The Thought

Matthias Blübaum – Evgeniy Yuryevich Najer
15th Aeroflot Open; Moscow, February 24, 2017
Réti Opening A07

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Bg4 3. Bg2 c6 4. 0-0 Nf6 5. h3 Bxf3 6. Bxf3 e5 7. d3 a5 8. a4. In Erdos – Navara, Schachbundesliga 2013/2014, Eppingen 2014 was seen 8. Nd2 Bc5 9. e4 0-0 10. Nb3 Bb6 11. a4 Nbd7 12. c3 h6 13. Qc2 Re8 14. Kh2 Nc5 15. Nxc5 Bxc5 16. Bd2 Qb6 17. Kg2 Rad8 18. Rad1 Rd7 19. Bc1 Red8 20. Rfe1 dxe4 21. dxe4 ½ : ½. 8. ... Bc5 9. Nd2 0-0 10. e4 Re8 11. c3 Nbd7 12. Bg2 Ba7 13. exd5 cxd5 14. Nb1. It seems a bit convoluted. “The idea, after 16. Nb1-a3, was probably Na3-b5”, but then it won’t happen”, writes Thomas Richter in his commentary for chess-international.de. 14. ... e4 15. d4 h6 16. Na3 Bb8 17. Be3 Ra6 18. b4. White continues his Queenside mobilisation without paying any attention to the whole board. 18. ... axb4 19. cxb4 Nf8 20. Qb3. 20. Nb5 is also answered by 20. ... h5! taking the upper hand. 20. ... h5! A brilliant way to claim the initiative! 21. Bg5 N8h7 22. Bd2. “Even more loss of time”, says Richter. 22. ... h4. Black’s attack looks powerful enough to seize its target. 23. g4 Qd6 24. Rfc1 Qh2+ 25. Kf1

25. ... Bg3!! Of course, something like ... Nh7-f8-e6 was very good and nearly winning, but Najer concludes in a much more spectacular way. 26. g5. If 26. fxg3 then 26. ... Nxg4! 27. hxg4 Rf6+ finis. 26. ... Bxf2! 27. Kxf2 e3+ 28. Bxe3 Nxg5 29. Kf1. Or 29. Bxg5 Ne4+ and wins. 29. ... Nh5 30. Ra2 Ng3+ 31. Ke1 Qg1+ 0 : 1.

Matthias Blübaum vs. Evgeniy Yuryevich Najer
Photo: ruchess.ru

A Day with Aeroflot

余泱漪 (Yú Yāngyī) – Denis Rimovich Khismatullin
15th Aeroflot Open; Moscow, February 24, 2017
Sicilian Defence B23

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 a6 3. g3 b5 4. Bg2 Bb7 5. d3 e6 6. Nh3 b4 7. Ne2 d5 8. e5 Nc6 9. f4 Nh6. Very similar consequences may arise from 9. ... Nge7 10. 0-0 Nf5 11. g4 Nh4 12. Ng3 Nxg2 13. Kxg2 Qd7 14. Qe1 0-0-0 15. a3 a5 16. axb4 axb4 17. Kg1 f6 18. c3 d4 19. c4 Re8 20. Qe2 f5 21. Bd2 g6 22. Kf2 Be7 23. Ke1 Kc7 24. Kf2 Ra8 25. Ng1 Na5 26. h3 h5 27. gxh5 gxh5 28. Nf3 h4 29. Nh1 Nb3 30. Rab1 Qc6 31. Kg2 Rag8+ 32. Kh2 Rg6 33. Ng5 Rhg8 34. Rg1 Bxg5 35. Rxg5 Qf3 36. Re1 Rxg5 37. fxg5 Qxe2+ 38. Rxe2 Nxd2 39. Rxd2 Rxg5 40. b3 Kd7 0 : 1 Mack – Hillarp Persson, 35th Guernsey International Chess Festival, Guernsey 2009. 10. Nf2 Nf5 11. 0-0 Qb6 12. c3 Be7 13. g4? Nh4⩱ 14. Bh1 h5! 15. g5 f6. Grandmaster Rafael Duailibe Leitão much prefers 15. ... g6⩱, apparently not too convinced by Black’s following Pawn sacrifice. 16. exf6 gxf6 17. Ng3 fxg5 18. fxg5 0-0-0! 19. Qe2. As a matter of fact, it seems a loss of time. After 19. Re1! (Leitão) 19. ... e5 20. Nxh5 Kb8 21. Qg4 Ng6 the same position of the actual game occurs, but with the difference that the White Rook is on e1 (White has magically gained a move!). 19. ... e5 20. Nxh5 Kb8 21. Qg4 Ng6. Black’s attacking prospects more than compensate for the Pawn. 22. Nf6 e4! Leitão recommends 22. ... Bc8!∓, but, indeed, Black’s second positional Pawn sacrifice appears very powerful. 23. dxe4 Nce5 24. Qg3 Bd6 25. h3 Qc7 26. Rd1 Nd7! 27. Qf3 Nxf6 28. gxf6 dxe4 29. Qg4 Rhg8 30. Kf1 Nf4 31. Qf5

