The Jack Rabbit Chess Report (March 1): Topa to challenge Vishy-Wrap on Aeroflot-Gris leads Linares

[Jack Rabbit]

Topalov defeats Kamsky for right to challenge Anand



Former FIDE world champion Veselin Topalov defeated Russo-American grandmaster Gata Kamsky 4½-2½ in their candidates' match completed in Sofia Thursday.

Topalov defeated Kamsky in seven games of the best-of-eight affair. Topalov won the seventh game of the match after Kamsky, who had the better of it for much of the day, faltered in the late going after taking 30 minutes to make a single move, resulting in severe time trouble.

Topalov will challenge the reigning world champion, grandmaster Vishy Anand of India, to a match for the title to be held later this year.



Bacrot, Moiseenko win Aeroflot Open



French granmster Etienne Bacrot and Slovenian GM Alexander Moiseenko shared first place in the prestigious Aeroflot Open after winning their respective final round games Wednesday in Moscow.

M. Bacrot was declared the tournament champion based on superior tie break points. He will compete in this summer's Dortmund Sparkassen.

Both players entered Wednesday's competition tied for second place behind Armenian grandmaster Arman Pashikian, who took over sole possession of first place in yesterday's eighth round when he defeated grandmaster Igor Kurnosov of Russia, who had been leading or sharing the lead for most of the week.

Bacrot, playing Black, defeated Pashikian Wednesday in 62 moves while Moiseenko, with White, got the better of China's Zhou Weiqi in 48 moves.

In other Aeroflot news, Russian IM Tatiana Kosintseva, one of only three women competing at the Aeroflot, scored 5½ points and a performance rating of 2702. This appears good enough for Tanya to receive a grandmaster norm.

Top seed Shakhiyar Mamedyarov withdrew from the tournament after losing to Kurnosov in just 21 moves in round 6 on Sunday. Mamedyarov, miffed that Kurnosov left the table after every move, accused his opponent of cheating by getting assistance from the Rybka computer program in the men's room. However, Kurnosov was never seen in the men's room during the game, but was seen outside the playing hall smoking. Moveover, the game was in the realm of theory for a full sixteen moves and the matching matching of Kurnosov's moves with Rybka were just as likely part of Kurnosov's home preparation. The protest was disallowed.




Grischuk leads in Linares



Grandmaster Alexander Grischuk of Russia leads the 26th Cuidad de Linares Tournament in the Andalucian mining town of Linares after nine rounds with 6 points.

Grischuk has won three games and drawn six.

Grischuk is followed by a trio in a tie for second place: Levon Aronian (Armenia), Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine) and Magnus Carlsen (Norway).

In today's action, Magnus, playing Black, defeated Cuban grandmaster Leinier Domínguez in 54 moves and all other games were drawn.

The tenth round will be played tomorrow. The last day off for the players is Wednesday. The fourteen-round event, sometimes call the Wimbledon of Chess, is scheduled to end Saturday.



Social Page: Lahno-Fontaine Nuptuals


Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)

Ukrainian grandmaster Katya Lahno married French grandmaster Robert Fontaine in Mairie de Besançon Wedneday afternoon.

Congratulations joyous wishes to the happy couple.



Calendar

Cappelle la Grande Open 28 February-7 March.

Reykjavik Open 4-13 March.

European Individual Championships, Budva (Montenegro) 5-19 March.

Women's Grand Prix, Istanbul 6-20 March. Koneru, Hou Yifan, Stefanova, Cramling, Sebag, Chibudanidze, Zhao Xue, Danielian, Shen Yang, Z. Mamedyarova, Yildiz.

Melody Amber Rapid/Blind Tournament, Nice 13-27 March.

Dubai Open 3-13 April.

Gausdal Chess Classic (Norway) 7-15 April.

Foxwoods Open, Mashantucket, Connecticut 8-12 April.

Russian Club Cup (Team Championships), Sochi 30 April-12 May.

US Chess Championship, St. Louis May. Exact dates TBA.

MTel Masters, Sofia 9-19 May.

Asian Championships, Subic Freeprot (The Philippines) 12-23 May.

Chicago Open 22-25 May.

Aerosvit International Tournament, Foros (Ukraine) 9-20 June.

World Open, Philadelphia 29 June-5 July.

Canadian Open, Edmonton 11-19 July.

Czech Open, Pardubice 16 July-2 August.

Biel Chess Festival 18-31 July.

FIDE Grand Prix, Yerevan. 8-24 August.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. This week's games

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

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 - Kamsky, Candidates' Match, Round 5, Sofia

Veselin Topalov
Photo: ChessBase.com (Spanish Language)


Veselin Topalov - Gata Kamsky
Candidates' Match, Round 5
Sofia, 23 February 2009

French Exchange Game: Tarrasch Opening

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2

• The usual move is 3.Nc3.
• In the late nineteenth century, Dr. Tarrasch thought he had busted the French Defense with this move, then realized he had done no such thing and abandoned it. It's still a good alternative to 3.Nc3 or 3.e5; it was favored by Botvinnik, who as Black used the Nimzovich-Winawer Defense (3...Bb4 after 3.Nc3) and had no desire to show the world how he would play against his pet line.

3...c5 4.Ngf3

• If 4.exd5 exd5 then:
• If 5.Ngf3 then:
• If 5...a6 then:
• If 6.Be2 c4 7.0-0 Bd6 8.b3 then:
• If 8...cxb3 9.axb3 Ne7 10.Re1 0-0 11.Nf1 Nbc6 12.Ne3 h6 13.c3 Be6 14.Bd3 then:
• 14...Rc8 15.Ba3 Bxa3 16.Rxa3 Qd6 17.Ra2 Rfd8 18.Rae2 gives White a tactical edge (Kosteniuk-Kiriakov, Op, Isle of Man,2000).
• 14...Qd7 15.Ba3 Rfd8 16.Bxd6 Qxd6 17.Ra2 Qf4 18.Rae2 Qf6 19.Qa1 Ng6 20.Bxg6 Qxg6 21.g3 Qd3 is equal (Geller-Skalkotas, IT, Malta, 1980).
• 8...b5 9.a4 c3 10.axb5 cxd2 11.Bxd2 Nf6 12.c4 dxc4 13.bxc4 0-0 14.c5 Be7 15.Bc4 Bf5 16.Re1 Be4 17.Ba5 Qc8 18.Rxe4 Nxe4 19.Bd5 gives White the more active game (Mong Lin Wang-Broucke, Corres, 1997).
• If 6.dxc5 Bxc5 7.Nb3 then:
• If 7...Bb6 then:
• 8.Bd3 Qe7+ 9.Qe2 Nc6 10.c3 Bg4 11.0-0 Qxe2 12.Bxe2 Nf6 13.h3 Bh5 14.Bf4 h6 15.Rfe1 0-0-0 16.Ne5 Bxe2 17.Rxe2 Rhe8 18.Rae1 g5 19.Be3 Rxe5 20.Bxb6 Rde8 21.Be3 Nh5 is equal (Hjartarson-Nikolic, Op, Greenland, 2003).
• If 8.Bg5 then:
• 8...Ne7 9.Qd2 Nbc6 10.Be2 0-0 11.0-0 h6 12.Be3 Re8 13.Rad1 Bg4 14.Rfe1 Bxe3 15.Qxe3 Ng6 16.Qd2 Qf6 17.Nfd4 Bxe2 18.Rxe2 Rxe2 19.Qxe2 is equal (Matulovic-Andersson, IT, Titovo Uzice, 1978).
• If 8...Nf6 9.Qe2+ Be6 10.Nbd4 Qe7 11.0-0-0 Nc6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.Nd4 Bxd4 14.Rxd4 h6 15.Bh4 g5 16.Bg3 Ne4 17.f3 Nxg3 18.hxg3 is equal (B. Socko-Kiriakov, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• If 7...Ba7 then:
• 8.Bd3 Qe7+ 9.Be2 Nf6 10.0-0 0-0 11.Nfd4 Nc6 12.Re1 Ne4 13.Be3 Ne5 14.Nd2 f5 15.f4 Nc6 16.Nxe4 dxe4 17.Bc4+ Kh8 18.Nxc6 Bxe3+ 19.Rxe3 bxc6 is equal (Ciric-Korchnoi, IT, Budva, 1967).
• If 8.Bg5 Ne7 9.Qd2 Nbc6 10.Be3 Bxe3 11.Qxe3 0-0 12.0-0-0 Bf5 13.Nfd4 Nxd4 14.Nxd4 Bg6 15.Bd3 Re8 16.Rhe1 Qd7 17.Bxg6 Nxg6 18.Qg5 Rxe1 19.Rxe1 Re8 20.Rxe8+ Qxe8 is equal (van der Wiel-Seirawan, ITZ, Biel, 1985).
• If 5...Nf6 6.Bb5+ Bd7 7.Bxd7+ Nbxd7 8.0-0 Be7 9.dxc5 Nxc5 10.Nb3 Nce4 11.Nfd4 Qd7 then:
• If 12.f3 Nd6 13.Nc5 then:
• If 13...Qc8 14.Nd3 0-0 then:
• If 15.Be3 Re8 16.Bf2 Bd8 17.a4 then:
• 17...Nc4 18.Qc1 Bb6 19.b3 Na5 20.Qf4 Nc6 21.Nf5 Bxf2+ 22.Rxf2 Qd8 23.g4 d4 24.Qg5 g6 25.Nh6+ Kg7 26.Nf5+ Kg8 27.Nh6+ draw (Akopian-Dolmatov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2004).
• 17...a6 18.b3 Ba5 19.Nf4 Nf5 20.Qd3 Re5 21.Rad1 Qd7 is equal (Rudolf-Tairova, World Jr Ch (Girls), Yerevan, 2006).
• 15.Re1 Bd8 16.c3 h6 17.a4 Nc4 18.Kh1 Bb6 19.b3 Na5 20.Ba3 Re8 21.Rxe8+ Qxe8 is equal (Timofeev-Potkin, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2004).
• 13...Qc7 14.Nd3 0-0 15.b3 Rfe8 16.Be3 Nd7 17.Qd2 Bf6 18.Rfe1 Nb6 19.Bf2 h6 20.a4 Rad8 21.Rxe8+ Rxe8 22.Re1 Rxe1+ 23.Nxe1 Nbc8 is equal (Timofeev-Lastin, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2004).
• If 12.Qf3 0-0 13.Nf5 Bd8 14.Be3 then:
• 14...Rc8 15.c3 Re8 16.Rfd1 a5 17.Nd2 Qe6 18.Nd4 Qe7 draw (Oral-Nogueiras, Capablanca Mem, Varadero, 2000).
• 14...g6 15.Ng3 Re8 16.Rfd1 Qc8 17.c3 a5 18.a4 Ra6 19.h3 Nd6 20.Nc5 Rc6 21.Nd3 Nc4 is equal (Rade-Dizdar, Croatian ChT, Pula, 2001).
• If 5...Nc6 6.Bb5 Bd6 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.0-0 Nge7 9.Nb3 then:
• If 9...Bd6 10.Re1 0-0 then:
• If 11.Bg5 Bg4 12.Be2 h6 then:
• If 13.Bxe7 Bxe7 14.h3 Bh5 15.c3 Bf6 16.Nh2 Bg6 17.Ng4 d4 18.Nxf6+ Qxf6 19.Nxd4 Rad8 20.Qb3 Nxd4 21.cxd4 then:
• If 21...Be4! 22.Rad1 Rxd4 23.Rxd4 Qxd4 24.Qc4 Qd5 25.Qxd5 Bxd5 26.Bf3 Be6 27.Rc1 Rc8 draw (Jansa-Prandstetter, IT, Prague, 1985).
• 21...Qxd4?! 22.Rad1 Qb6 23.Qxb6 axb6 24.Bf3 Rxd1 25.Rxd1 Re8 26.Rd6 b5 27.Rb6 wins a pawn for White (Jansa-Farago, IT, Bagneux, 1983).
• If 13.Bh4 Re8 14.c3 Qb6 15.Nfd4 Bxe2 16.Rxe2 Nxd4 17.Nxd4 Nc6 18.Nf5 Bf8 then:
• 19.Nxh6+ gxh6 20.Rxe8 Rxe8 21.Qg4+ Kh7 22.Qf5+ draws by perpetual check (Rodríguez-Psakhis, IT, Cienfuegos, 1983).
• 19.Rd2 Re4 20.Bg3 Rae8 21.h3 d4 22.Qf3 dxc3 23.bxc3 Re1+ 24.Rxe1 Rxe1+ 25.Kh2 Qb1 is equal (Suetin-Uhlmann, IT, Debrecen, 1987).
• If 11.Bd3 h6 12.h3 Nf5 13.c3 Qf6 14.Bc2 Rd8 15.Qd3 g6 then:
• 16.Bd2 a5 17.a4 b6 18.Qe2 Ba6 19.Bd3 Bxd3 20.Qxd3 d4 21.cxd4 Nfxd4 22.Nfxd4 Nxd4 23.Bc3 Nxb3 24.Bxf6 Bh2+ 25.Kxh2 Rxd3 is equal (Brodsky-Lputian, Hoogovens B, Wijk aan Zee, 1999).
• 16.Qd2 Bf8 17.Qf4 Bg7 18.Bd2 g5 19.Qh2 Nd6 20.Nbd4 Nc4 21.Bc1 Bf8 22.g4 Bc5 23.b3 Bxd4 24.Nxd4 N4e5 is equal (Zubarev-Lysyj, Op, Nishnij Tagil, 2005).
• If 9...Bb6 10.Re1 0-0 11.c3 then:
• 11...Nf5 12.Bd3 h6 13.Bc2 Qd6 14.Qd3 Rd8 15.Bd2 d4 16.c4 Bc7 17.Re4 Qg6 18.Rae1 f6 19.c5 White wins a pawn (Howell-Hall, British Ch, Great yarmouth, 2007).
• If 11...Bg4 12.Be3 then:
• 12...Bxe3 13.Rxe3 Qd6 14.h3 Bh5 15.Be2 Rad8 16.Nfd4 Bg6 17.Bf3 Ne5 18.Qe2 Nxf3+ 19.Qxf3 Nc8 20.Nf5 Bxf5 21.Qxf5 Rfe8 22.Rae1 Rxe3 23.Rxe3 Ne7 24.Qg5 gives White a more active position and better pawn structure (Macieja-Movsesian, TT, Czechia, 2001).
• 12...Re8 13.h3 Bh5 14.Bxb6 Qxb6 15.Be2 f6 16.Qd2 Bf7 17.Rad1 Ng6 18.Nbd4 Nxd4 19.Nxd4 Re5 20.Bd3 Rxe1+ 21.Rxe1 Ne5 gives White the advantage in space (Rublevsky-Meijers, Ol, Torino, 2006).
li]If 5.Bb5+ then:
• If 5...Bd7 6.Qe2+ Be7 7.dxc5 Nf6 8.Ngf3 0-0 then:
• If 9.Nb3 Re8 10.Be3 then:
• 10...a6 11.Bd3 Ba4 12.Nfd4 Nbd7 13.0-0-0 Bxb3 14.Nxb3 Nxc5 15.Qf3 Nxb3+ 16.axb3 Qa5 17.Kb1 Bc5 18.Rhe1 Bxe3 19.Rxe3 Qb4 20.h3 Rxe3 21.Qxe3 Re8 22.Qf3 h5 gives Black the advantage in space (Muraiu-Vaganian, IT, Bnaza, 2008).
• 10...Bxc5 11.Bxd7 Nbxd7 12.Nxc5 Nxc5 13.Qb5 Rc8 14.0-0 a6 15.Qb4 Re4 16.Qd2 h6 17.Rad1 Re8 18.c3 Nce4 19.Qd3 Qc7 20.Rfe1 Qc4 21.a3 Qxd3 22.Rxd3 Nd6 23.Kf1 Nc4 24.Bc1 Rxe1+ 25.Nxe1 Rc6 26.Nc2 Rb6 draw (Browne-Larsen, IT, Hastings, 1972).
• 9.0-0 Re8 10.Nb3 Bxc5 11.Qd3 Bb6 12.Bg5 Bxb5 13.Qxb5 Nbd7 14.Rad1 Qc7 15.Qd3 Re4 16.Nfd4 h6 17.Nb5 Qe5 18.Bxf6 Nxf6 19.N5d4 Ng4 20.Qg3 Qe7 21.Nf5 Qf6 22.Rxd5 Rd8 23.Rxd8+ Qxd8 24.h3 g6 25.hxg4 gxf5 26.gxf5+ Kh7 27.c3 Re2 28.f6 Black resigns two pawns down (Zimina-Kononenko, Bykova Mem, Vladimir, 2005).

