The Jack Rabbit Chess Report (May 25); Shulman, Zatonskih win US Championships

[Jack Rabbit]

Shulman and Zatonskih win US Championships



Grandmaster Yury Shulman of Chicago by way of Minsk, and IM Anna Zatonskih of Long Island by way of Ukraine, become he new US chess chammpions on Wednesday in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at the conclusion of the championships tournaments.

Ms. Zatonskih was the US women's champion once before, in 2006. She and defending champion Irina Krush, also originally from Ukraine, tied for first with 7½ points in 9 rounds and had to play a series of blitz gamea to determine the winner. After splitting the first four playoff games, the championship came down to a single Armageddon game in which White has as extra minute and Black has the odds of draw. Ms. Krush lost the game on time when Ms. Zatonskih had only one second left herself.

Ms. Zatonskih entered the final round trailing Ms. Krush by a half point. Ms. Zatonskih won her final game with Black against Tsagaan Battsetseg, who was born in Mongolia, while Ms. Krush played a marathon 104-move game against native Armenian Kat Rohonyan. The day before, Ms. Zatonskuh and Ms. Krush played each other in the eighth round to a draw in a magnificent struggle.

Mr. Shulman is the US national champion for the first time. He succeeds Latvian-born Alex Shabalov, who succeeded Ukrainian-American Alex Onischuk, who succeeded Japanese native Hikaru Nakamura.

California IM Josh Friedel scored 5½ points to earn his third grandmaster norm. Mr. Friedel is an oddity among top-ranked American chess players. He was born in the United States.

Armenian native Tatev Abrahamyan, who finished tied for third with Ms. Rohonyan in the women's competition, won the Fighting Chess Award sponsored by website Goddess Chess.


Calendar

Other events completed:

The Capablanca Memorial Tournament was won by Cuban grandmaster Lenier Domínguez in Havana with 6 points out of nine.

The President's Cup Open Tournamant was won by Russian grandmaster Evgeny Najer in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku with 7½ points. Grandmaster and former women's world champion Antoaneta Stefanova of Bulgaria won the prize for best performance by a woman with 6½ points.

This week:

The annual tournament sponsored by the Bosna Chess Club began in Sarajevo Friday. After three rounds, Alexander Morozevich of Russia leads with 2½ points, followed by Cuban grandmaster Lenier Domínguez with 2.

The Chicago Open, another major US event, began Friday featuring some of the same players who competed in the US Championships which finished only two days before in Tulsa. After two rounds, six players have perfect scores.

The King's Tournament in Banza, Romania, an old-timers event, began yesterday. Lajos Portisch leads after two rounds with a point and a half.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. This week's games:

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. Shulman - Kudrin, Round 6, Tulsa

With this victory, Mr. Shulman took possession of first place and never looked back.



US National Champion Yury Shulman
Photo: Brooklyn College Chess Club


Yury Shulman - Sergey Kudrin
US Championships (General Competition), Round 6
Tulsa, 18 May 2008

West Inida Game: Indian Queen's Gambit (Exchange Opening) (Grünfeld Defense)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Nf3 c5 8.Rb1

• If 8.Be3 Qa5 then:
• If 9.Bd2 0-0 10.Be2 then:
• 10...cxd4 11.cxd4 Qd8 12.Rc1 gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Cramling-Dronavalli, ITW, Istanbul. 2008).
• 10...Bg4 11.0-0 Rd8 12.Ng5 Bxe2 13.Qxe2 Qa6 14.Qxa6 Nxa6 15.d5 c4 16.Be3 Rac8 gives White the advantage in space (Korchnoi-I. Smirin, IT, Biel, 2002).
• If 9.Qd2 Nc6 10.Rc1 cxd4 11.cxd4 Qxd2+ 12.Kxd2 0-0 then:
• If 13.d5 Rd8 14.Ke1 then:
• 14...Na5 15.Bg5 Bd7 16.Bd3 Rdc8 17.Ke2 e6 18.Be3 exd5 19.exd5 b5 20.Nd2 a6 21.Ne4 Bf5 22.f3 Be5 23.g4 Bxe4 24.Bxe4 Rxc1 25.Bxc1 Nc4 26.h4 a5 27.Bg5 Re8 28.Kd3 Nb2+ draw (van Wely-Ftacnik, Bundesliga, Bonn, 2001).
• If 14...Nb4 15.Bd2 Na6 then:
• If 16.Bg5 Kf8 17.Bxa6 bxa6 18.Ke2 h6 19.Bf4 f5 20.exf5 g5 21.Be3 Rxd5 22.g4 e6 23.f6 Bxf6 24.h4 Bd7 25.Kf1 Kg7 26.hxg5 hxg5 27.Rc7 Rc8 28.Rxa7 Kg6 29.Rh5 Rh8 draw (Nielsen-Hracek. Euro ChT, Panormo (Greece), 2001).
• 16.Bb5 e6 17.Bxa6 bxa6 18.Ba5 Rd6 19.Bc7 Rd7 20.dxe6 fxe6 21.Bf4 a5 22.Ne5 Rd4 gives White the advantage in space (Keene-Jansa, Esbjerb, 1981).
• 13.Bb5 f5 14.exf5 Bxf5 15.Bxc6 bxc6 16.Rxc6 Rab8 17.Kc3 Be4 18.Rc7 Rf6 19.Ra1 Ra6 20.a4 Bf6 21.Ne5 Rab6 22.Nd7 Rb3+ 23.Kd2 Rb2+ 24.Ke1 Rb1+ 25.Rxb1 Rxb1+ 26.Kd2 Rb2+ 27.Kc1 Rb1+ 28.Kd2 draw (Browne-Vaganian, Ol, Thessaloniki, 1984).

8...0-0 9.Be2 b6

• If 9...Nc6 10.d5 Ne5 11.Nxe5 Bxe5 12.Qd2 then:
• If 12...e6 13.f4 Bc7 14.0-0 exd5 15.exd5 Ba5 16.d6 b6 17.Bf3 Rb8 18.Ba3 Qf6 19.Bb4 Bf5 20.Rbc1 c4 21.Bxa5 bxa5 gives Black the advantage in space (Marzolo-Brkic, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• If 12...b6 13.f4 Bg7 14.0-0 e6 then:
• 15.d6 Bb7 16.Bf3 e5 17.c4 Qe8 18.Bb2 Rd8 19.Rbd1 Bc6 20.Qc1 exf4 21.Bxg7 Kxg7 22.Qxf4 gives White a comfortable lead in space (Kamsky-Razuvaev. Op. Paris, 1990).
• 15.dxe6 fxe6 16.Qe3 Bb7 17.Bc4 Kh8 18.Bxe6 Qf6 19.Bb3 g5 20.Qe2 gxf4 21.Bxf4 Qxc3 22.Kh1 Qd4 23.Bc2 Rae8 24.Rbd1 Qb2 gives Black a spatial edge and an attack on a loose pawn (Vokac-Stohl, Zlin, 1995).
• If 9...cxd4 10.cxd4 Qa5+ 11.Bd2 Qxa2 12.0-0 Bg4 13.Bg5 h6 14.Be3 Nc6 15.d5 then:
• 15...Bxf3 16.gxf3 Nd4 17.Bd3 Qa3 18.f4 Qd6 19.Rxb7 Rfb8 20.Qb1 Nf3+ 21.Kg2 Nh4+ 22.Kh1 g5 23.Rg1 gxf4 24.Bc5 Qe5 25.Bd4 Rxb7 26.Qxb7 Qxd4 27.Qxa8+ Kh7 28.Bb1 is equal (Krasenkow-Svidler, Rubinstein Mem, Polanica Zdroj, 2000).
• 15...Na5 16.Bc5 Bf6 17.e5 Bxe5 18.Rb4 Bxf3 19.Bxf3 Rae8 20.Be3 Nc4 21.Bxh6 Nd6 22.Bxf8 Rxf8 23.h4 Rc8 24.Be4 Qa5 25.Ra4 Qb5 26.Bb1 Rc5 is unclear: White has the equivalent of an extra pawn, but Black has more than enough space to compensate (Kramnik-Anand, IT, Dos Hermanas, 1996).

10.0-0 Bb7 11.Qd3 e6

• If 11...Ba6 12.Qe3 then:
• If 12...Qd7 then:
• If 13.dxc5 Bxe2 14.Qxe2 bxc5 15.Qc4 Qc6 16.e5 Nd7 17.Re1 e6 then:
• 18.Bg5 Rfb8 19.Rbd1 Nb6 20.Qe2 Qa4 21.Rd6 Nd5 22.c4 Nc3 23.Qd3 Nxa2 24.Rd1 Nb4 is unclear: Black has an extra pawn and White has more space (Markos-Greenfeld, Euro ChT, León, 2001).
• 18.Qh4 Rfb8 19.Ra1 Qc7 20.Bf4 c4 21.Rad1 Nc5 22.Bh6 Nd3 23.Bxg7 Kxg7 24.Qf6+ is equal (Wang Yue-Timofeev, Team M, Nizhniy Novgorod, 2007).
• 13.Bxa6 Nxa6 14.Qe2 Nc7 15.Rd1 Qa4 16.Rb3 cxd4 17.cxd4 Ne6 18.e5 gives White a small advantage in space (Zaja-I. Smirin, Croatian ChT, Pula, 2001).
• 12...cxd4 13.cxd4 Qd7 14.Ba3 Bxe2 15.Qxe2 Rc8 16.d5 Qa4 17.Bxe7 Re8 18.Bb4 Nd7 19.Rfc1 gives White the advantage in space (W. Schmidt-Garcia, Ol, Thessaloniki, 1988).

12.Bg5 Qc7

• If 12...Qd6 13.Qe3 cxd4 14.cxd4 then:
• 14...Rc8 15.Rfd1 Nd7 16.h4 Rc2 17.e5 Qc7 18.Bd3 Rc3 19.Qe2 Bd5 20.Rbc1 h6 21.Be3 Rd8 22.h5 Nf8 is equal (Lputian-Lalic, IT, Sarajevo, 1985).
• 14...Nc6 15.Rfd1 Rfc8 is equal (Bonin-Stone, City Ch, New York, 1989).

13.Qe3 Nd7 14.Rfd1!?

• 14.Nd2 Rfc8 15.e5 cxd4 16.cxd4 Qc3 17.Bd3 Bd5 18.Ne4 Bxe4 19.Qxe4 Qa3 20.Rbc1 gives White the advantage in space (Nyback-Bae, Politiken Cup, Helsignor, 2007).
• 14.e5 a6 15.Qf4 b5 16.a4 bxa4 17.Be7 Rfc8 18.Bd6 Qc6 19.Bd3 cxd4 20.cxd4 gives White a considerable advantage in space (Gupta-Gopal, Op, Andorra, 2006).

14...Nf6

• If 14...cxd4 15.cxd4 Qc2 then:
• 16.Bb5 Nf6 17.Bxf6 Bxf6 18.e5 Bg7 is equal.
• 16.Bd3 Qxa2 17.Ra1 Qb3 18.Rdb1 Qc3 19.Rc1 Qb2 20.Rab1 Qa3 21.Rc7 White continues to enjoy the advantage in space in spite of Black's Queen sortie.

15.Nd2

• 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.dxc5 bxc5 17.e5 Bg7 18.Rb5 Rfc8 is equal.

