So much for prognostication, Dariusz Swiercz, the Polish GM, nosed out GM Robert Hovhannisyan of Armenia on tie-breaks after winning his game against FM Vladislav Kovalev. Swiercz finishes first, Hovhannisyan second, both with 10 ½ points and the Indian IM Sahaj Grover third with 9 ½ points. GM Ray Robson won his last round game against IM Kacper Piorun of Poland. This result had him finish in a bunch with GM Salgado, GM Durabeyli GM Sethuraman and IM Goganov all at 9 points. Robson was placed fourth on tie-breaks. That is slightly better than his rating predicted at the beginning but not all he wanted I am sure.
Here is the game that did it for Swiercz. There can be no question about determination for these guys, 90+ moves in the last round! The patient, solid and technically accurate work the young Polish GM put in belies the notion that all youngsters live only for tactics and attack.
Kovalev made an ill-considered pawn offer on move 16. Swiercz took what was given and made his opponent suffer long for the gift. He then demonstrated with moves 33 to 38 how to use a passed pawn to bring about simplification. The final phase, a Queen and minor piece ending was full of opportunities to make a hasty mistake. Swiercz avoided all the pitfalls and ground down Kovalev’s stubborn defense. A worthy game by which to take the title.
Swiercz, Dariusz (2553) - Kovalev, Vladislav (2439) [C88]
50th World Junior Ch Chennai, India, 15.08.2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.d3 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.a4 Bb7 9.Re1 0–0 10.Nbd2 Na5 11.Ba2 c5 12.Nf1 Re8 13.Ne3 h6 14.Bd2 Nc6 15.h3 Bf8 16.Nh2 Bc8 17.axb5 Nd4 18.bxa6 Rxa6 19.Nhg4 Nxg4 20.hxg4 Qb6 21.Bc4 Rxa1 22.Qxa1 Be6 23.Bc3 Be7 24.Qa4 Rb8 25.Qa2 Kh8 26.Bxe6 fxe6 27.Nc4 Qb7 28.b3 Ra8 29.Qb1 Qc7 30.Qd1 Ra2 31.Bxd4 cxd4 32.Qb1 Ra8 [32...Ra7] 33.b4 Bf6 34.b5 d5 35.b6 Qb8 36.exd5 exd5 37.b7 Ra7 38.Nd6 Be7 39.Nf7+ Kh7 40.Nxe5 Rxb7 41.Qd1 Bf6 42.Qf3 Re7 43.Qf5+ Kg8 44.Nf3 Rxe1+ 45.Nxe1 Qb7 46.g3 Kh8 47.Kg2 Qc6 48.Qh5 Kh7 49.Qf5+ Kh8 50.Qf3 Qe6 51.Kf1 Qc6 52.Qe2 Qb7 53.Nf3 Qc8 54.Ng1 g5 55.Kg2 Kg7 56.Qd1 Qd7 57.Qb1 Kg6 58.Qb3 Qc6 59.Nf3 Kg7 60.Qa2 Kg6 61.Kg1 Qe6 62.Qa8 Kg7 63.Kg2 Qd7 64.Qa5 Qxg4 65.Qxd5 h5 66.Qb7+ Kg6 67.Qe4+ Qf5 68.Nd2 g4 69.Nc4 Bg7 70.Nd6 Qxe4+ 71.dxe4 Bf8 72.Nc4 Kg5 73.Ne5 Bg7 74.Nd3 Bh8 75.Kf1 h4 76.gxh4+ Kxh4 77.Kg2 Kg5 78.Kg3 Bg7 79.f4+ gxf3 80.Kxf3 Bh8 81.Ke2 Kf6 82.Nb4 Ke6 83.Kd3 Kd6 84.Na2 Bg7 85.Nc1 Bh6 86.Nb3 Bf4 87.Nxd4 Bh2 88.Nf3 Bg3 89.Kc4 Bf2 90.e5+ Ke6 91.Kd3 Ba7 92.Ke4 1–0
Deepak played to a draw with Manigandan of India Monday. It was not a pro forma last-round-let’s-make-a-few-moves-and-go-home affair. They kept at it for nearly sixty moves.
Aaron, Deepak (2288) - Manigandan, SS (2109) [C15]
50th World Junior Ch Chennai, India, 15.08.2011
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nge2,..
A favorite of Matt Katrine’s when he wanted to test a lower rated player’s understanding.
4..., dxe4 5.a3 Be7
Also possible is 5..., Bxc3+ 6 Nxc3 Nc6; then 7 d5, 7 Be3, and even 7 Bf4, are worth trying.