4...cxd4 5.Nxd4

• If 5.exd5 Qxd5 6.Bc4 Qd6 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Nb3 Nc6 9.Nbxd4 Nxd4 then:
• If 10.Nxd4 a6 11.Re1 Qc7 12.Bb3 Bd6 then:
• 13.Nf5 Bxh2+ 14.Kh1 0-0 15.Nxg7 Rd8 16.Qf3 Kxg7 17.Bh6+ Kg6 18.c3 Nh5 19.Bc1 Bf4 20.g4 Ng3+ 21.fxg3 Bxc1 22.Raxc1 b6 23.Bc2+ Kg7 24.Be4 Ra7 25.Rc2 Bb7 26.Rh2 Bxe4 27.Qxe4 Qb7 28.Rxh7+ Kg8 29.Qxb7 Rxb7 30.Rh2 Rd3 31.Kg2 Rd2+ 32.Kh3 Rxh2+ 33.Kxh2 Rd7 34.Re2 Kg7 35.Kh3 b5 36.b3 Rc7 37.Re3 Kf6 38.Rf3+ Kg5 draw (Brodsky-Glek, Hoogovens B, Wijk aan Zee, 1999).
• 10...Bd7 11.c3 Qc7 12.Qe2 Bd6 13.Nb5 Bxb5 14.Bxb5+ Ke7 15.g3 a6 16.Ba4 Rad8 17.Qf3 h6 18.Be3 Nd7 19.Rad1 draw (Clemente-Savchur, Corres, 2000).
• 13.h3 0-0 14.Bg5 Bh2+ 15.Kh1 Be5 16.c3 Bd7 17.Nf3 Bf4 18.Bxf6 gxf6 19.Qd4 Kg7 20.Bc2 Bc6 21.Qd3 f5 22.Nd4 Rad8 23.Qe2 Kh8 24.Rad1 Rg8 25.Nxc6 draw (Pavasovic-Farago, Op, Deizisau, 2004).
• 10.Qxd4 Qxd4 11.Nxd4 Bd7 12.Bf4 Rc8 13.Bb3 Bc5 14.Rad1 0-0 15.h3 Rfd8 16.c3 Be8 17.Be5 Nd7 18.Bg3 Nb6 19.Bh4 Rd6 20.Bg3 Rdd8 21.Bh4 Rd6 draw (Ripari-Matamoros, Op, Malaga, 2001).

5...Nc6

• If 5...Nf6 6.exd5 Qxd5 then:
• 7.Nb5 Na6 8.c4 Qf5 9.Be2 Be7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Nd4 Qg6 12.N2f3 Rd8 13.Bd3 Qh5 14.Re1 Qa5 15.Qe2 Nb4 16.Bb1 Bd7 is equal (Hunt-Peng, Euro ChTW, León, 2001).
• 7.N2f3 Bc5 8.Be2 Nc6 9.c4 Bb4+ 10.Bd2 Qa5 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.a3 Bxd2+ 13.Qxd2 Qxd2+ 14.Kxd2 c5 15.b4 Ke7 16.Ne5 Bb7 17.Ke3 Bxg2 18.Rhg1 Be4 19.Rxg7 Bg6 20.Rg1 gives White more activity and better pawn structure, but the awkward position of the Rook at g7 provides Black with opportunities for counterplay (Smagin-S. Ivanov, Russian Ch, Sr. Petersburg, 1998).

6.Bb5

• If 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 Nf6 8.0-0 Be7 then:
• 9.Qe2 0-0 10.c4 a5 11.b3 a4 12.Bb2 Bb7 13.e5 Nd7 14.Nf3 Ba6 15.Qc2 h6 16.Rfd1 Qb6 17.Rab1 axb3 18.axb3 Rab8 19.Bd4 Bc5 20.Bc3 Bb4 21.Bd4 Bc5 22.Bc3 Bb4 23.Bd4 Bc5 draw (Lakos-Navara, Op, Oberwart, 2003).
• If 9.b3 0-0 10.Bb2 a5 11.Qe2 a4 12.f4 Ba6 13.c4 Bb4 14.e5 Nd7 15.Nf3 Be7 16.f5 then:
• 16...Nc5? 17.f6 gxf6 18.exf6 Bxf6 19.Ng5! Bxb2 20.Qh5 Qxg5 21.Qxh7# White wins (Bergstrom-Reyner, Jr IT, Hallsberg, 1975).
• 16...Qb6+ 17.Kh1 axb3 18.axb3 exf5 19.cxd5 Bxd3 20.Qxd3 Rxa1 21.Rxa1 Nc5 is equal

6...Bd7 7.Nxc6 Bxc6

• If 7...bxc6!? 8.Bd3 then:
• If 8...Qc7 9.Qe2 Ne7 10.Nf3 Ng6 11.0-0 then:
• 11...Be7 12.c4 dxe4 13.Bxe4 f5 14.Bc2 e5 15.Ng5 h6 16.Qh5 Qd6 17.Ne4 Qe6 18.Rd1 Bc8 19.h3 Rf8 20.Ng3 Rf6 21.Re1 Kf8 22.Qe2 a5 23.Bd2 gives White more activity (Shamkovich-Vaganian, Trmt, Dubna, 1973).
• 11...Bd6 12.Re1 Nf4 13.Bxf4 Bxf4 14.c4 0-0 15.g3 Bh6 16.exd5 cxd5 17.Qc2 g6 18.cxd5 Qxc2 19.Bxc2 exd5 20.Bb3 Be6 21.Nd4 Rfe8 draw (Zakharov-Petrosian, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1976).
• If 8...Bd6 9.Qe2 then:
• 9...Qc7 10.Nf3 dxe4 11.Qxe4 Nf6 12.Qh4 then:
• If 12...h6 13.0-0 Rb8 14.Bd2 Nd5 15.c4 Nf4 16.c5 Nxd3 17.cxd6 Qxd6 18.Rad1 Rb5 19.Bc3 0-0 20.Be5 gives White the initiative (Yakovich-Shulman, Trmt, Vladivostok, 1994).
• If 12...Rb8 13.0-0 then:
• If 13...Nd5!? 14.Re1 Be7 15.Qg4 then:
• If 15...g6?! 16.c4 f5 17.Bxf5!! then:
• 17...Nf6 18.Qf4 Qxf4 19.Bxf4 Rxb2 20.Bxe6 Bc5 21.Bxd7+ Kxd7 22.Ne5+ Kc8 23.Nd3 Rc2 24.Nxc5 Rxc4 25.Be3 Black resigns (Yudasin-Gulko, ITZ, Biel, 1994).
• 17...exf5 18.Qd4 0-0 19.cxd5 Rb4 20.Qc3 Re4 21.Rxe4 fxe4 22.Nd4 gives White an extra pawn.
• 15...Bf6 16.c4 Ne7 17.Re2 c5 18.Rb1 h5 19.Qe4 Bc6 20.Qe3 is equal.
• 13...c5 14.Bh6 Bf8 15.Bf4 Bd6 16.Bxd6 Qxd6 17.b3 is equal.
• The better 9...Ne7 transposes into Zakharov-Petrosian.

8.Bxc6+ bxc6 9.c4 Bd6

• This move is no worse than better established theory.
• If 9...Bc5 then:
• 10.Qa4 Ne7 11.exd5 exd5 12.Nb3 Bb6 13.c5 Bc7 14.0-0 0-0 15.Bg5 f6 16.Bf4 Be5 17.Rae1 Qc7 18.Bc1 Bxh2+ 19.Kh1 Nf5 20.g4 Nh4 21.f4 Qd7 gives Black an extra pawn and a strong initiative (Hanley-Luther, EU Ch, Liverpool, 2006).
• If 10.cxd5 cxd5 11.exd5 then:
• 11...Qxd5 12.Qa4+ Qd7 13.Qxd7+ Kxd7 14.Ne4 Bb6 15.Bf4 Ne7 16.0-0-0+ Nd5 17.Nc3 Kc6 18.Nxd5 draw (Glek-Jussupow, Bundesliga 9192, Germany, 1992).
li]11...exd5 12.0-0 Ne7 13.Nb3 Bb6 14.Bg5 f6 15.Be3 gives White the advantage in development and in that Black is saddled with an isolated pawn (Ligterink-Donner, IT, Amsterdam, 1976).
• If 9...Qa5 then:
• If 10.Qb3 Rd8 11.0-0 then:
• 11...Nf6 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.e5 Nd7 14.Qg3 Rc8 15.Nb3 Qa6 16.Bg5 h6 17.Be3 g6 is equal (Abergel-Malakhatko, Op, Cappelle la Grande, 2006).
• 11...Bd6 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.exd5 exd5 14.Qb7 Ne7 15.Nb3 Qa4 16.Be3 0-0 17.Qxa7 Qh4 18.h3 gives White an extra pawn (I. Smirin-Dizdar, Croatian Cup, Sibenik, 2005).
• 10.Qc2 Qa6 11.Rb1 Bb4 12.exd5 cxd5 13.0-0 Nf6 14.b3 0-0 15.Qb2 Rac8 draw (Ehlvest-Chernin, Euro ChT, Pula, 1997).
• 9...Nf6 10.Qa4 Qd7 11.e5 then:
• 11...Ng8 12.0-0 Ne7 13.Nf3 dxc4 14.Rd1 Nd5 15.Qxc4 Be7 16.Qg4 gives White the initiative (Diamant-Vescovi, Op, São Paulo, 2006).
• 11...Ng4 12.Nf3 h5 13.0-0 Rb8 14.a3 Be7 15.b4 Rb7 16.Bf4 gives White the advantage in space (Tseitlin-Vaganian, Soviet Ch, Leningrad, 1971).
• 12...Bc5 13.0-0 Rb8 14.cxd5 exd5 15.Qc2 Bb6 16.Bf4 gives White more space and better pawn structure.

BLACK: Gata Kamsky
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WHITE: Veselin Topalov
Position after 9...Bf8d6

10.cxd5!?

• White saddles Black with an isolated pawn.
• 10.Qa4 Qd7 11.exd5 cxd5 12.Qxd7+ Kxd7 13.cxd5 exd5 14.0-0 Ne7 15.Nf3 Rab8 16.b3 a5 17.Bd2 Bb4 is equal (Majoob-Ghane Gardeh, Iranian Ch, Tehran, 2000).

10...cxd5 11.exd5 exd5

• The d-pawn is isolated, but in no danger at the moment. The game is equal.

12.0-0 Ne7 13.Nf3

• 13.Re1 0-0 14.Nf3 Re8 15.Bg5 Qa5 remains equal.
• 13.Qa4+ Qd7 14.Qxd7+ Kxd7 transposes into the game Majoob-Ghane Gardeh, cited above.

13...0-0 14.Qd3 Qd7

• 14...Re8 15.Be3 Qa5 16.Rfc1 Rad8 17.a3 remains equal.

15.Rd1 Rfd8 16.Be3 a5

• The position is stable; if this game were being played in the early or middle rounds of the Aeroflot Open rather than in a match for the right to challenge the world champion, the players would be getting ready to agree to a draw.
• 16...Qf5 17.Qd2 Rac8 18.Rac1 Rxc1 19.Rxc1 Rc8 20.Rxc8+ Nxc8 remains equal.

BLACK: Gata Kamsky
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WHITE: Veselin Topalov
Position after 16...a7a5

17.g3

• 17.Rac1 Qa4 18.Bd4 Qxa2 gives Black an extra pawn, but after 19.Ra1 Qc4 20.Qxc4 dxc4 21.Bb6 White wins it back with advantage.

17...h6 18.Bb6 Rdc8 19.Bd4 Bc5

• 19...Qf5 20.Bc3 Qxd3 21.Rxd3 Rc7 22.Nd4 remains equal.

20.Bc3 Bb4

• 20...Qe6 21.Re1 Qg6 22.Qxg6 Nxg6 23.Rad1 Ne7 remains equal.

21.Be5 Bd6 22.Rd2

• 22.Bxd6 Qxd6 23.Rd2 Ra7 24.Re1 Rac7 25.Rde2 remains equal.

22...Bxe5

• 22...Rc7 23.Re1 Rac8 24.Bxd6 Qxd6 25.Rde2 transposes into the last note

23.Nxe5 Qd6 24.Re1 Rc7 25.Qf3

• 25.Rde2 a4 26.Qd2 Nc6 27.Nc4 Qc5 28.Re8+ remains equal.

25...Rf8

• 25...Qe6 26.Rde2 Qf5 27.Qa3 Raa7 28.Qd6 remains equal.

26.Kg2 Rb7 27.h4

• Simply put, there is no hint of an advantage in this position.
• If 27.b3 then:
• 27...Rc7 28.h3 Qe6 29.Rdd1 Rfc8 remains equal.
• 27...Qb4 28.Rde2 Rc7 29.h3 Qd6 30.Rd1 Qa6 31.Re3 remains equal.

27...Qb4 28.Ree2 Qa4 29.b3 Qb4 30.Nd3 Qd6 31.h5

• 31.Qf4 Qxf4 32.Nxf4 Rd7 33.Re5 f6 34.Re6 Ra8 remains equal and starts to look like a good time for the players to call it a day.

31...Rc7 32.Nf4 d4!?

• Romanian grandmaster Mihail Marin, writing on ChessBase.com, is very critical of this move, which he punctuates with a query. While Grandmaster Marin is basically correct in stating the move "weakens the (d-)pawn and also the surrounding squares," the query seems a bit harsh in that all it has done is to provide White with something to more definite to do than make moves without weakening his own position.
• Grandmaster Marin recommends 32...Rd8, on which he does not elaborate; a plausible continuation would be 33.Rd4 Rc5 34.Red2 Qf6 35.Rd1 Qg5 remaining equal and uneventful..

