The Jack Rabbit Chess Report (March 22): Warning -- high estrogen content this week

[Jack Rabbit]

Koneru wins Women's Grand Prix



Grandmaster Koneru Humpy of India, 22, the second ranked woman chess player in the world behind Judit Polgar, won the Women's Grand Prix in Istanbul Thursday when she defeated French grandmaster Marie Sebag in the eleventh and final round.

The victory allowed Ms. Koneru step ahead of Chinese grandmasters Hou Yifan and Zhao Xue, with whom she was tied for first at the start of the final round, and withstand a bid from Armenian IM ELina Danielian, whose charge in the last round brought her to tied for second with Ms. Hou.

Ms. Danielian won her final game against Ms. Zhao, while the fifteen-year-old Ms. Hou drew her last game with compatriot Yang Shen. Ms. Danielian's last-round victory was her third in four games. She also earned her second grandmaster norm with her performance.



Tomashevsky wins European Championship



Russian grandmaster Evgeny Tomashevsky outlasted the field in a 11-man playoff Wednesday to claim first prize in the general competition of the 10th European Individual Championship in Budva, Montenegro, on Wednesday.

Tomashevsky defeated compatriot Vladimir Malakhov in the fianl round of rapid and blitz games and took home the gold medal. Malakhov was awarded the silver while Georgian GM Baadur Jobava won the broze when he outscored Ernesto Inarkiev of Russia in a pair of rapid games.

In addition to the gold medal, Tomashevsky took home €15,000.




Tanya Kosintseva wins European Women's Championship



Russian IM Tatiana Kosintseva, younger sister of reigning Russian women's champion Nadezhda Kosintseva, won her second European women's title by defeating Armenia's Lilit Mkrtchian (Mah KUHT chee an) in a playoff round Friday in St. Petersburg.

Ms. Kosintseva and Ms. Mkrtchian were tied for first place at the end of the 11-round event Thursday with 8½ points apiece.

Ms. Kosintseva also won the 2007 European women's championship in Dresden.

The bronze medal also needed to be determined in a playoff among the seven ladies tied for third place with 8 points each.

When the smoke cleared, the bronze went to Natalija Pogonina of Russia, who also won the women's competition at the Moscow Open last month.



Melody Amber Tournament underway in Nice


The annual Melody Amber Rapid/Blindfold Tournament began last weekend in the French Mediterranean town Nice.

Twelve players play two games of chess a day for 11 rounds. In the moning, the players play a blindfold game and then in the afternoon each plays a rapid game against the same opponent as the morning, but with the colors reversed.

After seven rounds, reigning world champion Vishy Anand of India and former world champion Vladimir Kramnik of Russia are leading the overall standings with 9 points each, although neither man is leading in either of the two evnets. In the blindford competition, Magnus Carlsen of Norway leads with 5½ points, a half point ahead of Kramnik and a full point ahead of Anand. However, Carlsen has only 3 points out of seven in the rapid event. In the rapid games, American GM Gata Kamsky, who has only 2 points in the blindfold play, leads with 5 points, with Anand and Armenian GM Levon Aronian a half point back and Kramnik just another half point behind them.

Carlsen and Aronian are tied for third place in the overall standings with 8½ points each out of 14.

The tournament is scheduled to conclude Friday.



Calendar


Reykjavik Open 23 March.-2 April.

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. Women's Grand Prix, Istanbul

Hou Yifan, Elina Danielian and Koneru Humpy
ChessBase.com

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Sebag - Koneru, Round 11

Koneru Humpy
Photo: ChessBase.com


Marie Sebag - Koneru Humpy
Women's Grand Prix, Round 11
Istanbul, 19 March 2009

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Keres Defense

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 a5!?

• Black chooses the Keres Defense, an unusual but playable line.

10.d3

• 10.d4 a4 11.Bc2 Bd7 12.Nbd2 Re8 13.Nf1 h6 14.Ng3 Bf8 15.Nh2 Na5 16.f4 Nc4 17.Rb1 c5 18.fxe5 dxe5 19.b3 axb3 20.axb3 Na3 21.Bxa3 Rxa3 22.dxe5 is equal (Wolff-Razuvaev, Op, New York, 1989).

10...a4 11.Bc2 Bd7

• 11...Re8 12.Nfd2 Bf8 13.Nf1 d5 14.exd5 Nxd5 15.a3 g6 16.c4 Nb6 17.Bg5 f6 18.cxb5 is equal (Khalifman-Kupreichik, Leningrad, 1989).

12.Nbd2 Re8 13.Nf1 h6

• 13...Bf8 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bd2 d5 16.exd5 Nxd5 17.a3 Nf6 18.Ng3 Bd6 19.Nh4 Ne7 20.Qf3 Bc6 21.Ne4 Nxe4 22.dxe4 Ng6 is equal (Kruppa-I. Zaitsev, Minsk, 1993).

14.Ng3 Bf8 15.Nh2

• If 15.d4 Na5 16.Nh2 c5 17.d5 g6 18.Bd3 c4 19.Bc2 then:
• 19...Nb3? 20.axb3! axb3 21.Rxa8 Qxa8 22.Qf3 Black will be unable to recover the piece (Grischuk-Payen, French ChT, Port Barcares, 2005).
• 19...Nb7 20.Rb1 Bg7 21.Be3 is equal.

15...Ne7!?

• 15...Na5 16.f4 c5 17.Nf3 Nc6 18.a3 Qc7 19.Rf1 Ra6 20.Be3 Rc8 21.Rc1 is equal (Bologan-Xie Jun, IT, Shanghai, 2000).

16.Qf3

• The game is equal.
• 16.d4 exd4 17.cxd4 Nc6 18.a3 Na5 19.Nf3 Nc4 is equal.

16...Ng6 17.Ng4!?

• In an attempt to shake up what looks like a dull game, White allows her pawn structure to be compromised, condident that she can defend the weakness.
• 17.d4 d5 18.exd5 exd4 19.Rxe8 Bxe8 20.cxd4 Nh4 21.Qe2 Nxd5 remains equal.

17...Nxg4 18.hxg4 Be7

• Black simply goes about developing her pieces.

19.Nf5 Bg5 20.g3 Bxc1 21.Raxc1 Qg5!

• Black assumes a solid advantage in space.
• 21...Ne7 22.d4 Nxf5 23.gxf5 Qf6 24.d5 a3 is equal.

22.Rcd1 Be6 23.a3 Rad8 24.Ne3

• 24.d4 d5 25.Re3 c6 26.Rde1 f6! 27.exd5 Bxd5 28.Qd1 Black retains the advantage in space.
• 26...dxe4?! 27.Bxe4 Bd5 is equal.

24...Nf8 25.d4

• 25.c4 Ra8 26.cxb5 Reb8 27.d4 exd4 28.Rxd4 Rxb5 Black retains the advantage in space.

25...Nh7 26.Bd3 Bd7

• Black seeks the best way to guard her pawn weaknesses.
• 26...c6!? 27.d5 Bd7 28.dxc6 Bxc6 29.Nd5 weakens Black's pawn structure and levels the game.

27.Qe2 c6?!

• White can now whittle away at Black's spatial plus.
• 27...Rb8 28.dxe5 dxe5 29.f3 Nf6 30.Bc2 Rbd8 maintains the advantage in space for Black.

BLACK: Koneru Humpy
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WHITE: Marie Sebag
Position after 27...c7c6

28.d5!

• White strikes through the center at Black's weak spot.
• The game is equal.

28...cxd5 29.Bxb5 Bxb5

• 29...dxe4 30.Rxd6 Bxb5 31.Qxb5 Ra8 remains equal.

30.Qxb5 dxe4 31.Rxd6 Ra8 32.Rd7?!

• White misses an opportunity to take command.
• 32.Ra6! Nf6 33.Rxa4 Rxa4 34.Qxa4 Rb8 35.b4 gives White an extra pawn.

32...Nf6 33.Rb7 h5

• 33...Rf8 34.Qb4 h5 35.gxh5 Qxh5 36.Rd1 remains equal.

34.Qc4

• 34.Nd5 Nxg4 35.Rxe4 Qd2 36.Re2 Qd1+ 37.Kg2 Red8 remains equal.

34...Rf8 35.gxh5 Qxh5 36.Nd5?

• White allows Black to attack her King position.
• 36.Rb5 Rfe8 37.Qc6 Rad8 38.Rb7 Nh7 39.Ng2 Ng5 remains equal.

• White can now whittle away at Black's spatial plus.
• 27...Rb8 28.dxe5 dxe5 29.f3 Nf6 30.Bc2 Rbd8 maintains the advantage in space for Black.

BLACK: Koneru Humpy
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WHITE: Marie Sebag
Position after 36.Nf6d5

36...Ng4!

• This comes with the obvious threat of mate in two starting with 37...Qh2+.

37.Kf1 Qh2

• 37...e3 38.Ne7+ Kh8 39.Kg2 Qh2+ 40.Kf3 Qxf2+ wins the exchange.
• 37...Qh1+ 38.Ke2 Qf3+ 39.Kd2 Rad8 40.Kc1 Nxf2 gives Black a strong attack.

38.Ke2 Qxf2+ 39.Kd1 Rad8

• 39...e3!? 40.Ne7+ Kh8 41.Rd7 Qxg3 42.Rh1+ Nh6 would only give Black a little harder time winning.

40.Rb5

• If 40.Qxe4 Nf6 41.Qe3 Rxd5+ 42.Kc1 Qxe3+ 43.Rxe3 Rfd8 Black wins by invading with her Rooks.

40...Ne3+ 41.Rxe3 Qxe3 42.Kc2

• If 42.Qe2 then after 42...Qxg3 43.Qxe4 f5! 44.Qe2 f4 Black wins by advancing her connected passers.

42...Qf2+ 43.Kb1 Rfe8 44.Ka2

• If 44.Rb7 then Black wins easily after 44...Qf3 45.Nf4 Rf8 46.Ng6 Qd3+ 47.Qxd3 exd3.

44...e3!

• It will cost White a piece to stop the pawn.

45.Qb4
BLACK: Koneru Humpy
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WHITE: Marie Sebag
Position after 45.Qc4b4

45...Rxd5!!

• The exchange sacrifice assures that the pawn scores.

46.Rxd5 e2 47.Qxa4 Rb8 0-1

• 48.Rb5 Rxb5 49.Qa8+ Kh7 50.Qh1+ Kg6 51.Qc6+ Kf5 52.Qxb5 e1Q gives Black an extra Queen.
• Mlle. Sebag resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Danielian - Zhao, Round 11

Elina Danielian of Armenia made a late charge from the pack to finish tied for second with Hou Yifan. She earned her second grandmaster norm in the process.



Elina Danielian
Photo: ChesssBase.de (Germany)


Elina Danielian - Zhao Xue
Women's Grand Prix, Round 11
Istanbul, 19 March 2009

East India Game: Queen's Indian Defense

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 b6 4.Bd3 Bb7 5.0-0 c5 6.c4 Be7 7.Nc3 cxd4 8.exd4

• 8.Nxd4 Nc6 9.Nxc6 Bxc6 10.e4 d6 11.Qe2 0-0 12.Bf4 Qc8 13.Rfd1 Rd8 14.Rac1 gives White the advantage in space (Dr. Tartakover-Sämisch, IT, Teplitz-Schonau, 1922).

8...d6

• If 8...d5 9.cxd5 Nxd5 then:
• If 10.Ne5 0-0 11.Qh5 then:
• If 11...g6 12.Qh3 Nc6 13.Bh6 Re8 then:
• 14.Bb5 Rc8 15.Rad1 Nxc3 16.bxc3 Qc7 17.Rfe1 Nxe5 18.Bxe8 Nf3+ 19.gxf3 Rxe8 20.f4 Qc4 gives White the echange but Black has some space in compensation (Siebrecht-D'Costa, Euro ChT, Kallithea, 2008).
• 14.Nf3 Ndb4 15.Be4 Na5 16.Rae1 Bxe4 17.Nxe4 Nac6 18.Nfg5 Nxd4 19.Nxh7 Nd5 20.Bg5 f6 draw (Halkias-Beliavsky, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• 11...Nf6 12.Qh4 Ne4 13.Qh3 Qxd4 14.Bf4 Nf6 15.Ne2 Qa4 16.b3 Qe8 17.Bg5 Ne4 18.Bf4 Nf6 19.Bg5 Ne4 20.Bf4 f5 is equal (Callens-T. Schmidt, Cyberspace, 1999).
• If 10.Bb5+ Bc6 then:
• 11.Qa4 Qd7 12.Bxc6 Nxc6 13.Nxd5 Qxd5 14.Be3 0-0 15.Rfc1 b5 16.Qa6 Nb4 17.Qa5 Nd3 18.Rc2 Nb4 19.Rcc1 Nd3 draw (Szabo-Dr. Euwe, Match, Schweiz, 1953).
• 11.Bc4 0-0 12.Qe2 Bb7 13.Re1 Nc6 14.Nxd5 exd5 15.Bb5 Bf6 16.Be3 Qd6 17.a3 a6 18.Bd3 Rfe8 19.Qd2 Qd7 20.Rad1 Rac8 is equal (Kritz-Schandorff, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).

9.a3

• If 9.d5 e5 10.Ng5 Nbd7 11.f4 g6 12.f5 h6 13.Ne6 then:
• If 13...fxe6? 14.fxe6! Nf8 15.Qa4+ N6d7 then:
• If 16.c5! then:
• 16...Bc8 17.exd7+ Bxd7 18.c6 Black resigns (Su. Polgar-Hracek, ZT, Stara Zagora, 1990).
• 16...a6 17.exd7+ Qxd7 18.c6 wins a piece.
• 16.exd7+ Qxd7 17.Nb5 Kd8 18.Be3 also wins, but it takes longer.
• 13...Qc8 14.Qa4 g5 15.Be2 a6 16.Ng7+ Kd8 17.Nh5 Qc5+ is equal.
• If 9.Re1 0-0 10.Bg5 Nbd7 11.Qe2 Rc8 12.Rad1 Re8 13.a3 a6 14.Nd2 Qc7 is equal (Cramling-Natalicchio, Op, Gibraltar, 2009).

9...0-0 10.d5

• If 10.Re1 Nbd7 11.b4 Re8 12.Bb2 Bf8 13.d5 e5 then:
• 14.Ng5 g6 15.Qf3 h6 16.Nge4 Nxe4 17.Qxe4 f5 18.Qe3 Bg7 19.Qg3 Kh7 20.Bf1 Nf6 21.f3 Rc8 22.Qf2 Ba6 is equal ( Schebler-Michiels, Op, Antwerp, 2008).
• 14.Nd2 g6 15.a4 a5 16.bxa5 bxa5 17.Nb3 Ba6 18.Qd2 Ng4 19.h3 Bh6 20.Qc2 Ngf6 21.Ba3 gives White a small advantage in space (Su. Polgar-Arnason, Op, Budapest, 1989).

10...exd5

• 10...e5 11.Ne1 a6 12.Be3 Nbd7 13.Kh1 Re8 14.Be2 draw (Miles-Kavalek, IT, Amsterdam, 1981).

11.cxd5 Nbd7 12.Re1

• 12.Bf4 Nc5 13.Bc2 Nh5 14.Be3 Re8 15.Nd4 Nf6 16.b4 Ncd7 17.Nc6 Qc7 18.Nb5 Qc8 19.Nbxa7 gives White an extra pawn and a strong initiative (Lomineishvili-Varveraki, Euro ChTW, Crete, 2007).

12...Re8 13.Bf4 a6 14.Nd4!?

• 14.a4 g6 15.Bf1 Nh5 16.Be3 Rc8 17.Be2 Nhf6 18.h3 Ne5 19.Nd2 Bf8 20.Nde4 Nxe4 21.Nxe4 h6 is equal (Reshevsky-Blocker, Op, New York, 1984).

14...Bf8!?

• The text yields an advantage in space to White.
• If 14...Ne5 15.Bxe5 dxe5 16.Rxe5 then:
• 16...Qc7 17.Nf3 Bd6 18.Rxe8+ Rxe8 19.Qb3 remains equal.
• 16...Bc5 17.Rxe8+ Qxe8 18.Bc4 Qd7 19.Nf3 remains equal.

15.Rxe8 Qxe8 16.Nf5 Ne5 17.Bf1

• White has a clear advantage in space.

17...g6 18.Bg5

• 18.Nh6+ Kh8 19.Qb3 Ned7 20.Rd1 Rc8 21.Qb4 gives White the advantage in space.

18...Ned7?

• Black should take better care of the h6 square.
• ]If 18...Neg4 then:
• If 19.f3 h6 then:
• 20.Bf4 gxf5 21.fxg4 fxg4 remains equal.
• 20.Bh4?! gxf5 21.fxg4 Nxg4 22.Be2 Qe3+ gives Black the advantage in space.
• 19.Ng3 Bg7 20.Qd2 Qd7 21.h3 h6 remains equal.

