The Fire in the Dust

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi – 李超 (Li Chāo)
World Chess Federation Grand Prix 2017; first stage; Sharjah, February 24, 2017
Russian Defence C42

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. 0-0 0-0 8. c4 c6 9. Nc3 Nxc3 10. bxc3 dxc4 11. Bxc4 Bf5 12. Bg5! Varying from round one’s game Vachier-Lagrave – 李超 (Li Chāo), Sharjah 2017 which went 12. Ne5 Bxe5 13. dxe5 Qe7 14. Re1 Nd7 15. Qf3 g6 16. Qg3 Rfe8 17. Bf4 Qc5 18. Bb3 a5 19. a4 b5 20. h4 Be6 21. Bc2 b4 22. Bd3 b3 23. h5 Nf8 24. Bh6 b2 25. Rab1 Rab8 26. Qf4 Nd7 27. Qg5 Qe7 28. Qxe7 Rxe7 29. Re2 Ree8 30. Rexb2 Rxb2 31. Rxb2 Nxe5 32. Be2 gxh5 33. f3 Nd7 34. Rb7 Nc5 35. Ra7 Nb3 36. g3 Bd5 37. Kf2 Rb8 38. Bf1 Be6 39. Bd3 Bd5 40. Bf5 Re8 41. Bc2 c5 42. Rc7 c4 43. Bf5 Rb8 44. Bd7 f6 45. Bb5 Bf7 46. Rc6 Na1 47. Ra6 Nc2 48. Rxa5 Na3 49. Bc6 Nb1 50. Rb5 1 : 0. 12. ... Qc7 13. Re1 h6 14. Nh4! Bh7 15. Bxh6! Bxh2+. If 15. ... gxh6 there might follow 16. Qg4+ Kh8 17. Nf5 Bxh2+ (clearly not 17. ... Rg8?? on account of 18. Re8+-) 18. Kh1 Bxf5 19. Qxf5 Qf4 20. Qh3 with a powerful initiative for White. 16. Kh1 Bf4. Perhaps Black should have contented himself with 16. ... gxh6 17. Qg4+ Kh8 18. Nf5 Bxf5 20. Qxf5 Qf4 21. Qh5 which leaves White a definite edge, but (maybe) less tactical sharpness.

17. Bxg7! A pretty corollary. 17. ... Kxg7 18. Qg4+ Kh8 19. Nf5 Bxf5 20. Qxf5 Qd6 21. g3! White elegantly makes room for his Rooks on the h-file. 21. ... Bh6 22. Kg2! b5 23. Bb3 Qg6 24. Qxg6 fxg6 25. Re7. Unsurprisingly, even without the Queens White’s attack proves to be irresistible. 25. ... g5 26. Re6 Kg7 27. Rh1 Rh8 28. Re7+ Kg6 29. Bc2+ 1 : 0. For if 29. ... Kh6 then 30. Rhe1 g4 31. R1e6+ Kg5 32. Rg6+ Kh5 33. Re5+ and mate next move.

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi
Photo © Maria Yassakova/Agon Limited