33.Re4

• As Nimzovich observed in the last century, the isolated d-pawn is at once a static weakness and a dynamic strength. This one is also a passed pawn, of which Nimzovich also said, "is a criminal who must be kept under lock and key."
• 33.Nd3 Nc6 34.Re4 is a transposition, but the order most players would choose; it is in keeping with Nimzovich's tripartate formula formula for defending against a passer: Restrain, blockade, destroy. At d4, the pawn is already under restaint, since it would be taken for free had it advanced to d3. However, the beginner and intermediate player (and even more experienced players) would profit from reading and re-reading Nimzovich's comments on the blockade of a passed pawn in My System.

33...Nc6 34.Nd3!

• White blockades the pawn.

34...Rd8 35.Rc2

• Perhaps White intends to paly the Rook to c4 at some point.
• 35.Rde2 Re7 36.Rxe7 Nxe7 37.Rc2 Nd5 38.Rc5 remains equal.

35...Nb4?

• Black blunders away the d-pawn.
• If 35...Qd7 36.Rce2 then:
• 36...Rdc8 37.Re1 Qd8 remains equal and is headed for a draw.
• 36...Nb4? still drops a pawn after 37.Nxb4 axb4 38.Rd2 d3 39.Rxb4.

BLACK: Gata Kamsky
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WHITE: Veselin Topalov
Position after 35...Nc6b4

36.Nxb4!

• Removing the Knight is the best way to assure that it neither returns to c6 nor supports 36...Rxc2!.

36...axb4 37.Rxd4!

• White has the pawn, which is the point of the combination, but Black must try to minimize the damage and find some counterplay.

37...Qf8

• Black is condemned to remain a pawn down.
• If 37...Qxd4 then after 38.Rxc7 Rf8 39.Rc4 Qd2 40.Qf5 Qxa2 41.Rxb4 White remains a pawn to the good.

38.Rxd8 Qxd8 39.Rxc7 Qxc7
BLACK: Gata Kamsky
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Veselin Topalov
Position after 39...Qd8c7:R

40.Qa8+!

• White remains a pawn up and has denied Black all chances of counterplay.

40...Kh7 41.Qe4+ Kg8 42.Qxb4!

• Winning the second pawn gives White two connected passers. Even if Black wins one back, the remaining passer will decide the game.

42...Qc6+ 43.Kg1 Qc1+ 44.Kh2 Qc2

• White wins back a pawn, but the game is already decided.

45.Qe1

• If 45.Qb8+ Kh7 46.Qf4 then:
• 46...Kg8 47.Qe3 Kf8 48.a3 Qf5 49.Qe2 Qa5 50.Qd1 preserves White's pawns.
• If 46...f6 then White keeps his pawns safe after 47.a4 Qxb3 48.Qe4+ Kg8 49.g4.

45...Kf8 46.a3 Qb2 47.Qb4+ Kg8 48.Kg2 Qe5 49.Qg4

• 49.g4 g6 50.hxg6 fxg6 51.Qc4+ wins faster.

49...Qb2

• 49...Kf8 50.b4 Qd5+ 51.Qf3 Qb5 52.g4 Qc4 53.Qf5 wins as White's position is flexible enough to either advance the passed b-pawn or destroy Black's kingside pawns, depending on how Black plays.
• The rest requires no comment.

50.Qc8+ Kh7 51.Qc4 Qxa3 52.Qxf7 Qb4 53.Qc4 Qb7+ 54.Kg1 Qf3 55.g4 1-0

• White's pawns are all safe.
• Mr. Kamsky resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Pashikian - Bacrot, Aeroflot Open, Round 9, Moscow

Etienne Bacrot
Photo: Wikipedia


Arman Pashikian - Etienne Bacrot
Aeroflot Open, Round 9
Moscow, 25 February 2009

Semi-Slav Queen's Gambit: Marshall Opening

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.e4

• This the lesser known great opening innovation from America that bears the name Marshall Gambit.

4...Bb4

• If Black accepts the gambit with 4...dxe4 then if now 5.Nxe4 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Qxd4 7.Bxb4 Qxe4+ 8.Be2 Na6 then:
• If 9.Ba5 then:
• 9...f6 10.Qd8+ Kf7 11.0-0-0 e5 12.Bd3 Qf4+ 13.Kb1 Nc5 14.Ne2 Qg4 15.h3 is equal (Yermilinsky-Kaidanov, US Ch, Stillwater, 2007).
• 9...b6 10.Qd6 Bd7 11.Bc3 f6 12.Nf3 Ne7 13.0-0-0 Qxe2 14.Qxd7+ Kf7 15.Qd4 Rhd8 16.Qg4 Kf8 17.Rde1 Qd3 18.Nd4 Rxd4 19.Qxd4 Nb4 20.Qxd3 Nxd3+ 21.Kc2 Nxe1+ 22.Rxe1 e5 gives Black an extra pawn (Volkov-Frolyanov, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2008).
• If 9.Bd6 then:
• 9...Qxg2 10.Qd2 Nf6 11.Bf3 Qg6 12.Ne2 e5 13.0-0-0 Bg4 14.Rhg1 0-0-0 15.Qe3 h5 16.h3 Rxd6 17.Rxd6 Nb4 18.Qb3 Qh6+ 19.Kd1 Bxf3 20.Qxf3 Qh7 21.Nc3 Qc2+ 22.Ke1 is equal (van Wely-Pavasovic, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• 9...e5 10.Nf3 Bg4 11.0-0 0-0-0 12.Bd3 Qf4 13.Bxe5 Qxe5 14.Nxe5 Bxd1 15.Bf5+ Kc7 16.Nxf7 Nh6 17.Nxh6 Bh5 18.Bg4 Bxg4 19.Nxg4 Rd2 20.b3 gives White an extra pawn (Bacrot-Tregubov, KO, Corsica, 2005).
• 9.Bc3 Ne7 10.Nf3 0-0 11.0-0 f6 12.Re1 e5 13.Bd3 Qg4 14.Re4 Qe6 15.b4 Qf7 16.Nh4 g5 17.Nf3 Bf5 18.Re3 Rad8 19.Qe2 Bxd3 20.Rxd3 Qxc4 21.Nxe5 Qe6 22.Rxd8 Rxd8 23.Qg4 Qxg4 24.Nxg4 Nd5 25.Nxf6+ Nxf6 26.Bxf6 is equal (Marshall-Schrader, US Ch, St. Louis, 1904).

5.exd5 exd5 6.cxd5 cxd5 7.Bb5+!?

• 7.Bd3 Nc6 8.Nge2 Bg4 9.0-0 Nge7 10.Qb3 Qd7 11.Nf4 Rd8 12.Na4 0-0 13.Nc5 Bxc5 14.dxc5 Rfe8 15.Bd2 Ng6 16.Rfe1 is equal (Kouatly-Bacrot, French Ch, Meribel, 1998).

7...Bd7

• The game is equal.
• 7...Nc6 8.Nf3 Nge7 9.0-0 0-0 10.a3 Bd6 11.Bd3 is also equal.

8.Bd3 Ne7

• If 8...Nf6 9.Nf3 Qe7+ 10.Qe2 Nc6 then:
• 11.Bg5 0-0 12.Qxe7 Bxe7 13.Bxf6 Bxf6 14.Nxd5 is equal.
• 11.Qxe7+ Bxe7 12.Bg5 Rc8 13.Rc1 Nb4 14.Kd2 0-0 is equal.

9.Qf3 Qc8

• 9...Qb6 10.a3 Ba5 11.Nge2 Qe6 12.0-0 gives White the advantage in space.

10.Nge2 Bf5

• 10...Bg4 11.Qg3 Bxe2 12.Bxe2 0-0 13.a3 Nf5 14.Qd3 remains equal.

11.0-0 Bxd3 12.Qxd3 0-0 13.Qb5

• 13.Bg5 Nbc6 14.Bxe7 Nxe7 15.Qb5 Bxc3 16.Nxc3 Qc6 remains equal.

13...Bxc3 14.bxc3

• 14.Nxc3 Nbc6 15.Be3 Qd7 16.Rfe1 a6 remains equal.

14...Rd8 15.Ba3 Nbc6 16.Bxe7

• 16.Rfe1 Qc7 17.Rab1 Rd7 18.Nc1 a6 19.Qb6 Ng6 remains equal.

16...Nxe7 17.a4

• 17.Rab1 b6 18.Rfe1 Qc7 19.Ng3 Rac8 remains equal.

17...a6 18.Qb4 Ng6 19.Rab1 Rb8

• 19...Re8 20.Rfe1 Re7 21.Ng3 Rxe1+ 22.Rxe1 remains equal.

20.a5 h5 21.Qa4 h4 22.h3 Re8 23.Rb2?!

• 23.Rfe1 Re7 24.Qa2 Qf5 25.Rbc1 Qg5 26.Kf1 Rbe8 gives Black some initiative against the Knight at e2, but White can whip up conunterpaly against Black's queenside weaknesses.

23...Re4 24.c4

• If 24.Rc1?! Qf5 then:
• 25.Qc2 Qf6 26.Qb1 Rbe8 27.Kf1 Qd6 28.f3 R4e7 gives Black more space, more freedom and the initiative.
• 25.Qd1 Re7 26.Rcb1 Rbe8 27.Kf1 Nf4 28.Nxf4 Qxf4 gives Black a strong attack.
• If 24.Rfb1?! Qe6 25.Qd1 Re8 26.Kf1 Qd6 then:
• 27.Ng1 Qc6 28.Qb3 Nf4 29.Nf3 Qg6 30.Nxh4 Nd3! gives Black a continuing initiative.
• 27.Qb3? Qh2 28.f3 Nf4!! 29.fxe4 Qxg2+ 30.Ke1 Rxe4 the Knight is toast and Black wins.

BLACK: Etienne Bacrot
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WHITE: Arman Pashikian
Position after 24.c3c4

24...dxc4?!

• Black fails to take full advantage of the opportunity by exchanging Queens.
• 24...Qxc4! 25.Qxc4 dxc4 26.Rc1 Rc8 27.Kf1 Re7 gives Black an extra pawn.

25.Rc1 Qf5 26.Qc2

• If 26.f3 Re7 27.Rxc4 Qg5 28.Qb4 Rbe8 29.Kf1 then:
• 29...Nf4 30.Nxf4 Qxf4 31.Rcc2 Qh2 gives Black the initiative.
• 29...Rxe2!? 30.Rxe2 Rxe2 31.Kxe2 Qxg2+ 32.Ke3 Qg1+ is equal.

26...Nf4 27.Nc3

• If 27.Nxf4 Qxf4 then:
• If 28.Qxc4 Rxd4 29.Qc5 Rd5 then:
• 30.Qc3 Rxa5 31.Re1 Ra4 gives Black two extra pawns.
• 30.Qxd5?? loses immediately to 30...Qxc1+.
• 28.Qxe4?? loses immediately to 28...Qxc1+.

27...Nd3 28.Nxe4 Nxc1 29.Qxc4

• If 29.Qxc1 Qxe4 30.Qxc4 then:
• 30...Qe1+ 31.Kh2 Qxa5 32.Rxb7 Rxb7 33.Qc8+ is a likely draw.
• After 30...Rd8 31.Re2 Qb1+ 32.Kh2 Qb5 33.Qxb5 axb5 34.Re4 White stands slightly better, but not good enough to win.

29...Qxe4 30.Qxc1 Rd8 31.Rb4 Rd6

• 31...Rxd4 32.Qc8+ Kh7 33.Rxd4 (any other move loses) 33...Qxd4 34.Qxb7 Qa1+ 35.Kh2 Qxa5 36.Qxf7 Qc5 is equal and likely drawn.

32.Qe3 Qd5 33.Qf4

• 33.Qe8+ Kh7 34.Qe7 Rg6 35.Qxh4+ Kg8 36.f3 Qxf3 remains equal.

33...Re6

• 33...Rd7 34.Ra4 Re7 35.Qxh4 Re1+ 36.Kh2 Re4 remains equal.

34.Kh2?!

• This inaccurate move puts White in a deep hole With a Black pawn at h4, there is no way White can defend from a frontal attack on the King. On the other hand, f3 stops the Queen on the diagonal.
• 34.Qc7 Rg6 35.f3! Qg5 36.Rb2! Qe3+ 37.Kh1 remains equal.
• If 34.Kh1 then:
• If 34...Re4 35.Qc7 Rxd4 36.Rxb7 Qf5 37.Kh2 Rd5 then:
• 38.Rb3 Qe5+ 39.Qxe5 Rxe5 40.Ra3 is a likely draw.
• 38.f4 Kh7 39.Qxf7 Qxf7 40.Rxf7 Rxa5 gives Black an extra pawn, but with the Rook in front of the pawn it's not enough to win.
• 34...Rg6?! 35.Qb8+ Kh7 36.Qxb7 Qxa5 is equal.

BLACK: Etienne Bacrot
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Arman Pashikian
Position after 34.Kg1h2

34...Rg6!

• Black threatens mate on g2.

35.Qb8+

• In this sad situation, White finds the best move. He prefers a slow death.
• After 35.g4 hxg3+ 36.fxg3 Qa2+ 37.Kg1 Rc6 38.Qf1 Qa3 the a- and d-pawns fall.
• 35.f3 Qa2! wins the Queen, which is forced to g4 to prevent mate.

35...Kh7 36.Qxb7 Rxg2+ 37.Kh1 Qxb7 38.Rxb7 Rxf2 39.Ra7

• No better is 39.Rb6 Rd2 40.Rxa6 Rxd4 41.Rb6 Ra4.

39...Rf6 40.Kg2 Kg6 41.Rb7?

• White's position has been deteriorating for several moves. Now it is beyond hope.
• If 41.d5 Kg5 42.Rb7 Rd6 43.Rxf7 g6 then:
• If 44.Ra7 Kf4 45.Rh7 g5 46.Rf7+ Ke4 then:
• 47.Re7+ Kxd5?! 48.Rg7! Ke4 49.Rxg5 Rd2+ 50.Kf1 Ra2 is equal.
• 47.Ra7? Rxd5 48.Rxa6 Rd2+ 49.Kf1 Rh2 50.Rb6 Rxh3 Black should win.
• If 44.Rh7? then after 44...Rxd5 45.Rc7 Rxa5 Black wins easily.

BLACK: Etienne Bacrot
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Arman Pashikian
Position after 41.Ra7b7

41...Rf4

• This is good enough, but not the best.
• If 41...Kg5! 42.d5 Kf4 43.d6 Rg6+ then:
• 44.Kh2 Ke5 45.Rxf7 Kxd6 46.Rb7 Kc5 47.Kh1 Rg3 the Rook goes to a3 and capture the pawn, giving Black the advantage of the remote passer.
• After 44.Kf2 Ke5 45.d7 Rd6 46.Ke3 f5 47.Ra7 g5 Black wins on the kingside.

42.d5

• If 42.Rb6+ then:
• 42...Kh5 43.Rxa6 Rxd4 44.Ra7 Rd2+ 45.Kf1 Kg6 wins for Black.
• If 42...Rf6 43.Rb7 Kg5 44.d5 then:
• If 44...Rf5 45.Rb6 Rxd5 46.Rxa6 Kf4 47.Ra7 f5 then:
• 48.Rxg7 Rxa5 wins for Black.
• 48.a6 Rd6 49.Rxg7 Rxa6 wins for Black.
• 44...g6 45.Rb6 Rf5 46.Rxa6 Rxd5 wins for Black.

