The World Cup and upcoming tournament. | CHESS AT THE BAG OF CATS

It so happens that none of the football teams that I root for win anything, ever. I know there is a reason for this, that it might have something to do with the fact, that I prefer to root for the underdog. So, no surprise when Julio Granda Zuniga, my “favorite” in the ongoing World Cup, got knocked out yesterday. Now, just like the average football hooligan, I am a bit upset, thinking; “Julio, couldn’t you have done better?”. No, I don’t, not really. But, I will share my thoughts on one of his last games in the Cup:

   [Event "FIDE World Cup 2013"]  [Site "Tromso NOR"]  [Date "2013.08.21"]  [Round "4.2"]  [White "Granda Zuniga, Julio E"]  [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"]  [Result "0-1"]  [ECO "A00"]  [PlyCount "72"]  [EventDate "2013.08.11"]  [SourceDate "2011.03.24"]   {Julio Granda Zuniga is a player that I truly admire, for his creative powers.  I was a bit surprised that it took him such a long time to play the idea that  I considered to be the only one worth of attention.} 1. g3 d5 2. Bg2 c5 3. c4  d4 4. d3 Nc6 5. e4 $5 e5 6. Ne2 Be7 7. f4 h5 $1 ({After} 7... Nf6 8. h3 {it is  no longer clear how Black will meet the White pawn-mass. It is a mistake to  play} O-O 9. O-O {since this will leave White with quite a few extra tempi  compared to a standard Kings Indian (where the f-pawn can only be move after a  knight has been removed from f3 (f6). Caruana's move can be considered the  standard reaction.}) 8. h3 h4 9. g4 g5 $1 (9... Nf6 $5 10.  O-O g5 11. fxg5 Nh7 12. Nd2 Nxg5 {is similar to the game, but will make it  harder for White to play Rf5 and then - after Bxf5 and exf5 - plant a knight  on e4 without allowing for further exchanges.}) 10. fxg5 $1 (10. fxe5 Nxe5 {is  absolutely horrendous for White. The bishop on g2 is dead, dead, dead and then  we get to the bad stuff...}) 10... Bxg5 11. O-O f6 12. Nd2 Nge7 {So far, so  good, but when I saw White's next move I turned over my coffee cup in horror.}  13. Nb3 $5 {Really, unless White can break the blockade on the kingside, or  get in b2-b4 under favourable circumstances, then defeat becomes almost  certain. The move in the game is a bit ugly, but there is a deep reason for it:  } ({I would very much like to play} 13. Rf5 $5 {here, but there is a downside  to this. Can you see it?} Bxd2 $1 {It is important to remove the knight that  can go to the (soon occuring) e4-square.} (13... Ng6 $5 14. Nf3 $1 Bxf5 15.  exf5 Bxc1 16. Qxc1 Nge7 17. Nd2 {and White has excellent compensation when the  knight reaches e4.}) (13... Be3+ 14. Kh1 Nxf5 15. exf5 Bd7 16. Ne4 Bxc1 17.  Nxc1 $1 {A sample line to show how strong the White initiative is:} Qe7 18. a3  Kd8 19. Qe1 a5 20. Nb3 b6 21. Nbd2 Kc7 22. Nf3 Rag8 23. Nxh4 Be8 24. Kg1 Kb8  25. Nf3 {and the Black king is very vulnerable to a well timed b2-b4, whereas  the White king is sitting safe in his castle.}) 14. Bxd2 Nxf5 15. exf5 Bd7 {  Now Ne2 is too far away from e4 and Black is planning Nc6-d8, followed by Bc6.  This is a plan that will easily defuse the White initiative.} 16. Qe1 Qe7 17.  