15...cxd4 16.cxd4 Rac8 17.h3

• 17.Bf3 Qd7 18.Rbc1 Rxc1 19.Rxc1 Rc8 20.Rxc8+ Qxc8 21.h3 is equal.

17...Qc2 18.Bd3 Qa4

• 18...Qxa2 19.Ra1 Qb2 20.Nc4 Rxc4 21.Bxc4 Nxe4 22.Rxa7 gives White a Rook on the seventh and a theoretical one pawn material advantage.

19.Bb5 Qc2 20.Re1 Qc3 21.Bd3

• Black has the advantage in space; however, an advantage is space should not be considered seriously when it is based on the territory claimed by one piece, such as Black's Queen in this position.

21...e5 22.d5 Nd7

• 22...Rfd8 23.Red1 Rd6 24.Rb3 Qc7 25.Nc4 gives White the advantage in space (see previous note).

23.Bb5

• 23.Be7 Rfe8 24.Bb4 Qc7 25.Nf3 gives White the advantage in space.

23...Qxe3 24.Rxe3

• The exchange of Queens gives White the advantage in space (see note to White's 21st move).

24...Bf6 25.h4

• If 25.Bxf6 Nxf6 26.Nf3 then:
• 26...Bxd5 27.exd5 e4 28.Ng5 Nxd5 29.Ra3 Nc3 30.Rbb3 gives White a piece for two pawns.
• 26...Nxe4 27.Rxe4 Bxd5 28.Rxe5 gives White both a material and spatial advantage.

25...Bxg5

• If 25...Rc2 26.Nf3 Bxg5 27.hxg5 then:
• If 27...Nc5 28.Nxe5 Rxa2 29.Bc6 then:
• 29...Rd8 30.Bxb7 Nxb7 31.Nc6 gives White a clear advantage in space.
• 29...Ba6 30.d6 Rd2 31.d7 makes a real nuisance of White's d-pawn.
• 27...Bc8 28.Bxd7 Bxd7 29.a3 Re8 30.Rbb3 gives White a passed pawn while the game winds down to an ending.

26.hxg5 Nc5 27.Nc4 h6

• 27...a6 28.Nxb6 axb5 29.Nxc8 Rxc8 30.Rxb5 Ba6 31.Rb2 gives White a small material advantage.

BLACK: Sergey Kudrin
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WHITE: Yury Shulman
Position after 27...h7h6

28.Nxe5!

• Also good is 28.gxh6 Kh7 29.Nxe5 Kxh6 30.Bc6 Ba6 31.Ra3 f6 32.Nd7.

28...hxg5 29.f3 Kg7 30.Ra3 Ra8

• 30...a6 31.Bc6 Bxc6 32.Nxc6 b5 33.e5 White's mobile pawns tilt the game in his favor.

31.Bc6 Rfb8 32.Rc3

• White threatens 33.Rxc5 bxc5 34.Bxb7 Rxb7 35.Rxb7 winning a piece.

32...f6 33.Bxb7

• If 33.Nd7 then:
• 33...Nxd7 34.Bxd7 f5 35.Rc7 Kf6 36.Re1 White is clearly better.
• 33...Bxc6 34.Nxb8 Rxb8 35.Rxc5leaves White an exchange to the good.

33...Rxb7

• If 33...Nxb7 then after 34.Rc7+ Kh8 35.Nxg6+ Kg8 36.Ne7+ Kg7 37.Kf2 Black cannot parry the threat to play 38.Rh1 without losing the Knight.

34.Rxc5 fxe5 35.Rc6 Re8 36.Kf2 g4

BLACK: Sergey Kudrin
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WHITE: Yury Shulman
Position after 36...g5g4

37.Rbc1!

• Basing his plan on the rule that in Rook endings the attacker should keep a maximum checking distance, White decides to penetrate on the c-file, where his Rooks have more freedom to navigate.
• The text is better than 37.Rh1 Rf8 38.Ke3 gxf3 39.gxf3 Rbf7 40.Rh3 Rf6 41.Rc7+ R8f7 when Black may obtain some counterplay after the exchange of Rooks owing to the shorter checking distance of the Rook coming in on the h-file.

37...gxf3 38.gxf3 Rf7 39.Rc7 Ref8 40.Ke3 Kh6

• After 40...b5 41.Rxf7+ Rxf7 42.Rc8 b4 43.Re8 Rc7 44.Rxe5 puts White in a commanding position.

BLACK: Sergey Kudrin
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WHITE: Yury Shulman
Position after 40...Kg7h6

41.Rxf7!!

• If 41.Ke2? Rxf3 42.Rxa7 Rf2+ then:
• 43.Kd3 R2f3+ is equal.
• 43.Ke3?? R8f3# would not be to White's liking at all.

41...Rxf7 42.Rc6 b5 43.Re6 a5 44.Rxe5 b4 45.Re6 Rb7

• If 45...Ra7 46.f4 Kg7 47.Rb6 Rc7 48.Rc6 then:
• After 48...Rb7 49.d6 b3 50.axb3 Rxb3+ 51.Kd4 White is a pawn up and that pawn is closing in on promotion.
• 48...Rd7 49.Ra6 Rc7 50.Rxa5 leaves White two pawns to the good.
• After 48...Rf7 49.Ra6 Rb7 50.Rxa5 Kf7 51.Kd4 White is up by two pawns and has all the less tangible advantages he could have given the material available

46.Ra6 b3 47.axb3 Rxb3+ 48.Kf4 Ra3

• If 48...Kh5 49.Rxa5 g5+ 50.Kg3 then:
• If 50...Rd3 51.Ra6 Rd2 52.Re6 Rb2 53.d6 Rd2 54.e5 White's advanced passers decide.
• If 50...Rb6 51.Ra4 Rb1 52.d6 then:
• If 52...Rg1+ 53.Kf2 Rd1 54.e5 at least one of White's passers will reach the end zone.
• 52...Rd1 53.e5 Kg6 54.Re4 gives White an elementary win.

49.d6 Kg7 50.Ke5 Rxf3 51.d7 1-0

• After 51...Rf8 52.Rxa5 g5 53.Kd6 it will cost Black a Rook to capture the pawn.
• Mr. Kudrin resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Battsetseg - Zatonskih, Round 9, Tulsa

US Women's Champion Anna Zatonskih
Photo: New Yor Masters


Tsagaan Battsetseg - Anna Zatonskih
US Championships (Women's Competition), Round 9
Tulsa, 21 May 2008

Closed French Game: Winawer Defense

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Bd3 c5 6.c3 b6

• If 6...Nc6 then:
• If 7.Ne2 cxd4 8.cxd4 f6 9.exf6 then:
• If 9...Nxf6 10.Nf3 then:
• If 10...Bd6 11.0-0 Qc7 12.Bg5 0-0 13.Bh4 then:
• If 13...Nh5 14.Qc2 h6 then:
• 15.Bg6 Rxf3 16.gxf3 Bxh2+ 17.Kh1 Nf4 18.Ng3 e5 19.Rad1 Qd6 20.Bh7+ Kh8 21.dxe5 Nxe5 22.Be4 Bh3 23.Kxh2 Qe6 24.Nh5 dxe4 25.Nxf4 Nxf3+ 26.Kh1 Qf5 27.Bg3 Bxf1 28.Rxf1 g5 29.Qc3+ Kh7 30.Qc7+ Kh8 31.Qc3+ Kh7 32.Qc7+ draws by repetition (Kotronias-M. Gurevich, Euro Ch, Kusadasi, 2006).
• 15.Bh7+ Kh8 16.Bg6 Rxf3 17.Bxh5 Rf8 18.Bg3 Bd7 19.Rad1 Rf6 20.Qd2 Be8 21.Bg4 Bf7 is equal (Pogonina-M. Bensdorp, Euro Ch, Chisinau, 2005).
• If 13...e5 14.dxe5 Nxe5 15.Nxe5 Bxe5 16.Bg3 Bxg3 17.Nxg3 then:
• 17...Qf4 18.Qb3 Kh8 19.Rae1 Bd7 20.Re7 Rac8 21.Qxb7 Rc1 22.Qxa7 d4 23.Re2 Ng4 24.Qxd7 Nxf2 25.Bf5 Ng4 26.Qf7 Rxf1+ 27.Nxf1 Qb8 28.Qb3 Qa7 29.Bxg4 d3+ 30.Re3 d2 31.Qd5 Black resigns (Navara-Schneider, World Jr Ch, Athens, 2001).
• 17...Qb6 18.Qd2 Bd7 19.Rfe1 Rae8 20.h3 Bb5 21.Bc2 Rxe1+ 22.Rxe1 Re8 23.Rxe8+ Bxe8 is equal (Svidler-M. Gurevich, Vidra Mem, Haifa, 1995).
• If 10...Qb6 11.0-0 Bd6 12.Nc3 0-0 13.Be3 then:
• 13...Bd7 14.a3 Be8 15.Ng5 Ne7 16.h3 Bc7 17.Na4 Bxa4 18.Qxa4 Nf5 19.Rac1 Nxe3 20.fxe3 Qd6 21.Rxc7 Qxc7 22.Nxe6 Qe7 23.Nxf8 Qxe3+ 24.Kh2 Qxd3 25.Rf3 Qc4 26.Qxc4 dxc4 27.Ne6 is equal (Ye Jiangchuan-Zhong Zhang, Sufe Cup, Shanghai, 2000).
• 14.Re1 Kh8 15.h3 Be8 16.Ng5 Bf7 17.a3 Bg8 18.b4 Qd8 19.Rc1 e5 20.dxe5 Bxe5 21.Bd2 gives White the advantage in space (Proehl-Holzke, Bundesliga, Germany, 1999).
• If 9...Qxf6 10.Nf3 h6 11.0-0 Bd6 then:
• 12.Ng3 0-0 13.Bc2 Rd8 14.Re1 Nf8 15.Ne5 Bxe5 16.dxe5 Qh4 17.f4 Bd7 18.Be3 Be8 19.Rc1 Rac8 20.Bb1 gives White more space (B. Socko-Olsson, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• If 12.Be3 0-0 then:
• 13.Bc2 Rd8 14.Qd2 Nf8 15.a3 Bd7 16.Bf4 Bxf4 17.Nxf4 Be8 18.Qe3 g5 19.Nd3 Bg6 20.Rac1 Rac8 21.h3 Be4 22.Nde5 Bxc2 23.Rxc2 Nxe5 24.dxe5 Qf4 25.Rxc8 Qxe3 26.Rxd8 Qb6 27.Rc8 Qxb2 28.Rfc1 Qxa3 29.R1c7 b5 30.Rb8 b4 31.Rcc8 b3 32.Rxf8+ Qxf8 33.Rxf8+ Kxf8 34.Nd2 is equal (Palac-Troselj, Op, Rijeka, 2001).
• 13.Bb5 Nb6 14.Rc1 Bd7 15.Nc3 Be8 16.Be2 Rc8 17.Re1 Bh5 18.h3 Nc4 19.Bxc4 Bxf3 20.gxf3 dxc4 21.Ne4 Qg6+ 22.Kh1 Bb8 23.Rxc4 Rcd8 24.Rc3 Ne7 25.Bc1 Nf5 is equal and shortly thereafter drawn (L. Vajda-Hoang, IT, Budapest, 1999).
• If 7.Ngf3 Be7 then:
• 8.0-0 a5 9.Re1 cxd4 10.cxd4 Qb6 11.Nb1 Nxd4 12.Nxd4 Qxd4 13.Nc3 Qb6 14.Qg4 0-0 15.Bh6 g6 16.Nb5 Nc5 17.Qd4 Bd7 18.Bxf8 Rxf8 19.a4 f6 20.exf6 Bxf6 21.Qe3 Bxb2 22.Ra2 Bf6 23.Rc1 d4 24.Qg3 Nxd3 25.Qxd3 Bc6 26.Re2 e5 is equal (Rublevsky-Lputian, FIDE Knock Out, New Delhi, 2000).
• 8...g5 9.dxc5 Ndxe5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Nb3 Nxd3 12.Qxd3 e5 13.Qe2 Qc7 14.Re1 e4 15.c4 Be6 16.Nd4 Bxc5 17.cxd5 Bxd5 18.Qb5+ Kf8 19.Be3 a6 20.Qa4 b5 21.Qd1 Qd7 22.Bxg5 Rg8 23.Bh6+ Ke8 24.Be3 Rd8 25.Qh5 Bxd4 26.Bxd4 Qg4 27.Qxg4 Rxg4 28.Bf6 Rd6 29.f3 Rg6 30.fxe4 Bb7 31.Bc3 Rde6 32.g3 Rxe4 33.Rxe4+ draw (Rublevsky-Bartel, Vidmar Mem, Portoroz, 2005).

