The Jack Rabbit Chess Report (May 5): Baku ends in 3-way tie

Grand Prix ends in Three-Way Tie



The FIDE Grand Prix ended this afternoon (Monday) in a three-way tie in Baku, Azerbaijan, as Magnus Carlsen, the tournament’s top seed, defeated French grandmaster Etienne Bacrot to join grandmasters Wang Yue of China and Vugar Gashimov of Azerbaijan at the top spot at 8 points each in 13 rounds.

Magnus, who was making his debut as a top seed in a tournament, started slowly did not rise above 50% until the seventh round. By that time all eyes were on Gashimov, Wang and Alexander Grischuk, who were tied for first place at the end of rounds 7 and 8. Grischuk took the lead alone in round 9 and was joined by Wang in round 11. In round 12, Gashimov defeated Grischuk to replace the Russian in first place.

Meanwhile, Magnus won in round 12 to move into a tie for third place with Grischuk and Baku native Shakriyar Mamedyarov. While the other top players drew today, Magnus defeated Bacrot to quietly claim a share of first palce.

Grischuk and Mamedyarov finished in a tie for fourth at 7½ points apiece.


Tiviakov, Lahno win Euro Championships



Tiviakov takes general championship

Sergei Tiviakov, the Russian native who was deposed after two years as the Dutch national champion earlier this month, came from behind to win the general competition in the European Individual Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Friday.

In a wild 11-round Swiss system event which saw multiple ties for first place more than once, Tiviakov moved into sole possession place in the last round, which began with a seven-way deadlock at the top. However, while the other leaders played each other to draws, Tiviakov fought co-leader Emil Sutkovsky of Israel for 59 moves and emerged victorious and claimed first prize clear with 8½ points.

On Saturday, blitz game playoffs were held to determine silver and bronze medals among the second-place finishers. The silver was taken by Slovakian GM Sergei Movsesian when he defeated Russian grandmaster Sergey Volkov in the find blitz round of the day. Volkov takes the bronze medal.

The general competition had only one woman participating, French IM Marie Sebag, who succeeded in her quest for her third and final grandmaster norm by scoring 6½ points. The JRCR congratulates Mlle. Sebag.

Lahno takes ladies’ title

Ukrainian grandmaster Katya Lahno won her 10th round game to take sole possession of first place and drew her final game to win the ladies’ competition in the Eurppean Individual Championship in Plovdiv on Friday with 8½ points out of a possible eleven.

The ladies’ event, like the general competition, saw leads moving back and forth and being shared by as many as eight players after one late round.

Blitz playoffs were held Saturday to determine the silver and bronze medal winners among those finishing with 8 points each. The silver was won by Lithuanian IM Viktorija Cmilyte, who defeated Anna Ushenina of Ukraine in the final plyoff round.
IM Ushenina takes home the bronze.

Tiger mauls field in Malmø



Swedish grandmaster Tiger Hillarp Persson won the Sigeman & Company International Tournament by a full point over the field in Malmø Wednesday with 7½ points out of nine rounds.

Tiger was playing nip and tuck with Dutch grandmaster Daniel Stellwagon, who narrowly lost the Dutch national championship to Jan Smeets earlier this month. However, while Tiger won rounds 7 and 8 against grandmasters Kjetil Lie of Norway and Vasilios Kontonias of Greece, Mh. Stellwagon dropped his seventh round game to Ralf Åkesson of Sweden and Tiger never looked back.

Mh. Stellwagon finished second with 6 ½ points and third was won by Danish GM Lars Bo Hansen with 6 points.


MTel Tournament begins Wednesday in Sofia



The fourth annual international tournament in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, sponsored by MTel, a Bulgarian telecom company, begins Wednesday.

This years participants are Veselin Topalov and Ivan Cheparinov of Bulgaria; Levon Aronian of Armenia; Timour Radjobov of Azerbaijan; Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine; and Bu Xiangzhi of China. The average Elo rating of the six players is 2734, making the event a category 20.

Grandmaster Toplaov has won all three of the previous editions of the MTel.

Games will be posted later. I'm still working on them.

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

BLACK
!""""""""#
$tMvWlVmT%
$OoOoOoOo%
$ + + + +%
$+ + + + %
$ + + + +%
$+ + + + %
$pPpPpPpP%
$RnBqKbNr%
/(((((((()
WHITE
White to move
(This position is a theoretical draw)

Vugar Gashimov
Photo: ChessBase.com


Vugar Gashimov - Gata Kamsky
FIDE Grand Prix, Round 7
Baku, 28 April 2008

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Sofia Opening

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0

• With this move, Black announces his intention to play the Marshall Gambit, although he may be bluffing.

8.h3

• 9.c3 allows the Marshall, but Black is in no mood for that.
• Another anti-Marshall line is the Kasparov Opening: 8.a4 Bb7 9.d3 d6 then:
• If 10.Nc3 Na5 11.Ba2 b4 12.Ne2 c5 13.Ng3 Bc8 14.h3 Rb8 then:
• If 15.Nd2 Be6 16.Nc4 then:
• 16...Nc6 17.f4 exf4 18.Bxf4 Ne8 19.Nf5 Bxf5 20.exf5 Bf6 21.Kh1 Qd7 22.Bh2 Nd4 is equal (Kindermann-Dr. Nunn, Bundesliga, Germany, 1989).
• 16...Nxc4 17.Bxc4 Bxc4 18.dxc4 Ne8 19.Qg4 Kh8 20.b3 Nc7 21.Be3 Ne6 gives White more space, but Black's position is solid (Kissinger-Andresen, Cyberspace, 1998).
• 15.Bd2 Be6 16.Bxe6 fxe6 17.Be3 Qe8 18.c3 bxc3 19.bxc3 Nh5 20.Nxh5 Qxh5 21.Rb1 Qg6 22.Rxb8 Rxb8 23.d4 exd4 24.cxd4 c4 25.d5 Nb3 is equal (Kavalek-Balashov, Buenos Aires, 1980).
• After 10.Nbd2 the Knight plays to g3 via f1, transposing.

8...Bb7

• 8...d6 9.c3 transposes back to the main line of the Spanish Grand Royal Game.

9.d3 d6 10.a3 Qd7

• If 10...Na5 11.Ba2 c5 then:
• If 12.Nbd2 Nc6 13.Nf1 Bc8 14.Ne3 Be6 then:
• 15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.exd5 Nd4 17.Nd2 Nf5 18.Ne4 Nd7 19.b4 Rc8 20.Bd2 g6 21.c3 Ng7 22.c4 Nf5 23.a4 cxb4 24.cxb5 a5 25.Rc1 Rxc1 26.Bxc1 Qb8 is equal (Anand-Svidler, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2006).
• 15.Bd5 Bxd5 16.exd5 Nb8 17.b4 Nbd7 18.bxc5 Nxc5 19.d4 exd4 20.Nxd4 Nfe4 21.Nc6 is equal (Z. Almasi-Navara, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2006).
• 12.Nc3 Nc6 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.Bxd5 Qc7 15.c3 Nb8 16.Bxb7 Qxb7 17.d4 Nd7 18.dxe5 dxe5 19.c4 bxc4 20.Qe2 Rfd8 21.a4 Rab8 22.Nd2 Nf8 23.Nxc4 Ne6 24.Nxe5 gives White an extra pawn (Nijboer-Sargissian, Euro Ch, 2003).

11.Nbd2

• If 11.Nc3 then:
• 11...Nd8 12.d4 exd4 13.Nxd4 Re8 14.Nf5 Ne6 then:
• If 15.Nxe7+ Rxe7 16.f3 Rd8 17.Be3 d5 18.exd5 Nxd5 19.Nxd5 Bxd5 20.Qxd5 Qxd5 21.Bxd5 Rxd5 22.Kf2 h5 draw (Galkan-Aronian, Areoflot Op, Moscow, 2005).
• 15.Qf3 c5 16.Be3 c4 17.Ba2 Rac8 18.Rad1 Bf8 19.Nd5 Nxd5 20.exd5 Nc5 21.Bd4 Rxe1+ 22.Rxe1 Re8 23.Nh6+ Kh8 24.Nxf7+ Kg8 25.Nh6+ gxh6 26.Qg3+ Kf7 draw (Ivanchuk, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2003).
• 11...Rfe8 12.Nd5 Nxd5 13.Bxd5 Nd8 15.d4 exd4 16.Qxd4 Rad8 17.Bg5 Nc5 18.Bxe7 Qxe7 19.Nd2 Qe5 20.Qxe5 dxe5 21.Nf3 f6 22.Re3 Re7 gives Black the advantage in space (Sammalvuo-Gustafsson, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).

11...Rfe8 12.Nf1

• 12.c3 Bf8 13.Ba2 Nd8 14.Nf1 Ne6 15.Ng3 c5 16.d4 exd4 17.cxd4 d5 18.dxc5 dxe4 19.Nxe4 Qxd1 20.Nxf6+ gxf6 21.Rxd1 Rad8 22.Rxd8 Rxd8 23.b4 Rd1+ 24.Kh2 Bh6 25.Bb2 Bf4+ 26.g3 Rd3 27.gxf4 draw (Anand-Navara, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2007).

12...Nd8 13.Ng3 Ne6 14.Ba2!?

