The Jack Rabbit Chess Report (February 17): 3 Major Tournaments Begin

Jack Rabbit

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Sun Feb-17-08 04:29 PM
Original message

The Jack Rabbit Chess Report (February 17): 3 Major Tournaments Begin

Morelian-Linares Opens in Mexico

The 25th annual super grandmaster tournament began Friday in Morelia, Michoac�n (Mexico).

This year�s participants are world champion Vishy Anand of India Aremenia�s Levon Aronian; seventeen-year-old Norwegian grandmaster Magnus Carlsen; Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine; Hungarian GM Peter Leko; Azerbaijan�s Teimour Radjabov; the Latvian-Spanish grandmaster Alexey Shirov; and the former FIDE world champion, Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria.

The event is a double-round robin. The first Robin will be played in Mexico, concluding Saturday, then the players take a five-day break and resume in Linares, Andaluc�a (Spain) beginning February Thursday, 28 running through March 7.

The English language version of the official website for the Mexican half of the event is here. One can click on Live Games in the upper left hand corner of the page to follow the action beginning at 3 pm CST today, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

After two rounds, Ivanchuk and Topalov lead with a point and a half each.

Aeroflot Open Begins

The Aeroflot Open, one of the best of the annual Swiss system events on the calendar, began Thursday in Moscow, where another great Swiss system tournament, the Moscow Open, finished last week.

The fourth round was played today. Tied for the lead are two seventeen-year-old GMs, Ian Napomniachtchi of Russia and Israel�s Maxim Rodshtein, and Boris Grachev, 22, of Russia, with 3� points apiece. Seven players are tied with 3 points each, including the recent champion of the Moscow Open, Russia�s Artyom Timofeev.

The nine-round event concludes Friday.

Open Tournament Underway in Chapelle la Grande

The annual open tournament in Chapelle la Grande began yesterday in France.

The biggest upset in yesterday�s first round saw young international master Jon Ludwig Hammer of Norway defeat Greek GM Vasilios Kotronias.

The event concludes Saturday.

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Jack Rabbit

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Sun Feb-17-08 04:29 PM
Response to Original message

1. Games from the Moscow Open

Diagrams on the Jack Rabbit Chess Report are made with Chess M�rida, a true type font that can be downlaoded free here.

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Jack Rabbit

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Sun Feb-17-08 04:30 PM
Response to Reply #1

2. J. Geller - Raizantsev, Round 3

Edited on Sun Feb-17-08 04:38 PM by Jack Rabbit

Alexander Riazantsev
Photo: ChessBase.com

Jakov Geller - Alexander Riazantsev
Moscow Open, Group A, Round 3
Moscow, 4 February 2008

East India Game: Queen's Indian Defense

1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Be7 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.e3 0-0 6.Bd3 b6 7.0-0 Bb7 8.cxd5

8.b3 Nbd7 9.Bb2 c5 10.Qe2 Rc8 11.Rfd1 Qc7 12.Rac1 Rfd8 13.cxd5 exd5 14.Bf5 g6 15.Bh3 Ra8 16.Ne5 Nxe5 17.dxe5 Ne4 18.Nxe4 dxe4 19.e6 Rxd1+ 20.Rxd1 Rd8 21.exf7+ Kxf7 22.Qc4+ Kf8 is equal (Tal-Rozentalis, Soviet Union, 1985).

8...exd5 9.b3 Nbd7 10.Bb2 a6

After 10...c5 11.Rc1 Rc8 12.Qe2 Re8 13.Rfd1 Bd6 14.Bb5 a6 15.Bxa6 Bxa6 16.Qxa6 c4 17.Qb5 Nf8 18.bxc4 Rxc4 19.Nxd5 Rxc1 20.Nxf6+ Qxf6 21.Rxc1 Ra8 22.Qb3 White is ahead in space and has two extra pawns (Su. Polgar-LaOrden, Rapid, Oviedo. 1993).

11.Rc1 Bd6 12.Qc2 Qe7 13.Ne2 Rac8!?

13...Rfc8 14.Bf5 g6 15.Bh3 c6 16.Ne5 Rc7 draw agreed (Horvath-Hertneck, Austrian ChT, 2003).

14.Bf5 g6 15.Bd3

The position is equal.
15.Bh3 c6 16.Ne5 Rc7 17.Nxd7 Nxd7 18.Nc3 Rd8 19.Rfd1 Qh4 is a position that might have been reached in Horvath-Hertneck (see previous note), had they decided to play on a few moves; this position, too, is equal..

15...Ne4

15...c5 16.Qb1 Rfd8 17.Rfd1 Re8 18.dxc5 then:

18...bxc5 19.Ng3 is equal.
18...Bxc5 19.Ng3 Ne4 is balanced.

16.Bxe4?

With this exchange, White allows Black to dominate space.
If 16.Rfd1 b5 17.Nc3 b4 then:

18.Nb1 f5 19.Re1 c5 20.Qe2 a5 is equal.
18.Nxe4? drops a piece to 18...dxe4 19.Bxe4 Bxe4 20.Qe2.

BLACK: Alexander Riazantsev
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Jakov Geller
Position after 16.Bd3e4:N

16...dxe4!

By recapturing with the pawn, Black assures that the spatial advantage to be realized from White's error will be durable.
Black is still better after 16...Qxe4?! 17.Qc3 Rfe8 18.a3 c6 19.Rfd1 a5 20.Qc2 Qxc2 21.Rxc2. but not as good as the text.

17.Nd2 b5

If 17...c5 18.d5 Bxd5 19.Nc3 Qe5 then:

20.g3 Bc6 21.Ncxe4 Qd5 22.Rfd1 Bc7 23.Nc4 Qxe4 24.Qxe4 Bxe4 25.Rxd7 Bf5 26.Rd2 Rfd8 is equal.
20.Rfd1 Qxh2+ 21.Kf1 Be6 22.Ncxe4 Qh1+ 23.Ke2 Bg4+ 24.Nf3 Qxg2 25.Ned2 Bg3 26.Rf1 Rfe8 Black is close to busting the game open..

18.Rfd1 c5

If 18...f5 19.Qc3 Nf6 then:

20.Qc2 Nd5 21.a3 Bxa3 22.Bxa3 Qxa3 23.Qb1 Qd6 Black has a very nice spatial advantage.
20.Nf1 Nd5 21.Qc2 Nb4 22.Qb1 Qh4 23.Nfg3 Nd3 gives Black a healthy edge in space..

19.Qb1 cxd4

After 19...Qh4 20.Ng3 f5 21.a3 cxd4 22.exd4 e3 23.fxe3 Bxg3 24.hxg3 Qxg3 Black wins material under the threat of checkmate.

20.Rxc8

If 20.Nxd4 Rxc1 then:

21.Bxc1 Qh4 22.Nf1 Rd8 23.Nxb5 Bxh2+ 24.Nxh2 axb5 Black's spatial edge continues.
21.Rxc1 Nc5 22.Ba3 Rd8 23.Rc2 Qe5 24.Nf1 Nd3 Black has a comfortable edge in space.

20...Rxc8 21.Bxd4 Nc5 22.Qa1!

Black's weakness is the long diagonal. White works this in the game as well as he can, but his position is already difficult and nothing comes of it.

22...Nd3!

A Knight such as this often decides the game by itself.

23.Nf1 Rc2 24.Bf6

If 24.Bh8 f5 25.Rd2 Rxd2 26.Nxd2 f4 27.Nf1 f3 28.gxf3 exf3 29.Neg3 Bb4 30.Qd4 Nc1 Black is threatening to convert his space into material.
After 24...Qf8 25.Rd2 Rxd2 26.Nxd2 f5 27.a4 Bc7 28.axb5 axb5 29.Nd4 Qd6 Black is threatening 30...Qxh2, winning at least a pawn.

24...Qc7 25.Nfg3

Black maintains a large spatial advantage after 25.Nd4 Rxf2 26.Bh4 Rxf1+ 27.Rxf1 Bxh2+ 28.Kh1 b4 29.a3 Bd6.

25...Bxg3 26.Nxg3 Rxf2 27.Qd4

If 27.Nh1 Rc2 28.a3 Bc8 then:

29.Qd4 Bh3 30.Qxe4 Rxg2+ 31.Qxg2 Bxg2 32.Rxd3 Qc1+ 33.Kxg2 Qc6+ 34.e4 Qxf6 Black enjoy the considerable material advantage of a Queen and a pawn against a Rook and a minor piece.
After 29.Rf1 Bh3 30.Nf2 Nxf2 31.Be5 Qd7 32.Qd4 Qxd4 33.Bxd4 Nd3 leaves Black a pawn to the good.

BLACK: Alexander Riazantsev
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Jakov Geller
Position after 27.Qa1d4

27...Rxg2+!!

The Rook sacrifice is the most elegant way to resolve the game.
Black also does well after 27...Qc8 28.Rxd3 Rxf6 29.Rc3 Qe6 when:

30.Rc7 Bc6 31.Qd8+ Kg7 32.Rc8 Qd6 33.Qh8+ Kh6!
After 30.Rc5 Qe7 31.Re5 Re6 32.Rxe6 Qxe6 33.Qd8+ Kg7 Black still has an extra pawn.

28.Kxg2 Qc2+ 29.Kg1 Qxd1+ 30.Nf1 Qg4+

30...Bd5? 31.Qxd5 Qg4+ 32.Ng3 Qd1+ 33.Nf1 Qg4+ 34.Ng3 Qd1+ draws.

31.Ng3 Qd1+

If 31...Qc8 32.Bh8 f6 33.Bxf6 Ne1 34.Kh1 Nf3 then:

35.Qd1 Kf7 36.Bb2 Ke8 37.a3 Qh3 38.Qc2 h5 Black is threatening to crush White in a mating attack.
After 35.Qd8+ Qxd8 36.Bxd8 Ne1 37.Ne2 Kf7 38.Nd4 h6 leaves Black with a favorable endgame.

32.Nf1

32.Kg2? Qc2+ 33.Kg1 Qc8 34.Bh8 Qf8 stops the mating threat on the long diagonal.

32...Qg4+ 33.Ng3 Qc8 34.Bh8 Qf8

This prevents mate on the long diagonal for now (see previous note).
Also good is 34...f6 35.Bxf6 Ne1 36.Kh1 Nf3 37.Qd1 Kf7 38.Bc3 Qh3 39.Qc2 Ke8

35.Bf6

If 35.Nxe4 Ne1 36.Nd2 Nc2 then:

37.Qa7 Qc8 38.Be5 Qg4+ 39.Bg3 Qd1+ 40.Nf1 Qd5 41.Qb8+ Kg7 42.Qe5+ Qxe5 43.Bxe5+ f6 keeps Black on the winning track.
37.Qc3 Nxe3 38.Qxe3 Kxh8 39.a4 bxa4 40.Qd4+ Kg8 41.bxa4 Qc8 leaves Black up by two pawns.

35...Nc5 36.Kf2 Qc8 37.h4 h5 38.b4

White gains nothing from 38.Kg1 a5 39.Qd6 Nd7 40.Bd4 b4 41.Qe7 Qc1+.

38...Nd3+ 39.Kg1 Kh7 40.Qd6

If 40.Qc3 then:

40...Bc6 41.Qb3 Be8 42.Kh2 Nf2 43.Kg1 Qg4 44.Be5 Qf3 Black wins easily.
Also good is 40...Qxc3 41.Bxc3 g5 42.Nxh5 gxh4 43.Nf6+ Kg6 44.a3 Kg5

40...Qc1+ 41.Nf1 Qe1 42.Qd8

The mating threat is idle.

42...Qf2+

Geller could have resigned here.

43.Kh1 Qxf1+ 44.Kh2 Qe2+ 45.Kh1 Qd1+ 46.Kh2 Qd2+ 0-1

47.Kh1 Qc1+ 48.Kh2 Qc8Puts a final end to White's mating threat.
Mr. Geller resigns.

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Jack Rabbit

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Sun Feb-17-08 04:40 PM
Response to Reply #1

4. Tiviakov - Le, Round 6

Le Quang Liem
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)

Sergei Tiviakov - Le Quang Liem
Moscow Open, Group A, Round 6
Moscow, 7 February 2008

C;osed Sicilian Game: Saragossa Opening (Alapin Attack)

1.e4 c5 2.c3 Nf6

If 2...d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 e6 then:

6.Na3 Qd8 7.Nc2 then:

7...Be7 8.Bd3 0-0 9.0-0 b6 10.Qe2 Bb7 11.Bf4 Nbd7 12.Rad1 Qc8 13.Ne5 Nd5 14.Bg3 cxd4 15.Nxd4 Nxe5 16.Qxe5 Bf6 17.Qe2 Rd8 18.Nb5 gives White an edge in space (Hudoba-Kolesar, Slovakian ChT, Slovakia, 2000).
7...Nc6 8.Bd3 cxd4 9.Ncxd4 Nxd4 10.Nxd4 Bc5 11.0-0 Bxd4 12.Qa4+ Ke7 13.cxd4 Qd6 14.b3 Bd7 15.Qa5 b6 16.Qe5 Bc6 17.Rd1 h6 18.h3 Rhd8 19.a4 Qd5 20.Ba3+ Ke8 21.Bf1 Qxe5 22.dxe5 Rxd1 23.Rxd1 Nd5 24.Rd3 a6 25.Rg3 draw agreed (Tiviakov-van Wely, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2006).
7...Nbd7 8.Bd3 Be7 9.0-0 0-0 10.Qe2 b6 11.Bf4 Bb7 12.Rad1 Qc8 13.Ne5 cxd4 14.Nxd4 Nd5 15.Bg3 gives White a comfortable advatage in space.

6.Be3 cxd4 7.cxd4 Nc6 8.Nc3 Qd6 9.a3 Be7 10.Bd3 0-0 11.0-0 b6 12.Qe2 Bb7 13.Rad1 Rad8 14.Bb1 Rfe8 15.Rfe1 is equal.
6.Be2 Nc6 7.0-0 cxd4 8.cxd4 Be7 9.Nc3 Qd6 10.Nb5 Qd8 11.Bf4 Nd5 12.Bg3 a6 13.Nc3 0-0 14.Rc1 Nf6 15.a3 b6 16.Bc4 Bb7 17.Ba2 gives the advatage in space to White.

3.e5 Nd5 4.g3

If 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nf3 then:

If 5...e6 6.cxd4 d6 7.Bc4 Nc6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Qe2 0-0 then:

If 10.Qe4 then:

10...Bd7 11.Bd3 f5 12.exf6 Nxf6 13.Qe2 Qa5 14.Bc4 d5 15.Bd3 Bd6 16.Nc3 Rae8 17.Qd1 e5 18.dxe5 Nxe5 19.Nxe5 Bxe5 20.Qb3 Ng4 21.Qxd5+ Qxd5 22.Nxd5 Nxh2 is equal (Struch-Chandler, Politiken Cup, Copenhagen, 2005).
10...Qc7 11.Re1 Bd7 12.Bg5 Ncb4 13.Nbd2 Bc6 14.a3 Nb6 15.Qh4 N4d5 16.Bd3 h6 17.Bxe7 Nxe7 18.Rac1 Rac8 19.Ne4 dxe5 20.dxe5 Qd8 21.Bb1 Nf5 22.Qg4 Nd7 23.Nc3 Qb6 draw agreed (Panasovic-Cvitan, Croatian Cup, Rabac, 2004).

10.Nc3 Nxc3 11.bxc3 dxe5 12.dxe5 Qa5 13.Qe4 transposes into the darkred line.

If 5...Nc6 6.cxd4 d6 7.Bc4 then:

If 7...Nb6 8.Bb5 dxe5 9.Nxe5 Bd7 10.Nxd7 Qxd7 11.Nc3 e6 12.0-0 Be7 13.Qg4 0-0 14.Bxc6 bxc6 15.Bh6 Bf6 16.Rfd1 Kh8 17.Ne4 Qe7 18.Bg5 Bxg5 19.Nxg5 Rad8 20.Rac1 Rd5 21.h4 h6 22.Nf3 c5 23.dxc5 Rxd1+ 24.Rxd1 draw agreed (Tiviakov-Lautier, Ol, Torino, 2006).
If 7...e6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Qe2 0-0 10.Nc3 Nxc3 11.bxc3 dxe5 12.dxe5 Qa5 13.Qe4 Qa4 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bxe7 Nxe7 16.Rfb1 Rd8 17.h4 then:

17...Rb8 18.Bd3 Qxe4 19.Bxe4 b6 20.Rd1 Ba6 21.Rd6 Rxd6 22.exd6 Nd5 23.Bxd5 exd5 24.Re1 gives White a small edge in space (Sebag-Kokol, IT, Graz, 2006).
17...Nf5 18.Bd3 Qa5 19.Rd1 Qxc3 20.g4 Ne7 21.Qh7+ Kf8 22.Qh8+ Ng8 23.Bh7 Ke7 24.Kg2 gives Black an extra pawn.

4...d6 5.exd6 e6 6.Bg2 Bxd6 7.Nf3 0-0 8.d4 Nc6 9.dxc5!?

If 9.0-0 cxd4 10.Nxd4 Nxd4 11.Qxd4 Qc7 12.Nd2 Bd7 13.Ne4 Be5 14.Qd3 a6 15.Re1 Bb5 16.Qf3 Bc6 17.Qe2 Nf6 18.Bg5 then:

18...Nxe4 19.Bxe4 Bxe4 20.Qxe4 f6 is level (Goreskul-Lupik, Eur Ind Ch, Chisinau (Moldova), 2005).
18...Bxe4 19.Bxe4 h6 20.Bg2 Bxg3 21.Bxf6 Bxh2+ 22.Kh1 gxf6 23.Qg4+ is equal (Rozentalis-Tkachiev, Hastings, 1997).

9...Bxc5 10.0-0 b5

10...Qc7 11.Qe2 b6 12.Rd1 Rd8 13.Bg5 Nce7 14.b4 Bd6 is equal.

11.b4 Bd6 12.a4 bxa4 13.Rxa4 Bb7 14.Ng5

If 14.b5 Nce7 15.Ng5 Qd7 16.Qd3 then:

After 16...Nf5 17.Ba3 Bxa3 18.Nxa3 Qe7 19.Ne4 White has a modest spatial edge.
16...Ng6 17.Rd1 Qc8 18.Ne4 Be5 19.Ba3 Nb6 gives White the advantage in space.

14...Be7 15.Qh5?!

White creates an idle mating threat which backfires when Black uses it to gain time.
Better and more interesting is 15.Qg4 when:

15...Ne5 16.Qh4 h6 17.Qe4 Bxg5 18.Qxe5 Bf6 19.Qe1 Bc6 20.Ra5 Qb6 is equal.
15...h6? 16.Nxe6!! fxe6 17.Qxe6+ Kh8 18.Qxd5 Qxd5 19.Bxd5.

15...h6!

With the Queen in no position to take the pawn on e6, the sacrificial combination seen in the last note is off the table.
Also good is 15...Nf6 16.Qe2 Qc8 17.b5 Nd8 18.Rd1 Bxg2 19.Kxg2 with equality.

16.Ne4 Qc7 17.Re1 Rad8?

If 17...Ne5! 18.Qe2 Rfd8 19.Rd1 a6 20.Ra5 Nc4 21.Rc5 then:

21...Bxc5 22.Nxc5 Nd6 23.Nxe6 fxe6 24.Qxe6+ Nf7 gives Black a significant edge in space.
21...Nxc3? 22.Nbxc3 Rxd1+ 23.Qxd1 Bxc5 24.bxc5 Rd8 25.Qb3 gives White a small edge in space.

18.Nc5!

White keeps up the pressure.
If 18.b5 Ne5 then:

If 19.Qe2 Ra8 20.Ba3 Bxa3 21.Nxa3 then:

If 21...Rfd8 22.Rd4 Nb6 23.Nd6 Bxg2 then:

24.Qxe5 24...Bd5 25.Ndc4 Rdc8 26.Qxc7 Rxc7 27.Nxb6 axb6 28.c4 Ra4 is equal.
24.Kxg2 Nc6 25.bxc6 Rxd6 26.Qf3 Qxc6 27.Rxd6 Qxd6 28.Nc4 Qd5 forces the Knight to vacate c4, giving Black the edge in space to go with an extra pawn.

21...Rfb8 22.f4 Nd7 23.Qc4 Qb6+ 24.Qd4 a6 25.Qxb6 N7xb6 26.Rd4 Kf8 is equal.

If 19.Ba3 Bxa3 20.Rxa3 then:

20...Nd3! 21.Rd1 N5f4 22.gxf4 Nxf4 23.Rxd8 Nxh5 24.Rxf8+ Kxf8 gives Black the material advantage of a Queen over a Rook and a minor piece.
20...Ra8 21.Rb3 Rfd8 22.Na3 Nb6 23.Nc5 Bxg2 24.Qxe5 Qxe5 25.Rxe5 Bd5 gives White the advantage in space.

18...Ba8!?

If 18...Bxc5?! 19.bxc5 Nf6 20.Qh4 then:

20...Nd7 21.Bxh6 Nde5 22.Bf4 gives White a small edge in space.
20...Nd5? allows the splendid combination 21.Bxh6!! gxh6 22.Qxh6 f5 23.Rxe6 giving White three pawns for the piece and a vicious attack on the Black King.

BLACK: Le Quang Liem
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WHITE: Sergei Tiviakov
Position after 18...Bb7a8

19.Bxh6!

This sacrifice should have worked.
If 19.Na6 Qb7 20.Qg4 then:

20...Bf6 21.Nc5 Qe7 22.Ne4 Be5 is equal.
After 20...Qb5? 21.Bxh6 Bf6 22.Nc5 Ne5 23.Rxe5 Bxe5 White has won the exchange.

19...Nf6!?

This move is a lot better than the alternative, but it is insufficient to hold the game.
If 19...gxh6? 20.Qxh6 Ne5 21.Be4 then:

After 21...Nf6 22.Qg5+ Kh8 23.Bxa8 Nfg4 24.Qh5+ Kg7 25.Re4 White has a huge advantage in space.
21...Ng6 22.Bxg6 Nf6 then:

23.b5 Qe5 24.Kf1 Qd5 25.Rf4! Qg2+ 26.Ke2 Rd5 27.Rh4 Black's defense snaps under the strain of White's attack.
23.Bc2 Rd5 24.b5 Rh5 25.Nxe6 Rxh6 26.Nxc7 leaves White up by three pawns.

