Dmitry Olegovich Jakovenko – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
6th Aeroflot Open; Moscow, February 16, 2007
Sicilian Defence B66
Notes by International Master Ivan Mikhailovich Smikovski, e3e5.com.
6th Aeroflot Open; Moscow, February 16, 2007
Sicilian Defence B66
Notes by International Master Ivan Mikhailovich Smikovski, e3e5.com.
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6
7. Qd2 a6 8. 0-0-0 Nxd4 9. Qxd4 Be7 10. f4 b5 11. Be2 Bb7
12. Bf3 Rc8 13. Bxf6 gxf6 14. Kb1
14. ... Rc5. A novelty. Earlier Black played 14. ... 0-0 and 14. ... Rc4.
15. Rhe1 Qc7 16. f5 0-0 17. Re3! White plans on repositioning his pieces: Qd4-d2, Nc3-e2, Re3-d3 followed by the transfer of the Knight via g3 or f4 to h5 and the Queen infiltration into h6.
17. ... Kh8?! Black does not interfere with her opponent’s plans. She should have played 17. ... Rc4 18. Qd2 b4 19. Ne2 Rc8 putting pressure on the c2-Pawn.
RR Smikovski’s analysis is obviously wrong, because after 17. ... Rc4?! 18. Qd2 b4? White would win with 19. Be2! threatening both the Rook and the check at g3 followed by Qd2-h6; for instance: 19. ... bxc3 20. Rg3+ Kh8 21. Qh6 Rg8 22. Rxg8+ Kxg8 23. Rd3 d5 (hoping for 24. Rg3+?? Qxg3!) 24. Rh3 with irresistible attack. On the other hand, the commentator overlooks that 17. ... b4!∞ is critical and necessary, and actually putting White under pressure.
18. Qd2 Rg8 19. Ne2 Bf8 20. Rd3 Re5 21. Ng3 Be7. Imperceptibly Black’s situation got difficult. It’s hard for her to prevent a Queen invasion on h6. 21. ... Rg5 is of no help because of 22. Rc3! (if 22. Nh5 at once, then 22. ... Bxe4! 23. Nxf6 Bxd3), and on 22. ... Rc5? there follows 23. Rxc5 Qxc5 24. e5! Bxf3 25. gxf3±.
22. Qh6 Qd8
15. Rhe1 Qc7 16. f5 0-0 17. Re3! White plans on repositioning his pieces: Qd4-d2, Nc3-e2, Re3-d3 followed by the transfer of the Knight via g3 or f4 to h5 and the Queen infiltration into h6.
17. ... Kh8?! Black does not interfere with her opponent’s plans. She should have played 17. ... Rc4 18. Qd2 b4 19. Ne2 Rc8 putting pressure on the c2-Pawn.
RR Smikovski’s analysis is obviously wrong, because after 17. ... Rc4?! 18. Qd2 b4? White would win with 19. Be2! threatening both the Rook and the check at g3 followed by Qd2-h6; for instance: 19. ... bxc3 20. Rg3+ Kh8 21. Qh6 Rg8 22. Rxg8+ Kxg8 23. Rd3 d5 (hoping for 24. Rg3+?? Qxg3!) 24. Rh3 with irresistible attack. On the other hand, the commentator overlooks that 17. ... b4!∞ is critical and necessary, and actually putting White under pressure.
18. Qd2 Rg8 19. Ne2 Bf8 20. Rd3 Re5 21. Ng3 Be7. Imperceptibly Black’s situation got difficult. It’s hard for her to prevent a Queen invasion on h6. 21. ... Rg5 is of no help because of 22. Rc3! (if 22. Nh5 at once, then 22. ... Bxe4! 23. Nxf6 Bxd3), and on 22. ... Rc5? there follows 23. Rxc5 Qxc5 24. e5! Bxf3 25. gxf3±.
