|
Fanhao Meng |
11 |
|
Noam Davies |
9.5 |
|
Lucas Davies |
9 |
|
Richard Huang |
8 |
|
Ivan Petrov |
7.5 |
|
Tiffany Tang |
6.5 |
|
Sterling Dietz |
6.5 |
|
Stoyan Petrov |
5.5 |
|
Andrey Kostin |
5.5 |
|
Vlad Gaciu |
5 |
|
Michael Wee |
5 |
|
Louie Jiang |
5 |
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.0–0–0 Bd7 9.f4 My theoretical debate with Howard continues; this is our fourth game in this variation. 9...b5 Howard goes back to the line that gave him a good position in our encounter in the 2004 B.C. Championship (9...Qb6 was our last game in this line, at the Dan MacAdam Memorial in January). 10.Bxf6 gxf6 In this typical Richter-Rauzer pawn structure where the f-pawns have been doubled, White would like to apply pressure to Black's light squares by playing f5. However, if White plays f5 too quickly Black can generate counterplay by utilizing the unassailable e5 square. 11.Nxc6 Not having an improvement prepared over the other games we played in this line, I decided to fiddle with the move order. I had previously played... 11.Kb1. This is supposed to be an improvement on the move I played in the game and is recommended in many books. The idea is that White will play a useful move to get Black to commit his pieces before launching the assault on the light squares. I have shown all of this before in previous annotated games, but I will show a bit of it again here because it is important in comparison to what happens in the game. A) 11...b4 serves little purpose as without the bishop being on c6 there is not pressure on e4 yet. 12.Nce2 Qb6 13.Nxc6 Bxc6 14.f5 Bxe4 (14...e5 15.Ng3± h5 16.h4! xh5) 15.fxe6 fxe6 16.Qf4 f5 17.Ng3± d5 18.Nxe4 dxe4 (18...fxe4 19.Qe5 Rg8 20.Rxd5) 19.Qg5+- intending Be2-Bh5; B) 11...Qb6 12.Nxc6 Bxc6 13.Qe1 and now with the queen being on b6, White is threatening Nd5 - the purpose of the waiting move Kb1. B1) 13...Be7 stops the threat of Nd5, but leaves Black in a very passive position: 14.f5 b4 15.Ne2 e5 (15...Bxe4 16.fxe6 fxe6 17.Ng3 Bd5 18.Rxd5 exd5 19.Bd3 with compensation) 16.Ng3 h5 17.h4 Bf8 18.Bc4 Rc8 19.Qe2 Ke7 20.Nxh5+- Yoos-Khassanov, Canadian ch 1999; B2) 13...Ra7 also deals with the threat of Nd5, but it does little to address Black's development. 14.f5 Rg8 (14...b4 15.Ne2 Bxe4 16.fxe6 fxe6 17.Nf4 with the initiative) 15.Qh4 Ke7 16.Ne2 e5 17.Ng3 Qe3 18.Qxh7 Rg7 19.Qh8 Bxe4 20.Bd3 Bxg2 21.Rhe1 Qc5 22.Be4± Dimitrov-Kozul, Linares 1996; B3) 13...0–0–0. In my opinion this move, which is underestimated in books on the subject, makes the whole variation playable. 14.Bd3 b4 (the books I have seen give 14...h5?! ) 15.Ne2 d5! 16.Ng3 h5!? Yoos-Wu, BC ch 2004(16...dxe4 Belotti-Tukmakov, Italy 1999 (0–1/50)) ; 11.f5 Nxd4 12.Qxd4 Bh6+ 13.Kb1 Bf4 demonstrates the need to capture the knight on c6 before playing f5.] 11...Bxc6 Now black is threatening b4. 12.Qe1 Qb6?! Howard continues on as in the 11.Kb1 variation. However, by omitting Kb1, White has an additional option. [12...Be7 13.Bd3 leads to a similar type of passive position as seen in Yoos-Khassanov. (13.f5 b4 14.Ne2 Qa5) ; 12...Qe7 defends the threats in the centre, but leaves Black with problems as to how to finish his development. 