Game of the Month

Phases

It was said of Alekhine that to win against him one had to beat him

three times: once in the opening, once in the middle game, and once in

the endgame. Nowadays many of the top players are this resourceful in

defence. In their game from the Aarhus, Denmark International in June,

Michael Adams definitely beat Bent Larsen in the opening. And Adams

navigated the middlegame successfully as well, coming out a pawn

ahead. Yet when it got to the endgame, suddenly everything was

liquidated, and the win became a ghost.

Adams,Mi - Larsen,B [C08]

Skolernes Skakklub, Aarhus DEN (03), 1997

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 a6

Strange-looking at first. The idea is to play ... c7-c5 and then ...

Nb8-c6 without experiencing the hassle of a pin from White's bishop at

b5. Because the Tarrasch move 3 Nd2 aims not for quick development but

instead play against a potential Black isolated queen-pawn (if ... c5

is played), Black can afford the luxury of this non-developing move.

4.Ngf3 c5 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.dxc5

Black's pressure against the d4 square induces White to make this

exchange.

Bxc5 7.exd5 exd5 8.0-0 Nf6?!

It is rare for this move to be a mistake. I would prefer 8 ... Ne7,

which fights to keep Black's bishops active, as the dark-squared

bishop would not have to retreat to cover the e-file, and Black

also envisions the move ... Bc8-f5. After 8 ... Ne7 9 Nb3, probably

9 ... Bd6 is best (on 9 ... Ba7 10 Re1 followed by Bc1-e3 is a good

plan) as 10 Nbd4 can be met by 10 ... Bg4 (a move which would be

unplayable if Black had already castled because of Bd3xh7+ followed

by Nf3-g5+) 11 Be3 Qc7 12 h3 Bh5. Note that because Black's

isolated queen's pawn is stuck on a light square, theoretically

White would like to trade dark-squared bishops and Black would like

to trade light-squared bishops.

9.Re1+ Be7 10.Nf1

DIAGRAM

Adams already enjoys a nice edge as Black's minor pieces lack good

squares to go to, and White is heading places with the f1 knight.

0-0 11.Ng3 Qd6

This makes quite an unfavorable impression, given that White is focussing

efforts on getting a knight to f5 anyway. A better idea was to start

creating distractions with 11 ... Nb4!, as 12 Bf1 is met by 12 ... Bg4.

12.Bg5!

By drawing the h-pawn forward, White greatly improves his prospects

of landing and keeping a knight on f5, as ... g7-g6 will become

impossible, and Black's kingside pawns will be under great pressure.

h6 13.Bd2 Rd8 14.Nh4 Bf8 15.Nhf5 Qc5 16.Qf3

DIAGRAM

White is threatening 17 Nxh6+.

Ne4!

An excellent defensive pawn sacrifice. Larsen pitches his center pawn

in order to eliminate White's attacking formation, and obtain obscure

counterplay against White's queenside. There was not much of a choice

anyway.

17.Be3 Qa5

Even more obscure is 17 ... Qb4, providing an immediate hit on the

b-pawn. White has many tantalizing possibilities, but I do not see

anything conclusive. For example, 18 Nxe4 dxe4 19 Qxe4 Bxf5! 20 Qxf5

(not 20 Qxb4? Bxb4!) g6 21 Qh3 h5 22 b3 Ne5 does not resolve

anything.

18.Nxe4 dxe4 19.Bxe4 Ne5 20.Qe2

A necessary retreat. 20 Qg3 would allow 20 ... Bxf5 21 Bxf5 Nc4

which establishes opposite-colored bishops, still with good chances

of hassling White on the queenside.

Qb4 21.Bc1?!

A brave move, undeveloping the bishop to preserve his extra pawn!

But Adams was intent about holding the extra material, and does not

want to be bluffed into giving it back. Still, I think 21 Bf4 was a

better try. This stops 21 ... Qxb2?? 22 Bxe5 Qxe5 23 Nxh6+! gxh6 24

Bh7+ and wins. Also 21 ... Bxf5 22 Bxe5 Bxe4 23 Qxe4 leaves White

consolidated with a healthy extra pawn, and 21 ... Re8 or 21 ...

Nc4 both allow 22 c3. Therefore, Black would play 21 ... Ng6 (as 22

c3? fails to 22 ... Nxf4), and White should stand better after 22

Bg3 Qxb2 (or 22 ... Re8 23 Qf3) 23 Qh5.

Bxf5 22.Bxf5 Re8

A strange phase of the game. Of course White's extra pawn and two

bishops would win easily in the endgame, but the bishops find

themselves with no middlegame targets to counterbalance Black's

pressure.

23.Be4

To stop Black from inflicting damage with 23 ... Nf3+ or other

discoveries.

DIAGRAM

Nc4?!

More energetic was 23 ... f5! 24 Bd5+ Kh8; then if White sidesteps

with 25 Rf1, 25 ... Qd6 carries with it the threat of ... Ne5-g4.

And on 25 Rd1 Bc5 should make White very uncomfortable.

24.c3 Qb5 25.a4 Qc5 26.Bf4! g5

As the idea 26 ... f5 fails to 27 b4! followed by a bishop check on

d5, Larsen finds another way to create distractions.

27.b4 Qc8 28.Bg3 Bg7 29.Qc2 a5!

Although it looks as if White has finally consolidated and is about

to move over to the attack, Larsen succeeds in making an issue out

of the backward c-pawn. If White now just develops with 30 Rad1,

then 30 ... Na3 forces 31 ... Qxc3 next. It may be that White

should try 30 bxa5 here, just to get Black off his back for a move

or two.

30.b5 Nb6 31.Re3

DIAGRAM

Qc4!!

A very finely calculated defensive riposte. Larsen sees that he can

afford to jettison his b7 pawn. Now the focus is the weak a-pawn,

as White is still wrestling with the extrication process on the

e-file.

32.Rae1

Trying to turn the e-file battery against Black, with the threat of 33

Bh7+.

Kh8 33.Bxb7 Rxe3 34.Rxe3 Rd8!

DIAGRAM

35.h3

Reasonable. White stops to take care of his back rank, as 35

Re4? Qa2! is only looking for trouble. Although some

simplification is allowed, it looks like White will remain a

pawn up.

Nxa4 36.Re4 Qxb5 37.Rxa4 Qxb7 38.Rxa5 Qe7!

A frontal assault on the c-pawn would have allowed c3-c4, but now

this advance is impossible because 38 ... Qe1+ would spear the rook

on a5.

39.Ra1 Rc8

Now White's extra pawn is pinned on the diagonal, and is history.

40.Rb1 Bxc3 41.Kh2 Qe6 42.Rb8 Qc6

Note that after 43 Rxc8+ Qxc8, if 44 Be5+?? Black captures on e5

with check. Therefore, there is no way to intensify the pressure,

and Black will unwind next with 44 ... Qc5.

½-½

[Event "US Championship (Gp. 2)"] [Site "Chandler"] [Date

> "1997.08.31"] [Round "7"] [White "Shabalov, Alexander"] [Black

> "Seirawan, Yasser"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C02"] [WhiteElo "2555"]

> [BlackElo "2630"] [PlyCount "94"] [EventDate "1997.08.31"]

>

> This game was an amazing battle. Both players needed a win to qualify

> into the Semi-Finals

> matches. Even more striking was the different styles of the players.

> Shabalov, who is quite

> capable of solid positional play, prefers a maniacal attacking game.

> Seirawan, perennially one of

> America's best, is also America's most pronounced "positional" player.

>

> 1. e4 e6

>

> Harking back to the French Defence in this very important game.

>

> 2. d4 d5 3. e5

>

> The Advance Variation always leads to protracted battles.

