Caruana tows early leaders in Shamkir Cat. 20 tourney
The Shamkir (Azerbaijan) International (Cat. 20), provided another highlight in the European chess calendar. The entry list had the world championship challenger Sergey Kariakin (Russia), American Fabiano Caruana, the world’s second highest-rated player, world No. 4 Anish Giri (the Netherlands) and Hou Yifan (China), the reigning women’s world champion. Other big names this year included world No. 12 Pavel Eljanov of Ukraine and world No. 13 Pentala Harikrishna of India.
Billed as the Vugar Gashimov Memorial, the chessfest is now one of the world’s strongest all-play-all-tournament.
After two rounds, the standings read: Caruana, Giri and Harikrishna at 1.5 apiece; Yifan, Radjabov and Safarli (Azerbaijan) 1.0; Kariakin, Eljanov and Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan), 0.5. Third Gashimov Memorial W) P. Harikrishna (IND) B) S. Mamedyarov (AZE) Pirc Defense 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6
The Pirc Defense, also known as the Yugoslav Defense, is named after the Slovenian GM Vasja Pirc. Like the KID, this is a hypermodern defense which allows White to establish a broad center pawn structure. 4. Be3 ...
A flexible move which could transpose into a Saemisch Attack formation of the KID. White’s main alternatives are the Classical System 4. Nf3, the Byrne Variation 4. Bg5 and the most aggressive Austrian Attack 4. f4. 4... a6
This rarely played move, which aims for a quick Queenside expansion with ...b5, is not necessarily bad, but it would be more logical to play the immediate 4...Bg7. 5. a4 Bg7 6. Nf3 0-0 7. Qd2 Nbd7 Better it seems is 7...Nc6, according to the engine. 8. h3 e5 9. dxe5 dxe5
After ...9. Nxe5 10. Nxe5 dxe5 11. Qxd8 Rxd8 12. Bc4 Bd7 13. f3 Nh5 14. Kf2 Nf4, the game perhaps is near equality. 10. Bc4 b6 11. 0-0 Bb7 12. Rfd1 Qe7 13. Nd5! ...
A good choice. White forces minor piece exchanges, assuring him control of the open d file plus Queenside superiority as well. 13... Nxd5 14. Bxd5 Bxd5 15. Qxd5 Nf6 16. Qc4 ...
Also possible is 16. Qc6 with probably the same effect. Here the transition from the opening to the middle game proves to be difficult for Black, as White dominates the only open file and the light squares too. 16... Rfe8 17. c3 a5 18. Rd3 Qe6?!
A risky venture. The safety-minded would prefer 18...Bf8 though White retains the initiative after 19. Rad1. 19. Qxc7 Nxe4 20. Rad1 Bf6
After 20...Bf8 21. Rd5 f6 22. Rb5, White has a clear advantage. 21. Nd2 Nxd2
21...Rec8 is the computer’s choice to prolong the game. 22. R1xd2 e4 23. Rd6 Be5 24. Rxe6 Bxc7 25. Rc6 ... Now Black’s weak Q-side pawns are indefensible. 25... Rec8 26. Kf1 Bd8 27. Rcd6 Rab8 28. Rd7 Bf6 29. Bf4 Ra8 30. Rb7 Rc6 31. Rdd7 ...
This is the end. Two Rooks on the seventh rank are irresistible. 31... Rd8??
Suicide. But if 31...Rf8, 32. Ke2 followed by 33. Bc7 is hopeless for Black. Now White wins right off. 31. Rxd8ch Bxd8 32. Rb8 1:0 Solution to last week’s puzzle: Black to move and win.
White=Kh1, Qe1, Rc1, Rc2, Bg2, Pa3, Pb4, Pe3, Pf4, Ph2
Black=Kh8, Qf3, Rd8, Rg8, Ne4, Pc6, Pe7, Pf6, Ph7 1... Rxg2 2. Rxg2 Rd2 3. Qf1 ... 3. Qg1 Nf2ch and wins. 3... Nf2ch 4. Kg1 Nh3ch 5. Kh1 Rf2! 0:1