7.Ndf3

• If 7.Ne2 Ba6 8.Bxa6 Nxa6 9.0-0 then:
• If 9...Nc7 10.Nf4 Be7 then:
• If 11.Qg4 g6 then:
• If 12.Nf3 c4 13.h4 h5 14.Qg3 b5 15.Nh3 then:
• 15...Nf8 16.a4 bxa4 17.Rxa4 a6 18.Nfg5 Nh7 19.Qf3 Nxg5 20.Bxg5 Rb8 21.Ra2 Bxg5 22.Nxg5 gives White a coimfortable advantage in space (Rublevsky-Kosyrev, Russian Ch FL, Kazan, 2005).
• 15...a5 16.Nfg5 Rg8 17.Re1 Nf8 18.Re3 Rg7 19.Rf3 Qd7 20.Bd2 Na6 21.Re1 gives White the advantage in space (Berelovich-Jussupow, Bundesling, Germany, 2002).
• 12.Re1 c4 13.a4 b5 draw (Ye Juanchuan-Korchnoi, Ol, Istanbul, 2000).
• 11.Re1 0-0 12.Nf1 Qc8 13.Ng3 f5 14.c4 g5 15.Nxe6 Nxe6 16.cxd5 Nxd4 17.d6 Bd8 18.e6 Bf6 19.Nh5 Qc6 is equal (Keres-Dvoretzky, Moscow, 1973).
• 9...b5 10.f4 g6 11.Nf3 Be7 12.g4 h5 13.h3 Qb6 14.Kg2 b4 15.Bd2 Qb5 16.Ng3 Nb6 17.gxh5 gxh5 18.h4 Nc4 19.Qe2 bxc3 20.bxc3 Rb8 21.Rf2 Qa5 gives Black the advantage in space (Malishauskas-Shabalov, Soviet Young Masters Ch, Vilnius, 1988).

7...Ba6 8.Ne2!?

• 8.Bg5 Qc8 9.Rc1 h6 10.Be3 Bxd3 11.Qxd3 Qa6 12.Qxa6 Nxa6 13.Ne2 cxd4 14.Nexd4 g5 15.g4 Bg7 16.h4 h5 17.Rg1 gxh4 18.gxh5 Kf8 leaves White with vulnerable pawns (Netzer-Berkes, Euro ChTU18, Balatonlelle, 2001).
• 8.Nh3 Bxd3 9.Qxd3 Nc6 10.0-0 c4 11.Qc2 b5 12.b3 Nb6 13.Be3 Be7 14.Nd2 Qc7 15.bxc4 bxc4 16.f4 g6 17.g4 h5 18.f5 hxg4 19.fxe6 is equal (Vllin-Apicella, French ChT Top 16, Port Barcares, 2005).

8...Bxd3

• The game is equal.
• 8...Be7 9.Bxa6 Nxa6 10.Qa4 Nc7 11.dxc5 bxc5 12.Qg4 0-0 remains equal.

9.Qxd3 Nc6 10.0-0 Be7 11.Bf4

• 11.Re1 Rc8 12.Bf4 0-0 13.Rad1 c4 14.Qe3 b5 is still equal.

11...c4

• Slightly better is 11...0-0 12.Rfd1 c4 13.Qe3 b5 with equality.

12.Qd2 h6 13.Ng3!?

• White could employ a plan to play on an open queenside, but it comes with risks.
• 13.Rfb1 b5 14.b3 Rb8 15.Qc2 0-0 16.a4 cxb3 17.Qxb3 bxa4 18.Qxa4 activates White's haevy pieces on the queenside, but it also saddles her with a backward pawn on the open c-file.
• White appears to have some plans on the kingside, but it's hard to tell what it is.
• A better kingside plan involves an attack with the Queen and Knights, but it may be too slow, for example 13.Bg3 0-0 14.Qf4 b5 15.Qg4 a5 16.Nf4 Kh7 17.Nh5 Rg8 gives White a small advantage in space, but Black has defended well.

13...Qc7 14.Rfb1 Na5?

• The Knight has no good moves from a5.
• 14...0-0 15.b3 b5 16.Rb2 Rab8 17.Rd1 cxb3 18.axb3 Rfc8 remains equal.

BLACK: Anna Zatonskih
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Tsagaan Battsetseg
Position after 14...Nc6a5

15.Nh5

• White's kingside pieces are too uncoordinated to set up an attack.
• Better is 15.Ne2 0-0 16.Bg3 a6 17.Qf4 Nc6 18.Bh4 b5 19.Bxe7 Nxe7 with eqaulity.

15...Rg8 16.Qc1 0-0-0!?

• White currently enjoys a small advadage in space, although trying to make it work for her is another matter.
• Meanwhilte, the Black King has found safety on the queenside, which may be risky in that she is at the same time trying to open that wing for her heavy pieces.
• If 16...Nf8 17.Bg3 a6 then:
• 18.Nf4 Nc6 19.b3 b5 20.Qc2 g5 21.Nh5 g4 22.Ne1 Rg5 23.Nf4 White still has a small advantage in space, but her attack has been slowed.
• After 18.Bh4 g5 19.Bg3 Nd7 20.Qc2 Rg6 Black has stopped White's attack, but still hasn't found any good targets on the queenside.

17.b3 Kb7 18.Nd2 Rc8 19.a4 Ka8 20.Qf1?!

• White has let her advantage slip away.
• She could have maintained it with 20.bxc4! dxc4 21.Qc2 Qc6 22.Rb5 f5 23.exf6 gxf6 24.Ng3 when the Knight shields the mating threat at g2 Nd White's once-bad Bishop runs on the open plains.

20...Nb8 21.b4 Nac6

• The game is equal.

22.Nxc4?

• This is the kind of unsound sacrifice that goes down into the books as a blunder. White gets two pawns for the piece, but has no hope of mobilizing her queenside, the only circumstance that would justify the sacrifice.

22...dxc4 23.Qxc4 Bg5?!

• Black counter attacks on the kingside, but she would gain more by addressing White's "threats" straightaway.
• After 23...Nd8 24.Qxc7 Rxc7 White has a permanently weak White pawn at c3 as a target of attack.

24.a5?

• This, or something like it, is the natural follow up the White's 22nd move. If there are any doubters about the dubious nature of the Knight sacrifice, they shall soon be satisfied.
• After 24.Bxg5 hxg5 25.a5 bxa5 26.bxa5 Nd8 27.Qxc7 Rxc7 28.Ra3 a6 Black is better, but it's still a game.
• 24.b5 Na5 25.Qxc7 Rxc7 26.Bxg5 hxg5 27.Ra3 is clearly in Black's favor.

BLACK: Anna Zatonskih
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WHITE: Tsagaan Battsetseg
Position after 24.a4a5

24...bxa5!

• 24...Bxf4? 25.Nxf4 bxa5 26.b5 Nd8 27.Qa2 Nd7 28.Rb3 Nb7 is equal.

25.b5 Ne7 26.Qxc7 Rxc7 27.Rxa5 Rxc3

• White has nothing whatsoever to show for the sacrifice.

28.Rba1 a6 29.bxa6 Rgc8 30.h4

• If 30.Bxg5 is probably better. but Black stiill should win after 30...hxg5 31.h3 Nf5 32.d5 exd5 33.Rxd5 Rc1+.

30...Bxf4 31.Nxf4 Rc1+ 32.Kh2

• If 32.Rxc1 then after 32...Rxc1+ 33.Kh2 Rc4 34.Ne2 Nf5 Black wins a pawn.

32...Rxa1 33.Rxa1 Rd8 34.Ne2 Nf5

• At least another White pawn must fall.

35.g3 Nxd4 36.Nc3

• If 36.Nxd4 Black wins another pawn after 36...Rxd4 37.Kg2 Ka7 38.Kf3 Nc6 39.Ke3 Rg4.

36...Ka7 0-1

• Black remains up by a piece.
• Ms. Battsetseg resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Zatonskih - Krush, Round 8, Tulsa

Irina Krush
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Zatonskih,Anna - Irina Krush
US Chess Championships (Women's Competition), Round 8
Tulsa, 20 May 2008

West India Game: King's Indian Defense (Fianchetto Opening/Kavalek Variation)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 0-0 5.Bg2 d6 6.0-0 c6

• If 6...Nc6 7.Nc3 then:
• If 7...Rb8 8.h3 then:
• If 8...e5 then:
• If 9.Be3 a6 10.Rc1 then:
• 10...Bf5 11.g4 Bd7 12.Qd2 h5 13.dxe5 dxe5 14.g5 Nh7 15.Rfd1 Bf5 16.Qxd8 Rfxd8 17.h4 White has a small advantage in space (Grischuk-Inarkiev, Grand Prix, Baku, 2008).
• 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).
• 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.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).
• 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 18.Rac1 Bxb2 19.Bxc7 Ra6 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).
• 15...Nde5 16.Nxe5 Nxe5 17.Rac1 c5 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).
• 11...Nd7 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).
• If 7...e5 then:
• If 8.d5 Ne7 9.e4 Ne8 10.Ne1 then:
• If 10...f5 11.Nd3 Nf6 then:
• 12.Bg5 h6 13.Bxf6 Bxf6 14.f4 exf4 15.Nxf4 Be5 16.Qd2 c6 draw (Karpov-Gelfand, Op, Seville, 1994).
• 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 bxc6 12.Bb2 Rb8 13.Rb1 then:
• 13...Qc8 14.Re1 Bh3 15.Bh1 Rd8 16.Qd2 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).
• 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).
• 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 Nd8 23.Rg1 f6 24.Rg3 gives White the advantage in space (Nielsen-Bologan, Samba Cup, Skanderborg, 2003).
• If 7...Bg4 8.d5 Na5 9.Nd2 c5 then:
• If 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 21.Nh3 cxb3 22.axb3 Qb6 is equal (Damljanovic-Velimirovic, Yugoslav Ch, Niksic, 1997).
• 10.h3 Bd7 11.Qc2 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).

