The great escape | CHESS AT THE BAG OF CATS

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.