Thursday, November 29, 2007

蓝色多瑙河 (The Blue Danube)

Ferenc Berkes – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
5th György Marx Memorial; Paks, August 8, 2007
Nimzo-Indian Defence E58

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 0-0 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 c5 7. 0-0 Nc6 8. a3 Bxc3 9. bxc3 Qc7 10. cxd5 exd5 11. a4 Re8 12. Ba3 c4 13. Bc2 Ne4 14. Bxe4 Rxe4 15. Nd2 Re8 16. e4 dxe4 17. Nxc4. 17. Re1 Bf5 18. Nxc4 Rad8 is likewise quite easy for Black: 19. Ne3 Bc8 20. Qh5 Qa5 21. Qxa5 Nxa5 22. d5 b6 23. Bb4 Nb7 24. a5 f5 25. axb6 axb6 26. Ra7 b5 27. g3 Nd6 28. Bxd6 Rxd6 29. Rb1 Bd7 30. Rba1 Rc8 31. Rb7 g5 32. Raa7 Rd8 33. c4 bxc4 34. Nxc4 Rxd5 35. Nb6 Rd1+ 36. Kg2 Be6 37. Rg7+ Kf8 38. Rxh7 e3 39. Kf3 exf2 40. Kxf2 R1d2+ 41. Ke1 Rd1+ 42. Ke2 R1d2+ ½–½ Lautier – Kramnik, 7th “Melody Amber” Rapid Chess Tournament, Monte Carlo 1998 (time control: 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move).
17. ... Nb4 18. Ne3 Qxc3 19. Qc1 Qxc1 20. Rfxc1 a5 21. Bxb4 axb4 22. Rcb1 Bd7 23. a5 Ra6


24. Rxb4. If 24. Nc4 then 24. ... Be6 25. Nb6 b3 26. d5 Rxb6! 27. axb6 Bxd5 with a full dynamic balance.
24. ... b5 25. Rb2 Rea8 26. Rba2 b4 27. h4 g6 28. Kh2 Kg7 29. Kg3 h6 30. Kf4 Rf6+ 31. Kg3 Rfa6 32. d5 g5 33. Rb2 f5 34. Nc4 Bb5 35. Rxb4 Bxc4 36. Rxc4 Rxa5 37. Rd1 Ra1 38. Rc7+ Kf6 39. Rc6+ Kf7 40. Rxa1 Rxa1 41. Rxh6 Ra3+ 42. Kh2 gxh4 43. Rxh4 Rd3 44. g4 Rxd5 ½–½.

Life is not about always winning. Photo: marxgy.ase.hu.