Just a Few Seconds

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi – Denis Rimovich Khismatullin
71st Russian Chess Championship Superfinal; Satka, September 1, 2018
Russian Defence C42

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Bf5 7. 0-0 Be7 8. Re1 0-0 9. Nc3 Nxc3 10. bxc3 Bxd3 11. Qxd3 Nd7 12. a4!? A bid to improve on 12. Rb1 Nb6 13. Qf5 Re8 14. Bg5 f6 15. Bf4 Bd6 16. Rxe8+ Qxe8 17. Bxd6 cxd6 18. Qf4 ½ : ½ Nepomniachtchi – Jobava, 7th Chess World Cup, Tbilisi 2017, match game 1. But indeed also with the text move White achieves very little. 12. ... c6 13. a5 Re8 14. c4 dxc4 15. Qxc4 Qc7 16. Bd2 Bd6 17. g3 Nf6 18. Bg5 Ne4 19. Qd3 Nxg5 20. Nxg5 g6 21. Ne4 Be7 22. Qb3 Red8 23. Rad1 b5 24. axb6 Qxb6 25. Qa4 a5 26. c3 Qb5 27. Ra1 Qxa4. Khismatullin opts for a superactive defence, finally ceding a Pawn that he judges as being of little importance. 28. Rxa4 c5 29. dxc5 f5 30. Nd2 Bxc5 31. Nc4 Rd3 32. Rc1 f4 33. gxf4 Rf3 34. Rc2 Rxf4 35. Rxa5 Rxa5 36. Nxa5 Kf7 37. Nb3 Bb6 38. c4 Ke6 39. Kg2 g5 40. Re2+ Kf6 41. c5 Bc7 42. h3 h5 43. Rc2 Ke6 44. c6 Kd6 45. Rd2+ Ke5. 45. ... Kxc6 46. Nd4+ Kb7 47. Ne6 Rf6 48. Nxg5 leads to a worse version of the same ending. 46. Rc2 Kd6. Aiming to repeat moves — but 46. ... g4! 47. h4 Rf3 48. Nd2 Rd3 seems very close to a draw. 47. Nc5 Bb6 48. Na6 Rf7 49. Kg3

49. ... Ra7?? Obviously a dramatic blunder that loses immediately. Of course, equally disastrous was 49. ... Bxf2+?? 50. Rxf2 Rxf2 51. Kxf2 Kxc6 52. Ke3! with an elementary win, but 49. ... Rf8(!) appears to offer a possible way to save the day, as after — for instance — 50. c7 Kd7 51. Nc5+ Kc8 52. Ne6 Rf5 it seems hard — and in any case harder — for White to make progress. 50. c7! Bxc7 51. Nxc7 Rxc7 52. Rxc7 Kxc7 53. h4! Sic et simpliciter. The King and Pawn ending is trivially won. 1 : 0.

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili.

Himmel und Erde

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi – Georg Meier
46th Dortmund Sparkassen Chess Meeting; Dortmund, July 22, 2018
French Defence C10

After winning the 4th Gideon Japhet Cup in Israel, Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi, freshly convened in the Russian Olympic Team by the head coach Andrey Vasilievich Filatov, also won the 46th Dortmund Sparkassen Chess Meeting in Germany, with Georg Meier continuing to be his summer talisman. 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Nxf6+ Nxf6 7. Ne5. “This move was first shown to me by the talented Venezuelan amateur, M. Ayala. The object is to prevent the development of Black’s Queen’s Bishop via b7, after ... b7-b6, which is Black’s usual development in this variation. Generally it is bad to move the same piece twice in an opening before the other pieces are out, and the violation of that principle is the only objection that can be made to this move, which otherwise has everything to recommend it”, José Raúl Capablanca wrote in his book “Chess Fundamentals”, Library of Alexandria, 1922, p. 81. 7. ... Bd6 8. Bg5. Capablanca’s recommendation. If 8. Df3 Black should reply 8. ... c5! (after 8. ... c6 9. c3 0-0 10. Bg5 Be7 11. Bd3 Ne8 12. Qh3 White stands much better already, Capablanca – Blanco, Havana 1913) 9. Bb5+ Ke7 (Capablanca preferred 9. ... Kf8) 10. 0-0 cxd4∞ Domínguez Pérez – Meier, Chess.com 3rd Speed Chess Championship Invitational Qualifier, 2018, match game 12. 8. ... h6 9. Bh4 0-0. Or else 9. ... c5 10. Bb5+ Ke7 11. 0-0 cxd4 12. Qxd4 Qc7 13. Ng4 e5 14. Nxe5 Rd8 15. Rfe1 Be6 16. Bg3 a6 17. Bd3 Kf8 18. Qh4 with fair attacking chances for White, Rogers – Gerber, 29th Crédit Suisse Chess Tournament, Biel/Bienne 1996. 10. Bd3 c5 11. Qe2 Qa5+ 12. c3 cxd4 13. Nc4 Qc5 14. Bxf6 gxf6 15. Qg4+ Kh8 16. cxd4 Qb4+ 17. Kf1 Bc7. Maybe Meier was thinking Nepomniachtchi’d have contented himself with a draw by repetition. 18. Qe4! But no. 18. ... f5 19. Qh4

19. ... Kg7? After this White’s attack develops by itself. Stockfish argues there is a hidden saving by 19. ... Kh7! 20. g4 b5 21. g5 Bf4!!∞ – but even if it were true, it was really hard to see. 20. g4! f4 21. Rg1! Of course, after the naïve 21. g5? h5! 22. Qxh5 Rh8 Black would suddenly feel happy again. 21. ... Bd7. Mutatis mutandis, 21. ... Rh8 22. Qh5! Bd7 23. g5 simply transposes into the game. 22. Qh5! (22. g5? h5!) 22. ... Rh8 23. g5 hxg5 24. Qxg5+ Kf8 25. Qf6! Rxh2 26. Rg7 Be8. (26. ... Qe7 27. Rg8++−) 27. Bh7 1 : 0. For after 27. ... Rh1+ 28. Kg2 Bc6+ 29. f3 the curtain falls.

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi (right) vs. Georg Meier (left). Photo: sparkassen-chess-meeting.de.

The Unsinkable Elastigirl

Chess-News.ru (@Chess__News)

Unsinkable | Pictures from the Dead Sea. Please visit: http://chess-news.ru/node/24825.