a3 a5 18. b3 Nd8 $15) 13... Qd6 14. Rf3 $2 {This makes no sense and makes even  less sense that such a strong intuitive player as Granda Zuniga should play  this way. To me there is only one move here:} (14. Rf5 $1 {(now, there is no  Bxd2!)} Bxc1 {This is more or less forced.} 15. Rxc1 Nxf5 $1 (15... Bxf5 $6 16.  exf5 Nc8 17. Nd2 Nb6 18. a3 {with very nice compensation.}) 16. exf5 Bd7 17.  Nd2 Nd8 18. Bd5 Bc6 19. Ne4 Qe7 20. Kh2 Rc8 21. Ng1 Nf7 22. Nf3 Nd6 23. Nfd2 {  with a mess. I would possibly avoid such a line in a correspondence game, but  in a live game I would be quite happy to play the White side here.}) 14... Ng6  15. Qf1 ({Now it is too late for} 15. Rf5 {due to} Bxf5 16. exf5 Nf4 $1) 15...  O-O {The rest will be suffering for White, unless there is a way to create  some mess. Black has space, a clear plan in b7-b5 and White has a bunch of  pieces that do not coordinate.} 16. a3 Be6 17. Nd2 a6 18. Rf5 {Too late. Now  there is not even a reason to take the rook.} Rae8 {This move does not do a  lot to inoculate Black against future tactics.} ({Instead} 18... Kg7 {seems  like a good idea. Among other things; the h-pawn will be easier to protect and  the king is no longer vulnerable to checks on the white squares (d5).}) 19. Kh1  b5 20. cxb5 $6 (20. b3 {is more resilient.}) 20... axb5 21. Nf3 Bxf5 $2 ({Here  the computers suggestion} 21... Bxc1 $1 22. Rxc1 c4 {seems convincing. Black  is positionally winning.}) 22. exf5 Nf4 23. Nd2 {This position is quite tricky  to play for Black. When the knight lands on e4 it will radiate power in all  directions.} Qc7 (23... Nxd3 24. Ne4 Qd7 25. Bxg5 fxg5 26. Nc1 Nf4 27. Nxc5 Qc7  28. N1d3 {and again Black has some quite nasty counterplay.}) (23... Nxe2 24.  Qxe2 Bxd2 25. Bxd2 {and the bishops are a source of power, while the h-pawn is  weak.}) (23... Nxg2 24. Ne4 Qe7 25. Qxg2 {and the knight on e4 is a monster.})  24. Ne4 Na5 {The position is still highly unclear.} 25. Bxf4 $6 ({Here} 25.  Nxf4 $1 Bxf4 26. Qe1 Bxc1 27. Rxc1 Nb3 28. Rc2 (28. Qxh4 $5 Nxc1 29. Nxf6+ Rxf6  30. Qxf6 e4 31. Qg6+ Kf8 32. Qf6+ Qf7 33. Qh8+ Ke7 34. Qe5+ Kd7 35. Qxc5 {and  White has perpetual checks.}) 28... Qh7 (28... c4 29. Qxh4) 29. g5 $5 fxg5 30.  Nxg5 Qxf5 31. Bd5+ Kg7 32. Qxh4 Qf1+ 33. Kh2 Qf4+ 34. Qxf4 Rxf4 35. Bxb3 c4 36.  dxc4 bxc4 37. Bxc4 Kf6 38. Rg2 e4 {This is unpleasant for both.}) 25... exf4 ({  After} 25... Bxf4 26. Nxf4 exf4 27. Qf2 {White is very much still in the game.}  ) 26. Rc1 $2 (26. b4 $5 Nb3 27. Nxg5 fxg5 28. Bd5+ Kg7 29. Bxb3 Re3 30. Bd5 Qd6  31. Bg2 c4 32. Ng1) (26. Qd1 $1 {would have left everything still to be played  for.}) 26... Nb3 27. Rc2 c4 {Now Black is in control again.} 28. Ng1 Nc5 29.  Nxc5 Qxc5 30. dxc4 Re3 $1 31. b4 Qc7 {The combination of the active rook and  passed pawn on d4, spells doom for White.} 32. Bd5+ Kh8 33. Rd2 $2 ({The  engive prefers} 33. c5 {although} d3 34. Rc1 Rd8 35. Bf3 Qe5 36. c6 d2 37. Rd1  Qc3 {still wins for Black.}) 33... f3 $1 34. Rxd4 Qg3 35. Nxf3 Rfe8 36. Rd1 Re2  {There is no defence against Re2 or Bf4.} 0-1

Now I am leaving for Barcelona and XV INTERNATIONAL OPEN CHESS OF SANTS, HOSTAFRANCS & BORDETA, where I will play until next Sunday. Maybe there will be more posts during that time, maybe not. It is undecided.