The Jack Rabbit Chess Report (May 11): Chuckie Perfect in Sofia after Four

[Jack Rabbit]

Ivanchuk perfect after 4 rounds in Sofia



Vassily Ivanchuk, with four strainght wins, has opened up a point-and-a-half lead over the field after today's fourth round in the fourth annual MTel Masters' Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria.

The Ukrainian grandmaster's victim today was Ivan Cheparinov of Bulgaria, whom "Chuckie" dispatched in 40 moves. In the first three rounds, Ivanchuk defeated Azerbaijani GM Teimour Radjobov, former FIDE world champion Vaselin Topalov of Bulgaria and China's Bu Xiangzhi. In tomorrow's fifth round, he faces Levon Aronian of Armenia.

Tomorrow's play will mark the end of the first half of the double-round robin event. Tuesday will be a rest day. Play will resume Wednesday and the tournament concludes a week from today, May 18.


US Championships begin Tueday in Tulsa



The 2008 US Championships, sponsored by Oklahoma businessman Frank Berry, begin Tuesday in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The general competition is led by defending champion Alex Shabalov, former champion Alex Onischuk, Foxwoods Open champion Yury Shulman and Greg Kaidanov, winner of this year's Gaudsal Chess Classic in Norway. The format will be a 24-player Swiss system.

The women's competition features defending champion Irina Krush and former champion Anna Zantonskih. The format is a round round among ten players.

The final round will be played Wednesday, May 21. Play will begin each day at 2:30 pm CDT. Games will be broadcast live on the official tournament website hosted by Monroi.com.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. Games from Current and Recent Events

More games will be posted later today.

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

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

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Topalov - Ivanchuk, Round 2, Sofia

Vassily Ivanchuk
Photo: ChessBase.com


Veselin Topalov - Vassily Ivanchuk
MTel Masters, Round 2
Sofia, 9 May 2008

Closed French Game: Steinitz Opening

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4

• This move was introduced by Wilhelm Steinitz, the first world champion, in 1885. It is one of the best ways to meet the French Defense and is still frequently played over a century and a quarter later.

5...c5 6.Nf3

• 6...Bxc5 7.Nf3 a6 8.Bd3 Nc6 9.Qe2 Nb4 10.Bd2 b5 11.Nd1 Nxd3+ 12.cxd3 Qb6 13.b4 Be7 14.a3 f5 15.Rc1 Bb7 16.Be3 Qd8 17.Nd4 Nf8 18.0-0 h5 19.Nc3 gives White a slight advantage in space (Steinitz-Sellman, Baltimore, 1885).

6...Nc6 7.Be3 a6

• If 7...cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bc5 9.Qd2 0-0 10.0-0-0 a6 then:
• If 11.h4 Nxd4 12.Bxd4 b5 then:
• If 13.Rh3 then:
• 13...b4 14.Na4 Bxd4 15.Qxd4 a5 16.Bb5 Rb8 17.Bd3 Qc7 18.h5 Qc6 19.h6 g6 20.b3 Ba6 21.f5 Rbc8 22.Rd2 Bxd3 23.Rhxd3 Qc7 24.Re2 Qd8 25.Kb2 Rc7 26.Rf3 Rc8 27.fxe6 fxe6 28.Rxf8+ Nxf8 29.Qa7 Qc7 is equal (L'Ami-Vaznonis, World Youth U16, Opressa del Mar, 2001).
• 13...Bb7 14.Kb1 Qc7 15.h5 Rac8 16.h6 g6 17.Re3 b4 18.Ne2 a5 19.Bxc5 Nxc5 20.Nd4 Ne4 is equal (H. Rudolf-Schaefer, Bundesliga, Neukoelln, 2001).
• 13.h5 b4 14.Na4 Bxd4 15.Qxd4 a5 16.Bb5 Rb8 17.Bd3 Bb7 18.h6 g6 19.f5 Bc6 20.fxe6 Qg5+ 21.Kb1 Qxe5 22.Qxe5 Nxe5 23.Nc5 fxe6 24.Rhe1 Nxd3 25.cxd3 d4 26.Nxe6 Rfe8 is equal (Dr, Nunn-Lputian, Ol. Manila, 1992).
• 11.Qf2 Bxd4 12.Bxd4 b5 13.Be3 b4 14.Na4 a5 15.h4 Ba6 16.h5 Qc7 17.h6 g6 18.Nb6 Nxb6 19.Bxb6 Qd7 20.g4 a4 21.Kb1 f6 22.exf6 Bxf1 23.Rhxf1 Rxf6 24.Qe3 Rb8 25.Bd4 Rf7 26.Be5 gives White the advantage in space (Melia-M. Socko, Euro Ch, Plovsiv, 2008).
• If 7...Qb6 8.Na4 Qa5+ 9.c3 then:
• If 9...cxd4 10.b4 then:
• If 10...Nxb4 11.cxb4 Bxb4+ 12.Bd2 Bxd2+ 13.Nxd2 b6 then:
• If 14.Kf2 Ba6 then:
• I15.Bxa6 Qxa6 16.Nf3 d3 17.Ne1 Qc4 18.Nxd3 Qd4+ 19.Kf1 0-0 20.g3 b5 21.Ndc5 Qxd1+ 22.Rxd1 bxa4 23.Nxd7 Rfc8 24.Rb1 Rc2 25.Rg1 Rxh2 draw (Chandler-Speelman, London, 1986).
• 15.Nf3 Rc8 16.Nxd4 0-0 17.Bxa6 Qxa6 18.Re1 Rc4 19.Nb2 Rb4 20.Qd2 Qa3 21.Nd1 Qa4 22.Ne2 Nc5 23.Kg1 Ne4 24.Qd3 Rc8 25.f5 Qa5 26.Rf1 Nc5 27.Qf3 exf5 28.Ne3 Black resigns (Timman-Akhmilovskaya, Lugano, 1983).
• 14.Bd3 Ba6 15.Nb2 Nc5 16.Bxa6 Qxa6 17.Qe2 Qa3 18.Qb5+ Ke7 19.0-0 Qe3+ 20.Rf2 Rhc8 21.Raf1 f5 22.exf6+ gxf6 23.Nd1 Qd3 24.Qb2 Nd7 25.Nf3 e5 26.fxe5 fxe5 27.Re2 Kd6 28.Nf2 Qc3 29.Qb1 d3 30.Nxd3 e4 31.Nf4 Rc5 32.Ng5 Re8 33.Rd1 Nf6 34.Nxe4+ Black resigns (Kamsky-Kraai, Foxwoods Op, Mashantucket, 2007).
• If 10...Qc7 11.Nxd4 Nxd4 then:
• 12.Bxd4 Nb8 13.b5 b6 14.Bd3 Nd7 15.0-0 Nc5 16.Bc2 Bd7 17.Rb1 Rc8 18.f5 Nxa4 19.fxe6 Bxe6 20.Bxa4 Bc5 21.Rf2 0-0 22.Bc2 g6 23.Qd2 Bxd4 24.cxd4 gives White a healthy advantage in space (Saravanan-Barua, Indian ChT, Nagpur, 2002).
• 12...Be7 13.Bd3 g6 14.0-0 b6 15.Rc1 0-0 16.Nb2 a5 17.c4 dxc4 18.Nxc4 Qb8 19.f5 exf5 20.Bxf5 gxf5 21.Rc3 Qb7 22.Rf4 axb4 23.Rg3+ Kh8 24.Qh5 Rxa2 25.Rxf5 Nf6 26.exf6 Rxg2+ 27.Rxg2 Black resigns (Rowson-Floor, Corus Reserve, Wijk aan Zee, 2000).
• If 9...c4 10.b4 Qc7 11.Be2 Be7 12.0-0 then:
• 12...f5 13.exf6 Nxf6 14.Ne5 0-0 15.Qc2 b6 16.Nb2 Bb7 17.Bf3 Nxe5 18.dxe5 Ne4 19.Bg4 Qc8 is equal (T. Kosintseva-M. Socko, World ChTW, Ekaterininburg, 2007).
• 12...0-0 13.g4 b5 14.Nc5 a5 15.a3 axb4 16.Nxd7 Bxd7 17.axb4 f5 18.gxf5 Rxa1 19.Qxa1 Rxf5 20.Bd1 Bd8 21.Bc2 Rf7 22.Qb2 Qc8 23.Ra1 Be8 24.Qb1 h6 25.Ra2 Rf8 26.Qf1 Ne7 27.Nh4 Nc6 28.Nf3 Ne7 29.Nh4 Nc6 30.Nf3 draw (Kuloats-Ivanchuk, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).

8.a3

• If 8.Qd2 b5 then:
• If 9.dxc5 Bxc5 10.Bxc5 Nxc5 11.Qf2 Qb6 then:
• If 12.Bd3 b4 13.Ne2 a5 14.0-0 Ba6 15.Kh1 Ne7 then:
• If 16.Rad1 Na4 17.Qxb6 Nxb6 then:
• 18.Ned4 Na4 19.Rb1 0-0 20.Kg1 Rfc8 21.Kf2 Rc7 22.g4 g6 23.Ke3 Nc5 24.h4 a4 25.h5 gxh5 26.gxh5 h6 27.Nh2 Bxd3 28.cxd3 Nf5+ 29.Nxf5 exf5 30.Nf3 Ne6 White could take the advantage with 31.Rbc1. (Dr.Nunn-Glek, Bundesliga, Germany, 1993).
• 18.b3 Nd7 19.Kg1 Nc5 20.Kf2 Ne4+ 21.Ke1 Nf5 22.Rc1 Ne3 23.Rg1 h5 24.Bxe4 dxe4 25.Ng5 Bb7 26.Ng3 Ke7 27.h4 Nd5 28.N3xe4 Nxf4 29.Nd6 f6 30.Nh3 fxe5 31.Nxb7 Rhc8 32.Nxf4 exf4 33.g3 is clearly better for White (Riemersma-Glek, Bussum, 1995).
• 16.b3 h6 17.Rad1 0-0 18.g4 Rac8 19.Ng3 Bxd3 20.cxd3 Qa6 21.Qd4 Qb5 22.f5 Nc6 23.Qe3 d4 24.Qd2 exf5 25.gxf5 Rfe8 26.Nh5 Nxe5 27.Qg2 g5 28.fxg6 Nxg6 29.Nxd4 Qb7 30.Nf6+ Kf8 31.Qxb7 Nxb7 32.Nxe8 Rxe8 33.Rf6 leaves White up by an exchange (Szelag-Vysochin, Op, Cappelle la Grande, 2006).
• 12.b4 Nd7 13.a4 Nxb4 14.axb5 Qc7 15.Kd2 Nc5 16.Qd4 a5 17.Ra3 0-0 18.Bd3 Bb7 19.Rc1 Rfc8 20.Ke1 Qe7 21.Kf1 Ncxd3 22.cxd3 Nc2 23.Rxc2 Qxa3 24.Qb6 Rxc3 25.Qxb7 Rf8 26.Rxc3 Qxc3 27.Ke2 a4 White resigns (Tisser-Vysochin, Op, Cappelle la Grande, 2001).
• 9.a3 Bb7 10.Bd3 Qb6 11.Qf2 c4 12.Be2 b4 13.axb4 Nxb4 14.Rc1 h5 15.Ng5 g6 16.g4 hxg4 17.Bxg4 Nc6 18.0-0 Ne7 19.h4 Nf5 20.h5 Be7 21.Ne2 f6 22.hxg6 White resigns (P. Smirnov-Filippov, Euro ChT, Rethymnon, 2003).

8...cxd4 9.Nxd4 Bc5 10.Be2!?

• If 10.Qd2 then:
• I10...Bxd4 11.Bxd4 Nxd4 12.Qxd4 Qb6 13.Qxb6 Nxb6 14.Bd3 Bd7 15.Ne2 f6 16.Kd2 fxe5 17.fxe5 Ke7 18.Rhf1 Raf8 19.h4 Be8 20.Nf4 Rhg8 21.g3 g5 22.hxg5 Rxg5 23.Nxe6 Rxf1 24.Rxf1 Kxe6 25.Rf6+ Kxe5 26.Rxb6 Rg7 27.b3 Bg6 28.Bxg6 draw (Psakhis-Drasko, Moscow, 1988).
• I10...0-0 11.g3 Nxd4 12.Bxd4 b5 13.Bxc5 Nxc5 14.Qd4 Qc7 15.Bd3 f6 16.exf6 Rxf6 17.0-0 Bb7 18.Rae1 Raf8 19.Nd1 Nxd3 20.cxd3 Qf7 21.Ne3 a5 22.b4 axb4 23.axb4 Qg6 24.Ng2 Bc8 is equal (Kamsky-Esquivel, Cyberspace, 2006).

10...0-0 11.Qd2 Qc7 12.Bf3 Nxd4 13.Bxd4 Nb6

• 13...Bxd4 14.Qxd4 b5 15.0-0 Bb7 is equal.

14.Ne2 Bxd4 15.Qxd4

• 15.Nxd4 f6 16.exf6 Rxf6 17.Ne2 Bd7 18.Qd4 Bb5 19.0-0 Raf8 gives Black a small advantage in space.

15...Bd7

• 15...f6 16.exf6 Rxf6 17.0-0 Bd7 18.a4 Raf8 19.b3 Nc8 is equal.

16.b3 Bb5

• The game is level.

17.Nc3 Rfc8!?

• The text move allows for a weakening of Black's queenside.
• 17...Be8 18.Qe3 f6 19.Bg4 f5 20.Bd1 Rc8 21.Ne2 remains equal.

18.Nxb5!

• White proceeds to weaken Black's queenside.

18...axb5 19.Be2 Nd7 20.Ra2

• If 20.Bxb5 Qxc2 21.Bxd7 then:
• 21...Rc7 22.Ba4 Qxg2 23.Rg1 Qxh2 24.Qf2 gives White a piece for two pawns.
• The main variation is better than 21...Rd8 when 22.Ba4 Qxg2 23.Rg1 Qxh2 24.f5 exf5 25.e6 forces Black to weaken his kingside with 25...g6.

20...Nb8 21.0-0?

• The King castles onto an open diagonal. This presents Black with a small opportunity.
• Better is 21.b4 Nc6 22.Qc5 b6 23.Qc3 Ra4 when:
• 24.Qb2 Rca8 25.c3 remains equal.
• 24.Bxb5 Nxb4 25.Qxc7 Rxc7 26.Bxa4 Nxa2 gives Black a small advantage with better pawn structure.

21...Nc6 22.Qd2

BLACK: Vassily Ivanchuk
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WHITE: Veselin Topalov
Position after 22.Qd4d2

22...Qb6+!

• Here Black takes advantage of the enemy King sitting on an open diagonal.
• Black now has the advantage in space.

23.Kh1 Qa5

• 23...b4 24.a4 Qc5 25.Bd3 h6 26.Qe1 Qc3 27.Qf2 b5 remains equal.

24.Qxa5 Rxa5 25.Raa1 Rca8 26.Rad1

• White abandons the a-pawn,

26...Rxa3 27.Bxb5 Nb4 28.c4 R8a5?!

• 28...Rxb3! 29.Rb1 Rxb1 30.Rxb1 d4 (the Knight is safe because of the threat of back rank mate) 31.c5 Nd5 32.g3 g5 gives Black a clear advantage.

29.f5?!

• If 29.Rf3 Ra1 30.Rg1 d4 31.g4 d3 32.Rf2 then:
• Black continues to hold the advantage after 32...R1a3 33.Rb1 Kf8 34.Kg2 f6 35.Kf3 Kf7.
• 32...R5a3 33.Rxa1 Rxa1+ 34.Kg2 Ra3 35.Ba4 is equal.

29...exf5 30.g4

• 30.Rxf5 gives Black a strong position after 30...Nc2 31.Rf3 Ra1 when:
• White has to dancce to avoid a back rank mate with32.Rdf1 Ne3 33.Rg1 Ng4.
• No better is 32.Rg1 Nd4 33.Rd3 Ne2.

30...Rxb3 31.gxf5 Re3?!

• Black continues to have a strong game after 31...Rb2 32.Ra1 b6 33.e6 Kf8 34.cxd5 Nxd5.

32.Rb1!

• Now Black can obtain some counterplay.

32...Nd3 33.e6 d4

• Ivanchuk has only seven seconds left for seven moves.
• Black enjoys greater mobility in the present position.

34.Be8?

• Topalov is also in time trouble and faulters.
• 34.Bc6 h6 35.Rxb7 fxe6 36.fxe6 Nc5 37.Re7 remains equal.

34...Nc5

• If 34...fxe6 35.fxe6 Rg5 36.Bf7+ Kh8 then:
• 37.Rbd1 Rge5 38.Rd2 g5 39.Rg1 Kg7 40.h4 Rh3+ 41.Rh2 Rxh2+ 42.Kxh2 Ne1 Black remains a pawn to the good.
• After 37.Ra1 g6 38.Rad1 Rge5 39.Kg1 R5e4 40.Rb1 Kg7 41.Be8 Nc5 42.Rb5 Rxe6 Black is two pawns up.

35.Bxf7+ Kf8 36.f6

• If 36.Rfe1 then:
• After 36...Ne4 37.Rxe3 dxe3 38.Re1 Re5 39.Rxe3 Nf2+ 40.Kg2 Rxe3 Black is an exchange to the good.
• 36...Rxe1+? 37.Rxe1 Ke7 38.Bg8 h6 39.Rg1 is equal.

36...gxf6 37.Rxf6 Ke7

• After 37...d3 38.Bg8+ Ke8 39.Bxh7 d2 the d-pawn calls the tune to which Whit must dance.

38.Rh6

BLACK: Vassily Ivanchuk
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WHITE: Veselin Topalov
Position after 38.Rf6h6

38...d3!

• The humble pawn shows his might.