20.Qh3?

This is not the most active post for the Queen.
If 20.Qg5! Ne8 21.Qg4 Bxc5 22.bxc5 f5 23.Qg5 then:

23...Rf6 24.Bxg7 Qxg7 25.Qxg7+ Nxg7 26.Bxc6 Bxc6 27.Rxa7 gives White more space.
After 23...a5?! 24.Na3 Rf6 25.Nb5 Qd7 26.Rh4 White has more space and is building an attack on the enemy King.

20...gxh6 21.Qxh6
BLACK: Le Quang Liem
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WHITE: Sergei Tiviakov
Position after 21.Qh3h6:p

21...Ng4!!

Black finds the winning line.
Black could restore White's dominance with 21...Ne5? 22.Qg5+ Kh8 23.Bxa8 then:

23...Nfg4 24.Qh5+ Kg8 25.Be4 f5 26.Bg2 Bxc5 27.bxc5 Qxc5 28.Ra2 leaves White with an extra pawn.
After 23...Rxa8 24.Rxe5 Rg8 White keeps iup the pressure on Black's King by 25.Qh6+ Nh7 26.Rh5 Rg7 27.Qe3 with a huge edge in space.

22.Nxe6 Qe5!

If 22..Nxh6? 23.Nbc7 then:

23...Rd7 loses to 24.Nxa8 when:

24...Ne5 25.Nc7 Rxc7 26.Rxe5 Bf6 27.Re1 leaving White up by three pawns.
24...Rxa8 loses immediately to 25.Bxc6!!

23...Bb7 24.b4 Rc8 25.bxc6 Bxc6 26.Rxa7 also leaves White three pawns to the good.

23.Qc1

To 23.Qg7+ Qxg7 24.Nxg7, Black replies 24...Kxg7 25.h3 Nge5 26.b5 Nd3 27.Re3 Bc5 preventing White from regaining his piece.
23.Rxe5 Rd1+ 24.Bf1 Nxh6 25.Rh5 fxe6 26.Rxh6 Rxb1 27.Rxe6 Kf7 gives Black two minor pieces against four pawns.

23...Qh8 24.h3 fxe6 25.Rxe6

If 25.hxg4 Ne5 then:

26.Qe3 Rxf2 27.Qxf2 Nxg4 28.Bxa8 Nxf2 White loses yet more material.
After 26.Rxe5 Qxe5 27.Bxa8 Qe2 28.Rxa7 Qxf2+ 29.Kh1 Qxa7 further resistance is useless.

25...Rxf2 26.Rg6+ Kf7 27.Rxg4 Rxg2+ 28.Kf1 Ke8 0-1

If 29.Kxg2 Ne5+ 30.Kg1 Nxg4 31.Qc2 Qe5 32.Qg6+ Kf8 then:

After After 33.Qh6+ Nxh6 34.Nd2 Qe2 35.Nf3 Rd1+ Black mates on the next move.
33.Nd2 Qxg3+ 34.Kf1 Qf2#.

Mh. Tiviakov resigns.

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Jack Rabbit

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sun Feb-17-08 04:42 PM
Response to Reply #1

5. Efimenko - Smirnov, Round 9

Edited on Sun Feb-17-08 04:43 PM by Jack Rabbit

Zahar Efimenko
Photo: ChessBase.com

Zahar Efimenko - Pavel Smirnov
Moscow Open, Group A. Round 9
Moscow, 10 February 2008

Closed Sicilian Game: Boleslavsky Defense

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Bc4 Be7 5.d3 d6 6.0-0

If 6.Nd2 then:

6...Nf6 7.Nf1 Bg4 8.f3 Be6 9.Ne3 0-0 10.0-0 Rb8 11.a3 Nd4 12.Ncd5 b5 13.Ba2 Nxd5 14.Nxd5 Bg5 15.f4 exf4 16.c3 Bxd5 17.Bxd5 Ne6 18.Qg4 Qe7 is equal (Nakamura-Johanessen, Ol, Torino, 2006).
If 6...Bg5 7.h4 Bxd2+ 8.Bxd2 Nf6 then:

9.0-0 0-0 10.f4 Ng4 11.Qe1 exf4 12.Bxf4 Nce5 13.Qg3 h5 14.Bg5 Qb6 15.b3 Be6 16.Rad1 Qa5 17.Bd2 Qd8 18.Nd5 gives White a small advantage in space (Naiditsch-Anand, Sparkassen, Dortmund, 2004).
9.Bg5 Be6 10.Nd5 Bxd5 11.Bxd5 h6 12.Bxf6 Qxf6 13.Qd2 Ne7 14.Bc4 0-0 15.Kf1 Rad8 16.Re1 d5 17.exd5 Nxd5 18.Qe2 Rfe8 19.Qe4 Nb6 is equal (Ponomariov-Shirov, IT, Linares, 2002).

6...Nf6 7.h3

If 7.Ng5 0-0 8.f4 then:

8...Bg4 9.Qe1 exf4 10.Bxf4 Nd4 11.Qd2 then:

11...Qd7 12.Be3 then:

12...h6 13.Nf3 Nxf3+ 14.gxf3 Be6 15.Kh1 Kh7 16.Bxe6 fxe6 17.Qg2 Qe8 18.Rg1 Qf7 19.Raf1 d5 20.Ne2 Rg8 is equal (T. L. Petrosian-Moiseenko, Euro Club Cup, F�gen (Austria), 2006).
12...Be6 13.Nd5 Bxd5 14.Bxd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Bxg5 16.Bxg5 Rae8 yields a small edge in space to Black (Steponaia-Cmilyte, Euro Ind Ch, Chisinau (Moldova), 2005).

11...h6 12.Nf3 Nxf3+ 13.gxf3 Be6 14.Rae1 Kh7 15.Kh1 Nh5 16.Bg3 Bh4 17.Rg1 Nxg3+ 18.hxg3 Bf6 19.Kg2 Qa5 20.Re2 Bxc3 21.Qxc3 Qxc3 draw agreed (Topalov-Leko, IT, Linares, 2004).

8...exf4 9.Bxf4 h6 10.Nf3 Be6 11.Nd5 Bxd5 12.Bxd5 Nxd5 13.exd5 Ne5 14.Bxe5 dxe5 15.c4 Bd6 16.g4 Qb6 is equal (Guseinov-Haznedaroglu, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).

7...0-0 8.a3 Nd4

8...a6 9.Ba2 Be6 10.Nd5 Nd4 11.Ne3 Nd7 12.c3 Nxf3+ 13.Qxf3 Bg5 14.Rd1 Qf6 15.Qxf6 Nxf6 16.Bxe6 fxe6 17.Nc4 Bxc1 18.Raxc1 Rad8 19.b4 b5 20.Na5 Rc8 21.c4 is equal (Morozevich-Leko, Sparkassen, Dortmund, 2002).

9.Nd5!?

The position is approximately even. White's novelty invites piece exchanges that ought to result in a drawish position.
9.Nxd4 cxd4 10.Ne2 Be6 11.Bxe6 fxe6 12.c3 dxc3 13.Nxc3 Kh8 14.Qe2 Qe8 15.Be3 a6 16.Rac1 Rc8 17.Nb1 Qb5 18.Rxc8 Rxc8 19.Nc3 Qb3 20.f4 exf4 21.Bxf4 Rf8 is equal (A. Sokolov-Athanasios, IT, Athens, 2005).

9...h6

If 9...Be6!? 10.Ng5 b5 11.Nxf6+ Bxf6 12.Nxe6 then:

12...Nxe6 13.Bxb5 Bg5 14.Bc4 Bxc1 15.Qxc1 Nf4 16.Qe3 Qg5 17.Qf3 is unclear: Black has an edge in space in exchange for the pawn.
12...fxe6 13.Ba2 Qd7 14.Qg4 Rfe8 15.c3 Nc6 16.b4 gives White the edge in space.

9...Nxd5 10.Bxd5 Nxf3+ 11.Qxf3 Bg5 12.Be3 Bxe3 13.fxe3 Be6 is an example of the drawish position mentioned above.

10.c3?!

If 10.Nxd4 then:

10...exd4 11.Qf3 Nxd5 12.exd5 Bg5 13.Re1 b5 14.Bxb5 Rb8 15.Bc6 Bxc1 16.Raxc1 Rxb2 17.Qf4 gives White the advantage in space; Black should seek exchanges.
If 10...cxd4?! 11.f4 Nxd5 12.Bxd5 Bf6 13.Qh5 gives White a significant edge in space.

10...Nxf3+ 11.Qxf3 Be6?

White has a comfortable lead in space; before it gets too comfortable, Black seeks exchanges.
If 11...Nxd5! 12.Bxd5 then:

Bg5! 13.b4 Rb8 then:

14.d4 b6 15.Rd1 Bxc1 16.Raxc1 Qg5 17.dxe5 dxe5 18.Rb1 cxb4 19.axb4 b5 is equal.
14.Qg3 Qf6 15.Bxg5 Qxg5 16.Qxg5 hxg5 is equal.

13...Bxc1!? 14.Raxc1 cxb4 15.cxb4 a5 16.d4 axb4 17.axb4 exd4 18.Rc4 accomplishes some of what Black desired, but he's still in a hole.
White increses his advantage after 12...a5?! 13.Qh5 Bg5 14.f4 Bxf4 15.Bxf4 exf4 16.Rxf4 Be6 17.Raf1.

12.Nxf6+!

As is often the case when one side seeks exchanges to relieve a disadvantage in space, the other side excepts the exchanges with the result of removing defenders and thus converting his space into a material advantage.

12...Bxf6 13.Bxe6 fxe6

BLACK: Pavel Smirnov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Zahar Efimenko
Position after 13...fe6:B

14.Qg4!!

White simultaneously thretens the pawns at e6 and h6.
It's all downhill from here.

14...Kf7

Black finds the only move to cover both threats.

15.f4 Ke7

15...exf4 16.Bxf4 Ke7 17.Rf2 g5 18.Be3 Be5 19.Raf1 Rxf2 20.Rxf2 reaches a favorable ending for White.

16.fxe5 Bxe5 17.Be3 Qb6 18.b4 Bxc3

The pawn doesn't matter.

19.d4 g5

If 19...Bxd4 20.Bxd4 then:

20...g5 21.Be3 leaves White with a piece for two pawns.
20...cxd4 21.Qxg7+ leads to checkmate.

20.dxc5 Qa6

After 20...dxc5 21.Bxc5+ White wins the Queen.

21.cxd6+ Kd7

21...Kxd6 loses a piece to 22.Bc5+ Kc7 23.Qg3+ Rf4 24.Qxc3.

22.Rad1

If 22.Rac1 Qxa3 23.e5 Qxb4 24.Rxf8 then:

After 24...Rxf8 25.Qxb4 Bxb4 26.Rc7+ Ke8 27.Re7+ Kd8 28.Rxb7 White wins more material.
24...Qxg4 25.Rf7+ Ke8 26.Re7+ Kd8 27.hxg4 leaves White with an extra Rook.

