La Buena Estrella (The Lucky Star)

Karen H. Grigoryan – Andrea Stella
4th Torneo Internacional de Navidad “Ciudad de Lorca”; Lorca, December 29, 2015
English Opening A27

1. c4 g6 2. e4 e5 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Nc6 6. Nc2 d6 7. Nc3 Nge7 8. Be2 0-0 9. h4!? Very bold strategy on White’s part. For 9. 0-0 f5 see Mikenas – Estrin, Leningrad 1971. 8. ... f5 10. h5 f4

11. hxg6. White plays consistently in order to build up his attack. Consideration deserved, however, 11. Nd5 g5 12. h6! Be5 13. Rb1 a5! with very unclear play. 11. ... Nxg6 12. Qd5+ Rf7 13. Qh5 Bxc3+! It’s the right move at the right time. Black’s King will never be in danger, while White will have to deal with his own weaknesses and strive for saving the day. 14. bxc3 Qf6 15. Bb2 Nce5 16. f3 c5 17. Rd1 Bd7 18. Na3 a6 19. Bc1 Ba4 20. Rd2 Kf8 21. Qh6+ Ke8 22. Rh5 Bd7 23. Qg5 Qxg5 24. Rxg5 Ke7 25. Rb2 Rb8 26. Nb1 Be6 27. Nd2 Kd7 28. Kf2 Kc7 29. Rb1 Rh8 30. Rh5 Rg8 31. Ba3 b6 32. Rbh1 Rgg7 33. Bc1 Kc6 34. Rg5 Rf8 35. Rgh5 Rff7 36. Rg5 Rf8 37. Rgh5 Rff7 38. Rg5 ½ : ½.

From left: Italian International Master Andrea Stella is glad of his much deserved first Grandmaster norm, and Jonas Bjerre (11-year-old) can be happy with his first International Master norm. Photo © Torneo Internacional de Navidad “Ciudad de Lorca”.

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