39.Rxh7

• After 39.Bh5 Rxe6 40.Rxh7+ Kd6 41.Kg2 Ra2+ 42.Kg3 Ke5 the d-pawn decides.

39...d2 40.Rg1 Re1

• Ivanchuk reached the time control without a second to spare.

41.Bh5+ Kxe6 42.Rhg7

• If 42.Bg4+ Kf6 43.Bf3 Raa1 44.Rhg7 Nd3 then:
• After 45.h4 Nf4 46.Kh2 Ra3 White has no good moves remaining.
• After 45.R7g3 Nf2+ 46.Kg2 Ne4 White must loose a Rook.

42...Ne4 43.R7g6+ Ke5! 0-1

• White must lose material.
• If 44.h4 Kf4 then:
• If 45.Bd1 Rxd1 46.Rxd1 Nf2+ is curtains.
• 45.R6g4+ Ke3 46.Bg6 Nf2+ is lights out.
• Grandmaster Topalov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Radjobov - Carlsen, Round 7, Baku

Magnus Carlsen
Photo: ChessBase.com


Teimour Radjabov - Magnus Carlsen
FIDE Grand Prix, Round 7
Baku, 28 April 2008

Open Sicilian Game: Rat Dragon Defense (Yugoslav Opening)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6

• For a more detailed look at the theory behind this opening, see Rublevsky-Zvjaginsev, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2008.

6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 Nc6

• If 7...0-0 8.Qd2 Bd7 9.0-0-0 Nc6 10.Bc4 then:
• If 10...Rc8 11.Bb3 Ne5 12.Kb1 then:
• If 12...Nc4 13.Bxc4 Rxc4 14.g4 then:
• If 14...b5 15.b3 Rc8 16.Ndxb5 Qa5 17.a4 a6 18.Nd5 Qxd2 19.Nxe7+ Kh8 20.Rxd2 Rce8 then:
• 21.Nxg6+ fxg6 22.Nxd6 Re6 23.Bc5 Bc6 24.Nc4 Rb8 25.Rd6 Rxd6 26.Bxd6 gives White four pawns for a minor piece (Bologan-Fedorov, IT, Calcutta, 1999).
• 21.Nf5 gxf5 22.Nxd6 fxg4 23.Nxe8 Rxe8 24.Bd4 Bc6 gives White a theoretical extra pawn in an asymmetical material balance (Timoshenko-Rogozenko, Op, Cappelle la Grand, 1998).
• If 14...Qa5 15.g5 Nh5 16.Nd5 Qd8 17.Ne2 Be6 18.Bxa7 Bxd5 19.Qxd5 Qc7 20.c3 then:
• 20...Ra4 21.Bd4 Ra5 22.Qb3 Rxg5 23.h4 Rg2 24.Bxg7 Kxg7 25.Nd4 Ra8 is equal (Negi-Hakki, Op, Dubai, 2004).
• 20...Rc8 21.Qb5 Rc6 22.Be3 Ra6 23.Nc1 Ra5 24.Qb4 leaves White a pawn to the good (Kovacevic-Torres, Op, Mallorca, 2000).
• 12...Re8 13.h4 h5 14.Bh6 Nc4 15.Bxc4 Rxc4 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.Nd5 e5 18.Nxf6 Qxf6 19.Nb3 Rec8 20.Qxd6 Be6 21.c3 R4c6 22.Qb4 gives White the advantage in space (Leconte-de Blasio, cyberspace, 2002).
• If 10...Qa5 11.Bb3 Rfc8 12.h4 Ne5 13.Kb1 then:
• 13...Nc4 14.Bxc4 Rxc4 15.Nb3 Qc7 16.Bd4 Be6 17.h5 a5 18.hxg6 hxg6 19.a4 b5 20.Nxb5 Qb8 21.Nc3 Rb4 22.Rh4 Qb7 23.Rdh1 Rb8 24.Nd5 Bxd5 25.exd5 Rxa4 26.g4 Rxd4 27.Qxd4 Qxd5 28.g5 Qxg5 is equal, but the material balance is asymmetrical (Gara-Gaponenko, Ol, Bled, 2002).
• 13...b5 14.Ncxb5 Qxd2 15.Rxd2 Rab8 16.Nc3 a5 17.a4 Nc4 18.Bxc4 Rxc4 19.Rd3 Rcb4 20.Ndb5 Bxb5 21.Nxb5 Rxa4 22.Rb3 Nd7 23.Rd1 Rc4 24.Nd4 Rxb3 25.cxb3 Rc8 26.Rc1 Nc5 is equal (Hossain-Rahman, Op, Calcutta, 1999).

8.Qd2 0-0 9.Bc4 Bd7

• If 9...Nxd4 10.Bxd4 Be6 11.Bb3 Qa5 12.0-0-0 then:
• If 12...b5 13.Kb1 b4 14.Nd5 Bxd5 15.Bxd5 then:
• 15...Rac8 16.Bb3 Rc7 17.h4 Qb5 18.h5 Rfc8 19.hxg6 hxg6 20.g4 a5 21.g5 gives White the advantage in space (Fischer-Larsen, Interz, Portoroz, 1958).
• 15...Qb5 16.Rhe1 a5 17.Qe2 Qxe2 18.Rxe2 a4 19.Bc4 Rfc8 20.Bb5 Ra5 21.Bxf6 Bxf6 22.Bc6 gives White a small advantage in space (Tal-Larsen, IT, Zurich, 1959).
• 12...Rfc8 13.Kb1 b5 14.Rhe1 Bxb3 15.cxb3 b4 16.Bxf6 bxc3 17.Bxc3 Rxc3 draw Matanovic-Ivkov, Bled, 1961).
• If 9...Nd7 10.0-0-0 Nb6 11.Bb3 Na5 12.Qd3 then:
• 12...Bd7 13.h4 Rc8 14.h5 Nbc4 15.hxg6 hxg6 16.Bg5 Nxb3+ 17.cxb3 Qa5 18.Bxe7 Ne5 19.Qc2 Rxc3 20.bxc3 Rc8 21.Kb2 Qb6 22.Bg5 Nc4+ 23.Ka1 Na3 24.Qb2 Nb5 25.Nxb5 Qxb5 26.Be3 Bxc3 27.Qxc3 Rxc3 28.Bd4 gives White a threat of immediate checkmate allowing him time to gain a second Rook for the Queen (Wedberg-Sosonko, Haninge. 1988).
• 12...Nxb3+ 13.Nxb3 Be6 14.Bd4 Bh6+ 15.Be3 Bg7 16.Bd4 Bh6+ 17.Be3 Bxe3+ 18.Qxe3 a5 19.Nd4 Nc4 20.Qe2 Rc8 21.a4 Qb6 gives Black a small advantage in space (Kovacevic-Markovic, Yugoslav ChT, Cetinje, 1992).

10.Bb3 Rc8

• If 10...Nxd4 11.Bxd4 b5 then:
• 12.h4 a5 13.a4 bxa4 14.Nxa4 e5 15.Be3 Be6 16.Nb6 Rb8 17.Qxa5 Bxb3 18.cxb3 d5 19.Nxd5 Nxd5 20.Qxd5 Qxd5 21.exd5 Rxb3 22.Bc5 Rd8 23.Ba3 e4 24.0-0 draw (Liberzon-Adorjan, Team Match, Moscow, 1971).
• 12.a4 b4 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.exd5 Qb6 16.0-0-0 Qa5 17.h4 Bxa4 18.Kb1 Bd7 19.h5 Rh8 20.Rde1 Rae8 21.Rh4 Bf5 22.h6+ Kf8 23.Rxb4 f6 24.Ba4 Kf7 25.Bxe8+ Kxe8 26.g4 gives a comfortable advantage in space (Tairova-Malgina, Op, Moscow, 2008).
• 12.0-0 a5 13.a4 b4 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Bxd4+ 16.Qxd4 Rc8 17.Rfe1 Re8 18.Re2 e5 19.dxe6 Bxe6 20.Rae1 Qd7 21.Qe3 Bxb3 22.Qxe8+ Rxe8 23.Rxe8+ Kg7 24.cxb3 Qc6 25.R8e3 Qc5 gives Black's Queen more maneuverability than than White's Rooks (Rogulj-Velimirovic, Borovo, 1980).

11.h4 h5 12.0-0-0 Ne5 13.Bg5

• If 13.Bh6 Bxh6 14.Qxh6 Rxc3 15.bxc3 then:
• If 15...Qc7 16.Kb1 then:
• 16...Rc8 17.g4 a5 18.gxh5 a4 19.Bd5 Nxd5 20.exd5 Qxc3 21.hxg6 fxg6 22.Rhg1 Bf5 23.Nxf5 Qxc2+ draw (Khalifman-Savchenko, Soviet Ch HL, Simferopol, 1988).
• 16...a5 17.g4 a5 18.gxh5 a4 19.Bd5 Nxd5 20.exd5 Qxc3 21.hxg6 fxg6 22.Rhg1 Bf5 23.Nxf5 Qxc2+ draw (Khalifman-Savchenko, Soviet Ch HL, Simferopol, 1988).
• 15...Qa5 16.Kb1 Rc8 17.g4 Nc4 18.gxh5 Qxc3 19.Bxc4 Rxc4 20.Rd3 Qb4+ 21.Nb3 Nxh5 22.Qg5 Nf6 23.Rhd1 Rc5 24.Qe3 a5 25.Qe1 Qb6 26.Kc1 Re5 is unclear: White has the exchange, but Black has a pawn and extra space in return (Schiller-Herbst, IT, Providence, 1986).

13...Rc5 14.Kb1

• If 14.g4 hxg4 then:
• If 15.f4 Nc4 16.Qe2 then:
• If 16...b5 17.f5 then:
• 17...Qa5 18.Bxf6 Bxf6 19.Qxg4 Kg7 20.Qg3 Be5 21.Qf3 e6 22.h5 gxf5 23.exf5 exf5 24.h6+ Kh7 gives Black the advantage in space (Grabinger-Tkaczyk, Corres, 1997).
• 17...gxf5 18.Bxf6 Bxf6 19.exf5 Rxf5 20.Qxg4+ Rg5 21.hxg5 Bxg4 22.gxf6 Bxd1 23.Nc6 Bf3 24.Nxe7+ Qxe7 25.Rg1+ Kh8 26.fxe7 Re8 27.Nxb5 Ne5 28.Nxd6 Rxe7 29.Rf1 gives White an extra pawn (Efimenko-Areshchenko, Governor's Cup, Kramatorsk, 2001).
• 16...Qc8 17.Bxf6 Bxf6 18.Nd5 Rxd5 19.exd5 b5 20.h5 g5 21.fxg5 Bxg5+ 22.Kb1 f5 23.h6 Kh8 24.Rh5 Bf6 25.c3 gives Black only a pawn for the exchange (Nimtz-Tilghman, Cyberspace, 2001).
• 15.h5 Nxh5 16.Nd5 Re8 17.f4 Nc4 18.Qd3 b5 19.f5 Rxd5 20.exd5 Bxd4 21.fxg6 Bxb2+ 22.Kb1 Ng7 23.Bxc4 bxc4 24.Qe4 fxg6 25.Kxb2 Qb6+ 26.Ka1 Bf5 27.Qxc4 Rc8 28.Qb3 Bxc2 gives Black a clear advantage (Brkic-Babic, Op, Bizovac, 2007).
• If 14.f4 then:
• If 14...Nc4 15.Qd3 b5 16.e5 Ng4 17.exd6 Rxg5 18.hxg5 Nf2 19.Qe2 Nxd1 20.Rxd1 Nxd6 21.Qd3 then:
• 21...b4 22.Nd5 a5 23.Qa6 Kh8 24.Nc6 Bxc6 25.Qxc6 gives White a huge advantage in space (Uliban-Shirov, Borzhomi,1988).
• 21...Bg4 22.Rd2 Qb8 23.Qxg6 Nc4 24.Bxc4 bxc4 25.Qe4 e6 26.Nc6 Qb6 27.Ne5 Qg1+ 28.Nd1 gives White more space and an extra pawn (Klovans-Ivanchuk, Tashkent, 1987).
• 14...Neg4 15.Rhe1 Qa5 16.f5 gxf5 17.Nxf5 Bxf5 18.exf5 Re8 19.Nd5 Qxd2+ 20.Rxd2 Kf8 21.a4 b6 22.Kb1 Nxd5 23.Rxd5 Bf6 24.Rxc5 bxc5 is equal (Kamsky-Ivanchuk, Theme Trmt, Buenos Aires, 1994).

14...Re8

• If 14...b5 15.g4 a5 16.gxh5 a4 then:
• If 17.h6 17...Bh8 18.h7+ Nxh7 19.Bd5 b4 20.Nce2 Nxg5 21.hxg5 e6 then:
• 22.Nf4 Bg7 23.Ndxe6 Bxe6 24.Nxe6 fxe6 25.Bxe6+ Nf7 26.Qh2 Re8 27.Rxd6 Qe7 28.Bd5 Kf8 29.Re6 Qc7 30.Rxe8+ Kxe8 31.Qd2 a3 32.Qxb4 Bxb2 33.Rh7 gives White a considerable advantage in space and the initiative (Amanatov-Le Quang Liem, Areoflot Op, Moscow, 2008).
• 22.Rxh8+ Kxh8 23.Nf4 Kg7 24.Bxe6 Nxf3 25.Nxf3 fxe6 26.Qxd6 Qc7 27.Qd4+ e5 28.Nxe5 Rxe5 29.Nd3 Rfe8 30.Nxe5 Rxe5 31.Qxd7+ Qxd7 32.Rxd7+ Kf8 33.b3 Rxe4 34.bxa4 gives White two extra pawns (Efimenko-Bromberger, Euro ChTU18, Balatonlelle (Hungary), 2000).
• 17.Bxf7+ Rxf7 18.hxg6 Nxg6 19.h5 Nxh5 20.Rxh5 Nf4 21.Rh4 Rxg5 22.Rxf4 Rxf4 23.Qxf4 e5 24.Qh4 exd4 gives Black an extra piece (V. Balogh-Dearing, First Saturday, Budapest, 2001.08).

15.g4

• If 15.Rhe1 then:
• 15...Qa5 16.a3 Qa6 17.f4 Nc4 18.Bxc4 Rxc4 19.e5 Nh7 20.e6 Bxe6 21.Nxe6 Bxc3 22.bxc3 Qxa3 23.Nd4 Nxg5 24.hxg5 Ra4 draw (I. Smirin-Ju. Hodgson, Ischia, 1996).
• If 15...b5 16.f4 Nc4 17.Bxc4 Rxc4 18.e5 b4 19.Ncb5 Nd5 20.Qd3 Qc8 21.e6 then:
• 21...Bxe6 22.Nxe6 fxe6 23.Qxg6 Nxf4 24.Bxf4 Rxf4 25.Nc7 Ref8 26.Nxe6 Rg4 27.Qxh5 Rf2 28.Rc1 Rfxg2 29.Qd5 gives White a winning attack (Barlow-Schutt, Corres, 1997).
• 21...fxe6 22.Qxg6 Rf8 23.Nxa7 Qe8 24.Qxe8 Rxe8 25.Nxe6 Bxe6 26.Rxe6 Nxf4 27.Rxe7 Rxe7 28.Bxe7 Nxg2 gives White an extra pawn (Barlow-Prizant, Corres, 1996).

15...hxg4 16.h5

• 16.f4 Nc4 17.Qe2 Qc8 18.f5 Na3+ 19.bxa3 Rxc3 20.fxg6 Rxb3+ 21.axb3 fxg6 22.Qd3 Nh5 23.Rhf1 gives Whit a small advatange in space (Motylev-Carlsson, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).

16...Nxh5 17.Rxh5?

• This novelty is not as strong as it might first seem.
• 17.Bh6 e6 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.Rdg1 Nxf3 20.Nxf3 gxf3 21.Qxd6 Qc7 22.Qd4+ gives White a small advatage in space (Costa-Brkic, World Youth U14, Oropesa del Mar, 2001).

17...gxh5 18.Qh2 Ng6?

• Black misses his chance to send White to an early shower.
• 18...Nxf3 19.Nxf3 gxf3 20.Nd5 Bg4 21.Qh4 Kf8 looks grim for White.

19.Qxh5 Qa5 20.f4 Rxg5!?

• Black tries to unbalance his opponent by playing out of the box.
• The usual Sicilian exchange sacrifice, 20...Rxc3 21.bxc3 Qxc3, remains equal after 22.Bxf7+ Kxf7 23.f5 Qb4+ 24.Kc1 Qa3+ 25.Kb1.

21.fxg5!

• If 21.Qxg5? Qxg5 22.fxg5 a5 then:
• If 23.Kc1 Nf4 24.Nde2 Nxe2+ 25.Nxe2 a4 Black is a pawn up and White is having trouble finding squares for his pieces.
• After 23.Bd5 Bxd4 24.Rxd4 b5 25.Kc1 Ne5 Black reamins a pawn up.

21...e6 22.Nf5?

• White seems to have in mind a comination to sacrifice the Knight, clear the b1/g8 diagonal and threaten devastation on f7.
• 22.Qxg4 Kf8 23.Qg3 Qe5 24.Qd3 Qxd4 25.Qxd4 Bxd4 26.Rxd4 remains equal.

22...exf5 23.Qxg6

BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
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WHITE: Teimour Radjobov
Position after 23.Qh5g6:N

23...Be6!

• Black neatly refutes White's comination, lraving him two pawns to the good.

24.Qh5 fxe4 25.Rf1 Qe5 26.Rxf7

• White gets one of the pawns back, but his position is deteriorating.

26...Bxb3 27.axb3 g3 28.Ka2

• Black is still winning adter 28.Rxb7 Rf8 29.Ka2 g2 30.Qg4 Rf2 31.Qc8+ Kh7.

28...Rf8 29.Rxf8+ Kxf8 30.Qg4

• White cannot afford to delay getting the Queen behind the passer.