• If 14.Ng5 then:
• If 14...c5 15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.c3 Bd8 17.a4 Bb6 18.Be3 Kh8 19.axb5 axb5 20.Rxa8 Rxa8 21.Nh5 Bd8 22.Nxf6 Bxf6 23.Qg4 Bc8 24.Rd1 Qe7 25.Qe2 Bb7 26.Qg4 Bc8 27.Qe2 Bb7 28.Qg4 draw (Leko-Aronian, Amber Blind, Nice, 2008).
• 14...d5 15.Nf5 Bf8 16.Qf3 Nc5 17.Bxd5 Nxd5 18.exd5 Bxd5 19.Ne4 Qe6 20.Bd2 Nd7 21.Ne3 Bb7 22.c4 Rab8 23.b4 g6 24.Qe2 c5 25.Rac1 Rec8 26.Ng5 Qe7 27.Ne4 Qe6 28.Ng5 Qe7 29.Ne4 draw (Shirov-Svidler, Areoflot Op, Moscow, 2007).
• If 14.c3 c5 then:
• If 15.d4 exd4 16.cxd4 d5 then:
• 17.dxc5 dxe4 18.Qxd7 Nxd7 19.c6 Bxc6 20.Nxe4 Bxe4 21.Rxe4 Ndc5 22.Re3 Nxb3 23.Rxb3 Nc5 24.Re3 Bf6 25.Rb1 Rad8 26.Rxe8+ Rxe8 27.Be3 Na4 28.Bd4 Bxd4 29.Nxd4 Re4 is unpromising for both sides; the game was drawn in 74 moves (Shirov-Adams, Candidates' Match, Elista, 2007).
• If 17.e5 Ne4 18.Nf5 Bf8 19.Be3 Rad8 20.Bc2 cxd4 21.N5xd4 g6 22.a4 Bb4 23.Re2 N6c5 24.axb5 axb5 25.Bb1 Ne6 26.Bd3 Nxd4 27.Nxd4 Rxe5 then:
• If 28.Bxb5 Qe7 29.Ra7 Ng3 30.fxg3 Rxe3 31.Rxb7 Qxb7 32.Rxe3 gives White the more active position which he soon converted to a win (Modiaki-Chakravarthy, Asian Ch, Cebu, 2007).
• Better is 28...Qc7 29.Bf4 Bd6, but after 30.Bxe5 Bxe5 31.Nf3 Bg7 32.Ba6 White still has the active position.
• If 15.a4 Bf8 16.axb5 axb5 17.Rxa8 Bxa8 18.Bc2 g6 19.Ng5 Bg7 20.Bb3 d5 21.Nxe6 Qxe6 22.exd5 draw (Z. Almasi-Onischuk, Euro ChT, Kemer, 2007).

14...c5

• If 14...Bd8 15.Nf5 c5 16.Bd2 Bc7 then:
• If 17.Nh2 Nd4 18.Nxd4 cxd4 19.Bg5 Bd8 20.Qd2 h6 gives Black a small edge in space.
• 17.c4 bxc4 18.Bxc4 d5 19.exd5 Bxd5 20.Bxd5 Qxd5 gives Black the lead in space.

15.Bd2 Bf8

• The game is equal.
• 15...a5 16.Nf5 Bd8 17.Be3 a4 18.Qd2 remains equal.

16.b4 h6 17.c4

• White tries to make it difficult for Black to expand in the center.
• 17.Nf5 Nf4 18.bxc5 dxc5 19.Nxe5 Nxh3+ 20.gxh3 Rxe5 remains level.

17...Nf4 18.Re3 bxc4!?

• Black voluntarily isolates the a-pawn. This seems at the moment to be an insignificant problem, but it plays a part in White's winning strategy.
• 18...Rac8 19.Bc3 Be7 20.bxc5 Rxc5 21.d4 exd4 22.Bxd4 Rcc8 is equal.

19.dxc4 Ne6 20.Bb1 g6?!

• This weakening move, which has the virtue of keeping White's Knight out of f5, should have been played after a series of exchanges.
• Better is 20...Qc7 21.Bd3 Rac8 22.Rc1 Nd4 23.Nxd4 cxd4 24.Re1 g6 when White has less material to attack Black's kingside pawns.

21.Re1 Qc7 22.Bd3 Bg7

• White has a narrow edge in space.
• Better is 22...Nf4! (cutting White's attack lines to the weak pawns) 23.Qc2 Bg7 24.Rac1 Rab8 25.Red1 with equality.

23.Rb1

• To be preferred is 23.Qc1! (playing against Black's weak kingside) 23...Kh7 24.Bc3 Nf4 25.Qe3 cxb4 26.axb4 giving White a great deal more space.

23...Nd7

• Black misses his last change to play 23...Nf4.
• 23...Nf4 24.Qc2 Qc6 25.bxc5 dxc5 26.Ba5 Rab8 is equal.

BLACK: Gata Kamsky
!""""""""#
$t+ +t+l+%
$+vWm+oV %
$o+ Om+oO%
$+ O O + %
$ Pp+p+ +%
$P +b+nNp%
$ + B Pp+%
$+r+qR K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Vugar Gashimov
Position after 23...Nf6d7

24.Ne2!

• White punishes Black for not occupying f4. To play 24..Nf4? now drops a pawn.

24...Nd4 25.Nc3 Rec8

• Black has pawn weaknesses on both wings. He needs to maitain his a-pawn to keep from being steamrolled on the queenside. This explains why he played the King's Rook instead of the Queen's Rook, which overprotects the a-pawn with the Bishop at b7.

26.Rc1 Qd8 27.Nd5 Bc6

• Black guards against 28.Qa5.

28.Bf1 Nf8 29.Nxd4 exd4

• If 29...cxd4 30.Qg4 Rab8 31.Qg3 then:
• If 31...Ne6 32.Be2 Rb7 then:
• 33.Bg4 Rcb8 34.Red1 Nc7 35.f4 Nxd5 36.exd5 Ba4 37.Re1 e4 is equal.
• 33...Ra8 34.f4 h5 35.Bxe6 fxe6 36.fxe5 exd5 37.exd5 Be8 38.Bg5 leaves White with his queenside pawns ready to roll.
• 31...Nd7 32.Bd3 a5 33.b5 Bxd5 34.exd5 gives White a comfortable advantage in space.

30.f4 Nd7 31.Qf3 Rcb8

• After 31...Rab8 White retains the advantage with 32.Bd3 Qh4 33.Rb1 Bxd5 34.exd5 Re8 35.Qf2.

32.Qg3 cxb4 33.axb4 a5 34.b5!

• The natural looking 34.bxa5 leads to an equal game after 34...Nc5 35.Rc2 when:
• If 35...Nb3 then:
• 36.Bb4 Bxd5 37.Qxb3 Qxa5 38.Bxa5 Rxb3 39.cxd5 Rxa5 40.Rc6 is equal
• 36.Rb1 Nxd2 37.Rxb8 Rxb8 38.Rxd2 is equal.
• 35...Rb3 36.Qf2 Ra3 37.e5 d3 38.Rcc1 Nb3 39.Rc3 Bxd5 40.cxd5 R8xa5 41.Rxd3 White remains a pawn to the good.

34...Bxd5 35.cxd5

• Weaker is 35.exd5?! Nc5 36.f5 Qf6 37.fxg6 Qxg6 38.Qa3 d3 39.Kh2 Bd4 with an equal game.

35...Nc5 36.e5!

• Black's pawn at d4 is dead wood. White pushes in the center, blocking the long diagonal.

36...a4 37.Bb4 a3?

• Black has simply miscalculated the result of the next four or five moves.
• 37...Nb3 38.Rc2 dxe5 39.fxe5 Qxd5 40.Bc4 Qb7 41.Rf2 is unclear: Black has an extra pawn, but White has more than enough space to claim the advantage.

38.Bxa3!

• White, on the other hand, has taken a closer look.

38...d3

• 38...Rxa3 39.Qxa3 Qb6 40.Kh1 Rd8 41.exd6 Nd7 42.Qa6 is clearly not what Black has in mind.

BLACK: Gata Kamsky
!""""""""#
$tT W +l+%
$+ + +oV %
$ + O +oO%
$+pMpP + %
$ B O P +%
$O + + Qp%
$ + + +p+%
$+ K RbK %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Vugar Gashimov
Position after 38...d4d3

39.Bxc5!!

• This is probably what Black missed in his calculations before committing on move 37.
• 39.Ra1 dxe5 40.Bxc5 Rxa1 41.Rxa1 exf4 42.Qxf4 Bxa1 wins the exchange for Black.

39...d2

• This is the key to Black's "combination." While this move looks strong, it is insufficient.

40.Bxd6 Rb7

• If 40...dxe1Q 41.Rxe1 Rb7 then:
• 42.Bd3 Bf8 43.Bxf8 Kxf8 44.d6 gives White three pawns for the exchange.
• 42.Kh2 Rb6 43.Bc5 Rb7 44.Rd1 gives White three pawns for the exchange.

41.Red1 dxc1Q 42.Rxc1

• White has three pawns for the exchange. That's no bargain for Black.

