Berliner Luft

Nikita Kirillovich Vitiugov – Seyyed Mohammad Amin Tabatabaei
FIDE Grand Prix 2022; 3rd stage; Pool D; Berlin, March 22, 2022
Spanish Game C83

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. Qe2 Be7 10. Rd1 0-0 11. c3 (11. c4 bxc4 12. Bxc4 Qd7 13. Nc3 Nxc3 14. bxc3 f6 15. exf6 Bxf6 16. Bg5 Na5? 17. Qxe6+!+− Qxe6 18. Bxd5 Qxd5 19. Rxd5 Bxc3 20. Rc1 Bb4 21. Rxc7 Rac8 22. Ra7 Rc2 23. Rdd7 Bc3 24. Rac7 h6 25. Be3 1 : 0 R. J. Fischer – Ree, 4th International Tournament, Netanya 1968) 11. ... Qd7 12. Nbd2 Nxd2 13. Qxd2!?TN (13. Bxd2 Na5 14. Bc2 c5 15. Qd3 g6 16. Bh6 Rfe8 17. Qd2 Nc4 18. Qc1 Qc7 19. Re1 Rad8 20. b3 Nb6 21. Qf4 d4 22. cxd4 Nd5 23. Qg3 Nb4 24. Be4 cxd4 25. Ng5 Qd7 26. Re2 Nd5 27. Nxe6 Qxe6 28. Bd2 Ba3 29. Rb1 Qxe5 30. Qf3 Bd6 31. g3 Nc3 32. Bxc3 dxc3 33. Bxg6 Qg7 34. Bc2 Rxe2 35. Qxe2 Bc5 ½ : ½ H. Wolf – J. Bernstein, 3rd International Chess Tournament, Karlsbad 1923) 13. ... Rad8 14. a4 f6 (14. ... b4 15. Qd3⩲) 15. axb5 axb5 16. exf6 Bxf6 17. Qe2

17. ... Rfe8? A Pawn sacrifice, but which turns out to be quite unjustified, eventually leaving Black with a bad endgame a Pawn down. 17. ... Ne7 18. Nd4⩲ might be Black’s best worst choice. 18. Bg5 d4 19. Qxb5 Bxg5 20. Bxe6+ Qxe6 21. Nxg5 Qd5 22. Qxd5+ Rxd5 23. Nf3 d3 24. b4 Ne5 25. Nd2 Ng4 26. Nb3 Ne5 27. h3 Nc4 28. Nd2 Nxd2. Black bets on a four-Rook ending to offer the best chances of minimising to its maximum his Pawn deficit. On the other hand 29. ... Nb6 30. Ra5± was similarly unpleasant. 29. Rxd2 Re6 (29. ... Re2?? 30. Rad1+−)

30. Ra5. Much better seems 30. Rad1 Red6 31. f4 followed by the centralisation of the King. 30. ... Rd7? 30. ... Re1+! 31. Kh2 Rd7 was the toughest defence. 31. f3 Re1+ 32. Kf2 Rc1 33. Rc5 Kf7 34. Rc4 g6 35. h4 h5 36. Rd4 Rxd4 37. cxd4 Rc4

38. Ke3 Rxb4 39. Kxd3 Rb1 40. Rc2. The attack on the c-Pawn combined with the threat of invasion on the sixth rank give White an easy going. 40. ... Rh1 41. Rxc7+ Kf6 42. Rc6+ Kf7 43. Ke4 Rxh4+ 44. Ke5 Rh2 45. Rc7+ Ke8 46. g4 Rg2. 46. ... hxg4 47. fxg4 Rg2 48. Kf4+− is a tablebase win for White. 47. Kf4 Rd2 48. Rc4 Rd3 49. Ke4 Rd1 50. d5 h4 51. Rc7 Kf8 52. Rh7 Rh1 53. d6 Ke8 54. Ke5 Re1+ 55. Kf6 Rf1 56. Kxg6 Rxf3 57. Rxh4 Kd7 58. g5! Kxd6 59. Re4 Rf1 60. Kg7 Rf2 61. g6 Rf1 62. Kg8 Rg1 63. g7 Kd5 64. Rh4 1 : 0.