BLACK: Magnus Carlsen
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Teimour Radjobov
Position after 30.Qh5g4

30...e3!

• But there are two passers.

31.g6 e2?

• Black plays with too much haste.
• Correct is 31...Bf6 32.Qh3 e2 33.Qd7 Qe7 when White can resign.

32.Qf3+?

• Black misses his saving grace.
• 32.Qd7! Kg8 33.Qc8+ Bf8 34.Qxb7 (White threatens mate in two) 34...Qg7 35.Qd5+ Kh8 36.Nxe2 Qxg6 37.Qf3 is equal an most likely to end in a draw.
• After 32...Qe7 33.Qc8+ Qe8 34.Qf5+ Kg8 35.Qd5+ Kh8 36.Qh5+ Kg8 37.Qd5+ draws by repetition.

32...Ke8

• There will be no more second chances.

33.Qf7+ Kd8 34.Qg8+ Kd7 35.Qf7+ Qe7 36.Qf5+

• If 36.Qxe7+ White wins after 36...Kxe7 37.Nxe2 Be5 38.Kb1 g2 39.c4 Bh2,

36...Kd8 37.Qa5+ b6!

• White cannot prevent the queening of the e-pawn.

38.Qd5 e1Q 39.Qa8+ Kd7 40.Qb7+ Ke8 0-1

• No matter how White plays, he reamins a Queen in the hole.
• Grandmaster Radjobov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Gashimov - Grischuk, Round 12, Baku

Vugar Gashimov
Photo: ChessBase.com


Vugar Gashimov - Alexander Grischuk
FIDE Grand Prix, Round 12
Baku, 4 May 2008

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Rat Defense (Neo-Steinitz Defense)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6

• This defense is designed to bolster Black's headpawn. It was a favorite of Dr. Alekhine's during his reign as world champion.

5.0-0

• If 5.c3 Bd7 6.d4 g6 then:
• If 7.Bg5 f6 8.Be3 Nh6 9.0-0 Bg7 10.h3 Nf7 11.Nbd2 0-0 12.dxe5 then:
• If 12...dxe5 13.Bc5 Re8 14.Bb3 b6 15.Be3 Qe7 16.Qe2 Ncd8 17.Bd5 Bc6 then:
• If 18.c4? Bxd5 19.cxd5 f5 20.Nc4 Nb7 21.Rac1 then:
• 21...Rad8! 22.d6 Nbxd6 23.Nxd6 Rxd6 24.Qxa6 Qd7 25.Rc2 c5 26.a4 f4 27.Bd2 g5 Black, having fought back his early space deficit, continues to push White back (Bogolyubov-Alekhine, World Ch, Amsterdam, 1929).
• 21...Red8!? allows 22.exf5 gxf5 23.Bd4! Rxd5 24.Rfe1 e4 25.Bxg7 Kxg7 26.Ne3 which Alekhine judges to be better for White.
• Alekhine marks this with a query and says that 18.Bxc6 Nxc6 19.Rfd1 gives Black "only a slight advantage."
• Alekhine gives the exchange with the d-pawn as preferable to 12...fxe5 13.Bb3 h6 14.a4.


• If 7.0-0 Bg7 8.dxe5 dxe5 9.Be3 Nf6 10.Nbd2 0-0 then:
• If 11.Bc5 Re8 12.Re1 b6 13.Ba3 Qc8 14.Nf1 b5 15.Bc2 then:
• If 15...a5 16.Bc5 Nd8 17.a4 Qb7 18.axb5 Bxb5 19.Ba3 Ne6 20.Nxe5 Rad8 21.Qc1 Nh5 22.Nf3 Nhf4 23.Ng3 h5 24.h4 Bh6 25.Kh2 Kg7 then:
• If 26.Qb1
• 27.Re3 Nxg2 28.Kxg2 Bxe3 29.fxe3 Qxe3 30.Nf1 Nf4+ 31.Kg3 Qe2 is better for Black.
• 26.Ng5 Qb6 27.Nh1 Nxg5 28.Qxf4 Nxe4 29.Qf3 Nd2 favors Black.
Qb6 then:
• 27.Kg1 27...Nxg2 28.Kxg2 Nf4+ 29.Kh1 Qxf2 White resigns as mate is forthcoing (Boleslavsky-Nezhmetdinov, Soviet ChT, Vilnius, 1958).
• 15...Qb7 16.Bc5 Rad8 17.Qc1 Nh5 18.g3 Na5 19.Ne3 Bh6 20.Qb1 Qc6 21.Bb4 Bxe3 22.Bxa5 Bb6 23.Bxb6 Qxb6 24.Qc1 f6 25.Qh6 Be6 26.Nh4 Qc5 27.Red1 Ng7 28.Ng2 Rxd1+ 29.Rxd1 Qe7 is equal (Tal0Filip, Euro ChT, Oberhausen, 1961).
• 11.Bxc6 Bxc6 12.Nxe5 Bxe4 13.Nxe4 Nxe4 14.Qxd8 Raxd8 15.Nf3 Rd5 16.Rfd1 Rfd8 17.Rxd5 Rxd5 18.Re1 f5 19.g3 Bf6 20.h4 h5 21.Kf1 a5 22.Bd4 Kf7 23.Re2 a4 24.a3 c5 25.Bxf6 Kxf6 26.Ke1 b5 cramps White's position (Gragger-Filip, Zonal Trmt, Marianske Lazne, 1961).

5...Bg4 6.h3 h5

• 6...Bh5 7.c3 Nf6 8.d4 b5 9.Bb3 Be7 10.Be3 0-0 11.Nbd2 d5 12.g4 Bg6 13.dxe5 Nxe4 14.Nb1 Qc8 15.Nd4 Nxe5 16.f4 c5 gives Black the advantage in space (Geller-Spassky, Zonal Trmt, Moscow, 1964).

7.d4

• If 7.Bxc6+ bxc6 8.d4 Bxf3 9.Qxf3 exd4 then:
• 10.Rd1 Qf6 11.Qb3 Ne7 12.Qb7 Rd8 13.Qxc7 g5 14.Rd3 g4 15.Nd2 Rg8 16.Nf1 h4 17.Bd2 gxh3 18.Rxh3 Bh6 19.Bxh6 Qxh6 is equal (I. Smirin-Yandemirov, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• 10.c3 dxc3 11.Nxc3 Qd7 12.Be3 Be7 13.Rfe1 g5 14.Bd4 Rh6 15.Nd1 g4 16.hxg4 hxg4 17.Qf4 Rg6 18.Ne3 g3 19.fxg3 c5 20.Bc3 Bg5 21.Qf1 Bxe3+ 22.Rxe3 Nh6 23.Rf3 Qb5 is equal (Karjakin-Najer, Russian ChT, 2007).

7...b5 8.Bb3 Nxd4!?

• Black poffers the Bishop in exchange for an open h-file.
• 8...Bxf3 9.Qxf3 Qf6 10.Qc3 Nxd4 11.Qxc7 clearly favors White.

9.hxg4 Nxb3

• If 9...hxg4 10.Ng5 Nh6 then:
• If 11.Bd5 c6 12.c3 cxd5 13.cxd4 Be7 then:
• 14.Qd2 dxe4 15.dxe5 d5 16.Nc3 e3 17.Qxd5 Bxg5 18.Qc6+ Kf8 19.Bxe3 Bxe3 20.fxe3(C. Balogh-Biro, First Saturday, Budapest, 2001.12).
• 14...Bxg5 15.Qxg5 Qxg5 16.Bxg5 dxe4 17.dxe5 dxe5 18.Nc3 f5 19.a4 Nf7 gives Black a small advantage in space (DeFirmian-Greiff, Politiken Cup, Copenhagen, 2001).
• If 11.f4 d5? (already down in material, Black loses a pawn) 12.Bxd5 Bc5 (intending 13...Nf3+!) 13.Be3 Qd6 14.b4 Bb6 then:
• If 15.Re1? 0-0-0 16.Qd2 then:
• If 16...Nhf5! 17.Nxf7 then:
• Black wins by sacrificing his Queen with check: 17...Nxe3!! 18.Nxd6+ Rxd6 19.Rxe3 exf4 although a Queen up, White resigns for after 20.c3 Nc2 21.Qxc2 Bxe3+ 22.Kf1 f3 23.gxf3 gxf3 he must return the Queen in order to postpone checkmate (Cipollini-Gubnitsky, Corres, 1977).
• Black also wins after 17...Qf6 18.fxe5 Qh4.
• 17.exf5 Qh6!.
• White wins after 16...Qg6 17.c4 bxc4 18.Na3 exf4 19.Bxd4 Qxg5 20.Bxb6.
• After 15.fxe5 Qg6 16.Bxd4 0-0-0 17.e6 Qxg5 18.exf7 White wins easily.

10.axb3 hxg4 11.Ng5 Qd7 12.Qd3!?

• If 12.c4 Rb8 then:
• If 13.Rxa6 f6 14.Nc3 fxg5 15.Nxb5 Nf6 16.Ra7 Rc8 17.Re1 Qf7 18.Be3 Qh5 19.Kf1 Kd7 then:
• If 20.Qa1 then:
• If 20...Qg6 21.Qa5 Rh1+ 22.Ke2 Rxe1+ 23.Kxe1 Qxe4 24.Nxc7 Qb1+ 25.Ke2 Qc2+ 26.Ke1 Qb1+ 27.Ke2 Qc2+ 28.Ke1 draws by repetition (Hammer-Yandemirov, Op, Cappelle la Grand, 2007).
• If 20...Qh1+ 21.Ke2 Qxg2 22.Nxc7!? then:
• If 22...Rxc7?! 23.Qa4+ Kd8 24.Qa5 Ne8 25.Kd2 Kd7 26.Qb5+ then:
• 26...Ke7 27.Rxc7+ Nxc7 28.Qb7 Kd7 29.Bb6 wins back the sacrificed Knight with a superior game for White.
• If 26...Kd8? 27.Ra8+! then:
• If 27...Ke7 28.Qxe8+ Kf6 29.Qd8+ wins the Rook.
• If 27...Rc8 28.Rxc8+ Kxc8 29.Qxe8+ Kc7 30.Ra1 Qxe4 31.Ra7+ wins the Black Queen.
• 22...Qf3+ 23.Kd2 Nxe4+ 24.Kc2 Nc5 is equal.
• If 20.b4 Qh1+ 21.Ke2 Qxg2 22.Qa4 Ke6 23.Nxc7+ Kf7 24.Nd5+ Kg6 25.Nxf6 gxf6 26.Kd3 d5 27.exd5 g3 28.Qd7 gxf2 29.Qf7+ Kf5 30.Qe6+ Kg6 31.Qf7+ Kf5 32.Qe6+ Kg6 33.Qf7+ draw (Korneev-Yandemirov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2006).
• 13.cxb5 axb5 14.Nc3 f6 15.Ra7 Ne7 16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.exd5 Qf5 18.f3 fxg5 19.fxg4 Qh7 20.Qf3 Qh2+ 21.Kf2 Be7 22.Qe3 0-0+ White resigns as 23.Ke1 Rxf1+ 24.Kxf1 Rf8+ 25.Ke1 Qxg2 threatens mate (Aseev-Yandemirov, Russian Ch HL, Krasnoyarsk, 2003).

12...Rb8?!

• 12...c6 13.c4 b4 14.Rd1 f6 15.Bd2 fxg5 16.Bxb4 is equal

13.Rxa6 f6 14.Nc3 fxg5 15.Bxg5 Be7

• 15...b4 16.Nd5 c6 17.Nb6 Qf7 18.Qc4 Qxc4 19.Nxc4 gives White the advantage in space.

16.f4 gxf3 17.Qxf3 Nf6

• Black is forced to block the f-file somehow.
• The only alternative to the text move is 17...Bf6 when 18.Nd5 Rc8 19.Ra7 exposes Black's weak points.

18.Nd5 Nxd5

• If 18...Rc8 then after 19.Ra7 Nxd5 20.Qf7+ Kd8 21.Qxg7 Re8 22.exd5 White wins a pawn.

19.Qf7+ Kd8 20.Qxg7 Kc8

• This allows White to win the exchange.
• Better, but still not good, is 20...Re8 21.exd5 Bxg5 22.Qxg5+ Qe7 23.Qxe7+ Rxe7 24.Rf8+ leaving White a pawn to the good.

21.Qxh8+ Kb7 22.Qh7 Qg4

• After 22...Nb4 23.Raa1 Re8 24.c3 Nc6 25.Bxe7 Nxe7 26.Rf7 Black's camp is passive.

23.exd5 Qd4+ 24.Kh1 Bxg5 25.Rfa1 Be3

• No better is 25...Rc8 26.R6a5 Qb6 27.g4 Bd2 28.c3 Be1 29.g5.

BLACK: Alexander Grischuk
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Vugar Gashimov
Position after 25...Bg5e3

26.Ra7+!

• White finds the best way to the end.

pb<26...Qxa7 27.Rxa7+ Bxa7 28.g4 Rf8 29.g5 Rf2 [/b>

• After 29...Rf1+ 30.Kh2 Bd4 31.Qd3 Rf8 32.Qxb5+ White wins

30.Qe4 Rf1+ 31.Kh2 Rf4

BLACK: Alexander Grischuk
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WHITE: Vugar Gashimov
Position after 31...Rf1f4

32.Qxf4!!

• The Queen sacrifice is the best way to aid the g-pawn's progess.

32...exf4 33.c3 1-0

• Black's Bishop cannot come to d4 to stop the passed pawn.
• Grandmaster Grischuk resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Grischuk - Inarkiev, Round 9, Baku

Alexander Grischuk
Photo: ChessBase.com


Alexander Grischuk - Ernesto Inarkiev
FIDE Grand Prix. Round 9
Baku, 30 April 2008

West India Game: King's Indian Defense (Karlsbad Opening)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2

• The fianchetto may not be as good a way to meet the King's Indian, but it works. It was Botvinnik's favorite line for many years.

4...0-0 5.Nc3 d6 6.Nf3 Nc6

• If 6...Nbd7 7.0-0 e5 8.e4 then:
• If 8...c6 9.h3 Qb6 10.Re1 then:
• If 10...exd4 11.Nxd4 Ne8 then:
• If 12.Nb3 a5 13.Be3 Qb4 then:
• If 14.a3 Qxc4 15.Nd4 f6 then:
• If 16.Nd5 cxd5 then:
• 17.Rc1 Qa2 18.b3 Nc5 19.e5 fxe5 20.Bxd5+ Kh8 21.Nb5 Nf6 22.Bc4 Bxh3 23.b4 Qb2 24.bxc5 d5 25.Rb1 Qxb1 26.Qxb1 dxc4 27.Nd6 gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Greenfeld-Candela, Euro ChT, Izmir, 2004).
• 17.Bf1 Qc7 18.Ne6 Qb8 19.Qxd5 Kh8 20.Rac1 b5 21.Rxc8 Qxc8 22.Rc1 Qb8 23.Nxf8 Nxf8 24.Bxb5 f5 25.Bg5 Ne6 26.Bd7 Nxg5 27.Rc8 Qxc8 28.Bxc8 Rxc8 29.exf5 Nf6 30.Qxa5 Nfe4 Black has a material superiority (Dautov-Khalifman, IT, Yurmaia, 1982).
• 16.Bf1 Qf7 17.Rc1 Nc7 18.Nd5 Nc5 19.Nb6 Nxe4 20.Nxa8 Nxa8 21.Qa4 f5 22.Qxa5 f4 23.gxf4 Nc7 24.Bg2 d5 25.Nxc6 bxc6 26.Rxc6 Ne6 27.Qxd5 gives White a theoretical two pawn material advantage and a substancial advantage in space (Fridman-Bromberger, Czech Op, Pardubice, 2001).
• 14.Nd4 a4 15.a3 Qa5 16.f4 Nc5 17.Qc2 Be6 18.Bf1 Nf6 19.Rad1 Rfe8 20.Bf2 Rad8 21.e5 dxe5 22.Rxe5 Nfd7 23.Nxe6 Rxe6 24.Rxc5 Nxc5 25.Rxd8+ Qxd8 26.Bxc5 Bd4+ 27.Bxd4 Qxd4+ 28.Qf2 gives White a spatial and material superiority, the latter of which will be underscored by the forthcoming exchange of Queens (Greenfeld-Weindl, Eurp ChT, Fügen, 2006).
• 12.Nf3 Ne5 13.Nxe5 dxe5 14.Qa4 Bf6 15.Be3 Qc7 16.Rac1 Ng7 17.h4 Rd8 18.b4 Ne6 19.Nd5 cxd5 20.cxd5 Qd7 21.Qxd7 Bxd7 22.dxe6(Seres-Gladyszev, First Saturday, Budapest, 2001.03).
• 10...Re8 11.d5 then:
• 11...Nc5 12.Rb1 a5 13.Be3 Qc7 14.Nd2 Bd7 15.Bf1 Reb8 16.dxc6 bxc6 17.Bxc5 dxc5 18.Na4 Bf8 19.Nb3 Qa7 20.Qf3 Nh5 21.Qe3 Be8 22.Nbxc5 Rd8 23.Rbd1 Ng7 draw (Lengyel-Najdorf, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1971).
• 11...c5 12.a3 a6 13.Rb1 Qc7 14.Be3 b6 15.Bf1 Nf8 16.b4 Bd7 17.Kh2 Reb8 18.Qc2 Ne8 19.Rb2 f5 20.Reb1 Qc8 21.bxc5 bxc5 22.Rb6 Rxb6 23.Rxb6 Bf6 24.Rb2 Ng7 25.Bd2 Bd8 26.Qb3 Bc7 27.Qb7 Ba5 28.Qxc8 Bxc8 gives White the advantage in space (Sherwin-Fischer, US Ch, New York, 1966).
• 8...exd4 9.Nxd4 Re8 10.h3 Nc5 11.Re1 a5 12.Qc2 c6 13.Be3 then:
• 13...a4 14.Rad1 Nfd7 15.f4 Qa5 16.Bf2 Nb6 17.Bf1 Bd7 18.a3 Rad8 19.Re3 Bc8 20.Kh2 h5 21.Nf3 Be6 22.Nb1 Nb3 23.Ree1 d5 24.Ng5 d4 25.Nxe6 Rxe6 26.e5 c5 27.Nc3 Nc8 28.Ne4 Qc7 29.Bd3 is equal (Barcza-Sajtar, IT, Leipzig, 1965).
• 14...Qa5 15.Bf4 Bf8 16.Nf3 Be6 17.e5 Bf5 18.Qd2 Nfd7 19.a3 Qb6 20.Nd4 Be6 21.Nxe6 Rxe6 22.Ne4 Rxe5 23.Re3 Black is a pawn to the good (Lambert-Gasic, Birmingham, 1977).
• If 6...c6 7.0-0 Qa5 8.e4 then:
• If 8...e5 9.h3 Nbd7 then:
• 10.Re1 exd4 11.Nxd4 Ne5 12.Bf1 Re8 13.Be3 Be6 14.Nxe6 Rxe6 15.Kg2 Rae8 16.Qd2 Ned7 17.f3 Nc5 18.Rab1 Qb4 19.Ne2 a5 20.Nf4 Qxd2+ 21.Bxd2 R6e7 22.Bxa5 Ra8 23.Bc3 Rxa2 24.Ra1 Rxa1 25.Rxa1 Ne8 26.Bxg7 Kxg7 27.b4 Nd7 28.Ne2 draw (Maherramzade-Magerramov, Op, Abu Dhabi, 2001).
• If 10.Be3 exd4 11.Nxd4 Nb6 12.Qd3 Qa6 13.b3 d5 14.exd5 Nfxd5 15.Bd2 Rd8 16.Qe4 Nc7 17.Be3 Qa5 18.Rac1 Ne6 19.Nde2 Bd7 20.Rfd1 Be8 21.Nd4 Nc5 22.Qb1 Qb4 23.Nce2 Na6 24.Rd2 Qe7 25.Rcd1 Rd7 26.a4 Nb4 27.a5 Nc8 28.Qe4 Qxe4 29.Bxe4 gives White the advantage in space (Kaczorowski-Soares, Cyberspace, 1999).
• If 8...Bg4 9.h3 Bxf3 10.Bxf3 Nfd7 11.Be3 Qb4 12.Qb3 a5 13.Be2 Nb6 14.c5 dxc5 15.dxc5 N6d7 16.Na4 Qxe4 17.Qxb7! then:
• 17...Qxa4? 18.Qxa8 Qb4 19.Rad1 Nxc5 20.Bxc5 Qxc5 21.Qb7 gives White the exchange (Smejkal-Lechtynsky, Pribram, 1998).
• If 17...Na6 18.Qxd7 Qxa4 19.Bf3 Rac8 20.Qa7 is equal.