13.Bd3 0–0–0 14.a4! xa6. The best move is 12...b4 13.Nd5. This does not have as much potency when the Black queen is still on d8. (13.Ne2? Bxe4–+) 13...a5! And now the knight lacks a future on d5. Black threatens to play for ...f5 opening up the diagonal for the bishop and White will eventually be faced with the question of what to do with the knight. 14.Bd3 (14.Rd4 f5! xb2; 14.Kb1 Ra7) 14...Bg7 (14...f5? 15.exf5 Bxd5 16.Bb5+ Ke7 17.Rxd5) 15.f5 (15.g4 h5; 15.Ne3 f5 16.exf5 Qf6) 15...Bxd5 16.exd5 e5+= and White has a small advantage because his bishop is more active than Black's. However, with opposite-coloured bishops and the blocked pawn structure White will have trouble making much progress in the position. 17.Bb5+ Ke7 18.Bc6 Rb8 19.Kb1 Qb6 20.Qh4 h5 21.Rhe1 was Short-Damljanovic, Manila Interzonal 1990 which Black actually won!; 12...Qa5 13.Kb1 and the queen is a bit misplaced on a5.; 12...Bh6 13.g3 leads nowhere.] 13.Nd5! Bxd5 [13...exd5 14.exd5+ Be7 15.dxc6 Qxc6 16.Bd3+-; 13...Qd8 14.Qc3 Bxd5 15.exd5 Rc8 16.Qh3+-] 14.exd5 e5 15.Qe4!+- Securing the central squares and preventing Black from castling. In comparison to the similar position seen in Short-Damlijanovic, White's f-pawn is still on f4, thus the position is much more open. Opposite-coloured bishops tend to have an exaggerated reputation for being drawish. On the contrary, when one side develops an initiative the opposite-coloured bishop can be very deadly as it is difficult to defend the opposite-coloured squares. With the more open position, White's more active bishop will prove decisive. 15...Rc8 [15...0–0–0? 16.Qf5+] 16.Kb1 This frees up White's hands as Black will no longer have checks on the c1–h6 diagonal to generate counterplay. 16...Be7 Black is in a difficult position because there is just no good way to finish developing. Black has a lot of weak squares all over the kingside. The bishop is actually better on f8 because there it is easier to defend those squares. However, you cannot leave your pieces on their original squares forever. 17.Be2 Rc7 Possibly hoping to run the king to the queenside via the back rank. 18.Rhf1 h6 [18...Bf8 defends the tactics on f7 but leaves Black in a hopelessly passive position. 19.g4‚ intending h4 and g5.] 19.fxe5 fxe5 20.Rxf7 It is not the loss of the pawn that is so devastating, but more so the opening of lines for White's attack. 20...Bg5 [Taking the rook leads to mate. Of course I hadn't calculated it - it was just an assumption. 20...Kxf7 21.Bh5+ Kf8 22.Qf5+ Bf6 23.Qxf6+ Kg8 24.Qe6+ Kg7 25.Qg6+ Kf8 26.Rf1+ Ke7 27.Qg7+ Kd8 28.Qxh8+ Kd7 29.Rf7#; 20...Qc5 21.Bg4 Kd8 22.Rdf1 Re8 (22...Bg5 23.Rf8+ Rxf8 24.Rxf8+ Ke7 25.Rf1 Kd8 26.Qg6 Re7 27.Rf8+ Kc7 28.Rc8+) 23.Be6 Bg5 24.Qg6 Rxf7 25.Bxf7 Re7 26.h4 Bf4 27.g3 Be3 28.Qg8+ Kc7 29.Qf8 Rd7 30.Be6 Rd8 (30...Rh7 31.Bf5) 31.Rf7+] 21.Rxc7 Qxc7 22.h4 In hindsight, this seems inefficient. 22.Qg6+ is better as Black cannot block with the queen since the d-pawn will hang. 22...Kd8 23.Rf1. 22...Bf6 23.Rf1 Rf8 23...0–0 is a better defence, but with White's superior pieces Black's position is still bleak. 24.Qg4+ Kh8 (24...Qg7 25.Qe6+ Kh8 26.Qxd6 Be7 27.Qxa6+-) 25.Qh5 Qg7 26.g4 Qh7 (26...Be7 27.g5 Rxf1+ 28.Bxf1 Bf8 29.Bd3 Kg8 30.g6+-) 27.Rf5 Bg7 28.Bd3+-] 24.Qg6+ Qf7 [24...Ke7 25.g4 xRf8] 25.Rxf6 1–0
