Lake Time

Pier Luigi Basso – Thái Đại Văn Nguyễn
Tegernsee Masters 2020; Bad Wiessee, November 5, 2020
Neo-Grünfeld Defence D70

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. f3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nb6 6. Nc3 Bg7 7. Be3 0-0 8. Qd2 e5 9. d5 c6 10. h4 cxd5 11. exd5 N8d7 12. h5 Nf6 13. hxg6 fxg6 14. 0-0-0 Bd7 15. Kb1 Rc8 16. d6 e4 17. fxe4 Ng4 18. Bg5 Qe8 19. Nf3 Rf7 20. Be7. Very interesting is also 20. Qe1 Rc5 21. Bd2 Be6 22. e5 Bxe5 23. Bd3! Na4? (23. ... Nc4!?) 24. Nxe5 Rxe5 25. Qh4 Rh5 26. Qg3 Nxc3+ 27. Bxc3 Qa4 28. d7! Rd5 29. Bc2 Qxd7 30. Bb3 Rxd1+ 31. Rxd1 Qc8 32. Qh4! Nf6 33. Rd6! Bxb3 34. Rxf6 1 : 0 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén) – Mamedyarov, 7th Norway Chess, Stavanger 2019. 20. ... Rxc3 21. bxc3 Qc8 22. Rc1 Qc5? This is a new, but bad move. Theory gives 22. ... Na4 23. Ng5 Qc5 with a tenable game: 24. Nxf7 (24. Rh3 Rxf1 25. Rxf1 Qb5+ 26. Kc2 Qb2+ 27. Kd1 Qa1+ 28. Kc2 Qxa2+ 29. Kc1 Qa1+ 30. Kc2 Qb2+ 31. Kd1 Qb1+ 32. Ke2 Bb5+ 33. Kf3 Qxf1+ 34. Kxg4 Bd7+ 35. Kh4 Bxc3 36. Qd5+ Kg7 37. Bf6+ Qxf6 38. Rf3 Bc6 39. Qd1 Nb2 40. Qb3 Be1+ 41. Kh3 Qxg5 42. Rf7+ Kh6 43. Rxh7+ Kxh7 44. Qf7+ Kh6 45. Qf8+ Kh7 ½ : ½ Tabatabaei – Maghsoodloo, 15th Aeroflot Open, Moscow 2017) 24. ... Nxc3+ 25. Rxc3 Bxc3 26. Nh6+ Kg7 27. Qd5 Qb4+ 28. Qb3 Qxe4+ 29. Qc2 Qe1+ 30. Qc1 Qe4+ 31. Qc2 Qe1+ 32. Qc1 Qe4+ 33. Qc2 ½ : ½ Grischuk – Domínguez Pérez, Grand Prix 2012–2013, 4th stage, Thessaloniki 2013. 23. Qb2! Nf2 (23. ... h6 24. Qb4±/+−)

24. Ng5!!?? 24. Rh4+− was now very strong, but Basso gets tempted by something more exciting, even if not flawless to the engine’s further check. 24. ... Nxh1 25. Qb3 Be8? 25. ... Qf2! should hold everything together, even if by a hair’s breath (26. Bb5 Ng3). 26. d7!+− Qxe7 27. dxe8=Q+ Qxe8 28. Bb5 Qe7

29. Rf1! Bf6 30. Qxf7+ Qxf7 31. Nxf7 Ng3 (31. ... Kxf7 32. e5 Ng3 33. Rxf6+ Ke7 34. Bd3+−) 32. Rxf6 Nxe4 33. Nh6+ Kg7 34. Rf7+ Kxh6 35. c4 1 : 0.

Regardless of how the tournament ends, Basso can consider himself lucky he can enjoy such an interlude from the emptiness of lockdown at Tegernsee. Photo: schach-tegernsee.de.