Worst by Test

Rafael Artemovich Vaganian – Levon Grigori Aronian

2nd FiNet Chess960 Open; time control: 20 minutes plus 5 seconds per move; Mainz, August, 2003

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Position #70

1. e4? Just forget about classical chess and Bobby Fischer’s definition of 1. e2-e4 as “best by test”. He didn’t want to be remembered for that, but rather for his last great invention: Fischerandom chess. An infinite set of worlds, a multi-dimensional board where things can happen that could never happen in standard chess. And, indeed, what happens here now, happens because of the presence of undefended Pawns in the starting array (in the classical one all Pawns are defended!). So Vaganian’s Pavlovian “best” turns out to be a blatant mistake! 1. f3 is one of the possible good first moves, after which there may follow: 1. ... Nb6 2. d4 f5 3. Nc3⩲ with a preference for White.
1. ... f5! That’s simple — and true: Black wins a Pawn by force.
2. Nc3 fxe4 3. d3. 3. Nxe4?? Qe6 would cost even more.
3. ... exd3 4. Bxd3 Nc6 5. Be3 e5. Black is a sound Pawn ahead, which, theoretically speaking, is sufficient to terminate debate. The rest of the game is given just for duty of chronicle:
6. 0-0-0?! (6. Bg5!? Be7 7. Bxe7 Nxe7 8. f4 Qe6)

6. ... Bb4?! 6. ... d5! seems to be much stronger: if 7. Bg5 then 7. ... d4 8. Bxd8 dxc3 with great advantage to Black.
7. Nd5 Qf7 8. Kb1?! (8. Nb3!? 0-0 9. Bc4 Kh8)
8. ... d6 9. Bg5

9. ... Be6! Black picks up a second Pawn, though at the cost of the Exchange.
10. Nxb4 Nxb4 11. Bxd8 Bxa2+ 12. Kc1 Qf4+ 13. Rd2 Kxd8 14. g3 Nxd3+ 15. cxd3 Qa4 16. Qd1 Qxd1+?! 16. ... Qc6+! 17. Rc2 Qb5 would have kept up the initiative.
17. Rhxd1 Bd5 18. d4?! (⌓ 18. f4!)
18. ... e4 19. Nc2 Rf8 20. Ne3 Bb3 21. Rf1 Nb6 22. d5? Probably best was 22. f3! Nc4 23. Re2 Nxe3 24. Rxe3 Bd5 25. f4 h5 with a dynamically balanced ending.
22. ... Nd7 23. Re2 Ne5 24. Kd2

24. ... Ba4? 24. ... Nc4+ 25. Kc3 Nxe3 26. Rxe3 Bxd5 would have ensured Black a much better endgame.
25. Ra1 Bb5 26. Rxa7 Bxe2. 26. ... Nf3+! 27. Kd1 Bxe2+ 28. Kxe2 Nd4+ 29. Kf1 b5 is a slightly better version of the game’s ending.
27. Kxe2 b5 28. Ra8+ Ke7 29. Rxf8 Kxf8 30. Nd1 Ng4 31. b4 Ke7 (31. ... Nxh2 32. Nc3=)
32. h3 Nf6 33. Nc3 Kd7 34. Ke3 c6 35. Kd4 h5 36. h4 g6

37. Nxe4?? A blunder due to lack of time. White could draw in more ways than one; for example: 37. dxc6+ Kxc6 38. Ne2 Nd5 39. Nf4 Nxb4= (but not 39. ... Nxf4?? 40. gxf4 d5 because of 41. Ke5+−).
37. ... Nxd5 0 : 1.