42...Rf5 43.Rb6+ f6 44.Rd6 Kh6

• 44...Kg5 45.Rd7 Kf4 46.d6 Rd5 47.Rxg7 Rd2+ 48.Kg1 Rxd6 gives Black the extra pawn.

45.Rd8 Kh7 46.Rd7 Rg5+ 47.Kf2 Rg3 48.Rd6

• Better is 48.Ra7 Rxh3 49.Rxa6 Rd3 50.d6 Rd5, but Black's three connected passers should win. If Black sacrifices his Rook for the two remaining White pawns, he should have all three of his connected passers on the fifth rank (rank 4) or beyond (per Fine, Basic Chess Endings).

48...Rd3!

• White does not know which way to go with his King, but it doesn't matter. Black wins either way.
• 48...Rxh3 49.Rxa6 Rd3 50.d6 Rd5 leaves White frozen for now.

49.Ke2

• If 49.Kg2 Kg6 50.Rxa6 Rxd5 then:
• 51.Ra8 Kf5 52.a6 Rd2+ 53.Kh1 g5 54.Rb8 Ra2 Black wins.
• If 51.Ra7 then after 51...Rd2+ 52.Kg1 Ra2 53.a6 f5 54.Ra8 Kg5 Black wins.

BLACK: Etienne Bacrot
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WHITE: Arman Pashikian
Position after 49.Kf2e2

49...Rxh3!

• Black has three connected passed pawns.

50.Rxa6 Rg3!

• 50...Ra3 51.Ra7 h3 52.Kf2 Ra2+ 53.Kg1 Rd2 Black has the extra pawn, but the outcome is still in doubt.

51.Rb6 h3 52.Kf2 h2!

• Obviously, White cannot reply 53.Kxg3.

53.Rb1

• Forced.

53...Ra3!

• White's pawns fall.

54.Rd1

• 54.Kg2 Ra2+ 55.Kh1 Rxa5 56.Rd1 Kg6 57.d6 Ra8 transposes to the text.

54...Rxa5 55.Kg2 Ra2+ 56.Kh1 Kg6 57.d6 Ra8!

• Since Black cannot place his Rook behind the pawn, he will use the Rook to Block the pawn.

58.Kxh2 Rd8 59.Kg3

• If 59.d7 then after 59...Kf7 60.Kg3 Ke6 61.Re1+ Kxd7 White's two connected passed pawns win.

59...Kf5 60.Kf3 Rd7 61.Rg1 Ke6

• Also good is 61...g5 62.Rd1 Ke6 63.Re1+ Kf7 64.Ke4 Rxd6.

62.Ke4 g5 0-1
BLACK: Etienne Bacrot
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Arman Pashikian
Final position 62...g7g5

• If White moves the King, Black plays 63...Rxd6 and wins.
• If White tries to proctct the pawn, Black takes and wins the King-and-pawn ending: If 63.Rd1 Rxd6 64.Rxd6+ Kxd6 then:
• If 65.Kf5 then after 65...g4 66.Kxg4 Ke5 67.Kf3 Kf5 Black has the opposition and wins.
• If 65.Kf3 then after 65...f5 66.Ke3 Ke5! (Black takes the opposition) 67.Kf3 g4+ 68.Kg3 Ke4 Black wins easily.
• Grandmaser Pashikian resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Pashikian - Kurnosov, Aeroflot Open, Round 8, Moscow

Armenian grandmaster Arman Pashikian defeated Russian GM Igor Kurnosov in the next-to-last round to take sole possession of first place in the Aeroflot Open.



Arman Pashikian
Photo: Armenian Chess (Armenia)


Arman Pashikian - Igor Kurnosov
Aeroflot Open, Round 8
Moscow, 24 February 2009

West India Game: Indian Queen's Game (Russian Opening) (Grünfeld Defense)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Qb3

• The Russian Opening is a good alternative to the Exchange Opening.

4...dxc4 5.Qxc4 Bg7 6.e4 0-0 7.Nf3 a6

• If 7...Bg4 8.Be3 Nfd7 9.Qb3 Nb6 10.Rd1 Nc6 11.d5 Ne5 12.Be2 Nxf3+ 13.gxf3 Bh5 then:
• If 14.Rg1 then:
• If 14...Qd7 15.Rg3 c6 16.dxc6 Qxc6 17.Nb5 Rfc8 18.Nxa7 Rxa7 19.Bxb6 Raa8 then:
• 20.Rd5 Qc1+ 21.Bd1 Kf8 22.Rd2 Qc6 23.Bd4 Bxd4 24.Rxd4 gives White an extra pawn and more space (Nickel-Bucciardini, Corres, 1999).
• 20.Bd4 Bxd4 21.Rxd4 Qc1+ 22.Rd1 leaves White with an extra pawn (Keene-Tarjan, IT, Torremolinos, 1975).
• If 14...Qc8 15.Rg3 c6 16.a4 Qc7 then:
• If 17.Qa3 f5 18.dxc6 bxc6 19.a5 Nc8 20.Qc5 fxe4 then:
• 21.Nd5 Qd6 22.Qc4 cxd5 23.Rxd5 Kh8 24.Rxd6 Nxd6 25.Qd5 gives White a dominant Queen for a Rook and a minor piece (Babula-Oral, Chech Ch, Luhacovice, 2003).
• 21.Nb5 Qxa5+ 22.b4 Qa4 23.Bd4 Bxf3 24.Bxg7 Bxe2 is equal (Ivanchuk-Timman, IT, Linares, 1993).
• 17.a5 Nc8 18.Qb4 f5 19.Bd4 Bxd4 20.Qxd4 c5 21.Qd2 f4 22.Rg5 Nd6 is equal (Korotylev-Knott, Op, Hastings, 2002-03).
• 14.f4 Bxe2 15.Nxe2 Qd7 16.Bd4 c6 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.Qc3+ Kg8 19.dxc6 Qxc6 20.Qxc6 bxc6 21.Rc1 Rac8 22.h4 c5 23.h5 c4 24.Nc3 Rc5 25.Ke2 draw (Giorgadze-Stohl, Euro ChT, Batumi, 1999).
• 7...Na6 8.Be2 c5 9.d5 e6 10.0-0 exd5 11.exd5 Bf5 then:
• If 12.Be3 Qb6 13.b3 Rfe8 14.Rad1 Rad8 then:
• 15.Na4 Qa5 16.d6 Rd7 17.Qb5 Qd8 18.Bxc5 Nxc5 19.Nxc5 a6 20.Qc4 b5 21.Qc1 gives White the initiative (Gyimesi-I. Smirin, Coatian ChT, Pula, 2001).
• 15.Rfe1 Qa5 16.h3 Nd7 17.Na4 Nb4 18.Bg5 Nc2 19.Bxd8 Qxd8 20.Rf1 Nd4 21.Nxd4 Bxd4 22.Rxd4 cxd4 23.Bg4 Bxg4 24.hxg4 Re4 25.f3 Ne5 26.Qb4 Nd3 27.Qc4 Ne5 28.Qb4 Nd3 29.Qc4 draw (Khalifman-Kasparov, IT, Linares, 2000).
• If 12.Bf4 then:
• 12...Re8 13.Rad1 Ne4 14.Nb5 Qf6 15.Bd3 Rad8 16.Rde1 Qxb2 17.Nc7 Nxc7 18.Bxc7 Nd2 19.Rxe8+ Rxe8 20.Nxd2 Qxd2 21.Bxf5 gxf5 22.g3 Bd4 23.d6 Re1 24.Kg2 Rxf1 25.Qxf1 Qxa2 gives Black two extra pawns which he soon converted to a win (Dzhandzhava-Kasparov, Baku, 1987).
• 12...Qb6 13.Be5 Rfe8 then:
• 14.Rfd1 Ne4 15.Bxg7 Nd6 16.Qf4 Kxg7 17.Rac1 Rad8 18.b3 Ne4 19.Na4 Qc7 20.d6 Rxd6 21.Rxd6 Qxd6 22.Qxd6 Nxd6 23.Bxa6 bxa6 24.Nxc5 Re2 gives White the advantage in pawn structure; the game ended in a draw 18 moves later (Bareev-van Wely, IT, Enghien-les-Bains, 2001).
• 14.d6 Nd7 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.Nb5 f6 17.Bd3 Be6 18.Qc1 c4 19.Bxc4 Bxc4 20.Qxc4 Rac8 21.Nc7 Nxc7 22.dxc7 Rxc7 23.Qf4 Ne5 24.Nxe5 Rxe5 25.b3 Re2 26.Rae1 g5 27.Qf3 Rxe1 draw (Georgescu-Dragicevic, World Jr Ch, Gaziantep, 2008).
• 7...Nc6 8.Be2 Bg4 then:
• If 9.d5 then:
• If 9...Na5 10.Qb4 Bxf3 11.Bxf3 c6 12.0-0 Qb6 13.Qa4 Nd7 14.Rd1 then:
• 14...Nc5 15.Qc2 Nc4 16.Be2 Qb4 17.a3 Qb3 18.Qxb3 Nxb3 19.Rb1 Nb6 20.Be3 cxd5 21.Nxd5 Nxd5 22.Rxd5 gives White the more active game (Kasimdzhanov-Sutovksy, TMatch, Batumi, 2001).
• 14...Rfd8 15.Qc2 Rac8 16.Be3 Qb4 17.dxc6 bxc6 18.Be2 Nc4 19.Bxc4 Qxc4 20.Rac1 gives White more activity (Onischuk-Avrukh, IT, Biel, 2007).
• 9...Bxf3 10.gxf3 Ne5 11.Qb3 c6 12.f4 Ned7 13.dxc6 bxc6 14.e5 Nd5 15.Nxd5 cxd5 16.Qxd5 e6 17.Qd6 Nb6 18.Qxd8 Raxd8 19.0-0 Nd5 20.Rd1 f6 21.Bg4 Kf7 is equal (Timman-Korchnoi, Op, Reykjavik, 1988).
• 9.Be3 Bxf3 10.gxf3 e5 11.dxe5 Nxe5 12.Qb5 Nh5 13.Qxb7 Rb8 14.Qd5 Qf6 15.0-0-0 Nf4 16.Qd2 Nxe2+ 17.Qxe2 Nxf3 18.Rd5 c6 19.Rc5 Nd4 20.Qc4 Nb5 21.e5 Qf5 22.e6 Qxe6 23.Qxe6 fxe6 24.Rd1 Nxc3 draw (Bareev-Balashov, Soviet Ch FL, Irtusk, 1986).

8.Qa4

• If 8.Be2 b5 9.Qb3 c5 10.dxc5 Bb7 11.0-0 Nxe4 12.Nxe4 Bxe4 then:
• 13.Bf4 Bd5 14.Qe3 Bxb2 15.Rad1 e6 16.Bd6 Re8 17.Ne5 Nd7 18.f4 Nb6 19.Rd2 gives White the advantage in space (Volkov-Shomoev, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2004).
• If 13.Bg5 Nc6 14.Qe3 then:
• 14...Qd5 15.Rad1 Qe6 16.Bh6 Bc2 17.Rd2 Qxe3 18.Bxe3 Bf5 19.Rfd1 Rfc8 20.h3 Be6 gives White a passed pawn on the queenside and better command of open lines (Kasimdzhanov-Leko, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2002).
• 14...Bf5 15.Bh6 Bxb2 16.Rad1 Qa5 17.Bxf8 Rxf8 18.Bd3 Bxd3 19.Rxd3 Qxa2 20.Rd2 Qa3 21.Qe4 Rc8 22.Ng5 Bc1 23.Qd5 Ne5 24.Qb7 Rf8 gives Black a small advantage in space (Bacrot-van Wely, ZT, Escaldes, 1998).
• If 8.e5 b5 9.Qb3 Nfd7 then:
• If 10.Be3 c5 11.e6 then:
• 11...cxd4 12.exd7 Qxd7 13.Rd1 e5 14.Nd5 Qb7 15.Nxd4 exd4 16.Bxd4 Re8+ 17.Be2 is equal (Tegshsuren-J. Shahade, US Ch, Seattle, 2003).
• 11...c4 12.exf7+ Rxf7 13.Qd1 Nb6 14.Ne5 Rf8 15.a4 b4 16.a5 bxc3 17.axb6 cxb2 18.Bxc4+ Kh8 19.Rb1 Qxb6 20.Qd2 Be6 21.Rxb2 Qd6 22.Bxe6 Qxe6 23.0-0 Nd7 24.Nxd7 Qxd7 25.Rfb1 is equal (Spirin-Horvath, Op, Krasnodar, 2003).
• 10.e6 fxe6 11.Be3 Nf6 12.a4 bxa4 13.Rxa4 Nd5 14.Bc4 c6 15.Ra3 Nd7 16.Nxd5 cxd5 17.Bxd5 Nc5 18.dxc5 Qxd5 19.0-0 Bb7 20.Rd1 Qc6 21.Ne1 draw (Beliavsky-Pentala, IT, Pune, 2004).

8...Bg4

• 8...Nbd7 9.e5 Ng4 10.h3 Nh6 11.Qa3 Nb6 12.Bxh6 Bxh6 13.Bd3 Be6 14.0-0 c6 15.Rfe1 Qc7 16.Rad1 Rfd8 17.Ne4 Bd5 18.Bc2 Bxe4 19.Bxe4 e6 20.h4 Rd7 draw (Piket-van Wely, FIDE Knock Out, Gronigen, 1997).

9.Be3

• The game is equal.
• 9.Ne5 Bd7 10.Qb3 b5 11.Be3 c5 12.Rd1 is also equal.

9...Nfd7!?

• If 9...Nc6 10.d5 Bxf3 11.dxc6 b5 12.Qb4 then:
• 12...a5 13.Qxb5 Nxe4 14.Nxe4 Bxe4 15.Rd1 is equal.
• 12...Nxe4? drops a piece to 13.gxf3 Nxc3 14.bxc3.

10.Qb3!

• White pins the f-pawn to the diagonal, restoring her advantage.
• Use of the pin as a way to restrain the enemy's movements reminds one of why the great strategist Nimzovich had a special fondness for it among all tactical devices.

10...b5 11.Be2 Nc6 12.Rd1 Nb6

• If 12...Bxf3 13.Bxf3 e5 14.dxe5 Ncxe5 15.Be2 then Black may be able to conjur up some counterplay after 15...Qh4.

13.e5 Nc4 14.0-0 N6a5?

• Black misses counterplay on the queenside that could result from simply breaking the pin at f7.
• After 14...Kh8 15.a4 Black gets counterplay on the queenside by going after the ticklish Queen with 15...N4a5 16.Qa2 Nb4 17.Qa1 Be6.

15.Qb4 Rc8 16.Bg5

• White threatens the e-pawn.

16...f6

• If 16...c5 17.dxc5 Qe8 18.Bxc4 Nxc4 19.Nd5 then:
• 19...Bxf3 20.Nxe7+ Kh8 21.gxf3 Nxe5 22.Nxc8 gives White the exchange.
• 19...a5 20.Qc3 Rxc5 21.b4 axb4 22.Qxb4 Rxd5 23.Rxd5 gives White the exchange.

BLACK: Igor Kurnosov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Arman Kurnosov
Position after 16...f7f6

17.b3!