>

> b6

>

> Immediately trying to exchange off his "bad" light-squared

> bishop, a theme which

> Seirawan always emphasizes when playing the French. More usual is 3 ...

> c5, starting the

> pressure against the base of White's pawn chain at d4.

>

> 4. Bb5+ c6 5. Ba4

>

> This preserves the bishop from exchange.

>

> b5 6. Bb3 c5 7. c3

>

> White has preserved all of his potential kingside trumps - the

> White bishop can drop

> back to c2 at its leisure. However, Black is playing for queenside

> space, and has already

> advanced his cause in that sector.

>

> Ne7 8. Nf3 Nec6 9. O-O h6 10. Be3 Nd7 11. Nbd2 c4 12. Bc2 b4

>

> Black could also temporize with 12 ... Be7, as White will have to

> get his f-pawn in motion

> to develop any real threats on the kingside.

>

> 13. Ba4 Qc7 14. cxb4

>

> Shabalov decides to fight on the queenside and the center, as at

> this point opening the

> kingside has become too much hassle.

>

> Nxb4 15. a3 Nd3 16. Qc2

>

> Seirawan gives the direct 16 b3 as leading to a White advantage.

>

> Ba6 17. b3 Be7 18. bxc4 dxc4 19. Bxd7+ Kxd7 20. d5

>

> A thematic "sealer-sweeper", closing d5 to Black's pieces, and

> opening d4 for White's

> pieces. Quick action was needed, as if Black was given a chance to play

> ..Rh8-d8 and ... Kd7-

> e8, White's game would be positionally suspect.

>

> exd5 21. Nd4

>

> Now 22 Qa4+ is threatened.

>

> Kc8

>

> With White's f-pawn mobile, the kingside is no longer a safe

> place.

>

> 22. f4 Rb8 23. Rab1 Rb6

>

> Building a bridge behind which to hide the king.

>

> 24. Kh1 Bc5 25. N2f3 Kb7 26. e6 Ka8

>

> Finally the king reaches safety, but now White has tactical

> threats based on his wedge

> on e6.

>

> 27. f5 Rhb8 28. Rxb6 Rxb6 29. Qa4 f6 30. h3 c3

>

> Seirawan decides not to wait any longer and starts using his own

> passer.

>

> 31. Qa5 Ne5 32. Re1

>

> Correct was 32 Rc1! intending 32 ... Nxf3 33 gxf3 Qg3 34 Qxc5

> Qxh3+ with a draw.

>

> Nxf3 33. Nxf3 Bxe3 34. Qxd5+ Rb7

>

> Seirawan gives 34 ... Kb8! (34 ... Bb7? 35 Qd7!) as winning - 35

> Rxe3? c2 is impossible.

>

> 35. Nd4 Qg3 36. Nf3 Qc7 37. Nd4 c2 38. Nxc2 Bc5

>

> Black now must consolidate with his extra piece.

>

> 39. Nb4 Bxb4 40. axb4 Qe7 41. Rd1 Bb5 42. Qf3 Kb8 43. Qf4+ Rc7

> 44. Rd6 Kc8 45. Qd2 Rc4 46. Qd5 Rc1+ 47. Kh2 Kc7 0-1

One of Akiba Rubinstein's greatest legacies is the family of super-stodgy defenses descending from the French 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 dxe4. And while, after 4 Nxe4, 4 ... Nd7, 4 ... Be7 and 4 ... Nf6 are equally annoying, the crown prince of this system is 4 ... Bd7, which envisions multiple exchanges to dampen White's initiative.

But in ____________, ______ Golubev borrowed an idea that has proved dangerous in the Caro-Kann, and used it to brilliant effect, hammering 2 peacefully-inclined opponents, and deterring others from believing that a fortress can be created right out of the opening.

Golubev - Epishin, Geneva Open 1993, rd. 6

1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 dxe4 4 Nxe4 Bd7

[Among American players, IMs Jay Bonin and Walter Shipman are known to trot this out on occasion.]

5 Nf3 Bc6 6 Bd3 Nd7

[Necessary to cover the e5 square.]

7 O-O

[Interesting is 7 c4 to plan a knight retreat to c3. Then 7 ... Ngf6 8 Nc3 Be7 9 O-O Bxf3! (else 9 d5!) 10 Qxf3 c6 was reasonably solid for Black in Klovan - Noguieras, Jurmala 1978.] Ngf6

DIAGRAM

8 Neg5!

[Reminiscent of the Caro variation 1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 dxe4 4 Nxe4 Nd7 5 Bd3 Ngf6 6 Ng5 which has caused Black so many headaches recently. Sacs on e6 crop up because of the absence of the white-squared bishop. Previously 8 Ng3 was considered the main move to "preserve" chances, as 8 Qe2 is too tame after 8 ... Nxe4 9 Bxe4 Bxe4 10 Qxe4 c6. A good example of 8 Ng3 is Cholmov - Dymerski, Poland 1992, which continued 8 ... Be7 9 c4 O-O (Some players would snap 9 ... Bxf3 at the first sign of trouble.) 10 Ne5 Nxe5 11 dxe5 Nd7 12 Qh5!? g6 13 Qe2 and Black should have joined the battle with 13 ... Nxe5! (14 Qxe5 Qxd3 15 Bh6 f6 16 Qxe6+ Rf7) instead of accepting permanent passivity after 13 ... Nc5 14 Bc2.]

Bd6

[The previous round, Epishin had watched his compatriot Scher go down in a blaze of glory: Scher, obviously on "show-me" mode, played 8 ... h6, and after 9 Nxe6 fxe6 10 Bg6+ Ke7 11 c4 was facing destruction by 12 d5, and 11 ... Be4 12 Nh4 does not help. So Black tried 11 ... Bxf3 12 Qxf3 Nb6 13 Re1 (DIAGRAM) Now 13 ... Qxd4 is unappetizing due to 14 Qxb7 Rd8 15 Be3 and the solid-looking 13 ... c6 14 Bf5 Qd7 can be met simply by 15 Qh3. Scher played 13 ... Nxc4, trying to clear the d5 square for his queen, but he was rudely awakened by 14 Rxe6+! Kxe6 15 Qe2+. In the face of paralyzing bishop checks coming on f5 and f4, Black essayed the confusing 15 ... Ne3, but Golubev finished him off artfully: 16 Qe3+ Kd6 17 Qg3+ Kc6 18 Qc3+ Kb6 19 Qb3+ Kc6 20 Bf4 b5 21 Rc1+ Kb6 22 a4 Qd5 23 Bxc7+ Kb7 (DIAGRAM) 24 Be4! 1 - 0 Instead of Epishin's move, 8 ... Be7 would not be good because 9 Qe2 renews the possibility of 9 ... h6 10 Nxe6, and after 9 ... O-O 10 Ne5 Black just has a bad position.]

9 Re1 h6 10 Nh3

[It looks like Black is doing well because of the awkward position of White's knights, but White still has the nucleus of a strong kingside attack - he will play Nf3-e5, and if the Black knight is driven off f6 WHite will have Qd1-g4. To prevent this Epishin burrows a hole for his queen bishop, but it may have been better to ditch it with 10 ... Bxf3! 11 Qxf3 c6, and Black, after castling on either side, can play for the equalizing break ... e6-e5. Note that 10 ... g5? works out badly after 11 Ne5 Bxe5 12 dxe5 Nd5 13 Qh5.]

b6?! 11 Ne5 Bb7 12 Bb5!

[Although the bishop does not want to leave its juicy post on d3, this move snuffs out the long diagonal and creates play against the resulting weak white squares. Black cannot afford 12 ... Bxe5 13 dxe5 Nd5 14 Qg4.] O-O 13 Bc6 Rb8

[Taking on e5 loses material.]