19.Nh6+ Kh8

• 19...Bxh6 20.Bxh6 Qe5 21.Qd2 Ne4 22.Nxe4 Qxe4 23.Re1 gives White the advantage in space.

BLACK: Zhao Xue
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WHITE: Elina Danielian
Position after 19...Kg8h8

20.Qd2!

• White protects the Knight in order to free the Bishop.
• Also good is 20.Bxf6+ Nxf6 21.Qd4 when:
• 21...Qe7 22.Ng4 Bg7 23.Nxf6 Bxf6 24.Qxb6 gives White an extra pawn.
• 21...Bg7 22.Qxb6 Bxd5 23.Nxd5 Nxd5 24.Qxd6 leaves White a pawn to the good.

20...Bg7 21.Re1 Qf8 22.Qf4 Rc8

• If 22...Nxd5 23.Nxf7+ Kg8 then:
• 24.Nxd5! Bxd5 25.Nxd6 Qxf4 26.Bxf4 Bxb2 27.Rd1 gives White strength in the center.
• 24.Qxd6?! Qxf7 25.Bc4 Bxc3 26.bxc3 b5 27.Re7 Qf5 is equal.

23.Qxd6!

• White wins a pawn.

23...b5 24.Qxf8+ Bxf8

• If 24...Rxf8 then 25.Re7 Bxh6 26.Bxh6 Rd8 27.Rxf7 Kg8 28.Re7 wins a second pawn for White.

BLACK: Zhao Xue
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WHITE: Elina Danielian
Position after 24...Bg7f8:Q

25.Nxf7+!

• White wins a second pawn.

25...Kg7 26.Ne5 Nxe5 27.Rxe5 Kf7

• If 27...Bc5 then after 28.Re6 Nxd5 29.Nxd5 Bxd5 30.Rxa6 White remains two pawns to the good.

28.g3 h6 29.Bxf6 Kxf6 30.Re6+ Kf7

• 30...Kg7 31.Rb6 Ba8 32.Rxa6 b4 33.axb4 Bxb4 34.d6 keeps Black on the defensive.

31.Rb6 Ba8 32.Bh3 Rd8

• If 32...Rc7 33.Be6+ then:
• 33...Kg7 34.Rxa6 Bb7 35.Rb6 b4 36.axb4 Ba8 37.Rb8 White wins a Bishop.
• 33...Kf6 34.Rxa6 Bb7 35.Rb6 Ke5 36.f4+ Kd4 37.d6 is time to turn out the lights.

33.Be6+ Kg7 34.Rxa6

• White is three pawns to the good.

34...b4 35.Ra7+ Kh8 36.axb4 Bxb4 37.Ne4 Bf8 38.b4 1-0

• After 38.b4 Bg7 39.Ra2 Be5 40.b5 Black's defense crumbles under the two advancing passers.
• Grandmaster Zhao resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Hou - Koneru, Round 7

This is the best game presented here this week.

http://www.chessbase.de/2008/yifany/Hou%20Yifan,%20China.jpg

Hou Yifan
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Hou Yifan - Koneru Humpy
Women's Grand Prix, Round 7
Istanbul, 14 March 2009

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Chigorin Defense

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 Na5

• The usual move order nowadays is 8...0-0 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7, from which we join White's 12th move in the next note.

9.Bc2 c5 10.h3 Qc7 11.d4 Bd7

• 11...0-0 transposes into a more conventional line of the Chigorin: If 12.Nbd2 then:
• If 12...cxd4 13.cxd4 then:
• If 13...Rd8 then:
• If 14.b3 Nc6 15.Bb2 then:
• If 15...Bb7 16.Rc1 Qb6 then:
• 17.d5 Nb4 18.Bb1 a5 19.Qe2 Rdc8 20.a3 Na6 21.Bd3 Nc5 22.Qe3 Nfd7 23.Bf1 f5 draw (And. Volokitin-Bruzón, IT, Biel, 2006).
• If 17.Nf1 d5 18.exd5 Nxd5 19.Nxe5 Nxe5 20.dxe5 Bg5 21.Qh5 Bh6 then:
• 22.Be4 Nb4 23.e6 fxe6 24.Bxg7 Bxg7 25.Qxh7+ Kf8 26.Bxb7 Qxb7 27.Rxe6 is unclear: White has three pawns for a piece and more space, but Black's defense looks solid (Correles-Hungaski, World Jr Ch, Yerevan, 2007).
• 22.Ne3 Nxe3 23.Rxe3 Rd2 24.Qh4 Rxf2 25.Bd4 Rxg2+ 26.Kf1 Qa5 27.Be4 Qd2 28.Bxb7 Bxe3 White resigns in a mating attack (Grischuk-I. Smirin, Rapid, Odessa, 2007).
• If 15...exd4 16.Nxd4 Nxd4 17.Bxd4 Be6 18.Rc1 Qa5 then:
• 19.Bb1 d5 20.e5 Ne4 21.Nxe4 dxe4 22.Rxe4 Ba3 23.Rc2 Rd7 gives Black the advantage in space (Z. Almasi-Piket, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2002).
• 19.Nf1 d5 20.e5 Ne4 21.f3 Ba3 22.fxe4 Bxc1 23.Qxc1 Rac8 24.Re2 draw (Mason-Taylor, British Ch, Swansea, 2006).
• If 14.Nf1 exd4 15.Nxd4 d5 16.e5 Ne4 17.f3 then:
• 17...Bc5 18.fxe4 dxe4 19.Be3 Bb7 20.e6 Nc4 21.Bb3 Nxe3 22.exf7+ Kh8 23.Nxe3 Rxd4 24.Qc2 Rd3 gives Black the advantage in space (Rimawi-Ismagambetov, Team Trmt, Macau, 2007).
• 17...Ng5 18.Ng3 g6 19.Kh2 Ne6 20.Nxe6 fxe6 21.Bh6 Bf8 22.Bg5 Be7 23.Qc1 is equal (Sax-E. Torre, Adelaide, 1986).
• If 13...Nc6 then:
• If 14.Nb3 a5 15.Be3 a4 16.Nbd2 Bd7 17.Rc1 Qb7 then:
• If 18.Qe2 Rfe8 19.Bd3 Rab8 then:
• 20.dxe5 Nxe5 21.Nxe5 dxe5 22.Bc5 Bc6 23.Bxe7 Rxe7 24.Nf3 h6 25.Rc5 Nd7 26.Rc3 Re6 is equal (Kramnik-Adams, IT, Sofia, 2005).
• 20.a3 exd4 21.Nxd4 Ne5 22.Bb1 b4 23.axb4 Qxb4 24.Rc2 d5 25.f4 Ng6 26.e5 Nxf4 gives Black an extra pawn (Goloshchapov-Shirov, Euro ChT, Rethymnon, 2003).
• If 18.Nf1 Rfe8 19.Ng3 Bd8 20.Qe2 h6 21.Red1 then:
• 21...Rb8 22.Bb1 Bb6 23.dxe5 dxe5 24.Rd6 Re6 25.Nf5 Bxe3 26.Qxe3 Rxd6 27.Nxd6 Qb6 28.Qc5 gives White a comfortable lead in space (And. Volokitin-Perez, Ol. Calvia, 2004).
• If 21...Bb6 22.dxe5 dxe5 23.Nf5 Bxf5 24.Qxb5 Be6 25.Qxb6 Qxb6 26.Bxb6 Bxa2 27.Bxa4 Rxa4 28.Rxc6 Rxe4 is equal (Zhu Chen-Timoshchenko, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• 14.Nf1 exd4 15.Bf4 Qb6 16.Rc1 Be6 17.Ng3 Rac8 18.Bb1 g6 19.Ne2 d5 20.e5 Nd7 21.Nexd4 Nxd4 22.Qxd4 Bc5 23.Qd2 a5 is equal (Stoltz-Bogolyubov, IT, Munich, 1942).
• If 13...Bb7 14.Nf1 Rac8 then:
• 15.Bd3 d5 16.dxe5 Nxe4 17.Ng3 f5 18.exf6 Bxf6 19.Nxe4 dxe4 20.Bxe4 Rfd8 21.Qe2 Re8 22.Nd2 Qd7 23.Qf1 Nc6 24.Nb3 Nd4 25.Bxb7 Qxb7 26.Nxd4 Bxd4 draw (Geller-Keres, IT, Amsterdam, 1956).
• 15.Re2 d5 16.dxe5 Nxe4 17.Ng3 f5 18.exf6 Bxf6 19.Nxe4 dxe4 20.Bxe4 Rcd8 21.Qe1 Nc4 22.Ng5 Bxg5 23.Bxg5 Rd7 24.Bxb7 Qxb7 25.b3 Nb6 gives Black a small advantage in space (Beliavsky-Diesen, Op, Hastings, 1974).
• If 12...Nc6 13.d5 Nd8 then:
• 14.a4 Rb8 15.axb5 axb5 then:
• 16.b4 c4 17.Nf1 Ne8 18.N3h2 f6 19.f4 Nf7 20.Nf3 g6 21.f5 Ng7 22.g4 Bd7 23.Be3 Ra8 24.Qd2 gives White the advantage in space (Karpov-Spassky, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1973).
• 16.Nf1 Ne8 17.g4 g6 18.Ng3 Ng7 19.Kh1 f6 20.Rg1 Nf7 21.Be3 Bd7 22.Qe2 Ra8 23.Nd2 Kh8 24.b3 Qb7 25.Bd3 Ra6 26.Rgb1 Rfa8 draw (Dr. Bernstein-Rubinstein, Group B, Ostend, 1907).
• If 14.Nf1 Ne8 15.g4 g6 16.Ng3 Ng7 17.Bh6 f6 18.Kh2 Nf7 19.Be3 Bd7 20.Rg1 Kh8 then:
• 21.a4 Qb7 22.b3 Qc8 23.Qf1 Ng5 24.Nh4 Nf7 25.Nf3 Ng5 26.Nh4 Nf7 27.Nf3 draw (Fejzullahu-Tisdall, Euro ChT, Fügen, 2006).
• 21.Qe2 Qc8 22.Rg2 Qb7 23.Rag1 c4 24.a3 Rfc8 25.Nd2 Qc7 gives White a slight advantage in space (Chajes-Grünfeld, IT, Carlsbad, 1923).
• If 12...Re8 13.Nf1 Bd7 14.Ne3 g6 then:
• 15.dxe5 dxe5 16.Nh2 Rad8 17.Qf3 Be6 18.Nhg4 Nxg4 19.hxg4 Nc4 20.Nd5 Bxd5 21.exd5 Nb6 22.Rd1 Rd6 23.a4 Red8 24.axb5 axb5 25.Be4 c4 26.Be3 Na4 27.Bc2 Nc5 28.g3 R6d7 29.Kg2 Bf8 30.Ra2 Qb7 31.Ra5 Qb6 gives White the advantage in space, but Black has his bases covered (Keres-Matanovic, Bled, 1961).
• 15.Bd2 Bf8 16.Rc1 Nc6 17.Bb1 Bg7 18.d5 Nd8 19.c4 Nb7 20.g4 Reb8 21.Bd3 Qd8 22.b3 b4 draw (Stein-Ivkov, Team M, Lvov, 1962).
• If 12...Rd8 then:
• If 13.d5 c4 14.Nf1 Nb7 15.Ng3 a5 16.Nh2 Nc5 then:
• 17.f4 b4 18.Nf3 Rb8 19.cxb4 axb4 20.b3 c3 21.f5 Ba6 gives Black a comfortable advantage in space (Kindermann-Jussupow, Hamburg, 1991).
• 17.a3 Rb8 18.f4 Bd7 19.Qf3 Nb3 20.Bxb3 cxb3 21.Kh1 Bc8 22.fxe5 dxe5 23.Nf5 Bxf5 24.Qxf5 is equal (Leko-Zayac, Rapid, Oviedo, 1993).
• 13.b3 Bd7 14.d5 c4 15.b4 Nb7 16.a4 a5 17.Ba3 axb4 18.Bxb4 Nc5 19.axb5 Bxb5 20.Bxc5 Qxc5 21.Ba4 Nd7 22.Bxb5 Qxb5 23.Rb1 Qc5 24.Rb4 Nb6 25.Qe2 Ra6 26.Reb1 Rda8 gives Black the advantage in space, but White can play 27.Nxc4 and cloud the position some (Adams-E. Torre, Ol, Bled, 2002).

12.b3!?

• 12.Nbd2 0-0 13.Nf1 Rfe8 14.Ne3 g6 15.dxc5 dxc5 transposes to Keres-Matanovic, above

12...0-0

• The game is equal.
• 12...cxd4 13.cxd4 Rc8 14.Re2 0-0 15.Bb2 Nc6 16.Nc3 gives White a better center.

13.d5

• White has an advantage in space.

13...Nb7

• This awkward-looking retreat may be unavoidable, but there are ways Black can fight for space.
• 13...c4 14.Ba3 Bd8 15.Nbd2 Rc8 16.Bb2 is unclear, giving White more freedom and Black more space.

14.Nbd2 g6!?

• This move is more often seen aften White has trasferred her Queen's Knight to the kingside and moved it to the third rank.
• Better is 14...Rfe8 15.Bb2 c4 16.Qe2 Nh5 17.bxc4 Nf4 18.Qf1 with equality.

15.Nf1 Nh5 16.Bh6 Rfc8 17.Ng3

• 17.Ne3?! has the drawback of blocking the most effecient retreat of the Bishop, so now Black can play 17...Bf8 and after 18.Bg5 Bg7 19.Bh4 the cleric is almost out of play.

17...Ng7

• White still has an advantage in space; an alternative involving an exchange should be considered here.
• 17...Nxg3 18.fxg3 c4 19.Re3 Bf8 20.Bxf8 Rxf8 21.Qd2 is equal.

18.Nd2 Qd8 19.Nf3

• White maintains a small advantage in space; Black's position is becoming more cramped.
• 19.Bd3?! Bg5 20.Bxg5 Qxg5 21.Qe2 Qf4 22.Nf3 Rab8 gives Black an advantage in space; 23.Qe3 or 23.Qd2 is indicated.

19...a5

• After 19...Qc7 White maintains her spatial advantage with 20.c4! Bf6 21.Qd3 Ne8 22.a3.

20.a4 c4
BLACK: Koneru Humpy
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WHITE: Hou Yifan
Position after 20...c5c4

21.b4!

• It is obvious that the queenside must open up, but the burden is on White to do it in a way that converts her space into initiative.
• If 21.bxc4!? bxc4 22.Qd2 then:
• 22...Nc5 23.Reb1 Rcb8 24.Rxb8 Qxb8 25.Qc1 is equal.
• 22...Rab8 23.Reb1 Nc5 24.Rxb8 Rxb8 25.Qe2 Nb3 26.Rb1 is equal.

21...Ne8

• If 21...axb4? 22.cxb4 bxa4 23.Bxa4 then:
• If 23...Bxa4 24.Rxa4 then:
• If 24...Qb6 then after 25.Rxa8 Rxa8 26.Qc2 Rc8 27.Rb1 White continues her initiative.
• 24...Rxa4 25.Qxa4 Bf8 26.Qb5 Qc7 27.Ra1 White's initiative continues with grave threats.
• If 23...c3 24.Bxd7 Rxa1 25.Qxa1 Qxd7 26.Rc1 then:
• 26...Rc4 then after 27.Bd2 Rxb4 28.Qxc3 Rb5 29.Qc6 White's attack continues.
• After 26...c2 27.Qa6 f5 28.exf5 Nxf5 29.Nxf5 gxf5 30.Ne1 Black's c-pawn falls.

22.axb5

• 22.bxa5? Qxa5 23.axb5 Qxc3 24.Rxa8 Rxa8 25.b6 Bd8 is equal.

22...Bxb5?!

• Black digs herself a deeper hole.
• If 22...axb4 23.cxb4 then:
• If 23...Qb6 24.Rxa8 Rxa8 25.Qd2 then:
• 25...Ra3! 26.Ne2 Nc7 27.Be3 Qxb5 28.Rb1 f5 29.Nc3 White still has the initiative, but Black can put up more of a fight.
• 25...Nc7 26.Ne2 Nxb5 27.Be3 gives White a clear initiative.
• If 23...Bxb5?! then after 24.Ne2 Nc7 25.Rxa8 Rxa8 26.Be3 White has a local advantage in space on the queenside.

23.Be3 axb4 24.cxb4 Nc7 25.Ne2?!

• If 25.Rxa8 Rxa8 26.Ne2 Qd7 27.Nc3 then:
• 27...Ra3 28.Nb1 Ra8 29.Qd2 maintains the advantage for White.
• 27...Bf6?! 28.Qd2 Ra3 29.Bd1 Bh8 30.Qc2 keeps the b-pawn safe.

25...Bd7?!

• 25...Rxa1 26.Qxa1 Qd7 27.Nc3 Ra8 keeps White's advantage to a minimum.

26.Rxa8!

• No second chance.

26...Rxa8 27.Nd2 Na6 28.Qb1 Rb8!?