I find Harry to be a very dangerous opponent. Often when I get into difficult positions against a local player, I am able to squirm my way out of it. Harry on the other hand is very efficient at driving home the full point. In 2003-2005 I have lost three games to local players, and two of these have been to Harry! 1.e4 g6 2.d4 d6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.f4 Nf6 5.Nf3 0–0 It is probably a mistake for me to play this against Harry; he is a dynamic player and giving him a lot of space is a risky thing to do. Since I am not the most patient defender, it was a poor practical choice. [5...c5 Bruce Harper prefers this move. I have to admit that I also think it is better. However, I have been reluctant to give it a try because it can involve a lot of forcing variations.] 6.Bd3 Na6 In 1991 I played this move in a game against IM Mike Valvo at a tournament in Chicago. The game ended in a draw and afterward Mike told me that he invented 6...Na6. Mike and I eventually became friends, but at the time I did not know him very well and so I thought he might be making it up. At some point months later I was paging through Fischer's My 60 Memorable Games and lo and behold, there it was in the notes to the Benko game - Fischer had referenced Valvo as the inventor of this move! 7.0–0 c5 8.d5 [8.Bxa6?! cxd4; 8.dxc5?! Nxc5 9.Qe1 (9.Kh1 Bg4) 9...b5 10.Bxb5 Qb6 11.Be3 Nfxe4; 8.e5?! Nd7 (8...Ng4) ] 8...Rb8 This is the most aggressive move. [8...Bg4 is the main alternative 9.h3 Bxf3 10.Qxf3 (10.Rxf3) 10...Nd7] 9.Qe2!? An interesting and solid move. Instead of attacking Black's king, White instead focuses on maintaining his centre. [Playing for direct attack against the Black king with 9.Qe1 is risky - 9...Nb4 10.Qh4. White intends a standard Sicilian attack with f5/Bh6/Ng5. 10...b5; 9.Kh1 Bg4 is considered the main line.] 9...Nc7 [9...Nb4?! 10.Bc4 a6 (10...e6 11.dxe6 Bxe6 12.Bxe6 fxe6 13.e5 dxe5 14.fxe5 Nfd5 15.Bg5 Qc7 16.Nb5 Qb6 17.c4±) 11.a3 b5 12.Bb3±] 10.a4 a6 [10...b6!?] 11.a5 Bg4 [11...e6 12.dxe6 fxe6 (12...Nxe6 13.f5; 12...Bxe6 13.f5) 13.e5 Nfd5 14.Ne4±; 11...Nd7 12.Na4 Nb5 13.Bd2 Nd4 14.Nxd4 cxd4 15.b4±; 11...b5 12.axb6 Rxb6 13.Na4 Rb8 14.c4 e6 15.e5 with the initiative.] 12.h3 Bxf3 13.Qxf3 White has a lot of space. Black has to play very carefully not to get overrun. [13.Rxf3 e6 14.dxe6 Nxe6 15.Be3 Re8 16.Qf1 Nd4 17.Rf2 Nxe4 18.Nxe4 c4] 13...Nd7 [13...e6 is also reasonable. 14.Bc4 (14.dxe6 fxe6 xQf3) 14...exd5 15.exd5 Nd7 16.Na4 Nb5 17.Bd2 Nd4 18.Qd3 Re8 19.Rae1 Qh4 20.Kh2 h5 Chernin-Speelman, Moscow 1990] 14.Ne2 White wants to fortify the centre with c4. 14...b5 15.axb6 Rxb6 16.Ra2 Qb8 17.b3 e6 Now White cannot meet this move with c4 because of the b-pawn. 18.Bb2 exd5 19.exd5 Bxb2 20.Rxb2 I think that Black should be fine now. 20...Nf6 21.Bc4 Qa8 22.f5!? A risky move. Harry is playing for attack, but at the same time this gives up the e5 square. 22...Nd7 Taking the d-pawn would be too dangerous as the open diagonal would make f7 a target. Instead I occupy the newly-available square on e5. 23.Ra2 Qd8! I did not want to occupy e5 too quickly as I might want to use the e-file. 24.Nc3 The knight is angling to a more active square on e4. 24...Qh4 The queen comes over to defend and to take squares away from White's queen. There are also potential tactics with the check on d4. 25.Ne4 f6 Intending to just close up the position with ...g5. 26.fxg6 hxg6 27.Ra4 f5 28.Nd2 Now my queen must move off the 5th rank. 28...Qd4+? A horrible move. This cedes the g3 square to the White queen. The worst part of this mistake is that I got flustered by it and my next moves got worse and worse. [28...Qg5 29.Qf2 Re8 30.Rfa1 (30.Nf3 Qe3=+) 30...Rbb8 31.Bxa6 Nb6 32.Ra5 Ncxd5=+] 29.Rf2 For some reason I blindly assumed that he would block with the queen. A terrible oversight, though it didn't have to be a distaster. 29...Qg7 [29...Qf6 30.Qg3 Ne5 31.Nf3 (31.Ne4 Qg7 32.Ng5 Nxc4 33.bxc4 Re8) 31...Nxc4 32.bxc4 Re8] 30.Qg3 Ne5 31.Nf3 Nxf3+?? Another terrible move and this time it throws away the game. [31...Nxc4 32.bxc4 Re8 33.Nh4 Kh7 and Black is fine.] 32.Rxf3+- Qf6 This is a silly waste of time, but it is already too late - the attack is too strong now. [32...Re8 33.Bd3 Re5 34.Qg5 Kf7 (34...Rb8 35.Rg3 Kf7 36.Bxa6) 35.Bxf5 gxf5 36.Rxf5+ Rxf5 37.Qxf5+ Qf6 (37...Ke7 38.Qc8) 38.Qh7+] 33.Bd3 Qg7 34.Rh4 Rf6 35.Qg5 Rb8 36.Rh6 Rbf8 37.Rg3 Kf7 38.Qh4 Kg8 39.Bxf5 1–0
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 g6!? This looks stupid, but it is not without merit. 7.Bxf6 Otherwise Black will transpose into a Dragon where White will be committed to Bg5. [7.Nb3 Bg7 8.Be2 0–0 9.0–0 is the modern main line of the Classical Dragon. However, achieving a non-Yugoslav Attack Dragon is a success for Black.] 7...exf6 8.Bb5!? [8.Qd2; 8.Be2; 8.Bc4] 8...Bd7 9.Bc4 a6 Black prevents Ndb5 as with the bishop on d7 White can capture the pawn on d6 without Black getting as much counterplay on the d-file. 10.0–0 Bg7 11.Nxc6 Another benefit of playing Bb5-Bc4, as now Black has to take back with the bishop rather than the pawn. 11...Bxc6 12.Qd3 0–0 Now that the kings are out of the centre, the game will revolve around whether Black can get in ...f5 at a reasonable price. 13.Rad1 Qa5 A very natural move. Now if White captures on d6, Black will get counterplay with Rd8. Qa5 also supports ...f5 14.Nd5 Cutting the queen off; I am not afraid of the opposite-coloured bishops as my bishop on d5 will be a dominant piece. 14...Rfe8 15.Kh1 Preparing to move the f-pawn. 15...b5 A risky move as the Black queen is now temporarily boxed in. 16.Bb3 Bd7 Supporting ...f5 17.Qg3 Re5 18.Ne3 Qb6 19.Bd5 Rae8 20.f4 Rxe4!? [20...R5e7 21.f5] 21.Bxe4 Rxe4 22.Nd5 Qc5 23.Qc3 [23.Qd3!? f5 (23...Bf5? 24.g4) 24.b4 Qa7 25.Rfe1 Rxe1+ 26.Rxe1 Be6 27.Rd1 h6 28.c4 and although Black's two bishops give him some compensation, I think that White has a bit of an edge.] 23...Bg4 [23...Bc6 24.Qxc5 (24.Nxf6+ Bxf6 25.Qxf6 Re2–+) 24...dxc5 25.Nc3 Re6 26.f5±] 24.Qxc5 [24.Qa5 Re8 25.Rde1 Rxe1 (25...Ra8 26.Nc7 Rc8 27.Re8+ Rxe8 28.Nxe8±) 26.Qd8+ Bf8 27.Nxf6+ Kg7 28.Rxe1 Qf2 with the idea of ...Bf3!; 24.Rd2!?] 