14 Bxb7 Rxb7 15 Qf3 Qc8 16 Qg3

[Abandoning positional play, the Queen sidles over to the kingside to start a direct attack.]

Kh7 17 Qh4 c5

DIAGRAM

18 Bxh6!!

[Time to cash in, before Black successfully unravels.]

gxh6 19 Ng5+ Kg7 20 Re3

DIAGRAM

cxd4?

[Also weak was 20 ... hxg5?? 21 Qxg5+ Kh8 22 Rh3+ Nh7 23 Qh6 and it's over. A better defense was 20 ... Bxe5! 21 dxe5 (There is no point to 21 Rh3 Ng8.) Ng8. After 22 Rg3? Kh8, both 23 Re1 and 23 Qf4 can be met by 23 ... Nxe5! followed by 24 ... f6. Or 23 Ne4 Nxe5 24 Rxg8+ Kxg8 25 Nf6+ Kg7 26 Nh5+ Kh7 27 Qf6 Rg8 28 Qxe5 Rg5. And on 23 f4 Black has 23 ... Qc6, stopping 24 Ne4 and preparing 24 ... f6. After 23 ... Qc6 24 Qh5 Nb8 hangs tough. But White has better on his 22nd. The direction-switching 22 Ne4! menaces 23 Rg3+ Kh8 24 Qg4, and 22 ... Nxe5 is bested by 23 Nd6 Ng6 24 Qe4. Therefore, 22 ... Kh8 is forced. Then after 23 Nd6 Qc6 24 Qh5 White is doing well. Extremely tricky is 20 ... Ng8!! which could transpose into a previous line after 21 Rg3 Bxe5! 22 dxe5 Kh8. After 20 ... Ng8 21 Nxe6+? fxe6 22 Rg3+ Kh8! (not 22 ... Kh7? 23 Qe4+) holds. And on 21 Ngxf7 Bxe5! is again sufficient! White's best would be 21 Ne4! Then 21 ... Bxe5 22 dxe5 is good for White, as noted above. But Black has 21 ... Nxe5!! 22 Nxd6 Ng6, with continuing complications and an unclear position after 23 Qe4 Qc7 24 Nxb7 Rb8.]

21 Rg3!

[Now there is no time to set up a coherent defence.]

Bxe5 22 Nxe6+ Kh8

[Of course not 22 ... Kh7 23 Rg7+.]

23 Qxh6+ Nh7 24 Rh3

[Black's pieces interfere with each other uniquely. 24 ... Nf6 allows 25 Qg7 mate.]

Qxc2 25 Nxf8 Kg8 26 Nxh7

[Black has no compensation for the lost material.]

1-0

Christiansen,Larry (2560) - Tate,Emory (2395) [E80] NY Open (7), 1997

1.c4 g6 2.e4 Bg7 3.d4 d6 4.Nc3 Nf6

After a little jockeying, we have arrived at the King's Indian.

5.f3 Na6 6.Bg5

When Black does not pressure the d4 square, it can be good to

place the bishop on g5 rather than e3. In this case, Christiansen will

earn a free hit against the Black pawn that ends up on h6.

c5 7.d5 h6 8.Be3 e6 9.Nge2 exd5 10.cxd5 Bd7 11.Nc1

c1 is a very unusual spot for a knight, but in this line the

knight just wants to stay out of trouble. 11 Ng3 would definitely

invite Tate to march his h-pawn up the board!

Nc7 12.Be2 b5 13.Qd2 b4 14.Nd1 0-0 15.0-0

Not 15 Bxh6 Nxe4! 16 fxe4 Qh4+ with a great position for Black.

This is why 13 ... b4 was played: White is stopped from capturing on

e4 with his knight.

Kh7 16.Nf2 a5 17.a4!

Blunting the effectiveness of Black's queenside pieces and

building a cozy home for the light-squared bishop on c4.

Qe7 18.Bc4 Rae8 19.Re1

Preparations are being made for the big push with f3-f4. For now,

at least, Black's queenside majority is going nowhere.

Na8 20.Ncd3 Nb6 21.Qc2

DIAGRAM

Rc8

Correct was 21 ... Nxc4 followed by trying to circle Black's

light-squared bishop around to a6.

22.b3!

If this move works tactically, then White has solidified a

tremendous positional advantage, as the bishop on c4 cannot be

disposed of without giving White a tremendous center.

Nxc4 23.bxc4 Nxd5 24.exd5 Bxa1 25.Bxh6 Qf6

DIAGRAM

26.Ne4!

Christiansen's intent was not to recover the Exchange and let

Black's dark-squared bishop rule, but to harass the Black queen and

destroy his queenside.

Qd4+ 27.Be3 Qg7 28.Nxd6 Rb8 29.Nxc5 Rfd8 30.Qf2 Bc3 31.Nce4!!

From their advanced posts, the knights suddenly turn their

attention to the kingside. On this second Exchange sacrifice 31 ...

Bxe1 32 Qxe1, there is no stopping moves like Qe1-h4+ and Ne4-f6+.

Ba1 32.Nxf7 g5 33.Nexg5+ Kg8 34.Qh4 Rdc8 35.Nh6+ Kf8 36.Qf4+ 1-0

Tate - A. Ivanov

chicago, 1996

1.c4 g6 2.Nc3 Bg7 3.d4 c5 4.d5 d6

Ivanov declines the invitation to play the controversial 4 ...

Bxc3+ 5 bxc3 f5, subject of extensive analysis by Dzindzihashvili in one of his

"Roman Forum" videotapes.

5.e4 e6 6.dxe6

A sharp treatment, looking to get in an early Bc1-f4 if 6 ... Bxe6.

6...Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 fxe6 8.h4!?

Tate has no problem playing this type of move.

8...Nf6 9.h5 Nxh5 10.Nf3 Nc6?!

[No good is 10...Qf6 11.e5 dxe5 12.Bg5, but one decent defence is

10...e5! 11.Bg5 Qc7! 12.Be2 Bg4! - in this manner Black makes sure that White

does not get to hit the h5 knight with his bishop on e2 - in this line 11 ...

Nf6 is weak because of 12.Nxe5 Qe7 13.Nxg6 Qxe4+ 14.Qe2]

11.Bg5 Qc7 12.Be2 e5??

[Things were already getting wobbly, but 12...Qg7 to shore up the

kingside and induce White to castle (because of the threat to c3) would have

been interesting. Then a strange possibility is 13 O-O Kd7!? 14 Qd2 Kc7 15 Rfd1

Qf8 and White is for choice.]

13.Nh4

Now if the h5 knight retreats, g6 falls.

Rf8 14.Bxh5 gxh5 15.Qxh5+ Rf7 16.Nf3 Be6 17.Bh4

Crisply dealing with the situation.

Bxc4 18.Ng5 Qa5 19.Rh3 Nd4 20.Nxf7 Bxf7 21.Qg5 Kd7 22.Qe7+ Kc6 23.Rb1 Nc2+

24.Kd2

1 - 0

Adianto - Gunawan

Jakarta, 1996

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3

[The lead-in to the Saemisch Variation.]

0-0 6.Bg5

[The Saemisch is 6 Be3. Now the position is likely to transpose to

the Averbach Variation of the King's Indian, which is technically 5

Be2 O-O 6 Bg5.]

c5

[This "Benoni" reaction is standard. Of course not 6 ... e5? 7 dxe5

dxe5 8 Qxd8 Rxd8 9 Nd5.]

7.d5 e6 8.Qd2 exd5

[In Campos - Topalov, Palma, 1992, the Bulgarian superstar played

the immediate 8 ... h6! and Campos responded with 9 Be3. The idea, after

9 Bxh6, is 9 ... Nxe4 10 Nxe4 Qh4+ 11 g3 Qxh6. This concept is well

known after the exchange of central pawns; I am not sure how inserting

... h7-h6 before the central exchange helps Black, but it is well worth

investigation.]