• Black has deciced that her c-pawn is more trouble to protect than it is worth and instead uses her time to put pressure on White's b-pawn.
• If 28...Rc8 29.b5 Nc7 then:
• After 30.Nc3! Qe8 31.b6 Nb5 32.Qb4 Nd4 33.Rc1 Black has failed at either pushing her own pawn or stopping White's.
• The main variation is stronger than 30.b6!? Na6 31.Qb2 Bg5 32.Bxg5 Qxg5 33.Qc3 when White allows Black to keep her pawn.

BLACK: Koneru Humpy
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WHITE: Hou Yifan
Position after 28...Ra8b8

29.Nxc4

• White says, "Thank you, very much."
• While it is ahrd to say that Black was wrong to go of the pawn, that White has an extra pawn colors the rest of the game.

29...Nbc5 30.Bxc5 Nxc5

• Slightly better is 30...dxc5 31.Nxe5 Nxb4 32.Nxd7 Qxd7 33.Qb3 when White still has a healty passer, but it is now in the center rather than the queenside.

31.Nc3 Qc8 32.Na2 Na6

• Black applies as much pressure to White's passer as she possible can.

33.Qb3 Bb5
BLACK: Koneru Humpy
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Hou Yifan
Position after 33...Bd7b5

• 33...Qc7 34.Rb1 Bg5 35.Na3 Bf4 36.Qd3 diverts the Rook from the b-file since the attacked Knight has nowhere to go.

34.Na3!

• White chooses the most direct way of attacking the Bishop.
• If 34.Bd3 then:
• If 34...Bf8 35.Nb2 Qb7 36.Rc1 Be7 then:
• 37.Bxb5 Qxb5 38.Rc4 Bg5 39.Nc3 Qb7 40.b5 the passed pawn contiues to weather the storm.
• 37.Qd1?! Bxd3 38.Qxd3 Nxb4 39.Nxb4 Qxb4 is equal.
• 34...Bd7 35.Rc1 Nc5 36.Qc3 Nxd3 37.Qxd3 Bb5 38.Rc3 keeps the White pawn safe.

34...Bd7

• If 34...Rb6 35.Nxb5 Rxb5 36.Rb1 Qb8 37.Qa4 then:
• 37...Rb6 then after 38.Bd3 Nc5 39.Qc2 Nxd3 40.Qxd3 the White pawn continues with its slow progress.
• If 37...Qb7? then 38.Bd3 Rb6 39.Qe8+! Kg7 40.Bxa6! wins a piece.

35.Rb1 f5

• Black feels she's done all she can about White's b-pawn for now and turns her attention to undermining White's center.
• If 35...Bd8 36.b5 Qc7 37.Qc3 then:
• 37...Nc5 38.Nc1 Rb7 39.Nb3 Nxb3 40.Qxc7 Bxc7 41.Rxb3 White's valuable pawn is safe.
• 37...Qxc3 38.Nxc3 Nc5 39.Nc4 Nb7 40.b6 Rc8 41.Rb4 keeps everything safe for White.

36.Qc4 Qb7

• If 36...Qxc4 37.Nxc4 fxe4 38.Bxe4 then:
• If 38...Nc7 39.Na5 Bg5 then:
• 40.Rb2 Kf7 41.Rc2 Nb5 42.Bd3 White continues with her initiative.
• 40.Nc6 Rb6 41.Bf3 Kf7 42.Nc3 White continues to make slow progress with her pawn
• 38...Kf7 39.Bd3 Bb5 40.Bf1 Nc7 41.Nc3 holds on to the pawn.

37.b5

• If the Black Queen were behind the Rook, the pawn would have been dead wood a long time ago.

37...Nc5 38.exf5 Ra8 39.Qc3 Qa7

• White has no time for counterpaly on the opposite wing.
• If 39...Bxf5 40.Bxf5 gxf5 41.Nb4 Ne4 42.Qc6 then:
• If 42...Qa7 then after 43.b6 Qxa3 44.b7 Rf8 45.Qa6 Qxa6 46.Nxa6 the pawn must promote.
• 42...Qb8 43.Nc4 Bh4 44.g3 Nc3 45.b6 Qf8 46.b7 is an easy win for White.

40.b6 Qxa3 41.b7!?

• 41.Qxa3 may be a better move, but the variations may be more difficult to calculate in time pressure.
• If 41.Qxa3 Rxa3 then:
• If 42.b7 Nxb7 43.Rxb7 Rxa2 44.Rxd7 Rxc2 45.Rxe7 then:
• 45...Rd2 46.f6 Rd1+ 47.Kh2 Rxd5 48.Rg7+ Kh8 49.g4 gives White a clear advantage with the more advanced passer.
• 45...Rc5 46.f6 Rxd5 47.Rg7+ Kh8 48.g4 gives White the more advanced passer.
• if 42.fxg6 Rxa2 43.gxh7+ Kh8 44.b7 Nxb7 45.Rxb7 then:
• 45...Rxc2 46.Rxd7 Bg5 47.Rxd6 Kxh7 48.Re6 is equal.
• 45...Bc8 46.Rc7 Rxc2 47.Rxc2 Bf5 48.Rc7 Bg5 49.Rf7 gives White a theoretical two-pawn advantage.

41...Qxa2

• The text is practically forced.
• If 41...Nxb7? 42.Rxb7! Qxa2 43.Rxd7 then:
• 43...Qa1+ 44.Qxa1 Rxa1+ 45.Kh2 Kf7 46.fxg6+ hxg6 47.Bxg6+ leaves White up by two pawns.
• 43...Kf8 44.fxg6 hxg6 45.Qf3+ Ke8 46.Rc7 Kd8 47.Qf7 wins for White.

BLACK: Koneru Humpy
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WHITE: Hou Yifan
Position after 41...Qa3a2:N

42.b8Q+!?

• White plays the riskier of the two alternatives; this one offers more winning chances, the other fewer losing ones.
• If 42.bxa8Q+ Qxa8 then:
• 43.fxg6 hxg6 44.Qg3 g5 45.Qf3 Qe8 46.Qd1 Qf7 47.Ra1 is equal.
• If 43.Qf3 gxf5 44.Bxf5 Bxf5 45.Qxf5 Qa4 then:
• After 46.Qc8+ Kg7 47.Qc7 Qh4 White's initiative is burning out.
• If 46.Rb8+ then after 46...Kg7 47.Qh5 h6 48.Rc8 Qd7 Black takes over the initiative.

42...Rxb8 43.Rxb8+ Kg7 44.fxg6

• 44.Rb4? Qxd5! 45.fxg6 hxg6 46.Qg3 Be8 gives Black excellent winning chances.

44...hxg6 45.Bxg6!

• White makes Black an offer she cannot accept.
• 45.Rb1? loses to 45...Qxd5! 46.Qg3 e4 47.Rd1 Qc4 48.Rd2 Bf5.

45...Qa7?

• This is no time for passive defense. The Queen is active on a2 and Black should find a way to turn that into counterplay.
• 45...Bh4! 46.Qf3 Qxf2+ 47.Qxf2 Bxf2+ 48.Kxf2 Kxg6 49.Ke3 will most likely lead to a draw.
• If 45...Kxg6? 46.Qg3+ Bg5 47.Rg8+ then:
• 47...Kf7 48.Qxg5 Qb1+ 49.Kh2 Qh7 50.Rb8 Ne4 51.Qd8 gives White a material advantage while Black's King is in open space.
• If 47...Kh7 then after 48.Rxg5 Qb1+ 49.Kh2 Be8 50.Qh4+ White mates on the next move.

BLACK: Koneru Humpy
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Hou Yifan
Position after 45...Qa2a7

46.Qf3!!

• White poffers the Rook in exchange for time to cast a mating net.

46...Qxb8

• All other moves are equally futile.
• If 46...Bf6 47.Qh5 then:
• 47...Qxb8 48.Qh7+ Kf8 49.Qf7#.
• 47...Be8 48.Qh7+ Kf8 49.Rxe8#.
• If 46...Be6 47.dxe6 Bg5 48.Qh5 Kf6 49.Bf7 then:
• 49...e4 50.Qg6+ Ke5 51.Qxg5+ Kd4 52.Qd2+ Nd3 53.Rb4+ leades to mate.
• 49...Qxb8 50.Qg6+ Ke7 51.Qxg5+ Kf8 52.Qg8+ wins the Queen.
• 46...Bf5 leads to a bloody mate after 47.Qxf5 Bh4 48.Rh8 Bxf2+ 49.Qxf2 Qe7 50.Rh7+.

47.Qf7+ Kh6 48.Qh7+ Kg5 49.h4+ Kf4 50.Qh6+ 1-0

• All that's left is 50...Kg4 51.Qh5+ Kf4 52.g3#.
• Grandmaster Koneru resigns.
• All there is to say about this game is Wow, just wow! Ms. Hou's play was not perfect, but when she most needed it to be, it was nothing short of brilliant.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Hou - Zhao, Round 8

Zhao Xue
Photo: ChessBase.com


Hou Yifan - Zhao Xue
Women's Grand Prix, Round 8
Instanbul, 15 March 2009

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Zaitsev Defense

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Bb7

• This is the Zaitsev Defense, one of a half dozen good ways for Black to meet the main line of the Spanish Grand Royal. Karpov scored many successes with it. The next two moves for each player are pretty much SOP.

10.d4 Re8 11.Nbd2 Bf8 12.a4

• If 12.Ng5 Re7 13.d5 then:
• If 13...Nb8 14.Nf1 Nbd7 15.Ng3 then:
• If 15...g6 then:
• 16.Bc2 h6 17.Nf3 Nb6 18.h4 gives White the advantage in space (Kamsky-Topalov, CM, Sofia, 2009).
• 16.Be3 Qc8 17.Rc1 Nc5 18.Bc2 c6 19.b4 Ncd7 is equal (Romanishin-Beliavsky, Soviet Ch, Minsk, 1979).
• 15...h6 16.Nf3 g6 17.Nh2 Re8 18.Ng4 Nxg4 19.hxg4 Nc5 20.Bc2 c6 21.Be3 Qh4 is equal (Bartel-Grabarczyk, Polish Ch, Warsaw, 2001).
• 13...Na5 14.Bc2 c6 15.b4 Nc4 16.Nxc4 bxc4 17.dxc6 Bxc6 18.a4 Bb7 19.Nf3 gives White a slight advantage in space (Timman-Karpov, IT, Bugojno, 1980).
• If 12.a3 g6 then:
• If 13.Ba2 Bg7 14.b4 a5 15.d5 Ne7 then:
• 16.Bb2 Nh5 17.Nb3 axb4 18.axb4 Bc8 19.Na5 Nf4 20.c4 g5 21.cxb5 g4 22.Nh2 gxh3 23.g3 Neg6 24.Bb1 Qg5 25.Bc1 is equal (Adams-Grischuk, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2002).
• If 16.Nb3 axb4 17.cxb4 Nxe4 18.Rxe4 Bxd5 19.Nfd2 then:
• 19...Bxe4 20.Nxe4 h6 21.Bb2 Kh7 22.g4 Rf8 23.Rc1 f5 24.gxf5 Nxf5 is equal (Iordachescu-Nikolic, IT, Valjevo, 2007).
• 19...f5 20.Re1 e4 21.Na5 Qd7 22.Bxd5+ Nxd5 is equal (T. Kosintseva-Shen Yang, TMatch, Ningbo, 2008).
• 13.Bc2 Bg7 14.d5 Nb8 15.c4 c6 16.b4 Qc7 17.Bb2 bxc4 18.dxc6 Nxc6 19.Nxc4 Rad8 20.Ba4 Nxe4 21.Qc2 d5 draw (Sax-Short, Intrznl, Biel, 1985).
• If 12.Bc2 g6 13.d5 Nb8 14.b3 c6 15.c4 then:
• If 15...Nbd7 16.a4 Qc7 17.Ba3 Rec8 18.Bd3 cxd5 19.cxd5 Qb6 20.b4 Rc3 21.Nb1 Rcc8 22.Bc1 bxa4 23.Qxa4 Qd8 24.Bg5 gives White the advantage in space (Smyslov-Gligoric, IT, Bugojno, 1984).
• 15...a5 16.dxc6 Bxc6 17.cxb5 Bxb5 18.Nc4 Na6 19.Bg5 Nb4 20.Bb1 Bxc4 21.bxc4 h6 22.Be3 Qc7 23.a3 Na6 24.Nd2 Nc5 25.Bc2 Reb8 26.Rb1 Qc6 27.Qf3 Bg7 28.Rec1 Nfd7 29.Qd1 is equal (Ljubojevic-Karpov, Euwe Mem, Amsterdam, 1991).
• 12.d5 Nb8 13.Nf1 Nbd7 then:
• If 14.N3h2 then:
• If 14...Rc8 then:
• 15.Bg5 h5 16.a4 g6 17.Nf3 Nc5 18.axb5 axb5 19.Bc2 gives White the advantage in space (Ni Hua-León Hoyos, IT, Reggio Emilia, 2008-09).
• 15.Ng4 Nxg4 16.Qxg4 Nc5 17.Bc2 c6 18.dxc6 Bxc6 19.Ne3 g6 20.Rd1 Bh6 21.b4 Ne6 22.Bb3 Kh8 23.Nd5 Bxc1 24.Raxc1 Rf8 25.Rc2 f5 is equal (Leko-Ivanchuk, Tal Mem, Moscow, 2008).
• If 14...Nc5 15.Bc2 c6 16.b4 Ncd7 17.dxc6 Bxc6 18.Bg5 then:
• 18...h6 19.Bxf6 Nxf6 20.Ng4 Nxg4 21.Qxg4 Bd7 22.Qf3 Rc8 23.Bb3 Be6 24.Red1 Re7 25.Qd3 Rec7 26.Rac1 Qg5 27.Rc2 d5 28.Ng3 draw (Gashimov-Inarkiev, IT, Poikovsky, 2008).
• 18...Qc7 19.Bxf6 Nxf6 20.Ng4 Nxg4 21.hxg4 Bb7 22.Re3 Be7 23.Bb3 Bg5 24.Rf3 Rf8 25.Qe2 Bc8 26.Rd1 Be6 27.Ne3 Bxe3 28.Rxe3 a5 29.Bxe6 fxe6 is equal (Carlsen-Navara, Grand Prix, Baku, 2008).
• 14.Ng3 g6 15.Be3 Nc5 16.Bc2 c6 17.b4 Ncd7 18.dxc6 Bxc6 19.Bb3 Nb6 20.Qd3 Rb8 21.Rad1 Rb7 22.Nh2 Bd7 23.Bxb6 Rxb6 24.Ngf1 Bh6 25.Ne3 Bxe3 26.Qxe3 Be6 27.Nf3 Kg7 28.Rd3 Qc7 is equal (Short-Ivanchuk, Euwe Mem, Amsterdam, 1994).

12...Na5

• If 12...h6 13.Bc2 exd4 14.cxd4 Nb4 15.Bb1 c5 16.d5 Nd7 17.Ra3 then:
• 17...f5 18.Nh2 Nf6 19.Rf3 Re5 20.Rxf5 Rxf5 21.exf5 Bxd5 22.Ng4 Bf7 23.Ne4 Nxg4 24.Qxg4 d5 25.Nf6+ Qxf6 26.Be4 dxe4 is equal (Haba-Dervishi, Austrian ChT, 2003).
• 17...c4 18.axb5 axb5 19.Nd4 Qb6 20.Nf5 Ne5 21.Rg3 g6 22.Nf3 Ned3 23.Be3 Qd8 24.Nxh6+ Bxh6 25.Bxh6 Qf6 is equal (Timofeev-Inarkiev, Russian Ch HL, Novokuznetsk, 2008).

13.Bc2 b4 14.cxb4

• If 14.d5 bxc3 15.bxc3 c6 16.c4 Qc7 then:
• 17.Bd3 Reb8 18.Ba3 Bc8 19.Bf1 Bd7 20.Re3 c5 gives Black the advantage in space (Grischuk-Morozevich, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2006).
• 17.Ba3 Reb8 18.Rc1 c5 19.Rb1 Bc8 20.Bb2 Be7 gives White more freedom (Kononenko-Kravtsiv, Ukrainian Ch U20, Lvov, 2007).

14...Nc6 15.Nb3 Nxb4

• 15...exd4 16.Bd2 d5 17.e5 Ne4 18.Nc5 Bxc5 19.bxc5 Rb8 20.b4 Ba8 21.Rb1 is equal (Karjakin-Adams, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2009).

16.Na5 Qb8 17.dxe5!?

• 17.d5 c6 18.dxc6 draw (Motylev-Pavasovic, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).

17...dxe5

• The game is equal.

18.Bg5

• 18.Nc4 Qa7 19.Bg5 Bc5 20.Bh4 Re6 21.Qe2 Rae8 remains equal.

18...Nd7?!

