The Thought

Matthias Blübaum – Evgeniy Yuryevich Najer
15th Aeroflot Open; Moscow, February 24, 2017
Réti Opening A07

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Bg4 3. Bg2 c6 4. 0-0 Nf6 5. h3 Bxf3 6. Bxf3 e5 7. d3 a5 8. a4. In Erdos – Navara, Schachbundesliga 2013/2014, Eppingen 2014 was seen 8. Nd2 Bc5 9. e4 0-0 10. Nb3 Bb6 11. a4 Nbd7 12. c3 h6 13. Qc2 Re8 14. Kh2 Nc5 15. Nxc5 Bxc5 16. Bd2 Qb6 17. Kg2 Rad8 18. Rad1 Rd7 19. Bc1 Red8 20. Rfe1 dxe4 21. dxe4 ½ : ½. 8. ... Bc5 9. Nd2 0-0 10. e4 Re8 11. c3 Nbd7 12. Bg2 Ba7 13. exd5 cxd5 14. Nb1. It seems a bit convoluted. “The idea, after 16. Nb1-a3, was probably Na3-b5”, but then it won’t happen”, writes Thomas Richter in his commentary for chess-international.de. 14. ... e4 15. d4 h6 16. Na3 Bb8 17. Be3 Ra6 18. b4. White continues his Queenside mobilisation without paying any attention to the whole board. 18. ... axb4 19. cxb4 Nf8 20. Qb3. 20. Nb5 is also answered by 20. ... h5! taking the upper hand. 20. ... h5! A brilliant way to claim the initiative! 21. Bg5 N8h7 22. Bd2. “Even more loss of time”, says Richter. 22. ... h4. Black’s attack looks powerful enough to seize its target. 23. g4 Qd6 24. Rfc1 Qh2+ 25. Kf1

25. ... Bg3!! Of course, something like ... Nh7-f8-e6 was very good and nearly winning, but Najer concludes in a much more spectacular way. 26. g5. If 26. fxg3 then 26. ... Nxg4! 27. hxg4 Rf6+ finis. 26. ... Bxf2! 27. Kxf2 e3+ 28. Bxe3 Nxg5 29. Kf1. Or 29. Bxg5 Ne4+ and wins. 29. ... Nh5 30. Ra2 Ng3+ 31. Ke1 Qg1+ 0 : 1.

Matthias Blübaum vs. Evgeniy Yuryevich Najer
Photo: ruchess.ru

A Day with Aeroflot

余泱漪 (Yú Yāngyī) – Denis Rimovich Khismatullin
15th Aeroflot Open; Moscow, February 24, 2017
Sicilian Defence B23

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 a6 3. g3 b5 4. Bg2 Bb7 5. d3 e6 6. Nh3 b4 7. Ne2 d5 8. e5 Nc6 9. f4 Nh6. Very similar consequences may arise from 9. ... Nge7 10. 0-0 Nf5 11. g4 Nh4 12. Ng3 Nxg2 13. Kxg2 Qd7 14. Qe1 0-0-0 15. a3 a5 16. axb4 axb4 17. Kg1 f6 18. c3 d4 19. c4 Re8 20. Qe2 f5 21. Bd2 g6 22. Kf2 Be7 23. Ke1 Kc7 24. Kf2 Ra8 25. Ng1 Na5 26. h3 h5 27. gxh5 gxh5 28. Nf3 h4 29. Nh1 Nb3 30. Rab1 Qc6 31. Kg2 Rag8+ 32. Kh2 Rg6 33. Ng5 Rhg8 34. Rg1 Bxg5 35. Rxg5 Qf3 36. Re1 Rxg5 37. fxg5 Qxe2+ 38. Rxe2 Nxd2 39. Rxd2 Rxg5 40. b3 Kd7 0 : 1 Mack – Hillarp Persson, 35th Guernsey International Chess Festival, Guernsey 2009. 10. Nf2 Nf5 11. 0-0 Qb6 12. c3 Be7 13. g4? Nh4⩱ 14. Bh1 h5! 15. g5 f6. Grandmaster Rafael Duailibe Leitão much prefers 15. ... g6⩱, apparently not too convinced by Black’s following Pawn sacrifice. 16. exf6 gxf6 17. Ng3 fxg5 18. fxg5 0-0-0! 19. Qe2. As a matter of fact, it seems a loss of time. After 19. Re1! (Leitão) 19. ... e5 20. Nxh5 Kb8 21. Qg4 Ng6 the same position of the actual game occurs, but with the difference that the White Rook is on e1 (White has magically gained a move!). 19. ... e5 20. Nxh5 Kb8 21. Qg4 Ng6. Black’s attacking prospects more than compensate for the Pawn. 22. Nf6 e4! Leitão recommends 22. ... Bc8!∓, but, indeed, Black’s second positional Pawn sacrifice appears very powerful. 23. dxe4 Nce5 24. Qg3 Bd6 25. h3 Qc7 26. Rd1 Nd7! 27. Qf3 Nxf6 28. gxf6 dxe4 29. Qg4 Rhg8 30. Kf1 Nf4 31. Qf5

31. ... e3! Another convincing line is 31. ... Rg1+!? 32. Kg1 Ne2+ 33. Kg2 e3+ 34. Ne4 Ng3−+ (Leitão’s analysis). 32. Bxe3 Bxh1? Black misses the most forcing 32. ... Rg1+! 33. Kxg1 Ne2+ 34. Kf1 Ng3+ winning heavy material. 33. f7? Returning the favour. Best was 33. Rxd6 Bg2+ 34. Ke1 Qxd6 35. Qxf4 Qxf4 35. Bxf4+ Kc8∓ (Leitão’s analysis). 33. ... Bg2+ 34. Ke1 Qe7! 35. Ng4 Rxg4! 0 : 1.