42...Rba7 43.Qb3

• If 43.Qe3 Ra1 then:
• 44.Kh2 Rxc1 45.Qxc1 Bf8 46.Bxf8 Kxf8 47.d6 Rc8 48.Qe3 White pawns assure victory.
• If 44.g3 Qd7 45.Qc5 Rxc1 46.Qxc1 Rc8 47.Qa3 then:
• 47...Rc2 48.b6 Qb7 49.Qb3 Rd2 50.Bg2 is White's game to lose.
• 47...Bf8 48.Bxf8 Rxf8 49.d6 White's advancing pawns win.

43...Ra1 44.Bc7 Qh4

• If 44...Qe7 45.Qd1 Qc5+ 46.Rxc5 Rxd1 47.b6 Bf8 48.Rc3 Raa1 49.b7 Rxf1+ 50.Kh2 Rab1 51.b8Q Rxb8 52.Bxb8 leaves White two pawns up.
• If 45...R1a2 46.d6 Qh4 47.Bb6 Qxf4 48.Rc4 Qg3 49.Qf3 Qxf3 50.gxf3 Rd2 51.Rd4 Rxd4 White's advanced pawns will overwhelm Black's Rook.
• 48...Qd2 49.Qxd2 Rxd2 50.Rd4 Rxd4 51.Bxd4 52.Bxd4 White's pawns are advanced enough to trump Black's Rook.

45.Rxa1 Rxa1 46.Qf3 Qe1 47.b6 Qb4

• 47...Rb1 48.d6 Qb4 49.b7 Qd4+ 50.Kh2 transposes into the text.

48.d6 Qd4+ 49.Kh2 Rb1 50.b7

• Black could have resigned here. There is no way to avoid further material loss.

50...Rxb7 51.Qxb7 Qxf4+ 52.g3 1-0

• If 52...Qf2+ 53.Qg2 Qf5 54.Qa8+ Kh7 55.Bg2 then:
• 55...Bxe5 56.Qd5 Qe6 57.Bb8 Bf6 58.d7 leaves White a piece to the good.
• After 55...Qe6 56.Qd8 Bxe5 57.d7 Bf6 58.Qe8 it will cost Black another oiece to stop the pawn.
• 52...Qf5 53.Bg2 Kh7 54.Qc6 Bxe5 55.d7 Bf6 56.d8Q Bxd8 57.Bxd8 gives White two extra pieces.
• Mr. Kamsky resigns.

Tiger Hillarp Persson
Photo: Official website of the 2007 European Team Championships

To view this game, please click here and select the next-to-last game from the list on the left (GM Tiger Hillarp Persson - GM Lajos Portisch).

Tiger Hillarp Persson - Lajos Portisch
Sigeman & Co Tournament, Round 8
Malmø, 29 April 2008

East India Game: Nimzo-Indian Defense (Kemeri Opening)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 0-0 5.Bd3 d5

• This is the starting point of what we shall call the Kemeri Opening. Most annotators call this by the overused name "Classical Variation."

6.Nf3

• If 6.Nge2 then:
• If 6...c5 7.cxd5 cxd4 8.exd4 Nxd5 9.0-0 Nc6 then:
• If 10.Bc2 then:
• 10...Re8 11.Qd3 g6 12.Rd1 Bf8 13.Qf3 Bg7 14.Be4 Nxc3 then:
• If 15.bxc3 Bd7 16.Rb1 Qc7 17.Bg5 e5 18.d5 Na5 19.d6 Qc8 20.Bd5 gives White the advantage in space (edorowicz-Whitehead, US Ch, Estes Park, 1987).
• If 10...Bd6 11.Ne4 Be7 12.a3 Qc7 13.Qd3 Rd8 14.Ng5 g6 15.Bb3 Bf8 16.Qh3 Nf6 17.Rd1 Bg7 18.Qh4 Qb6 19.Ba2 Ne7 20.Nxh7 Nxh7 21.Qxe7 Bf6 22.Qb4 Qxb4 23.axb4 b6 24.Be3 gives White the advantage in space (Milov-Weeks, Australian Op, Suncoast, 1999).
• 10.a3 Be7 11.Bc2 b6 12.Qd3 g6 13.Bh6 Re8 14.Rad1 Bb7 15.Nxd5 Qxd5 16.Nf4 Qd6 17.d5 Ne5 18.Qb3 exd5 19.Nxd5 Bh4 20.Qh3 Bd8 21.Ba4 Bxd5 22.Bxe8 Bc7 23.Ba4 Nc4 24.Rd4 Qe5 25.Rfd1 gives White an overwhelming position (Lefebvre-Muller, French ChT, 2001).
• If 6...dxc4 7.Bxc4 e5 8.0-0 Nc6 9.a3 then:
• 9...Bd6 10.Nb5 Be7 11.d5 Na5 12.Ba2 c6 13.Nbc3 c5 14.Qd3 a6 15.Rd1 Bd6 16.Rb1 b5 17.b4 Nb7 18.Ng3 Qe7 19.e4 cxb4 20.axb4 h6 21.Bd2 Bxb4 22.Nxb5 Bxd2 23.d6 Qd8 24.Nc7 Ra7 25.Rxd2 Nxd6 26.Nd5 Nb5 gives Black an extra pawn (Mkrtchian-Hou Yifan, Women's ChT, Ekaterininburg, 2007).
• 9...Bxc3 10.bxc3 Re8 11.Rb1 b6 12.f3 Na5 13.Bd3 e4 14.fxe4 Nxe4 15.Qc2 Bb7 16.Ng3 Qe7 17.Rf4 Nxg3 18.Bxh7+ Kh8 19.hxg3 g6 20.Rh4 Be4 21.Bxg6+ Qxh4 22.gxh4 Bxc2 23.Bxc2 gives White more space (Penrose-Porreca, Ol, Helsinki, 1952).
• If 6.a3 then:
• If 6...Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 dxc4 8.Bxc4 c5 then:
• If 9.Nf3 Qc7 then:
• 10.Ba2 b6 11.0-0 Bb7 12.c4 Nbd7 13.Bb2 then:
• 13...Rad8 14.Re1 Rfe8 15.Rc1 e5 16.d5 e4 17.Nd2 Ne5 18.Qc2 Neg4 19.Nf1 b5 20.cxb5 Bxd5 21.Bxd5 Rxd5 22.Red1 Red8 23.Rxd5 Rxd5 24.Rd1 Rxd1 25.Qxd1 h5 26.h3 Ne5 27.Ng3 h4 28.Nxe4 Nxe4 29.Qd5 White wins back the Knight and goes a pawn to the good (Gulko-Piskov, Helsinki, 1992).
• 13...Rfd8 14.Re1 Rac8 15.d5 exd5 16.cxd5 c4 17.e4 b5 18.Nd4 Qe5 19.Qf3 Re8 20.Rab1 Nxe4 21.Nxb5 Qxd5 22.Nxa7 Rb8 23.Rbd1 Qe6 is equal (Gulko-Shabalov, US Ch, Seattle, 2002).
• If 10.Be2 then:
• If 10...b6 11.0-0 Bb7 12.Bb2 Nbd7 then:
• If 13.c4 13...Rac8 14.Rc1 Rfd8 15.Re1 then:
• If 15...Nf8 16.h3 Ng6 17.Qb3 cxd4 18.exd4 Qf4 19.Rc3 Ne4 20.Re3 then:
• If 20...Nh4?! 21.Bd3 Nxf3+ 22.Rxf3 Nd2 23.Rxf4 Nxb3 then:
• If 24.Bxh7+ Kxh7 25.Rxf7 Rxc4 26.Re3 Nd2 then:
• If 27.d5 then:
• If 27...e5? 28.Rxb7 Rc2 then:
• 29.Rxe5 Rxb2 30.Ree7 Rb1+ 31.Kh2 Nf1+ 32.Kg1 Rxd5 33.Rxg7+ Kh6 34.Rbf7 Ne3+ 35.Kh2 Nf1+ 36.Kg1 Ne3+ draw (Jussupow-Lobron, Bad Homburg, 1998).
• 29.Bxe5? Rc1+ 30.Kh2 Nf1+ wins the exchange.
• If 27...Bxd5! 28.Rxg7+ Kh6 then:
• If 29.Reg3 Be4 30.Rxa7 Rc2 31.Bg7+ Kh5 32.Rc3 Nc4 33.Rxc2 Bxc2 gives Black a pieces for two pawns.
• 29.Rgg3 loses to 29...Rd7 30.Rc3 Kh7 31.Bc1 Ne4 32.Rxc4 Bxc4 33.Rg4 Rd1+.
• 27.Rxb7 Rc2 28.Rxe6 Rxb2 29.Ree7 Rb1+ 30.Kh2 Nf1+ 31.Kg1 Ne3+ draws as in Jussupow-Lobron.
• 24.d5 Nc5 25.Bc2 g6 26.Bf6 Rd7 27.dxe6 Nxe6 28.Rh4 is equal.
• 20...Nd6! 21.Qb4 Nf5 22.Rd3 Qc7 23.d5 exd5 24.cxd5 Nf4 gives Black a strong initiative.
• 15...Ng4 16.h3 Bxf3 17.hxg4 Bxe2 18.Qxe2 Qc6 19.Qf3 Qd6 is equal.
• 13.h3 Rfd8 14.a4 Rac8 15.Re1 Bxf3 16.gxf3 Ne5 17.Rc1 Qb7 18.f4 Ng6 19.Bf3 Qc7 20.Qe2 Nh4 21.Bh1 Nf5 draw (Petrosian-Unzicker, IT, Milan, 1975).
• 10...Nc6 11.0-0 Rd8 12.Qc2 e5 13.Bb2 Bg4 14.dxe5 Nxe5 15.c4 Nxf3+ 16.gxf3 Bh3 17.Rfd1 Rxd1+ 18.Rxd1 Rd8 19.Rb1 Qc6 20.Kh1 h6 21.Rg1 Qe6 gives Black a small advantage in space (Jussupow-van der Sterren, Bundesliga, Germany, 1997).
• 9.Ne2 Qc7 10.Bd3 e5 11.0-0 Nc6 12.Bb2 Be6 13.Rc1 Rfd8 14.Qc2 Rac8 15.Ng3 Qd7 16.Ne4 Nxe4 17.Bxe4 cxd4 18.Bxh7+ Kh8 19.exd4 Nxd4 20.Qe4 f5 21.Qh4 Ne2+ 22.Kh1 g5 23.Qxg5 Nxc1 24.Rxc1 Qd1+ Black delivers mate on the next move (Ploehn-Scheipl, Baviera, 2000).
• If 6...dxc4 7.Bxc4 Bd6 8.Nf3 Nc6 then:
• 9.0-0 a6 10.h3 h6 11.e4 e5 12.Be3 b5 13.Ba2 Bb7 14.Re1 exd4 15.Bxd4 Nxd4 16.Qxd4 c5 17.Qd2 Re8 18.Rad1 Bc7 19.Qe3 Qe7 20.Bd5 Bxd5 21.Nxd5 Nxd5 22.Rxd5 c4 23.Nd4 Bb6 24.Nf5 Bxe3 25.Nxe7+ Rxe7 26.Rxe3 Kf8 is equal (Lesiege-Mitkov, Ol, Istanbul, 2000).
• 9.b4 e5 10.Bb2 Bg4 11.d5 Ne7 12.Qc2 c6 13.dxc6 Rc8 14.Ng5 Rxc6 15.Qb3 Bh5 16.0-0 h6 17.Nge4 Nxe4 18.Nxe4 Bb8 19.b5 Rc8 20.Ng3 Bg6 21.e4 gives White a small advantage in space (Christiansen-García, Interz, Moscow, 1982).

