Kingdom Come

Irakli Beradze – Francesco Rambaldi
54th World Junior Chess Championship; Khanty-Mansiysk, September 3, 2015
Nimzo-Indian Defence E20

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 Qd6 7. e3 Ne4 8. Qc2 Nxg5 9. Nxg5 c6 10. Bd3 h6 11. Nf3 Be6 12. 0-0 Nd7 13. Rfc1 Qe7 14. a3 Bd6 15. Re1 0-0 16. e4 dxe4 17. Bxe4 Nf6 18. d5 Nxe4 19. dxe6 Nxc3 20. exf7+ Qxf7 21. Qxc3 Bc7 22. Rad1 Rfe8 23. h4 Bb6 24. Qb4 Qf5 25. Re7 Rxe7 26. Qxe7 Rf8 27. Qe2 Kh8 28. Rd6 Qg4 29. Re6 Qf4 30. Re8 Rxe8 31. Qxe8+ Kh7 32. Qe2 Qf5 33. g3 Bd8 34. Kh2 Bf6 35. Ne1 Qe5 36. Qc2+ Kh8 37. Nd3 Qe4 38. Qd2 b6 39. Nf4 Be5 40. Qd8+ Kh7 41. Qe8 Qf5 42. Qxc6 Bxf4 43. Qf3 Bxg3+. Now follows a very difficult (if very drawish) Queen ending. 44. Qxg3 a5 45. a4 Qe4 46. b3 Qd4 47. Kh3 Kg8 48. Qf3 Qd7+ 49. Kh2 Qd6+ 50. Kh3 Qe6+ 51. Kh2 Qf7 52. Qa8+ Kh7 53. Qe4+ Qg6 54. Qf3 Qd6+ 55. Kh3 Qe6+ 56. Kg3 Kg6 57. Qd3+ Kf7 58. Qf3+ Ke8 59. Qc3 Kf7 60. Qc7+ Kf6 61. Qf4+ Kg6 62. Qf3 Qe5+ 63. Kg2 Qf5

64. Qg3+? The first player cannot enter a King and Pawn ending – neither directly nor indirectly: 64. Qxf5+?? Kxf5 65. Kg3 h5 66. Kf3 g6 and White is in Zugzwang. Therefore the right way was 64. Qc6+ Kh5 65. Qxb6 Kxh4 with equality. 64. ... Kh5! Naturally Francesco gets the unexpected chance! 65. Kf1. After 65. Qxg7 Qg4+ Black forces the exchange of Queens and thanks to the distant passed h-Pawn he wins easily. 65. ... Qb1+ 66. Kg2 Qe4+ 67. Kf1 Qh1+ 68. Ke2 Qxh4 69. Qe3. Again 69. Qxg7 is met by 69. ... Qg4+ giving Black a winning ending. 69. ... Qf6 70. Qh3+ Kg6 71. Qg4+ Kh7 72. Kf1 Qg6 73. Qc4 h5 74. Qh4? Beradze loses his nerve and after the text he loses also a second Pawn. White could only patiently defend waiting for Godot. 74. ... Qg4 75. Qd8 Qh3+ 0 : 1.

Francesco Rambaldi
Photo: Vladimir Barsky