Unvollendete

Anish Giri – Baadur Jobava
77th Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Rotterdam, January 15, 2015
King’s Indian Defence E97

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. d4 0-0 6. Be2 e5 7. 0-0 Nc6 8. d5 Ne7 9. b4 Nh5 10. Re1 Nf4 11. Bf1 f5 12. a4. Theoretically, the “book” line 12. Bxf4 exf4 13. e5 leads to the most favourable outcome for White. 12. ... h6 13. Nd2 g5 14. Ra3 g4 15. a5 h5 16. c5 h4 17. Nc4 Neg6 18. cxd6 cxd6 19. Nb5 Rf6 20. g3 hxg3 21. hxg3 a6 22. Nc3? Oblivious to the danger. Grandmaster Alejandro Tadeo Ramírez Álvarez suggests 22. Nb6!? axb5! 23. Nxa8 fxe4 with a murky position, which is more or less what Black wants!

22. ... Nh4!! “Had a look at Giri – Jobava, 22. ... Nh4!! is the move of the tournament so far!”, Jan Gustafsson tweeted. 23. Ne2. Clearly not 23. gxh4?? on account of 23. ... Rh6 and White delivers a mating attack. 23. ... Nf3+ 24. Rxf3. Giri has to sacrifice an Exchange in order to neutralize the powerful Black’s attack. 24. ... Nxe2+ 25. Bxe2 gxf3 26. Bxf3 Bh6 27. Nb6 Rb8 28. Kg2 Bxc1 29. Qxc1 f4 30. Rh1 Rg6 31. Rh5 Qf8 32. Qh1 Qf6 33. Qh2 Bg4?? A colossal blunder by Jobava! It was mandatory 33. ... fxg3 34. fxg3 Qg7 and Black should survive, in spite of the exposed position of his King. 34. Bxg4 Rxg4 35. Qh3! Qg6 36. Kf3!! The only winning move for White! After 36. Rh8+? Kg7 37. Rxb8 Qxe4+ 38. Kg1 Rxg3+! 39. fxg3 Qe3+ Black would find a miraculous draw by perpetual check! 1 : 0.

Hikaru Nakamura (@GMHikaru)

16th World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen looking out Jobava’s 22. ... Nh4!! in his game against Giri. Photo: Olimpiu G. Urcan.