24...dxc5 25.Rde1? A terrible move. This forces Black to do what he wants. [25.Nc3 Re3 (25...Re8 26.Rfe1; 25...Re6 26.Rd8+ Bf8 27.h3 Bf5 28.g4 Bxc2 29.Rc1) 26.Rd8+ Bf8 27.Nd5±] 25...f5 26.h3? Another move that helps Black. [26.Ne3 Bh5 27.c3 b4 28.cxb4 cxb4 A) 29.Nc2 a5 (29...Bxb2 30.Rxe4 fxe4 31.Rb1 Bc3 32.Nxb4 e3 33.Nc2 e2 34.Kg1 h6 35.Kf2 Kg7 36.h3±) 30.b3 Bc3 31.Rxe4 fxe4 32.Ne3 f5 33.Kg1 Be2 with compensation; B) 29.h3 29...Bxb2 30.g4 fxg4 31.hxg4 Bc3 (31...Bd4? 32.Nc2) 32.gxh5 Bxe1 33.Rxe1 Rxf4 34.hxg6 hxg6 unclear.] 26...Be2 27.Rf2 [27.Rf3 Kh8 28.Rff1 Kg8 29.Rf2 Bc4 30.Rd1 Bd4 31.Rfd2 Bxd5 32.c3 Bxa2 (32...Bxc3 33.bxc3 Be6 34.Rd6 Ra4 35.Rc6) 33.cxd4 Bb3 34.Ra1 cxd4] 27...Bc4=+ 28.Rd1 Bd4 29.Rfd2 Bxd5 30.c3 Bxc3 ½–½
1.d4 d5 This is the third time in a row I have chosen to play 1...d5 against Valeriya. Normally I like to rotate my openings as Black, but so far I have had success against her with 1...d5 so I thought I would stick with it. 2.b3 A new line. In our previous two games she played 2.Bg5 and 2.Nf3. 2...c6!? I used to be very predictable as Black; ten years ago you wouldn't have seen anything but the King's Indian. As I have gotten older I have broadened quite a bit. I actually like the Slav quite a lot, I just don't play it normally because I find the Exchange Variation to be extremely dull. The Slav suits my tastes because Black develops very naturally and doesn't have any bad pieces. I am a big fan of Morphy and lately I have developed a fondness for Chigorin also. 3.e3 Nf6 [3...Bf5] 4.Bd3 Bg4 5.Ne2 e6 6.Bb2 Bd6 7.Nd2 Nbd7 8.c4 0–0 9.c5 This is the second time that Valeriya has played this motif against me. I am beginning to think that she has a preference for it. Of course this is a double-edged move, because by taking pressure off d5 it will be easier for Black to strike back in the centre. Though it is by no means easy sailing for me as White has an easy plan of expansion on the queenside. 9...Bc7 10.h3 [10.f4 Bf5 11.Nf3 b6] 10...Bxe2 11.Bxe2 e5 [11...b6!?] 12.0–0 Re8 13.b4 Qe7 14.Nb3 Ne4 15.Bd3 Ng5 16.Bf5 e4 This is a very dangerous move. If I wanted to keep the balance, I should break the position open. By playing this I am going to have to go all out for an attack on the king. We are now in a race and the first one there wins. 17.Bc3 Nf8 18.h4 Nge6 19.g3 g6 20.Bh3 Ng7 21.Re1 f6 22.Qe2 g5 23.hxg5 fxg5 24.b5 Now it becomes very complicated. It is hard for me to assess this position but since I really enjoy attacking positions it doesn't really matter so much to me if it was correct. 24...h5 25.bxc6 bxc6 26.Na5 Bxa5 27.Bxa5 White has the two bishops now, but with the position closed and blocked up, I am quite happy to have the knights. I just have to be careful down the road if the pawn structure changes. 27...g4 28.Bg2 Nfe6 29.Reb1 Rf8 30.Rb2 Rac8 31.Rab1 Nf5 32.Rb7 Qg5 33.Rxa7 h4 34.Be1 hxg3 35.fxg3 Rf6 [35...Qxe3+ is also winning, but I preferred to continue the attack. 36.Qxe3 Nxe3 37.Bc3 Nf5–+] 36.Bf2 [36.Rb3 Rh6 37.Rab7 Qh5 38.Rb8 Rxb8 39.Rxb8+ Kf7 40.Rb7+ Ke8 41.Rb8+ Nd8 42.Kf1 Qh2–+ and Rf6.] 36...Rcf8 37.Be1 Rh6 [37...Nexd4 I considered this move also, but I chose what happened in the game because I didn't want to risk a miscalculation. 38.exd4 Nxd4 39.Qd2 Rf1+ 40.Bxf1 Nf3+–+] 38.Rb3 Qh5 39.Bxe4 dxe4 40.Qg2 Ng5 0–1
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