A Chair to Sit on

Sabrina Vega Gutiérrez – David Antón Guijarro

3rd Salamanca Chess Festival; time control: 40 minutes plus 5 seconds per move; Salamanca, February 3, 2021

Sicilian Defence B90

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. h3 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. Be3 Nbd7 9. f4 Rc8 10. Qf3 exf4 11. Qxf4!? A variation in theme. Likewise after 11. Bxf4 Ne5 12. Qf2 Be7 13. 0-0-0 Ng6 14. Bh2 Rxc3! 15. bxc3 Nxe4 16. Qe1 d5 Black gains excellent compensation for the Exchange, Golubov – Oparin, 21st Chigorin Memorial, Saint Petersburg 2013. 11. ... Be7 12. 0-0-0

12. ... Rxc3! And thus Black declares war on his opponent. 13. bxc3 Qc7 14. g4 Ne5 15. g5 Nfd7 16. h4 Qxc3 17. Bd4 Qb4 18. Bb2 0-0 19. a3 Qa4 20. Nd4

20. ... d5! Black’s counterattack gives him a good enough compensation for the Exchange. 21. Qg3 Rc8 22. Rh2 Bd6 23. exd5. The situation is highly uncertain, and no prediction of the outcome can be made. One possibility was 23. Nxe6 Nc4! 24. Qc3! Be5 25. Rd4 fxe6 26. Bxc4 Rxc4 27. Rxc4 dxc4 28. Qh3 Bxh2 29. Qxe6+ Kf8 30. Bxg7+! Kxg7 31. Qe7+ with a draw by perpetual check. 23. ... Bxd5. 23. ... Bg4!? 25. Rd2 Nc5 was perhaps more promising.

24. Nf5? White makes a grave mistake that spoils all the good things done so far. She ought to play 24. Nb5! Nd3+! 25. Qxd3 Bxh2 26. Nc3 Qf4+ 27. Kb1 Bc6 28. Bh3 Rc7 29. Qe2⩲ with an edge. 24. ... Be4!−+ 25. Nxd6 Rxc2+ 26. Kb1 Rxh2+ 27. Ka2. Or 27. Nxe4 Qc2+ followed by mate. 27. ... Rxb2+! 0 : 1.

Antón Guijarro was back in record time from Wijk aan Zee to sit punctually at 4.00 P.M. facing Vega Gutiérrez at the Colegio Mayor de Fonseca in Salamanca, Spain. Photo: Lydia González/Salamanca RTV al día.

Odd One Out

Jorden van Foreest – David Antón Guijarro
83rd Tata Steel Chess Tournament; Wijk aan Zee, January 22, 2021
Spanish Game C84

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. d3 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 0-0 9. h3 h6 10. a4 Bd7 11. Bc2 b4 12. Nbd2 Re8 13. a5 Bf8 14. Re1 Rb8 15. d4TN (15. Nc4 Qc8 16. Bd2 bxc3 17. bxc3 Ne7 18. d4 Ng6 19. d5 Bb5 20. Na3 Bd7 21. Nc4 Bb5 22. Na3 Bd7 23. Bd3 c6 24. c4 c5 25. Rb1 Qc7 26. Kh2 Be7 27. Qc2 Rxb1 28. Rxb1 Rb8 29. Rb2 ½ : ½ Mekhitarian – Leitão, Zonal 2.4 Absoluto 2013 Brasil – Peru – Bolívia, Ponta Negra, Manaus 2013) 15. ... bxc3 16. bxc3 exd4 17. cxd4 Nb4 18. Bb1 g6 19. Ra3 Bg7 20. Nf1 Rb5 21. Ng3

21. ... Nh5? Much of Black’s trouble is probably due to this move which effect is to rim the Rook out on the Kingside. 21. ... Nh7 followed by ... Nh7-g5 was quite likely to be a better way to stay in control. 22. Nxh5 Rxh5 23. d5! Cutting the board in two and putting the Black Rook out of play. 23. ... c5 24. Bf4 Bb2 25. Rae3 Qf6 26. Bg3 c4 27. Qe2 Bb5

28. e5. The newly Grandmaster Max Warmerdam conveniently noted that “Jorden could have gone for the beautiful 28. Bxd6! here, with the idea of sacrificing the Queen after 28. ... c3 29. Qxb5! axb5 30. Bxb4 with a winning advantage. Instead, he went for the more normal-looking 28. e5 which seems to give a winning advantage as well”. 28. ... Bxe5 29. Nxe5 dxe5 30. Bxe5 Rexe5 31. Rxe5 c3 32. Qe3 c2 33. Rxh5 gxh5 34. Bxc2 Nxc2 35. Qe5 Kg7 36. Re4 Bd3?? This puts an immediate end to Black’s suffering, but the ending ensuing after 36. ... Qxe5 37. Rxe5 Nd4 38. d6 Bc6 (38. ... Nc6? 39. d7!+−) 39. Kh2 Nb5 40. Rd5! was also tremendously bleak. 37. Qg3+ 1 : 0.

After five draws in a row, Dutch Grandmaster van Foreest finally broke the ice, by winning his first game of the year. Photo © Jurriaan Hoefsmit/Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2021.

On the Line

David Antón Guijarro – Magnus Carlsen

Champions Chess Tour 2021; 1st stage; Skilling Open; Prelims Tournament; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; chess24.com, November 22, 2020

Semi-Slav Defence D45

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Be2 Bd6 7. 0-0 0-0 8. Qc2 b6 9. e4 Nxe4 10. Nxe4 dxe4 11. Qxe4 Bb7 12. Rd1 Qc7 13. c5 bxc5 14. dxc5 Nxc5!?TN (14. ... Bxc5 15. Bf4 Nf6 16. Qxh7+ Kxh7 17. Bxc7 Kg8 18. Nd2 Bb6 19. Be5 Rfd8 20. Bf3 Ba6 21. Rac1 Rac8 22. b3 Bd4= Lékó – Artemiev, 2nd Nutcracker Match of the Generations, Moscow 2015, match game 2) 15. Qc2 Rad8 16. Bg5 Be7 17. Rxd8 Rxd8 18. Rc1 Rd5. Black has already got a very comfortable equality, and it’s astonishing how quickly he breaks the ice and goes in. 19. Be3?! 19. b4 is the move suggested by the engines, forcing conspicuous simplification with “approximate” equality. 19. ... Nd7 20. Nd4 Bc5. Change of the guard. 21. Nb5? A tactical mirage which loses a clear piece. 21. Qc3 Qb6 was anything but pleasant, but it was not so bad as the text. 21. ... cxb5 22. b4

22. ... Qc6! This is the move Antón Guijarro probably overlooked. Now White can’t play 23. bxc5?? because of 23. ... Rd1+ followed by mate on g2. 23. Bf3 Bxe3 24. fxe3 Qb6 25. Bxd5 Qxe3+ 26. Kh1 Bxd5 0 : 1.

Through the Looking-Glass

Pentala Harikrishna – David Antón Guijarro

53rd Biel International Chess Festival; ACCENTUS Chess960 Tournament (15+5); Biel/Bienne, July 18, 2020

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Position 631

1. d4 d5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 Nc6 4. Nf3 Bf5 5. Qc3 g6 6. 0-0 0-0-0 7. Bf4 Ne4 8. Qe3 f6 9. c4. White will get no material compensation for his Bishop sacrifice, but his a-side initiative may well produce the most gratifying results under such a time control. 9. ... g5 10. Bxc7 Kxc7 11. cxd5 Rxd5 12. Nfd2 Nxd2 13. Nxd2 e6 14. Qc3 Bg6 15. b4 Kb8 16. Nb3 Ne7 (16. ... Rd6 17. b5 Ne7) 17. Nc5 Qc8 18. Rac1 b6??

19. Na6+!+− Qxa6 (19. ... Kb7 20. Qa3+−) 20. Qc7+ Ka8 21. Qxe7 Re8 22. Qd7 f5 23. Bxd5+ exd5 24. b5 1 : 0.

Indian Grandmaster Pentala Harikrishna finished on top in the ACCENTUS Chess960 Tournament, a highlight of the 53rd Biel International Chess Festival, with 5½ points from seven rounds. Photo: Simon Bohnenblust.

Numbers and Games

Fabiano Caruana – David Antón Guijarro
1st FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament 2019; Santon, October 20, 2019
English Opening A27

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 g6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Bg7 6. Nxc6 dxc6 7. Qxd8+ Kxd8 8. Bg5+ Ke8 9. 0-0-0 Be6 10. e4 Bh6!? A novelty instead of 10. ... Nf6, after which there can follow, for instance, 11. h3 Nd7 12. Nd5 Be5 13. Be3 f6 14. f4 Bd6 15. Nc3 Bc5 16. Bxc5 Nxc5 17. Be2 a5 18. b3 Ke7 19. Bg4 Bf7 20. h4 Rhd8 ½ : ½ Janssen – Brandenburg, 64th Dutch Chess Championship, Hilversum 2008. 11. Bxh6 Nxh6 12. Be2 Ke7 13. b3 f6 14. h4 Nf7 15. f4 h5 16. Bf3 a5 17. Rhe1 Bg4 18. Bxg4 hxg4 19. g3 Rad8 20. Rxd8 Kxd8 21. Rh1 Ke7 22. Kd2 b6 23. Nd1 a4!? The opening of the a-file can hardly be blamed as a further cause of trouble, but the more circumspect 23. ... Nd6 24. Nf2 f5 appears to be near equal. 24. Nf2 axb3 25. axb3 Ra8 26. h5. Of course 26. Nxg4 Ra2+ doesn’t go much far. 26. ... Ra2+ 27. Ke3 gxh5 28. Rxh5 Rb2 29. Nxg4 Rxb3+ 30. Kf2 Rb2+ 31. Kf1 Rb1+ 32. Ke2 Rb2+ 33. Kf3 Rb3+ 34. Kg2 Rb2+ 35. Kh3 Rb1 36. Rf5 Nd6 37. Rxf6 Nxe4 38. Rg6. After 38. Rxc6 Rg1 Black should draw without much difficulty. 38. ... Rh1+? Here Antón Guijarro misses his last chance to hold his own by 38. ... b5! for if 39. Rxc6 then 39. ... b4 40. Rxc7+ Kd8 41. Rb7 Nd6 42. Rb6 Kc7 43. c5 Nc4 44. Rb5 Kc6 45. Rb8 Kc7 with a draw. Now Caruana gives proof of his calculation skills, working his way to an elegant conclusion: 39. Kg2 Rc1 40. Ne5! (40. Rxc6?? Rc3 41. Rxc7+ Kd6=) 40. ... Rc2+ 41. Kh3 c5 42. Kg4 Nd6 43. f5! Nxc4 44. Re6+ Kd8 45. Nxc4 Rxc4+ 46. Kg5 Rc3 47. g4 c4 48. Kf6 Rg3 49. g5 c3 50. g6 b5 51. g7 b4

52. Kf7! The only winning move! 52. ... Rxg7+ 53. Kxg7 c2 54. Re1 b3 55. f6 b2 56. f7 c1=Q 57. f8=Q+ Kd7 58. Qf5+ 1 : 0. For mate in three follows.

By virtue of his win over Antón Guijarro, Caruana took the sole lead of the Grand Swiss Tournament with one round to go. Photo: John Saunders.

Wonderwall

David Antón Guijarro – 韦奕 (Wéi Yì)
28th Torneo Magistral “Ciudad de León”; match game 1; León, June 13, 2015
Grünfeld Defence D85

“Aclimitarse a las condiciones y al ritmo de un torneo no es nada fácil. Aú más si delante tuyo tienes a uno de los jugadores promesa más importantes del mundo. Así le sucedió a David Antón, quien pese a mostrar un buen juego, sufrió la derrota ante Wéi Yì, quien supo aprovechar a la perfección las pequeñas imperfecciones de su rival”, David Kaufmann wrote.

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Bd2 Nb6 6. e3 Bg7 7. f4 0-0 8. Nf3 Be6 9. Ne4. For 9. Rc1 N8d7 10. Ne4 a5 11. a3 Nf6 12. Nc5 Bd5 13. Bd3 Nbd7 14. Nxd7 Qxd7 15. Ne5 Qd6 16. 0-0 see Moiseenko – Khusnutdinov, 41st Chess Olympiad, Tromsø 2014. 9. ... Nc4 10. Qc2 Nxd2 11. Nfxd2 Nd7 12. Ng5 c5 13. dxc5. Possibly better was 13. Nxe6 fxe6 14. dxc5 Rc8 15. Bc4 Rxc5 16. Bxe6+ Kh8 and Black’s temporary lead in development may compensate for the Pawn. 13. ... Bd5 14. e4 Bc6 15. Bc4 Qa5 16. Rc1 e6 17. 0-0. Not 17. Bxe6? fxe6 18. Nxe6 on account of 18. ... Rae8! 19. Nxg7 Rxe4+ 20. Kd1 Qxa2 21. b3 (else 21. Nxe4?? Ba4 and Black skewers the King and Queen) 21. ... Qxc2+ 22. Rxc2 Re7 with an overwhelming advantage to Black. 17. ... Qxc5+ 18. Kh1 Qe7 19. Ngf3 Rac8 20. Qb1 Qb4. Black stands much better. If now 21. Rc2 then 21. ... Bxe4 cashing in. 21. Bb3 Nc5 22. Rc4 Qb6 23. Rcc1 Rfd8 24. f5 exf5 25. exf5 Bxf3 26. Nxf3 Nxb3 27. axb3 Qxb3 28. fxg6 hxg6 29. Rxc8 Rxc8 30. Ng5 Qxb2 31. Qe1 Bf6 32. Ne4 Be7 33. h3 Qe5 34. Qb1 Rc4 35. Nd2 Rc7 36. Qa2 Bd6 37. Nf3 Qe3 38. Nd2 Bf4 39. Rd1 Qe2 0 : 1.

David Antón Guijarro vs. 韦奕 (Wéi Yì)
Photo: Torneo Magistral “Ciudad de León” (Facebook)