7.Nc3 Qa5

• If 7...Bf5 then:
• If 8.b3 Ne4 9.Bb2 Nxc3 10.Bxc3 Be4 11.e3 then:
• If 11...Nd7 then:
• 12.Bh3 c5 13.Rc1 e6 14.Qe2 Qe7 15.Rfd1 Rfd8 16.Ne1 b6 17.Nd3 Bb7 18.Nf4 Nf6 19.Ba1 e5 20.dxe5 dxe5 21.Nd3 e4 22.Nf4 h5 23.Bg2 is equal (Wojtaszek-Roiz, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).
• 12.Qe2 Nf6 13.Rfd1 d5 14.Bf1 Bxf3 15.Qxf3 Ne4 16.Bb2 f5 17.Qe2 e6 18.f3 Nf6 19.Bg2 Qa5 20.Qc2 Rf7 21.Bc3 Qc7 22.Re1 Rd8 23.Rac1 Rfd7 24.c5 gives White better mobility (Harsanyi-C.-A. Foisor, ITW, Szeged, 2006).
• 11...d5 12.Qe2 e6 13.Rfc1 Nd7 14.Bf1 Bxf3 15.Qxf3 Qe7 16.Rab1 a6 17.Be1 Rfe8 18.Rc2 Nf6 19.a4 Rad8 20.cxd5 cxd5 21.Rbc1 Qa3 22.Rc3 gives White a small advantage in space (Markowski-Jaracz, Polish Ch, Poznan, 2005)
• 8.Nh4 Be6 9.d5 cxd5 10.cxd5 Bd7 11.Be3 Na6 12.Bd4 Qa5 13.a3 Rfc8 14.b4 Qd8 15.Qd3 Ng4 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.Nf3 Qc7 18.Rfc1 is equal (Demina-Lomineishvili, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).

8.e4 e5

• 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).
• 17...Na6 18.Qxd7 Qxa4 19.Bf3 Rac8 20.Qa7 is equal.

9.h3 Nbd7 10.Re1 Re8

• 10...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 is equal (Maherramzade-Magerramov, Op, Abu Dhabai, 2001).

11.a3

• 11.d5 cxd5 12.cxd5 b5 13.a3 a6 14.Be3 Qd8 15.Nd2 Nb6 16.Rc1 Rf8 17.Na2 Nfd7 18.Nb4 f5 19.Nc6 Qf6 20.exf5 gxf5 21.b3 Qf7 22.a4 Kh8 draw (Ivkov-Minic, IT, Vinkovci, 1968).

11...Qc7!?

• If 11...exd4 12.Nxd4 then:
• 12...Ne5 13.Bf1 a6 14.Bd2 Qb6 15.Be3 c5 16.Nb3 Be6 17.Nd2 Nc6 18.b4 Ng4 19.hxg4 Bxc3 20.Rc1 Bg7 is equal (Kotov-Tal, Soviet Ch, Riga, 1958).
• If 12...Nb6 13.Bf1 then:
• 13...Be6? 14.b4 Qh5 15.g4 Bxg4 16.hxg4 Qxg4+ 17.Bg2 Nxc4 18.Qxg4 Nxg4 19.Rd1 si equal (Najdorf-Szmetan, Argentine Ch, Buenos Aires, 1975).
• 13...Nbd7 14.b4 Qc7 is equal.

12.Be3

• 12.d5 a6 13.Be3 b6 14.Qd3 cxd5 15.Nxd5 Nxd5 16.cxd5 f5 is equal.

12...exd4 13.Nxd4 Nc5 14.Qc2 a5 15.b3 h5

• 15...Qe7 16.Rad1 Nfd7 17.Rd2 Nf6 18.Bg5 gives White a small advantage in space; there is a great deal of tension in the center.

16.Rad1 Nfd7 17.Rd2 Ne5 18.Red1 a4

• After 18...Bf8 19.f4 Ned7 20.Nf3 b6 21.Bf2 Bg7 22.Bd4 White has the adavantage in space.

19.b4 Nxc4 20.bxc5 Nxe3

• 20...Nxd2 21.Rxd2 dxc5 22.Nf3 Qa5 23.Ne2 b6 is balanced.

21.fxe3 dxc5 22.Nde2 b5

• 22...c4 23.Na2 b5 24.Nb4 Be5 25.Qc1 Qb6 26.Nc2 c5 gives Black the advantage in space.

23.e5?

• This pawn should be used to keep the center closed.
• 23.Nf4 c4 24.Nb1 Rb8 25.Bh1 Qe7 26.Kh2 h4 27.g4 Bb7 is equal.

23...Bf5

• If 23...Qxe5 24.Bxc6 Qxe3+ 25.Kh1 Bf5 26.Rd3 Qe7 then:
• 27.Bxb5 c4 28.Bxc4 Qxa3 29.Rf1 Qc5 30.Bd5 Ra7 31.Rxf5 gxf5 gives Black the advantage in space.
• 27.Bxa8 c4 28.Rd7 Bxc2 29.Rxe7 Rxe7 30.Rd8+ Kh7 is equal.

24.Qc1 Bxe5?

• If 24...b4 25.axb4 Bh6 26.Rd6 Rxe5 27.Rxc6 Qb8 then:
• 28.Nf4 cxb4 29.Ne4 Bxe4 gives Black two extra pawns.
• 28.Nd4 Bxe3+ 29.Qxe3 Rxe3 30.Nxf5 gxf5 gives Black a tremendous advantage.

BLACK:Irina Krush
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Anna Zatonskih
Position after 24...Bg7e5:p

25.Ne4!

• 25.Kf2 Qc8 26.Ne4 Bxh3 27.Nxc5 Bxg2 28.Kxg2 gives Black a slim advantage in space.

25...c4

• If 25...Bxe4 26.Bxe4 Bxg3 then:
• 27.Rd7 Qe5 28.Bxc6 Rac8 29.Bxb5 Qxe3+ 30.Qxe3 Rxe3 31.R1d3 gives White a small adavantage with more active pieces.
• 27.Nxg3 Qxg3+ 28.Rg2 Qc7 29.Qc2 Re7 is equal.

26.Nd6 Bxd6 27.Rxd6 Be4

• If 27...Bd3 28.Rxc6 then:
• 28...Qe5 29.Nf4 Qxe3+ 30.Qxe3 Rxe3 31.Rb6 Rae8 32.Kf2 is equal.
• 28...Qe7 29.Kf2 Rad8 30.Nc3 h4 31.g4 Qe5 is equal.

28.Qd2 Bxg2 29.Kxg2 Qe7

• 29...Qa7 30.Kf2 Qe7 31.Qd4 Qg5 32.Nf4 Rac8 gives White the advantage in space, but Black's defense is solid.

30.Kf2 h4 31.Qd4 c5?!

• If 31...Rac8 32.gxh4 then:
• 32...c5 33.Qf4 Rcd8 34.h5 g5 35.Qg3 Rxd6 36.Rxd6 gives White the advantage in space and material.
• 32...Qe5 33.Qxe5 Rxe5 34.Nd4 Kg7 35.Nxc6 White has an extra piece.

32.Qxc5 Rac8 33.Qd4 c3?

• Black drops a pawn.
• Better is 33...Qe5 34.Rd5 Qe7 35.Qc3 Rc6 36.R1d4 Rf6+ 37.Nf4 when White is still superior, but no more so than before.

34.Nxc3 hxg3+

• After 34...Rc4? White wins with 35.Qd2 hxg3+ 36.Kf3! (the pawn is poisoned: 36.Kxg3? Qh4+36...Kh7 37.Rd4 Qxa3 38.Nxb5 Rxd4 39.Qxd4.

35.Kg2

• The pawn is poisoned, but not unstoppable.
• If 35.Kf3! Qg5 36.Nd5! then:
• 36...Rc4 (
  
• 36...Qf5+ 37.Kxg3 Qg5+ 38.Qg4 Qe5+ 39.Qf4 Kg7 leaves White a piece ahead.

40.Rd7 ) 37.Qb2 Rxe3+ 38.Nxe3 Rf4+ 39.Kg2 leaves White with a prohibitive material advantage.
35...Qxe3 36.Qxe3?

• If 36.Rd3 Qc1 then:
• White keeps her advantage after 37.Rxg3 Qc2+ 38.Kf1 Qc1+ 39.Nd1 Qc2 40.Qd3 Rc5 41.Qxc2 Rxc2 42.Rf3.
• 37.Rd7? Rc4! 38.Qd5 Rf4 39.Rf3 Re1 is equal.

36...Rxe3 37.Nxb5
BLACK:Irina Krush
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Anna Zatonskih
Position after 37.Nc3b5:p

37...Rb3!

• Black has equalized.

38.Rd8+ Rxd8 39.Rxd8+ Kg7 40.Nd4 Rxa3

• The smoke clears and the endgame imbalance is White's Knight against three extra pawns for Black. If Black can exchange Rooks without losing the a-pawn, the game is hers.

41.Nf3

• This seals the fate of the pawn.

41...Ra1!

• Black wastes no time in moving to her next plan: maneuver the Rook to h1, capture the h-pawn and use some tactics along the third rank.

42.Kxg3 a3 43.Ra8 a2 44.Kf2

• Better is 44.Kg2 f6 45.Ng1 g5 46.Ne2 Kg6 47.Ng3 when White has better winning chances than in the text.

44...g5!?

• The pawn is poisoned.
• If 45.Nxg5?? Black wins after 45...Rh1 46.Ne4 a1Q 47.Rxa1 Rxa1.
• While that's a cute trap, Black is still better palying 44...Rh1 45.Rxa2 Rxh3 46.Ra6 Rh5 47.Rd6 Ra5 with equality.

45.Ne1!

• White shows the flaw in Black's plan.

45...Kg6 46.Nc2 Rh1 47.Kg2
BLACK:Irina Krush
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WHITE: Anna Zatonskih
Position after 47.Kf2g2

47...Rd1!!

• Black finds the only move that works!
• 47...Rc1? fails to 48.Rxa2! f5 49.Nd4 g4 50.h4 f4 51.Ra5! and White goes on to win.

48.Rxa2 Rd2+ 49.Kf3 Kh5

• The game is dead even now.

50.Ke3 Rh2 51.Kd3

• 51.Ke4 Kh4 52.Ra4 Kxh3 53.Ra3+ Kh4 54.Ne3 Kh5 55.Ra8 Rf2 remains equal.

51...f5 52.Ra8 Rxh3+ 53.Ne3 g4

• A better try is 53...Rg3 54.Ke2 f4 55.Nd5 Kg4 56.Nf6+ Kf5 57.Rf8 Rb3, but there's no forced win for either side here.

54.Rf8 Rf3 55.Ke2 Kg5 56.Rf7 Kg6 57.Ra7 Kg5 58.Ra5 Rf4

• The game has reached a state of entropy.

