Ubi maior minor cessat

Mateusz Bartel – Daniele Vocaturo
17th Open International; Dubai, April 11, 2015
French Defence C12

DubaiChess.ae report: “Following a sensational opening-round debacle, GM Daniele Vocaturo, the first Italian to play in Dubai Open Tournaments, has ignited a fierce comeback as the Italian 24th seed won a fifth straight game to join the leaders after six rounds in the Dubai Open Chess Tournament – Sheikh Rashid Bin Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup Saturday night at the Dubai Chess and Culture Club.
Vocaturo, who was derailed by untitled Mokal Amruta Sunil of India in the opening round, used the French Defence to defeat Polish GM Mateusz Bartel in 51 moves to up his tally to five points in six games”.

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 5. e5 h6 6. Be3 Ne4 7. Ne2 c5 8. dxc5 0-0 9. a3 Bxc5 10. Nxe4. The alternative was 10. Bxc5 Nxc5 11. f4 Nc6 as in the game Bartel – Buchenau, Chigorin Memorial (Rapid), Saint Petersburg 2012. 10. ... Bxe3 11. fxe3 dxe4 12. Qd4 Nc6 13. Qxe4 Qg5 14. 0-0-0 Qxe5 15. Nc3 Qxe4 16. Nxe4 Ne5 17. Bb5 a6 18. Be2 Bd7 19. Rd4 Bc6 20. Rhd1 Rfc8 21. Nd6 Rc7 22. g3 Kf8 23. Nc4 Nxc4 24. Rxc4 Rac8 25. b4 Ke7 26. Kb2 f5 27. Rc5 g5 28. Bd3 Kf6 29. Rf1 Bb5

30. Rxb5. White’s Exchange sacrifice is a sign only of his bad judgement. After 30. Rxc7 Rxc7 31. Kb3 b5 Black still has a slight advantage – but nothing more. 30. ... axb5 31. e4 Rd8 32. exf5 e5 33. Re1 Rd4 34. Re2 h5 35. h3. 35. Bxb5 e4 does not make much difference. 35. ... g4 36. h4 e4 37. Bxb5 Kxf5 38. c3 Rd8 39. a4 Ke5 40. a5 Rf7 41. a6 bxa6 42. Bxa6 Rf3 43. Bb7 Rxg3 44. Rxe4+ Kd6 45. Rc4 Re3 46. Rc6+ Ke5 47. Rc5+ Kf4 48. Rxh5 g3 49. Kb3 Rg8 50. Rg5. The final mistake. 50. Rh7 g2 51. Bxg2 Rxg2 was White’s last-ditch swindle to save a lost game. 50. ... Rxg5 51. hxg5 Re4 0 : 1.

Daniele Vocaturo
Photo: DubaiChess.ae