22...Qxa3

If 22...Be5 then:

23.Qh5! allows Black back in the game with
23...Qxa3 24.Qh5 Rxf3 25.Qxf3 Bf4 26.Bxf4 Qxf3 27.gxf3 gxf4.
23.Rf3? Rxf1+ 24.Rxf1 Bh2+ 25.Kxh2 Qxf1 26.Qxh6 g4 27.Bf4 is lost for Black.

23.Qh5 Rxf1+ 24.Rxf1 Qxb4

It's all over now, Baby Blue.

BLACK: Pavel Smirnov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Zahar Efimenko
Position after 24...Qa3b4:p

25.Qf7+!

The forced march of the King concludes the game.

25...Kxd6 26.Rd1+ Ke5 27.Bf2 Bd2 28.Bg3+ Bf4 29.Qg7+ Kxe4 30.Qg6+ Ke5 31.Re1+ Qxe1+

Mr. Smirnov could have resigned here, rather than make this move and wait for the next.
31...Kd6 32.Rxe6+ Kd5 33.Qf5+ Kc4 34.Re4+ also loses, but with more dignaty.

32.Bxe1 1-0

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Jack Rabbit

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Sun Feb-17-08 04:44 PM
Response to Reply #1

6. From the Tournament Champions . . .

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Jack Rabbit

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Sun Feb-17-08 04:46 PM
Response to Reply #6

7. Timofeev - Efimenko, Round 7

Artyom Timofeev
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)

Artyom Timofeev - Zahar Efimenko
Moscow Open, Group A, Round 7
Moscow, 8 February 2008

Open Sicilian Game: Najdorf-Boleslavsky Defense

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nf3

7.Nb3 Be6 8.f3 then:

8...Nbd7 9.Qd2 Be7 10.g4 h6 11.0-0-0 b5 12.h4 Nb6 13.Qf2 Nfd7 14.Kb1 Qc7 15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.exd5 Nc4 is equal.
8...Be7 9.Qd2 0-0 10.0-0-0 Nbd7 11.g4 b5 12.g5 b4 13.Ne2 Ne8 14.f4 gives White an advantage in space.

7...Be7 8.Bc4 0-0 9.0-0 Nc6

If 9...Be6 10.Bb3 Nc6 then:

11.Bg5 Nd7 12.Bxe7 Qxe7 13.Nd5 Qd8 14.c3 Na5 15.Re1 Rc8 16.h3 b5 17.Re2 Nc5 18.Nd2 Kh8 19.Bc2 Nd7 20.a4 Bxd5 21.exd5 f5 22.axb5 axb5 23.b4 Nc4 24.Nxc4 Rxc4 Black has the edge in space Asrian-Wang Hao, Taiyuan, 2007).
11.Qe2 Na5 12.Rfd1 Nxb3 13.axb3 Qc7 14.Bg5 Rac8 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.Rac1 Qb6 17.Nd5 Bxd5 18.Rxd5 Rc6 19.Rcd1 Rfc8 is even (I. Smirnov-Zakhartsov, Op, Moscow, 2006).

10.Re1

If 10.Qe2 Na5 11.Bd5 Be6 12.Rad1 Qc7 13.Bxe6 fxe6 14.Ng5 Qc8 then:

15.f4 exf4 16.Bxf4 Nc4 17.Na4 b5 18.b3 h6 19.Nf3 bxa4 20.bxc4 yields an edge in space to White (Khalifman-R. Byrne, IT, New York, 1990).
15.Na4 Nc4 16.b3 b5 17.bxc4 bxa4 18.c5 d5 19.exd5 exd5 20.Rfe1 h6 21.Nf3 e4 22.Nd2 Bxc5 23.Bxc5 Qxc5 24.c4 dxc4 25.Nxc4 Nd5 gives Black an extra pawn (Kasomdzhanov-Gopal, World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2007).

10...b5 11.Bf1 Rb8 12.Bg5 Ng4 13.Bc1

13.Bxe7 Nxe7 14.Qd2 b4 15.Nd1 Nf6 16.a3 a5 17.axb4 Rxb4 18.Bd3 Bg4 19.c3 Rb8 20.Nh4 Qb6 21.Ne3 Be6 22.Nc4 Bxc4 23.Bxc4 Qxb2 24.Qxd6 Qxc3 25.Qxe7 Qxc4 26.Qxe5 Rfe8 draw agreed (Hracek-Vachier Lagrave, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).
13.Bd2 Be6 14.Nd5 h6 15.h3 Nf6 16.c4 Qd7 17.b3 Bd8 18.Rc1 Bxd5 19.cxd5 Ne7 20.Bd3 Bb6 21.Nh4 g5 22.Nf3 Rfc8 23.Rxc8+ Rxc8 24.Nh2 Ng6 25.Ng4 draw agreed (Anand-Topalov, Morelia-Linares, 2007).

13...Qb6 14.Qd2 Nf6 15.Nd5!?

The novelty is a typical maneuver in the Najdorf to resolve the status of the d5 square.15.h3 Re8 16.Qd1 h6 17.b3 Bf8 18.a4 b4 19.Nd5 Nxd5 20.exd5 Na5 21.Be3 Qc7 is equal (Karjakin-van Wely, IT, Foros (Ukraine), 2007).

15...Nxd5 16.exd5 Na5 17.a4

17.Qb4 Qc7 18.a4 Nc4 19.Bd3 Bd7 20.axb5 Bxb5 is equal.

17...Nc4?

American IM Jeremy Silman, who is about as fine an author of instructional books for developing players as there is today, points out that as pawns advance and expand a spatial advatage for one side, they lose their ability to defend key squares on that player's home side of the board (see How to Reassess Your Chess (3rd Edition), Los Angeles: Summit Pub, 1993, p. 142).
Although this move gives Black a considerable space advantage (14-7), but, like an economic boom based on supply-side theories, it is something that only exists on paper. The Knight may be easily chased away by an eventual b3 or even exchanged by Bxc4 at some point.

imbalance

Better is 17...b4! 18.Qd3 Qd8 when:

19.Nd2 f5 20.Be2 e4 then:

21.Qe3 Bg5 22.Qa7 Bb7 23.Nc4 Bxc1 24.Raxc1 Nxc4 25.Bxc4 Qc7 26.Bb3 Rfc8 gives Black a small edge in space, especially after White redeploys his Queen.
21.Qh3 Bf6 22.Nb3 Be5 23.Ra2 Bb7 24.Rd1 Nxb3 25.Qxb3 Qa5 gives Black a small edge in space.

If 19.Qe3 Qc7 20.Bd3 f5 21.Nd4 Qb7 22.Nb3 Qxd5 23.Nxa5 Qxa5 then:

24.Qa7 Bb7 25.Bxf5 Qd5 26.Be4 Qf7 gives Black a tactical edge; if 27.Bxb7 Rxb7, White cannot take the Rook for 28.Qxb7?? Qxf2+! 29.Kh1 Qxe1#.
24.Bc4+ Kh8 25.Qb3 Bb7 26.f4 Rfc8 Black has an extra pawn.

BLACK: Zahar Efimenko
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WHITE: Artyom Timofeev
Position after 17...Na5c4

18.Qb4!

Before expelling the Knight from c4, White takes up some space of his own.
If 18.Qc3 Qc5 19.axb5 axb5 20.b3 then:

20...e4 21.Bg5 Bxg5 22.Nxg5 then:

22...e3 23.Ne4 Qxd5 24.bxc4 Qxe4 25.Rxe3 b4 26.Qxg7+ Kxg7 27.Rxe4 White has an extra pawn.
White is clearly winning after 22...Qxd5? 23.Nxe4! Nb6 24.Rad1 Qe5 25.Qc7 Bg4 26.Nxd6.

20...Bf6 21.Bg5 Nb6 22.Qxc5 dxc5 23.c4 bxc4 24.bxc4 Rd8 25.Ra7 gives White a considerable advantage in space, mostly due to the Rook on the seventh rank.

Black retains his space advatage after 18.Bxc4?! bxc4 19.Qe2 Qc5 20.Rd1 Bg4 21.Ra2 Rfe8 22.Kh1 Bh5.

18...Qb7

After 18...Qc7 19.Bd3 Bf6 20.axb5 axb5 21.Ra2 Bd7 22.b3 Nb6 23.Ba3, White threatens to win a pawn.

19.a5

White makes another good move before striking at Black's position. The Knight cannot retreat to a5.19.b3 Nb6 20.c4 bxc4 21.bxc4 Qc7 22.Qa5 Bd8 23.Ba3 gives White a spatial plus.

19.Bxc4?! bxc4 20.Qxc4 Bf5 21.c3 Rfc8 22.Qe2 Rc5 23.Rd1 is equal.

19...Bf6 20.Bg5!

White sacrifices a pawn in order to give more flexibility to his Rooks.
If 20.Ng5 Bxg5 21.Bxg5 then:

21...f6 22.Bc1 e4 23.Bxc4 bxc4 24.Qxd6 Bf5 25.Rd1 gives White a comfortable edge in space.
After 21...Qxd5 22.b3 e4 23.Be7 Qd2 24.Qxd2 Nxd2 25.Bxf8 Kxf8 26.Rad1 Nxf1 27.Kxf1 White's active Rooks assure him of regaining a material balance, although an asymmetrical one.

20.b3 e4 21.Ra2 exf3 22.bxc4 then:

22...bxc4 23.Qxd6 Bc3 24.Rd1 fxg2 25.Bxc4 Re8 26.Bf4 Bh3 gives White a huge edge in space.
22...fxg2 23.Kxg2 bxc4 24.Qxd6 Qa8 25.Bxc4 White is a pawn to the good.

If 20.Bxc4 bxc4 21.Qxd6 Rd8 22.Qc6 then:

Qxc6 23.dxc6 Rb5 24.Ra3 Rc5 25.Be3 Rxc6 26.Bb6 Re8 gives White a small spatial edge and an active Rook.
22...Bf5 23.g4 Bxg4 24.Nxe5 Bxe5 25.Rxe5 Qxc6 26.dxc6 Rbc8 gives White a splendid Rook on e5.

20...Bxg5 21.Nxg5 Qxd5 22.Red1

If 22.c3 h6 23.Ne4 Bf5 24.Rad1 Qc6 25.b3 then:

25...Bxe4 26.bxc4 bxc4 27.Qxc4 Qxc4 28.Bxc4 gives White centralized and active Rooks.
25...d5 26.Ng3! Bg6 27.bxc4 gives White an extra piece.

22...Qc6

If 22...Qc5 23.Qxc5 dxc5 24.b3 then:

24...Bg4 25.bxc4 Bxd1 26.Rxd1 bxc4 27.Bxc4 is similar to the exchange sacrifice in the text.
24...f6 25.bxc4 fxg5 26.cxb5 axb5 27.Rd5 gives White an active Rook and guarantees that he will win back his pawn.

23.b3 Bg4

BLACK: Zahar Efimenko
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Artyom Timofeev
Position after 23...Bf8g4

24.bxc4!!

The exchange sacrifice is the best way to deprive Black of any thoughts of counterplay.
After 24.Rdb1?! f6 25.Nf3 Bxf3 26.gxf3 d5 27.bxc4 dxc4 28.Bg2 Rbd8 29.f4 e4! Black has counterchances.

24...Bxd1 25.Rxd1 bxc4

After 25...Rfd8 26.cxb5 axb5 27.Bd3 h6 28.Nf3 Qa6 29.Rb1 Qa7 30.Ra1 White wins another pawn.