7.0-0

• If 7.d5 Na5 8.Nd2 c5 9.0-0 a6 then:
• If 10.Qc2 Rb8 11.b3 b5 12.Bb2 then:
• If 12...bxc4 13.bxc4 Bh6 then:
• If 14.f4 e5 15.dxe6 Bxe6 16.Nd5 Rxb2 17.Qxb2 Bg7 18.Qc1 then:
• If 18...Bxd5 19.Bxd5 Nxd5 20.cxd5 Bd4+ 21.Kg2 then:
• 21...Qe7 22.Re1 Bxa1 23.Qxa1 Nc4 24.Nxc4 Qe4+ 25.Kh3 Qxc4 26.e4 Re8 is equal (Mohota-Aarthie, Asian Women, Chennai, 2001).
• 21...Qe8 22.e4 Bxa1 23.Qxa1 Nc4 24.Qc3 Nxd2 25.Qxd2 Qxe4+ 26.Kg1 Rb8 the game belongs to Black (Stohl-Babula, Zlin, 1995).
• 18...Ng4 19.Rb1 Bd4+ 20.Kh1 Re8 21.e4 Nf2+ 22.Rxf2 Bxf2 23.Nf3 Nc6 24.Qc2 Bd4 25.Qa4 Qc8 26.e5 Kg7 27.Nb6 Black resigns as he must lose a piece (Stohl-Pein, Isle of Man Op, Port Erin, 1994).
• If 14.Ncb1 Bd7 15.Bc3 then:
• 15...Qc7 16.h3 Bg7 17.e4 e5 18.Qd3 Nh5 19.Na3 f5 20.Rab1 f4 21.Rxb8 Rxb8 22.g4 Nf6 23.Rb1 draw (Csom-Suetin, Portoroz, 1973).
• 15...e5 16.Na3 Rb4 17.Bxb4 cxb4 18.Nab1 Qc7 19.e3 Bf5 20.Ne4 Bxe4 21.Bxe4 Nb7 22.Nd2 Nc5 23.Bg2 Rb8 24.Rfb1 a5 giives White the exchange, but Black has more than enough extra space in compenation (Timman-Kasparov, Tilburg, 1981).
• If 12...e5 13.dxe6 fxe6 14.cxb5 axb5 15.Nce4 then:
• 15...Nxe4 16.Nxe4 Bxb2 17.Qxb2 Bb7 18.Rad1 Bxe4 19.Bxe4 d5 20.Bg2 Nc6 21.e4 d4 22.Qc2 Qb6 23.Rc1 Nb4 24.Qxc5 Nxa2 25.Qxb6 Rxb6 26.Rc7 Rf7 27.Rc8+ Rf8 28.Rc7 Rf7 29.Rc8+ draws by repetition (Ftacnik-W. Schmidt, Prague, 1985).
• 15...Bb7 16.Rad1 Qe7 17.Nxf6+ Bxf6 18.Bxf6 Qxf6 19.Bxb7 Nxb7 20.Qd3 b4 21.Ne4 Qe7 22.h4 Ra8 23.Rd2 Rf5 24.Rc2 Rd5 25.Qe3 Na5 gives Black a small advantage in space (Petrosian-Veingold, IT, Tallinn, 1979).
• If 10.Rb1 Rb8 11.b3 b5 12.Qc2 e5 13.Bb2 Nh5 14.e3 f5 15.f4 then:
• If 15...exf4!? 16.exf4 bxc4 17.bxc4 Bd7 Black has a small advantage in space 18.Bf3 Bd4+ 19.Kg2 Qf6 20.Nd1 then:
• If 20...Ng7 21.Bxd4 Qxd4 22.Nf2 Rfe8 then:
• If 23.Rfe1 Rb4 then:
• If 24.Rxe8+ Nxe8 25.Be2 Nf6 then:
• 26.Nf3? Nxc4 27.Nd1 Qxd1 28.Qxd1 Ne3+ 29.Kf2 Nxd1+ 30.Rxd1 Bb5 White resigns (Lengyel-Su. Polgar, Budapest, 1986).
• 26.Qd3 Rxb1 27.Nxb1 Qxd3 28.Bxd3 has draw written all over it.
• 24.Rxb4 cxb4 25.Rb1 Rb8 26.Qd3 Qc5 27.Nb3 Nxb3 28.axb3 Re8 Black has a commanding advantage in space.
• 23.Qd3 Qxd3 24.Nxd3 Kf7 25.Rxb8 Rxb8 Black is slightly better.
• 20...Bxb2 21.Nxb2 Ng7 22.Nd3 Black is still better.
• 15...e4 16.g4 Nf6 17.g5 Nd7 is equal.

7...Rb8

• If 7...e5 then:
• If 8.d5 Ne7 9.e4 Ne8 10.Ne1 then:
• If 10...f5 11.Nd3 Nf6 then:
• If 12.Bg5 then:
• 12...h6 13.Bxf6 Bxf6 14.f4 exf4 15.Nxf4 Be5 16.Qd2 c6 draw (Karpov-Gelfand, Op, Seville, 1994).
• 12...fxe4 13.Nxe4 Nxe4 14.Bxe4 Bf5 15.Qe2 Qd7 16.f3 Rf7 17.Nf2 h6 18.Be3 Qe8 19.Qd2 Qf8 20.b4 Bd7 21.g4 Nf5 22.gxf5 gxf5 23.Bc2 f4 24.Bxa7 Rxa7 is equal (Maes-Timmerman, Corres, 1996).
• 12.f3 h6 13.Be3 g5 14.exf5 Nxf5 15.Qd2 Nxe3 16.Qxe3 Bf5 17.Nf2 Qd7 18.Nce4 b6 19.Rfe1 Bxe4 20.fxe4 Ng4 21.Nxg4 Qxg4 22.b4 Rf7 23.a4 a5 24.c5 dxc5 25.bxc5 bxc5 26.Qxc5 Qd7 gives White the advantage in space (Petrosian-Benko, Candidates' Trmt, Bled, 1959).
• 10...c5 11.Nd3 f5 12.f4 exf4 13.Bxf4 fxe4 14.Nxe4 h6 15.Bd2 Rxf1+ 16.Qxf1 Bf5 17.Re1 Qd7 18.Qe2 Bg4 19.Nexc5 Bxe2 20.Nxd7 Bxd3 21.Rxe7 Bxc4 22.b3 Bd3 23.Bh3 gives White a commanding advantage in space (Filippov-Loginov, Russian Ch, Elista, 2001).
• 8.dxe5 Nxe5 9.Nxe5 dxe5 10.Bg5 Qxd1 11.Raxd1 c6 12.Rd2 Be6 13.b3 Rfe8 14.Na4 Ng4 15.Nc5 h6 16.Nxe6 Rxe6 17.h3 hxg5 18.hxg4 draw (Darga-Fischer, IT, Bled, 1961).

If 7...Bf5 8.d5 Na5 then:

• If 9.Nd4 Bd7 10.b3 c5 11.dxc6 then:
• If 11...bxc6 12.Bb2 Rb8 13.Rb1 then:
• If 13...Qc8 14.Re1 Bh3 15.Bh1 Rd8 16.Qd2 then:
• 16...c5 17.Nc2 Nc6 18.Nd5 Nxd5 19.Bxg7 Kxg7 20.cxd5 Ne5 21.Ne3 Bd7 22.Rbc1 Rb4 23.Bg2 Kg8 24.Qc3 a5 25.a3 Rb8 26.f4 Ng4 27.Nc4 a4 28.bxa4 Bxa4 is equal (Ricardi-Valerga, Argentine CL, Buenos Aires, 2005).
• 11...Nxc6 12.Bb2 Qa5 13.e3 Rfc8 14.h3 Rab8 15.Re1 a6 16.a4 Qb6 17.Rb1 Kf8 18.Nde2 Na5 19.Ba1 Qd8 20.Nd5 Ne8 21.Bxg7+ Nxg7 22.e4 Nc6 23.Nec3 gives White the advantage in space, but Black has the resources to push back (Ehlvest-Kramnik, Rapid Trmt, New York, 1995).
• 13...c5 14.Nc2 Nc6 15.Qd2 Qa5 16.Rfd1 Rfd8 17.Ba1 Nb4 18.Nxb4 Qxb4 19.h3 Qb6 20.g4 Bc6 21.e4 e5 22.Bf3 Ne8 23.Bg2 Nf6 24.Bf3 Ne8 25.Bg2 Nf6 draw (Dorfman-Tukmakov, Soviet Ch, Tbilisi, 1978).
• 16...Qa6 17.e4 Ng4 18.Bg2 Bxg2 19.Kxg2 Qb6 20.Na4 Qa6 21.Bc3 Nb7 22.Ne2 Nf6 23.Qc2 Nd7 24.Bxg7 Kxg7 25.b4 c5 26.b5 Qa5 is equal (Ivkov-García, Tel Aviv, 1964).
• If 9.Nd2 c5 10.e4 Bd7 11.Qc2 a6 12.b3 b5 13.Bb2 Rb8 14.Rab1 e5 15.Ne2 h5 16.Bc3 h4 17.Qd3 Nb7 18.f4 h3 19.Bf3 Ng4 20.f5 Nh6 21.g4 Qh4 22.Kh1 then:
• 22...Nd8? 23.Rg1 f6 24.Rg3 gives White the advantage in space(Nielsen-Bologan, Samba Cup, Skanderborg, 2003).
• 22...b4 23.Bb2 Nxg4 24.Bxg4 Qxg4 25.Rg1 Qh4 26.fxg6 Bg4 is equal.
• If 7...Bg4 8.d5 Na5 9.Nd2 c5 then:
• If 10.h3 Bd7 11.Qc2 then:
• If 11...a6 12.b3 b5 13.Bb2 Rb8 14.Rab1 Qc7 15.e4 bxc4 16.bxc4 e5 17.Ne2 Rb4 18.a3 Ba4 19.Qd3 Rbb8 20.Bc3 Nd7 21.Rxb8 Rxb8 22.Rb1 Rxb1+ 23.Qxb1 Nb7 24.Nc1 Qb6 25.Ncb3 Bh6 (K. Georgiev-Milov, FIDE Knock Out, Gronigen, 1997).
• 11...e5 12.dxe6 Bxe6 13.b3 d5 14.cxd5 Nxd5 15.Bb2 Nb4 16.Qc1 Rc8 17.Nce4 f5 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.Nxc5 Qf6 20.Nxe6+ Qxe6 21.Qa3 Nac6 22.Qb2+ Qf6 23.Qxf6+ Kxf6 24.e3 Rfd8 25.Rfd1 Ne5 26.Nf3 Nxf3+ 27.Bxf3 b6 gives Black command of two open files (van Baarle-Timman, Dutch Ch, Leeuwarden, 1971).
• 10.Qc2 e5 11.b3 a6 12.e4 Rb8 13.Bb2 b5 14.h3 Bd7 15.Ne2 Nh5 16.g4 Nf6 17.f4 exf4 18.Nxf4 bxc4 19.e5 Nxg4! 20.hxg4 dxe5 (Black has three pawns or the piece) 21.Nh3 cxb3 22.axb3 Qb6 is equal (Damljanovic-Velimirovic, Yugoslav Ch, Niksic, 1997).

8.h3 e5

• If 8...a6 9.e4 b5 10.e5 dxe5 11.dxe5 then:
• If 11...Qxd1 12.Rxd1 Nd7 13.e6 fxe6 14.cxb5 axb5 15.Bf4 then:
• If 15...b4 16.Na4 Nb6 17.Nxb6 Rxb6 then:
• If 18.Rac1 Bxb2 19.Bxc7 Ra6 then:
• 20.Rc5 Rf5 21.Rc4 Rd5 22.Nd2 Bc3 23.Bf4 Bd7 24.Bxd5 exd5 25.Rc5 Rxa2 26.Rxd5 Bxh3 gives Black two pawns for the exchange and a small advantage in space.(Adianto-Shaked, New York, 1994).
• 20.Rc4 e5 21.Ng5 Nd4 22.Rxb4 Ne2+ 23.Kh1 Bd4 24.Rb8 Nc3 25.Rd2 h6 26.Nf3 Ne4 27.Nxd4 Nxd2 28.Bxe5 e6 29.Bf4 Rxa2 30.Bxh6 Rxf2 31.Rxc8+ gives White two minor pieces for a Rook (van der Sterren-Nijboer, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1998).
• 18.Bxc7 Ra6 19.Rd2 Bh6 20.Re2 Rxf3 21.Bxf3 Nd4 22.Bg4 Nxe2+ 23.Bxe2 Rc6 24.Be5 Bg7 25.Bxg7 Kxg7 gives White significantly better pawn structure (Gajewski-Nijboer, Ruro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).
• If 15...Nde5 16.Nxe5 Nxe5 17.Rac1 c5 then:
• 18.Rc2 c4 19.Re2 Rxf4 20.gxf4 Nd3 21.Be4 b4 22.Na4 Nxf4 23.Rd8+ Kf7 24.Re3 gives White a small lead in space with superior pawn structure (Arkell-R. Byrne, London, 1991).
• 18.Be3 Nc4 19.Bxc5 Nxb2 20.Rd2 Bxc3 21.Rxc3 Na4 22.Rc1 Nxc5 23.Rxc5 Bb7 24.Rxb5 Bxg2 25.Rxb8 Rxb8 26.Kxg2 Ra8 is unclear: Black has the active Rook and White has fewer pawn weaknesses (Nikolic-Acs, FIDE Knock Out, Tripoli, 2004).
• If 11...Nd7 then:
• 12.e6 fxe6 13.cxb5 axb5 14.Qe2 b4 15.Ne4 Nde5 16.Nxe5 Nxe5 17.Nc5 Qd4 18.Be3 Qc4 19.Qd1 Nf7 20.b3 Qb5 21.Rc1 Nd6 22.Bd4 e5 23.Ba1 Nf7 24.Re1 Bh6 25.f4 Rd8 26.Qf3 exf4 27.Rxe7 Qb6 gives Black an extra pawn and straightens out his pawn structure (Khokhlov-Cardelli, Corres, 1997).
• 12.cxb5 axb5 13.Be3 b4 14.Nd5 Ncxe5 15.Nxe5 Bxe5 16.Ba7 Rb7 17.Qa4 c5 18.Rad1 Bd4 19.Kh2 e6 20.Ne3 Rc7 21.Nc2 e5 22.f4 Bb7 23.Bxb7 Rxb7 is equal (Z. Mamedyarova-Avanesian, Op, Batumi, 2001).

9.Be3

• 9.d5 Ne7 10.e4 Ne8 11.Be3 a6 12.Qd2 f5 13.Ng5 fxe4 14.Ngxe4 Nf5 15.Bg5 Qd7 16.g4 Nd4 17.f4 exf4 18.Bxf4 b5 19.Be3 Rxf1+ 20.Rxf1 c5 21.dxc6 Nxc6 22.Ng5 Ne5 23.Bd5+ Kh8 24.Nf7+ Nxf7 25.Rxf7 Qd8 26.Bd4 Black resigns facing mate or severe material loss (Najdorf-Ardiansyah, Manila, 1973).



