Exciting game with sudden end.

Posted on April 18, 2014 by Tiger

This trend of posting stuff from last season will soon end as the Easter Tournament will start in a few hours and I will have new games to analyze. In the meantime, here is the the game between the two players who scored 7/8 last year:

   [Event "Påskturneringen 2013"]  [Site "Norrköping"]  [Date "2013.03.31"]  [Round "7"]  [White "Gleizerov, Evgeny"]  [Black "Hillarp Persson, Tiger"]  [Result "1/2-1/2"]  [ECO "D19"]  [WhiteElo "2546"]  [BlackElo "2527"]  [Annotator "Tiger/140418"]  [PlyCount "45"]  [EventRounds "7"]  [EventCountry "SWE"]  [SourceDate "2011.03.24"]   1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bxc4 Bb4 8. O-O  O-O 9. Nh4 Nbd7 10. Nxf5 exf5 11. Bd2 Rc8 $5 ({I did not like} 11... Qa5 {  since it will be difficult for me to move the bishop from b4 in the future.}) (  11... a5 {is a normal move considering the Queenside structure, but I was not  sure that it would go well with exf5. The reason is that my only counterplay  is connected with the move c6-c5, when a5 will be quite a bad move, since my  b5 square will be weakened...}) 12. Ne4 Bxd2 (12... Qa5 $1 {seems better:} 13.  Bxb4 Qxb4 14. Nxf6+ Nxf6 15. Qb3 Qxb3 16. Bxb3 c5 17. Rfd1 cxd4 18. Rxd4 Rfd8 {  and Black had equalized in Arkell,K (2595)-Varga,P (2484)/France 2002.}) 13.  Nxd2 a5 (13... Nb6 14. Bb3 Nbd5 15. Nc4 Qe7 16. Re1 Rcd8 17. Rc1 g6 18. Ne5 Kg7  19. a5 a6 $1 20. Qc2 {with a balanced game, in Kuzmin,G (2530)-Ionov,S (2500)/  St Petersburg 1992.}) 14. Qb1 g6 15. b4 Rb8 16. bxa5 Qxa5 {During the game I  was quite convinced that I was worse here since I did not see any way for me  to stop White from playing Nd2-b3/c4, followed by a5-a6, but in reality it  seems that I'm just on time creating counter-threats on the Kingside.} 17. Qc2  (17. Nb3 Qc7 18. a5 Ne4 19. Qc2 Ndf6 20. h3 f4 21. Bd3 Rfe8 22. Rfe1 fxe3 23.  Rxe3 Ng5 {and White's pawns are no less weak than Black's.}) 17... Kg7 18. Rfc1  Rfe8 19. g3 h5 $5 {I sensed that my queenside would eventually end up in  tatters, so I decided to create something on the other side. The idea is to  play h4, hxg3 and then Qc7, Re8, Ng4 followed by a sacrifice on e3...