• If 17.Bh4!? fxe5 18.Bxe7 then:
• If 18...c5! 19.Qxc5 Rxc5 20.Bxd8 then:
• 20...exd4 21.Be7 dxc3 22.Bxc5 Rc8 23.b4 Nd2 24.Rfe1 is equal.
• 20...Rxd8? 21.dxc5 gives White the exchange on a silver platter.
• 18...Qe8?! 19.Bxf8 Bxf8 20.Bxc4+ Nxc4 21.Qb3 leaves White an exchange to the good.

17...fxg5

• If 17...Nc6 18.Bxc4+ Kh8 19.Qc5 then:
• 19...Bxf3 20.gxf3 bxc4 21.Qxc6 fxg5 22.bxc4 leaves White a pawn to the good and fixing for more.
• 19...bxc4 20.Qxc6 fxg5 21.bxc4 Bxf3 22.gxf3 leaves White a pawn to the good.

18.bxc4 Bxf3 19.Bxf3 Nxc4 20.Bd5+

• White must win a pawn.

20...Kh8 21.Bxc4

• 21.Be6 Rb8 22.Bxc4 bxc4 23.Qxc4 a5 24.Qe6 is a more roundabout way of winning the pawn.

21...bxc4 22.Qxc4 c5 23.dxc5 Qc7

• 23...Qe8? 24.Ne4 Bxe5 25.Qe6 Bf4 26.Qxa6 leaves White a pawn to the good.

24.Ne4 Qxe5

• If 24...Bxe5 25.h3 g4 26.hxg4 then:
• 26...a5 27.Ng5 Rf6 28.Qd5 Qxc5 29.Nf7+ White wins either the exchange (29...Rxf7 30.Qxf7) or a whole piece (29...Kg7 30.Nxe5).


• If 26...Qa5 then after 27.Qe6 Bg7 28.Rd7 Rc7 29.Rfd1 Black's e-pawn is toast.

25.Rd5 Qf4 26.g3

• The text is better than 26.Rxg5 Bf6 27.Rg3 Be5 28.Qe2 Rcd8 29.Re1 when White is a pawn to the good.

26...Qg4 27.Rxg5 Qf3 28.Rd5 Rc6 29.Re1

• After 29.Rd7 Bf6 30.Rfd1 h6 31.Qd5 Rcc8 32.Re1 Rb8 33.c6! it will be difficult for Black to stop White's c-pawn.

29...h6 30.Re3 Qf7

• If 30...Qg4 31.Qd3 Qe6 then:
• 32.a3 32...Qc8 33.Rd7 Re8 34.Re1 Re6 35.f3 shows how White's position works like a healthy organism to fight off Black's threats as a unit.
• 32.Rd8?! loses a pawn to 32...Qxa2.

31.Kg2 g5 32.h3 Re6

• If 32...Kg8 33.Qd3 e6 34.Rd7 Qg6 35.Ra7 then:
• 35...Rf7 36.Ra8+ Rf8 37.Rxf8+ Bxf8 38.Rf3 gives White an extra pawn.
• 35...e5 36.Qd5+ Qe6 37.Qxe6+ Rxe6 38.Ra3 White wins the a-pawn.

33.Rd2 Qg6

• If 33...Rc6 34.Qxf7 Rxf7 35.Rd7 Kg8 36.Rb3 Re6 37.f3 leaves White a pawn up and in command of open files.

34.Rd5 Qf7 35.Rd7 Qf5

• 35...Qg6 36.Qd3 Rf5 37.Rd8+ Rf8 38.Rxf8+ Bxf8 39.Qd8 leaves White's advanced passed pawn the dominat factor in the game.

36.Rd2 Qg6 37.a3 Re5

• Black's chances slip away completely.
• Difficult, but somewhat better, is 37...Rc6 38.Rd7 Re6 39.Qd3 Rc8 40.Qd5.

BLACK: Igor Kurnosov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Arman Kurnosov
Position after 37...Re6e5

38.c6!

• Also good is 38.f3 h5 39.c6! Re6 40.Rc2 Rc8 41.c7.

38...Qe6 39.Rc2 Rc8 40.c7

• If 40.Qxe6 Rxe6 41.c7 then:
• 41...g4 42.Rd3 Kh7 43.hxg4 Rxe4 44.Rd8 Black must lose the Rook or allow the pawn to Queen.
• If 41...Bf6 42.Rd3 then:
• 42...Rxc7 43.Rxc7 Rxe4 White wins the exchange.
• 42...Kg7 43.Nxg5 hxg5 44.Rd8 Black must lose the Rook or allow the pawn to Queen.

40...Qxc4 41.Rxc4 Kg8 42.Rd3

• 42.Rc6 Kf7 43.Rf3+ Ke8 44.Nc5 then:
• 44...Rd5 45.Rb3 Be5 46.Nxa6 leaves White two pawns to the good.
• 44...Rxc5 45.Rxc5 Bd4 46.Rc6 leaves White up an exchange.

42...Rf5

• 42...Rxe4 43.Rxe4 Rxc7 44.Rd8+ cedes the exchange to White.

43.Rd7 Rf7 44.Nc5! 1-0

BLACK: Igor Kurnosov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Arman Kurnosov
Final position after 44.Ne5c5

• 44...Rff8 45.Ne6 Rfe8 46.Rd8 then:
• 46...Kf7 47.Rxe8 Kxe8 48.Nxg7+ leaves White up a piece.
• 46...Be5 47.Rxe8+ Rxe8 48.c8Q Rxc8 49.Rxc8+ leaves White up a Rook.
• Grandmaster Kurnosov regigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. T. Kosintseva - Milov, Aeroflot Open, Round 5, Moscow

Tantiana Kosintseva appears to have earned a grandmaster norm and gotten her rating back over 2500 for her 5½ points at the Aeroflot. If so, congratulations, Tatiana Alexeyevna.



Tatiana Kosintseva
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Tatiana Kosintseva - Vadim Milov
Aeroflot Open, Round 5
Moscow, 21 February 2009

Moorish Game: Little Dragon Defense (Robatsch Defense)

1.e4 d6 2.d4 g6

• The main purpose of this opening (of which, I will admit, I am forever reminding myself is playable, in spite of appearances) is to get one's opponent out of the book as quickly as possible.
• In spite of its nontheoretical nature, there are masters who play this opening successfully and play it often.

3.Nc3 Bg7 4.Be3 c6

• 4...Nf6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Bd3 transposes into the Moorish Dragon Defense, commonly called the Pirc Defense.

5.Qd2 b5 6.Bd3

• If 6.f3 Nf6 7.g4 then:
• If 7...h5 8.g5 Nfd7 9.f4 Nb6 10.Nf3 d5 11.Ne5 b4 12.Ne2 dxe4 13.Ng3 h4 14.Nxe4 Bf5 15.Nc5 f6 16.gxf6 exf6 17.Nxg6 Rh6 (Yusadin-Azmaiparashvili, Soviet Ch ½-final, Minsk, 1985).
• 7...Qa5 8.Nge2 h5 9.g5 Nfd7 10.f4 b4 11.Nd1 c5 12.Bg2 Na6 13.e5 Rb8 14.exd6 exd6 15.f5 gxf5 16.Bf4 Rb6 17.Ne3 cxd4 18.Nxd4 gives White the better center and the more active game (Gelfand-Predojevic, IT, Sarajevo, 1991).

6...Nd7 7.Nf3 Bb7

• If 7...Ngf6 8.Bh6 0-0 then:
• If 9.Bxg7 Kxg7 10.e5 dxe5 11.dxe5 Ng4 then:
• 12.Qf4 Ndxe5 13.Nxe5 Qd6 14.Nxg6 fxg6 15.Qxd6 exd6 16.0-0 Ne5 17.Rfe1 is equal (Miles-Reilly, Australia, 1991).
• 12.e6 Nde5 13.Nxe5 Nxe5 14.exf7 Bf5 15.Rd1 Nxd3+ 16.cxd3 Qd4 17.Ne2 Qf6 draw (A. Ivanov-Dzindzichashvili, Op, Chicago, 1992).
• 9.h3 Qc7 10.0-0 Bb7 11.Rfe1 e5 12.dxe5 dxe5 13.a4 a6 14.axb5 cxb5 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.exd5 Rfd8 is equal (Kriventsov-A. Ivanov, US Ch, San Diego, 2006).
• If 7...Qc7 8.0-0 Ngf6 9.Bh6 0-0 10.Ne2 then:
• If 10...e5 11.c3 d5 12.Ng3 Re8 13.Rfe1 Bh8 14.exd5 Nxd5 15.Rac1 Bb7 16.c4 bxc4 17.Bxc4 Qb6 is equal (Milman-Skoberne, World Youth, Belfort, 2005).
• 10...c5 11.c3 Rb8 12.b4 e5 13.Bxg7 Kxg7 14.Rad1 Re8 15.bxc5 d5 16.Ng5 dxe4 17.Bc2 h6 18.Nxe4 Nxe4 19.Bxe4 wins a pawn (Niessen-Copie, Corres, 2001).

8.0-0 a6

• 8...Qc7 9.Rfe1 a6 10.a4 b4 11.Ne2 c5 12.Ng3 Ngf6 13.c3 bxc3 14.bxc3 Ng4 15.Bg5 f6 16.h3 fxg5 17.hxg4 0-0 18.Qxg5 gives White an extra pawn (Franko-Ludgate, Corres, 1999).

9.a4 b4

• 9...Ngf6 10.e5 dxe5 11.dxe5 Ng4 12.e6 fxe6 13.Ng5 Nxe3 14.fxe3 Bf6 15.Nxh7 Ne5 16.Nxf6+ exf6 17.Ne4 f5 18.Nc5 Nxd3 and now, in view of 19.cxd3 Ra7 20.Qc3 Rh7 21.Nxb7 Rhxb7 22.axb5 cxb5 23.Qh8+ followed by the demolition of Black's kingside, Black resigns without waiting for White's reply (Iwasaki-A. Howell, Ol, Torino, 2006).

10.Ne2 c5 11.Ng3 Qc7!?

• This is an usually deep run of theory for this opening.
• 11...h5 12.h4 Nh6 13.c3 bxc3 14.bxc3 Ng4 15.Bg5 Qc7 16.a5 e6 17.Rfc1 0-0 18.Qe2 Rfc8 is equal (Gopal-Bologan, Op, Gibraltar, 2008).

12.c3!?

• The text move is made with the idea of opening up the queenside; White is slightly better.
• 12.Rfd1 Ngf6 13.dxc5 dxc5 14.c3 c4 is equal.

12...bxc3?!

• If 12...c4 then after 13.Bb1 b3 14.Rd1 h5 15.Bg5 Ngf6 16.e5 White remains slightly better.

13.bxc3

• White's advantage is now more definite. She has a full pawn center, better development and a ready target in Black's Bishop at b7.

13...Ngf6

• Finally, Black prepares to castle. It is really not habit-forming to fiachetto the King's Bishop and wait a dozen or so moves to castle.

BLACK: Vadim Milov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Tatiana Kosintseva
Position after 13...Ng8f6

14.Bh6!

• That's because it leaves the fianchettoed Bishop undefended, whereas after castling it is defended by the King.

14...0-0

• Black is under compulsion to castle now. Otherwise, White's Queen will occupy h6 and reck havoc on the kingsside.

15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.d5!?

• White makes a risky moves that loses much of what she has gained since the 13th move.
• 16.Rab1 Rab8 17.Bc2 e5 18.dxe5 dxe5 19.Qg5 maintains a small advantage.

16...e5

• Black has equalized.
• If 16...Rab8 then after 17.Bc2 Ba8 18.Rfb1 e6 19.c4 e5 20.Ne1 White is still better, but a locked center and a neutralized b-file give her fewer options than before.

17.dxe6

• If 17.Rfb1 Rab8 18.Bc2 h6 19.Ra2 Ba8 20.Rab2 then:
• If 20...Rb7 21.Rxb7 Bxb7 22.c4 Rb8 23.a5 remains equal.
• 20...Rxb2 21.Rxb2 Rb8 22.Rxb8 Qxb8 23.Qc1 gives White more freedom.

17...fxe6 18.Ng5 Rae8

• 18...Rab8 19.Rab1 Rfe8 20.Nf3 d5 remains equal.

19.f4 c4 20.Bc2 e5 21.f5 Nc5

• If 21...Qb6+!? 22.Kh1 Nc5 then:
• If 23.Rae1 25.exd5 Qxd5 26.Qxd5 Nxd5 27.Nxe5 Nxc3 28.Nxc4 gives White an extra pawn.
• If 24...a5? then White wins after 25.Qg5! Bc8 26.Nh4 Qc7 27.fxg6 Ne6 28.Nhf5+.
• 23.Qe2!? Qc6 24.Rab1 d5 25.fxg6 hxg6 26.exd5 Qxd5 allows White to take over the initiative with 27.Rfd1..

22.Rad1?

• Black has the resources to defend the backward pawn. White's strength is on the kingside and she should play there.
• 22.fxg6 hxg6 23.Qe2 d5 24.Rab1 Ncxe4 25.N3xe4 remains equal.

BLACK: Vadim Milov
!""""""""#
$ + T T +%
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$+ M OpN %
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Tatiana Kosintseva
Position after 22...Ra1d1

22...Rd8?!

• Black misses an opportunity to break the game open.
• If 22...h6 then:
• 23.Ne6+ Nxe6 24.fxe6 Rxe6 leaves Black a pawn to the good.
• If 23.Nf3 then 23...Nfxe4 24.Bxe4 Nxe4 25.Nxe4 Bxe4 wins a pawn.

23.Qe2!

• White takes back the initiative by attacking an unprotected pawn.
• 23.fxg6 hxg6 24.Qe2 d5 25.Rb1 Rde8 26.h3 is good enough to re-establish equality.

23...Qe7

• Better is to simply protect the attacked pawn.
• 23...d5! 24.exd5 Bxd5 25.fxg6 hxg6 26.h3 Qb6 is equal.

24.Qxc4!

• Take it. It's free. White has an extra pawn.

24...Ng4!

• Black discovers an attack on the Knight, again equalizing.

25.Ne6+ Nxe6 26.Qxe6 Qh4!

• Black finds some counterplay.
• If 26...Qxe6?! then after 27.fxe6 Rf4 28.Rb1 Bc8 29.Bb3 White still has an extra pawn.

27.f6+ Kh8?

• If 27...Kh6! then:
• If 28.h3 then:
• If 28...Nxf6 then after 29.Rxf6 Rxf6 30.Qg4 Qxg4 31.hxg4 Rc8 Black is an exchange to the good.
• 28...Ne3? 29.Kh2 Nxd1 30.Bxd1 Bxe4 31.Qe7 Rg8 32.Bb3 gives White a winning edge.
• If 28.Rf3?! Qxh2+ 29.Kf1 Nxf6 30.Rxd6 Rde8! 31.Qh3+ Qxh3 32.gxh3 Nxe4 33.Bxe4 Bxe4 34.Rxf8 Rxf8+ gives Black an extra pawn.
• If 31.Qxf6? then Black wins after
• 31...Rxf6! 32.Rfxf6 Qxg3.

28.h3!

• This is less to chase away the Knight than to prevent the Queen from coming in on the h-file.
• 28.Rf3?! Nxh2 29.Rf2 Ng4 30.Rf3 Qh2+ 31.Kf1 Nxf6 gives Black an extra pawn.

