In Rehearsal

Shakhriyar Hamid oglu Mamedyarov – Vincent Keymer
FIDE Grand Prix 2022; 3rd stage; Pool B; Berlin, March 25, 2022
English Opening A29

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e5 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 Bb4 5. Bg2 0-0 6. 0-0 e4 7. Nh4!? A variation in theme. 7. Ne1 and 7. Ng5 are most usual. 7. ... Bxc3 8. bxc3 d6. 8. ... Re8 9. f3 exf3 10. Nxf3 d5 would lead, by transposition, to well-known theory, e.g. 11. d4! Ne4 12. Qc2 dxc4 13. Rb1 f5 14. g4! Qe7 15. gxf5 Nd6? (⌓ 15. ... Bxf5 16. Ng5⩲ with a view to a favourable ending) 16. Ng5 Qxe2 17. Bd5+ Kh8 18. Qxe2 Rxe2 19. Bf4 Nd8 20. Bxd6 cxd6 21. Rbe1 Rxe1 22. Rxe1 Bd7 23. Re7 Bc6 24. f6! 1 : 0 Kasparov – Ivanchuk, 55th USSR Chess Championship, Moscow 1988. 9. d4 h6 10. f3!?

10. ... g5? The gain of the Knight costs too dearly to Black. Simply 10. ... exf3 11. Nxf3 (11. Rxf3!? Na5 12. Nf5 Nxc4 13. Nxh6+ gxh6 14. Bxh6 Ng4 15. Bxf8 Qxf8 16. Qd3 Be6∞) 11. ... Re8 was playable. 11. fxe4! gxh4 12. Bxh6 Ng4? (⌓ 12. ... Nh7 13. Qd3±)

13. Qd2! This, in conjunction with the following move, puts Black on the ropes. 13. ... hxg3 14. h3! Qh4 15. Bxf8 Kxf8 16. Qf4 Qh7 17. Qxg3 Nh6 18. c5! Qg7 19. Qxg7+. Mamedyarov decides to switch to the endgame rather than continue playing for the attack with 19. Qh4 dxc5 20. Rf3 — which was also a strong option. 19. ... Kxg7 20. cxd6 cxd6 21. Rab1

21. ... Na5? Allowing the White Rook to move to the Kingside with gain of tempo. A little better was 21. ... Nd8 whereupon 22. c4 Ne6 23. e3±/+− would have probably followed. 22. Rb5 Nc4 23. Rg5+ Kf8 24. Rh5 Kg7 25. Rg5+ Kf8 26. Rf4 Ng8 27. Bf3 (27. Rh4 f6 28. Rg3+−) 27. ... Bd7 (27. ... Bxh3 28. e5! dxe5 29. Rh4+−) 28. Bh5 Be8 29. e5 dxe5 30. dxe5 Rc8 31. e6 Nd6 32. Rd5 Rc4. If 32. ... Ke7 then 33. Rxd6 Kxd6 34. exf7 Bxf7 35. Rxf7 Rxc3 36. Rxb7 Rxh3 37. Bf3 winning the a-Pawn and remaining with two Pawns ahead. 33. Rxc4 Nxc4 34. exf7 Bxf7 35. Bxf7 Kxf7 36. Rd7+ Ne7 37. Rxb7 a5 38. Rc7 Nd6 39. Ra7 Nc4 40. Rc7 Nd6 41. a4 Ne4 42. Rc4 Ng5 43. h4 Ne6 44. Kf2 Nf5 45. h5 Nd6 46. Rg4 Nf5 47. Kf3 Kf6 48. Rg6+ Kf7 49. Ke4 Ne7 50. Rg4 Kf6 51. h6 Ng5+ 52. Kd3 Ng6 53. Kd4 Nf7 54. h7 Kg7 55. Kc5 Kxh7 56. Kb5 Nge5 57. Rg1 Nd6+ 58. Kxa5 Ne4 59. Kb4 Nc6+ 60. Kc4 Na5+ 61. Kb5 Nb3 62. Kb4 Nbc5 63. a5 1 : 0.

Today German prodigy Keymer got bogged down in a theoretical Fata Morgana. Photo © Niki Riga.