The World In-Between

Yuri González Vidal – Pentala Harikrishna
7th Chess World Cup; match game 1; Tbilisi, September 3, 2017
Russian Defence C42

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nxc3 6. dxc3 Be7 7. Be3 Nc6 8. Qd2 Be6 9. 0-0-0 Qd7 10. Kb1 Bf6 11. Bg5 Bxg5 12. Nxg5 0-0-0 13. Nxe6 fxe6. The recapture with the Queen is more usual and it might be sounder – but not because it is more usual. 14. g3 e5 15. Bg2 Rhf8 16. Qe3! The Cuban Grandmaster knows quite well the secrets of the position for having lost a game with Black four years ago: 16. Be4 Rf6 17. Rhf1 Rdf8 18. f3 Nd8 19. Qe3 Qa4 20. b3 Qa5 21. f4 exf4 22. Rxf4 h6 23. Rdf1 Rxf4 24. gxf4! c6? 25. Rg1 d5 26. Bd3 Rf7 27. Bg6 Rf6 28. Bh5 when Black had to cede a Pawn and was ultimately overwhelmed in the ending, Quezada Pérez – González Vidal, 25th Carlos Torre Memorial, Mérida 2013. 16. ... Kb8 17. Rd2 Rf6 18. Rhd1 Rdf8

19. c4! Qg4 20. c5! Rxf2. This leads to a nearly forced sequel which appears very pleasant for White. On the other hand, both 20. ... dxc5 and 20. ... Na5 (two of Stockfish’s suggestions) would be met by 21. h3! causing Black more than some embarrassment. 21. Bxc6! bxc6. 21. ... Rf1 22. Qd3 makes not too much difference, and if any, it is surely not for better. 22. cxd6 cxd6 23. Rxd6 Qc4 24. Rd8+ Rxd8 25. Rxd8+ Kc7 26. Qxe5+! Kb6. On 26. ... Kxd8 27. Qb8+ Kd7 28. Qxa7+ White wins back the Rook and remains two Pawns ahead. 27. Qe3+ Qc5. Not 27. ... Kc7?? 28. Qe7+ Kb6 29. Rb8+ Ka5 (or 29. ... Ka6 30. Qa3+ and mate next move) 30. Qxa7+ Qa6 31. Qc5+ and mate next move. 28. Qb3+ Qb5 29. Qe3+ Qc5 30. Qd3!! After repeating moves to save time, González Vidal prepares for the siege of the enemy King. 30. ... Qe5? Pawns are less important than King’s survival, so Black’s best chance was 30. ... Rf8(!), putting his hopes into a Queen ending a Pawn down. 31. a3! Qe1+. Not 31. ... Kc7? 32. Rd7+ Kb8?? 33. Qb3+ Qb5 34. Qg8+ and mate next move. 32. Ka2 Qe6+ 33. c4 a5. 33. ... Kc7 34. Rh8 is also totally hopeless. 34. Qd4+ Kc7 35. Ra8 Qf6 36. Ra7+ 1 : 0. Mate in two follows.