22. Qh6 Qd8
23. Rxd6! The Exchange sacrifice destroys Black’s Pawn position.
23. ... Bxd6 24. Rxd6 Qf8. After 24. ... Qxd6 25. Qxf6+ Rg7 26. Nh5 Qf8 27. Qxe5 f6 28. Qxe6 White captures a lot of pawns.
25. Qxf6+ Qg7 26. Qxg7+ Kxg7 27. Kc1. White has two Pawns for the Exchange and a significant endgame advantage, primarily due to the active Rook. Dmitry Olegovich Jakovenko’s technical execution is impeccable.
27. ... Rc8 28. Rd7 Bc6 29. Ra7 Ra8 30. Rc7 Be8 31. Nh5+ Kf8
23. ... Bxd6 24. Rxd6 Qf8. After 24. ... Qxd6 25. Qxf6+ Rg7 26. Nh5 Qf8 27. Qxe5 f6 28. Qxe6 White captures a lot of pawns.
25. Qxf6+ Qg7 26. Qxg7+ Kxg7 27. Kc1. White has two Pawns for the Exchange and a significant endgame advantage, primarily due to the active Rook. Dmitry Olegovich Jakovenko’s technical execution is impeccable.
27. ... Rc8 28. Rd7 Bc6 29. Ra7 Ra8 30. Rc7 Be8 31. Nh5+ Kf8
32. f6! White’s goal is to attack on both wings in accordance with the principle of two weaknesses.
32. ... b4 33. Nf4 Ra5 34. Kb1 Rb8 35. Nd3 e5. Now this Pawn is weak, but otherwise White plays e4-e5.
36. g4 h6 37. h4 Rab5 38. g5 hxg5 39. hxg5 R8b7 40. Rc4 a5 41. b3 R7b6 42. a4 bxa3 43. Ka2 Rb8 44. Kxa3 Bd7 45. Rc7 Be8. On 45. ... Bh3 46. Bh5 Be6 47. Nc5 is very strong.
46. Bg4 R8b7 47. Rc4 Rb8 48. Bf5 Rd8 49. Rc7. Now the e5-Pawn is inevitably doomed.
49. ... Rdb8 50. Re7 R8b7 51. Rxb7 Rxb7 52. Nxe5 Rb8 53. c4 Rd8 54. c5 Rd1. In case of 54. ... Rd2 55. c6 Rc2 White wins with 56. Bd7 Rc5 (56. ... Rc1 57. Bxe8 Kxe8 58. Kb2 Rc5 59. g6! Rxe5 60. c7 Kd7 61. gxf7+−) 57. Nc4!+− and Black is in zugzwang.
55. c6 Rc1 56. Kb2 1 : 0. Black resigned, because after 56. ... Rc5 57. Nd7+ Bxd7 58. cxd7 the Pawn will promote.
32. ... b4 33. Nf4 Ra5 34. Kb1 Rb8 35. Nd3 e5. Now this Pawn is weak, but otherwise White plays e4-e5.
36. g4 h6 37. h4 Rab5 38. g5 hxg5 39. hxg5 R8b7 40. Rc4 a5 41. b3 R7b6 42. a4 bxa3 43. Ka2 Rb8 44. Kxa3 Bd7 45. Rc7 Be8. On 45. ... Bh3 46. Bh5 Be6 47. Nc5 is very strong.
46. Bg4 R8b7 47. Rc4 Rb8 48. Bf5 Rd8 49. Rc7. Now the e5-Pawn is inevitably doomed.
49. ... Rdb8 50. Re7 R8b7 51. Rxb7 Rxb7 52. Nxe5 Rb8 53. c4 Rd8 54. c5 Rd1. In case of 54. ... Rd2 55. c6 Rc2 White wins with 56. Bd7 Rc5 (56. ... Rc1 57. Bxe8 Kxe8 58. Kb2 Rc5 59. g6! Rxe5 60. c7 Kd7 61. gxf7+−) 57. Nc4!+− and Black is in zugzwang.
55. c6 Rc1 56. Kb2 1 : 0. Black resigned, because after 56. ... Rc5 57. Nd7+ Bxd7 58. cxd7 the Pawn will promote.