} 20. Nf3  ({An illustrative line is:} 20. Be2 $5 h4 21. Bf3 hxg3 22. hxg3 Nf8 23. Nb3 Qc7  24. a5 Ne6 25. Bg2 Ng5 26. d5 $1 (26. a6 Rxe3 $1 $36) (26. Re1 Rh8 27. a6 bxa6  28. Nc5 Rb6 29. Nxa6 Qd6 30. Nc5 Ng4 $40 {and it seems that Black's  counterplay comes just in time.}) 26... Rxe3 27. Nd4 Rxg3 28. fxg3 Qxg3 29. Qb2  Rh8 30. Ra3 Qh2+ 31. Kf1 cxd5 {with a complete mess... which I'm quite happy  about.}) 20... Ne4 21. Qb2 Ndf6 22. Ne5 Ng4 $1 23. Nd3 {My opponent offered a  draw here and since I had only ten minutes vs thirty, I decided accepting was  the prudent thing to do.} ({I was not afraid of} 23. Nxf7 {because of} Nexf2  24. d5+ Kh7 25. Ng5+ Kh6 26. Ne6 Rg8 {with counterplay.}) ({The critical line  is} 23. Bxf7 $5 {, when} Rxe5 {was my intention during the game, but it seems  to fall a bit short of equality. However, it is very difficult to calculate  with precision.} (23... Re7 $1 {is stronger...} 24. Nxg4 fxg4 25. Bc4 Rf8 26.  Rc2 Ng5 27. Bf1 Nf3+ 28. Kh1 h4 29. d5+ Kh6 30. dxc6 bxc6 31. Qa3 Ref7 $44) 24.  dxe5 Nexf2 (24... Kxf7 25. f3 Qd2 26. Qb3+ Ke7 27. Qa3+ Kf7 28. Ra2 Qd5 29.  fxe4 Qxe4 30. e6+ Qxe6 31. Rb2 $14 h4) 25. e6+ Kh6 {I thought the king should  be on a dark square since the bishop is on a White one... no deeper thoughts  than that ;)} (25... Kh7 26. e7 Nh3+ 27. Kf1 (27. Kg2 Ng5 $36) 27... Qa6+ 28.  Qe2 Nxe3+ (28... Nxh2+ 29. Ke1 Qa5+ 30. Kd1 Ng4 31. e8=Q Rxe8 32. Bxe8 Qd8+ 33.  Kc2 Qxe8 {and the King would be better on h6 since the b-pawn will not fall  with check!}) 29. Ke1 Qa5+ 30. Qd2 Qe5 31. Ra3 Nd5+ 32. Qe2 Qxe7 33. Qxe7 Nxe7  34. Re3 $18) 26. e7 Nh3+ 27. Kf1 $1 {I missed this.} Qa6+ 28. Qe2 Nxh2+ 29. Ke1  Qa5+ 30. Kd1 Ng4 31. e8=Q Rxe8 32. Bxe8 Qd8+ 33. Kc2 Qxe8 $44 {I would not  mind playing this position with Black. The White King is somewhat insecure.}) (  23. Nd3 {If I had not been short on time here I would probably have tried} Ng5  24. Kg2 (24. h4 Nh3+ 25. Kg2 Nhxf2 26. Nxf2 Nxe3+ 27. Kg1 Qc7 28. Nh1 f4 {with  a nasty attack.}) 24... Rxe3 $1 25. fxe3 Nxe3+ 26. Kf2 Nxc4 27. Rxc4 Qd5 28.  Ne5 f6 {and it is White who has to think about equality.}) {1/2-1/2}

