Rocket Man

Hikaru Nakamura – Nils Axel Grandelius
16th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival; Catalan Bay, January 26, 2018
Sicilian Defence B80

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e6 7. f3 b5 8. Qd2 b4 9. Na4 Nbd7 10. 0-0-0 Qa5 11. b3 Bb7 12. a3 Qc7 13. axb4 d5 14. Bf2(!) Bd6!? 14. ... dxe4 15. Bg3 Qc8 (but 15. ... e5!? 16. Bc4!? g6!? should be taken into consideration) 16. Bc4 yielded White a powerful edge in Yoo – Preotu, 10th Calgary International Chess Classic, Calgary 2017. 15. exd5 Nxd5 16. Bg3! Rc8 17. c4! Bxb4 18. Qg5! Qa5 19. Qxg7 Rf8 20. Nc2! Bc6. 20. ... Nc3? 21. Nxb4! Nxd1 22. Nc2! wins material for White.

21. Qa1! The climax of Nakamura’s theoretical prep. Grandelius was probably hoping for 21. cxd5? Bxa4 22. dxe6 Rxc2+! 23. Kxc2 Bxb3+! 24. Kxb3 Nc5+ and Black has at least perpetual check. 21. ... Nc5. In the tournament bulletin, John Saunders also considers 21. ... N7b6 22. Nxb6 Qxa1+ 23. Nxa1 Nxb6 24. Nc2 and Black has no worthy compensation for his Pawn deficit. 22. Nxc5 Qxa1+ 23. Nxa1. Game over. 23. ... Ba3+ 24. Kd2 Bb4+ 25. Kd3 Nc3 26. Nxa6! Rd8+ 27. Kc2 Rxd1 28. Nxb4 Rxa1 29. Kxc3 Kd7 30. Nc2 Rb1 31. Ne1 Ra8 32. Bd3 Rc1+ 33. Kd2 Raa1 34. Be5 Rd1+ 35. Ke2 Rac1 36. Bb2 1 : 0. Not an everyday picture: both Black’s Rooks ended up trapped on White’s first rank!

Hikaru Nakamura (right) vs. Nils Grandelius (left). Photo © Sophie Triay.