As the ancients say, there is a lot of theory and technique involved in milking the cow. Photo © Niki Riga.

A Sketch

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Nikita Kirillovich Vitiugov
74th Russian Chess Championship Superfinal; Ufa, October 12, 2021
Catalan Opening E04

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Nf3 dxc4 5. Bg2 Nbd7 6. 0-0 c6 7. a4 b6 8. Bg5 Be7 9. Nbd2 Ba6 10. Rc1 b5. Probably safer is 10. ... 0-0 11. Nxc4 Rc8 12. Nfe5 Nd5 13. Bxe7 Qxe7 followed by ... c6-c5 with good chances for equality. 11. Ne5! Nxe5 12. dxe5 Nd5 13. Bxe7 Qxe7. If 13. ... Nxe7 then 14. Ne4 Qxd1 15. Rfxd1 with a pleasant edge for White. 14. axb5 Bxb5. It seems hardly credible that Vitiugov may have overlooked that after 14. ... cxb5 15. Nxc4 bxc4 16. Qa4+ White would end up winning a Pawn. 15. Nxc4 Bxc4 16. Rxc4 Qb7

17. Qc1! With an eye on both wings. 17. ... Rc8. Not 17. ... Ne7? on account of 18. Rxc6!+− winning easily. 18. Bxd5?! 18. Rg4!↑ at once seems much stronger since the White Bishop is a better attacker than the Black Knight is as a defender. 18. ... exd5 19. Rg4 0-0. In order to reply to 20. Qh6 with 20. ... g6 21. Rh4 f5 as without the Bishop’s help White can barely fuel her initiative.

20. Rxg7+! The most spectacular way to a perpetual check. 20. ... Kxg7 21. Qg5+ Kh8 22. Qf6+ Kg8 23. Qg5+ Kh8 24. Qf6+ Kg8 25. Qg5+ Kh8 ½ : ½.

Maybe Goryachkina could have pushed harder, but she contented herself with a draw. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili/Russian Chess Federation.

Separate spheres

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – Nikita Kirillovich Vitiugov
27th Russian Team Chess Championship; Sochi, November 23, 2020
King’s Indian Defence E94