The great escape

Posted on April 17, 2014 by Tiger

I love to be in Stockholm during the winter and when the snow falls I love it even more. The Rilton Cup is a very nice tournament that is played annually just after Christmas, but it is possibly my love for snow that is the main reason why I play there whenever I can. This year there wasn’t much snow, but on the upside, instead of losing ten or fifteen Elo-points, I managed to play a few good games. However, my most vivid memory of tournament is watching the following game, thinking: “that will not end well” (for Black) and then being witness the veritable Houdini act that came to pass. It’s instructive:

   [Event "Rilton Cup"]  [Site "Stockholm"]  [Date "2013.12.28"]  [Round "2"]  [White "Lintchevski, D."]  [Black "Poley, V."]  [Result "1/2-1/2"]  [ECO "B06"]  [WhiteElo "2540"]  [BlackElo "2300"]  [Annotator "Tiger"]  [PlyCount "262"]   1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nf3 c6 $6 {I would only consider this move if White has  played Nc3, but Poley has his own ideas.} 4. Bd3 d5 5. Nbd2 $5 ({This is more  flexible than} 5. Nc3 $6 {, when} Bg4 {is excellent for Black. Now White has  achieved an excellent version of the Gurgenidze system.}) 5... Nh6 (5... Bg4 {  is generally speaking not very good when White has a knight on d2, but here it  solves the problem of the light squared bishop and should be considered:} 6. h3  Bxf3 7. Nxf3 dxe4 (7... Nf6 $6 8. e5 Ne4 ({or} 8... Nfd7 9. h4 $1) 9. Qe2 {is  good for White.}) 8. Bxe4 Nf6 9. Bd3 Nbd7 {and although White is better,  Black's position is more harmonious without the passive bishop on c8, so this  might be considered a minor success.}) 6. h3 $1 {Now the bishop on c8 will  have to struggle to get into play.} f6 7. O-O O-O 8. Re1 e6 {This might seem  overly passive, but Poley is right in taking it slow.} 9. c4 Na6 {There is a  certain system within the madness. Black's knights are heading for c7 and f7  from where they are doing a good defensive job. It is easy to overestimate the  White position.} 10. a3 Nc7 11. b4 ({There is something to be said for} 11. b3  $5 {, keeping the white squares under control and preparing a4, followed by  Bc1-a3. Still, White's move is a bit more aggressive and clearly strong.})  11... Nf7 12. Bb2 $5 {This bishop only fulfills a prophylactic duty.} ({After}  12. a4 {White has to count with} dxe4 13. Nxe4 f5 14. Neg5 Bxd4 15. Nxd4 Qxd4 {  although} 16. Nxf7 Rxf7 17. Rb1 Rd7 18. Rb3 {, intending Bb2, looks splendid  for White. All things considered I would have preferred 12.a4, intending Ba3  and b4-b5.}) 12... Re8 13. Qc2 {This was the first moment during the game that  I came by and had a look. I thought: "surely he (Black) cannot survive that",  but oh, was, I, wrong.} Bd7 14. h4 $5 {This is one way to proceed, although} (  14. a4 {looks simpler.}) 14... f5 15. e5 {White is a bit better after this  move, but it still seems like a small victory for Black that White feels  forced to close the centre; White's "front" is reduced to the queenside,  whereas Black can create counterplay on the kingside.} ({After} 15. exf5 exf5 {  Black's pieces are well coordinated although White can keep some initiative  with} 16. h5 $1 {In this position the bishop does a good job on b2, making a  future Nf3-e5 possible.}) 15... Re7 $5 {Poley starts improving his pieces. The  rook is preparing to defend the c-file and simultaneously eyes the kingside  and allows the bishop to go to e8.} 16. a4 Be8 $6 ({This was a good time for}  16... dxc4 17. Nxc4 Nd5 {with similar play to the game.}) 17. Nb3 $6 ({This  was an excellent moment for playing.} 17. c5 $1 {intending Kg1-f1-e2, followed  by Rg1 and g4. Black is passive on both flanks and can hardly survive in the  long run.