6...c5 7.0-0 dxc4 8.Bxc4 cxd4

• If 8...Nbd7 9.Qe2 b6 then:
• If 10.Rd1 cxd4 11.exd4 Bb7 then:
• If 12.Bd3 Rc8 13.Bd2 Be7 then:
• If 14.Rac1 Nd5 then:
• 15.Ba6 Nxc3 16.Bxc3 Bxa6 17.Qxa6 Rc7 18.d5 then:
• 18...exd5 19.Rxd5 Bf6 20.Qd3 Qc8 21.Ng5 Bxg5 22.Rxg5 gives White a far more active position (Smyslov-Draga, Capablanca Mem, Havana, 1964).
• 18...Nc5 19.Qc4 Rd7 20.Qg4 g6 21.Nd4 Rxd5 22.b4 Na4 23.Ba1 h5 24.Qe2 Qe8 25.Nc6 gives White a huge advantage in space ( Kozma-Kholmov, Kislovodsk, 1972).
• 15.Bb1 N7f6 16.Bg5 g6 17.Bh6 Re8 18.Bd3 Qd6 19.Nb5 Qb8 20.Ne5 a6 21.Nc3 b5 22.Ne4 Nxe4 23.Bxe4 gives White the advantage in space (Najdorf-Filip, Ol. Varna, 1962).
• 14.Bg5 Re8 15.Bb5 Nd5 16.Ne4 Bxg5 17.Nexg5 Re7 18.Ne5 draw (Gligoric-Unzicker, Euro ChT, Vienna, 1957).
• 12.Bd2 Bxc3 13.Bxc3 Nd5 14.Bd2 Qe7 15.a3 Rfc8 16.Bd3 Rc7 17.Re1 Qf6 18.Be4 is equal (Lautier-Ghaem Maghami, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• If 10.a3 cxd4 then:
• If 11.Nb5 Be7 12.Nbxd4 Bb7 13.b4 then:
• 13...a6 14.Bb2 Bd6 15.Rfd1 Qe7 16.Rac1 b5 17.Bd3 Rac8 18.e4 Ne5 19.Nxe5 Bxe5 20.Rxc8 Rxc8 21.g3 Nd7 22.Nb3 Bxb2 23.Qxb2 e5 is equal (Onischuk-Lautier, Grand Prix, Moscow, 2002).
• 13...a5 14.b5 Qc7 15.Bb2 Rac8 16.Rac1 Qb8 17.Rfd1 Bd6 18.h3 Rfe8 19.Ba2 Bc5 20.Bb1 Qa8 gives White a small advantage in space (Hillarp Persson-S. B. Hansen, IT, Malmø, 2005).
• 11.exd4 Bxc3 12.bxc3 Qc7 13.Bd2 Bb7 14.Bd3 Nd5 15.Qe4 N5f6 16.Qe2 Nd5 17.Ng5 h6 18.Ne4 Nf4 19.Bxf4 Qxf4 20.f3 Rac8 21.a4 Qc7 22.Ra3 gives White a small advantage in space (A. Zaitsev-Liebert, Chigorin Mem, Sochi, 1967).
• 8...Nc6 9.a3 Ba5 then:
• If 10.Qd3 a6 then:
• If 11.Rd1 b5 12.Ba2 then:
• If 12...c4 13.Qe2 Qe8 then:
• 14.e4 e5 15.d5 Nd4 16.Nxd4 exd4 17.Rxd4 Bb6 18.Be3 Ng4 19.e5 Qxe5 20.Rxg4 Bxg4 21.Qxg4 Bxe3 22.fxe3 Qxe3+ 23.Kf1 Rae8 24.Rd1 Re6 25.dxe6 fxe6+ 26.Qf3 Rxf3+ 27.gxf3 Qxf3+ 28.Kg1 Qg4+ 29.Kf2 Qf4+ 30.Kg2 Qg4+ draw (Knaak-Lechtynsky, IT, Halle, 1981).
• If 14.Bd2 Bb6 then:
• 15.b3 **15...cxb3 16.Bxb3 Bb7 17.Be1 e5 18.d5 Na5 19.Bc2 Nc4 20.a4 e4 21.Nd4 Nd6 22.axb5 Bxd4 23.Rxd4 Nxb5 24.Nxe4 Qe5 25.Nxf6+ Qxf6 26.Rdd1 leaves White a pawn to the good (Portisch-Haag, Ungarn, 1969).
• 15.Bb1 e5 16.dxe5 Nxe5 17.Ne4 Nxe4 18.Bxe4 Nc6 19.Ng5 h6 20.Qh5 Bd8 21.h4 Bxg5 22.Bxc6 Qxc6 23.hxg5 Bb7 gives Black a strong initiative (Portisch-Larsen, Porec, 1968).
• 12...Bb6 13.h3 c4 14.Qc2 Qc7 15.e4 e5 16.Be3 exd4 17.Nxd4 Nxd4 18.Bxd4 Bxd4 19.Rxd4 Be6 20.Rad1 Rad8 21.Qd2 Rxd4 22.Qxd4 Nd7 23.Bb1 Rb8 is equal (Portisch-Smyslov, Amsterdam, 1971).
• 11.Ne4 b5 12.Nxf6+ Qxf6 13.Qe4 Bb7 14.Bd3 g6 15.dxc5 Nb4 16.Qe5 Qxe5 17.Nxe5 Nxd3 18.Nxd3 Rfd8 19.Ne5 Bc7 20.Nf3 a5 21.Nd4 Be5 22.c6 Bc8 23.Rd1 Rd6 draw (Donner-Parma, IT, West Berlin, 1971).
• 10.Bd3 cxd4 11.exd4 Bb6 12.Be3 Nd5 13.Nxd5 exd5 14.h3 Qd6 15.Re1 Bc7 16.Rc1 Be6 17.Qc2 h6 18.Ne5 Rfc8 draw (Gligoric-Matanovic, Vidmar Mem, Portoroz, 1973).