• 9.dxe5 dxe5 10.Qxd8 Rxd8 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.Nd5 Bg7 14.Rad1 e4 15.Nh4 Kf8 16.Bxe4 Bxh3 17.Ng2 Bxb2 18.Nxc7 Na5 19.Rxd8+ Rxd8 20.Rb1 Be5 21.Nd5 Nxc4 22.Ndf4 Nd2 23.Rxb7 Bc8 24.Rb4 Bc3 25.Ra4 Bd7 White resigns as he must lose a piece (Bobras-Inarkiev, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).

9...a6

• White has the advantage in space after 9...exd4 10.Nxd4 Ne5 11.Qb3 Re8 12.Rad1 Bd7 13.Bg5.

10.Rc1 Bf5!?

• 10...exd4 11.Nxd4 Na5 12.b3 c5 13.Nf3 b5 14.cxb5 axb5 15.Ng5 Bb7 16.Nge4 Nxe4 17.Nxe4 Bxe4 18.Bxe4 Re8 19.Bf3 Rc8 20.Qd3 c4 21.Qd5 Re5 22.Qd2 gives White a small advantage in space (Gutman-Razuvaev, Soviet Ch FL, Ashkhabad, 1978).

11.g4

• 11.d5 Ne7 12.Qb3 Bc8 13.c5 gives White a considerable advantage in space.

11...Bd7

• 11...exd4 12.Nxd4 Bd7 13.c5 Ne8 14.Qd2 Ne5 is equal.

12.Qd2 h5

• If 12...exd4 13.Nxd4 Ne5 14.b3 then:
• 14...Ne8 15.Rfd1 c5 16.Nf3 Nxf3+ 17.Bxf3 White has more space.
• 14...Re8 15.Rfd1 a5 16.Bh6 Bh8 17.g5 Nh5 18.Ndb5 White has the advantage in space.

13.dxe5 dxe5 14.g5 Nh7 15.Rfd1

• 15.Bc5 Re8 16.Rfd1 e4 17.Nh4 Be6 18.Nxe4 Qc8 19.Kh2 gives White a considerable advantage in space.

15...Bf5 16.Qxd8 Rfxd8

• White has a small advantage in space.

17.h4 Be6 18.Rxd8+ Rxd8 19.Nd5 Rd7

• If 19...Bxd5! 20.cxd5 Rxd5 21.Nd2 then:
• If 21...Rd6 22.Ne4 Rd8 23.Nc5 Nd4 then:
• 24.Nxb7 Nxe2+ 25.Kf1 Nxc1 26.Nxd8 Nd3 leaves Black a pawn to the good.
• 24...Rb8?! 25.Bxd4 exd4 26.Rxc7 leaves White a pawn to the good.
• 21...Rb5 22.b3 Rb4 23.Bxc6 bxc6 is equal.

20.Nd2 Nd4 21.Bxd4 exd4 22.Nf4

• 22.Nb3 c6 23.Nb6 Re7 24.Rd1 Bf5 25.Nxd4 Bxd4 26.Rxd4 Rxe2 remains equal.

22...c6 23.Nxe6 fxe6 24.Be4

• 24.c5 e5 25.Ne4 Nf8 26.Bh3 Re7 27.Nd6 gives White more mobility.

24...Nf8 25.Nb3!?

• White could take command of the game with 25.c5 Rf7 26.f3 Kh7 27.Nc4 e5 28.Nd6.

25...Rf7 26.Kg2

• 26.Nc5 b6 27.Nxa6 Ra7 28.Nb8 Rxa2 29.Nxc6 Rxb2 30.Kf1 gives White a considerable advantage in space.

26...d3?

• Black should reapir his weak queenside pawns for embarking on this plan.
• 26...Rf4 then:
• 27.f3 Rxh4 28.Kg3 Rxe4 29.fxe4 is equal.
• 27.Bd3 Rxh4 28.Rg1 e5 leaves Black a pawn to the good.

27.Bxd3 Bxb2 28.Rb1 Bc3
BLACK: Ernesto Inarkiev
!""""""""#
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$+ + + Pp%
$ +p+ + P%
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$+r+ + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Alexander Grischuk
Position after 28...Bb2c3

29.Nc5!

• This is the flaw in Black's plan set in motion on the 26th move. White must win a pawn.
If 29.e3 Bb4 30.c5 a5 31.Bc4 then:
• 31...Kg7 32.a3 Bc3 33.Nc1 Re7 34.Ne2 Be5 35.f4 Bb8 White has driven the Bishop from the long diagonal.
• After 31...Rd7 White can exploit Black's pawn weaknesses with advantage: 32.a4 Re7 33.Bd3 Kf7 34.f4 Nd7 35.Rc1.

29...Bd4

• If 30.Nxa6 bxc4 31.Bxc4 Rf4 32.Bb3 Rxh4 33.Rc1 assures White of regaining his extra pawn.

30.Ne4 Rc7

• 30...Ba7 31.c5 a5 32.Nd6 Rf4 33.Rxb7 Bxc5 34.Ne4 displaces Black's Bishop.

31.e3 Ba7 32.c5 Nd7

• After 32...a5 33.Bc4 Re7 34.f4 Kh8 35.Kf2 Rd7 36.a4 White dominates the board.

33.Rc1

• 33.Nd6 Ne5 34.Be2 Bxc5 35.Nxb7 Be7 36.Bxa6 wins a pawn for White.

33...Kh7

• 33...Ne5 34.Bc2 b6 35.Bb3 Kf7 36.Nd6+ Kf8 37.Bxe6 wins a pawn for White.

34.f4 Rc8 35.Rc3

• After 35.Rc4 then:
• If 35...Rf8 36.Rb4 Rb8 37.Rd4 Nf8 38.Rd6 White's Rook and centralized Knight are crushing Black's position.
• 35...a5 36.Rd4 Nf8 37.Bc4 Rc7 38.Rd8 White will threaten White's immoble pieces from the back rank.

35...Rf8 36.Rb3 Rb8 37.Rc3

• If 37.Bc4 Nxc5 38.Nxc5 Bxc5 39.Bxe6 b6 40.Rd3 then:
• 40...Re8 41.f5 gxf5 42.Bxf5+ Kg7 43.Rd7+ Re7 44.e4 gives White coordinated pieces and advanced passers.
• 40...Rb7 41.e4 Bb4 42.f5 Be1 43.Kh3 b5 44.Rd6 gives White little time for counterplay.

37...Rf8 38.Bc2 e5 39.Rb3!

• The sham pawn sacrifice seals the deal.

39...Nxc5 40.Nxc5 Bxc5 41.Rxb7+ Kh8 42.f5 Rd8 43.Bb3 Rd6

• This protects all of Black's pawns, but opens up a new set of complications.

BLACK: Ernesto Inarkiev
!""""""""#
$ + + + L%
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WHITE: Alexander Grischuk
Position after 43...Rd8d6

44.f6!!

• This is an extremely strong passer, as it serves as an outpost for renewed attacks on Black's kingside pawns.

44...e4 45.Rg7 Rd2+ 46.Kf1 1-0

• After 46...Bxe3 47.Rxg6 Rf2+ 48.Ke1 it will cost Black the Rook to stop the f-pawn.
• Grandmaster Inarkiev resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Movsesian - Grigoriants, General Round 5. Plovdiv

Sergei Movsesian led or had a share of the lead though most of the tournament in Plovdiv, only to be overtaken, along with every one else, by Sergei Tiviakov in the final round.



Sergei Movsesian
Photo: ChessBase.com


Sergei Movsesian - Sergey Grigoriants
European Championships (General Competition), Round 5
Plovdiv, 25 April 2008

Closed German Game: Short Opening

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Nd7

• If 5...c5 then:
• If 6.Be3 cxd4 7.Nxd4 Ne7 then:
• If 8.c4 Nbc6 9.Qa4 a6 then:
• If 10.Na3 Qa5+ 11.Qxa5 Nxa5 12.0-0 dxc4 13.Nxc4 Nxc4 14.Bxc4 Be4 15.Rac1 Bd5 16.Be2 Rc8 17.Rxc8+ Nxc8 draw (Svidler-Anand, IT, Tilburg, 1998).
• 10.Nc3 dxc4 11.Rd1 Bd3 12.Bxd3 cxd3 13.Rxd3 b5 14.Qb3 Nxe5 15.Rd1 Qc8 16.0-0 N7c6 17.Rc1 Na5 18.Qd1 Nac4 19.Bf4 Ng6 20.Bg3 Qb7 21.a4 Be7 22.axb5 0-0 23.Qe2 draw (Svidler-Leko, IT, Tilburg, 1998).
• 8.Bg5 Qa5+ 9.Nc3 Bg6 10.Nb3 Qb6 11.Nb5 Nec6 12.Be3 Qd8 13.f4 a6 14.Nc3 Bb4 15.Qd2 0-0 16.a3 Be7 17.0-0 Nd7 18.Rad1 h6 19.Rfe1 Nb6 20.Bd3 Bxd3 21.cxd3 Rc8 is equal (Staudler-Lauritsen, Corres, 1998).
• If 6.0-0 Nc6 7.c3 cxd4 8.cxd4 Nge7 9.a3 then:
• If 9...Be4 10.Nbd2 then:
• 10...Nf5 11.b4 a5 12.bxa5 Qxa5 13.g4 Nfxd4 14.Nxd4 Nxd4 15.Nxe4 Nxe2+ 16.Qxe2 dxe4 17.Qxe4 Bc5 18.Qxb7 draw (I. Smirin-Yusasin, IT, Haifa, 1992).
• 10...Qb6 11.b4 Nf5 12.Bb2 Be7 13.Re1 Rd8 14.Bf1 a5 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.Rxe4 axb4 17.axb4 Bxb4 18.Rb1 Qa5 19.h4 0-0 20.Bd3 Rd7 21.Rf4 g6 22.h5 Rfd8 23.hxg6 hxg6 24.Bxf5 exf5 25.Rh4 Be7 26.Rh3 gives Black a narrow advantage in space and White better pawn structure (Short-Adianto, IT, Jakarta, 1996).
• If 9...Nc8 then:
• 10.b4 Be7 11.Nbd2 Nb6 12.Bb2 0-0 13.Rc1 Rc8 14.Nb3 Nc4 15.Bxc4 dxc4 16.Rxc4 Qd5 17.Rc3 a5 18.bxa5 Nxa5 19.Nxa5 Qxa5 20.Qd2 Rxc3 21.Bxc3 Qxa3 22.d5 exd5 23.Nd4 gives Black an extra pawn and more space (Handouchi-Adams, Rapid, Cap d'Adge, 1994).
• 10.Bg5 Be7 11.Bxe7 N8xe7 12.b4 0-0 13.Nbd2 Qb6 14.Nb3 Bg4 15.Qd3 a5 16.bxa5 Nxa5 17.Nbd2 Rfc8 18.Rfb1 Qa7 19.Rb5 Rc7 20.h3 Bf5 21.Qe3 Nc4 22.Qc3 Rac8 23.Qb4 Nc6 24.Qc3 Nxd2 25.Qxd2 Be4 26.Rd1 Qxa3 27.Ng5 Bg6 gives Black the advantage in material and space (Raschewski-Sprengelmeier, Corres, 1997).

6.0-0 h6

• If 6...Ne7 7.Nh4 then:
• If 7...Bg6 8.Nd2 c5 9.c3 Nc6 10.Nxg6 hxg6 11.Nf3 Be7 12.Be3 a6 then:
• If 13.g3 g5 14.Kg2 cxd4 15.cxd4 Nf8 then:
• 16.Rc1 f6 17.h3 Qd7 18.Rc3 Bd8 19.a3 Ng6 20.Rh1 Bb6 21.Bd3 Nge7 22.Bc2 0-0-0 23.exf6 gxf6 24.h4 gxh4 25.Rxh4 Kb8 26.Qh1 Qc8 is equal: White has more space, but Black's position has no exlpoitable weaknesses.(Kahlifman-Lobron, IT, Munich, 1992).
• If 16.a3 f6 17.h3 Qd7 18.b4 Bd8 19.Rc1 Ng6 20.Bd3 gives White a small advantage in space (I. Smirin-Li Wienling, IT, Beijing, 1996).
• 13.Qd2 b5 14.a4 b4 15.dxc5 Nxc5 16.Bxc5 Bxc5 17.Rac1 Be7 18.c4 Na5 19.Qf4 dxc4 20.Rfd1 Qb6 21.Bxc4 0-0 22.Rd7 gives White a huge advantage in space (Movsesian-Iljin, Euro ChT, Izmir, 2004).
• If 7...Be4 8.Nd2 c5 9.c3 Nc6 10.Nxe4 dxe4 11.g3 Be7 12.Ng2 then:
• 12...cxd4 13.cxd4 0-0 14.Be3 Nb6 15.Rc1 Nd5 16.Qc2 Qb6 17.Qxe4 Qxb2 18.Bd3 g6 19.Bc4 Nb6 20.Bb3 Rad8 21.Rc2 Qa3 22.Nf4 Qb4 23.Nd3 Qb5 24.Nc5 Bxc5 25.Rxc5 Qb4 26.Rd1 gives White a small advatage in space (I. Smirin-Anand, Op, Villarrobledo, 1998).
• 12...Qb6 13.Ne3 Rd8 14.Nc4 Qc7 15.Bf4 cxd4 16.cxd4 Nb6 17.Nd6+ Bxd6 18.exd6 Qd7 19.g4 0-0 20.Rc1 f5 21.gxf5 Rxf5 22.Bg3 Rd5 23.Qc2 Nc8 24.Bc4 gives White an advantage in space (Starostits-Iordachescu, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• If 6...Bg6 7.Nbd2 Nh6 8.Nb3 Nf5 9.Bd2 Be7 then:
• If 10.g4 Nh4 11.Nxh4 Bxh4 12.f4 then:
• 12...f5 13.Bd3 Be7 14.Nc1 Qb6 15.Nb3 Qc7 16.c4 fxg4 17.Bxg6+ hxg6 18.Qc2 Nf8 19.cxd5 exd5 20.f5 0-0-0 21.Bf4 gxf5 22.e6 Bd6 23.Qxf5 Re8 24.Nc5 Bxf4 25.Rxf4 b6 26.e7+ draw (Radjabov-Popov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2008).
• 12...Be4 13.Bd3 Bxd3 14.cxd3 Be7 15.f5 Nf8 16.Qf3 Qd7 17.h3 h5 18.gxh5 exf5 19.Qxf5 Qxf5 20.Rxf5 g6 21.hxg6 fxg6 22.Rf3 Ne6 23.Raf1 gives White a small advantage in space (Fressinet-Arsian, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• 10.c4 dxc4 11.Na5 Rb8 12.Nxc4 Nb6 13.Bc3 Nd5 14.Qd2 0-0 15.Rfd1 b5 16.Ba5 Qd7 17.Ne3 Nfxe3 18.fxe3 c5 19.a3 h6 20.Bd3 cxd4 21.exd4 Bxd3 22.Qxd3 b4 23.Nd2 bxa3 24.bxa3 Nf4 25.Qe4 Qxd4+ 26.Qxd4 Ne2+ 27.Kh1 Nxd4 gives Black an extra pawn and more space (Macak-Grigoriants, Euro Ch, Rd 1, Plovdiv, 2008).
• If 8.c3 Nf5 9.Ne1 then:
• If 9...c5 10.Ndf3 Be7 then:
• If 11.Nd3 cxd4 12.cxd4 Bh5 13.Nf4 Bxf3 14.Bxf3 then:
• If 14...g6 15.Bg4 Ng7 16.Qd3 0-0 17.g3 Qc7 18.h4 Rac8 19.h5 Qc4 20.hxg6 hxg6 (Black has a small adavtage in space) 21.Qe3 then:
• If 21...Rfd8? 22.Kg2 Bg5 23.Rh1 Qc2 24.Qf3 then:
• 24...Nf8 25.Nxd5!! (this sham sacrifice settles matters) 25...Rxd5 26.Bxg5 Qxb2 27.Bf6 Nd7 28.Bxg7 Kxg7 29.Rh7+ Black resigns facing checkmate (Volokitin-Bareev, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2007).
• 24...Be7 25.Nd3 Rc4 26.Qe3 Nf8 27.Bd2 gives White an overwhelming position.
• 22...Qc2 23.Nd3 Nb6 24.Rh1 Nc4 25.Qh6 Nh5 26.Bxh5 leaves White a piece to the good.
• 21...Nf5 22.Bxf5 gxf5 23.Nxe6 fxe6 24.Qh6 is equal.
• 14...Qb6 15.Bg4 Qxd4 16.Bxf5 Qxd1 17.Rxd1 exf5 18.Nxd5 Bd8 19.f4 Nc5 20.b3 Ne6 21.Ba3 Rc8 22.Kf1 Rc6 23.g3 h5 24.h4 gives White the advantage in space (Areshchenck-Akesson, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• 11.h3 cxd4 12.cxd4 Nh4 13.Nxh4 Bxh4 14.g3 Be7 15.h4 h6 16.h5 Be4 17.Bd3 Bxd3 18.Nxd3 0-0 19.Be3 Rc8 20.Qa4 draw (Motylev-Pantsulaia, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).
• 9...h5 10.Ndf3 h4 11.Nd3 Bh5 12.Nf4 Bxf3 13.Bxf3 g6 14.Bg4 Bh6 15.Re1 Qb6 16.Bxf5 gxf5 17.Qh5 Bg7 18.Qg5 Kf8 19.Nh5 Bh6 20.Qxh4 Bxc1 21.Raxc1 Qxb2 22.Qg5 Rg8 23.Qh6+ Ke7 24.Nf4 b5 25.Qh4+ Ke8 26.Qh7 Ke7 27.Qh4+ Ke8 28.Qh7 Ke7 29.Qh4+ draw (Morozevich-Dreev, World Blitz Ch, Moscow, 2007).