59.Ra8 Rf3 60.Rf8 Kg6 61.Rb8 Kg5 62.Rb5 Rf4 63.Rb8 ½-½

• Ms. Zatonskih offers a draw and Ms. Krush accepts.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Cheparinov - Ivanchuk, Round 10, Sofia

Vassily Ivanchuk
Photo: ChessBase.com


Ivan Cheparinov - Vassily Ivanchuk
MTel Masters Round 10
Sofia, 18 May 2008

Open Sicilian Game: Taimanov Defense

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e6 5.Nc3

• For a more detailed survey of the Taimanov Defense, see Smith-Stellwagen, IT, Malmø, 2008.

5...Qc7 6.Be3 a6 7.Qd2 Nf6 8.0-0-0 Bb4 9.f3 Ne5

• If 9...0-0 10.g4 b5 then:
• 11.h4 Ne5 12.h5 Bb7 13.h6 g6 14.g5 Ne8 15.Be2 Rc8 16.Nb3 f6(Smith-Stellwagen, IT, Malmø, 2008)
• If 11.g5 Nh5 12.Kb1 then:
• 12...Nxd4 13.Qxd4 Bxc3 14.Qxc3 Qxc3 15.bxc3 d5 16.Be2 g6 17.exd5 exd5 18.Rhe1 Re8 19.Bd3 Bd7 is equal (Anand-J. Polgar, Canada de Calatrava. 2007).
• 12...Ne5 13.Be2 Rb8 14.f4 Nc4 15.Bxc4 bxc4 16.Nde2 Rd8 17.Bd4 Bb7 18.Qe3 gives White the advantage in space (Rogers-Bjelobrk, Australian Ch, Brisbane, 2008).

10.Nb3 b5 11.Bd4

• If 11.Kb1 then:
• If 11...Be7 12.Qf2 d6 then:
• If 13.Bb6 Qb8 14.Bd4 0-0 15.g4 Bb7 16.g5 Nfd7 17.Rg1 b4 18.Ne2 then:
• 18...Rc8 19.Ng3 a5 20.f4 a4 21.Nc1 Nc6 22.Be3 b3 23.cxb3 axb3 24.a3 Na5 25.f5 Qc7 26.Bd3 Ne5 gives Black a narrow edge in space and better minor pieces (Sebag-Sulypa, Bois Colombes, 2004).
• 18...a5 19.f4 a4 20.Nd2 Nc6 21.Be3 b3 22.cxb3 axb3 23.a3 Rc8 24.Nc3 gives White a comfortable advantage in space (K. Georgiev-Z. Almasi, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• If 13.g4 then:
• If 13...Nfd7 14.Rg1 Bb7 15.g5 then:
• If 15...Rc8 16.f4 b4 17.Nd5 exd5 18.fxe5 Nxe5 19.exd5 0-0 20.Bh3 then:
• 20...Ra8 21.Bb6 Qb8 22.Na5 Bc8 23.Bxc8 Rxc8 24.Rdf1 Rf8 25.Nc6 gives White a huge advantage in space (Spraggett-Bellon, Op, Gibraltar, 2006).
• 20...Rce8 21.Bf5 Bd8 22.h4 a5 23.h5 a4 24.Nc1 Qa5 is equal (N. Kosintseva-Javakhishvili, World ChTW, Ekaterinburg, 2007).
• 15...b4 16.Ne2 0-0 17.Ned4 Nc5 18.h4 d5 19.exd5 Bxd5 20.h5 Rac8 21.Bh3 Nxb3 22.axb3 Nxf3 23.Rg3 Nxd4 24.Rxd4 f5 gives Black a huge advantage in space (Lutz-Movsesian, Bundesliga, Germany, 2003).
• 13...Bb7 14.Bb6 Qb8 15.Bd4 0-0 16.g5 Nfd7 17.f4 b4 18.fxe5 bxc3 19.exd6 Qxd6 20.Be2 gives White a comfortable advantage in space (T. Kosintseva-Javakashvili, Euro ChT, Fügen, 2006).
• If 11...Nc4 12.Bxc4 bxc4 then:
• If 13.Nc1 Rb8 14.N1e2 0-0 then:
• 15.Bf4 e5 16.Bg5 Ne8 17.Ka1 d6 18.a3 a5 19.h4 Be6 20.Qc1 f5 21.exf5 Rxf5 22.Na2 d5 23.axb4 axb4 24.Bd2 Qa7 25.b3 is unclear: White has an extra piece and Black has a huge advantage in space.(Erdogdu-Aroshidze, Euro Ch, Kusadasi, 2006).
• 15.g4 d6 16.h4 Bb7 17.h5 Nxe4 18.fxe4 Bxe4 19.Rh3 Qb7 20.Ka1 Bf3 21.Rxf3 Qxf3 22.h6 e5 23.hxg7 Rfd8 24.Bh6 f5 25.Qd5+ Qxd5 26.Nxd5 f4 27.Ng3 Kf7 28.Ne4 gives White the advantage thanks to his centralized Knights (A. Smith-Nestor, Rilton Cup, Stockholm, 2006-07).
• 13.Nd4 Rb8 14.g4 0-0 15.Ka1 d6 16.a3 Ba5 draw (Sax-Goloshchapov. Euro ChT, Rethymnon, 2003).
• If 11.Qe1 Be7 12.f4 Ng6 13.e5 Ng4 then:
• If 14.Bd2 14...Bb7 15.Bd3 Rc8 16.Qe2 then:
• 16...f5 17.exf6 Nxf6 18.Rhf1 0-0 19.g3 b4 20.Ne4 Nxe4 21.Bxe4 a5 22.Nd4 Bf6 23.Bxb7 Qxb7 24.Be3 Ne7 25.Nb5 Nf5 26.Bf2 Rc6 is equal (Svidler-Vitugov, Russian Ch Final, Moscow, 2005).
• 16...Nh6 17.Ne4 0-0 18.Rhf1 f5 19.exf6 Bxf6 20.Nxf6+ Rxf6 21.g3 Bd5 22.Kb1 Bc4 23.Ba5 Qa7 24.Bc3 Rf7 25.Nd2 Bxd3 26.Qxd3 Nf5 27.Ne4 is equal (Aginian-Velcheva, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).
• 14.Ne4 0-0 15.Bc5 Bb7 16.Nd6 Bd5 17.Rxd5 exd5 18.Qd1 Nh6 19.g3 Rfc8 20.Bg2 Bxd6 21.Bxd6 Qb6 22.Bxd5 Ra7 is unclear: White has more space, but Black haas a theoretical material advantage (Iberra-Vila, Op, Andorra, 2006).
• If 11.Bd4 Be7 then:
• 12.Kb1 d6 13.Qf2 0-0 14.g4 Nfd7 15.Rg1 Bb7 16.g5 Rfc8 17.a3 Nc4 18.Bxc4 bxc4 19.Nc1 Rab8 20.N1e2 Bc6 21.Ka1 gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Kasparov-Ye Jiangchuan, Ol. Bled, 2002).
• 12.Qg5 Ng6 13.Qg3 Bd6 14.Qf2 Rb8 15.Kb1 0-0 16.Bc5 Bxc5 17.Qxc5 Qxc5 18.Nxc5 Rb6 19.a4 Rc6 20.Nd3 bxa4 21.Nxa4 d5 22.exd5 Nxd5 23.Ndc5 Ne5 24.Rd4 Nd7 25.Nxd7 Bxd7 26.Bc4 is equal (Leko-Vallejo, IT, Linares, 2003).

11...Be7 12.Qf2

• If 12.Qg5 Ng6 13.Qg3 Bd6 14.Qf2 then:
• If 14...Rb8 15.Kb1 0-0 16.Bc5 Bxc5 17.Qxc5 Qxc5 18.Nxc5 Rb6 19.a4 Rc6 20.Nd3 bxa4 21.Nxa4 d5 22.exd5 Nxd5 23.Ndc5 Ne5 24.Rd4 Nd7 25.Nxd7 Bxd7 26.Bc4 is equal (Leko-Vallejo, IT, Linares, 2003).
• 14...Bxh2 15.g4 Bf4+ 16.Kb1 h6 17.Ne2 Be5 18.Bxe5 Qxe5 19.Bg2 Rb8 20.f4 Qc7 21.Bf3 d6 22.f5 Ne5 23.g5 Ng8 24.Nbd4 Qc5 25.Qg3 is equal (Fressinet-Heissler, Euro ChT, Rethymnon, 2003).

12...d6 13.g4

• 13.Kb1 0-0 14.g4 Nfd7 15.f4 b4 16.Na4 Nxg4 17.Qg2 Ngf6 18.Bd3 e5 19.Rdg1 Ne8 draw (Vallejo-Comas, Spanish Ch, Ayamonte, 2002).

13...0-0 14.g5 Nfd7 15.Rg1 Bb7

• 15...b4 16.Na4 Qc6 17.Nb6 Nxb6 18.Na5 Qa4 19.Bxb6 Nd7 20.Bc7 Bd8 21.Bxd8 Rxd8 22.Nc4 Qxa2 23.Rxd6 gives White the advantage in space (Chumfwa-Hatanbaatar, Ol, Bled, 2002).

16.Kb1 Rfc8 17.Rg3!?

• If 17.a3 Nc4 18.Bxc4 then:
• 18...bxc4 19.Nc1 Rab8 20.N1e2 Bc6 21.Ka1 Qa5 22.Na2 e5 23.Bc3 Qc7 gives White a small advantage in space (Kasparov-Ye Jiangchuan, Ol, Bled, 2002).
• 18...Qxc4 19.Rg4 Qc7 20.f4 e5 21.Be3 exf4 22.Bxf4 Ne5 23.Rg3 is equal (Lahno-Goloshchapov, Ukrainian Ch, Kharkiv, 2004).

17...b4 18.Na4 Bd8 19.Nc1

• If 19.Bxe5 Nxe5 20.Rd4 a5 21.f4 Nc6 then:
• 22.Rd2 Ne7 23.e5 dxe5 24.fxe5 Nd5 gives White the advantage in space, but Black has the initiative.
• If 22.Rd1 Ne7 then:
• 23.e5 dxe5 24.fxe5 Nf5 gives Black the advantage in space.
• If 23.Bd3 Bc6 24.e5 then:
• 24...dxe5 25.Nac5 a4 gives Black an extra pawn.
• 24...Bxa4? 25.exd6 Qc6 26.dxe7 Bxe7 is equal.

19...Bc6!

• Black attacks a hanging Knight with nowhere to retreat. A weaking of White's queenside is forced.

20.b3 Bxa4 21.bxa4 Nc6

• 21...Nc4 22.Bxc4 Qxc4 23.Rg2 Bc7 24.Bb2 Ne5 gives Black a small advantage in space.

22.Be3
BLACK: Vassily Ivanchuk
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Ivan Cheparinov
Position after 22.Bd4e3

22...Qb8!

• Black's overarching plan is to exploit his queenside superiority, where the White King is at risk due to White's crippled pawn structure.

23.Rh3

• Meanwhile, White will play on the other wing from which Black has removed his pieces.

23...Nb6 24.Qh4 h6 25.Qg3

• If 25.Bxb6 then:
• If 25...Qxb6 26.f4 Na5 then:
• If 27.Qg4 then:
• 27...Qf2 28.Be2 Nc4 29.gxh6 Bf6 threatens 30...Na3#.
• 27...Qc5 28.Rd2 Nc4 29.Bxc4 Qxc4 is equal.
• 27.Nb3 Qc6 28.Qf2 hxg5 29.Nxa5 Bxa5 30.fxg5 Bb6 keeps the initiative for Black.
• 25...Bxb6?! 26.gxh6 Bd8 27.Qf4 Bf6 28.hxg7 Bxg7 29.Rxd6 gives White the advantage in space.