• This allows White time to move her Bishop out from under attack and hit at Black's vulnerable points, such as the pawn at f7 and the Knight at d7.
• If 18...Nxc2 19.Qxc2 Bb4 20.Bd2 then:
• 20...Bxe4 21.Rxe4 Nxe4 22.Qxe4 is equal.
• 20...Bxa5 21.Bxa5 c5 22.Rac1 gives White a slight advantage in space.

BLACK: Zhao Xue
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WHITE: Hou Yifan
Position after 18...Nf6d7

19.Bb3!

• White moves the Bishop to where it is attacking the f7 square.
• If 19.Rc1 Nc5 20.Bb1 Bd6 21.Re2 then:
• 21...Kh8 22.Bh4 f6 23.Nxb7 Qxb7 24.Rc4 remains equal.
• 21...Re6 22.Nxb7 Qxb7 23.Be3 Nd7 24.Rd2 gives White more activity.

19...Nc5 20.Bd2

• 20.Nxb7 Qxb7 21.Bc4 Bd6 22.Bh4 h6 23.Qe2 gives White an advantage in space.

20...Nxb3

• If 20...Bxe4? 21.Bxf7+! Kxf7 22.Ng5+ Kg8 then:
• After 23.Bxb4! 23...Rd8 24.Qg4 Qxb4 25.Rxe4 the Rook is protected from 25...Nxe4 by 26.Qe6+! Kh8 27.Nf7+ Kg8 28.Nh6+ Kh8 29.Qg8#.
• 23.Rxe4? Nd5 24.Bc3 Nxc3 25.bxc3 is equal.

21.Qxb3 c5 22.Ng5

• Also good is 22.Bxb4 cxb4 23.Ng5 Re7 24.Rad1 Qa7 25.Nf3 when White continues to enjoy the initiative.

22...Re7 23.Bxb4 cxb4 24.Rad1 Qe8

• If 24...Qa7 then after 25.Nf3 Rc8 26.Nxb7 Qxb7 27.Rd5 Qb8 28.Red1 White maintains her advantage.

25.Qxb4

• White wins a pawn.

25...Rb8 26.Qc4 Rc8 27.Qb3?!

• It would have been better to have put the Queen in a safer place.
• 27.Qa2 Ba8 28.Nc4 Rb7 29.Rd3 Be7 30.Nf3 maintains White's superiority.

27...Ba8 28.Nc4
BLACK: Zhao Xue
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Hou Yifan
Position after 28.Na5c4

28...Rec7!

• Black takes advantage of White's inaccuracy and starts fighting back. After some effort and a couple of missed opportunities, she will equalize.
• If 28...Rb7 29.Qa2 Bb4 30.Re3 then:
• If 30...Rd8 31.Rxd8 Qxd8 32.Nxf7 Kxf7 33.Na5+ wins the exchange.
• 30...Bc5 31.Rf3 h6 32.Nxf7 Rxf7 33.Nxe5 Qxe5 34.Qxf7+ gives White a material advantage equivalent to two pawns.

29.Nb6 Rb8 30.a5 Rc5?!

• Black equalizes with 30...Bc5 31.Qg3 Bxb6 32.axb6 Rcb7 33.Nf3 f6.

31.Qg3 Bc6!

• Black has no room for error.
• If 31...Rxa5? 32.Nd7 then:
• If 32...Rc8 33.Nxf8 Qxf8 34.Rd7 Bc6 35.Rxf7 Qb4 36.Qg4!! forces mate after:
• Either 36...Qxe1+ 37.Kh2 Re8 38.Qf5 g6 39.Qf6.
• Or 36...Re8 37.Qf5 Bxe4 38.Qd7.
• 32...Rxb2 33.Nxh7! Kxh7 34.Nxf8+ Qxf8 35.Qh4+ Kg8 36.Rd8! wins the Queen.

32.b4 Rb5 33.Nd5 Bxd5?!

• 33...R8b7 34.Qg4 h6 35.Nf3 Kh8 is equal.

34.exd5 Bxb4 35.Rxe5 Qd8 36.Ne4

• If 36.Rf5 R8b7 37.Qf3 f6 38.Ne6 then:
• If 38...Qd6 39.Rf4 Bxa5 40.Rc4 gives White a strong advantage.
• After 38...Qc8 39.Qg4 Bd6 40.g3 Rb4 41.Qe2 R7b5 42.Rf3 White still has an extra pawn.

36...Qxa5 37.Rg5 Bf8 38.d6 Rxg5

• If 38...f5 39.d7 Rd8 40.Nf6+ Kh8 41.Ne8 then:
• 41...g6! 42.Rxg6 hxg6 43.Qxg6 Rb6 44.Nf6 Rxf6 45.Qxf6+ is equal.
• If 41...Rd5? 42.Rxd5 Qxd5 43.Rxg7! then:
• 43...Rxd7 44.Rxd7 Qxd7 45.Qc3+! Bg7 46.Nxg7 Qxg7 47.Qc8+ the the crucial a-pawn.
• 43...Qd1+ 44.Kh2 Qd5 45.Qc3 Qc5 46.Qf6 leads to mate.

39.Nxg5 Qf5 40.Kh2?

• White reaches the time check but as she does she drops a pawn.
• 40.Qg4 Qxg4 41.hxg4 Rd8 42.d7 a5 43.Nf3 f6 44.Rd5 remains equal.

40...h6 41.Nf3

• If 41.d7 then Black wins the pawn after 41...Rd8 42.Nf3 Rxd7 43.Rxd7 Qxd7.

BLACK: Zhao Xue
!""""""""#
$ T + Vl+%
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WHITE: Hou Yifan
Position after 41.Ng5f3

41...Rd8!

• White's pawn can advance no further.

42.Kg1

• 42.Kh1 Qc2 43.Rd2 Qc6 44.Rd1 Bxd6 wins the pawn.
• Also good is the more direct 42...Qe6 43.Qh4 Rxd6.

42...Qe6 43.Ra1 Rxd6

• Black wins the pawn.

44.Qf4

• If 44.Re1 Qf6 45.Qg4 Rd8 then:
• 46.Rc1 a5 47.Qa4 Bb4 48.Qc2 Qe6 49.Rb1 Qd6 Black's remote passer gives her a big advantage.
• If 46.Qa4 then after 46...Rb8 47.Ne5 Rb2 48.Ng4 Qd6 49.Rd1 Qb6 Black's passed pawn is safe.

44...Qb3 45.Qc1 a5!

• It's safe to advance the pawn.

46.Nd2

• 46.Rxa5? Rd1+! wins the Queen.

46...Qb5 47.Ne4 Re6

• After a brief initiative for White, Black has a won game.

48.Nc3 Qe5 49.Na4

• If 49.Qd2 then 49...Bb4 50.Rc1 Rd6 51.f4 Qc5+ 52.Qf2 Rc6 wins a piece for Black.

49...Bd6 50.g3 Qf5 51.Qf1

• If 51.Kh2 Bxg3+ 52.Kxg3 Rg6+ then:
• If 53.Kh2 Qxf2+ 54.Kh1 Qg2#.
• 53.Kh4 Qf6+ 54.Kh5 Rg5+ followed by mate on the next move.

51...Bb4 52.Rc1 Rd6 53.Nb2

• 53.Qg2 Rd2 54.Qf1 Kh7 55.Ra1 Qf3 Black continues to enjoy a winning advantage.

53...Bc5 54.Qe2 Qxf2+ 55.Qxf2 Bxf2+ 56.Kxf2 Rd2+ 57.Kf3 Rxb2

• Black stands two panws to the good.

58.Rc8+ Kh7 59.Ra8 Rb3+ 60.Kg2 Rb5

• 60...Ra3 61.Ra7 Kg6 62.Ra6+ f6 63.Ra7 a4 makes progress for Black.

61.Ra6 h5 62.h4 Rf5 63.Kh3 g6 64.Ra7 Kg7 65.Ra6 Kf8

• 65...Rb5 66.Ra7 Kf6 67.Kg2 Rb2+ 68.Kf3 Ra2 preserves Black's prize pawn.

66.Ra7 Ke8 67.Kg2 Rc5 68.Kf3 Kd8 69.Kg2

• If 69.Ke4 Rf5 70.Rb7 Ke8 then:
• 71.Rc7 Kf8 72.Ra7 Kg7 73.Rb7 Rf1 74.Rb3 Ra1 allows Black'a pawn to make progress.
• If 71.Ke3 then after 71...Kf8 72.Ra7 Kg7 73.Ra6 Rb5 74.Kf4 Rb4+ the pawn advances.().

69...Rf5 70.g4 hxg4 71.Kg3 Kc8 72.Kxg4 Kb8 73.Re7 a4

• If 73...Rf1 74.Kg3 f5 75.Rg7 then:
• If 75...Rg1+ then after 76.Kf3 Rg4 77.h5 gxh5 78.Rf7 h4 Black wins.
• 75...a4 76.Rg8+ Kc7 77.Rg7+ Kd8 78.Ra7 Rg1+ wins for Black.

74.h5 Rxh5 75.Rxf7 a3 76.Rf8+

• If 76.Rf2 then after 76...Ra5 77.Ra2 g5 78.Kh5 Kc7 Black moves her King to g6 and then uses her Rook to gain time, advancing the pawn and winning.

76...Kb7 77.Rf7+ Kb6 78.Rf6+ Kb5 79.Rxg6 Rh1 0-1

• The pawn cannot be stopped.
• Ms. Hou resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. European Championship (General Competition), Budva

Baduur Jobava, Evgeny Tomashevsky and Vladimir Malakhov
Photo: ChessBase.com

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Tomashevsky - Sjugirov, Round 10

Evgeny Tomashevsky in Budva
Photo: Official Websit of the 10th European Individual Chess Championship


Evgeny Tomashevsky - Sanan Sjugirov
10th European Championship (General Competition), Round 10
Budva, 16 March 2009

English Game: Agincourt Defense (Anglo-Catalan Opening)

1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2

• There isn't a lot of theory attached to this opening.

4...dxc4 5.0-0 c6

• A not-too-unusual set up is 5...Nbd7 6.Qa4 a6 7.Qxc4 b5 8.Qc2 Bb7 leading to easy equality.

6.a4 a5

• 6...Na6 7.Na3 Bxa3 8.Rxa3 Nb4 9.b3 cxb3 10.Rxb3 a5 11.d4 0-0 12.Ba3 Qc7 13.Qb1 Nfd5 14.e4 Nb6 15.Bxb4 axb4 16.Rxb4 Nxa4 is equal (Rittner-Thiele, Corres, 1968).

7.Na3 Na6!?

• 7...Bxa3 8.bxa3 0-0 9.Qc2 b5 10.Rb1 Ba6 11.axb5 cxb5 12.Nd4 Qxd4 13.Bxa8 gives White the exchange (Tomashevsky-Korneev, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).

8.Nxc4

• Such as it is, the position is equal.

8...Be7 9.d4

• White is pursuing a "hypermodern" strategy of refraining from advancing center pawns until he thinks he can maintain them.

9...0-0 10.b3

• If 10.Nfe5 then:
• 10...Nb4 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.e3 Qc7 14.Rc1 remains equal.
• 10...Nc7 11.e4 Na6 12.Be3 Nb4 13.Re1 b5 14.Nd2 gives White a full and fortiifed pawn center.

10...Nb4 11.Nfe5 Qc7 12.Bb2 Rd8

• 12...b6 13.e3 Bb7 14.Qf3 Rab8 15.e4 c5 remains equal.

13.e3

• The game has developed well enough to this point that White's advantage in space begins to mean something.

13...b6

• If 13...Nfd5 14.e4 f6 15.Nd3 then:
• If 15...Nxd3 16.Qxd3 Nb4 17.Qf3 b5 18.Na3 bxa4 19.bxa4 is equal.
• If 15...Nb6 then after 16.Nxb6 Qxb6 17.Qe2 Nxd3 18.Qxd3 c5 19.Rad1 White's pawn center gives him a slight edge.

14.Qe2

• More energetic is 14.Qf3 Bb7 15.Rac1 Rab8 16.e4.

14...Bb7 15.Rfd1 Rac8

• 15...c5 16.e4 cxd4 17.Bxd4 Bc5 remains equal.

16.Rac1 Na2 17.Ra1

• 17.Rc2 Nb4 18.Rcc1 Na2 invites a draw by repetition.

17...Nb4 18.Rd2

• 18.e4 c5 19.Rac1 cxd4 20.Bxd4 Bc5 21.Be3 Ba6 remains equal.

18...Na6 19.Rc1 c5

• 19...Nb4 20.e4 c5 21.Qe3 Na6 remains equal.

20.Rdd1 Bxg2

• 20...Nb4 21.e4 Na2 22.Rc2 Nb4 23.Rcd2 h6 24.Qe3 gives White the solid center.

21.Kxg2 cxd4 22.Bxd4 Nc5

• The game remains equal.
• If 22...Bc5?! 23.Nxa5 Nb4 24.Qf3 then:
• 24...Rd5 25.Nac4 Bxd4 26.Rxd4 Rxd4 27.exd4 gives White an extra pawn.
• After 24...Nfd5 25.Bxc5 bxc5 26.Nac4 f6 27.Nd3 White's extra pawn is a remote passer.

23.Qf3 Rd5 24.e4 Rdd8 25.Bxc5!?

• White has an advantage in space, making an exchange dubious.
• For that reason, the razzle dazzle of 25.Nxf7!? Kxf7 26.e5 Qc6 27.exf6 Qxf3+ 28.Kxf3 is also counterproductive.
• Best is 25.g4! h6 26.h4 when:
• 26...Bd6 27.g5 hxg5 28.hxg5 Ne8 29.g6 gives White a powerful attack on the King.
• If 26...Bf8? then 27.g5 Nfxe4 28.Nxb6 Qxb6 29.Qxf7+ wins for White.

25...Bxc5

• Black has equalized.

26.Nd3 Qc6?!

• 26...Nd7 27.e5 Qb8 28.Rd2 Be7 29.Rcc2 remains equal.

BLACK: Sanan Sjugorov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Evgeny Tomashevsky
Position after 26...Qc7c6

27.e5

• 27.Nxa5! bxa5 28.Rxc5 Qa8 29.Rxc8 Rxc8 30.e5 gives White the initiative.

27...Qxf3+ 28.Kxf3 Nd7 29.Nxc5

• 29.Ke2 Be7 30.h3 g5 31.f4 f6 32.Ke3 gives White the advantage in space.

29...Rxc5 30.Ke2 Kf8 31.Rd6 Rd5

• 31...b5 32.axb5 Rxb5 33.Rcd1 Ke7 34.f4 gives White more freedom.

32.Rd1 Rxd1

• The text is better than 32...Rxd6 when:
• 33.exd6 g5 34.f4 gxf4 35.gxf4 Kg7 36.Ke3 gives White a passed pawn and a centralized King.
• 33.Rxd6?! Ke7 34.f4 Rb8 35.h4 f6 36.exf6+ gxf6 is equal.

33.Kxd1 Ke7 34.f4!?

• It might be a better idea to keep the pawn in reserve in case White needs a tempo later.
• Nevertheless, White's advantage is waning and after 34.Ke2 Rb8 35.Rd3 f6 36.exf6+ gxf6 the game is nearly equal.

34...Rb8?!

• Black misses the opportunity to equalize.
• If 34...f6! 35.exf6+ gxf6 then:
• 36.Ke2 Rb8 37.Rd3 h5 38.Ke3 Nc5 is equal.
• 36.Ke1 Rb8 37.Rd3 Nc5 38.Rc3 Ne4 39.Re3 Nd6 is equal.

35.Kc2 f6 36.exf6+ gxf6

BLACK: Sanan Sjugorov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Evgeny Tomashevsky
Position after 36...g7f6:p

37.Rc6!

• Moving the Rook mobilizes the Knight.
• 37.f5?! exf5 38.Rc6 b5 39.Ne3 bxa4 40.bxa4 Kd8 is equal.

37...b5

• Somewhat better is 37...h6 38.Kc3 h5 39.b4 when:
• 39...e5 40.bxa5 bxa5 41.fxe5 fxe5 42.Rh6 Rb1 43.Nxa5 gives White a passer on the queenside and a majority on the kingside, but the e-pawn gives Black hopes of counterplay.
• 39...axb4+ 40.Kxb4 h4 41.gxh4 Rh8 42.Nxb6 Nxb6 43.Rxb6 the a-pawn decides in White's favor.

38.axb5 Rxb5 39.Rc7 e5 40.fxe5

• If 40.Ra7 e4 41.Nxa5 Ke6 42.Kc3 then:
• 42...Rd5! 43.Ra6+ Kf5 44.Nc4 Rd3+ 45.Kc2 Kg4 gives Black counterplay in the passed e-pawn and the active King.
• 42...Rh5?! kills the rally after 43.Ra6+ Ke7 44.Nc6+ Kf7 45.Ra7 Ke8 46.Kd4.