31. ... e3! Another convincing line is 31. ... Rg1+!? 32. Kg1 Ne2+ 33. Kg2 e3+ 34. Ne4 Ng3−+ (Leitão’s analysis). 32. Bxe3 Bxh1? Black misses the most forcing 32. ... Rg1+! 33. Kxg1 Ne2+ 34. Kf1 Ng3+ winning heavy material. 33. f7? Returning the favour. Best was 33. Rxd6 Bg2+ 34. Ke1 Qxd6 35. Qxf4 Qxf4 35. Bxf4+ Kc8∓ (Leitão’s analysis). 33. ... Bg2+ 34. Ke1 Qe7! 35. Ng4 Rxg4! 0 : 1.

Liturgy of the Hours

Boris Abramovich Gelfand – Rinat Jumabayev
14th Aeroflot Open; Moscow, March 9, 2016
Grünfeld Defence D78

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 c6 4. Bg2 d5 5. Nf3 Bg7 6. 0-0 0-0 7. Nbd2 Na6 8. b3 c5 9. Bb2 b6 10. dxc5 Nxc5 11. b4 Ne6 12. cxd5 Nxd5 13. Bxg7 Kxg7. It appears to be a novelty. For 13. ... Nxg7 14. Qb3 Nf6 15. Ne5 Be6 16. Qb2 Bd5 17. b5 Bxg2 18. Kxg2 Ne6 19. Nc6 Qc7 20. Nf3 a6 21. a4 Nc5 see Ki. Georgiev – Lékó, Stočar banka, Čačak 1996. 14. Qb3 Bb7 15. Rfd1 Nf6 16. Nc4 Qc7 17. Rac1 Rac8 18. Qb2 Qb8? An artificial manoeuvre (Δ ... Qb8-a8) that cramps Black’s position and surrenders the initiative to Boris Abramovich. After 18. ... Rfd8 Black seems to have no problem at all.

19. Bh3! b5 20. Bxe6 fxe6 21. Nce5 Rxc1 22. Rxc1 Qd6 23. Qd4 Bd5 24. a3 a5. Jumabayev nervously starts off aiming too high. 25. Ne1. Of course, 25. bxa5 is also very good and maybe better, but Gelfand, in his typical style, exploits his advantage by subtle positional means, finally gaining material and converting it into a win with superb technique. 25. ... axb4 26. axb4 Bc4 27. Qb2 Qd5 28. Ng2 Rc8 29. Nf4 Qe4 30. f3 Qe3+ 31. Kg2 Kg8 32. Nfd3 g5 33. Nf2 Rd8 34. Nxc4 bxc4 35. Rxc4 Kf7 36. b5 h5 37. Rc3 Rd2 38. Rc2 Rd8 39. Nd3 g4 40. Ne5+ Kg7 41. Nc4 Qc5 42. Qa3 Qxa3 43. Nxa3 Ra8 44. Rc3 Nd5 45. Rb3 gxf3+ 46. exf3 Nb6 47. Kh3 Rc8 48. Nb1 Rd8 49. Re3 Kf7 50. f4 Nc4 51. Re4 Rc8 52. Re2 Nd6 53. Rb2 Rb8 54. Nc3 Nc4 55. Rb4 Nb6 56. Ne4 Nd5 57. Ng5+ Kf6 58. Re4 Nc7 59. Rc4 Nxb5 60. Rb4 e5 61. Ne4+ Kf5 62. Nc3 Nxc3 63. Rxb8 exf4 64. Rf8+ Kg6 65. Rxf4 Nd5 66. Ra4 Ne3 67. Re4 Nf5 68. Kg2 Kf6 69. Kf3 Nd6 70. Rf4+ Kg5 71. Ra4 Kf5 72. Rd4 Ne8 73. Rf4+ Kg6 74. Ke4 Nf6+ 75. Ke5 Kf7 76. h3 Kg6 77. Ke6 Kg5 78. h4+ Kg6 79. Kxe7 1 : 0.

Amruta Sunil Mokal (@amrutamokal)

Castle Clash

Gataulla Rustemovich Kamsky – Aleksey Konstantinovich Goganov
14th Aeroflot Open; Moscow, March 8, 2016
Queen’s Pawn Opening D02

1. d4 d5 2. Bf4 Nf6 3. e3 c5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Nbd2 e6 6. c3 Bd6 7. Bg3 0-0 8. Bd3 b6 9. Qe2 Bb7 10. Rd1 Re8 11. e4. For 11. dxc5 Bxc5 12. e4 see Sandipan – Travesset Ribera, 34th International Open, Benasque 2014. 11. ... Be7 12. e5 Nh5 13. a3 c4 14. Bb1 g6 15. Nf1 b5 16. Ne3 a5 17. Ng4 b4 18. Qe3 bxc3 19. bxc3 Rb8 20. Bf4 Bc8 21. Bg5 Rb3 22. h4. There’s no need for any variation here. Black accomplished nothing on the Queenside, whereas White obtained a crushing attack against Black’s King. 22. ... Qb6 23. Bc2 Rxa3 24. Bxe7 Nxe7 25. Qh6 Nf5 26. Bxf5 exf5 27. Ng5 Nf6 28. Ne3 f4 29. Nxd5 Qd8

30. 0-0! Easy but brilliant. 1 : 0.

Brevi manu

Boris Vladimirovich Savchenko – Jorden van Foreest
14th Aeroflot Open; Moscow, March 7, 2016
Sicilian Defence B22

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c3 Nf6 4. e5 Nd5 5. d4 cxd4 6. cxd4 d6 7. Bc4 Be7 8. 0-0 0-0 9. Qe2 b6 10. Rd1 Bb7 11. Bxd5 exd5 12. Nc3 Na6. For 12. ... Bxf3 13. Qxf3 d5 see Godena – Gajewski, World Rapid Chess Championship, Berlin 2015. 13. Nb5 Nc7 14. Nxc7 Qxc7 15. Bg5 Rfe8 16. Rac1 Qd7 17. Bxe7 Qxe7 18. Rc3 Bc8? A somewhat convoluted manoeuvre by which Black loses valuable ground. 18. ... Rac8 looks much sounder. 19. h3 Bf5 20. Rdc1 dxe5 21. dxe5 h6 22. Nd4

22. ... Qxe5?? Black badly blunders a clear piece. Comparatively better was 22. ... Bd7, although after 23. f4 White stands clearly better. 23. Qxe5 Rxe5 24. f4 1 : 0.

Breviter

Rinat Jumabayev – Temur Igonin
14th Aeroflot Open; Moscow, March 6, 2016
Queen’s Gambit Accepted D20

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 Nf6 4. e5 Nd5 5. Bxc4 Nb6 6. Bb3 Nc6 7. Ne2 Bf5 8. Nbc3 e6 9. 0-0 Qd7 10. Be3 0-0-0 11. Rc1 Kb8 12. Na4 Nd5. For 12. ... Be7 13. Nc5 Bxc5 14. Rxc5 Ne7 see Onischuk – Bacrot, 6th Poikovsky Karpov Chess Tournament, Poikovsky 2005. 13. Bg5 Rc8 14. Nac3 h6 15. Nxd5 exd5 16. Bf4 Nd8. Possibly better is the immediate 16. ... g5 in order to answer 17. Be3 (if 17. Bg3 there follows 17. ... h5) by 17. ... Na5 with a more balanced position. 17. Ba4 Qe6 18. Bg3 g5 19. f4 Be7 20. fxg5 hxg5 21. Nc3 c6

22. Nxd5! Sic et simpliciter. 22. ... Bg4? After 22. ... Qxd5 23. Rxf5 White emerges a clear Pawn ahead, but the text is much worse. 23. Qb3 cxd5 24. Bd7! The pointe. 24. ... Qxd7 25. e6+ Qd6 26. Qa3! Mercilessly. 26. ... Nxe6 27. Bxd6+ Bxd6 28. Qxd6+ Ka8 29. Rxc8+ Rxc8 30. Rxf7 1 : 0.

Strictly Come Dancing

温阳 (Wēn Yáng) – Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev
14th Aeroflot Open; Moscow, March 2, 2016
Sicilian Defence B23

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 a6 3. g3 b5 4. Bg2 Bb7 5. d3 e6 6. Nh3 d6 7. 0-0 Nf6 8. f4 Nc6 9. Be3. For 9. f5 b4 10. Nb1 e5 11. Nd2 see Y. Bernstein – Aloni, Netanya 1968. 9. ... Be7 10. e5! dxe5 11. fxe5 Nd7 12. Qg4 g6? If he had known what was expected, Artemiev would certainly have sacrificed the Exchange by 12. ... 0-0 13. Bh6 g6.

13. Rxf7!! A terrific blow which is designed to catch His Majesty out. 13. ... Kxf7. Or 13. ... Ncxe5 14. Qxe6 Bxg2 15. Kxg2 Nxf7 16. Nd5 and wins. 14. Rf1+ Ke8. If 14. ... Kg7 then 15. Nf4 Nf8 16. Nh5+ Kg8 17. Qf4 Qe8 18. Nf6+ Bxf6 19. exf6 and Black’s defence will fall pretty soon. 15. Qxe6 Ndxe5 16. Ne4. After 17 minutes of thinking. 16. ... Qc7 17. Nf4. 17. Nhg5! was even stronger. 17. ... Bc8. Probably not best move, but the situation was already exceedingly difficult for Black. 18. Nf6+ Kd8 19. Qd5+ Qd6 20. Bxc5 1 : 0. For if 20. ... Qxd5 then 21. Bb6 mate.

That Little Something

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Viorel Iordăchescu
7th Aeroflot Open; Moscow, February 19, 2008
Caro-Kann Defence B19

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nd7 8. h5 Bh7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 e6 11. Bf4 Qa5+ 12. Bd2 Bb4 13. c3 Be7 14. c4 Qc7 15. 0-0-0 Ngf6 16. Kb1 0-0 17. Rhe1 Rfd8 18. Qc2!?TN a5 19. a3 a4 20. Ne2 Ng4 21. Nf4 Ndf6 22. Bc1 Ra5 23. Qe2 Bf8⇆

24. Nh4 (24. g3 c5) 24. ... e5 25. dxe5 (25. Ne6?! fxe6 26. f3 e4! 27. fxg4 Qg3) 25. ... Rxe5 26. Qc2 Rxe1 27. Rxe1 Qa5 28. Re2 Nxh5 29. Nd3 Rd4 30. Nf3 Rd8 31. Nfe1

31. ... b5 32. c5 Ngf6? (32. ... Qa7! 33. f3 Ng3 34. fxg4 Nxe2 35. Qxe2 Bxc5) 33. Ne5 Rd5 (33. ... Qc7 34. g4 Rd5 35. N1d3 Nd7 36. Nxc6!) 34. N1d3 Nd7 35. Nxc6 Qc7 36. Ne7+ Bxe7 37. Rxe7 Qd8 38. Re1 Nhf6 39. c6 Nb6 40. Nb4 Rd4 41. Be3 Rc4 42. Rd1 Qb8 43. Qf5 Na8 44. Bxh6 1 : 0.

Touch of Enchantment

Sergey Viktorovich Volkov – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
7th Aeroflot Open; Moscow, February 22, 2008
4k3/p1P5/P1r5/3N1p1p/7P/6B1/6PK/8 w - - 0 61

Position after 60. ... Kf7xe8

In the diagram, there is no doubt that White will win, but the way Volkov does it, it is literally breathtaking: 61. Nb6!! 1 : 0. A delightful finish.