The Song That Never Ends

Igor Gennadievich Naumkin – Julio Ernesto Granda Zúñiga
5th International Chess Open; Llucmajor, May 10, 2016
King’s Indian Defence E92

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 0-0 6. Be2 e5 7. d5 a5 8. Bg5 h6 9. Bh4 Na6 10. 0-0 Qe8 11. Nd2 Bd7 12. b3 Nh7 13. a3 Kh8 14. Rb1. For 14. b4 axb4 15. axb4 Nxb4 16. Qb3 c5 17. Rxa8 Qxa8 18. Be7 Re8 19. Bxd6 b6 see 诸宸 (Zhū Chén) – Stellwagen, 65th Corus Chess Tournament (B-Group), Wijk aam Zee 2004. 14. ... Rg8!? 15. Kh1 f5 16. exf5? It gives sense to Granda Zúñiga’s idea 14. ... Rg8. Most consistent was 16. f3 Nf6 17. Bf2 for then developing the thematic Queenside play by b3-b4. 16. ... gxf5 17. Bh5 Qf8 18. f4 e4 19. Qc2 Bd4 20. Ne2

20. ... Qg7. With the threat of mate on the move. 21. g4 Nf6 22. Nxd4? A grave mistake. 22. Bxf6 Bxf6 was mandatory, even though in that case Granda Zúñiga could have been content with the passed e4-Pawn and the Bishop pair; for instance: 23. Rg1 Qh7 24. Nf1 Nc5 and Black stands better. 22. ... Nxh5 23. Rg1 Qxd4 24. gxh5 Nc5 25. Rg6!? If 25. Bf2 there might follow 25. ... Qf6 26. Bxc5 dxc5 with an imposing advantage to Black. 25. ... Rxg6 26. hxg6 Kg8 27. Nf1 e3 28. Ng3 Qxf4 29. Bf6 Re8 30. Ba1. Hoping to create threats on the a1-h8 diagonal. 30. ... Ne4! Granda Zúñiga concludes energetically. 30. ... e2! 31. Qc3 (31. Nxe2 Qf3+) 31. ... Re5 was another way to win. 31. Qb2. Or 31. Nxe4 Qf3+ 32. Qg2 (32. Kg1 Rxe4) 32. ... fxe4 33. Rf1 Bh3! winning immediately. 31. ... Nxg3+ 32. hxg3 Qf3+ 33. Kh2 Qh5+ 34. Kg2 Qxg6 35. Qf6 Qxf6 36. Bxf6 f4! The light-square Bishop vehemently enters into play. 37. gxf4 h5 38. Re1 Kf7 39. Bd4 e2 40. Kf2 Bg4 41. f5 Re4 42. Bb2 h4 43. f6 Rf4+ 44. Kg1 b6 45. Kh2 Rf1 46. Bc3 Rf3 0 : 1.

Julio Ernesto Granda Zúñiga
Photo: Thinking Squares (@hinkingSquares)