28...Ne3

BLACK: Vadim Milov
!""""""""#
$ + T T L%
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$p+ +p+ W%
$+ P M Np%
$ +b+ +p+%
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Tatiana Kosintseva
Position after 28...Ng4e3

29.Qe7!

• White seizes the initiative with a mating threat, forcing Black's Queen to abandon the attack on White's King.

29...Qh6 30.Qxb7 Nxc2

• If 30...Nxf1 then White wins after 31.Rxf1 a5 32.Kh2 Rc8 33.Rf3 g5 34.Nh5.

31.Rf3 Rb8

• 31...Rc8 32.Qb6 d5 33.exd5 Rb8 34.Qc7 gives White an easy win with two extra pawns.

32.Qxa6 Rb2 33.Qa7 Kg8

• If 33...Rg8 34.Rxd6 Ne1 35.Rf2 then:
• If 35...Rb1 then White wins after 36.Kh2 Rbb8 37.Rd1.
• 35...Rxf2 36.Qxf2 Qc1 37.Kh2 leaves White with three extra pawns.

BLACK: Vadim Milov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Tatiana Kosintseva
Position after 33...Kh8g8

34.Nf5!!

• This crushing sacrifice must be accepted.

34...gxf5 35.Rg3+ Kh8 36.Qg7+! 1-0

• 36...Qxg7 37.fxg7+ Kg8 38.gxf8Q+ Kxf8 39.exf5gives White a prohibitive material advantage.
• Herr Milov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Endgame: Ponkratov - Moiseenko, Aeroflot Open, Round 5, Moscow

Alexander Moiseenko
Photo: ChessBase.com


Pavel Ponkratov - Alexander Moiseenko
Aeroflot Open, Round 5
Moscow, 21 February 2009

BLACK: Alexander Moiseenko
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WHITE: Pavel Ponkratov
Position after 50...Be3d4

• White is an exchange to the good and winning easily.
• 51.Kh3 d5 52.Qg4 Ne7 53.Be2! should be enough to convince Black to call it a day.

51.Re2??

• Oops!!

51...d5!

• The Queen cannot play to g4 now as in the previous note because the Rook at c6 is en prise.

52.Qc2

• If 52.Qxd5 then White wins a piece after 52...Qxe2+ 53.Bxe2 Ne3+ .

52...e4!

• The pawn sacrifice clears the f-file for Black's Rook.

53.Bxe4

• If 53.Bg4 then White wins the Queen after 53...Ne3+ 54.Rxe3 Qf1+ 55.Kh2 Rf2+ .

53...Ne3+ 0-1

• If 54.Rxe3 then 54...Qf1+ 55.Kh2 Rf2+ wins the Queen.
• Grandmaster Ponkratov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Grischuk - Aronian, Round 6, Linares

Alexander Grischuk
Photo: ChessBase.com


Alexander Grischuk - Levon Aronian
26th Ciudad de Linares, Round 6
Linares, 25 February 2009

Semi-Slav Queen's Gambit: Anti-Meran Gambit (Moscow Defense)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 h6

• For more elaborate notes on opening theory concerning the Moscow Defense, see Topalov-Kramnik, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2008.

6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.Ne5

• If 9.Be2 Bb7 10.0-0 Nbd7 11.Ne5 Bg7 12.Nxf7 Kxf7 13.e5 Nd5 14.Ne4 Ke7 15.Nd6 Qb6 16.Bg4 Raf8 17.Qc2 then:
• 17...Rhg8! 18.a4 Ba8 19.Rfe1 Nc7 20.d5 cxd5 21.axb5 a5 Black went on to win (Timman-Ljubojevic, Corus Honoary, Wijk aan Zee, 2008).
• 17...Qxd4? 18.Qg6 Qxg4 19.Qxg7+ Kd8 20.Nxb7+ is equal since Black's extra pawn is rendered useless by his shotty pawn structure (Topalov-Kramnik, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2008).

9...h5 10.h4 g4 11.Be2 Bb7 12.0-0 Nbd7 13.Qc2

• 13.Nxd7 Qxd7 14.Be5 Qe7 15.Bxg4 Rg8 16.Bf3 Nd7 17.Bg3 0-0-0 18.Qc2 Nb6 19.a4 b4 20.a5 bxc3 21.bxc3 Nd7 22.e5 Ba6 23.Rfb1 Bb5 24.a6 Nb8 gives Black an extra piece, but White could stir up counterplay on the queenside (Werle-Fridman, EU Ch, Liverpool, 2008).

13...Nxe5 14.Bxe5 Bg7 15.b3

• 15.Rad1 0-0 16.Bg3 Nd7 17.f3 Qb6 18.Kh1 c5 19.d5 Ne5 20.fxg4 hxg4 21.Qc1 Nd3 22.Bxd3 cxd3 23.Rxd3 b4 24.Ne2 exd5 25.exd5 Rae8 26.Rd2 Bh6 27.Bf4 is equal (van Wely-Kobalia, Ol, Calvia, 2004).

15...0-0!?

• If 15...cxb3 16.axb3 0-0 then:
• If 17.Bg3 c5 18.e5 Nd5 19.Nxb5 cxd4 20.Nd6 Rb8 then:
• 21.Qd2 Nc3 22.Bd3 a5 23.Ra3 Bd5 24.Bc2 Rb6 is equal (Grischuk-Karjakin, Grand Prix, Sochi, 2008).
• 21.Nxb7 Rxb7 22.Bc4 Ne7 23.Qe4 Rc7 24.Bd3 Nf5 25.Ra4 Rc3 26.Rxa7 Rxb3 27.Rc1 Qb6 gives Black an extra pawn (Krush-Sebag, OlW, Dresden, 2008).
• 17.Rad1 Nd7 18.Bd6 Qxh4 19.Bxf8 Rxf8 20.b4 a6 21.Qd2 f5 22.exf5 c5 23.Qe3 exf5 24.bxc5 f4 25.Qe6+ is equal (Sakaev-Magem, French ChT, Noyon, 2005).

16.bxc4

• With the players on there own resources, White has a slight advantage.
• 16.Rfd1!? cxb3 17.axb3 Nd7 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.g3 is equal.

16...Nh7 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.Rad1

• White for the moment has a classical pawn center, which the text move reinforces.
• 18.cxb5 Qxd4 19.Rab1 Rfd8 20.bxc6 Bxc6 21.Rfd1 is equal.

18...Qxh4

• If 18...a6 19.g3 Rb8 20.f3 c5 21.dxc5 then:
• If 21...Qc7 22.Kh2 then:
• 22...gxf3 23.Bxf3 Qxc5 24.cxb5 axb5 25.Qb2 is equal.
• 22...b4 23.Na4 Nf6 24.Qd2 gxf3 25.Bxf3 Rg8 26.Qd6 will give White an advanced d-pawn.
• 21...Qc8 22.cxb5 Qxc5+ 23.Kh2 gxf3 24.Rxf3 gives White an extra pawn.

19.cxb5 cxb5 20.Nxb5 Rac8

• The game remains equal.

21.Qd3 Rfd8

• If 21...g3 22.fxg3 then:
• If 22...Qxe4 23.Qxe4 Bxe4 24.Bxh5 then:
• If 24...Ng5 25.Rc1 Rxc1 26.Rxc1 Rd8 is equal.
• 24...Bd5 25.Rc1 Nf6 26.Bf3 a6 is equal.
• 22...Qg5?! 23.Nd6 Rc7 24.g4 h4 25.Rb1 threatens the Bishop at b7.

22.d5

• If 22.e5 Ba6 23.a4 Rd7 24.Qe4 then:
• 24...Ng5 25.Qe3 Rc2 26.Rc1 Rxe2 27.Qxe2 Rxd4 gives Black the initiative.
• 24...f5 25.Qe3 Bxb5 26.axb5 Rf8 27.Qb3 is equal.

22...exd5 23.Qd4+ Kg8

• 23...Nf6 24.e5 Ne4 25.Nxa7 Ra8 26.Rc1 Qe7 27.Rc2 gives White the advantage in space.

24.Qxa7 Qe7?!

• The text allows White a tactical initiative based on the inadequate protection of the Bishop.
• 24...Rd7 25.Nd6 Ra8 26.Qc5 Rxa2 27.Rde1 Qd8 remains equal.

BLACK: Levon Aronian
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Alexander Grischuk
Position after 24...Qh4e7

25.e5!

• 25.Rxd5 Rxd5 26.exd5 Ng5 27.Bd3 Qd7 28.Rd1 keeps the d-pawn protected with the threat of 29.Bh7+.

25...Qxe5

• If 25...Ra8?! 26.Qe3 Rxa2 27.Bd3 then:
• If 27...Nf8 then after 28.Nd6! f6 29.Nxb7 Qxb7 30.exf6 the center is open to White's pieces and the Black King has no pawn protection.
• If 27...Rb8? then after 28.Nd6! Ng5 29.Rb1 Ne4 30.Bxe4 dxe4 31.Nf5 Black disintegrates.

26.Qxb7 Rb8 27.Qc7 Qxe2 28.Nd4!

• Black has an extra pawn, but White isn't through yet.
• 28.Rxd5!? Rxd5 29.Qxb8+ Kg7 30.Nc3 is equal.

28...Qc4

• 28...Qe8 29.Nc6 Ra8 30.Nxd8 Qxd8 31.Qe5 Ra5 32.Qxh5 leaves White an exchange to the good.

29.Qe5 Re8 30.Qxh5

• White takes back the pawn and threatens more.

30...Rb6

• 30...Qa6 31.Qxg4+ Qg6 32.Qxg6+ fxg6 33.a4 Rb4 34.a5 has White enjoying an extra pawn running up the a-file with nothing in front of it.

31.Nf5 Rbe6?!

• Black could have defended better by fighting White for the initiative.
• If 31...Qe2! 32.Nh6+ Kg7 33.Nxg4 then:
• If 33...Rg6 34.Rd4 Ng5 then:
• 35.Rxd5 Rh8 36.Qxg5 Rh1+ 37.Kxh1 Qxf1+ 38.Kh2 Rxg5 39.Rxg5+ gives White a Rook, a Knight and two pawns for the Queen.
• 35.Qh4? f5 36.Rxd5 Qxg4 37.Qxg4 fxg4 gives Black a piece for two pawns.
• 33...Ree6 34.Qf5 Rg6 35.Qe5+ Qxe5 36.Nxe5 gives White an extra pawn.

32.Ne3

• 32.Nh6+ Kg7 33.Nxg4 d4 34.a3 Qe2 35.f3 White continues to enjoy an extra pawn.

32...Qxa2 33.Nxg4 Qe2

• 33...Qc4 34.f4 Rg6 35.Rxd5 Nf6 36.Nxf6+ Rxf6 37.Rg5+ gives Black's King little room to hide.

BLACK: Levon Aronian
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WHITE: Alexander Grischuk
Position after 33...Qa2e2

34.Qh4?!

• White throws away most of his advantage.
• After 34.f3 Qb2 35.Rxd5 Nf6 36.Nxf6+ Qxf6 37.Rg5+ White still has the more active game.

34...Qc4!?

• Black does not find the best continuation
• 34...Rg6! 35.f3 Qe6 36.Rfe1 Qb6+ 37.Kh1 Rxe1+ 38.Rxe1 is equal.

35.f4!?

• 35.Qh3! Qe4 36.f3 Qc4 37.Qh5 Qc5+ 38.Kh1 then:
• 38...Qc4 39.Qxd5 Qxd5 40.Rxd5 White wins a pawn.
• If 38...Rd8? 39.Nh6+ Rxh6 40.Qxh6 wins the exchange.

35...Rg6

• 35...Kg7 36.f5 Re4 37.Qh6+ Kg8 38.Nf2 Re3 39.f6 Rg3 is equal.

36.Rf3

• 36.Nh6+ Kg7 37.Nf5+ Kh8 38.Rde1 Ree6 39.Kh2 is equal.

36...Qc5+

• If 36...Re2! 37.Qh3 Qc5+ 38.Re3 then:
• 38...f5 39.Qf3 Ra2 40.Nf2 Nf6 41.Rde1 Ne4 gives Black more activity.
• If 38...Re6 39.Rdd3 Qc1+ 40.Kh2 then:
• 40...R6xe3 41.Rxe3 Rxe3 42.Qxe3 Qxe3 43.Nxe3 is equal.
• 40...Re1!? 41.Rxe1 Rxe1 42.Nf2 Nf6 43.Qh4 gives White a little more activity.

37.Kh1 Qe7 38.Qh3 Qd6?

• Black's situation goes from bad to worse.
• If 38...Rd8 39.Rfd3 Qe2 40.Nh6+ then:
• After 40...Kf8 41.Nxf7 Kxf7 42.R3d2 Qg4 43.Qxh7+ Rg7 44.Qd3 White has an extra pawn.
• If 40...Kg7?! 41.Nf5+ then:
• If 41...Kf8 42.R3d2 Qe4 43.Rd4 then:
• 43...Qe2 44.Rxd5 Rxd5 45.Qa3+ Kg8 46.Qa8+ Nf8 47.Qxd5 leaves White up a pawn.
• After 43...Qe6? White wins the exchange by 44.Qa3+ Kg8 45.Ne7+ Kg7 46.Nxg6 fxg6.
• 41...Kh8 42.Ne3 Rdg8 43.R3d2 Qa6 44.Nf5 Rd8 45.g4 gives White greater activity.

BLACK: Levon Aronian
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WHITE: Alexander Grischuk
Position after 38...Qe7d6

39.f5!

• White pushes a defender out of the way.
• If 39.Qh5 Nf6 40.Nxf6+ Qxf6 41.Rh3 then:
• 41...Re3! 42.Rxe3 Rh6 43.Rh3 Rxh5 44.Rxh5 keeps the game manageable for Black.
• If 41...d4 42.f5 Rg5 43.Qh7+ Kf8 then:
• 44.Qh8+ Qxh8 45.Rxh8+ Rg8 46.Rxg8+ Kxg8 47.Rxd4 leaves White a pawn to the good, but he will have some work to do to win.
• 44.Rh6? Qe5 45.Qh8+ Rg8 46.Qxe5 Rxe5 47.Rxd4 Rxf5 is equal.

39...Rg5 40.Nh6+ Kf8

• 40...Kg7 41.Nxf7 Kxf7 42.Qxh7+ transposes to the next variation.

41.Nxf7!

• White must win more material.

41...Qf6

• Black could have limited material loss to another pawn.
• If 41...Kxf7 42.Qxh7+ Kf8 43.Qh4 then:
• 43...Qf6 44.Qb4+ Kg7 45.Qb7+ Qf7 46.Qxf7+ Kxf7 47.Rxd5 gives White two extra pawns.
• If 43...Qe7 44.Rxd5 Qe1+ 45.Qxe1 Rxe1+ 46.Kh2 Re2 47.Rg3 gives White two extra pawns.

42.Nxg5 Nxg5 43.Qh4

• White has won the exchange and a pawn.

