Politiken Cup, part 2. | CHESS AT THE BAG OF CATS

In round 4 of Politiken Cup Jonny Hector played a very entertaining game against the top rated Ivan Cheparinov. Today I thought I would have new things to think about, but somehow the game lingered in my mind. I just had to find out what went on there:
   [Event "Politiken Cup"]  [Site "Helsingör"]  [Date "2013.07.29"]  [Round "4"]  [White "Cheparinov"]  [Black "Hector"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "A21"]  [Annotator "Tiger"]  [PlyCount "77"]  [EventDate "2013.??.??"]  [SourceDate "2011.03.24"]   1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Bb4 3. Nd5 Be7 4. d4 d6 5. e4 Nf6 6. Nxe7 Qxe7 7. f3 {Of all  opening lines, this is one of the most crystallized versions of "pawn  structure versus development". If Black does not understand that trouble is  brewing around the corner, then White will quickly get an overwhelming position.  } exd4 $5 ({The only decent alternative to Jonny's choice of plan is} 7... Nh5  $5 {when a common development is} 8. Ne2 O-O 9. g4 $1 {This has been played a  few times on a high level and although Black manages to stirr up some trouble,  I doubt it is enough to make up for White's huge structural advantage.} (9. Be3  $5) 9... Qh4+ 10. Kd2 Nf4 11. Nxf4 exf4 12. Kc3 $5 (12. Qe1 Qf6 13. d5 {  intending Kc2 and Qd2, is also possible.}) 12... Qf6 13. h4 c5 14. g5 cxd4+ 15.  Qxd4 Qxd4+ 16. Kxd4 {Cicak - Hector, Malmo 2011. Instead of 15...Qxd4, Black  should have tried 15...Qe5, but White still keeps some advantage with 16.b3.})  ({To illustrate my comment on move 7; after} 7... O-O 8. Ne2 a5 $6 9. Be3 {the  Black position is already awful. Ergo; to fulfill development can wait until  later; to stir up trouble is necessary.}) 8. Qxd4 Nc6 (8... c5 $6 9. Qd2 $1  Be6 10. Bd3 (10. b3 {might be even better, in order to play Bb2 and  Ne2-somwhere, before deciding on where the bishop should be.}) 10... Nc6 11.  Ne2 {was a bit better for White in Karpov - Illescas Cordoba, Dos Hermanas,  1994.}) 9. Qe3 ({The more standard move is} 9. Qc3 {I presume Cheparinov  stayed away from this in order not to run into some nasty preparation. And now:  } O-O 10. Ne2 (10. Bg5 Re8 $1 {threatening Nxe4} 11. Bxf6 Qxf6 12. Qxf6 gxf6  13. Kf2 f5 {leads nowhere for White.}) 10... Nh5 11. g4 (11. Be3 f5 12. exf5  Bxf5 13. g4 Rae8 $36) 11... Qh4+ 12. Kd1 Nf6 13. Ng3 Be6 14. Be3 Nd7 15. Be2 a5  16. Kd2 Nc5 17. b3 {led to a mess in B.Lalic - Shirov, Moscow 1994.} ({Instead  } 17. Nf5 $1 Bxf5 18. gxf5 {seems to be promising for White. Unless Black can  find a way to break up the centre, he is on a slippery slope; White has the  bishop pair and can probably break through on the kingside, eventually.} Nb4  19. a3 Nc6 20. Rag1 f6 21. Kc2 Rae8 22. Rg4 Qh3 23. Kb1)) ({Another decent  move is} 9. Qd2 {, but then it is quite simple for Black to achieve f7-f5 with  good play:} O-O 10. Ne2 Ne8 11. g4 $6 {other moves are met with f7-f5, when  White granite centre is corrupted and Black's development counts just as much,  or more, than the White bishop pair.} Ne5 12. Qc3 Qh4+ 13. Ng3 h5 $5 14. gxh5  f5 {with unclear play in Pap - Semcesen, 23rd Czech Open A 2012.}) 9... Be6 ({  In T.Petrosian - Hasangatin, Cappelle la Grande 2008, play continued:} 9... Nb4  $6 {It might seem like a harsh evaluation, but I do not believe that Black can  waste any time when the White pawn structure is this strong. It is imperative  for Black to get in f7-f5, and this move does not help that case.} 10. Qc3 a5  11. a3 Nc6 12. b3 $6 {Very slow indeed, but White was probably bothered by the  scenario where Black gets to play a5-a4 and put a knight on c5:} (12. Ne2 a4  13. Nf4 O-O 14. Be3 b6 15. Be2 Ba6 16. O-O Qe5 17. Rac1 Na5 18. Qb4 $1 {and  White is a bit better.}) 12... O-O 13. Bb2 Ne8 14. O-O-O f5 15. exf5 Bxf5 16.  Ne2 (16. Re1 Qf7 17. Ne2) 16... Nf6 17. g4 Bd7 18. Ng3 Ne5 {with an unclear  position.}) 10. Bd2 Nd7 $1 11. Rc1 ({White will have new, shiny problems to  deal with after} 11. b3 a5 $1) 11... O-O 12. Ne2 f5 {The opening has been a  success for Black. White is unable to hold on to the central phalanx and  suddenly there are plenty of nice squares for the knights to jump to.} 13. Nf4  fxe4 14. fxe4 ({This is something of a sad necessity due to the fact that} 14.  