Friday, July 24, 2020

Œil-de-bœuf

Pentala Harikrishna – Vincent Keymer
53rd Biel International Chess Festival; Grandmaster Triathlon — Classical; Biel/Bienne, July 24, 2020
Semi-Slav Defence D47

1. c4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bb3 b4 9. Ne2 Be7 10. 0-0 Bb7 11. Nf4 c5 12. Ng5 0-0!? A novelty and an improvement over 12. ... Qb6? (Annakov – Nevostrujev, Moscow 1995) and now White ought to have played 13. Nxf7! with devastating effect.


13. Ngxe6! White sacrifices a Knight for three Pawns and an enduring initiative. 13. ... fxe6 14. Nxe6 Qc8 15. Nxc5+ (15. Nxf8?! Kxf8 is fine for Black) 15. ... Kh8. Likewise after 15. ... Bd5 16. Ne6 Bxe6 17. Bxe6+ Kh8 18. f3 White has an easier game. 16. Nxb7. After 17. Ne6?! Bd6! 18. Nxf8 Nxf8 White would gain material, but at the cost of ceding all initiative to his opponent. 17. ... Qxb7 17. f3 a5 18. e4 Nb6 19. Qe2 a4 20. Bc2 Rfc8. 20. ... a3 21. b3 Rac8 seems more natural. 21. Bd3 a3 22. b3 Qd7 23. Be3 Rc3 24. Rad1 Rd8 25. Kh1 Qe8 26. Bg1 Bf8 27. Qe1 Nbd7 28. Bb1


28. ... Nh5? Keymer, with a few minutes left on the clock, only hastens his own demise. 28. ... Qh5 was Black’s best chance. 29. e5 Qe6 30. Qh4 Qh6. Black still hopes for White to fall for a last ditch trick: 31. Qxd8?? Ng3#. 31. g4 Nf4 32. Qxd8 Qh3 33. Rf2 Rxf3 34. Qa8 Rxf2 35. Bxf2 Qxg4 36. Rg1 Qh5 37. Re1 1 : 0.

A convincing win by Harikrishna and a new setback for Keymer. Photo: Simon Bohnenblust.

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