}) 17... dxc4 $1 18. Bxc4 Nd5 19. Ba3 b6 20. Nc1 $1 Rc7 21. Nd3 {  White has managed to keep Black completely passive, but how to continue? Now  it is no longer easy to achieve g2-g4 since there is no safe place for to  evacuate White's king to.} Bf8 22. Qb3 a6 $5 {Black is saying: "there is nothing  you can do to hurt me unless you can open the queenside". It makes a lot of  sense.} ({Black would like to play} 22... h6 {, intending g6-g5, but this move  opens up for some nasty tactics. One such tactic is seen after} 23. b5 Bxa3 24.  Bxd5 cxd5 25. Nf4 $1 {when Black has achieved nothing with h6. (g6-g5 will be  met with Nf4-h5-f6)}) 23. a5 b5 24. Bxd5 Qxd5 25. Rab1 ({After} 25. Qxd5 $2  cxd5 26. Nc5 Nd8 27. g3 h6 {only Black can be better. Why? Because Black can  always take on c5, when both bxc5 and dxc5 are met with Nc6 creating a perfect  blockade that White can do nothing to break.}) ({In case of} 25. Qc2 {Black is  certainly passive, but it will be hard for White to organize g2-g4 in such a  way that Black does not get plenty of counterplay. One idea is to play Nc3 -  kicking the queen back - followed by Nc5 and then f3, g4. It might be doable,  but requires prefect composure.}) 25... Nd8 $6 {Black should jump at the  chance to exchange queens, but Poley is a good judge of psychological factors  and probably decided that it was improbable that his opponent would suddenly  change tack and avoid the exchange of queens. Another possibility is that he  just played fast. I'll have to ask him next time we meet.} 26. Bc1 $6 (26. Qc2  $1) 26... Qxb3 $1 {After the exchange of queens Black has only one weakness  (c6) and can hardly be worse. On the contrary, White has to keep vigilant in  order not to allow... well, see for yourself.} 27. Rxb3 h6 $1 28. Be3 Kh7 29.  Rc1 Rg7 {The idea Bf8-e7, g6-g5 and Bh5 is annoying. It is finally time for  White to evacuate the king.} 30. Kf1 $1 Be7 31. Ke2 g5 $6 {Black did not like  to sit back and wait for g3-g4, but considering how the game continued this  might have been a better idea.} 32. hxg5 hxg5 33. Rh1+ Kg8 34. g3 {White takes  care of the threat of f5-f4 and prepares to double the rooks on the h-file.}  Nf7 ({The engines prefer} 34... g4 35. Nfe1 c5 36. Nxc5 Bxc5 37. bxc5 Nc6) 35.  Rc3 Rh7 $2 {This move should have lost, but it is hard to come up with good  advice.} (35... Rg6 $5 36. Rcc1 Kg7 37. Nc5 {and now} Bxc5 38. Rxc5 Rd8 39. Rh5  Rh6 40. Rxh6 Kxh6 41. Ne1 {is quite dangerous for Black. A possible  continuation is} Kg6 42. Nd3 Bd7 43. Rc1 Kg7 44. Rh1 {when White has a lot of  pressure.}) 36. Rxh7 Kxh7 37. Nc5 $2 ({Here White could have finished the game  with} 37. d5 $1 {It is an interesting feature of this game that both players  get the chance to play an unprotected pawn to a square where it is threatened  by two of its opponent's counterparts. In both cases with devastating effect!}  exd5 38. Nd4 Nd8 39. Nxf5 Bf8 40. Bxg5 Kg6 41. Bxd8 Kxf5 42. Bb6 {and the  value of Black's pawns is closing in on zero, whereas the opposite is true of  White's pawns.}) 37... Bxc5 38. Rxc5 Kg6 {Now Black is fine since c6 is the  only weak point in his position.} 39. Rc1 Rd8 40. Rg1 Bd7 41. Nd2 $2 {I had  missed the last twenty moves or so and here I returned to watch the further  developments and came just in time to see Vladimir play... Can you see it?} c5  $3 {Pretty thematic, but very hard to spot unless you are tuned in on a  channel where this is considered a possibility. It is interesting to see how  both sides had similar chances to make breakthroughs on move 37 and 41  respectively. This is a very rare thing in my experience.} 42. bxc5 $6 {I  don't like this move since it gives Black a passed pawn. Instead} (42. dxc5  Nxe5 43. Bxg5 Kxg5 44. f4+ Kg4 45. fxe5 Bc6 46. Ke3 Rh8 {isn't very fun for  Whtie either, but is he really worse? No, probably not. A possible  continuation is} 47. Nf1 Rh3 48. Kf2 f4 49. gxf4+ Kxf4 50. Rg3 Rh4 51. Re3 Bd5  52. Re1 Rh3 53. Re3 {and Black cannot make progress.