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 0-0 6. Be2 e5 7. Be3 exd4 8. Nxd4 Re8 9. f3 c6 10. 0-0. This comes as a bit of a surprise, because Goryachkina used to play here 10. Bf2 d5 11. exd5 cxd5 12. 0-0 Nc6 13. c5 and then: (a) 13. ... Nh5 14. Qd2 Be5 15. g3 Ng7 16. Ncb5 Bh3 17. Rfe1 Rc8 18. Rac1 a6 19. f4 axb5 20. fxe5 Rxe5 21. Bxb5 Qf6 22. Rxe5 Qxe5 23. Re1 Qh5 24. Bxc6 bxc6 25. Qf4 Qg4 26. Qxg4 Bxg4 27. b4 Kf8 28. a4 Bd7 29. Be3 Ne6 30. Nxe6+ Bxe6 31. b5 Ra8 32. b6 Rxa4 33. Rb1 Bc8 34. b7 Bxb7 35. Rxb7 d4 36. Bf4 Ke8 37. Rc7 Ra1+ 38. Kf2 Ra2+ 39. Kf3 Rxh2 40. Rxc6 h5 41. Bg5 Rc2 42. Bf6 Kd7 43. Rd6+ Kc7 44. Bxd4 1 : 0 Goryachkina – Martínez Romero, 27th World Youth Chess Championship, Al Ain 2013; (b) 13. ... Bf8 14. Kh1 Re5 15. a3 Bh6 16. b4 Nh5 17. b5 Na5 18. g3 Nf6 19. Re1 Bh3 20. Bd3 Rxe1+ 21. Qxe1 Rc8 22. Na4 Nd7 23. g4 Bg7 24. Rd1 Ne5 25. Bh4 Qd7 26. Be2 Nac4 27. Qg3 Ne3 28. Rg1 N5c4 29. c6 bxc6 30. Nxc6 Re8 31. Qxh3 Qd6 32. Bxc4 dxc4 33. Bf2 Qxa3 34. f4 Qxa4 35. Bxe3 Qxb5 36. Ne5 f6 37. Nxc4 Qxc4 38. Bxa7 Qxf4 39. Qg2 Qc4 40. Rd1 Qa4 41. Qd5+ Kh8 42. Qd4 Qc2 43. Qd5 Qe2 44. Rg1 h6 45. Qg2 Qc4 46. Bf2 Kh7 47. Qf3 Re4 48. Qg2 Qe6 49. Qf3 Bf8 50. Qg2 g5 51. Qf3 Kg7 52. Qg2 Kg6 53. Qf3 Be7 54. Qd3 Kg7 55. Qf3 Bb4 56. h3 Rf4 57. Qb7+ Kg6 58. Bg3 Qe4+ 59. Qxe4+ Rxe4 60. Rf1 Re2 61. Rc1 h5 62. Rc4 Ba5 63. Ra4 Bc3 64. Rc4 Bb2 65. Ra4 h4 66. Bb8 Kf7 67. Ra6 Bd4 68. Bc7 Be3 69. Bb8 Ke7 70. Bc7 Bd4 71. Bb8 Rc2 72. Bd6+ Kd7 73. Bh2 Kc8 74. Ra8+ Kd7 75. Ra6 Kc8 76. Ra8+ Kb7 77. Rb8+ Ka6 78. Rb3 Ka5 79. Rb8 Rxh2+ 0 : 1 Goryachkina – Hillarp Persson, 15th Open Internacional d’escacs de Sants, Hostafrancs i la Bordeta, Barcelona 2013; (c) 13. ... Bh6 14. Re1 a6 15. Bf1 Rxe1 16. Qxe1 Bg7 17. Rd1 Nxd4 18. Bxd4 Be6 19. Qd2 Rc8 20. b4 a5 21. a3 axb4 22. axb4 Qc7 23. Nb5 Qd8 24. Nc3 h5 25. Kh1 Kh7 26. Bxf6 Qxf6 27. Nxd5 Qe5 28. Nb6 Rf8 29. Bc4 Re8 30. h3 Qg3 31. Qe1 Qf4 32. Bb5 Be5 33. Qxe5 Qxe5 34. Bxe8 Qe2 35. Rb1 Bxh3 36. gxh3 Qxf3+ 37. Kg1 Qe3+ 38. Kg2 Qe4+ 39. Kf2 Qxb1 0 : 1 Goryachkina – Bodnaruk, Women’s Russian Cup Final 2014, Khanty-Mansiysk 2014. 10. ... d5 11. cxd5 cxd5 12. Qb3 Nc6 13. Rad1 Na5?! Of course, if a King’s Indian virtuoso like Svetozar Gligorić preferred here 13. ... Qe7 he must have had his good reasons: 14. Nxd5 Nxd5 15. Qxd5 Nxd4 16. Bxd4 Be6 17. Qb5 a6 18. Qa4 Bxd4+ 19. Rxd4 Rac8 20. Rfd1 Rc5 21. Qa3 Rc2 22. Qxe7 Rxe7 23. R4d2 ½ : ½ R. E. Byrne – Gligorić, 1st Milan Vidmar Memorial, Ljubljana 1969. 14. Qa3. Apart from the result, very good is also 14. Qc2 dxe4 15. Ne6 Bxe6 16. Rxd8 Raxd8 17. fxe4 Nc6 18. Bg5 Nd4 19. Qa4 Nxe2+ 20. Nxe2 b5 21. Qa5 Bc4 22. Bxf6 Bxf6 23. Rxf6 Bxe2 24. Kf2 Bc4 25. b3 Be6 26. Qxb5 Rd2+ 27. Kg3 Rc8 28. Rf2 Rc3+ 29. Rf3 Rcc2 30. Qb8+ Kg7 31. Kf4 Rxg2 32. Qxa7 Rxa2 33. Qc7 Rxh2 34. Qe5+ Kg8 35. Qb8+ Kg7 36. Qe5+ Kg8 37. Qb8+ Kg7 38. Qe5+ ½ : ½ Gustafsson – Korley, 10th Annual Manhattan Open, New York 2011. 14. ... Bd7!?TN (14. ... Bf8 15. b4± Saiyn – Slovak, 4th Summer Prague Open, Prague 2017) 15. Ndb5! dxe4. Gone with the stream. However, 15. ... Bf8 16. Bc5 a6 17. Nd6 was not appealing either. 16. Nxe4 Nxe4 17. fxe4 Rxe4

18. Rxf7! And suddenly Vitiugov finds himself standing on the verge of catastrophe. 18. ... Bf8 19. Qd3. Goryachkina plays it safely in harmony with her style. 19. Rfxd7 Qxd7 20. Qxa5+− was another strong (and probably stronger) possibility. 19. ... Bc6 (19. ... Rxe3 20. Qxe3 Kxf7 21. Bg4+−)

20. Qxd8? That’s far too much prudence — and probably it must have been a source of regret for Goryachkina. 20. Qc3! Qh4 21. Rdf1 retains very strong winning chances for White in view of her many threats. 20. ... Rxd8 21. Rxd8 Kxf7 22. Kf2 Nc4 23. Bxc4+ Rxc4 24. Nd6+ Bxd6 25. Rxd6 Rc2+ 26. Rd2 Rxd2+ 27. Bxd2 a6 28. a3 Bd5 29. Bc3 Bc6 30. Bd2 Bd5 31. Bc3 Bc6 32. Bd2 Bd5 33. Bc3 ½ : ½.

In hindsight, today’s draw seems like a missed opportunity for Goryachkina. Photo: Vladimir Leonidovich Barsky/Russian Chess Federation.

Colour opposites

Ivan Cheparinov – Nikita Kirillovich Vitiugov
1st FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament 2019; Santon, October 13, 2019
Queen’s Gambit Declined D37

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 a6 4. Nc3 d5 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 Be6 7. e3 Nbd7 8. Bd3 h6 9. Bh4 g5 10. Bg3 Nh5 11. Be5 Nhf6 12. Qb3 g4 13. Bxf6 Qxf6 14. Ne5 Nxe5 15. dxe5 Qxe5 16. Qxb7 Rd8 17. Qc6+ Ke7 18. 0-0 h5!?TN (18. ... Kf6 19. Rad1 h5 20. Bc2 Kg7 21. Ne2 Bd6 22. Nf4 Qxb2 23. Bb3 Rh6 24. Rd4 Bxf4 25. Rxf4 Qe5 26. Rc1 Rd7 27. Qxa6 d4 28. Qd3 dxe3 29. Qxe3 Qxe3 30. fxe3 Bxb3 31. axb3 Rhd6 32. Rfc4 Rd1+ 33. Rxd1 Rxd1+ 34. Kf2 Rd2+ 35. Kf1 Rd3 36. Kf2 Rxb3 37. Rxc7 ½ : ½ Akobian – Deac, 16th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, Catalan Bay 2018) 19. Rae1?! 19. Rad1 Kf6 would have transposed into the above mentioned game. The text is more ambitious, but also much riskier. 19. ... Kf6 20. e4. The alternative 20. f4!? gxf3 21. Rxf3+ Kg7 was likewise nothing special for White. 20. ... Bd6! 21. g3 d4! 22. Nd5+ (22. Ne2 h4! 23. Nf4 Kg7↑) 22. ... Kg7 23. h4! Attack is the best defence!? 23. ... gxh3 24. f4 Bxd5 25. exd5 Qf6 26. Rf3?! 26. Kh2! Rhg8! is certainly easier for Black to play, but there is still nothing definite. 26. ... Rhg8! 27. Qc2 Rde8?! 28. Ref1? This is a very grave mistake, probably due to lack of time. White had to exchange Rooks with 28. Rxe8 Rxe8, because then after 29. Kh2 h4⩱↑ he could still have hoped to survive Black’s initiative. 28. ... Kf8!−+ (Δ ... h5-h4) 29. Qh2 h4 30. Qxh3 hxg3 31. Rxg3 Rh8 32. Qg4

32. ... Re3? Vitiugov missed here an almost forced win: 32. ... Qh6! 33. Rg2 Re3−+ with devastating threats. Now, quite incredibly, White succeeds in mixing up things to the extent of saving the game. 33. Rff3 Rxf3 34. Qxf3 Bxf4 35. d6!? Qxd6 36. Qa8+ Ke7 37. Qxh8 Bxg3 38. Qh7 Qf4? (38. ... Qb4!? 39. Qe4+ Kd6∓) 39. Qe4+! It’s not a rule but a recurrent casuistry that endings with Bishops of opposite colour are drawn, so Cheparinov must have taken a breath of relief as he exchanged Queens. And here, indeed, there’s no exception! 39. ... Qxe4 40. Bxe4 Kd6 41. Kg2 Bf4 42. Bd3 a5 43. Kf3 Bc1 44. b3 Ke5 45. a4 Bd2 46. Bc4 f5 47. Bd3 f4 48. Ke2 Be3 49. Bc2 Kd5 50. Bd1 Kc5 51. Kd3 Kb4 52. Kc2 Bf2 53. Be2 Be1 54. Bd1 Bc3 55. Be2 Kc5 56. Kd3 Kd5 57. Bf3+ Kc5 58. Kc2 Kb4 59. Be2 c5 60. Bc4 f3 61. Bd5 f2 62. Bc4 Be1 63. Bf1 c4 64. Bxc4 Kc5 65. Kd1 Kd6 66. Ke2 Ke5 67. Kf3 Kf5 68. Bd3+ Kg5 69. Be2 Kf5 70. Bd3+ Ke5 71. Bc4 Kd6 72. Ke2 Kc6 73. Kd1 Kc5 74. Bd3 Kd6 75. Ke2 Kd5 76. b4 axb4 77. a5 b3 78. a6 Kc6 79. Kf1 Kb6 80. Ke2 Bb4 81. Kxf2 Bc5 82. Bc4 b2 83. Bd3 Ka5 84. Ke2 Kb4 85. Kd2 Kb3 86. Bb1 Bb6 87. Kd3 ½ : ½.

Cheparinov (right) and Vitiugov (left) showed with clarity why endings with Bishops of opposite colour are so often drawn. Photo credit: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova/Chess.com.

One Shot

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Nikita Kirillovich Vitiugov

5th Russia–China Junior Match of Friendship; match game 1; time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move; Belokurikha, July 15, 2018

Spanish Game C95

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 0-0 9. h3 Nb8 10. d4 Nbd7 11. Nbd2 Bb7 12. Bc2 Re8 13. Nf1 Bf8 14. Ng3 g6 15. a4 Bg7 16. Bd3. The first match game went 16. Bg5 h6 17. Bd2 Nb6 18. axb5 axb5 19. Bd3 Rxa1 20. Qxa1 c6 21. b3 Qc7 22. Qc1 Kh7 23. Be3 Bc8 24. Qc2 Bd7 25. Ra1 c5 26. d5 Rb8 27. Nd2 Qb7 28. f4? Nfxd5! with Black getting three Pawns for the Knight with a steam-roller in prospect, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Vitiugov, 5th Russia–China Junior Match of Friendship, Belokurikha 2018, match game 1 (time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move).

16. ... exd4! Black sacrifices a Pawn, forcing a drawish endgame. 17. cxd4 c5 18. axb5. Not 18. d5? on account of 18. ... c4 19. Bc2 b4 with Black’s Pawn preponderance on the Queenside. 18. ... axb5 19. Rxa8 Bxa8 20. dxc5 Nxc5 21. Bxb5 Rf8 22. e5 dxe5

23. Qxd8. Here 23. Nxe5! Qd5 24. Bf1⩲ looks a little more promising, but not that much: 24. ... Rd8 25. Qc2 Nb3 26. Bg5 Nd2 27. Qxd2 Qxd2 28. Bxd2 Rxd2 29. Bc4 Bd5 30. b3 Bxc4 31. Nxc4 Rd3 32. Rb1 Nd5 33. Ne2 Bf8 34. g3 g5 35. Kg2 f6 36. Rb2 Nb4 ½ : ½ Alifanov – Koval, World Cup 21 semifinal 3, by e-mail, 2017. 23. ... Rxd8 24. Nxe5 Nd5 25. Bc4 Re8 26. Nf3 (26. f4!?) 26. ... Rxe1+ 27. Nxe1 Nb6 28. b3 Nxc4 29. bxc4 Bb7 30. Be3 Ne6 31. Nc2 f5 32. Bb6 Ba6 33. Na3 Bb2 34. Nb5 Nf4 35. Kf1 Nd3 36. Bc7 Bf6 37. Nd6 Nb2 38. Kg1 Nxc4 39. Nxc4 Bxc4 ½ : ½.

Alone in a crowd. Photo: Anna Nasedkina/Biysky District.

King’s Road

Nikita Kirillovich Vitiugov – Fabiano Caruana
5th GRENKE Chess Classic; Baden-Baden, April 9, 2019
Russian Defence C43

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 Nxe4 4. dxe5 d5 5. Nbd2 Qd7!? Caruana adopts another arrangement of his recent concert in Berlin: 5. ... Nxd2 6. Bxd2 Be7 7. Bd3 c5 8. c3 Nc6 9. 0-0 Bg4 10. Re1 Qd7 11. h3 Bh5 12. Bf4 Qe6 13. a3 0-0 14. b4 h6 15. Bg3 b6 which proved to be satisfactory as well, Grischuk – Caruana, Candidates Tournament, Berlin 2018. 6. Bd3 Nc5 7. Be2 g6 8. Nb3 Ne6 9. Be3 c5 10. Ng5. Vitiugov, who was unbeaten so far, had to win at all costs, so no wonder he ended up pushing too hard. 10. ... b6 11. Nxe6 fxe6 12. a4 Bb7 13. 0-0 Nc6 14. f4 Bh6 15. a5 Ne7 16. Bg4 d4 17. Bc1 0-0 18. Qd3 Bd5 19. Qh3 Bg7 20. Nd2 Nf5 21. c4 dxc3 22. bxc3 Rad8 23. axb6 axb6 24. Re1 b5 25. Ne4 Qe7 26. Ng5 h6 27. Nf3 Bc6. “The American thought Vitiugov should have played c2-c3 at some point to not allow ... d5-d4 so easily and that after 27. ... Bc6 Black’s position was already almost impossible to hold on to”, Woman International Master Fiona Steil-Antoni wrote in her daily report. 28. Bxf5 gxf5 29. Be3

29. ... Rd3. It’s impressive the easiness how Black dominated the board. 30. Rac1 Ra8 31. Qh4 Qxh4 32. Nxh4 c4 33. Kf2 Bf8 34. Nf3 Bd5 35. Nd4 Bc5. Threatening ... Bc5xd4 followed by ... b5-b4. 36. Nxf5? Mistakes come easy when you’re in big trouble. 37. ... Ba3! 37. Nxh6+ Kg7 38. f5 Bxc1 39. Bxc1 Rxc3 40. f6+ Kg6 0 : 1. Fabiano Caruana presented himself in the best of fashion and proved to be a worthy challenger to Magnus Carlsen. Coming soon in London.

