Not an Easy Chair

Igor Viktorovich Kovalenko – Ernesto Kazbekovich Inarkiev
17th European Individual Chess Championship; Gjakova, May 21, 2016
Queen’s Indian Defence E18

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. 0-0 0-0 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Bd2 Bf6 9. Ne5 Nxc3 10. Bxc3 Bxg2 11. Kxg2 c5 12. dxc5 bxc5 13. Qd6 Qb6 14. Rad1 Qxd6 15. Rxd6 Be7 16. Rd2 d6 17. Nd3 a5 18. f4 Nd7 19. Ne5 Nb8 20. Ng4 f5 21. Nf2 Nd7 22. e4 Nb6 23. exf5 Nxc4 24. Re2 Rxf5 25. Rxe6 Bf8 26. Rfe1 Rf7 27. Ne4 d5 28. b3 Na3 29. Ng5 Rfa7 30. Be5 h6 31. Nf3 a4 32. Rb6 Ra6 33. Rb7 R6a7 34. Rb6 Ra6 35. Rxa6 Rxa6 36. Kf2 Rb6 37. Rd1 d4 38. Nd2 Nc2 39. Kf3 Rb7 40. Rb1 Nb4 41. a3 Nd5 42. bxa4 Ra7 43. Rb8 Kf7 44. Ke4 Nc3+ 45. Kd3 Rxa4 46. Nc4 Nd1

47. Rxf8+!? Kovalenko’s Exchange sacrifice doesn’t lose itself, but certainly doesn’t give him any chance of winning. The simplest way was 47. Bxd4! cxd4 48. Ne5+ Kg8 49. Ng6 Kf7 50. Ne5+ drawing by repetition. 47. ... Kxf8 48. Bd6+ Kf7 49. Bxc5 Ne3 50. Nb6? Pushing too hard for a win. 50. Nxe3 dxe3 51. Bb4 followed by Kd3xe3 would have clearly lead to a draw. 50. ... Ra5 51. Bb4 Rh5 52. a4? Consistency in fallacy. After 52. h4 Rb5 53. Nc4 Ke6 Black has obviously the better chances, but it’s not yet clear whether he can make anything substantial out of it. 52. ... Rxh2 53. a5 Ra2? 53. ... Rb2! 54. Bc5 Ra2 55. Bb4 Nc2 was simpler and quicker. 54. Na8? Here Kovalenko could have put up more resistance with 54. Kxd4 as after 54. ... Nc2+ 55. Kc5 Nxb4 56. Kxb4 Ke6 57. Na4 Kd6 Black’s win would be far more laborious. 54. ... Ke6 55. Ke4 Ra4 56. Nc7+ Kd7 57. Na6 Kc6 58. Bf8 Rxa5 59. Nb4+ Kb5 60. Nd3 Kc4 61. Bxg7. Or 61. Ne5+ Rxe5+! 62. fxe5 Ng4 63. Ba3 d3 winning easily. 61. ... Nf5 62. Ne5+ Rxe5+! 63. Bxe5 d3 64. Kxf5 d2 65. Kf6 d1=Q 66. f5 Kd5 67. Bf4 Qh5 0 : 1.

Kovalenko vs. Inarkiev. Photo: European Chess Union (@ECUonline).