Six Characters in Search of an Author

Georg Meier – Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi
4th Gideon Japhet Cup; Jerusalem, July 6, 2018
Queen’s Pawn Opening D02

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi has deservedly won the 4th Gideon Japhet Cup, showing “class and cool” in his crucial ninth round game with Georg Meier. 1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. d4 c6 5. 0-0 Nf6 6. c3 0-0 7. Re1 Nbd7 8. Bf4 Nh5 9. Be3 Re8 10. Nbd2 e5(!). Why not? 10. ... Nhf6 may transpose into 11. Qb3 Ng4 12. Bf4 e5 that is also quite satisfactory for Black, U. Andersson - Unzicker, 47th Hastings International Chess Congress, Hastings 1971/1972. 11. dxe5 Nxe5 12. Nxe5 Bxe5 13. Qb3 Qc7 14. c4 d4 15. Bh6 Bh8 16. c5 Be6 17. Qa3 Qd7. 17. ... Ng7 (in order to reply 18. Ne4 with 18. ... Nf5) was also worth considering. 18. Ne4 Bd5 19. Nd6 Bxg2 20. Kxg2 Re5 21. e4 dxe3 22. Rxe3 Rxe3 23. Qxe3. Meier is desperately trying to get something out from under Nepomniachtchi’s seat. Here, however, recapturing with the Bishop looked a little more natural. 23. ... Nf6 (23. ... Bxb2?? 24. Rb1+−) 24. Qf3 Nd5 25. Rd1 b6(!)

26. Rxd5!? Meier tries to force things by an Exchange sacrifice “on call”, but, however correct it is, it is not enough to win. 26. ... cxd5 27. Qxd5 Rd8 28. b4? It must be a sign of demoralisation. White ought to have contented himself with 28. Bg5(!) Rc8 29. f3!? (threatening Nd6xc8) 29. ... Rxc5 (or 29. ... Rc6 30. Be7!=) 30. Qa8+ Kg7 31. Ne8+ Kf8 32. Nd6+ Kg7 33. Ne8+ drawing by perpetual check. 28. ... bxc5 29. bxc5 Qe6(!) 30. Qxe6. By now White had no longer any good move, but the exchange of Queens is tantamount to surrender as the ending is easily winning for Black. 30. ... fxe6 31. Bf4 Bd4 32. Nb7 Rc8 33. Bd6 Kf7 34. f4 Ke8 35. Kf3 Kd7 36. Ke4 Bg1 37. h3 Rc6 38. Ke5 Ra6 39. Bf8 (39. a3 Kc8−+) 39. ... Rxa2 40. Kf6 Rb2 41. c6+ Kxc6 42. Nd8+ Kd7 0 : 1.

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi (left) and Georg Meier (right) playing their last round game. Photo: Vladimir Barsky.

The Summer Man

Georg Meier – Vassily Mykhaylovych Ivanchuk
4th Gideon Japhet Cup; Jerusalem, July 4, 2018
Réti Opening A07

German Grandmaster Georg Meier, not a full-time professional, often gives his best during summer. Last year in the United States, and now in Israel. Today he neatly beat Anna Olehivna Muzychuk for 2–0, and moreover after defeating Vassily Mykhaylovych Ivanchuk too in their fifth round game. 1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 c6 3. Bg2 Bf5 4. c4 e6 5. cxd5 exd5 6. 0-0 Nf6 7. d3 Bc5 8. Qb3 Bb6 9. Nc3 0-0 10. Na4 Re8 11. Re1. Meier is very familiar with this system and knows very well what to do (and what not to do). Instead, Ivanchuk seems to take the thing lightly.

11. ... Ba5? This will prove to be a very unfortunate novelty. Previously, both 11. ... Nbd7 12. Bd2 h6 13. Nxb6 Qxb6 14. Qc3 a5 15. h3 c5 (Meier – Dreev, World Blitz Chess Championship, Dubai 2014) and 11. ... h6 12. Bd2 c5 13. Qa3 Na6 14. Rac1 Rc8 (Meier – Korneev, Scandic Ariadne Masters, Stockholm 2016) had given Black quite reasonable prospects. 12. Qxb7! Sic et simpliciter. 12. ... Bxe1. Black consistently goes on. On the other hand, if 12. ... Nbd7 then 13. Bd2 with a clear advantage – both material and positional – to White. 13. Qxa8 Bxf2+? Definitely a hallucination. However, Black’s cause was already compromised anyway; for instance: 13. ... Qa5 14. Be3 with a Pawn ahead and the better game. 14. Kxf2 Qd7. That was Ivanchuk’s pointe: Black threatens to trap the Queen by ... Nb8-a6, but... 15. Nd4. After this Black finally realises that 15. ... Na6 would be simply met by 16. Qxc6, so he sadly goes home. 15. ... Bh3 16. Bf4 1 : 0.

Sufganiyot

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi – Anna Olehivna Muzychuk
4th Gideon Japhet Cup (25+10); Jerusalem, July 4, 2018
English Opening A11

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk took another hit today, by drawing both her games with Russian Grandmaster Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi. Especially the six round game was a tremendously hard fought battle, which perhaps she ought to have won. 1. Nf3 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 e6 5. b3 Bd6 6. Bb2 0-0 7. Be2 Nbd7 8. Qc2 b6 9. Rg1 Bb7 10. g4 Qe7 11. g5 Ne8 12. h4 Rc8 13. h5 Ba3 14. Bxa3 Qxa3 15. cxd5. This is a very strange move on Nepomniachtchi’s part. If 15. Nh4 then 15. ... f5! with very unclear play, but maybe 15. Bd3(!) g6 16. Nh2(!) would have offered better chances for White to enhance his initiative. 15. ... cxd5 16. Bb5 Qe7 17. Qb2 Nd6. Muzychuk does not feel sure enough to venture 17. ... f6!?, but her choice, too, leads to wild complications. 18. Bxd7 Qxd7 19. h6!? Nf5. Here 19. ... d4!? 20. Nxd4 e5 was very interesting, with excellent compensation for the Pawn. 20. Ne2 g6 21. Ng3. Why not Nf3-e5-g4? 21. ... f6 22. gxf6 Qf7. After 22. ... Nxh6 23. Qd4 Qd8 24. Nh5 Nf5 the game would have been less controversially balanced. 23. Nh5!? Stockfish’s 23. Nxf5 exf5 24. Ke2! seems to offer White more chances. 23. ... d4 24. Nxd4? 24. Ne5 Qc7 25. f4∞ was almost a must-do for Nepomniachtchi. 24. ... Nxh6 25. f4

25. ... Rc5! 26. Rg5? (26. Ng7 Qxf6 27. Ngxe6 Rfc8∓/−+) 26. ... Nf5? (26. ... Rxg5 27. fxg5 gxh5 28. gxh6 e5−+) 27. Nxf5 exf5 28. Rc1 Rfc8. 28. ... Bf3! seems a little more tough. 29. Rxc5 Rxc5 30. b4 Rc8 31. Ng3 Qd5 (31. ... h6?? 32. Nxf5!+−) 32. Ne2 Kf7 33. Rg1 Qd6 34. Nd4 Bd5 35. Nxf5 Qxf6 36. Nh6+ Kg7 37. Qxf6+ Kxf6 38. Ng4+ Kf5 39. Ke2 Bxa2 40. Ne5 Bd5 41. Rg5+ Ke6 (41. ... Ke4?? 42. d3 mate) 42. Ng4 Rc2 43. e4 Bc4+ 44. Ke3 Rb2 45. Kd4. If nothing else, 45. d3 offered better reasons to keep playing (for if 45. ... Rb3 then 46. Ne5). 45. ... Rxb4 46. Kc3 Ra4 47. d4 Be2 48. Ne5 a5 49. f5+ gxf5 50. Rxf5 b5 51. d5+ Kd6 52. Nf7+ Ke7 53. d6+ Kd7 54. Re5 Bg4 55. Re7+ Kc6 56. e5 Rc4+ 57. Kb2 Kd5 58. d7 Bxd7 59. Rxd7+ Ke6 60. Rb7 Rf4 61. Ng5+ Kxe5 62. Rxb5+ Kf6 63. Nxh7+ Kg6 ½ : ½. What a fight!

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk. Photo: Vladimir Barsky.

From left: Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi and Pyotr Veniaminovich Svidler. Photo: Vladimir Barsky.

Tahini cookies

Vassily Mykhaylovych Ivanchuk – Anna Olehivna Muzychuk
4th Gideon Japhet Cup (25+10); Jerusalem, July 3, 2018
Spanish Game C77

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk just kept having a good time in the 4th Gideon Japhet Cup. After yesterday’s two draws with Svidler, today she confidently drew even both her games with her countryman Vassily Mykhaylovych Ivanchuk. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d3 Bc5 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. Nbd2 Bd6 8. Nc4 Qe7 9. Qe2. Another way is 8. Bd2 Bg4 9. h3 Bh5 10. Ne3 Nd7 11. Nf5 Qf8 12. Ng3 Bg6 13. Nh4 0-0-0 14. 0-0 f6 15. Nxg6 hxg6 16. Qg4 g5 17. Rfb1 Rh4 18. Qf3 g6 19. b4 Qe7 20. a4 Rdh8 with a very double-edged game, E. Torre – Mitkov, 33rd Chess Olympiad, Elista 1998. 9. ... Nd7!?TN 10. g4!? Nf8 11. Rg1 Ng6 12. Bg5!? f6 13. Be3 Be6 14. h4 Bxc4! 15. dxc4 0-0-0 16. h5 Nf4 17. Bxf4 exf4 18. 0-0-0 Rhe8. Black has comfortably equalised, and Muzychuk does not make many efforts to bring home the half point. 19. Rge1 Be5. Intending ... Be5xb2+ followed by ... Qe7-b4+ with perpetual check. 20. c3 Qc5 21. Nd2 Qe7 22. f3 a5! 23. a4

23. ... Bxc3! A neat way to force a draw by perpetual check. 24. bxc3 Qa3+ 25. Kc2 Qa2+ 26. Kc1 Qa3+ 27. Kc2 ½ : ½.

From left: Vassily Mykhaylovych Ivanchuk and Anna Olehivna Muzychuk. Photo: Vladimir Barsky.

On the Way to Damascus

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk – Pyotr Veniaminovich Svidler
4th Gideon Japhet Cup (25+10); Jerusalem, July 2, 2018
Sicilian Defence B51

The Muzychuk sisters stopped at Jerusalem, Israel under the ACP (Association of Chess Professionals) umbrella. Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk plays the 4th Gideon Japhet Memorial ACP Open Chess Tournament (classical time control), while Anna Olehivna Muzychuk tries her luck in the 4th Gideon Japhet Cup (rapid time control). Today, Anna Olehivna came very close to win in her first round game with eight-time Russian Chess Champion Pyotr Veniaminovich Svidler. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+. Muzychuk likes this line. 3. ... Nd7 4. 0-0 a6 5. Bd3 Ngf6 6. c3 b5 7. a4 c4 8. Be2 Bb7 9. axb5 axb5 10. Rxa8 Bxa8 11. Na3 Bxe4. The alternative is 11. ... Qb8 12. d3 cxd3 13. Bxd3 Bxe4 14. Nxb5 d5 15. Bg5 e5 16. Bxf6 Nxf6 17. Bxe4 dxe4 18. Qa4 exf3 19. Nc7+ Kd8 20. Rd1+ Kxc7 21. Qc4+ Kb6 22. Qb3+ Kc7 23. Qc4+ Kb6 24. Qb3+ Kc7 25. Qc4+ Kb6 ½ : ½ A. Muzychuk – Raja, 16th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, Catalan Bay 2018. 12. Nxb5 d5 13. b3! A significant improvement on 13. d3 cxd3 14. Bxd3 Bxd3 15. Qxd3 e5 16. Re1 e4 17. Nfd4 Bc5 18. Qg3 0-0 19. Bg5 Qb6 20. b4 Bxd4 21. Nxd4 Ra8 22. Nf5 g6 23. Nh6+ Kg7 24. Ng4 Nxg4 25. Qxg4 Qc6 26. Qg3 Rc8 27. Bd2 f6 28. h4 Ne5 29. h5 Nc4 30. Bf4 g5 31. Qg4 Re8 32. Ra1 ½ : ½ A. Muzychuk – P. Cramling, ACP European Women’s Rapid Chess Championship, Tbilisi 2018. 13. ... cxb3 14. Ba3 e6 15. Qxb3 Nc5 16. Qa2. 16. Qb4 could well be considered. 16. ... Bxf3 17. Bxf3 Be7. Svidler doesn’t succeed in “normalising” his position, seriously risking to lose the game. He ought to have played 17. ... Qa5(!) 18. Qb1 Be7 with a perfectly playable game. 18. c4 d4. This worsens the prognosis for Black. 18. ... 0-0 19. d4 Nce4 seems comparatively best.

19. Bc6+ Kf8 20. Bb4. Stockfish gives 20. Qa1 g6 (trying to keep the Pawn with 20. ... d3 21. Rb1! does not help at all) 21. Nxd4 Kg7 22. Bf3 which leaves White a Pawn up with the better game. Muzychuk’s choice, however, is not bad either. 20. ... g6 21. Qa7. 21. Qa3 would have been extremely unpleasant for Black, but Muzychuk, hard pressed by the lack of time, contents herself with a draw by repetition. 21. ... Nb3 22. Qa4 Nc5 23. Qa7 Nb3 ½ : ½.

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk (right) vs. Pyotr Veniaminovich Svidler (left). Photo: Vladimir Barsky.

Sermon on the Mount

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk, Boris Abramovich Gelfand, Vassily Mykhaylovych Ivanchuk, Georg Meier, Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi, and Pyotr Veniaminovich Svidler will play the rapid (25+10) 4th Gideon Japhet Cup, organised by Jeruchess Club in partnership with the ACP (Association of Chess Professionals) and sponsored by the Japhet family, which will take place in the Annette and Theodore Lerner Family Indoor Sports Complex on the Mount Scopus campus of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Jerusalem, Israel from July 1–6 2018.

The sunset glinting off the Hebrew University Mount Scopus campus. Photo credit: Leeor Bronis/The Times of Israel.

A Snapshot in Time

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi – Viorel Antonovich Bologan
19th Karpov International Chess Tournament; Poikovsky, June 2, 2018
Spanish Game C65

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. Nbd2 0-0 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. Nc4 Nd7 8. Qe2 Re8 9. h4 b5 10. Na5 Bb4+ 11. Bd2 Bxa5 12. Bxa5 Nf8 13. Qe3 Qd6 14. h5 c5!? The interpolation of 14. ... h6(!) 15. Nh4 c5 should give Black quite a reasonable game, Kuzubov – Tabatabaei, 18th Dubai Open Chess Tournament, Dubai 2016. 15. Bd2 Ne6. 15. ... h6 might have transposed into the above mentioned game. 16. 0-0-0 b4 17. g4. Nepomniachtchi and Bologan have engaged a typical struggle with heterogeneous castling. So the question is, who’ll come first? 17. ... Nd4? This loses time and grasp. 17. ... a5!? deserved serious consideration, to be soonly followed by ... b4-b3 and ... a5-a4. 18. Nxd4 exd4 19. Qf3 Qa6 20. Kb1 c4!? Black tries to take back time. 21. dxc4 Bb7 22. Rde1 Qxc4 23. h6. No doubt White came first. 23. ... Qe6 24. Qf4 b3!? 25. axb3 d3?! A tricky last-ditch counterattack, which, however, doesn’t work. 25. ... g6 was a lesser evil, although after 26. Ba5 c5 27. f3 White remains a Pawn up with a comfortable advantage. 26. cxd3 Ba6 27. Rh3! Qxb3 28. Qg5! Bxd3+ 29. Rxd3! Qxd3+ 30. Kc1 Qc4+ 31. Bc3 g6 32. Qf6 Kf8

33. Rd1! Qxe4 34. Qg7+ Ke7 35. Re1 1 : 0.

Rugelach

The pasionaria Anna Olehivna Muzychuk from Ukraine is one (and another) of the “dethroned Queens” who pass thru the changeless intervals of the live chess broadcasts on their way to gender justice. After refusing to sell herself out by playing chess in a “World Championship” in which not everyone was allowed to participate, she started a new life in Spain, especially in Catalonia, where she is always welcomed by the civil society as a honoured guest on various cultural events (not only chess-related). Although she became an icon of women’s rights, she regards herself more as an egalitarist than a feminist: “I would not like to be associated with radical feminism, but rather with reasonable egalitarianism, so that women and men are treated in the same way”, she told Javier Toledo, who interviewed her for Radio Montecarlo CX20-930 AM. Asked about the “machismo” in the world of chess, she prefers to emphasize the inequality of economic treatment, since a man can even win ten times the prize money of a woman. Then, finally, an invitation came. Muzychuk will play the 4th Gideon Japhet Cup to be held from 1–6 July in Jerusalem, Israel along with Boris Abramovich Gelfand, Vassily Mykhaylovych Ivanchuk, Georg Meier, Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi, and Pyotr Veniaminovich Svidler. “It will be a challenge”, Muzychuk says, as the lowest Elo rating in the tournament belongs to her. On the other hand, she is only relatively interested in the final result. More important for her is “to make experience playing with the very best and learn”. Muzychuk, who speaks six languages, admits she does not have much free time to devote to her interests, because chess absorbs much of her life. When it is possible, however, she likes “to do what most people do: meet and go out with my friends, enjoy the company of my family, traveling, going to movies and doing sports”. Photo: EFE.

A French Kiss in London

Magnus Carlsen – Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi
9th London Chess Classic; London, December 10, 2017
Nimzo-Indian Defence E54

1. Nf3 c5 2. c3 d5 3. d4 cxd4 4. cxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Bf4 Nh5 7. Bd2 Nf6 8. e3 e6 9. Bd3 Bd6 10. e4 dxe4 11. Nxe4 Be7 12. 0-0 0-0. After 12. ... Nxd4 13. Nxd4 Qxd4 14. Bc3 Qd8 15. Qf3 White would have powerful compensation for the Pawn, Mellado Triviño – Rowson, 3rd International Open, Palma de Mallorca 2008. 13. Qc2 h6 14. Rad1 Bd7 15. a3 Rc8 16. Nc3!? Carlsen tries something new. The old “score” was 15. Qb1 Qb6 16. b4 Nxe4 17. Bxe4 Bf6 18. Be3 Qc7 19. Qc1 Rfd8 20. d5 exd5 21. Bxd5 Bf5 22. b5 Nd4 23. Qxc7 Rxc7 24. Bxd4 Rxd5 25. Bxf6 Rxd1 26. Rxd1 gxf6 with dull equality, Safarli – Mammadov, International Chess Festival “Baku Open”, Baku 2012. 16. ... a6 17. Qc1 Re8 18. Rfe1 Bf8 19. Bf4 b5 20. Qd2 b4 21. axb4 Nxb4 22. Ne5. Very energetic. 22. Bb1 Nbd5 would have led nowhere. 22. ... Nxd3 23. Qxd3 a5 24. Qf3 Bb4. Actually, it could even be a mistake, but, curiously, it serves the purpose of distracting White from playing g2-g4 (before or after h2-h4).

25. Re3. There’s nothing wrong with this, of course, except for the fact that almost all players from the nineteenth century would have played 25. Bxh6! without thinking twice. I ask the oracle: 25. Bxh6! Bxc3 26. bxc3 gxh6 27. Qg3+ Kh7 (if 27. ... Kf8 then 28. Rd3! followed by Qg3-f4 and/or Rd3-f3) 28. Nxf7 Qe7 29. Qd3+ Kg8 30. Qg6+ Kf8 31. Nd6 Qg7 32. Qd3 Bc6 33. f3 with great play for White (Stockfish’s analysis). 25. ... Bxc3 26. bxc3 Ba4 27. Ra1 Bc2 28. h3 Bf5 29. g4! Oh, no! Yes, it’s an excellent move, but... 29. ... Bh7 30. c4 Nd7 31. Nc6? 31. c5! Nxe5 (otherwise Ne5-c4 would follow) 32. Bxe5 followed by Re3-a3 (or also Re3-b3) would have given White a safe and definite advantage, but, strangely, now Carlsen seems in a mood to complicate. 31. ... Qf6 32. Nxa5 Nb6 33. c5!? Spectacularly complacent, but White had to give back the Pawn anyway; for instance: 33. Rea3 Nxc4 34. Nxc4 Rxc4 35. Ra8 Rcc8 36. Qc6 Qd8 37. Rxc8 Qxc8 38. Bc7 Rd8 39. Ra7 Bg6 with rough equality (Stockfish’s analysis). 33. ... Rxc5! 34. dxc5!? Qxa1+ 35. Kh2 Qxa5 36. Qc6? Another mysterious blind spot. After 36. cxb6 I guess it would not have been too hard for Carlsen to achieve a draw. 36. ... Qa4! 37. Qxa4 Nxa4 38. c6 Nb6 39. c7 f6 40. Rb3 Nc8 0 : 1. Don’t think it’s all nonfiction. Tomorrow Magnus Carlsen will be awarded the Grand Chess Tour trophy. He can always give it away in exchange for a kiss.

Rituals and Ceremonies

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi – Davíð Kjartansson
33rd European Chess Club Cup; Göynük, October 8, 2017
English Opening A18

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. e4 d5 4. e5 d4 5. exf6 dxc3 6. bxc3 Qxf6 7. d4 Qd8. This is a very rare line that seems far less convincing than the critical 7. ... e5(!) – probably Black’s best. 8. Nf3 Be7 9. Bd3 Nd7 10. 0-0 Nf6. The potentiality of White’s initiative is well illustrated by the following (old) game: 10. ... 0-0 11. Qe2 c6 12. Bf4 Qa5 13. Rab1 Qh5 14. h3 b6 15. Rfe1 Bb7 16. c5 Nf6 17. c4 Rfe8 18. Qf1! (Δ g2-g4) 18. ... h6 19. Be5 Kh8 20. Bxf6 gxf6 21. g4! Rg8 22. Qg2 Bxc5 23. gxh5 Rxg2+ 24. Kxg2 Rg8+ 25. Kf1 1 : 0 Jussupow – Barbero, 17th World Junior Chess Championship, Graz 1978. 11. Ne5 0-0 12. Qf3 c5 13. Rd1 Nd7 14. Qh3 g6. Clearly not 14. ... h6? because of 15. Bxh6! with a devastating attack. 14. ... f5 might be another reasonable choice, even though it looks hardly better than the text. 15. Nf3 e5

16. Qh6 Re8? Thus Black drives the e5-Pawn to his doom. Best was 16. ... exd4! 17. cxd4 Re8 with a still tenable game. 17. Ng5 Nf6. If 17. ... Bxg5 18. Bxg5 f6 then 19. Bxg6! Re7 20. Bf5! fxg5 21. Qxg5+ Kh8 22. Bxh7! with three Pawns for the Knight and a formidable attack. 18. dxe5 Bf8 19. Qh4 h6? This is harakiri, but after 19. ... Rxe5 20. Bf4 Black, who is virtually forced to give up the Exchange, could not last long anyway. 20. Nxf7! 1 : 0.

Lost in the Shuffle

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi – Levon Grigori Aronian

2nd Speed Chess Championship; match game 27 (1’+1” per move); Chess.com, August 23, 2017

rnbkqrnb/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBKQRNB w KQkq - 0 1
Position 631

1. b3 g6 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Bb2 f5 4. g3 d6 5. f4 Bd7 6. 0-0-0. It could be White’s decisive mistake! 6. ... a5! Black prepares for a straight Pawn sacrifice in order to punish his opponent for having castled on the a-side. 7. Kb1 a4 8. Nxa4 Bxb2 9. Nxb2 Nf6 10. c3 e5 11. d3 e4 12. Qd2 b5 13. Nh3 h6 14. e3 Qf7 15. Nf2 0-0 16. h3? And this is surely White’s crucial mistake, even if it is not clear whether and how he could have avoided the worst of what is about to happen. Stockfish gives 16. dxe4! Rxa2! 17. e5! (17. Kxa2? Ra8+ 18. Kb1 Qxb3 19. Nd3 fxe4 20. Nc1 Qa3 21. Kc2 Be6 also seems to offer Black an overwhelming attack) 17. ... Qxb3 18. exf6 Be6 19. Bd5 Rfa8 20. Bxb3 Bxb3 21. Nbd3 Ra1+ 22. Kb2 R1a2+ with perpetual check.

16. ... Rxa2!! Aronian sacrifices a whole Rook for a mating attack. 17. Kxa2 Ra8+ 18. Kb1 Qxb3. White is harmless against the double threat of ... Bd7-e6 and ... Nc6-b4. 19. dxe4. Desperation, for after 19. Qc2 Ra1+ Black would win very heavy material. 19. ... b4?? A terrible and very strange mistake by Aronian, when by now everything seemed so easy for Black. After 19. ... Be6! White had no (economic) way of parrying the threat of ... Ra8-a1+. 20. Rc1?? And here Nepomniachtchi misses his only (good) chance to claim the point: 20. Qd3! (in order to exchange Queens by Qd3-c4+); Aronian should have probably continued 20. ... bxc3 21. Qc4+ Qxc4 22. Nxc4 Ra4 aimimg for an ending the Exchange down, with all his hopes laid in his (mystical) Knight pair. 20. ... Ra3. Now it is all finished: Black wins. 21. c4 Na5 22. Nd3 Qa2+ 23. Kc2 Ba4 mate.

Twelve Years Later

Garry Kimovich Kasparov – Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi
Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz Grand Chess Tour 2017; Saint Louis, August 15, 2017
Grünfeld Defence D90

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. h4!? Kasparov is just playing into the enemy’s hand – at least in a theoretical sense. 5. ... c6 6. Bg5 dxc4 7. e4 Be6!? Nepomniachtchi aims to improve on 7. ... b5 8. e5 Nd5 9. h5 h6? 10. hxg6! hxg5 11. Rxh8+ Bxh8 12. gxf7+ Kxf7 13. Nxg5+ Kg6 14. Qf3! with a vehement attack, Nepomniachtchi – Giri, 3rd SportAccord World Mind Games, Blitz Event, 北京 (Beijīng) 2013. 8. e5 Nd5 9. h5 Nd7. Not 9. ... h6? on account of 10. hxg6! hxg5 11. Rxh8+ Bxh8 12. Nxg5 followed by Qd1-h5 with a powerful attack. 10. h6! Bf8 11. Ne4. With the threat of winning the Queen by Ne4-d6+. 11. ... f6 12. Bd2 b5 13. a4 Bf5 14. Ng3! e6 15. Nxf5 exf5 16. axb5 cxb5 17. Be2 Be7 18. 0-0 a5 19. b3! White energetically seizes the initiative. 19. ... c3 20. Bxb5 cxd2 21. e6 0-0 22. exd7? Afterwards, Kasparov bitterly regretted getting rid of his e-Pawn, and indeed it was a big mistake! After 22. Bxd7 Nb6 23. Bb5 White would have kept a powerful edge. 22. ... Nc3 23. Bc4+ Kh8 24. Qxd2 Ne4 25. Qe3 Qxd7 26. Nd2 Nxd2 27. Qxd2 Bb4 28. Qd3 Qd6 29. Ra2 Rae8 30. Re2 Qf4 31. g3 Qxh6 32. Kg2 f4 33. Rh1? Losing a crucial tempo. 33. Rxe8 Rxe8 34. Bf7 is still tenable enough, and might have been successfully defended to the end. However, just to make things worse, Kasparov was terribly short of time. 33. ... Qg5 34. Rxe8 Rxe8 35. Bf7? And this is the end. White should have aimed to defend the ending a Pawn down by 35. Qf3.

35. ... Re3! A pretty solution. 36. fxe3 Qxg3+ 37. Kf1 f3 0 : 1.

Exchange rate

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi – Samuel L. Shankland
11th World Team Chess Championship; Khanty-Mansyisk, June 25, 2017
Caro-Kann Defence B12

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. g4!? Be4 5. f3 Bg6 6. e6!? fxe6 7. h4 Nd7 8. h5 Bf7 9. f4 e5 10. fxe5 e6 11. Nf3 c5 12. c3 Ne7 13. Bd3 Nc6 14. 0-0 Qb6 15. Kg2 Rc8 16. a3 cxd4! Shankland adds fuel to an already wild game with a pseudo-Bishop sacrifice. 17. cxd4 Nxd4 18. Nxd4 Qxd4 19. Bg6! Not 19. Rxf7? Rxc1! (Leitão’s analysis). 19. ... Qxd1 20. Bxf7+ Kd8 21. Rxd1 Ke7 22. Rf1 Rc2+ 23. Kh1 Nxe5 24. Bg5+ Kd7 25. Nc3 Nxg4. Black’s position looks very threatening, but Nepomniachtchi is keeping everything under strict control. 26. Bxe6+! Kxe6 27. Rae1+ Kd6

28. Rxf8! Nf2+. Maybe it’s not so wrong as it looks, but simpler seems 28. ... Rxf8 29. Be7+ Kd7 30. Bxf8 Nf2+ 31. Kh2 d4 32. Re2 d3 33. Rxc2 dxc2 34. Ne2 Nd3 25. Bxg7 c1=Q 36. Nxc1 Nxc1 with a probably drawish ending. 29. Rxf2 Rxf2 30. Nb5+ Kc6 31. Nxa7+ Kc7 32. Nb5+ Kb8 33. b4 Rf5 34. Be7 Rxh5+ 35. Kg2 d4 36. Nxd4 Rd5 37. Bc5 Rhd8 38. Re4 h5 39. a4 g5 40. a5 g4 41. a6 bxa6 42. Nc6+ Kc7 43. Nxd8 Kxd8 44. Kg3 Rf5 45. Kh4 Rd5 46. Re3 Kc7 47. Re7+ Kb8 48. Bb6 Rb5 49. Bc7+ Ka8 50. Ba5 Rf5 51. Re6 Kb7 52. Rg6 Ka7 53. Rb6 Rd5 54. Rf6 Kb7 55. Rf4 Ka7 56. Kg3 Rd3+ 57. Kf2 Rd5 58. Ke3 Re5+ 59. Kf2 Kb7 60. Rf7+ Ka8? After strenuously fighting for survival in such an unbalanced ending, Shankland finally puts his foot (King) in the wrong spot. Apparently after 60. ... Kc6 Black would have retained excellent drawing chances; for instance: 61. Rf6+ Kb5 62. Rb6+ Kc4 63. Rxa6 h4 64. Rh6 g3+ 65. Kf1 Rf5+ 66. Kg1 Rf4 and White doesn’t seem to have any way to make progress. 61. Rg7 Re4 62. Kg3 Re5 63. Kf4 Rd5 64. Ke4 Rb5 65. Kd4 Rf5 66. Bb6 Rb5 67. Rg8+ Kb7 68. Bc5 Kc7 69. Ke4 1 : 0.

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi
Photo: Anastasiya Balakhontseva/Ugra Chess Academy

Samuel L. Shankland
Photo: Anastasiya Balakhontseva/Ugra Chess Academy

The Whisky Muse

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi – 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén)
11th World Team Chess Championship; Khanty-Mansyisk, June 24, 2017
Scotch Game C45

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. e5 Qe7 7. Qe2 Nd5 8. c4 Ba6 9. b3 g6 10. g3 Bg7 11. Bb2 0-0 12. Bg2 Rfe8. In his book “Garry Kasparov on Garry Kasparov, Part 3: 1993-2005”, London, Everyman Chess, 2014, p. 19, 13th World Chess Champion Garry Kimovich Kasparov punctuated the text with a “?!”, recommending instead 12. ... Rae8 13. 0-0 Bxe5 14. Qxe5 Qxe5 15. Bxe5 Rxe5 16. cxd5 Bxf1 17. Kxf1 cxd5 18. Nc3 (18. f4 Re3 19. Bxd5 Rd3! 20. Bf3 Re8=) 18. ... c6 “with an unclear and non-standard ending”, Rublevsky – Pr. Nikolić, 33rd Rubinstein Memorial, Polanica-Zdrój 1996. 13. 0-0. “With some advantage”, writes Kasparov (ibidem). 13. ... Bxe5. No good is 13. ... Nb6 14. Re1 d5 15. Qc2 Qc5 16. Nd2 Rad8 17. Rac1 d4 18. Nf3 d3 19. Qd2 Bc8 20. h3 h5 21. Rcd1 Bf5 22. e6 Rxe6 23. Rxe6 Bxe6 24. Bxg7 Kxg7 25. Qc3+ Kg8 26. Rxd3 Rxd3 27. Qxd3 Nd7 28. Qc3 Bf5 29. Nd4 Qe5 30. Qd2 c5 31. Nxf5 Qxf5 32. Qa5 Ne5 33. Qxa7 h4 34. Qa8+ Kg7 35. Qe4 Qf6 36. Qxh4 1 : 0 Kasparov – I. Sokolov, 32nd Chess Olympiad, Yerevan 1996. 14. Qxe5 Qxe5 15. Bxe5 Rxe5 16. cxd5 Bxf1 17. Kxf1 cxd5.

18. Na3!? Nepomniachtchi’s novelty won’t prove to be all that different from 18. Nc3 c6 19. Rc1 Rae8 20. Bf3 Kf8 21. Na4 Ke7 22. Nc5 Kd6 23. Nd3 R5e7 24. b4 Ra8 25. a4 a5 26. b5 ½ : ½ Lékó – Almási, 2nd International Chess Open, Úbeda 1997. So, maybe, it is worth considering Kasparov’s recommendation: 18. f4! Re3 19. Bxd5 (“with gain of tempo!”) 19. ... Rae8 20. Nd2 which leaves Black with only one extra Pawn as a compensation for his dynamic deficit. 18. ... c6 19. Nc2 a5 20. Rd1 Kf8 21. Rd4 Ke7 22. Rf4 Rf5 23. Ra4. In spite of his heroic efforts to draw something out of nothing, Nepomniachtchi cannot change the drawish evaluation of this “unclear and non-standard ending”. 23. ... Kd6 24. Ke2 Re8+ 25. Kf1 Ra8 26. Ne3 Re5 27. Ke2 Kc7 28. Kd2 Kb6 29. Bf1 Re4 30. Ra3 Rae8 31. Bd3 R4e6 32. Ra4 Rf6 33. Ng4 Rf3 34. Be2 Rf5 35. Bd3 Rf3 36. Be2 Rf5 37. f4 h5 38. Ne5 d6 39. Nf3 c5 40. Ng5 d4 41. Bd3 Rf6 42. Be4 h4 43. Rc4 Re7 44. Rc1 d5 45. Bxd5 Rf5 46. Bc4 hxg3 47. hxg3 f6 48. Ne6 Rh5 49. Re1 Rh2+ 50. Re2 Rxe2+ 51. Kxe2 Kc6 52. g4 Kd6 53. f5 gxf5 54. gxf5 Rh7 55. a4 Rh5 56. Bd3 Rh2+ 57. Ke1 Rh3 58. Kd2 Rh2+ 59. Ke1 Rh3 60. Kd2 Rh2+ 61. Be2 Rf2 62. Nd8 Kc7 63. Ne6+ Kd6 64. Ng7 Rg2 65. Ne8+ Ke5 66. Nc7 Kxf5 67. Na6 Ke5 68. Nxc5 f5 69. Nd3+ Kd6 70. Ke1 Rg1+ 71. Kd2 Rg2 72. Ke1 Rg1+ 73. Bf1 Rg3 74. b4 axb4 75. Nxb4 Ra3 76. Bb5 Kc5 77. Nd3+ Kb6 78. Ke2 f4 79. Kf3 Ka5 80. Kxf4 Rxa4 81. Bxa4 Kxa4 82. Ke4 Kb5 ½ : ½.

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi vs. 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén)
Photo: Anastasiya Balakhontseva/Ugra Chess Academy

Radio Days

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi – Jan-Krzysztof Duda
11th World Team Chess Championship; Khanty-Mansyisk, June 23, 2017
Sicilian Defence B90

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. Nxc6 bxc6 8. 0-0 g6 9. Kh1 Bg7 10. f4 0-0 11. f5. This is a move played first by Hungarian International Master János Rigó, incidentally known for being Bobby Fischer’s Sancho Panza in Budapest in the early ’90s. 11. ... Bb7. For 11. ... Nd7 12. Qe1 Ne5 13. Qh4 Rb8 14. Nd1 d5 see Rigó – Schütz, 18th Sparkassen Chess Meeting (Group C), Dortmund 1990. 12. Qe1 Nd7 13. Bg5 Ne5 14. Rd1 a5 15. Be2 a4 16. Qh4 Re8 17. h3 Qc7 18. Qg3 Ba6 19. Bxa6 Rxa6 20. f6! Nepomniachtchi temporarily gives up a Pawn in order to break up Black’s castled rock. 20. ... h6 21. Bh4 Bh8 22. Qf2 g5 23. Bg3 Bxf6 24. Bxe5 dxe5 25. Qe2 Raa8 26. Qh5 Red8. The wisest decision. If 26. ... Kg7 there would have followed Nc3-e2-g3. 27. Qxh6 Qb6. Duda is in serious time pressure with about eight minutes to make the next thirteen moves. 28. Rf3 Rxd1+ 29. Nxd1 Rd8 30. Ne3 Qxb2. After all, Black still has an extra Pawn, but only one minute left for his remaining ten moves! 31. Rf1. 31. Kh2 is more “economical”, but Nepomniachtchi’s move comes more unexpected to Duda. 31. ... Qxa2?? And the blunder inexorably comes. Black should have maintained the possibility of giving check with the Queen on c1. 31. ... Rd6 (Stockfish) was actually called for, but it was very complicated and probably not manageable with no time left; a possible line (absolutely not forced!) is 32. Nf5 Rd2 33. Ng3 Rxc2 34. Rxf6! exf6 35. Nh5 Qa1+ 36. Kh2 Rxg2+! 37. Kxg2 Qxa2+ 38. Kg3 Qb3+ with a likely perpetual check.

32. Rxf6! Rd1+. 32. ... exf6 33. Nf5 immediately leads to mate – and the text, too. It only tooks a bit longer. 33. Kh2 Qa1 34. Qxg5+ Kf8 35. Rh6 Rh1+ 36. Kg3 Qe1+ 37. Kf3 Ke8 38. Rh8+ Kd7 39. Qf5+ Kd6 40. Rd8+ Kc7 41. Qd7+ Kb6 42. Rb8+ 1 : 0. For there would follow 42. ... Kc5 43. Qxe7+ Kd4 44. Rd8+ Kc3 45. Qa3 mate.

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi vs. Jan-Krzysztof Duda
Photo: Anastasiya Balakhontseva/Ugra Chess Academy

All or Nothing at All

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi – Anton Sergeyevich Korobov
11th World Team Chess Championship; Khanty-Mansiysk, June 19, 2017
Sicilian Defence B94

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 Nbd7 7. Bc4 Qa5 8. Qd2 e6 9. Bb3 Be7 10. 0-0-0 h6!? 11. Be3!? Nc5 12. Kb1 Bd7 13. f3 Qc7 14. g4 b5 15. a3 Qb7 16. h4 a5 17. g5 Nh5 18. gxh6 g6 19. Bg5 f6 20. Be3 b4 21. axb4 axb4 22. Na2 d5? The fight between two great tacticians could not but produce dangerous uncertainties. Korobov apparently decided to cling to dogmas, aiming at enlightening the basics of the Sicilian Defence, but here his strategic solution seems doomed to fail. Stockfish’s line 22. ... Qa6! 23. Qxb4 Nxb3 24. Qxb3 0-0! 25. Nxe6 Rfb8! would have led to an unbalanced position with unclear chances for both colours. 23. Qg2 Kf7 24. Rhg1 Rag8

25. Nxe6!? A purely intuitive sacrifice which, however, is based on speculative considerations as Korobov had only 12 minutes left for the next 15 moves. Stockfish’s 25. exd5 exd5 26. Nc1 seems much sounder, but nothing is more tempting than imagination. 25. ... Nxe6? Black probably rejected 25. ... Nxb3 because of the interference 26. Ng7, but 26. ... g5! 27. hxg5 fxg5 28. Rxd5 Ra8! would have – at least subjectively – led to a very unclear game. 26. exd5 Nef4 27. d6+ Be6 28. Bxe6+ Nxe6 29. dxe7 Qxe7 30. Nxb4! Other moves won as well, but Nepomniachtchi’s one is very elegant and well calculated. 30. ... Qxb4 31. Rd7+ Ke8. No better is 31. ... Kf8 32. f4! and the White Queen penetrates with fatal consequences. 32. Rgd1 Nf8 33. Qe2! Ng3. Of course 33. ... Nxd7 drops the Queen to discovery (34. Bc5+). 34. Bc5+ 1 : 0. For if 34. ... Nxe2 then 35. Re7 mate.

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi
Photo: Anastasiya Balakhontseva/Ugra Chess Academy

The Bitter Drink

Jon Ludvig Nilssen Hammer – Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi
Grand Prix 2017; second stage; Moscow, May 13, 2017
Pirc Defence B07

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Be3 c6 5. Qd2 b5 6. e5 Ng4 7. exd6 Nxe3 8. Qxe3 Qxd6 9. 0-0-0? A grave error of judgment. Here opposite-side castling simply favours Black’s initiative. White should have looked for improvement between the lines of 9. a4 Bg7 10. Nf3 bxa4 11. Rxa4 0-0 12. Ne4 Qc7 13. Qa3 Bf5 14. Bd3 Nd7 15. 0-0 Nb6 16. Ra6 Rfd8 (which gave Black an excellent play), van der Wiel – J. Piket, Leiden 1986, match game 3, or, alternatively, settling out for a dry balance with 9. Nf3 Bg7 10. Be2 0-0 11. 0-0 Bf5 as occurred in Levitt – Akhsharumova, World Chess Festival, Saint John 1988. 9. ... Bg7! 10. g3 Nd7 11. Bg2 Nb6 12. Qf3 Bd7 13. Ne4 Qc7 14. Nc5 Rc8 15. h4. White’s conceptful but convoluted attacking “work in progress” is suddenly overcome by his opponent’s hits. 15. ... Na4! 16. Nxd7 Qxd7 17. h5 0-0 18. hxg6 hxg6 19. Ne2 Qd6 20. c3? This sounds a bit too for Black to decline, but also after 20. Kb1 c5 Black’s initiative spreads itself easily and powerfully.

20. ... b4! 21. c4 c5 22. b3 Nc3 23. Nxc3 bxc3 24. Qxc3 Bxd4 25. Qd2 Qa6 26. Kb1 Rb8 27. g4 Bg7! Threatening ... Qa6-f6. 28. g5 Qxc4 29. Bd5 Qg4 30. Rhe1 e6 31. Be4 c4! 32. Qe3 cxb3 33. axb3 Rb4 34. Rd3 Rfb8. White’s position is disastrous. The water-loving mammal (© Hammer), however, decides to drink the bitter drink to the very end. 35. f3 Qg2 36. Re2 Qh1+ 37. Re1 Qh2 38. Re2 Qe5 39. Ra2 a5 40. Kc2 a4 41. Rxa4 Rxa4 42. bxa4 Qa1 43. Rd2 Qb1 mate.

Ian Aleksandrovich Nepomniachtchi. Photo © Valery Sharifulin/TASS.