Robinson Crusoe economy

Anish Giri – Igor-Alexandre Nataf
French Team Championship Top 12; Port-Camargue, June 8, 2015
English Opening A15

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 c6 5. b3 0-0 6. Bb2 d6 7. d4 Qa5+ 8. Qd2 Qxd2+ 9. Nfxd2. Apparently, 9. Nbxd2 is no better, e.g. 9. ... a5 10. a3 e5 11. dxe5 Nfd7 12. 0-0 dxe5 ½ : ½ Caposciutti – Levacic, Cannes 2001. 9. ... d5 10. Nc3 Rd8 11. e3 Na6 12. 0-0 Be6 13. Rfd1 Rac8 14. a3 b6 15. Rac1 Nb8 16. Ba1 Bg4 17. Re1 Be6 18. Ne2 Bf5 19. Nc3 Be6 20. h3 h5 21. Red1 Kf8 22. Bf1 c5. This seems rather committal, but, indeed, there’s probably nothing wrong. 23. dxc5 Rxc5. If 23. ... bxc5 there follows 24. cxd5 Nxd5 25. Ne4 with an edge. The text, on the other hand, is any better. 24. Nf3 Rdc8 25. Na4 R5c7 26. Be5 Rb7 27. Nd4 Bd7

28. Nc3. Peter Doggers suggests 28. Bg2 Bxa4 29. cxd5! which results in White’s winning a valuable Pawn. 28. ... e6? Here 28. ... dxc4 29. Bg2 Nc6 seems more reliable. 29. Bg2 Nc6. Also after 29. ... Ne8 30. cxd5! Bxe5 31. dxe6 White gains a decisive advantage. 30. Bd6+ Kg8 31. cxd5 Nxd4 32. exd4 Ne8 33. dxe6 Nxd6 34. Bxb7 1 : 0.

Anish Giri
Photo: Fédération Française des Échecs