25...Nxa4 26.Rxd6

• If 26.Ka1 hxg5 27.Bxg5 then:
• 27...d5 28.Bxd8 Rxd8 29.exd5 Rxd5 30.Rxd5 exd5 gives Black an extra pawn.
• Inferior is 27...Bxg5?! 28.Qxg5 Nc3 29.Rg3 Kf8 30.Qxg7+ Ke7 31.Qg5+ when White has counterplay.

26...hxg5

• Stronger is 26...Nc3+ 27.Kb2 hxg5 28.Rd7 Bf6 when:
• 29.Qxb8 Rcxb8 30.Rd3 Nxe4+ leaves White two pawns to the good.
• 29.Bxg5?? drops the Queen to 29...Nxe4+.

27.Bd3 Bf6 28.e5 Bxe5 29.Rh8+

• 29.f4 drops a Rook to 29...Nc3+ 30.Ka1 Bxd6.

29...Kxh8 30.Qh3+ Kg8 31.Qh7+ Kf8 32.Rd7
BLACK: Vassily Ivanchuk
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WHITE: Ivan Cheparinov
Position after 32.Rd6d7

• If White could have made this move with check, White would force checkmate.

32...Nc3+ 33.Ka1 Nb5+ 0-1

• 34.Kb1 Na3#.
• If 34.Bd4 then 34...Bxd4+ 35.Rxd4 Nbxd4 is lights out.
• Grandmaster Cheparinov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Bu Xiangzhi - Topalov, Round 9, Sofia

Bu Xiangzhi
Photo: ChessBase.com


Bu Xiangzhi - Veselin Topalov
MTel Masters, Round 9
Sofia, 17 May 2008

Slav Queen's Gambit: Catalan Opening

1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.Qc2 dxc4

• 4...g6 5.Bf4 Bg7 6.e3 0-0 7.Nc3 is a variation of the Indian Queen's Gambit sometimes called the Slav Grünfeld.
• If 4...e6 5.Bg5 then the game transposes in to Orthodox or Seimi-Slav lines:
• 5...Nbd7 6.Nc3 Be7 7.e3 0-0 8.Rc1 is the Rubinstein Opening of the Orthodox Queen's Gambit.
• 5...h6 6.Bxf6 Qxf6 7.e3 Nd7 is the Moscow Defense of the Semi-Slav Queen's Gambit.
• 5...dxc4 6.e4 b5 7.e5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 is the Botvinnik Defense of the Semi-Slav.

5.Qxc4 Bf5 6.g3 Nbd7 7.Bg2 e6 8.0-0 Be7

• This position is unusual, but not unknown. White's set up is that of a standard Catalan Opening, while the Black Bishop at f5 gives the game something of a Slav flavor.

9.Nc3 0-0 10.Re1

• If 10.e3 Ne4 11.Qe2 then:
• If 11...Nxc3 12.bxc3 Be4 13.a4 then:
• 13...Qc7 14.Bb2 c5 15.Nd2 Bxg2 16.Kxg2 Rac8 17.Rfc1 Rfd8 18.Nc4 Nf6 19.e4 draw (Lechtynsky-Kuporosov, Op, Pardubice, 1999).
• 13...c5 14.Bb2 Qc7 draw (Drasko-Matulovic, Yugoslav Ch, Novi Sad, 1995).
• 11...Qa5 12.Bd2 Nxd2 13.Nxd2 Qb4 14.Nc4 b5 15.e4 Bxe4 16.Bxe4 Qxc4 17.Qxc4 bxc4 18.Bxc6 Rad8 19.Rfd1 Nb6 20.d5 Rc8 21.Bb5 exd5 22.Nxd5 Nxd5 23.Rxd5 c3 draw (Akopian-Bareev, IT, Enghien-les-Bains, 2001).

10...h6!?

• White has the advantage in space.
• If 10...Ne4 11.Qb3 Qb6 12.Nh4 Bxh4 13.gxh4 Nef6 14.e4 Bg6 15.Qxb6 axb6 16.Bf4 Rfe8 17.Rad1 e5 18.dxe5 Nxe5 19.f3 Bh5 20.Bxe5 Rxe5 21.a4 is equal (V. Georgiev-Smeets, Coruns B, Wijk aan Zee, 2007).

11.e4

• 11.Qb3 Qb6 12.Qxb6 axb6 13.e4 Bg6 is equal.

11...Bh7

• 11...Nb6 12.Qb3 Bg6 13.a4 a5 14.Bf4 Bb4 15.Ne5 gives White a spatial advantage.

12.Bf4 Rc8

• White continues to enjoy an advantage in space after 12...Qb6 13.Re2 Rfd8 14.Rd1 g5 15.Bc1 Bb4 16.Ne1.

13.Qe2 Re8

• 13...Qa5 14.Nd2 Qb4 15.Nb3 Bg6 16.Rac1 gives White a considerable advantage in space.

14.Rad1 b5 15.a3

• 15.e5 Nd5 16.Nxd5 cxd5 17.Qxb5 Rb8 18.Qe2 Qb6 19.b3 gives White a small advantage in space.
• 15.Ne5 b4 16.Na4 Nxe5 17.Bxe5 Nd7 18.Bf4 Qa5 19.b3 gives White the advantage in space.

15...a5 16.Ne5 Nxe5 17.Bxe5 Qb6 18.a4 Nd7

• 18...b4 19.Nb1 c5 20.Nd2 cxd4 21.Nc4 Qc5 22.Rxd4 is equal.

19.Bf4 b4 20.Nb1 Nf6

• Black has equalized.

21.Be5

• 21.Qc4 Rcd8 22.b3 c5 23.d5 exd5 24.exd5 is equal.

21...c5 22.Nd2 cxd4 23.Nb3

• Also playable is 23.Nc4 Qc5 24.Rxd4 Red8 25.Red1 with equality.

23...Qc6
BLACK: Veselin Topalov
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WHITE: Bu Xiangzhi
Position after 23...Qb6c6

24.Qb5!?

• If 24.Bxf6 Bxf6 25.e5 Qxa4 26.Nxd4 Bg5 then:
• If 27.b3 then after Qd7 28.Nb5 Qe7 29.Nd6 White wins the exchange.
• If 27.h4 then:
• 27...Bd8 28.Qa6 Be7 29.Bc6 Qa2 30.Bxe8 Rxe8 31.b3 gives White a small material advantage.
• 27...Bc2 28.Ra1 Qd7 29.Nxc2 Bd2 30.Qd1 gives White an extra piece.
• 24.Nxd4 Qc5 25.Bxf6 Bxf6 26.e5 then:
• If 26...Be7 then:
• 27.Qb5 Bc2 28.Rd2 is equal.
• 27.Rd2 Red8 28.Red1 Bg5 29.f4 is equal.
• If 26...Bg5 then:
• 27.Nb5 Bc2 28.Nd6 Bxd1 29.Rxd1 Red8 30.Nxc8 Rxd1+ 31.Qxd1 Qxc8 is equal.
• 27.Nb3 Qc2 28.Nxa5 Qxa4 29.Nc4 Qb3 30.Rd4 is equal.

24...Qxb5 25.axb5 a4 26.Nxd4

• Fritz, looking at tablebaes, judges this position to be favorable to Black, but your most humble hare is not so convinced. Black's pawn structure is better, but no pawn on the queenside appears to have much of a future and White's minor pieces are better than Black's. The game is equal.

26...Ng4

• If 26...Rc5 27.Nc6 Bf8 28.Ra1 then:
• 28...a3 29.bxa3 bxa3 30.Bxf6 gxf6 31.Reb1 Ra8 32.Rb3 is equal.
• 28...Rxb5 29.Bxf6 gxf6 30.Rxa4 Rc5 31.e5 givews White better mobility.

27.Bf4 g5

• 27...Bc5 28.Bf3 Nxf2 29.Kxf2 e5 30.Be3 exd4 31.Bxd4 is equal.

28.Bf3

• 28.Be3?! Bc5 29.Nc6 Nxe3! then:
• 30.fxe3 Rc7 31.Rc1 Bf8 32.e5 gives Black a slight advantage owing to his superior pawn structure.

28...Nxf2

• If 28...Nxh2 29.Kxh2 gxf4 30.gxf4 a3 31.bxa3 bxa3 32.Nc6 Bc5 33.Rd7 gives White a small advantage; Black should prepare for action in the a-file.
• 30...Kf8 31.Nc6 Bc5 32.Rd7 is better for White.

29.Kxf2 gxf4 30.Nc6

• There is no time for 30.gxf4 Bh4+ 31.Ke3 Bxe1 32.Rxe1 when Black wins the exchange.

30...fxg3+ 31.Kxg3 Bf8

• 31...Bf6 is a waste of time, as shown by 32.e5 Bd8 33.Rd4 Bc2 34.Nxb4.

32.Rd7 Bg6 33.e5 Bc5

• After 33...a3 34.bxa3 b3 35.b6 b2 36.b7 Rxc6 37.Bxc6 there is nothing Balck can use to propel his pawn forward, whereas White can make expensive for Black just to stop the pawn.

34.Rc1 Be3 35.Rc4?!

• Stronger is 35.Ne7+!! Kg7 36.Rxc8 Rxc8 37.Nxc8 Bc1 38.Nd6. which might give Black sufficient cause to resign on the spot.

35...a3 36.bxa3 bxa3 37.Ra4?

• Again, White misses 37.Ne7+ Kg7 38.Rxc8 Rxc8 39.Nxc8 a2 40.Ra7 except now its even stronger.

37...Bc5!

• Black has equalized the game.
• After 37...Bc1 White wins the exchange with 38.b6 Bb2 39.b7 Rxc6 40.Bxc6.

38.Ra6 a2?

• If 38...Kh8 39.b6 Rg8 40.Kf4 then:
• 40...f6! 41.b7 Rcf8 42.Be4 Bg1 43.Rd2 gives White a small advantage and not yet a decisive one.
• 40...Bb1? 41.b7 Rcf8 42.Rd1 a2 43.Be4 is won for White.
• 40...Rcf8 41.Ne7 Bd3 42.Rxd3 Bxe7 43.b7 is clearly in White's favor.

BLACK: Veselin Topalov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Bu Xiangzhi
Position after 38.a2a3

39.Rxa2!

• It is now safe to take the pawn. White is clearly winning.

39...Kg7 40.Ra6 Rb8

• It does Black no good to save the exchange.
• 40...Rg8 41.b6 Kf8 42.Kf4 Bg1 43.b7 is hopeless.

41.Nxb8 Rxb8 42.Bc6 h5 43.Ra8 Rb6

• Also hopeless is 43...Rxa8 44.Bxa8 Bf5 45.Kf4 Kg6 46.Be4 Bxe4 47.Kxe4.

