Footfalls

Daniil Aleksandrovich Yuffa – Francesco Rambaldi
54th World Junior Chess Championship; Khanty-Mansiysk, September 5, 2015
English Opening A29

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Bg2 Nb6 7. 0-0 Be7 8. d3 0-0 9. Be3 Re8 10. Rc1 Bf8 11. Ne4 Nd4 12. Nc5 Bxc5 13. Rxc5 Bg4 14. Bxd4 exd4 15. Qc1 c6 16. Qf4 Bxf3 17. Bxf3 Re6 18. Rf5 Re7 19. Rc1 Rd7 20. Re5

20. ... Qb8! A very timely rassemblement by Rambaldi. 21. Qe4 Rd8! 22. Rh5 h6! Also playable is 22. ... g6 and if 23. Rh4 (23. Qg4 is answered by 23. ... Nd7 followed by ... Nd7-f8) then 23. ... Rd7 with a fundamentally quite sound position. 23. Re5 Nd7 24. Rf5 Qd6 25. Qf4 Qxf4 26. Rxf4 Nb6 27. Rf5 a5 28. Kf1 g6 29. Rfc5 Na4 30. R5c2 Ra6! A “Rook lift” just to increase pressure against White’s Queenside. 31. Rd1 Rb6 32. Rdd2. White has almost imperceptibly got into a somewhat passive position and Francesco can already think of playing to win. 32. ... Rb5 33. e4 f5 34. h4 Kg7 35. exf5 gxf5 36. Bd1 Kf6 37. Re2 Nc5 38. Rcd2 Nd7 39. Re1 Re5 40. Bh5 Rxe1+ 41. Kxe1 Nc5 42. Kd1 f4! 43. Bf3 Rg8 44. g4 Re8 45. Re2 Rxe2 46. Kxe2. Not 46. Bxe2? on account of 46. ... f3! with decisive effect. 46. ... Nd7. We wonder why Rambaldi didn’t play 46. ... Na4 winning a clear Pawn. Now Yuffa manages to save the day. 47. Be4 Ne5 48. f3 b5 ½ : ½.

Yuffa vs. Rambaldi. Photo: Vladimir Barsky.