9.cxd5 a6 10.a4

Nbd7

[The variation 10 ... h6 was tested in Kelecevic - Arbakov, Bad

Ragaz, 1994: 11.Bxh6 Nxe4 12.Nxe4 Qh4+ 13.g3 Qxh6 14.Qxh6 Bxh6 15.Nxd6

Nd7 16.Bh3 f5 17.f4 Nb6, with continuing complications - 18.Nf3 Nxd5

19.Ne5 g5 20.Rd1 Ne3 21.Rd3 Nc2+, etc.; 1/2-1/2 in 55. In Varga -

Loginov, Budapest, 1993, White instead retreated 11 Be3, and play

developed 11 ... Re8 12 Nge2 Nbd7 13 Nc1 (also played is Ne2-g3) Ne5

14 Be2 with chances for both sides. Gunawan's 10 ... Nbd7 was weak,

not only because he failed to get ... h7-h6 in, but also because he

allows White the following knight development on h3, as the knight

will settle quite usefully on f2 from where it supports a White

central / kingside pawn advance. Therefore, aside from 10 ... h6, a

better move is the waiting 10 ... Re8.]

11.Nh3 Re8 12.Be2 Ne5 13.Nf2 Qc7 14.0-0 Rb8

[Because of his 10th move inaccuracy, Black has a very difficult

position here.]

15.Bxf6!

[A nice prelude to the coming attack. White wants to force the

Black bishop to the square f6.]

Bxf6 16.f4 Nd7

17.e5!

[This is a classic example of a "sealer-sweeper". By sacrificing on

e5, White opens the way for the d5 pawn to advance, closes off the

square e5 (which might have been a strong square for Black's pieces,

opens the square e4 for his own knights, and sweeps by with his f-pawn

to try to pry open the f-file.]

dxe5 18.d6 Qd8 19.Nfe4 Bg7 20.f5 gxf5 21.Rxf5

[Now White has a hammerlock on the position, which he reinforces

with the following Exchange sacrifice.]

Nf8 22.Raf1! Bxf5 23.Rxf5 Ne6

[Trying to get some activity. There is no stopping the moves Nc3-d5

and Be2-c4 or Be2-h5.]

24.Nd5 Nd4 25.Ndf6+ Kh8

26.Rh5!

[A little mating combination.]

Nxe2+ 27.Kf1 Bxf6 28.Qh6 1-0

Classical

Watson - Gulko

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 Nf3 O-O 5 e4 d6 6 h3

[A general principle of the h3 systems is that whenever White normally plays

Be2, he also could play h3. The move h2-h3 keeps Black pieces off g4, prepares

to expand if desired with g2-g4, and allows for later deployment of the White

bishop on d3, since Black can no longer pressurize the center with ... Bg4. A

well-known version of this occurs without the knight on f3, i.e. 4 e4 d6 5 h3 e5

6 d5 Nh5 7 Be2 Nf4 8 Bf3, etc. In the 1992 U.S. Championship, after 4 e4 d6 5

h3, Fedorowicz and Sherzer each played 5 ... 0-0 against Gulko, and Boris

responded with 6 Bg5, analogous to the Averbach Variation, but with h3, not

Be2.]

Na6

[In Gulko - Shirov, Groningen 1990, black tried the immediate 6 ... e5 7 d5

(possible is 7 dxe5 dxe5 8 Qxd8 Rxd8 9 Bg5, with an Exchange Variation where h3

has been substituted for Be2) a5, reminiscent of the Petrosian Variation,

although having h3 in instead of Be2, White is more aggressively placed on the

kingside; after 8 Bg5 Na6 9 Bd3 h6 10 Be3 Nh5 11 Qd2 Nc5 12 Bc2 Nf4 Gulko

rejected the pawn sac with 13 Rh2! and stood well. In this line Black could have

dispensed with 7 ... a5 and played 7 ... Na6.]

7 Bg5

[Previously 7 Be3 was the main move here. Black was able to find active play

in Grunberg - Dydysko, Bratislava 1992 after 7 ... e5 8 d5 Kh8 9 9 g4 Ng8 10 Bd3

Nb4. In the previous round of the World Open, Gulko had tried the text against

Remlinger. One of the points is that 7 ... e5? is unplayable because of 8 dxe5

dxe5 9 Qxd8 Rxd8 10 Nd5. Also, Black should be hesitant to weaken his kingside

with 7 ... h6 8 Be3, as White can play g2-g4 at any time.]

Qe8! 8 g4?!

[By radically gaining kingside space, Watson prevents Gulko from activating

with 8 ... e5 9 d5 Nh5. In Gulko - Remlinger, rd 4, White also forestalled this

plan, by menas of 8 e5 dxe5 9 dxe5 Nd7 10 Bf4, but Black equalized easily: 10

... Ndc5 11 Nd4 Ne6 12 Bh2 f6 13 Nf3 b6 14 Exf6 exf6 15 Be2 Bb7 16 O-O Rd8 17

Qa4 Qxa4 18 Nxa4 f5 20 Rad1 1/2 - 1/2]

c5!

[Usually one does not associate this move with the queen's position on e8,

but given White's kingside stance, it is best to keep the center fluid.]

9 d5 e6 10 Qe2 Nc7?

[Inviting the following complications. Much better was 10 ... exd5. Then

after 11 cxd5, (not 11 exd5 h6, and only Black can obtain the advantage) Black

stands well in the unbalanced pawn majority position.]

11 e5! dxe5 12 d6 e4

[Black would stand badly after 12 ... Na6 13 Nxe5. The text is justified by

Black's fifteenth.]

13 Bxf6!

[White would lose his grip on the center after 13 dxc7 exf3 14 Qxf3 Nd7, and

13 Nxe4 Nxe4 14 Qxe4 Bxb2 is just bad.]

exf3 14 Qxf3 Bxf6 15 Qxf6 Qc6 16 dxc7 Qxh1 17 Rd1

[White has sacrificed the exchange to stunt Black's development and weaken

the dark squares around his king. The major question was whether to castle or

just play 17 Rd1. Castling would have allowed potential queen-exchanging checks

on the c1-h6 diagonal, so Watson correctly leaves his king in the center. Also,

the king needs to defend the bishop in case the rook leaves the back rank.]

Qc6

[Too slow is 17 ... b6 18 Rd8 Ba6 19 Qe7.]

18 h4!

[Watson picks the most ambitious choice, trying to win in the middlegame.

Also very scary is 18 Qe7 (threatening 19 Rd8). On 18 ... Qe8 19 Qd8 Black just

palys 19 ... Qc6! with the idea of 20 ... b6. Also not convincing are 19 Qh4

Qc6, or 19 Qxc5 b6. Best is 19 Qd6! Qc6 (what else?) 20 Qxc6 bxc6 21 Ne4 and

Black, still the Exchange up, is in bad shape.]

Qxc7 19 h5 Qh2

[Forced, to stop 20 h6. 19 ... h6 would have gotten blown out by 20 g5!]

20 Rd3 b5

[Since he cannot eject the White queen from f6, Black faces horrible threats

of h5-h6 after White cuts off the Black queen by putting a piece on h3. However,

Black can survive the immediate blocking of the h-file, e.g. 21 Rh3 Qd6 22 h6

Qd4, or 21 Bh3 h6, allowing 22 hxg6, but at least 22 g5 is refuted by 22 ...

Qg1+. Meanwhile, it is impossible to improve the Black position. If 20 ... e5 21

Nd5 wins. Therefore, Black attempts to create a diversion.]