}) 42... Bc6 {Take your  time to look at this position. Black has a perfect blockade and can look  forward to Bc6-d5, followed by Nf7-d8-c6, when it is hard to place the White  pieces in such a way that he can keep the balance. From a point of  practicality, Black is better.} 43. Nb3 {This is obviously a horrible position  for the knight but in order to get to b4 (where it belongs) it has to take the  long road.} Bd5 44. Rb1 $6 ({This does not improve White's position, but it is  understandable that he avoids} 44. Na1 Bc4+ 45. Ke1 b4 46. Nc2 b3 47. Na3 Bd5  48. Kd2 Rb8 {when Black has the initiative. After} 49. Rb1 Nd8 50. Kc3 Nc6 51.  Nc4 f4 {White still has to defend with some precision:} 52. gxf4 gxf4 53. Bxf4  Nxd4 54. Kd3 Rb4 55. Nd6 Nf3 56. Be3 Nxe5+ 57. Kc3 Rg4 {and the worst is not  over yet for White.}) 44... Bc4+ 45. Ke1 Rh8 46. Kd2 Nd8 {Now White realizes  that he is in trouble and decides to change the flow of the game...} 47. d5 $5  {...in order to give the knight a square on d4.} Bxd5 48. Nd4 Nb7 $1 {The  Great Escape has been accomplished.} 49. c6 Nxa5 50. Ra1 Nc4+ $6 ({The engine  immediately prefers this move although it is clearly a mistake. Black's  winning chances are seriously damaged by the fact that all the pawns disappear  on the queenside. I would not hesitate to enter a technical endgame with} 50...  Nxc6 51. Nxc6 Bxc6 52. Rxa6 Bd5 {This kind of position is really depressing  for White. Black can place the bishop on c4, from where it defends both e6 and  b5 and then proceed to walk the king to f3. I very much doubt that White can  defend such a position. A possible continuation is:} 53. Rb6 Bc4 54. Kc3 Kh5  55. Rb7 Rg8 (55... Kg4 $2 56. Rg7) 56. Rc7 Kg4 57. Rd7 Kf3 58. Rd2 f4 59. gxf4  gxf4 60. Bd4 Rc8 {and Black will combine an attack on White's pawns with one  directed at White's king.}) 51. Kc3 Nxe5 52. Rxa6 Rc8 53. Nxb5 Nxc6 54. Nd6 Rd8  55. Nc4 {Black is clearly better here, but I believe White should be able to  hold. Sacrificing a minor piece for two pawns, at the right moment, should do  the job.} Kf6 (55... Kh5 $5) 56. Na5 {!?? This move ought to lose, but has the  advantage of forcing Black's hand.} Rc8 $2 ({Black's last chance to get  winning chances was} 56... Ne5 $1 57. Bd4 Rc8+ 58. Kb2 f4 59. g4 $2 {and now  the fantastic} (59. gxf4 gxf4 60. Rb6 Kf5 61. Bxe5 Kxe5 62. Nb3 {is probably  winning for Black too.}) 59... Rc5 $3 {The rook cannot be taken and White's  knight is stranded.} 60. Ra7 Rb5+ 61. Kc3 Rb1 62. Kd2 f3 {and there is no  defence against Rb1-g1xg4, which will win for Black.}) 57. Nxc6 Bxc6 58. Ra5 e5  59. Rc5 {and with that move it becomes impossible for Black to win.} f4 60.  gxf4 gxf4 61. Bc1 Ke6 62. Ba3 Rc7 63. Bb4 e4 64. Ba3 e3 65. fxe3 f3 66. Kd2  Rd7+ 67. Ke1 Bb7 68. Bb2 Rh7 69. e4 Rh2 70. Bd4 Re2+ 71. Kf1 Rxe4 72. Bc3 Rh4  73. Re5+ Kd6 74. Rf5 Rh1+ 75. Kf2 Rh2+ 76. Kg3 Rg2+ 77. Kf4 Re2 78. Kg3 Rg2+  79. Kf4 f2 80. Ke3 Rg3+ 81. Kxf2 Rxc3 82. Ke2 Bd5 83. Kd2 Ra3 84. Rh5 Kc5 85.  Rh8 Kd4 86. Rd8 Ra2+ 87. Kd1 Ke4 88. Kc1 Rh2 89. Rd7 Bc4 90. Rd2 Be2 91. Kb2  Ke3 92. Kc3 Rh4 93. Rd8 Rc4+ 94. Kb3 Bd3 95. Rh8 Rc7 96. Kb4 Kd4 97. Rd8+ Ke3  98. Rh8 Rc4+ 99. Kb3 Rc5 100. Kb4 Rc1 101. Rh2 Kd4 102. Rh4+ Be4 103. Rg4 Rb1+  104. Ka4 Kd5 105. Ka3 Bd3 106. Rb4 Rc1 107. Kb2 Rc2+ 108. Kb3 Rc8 109. Rh4 Bc2+  110. Kb4 Be4 111. Rh5+ Kd4 112. Rh4 Rb8+ 113. Ka4 Kd3 114. Ka5 Ke3 115. Rg4 Bd3  116. Rb4 Rc8 117. Kb6 Kd2 118. Rg4 Kc3 119. Rg7 Bc4 120. Kb7 Rf8 121. Kc7 Kd4  122. Rg1 Kc5 123. Rc1 Rf7+ 124. Kc8 Kd5 125. Kb8 Bb5 126. Rc7 Rf4 127. Rg7 Kc6  128. Rg6+ Kc5 129. Kc7 Rf7+ 130. Kd8 Rd7+ 131. Kc8 Bc6 { 1/2-1/2 }

