Nick of Time

Michael Adams – Pentala Harikrishna

"读特杯" (“Dú Tè Cup”) 龙岗 (Lónggǎng) Chess Masters; 深圳 (Shēnzhèn), March 24, 2017

6k1/3q1p2/1p6/p1p1P1p1/P1Qn4/4K1P1/BP5P/8 w - - 0 36

Position after 35. ... h6xg5

The White e-Pawn is isolated and weak, but nevertheless White should somehow be able to hold his own after, let’s say, 36. Qd5 Qf5 37. Bc4 (Stockfish). 36. Qf1?? I cannot but guess Adams was in terrific time trouble for explaining such a miscalculation. He was perhaps envisioning something like Qf1-f6, but Black’s rejoinder strucks him down: 36. ... Nc6! 37. Qd3. Since after 37. e6 Qd4+ 38. Kf3 Qxa4! Black seems to be able to victoriously handle all turbulences, Adams decides to try his luck by giving up his Bishop, in the vain hope that his a-Pawn may have a future (as Queen) – but it will never happen. 37. ... Qxd3+ 38. Kxd3 Nb4+ 39. Kc4 Nxa2 40. Kb5 Nb4 41. Kxb6 Nd3. Black’s task appears to be quite easy. 42. Kxa5. Equally hopeless is 42. b3 Nxe5 followed by ... f7-f5-f4. 42. ... Nxb2 43. h4 gxh4 44. gxh4 Kg7 45. h5 Kh6 46. Kb5 c4 47. Kb4 c3 48. Kxc3 Nxa4+ 49. Kd4 Kxh5 50. Kd5 Nb6+ 51. Kc6 Kg5 0 : 1. For after 52. Kd6 Nc4+ 53. Kd5 Nxe5 54. Kxe5 f5 Black’s f-Pawn will queen.

Pentala Harikrishna
Photo: cca.imsa.cn