Tomorrow Comes Today

Jorden van Foreest – Dimitri Reinderman
72nd Dutch Chess Championship; Amsterdam, August 25, 2016
Sicilian Defence B31

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. Bxc6 bxc6 5. 0-0 Bg7 6. Re1 Nh6 7. c3 0-0 8. h3 f5 9. d3 Nf7 10. e5 Ba6 11. Bf4. Far and different from the Spider’s web: 11. c4 d6 12. e6 Ne5 13. Nc3 Rb8 14. Nxe5 Bxe5 15. Na4 Qc7 16. Bh6 Rf6 17. Rxe5! dxe5 18. Nxc5 Bc8 19. d4 g5 20. Bxg5 Rg6 21. Qh5 Qd6 22. Re1 Qxd4 23. Be3 (the Spider misses the win: 23. Rd1! Qxc5 24. Rd8+ Kg7 25. Bh6+ Kf6 26. Be3 Qxc4 27. Qxh7 Bxe6 28. Qh8+ Rg7 29. Bh6! with overwhelming threats) 23. ... Qxc4 24. b3 Qb4 25. Rd1 Bxe6 26. Nxe6 Rxe6 27. Qxf5 Rd6 28. Rc1 Qa5 29. Rc4 Rg6 30. Rg4 Rxg4 31. Qxg4+ Kh8 32. Qe6 Re8 33. Qxc6 Rd8 34. a4 Qd5 35. Qxd5 Rxd5 36. Bxa7 Rd1+ 37. Kh2 Rb1 38. Bc5 Rxb3 39. Bxe7 Rb2 40. Bf6+ Kg8 41. Bxe5 Rxf2 42. a5 ½ : ½ M. Adams – Giri, 78th Tata Steel Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 2016. 11. ... Qb6 12. b3 d6 13. h4. After three wins in a row, van Foreest seems to become dizzy with success, and launches into the attack without objects. Far from being dangerous, the Pawn on h4 will soon become a target. 13. ... dxe5 14. Nxe5 Bxe5 15. Rxe5. Also this Exchange sacrifice, though somehow consistent with the previous moves (Reinderman said afterwards it was “practically forced”), is hardly justified, as the aimed attack on the dark squares won’t take shape. 15. ... Nxe5 16. Bxe5 f4! Grandmaster Paul van der Sterren called the whole of Black’s defence “extremely cool”. 17. c4 Rf5 18. Qe1 Raf8 19. Nd2 Qd8 20. Nf3 Bc8! 21. Rd1 Rh5 22. Bc3

22. ... e5! This is a kind of refutation. White was likely hoping for 22. ... Bg4? 23. Ng5! (23. ... Bxd1?? 24. Qe6+ and mate next move). 23. Qe4. Both 23. Nxe5? Qxh4 and 23. Bxe5? Re8 followed by ... Bc8-g4 would lead to an immediate disaster. 23. ... Bg4 24. Ng5. The pseudo-sacrifice of the second Exchange constitutes the best chance for White. Alternatively, 24. Qxc6 Bxf3 25. Qxf3 Qxh4 simply leaves White the Exchange behind with no compensation. 24. ... Bxd1 25. Qxe5 Rf6 26. Qxf6 Qxf6 27. Bxf6 Bc2. Even thus, however, Black doens’t need to work very hard to capitalize his advantage. 28. Ne4 Rf5 29. Bb2 Bxd3 30. Nf6+ Kf7 31. Nxh7 Bb1 32. Ng5+ Ke7 33. a3 Ba2 34. Nf3 Bxb3 35. Ne5 g5 36. h5 Kf8 37. Kh2. Perhaps, the immediate 37. Ng6+ was a little more stubborn, but then also, 37. ... Ke8 (if 37. ... Kf7 there might follow 38. f3) 38. h6 Rf7 39. Bg7 Rxg7 40. hxg7 Kf7 41. Ne7 Kxg7 42. Nxc6 Bxc4 43. Nxa7 Kf6 should be winning for Black, as the powerful Bishop guarantees the White Knight’s domination. 37. ... g4 38. Ng6+ Kf7 39. Ne5+ Ke6 40. Nd3 Bxc4 0 : 1.

Jordeen van Foreest
Photo: Lennart Ootes (@LennartOotes)