43...Re7 44.Rh3 Qxf5

• If 44...Rd7 45.Qh8+ then:
• If 45...Qxh8 46.Rxh8+ Kg7 47.Rh4 maintains White's advantage.
• If 45...Kf7 46.Qxf6+ Kxf6 47.Rhd3 then:
• 47...Ne4 48.Rxd5 Rh7+ 49.Kg1 Nc3 50.Rd7 Nxd1 51.Rxh7 gives White another pawn.
• 47...Rh7+ 48.Kg1 Ne4 49.Rxd5 transposes.

45.Qh8+ Kf7 46.Rh5 Re8

• After 46...Qf6 47.Qxf6+ Kxf6 48.Rxd5 Ne4 49.Kh2 Kg6 50.g4 the advancing pawn gives Black another worry.

47.Qh6 Rg8 48.Qd6 Rg6
BLACK: Levon Aronian
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WHITE: Alexander Grischuk
Position after 48...Rg8g6

49.Qxd5+

• Stronger is 49.Qc7+! Kg8 50.Qe7 Qe6 51.Qd8+ when:
• If 51...Kf7 then after 52.Qc7+ Qe7 53.Rf1+ Rf6 54.Rxf6+ Kxf6 55.Qxe7+ Kxe7 56.Rxg5 it's time to turn out the lights.
• 51...Kg7 52.Rxg5 Qe4 53.Rxg6+ Qxg6 54.Re1 leaves White a piece to the good.

49...Qxd5 50.Rxd5 Ne4

• No better is 50...Ne6 51.Rh7+ Kf6 52.Rd6 Ke5 53.Ra6.

51.Rhf5+ Kg7 52.Rd7+ Kh6 53.Rf4 Ng3+

• 53...Re6 54.Kh2 Kg5 55.Rdf7 Rh6+ 56.Kg1 Re6 57.R7f5+ further paralyzes Black.

54.Kh2 Nh5 55.Ra4 Nf6 56.Rdd4 Rg5 57.Rf4 Rg6

• If 57...Nd5 58.Rg4 Re5 59.Ra6+ then:
• If 59...Kh7 60.Rd4 Rh5+ 61.Kg3 then:
• 61...Rf5 62.Re6 Nf6 63.Rdd6 Ng8 64.Rd7+ White has a won game.
• 61...Kg7 62.Ra5 Nf6 63.Rxh5 Nxh5+ 64.Kg4 is an easy ein for White.
• If 59...Kh5 then after 60.Rg7 Re2 61.Kg3 Re3+ 62.Kf2 Re5 63.g4+ White mates in two.

58.Rf3 Nh7 59.Rh3+! 1-0

• White wins the Knight after 59...Kg7 60.Ra7+
• Grandmaster Aronian resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Ivanchuk - Anand, Round 5, Linares

The world champion varied from one of his own previous games to introduce a novelty that left much to be desired. He ended up fighting for a draw and getting it with a marvelously instructive endgame.



Vassily Ivanchuk and Vishy Anand
at the start of the present game
Photo: ChessBase.com


Vassily Ivanchuk - Vishy Anand
26th Ciudad de Linares, Round 5
Linares, 24 February 2009

Slav Queen's Gambit: Karlsbad Defense

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.e3 e6 7.Bxc4 Bb4 8.0-0 0-0 9.Qe2

• If 9.Nh4 Qe7 then:
• 10.f3 Rd8 11.Qb3 Bg6 12.Nxg6 hxg6 13.Na2 Ba5 14.Rb1 a6 15.Qc2 Nbd7 16.b4 Bc7 17.a5 e5 18.dxe5 Nxe5 19.Be2 g5 is equal (Braun-Caruana, Corus C, Wijk aan Zee, 2008).
• If 10.Nxf5 exf5 then:
• 11.Qc2 g6 12.f3 c5 13.Qf2 Nc6 14.Na2 Ba5 15.dxc5 Qxc5 16.Bb5 Bb6 is equal (Barirov-Mamedyarov, President's Cup, Baku, 2005).
• 11.f3 c5 12.d5 Rd8 13.Qd3 Bxc3 14.bxc3 Qe5 15.Rb1 Rd7 16.Ba3 Nxd5 17.Bb5 Nc6 18.Bxc5 Rc8 is level (Abdul Moula-Shaw, Ol, Torino, 2006).

9...Nbd7

• If 9...Bg6 10.Ne5 Nbd7 11.Nxg6 hxg6 12.Rd1 Qa5 then:
• If 13.Bd2 then:
• 13...Rad8 14.Be1 e5 15.Qc2 Nb6 16.dxe5 Nxc4 17.exf6 gxf6 18.Ne4 Nb6 19.Bxb4 Qxb4 20.Nxf6+ Kg7 21.Ne4 Rxd1+ 22.Rxd1 gives White an extra pawn (Golubenko-Corke, WGM Trmt, Rijeka, 2006).
• 13...e5 14.d5 Rad8 15.dxc6 bxc6 16.Be1 e4 17.Bb3 Qe5 18.Bc2 Bd6 19.g3 Nc5 20.Kg2 is equal (Karpov-Kramnik, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 1995).
• 13.Qc2 Rad8 14.Na2 Bd6 15.Be2 Qc7 16.h3 c5 17.Nc3 cxd4 18.Rxd4 Be5 19.Rc4 Qb8 20.a5 Rc8 21.Bd2 gives White a small advantage in space (Li Shilong-Caruana, Corus C, Wijk aan Zee, 2008).

10.e4 Bg6 11.Bd3 Bh5 12.e5

• If 12.Bf4 Re8 13.e5 Nd5 14.Nxd5 cxd5 then:
• 15.h3 a6 16.Rfc1 Nb8 17.g4 Bg6 18.h4 Nc6 19.h5 Bxd3 20.Qxd3 Be7 is equal (Glek-Moskalenko, Trmt, Pinsk, 1986).
• 15.Qe3 a6 16.Rfc1 Qb6 17.Nd2 Bg6 18.Bxg6 hxg6 19.Nf3 Rac8 20.Rxc8 Rxc8 21.Rc1 Rc6 22.h4 Be7 23.b3 Qc7 is equal (Polugaevsky-Portisch, IT, Tilburg, 1983).

12...Nd5 13.Nxd5

• If 13.Ne4 Be7 14.Ng3 Bg6 15.Bxg6 then:
• 15...hxg6 16.Ne4 c5 17.Nc3 Qb6 18.Nxd5 exd5 19.dxc5 Nxc5 20.Be3 Qe6 21.a5 a6 22.Rac1 Rac8 23.Rfd1 Nb3 24.Rxc8 Rxc8 25.Bb6 Bd8 26.Bxd8 Rxd8 27.Qe1 gives White slightly more activity (Xu Jun-Akopian, Ol, Moscow, 1994).
• If 15...fxg6 16.Ne4 h6 then:
• 17.a5 a6 18.Ne1 Qe8 19.Nd3 g5 20.b4 Qg6 21.Ndc5 Nxc5 22.bxc5 Rad8 23.Nd6 Bxd6 24.exd6 Rd7 25.Ra3 gives White the advantage in space (Oll-Wojtkiewicz, Op, New York, 1994).
• 17.Ne1 Rf7 18.Nd3 g5 19.a5 Nf8 20.Ndc5 Nf4 21.Bxf4 Rxf4 22.Rfd1 Rb8 draw (Richardson-Miles, 4NCL, Birmingham, 2001).

13...cxd5 14.Qe3 Re8

• If 14...Be7 then:
• 15.Ng5 Bxg5 16.Qxg5 Bg6 17.Be2 Nb8 18.Qxd8 Rxd8 19.Bd2 Nc6 20.Bc3 f6 21.exf6 gxf6 is equal (Onischuk-Pentala, IT, Lubbock, Texas, 2008).
• 15.Bd2 Nb8 16.Ne1 Bg6 17.f4 Nc6 18.g4 f5 19.exf6 Bxf6 20.Bc3 Qe8 21.h3 Kh8 22.Rd1 Bd8 23.Rd2 Bb6 24.Kg2 Qf7 25.Rf3 gives White the advantage in space (Vaganian-Chernin, Sochi, 1986).

15.Ne1

• 15.Ng5 Bg6 16.f4 Bxd3 17.Qxd3 f5 18.Be3 Nf8 19.Kh1 Rc8 20.g4 Qd7 is equal (Topalov-Kramnik, World Ch Reunification Rd 2, Elista, 2006).

15...Bg6

• 15...Rc8 16.f4 Bxe1 17.Rxe1 Bg6 18.Bf1 Rc2 19.b3 Qa5 20.Bb5 Rd8 21.Re2 Rcc8 is equal (Topalov-Kramnik, World Ch Reunification Rd 13, Elista, 2006).

16.Bxg6

• If 16.f4 Bxe1 17.Bxg6 then:
• If 17...hxg6 18.Rxe1 Rc8 19.Bd2 then:
• 19...Qb6 20.b3 Rc2 21.Rac1 Rec8 22.Red1 is equal.
• 19...Qh4 20.Rec1 Kh7 21.a5 Red8 22.Qb3 gives White the advantage with more activity.
• 17...fxg6 18.Qxe1 Qb6 19.Be3 Rac8 20.Qd2 Rc4 is equal.

16...hxg6 17.Nd3 Qb6 18.Nxb4

• 18.Rd1 Be7 19.Bd2 Qb3 20.Rdc1 Rec8 21.a5 Rc4 is equal/

18...Qxb4 19.b3 Rac8 20.Ba3 Qc3 21.Rac1 Qxe3

• 21...Qa5 22.Bd6 b6 23.Qg5 Nb8 24.h3 gives White more activity and space.

22.fxe3 f6 23.Bd6 a5!?

• The novelty allows White to stike on the weakened queenside.
• 23...g5 24.h3 Kf7 is equal (Kramnik-Anand, World Ch, Bonn, 2008).

24.Bc7!

• White attacks the undefended pawn from the rear.
• 24.Kf2 Kf7 25.Ke2 Rh8 26.h3 g5 27.Kd3 gives White the advantage in space.

24...fxe5

• 24...b6 25.Rc3 Rf8 26.Rfc1 fxe5 27.dxe5 Rf7 28.Bd6 forces the exchange of Rooks in a way favorable to White.

25.dxe5 b6 26.Rc3

• White still has a slight advantage in space and freedom.
• 26.Rfd1 Nc5 27.Bxb6 Nxb3 28.Rb1 Rc3 29.Rb2 Nc5 is equal.

26...Rf8

• 26...g5 27.Rfc1 g4 28.Bd6 Rxc3 29.Rxc3 g3 30.Rc7 sets up a minor piece exchange on c5 after Black plays ...Nc5 that will net White a pawn.

27.Rfc1 Rf5?

• 27...Rf7?! 28.Bd6 Rxc3 29.Rxc3 Rf5 30.g4 Rf7 31.Rc8+ leaves only the Knight to protect Black's queenside pawns.
• If 27...Kh7 28.h3 g5 29.Bd6 Rxc3 30.Rxc3 then:
• 30...Rf7 31.g4 then:
• 31...Nc5 32.Bxc5 bxc5 33.Rxc5 White wins a pawn.
• 31...Kg6 32.Rc6 Rf3 33.Rc7 Black is forced to play 33...Nc5 leading to the destruction of Black's queenside.
• 30...Rf5 31.g4 Rf3 32.Kg2 Rf7 33.Rc7 gives Black a comfortable advantage.

BLACK: Vishy Anand
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Vassily Ivanchuk
Position after 27...Rf8f5

28.g4!

• White wins a tempo to restrain Black's kingside.

28...Rf7 29.Bd6 Nc5

• 29...Rxc3 30.Rxc3 Kh7 31.Kg2 g5 32.Rc8 gives White a winning advantage.

30.Bxc5 bxc5 31.Rxc5 Rcf8

• 31...Rxc5 32.Rxc5 Rf3 33.e4 dxe4 34.Kg2 Rxb3 35.Rxa5 gives White a passed a-pawn.

32.Rxa5!

• White now has two connected passed pawns.

32...Rf3 33.Ra7

• 33.Ra6 Rxe3 34.Rxe6 Kf7 35.Rd6 Rxe5 36.Rc7+ gives White two remote connected passers.

33...g5

• It is clear that Black will get at least one pawn back.

34.Re1 d4 35.exd4

• After 35.Rc7 Rxe3 36.Rxe3 dxe3 37.Rc2 Rf4 38.h3 White continues to have the advantage two connected passed pawns.

35...Rxb3 36.Rf1

• If 36.Ra6 Rf4 then:
• If 37.Rd1? Rxg4+ 38.Kh1 Rb2 then:
• 39.Rg1 Rh4 is equal.
• 39.Ra8+ Kh7 40.Rf8 Rgg2 is equal.
• 37.Rxe6 Rxg4+ 38.Kh1 Rxd4 39.a5 Rb2 40.Rb6 Ra2 is equal.

36...Rd3 37.Rxf8+

• If 37.Rd7 Ra3 38.Rxf8+ Kxf8 39.Ra7 Rd3 40.Kf2 White wins.

37...Kxf8 38.a5 Rxd4 39.h3 Kg8

• If 39...Rd2 40.a6 Ra2 41.Kf1 g6 then:
• 42.Ra8+ Kf7 43.a7 Kg7 44.Ke1 Ra5 45.Kd2 the a-pawn will not promote, but White is still better.
• After 42.Ke1 Ke8 43.Ra8+ Kd7 44.a7 Kc7 45.Kd1 Black will take the a-pawn, but White still has the advantage.

40.a6 Ra4 41.Kf2?

• After 41.Ra8+ Kf7 42.Kf2 Ra5 43.a7 Ra3 44.Ke2 gives White a winning game.

41...Ra5!

• Black plays to eliminate all the White pawns he can.

42.Kf3 Rxe5 43.Re7 Kh7

• 43...Ra5 44.Rxe6 Kf7 45.Rb6 Ra4 46.Rb7+ Kg6 47.a7 gets the a-pawn to the palace gates, but still it cannot enter.

44.Re8 Ra5

• Black covers the a-pawn before it gets more dangerous than it is.

45.Rxe6 Ra3+!

• White plays to eliminate White's kingside pawns, but what about the a-pawn?

46.Ke4!?

• The White King drisfts away from the kingside, presumably to assist the a-pawn in promoting.
• If 46.Kg2! then:
• If 46...Kg8?! 47.Rb6 Kf7 48.Rb7+ Ke6 49.a7 then:
• 49...g6 50.Rg7 Kf6 51.Rc7 White still has the advantage.
• 49...Ra2+ 50.Kf3 Ra3+ 51.Ke2 g6 52.Rh7 gives White the advantage.
• 46...Ra2+ 47.Kf3 Ra3+ 48.Kg2 invites a draw by repetition.

BLACK: Vishy Anand
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/(((((((()
WHITE: Vassily Ivanchuk
Position after 46.Kf3e4

46...Rxh3!

• In order to save the game, it is necessary to eliminate the h- and g-pawns while there is still time to stop the a-pawn, even if the latter task costs Black his Rook. The reasons why will be made clear in the note to White's 55th move.

47.Kd5

• If 47.a7 Ra3 48.Re7 Ra5 then:
• If 49.Kd4 Kh6 50.Kc4 g6 51.Re4 Rxa7 equalizes.
• 49.Rb7 Kh6 50.Kd4 g6 51.Rb4 Rxa7 equalizes.

47...Rc3

• 47...Ra3 48.Ke4 Ra4+ 49.Kf5 Ra5+ 50.Re5 g6+ 51.Kf6 Rxa6+ 52.Kxg5 is equal.