40...fxe5 41.Ra7 e4 42.Kc3 h5

• If 42...Ke6 then after 43.Ra6+ Ke7 44.Rxa5 Rxa5 45.Nxa5 Nf6 46.Kd4 White's remote passer is a huge advantage.

43.Rxa5

• The text is stronger than 43.Kd4 Rb4 44.Rxa5 Nf6 45.Kc3 Rb7 46.Re5+.

43...Rxa5 44.Nxa5 Ne5

• If 44...Nf6 45.Kd4 Ng4 46.h4 then:
• If 46...Nf2 47.Nc4 Nh1 48.g4 then:
• 48...hxg4 49.Kxe4 Ke6 50.Nb2 Nf2+ 51.Kf4 wins for White.
• If 48...Ng3 then after 49.gxh5 Ke6 50.b4 White wins.
• If 46...Nf6 then after 47.Nc4 Ke6 48.Ne3 Kd6 49.Nf5+ Ke6 50.Ng7+ White wins.

45.Kd4 Nf3+ 46.Kxe4 Nxh2 47.Nc4 Kd7 48.Kf4?!

• White make an inaccurate move that could have cost him victory.
• After 48.Nd2 Ke6 49.Kf4 Ng4 50.Kg5 Nf6 51.b4 Nd5 52.b5 White should win on one side of the board or the other.

48...Kc6?

• Black may have been able to hold a draw here.
• If 48...Nf1 then:
• If 49.Kf3 Nh2+ 50.Ke3 Ng4+ 51.Kf4 Nf2 52.Nd2 Nh3+ then:
• If 53.Kf5! Ng1 54.Ne4 Kc6 55.Nf6 Nf3 56.Kf4 then:
• If 56...Nd4 57.Nxh5 Nxb3 58.g4 Kd5 59.g5 Nd4 60.g6 then:
• If 60...Ke6 61.Kg5 Nf3+ 62.Kh6 Nh4 63.g7 Nf5+ draws.
• If 60...Ne6+? 61.Kf5 Kd6 62.Nf4 Ng7+ 63.Kf6 then:
• 63...Ne8+ 64.Kf7 Kd7 65.Kf8 Nf6 66.g7 Kd6 67.Kf7 wins for White.
• 63...Kd7 64.Kxg7 Ke7 65.Kh7 wins.
• If 56...Nd2 57.Nxh5 Nxb3 58.g4 Nd4 59.Ke4 then:
• 59...Ne6 60.Ke5 Kd7 61.Nf6+ Ke7 62.Ng8+ Kf7 63.Nh6+ Ke7 64.Nf5+ Kf7 65.Ne3 Ng7 is a likely draw.
• If 59...Nc2 60.g5 Kd7 61.Ke5 then:
• 61...Ne3 62.Kf6 Nd5+ 63.Kf7 Ne7 64.Ng3 Kd6 65.Ne4+ Kd7 66.Nf6+ draws./li]
• 61...Ke7 62.g6 Ne3 63.Kf4 Nd5+ 64.Kg5 is a probable draw.
• If 53.Ke3?! Kd6 54.Ne4+ Kd5 55.Kf3 Ng1+ 56.Kf2 Nh3+ 57.Kg2 Nf4+! then:
• 58.Kf3! Ne6 59.Nf6+ Ke5 60.Nxh5 Nd4+ 61.Kg4 Nxb3 is a probable draw.
• 58.gxf4 Kxe4 59.Kg3 h4+ 60.Kxh4 Kxf4 draws.
• If 49.Ne3?! Nd2 50.Nf5 Nxb3 51.Ng7 Nd4 then:
• 52.Ke3! Nc6 53.Nxh5 Kd6 54.Ke4 Ne5 55.Kf5 it is not yet clear whether White can promote the pawn.
• 52.Nxh5? Ne2+! draws.

BLACK: Sanan Sjugorov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Evgeny Tomashevsky
Position after 48...Kd7c6

49.Nd2!

• It's all over now, Baby Blue.

49...Kc5

• If 49...Ng4 then after 50.Kg5 Kd6 51.Kxh5 Nf6+ 52.Kg5 Ke6 53.g4 White should win with pawns on opposite sides of the board.

50.Kg5 Kb4 51.Kxh5 Kc3 52.g4!

• Also good is 52.b4! Kxd2 53.b5.

52...Kxd2

• 52...Nxg4 53.Kxg4 Kb4 54.Kf4 then:
• If 54...Ka5 55.Nf3 Kb4 56.Nd4 Kc3 57.Ke5 Kb4 58.Kd5 then:
• 58...Ka5 59.Kc5 White wins.
• If 58...Ka3 then after 59.Kc5 White wins.
• 54...Ka3 55.Ke5 Kb4 56.Kd4 then:
• 56...Kb5 57.Kc3 Ka6 58.Kb4 Kb6 59.Nc4+ wins for White.
• If 56...Ka5 then after 57.Kc5 Ka6 58.b4 White wins.

53.g5 1-0
BLACK: Sanan Sjugorov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Evgeny Tomashevsky
Final Position after 53.g4g5

• Black cannot stop both pawns.
• Grandmaster Sjugirov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Malakhov - V. Popov, Round 4

Vladimir Malakhov
Photo: ChessBase.com


Vladimir Malakhov - Valerij Popov
10th European Championship (General Competition), Round 4
Budva, 9 March 2009

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

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 cxd4 5.Nxd4 a6 6.g3

• This is the Zagreb Opening. Developing the King's Bishop on the flank in an open game is pedestrian to say the least.

6...e6 7.Bg2 Be7 8.0-0 Qc7 9.Be3

• If 9.a4 Nc6 10.Nb3 b6 11.f4 0-0 then:
• 12.Be3 Rb8 13.Qe2 Nd7 14.g4 Re8 15.g5 Bf8 16.Rf3 g6 17.Rh3 Nb4 18.Rd1 Bg7 19.Qd2 Nc5 20.Qf2 Nd7 21.f5 Gives White the advantage in space (Spassky-Kinderman, Bundesliga, Germany, 1984).
• If 12.g4 then:
• 12...Rb8 13.g5 Nd7 14.Qh5 g6 15.Qh4 b5 16.axb5 axb5 17.Rf3 b4 18.Ne2 Re8 19.Be3 f5 20.exf5 exf5 21.Ned4 gives White a huge advantage in space (Crosa-Da Mata, Itau Cup, São Paulo, 2003).
• 12...Bb7 13.g5 Nd7 14.Be3 Rfe8 15.Rf3 Na5 16.Nxa5 bxa5 17.Rh3 Rad8 18.Qh5 Nf8 19.Rf1 d5 20.f5 exf5 21.exf5 d4 22.f6 Bc5 23.g6 gxf6 is equal (Felgaer-And. Volokitin, YM, Cuernavaca, 2006).

9...Nbd7

• If 9...0-0 then:
• If 10.f4 Nc6 then:
• If 11.Kh1 then:
• If 11...Rb8 12.a4 Re8 13.Qe2 then:
• 13...Nd7 14.Rad1 Bf8 15.Bg1 Nxd4 16.Bxd4 draw (deFirmian-Benjamin, IT, New York, 1996).
• 13...Bd7 14.Nb3 Na5 15.g4 Nxb3 16.cxb3 Bc6 17.g5 Nd7 18.b4 b5 19.axb5 Bxb5 20.Nxb5 Rxb5 21.Bd2 Qc2 22.Qe3 is equal (Topalov-Lautier, IT, Las Palmas, 1994).
• 11...Bd7 12.Nb3 b5 13.a3 Rab8 14.g4 Ne8 15.Qd2 b4 16.axb4 Nxb4 17.Rf3 is equal (Hübner-Rubinetti, Ol, Lugano, 1968).
• 11.a4 Na5 12.Kh1 Nc4 13.Bc1 Bd7 14.g4 Rab8 15.g5 Ne8 16.Rf3 Qd8 17.b3 Na5 18.Rh3 g6 19.Qe1 gives White the advantage in space (Huseyn-Kuparadze, Op, Baku, 2008).
• If 10.a4 Nc6 then:
• 11.Qe2 Bd7 12.h3 Rac8 13.Nxc6 Bxc6 14.a5 Nd7 15.Rfd1 Nc5 16.Bd4 Rfe8 17.b4 e5 18.Be3 Ne6 19.b5 (Chiburdanidze-Lautier, IT, Sochi, 1989).
• 11.f4 Na5 12.Kh1 transposes to Huseyn-Kuparadze, above.

10.f4 Nb6!?

• 10...0-0 11.g4 Nb6 12.g5 Nfd7 13.Qe2 Re8 14.Rad1 Bf8 15.h4 g6 16.h5 e5 17.hxg6 hxg6 18.Nb3 exf4 19.Rxf4 Nc5 20.Qf2 gives White the advantage in space,(S. Kudrin-de Boer, Op, Lugano, 1986).

11.Kh1

• The game is equal.
• 11.Bf2 0-0 12.a4 Rd8 13.Ra2 Nc4 14.Qd3 Ng4 is also equal.

11...Nc4 12.Bc1 Bd7 13.b3 Na5 14.Bb2

• 14.Nce2 e5 15.Nf5 Bxf5 16.exf5 0-0 17.c4 remains equal.

14...Rc8 15.Qe2

• The game remains equal.
• If 15.g4 0-0 16.g5 Ne8 17.f5 then:
• 17...Nc6 18.Nxc6 Bxc6 19.Qg4 exf5 20.exf5 gives White the advantage in space.
• If 17...Bxg5?! 18.Qg4 e5 19.Qxg5! exd4 20.Nd5 gives White more space and the initiative.

15...Nc6 16.Nf3 0-0 17.Rad1!

• It's always a good idea to command the open file; the d-file is always open to White in an Open Sicilian.

17...Rfd8 18.Rd2

• White has the advantage in space.
• 18.a4 Nb4 19.Rd2 b6 20.e5 dxe5 21.fxe5 gives White a small advantage in space.

18...Be8

BLACK: Valerij Popov
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WHITE: Vladimir Malakhov
Position after 18...Bd7e8

19.f5!

• This forces Black to weaken his pawn structure.

19...h6

• 19...e5 20.Nd5 Nxd5 21.exd5 Na7 22.c4 enlarges White;s spatial advantage.

20.fxe6 fxe6 21.Bh3

• Like a boxer whose opponent has a cut above his eye, White starts working on weak pawns.

21...Bf7 22.Nd1 Nh7 23.Ne3 Bf6

• Being that he has a deficeit in space, Black seeks exchanges.

24.Bxf6 Nxf6 25.Nc4

• 25.Ng4 Nxg4 26.Bxg4 Rf8 27.Qe3 continues to give White the advantage in space..

25...Ne8 26.a4!?

• Better is to advance a pawn to e5, where White has mounted much pressure.
• If 26.e5 d5 27.Nb2 d4 28.Qf2 then:
• If 28...b6 29.a3 then:
• 29...Qe7 30.Nxd4 Nxd4 31.Rxd4 Rxd4 32.Qxd4 Rxc2 33.Nc4 gives White a small edge in space.
• If 29...b5 then after 30.Nd3 a5 31.Nf4 Qe7 32.Ne2 Rd5 33.c4! Black's d-pawn falls.
• 28...Rd7? 29.Nd3 Qa5 30.b4 Qxa2 31.Nc5 Re7 32.Nxd4 gives White a tactical edge on the queenside.

26...Rb8

• 26...b5 27.axb5 axb5 28.Ne3 b4 29.Qc4 Qe7 30.Rdf2 gives White a more significant advantage in space.

27.e5

• Black should be able to re-establish the balance regardless of how White plays.
• 27.Qe3 b5 28.axb5 axb5 29.Nb2 Nf6 30.Nd3 e5 is equal.

BLACK: Valerij Popov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Vladimir Malakhov
Position after 27.e4e5

27...d5!

• 27...b5 28.exd6 Nxd6 29.axb5 axb5 30.Nce5 White continues to enjoy the advantage in space.

28.Nb2 Qe7!

• Black has successfully exchanged, advanced pawns and regrouped his pieces. The game is again equal.

29.Nd4

• 29.Qe3 Bg6 30.Bg2 Qa3 31.c4 d4 32.Qf2 remains equal.

29...Nc7 30.Nxc6

• 30.Qe3 Nxd4 31.Qxd4 Rf8 32.c4 Bh5 33.a5 remains equal.

30...bxc6 31.Nd3 Bg6 32.Nf4 Be4+ 33.Bg2

• 33.Kg1 Bf5 34.Bg2 Qc5+ 35.Qf2 Qc3 36.Qd4 remains equal.

33...Bf5 34.h4 Rf8

• 34...Qc5 35.h5 d4 36.Rf2 Rbc8 37.g4 Bh7 38.Qc4 remains equal.

35.Qe3 Rb4?

• Better is the pawn advance in the center that disrupts White's coordination.
• 35...c5 36.Rdf2 d4 37.Qd2 Bh7 38.a5 reamins equal.

36.Rdf2

• White turns his attention to a kingside attack.

36...Rfb8

• 36...d4 37.Qf3 Rfb8 38.Qxc6 R8b6 39.Qf3 gives White an extra pawn.

37.Qc3 R4b6

• 37...c5 38.Nd3 Bxd3 39.Qxd3 Qe8 40.Qe3 d4 41.Qd3 gives White a better center and command of the open f-file.

38.Kh2 Re8 39.Bh3 Be4

• If 39...Bxh3 then after 40.Kxh3 Qd7 41.Qc5 Rbb8 42.Ng6 d4 43.Rf8+! White wins.

40.a5 Qb4

• After this, Black's game is unsalvagable.40...Rb5 41.Qxc6 Rc5 42.Qb6 Rb5 43.Qd6 gives White a winning advantage.

BLACK: Valerij Popov
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Vladimir Malakhov
Position after 40...Qe7b4

41.axb6!!

• The text move nails dow the victory with a Queen sacrifice.41.Ne2 Qxc3 42.Nxc3 Rb4 43.h5 g5 44.Na4 merely gives White a strong advantage.

41...Qxc3 42.bxc7

• White already has a Rook and a Knight for the Queen.

42...Kh7

• All Black can do to avoid Bxe6+ is move the King so that it is not check.

43.Bxe6 g5 44.Nh5 Qxe5 45.Nf6+!

• Black could have resigned here.

45...Kh8 46.Nxe8 1-0

• White is a piece to the good and is about to queen the pawn.
• Grandmaster Popov resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Volokitin - Jobava, Round 8

Baadur Jobava
Photo: ChessBase.com


Andrei Volokitin - Baadur Jobava
10th European Championship (General Competition. Round 8
Budva, 14 March 2009

Closed German Game: Short Opening (Caro-Kann Defense)

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Ne7 6.Nbd2

• If 6.0-0 Nd7 then:
• If 7.Nh4 Bg6 8.Nd2 c5 9.c3 Nc6 10.Nxg6 hxg6 11.Nf3 Be7 12.Be3 a6 13.g3 then:
• 13...g5 14.Kg2 cxd4 15.cxd4 Nf8 16.a3 f6 17.h3 Qd7 18.b4 Bd8 19.Rc1 gives White the advantage in space (I. Smirin-Li WenLiang, IT, Beijing, 1996).
• 13...b5 14.h4 Nb6 15.b3 c4 16.Kg2 a5 17.Nd2 Rc8 18.Rc1 a4 19.bxc4 bxc4 20.Qc2 a3 21.Rb1 Ra8 22.Bg4 Na4 23.Nf3 Qd7 24.Rh1 Kd8 25.h5 gives White the advantage in space (Efimenko-L'Ami, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• If 7.Nbd2 h6 8.Nb3 Bh7 then:
• 9.Bd2 Ng6 10.Rc1 Be7 11.c4 dxc4 12.Bxc4 0-0 13.g3 Re8 14.Re1 Bf8 15.Na5 Rb8 16.b4 Ne7 17.Bf1 Nd5 18.a3 N7b6 19.Qb3 is equal (Malakhov-Jobava, Euro ChT, Kallithea, 2008).
• 9.c3 Rc8 10.Bd2 Nf5 11.a4 Be7 12.g4 Nh4 13.Nxh4 Bxh4 14.f4 f5 15.Bd3 0-0 16.h3 Qe7 17.Be3 Rf7 18.Kg2 Rcf8 19.Qc2 Kh8 is equal (Pavasovic-Macieja, Cyberspace, 2006).

6...Bg6 7.0-0 Nf5 8.Nb3 Nd7 9.Bd2

• 9.a4 Be7 10.g4 Nh6 11.h3 0-0 12.Be3 Kh8 13.Qd2 Ng8 14.Ne1 f6 15.f4 fxe5 16.dxe5 c5 17.c4 d4 18.Bf2 Bh4 19.Bxh4 Qxh4 gives Black a slight advantage in space (Li Chao-Rodshtein, World Jr Ch, Gaziantep, 2008).