26.Qxc4 Qxc4 27.Bxc4 Rb4 28.Bb3 h6

28...Rd4 29.Rxd4 exd4 30.Kf1 h6 31.Nxf7 Rxf7 32.Ke2 Kf8 33.Bxf7 Kxf7 34.Kd3 gives White a won King and pawn ending.

29.Nf3 Rc8 30.g3 Rc6

If 30...e4 31.Nh4 Rc5 32.Rxd6 g5 33.Ng2 then:

33...Rxa5 34.Ne3 Ra1+ 35.Kg2 a5 36.Nf5 then:

36...a4 37.Bd5 Rab1 38.Rd7 Rb6 39.Rxf7
36...Rb1 37.Nxh6+ Kf8 38.Ra6

33...Rxb3 34.cxb3 Rc1+ 35.Ne1 Rxe1+ 36.Kg2 Rb1 37.Rxa6 Rxb3 38.Rxh6

31.Nh4 Rd4 32.Ra1 Rb4 33.Nf5 Kf8

If 33...Rc5 34.Nxd6 Kf8 35.f3 then:

35...Ke7 36.Nf5+ Kf6 37.g4 Rbb5 38.Rd1 g6 39.Rd6+ Kg5 40.Ne3
35...g6 36.Ne4 Rc8 37.Nf6 Rb5 38.Kf2 Rc6 39.Nd7+ Ke7 40.Nb6 f5 41.Nd5+

34.Rd1 g6

White wins after 34...e4 35.Kg2 Rc5 36.g4 g6 37.Nxd6 Ke7 38.Bxf7 e3 39.fxe3 Rxc2+ 40.Kg3.

35.Rxd6 Rxd6 36.Nxd6 f5

After 36...f6 37.f3 Ke7 38.Nc4 Rb5 39.Kf2 f5 40.Ke3 White wins.

37.Bd5 Ke7 38.Nb7 Kd7

If 38...e4 39.h3 Rb1+ 40.Kg2 Kf6 41.Bb3 then:

41...Ke5 42.Nc5 Ra1 43.Nxa6 Kd6 44.Nb4 Rxa5 45.Bf7
41...Ke7 42.g4 Kf6 43.gxf5 gxf5 44.h4 Rd1 45.Nc5

39.c4 Kc7 40.Nc5 Kd6 41.Nxa6 Ra4

White wins after 41...Rb1+ 42.Kg2 Ra1 43.Bb7 Rxa5 44.c5+.

42.Kf1 Rxa5 43.Bb7 1-0

43...Ra1+ 44.Kg2 Rc1 45.c5+ Black must surrender the Rook to stop the pawn.
Mr. Efimenko resigns.

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Jack Rabbit

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Sun Feb-17-08 04:53 PM
Response to Reply #6

8. Girya - Muzychuk, Round 8

Anna Muzychuk
Photo: ChessBase.com

Moscow Open, Ladies' Competition, Round 8
Moscow, 9 February 2008

Scandanavian Game: Horseman Gambit

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6

The gambit is an alternative to the usual 2...Qxd5 3.Nc3, costing Black a tempo to relocate the Queen.

3.Bb5+

3.d4 Nxd5 4.Nf3 then:

4...g6 then:

5.Be2 Bg7 6.0-0 0-0 7.c4 Nb6 8.Nc3 Bg4 9.h3 Bxf3 10.Bxf3 Nc6 11.c5 Nd7 12.Be3 e5 13.Bxc6 bxc6 14.dxe5 Nxe5 15.Qa4 Qe7 16.Bd4 Rfe8 17.Rad1 Qe6 18.f4 Nc4 19.Bxg7 Nxb2 20.Qd4 Nxd1 21.Nxd1 Rad8 22.Qc3 f5 is even (Hamarat-Davies, corr, 1992).
5.c4 Nb6 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.h3 0-0 8.Be3 Nc6 9.Qd2 e5 10.d5 Ne7 11.g4 f5 12.0-0-0 e4 13.Ng5 h6 14.Ne6 Bxe6 15.dxe6 Qxd2+ 16.Rxd2 Rad8 17.Rxd8 Rxd8 18.gxf5 Bxc3 19.bxc3 Nxf5 20.Bg2 Nxc4 21.Bxe4 Ncxe3 22.fxe3 Ng3 is equal (Iglesias-Blazquez, Spanish ChT, Vila Real, 2001).

4...Bg4 5.Be2 e6 6.0-0 Be7 7.c4 Nb6 8.Nc3 0-0 9.h3 Bh5 10.Be3 Nc6 11.b3 a5 12.g4 Bg6 13.Ne5 Nxe5 14.dxe5 Nd7 15.f4 f6 16.exf6 Bxf6 17.Qe1 c6 18.Rd1 Qc7 gives White a small edge in space (Romanishin-Kovacevic, Odessa, 1975).

3.Nc3 Nxd5 4.Bc4 Nb6 5.Bb3 Nc6 6.Nf3 Bf5 7.d4 e6 8.0-0 Be7 then:

9.Bf4 0-0 10.d5 exd5 11.Nxd5 Nxd5 12.Qxd5 Qxd5 13.Bxd5 Bxc2 14.Bxc6 bxc6 15.Bxc7 Rac8 16.Be5 Rfe8 17.Bc3 Be4 is equal (Merwin-Greanias, National Op, Las Vegas, 2004).
9.Re1 Na5 10.d5 Nxb3 11.axb3 Nxd5 12.Nxd5 Qxd5 13.Qxd5 exd5 14.Nd4 Be4 15.c4 Bb4 16.Re2 0-0 leaves Black a pawn to the good (Ivanov-Alburt, Soviet Ch, Ashkhabad, 1978).

3...Bd7 4.Bc4

4.Be2 Nxd5 5.d4 Bf5 6.Nf3 e6 7.0-0 Be7 then:

8.a3 0-0 9.c4 Nb6 10.Nc3 Nc6 11.Be3 Bf6 12.h3 is equal.
8.c4 Nb4 9.Na3 0-0 10.Be3 a5 11.Qd2 c5 12.Rfd1 cxd4 13.Nxd4 Bg6 14.Qe1 Qc8 is equal (Matulovic-Thorbergsson, IT, Reykjavik, 1970).

4...Bg4 5.f3 Bc8

5...Bf5 6.Nc3 Nbd7 7.Nge2 Nb6 8.d3 Nfxd5 9.Nxd5 Nxd5 10.Ng3 Bg6 11.f4 e6 12.0-0 Nb6 13.Bb3 Bc5+ 14.Kh1 0-0 15.Qf3 Qc8 gives White a slight edge in space (Maroczy-Menchik, Carlsbad, 1929).

6.Nc3 Nbd7 7.Nge2

7.d4 Nb6 8.Bb3 Nfxd5 9.Nxd5 Nxd5 10.c4 Nf6 11.Ne2 e6 12.0-0 Be7 13.Nc3 0-0 14.Be3 gives White a small edge in space (Cherepovskaya-M. Stefanova, Euro Youth Ch, Halkidiki (Greece), 2001).

7...Nb6 8.Bb3 a5!?

Seeing that White's pieces on the queenside block the advance of her own pawns, Black advances a pawn to claim space and threaten White's pieces.
8...Nbxd5 9.Nxd5 Nxd5 10.d4 Bf5 11.0-0 e6 12.Ng3 Bg6 13.f4 Qd7 14.Qf3 0-0-0 15.f5 exf5 16.Nxf5 f6 gives White a small edge in space (Zelcic-Ljubicic, Cvitanovic Mem. Split (Croatia), 2001).

9.a3 a4 10.Ba2 Nbxd5 11.d4

White is in no hurry to exchange more pieces than necessary.
11.Nxd5 Nxd5 12.d4 e6 13.c4 Nf6 14.0-0 remains equal.

11...e6 12.0-0 Be7 13.Ne4

13.Bg5 0-0 14.Nxd5 exd5 15.Qd3 Re8 16.Rfe1 c6 is equal, but one should note that the White Queen cannot safely move forward on any of the White squares it controls.

13...b5 14.Nf4!?

White makes a bid for space in the kingside and center.
14.Qe1 0-0 15.Qg3 Ba6 16.Bh6 Ne8 then:

17.Bg5 (
17.Bc1 b4 18.Qf2 Rb8 19.Bxd5 exd5 20.Nc5 Bxc5 21.dxc5 is equal.

21...Nf6 ) 17...b4 18.Kf2 bxa3 19.bxa3 Nd6 20.Bxe7 Nxe7 21.c3 Nef5 is equal.
14...Bb7

14...Nxf4 15.Bxf4 Nd5 16.Bd2 0-0 17.Qe2 Ba6 is equal.

15.Qd3

If 15.Nxd5 then:

15...Bxd5 16.Bxd5 Nxd5 17.Qd3 Qd7 18.Bd2 is equal.
15...Nxd5 16.Qd3 Qd7 17.Bd2 Rd8 18.Rad1 0-0 is equal.

15...0-0 16.Bd2 Nxf4!?

16...Qd7 17.Nxd5 Nxd5 18.Rfe1 h6 19.Rad1 Rfd8 20.Bxd5 then:

20...Qxd5 21.Bb4 Bxb4 22.axb4 Qc6 23.Nc5 is equal.
20...exd5 21.Nc5 Bxc5 22.dxc5 Re8 23.Bc3 Rxe1+ 24.Rxe1 Re8 25.Re3 Qc6 26.Qd4 gives White the advantage in space.

17.Bxf4 Bd5

If 17...Nd5 18.Be5 Qd7 19.Nc3 then:

19...Nxc3 20.Qxc3 Rfd8 21.Rad1 Rac8 22.Qe1 c5 23.dxc5 Bxc5+ 24.Kh1 Qxd1 25.Qxd1 Rxd1 26.Rxd1 is equal.
19...Rab8 20.Nxd5 Bxd5 21.Bxd5 exd5 22.Rfe1 Rbe8 is equal.

18.Bxd5 Nxd5 19.Bg3

If 19.Be5 Qd7 20.Rad1 f6 then:

21.Bg3 Rab8 22.Qe2 f5 23.Nc5 Bxc5 24.dxc5 Qc6 25.Bf2 is equal.
21.Bxf6? Bxf6 22.Nxf6+ Rxf6 23.Rfe1 Nb6 24.Qe4 Raf8 gives Black an extra piece.

19...Qd7 20.Rad1 Nb6

20...Rfb8 21.f4 b4 22.f5 exf5 23.Nc5 Qc6 24.Rxf5 bxa3 25.bxa3 Bxc5 26.dxc5 Nf6 is equal.

21.Qc3

21.Rfe1 Nc4 22.Qc3 Rad8 23.Rd3 Qd5 24.Be5 c6 is equal.

21...Nd5 22.Qe1

If 22.Qd3 Rab8 23.Rfe1 b4 then:

24.Nd2 Bd6 25.Be5 Rfd8 then:

26.Bxd6 cxd6 27.c4 bxc3 28.bxc3 Nf4 29.Qe3 Ng6 30.c4 is equal.
26.Nc4 Nb6 27.f4 Nxc4 28.Qxc4 bxa3 29.bxa3 Bxa3 30.Qxc7 Rbc8 is equal.