7.Nbd2 Ne7 8.Nb3 g5

• If 8...Nc8 then:
• If 9.a4 Be7 10.a5 a6 11.Be3 gives White the advantage in space (Motylev-Rodshtein, Op, Moscow, 2008).
• 9.Bd2 Be7 10.Na5 Rb8 11.c4 dxc4 12.Nxc4 0-0 is equal (Berg-Roiz, Euro Ch, Rd 10, Plovdiv, 2008).
• If 8...Bh7 9.c3 Ng6 10.Ne1 then:
• 10...c5 11.Be3 c4 12.Nd2 b5 13.a3 Nb6 14.f4 Ne7 15.Ndf3 Nc6 16.g4 h5 17.Ng5 hxg4 18.Bxg4 Bf5 19.Bxf5 exf5 20.Rf2 Qd7 21.Rg2 Nd8 22.Qc2 a5 23.Nef3 Rh6 24.Re1 Be7 25.Bf2 Nc8 draw (Lastin-Jobava, Op, Moscow, 2008).
• 10...Be7 11.Nd3 0-0 12.f4 Rc8 13.Be3 Nb6 14.Nd2 Nd7 15.b4 b6 16.Rc1 c5 17.bxc5 bxc5 18.c4 dxc4 19.Nxc4 Nh4 20.Nxc5 Nxc5 21.dxc5 Nf5 22.Bf2 Bxc5 23.Qxd8 Rfxd8 24.Rfd1 Rxd1+ 25.Rxd1 g5 26.fxg5 hxg5 27.Rd7 Bg6 28.g4 Nh4 is equal (S. Zhigalko-Mchedishvili, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).

9.Bd2!?

• 9.Ne1 c5 10.Nxc5 Nxc5 11.dxc5 Nc6 12.Bd3 Be4 13.f3 Bxc5+ 14.Kh1 Bf5 15.Bxf5 exf5 16.Nd3 Bb6 17.f4 g4 18.Bd2 h5 19.Bb4 h4 20.c3 h3 draw (Karjakin-Nisipeanu, World Cup, Khanty-Mansiyskm 2007).

9...Bg7

• 9...Qc7 10.Ba5 b6 11.Bb4 c5 12.Ba3 Bg7 13.Re1 gives White a small advantage in space.

10.Na5

• 10.Rc1 Nb6 11.Nc5 Qc8 12.Re1 Ng6 13.Be3 gives White the advantage in space.

10...Rb8

• If 10...Qb6 11.Bc3 c5 12.dxc5 Nxc5 then:
• 13.Nb3 Nc6 14.Bd4 gives Black the advantage in space.
• After 13.Nd4 Ne4 14.Bb5+ Kf8 15.Bb4 Bg6 Black wins the e-pawn.

11.c4 b6 12.Nb3 0-0

• 12...dxc4 13.Bxc4 Nd5 14.Rc1 Rc8 15.Qe2 a5 16.Be3 is equal.

13.Rc1 dxc4 14.Rxc4

• 14.Bxc4 a5 15.Bc3 Nd5 16.Re1 g4 17.Bxd5 cxd5 18.Nfd2 is equal.

14...Be4 15.h4 g4 16.Ne1 Bd5

• 16...Nd5 17.Bxg4 Qxh4 18.f3 b5 19.Rc1 Bg6 20.Rxc6 is equal.

17.Rc3 c5 18.Bxg4

• If 18.dxc5 then:
• font color="red"]18...bxc5 19.Nxc5 Nxe5 20.b3 N7c6 gives Black an advantage in space.
• After 18...Nxe5 19.cxb6 Rxb6 20.Be3 Rb7 21.Ba6 Rb4 Black has more space.

18...cxd4 19.Rg3 Nxe5?!

• If 19...Bxe5 20.Bxe6+ Bxg3 21.Bxd5 Nxd5 then:
• If 22.fxg3 22...Ne3 23.Bxe3 dxe3 24.Qg4+ is unclear: Black has the exchange and White has more space.
• 22.Qg4+ Kh7 23.Qf5+ Kh8 24.Qxd5 Be5 25.Nxd4 Rc8 gives Black the lead in space, but he has only a spawn for the exchange.

20.Bh3 N7g6

• After 20...Bxb3 if White sacrifices the exchange by 21.axb3 Kh7 22.Rxg7+ Kxg7 then he wins it right back with 23.Qh5 f5 24.Bxh6+.

21.h5 f5 22.Nxd4 Bc4?

• After 22...Qd7 23.hxg6 Bc4 the situation is less clear:
• If 24.Nec2 then:
• 24...Rbc8 25.Bf4 Rfd8 26.b3 Bxf1 27.Kxf1 Nc6 28.Rd3 Nxd4 29.Nxd4 Bxd4 gives Black a tactical edge.
• 24...Rbd8 25.Qh5 Bxf1 26.Kxf1 Qa4 27.Bxh6 Rxd4 28.Nxd4 wins a pawn for White.
• 24.Ndc2?! Bxf1 25.Kxf1 Rfd8 26.f4 Qxd2 27.Qxd2 Rxd2 is equal.

BLACK: Sergey Grigoriants
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Sergei Movsesian
Position after 22...Bd5c4

23.Nec2!!

• White gives up the exchange (not that he had any choice) and posits a situation where two Black pieces are under attack and one has few good moves.

23...Bxf1 24.Kxf1 Qh4 25.hxg6

• Thus, White gets two minor pieces for the Rook and a more promising game.

25...Rbd8 26.Bc3 Nc6 27.Rd3 Ne5

• 27...Nxd4 28.Nxd4 Qe4 29.Qe2 Qd5 30.Rd2 threatens the deadly 31.Nxe6!

28.Rd2 Nc4 29.Re2 e5

• This looks powerful, bout there is a saving grace.

BLACK: Sergey Grigoriants
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Sergei Movsesian
Position after 29...e6e5

30.Qd3!

• White has enough time to meet all threats.

30...exd4 31.Qxc4+ Kh8 32.Bb4 Rfe8 33.Rxe8+ Rxe8 34.Qd3

• A White wins quicker after 34.Qf7 Rg8 35.Be7 Qf4 36.Bf6.

34...f4 35.Ne1 Qh5 36.Nf3 Qd5 37.b3 a5

• If 37...Qc6 38.Bd2 a5 39.Bxf4 Re4 40.Bd7 then:
• If 40...Qd5 41.Bd6 Bf6 42.Bb5 Rg4 43.Bc7 stretches Black's defenses.
• 40...Qxd7 41.Qxe4 Qb5+ 42.Kg1 leaves White a piece to the good.

38.Bd2 Rf8 39.Kg1 a4 40.bxa4 Qxa2 41.Qb5 Qc2

• 41...Ra8 42.Bd7 then:
• 42...Rf8 43.Qxb6 Qa1+ 44.Be1 Rf6 45.Qd8+ it's almost time to say good night.
• If 42...Qa1+ 43.Kh2 Qd1 44.Bxf4 Qc2 45.Qxb6 gives White a theoretical materical advantage equivalent to a minor piece.

42.Qxb6 Qxa4 43.Qd6 Qe8 44.Bxf4 Rf6 45.Qxd4 Qxg6 46.Qe3

• Also good is 46.Ne5 Qc2 47.Bg3 Kh7 48.Qd7 h5 49.Be6.

46...Rf8 47.Be5 Re8 48.Bxg7+ Kxg7 49.Ne5 1-0

• A plausible continuation is 49...Qf6 50.f4 h5 51.Qg3+ Kh7 52.Qd3+ Kg7 53.Bf5 leaving Black hopeless.
• Grandmaster Grigoriants resigns./li]

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Sebag - Kokarev, General Round 10, Plovdiv

Marie Sebag of France, the only woman competing in the general competition in Plovdiv, achieved her goal: her third GM norm, qualifying her to be a full grandmaster.



International Grandmaster Marie Sebag
Photo: ChessBase.com


Marie Sebag - Dmitri Kokarev
European Championships (General Competition), Round 10
Plovdiv, 1 May 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 is one of the sharpest, if not the sharpest, responses to the Najdorf. Don't play this unless you know what you're doing.

6...e6 7.f4 h6

• 7...Qb6 is the Poisoned Pawn Variation, which will be handled seperately another time.

8.Bh4 Be7 9.Qf3 Qc7 10.0-0-0 Nbd7 11.Be2

• If 11.Bd3 g5 12.fxg5 Ne5 13.Qe2 Nfg4 14.Nf3 then:
• If 14...Nxf3 15.gxf3 hxg5 16.Bg3 Ne5 then:
• 17.f4 gxf4 18.Bxf4 Bd7 19.h4 Rxh4 20.Rxh4 Bxh4 21.Qh5 Bf6 22.Qh6 Ng4 23.Qh5 Ne5 24.Qh6 Ng4 25.Qh5 Ne5 draws by repetition (Estrin-Sanakoev, Corres, 1978).
• 17.h4 gxh4 18.f4 Nxd3+ 19.Rxd3 Bd7 20.Qe1 0-0-0 21.Bxh4 Bxh4 22.Rxh4 Bc6 23.b3 Qe7 24.Rxh8 Rxh8 25.Kb2 Qf6 26.Qe3 Rh4 27.Rxd6 Qxf4 28.Qc5 Rh1 29.Ne2 Qf1 30.Qb6 is equal (Berg-Villavicencio, Op, Bajada de la Virgen, 2005).
• If 14...hxg5 15.Bxg5 Bxg5+ 16.Nxg5 Qc5 17.Nh3 then:
• 17...b5 18.Kb1 Bb7 19.Rde1 0-0-0 20.a4 bxa4 21.Nxa4 Qa5 22.b3 Kb8 23.Nb2 Rc8 24.Nf2 Nxf2 25.Qxf2 Qb4 gives Black enough extra space to compensate for the pawn minus (Mamedov-Areschenko, Areoflot Op, Moscow, 2007).
• 17...Bd7 18.Kb1 b5 19.Rde1 0-0-0 20.Nd1 Rdg8 21.Qd2 Bc6 22.Re2 Kb7 23.a3 Qb6 24.Qf4 a5 25.Ng5 b4 26.Nxf7 Rf8 27.Nxd6+ Kc7 28.Qg5 Kxd6 is equal (Berg-Spoelman, Corus C, Wijk aan Zee, 2007).

11...b5


• If 11...Rb8 appears dubious: after 12.Qg3 Rg8 13.Rhf1 g5 14.fxg5 Ne5 15.Nf3 b5 16.Nxe5 b4 17.Nxf7 bxc3 18.gxf6 Rxg3 19.fxe7 Rg5 20.Bxg5 hxg5 21.Nxd6+ Black resigns because 21...Kxe7 22.Rf7+ drops the Queen (Grefe-Browne, US Ch, Moranwelz, 1973).
• 15...Nxf3 16.Qxf3 hxg5 17.Bg3 b5 18.Bxd6 Bxd6 19.Qxf6 leaves White a pawn up.
• 13...b5 14.Bxf6 Nxf6 15.e5 dxe5 16.fxe5 gives White a considerable advantage in space.

12.Bxf6

• If 12.e5 Bb7 13.exf6 Bxf3 14.Bxf3 Bxf6 15.Bxf6 Rc8 16.Bxg7 Rh7 17.Bh5 Rxg7 18.Nxe6 Qc4 19.Rhe1 Rxg2 20.Rxd6 Ke7 21.Re4 Qxe6 22.Nd5+ Kf8 23.Rexe6 Rcxc2+ 24.Kd1 Rxb2 25.Re2 Rg1+ 26.Re1 Rb1+ leaves Black up by an exchange (Klavins-Tal, Riga, 1959).
• 14...d5 15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.Bh5+ g6 17.Bxg6+ Kf8 18.fxe7+ Kg7 19.Bg3 Nf6 20.Rhe1 b4 21.Rxe6 bxc3 22.f5 Qb7 23.b3 Qd7 24.Be5 Qxe6 25.fxe6 Kxg6 26.Rf1 Nh7 27.Bxh8 Rxh8 28.Rf8 Rxf8 29.exf8Q Nxf8 30.e7 Kf7 31.exf8Q+ Kxf8 32.Kd1(Tal-Koblents, Trng Game, Riga, 1961).

12...Nxf6 13.e5 Bb7 14.Qg3 dxe5 15.fxe5 Nd5?!

• If 15...Nd7 16.Nxe6!? fxe6 17.Bh5+ Kd8 18.Qxg7 Rf8 19.Bg4 then:
• If 19...Bxg2 20.Rg1 the game is equal; and now:
• 20...Bf3? 21.Bxf3 Rxf3 22.Qg2 Bg5+ 23.Kb1 Rxc3 24.Qxa8+ wins for White (Molner-Correles, World Jr Ch, Yerevan, 2007).
• 20...Qc6 21.Rxg2 Qxg2 22.Rxd7+ Kxd7 23.Bxe6+ Kxe6 24.Qxg2 slightly favors White.
• If 19...Qc5? 20.Bxe6 Bc6 21.Bxd7 Bxd7 then:
• 22.Qg4 Bd6 23.Qe4 Bc6 24.Qg6 wins for White (Vasquez-Contreras, Op, Minneapolis, 2005).
• White still wins a piece after 22...Ra7 23.e6 b4 24.Ne4 Qe3+ 25.Kb1) 23.Qe4 Bc6 24.Qg6 wins for White (Vasquez-Contreras, Op, Minneapolis, 2005).

16.Nxe6 fxe6 17.Qg6+ Kd7 18.Bg4 Qxe5 19.Nxd5 Bxd5?

• This novelty appears insufficient to the damnds of the position.
• Correct is 19...Qg5+! 20.Nf4+ Kc7 21.Qxe6 when:
• 21...Rad8?? 22.Kb1 Bc8 23.Qxc8+ Black resigns for after 23...Rxc8 24.Ne6+ White recaptures the Queen and remains a piece to the good (Vuckovic-Marinkovic, Serbian ChT, Zlatibor, 2006).
• If 21...Qxf4+ 22.Kb1 then:
• After 22...Kb8! 23.Rd7 Bd8 24.Rxb7+ Kxb7 25.Bf3+! (any other move loses) 25...Kb8 26.Bxa8 Kxa8 27.Qxa6+ Kb8 28.Qxb5+ Ka8 29.Rd1! (preventing the Black King from escaping to the kingside) 29...Qxh2 30.Qc6+ Kb8 31.Qb5+ draws.
• After 22...Bd8?? White forces mate starting with 23.Rd7+ Kc8 24.Rxd8+ Kc7 25.Rd7+ Kc8 26.Qb6.

BLACK: Dmitri Kokarev
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Marie Sebag
Position after 19...Bb7d5:N

20.Rxd5+!!

• Sacrificing the Rook is White's only good option, but and how is it a good option.

20...Qxd5 21.Rd1 Bg5+ 22.Kb1 Qxd1+ 23.Bxd1 Bf6

• All moves since the sacrifice were froced. White is "down" two Rooks to a Queen, but has a small advantage in space. The position is equal.

24.Qf7+

• 24.Bf3 Rab8 25.Qd3+ Ke7 26.Qa3+ b4 27.Qxa6 Rhd8 remains equal.

24...Kd6 25.Bf3 Rab8 26.Qa7 b4

• After 26...a5 27.Qxa5 Rhd8 28.c3 e5 29.Qa6+ Ke7 30.Bd5. White wins the exchange.

27.Qxa6+ Ke7 28.Qa7+ Kd6 29.a3 bxa3 30.Qxa3+ Kd7 31.c3 Rhc8 32.Qa7+ Kd6 33.Kc2 Re8

• If 33...Be5 34.g3 Bf6 35.Bb7 Rd8 36.b4 then:
• If 36...Rdc8 37.Qa6+ Kd7 38.Bxc8+ Rxc8 39.Qd3+ gives White a material advantage.
• White wins after 36...e5 37.c4 h5 38.c5+ Ke6 39.c6.

34.Bb7 Red8 35.b4 Ke7 36.Bc8+ 1-0

• White wins a Rook and Mlle. Sebag wins a GM norm.
• Grandmaster Kokarev resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Mkrtchian - Golubenko, Ladies' Round 1, Plovdiv

Lilit Mkrtchian
Photo: ChessBase.com


Lilit Mkrtchian - Valentina Golubenko
European Championships (Ladies' Competition), Round 1
Plovdiv, 21 April 2008

Spanish Petit Royal Game: Calabrian Defense (Schliemann Defense)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5!?

• This defense has a dubious reputatation. When in doubt, leave the f-pawn at home in the opening.