21 Bh3?

[It seemed that 20 ... b5 was just a throwaway to distract White from the

main arena. However, 21 Nxb5! was the right move (whether the b-pawn was there

or not). The knight on b5 controls d6 and d4; therefore White threatens 22 Rh3.

If after 21 Nxb5! e5, preparing ... Qf4 (this would have been a sufficient

defense to 21 Ne4), then 22 Nc7! with the following variations: a) 22 ... Rb8 23

Nd5 Re8 24 Rh3; b) 22 ... e4 23 Rh3 Qxc7 24 h6, or c) 22 ... Bxg4 23 Nd5! Rfe8

24 Rh3! Bxh3 25 h6. Is it possible that Gulko used reverse psychology when he

played 20 ... b5, in order to get Watson not to hop to that square?]

h6 22 hxg6 fxg6 23 Qxg6+

[Of course White is doing fine here, but the queen has been pushed off f6,

and the Black queen is just barely able to come back to the defense.]

Kh8 24 Qxh6+ Kg8 25 Qg6+ Kh8 26 Ne4!

[If White did not need to protect f2, 26 Bf1 would decide matters. The text

is better than settling for the perpetual.]

Qe5

[Of course not 26 ... Bb7? 27 Rd7.]

27 Bg2 Qg7 28 Rh3+ Kg8 29 Nf6+ Rxf6 30 Qxg7+ Kxg7 31 Bxa8 bxc4 32 Be4

1/2 - 1/2 ?!

[A generous draw offer, as White's pieces are well placed and the g-pawn is

dangerous, but Watson was in serious time pressure and felt unable to switch

into endgame mode.

Classical - 9 Bg5!?

Bonin - Sherzer, Chicago 1992

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3 O-O 6 Be2 e5 7 O-O Nc6 8 d5

Ne7 9 Bg5

[A mysterious move championed by Eingorn, and played occasionally by Ftacnik.

The variations are similar to those arising from 9 b4, a system in which Bonin

is a well-known expert, in that both moves allow Black to play 9 ... Nh5,

whereas the main lines, 9 Ne1 and 9 Nd2, prevent that maneuver. But while 9 b4

helps prepare the thematic break c4-c5, the text does not, which is one reason

W. Watson felt confident enough recently to award 9 Bg5 with a "?!".]

Nh5 10 Ne1

[The usual reaction here has been 10 g3, as in Eingorn - A. Kuzmin, USSR

championship 1991, which continued 10 ... f6 11 Bd2 f5 12 exf5 Nxf5 13 Bd3 (Not

13 g4? Nd4) Nf6 14 Ng5 Nd4 with equality. In Bern - Watson, Gausdal 1991 Black

played more actively: 10 g3 h6 11 Bd2 Bh3 12 Re1 f5 13 Nh4 Nf6 14 exf5 g5! (an

improvement over the 14 ... gxf5 given in the new E Encyclopedia) 15 Ng6 Nxg6 16

fxg6 Bf5. The text effectively redeploys White's knight, at the cost of ceding

the two bishops.]

Nf4 11 Nd3 Nxe2+ 12 Qxe2 h6 13 Be3

[Deciding to engage in a battle of pawn chains and competing flank attacks.

Probably better was 13 Bd2 with a view towards opening instead of closing the

center. Then 13 ... f5 can be met by 14 f4! which either saddles Black with a

weak pawn on e5 or forces him to exchange pawns and mobilize White's pieces

after 14 ... exf4 15 Nxf4 fxe4 16 Nxe4. If Black snatches a pawn with 16 ...

Bxb2, 17 Bc3! gives White strong compensation. But a more subtle method for

Black is 13 ... g5!! which stops f2-f4 first, and looks forward to the usual

kingside attack after f7-f5-f4. White could stop this radically by 14 g4?! but

Black surely stands better after 14 ... Ng6. Or if 14 h4?! g4! (Not 14 ...

gxh4? 15 f4) 15 f4 gxf3 followed by 16 ... f5 is strong. White could play

modestly with 14 f3 f5 15 exf5 Nxf5 16 Nf2 with even chances, or aggresively

with the paradoxical 14 g3!?, envisionsing the wild 14 ... f5 15 f4, or 14 ...

Bh3 15 Re1 with the bizarre variations 15 ... f5 16 f3 g4 (the threat was 17

Nf2) 17 f4, or 15 ... g4!.]

f5

[Now this move is stronger than 13 ... g5 14 f3 f5 15 exf5 Nxf5 16 Nf2.]

14 f3

[I still prefer 14 f4, although now Black has 14 ... fxe4 15 Nxe4 Bf5 16 Ng3 e4!

17 Nf2 Qd7, so that on 18 Nfxe4 Rae8 Black has plenty of activity for the pawn.]

f4 15 Bf2 g5

[The classic King's Indian pawn roller. Although the competing pawn breaks, on

g4 and c5, are quite familiar, White misses his light-squared bishop, which from

e2 would slow down Black's "lever" g5-g4.]

16 c5 Ng6 17 Rac1 g4!

[Sherzer takes advantage of tactical opportunities to get the pawns moving: if

now 18 fxg4 Qg5 19 h3 h5 20 gxh5? Bxh3.]

18 Kh1 Rf7 19 Nb5

[The g-pawn was again defended indirectly: 19 fxg4 Qg5 20 h3 h5! 21 gxh5 f3! 22

gxf3 Qxh5 and wins. But White could have tried 19 fxg4! anyway. After 19 ... Qg5

the solid 20 Ne1! recycles the knight back as a defensive bulwark, and after 20

... Bxg4 21 Nf3 White will get serious queenside counterplay.]

Bd7!

[By drawing the c-pawn up to c6 Black gives up space but retains the solidity of

his pawn chain.]

20 c6 bxc6 21 dxc6 Be6 22 Nb4?

[Heading in the wrong direction. 22 fxg4! Qg5 23 Ne1 was still a tough nut to

crack.]

g3! 23 Bg1

[On 23 hxg3 Qg5 is too strong, e.g. 24 g4 h5 25 gxh5 Qxh5+ 26 Kg1 Bf6.]

Nh4

[Starting a new phase - the bombardment of g2.]

24 Rc2 a6 25 Nc3 Bh3 26 Qc4 Qg5 27 Nbd5

[If White attempts to fish in troubled waters with 27 Nxa6, then 27 ... gxh2 28

gxh3 hxg1(q)+ 29 Rxg1 Qh5 wins, for example 30 Nxc7 Nxf3 31 Qe6 Nd4, or 30 Nd5

Kh8 followed by 31 ... Nxf3. The text move stops this variation - 27 Nbd5 gxh2?

28 gxh3 hxg1(q)+ 29 Rxg1 Qh5?? 30 Nf6+ - but it has the disadvantage of

unpinning the Black rook on f7.]

Nxg2

[The patient 27 ... Kh8! may be even better, as 28 Ne3 Raf8 does not help White,

and 28 hxg3 fxg3 29 Be3 Qh5 30 gxh3 Nxf3 wins.]

28 Rxg2 Bxg2+ 29 Kxg2 gxh2+ 30 Kxh2 Kh8 31 Qe2?

[31 Kh1! saves an important tempo, and the position is unclear after 31 ... Qh5+

32 Bh2 Rg8 33 Qe2 Bf6 34 Nxf6! Rxf6 35 Rg1.]

Qh5+ 32 Kg2 Rg8 33 Bh2 Bf6+ 34 Kh1 Bh4 35 Nb1

[It's too late for 35 Rg1 Rxg1+ 36 Kg1 Rg7+ 37 Kh1 Bg3, or 37 Kf1 Bd8.]

Rfg7 36 Nd2 Bd8

[Now ... Qh3 and ... Rg2 cannot be prevented.]