6.Nxe4 Nf6
The position now is very like a Rubinstein Variation but where White has developed a Knight to e2 rather than f3. According to GM Neil MacDonald and FM Andrew Harley this leaves White’s pieces tangled up and with little control of e5. For that temporary inconvenience he can bolster the Ne4 with either N2c3 or N2g3. The move played by Black gives White a bit more freedom of choice than necessary. Perhaps 6..., Nc6; should be considered. The text is however the most common choice by the Grandmasters.
7.Qd3 b6 8.Bf4,..
White wants to make things complicated as is his habit and is not rushing to straighten out the coordination of his pieces just yet.
8..., Bb7 9.f3 Ba6?!
And he is rewarded for the effort. Many other moves are available; 8..., 0-0; 8..., Nd5; and 8..., Nc6; all are reasonable. Why move a developed piece a second time?
10.Nxf6+ Bxf6 11.Qe4 c6 12.Bxb8 Rxb8 13.Qxc6+ Kf8 14.0–0–0 Bb7 15.Qa4 a6
So we see the idea behind the second move of the Bishop; a tempo or two used and a pawn given in return for which Black has an open c-file and the chance to make the White Queen, and eventually the King uncomfortable. That is probably not enough compensation.
16.Nc3,..
A thought should be given 16 Qb4+, bringing the Queen back towards home. Deepak is fearless of complications. Here he chooses to play in the front of his King’s home opening lines he believes he can cover one way or another.
16..., b5 17.Qb3 Qc7 18.a4?!,..
Safer is 18 Kb1. Mr. Aaron enjoys dragging his opponent into difficult positions, it his style. He is not afraid to take the game into situations requiring calculation. Such an approach works often in his favor.
18..., bxa4 19.Qxa4 Qb6 20.b3 Rd8 21.Na2?,..
Black is set to recover the invested pawn. On balance the awkward situation of the Black King and Rook at h8 is offset by the loosened fortress around the White King. Better 21 Bc4, then 21..., Rxd4 22 Rxd4 Bxd4 23 Ne4, leaves White with his pieces more coordinated than in the game.
21..., Rxd4 22.Bc4 g6
An improvement would be 22..., a5; keeping the Knight on the sideline for awhile. After the text White has a slightly inferior game; Bishop and Knight versus two Bishops, but the development problems for both sides are cleared up in the simplification coming.
23.Qb4+ Qxb4 24.Nxb4 a5 25.Rxd4 Bxd4 26.Nd3 Ke7 27.Kd2 Ra8 28.c3 Bb6 29.Ra1 Kd6 30.Nb2 Bc6 31.Bd3 Bc7 32.Be4 Bxe4 33.fxe4 Kc6 34.h3 Kb5 35.Kc2 Rd8 36.Rd1 Rxd1 37.Kxd1 Bg3
My guess both players concluded over the last several moves that keeping a draw in hand was necessary. There just does not seem to be enough in the position for either side to try for a win. The last phase of the game is a series of small operations by both sides testing the opponent’s alertness.
38.Kc2 Kc5 39.Kd3 Bf4 40.Nc4 Bc7 41.Nd2 Bf4 42.Nf3 h6 43.Nd4 Bh2 44.Nc2 Be5 45.Ne3 Bf4 46.Nc4 Bc7 47.Nb2 Be5 48.Kc2 Bf6 49.Nd3+ Kd6 50.b4,..
White makes an outside passed pawn. It is his only chance to advance his cause.
50..., axb4 51 cxb4 Kc6
Black moves immediately to hold back the “passer”.
52.Kb3 Kb5 53.Nf2 Be7
Black signals he is ready to end hostilities and White agrees.
54.Ng4 f5 55.Nxh6 Bxb4 56.Nf7 fxe4 57.Ng5 Bd2
If 57..., e3 58 Nxe6 e2? 59 Nd4+, leaves White with an advantage. Peace is now concluded.
58.Nxe4 Be1 ½–½
Deepak gained experience in this tournament even if he did not advance his rating. His final score, 6/13, was maybe less than he expected and he did not get to face very many titled players. Nevertheless, playing against his international contemporaries is an invaluable chance to measure his skill. If Mr. Aaron continues pursue his chess career, such experiences are necessary to advancing those skills.
I hope somewhere along the line to get Deepak to publish something about this tournament, maybe lessons learned. After looking closely at his play, albeit superficially in a hurry to get something online in a timely manner, hearing his insights about any of the games would be interesting and educational.
More soon.
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