Worst by Test

Rafael Artemovich Vaganian – Levon Grigori Aronian

2nd FiNet Chess960 Open; time control: 20 minutes plus 5 seconds per move; Mainz, August, 2003

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Position #70

1. e4? Just forget about classical chess and Bobby Fischer’s definition of 1. e2-e4 as “best by test”. He didn’t want to be remembered for that, but rather for his last great invention: Fischerandom chess. An infinite set of worlds, a multi-dimensional board where things can happen that could never happen in standard chess. And, indeed, what happens here now, happens because of the presence of undefended Pawns in the starting array (in the classical one all Pawns are defended!). So Vaganian’s Pavlovian “best” turns out to be a blatant mistake! 1. f3 is one of the possible good first moves, after which there may follow: 1. ... Nb6 2. d4 f5 3. Nc3⩲ with a preference for White.
1. ... f5! That’s simple — and true: Black wins a Pawn by force.
2. Nc3 fxe4 3. d3. 3. Nxe4?? Qe6 would cost even more.
3. ... exd3 4. Bxd3 Nc6 5. Be3 e5. Black is a sound Pawn ahead, which, theoretically speaking, is sufficient to terminate debate. The rest of the game is given just for duty of chronicle:
6. 0-0-0?! (6. Bg5!? Be7 7. Bxe7 Nxe7 8. f4 Qe6)

6. ... Bb4?! 6. ... d5! seems to be much stronger: if 7. Bg5 then 7. ... d4 8. Bxd8 dxc3 with great advantage to Black.
7. Nd5 Qf7 8. Kb1?! (8. Nb3!? 0-0 9. Bc4 Kh8)
8. ... d6 9. Bg5

9. ... Be6! Black picks up a second Pawn, though at the cost of the Exchange.
10. Nxb4 Nxb4 11. Bxd8 Bxa2+ 12. Kc1 Qf4+ 13. Rd2 Kxd8 14. g3 Nxd3+ 15. cxd3 Qa4 16. Qd1 Qxd1+?! 16. ... Qc6+! 17. Rc2 Qb5 would have kept up the initiative.
17. Rhxd1 Bd5 18. d4?! (⌓ 18. f4!)
18. ... e4 19. Nc2 Rf8 20. Ne3 Bb3 21. Rf1 Nb6 22. d5? Probably best was 22. f3! Nc4 23. Re2 Nxe3 24. Rxe3 Bd5 25. f4 h5 with a dynamically balanced ending.
22. ... Nd7 23. Re2 Ne5 24. Kd2

24. ... Ba4? 24. ... Nc4+ 25. Kc3 Nxe3 26. Rxe3 Bxd5 would have ensured Black a much better endgame.
25. Ra1 Bb5 26. Rxa7 Bxe2. 26. ... Nf3+! 27. Kd1 Bxe2+ 28. Kxe2 Nd4+ 29. Kf1 b5 is a slightly better version of the game’s ending.
27. Kxe2 b5 28. Ra8+ Ke7 29. Rxf8 Kxf8 30. Nd1 Ng4 31. b4 Ke7 (31. ... Nxh2 32. Nc3=)
32. h3 Nf6 33. Nc3 Kd7 34. Ke3 c6 35. Kd4 h5 36. h4 g6

37. Nxe4?? A blunder due to lack of time. White could draw in more ways than one; for example: 37. dxc6+ Kxc6 38. Ne2 Nd5 39. Nf4 Nxb4= (but not 39. ... Nxf4?? 40. gxf4 d5 because of 41. Ke5+−).
37. ... Nxd5 0 : 1.

Merciless Queen

Rafael Artemovich Vaganian – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
50th International Chess Festival; Biel/Bienne, August 1, 2017
Queen’s Pawn Game D05

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 b6 4. Bd3 Bb7 5. 0-0 d5 6. b3 Bd6 7. Bb2 0-0 8. Ne5 c5 9. Qe2. 9. Nd2 Nc6 10. a3 is a matter that 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) had studied well during her preparation: 10. ... a5 11. f4 Ne7 12. Rf3 cxd4 13. Bxd4 Bxe5 14. fxe5 Ne4 15. Rh3 Nf5 16. Bxe4 dxe4 17. Nc4 Nxd4 18. exd4 Bc6 19. Nd6 Qg5 20. Rc3 Bd5 21. Rg3 Qf4 22. c4 Bc6 23. Qf1 Qxf1+ 24. Rxf1 Rab8 25. Rf4 b5 26. c5 a4 27. b4 Rbd8 28. Rfg4 g6 29. Rf4 Kg7 30. Rf6 Rd7 31. Kf2 Ra8 32. Ke3 Raa7 33. h4 h6 34. Rh3 Rd8 35. Rh1 Re7 36. h5 g5 37. d5 Bxd5 38. Nxb5 1 : 0 Vaganian – M. Adams, Armenia – Rest of the World Match, Moscow 2004. 9. ... Nc6 10. a3 Rc8 11. Nd2 Ne7 12. Rad1. If 12. f4 then 12. ... Ne4 with comfortable equality, Rajlich – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), First Saturday GM July, Budapest 2008 and/or Hoàng Thị Bảo Trâm – 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), 16th Asian Women’s Team Chess Championship, 广州 (Guǎngzhōu) 2010. 12. ... Qc7 13. c4 Ne4 14. cxd5 Nxd2 15. Rxd2 Bxd5