48.Rb6 g6 49.Kd6

• If 49.Rc6 Rg3 50.Rc7+ Kh6 51.Rc8 Ra3 then:
• 52.Rc6 Ra4 53.Kc5 Rxg4 54.a7 Ra4 55.Kb6 g4 will end in a draw.
• If 52.Ra8 Kg7 53.a7 Ra4 54.Kc5 Ra1 then:
• 55.Kb6 Rb1+ 56.Kc6 Rc1+ 57.Kb5 Ra1 White can make no progress.
• After 55.Kc6 Rc1+ 56.Kb7 Rb1+ 57.Ka6 Ra1+ White can make no progress.

49...Kh6 50.Rb8 Ra3

• White's first priority is to prevent the pawn from queening.

51.Ra8

• 51.Rb6 Ra4 52.Kc7 Rxg4 53.a7 Ra4 will end in a draw.

51...Kg7 52.Kc5

• White commits the King to escorting the a-pawn to the promotion square.

52...Ra1 53.Kb6 Rb1+!?

• 53...Rg1 54.Rb8 Rxg4 55.a7 Ra4 will end in a draw (trust me on this one).

54.Ka7 Rb4 55.Rb8 Rxg4!
BLACK: Vishy Anand
!""""""""#
$ R + + +%
$K + + L %
$p+ + +o+%
$+ + + O %
$ T + +p+%
$+ + + + %
$ + + + +%
$+ + + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Vassily Ivanchuk
Position after 55.Rb4g4:p

• White's last kingside pawn has fallen; the game must from here end in a draw.
• Fine, in Basic Chess Endings, states the first rule of a Rook vs. one pawn ending is that the Rook side wins if and only if the King and Rook can cover some square which the pawn must still cross. Fine also states that if the Rook's King is not near the pawn but the pawn's King is, the game will end in a draw. Consequently, Black saves the game by doing the following:
• choosing the right moment to sacrifice his Rook for the pawn; and
• shortening the span of the pawn while still keeping his King connected to it.

56.Rb5 Ra4 57.Rxg5

• It made no difference in the preceding note that Black had an extra pawn, since it was doubled. The removal of one of those pawns changes nothing.
• 57.Kb7 g4 58.a7 Kh6 59.a8Q Rxa8 60.Kxa8 then:
• If 60...g3 61.Rb3 g5 62.Rxg3 Kh5 63.Kb7 Kh4 then:
• 64.Rg1 g4 65.Kc6 g3 66.Kd5 Kh3 67.Rh1+ Kg2 then:
• 68.Rh8 Kf2 69.Rf8+ Ke2 70.Rg8 Kf2 71.Ke4 g2 72.Rf8+ Kg3 73.Rg8+ Kf2 gives White the choice of repeating moves or exchanging his Rook for the last pawn, a draw either way.
• If 68.Ra1 Kh2 69.Rb1 g2 70.Rb2 Kh1 71.Rb1+ g1Q 72.Rxg1+ Kxg1 draw.
• If 64.Rd3 g4 65.Rd8 g3 66.Rg8 Kh3 67.Rh8+ Kg4 then:
• 68.Kc6 g2 69.Ra8 Kf3 70.Ra3+ Kf2 71.Ra2+ Kg3 72.Ra1 Kf2 draws.
• If 68.Rh1 g2 69.Rd1 Kg3 70.Rc1 Kf2 71.Rc2+ etc. draws.
• If 60...g5 61.Rb8 Kh5 62.Rh8+ Kg6 63.Kb7 Kf5 64.Rh2 g3 leads to a draw.

57...Rb4 58.Rc5 Kh6

• If 58...Kf6 59.Rc6+ Kf5 60.Rb6 Ra4 then:
• If 61.Rb5+ Kf4 62.Kb6 g5 63.Ra5 Re4 then:
• If 64.a7 Re8 65.Ra4+ Kf3 then:
• 66.Ra3+ Kf2 67.Ra2+ Kf3 68.a8Q+ Rxa8 69.Rxa8 g4 ends in a draw.
• 66.a8Q+ Rxa8 67.Rxa8 g4 leads to a draw.
• 61.Kb7 g5 62.a7 Rxa7+ 63.Kxa7 g4 results in a draw.

59.Rc6 Kh5 60.Rb6 Rf4 61.Rb5+ g5 62.Kb6 Rf6+ 63.Ka5

• If 63.Ka7 Rf7+ 64.Rb7 Rf6 65.Rh7+ Kg6 66.Rc7 Rf1 then:
• If 67.Kb7 Rb1+ 68.Kc8 g4 69.a7 Ra1 70.Kb8 Kf5 71.Rg7 Kf4 then:
• 72.a8Q Rxa8+ 73.Kxa8 g3 is a draw.
• 72.Rg6 g3 73.Kb7 Rxa7+ 74.Kxa7 Kf3 75.Kb6 g2 draws.
• If 67.Rc6+ Kh5 68.Kb7 Rf7+ 69.Kb8 g4 then:
• 70.a7 Rxa7 71.Kxa7 draws.
• 70.Rc8 g3 71.Rg8 Kh4 72.a7 Rxa7 73.Kxa7 Kh3 draws.

63...Rf7 64.Kb6 Rf6+ 65.Ka5 ½-½
BLACK: Vishy Anand
!""""""""#
$ + + + +%
$+ + + + %
$p+ + T +%
$Kr+ + Ol%
$ + + + +%
$+ + + + %
$ + + + +%
$+ + + + %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Vassily Ivanchuk
Final position after 65.Kb6a5

• 65...Rf7 66.Rc5 Kh4 67.Kb6 then:
• If 67...g4 then:
• 68.a7 Rxa7 69.Kxa7 g3! 70.Rc8 g2 71.Rg8 Kh3 72.Rg6 Kh2 73.Rh6+ Kg3 74.Rg6+ the White Rook keeps the King in perpetual check with the King always playing to f2-g3-h2; the pawn never queens, but the White King cannot approach. If the White King were to make a move, the pawn queens, the Rook takes the Queen and the Black King takes the Rook, leaving only Kings on the board.
• 68.Rc6 g3 69.Rg6 Kh3 70.a7 Rxa7 71.Kxa7 g2 etc. as in the main variation.
• Also good is 67...Rf6+ 68.Kb7 Rxa6! 69.Kxa6 g4 70.Rc8 g3 71.Rg8 Kh3 72.Rh8+ Kg4 73.Rh1 g2 74.Rd1 Kg3 75.Rc1 Kh2 76.Rc2 Kg3 77.Rc1 etc.

[cboy4]

9. This should be a huge violation, posting math problems on

the sports -- key word: sports -- board.

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Math problems?

I beg your pardon, sir. I post no math problems here.

as for your snarky remark suggesting that chess is not sport . . .

You may be aware that through the dark night of the Bush years, when the US corporate media was in the tank for the regime, at leat until after Hurricane Katrina, one of the most trusted news sources on this website was and still is the UK Guardian.

So, with that in mind, I give you this piece on the Guardian's online sport page.

Read it and weep.

[cboy4]

11. Chess is definitely not a sport .. the next thing you're going to

tell me is crossword puzzles are a sport.

How about hop scotch. Is that a sport too?

And I don't trust anything the British have to say about sports.

LOL

[Jack Rabbit]

12. I guess you don't trust Indians, either

They named Vishy Anand sportsman of the year when he won the world championship in 2007.

By the way, did you know the world chess championship is older than any world boxing championship?

Checkmate.

[cboy4]

13. If I took a poll, a majority of sports fans would not consider

chess a sport.

They would consider dodge ball more of a sport because it involves a ball.

Your boxing comparison is therefore officially nullified.

Sorry India. I win.

[Jack Rabbit]

14. Boxing doesn't involve a ball, either.

Neither does track and field, unless you consider the shot put a ball. I'd like to see Barry Bonds hit that into McCovey Cove.

And if you took a poll of American about 1985 they would have told you Ronald Reagan was the greatest president since Lincoln.

Checkmate.

[cboy4]

15. Yes but presidents change over time, the basic concept of

real sports do not, so my poll would be as accurate in 1985 as it would be in 2009.

And who could hit a shot put into McCovey Cove?

That's correct.

Match Point

http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2007/11/21/federer1_wideweb__470x333,0.jpg

[Jack Rabbit]

16. Ooops, the line judge just called that one back

presidents change over time, the basic concept of real sports do not . . .

Begging the question. You're asserting as fact that which you are trying to prove. That's a fifteen yard penalty.

We're going to tack on another five yards for that serious stretcher about Bonds being able to hit a shot put into McCovey Cove.

Meanwhile, I have shown that chess is reported in the sport section of the UK Guardian and that Vishy Anand was named sportsman of the year by the Indian press. I could present many similar examples of periodicals reporting chess as sport or chess players being regarded as sports personalities. However, the periodicals would not typically be American periodicals nor the press associations American press associations. Typically, these are periodicals and press associations are overseas in places where polls showed the public had a better informed view of Mr. Bush's invasion of Iraq than Americans did in the middle of this decade. This discrepancy is simply another case of the American MSM misinforming its readers, listeners and viewers. You unfortunately have fallen for the American MSM's steer manure.

Checkmate.

[cboy4]

17. LOL

I keep trying to think of a way to be a dick to you, but you're too funny and clever.

"Ooops, the line judge just called that one back" :rofl:

"That's a fifteen yard penalty."

"Meanwhile, I have shown that chess is reported in the sport section of the UK Guardian and that Vishy Anand was named sportsman of the year by the Indian press." :spray:

Toooo much.

But having said all of that, chess is most certainly not a sport.

I'd say it's the equivalent of playing Grand Theft Auto on XBOX.

It's a hobby.

Good game, but I win.

[nickgutierrez]

18. Where else would this fit?

I enjoy these reports, I even play through most of the games myself. I simply don't reply some of the time because I follow a rule that you should consider: If you don't have anything relevant or important to say, shut up.

[cboy4]

19. Let's get this straight. Nick advocates shutting up on a message

board, as opposed to weighing in and increasing the traffic at DU.

I mean, telling people they should shut up on a message board is like telling people they should not make any calls on their cell phone.

Advocating silence on a message board is the making of an oxymoron.

I bet even Jack Rabbit, who finally concedes that chess is most definitely not in a million years a sport, understands that.

It's like telling a 18,997 packed into Staples Center in Los Angeles not to cheer when the Lakers score.

No sense.

[Jack Rabbit]

20. Who said I conceded that?

I presented evidence that it is and you presented only bluster that it is not. Who do you think you are? A Bush White House talking head? That was their modus operandi.

I happen to agree with Dr. Emanuel Lasker, who was the world champion one hundred years ago, that chess is a fight. A game of chess is like a boxing match, only through the medium of the chess board, pawns and pieces the contestants determine who has the stronger mind, rather than the stronger body. Perhaps you are unaware that some boxers see the similarities, including Lennox Lewis and Wladimir Kletchko, who are both strong amateur chess players.

Checkmate.

[cboy4]

21. LOL. Apparently you think boxing is the only mainstream

sport, since it's all to which you compare your hobby/pastime/activity of chess.

Even though I'm fascinated you apparently watched Dr. Emanuel Lasker in person enough times to determine chess is a fight, that doesn't make it a sport.

Rockem Sockem Robots is also a fight.



Is Rockem Sockem Robots a sport?

Definitely the sport of boxing you admire.

So...

TKO in my favor.

[Jack Rabbit]

22. TKO?

You were checkmated ages ago. That's just unsportsmanlike conduct to keep hitting after the game is over. We'll have penalize you more yardage. That's half the distance to the goal line. You'd really be backed into a corner if you hadn't already lost.

Your argument that a child's toy isn't a sport, therefore chess is not a sport, is flawed. The reason the toy is not sport is because the robots don't think like humans or feel pain like humans. But when humans are in the ring (or at the chess board), it is a sport. And no, I don't consider chess a sport when the competitors are computer programs (although the programs make a great training tool).

One does not have to physically watch Dr. Lasker (or Vishy Anand) play chess to appreciate the fight. Any chess fan would understand that. In fact, any chess fan would tell you that physically watching two grandmasters play is boring. I'd rather watch the grass grow. Nevertheless, even though Dr. Lasker died in 1941, you can still watch him play chess and, if you know anything about the game, enjoy the excitement and marvel at the brilliance. Just look here. You can see one of Lasker's greatest fights, blow by blow, over a hundred years after it was fought.

You see, as a sport, chess is uniquely interactive. The chess fan is not a couch potato. The best way to watch a grandmaster game is online, in a community of other chess fans, discussing the game in progress. Even better when that discussion is led by a master or grandmaster, as was the case when ChessGames.com (a really cool website I can't recommend highly enough) broadcast the games of the recent Topalov-Kamsky match with the discussion conducted by British GM Nigel Short, who played and lost a championship match against Garry Kasparov in 1993. We (and Mr. Short) were thinking along with Topalov and Kamsky as they battled each other, try to come up with reasonable moves they might play and making judgments about those they did.

[cboy4]

23. Are the people who ruled I was "checkmated ages ago" the

same ones who insisted there were WMD's in Iraq?

Uh oh, looks like we're going to have to send you to the penalty box for five minutes.



I will say this. You're a fierce defender of your non-sport, and you're a very, very witty and entertaining writer.

**Witty and entertaining writing .. that's more of a sport than chess**

As you know, most sports fans would rather lay in front of a locomotive than be subjected to ESPN coverage of such a boring exhibition of I don't know what.

Now if the participants started throwing punches or began taking steroids .. then we're getting somewhere!!

:bounce:

[Jack Rabbit]

24. Cboy4 - Rabbit, Cyberspace, 2009

Jack Rabbit
Photo: DesertUSA


Cboy4 - Jack Rabbit
Eternal Match of Wise Rabbits and Foolish Boys
Cyberspace, 1 March 2009

Spike Opening

1.g4?!

• This opening is not recommended. White should grab a piece of the center with his first move. Better is 1.e4, 1.d4, 1.c4 or 1.Nf3.

1...e5 2.f3??

• Well, he's asking for it.

2...Qh4#! 0-1
BLACK: Jack Rabbit
!""""""""#
$tMv+lVmT%
$OoOo+oOo%
$ + + + +%
$+ + O + %
$ + + +pW%
$+ + +p+ %
$pPpPp+ P%
$RnBqKbNr%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Cboy4
Final position after 2...Qh4#

• Never send a boy out to do a trickster's job.

[cboy4]

25. Jack Rabbit, Did you notice the poll Redbear posted Wed. night?

On which sports issues do you hold a minority view?

The question involves the real sports of football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, tennis, and golf.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=215x88066

Guess what hobby you claim is a sport is not mentioned as a choice?

This is not a coincidence by a long shot.

Not only that, you misrepresented by sequence of brilliant moves.

That's a yellow card. :(

(And look at how upset you are! I don't blame you!!)

http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2007/07/22/sw_kewell_wideweb__470x354,0.jpg

[Jack Rabbit]

26. No, I didn't. You know online polls are useless

You're outta here. Take a shower.


Bala and Effective

[cboy4]

27. The umpires always eject people they know they can't

defeat.

That's a technical foul for taking the easy way out of the chess is not a sport discussion.

[cboy4]

28. The Aeroflot Open

:rofl: