Faro Ladies

Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk – Dinara Ramazanovna Saduakassova
41st Women’s Chess Olympiad; Tromsø, August 9, 2014
Ponziani Opening C44

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 d5 4. Qa4 f6 5. d3 Ne7 6. Be2 Be6 7. 0-0 Ng6 8. Be3. For 8. Rd1 dxe4 9. dxe4 Bd6 10. Na3 see M. Muzychuk – E. Pähtz, Women’s World Rapid Championship, Khanty-Mansiysk 2014. 8. ... Be7 9. Nbd2 0-0 10. d4 Qd7 11. dxe5 fxe5 12. exd5 Bxd5 13. Bc4 Kh8 14. Rad1 Bxc4 15. Nxc4 Qg4 16. h3 Qe6 17. Ncd2 Nf4 18. Qb3

18. ... Nxh3+!? Alea iacta est! Faced with an unpleasant ending, Dinara Ramazanovna boldly sacrifices her Knight for two Pawns and a volatile initiative. 19. gxh3 Qxh3 20. Qxb7? Mariya loses her nerve. After the cool 20. Nh2! White neutralizes all her opponent’s threats; for instance, if 20. ... Bc5! (20. ... Rf6 21. Kh1 leads nowhere for Black) might follow 21. Bxc5 Rf6 22. Qd5! Rh6 23. Ndf3 Rg6+ 24. Ng5 Rxg5+ 25. Kh1 Rh5 26. Qg2 and White succeeds in consolidating. 20. ... e4! A very pretty coup. Suddenly Black’s attack becomes very dangerous. 21. Qxc7. Despite its sharp appearance, it would have been better to play 21. Qxc6 Qg4+ 22. Kh1 exf3 23. Nxf3 Rxf3 24. Qxa8+ Bf8 25. Qxf3 Qxf3+ 26. Kg1 Qg4+ 27. Kh2 Bd6+ 28. Rxd6 Qh5+ 29. Kg2 cxd6 30. Bxa7 Qg6+ 31. Kh2 Qh6+ 32. Kg2 Qd2 with a very unclear position. 21. ... exf3 22. Qg3 Qf5 23. b4 Rf6 24. Qxf3 Qxf3? Saduakassova misses 24. ... Qe6! 25. Qe4 (24. Bf4 Qf7 is no better) 25. ... Rg6+ 26. Kh2 Bd6+ 27. f4 Qg4 with an overwhelming attack for Black. 25. Nxf3 Rxf3 26. Rd7 Bf6? 26. ... a6 27. a4 Rb8 would have offered Black better chances of winning the game. 27. b5 Na5 28. Bxa7 Rxc3 29. b6 Ra3 30. Rb1 h6 31. b7 Nxb7 32. Rbxb7 Rxa2 33. Bd4 Bxd4. The ending is virtually drawn. 34. Rxd4 R8a7 35. Rdd7 Rxb7 36. Rxb7 Kh7 37. Kg2 Kg6 38. Rb6+ Kh5 39. Kg3 Ra5 40. f3 Kg5 41. Rb7 g6 42. Rb4 h5 43. Rc4 Kf5 44. Rf4+ Ke6 45. Re4+ Re5 46. Ra4 Rb5 47. Re4+ Kf6 48. Rf4+ Rf5 49. Ra4 Kg5 50. Ra8 h4+ 51. Kg2 Rf4 52. Rh8 Ra4 53. Kh3 Rb4 54. Rf8 Ra4 55. Rf7 Rb4 ½ : ½.

Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk. Photo: David Llada.

黑瞎子岛 (Большой Уссурийский)

Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin – 倪华 (Ní Huá)

China – Russia Challenge Match; 抚远 (Fǔyuǎn), 黑瞎子岛 (Hēixiāzi Island), July 31, 2015

Russian Defence C42

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. 0-0 Be7 8. Nc3 Bf5 9. Re1 Nxc3 10. bxc3 Bxd3 11. Qxd3 0-0 12. Re2 a6 13. Bf4 Qd7 14. Rae1 Rae8 15. c4. If, instead, 15. Qe3 might follow 15. ... f6 16. Qe6+ Qxe6 17. Rxe6 Kf7 18. Bxc7 Ba3 20. Rxe8 Rxe8 21. Rb1 b5 and Black’s position seems to compensate for the Pawn, Nepomniachtchi – Fridman, 12th European Individual Chess Championship, Aix-les-Bains 2011. 15. ... dxc4 16. Qxc4 Bd6? A hasty move by which Black only gets to simplify the game in the opponent’s favour. After 16. ... b5 17. Qd3 Bf6 18. c3 White has only a slight plus. 17. Rxe8 Rxe8 18. Rxe8+ Qxe8 19. Bxd6 cxd6 20. d5 Ne7. Clearly not 20. ... Ne5?? on account of 21. Nxe5 dxe5 22. d6 and wins.

21. Qc7! Very accurately calculated. 21. ... Nxd5 22. Qxb7 Nc3 23. Qxa6 Qb8 24. g3 h6 25. a4 Qb1+ 26. Kg2 Qxc2. Although Black has won back his Pawn, White will easily win the game by virtue of his passed a-Pawn. 27. Qc8+ Kh7 28. a5 Qb2 29. Qc6. Whereas 倪华 (Ní Huá) was hoping for 29. a6?? Nd1 when White has nothing better than the perpetual (30. Qc8+). 29. ... d5 30. Qb6 Qa2? Tougher resistance is offered by 30. ... Qb5, although after 31. h4! Black cannot hope to save the game. 31. a6 Ne4 32. a7 g5 33. Ne5 Kg7 34. Nd3 d4 35. Qxd4+ Nf6 36. Nc5. Threatening both Nc5-d7 and Nc5-e4. 1 : 0. For after 36. ... Qxa7 37. Ne6+ White wins the Queen.

Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin vs. 倪华 (Ní Huá)
Photo: sinochess (@sinachess)

Tip-Toes

卢尚磊 (Lú Shànglěi) – Daniil Dimitriyevich Dubov
China – Russia Match; 宁波市 (Níngbō), July 17, 2015
Spanish C85

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. Qe1 Nd7 8. d4 Bf6 9. Be3 exd4 10. Bxd4 Bxd4 11. Nxd4 Nb6. For 11. ... Nc5 12. Qe3 Qe7 13. Nc3 0-0 14. Rad1 a5 15. Rfe1 Re8 16. Qg3 Be6 see Ermenkov – Pesantes, 12th Capablanca Memorial, Cienfuegos 1975. 12. Qc3 0-0 13. a4 a5 14. Nd2 Qe7 15. Rfe1 Be6 16. N2b3 Bxb3. Cutting the Gordian Knot. 17. Nxb3 Qb4 18. Qxb4 axb4 19. Nc5 Nc4 20. b3 Na3 21. Rec1 b6 22. Nd3 c5 23. c3 Rfd8 24. Nf4 b5 25. cxb4 cxb4

26. a5! The most practical try, whereas 26. axb5 Nxb5 would lead nowhere. 26. ... Rd2! After 26. ... Rxa5? 27. Nd5! Black falls into very serious trouble. 27. Nd5. Possibly better is the immediate 27. Rxc7 h6 28. g3 Rxa5 29. e5 with a very strong position for White. 27. ... Rb2. Black could also play 27. ... Rxa5 28. Rxc7 h6 with a tenable position (it should be noted that 29. Nxb4?? loses to 29. ... Nc2!). 28. Rxc7 Rxb3? A fatal oversight. Black ought to play 28. ... h6 as after 29. Nxb4 (but here White might possibly have something better) 29. ... Rxa5 30. Nc6 Nc2 31. Rf1 Ra1 32. Rxa1 Nxa1 33. f4 Nxb3 34. e5 White’s initiative is most likely not exploitable. 29. a6! h6. Black’s back rank weakness is fatal. If 29. ... Rd3 there follows 30. a7 b3 31. Rb7 and White wins. 30. a7 Kh7 31. Nb6 Rxa7 32. Rxa7. A Rook down, Black could well resign here. 32. ... Nc2 33. Rc1 Nd4 34. Kf1 Ra3 35. Rxa3 bxa3 36. Nd5 Nb3 37. Rc2 1 : 0.

卢尚磊 (Lú Shànglěi)
Photo: qipai.org.cn

Play to Win

丁亦昕 (Dīng Yìxīn) – Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina
China – Russia Match; 宁波市 (Níngbō), July 20, 2015
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. Bd2 Ngf6 12. 0-0-0 Be7 13. Kb1 0-0 14. Ne4 c5 15. g4!? Dernier cri. 15. ... Nxg4 16. Rhg1 f5 17. Qc4 Qb6 18. dxc5!? Quite a novelty. If, instead, 18. d5 then 18. ... Qa6! and Black should hold, Baumegger – Kreisl, 55th Austrian Chess Championship, Zwettl 2012. 18. ... Qc6. Worth considering was 18. ... Nxc5 as after 19. Nxc5 Bxc5 20. Bc3 Rf7 21. Nd4 the position looks only slightly better for White. 19. Bc3 b5!? After 19. ... Rf7 20. Qe2 Qxe4 21. Qxe4 fxe4 22. Rxd7 Nf6 23. Bxf6 Bxf6 24. Rxf7 Kxf7 25. Nd2 White wins a Pawn. 20. Qe2 b4!? Now it’s too late for 20. ... Qxe4 21. Qxe4 fxe4 because of 22. Rxd7 Rf7 23. Rxg4 exf3 24. b4! and Black is completely tied up. 21. Bxb4 Rab8 22. Bc3 e5? The decisive mistake! Instead of this hasty move, necessary was 22. ... Rf7 though after 23. Nd4 Qxe4 24. Qxe4 fxe4 25. Rxg4 Nf6 26. Rg6 White stands better.

23. Rxd7! A destructive Exchange sacrifice! 23. ... Qxd7 24. Qc4+ Kh7 25. Nxe5 Qc8. Needless to say, after 25. ... Nxe5 26. Bxe5 White threatens both Rg1xg7+ and Be5xb8. 26. Ng6 Qc7 27. Qe6 Bxc5 28. Nxf8+ Rxf8 29. Qg6+ Kg8 30. Nxc5 Rf7 31. Ne6 1 : 0. For if 31. ... Ne5 then 32. Qxh6 finis. Thus 丁亦昕 (Dīng Yìxīn) won her first game!

丁亦昕 (Dīng Yìxīn) vs. Valentina Yevgenyevna Gunina
Photo: sinochess (@sinachess)

A Song of Ice and Fire

Natalia Andreevna Pogonina – 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
China – Russia Match; 宁波市 (Níngbō), July 20, 2015
Grünfeld Defence D94

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. e3 Nf6 4. Nc3 g6. Karl Schlechter’s heritage. 5. Nf3 Bg7 6. Be2 0-0 7. 0-0 dxc4 8. Bxc4 Bg4 9. Be2 Nbd7 10. e4 Ne8 11. Bg5 Nb6 12. e5. For 12. Qd2 Nc7 13. Rad1 Ne6 14. Be3 Bxf3 15. Bxf3 Nc4 see 赵雪 (Zhào Xuě) – 沈阳 (Shěn Yáng), Chinese Team Chess Championship, 江门 (Jiāngmén) 2014. 12. ... Nc7 13. h3 Be6 14. Qc1 Bd5 15. Nxd5 Nbxd5 16. Rd1 Ne6 17. Bh6 Qb6 18. Bxg7 Kxg7 19. Bc4 Rad8 20. Qd2 Rd7 21. a4 Rc8 22. a5 Qd8 23. b4 b6 24. Qb2 Rb8 25. Qa3 Ndc7 26. axb6 axb6

27. Qb3. 27. Qb2 Nd5 is passive, but might give better chances to survive. 27. ... b5 28. Be2. Pogonina decides to sacrifice a Pawn, but she will get no reliable compensation. She would perhaps have considered 28. Bxe6 Nxe6 29. Qc3 which is slightly passive but quite playable. 28. ... Nxd4 29. Nxd4 Rxd4 30. Bf3. After 30. Qc3 Ne6 31. Qxc6 h5 the game is materially balanced, but Black still keeps somewhat better chances. 30. ... Ne6 31. Qc3. If 31. Bxc6 then 31. ... Qc7 and the White e-Pawn will fall. 31. ... Qb6 32. Rac1. Obviously not 32. Bxc6?? because of 32. ... Rc8 and wins. Her last chance was 32. Qxc6 Qxc6 33. Bxc6 Rxb4 34. Rd7 Rd4 35. Rxe7 b4 36. Be8 Nd8 37. Rd7 Rxd7 38. Bxd7 Nb7! with a (much) more comfortable ending for Black. 32. ... Rbd8 33. Rxd4 Qxd4 34. Qe1 Qf4 35. Rxc6. If, instead, 35. Bxc6 then 35. ... Nd4! with devastating effect. 35. ... Rd4! The pointe is the deadly infiltration of the Rook to the fourth rank. 36. Bg4 Re4 37. Qa1. Indirectly defending the e-Pawn, but now comes the decisive blow: 37. ... Nd4! Mamma mia! 38. g3 Qxe5 39. Rc1 h5 40. Bd1. The last mistake, but even after 40. f4 Qf6 the game does not last much longer. 40. ... Re1+ 41. Kh2 Qe4 42. Bf3 Rxc1 0 : 1.

沈阳 (Shěn Yáng)
Photo: photo.sina.com.cn

Nuovo Cinema Paradiso

Yuri Sergeyevich Balashov – Sergio Mariotti
14th European Senior Team Chess Championship; Vienna, July 17, 2015
Queen’s Gambit Declined D45

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Be2 Be7 7. 0-0 0-0 8. Qc2 b6 9. e4 dxe4 10. Nxe4 Bb7 11. Bf4 Nxe4 12. Qxe4 Nf6 13. Qe3 c5!? More enterprising than 13. ... Re8 14. Rad1 Qc8 15. h3 c5 16. Bg5 Qc7 17. Bf4 Qc8 18. Bg5 Qc7 ½ : ½ Shvedchikov – Živković, 11th European Senior Team Chess Championship, Rogaška Slatina 2012. 14. Rfd1 cxd4 15. Nxd4 Qc8 16. a3 Re8 17. Rac1

17. ... e5! A very interesting Pawn sacrifice for the initiative! 18. Bxe5. Not 18. Qxe5?? Bc5 winning a piece. 18. ... Bd6 19. f4 Bxe5. Possibly a little too hasty. Also tempting was 19. ... Ng4 20. Bxg4 Qxg4 which results in Black quickly winning back his Pawn with satisfactory play. 20. fxe5 Qc5 21. b4 Qxe5? A grave error! Correct was 21. ... Rxe5 as 22. bxc5 (22. Qf4 Qe7 23. Bf3 Ne4 leads nowhere) 22. ... Rxe3 23. cxb6 axb6 24. Rb1 Rexa3 25. Rxb6 Be4 26. c5 Rc3 seems to give Black a tenable position. 22. Qxe5 Rxe5 23. c5. Now White’s pieces are very well placed to support the passed c-Pawn. 23. ... bxc5 24. bxc5 Rae8? From bad to worse. Comparatively best was 24. ... Bd5, although after 25. c6 Rc8 26. Ba6 Rc7 27. Rc5 White retains a crystal-clear advantage. 25. Bb5 Rf8 26. c6 Bc8 27. c7 Re7 28. Re1. Balashov finishes the game with perfect technique. 28. ... Rxe1+ 29. Rxe1 Nd5 30. Rc1 a6 31. Be2 Re8 32. Bf3 Nf6. 32. ... Nf4 is equally met by 33. Nc6. 33. Nc6 Kf8 34. Na7 1 : 0.

Sergio Mariotti
Photo: Österreichischer Schachbund

校准

Nikita Kirillovich Vitiugov – 韦奕 (Wéi Yì)
China – Russia Match; 宁波市 (Níngbō), July 17, 2015
Queen’s Gambit Declined D11

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 c6 4. Nf3 d5 5. Qb3 a5 6. cxd5. Another try – among others – is 6. Qa4 Nbd7 7. cxd5 Nb6 8. Qd1 Nbxd5 9. Bg2 Bg7 10. 0-0 0-0 11. Nbd2 c5 as in the game Rustemov – Gritsak, Świdnica 1999. 6. ... a4 7. Qd1 cxd5 8. Bg2 Bg7 9. 0-0 Ne4 10. Nc3 Nc6 11. e3 0-0 12. Nd2 Nxc3 13. bxc3 Qa5 14. Rb1

14. ... Bf5! A temporary, yet pretty Pawn sacrifice. 15. Rxb7 Bd3 16. Re1 Rab8 17. Rxb8. If 17. Rd7 might follow 17. ... Rfd8 with consequences similar to those in the game. 17. ... Rxb8 18. Ba3 Qxc3 19. Qc1 Qa5 20. Rd1?! “‘The Chinese Carlsen’ had prepared excellently and only Black can stand better [...]. So it was more sensible to play to hold – 20. Qxc6 Qxd2 21. Ra1 – and then calculate a couple of variations leading to equality, e.g. 21. ... Bf8! 22. Qxa4! Bb1!? 23. Qc6 Qd1+ 24. Bf1 Qf3 25. Bg2 Qd1+ 26. Bf1=”, Grandmaster Andrey Deviatkin said. 20. ... Rc8 21. Qc5?! Deviatkin recommends 21. Qb2. 21. ... e6! 22. Qxa5 Nxa5 23. Bf1? This hasty move looks quite dubious. We would have preferred 23. Rc1! as after 23. ... Rxc1+ 24. Bxc1 Bf8 25. Bf1 Bc2 26. Bb5 g5 27. f3 f5 the resulting position seems only slightly better for Black. 23. ... Bxf1 24. Kxf1 Bf8! 25. Bxf8. Now it’s too late for 25. Rc1?? because of 25. ... Nc4! and Black wins (26. Nxc4 Bxa3). 25. ... Kxf8. Black is on top, as his Rook dominates the c-file. 26. Rb1? It just makes things easier for Black, but also after 26. Nf3 Rc3 followed by ... Na5-c4 White stands very badly. 26. ... Rc2 27. Rb5 Rxd2 28. Rxa5 Rxa2. “There are too many Pawns on for the Rook ending to be held in the classical manner. With an instructive plan (Black pushed the Pawn to a2, then played ... f7-f6 and ... e6-e5, then brought the King to the d4-Pawn) Wéi Yì soon won”, Deviatkin said. 29. g4 g5 30. Ra7 a3 31. Kg2 Ra1 32. Kg3 a2 33. Kg2 f6 34. h3 e5 35. Kf3 Ke8 36. Kg2 Kd8 37. Kf3 Kc8 38. Ke2 Kb8 39. Ra3 Kb7 40. Kf3 Kc6 0 : 1. “Vitiugov didn’t quite manage Svidler’s trick of outplaying Wéi Yì in the ending!”, the guys of chess24.com said.

韦奕 (Wéi Yì)
Photo: qipai.org.cn

Gravity Falls

黄茜 (Huáng Qiàn) – Natalia Andreevna Pogonina
China – Russia Match; 宁波市 (Níngbō), July 15, 2015
Queen’s Gambit Declined D37

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Be7 5. Bf4 0-0 6. e3 b6 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. Nxd5 exd5 9. Bd3 c5 10. 0-0 Nc6 11. Rc1. Theoretically speaking, both 11. dxc5 bxc5 12. Rc1 Be6 13. Qa4 Nb4 14. Bb1 Bd7 15. Qd1 Be6 16. Ne5 Rc8 17. Qh5 g6 18. Nxg6 fxg6 19. Bxg6 Rf7 20. Bxh7+ Rxh7 21. Qg6+ Rg7 22. Qxe6+ Rf7 23. a3 Rc6 24. Qg4+ Rg7 25. Qe2 Na6 26. Rfd1 Nc7 27. b4 c4 28. e4 Re6 29. Bxc7 Qxc7 30. Rxd5 c3 31. e5 Bg5 32. Rc5 Bxc1 33. Rxc7 Rxc7 34. Qg4+ Kf7 35. Qf5+ Ke7 36. Qh7+ Kd8 37. Qg8+ Re8 38. Qd5+ Rd7 39. Qa5+ Rc7 ½ : ½ Malakhatko – Galinsky, Kiev 2004 and 11. Bb5 Bb7 12. Qa4 Qc8 13. dxc5 bxc5 14. Rfd1 Rd8 15. Rac1 Qe6 16. Nd4 Nxd4 17. exd4 Qb6 18. dxc5 Bxc5 19. Bg3 ½ : ½ Grigoriants – Tregubov, 9th Aeroflot Open, Moscow 2010, represent more tried patterns. 11. ... c4 12. Bb1 b5 13. e4 Bg4 14. Qd2 Rc8 15. Ne5 Nxe5 16. Bxe5 Be6 17. Qe3 Qd7 18. Bg3. Intending e4-e5. 18. ... dxe4 19. Bxe4 Rfe8 20. d5 Bf5 21. Bxf5 Qxf5 22. Qxa7? Very bad judgment: not all Pawns have equal value! 22. ... Qxd5 23. Rcd1 Qc6 24. Qd7 Bf6 25. Qxc6 Rxc6 26. Rd2 b4 27. h3 h6 28. Rb1. 28. Rc1 Ra8 29. a3 c3 is no better. 28. ... Ra8 29. b3. It doesn’t look like a panacea, but also 29. a3 is answered by 29. ... c3. 29. ... c3 30. Rc2 Rca6 31. Ra1

31. ... Ra3! Black is in Zugzwang. 32. Bd6 Rxb3 33. axb3 Rxa1+ 34. Kh2 Rb1 35. Bxb4 Be5+ 36. g3 Rb2 37. Rc1 Rxf2+ 38. Kg1 Bd4 39. Kh1. Or 39. Bxc3 Rc2+ 40. Bxd4 Rxc1+ 41. Kf2 Rb1 and wins. 39. ... c2 40. Re1 Bb2 0 : 1.

Natalia Andreevna Pogonina
Photo: qipai.org.cn

黄茜 (Huáng Qiàn)
Photo: qipai.org.cn

Attacker You!

Vladimir Vasilievich Fedoseev – 韦奕 (Wéi Yì)
China – Russia Match; 宁波市 (Níngbō), July 15, 2015
Grünfeld Defence D87

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 c5 8. Ne2 0-0 9. Be3 Nc6 10. Rc1 Qc7 11. h4 Rd8. No better is 11. ... Na5 12. Bd3 f5 13. e5 Rd8 14. h5 c4 15. Bb1 Bxe5 16. hxg6 17. Rh6 Qc6 18. Nf4 Bxf4 19. Bxf4 Qxg2 20. Qe2 Nc6 21. Qxc4+ Rd5 22. Qe2 e5 23. Bg3 Rd6 24. Bd3 Kg7 25. Rh2 Qd5 26. dxe5 Rd8 27. Qe3 Qg8 28. Qg5 Rf8 29. Rh6 Ne7 30. Bh4 Bd7 31. Qxe7+ 1 : 0 Durarbayli – Tate, 14th European Individual Chess Championship, Legnica 2013. 12. h5 b5 13. Bd5 e6 14. Bxc6 Qxc6 15. hxg6 fxg6 16. f3 a5 17. Kf2 Ba6 18. Qg1 b4 19. Qh2 h5 20. Nf4 Qe8 21. Qg3 bxc3 22. Nxg6. Almost all chess engines recommend 22. dxc5 Rd2+ 23. Kg1 (obviously not 23. Bxd2?? cxd2 threatening both ... Bg7-d4 mate and ... d2xc1=Q) 23. ... Rad8 24. Qg5 and White stands better. 22. ... cxd4. “Wéi Yì coolly accepted the challenge with 22. ... cxd4, knowing that if White couldn’t break through the central passed Pawns would give him excellent winning chances”, Colin McGourty said. 23. Bf4 Qb5

24. e5? Here 24. Ne5! appears very strong, as after 24. ... d3 (or 24. ... Qb2+? 25. Kg1 d3 26. Qg6 and White’s attack is overwhelming) 25. Qg5! (the stereotyped 25. Qg6 Qe8 leads nowhere) 25. ... d2 26. Qxh5 Ra7 27. Qh7+ Kf8 28. Ng6+ Kf7 29. Be5 Black is busted. 24. ... Kf7? Needless to say, 24. ... Qb2+ 25. Kg1 d3 would have won immediately. 25. Qg5 Qe2+ 26. Kg3 Rd7 27. Rxh5? Apparently, as a result of Black’s omission on the 24th move, White can get out of all danger by 27. Qxh5 Bd3 28. Nh4+ Kf8 and the position is dynamically balanced. 27. ... Qd3 28. Nh4 Rg8 29. Kh2 Bh8 30. Qh6 Bg7 31. Qg5 Bc4 32. Re1 Bf8 33. Qf6+ Ke8 34. Bg5 Be7 35. Qh6 Bf8 36. Qf6 Be7 37. Qh6 Bd5 38. Bf6 Bf8 39. Qf4 Qd2 40. Qxd2 cxd2 41. Rd1 Bb4 42. Bg5 Rxg5! The End. 43. Rxg5 Bxa2 44. Rg8+ Kf7 45. Rb8 Bb3 0 : 1.

韦奕 (Wéi Yì)
Photo: qipai.org.cn

chess24.com (@chess24com)

Robinson Crusoe economy

Anish Giri – Igor-Alexandre Nataf
French Team Championship Top 12; Port-Camargue, June 8, 2015
English Opening A15

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 c6 5. b3 0-0 6. Bb2 d6 7. d4 Qa5+ 8. Qd2 Qxd2+ 9. Nfxd2. Apparently, 9. Nbxd2 is no better, e.g. 9. ... a5 10. a3 e5 11. dxe5 Nfd7 12. 0-0 dxe5 ½ : ½ Caposciutti – Levacic, Cannes 2001. 9. ... d5 10. Nc3 Rd8 11. e3 Na6 12. 0-0 Be6 13. Rfd1 Rac8 14. a3 b6 15. Rac1 Nb8 16. Ba1 Bg4 17. Re1 Be6 18. Ne2 Bf5 19. Nc3 Be6 20. h3 h5 21. Red1 Kf8 22. Bf1 c5. This seems rather committal, but, indeed, there’s probably nothing wrong. 23. dxc5 Rxc5. If 23. ... bxc5 there follows 24. cxd5 Nxd5 25. Ne4 with an edge. The text, on the other hand, is any better. 24. Nf3 Rdc8 25. Na4 R5c7 26. Be5 Rb7 27. Nd4 Bd7

28. Nc3. Peter Doggers suggests 28. Bg2 Bxa4 29. cxd5! which results in White’s winning a valuable Pawn. 28. ... e6? Here 28. ... dxc4 29. Bg2 Nc6 seems more reliable. 29. Bg2 Nc6. Also after 29. ... Ne8 30. cxd5! Bxe5 31. dxe6 White gains a decisive advantage. 30. Bd6+ Kg8 31. cxd5 Nxd4 32. exd4 Ne8 33. dxe6 Nxd6 34. Bxb7 1 : 0.

Anish Giri
Photo: Fédération Française des Échecs

Ghost goal

Wesley So – Sergey Fedorchuk
French Team Championship Top 12; Port-Camargue, June 8, 2015
English Opening A27

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 Bc5 4. a3!? d6 5. b4 Bb6 6. e3 Bg4 7. h3 Bh5 8. g4!? Bg6 9. d4! exd4. Not 9. ... e4? 10. Nd2 and Black cannot hold the e4-Pawn. 10. exd4 a6 11. Bg2 h5 12. 0-0 hxg4 13. hxg4 Qd7 14. Re1+ Kf8 15. c5 Ba7 16. d5 Nce7 17. Qd4 Rd8 18. Bb2. With the threat of Nc3-b5. 18. ... f6 19. Qf4. Another move order – definitely more forcing than the text – was 19. Ng5! dxc5 (on 19. ... fxg5 20. Ne4 would be too strong) 20. Qf4 and White’s position looks imposing. 19. ... Nh6. On 19. ... dxc5 20. Ng5! transposes to the above-mentioned line. 20. g5. Another intriguing possibility was 20. Re6! in order to met 20. ... Bf7 by 21. Rxf6! gxf6 22. Qxf6 with a very powerful attack. 20. ... Qg4 21. Qd2. The most logical way to exploit the weakness of Black’s position was 21. Nd4! Bf7 22. Qe4 forcing the exchange of Queens and securing a clear edge. 21. ... Nf7 22. gxf6 gxf6 23. Qd4 Ne5 24. Qxg4 Nxg4 25. Nd4 Kf7 26. Ne6 Rdg8! White’s position is not so good anymore. Black has just taken the initiative. 27. Nxc7 Ne5 28. cxd6 Nc8 29. d7?? Wesley’s move is suicidal. Possibly his best practical chance was to give back the Exchange with 29. Rxe5! fxe5 30. d7, although after 30. ... Nb6 31. Ne6 Nxd7 Black standa better.

29. ... Nf3+! 30. Kf1. Equally after 30. Bxf3 Be4+! 31. Kf1 Bxf3 Black wins. 30. ... Bd3+ 31. Re2 Rh1+ 0 : 1. Because of 32. Bxh1 Rg1 mate. Cool defence by Fedorchuk!

Sergey Fedorchuk
Photo: Sergey Fedorchuk

Don’t ya tell Henry, Apple’s got your fly

Laurent Fressinet – Sébastien Tranchant
French Team Championship Top 12; Port-Camargue, June 6, 2015
Sicilian Defence B27

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. c3 d5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. d4 Bg7 6. Na3 cxd4 7. Nb5 Na6 8. Nbxd4 Nf6 9. Bb5+ Bd7 10. Qe2 Bxb5 11. Nxb5 0-0 12. 0-0 b6 13. Re1! In my opinion this is more direct and to the point than 13. Rd1 Qb7 14. Bf4 Nc5 as in the game Leniart – Babula, Banska Stiavnica 2012. 13. ... Rfe8 14. Bf4 Qb7 15. Rad1 Rad8 16. Bg3 Kf8?? A colossal blunder. Correct was 16. ... Rxd1 17. Rxd1 Ne4 18. Ng5 Nac5 (clearly not 18. ... Nxg5?? on account of 19. Nd6+-) and Black’s position is tenable.

17. Rxd8! 1 : 0. For after 17. ... Rxd8 18. Nc7! – the interference Monsieur Tranchant overlooked! – White attacks both a6-Knight and e7-Pawn.

Laurent Fressinet
Photo: paperblog

Jaw crusher

Wesley So – Krishnan Sasikiran
French Team Championship Top 12; Port-Camargue, June 7, 2015
Queen’s Gambit Declined D37

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. d4 Be7 5. Bf4 0-0 6. e3 Nbd7 7. a3 a6. The alternative is 7. ... c6, e.g. 8. h3 a6 9. c5 b6 10. b4 a5 11. Bd3 Ba6 12. 0-0 Qc8 13. Qc2 Bxd3 14. Qxd3 Qb7 15. Rfb1 axb4 ½ : ½ B. Larsen – Spassky, Palma de Mallorca 1968. 8. c5 Ne4 9. Rc1 f5 10. h3 c6 11. Bd3 Bf6 12. Na4 Ng5 13. Nxg5 Bxg5 14. b4 Bf6. A sharper and more convincing strategy would be 14. ... Bxf4 15. exf4 g5 since after the text Black will inexorably squeezed out. 15. Bd6 Be7 16. Bh2 Rf7 17. 0-0 g6 18. Kh1 Bf6 19. f3 Bg7 20. Qd2 e5 21. e4 f4 22. exd5 cxd5 23. Bc2 exd4 24. Bb3 Ne5 25. Nb6! Obviously, this move is not hard to find, but its effects are surprisingly crushing. 25. ... Be6 26. Nxa8 Qxa8 27. Qxd4 Nxf3 28. Qd3 Nxh2 29. Kxh2 Rf5 30. Rcd1 Bf7 31. Qf3 Qd8 32. Rd3 Qd7 33. Kh1 h5 34. Rfd1 d4 35. Re1 Bxb3 36. Rxb3 Kh7 37. Re4 Qf7 38. Rb1 g5 39. Rbe1 g4 40. Qd3 Kh6 41. Re6+ Kg5 42. Re7 Qf8 43. Re8 Qf7 44. R1e7 Qf6 45. Re6 Qf7 46. R8e7 Qf8

47. Rxg7+! Qxg7 48. h4+ Kxh4 49. Qxf5 Kg3 1 : 0. For after 50. Qxh5 mate is unavoidable.

Wesley So
Photo: Fédération Française des Échecs

Runner, Runner

Jan-Krzysztof Duda – Borya Ider
French Team Championship Top 12; Port-Camargue, June 1, 2015
French Defence C10

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 h6? Dr. Siegbert Tarrasch would surely condemn this parody of “waiting move”. 4. Bd3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Nb4 6. Bb5+ c6 7. Be2 Nf6 8. e5 Ne4 9. a3 Nxc3 10. bxc3 Na6 11. c4 Be7 12. 0-0 0-0 13. c3 Nc7. Black is very cramped while White is about to regroup his forces for the attack. 14. Bd3 b6 15. Bb1 h5. This move is not, probably, Black’s best. 16. Qd3 g6 17. Qe3 Re8

18. Bxg6! The decisive blow, whereas Ider was hoping for 18. Qh6? Bf8 with some chances to survive the attack. 18. ... fxg6 19. Qh6 Rf8 20. Qxg6+ Kh8 21. Qxh5+ Kg8 22. Bh6 1 : 0.

Jan-Krzysztof Duda
Photo: Sztuka Kadru

Screenwriter

Jean-Pierre Le Roux – Gabriel Battaglini
French Team Championship Top 12; Port-Camargue, June 5, 2015
Torre Attack A48

1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 Ne4 3. Bf4 d5 4. e3 g6 5. Bd3 Nd6 6. Nf3 Bg7 7. Nbd2 Nc6 8. 0-0. For 8. c3 0-0 9. 0-0 Re8 see Gomez Fontal – Cori, 44th Capablanca Memorial Open, Havana 2009. 8. ... 0-0 9. h3 Nb4 10. Be2 Bf5 11. c4 c5 12. Bxd6 exd6 13. cxd5 cxd4 14. e4 Bxh3?! A doubtful Bishop sacrifice. After 14. ... Bd7! 15. Qb3 a5 16. a3 Na6 Black holds his own since 17. Qxb7?? is refuted by 17. ... Nc5 trapping Her Majesty. 15. Qb3. Obviously, 15. gxh3 d3 would justify Black’s previous move. 15. ... d3 16. Bd1 Na6 17. gxh3 Nc5 18. Qa3 a5 19. Rc1 Rc8 20. e5 Bh6? Bad judgment, after which Black’s position falls apart. The most stubborn reply was probably 20. ... b5!, although after 21. b4! White should gradually exploit his material superiority. 21. Rxc5! Rxc5 22. Ne4 Rc1 23. Qxd6 Qc8 24. Nf6+ Kh8 25. Nd7 Re8 26. Qf6+ Bg7 27. Qxf7 Qd8 28. d6 d2 29. Nf6 Rf8. “Something has gone terribly wrong for Black, his passed d-Pawn completely blockaded while White’s center advances unchecked. Black’s last move (29. ... Rf8) hopes to break the centre (... Bg7xf6). White, no doubt, can keep a large edge by simply taking the b-Pawn, but he sees better. Do you see it?”, Grandmaster Kevin Spraggett asked.

30. Ng5!! “Forced mate. The threat is 31. Qf7-g8+! and mate next move. Of course, taking the Queen with 30. ... Rxf7 allows mate in one. The best line of defence will also end in mate, but in about 12 moves, after 30. ... Qxf6 31. exf6 Rxf7 32. Nxf7+ Kg8 33. Nh6+ Bxh6 34. d7 etc. Better to just throw in the towel and have a cold beer!”, Spraggett said”. 1 : 0.

104 Degrees Under the Sheets

Sebastian Pucher – Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
French Team Championship Top 12; Port-Camargue, June 6, 2015
King’s Indian Defence E80

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. f3 c5 4. d5 d6 5. e4 e6 6. Bg5 Bg7 7. Qd2 0-0 8. Nc3 exd5 9. cxd5 a6 10. Nge2 b5 11. Ng3 Nbd7 12. Be2 Qc7. For 12. ... b4 13. Nd1 a5 14. 0-0 Ba6 see Dreev – Mecking, 11th Interpolis Chess Tournament, Tlburg 1994. 13. 0-0 Bb7 14. Bh6 c4 15. Bxg7 Kxg7 16. b4 cxb3 17. axb3 h5 18. Nh1. Aron Nimzowitsch’s Romantische Straße. 18. ... Rac8 19. Rfc1 Qb6+ 20. Nf2 Rc7 21. Nd1 Rfc8 22. Rxc7 Qxc7 23. Nd3 Qb6+ 24. N3f2 Qc5 25. Kf1 Ne5 26. Qb2 Kg8 27. Nd3 Nxd3 28. Bxd3 Nd7 29. b4 Qb6 30. Rc1 Rxc1 31. Qxc1

31. ... a5! Striving for the initiative. 32. bxa5? Much better was 32. Qc3! a4!? with a more balanced game. 32. ... Qxa5 33. Qb2 Ba6 34. Ne3 Nc5 35. Be2 b4 36. Kf2 Bxe2 37. Qxe2 b3 38. Nc4. Or 38. Nd1 Qa7! 39. Kg3 Qa2 40. Kf2 Na4 and Black wins. 38. ... Qc3 0 : 1. For if 39. Nb2 then 39. ... Qxb2! and wins.

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
Le Point.fr

Crazy Beautiful You

Alexandr Fier – Igor-Alexandre Nataf
French Team Championship Top 12; Port-Camargue, June 5, 2015
King’s Indian Defence E75

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Be2 0-0 6. Bg5 c5 7. d5 h6 8. Bf4 e6 9. dxe6 Bxe6 10. Bxd6 Re8 11. e5. For 11. Nf3 Nc6 12. 0-0 Nd4 see Polugaevsky – Kasparov, Bugojno 1982. 11. ... Nfd7 12. f4 Nc6 13. Nf3 f6 14. 0-0. White decides to give back the Pawn and fight for the initiative. 14. ... fxe5 15. Bd3 Bf7 16. f5 gxf5 17. Bxf5 Nb6 18. Bxc5 Qxd1 19. Rfxd1 Nxc4 20. b3. 20. Rd7 b6 doesn’t look much more promising.

20. ... Nd4 21. Be4 Rac8 22. bxc4 Rxc5 23. Bxb7 Rxc4 24. Ne4 Rd8 ½ : ½.

Teimour Radjabov (@rajachess)

Pain au chocolat

Wesley So – Renier Vázquez Igarza
French Team Championship Top 12; Port-Camargue, June 1, 2015
Russian Defence C42

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. 0-0 0-0 8. c4 c6 9. Re1 Bf5 10. Qc2 Nd7 11. Nc3 Ndf6 12. Ne5 Bg6. The “old” move 12. ... Be6 might be sounder, e.g. 13. c5 Bc7 14. f3 h6 15. Ne2 Ng5 16. h4 Ngh7 17. g4 Re8 18. Ng3 Nf8 19. g5 N6d7 20. f4 f6 as in the game Hráček – Haba, Czech Team Chess Championship, Pardubice 2003-2004. 13. Nxg6 Bxh2+. Black decides to launches a wild attack – dangerous but not sound – by a Bishop sacrifice rather than give up a Pawn. Such an attack – although speculative – may not be so easy to parry at the board. 14. Kxh2 Ng4+ 15. Kg1 fxg6 16. Bxe4. Obviously, 16. f3?? Qh4 loses on the spot. 16. ... Qh4. Maybe here Vázquez Igarza committs himself irretrievably. The comparatively sounder 16. ... dxe4 17. Rxe4 Qh4 18. Rxg4 Qxg4 19. Be3 Rae8 would have minimized Black’s material disadvantage. 17. Bf3 Qh2+ 18. Kf1 Rae8 19. Rxe8 Rxe8

20. Ne4. The resource that Black probably overlooked. 20. ... Qh1+ 21. Ke2 Qg1. Perhaps the best last ditch try was 21. ... dxe4 22. Bxg4 Qxg2 when Black has only two Pawns for two Bishops, but he can still hope for a panic attack of his adversary. 22. cxd5 cxd5. Or 22. ... Nxf2 23. Bg5! Qxa1 24. Kxf2 cxd5 (other moves lose as well) 25. Nf6+! gxf6 26. Bxd5+ Kf8 27. Bh6+ Ke7 28. Qc7 mate. 23. Bxg4 Rxe4+ 24. Kf3 h5 25. Be6+ Kh7 26. Qc8 1 : 0.

Wesley So
Photo: Fédération Française des Échecs

Resourcefulness

Anish Giri – Viorel Iordăchescu
French Team Championship Top 12; Port-Camargue, May 30, 2015
King’s Indian Defence E90

1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. c4 d6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Nc3 0-0 6. h3 c6 7. Be3 Na6 8. Be2 e5 9. d5 Bd7 10. Nd2 Rc8 11. g4 cxd5 12. cxd5 Nc5 13. a3 a5 14. a4 Ne8 15. g5 f5 16. h4 Rf7 17. Nb3 Na6 18. Bb5 Nb4 19. f3 Bf8 20. Kd2 Ng7 21. Qg1 Nh5 22. Bb6 Qe8 23. Bxa5. “Anish Giri played Viorel Iordăchescu, who had commentated on the Dutchman’s games over the two weeks of the recent Khanty-Mansisyk Grand Prix. Things soon became creative, as Viorel decided to try and exploit the White King’s position in the middle of the board:”, Colin McGourty said.

23. ... Nc6!? Iordăchescu’s resourceful play is reminiscent of a celebrated game from the 1956 USSR Championship, when after 1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. e4 d6 4. d4 Bg7 5. Be2 0-0 6. Bg5 c5 7. d5 Qa5 8. Bd2 a6 9. a4 e5 10. g4 Ne8 11. h4 f5 12. h5 f4 13. g5 Qd8 14. Bg4 Nc7 15. Bxc8 Qxc8 16. Nf3 Boris Vasilievich Spassky got out of trouble with the fantastic 16. ... Nc6!!? – see Averbakh – Spassky, 23rd USSR Chess Championship, Leningrad 1956. “Eventually [Spassky] drew, though Iordăchescu couldn’t pull off the same feat”, McGourty said. 24. dxc6 bxc6 25. Bc4 d5 26. exd5 cxd5 27. Bxd5 Be6 28. Bxe6 Qxe6 29. Qb6 Qc4 30. Qb5 Qf4+ 31. Kc2 Ng3 32. Rhd1 Qxf3 33. Qxe5 Ne4 34. Qe6 Qg2+ 35. Kb1 Rc6 36. Qe5 Rc4 37. Qd5 Rc8 38. Nxe4 fxe4 39. Ka2 Bg7 40. Rd2 Qf3 41. Re1 1 : 0.

Anish Giri
Photo: Fédération Française des Échecs

Anish Giri (‏@anishgiri)

长征

• 国象男子世界团体锦标赛中国男队夺冠创造历史, sports.cnhubei.com, April 29, 2015