9...Rc8

• If 9...Be7 10.g4 Nh4 11.Nxh4 Bxh4 12.f4 then:
• 12...f5 13.Bd3 Be7 14.Nc1 Qb6 15.Nb3 Qc7 16.c4 fxg4 17.Bxg6+ hxg6 18.Qc2 Nf8 19.cxd5 exd5 20.f5 0-0-0 21.Bf4 gxf5 22.e6 Bd6 23.Qxf5 Re8 24.Nc5 Bxf4 25.Rxf4 b6 26.e7+ draw (Radjabov-I. Popov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2008).
• 12...f6 13.f5 Bf7 14.g5 exf5 15.Bd3 Bxg5 16.Bxg5 fxg5 17.Bxf5 Bg6 18.Qg4 Qe7 19.Rae1 0-0-0 20.Bxd7+ Qxd7 21.e6 Qe7 22.Nc5 h5 23.Qg3 h4 24.Qg4 Bh5 25.Qh3 Kb8 26.Re5 b6 27.Nd7+ Kb7 28.Qe3 Rh6 29.Rff5 Bg6 30.Qxg5 Re8 31.Qxe7 Rxe7 32.Rf8 Kc7 33.Ra8 Kb7 34.Rb8+ Kc7 35.Ra8 Kb7 36.Rb8+ Kc7 draw (Rublevsky-Jobava, World Cup, Khanty Mansyisk, 2005).

10.Rc1 Bh5!?

• 10...Be7 11.g4 Nh6 12.h3 0-0 13.Bd3 Kh8 14.Qe2 Ng8 15.Kg2 c5 16.Bxg6 fxg6 17.c3 c4 gives Black a slight advantage in space and the initiative (Rublevsky-Asrian, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2008).
• 10...a6 11.c4 dxc4 12.Rxc4 Be7 13.Na5 Rc7 14.Qb3 Qa8 15.g4 Nh6 16.Bb4 Nb6 17.Bxe7 Nxc4 18.Nxc4 Rxe7 gives Black the advantage of the exchange (Volokitin-Anastasian, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).

11.h3

• The game is equal.
• 11.Qe1 Be7 12.h3 Bxf3 13.Bxf3 c5 14.dxc5 Nxc5 is also equal.
• So is 11.Bg5 Be7 12.Bxe7 Qxe7 13.c3 0-0 14.Re1 Bxf3.

11...Bxf3

• 11...Bg6 12.Bg5 Be7 13.Bxe7 Qxe7 14.c3 0-0 remains equal.

12.Bxf3 c5 13.dxc5

• 13.Ba5 Qh4 14.Bc3 c4 15.Na1 Be7 16.Bg4 Bg5 remains equal.

13...Nxe5 14.Re1 Nxf3+

• 14...Nc4?! 15.Bc3 Be7 16.Bg4 0-0 17.Bxf5 exf5 18.Nd4 gives White the advantage in space.

15.Qxf3 Be7 16.c4 dxc4

• The game is still equal.
• 16...Nh4 17.Qg4 h5 18.Qe2 Qd7 19.g3 dxc4 20.Rxc4 remains equal.

17.Rxc4 0-0

• Black puts his King safely out of the center.
• 17...Qc7 18.Rd1 Qc6 19.Qxc6+ Rxc6 20.Rb4 b6 21.Ra4 leaves White stronger on the queenside.

BLACK: Baadur Jobava
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Andrei Volokitin
Position after 17...0-0

18.Bc3!?

• The game remains equal.
• After 18.Qxb7! Bxc5 19.Ba5 Qe7 20.Qxe7 Bxe7 21.Rec1 White stands slightly better.

18...Qc7 19.Ra4 b6

• 19...Bxc5 20.Nxc5 Qxc5 21.Qxb7 Rc7 22.Qf3 remains equal.

20.cxb6 axb6 21.Nd4

• 21.Rd1 Rfd8 22.Rxd8+ Rxd8 23.Ra8 Bg5 24.a4 Qd6 remains equal.

21...Nh4 22.Qe4

• 22.Qg4 Ng6 23.Rc1 Bf6 24.Ne2 Be5 25.Qg5 remains equal.

22...Qd7 23.Ra6 Rc4

• The game may be equal, but both sides are fighting hard for the initiative.

24.Rxb6 Bc5?!

• This is not a tactical stroke as it comes up empty.
• 24...Bf6 25.Rc6 Rxd4 26.Bxd4 Bxd4 27.Qxh4 Bxf2+ 28.Qxf2 Qxc6 remains equal.

25.Qc6!

• White now has the initiative, but it turns out that there's little he can do with it.

25...Qa7 26.Ra6 Qb8 27.Ra4

• The alternative draws.
• If 27.Re4 Bxd4 28.Qxc4 Qg3! 29.Rxh4 Qxf2+ 30.Kh2 Qg1+ 31.Kg3 Bf2+ 32.Kf3 Bxh4 33.Qxh4 Qf1+ leads to a draw after 34.Ke3 Qxa6 35.Bxg7! Kxg7 36.Qg5+ Kh8 37.Qf6+ Kg8 38.Qg5+ Kh8 39.Qf6+ etc.
• If 28...Nf3+?! 29.Kf1 Bxc3 30.gxf3 Qxb2 31.Kg2 leaves White an exchange to the good.

27...Nf3+ 28.Qxf3?

• Black is about to go up by an exchange. In order to prevent it, White must settle for a half point. White decides to gamble and go down by the exchange.
• 28.gxf3 Bxd4 29.Qxc4! Qg3+! 30.Kh1 Qxh3+ 31.Kg1 Qg3+ 32.Kh1 etc. draws.

BLACK: Baadur Jobava
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Andrei Volokitin
Position after 28.Qc6f3:N

28...Rxa4!

• Black wins the exchange and takes over the initiative.

29.Nc6 Qb6 30.Ne5 Qc7 31.Rd1

• If White protects his pawn with 31.a3 then 31...Rd8 32.Qc6 Qa7 33.Qf3 Rd5 34.b4 Bd6 gives Black continues to enjoy the initiative.

31...Bd6 32.Ng4 f5 33.Ne3

• White would get more milage from 33.Qe2 Re4 34.Qd3 Bb4 35.Ne3 Bxc3 36.bxc3 Ra4, but Black still wins.

33...Rxa2 34.Nd5 Qb8 35.Qd3

• No better is 35.Re1 Kh8 36.Rxe6 Ra1+ 37.Re1 Rxe1+ 38.Bxe1 Qxb2.

35...Rd8 36.Kh1 Qa7 37.Nb4

• If 37.Bd4 Qa6 38.Qxa6 Rxa6 39.Bb6 Rb8 40.Bc7 then:
• 40...exd5 41.Bxb8 Bxb8 gives Black an extra piece.
• 40...Bxc7 41.Nxc7 Rc6 42.Rd7 Rxb2 gives Black a pawn to augment his material advantage, but White has some potential counterplay.

37...Ra1 38.b3
BLACK: Baadur Jobava
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Andrei Volokitin
Position after 38.b2b3

38...Rxd1+!

• To unravel White's position, Black need only pull the loose end.
• If 38...Bc7 39.Rxa1 Rxd3 then:
• If 40.Nxd3 Qb7 41.b4 Qe4 then:
• 42.Nc5 Qf4! 43.Kg1 Qh2+ 44.Kf1 Qh1+ wins the Rook.
• If 42.Rd1 then 42...Qe2 43.Nb2 Qc2 44.Bd4 e5! wins a piece.
• If 40.Rxa7 then 40...Rd1+ forces checkmate.

39.Qxd1 Qxf2 40.Nc6 Rd7 41.Qa1 h6 42.b4 Qf4

• Black has a lot of leeway and doesn't need to make the most accurate moves to win.
• Stronger is 42...Qb6 43.b5 Qxb5 44.Nd4 Qd3.

43.Be5 Bxe5 44.Nxe5 Qd4 45.Qa6

• 45.Qxd4 would be suicidal (not that it matters at this point): 45...Rxd4 46.Nc6 Rd6 47.b5 Rd1+.

45...Qd1+ 46.Kh2 Qd6 47.Qb5

• Again, exchanging Queens would do more to diminish White's defense than Black's advantage.

47...Rd8 48.h4 Qb8 49.Qxb8 Rxb8 50.Nd3 Rb5 51.h5 e5 0-1

• Black's overall material superiority and his advancing pawns make further resistance useless.
• Andrei Alexandrovich resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

13. European Women's Cham[ionship, St. Petersburg

Lilit Mkrtchian (Silver Medal), Tatiana Kosintseva (Gold Medal) and Natalija Pogonina (Bronze Medal)

Photo: Official website of the the 10th European Individual Women's Chess Championship (2009)

Note: Additional games will be posted today and tomorrow

[Jack Rabbit]

14. T. Kosintseva - Kovaleskaya, Round 11

Tatiana Kosintseva
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)


Tatiana Kosintseva - Ekaterina Kovalevskaya
10th European Championship (Women's Competition), Round 11
St.Peterburg, 19 March 2009

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Averbakh Defense

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 d6

• The Averbakh Defense has never been greatly popular since it simply invites White to change her mind and make the exchange on c6, as happens here.
• More usual is 6...b4 7.Bb3 d6.

7.Bxc6+

• The exchange is by no means obligatory and White gets a satisfactory game without it.
• If 7.c3 then:
• If 7...Bg4 then:
• If 8.d3 0-0 9.Nbd2 then:
• If 9...Re8 10.Nf1 Bf8 11.Ng3 g6 12.h3 Bd7 13.d4 Bg7 14.Bc2 h6 15.Be3 Qe7 16.Qd2 then:
• 16...Kh7 17.Rad1 Rad8 18.b4 Bc8 19.d5 Nb8 20.c4 gives White a visable advantage in space (Bobras-Guliev, Op, Cappelle la Grande, 2007).
• If 16...Qf8 17.b4 then:
• 17...Rad8 18.Nh2 d5 19.dxe5 Nxe4 20.Nxe4 dxe4 21.Bc5 wins a pawn for White (Parma-Westerinen, IT, Dortmund, 1973).
• 17...exd4 18.cxd4 a5 19.a3 axb4 20.axb4 d5 21.e5 Nh7 22.b5 Nb4 23.Ba4 gives White the advantage in space (Navara-Vokac, Chech ChT, Czechia, 2001).
• If 9...Nd7 10.h3 Bh5 11.Nf1 Nc5 then:
• If 12.Bc2 Ne6 13.Ng3 Bxf3 14.Qxf3 Bg5 15.Be3 g6 then:
• 16.c4 Kh8 17.Bb3 Qf6 18.Qxf6+ Bxf6 is equal (Shamkovich-Bobolovich, City Ch, Moscow, 1964).
• 16.Bb3 Kg7 17.Ne2 Nc5 18.Bc2 f5 19.Bxc5 dxc5 20.exf5 Rxf5 21.Qg4 Bh4 22.Rf1 Kh8 23.Ba4 b5 24.Bb3 is equal (Nepomniachtchi-Mamedyarov, IT, Dortmund, 2008).
• 16.Rad1 Bxe3 17.fxe3 Ng5 18.Qe2 h5 19.Rf1 isn't very promising for either side (Perunovic-Beliavsky, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).
• If 12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.Ng3 Bxf3 14.Qxf3 Ne6 15.Be3 c5 then:
• 16.Ne2 Rb8 17.b3 Bf6 18.Rad1 a5 19.d4 cxd4 20.cxd4 a4 21.d5 Ng5 22.Bxg5 Bxg5 23.bxa4 Rb2 24.Qd3 Qa8 25.Nc3 gives White an extra pawn and Black more space (A. Hunt-Stocek, IT, Coventry, 2005).
• 16.Rad1 Rb8 17.Re2 Bf6 18.Rc2 Re8 19.Nf5 g6 20.Nh6+ Kg7 21.h4 Qe7 is equal (Renet-Hort, TT, Uzes, 1990).
• If 8.d4 Nd7 9.Be3 0-0 10.Nbd2 then:
• 10...b5 11.Bc2 exd4 12.cxd4 Nb4 13.Bb1 c5 14.h3 cxd4 15.Bxd4 gives White the advantage in space (Verlinsky-Sämisch, IT, Moscow, 1925).
• 10...Bf6 11.h3 Bh5 12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.Qa4 exd4 14.Bxd4 c5 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.Nh2 Bg6 17.Ng4 gives White a strong game (Dr. Lasker-Allies, XG, Montevideo, 1910).
• 7...0-0 8.h3 b5 9.Bb3 transposes to the main line.

7...bxc6 8.d4 exd4

• If 8...Nd7 then:
• If 9.Nbd2 then:
• If 9...f6 10.Nc4 Nb6 11.Na5 Bd7 12.c4 0-0 then:
• 13.Be3 Qe8 14.c5 Nc8 15.Rc1 Rb8 16.Qc2 gives Black a huge advantage in space on the queenside (Kashin-J. Littlewood, IT, Hastings, 1963).<[/li>
• 13.c5 Nc8 14.Be3 Na7 15.d5 dxc5 16.Nb7 Qb8 17.Nxc5 Bxc5 18.Bxc5 Rd8 draw (Krogius-Antoshin, Soviet Ch ½-final, Leningrad, 1957).
• 9...0-0 10.Nc4 Bf6 11.Be3 Qe8 12.Qd2 Qe6 13.Qc3 Rb8 14.b3 Re8 15.Na5 exd4 16.Bxd4 c5 17.Bxf6 Qxf6 18.Qxf6 gxf6 19.Nd2 White is in excellent position to exploit Black's pawn weaknesses (Keres-Ivkov, TMatch, Belgrade, 1970).
• 9.dxe5 dxe5 10.Nbd2 f6 11.Nc4 a5 12.Nh4 g6 13.Nf5 Nb6 14.Qxd8+ Bxd8 15.Nxb6 cxb6 16.Nd6+ Ke7 17.Nxc8+ Rxc8 18.a4 Bc7 draw (Keres-Szabo, IT, Szczawno Zdroj, 1950).

9.Nxd4 Bd7 10.c4

• If 10.Qf3 0-0 11.Nc3 Re8 then:
• If 12.Bg5 h6 13.Bh4 Nh7 14.Bxe7 Qxe7 15.Rad1 then:
• 15...Rab8 16.b3 Qg5 17.Qd3 a5 18.Re3 gives White a slight advantage in space (Cachier Lagrave-Fressinet, Op, Paris, 2006).
• 15...Ng5 16.Qf4 Ne6 17.Qd2 Nf8 18.Nde2 Ng6 19.Nf4 Ne5 is equal (Dr. Lasker-Janowski, Match, Paris, 1909).
• 12.h3 h6 13.e5 dxe5 14.Rxe5 Bd6 15.Rxe8+ Qxe8 16.Bf4 c5 17.Nb3 Bc6 18.Qe3 Qxe3 19.Bxe3 Rb8 is equal (Guliev-Stocek, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).

10...0-0 11.Nc3 Qb8

• 11...c5 12.Nc2 Be6 13.b3 Ng4 14.f3 Ne5 15.Bb2 is equal (Gashimov-Onischuk, Ol, Dresden, 2008).

12.b3 Re8!?

• 12...Qb4 13.Bb2 Qc5 14.Qd2 Rfe8 15.Rad1 Qh5 16.f3 Bf8 17.Nc2 g6 18.Qf2 Bg7 19.Ne3 Re7 20.Re2 Rae8 21.Red2 is equal (Nisipeanu-Mamedyarov, FIDE Knock Out, Tripoli, 2004).

13.Bf4

• If 13.Qf3 Qb6 14.Be3 then:
• If 14...Ng4 15.Nf5 Nxe3 16.Nxe7+ Rxe7 17.Rxe3 then:
• 17...Re5 18.Rd1 Rae8 is equal.
• 17...Rae8 18.Rae1 Re5 19.Qg3 is equal.
• If 14...Qb4?! 15.Rac1 Bg4 16.Qf4! then:
• 16...Bd7 17.Nf5 Bxf5 18.Qxf5 gives White a significant advantage in spce.
• 16...Qb7 17.Nf5 Bxf5 18.Qxf5 also gives White a sizable advantage in space.

13...Qb6 14.Qd3 Rad8

• 14...Ng4 15.Rad1 Bf6 16.Na4 Qb4 17.Nc2 Qb8 18.c5 White retains the advantage in space.

15.Rad1 Qb7 16.Nc2 Bc8 17.h3

• 17.a3 a5 18.Rd2 Nd7 19.Na4 Ne5 20.Qe3 Bf6 White retains the advantage in space.

17...Nd7 18.Qg3

• 18.Qe3 Bf6 19.Bg5 Bxg5 20.Qxg5 Ne5 21.Qg3 White retains the advantage in space.

18...Bf6 19.Bg5

• If 19.Nd4 Ne5 20.Re3 then:
• 20...Rd7 21.Bg5 Bxg5 22.Qxg5 h6 23.Qg3 White retains the advantage in space.
• 20...Ng6 21.Bg5 Be5 22.f4 Bxd4 23.Rxd4 Rd7 24.c5 White continues to enjoy the advantage in space.

19...Bxc3!

• Black exchanges her way out of a cramped position.

