Bamboozled

Elshan Moradi Abadi – Baadur Jobava
9th Hogeschool Zeeland Chess Tournament; Vlissingen, August 8, 2015
Grünfeld Defence D94

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 d5 4. e3 g6 5. d4 Bg7 6. Be2 0-0 7. 0-0 b6 8. b3 Bb7 9. Ba3 dxc4 10. bxc4 Nbd7 11. Qb3 c5 12. Rad1 Qb8 13. d5. White can rely on a solid advantage in space. 13. ... Re8 14. Bb2 e6 15. a4 a6 16. dxe6 Rxe6 17. Nd5 h6 18. Bc3 Bc6 19. Rb1 Ra7 20. Rfd1. Not 20. Nxb6? Qxb6! 21. Qxb6 Nxb6 22. Rxb6 Bxf3! 23. Rb8+ Re8! and Black remains a piece ahead. 20. ... Rb7 21. Qa2 Kh7 22. Qa1 Qh8. “A somewhat unusual stand off on the a1-h8 diagonal in this Jobava game”, Olimpiu G. Urcan said. 23. a5 b5 24. Nf4 Re7 25. cxb5 Bxb5 26. Bc4? Here, probably, Iran’s Grandmaster misses his chance. After 26. Bxb5 Rxb5 27. Rxb5 axb5 28. a6 the position looks quite unpleasant for Black. Now Jobava snatches the initiative. 26. ... Ne4 27. Bxg7 Qxg7 28. Qxg7+ Kxg7 29. Nd5 Re6 30. Nf4 Re8 31. Bd5 Ra7 32. Rbc1 Ndf6 33. h4 Rd7 34. Bb3. We would recommend, instead of the text, the simplifying 34. Bxe4 in order to make things more difficult for Black. 34. ... Rxd1+ 35. Rxd1

35. ... g5 36. hxg5? The opening of the h-file gives the Black Rook a way to bite the enemy King. After 36. Nd5 g4 37. Nxf6 Nxf6 38. Nd2 g3 Black stands better, but the game is not yet over. 36. ... hxg5 37. Nd5 Ng4 38. Nc7 Rh8 39. Rd5. If 39. Nxb5 then equally 39. ... Ngxf2 threatening both ... Rh8-h1 mate and ... Nf2xd1. 39. ... Ngxf2 40. Nh2 g4 41. g3. Else 41. Nxb5 g3! and wins. 41. ... Bc6 42. Nxa6. Not 42. Rf5 Nh3+ 43. Kg2 Nd6+ and wins. If, instead, 42. Re5 there follows 42. ... Nd2! threatening both ... Nf2-h3 mate and ... Nd2xb3. 42. ... Rh3 43. Nf1 Bb5 0 : 1.

Elshan Moradi Abadi vs. Baadur Jobava
Photo: Ad Bruijns and Frans Peeters

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