4.d3

• If 4.d4 fxe4 5.Nxe5 Nxe5 6.dxe5 c6 7.Bc4 Qa5+ 8.Nc3 Qxe5 9.Bxg8 Rxg8 10.0-0 d5 11.f3 Bd6 12.g3 then:
• If 12...Bh3 13.Re1 0-0-0 14.Be3 b6 15.Qe2 Kb7 16.Bf4 Qd4+ 17.Be3 Qf6 18.fxe4 d4 19.Qh5 dxc3 20.Qxh3 cxb2 21.Rab1 Qc3 22.Bf4 Bxf4 23.Qxh7 Be5 White resigns while he's only a piece in the hole(Afanasjev-Chmulev, Op, Kharkov, 2002).
• If 12...e3 13.Re1 Bc5 14.Qe2 d4 15.Na4 Be7 16.c3 Qb5 17.cxd4? (a dubious sacrifice -- or is it a blundr?) 17...Qxa4 18.Bxe3 Kd8 19.d5 Qb5 20.Qc2 Bd7 21.Rad1 cxd5 22.Qxh7 Be6 23.Bd4 (White still has no compensation for the sacrificed Bishop) 23...Qd7 24.Re2 Bf7 25.Bxg7 Rc8 26.Bd4 then:
• 26...Bc5? 27.Qh4+ Be7 28.Rxe7 Qxe7 29.Bf6 wis for White(Meiners-Loman, Hilversum, 1903).
• After 26...Bd6 27.Bxa7 Rc6 28.Bd4 Bf4 Black still has the advantage.
• If 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 then:
• If 5...d5 6.Nxe5 dxe4 7.Nxc6 then:
• 7...Qg5 8.Qe2 Nf6 9.f4 Qxf4 10.Ne5+ c6 11.d4 Qh4+ 12.g3 Qh3 13.Bc4 Be6 14.Bg5 0-0-0 15.0-0-0 Bd6 16.Bxe6+ Qxe6 17.Qc4 Rhe8 18.Qxe6+ Rxe6 19.Nc4 Be7 20.Rhe1 Ng4 21.Bxe7 Rxe7 22.Re2 Red7 23.h3 Rxd4 24.Rxd4 Rxd4 25.Rxe4 Rd1+ 26.Kxd1 Nf2+ 27.Ke2 Nxe4 is equal and after some more moves ended in a draw(Brynell-Sigfusson, Euro ChT, Rethymnon, 2003).
• If 7...Qd5 8.c4 then:
• 8...Qd6 9.Nxa7+ Bd7 10.Bxd7+ Qxd7 11.Nb5 Nf6 12.0-0 Bc5 13.d4 exd3 14.Re1+ Kf7 15.Be3 Bxe3 16.Rxe3 Rad8 17.Qd2 Rhe8 18.Rae1 Rxe3 19.Rxe3 c6 20.Nc3 Qd4 21.b3 Qxc3!! 22.Qxc3 d2 White resigns(Smyslov-Bronstein, Soviet Union, 1962).
• 9.Qh5+ g6 10.Qe5+ Qxe5 11.Nxe5+ c6 12.Ba4 Bg7 13.d4 exd3 14.Bf4 Be6 15.0-0-0 0-0-0 16.Bb3 Rd4 17.Nxd3 Bxc4 18.Be3 Bh6 19.Nc5 Rxd1+ 20.Rxd1 Bxb3 21.axb3 Bxe3+ 22.fxe3 Nf6 23.Rf1 Ng4 24.Rf7 Nxe3 25.Nxb7 Nxg2 leaves Black a pawn to the good, although White has more piece activity(Alsina-Michalczak, IT, Solier, 2007).
• 5...Nf6 6.Qe2 d5 7.Nxf6+ gxf6 8.d4 Bg7 9.dxe5 0-0 10.e6 Ne5 11.Bf4 c6 12.Bd3 Nxd3+ 13.Qxd3 Bxe6 14.Nd4 Qd7 15.0-0-0 Rfe8 16.Rhe1 Bf7 17.Nf5 Bg6 18.g4 Rxe1 19.Rxe1 Re8 20.Re3 Bf8 21.Qd4 Bxf5 22.gxf5 Rxe3 23.fxe3 Qxf5 24.Qxa7 is equal(Perelshteyn-Khachiyan, US Ch, Stillwater, 2007).

4...fxe4 5.dxe4 Nf6 6.0-0 Bc5

• If 6...d6 7.Nc3 Be7 then:
• If 8.Qd3 Bg4 then:
• If 9.h3 Bxf3 10.Qxf3 0-0 11.Ne2 Kh8 then:
• 12.c3 Qd7 13.Ng3 Ng8 14.Qe2 Rae8 15.Be3 a6 16.Ba4 Bf6 17.Rad1 b5 18.Bc2 Na5 19.a4 g6 20.Ra1 Ra8 21.Rfd1 gives White a small advantage in space(Sorway-Anderson, British Ch, Great yarmouth, 2007).
• 12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.Ng3 Qd7 14.Qe2 c5 15.Bd2 Qc6 16.Qc4 Rab8 17.Bc3 Qb5 18.Qxb5 Rxb5 19.f4 exf4 20.Rxf4 Nd7 21.Rxf8+ Bxf8 22.Rf1 Kg8 23.Ne2 Rb8 24.Nf4 Re8 25.Re1 draw(Podkriznik-Srebrnik, Op, Ljubljana, 2001).
• 9.Qc4 Bxf3 10.Bxc6+ bxc6 11.Qxc6+ Nd7 12.gxf3 0-0 13.Nd5 Rc8 14.f4 exf4 15.Qc4 Kh8 16.Nxf4 Ne5 17.Qc3 Qd7 18.f3 Rf6 19.Ng2 Rcf8 20.f4 Qg4 21.Qg3 Qe2 22.Be3 Rg6 23.Qf2 Qxf2+ 24.Rxf2 Ng4 25.Re2 Nxe3 26.Rxe3 Rxf4 27.Rf1 Rfg4 28.Rf2 Bf6 is equal(Davies-Anastasovski, Canadian Op, Toronto, 2004).
• 8.Bc4 Bg4 9.h3 Bh5 10.Qd3 Nb4 11.Qe2 Bxf3 12.gxf3 Qd7 13.Kh2 Nc6 14.f4 Nd4 15.Qd3 c6 16.Ne2 Nxe2 17.Qxe2 0-0-0 18.fxe5 dxe5 19.f4 Bd6 20.f5 Qe7 21.Bg5 Bc7 22.Rad1 Kb8 23.c3 Rxd1 24.Rxd1 Rd8 25.Rxd8+ Bxd8 26.Kg2 a5 27.Qe3 b5 28.Be2 gives White a small advantage in space(Mikenas-Tolush, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1957).

7.Bxc6

• If 7.Nc3 d6 then:
• If 8.Bg5 0-0 9.Nd5 then:
• If 9...Kh8 then:
• If 10.Bc4 Be6 11.Nxf6 gxf6 12.Bxe6 fxg5 13.g3 Qf6 14.Bg4 Ne7 15.Kg2 Qg6 16.Nd2 Rad8 17.Qe2 c6 18.Nb3 Bb6 19.Nc1 Ng8 20.Nd3 Nh6 21.h3 Qf6 22.Rh1 d5 23.f3 dxe4 24.Qxe4 Rd4 25.Qe2 e4 26.fxe4 Rxd3 27.cxd3 Qf2+ 28.Qxf2 Rxf2+ 29.Kg1 Rf8+ draw(Hokkanen-Kivijarvi, Finnish ChT, Finland, 2000).
• 10...Bg4 11.Nxf6 gxf6 12.Bh6 Nd4 13.Bxf8 Nxf3+ 14.gxf3 Bh3 15.Qd2 Qxf8 16.Kh1 Bxf1 17.Rxf1 f5 18.Rg1 fxe4 19.Rg8+ Qxg8 20.Bxg8 Rxg8 21.b4 gives Black a Queen for a Rook and a minor piece(Thipsay-Lyell, London, 2001).
• 9...Be6 10.Nxf6+ gxf6 11.Bh6 Re8 12.c3 Kh8 13.Nh4 Rg8 14.Nf5 Ne7 15.Nxe7 Qxe7 16.Kh1 Qf7 is equal(Ramsingh-Zamora, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• 8.Be3 Bb6 9.Nd5 0-0 10.Bg5 Kh8 11.a4 Bg4 12.Be2 Bxf3 13.Bxf3 Ne7 14.Nxf6 gxf6 15.Bh6 Rg8 16.a5 Bc5 17.c3 a6 18.Bh5 Ng6 19.Kh1 give White a small advantage in space and more mobility(Khalifman-Inkiov, IT, Moscow, 1989).
• If 7.Qd3 d6 8.Qc4 then:
• If 8...Qe7 9.Nc3 Bd7 then:
• If 10.Nd5 Nxd5 11.exd5 Nd4 then:
• 12.Bxd7+ Qxd7 13.Nxe5 Qf5 14.Nd3 0-0-0 15.a4 Rhe8 16.Kh1 g5 17.Be3 Nf3 18.Nxc5 dxc5 19.Rfd1 Re4 20.Qf1 Nd4 21.Qd3 Qe5 22.Bxg5 Re8 23.Bd2 Rh4 24.h3 Qxd5 25.c4 Qc6 26.Qg3 Nf5 27.Qd3 Nd4 28.Qg3 Nf5 29.Qd3 Nd4 30.Qg3 Nf5 draw(Mamedyarov-Radjobov, Grand Prix, Baku, 2008).
• 12.Nxd4 Bxd4 13.Bxd7+ Qxd7 14.a4 a6 15.Be3 Bxe3 16.fxe3 0-0-0 17.Rf2 Rdf8 18.Raf1 Qe7 19.Qe4 g6 20.Rf3 Kb8 21.b3 Rxf3 22.Qxf3 Qg5 23.h3 Rc8 24.Kh2 Qh4 25.c4 a5 26.e4 gives White a small advantage in space(Carlsen-Radjobov, IT, Linares, 2008).
• 10.Bg5 a6 11.Bxc6 bxc6 12.Be3 Bxe3 13.fxe3 Qf7 14.Nd2 0-0 15.Qxf7+ Kxf7 16.Nc4 Ke7 17.Na5 Rab8 18.Rab1 c5 19.a3 Bb5 20.Rf3 Bd7 21.Rff1 Rb6 22.Nc4 Rb7 is equal(Carlsen-Radjobov, Match, Porto Vecchio, 2007).
• 8...Bb6 9.Nc3 Bd7 10.Ng5 Qe7 11.Nd5 Nxd5 12.exd5 Nd4 13.Bxd7+ Qxd7 14.c3 Nf5 15.a4 a5 16.Ne6 g6 17.Be3 Nxe3 18.fxe3 c6 19.Kh1 cxd5 20.Qxd5 Qc6 21.Qb3 d5 22.Rf6 Ke7 23.Raf1 Black resigns(Fulvia-Lyell, Op, Banyoles, 2005).

7...bxc6 8.Nxe5 0-0 9.Bg5

• If 9.Nd3 Nxe4 10.Nxc5 Nxc5 11.Be3 then:
• If 11...Ne6 then:
• 12.Nd2 c5 13.Nb3 Bb7 14.Na5 Be4 15.f3 Bg6 16.Qd2 d6 17.a3 Qf6 18.b4 Qf5 19.c3 Rfe8 20.Rfe1 a6 21.Rad1 Bf7 22.Qf2 is equal(Saltaev-Breder, Bundesliga, Koelin, 2006).
• 12.Qd2 d5 13.Rd1 Qd6 14.Nc3 Ba6 15.f3 Rfe8 16.Bf2 Bb7 17.b4 Ba6 18.b5 Bxb5 19.Nxb5 cxb5 20.Qxd5 Qxd5 21.Rxd5 a6 22.Re1 Nf4 23.Rxe8+ Rxe8 24.Rd7 c6 25.Kf1 Nd5 26.Bc5 a5 27.Kf2 Re6 is equal with White's slight extra space offset by the difficulty his has in retreating(Campora-Timmerman, Op, Dieren, 1984).
• 11...Ne4 12.Nd2 Nxd2 13.Qxd2 d6 14.b4 Be6 15.a3 Qf6 16.f3 Bd5 17.Qd3 Qf7 18.Rfe1 a5 19.Bd4 axb4 20.axb4 Rae8 21.Bc3 Qf4 22.Rxe8 Rxe8 23.Re1 Rxe1+ 24.Bxe1 Bc4 25.Qc3 Bb5 26.h3 Qc4 27.Qxc4+ Bxc4 is headed for a draw(Leko-Aronian, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2006).

9...Qe8 10.Bxf6 Rxf6 11.Nd3 Bb6

• 11...Bd4 12.c3 Bb6 13.Nd2 d6 14.c4 Qg6 15.Kh1 Bg4 16.f3 Be6 17.f4 Bg4 18.Qe1 Re8 19.c5 Bxc5 20.Nxc5 dxc5 21.h3 Bc8 22.Qe3 Qh6 23.Rf3 Rd8 24.Nc4 gives Black a small advantage in space, but the weak c-pawns tilt the judgment in White's favor(Macieja-Radjobov, Wolrd Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2007).

12.Nd2 Ba6 13.c4 d5 14.e5 Re6!?

• 14...Rh6 15.Rc1 Rh4 16.b3 dxc4 17.Nxc4 Qg6 18.Qe2 Rg4 19.Ne1 Qe6 20.h3 Rg6 21.Kh2 Rf8 22.f4 Bxc4 23.Qxc4 Be3 24.Rc3 gives White an extra pawn(González-Garía, Capablanca Mem, Havana, 2001).

15.Qa4

• After 15.Rc1 Qd8 16.Qa4 dxc4 17.Qxa6 cxd3 18.Nf3 Qd5 19.Rfd1 space and material are equal; White has better pawn structure and more piece activity.

15...dxc4 16.Nxc4

• 16.Qxa6 cxd3 17.Nf3 Rd8 18.Rad1 Qd7 19.Rd2 stops Black's passer.

16...Bb5 17.Qb3 Kh8 18.Nxb6 cxb6

• 18...axb6 19.f4 c5 20.Qc3 c6 21.a3 Qh5 22.a4 Bxd3 23.Qxd3 leaves White a pawn to the good.

19.f4!

• 19.Rad1?! Bxd3 20.Qxd3 Rxe5 21.b3 c5 is equal.

19...c5 20.Qc3 Rd8 21.Rf3

• White continues to enjoy and extra pawn after 21.Rad1 a6 22.b3 Rd4 23.a4 Bc6 24.f5.

21...c4 22.Nf2 Bc6 23.Rg3 b5 24.Re1 Qf8 25.Qe3

• The text is stronger than 25.Nh3 h6 26.b3 Qc5+ 27.Nf2 Rf8 28.Rg4.

25...a6 26.Ne4 Ree8?

• Black would put up a more stubborn fight after 26...Bxe4 27.Qxe4 Rd2 28.b3 Qc5+ 29.Rge3 Rc6.

27.Nc5!

• White threatens to win another pawn.

27...a5 28.Qf2 Rd5 29.Ne4 Qe7

• 29...Rd7 30.Nd6! Rxd6 31.exd6 Rxe1+ 32.Qxe1 Qxf4 33.Qd1 leaves Black up by an exchange.

30.Rh3 Bd7 31.Rhe3 Rf8

• If 31...Rd8 32.Nd6 a4 33.f5 Bc6 34.Re4 Kg8 35.Qb6 Ba8 36.f6 gxf6 37.Rg4+ is an easy win for White.
• After 34...Rf8 35.Qb6 Be8 36.R4e2 Kg8 37.Qe3 Rd3 38.Qf4 White will push her pawns forward at the most opportune moment.

BLACK: Valentina Golubenko
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WHITE: Lilit Mkrtchian
Position after 31...Re8f8

32.Nd6!

• White finds the most perfect square for a Knight.

32...Bf5 33.Qf3 Rd2

• If 33...Be6 34.f5 Rd4 35.Qh5 Bf7 then:
• If 36.Qe2 Be8 37.b3 Bd7 38.bxc4 bxc4 39.Re4 White remains up by a pawn.
• 36.Qh3 Rd2 37.R3e2 Rd3 38.Qg4 b4 39.Kh1 Rxd6 40.exd6 Qxd6 White is up by an exchange.

34.R3e2 Rxe2 35.Qxe2

• The text is better than 35.Rxe2?! Bb1 36.a3 Bd3 when Black gains time to improve his position.

35...Bd3 36.Qe3 Qd7

• No better is 36...a4 37.Qd4 Rb8 38.e6 when:
• After 38...b4 39.Nxc4 Bxc4 40.Qxc4 White is two pawns to the good.
• If 38...a3 39.Qe5 then:
• After 39...Rf8 40.bxa3 c3 41.Qd5 White is two pawns to the good.
• White wins by 39...axb2 40.Nf7+ Kg8 41.Qxb8+ Qf8 42.Qxf8+ Kxf8 43.e7+

37.Qd4 b4

• If 37...Qe7 38.e6 b4 39.b3 cxb3 then:
• White wins after 40.Qxd3 bxa2 41.Qd2 b3 42.Nf7+.
• Also winning is 40.axb3 Bc2 41.Re5 Bxb3 42.Nf7+ Kg8 43.Rg5.

38.e6 Qe7 39.Re3

• White threatens 40.Rg3.

39...Kg8 40.Nxc4 Rd8

• White is two pawns to the good after 40...Bxc4 41.Qxc4 Rd8 42.Re1 g6 43.Qc2 Rf8 44.Qf2.

BLACK: Valentina Golubenko
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WHITE: Lilit Mkrtchian
Position after 40...Rf8d8

41.Qxd8+!!

• The Queen sacrifice wins immediately.

41...Qxd8 42.e7 Qxe7

• After 42...Qe8 43.Nd6 Bg6 44.Nxe8 Bxe8 White is up by an exchange and two pawns.