20.Qxc3 f6 21.Bh4 Nf8

• 21...Re7 22.f3 Ne5 23.Bf2 White continues to enjoy the advantage in space.

22.Bg3 c5 23.f3 Be6

• If 23...Ne6 24.a3 Bd7 25.Qd3 then:
• 25...Rb8 26.Rb1 Qb6 27.Bf2 Nf4 28.Qd2 Ng6 is equal.
• 25...Bc6?! 26.Ne3 Rb8 27.Rb1 Nd4 28.b4 Ne6 29.bxc5 gives White the initiative.

24.Ne3 Qc8 25.a3 Ng6

• 25...Qb7 26.Nd5 Ng6 27.b4 cxb4 28.axb4 Rb8 29.Ra1 maintains White's advantage in space.

26.b4 cxb4 27.axb4 Ne5

• 27...Qb7 28.c5 Ne5 29.Rd2 Rc8 30.Nd5 White maintains her advantage in space.

28.c5!

• White opens the center to her advantage.

28...dxc5?

• Black errs in opening the game since White is better developed.
• If 28...Qb7 29.Re2 Rd7 30.cxd6 Rxd6 31.Red2 then:
• 31...Red8! 32.Rxd6 Rxd6 33.Rxd6 cxd6 34.f4 gives White a slight advantage in space.
• If 31...Rxd2?! 32.Rxd2 then:
• 32...Nc6 33.Nc2 f5 34.exf5 Bxf5 35.Nd4 Nxd4 36.Rxd4 gives White more activity.
• 32...Qb5? 33.Bxe5 Qxe5 34.Qxe5 fxe5 35.Rc2 Rb8 36.Rxc7 wins a pawn for White.

BLACK: Ekaterina Kovalevskaya
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Tatiana Kosintseva
Position after 28...dc5:p

29.bxc5!

• White will keep the Rooks on the board a little longer.
• 29.Rxd8?! Rxd8 30.bxc5 Rd3 is equal.

29...Bf7

• 29...Rxd1 30.Rxd1 Bf7 31.Qa5 Re7 32.Nf5 keeps the Knight pinned to the c-pawn.

30.Rxd8

• With the Rook at e8 now overprotecting the Knight, White decides that Rooks can be exchanged now.

30...Qxd8

• 30...Rxd8 drops a pawn to 31.Bxe5 fxe5 32.Qxe5.

31.Ra1 Qc8

• If 31...Qa8 32.Nc2 then:
• 32...Re6 33.Nb4 Qb7 34.Bxe5 fxe5 35.Nd3 Re8 36.Nxe5 leaves White a pawn to the good.
• 32...Nc4 33.Ra4 Ne5 34.Nb4 Re6 35.Bxe5 fxe5 36.c6 wins the a-pawn for White.

BLACK: Ekaterina Kovalevskaya
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WHITE: Tatiana Kosintseva
Position after 31...Qd8c8

32.Qa5

• If 32.c6! Qa8 33.Nd5 then:
• 33...Kh8 34.Bf2 Rc8 35.Nb4 a5 36.Bd4 gives White an advantage in space and a tactical initiative.
• If 33...Bxd5 34.exd5 then:
• 34...Qa7+ 35.Kh1 Nf7 36.Rb1 Rb8 37.Rxb8+ Qxb8 38.Qa5 White must wina a pawn.
• 34...Qb8 35.Re1 Re7 36.Bxe5 fxe5 37.Rxe5 White is a pawn to the good.

32...Qd7 33.Rd1 Qc6 34.Nd5!?

• White misses a better try.
• If 34.Bxe5! fxe5 35.Nd5! then:
• 35...Bxd5 36.exd5 Qb7 37.d6 Qb3 38.Rd2 Qe3+ 39.Kh2 gives White a strong advantage.
• If 35...Qb5? 36.Qxb5 axb5 37.Nxc7 then:
• If 37...Rb8 38.c6 Kf8 39.Nxb5 Rxb5 40.c7 then:
• 40...Be6 41.Rd6 Rb7 42.Rxe6 Rxc7 43.Rxe5 gives White two extra pawns.
• 37...Rc8 38.Nxb5 Kf8 39.Rc1 g5 40.Nd6 leaves White up by two pawns.
• 40...Rc5 41.Rd8+ wins the Rook after 41...Ke7 42.c8Q Rxc8 43.Rxc8.

34...Bxd5 35.exd5 Qb7

• 35...Qb5 36.Qxb5 axb5 37.Bxe5 fxe5 38.Kf2 Kf7 39.Ke3 gives White a strong advantage.

36.c6 Qb3 37.Re1

• If 37.Ra1 Qc4 38.Re1 then:
• If 38...Qd3 39.Kh2 g5 40.Bxe5 fxe5 41.Ra1 gives White the initiative.
• 38...Re7? 39.Re4 Qb3 40.Qb4 Qxb4 41.Rxb4 wins for White.

37...Qb8

• If 37...Qd3 38.Kh2 g5 39.Bxe5 fxe5 40.Ra1 Rf8 41.Qxc7 Qxd5 42.Rxa6 gives White an extra pawn.
then:
• 38...Re7 39.f4 Nc4 40.Qxa6 Rxe1 41.Qc8+ Kf7 42.Bxe1 leaves White a pawn to the good.

BLACK: Ekaterina Kovalevskaya
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WHITE: Tatiana Kosintseva
Position after 37...Qb3b8

38.Qxa6 Qd8 39.f4 Nf7 40.Rxe8+ Qxe8 41.f5 h5

• If 41...Qd8 42.Qe2 then:
• 42...Kf8 43.Qe4 Qb8 44.Bf4 Qd8 45.Bd2 Ne5 46.Bc3 gives White an easy win.
• If 42...g6 then after 43.Qe6 Kg7 44.fxg6 hxg6 45.Qd7 Qxd7 46.cxd7 White wins quikcly.

42.Bxc7 Qe3+ 43.Kh2 Ne5 44.Qf1

• Also good is 44.Bb6 Qf4+ 45.Kh1 Nc4 46.Bc5 Qc1+ 47.Bg1 when Black has no way to stop the passed pawns.

44...h4 45.Kh1 Nd3

• 45...Qc5 46.Bxe5 fxe5 47.Qd1 Qd6 48.Qc1 Qb8 49.c7 is time to turn out the lights.

BLACK: Ekaterina Kovalevskaya
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WHITE: Tatiana Kosintseva
Position after 45...Ne5d3

46.Bb6!

• Lights out!

46...Qxb6 47.Qxd3 Qc5 48.Qd1 Qd6 49.Qc1 1-0

• One of White's pawns must queen.
• Ms. Kovalevskaya resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

15. Mkrtchian - Romanko, Round 11

Lilit Mkrtchian
Photo: ChessBase.com


Lilit Mkrtchian - Marina Romanko
10th European Championship (Women's Competition), Round 11
St.Peterburg, 19 March 2009

Open Sicilian Game: Najdorf-Scheveningen Defense (Rauzer Opening/Poison Pawn Variation)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qb6 8.Qd3

• For notes on the moves 8.Nb3 and 8.Qd2, see Grischuk-Anand, IT, Linares, 2009 from last week's JRCR.

8...Qxb2 9.Rb1 Qa3 10.f5 Qa5

• If 10...Be7 then:
• If 11.Be2 then:
• If 11...Nc6 12.fxe6 fxe6 13.Nxc6 bxc6 then:
• If 14.0-0 then:
• If 14...Qa5 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.Bg4 then:
• 16...Rg8 17.Bh3 Rg5 18.Ne2 Rb5 19.Rbd1 Rc5 20.Kh1 Qb5 21.Qf3 Bd7 22.Nf4 Qc4 23.Rb1 Rb5 24.Rb3 Kf7 25.a4 Rxb3 26.cxb3 Qc5 is equal (Gashimov-Areshchenko, Young Masters, Lausanne, 2006).
• 16...0-0 17.Kh1 Kh8 18.Ne2 d5 19.Nd4 dxe4 20.Qxe4 Qd5 21.Qxd5 exd5 22.Nxc6 Bc5 23.Bf3 Be6 24.Nb4 Bxb4 25.Rxb4 Rab8 is equal (Zhong Zhang-Karjakin, World ChT, Beer Sheva, 2005).
• If 14...0-0 15.Nd5 Qxd3 16.Nxe7+ Kf7 17.Bxd3 Kxe7 18.e5 dxe5 19.Bxh7 Kd6 20.Bg6 Bd7 21.Rb7 Rab8 22.Rd1+ Nd5 23.Rxb8 Rxb8 24.c4 Rb2 25.a3 Ra2 26.Bh4 Rxa3 27.Bg3 gives Black two extra pawns, but his Knight is still pinned and en prise (Sambuev-Morrison, Op, Kitchner, Ontario, 2008).
• 25.cxd5 exd5 26.a3 c5 27.Bc1 Rb6 gives White a pieces for two pawns, but Black has more than enough space to compensate.
• 14.Bh5+ g6 15.e5 Nd5 16.Rb3 Qa5 17.Bxe7 Nxe7 18.exd6 Qxh5 19.dxe7 Qh4+ 20.g3 Qxe7 21.0-0 Rf8 is equal (Mamedov-Kokarev, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• 11...Qa5 transposes into the game after 12.Bd2 Qc7 13 fxe6 fxe6 g4.
• 11. fxe6 fxe6 12. Be2 Qa5 13. Bd2 Qc7 14. O-O O-O 15. Qc4 Qd7 16. Qb3 gives White a substantial advantage in space (Gashimov-Grischuk, Grand Prix, Elista, 2008).

11.Bxf6!?

• 11.Qc4 Kd8 12.Bd2 Qc5 13.Na4 Qxc4 14.Bxc4 Nc6 15.fxe6 Nxd4 16.Ba5+ Ke7 17.Nb6 fxe6 18.Nxa8 Nxc2+ 19.Ke2 b5 gives Black the initiative (Jadoul-Dr. Nunn, IT, Brussels, 1985).

11...gxf6

• Black has an extra pawn, White has better development and more space and neither side has a pawn structure to write home about.

12.fxe6 fxe6 13.Qc4

• After 13.Be2 Nc6 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.0-0 Rg8 16.Qf3 Qc5+ Black has an extra pawn, White has better development and more space and neither side has a pawn structure to write home about.

13...Kd8 14.Rb3 Qe5

• 14...e5 15.Ne6+ Bxe6 16.Qxe6 Nd7 17.Kd1 increases White's spatial edge such that it is now a tangible advantage.

15.Be2 Bh6 16.Rf1

• The position remains unclear, because Black has an extra pawn, White has better development and more space and neither side has a pawn structure to write home about.
• 16.Na4 b5 17.Qd3 Ra7 18.c4 Bg7 19.cxb5 f5 is equal.

16...Re8 17.Nf3

• If 17.g3 b5 then:
• If 18.Ncxb5 axb5 19.Rxb5 d5 20.exd5 then:
• If 20...Ba6 21.Rxb8+ Rxb8 22.Nc6+ Kc7 23.Nxe5+ Bxc4 then:
• 24.d6+! Kxd6 25.Nxc4+ Kd7 26.Rxf6 gives White a slight in two passed pawns.
• 24.Nxc4? Rb1+ 25.Kf2 Rxf1+ 26.Bxf1 exd5 gives Black a material advantage.
• 20...Bd7? 21.Nc6+ Bxc6 22.dxc6 Qd6 23.Rf3 White should win.
• 18.Qd3? Bd7 19.Nf3 Qc5 20.e5 f5 gives Black an extra pawn and the asvantage in space.

17...Qc5!?

• Black has an extra pawn, but White has better development and more space. Theoretically, it makes good sense for Black to offer a Queen exchange.
• If 17...Qf4 18.Qd3 Bf8 19.a4 then:
• 19...Nd7 20.Qd4 Qc1+ 21.Bd1 Rb8 22.Nd2 is equal.
• If 19...Nc6 20.g3 Qc1+ then:
• 21.Nd1 Ke7 22.Qc3 Qh6 23.Nd4 Kd7 24.Nxc6 bxc6 is equal.
• 21.Kf2 Qh6 22.Kg2 Be7 23.Nd4 Nxd4 24.Qxd4 Rf8 is equal.

18.Qd3

• White wants nothing to do with a Queen exchange.
• If 18.Qxc5 dxc5 19.e5 f5 20.Na4 Nd7 then:
• If 21.Nb6 Nxb6 22.Rxb6 Kc7 23.Rb3 Bg7 Black begins working on White's center.
• 21.c4? Kc7 22.Kf2 Bg7 23.Rfb1 Rb8 covers all of Black's weaknesses and dooms White's e-pawn.

18...Ke7 19.e5 f5 20.Na4?!

• This allows Black to strenghten her already strong position.
• White is no worse than before after 20.exd6+ Qxd6 21.Qc4 Qf4 22.Qc5+ Kf6.

20...Qa5+ 21.Kf2 dxe5?!

• Black fails to find the strongest continuation.
• If 21...Qxa4! 22.Qxd6+ Kf7 23.Nd4 then:
• 23...Kg8! 24.Bh5 Bf8 25.Bxe8 Qxe8 26.Qc7 Qd7 27.Qxd7 Nxd7 gives Black two minor pieces for a Rook.
• If 23...Rf8?! then:
• 24.Kg1! Bg5 25.Nxe6 Bxe6 26.Rxb7+ gives White the initiative.
• 24.Rg3 Bg7 25.Qc7+ Qd7 26.Nxe6 is level.

22.Qc4 e4 23.Nd4!?

• This is a risky move that pays off in spades. White needed a win to have any hopes of a share of the title, so a draw was worth little to her.
• 23.Nb6 then:
• 23...Nd7 24.Nxa8 b5 25.Qd4 exf3 26.Rxf3 Qd2 27.Qxd2 Bxd2 is equal.
• If 23...Bd7?! then:
• 24.Rd1! 24...Ra7 25.Nxd7 Nxd7 26.Rxd7+ Kxd7 27.Qd4+ Ke7 28.Qxa7 exf3 29.Rxb7+ gives White the initiative.
• 24.Nxa8?! Rc8 25.Qd4 Nc6 26.Qc4 Rxa8 27.Rd1 Rb8 gives Black the advantage in space.

23...Nc6?

• White mistakenly believes she has time to develop her queenside. Actually, she's been doing just fine without it.
• Correct is 23...b5! 24.Qc5+ Kf6 25.Nb6 Nd7 26.Nxd7+ Bxd7 and 26...Qd2! with a strong game for Black.

BLACK: Marina Romanko
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WHITE: Lilit Mkrtchian
Position after 23...Nb8c6

24.Qxc6!!

• White turns the game on its head by poffering her Queen.

24...Qd2

• It doesn't matter whether Black accepts the sacrifice or not; she is lost either way.
• If 24...bxc6 25.Nxc6+ Kf6 26.Nxa5 wins a piece.

25.Qc5+ Kf6

• 25...Kf7 26.Nb6 Rd8 27.Rd1 Qf4+ 28.Kg1 Rb8 29.Nxc8 leaves White up by a piece and in position to sack Black's camp.

26.Nb6 Rb8 27.Nc4 Qg5 28.Qe5+ 1-0

• If 28...Ke7 29.Qd6+ Kf6 30.Kg1 b5 31.Nxf5 then:
• 31...bxc4 32.Nxh6+ Kg7 33.Rg3 Kxh6 34.Rxg5 Rb1 35.Rh5+ Kg7 36.Qe5+ Kg8 37.Rg5#.
• 31...Bf8 32.Qe5+ Kg6 33.Nh4+ Qxh4 34.Rg3+ Qg5 35.Qxg5#.
• 31...Kg6 32.Rg3 Qxg3 33.Qxg3+ Bg5 34.Ne5+ Kf6 35.Nd4+ Ke7 36.Nec6+ Kd7 37.Nxb8+ Kd8 38.Ndc6#.
• Ms. Romanko resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

16. Dworakowska - Pogonina, Round 5

Natalija Pogonina
Photo: Ajedrez (Argentina)


Joanna Dworakowska - Natalija Pogonina
10th European Championship (Women's Competition), Round 5
St. Petersburg, 12 March 2009

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Zaitsev Defense

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.h3 d6 9.c3 Bb7 10.d4

• What started as an Anti-Marshall Line has transposed to the Zaitsev Defense.

10...Nd7

• 10...Re8 11.Nbd2 Bf8 is the favorite continuation by an overwhelming margine. See Hou-Zhao, above.

11.Nbd2 exd4

• If 11...Bf6 12.Nf1 Re8 then:
• 13.N1h2 exd4 14.cxd4 Na5 15.Bc2 c5 16.Ng4 cxd4 17.Nxd4 Bxd4 18.Qxd4 Rc8 19.Qd1 Nc4 20.a4 Nc5 21.axb5 axb5 is equal (Bauer-Fressinet, Masters' Trmt, Belfort, 2003)
• 13.Ng3 g6 14.d5 Na5 15.Bc2 Nb6 16.Nh2 Bg7 17.Ng4 (Mareco-Romanov, World Jr Ch, Yerevan, 2006)

12.Nxd4!?

