Una joya inexpugnable

Julio Ernesto Granda Zúñiga – Radosław Wojtaszek
6th Chess World Cup; match game 1; Baku, September 17, 2015
Sicilian Defence B26

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 d6 3. d3 Nc6 4. g3 g6 5. Be3 Bg7 6. Qd2 e5 7. Bg2 Nge7 8. h4 h5 9. f4 Nd4 10. Nd1. 10. Nh3 Bg4 11. 0-0 exf4 12. Nxf4 0-0 13. Rf2 Kh7 14. Raf1 transposes into the game Hort - L. Portisch, 30th Hoogovens International Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 1968. 10. ... d5 11. c3 Ne6 12. Nf3 d4 13. Bg1 Nc6 14. c4 f6 15. Nf2 Bh6 16. Nh3 Qd6 17. Bh2 Bd7 18. 0-0 0-0-0 19. a3 a5 20. Kh1 b6 21. b3 Kc7 22. Rab1 Rb8 23. Qe2 Rbg8 24. Ne1 Ned8 25. Nc2 g5 26. f5 g4 27. Nf2 a4 28. b4 Nb7 29. b5. An impressive mutual Pawn blockade! 29. ... Nca5 30. Na1 Qe7 31. Qc2 Ra8 32. Nd1. The Peruvian Grandmaster doesn’t dare to take the Pawn, for if 32. Qxa4? then 32. ... Nd6! 33. Qd1 Qf7 followed by 34. ... Naxc4! 35. dxc4 Qxc4 and White’s position falls apart. 32. ... Nd6 33. Re1. The silly 33. Nxa4?? now or in the next few moves is always met by 33. ... Naxc4 with an easy win for Black. 33. ... Qf7 34. Bf1 Ra7 35. Bg1 Rha8 36. Bf2 Nb3 37. Re2. “The position in Granda Zúñiga – Wojtaszek is quite funny. How to break through? :)”, Tarjei J. Svensen wondered.

37. ... Nxb5!? “Granda Zúñiga vs. Wojtaszek is special. The first piece/Pawn exchange at move 37 is an intriguing sacrifice”, Olimpiu G. Urcan said. 38. cxb5 Bxb5 39. Nb2 Bc6 40. Be1 b5 41. Nd1 Bf8 42. Rg2 Kd7 43. Kh2 Nxa1 44. Rxa1 b4 45. Nb2 b3 46. Qd1 Bb5 47. Nc4 Bxc4 48. dxc4 Bh6 49. Bd3 Rb7 50. Rb1 Kc6 51. Bd2 Qf8 52. Kg1 Bxd2 53. Qxd2 Rab8 54. Kf1 Ra8 55. Ke1 Rh7 56. Rb2 Qh6 57. Qxh6 Rxh6 ½ : ½.

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Julio Ernesto Granda Zúñiga
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili