Варенье (Varenye)

Grand Finale at the World Junior Chess Championships in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, September 16, 2015. They are the Champions: Mikhail Al. Antipov, Nataliya Buksa, Alina Bivol, Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Francesco Rambaldi &c.

E più d’onore ancora assai mi fenno

Closing ceremony of the World Junior Chess Championships in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, September 16, 2015. The Queen, Nataliya Buksa from Ukraine, and the King, Mikhail Al. Antipov from Russia, waiting for the golden medals as they are airily talking each other. Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova.

“E più d’onore ancora assai mi fenno; Ch’ei sì mi fecer della loro schiera, Sì ch’io fui sesto tra cotanto senno”. Congratulations to Italian superstar Francesco Rambaldi (second from right) on his splendid if not lucky performance! Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova.

Lose to Win

Today Francesco Rambaldi is the image of a very gifted player who, incidentally, after two weeks of wonderful chess, is not a winner. Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova.

Frontier Girl

Nataliya Buksa – Alina Bivol
33rd World Girls Junior Championship; Khanty-Mansiysk, September 6, 2015
Sicilian Defence B80

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e6 7. f3 Be7 8. Qd2 0-0 9. 0-0-0 b5 10. g4 Bb7 11. g5 Nfd7 12. h4 Nc6 13. Nxc6 Bxc6 14. Ne2 Ne5. For 14. ... Qc7 15. Nd4 Rfc8 16. g6 hxg6 17. h5 see Feygin – Savchenko, Helmut-Kohls-Turnier, Dortmund 2013, while for 14. ... d5 15. Nd4 Bb7 16. Bh3 Ne5 17. Qe1 Nc4 see Short – Ljubojević, Reykjavík 1987. 15. Nd4 Bd7 16. h5 Rc8 17. Kb1 Qc7 18. Rg1 Nc4 19. Bxc4 Qxc4 20. f4 e5? “White got a formidable position out of the opening, but after a typical Scheveningen move such as 20. ... Rfe8 the whole struggle still lies ahead. How to start? 21. g6 fxg6 22. hxg6 h6 23. Qh2 Bf8, or 21. Qh2, or even 21. Qf2?“, wonders International Master Vladimir Barsky. 21. Nf5 Rfe8. No better is 21. ... Bxf5 22. exf5 with a “rollerball” coming. 22. Nxe7+ Rxe7 23. Qxd6 Qxc2+ 24. Ka1 Rce8 25. f5. Threatening f5-f6. 25. ... Bc8? A final blunder, but Black has no good moves left. After 25. ... Qxe4? 26. f6 White’s dream have come true, while if 25. ... Bc6 then 26. Rc1 Qxe4 27. Bb6 with an overwhelming advantage.

26. Qxe7! 1 : 0.

chess24.com (@chess24com)

Myths of the Near Future

Mikhail Al. Antipov – Francesco Rambaldi
54th World Junior Chess Championship; Khanty-Mansiysk, September 15, 2015
Caro-Kann Defence B12

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nd2 e6 5. Nb3 Nd7 6. Nf3 h6 7. Be2 Ne7 8. 0-0 g5 9. Ne1 Qc7 10. Nd3 Ng6 11. Bd2. Another try is 11. Ne1 Ne7 12. f4 0-0-0 13. Nd3 Ng6 14. Bg4 Bxd3 15. cxd3 gxf4 16. Bxf4 Nxf4 17. Rxf4 f5 18. Bh5 Nf6 19. Kh1 Nxh5 20. Qxh5 Qg7 21. Rf3 Rg8 22. Rg3 Qh7 23. Rxg8 Qxg8 24. Rf1 Qg5 25. Qxg5 hxg5 26. g4 fxg4 27. Rf7 Re8 28. Kg2 Be7 29. Kg3 b6 30. Kxg4 Kd7 31. Rf3 ½ : ½ Nakamura – Shankland, 59th U.S. Chess Championship, Saint Louis 2015. 11. ... 0-0-0 12. a4 f6! Rambaldi plays to win! 13. exf6 Bd6 14. g3 Rdf8 15. Ndc5 Bxc5 16. Nxc5 Nxc5 17. dxc5 Bh3 18. Re1 Rxf6 19. Bg4 Bxg4 20. Qxg4 h5! 21. Qxg5 Qf7 22. Qe3 e5 23. b4 Rf8 24. Rf1 h4! 25. Qe2 e4 26. Bc3 Rf3 27. Bd4 Qd7 28. Kh1 Qg4 29. Rfe1

29. ... e3! Francesco conducts the attack with glaring élan! 30. Bxe3 hxg3 31. hxg3. Sad, but understandable, as 31. fxg3 Rf1+! wins the Queen. 31. ... Nh4! Threatening ... Qg4-h3+ and mate next move. 32. Kh2. Obviously the Black Knight is taboo: 32. gxh4?? Rh3 mate. 32. ... d4?? Oh, no, the Italian flight remains stunned in the ruins of a broken dream! Instead 32. ... Qh5!! wins on the spot, threatening 33. ... Nf5+ 34. Kg2 Nxg3! 35. fxg3 Rxg3+! 36. Kxg3 Rg8+ 37. Kf2 Qh2+ 38. Kf1 Qh3+ 39. Kf2 Qg2 mate. 33. Bf4 Rxf2+ 34. Qxf2 Nf3+ 35. Kg2 Rxf4 36. Re8+ Kd7 37. Rae1. Alas, what a turnaround! 37. ... Nxe1+ 38. Qxe1 Rf7 39. Rb8 Qf3+ 40. Kg1 Rf8 41. Rxb7+ Kc8 42. Rxa7 Kb8 43. Re7 Rd8 44. b5 d3 45. Qe5+ Ka8 46. Ra7+ Kxa7 47. Qc7+ Ka8 48. Qxd8+ Kb7 49. Qd7+ Kb8 50. Qxd3 1 : 0.

Mikhail Al. Antipov (R.) vs. Francesco Rambaldi (L.)
Photo: Vladimir Barsky

Stop and Stare

Jan-Krzysztof Duda – Francesco Rambaldi
54th World Junior Chess Championship; Khanty-Mansiysk, September 14, 2015
Pirc Defence B07

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Bd3 e5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. d5 Ne7 7. h3 Bd7 8. Bg5 Ng6 9. Nbd2. For 9. c4 Be7 10. Nc3 h6 11. Be3 0-0 12. Qd2 Nh5 see Abu Sufian – Mohammed Abdul, 32nd Bangladesh Chess Championship, Dhaka 2006. 9. ... Be7 10. h4 Ng4 11. g3 c6 12. Nc4 Qc7

13. h5 Bxg5? This is bad judgment if not bad luck. First 13. ... cxd5 14. exd5 (14. hxg6 is answered by 14. ... dxc4 15. Rxh7 Rf8 16. Bxe7 Kxe7 17. Bf1 fxg6! 18. Rxg7+ Kf6! 19. Rh7 Rh8!) 14. ... Bxg5 15. Nxg5 Ne7 was more to the point, although after 16. h6! Nxh6 17. Ne4 White keeps the initiative. 14. dxc6. Rambaldi evidently underestimated the strenght of this zwischenzug. 14. ... Qxc6 15. Nxg5 Ne7 16. Be2 Nc8 17. Bxg4. Very tempting – and apparently more energetic – is 17. Na5!, e.g. 17. ... Qb6 18. Bxg4 Bxg4 19. Qxg4 Qxa5 20. h6! with crushing effect. 17. ... Bxg4 18. Nxe5. Duda doesn’t want to take any risks and plays safely for staying inside his own “comfort zone”. Here 18. Qxg4 Qxc4 19. h6! was probably stronger. 18. ... Bxd1 19. Nxc6 Bxh5 20. Nd4 Bg6 21. 0-0-0 0-0. Francesco is already in serious time trouble, but he keeps defending stubbornly. 22. f3 Rd8 23. Rh2 h6. “Black miraculously maintained the material balance, and now he misses the last chance to put up a stubborn resistance: 23 ... Nb6! 24. Nb5 h6 25. Nh3 Nc4!. He chose instead to assume a passive defence, and Jan-Krzysztof gradually tightened the noose”, writes International Master Vladimir Barsky. 24. Nh3 f6 25. Nf4 Bf7 26. Nf5. Meanwhile Duda also got into grave time trouble. 26. ... Kf8 27. b3 a5 28. Kb2 Ra6 29. Nd4 Rd7 30. Rhd2 Rb6 31. c4 Na7 32. c5 Ra6 33. Nf5 Nc8 34. cxd6 Rc6 35. g4 a4 36. Nh5 axb3 37. axb3 g6. This hastens the end, but Black’s game was already past recovery. 38. Nxf6 Rd8 39. Nh7+ Kg8 40. Nxh6+ Kg7 41. Nxf7 Kxf7 42. Ng5+ Kf6 43. f4 1 : 0.

Jan-Krzysztof Duda vs. Francesco Rambaldi
Photo: Vladimir Barsky

Invincible

Francesco Rambaldi – Ulvi Bajarani
54th World Junior Chess Championship; Khanty-Mansiysk, September 13, 2015
French Defence C03

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Be7 4. e5 c5 5. Qg4 Kf8 6. Ndf3 Nc6 7. Bd3 h5 8. Qf4 cxd4 9. Ne2 Bb4+ 10. Kf1 Be7 11. Nexd4 h4? Over-hazardous play, since Black has no attacking prospects along the open h-file. The immediate 11. ... Nh6 12. Bd2 Qb6 deserves consideration. 12. Bd2 Nh6 13. g4 Nxd4 14. Qxd4 g5? With this “coherent” move Black makes matters even worse. 15. h3 a5 16. Qe3 Rg8 17. Rg1 Qc7. White now wins a Pawn, cashing in on his manifest superiority: 18. Nxh4 Bc5 19. Qe2 Bd4 20. Nf3 Bxb2 21. Rb1 Bc3 22. Bxg5 Rxg5. Evidently forced, as 22. ... Rh8 is refuted by 23. Bf6. 23. Nxg5 Bxe5 24. Nf3 Bc3 25. Qe3 Ng8 26. Nd4 Bb4 27. Nf3 Bd7 28. Ne5 Be8 29. g5. Black has no compensation at all for his sacrificed Exchange and his game appears already irremediably lost. 29. ... Ba4 30. Qf4 Kg7 31. g6 f6 32. Qh4. The Knight is taboo, since 32. ... Qxe5 is met by 33. Qh7+ Kf8 34. Qf7 mate, while 32. ... fxe5 33. Qh7+ leads to the win of the Queen. 32. ... Kf8 33. Qh7. Here Rambaldi misses a very elegant way to win: 33. Rxb4! axb4 34. g7+ Ke8 35. Qxb4 Qe7 36. Qb6! fxe5 37. Bg6+ Kd7 38. Qxb7+. 33. ... Qg7 34. Nf3 b6 35. Rg4 Bd7 36. Rh4 Rd8 37. Nd4. Another winning method is 37. Qxg7+ Kxg7 38. Rh7+ Kf8 39. Nd4. 37. ... f5 38. Bb5 Bxb5+ 39. Nxb5 Rd7 40. Nd4 Rd6 41. c3 Bc5 42. Re1 Bxd4 43. cxd4 Rc6 44. Qh5 Ne7 45. Qg5 Qxg6 46. Qf4. Again Francesco misses the coup de grâce: 46. Rh8+ Kg7 47. Qh4 f4 48. Rh6! Qxh6 49. Qxe7+ Kg6 50. Qe8+. 46. ... Qg7 47. Rh5 Kf7 48. Qh4 Ng6 49. Qg3 Nf8? “Azerbaijani Grandmaster ingeniously defended, and after 49. ... b5! 50. Qb8 Kf6 got real chances for a draw [since] White cannot take the Pawn (51. Qxb5? Nf4) [...]”, writes International Master Vladimir Barsky.

50. Rxf5+! Very pretty solution! 50. ... exf5 51. Re7+ Kxe7 52. Qxg7+ Ke8 53. Qe5+ Ne6 54. h4 Kf7 55. Qxf5+ Kg7 56. h5 Rc1+ 57. Kg2 Re1 58. Qg6+ Kh8 59. Qf6+ Kh7 60. Qf7+ Kh8 61. h6 Re4 62. f3 1 : 0.

Francesco Rambaldi
Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova

Formidable

Trần Tuấn Minh – Francesco Rambaldi
54th World Junior Chess Championship; Khanty-Mansiysk, September 12, 2015
Neo-Old Indian Defence A41

1. d4 d6 2. Bf4 g6 3. e3 Bg7 4. Nf3 Nd7 5. h3 e5 6. Bh2 Nh6 7. Be2 0-0 8. 0-0 Qe7 9. c4 f5 10. Nc3 c6 11. b4 g5 12. c5. No better at all is 12. dxe5 dxe5 13. c5 Nf7 14. Qb3 Kh8 15. Rad1 h5 as occurred in the game Lenz – Szenetra, Baden-Baden 1990. 12. c5 d5 13. Nxe5 Nxe5 14. Bxe5 Bxe5 15. dxe5 f4

16. Nxd5? A mirage! Theoretically, three Pawns compensate for a Knight, but here Black has more dynamic positional pluses, while White only static ones. The right way was 16. exf4 gxf4 17. Bf3 Qxe5 18. Ne2 Nf5 with rough equality. 16. ... cxd5 17. Qxd5+ Be6 18. Qd6 Qf7 19. Bh5 Qxh5 20. Qxe6+ Kh8 21. exf4 gxf4 22. f3 Nf5. Rambaldi concludes the game with restless energy. 23. Rf2 Rad8 24. Re1 Qg5 25. Qc4 Ne3 26. Qe4 Rg8 27. g4 Rge8 28. h4 Qxe5 29. Qxb7 Rd1 30. Rxd1 Nxd1 0 : 1.

Trần Tuấn Minh vs. Francesco Rambaldi
Photo: Vladimir Barsky

Everything’s Eventual

Francesco Rambaldi – G. Akash
54th World Junior Chess Championship; Khanty-Mansiysk, September 11, 2015
Réti Opening A05
 

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 g6 3. b3 Bg7 4. Bb2 0-0 5. Bg2 d5 6. 0-0 c6 7. c4 Bg4 8. d3 Nbd7 9. Nbd2 Re8 10. h3 Bxf3 11. Nxf3 e5 12. e3. No better at all is 12. cxd5 cxd5 13. Bg2 Rc8 as occurred in Jongsma – Cortlever, 31st Hoogovens-B International Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 1969.

12. ... e4. Even if not everyone knows him, G. Akash is a highly gifted player. Here he doesn’t hesitate to play the sharpest continuation, foreseeing all the outcomes of his next Pawn sacrifice. 13. dxe4 dxe4 14. Nd2 h5 15. Qc2 Qe7 16. Rad1 Rad8 17. Bxf6 Nxf6 18. Nxe4 Nxe4 19. Rxd8 Rxd8 20. Bxe4 Qd7. The domination along the d-file and the opposite colour Bishops fully compensates Black for his Pawn deficit. 21. Kg2 Qd2 22. Qb1 Qb2. After the exchange of Queens, White’s extra Pawn is virtually nullified by the presence of Bishops of opposite colour. A long, very drawish endgame now follows: 23. Qxb2 Bxb2 24. b4 Ba3 25. b5 cxb5 26. cxb5 b6 27. Bc2 Rd5 28. Rb1 Rd2 29. Bb3 Kg7 30. Kf3 f6 31. Rg1 Kh6 32. Rf1 Kg7 33. g4 h4 34. Be6 Rd6 35. Bc4 Rd2 36. Rb1 Bb2 37. Rf1 Ba3 38. Bb3 Kh6 39. Ke4 Kg7 40. Kf3 Kh6 41. Rd1 Rxd1 42. Bxd1 Bb4 43. Ke4 Be1 44. f4 Bd2 45. Kd3 Bc1 46. Kd4 Bd2 47. a4 Bc1 48. Bc2 Bd2 49. Kd3 Bc1 50. Ke2 g5 51. Kf3 Kg7 52. fxg5 fxg5 53. Ke4 Kf6 54. Kd4 Ke6 55. Bb3+ Kd6 56. Bd1 Ke6 57. Bf3 Kd6 58. Bb7 Bd2 59. Bc8 Bc1 60. Bf5 Bd2 61. Ke4 ½ : ½.

Francesco Rambaldi (R.) vs. G. Akash (L.)
Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova

Monolith

Benjamin Bok – Francesco Rambaldi
54th World Junior Chess Championship; Khanty-Mansiysk, September 10, 2015
Caro-Kann B12

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nf3 e6 5. Be2 Nd7 6. 0-0 h6 7. c3 a6 8. Nbd2 Ne7 9. b4 Nc8. For 9. ... a5 10. a4 Ng6 see Vishnu Prasanna – Lupulescu, 3rd Chess Classic, Al-’Ain 2014. 10. Nb3 Be7 11. Bd3 Bxd3 12. Qxd3 b6 13. Be3 Qc7 14. Rfc1 0-0 15. a4 Qb7 16. Rab1 a5 16. Rab1 a5 17. bxa5 bxa5 18. Nxa5 Qc7 19. Nb3 Ncb6 20. a5. Here Bok was already in very serious time trouble. 20. ... Nc4 21. Nfd2 Nxa5 22. c4 Nxb3 23. Rxb3 Qa7 24. c5 Rfb8 25. Rcb1 Rxb3 26. Rxb3 f5 27. exf6 Bxf6 28. Nf3 e5 29. dxe5 Nxe5 30. Nxe5 Qa1+ 31. Rb1 Qxe5 32. g3 d4 33. Qc4+ Kh7 34. Bd2 Qf5 35. Rb3 Ra1+ 36. Kg2 Rd1 37. Rf3 Qe4 38. Qd3 Qxd3 39. Rxd3 Bg5 40. f4 Be7. Time control is reached just when Francesco is going to win a Pawn, even if under the actual circumstances it will be very hard for White to exploit his Pawn advantage. 41. Kf3 Bxc5 42. Ke4 Bb6 43. f5 c5 44. Bf4 Rh1 45. Rb3 Bd8 46. Be5? Bok is in time trouble again! Correct was 46. Kd5 Rxh2 47. Be5 Rh5 48. Rb7 Rg5 49. Rd7 Ba5 50. f6 Kg8 51. f7+ Kf8 52. Ke6 Rg6+ 53. Kd5 Rg5 with a draw by repetition.

46. ... Bf6? Rambaldi misses his chance! Instead, 46. ... Re1+! 47. Kd5 c4 48. Rb7 (else 48. Rf3 d3 49. Bc3 d2! 50. Bxd2 Rd1 is a more prosaic win) 48. ... Rxe5+ 49. Kxe5 c3 50. f6 c2 51. f7 Bf6+! would, in fact, win in all variations, as originally demonstrated by Edo. 47. Bxf6 gxf6 48. Kd5 Re1 ½ : ½.

Benjamin Bok vs. Francesco Rambaldi
Photo: Vladimir Barsky

Sometimes a Great Notion

Jan-Krzysztof Duda – Karen H. Grigoryan
54th World Junior Chess Championship; Khanty-Mansiysk, September 7, 2015
Four Knights Game C48

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Nd4 5. Ba4 Bc5 6. Nxe5 0-0 7. Nd3 Bb6 8. e5 Ne8 9. 0-0 d5 10. Kh1. No better is 10. exd6 Nxd6 (Grandmaster Jan Gustafsson recommends 10. ... Nf6! 11. dxc7 Bxc7 with a decisive initiative for Black) 11. Kh1 c6 as occurred in the game Tylor – Vlagsma, England – Netherlands, London 1948. 10. ... c6 11. Ne2 Qh4 12. Ng3 Bg4 13. f3 Be6 14. c3 Nf5 15. Ne2 d4 16. Bc2 Rd8 17. c4 f6 18. b3 fxe5 19. Ba3 Rf6 20. Qe1 Qh6

21. Nxe5!? A very human-like way of playing: sharp and speculative. 21. ... d3! 22. Ng4. Obviously the Pawn is taboo: 22. Bxd3?? Qxh2+! 23. Kxh2 Rh6+ and mate next move. 22. ... dxe2 23. Nxh6+ Rxh6 24. Rf2. Initiative is more important than material here. If 24. Rg1 then 24. ... Bc7 25. g3 Nd4 26. Be4 Nf6 and Black has more than sufficient dynamic compensation for his material deficit. 24. ... Bxf2 25. Qxf2 Rxd2 26. Qc5. With the brutal threat of Qc5-f8 mate. Not 26. Rc1 Nd4 and the Bc2 is doomed. 26. ... Ned6. The alternative was 26. ... Rf6 27. Bb2 Rxc2 (or, less ambitiously, 27. ... Rh6 28. Ba3 Rf6=) 28. Bxf6 Nxf6 with a very unclear position. The text move looks more natural. 27. Qa5 Rxc2 28. Qd8+ Kf7 29. Qc7+ Ke8 30. Re1. Not 30. Bxd6? because of 30. ... Rd2! with overwhelming effect. 30. ... Rd2 31. Kg1. Theoretically, Black has more than sufficient material compensation for the Queen, but Her Majesty alone virtually paralyzes the whole Black’s army. 31. ... Rd1? A grave error of judgment. The comparatively best is 31. ... Bd7 32. Kf2 Rxa2 33. Rxe2+ Rxe2+ 34. Kxe2 b6 35. Qxa7 Nc8 when Black apparently builds up a rock-solid defence. 32. Kf2 Rxe1 33. Kxe1 Nc8. On 33. ... Bd7 34. g4 White wins a Knight. 34. Kxe2 Bd7 35. Qxb7 Rxh2 36. Kf2 Rh6 37. Bc5 Nfd6 38. Qb8! Gradually but inexorably, White penetrates into the enemy’s camp and very soon a second Black Pawn will fall. 38. ... a6 39. Qa8 Rf6 40. Kg1 a5 41. Bd4 Rg6 42. Qxa5 Nf5 43. Bf2 Rd6 44. Qe1+ Kf7 45. Bc5 Re6 46. Qd2 Ke8 47. a4 Nfd6 48. Ba3 1 : 0. The resignation might appear to be a bit premature, but actually Black is quite helpless.

Jan-Krzysztof Duda vs. Karen H. Grigoryan
Photo: Vladimir Barsky

The Shimmer

Francesco Rambaldi – Dmitry Gordievsky
54th World Junior Chess Championship; Khanty-Mansiysk, September 8, 2015
Réti Opening A07

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 c6 4. 0-0 Bg4 5. d3 Nbd7 6. Qe1 e5 7. e4 dxe4 8. dxe4 Be7 9. Nbd2 0-0 10. h3 Bh5 11. Nh4 Re8 12. Nf5 Bf8 13. Nc4 Qc7 14. Bd2 b5. For 17. ... Nc5 15. f3 Nfd7 see Vaganian – van den Doel, Belgian Team Chess Championship 2003/2004, December 8, 2003. 15. Na5 Nb6 16. c4 Nxc4 17. Nxc4 bxc4 18. Ne3 Bc5 19. Nxc4 Bd4 20. Rc1 c5 21. b3 Qc6 22. Bc3 Bg6 23. Bxd4 exd4 24. f3. 24. e5 Be4 25. f3 Bd5 is nothing special for White. 25. ... Rad8 25. Qf2 Nd7 26. Rfd1 f6 27. b4 Bf7 28. Bf1

28. ... Ne5 29. Nxe5 Rxe5? Probably the decisive mistake. A little better was 29. ... fxe5 30. bxc5 Re6 and if 31. Bc4 then 31. ... Rf6 32. Qe2 Qc7 followed by ... Rf6-c6 retaining some drawing chances. 30. Rxd4! Just a petite combinaison, as José Raúl Capablanca would put it. 30. ... Rxd4 31. Qxd4 cxd4 32. Rxc6 Bxa2 33. Ra6. Now White wins the a-Pawn under the most favourable circumstances for a win. 33. ... Bb1 34. Bc4+ Kf8 35. Rxa7 f5 36. b5 d3 37. b6 d2 38. Rd7 fxe4 39. Rxd2. Of course 39. b7 wins on the spot, but Rambaldi was apprehensive about the impending time control. 39. ... Re8 40. Rb2 Bd3 41. Bxd3 exd3 42. b7 Rb8 43. Kf2 Ke7 44. Ke3 Kd6 45. Kxd3 Kc7 46. Kc4 Kc6 47. f4 Kd6 48. Rb6+ Kc7 49. Kc5 Kd7 50. Kb5 Kc7 51. Ka6 Rd8 52. Ka7 1 : 0.

Francesco Rambaldi vs. Dmitry Gordievsky
Photo: Vladimir Barsky

Приключения пчёлки Майи (Maya the Bee)

Shamsiddin Vokhidov – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
54th World Junior Chess Championship; Khanty-Mansiysk, September 7, 2015
Spanish C67

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. 0-0 Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. dxe5 Nxb5 7. a4 Nbd4 8. Nxd4 Nxd4 9. Qxd4 d5 10. exd6 Qxd6 11. Qe3+ Be7 12. Nc3 c6 13. Re1 Be6 14. Ne4 Qe5 15. Bd2 0-0 16. Bc3 Qf5 17. Qg3 Qg6 18. Qc7 Bd5 19. Qxe7 Rfe8. The peaceful alternative is 19. ... Rae8 20. Qg5 ½ : ½ Shirov – Ki. Georgiev, 32nd Bosnia Chess Tournament, Sarajevo 2002.

20. Qg5. If, instead, 20. Nf6+ then 20. ... gxf6 21. Qxe8+ Rxe8 22. Rxe8+ Kg7 23. g3 h5 and, although the position is materially balanced, Black can rely on a volatile initiative, Caspi – Erenburg, Israeli Team Chess Championship 2008/2009, January 9, 2009. A critical line is 20. Qxb7 Bxe4 21. g3, but after 21. ... c5 22. Qb5 Qf5 23. Re3 a6 24. Qe2 Bc6 there will be further simplification, after which – thanks to the opposite coloured Bishops – White’s extra Pawn is quite meaningless. 20. ... Bxe4 21. Qxg6 Bxg6 22. Rac1 f6 23. f3 Kf7 24. Kf2 c5 25. Rxe8 Rxe8 26. Bd2 Re6 27. Be3 Rb6 28. b3 Rd6 29. c3 b6 30. b4 c4 31. Bd4 a6 32. Ra1 Bf5 33. a5 b5 34. Re1 h5 35. h4 Rd8 36. Kg3 Rd5 37. Kf4 Bd7 38. Kg3 Be6 39. Re2 Rd7 40. Kf4 Rd5 41. Kg3 Bd7 ½ : ½.

Shamsiddin Vokhidov vs. Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
Photo: FIDE World Junior U20 Championships 2015

The Unvanquished

Francesco Rambaldi – Giuseppe Leiva
54th World Junior Chess Championship; Khanty-Mansiysk, September 6, 2015
English Opening A28

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e5 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. a3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Qc2 Be7 7. e3 Nxc3 8. bxc3 Bd6 9. d4 0-0 10. Be2 Re8. 10. ... f5 11. 0-0 Kh8 12. Rd1 Qf6 13. c4 see Malakhatko – Socko, Najdorf Memorial Festival, Warsaw 2010. 11. Bb2 e4 12. Nd2 Qg5 13. g3 Qg6 14. c4 Bf8 15. Bf1 Nd8 16. Bg2 f5

17. 0-0-0. Francesco decides to adopt the sharpest mode of castling. 17. ... c5 18. Rhe1. To prepare for f2-f3. 18. ... Ne6 19. f3 Ng5 20. Kb1 Bd7 21. fxe4 fxe4 22. h4 Nf7. Also after 22. ... Nf3 23. Nxf3 Ba4 24. Qxa4 exf3+ 25. Qc2 fxg2 the game would tend towards a draw. 23. Ka2 Bf5 ½ : ½.

Artwork: KiraCreator21

Starring Role

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Bharata Koti Harsha
54th World Junior Chess Championship; Khanty-Mansiysk, September 5, 2015
Queen’s Indian Defence A40

1. d4 e6 2. c4 b6 3. Nf3 Bb7 4. g3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Bxf3 6. exf3 Bxd2+ 7. Qxd2 d5 8. Nc3 Ne7 9. cxd5 exd5 10. Bg2 0-0 11. 0-0 Nbc6. For 11. ... Nd7 12. f4 c6 see Korobov – Pixton, World Youth Chess Championship Under 16, Oropesa del Mar 2001. 12. f4 a6 13. Rad1 Qd6 14. Rfe1 Rfe8 15. Qd3 g6 16. h4 Kg7 17. h5 b5 18. Qf3 Red8 19. hxg6 hxg6 20. g4 Qf6 21. Qg3 Qd6 22. Rd2 Rd7 23. Bh3 Rh8 24. Ne2 Rdd8 25. Rc1 Na5 26. Bg2 c6 27. Rdc2 Nb7 28. Qe3 Rh4 29. Bf3 Rhh8 30. Ng3 Rde8 31. Qe5+ f6 32. Qe3 Nd8 33. Re2

33. ... Kf7? A critical moment. The most consistent continuation 33. ... Nf5! 34. Qxe8 Rxe8 35. Nxf5+ gxf5 36. Rxe8 Qxf4 produces a very unbalanced position in which Black is certainly not worse. Now Aleksandra Yuryevna puts Black in a squeeze: 34. Rce1 Qd7 35. Qa3! Goryachkina attacks on both wings at the same time, virtually forcing Black to give up the a-Pawn. 35. ... Nc8 36. Rxe8 Rxe8 37. Rxe8 Kxe8 38. Qxa6 Ne6 39. Ne2 Ne7 40. Qa8+ Kf7 41. Qb8!! Although only 16 years old, Goryachkina exhibits a mastery of technique that is reminiscent of all Kasparov’s “Great Predecessors”! 41. ... Qc7 42. Qxc7 Nxc7 43. Kf1 Ke6 44. Ke1 Kd6 45. Kd2 b4 46. Nc1 Ne6 47. Ke3 c5 48. dxc5+ Nxc5 49. Bd1 g5 50. fxg5 fxg5 51. f4 gxf4+ 52. Kxf4 d4 53. Be2 Nd5+ 54. Kf3 Ne6 55. Nd3 Ng5+ 56. Kg3 Ne4+ 57. Kh4 Nd2 58. g5 b3 59. a3 Ke7 60. Kh5 Nc3 61. Bg4 Nce4 62. Kh6 Nd6 63. g6 N2e4 64. g7 Nf6 65. Kg6 Nde8 66. Bd1 1 : 0.

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova

Three Days of the Condor

Francesco Rambaldi – Noël Studer
54th World Junior Chess Championship; Khanty-Mansiysk, September 4, 2015
Nimzo-Indian Defence E20

1. d4 e6 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. g3 c5 5. Nf3 cxd4 6. Nxd4 Ne4 7. Bd2 Nxc3 8. Bxc3 Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 a6 10. Bg2 0-0 11. 0-0 d6 12. Qa4 Nd7 13. Qa3. Another try is 13. Rfd1 Rb8 14. Nb3 Qc7 15. Qa3 Ne5 16. Qxd6 Qxd6 17. Rxd6 Nxc4 18. Rdd1 b6 19. Rab1 Na3 20. Rb2 Nc4 21. Rbb1 Na3 22. Rb2 Nc4 ½ : ½ Molner – Lê Quang Liêm, SPICE Cup Open, Saint Louis 2013. 13. ... Qc7. Here 13. ... Ne5 is perhaps sounder, e.g. 14. c5 d5 15. e4 Nc4 16. Qb4 a5= (if 17. Qb5 then 17. ... Bd7 18. Qxb7 Rb8 19. Qa7 Ra8 with a draw by repetition).

14. Nb5 Qxc4 15. Nxd6 Qc5. Black is rightly afraid of going Pawn-hunting, exposing himself to danger, e.g. 15. ... Qxe2 16. Rfd1 Ne5 17. c4! Nxc4 18. Nxc4 Qxc4 19. Qe7! g6 20. Rac1 Qxa2 21. Rd4! and White’s imposing position more than compensates him for the three Pawns minus. 16. Qb4 Rb8 17. Rfd1 b6 18. Rab1 Qxb4 19. cxb4 Nf6 20. Rbc1 Bd7 21. Rd3 a5 22. b5 e5 23. f4 exf4 24. gxf4 Bg4 25. Kf2 g6 26. Bc6 Nh5 27. e3 Rbd8 28. Bf3 Bf5 29. Rd4 Ng7 30. Rc6 Be6 31. Rxb6 Bxa2 32. Ra4 Be6 33. Rxa5 Nf5 34. Nxf5 gxf5 35. Rba6 Bc4? Far better drawing chances were offered by 35. ... Rd2+ followed by ... Rd2-b2. Now White picks up a second Pawn and concludes the game confidently. 36. Rc6 Bd5 37. Rc5 Bxf3 38. Kxf3 Rd3 39. Rxf5 Re8 40. Re5 Rxe5 41. fxe5 Rb3 42. Ke4 Rb2 43. h3 1 : 0.

Francesco Rambaldi
Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova

Kingdom Come

Irakli Beradze – Francesco Rambaldi
54th World Junior Chess Championship; Khanty-Mansiysk, September 3, 2015
Nimzo-Indian Defence E20

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 Qd6 7. e3 Ne4 8. Qc2 Nxg5 9. Nxg5 c6 10. Bd3 h6 11. Nf3 Be6 12. 0-0 Nd7 13. Rfc1 Qe7 14. a3 Bd6 15. Re1 0-0 16. e4 dxe4 17. Bxe4 Nf6 18. d5 Nxe4 19. dxe6 Nxc3 20. exf7+ Qxf7 21. Qxc3 Bc7 22. Rad1 Rfe8 23. h4 Bb6 24. Qb4 Qf5 25. Re7 Rxe7 26. Qxe7 Rf8 27. Qe2 Kh8 28. Rd6 Qg4 29. Re6 Qf4 30. Re8 Rxe8 31. Qxe8+ Kh7 32. Qe2 Qf5 33. g3 Bd8 34. Kh2 Bf6 35. Ne1 Qe5 36. Qc2+ Kh8 37. Nd3 Qe4 38. Qd2 b6 39. Nf4 Be5 40. Qd8+ Kh7 41. Qe8 Qf5 42. Qxc6 Bxf4 43. Qf3 Bxg3+. Now follows a very difficult (if very drawish) Queen ending. 44. Qxg3 a5 45. a4 Qe4 46. b3 Qd4 47. Kh3 Kg8 48. Qf3 Qd7+ 49. Kh2 Qd6+ 50. Kh3 Qe6+ 51. Kh2 Qf7 52. Qa8+ Kh7 53. Qe4+ Qg6 54. Qf3 Qd6+ 55. Kh3 Qe6+ 56. Kg3 Kg6 57. Qd3+ Kf7 58. Qf3+ Ke8 59. Qc3 Kf7 60. Qc7+ Kf6 61. Qf4+ Kg6 62. Qf3 Qe5+ 63. Kg2 Qf5

64. Qg3+? The first player cannot enter a King and Pawn ending – neither directly nor indirectly: 64. Qxf5+?? Kxf5 65. Kg3 h5 66. Kf3 g6 and White is in Zugzwang. Therefore the right way was 64. Qc6+ Kh5 65. Qxb6 Kxh4 with equality. 64. ... Kh5! Naturally Francesco gets the unexpected chance! 65. Kf1. After 65. Qxg7 Qg4+ Black forces the exchange of Queens and thanks to the distant passed h-Pawn he wins easily. 65. ... Qb1+ 66. Kg2 Qe4+ 67. Kf1 Qh1+ 68. Ke2 Qxh4 69. Qe3. Again 69. Qxg7 is met by 69. ... Qg4+ giving Black a winning ending. 69. ... Qf6 70. Qh3+ Kg6 71. Qg4+ Kh7 72. Kf1 Qg6 73. Qc4 h5 74. Qh4? Beradze loses his nerve and after the text he loses also a second Pawn. White could only patiently defend waiting for Godot. 74. ... Qg4 75. Qd8 Qh3+ 0 : 1.

Francesco Rambaldi
Photo: Vladimir Barsky

Minesweeper

Francesco Rambaldi – Miloje Ratković
54th World Junior Chess Championship; Khanty-Mansiysk, September 2, 2015
Caro-Kann Defence B18

1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. Nh3 Nf6 7. Bc4 Nbd7 8. 0-0 e6 9. f4 Nb6 10. Bb3 Qd7 11. a4. Another try is 11. c3 Bd6 12. Qf3 Qc7 13. Kh1 0-0 14. f5 as occurred in the game Efimenko – Motylev, 28th European Club Cup, Eilat 2012. 11. ... 0-0-0 12. a5 Nbd5 13. a6 b6 14. Qf3 Ne7 15. c3 h5 16. Ng5 h4 17. N3e4 Ned5 18. Qe2 Bf5 19. Nf2 Nh5 20. Qf3 Bd6 21. Ngh3 g5 22. Nxg5 Ndxf4 23. Nfe4 Bc7 24. Nf6 Qd6?? An awful blunder – due to a grave miscalculation – which loses at once. Correct was 24. ... Nxf6 25. Bxf4 Rdg8 with roughly equal chances. 25. Nxf7 Ne2+ 26. Kf2 Qxh2.

27. Nxh5? I guess Italian Superstar Francesco Rambaldi got into time trouble. As pointed out by International Master Vladimir Barsky, here 27. Qxc6! Nxf6 (or 27. ... Qg3+ 28. Kxe2 Nxf6 29. Rxf5 exf5 30. Be6+ Rd7 31. Qb7 mate) 28. Qb7+ Kd7 29. Ne5+ Ke8 30. Ba4+ Kf8 31. Qxc7 would have lead to a win for White. 27. ... Rdg8 28. Qxc6? But now it’s too late! After 28. Nxh8 h3 29. Qxc6 Rxg2+ 30. Ke3! White King crosses his way through the minefield comfortably. 28. ... Rxg2+! 29. Ke1. Not 29. Qxg2?? on account of 29. ... Bg3+ 30. Kf3 Be4+ 31. Kxe4 Qxg2+ and Black wins the Queen. 29. ... Nxc1 30. Qb7+ Kd7 31. Ne5+ Qxe5+. Also 31. ... Kd8 32. Nc6+ leads to perpetual check. 32. dxe5 Nd3+ 33. Kd1 Nxb2+ 34. Ke1 Nd3+ 35. Kd1 Nb2+ 36. Ke1. White cannot avoid perpetual check: 36. Kc1 Nd3+ 37. Kb1?? Rb2 mate. 36. ... Nd3+ 37. Kd1 Nb2+ ½ : ½. Much Ado About Nothing.

Francesco Rambaldi
Photo: Vladimir Barsky

The Sleepwalker

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Just two lines by 布鲁托

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Bala Chandra Prasad Dhulipala – Marco Codenotti
53rd World Junior Chess Championship; Pune, October 11, 2014
Romi System A45

1. d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 c5 3. e3 Qb6 4. Nc3 d6. On 4. ... Qxb2 5. Nb5 Nd5 6. Rb1 Qxa2= ½ : ½ Gurschler – Olivetti, Ortisei 2013. 5. Rb1 g6 6. h3 Bg7 7. Nf3 0-0 8. Be2 Nbd7 9. 0-0 a6 10. d5 Qc7 11. a4 Ne5 12. Nd2 e6 13. dxe6 Bxe6 14. Bxe5 dxe5 15. Bc4 Bd7 16. Qe2 e4!? Enterprising play! 17. Rfd1. 17. Ndxe4 (idem to say 17. Ncxe4) 17. ... Nxe4 18. Nxe4 Bxa4 doesn’t seem to accomplish anything. 17. ... Rfe8 18. Nb3 Re5 19. Rd2 Rae8 20. Rbd1 Qc8 21. Nd5

21. ... Bxh3! The sacrifice is sound. Black obtains two Pawns and a bubbly initiative. 22. gxh3 Qxh3 23. Nxf6+ Bxf6 24. Rd5 Rxd5 25. Rxd5 Be5 26. f4?? A blunder, which finishes the game at once; but even 26. Qd2 could not have saved it, for Black would have played 26. ... b5!? 27. axb5 axb5 28. Bxb5 Bh2+ 29. Kh1 Bc7+ 30. Kg1 Re6! 31. Nxc5 Rf6 with a strong attack. 26. ... exf3 27. Qf2 Qg4+. Or 27. Qd2 Bg3 with an easy win. 28. Kh1 Bg3 29. Qd2 Qh3+ 0 : 1. For if 30. Kg1 then 30. ... Rxe3! finis.

素描

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Brief notes by Daisy Duck

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韦奕 (Wéi Yì) – Diptayan Ghosh
53rd World Junior Chess Championship; Pune, October 8, 2014
Two Knights C55

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Be7 5. 0-0 0-0 6. Re1 d6 7. a4 h6 8. a5 a6 9. c3 Nh7 10. Be3 Kh8 11. Qb3 f5 12. exf5 Rxf5 13. Nbd2 Nf6 14. Bf7. A new move in this position – and quite a natural one. A shiny background was 14. d4 d5 15. Bf1 Ng4 16. dxe5 Ncxe5 17. Bd4 Bd6 18. h3 Nxf3+ 19. Nxf3 Rxf3 20. gxf3 Nh2 21. Qxd5 Nxf1 22. Qh5 Kh7 23. Re8 Bg4 24. Qxg4 1 : 0 Felgaer – Yandemirov, Linares 2001. 14. ... Ng4 15. Ne4 Qf8 16. Bc4

16. ... Rxf3 17. gxf3 Qxf3 18. Ng3 Nf6 19. Be6 Bxe6 20. Qxe6 Rf8 21. Qf5 Qd5 22. Qg6 Bd8 23. Nf5 Qg8 24. Ra4 Qh7 25. Nh4 Ng8 26. Rea1 Bxh4 27. Qxh7+ Kxh7 28. Rxh4 Nge7 29. b4 Nd5 30. Ra3 Nce7 31. Bd2 Rf3 32. c4 Nf5 33. Rh5 Nf6 34. Kg2 Rxf2+. This seems to help White. After 34. ... Nd4 35. Rh3 Rf5 the situation is not easy to judge, but to us it seem that Black has very little to fear. 35. Kxf2 Nxh5 36. b5 Nf6 37. Rb3 Nd7. Maybe a little more resilient is 37. ... e4, although after 38. Bc3 Ng4+ 39. Ke2 exd3+ 40. Kxd3 White stands much better, e.g. 40. ... Nxh2? 41. bxa6 bxa6 42. Rb6! with an easy win. 38. Be3 Nxe3 39. Kxe3 Nc5 40. bxa6 bxa6. On 40. ... Nxb3 41. b7 (or 41. bxa7) wins. 41. Rb8 Kg6 42. Rc8 Ne6 43. Ra8 Nc5 44. Ra7 Kf5 45. Rxc7 g5 46. Rh7 Kg6 47. Rh8 Nb7 48. Ra8 1 : 0.