A fantastic and instructive game. I recommend anyone rated below 2400 to play through it more than once.

Looking forward to the Easter Tournament in Norrköping.

Posted on April 10, 2014 by Tiger

I have fond memories from last year, not the least because I was able to win against Ulibin with the black pieces in the last round. This year the Easter Tournament, in Norrköping, will be quite strong again, with eight grandmasters participating. Still, I will miss the opportunity to study the Stonewall up close as Gleizerov and Ulibin (both Stonewall aficionados) gave me the chance to do last year. This reminds me that it was some while ago since last I posted one of Gleizerov’s games, so it’s about time I do it again. I don’t need a better reason:

   [Event "37th Trade Fair Open A"]  [Site "Brno"]  [Date "2012"]  [Round "4"]  [White "Bernasek, J."]  [Black "Gleizerov, E."]  [Result "1/2-1/2"]  [ECO "A84"]  [WhiteElo "2485"]  [BlackElo "2565"]  [Annotator "Tiger/140411"]  [PlyCount "73"]  [SourceDate "2011.03.24"]   1. d4 e6 {I like this move order (although it depends on knowledge of the  French...).} ({It is of course also possible to play} 1... f5 {, but then you  have to learn the ins and outs of} 2. Bg5 $5 {which is the current fashion.})  2. c4 f5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Qc2 $5 {White can play a number of other moves here:} (  4. Nf3 {and now} Bb4 {leads to a Dutch/Nimzo set-up that is very playable for  Black.} {After} 5. Qb3 Bxc3+ (5... Qe7 $5 {makes even more sense.}) 6. Qxc3 O-O  {we get a position that is similar to the Capablanca variation of the Nimzo  Indian, with the difference that Black has played Bxc3 before White has  "wasted" a tempo on a3. The upside is that Black has been able to play f5  without playing Ne4 first. It is far from clear which side has gained most  from this.}) ({After} 4. g3 {most Stonewall wannaplays will happily go} d5 $1)  4... b6 ({Not} 4... d5 $6 {when} 5. Nf3 c6 6. Bf4 Be7 7. e3 O-O 8. Bd3 Ne4 9.  g4 $1 {leads to a position that has been reached many, many times, but where  Black is not doing well at all. White can leave the king in the centre, double  rooks on the g-file and attack the weak d-pawn.}) 5. e3 Bb7 6. f3 c5 $5 {I  cannot prove that this is a bad move, but the resulting pawn structure - as  seen in this game - seems to be a bit better for White.} ({I would prefer} 6...  g6 $5 7. Bd3 Bg7 8. Nge2 O-O 9. b4 (9. O-O Qe7 10. e4 $2 fxe4 11. Nxe4 Nxe4 12.  Bxe4 d5 13. cxd5 exd5 14. Bd3 Nc6 $17 {Furman,B (2346)-Vavra,P (2390)/  Marianske Lazne 2005.}) {and now instead of} 9... d5 {as in Rustemov,A (2589)  -Ulibin,M (2586)/Biel 2004, the alternative} (9... Nc6 10. a3 Qe7 {intending  Nc6-d8-f7, seems interesting for Black.})) 7. d5 exd5 8. cxd5 Nxd5 (8... Na6 $5  9. Bc4 Nb4 10. Qxf5 g6 11. Qb1 Nbxd5 12. Nge2 $13) 9. Nxd5 Bxd5 10. Qxf5 Be6 {  This is a very funny position. I cannot remember seeing anything like it  anywhere else.} 11. Qe4 $1 Nc6 12. Bb5 Rc8 $6 ({I believe it is even better to  play} 12... Qc7 13. Ne2 Bd6 14. Bd2 (14. Bxc6 $6 Qxc6 15. Qxc6 dxc6 {and the  Black pawn majority on the queenside is more valuable than White's two central  pawns; all because of the support given by the bishop pair.}) 14... O-O {and  Black is very active.}) 13. Ne2 Qe7 14. Bd2 g6 15. Bc3 Bg7 16. Nf4 (16. Rd1 $1  Bxc3+ 17. Nxc3 {and Black will have trouble with the backward d-pawn.}) 16...  Bxc3+ 17. bxc3 Bf7 $11 18. Qxe7+ Kxe7 19. h4 Ne5 20. Be2 $6 (20. a4 $1) 20...  h6 21. Kf2 g5 22. hxg5 hxg5 23. Rxh8 Rxh8 24. Nh3 g4 25. fxg4 Rg8 {Black is in  the driver's seat, but White is within the drawing limit.} 26. Kg3 Bc4 27. Bf3  b5 28. Nf4 b4 29. cxb4 cxb4 30. Nd5+ Bxd5 31. Bxd5 Rxg4+ 32. Kf2 a5 33. Bb3  Nd3+ 34. Kf3 Ne5+ 35. Kf2 Nd3+ 36. Kf3 Ne5+ 37. Kf2 {1/2-1/2}

Tiviakov wins…

Posted on April 6, 2014 by Tiger

This is a game that I intended to post a long time ago, but my new book on the Modern came in between.