9.exd4 b6 10.Qe2

• If 10.Bg5 Bb7 then:
• If 11.Re1 Nbd7 12.Rc1 Rc8 13.Bd3 then:
• If 13...Re8 then:
• If 14.Qe2 14...Bxc3 15.bxc3 Qc7 then:
• 16.c4 Qd6 17.Rcd1 h6 18.Bc1 Qc7 19.Ne5 draw (Chiburdanidze-Douven, Amsterdam, 1986).
• 16.Bh4 Nh5 17.Qe3 Ndf6 18.Bg3 Nxg3 draw (Portisch-Andersson, Buenos Aires, 1978).
• 14.Bh4 Be7 15.Ne5 Nxe5 16.dxe5 Nd5 17.Bxe7 Qxe7 18.Ne4 Rxc1 19.Qxc1 Rc8 20.Qb1 Nf4 21.Bf1 Bxe4 22.Qxe4 Nd5 23.a3 Rc5 24.g3 Qc7 is equal (Aleksandrov-Nisipeanu, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).
• 13...Bxc3 14.bxc3 Qc7 15.Bh4 Qf4 16.Bg3 Qg4 17.Be2 Qf5 18.c4 Rfd8 19.d5 Nc5 20.Nh4 Qg5 21.Bf3 g6 22.Qd4 exd5 23.Bf4 Qxh4 24.g3 dxc4 favors Black and is turning into a route (Gligoric-Unzicker, Donner Mem, Amsterdam, 1994).
• 11.Qe2 Bxc3 12.bxc3 Nbd7 13.Ne5 Qc7 14.Nxd7 Nxd7 15.Rac1 Qc6 16.f3 Rac8 17.Bd3 Qd6 18.Rfd1 Rfe8 19.Qd2 Nf8 20.Bf4 Qd7 21.Be3 b5 22.Qe2 Bc6 23.Rb1 Rb8 24.Rb2 Rb7 25.Rdb1 a6 26.c4 bxc4 draw (Radjobov-Gelfand, Euro ChT, León, 2001).

10...Bb7 11.Bg5

• If 11.Rd1 Bxc3 12.bxc3 Qc7 13.Bd3 Nbd7 then:
• If 14.c4 Rfe8 15.Bb2 Qf4 16.Qe3 Qxe3 17.fxe3 Rac8 18.Rdc1 Ne4 19.a4 a5 20.Ba3 Rc7 21.Rab1 f5 22.Rb2 Rec8 draw (Hort-Plachetka, Czech Ch, Sumperk, 1984).
• 14.Bd2 Rac8 15.Rac1 Qd6 16.Re1 h6 17.Ba6 Bxa6 18.Qxa6 Qc7 19.c4 Rfd8 20.Qa3 Nf8 21.c5 Qb7 22.Qa4 gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Gromotka-Nickel, Corres, 1992).

11...Bxc3 12.bxc3 Nbd7 13.Ne5

• If 13.Bd3 Qc7 14.Rac1 Ng4 15.Be4 Bxe4 16.Qxe4 Ngf6 17.Qe2 then:
• 17...Rac8 18.c4 Qb7 19.Rfe1 h6 20.Bf4 Rc6 21.Ne5 Nxe5 22.dxe5 Nh7 23.Rc3 Rfc8 24.Rg3 Kh8 25.Qg4 g5 26.Be3 Rxc4 27.Qh5 Rh4 gives Black an extra pawn (Pokojowczyk-Kuligowski, Polish Ch, Krakow, 1978).
• 17...h6 18.Bd2 Qc6 19.c4 Qa4 20.Bf4 is equal (Ljubojevic-Ivanchuk, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 1996).

13...Qc7 14.Nxd7 Qxd7!?

• If 14...Nxd7 15.Rac1 Qc6 16.f3 Rac8 then:
• If 17.Bd3 Qd6 18.Rfe1 Rfe8 then:
• 19.Qc2 h6 20.Bh4 Nf6 21.Bg3 Qe7 22.Qd2 Qa3 23.Be5 Nd5 24.c4 gives White the advantage in space (Hillarp Persson-Rizouk, Op, Salou (Spain), 2005).
• 19.Qd2 Nf8 20.h4 f5 21.Bb5 Bc6 22.Ba6 Ra8 23.Bf1 Qd7 24.c4 gives White a small advantage in space (Hillarp Persson-Borne, Op, Banyoles, 2006).
• 17.Bb5 Qd6 18.Bh4 Nf6 19.Rfd1 Qa3 20.Qd2 Nd5 21.c4 Qe3+ is equal (Lautier-Aronian, Petrosian Mem, Cyberspace, 2004).

15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.d5

• The position is equal.
• If 16.Rac1 Rac8 17.Bd3 then:
• 17...Kh8 18.Qh5 f5 19.Qh6 Rg8 20.Qf6+ Rg7 reamins equal.
• 17...Qd5 18.Qg4+ Qg5 19.Qh3 f5 20.Be2 is still equal.

16...Bxd5 17.Rad1

• If 17.Qg4+ Kh8 18.Qd4 Rg8 19.Qxf6+ Rg7 20.Rfd1 then:
• 20...Rc8 21.Bxd5 exd5 22.Qd4 Qc6 23.Rd3 is equal.
• 20...Qd8 21.Qxd8+ Rxd8 22.Bxd5 Rxd5 23.Rxd5 exd5 24.Rd1 gives White the more active Rook.

17...Rfd8?!

• Black commits to a passive course.
• Better is 17...Qc6 18.Bxd5 exd5 19.Qf3 Rac8 20.Rxd5 Qxc3 21.Rd3 with equality.

18.Qg4+

• 18.Bxd5 exd5 19.Qf3 Rac8 20.Rd3 Rc6 is equal.

18...Kf8?

• 18...Kh8 19.Qh4 Kg7 20.Bxd5 exd5 21.Rd3 Qf5 22.Rf3 is equal.

19.Bxd5 exd5 20.Qh5!

• Not as good, but still good, is 20.Qf4 Kg7 21.Rd3 Qe6 22.Re3 Qd6 23.Qf5.

20...Kg7 21.Rd3 Rg8

• After this, Black loses quickly. but he is lost in any event.
• 21...Re8 22.Rxd5 Qe6 23.Rd3 f5 24.Rf3 Rac8 25.Rxf5 has White weaving a net about the enemy King (Vaisser-Polugaevsky, Soviet ChT, Sochi, 1988).

22.Rh3

• The rest of the game almost plays itself.

22...Kf8 23.Qh6+ Ke7 24.Re3+ Kd6 25.Qxf6+ Kc5 26.Re7 Qg4

• Black is a move away from delivering mate on g2, but White is a step ahead of the game.
• Other continuations simply lose:
• 26...Qd8 27.Qxf7 Rf8 28.Qxh7 Rh8 29.Qg7 Qd6 30.Rc7+ Kb5 31.a4+.
• 26...Qd6 27.Qxf7 Rac8 28.Rxa7 Qg6 29.Qe7+ Kc6 30.g3.
• 26...Qc8 27.Qxf7 Kc6 28.c4.

BLACK: Lajos Portisch
!""""""""#
$t+ + +t+%
$O + Ro+o%
$ O + Q +%
$+ Lo+ + %
$ + + +w+%
$+ P + + %
$p+ + PpP%
$+ + +rK %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Tiger Hillarp Persson
Position after 26...Qd7g4

27.Rc7+! 1-0

• 27.Rc7+ Kb5 28.Rb1+ Ka5 29.Rxa7+ Rxa7 30.Qxb6+ Ka4 31.Qxa7#.
• Grandmaster Portisch resigns.

Sergei Tiviakov
Photo: ChessBase.com


Sergei Tiviakov - Emil Sutovsky
European Championships (General Competition), Round 11
Plovdiv, 2 May 2008

Closed Sicilian Game: Saragossa Opening (Alapin Opening)