If 24.Ra1 bxa3 25.bxa3 Rb2 26.Rab1 Ra2 27.Ra1 Rxa1 28.Rxa1 Rb8 gives Black a slight edge in space.

22...Qc6 23.Qe2?

23.c3 Rfe8 24.Be5 f6 25.Bg3 f5 26.Nd2 Bd6 27.f4 Rad8 is equal.

23...Nb6 24.Nc3

If 24.Qd3 Rab8 25.Nd2 Rfd8 26.Qe4 Qd7 then:

27.Qd3 Rbc8 28.Bf2 c5 29.Ne4 Qc6 30.Qe2 Nc4 gives Black a comfortable edge in space.
27.c3 Nd5 28.Be5 f6 29.Bg3 Bxa3 30.bxa3 Nxc3 31.Qe3 Nxd1 32.Rxd1 Qxd4 33.Qxd4 Rxd4 34.Bxc7 Ra8 gives Black a Rook and two pans against two minor pieces.

BLACK: Anna Muzychuk
!""""""""#
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Olga Girya
Position after 24.Ne4c3

24...Bxa3!!

Black weakens White's queenside pawns to make raiding the position that much easier.

25.bxa3 Qxc3 26.Qxb5

26.Rd3 Qc4 27.Re1 Nd5 28.Qd2 Rfb8 29.c3 Ra6 30.Rb1 Rc6 gives Black a tremendous advatange in space.

26...Qxa3 27.Bxc7 Nd5 28.Bg3 Rfc8

Better is 28...Qc3 29.Qd3 Rfc8 30.Qe4 Qxc2 31.Ra1 when:

31...a3 32.Be5 Qxe4 33.fxe4 Nc3 34.Rfe1 Ra4 35.Kf1 f6 36.Bg3 Rxd4 leaves Black two pawns to the good.
31...Qd2 32.Rfd1 Qe3+ 33.Bf2 Qxe4 34.fxe4 Nc3 35.Re1 Rc4 gives Black an extra pawn.

29.Ra1 Qb4 30.Qd3

After 30.Qxb4 Nxb4 31.Rfc1 Rxc2 32.Bd6 Rxc1+ 33.Rxc1 Nd5 34.Ba3 g5 Black is up by a pawn.

30...Qc4 31.Rf2 Qxd3 32.cxd3 Rc3 33.Rfa2

If 33.Rb2 a3 34.Rb8+ Rxb8 35.Bxb8 Nb4 then:

36.Bd6 Nc2 then:

Black wins after 37.Ra2 Rb3 38.Rxc2 Rb1+ 39.Kf2 Rb2.
37.Rc1?? allows the a-pawn to queen.

After 36.d5 exd5 37.Bd6 Nc2 38.Ra2 d4 39.h4 f5 Black has an extra pawn.

33...a3 34.Bd6
BLACK: Anna Muzychuk
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Olga Girya
Position after 34.Bg3d6

34...Rxd3!

Black has time to wait to make a luft for her King.
34...h6? 35.Rxa3 Rcxa3 36.Rxa3 Rxa3 37.Bxa3 is equal.

35.Rxa3 Raxa3 36.Rxa3 Rd1+ 37.Kf2 h5

37...h6 38.Bc5 Rd2+ 39.Kg1 g5 40.g3 Kg7.

38.Bc5

After 38...Rxd4 39.Be5 Rb4 40.Ra7 f6 41.Ba1 Rb1 Black is a pawn up for the ending.

38...Rd2+ 39.Kf1 h4 40.Ra8+ Kh7 41.Rf8

41.Ra3 g5 42.Kg1 Nf4 43.g3 Ne2+ 44.Kf1 hxg3 45.hxg3 Nxg3+ wins a pawn.

41...Kg6 42.Rh8 Ne3+ 43.Ke1 Rc2 44.g3

If 44.g4 Rxh2 45.d5 Nxd5 46.Bd6 Rh1+ 47.Kf2 Kf6 48.Kg2 Rd1 then:

49.Rxh4 Ne3+ 50.Kf2 Nxg4+ 51.Rxg4 Rxd6 gives Black two extra pawns.
49.f4 Ne3+ 50.Kf3 Nxg4 51.Rxh4 Rxd6 52.Rxg4 reaches the same position, but with Black to move.

44...Rxh2!

Black would still be better, but she throws away much of her advantage by 44...hxg3?! 45.hxg3 Ra2 46.g4.

45.gxh4
BLACK: Anna Muzychuk
!""""""""#
$ + + + R%
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WHITE: Olga Girya
Position after 34.gh4:p

Nf5!!

Black forces the win of a pawn.

46.h5+ Rxh5 47.Rxh5 Kxh5

With the exchange of Rooks, Black has achieved a winning position. Her plan is:
- to keep her pawns protected while she brings them forward;
- to capture White's f-pawn; and
- keep the pawn at e6 where it is in order to prevent the advance of White's d-pawn.
Any attempt by White to win would play into Black's hands, since he would have to bring his King forward to support the d-pawn, allowing Black to more easily capture the f-pawn.

48.Kf2 Kh4

Black could also accomplish her goals by 48...g5 49.Ke2 g4 50.fxg4+ Kxg4 51.Bb6 Kf4 52.Kd3 Ne3 53.Ba7 f5.

49.Bb6 Kh3 50.Bc5

No better is 50.Ba7 g5 51.Bc5 g4 52.fxg4 Kxg4 53.Ke2 Kf4 54.Kd3 Ne3 55.Bf8 Kf3 56.Be7 f5.
After 53.d5 exd5 54.Ke2 Ng7 55.Bd4 Ne6 56.Bf6 Kf5 57.Bb2 Ke4 58.Bf6 Nf4+ 59.Ke1 d4.
After 55.Be3 Ne6 56.Bd2 f5.

50...Kh2 51.Bf8 g6 52.Bc5 Kh3 53.Bb6 Ne7

53...g5 54.Bc5 g4 55.fxg4 Kxg4 transposes into the last note.

54.Bc7 Nd5 55.Bd8 f6 56.Ba5 g5

The win is now just a matter of technique.

57.Bd2 Kh2 58.Bc1 Kh3 59.Bd2 Nf4 60.Ba5 f5 61.Bc7 Nd3+

After 61...Nd5 62.Bd6 g4 63.fxg4 fxg4 64.Be5 Ne7 65.Bf4 Nf5Black wins the last pawn.

62.Ke3 Nb4 63.Bd6 Nc6 64.Bc7 Kg2 65.Bd6 f4+ 0-1

After 66.Ke4 g4 67.Bxf4 gxf3 68.Be3 Nb4 69.Bg1 Nd5 70.Be3 Nxe3 71.Kxe3 f2 the pawn queens.
After 66.Kd3 Kxf3 67.Bc5 g4 68.Kc4 g3 69.d5 exd5+ 70.Kxd5 Ke2 71.Kxc6 f3 72.Kd5 f2 the pawn queens.
After 66.Bxf4 gxf4+ 67.Kxf4 Nxd4 68.Ke3 Nxf3 69.Ke4 e5 the Black king must give way.

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Jack Rabbit

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Sun Feb-17-08 05:16 PM
Response to Reply #1

11. Zvjaginsev - Slugin, Round 1

Edited on Sun Feb-17-08 06:15 PM by Jack Rabbit

Vadim Zvjaginsev
Photo: Official webste of the 2008 Moscow Open

Vadim Zvjaginsev - Sergei Slugin
Moscow Open, Group A, Round 1
Moscow, 2 February 2008

Closed German Game: Fantasy Opening (Poisoned Pawn Variation) (Caro-Kann Defense)

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3 g6

If 3...e6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Bf4 then:

5...Ne7 6.Qd3 b6 7.Nge2 Ba6 8.Qe3 0-0 9.0-0-0 c5 10.a3 Bxc3 11.Qxc3 Bxe2 12.Bxe2 c4 13.h4 b5 14.Qe1 Nbc6 15.h5 gives White a modest edge in space (Morozevich-Bologan, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2004).
5...Nf6 6.Qd3 b6 7.Nge2 Ba6 8.Qe3 0-0 9.0-0-0 Nbd7 10.h3 Rc8 11.a3 Be7 12.g4 Ne8 13.g5 Nd6 14.Bxd6 Bxd6 15.h4 Bc4 is equal (W. Bauer-Nickel, Corr, 1990).

3...dxe4 4.fxe4 e5 5.Nf3 exd4 6.Bc4 Nf6 7.Ng5 Be6 8.Nxe6 fxe6 9.Bxe6 Qe7 10.Bc8 Na6 11.Bf5 g6 12.0-0 gxf5 13.Rxf5 0-0-0 14.Bg5 Qxe4 15.Rxf6 Be7 16.Nd2 Qd5 17.Qg4+ gives White an advantage in space in what promises to be a wild game (Stefanova-Meriacre, Eur cadet Ch, Rimavska Sobota (Slovakia), 1992).

4.Nc3 Bg7 5.Be3 Qb6

If 5...dxe4 6.fxe4 then:

6...e5 7.d5 Nf6 8.dxc6 Qxd1+ 9.Rxd1 Nxc6 10.Nb5 0-0 11.Bc5 Nxe4 12.Bxf8 Bxf8 13.Bd3 Nc5 14.Bc4 Bf5 15.Nd6 Bxc2 is unclear given the asymmetrical material balance So. Polgar-Iordanesvu, World Jr. Ch, Matinhos (Brazil), 1994).
6...Nf6 7.Nf3 0-0 8.Bd3 Ng4 9.Bg1 e5 10.d5 Nd7 11.Qe2 Qa5 is equal (Dutreeuw-Rahman, Ol, Bled, 2002).

6.Qd2

White accepts the challenge to play the Poisoned Pawn Variation.
White can avoid the Poisoned Pawn by 6.Rb1 e5 7.Nge2 Ne7 8.Qd2 exd4 9.Bxd4 Bxd4 10.Qxd4 0-0 11.Qxb6 axb6 12.exd5 cxd5 13.a3 Nbc6 when Black has more space and autrocious queenside pawn structure. (Paragua-J. M. Hodgson, Op, Philadelphia, 2000).

6...Qxb2 7.Rb1 Qa3 8.Bd3!?

8.exd5 Nf6 9.dxc6 bxc6 10.Bc4 0-0 11.Nge2 Ba6 12.Rb3 Qa5 13.Bxa6 Qxa6 14.0-0 Rd8 15.Ne4 Nbd7 16.N2c3 Qc4 17.Qe2 Nb6 is level (Ziska-Simutowe, Euwe Stimulans, Arnhem, 2007).

8...dxe4

8...Nf6 9.Nge2 b6 10.Bh6 0-0 11.Bxg7 Kxg7 12.Nf4 dxe4 13.fxe4 e5 14.dxe5 Ng4 15.0-0 Nxe5 Black remains a pawn to the good.
12.e5 Nfd7 13.0-0 Ba6 14.f4 Bxd3 15.Qxd3 e6 the material balance reamins in Black's favor.

9.fxe4 e5 10.Bc4 Nf6

If 10...b5?! 11.Bb3 b4 12.Qf2 f5 13.Na4 Bh6 14.exf5 gxf5 15.Bxh6 Nxh6 16.dxe5 gives White a tactical initiative.
12.Nb5?! cxb5 13.Bd5 a5 14.Bxa8 Bg4 15.Nf3 Bxf3 16.gxf3 Black continues to enjoy a spatial edge, but his Queen is in an awkward position.

