Under an Autumn Sun

Luca Moroni – Viktor Gažík
32nd World Youth Chess Championship Under-18; Porto Carras, October 27, 2018
King’s Indian Defence E64

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 0-0 5. 0-0 d6 6. b3 c5 7. c4 e5 8. e3. 8. dxe5 dxe5 does not lead to anything special for White. 8. ... Nc6 9. Bb2 e4 10. Ne1 Re8. If I were his scapegoat, I’d advise Moroni to carefully study an “old” game from the 80s: Webb – Kasparov, 7th European Team Chess Championship, Skara 1980. 11. Nc3 Bf5 12. Qd2. And, as a corollary, he should also take a look at 12. Nc2 h5! 13. Qd2 h4 14. Ba3 b6 15. Rfd1 Bg4 16. Rdc1 Qd7 17. b4 Qf5 18. Bb2 Rad8 19. Nb5 Bf3 20. d5 Ne5 21. Bxe5 Rxe5 22. Ne1 hxg3 23. fxg3 (23. hxg3 Ng4!−+) 23. ... Bh6 24. Rab1 Kg7 25. Rb3 Qh5 26. h3 Nh7! 27. g4 Bxg4! 28. hxg4 Qxg4 29. Qd1 Qg3! 30. Qe2 Ng5 31. Kh1 Rh8 32. Nxd6 Kg8 33. bxc5 Bf8+ 34. Kg1 Nh3+ 35. Kf1 Bxd6 36. cxd6 Rf5+ 37. Nf3 Rxf3+ 0 : 1 Caruana – Kasparov, Ultimate Blitz Challenge, Saint Louis 2016, match game 6. 12. ... Qd7 13. Rd1 Rad8 14. Nd5 cxd4 15. Nxf6+ Bxf6 16. exd4 d5 17. cxd5 Ne7 18. d6 Qxd6 19. Nc2 Nd5 20. Ne3. In the end, Moroni was lucky enough to hold the position and have time on his side. 20. ... Bc8 21. Qa5 a6 22. Rc1 Qb4 23. Qc5 Qxc5 24. Rxc5 Nb4

25. Bc3! Moroni defends brilliantly, temporarily sacrificing a Pawn in order to keep dynamic equilibrium. 25. ... Nxa2 26. Ba5 b6. Clearly not 26. ... Rxd4?? because of 27. Rc2 and the Black Knight has no way out. 27. Bxb6 Bxd4 28. Rxc8 Bxb6 29. Rxd8 Bxd8 30. Ra1 Nb4 31. Ra4 a5 32. Nc4 Nd3 33. Nd6 Re6 34. Nxe4. Moroni has finally regained his Pawn, but, subjectively speaking, the game appears to be easier for Black than for White. 34. ... Bb6 35. Ra2 f5 36. Ng5 Re1+ 37. Bf1 Rb1 38. Rd2? Moroni plays too quickly just to take advantage of his opponent’s dramatic shortage of time, and, as often happens, it is he who ends up being tricked in the bet. Instead, 38. Kg2 Rxb3 39. Rd2 would have almost certainly ensured him realistic prospects for a draw. 38. ... Nxf2! 39. Rxf2? 39. Kg2 Ng4 looks hardly better, but indeed it has the merit not to lose immediately. 39. ... h6!? It’s not an irreparable omission, but 39. ... Kg7! followed by ... Rb1xb3 and ... Bb6xf2+ (or vice versa) would have won right off. 40. Kg2 hxg5!? Finally Gažík makes his 40th move. Engines make it easier with 40. ... Bxf2 41. Bc4+ Kf8 42. Ne6+ Ke7 43. Kxf2 a4! 44. bxa4 Rb4 45. Bd5 Kd6 46. Nf4 g5 47. Be6 gxf4 48. Bxf5 Rxa4, but, quite understandably, Black contents himself with a zero risk Rook and Bishop of opposite colour ending a Pawn up, which he succeeded in winning after a long work afternoon. 41. Rd2 Kg7 42. Bc4 Rg1+ 43. Kf3 g4+ 44. Ke2 Rg2+ 45. Ke1 Rg1+ 46. Ke2 Rh1 47. Kd3 Kh6 48. Bd5 Rc1 49. Bc4 Kg5 50. Re2 Bg1 51. Kd2 Ra1 52. Kd3 Rd1+ 53. Kc2 Rd8 54. Rg2 Bc5 55. Re2 Rh8 56. Rg2 Bd6 57. Rd2 Be5 58. Re2 Kf6 59. Rg2 Rc8 60. Kd3 Rc7 61. Re2 Rd7+ 62. Kc2 Rd4 63. Bd3 Rb4 64. Rd2 Bd4 65. Re2 Rb8 66. Bc4 Rh8 67. Rg2 Bc5 68. Kd3 Rh7 69. Kc3 Bb4+ 70. Kd3 Rd7+ 71. Kc2 Ke5 72. Re2+ Kd4 73. Be6 Re7 74. Kd1 Kc3 75. Rc2+ Kd3 76. Re2 Kd4 77. Kc2 Rc7+ 78. Kd1 Ba3 79. Ra2 Bb4 80. Re2 Rc3 81. Bf7 Rf3 82. Kc2 g5 83. Be6 Rf1 84. Kb2 f4 85. gxf4 gxf4 86. Bxg4 Kd3 87. Rg2 Bc3+ 88. Ka3 f3 89. Ra2 Ke3 90. Ka4 f2 91. Kb5 Re1 92. Bh3 f1=Q+ 93. Bxf1 Rxf1 94. Rg2 Bb4 95. Rg3+ Kf4 96. Rg2 Rf3 97. Ka4 Rh3 98. Re2 Kf3 99. Rc2 Rh4 100. Kb5 Rd4 101. Rc4 Rd3 102. Ka4 Kg2 103. h4 Rh3 104. Rd4 Kg3 105. h5! In a last ditch show of resistance, Moroni invents a stalemate ordeal which would have deserved better luck. 105. ... Rxh5 106. Rg4+! Kf2 107. Rf4+ Ke2 108. Rf2+ Kd3 109. Rf3+ Kc2 110. Rf2+ Bd2 111. Rg2 Rh4+ 112. Ka3 Rb4 113. Rg3 Bc1+ 114. Ka2 a4 115. Rg2+ Bd2 116. Ka3 axb3 0 : 1.