1.e4 c5 2.c3 d5

• For the more common 2...Nf6 see Tiviakov-Le Quang Liem, Op, Moscow, 2008

3.exd5 Qxd5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 e6 6.Na3

• If 6.Be2 Nc6 7.0-0 then:
• If 7...cxd4 8.cxd4 Be7 9.Nc3 Qd6 10.Nb5 Qd8 11.Bf4 Nd5 12.Bg3 then:
• If 12...a6 13.Nc3 0-0 14.Rc1 Nf6 15.a3 b6 16.Bc4 Bb7 17.Ba2 Rc8 18.Qd3 then:
• 18...Nh5 19.d5 exd5 20.Nxd5 Nxg3 21.hxg3 Bf6 22.Rfd1 Ne5 23.Rxc8 Bxc8 24.Nxe5 Bxe5 25.Qe3 Bf6 26.Rc1 Bb7 27.Nxf6+ Qxf6 28.Rc7 Qd6 29.Qe7 Qd1+ 30.Kh2 Bd5 31.Bxd5 Qh5+ is a perpetual check (Rublevsky-Yakovich, Russian Ch, Krasnoyarsk, 2003).
• 18...b5 19.Rfd1 Na5 20.Ne5 Nd5 21.b4 Nxc3 22.Rxc3 Nc6 23.Nxf7 Kxf7 24.d5 Na7 25.Qxh7 Bxd5 26.Qh5+ g6 27.Qh7+ Ke8 28.Qxg6+ Rf7 29.Rf3 Bxf3 30.Rxd8+ Kxd8 31.gxf3 Rf6 32.Qe4 Black resigns in the face of severe material loss (Rublevsky-Vitiugov, Russian Ch, Kazan, 2005).
• 12...0-0 13.Bc4 a6 14.Bxd5 axb5 15.Be4 Nb4 16.Qb3 f5 17.Bb1 Nd5 18.Be5 Bd7 19.Bd3 b4 20.Qd1 Bc6 21.Re1 Qe8 22.Bc4 Bf6 23.Qd2 is equal (Sebag-Haba, Euro ChT, Kemer, 2007).
• If 7...Be7 then:
• If 8.c4 Qd8 9.dxc5 Qxd1 10.Rxd1 then:
• If 10...Bxc5 11.Nc3 0-0 12.a3 b6 13.b4 Be7 14.Bf4 Bb7 15.Nb5 then:
• 15...Rad8 16.Bc7 Rxd1+ 17.Rxd1 Bc8 18.Bd6 draw (Pcola-Movsesian, Op, Bratislava, 1995).
• 15...Rfd8 16.Bc7 Rdc8 17.Bd6 Bd8 18.Bg3 Ne4 19.Rd7 Nxg3 20.hxg3 Ba6 21.Rad1 Kf8 22.Nd6 Rc7 23.Rxc7 Bxc7 24.b5(Sebag-Lujan, Women's Cup, Dresden, 2006).
• 10...Ne4 11.Be3 Nb4 12.Nbd2 Nxc5 13.Nd4 a5 14.a3 Nba6 15.b4 Na4 16.Rdc1 0-0 17.c5 e5 18.N4b3 f5 19.g3 Rd8 20.Bb5 Nb2 21.Nxa5 f4 22.gxf4 exf4 23.Bxf4 Nxc5 24.Rc2 gives White an extra pawn (Ivanchuk-Petursson, Lucerne, 1993).
• If 8.Be3 cxd4 9.cxd4 0-0 10.Nc3 Qd6 then:
• 11.a3 b6 12.Rc1 Bb7 13.Qa4 a6 14.Rfd1 b5 15.Qc2 Rac8 16.b4 Qb8 17.Bg5 Rfd8 18.Qd2 Rd7 19.Qe3 Qa7 20.Ne4 Nxe4 21.Qxe4 Rd5 22.Bxe7 Nxe7 23.Rxc8+ Nxc8 24.Qh4 gives White a considerable advantage in space (Blatny-Emms, Oakham, 1986).
• 11.Rc1 b6 12.Nb5 Qd7 13.Ne5 Nxe5 14.Rc7 Qd8 15.dxe5 Nd5 16.Rxa7 Rxa7 17.Nxa7 Bb7 18.Bf3 Qb8 19.Qa4 Qxe5 20.Bd4 Qf4 21.Qd7 Ba6 22.Rd1 Bd6 White resigns in the face of material loss (Pribyl-Tal, Yerevan, 1982).
• If 6.Be3 cxd4 7.cxd4 then:
• If 7...Nc6 8.Nc3 Qd6 9.a3 Be7 10.Bd3 0-0 then:
• If 11.0-0 b6 12.Qe2 Bb7 13.Rad1 Rad8 then:
• 14.Bb1 Rfe8 15.Rfe1 Qb8 16.Bg5 g6 17.Ba2 Nh5 18.d5 exd5 19.Rxd5 Nf4 20.Bxf4 Qxf4 21.Rxd8 Nxd8 22.Nd5 Bxd5 23.Bxd5 Qf6 24.g3 gives White the advantage in space (Howell-Arakhamia, British Ch, Great Yarmouth, 2007).
• 14.Bg5 g6 15.Bc4 Nd5 16.Nxd5 exd5 17.Bb5 Bxg5 18.Nxg5 Rfe8 19.Qd2 f6 20.Nh3 Re7 21.Rfe1 Rde8 22.Rxe7 Rxe7 23.Bxc6 Bxc6 draw (Jenni-Tiviakov, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• 11.Qc2 Bd7 12.0-0 Rac8 13.Rad1 Rfd8 14.Rfe1 Be8 15.Bg5 g6 16.Qe2 Nd5 17.Ne4 Qc7 18.g3 Bxg5 19.Nexg5 Qb6 20.Bb1 Nce7 21.h4 Bb5 22.Qd2 Nf6 23.h5 Nxh5 24.Nxf7 Kxf7 25.Qh6 Rd5 26.Re5 Rh8 27.Ng5+ Ke8 28.Rxe6 Rd6 29.Bxg6+ hxg6 30.Qxh8+ Kd7 31.Rde1 Rxe6 32.Rxe6 Qc7 33.Rxe7+ Kxe7 34.Qh7+ Kd6 35.Qxg6+ Kd5 36.Qe4+ Kd6 37.Qe6# White wins (Howell-Pritchett, EU Ch, Cork, 2005).
• If 7...Bb4+ 8.Nc3 0-0 9.Bd3 b6 10.0-0 Bxc3 11.bxc3 Ba6 12.Bxa6 Nxa6 then:
• If 13.Qe2 Nb8 14.c4 Qe4 15.Ne5 Nc6 16.Nxc6 Qxc6 17.a4 Rac8 18.Rfc1 Ne4 19.a5 Nd6 20.axb6 axb6 21.c5 bxc5 22.Ra6 Qb5 23.Qxb5 Nxb5 24.dxc5 Nc7 25.Ra7 Nd5 26.c6 f6 then:
• 27.h3? Rf7 28.Rd7 Nxe3 29.Rxf7 Kxf7 30.fxe3 e5 White's past pawn falls (Seger-Berczes, First Saturday, Budapest, 2005.05).
• 27.Rd7 Rf7 28.Rc4 Nxe3 29.fxe3 Kf8 is equal.
• 13.Qa4 Qb7 14.c4 Rac8 15.Rab1 Nb8 16.h3 Qa6 draw (Manca-Borgio, Reggio Emilia, 2007).
• If 6.Bd3 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 then:
• 8.Be3 Nc6 9.Qe2 Rd8 10.Rd1 cxd4 11.cxd4 Nb4 12.Nc3 Qh5 13.Bc4 b6 14.Ne5 Qxe2 15.Bxe2 Bb7 16.Rac1 Rac8 17.a3 Nbd5 18.Nxd5 Nxd5 19.Bb5 Nxe3 20.fxe3 Rxc1 21.Rxc1 Bd6 22.Nf3 h6 23.Rc3 g5 24.Bc6 Ba6 is equal (Huber-Miezis, Op, Schwaebisch Gmuend, 2000).
• If 8.Qe2 cxd4 9.cxd4 Nc6 then:
• If 10.Rd1 Nb4 11.Nc3 Qd8 then:
• 12.Bb1 b6 13.Ne5 Bb7 14.a3 Nbd5 15.Ne4 Rc8 16.Bd3 Rc7 17.Ng3 Qa8 18.Be3 Rd8 19.Rac1 Rxc1 20.Rxc1 Rc8 21.Re1 Bd6 22.Bd2 Ne7 23.Nxf7 Bxg3 24.hxg3 Bxg2 25.Qxe6 Bd5 26.Nh6+ leaves White a pawn to the good with a huge advantage in space (Muresan-Botsari, Women's Tmnt, Dortmund, 1987).
• 12.Bc4 b6 13.Ne5 Bb7 14.a3 Nbd5 15.Ne4 Nxe4 16.Qxe4 Rc8 17.Bd3 f5 18.Qe1 Kh8 19.Bd2 Nf6 20.Bb4 Nd5 21.Bd2 is equal (Braga-Portisch, Mar del Plata, 1982).
• 10.Be3 Nb4 11.Nc3 Qh5 12.Bc4 Bd7 13.Qd2 Bc6 14.Be2 Ng4 15.h3 Nxe3 16.fxe3 Qh6 17.Ne5 Bg5 18.Nd1 Nd5 19.Ng4 Qg6 20.Ne5 Qe4 gives Black a firm advantage in space (Kharchenko-Annageldyev. Victory Cup, Alushta, 2005).

6...Nc6

• If 6...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 (Tiviakov-van Wely, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2006).

7.Be3

• If 7.Nb5 Qd8 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.Qxd8+ Kxd8 then:
• If 10.Bf4 Ne4 11.Rd1+ then:
• 11...Ke7 12.Nbd4 Nxd4 13.Nxd4 Rd8 14.Bd3 Nf6 15.Bc7 Rd7 16.Be5 Bd6 17.Bg3 a6 18.0-0 Bxg3 19.hxg3 b6 20.Nc6+ Kd6 21.Be4+ Kc7 22.Bf3 Bb7 23.Ne5 Bxf3 24.gxf3 gives White the advantage (Darban-Johanessen, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• 11...Bd7 12.Be3 Bxe3 13.fxe3 a6 14.Nbd4 Ke7 15.Bd3 Nf6 16.0-0 Rhd8 17.e4 Ng4 18.Rfe1 gives White the advantage in space (Sveshnikov-C. Balogh, Warsaw, 2005).
• If 10...Nd5 11.0-0-0 Ke7 12.Bg3 a6 13.Nbd4 Nxd4 14.Nxd4 Rd8 15.Be2 Bd7 16.Bf3 Ba4 17.Rd2 Rac8 then:
• 18.Bh4+ g5 19.Bxg5+ f6 20.Re1 White soon won (Pavasovic-Modiaki, Op, Cannes, 1997).
• 18...f6 19.Nxe6 Kxe6 20.Re1+ Kf7 21.Bxd5+ Kf8 22.Bxb7 leaves White two pawns to the good.
• 7.Be2 Qd8 then:
• If 8.Nc2 Be7 9.0-0 0-0 10.Bg5 cxd4 11.Ncxd4 Bd7 12.Qb3 Qc8 13.Rfe1 a6 14.c4 Qc7 15.Bf1 Nxd4 16.Nxd4 Ng4!! (a sudden mating threat gives Black a powerful initiative) 17.Qh3 Bxg5 18.Qxg4(Margoline-Kasimdzhanov, Voskresensk, 1993).
• If 8.0-0 cxd4 9.Nb5 then:
• 9...Be7 10.Nbxd4 Nxd4 11.Qxd4 0-0 12.Bf4 b6 13.Qxd8 Rxd8 14.a4 Bb7 15.a5 Bd6 16.Bxd6 Rxd6 17.Rfd1 Rxd1+ 18.Bxd1 Rd8 draw (van de Oudeweetering-Huzman, ACT, Amsterdam, 2005).
• If 9...a6 10.Nbxd4 Nxd4 11.Qxd4 Qxd4 12.Nxd4 Bd7 13.Re1 Bd6 14.Bf3 0-0-0 15.Nb3 Kb8 16.Be3 Rhe8 17.Na5 Bc8 18.Nc4 Bc7 19.Bd4 Bd7 20.Ne5 Bxe5 21.Bxe5+ Kc8 22.Rad1 Bc6 23.Bxc6 bxc6 24.c4 Rg8 25.Bxf6 gxf6 is equal (Nun-Fogarasi, Czech Op, Pardubice, 2000).

