Vacation on Earth

Radosław Wojtaszek – Noël Oliver Studer

53rd Biel International Chess Festival; Grandmaster Triathlon — Classical; Biel/Bienne, July 29, 2020

Bogo-Indian Defence E11

The Biel International Chess Festival concluded today its 53rd anniversary and, no matter who won and who came close, it will go down to history as a bold human achievement in times of unreality. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Be7 5. Bg2 d5 6. Nf3 0-0 7. 0-0 Nbd7 8. a4 a5 9. Qc2 c6 10. Na3 Bd6 11. Rfd1!? The most recent theory is 11. Ne1 Re8 12. Nd3 e5 13. cxd5 e4 14. Nf4 cxd5 15. Nb5 Bb8 16. Rac1 Ra6! which gave Black good play in 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) – Anand, 7th Sinquefield Cup, Saint Louis 2019. 11. ... Ne4 12. Be3 f5. Transposing to a Dutch Defence. 13. Qc1 h6 14. Ne1 g5 15. f3 Nef6 16. Nd3 Qe7 17. Bf2 Qg7 18. Re1 h5 19. cxd5 (19. Be3⩲) 19. ... exd5 20. Nb1 Kh8 21. Nc3 h4 22. gxh4 gxh4 23. Kh1

23. ... h3! 24. Bxh3. Very risky, but if 24. Bf1 there might follow 24. ... Rg8 with the threat of ... Qg7-g7 followed by ... Rg8-g2. 24. ... Qh7 25. Nf4 Nh5?! Sound and peaceful is 25. ... Bxf4 26. Qxf4 Qxh3 27. Bh4 Ng4! 28. Bg3 Ngf6 with a likely draw by repetition, but even better is 25. ... Qh6! 26. Bg3 Rg8 with powerful compensation for the Pawn. Instead, as often happens, one mistake gives birth to another: 26. Ne6 Re8? (26. ... Ng7!∞) 27. Ng5 Qg6

28. Nf7+! Qxf7 (28. ... Kh7 29. Bxf5!+−) 29. Qh6+ Qh7 30. Qxd6 Ndf6 31. Bh4. That’s all. Within a few moves, White will force a liquidation to a won ending. 31. ... Qf7 32. Rg1 f4 33. Bxc8 Raxc8 34. Bxf6+ Qxf6 35. Qxf6+ Nxf6 36. Rg6 Nh7 37. Rag1 Rc7 38. R1g4 Rf7 39. Kg1 Nf8 40. Rh6+ Nh7 41. Kf2 Rg8 42. Rgh4 Rg5 43. Na2 Kg8 44. Nc1 Nf8 45. Nd3 Ng6 46. Rg4 Kg7 47. Rxg5 Kxh6 48. Rxg6+! Kxg6 49. Ne5+ Kf6 50. Nxf7 Kxf7 51. e4 fxe3+ 52. Kxe3 b6 53. h4 c5 54. f4 Kg7 55. Kf3 Kg6 56. Kg4 Kg7 57. h5 Kf6 58. f5 cxd4 59. h6 1 : 0.

Thus, in the end, all the glory went to Wojtaszek, who, by winning his last round game with Studer, succeeded in keeping Harikrishna and Adams (both winning their games as well) at a distance, finally securing the first prize. Photo: Simon Bohnenblust.