Nikita Kirillovich Vitiugov (left) vs. Fabiano Caruana (right). Photo: Georgios Souleidis/GRENKE Chess Classic.

Frontstage Backstage

GRENKE Chess Classic 2018 (@GRENKEChess)

Dress Like a Grandmaster

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Nikita Kirillovich Vitiugov
5th GRENKE Chess Classic; Baden-Baden, April 5, 2018
Spanish Game C92

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 0-0 9. h3 Re8 10. d4 Bb7 11. Nbd2 Bf8 12. d5. 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) usually favours closing the centre in the Ruy López, so as to avoid to drown into too much analysed insanity – even if at the cost of contenting herself with a very slight edge. 12. ... Nb8 13. Nf1 Nbd7 14. N3h2 c6. The alternative 14. ... Nc5 would have evoked happy memories to 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), who, three years earlier, had been milking the cow in Monte Carlo Casino: 15. Bc2 c6 16. b4 Ncd7 17. dxc6 Bxc6 18. Bg5 Qc7 19. Bxf6 Nxf6 20. Ng4 Nxg4 21. hxg4 Be7 22. Bb3 Bg5 23. Qf3 Qb7 24. Rad1 Red8 25. Rd3 a5 26. Ng3 g6 27. Red1 a4 28. Bd5 Rac8 29. Ne2 Kg7 30. g3 Qd7 31. Kg2 h6 32. Bxc6 Qxc6 33. a3 Qc4 34. Rd5 Qb3 35. Qd3 Rb8 36. Ra1 Qb2 37. Qd1 Rdc8 38. Kf1 Rc4 39. f3 Rb6 40. Qb1 Qxb1+ 41. Rxb1 Kf8 42. Kf2 Ke7 43. f4 Bf6 44. Ke3 exf4+ 45. gxf4 Bxc3 46. Kd3 Bf6 47. Rxb5 Rbc6? (after 47. ... Rxb5 48. Kxc4 Rb8 49. Rd1 White stands only a little better) 48. Ra5 Rc2 49. b5 Rc8 50. Ra7+ Ke6 51. b6 Ra2 52. f5+ Ke5 53. Ra5+ 1 : 0 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Zhukova, Women’s Grand Prix 2015–2016, first stage, Monte Carlo 2015. 15. dxc6 Bxc6 16. Bg5 Qc7 17. Ng3!? 17. Qf3 has long been the most popular line, at least until Black found a way to deal with it: 17. ... a5(!) 18. Rad1 Qb7 19. Ng3 a4 20. Bc2 b4 21. Nf5 Re6 22. Bxf6 Nxf6 23. Ng4 Nxg4 24. hxg4 g6 25. Ne3 bxc3 26. bxc3 Bh6 27. Rb1 Qa7 28. Rb4 Bg5 29. Qe2 Ree8 30. Qd3 Red8 31. Nd5 Rab8 32. Reb1 a3 33. Nb6 Kg7 34. g3 Rb7 35. Kg2 ½ : ½ Vachier-Lagrave – Svidler, 4th Sinquefield Cup, Saint Louis 2016. 17. ... a5! 17. ... Qb7(?) 18. Qf3 d5 would transpose into 19. Ng4 dxe4 20. Qf5 Nd5 21. Nxe4 Re6 22. Rad1 h5? (comparatively better was 22. ... Rae8) 23. Ne3 Nf4 24. Bxf4 Bxe4 25. Rxd7 Bxf5 26. Rxb7 exf4 27. Rxf7 1 : 0 Short – Beliavsky, Knockout World Chess Championship Tournament, Groningen 1997, match game 2. 18. Bxf6. 18. a3 Qb7(!) gives Black no worry. 18. ... Nxf6 19. Ng4 Nxg4 20. hxg4 a4 21. Bd5 Bxd5 22. Qxd5 a3 23. bxa3. 23. b3 Qxc3 24. Qxb5 g6 25. Rac1 Qb2 26. Rb1 Qc2 (not 26. ... Qxa2?? on account of 27. Qd3! followed Re1-e2 trapping Black’s Queen) 27. Rbc1 Qb2 would have led to a draw by repetition. White, however, finds another pretty way to achieve the same result. 23. ... Rxa3 24. Rab1 Qc4 25. Qxb5 Qxb5 26. Rxb5 Rxa2 27. Nf5 Rc2