43.Rxe7 Bxc4 44.b3 1-0

• White's material advantage makes resistance futile.
• WGM Golubenko resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Voiska - Cramling, Ladies' Round 4, Plovdiv

Pia Cramling
Photo: ChessBase.com


Margarita Voiska - Pia Cramling
European Championships (Ladies' Competition), Round 4
Plovdiv, 24 April 2008

Indian Knights Game: Polish Defense

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 b5

• If 4...Nbd7 5.c4 c6 6.Qc2 then:
• If 6...Bd6 7.0-0 0-0 then:
• If 8.Nbd2 Re8 9.b3 e5 then:
• If 10.cxd5 cxd5 11.dxe5 Nxe5 12.Bb2 then:
• If 12...Bg4 13.Bxe5 Bxe5 14.Nxe5 Rxe5 15.Nf3 then:
• 15...Re7 16.Nd4 Rc8 17.Qb2 Rec7 18.f3 Bd7 19.Rac1 h6 20.Rfd1 b6 21.Rxc7 draw (Tukmakhov-Noguieras, Mesa, 1992).
• 15...Bf5 16.Qb2 Re7 17.Nd4 Qd7 18.Nxf5 Qxf5 19.e3 Rc8 20.Qa3 Rec7 21.Qxa7 Ne4 22.Rad1 Rc2 23.Bxe4 dxe4 24.Qxb7 leaves White two pawns to the good (Islam-Rahman, IT, Dhaka, 2007).
• 12...Nc6 13.e3 Bg4 14.Rac1 Qe7 15.Nd4 Nxd4 16.Bxd4 Ba3 17.Bc5 Bxc5 18.Qxc5 Qxc5 19.Rxc5 Rac8 20.Rfc1 Rxc5 21.Rxc5 Rc8 22.Rxc8+ Bxc8 23.Nb1 Bd7 24.Nc3 draw (Bareev-Anand, IT, Biel, 1993).
• If 10.dxe5 Nxe5 11.Bb2 Qe7 12.Nd4 then:
• If 12...Bb4 13.cxd5 cxd5 14.a3 Ba5 15.b4 Bb6 16.e4 dxe4 17.Nxe4 Nxe4 18.Bxe4 Bh3 19.Rfd1 Rac8 20.Qb1 Qf6 21.f4 Nc4 White resigns (Timman-Cifuentes, Dutch Ch, Rotterdam, 1997).
• 12...dxc4 13.Nxc4 Nxc4 14.Qxc4 Be5 15.Rad1 Bg4 16.f3 Bd7 17.f4 Bxd4+ 18.Qxd4 Bg4 19.Rde1 Qd7 20.e4 Qxd4+ 21.Bxd4 gives White a tactical edge and his Bishops should have a better future than Black's Bishop and Knight (T. L. Petrosian-Kozhuharov, Euro Ch, Rd 2, Plovdiv, 2008).
• If 8.Nc3 dxc4 (Black is a pawn up) 9.Rd1 Qc7 10.Nd2 Nb6 11.a4 a5 then:
• If 12.e4?! e5 13.dxe5 Bxe5 14.Ne2 Rd8! (this moves protects the c-pawn)
• 15.Rf1 Bg4 16.f3 Be6 17.f4 Bd4+ 18.Nxd4 Rxd4 19.f5 Bd7 20.Ra3 c5 21.e5 then:
• 21...Ng4 22.Nf3 Rd3 23.e6 Rxa3 24.exf7+ Kh8 25.bxa3 Bxa4 26.Qb1 Bb3 27.Ng5 h6 28.f6 hxg5 29.Qg6 gxf6 30.Be4 Black resigns (de Santis-Astengo, Op, Genoa, 2001).
• 21...Nfd5 22.Nf3 Rd3 23.f6 Bf5 24.Nh4! then:
• 24...Be6! 25.Rxd3 cxd3 26.Qxd3 Qxe5 Black remains a pawn to the good.
• 24...Rxa3? 25.Qxf5 gxf6 26.Be4
White wins.
• 15.Nxc4?? Nxc4! 16.Qxc4 Rxd1+ puts the lights out early.
• 12.Nce4 Nxe4 13.Bxe4 h6 14.Nxc4 is equal.
• 6...Ne4 7.0-0 Bd6 8.b3 0-0 9.Ba3 Bxa3 10.Nxa3 Qe7 11.Qb2 f5 12.Nc2 g5 13.Nce1 g4 14.Ne5 Nxe5 15.dxe5 f4 16.Bxe4 dxe4 17.Qd4 b6 18.Qxe4 Bb7 19.c5 Qxc5 20.Nd3 Qd5 21.Qxd5 exd5 22.Nxf4 gives White an extra pawn (Valat-C. Flear, Op, St-Chely d'Aubrac, 2001).
• 4...Be7 5.c4 is a Catalan opening.
• 4...c5 5.0-0 Nc6 6.c4 is a Catalan opening.

5.0-0 Nbd7

• If 5...Bb7 6.c3 then:
• If 6...Nbd7 7.Bg5 c5 then:
• If 8.Nbd2 Be7 9.a4 then:
• 9...bxa4 10.Qxa4 0-0 11.Nb3 Nb6 12.Qa2 Ne4 13.Na5 Nxg5 14.Nxb7 Nxf3+ 15.Bxf3 Qc7 16.Nxc5 Bxc5 17.dxc5 Qxc5 18.e4 d4 19.cxd4 Qxd4 20.Rfd1 Qe5 21.Rac1 draw (Vladimirov-Sargissian, Op, Abu Dhabi, 2003).
• 9...a6 10.Bxf6 Nxf6 11.dxc5 Bxc5 12.b4 Bb6 13.axb5 axb5 14.Rxa8 Bxa8 15.Nd4 Qd7 16.N2f3 0-0 draw (Pigusov-Zvjaginsev, Euro ChT, Panormo, 2001).
• 8.a4 b4 9.cxb4 cxb4 10.Nbd2 Be7 11.Nb3 h6 12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.a5 Ba6 14.Re1 0-0 15.e3 Qb8 16.Bf1 Bxf1 17.Kxf1 Rc8 18.Qe2 e5 19.dxe5 Nxe5 draw (Papaioannou-Maceija, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• 6...a5 7.Bg5 Be7 8.Ne5 Nfd7 9.Bxe7 Qxe7 10.Nd3 c5 11.dxc5 Nxc5 12.Nxc5 Qxc5 13.Nd2 0-0 14.e4 Rd8 15.Qe2 Na6 16.Rfd1 Qb6 17.exd5 Bxd5 18.Bxd5 Rxd5 19.c4 bxc4 20.Nxc4 Qb5 is equal (Sosonko-Tatai, Mitropa Cup, Italy-Holland, 1995).

6.Bg5!?

• If 6.b3 Bb7 then:
• 7.c4 bxc4 8.bxc4 dxc4 9.Na3 Bd5 10.Qa4 c6 11.Bg5 Nb6 12.Qa5 Be7 13.Rac1 0-0 14.Rfe1 Qd6 15.Nc2 Be4 16.Bf4 Qd5 17.Bd2 Rfd8 18.Ne3 Qb5 19.a4 Nxa4 20.Nxc4 Bd5 21.Nce5 h6 22.Rb1 Qxa5 23.Bxa5 Rdb8 24.Ra1 Nb6 25.Rec1 Rc8 26.Nd3 draw (Batsiashvili-Matveeva, Euro Ch, Rd 2, Plovdiv, 2008).
• 7.Bb2 c5 8.Nbd2 Qb6 9.Rb1 cxd4 10.Bxd4 Bc5 11.Bxc5 Nxc5 12.c4 Nce4 13.Rc1 0-0 14.Nxe4 Nxe4 15.cxd5 Bxd5 16.Qd4 Qb7 17.Ne5 Nxg3 18.hxg3 Bxg2 19.Rfd1 Bd5 20.Rc5 f6 21.Ng4 Qb6 22.Ne3 Bb7 23.Qb4 gives White a considerable advantage in space (Bogza-Lahno, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• If 6.a4 b4 7.c4 bxc3 then:
• If 8.Nxc3 Be7 9.Bf4 then:
• 9...Nh5 10.Bd2 Bb7 11.a5 Rb8 12.Qc2 0-0 13.Na4 Ba6 14.Ne5 Nxe5 15.dxe5 g6 16.Be3 Bc4 17.Bxa7 Ra8 18.Bd4 Rxa5 is equal (Bajarani-Zhou Weiqi, Op, Dubai, 2008).
• 9...c6 10.Rc1 Ba6 11.b4 Nh5 12.Bd2 0-0 13.b5 cxb5 14.axb5 Bb7 15.Na4 Rc8 16.Qb3 Nhf6 17.Rxc8 Qxc8 18.Rc1 Qa8 19.Bb4 Bxb4 20.Qxb4 Rc8 21.Rxc8+ Qxc8 22.Nc5 a6 23.bxa6 Bxa6 24.Nxa6 Qxa6 25.Bf1 h6 26.e3 Qa2 is equal (Pentala-Sasikiran, Op, Hastings, 2002-03).
• 8.bxc3 Ba6 9.Nbd2 Be7 10.Re1 c5 11.e4 Nxe4 12.Nxe4 dxe4 13.Rxe4 Bb7 14.Re1 0-0 15.Qc2 cxd4 16.Rb1 Bxf3 17.Bxf3 Rc8 18.c4 Nb6 19.Be2 Nxc4 20.Qe4 Bf6 21.Bd3 g6 22.Bh6 Re8 23.h4 gives White a considerable advantage in space (Mishra-Roeder, Op, Calcutta, 2000).
• If 6.Nbd2 Bb7 7.c3 Be7 8.a4 then:
• If 8...b4 9.c4 c5 10.cxd5 Bxd5 11.b3 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Bxg2 13.Kxg2 Nc5 14.Bb2 0-0 15.f3 Rc8 16.Nc4 Qd7 17.e4 Rfd8 18.Qe2 Qb7 19.Rfd1 Qa6 20.Rac1 h6 21.Qe3 Nfxe4 22.fxe4 Bg5 23.Qf3 Bxc1 24.Rxc1 gives White the advantage in space (Leiber-Michalczak, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• 8...a6 9.b4 a5 10.bxa5 Rxa5 11.Nb3 Rxa4 12.Rxa4 bxa4 13.Na5 Qa8 14.Nxb7 Qxb7 15.Qxa4 0-0 16.c4 Nb6 17.Qb5 c6 18.Qb1 Qa6 19.c5 Nc4 20.Bf4 Ne4 21.h4 f6 is equal (Vitiugov-Vorobiov, Russian Ch HL, Krasnoyarsk, 2007).

6...Be7 7.Qd3

• If 7.c3 0-0 8.Qd3 a5 then:
• 9.Qxb5 9...Ba6 10.Qa4 Bxe2 11.Re1 Bxf3 12.Bxf3 is equal.
• 9.Nfd2 Ba6 10.Rd1 b4 11.Qf3 Rb8 12.b3 e5 is equal.

7...a6 8.Nbd2 Bb7 9.Nb3

• 9.b3 c5 10.c4 cxd4 11.Qxd4 is equal.

9...c5 10.Nxc5 Nxc5 11.dxc5 Bxc5

• Black has an open c-file, making the pawn at c2 a natural target.

12.Nd4 0-0 13.c3

• Apart from securing the centralized Knight, this move serves as a prophylaxis against attacks attacks along the c-file.

13...h6

• 13...Rc8 is premature: 14.a4 b4 15.cxb4 Bxb4 16.Rac1 Qe7 17.Qb3 a5 is equal.

14.Bxf6 Qxf6 15.Nb3 Bb6 16.a4

• Also playable is 16.e3 Rfc8 17.Rfd1 Rc4 18.a3 Rac8 19.Nd2 R4c7.

16...Bc6 17.a5

• 17.Nd4 drops a pawn to 17...Bxd4 18.Qxd4 Qxd4 19.cxd4 bxa4 20.Rfc1 Rfc8.

17...Ba7 18.Nd4 Bb7 19.e3 Rac8

19...e5 20.Nc2 Rfe8 21.Nb4 e4 22.Qd2 Rad8 23.Rad1 Qe5 gives Black the dvantage in space.

20.Rfd1 Rc4 21.Nc2

• If 21.b3 Rc5 22.b4 Rc4 23.Rdc1 Rfc8 then:
• 24.Qd2 Ba8 25.Ra3 Qg6 gives Black a comfortable advantage in space.
• If 24.Bh3 Ba8 25.Bf1 R4c7 then:
• 26.f4 h5! (there is nothing to stop this pawn from charging forward) 27.Ra3 h4 28.gxh4 Qxh4 29.Ra2 gives Black a clear advantage.
• 26.Ne2 Bb8 27.Rd1 Rc4 gives Black a considerable advantage in space.

21...Rd8 22.Qe2

• 22.Na3 Rc6 23.Rd2 Bc5 24.Nc2 Bd6 25.Nd4 Rc4 is good for Black.

22...g6

• Black may be showing some aggressive designs on the kingside.

23.Rd2 Kg7

• Black looks for opportunities on the kingside. Opening the queenside is a dubious plan.
• 23...Bb8 24.Nd4 Rdc8 25.Qd3 then:
• After 25...b4 26.cxb4 Rxb4 27.Rc2 Rxc2 28.Qxc2 Rc4 Black is no better than before.
• 25...Bd6 is too slow: 26.Nc2 Be5 27.Ra3 keeps the file closed at c3.

24.Na3 Rcc8

• With this, Black abandons her queenside plans.

25.Nc2 Bb8 26.Rad1 Bc7!?

• Black tries one last time to provoke a weakness in White's queenside.

27.e4?

• Ignoring the threat leads to the loss of a pawn, giving Black opportunities in the center.
• If 27.Ra1 Kg8 28.Qg4 h5 29.Qb4 h4 then:
• 30.Rad1 Kg7 31.Nd4 hxg3 32.fxg3 Qe5 33.Nc2 Bd6 34.Qd4 Qxd4 35.exd4 Bc7 is equal.
• If 30.Qc5 Bd6 31.Qb6 Rd7 then:
• 32.Qd4 Qxd4 33.exd4 g5 gives Black more space, but not much to do with it.
• 32...Be5 33.Qg4 Bc7 34.Nd4 is equal.
• If 27.Nd4 Bxa5 28.Nxb5 axb5 29.Qxb5 Bxc3 30.bxc3 then:
• If 30...Ba8 31.e4 dxe4 32.Rxd8 Rxd8 33.Rxd8 Qxd8 34.Qe5+ Qf6 gives Black an extra pawn.
• 30...Bc6 31.Qb2 Rb8 32.Qc2 Rdc8 33.Rd4 Bb5 34.e4 fixes Black's center and gnaws away at it.

BLACK: Pia Cramling
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WHITE: Margarita Voiska
Position after 27.e3e4


27...dxe4!!

• Black sets in motion the correct winning procedure.
• If 27...Bxa5?! 28.exd5 Bxd5 29.Bxd5 Rxd5 30.Rxd5 exd5 then:
• 31.Ne3 Rd8 32.Rxd5 Rxd5 33.Nxd5 Qf5 34.Qd1 is equal.
• 31.Rxd5 Rd8 32.Ne3 Bb6 33.Ng4 Qe6 34.Qxe6 fxe6 35.Rxd8 Bxd8 is equal.

28.Bxe4 Qe5

• If 28...Bxe4 29.Qxe4 Bxa5 30.Qb7 then:
• 30...e5 31.Ne3 Rxd2 32.Rxd2 Rd8 33.Rxd8 Bxd8 gives Black an extra pawn.
• After 30...Rxd2 31.Rxd2 Rd8 32.Rxd8 Qxd8 Black keeps the pawn (33.Qxa6? Qd1+!).

29.Bf3

• After 29.f3 Black wins a pawn with 29...Bxe4 30.fxe4 Rxd2 31.Rxd2 Bxa5.

29...Qxe2 30.Bxe2 Bxa5 31.Rxd8 Rxd8 32.Rxd8 Bxd8

• Not only is Black a pawn to the good, but with the open center her Bishops are superior to Black's Bishop and Knight.

33.c4 Be4

• Instead of taking the pawn, Black attacks the hanging Knight.
• After 33...bxc4 34.Bxc4 a5 35.Kf1 e5 36.Ne3 f5 37.Bd5 Bxd5 38.Nxd5 Black remains a pawn to the good.

34.Ne3 b4

• Black's plan is to create an advanced passed pawn on the queenside while stopping the c-pawn with a Bishop, sacrificing to advance the a-pawn if necessary.

35.f3

• If 35.b3 a5 36.Bd1 then Black implements an alternate plan to bring up his kingside majority; there are two ways to accompish this:
• If 36...Bc7 37.f3 Bc6 38.f4 g5 39.Ng2 f5.
• 36...Bb6 37.Kf1 Bb7 38.Bc2 f5 39.Ke2 g5.

35...Bc6 36.Nc2

• After 36.Bd1 Bb6 37.Kf2 Kf6 38.Ke2 Ke7 39.Kd3 Kd6 Black remains a pawn up with superior Bishops.

36...a5!

• This is another necessary step in creating the passed pawn (see note to Black's 34th move).

37.Kf2

• After 37.b3 Black creates her desired passed pawn (see note to Black's 23the move) as follows: 37...Be7 38.Ne1 a4 39.bxa4 Bxa4.

37...Bb6+ 38.Kf1 b3

• Black gains time for her plans by attacking White's hanging material.

39.Ne1 Bd4 40.Nd3 a4

• White's c-pawn has been immobile since the 33rd move, but White has been unable to stop the advance of Black's queenside.

41.Bd1 Bb7 42.c5 Ba6 43.Be2

• This shortens White's agony.
• After 43.Ke2 Bxc5 44.Kd2 Bd4 45.Nb4 Bb5 46.Nd3 Kf6 47.f4 Ke7 Black brings the King into the attack.

BLACK: Pia Cramling
!""""""""#
$ + + + +%
$+ + +oL %
$v+ +o+oO%
$+ P + + %
$o+ V + +%
$+o+n+pP %
$ P +b+ P%
$+ + +k+ %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Margarita Voiska
Position after 43.Bd1e2

43...Bxb2!! 44.Nxb2 a3 0-1

• If 45.Bxa6 a2! (45...axb2?? loses to 46.Bd3!) 46.Kg2 a1Q.
• WGM Voiska resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Update (Monday): Ivanchuk completes first robin with perfect score

Ukrainian GM Vassily Ivanchuk, playing Black, defeated Levon Aronian of Armenia in 40 moves today for his fifth win in as many games as the first half of the fourth annual MTel Masters' Tournament completed in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia.

Also winning toady was former FIDE world champion Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria, who is in second place with 3½ points. The rest of the field is being left in the dust.

Tomorrow is a rest day for the players. The second half of the double round robin tournament begins Wednesday.

Grandmaster Ivanchuk scored three of his five victories in the first half of the event with Black. He will have White three times in the remaining five rounds.