44.Rdd8 h4+ 45.Kf4 Bh7 46.Be4 Be7 47.Rdb8 1-0

• Black is forced to exchange Rooks, giving the b-pawn a clear road home.
• Grandmaster Topalov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Aronian - Radjabov, Round 8, Sofia

Teimour Radjabov
Photo: Wikipedia Commons


Levon Aronian - Teimour Radjabov
MTel Masters, Round 8
Sofia, 16 May 2008

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

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.Nf3 0-0 5.e4 d6 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0

• If 7.Be3 Ng4 8.Bg5 f6 9.Bh4 then:
• If 9...Nc6 10.d5 Ne7 11.Nd2 Nh6 12.f3 then:
• If 12...c5 then:
• If 13.dxc6 bxc6 14.b4 Be6 15.Nb3 then:
• If 15...d5 16.Nc5 Bf7 17.cxd5 cxd5 then:
• 18.0-0 d4 19.N3a4 Nc8 20.Nb2 Nd6 21.a4 Qe7 22.Rc1 Kh8 23.Ba6 Rab8 24.Nbd3 Bg8 25.Qe2 gives White the advantage in space (Arlandi-van Wely, Mitropa Cup TT, Bükfürdö (Hungary), 1995).
• 18.exd5 Nhf5 19.Bf2 Nxd5 20.Nxd5 Bxd5 21.0-0 Nd4 22.Ba6 f5 23.Qd2 Qf6 24.Bxd4 exd4 25.Rae1 Rad8 is equal; White has an advantage in space, but that space is mostly empty (Kruppa-Nikolaidis, Cafe Cup, Koszalin, 1999).
• 15...Kh8 16.Bf2 f5 17.0-0 fxe4 18.fxe4 d5 19.Nc5 Bg8 20.cxd5 cxd5 21.Bh4 gives White a huge advantage in space (Romanov-O'Hare, Cyberspace, 1999).
• If 13.Rb1 g5 14.Bf2 f5 then:
• 15.b4 b6 16.bxc5 bxc5 17.0-0 f4 18.Nb3 Ng6 19.Nb5 Rf7 is equal (Komarov-Hebden, Euro ChT Prelim, Bratislava, 1996).
• 15.h3 Ng6 16.g4 fxg4 17.hxg4 Nh4 18.Rh2 Rf4 19.b4 b6 20.bxc5 dxc5 21.Be3 gives White the advantage in mobility (K. Georgiev-Nevednichy, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).
• If 12...g5 13.Bf2 f5 then:
• 14.c5 Ng6 15.g3 fxe4 16.fxe4 Bh3 17.Be3 b6 18.cxd6 cxd6 19.Nc4 Qd7 20.Qb3 is equal (Shulman-B. Socko, Chigorin Mem, St. Petersburg, 1997).
• 14.h3 Ng6 15.g4 fxg4 16.hxg4 Nh4 17.Rh2 c5 18.Be3 Rf4 19.Qc2 Bd7 20.0-0-0 gives White more mobility (R. Ibrahimov-Erdogdu, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).
• If 9...g5 10.Bg3 Nh6 then:
• If 11.d5 Nd7 12.Nd2 f5 then:
• 13.exf5 Nf6 14.Nde4 Nxe4 15.Nxe4 Bxf5 16.Bd3 g4 17.Qe2 Kh8 18.0-0 Bd7 19.f3 Qe7 20.fxg4 draw (Gelfand-B. Socko, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2006).
• If 13.f3 Nf6 14.h3 fxe4 15.Ndxe4 Nf5 16.Bf2 Nxe4 17.Nxe4 is equal (Huzman-Bologan, Areoflot Op, Moscow, 2006).
• 11.dxe5 dxe5 12.Qd5+ Kh8 13.Qxd8 Rxd8 14.Nd2 c5 15.f3 Nc6 16.0-0-0 Nd4 17.Bd3 Be6 18.Nb3 Rac8 19.Kb1 f5 20.exf5 Nhxf5 21.Rhe1 Nxg3 22.hxg3 g4 23.f4 draw (Ivanchuk-Radjabov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2007).

7...Nc6 8.d5

• If 8.Be3 Ng4 9.Bg5 f6 10.Bc1 f5 then:
• 11.Bg5 Bf6 12.Bxf6 Nxf6 13.exf5 Bxf5 14.d5 Ne7 15.Ng5 Qc8 16.Bd3 Bxd3 17.Qxd3 Qf5 18.Qd2 c6 19.f4 e4 20.dxc6 Nxc6 21.Qxd6 gives White and extra pawn and a huge advantage in space (Movsesian-Kasimdzhanov, Dordrecht, 1999).
• 11...Qe8 12.dxe5 dxe5 13.Nd5 Qf7 14.Bd2 Nf6 15.Ng5 Qd7 16.exf5 gxf5 17.f4 e4 18.Bc3 h6 19.Nxf6+ Bxf6 20.Qxd7 Bxd7 21.Bxf6 Rxf6 22.Rad1 Rd8 23.Nh3 Be8 24.Rxd8 Nxd8 25.Rd1 is equal (Vera-van Wely, Capablanca Mem, Havana, 1994).

8...Ne7 9.b4

• If 9.Ne1 Nd7 then:
• 10.Nd3 f5 11.Bd2 f4 12.Bg4 g5 13.Rc1 Ng6 14.b4 Nf6 15.Bxc8 Rxc8 16.f3 Rf7 17.c5 Bf8 18.c6 b6 19.g4 h5 20.h3 Rh7 21.Be1 Kf7 22.Kg2 draw (Gelfand-Tkachiev, FIDE Knock Out, Gronigen, 1997).
li]If 10.Be3 f5 11.f3 f4 12.Bf2 g5 13.a4 Ng6 14.a5 then:
• If 14...Rf7 then:
• If 15.c5 Nxc5 16.Bxc5 dxc5 17.Bc4 Kh8 18.a6 bxa6 19.Nd3 Bf8 20.Na4 then:
• 20...Rb8 21.Rf2 Bd6 22.Naxc5 Qe7 23.b4 Rg7 24.Bxa6 Rxb4 25.Nb3 Rb8 26.Bxc8 Rxc8 27.Rxa7 gives White a small advantage in space (Korchnoi-Popovich, Brno, 1992).
• 15.b4 Nf6 16.c5 Bf8 17.cxd6 Bxd6 18.Nd3 Rg7 19.Nc5 Nf8 20.Nb5 g4 21.Qe1 Qe8 22.fxg4 Nxg4 23.Ra3 gives White the advantage in space (Korchnoi-Nunn, Amsterdam, 1990).
• 14...Kh8 15.Nd3 Rg8 16.c5 Nf6 17.cxd6 cxd6 18.a6 b6 19.Nb4 Bf8 20.Rc1 h5 21.Qe1 Ne8 22.Nb5 g4 23.fxg4 Bxg4 24.Rc3 gives White the advantage in space (Bischoff-Kochiani, Bundesliga, Germany, 1999).
• 14...h5 15.Nb5 Nf6 16.Nxa7 Bd7 17.c5 g4 18.c6 g3 19.hxg3 fxg3 20.Bxg3 Rxa7 21.cxd7 h4 22.Bf2 Ra8 23.Nc2 Bh6 24.Ne3 Bf4 25.Nf5 Nh5 26.Bb5 gives White the advantage in space (Korchnoi-Xie Jun, Team M, Prague, 1995).
• 20...g4 21.fxg4 Qg5 22.Nf2 Bd6 23.Ra3 Nh4 24.Rh3 Bd7 25.Nc3 Rg8 26.Be2 c4 gives Black an extra pawn and the advantage in space (Shirov-Nunn, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 1995).
• If 9.Nd2 a5 then:
• If 10.b3 then:
• 10...c5 11.a3 Ne8 12.Rb1 f5 13.b4 axb4 14.axb4 b6 15.Qb3 Nf6 16.Bd3 Bh6 17.Rb2 Ra1 18.Qc2 Bf4 19.Nf3 fxe4 20.Nxe4 Nxe4 21.Bxe4 Rxc1 22.Rxc1 Bxc1 23.Qxc1 Nf5 24.Qg5 Nd4 25.Qxd8 Nxf3+ 26.Bxf3 Rxd8 27.bxc5 bxc5 28.Rb8 Rf8 29.Rb6 Rf6 is equal (Karpov-Kasparov, World Ch, Seville, 1987).
• If 10...Nd7 then:
• 11.Rb1 f5 12.b4 Kh8 13.Qc2 Ng8 14.Bb2 Ngf6 15.Rbc1 f4 16.c5 dxc5 17.bxc5 Nxc5 18.Nb5 Nfd7 19.Nf3 b6 20.a4 Ba6 21.Ba3 Bf6 22.Rcd1 g5 23.h3 Rg8 24.Nh2 Bg7 25.Bc4 Bf8 26.d6 Bxb5 27.dxc7 Qxc7 28.Bxb5 Nf6 is equal (Salov-Short, World Cup, Skelleftea, 1989).
• 11.Ba3 Nc5 12.b4 axb4 13.Bxb4 Na6 14.Ba3 b6 15.Nb3 f5 16.Bb2 fxe4 17.Nxe4 Nf5 18.a4 Nc5 19.Nbxc5 bxc5 20.Bd3 Bh6 21.a5 Qe7 22.Ra3 Ba6 23.Re1 Qf7 24.Bf1 Rab8 25.Rb3 Rxb3 26.Qxb3 is equal (Korchnoi-Geller, ¼-final Candidates' Match, Moscow, 1971).
• If 10.a3 then:
• If 10...Nd7 11.Rb1 f5 12.b4 Kh8 13.f3 Ng8 14.Qc2 Ngf6 then:
• If 15.Bd3 f4 16.Nb5 b6 17.Bb2 then:
• 17...g5 18.Be2 Ne8 19.g4 fxg3 20.hxg3 g4 21.fxg4 Qg5 22.Qd3 Ndf6 23.Nf3 Qxg4 24.Nxe5 Qh3 25.Nc6 gives White a considerable advantage in space (M. Gurevich-Gelfand, IT, Munich, 1992).
• 17...Ne8 18.Be2 h5 19.c5 bxc5 20.bxc5 Nxc5 21.a4 Rf7 22.Rfc1 g5 23.Ba3 Bf8 24.Bxc5 dxc5 25.Nb3 g4 26.Nxc5 gives White a small advantage in spave (M. Gurevich-van Wely, Op, Wijk aan Zee, 1993).
• 15.Nb5 axb4 16.axb4 Nh5 17.g3 Ndf6 18.c5 Bd7 19.Rb3 Bh6 20.Rc3 fxe4 21.fxe4 Bh3 22.Re1 Qd7 23.Nf3 Bxc1 24.Rxc1 Nf4 gives Black a comfortable advantage in space (Episzyn-J. Polgar, Op, Wieden, 1991).
• 10...Bd7 11.b3 c6 12.Bb2 Bh6 13.c5 dxc5 14.Nc4 cxd5 15.exd5 e4 16.Nd6 Bg7 17.Qc2 Bf5 18.Ncb5 Qb6 19.Bxf6 Bxf6 20.Rac1 is equal (Atakisi-Rimmel, Corres, 2002).