• If 12.cxd4 Nb4 13.Nf1 c5 14.a3 Nc6 then:
• 15.d5 Nce5 16.Nxe5 dxe5 17.d6 Bf6 is equal (Ehlvest-Karpov, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1988).
• 15.Bf4 Nxd4 16.Nxd4 cxd4 17.Qxd4 Nc5 is equal (Aroshidze-Mastrovasilis, Op, Athens, 2006)

12...Nxd4

• The position is equal.

13.cxd4 Bf6

• A common Spanish theme is for Black to expand on the queenside.
• 13...c5 14.Nf3 c4 15.Bc2 d5 16.e5 Re8 remains equal.

14.Nf3 Re8 15.Bc2 c5 16.Bf4 Nf8 17.Rb1!?

• This is unusual and indicates that White plans the pawn exchange on c5 (otherwise, why would she need to protect the pawn at b2?)
• 17.a4 cxd4 18.Nxd4 Rc8 19.axb5 Bxd4 20.bxa6 Ba8 gives Black a piece for two pawns.

17...Ng6 18.Bg3
BLACK: Natalija Pogonina
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WHITE: Joanna Dworakowska
Position after 18.Bf4g3

18...Rc8!

• White, of course, is also anticipating the pawn exchange.

19.dxc5

• ... and thar she blows!

19...dxc5

• As a result of her foresighted play, Black's candidate pawn in the queenside majortity resulting from the exchange is fortified by the Rook at c8.

20.Qc1

• 20.Qxd8 then:
• 20...Rcxd8 21.Kf1 c4 22.h4 Be5 23.Nxe5 Nxe5 remains equal.
• 20...Rexd8 21.e5 Be7 22.Bf5 gives White the initiative.

20...Nf8 21.e5 Be7 22.Qe3 Ne6

• 22...Qa5 23.a4 Qb4 24.axb5 axb5 25.Rec1 Red8 gives Black a small advantage in space.

23.a4

• 23.Rbd1 Qa5 24.Qd3 g6 25.Bb1 c4! 26.Qe2 Rcd8 gives Black the advantage in space.

23...c4 24.b4 Qc7!

• The best way Black has to exploit her advantage is to fortify her pawn majority.
• If 24...Bxf3!? 25.Qxf3 Nd4 then:
• 26.Bxh7+ Kxh7 27.Qe4+ Kg8 28.Red1 is equal.
• 26.Qe4?! Nxc2 27.Qxc2 Qd3 gives Black the initiative.

25.Bh4

• If 25.axb5 axb5 26.Qc3 then after 26...Red8! 27.Red1 Ra8 28.Bf5 Ra2 Black has the active game.

25...Bf8?!

• If 25...Bxf3! 26.Bxe7 Bxg2! (Black wins a pawn) 27.Bd6 Qb7 then:
• 28.axb5 axb5 29.Qg3 Bf3 30.Re3 Bh5 Black retains the extra pawn.
• 28.Ra1 Bh1 29.Kf1 f6 30.Qg3 Nd4 gives Black an extra pawn and a fierce initiative.

26.Nh2?

• White removes a crucial block protecting a vital pawn.
• After 26.axb5 axb5 27.Qc3 Ra8 28.Ng5 Nxg5 29.Bxg5 Ra2 Black is active, but White has her defenses up.

26...Qc6!

• White immediately takes aim at the weak spot.

27.f3 Qc7 28.axb5
BLACK: Natalija Pogonina
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WHITE: Joanna Dworakowska
Position after 28.ab5:p

28...a5!

• Balck must obtain a second passed pawn since if White takes on a5 then Black replies 29.Bc5! winning the Queen cheap.
• If 28...axb5 29.Ng4 Be7 then:
• 30.Bxe7 Qxe7 31.Red1 h5 32.Nf2 h4 33.Ng4 Red8 Black is better, but the game is still mamageable for White.
• 30.Qf2 Red8 31.f4 Nd4 32.Bxe7 Qxe7 33.Ne3 Bc6 gives White a strong position.

29.Ng4

• If 29.b6 Qb8 then:
• 30.Bf2 axb4 31.Qc1 Be7 32.Be4 Red8 White holds on but with a worsening disadvantage.
• If 30.Ba4? axb4!! (sacrificing a Rook for nothing less than a won game) 31.Bxe8 Bc5! then:
• If 32.Bd7 Bxe3+ 33.Rxe3 b3 34.Bxc8 then:
• 34...Bxc8 35.Bf2 Qxb6 36.Rexb3 Qxb3 37.Rxb3 cxb3 38.Nf1 b2 the best White can do is give up a piece to stop the pawn.
• If 35.Rc3? Qxb6+ 36.Bf2 Qa6 then:
• If 37.Be3 Bb7 then:
• 38.Nf1 Nc7 39.Rcc1 Nd5 40.Rd1 Qb5 gives Black the winning advantage.
• If 38.Rcc1 then Black wins after 38...Qa2 39.Ra1 Qe2 40.Re1 b2.
• If 37.Nf1 then after 37...Nf4 38.Ng3 h5 39.Kh2 Be6 40.Ne4 Qa2 Black wins.
• 32.Ba4 Qxe5 33.Ng4 Bxe3+ 34.Nxe3 wins for Black.

29...axb4 30.Kh1 h5

• Also good is 30...b3 31.b6 Qc5 then:
• 32.Bxb3 cxb3 33.Qxb3 h5 34.Bf2 Qc2 35.Qxc2 Rxc2 gives Black a piece for two pawns.
• 32.Be4 Bxe4 33.Qxe4 Qxb6 34.Rec1 c3 35.Bf2 Qb8 Black's passed pawns are ready to mow over the Rooks.

31.Nh2 b3 32.Bf5 Qc5 33.Nf1

• If 33.Qc1 then 33...Qxb5 34.Qb2 Bb4 35.Red1 Bd5 shuts down White's heavy pieces.

33...Qxe3 34.Nxe3 Rc5 35.Red1

• A stubborn defense is 35.Bxe6 fxe6 36.Bg3 Bd5 37.b6 Rb5, but Black still wins.

35...Rxe5 36.Bxe6 R8xe6 37.Nxc4 Rxb5 38.Rd8

• 38.Bg3 Rc6 39.Ne5 Rd6 does nothing for White.

BLACK: Natalija Pogonina
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WHITE: Joanna Dworakowska
Position after 38.Rd1d8

38...Bd5!

• Black wins at least the exchange.

39.Rxb3

• No better is 39.Na3 Ra5 40.Be1 (the Knight is trapped) 40...Rxa3 41.Rxf8+ Kh7.
• 39.Rxd5 Rxd5 40.Bg3 h4 41.Bxh4 Rd4 Black goes up by a whole Rook.

39...Rxb3 40.Rxd5 Rb4 41.Rd4 Rc6 42.Rd8 Rbxc4 0-1

• White will not recover the lost piece.
• Ms. Dworakowska resigns

[Jack Rabbit]

17. Hoang - Mkrtchian, Round 7

Hoang Thanh Trang
Photo: ChessBase.com


Hoang Thanh Trang - Lilit Mkrtchian
10th European Championship (Women's Competition). Round 7
St. Petersburg, 14 March 2009

Epine Dorsal: Rat Defense (Lion Opening) (Philidor Defense)

1.d4 d6 2.e4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 Nbd7

• This set up, a more primitive form of which was advocated by Philidor in the late eighteenth century, offers Black a cramped by solid position.

5.Bc4

• If 5.Be2 Be7 6.0-0 c6 7.Re1 then:
• 7...h6 8.h3 0-0 9.Bf1 Re8 10.a4 a5 11.Be3 Qc7 is equal (Mohota-Panjwani, Op, Montreal, 2008).
• 7...0-0 8.a4 Qc7 9.Bf1 Re8 10.Bg5 Nf8 11.h3 h6 12.Be3 a5 13.Qd2 Ng6 14.Rad1 Bf8 15.Qc1 Bd7 16.g3 is equal (Shrentzel-Adams, London, 1989).

5...Be7 6.0-0 0-0 7.Re1 c6 8.a4 b6

• 8...a5 9.h3 exd4 10.Nxd4 Nc5 11.Bf4 Qb6 12.b3 Re8 13.Qf3 Ncd7 14.Nf5 Ne5 15.Bxe5 dxe5 16.Nxe7+ Rxe7 17.Rad1 Be6 18.Bxe6 Rxe6 19.Rd2 Rd8 is equal (Hracek-Piket, Ol, Moscow, 1994).

9.Bg5

• 9.d5 cxd5 10.Nxd5 Bb7 11.b3 Rc8 12.Re2 Nc5 13.Nxf6+ Bxf6 14.Bd5 Qd7 15.Ba3 Bxd5 16.Qxd5 Rfd8 17.Rd1 Ne6 18.Qb5 Nf4 is equal (Naiditsch-Eljanov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2006).

9...a6 10.Qe2 Qc7!?

• 10...h6 11.Bh4 Nh5 12.Bg3 Nxg3 13.hxg3 Qc7 14.Rad1 exd4 15.Nxd4 Ne5 16.Nf5 Bxf5 17.exf5 Nxc4 18.Qxe7 Qxe7 19.Rxe7 d5 20.b3 Nd6 21.g4 Rfe8 22.Rd7 Red8 is equal (Roberts-Ellenbrook, Op, Hoogeveen, 2001).

11.d5

• 11.Qd1 h6 12.Bh4 exd4 13.Nxd4 Ne5 14.Bb3 Re8 is equal.

11...c5 12.Rab1 Qd8

• 12...Bd8 13.Ba2 Bb7 14.Bd2 Ne8 15.Qd3 gives White the advantage in space.

13.Nd2!?

• If 13.Bd2 Bb7 14.Qd3 Re8 then:
• 15.Ra1 Qc7 16.Nh4 g6 17.Qg3 Nh5 18.Qg4 gives White the advantage in space.
• 15.Ba2 Rc8 16.Rbd1 gives White the advantage in space.

13...Ne8 14.Bxe7

• White cannot avoid exchanging her "good" Bishop.
• 14.Be3 Bg5 15.Bd3 Bxe3 16.Qxe3 is equal.

14...Qxe7 15.b4

• 15.Bd3 Qd8 16.Nc4 Rb8 17.b4 cxb4 18.Rxb4 Qc7 19.Reb1 gives White the advantage in space.

15...g6?

• This move is most likely made in a provocatuer spirit. Unfortunately, Black appears to have understimated White's resources.
• If 15...cxb4 16.Rxb4 Qd8 17.Qe3 then:
• 17...Rb8 18.Reb1 f5 19.Bd3 Qc7 20.Nc4 f4 21.Qe2 Qc5 is equal.
• 17...Qc7 18.Be2 Rb8 19.Reb1 f5 20.exf5 gives White the advantage in space.

BLACK: Lilit Mkrtchian
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WHITE: Hoang Thanh Trang
Position after 15...g7g6

16.Bd3!

• The text is stronger than 16.bxc5 dxc5 17.Red1 Nd6 18.Bd3 Bb7 19.Qe3.

16...Ng7

• 16...cxb4? opens the queenside to White's advantage, who after 17.Rxb4 f5 18.Nc4 Rb8 19.Reb1 has tactical possibilities.

17.bxc5

• 17.Nc4 cxb4 18.Rxb4 Qd8 19.Qe3 Rb8 20.f4 gives White a comfortable advantage in space.

17...bxc5 18.Nc4 f5

• This kingside aggression was probably part of Black's plan when she provoked White on her 15th move.

19.f4!?

• White is strong enough to afford an inaccuracy at the moment. This won't set her back too far.
• Better is 19.a5 Rb8 20.Rxb8 Nxb8 21.Rb1 Qc7 22.Rb6 with a threat to Black's pawn base.

19...exf4 20.exf5 Qf6

• Exchanging Queens would only make matters worse for Black.
• 20...Qxe2 21.Rxe2 Nxf5 22.Bxf5 Rxf5 23.Nxd6 gives White the initiative and a passed pawn.

21.Ne4 Qd4+ 22.Qf2!

• White would like to exchange Queens and take the pawn at d6.

22...Nxf5 23.Nexd6 Nxd6 24.Nxd6 Nf6

• After this, Black loses quickly.
• Black could mount a more stubborn defense after 24...Qxa4 25.Re7 Nf6 26.Qxc5 f3 27.gxf3 Qh4 28.Ne4.

BLACK: Lilit Mkrtchian
!""""""""#
$t+v+ Tl+%
$+ + + +o%
$o+ M No+%
$+ Op+ + %
$p+ W P +%
$+ +b+ + %
$ +p+ QpP%
$+r+ R K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Hoang Thanh Trang
Position after 24...Nd7f6

25.Qxd4!

• The exchange of Queens is well-timed. Black's pawns are weak and ready for picking. White has a positionally won game.

25...cxd4 26.Rb4 Bd7 27.Rxd4

• This pawn alone could be enough to bring victory for White. Black has nothing resembling compensation.

27...g5 28.a5 Rfb8 29.Ne4

• White is going after a second pawn.

29...Nxe4 30.Rdxe4 Bf5 31.Re5 Bxd3 32.cxd3 h6
BLACK: Lilit Mkrtchian
!""""""""#
$tT + +l+%
$+ + + + %
$o+ + + O%
$P +pR O %
$ + + O +%
$+ +p+ + %
$ + + +pP%
$+ + R K %
/(((((((()
WHITE: Hoang Thanh Trang
Position after 32...h7h6

33.Re6!

• Even for positional players like Ms. Hoang, chess is ninety percent tactics. The Rook fork must net a pawn.
• After 33.d6 Ra7 34.Re6 Kg7 35.Rc1 Rbb7 36.d4 the center pawns, albeit doubled, give White a huge advantage.

33...Rb5

• If 33...Kg7 then after 34.Re7+ Kg6 35.R1e6+ Kh5 36.Rh7 Black's h-pawn falls.

34.R1e5

• White has many paths to victory now.
• If 34.d6 Kf7 35.Rxh6 Kg7 36.Rhe6 Rxa5 37.d4 then:
• If 37...Rd8 then after 38.Re7+ Kg6 39.R1e6+ Kf5 40.Re5+ Rxe5 41.dxe5 White still has an extra pawn and her center pawns are making progress.
• 37...Ra4 38.d5 g4 39.Re7+ then:
• If 39...Kf6 then White wins after 40.d7 Rd8 41.R1e6+ Kg5 42.Rg7+ Kf5 43.Re8.
• If 39...Kg6 then 40.R1e6+ Kf5 41.Re5+ Kg6 42.R7e6+ Kf7 43.Rf5+ and, after giving check on g5, White takes Black's g-pawn and advances her h-pawn, thus breaking Black's defense.

34...Rc8 35.Rxh6 Rc2

• After 35...Rxa5 White eliminate Black's remaining pawns: 36.Rxg5+ Kf7 37.Rg4 Rxd5 38.Rxf4+ Kg7 39.Rxa6.

36.Rxg5+ Kf7 37.Rb6 Rxa5 38.Rf5+

• Also good is 38.h4 Raa2 39.Rb4 f3 40.Rf4+ when after 40...Ke7 then after 41.Rxf3 a5 42.Rg6 Ke8 43.h5 White wins by advancing one passer or the other, depending on circumstances.
• 40...Ke8 41.Rxf3 Ke7 42.h5 a5 43.Re3+ Kf6 44.Rg6+ gives White teo advanced passers.

38...Kg7 39.h4 Ra1+

• No better is 39...Raa2 40.Rg5+ Kh7 41.Rf6 Ra4 42.Rg4.

40.Kh2 Raa2 41.Rg5+

• The text is better than 41.Rxf4 Rxg2+ 42.Kh3 Rgd2 43.Rf3 Rh2+ 44.Kg4 Ra4+.

41...Kh7

• No better is 41...Kf7 42.Kh3 Ra3 43.Rf5+ Kg7 44.Rxf4 Rxd3+ 45.g3.

42.Rf6 Rf2 43.Rf7+ Kh6 44.Rf8 Kh7 45.d6! 1-0

• White wins a Rook by simply pushing the d-pawn.
• Ms. Mkrtchian resigns.

[cboy4]

11. I'm sure, as a female, she takes no abuse with the last name of

"Humpy"

Anyway,

This looks like part of the commentary concerning me in the middle of pinning trumad into the corner.

* To unravel trumad's position, cboy4 need only put on his first grade thinking cap

[Jack Rabbit]

12. Humpy is her given name

The family name is Koneru. In southern India, the family name is usually given first.

She had another given name for the first few years of her life, but when she developed a talent for chess her father renamed her Humpy because he thought it sounded Russian. I guess having a Russian name is supposed to make you a better chess player.

[cboy4]

18. The immature DUers (not me of course), will insinuate that she

likes to "hump."

[Jack Rabbit]

19. I get it, Cowboy

It's just that mature DUers (not me, of course) keep it to themselves.