16. Qh5. Had Vaganian only known what was to happen... he would probably have contented himself with something like 16. Nf3 cxd4 17. Nxd4! Bxh2+ 18. Kh1 Be5 19. Nb5 Qb8 20. Bxh7+ Kxh7 21. Qh5+ Kg8 22. Bxe5 Qa8 23. Kg1! Bxb3 24. Rd7 Ng6 25. Qxg6! fxg6 26. Rxg7+ drawing by perpetual check. 16. ... f5 17. Nc4 cxd4 18. Bxd4 Ng6 19. Nxd6 Qxd6 20. b4? White’s only serious error — but enough to lose the game! Probably best was 20. Ba6 Rb8 (Δ ... b6-b5) 21. Qe2 Qxa3 22. Ra1 Qe7 23. Bb2 and White may hope for some compensation by virtue of his Bishop pair.

20. ... Bxg2! 21. Kxg2 Qxd4! 22. Qxg6. Neither 22. exd4 Nf4+ 23. Kf3 Nxh5 24. Re1 Kf7 nor 22. Qxh7+ Kxh7 23. exd4 Rc3 can help White’s cause. 22. ... Qd5+ 23. e4 fxe4 24. Qxe4?! The Rook endgame after 24. Ba6 hxg6 25. Rxd5 exd5 26. Bxc8 Rxc8 27. Rd1 Rd8 28. f3 e3 is pretty hopeless for White. 24. ... Qg5+! 25. Kh1 Qxd2 26. Qxh7+ Kf7 27. Qg6+ (27. Rg1 Qh6−+) 27. ... Ke7 28. Qxg7+ Rf7 29. Qd4 Qf4! 30. Qxf4 Rxf4 31. f3 Rd4 32. Be4 Rd2 33. Rg1 Rc3 0 : 1.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) mercilessly took advantage of Vaganian’s miscalculation. Photo © Biel Chess Festival.

Հարիսա (Harissa)

Mariya Muzychuk – Rafael Artemovich Vaganian
4th Snowdrops vs. Oldhands; Mariánské Lázně, December 8, 2011
French Defence C14

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bxe7 Qxe7 7. f4 a6 8. Nf3 c5 9. Qd2 Nc6 10. dxc5 Nxc5 11. 0-0-0 b5 12. Bd3 b4 13. Ne2 0-0. The alternative was 13. ... a5 14. f5 Nxd3+ 15. Qxd3 Ba6 16. Qe3 Bxe2 17. Qxe2 0-0 18. Kb1 a4 19. Nd4 Nxd4 20. Rxd4 exf5 21. Rxd5 a3 22. b3 Rad8 23. Rhd1 Rxd5 24. Rxd5 Rd8 25. Qd3 Rxd5 26. Qxd5 h5 27. Kc1 Qh4 28. Kd1 Qf2 29. e6 fxe6 30. Qxe6+ Kh7 31. Qd5 h4 ½ : ½ Chandler – Seirawan, 2nd GMA World Cup, 1st stage, Reykjavík 1991. 14. h4!? Just a bit of improvisation, instead of 14. g4 a5 (as in Lang – Vojinović-Rapport, 39th Women’s Chess Olympiad, Khanty-Mansiysk 2010).

14. ... b3!! A sharp “refutation”. 15. axb3. Grandmaster Natalia Andreevna Pogonina recommends 15. cxb3 Nxd3+ 16. Qxd3 Nb4 17. Qb1 a5 when “White will put Knights on c3 and d4, defending stubbornly”. 15. ... Nb4 16. Ned4 Ncxd3+ 17. cxd3 a5 18. Nc2? Pogonina suggests to create a (great) White King’s escape with 18. Qe3 a4 19. Kd2 axb3 20. Ke2, but after 20. ... Ra2 21. Rd2 Ba6 Black retains a significant edge. 18. ... d4? Vaganian gives back his extra Pawn in order to render his position more active, but 18. ... Rb8! (intending ... Bc8-a6 followed by ... Rf8-c8) would have been very unpleasant for White (19. Kb1 Ba6). 19. Nfxd4 Bb7 20. Qe3? “Here White had a chance to stabilize the position by 20. Kb1 as Black needs time to play ... a5-a4, and White will create counterplay with f4-f5”, Pogonina said. 20. ... Bd5 21. Rd2. A sad necessity. If 21. Kb1 there follows 21. ... a4! with a crushing attack. 21. ... a4 22. bxa4. A painful decision, but 22. Nxb4 (Pogonina’s suggestion) is refuted by the “zwischenzug” 22. ... axb3! 23. Kd1 Ra1+ and Black must win. 22. ... Rxa4? Precipitate. Vaganian could have won by 22. ... Nxc2 23. Nxc2 (both 23. Kxc2 and 23. Rxc2 are met by 23. ... Rxa4-+) 23. ... Rfc8 and White cannot parry all Black’s threats. 23. Kd1 Ra2. Pogonina suggests 23. ... Rc8 24. Ke2 Bxg2 25. Rg1 Bb7 when Black has ample compensation for the Pawn. 24. Ke2 Rxb2 25. Nxb4 Qxb4 26. Nf3. “White has a solid position, so Black doesn’t have any real winning chances”, Pogonina said. 26. ... Ra8 27. Rhd1 Rxd2+ 28. Rxd2 Ra4 29. g3 h6 30. Ne1 Qb1 31. Kf2 g6 32. Rc2 Kg7 33. Qc1 Qb4 34. Qd2 Qb6+ 35. Qe3 Qb1 36. Qc1 Qb6+ 37. Qe3 ½ : ½.

Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk & Rafael Artemovich Vaganian analysing their game. Photo: Martin Chrz.

Graph theory

Rafael Artemovich Vaganian – Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk
4th Snowdrops vs. Oldhands; Mariánské Lázně, December 3, 2011
English Opening A35

1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5 4. g3 f5 5. d3 Nf6 6. Bg2 g6 7. 0-0. Another reference is 7. a3 a5 8. 0-0 Bg7 9. Bg5 0-0 10. Rb1 d6 11. Ne1 h6 12. Bxf6 Bxf6 13. Nc2 Bd7 14. b4 axb4 15. axb4 Nxb4 16. Nxb4 cxb4 17. Rxb4 Bc6 18. Qb3 Kh8 19. Rb1 Bg7 20. Rb6 e4 21. e3 exd3 22. Nd5 d2 23. Qc2 Ra1 24. Rxa1 Bxa1 25. Rb1 Bxd5 26. Rxa1 Bxg2 27. Kxg2 d5 28. Rd1 dxc4 29. Qxc4 Kh7 30. Qd4 Qxd4 31. exd4 b5 32. Kf3 Kg7 33. Rxd2 Kf7 34. Ke3 Ke6 35. Ra2 Kd5 36. Kd3 Rf6 37. Ra8 Rb6 38. Rd8+ Ke6 39. Kc3 Rc6+ 40. Kd3 Rb6 41. Kc3 Rc6+ ½ : ½ G. Meier – Krasenkow, French Team Championship, Mulhouse 2011. 7. ... Bg7 8. Bg5 d6 9. Ne1 h6 10. Bxf6 Qxf6 11. Nc2 0-0 12. Rb1 Rb8 13. a3 Ne7 14. Ne3 Bd7 15. Ned5 Nxd5 16. Nxd5 Qf7 17. b4 b6 18. b5 Be6 19. a4 f4 20. Rb3 g5 21. a5 g4 22. Be4 Kh8 23. Ra3 h5 24. f3 Bh6 25. fxg4? Hitherto White has methodically tightened his grip on the Queenside, but now, with the text move, he unnecessarily opens up a way for her opponent on the Kingside. Comparatively best was the immediate 25. axb6 axb6 26. Qa1 Bxd5 27. Bxd5 Qg6 28. Qe1 and White appears to keep the upper hand. 25. ... hxg4 26. axb6 axb6 27. Qa1. Vaganian nonchalantly continues his plan. Probably more to the point would have been 27. Qe1 in order to contain Black’s initiative on the Kingside. 27. ... Bxd5 28. cxd5? After 28. Bxd5 Qh5 29. Ra8 Rxa8 30. Qxa8 Rg8! Black’s attack continues, but the text move is far worse. 28. ... Qh5 29. h4 fxg3 30. Rxf8+ Rxf8 31. Ra8 Qxh4 32. Rxf8+ Bxf8 33. Bg2

32. ... Qh6 34. Qa8. Loses on the spot, but 34. Qe1 Qe3+ is no better as Black’s Bishop will soon come into play in Kingside attack. 34. ... Qe3+ 0 : 1. For if 35. Kh1 then 35. ... Qc1+ and mate next move.

Rafael Artemovich Vaganian vs. Mariya Olehivna Muzychuk. Photo: Martin Chrz.