37 Nc4 Qh3 38 Nce3 fxe3 39 Nxe3 h5 40 b4 Bh4 41 a4 Bg3 42 b5 axb5 43 axb5

Bf4

0 - 1

Lembit Oll - Alexey Shirov, Tilburg 1992, knockout round 2 [E96]

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3 O-O 6 Be2 e5 7 O-O Nc6 8 d5 Ne7 9 Bg5

Nh5 10 Ne1 Nf4 11 Nd3 Nxe2+ 12 Qxe2 h6 13 Bd2

[Deviating from Bonin - Sherzer, Chicago 1992, which continued 13 Be3 f5 14

f3 f4, with a good game for Black. The idea of 13 Bd2 is to meet 13 ... f5 with

14 f4!]

g5 14 h4!

[I had considered and rejected this continuation in my notes to Bonin -

Sherzer. But Oll investigated the situation more diligently and discovered that

it is White who has the attacking chances in the game continuation.]

g4 15 f4 gxf3 16 Qxf3 f5 17 Qh5

[Black has the two bishops and the generally smoother pawn structure, but

White's temporary lead in development and immediate attack on h6 is annoying. If

now 17 ... Kh7, then 18 Bg5! (threatening the pawn on f5) f4 19 g3! is serious:

19 ... fxg3 fails to 20 Rxf8 followed by 21 Rf1, and 19 ... Bh3 20 Rg3 Qd7 21

Nf2 is no help.]

Rf6 18 g4!

[Giving Black no time to organize with ... Bd7 and ... Qe8, etc.]

f4 19 g5 hxg5!!

[Safer seems 19 ... Rg6, avoiding the opening of the h-file. But Shirov was

afraid of 20 Bxf4! exf4 21 Nxf4 Qe8 22 Nb5! Then the defense of 22 ... Rb8 (what

else?) 23 Nxc7 Qd8 24 Nxg6 Nxg6 25 Qxg6 Qxc7 would not be available because of

26 gxh6. Thus Shirov eliminates the h-pawns first.]

20 hxg5 Rg6 21 Kf2

[White prepares combined play on the h- and f-files by getting his king out

of the way first. If he plays as in the above note -21 Bxf4 exf4 22 Nxf4 Qe8 23

Nb5 Rb8 24 Nxc7 Qd8 25 Nxg6 Nxg6 26 Qxg6 Qxc7, then after 27 Qe8+ Kh7, 28 Rf4 is

met by 28 ... Bg4!, and various other attempts to land a rook on the h-file may

be frustrated by diagonal checks. And on 21 Bxf4 exf4 22 Nxf4 Qe8 23 Kg2, then

23 ... Be5 24 Rh1 Qf7 25 Raf1 Qg7 is a sufficient defense.]

c6 22 Rh1 cxd5 23 cxd5

[Not 23 Nxd5 Kf7, and Black's cramped position is relieved.]

Qb6+

[If I were Black here, I might have played for maximum confusion with 23 ...

b5 aiming for ... b4 and ... Ba6. 24 b4 or 24 a3 could be met by the consistent

24 ... a5. One goal of this diversion might be to exchange a pair of rooks, to

lessen the chance of getting mated on the kingside. But Shirov stays cool.]

24 Ke2 Bd7 25 Raf1 Kf7!

[The threat of Bd2xf4 has become intolerable, so he heads for the hills.]

26 Bxf4 exf4 27 Rxf4+ Ke8 28 Rhf1 Kd8

[The threat was 29 Qh8+! On 28 ... Bb5 29 Nxb5 Qxb5 30 Rf7 too strongly

menaces both 31 Rxe7+ and 31 Rxg7.]

29 Rf8+ Be8!

[The rook is not going anywhere, so Black does not allow White the extra

possibility of 29 ... Bxf8 30 Rxf8+ Be8 31 Qh8 Kd7 32 e5 and White, a rook down,

has plenty of chances.]

30 e5 Rc8!

[The tempting 30 ... Bxf8 31 Rxf8 does not lead to clarity after 31 ... Qg1

32 Qh8 or 31 ... Kc7? 32 Qh7.]

31 Rxe8+

[Trying to draw the king back to the more dangerous side.]

Kxe8 32 Ne4 dxe5

[The king's bishop has done such a good job that Shirov, in time

pressure, was reluctant to part with it. But 32 ... Bxe5 was winning,

e.g., 33 Nf6+ Kd8 34 Nxe5 (or 34 Qh8+ Rg8) Qxb2+, etc.]

33 d6

[Now, if Oll can win the knight on e7, he will be only the Exchange

down, with active pieces.]

Rc4??

[Correct was 33 ... Qd4, which sets up ... Rc2+, undermining the knight

on d3, forcing 34 Qf3. Then White can fight on after 34 ... Rxd6 35 Nxd6+

Qxd6 36 Qf7+ Kd8 37 Rd1! But 34 ... Rc2+ 35 Kd1 Nf5! wins - 36 Kxc2 Ne3+ 37

Kc1 Nxf1, or 36 Re1 Rxb2.]

34 Nf6+ Bxf6 35 gxf6

[The new f-pawn has turned into a monster, while the knight on d3 holds

Black's major pieces at bay, leading to a problem-like conclusion.]

Re4+ 36 Kd1 Qe3!

[The best way to counterattack, as White is forced into offering the

exchange of queens.]

37 f7+ Kd7 38 Qf3 Qxf3+ 39 Rxf3 Rg1+ 40 Kd2 Rg2+ 41 Kd1 Ng6 42 Nc5+

[Amazingly, White finally is able to equalize material. In view of 42

... Kxd6 43 Nxe4+ Ke7 44 Rc3 Kxf7 45 Rc7+, the players agreed to a draw.]

1/2 - ½

van Wely - piket

tilburg, 1996

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.e4 d6 4.d4 Bg7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 Bg4

[An important and distinctive alternative to the long variations of

6 ... e5 7 O-O (or the Exchange Variation 7 dxe5, or the Petrosian

Variation 7 d5) Nc6 8 d5 Ne7, etc. Other sixth moves for Black are 6

... Na6 and 6 ... Qe8 - but not 6 ... Nbd7 7 e5 and e5-e6 will cause

some damage.]

7.Be3 Nfd7 8.Ng1

[The idea of this move is to alleviate the pressure on d4. The

major alternative is 8 Rc1 (preparing to meet 8 ... Nc6 with 9 d5; if

8 O-O Nc6! 9 d5 - or 9 Rc1 Bxf3 10 Bxf3 e5 and Black has won the

battle for control of the dark squares - 9 ... Na5 and the soft spot

on c4 gives White trouble) and then Maksimenko - Krasenkov, Katowice,

1993, continued 8 ... e5 9 d5 a5 10 a3 Na6 11 Rb1 f5 with an

interesting position, while Chekhov - Zueger, Prague 1989 saw 8 ... a6

9 O-O c5 10 d5. A very agressive treatment by White is 8 h4!?, played

in Ehlvest - Spraggett, Manila 1992. Spraggett reacted cautiously with

8 ... h5 9 Qd2 c5 10 d5 Na6 11 Bh6 Nc7, avoiding the testing 8 ...

Nc6, which probably would have been met by 9 d5 Na5 10 Qd2 with a

tense game.]

Bxe2 9.Ngxe2 c5

[This is considered preferable to 9 ... e5 here, as Black will have

trouble developing a strong kingside attack in the closed pawn

formation after d4-d5 due to the absence of light-squared bishops.]

10.d5

[This appears to be over-ambitious. In Lobron - Spraggett, Manila

1992, play continued with the sober 10 O-O cxd4 11 Nxd4 Nc6 12 Rc1.]

a6 11.a4 Qa5!

