Bibingka

Wesley So – Varuzhan Eduardovich Akobian
60th U.S. Chess Championship; Saint Louis, April 18, 2016
French Defence C10

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Nxf6+ Nxf6 7. c3 c5 8. Be3 cxd4 9. Bxd4 Be7 10. Bd3 0-0 11. Qc2 h6 12. 0-0-0 Qa5. For 13. ... Nd5 14. Kb1 Bf6 15. Ne5 Bxe5 16. Bxe5 Qa5 see Ehlvest – M. Muzychuk, 11th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, Catalan Bay 2013. 13. Kb1 Rd8 14. Ne5 Bd7 15. Qe2 Bc6. Another (wild) try was 15. ... Ba4 16. Rde1 Be8 17. g4 Rxd4 18. cxd4 Qb6 19. Bc4 Qxd4 20. h4 Bd6 21. g5 Nh5 22. Qxh5 Bxe5 23. Qe2 Bc6 24. Rh3 Be4+ 25. Bd3 Bg2 26. Re3 Rd8 27. Rd1 Bf4 28. Bc2 Qb6 29. Red3 Rxd3 30. Qxd3 g6 31. h5 Bxg5 32. hxg6 Qxf2 33. gxf7+ Qxf7 34. Bb3 Bc6 35. Qd6 Kg7 36. Bxe6 Qf2 37. a3 h5 38. Bc4 Bf6 39. Rd2 Qe1+ 40. Ka2 Qe5 41. Qb4 h4 42. Bb3 h3 43. Qc4 Kh6 44. Qg4 Bg2 45. Rxg2 hxg2 46. Qxg2 b5 47. Bf7 Qg5 48. Qh3+ Kg7 49. Qd7 Kh6 50. Qd1 ½ : ½ Hevia Alejano – Córdova Daza, 3rd Jahv McGregor de Ajedrez ITT, Bogotá 2012. 16. Rhe1 Bd5 17. c4 Bxg2 18. Bc3. Akobian’s French fairy tale has gone quite wrong. White can develop a dangerous initiative. 18. ... Qb6 19. Rg1 Bc6

20. Nxf7! Even stronger was probably 20. Qd2! after which Black must give up the Exchange (20. ... Rxd3) to avoid far grave scenarios; for instance: 20. ... Kf8? 21. Rxg7! Kxg7 22. Rg1+ Kf8 23. Qxh6+ Ke8 24. Qh8+ Bf8 25. Qxf6 Qc7 26. Bg6! with an irresistible attack. However, I like Wesley’s move – it is an authentic coffee house Everest! 20. ... Kxf7. On 20. ... Rxd3 21. Nxh6+ Kf8 22. Rxd3 White’s attack hits hard anyway. 21. Rxg7+! Kxg7 22. Qxe6 Qxf2?? A blatant blunder due to time trouble. After 22. ... Re8! 23. Qf5! Kf8 24. Bxf6 Bd7 25. Bxe7++ Kxe7 26. Qh7+ Kf8 27. Bg6 Qf6 28. Rxd7 the assault continues, but Black can still hope to survive. 23. Qxe7+ Kg8 24. Bh7+! 1 : 0.