11.Nf3 exd4 12.Bxd4 0-0 13.0-0 Qe7

As is typical of any Poisoned Pawn Variation, Black has an extra pawn and White better development.

13...Nbd7 14.e5 Ng4 15.e6 Nde5 16.Bxe5 Nxe5 17.Nxe5 Bxe5 18.exf7+ is equal.

14.e5 Ng4

14...Nfd7 15.Qe3 Nb6 16.Bxb6 axb6 17.a4 Nd7 18.Rbe1 White has more space and his e-pawn is making it difficult for Black to maneuver.

15.h3

if 15.Qf4 Bh6 16.Qe4 b5 17.Nxb5 Bf5 18.Qe2 cxb5 19.Bd5 is equal.

15...Nh6

After 15...Nxe5 16.Nxe5 Bxe5 17.Rbe1 Bxd4+ 18.Qxd4 Be6 grandmaster Vladimir Dobrov comments on the official tournament website that after 19.Rxe6! fxe6 20.Rxf8+ Kxf8 21.Qh8+ Kf7 22.Ne4 Black's position is "bad, but it is much better than in the text of the game."

16.Ne4 b6

if 16...Nd7 17.Nd6 b5 18.Bb3 a5 19.a4 Ba6 20.Rfe1 is equal.

17.Be3 Nf5 18.Bg5 Qc7?

White has a huge advantage in space; Black fails to challenge it.
18...Qd7 then:

19.Qf4 then:

19...b5 20.Bd3 a6 21.Nf6+ Bxf6 22.Bxf6 Qa7+ 23.Kh2 Qe3 24.Qb4 it is still a question of who is better, White with his space or Black with his pawn plus.
19...Ba6? 20.Rbd1 Qc7 21.Bxa6 Nxa6 22.g4 Ne7 23.Nf6+ Kh8 24.Rd7 White has more than sufficient compensation for the pawn.

After 19.g4 Qxd2 20.Nfxd2 Bxe5 21.gxf5 Bxf5 White has a piece for three pawns, rendering the position unclear.

19.g4 Ne7

19...b5 20.Bb3 a5 21.gxf5 a4 22.f6 Bh8 23.Bxf7+ Rxf7 24.Bf4 threatens the devastating 25.e6!

20.Nf6+

White could redeem the Poisoned Pawn here.
If 20.Qd6 Qxd6 21.Nxd6 Nd5 22.Bxd5 cxd5 23.Be7 then:

After 23...Nc6 24.Bxf8 Bxf8 25.Nxc8 Rxc8 White has extra space and a slight material superiority.
23...Ba6 24.Bxf8 Bxf8 25.Nb5 White hold a Rook for a minor piece and a pawn and has a significant edge in space.

20...Kh8 21.Qf2 Ng8

21...h6 loses to 22.Qh4 Ng8 23.Nxg8 Kxg8 24.Bxh6 Qd8 25.Ng5.
White wins after 21...h5 22.gxh5 Nf5 23.hxg6 fxg6 24.Nh4 Bxf6 25.Bxf6+ Rxf6 26.exf6.

BLACK: Sergei Slugin
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Vadim Zvjaginsev
Position after 21...Ne7g8

22.Nxh7!!

That is one cool sacrifice.

22...Kxh7

Other moves lose more quickly.
After 22...Bxg4 23.hxg4 Kxh7 24.Qh4+ Bh6 25.Bxh6 Nxh6 26.g5 the horse goes to the glue factory.
22...Bh6 23.Bxh6 Nxh6 24.Nxf8 Qe7 25.Qh4 Qxf8 26.g5 also wins the Knight.

23.Qh4+ Nh6

After 23...Bh6 24.Bxh6 Nxh6 25.g5 it's once again good Knight.

24.Bxh6 Bxh6 25.g5 Bf5

If 25...Kg8 26.gxh6 Qd8 27.Qxd8 Rxd8 28.Ng5 then:

After 28...Bf5 29.Bxf7+ Kh8 30.e6 the advancing pawn stretch Black's defense to the breaking point.
After 28...Ba6 29.Bxa6 Nxa6 30.Rxf7 Rf8 31.e6 Black crumbles under multiple threats.

26.Qxh6+ Kg8 27.Rbd1 Qe7

27...b5 28.Rd4 Be4 29.Rxe4 bxc4 30.Rh4 leads to checkmate.

28.Rd6 Rd8 29.Bxf7+ Kxf7 30.Qh7+ Kf8

30...Ke8 31.Qg8+ Qf8 32.Rxd8+ wins the Queen.

31.Qh8+ Kf7 32.Rf6+ 1-0

Black is forced to surrender the Queen.

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Jack Rabbit

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Sun Feb-17-08 04:31 PM
Response to Original message

3. Games from Current Events

Diagrams on the Jack Rabbit Chess Report are made with Chess M�rida, a true type font that can be downlaoded free here.

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Jack Rabbit

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Sun Feb-17-08 04:57 PM
Response to Reply #3

9. Hou Yifan - Laznicka, Aeroflot Open, Moscow, Round 2

A true masterpiece by Hou Yifan, who celebrates her 14th birthday on February 27.

Hou Yifan
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)

Hou Yifan - Viktor Laznicka
Aeroflot Open, Round 2
Moscow, 15 February 2008

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 Ne7

9...Ke8 10.h3 then:

10...Ne7 11.Rd1 h6 12.Ne2 Ng6 13.b3 a5 14.a4 then:

14...Bf5 15.Nfd4 Bd7 16.Ng3 h5 17.Ne4 Be7 18.Re1 Kf8 19.Ng5 gives White a small edge in space (Wang Zili-Wu Wenjin, Zonal, HeiBei, 2001).
14...Be6 15.Bb2 Bc5 16.Ne1 h5 17.Nd3 Be7 18.Nd4 h4 gives Black more space, but White has more space in the center (Arakhamia-Motwani, Scottish Ch, 2001).

10...Be7 11.Bg5 Bxg5 12.Nxg5 h6 13.Nge4 b6 14.Rfd1 Ke7 15.Kh2 h5 16.Ne2 Re8 17.Nf4 Kf8 18.Nxh5 Rxe5 19.Nhg3 Be6 20.Rd2 draw agreed (Anand-Kramnik, Rapid Trmt, Le�n, 2002).

10.h3 Ng6

10...h6 11.Be3 Ng6 12.Rad1+ Ke8 13.a3 Be7 14.Rfe1 Nh4 15.Nd4 Nf5 16.f4 h5 17.e6 Nxd4 18.Bxd4 Bxe6 19.Bxg7 Rg8 20.Be5 Rc8 gives White the edge in space (Jakovenko-Ni Hua, Team Match, Moscow, 2007).

11.Bg5+

11.Ne4 h6 12.Re1 Bd7 13.Bd2 Kc8 14.Ng3 c5 15.Nh5 b5 16.Nh2 Kb7 17.f4 Nh4 is equal (Anand-Vallejo, Linares, 2002).

11...Ke8 12.Rad1 Be6

12...Bd7 13.Rd2 Be6 14.Rfd1 Be7 15.Bxe7 Kxe7 16.Ne4 Rad8 17.Nd4 Rd5 18.Nc3 Rd7 19.Na4 Rd5 20.Nc3 Rdd8 21.Ne4 Rd5 22.Nc3 draw agreed (Hou Yifan-D. Howell, Team Match, Taiyuan, 2007).

13.a3!?

If 13.Nd4 Bc4 14.Rfe1 Bb4 then:

15.Bd2 Rd8 16.a3 Bxc3 17.Bxc3 Nf4 18.Kh2 c5 19.Nf5 Rxd1 20.Rxd1 Ne6 21.f3 Bb5 22.Rd2 h5 23.Kg3 Bc6 24.Kf2 draw agreed (Anand-Kramnik, Rapid Match, Moscow, 2007).
15.Nf5 Bxc3 16.bxc3 Rg8 17.a3 h6 18.Bc1 Be6 19.Nd4 Ne7 20.f4 h5 21.Kf2 Rd8 is equal (Leko-Kramnik, Sparkassen, Dortmund, 2004).

13...h6 14.Be3 Be7 15.Nd4 Nxe5!

Black has achieved full equality.
If 15...Bc4 16.Rfe1 a5 17.Nf5 Bf8 18.Ne4 then:

18...Bd5 19.Neg3 Rd8 20.Bd2 a4 21.Ba5 b6 22.Bb4 c5 23.Bd2 is equal.
18...Rd8 19.Rxd8+ Kxd8 20.Bc5 Bxc5 21.Nxc5 gives White the edge in space.

16.Nxe6 fxe6 17.Bd4!?

White plays a risky move.
17.Rd4 Nf7 18.Rfd1 Nd6 19.R4d3 Bf6 20.Bf4 Rd8 21.Na4 e5 22.Re1 is equal.

17...Nc4!

Black find the right reply.
17...Bf6?! 18.Rfe1 Ng6 19.Bxf6 gxf6 20.Rxe6+ Kf7 21.Ree1 gives White pressure in the center.

18.Bxg7?!

White goes pawn hunting.
18.Ne4 e5 19.Bc3 Rd8 20.Rxd8+ Kxd8 21.a4 Kc8 22.b3 Nd6 is equal.

18...Rh7

If 18...Rg8 19.Bxh6 Nxb2 20.Rb1 Bxa3 then:

21.Bc1 Nc4 22.Rxb7 Bd6 23.Ne4 is equal.
21.Ne4 Rg6 22.Bc1 Nc4 23.Rxb7 Bxc1 24.Rxc1 is equal.

19.Bd4 e5 20.Be3 Nxb2 21.Rb1 Bxa3 22.Ne4 Rf7

If 22...Nc4 23.Rxb7 Nxe3 24.fxe3 then:
24...Kd8 25.Rf5 a5 26.Rxe5 a4 then:

27.Kf2 Re7 28.Rxe7 Bxe7 is unclear: White has greater mobility, but Black passed pawn gives him the initiative.
24...Rg7 25.Ra1 Bf8 26.Raxa7 Rxa7 27.Rxa7 is equal.

23.Bxh6 b5?!

Black unnecessarily weakens the c5 point. This may be critical later on.
23...b6 24.f4 Nc4 25.fxe5 Nxe5 26.Rbe1 Rxf1+ then:

27.Kxf1 Ng6 28.Ra1 Bf8 29.Bxf8 Kxf8 is unclear: White has an active Rook, Black an extra pawn and each side has a passed pawn on opposite wings that needs to be oushed.
27.Rxf1 a5 28.Bf4 Bd6 is is slightly favorable to Black, who is is better position to go down to a King and pawn ending.

24.f4 exf4 25.Bxf4 Nc4

25...a5 26.Rbe1 Kd7 then:

After 27.g4 a4 28.g5 Be7 29.Be5 Rxf1+ 30.Rxf1 Nc4 31.Ba1 is unclear: White has more space, but Black has an extra pawn that passed and dangerous.
27.Bc1 Rxf1+ 28.Rxf1 Nc4 29.Bxa3 Nxa3 30.Rf7+. gives Black an extra pawn.

26.g4

Both players pin their hopes on passed pawns.