12.Bd2

[A necessity, as on 12 O-O Ne5 13 b3 (13 Qb3? Qb4), Black has 13

... Nxc4.]

Ne5 13.b3 Nd3+ 14.Kf1 Nd7

[While Black has done quite well, it is not clear that he has more

than equality.]

15.g3 Rae8 16.Kg2 Nb4 17.Be3

e5!!

[An amazing pawn sacrifice.]

18.dxe6

[This is forced. Otherwise, Black will get ... f7-f5 in with a

clear initiative.

fxe6

[The idea is simply to open the f- and d-files, where White has

some weak squares. 18 ... Rxe6 would permanently cede control of d5

to White.]

19.Qxd6 Rf7 20.Rad1 Nc6

[The recirculation of this knight is an important justification of

the sacrifice.]

21.Qd2 Qb6 22.Qa2 Bd4 23.a5

[Drifting into serious trouble. White should just admit that things

have not worked out and play 23 Rhf1, allowing his extra pawn to be

doubled, but neutralizing some of the pressure.]

Qb4 24.Bxd4 cxd4 25.Na4 e5 26.Nc1 Qxa5 27.Qd2 Qxd2 28.Rxd2 Nb4 29.Nb2

Nc5

[White lost on time here, but his position is not good after 30 Re1

Ref8.]

0-1

Fillippov - Zakharevich

Elista (Russia Ch.), 1996

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.d4 Bg7 4.g3

[The "fianchetto" variation of the King's Indian, in which White

also fianchettoes his king bishop, is considered a positional

treatment by White which completely avoids the possibility of Black

obtaining a kingside attack right out of the opening. However, Black

has many methods to obtain dynamic play against the White center.]

0-0 5.Bg2 d6 6.Nc3 Nbd7 7.0-0 e5 8.e4 c6

[This is the most established move here. Other ideas are the

immediate 8 ... exd4 followed by 9 ... Re8, or 8 ... a6 which prepares

... e5xd4 followed by ... Nd7-e5 and ... c7-c5, but White can foil all

of that with 9 d5!. See the next game for the highly unusual 8 ... h6,

used with great effect by a master against one of the world's leading

exponents of the fianchetto system!]

9.h3

[This is standard. White prepares to place his bishop on e3.]

exd4

[Other lines are 9 ... Qb6 (the Main Line), 9 ... Qa5 (endeavoring

to pressurize c4 with ... Qa5-b4 or ... Nd7-b6) and 9 ... a5 (looking

to expand with ... a5-a4).]

10.Nxd4 Re8

[In Adorjan - Lautier, Moscow 1989, 10 ... Qb6 11 Nde2 Qc7 12 Be3

Re8 13 Rc1 Nc5 worked out well for Black.]

11.Be3 Nc5 12.Qc2 Qe7 13.Rfe1 a5 14.Rad1 a4 15.f4

Qc7

[Black went for it in Dautov - Akopian, Tbilisi, 1989 with 15 ...

Nfxe4?! 16.Nxe4 Nxe4 17.Bxe4 Qxe4 18.Bf2 Qxe1+ 19.Bxe1 Bxd4+ 20.Rxd4

Rxe1+, getting rook, bishop and pawn for the queen, but White

consolidated with 21.Kf2 Bf5 22.Qd2 Rh1 23.Kg2 c5 24.Kxh1 cxd4 25.Qxd4

Bxh3 26.Qxd6 Be6 27.Qd4 and White eventually won.]

16.Bf2 Qa5 17.Nf3 Nh5 18.a3 f5

[A critical moment. Black just gets sufficient counterplay.]

19.Rxd6 Bxc3 20.bxc3 Nxe4 21.Rd4 Be6 22.Ng5 Nxf2 23.Qxf2 Ng7 24.Qb2

Re7 25.Qb4 Qc7 26.Qc5 Rae8 27.Rd2 Bc8 28.Rxe7 Qxe7 29.Qxe7 Rxe7 30.Kf2

Ne6 ½-½

LeSeige - Sokolin, Marshall-Manhattan International Title Challenge

1996

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 0-0 5.Bg2 d6 6.0-0 Nbd7 7.Nc3 e5 8.e4

a6

[This move is a close cousin of 8 ... exd4 9 Nxd4 Re8, with which

it often transposes.]

9.h3

[A reasonable idea of Ribli's is to shut down the immediate

counterplay with 9 d5. Then Black's best is the thematic 9 ... Kh8

followed by Nf6-g8. This leads to a more flexible placing of the

knights then 9 ... Ne8; in any case Black would rather have his king

on h8 when ... f7-f5 is met by Nf3-g5. On the other hand, nothing is

achieved with the stubborn 9 ... Rb8 10 Ne1! (not 10 a4 a5 gaining the

c5 square) b5 11 cxb5 axb5 12 a3 with the upper hand on the queenside.

A less well-motivated concept is 9 Rb1!? Then Chiburdanicze - Zsu.

Polgar, St. Petersburg 1995 m/6 continued 9 ... b5 10 cxb5 axb5 11 b4

Bb7 with no problems. Polgar wrested the initiative even more quickly

in the fourth game of the match, where Chiburdanidze tried 9 Re1 exd4

10 Nxd4 Ng4! 11 Rf1 (wild is 11 h3 Qf6 12 Nf5 Nxf2 13 Kxf2 Nb6!,

Obuhov - Pugacev, USSR 1990) Nge5 12 b3 Nc5 13 h3 b5!]

exd4 10.Nxd4 Re8 11.Be3

[In Nikolic - Van Wely, Wijk zzn Zee, 1993, White played for

consolidation rather than development with 11 Rb1 Rb8

12 Re1 h6 (planning the strange maneuver ... Nd7-c5-e6-g5!?) 13 Be3 c5

14 Nf3! holding Black's knight at bay. In this line, a more active try

for Black was Ne5 13.b3 c5 14.Nc2 b5?! 15.cxb5! [15.f4 Ned7 16.cxb5

Nh5 17.Re3 axb5 18.Qxd6 g5 is unclear) 15...axb5 16.f4 Ned7 17.Qxd6

Nh5, but White stood better after 18.Qd3! in Timoshenko - Golubev,

Alusta 1994. Not so effective for White was 11 Nb3 Ne5 12.Qe2 Be6

13.Nd2 Nfd7 14.f4 Nc6 in Zsu. Polgar - Chiburdanidze, Shanghai 1992,

the stem game in these two players' discussion of this line.]

Ne5 12.b3 c5 13.Nde2!

[It is difficult to choose between this and 13 Nc2 which avoids the

jumble on the e-file and lends tactical support to the bishop on e3

rather than the knight on c3, but leaves the c2 knight without any

active prospects. Both alternatives put the onus on Black to justify

the early arrival of his knight on e5. One possibility is 13 Nc2 Rb8

14 f4 Nc6 15 Qd2 Nh5 16 Kh2 b5 17 cxb5 axb5 18 Rad1 with an unclear

position.]

Rb8 14.f4 Nc6 15.Qd2 Qe7!

[Just in time. Black cannot play 15 ... b5? because of 16 e5, and

it would be awkward to try to arrange this. Sokolin finds a different

source of counterplay.]

16.g4

[On the direct 16.Rad1, 16 ... Bf5! 17.exf5 Qxe3+ 18.Qxe3 Rxe3

19.fxg6 hxg6 20.Kf2 (or 20.Rxd6 Nh5) 20...Rbe8 is good for Black. A

good way to head off these problems was the modernistic 16 Bf2! Then

things could open up after 16 ... Na5! (the most convenient way to

enable ... b7-b5) 17 Rad1 b5 18 cxb5 axb5 19 Qxd6 Qxd6 20 Rxd6 b4.