7...cxd4 8.Nb5 Qd8

• 8...Qd7 9.Nbxd4 Nd5 10.Bg5 a6 11.Bc4 Be7 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.0-0 0-0 14.Re1 Bb7 15.Qc2 h6 16.Ne5 Qc7 17.Bxe7 Qxe7 18.Rad1 Rfd8 19.Bd3 gives White a small advantage in space (Brodsky-Khurtsidze, Op. Yerevan, 1996).

9.Nbxd4 Nd5 10.Bg5!?

• White's novelty is good for equality.
• If 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.Bd4 f6 12.Bc4 then:
• 12...e5 13.Qe2 Be7 14.Bxe5 fxe5 15.Nxe5 Qd6 16.0-0-0 Bd7 17.Qe4 0-0-0 18.Nf7 Qg6 19.Bxd5 Bg5+ 20.Nxg5 Qxg5+ 21.f4 cxd5 22.Rxd5 Qf6 23.Rc5+ Kb8 is unclear with White holding three pawns to a Bishop (Khamrakulov-Dambacher, Euro ChT, Kemer, 2007).
• 12...c5 13.Bb5+ Bd7 14.Bxd7+ Qxd7 15.Be3 Nxe3 16.fxe3 Qxd1+ 17.Kxd1 Kd7 18.Kc2 Kc6 19.Rad1 Be7 is equal (Tiviakov-Ftacnik, ACT, Amsterdam, 2006).

10...Qb6

• 10...f6 11.Bh4 Qb6 12.Nb3 g5 13.Bg3 h5 gives Black a modest advantage in space.

11.Bc4

• If 11.Nb3 Be7 12.Bxe7 Ncxe7 13.Bd3 Bd7 then:
• 14.Ne5 Qc7 15.Nxd7 Qxd7 16.Qf3 gives White the advantage in space.
• 14.0-0 Nf4 15.Ne5 Bc6 16.Bc2 Qc7 17.Nxc6 Nxc6 gives White a small advantage in space.

11...Nxd4 12.Nxd4 Bc5 13.Bxd5

• If 13.0-0 h6 then:
• If 14.Bh4 Bxd4 15.cxd4 0-0 16.b3 gives White a modest edge in space.
• 14.Bc1 0-0 15.Nb3 Rd8 16.Nxc5 Qxc5 remains equal.

13...Bxd4 14.0-0

• 14.Qxd4 Qxd4 15.cxd4 exd5 16.Rc1 gives White the advantage in space.

14...Bc5?!

• White now has a small advantage in space.
• 14...exd5 15.Qa4+ Kf8 16.cxd4 f6 17.Rae1 Kf7 18.Bc1 Bg4 is equal.

BLACK: Emil Sutkovsky
!""""""""#
$t+v+l+ T%
$Oo+ +oOo%
$ W +o+ +%
$+ Vb+ B %
$ + + + +%
$+ P + + %
$pP + PpP%
$R +q+rK %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Sergei Tiviakov
Position after 14...Bd4c5

15.Qe2!

• The pin in the e-file protects the Bishop at d5 for now.

15...h6

• If 15...0-0 16.Be4 Bd7 17.Bd3 then:
• If 17...f6 18.Bh4 e5 19.b4 Bd6 20.Rfd1 Ba4 21.Rd2 is equal.
• 17...h6 18.Bh4 Rac8 19.Rad1 Bd6 20.Rfe1 g5 21.Bg3 is equal.

16.Bf4 0-0 17.Bc4!?

• White still has a small advantage in space.
• 17.Bb3 is more accurate, as it frees the White Queen from the defense of the pawn at b2.

17...Bd7

• 17...Rd8 18.Be5 Bd7 19.Qg4 Bf8 20.Bf6 Rdc8 21.Bb3 gives White a small advantage in space.

18.Rad1 Rad8?

• If 18...Rfd8 19.Qg4 Kh8 20.b4 Bf8 21.Be5 Bb5 22.Bxb5 Qxb5 23.Rxd8 Rxd8 24.Qh4 Rd5 is equal.
• 22...Rxd1?! 23.Rxd1 Qxb5 24.Qe4 Kg8 gives White a commanding advantage in space.

19.Rd3!

• The Rook is to be posted on the kingside.

19...Bc8 20.Rg3

20...Bd6 21.Qg4!

• The mating threat forces Black to drop what he is doing and compromise his position.

21...g6
BLACK: Emil Sutkovsky
!""""""""#
$ +vT Tl+%
$Oo+ +o+ %
$ W +o+oO%
$+ + + + %
$ +b+ Bq+%
$+ P + R %
$pP + PpP%
$+ + +rK %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Sergei Tiviakov
Position after 21...g7g6

22.Bxh6!!

• White sham sacrifices the exchange.

22...Bxg3 23.Qxg3 Qc5

• 23...Rfe8 24.Qe5 f6 25.Qxf6 Qc7 26.Qxg6+ Kh8 27.Bg5 Rf8 28.Bxd8 wins back the exchange with three pawns as interest.

24.Bxf8 Kxf8 25.Bb3

• White nets a pawn from the dust kicked up by the sham exchange sacrifice.
• 25.Qf4 Kg7 26.a4 b6 27.b4 Qd6 28.Qe3 sets the queenside majority in motion.

25...Kg7 26.Qf4 b6 27.Rd1 Rxd1+

• 27...Rd7 28.Rxd7 Bxd7 29.h3 a6 30.a3 Bc6 31.Qc7 sets up a Queen exchange that will weaken Black's pawns.

28.Bxd1 e5 29.Qd2 Be6

• If 29...Bb7 30.Bb3 then:
• 30...Qc6 31.f3 Qc5+ 32.Kh1 Qb5 33.h3 a5 gives Black a better defense than the text.
• 30...e4? fails to 31.Qd7 Qc8 32.Qxf7+.

30.a3 Bd5

• Better is 30...Qb5 31.a4 Qd5 32.Qe2, but the extra pawn still makes this White's game.

31.Bc2 Qc4 32.Bd3 Qc6

• Again, Black misses a more stubborn defense: 33.h3 Bc4 34.Be4 Qb3 35.g3 a5 36.Bg2.

33.Qg5 e4

• 33...Qf6 34.Qe3 Bc6 35.Bc2 a6 36.Bd3 Bb7 37.a4 gives White a more active position.

34.Qe5+ Kh7 35.Be2

• 35.Bc2 Qb5 36.h4 Qxb2 37.Qxd5 Qxc2 38.Qxf7+ keeps White a pawn to the good.

35...Bc4 36.Bd1

• 36.Bg4 Qd5 37.Qxd5 Bxd5 38.Be2 Bb3 39.h4 gives White an endgame with an extra pawn and better pawn structure.

36...f5 37.Qd4 Bf7

• If 37...Qd5 38.h4 a6 39.Ba4 then:
• If 39...b5 40.Bc2 Bb3 41.Qxd5 Bxd5 42.Kf1 allows White to bring his King to the center for the endgame struggle.
• 39...Qe6 40.Bc2 Bb3 41.Bb1 a5 42.Kf1 also centralizes the King.

38.g3 Qe6

• 38...Qb5 39.Qd2 Qd3 40.Qxd3 exd3 41.Kf1 allows the White King more room to maneuver, thus making it more favorable to White than the text.

39.b3 g5 40.Qd2

• 40.c4 g4 41.Qd2 Qe7 42.a4 gives White more mobility.

40...Qf6 41.Qd4 Qe7 42.b4 f4

• After 42...b5 43.a4 a6 44.axb5 axb5 45.g4 f4 46.Be2White threatens to win another pawn.

43.Bg4 e3

• If 43...Bg6 then:
• 44.c4 e3 45.fxe3 fxe3 46.Be2 Qe4 47.Qxe4 Bxe4 gives White pawn majorities on both wings; if the Bishops are exchanged, White wins easily.
• 44.b5? Qxa3 45.Qd7+ Kh6 46.Qd4 Qa1+ is equal.

44.fxe3 fxe3 45.Kf1 b5 46.Ke1 Bc4

• This is the position Black wanted. White's queenside pawns are blocked, the White King is confined to the back rank and the Black's advanced passed pawn is safe.