Qxe4 Nc5 15. Qe3 Rf5 $1 16. Be2 Re5 17. Qf2 g5 $1 {leads to a very strong  initiative for Black.}) 14... Nde5 $5 {This is so Jonny. Considering that the  White pawn structure has been ruined (the e4-pawn is isolated and the Black  knights are running rampage) I like the simple idea of:} (14... Rae8 15. Bd3 (  15. Be2 Bf7 16. O-O Qxe4 17. Qxe4 Rxe4 {and the bishop pair is not enough  compensation for the missing pawn.}) 15... Nce5 {when Black has a clear  advantage. Yes, indeed, I got help from the computer, but I only started it  here, in order to see whether I was right. (That was during the second "round"  of analysis. My advice is: to keep the first round computer-free.)}) 15. Be2  Rxf4 $1 {The question is: How do you evaluate such a sacrifice? Do you  calculate all the way to mate (obviously not), or... what? Let us take toll of  the position after Black's 16:th move (see further down).} ({Since I am much  more of a chicken than Jonny, I would, at least, have considered the positional  } 15... Bg4 {in order to deprive White of his only trump; the bishop pair.  After} 16. O-O Bxe2 17. Qxe2 Nd4 18. Qh5 Ne6 {when Black has to play really  bad in order to lose.}) 16. Qxf4 Nd4 {That is the minimum you must calculate  clearly in order to make the sacrifice ;) What just happened? First of all;  Black is very active and threatens to take on e2 followed by Bxc4+. Secondly,  White has not castled. Thirdly, the White queen is on a file where it can be  attacked by a rook. So, what about options? We should make a list of candidate  moves. There is obviously 17.b3, defending the c4-pawn; 17.Bf1, fulfills the  same mission, but is surely too passive; and then there is 17.Qg5, which  threatens to exchange the queens, making it less of a loss to give up the  c4-pawn. Right, those are the candidates. Now it is time to calculate (you should  do this before playing 15...Bxf4). What is your verdict?} 17. Qg5 $1 {This is  clearly the strongest defence.} ({So, what about our first candidate move? Did  you find the refutation?} 17. b3 $2 Nxe2 18. Kxe2 Bg4+ $1 {and the king is in  dire straights as} 19. Ke1 ({and} 19. Kf2 {loses to} Nd3+) ({and} 19. Kf1) ({  and} 19. Ke3 {loses to} Rf8)) 17... Qf7 $5 {This move surprised me as I was  following the game. On one hand it stops White from castling, but the downside  is that White can develop the rook á tempo.} ({After} 17... Qd7 {White has a  few options to chose from:} 18. b3 (18. Bf4 $5 h6 $1 (18... Nxe2 19. Kxe2 Bxc4+  20. Rxc4 Nxc4 $6 (20... h6) 21. Qd5+ Qf7 22. Qxf7+ Kxf7 23. Rc1) 19. Qg3 Nxe2  20. Kxe2 Bxc4+ 21. Kd2 Re8 $5 {is a suggestion of the engine, that seems to  leave the initiative with Black.}) 18... Nxe2 19. Kxe2 Bg4+ 20. Kf2 Rf8+ 21.  Kg1 Qf7 22. Qe3 Nd3 {wins back the exchange and should lead to a draw.}) 18.  Rf1 ({A funny line is} 18. b3 Bg4 $1 19. Bxg4 Nd3+ 20. Kd1 Qf1+ $5 {;)} 21.  Rxf1 Nb2+ 22. Ke1 Nd3+ {with a draw.}) 18... Qd7 19. Qe3 $1 {This is a sign  that Cheparinov is not content with a draw, as} (19. b3 Bg4 20. Bxg4 Nd3+ {is  similar to the comment above.}) 19... Nxe2 {A very logical move that wins back  some material, but not to Black's advantage. A better option was} (19... c5 $1  20. Rf2 $1 (20. b3 Bg4 21. Bxg4 Qxg4 22. Bc3 Qxg2 23. Bxd4 cxd4 24. Qxd4 Nf3+  25. Rxf3 Qxf3 26. Qxd6 Qxe4+ 27. Kd2 $11) 20... Nxe2 (20... b5 $5) 21. Qxe2 Qa4  22. b3 Qxa2 {Compared to the game Black has "won" a tempo here since Rf2 does  not do a lot to strengthen the White position.}) 20. Qxe2 Qa4 21. b3 Qxa2 22.  Qe3 $1 c5 $6 {This is the first mistake in the middle part of the game.} ({it  was better to fish in murky waters with} 22... b5 23. cxb5 Rc8 24. Rg1 Bxb3 25.  Bc3 Re8 {when things are far from clear.}) 23. Qc3 {Now, Black is out of  ammunition and has to retreat.} Qa6 24. Kf2 Qc6 25. Kg1 $1 Qxe4 $6 ({It is  better to play} 25... b5 26. Bf4 bxc4 27. Bxe5 dxe5 28. bxc4 Qc7 {although  Black should win this too. Now the White rooks become active and the game soon  ends.}) 26. Rce1 Qg6 27. Bf4 Bd7 28. Bxe5 dxe5 29. Qxe5 Bc6 30. Re2 b6 31. Qe6+  Qxe6 32. Rxe6 Be8 33. Re7 Bg6 34. Rd1 Bc2 35. Rdd7 a5 36. Rxg7+ Kh8 37. Rg3 Re8  38. Rb7 Bg6 39. Rxb6 {1-0}
With this game Cheparinov took the lead and has kept it so far. I hope Jonny gives me reason to publish more of his games; especially if he is on the winning side of them.