Instead, Leseige selects a multi-purpose move which stops 16 ... Bf5

and prepares to strengthen e4 with 17 Ng3.]

16...h5?! 17.gxh5?

[Trusting Black to recapture 17 ... Nxh5 18 Rad1 with a good game.

Better was 17.g5! Then 17 ... Nxe4? is no good because of 18.Nxe4!

(not 18 Bxe4 Bf5 19.Bxf5 Qxe3+ 20.Qxe3 Rxe3 21.Kf2 Rxc3) Bf5 19.N2g3

h4 20.Nxf5 gxf5 21.Rae1! fxe4 22.f5 with a very strong attack. Black

would be reduced to 17 ... Nh7 18 Rad1 and White is much better. This

shows that Sokolin's 17th move was overambitious. It was necessary at

all costs to get ... b5 in; therefore, 17 ... Na5 was indicated. In

reply 18 g5 Nh5 19 Nd5 Qd8 would be inconclusive.]

17...Bxh3!!

[Aside from its tactical justification, the opening of the king

file and the long diagonal must be worth the price.]

18.Bxh3 Nxe4 19.Nxe4 Qxe4 20.Kf2 Nb4!

[Black is not interested in rook-and-pawn vs. 2-minor-pieces

variation with 20 ... Bxa1. The text carries with it two very mean

points: if 21 Rad1 Nc2 wins, and if 21 Ng3 Nd3+ 22 Ke2 Nxf4+ 23 Rxf4

Qxf4 is crushing.]

21.Nc3 Nd3+ 22.Ke2 Bxc3 23.Qxd3 Bd4

[Winning neatly.]

24.Rf3

[Amazingly, there is no way to give back only a bishop. If 24 Qxe4

Rxe4 25 Bg4, then 25 ... Bxa1! 26 Rxa1 Rbe8 ends matters.]

Bxa1 25.Qxe4 Rxe4 26.Kd3 Rbe8 27.Rg3 Bd4 28.Bd2 Bf2 29.Rf3

[White lost on time here. Black is winning very easily after 29 ...

Rd4+ 30 Kc3 (30 Kc2 Re2 31 Rd3 Be3) Re2 31 Rd3 gxh5]

0 - 1

[Event "US Championship (Semi-Final)"]

[Site "Chandler"]

[Date "1997.09.05"]

[Round "3"]

[White "Seirawan, Yasser"]

[Black "Christiansen, Larry"]

[Result "0-1"]

[ECO "E81"]

[WhiteElo "2630"]

[BlackElo "2550"]

[PlyCount "70"]

[EventDate "1997.09.03"]

1. d4 d6

In round 1 of their match, Christiansen played the Bogo-Indian

against Seirawan and got a bad game. Here he varies with 1 ... d6,

leading to a sharper game, better suited to Christiansen's style.

2. e4

On 2 Nf3 Black has the irregular 2 ... Bg4, or he can revert to

a

King's Indian with 2 ... Nf6. On 2 c4, Black has the extra option

of

the Old Indian move 2 ... e5, which is not bad.

Nf6

This is a Pirc Defence right now.

3. f3

A means of transposing into the Saemisch Variation of the

King's

Indian. If White had played 3 Nc3 (the normal Pirc move), White's

c-pawn is blocked, and the opening cannot be classified as a

King's

Indian Defence.

g6

Also possible is 3 ... e5?! or even 3 ... d5, which would most

likely transpose to a Classical Frenceh after 4 e5 Nfd7.

4. c4 Bg7 5. Nc3 O-O 6. Be3

The players have arrived at the main "tabia" for the Saemisch

King's Indian.

a6

Black has many moves at this juncture, including 6 ... e5 (the

main

line), 6 ... Nbd7, 6 ... Nc6, 6 ... c6 and 6 ... c5 (a pawn

sacrifice). The text prepares to meet 7 Qd2 with 7 ... Nc6, and

Black

is ready for ... Ra8-b8 and ... b7-b5 if White castles queenside.

7. Bd3 c5

A typical positional pawn sacrifice. If now 8 dxc5 dxc5 9 Bxc5

Nc6

and Black's counterplay on the central dark squares is worth a

pawn.

8. d5 e6

The position has evolved into a type of Modern Benoni

formation.

9. Nge2 exd5 10. cxd5 b5 11. a3

With the square e4 heavily fortified, the prospect of Black

playing

... b5-b4 is not a real threat. But Seirawan's plan is to "fix"

the

Black queenside and render it immobile. If White succeeds in this,

he

can then turn his attention to the kingside unfettered by any

counterplay on the other wing.

Nbd7 12. b4 Qe7 13. O-O Bb7

This move looks inaccurate as the bishop "bites on granite"

(i.e.,

White's light-squared pawn chain) from this post. More natural

seems

13 ... Ne5 with a view towards developing the bishop on d7

instead.

14. Qd2 Rac8 15. Rab1

White has been enouraged to make this move, as the bishop on b7

is

potentially a sitting duck.

Rfe8 16. Bf2 Ne5

Christiansen was cautious in placing his knight here, as the

exchange ... Ne5xd3 has little intrinsic value - White may be able

to

expand in the center more easily as Black would have less control

over

the e5 square. Of course, White will not retreat the d3 bishop, as

Black's knight would then cruise into c4.

17. a4

Another step in the thus far successful queenside plan. The

pawn on

b5 is softened up, while pawn exchanges are likely to lead to an

isolated pawn for Black. White does not worry about 17 ... c4, as

then

on 18 Bc2, the queenside is completely blockaded, and White can go

about the business of preparing f3-f4.

cxb4 18. Rxb4

Black appears to have problems with his b-pawn here.

Bh6!

Now if 19 Qd1 the bishop on h6 is very active, although this

may be

the line that White should play; meanwhile if 19 Be3 Bxe3+ 20

Qxe3,

much of the pressure against Black's queenside, emanating from

White's

"good" dark-squared bishop, is gone.

19. Qxh6 Nxd3 20. Rd4 Nxf2

There was no question that the dangerous bishop had to be

eliminated.

21. Rxf2 Rc5 22. Qd2 Rec8

Christiansen, a very dangerous tactician, has found a way to

obtain

some counterpressure, along the c-file.

23. Rf1 bxa4!

A positional surprise, but Christiansen has calculated ahead.

24. Nxa4 Rc2

Threats against the White knight on e2 will allow Black to

start

breaking down White's proud center.

25. Qd3 Nxd5 26. Rb1

Trying to convince Black's knight on d5 to go away, by means of

the

threat Rb1xb7 followed by capturing on d5.

Qe5!!

Now if 27 Rxb7 Rxe2 and Rc1+ is threatened.

27. exd5 Rxe2 28. Re4

A way of both exchanging off Black's very dangerous rook, and

shoring up the d5 point through the forced exchange.

Rxe4 29. fxe4 Rc7

Now Black is a clean pawn up, and although his bishop on b7 is

a

little awkward, so is the knight on a4, which must remain there to

guard against an invasion with ... Rc7-c3.

30. Rd1 Bc8 31. Nb6

Trying to embarrass the bishop.

Rc3 32. Qd4

White had to play 33 Qe2 here.

Rc1! 33. Qd2

Forced, to avoid loss of material.

Rxd1+ 34. Qxd1 Bb7

A very subtle trap. Also good was 34 ... Bg4 as 35 Qxg4 Qd4+ is

super for Black.

35. Qa4?

A natural move, holding both d4 and e4. However, the only move

was

35 Qb1!, physically defending both e4 and the errant knight on b6.

Qc3!

Suddenly, there is no defence to the twin threats of 36 ... Qe1

mate and 36 ... Qc5+ picking off the knight. If 36 Kf1 Qc1+ 37 Kf2

Qb2+ wins.

0-1