BLACK: Emil Sutkovsky
!""""""""#
$ + + + +%
$O + W +l%
$ + + + +%
$+o+ + O %
$ PvQ +b+%
$P P O P %
$ + + + P%
$+ + K + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Sergei Tiviakov
Position after 46...Bf7c4

47.Qd7!

• Also good is 47.Be2! when:
• 47...Qe6 48.Bxc4 Qxc4 49.Qxa7+ Kg6 50.Qxe3 White is up by three pawns with majorities on both wings.
• 47...Qf7 48.Qxe3 Qb7 49.Qxg5 leaves White up by three pawns.

47...Qxd7 48.Bxd7

• White has a completely won game.

48...Kg6 49.Bg4 Kf6

• After 49...Bf7 50.Ke2 Kf6 51.Kxe3 Ke5 52.Bd7 Bc4 53.a4 it's time to turn out the lights.

50.Be2 Bd5 51.Bxb5 Bf3 52.h4

• 52.Be2 Bb7 53.h4 is really no different from the text.

52...gxh4 53.gxh4 Ke5

• 53...Bg4 54.c4 Ke5 55.c5 Kd5 56.Be2 forces the Black Bishop away, allowing the h-pawn to advance.

54.Be2 Be4

• Exchanging Bishops clearly won't do for Black.

55.h5 Kf4 56.c4

• Elementary, my dear Watson. If the Black King plays to one side, advance the pawn on the other.

56...Ke5 57.c5 Kd4 58.h6 Ke5 59.b5 Kd5 1-0

• White's most direct road to victory is 60.Bf3! Bxf3 61.h7.
• Mr. Sutkovsky resigns without waiting for Mh. Tiviakov to reply.

Almira Skripchenko
Photo: ChessBase.com


Antoaneta Stefanova - Almira Skripchenko
European Championships (Ladies'Competition), Round 9
Plovdiv, 30 April 2008

Moorish Game: Robatsch Defense

1.d4 d6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.e4 Nd7 5.Ne2 e5 6.Be3!?

• If 6.Nbc3 Ngf6 7.h3 then:
• If 7...exd4 8.Nxd4 0-0 9.0-0 Re8 10.Re1 Nc5 11.a4 c6 12.a5 d5 13.exd5 Rxe1+ 14.Qxe1 Nxd5 15.Nxd5 cxd5 16.Be3 gives White a small advatage in space and better pawn structure (Bellon-Barhudarian, Rilton Cup, Stockholm, 2006-07).
• 7...a6 8.Be3 exd4 9.Bxd4 Nh5 10.g4 Nhf6 11.Ng3 Kf8 12.f4 h5 13.g5 Ne8 14.Qd2 Kg8 15.0-0-0 Bxd4 16.Qxd4 Nf8 17.Nd5 Ne6 18.Qf2 gives White a huge advantage in space (Popche-Minchev, Bulgarian ChT, Pamporovo, 2001).

6...Ngf6 7.h3 exd4 8.Bxd4

• 8.Nxd4 0-0 9.0-0 Re8 10.Nc3 Nc5 11.f3 Qe7 12.Qd2 is equal.

8...0-0 9.c4

• If 9.Nbc3 Ne5 10.Qd2 c5 11.Bxe5 dxe5 12.0-0-0 Be6 13.Nd5 Bxd5 14.exd5 Qb6 15.Nc3 Rad8 gives Black a small advantage in space.
• 12...Qc7 13.f4 Re8 14.Rhf1 a6 15.g4 gives White the advantage in space.

9...a6

• This move indicates Black intends to expand on the queenside.
• 9...Qe7 10.Nd2 Re8 11.0-0 Ne5 is equal.

10.Nbc3 Re8 11.Qc2 Ne5 12.Nd5 c5

• If 12...Nxd5 13.cxd5 f5 14.f4 c5 then:
• 15.fxe5 cxd4 16.e6 fxe4 17.Bxe4 gives White a comfortable advantage in space.
• If 15.dxc6 Nxc6 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.Qc3+ then:
• If 17...Kg8? then:
• If 18.exf5 18...Bxf5 19.Qb3+ Kh8 20.Qxb7 Qa5+ 21.Kf1 Qd2 22.Qxc6 then:
• 22...Rac8! 23.Qf3 Rxe2 24.Qxe2 Bd3 wins the White Queen.
• 22...Qxe2+ 23.Kg1 Qxb2 24.Rd1 Rac8 gives Black more piece activity.
• 18.Rd1 fxe4 19.a3 Re7 20.b4 Qc7 21.Qc2 Be6 22.Bxe4 gives White a small advantage in space.
• 17...Qf6 18.Rd1 fxe4 19.Rxd6 wins a pawn for White.

13.Bc3?

• White misses a chance to trade Black's best placed piece.
• 13.Bxe5! dxe5 14.Nec3 Nxd5 15.Nxd5 Rb8 16.Qc3 is equal.

BLACK: Almira Skripchenko
!""""""""#
$t+vWt+l+%
$+o+ +oVo%
$o+ O Mo+%
$+ OnM + %
$ +p+p+ +%
$+ B + Pp%
$pPq+nPb+%
$R + K +r%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Anoaneta Stefanova
Position after 13.Bd4c3

13...Nxd5!

• There'll be no second chance.
• After 13...b5 14.Nxf6+ Bxf6 15.cxb5 axb5 16.f4 Nd7 17.e5 White wins material.

14.cxd5 b5 15.0-0

• Better is 15.f4 Nc4 16.Kf2 Bxc3 17.Nxc3 Qf6 18.Rad1 g5 although Black still has the advantage in space.

15...b4 16.Bd2 a5

• See the note to Black's ninth move.

17.f4 Nd7 18.Rae1

• If 18.f5 g5 19.Be3 Bh6 20.a3 then:
• If 20...Ba6 21.Rfe1 Ne5 22.axb4 axb4 23.Ra2 Qd7 24.b3 Bd3 25.Qd2 gives Black the advantage in space.
• 20...Bb7 21.axb4 axb4 22.Rxa8 Bxa8 23.Ra1 Bxd5 24.Qd3 Bb7 25.Qxd6 gives White a considerable advantage in space.

18...Ba6 19.g4

• If 19.Rf2 Qf6 20.b3 Rac8 then:
• If 21.Nc1 Nb6 22.Be3 Qc3 then:
• If 23.Qd1 f5 24.Rc2 Qf6 25.e5 dxe5 26.Rxc5 Rxc5 27.Bxc5 e4 gives Black the advantage in space.
• 23.Qxc3 Bxc3 24.Rd1 f5 25.Bf3 fxe4 26.Bg4 Rc7 27.Be6+ Kg7 gives Black more activity.
• 21.a3 Qd8 22.Bf1 Qb6 23.Bg2 bxa3 24.Bc3 Rb8 leaves Black a pawn to the good.

19...Nb6 20.Kh2?

• If 20.Bc1 Qe7 21.Rf2 a4 then:
• Black is clearly better after 22.b3 22...Qh4 23.Bb2 Bxb2 24.Qxb2 f6.
• 22.g5 f6 23.h4 c4 24.f5 b3 25.axb3 axb3 gives White the advantage in space.

BLACK: Almira Skripchenko
!""""""""#
$t+ Wt+l+%
$+ + +oVo%
$vM O +o+%
$O Op+ + %
$ O +pPp+%
$+ + + +p%
$pPqBn+bK%
$+ + Rr+ %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Anoaneta Stefanova
Position after 20.Kg1h2

20...Nxd5!

• This is the kind of enterprising move one can afford to make when one's position is clearly superior.
• Less flamboyant methods are also good for Black: if
• 20...a4 21.Bf3 Nc4 22.Bc1 Qb6 then:
• If 23.b3 axb3 24.axb3 Na3 25.Qd1 Nb5 Black has more space.
• After 23.Bg2 b3 24.axb3 axb3 25.Qd1 Nxb2 Black wins a pawn.

21.e5

• Accepting the sham sacrifice is no better: 21.exd5 Bxe2 22.Rf2 Bb5 23.Rxe8+ Qxe8 24.Bc1 Qe1 25.Qd2 Re8 gives Black a far more active position.

21...dxe5 22.f5

• After 22.Qxc5 exf4 23.Qxd5 Qxd5 24.Bxd5 Rad8 Black remains a pawn to the good..

22...Rc8 23.g5 Nf4 24.Bxf4

• After 24.Nxf4 Bxf1 25.Bxf1 exf4 26.Rxe8+ Qxe8 27.f6 Bf8 28.Bxf4 Rd8 Black has the exchange for the pawn.

24...exf4 25.f6 Bf8

• After 25...Bh8 26.Rf2 h6 27.gxh6 Bxf6 28.Rd1 Qc7 White remains two pawns to the good.

26.Bf3

• No better is 26.Rf2 h6 27.h4 Qc7 28.Bf3 Qe5 29.Rg1 c4.

26...Bd3 27.Qa4 c4 28.Kg2 Rc5 0-1

• After 29.h4 Rce5 30.Rf2 Bc5 31.Qd1 h6 32.Ref1 hxg5 White cannot escape further material loss.
• Grandmaster Stefanova resigns.