 with equality.

23...Rbd8

Black has a slight advantage in space.
23...c4 24.bxc4 Nxc4 25.Bxc4 dxc4 26.Be3 Rfc8 27.Ng4 is equal.

24.Bg5!?

If 24.f4! Qe7 25.e5 Nc6 26.Ne2 Rd7 27.Be3 d4 28.Bd2 is equal.

BLACK: Timur Gareev

WHITE: Robert Hungaski
Position after 24.Be2g5

24...Rd7!

The Rook is on guard to stop any attempts by White to play on the seventh rank.

25.Ng4?

If 25.exd5 exd5 26.Re1 c4 27.bxc4 Nxc4 gives Black significantly more space.

25...c4!

Black has a significant advantage in space and the initiative.

26.bxc4 dxc4 27.Bb1 h5 28.Nf2

If 28.Ne3? (cutting off the Bishop's escape route) then after 28...Qc5! 29.h4 Nxf3+!! then:

30.gxf3 Rxd1 31.Ncxd1 Qd6 32.Rc2 Bd4. gives Black a Queen and a pawn for a Rook and a minor piece.
If 30.Rxf3 then Black wins after 30...Rxd1+ 31.Ncxd1 Rxf3 32.gxf3 Qa3.

28...Qa3 29.Qe1

Any othe move wins the Queen after 29...Nxf3+!.

BLACK: Timur Gareev

WHITE: Robert Hungaski
Position after 29.Qd1e1

29...Rxf3!! 30.Kh1

White dare not accept the proffered Rook.
If 30.gxf3?? then Black wins after 30...Nxf3+! 31.Kg2 Nxe1+ 32.Rfxe1 Bxc3.

30...Rff7 31.e5 Nf5

White still has hopes of counterplay, but Black is able to chut it down as fast as a threat rears its head.

32.Nh3 <32.Nfd1 Qa5 33.Bxf5 gxf5 34.Bf6 Bxf6 35.exf6 Rxf6> 32...Nd5!

Black will undermine the defenders of key points and crush White mercilessly.

33.Rf3

White's only move is 33.Rg1! Qa5 34.Bd2 Qc7 then:

35.Ng5 Rfe7 36.Nf3 Nxc3 37.Bxc3 Bd5 secures the White pawn at e5, buying an awful lot of time to find some counterplay.
If 35.Ne4? then Black wins after 35...Bxe5! 36.Nhg5 Bxh2 37.Ba5 Qe5 when his is up by three pawns.

If 33.Nf4 then White is toast after 33...Nfe3! 34.Nfxd5 Rxf1+! 35.Qxf1 Nxf1 36.Rxf1 Bxd5 etc..
If 33.Bd2 then 33...Nxc3 34.Bxc3 Bh6 35.Rc2 Ne3 36.Rg1 Rd1 wins the Queen.

33...Qa5 34.Bd2 Nb6 then:

If 35.Be4! then:

If 35...Rxd2 36.Qxd2 Bxe4 37.Nxe4 Qxd2 38.Nxd2 Bxe5 gives Black a strong advantage.
If 35...Bxe4 36.Nxe4 Qxe5 37.Nhg5 then:

37...Rf8 then:

38.Ra3 Nd4 39.Rxa6 Nd5 40.Ra4 c3 gives Black a huge avantage, but not enough to win.
38.Rfc3 Qd5 39.Rf3 Na4 40.Ra3 Nb2 then:

If 41.Bb4 Re8 then:

If 42.Nc5 Rd6 43.Nge4 Rc6 then:

If 44.Nc3 Bxc3 45.Qxc3 Qd4 46.Qc2 Rb6 then:

47.Bc3 Qxc5 48.Bxb2 e5 49.Rc3 Rc6 appears to give Black enough to win, but it will be a long process.
47.Qd2 Qxd2 48.Bxd2 Rc8 49.Ne4 Kf7 50.Rb1 Rcb8 wins for Black.

44.Ra5 Rec8 45.Bc3 Bxc3 46.Rxc3 Qd4 47.Qg1 e5 wins for Black.

42.g3 white wins easily after 42...Nd3! 43.Rxd3 cxd3 44.Qd2 Bh6 45.Rc5 Qd4.

41.Ra5 Qc6 42.Rc5 Qa8 43.Nf2 Nh4 44.Qxe6+ Kh8 gives White the unpleasant choice of meeting a mating threat or allowing material loss.

37...Rfe7?! 38.Ra3! Rd3 39.Rxa6 Qb5 40.Ra5 is equal

35.Ne4 Rxd2 36.Nxd2 Bxf3 37.Nxf3 Qxe1+ 38.Nxe1 Bxe5 leaves Black up by two pawns and winning.

34.Rfxc3 Qa5

If 34...Qc5 then:

If 35.Rxc4 Qxe5 36.Qxe5 Bxe5 then:

37.Bc2 Bd4 38.Ba4 Rd6 39.Rc7 Rxc7 40.Rxc7 Rb6 allows White to fight on after 41.Bb3.
37.Rb4? loses to 37...Bd4! 38.a3 a5 39.Rb5 Ne3 40.Nf4 Rc7! when Black wins material after, for example, 41.Rg1 e5! 42.Ba2 esf4!! 43.Bxf7+ Rxf7.

If 35.R3c2? then Black wins after 35...Rd4! when:

36.Bf4 Qd5 37.Re2 g5 38.Bxg5 Bxe5 39.Bxf5 Rxf5 Black has an extra pawn, four pieces in the extended center and open lanes leading to White's King.
36.Nf4 Qxe5 37.Qxe5 Bxe5 38.Nxe6 Rg4 39.Rd2 c3 gives Black open avenues of attack against the enemy King and a dangerous advanced passer.

35.Bf6?

White drops a second pawn.
Better is 35.Rxc4 Qxe5 36.Bc2 Qxe1+ 37.Rxe1 Rd4 38.Rxd4 Bxd4 when Black clearly has the better game, but White still has potential counterplay on the kingside.

BLACK: Timur Gareev

WHITE: Robert Hungaski
Position after 35.Bg5f6

35...Bxf6!

Black goes about winning the pawn.

36.exf6 Rxf6 37.Nf4

37.Be4 Bxe4 38.Qxe4 Nd6 39.Qc2 Qd5 gives White a clear winning position.

37...Rd4 38.Qf2

If 38.Nxe6 then:

38...Bxg2+!! 39.Kxg2 Qd5+ 40.Kg1 Rxe6 41.Qf2 Rd1+ White wins easily.
38...Rxe6?? 39.Qxe6+! Kh7 40.Qf7+ wins for Black.

38...Qxc3!!

As one can tell, this is a sham sacrifice.

39.Rxc3

39.Rf1 just gets ugly after 39...Nh4 when:

40.Bxg6 Rdxf4 41.Bxh5 Bxg2+ 42.Qxg2+ Nxg2 43.Rg1 Rf1 leaves Black two heavy pieces to the good.
Even uglier is the Medea strategem of dismembering the position and throwing parts in the path of pursuers: 40.Be4 Rxe4 41.Kg1 Rexf4 42.Qxf4 Rxf4 43.Rxf4 Qe3+ doesn't work as well for White as it did for Jason and Madea.

39...Rd1+ 40.Qg1 Rxg1+ 41.Kxg1 Nd4 0-1

Mr. Hungaski resigns.

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