26...a5 27.g5 a4 28.Rbe1

White threatens 29.Nd6+, winning the Rook.
If 28.h4 Re7 29.Rbe1 Bb4 30.c3 then:

30...Bd6 31.g6 Bxf4 32.Rxf4 Ne5 33.Nf6+ Kd8 34.Rfe4 wins a piece for White, for if 34...Nxg6 35.h5 Nf8 36.Rd1+ the Rook at e7 falls.
30...Ba5 31.g6 Nd6 32.Nxd6+ cxd6 33.g7 Kf7 34.Rxe7+ Kxe7 35.Bg5+ Ke6 36.Rf8 gives White the game.

28...Be7?

28...Bb4!? 29.Nd6+ Kf8 30.g6 Rxf4 31.Rxf4+ Kg8 32.Re8+ Rxe8 33.Nxe8 is unclear: Black has a little more space while White has an exchange for a pawn.
29.c3 Be7 then:

30.h4 a3 31.g6 Rf5 32.Ng3 Rd5gives Black an extra pawn.
After 30.Bxc7? Black wins with 30...a3! 31.Nf6+ Kf8 32.Nd7+ Kg8 33.Rxf7 Kxf7.

29.h4 a3

Black pushes his passer toward the end zone.

BLACK: Viktor Laznicka
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Hou Yifan
Position after 29...a4a3

30.g6!

White bides her time. The march of the a-pawn does not trouble her.

30...Rf5 31.Ng3 Rxf4

28...Bb4!? 29.Nd6+ Kf8 30.g6 Rxf4 31.Rxf4+ Kg8 32.Re8+ Rxe8 33.Nxe8 is unclear: Black has a little more space while White has an exchange for a pawn.
29.c3 Be7 then:

30.h4 a3 31.g6 Rf5 32.Ng3 Rd5gives Black an extra pawn.
After 30.Bxc7? Black wins with 30...a3! 31.Nf6+ Kf8 32.Nd7+ Kg8 33.Rxf7 Kxf7.

32.Rxf4 a2 33.Rfe4

33.g7 Kd7 34.Ra1 Rg8 35.Nh5 Nb6 36.Rxa2 Nd5 37.Rf3 is also good to win, but it's not nearly as interesting as the text.

33...a1Q

Suddenly, it looks grim for White, now a Queen down. Looks can be deceiving.

BLACK: Viktor Laznicka
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Hou Yifan
Position after 33...a2a1Q

34.Rxe7+!!

Well played by the young lady!
White throws away her vicotry with 34.Nf5? Kd8 when:

If 35.Rxe7! Qa7+ 36.Kg2 Kc8 37.Re8+ Kb7 then:

38.g7 Qa4 39.g8Q Qxc2+ 40.Kg3 Rxe8 41.Rxe8 Qxf5 is equal.
38.R1e2 Rxe8 39.Rxe8 Qc5 40.g7 Qxf5 41.g8Q Qxc2+ is even.

35.Rxa1? hands the game to Black on a silver platter after 35...Rxa1+ 36.Kh2 Bf6 37.g7 Bxg7 38.Nxg7 Ra2 39.Ne6+ Kc8 40.Re2 b4 providing Black with an extra pawn and an active Rook.

34...Kd8

If 34...Kf8 35.Nf5 Qxe1+ 36.Rxe1 Nd6 37.Re5 Ra1+ 38.Kg2 Nxf5 39.Rxf5+ Kg8 40.h5 White wins simply by pushing the pawns.
After 36...Kg8 White wins by 37.Re7 Ra1+ 38.Kh2 Nd6 39.Nh6+ Kf8 40.Rh7.

35.g7 Qd4+ 36.Kg2

Also good is 36.Kf1 Nd2+ 37.Kg2 Qd5+ 38.Kh3 Kc8 39.R1e5.

36...Qd5+

A more stubborn defense is 36...Qd2+ 37.Kh3 Qxe1 38.g8Q+ Kxe7 39.Qxa8 Qe6+, but White still wins.

37.Kh3 Nd6 38.R1e6 Qxe6+ 39.Rxe6 Kd7 40.Rg6 Rg8 41.h5 1-0

Black must lose a piece or two to stop the pawns.
Mr. Laznicka resigns.

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Jack Rabbit

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sun Feb-17-08 04:58 PM
Response to Reply #3

10. Shirov - Anand, Morelia, Round 1

Vishy Anand
Photo: ChessBase.com

Alexey Shirov - Vishy Anand
Morelia-Linares International Tournament. Round 1
Morelia, Michoac�n (Mexico), 15 February 2008

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

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5

The Rauzer Opening has been one of the prime weapons against the Najdorf Defense for decades.

6...e6 7.f4 Nbd7 8.Qf3 Qc7 9.0-0-0 b5

9...Be7 10.g4 b5 11.Bxf6 Nxf6 12.g5 Nd7 13.f5 then:

13...Nc5 14.f6 gxf6 15.gxf6 Bf8 16.Rg1 h5 17.a3 gives White a huge advantage in space.
13...Bxg5+ 14.Kb1 Ne5 15.Qh5 Qd8 16.Rg1 Bf6 17.fxe6 0-0 18.Bh3 White is dominating the board.

10.Bd3 Bb7 11.Rhe1 Qb6

11...Be7 12.Qg3 b4 13.Nd5 exd5 14.exd5 Kd8 15.Nc6+ Bxc6 16.dxc6 Nc5 17.Bh4 Bf8 18.Bc4 Ra7 19.Bd5 a5 20.Re3 Qc8 21.Rde1 Qf5 is equal (Kotronias-Lesiege, Op, Montreal, 2002).
11...0-0-0 12.f5 e5 13.Nb3 Be7 14.Kb1 Kb8 15.a4 bxa4 16.Nxa4 d5 17.exd5 Bb4 18.Re4 Qd6 19.c3 Nxe4 20.Bxe4 Rc8 21.Be3 gives White a huge advantage in space to compensate for a material deficit (P�htz-Bu Xiangzhi, Op, Gibraltar, 2008).

12.Nb3

12.Nd5 Qxd4 13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.Bxb5 Qc5 15.Nxf6+ Kd8 16.Nxd7 Qxb5 17.Nxf8 Rxf8 18.Qa3 Ke8 19.Qxd6 Qc6 20.Qd4 Qc7 looks good for White, who has a sizable edge in space and three pawns for a Bishop (Lie-Steingrimsson, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).

12...Rc8!?

12...b4 13.Na4 Qc7 14.Nd4 Be7 15.Qh3 0-0-0 16.f5 Qa5 17.e5 Nxe5 18.fxe6 Qxa4 19.Nf5 Kb8 20.Nxe7 Qxa2 21.exf7 Ne4 22.Rxe4 Bxe4 Black is up by an exchange, but White has some space in compensation (Kotronias-Kr. Georgiev, IT, Ano Liosia (Greece), 1995).

13.Qh3

After 13.Kb1 Be7 14.Qg3 b4 15.Na4 Qc7 16.e5 dxe5 17.fxe5 White has the advantage in space.

BLACK: Vishy Anand
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Alexey Shirov
Position after 13.Qf3h3

13...Rxc3!

This exchange sacrifice is thematic of the Open Sicilian, especially the Najdorf defense.
After 13...b4 14.Nb1 Qc7 15.N1d2 Be7 16.Kb1 a5 17.Nf3 White has the advantage in space, but Black has a local space advatage on the queenside.

14.bxc3 Qc7 15.Kb1

White still has the overall edge in space and is an exchange to the good, but Black still has the local advantage on the queenside where White's weakened pawns will make that easier to exploit.
15.f5 e5 16.Qg3 Be7 then:

17.Kb1 0-0 18.Bd2 Rc8 19.Bh6 Bf8 20.Bd2 Nb6 is equal.
17.Re2 0-0 18.Bd2 Rc8 19.Kb1 Nb6 is equal.

15...Be7

15...e5 16.f5 d5 17.exd5 Nxd5 18.Bd2 Ba3 19.Be4 N7f6 gives Black a slight edge in space.

16.e5 dxe5 17.f5 Nd5

17...exf5 18.Bxf5 Nb6 19.Qg3 Nbd5 20.Rd3 then:

20...Nh5 21.Qxe5 Qxe5 22.Rxe5 f6 23.Rexd5 Bxd5 24.Rxd5 fxg5 25.Bc8
20...0-0 21.Qxe5 Bd6 22.Qd4 Rd8

18.Bxe7

Ah, how the parts of the cosmos are interrelated, and the chessboard is the mirror of the cosmos.
The exchange of Bishops at e7 condemns the pawn at c3. White has just traded away its defender.
Correct is 18.Bd2 exf5 19.Bxf5 N7b6 20.Qg3 0-0 when White still has a Rook for a Knight and a pawn.

18...Kxe7 19.fxe6 fxe6

White's spatial advantage has disappeared, Black has gained an additional pawn in compensation for the exchange and the c-pawn is just waiting for its doom. The position is unclear.

BLACK: Vishy Anand
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WHITE: Alexey Shirov
Position after 19...fe6:p

20.Qg3 g6 21.Rd2 Rc8

After 21...Nxc3+ 22.Ka1 Rf8 23.Qh4+ Nf6 24.Qb4+ Kf7 25.Qc5 Rc8 26.Rxe5 Qe7 the Queens will come off and Black enough compensation in space for his material minus; the position is unclear.
22...Rc8 23.Qh3 Nf6 24.Qh6 Ke8 25.Rf1 Ncd5 the space count remains even and the position remains unclear.

22.Qg5+ Ke8?

This could very easily have lead to disaster.
22...Kf7 23.Rf1+ Kg7 24.Rdf2 Rf8 25.Rxf8 Nxf8 26.Nd2 h6 27.Qh4 is equal.

23.Qg4?

Black misses a win.
If 23.Qh6! then:

23...Nxc3+ 24.Ka1 Nb6 25.Rf1 Ke7 26.Rf7+ wins the Queen.
Black wins by exploitin the f-file: 23...N7b6 24.Rf1 Nf4 25.g3.

BLACK: Vishy Anand
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Alexey Shirov
Position after 23.Qg5g4

23...Nxc3+!

Black at last takes the doomed pawn.
Black holds the edge in space.

24.Ka1 Bd5 25.Re3

If 25.Qh3 Na4 26.Be2 e4 then:

27.Qe3 Ne5 28.Bf1 Ng4 29.Qd4 Qc3+ 30.Qxc3 Rxc3 wins for Black.
27.Bg4 Qe5+ 28.Nd4 Rxc2 29.Red1 Rxd2 30.Rxd2 e3 31.Rd3 Bc4 is crushing.

25...Nf6 26.Qh4 Qe7 27.Bf1

After 27.Qh3 e4 28.Bf1 Na4 29.Re1 Rc3 30.g3 Qb4 Black will soon deliver checkmate.

27...Bxb3

Also good is 27...g5 28.Qxg5 Nce4 29.Rxe4 Nxe4 30.Qh5+ Kd7 31.Rd3 Rxc2.

28.cxb3 Nce4 29.Rb2 Rc1+ 30.Rb1 Qc5 0-1

31.Re2 Qd4+ 32.Reb2 Rxb1+ 33.Kxb1 Qd1#.
31.Rd3 Qc2 32.Rxc1 Qxc1#.
El se�or Shirov resigns.

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