Lull after the storm White to move and draw
There has been some respite in the tournament circuit lately for several reasons. First there was the Wijk aan Zee last month in the Netherlands – the superweeks. GM Festival that brought together 14 of the world’s best players for at most 13 rounds of exciting chess.
Then there was the Gibraltar Open right after in the UK, that assembled 276 strong players, including 97 GMs. Then there was the 16team German chess league (Bundesliga) last week that attracted some of the world’s top players.
All these events kept various chess organizations occupied for the next three The chess world can rest assured, however, that the chess calendar is sure to perk up next month, and once again the lavish profusion of major chess events will be manifest.
* * * In the following slambang affair between two young talents, Black executes a hypermodern game in grand style.
The Dutch teenager is given no quarter in most phases of the game.
The Russian youngster shows his class. Bundesliga 2018 W) J. Van Forest (NED) B) D. Dubov (RUS) Sicilian Defense 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 ...
The Rossolimo Variation, one of those flexible openings, leads off from well-known Sicilian lines. 3 .... g6
The hyper-modern set up. The alternatives are 3...e6, 3...d6 and 3... Qb6, though less popular than the text. 4. Bxc6 ...
The alternative 4. 0-0 Bg7 5. Re1 e5 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. d3 Qe7!? 8. Nbd2 Nh6 9. a3 f6 10. b4 cxb4 11. axb4 0-0 12. Bb2 Rd8 13. Bc3 Nf7, leads to a balanced middle game. 4 .... bxc6
4...dxc6 is a fair alternative. 5. O-O Bg7 6. Re1 Nh6 More usual here is 6...e5. 7. c3 O-O 8. d4 cxd4 9. cxd4 d5 10. e5 f6 11. Nbd2 fxe5 12. Nxe5 Bxe5 13. dxe5 Qb6 14. Nf3 Nf5 15. h3 c5 16. g4 ...
Embarking on some interesting complications, but seems risky as it weakens White’s Kingside. Safer, according to the engine, is the simple 16. Qxd5ch.
16 .... Ng7 17. Bg5 ...
17. Qxd5ch Be6 18. Qe4 Rad8 19. Ng5 Bd5 20. Qc2 h6 21. Ne4 Ne6 is unclear, according to the engine. 17 .... Qe6 18. Bh4 h6 19. Nd2 g5 20. Bg3 c4 21. Nf3 d4!?
Black’s pawn sacrifice, which opens lines for his Queen and Bishop, has definite merits as it creates dynamic imbalance. 22. Nxd4 Qb6!
After the text, Black enjoys maximum prospects along the open d file and the long diagonal h1-a8. The game is now replete with tactical twists, many of which are unfavorable to White. 23. e6? ....
As the early chesswriters wrote, “In a difficult position, a slip comes easily.” And this one is fatal. Correct is the engine’s 23. Re2 with chances to hold although Black retains the initiative after 23...Bb7, followed by 24...Rad8.
23 .... Bb7 24. Be5 Rad8!
At a cost of a pawn, Black has a won position. White has no good move. In fact he could resign. 25. Rc1 Rxd4!
The crusher after which White cannot avoid losing material without compensation. 26. Qxd4 Qc6 27. Re4 ... Or 27. Kf1 Qg2ch 28. Ke2 Nxe6 29. Qe3 Rf3, Black wins easily. 27 .... Qxe4 28. Qxe4 Bxe4 29. Rxc4 Bd5 30. Rc7 Nxe6 31. Rxa7 ...
31. Rxe7 leads to the same result after 31...Rf3. 31 .... Rf3 32. Kf1 ...
32. Ra3 Rxa3 33. bxa3 Bxa2 is also hopeless for White. 32 .... Rxh3 33. a4 Rd3 34. Rxe7 Bf3 35. Kg1 Nc5!
0:1
After 36. Bc7 Rd1ch 37. Kh2 Ne4 38. Kh3 Rh1ch 39. Bh2 h5, Black wins smoothly.
Solution to last week’s puzzle: White to move and draw. White=Ke4, Pa4, Pd5, Pg3 Black=Kd1, Bh2, Pd4, Pe7, Ph5 1. d6!! exd6 2. Kd3! Bxg3 3. a5 d5 4. a6 Bb8 5. a7 Bxa7 Stalemate.