Three Jumps Ahead

Francesco Rambaldi – Sabino Brunello
19th International Chess Open; Vienna, August 21, 2015
Larsen's Opening A01

1. b3 d5 2. Bb2 Nf6 3. e3 Bf5 4. h3 e6. For 4. ... h6 5. Nf3 e6 6. c4 Be7 7. g4 Bh7 8. Rg1 Nbd7 9. cxd5 exd5 10. h4 Ne4 11. g5 hxg5 12. hxg5 0-0 13. d3 Bb4+ 14. Nbd2 Nxd2 15. Nxd2 c5 see Nakamura – Aronian, 3rd Zürich Chess Challenge, Zürich 2014. 5. g4 Bg6 6. Bg2 c6 7. d3 Bb4+ 8. Nd2 h5 9. g5 Nfd7 10. f4 f6 11. Nf3 Bf7 12. Qe2 Qe7 13. a3 Bd6 14. c4 a5 15. 0-0 Na6 16. cxd5 cxd5 17. gxf6 gxf6 18. Nd4 Nc7 19. Rac1 Bc5 20. Kh1 Bb6. Here, perhaps, Sabino starts to go astray, but Black’s position already is not easy. For instance, if 20. ... 0-0-0 then 21. Nb5! Nxb5 22. b4 with a powerful initiative. 21. e4. Understandingly enough, White opens up the centre. 21. ... Kd8. A controversial decision: east or west, somewhere in the middle of the board is best. 22. Rfe1 Re8 23. N2f3 Rc8 24. Qd2 Qf8 25. e5 fxe5 26. fxe5 Qe7 27. Bc3 Ra8 28. Ng5. Bad news for Black: Rambaldi is pushing hard on both wings. 28. ... Bg6 29. h4 Bxd4? This is the decisive mistake, with Black grossly underestimating White’s resources. The immediate 29. ... Qxa3 was called for, although after 30. Ra1 Qe7 31. Bh3 Bxd4 32. Bxd4 Nc5 33. Bxc5 Qxc5 34. Rac1 Qb4 35. Qf2! Bxd3 36. Qf6+ Kd7 37. Red1! White’s attack fully compensates for the two sacrificed Pawns. 30. Bxd4 Qxa3

31. Rxc7! Francesco concludes the game with an elegant Exchange sacrifice. 31. ... Kxc7 32. Qc3+ Kb8? Brunello moves his King to the wrong square. In any event, after 32. ... Kd8 33. Ra1 Qe7 34. Bh3 Bf7 35. Rf1 Rf8 36. Rxf7! Rxf7 37. Nxe6+ Ke8 38. Nc7+ Kf8 39. Nxa8 Qxh4 40. Qc8+ Kg7 41. e6+ Qxd4 42. exf7 White should win anyway. 33. Rc1 Ra6 34. Qc7+ Ka8 35. Nxe6. The threat is 36. Qc8+ Rxc8 37. Rxc8+ Nb8 38. Nc7 mate. 35. ... Rexe6. If 35. ... Nb6 then 36. Qc3 with the deadly threat of Ne6-c7+, whilst if 35. ... Raxe6 there follows 36. Bxd5 and wins. 36. Qd8+ Nb8 37. Rc8 1 : 0. Thus Italy’s (but living in Grenoble, France) very gifted Francesco Rambaldi, 16-year-old, scores his final Grandmaster norm.

Francesco Rambaldi
Photo: Accademia Scacchi Milano