28. Ne3! Rxc3 29. Ra1. White has sacrificed a Pawn, in return for which she – thanks to the domination of the seventh rank and the d5-square – has virtually paralysed both the d6-Pawn and the f8-Bishop (29. ... g6?? 30. Nd5! would cost Black the Exchange), thus preventing Vitiugov from making any progress. That’s more than enough to make the draw inevitable. 29. ... Rcc8 30. Rb7 Rb8 31. Raa7 Rxb7 32. Rxb7 h6 33. Nd5 Ra8 34. Kh2 g6 35. f3 Kg7 36. Nc7 Rc8 37. Nd5 Ra8 38. Nc7 Rc8 39. Nd5 ½ : ½.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)’s sartorial representation of the first-move advantage in chess. Photo: Georgios Souleidis/GRENKE Chess Classic.

From the opening into the middle game: 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) (left) vs. Nikita Kirillovich Vitiugov (right). Photo: Georgios Souleidis/GRENKE Chess Classic.

Спёртый мат (Smothered mate)

Matthias Blübaum – Nikita Kirillovich Vitiugov
5th GRENKE Chess Classic; Karlsruhe, March 31, 2018
3q2k1/Q4pp1/5np1/8/8/2r2B2/P4KPP/R7 b - - 0 24

Position after 24. Qa4xa7

24. ... Ne4+! 25. Kg1. If 25. Ke1 then 25. ... Rc2 finis. If, instead 25. Bxe4 then 25. ... Rc7!! forcing a won endgame in all variations. 25. ... Ra3!! 0 : 1. For if 26. Qxa3 then 26. ... Qd4+ 27. Kh1 Nf2+ 28. Kg1 Nh3++ 29. Kh1 Qg1+ 30. Rxg1 Nf2 mate.

Matthias Blübaum (right) vs. Nikita Kirillovich Vitiugov (left). Photo: Georgios Souleidis/GRENKE Chess Classic.

Feast of the Seven Fishes

Nikita Kirillovich Vitiugov (‏@n_vitiugov)

That is no doubt a good point, but how the rules are written also depends upon players and “players”’s ideas and upon managers and “managers”’s ability to promote them. It was not hard to discuss the World Chess Championship’s format (both for men and women) with living former World Chess Champions rather than with Yeltsin’s ghost. It’s very interesting, for instance, what 12th World Chess Champion Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov told TASS today: “Upcoming developments during the tie-breaker have nothing to do with the game of chess. It is wrong to determine the new World Champion this way. Rapid games are more or less suitable, but blitz and the possibly ensuing Armageddon (game) are stupid. Such a system can only choose a neighborhood champ, but never the World Champion. This is a monstrous invention, which totally goes against all common sense”. It’s hard to disagree, even if I personally would regard Fischerandom chess (with classical time control) as a more probing tie-break system than Rapid.

The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe

Nikita Kirillovich Vitiugov (‏@n_vitiugov)

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