I often tell ambitious players to find and study the games of a player who has strengths others than the ones they have themselves. It is honest advice since I have myself done just that for at least fifteen years. In October last year I went to play the annual Guernsey Chess Festival and was especially looking forward to playing since it would give me an opportunity to play against one of the players that I had formerly studied, Sergei Tiviakov. In the end it so happened that I played so badly that I did not even get a chance to play him. Tiviakov, on the other hand, played a convincing game and in round 5 he faced his main adversary, Mark Hebden, with the black colours:

   [Event "Guernsey International Chess Festival"]  [Site "Guernsey"]  [Date "2013.10.24"]  [Round "5"]  [White "Hebden, Mark L"]  [Black "Tiviakov, Sergei"]  [Result "0-1"]  [ECO "E14"]  [WhiteElo "2548"]  [BlackElo "2652"]  [Annotator "Tiger"]  [PlyCount "94"]  [EventDate "2013.10.20"]  [EventType "swiss"]  [EventRounds "1"]  [EventCountry "ENG"]  [SourceDate "2011.03.24"]   1. d4 {Sometimes when you are commenting on an important game, the kind that  wins tournaments, you come to struggle with your own narrative. In this game I  pursued a kind of "this is how a super-strong GM like Tiviakov wins an  important game against a fellow GM ", but the more I was looking for the "how"  the less obvious it all became. In the end I hope I have managed to make sense  of it.} Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 b6 4. Bd3 Bb7 5. O-O d5 6. c4 Bd6 7. Nc3 O-O 8. b3  Nbd7 9. Bb2 a6 {This is basically a Semislav where Black has avoided playing  c7-c6 and thus has an extra tempo and better control of e4.} 10. Rc1 dxc4 $5 {  This is a rather uncommon plan in combination with the next move.} (10... Qe7 {  would be more "normal", but not necessarily better.}) 11. bxc4 e5 ({In  Vaganian,R (2594)-Miroshnichenko,E (2593)/Antwerp 2008, play continued:} 11...  c5 12. d5 $1 exd5 13. Nxd5 b5 $5 14. Nxf6+ Nxf6 15. Qc2 Bxf3 16. gxf3 b4 17. f4  {with - what seems to me like - some advantage for White.}) 12. d5 $5 {Trying  to cut Bb7 out of the game is clearly the most ambitious move, but it also  hands Black the c5-square on a silver platter.} ({In an earlier Tiviakov game  the thematic} 12. c5 {was seen. Then after} bxc5 13. dxe5 Bxf3 $5 14. gxf3 Nxe5  15. Be2 Ng6 16. f4 Nh4 17. Nd5 Nxd5 18. Qxd5 Bxf4 19. Qxc5 (19. Rxc5 {is a bit  better and leaves White with some chances due to the existence of the weak  a-pawn.}) 19... Bd6 20. Qh5 Re8 21. Rc4 Ng6 {Black was doing all right  (Peralta,F (2478)-Tiviakov,S (2628)/Copenhagen 2002).}) ({The superficial} 12.  Bf5 {does not do a lot to improve the White position. After} Re8 13. Re1 exd4  14. exd4 Rxe1+ 15. Nxe1 g6 16. Bh3 Qe7 17. Rc2 Re8 18. Nd3 Qd8 {the chances  were rather balanced in Rindlisbacher,L (2370)-Pelletier,Y (2604)/Zuerich SUI  2012.}) 12... Nc5 13. e4 {After this move I start doubting that d4-d5 was such  a good idea.} ({Instead I wonder what Tiviakov had planned after the critical}  13. Ng5 {I guess} Bc8 14. Bc2 b5 $5 {is a promising line!?}) 13... Bc8 $1 {The  bishop is finished with the b7 square and there is no reason to wait with this  maneuvre.} 14. Re1 Nh5 {The start of a rather primitive, but efficient, attack.  } 15. Bf1 Nf4 $1 ({After} 15... f5 16. Nxe5 $1 Bxe5 17. Qxh5 Qf6 18. Ba1 {  there is no convincing continuation for Black.}) 16. Na4 $1 {Mark starts  breaking up Black's control of c5.} Nxa4 17. Qxa4 Qf6 18. Qb3 $1 {If Mark can  neutralize Black's initiative on the kingside then he should be able to gain  some advantage on the queenside. One might say that the static features of the  position favour White, whereas the dynamic factors favour Black.} Bg4 19. Re3  $1 {A standard defensive idea that is often seen in the King's Indian.} Rab8 $1  {Seeing that there is nothing direct on the kingside Tiviakov prepares to make  some trouble on the other side.} 20. Qc3 Rfe8 $1 ({After} 20... Rbe8 21. Ba3 c5  22. Rb1 {Black has nothing better than returning with the rook to b8.}) 21. Ba3  c5 $5 22. Nd2 ({If White plays} 22. Kh1 {intending Ng1, f3 and g3, then} b5 $1  23. cxb5 axb5 24. Bxc5 Rec8 25. Qb4 Nh3 $1 {leaves Black with a strong  initiative.}) (22. Rb1 Qg6 23. Nh4 (23. Ne1 b5 $1) 23... Qf6 24. g3 b5 $1 {is  very messy. It seems that Black has enough counterplay.}) 22... Bd7 23. Qc2 Qg6  24. Rg3 Qh6 25. Nb3 $6 {Hebden was rather unhappy with this move and rightly  so. He knew that it was quite unlikely that the knight would become strong on  b3, still he played it there. I can only sympathize. Been there, done that.  Still it is far from clear that Black is in any way better here.} Be7 26. Rb1  f5 {The engine does not like this one bit, but the question is what Black  should do otherwise?} 27. exf5 $6 ({It is clearly stronger to play} 27. Nd2 {  when Black might come to regret playing c7-c5 earlier, since the b6-pawn has  become quite weak.}) 27... Rf8 {Now Black takes the initiative and it becomes  quite difficult to play the white side.} 28. Bc1 $6 ({An accident seldom comes  alone. Here} 28. Re1 Bxf5 29. Qd1 {intending} Bh4 30. Bb2 {was quite unclear.  Maybe I have been too hard on White's moves before this?}) 28... Bxf5 29. Bd3  Bxd3 $6 ({The computer comes up with} 29... Qh5 $1 30. Bxf4 exf4 31. Bxf5 fxg3  32. Be6+ Kh8 33. hxg3 {with some advantage to Black.}) 30. Qxd3 $2 {With this  move Black finally ends up in real trouble.} ({Here Mark could have played} 30.  Rxd3 $1 {intending} Qg6 31. Bxf4 Rxf4 32. Rc3 {with an unclear game.}) 30...  Bh4 $1 31. Bxf4 Rxf4 {Now 32.Rf3? is met with 32...e4, forking the queen and  rook, so Hebden goes fishing in murky waters...} 32. Nxc5 Rd4 33. Qe2 $6 (33.  Qb3 Rc8 34. Ne6 Rdxc4 35. h3 Bxg3 36. Qxg3 b5 {is better for Black, but still  far from won.}) 33... Bxg3 34. hxg3 ({This leaves White with a serious back  rank problem. It was better to play} 34. fxg3 $1 {intending h2-h3, although  Black is still winning after} Rc8) 34... Rc8 35. Nb3 Rdxc4 36. Qxe5 Qf6 $1 {  Now Sergei is in his element. The rest is instructive.} 37. Qe1 a5 38. Nd2 Rd4  39. Qe3 Rxd5 40. Nf3 b5 41. Re1 Rcd8 $1 42. g4 h6 43. Qa7 a4 44. Re7 Rd1+ 45.  Kh2 Qf4+ 46. g3 Qxg4 47. Kg2 R1d7 {0-1}

In the end chess is about making many strong moves and Sergei just seems to make quite a lot of them.

CHESS AT THE BAG OF CATS

Tiger Hillarp on Chess

Monthly Archives: April 2014

Exciting game with sudden end.

The great escape

Looking forward to the Easter Tournament in Norrköping.

Tiviakov wins…