9...Nh5

• If 9...a5 10.Ba3 axb4 11.Bxb4 then:
• If 11...Nd7 12.a4 Bh6 13.a5 f5 14.Nd2 Kh8 15.Bd3 Ng8 16.Qc2 Rf7 17.Na4 fxe4 18.Nxe4 Ndf6 19.Nac3 Bf5 20.Ng3 Bxd3 21.Qxd3 Qf8 22.Rab1 Qc8 23.Rb3 Qg4 24.f3 Qd4+ 25.Qxd4 exd4 26.Nd1 Bg7 gives White a small advantage in space (Pelletier-Renet, Euro ChT, Pula, 1997).
• If 11...b6 12.a4 then:
• 12...Re8 13.Re1 Bf8 14.h3 Bb7 15.Bf1 c5 16.Ba3 Bg7 17.Rb1 Bc8 18.Bc1 Bd7 19.Nb5 Nc8 20.g3 Rf8 21.Bg5 gives White the advantage in space (van Wely-Ye Jiangchuan, FIDE Knock Out, Moscow, 2001).
• 12...Ne8 13.Nb5 f5 14.Nd2 Bh6 15.Bc3 Nf6 16.f4 Bxf4 17.Rxf4 exf4 18.e5 dxe5 19.Bxe5 Ne8 20.Qb3(Wehrle-Dziuba, Euro Youth U18, Halkidiki, 2001).

10.Re1 a5

• If 10...f5 11.Ng5 Nf6 12.Bf3 c6 13.Be3 h6 14.Ne6 Bxe6 15.dxe6 fxe4 16.Nxe4 Nxe4 17.Bxe4 d5 18.cxd5 cxd5 19.Bc2 b6 20.Qg4 then:
• If 20...Rf6 21.Rad1 Qd6 22.Bb3 Rd8 23.b5 Qxe6 then:
• 24.Qxe6+ Rxe6 25.Bc1 Kf7 26.Ba3 e4 27.Bxe7 Kxe7 28.Rxd5 Rxd5 29.Bxd5 Re5 30.Rxe4 Kd6 31.Rxe5 Kxe5 32.Bf7 g5 33.a4 draw (Mikhalevski-Klinova, Op, Gibraltar, 2008).
• 24.Qa4 Rd7 25.f4 e4 26.Bc1 Qf5 27.Qxe4 Qxe4 28.Rxe4 Kh7 29.Re2 d4 30.Re4 gives White the advantage in space (Gligoric-Nataf, IT, Cannes, 1998).
• 20...e4 21.Rad1 Qc7 22.Bb3 Rf5 23.Qe2 Raf8 24.Rf1 draw (Radjobov-Moreno, IT, Pamplona, 2002).

11.bxa5 Rxa5 12.Nd2

• 12.a4 c5 13.Ra3 Nf6 14.Nh4 Ne8 15.g3 f5 16.exf5 gxf5 17.f4 Ng6 18.Ng2 Nf6 19.h3 Bd7 20.Bd3 Kh8 21.Nb5 Ra6 22.Bb2 Ne4 23.Re3 Rg8 is equal (Krasenkow-Fedorov, Euro ChT, León, 2001).

12...Nf4 13.Bf1 c5 14.a4 Ra6 15.Ra3 Nh5

• 15...Kh8 16.Nb5 Ng8 17.g3 Nh5 18.Be2 Nh6 19.Nf1 Nf6 20.Bg5 gives White a small advantage in space (Thorfinnsson-al-Modiahki, Op, Reykjavik, 2008).
• 15...g5 16.Nb5 h6 17.g3 Nfg6 18.Be2 f5 19.exf5 Nxf5 20.Bh5 Nge7 21.Bg4 Bd7 22.Ne4 Be8 23.Bh5 Ng6 24.Qg4 gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Eljanov-Langheinrich, Euro ChTU18, Balatonlelle, 2000).

16.Nb5 Nf6 17.Bb2!?

• 17.g3 Nd7 18.Nf3 h6 19.Nh4 g5 20.Nf5 Nxf5 21.exf5 Nf6 22.g4 Bd7 23.Nc3 Re8 24.Bd3 e4 25.Nxe4 gives White the advantage in space (Goloshchapov-Bologan, Euro ChT, Fügen, 2006).

17...Ne8

• If 17...Nd7 18.a5 f5 19.Bd3 Nf6 then:
• 20.Qe2 fxe4 21.Nxe4 Nxe4 22.Bxe4 Nf5 is equal.
• 20.exf5 Bxf5 21.Nb3 Nh5 22.Bxf5 Nxf5 is equal.

18.Nf3

• 18.Bd3 f5 19.Qe2 Nf6 transposes to the notes for the previous move.

18...h6!?

• What's the point of a waiting move here?
• As indicated by the previous sets of notes, one should expect 18...f5 19.Bd3 fxe4 20.Bxe4 Nf5 with equality.

19.g3!?

• On the other hand, it is a little early in the game to respond to one waiting move with another.
• Better is 19.Bd3 f5 20.Nd2 Nf6 then:
• 21.a5 fxe4 22.Nxe4 Nxe4 23.Bxe4 Nf5 is equal.
• 21.exf5 Bxf5 22.Ne4 Nxe4 23.Bxe4 Bxe4 24.Rxe4 Nf5 is equal.

19...f5 20.exf5 Nxf5 21.Nd2

• The game is equal.
• After 21.Bg2 Nf6 22.Qb3 b6 23.Nd2 Bb7 24.Ne4 Ra5 White has the advantage in space.

21...Nf6 22.Bd3

• The game is about level after 22.Qb1 Ne7 23.Qd3 Ng4 24.f3 Nf6 25.Bg2.

22...Rf7 23.Bc2 Bd7

• 23...b6 24.Rf1 Ra8 25.Qb1 Rf8 26.f4 Ng4 27.Qe1 is equal.

24.Qb1

• 24.Nb3 Ne7 25.Qe2 Bf5 26.Bxf5 Nxf5 is equal.

24...Rf8 25.Rf3

• White can keep the Black Knight out of g5 with 25.f3 after which 25...Qa5 26.Bc3 Qb6 27.a5 Qd8 is equal.

25...h5
BLACK: Teimour Radjabov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Levon Aronian
Position after 25...h6h5

• The game is presently equal.
• 25...Qb6 26.Kg2 Qa5 27.Bc3 Qd8 gives White a slight advantage in space.

26.Ne4

• 26.Rd3 h4 27.Nf3 h3 28.Nd2 Nd4 29.Nxd4 cxd4 30.f4 Ng4 gives Black the advantage in space.

26...Nxe4 27.Rxe4 Ra8

• The game remains level.
• 27...Rf7 28.Qe1 g5 29.Ra3 Nd4 30.Bd1 g4 gives Black the advantage in space.

28.Re1

• 28.Bc3 Rf6 29.Qb2 Nd4 30.Rxf6 Qxf6 31.Nxd4 cxd4 gives Black a small edge in space.

28...Rc8?!

• If 28...Bxb5! then:
• 29.cxb5 Qg5 30.Qd1 h4 31.Bc3 Nd4 32.Rxf8+ Rxf8 33.Bxd4 cxd4 gives Black the advantage in space.
• 29.axb5 Qg5 30.h3 Nh4 31.Rxf8+ Rxf8 32.Be4 Qd2 gives Black the advantage in space.

29.Bc1

• White has a small advantage in space.

29...Ra8

• The attack on the a-pawn ties the Bishop at c2 to its defense.
• Nevertheless, 29...Qa5 accomplishes the same task and gains a tempo by attacking White's Rook: 30.Bg5 Ra8 31.Qc1 Bxb5 32.axb5 Nd4 33.Rxf8+ Rxf8 gives Black the advantage.

30.Bd2 b6 31.Be3

• White continues to enjoy a small advantage in space.
• 31...Rf6 32.Bb2 h4 33.Re4 g5 remains equal.

31...e4!?

By this point tn the tournament, Cheparinov, who held a distant third behind Ivanchuk and Topalov, began to falter and Radjobov was in the best position to capitalize on Cheparinov's sudden loss of form. He wasn't looking for a fraw in this game.
• 31...Rf7 32.Qc1 Bc8 33.Bg5 Bf6 34.Bxf6 Qxf6 35.h3 remains equal.

32.Rf4 Nxe3 33.fxe3

• 33.Rxe3 Rxf4 34.gxf4 Bh6 35.Rg3 Be8 is equal.
• If 33.Rxf8+ Qxf8 then:
• 34.fxe3 h4 35.gxh4 Qe7 is equal.
• After 34.Rxe3 Bxb5 35.cxb5 Bd4 36.Re2 Qf6 37.Qd1 Rf8 38.Qe1 the e-pawn falls.

33...Bh6

• After 33...g5?! 34.Rxf8+ Qxf8 35.Nc7 Rc8 36.Ne6 Bxe6 37.dxe6 White should win a pawn.

34.Nxd6

• If 34.Rxf8+ Qxf8 35.Rf1 Qe7 then:
• If 36.Bxe4 Rxa4 37.Bxg6 then:
• 37...Bh3 38.Bf7+ Kh8 39.Qb2+ Bg7 40.Qe2 is equal.
• After 37...Bxe3+? 38.Kg2 Bxb5 39.Qxb5 Ra2+ 40.Kh3 White should win a pawn.
• 36.Kh1 Bf5 37.Qe1 Bg5 38.Kg2 Bg4 is equal.

34...Bxf4 35.gxf4 Qh4 36.Re2?!

• White has a lead in the space count of 15-12; however, it is unlkely that the Knights, who account of six of that 15, can be maintained at d6 without support and none is forthcoming.
• The game remains even after 36.Nxe4 Bxa4 37.Bd3 Qg4+ 38.Ng3 Rf6.

BLACK: Teimour Radjabov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Levon Aronian
Position after 36.Re1e2

36...Bg4!!

• This move doesn't quite turn the game around all by itself, but it comes close.
• If 36...Bxa4 then:
• 37.Nxe4 Bxc2 38.Rxc2 Qh3 39.Re2 is equal.
• 37.Bxe4? Rf6! (the Knight is trapped) 38.Qxb6 Be8 39.Bb1 Ra1! (gaining a tempo so the Knight does not escape) 40.Qb8 Rxb1+ 41.Qxb1 Rxd6 gives Black a piece for two pawns.

37.Rg2 g5 38.f5?

• This loses a pawn, allowing Black to go ahead by an exchange.
• White is slightly better after 38.Nxe4 gxf4 39.exf4 Rxf4 40.Rg3 Raf8 41.Qxb6.

38...Bxf5

• Dont't stare a gift horse in the mouth; saddle up and ride away,

39.Rg3 Bh3 40.Bxe4

• Hopeless also is 40.Nxe4 Rf1+ 41.Qxf1 Bxf1 42.Kxf1 Qxh2.

40...Rf1+ 41.Qxf1 Bxf1 42.Bf5 g4

• Not appreciably different from the text is 42...Bxc4 43.Be6+ Kh7 44.Bf5+.

44...Kh8 ]
43.Be6+ Kh7 44.Bf5+ Kh8 0-1

• It just gets ugly after this.
• Grandmaster Aronian resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Ask me anything.

I'll try to answer.

[Jack Rabbit]

9. News Update

From ChessBase.com
Dated Monday, May 26

Death of a chess original – Bukhuti Gurgenizde, 1933–2008

Bukhuti Ivanovich Gurgenizde was one of the most original and striking players of the Soviet era. He won the Championship of his native Georgia eleven (or twelve) times, competed in nine USSR Championship finals, and was the trainer of some of the most successful women players in the game. His name has been applied to variations in the Modern Defence and the Sicilian. In Memoriam.

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