Every move counts
TODAY’S game is from the 10th KIIT international chess festival held in India, 2017. The venue for the event, KIIT (Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology), is one of the leading educational institutions in India.This tournament hosted a field of 246 players from 12 countries, led by 17 GMs and
21 IMs. In round 6, Indian CM Aditya Mittal (2211) had the white pieces against Bangledeshi GM Niaz Murshed (2423).This game reinforces two big ideas in chess: piece play trumps material, and every move counts.
1 d4d5
2 c4e6
3 Nc3 Bb4
4 Nf3 Nf6
Murshed chooses the Ragozin Defence variation (D38) of the QGD.
5 cxd5 exd5
6 Bg5 Nbd7
7 e3c5
The first nonbook move.
8 Be2 Qa5
9 OO Bxc3
10 bxc3 Ne4
The obvious move 10 — Qxc3 doesn’t work because of 11 Rc1 Qa5, 12 dxc5, where, surprisingly, Black doesn’t have a good way to develop.
11 c4!
A good move. With this break in the centre, White is attempting to punish Black’s choice to forgo development for early queenside play.
11 — Nc3
12 Qc2 Nxe2+
13 Qxe2 dxc4
14 Qxc4 cxd4
15 Qxd4 OO
Black accurately chose to liquidate his centre to avoid such punishment. White comes out with good piece play and some small initiative.
16 Rac1 Nb6?
This opens Black up to a fantastic move.
17 Bf6!!
A hard move to spot! If Black captures, his kingside crumbles. If Black doesn’t capture, his kingside still crumbles!
17 — gxf6
Black doesn’t have a choice, but this sets up a lovely manoeuvre for White. 18 Rc5! Qa3
19 Rh5!!
Black can no longer stop his king from becoming displaced. 19 — Re8
20 Qxf6 Re6
21 Rg5+ Kf8
22 Qg7+ Ke8
23 Nd4?
This allows the game move 23 Rg6, gifting Black equality. 23 — Rg6
24 Re5+ Be6
25 Qxh7 Qd6
26 f4 Rf6??
Instantly losing the game. The engine analysis jumps from
+0.7 to +8.0. Better was
26 — Nd7, hitting the rook and adding defence to the f6 and f8 squares, or 26 — Qf8, preventing White’s Qh8+ ideas. 27 Qh8+
10
Murshed resigns in view of 27 — Ke7, 28 Qh4! And Black is hopeless against the threat of 28 — Nf5, winning huge material, and with it the game.
Mittal finished 73rd on 5.5/10, Murshed finished 62nd on 6.0/10. Vietnamese GM (2481) and seventh seed Nguyen Duc Hoa won the tournament a clear halfpoint ahead of the field on 8.5/10 to win the first prize equivalent of about $NZ4400.